A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2, Part 59

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 59

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John W. Leonard remained at home until 1848, when by his marriage he established a home of his own, and in the same year he emigrated to St. Joseph county, Indiana, re- maining one year in Portage township, after which he purchased eighty acres of land near South Bend, known as the Bank lot. It was in 1849 that he took up his abode in Penn township, purchasing his present homestead of two hundred acres, the most of which he has cleared, and the many substantial and valuable improvements which now adorn the place stand as monuments to his ability. Few men are more justly entitled to the term of self-made than is he, for when. he arrived in this county he had less than one hundred dollars, but he was industrious, determined and resolute, and his creditable life work has won him the commendation of all.

In 1848 Mr. Leonard was united in mar- riage to Eliza Laing, who was born, reared and educated in Ohio, but her people were from Virginia. They have had twelve chil- dren, eight sons and four daughters: Eliza- beth, William, Gary and Ezra (deceased), . At the time of the purchase the land was John, Edward, Helen and Zenos (twins), Al- ma, Ira (deceased), Sarah and Schuyler. With the exception of three, who were born in Ohio, all were born in St. Joseph county, and all were reared on the old homestead farm in Penn township. Mr. Leonard has given a life- long support to the Republican party, and is a member of the Osceola Methodist Episcopal church, to which he is a liberal contributor and is an active worker in the cause of Chris- tianity. He has one of the old deeds executed by President Andrew Jackson and which bears the date of about 1832. This is a valu- able souvenir in the home.

HENRY CROFOOT. From an early period in the history of St. Joseph county Henry Cro- foot has been prominently identified with its agricultural interests, and now in his declin- ing years he is living retired on his old home- stead farm. crowned with the veneration and respect which should ever be accorded an hon-

orable old age. His birth occurred in Lake county, Ohio, July 8, 1830, and in that com- monwealth his father, Vernon Crofoot, was also born and reared. He was there married to Diantha Fuller, a native daughter of Penn- sylvania, where she was reared and educated. and they became the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters. In the early '30s the family came to St. Joseph county, Indiana, establishing their home in Penn township, where the husband and father pur- chased a farm of two hundred acres. With the passing years he cleared and placed his land under an excellent state of cultivation, and also added many hundreds of acres to his estate, thus becoming one of the large land- owners of the township. In addition to his agricultural pursuits he also burned charcoal on his farm. He was numbered among the honored early settlers of St. Joseph county, and performed his full share in the progress and advancement of his community, living and laboring here until his life's work was ended in death at the age of fifty-nine years.

The second son of this worthy old pioneer couple, Henry Crofoot, attended the primitive log schools of Penn township during his boy- hood days, and at the same time he assisted in the arduous work of clearing and cultivat- ing the farm. In 1853 he made the trip to California, but returned after an absence of six months and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Penn township, the nucleus of his present valuable homestead. covered with timber, but as the years grew apace he succeeded in clearing his land, and from time to time added to its boundaries until he is now the owner of two hundred and eighty-eight acres, forming one of the valu- able homestead farms of the township.

The marriage of Mr. Crofoot was celebrat- ed on the 18th of September. 1856. Miss .

Nancy Pruner, a native daughter of Ohio. then becoming his wife. Her people were of Pennsylvania Dutch descent. Eleven chil- dren have been born to them, four sons and seven daughters, but two of the number are now deceased, one having been accidentally killed with dynamite. All of the children were born and reared on the old homestead in Penn township. Mr. Crofoot gives his polit- ical support to the Democratic party, and is a valued and worthy member of the Baptist church. He is an earnest Christian man, and

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his pathway has been marked by good deeds, honest purpose and commendable industry.

