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Below is a family biography included in The History of Posey County, Indiana by John C. Leffel and published by Standard Publishing Company in 1913.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Henry Thomas Calvert, of Cynthiana, Ind., is a representative of a family long established in Southern Indiana, the first of that line to locate in this section having been Patrick Calvert, who was born in Tennessee in 1784. In 1804 he married Miss Sarah Martin, who was born in South Carolina in 1783. They came to Indiana in 1811 and settled near Owensville, in Gibson county. About this time the country was in the throes of war and Patrick Calvert, like a true patriotic citizen, assisted in bringing about peace, driving the Indians permanently from the fertile Wabash Valley. He was also a soldier under Gen. W. H. Harrison in the famous battle of Tippecanoe. After the war he returned to his farm, and in 1816 removed to Armstrong township, Vanderburg county, and purchased from the Government land which is still in possession of the family. Here he followed the occupation of a farmer until his death, in 1860. His wife died in 1840. Patrick Calvert was a man of rigid convictions on matters of right and wrong, dealt justly and honorably with all and being always friendly and neighborly he was loved by all who knew him. Leroy Calvert, the seventh child of Patrick Calvert, was born on February 4, 1819. On January 13, 1843, he married Penelope Shelton, who was born in Mason county, Kentucky, September 24, 1821, coming to Indiana with her parents when two years of age. History records no stronger, cleaner character than the Hon. Leroy Calvert, father of our subject. He had strong religious convictions, and worked earnestly for the advancement of his country and community. His early life was spent in attending the common schools and in working on his father’s farm, where he received strict training and high ideals of right and wrong, which later were so noticeable in his character in handling the important affairs of life intrusted to him by his friends and neighbors, and in his public service. Until 1876 Armstrong township had been without a church, and the one built at that time was called “Calvert’s Chapel,” in appreciation of the assistance of Mr. Calvert and of his worth to the community. The building is free to all Christian denominations. The political career of Leroy Calvert has been a notable one, and such as to reflect credit upon himself and family. He was a staunch Democrat until 1884, when he voted for St. John for President. Under the old constitution he served as clerk of the board of trustees, after which he held offices as follows. He was elected justice of the peace in 1848 and served two years, resigning to become a candidate for county commissioner, to which office he was elected in 1850. At the time of the building of the Vanderburg county court house, in 1852, he held the responsible position of president of the board. From 1856 to 1860, he served as township trustee, being in the latter year elected county treasurer. His execution of the duties of his office was so satisfactory that he was re-elected to the office. At the expiration of his second term he retired to his farm, but was chosen by the people of Armstrong township as their trustee once more, and in 1868 was elected representative in the general assembly. When in the session following his election, an attempt was made to pass the fifteenth amendment, Mr. Calvert, with fifty-five of his fellow Democratic members, resigned and returned to their homes. In the special election which was then called by Governor Baker, Mr. Calvert was re-elected and returned to the assembly, but the obnoxious attempt being made again at a special session he resigned a second time and came back home to stay. Upon his affiliation with the Prohibition party, in 1884, he was made their first nominee for Congress, in the First district, and was an exceptionally strong candidate. In 1888 he was placed upon the ticket as a candidate for presidential elector for the First district. His death occurred in 1898, and that of his wife in 1876. They had seven children, five girls and two boys, Henry T. Calvert, the sixth child, being our subject. Henry T. Calvert was born in Armstrong township, Vanderburg county, Indiana, April 25, 1855, son of Leroy and Penelope (Shelton) Calvert. He was reared in his native township, where he attended the common schools, first in an old frame school house of early construction, later attended the Fort Branch schools, and for several years went to school in Cynthiana. After leaving school he began farming, first with his father, and later for himself on a rented place. After his marriage he farmed the homestead, and his father lived with him until his death. Our subject farmed and raised stock for several years and lived on the farm until 1899, when he removed to Cynthiana and built a nice city home. In the fall of 1900 he became an employee of the Ziliak Schafer Milling Company’s elevator at Cynthiana. He was engineer for four years and was then made manager of the elevator, which position he held until 1909, when he resigned to make a trip to California. He left Indiana in July, 1909, and remained through the next winter. Since his return to Cynthiana, Mr. Calvert has lived a retired life, still owning his farm and city property. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, in which he has always been an active worker. Until 1900 Mr. Calvert was a staunch Democrat, but since that time he has been a worker in the Prohibition party. His first Presidential vote was cast for Samuel J. Tilden. On October 1, 1879, Mr. Calvert married Marietta McConnell, daughter of Robert G. and Sarah (Kimball) McConnell, the former a native of Smith township, Posey county, and the latter of Gibson county. Robert G. McConnell was born about 1832, the son of John B. and Lucinda (McCrary) McConnell. John B. McConnell was born in Scotland, August 29, 1794, and his wife was of Irish descent. He was married December 23, 1817, to Lucinda McCrary, who was born July 7, 1800, and to them were born nine children: James C., born February 28, 1819; Alexander R., born December 7, 1821; Marinda K., born April 17, 1824; Ann E., born September 29, 1826; Miner G., born October 20, 1829; Robert G., born March 2, 1832; Zerelda C., born December 25, 1833; John C., born March 16, 1837, and Mary Ruth, born March 9, 1839. The mother of Mrs. Calvert died August 23, 1874, and her father died September 17, 1881. The mother was born November 12, 1837. John B. McConnell came to this country from Scotland, about the year 1800, and settled in North Carolina. He removed to Tennessee, where he remained only a short time before coming to Indiana and locating with his family in Posey county, where his son, Robert G., father of Mrs. Calvert, was born. Robert G. and Sarah E. McConnell became the parents of six children: Marietta, the wife of our subject, born June 28, 1857; Louella, born May 27, 1862; William G., born September 21, 1866; Eliza C, born January 7, 1869; Lillian G., born September 16, 1871, now deceased; Sarah E., born August 9, 1874. Mrs. Calvert attended the common schools of Posey county as a child. She and Mr. Calvert are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. To Mr. and Mrs. Calvert four children were born: Eva, born September 22, 1895; Maude, died in infancy; Ethel died aged eight years, and Edith died aged four years and six months.

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This family biography is one of 232 biographies included in The History of Posey County, Indiana by John C. Leffel and published in 1913 by Standard Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: Posey County, Indiana History and Genealogy

View additional Posey County, Indiana family biographies here: Posey County, Indiana Biographies

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