USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 95
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PETER BEEHLER, one of the prominent and well known agriculturists of Madison town- ship, is a native son of the fatherland, born in Germany on the 21st of July, 1851. His father, Phillip .Beehler, who was numbered among the prominent early business men of Madison township, was born near Wurtem- berg, Germany, and was there married to Catherine Beehler. In 1853 the family bade adieu to home and native land and sailed for the United States, arriving in the harbor of New York after thirty-three days upon the sea in a sailing vessel. They resided one year near Buffalo, New York. In 1854 they estab- lished their home in the woods of Madison township, St. Joseph county, Indiana, and on their little farm of eighty acres they built a log cabin and barn and began life in true pioneer style. With the passing years this became one of the best improved and most valuable estates in Madison township, and there the husband and father passed to his final reward in 1878. In his early life he had followed the blacksmith's trade. He was an active and valued member of the Zion Evangelical church, and was a prominent factor in the erection of the church of that denomination in this community. Mrs. Beeh- ler is yet living on the old homestead, and she has reached the age of eighty-eight years. Six of their children are living: Philip; Jacob; Elizabeth Kelley, of Madison town- ship; Peter, the immediate subject of this review; Mary Beehler, who makes her home
with her brother Peter; and Emma, the wife of Philip Honne, on the old homestead farm.
It was on this old homestead in Madison township that Peter Beehler grew to years of maturity, and he remained under the paren- tal roof until he was twenty-one years of age, assisting his father in the work of the farm, and during a number of years in his early business career he was employed in the saw mill of John Uline in this neighbor- hood. In company with Adam Beehler he afterward bought a saw mill, and they did an extensive business in their line through an extended period, but after seven years Mr. Beehler of this review sold his interest and has since confined his business activities to agricultural pursuits. His farm consists of one hundred and eighty acres of fertile and well improved land, on which he has erected a pleasant and commodious residence, costing two thousand dollars, also a fine bank barn forty-two by eighty feet, and has made many other substantial and valuable improvements. The skimming station is located just twenty rods from his house, which adds greatly to the convenience of the farm.
When Mr. Beehler had reached the age of thirty-two years he was united in marriage to Charlotte Beehler, whose father, Philip Beehler, was a native of Germany, and they became the parents of the following children : Matilda Catherine Felton, Carrie Elizabeth Guiscler, Charles A. and Warner Phillip. On the 24th of July, 1899, the family suffered the irreparable loss of the loving wife and mother, whose place in the household can never be filled, and as a friend and neighbor she was loved and honored. The Democracy receives the support and co-operation of Mr. Beehler, and he, too, commands the uniform respect and esteem of all who have the pleas- ure of his acquaintance.
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GEORGE A. BIRK, the proprietor of Madison Center Farm, one of the valuable estates of Madison township, was one of the boys in blue during the Civil war, and is at all times a loyal citizen. true to the interests of county, state and nation. He was born in Wetzlar. Germany, April 7, 1839, a son of George and Elizabeth (Fuhrer) Birk, who were also born in that province. Mr. Birk of this review spent the first thirteen years of his life in the fatherland, receiving a good education in his native language, and in 1852 the family. consisting of the father, mother and four chil- dren, set sail for the United States, going
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from Hohensolms to Frankfort-on-the-Main, to the river Rhine and on to Rotterdam, Hol- land, on to Hull, England, thence to Liver- pool, by sailing vessel to New York and by rail to Galion, Crawford county, Ohio. There for eight years he worked as a farm hand, and in 1860 came with his brother Jacob to Madison township, St. Joseph county, In- diana, where he worked out by the month on a farm until he purchased at an adminis- trator's sale eighty acres of land, Andrew Cramer having loaned him the money with which to make a payment on the tract. In 1862, during the period of the Civil war, his brother Jacob had been drafted for service, and Mr. Birk of this review went as his sub- stitute, becoming a member of Company F, Forty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he served for nine months under Colo- nel Eddy and Captain Barney Burget. Dur- ing his military career he took part in the battles of Jackson, Champion Hill, Raymond, the siege of Vicksburg, and was honorably discharged on the 16th of July, 1863, return- ing home with a creditable military record in the service of his adopted country. From that time forward the clearing and cultivating of his land has occupied his entire time and attention, and his estate consists of one hun- dred and twenty acres of fine farming land, well fenced and improved, and divided into fields of convenient size. His first residence was a log house, twenty-two by twenty-six feet in size, one and a half stories high, and this served as his home until 1888, when he erected a modern and substantial residence of brick, costing two thousand dollars, and his large, rock-basement barn, forty by sixty-five feet, was built in 1876. His home is an at- tractive and commodious residence, erected on a natural building site, and is beautifully shaded with evergreen trees.
