A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 122

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels
Publication date: 1904
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1273

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Mr. and Mrs. Armitage began their domestic life, at the time of their marriage, in Westville, which town had been founded by her father, and there they resided until 1855. when they went to Clinton county, Iowa, where Mr. Armitage en- gaged in agricultural pursuits until 1863. He then returned to Westville, where he and his worthy wife have since resided. His political support in early life was given to the Whig party, and he voted for General Zachary Taylor. He

cast his first Republican vote for John C. Fre- mont, the pioneer candidate of the party, and voted for Lincoln, Garfield, Blaine, Mckinley and the other candidates of the national organization. He has been a delegate to the county and state conventions, but has never sought office, pre- ferring to devote his attention to business affairs. His wife is a member of the Baptist church in LaPorte, and to the support of the church Mr. Armitage contributes. Both he and his wife en- joy the unqualified respect of all who know them. For fifty-four years they have traveled life's journey together, sharing with each other the joys and sorrows, the adversity and prosperity which come to all. They have ever lived so as to win the confidence and good will of their fellow men, and their life record furnishes many examples well worthy of emulation. Their minds bear the impress of the historic annals of the county, and few people are better informed concerning pioneer times in this section of the state than are Mr. and Mrs. Armitage.

FRANK C. FOLANT, who is a well known contractor of LaPorte, was born at Kingston, New York, in 1855. His father, Egbert J. Folant, was a native of Kingston and was a son of Phillip Folant, whose birth occurred on the 18th of December, 1778, and who was of Holland Dutch parentage, being a direct descendant of Anneke Jans, a native of Holland, who was one of the first settlers of New Amsterdam and once owned the site on which Trinity church now stands. Egbert J. Folant became a carpenter, learning the trade in early life, and believing that he might have better business opportunities in the west he made his way to Wisconsin in 1856, lo- cating in Beloit. There he was engaged in con- tracting and building, being identified with the building interests of that city up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1875. In the Civil war he belonged to the Pioneer Corps, and was a master mechanic, serving throughout the strug- gle to preserve the Union. In early manhood he wedded Nancy Eaton, who was born in Kings- ton, New York, and since her husband's death she has made her home with her children.

Frank C. Folant learned the carpenter's trade under the direction of his father, having obtained a good education in the public schools of Beloit and in Beloit College. His liberal intellectual training well fitted him for the responsible duties of a business career. He worked with his father at the carpenter's trade until the latter's death, and then, in 1875, came to LaPorte, where he has

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now resided for more than a quarter of a century. He continued to follow carpentering in the em- ploy of others until 1888, when he became a gen- eral building contractor, and as such has con- structed a large number of buildings in LaPorte, prominent among which are the residences of E. E. Weir, Joseph Schnewind, E. C. Howe, James Long, Louis Overich, Judge Richter, Wil- liam P. Allen, George D. Lay and Rev. E. D. Daniels. He also built the LaPorte high school, the Episcopal church, the plant of the LaPorte Carriage Company and rebuilt the Niles & Scott wheel factory. A number of the good store build- ings of the city likewise stand as monuments to his skill and handiwork in this direction, and many residences and cottages have been built by him. Some of the construction work which he has done outside of the city of LaPorte include the peristyle in the park on the lake front at Michigan City, a beautiful piece of architectural work. He also built the residence of Charles Porter in Michigan City at a cost of eighteen thousand dollars, and other leading buildings there. He took up and executed the contracts for a number of buildings in Lacrosse, LaPorte county, being engaged in building operations there for nearly two years. He also erected a fine building at Hanna, and installed fire-proofing for fire protection in the large plant of the La Porte Carriage Company, including automatic fire doors and a complete fire protection system. In 1903 he built the addition of three stories, one hun- dred by one hundred and forty feet, to the La- Porte woolen mills.

Mr. Folant was married in LaPorte in 1881 to Miss Ella O. Willard, and they now have one daughter. Bessie. Mr. Folant is president of the local lodge of Samaritans, having several times been re-elected to this position. His wife and daughter hold membership in the Presbyterian church, and all are well known in this city, hav- ing gained friendship and favor among their large circle of acquaintances.

