A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2, Part 78

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 78

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Liberty township, where a beautiful monu- ment stands sacred to his memory. Mrs. Steele was born in Holmes county, Ohio, where she was also reared, and her life, which was filled with loving deeds, was brought to a close in her eighty-second year, and she now rests beside her husband.

P. D. Steele, the subject of this review, spent the early years of his life in his native county of Coshocton, receiving his education in one of its primitive old log school houses, sixteen by twenty feet in size, furnished with slab seats without backs and a broad board on which to write, while he has also used the old goose quill pen fashioned by the master. On the 28th of December, 1865, in Ohio, he was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Jane Hostetter, and of their eight children, six sons and two daughters, six are now living. The eldest, Jeremiah Reuben, is a prosperous agriculturist of North Dakota, near Zion. He married Catherine Zentz, and they have six children, Lawrence, Orville, Ruthie, Ida, Edgar and David. He gives his political sup- port to the Republican party, and both he and his wife are members of the German Baptist church. Walter, the second son. is engaged in farming near Grano, North Da-

kota. He married Miss Sadie Cripe, and their six children are Merwin, Edith, Beulah, David R., Vera and Mabel. He also affiliates with the Republican party, and is a member of the church with which the family have so long been identified. Elias R. resides on the old homestead in Liberty township. He wedded Miss Nina Lutz, who was born in Medina county, Ohio, and they have four children, Florence, Herman, Ralph and Floyd. D. Burton resides on a part of the home farm in Liberty township. He mar- ried Miss Lucinda Baughman, and their two children are Vernon and Earle. William W., who is one of the prosperous farmers in Lin- coln township, married Miss Dora Clem. and they have one little son, David Clem. Edgar D. is employed as a bookkeeper in the Stude- baker Wagon Company of South Bend. He supplemented his training in the common schools by attendance at the North Liberty high school, and also received a course in the commercial college. The daughter. Ida Ellen, wedded J. Frank Price. formerly a business man of North Liberty. but now a resident of South Bend. Their only son, Earl, is a student in the high school of South Bend, and is also a proficient musician on the

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piano. The family are all members of the German Baptist church, and the sons are identified with the Republican party.

Mrs. Steele, the mother, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, January 20, 1841, and died on the 30th of June, 1906. When eleven years of age she removed from her native state to Ohio with her parents, there attaining to years of maturity. Nobly she stood by her husband's side and shared with him the hardships of establishing their home during the early pioneer days, they together meeting the joys and sorrows which fall to the lot of all until the one, tired and weary, lay down to rest, leaving the other to continue on alone until he too shall be called to lay down the burdens and responsibilities of life and join his companion in the home beyond. The valuable homestead of Mr. Steele in Liberty township is known as "Broad Acres." .

GEORGE W. VAN VALIN. The Van Valin family, of which the subject of this review is a representative, is one of the oldest in Greene township. Isaac Van Valin, the father of George W., took up his abode within its borders in 1851, establishing his home in the dense woods, and from the virgin forests evolved a fertile and well improved farm. He was born at Albany, New York, October 6, 1818, a son of Jeremiah Van Valin, who was of Holland descent. In the Empire state the son Isaac grew to years of maturity, and for some years or until failing health caused him to resign he was employed in a woolen factory. Journeying west to Summit county, Ohio, he was there married in April, 1845, to Sarah Day, who was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1827, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Harbine) Day, also natives of the mother country of England, where the father spent his entire life. The mother came to the United States and to Summit county, Ohio, in 1835, but her death occurred in Wright county, Iowa, at the age of eighty- nine years. She was twice married, her second husband having been a Mr. France, by whom she had two children, Mary, de- ceased, and Richard France, a resident of Wright county, Iowa. At his death John Day Ieft six children, three of whom grew to years of maturity,-Susan, Harlett, and Mrs. Van Valin. Isaac Van Valin became the owner of a beautiful farm of three hundred and twenty seven acres, now the home of his son George W. Their first home was a lit-

