Miles Decoursey, farmer, Blue River township, was born in Nineveh Township, Johnson County, Ind., July 10, 1839, and is the youngest son of John and Phebe (Barnes) DeCoursey, natives of Kentucky, and of French and German descent, respectively. John and Phebe DeCoursey were married in Henry County, Ky., and in 1832 moved to Indiana, and settled in Johnson County, where the father farmed for several years. He died February, 1857, in Huntington County, where he moved five years before. Mrs. DeCoursey is still living, a remarkably well preserved old lady of eighty-one. Mr. and Mrs. DeCoursey were the parents of seven children, three living, two in this county and one in Missouri. The immediate subject of this biography was raised a farmer, and remained with his father until the latter’s death. He resided for some years in Johnson, Morgan, Marion and Grant counties and later returned to Johnson, settling in Blue River Township, where he owns a handsomely improved farm of seventy-two acres. August, 1861, Mr. DeCoursey enlisted in Company F, Seventh Indiana volunteer Infantry, Col., Dumont’s regiment, for the three years’ service, but was discharged at the expiration of eighteen months, on account of physical disabilities. He was with the regiment in the bloody battles of Greenbrier, Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, and several more engagements, in all of which he bore the part of a true and faithful soldier. His disability was of such a nature, that upon one occasion, at Frederick City, Md., his physicians abandoned all hopes of his recovery, and sent the tidings of his death to his mother. January 20, 1868, Mr. DeCoursey and Miss Hannah Mitchell, daughter of Joseph Mitchell, were united in marriage. To this union have been born four children, viz.: John W., Arthur I., Minnie G. and Ernst, all living at home.