USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 41
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He married, June 28, 1878, in Galva, Illi- nois, Miss Clara Charlotte Anderson, and of their six children four are now living: An- nette Rosalia, born in Knoxville, Illinois, June 10, 1879; Carl Reuben Valdemar, born in Ishpeming, Michigan, February 7, 1893; Sven Elmer Ambrosius, born December 17, 1894; and Edna Althea Belinda, born August 30, 1896. The three youngest were all born in Ishpeming, Michigan.
JOHN ALFRED COVER, a well known farmer and liveryman of South Bend, who died in 1903, was a native of Pennsylvania, born May 1, 1852. He was a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Grove) Cover, his father being a farmer of Pennsylvania, in which state he was married. There were six sons and two daughters in the family, John A. being the oldest son and the second child.
Mr. Cover was reared and educated in Pennsylvania, coming to St. Joseph county
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when a youth and being in the employ of Mr. Rockhill for about seven years. As he was both industrious and well educated he busied himself at various kinds of out-of- door work in the summer and taught school during the winter months.
On October 7, 1880, Mr. Cover married Miss Rachel Dunn, daughter of Reuben Dunn, a farmer of German township, who had come when a young man into that section of the county and had become a prosperous and prominent citizen. Both of her parents were natives of Ohio, and the homestead of one hundred and ninety-seven acres was one of the largest and most valuable in the north- ern part of the county. Her mother (nee Mary Dunn) was raised in Ohio, and her father was the late Judge Dunn, a pioneer of St. Joseph county, in whose district schools she was educated. Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Dunn had a family of five sons and three daughters, and Mrs. Cover is the youngest. She was born and reared in German town- ship. At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cover located on a farm of eighty acres in Warren township, where for many years he engaged in agricultural pursuits.
In 1901 Mr. Cover retired from farming and located in South Bend to engage in the livery business, and was well known in that line at the time of his death March 5, 1903.
The deceased prospered in his private af- fairs as an agriculturist, and was considered a progressive farmer and a good business man. He also took a deep interest in out- side movements tending to improve the con- ditions of his calling, being long an active and progressive member of the Grange. He was always a firm Democrat in his political views, and locally active in furthering the cause of his party. Whatever the nature of his ac- tivities, he did his part in a faithful, hon- orable and manly way.
Four sons and two daughters were born to Mr. and Mrs. John A. Cover,-Ira, Glenn, Anna, Alfred, James and Laura, all natives of St. Joseph county, where they still reside. The widow is an esteemed member of the Methodist church, as was her husband, and the entire family is highly respected.
UNION DODD, who for a number of years was associated with the Studebaker Company in the capacity of a carriage trimmer, was numbered among the native sons of South Bend and was a representative of one of its early pioneer families. His natal day was
the 4th of July, 1863. His father, Amos Dodd, was born, reared and spent his early life in New York, having been there married to Georgiana Downs, also a native of that commonwealth. In a very early day they journeyed to St. Joseph county, Indiana, where the father at once resumed his work of a cabinet maker in South Bend. He was well known among the early residents of the city, and was a stanch supporter of the Re- publican party.
The son Union spent his entire life in the city of his birth, attending its public schools, and after the completion of his education secured employment with the Studebaker Company, with whom he learned his trade of carriage trimming. When he had reached his twenty-second year, on the 25th of De- cember, 1885, he was united in marriage to Lizzy Holland, who was born in Elkhart county, Indiana, November 27, 1864. Her father, James Holland, was a native of Staf- ford, England, but when eighteen years of age came to America as his father's agent in the selling of fancy .crockery. Ere leaving his native land he had married Margaret Finley, also a native of England, and they became the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters, of whom Mrs. Dodd was the youngest daughter in order of birth. After his marriage Mr. Holland learned his trade of paper making in Elkhart, Indiana, where he lived for many years and reared his family, finally removing from that city to Omaha, Nebraska, and thence to South Bend, where he became well known as a paper manu- facturer and died at the age of sixty-six years. His political support was given to the Republican party, in which he was an active worker, and his services as a soldier in the Civil war entitled him to membership in the Grand Army of the Republic.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Dodd erected their pleasant residence on South Michigan street, where they continued to re- side until the loving husband was called away by death, dying at the comparatively early age of thirty-seven years, and thus ending a life of usefulness and promise. He was a zealous supporter of Republican principles, and was ever loyal to his duties of citizen- ship.