ALFRED FERRIS. Many years have been added to the cycle of time since the Ferris family was established within the borders of St. Joseph county, and during the years which have since come and gone its various members have won for the name an enviable distinction by their true worth. Among its prominent representatives in Penn township is Alfred Ferris, whose birth occurred here on the 16th of October, 1856, and throughout his entire business career he has been identi- fied with agricultural pursuits. His father, Lewis Ferris, also a native son of Indiana, was married in St. Joseph county to Mary Crain, whose birth occurred in Chautauqua county, New York, September 26, 1826, but when ten years of age she made the overland journey in wagons to St. Joseph county, In- diana. The family home was established on one hundred and twenty acres of land in Penn township, of which they cleared a con- siderable amount, and there Mrs. Ferris grew to years of maturity and received her educa- tion in . the district school. Mr. and Mrs. Ferris were numbered among the honored early pioneers of St. Joseph county, and in 1852 they took up their abode on what is now known as the Ferris homestead in Penn township, where the father spent the re- mainder of his life and passed away in death. He gave a lifelong support to the Re- publican party, and was well and favorably known throughout the entire county of St. Joseph, where so many years of his life were passed. He is still survived by his wife, who has now reached the age of eighty-two years, and is yet a resident of Penn township. Dur- ing several years she was numbered among the successful educators of the county. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Ferris, three sons and two daughters, namely : Cyrus, Martha, the wife of Frank Tupper, of Otsego, Michigan; Alice, the wife of William Gaug- ler, of Penn township; Alfred, whose name introduces this review, and William, who died in infancy. All were born and reared in Penn township.

Mr. Alfred Ferris has always remained at home, and he is now numbered among the leading agriculturists of Penn township. He, too, gives his political support to the Repub- lican party, and during one term served as its representative in the office of supervisor. He is a worthy representative of an honored

pioneer family, and at all times can be relied upon to use his influence in the advancement of whatever is for the good of the community.

THOMAS ELDER, who is engaged in agricul- tural pursuits in Penn township, section 18, is numbered among the native sons of St. Joseph county, his birth occurring in its town- ship of Portage on the 12th of September, 1855. His father, William Elder, who was long engaged in the tilling of the soil of Penn township, but now deceased, was born in Scot- land in 1827, attaining to years of maturity and receiving his educational training in his native land. At the age of twenty-three years he left the land of hills and heather and came to America, spending the first year in Penn- sylvania engaged in farming, while in 1851 he made his way to St. Joseph county, Indiana, journeying overland the greater part of the way, and arriving in Portage township rented a farm and resumed his old occupation of agriculture. In 1860 he purchased forty acres of partially cleared land, but in 1864, after clearing the remainder, he traded the property for the present Elder homestead of one hundred and fifty acres. He performed the arduous labor of clearing about ninety acres of this property, erected many substantial and valuable improvements and transformed it into an attractive and beautiful homestead. In his native land of Scotland Mr. Elder was married to one of its native daughters, Mary Grieve, where she was born on the 28th of November, 1823. She accompanied her hus- band on his emigration to America, and in St. Joseph county there were born to them six children, three sons and three daughters: Rachael (deceased), Robert, Mary, Thomas, Margaret and John (deceased). Throughout the period of his residence in this country Mr. Elder gave a stanch support to the Repub- lican party, and he was a worthy member of the Presbyterian church, passing away in its faith at the age of seventy-four years. He was an indefatigable worker, making the most of his opportunities, and was the architect of his own fortunes.

In the district schools of his native town- ship of Penn Thomas Elder received his edu- cational training, but in 1878 he left the pa- rental home to seek his fortunes in the west, there continuing the trade of carpentering which he had previously learned. Twenty years of his life were spent in the western country, but in 1898 he returned to his old home in St. Joseph county, and on the old

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family homestead he has ever since lived and labored. In addition to his farm labors he also taught school during two winter seasons in Warren township.

In 1905 Mr. Elder was united in marriage to Sadie Fourtner, who was born and reared in Iowa, and her death occurred in 1906, after a happy married life of but one year. Mr. Elder upholds the principles of the Re- publican party, but uses his franchise in sup- port of the man rather than the party. He has one of the old parchment deeds, which is a valuable document as an heirloom.

