USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 60
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Francis Jennings, the father of him whose name introduces this review, was born in South Bend, Indiana, January 3, 1849, and was reared and educated in Clay township, where he attended the Stucky school. His educational training was completed at Notre Dame, and he was afterward engaged in farming the old homestead for some time until finally, in 1873, he purchased his pres- ent home farm of eighty acres. On the 23d of February, 1875, he was married to Esther M. Fulkerson, who was born in Clay town- ship, St. Joseph county, Indiana, November 18, 1854, a daughter of Louis E. Fulkerson, one of the early residents of St. Joseph county. Two children were born of this
union, James E. and Arthur L., the former of whom was born in Clay township, and the latter in Penn township. Mr. Jennings, the father, gave a life-long support to the Demo- cratic party, and at one time was made the assessor of Clay township. His fraternal re- lations were with the Masonic order.
James E. Jennings completed his educa- tional training begun in the district schools of Penn township in the Elkhart Commercial College, where he enjoyed superior advan- tages. On the 21st of March, 1900, he was united in marriage to Alice Oakes, who was born in Elkhart county, Indiana, November 5, 1879, where her father, Benjamin F. Oakes, was long a leading farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Jennings have had three children, two sons and a daughter, Samuel Cecil, Muriel and James, but the first born, Samuel, is now deceased. Two were born on the present . home farm of Mr. Jennings. He is deeply interested in the public affairs of his com- munity, and he is winning for himself a name and place among its leading agriculturists and business men.
FRED G. EBERHART. Penn township in- cludes among its prominent farmers and citi- zens Fred G. Eberhart, whose birth occurred in New York March 15. 1835. A review of the Eberhart family will be found on other pages of this work. He was but a year and a half old when he was brought by his parents to St. Joseph county, Indiana, and he was reared to mature years on the old homestead two miles northeast of Mishawaka, where he attended the district schools of Penn town- ship. At the age of twenty-one years he left the parental home and engaged in the lumber business in Madison township, thus contin- uing for seven years, when he returned to Penn township and purchased a farm of one hundred acres, this having been in the year of 1857. He cleared sixty-six acres of this tract, while all of the many and substantial improvements which now adorn the home- stead stand as monuments to his industry and ability.
On the 6th of March, 1864, Mr. Eberhart was united in marriage to Roxie Vesey, a representative of an old and prominent fam- ily in Penn township. She was born in Lake county, Ohio, May 15, 1846, and was but two years of age when brought by her parents to St. Joseph county, Indiana, receiving her education in the district schools of Penn township. Her father, George Vesey, pur-
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chased one hundred and sixty acres of timber land here, on which he erected a log cabin and began the hard and laborious task of clearing his place of its native growth of timber. His wife bore the maiden name of Olive Graham, and was born in Ohio. In their family were six children, three sons and three daughters, but two of the number are now deceased. Mr. Vesey gave his politi- cal support to the Republican party, and was a member and deacon of the Baptist church in Penn township, which he also helped to build. His birth occurred in Vermont on the 20th of August, 1811, and he passed away in death at the age of seventy-six years, after a long life of usefulness and honor. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Eberhart have been born four children, three sons and a daughter, all born on the home farm in Penn township, namely : Sabra, the wife of George Cooke, of Minneapolis; George, of Mishawaka; and Lucius and Adelbert, deceased. Mr. Eber- hart has given a life-long support to the Republican party, and is a member of the Methodist church. Among the people with whom he has been so long connected he is popular, and is well known and honored for his many sterling characteristics.
WILLIAM HI. PHILLIPS. Although many years have been added to the past since William H. Phillips passed to his reward, he is yet remembered in many a home, and in his death Penn township lost one of its influential and useful business men. He was born in Sheffield, Massachusetts, October 16, 1820, a son of Solomon and Mary (Churchill) Phillips, who were also born in that com- monwealth. The son spent the first twenty- five years of his life in his native state, after which he moved to New York and was em- ployed as a collier and in burning coal for several years. In the town of Austerlitz, Columbia county, New York, on the 12th of April, 1849, Mr. Phillips married Mary A. Westover, who was there born on the 16th of December. 1825, a daughter of Robert and Hannah (Woodin) Westover, the former a native of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and the latter of the state of New York. They were farming people, and their daughter Mary was reared on their old homestead farm, the par- ents both passing away in death in the Empire state.
