USA > Indiana > Newton County > A standard history of Jasper and Newton counties, Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume II > Part 28
USA > Indiana > Jasper County > A standard history of Jasper and Newton counties, Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume II > Part 28
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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
In 1877 Mr. Jensen was married in Norway to Caroline Larsen, and eleven children have been born to thetn: Jens O., Alexander L., Marie, wife of Joseph P. Hammond; Thomas, Louis, Laura, wife of Earl Dorner; Morton, deceased ; Charles, Hulda, Ita and Enga, the last named being deceased. Mr. Jensen is a member of the Church of the Latter Day Saints.
THOMAS JENSEN. As a successful business man of Wheatfield, Thomas Jensen, third son of Englebret and Caroline (Larsen) Jensen, occupies a foremost place and is influential in local politics and in all that concerns the welfare of this community. He was born at Chicago, Illinois, November 12, 1883, and was an infant when brought to Wheatfield by his parents. With the exception of three years during which he lived at Rensselaer, he has been a resident of this place and after his school days were over, he became a clerk in a drug store and continued faithful in that capacity for sixteen years and then embarked in business for himself. In 1912 he opened his general mercantile store here and through courtesy, good judgment and upright methods of doing business, has met with
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very satisfactory results and is a leading merchant of the place. Ile has always been a republican in his political views, enjoys the con- fidence of his party and has served in the office of city clerk.
On September 25, 1910, Mr. Jensen was united in marriage with Miss Beatrice Langdon, a highly educated lady who had been an acceptable teacher in the public schools of Jasper County. Mr. and Mrs. Jensen have one son, Thomas Arden. They are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are well known also in the pleasant social life of Wheatfield. Mr. Jensen is identified with the Masonic fraternity.
NATHAN T. KEENE. The State of Ohio has made large con- tributions to the good citizenship of Indiana, and all through Jasper County may be found prosperous farmers and prominent business men whose ancestry leads back to the Buckeye State. The Keene family came from Ohio, and afterward, as before, proved people of worth and high character and for fifty years Jasper County has profited by their industry and influence, and Wheatfield Township has no better nor more substantial citizens.
Nathan T. Keene, a prosperous general farmer of Wheatfield Township, was born in Ohio and when quite young was brought to Indiana by his parents. They settled in Tippecanoe County and there he grew to manhood on his father's farm. He married Mary Elsea and in 1865 they came to Jasper County and settled first on a farm in Jordan Township and from there removed to Wheatfield Township in 1880, where ever since Mr. Keene has been engaged in agricultural pursuits.
Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Keene: Mary Malinda, wife of Gordon Hendrickson of Wheatfield, Indiana ; Albert S., who is in business at Wheatfield; Saralı Elizabeth, who married L. C. Asher, is a farmer in Kankakee Township; Harriet Ardella, who died when three years old; Clara Christina and James Nathan. The youngest son was born September 18, 1874, married Edna D. Jessup and resides at Wheatfield.
ALBERT S. KEENE. Until he was three years old, Albert S. Keene, eldest son of Nathan T. and Mary (Elsea) Keene, lived in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, where he was born July 21, 1862, in a log cabin then standing on his father's farm. From the above age he grew up in Jasper County, during boyhood attending the district school when opportunity offered although his advantages were comparatively quite limited, school facilities in those days being but poorly developed. He gave his father assistance on the farm and gained a reputation as a careful farmer and stockraiser and for three years prior to 1892, engaged also in the business of drilling wells.
In March, 1892, Mr. Keene moved to Wheatfield and embarked in the furniture and undertaking business, which line he still con-
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tinues, additionally conducting a harness business. These enter- prises are all carried on with business integrity and Mr. Keene enjoys the confidence of the entire public.
