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 71
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The marriage of Mr. Miller took place in Mount Pleasant township, Delaware county, to Miss Mary Emma Summers, who was born
in 1850 in Pennsylvania, and who came to this county June 9, 1861, a daughter of Jacob and Catherine Summers, and the following children have been born of this union: Rilla T. Miller, born December 24, 1867; Etta C. Miller, born October 14, 1869; William S. Miller, born August 27, 1873; Mary E. Ger- trude Miller, born April 1, 1887; and Bertha L. Glen Miller, born August 3, 1890. Mr. Miller is a republican and the family are con- nected with the Christian church. They are among the most respected citizens of Mount Pleasant township and enjoy in a marked de- gree the esteem of a large circle of friends in Delaware and other counties.
J OHN JACOB OERTHER .- Few men in Delaware county are more widely and favorable known than the gentle- man for whom this biographical sketch is prepared. Essentially a self made man, he stands as a representative citizen of Mount Pleasant township, and, in a financial sense, few people in the county of Delaware have been as successful in overcoming embarrassing obstacles, and in rising to a position of afflu- ence, as he. John Jacob Oerther was born in the province of Rhinepfaltz, Germany, April 17, 1834, the son of John and Margaret (Dahl) Oerther. These parents were both natives of the Fatherland, married there, and there rear- ed their family. John Oerther died in Ger- many on the 9th of January, 1852, and sub- sequently, in 1865, his widow came to the United States and made her home with her son, John Jacob Oerther, until her death, which occurred in 1876. John Oerther, by occupation, was a linen weaver and a farmer, and was a most exemplary man. He reared a family of six children, four of whom are living at this time, namely: Dorotha, Margaret,
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Elizabeth and John J. John J. Oerther was educated in the schools of his native country, and remained in the Fatherland until Novem- ber, 1852, at which time he came to the United States, landing at New Orleans, after a long and tiresome sea voyage in a sailing vessel. His passage cost him $40, and he found him- self all alone, without employment, among strangers in a strange land. Making his way to Ohio, where a sister lived, who had pre- ceded him to the new country, he found em- ployment as a farmer, and subsequently enter- ed upon an apprenticeship of two years at the town of New Boston, Ohio, to learn the black- smith trade. He soon acquired great skill and proficiency as a mechanic, and, after finishing his apprenticeship, removed in August, 1859, to Yorktown, Delaware county, Ind., where he began working at his trade, and where, with the exception of about two years spent in the immediate vicinity, he has since resided. He has followed his chosen calling very success- fully, and ranks among the most efficient and best known mechanics in Delaware county. He was, for two years, engaged in the tannery business, and for the same length of time, carrying on farming, but finally abandoned both those occupations and returned to his trade of wagon making and blacksmithing.
Mr. Oerther has met with success, financi- ally, such as few attain, and from an insig- nificant and discouraging start in life, has suc- ceeded in overcoming the many obstacles, by which, for so many years, he was surrounded, and is now in the enjoyment of a comfortable fortune, the result of wise management, econ- omy and well directed industry. He is a large land holder in Mount Pleasant township, his real estate in the county at this time repre- senting 364 acres, and he recently disposed of 139 acres of very valuable land to the Muncie Land company at a very handsome figure. Mr. Oerther is interested in the Yorktown Gas
company, and in the growth and development of West Muncie he has been a prominent and substantial factor. Mr. Oerther was married November 27, 1860, to Isabelle Daugherty, a native of Mount Pleasant township, where she was born June 6, 1842, the daughter of Will- iam Daugherty, Esq. Mr. and Mrs. Oerther have a family of nine children, whose names are as follows: John William, a merchant of Farmland, Randolph county; Charles F., Amy Alene, wife of Louis D. Overmier; Rosa M., deceased; Mellie, Myrtle D., Doanie Elizabeth, Clen and Frederick. Mr. Oerther feels a father's pardonable pride in his family, and he has every reason for so feeling, as his children are a credit to themselves and an honor to their parents.