JAMES I. FRAME. Since an early period in the development of St. Joseph county the Frame family have been identified with its interests, aiding materially in the develop-
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ment of the resources of their section. In the early year of 1832 Nathaniel Frame, a native of Wayne county, Indiana, journeyed hither and cast in his lot with the early pio- neers of Warren township. He lived to the extreme old age of eighty years, and the last thirty years of his life were spent in South Bend, where he was well and favorably known. He took an active part in the early history of St. Joseph county, affiliating with the Republican party, and for several years he served as a county commissioner, also holding many other positions of honor and trust. He was also a valued member of the Masonic fraternity, exemplifying in his life its beneficent and helpful principles. For his wife he chose Caroline Main, who was born in Henry county, Indiana, and died in her eighty-second year. They became the parents of seven children, three sons and four daughters, and the family name is an hon- ored one throughout St. Joseph county.
James I. Frame, the fifth child and second son in order of birth, spent the early years of his life on the old home farm in Warren township, which was also the place of his birth, his natal day being the 26th of Jan- uary, 1850. He early became familiar with the work of the fields, and he remained with his parents and assisted in the work of the homestead until his marriage, when he estab- lished a home of his own and was extensively engaged in general farming and stock rais- ing in Warren township until 1892. In that year he laid aside the active cares of an agricultural life and removed to South Bend, where he now resides in a pleasant home at 1019 West Washington street, surrounded by the comforts and luxuries which many years of toil have brought him. He still retains his old homestead of two hundred and forty acres, which he rents. In his political ad- herency Mr. Frame has ever been stanchly arrayed in support of the Republican party, and for a period of six years he served as a member of the advisory board of his town- ship. He is also connected with the Grange movement.
On the 6th of March, 1873, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Frame and Retta M. Scott, she being also a native of Warren town- ship, St. Joseph county, where her parents, James and Lovina (Plotts) Scott, were early pioneer residents, coming hither from Vir- ginia during a very early day in its history.
Mr. and Mrs. Frame are numbered among the honored residents of South Bend.
BAZEL RUPEL. Since an early pioneer epoch in the history of St. Joseph county the Rupel family have been identified with its interests and have been influential in its de- velopment and gradually increasing prosper- ity. One of its honored representatives, Bazel Rupel, is now living retired from the active duties and cares of a business life, enjoying the fruits of his years of toil in the past. He was born in Center township, St. Joseph county, on the 29th of January, 1833, a son of Peter and Christena (Schu- maker) Rupel, both natives of Pennsylvania. As early as 1831 this brave pioneer couple journeyed to the then frontier of St. Joseph county, Indiana, securing land from the gov- ernment in Center township, but the father was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, his life's labors having been ended in death in 1839, leaving his widow with the care of seven small children, the eldest at that time being twelve years of age. Bravely she met the hardships and difficulties which beset her at every turn, keeping her family together and continuing the work of the farm until she too was called to her final rest in ' 1854. The old homestead is now owned by one of the sons, E. N. There were five brothers in the family, all of whom grew to sturdy manhood and four are now living: Elisha, a farmer in Center township; Elias, who resides on South Michigan street, South Bend; and Frank, on the old farm in Center township. The daughter, Pheby, is now Mrs. Andrew Yoder.
