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 23
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RANK ELLIS was born in Delaware township, Delaware county, Ind., February 12, 1842, a son of John H. and Phebe (Kirkpatrick) Ellis, both natives of Ohio, who came to Delaware county at an early day, and were married in the county. By trade, the father was a carpen- ter, but finally engaged in the collection busi- ness and the practice of law, in Muncie. At the breaking out of the war he raised company B, of the Eighty-fourth Indiana, and served as captain of the same until he was killed at the battle of Chickamauga, on September 20, 1863. His wife survives him, and now resides in Muncie.
Frank Ellis is the eldest of ten children, and received but a limited education in the township and village schools of that period. He engaged in brick making for a short period, and then entered the office of the Delaware County Free Press, as office boy, where he re- mained, except one term of three months, dur- ing which he taught a country school, until 1862, when he enlisted in his father's company and served until the close of the war, being mustered out in June, 1865. After the death of his father he was made captain of company B, and he held that position all through the remainder of the war. He participated in the battles of Sherman's Atlanta campaign, and was with Thomas' army at Franklin and Nash- ville. In 1864 Mr. Ellis was nominated for the office of treasurer of Delaware county, and in the fall of that year was elected to the posi- tion, taking possession of the same in August, 1865. In 1866, he was unanimously renomi- nated and triumphantly re-elected, serving in all four years, after which he engaged in mer- cantile business for some years, in the mean- time reading law, for which profession he had a great predilection. He was admitted to the Delaware county bar in 1882, and immediately formed a co-partnershir ""th Judge Lotz,
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which continued until the latter was called to the bench, when Mr. Ellis formed a co-part- nership with John T. Walterhouse.
Mr. Ellis is a prominent and active mem- ber of the republican party, and has been a member of the state central committee. He served as mayor of the city from 1883 to 1885, and had been a member of the city council from 1883 to 1891. On February 9, 1891, he was appointed postmaster of Muncie by Pres. Harrison, since which time he has efficiently served the people in that capacity. He is a member of Williams' Post, No. 78, G. A. R., and was one of the organizers of the Sons of Veterans. In early life he joined the Dela- ware lodge, A. F. & A. M., and was one of the organizers of the Muncie lodge, No. 433, A. F. & A. M., and is a member of Muncie commandery, No. 18. Also, he is a member of Muncie lodge, No. 74, I. O. O. F., and the encampment and canton, and the grand lodge and grand encampment of that order. He is a charter member of the Red Men, and of the Elks; and is also a member of the Ancile club of Muncie.
Mr. Ellis was married, in 1870, to Miss Mary E. Martindale, daughter of Benjamin F. Martindale, of Muncie, a well known minister of the Christian church. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ellis: Elizabeth, Mary, deceased, and Ethel Joy.
S AMUEL M. ELLIS, of Muncie, Ind., was born in Albany, in the same state, November 25, 1850, and is a son of John E. and Phæbe (Kirkpat- rick) Ellis. When about three years of age he was brought by his parents to Muncie, and was here educated in the public schools until thirteen years old, when he quit, to enter the army, being then the youngest soldier from
Delaware county, and the only one of the nine children in his father's family that did not graduate from the high school. In 1864 he entered company B, One hundred and Forty- seventh I. V. I., and served with the army of the Cumberland until the close of the war, tak- ing part at Winchester, Va , and a number of minor engagements. When hostilities ceased he went on the Fort Wayne, Muncie & Cincin- nati railroad as brakeman; as baggage master from Fort Wayne to Connersville, as yard- master at Muncie for the same company; was also in the employ of the "Bee" line for some years; broke, fired, switched, and was yard mas- ter and conductor on the Lake Erie & Western main line, between Sandusky, Ohio, and Bloomington, Ills., for a long time-in all, railroaded over twenty years; and, having learned the trade of brick making prior to this time, worked at that trade at intervals about fifteen years, principally at Muncie. After relinquishing railroad work, Mr. Ellis, in 1890, began contracting for brick work in Muncie and followed that vocation until 1893, when he leased the Mckinley brick stable, at 110 Howard street, where he transacts a livery, feed and boarding business, and keeps a full line of double and single rigs.
Mr. Ellis is vice president of the Muncie Bricklayers' union, and still keeps a watchful eye over the interests of his former trade and craftsmen. He was married, in 1871, to Miss Catherine J. Hawk, of Muncie, and is the father of one son, Harry J. Ellis.
