Daniel Byron Redmon (1821 - abt. 1850)

New Post 2/8/22 based on a letter provided by John Byron Redman, descendant of Daniel, his son William Byron and his son Frank. This letter was written in 1885 by Daniel's brother-in-law, Frank Pickerill, to Daniel's son, William Byron to explain to WB what happened to his parents when WB was about 2 years old:

[Note – Spelling, punctuation, etc. presented as in the original letter – Jim Redman (JR)] Homer Ill Feb 16th 1885

Byron Redmon My Dear Nephew I am in weekly correspondence with your Aunt Hannah [Huff?] [This could be Hannah Hays as Daniel Redmon – Daniel’s father - had a sister Hannah that married William Hays and she lived until 1907 according to the FamilySearch website – JR]. I had a letter from her To Day giving your address – My Boy I hardly know how to commence a letter to you – my mother died when I was only 7 years old [Dorcas Pickerill, who died 1840 – was the mother of the author of this letter, Francis (Frank) Pickerill, who was born about 1832 and was ten years younger than his sister Fanny Jane – JR] and my sister Fanny Jane (afterwards your mother[)] took care of me and my next older brother until I think 1846 when Daniel Redmon came along and married her [Daniel and Fanny Jane were actually married February 29, 1844 - JR] – after they went to home keeping. I lived with them a part of the time after your father and mother moved to Tipton your father started a small store my father assisting. Your father was elected Justice of the Peace and everything go[t] along nicely & happy. Your sister Evaline was about 2 years old when they moved to Tipton – you the [next] to come to town. Evaline was one of the prettiest [and] sweetest children in the world. (God Bless her) [And] in time Dave Bishop a brother [illegible; however, Andrew Jackson Redmon, brother of Daniel, married Susan Bishop – may say “of Susey”] Redmon, Jack Redmon’s wife – came along, and influenced Father to get a Barrell of Whiskey and [turned] him how to drink it – soon trouble began. I have sat up with your mother many a night when you was a boy waiting for your father to come – when he did come (Drunk). Yet he was Generally Kind. But one [glass] after another. Nearly all was gone except the whiskey – one enemy. We was all going a fishing but before we went your mother called us in to see you. She had made a suit of Calico in your pants waist – well you cut up all sorts anticks – you was a pretty smart child [just] 14 months old. Well we went a fishing and Dave Bishop was along and an old man by the name of Smiley – and Bishop said for every Nibble the Bottle was to be passed round – of course I was a Boy - and did not drink. But they all Got Drunk – Ok. Such trouble your Poor Mother had – well time passed along and I was to go to Ohio that summer [Daniel’s father, Elijah Redmon, and Fanny’s father, Dennis Pickerill, both come from Ohio to Indiana, so perhaps Francis was going to visit relatives there – JR] – no Rail Roads. I road a Colt with another man – While in Ohio. I dreamed I seen a Big Fish playing in the water. Next day we received a Letter stating that Fanny (your Mother) had been confined. And a sick Baby was Born. During her sickness Evaline was taken with Scarlet Fever – also yourself – the baby took it. Your dear mother was left a Lone to suffer (I was away). Tiney Evaline died, the baby died and your Sainted mother and all buried in one grave and your Poor Miserable Father Drunk and knew nothing of the suffering – Poor woman neglected. No one to hand her a drink of water or do anything except what a girl would do that would come in and do---------- [end of page – JR] see No. 2

[next page – JR] No. 2 Byron my Boy, my Blood Boiles as I bring up these old sad events – Whiskey Whiskey what will you not do – their was no better man on Earth than your Father before he got to Drinking – but Byron Whiskey has rob[b]ed many a house of its head and Brought Poverty Suffering & Death – Byron never touch the Ecursed [accursed] Stuff. If you do - as you drink it Look up on it – and think. Yes think of your dear Mother Ruined Father – dead sisters [unsure of whether the baby was a boy or girl – some records indicate a son Elijah – JR] all caused by it – then dash the cup from you – forever. The Rail Road Passed threw the Grave yard when no one was their that had any interest in your Mother: so their remains was Either taken up and Put Some place Elts [else] or Left under the RR Enbankment. I could never find anyone that could tell me anything about it. After your Father realised all – I had returned. And one day at Cicero [Indiana, where Daniel’s father Elijah lived and is buried next to Fanny Jane’s father Dennis Pickerill - JR] we walked over to Alfred Redmons – threw the woods. Oh how badlly he felt. We talked it all over; a few nights after he had a Fit in the school House – after that he disappeared. And no one has ever seen him cince. Nevel [Neville was a brother of Daniel – JR] thought he had a [Clew Owell? (i.e. may be “clue, oh well” – JR)] but it was a Failure – no Daniel[,] if he is yet Living[,] I would give anything to see him If reformed – no it can not be that he is Living. Poor man – he never thought when taken his First Whiskey that it would soon so soon be his master and his ruin. And cause the Death of 3 members of his Family. Well Byron, I will close. I hope you will answer this. And let us keep track of each other while we Live on Earth. Your Mother was a church member but had no opportunity to attend church for years before she died [The families of Daniel Redmon and Andrew Jackson Redmon were 2 of the first 12 families to settle Tipton, so there was little in the town at the time of and years prior to Fanny’s death – JR]. Well It is getting pretty Late tell me all about yourself and if you have or can Get a Picture of yourself send me one – I will send a small one on the top of my Letter of myself – my wife is by me reading the children are all gone to bead [bed] – Oh Byron – I am Sad – thinking over the Past has caused it but such is Life: Oh my Dear Dead Sister and Sweet Little Eveline – they must be in Heaven good by as Ever your Uncle Frank M. Pickerill

