USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 51
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Isaac Gorsuch was fourteen years old when his parents removed to Ohio, so he remembers well the incidents of the overland journey. He learned the shoemaking trade of his fa- ther and worked at the trade in different places until 1847, when he came to South Bend, at that time but a village and with but little promise of its present magnitude. He took into consideration that it was located on the bank of a beautiful stream and sur- rounded by a very fertile though undevel- oped country, and made up his mind that South Bend was bound to flourish, and he bought two acres of land on the outskirts of the city, paying one hundred dollars per acre, and there built a home which has since been his abode. This is now the heart of the best residential part of the city, the limits of which are far beyond. Here he lives retired, enjoying a life of ease in the city which he has helped to build.
He was first married in Dayton, Ohio, June 1, 1842, to Mary Gass, daughter of William Gass, a pioneer of Greenville, Ohio,
where Mrs. Gorsuch was born. She was edu- cated in Dayton, and taught school in that city and later in South Bend. She died in about 1889, and his second marriage occurred December 20, 1893, to Maria Forbes, who was born at St. Joseph, Michigan, a daughter of John Forbes, who was a native of Edin- burgh, Scotland, and Margarette Mills, a native of Cornwall, Canada.
Mr. Gorsuch has one son, Wilbur E., who as a boy enlisted as a musician and served almost the entire period of the Civil war, and is to-day one of the youngest of the mem- bers of the Grand Army of the Republic in South Bend. Our subject is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a steward many years.
GEORGE J. HOFFMAN. The name of George J. Hoffman is fast becoming inseparably con- nected with the industrial interests of South Bend, and his general contracting business forms an important part of the business life of the city, furnishing employment to a large force of workmen. A native 'son of the Hoosier state, he was born in Monroeville, Allen county, Indiana, June 5, 1876, a son of Christian and Mary (Schemmer) Hoff- man, the father a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the mother of Germany. Chris- tian Hoffman was a man of varied attain- ments, having followed the occupations of carpentering, wagon-making and farming in Van Wert, Ohio. The mother died when her son George was but a little lad of three years, and the only daughter of the family is Lena, the wife of Charles Schemmer.
George J. Hoffman, the elder of the chil- dren, went to live with his grandmother in Bremen, Indiana, when three years of age, remaining with her for four years, when his father remarried, and he then returned to his home and remained with him until of age. When but a small boy he began work- ing at the carpenter's trade, and for two years he was in the employ of a cousin in the milling and lumber business in Ohio, but returning to Bremen, Indiana, worked for a similar period at his trade for an uncle. Coming to South Bend at the expiration of that period Mr. Hoffman worked by the day at the carpenter's trade for two years, and then began a general contracting business on his own account. Seven years have passed since he started out in business for himself, and in that time his interests have gradually broadened and enlarged, and many of South
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Bend's finest buildings now stand as evi- dences of his excellent ability. At the pres- ent time he is engaged in the erection of the Studebaker dry kilns. He has in his employ about sixty-four men, including the most skilled carpenters and masons, and he thus adds to the general prosperity while promot- ing his own individual interests. He is in- terested in the Standard Cement Brick Com- pany, of South Bend, of which he is serving as the president, and is also connected with other leading enterprises in this city, being at all times a progressive, public spirited citizen.
On the 30th of May, 1899, Mr. Hoffman was united in marriage to Wilhelmina Jor- dan, and they have three children, Herbert, Walter and Louise. Mr. Hoffman is a mem- ber of the Evangelical Lutheran church, in which he is serving as trustee, and is an active worker in the church. He is inde- pendent in his political affiliations. He is a man of well rounded character, and is a valued factor in the church, social and busi- ness circles, where his upright life and genial temperament make him well and favorably known.