ENRY OVERMIRE is a well-to-do and contented citizen of Mount Pleas- ant township. He was born in Ham- ilton county, Ohio, July 16, 1837, being the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Espells) Overmire, both natives of Germany. They were married and came to America in 1836, landing in New York, and going thence to Cin- cinnati, where Mr. Overmire engaged in a foundry for three years. After this he went to Franklin county, Ind., where he employed his time in farming and shoemaking until his death, 1877. His widow lives with her daugh- ter. The father and mother reared a family of six children, of whom three are living, namely: Henry, Elizabeth, living in Cincinnati, and Mary, wife of Joseph Groothouse, of Franklin county, Ind. The parents and other members of the family were members of the Catholic church, with the exception of Henry, who left that body, and now belongs to the Methodist de- nomination.
Henry Overmire, when but fourteen years of age, was apprenticed to Henry Haffer, of
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Brookville, Ind., to learn the trade of tanner. He lived with this man two and one-half years, and then, receiving a higher offer, went to another tannery in the same place, receiv- ing eight dollars per mouth, and remaining four months. He was then employed on a canal boat from Cincinnati to Larwell for a month, and after a short time spent in travel- ing, he engaged in the trade of tanning for over two years for a number of different em- ployers. Later, he went to Middleton, Ind., and engaged as a tanner for a year, after which he followed the same trade with different men for three years longer. Then, having made some money, he bought a small tannery in Jerome, Howard county, Ind., which he oper- ated one year; his venture being unsuccessful, he was compelled to make an assignment, and found himself in debt aftrr his property had been taken. Subsequently, he came to Dela- ware county, Ind., and worked for thirty dol- lars a month, one-half of which he applied on his debts, keeping the rest for himself, and living very cheaply. He came to Yorktown about that time, where he engaged with Thomas Allen & Co. as a journeyman for three years, when he and Jacob Oerther bought the tannery, and the partnership continued for three years, purchasing his partner's interest at the end of that time, and operating it alone for ten years. He owns the site upon which the tan yards stood, but no vistige of it now remains. While thus engaged Mr. Overmire also conducted a large boot and shoe and har- ness establishment, making up most of the leather he produced. In 1882 he enlarged his business, adding groceries, and his son, L. D. Overmier, before mentioned, was his partner. This partnership existed until 1892, when his son became sole proprietor, and the father, the subject, engaged in the harness business. He also carries gas supplies and fixtures.
Mr. Overmire was president of the first
gas company in Yorktown, and superintendent of the two first gas wells. He served as presi- dent four years, and is now director, treasurer and collector of the company. He was mar- ried in Howard county, Ind., in 1858, to Eliza- beth Sharp, born in Delaware county, July 22, 1840, and daughter of H. B. and Tabitha Sharp. Two children, Lewis D., mentioned elsewhere, and William M., a member of the Yorktown Novelty works, were born of this marriage. Mr. Overmire located in this county in 1862, and has since exerted himself to the advancements and interests of the county. He is a member of lodge No. 345, I. O. O. O., and in politics is an agressive democrat, working with might and main for the success of that party. He is one of the most enterprising and active citizens of York- town. He is also a member of the Muncie encampment, No. 74.
L EWIS D. OVERMIRE .- One of the prominent business men of Yorktown is Lewis D. Overmire, whose name appears at the head of this sketch. He was born in Madison county, Ind., Novem- ber 21, 1861, a son of Henry and Elizabeth Overmire, of whom a sketch appears above. Lewis D. Overmire was only four years of age when his parents came to the village of Yorktown, and here he has spent the greater part of his life. He was educated in the com- mon schools and took a three months' course in the business college at Indianapolis, after which he engaged with a wholesale dry goods establishment for a time in that city, and later entered into partnership with his father in a general mercantile trade in this place. The firm thus constituted continued until June, 1892, when he became the sole owner of the establishment, the business of which is yearly
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growing more profitable, being at this time one of the leading mercantile houses of York- town.
Mr. Overmire married, August 26, 1875, at this place, Miss Emma E. Oerther, born here March 10, 1866, a daughter of Jacob Oerther, whose sketch appears in another part of this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Overmire are the par- ents of two bright children, Gladys M. and Mildred Lucille. Mrs. Overmire is a member of the Methodist church. He is a prominent politician of this place, was postmaster under the last administration of President Cleveland, and votes and works with the democratic party. Fraternally, he is a member of I. O. O. F., No. 345, takes an active interest in the growth and development of his town and county, and in business circles enjoys a reputation much more than local.