ALFRED W. LEEDS, deceased, was born in Tuckerton, New Jersey, January 7, 1824. It is said that the Leeds family was founded in the United States by two brothers who crossed the Atlantic from the city of Leeds, England, and settled in New Jersey. They owned a great deal of land at Atlantic City and in that locality. It was to Thomas Leeds, one of these brothers, that Alfred W. Leeds traces his ancestry. This Thomas Leeds was of English birth and estab- lished his home in Shrewsbury, New Jersey,

probably in the year 1677. He was born about 1620 and died in the year 1686. He was twice married, ere he left England, and afterward in Burlington, New Jersey, on the 6th of August. 1678, his second union being with Margaret Col- lier, of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. His widow died in Philadelphia in 1705, and her will bears date June 18, 1703. In his will, which was dated September 13, 1686, Thomas Leeds bequeathed "all of his houses" and lands in Shrewsbury to his loving wife Margaret during her life, and after her death to his son Daniel.

This Daniel Leeds was the paternal grand- father of Alfred W. Leeds. Offley Leeds the son of Daniel, was born in New Jersey and be- came a dealer in real estate and a capitalist. In the year 1835 he emigrated westward to Indiana, and established his home in Michigan City when it was but a small town and when the state was yet regarded as a frontier district. He bought considerable land in this locality, and as prices advanced because of the growth of the state he became quite wealthy. He wedded Miss Char- lotte Ridgeway, also a native of New Jersey, and a daughter of Jeremiah and Judith Ridgeway, who were born in that state of English lineage. and who became early settlers of LaPorte county, establishing their home near the city of LaPorte. where they spent their remaining days. passing away when well advanced in years. The home of Offley and Charlotte (Ridgeway ) Leeds was blessed with three children: Alfred W .: Caro- line C., the deceased wife of A. T. Vreeland : and Walter O., who has also passed away and who is represented on another page of this work. The parents have also departed this life. Both were members of the Friends' church, and exercised a strong influence in the moral development of the community as well as upon the material pro- gress of this portion of the state.

Alfred W. Leeds was a lad of only about cleven summers when he came with his parents to LaPorte county. Indiana, and he was reared to manhood in Michigan City. where he attended the common schools. He followed in his father's footsteps as a real estate dealer and land agent. and to that business devoted his energies through- out his entire life. His business capability. his executive force, his keen foresight and his hon- orable dealings were factors in his success. and while advancing his individual interests he also promoted the general prosperity through his real estate operations.

Mr. Leeds was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Lell. a daughter of John and Christina

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Lell. Her parents were natives of Stuttgart, Germany, and in the year 1854 the father came to America with his family, locating in LaPorte, Indiana, where he died soon afterward. His wife survived him until 1875, passing away at the age of sixty-five years. They were members of the Lutheran church. In their family were thir- teen children, ten sons and three daughters, of whom three are now living: William, of Ne- braska; Minnie, the widow of Alfred W. Leeds ; and Henrietta, the widow of George Smith, of Michigan City.

Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Leeds: Eva, the wife of Dr. E. Z. Cole, of Bal- timore, Maryland, by whom she has one son, Howard Leeds; Alfred, who married Catherine Donnelly, and, with his wife and two children, Donnelly and Mary Alice, resides in Michigan City : Julia A., the wife of Samuel James Taylor, of Michigan City, by whom she has two daugh- ters, Margery and Julia; Arthur L., who is a practicing physician; William, who died at the age of fourteen years; Frank R., a physician of . Chicago, who married Florence Clark, of Chazy, New York; and Alice Mae, who resides at home. Alfred W. Leeds passed away November 23, 1883. He was a Republican in his political views, and was widely and favorably known throughout the community. His life was honorable, his ac- tions manly and sincere and his worth well mer- ited the high regard which was uniformly given him. His widow, who still survives him, is a member of the Presbyterian church, and has many warm friends in this community.

