A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2, Part 77

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 77

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Amm, the father, was born in the prov- ince of Byron, Germany, and after his mar- riage, with his young wife he left home and native land on a sailing vessel bound for New York, three weeks having passed ere the worn and weary travelers sighted land. Their first permanent home was in Hamil- ton, Ohio, but they subsequently removed to Dearborn county, Indiana, where they be- came the owners of sixty acres of partially improved land, their first home being a little log cabin, and this land is yet in the name of Mr. Amm. From the time of his arrival in America he was a loyal and devoted son of the republic, and would have served his adopted country in the Civil war had he not been exempted therefrom on account of hav- ing lost one of his fingers. He stanchly up- held the principles of the Republican party, and was a worthy member of the German Lutheran church, as was also his wife. She was born in the same place as her husband, about 1823, and her death occurred in 1895, when she had reached the age of seventy- two years. She was a kind and loving wife and mother, and she now sleeps in Dearborn county, where a beautiful stone stands sacred to her memory. Mr. Amm died May 27, 1907, at the home of his son George, in Dear- born county, and he was interred on Decora- tion Day. He was eighty-four years. four months and seventeen days old at the time of his death, and he is buried beside his wife in the county of Dearborn. His mind remained clear and was filled with many pleasant memories of the past.

Leonard Amm, their son, spent the early years of his life in his native county of Dear- born, and has devoted his entire business life to agricultural pursuits. He is a self educated man, and at the age of seventeen years he began the battle of life for him- self, receiving fifteen dollars a month in com- pensation for his farm labor. When he had reached the age of twenty-one years he came

to Liberty township, St. Joseph county, his first employer here being Peter Geyer, on whose farm he worked for four years. He was an industrious lad, and having saved his wages was enabled on the expiration of that period to purchase forty acres of land, only about five of which had been cleared, and he was obliged to go in debt for a part of the farm. As the years grew apace suc- cess rewarded his well directed efforts, and he was soon able to clear his indebtedness and to also purchase thirty-seven acres just across the road, while later he became the owner of forty-two acres where his house stands. He subsequently sold his first pur- chase of forty acres, and his farm now con- sists of one hundred and twenty acres, all excellent land and under a fine state of cultivation.

On the 10th of August, 1879, Mr. Amm was united in marriage to Miss Nancy E. Newcomer, and their five children, three sons and two daughters, are: Elmer G., who is an employe of the Armour Company in South Bend. He received his diploma from the common schools with the class of 1899, and married Miss Ida Harmon, by whom he has three children, Clarence, Merrill and Mil- bourn L. He gives his political support to the Republican party, and the family are members of the Lutheran church. Edmund D. resides with his brother Elmer in South Bend. He was a member of the class of 1900, and also spent two years in the high school of North Liberty. Celestia, who is pursuing her studies in the eighth grade and is also receiving musical instruction ; Lodema, a member of the seventh grade and also a music pupil; and Sterling Albert, the young- est of the family, who is a bright little lad in the fourth grade. Mrs. Amm was born in Liberty township January 21, 1859, and is the sixth of the seven children born to Sam- uel and Susanna (Stump) Newcomer. Six of the number are now living: John, a re- tired farmer of Liberty township; Katie, the wife of Christopher Eisenmanger, a retired farmer of Marshall county, Indiana; Mary, the wife of Albert Harmon, also of Marshall county ; Eliza, wife of Moses Kaser, a farmer of Union township, St. Joseph county ; Nancy E., the wife of Mr. Amm; and Samuel, who is married and resides on a farm in Mar- shall county, Indiana. Mr. Newcomer. the father, was born in Holmes county. Ohio, April 2, 1821, and died in 1897, in Liberty

Digitized by Google

1028

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

township. In true pioneer style he journeyed from his native state to St. Joseph county, Indiana, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in the dense timber, and the first home was the primitive log cabin so common in the early days. He was a Jackson Democrat in his political affilia- tions, while religiously he was a Mennonite. Mrs. Newcomer claimed Pennsylvania as the state of her nativity, her natal day being the 10th of August, 1823, and her death oc- curred at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Amm, May 20, 1906. In 1904 an organiza- tion for the reunion of the Newcomer fam- ily was instituted, their meetings to be held yearly, and in 1905 the reunion was held at the home of Mrs. Amm, at which one hun- dred and twenty of the relatives were pres- ent. On that occasion photographs of her mother and children, also her mother and grandchildren and her mother and great- grandchildren were taken. This is the only organization of the kind known to exist in Liberty township.

