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 22
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move in the best social circles of the city. The attention of the reader is called to the fine portrait of the doctor on the opposite page.
J OSEPH F. DUCKWALL, eminent as an attorney at law of Muncie, was born near Batavia, Clermont county, Ohio, July 8, 1834. His father was a wealthy and prosperous farmer, and the early life of Joseph F. was spent upon the paternal farm. The pursuit of agriculture not being suited to his inclinations, at the age of nine- teen, he left the farm and engaged in teaching, having received his early education in the common schools and the academy. In 1853 he entered the Ohio Wesleyan university at Delaware, Ohio, where he remained nearly three years, defraying the principal portion of his expenses with his earnings as a teacher. He is liberally educated, and a gentleman of fine culture and extensive information. His maternal grandfather, Thomas Foster, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was in Hull's infamous surrender, of which he could not speak except with deep indignation. His grandmother was the sister of the well known pioneer Methodist minister, Rev. Wm. H. Raper. His mother, Elizabeth (Foster) Duck- wall, was the cousin of Randolph S. Foster, D. D., now a bishop of the M. E. church.
In June, 1857, Joseph F. Duckwall came to Muncie and engaged in the publication of the Muncie Messenger, of which he was editor and proprietor. In August, 1858, he moved his press to Anderson, and started the Madi- son County Republican, which he continued to publish until March, 1859, when he was compelled to suspend its publication for want of patronage. In this unfortunate venture he lost all that he possessed. He returned to Mun- cie, and on June 1, 1859, was married to Miss
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Addie Jones, daughter of Wm. F. Jones, ex- mayor of Muncie, and soon after he was em- ployed as principal of the Muncie public schools, which position he held during the school year. In the summer of 1860, at the solicitation of the Hon. Walter March, who kindly gave him financial aid, he purchased the Eastern Indiana Courant, the name of which he changed to The Delaware County Free Press, which he continued to edit and publish until the fall of 1867, when he sold the Press to Hon. Alfred Kilgore. The Free Press was a republican journal of the radical type, and was an able advocate of republican principles. Its columns doubtless contributed largely to the creation of that sterling republi- can sentiment which has long been the boast and pride of the people of Delaware county. His paper was regarded as one of the ablest in the state, and its editor acknowledged to be an able and forcible writer by all. His paper was admired for its independence and fearless advocacy of the right, regardless of policy or pecuniary gain or personal advantage.
In the year 1869 Mr. Duckwall went to Greenfield, Mo., and engaged in the practice of law, and soon took position in the front ranks of his profession. His ability as a law- yer soon received public recognition. In 1874, without his knowledge or consent, his name was placed upon a ticket as a candidate for prosecuting attorney of the Twenty-fifth judi- cial circuit, and came very near being elected. In the campaign of 1876, his services were demanded on the stump, and he made a large number of speeches in the interests of the republican party. In the fall of that year the republican convention of Greene county, held at Springfield, placed him before the people as a candidate for attorney general of the state, and instructed its delegates to vote for him in the state convention. He received similar endorsements from several other county
conventions of southwestern Missouri. and when it is considered that he had not even thought of being a candidate for that office, this action is a high compliment to his ability and worth. The state was overwhelmingly democratic, and a place. upon the republican ticket was solely one of honor, and he made no effort to secure the nomination. In the fall of the same year he was nominated, by acclamation, by the republican convention of Dade county, for prosecuting attorney, and the nomination so made was tendered to him with a request that he accept the same, which he did, and was elected. This office he held for two years, discharging its duties with sig- nal ability and fidelity. Immediately after the expiration of his term of office he returned to Muncie, where he resumed the practice of law. Soon after his return he was solicited to become the editor of The Daily Times, which position he accepted and occupied nearly two years.
Mr. Duckwall has been prominently identi- fied with the politics of Delaware county for many years, and has contributed with his pen and upon the rostrum to the advancement of the cause of republicanism and good govern- ment. He not only wields a trenchant pen, but is a forcible and entertaining public speaker. In addition to the positions of pub- lic trust held by him, above mentioned, he was the first city clerk of Muncie, and also city attorney, having been elected to the form- er and appointed to the latter. These offices he filled faithfully and acceptably to the peo- ple. As a lawyer, Mr. Duckwall is recognized as one of high rank and scholarly attainments, and well equipped in every branch of the pro- fession. Although he has never allowed the use of his name as a candidate, he has been favorably mentioned as a candidate for judge of the Delaware circuit court, and his eminent fitness and qualification for the position are,
John, H, Drugar
MRS. E, DUNGAN.