GEORGE EUTZLER. Through many decades representatives of the Eutzler family have been important factors in the public life, espe- cially that part bearing on agricultural de- velopment, of St. Joseph county, and to George Eutzler belongs the honor of being one of its oldest settlers in point of residence. He was born in Jackson county, Ohio, in June, 1829. His father, George E. Eutzler, for many years one of the leading farmers of Penn township, was a native son of the Keystone state of Pennsylvania, but .during his boyhood days he left that commonwealth and went to Jackson county, Ohio, which con- tinued as his home for many years. He was there married to one of Ohio's native daugh- ters, Elizabeth Hollingshead, and they be- came the parents of eight children, two sons and six daughters, of whom George was the eldest of the sons, and four of the children are now deceased. In 1832 the family estab- lished their home in St. Joseph county, locat- ing on what is now known as the old Eutzler homestead, where the husband and father purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land, which with the aid of his sons he cleared from its dense growth of timber and converted it into one of the valuable farms of the county. It was located in Penn township, and there Mr. Eutzler lived and labored until his life's work was ended in death, passing away at the age of seventy years. He was a Democrat in his political affiliations, and was a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

George Eutzler was but three years of age when the family became residents of Penn township, and his boyhood days were passed on the old home farm, which he assisted in clearing and developing. On the 6th of April, 1853, he was united in marriage to Anna Vesey, who was born, reared and educated in Ohio, a daughter of George and Olive (Gra-

ham) Vesey, who were long numbered among the leading residents of Penn township. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Eutzler were born three chil- dren, Elizabeth, Erastus and Enos, but the second child, Erastus, is deceased, and all were born and reared on the old homestead in Penn township. Mr. Eutzler also affiliates with the Democracy, and has fraternal con- nections with the Masonic order. As one of its venerable citizens and as a scion of one of its earliest pioneer families we are pleased to present in this history of St. Joseph county a review of the life of George Eutzler.

GEORGE E. MOON, one of the leading agri- culturists of Penn township and a represen- tative of one of the honored pioneer families of St. Joseph county, was born on the farm on which he now resides December 25, 1856. His father, William Moon, was long num- bered among the pioneer residents and influ- ential farmers of Penn township. His birth occurred in the state of New York May 3. 1820, and in that commonwealth he spent the first eighteen years of his life, coming thence in 1838 to St. Joseph county, Indiana, where shortly afterward he established his home in Penn township. During a number of years he taught school in this county, his name being prominently associated with its early educational labors. For his wife he chose Fannie Eutzler, who was born December 5, 1824, in Ohio, but came to St. Joseph county with her parents when only about six years of age, and her educational training was received in Penn township.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Moon removed to a farm in Elkhart county. In- diana, which had been entered by her father, where they continued to reside for a number of years, and they were among the first resi- dents of what is now Wakarusa. Returning to St. Joseph county about 1852, they located in Penn township, where Mr. Moon purchased two hundred acres of timber land, a portion of which he cleared, and there his busy and useful life was ended in death on the 3d of November, 1857. He was an active and valued member of the Methodist Episcopal church in Osceola, having assisted in the erec- tion of the church there, and was a Democrat in his political affiliations. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Moon were born three children, one son and two daughters, Sarah Etta, born April 16. 1850, and Elizabeth, born October 27. 1852, both born in Elkhart county but reared in St. Joseph county.

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Aster, Lever and Tilden Foundit ons. 1909

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Mrs. John M. Wommer

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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

George E. Moon, the only son of the family, received his education in the district schools of Penn township, in the meantime assisting in clearing and cultivating the home farm, and he is now the owner of two hundred and forty acres of rich and fertile land, all of which is cleared and under an excellent state of cultivation. Many substantial improve -. ments have been instituted by him, and every- thing about the place shows the care of a thrifty and practical owner. In addition to his agricultural pursuits he is also the presi- dent, treasurer and salesman of the Crystal Springs Creamery.

The marriage of Mr. Moon was celebrated on the 31st of March, 1887, when Alice L. Funk became his wife. Her father, William Funk, a deceased farmer of Elkhart county, was a native son of Pennsylvania, but re- moved to Ohio when only eleven years of age, and was reared on a farm in that common- wealth. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Moon, four sons and one daughter : William, born January 20, 1888; Grace, June 15, 1891; Lloyd, February 15, 1893; Walter, February 17, 1896; and Carl, March 4, 1898. All were educated in the district schools of Penn township and in the high school of South Bend. Mr. Moon gives his political al- legiance to the Republican party, while fra- ternally he is a member of the Maccabees at Osceola. His religious connection is with the the Methodist Episcopal church of that city, and he is a gentleman who is highly esteemed wherever known.

