USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > A history of St. Joseph County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 97
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101
MARTIN J. MOCHEL is occupying an en- viable position in business circles and is also one of the political leaders of his community. honored and respected by all. The business interests of Madison township place him among the leaders in industrial circles, and as a member of the firm of Mochel Brothers. dealers in general merchandise and agricul- tural implements in Woodland and as a mem- ber of the county commissioners, his name is well and favorably known over this section of St. Joseph county. He is also numbered among its native sons, his birth occurring in Madison township on the 28th of May. 1863. a son of Adam and Agnes (Kelley ) Mochel. both natives of Wittenburg, Germany. Dur- ing their childhood days they were brought to the United States, being reared princi- pally in Ohio, and in Atwater. that state. they were subsequently married. Coming to
Digitized by Google
-----
1131
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Madison township, St. Joseph county, In- diana, the father spent the remainder of his life here, dying in April, 1907, when eighty- six years of age, and the mother is yet living at the age of eighty years. They were the parents of the following children: Rosanna Webber, who died in March, 1907; John; Mary Stuber, a resident of Madison town- ship; Ernest F .; Katie Marker, who also makes her home in Madison township; Mar- tin J; and Charles. Mr. Mochel was a suc- cessful business man and owned a fine home in Woodland. He gave his political support to the Republican party, and was a member of the Evangelical church, as is also his widow.
Martin J. Mochel spent the early years of his life on the old home farm, where he was early taught the lessons of industry and honesty, and his first business employment was in the stave mills of Frank & Lang, where he remained for some time. In com- . pany with his brother-in-law, Fred Webber, he then embarked in the mercantile trade, but at the close of one year his brother, Ed F. Mochel, purchased Mr. Webber's interest, and the firm of Mochel Brothers now transact an annual business of fifteen thousand dollars as dealers in general merchandise and agri- cultural implements. The honorable and straightforward methods employed by the proprietors of this firm and their pleasing personality have gained for them a large trade, and they are worthy of the extensive patronage accorded them. The firm also have a store at Wyatt, St. Joseph county, where they annually transact a large volume of business.
On October 10, 1889, Mr. Mochel was united in marriage to Mary E. Marker, a member of a prominent old family of St. Joseph county, and a sketch of her father, Jacob Marker, appears elsewhere in this work. One son has been born of this union, Clem O., who is a bright and promising young man of seventeen years. They also lost a child in infancy. Mr. Mochel is one of the political leaders in Madison township, representing the Republican party, and during three years he was the incumbent of the office of town- ship trustee, the duties of which he dis- charged with credit and ability. In the fall of 1906 he was elected a member of the com- missioners of St. Joseph county, and his ex- cellent judgment and extensive business
experience will make him one of the most popular county officials.
CHARLES F. GEYER is numbered among the prominent agriculturists of Madison township, the proprietor of Park Farm. He was born in the neighboring county of Laporte on the 15th of October, 1857, and his father, Jacob Geyer, had his nativity in Stolsbury-on-the- Rhine, Germany, as did also his father, Jacob Geyer, Sr. The last named died at the age of ninety-six years. One of his sons was an officer in the French army for forty years, and during that time participated in the Franco-Prussian war, making a gallant rec- ord as a soldier. The son Jacob grew to man- hood's estate in the land of his birth and received an excellent educational training in his native language, but at the age of eighteen, in order to escape service in the army, he made his way across the Rhine and on a sail- ing vessel to the United States, six weeks elapsing ere he reached the harbor of New York. From there he made his way to To- ledo, Ohio, and thence on foot to Mishawaka, St. Joseph county, Indiana, where he assisted in the building of the Lake Shore Railroad. After a time he went to Laporte, where he secured employment as a fireman, but later turned his attention to farming and for five years resided .on a farm in German town- ship, St. Joseph county. Removing thence to a farm in Marshall county, Indiana, he spent the remainder of his life there, dying in 1904, at the age of seventy-six years. His political views were in harmony with the prin- ciples of the Democratic party, and his re- ligious affiliations were with the Lutheran church. Mrs. Geyer bore the maiden name of Regina Nusselman, and is a native of Al- sace, France, a daughter of Joseph Nussel- man. Thirteen children were born to them, of whom seven grew to years of maturity, namely : Charles F., whose name introduces this review; Caroline Alberts; Jacob, a resi- dent of Penn township; Anna, the wife of Levi Hahn, of Madison township; Joseph, a resident of Bremen; David, a farmer of Ger- man township, Marshall county, Indiana; and Ed, who lives in Mishawaka with his mother. She has rounded the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten, a lady whom to know is to revere and honor.