EUGENE A. FEITEN, deceased, one of the most popular young men who ever lived in St. Joseph county, was a son of John Feiten, the pioneer and retired business man of Mishawaka, with whom he was associated for several years. He was born in Misha- waka on the 12th of August, 1875, educated in its parochial schools, and, under his fa- ther's thorough training, learned the trade of cabinet making as well as the furniture business. He also became posted on the prac- tical details of undertaking, and obtained a scientific and working knowledge of embalm- ing by taking a course in the Chicago school devoted to that specialty. In 1901, when his father retired, he was fully competent to as- sume the entire management of the business, which he did to the entire satisfaction of patrons in the several lines which the house embraced. As a funeral director the young man's reputation extended far beyond the confines of his native city.
Eugene A. Feiten passed away on the 14th of April, 1906, to the deep regret of a numer- ous body of citizens and the profound sor- row of his friends and relatives. He was both exemplary and lovable, and a man of activity in all that tended to advance the moral and religious interests of the commu- Vol. II-19.
nity. He was a leading member of the St. Joseph's Catholic church, and was also iden- tified with the Catholic Order of Foresters, Knights of Columbus, Order of Eagles and Order of the Maccabees. Blessed with all those qualities which attract admiration and affection, broadly useful despite the compara- tive brevity of his mature life, it is little to be wondered that the deceased was one of the most popular residents of the county, and that his kindliness and sympathy shown toward those in bereavement were returned in kind to his surviving relatives when his own body was laid to rest.
JOHN FEITEN. One of the substantial pioneers of St. Joseph county, especially identified with its business progress, has been gaining ground in the confidence and deep respect of its people since he first located in this locality fifty-four years ago. In view of this fact, it will rightly be inferred that the honor in which he is held is deep rooted indeed, as it is of such long and continuous growth.
Mr. Feiten is a native of the village of Demarath, Germany, born on the 3d of Feb- ruary, 1840, a son of John F. and Anna Maria (Stultz) Feiten, his parents being na- · tives of the same place. They were married in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, at Demarath. The father was born in 1810, was educated in the parochial schools of his na- tive town, and died in 1841, at the early age of thirty-one. John Feiten was the only child by this marriage. His mother was mar- ried a second time to John Hamprichs, and by this union was born a son, Joseph, who was a resident of Mishawaka until his death in 1902.
John Feiten attended the parochial schools of his native village until he was thirteen years of age, when, in 1853, his parents brought him to America, the family landing in New York and going thence directly to Mishawaka, where they arrived on June 29th of that year. In accord with the sensible German custom the boy was at once appren- ticed to a trade, which in his case happened to be that of cabinet making combined with chair making. At this dual occupation he busied himself for several years, but with experience and the saving of a little capital he determined to broaden the scope of his business operations and engage in the furni- ture and undertaking lines.
In 1865 Mr. Feiten founded the house de-
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voted to this business through which he be- of Notre Dame University and St. Mary's. came so well known by his energetic and hon- He comes of German parentage, both his parents being born in Rhenish Prussia. His father, Nicholas Hanbert, died at Misha- waka in 1882, at the age of seventy-eight, and his mother, nee Catharine Blaicer, on the 26th of October, 1903, aged eighty-six. They came to America in 1836, were married in Williamsburg, New York, became residents of Mishawaka in 1854, and were the parents of nine children. orable dealings of more than a quarter of a century. Although his store was entirely destroyed in the great fire of September 5, 1872, he immediately rebuilt, and thereafter his business continued to grow uninter- ruptedly until he was as well known as any undertaker in St. Joseph county. His un- failing courtesy and sociability made him numerous friends, and his reliability as a business man retained the trade which his popularity brought him. He successfully conducted the business until 1901, when its conduct was assumed by his son, Eugene, since deceased, and a sketch of whose useful life appears elsewhere.
