CHARLES P. PENCE is a native of Clinton county, Ind., and a son of one of the
prominent pioneers, his father John Pence, having entered the land where
Frankfort now stands, John Pence, of German descent, was born in Vir-ginia,
came to Warren county, Ind., with his father, who was one of the pioneers of'
that county, and married there Judith, daughter of Harmon Aughe. To Mr. and
Mrs. Pence were born nine children: Nancy, Mary A., Amanda E., Harriet L.,
Samuel D., Charles P., John W., Aaron W., and Thomas C. In 1829 he came to
Clinton county; and entered several sections of land, which were then covered
with heavy timber. He built a log cabin, which stood for years east of Main
Street, on the north side of Barner Street, in what is now the city of
Frankfort. Several of the old settlers came with him, among them the
Gaskills and Blinns, and all settled near. Mr. Pence gave sixty acres of
land for the public square and $100 in cash to assist in getting the
county-seat located here. The other settlers, having farmed the Pence
homestead, where they resided for seven years. They then moved two miles
east, to a farm consisting of 130 acres in Center township. He bought this
land and cleared all except about eight acres, and here he resided until he
bought his present farm, consisting of eighty acres, one mile east of
Frankfort. To Mr. and Mrs. Pence have been born four children James W., John
K., Rosa I. and Ella G. He cast his first presidential vote for Abraham
Lincoln, and has since voted the republican ticket. Fraternally he is a
member of Dacotah tribe, No.42, I. 0. R. M., of Frankfort. Mr. Pence has
always been a substantial farmer, is a man of integrity of character, and has
reared a respected family of children, who may well take an honest pride in
the sterling ancestry from which they spring. His son, James W., married
Dora Harland, and is the father of four children: Rosa I. married James W.
Young, farmer in Kirklin township, and is the mother of seven children; Ella
C. married William Brittain, a farmer two miles east of Frankfort, and has
borne two children.
Transcribed by Chris Brown from pages 833-834 of "A Portrait And Biographical
Record of Boone and Clinton Counties, Ind.," published in 1895 by A.W. Bowen
& Co. Chicago.