On his father's farm in Penn township Charles F. Geyer was early taught the work of the farm, and the educational training
Vol. 1
Digitized by Google
! i 1 i 1
---
1 1
1
1
1132
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
which he received in the public schools was supplemented in later life by extensive read- ing and travel. During a period of fourteen years he was engaged in the saw-milling busi- ness in Madison and German townships, own- ing at one time a portable mill, but this was destroyed by fire. He is now the owner of a valuable farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 36, Madison township, known as Park Farm, where he is extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock raising.
On the first of September, 1886, Mr. Geyer was united in marriage to Ida Strope, who was born, reared and educated in Madison township, a daughter of A. J. and Catherine (Minky) Strope, prominent early settlers of the community, and the former of whom is deceased, but the latter is still living. They reared a large family of children. Ten chil- dren, five sons and five daughters, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Geyer, namely: Grace G., Walter W., Emma E., Mabel I., Dora C., Roscoe C., Warren W., Layton Miner, Edna F. and Lloyd M. The children are receiving excellent educational advantages, and two of them have successfully passed the eighth grade. Mr. Geyer has been quite an extensive traveler during his lifetime, and to him was accorded the pleasure of visiting the World's fairs at Chicago, Buffalo, New York, and St. Louis, Missouri. He is independent in his political affiliations, and he justly merits the high regard in which he is held.
ADAM BEEHLER, a prominent agriculturist of Madison township, has become well known through his connection with the industrial in- terests of St. Joseph county. He has led a thrifty and industrious life, has made by his own efforts all that he has in the way of worldly possessions, and wherever he has been called to touch the public life of the com- munity he has performed a public-spirited part both as a man and as a citizen. His birth occurred in the far off land of Ger- many, on the old historic river Rhine in Ba- varia, August 19, 1852, and he is a member of a prominent old family there. His great- grandfather, Adam Beehler, Sr., was a brave and valiant soldier under Napoleon, with whom he went to Moscow. His father, Phillip Beehler, was born in the same village as his son Adam, in 1823, and there he yet resides, having reached the good old age of eighty- four years. About twenty years ago he came to the United States on a visit, remaining here a year, but he has continued his resi-
dence in his native village throughout his entire life, devoting his industrial interests to the wagon-maker's trade, and he is a fine mechanic. His wife bore the maiden name of Anna Lizinberger, born in the same village as her husband, and her death occurred when she had reached the age of seventy-nine years. In their family were the following children: Phillip, Elizabeth, Adam, Lena Schlarb, a resident of Madison township; Charles, Char- lotte, deceased; Jacob and August.
Adam Beehler spent the first seventeen years of his life in his native land of Ger- many, and in 1869, at the age of seventeen years, he came by steam vessel to the United States. Making his way to St. Joseph county, Indiana, he first secured employment with John Barkey, later he was in the employ of Jacob Marker, and for one year was associated with Mike Grenert. He then served as an employe of John Uline, with whom he learned the details of the saw milling business and in time became an expert sawyer, serving for six years as head sawyer for Mr. Uline. Later, in company with Peter Beehler, he purchased the mill of his former employer, and for seven years continued its operation, at the close of that period selling his in- terest to Jacob K. Beehler and turning his attention to agricultural pursuits. His es- tate consists of one hundred and sixty acres of rich and fertile land, well improved, and well and conveniently located in section 24, Madison township.
