USA > Indiana > Kosciusko County > A standard history of Kosciusko County, Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development. A chronicle of the people with family lineage and memoirs, Volume II > Part 11
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Charles A. Kintzel grew up on his father's farm, but was reared principally in the home of his grandparents and uncles. He had a common school education, and on January 3, 1891, he married Minnie B. Silvius. She was born in Etna Township March 3, 1873, daughter of Jacob and Emma (Hershner) Silvius. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Kintzel lived for a time on the Silvius farm, and then moved to another place, which they occupied for a time, following
G. G. Malahun Cars G. a. MEGlure
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which they bought the eighty acres where they still reside. Mr. Kint- zel gave all his time to his farming and stock raising until elected to the office of sheriff in 1910. His term of service ran until January 1, 1915, at which time he returned to the farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Kintzel have one daughter, Erma C., born October 2, 1899, and now a student in the Indiana Central University at In- dianapolis, specializing in music. The family are members of the United Brethren Church. Mr. Kintzel is affiliated with the Warsaw Lodge of Odd Fellows, and is a republican, and has served as county chairman of his party.
G. A. MCCLURE. Kosciusko County has few large farms in the sense of states further west, and the possession of a section of land here gives its owner special distinction. During the past seventy or eighty years some of the largest and choicest tracts of farm land in the county have been owned by the McClures. One of this fam- ily is G. A. MeClure, widely known as proprietor of the Bonnie Brae's Stock Farm, consisting of 600 acres, located three miles west of Silver Lake in Seward Township.
Before further mention of Mr. McClure and his activities it is proper to take up the career of his honored father, the late Elias McClure, whose experiences furnish material for almost a chapter of valuable history of this locality.
Elias McClure was born in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, Jan- ary 18, 1813, a son of Samuel and Eliza (Edwards) McClure, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Scotland. After the death of Samuel McClure the widowed mother took her two sons, Elias and Robert E., to Ontario County, New York, and there she married a second husband. Largely on account of the early death of his father Elias MeClure became dependent upon his own re- sources when a very small boy. He worked on a farm at $3 a month, and when this wage was increased to $14 it was the highest sum paid in that locality for farm labor. In the meantime he gained his edu- cation by the most strenuous efforts and self denial. While attend- ing district schools he did chores for his board, these chores includ- ing the milking of 12 cows, the feeding of 150 head of cattle and attending to several teams night and morning. At the age of four- teen he had become a capitalist. He loaned his employer $102, and soon afterwards experienced a sample of ingratitude when, hav- ing met with an accident and broken both his legs, he was thrown upon the care of the town, since his employer failed to repay the loan. He gradually worked back and accumulated several hundred dollars.
Elias McClure first came to Kosciusko County in 1837, and en- tered 440 acres. This land was chiefly in Seward Township. Three months later he went to Michigan and from there returned to New York and spent one year as a student in an academy. He was well educated. and taught school several winter terms, working on farms during the summer.
In 1840 Elias McClure married Miss Mary Freeman, who was
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born at Rochester, New York, when that city contained only three houses. Her birth occurred September 30, 1822. After his mar- riage Elias MeClure rented a farm for four years, but in 1844 brought his wife and two sons, Andrew E. and Gideon C., to Kos- ciusko County, and they followed the lake and river route as far as Wabash and from there attempted to come overland with wagon and team. The roads were in a deplorable condition, and both he and his wife walked most of the way, carrying a child, and for miles they were in mud and water up to their knees. They spent one night at the home of a settler, and such was the scarcity of money in those days Elias MeClure did not have enough to pay the nominal sum of 25 cents charged for his lodging. But he kept the debt in mind and promptly paid it some weeks later when he met his enter- tainer at a honse raising. Arriving at his own land in section 3 of Seward Township, Elias McClure erected a simple log cabin, which at first contained neither doors nor windows. With various modi- fications and improvements this house sheltered the family for twenty-three years. Not a little prejudice existed against Elias Me- Clure because he was a Yankee, and some of the neighbors expressed themselves as sorry that a lazy Yankee had come into the community instead of a good honest Dutchman. The first team he ever had consisted of a yoke of cattle and when one of the steers died this prejndice against the Yankee found expression, and it was diffi- cult for him to get credit for another animal. But in the course of years this prejudice died down because he was not only extremely industrious but was honest and scrupulous to the last penny. His hard work rapidly broadened the area of cultivation surrounding his pioneer home, and his increasing prosperity enabled him to ac- cumulate land until at one time he was the owner of 3,000 acres. In 1867 he moved his family across the road from the old log house into a commodious and comfortable frame building. While he was always extremely adverse to holding any political office, he was devoted to the welfare of the locality and its moral and religious advancement. For a number of terms he served as trustee of Se- ward Township.
