WILLIAM ARCHER HANDY WEDDING
CLARK COUNTY HERALD
8-JANUARY-1908
On December 31, 1857, William Archer Handy and Miss
Sarah Jane Hull, both of Melrose Township, were wedded at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Hull. The fiftieth anniversary of
this event came around on Tuesday of last week and found the couple
still living and both enjoying excellent health, and the events of
this anniversary brought almost as much joy to this worthy couple as
was theirs fifty years ago. Gathered at this couples
comfortable farm home near West Union were all their children and
their families and the dear old lady, Aunt Mary Hull of West Union,
who prepared the feast on the day of the wedding. As is
the custom at such affairs, a very important feature was the dinner
at which all lingered long.
William A. Handy was born in this county on May 19,
1837, and the more than 70 years of his life have been passed on the
same farm. His father’s family was the pioneer settlers
of this county and his mother’s family, the Dixons, were early
settlers of Vigo County, Indiana. His parents, Stephen
D. Handy and Margaret Dixon, were married at Old Fort Harrison, near
Terre Haute about 1813 during the time of the war of 1812 when the
Indians were troublesome in Indiana and Illinois. Soon
after his marriage, Stephen D. Handy, together with his father and
brothers, founded the first permanent settlement in this county and
erected a fort, the only one that was ever constructed in Clark
County, about a half mile South of West Union. The
family, once very numerous, now number but a few of the name in the
county. Mrs. Handy is the daughter of Daniel Hull, who
came to this county from Licking County, Ohio, in 1850 and settled
on a farm near the Handy homestead. She is past 69 years
of age and comes from a family that lives to a mature old age.
Mr. and Mrs. Handy had 5 children born unto
them. The youngest, a son, died in 1888 at the age of 15
years. Those living are Mrs. Leonard Walker of west
Union, William W. Handy of Oliver, Sol Handy of this city, and
Mrs. Charles Prevo of West Union. There are but 3
grandchildren. This worthy couple have had an
industrious and useful life and by thrift and economy have
accumulated a competency that would enable them to retire from the
farm and pass their remaining years in ease, but nothing can induce
them to leave the old homestead where a half century ago, they began
life together in a humble way but with willing hands and brave
hearts that have brought to them the full fruition of the radiant
hopes and promises of the future held out to them 50 years ago.
This paper congratulates them on their good fortune in
being spared to each other for so many years and joins there many
friends in the home that many more years of happiness may be
theirs.
Submitted by;
Cindy McCachern