On November 3, 1891, Mr. Keene was united in marriage with Miss Mary Gushwa, who was also born in Tippecanoe County, a daughter of William Gushwa, who still survives and in his ninety- second year is the most venerable resident of Goodland. To Mr. and Mrs. Keene eight children have been born: William A., Lottie Amelia, Burl Henry, Dora Irene, Bernard LeRoy, Clarence, Bernice and Paul, all surviving except Bernice, who died at the age of seven years. As far back as the family can be traced its religious member- ship has been with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Equally so have the men of the family been republicans in their political con- nection, ever since the formation of the republican party. Mr. Keene has been active and influential in the party ever since locating at Wheatfield and has almost continuously held public office. He served for two terms as assessor of the Wheatfield Township and is now serving in his third term as township trustec, his continu- ance in office indicating the high degree of public confidence placed in his honesty and efficiency. He belongs to a number of fraternal organizations, these including the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen and the Foresters, all in Wheatfield.
EDWARD HESS. It was nearly sixty-five years ago that the branch of the Hess family to which Edward Hess belongs came into the wilderness of Newton County. Mr. Edward Hess has spent practically all his life in this one community and has found many opportunities to be useful and do good. A satisfying prosperity has rewarded his efforts as an agriculturist, and he has also lent his aid and encouragement to movements closely associated with the public welfare.
He was born April 22, 1848, in Ross County, Ohio, northeast of Chillicothe, a son of David and Elizabeth (Lyons) Hess. In 1852 the family journeyed from Ross County and made settlement in that portion of Jasper County, which is now Newton County, and in Iroquois Township.
David and Elizabeth Hess were fine types of pioneers. David Hess died in Newton County, December 5, 1884, and his wife passed away August 4, 1914. Both are now at rest in the Brook Cemetery. On coming to Newton County David Hess bought a tract of eiglity acres of land half a mile north and half a mile east of Brook, paying $1.25 an acre and getting a Government patent signed by Franklin Pierce, then President of the United States. This land is still owned by Edward Hess, and has thus never been out of the family possession since it was acquired from the Gov- ernment. David Hess was a very energetic farmer. He was a big man, both in body and heart, was straightforward, read his Bible, practiced Christianity and was a good, clean, honest citizen. In
Mrs Edward Bless Ordward Ness
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politics he was a republican, and once filled the office of township supervisor. He and his wife had five children: Sophia, who died young; Edward; Sherman, deceased, who married Esther J. Dain ; John, who died young; John L., now deceased, married Matilda Crisler, and left two children named Alma and Eva.
Edward Hess grew up on his father's farm, gained an education in the public schools such as existed in Iroquois Township fifty or sixty years ago, and made farming his principal vocation.
On October 6, 1876, he married Lenora More, a daughter of William A. and Eliza (Dryer) More. Her parents were natives of Barry County, Michigan, and were of German descent. Mrs. Hess was born in Barry County, Michigan, September 20, 1851, the fifth born of her parents' six children, two sons and four daughters, but only two of this large family of children are now living, Mrs. Iless and her brother William L., the latter a farmer of Barry County. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Hess, William Louis, who was born on the 26th of October, 1877, died on the 14th of November, 1897. He had completed the studies of the eighth grade of the common schools and was a student at Westfield College in Illinois when he became ill, and he died at his parents' home. He was a young man highly respected by all who knew him.
In 1899 Mr. Hess retired from the active management of the farm and has since lived in Brook. He has performed his share of duties in politics and in public affairs and has frequently been a delegate to republican conventions. Altogether he gave six years to the office of township trustee. He was first elected in 1884 and served two years, and again filled the office from 1900 to 1904. Ile was township trustee when the Brook schoolhouse was built. He has many times served as viewer on roads and ditches and has done a great deal in promoting the building and improvement of roads and ditches in his county. In a business way with his and his brother Sherman's success is represented by the ownership of about , 430 acres of land in Iroquois Township and some town property. He is also a director and stockholder in the Brook Terra Cotta Tile & Brick Company, and has used not a little of the product of this company in tiling his own land. Mr. Hess and wife are members of the United Brethren Church at Brook and he has served as trustee and treasurer. They have two of the old parchment deeds signed by President Franklin Pierce and dated April 15, 1853, which are valuable heirlooms in their home, and which are two of only five found in both Jasper and Newton counties.
AMOS AGATE. It will soon be forty years since Amos Agate established his home in Newton County and it was in this locality that he won his material prosperity and his active years have not been unaccompanied by useful service in the advancement of com- munity welfare.