Mr. and Mrs. Phillips remained in New York for seven years after their marriage, and in the fall of 1857 began the overland
journey to St. Joseph county, Indiana, where they established their home on cighty acres of land in Penn township. Mr. Phillips per- formed the arduous task of clearing about ten acres of this tract, and with the passing years he added to the boundaries of his es- tate until he became the owner of one hun- dred acres. He was one of the leading and influential agriculturists of Penn township. and was long numbered among its honored pioneer residents. His valuable estate was but the reward of an honest, industrious career, and upon the ladder of his own build- ing he climbed to affluence and prosperity.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Phillips were born five children, two sons and three daughters. three of whom were born in New York and two in St. Joseph county, but all are now deceased. Mr. Phillips was a life-long agriculturist and was a Democrat in his political affiliations. He met an accidental death at the age of sixty-three years, having been killed while at work in taking down an old barrack, and thus passed away an honored pioneer citizen of Penn township.
JAMES C. EBERHART. On the farm known as "The Plain View Farm" on which he now lives and labors James C. Eberhart has spent his entire life, his birth here occurring on the 18th of August, 1844. His father, Fred- erick George Eberhart, was numbered among the early pioneers of Penn township, and was a native son of New York, born in 1797. and was there reared to years of maturity. In Pennsylvania he was married to Elizabeth Weltner, whose birth occurred in that com- monwealth on the 25th of September, 1800. and they became the parents of twelve chil- dren, nine sons and three daughters, eight of whom were born in the east, in New York and Pennsylvania, and the remainder in St. Joseph county, Indiana. In 1835 the family started on the overland journey to the west, their destination being Illinois, but on reach- ing St. Joseph county, Indiana, a son became ill, and in the delay which this occasioned the father became attached to the country here and purchased four hundred acres of land in Penn township. The land was then in its primitive state, but he immediately began the arduous task of clearing it and placing it under cultivation, first, however, erecting a little log cabin. He was a glass blower by trade, and followed that occupa- tion for some time in Michigan, his sons con- ducting the work of the farm. He was a
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THE NEW YORK PUELY LISKARY
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stanch Republican in his political affiliations, and a true abolitionist, and his death oc- curred on the old home farm when he had just passed the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten. He was a worthy member of the Methodist church, having been one of the principal organizers of that denomination in this neighborhood, and he continued one of its leading members until called to his home beyond.
The district schools of Penn township af- forded James C. Eberhart the educational training which he enjoyed in his youth, but he was early inured to the work of the fields, and assisted his father and brothers in clearing the home farm and making it the valuable estate which it now is. In time he became the sole owner of this val- uable property by purchasing the interests of the other heirs, and its boundaries now contain two hundred and fourteen acres of rich and fertile land.
On the 6th of September, 1866, Mr. Eber- hart married Samantha Huntsinger, who was born and reared in Penn township, where her father, S. K. Huntsinger, had established his home in an early day, and was long num- bered among its prominent agriculturists. Two sons and a daughter were born to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Eberhart, William, Grace and Harry W. All were born on the homestead farm in Penn township. The daughter is the wife of Walter D. Ort, a grocer of Mishawaka; they have four chil- dren, Bess Eldona, Blanche Adine, Ida Valier and Marguerite. William wedded Miss Aurilla Van Winkle, and they have three children, Clem, Vera and Donald. William is employed in the Mishawaka Rubber Works. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Eberhart has voted with the Republican party, and in 1894 was elected the sheriff of St. Joseph county, to which position he was returned at the expiration of his first term, serving four years in all in that responsible position. He too is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
BENJAMIN F. REINHARDT. For almost half a century Mr. Benjamin F. Reinhardt has resided within the borders of St. Joseph county, and throughout this long period he has been an important factor in the improve- ment and advancement of his community, while he has also been concerned with the broader interests which have had to do with the welfare of the commonwealth. He was Vol. II-22.
born in Coshocton county, Ohio, December 18, 1838, the youngest of the eleven children, five sons and six daughters, born to Jacob and Elizabeth (Trent) Reinhardt, but the only ones now living are Benjamin F. and his sister Elizabeth, the widow of Edward Cordray and a resident of Union township, St. Joseph county.