On April 16, 1866, Mr. Feiten married Miss Isabella Black, the ceremony occurring at St. Patrick's church, Decatur, Illinois. The four children of this union are as fol- lows: Nellie Mary, now the wife of William K. Konzon, assistant manager of the South Bend Chilled Plow Company; Gertrude Louise, Mrs. W. P. O'Neil, whose husband's biography is published on other pages of this work; Mary Bernidetta, wife of Frank Lenhardt, assistant manager of the Beiger Woolen Manufacturing Company, and she is the mother of one child, Alden; and Eugene August Feiten, already mentioned in this review. Mr. Feiten and his family are stanch members of the St. Joseph's Catholic church, with which the former is so prominently identified. John Feiten is a Catholic by an- cestry and from conviction. When he came to St. Joseph county in 1853, as a boy of thirteen, he served as altar boy in an old frame house used as a place of worship by Rev. Father Sorin, the founder of Notre Dame College. In November, 1867, then but a young man, he succeeded in organizing St. Joseph's Mutual Benefit Society, and alto- gether for more than fifty years has been a pillar of the church and all its associated organizations. In politics he is a Democrat, but has given the strength of his life to the faithful and able superintendence of his pri- vate affairs, and the upbuilding locally of the religious faith which is so vital a part of his very existence.
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PETER HANBERT. As a restauranteur and a confectioner the late Peter Hanbert was for years a familiar and popular character among the old-time citizens of Mishawaka, being especially well known to the students
The parents of Peter Hanbert came with their family to Illinois, stopped awhile at Chicago, and then came to Mishawaka. the father commencing to farm on a tract of land he had purchased two and a half miles south of that place. This continued to be the homestead until 1881, when the household removed to the city itself, where, as stated, both the parents died. They were faithful and leading members of the St. Joseph's Catholic church, of which Mr. Hanbert was a trustee for many years.
Peter Hanbert attended school until he was eighteen years of age, when he began his business career as a grocer's clerk, and in 1870 established himself in that line of business at Mishawaka. After being thus successfully engaged for about three years he sold his business and started a restaurant and confectionery in the Phoenix block, being thus engaged until the time of his death. Both citizens and students patron- ized him liberally, both because of his at- tractive personal qualities and because his dealings with them were strictly just and business like, even leaning to the side of generosity.
On June 13, 1871, Mr. Hanbert married Miss Mary Catherine Black, the ceremony occurring at St. Joseph's church, Mishawaka, and being performed by the Rev. A. B. Oechtran. Mrs. Hanbert is a native of that city. born March 25, 1848, and is a daughter of Samuel and Catherine (McGraw) Black. both natives of Ireland. The latter were married in St. Catherine's cathedral, Port La Housie, Canada, and the husband first en- gaged in the foundry business at St. Joseph, Michigan, afterward removing to Chicago. After remaining in the latter city for awhile he located at Mishawaka, where he resumed the foundry business in connection with James Oliver, patentee of the famous Oliver chilled plows. His death occurred February 19, 1883. The deceased was a Democrat,
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and a well known member of the St. Joseph's Catholic church.
ISAAC NEWTON MILLER. The gentleman whose name introduces this review is so well known to the people of St. Joseph county as a worthy citizen, native son and an effi- cient county official that he needs no special introduction to the people. He is possibly the oldest gentleman living in Olive town- ship who was born and reared in the county of St. Joseph, and both he and his estimable wife come from old families, and it is with pleasure that we present a review of their lives to be preserved in this twentieth cen- tury history. Mr. Miller's life dates back to the pioneer days when St. Joseph county was in its primitive state and when the mod- ern improvements and present advancement were not dreamed of. The great network of railroads has been thrown across northern Indiana, also the introduction of the tele- phone, the rural delivery, the telegraph, the interurbans, and the beautiful modern school houses which dot this rich and progressive county have taken the place of the log cabin and the modernly built and equipped coun- try residence has taken the place of the log cabin home heated by the old fireplace. In fact, the great advancement of the twentieth century has been made since his birth.
Mr. Miller is a native of German town- ship, St. Joseph county, born November 3, 1835, and is the third in a family of ten children, eight sons and two daughters, of William and Mary (Miller) Miller. Four of the number are now living: Isaac N. is the subject of this review. William H., who re- sides in the city of South Bend, No. 1110 East Jefferson street, has been a contractor and manufacturer all his life, and has been successful in his business ventures. He is married. Mattie is the widow of Moses E. Butterworth and a resident of Chicago. He was an agriculturist and was also engaged in the real estate business in Chicago. Horace G., the youngest of the family, resides in the city of South Bend. The Miller family is of German ancestry, and was founded in America by three brothers who came from that country in an early day.