Mr. and Mrs. Amm began their married life on the little forty acre tract purchased by the husband, and although their capital was then extremely limited their diligence and careful management have enabled them with the passing years to acquire a competence and to become leading agriculturists in the town- ship. Their pleasant home is known as "Mapleridge Farm." Mr. Amm is a stanch Republican in his political affiliations, hav- ing cast his first presidential vote for R. B. Hayes, and he has ever since supported its presidential candidates. He is a member of the advisory board of Liberty township, and both he and his wife are members of the Ger- man Lutheran church. Mrs. Amm recently went on an extended trip to Pennsylvania, where she visited relatives and viewed the beautiful scenes of the Keystone state.

ISRAEL IRVIN. During the pioneer epoch in the history of St. Joseph county Israel Irvin located within its borders, and he has taken an active and prominent part in the development of this section of the state. His birth occurred in Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, April 9, 1830, he being the young- est of ten children, five sons and five daugh- ters, born to George Irvin and the only one now living. The father, a native of Ireland and of Scotch-Irish descent, was reared in England, but after reaching manhood's es- tate he came to America and took up his

abode in Pennsylvania, where he was subse- quently married. At the time of his arrival in this country he was practically without money, a stranger in a strange land, and his subsequent successful career was but the honest reward of labor, good management and ambition. He was a mechanic by pro- fession, and about 1834 he emigrated to Stark county, Ohio, where he farmed on rented land until his removal to Indiana in 1842, at which time he located in Elkhart county and rented land between Elkhart and Goshen long enough to enable him to erect his little home on land he purchased. This first home was a two-story log cabin, in which he resided until his death at the age of sixty-five years, passing away in the faith of the German Baptist church, of which he was long a faithful member. His political support was given to the Whig party.

Israel Irvin was left an orphan at the age of fourteen years, for at that time his father died, and his mother had passed away when he was a little lad of four years. His two brothers came to Indiana from Ohio, and on their return they took the little lad with them, where he remained until reaching ma- ture years. During that time he learned the carpenter and joiner's trades, following those occupations after his return to Elk- hart county, Indiana, where he erected many houses. During his residence there Mr. Irvin married Miss Susan Leer, and six children, three sons and three daughters, were born to them, namely: Catharine, the wife of Stephen Baine, who is also a carpenter and joiner, and they have three daughters and a son ; John, a contractor in South Bend, is married and has two children; Jane, the wife of Hiram Dreibelbis, of North Liberty. and they have two children; Elmer, a barber in South Bend, is married and has four chil- dren, three sons and a daughter; George B., who is engaged in the butchering business in North Liberty, also in buying and selling stock, is married and has two sons; Dora, the wife of C. Keck, the postmaster of North Liberty.

Mrs. Irvin, the mother of these children, was born in Elkhart county, Indiana, April 11. 1832, a daughter of Abraham and Hester (Miller) Leer, in whose family were eight children, and four of the number are: Elizabeth, the widow of Samuel Irvin and a resident of Nebraska; Susan, the deceased wife of Israel Irvin; John W., who served

Digitized by Google

THE NEW YORK PUBLI LIOTARY

Astor, Lenni and Tl.den Four lations. 1900

Digitized by Google

Mrs. Israel Irvin

Digitized by

Google

Israel Irvin

Digitized by

Google

THE

1. .ANCAK SULL' ARY

roy diens.