At the time of his death, January 1, 1906. Elias McClnre was one of the oldest men in Kosciusko County. He lacked only seven years in reaching the century mark in life. His good wife passed away January 20, 1892. They had a large family of children named Andrew E., Gideon C., Phoebe E., Emma A., Mary, Gain A., Alma and Plunket. Both Andrew and Gideon were soldiers of the Union army and were captured. Andrew returned home, hut Gideon was practically starved to death while a prisoner at Andersonville.
It was in the old log home of his father in section 3 of Seward Township that G. A. McCInre was born October 4, 1858. Of his brothers and sisters only two are now living, Phoebe, wife of F. M. Jacques, of Lake Township, and Alma, wife of Levi Yount, of Se- ward Township.
Mr. McClure grew up on the home farm, and besides the dis- triet schools spent three years in high school. He has always been
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identified with farming and stock raising, and usually on a large scale. He is well known as a breeder of Polled Durham and Short- horn cattle, and the stock that grows to maturity on his farm com- mands a ready sale, not only at the commercial markets but with the farmers and stock men who desire such blood for breeding pur- poses. Mr. McClure is a stanch republican, and was trustee of Se- ward Township in 1903-04. His splendidly adapted farm of 600 acres is all in one body, and its improvements and facilities are of the very best. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren Church.
Mr. MeClure married Zadie V. Light, daughter of Peter S. and Jerusha (Garvin) Light. Mrs. McClure's maternal grandfather, James Garvin, came to Seward Township in 1835, and Jerusha Gar- vin was the first white child born in that township. Her birth occurred September 30, 1839. Jerusha Garvin and Peter S. Light were married November 12, 1857. Of their four children only two are now living, Mrs. McClure and Minerva J., of Peru, Indiana. James Garvin became a prominent man in this county, was a repre- sentative in the Legislature during 1849-50 and was a leader in the democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. Garvin were very religious people, belonging to the Baptist Church, and in early days opened their house for worship until the people were able to erect churches.
Joseph W. Light, an old and respected pioneer of Kosciusko County, was born in Virginia, August 25, 1803. He with his parents came to Ohio in mere childhood and there he grew to manhood. He was married, September 24, 1829, to Martha Dunn, a native of Ohio, born in 1808. To this union were born seven children: Rachel, Simmion, Peter S., Ruben, Virginia and America (twins), and one child that died in infancy. Virginia, now Mrs. William Banning of Marion, Michigan, is the only one of the family living. Mr. Light with his family moved to Kosciusko County, Indiana, in 1843, and bought 320 acres of land in Tippecanoe Township.
Having learned the carpenter trade in his youth and not liking agricultural work he followed his profession. He was a master me- chanie of his day and could make anything in wood and was called all over the county to build the better houses. He and his wife were members of the Baptist Church at Oswego and he was a deacon in the church. He was a stanch republican and filled at different times some minor offices. He was a lover of his country and named his twins after his native state and country.
Martha Light, his wife, departed this life November 17, 1865, and he died January 12, 1880.
Mr. and Mrs. McClure have one daughter, Theressa, born Febru- ary 28, 1890, and a graduate of St. Mary of the Woods near Terre Haute. She is now the wife of George Davis of Philadelphia. Be- sides their own daughter Mr. and Mrs. McClure reared an adopted daughter, Mabel L. Sailors, from the age of nine years. She is also a graduate of St. Mary of the Woods and of the local high school and is now a student of the State University of Indiana.
