on of the early ministers of Muncie, was the grandson of Robert Buckles (who emigrated from England to the colony of Virginia prior to the American Revolution, and settled at a place afterward called Bucklestown), and the son of John Buckles, a native of Virginia.
Abraham Buckles was born August 26, 1799, in Warren County, Ohio, and died at his home, near Muncie, October 9, 1878, in the eightieth year of his age. September 3, 1818, he married Elizabeth Shanks, and, in 1829, was ordained a minister of the Baptist Church. In October, 1833, he removed with his family to Delaware County, Ind., and soon afterward organized the Muncie Baptist Church, serving as its Pastor for over forty-five years, without pecuniary reward. In 1839, he was elected to the General Assembly of Indiana, and filled that station with honor and credit to himself and his constituency. Of his character as .a citizen and a Christian, the Muncie Times, in an obituary notice, said:
"Honest as the day in all his dealings, industrious and untiring in his efforts for a livelihood, bold and fearless as an advocate for the right as God gave him to see it, kind and gentle as a husband and father, obliging and social as a neighbor and friend, strong in body and intellect, his whole life, modified and controlled by an abiding faith in the providence of God and the atonement of a Savior, he left an impress upon those about him which will reach through all time, and that influence was for good. good. He was a man of peace. Throughout his life of fourscore years, he never was a party to a law-suit, and was never known to have bickerings with his neighbors or fellowman, though a man of strong personal attachments and dislikes. Men in whom he had not implicit confidence and respect, it was his rule to avoid." (Pages 21-211)
is the son of Rev. Abraham Buckles. He was born July 29, 1819, near Springfield, Clark Co., Ohio. He removed to Miami County, Ohio, with his parents, when quite young, remaining there until fourteen years of age, when he accompanied them on their journey to Indiana. 
He reached Muncie in October, 1833, and, excepting a brief period spent in Blackford County, this has been his home ever since. For his early education he was indebted principally to his own efforts, and his determination to learn everything within his power. When the farm work was done, he would nearly always be found seated by the open fire-place, studying by the light of a blazing fire. In this manner, assisted by private instruction, he became, proficient in the common branches, and acquired a good fund of general knowledge. At the age of nineteen
years, he became engaged in the duties of teaching in the district
schools, and, while thus employed, was advised by Hon. Andrew Ken
nedy, then member of Congress from this district, to take up the study of law. Acting upon this suggestion, he entered Mr. Kennedy's office as a student. He was admitted to practice in the Circuit Court in 1841, and to the State, Supreme and Federal Courts in September, 1850. After practicing about five years, he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for the Sixth Circuit, and, after serving two years in this capacity, was elected State Senator from the district composed of the counties of Grant and Delaware. He served as Chairman of the Judiciary Commitee, and in other positions of responsibility, while a member of the Senate. In 1852, at the close of his Senatorial term, he returned to Muncie and devoted his time and attention to his practice until 1858, when he was called to the bench of the Seventh Judicial Circuit. He occupied this position for twelve years, and then resumed the practice in the State and Federal Courts.
During the campaign of 1872, he served as a Senatorial Elector, and canvassed a large portion of the State. He was a Free Soil Democrat prior to 1860, but supported the administration of President Lincoln, and has since been an earnest and consistent member of the Republican party. He has long been one of the leading citizens of Muncie, and ever foremost in enterprises calculated to advance the interests of this city or county. He has been the special friend of educational, benevolent and religious objects, contributing generously to their success, and has instigated the construction of numerous lines of turnpike throughout the county. He was one of the originators of the La Fayette, Muncie & Bloomington
Railroad, and was its attorney, and a member of its
board of managers. He was also instrumental in the construction of the Fort Wayne & Southern (Ft. W., M. & C.) Railroad, and became the Treasurer and General Financial Agent of the company. In addition to his professional duties, he is an agriculturist, and has a fine farm of 600 acres beautifully situated near the city of Muncie, its natural beauty enhanced by a neat, cozy residence and good outbuildings. This is his home, and those who meet him there or elsewhere in his hours of leisure, find him quite as well adapted to enjoy and appreciate the innocent pleasures of a happy home life as to discharge the more austere duties incident to a public or professional life. He is a good companion, and an entertaining, hospitable host. He has long been recognized as one of the leading lawyers of Eastern Indiana, and, for more than twenty years, has been successful in the field of politics. The circuit over which he presided as Judge embraced five of the most populous counties; and no one has ever discharged the duties of this office with more wisdom, or a greater regard for justice, than he. By a long life of devotion to his profession, and the faithful discharge of public duties, he has won the high regard of the citizens of this community, as well as others to which he has been called. His life is an example worthy of emulation, as it has been governed by a rigid rule of honor, from which he has never digressed.