Jacob Reinhardt, the father, claimed Som- erset county, Pennsylvania, as the place of his nativity, born March 26, 1783, twenty- six years before the death of General Wash- ington. He was reared and married in his native commonwealth, and his entire life was characterized by its strict integrity and noble purposes. He was a tinner by trade, but dur- ing the later years of his life was identified with agricultural pursuits. Making his way to Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in true pioneer style, he located in Shanesville, and that county continued as his home for a number of years, when he removed to Coshocton county and purchased a quarter section of timber land from the government. In addi- tion to clearing this farm from its dense growth of timber he also added eighty acres to its boundaries, but in 1864 sold the prop- erty and continued his westward journey to St. Joseph county, Indiana. He established his home in the southeastern portion of Lib- erty township, there purchasing eighty acres of partially cleared land, and maintained his residence thereon until his life's labors were ended in death, passing away in August, 1869. Politically he was formerly an old-line Whig, and on the formation of the Repub- lican party joined its ranks and ever re- mained true to its principles, also serving as its representative in the offices of township treasurer and assessor in Coshocton county, 'Ohio. Both he and his wife were devout members of the German Lutheran church, and he was one of the leading factors in the erection of the church of that denomina- tion which now stands in Liberty township. Mrs. Reinhardt was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, March 8, 1797, and her death occurred in about the year 1882. She grew to years of maturity in her native county, and was a daughter of James Trent, who was of English birth and was the progenitor of the Trent family in Somerset county, this being after the period of the Revolutionary war. Mr. Reinhardt of this review now has in his possession a genealogical record com- prising about four hundred and thirty-five
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names of actual. lineal descendants of the Trent family who are located throughout the middle west. The Reinhardt family is of German descent, and was founded in this country by the grandfather of Mr. Benjamin F. Reinhardt, he having been a native of Saxony and came hither in a very early day. There were two brothers who when young left the fatherland to seek their fortunes in other countries, one going to England and the other to America, and from the latter is descended the Reinhardt family of Ohio and Indiana. The brother who went to England became a prominent and successful man, be- coming especially renowned in its military record, as he was a general in charge of the English army at Bombay, India. Grandfa- ther Philip Reinhardt was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, serving under General Washington, and thus his descendants are en- titled to become members of the great Ameri- can order of Sons and Daughters of the Revo- lution. Mrs. Jacob Reinhardt was a devout Christian, and her beautiful character was reflected in her teachings to her children. With her husband she now sleeps in the Ger- man Lutheran cemetery, where a beautiful stone stands sacred to their memory.
Benjamin F. Reinhardt, of this review, spent the period of his boyhood and youth in his native county of Coshocton, and his business life has been devoted to the work of farming and stock raising. In his early life he received an excellent educational train- ing, having supplemented his common school training by study in a select school, which was maintained by his fellow students, they having banded together and engaged the best preceptor money could obtain, with the re- sult that they received a thorough mental training far in advance of the present high school course. For eight years he was a member of the teacher's profession in Ohio, becoming a prominent and successful edu- cator. He has always taken pleasure in im- proving his spare moments by the reading of the best literature, and with Ralph Waldo Emerson he believes that "Good books are our best companions." It was in 1860 that he went to Hancock county to visit his uncle, and while there resumed his work as a teacher and remained until 1861, when the tocsin of war sounded throughout the land, and with its call for troops after the firing upon Fort Sumter he enlisted in Company A. Twenty- first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Gen-
eral Rosecrans. His enlistment took place on the 19th of April, 1861, for a three months' service, but his military career covered a period of four months, and he was honorably discharged at Camp Chase, Ohio, August 12, 1861, his duties as a soldier having been principally as a guard. His brigade was under the command of General J. D. Cox, subsequently governor of the state of Ohio.
