HENRY R. MILAM.-The oldest member of the Odd Fellows' lodge at Carlisle, and a farmer who has the respect and confidence of all within the radius of his wide acquaintance, is Henry R. Milam, of Gill township, a native of Sullivan county, Indiana, where he was born February 27, 1826; hence has passed his four-score-year mark. Many are the changes wrought within the section of Indiana in which he resides since the long ago day of his birth. He is the son of Ambrose and Sarah (Mason) Milam. The father was a native of Kentucky who came to Indiana at a very early day, and always followed farming pursuits for his livelihood, as did his parents. Sarah Mason, Mr. Milam's mother, was native to Sullivan county, Indiana.
Henry R. Milam attended the district schools of Sullivan county, which at that early date were not models for educational institutions, but which gave the youth a fair knowledge of the elements of an education, to which he has added with the passing of the years. When he was sixteen years old he commenced to work for himself, being variously employed for others until the time of his marriage. His first wife was the owner of the farm upon which he still resides. To this tract of land he added from time to time until at one time he owned several hundred acres in the famous Wabash valley. He has sold off from this landed estate until his present holdings consist of one hundred and thirty acres. He carried on general farming, and earlier in his life dealt in cattle, hogs and other live stock quite extensively. Unfortunately, in the month of August, 1906, Mr. Milam suffered a severe sunstroke, while attending to his official duties as road supervisor. From this he has never fully recovered. He united with the Methodist Episcopal church at the age of seventeen years, but subsequently withdrew, and is not now a member of any church body. Politically he is a supporter of the Democratic party, but of the independent type, not feeling himself in duty bound to vote for party, but for men.
Mr. Milam has been married three times. By the first marriage, to Armina Webb, there were two sons, but both are deceased. By his second union two sons were born-Josephus C., who is still a resident of Gill township; and another, who is deceased. February 5, 1874, Mr. Milam married his third wife, Miss Josephine Webb, born in Gill township, this county, August 2, 1851, a daughter of Mathias A. and Caroline (Fairchild) Webb. The mother was born in Sullivan county, Indiana, February 10, 1825, her parents being natives of New York state. Mathias A. Webb, was born in 1814 and came to Sullivan county with his parents when a mere boy. The family settled in Gill township on a farm where they lived until his death, September 1, 1892. The mother died September 5, 1904.
The children born to Henry R. and Josephine (Webb) Milam are as follows: Charles H., who is residing near his parents, on a part of the Milam homestead, was born November 7, 1874; Robert Massie, born October 20, 1876, died May 9, 1893; Carrie Elizabeth, born January 17, 1874, now residing in Gill township, the widow of Samuel Brown; Webb, born January 11, 1881, residing with his parents; an infant, born July 8, 1885; Bonnie, born August 27, 1888, unmarried, now a student in Carlisle high school; Hattie J., born April 4, 1891, died March 24, 1897.