In Madison township, on October 13, 1864, Mr. Birk was married to Mary A. Kling, a native of Stark county, Ohio, and a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Kiefer) Kling, both of whom were born in Alsace, France. One of their sons, John Kling, served as a soldier in the Civil war, and died at Independence, Iowa. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Birk, of whom the following are living: George J., Franklin J., Ed F., Alfred M., Anna E. Beehler and Clara C. Mr. Birk is one of the leaders in the local ranks of the Democratic party in Madison township, hav- ing served as its representative in the county
and state conventions, and in 1894 he was elected to the office of township trustee, in which he served for five years and three months. He built the Madison township high school. He holds pleasant relations with his old army comrades by his membership in Custer Post, No. 232, G. A. R., of Wakarusa. His religious affiliations are with the German Evangelical church, in which he has served as the secretary and treasurer for nine years, and he is deeply interested in the advance- ment of the doctrines of Christianity.
LEVI A. STROPE, who is well known through- out Madison county as a prominent and suc- cessful agriculturist, was born on the 2d of August, 1869. His father, Andrew Jackson Strope, was a native son of Ohio, where he was also reared, and he was there married to Catherine Hinkey, who was born in Ohio, but was of German parentage. In an early day Mr. and Mrs. Strope founded their home in St. Joseph county, Indiana, entering gov- ernment land where Daniel K. Strope now resides, and there they erected their little cabin home and began life in true pioneer style in Madison township. With the passing years he cleared and improved a fine farm of two hundred acres, also replaced their primitive cabin home by a pleasant and com- modious residence and won for himself a name and place among the leading citizens of the community. His busy and useful life was ended in death when he had reached the age of fifty-four years, and in his passing away Madison township lost one of its earliest and most honored pioneer residents. He gave his political support to the Republican party, and was a worthy and faithful member of the Christian church. Mrs. Strope still sur- vives her husband, and is one of the loved pioneer women of Madison township. She has reached the age of seventy-four years. In their family were six children: Daniel K., a farmer of Madison township; James, a resi- dent of Wakarusa, Indiana; Allen P., also of this township; Ida Geyer, a resident of Madi- son township; Levi A., whose name intro- duces this review; and Catherine Border, of the township of Madison.
On the old Strope homestead Levi A. Strope attained to years of maturity, and in its dis- trict schools he received his educational train- ing. Agriculture has been his life occupa- tion, and he is now the owner of a valuable little homestead of thirty acres. He married Hattie Overleese, a daughter of Leonard and
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Elizabeth (Moorehouse) Overleese, and the union has been blessed by the birth of six children : Edgar O., Goldie V., Albert J., Libby V., Victor Dewey and Grace Gertrude. Mr. Strope is identified with the Republican party.
ABRAHAM WELDY, one of the oldest and most highly esteemed of the early pioneers of the community, is now living a retired life in Wakarusa. His birth occurred in Tus- carawas county, Ohio, January 3, 1827. and he remained at home with his parents until his twenty-first year, assisting his father in the work of the farm, and when not thus employed he attended the district. schools near his home. On the 21st of June, 1849, he was married to Nancy Yoder, and in the following year, 1850, he fitted out a crude covered wagon and with three horses made the westward journey to Indiana, being accompanied by his wife and her sister, Mrs. Henry Smeltzer, and his father. After ten days en route they arrived in Elkhart county, where Mr. Weldy pur- chased one hundred and thirty-eight acres of land, the purchase price being eight hun- dred and seventy-two dollars, and the family began their life in the Hoosier state in true pioneer style. Their little cabin home in which they first resided was replaced in 1856 by a more modern and commodious residence, and in the early days here they suffered from the depredations of the wild animals, even the little squirrels proving destructive to their crops. The large red barn was built in 1861, and with the passing years many val- uable improvements were added to the old homestead. After a long and arduous career, devoted to agriculture, Mr. Weldy laid aside the active cares of a business life and re- moved to Wakarusa, where he is now enjoying the many comforts which his former years of labor have brought him.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Weldy were born thir- teen children, as follows: Elizabeth Blosser, Anna Hartman and Margaret Clay, deceased, and Sarah Hartman, John, Jacob, Samuel, Henry, Joseph, Levi, Amos and two who died in infancy. They also have sixty-eight grand- children and twenty-eight great-grandchil- dren. Mr. and Mrs. Weldy are sincerely loved and revered by those who have known them for almost a lifetime, and in peace and content they are passing their remaining days. surrounded by the comforts which are the reward of their former years of industry.