Returning thence to Hancock county Mr. Reinhardt taught school during the winter of 1861-2, and in the following spring re- turned to his home in Coshocton county. On the 27th of November, 1862, he was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Steele, and to them were born nine children, seven sons and two daughters, of whom five are living. namely : Seward C., who was formerly a busi- ness man but is now a teacher in Grovertown, Indiana, and for his wife he chose Miss Dora Uncapher, their children being Bernice, Don- ald C. and Vera M .; Robert E., deceased, married Miss Ada Ewald, of Starke county. Indiana, and they have three children, Hazel F., Glenn E. and Wilfred P .; Louisa E. is the widow of F. A. Stover, by whom she had three children, Nellie B., Mildred E. and Catherine E., and she makes her home in Lincoln township; Emma is the wife of Herman Goppert, who is represented else- where in this work; Willard F. received a musical education at Valparaiso, Indiana, and is now a teacher in Polk's Piano Tuning School in that city; and Lawrence P., who is a piano tuner in Logansport, Indiana, mar- ried Miss Florence Shenefield.
Mrs. Reinhardt, the mother, was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, September 18, 1840, a daughter of Elias and Elizabeth (Bickel) Steele, a full review of whose lives will be . found in the sketch of David Steele, of Lib- erty township. Mr. and Mrs. Reinhardt began their married life in Holmes county. Ohio, in 1862, but after a residence there of eighteen months they came to Liberty town- ship, St. Joseph county, Indiana, where in company with Jeremiah, George and Michael Steele, Mr. Reinhardt conducted a saw mill about three and a half years. At the close of that period he moved to the farm where he now resides, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, and which was the property of his father-in-law. With the passing years. however, he has purchased the larger part of the tract. and has also added sixty acres to its boundaries. The homestead is known
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as Linwood Stock Farm, and the many val- nable improvements which now adorn this valuable farm stand as monuments to the ef- forts of Mr. and Mrs. Reinhardt. They in- clude a pleasant and commodious residence and a large stone basement barn, which con- tains twenty-two cords of stone, while in the basement of the house there are eight cords of stone. This stone was all hauled a dis- tance of ten miles, and three winter months were consumed in the arduous task. The wood used in the buildings was secured from the stump. During their lives Mr. and Mrs. Reinhardt have also traveled quite exten- sively, having visited the grand encampments at Washington, D. C., and Minneapolis, and Mrs. Reinhardt also visited Somerset county, Pennsylvania. He is independent in his po- litical affiliations, casting his franchise for the man whom he regards best qualified for office regardless of party ties. For nine years he served as the assessor of Lincoln town- ship, and at one time he was the candidate for the office of representative of St. Joseph county on the Populist ticket, while later he was the party's candidate for the office of joint senator for the counties of St. Joseph and Starke. He has been firmly grounded in the true prin- ciples of the Populist party. The cause of education finds in him a firm friend, and he maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades by his membership in Jesse Coppock Post, No. 378, G. A. R., of which he served as the commander for one year. Mrs. Reinhardt passed away in death on the 26th of November, 1905, after traveling the journey of life with her husband for forty- three years. She was. a faithful and loving wife, an affectionate mother, and her beauti- ful Christian life will long live in the hearts of those who knew her.