EORGE W. PARKISON .- Promi- nent among the representative self made men of Mount Pleasant town- ship is George W. Parkison, who was born in Perry county, Ohio, February 25, 1826, the son of Samuel and Ellen Parkison, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Maryland. Samuel Parkison was by occupa- tion a carpenter and mill-wright, married in Perry county, Ohio, Ellen Mohler, and in 1839 immigrated to Indiana, locating in Dela- ware county, of which he was one of the pioneers. Previous to his settlement in Dela- ware county, he had entered, in 1837, forty acres of land, to which he added, from time to time, until, at the date of his death, he was the possessor of a tract of 220 acres, the greater part of which was under cultivation. He was a hard working man, a very careful farmer, and for a number of years was a lead- ing member of the German Lutheran church;
after coming to Indiana, was a Presbyterian. His wife was also a member of both of these churches, and is remembered as a woman of many excellent parts. Samuel and Ellen Parkison reared a family of eleven children, and departed this life in the years 1856 and 1874, respectively. The following are the names of their children: Eli; Catherine, wife of Emanuel Warfel, of Yorktown; George W., the subject of this mention; Elizabeth, died at the age of thirteen, William J., de- ceased; Samuel; Ellinor, deceased; Anna Maria, deceased; Sarah J., wife of James D. Reynolds, of Yorktown; Harriet, deceased, and Henry C. George W. Parkison was reared amid the active duties of the farm, and received but limited educational advantages, attending the indifferent schools of the coun- try at intervals during the winter season. He remained with his parents until his twenty- first year, at which time he left home and began working for himself for the insignificant sum of seven dollars per month, his principal occupation being that of chopping cord wood. In 1847, he enlisted in company A, Fourth Indiana infantry, for the Mexican war, with which he served until July of the following year, in the meantime accompanying his com- mand to that far off country, and participating in a number of battles. Severing his connec- tion with the army, he returned to Delaware county and engaged in farming, which useful calling he has since continued, and in which he has met with well deserved success, owning at this time nearly 200 acres of valuable land, which is well cultivated, and upon which are to be seen some of the best live stock in Mount Pleasant township. From 1856 to 1860 he held the office of justice of the peace in Mount Pleasant, and in 1861, responded to the country's call for volunteers, enlisting in com- pany A, Eighth Indiana infrantry, of which he was elected first lieutenant shortly after the
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company's organization. He served with his command for a period of only eight months, when he was compelled to resign on account of a severe attack of rheumatism, which rendered him unfit for military duty.
Mr. Parkison was married January 29, 1849, to Eliza J. Beath, who was born in Greene county, Ohio, November 29, 1829, a daughter of John and Martha (Kelly) Beath, natives respectively of Ohio and Kentucky. Ten children were born to this union, seven of whom are living: John B., Samuel E .. Martha E., William W., Thomas B., Harriet E., wife of L. S. Jones; and Orville E., the deceased members of the family are as follows: Charles I., George I., and Oliver P. Mrs. Parkison died May 24, 1868, and on the 10th of Sep- tember, 1870, Mr. Parkison was united in marriage to his present wife, Mary Perdeiu, who was born in Delaware county, April 30, 1839. The latter marriage has resulted in the birth of five children, namely: Clara J., Mabel, George W., Emma K., and Frank L. In politics Mr. Parkison is a democrat, and fraternally belongs to the I. O. O. F., being a member of Yorktown lodge, No. 345.
S AMUEL PARKISON, brother of George W. Parkison, whose sketch appears above, and sixth child of Samuel and Ellen Parkison, was born in Perry county, Ohio, August 29, 1831, and since 1839 has been a citizen of Delaware county, being among its oldest living settlers. Like the majority of country boys, his youth was passed amid the hard labors of the farm, and he distinctly recalls the rude log school house, with its slab benches, puncheon floor and greased paper windows, in which he re- ceived the rudiments of an English education. He assisted his father on the farm until at-
taining his majority, and then began life for himself as a farmer in the township of Mount Pleasant, which had been his home ever since coming to the county. His first purchase of real estate was made in 1857, and later he bought what is known as the Dragoo farm, which is considered by good judges to be among the very best land in the county. He made additional purchases from time to time until he became the possessor of a large amount of real estate, all of which he has dis- posed of with the exception of thirty acres where now resides. He disposed of the most of his land to the Western Improvement com- pany for a valuable consideration, and is now interested in several gas wells, which return him a handsome revenue. December, 1892, Mr. Parkison purchased what was known as the Gilbert farm of 208 acres, on which are extensive stone quarries. This tract joins Mr. Parkison's residence farm on the east, and was formerly known as the Gilbert, and, later, as the Wilson place. In every respect Mr. Parkison has, during his long residence in Delaware county, proved himself to be a straightforward man, a good citizen, and he numbers his friends by the score through- out Mount Pleasant and other townships. He is a republican in politics, but has never aspired to official position, and be- longs to the I. O. O. F. fraternity, his mem- bership being with lodge No. 345, Yorktown, and Muncie encampment, No. 30. In religion he is a zealous member of the Methodist Epis- copal church.