William Miller was a native of Franklin county, Virginia, born on the 1st of April, 1809, and died in South Bend May 20, 1879. He was reared as a farmer boy, and was thereafterward prominently identified with agricultural pursuits, although in his earlier
days he learned the tanner's trade. When but a child his parents emigrated to Union county, Indiana, and it was in 1832, the year of the Black Hawk war, that he came to German township, Portage prairie, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of government land on the Indian reserve, his first home there being a little bark shack, heated by a fireplace. The next habitation was the little log house in which Isaac New- ton was born. Mr. Miller continued to add to his possessions until he became the owner of seven hundred acres all in one body, and also other lands. He was a man of remark- able concentration and decision, always standing four square to the world, and his good opinions were as gold to the people of St. Joseph county. He so gained the esteem of his fellow men that he was elected to the state legislature three times, and was the formulator of a bill introduced in the legislature for the benefit of the insane, blind, deaf and dumb. He was first a Whig in his political views, stanchly supporting its prin- ciples until the formation of the new Re- publican party, when he joined its ranks and was one of its charter members in St. Joseph county and cast his vote for its first presidential nominee, General Fremont. During the Civil war he went as far south as Memphis and farther and brought back with him some of the poor soldiers, whom he nursed back to health and guaranteed their return. His father, however, an old Virginian, was a slave holder in the ante- bellum days.
General John F. Miller, a son of William Miller, was one of the valiant soldiers in the Civil war. He organized the Twenty- ninth Indiana Infantry and went out as its colonel, his regiment being assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. He was a brave soldier, and at the battle of Stone River was shot in the neck, which proved almost a fatal wound, but he was again wounded at Lib- erty Gap, where his left eye was shot out and the minie ball lay in his head for twelve years, finally causing his death. He had been in service only about ninety days when he was brevetted major general, and he served during the entire struggle, under Gen- erals Buell, Rosecrans, Sherman and Thomas. He was a noted attorney, and was a member of the state senate when asked to take a com- mission in the army. He was a RepublicaL. candidate for presidential elector in 1872.
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At his death he left a wife and one daughter, Mary Eudora, the wife of Captain Richard- son Clover, a graduate at Annapolis, and commanded the Dolphin in the United States navy.
Another son, H. Clay Miller, was a man of more than passing importance. While he was yet a young man his brother, General Miller, who was a collector of customs at San Francisco, California, sent his brother word that there was a position waiting for him, and the latter, who was not an adept in bookkeeping, went to Chicago and took a business course at Bryant & Stratton's Busi- ness College, where he completed in three months the course that ordinarily requires six months, and immediately proceeded to San Francisco to take charge of the position. He was so ready and apt that he soon rose to the position of test clerk in the custom house. He was also a prominent candidate for the office of surveyor of customs, which is a presidential appointment. But previous to this time, at the revision of the Mckinley tariff, the port at New York became difficult to handle, and a telegram of information was sent Mr. Miller, who immediately re- sponded, and soon the business was again straightened. The presidential selection of the surveyor of customs at San Francisco proved incompetent, and as the office had to be filled by a competent man Mr. Miller was duly installed, and remained in the custom house in that city for sixteen years, during which time he was never under bond and was never a cent short in his accounts.