tle log cabin, with a puncheon floor and clap- board roof, but with the passing years this little cabin home gave place to a commodious and modern dwelling, the fields were placed under an excellent state of cultivation, and it became one of the most valuable farms of the township. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Van Valin: May Barkis, who died at the age of twenty-eight years; Eliza- beth Eberly, of Greene township; George W., whose name introduces this review; Emma Fuller, also of Greene township; and Ella Brown, a resident of South Bend. The father of these children, Isaac Van Valin, died on the 11th of January, 1866, when he had reached the sixty-eighth milestone on the journey of life. His political affiliations were with the Republican party, and he was very liberal in his religious views. His widow, who has now reached the age of eighty years, is yet a resident of the old homestead.

George W. Van Valin was born on the farm on which he now resides, October 8, 1853, and from an early age has worked in its fields. In Mishawaka, Indiana, February 9, 1876, he was united in marriage to Anna Fuller, who was born in Bertrand, Michigan, a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Ingraham) Fuller. From their native country of Eng- land the parents emigrated to the United States and to Niles, Michigan, and the father died when his daughter Anna was but a babe, leaving three children, George, of Brooklyn, New York; Jenny Michael, of Toledo, Ohio; and Mrs. Van Valin. The family were Methodists. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Van Valin have been born three children: May Smith, who is the mother of two children, Zilla Mun- dell and George Christian ; Mrs. Grace Moon, of South Bend; and Mrs. Maggie Albert, who also resides in that city.

Poplar Farm, on which Mr. and Mrs. Van Valin reside, is a beautiful rural homestead, containing three hundred and twenty-seven acres of rich and fertile land. Nine lakes are located on this farm, and its beauty and value are further enhanced by its commodious and substantial buildings, its excellent orchard and its well cultivated fields. Mr. Van Valin gives his political support to the Republican party, and is a member of the Methodist church.

CHARLES O. RUPEL, one of the leading agri- culturists and business men of Greene town- ship, is a representative of one of the oldest and most honored pioneer families of St.

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Joseph county. His birth occurred within its borders on the 8th of January, 1865, a son of Franklin Rupel and a grandson of Peter Rupel. The last named was born in Somer- set county, Pennsylvania, and was of Pennsyl- vania German descent, a people noted for their many noble characteristics. It was in March of 1831 that the Rupel family took up their abode in St. Joseph county, this being at a time when the Pottawatomie Indians were yet numerous in this section. Here Peter Rupel lived and labored during the remainder of his life, and he now lies buried on the old home farm, while beside him lies his wife, Chris- tena, and a brother. About the time of the arrival of the family in St. Joseph county, Rum, a famous chief of the Pottawatomies, died, and as was then the custom of the In- dians he was buried in a sitting posi- tion in a pen built of sticks five by three feet and about six feet high. Franklin, the youngest son of Peter Rupel, was born in Centre township, St. Joseph county, on the farm on which he now resides, and in this state he was married to Martha Jane Rockhill, who was born near Springfield, Ohio, a daughter of Israel J. Rockhill, also of that commonwealth. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rupel were born four children : Charles O., whose name introduces this review; Ernest, who is engaged in the wholesale notion busi- ness in South Bend; Mrs. Nelly Walz, of the same city; and Edith, the youngest of the family. All received excellent educational ad- vantages, and the second son, Ernest, was for ten years a successful teacher, while Edith is now a prominent member of that profession. Mr. Rupel was an excellent farmer, a success- ful business man and was honored and re- spected wherever known. He gave his poli- tical support to the Democracy, and was lib- eral in his religious views. Mrs. Rupel was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Their eldest son, Charles O. Rupel, received his elementary education in the county schools, while later he became a pupil in the South Bend high school, and he remained at home after attaining to years of maturity, as- sisting his father in the work of the farm. At the age of thirty-three years he was united in marriage to Clara Stichler. who was born, reared and educated in Greene township, where her father, Martin Stichler, was a well- known agriculturist. He was born in the fatherland of Germany, serving for six years in the German army, and was also a soldier in