C. H. HARRIS is the owner of a farm on section 25, Wills township, comprising one hun- dred and thirty-six acres, and in addition to this he owns one hundred and ninety-six acres at Sauktown and ten acres of timber land. His pos- sessions have been well earned through continu- ous labor guided by sound business judgment. He was born in Center township, LaPorte county, October 10, 1849, and is a son of David and Ro- sanna (Curran) Harris, the former a native of Canada and the latter of Ireland, whence she was brought across the Atlantic when but six weeks old, her parents landing in New York. They afterward went to Michigan as pioneers of that state, and Mrs. Harris was reared there. David Harris remained in Canada until his removal to LaPorte county, Indiana, in 1837. He found here a pioneer region in which the early settlers had just begun the work of improvement and progress that resulted in the development of the

splendid county which we find to-day. Mr. Har- ris located in the city and conducted a cooper shop for a time. He later traded his house and lot for forty acres of land about three miles north of LaPorte, where is now situated the Home brick yard. Mr. Harris was the first manufac- turer of brick in LaPorte county. He ground his clay with a yoke of oxen, and he had but one man to assist him in the conduct of his new en- terprise. For fifteen years he remained there, and then sold his business to Thomas Mills for eight thousand dollars. His trade had continu- ally increased and he had enlarged his facilities to meet the growing demands of his business. On selling his brick yard he took up his abode at Rolling Prairie and puchased a farm upon which he continued to make his home until his death, which occurred when he was sixty-three years of age. In politics he was a Whig until the organization of the Republican party, when he became one of its stanch advocates. He took an active part in all the rallies which were held dur- ing the war, and he contributed generously of his means to the prosecution of hostilities which were eventually to save the Union. His wife died when sixty-six years of age. David Harris was twice married his first union having been with Julia Russ, by whom he had two children, one of whom died in infancy. The other, Mrs. Martha Stoner, is now a resident of Wills township. C. H. Har- ris is the second child in a family of four sons and one daughter that were born of the father's second marriage.

When but ten years of age he became a resi- dent of Wills township, where he has since con- tinued to reside. He obtained his education in the common schools and lived at home until he reached adult age. When fourteen years of age, however, he purchased a threshing machine, which he operated in connection with the clover huller for about eight years. He thus early dis- played excellent business ability, and his energy and perseverance combined with a recognition of opportunity have made him a prosperous and leading farmer of his community. He now owns one hundred and thirty-six acres on his home farm together with more than two hundred acres elsewhere, and it has been as his labors have brought to him a good financial return that he was enabled to buy property.

December 24, 1872, Mr. Harris was united in marriage to Miss Henrietta Ingram, a native of Wills township, born November 6, 1850, and a daughter of William and Sarah (Wagner) Ing- ram. They at once began their domestic life upon

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a farm, and after living at various places took up their abode in 1875 on section 25, in Wills township, where Mr. Harris purchased his pres- ent homestead. He has since occupied it. Three living children graced this union, and they have also lost four. Those who still survive are Bonita, who was given the name of the first Indian girl born in California ; Russell P. and Harold. Mr. Harris holds membership with LaPorte Lodge No. 36, I. O. O. F., and since age conferred upon him the right of franchise he has voted the Re- publican ticket.

JOSHUA WATSON, whose home is near LaPorte, is the possessor of a handsome property which has been acquired by his own well directed efforts. The record of his life is that of an active, enterprising, methodical and sagacious business man, who has bent his energies to the honorable acquirement of a comfortable competence for him- self and family. He came to America at the age of eighteen, and with no capital started out in a strange land to overcome the difficulties and ob- stacles in the path to prosperity. His youthful dreams have been more than realized, and in their happy fulfillment he sees the fitting reward of his earnest toil.

John and Mary (Hewson) Watson, his pa- rents, were born in Lincolnshire, England, July 15, 1790, and in 1789, respectively, and both died at the home of their son Joshua, in LaPorte coun- ty, in 1875 and October 27, 1876, respectively. They came to America and LaPorte county in 1845. They had five children : Mary, born Janu- ary 10, 1818, died in infancy; Charlotte, born May 1, 1819, is deceased; William, born January I, 1820, died in 1855; Mary, born May 13, 1824, is deceased; and Joshua.

Joshua, the youngest and only, surviving child of his parents, was born in Lincolnshire, England, July 29, 1827, and his education and early train- ing were acquired in his native land. On coming to LaPorte county in 1845 he began farming on rented land, about a half a mile from his present place, and his start was made with his foot on the lowermost round of the ladder of success. Five or six years later he had progressed so far as to, be able to buy two hundred and twenty acres of his present farm, and since then he has success- fully carried on his operations as farmer and stock-raiser. His property has increased till he is now the owner of thirteen hundred acres of as good land as Scipio township possesses, and it is all managed in the most thoroughly scientific and profitable manner.

