History of Lawrence, Orange and Washington Counties, Indiana From the
Earliest Time to the Present; Together with Interesting Biographical
Sketches, Reminiscences, Notes, Etc.  Chicago, Goodspeed Bros., & Co.,
Publishers, 1884. Weston A. Goodspeed, Leroy C. Goodspeed, Charles L.
Goodspeed. Unknown County.

MICHAEL N. MESSICK, one of the oldest business men of Bedford, Shawswick
Township, Lawrence County, Indiana, was born March, 1830 in Orleans,
Orange County, Indiana, one of six children born to Michael N. and
Laurinda (Ramsey) Messick, who were among the earliest settlers of Orange
County, Indiana, from Kentucky.  M. N. Messick, Jr., came to Bedford in
1838 with his mother, who was a widow with six children.  He received a
common school education in the schools of that early day, and at the age
of twelve years began to learn the printer's trade in the office of the
Bedford Star, which he followed for three years, and at the end of this
time began work on the Louisville Democrat.  From there he went to Paoli,
Orange County, where he learned the cabinet trade, and remained three
years; then located at Point Commerce in Greene County, Indiana where he
did a general furniture trade for eighteen months, and then returned to
Paoli.  May 18, 1852, he married to Sarah J. Johnson, and by her is the
father of five children, only two now living:  Elizabeth C. and Carrie V.
(Webb).  In 1852 Mr. Messick began working at his trade in Bedford; then
clerked for a time, and in December, 1856, in partership with William
Duncan and Dr. J. W. Newland, embarked in the hardware trade.  From 1856
to December, 1873, he was actively engaged in this business in Bedford
with different partners, but since that time he has been alone, and is now
the leading merchant of hardware in the place.  He is one of the self-made
men of the place, beginning life poor, and by diligence and industry
acquiring a comfortable income.  April 24, 1867, his wife died, and for a
second wife he married Mrs. Sarah J. (Davis) Simpson on the 2nd of June,
1868.  To this union has been born four children, named: Sally, Laurinda,
Mary and Michael H.  Mr. Messick was President of the first Board of
Trustees of Bedford; is a Republican, a member of the F. & A. M., and he
and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Messick Ramsey Johnson Webb Duncan Newland Davis Simpson
=
Bedford-Lawrence-IN Orange-IN Point_Commerce-Greene-IN

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/unknown/messick.mn.txt