Mr. Agate is an Englishman by birth and was born in Sussex-
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shire, November 18, 1849, a son of William aud Mary ( Holden) Agate. When lie was seven years of age his family came to America in 1856, and settled in the country district some twenty or thirty miles from Chicago but in Cook County, Illinois, near Orland. The parents spent the rest of their lives there and are buried in the Orland Cemetery.
It was as a country boy in Cook County that Mr. Agate spent his youth, attended the local schools, and made his first venture and his profits from farming. In 1876 he was united in marriage with Sarah Ann Nichols, who was born in Cambridgeshire, England, October 23, 1845, the fourth of the seven children, three sons and four daughters, born to William and Sarah (Jones) Nichols, but only two of this large family of children are living, Mrs. Agate and her brother Frank, who resides in Missouri. The parents are also deceased. Mrs. Agate was only five years of age when she came with her parents to the United States from her native land. After leaving the common schools she attended the Cook County Normal, and was a successful teacher for four years, having taught seven terms in one district. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Brook.
In 1877, the year following his marriage, Mr. Agate came to Newton County and established his home in the southern part of Jackson Township. He was at that time young and vigorous, enter- prising and ambitious, and soon had a considerable tract of land under cultivation and devoted to the raising of good grades of stock. HIe still owns that farm of 160 acres in Jackson Township, and also has a half interest in 170 acres in Michigan. His own farm has been well tiled and it is still one of the model stock farms of the county and is under the management of his son. In 1903 Mr. Agate retired from active farming and has since lived in Brook, where he owns some town property.
He and his wife have two children : Ralph Holden, who com- pleted his education at Rochester, Indiana, and is now secretary and treasurer of the Southern Industrial Institute at Lafayette, Indiana, a state institution ; by his marriage to Charlotte Rice he has a son Ralph Holden Agate, Jr. Lester William, the second son, conducts the home farm in Jackson Township, and married Charlotte Eaton.
Mr. Agate in politics might be classed as a stand pat republican. He has rendered considerable service to the town community of Brook, and was active in securing the establishment of waterworks. He has served as supervisor, and at one time was candidate for sheriff, being defeated by twenty-two votes. For about two years he served as deputy sheriff, and during two terms of the legislature he served as doorkeeper of Senate. In 1912 he was appointed by the county board or county assessor of Newton County, and served the unexpired term. For three years he has been a member of the town board of Brook and has been a committeeman both in Brook
anna E. Freshman
John Rolashwane
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and in Jackson Township. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias Lodge.
JOHN R. HERSHMAN. There are in every community men of great force of character who by reason of their capacity for leader- ship become recognized as foremost citizens and bear a most import- ant part in public affairs. Such a man at Brook is John R. Hersh- man, who, now retired from the active supervision of his interests as a farmer, is serving the people of his township as trustee, and who in the course of a long and active carcer has many times stepped aside from his private interests in order to assume the obligations imposed upon public spirited citizens.
He was born in Benton County, Indiana, November 23, 1848, a son of Jacob and Mary (Edmondson ) Hershman, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Tennessee. The Hershmans were of German stock and Jacob Hershman moved to Indiana about 1840, first locating in Hamilton County, afterwards in Benton, later in White County, and in 1868 established his home in Iroquois Town- ship of Newton County. He was a hard working industrious citizen, provided well for his family, was of conservative temper, and was a valued member of his community. He followed farming in New- ton County until be removed to Brook, where he resided till his death, on March 18, 1903, and he is buried in the Brook Cemetery. His wife passed away March 18, 1908. In politics Jacob Hershman was a republican and was a member of the Methodist Church. His children are: George W., who died as a soldier in the Civil war, at Shiloh. Tennessee; John R .; William H., who now lives at Tipton, Indiana, was for ten years county superintendent of schools in Newton County ; Jennie, who married Newton Lyons and lives in Brook; Francis M., now deceased; Sarah and Solinda, twins, the former the wife of James Hoach of Chicago Heights, Illinois, and the latter the wife of Thomas Gratner, also a resident of Chicago Heights.
John R. Hershman grew to manhood on the old farm, in White County, and came to Newton County at the age of nineteen. He was one of the leading agriculturists in Iroquois Township until 1903, when he retired and moved to Brook.