RANK A. ELROD, city clerk of Muncie, Ind., a prominent politician and very pleasant and agreeable gen- tlemen, was born in Wabash county, Ind., June 7, 1853, a son of James J. and Juliet M. (Hess) Elrod, natives of Lawren
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and Blackford counties, Ind., respectively. Mr. Elrod, Sr., was a farmer by occupation and also a minister of the Methodist Episco- pal church, being connected with the North Indiana conference. He was a prominent Mason, and at his death, in 1858, was buried with the appropriate ceremonies of the order.
Frank A. Elrod was reared in Cadiz, Hen- ry county, Ind .; was educated in the public schools of that county, and afterward engaged in mercantile business. In 1881 he made a trip to Texas, and remained for six years, employed in the freight department of the Southern Pacific railroad, but, in 1887, he returned to Indiana, locating in Muncie, where he was employed as assistant shipping clerk for H. Roads & Co. In the spring of 1892 he was elected city clerk and entered upon the duties of that office in September of the same year. Politically he is a republican, and takes an active interest in the manage- ment of the affairs of his party. He is a mem- ber of Delaware lodge, No. 46, A. F. & A. M., Welcome lodge, No. 37, K. of P., and Twa- Twa tribe, No. 145, I. O. R. M.
Mr. Elrod was married February 21, 1876, to Miss Emma Personett, daughter of James Personett, of Henry county, Ind., and has a family of four children, James, Lizzie, Clara and Lloyd. He and wife are members of the High street Methodist church, and are among the most highly esteemed residents of the city of Muncie.
AJ. WARREN CHASE EMERSON (deceased) was born in New Hamp- shire, November 7, 1816, of Eng- lish ancestry, and graduated from Harvard university in 1835. For a year or so he followed teaching, and in 1836 removed to Preble county, Ohio, where he was engaged in clerical work for a time, but later resumed
teaching, and afterward became the first post- master at West Florence. His marriage took place January 30, 1840, to Eleanor McWhin- ney, a native of Preble county, Ohio, born June 6, 1821, and daughter of Matthew and Temperance McWhinney, of Scotch-Irish an- cestry. To this union, which was consum- mated in Preble county, Ohio, were born twelve children, of whom five boys and five girls still survive, viz: Joseph, a broker; Matthew, in the lumber trade; Thomas M., traffic manager of the Atlantic Coast Line rail- road; Charles, publisher of the Muncie City and Delaware County (Ind.) directory, and an extensive dealer in real estate; Horace M., general passenger agent of the Atlantic Coast Line railroad; Elizabeth, wife of J. D. Fudge; Temperance, wife of A. C. Morse; Emmaretta, wife of Albert H. Williams; Mary A. and Eleanor. The father remained in Preble county until February 23, 1864, when he re- ceived a commission as army paymaster of the late rebellion, and located his family at Yellow Springs, Ohio, to receive the benefit of the excellent schools at that point. He served as paymaster until November 1, 1866. He then located at Campbellstown, Ohio, where he was engaged in the mercantile business one year, and then moved to Marion, Ind., and was in the employ of the railroad company three years. In March, 1872, he came to Muncie and engaged in the manufacture of staves, heading and plow beams until 1885, when he retired from active business on ac- count of ill health. In politics he was a re- publican, and fraternally was a member of the A. F. & A. M .; in religion he was a Congre- gationalist, and died in that faith, November 3, 1890. He left his family in comfortable circumstances, and his sons all in prominent business positions, and his remains were fol- lowed by a large concourse of mourning rela- tives, friends and acquaintances to their last
JAS. N. EVERS.
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resting place from his late residence on east Jackson street, Muncie, Ind. His widow, who is a devout adherent of the Presbyterian church, is still an honored member of Muncie's best society, respected and honored by all who know her.
