USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware county, Ind. : containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 20
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
Mr. Chapman soon afterward organized the well known Muncie Savings & Loan compa- pany, with a capital of $1,000,000, of which he has since been the executive head, and which, under his prudent management, has proved one of the most successful financial enterprises ever established in the city. The almost unprecedent success of this company
induced Mr. Chapman and other progressive business men to organize a new association, which was effected in 1892, and which, like the former, is now on the high road to pros- perity. In his real estate transactions Mr. Chapman has been signally fortunate, and in this line he easily leads the business in Muncie and Delaware county. As a business man he has few equals in the city, and in his trans- actions of various kinds he has been governed by principles of the highest honor. Politically, he wields a potent influence for the democratic party. For a period of five years he has held the office of city commissioner, and in March, 1893, was appointed, by the governor, a com- missioner of the metropolitan police system of Muncie, being at this time chairman of the board. His first wife, by whom he had no children, died in January, 1886, and subse- quently, November, 1888, he was united in marriage with Miss Emma Ankeney of Greene county, Ohio, who bore him three children, all of whom died in infancy. Mr. Chapman is a Presbyterian in his religious belief, and an earnest worker for and liberal contributer to the congregation in Muncie.
HARLES H. CHURCH, a prominent business man of Muncie and one of the city's popular and highly esteemed citizens, is a native of New York, born on the 7th day of May, 1839, in the county of Chenango. His father, William Church, also a native of the same county, was born in the year 1806 at Church Hollow, a small hamlet named in compliment to the family, and was a descendant of one of the early pioneers of that section of the Empire state. For a number of years William Church was engaged in the mercantile business in
234
MUNCIE CITY
Chenango county, and later carried on the same line of trade in the county of Orange, where his death occurred in 1890 at the ad- vanced age of eighty-four years. He was a man of more than ordinary mental endow- ments, took an active interest in all public matters, and at one time represented his county in the general assembly of New York, in which body he served two sessions. Politi- cally he was an ardent supporter of the old whig party, and religiously was for many years a leading member of the Presbyterian church in the community where he resided. His first wife, the mother of Charles H. Church, bore him five children, three sons and two daugh- ters, only two of whom are living at this time, one in Muncie and one at Susquehanna, Pa.
Charles H. Church, when but three years of age, suffered the loss of that dearest of all earthly friends-mother-and his youthful years were passed in his native village, in the schools of which he received the rudiments of an English education. Subsequently he pur- sued the higher branches of learning in a local academy of Chenango county, and obtained his first insight into the active business of life as a clerk in his father's store, in which capac- ity he continued until embarking in mercan- tile trade for himself, at the age of twenty-one, at Coventry, a small country town. He con- tinued at this point for two years, doing a very encouraging business in the meantime, and then abandoned merchandising, and for five years thereafter dealt extensively in live stock and wool in Chenango and adjoining counties, frequently extending his business operations throughout various parts of the Western Reserve, Ohio. At the of twenty- six, Mr. Church was united in marriage with Miss Lou Tyler, daughter of Henry P. and Ann Tyler, natives of Vermont, but at that time residents of the Buckeye state. Imme- diately after his marriage, Mr. Church en-
gaged in the mercantile and grain trade at New London, Ohio, in both of which lines his success was very marked, and he also estab- lished the First National bank in that city, of which he was vice president and manager for a period of about fourteen years. Disposing of his various business interests in New Lon- don, Mr. Church, in the spring of 1886, came to Muncie, Ind., and assisted in organizing the Delaware County bank, of which he was cashier, which was succeeded by the Dela- ware County National bank, of which he also became cashier. He was the prime mover in the organization of the Hathaway Investment company, of which he has since been a di- rector; is secretary of the Muncie Street Rail- way company, and for several years has been treasurer of the Muncie Savings & Loan asso- ciation, in the establishment of which he bore a prominent part. In all his business transac- tions Mr. Church has shown himself to be a man of uncommon sagacity and discreetness of judgment, of scrupulous integrity and gen- tlemanly demeanor. In all public enterprises, having for their object the general good of his adopted city, his name and individual efforts have always been foremost, and in all the at- tributes of honorable manhood, honesty of pur- pose and uprightness of character, he stands prominent, enjoying in full measure the friend- ship and good will of all with whom he has been associated. Financially his success has been commensurate with the activity displayed throughout a long and varied business career, and he is certainly entitled to a conspicuous place among the representative self-made men of the county of Delaware. Mr. Church cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lin- coln, since which he has been a supporter of the republican party, but is not a partisan in the sense of seeking official preferment. He is the father of two children: William H. and Earnest, both living in Muncie.