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by those who know him, fully recognized. As a citizen, he is honest, upright and exem- plary, and universally respected. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is regarded as a conscientious christian gentleman. He has practically retired from the practice of his profession, and is living a peaceful and quiet life in his pleasant home in Riverside, resting from the labors of an active and busy life, and rationally enjoying the fruits of his toil and the confidence and esteem of his fellow men.
J OHN W. DUNGAN, proprietor of the Glendale Jersey farm, and an old and honored resident of Delaware county, was born in Fayette county, Ind., June 2, 1824, a son of Benjamin and Margaret (Mitchell) Dungan. The former was born in Bucks county, Pa., and was the son of John Dungan, a native of Ireland, who had come to America many years prior and located in New York state, later removing to Pennsylvania. Benjamin Dungan married in Butler county, Ohio, and removed with his family to Fayette county, Ind., in quite an early day, where he engaged in farming (following the occupation all his life), and became the father of ten children the record of whom is as follows: Rebecca, Elias, William, Elizabeth, Esther and James, all deceased; John W., Joseph A., of Muncie; Isaac J., a farmer of Missouri, and Benjamin W., deceased. The mother died January 22, 1836, and the father September 15, 1855, both members of the Baptist church. Politi- ically, Mr. Dungan was a whig. After the death of his wife he removed to Delaware county, in 1836, and remained here until 1853.
John W. Dungan was reared to hard work on the farm and had very limited opportunities
of becoming educated. He remained with his father until 1842, at which time he came to Muncie and engaged with Thomas S. Neeley in the blacksmith trade, which he followed until 1859, when he was elected sheriff of Delaware county, serving in this position un- til he enlisted, October 19, 1864, in the Union army for one year. Before the expiration of his term of service he was honorably discharged, May 8, 1865, at Indianapolis. After his re- turn from the war, Mr. Dungan engaged in working at his trade, which he continued until 1869, then sold implements for three years, and from 1873 to 1877 was employed as sales- man in a hardware store. At the end of that time he was re-elected to the office of sheriff and served from August, 1877, to August, 1881, when he retired to his farm adjoining the city. He had purchased eighty acres of land in 1879, and has forty acres now in Part- wico.
In Muncie, October 18, 1848, he married Miss Edith Dragoo, who was born in Preston county, W. Va., in 1827, a daughter of Will- iam and Elizabeth (Prunty) Dragoo, natives of Virginia, of Irish ancestry, who came to this county in 1838, being among the pioneers. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Dungan bear the following names: George, a resident of Mun- cie; Leonidas, a blacksmith of this city; Cor- nelia A., deceased; Walter R., deceased; Caro- line, the wife of William Weeks, of Muncie; Jessie J., the wife of George Carmichael, a farmer of the county; Willie, deceased; Nettie, at home, and Harry F., a commission mer- chant, in company with D. T. Haines, Jr. The parents are members of the Methodist church and have brought up a fine, moral family. Politically, Mr. Dungan is a republi- can, and was assessor of his township three terms, street commissioner two years, and has taken a great interest in the progress of the county. He is a member of the Masonic
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order and of I. O. O. F. lodge, No. 74. Mr. Dungan is the proprietor of a fine farm which is known all over the county as the home of some of the finest thoroughbred Jersey cattle in this part of the state. He has made a success of, and takes great inter- est in, the breeding of these and other fine cattle.
B OBERT DUNN, senior member of the firm of Dunn Lime & Sewer Pipe company, contractors for plastering, and wholesale and retail dealers in lime, hair, cement, plaster of paris, fire brick, fire clay, etc., is one of the representative business men of Muncie, and a highly respected citizen of Delaware county. He was born October 11, 1830, in Abbeville district, S. C., the son of James and Bethome (Evans) Dunn. The father was a farmer, which vocation he carried on in his native state in connection with shoemaking, and later in Fayette county, Ind., where he moved in 1832, settling near the town of Connersville. In 1833 he moved to Rush county, this state, where he resided for two years, and then became a resident of the county of Hancock, where he made his home until 1846, at which time he located in Marion county, where his wife's death oc- curred in 1847. Subsequently he removed to Indianapolis, where he resided for a limited period, and then returned to his farm in Mari- on county, but did not long remain there, moving, within about one year, to the southern part of the state, and eventually returning to the county of Fayette. In 1851 he went back to his native state, South Carolina, and after a few years' residence there, returned to Fay- ette county, in the year 1858. His second wife was Polly Simms. James Dunn was the father of eight children, namely: Elizabeth J.,
deceased; Robert, whose name introduces this sketch; James R., deceased; Nancy, who lives in Chicago; Martha G., deceased; Andrew J., of Indianapolis; William Thomas, deceased, and George, a citizen of Marion county, Ind.
