435. David Nowles
David Nowels, a native of Holmes County, Ohio, and the pioneer ofJasper
County, was born Septemler 15, 1821, and is the seventh son in a family
of eight sons and three daughters born to John and Hetty(Vulgamen)
Nowels, natives of Kentucky and Ohio, respectively, and of English and
German descent.
John Nowels was among the pioneers of Ohio, and as a hunter in
theState and Indiana became justly celebrated. He removed with his
familyto the "Hoosier State" when our subject was three years old, and
selected for his home the town of Portland, on the Wabash, then
countyseat of Fountain County.
Her Mrs. Nowels died about 1830, and in 1834, together with hisdaughter
and her husband, Joseph
Yeoman, and David Nowels, oursubject, he removed to what is now Jasper
County, and became the firstsettler. They made homes where Rensselaer now
stands,but afterward moved tothe northern part of the township, where
Mr. Nowels died May 21, 1865,aged over ninety-five years.
David Nowels has made Jaspcr County his home since 1834. He
receivedno educational advantages, and inhis youth and early
manhoodparticipated in the hardships of all pioneers. Hepurchased his
time of his father when seventeen years old, went toCass County, and
obtained a position as mail carrier from logansportto lroquois County,
Ill. After three months, he returned to Jasper County, and March 10,1842,
married Phebe A. Benjamin, daughter ofJared and Mary (Yeoman) Benjamin.
Mrs. Nowel's parents were born in Connecticut and New York
Staterespectively, and were of
English Descent; this family removed to Ohioin 1814. After death of Mr.
Benjamin, the widow and family, 1838,emigrated to Indiana, and settled in
this county.
David Nowels without means, but with industry and good
management hassecured a competence,
retained some eighty lots in Rensselaer, theNowelsHouse, and other
valuable business property, forty acres ofland in Jasper County, and 700
acres thirty-two miles from Little Rock, Ark. Mr. Nowels, throughout his
long life in this county, hasaquired many friends; he and wife areliving
retired in Rensselaer. Mrs. Nowels is a member of the Baptist Church.
They have had ninechildren born to them in this order:
Jared, born August 29, 1843, died December 29, 1843; Ezra C.,
born January 20, 1845, William
R.,August 2,1846; Charles D., November 14,1847; Mary H.,
November 9, 1849; Eliza Jane, born
July 1, 1852, died April 22, 1854; Eliza Jane, born April
1,1854, died March 30,1860; David B,,
born in 1856, and Ida A, January 14, 1859. The mother was born
February 22,1829, in Ohio. In
politics, Mr. Nowels is a Democrat.
Counties of Warren, Benton, Jasper & Newton Indiana - Historical and
Biographical
F. A. Bettey & Co., Publishers, Chicago: 1883
1092. Mary Bolling
Alias:<ALIA> Polly /Bolling/