235
AND CENTRE TOWNSHIP.
ARCUS S. CLAYPOOL, proprietor of Alameda Place, the famous stock farm, of Muncie, was born near Connersville, Fayette county, Ind., August 1, 1851, and is the son of Austin B. and Hannah A. (Petty) Claypool, of Indiana. Marcus S. lived in Wayne county, on a farm, until ten years of age, when the family re- turned to Connersville, Fayette county, at which place he received his preparatory edu- cation ; then he attended school at Dublin, Wayne county, and eventually graduated from Asbury (now DePauw) university, in 1872. In July of the same year he came to Muncie, and for seven years was assistant cashier of the Bank of Muncie. In 1879 he was sent to Colorado as agent for the Victor and Yandes consolidated silver mining companies, and also there became the treasurer and secretary of the consolidated Columbia Tunnel & Mining company, which he organized, and remained in the country until 1884, when he returned to Muncie, and has here since devoted his atten- tion to the breeding of trotting horses, Jersey cattle and Shropshire sheep. Like his father, he had always been a lover or trotting horses, and as far back as 1875 he had secured some well bred mares and had patronized such fa- mous stallions as Blue Bull (75) and Hamble- tonian Tranby- the best bred in Indiana at the time-securing some superior road horses, that, however, were not trained for speed. John E. Burson, brother-in-law of Mr. Clay- pool, had established the stock farm at Alameda Place, now in the Riverside addition, and on his removal to St. Louis, Mo., Mr. Claypool bought from him three stallions and six mares-the stallions being Happy Traveler, 2:27 1-2, son of Hambletonian Prince, dam Lady Larkin by Little Jack : Gift, Jr., still in stud, and Stansifer's Woful; the six mares were by such sires as Hailstorm, Bonny Scot- land, etc. Mr. Claypool has now at Alameda
Place three high-bred stallions, sired by the best producing sons of such animals as George Wilkes, Electioneer and Harold, further en- riched by the best producing dams from other renowned sires of trotting families. They are Agricola, son of Gambetta Wilkes: first dam by Princeps ; second dam by Volunteer ; third dam, Flora Belle (2:22 3-4). Messala, son of Norval (2:14 1-4): first dam by Onward (2:25 I-4), second dam, Blanche Armour (2:26), third dam by Pilot, Jr., Russellami, by Lord Russell : dam, Lamia by Onward. Following these are the great stock horses Silvertone, by Happy Traveler, dam Little Dolly (dam of Gift, Jr., 2:27 1-2); Wilkes Pilot, son of Hambletonian Wilkes ; dam by Mambrino Chief, Jr., making him brother in blood to Phebe Wilkes (2:11); Gift, Jr. (2:27 1-2), sire of Sable Gift (2:24 1-4), also of Monk, (2:30) and others, and his son Edgewood, out of a daughter of Hambletonian Tranby. The entire collection of richly bred dams, colts and fillies number thirty-two head. The registered Jersey herd number nine, including the blood of Tormentor, Landseer's Fancy, and Signal. The Shropshire flock contains eighteen head, registered from the best imported strains. The farms include forty-eight acres at Alameda Place, 400 acres east of Muncie adjoining the city limits, and other extensive tracts in Centre township.
Mr. Claypool has been secretary of the Delaware county board of agriculture for sev- eral years, and a member of the state board ; also a member of the Indiana Trotting and Pacing Horse Breeders' association, and secre- tary of the Eastern Indiana Jersey Cattle Breeders' association, and is thoroughly posted in everything that pertains to live stock in all its characteristics.
The marriage of Mr. Claypool took place at Muncie, Ind., Jan. 14. 1880, to Miss Eliza- beth Burson, daughter of the late John W.
236
MUNCIE CITY
Burson, banker of Muncie, whose sketch will be found in another part of this volume.
