A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2, Part 52

Author: Howard, Timothy Edward, 1837-1916
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 887

USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 52

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township; and Callie and Loe, twins, the former the widow of John Buchtel, of South Bend, and the latter the wife of Quincy A. Bulla, who is living retired in Pomona, Cali- fornia. Another son, Benjamin F. Ritter, was a resident of Cass county, North Da- kota, and while there residing was elected to the state legislature and served one term. His brother, John Ritter, served as county and circuit judge of Cherokee county, Kan- sas, during his residence there.

Jacob Ritter, the father, was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, January 1, 1806, and died at the age of ninety-three years. He was reared in his native state, was there married in Wayne county, and came to St. Joseph county in 1829 on a prospecting tour, making the journey on horseback across swollen streams and through swamps. He purchased from the government one hundred and sixty acres of virgin land in German township, and in 1830 returned to this county with his family, they making the trip in true pioneer style in wagons. Their first home was indeed a primitive one, and at that time the now great city of South Bend was a struggling village. Mr. Ritter became a wealthy and successful man, was even tem- pered in his disposition, and his daughter, Mrs. Miller, never heard him utter a word of profanity. He lived a life of strict honesty and integrity. The Ritters were noted for their longevity, and both they and the Mil- lers were of German lineage. Mr. Ritter was a well educated man, having attended both a high school and university, and in his political views was an old-line Whig and then a Republican, while his religious connections were with the Universalist church. Mrs. Rit- ter was a native of Montgomery county, Ohio, born June 5, 1809, and died on the 21st of February, 1867, aged fifty-seven years, eight months and fifteen days. She was a kind Christian mother, and the poor and needy were never turned away from her door. She was a Dunkard in her early life, while her husband was a prominent member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and she was a member of its auxiliary, the Re- bekahs. Both are interred in the German Mt. Pleasant cemetery, where a beautiful monument stands sacred to their memory.

Mr. Miller of this review began life for himself on his father's homestead, where he remained for eight years, was then for two years in South Bend, and in 1866 came to

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Olive township, where he purchased one hun- dred and sixty acres of land, thereby going in debt to the amount of eight thousand dol- lars, but by industry and economy, aided by his estimable wife and with the heritage that his father left him he soon had his place free from debt. They have erected their present home, and have added to their orig- inal possessions until they now have four hundred and twenty acres on the Kankakee bottoms, devoted to the raising of mint, and also four hundred acres in the home town- ship, making a total of eight hundred and twenty acres in St. Joseph county. Mr. Miller is a Republican in his political affiliations, and cast his vote for its first nominee, General Fremont, and has ever since supported those principles. He has many times been a dele- gate to the district, county and state conven- tions, and was at one time a candidate for the office of state representative. In 1900 he was elected a commissioner of St. Joseph county, his associates being Samuel Bowman of South Bend and John Fullmer of Penn township. During his administration was accomplished the erection of the Sample street bridge, at a cost of about forty thousand dollars, also the Soldiers' Monument and court house at South Bend, costing twenty-five thousand dol- lars. This is an honor to the city and county, but they had trouble in closing the contract. Mr. Miller, who was president of the board, rose to his feet and said: "Gentlemen, I want you to distinctly understand that this twenty-five thousand dollar contract calls just for the completion of this honorable tribute to the fallen dead soldiers, but not a dollar for graft." In a short time the contract was closed. The dedication of this beautiful monument was a feature of interest to all the people of St. Joseph county. Their next work was the erection of three great bridges over the St. Joseph river, first the Cedar street bridge at Mishawaka, a steel and con- crete bridge costing sixty-four thousand dol- lars, next the Colfax avenue bridge in South Bend, a steel girder bridge costing eighty- four thousand dollars, then the Jefferson street bridge, representing an expenditure of one hundred and twenty-two thousand dol- lars. This is a cement and steel bridge, and one of the most excellent bridges in the mid- dle west. Their next work was the advertis- ing of bids on the bridge at Milwaukee street and La Salle avenue, South Bend, after which the board purchased a new county farm of

one hundred and thirty-nine acres, at one hundred and fifty dollars per acre, lying three miles northwest of the city, on the Portage avenue road, and the beautiful infirmary is now almost completed, representing an ex- penditure of about one hundred thousand dollars. They also remodeled the county jail and put in the woman's department under the supervision of the matron, at a cost of about seven thousand dollars. They also re- modeled the lower story of the old court house for the use of the Northern Indiana Historical Association, costing about thirty- five hundred dollars. The board of which Mr. Miller was a member proved a great credit to the county and its people, and at the close of his administration county attor- ney Woodward, in behalf of the county of- ficials, presented Mr. Miller with a valuable chair; which is now in his pleasant home, and is one of the bright milestones in his path- way.