Bazel Rupel, the fourth child and third son in order of birth, was but six years old at the time of his father's death, and after his marriage he located on a farm in Center township near the Greene township line, which he placed under cultivation as the years passed by, and in addition to his agricultural pursuits he also followed the carpenter's trade until about 1898. He moved to South Bend in 1904, settling in his pleasant home at 1613 Prairie avenue, laying aside the ac- tive cares of a business life to enjoy the rest which he had so truly earned and richly de- served. He is one of the oldest settlers liv- ing in St. Joseph county, which has been his home throughout his entire life. He has watched the transformation of wild land into beautiful homes and farms, and in the work
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of growth and upbuilding he has ever borne his part, has been honorable in business, loyal in friendship, faithful in citizenship, and now in his declining days he can look back over the past with little occasion for regret.
In 1854 Mr. Rupel was united in marriage to Sarah J. Brunson, she too having been born in St. Joseph county, where her parents were numbered among the early pioneers, and her father, George W. Brunson, was one of the first men to become identified with the apple tree industry in the county. The lov- ing wife and mother passed away in death in 1900, leaving one daughter, Mary L., the wife of J. W. Hoover. In his political affil- iations Mr. Rupel is a stanch supporter of. the Democratic party, and from its inception he has been a member and an active worker in the Grange.
WILLIAM B. DIETRICH. After a successful business career as an agriculturist, in which he acquired a handsome competence, William B. Dietrich is now living a retired life in South Bend, his pleasant home being at 1502 Michigan avenue. He was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, on the 5th of March, 1838, his parents being Gideon and Royal (Boucher) Dietrich, both natives of the Key- stone state and of German descent. In their family were eight children, seven sons and one daughter, all of whom grew to years of maturity, and five are now living, but the parents have long since passed away, the father dying at the age of sixty-three years and the mother when seventy-eight.
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William B. Dietrich. the eldest of their children, spent the early years of his life in the place of his nativity, and for a short time after his marriage resided on a small farm in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, being also engaged in teaming for a time. In 1863 he enlisted for service in the Civil war as a member of Company F, Fifty-third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, for three months, during which time he served as a corporal, and at the expiration of his term of service returned to his home in Pennsyl- vania. For two years he worked as a cabinet maker. During the following ten years he was in the drug business, and in 1868 he came to St. Joseph county, Indiana, purchasing a small farm of eighty acres in Penn town- ship, but subsequently traded the land for town property in South Bend. He then rented the farm known as Sunny Side for
one year, when he traded his town property for the Augustine farm located seven miles west of South Bend, upon which he took up his abode and there remained for one year, engaged in general agricultural pursuits. At the end of the year, however, he traded the property for the farm he now owns, his ori- ginal purchase consisting of one hundred and thirty acres, but from time to time he added to the tract until the homestead consisted of two hundred and fifty acres, all rich and fertile land and placed under .an excellent state of cultivation by his untiring efforts. Its many substantial buildings stand as mon- uments to his ability, and the farm is one of the valuable homesteads of the township. In 1906, however, he gave up the active work of the farm and removed to South Bend, and now, on the western slope of life, he is rest- ing from arduous cares, in the midst of fam- ily and friends, who esteem him for his hon- orable record and his many commendable characteristics. In addition to the homestead he also owns another valuable farm, on which have been erected good and substantial build- ings, and both places are now rented.
In 1859 Mr. Dietrich was united in mar- riage to Amelia Moyer, who was born and reared in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and they have three living children: Ed- ward, who is serving as engineer at the power house for the Indiana Railway Company : Katie, the wife of Thomas Van Buskirk, of South Bend; and Charles W., on the farm in German township. Mr. Dietrich has given a life-long support to the Republican party. and as its representative served as the as- sessor of German township, while for eighteen years he was the committeeman of his party. He is a worthy member and an active worker of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church. and he holds pleasant relations with his old army comrades of the blue by his member- ship in Auten Post, No. 8, G. A. R.