JOHN WELDY, proprietor of Walnut Hill farm in Madison township, was born on the old Weldy homestead of his parents in Lock township, Elkhart county, Indiana, Novem- ber 24, 1858. His father, Abraham Weldy, was one of the first to take up his residence in that county, and with his wife, who bore the maiden name of Nancy Yoder, and was born in Holmes county, Ohio, he is now living quietly retired from business life in Waka- rusa, one of the honored early pioneers of that community.
John Weldy, who was the sixth in order of birth of their thirteen children, spent the days of his boyhood and youth in the com- munity in which he was born, and he re- mained at home until his marriage to Rhoda Saulsbury, who was also born in Lock town- ship, Elkhart county, a daughter of Luther and Clarissa (McCoy) Saulsbury, both now deceased, the mother, who was born in Lock township, dying when her daughter Rhoda was but a child. They came to Elkhart county from Erie county, Pennsylvania, and there they spent the remainder of their lives. In their family were the following children: Buel J., Alice May, Rhoda A., Elias Daniel, Alden P., Luther Owen and Eunice Viola. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Weldy,-Della M., the wife of Martin Fer- guson, and they have one child; Alma, wife of Harley Hunsberger, and they have two children ; L. Ernest, who married Myrtie Stope: Lloyd L .; Buel C .; and Ruth V. Walnut Hill farm, the homestead of the fam- ily, is a beautiful and valuable tract of land in Madison township, but it has been brought to its present high state of perfection by the able efforts of Mr. Weldy, who is a practical and successful farmer. Among the many valuable improvements which now adorn the place may be mentioned a large bank barn, forty by seventy-six feet, and a pleasant and commodious residence. The farm comprises one hundred and forty acres of rich and well cultivated land. Mr. Weldy gives his politi- cal support to the Republican party.
JOSEPH W. WELDY, proprietor of Sunny Side Farm, a beautiful estate of one hundred and seventy-three acres in Madison township. was born on the 7th of June, 1864, on the old homestead of his father, Abraham Weldy, in Lock township, Elkhart county, Indiana. It was in the early year of 1851 that Abra- ham Weldy established his home in Lock township, and a more complete history of the
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family will be found on other pages in this work. Mrs. Weldy bore the maiden name of Nancy Yoder, and was born in Holmes county, Ohio.
Joseph W. Weldy, one of their thirteen children, spent the early years of his life on the old homestead farm of his parents, re- maining under the parental roof until twenty- three years of age. He thereafter lived with his brother John for four years, and together they purchased two hundred and eighty acres of land. His present homestead consists of one hundred and seventy-three acres, on which he has made all of its many and valued im- provements, including a pleasant eight-room house, a fine bank barn forty by eighty feet in dimensions for hay, grain and stock, and another barn thirty by forty feet. Sunny Side is one of the most beautiful and valuable estates in Madison township, and its pro- prietor is one of the best known and leading agriculturists of the community. He is also extensively engaged in stock-raising, and in the year of 1905 he fed two car loads of cattle and forty hogs, while for eight years he bought and killed calves, lambs and sheep, which he marketed in South Bend. He has been very successful both in his agricultural and stock-raising efforts.
On the 3d of November, 1892, Mr. Weldy married Mary Sheets, a native daughter of St. Joseph county. Her father, Peter Sheets, a valiant soldier of the Civil war, is now deceased, but her mother, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Coffman, is living in Elk- hart county, Indiana, near Wakarusa. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Weldy, namely : Charles F., Irvin V., Willie A., Nora E., Goldie M., Harvey R., Anna E. and Mabel C. The political affiliations of Mr. Weldy are with the Republican party. and both he and his wife are members of the Mennonite church, in which he is serving as one of the trustees, and is also the superin- tendent of the Sunday-school.