the French war. During his young manhood he came to the United States, and in 1845 settled in St. Joseph county, Indiana. He was here married to Magdalena Gebhart, who also claimed Germany as the land of her nativity. She became a resident of St. Joseph county in 1859, and she is yet living and resides in South Bend, a worthy member of the Luth- eran church. Mr. and Mrs. Stichler were the parents of seven children, Catherine, Freder- ick, Theodore, Carl, Clara and Magdalena. One son, Martin, died at the age of nine months, and the husband and father passed away in death at the age of seventy-seven years. He was a member of the Catholic church, and was a Democrat in his political affiliations. Two sons have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Rupel : Martin Franklin, who was born November 30, 1898. and Albert Hale, whose birth occurred on the 5th of June, 1902. Mr. Rupel is numbered among the leading agriculturists of Greene township. The farm which he now owns and resides upon was formerly known as the John Greene place, he having settled upon it as early as 1831, and being the first settler the township was named after him. Since May, 1902. it has been the home of the Rupel family. It is a valuable homestead, with its excellent buildings, rich and well cultivated fields, and in addition to general agricultural pursuits its owner is also engaged in stock raising.

JOHN B. FAIR, who throughout his entire life has been an honored resident of Greene township, St. Joseph county, actively inter- ested in all measures advanced for its growth and upbuilding. is now efficiently serving as its assessor. He was born on the old Fair homestead in this township April 20, 1866, a son of Elisha D. Fair, who for many years was accounted one of the most prominent agriculturists and leading citizens of this see- tion of St. Joseph county. He was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, December 27. 1827, and was of German descent. In March. 1851, he was united in marriage to Susan Barnett, and from Pennsylvania they jour- neyed to Holmes county, Ohio, from whence in 1858 they came to St. Joseph county, In- diana. In 1863 they established their home on section 17. Greene township, where the husband and father became the owner of a valuable homestead of five hundred and eighty acres, whereon he lived and labored during the remainder of his life. He became very successful in his business affairs. and Greene

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township numbered him among her leading and influential citizens. Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Fair eight grew to years of maturity, namely : Harvey, who died at the age of thirty-three years, leaving a widow and three children ; Leander, a resident of Greene township; Elizabeth Reece, of South Bend; Ella Henderson, also of this township; Thomas M., who maintains his residence in Walkerton, Indiana; John B., whose name in- troduces this review; Anna R. Shaffer, of South Bend, and Cora M. Nelson, of North Liberty. Mr. Fair, the father, gave a stanch and unfaltering support to the principles of the Republican party, and was a worthy mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which faith his wife and children were reared. He was an active worker in the cause of Chris- tianity, was honored and revered by all who knew him, and was a worthy scion of an hon- ored old family.

John B. Fair has spent his entire life on the beautiful old Fair homestead which was the home of his father for so many years, and he has devoted his business career to its further improvement and cultivation. In Greene township, on the 8th of November, 1885, he was married to Hattie Rensberger, also a rep- resentative of an honored old pioneer family of St. Joseph county. Her birth occurred in its township of Lincoln, her parents being George and Jemima (Klingman) Rensberger, the former of whom is now deceased. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Fair have been born six chil- dren, namely : Clarence L., Darrel E., Gladys L., B. Marie, Edith D. and Charles B. The family home forms a portion of the old Fair estate, where Mr. John B. Fair is extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock raising, while in addition he has also served his township as assessor for three years, prov- ing a competent and worthy official. He is a prominent member of the Masonic order, holding membership relations with the Blue Lodge, No. 266, of North Liberty; Chapter No. 290, Order of Eastern Star, and is a past master of his lodge. He is a valued factor in the business and social circles of Greene township, and is accorded a leading place among its citizens.

