COMPENDIUMOF BIOGRAPHY
OfHenry County
B.F.Bowen
1920
Surnamesin this biography are: Worl, McShurley, Stafford, Metsker, Obole,
Young, Mason,Brook, Johnson, Bellis,
MARTIN WORL
It is always pleasant andprofitable to contemplate the career of
a man who has made a success of life and won the honor and respect
ofhis fellow citizens. Such is therecord of the well-known farmer
whose name heads this sketch, than whom amore whole-souled or popular
manit would be difficult to find within the limits of the town- ship
where he has his home. MartinWorl was born in Liberty Township, Henry County,
Indiana, on the 22d of January1855 and is the son of John and Mary A.
(McShurley) Worl. His paternalancestors were natives of Kentucky for several
generations. The grandfather wasthere born, reared and married. Later he
removed with his family to Indiana,locating in Wayne County. He bought a farm
near Jacksonsburg and there spentthe remainder of his days. His son and the
father of the subject, John Worl,was reared upon the homestead in Wayne
County, and there received his educationin the common schools. He was
remarkably proficient in mental mathematicalcalculations and could estimate
the weight of a carload of livestock correctlybefore others would have
fairly started in their calculations. Shortly after he had, attained
his majorityhe came to Henry County, where he became acquainted with the lady
who afterwardbecame his wife, Miss Mary A. McShurley. The latter was a native
of HenryCounty and her parents were of Irish extraction. At the time of his
marriageJohn Worl was a poor man, but he was strong, energetic and ambitious,
and bydint of hard work and wise economy was soon enabled to buy a farm of
hisown. It was located in the midst ofdense woods, but nothing (taunted he
went to work at once to create for himselfand family a home. He was
agood financier and husbanded his earnings so that in his later years he
wasrecognized as one of the leading farmers of the county, being worth
fortythousand or fifty thousanddollars. He was a devoted and faithful
member of the Christian church and his purse was always open to
thedemands of the gospel or any other worthy object. He was highly regarded
andserved in the office of deacon of his church for many years. To him and
hiswife were born the following children: Elizabeth, the wife of Dr. J. A.
Stafford;Amanda, the wife of A. J. Metsker; Joseph married Mrs. Elizabeth
(Obole) Youngand lives in Oklahoma; John married Sarah Mason; Mary J.,
deceased, and Martin,the subject Martin Won was born in the township in which
he now resides and wasreared upon the paternal homestead. He was early
initiated into the mysteriesof husbandry and chose that occupation for his
life work. He attended theschools of his township and gained a good practical
education. He remained withhis father until he was twenty-six years old and
his father rewarded hisfaithfulness by deeding to him at that time a
one-hundred-acre farm, thusgiving him a splendid start in life. He has since
been successfully engaged in the pursuit ofagriculture and that he is
both practical and progressive is evidenced by the appearance of his
property:Good, commodious buildings adorn the place and the entire farm has
attainedunder his efforts the condition of improvement, which marks
the thrifty husbandman and intelligentproprietor. In politics Mr. Worl is
astanch believer in the principles advocated in the platform of the
RepublicanParty and is earnest in his advocacy of the same. Religiously Mr.
And Mrs. Worl are members of the FirstChristian church and are
faithful and consistent in the performance of religious duties. His
fraternalaffiliations are with the Knights of Pythias, holding
membership in the subordinate lodge at Hagerstown. Heis a stockholder in and
the present treasurer of the Millville TelephoneCompany. Martin Won was
united inmarriage with Miss Flora B. Brooks February 28, 1883. She was born
March 11,1863, in Wayne County, this state. Her parents, John and Mary A.
(Johnson)Brooks, were natives of NorthCarolina, and moved from
thence to Indiana with their parents when young. They were married in
MorganCounty and shortly afterwards settled in Wayne County, where they
afterwardsresided until death. The father was a well-to-do farmer and
businessman and helpedto organize the first bank in Hagerstown and was its
first president, his son,J. W. Brooks, being the first cashier. Mr. And Mrs.
Brooks were the parents ofthree children, mentioned as follows: Jesse W. is a
graduate of a commercialcollege and is now manager of the sanitarium at
Martinsville, this state. Emmais the wife of W. K. Bellis, of Indianapolis,
and Flora B., the wife of thesubject. To the union of the subject and
his wife has been born one child, Wilbur B., born August 23,1890. He is a
bright little fellow, the pride of his parents, and is nowattending the
schools of New Castle. Mr. Worl is a man of pleasing personalityand strength
of character, which easily places him among the most influentialresidents of
the county, and his zeal in whatever subject he espouses is thesignal of its
success. By his manly, straightforward course in the affairs oflife Mr. Worl
has earned the respect and esteem of his associates and becauseof the many
eminent social qualities and general worth he and his wife havegained unto
themselves a large circle of warm personal friends. A volumedevoted
to mention of therepresentative citizens of Henry County would not be
complete with out mention of Mr. Worl.