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JOSEPH M. GASKILL, of Etna Township, has done much to train and educate the boys and girls of this county and those of other sec- tions of the state .. He has been almost a lifelong teacher, and quali- fied for that profession after a youth in which he was denied many of the advantages of school. Mr. Gaskill is also a farmer, and has a well improved place of eighty acres a mile east and four miles north of Etna Green.
He was born at an old log house that is still standing on his farm on March 22, 1860, a son of John P. and Anna (Shively) Gaskill. His parents were both born in Stark County, Ohio, his father Febru- ary 29, 1820, and his mother May 19, 1829. His father died March 10, 1879, at the age of fifty-nine, and his mother on October 10, 1913, aged eighty-five. After their marriage in Stark County they lived for a time in Williams County, Ohio, then went to Marshall County, Indiana, and in 1850 located on the land now owned by their son in Etna Township. The mother was an active member of the Dunk- ard Church, while the father was of Quaker faith. His name appears on the official list of the township as a trustee. A brief record of the children is as follows: Charles W., a farmer in Kosciusko County ; Priscilla, widow of William Huffer, living northwest of Plymouth; Isaac C., a twin, and one died in infancy; Joseph M .; John M., who died at the age of four years; and Hannah L.
Joseph M. Gaskill grew up on the home farm, and until he was seventeen years of age had most limited privileges even in the district schools. Most of his education he acquired out of a spelling book, and in that branch of the literary art became so proficient that in spelling schools far and near he became recognized as one of the most redoubtable performers. Later he secured books, read and studied at home, and at the age of nineteen began applying his meager resources to a higher education. He secured a license to teach school, and in the intervals of teaching attended Valparaiso University a number of terms and also the Plymouth Normal. There has been practically no year in the past thirty when he has not taught part of the time. For nine years he was principal of the Etna Green schools, taught thirty-five years in the country schools of Etna Township, and has also taught in Marshall County.
July 5, 1888. Mr. Gaskill married Myrtle Leffel. She was born near Etna Green, March 29, 1868, a daughter of Joseph and Eliza- beth (Baker) Leffel. Mrs. Gaskill attended public schools at Etna Green when Mr. Gaskill was her teacher. Their only child died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Gaskill are members of the Christian Church at Etna Green. Mr. Gaskill is a Past Noble Grand of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows and was formerly identified with the Encampment. In politics he is a republican. For a number of years he held the office of justice of the peace and has served as president of the Board of Trustees of Etna Green, and also treasurer and secretary of the town corporation.
NOBLE W. NEFF is an able young veterinary surgeon living at Milford Junction, and continues the work which was his father's
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chosen vocation. The Neffs are an old and prominent family of Kosciusko and Elkhart counties, and the name has been identified with farming, the professional life and the ministry for several generations. The Neff family came out of Virginia to Elkhart County in pioneer times.
Noble W. Neff was born at Milford Junction, August 16, 1897, a son of James and Mary J. (Miller) Neff. His father was born in Elkhart County, October 11, 1857, and died June 8, 1917. His wife was born November 14, 1857. After their marriage they settled on a farm in Elkhart County and later moved to a farm in Kosciusko County, finally locating in Milford Junction. James Neff was an excellent veterinarian as well as practical farmer, and extensive de- mands were made upon his professional service for many years. He was active in the Church of the Brethren. There were three children in the family: Xoa, an invalid; Grover C. and Noble W. Grover C. Neff has made a name for himself in engineering circles. He grad- uated from the Milford High School, and at Purdue University took the classical courses leading up to the degrees of A. B. and M. A., and is also a graduate civil engineer. For a number of years he has been general superintendent of the Southern Wisconsin Power Com- pany at Portage, Wisconsin, one of the largest hydraulic enterprises in that state. He married May Prehn, a graduate of the Portage High School.
Noble W. Neff grew up at the old home at Milford Junction, was educated in the grammar and high schools, and in 1918 received the degree Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Indiana Veterinary College. He now carries on his practice and also superintends the operation of a farm of eighty acres. He is unmarried and is a member of the Church of the Brethren at Bethany.
CHARLES H. PETRY. A tract of land owned and occupied by Mr. Charles H. Petry well justifies its appropriate name as the Golden Grain Farm. Mr. Petry understands the business of farm- ing in every detail, gets maximum results, and takes pride in keeping up his place not only as a means of greater production but also as a contribution to the general appearance of the community. The Golden Grain Farm is situated four miles south and a mile west of Mentone in Franklin Township. Mr. Petry has 160 acres.
