James H. Bussell, county commissioner of Hancock county, a well-known and progressive farmer of Brown township, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Brown township, not far from the site of his present home, July 9, 1863, son of Martin P. and Sarah (McQuerry) Bussell, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of this county.

Martin P. Bussell was born on December 21, 1827, son of William Bussell and wife, natives of North Carolina, and was but two years old when his parents came to Indiana in 1829 and settled in Wayne County. Ten years later they moved over into Hancock county and settled in Brown township, where Martin P. Bussell, upon growing to manhood, bought a forty-acre farm, which he later enlarged by purchase, to one hundred and sixty acres and became a substantial farmer. In 1852 Martin P. Bussell married Sarah McQuerry, who was born in Brown township, this county, daughter of James McQuerry and wife, and to that union fourteen children were born, as follow: Rachael, Sarah, William P., Martha, Allen, Louisa, James H., John R., Margaret, Edith, Alice and Joseph E., all of whom lived to maturity save Margaret and Joseph, who died in early youth, and two died in infancy. Martin P. Bissell was a Democrat and he and his wife were earnest members of the Christian church, their children being reared in that faith. Martin P. Bussell died on February 21, 1897.

James H. Bussell was reared on the paternal farm in Brown township, receiving his education in the neighboring school, and early began farming for himself. He has a well-kept farm of eighty acres, all the improvements on which have been erected by himself, and he and his family are very pleasantly situated. Mr.. Bussell is a Democrat and for years has given his active attention to local political affairs. In 1910 he was elected county commissioner from his district and was re-elected in 1912, thus serving two terms in that important office.

On October 17, 1885, James H. Bussell was united in marriage to Dora Baer, who was born on September 15, 1862, daughter of Joseph and Jane (Johnson) Baer, and to this union five children have been born, namely: William E. a rising young attorney of Greenfield, who, after his graduation from the Greenfield high school, attended Indiana University, later entering the Indiana Law School, for which he was graduated; Stella, who is a member of the excellent teaching corps of the Hancock county public schools, and Daisy, Howard and Olen. Mr. and Mrs. Bussell are active members of the United Brethren church at Sugar Grove and Mr. Bussell has held all the offices in that church, being the present superintendent of the Sunday school. He is a member of the Wilkinson lodge of the Knights of Pythias and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Pages 885-886.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI September 20, 2001.

Return to 1916 Index | Return to Hancock Co. Main Page