632 150AKI) <»1" AOKK ri.llIv'K. 



this same Goorgo W. Mcii-itt was living and hearty in August last (1903), 

 as I mj'self am a wiMit'ss, having met him near his own lionie at that 

 time. This incident is citod in evidoncc of the correctness of the claim of 

 the writers, that a life of horticultural pursuits truly contributes to lon- 

 gevity and serene old age. 



The next nurseryman of any note in Hendricks County was the late 

 Major Z. S. liiigan, who began business on his own account in about 

 IS4(>. on the National Road, a few miles west of Belleville. Latei*, and 

 after the completion of the Vandalia Railroad, he removed to Clayton, 

 where his younger brother, William A., Iteoame a partner in the business. 

 After the close of the war, in which Major Ragan participated throughout, 

 he removed to Independence, Mo., and later to California, where he died, 

 full of honors, in June, 18S8. His brother continued the business at Clay- 

 ton for a number of years, and became justly noted and highly honored 

 wherever known. 



The pioneer nurseryman of I'utnam County was Reuben Ragan, an 

 imcle of the preceding, and the Hrst President of this Society, who located 

 near the present village of Fillmore in 1821. Mr. R. was never an exten- 

 sive nurseryman, he rather combining the qualities of farmer and nur- 

 seryman, but he was deservedly distinguished, in addition to being 

 almost or quite the pioneer nurseryman of the State. He was also 

 full of enterprise and untiring industry in collecting from all available 

 sources varieties of fruits that gave promise of being valuable acquisitions 

 to the lists then in cultivation. 



An early pioneer nurseryman of Montgomery County, if not the ear- 

 liest, was O. P. Jennison, of Crawfordsville. 



In Parke County there was a community of Friends, or "Quakers," 

 and, as usual, where they were found, there also might be expected the 

 works of the horticulturist, .\mong the earlj^ nurserymen of that county 

 were William Wildman, Solomon Allen, John W. Tenbrook, William Pick- 

 ard and otlurs. Tenbrook was one of the organizers of this Society, and 

 a very worthy, enterprising and intelligent gentleman. His younger 

 brother. William B. Tenbrook. was also a nurseryman of some note. lie 

 is still living, and Solomon Allen died only a few years since, in his ninety- 

 sixth year, "siill in tlie harness," as it were. The writer visited him 

 when in his ninety-fifth year, and found him cultivating his garden and 

 marketing his own fruit at Rockville, four miles distant, and he told 

 him that when he would dispose of a favorite specimen he always made 

 the request, "Please save me the seeds, as I wish to plant them and see 

 what they will produce." In his garden were a number of seedling trees 

 and plants, which he was training and caring for with eager anticipation 

 as to their products. 



Archibald Simpson. 1h- father of our H. M. Simpson, was a pioneer 

 nurserj'man at Vincennes. in Knox County. For a time Mr. W. B. Ten- 

 brook, mentioned above, was associated with him as a partner. Mr, 