On September 13, 1871, he married Anna E. Lyons, a daughter of John and Anna (Jones) Lyons, and a sister of the late Aaron Lyons, who was the first white child born in what is now Newton County. Mrs. Hershman was also a first cousin of John B. Lyons, the well known stockman and banker at Brook. Mrs. Hershman died September 5, 1907, being survived by two children : Ray E., the older, is a member of the firm of Lyons & Hershman, hardware merchants at Brook, and was a member of the library board that built the Brook Library. By his marriage to Elizabeth Saylor he has three children named John E., Helen R. and Harold S. Lloyd L. the other son, is in the furniture and undertaking business at Brook.
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He married Effie Rolls, and their two children are Gladys and Naomi.
Mr. and Mrs. Hershman not only reared their own family but also cured for and educated two other children. Joseph Dunn, who was taken into their home when a lad of ten years, received a good common-school training. He died in 1882, at the age of sixteen years, and was buried in the Brook Cemetery. Edna Moran, to whom they gave the name of Hershman, took the teachers' course at the Terre Haute Normal and afterward successfully taught in Newton County. She also attended college at Rochester, Indiana, and while a student there met Charles M. Gibbons, whom she afterward married, and they reside in Chicago. They have two children : Lesta, who graduated from the Chicago public schools, and Paul, who is a member of the sixth grade. Mr. and Mrs. Gibbons are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Hershman has been elected five different times to the office of township trustec. In the carlier years he was elected for the regular two year term and was elected in 1800, 1882, 1890, and in 1894, and he also served from 1894 to 1900 on account of his suc- cessor elect in office having moved out of the county. In 1914 he was elected to the same office for the four year term. He also served several years as a member of the county council. He was president of the Brook school board about eight years, and has been one of the progressive men favoring and working for such substantial improvements as good roads and ditches. He served as viewer on many gravel roads, and he was one of the viewers on the first gravel road ever built in the county, the Lincoln Township gravel road, that being the first modern highway in Newton County. In politics he has always been identified with the republican party, has filled all the chairs in the Brook Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is a member of the Brook Lodge of the Knights of Pythias, and he filled all the chairs of the order, and was secretary of the Masonic Lodge for several years. He has been a steward in the Methodist Episcopal Church for about forty years, and his wife belonged to the same faith. In earlier years he taught several terms of district school, and has accepted every opportunity to raise the standards of the public schools in his county. Mr. Hershman among other interests owns about 230 acres of farming land and has some town property.
HORACE MALCOLM CLARK. The energy and enterprise pertain- ing to youth are valuable assets in any business. Experience undoubtedly brings wisdom but it often also has the effect of dampen- ing ardor and making effort seem less worth while. The business demand on every hand is for youth, with its strength, its enthusiasms, its ambitions. In the great cities all over the country in which non- employment often becomes a menace, it is usually the experienced man of middle age is set aside for the young man. There are
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limitations, of course, and certain qualifications demanded, but in these modern days, a public school education and a course in the state university, is recognized as a fine equipment for almost any vocation. No less is this true when a choice is made in the agricul- tural field. The educated young man has every advantage, and if his tastes incline in this direction, his future will be assured as perhaps in no other line of business. One of the well known young farmers and ranchers of Jasper County, Indiana, to whom the above remarks might apply, is Horace Malcolm Clark, whose agricul- tural interests in this section arc extensive.
Horace Malcolm Clark was born at Crown Point, Indiana, November 4, 1892, and is a son of Guy D. and Berenice ( Marble) Clark. His paternal grandfather was William Clark, and his maternal was Horace Marble, the latter, during life being one of the most prominent men of Northern Jasper County.
Until he was nine years old, Horace M. Clark lived at Crown Point, and since then at or in the vicinity of Wheatfield. His primary education was secured therefore in his birthplace and later he attended school at Wheatfield and at Rensselaer, subsequently taking a course in the Indiana State University at Bloomington. When eighteen years of age he became assistant cashier of the Bank of Wheatfield, satisfactorily filling this responsible position for eighteen months. Finding the banking field not to his taste, Mr. Clark then turned his attention in the direction in which he has shown a large measure of good judgment, not only in the man- agement of his own extensive improved farm of 200 acres, but in managing the large marble ranch and in looking after other of his mother's real estate.
