CALAWAY PIERCE ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Delaware County, Indiana, Originally Published in 1894, by A. W. Bowen & Co., Chicago CALAWAY PIERCE, a retired farmer of Daleville, Salem Township, Delaware County, Indiana, was born in Montgomery County, in what is now West Virginia, September 26, 1822, and is a son of Thomas and Susanna (Thompson) Pierce, natives of the same state. They were married in West Virginia (then a portion of Old Virginia), in 1818, and resided there on their farm until 1828, at which time they removed to Clarke county, Ohio, and then to Miami in 1830, but were not over pleased with the country, and consequently tarried there but three years, when, in 1833, they came to Indiana, and settled in Salem township, Delaware county, when the mother died in 1840, and the father in 1855. Beside their son, Calaway, they had born to them ten children, viz: Malinda, Rebecca, Amanda, Susanna, Eliza, Arminda, Jane, Vorintha and two infants that died unnamed. The parents were devout members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; the father, who was a very successful man through life, was in politics a stanch democrat. Calaway Pierce remained on the home farm, sharing its hard toil and its rude enjoyments, until he was eight years of age, and doubtless found more of toil than he did of enjoyment in the rugged life; yet he learned many lessons in thrift, industry and frugality that were afterward of benefit to him and laid for him the foundation of a future competence in the same vocation, which he eventually adopted as his life pursuit. On leaving the home place, he employed himself at farm labor by the month for two years, and then engaged in carpenter work for nineteen years in Tipton County, Indiana. He then moved back to Delaware county, and in 1859 resumed his old occupation of farming, purchasing a tract of 120 acres of land in Salem township, which he cultivated with great success for several years, but which he later sold, and then bought a tract in of eighty-eight acres in Richwood, same township, which he continued to work with profit until 1892, when he retired to Daleville, to enjoy in peace, ease and honor the reward of his early toil. Mr. Pierce was first married in Delaware county, January 11, 1849, to Ruannah Goodpasture, of Warren county, born December 10 1827, and this union was fruitful in the birth of eight children, who were named as follows: Thomas; Walter, Flora, James E., Calvin, John, William, and Mattie. The mother of this family was called upon to part from her children November 28, 1870, and laid to rest in Palmer cemetery. After duly and sincerely mourning her loss, November 28, 1882, Mr. Pierce chose a second companion to share his joys and sorrows, and wedded Matilda McAllister, whose name has been adverted to elsewhere. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and by their daily walk through life give evidence of the sincerity of their faith. Mr. Pierce is also a member of lodge No. 271, A. & F. M., and in politics is a republican, under which party he has filled several township offices. To such men as Mr. Pierce it is that the prosperity of every township is due. A Twentieth Century History of Delaware County VOL II, Biographical by G. W. H. Kemper, M.D. Originally Published in 1908, by Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago Calaway Pierce, one of the oldest residents of Delaware County, was born in Montgomery County, West Virginia, September 17, 1822, a son of Thomas Pierce, born in Botetourt County, Virginia, in 1796, and a grandson of Richard Pierce, who was born in the mother country of England. He came with six brothers to America in colonial times, and the seven brothers served their adopted country in its war for independence. Richard Pierce first located on Long Island, and after the war moved to Botetourt County, Virginia, where he purchased land and spent the remainder of his life. The maiden name of his wife was Peggy Knight, whom he married before leaving his native country, and there she was also born. She survived her husband many years and died at the home of a daughter in Michigan. Thomas Pierce, their son, ran away from home at the age of sixteen years and enlisted in the War of 1812, in which he served with two brothers, and after the close of the conflict he secured warrants for one hundred and sixty acres of land. At the time of his marriage he located in Montgomery County, Virginia, but in 1827 removed to Miami County, Ohio, and in 1832 came to Indiana. His family accompanied him on the trip to this state, and they made the journey with two yoke of oxen and one large, old-fashioned Virginia wagon, cooking and camping out on the way. On arriving in Delaware County he secured land in what is now Salem Township, Section 9, where he erected a hewed log house, cleared and improved his land, and there passed away in death in 1859. He had married a native daughter of Virginia, Susanna Thompson, but her father, John Thompson, was a native of Scotland, as was also his wife. He was a farmer and spent the last years of his life in Virginia. Mrs. Pierce preceded her husband in death, dying on the 23rd of August 1840, in her fortieth year, and of the eleven children born to them eight were reared, Malinda, Calaway, Rebecca, Arminta, Amanda, Jane, Susanna and Eliza. Calaway Pierce was a boy of ten years when the family home was established in Indiana, and at that time Delaware County was a wilderness, government land being then on the market and the Indians and the animals of the forest were its principal inhabitants. Muncie at that time was but a hamlet and now a railroad traversed the county, and for some years after the family located here, Cambridge, in Wayne County, was their nearest market for grain. The young lad remained with his father until he started out for himself in 1839, and he soon began learning the carpenter's trade and followed the occupation for twenty-one years. At the close of that period, in 1859, he purchased the old homestead farm of one hundred and twenty acres, but in 1864 traded the land for another farm in Mount Pleasant Township, which he sold one year later, and he then rented until 1867. In that year he bought eighty acres In Salem Township and maintained his residence thereon until he sold the land in 1882 and purchased a farm nearby. He also disposed of this by sale in 1891 and has since lived retired in Daleville. On the 11th of June 1849, Mr. Pierce was united in marriage to Ruanna Goodpasture, who was born in Warren County, Ohio, a daughter of Solomon and Sally Goodpasture. She was called to the home beyond in 1879, and in 1883 Mr. Pierce married Mrs. Matilda McAllister, who was born in Miami County, Ohio, on September 15, 1828, a daughter of Benjamin Luce, a native of Kentucky and a pioneer resident of Miami County, Ohio, where he spent the remainder of his life. He married Ann Ohio Girrard, a native of Ohio and a daughter of John Girrard, one of the prominent early residents of that commonwealth. Mrs. Pierce first married William Hand, who was born in Miami County, and died at the age of twenty-four years. She afterwards married Andrew McAllister, who came from his native state of Ohio to Delaware County, Indiana, in 1831, and his death occurred in 1881. To this union were born four children who are yet living, Frank, Henry, Morton and Joseph A. McAllister. A daughter, Katie A., married William Dillinger and died in Virginia in 1898, and another daughter, Belle, died in infancy. By his first marriage Mr. Pierce had eight children, but only four are now living, Thomas, Calvin, Walter and William. A son, John, met his death by accident at the age of twelve years. Florence married Frank Dietrich and died in 1888. James died when about forty years of age. Martha married Oliver Bowers and died in 1884. -- Jeffery G. Scism, IBSSG ~~ "Proponents of each side are vying with determination to prove their ignorance is greater than the other." President Andrew Jackson, discussing a bill going through the US Congress. Visit http://ibssg.org/ For The Blacksheep website, Montgomery County, Putnam County, and Fountain County USGenWeb sites. MORE... Putnam County Indiana Biographies and Obituaries http://ibssg.org/putnam/bios/ Montgomery County Indiana Biographies and Obituaries http://ibssg.org/montgomery/bios/ Fountain County Indiana Biographies and Obituaries http://ibssg.org/fountain/vitals/bios/