Fraternally he is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 595, in which he has passed all the chairs, and has many times been a delegate to the grand lodge, and is now treasurer of the lodge at New Carlisle. Mrs. Miller is a member of the Rebekahs, No. 398, in which she is chaplain, and she, too, has filled all of its chairs. They have in their home a clock over a century old, a beautiful mahogany case over three quarters of a century old, and four of the old coverlets woven by their mothers about seventy-five years ago. Their home is a pleas- ant and attractive residence, and here they are spending the remainder of their lives in pleasant retirement.

LYMAN C. EGBERT. Mr. Egbert is a scion of one of the oldest pioneer families in the county of St. Joseph, and he is one of its native sons, his birth occurring on the 19th of November, 1854, a son of James E. and Delilah (Druliner) Egbert. The Egbert family is of English lineage, and its founder in this country came in a very early day.

James E. Egbert was born in Preble county, Ohio, March 2, 1825, and was left fatherless when but three years of age, early in life assisting in the support of his widowed mother and two sisters. When but twelve years of age he induced his mother to remove to St. Joseph county, Indiana, which they did in 1837 and established their home on Terre Coupee Prairie, their first dwelling being a little log cabin which stood under the tall

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pines just northwest of the H. B. Ranstead residence, and which Mr. Egbert in after life often pointed out to his friends as the place where he began as a farmer's lad. On this little farm and at that early age he assumed not only the responsibilities of his own family but also reared to years of maturity the son and daughter of a loved sister. As a boy he was passionately fond of music, and often after ending a hard day's work the neigh- bors' children would gather in and make the old cabin ring with their melodies, while dur- ing the long winters he would walk miles to a social gathering and think it but fun. After five years of hard work on this farm and just as he could see the first darkness of ad- versity passing away he lost his best friend, his mother, she being laid to rest in the Ham- ilton cemetery. Among the neighboring children was one young lady whom he had long loved, as only such a boy could love, and on the 4th of March, 1846, Mr. Egbert claimed as his bride Miss Delilah Druliner, to whom he was always a kind, true and loving hus -. band. A year after their marriage he pur- chased the farm on which he spent the re- mainder of his life, but which was then cov- ered with a thick growth of underbrush. His willing hands, however, soon placed the land under an excellent state of cultivation and brought prosperity and increasing worldly goods.

When but eighteen years of age Mr. Egbert united with the Hamilton church, under the pastorate of Rev. Hoffman, and after remov- ing to "The Hill" he would always hurry through the Sunday morning "chores," hitch to the lumber wagon and take a load of neighbors to Hamilton during the church ses- sion, often urging the young men to accom- pany him instead of playing cards all day as was their common practice. In 1858 the subject of building a church in New Car- lisle was agitated, and Mr. Egbert was one of its prime movers, not only giving liberally of his means but assisted in the erection of the building. He was a member of the class organized in 1853 when this was Byron Cir- cuit, while other members of the class were his wife, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Pidge, Josiah Pidge, Jacob Hopkins, Mr. and Mrs. James S. White and Eliza White. He was also a firm believer in temperance and took an active part in the work.

Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Egbert, Leroy, who died in infancy; Lyman

C., whose name introduces this review; and Arrilla A. The daughter received her edu- cation in the New Carlisle high school, and became the wife of Guy C. Carpenter, who was formerly a commercial traveler, and they have one daughter, Grace M., the wife of Charles Holloway, who is connected with a large wholesale fruit firm. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter reside in a beautiful brick resi- dence just east of the village, with thirty-two acres of land adjoining, the home being known as the Oak Hill Stock Farm, and in addi- tion they also have eighty acres adjoining. Mr. Carpenter gives his political support to the Republican party. James E. Egbert passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Guy Carpenter, at Greytown, Ohio, Oc- tober 19, 1887, aged sixty-two years, seven months and seventeen days. The services were held at the Methodist Episcopal church, Rev. Grimes and Elder Beck officiating, and S. D. Pidge sung "Weep not for me when I am gone," a song so dearly beloved by Mr. Egbert and which he had requested rendered when he was laid to rest. The remains were brought to Hamilton to be laid beside the mother whom he had so loved and revered when a boy and whose memory he had ever cherished in his later years. He was a man whom to know was to honor, love and respect, and while he never sought or received a world-wide fame he passed from earth with the regard of all who knew him.