Charles Emerson, real estate dealer and publisher of Muncie City and Delaware Coun- ty Directory, and son of Major Warren C. Emerson, whose sketch is given in detail above, was born in Butler county, Ohio, March 9, 1853. He attended school at Yellow Springs, Ohio, until fourteen years of age, when he was com- pelled to quit on account of ill health; he then engaged, as his first business venture, as assist- ant to his father in the railway office at Mari- on, Ind., until 1872, when, with his parents, he moved to Muncie and became the super- vising agent of the Singer Manufacturing com- pany, which position he held until the spring of 1873, when, by the advice of his physician, he went south, locating at Nashville, Tenn., where he was engaged by the Howe Sewing Machine company to travel and establish agencies throughout eastern Tennessee until the fall of 1873, when he went to Savannah, Ga., and engaged with the New York Publish - ing company in publishing city, county and state directories, remaining with the company for one year. He then engaged in the direc- tory publishing business for himself, and has published directories throughout eleven differ- ent states, gaining a national reputation as a competent and painstaking publisher. In 1886 he accepted a position with the Singer Manufacturing company as manager at Rich- mond, Va., which position he held until 1889, when he again engaged in the directory busi- ness and continued until February 1, 1892. He then came to Muncie, Ind., and under the firm name of Lyons & Emerson opened an office in the real estate and loan business, which firm is now considered one of the lead-
ing real estate firms of the city. Mr. Emer- son was married November 14, 1881, to Miss Maggie M. Houston, of Greensboro, N. C., and this union has been blessed by the birth of one child, William C.
3 AMES N. EVERS .- Among the valua- ble industries of the growing city of Muncie, that of the Cottage Steam laundry is deserving of worthy mention. James N. Evers, its proprietor, is a native of Indiana, born in the county of Wells on the 17th day of September, 1853, a son of Parry and Jane (Golliver) Evers. The parents were both natives of Ohio, but removed to Indiana shortly after their marriage, settling in Put- nam county, where Mr. Evers engaged in the pursuit of agriculture. Later the family re- moved to Wells county, where Mr. and Mrs. Evers live a retired life in the pleasant town of Bluffton. Parry Evers has been a prominent citizen of Wells county for a number of years, is public spirited, and a man of great liberality. He is a republican in his political preferences, and the father of nine children, whose names are as follows: Minerva R., James N., Darius A., David W., Anna E., Colonel E., Parry J., Cora and Hugh W. Evers.
James N. Evers was reared on the home farm, attending the country schools at intervals until sixteen years of age, when he began life for himself, choosing the useful vocation of agriculture for an occupation. He continued tilling the soil until his twenty-sixth year, at which time he came to the city of Muncie and embarked in the mercantile business, making a specialty of the grocery line, which he car- ried on with success and financial profit for a period of six years. He severed his connection with merchandising in 1890, and established the Cottage Steam laundry, which he has suc-
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cessfully conducted ever since and which under his judicious management has become the largest and most profitable enterprise of the kind in the city. He fitted up his laundry with all the modern conveniences and improve- ments at a liberal expenditure of money, and such has been the constant increase in his busi- ness that additional appliances have been added, from time to time, until now fifteen helpers are employed in order to meet the de- mands of his growing custom. Mr. Evers has fully met his expectations in his business ven- ture, and, as a result of good management and earnest desire to please his patrons, he has acquired a reputation much more than local, and is justly esteemed among the worthy and reliable business men of Muncie. Socially he is popular with a large circle of friends in both city and country, and his public spirit has won for him a prominent place in the estimation of his fellow citizens. In his political senti- ments Mr. Evers is an earnest supporter of the republican party, and takes an active in- terest. in its advancement, but prefers to be considered a worker in the ranks rather than a seeker after the emoluments of office. Re- cently he met with a heavy loss by reason of an accident in his laundry, but, with com- mendable energy, he has repaired the same, and greatly enlarged his business by the addi- tion of the latest and most improved appli- ances used in his line of work. On the 17th day of March, 1879, in Columbia City, Ind., Mr. Evers and Miss Lizzie A. Goodwin of Ohio, daughter of Smith and Sarah (Conway) Goodwin, were made man and wife. Mrs. Evers died December 30, 1887, and on the 15th day of January, 1889, Mr. Evers was united in marriage to his present wife, whose maiden name was Kate Stuckey, a native of Muncie, and daughter of Christian and Sarah (Grower) Stuckey. Mr. and Mrs. Evers are members of the Baptist church, in which they
are highly esteemed. Fraternally, Mr. Evers is prominently connected with the orders of P. O. S. of A., Red Men, and Foresters.