Robert Dunn, the second of the above children, was reared on a farm until 1848, at which time he began learning the trade of plastering in Indianapolis, and with the ex- ception of two years spent in farming in Rush county, has followed that vocation ever since. He became a resident of Muncie in the year 1888, and now does a very extensive and lu- crative business as a plasterer, beside dealing very largely in the articles enumerated in the introduction of this sketch-his place on west Dumont street being one of the well known business houses of the city. Mr. Dunn has been twice married; the first time, in August 1850, to Miss Martha Day, who was born in Marion county, this state, in 1830, the daugh- ter of Mark and Elizabeth Day, of Ohio. To this union were born five children: William L., associated with his father; Mary A., Richard W., also his father's associate; Har- vey E. of Muncie, and George E., who works at the tailoring business. The mother of these children, a most excellent christian woman, and for many years a member of the Methodist church, died in the year 1869. In 1870 Mr. Dunn married his present wife, Mrs. Eliza J. Wolfe, of Rushville, Ind. Mr. Dunn is a republican in politics and fraternal- ly belongs to the I. O. O. F. Since his re- moval from Rushville to Muncie in the year above noted, he has succeeded in building up a large and lucrative business, and as a skilled workman he has been extensively employed in the city and throughout the country. He is one of the substantial citizens of Delaware county, and in a modest way has contributed his full share toward its development and prosperity.
James & Ever
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0 R. PETER B. DICK, one of the most prominent and most experienced medical practitioners of Muncie, Ind., is the youngest son of Hierony- mus and Mary Ann (Brunner) Dick, and was born in Highland county, Ohio, April 27, 1838. At the age of eight years he was brought to Indiana by his mother, who located in Jay county on a farm near North Salem, where she resided until Peter B. was about thirteen years old, when the family moved to a farm near Union City, Randolph county, where our embryo physician received his preparatory ed- ucation at the common schools, and in 1856 took a course at Liber college, paying his own way from his own earnings. At the age of sixteen, he entered the store of L. D. Lambert as clerk, and there passed five or six years in the capacity mentioned, but utilized the win- ters in teaching school in Randolph county. Finally he became a partner with Mr. Lambert for two years in a store on the Ohio side of Union City, reading medicine in the meantime with Dr. Noah Simmons of that place. He made most rapid progress, and in 1867 grad- uated from the Eclectic Medical institute of Cincinnati, Ohio. His practice was begun at Daleville, Ind., whence he went to Union City, and thence to western Kansas, where he met with the most flattering success, but, after six years, ill health compelled him to re- linquish the profitable field and return to In- diana; accordingly, in 1878, he established himself in Muncie, where he has ever since en- joyed a high position in the esteem of the general public and in that of his fellow pro- fessionals. He is an active member of the State Medical society and keeps well abreast of the progress made in medical science.
The doctor was first married, in 1863, to Miss Martha Vale, who became the mother of two children, both of whom died in infancy, and in 1867 the doctor also suffered the afflic-
tion of the loss of the mother and wife. The second marriage of the doctor occurred at Daleville, Ind., in 1870, to Miss Sallie Shepp, who, in 1873, bore one son, Kenneth Dick, now an operator for the Western Union Tele- graph company, at Muncie. In politics, Dr. Dick is a republican, and while in Kansas was elected coroner of Kane county, by that party, an office which he held at the time of leaving. He is an Odd Fellow, and has passed all the chairs of his lodge. For twenty-five years he has been a member of the Disciples' church, and for many years has been very active in the Sunday school work of that denomination.