Mrs. Egbert is still living, one of the brave pioneer mothers whose beautiful presence is ever welcome in all the homes of Olive town- ship. She was born in Warren county, Ohio, October 23, 1826, a daughter of Gamaliel and Abigail (Wills) Druliner, in whose family were six children, and the five now living are: Delilah, who became the wife of Mr. Egbert; Syntipe, the wife of Elwood Moore, who was a merchant of Parker, South Da- kota; Hannah, the widow of Abram N. Deacon and a resident of South Bend, In- diana; John, a carpenter and joiner by trade and a resident of Sandwich, Illinois : and David L., a commercial traveler of Chi- cago, Illinois.

Gamaliel Druliner, the father, was born in Warren county, Ohio, in 1802, and his death occurred in June, 1864. His grandfather, Frederick Druliner, a native of Germany, was one of the heroes of the Revolutionary war, his descendants being thus entitled to become members of the Sons and Daughters

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of the Revolution. The grandson Gamaliel received an ordinary educational training in the' schools of "ye early day," but was a man of great decision and firmness of character and his entire life was exemplified by the strictest honesty of purpose. It was in the year 1830 that he and his two brothers, John and Brazilla, also John, Jacob and Paul Eg- bert, Benjamin and Robert Redding, John Wills (from whom Wills township of Laporte county received its name), William White and Israel Rush, a company of eleven brave and sturdy pioneers, faced to the west with ox teams on a prospecting tour across swamps, quagmires, through valleys, over hills and finally landed in St. Joseph county, where Mr. Druliner purchased one hundred and thirty acres of land on the beautiful Terre Coupee prairie, one mile north of the present site of New Carlisle, which place is more recently known as the Eli Wade farm. There he broke the virgin soil, planted his crops, and then started on the return journey to Ohio for his family, with whom he again made the weary journey to Indiana with ox teams, while at nightfall they would make camp as was the usual custom of the pioneer wander- ers, the wolves oftentimes making the night hideous with their howlings. Wending their weary way along, their last night on the road was spent in the then little straggling village of South Bend, which contained at that time perhaps a dozen houses, and they secured lodging at the little inn kept as a trading post for the Indians, the proprietor being a French Canadian. On the following day they landed a short distance west of Hamil- ton, where the family lived in their wagons until the men could fell the logs and erect their primitive log mansion, which was heat- ed by the wide-open fireplace with a mud and stick chimney, and the little habitation was covered with a clapboard roof, above which was a ceiling made of the same ma- terial. Oftentimes during the extreme cold . winters the father would go aloft and sweep the snow from their beds. There were no high- ways at that time, only blazed trails, and the remnants of the tribe of Pottawatomie In- dians were plentiful and ofttimes trouble- some, especially during the sugar-making time. On one occasion John Druliner took a good-sized gad to the dusky fellows and put them to flight, much to the apprehension of the family, who feared they might retaliate. Mr. Druliner was very successful in his busi-

ness affairs, and not only left to his children the heritage of an honored name but also a worldly competence. All that he possessed was the result of his own ability, for after paying for his land he had just a dollar and a half left. Politically he was a stanch Jackson Democrat, and always gave liberally of both his time and money to those measures in- tended to benefit his community. His wife, who was also a native of Warren county, Ohio, born in 1800, died on the 7th of June, 1864, while only six days later, on the 13th, her husband joined her in the home beyond, both being laid to rest in the same grave.

Mrs. Egbert was only a little maiden of four years when she became a resident of St. Joseph county, so that for over three-quarters of a century it has remained her home. Dur- ing that time she has witnessed its wonderful development, the introduction of the rail- roads, the telegraph, the telephone, the sew- ing machine, the reaper, etc. She received her education in a primitive log building, six- teen by twenty feet, heated by the fire place, and she had used the old-fashioned goose quill pen fashioned by the master, which were sold for two shillings a dozen. The text books were the New Testament and the Webster's blue back speller. The writing desk was a hewed puncheon resting against the wall, while the schools were maintained by sub- scriptions from the parents of the children, who in turn would board the teacher. In that early day their market place was Michi- gan City, twenty-two miles away, and their grinding was done at Niles, Michigan. Mrs. Egbert can also recall to mind the days of the sickling of the grain with the primitive sickle, then the cradle and finally the reaper and the excitement which its introduc- tion produced. The popular amusements for the young people then were the spelling bee. the log rollings and the singing schools, and their first place of worship which she recalls to mind was the home of Uncle John Wills, another of those brave and honored pioneers who has passed to his final rest, which was in the vicinity of Boot Jack, well known by the Laporte and St. Joseph counties citizens. while their first church building was at Ham- ilton in Olive township. This was erected in 1841. She can also well remember when the - site of New Carlisle was covered with thick- ets of hazel brush, and here it may be stated that the place received its name from Rich- ard Carlisle, but was afterward changed