Hon. William Miller was one of the great promoters of the city of South Bend, and was the principal factor in having the Singer Sewing Machine Company installed there. He was a great friend of the public schools of Indiana, and also took high ground on the subject of temperance. He was no doubt the inventor or projector of the first steel plow in existence, and it came about in this way. As all the old pioneers well know, there was much trouble caused in the scouring of the cast iron plow, and as Mr. Miller had made a few plow shares of steel he discov- ered that they would scour, and he accord- ingly conceived the idea of making a mould board of steel. Accordingly he went to James Done in the little shop on the southwest corner of Washington and Lafayette streets, on the present site of the Presbyterian church. He stated his case to the black-
smith, but the latter replied that he had no steel and was too poor to buy it. Not dis- couraged, however, Mr. Miller sent to Pitts- burg at his own expense and at a time when there were no railroads in northern Indiana, obtained the steel and it was sent around by the lakes and up the St. Joseph river. The little smithy went to work and fashioned the plow after Mr. Miller's instructions, and although the first attempt was a failure the second, a small plow, worked to a dot, while the third, of much larger construction, was also a success. This was no doubt the first idea of a steel mouldboard plow and dates back to the year 1845. Religiously the Mil- lers of the olden day on the maternal side were Dunkards, but Hon. William Miller and his wife were members of the Swedenborgian church, and always contributed of their means to all worthy measures. The maternal grandfather was a colonel in the war of 1812. In his fraternal relations Hon. William Mil- ler was a prominent member of the Odd Fel- lows. Both he and his wife lie buried in South Bend, where a beautiful monument stands sentinel over their remains.
Isaac Newton Miller, the immediate sub- ject of this review, was reared and educated in the county of St. Joseph, and after com- pleting his work in the common schools en- tered the high school of South Bend and later pursued a course in Wabash College. However, the responsibilities of the family early rested upon his shoulders, and he has been a practical farmer and stockman all his life. He began life for himself at the time of his marriage, on the 25th of March, 1858, Miss Emma Ritter becoming his wife. They have become the parents of five chil- dren, four sons and one daughter, namely : Eldon Newton is one of the successful young farmers of Olive township. He received his education in the common schools, the New Carlisle High School and graduated in the business department of the Indiana Normal University. He is a Republican in politics, an able representative of his party, and is a member of the Republican central commit- tee of this county. He married Miss Lulu Dickey, and they have six children, Marie. Anna, Edith, Eva, Winona and Joe. John F. is a successful attorney in Seattle, Wash- ington. After attending the New Carlisle schools he entered Ann Arbor University. and then spent three years as a cadet at West Point, but on account of an accident
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
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he failed to become a soldier. Returning thence to his home, he entered the law de- partment of the Northern Indiana Normal College at Valparaiso, Indiana, in which he was graduated and admitted to the bar. He then removed to the far west, and has rapidly advanced. in his profession. He was a resi- dent of Washington before its admission to statehood and prior to that event also served as police judge. Becoming interested in the search for gold in Alaska, he made three trips to that country, and in the interim acted as reorter for one of the Seattle pa- pers, while for three months he was in con- trol of one of the city papers during the absence of the editor. He married Miss Mary Stewart, a schoolmate and a native of Bloomington, Illinois. They have two chil- dren, Leah and Stewart. Theirs is one of the beautiful homes of Seattle. Mary, an artist in oils and also a musician on the piano, is the wife of Harris E. Taylor, one of the educators of St. Joseph county, and a resident of New Carlisle. She is a grad- uate of the high school of New Carlisle, and they have one little son, Newton Miller. Wil- liam, a prosperous agriculturist of Warren township, was educated in the New Carlisle High School and graduated in the South Bend Commercial College. He married Miss Eliza Pontius. He is a prominent member of the Gleaners and the Odd Fellows. Nel- son, a natural artist in pen work, much of his beautiful handwork adorning his home, is a law student in Ann Arbor University. He is a member of the class of 1908, and is one of its brightest students. He is also an Odd Fellow. Mr. and Mrs. Miller may well be proud of their family. Mrs. Miller was born in German township, St. Joseph county, September 1, 1838, and was the sixth of four- teen children, six sons and eight daughters, of Jacob and Elizabeth (Miller) Ritter. Seven of the number are now living, namely : Aaron, who is a horticulturist and farmer near Springfield, Missouri, is married and is a great traveler; Mrs. Miller is the next in order of birth; William, engaged in farming near South Bend, was one of the first volun- teers in the Civil war, serving in the Twenty- first Indiana Battery during the entire period of the war; David, an extensive fruit grower and farmer near Springfield, Missouri, served during the war in the same battery as his brother and never took a furlough; Frank, who resides on the old homestead in German
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