Compendium of Biography Of Henry County, Indiana B.F. Bowen 1920 Typed by Lora Radiches Surnames in this biography are: SYMONS, Bell, Walters, Horn, Townsend, Thornburg, Newby, nee Spencer, Deselmo, Kirk ABRAHAM SYMONS The record of Mr. Symons is that of a man who by his own unaided efforts worked his way from a modest beginning to a position of influence in the agricultural and business world. His life has been one of unceasing industry and perseverance and the systematic and honorable methods, which he has followed, have won him the unbounded confidence of his fellow citizens of Greensboro Township and Henry County. Abraham Symons was born in the county in which he now resides on the 3d of November, 1828, and is the son of John and Rebecca (Bell) Symons. The ancestors of the Symons family were from Wales, though the later generations of the family have resided in North Carolina. The father of the subject accompanied his parents upon their removal, in 1816, to near Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana, their home being near Cambridge City. He was born in 1804, and was thus but twelve years of age at the time he located in this state. He was reared upon the farm in Wayne County, being early inured to the toils and labors of a farming life. Upon attaining manhood's years he was married to Miss Rebecca Bell. She was born also in North Carolina and accompanied her parents to Wayne County, this state, where she was reared upon a farm. With his young bride John Symons came to Henry County and located in Dudley Township on the farm where William A. Walters now lives. His wife's father had entered a large tract of land there and had given to each of his children eighty acres. John Symons located upon the tract, which had been given to his wife and remained there until his death. He was a member of the Friends church, belonged to the Whig party and was highly esteemed and respected in the community. To him and his wife were born eight children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third in the order of birth. Abraham Symons remained upon the home farm until he had attained his majority, in the meantime attaining a fair education in the common schools of the neighborhood. At the age of twenty-one years he commenced life for himself by going to work at the carpenter's trade, at which he was employed for three years. About this time he was married and for three years after this he lived upon a rented farm. He had been a poor man when he entered upon this tract, but by hard work, wise management and rigid economy had managed to save money. He purchased a sixty-five-acre tract of land in Randolph County, this state, and at once moved onto it and started to improve it. It was in the midst of dense woods but with indefatigable energy he started in upon the laborious task of clearing it and cultivating the soil. He remained upon the place until 1893, when he sold that farm and bought sixty acres in Greensboro Township. Henry County, which he disposed of in 1901. Since 1893 he has made his home at Kennard. He was quite successful in his farming operations, exercising a wise discrimination and sound judgment in all matters, which secured to him a comfortable competence, which now enables him to rest in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil. In February, 1852, Mr. Symons was united in marriage with Miss Mary C. Horn, the daughter of Wilson and Clarkie Horn, of Wayne county, this state. This union was blessed with the birth of four children, as follows: William E. died in infancy; Julian, deceased; Wilson E., an engineer, has traveled over the greater part of the United States and is now in Texas, acting in the capacity of superintendent of motive power for the Plant system of railroads; Luther F. is the cashier of the bank at Lewisville. Mrs. Mary Symons passed away in 1866, and in 1869 the subject was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Townsend, of Wayne county, Indiana, and to them were born two children, as follows: John E. is employed in railroad shops at Richmond, Virginia; Sarah E. is the wife of George E. Thornburg, a miller. His second wife dying in 1889, Mr. Symons was again married the lady of his choice being Mrs. Louisa Newby, nee Spencer. She was born in Belmont county, Ohio, May 6, 1832, and is the third in order of birth in a family of seven children born to John and Elizabeth (Deselmo) Spencer. John Spencer was born in Virginia in 1803 and died in 1883 in Henry County. He received a limited education, but became a fair penman, though his attendance at school was confined to three months. By trade he was a blacksmith and won the reputation of a splendid workman. He was descended from Revolutionary patriots and, like them, was a man of strong convictions. He was a stanch Whig in politics and an ardent abolitionist Religiously he was a Friend. His wife was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1805, and died in 1872. She was a woman of excellent characteristics and endeared herself to a large circle of friends. Mrs. Symons was brought to Henry county when but five years old and was reared and educated in this county, attending the common schools and the public schools of Greensboro. She taught two terms of school in Cadiz and three terms in the country schools. She was married to William Penn Newby October 10, 1853, and to them were born eight children, briefly mentioned as follows: Charles F. is a carpenter and resides in Wichita, Kansas; William H. a resident of St Louis, Missouri, is an artist of national repute who studied at Paris, France; he is married; Lizzie is the wife of Milton B. Kirk, a dairyman of Kennard, Indiana; Morton E., a salesman and justice of the peace at Kennard, is married; Harmon, of Chicago, is a sign writer; three children besides these are dead. Mrs. Symons is a member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union at Kennard. In politics Mr. Symons is a stanch Republican as far as the national policy is concerned, but because of his belief that the temperance question is the most important issue now before the American people he has cast his ballot for some years in favor of the nominees of the Prohibition Party. He served as a justice of the peace for ten years in Randolph County and at present holds that office in Greensboro Township.