I'm not related to this family, just hope someone find it helpful.
Adina
Past and Present of Fountain and Warren Counties Indiana, 1913
pp. 972-974
JOHN ROBERT BROADIE
Upon the roll of representative citizens and prominent and influential
agriculturalists of Washington township, Warren county, Indiana, appears the
name at the head of this sketch.
Mr. Broadie has been a resident of this county, on the old Broadie
homestead, since his birth. He has worked his way to a position of
precedence in the agricultural world, while he is held in unqualified esteem
by the people of his community. This old homestead has never passed out of
the possession of the family since it was deeded by the government, in the
early thirties of the nineteenth century, to the maternal grandfather, John
R. Wilson, at the government land office, then located at Crawfordsville,
Indiana. There is little lad in the county today that has remained in one
family so long. One attractive feature of this farm was the many fine
springs located within its spring of living water was a valuable asset. In
succeeding years the crops produced from this farm have ever proved the
intrinsic value of the soil. It was this particular part of the John R. and
Anne Wilson estate, which consisted of thirteen hundred acres, that became
the property of their only daughter, Martha J., the wife of Thomas Benton
Broadie, parents of the subject.
The father, Thomas B., was born of Scotch parentage October 7, 1840, near
Dayton, Indiana. His parents were John and Elizabeth Broadie, the former a
native of Seaford, Sussex county, Delaware, the latter a native of
Circleville, Ohio. They were the first couple married in Circleville, Ohio.
The original spelling of the name is Brodie-the "a" being erroneously added
after coming to America. After completing their common school education,
Thomas Benton Broadie and Martha J. Wilson first met as students at
Thorntown Academy, from which the latter graduated in 1860. the former heard
his country's call to arms, and in 1862 abandoned his hopes of more
education and enlisted with the Sixteenth Indiana Battery, Army of the
Potomac, in the war of the Rebellion. He served his country three years as a
Union soldier and was honorably discharged in 1865. Their marriage occurred
November 9, 1865. They began their married life on the site of the present
homestead. Much of this was yet uncleared, but Mr. Broadie was a successful
tiller of the soil and with the sturdiness of his Scotch ancestry bravely
went to work. He at first farmed on a small scale, but increased the
cultivable area year by year until he had a splendid farm of one hundred and
sixty acres. He also improved a farm in Jordan township of one hundred and
sixty acres which lies one-half mile north of Hedrick, Indiana. The
improvement of these two farms virtually constituted his life work. Mr.
Broadie died January 31, 1890, aged a little more than forty-nine years. His
widow survived him six years, in which time she turned her farming interests
over to her son, John R., and built herself and family a comfortable, modern
home on Falls street in Williamsport, Indiana. She died March 1, 1896, and
was buried beside her husband in there family lot in the Williamsport
cemetery.
Their family consisted of six children, viz.: Charles C., deceased; Anna M.,
now the wife of T. F. Christman, of Danville, Illinois; Augustus G., of
Williamsport; James C., of Portland, Oregon; John R., the subject, and
William E., deceased. John R. received his education in the commn schools of
the county and since embarking in business for himself has been very
successful in raising all crops common to the community and also gives
considerable attention to stock raising, particularly to hogs. His home now
consists of two hundred acres situated two and one-half miles northwest of
Williamsport on the Watkins road. The residence is one of the most
convenient and attractive homes in the township and bears evidence of the
good ideas and excellent taste of its owner.
Politically, Mr. Broadie is allied with the Democratic party, though he is
too busy to give much attention to politics. He and the members of his
family are affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal church, to which they are
liberal contributors. Personally, Mr. Broadie is a pleasant and affable
gentleman of honest convictions and sincere purposes, and his word is a good
as his bond.