Mr. Parkison was married February 24, 1885, in Mount Pleasant township, to Miss Eliza J. Neely, who was born in Delaware county, Ind., November 23, 1837, the daugh- ter of John and Sarah (Diltz) Neely. To this union were born five children, whose names are as follows: Emma C., deceased; Isaac N .; John A .; Oliver P. deceased, and Joseph A.
Samuel Surkison
WM. PITTSER.
MRS. ELMA PITTSER.
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Parkison. The mother, a most estimable woman, departed this life on the 2d day of March, 1880, and in October of the same year Mr. Parkison's second marriage was consum- mated with Mrs. Margaret Reed, daughter of Peter Keiger, of Madison county, Ind. One child, Lua, whose birth occurred July 20, 1883, is the fruit of this union.
ILLIAM PITTSER .- To the sturdy pioneers of the county too much praise cannot be given in a general sense, and in a special sense is this true concerning the late William Pittser and his most estimable widow, Elma Pittser. The Pittser family came to Delaware county in 1831 and settled in Salem township. They assisted in clearing the forest and causing to issue therefrom beautiful farms. William Pittser was a native of Ohio, born February 18, 1823, and died in Mount Pleasant town- ship, Delaware county, Ind., August 15, 1889, on the farm which he cut from the unbroken wood and upon which he had lived since April, 1849. His entire life was devoted to agricul- tural pursuits, and he was always considered one of the leading farmers of Mount Pleasant township. He was a student of the early schools of the community, which he attended during the mid-winter season. He grew up on his father's farm, where he remained until 1849, or two years after his marriage, which occurred January 17, 1847, to Miss Elma Van Matre. At the time of his death he owned 160 acres of fine land in the western part of Mount Pleasant township. The eighty acres upon which the substantial residence stands was entered by the father of Mrs. Pittser, David Van Matre. In politics Mr. Pittser cast his right of suffrage with the interests of the republican party. He was a member of
the Methodist Protestant church. Through his death Delaware county lost one of her best citizens. His father, Matthias Pittser, was born in Pennsylvania, February 15, 1781, and died in Mount Pleasant township, this county, November 18, 1869, and his wife; Sarah Jane Pittser, was born in Ohio May 4, 1789, and died in this county in 1867. They were industrious, hard working people, and respected wherever known.
Mrs. Elma Pittser was born in Salem township, this county, October 1, 1827, and all her life has resided in this county, and since 1849 on the farm where she now lives. She is one of the old settlers of this county, and is a woman known far and wide for her many good qualities. David Van Matre, from Ohio, father of Mrs. Pittser, was one of the early settlers of this county, and died in Salem township December 21, 1882. The mother of Mrs. Pittser was Maria Van Matre, who was born in Ohio and died in Salem township in December, 1882 To omit from the bio- graphical record of Delaware county a notice of these two old and highly respected families would be a wrong to the pioneers and an in- justice to the community.
3 OSEPH H. RICE, one of the intelli- gent young business men of the thriving town of Yorktown, Delaware county, Ind., was born in Higginsport, Brown county, Ohio, February 12, 1858, a son of Joseph and Martha (Goetz) Rice, natives of Baden, Germany. The father, on coming to the United States, located in Brown county, Ohio, where he remained until his death, which occurred in September, 1876. He was by trade a professional cook and baker, which calling he followed during the greater part of his life. Ten children were born to Joseph
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and Martha Rice, only five of whom reached the age of maturity. The mother found a home with her daughter in Higginsport after the death of the father of the family, who had been a man of honest life and industrious habits. In religion they were Catholics, and in politics he was a republican.