Daniel Redmon (see discussion below regarding the “o” in Redmon)

Born: About 1821 as he is listed in the 1850 census of Hamilton County, Indiana as being 29 years of age. Born in Byrd Township, Brown County, Ohio according to Pickerill family history information. Married: Fanny Jane Pickerill - February 29, 1844 in Hamilton County, Indiana (Indiana Marriages – 1811-2007 > Hamilton > 1843-1851 Volume A) Children: a. William Byron, b. Possibly Evaline, c. Possibly Elijah Died: Possibly about 1849 - Place unknown Buried: Unknown -The change in spelling of the Redman name (used by his son, William Byron Redman) to Redmon occurs when tracing back to Daniel. The history books of Tipton County indicate no Redman’s although they sometimes spell the name as Redmond, in addition to Redmon, when talking about Daniel and his brother Andrew. The evidence suggesting this is the same line is overwhelming since there are no Redman’s to be found in Tipton County in the 1840’s, W. B.’s obituary lists his birthplace as Tipton County, and W. B. is specifically listed (as William Byron) in the will of Elijah Redmon (father of Daniel and grandfather of William Byron). In addition, although Elijah, Andrew (Daniel's brother), and “Byron” Redmon can be found in the 1850 census of Tipton County, there is no entry for Daniel, who probably died or left the area in about 1849 when W. B. was 2 ½ years old. Additionally, “Byron Redmon” is listed in the 1850 Tipton County census as being 3 years old (which is how old W. B. would have been) and is living with the James Dailey family, indicating that something has happened to his family. It is most likely that W. B., being orphaned at about age two or three and then going to live with the Steele family, either didn’t know the spelling used by his ancestors or for some reason changed the spelling to Redman. -Excerpts from several books held in the Tipton County library have provided the following information. Daniel, along with Andrew his brother, were heads of two of the first twelve families to settle in Tipton, which was established in the 1840’s. Daniel was elected the second Justice of the Peace of Tipton in 1845 for a 5 year term. Daniel and Andrew “upon a petition signed by very many of the prominent people of the town and county, in 1846 had been licensed to retail groceries and spirituous liquors for one year, upon the payment of $15 into the county treasury”. Another excerpt states that “Andrew Redmon, who afterward became Sheriff, started a tavern in 1846 in a two-story log house (later weather-boarded and known as the Morgan property) situated at the northwest corner of Main and Madison streets. About 1850 or 1851, William H. Nelson became the proprietor of this house, and did a very thriving business”. Another excerpt states that “the first sermon in the city of Tipton is believed to have been preached by John Stinson in 1844 at the residence of Andrew J. Redmon”. -Information regarding the death of Daniel was not evident in the documents contained in the Tipton library or Tipton County Courthouse. A story passed down through the generations of the Redman family was that W.B.’s parents were killed by Indians; however, Tipton County history indicates that this explanation is unlikely. An excerpt from the Tipton County internet web site states “Pioneers entering Tipton County during the early 1800’s found that Indians from the Miami, Delaware and Pottowatomie tribes used the swampy prairies and hardwood forests of the area as a shared hunting ground. Although the Indians may well have resented the entry of white settlers into the area, there is no record of any battle between settlers and Native Americans having ever taken place on the soil of Tipton County. An 1826 treaty with the Indians ceded all of the Northwest portion of Indiana to the government, and established what is now Howard and Tipton Counties as the Miami Reserve. From 1823 until 1838, the lands within the Reserve were purchased from the Indians, at which point the remaining residents of the Reserve were escorted to their new homes west of the Mississippi. The Hamilton County census for 1850 lists Daniel in the household of his father, Elijah Redmon. One can only speculate what actually happened to Daniel (and his wife, Fanny), but it is possible that Daniel (and possibly Fanny) had gone west to explore for gold or land and never returned (possibly killed by Indians when exploring the west). Perhaps Fanny died before Daniel and Daniel set out on such an exploration himself, but was listed by Elijah in his household in the 1850 census since he (Daniel) had no other residence, and was expected to return in a relatively short time. Such an explanation would be consistent with Elijah’s Will, written in 1854, which provides for money to go to Daniel if Daniel is found to be living at the time of Elijah’s death, otherwise money goes to W. B., the only grandchild listed by Elijah in his Will.

I received a response from the Hamilton East Public Library, One Library Plaza, Noblesville, IN 46060 to my inquire regarding information they had for the Redmons and particularly Daniel and wife Fanny. The response was as follows: We do have a Redman/Redmon family history file. There are just a few pages, one of them is a family group sheet for Elijah and Elizabeth Redmon. Daniel Byron is listed as one of the sons with a birth year of 1821, his marriage to Frances Jane Pickerille in Hamilton County on 29 February 1844, and has his death as about 1849…..There is a copy of a newspaper clipping about the tombstone for Elijah Redmon [included under Elijah Redmon], a few census records, queries on the family, modern day obituaries, and an outline of someone’s research on the family. There are 11 pages in the folder all together…..As you know, death records were not mandated in Indiana until 1882. I did check the cemetery listings we [have] for Daniel and Fanny Jane but they were not listed.