REZEAN BROWN. During the long period of eighty-three years Rezean Brown has trav- eled life's journey, and now in the evening of a useful and honorable career he is enjoy- ing a well earned rest. He has been promi- nent in the business circles of St. Joseph county, and has left the impress of his indi- viduality upon many lines of progress and advancement here. His birth occurred in Middlesex county, New Jersey, October 5, 1824. his parents being Abram and Charlotte (Brown) Brown, both natives of New Jer-
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sey, and the former of German and the latter of French descent. The father, who was well known in business circles as a mason, came to St. Joseph county, Indiana, in the early year of 1835, casting in his lot among its first pioneers, and to him belongs the honor of having erected some of the first buildings in South Bend. His death occurred in 1865, when he had reached the sixty-ninth mile- stone on the journey of life, while his wife reached the age of seventy-two years ere she was called to the home beyond. In the family of this worthy old pioneer couple were seven children, four sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to years of maturity and two are now living.
Rezean Brown, the second son and second child in order of birth, was about eleven years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to St. Joseph county, and therefore for seventy-two years he has re- sided within its borders, watching with inter- est the transformation of wild land into beautiful homes and farms, the building of towns and villages, and in the work of growth and upbuilding he has ever borne his full share. Remaining on the farm until fifteen years of age, he then began the mason's trade with his father, with whom he remained for two years, and then started the contracting business for himself in South Bend, erecting many of the city's first buildings, and among these may be mentioned the first Odd Fel- low's hall. In company with a Mr. Lapeer he also built the first college building in Notre Dame and a little chapel on the island, while many other notable buildings of the city stand as mute reminders of his former activity in the business world, including about twenty-eight brick residences in St. Joseph county. He has also been active in the business circles in other sections, having lathed and plastered four houses in North Dakota, and during many years he carried on the work of his trade, winning success and at the same time contributing to his county's prosperity. About 1852 Mr. Brown took up his abode on a farm in German township, his wife superintending its work while he con- tinued his contracting business, but later he traded this place for other land, and after bartering in farm property he finally became the owner of what is now known as the county farm, he having sold it to St. Joseph county in 1904. About 1893 he laid aside the cares of an active business life, and is now resting Vol. II-16
in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil. He has long passed the age of three score years and ten, and now on the western slope of life, in the midst of family and friends, he is resting from arduous cares.
On the 27th of September, 1849, Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Nancy Jones, a native of Mt. Pleasant, St. Joseph county, where her parents, Samuel and Polly Jones, were early pioneers. After a happy married life of over fifty-four years the loving wife was called to her final rest, passing away in September, 1903, at the age of seventy- four years. They became the parents of six children, but only three are now living: George W., of South Bend; Mrs. Lillie Green, of North Dakota; and Sallie, the wife of W. G. McManis, with whom our subject re- sides. Mr. Brown has long been a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in his political affiliations he votes for the man whom in his judgment is best quali- fied for office. He has many friends in the county which has so long been his home, who esteem him for his honorable record and his many commendable characteristics.
AUGUST CONRAD. The record of an hon- orable, upright life is always read with inter- est, and those who have fought for the state and country in which their lot is cast are especially deserving of an honored place in all its annals. Their posterity will turn with just pride to these records of the founders and preservers of a prosperous, united na- tion. Mr. Conrad is a native son of Prussia, Germany, born on the 22d of February, 1831, and he remained in the land of his nativity until his twenty-fifth year, engaged in agri- cultural pursuits. On the expiration of that period, in 1857, he crossed the ocean to America, first establishing his home at Wil- liamsburg, New York, where for nine months he worked at any honorable occupation that he could get to do. He then bought a ticket for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but stopping off at Mishawaka, Indiana, he there secured a position in a saw mill and remained for two years, coming thence to South Bend and se- curing work on a farm on Portage Prairie. After a residence there of a short time he went to Berrien county, Michigan, and re- sumed his farm labor, thus continuing until the outbreak of the Civil war in 1861, when he enlisted in Company L, Second Michigan Cavalry, entering the ranks as a private. After a service of three years he veteranized
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in the same company and regiment and con- tinued as a faithful soldier until the close of the war, his military career covering a period of four years as a private with the exception of about one month, and during that time he participated in many of the his- toric battles of the war as a member of the Army of the Cumberland.