The father of Dr. Dick was a native of Ran- dolph county, Va., was a large land owner, and moved to Ohio about the year 1833 ; he settled near Hillsboro and died about 1840, leaving a widow and eight children -- three sons and five daughters-who subsequently moved to Jay county, where the widow kept her family together until her removal to Ran- dolph county. Her death took place in 1878, at the age of eighty-four, in Olmstead county, Minn., at the home of her son, John Dick. She was a woman of very strong character and a sincere Christian, adhering faithfully to the tenets of the Baptist church. There are five of her eight children still living; viz: Harriet, wife of William Stooksberry, a farmer of Ran- dolph county, Ind.,; Rhoda, married to Ben- jamin Curtis, farmer of Delaware county, Ind .; John, farmer of Minnesota ; Elizabeth, wife of L. D. Lambert, attorney, and Dr. Peter B., whose name opens this sketch. The three deceased were Henry, the second son, who was a soldier in the Eighty-fourth Indiana in- fantry, and while on detail duty was killed by a sharpshooter just before the battle of Atlanta; Mary, wife of Hiram Grice, of Jay county, Ind., died about 1854; Rebecca, the wife of Tate Wright, a merchant of Illinois, died in 1874.
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J AMES E. EBER, a successful agricul- turist of Centre township, Delaware county, of which he is a native, is the son of Henry and Susan Eber. Henry Eber was a native of Germany, came to Dela- ware county when twenty-eight years old, locat- ing in Muncie, where he married Susan Clark, who bore him the following children: John, de- ceased ; William H., deceased ; Mary, wife of A. Drumn, of California, and James E., whose name appears at the head of this sketch ; George, and Catharine, deceased. On locating in Muncie, Henry Eber engaged in the busi- ness of brewing, which he followed for two years, and then purchased a tract of land in Centre township, and began tilling the soil. Financially he was quite successful, owning at one time 462 acres of valuable land in Dela- ware county, besides other property, which entitled him to a prominent place in the ranks of those who were more than ordinarily wealthy. He accumulated a handsome estate, and left all of his children in very comfortable circumstances. His religious belief was em- bodied in the Presbyterian creed, and his first wife, a most excellent christian lady, was a member of the Catholic church. She died May 20, 1862, and Mr. Eber afterwards married Nancy Alban, who departed this life in 1879; Mr. Eber was called to his final re- ward on the 26th day of January, 1876.
James E. Eber was reared in Delaware county and assisted his father on the farm un- til the latter's death. His education was re- ceived in the common schools, and on the 22nd day of June, 1872, he was united in marriage to Miss Bitha Scott, who was born in Adams county, Ohio, August 8, 1852, daughter of David and Sarah (Ham) Scott. Mr. and Mrs. Scott were both natives of Ohio; the former of German parentage, and the mother descended from Irish ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. Eber have an interesting family of six children, namely:
Ida, Lee, Katie, Stella, Pearl and Earl. One child, Emma, died December 13, 1890. As already stated, Mr. Eber is a successful agri- culturist, and no one would question his high standing as a representative citizen of Centre township. His beautiful farm of 190 acres is well improved, and in addition to tilling the soil, he pays considerable attention to live stock, breeding and dealing in the same quite extensively. He is a democrat in his political belief, fraternally belongs to the Improved Order of Red Men, and with his wife is a communicant of the Methodist church. Mr. Eber takes a father's pardonable pride in his family; his children are certainly very promis- ing, and bid fair to grow to manhood and womanhood, an honor to their parents and a blessing to the community.
J OHN C. EILER, a prominent business man and a justice of the peace, of Muncie, Ind., was born in Troy, N. Y., March 4, 1838, a son of Jacob and Bena (Fetzer) Eiler. The parents removed from New York to Ohio, and from there, in 1849, to Wabash county, Ind., and were pio- neers of that county. Mr. Eiler accompanied his parents to Ohio when four years of age, and when eleven years old came with them to Wabash county, Ind., where he grew to maturity, and received his education in the public schools. His first position of public trust was that of deputy clerk of Wabash county, which office he acceptably filled for several years. In 1858, he removed to LaGrange county, Ind., and was made depu- ty clerk of that county until 1859, at which time he came to Muncie. In 1861 he was appointed a clerk in the census department at Washington, D. C., but in 1862 he was trans- fered to the pension department, where he
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continued until 1865, when he was forced to resign his position on.account of poor health; he then returned to Muncie and engaged in the horticultural business. This built up his shattered health, and, at a special session of the house of representatives, in 1872-3, he was appointed file clerk. In March, 1875, he was appointed post master at Muncie, under Pres. Grant, serving in this position for eight years. In June, 1883, he was appointed jus- tice of the peace, and was elected to the office in 1884, 1888 and 1890. In the last year he was made a member of the city coun- cil, in which he served one year and then resigned. Politically, he has been an ardent worker in the republican party from its organ- ization to the present time, and was chairman of the republican central committee of Dela- ware county in 1890 and 1891.