On June 25, 1913, Mr. Clark was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Virginia Spitler, who is a daughter of Hon. Charles G. Spitler, of Rensselaer, Indiana.
In politics Mr. Clark is a sturdy republican. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons, Knights of Pythias and Modern Wood- men and retains also his connection with the Phi Delta Theta, his Greek letter college society. Both he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. Their social circle is wide and their hospitable home is often the scene of pleasant functions because of their general popularity.
JOHN A. SIGLER. The connection of John A. Sigler with the farming and stock raising interests of Jasper County has made him widely known among the citizens of this section and is one of those who has done much to advance the great growth and development in the county during the past forty years. His best work has been done either in merchandising or in managing the soil and looking after live stock, and he is now regarded as one of the most sub- stantial of the older residents of Jasper County. His home is at Vol. II-16
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DeMotte, and in that section of Jasper County his name is too familiar to require extended introduction.
While his home for many years has been on the south side of the Kankakee River, he was born to the north of that stream in Lake County, Indiana, August 21, 1846, a son of Eli and Mary (Cornish) Sigler. The family are of German stock. Both parents died at Hebron in Porter County, and are laid to rest there. Four of their eight children are still living. Eli Sigler was for many years a merchant at Hebron. In politics he was a republican, but made no effort to gain election to any office. His wife was very much interested in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
John A. Sigler is one of the youngest veterans of the great Civil war. Only a boy at the time, he enlisted in January, 1864, in Company I of the Fifth Indiana Cavalry, and subsequently was made a member of the Sixth Cavalry. He was in service about eighteen months, participated in some of the most sterling campaigns which brought to a triumphant conclusion the great conflict between the North and the South, and was finally mustered out at Indianapolis in August, 1865. In the meantime he had attended the local schools, and not long after the war he established a general store at Kouts Station. He was also connected with the hardware business at Hebron several years, but in 1873 moved to Jasper County, and bought a quarter section of land from Judge Thompson. Selling that, he then lived in Kansas for four years, but returning to Indiana established his new home on land situated a mile and a half west of DeMotte. He finally sold that, and has since lived in the Village of DeMotte, near which place he owns 240 acres, while his wife has forty acres. Most of this land is now operated by renter, but at an earlier time Mr. Sigler was very successful in the breeding and raising of cattle, hogs, sheep and poultry. He is one of the men who have been prospered in Jasper County and his individual example has had much to do with other development along the same line.
In politics he is a Lincoln republican, but has had no aspirations for office. In August, 1869, he married Miss Allie M. Gregg.
TUNIS SNIP. One of the most prosperous members of the little community of Holland people in Keener Township is Tunis Snip, who has farming property there that might well be the envy of many less successful and energetic farmers, and whose good citizen- ship has been evidenced in many ways for the betterment of the community. Mr. Snip has lived in Jasper County more than twenty years. His home farm is in section 30, consisting of 158.8 acres, while in section 34 he owns another tract of 80 acres.
While his parents, John and Nellie (Blom) Snip, were both born in North Holland, Tunis Snip was born in the City of Chicago only a few years after the parents emigrated to this country. The family came to America in 1853, and after landing in New York
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City went west to Chicago, and located near Pullman, where John Snip was a farmer until his death in 1881. Hle survived his wife about two years, and both are buried in the Greenwood Cemetery at Morgan Park. In politics he was a republican after taking out American citizenship papers, but was never in any official position. There were three children : William, Gerrit, and Tunis. The son Gerrit now lives in Barton County, Missouri, and is a prosperous cattle dealer. By his marriage to Kate Milder, he has the follow- ing children: Nellie, deceased; Cornelius; Anga: John; Julius : Auretta ; and William. Gerrit was born in Holland and was about two years of age when the parents came to America. William, the oldest, was five years old when he came to the United States. He is now deceased. By his first marriage to Annie Deboy he had five children, named Jennie, John, Leonard, Nellie, and Dinah. His second wife was Fannie Brownsma, and the three children of this union, all still living, are Robert, Gerrit, and William.
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