ILLIAM H. M. COOPER, one of the prominent members of the Del- aware county bar, and a man who has achieved an extensive acquaint- ance through the medium of his abstract office, was born in Bartholomew county, Ind., Octo- ber 13, 1840, son of Henry and Lucy (Wil- liams) Cooper, natives respectively of the counties of Decatur, Ind., and Clarke, Ohio. Mr. Cooper is the eldest of a family of seven children born to the above parents. He received his primary education in the common schools, subsequently took a course in Marion academy, and after completing his literary studies in the academy at Greencastle, began teaching, which profession he followed very successfully for several months. In 1859 he located in Perry township, Delaware county, and on the 2nd day of July, 1861, entered the army, enlisting in company K, Nineteeth Indiana volunteer infantry, with which he shared the vicissitudes and honors of war until August 28, 1863, when he was honorably discharged from the service, on account of wounds received at the second battle of Bull Run. In r865 Mr. Cooper was elected recorder of Delaware coun- ty and served in that position for a period of five years, after which he took a course of law in the university of Michigan at Ann Arbor, having previously taken a commercial course at the Bryant & Stratton business colleges at Indianapolis and Cincinnati. He was admit- ted to the Delaware county bar in the year 1871, and has since practiced his profession at Muncie, where his well known legal abilities have won for him a large and lucrative busi- ness.
For many years Mr. Cooper has been en-
gaged in the abstract business, in which he has become very proficient, being considered authority upon all matters pertaining to real estate in Muncie and Delaware county. Mr. Cooper is prominently identified with a num- ber of fraternal organizations, including Wil- liams post, G. A. R .; the I. O. O. F., encamp- ment and canton; Indianapolis lodge, B. P. O. E .; Improved Order of Red Men; the Independent Order of Foresters; the Indiana Society Sons of the Revolutfon, in all of which organizations he is an active and valued mem- ber. In politics he is a stanch republican, and, as such, his counsels have been of valua- ble service and have contributed much to his party's success in a number of local and gen- eral campaigns. Mr. Cooper was married, in 1868, to Miss Susannah N. Ellis, daughter of John H. Ellis, of Muncie, the fruit of which union is one child, Carrie T., wife of A. G. Adamson. Mr. Cooper and family are attend- ants of the Presbyterian church of Muncie, and they move in the best social circles of the city. Throughout the entire county of Delaware, Mr. Cooper has the reputation of an honora- ble man and painstaking attorney, and when he assumes charge of a case his clients well know that all that can honestly be done in their favor will be performed. He has a com- prehensive knowledge of legal principles, exhibits great skill in the management of his cases, is faithful to clients and friends in all his business transactions, and in all relations of life is a true type of the honorable ·profes- sional man and christian gentleman.
ANIEL W. COTTRELL, M. D .- Prominent among the successful members of the medical profession of Muncie, Delaware county, Ind., oc- curs the name of Dr. Daniel W. Cottrell, who
William A.M. Cooper
237
AND CENTRE TOWNSHIP.
was born in the town of Scott, Cortland county, N. Y., January 4, 1838. His parents were Peleg S. and Mary Jane (Small) Cottrell, the former of whom was a native of western Rhode Island, a lineal descendant of William Cottrell, who settled there in 1669; while the mother was a native of Gilmanton, N. H., and taught for five years in the Lancaster school of Albany, N. Y. In 1851 the family removed to Fayette county, W. Va., where they remained for ten years, removing to Indi- ana in 1861. Upon arrival in the last named state they settled in Daleville, Delaware county, where the mother died one year later. The father survived for ten years, dying in 1872. Both parents were members of the Seventh Day Baptist denomination and were most ex- cellent people. Dr. Cottrell is the eldest of the four sons and two daughters that composed his father's family. He received his literary education at the Homer academy, N. Y., and by private instruction in West Virginia. In order to read medicine, in 1856 he went to Allegany county, N. Y., and studied under Dr. Brayton Babcock. Finishing his course, Dr. Cottrell practiced medicine from 1859 to 1861 in West Virginia, but at the latter date came with the family to Daleville, Delaware county, Ind., following his profession there until 1881, when he located in Muncie, where he has since remained, engaged in his life call- ing. In addition to his studies under Dr. Babcock, Dr. Cottrell attended lectures in the medical department of the university of New York during the winter of 1858-9, at which time he began the practice of his profession. In August, 1863, Dr. Cottrell enlisted in the Third Indiana battery, and served until the close of the war.
The marriage of the doctor occurred December 8, 1859, with Miss Emily Jane McVey, of West Virginia. Their married life was a short one, as she died April 5, 1863,
leaving one child, Delphina Louise, wife of Motley H. Flint, United States post office in- spector for the Pacific coast, residing in Los Angeles, Cal. In 1867 Dr Cottrell married again, his second wife being Miss Catherine Drennen, of Delaware county, Ind., by whom he has had two children-John Francis and Charles Orrin. Dr. Cottrell is a member of the County Medical society and the Delaware District Medical society. Politically he is a republican and supports the nominees of his party whenever occasion demands. Dr. Cottrell is an earnest and painstaking physi- cian and fully merits the trust reposed in him by the people of Muncie. During a twelve years' residence in the city he has built up a fine practice, which is steadily increasing.