1009

Digitized by

Google

1029

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

as a soldier in the Civil war, and is now engaged in farming in Elkhart county; and Sarah, the wife of Eliphus Reigel, of Pea- body, Kansas. Abraham Leer, the father, was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to Indiana in true pioneer style, purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of fine timber land near Goshen, and he became one of the suc- cessful business men in the county. Both he and his wife were members of the German Baptist church, and he aided in the erection of the church in their neighborhood. He was also a stalwart advocate of the temper- ance cause, and gave his political support to the Republican party. Mrs. Leer was also a native of Pennsylvania, and her death occurred at about the age of forty-five years.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Irvin took up their abode in Elkhart county in a house which his father had built. Previous to his marriage, however, he had gone to Ohio and entered upon a five years' appren- ticeship, and for that long period of work he received a set of bench tools and forty dollars in money, while after its expiration in one year's time he saved four hundred dol- lars. With this little sum he purchased thirty acres of land west of Goshen, which was covered with timber with the exception of a strip of marsh land. About four years later, however, they sold this land and went to Stephenson county, Illinois, where for three years they farmed on rented land, going thence to Clay county, Missouri, and a short time afterward returned to Elkhart county. Again they were obliged to begin at the very bottom round of the ladder, for they had only enough money with which to purchase a cow, even having to go in debt for their household goods. Mr. Irvin began work at his trade and also farmed his father- in-law's farm for one year, while later they purchased eighty acres of unimproved land, going in debt for the entire amount and later they sold thirty acres of the tract. During the long period of forty years he also dealt in stock, for a number of years conducting a meat market, while his surplus stock of meats was sold to the Chicago mar- ket, South Bend and throughout the county. However, the greater part of his business career has been devoted to his trade. By sheer force of will and untiring effort he has worked his way upward, his success being the just reward of meritorious, honor-

able labor, which commands the respect of all. In 1865 Mr. and Mrs. Irvin took up their abode in North Liberty, which at that time contained but a little log cabin located in the western part of the town, while South Bend was then but a village. Mr. Irvin and the Studebaker Brothers were school- mates in Ohio during their early boyhood days. He gives a stanch support to the Re- publican party, having supported each presi- dential candidate since casting his vote for Lincoln, and he was the first village treas- urer of North Liberty. He is a member of the German Baptist church, as was also his wife and both are numbered among its ac- tive workers and contributed to the erection of the church in North Liberty. The dear wife and companion passed away June 5, 1907, aged seventy-five years, one month and twenty-four days, and she is interred in the Liberty cemetery. They had traveled life's journey together for over fifty-five years, sharing alike the joys and sorrows of life. She was an affectionate wife and mother, and her place can never be filled again. This was the first death in the family. DEL M. WOODWARD. Perhaps no one agency in all the world has done so much for public progress as the press, and an en- terprising, well edited journal is a most im- portant factor in promoting the welfare and prosperity of any community. North Liberty is certainly indebted to its wide-awake jour- nal in no small degree, and Mr. Woodward is the editor of the excellent newspaper of the village, the News. Throughout his entire life he has been connected with journalistic work, and by his own efforts he has risen to his present high position in the newspaper field.

Mr. Woodward is a native son of the county of St. Joseph, born on the 8th of March, 1872, the fourth of five children, four sons and one daughter, of Horace P. and Sarah C. (Roberts) Woodward. Only two of the number are now living, the younger being Phay, a barber at Plymouth, Indiana. Horace P. Woodward, the father, was a native of Hornellsville, Steuben county, New York, born in 1842, and both he and his wife, the latter a native of Indiana, are yet living and are residents of Walkerton, Indiana. He was a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting from Laporte county, Indiana, he having resided in St. Joseph county prior to that

Digitized by Google

1030

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

struggle, and he now owns considerable land in Walkerton. His political support is given to the Republican party.

Del M. Woodward is an example of the boys who have educated themselves and se- cured their own start in life, for during his early youth he worked in a printing office before entering school in the morning and in the evenings after the session had closed, and when sixteen years of age he went to Saint Peter, Minnesota, and began work as a printer or typo at four dollars a week, also receiving his board and washing, there re- maining for six months. On the expiration of that period he went to Chicago and secured work in the well known publishing and printing house of Donohue & Henneberry, remaining with that firm for two years as a cataloguist and newspaper typo. He then began newspaper work and held cases on the Chicago Evening Post and the Times, being thus engaged during the time of the World's Fair. He was also in the employ of Carter Harrison when that well known journalist and mayor of Chicago was assassinated. In 1895 Mr. Woodward located in North Liberty and established the North Liberty News. It made its first appearance on the 23d of March, 1905, entering upon what has proved to be a most prosperous existence. His long experience in the field of journalism enabled him to successfully launch the new venture, and so guide its course until it reached the untroubled sea. The plant was at first located in one end of a carpenter shop, with a Washington hand press, a Gordon jobber and a few fonts of type. The infant paper was a six folio weekly, which was finally in- creased to a five quarto and later to a six quarto, its present size. In 1899 he was able to erect his present substantial brick plant, and little by little he increased his facilities until in 1903 he put in a two and a half horse power gasoline engine, with a full series of the best and most approved fonts of type, and the News now has a cir- culation of twelve hundred. As the record of a young man, his is one of which he may justly be proud. He began his business life in North Liberty in the face of difficulties and in debt, but he was industrious, deter- mined and resolute, and these qualities stood him instead of fortune and enabled him to overcome the difficulties and obstacles in his path and work his way steadily upward. He owns the building in which his plant is lo-