ELMER E. YODER. The agriculturist is one of the most important factors in the develop- ment of the state or nation, and in Elmer E. Yoder we find one of the leading farmers of Greene township, St. Joseph county, where he has resided since his boyhood days. He comes Vol. II-28.

from the old Pennsylvania German stock, but was born in Elkhart county, Indiana, his natal day being the 13th of September, 1864, and his parents Samuel and Elizabeth (Woods) Yoder. In their family were eight children, three sons and five daughters, and five of the number are now living : Elmer E., whose name introduces this review; Myra, the wife of William Baker, who is engaged in the bakery business at Long Beach, California; Mary, who is an artist in oils of exceptional ability, is the wife of George M. Feerrar, who is engaged in business with Mr. Baker in Long Beach; George M., who is married and for- merly resided in Ohio, but is now a resident of Long Beach; Anna, who is a post graduate of the Northwestern University at Chicago; is now teaching elocution in Cornell College, Iowa. Mr. Yoder, the father, was born in Stark county, Ohio, May 2, 1835, and is now a resident of Elkhart, Indiana. He was but a little lad when he came to Elkhart county with his parents, and there he remained until after his marriage, when he came to St. Joseph county in 1865 and took up his abode in War- ren township. He has followed agricultural pursuits as a life occupation, and as a farmer achieved a well-merited degree of success, be- coming the owner of five hundred' acres of fertile and valuable land. During the long period of forty years he served as a minister in the Mennonite church, and to him belongs the honor of having founded a church of that denomination at Crumstown, in Warren town- ship. For many years he voted with the Re- publicans, but in recent years has supported the Prohibition party, having ever been an active worker in the cause of temperance. Mrs. Yoder was a native daughter of Elkhart county, there remaining until her sixteenth year, when she went with her parents to Grundy county, Illinois. She remained there until her marriage, and her death occurred on the 14th of November, 1903. She was a kind and loving wife and mother, good to the poor and needy, and she was honored and revered by all who had the pleasure of her acquaint- ance.

Elmer E. Yoder, the third in order of birth of his parents' eight children, spent the first year of his life in his native county of Elk- hart, was then till twenty years of age a resi- dent of St. Joseph county, was then in Elk- hart county six years, and thence returned to St. Joseph county. receiving a good practical education in its common schools, which was

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supplemented by one year's attendance at the Morris Normal and Scientific School at Mor- ris, Illinois, and a course at the South Bend Business College. During one year he served as fireman at the Lake Shore yards in Chi- cago, but prior to this time he had been em- ployed as collector for the Truth Publishing Company of Elkhart county for one year. Coming thence to his farm in Greene town- ship, he spent four years in its improvement and cultivation, when he removed to South Bend to engage in the grocery trade, thus con- tinuing for three and a half years. He was very successful in his mercantile efforts, but at the expiration of that period he sold his business and in 1902 returned to the farm, where he has ever since been engaged in farm- ing and stock raising on a large scale. His landed estate comprises one hundred and fifty acres. This is one of the valuable homesteads of the township, and is pleasantly located nine miles from the city of South Bend. He makes a specialty of the raising of thorough- bred stock, consisting of Polled Durham cattle and Poland-China hogs, all of registered breed. He has been very successful both as an agriculturist and stock raiser, and Greene township, as well as St. Joseph county, num- bers him among her leading business men.

The marriage of Mr. Yoder was celebrated on the 23d of November, 1893, when Miss Katie Lammedee became his wife, and to them have been born two children, a son and a daughter, Bernice, who will enter the eighth grade work in school, and Eldon, a member of the seventh grade. Mrs. Yoder was born on the farm on which she now resides in St. Joseph county, in 1869, a daughter of Adam and Anna (Whitmer) Lammedee, and she was reared in the township of Greene. Her father was very successful as a business man, and gave his political support to the Democ- racy. Although he has passed away, his wid- ow still survives, and has now reached the age of sixty-nine years. She makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Yoder. Mr. Yoder gives his political support to the Republican party, casting his first presidential vote for Garfield, and he has ever since been an active worker in the party ranks. He has often been select- ed to represent the people's interest in the county and district conventions, and in 1904 was elected to one of the most important posi- . tions in the township, that of trustee, in which he is the present incumbent. He has under his supervision seven good schools, which are

presided over by a corps of competent teach- ers during their sessions of eight months. Mr. Yoder was reared in the Mennonite faith, but is now an adherent of the German Baptist church. They are numbered among the hon- ored and highly esteemed citizens of Greene township, and few have a wider circle of friends than Mr. and Mrs. Yoder. Their pretty farmstead will be known as "The Shady Nook Farm."