Mr. Reinhardt wedded Mrs. Hattie (Fry) Robbins June 12, 1907. She was born in Iroquois county, Illinois, February 14, 1847, and is the seventh in a family of twelve children, three sons and nine daughters, born to Joseph and Elizabeth (Frazier) Fry. There are four of the family living, the eld- est being Amanda, the widow of Ellis Flowers, and she is a resident of San Francisco, Cal- ifornia; Mrs. Reinhardt is next; Franklin is a resident of South Bend, Indiana; Joseph B. is a resident of Bakersfield, California. Joseph Fry, the father, was a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, and was reared, edu-
cated and married in that state. By occu- pation he was an agriculturist. Politically he was an ardent Republican, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist church. Mrs. Joseph Fry was a native of the same locality as her husband, and she traced her lineage to the English. Some of the Frazier progenitors were soldiers in the Revolutionary war. Mrs. B. F. Reinhardt was reared in Iroquois county and received a practical common school education there. She married Mr. Samuel A. Robbins, who was one of the well known lawyers of South Bend. She is a member of the Grace Methodist Episcopal church in South Bend. Mr. and Mrs. Rein- hardt have one of the most delightful country seats in Lincoln township, and they extend a most gracious hospitality to their many friends at all times.
IRA F. PLACE. Among those to whom has been vouchsafed an honored retirement from the active duties of life is Ira F. Place, who has resided within the borders of St. Joseph county during the past eleven years, and in all that time has been numbered among her honored and substantial citizens. He is of French descent, the name having been changed from its French form of "La Place" to its present orthography, and was born in Preble county, Ohio, August 2, 1828, a son of Ira K. and Sarah (Urmston) Place. To them were born eight children, five sons and three daughters, but only two are now living, Ira F. and his sister Mary A., who is the widow of David Smyers and a resi- dent of Hamilton, Ohio. Ira K. Place, the father, was born in Springfield, Vermont, July 30, 1797, two years before the death of General Washington. In his young manhood he removed to Butler county, Ohio, was there married, and became a pattern maker in his later years, having formerly been an agricul- turist. All of his children were born in his old log house in Camden, Ohio, which is still standing, a mute reminder of the primi- tive life of the olden days. He was a Jack- son Democrat in his political affiliations, and was a member of the Universalist church, but his wife was a Presbyterian. They both died in Ohio, and the mother was reared in Butler county of that state, and there gave her hand in marriage to Ira K. Place.
His native state of Ohio continued as the home of Ira F. Place until after reaching manhood's estate, receiving his early educa- tion in the then primitive school of Camden,
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which was held in the Presbyterian church, the seats being of slabs of the rudest charac- ter, and he has used the old fashioned goose- quill pen. He afterward, however, received a more advanced literary training. Remain- ing with his parents until reaching his ma- jority, he began the battle of life for himself, practically without capital. His father gave him a horse, and in the first year he put in a small piece of wheat on rented land, sav- ing in that year six hundred dollars. During one year he was engaged in the sale of pumps, later dealing in lightning rods, but in all his business ventures, whether as a tiller of the soil or as a salesman, he has maintained that same integrity of character which has distinguished his entire life. For four years he was engaged in the lightning rod business in Decatur county, Indiana, but during the war he turned his attention to the produce business, and during that time paid as high as forty-two cents a pound for butter, while other prices were equally as high. In 1866 Mr. Place purchased a half interest in a large tract of land in Johnson township, and after the division of the home estate he was the owner of thirteen hundred acres, he also having purchased a part of the estate. His residence in Laporte county covered the long period of thirty years, and in that time he became well known to its citizens and a prominent factor in its business circles.
.On the 28th of March, 1871, Mr. Place was united in marriage to Miss Alzina Pot- tinger, and they have two children. The elder, Ira W., is a prominent agriculturist near Walkerton. The educational training which he received in the common schools was supplemented by attendance at the Val- paraiso University, and he afterward wedded Miss Lelie Leslie, their two little children being Florence Alzina and Ira Leslie. Ira W. Place affiliates with the Democracy, and is a member of the Knights of Pythias, while his wife holds membership relations with the Methodist Episcopal church. Jennie Mary, the second child, is the wife of Irvin Wolfe, a dealer in hay in Walkerton. They have five children, Francis, Robert P., Burdette V., Zoe and Stanley. Mrs. Wolfe also at- tended the Valparaiso University, and is a talented musician, as well as formerly a suc- cessful teacher. Mrs. Place was born in Preble county, Ohio, October 24. 1832, the daughter of William and Jane (Ward) Pot- tinger. The paternal family are of Holland
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