John Bybee, IV

Son of Pleasant and Mildred PRIDDY Bybee. John married Catherine Green on July 1,1808 in Fluvanna Co., VA. Veteran of the War of 1812.

Children Son: John Bybee (1823-1892)

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“About four generations ago Sherrod Bybee left England, his native country, and emigrated to America, settling in Fluvanna county, Virginia, it being said also that two of his brothers settled there with him. He married there a lady of excellent family and to them were born four children: John, William, Elizabeth, and Sherrod, Jr. John was reared upon his father's plantation and the little negroes were his daily companions. He was given excellent advantages and received a good education and upon reaching manhood married Miss Catherine Green by whom he had fifteen children: Joseph, Washington, George, Pleasant, Millie, Catherine, John, Nathan, Samuel, James, Maria, Rebecca, Wesley, and two others. John, the father, while he was a slaveholder became convinced as to the wrong of that institution, whereupon he liberated all he had and started for the free states, He came with his family by wagon to Fayette county, Ohio, in 1823, and there purchased a tract of land and began to clear the same. He was a man of excellent qualities and had served in the war of 1812. He had previously had considerable experience in dealing in livestock and in trading generally and he thereupon began to buy large herds of hogs and horses and drive them across the country to the markets of the East. His judgment was excellent and he soon became wealthy. He went into the packing business and put down immense quantities of pork in barrels and shipped the same down the rivers to New Orleans. He lost one large cargo thus sent down which caused him to curtail his enterprise in the field. Connected with this enterprise he became involved in a duel with his commission man and the death of the latter had much to do with his stopping that branch of his trade. After that event he took what he had left and came to Indiana, locating in Franklin township, this county, in 1838. He entered a quarter section in section 7 and began to clear off the timber and till the soil. There he lived until his death in 1868 at the age of seventy-five years. Washington Bybee grew up on his father's farm in Fayette county, Ohio, and received a limited school education but full experience in the rearing and shipment of stock as the methods then existed. He married in that state and with the assistance of his father got a start and bought a farm. In company with his uncle he bought and marketed stock in the Eastern markets, particularly in Richmond, Virginia. By the time he was ready to come to Indiana he had accumulated about eighteen hundred dollars, a sum sufficient to give him an excellent start in this state. He arrived here in 1841 and bought a tract of land and went to work to develop it. He traded and trafficked and made money aside from his farm and later bought and shipped stock after the country had grown out of its first wildness. He accumulated during his active life by honorable business methods all told probably thirty thousand dollars, a large sum and a great accomplishment for that day. He was a man of high qualities, fine abilities, and perfect integrity, and was respected by all who knew him. His prominence and recognized high character and sound business ideas caused his fellow citizens to bring him out for the office of county commissioner in 1880-81, and he was elected. He served so well that he was re-elected and it was during his second term that death overtook him. Allen, his son, filled the unexpired portion of his term. His children were: Jacob, Allen, Mary, Levi, Lucinda, Catherine, and Reedy. Those still living are Allen, Mary, Lucinda, and Reedy.”

Progressive Men and Women of Kosciusko County, Indiana (1902), 389-90.