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from Carlisle to New Carlisle that it might not conflict with a town of the same name in Ohio.

It was in the year 1847 that Mr. and Mrs. Egbert took up their abode in this now pros- perous city, their first little home being lo- cated on the present site of their present beautiful dwelling, where she resides with her son Lyman C. In this modern home are many relics of "ye olden time," one being an old bureau that was brought in a wagon from Ohio and is possibly a century old, while she also has several of the double coverlets woven by her mother. Many has been the day when she spun the yarn to knit the stockings for her family, and she has yet as a souvenir the little spinning wheel that she and her mother used. She is one of those dear old pioneer mothers whose presence is ever a solace and comfort, and her beautiful life in her declin- ing years is but a reflection of her kind na- ture and love for her family and friends, and this review of both Mr. and Mrs. Egbert will be treasured and held sacred by their chil- dren long after both have passed away. Mrs. Egbert is now almost eighty-one years of age, and although her sun is fast setting beyond the western horizon of life her good deeds and loving admonitions will long re- main as a blessed benediction.

Lyman C. Egbert, a worthy son of worthy pioneer parents, is one of the representative men of St. Joseph county. Being an only son much of the responsibility of the family rested on his young shoulders, but he man- fully performed his full duty, although in consequence ' he received only an ordinary educational training during his youth and early manhood. However, he has greatly added to this training in later years and is now a well-informed man. He remained with his parents until twenty-three years of age, and was then married to Miss Florence Belle Wade, also a member of one of the old and well known families of St. Joseph county. Their marriage was celebrated on the 7th of June, 1877, and two children have blessed the union but only one is now living, Frank Le- Roy, who received his educational training in the New Carlisle high school. Mrs. Egbert was a student for some years in the well known St. Mary's Academy, near Notre Dame, and is a talented artist, her beautiful paintings in oils and water colors adorning the walls of their beautiful home. Three pieces especially are worthy of mention, the Swiss scene,

pastoral scene and a marine view. Her pieces in fruit and flowers are also most commend- able, and her work is a credit to her wonder- . ful ability. She was born in Laporte county, Indiana, May 5, 1858, a daughter of Eli and Rebecca (Schrader) Wade. She is a member of the Charity Circle, an organization de- signed to aid the poor and needy, the Method- ist Episcopal church, and the L. O. T. M., Hive No. 2. Mr. Egbert is a stalwart Repub- lican and cast his first presidential vote for Garfield, and since his appointment as trustee of Olive township he has had eight schools under his charge, including the high school of New Carlisle, all of which are in excellent condition and the citizens may well feel proud of their high educational standing. Frater- nally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, No. 441, also the Knights of the Maccabees, No. 2, both of New Carlisle.

Mr. Egbert began his business career as a purchaser for a large milling company at Ashley, Minnesota, but a short time after- ward went to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in the ca- pacity of a collector, and after two years there returned to his home county of St. Joseph and became associated with the Howe Sewing Machine Company, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, thus continuing for three years, when he secured a position with the well known Birdsell Wagon Company. After a residence, in Iowa of five years he became as- sociated with the Mechanical Rubber Com- pany of Cleveland, Ohio, with whom he has re- mained for fourteen consecutive years. The record of an honorable life is a man's best monument, and no words of praise can add luster to the name of Lyman C. Egbert.

EDWARD L. MAUDLIN, editor of the New Carlisle Gazette and also postmaster of New Carlisle, is a native son of St. Joseph county, born at Mishawaka on the 30th of Septem- ber, 1871, the eldest of three children, one son and two daughters, of Lucius A. and Melissa (Michael) Maudlin. The children are as follows: Edward L., whose name intro- duces this review; Martha I., educated in New Carlisle and the wife of L. G. McDonald, a stenographer in the State Department at Washington, D. C., and Lulu L., the wife of B. C. Klackle, a merchant of Bridgeman, Michigan. Lucius A. Maudlin, the father, was also a native of St. Joseph county, and - his life work is that of a mechanic. At the inauguration of the Civil war he entered the service and was later veteranized. The ances-

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tors took an active part in the various wars in which the country has participated, the great-grandfather of our subject having served in the revolutionary war, and his grandfather, Lee Michael, was an active par- ticipant in the war of 1812.

