BANTA, Peter John

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Peter J. Banta died at his home near Hopewell, on Wednesday afternoon about six o’clock. Several months ago he was severely injured by a team running away and this summer he got overheated while at work which in connection with his former injury brought on brain trouble from which he died. He was in his seventieth year and for a greater portion of that time has lived in this county. By his death our county loses an exemplary Christian gentleman and one whose place is not easily filled. For years he has been recognized as one of the leading demo­cratic farmers of this county and stood very high in the estimation of all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. The funeral services will take place at the Hopewell church this morning at half past ten o’clock.

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The Franklin Democrat, Friday, September 25, 1891,
Volume XXXII Number 14, page 6 column 1

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OBITUARY.

Another record of the death of an old and honored citizen of Johnson county must be made. Death has been busy of late gathering in our aged. This time it is Peter J. Banta who has been taken. He died at his residence in Hopewell at six o’clock on the evening of the 9th inst [this month]. Mr. Banta was born in Henry County, Kentucky on the 3rd of October, 1821, and had he lived a little less than a month longer, he would have rounded out his full three score years and ten.

In the fall of 1828, his father, the late Capt. John P. Banta moved to a tract of land lately entered by him in the then new Hopewell neighborhood, where he made a farm and at the same time established himself a tanning business. On this farm Banta grew to manhood, undergoing his full share of the toils incident to making a farm amid the dense forests of native timber common to the country, and during his minority, acquiring a fair knowledge of the tanner’s trade.

On the 3rd of November 1843, he was married to Miss Mary A. Brewer, a daughter of Daniel Brewer Sr. who, at an early day moved from Mercer County, Ky., and settled in the vicinity of Whiteland. The young couple moved at once upon a tract of land then in the woods, adjoining his father’s farm on the north, where he made a farm for himself and on which he lived till his death.

Mr. Banta was an unassuming, un­pretentious, even-tempered, fair minded modest Christian gentleman. He united with the Presbyterian church of Hope­well nearly fifty years ago and kept his vows to the end.

He left surviving him his aged widow and three sons, John E. and George C. who live in the vicinity of his late residence and the Rev. D. B. Banta of Lebanon, Ind., and a daughter, Mrs. Mary B. Demming the wife of Mr. Dillard Demming of Edinburg.

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Link to Peter John Banta’s grave

Submitted by Mark McCrady and Cathea Curry