In 1879 Mr. Beehler was united in mar- riage to Sarah Beehler, who was born on the old homestead of her parents in Madi- son township, and there she grew to years of maturity and received her education in the near by district schools. She is a daughter of Peter and Mary (Veible) Beehler, both of whom were born in Wurtemberg. Ger- many. The father's birth occurred in 1817, and he was a son of George and Catherine (Starver) Beehler, also natives of the land of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Beehler came to the United States in 1854, establishing their home in Madison township, St. Joseph county, Indiana, where their first residence was a little log cabin, but after a time this gave place to a modern and commodious resi- dence, containing fourteen rooms, and they were numbered among the leading residents of the community. Their homestead con- sisted of three hundred acres of rich and fertile land. They became the parents of
Digitized by Google
i 1 İ İ i !
- ----
.----
1133
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
nine children, and the following are now living: Phillip, Peter, Sarah Beehler, Fred, Adam, and Jacob and Joseph, twins, all of whom are well-to-do and prominent citizens of Madison township. The father's life was ended in death when he had reached the age of seventy-two years, having passed the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten, but the mother still survives and resides on the old homestead farm, aged seventy-three years, both prominent members of the Evan- gelical church. Eleven children, two sons and nine daughters, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Adam Beehler, namely: Anna M., Minnie C., Rosa M., Ida L., Josephine M., Sarah B., Elsie S., Mabel M., Esther C., Adam Peter and Wilbur William. One of the daughters, Mrs. Rosa A. Switzberger, died on the 4th of January, 1904, when only twenty years of age. Mr. Beehler gives his politcal support to the Republican party, and is one of the active political workers of his community. As the representative of his party he has served as a delegate to the county and congressional conventions, also as township commiteeman, and was its choice on one occasion for the office of township trustee, but as the township has a large Democratic majority he was defeated in the race. In 1883 he crossed the ocean on a visit to his parents and friends in Germany, and in the following year his parents paid a visit to their children in the United States. Mr. Beehler is a man of excellent business ability, is well in- formed on the leading questions of the day, and his beautiful and attractive home is a place of hospitality and good cheer for all who enter its doors.
JOHN CLINE. Since the days when St. Jo- seph county was a wilderness the Cline family have been influential in its development, and have long been prominently identified with its farming interests. One of its representa- tives in Madison township, John Cline, was born in Prussia, Germany, December 11, 1841, a son of Peter and Margaret Ann (Recte- walt) Cline, also natives of the fatherland. In a sailing vessel the family came to the United States in 1843, and from the harbor of New York they made their way to Stark county, Ohio, residing for some time near Canton. It was in the year of 1849 that they sought a home in St. Joseph county, In- diana, locating in Penn township, and from there they came to Madison township in 1866. After many years devoted to agricultural
pursuits the father passed away in death here at the age of eighty-four years, and the mother was seventy-four when called to the home beyond, both having been members of the Catholic church, and the father was a Democrat in his political views. In their family were ten children,-John, Stephen, Margaret, Elizabeth, Catherine, Mary, Peter, Rose, Frank (deceased ) and J. Adam.
In St. Joseph county John Cline attained to years of maturity and here he has spent his entire business life, and being the eldest son much of the work of the father's farm fell upon his shoulders. On the 11th of De- cember, 1861, he volunteered for service in the Civil war, entering the Forty-eighth In- diana Infantry, Captain William J. Judkin's company, and he participated in many of the notable and hard-fought battles of the con- flict, including those of Iuka, Corinth, Ray- mond, Jackson, Port Gibson, Champion Hills, and was severely wounded in the assault on Vicksburg May 22, 1863, where he received a bullet in the left shoulder, which he yet carries. He was detained in hospitals at Mem- phis, Tennessee, and Evansville, Indiana, finally rejoining his regiment at Vicksburg. Just after the battle of Port Gibson Mr. Cline was the first man to receive the flag truce as it was brought to the victorious army. He later participated with General Sher- man in his famous march to the sea and fought in the battles of Atlanta, Savanna, Goldsboro, Raleigh, Richmond, and with the victorious army marched to Washington, D. C., and took part in the Grand Review, re- ceiving his honorable discharge at Louisville, Kentucky, on the 15th of July, 1865, re- turning thence to his home in St. Joseph county and to the peaceful pursuits of the farm. During the long period of fifty-eight years he has made his home within the bor- ders of the county, and his sterling worth has won him the respect and confidence of all with whom he has had dealings.