LEANDER FAIR, the proprietor of Fair Land Farm, one of the beautiful rural homesteads of St. Joseph county, is a representative of one of the most honored old families of the county. His birth occurred in Holmes county, Ohio, November 27, 1856, and he is a son of Elisha D. Fair, whose name is so prominently connected with the early history of St. Joseph county. His birth occurred in Somerset coun- ty, Pennsylvania, December 27, 1827, but when ten years of age, in 1837, he journeyed from his native commonwealth to Ohio, where he was married in March, 1851, to Susan Bar- nett, who proved to him a true and loving companion for the journey of life. They sub- sequently came to St. Joseph county, Indiana, where Mr. Fair became the owner of a beau- tiful estate of five hundred and eighty acres in Greene township. He improved his farm to a high state of cultivation, erected com- modious and substantial buildings, and con- tinued its cultivation and improvement until his life's labors were ended in death, passing away in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was for many years a valued and worthy member. In his early life he had been accorded the privilege of an ex- cellent educational training, and for four terms he was employed as a teacher, proving a successful educator. His talents, however, were many and varied, for in addition to his educa- tional and agricultural labors he was also an excellent carpenter. These manifold interests could not but win for him a high degree of success, and throughout the period of his resi- dence in Greene township he was classed among its influential and representative busi- ness men.

Leander Fair, whose name introduces this review, was but a lad when brought by his parents from his native commonwealth of Ohio to St. Joseph county, Indiana, and on the old Fair homestead in Greene township he grew to years of maturity. At the age of thirty years he was united in marriage to Emma Warner, whose birth occurred within

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the borders of this township, a daughter of Jacob and Ellen (Sullivan) Warner, both natives of Ohio but now residents of Greene township, where the husband and father is engaged in agricultural pursuits. He is iden- tified with the Republican party and is a member of the Brethren church. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Fair has been blessed by the birth of four children,-Otto L., Russell R., Orel W. and Maude C. Mr. Fair resides on his beautiful estate of one hundred and eighty acres, which he has placed under an excellent state of cultivation, and the buildings which adorn the place are commodious and substan- tial. He is a worthy member of the Masonic fraternity, holding membership relations with the Blue Lodge at North Liberty. He is re- garded as one of the ablest agriculturists of his community, and every measure or move- ment intended to promote the welfare of Greene township or St. Joseph county re- ceives his hearty endorsement and co-oper- ation.

WILLIAM H. ALDRICH. During an early epoch in the history of St. Joseph county the Aldrich family was founded within its bord- ers by David and Elizabeth (Bixler) Aldrich, the parents of William H., who leaving their eastern home in 1854, took up their residence in Penn township, St. Joseph county, Indiana, and in this county they spent the remainder of their lives. Mr. Aldrich was a native son of Connecticut and a representative of a prominent old New England family, whose ancestory can be traced back to the landing of the Mayflower in 1620, and some of its members took part in the Revolutionary war, which entitles the descendants to become mem- bers of the Sons and Daughters of the Revolu- tion. To this family also belongs Charles Ald- rich, a United States senator from Rhode Island and a cousin of William H. Aldrich. The mother, nee Elizabeth Bixler, was a na- tive daughter of Lancaster, Ohio, of Penn- sylvania German descent, and her death oc- curred in South Bend when she has reached the ripe old age of eighty-two years, she hav- ing survived her husband for many years, for his death occurred shortly after their arrival in St. Joseph county, passing away in 1855, at the age of fifty-six years. In their family were four children : William H., whose name introduces this review; Willard, whose death occurred in Mishawaka: Martha Bugbee, who died in Ohio; and David, a resident of Cob- den. Illinois. David Aldrich, the father, was

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A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2, Part 78

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