RANVILLE COWING. -- Joseph Cow- ing, father of the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch, was born in the city of Carlisle, England, September 12th, 1800. He received a fair education in Dumfries, Scotland, came to America in 1819, landing in Alexandria, Va., where he worked at his trade as a tailor. Later he visited relatives in Washington, D. C., and after remaining there a short time went with Nathaniel Horner, who afterwards became his brother-in-law, to Weston, W. Va., where he married Miss Rachel Hor- ner and located. In 1830 he removed to Fair- field, Greene county, Ohio, where he pursued his trade and acquired some property. In 1840 he removed to Andersonville, Franklin county, Ind., at which place he served as post master for a period of twelve years. In 1853 he removed to the county of Delaware and bought a farm near Muncie, where he resided until 1860, at which time he removed to De- catur county. 'Six years later he retunred to
238
MUNCIE CITY
Delaware county, where he made his home un- til the death of his wife, after which, until his own death on 6th of May, 1878, he lived with his children. His wife, Rachel Horner, was born in Hardy county, May 10, 1803, married in 1820 and died January 18, 1873, a consist- ent member of the Methodist church. Mrs. Cowing's great-grandfather, Richard Horner, was a native of Scotland and came to America with Lord Baltimore. For services rendered the colony he obtained a patent for 10,000 acres of land lying between Annapolis and Baltimore. After his death his son, also named Richard, became sole heir, who, dying, left his estate to Benj. Horner, the grand- father of the subject of this mention. Benj. Horner was for three years a sailor and after- ward served as soldier in the army of Gen. St. Clair, from which he was honorably dis- charged September 14, 1800. To the union of Joseph and Rachel (Horner) Cowing were born nine children, three girls and six boys, two of the former dying in early childhood.
Granville Cowing was born March 1, 1824, near the town of Weston, Lewis county, Va. He learned to read, before six years old, by attending school taught by an old lady in her own house near his home. In 1830 he accom- panied his parents to Fairfield, Ohio, where he remained for nine years, in the meantime attending school in the winter and working on farms during the summer seasons. In August, 1839, he went to Rushville, Ind., to live with his brother-in-law, in whose establishment he learned the trade of a tailor. Soon finding this business distasteful, he abandoned it to become a printer in the office of the Rushville Whig, a newspaper started in 1840 by P. A. Hackleman, to aid the election of Gen. Harri- son to the presidency. After serving an ap- prenticeship of three years, he continued in the office until the year of 1845, at which time, in partnership with N. W. Cox, a life-long
friend, he purchased the paper and published it for about three years, when, on account of ill health, Mr. Cox retired from the business, disposing of his interest to another party. In the fall of 1849 Mr. Cowing also sold his inter- est in the paper and went to Washington, D. C., traveling over the Alleghanies by stage coach to Cumberland, Md., where, for the first time in his life, he saw a railroad, on which he traveled until reaching his destination.
He spent his first year at the capital in the office of the National Era, the great anti- slavery organ, which was then introducing Uncle Tom's Cabin to the public in its weekly issue. The paper was edited by Dr. Gamaliel Bailey and John G. Whittier, the poet, was printed by Buell & Blanchard, and its office was much frequented by the great anti- slavery leaders, Seward, Chase, Hale, Gid- dings, and others. Clay, Calhoun and Web- ster were engaged at the time in public affairs, and were familiar figures in the national capi- tal. In the fall of 1850 Mr. Cowing was ap- pointed to a place in the second auditor's office of the treasury department by Thomas Corwin, where, for six years, he settled all accounts of officers of the army for all com- pany arms and warlike stores required in active service. These duties often brought him in contact with many men who afterward became great leaders in the late civil war.
His health suddenly failed in the beginning of 1857, and, obtaining leave of absence for three months, he returned to Indiana in the hope that the change mnight benefit him, but it did not; consequently he resigned his posi- tion. Before leaving Washington city, D. C., J. T. Quisenberry, a friend with whom he had been associated in office for six years, fell heir to 2, 100 acres of land near San Antonio, Tex- as, and offered to give him 100 acres of it if he would go there with him, settle upon it and become his neighbor. This generous offer was
239
AND CENTRE TOWNSHIP.
declined with thanks, mainly because Mr. Cowing believed that civil war could not long be averted and he had no desire to be a citi- zen of a southern state when hostilities began. Since his return to Indiana in 1857, Mr. Cow- ing has resided on the same farm near Mun- cie-a period of thirty-five years- cultivating farm crops and small fruits, and during that time he has been a constant contributor to horticultural magazines and newspapers. The strawberry has been his favorite fruit, and he was the first, and, for many years, the only person in Delaware county, who cultivated it largely for market.