JOHN M. WOMMER. After a long and suc- cessful career devoted to agricultural pur- suits, principally on his present farm on sec- tion 10, Penn township, St. Joseph county, Mr. John M. Wommer is now living a retired life on this pleasant and valuable estate. He is a representative of an honored family of the Keystone state of Pennsylvania, his par- ents, Jacob and Maria (Minnich) Wommer, having both been born in that commonwealth and were of German descent. The father was a blacksmith by trade, but made his home on a farm, where his death occurred at the ex- treme old age of eighty-two years. He was a lifelong Republican, and previous to the or- ganization of that party voted with the Whigs. During many years he was an active and zealous member of the Evangelical church, living his life in harmony with its teachings, and devoting much of his time to the further- ance of Christianity. Mrs. Wommer was

seventy-seven years of age when called to the home beyond, while her mother lived to the unusual old age of ninety-seven years, and thus both the paternal and maternal families are noted for their longevity.

John M. Wommer, the elder of their two sons and the only living representative of the family, was born in Pennsylvania October 13, 1831, where he was reared to years of matur- ity on his father's farm, and received his edu- cation in the common schools near his home. He was there married in 1852 to Catherine Karsner, a native daughter of Pennsylvania and of German descent, and to them have been born nine children, seven sons and two daughters, three born in Pennsylvania, three in St. Joseph county, and three are deceased. Those living are: Morris, William, Frank, Charles, Jacob and Sarah. Edward and Katherine are deceased and one died in in- fancy. Mrs. Wommer died April 19, 1903. She had been a member of the Evangelical church for forty-one years. She was a true wife and mother, and her death caused a feel- ing of regret in the vicinity as well as the home circle.

In 1868 Mr. Wommer removed with his family from Pensylvania to St. Joseph coun- ty, Indiana, establishing the home on his pres- ent farm in Penn township, then consisting of three hundred and twenty acres of land. but the estate has since been diminished until it now contains but two hundred and eighty acres. The land, however, is rich and fertile, and the most of it is under cultivation. Here Mr. Wommer has lived and labored for many years, winning success in his chosen calling of agriculture, and he is now resting in the en- joyment of the fruits of his former toil. He gives a stanch support to the Republican party, and his fraternal relations are with the order of Odd Fellows in Mishawaka, but he joined the order in Pennsylvania many years ago, in about 1862. He has long passed the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten, and now in the evening of life he is rest- ing from arduous cares in the midst of friends who esteem him for his honorable record.

SAMUEL LAING. We pause for a moment to pay a passing tribute to the memory of one who rounded out over half a century of hon- orable life and then passed to his reward. He was born in Wayne county, Ohio, July 15, 1834. His father, who was for many years engaged in agricultural pursuits in Portage township, St. Joseph county, claimed Vir-

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ginia as the commonwealth of his nativity, and was of Scotch parentage. He spent the first eighteen years of his life in the Old Dominion state, removing thence to Ohio, where he became a tiller of the soil, and was there married to Sarah Piper, whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania. They became the parents of six children, two sons and four daughters, of whom Samuel was the fifth child and youngest son in order of birth. When he had reached the age of nine years the family came to St. Joseph county, In- diana, making the journey overland with wagons and established their home in Portage township. This was in the year of 1843, and the father purchased what afterward became known as the Laing homestead, where he re- mained until the death of the wife and mother, after which he made his home with his children until he, too, finally passed away in death in Greene township. He upheld the principles of the Republican party, and was a worthy member of the Methodist church.

In the district schools of Portage township Samuel Laing received his educational train- ing, in the meantime working on the old home farm, and after his marriage he fol- lowed agricultural pursuits for some years in Center township, finally moving to South Bend and associating himself with the Olivers, with whom he remained for eight years. Re- turning thence to his former pursuit of farm- ing, he purchased forty acres of the present estate, on which he made many and substan- tial improvements, also adding to its boun- daries until the homestead now contains eighty acres of land.

