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Journal and Courier
Lafayette, IN
Friday, January 23, 1920


                   WHITE COUNTY PIONEER DEAD
                   
                   ELISHA WARDEN Won National Fame as 
                     House Mover - Dug His Own Grave
                     
                   MONTICELLO, Ind., Jan. 23. - 
                   ELISHA WARDEN, 87 years old, a resident of
                 White county for eighty years and one of the
                 last of the county's early settlers, died at
                 his home here Wednesday night after a long
                 illness of bone cancer. Mr. WARDEN was born
                 in Delphi, Carroll county, October 12, 1832.
                 His parents, ELISHA and AGNES WARDEN, moved
                 to White county four years later. He attended
                 the pioneer schools of Liberty township, White
                 county, acquiring a good education for his time.
                 At the age of twenty-six he purchased a farm
                 but after his marriage, November 8, 1860, to
                 CHRISTINA NICHOLS, he moved to Monticello,
                 where he since resided. After a happy married
                 life of thirty-one years Mrs. WARDEN died, and
                 on January 11, 1894, he was married to CATHER-
                 INE REPLOGLE, who survives him. No children
                 were born to either union.
                 
                   NOTED AS HOUSE MOVER
                   Mr. WARDEN gained fame over northern Indiana
                 as a house mover and at one time was called to
                 Crockett, Tex., to move a church. At first he
                 used horses to draw the houses, but he soon
                 conceived the idea of using a steam tilling
                 machine, which was much faster. His unusual
                 work attracted wide attention and several years
                 ago a staff correspondent of the Indianapolis
                 Star came here to interview him concerning his
                 occupation. He continued this work until three
                 years ago when he was forced to retire. He
                 acted as a sexton for the local cemetery for
                 more than thirty years and a few months ago
                 dug his own grave and put in the vault which
                 is ready to receive his body.
                   Mr. WARDEN was a democrat and for over forty
                 years he has been a member of the Libanus Lodge
                 No. 154 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order
                 of Masons, and was an honorary member of the
                 Lawton Circle No. 24, his father having served
                 in the Mexican war. Mr. WARDEN is believed to
                 be the oldest resident of White county, having
                 spent his entire life since four years of age
                 in this county, and at a number of old settlers'
                 meetings has received the prize for the oldest
                 living resident. Funeral services will be held
                 from the M. E. church Saturday afternoon at 2
                 o'clock with burial in the old cemetery. Services
                 will be in charge of the Masons, with the Rev.
                 F. L. Hovis officiating.
                 
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