AMOS SNYDER has been during many years closely associated with the progress and de- velopment of this section of St. Joseph county, and is well and favorably known among its citizens. His birth occurred in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, November 23, 1837, his parents being Samuel and Sarah (Page) Sny- der, both natives of Lancaster county. The paternal grandfather, Phillip Snyder, and grandmother, Barbara Snyder, were natives of Germany. Sarah (Page) Snyder was de-
prived of a parent's care when she was but a small child, and was raised by some friends of the family. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Snyder removed to Mahoning county, Ohio, where they spent the remainder of their days, he dying at the age of seventy-two years and she at the age of seventy-three, both pass- ing away in the faith of the Baptist church. He devoted his entire life to agricultural pur- suits, and in politics was identified with the Republican party. In their family were thirteen children, but only five are now liv- ing, namely: Amos, Hattie E., Rebecca, who resides on the old homestead in Ohio; Lydia Shimm, of Leetonia, Ohio; and Samuel, who lives in East Chicago, Indiana.
When a lad of but eight years Mr. Amos Snyder accompanied his parents on their re- moval to Mahoning county, Ohio, where he was reared as a farmer boy and received his education in its district schools. At the age of nineteen he went to Morrow county, Ohio, later to Coldwater, Michigan, and thence re- turned to the oil fields in Ohio. In 1859 he made a western journey to Wisconsin, and while there enlisted for service in the Civil war, becoming a member of the Fortieth Wis- . consin Volunteer Infantry, serving under Colonel Ray and Captain John H. Houser. He was stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, and was honorably discharged at Madison, Wis- consin, from whence he returned to his Ohio home. After his marriage Mr. Snyder lived for five years in Penn township, St. Joseph county, and it was at the close of that period, in 1872, that he came to Madison township, where he has ever since been numbered among its prominent and leading citizens. For a time after his arrival he resided on his father-in- law's farm, and then came to the place which he now owns, a valuable homestead of eighty acres, all rich and fertile land and contain- ing one of the best orchards in the township, while its many other improvements are sub- stantial and in keeping with the splendid ap- pearance of the farm. The homestead is pleas- antly located one mile from Wyatt.
On June 1, 1865, Mr. Snyder married 'Catherine Kettring, who was born in Stark county, Ohio, June 4, 1848, a daughter of Michael and Rosanna Kettring, both natives of Germany. The father was called to his final rest when he had reached the age of sixty-eight years, and the mother had reached the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten when she joined him in the home beyond.
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One of their sons, John Kettring, served as a soldier during the war of the rebellion, and now lives in the soldier's home at Marion, Indiana. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Snyder: Emery, a resident of St. Joseph county ; Frank, a barber at Wyatt; Norman, who was a teacher and is now a merchant at Wyatt; Ella Slough, of Mt. Vern- on, Indiana; Matilda Shrader, of Madison township; and Celia. The Democracy receives Mr. Snyder's active support and co-operation, and as his party's representative he was elected to the office of trustee in 1875, serv- ing in that position for five years, and filling out the unexpired term of James Dougherty. Mrs. Snyder is a member of the United Breth- ren church. The family is held in high es- teem and the kindly social qualities with which they are endowed win for them the friendship and good will of all.
ZACHARY T. LONGENECKER, the proprietor of "Valley Farm," one of the finest country seats of Madison township, represents one of the pioneer families of St. Joseph county. His birth occurred in Holmes county, Ohio, September 26, 1848, but his father, Levi Longenecker, claimed Fayette county, Penn- sylvania, as the place of his nativity, and his father, Peter Longenecker, was born in Switzerland, but his death occurred in Holmes county, Ohio. His son Levi was reared to mature years in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and was married to Elizabeth Weldy, whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania, but she was reared in Holmes county, Ohio. In 1864 the family came to St. Joseph county, Indiana, estab- lishing their home on the farm in Madison township now occupied by Mr. Longenecker of this review, and there the parents spent the remainder of their lives. The mother died in the prime of life, at the age of fifty-nine years, leaving six children: John, Susan, Sarah, Levi, Silas and Zachary T. The father had been previously married, and by the first union had three children, but only two, Mar- tha and Elizabeth, are now living, and both are unmarried. His death occurred at the ripe old age of seventy-eight years. His was a busy and useful career, in which he was em- ployed as a blacksmith and farmer, and in his political affiliations he was identified with the Republican party.