EORGE W. FAY .- Among the citi- zens of Delaware county whose life work is ended, few, if any, are held in more grateful and affectionate re- membrance than the late George W. Fay, of Muncie. Mr. Fay was a native of New York, born in the month of July, 1832, and his an- cestors for several generations had resided in the Empire state In the year 1858 he be- came a resident of Delaware county, Ind., and shortly after he arrived in Muncie accepted a clerkship in the dry goods house of Moses Neeley, in which capacity he continued for several years. Subsequently, he effected a co-partnership in the butchering business with Cyrus G. Neely .- Mr. Fay becoming widely and favorably known, not only as a most suc- cessful business man, but as an eminently sociable citizen as well. Later Mr. Fay be- came a street contractor, at which he con- tinued for several years, and to him is due the credit of providing Muncie with a system of streets which, in point of improvement and general utility, will compare favorably with those of any other city in central or eastern Indiana. On abandoning street work he em- barked in manufacturing, and was thus em- ployed for some years, meeting with success and financial profit in the meantime. Mr. Fay was a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he took a number of de- grees, including that of Sir Knight, and he was always a man of large sympathy and christian charity. In all the attributes of noble manhood Mr. Fay stood prominent among his fellows, and his one fault, if fault it may be termed, was an open handed gener-
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osity frequently exercised to his own financial detriment, but to the great financial benefit of the numerous beneficiaries of his munificent generosity.
During a long and active business career, which of necessity brought him in contact with all classes, including the many unfortu- nate individuals who became his debtors, he was never known to sue on an account or resort to the courts to collect an obligation, in con- sequence of which his popularity became great, and his friends were numerous in Mnncie and throughout Delaware county. But for his generous and charitable disposition he could have acquired a large fortune, but he preferred to invest his means in those securities which. always return a princely income to the pos- sessor, namely: Liberal aid to the deserving pocr, and a financial as well as a heart-felt sympathy for all unfortunates who appealed to him for assistance. In all public and private charities of Muncie, Mr. Fay's name and indi- vidual efforts were ever foremost; he served one term as township trustee, in the discharge of the duties of which office, as well as those pertaining to every trust reposed in him, he brought to bear the strict integrity which char- acterized his life in all its various relations. As a citizen, his private character was above reproach; while his whole life, in whatever capacity he acted, was devoted to the public weal-in short, he was one of those sturdy, upright and popular men, who, in the course of a long and useful career, leave their mark upon the times and the communities in which they dwell. The death of Mr. Fay occurred on the 12th day of June, 1889. His wife, Martha A. Braddock, daughter of Joseph and Margaret J. (Galbraith) Braddock, to whom he was married in 1876, survives him, as does also one daughter, Catherine Fay, an accom- plished young lady of Muncie, just budding into womanhood.
ILLIAM H. FORTNER, one of the most highly respected residents of the city of Muncie, is a native of Franklin county, Ind., born De- cember 11, 1838, the eldest of six children- five sons and one daughter-born to Solomon H. and Elizabeth E. (James) Fortner, natives, respectively, of Franklin county, Ind., and the state of Virginia. William H. was reared on the farm of his paternal grandfather Levi, a pioneer of Franklin county, Ind., until fifteen years of age, having, at the age of nine, lost his father. At the age of eleven he began supporting himself, working on the farm in summer and attending school in winter. In 1853 he went to Greensburg, Ind., and during one winter worked in a general store and a hotel for his board; in the spring of 1854 he became clerk of the hotel and held the posi- tion nine consecutive years, interlarding the time as newsboy, in which last capacity he carried the first copy of the Cincinnati En- quirer and Commercial delivered in Greens- burg. In 1861 he enlisted in Company F, Seventh I. V. I., in the three months' service, and did duty in West Virginia at Philippi, Laurel Hill and Carrick's Ford.
He sold out his paper route in 1863, and went to work upon a farm, near Greensburg, for eighteen months in order to regain his health, and then returned to town and worked for J. & J. Pool, marble dealers, for fourteen years, and was then, for six years, in the grain business with John Emmert. In March, 1885, he came to Muncie and here engaged in the wholesale furniture business with L. H. Har- per, but in the December following sold out and engaged as yard foreman and bookkeeper for Joshua Truitt for two years, and then went into the hotel business, which he followed four and one half years. In politics Mr. Fortner is a democrat; fraternally he affiliates with the I. O. O. F. encampment, No. 42, and Dela-
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ware lodge No. 143, and has filled all the chairs in each branch, and was a trustee for six years; he is also a member of the I. O. R. M., the K. of H., of which he was a trustee, and the K. & L. of H., of which last he has served as secretary.