On the 8th of May, 1859, Mr. Laing mar- ried Katherine Metzger, a native daughter of Ohio, where she was born on the 4th of Febru- ary, 1838, her parents being John and Kath- erine (Goodman) Metzger. They were both born in the fatherland of Germany. but came to America when young, and for many years made their home in Ohio, where their daugh- ter Katherine was reared to years of matur- ity, and from whence she came to St. Joseph county in 1856. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Laing, five sons and six daughters, all born and reared in St. Joseph county, namely : John Franklin, deceased ; Charles Frederick, who has also passed away ; Francis Delphine. Sarah Catherine. George Fabeon, Mary Ellen, Florence May, Alice Beatrice, Clara Blanche, Samuel Edward, de- ceased, and Marcus James. Mr. Laing, the

father, gave his political support to both the Republican and Democratic parties at differ- ent times during his life, and was a member of the Catholic church. His death occurred when he had reached the sixty-fifth milestone on the journey of life, and in his death the community in which he had so long lived and labored mourned the loss of one of its truest and best citizens.

JOHN H. PARETT. Many years have faded away in the past since the Parett family was founded in St. Joseph county, and no better citizens than they have been numbered among the inhabitants of this portion of the state. Among its representatives in Penn township is numbered John H. Parett, who was born within its borders August 31, 1848. His father, William Parett, who was long engaged in agricultural pursuits in this locality, was born in New York, but when a young man he came to St. Joseph county, Indiana, and es- tablished his home in Penn township, where he secured eighty acres of timber land. After clearing this farm he sold it and purchased another eighty-acve tract, which continued as the family home for many years. In St. Jo- seph county Mr. Parett was married to Cath- erine Rogers, who came from her native land of Ireland to America during her early girl- hood days, locating in St. Joseph county. where she was reared from the age of four- teen years. They became the parents of seven children, two sons and five daughters. all born and reared in Penn township, namely: Elizabeth, Belle, John H., Eliza, Mary, Mar- garet and Charley, but the two oldest. Eliza- beth and Belle, are now deceased. The father gave his political support to the Republican party, and he performed well his part in both his public and private duties.

John H. Parett was reared as a farmer lad. attending the district schools during his early boyhood days, while during the summer months he worked in the fields. He remained at home until his twenty-fifth year, and dur- ing that time- cleared the home farm of eighty acres, and after his marriage he con- tinued his residence on the old homestead until 1879, when he located on sixty acres of his present place. He has not only cleared and improved this tract, but has also added to its boundaries a tract of seventy- five acres of timber land, and in addition has cleared forty acres in other sections. His life has been one of unremitting toil, but he to-day ranks among the leading farmers of

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Penn township, and his creditable life work has won him the respect and commendation of all who are familiar with his history.

In 1873 Mr. Parett was united in marriage to Annis Moon, the daughter of Solomon Moon, whose history will be found on other pages of this work. They have five children, three sons and two daughters: Florence, the wife of James Sprague, and they reside near her father's home; Ralph; Edna, the wife of George Wesy, of South Bend; Arzie; and Ivan. All were born and reared in Penn township. Mr. Parett gives his allegiance to the Republican party, and he has ever manifested an earnest interest in local and general affairs.

JAMES E. JENNINGS. Penn township numbers among its representative young agri- culturists and business men James E. Jen- nings, whose valuable and well cultivated farmstead is located in section 5. He was born in Clay township, St. Joseph county, Indiana, on the 19th of September, 1876, and is a representative of one of the county's honored pioneer families. His paternal grandfather, Samuel R. Jennings, Sr., was born in Monroe, Orange county, New York, April 3, 1807, and his death occurred in St. Joseph county, where he had resided for many years, on the 4th of January, 1874. He married Matilda Bardoll, who was born in Jamestown, Greene county, Ohio, Decem- ber 1, 1818, and her death occurred on the 25th of March, 1864. They were the parents of five children, all born in St. Joseph county, namely : James, born June 8, 1843, died on the 11th of December, 1865; Samuel, born December 18, 1845; Charles, born Octo- ber 2, 1847, is deceased; Francis, born Jan- uary 3, 1849; and one who died in infancy.

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A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2, Part 59

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