J. Adam Cline, a brother of Mr. John Cline, was born in St. Joseph county on the 23d of May, 1860, and he too is numbered among its representative and foremost agri- culturists, owning an excellent farm of ninety- three acres in Madison township. On the 12th of October, 1882, he was united in mar- riage to Pauline Hahn, who was born in Knox county, Ohio, a daughter of Christian Hahn, deceased. They have four children,-Amelia Sheets, Walter W., Clara May and Floyd R.
Digitized by Google
1134
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Mr. Cline has allied his political interests with those of the Democracy. He is a social and affable gentleman, whose friends are legion, and all honor and esteem him for his many virtues and genuine worth.
JACOB FUTTER, numbered among the hon- ored early settlers and prominent agricul- turists of Madison township, St. Joseph county, was one of the brave men to march forth to defend the Union and maintain the supremacy of the stars and stripes during the period of the Civil war. His birth oc- curred in the far-off land of Germany, at Wurtemberg, on the 12th of August, 1827, and in that country his father lived and died. His parents were Jacob and Barbera (Fulmer) Futter. Jacob, Jr., obtained an excellent educational training in his native language, attending school until his four- teenth year, and he there also learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for many years. At the age of twenty-two years he made the voyage on a sailing vessel to the United States, and in 1860 he became a resi- dent of Madison township, St. Joseph county, where he purchased forty acres of land. The first home of the family here was a little log cabin, but in time this was replaced by a modern and commodious residence, while his fine bank barn and other improvements are in keeping with the valuable and attrac- tive appearance of the place. On the 15th of October, 1862, Mr. Futter enlisted as a soldier in the Civil war, entering Colonel Eddy's regiment, Captain Schofield's com- pany, and during his ten months of army life he took part in all the battles in which his regiment participated, including those of Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill, and the siege of Vicksburg, which lasted for two months and over which the stars and stripes were placed on the 4th of July. After a creditable military record in the service of his country he was honorably discharged and returned to his home in St. Joseph county.
In Erie, Pennsylvania, Mr. Futter married Agnes Kelly, whose death occurred in 1906, when she had reached the age of seventy-six years, and they became the parents of eight children : Barbara, at home; Jacob and George, also at home; Peter, Charles and Mary, all deceased; Stephen and John. In po- litical matters Mr. Futter gives a stanch and unfaltering support to the principles of the Republican party. He supported Lincoln in his race for the presidency of the United
States, and after the death of the martyred president he saw his body and witnessed its burial. Faithful and true in all the relations of life this honored old St. Joseph pioneer is held in the highest regard by all who en- joy the pleasure of his acquaintance.
PETER KELLEY, SR., is one of the best known and most prosperous agriculturists of Madison township, and during the long period of forty-eight years he has resided within its borders and been prominently identified with its industrial interests. Possessed by inheritance and nature with an energetic and enterprising disposition and adapted by early training and inclination for the various de- partments of agriculture, he has made it his life work and devoted his best years and ef- forts to an industry with which his name is inseparably connected in this section of St. Joseph county.
He is a native son of Ohio, born in Portage county on the 15th of October, 1838, a son of John and Agnes (Fulmer) Kelley, who were born in Wurtemberg, Germany. There also they were reared and married, and in 1835 with their family they set sail for the United States, spending eighty-five days on a sailing vessel to the New York harbor, for they encountered severe storms en route and were ship-wrecked. They also suffered dur- ing the passage from the shortage of pro- visions, but in due time they landed on American shores, and from New York made their way to Portage county, Ohio, which continued as their home for eighteen years. At the close of that period the family started for St. Joseph county, the father, with his son-in-law, Jake Waters, and his brother Charles, making the journey with two teams and wagons, while the mother with her young children came by railroad, and they estab- lished their home on a farm in Madison township. Their homestead was located one mile east of Woodland, and with the passing years the father improved the place until it became one of the valuable estates of the community. There also these sturdy pioneers reared their children to years of maturity and to be an honor to the honored family name. Ten children had blessed their union, five sons and five daughters, namely : George; Anna Kettring, the widow of Michael Ket- tring and a resident of Woodland; Rosanna Kettring, deceased; Mary Hileman, deceased; Charles, a resident of Madison township, all of whom were born in Germany; and Cath-
Digitized by Google
· -·· - --
1135
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
erine, the wife of Jacob Waters; Martin, who was a soldier in the Civil war and now lies buried in the Southland; Mrs. Aldinger, de- ceased; Peter, whose name introduces this re- view; and Mary Hightsomon, deceased. The wife and mother died at the age of sixty- five years, but the father reached the Psal- mist's span of three score years and ten ere he was called to join her in the home be- yond.