On September 2, 1851, Mr. Cowing was united in marriage to Miss Ann Fitzgerald, of Washington, who died February 16, 1853, leaving one child, Frances Alice, whose death occurred on the 16th day of December, 1854. On the 18th of February, 1855, Mr. Cowing married Mrs. Lucy O'Farrell, to which union have been born three sons and one daughter: Lewis G., George Edward, Hugh A. and Flor- ence. Lewis is one of the leading fruit grow- ers of Delaware county and an enthusiastic horticulturist; George Edward died at the age of six years, and Hugh is one of the promi- nent physicians of Muncie.
The following is a brief sketch of the re- maining children of Joseph and Rachel Cowing. John G. Cowing was born Septem- ber 25, 1825, became a painter, married and settled at Andersonville, Franklin county, where he still resides. He enlisted at the be- ginning of the civil war and was made a con- firmed invalid at the siege of Forts Henry and Donelson by reason of exposure to snow and ice while in the trenches. Cultivating fruits is his favorite employment. Joseph L. Cow- ing was born in Virginia in 1826, became a tailor, located in New Salem, Rush county, Ind., where he served as post master for many years and also several terms as township trus-
tee. He died in the autumn of 1880. Alvin M. Cowing was born in Virginia, acquired a limited education in the ordinary schools, and, when old enough, learned the tailor's trade, in which he became quite proficient. He married Miss Judith Kemper of Clarksburg, Ind., and, soon afterward, with Mr. Jefferson Kemper, purchased the Rushville Republican, which he published for several years. Subse- quently he disposed of his interest in the paper and removed to Montezuma, Iowa, where he founded another newspaper. He was elected clerk of the Iowa legislature, and afterwards became one of its members, and in 1860 bought his father's farm near Muncie, Ind., to which he at once removed. August 1. 1862, he enlisted in the Sixty-ninth regiment Indiana volunteers, was made lieutenant in company B, and received his death wound at Richmond, Ky., on the 30th of the same month, while endeavoring to rally his men toward the close of the battle. William J. Cowing was born in Ohio and entered the printing office of his brother Granville in 1848. He owned and edited the Rushville Republican for several years, and in 1861 received an appointment in the treasury department of Washington eity. He remained in the national capital until the breaking out of the war, when he resigned his place and established a daily paper in Alexandria city, Va., which he published until the war ended. He was secretary of state under the restored government of Vir- ginia, and afterwards received a place in the department of agriculture, which he retained until his death, in October, 1893. George W. Cowing was born in Ohio-became a printer, and was long employed in the govern- ment printing office in Washington city. During the war he was connected with the quartermaster's department. He died Janu- ary 16, 1873, and his body was laid to rest in Beech Grove cemetery at Muncie, Ind.
240
MUNCIE CITY
0 SCAR W. CRABBS .- Conspicuous among the representative and suc- cessful business men of the city of Muncie is Oscar W. Crabbs, who was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, March 12, 1852. His parents, Benj. F. and Louise (Folcarth) Crabbs, are natives of the same county and state, where they now reside. Oscar W. Crabbs early manifested great aptitude for business, and at the age of seventeen embarked upon his commerical career by dealing in coal, wood, hay, grain, etc., in which lines his success was fully com- mensurate with his expectations. In 1885 he located in Muncie, Ind., and engaged in buy- ing, pressing and shipping hay, from which has been developed his present business-one of the most successful of the kind in the city. He deals extensively in wheat, corn, clover, seeds, etc., and from long practice and wide experience has so learned to manage his busi- ness that prosperity has attended his efforts. Mr. Crabbs is a member of the Co-operative Gas company of Muncie, and is now looking after the city's interest as a member of the common council from the First ward, in which body he is chairman of the important commit- tees on water works, cemetery and judiciary. Politically he is a republican and stoutly sup- ports the party with which he is identified, believing that its principles inure to the best interests of the country. Mr. Crabbs was married in 1872 to Miss Mary E. Hosier, daughter of Robert Hosier of Montgomery county, Ohio, to which union have been born three children, namely: Claudia Burdelia, Frank Dodds and Robert Benj. Mr. Crabbs holds to the creed of the Methodist church, and with his family belongs to the Muncie congregation, in which he holds the position of trustee. He was one of the members of the building committee, and to him is largely due the credit of pushing forward to completion
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.