On the 27th of January, 1842, he married Miss Catharine H. Williams, a native of Ohio, and the daughter of Abel and Rebecca Williams. This union was blessed by eight children, four of whom are now living: Elizabeth, wife of A. K. Lindsley, of Kansas; Rebecca, formerly wife of J. W. McCrea; Josie, wife of William E. Yost, of Muncie; and Cora, who resides at home. (Page 211)
was born in Virginia in 1794, and was married on the 9th of June, 1818, to Patsy Chipman, in the State of Kentucky. In the same year, they settled in Highland County, Ohio, and, in 1819, removed to Randolph County, Ind. Mr. Branson entered two tracts of land in the latter--one near Neff Post Office, and one near Losantville. In 1828, they came to Delaware County and settled on Buck Creek, within six miles of Muncie. In 1858, they removed to Muncie, where the husband died three weeks later. He was a successful dealer in land, and owned a great many tracts at various times, in this and adjoining counties. His wife, "Aunt Patsy,"" says she has signed forty-four deeds during her period of residence in Delaware County. He was a good man, respected by all who knew him.
"Aunt Patsy" is a familiar character, and our history would scarcely be complete without a brief allusion to her, so long has she been identified with the town. She possesses strong individuality, and those who know here find her a true friend and a noble-hearted old lady. She is remarkably active for one of her advanced age, and her step is as light and elastic, almost, as that of a girl. The circumstances attending her settlement and subsequent life in the wilderness have made an impression upon her mind which, though very vivid, must seem like the memory of a dream, in the light of the great improvements that have taken place during more than half a century, and of which she has been an interested witness. (Page 211)
Catharine Hoover (Simmons) was born in 1798, in Bedford County, Penn. Her father removed to Ohio in the year 1800. He had twenty-one children, all of whom grew to maturity and were married, save one who died in childhood. The entire family removed to the West, and settled at various places. Four were married in Pennsylvania and sixteen in the West. The names of the sons were Jonathan, Jonas, Joshua, Eli, Martin, David, Abraham and Moses; and the daughters were Christina, Mary, Phrany, Betsey, Susan, Catharine, Esther (who died young), Margaret and Esther (the second), and four others, whose names are not at hand.
The father settled near Dayton, Ohio, in the year 1800, and died about three years later. He was twice married, and his second wife died at Smithfield, in this county, about 1840.
Catherine Hoover married Daniel Simmons in Ohio, in 1816; moved to Prairie Creek, in Delaware County, in 1825, and to Muncie in 1831. "Aunt Katy" has lived for thirty-five years on the lot which she now occupies. Her husband was large, tall, stout and active; in a word, a true type of the pioneer. He was a miller and worked at Goldsmith's Mill. He died of erysipelas about 1845, after an illness of only four days. His wife is still hearty and sprightly, although eighty-two years old. She has done the washing for Volney Wilson's family for thirty years, and only gave up the work last fall (1880). She has never worn spectacles, and her eyesight is still clear and good. She has been a member of the German Baptist Church for more than fifty years. Although she has but a meager education, she is neverthless intelligent, and altogether, a worthy and useful member of the community. She says that Indians sometimes came to this locality after she and her husband settled on Prairie Creek. When "Aunt Sallie," the Indian squaw, died, and was buried in the old Indian graveyard near their town, her grave was watched by the old Indiana, "Uncle Jake," who kept his lone vigil for two day and nights; and when he, too, died and was buried, His son, "Indian Jim," performed the same service for him. But Jim, poor fellow, was the last of his race, and when he was laid away, there was none to mourn him or guard the place of his last repose. "Jake," the old Indian, was well known to the earlier settlers of this county, and was "quite a character." He was a fine specimen of his race, tall, straight and stout; clever and nice when sober, but vicious when drunk--in which peculiarity he was no mean imitator of his white friends! "Aunt Sally" was a very small woman, but lively and active. It was an unfortunate trait of her character, but one that must be recorded nevertheless, that she followed the example of her noble lord and got drunk too.
"Jim" was quite a respectable fellow: He became civilized and worked for his living, like the white men. (Page 230)