When his country no longer needed his services Mr. Conrad returned to South Bend and purchased a little farm of sixty-five acres in Union township, but as he was able he added to his original purchase until he became the owner of one hundred and thirty- three acres, but in 1903 he sold his farm and moved to South Bend, where he has since lived retired from the active cares of a busi- ness life, enjoying a well earned rest. His pleasant home is located at 631 Leland ave- nue, where a generous and warm-hearted hos- pitality is extended to his many friends and acquaintances.
The marriage of Mr. Conrad was cele- brated in 1866, when Christene Buyers be- came his wife. She is a daughter of Jacob D. and Dorothea Buyers, who were born in Germany and came to America in 1851, at once making their way to Berrien county, Michigan, where they were numbered among its honored pioneers. Mrs. Conrad was ten years of age at the time of the removal of the family to America, and she was there- after reared and received her education in Berrien county. By her marriage she has become the mother of three children: Eda, the wife of William Gillis, of St. Joseph county; Emma, the widow of Michael Land- graf, and she resides with her parents; and Schuyler, of River Park, St. Joseph county, Michigan. Mr. Conrad maintains pleasant relations with his old army associates of the blue, by his membership in Auten Post, No. 8, G. A. R. He is also a stanch and unfal- tering supporter of Republican principles, having cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and he has con- tinued to support each of its presidential candidates since that time. .
BENJAMIN ALLEN BATES. Among those to whom have been vouchsafed an honored re- tirement from the arduous duties of life is Benjamin A. Bates, who throughout his ac- tive business career was engaged in agricul- tural pursuits, but during the past few years has lived quietly at his pleasant home on West Colfax avenue, No. 820. He was born
in Greene county, Ohio, June 1, 1833, his parents being Samuel and Harmony ( Allen) Bates, the former a native of Hadenfield, New Jersey, and the latter of Virginia. The father, however, became a resident of Ohio in a very early day, and in 1834 the parents journeyed to St. Joseph county, Indiana, lo- cating near New Carlisle, where the father was employed as a teamster and was one of the first residents of the county. He lived to the good old age of eighty-two years, sur- viving his wife for many years, she having died at the age of fifty years. In their fam- ily were six children, three sons and three daughters, all of whom attained to years of maturity.
Benjamin A. Bates, their third child and second son in order of birth, was but a babe of one year when the family home was estab- lished in St. Joseph county, and he grew to years of maturity in Olive township, at- tending its primitive log cabin schools. In 1860 he went to Pike's Peak, Colorado, cross- ing the plains in company with a freighter, but he remained there only a short time when he returned to his old home in St. Joseph county and resumed his farming operations. After his marriage he located on a farm in Olive township, there continuing his agri- cultural labors until 1896, when he rented his farm and removed to South Bend, to enjoy the rest which he had so richly earned. He still owns the old homestead of one hundred acres, also his farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Olive township, the latter of which is rented to his eldest son.
The marriage of Mr. Bates was celebrated on the 2d of December, 1863, when Mary Jane Curry became his wife. Her birth oc- curred in Olive township of St. Joseph county, January 14, 1841, her parents, James and Elizabeth (Nickerson) Curry, having been numbered among the early pioneers of that locality, removing there from Butler county, Ohio. Of their ten children two died in infancy, and the remainder are yet living. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bates, namely : Charles Allen : Emma, who became the wife of John I. Hoke, and is now deceased; Alva C., of South Bend; James A. and Clifford E., also of this city. Two of the number died when young. Mr. Bates, who is the last of his father's family, has almost reached the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten. and nearly all of this long and useful life
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