JOHN LAMMEY.-Many of the more prosperous and respected citizens of Sullivan county are of foreign birth, and in their native land acquired those habits of industry, thrift and frugality that have been such important factors in winning them wealth and good fortune in this countrv. Prominent among this number is John Lammey, who has retired from agricultural pursuits, and is now residing at his pleasant home in the village of Dugger, devoting his time to horticulture and agriculture, finding fully as much pleasure as profit in his congenial work. A son of John Lammey, Sr., he was born September 25, 1834, in county Tyrone, province of Ulster, Ireland, coming on the paternal side of French Huguenot ancestry. His grandparents, William and Ellen (Gallagher) Lammey, were life-long residents of the Emerald Isle.
John Lammey, Sr., a farmer by occupation, came to America about the time of the Civil war, and for awhile lived in Philadelphia. Subsequently purchasing a farm near Richmond, Virginia, he was there a resident until his death, at the venerable age of eight-nine years. He married Martha McNeil, who was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, of Scotch ancestors, being a daughter of John and Eliza McNeil, who spent their entire lives in Ireland. She died in Philadelphia. Of her children, five grew to maturity. Eliza went to Australia to live, and the others came to America. Ann is living in Philadelphia; Martha and William have passed to the life beyond; and John is the special subject of this sketch.
Bred and educated in his native county, John Lammey began as a boy to learn something of the various branches of agriculture, remaining with his parents until his marriage. He afterwards lived on rented land until 1860. In March of that year, hoping in this land of fair promise to better his financial condition, he came to the United States, and for two years lived in Philadelphia, and then located in Coshocton county, Ohio. In August, 1863. Mr. Lammey, loyal to the land of his adoption, enlisted in Company F, Second Ohio Heavy Artillery, went south with his regiment, and remained with it in all of its hard marches, campaigns and battles, and with his comrades was honorably discharged from the service in August, 1865. Returning to Ohio, Mr. Lammey bought land near Mohawk village, and was there employed in tilling the soil until 1874. Coming then to Indiana, he settled in Sullivan county, for three years renting land. In the meantime, Mr. Lammey purchased a tract of wild, uncultivated land lying in sections twenty-three and twenty-four, Cass township, and in the log house which he erected he and his family lived for many years, and it is still standing. Clearing and improving the land, he subsequently built a good frame barn, and was there successfully employed in agricultural pursuits until 1904. Renting the farm at that time, he has since made his home in Dugger, pleasantly passing his time in caring for his fruit trees, flowers and bees, making a special study of these, and finding enjoyment in their cultivation.
Mr. Lammey married, October 3, 1854, Mary Graham, who was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, where her parents, Andrew and Jane (McMains) Graham, both of Scotch ancestry, spent their lives. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Lammey has been blessed by the birth of eight children, namely: Jane, William, John, Martha, Robert A., Charles, Lewis C. and Margaret E. Jane, wife of Frank Shivers, has six children, Wilmer, Minnie, James, Frank, Lizzie and John. William married Rachel McBride, and they have three children, John, Frank and Ruth. John married Susan Magill, and has four children, Myrtle, Mary, Earl and Ray. Martha, wife of William Exline, has six children, Jane, Josephine, Nora, John, Willie and Vinetta. Robert A. married Mary E. Lambright. Charles married Susan Doherty, and they have three children, Culmer, Opher and Cecil. Lewis C. married Clara Walters, and they have two children, Ethel and Hazel. Margaret E., wife of William Fry, has two children, Leroy and Willie. Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Lammey are faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically Mr. Lammey is a strong Republican. While in the army he cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, and soon afterwards was granted his naturalization papers.