Mr. Watson first married Miss Mary Hannah O'Brien, a native of Yorkshire, England, and who died in LaPorte county. Of the five children of this union, William, Mary Ella, and William Henry died in infancy, Edwin, born December 14. 1859, died April 21, 1867, and the only one now living is Millie, who was born March 27, 1862, and who makes her home in Chicago.

January 1, 1873, Mr. Watson was united in marriage to Miss Jane Fildes, who was born in Media, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, June 4. 1843, the daughter of John and Ann (Powell) Fildes, the former of the Fildes & King woolen mills of LaPorte. John Fildes was born in Lan- cashire, England, April 17, 1802, and died May 12, 1890. He was a poor boy, his education was self-acquired, and when he came to Pennsylvania at the age of twenty-eight he had the misfortune to lose all his savings of the previous years. He was an industrious and honorable man, and be- came successful. In 1864 he brought his family to LaPorte county, and continued here in the man- ufacturing business till his death. He was a stanch Republican and a member of the Estab- lished Church of England, and also a member of the English Society of St. George. His wife was a native of Pennsylvania, of Quaker stock, but was devoted to the religion of the Church of England. There were twelve children in the Fildes family, and of the seven now living, Ann is the widow of William Crawford, who was a prominent citizen of LaPorte county, and she re- sides in New York city; George is married and lives in Mansfield, Ohio; Joseph is a traveling salesman, and is married ; Samuel has a lucrative position as traveling machinist.

Mrs. Watson was reared and educated in Pennsylvania, and after coming to La Porte county took a course in a select school in LaPorte. By her marriage she became the mother of five chil- dren, as follows: Joshua and Jane, twins, were born in 1873, and the former died in infancy and the latter in 1876; Albert Edward, born December 20, 1875, married Lillie McCormick and lives on a farm within a mile and a half of his father's place; Ralph Buckley, born March 31. 18,8. graduated in the class of 1896 from the LaPorte high school, from the mechanical engineering de- partment of Purdue University in 1900, and is now stationed at Elkhart, Indiana, as special in- spector of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad; and Grace, born August 30. 1881. is a graduate of the LaPorte high school in the class of 1899.

Mr. and Mrs. Watson's home. "Idlewild,"

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Mro Joshua Watson

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was formerly called the J. B. Schandoney farm, and on it was located a log cabin in which Mr. Schandoney conducted a store, from which he sold goods to the Indians, who were still numer- ous in the vicinity. The house is built after the Virginia style, and it is also graced by the cordial and open hospitality of the south, so that it is an attractive center for many friends. Mr. and Mrs. Watson have traveled a great deal, he having crossed the Atlantic seven times and she four times. They were at the Paris exposition, have been on the Pacific slope, and in many pleasant ways have enjoyed the wealth which their wise and careful management in other years accumu- lated. They were also at the Centennial exposi- tion at Philadelphia in 1876. Among the large amount of bric-a-brac and souvenirs of their ex- tensive travels which adorn their home, a keep- sake which they especially esteem is a paper holder made of black walnut, which is one hundred and one years old, and was a present to Mrs. Watson's father at his baptism in England.

Mr. Watson. was formerly a Democrat in poli- tics, but now supports the Republican party. He and his wife are earnest and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church in Door Vill- age, and he is a trustee. They well merit the respect and esteem in which they are held by their friends and neighbors, and it can be said of Mr. Watson that he has always been upright and hon- orable in his dealings with men, and no trust re- posed in him was ever misplaced.

GEORGE TAPPAN is a native son of La- Porte county, his birth having occurred in Ga- lena township, April 12, 1845. He resides on section 28 of the same township and is a well known representative of agricultural interests. His paternal grandfather, Stephen Tappan, was born in Connecticut and served his country as a soldier in the war of 1812. His death occurred in Onondaga county, New York, when he was about sixty-seven years of age.