Joseph H. Rice was reared in the usual manner of farmer lads, and early in life was taught the principles of economy, which he has applied in his later life, and has grown to be one of the most respected and esteemed business men of this locality. He received some educational advantages, and at the age of twenty-one enlisted in the regular army, entering company I, Seventeenth infantry, for a period of five years, and was sent out to the plains to do garrison duty. After his discharge, he farmed for one year, and then removed to Higginsport, where he engaged in the dry goods and grocery trade, which business he continued until January 4, 1892, when he closed out and moved to Yorktown and opened up his business here. At his present location Mr. Rice has a very nice store, well stocked with salable merchandise, including dry goods, groceries, gentlemen's and ladies' furnishing goods. He was married at Muncie, in this county, June 24, 1882, to Miss Linnie E. Williamson, born in Yorktown, March 25, 1861, daughter of William and Martha (Dragoo) Williamson, of Brown county, Ohio. Two bright boys have been born of this mar- riage, Edgar and Eugene. They are of the spiritualistic faith, and politically, Mr. Rice is a democrat.
0 R. DAVID M. SHIVELY, a success- ful physician of Yorktown, son of Michael and Keziah (Laboyteaux) Shively, was born on the 25th day of September, 1840, in Henry county, Ind. His
father was a native of Kentucky, and his mother of Ohio, in Hamilton county of which state they were married in the year 1830. In 1831 Michael and Keziah Shively removed to New Castle, Ind., where they resided until Mrs. Shively's death, which occurred November 12, 1860. Mr. Shively, in 1885, removed to Wells county, Ind., where he is now living a life of retirement. He has been a very successful man, and bore his full share in developing the county of Henry, which, upon the time of his arrival, over sixty years ago, was in a very primitive state. He walked from Hamilton county, Ohio, to Indianapolis for the purpose of entering his land, and his accumulation- of property, in after years, was entirely the result of his own efforts. In an early day he achieved considerable note as a hunter, and it is stated, upon good authority, that he shot the only bear ever killed in Henry county. In early life he worked at the wheelwright trade, but after coming to Indiana devoted his entire at- tention to the pursuit of agriculture. He has always been a democrat in his political affilia- tions, and religiously subscribes to the creed of Universalism. Of the ten children born to Michael and Keziah Shively, five are living at this time, namely: Catherine, wife of Frank Roof; Peter, David M., Naomi and Mary Ann, wife of William May.
David M. Shively was reared to agriculural pursuits, and his early educational advan- tages were limited to the common schools, which he attended only during the winter sea- son. He made up for the early deficiency in his early education by attending the schools of New Castle for the greater part of five years, and while pursuing his studies, formed a de- termination of entering the medical profession. He began the study of the same under the instruction of Dr. Ray, of New Castle, in whose office he remained for one year, at the end of which time, owing to circumstances
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over which he had no control, was compelled to discontinue his reading and engage in other pursuits. Naturally skillful, he turned his at- tention to blacksmithing, and for nearly three years worked at that trade in Blountsville, in Henry county, pursuing his professional read- ing in the mean time. Subsequently, he established a shop of his own, which he oper- ated for eight months and then went to New Castle and accepted a position with Michael Swigert, a well known mechanic of that place, with whom he worked for a limited period. His next move was to Middletown, where he effected a copartnership in the blacksmith business with Jacob A. Good, which continued for three years, when he disposed of his inter- est and removed to Mechanicsburg, where he followed the trade for two months, locating at the end of that time in Middletown. Later, he moved to the town of Epworth, Iowa, where he carried on his trade for a short time, and then, returning to Indiana, became a member of the firm of Shively & Fisher, at New Castle, where he remained for two years. During all the time that he worked at his trade, he never, for a moment, abandoned the idea of entering the medical profession, but continued his study of the same as circum- stances would admit. After disposing of his mechanical business at New Castle, he entered the Physio-Medical institute, at Cincinnati. in which he took a full course and then located, in 1874, at Yorktown, where he began the active practice of his profession, and, after a short residence here, moved to Carthage, Rush county, where he resided for a limited period, and then returned to Yorktown, where his skill as a physician has been attested by a large and lucrative practice in Mount Pleasant and ad- joining townships of Delaware and Madison counties.
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