Peter Kelley was a little lad of twelve years at the time the family removed to St. Joseph county, and in the schools of Madison township he completed his educational train- ing, becoming proficient in both the German and English languages. During the early years of his business career he was employed in a saw-mill, becoming thoroughly familiar with every department of the business, and for many years he was associated in its con- duct with Fred Lang and Jacob Kelley. He afterward turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, and is now the owner of a splendid estate of eighty acres, located in section 18, Madison township, his postoffice address be- ing Bremen.
On the 10th of March, 1870, Mr. Kelley was united in marriage to Elizabeth Beehler, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, where she spent the first six years of her life, but coming thence to the United States she was reared in Madison township, St. Jo- seph county, Indiana. She is a daughter of Phillip and Catherine Beehler, a review of whose lives will be found elsewhere in this work. Of the ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Kelley, nine are now living, namely : Henry W., Anna Todd, Sarah Kelley, Amelia Kiel, Mary Garmen, Harmon, Irvin Philip, Otto M. and Ralph A. The daughter Cather- ine died at the age of two years, and Otto M. is a teacher and a student in the Val- paraiso University: Mr. Kelley is a Repub- lican in politics, and he is justly regarded as one of the leading citizens of Madison township.
BERTON C. SHENEFIELD. To those familiar with the educational interests of Madison township Berton C. Shenefield needs no in- troduction, for his efforts in behalf of the public schools have gained him a wide repu- tation. He is also numbered among the na- tive sons of Madison township, his birth oc- curring on the 24th of December, 1875, and he is a son of Scott L. and Elizabeth (Mona- weck) Shenefield. They were both born in
Ohio, but came to St. Joseph county many years ago, where the father operated a saw mill for a long period and was well and favor- ably known as a business man. He died in . the prime of life, at the age of thirty-eight years, honored and respected by all who knew him, and at his death left four chil- dren, Cora R. (deceased), Minerva, Berton C. and Ford O.
Berton C. Shenefield supplemented the early educational training which he received in the district schools of Madison township by attendance at the Valparaiso University, and at the early age of sixteen years he entered upon the work to which he has thus far devoted his life. He worked his own way through college, and he has taught for fifteen years, and in that time he has worked his way upward to a leading place in the educational circles of Madison township. He is always a student, and his strong mentality and high intellectual attainments have ren- dered him popular in educational circles.
In May, 1899, Mr. Shenefield was united in marriage to Jennine Shearer, who was born, reared and educated in this township, and a sketch of her father, Frederick Shearer, appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. Shene- field is an active worker in the ranks of the Democratic party, and has frequently served as a delegate to its conventions. Mrs. Shene- field is a member of the United Brethren church, and both are accorded a high position socially in the community in which they have always made their home.
WILLIAM H. SHEARER. A familiar figure within the confines of Madison township and one who occupies a prominent place in its business circles is William H. Shearer, a prominent agriculturist. He was born within a short distance of where he now resides April 20, 1860, a son of Elias Shearer, who was a brave and valiant soldier in the Civil war, and was also numbered among the early pioneers of St. Joseph county. He served his country as a member of the Forty-eighth In- diana Volunteer Infantry, entering the ranks in October, 1862, and he was called upon te lay down his life on the altar of his coun- try. He now lies buried in the Southland. He died in the hospital at Memphis, Ten- nessee, at the early age of about thirty-six years, leaving a widow and four children. He was born in the neighboring state of Ohio, where he grew to years of maturity on a farm, and he was married to one of the common-
Digitized by Google
1136
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
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.