cated, also the one adjoining, and in 1900 he erected his beautiful modern residence on the corner of Maple and Elm streets, while he also has a pretty little summer cottage on Koontz's lake, ten miles from North Liberty.

On the 20th of November, 1894, Mr. Wood- ward was married to Miss Ida Hutchings, who was born in Fayette, Ohio, December 12, 1869, a daughter of Charles Hutchings. She received her elementary educational training in the common schools and is also a graduate of Parson's Horological Institute of Laporte, Indiana. For three years she pursued her profession successfully in Walkerton, Indiana, and she is a worthy aid to her husband in the conduct of the business. She is a member of the Episcopal church at Laporte. Mr. Woodward affiliates with the Republican party, having cast his first presidential vote for Mckinley, and he has been selected as delegate to the state and county conventions. In 1906 he was ap- pointed a member of the board of education in North Liberty, while in 1898 he was elected a justice of the peace. He is also a prominent Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge, No. 266, of North Liberty, Chapter No. 29, R. A. M., at South Bend, and he is now serving as senior deacon of his lodge. In manner he is courteous and genial, and among the people with whom he has been so long connected he is popular.

GEORGE KIME. St. Joseph county includes among its honored pioneers and leading citi- zens George Kime, who has lived and labored within its borders for over forty years, and to these brave and hardy settlers is accorded the distinction of having laid the foundation for the county's present advancement and prosperity. His birth occurred in Holmes county, Ohio, March 23, 1835, the eldest child of Joseph and Catherine (Schoenne- man) Kime, in whose family were seven children, three sons and four daughters, namely : George, whose name introduces this review; Sarah, the wife of Benjamin Kaser, an agriculturist of Liberty township: Eliza- beth, the widow of Peter Krieger, of Holmes county, Ohio; John, a merchant of Topeka, Lagrange county, Indiana; Joseph, a carpen- ter and joiner in that city; Barbara, the wife of Adam Troyer, of Oregon; and Kate, the wife of Silas Trittipo, a paper hanger in South Bend.

Joseph Kime, the father. was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, in 1813, and

Digitized by Google

1031

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

his death occurred on the 4th of March, 1857. He was reared to the life of an agriculturist in his native state, there remaining until his nineteenth year, when the trip was made across the mountains to Ohio. He gave his political support to the Democracy, and both he and his wife were members of the German Baptist church. Mrs. Kime was a native of Ohio, born about 1814, and her death oc- curred in 1885. She was a devout Christian woman, a kind and affectionate mother, and the parents early taught their children the road to higher thoughts and actions and to live honest and useful lives.

George Kime remained in his native county of Holmes until thirty-one years of age, and from his early youth has been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He attended the old fashioned log cabin school, a hewed log build- ing twenty by twenty-five feet in size, where the desks were a long board around the wall and the seats were of slabs. He remained with his father until twenty-two years of age, at which time his worldly possessions consisted of a horse and he farmed the old homestead on the shares. He therefore began at the very bottom round of the ladder of. life, but gradually has he ascended step by step until he is now numbered among the leading agriculturists of the township. Mr. Kime has been twice married, first to Miss Elizabeth Krieger, July 12, 1862, and they became the parents of seven children, two sons and five daughters, of whom three are now living. Manda, the eldest, was first married to Albert Steiner, and they had one daughter, Flossie, who was well educated in the city public schools and is now employed as forelady in one of the factories. Mrs. Steiner afterward married Ellsworth Liven- good, a resident of South Bend and an em- ploye of the Lake Shore Railroad Company. Lena is the wife of James Hamlin, a painter of South Bend, and they have one little son, Raymond. Alma is the wife of Ed Tohhulka, who is employed as a fireman in South Bend, and their four children are Georgie. Helen, Marguerite and Kenneth. Mrs. Kime, the mother, was a native of Holmes county, Ohio, born in 1838, and her death occurred on the 8th of April, 1885, passing away in the faith of the German Baptist church, of which she had long been a faithful member.