Julia. C. Tappan, the father of George Tappan, was born in Onondaga county and there spent the days of his boyhood and youth. As a com- panion and helpmate for life's journey he chose Miss Philura Marshall, a native of the same coun- ty and a daughter of Noah Marshall, whose birth likewise occurred there. Her father came to La- Porte county in pioneer times, and at his death was buried in one of the cemeteries in this por- tion of the state. It was in the year 1836 that the parents of our subject emigrated westward and cast in their lot with the pioneer residents of

LaPorte county. There were few settlers here, and the work of civilization and improvement seemed scarcely begun, for the land was wild, the streams unbridged, the forests uncut. There had been few roads made, and there was little opportunity for communication with the outside world. Mr. Tappan secured his land from the government at the usual price of a dollar and a quarter per acre, selecting a tract in Galena town- ship. He built a log cabin and improved his farm of one hundred acres, clearing away the trees and planting his crops, which in course of time brought forth good harvests. For four years he was a soldier of the Civil war, serving in the Forty-eighth Indiana Infantry under the com- mand of General Sherman. He was made a ser- geant of his company, and in many a hotly con- tested battle displayed his loyalty to the govern- ment. Becoming a Republican on the organiza- tion of the party, he continued to give it his sup- port until his death, and in an early day served as trustee of his township. He held membership with the New Light or Christian church, and lived an earnest Christian life worthy the esteem so uniformly given him. His wife died at the age of seventy-three years. In their family were six sons and four daughters, one of whom died at the age of a year, another at the age of seven- teen, while the others reached years of maturity.

George Tappan, who is the fourth child and third son, was reared in his native township and pursued a common school education. He re- mained at home through the period of his minor- ity and assisted in the operation of the old home farm. He then started out in life on his own ac- count, working by the month for about six years. In 1871 he went across the plains with a herd of cattle, spending a year in that section of the country, after which he returned to Galena township.

In 1877 Mr. Tappan was married to Miss Persis Keefer, a native of Huron county, Ohio, where she was reared. Her parents were John and Mary (Starr) Keefer. The young couple at once located on the farm known as the Joe Francis property, and there they have lived for twenty-seven years. They are the parents of

three sons and a daughter : Frank S., Willis K., Frederick A. and Mary F. All were born on the farm where they still reside, and where Mr. Tappan is now engaged in general agricultural pursuits. Year after year he plows his land, plants his fields and in the autumn harvests good crops, winning the sure reward of earnest, per- sistent and honorable labor. He is a stanch Re-

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publican, and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have called him to public office. For six years he filled the position of justice of the peace. He has always lived in Galena township, has taken an active part in the public affairs and is held in high esteem because there has been naught in his life record deserving a strong condemnation.

WILLIAM SCOTT FISHER, D. D. S. Dentistry can be said to be almost unique among the professions in that it demands three qualifi- cations, first, a thorough understanding of the principles of the science, second, particular me- chanical skill, and, third, a financial ability en- abling one to so direct his efforts that success will attend them. In all these peculiarities Dr. Fisher is well qualified, and he stands to-day as one of the successful representatives of his chosen call -. ing in LaPorte.

He was born in Kewanee, Illinois, in 1867, and is a son of Jacob and Margaret (Scott) Fisher. His father was born in Germany and was reared and educated in that country, but when a young man crossed the Atlantic to the new world and located in Kewanee, Illinois. There he engaged in the milling business and prospered in his undertakings so that at his death, which occurred in 1878, he left his family in very comfortable financial circumstances. His wife was a native of Dublin, Ireland, and was of Scotch lineage. Her death also occurred in Ke- wanee.

At the usual age Dr. Fisher entered the pub- lic schools and pursued his studies in his native town for some time. As a boy he manifested great liking for mechanics, and in early youth desired to become a machinist. To this end he partially learned the trade in the works of the Western Tube Company at Kewanee, and sub- sequently entered the office of that concern, hold- ing a lucrative position there for some time. As the years advanced, however, his ideas concern- ing a life vocation changed, and he decided to take up the study of dentistry, receiving his train- ing for the profession in the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. He first practiced in La- Porte in 1886, and has since remained here with the exception of a period of two years spent in dental work in Bloom- ington, Indiana. He is thoroughly profic- ient, has a comprehensive knowledge of his science and is most skilled in the use of the deli- cate instruments with which dental work is per- formed. He has also won success from a finan-

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A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 122

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1273

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels
Publication date: 1904
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1273