Mr. Eiler was admitted to the bar in 1859, but has never practiced his profession. He now conducts an insurance and loan business in connection with his duties as justice of the peace. His social instincts have caused him to connect himself with the Muncie lodge of I. O. O. F., and he is a charter member of the Citizens' Enterprise company. In the spring of 1891, Mr. Eiler received the nomination of his party for the office of mayor of Muncie, but owing to a defection in the party, the whole ticket-mayor,. marshal and treasurer-+- was defeated. With the exception of one year, from 1877 to 1883, Mr. Eiler was the editor of the Muncie Times, and editor and proprie- tor from July 1881, to January, 1883.
On the first of January, 1862, he was married to Miss Margaret B. Cassady, of Delaware county, and is the father of two children, Annie and Erma. He and family are connected religiously with the Presbyter- ian church of Muncie, and are among the most esteemed residents of the city. Mr. Eiler has always been regarded as a conserva-
tive and profound thinker, guided by principles of strict justice and goodness of heart, and void of all evil intent.
EORGE L ELLIOTT, deceased, for many years a leading jeweler of Mun- cie, was born January 28, 1831, at the town of Chardon, Geauga county, Ohio. His parents, Edmund G. and Nancy (Taylor) Elliott, were natives of New England, born, reared and married in the state of Mass- achusetts. Shortly after their marriage they removed to Ohio, and for a number of years Edmund Elliott carried on the jewelry busi- ness at Chardon and Springfield, that state. Subsequently, he removed to Anderson, Ind., where his death occurred after a long, active and successful business career; his wife follow- ing him to the grave a short time after. Ed- mund and Nancy Elliott reared a family of five children, all sons, namely: Jerome, Al- fred, George L., Ozias and Dallas K., of whom Jerome, Alfred and George L. are de- ceased.
George L. Elliott began learning the jeweler's trade at the age of thirteen with his father, and after acquiring great skill and pro- ficiency in his chosen calling worked at the same with his father until about 1854, at which time he went to Cincinnati, where he remained for a limited period, returning home the following year. In May, 1855, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Smith, daugh- ter of John and Ruth (Marshall) Smith of Greene county, Ohio, removing in August of the same year to Muncie. Ind., where he rent- ed a window and engaged in repairing watches, jewelry, etc., on a very moderate scale. Later he entered the employ of Armstead Klein, with whom he remained a short time,
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and then opened an establishment of his own on the corner of Main and Walnut streets, where he continued the trade for a period of nearly forty years, during which time he be- came one of the best known and most popular business men of Muncie. In all his relations with his fellow-men Mr. Elliott was the soul of honor, and his kindness of heart and uni- form courtesy were the subjects of remark by all, and became proverbial throughout Muncie and Delaware county. "Uncle George," as he was familiarly called, always had a cheer- ful word and pleasant greeting for every one, and he was one of those noble characters whose very presence exerted a genial influence throughout the community-one of nature's noblemen, whose honest impulses were mani- fested in every act of his life. In the home circle he was a model of gentleness, and his daughter, with whom he was ever on terms of the closest intimacy, cannot recall the memory of an unkind word or act. In his re- ligious belief Mr. Elliott was a Universalist, but he encouraged all churches, irrespective of doctrine or creed, and was ever in hearty sym- pathy with all movements of a benevolent or philanthropic nature. Politically he was an active supporter of the democratic party, and fraternally was indentified with Delaware lodge, No. 46, A. F. & A. M., and DeEmber tribe, No. 30, Improved Order of Red Men. He was noted as a friend of the poor and needy, was kindly disposed to all, and died, as he had lived, possessing the profound respect and esteem of his fellow-citizens. His death occurred on the Ist day of April, 1892, and his remains were followed to their final place of repose by one of the largest funeral corteges ever seen on the streets of Muncie. Mr. Elliott was the father of one child, a daughter, Ida M., wife of John H. Ritter, an able opti- cian, who resides in the city at the present time.
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