It was in the year 1866 that Mr. and Mrs. Kime journeyed to St. Joseph county, and all of their children were therefore born

within its borders with the exception of two. They here purchased eighty acres of land, the present homestead, and after erecting their little home they were sixteen hundred dollars in debt, but by careful management and diligent labor they were soon able to meet all obligations. The county was then new and wild, South Bend being but a little village, while Liberty township could not boast of a railroad, in fact the only one in the county was the Lake Shore. They therefore watched with interest the subsequent development which placed St. Joseph among the leading

counties of the commonwealth, and in the work they bore their full share. In 1893 Mr. Kime remodeled his residence, making it one of the handsome homes of the township, and the beautiful estate is now known as the "Evergreens." The farm contains eighty acres of as fine land as can be found in Liberty township.

On the 14th of May, 1889, Mr. Kime was married to Mrs. Alice (Fisher) Hildebrand. By her marriage to Henry Hildebrand she became the mother of one daughter, Olive, the wife of Ira McEnderfer, a prosperous farmer of Liberty township. Their three children are Wilfred, Myron and Herbert. Mrs. Kime received her education in the common schools of the township, and she is a member of the Evangelical church. She was born in Crawford county, Ohio, April 1, 1859, the third of six children, four sons . and two daughters, born to James and Mary (Luke) Fisher. Four of the number are now living, namely: John Wesley, employed on the city water works in South Bend; James, who is a carpenter, but is now serving as a substitute in the mail service of South Bend; Alice, the wife of Mr. Kime; and Charles, who was residing in California when last known, and was a carpenter and joiner by trade, but employed on the railroad. Mr. Fisher, the father, was born in Pennsylvania, and died in Crawford county, Ohio, at the age of forty-seven years. He was a well educated man, employed as a salesman, and was a Republican in his political affiliations. Both he and his wife were members of the United Brethren church. Mrs. Fisher, a native of Holmes county, Ohio, removed from there to St. Joseph county about 1865, and her death occurred at the home of her daughter in Liberty township in 1901, aged seventy-eight years. Mrs. Kime is one of the estimable ladies of Liberty township, and

Digitized by Google

1032

HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.

gracefully presides over her beautiful home. She is a member of the Evangelical church, and has long been a teacher in the Sunday- school. Mr. Kime gives his political support to the Republican party, having voted for Lincoln, and he stanchly supports all meas- ures and movements intended for the good of St. Joseph county.

P. D. STEELE. Of the stanch and hardy pioneers who settled in the wilds of St. Joseph county in the early days none have been more influential for good than the Steele family, in whose veins flow the blood of the mother country of England. The subject of this review was born in Coshocton. county, Ohio, September 28, 1844, a son of Elias and Elizabeth (Bickel) Steele. They were the parents of eight children, six sons and two daughters, and the three now living are: Jeremiah, who has been a millwright during his entire business career, having reached the age of seventy-three years and is a resident of Liberty township; George, one of the lead- ing agriculturists of that township; and P. D., who was the sixth in order of birth of the eight children.

Elias Steele, the father, was a native of Somerset county, Pennsylvania, spending his boyhood days in that commonwealth, and then removing to Ohio. He made for himself a place in connection with the activities and honors of life, for he was left a poor boy at his father's early death and was obliged to battle earnestly and energetically for the ad- vantages which he received. In 1865 he came with his family to Plymouth, Indiana, and thence to Liberty township, St. Joseph county, where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, which was partially timbered and on which was located a steam saw mill. Later he became the owner of what afterward became known as the old Steele homestead, containing about two hun- dred acres in Liberty township, but as the years grew apace his prosperity increased until he became one of the largest land owners at that time in St. Joseph county, his estate consisting of about eighteen hun- dred acres. He was a man of the strictest honor and integrity, and for many years was a minister in the German Baptist church, faithfully laboring in his Master's vineyard. The death of this noble old St. Joseph pioneer occurred when he had reached the sixty- seventh milestone on the journey of life, and he now sleeps in the cemetery of North

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2, Part 77

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