William Hankins
William Hankins,
an old and honored pioneer of Shelby
County, and one of the prominent farmers of Brandywine
Township, was born in Franklin County, this State, January 14,
1821. He was the second child and only son of a family of three
children, born to Robert and Sarah (Curry) Hankins, the former,
a native of East Tennessee, of French descent, and the latter a native of Virginia.
When the subject of this sketch was yet a young
child, but six weeks old, his parents removed to this county and located upon a tract of wood land about one mile north of
Shelbyville,
in Addison Township. A year later, they removed to Brandywine
Township, where William spent his early life, assisting to clear and
cultivate the farm. At the age of twenty-two, on November 21,
1843, he was married to Huldah G. Salla, who was born in Rush
County, this State, February 15, 1823. She was the daughter of Lewis
and Julia Ann (Gordon) Salla, the former a native of
Vermont, and the latter a native of Virginia. Immediately after their
marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Hankins located upon the farm they now occupy, in Section 12, Brandywine Township, where they have
ever since continued to reside. It has now been more than forty-three
years since they moved into the little log cabin in a wilderness that has many years since, been replaced with a fine residence
and a beautiful and well tilled farm. The life occupation of Mr.
Hankins has been that of a farmer, and as such he has been very
successful. He and wife are the parents of eight children, as follows:
Sarah, born March 4, 1847; Lewis C., born October 13,
1851; Alice, born August 20, 1854, died September 7, 1877;
Julia Ann, born August 28, 1856, died August 8, 1885; Dolly and
Molly (twins) born October 22, 1860, the former died July 3,
1884, and the latter died January 31, 1861; Mettie, born December
15, 1862, and Katie, born August 26, 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Hankins are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The former is a member of the F. & A. M. Lodge, and an ardent Republican in politics.
He owns a fine farm of 200 acres, about 160 of
which is in a high state of cultivation. His farm is fitted up with
a handsome frame residence, which, with other substantial improvements, makes one of the most desirable locations in the
county. He is a reliable and influential man, and he and wife are
among the worthy and esteemed citizens of the county.
History of Shelby County, Indiana, "Brandywine Sketches", Chicago:
Brant & Fuller, 1887, page 617-18.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming.
Biography Index
Main Page