He was born in Richland County, Ohio, May 5, 1867. In Janu- ary, 1868, his parents, Jacob and Mary J. (Soveland) Petry, the former a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Richland County, Ohio, moved to Kosciusko County and estab- lished a home in Franklin Township. Their location was close to Beaver Dam Lake, and Jacob Petry besides operating a farm also conducted a sawmill for a number of years. He was a very success- ful and highly prosperous man, and at the time of his death owned 231 acres. He and his wife are members of the Church of God, and in polities he voted as a democrat. There were four children : Charles H .; Phianna, wife of Horace G. Thomas; Franklin, who
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married Elvie East and lives at Lowell, Indiana; and John, who married Nettie Myer and lives in Charles City, Iowa.
Charles H. Petry was eight months old when brought to Kosciusko County, and he has always considered this his home.' He had about the average experiences of an Indiana farm boy, attending school in winter and helping in the fields in the summer. He lived at home until his father's death. October 9, 1890, he married Miss Flora Loehr, who was born in Harrison Township of this county.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Petry continued to live at the old Petry homestead near Beaver Dam, and while that farm was under his management he did much to improve it, erecting a com- modious brick house and living in it until December, 1914. At that date he sold the old farm and bought his present place.
Mr. and Mrs. Petry have four children: Ferne L., a graduate of common and high schools, and has a successful record as a teacher ; Ruth and Reth, both graduates of the high school, the latter the wife of Lester C. Rogers; and Charles G., who is a graduate of high school and had the remarkable record of being neither absent nor tardy during twelve years of school attendance. He is now connected with the brass works at Elkhart. Mr. Petry is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Akron, Indiana. He is one of the influential workers in the democratic party in Franklin Township.
J. C. GRADY is one of the men upon whom the nation can rely when it comes to a matter of producing food stuffs in a time of crisis. On his farm five miles southeast of Syracuse in Turkey Creek Town- ship he has the reputation of producing more corn and wheat to the acre than any other man in that section. He has studied farming, has had a lifelong experience at it, and stopped at nothing short of the very best returns and the maximum of efficiency. The raising of staple crops is only part of his varied business. He buys and feeds cattle and hogs in carload lots, and recently he sent to market $9,500 worth of cattle. He has a farm of 184 acres, and he actually runs the farm, instead of letting it run him.
Mr. Grady was born March 31, 1878, in this county, a son of Isaac and Amanda (Markley) Grady. His parents are both natives of Ohio. His mother came to this country with her parents when eight years old, and the land acquired by the Markley family at that time is part of the present Grady farm. Mr. Grady's parents are now living at Goshen, Indiana. Both are active members of the German Baptist Church and in politics the father is a prohibitionist. There were three children: J. C .; Lauretta, a widow living at Goshen; and Chauncey.
J. C. Grady was educated in the district schools, spent several winters in the college at North Manchester, Indiana, and for the past twenty years has applied the best of his talents and energies to the task of farming. May 8, 1904, he married Miss Hattie Elder, a native of Washington Township of Kosciusko County. They have two sons, Glen, born in 1907, and Dean, born in 1912.
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1 B Terverda and family
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WILLIAM B. ANGLIN, who for a number of years was a local merchant, has successfully given his work and enterprise to a mod- erate sized farm and has created therefrom most of the comforts and plenty which the family enjoy. He is one of the residents of Prairie Township and has served as trustee of that township.
Mr. Anglin was born in Etna Township of this county May 29, 1846, and is one of the oldest native born citizens of the county. He is a son of Isaac and Catherine (Biggs) Anglin. His mother was a native of Union County, Indiana, while his father was born in West Virginia, October 29, 1814. Isaac Anglin when a young unmarried man came to Kosciusko County in 1836. He was one of the pioneers of Etna Township. His wife came to the county at the age of twenty- one, and after their marriage they located in Etna Township. Catherine Anglin died on that farm in 1857, and her husband con- tinued to live there until 1871 and then moved to another locality, where he had his home until his death in 1891. Of the five children only two are now living, Elam H. and William B. The former is a farmer three-quarters of a mile from Crumett in Prairie Township. Isaac Anglin is remembered as one of the stalwart citizens of the early days in Kosciusko County. He was a loyal member of the Methodist Church, a democrat in politics, and served at one time as justice of the peace and township trustee.