Zachary T. Longenecker spent the first six- teen years of his life on a farm in his native county of Holmes, Ohio, and after coming to Madison township he was employed for
some time in the old and well remembered Euline mill, which was located on his father's farm. He is now the owner of a fine estate of two hundred and thirty-six acres, known as the "Valley Farm." His residence is a pleasant and commodious structure erected on a natural building site, and his fine bank barn is forty by eighty feet. Madison township numbers him among her progressive and lead- ing agriculturists and stock-raisers, and his homestead is one of the valuable ones of the community.
In Madison township, in 1887, Mr. Longe- necker was married to Jennie Shutts. Her father, Isaiah Shutts, was born in Pennsyl- vania and was of German descent. He was left an orphan at the early age of fourteen years, and he was an honored soldier in the Civil war, a member of the Grand Army post and of the Methodist church. His wife bore the maiden name of Rebecca Mitchell and was born in the state of New York, a daughter of John and Melvina Mitchell, also of that commonwealth. At Mrs. Shutt's death she left the following children: Mar- garet, Jennie Longenecker, William, Mordecai, John Wesley, Ellen, Mary and Charles. Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Longe- necker: Oaklyn S., born December 29, 1889, and Forest L., born March 7, 1892. Mr. Longenecker gives his political support to the Republican party, and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
JOHN GOOD has during many years occu- pied a very conspicuous place among the lead- ing business men of Madison township. He was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, April 24. 1853, a son of Daniel Good and a grandson of Joseph Good, both born in Rockingham county, Virginia. The ancestry of the family is traced back to the lands of Switzerland and Germany, from whence its representa- tives came to the new world and established the name in this free land, a name that has ever stood as a synonym for all that is true and honorable in life. Daniel Good grew to years of maturity in Virginia and Ohio, and was married to Sarah Gaster. a native of the same county as her husband, but her peo- ple came originally from Switzerland. She was a daughter of Henry and Mary Gaster. both of whom died in Ohio, and they were worthy members of the Evangelical Reformed church. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Good were the parents of six children : Elizabeth, deceased :
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Mary, of Columbia City, Indiana; Caroline, of Pontiac, Illinois; Jacob, deceased; John, the subject of this review; and Samuel T., a merchant at Basil, Ohio. Samuel is the only . representative of the family in Fairfield county. After a beautiful Christian life the mother passed away in death at the age of forty-six years, having for many years been a consistent member of the Reformed church. Mr. Good afterward married Catherine Smoke, who was born in Licking county, Ohio, the daughter of Dennis Smoke. The follow- ing children were born of this union: Amanda, deceased; Dennis, deceased; Mer- tie; William, who was killed in a railroad accident; and Charles, a resident of Hebron, Ohio. The father. was seventy-three years of age when called to the home beyond. His was a busy and useful life, devoted. to agri- cultural pursuits and the carpenter's trade, and he gave his political support to the Re- publican party. His religious affiliations were with the United Brethren church.
John Good, whose name introduces this re- view, was reared as a farmer's boy, and was early taught the lessons of industry and hon- esty. He has been a diligent student all his life, and thus he has added to the knowledge which he received in the public schools dur- ing his boyhood days. At the early age of fifteen years he left home and went to a farm in Whitley county, Indiana, from whence he removed to Huntington county, Indiana, and it was in 1881 that he came to St. Joseph county, establishing his home on the farm on which he yet resides. With the passing years he has placed the homestead under an excel- lent state of cultivation, and among its many valuable improvements may be noted its com- modious and pleasant residence, its large barn, forty by seventy feet, its splendid or- chard and its attractive outbuildings. He also owns a valuable farm in Davison county, South Dakota, and is interested in many busi- ness enterprises in St. Joseph county, includ- ing a creamery company, in which he is one of the stockholders. He is at all times a pub- lic-spirited and progressive gentleman, ever ready to lend his aid and co-operation to any movement for the public good.
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