The marriage of Mr. Fortner took place February 18, 1863, to Miss Angelia Dillier, daughter of Joseph Dillier, a native of France. Mrs. Fortner is one of the most fashionable dressmakers of the city, and for years resided at Greensburg.
ONE A. FRANLIN, was born in Delaware county, Ind., July 9, 1863, the son of Pierson W. and Emily (Dragoo) Franklin. He was reared in the city of Muncie, in the schools of which he received a practical English education, and at the early age of seventeen, began business upon his own responsibility as a buyer and shipper of live stock, principally cattle and hogs, which he shipped to the eastern markets. He continued in this line until 1886, at which time he engaged in the livery business, and is now the proprietor of one of the largest and most extensively patronized livery barns in Delaware county.
P. W. Franklin, the father of Lone A., one of the oldest residents of Delaware county, and one of its most highly esteemed citizens, was born in Clark county, Ohio, September 19, 1826. His father, James Franklin, and his mother, whose maiden name was Catherine Stover, were both natives of Botetourt county, Va., and descendants of early German settlers of the Old Dominion state. James Franklin removed with his family to Clark county, Ohio, early in the twenties, and, in 1831, emigrated to Delaware county, Ind., settling about one and a quarter miles southeast of the public
square of Muncie, where he purchased eighty acres of heavily timbered land. Upon this piece of land not a stick of timber had been cut, and a more uninviting prospect would be difficult to imagine. For a period of nine weeks the family lived in a rudely improvised camp, on which the rain poured down in torrents nearly every day. A small log cabin was in due time constructed, and in this primitive dwell- ing, without floor or windows, life in the back woods began in earnest. Mr. Franklin subse- quently entered two eighty acre tracts adjoin- ing his original purchase, and a part of the homestead farm is now within the corporate limits of Muncie. On this place James and Catherine Franklin spent the rest of their days, rearing a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, to manhood and woman- hood. Mr. Franklin and his good wife were true types of the hardy pioneers, and their struggles for years with the hardships and trials incident to that period, cannot be ap- preciated by the younger people of the present generation. They lived to a good old age, the father reaching the Scriptural allotment of three score and ten years; the mother was called to her reward at the age of sixty.
P. W. Franklin was but five years of age when his father settled in the woods near Muncietown. The court house square was at that period covered with hazel brush and logs, and wild game of any kind was killed. Mr. Franklin was enabled to attend the indifferent schools of the country only four or five weeks each year. He early assisted in removing the forest growth and developing the farm, be- came strong and rugged, and remained under the parental roof until his majority. He then began life for himself, working in the woods, and the first winter after leaving home he split rails for thirty-three cents a hundred, and later cleared forty acres of land, for which he received the equivalent of three dollars per
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acre in trade. In the spring of 1848 he found himself the possessor of $15.00 in money and a small horse, and with these he started west- ward for the purpose of herding cattle in Illi- nois. Until he could secure such employ- ment as he desired he worked as a farm laborer at $8.00 per month, but eventually he se- cured a place as a herder and continued the same for four or five years. Returning to Indiana he worked at different occupations for some time, and, on the 18th day of December, 1855, was united in marriage to Miss Emily Dragoo, who was born in Virginia, April 4, 1834, the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Prunty) Dragoo, early settlers of Delaware county.
Shortly after his marriage, Mr. Franklin located a piece of land southeast of Muncie, upon which about forty acres had been cleared, and here he and his family resided for twelve years. He developed a fine farm, and became one of the leading agriculturists of Centre township. He came to Muncie for the pur- pose of schooling his children. He owns a substantial home on East Jackson street, which, with his farm of 170 acres of highly cul- tivated land, is the result of his own unaided efforts. Mr. Franklin still manages his farm, driving to and from the same each day, and he yet possesses much of the physical vigor for which he was noted in the days of his youth and early manhood. He is a democrat in pol- itics, and in religion a Methodist. His wife, also a worthy member of the Methodist church, is a woman of many excellent traits of char- acter, and has been a helpmeet to her hus- band during the long years and many struggles of their wedded life. Their children are Carl P., a groceryman; Lone A., liveryman and stock dealer; Cary, dealer in horses, and Laura E., wife of William W. Shirk, hard- ware dealer of Muncie.
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