William B. Anglin grew up on the home farm in Etna Township was educated in the district schools and also in the Normal School at Valparaiso. Qualifying as a teacher, he followed that profession in the county for eight terms. Later he took up farming, and eventu- ally located at Angleton, where he conducted a general store for twenty years, and during eleven years of that time was the local postmaster. In the meantime he was developing a farm, and now resides on a good place of 100 acres, the active operation of which is in the hands of his son.
Mr. Anglin has had six children : Clarence, deceased; Gertrude, who was a teacher for nine years and is now the wife of E. H. Smith, of Prairie Township; Grace, deceased; Mabel, formerly a teacher, now living in Hancock County, Ohio; Ethel, a graduate of the com- mon schools and wife of A. D. Holaway, of Chicago; and Washington I., who was a graduate of the common schools, spent one term at Purdue University, and by his marriage to Grace Kitch has six sturdy young boys, this family living on the old homestead. Mr. Anglin is an active member, trustee and deacon of the Christian Church. He served six years as trustee of Prairie Township and was elected on the democratic ticket by a margin of nine votes in a locality normally republican by thirty.
HIRAM B. FERVERDA has been a resident of Kosciusko County a quarter of a century, grew up in Indiana from early boyhood, and had many hardships and difficulties to contend with in his earlier days. Industry and a determined ambition have brought him an enviable station in life, and among other interests he is now vice
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president of the People's Bank at Leesburg and owns some of the fine farming land in the county.
Mr. Ferverda was born in Holland September 21, 1854, son of Banka and Gertrude D. (Young) Ferverda. His parents were also natives of Holland, married there, and the mother died in Holland leaving two sons, Henry and Hiram B. The father was a man of excellent education and very talented as a musician and in other pursuits. He taught music. After the death of his first wife he again married and had two daughters by the second wife. He brought his family to the United States and located in Union Township of Elkhart County, Indiana, where he spent the rest of his life. He was a member of the Lutheran Church in Holland.
Hiram B. Ferverda was thirteen years old when his father came to Elkhart County. He had begun his education in his native country and finished in the public schools of Elkhart County. The family were poor and he lived at home and gave most of the wages earned by farm work to the support of the family until he was nearly twenty- one years old.
Mr. Ferverda married Evaline Miller, who was born in Elkhart County, Indiana, March 29, 1857, daughter of John D. and Margaret (Lentz) Miller. Her parents were both natives of America and her maternal grandparents were born in Germany.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Ferverda moved to a farm four miles west of New Paris, Indiana, and two years later, in 1893, came to Kosciusko County and established their home on a farm near Oswego. Mr. Ferverda bought 160 acres, and developed a splendid farm. He yet owns the farm, but since March, 1909, has lived in Leesburg.
Mr. and Mrs. Ferverda have eleven children. Ira O. is a grad- uate of the common schools and was a student in the North Man- chester College and beginning with the Spanish-American war saw three years of active service in the American army as quartermaster sergeant. He now lives at Oswego. Edith E. is a graduate of the common schools and is the wife of Thomas Dye, of Plain Township. Irvin G. is a farmer in Plain Township. John W. is a high school graduate and is engaged in the hardware business at Silver Lake, Indiana. Gertrude E., a graduate of high school, married Lewis Hartman. Chloe E. is a graduate of high school and the wife of Rollin V. Robinson. Ray E., a graduate of high school, is a farmer in Van Buren Township. Roscoe H. is a graduate of high school and is now serving as a train despatcher with the Southern Pacific Railroad. George likewise completed his education in high school and is in the army. Donald, who attended school twelve years and in all that time never missed a day nor was tardy, now in the United States service at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. Margaret is a high school student. The family are members of the Church of the Breth- ren and Mr. Ferverda is a republican. He was at one time captain of the local Horse Thief Detective Association, and is now inspector of the streets of Leesburg.
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