Edward L. Maudlin, whose name introduces this review, received his education in the city schools of Mishawaka and New Carlisle and began work as a printer's "devil" when but twelve years of age. In 1898 he became sole owner and proprietor of the New Carlisle Gazette, which had been established in 1880 by George M. Fountain. It is a six-column quarto, published weekly, and is an able ex- ponent of Republican principles, while the plant is equipped with als the latest and best machinery. Since age gave him the right of franchise, Mr. Maudlin has supported the Re- publican party, his first presidential vote having been cast for Benjamin Harrison, and ' on the 10th of January, 1900, he received his commission as postmaster of New Carlisle, the office being associatec. in the third class. Under his administration the rural routes, four in number, were established, and at the expiration of his first term he was returned by President Roosevelt. The office admits of three deputies, while the mails number eight in and eight out daily. Mr. Maudlin is a member of the Masonie order.

On the 12th of December, 1889, Mr. Maud- lin married Miss Ellen Clarke Parnell, a na- tive daughter of St. Joseph county, and her education was received in the New Carlisle high school and the Oberlin, Ohio, college. Her father, James S. Parnell, who is a lineal descendant from the great Irish patriot Par- nell, devoted many years of his life to agri- cultural pursuits, but later became township trustee. He served as postmaster at New Carlisle under the Cleveland administration. Mrs. Parnell is yet living, having reached the age of eighty years.

REV. FATHER ALEXANDER A. BUECHLER. The Catholic clergy is one of the most import- ant factors in the civilization, progression and advancement of a country, and go where we may, to the distant isles of the sea, the Torrid zone or Frigid, we always find the cross pointing heavenward and in charge of a man of God, who is well equipped as a scholar and leader to carry forth the mission of Cath- olic sovereignty. One of the best known and most generally loved citizens of Olive town-

ship is Rev. Father Buechler, in charge of the St. Stanislaus Kostka parish at Terre Coupee. He is a native of Ottawa, LaSalle county, Illi- nois, born on the 12th of March, 1877, his parents being Philip and Anna (Moczygemba) Buechler. The father, a native of Hesse Cas- sel, Germany, came to the United States when a young man. He was a fine scholar and mu- sician, and served as an organist and teacher for many years. He had five brothers, one of whom is a priest and is stationed at the Cata- line Islands, near San Francisco, California. Mrs. Buechler is a native of Texas, and is a lady whom to know is to love and honor.

Father Buechler attended the parochial schools at his home at Otis, Indiana, until thirteen years of age, and from 1890 until 1897 he was a student in the St. Francis of Sales .Seminary at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he pursued a full course in philosophy and the classics. On account of ill health he was then forced to relinquish his studies, but was afterward sent by Bishop Rademacher to Mt. St. Mary's of the West at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he pursued the theological course and was ordained a priest July 3, 1900, by His Excellency the Apostolic Delegate Mar- tinelli at Columbus, Ohio, when twenty-three years of age. His first work was as assistant to his cousin, Rev. Father Emanuel Wrobel. at Michigan City, who was then traveling in Europe for his health and where he remained for four and a half months. Father Buechler again became ill, and after spending a short time in the hospital he traveled through Texas and Old Mexico. It was his intention on re- gaining his health to enter college at Cracow, Austria, and perfect himself in the Polish language, but as there was a great dearth of priests at that time he was compelled in 1901 to enter upon active work in the priesthood and was sent to Goshen, Indiana. On the 1st of May, 1901, he became the priest of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Terre Coupee, which at that time comprised ninety-five fam- ilies and a small church building, and there was a large amount of work to be accom- plished. His predecessor, Rev. Father George Kolesinski. an old man, had been an exiled priest to Siberia by the Russian government for twenty-five years, and had been pastor of this parish for seven years. When Father Buechler took charge he found the condition of affairs at rather a low ebb, but with his usual vigor and indomitable will he set to

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A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2, Part 52

Author: Howard, Timothy Edward, 1837-1916 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 887

Author: Howard, Timothy Edward, 1837-1916
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 887