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 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
The founder of the family here was his grandfather, Jacob Smith, who was born in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, August 25, 1806, a son of Peter and Rachel (Reynolds) Smith. Peter and his wife were both natives of Pennsylvania and married about 1799 and had eight children. Peter spent his life in Pennsylvania and died there at the age of sixty-three and his wife passed away in Minnesota.
After reaching maturity Jacob Smith in the fall of 1829 came to Indiana and explored a considerable portion of the wilderness of the northern part of the state. For several years he lived at Logansport in Cass County, but in 1833 was one of the early arrivals in Prairie Township of Kosciusko County. At that time most of the land had been surveyed, but very little of it was occupied and a large part was not yet on the market. In 1834 Jacob Smith bought 320 acres of land from Edward McCartney, government agent and Indian inter- preter. Later he had an opportunity to sell half of this land and was busied with the development and cultivation of a quarter section. As his prosperity increased he bought other land until he had more than a half section, and most of it under cultivation. He was one of the men to whom credit is due for laying the substantial foundation which
508
HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
the present generation of Kosciusko County people enjoy. Jacob Smith married November 16, 1832, the year before he came to Kosci- usko County, Miss Jerushia Thomas, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Lumbeck) Thomas, natives of Kentucky. This pioneer couple had a family of eleven children: Edward, who died in infancy, was born August 31, 1834, and his was the first recorded birth of a white child on Turkey Creek prairie; Edward McC .. named for the gov- ernment land agent, was born September 28, 1836, and was also one of the first white children born in this county; Alwilda was born January 28, 1839; Hiram was born March 18, 1841; Isaac T. was born August 1, 1843; Oliver H. P., born August 1, 1846; Henry O., born July 9, 1848, and died at the age of seven years; Mary I., born November 9, 1850; Elizabeth A., horn January 11, 1852, and died at the age of eight years; Dange. horn January 7, 1854, died at the age of six years, and the youngest born in 1866 died unnamed.
Edward McC. Smith grew up in Prairie Township, and was one of the well known residents of that locality until his death in 1914. He was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and a democrat in politics. He married Jennie Thomas, and they had four children, Charles, deceased ; Hiram J., a farmer of Prairie Township; Edward H. and Susan A., twins, the latter the wife of George Anglin of War- saw.
Edward H. Smith was born in Prairie Township December 14, 1869. His early environment was the home farm and his education was supplied by the country schools. On June 12, 1901. he married Miss Gertrude Anglin, who was born in Etna Township February 8, 1875, daughter of William B. Anglin of this county. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs Smith located on a place a half mile west of where they now live. Their present farm comprises 368 acres, all in Prairie Township, is one of the high class estates of the county. devoted to general farming and stock raising. Mrs. Smith was edu- cated in the common schools, and for several years before her marriage taught in Prairie and Scott townships. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two children : Charles W., born July 4, 1905, and Arthur E., born Feb- ruarv 13, 1911. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Millwood Chapel of the Christian Church. Mr. Smith is a democrat and is affiliated with Leesburg Lodge No. 192, Knights of Pythias.
FRANKLIN BYRER was brought to Kosciusko County over half a century ago, has lived in this and in surrounding counties of the state most of his life, and though formerly a shoemaker has gradu- ally devoted more and more of his energies to farming and has one of the good places of Prairie Township, four miles northwest of Warsaw.
He was born in Stark County, Ohio, April 25, 1848, son of Jacob and Barbara (Spiegel) Byrer. His father was born in Pennsyl- vania in 1821, and his mother in Ohio, in which state they married. They had only one child, Franklin, who was nine months old when his mother died in 1849. His father came to Indiana in 1865 and lo- cated at Clunatt in Prairie Township. He bought eighty-five acres at Stony Point, but made his home in Clunatt and followed the trade
509
HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
of shoemaker there until his death on July 12, 1885. For his second wife he married Lydia Myers, and they had three children, only one now living, Wilson Byrer, of Clunatt.
Franklin Byrer attended school at Clunatt and under the direc- tion of his father learned the trade of shoemaker. He stayed at home working in his father's shop until 1880, when he moved to Marshall County and bought a farm. In 1890 he sold his place there and re- turned to Kosciusko County. On July 12, 1909, he came to his present place of ninety-five acres and by his long continued industry and good management has been prospered and has everything to satisfy the modest wants of himself and family.
December 24, 1871, Mr. Bvrer married Anna R. Reisch. She was born in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and was brought to this county when a girl. To their marriage were born six children, three of whom are now deceased. Ellery is unmarried and living at home. Warren married Iva Moore, who died leaving two children. Clarence O., who lives in Etna Township, married Erbie Dunick and has two children. The family are members of the United Brethren Church.
WILLIAM G. IRWIN. One of the families to be properly included in this record of Kosciusko County people is that of William G. Irwin, a farmer, 114 miles north of Atwood in Prairie Township.
The Irwins have been here since pioneer times, and Mr. Irwin was born on his parents' farm in Washington Township, northwest of Pierceton, May 10, 1862, son of Stewart and Sarah A. (Richie) Irwin. His parents were both natives of Ireland. His father was born in 1812 and his mother in County Tyrone in 1831. Stewart Irwin came to the United States with his parents and located in Logan County, Ohio, while Sarah Richie's family first located at Greenfield in Hancock County, Indiana. They were married in Ohio and lived on a farm in that state for a time, and on coming to Kosciusko County they settled in Washington Township, but after a year moved to Tippecanoe Township, spent another twelve months there, and then bought their home in Prairie Township where they lived until death. Mrs. Sarah Irwin was a member of the United Brethren church. He was a republican. They had eight children, two of whom died in in- fancy. The others are: Robert. C .; John R., a farmer north of Atwood; William G .; Sarah, wife of Frank W. Harman of Prairie Township; James S., a farmer in Wisconsin; and Sherman C., a carpenter at Chattanooga, Tennessee.
William G. Irwin was reared in this county, attended the common schools and was an industrious helper at home until the age of twenty- six. He then married Miss Carrie A. Lutes, who died fifteen months later, leaving no children. For his second wife Mr. Irwin married Clara J. Miner, and they became the parents of four children : Joseph S., Justin D., Sherman R. and Carrie A. After the death of his second wife Mr. Irwin married, September 4, 1913, Mrs. S. C. Webb. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Atwood. Mr. Irwin is a past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias and is a republican, having served as local committeeman for twelve
510
HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
years. He is a man of quiet and nnassuming citizenship, does his part in local affairs, and is industriously managing his home farm of forty acres.
ALONZO U. DOTY. Practically every one in the northern part of Kosciusko County knows of the enterprise and vigor with which mem- bers of the Doty family manage all their affairs. Alonzo U. Doty is both a practical and thorough farmer and also a member of the firm Doty Brothers, general contractors, who handle general building, road making and other work all over this and surrounding counties.
Mr. Doty was born in Jefferson Township of Kosciusko County July 4, 1863, son of Alonzo and Elizabeth (Rush) Doty. His father was born in New York City and his mother in Ohio. Both families came to Indiana in early days, and Elizabeth Rush grew up in Kosci- usko County. Alonzo Doty, Sr., was reared in New York State and learned the machinist's trade in Ohio. He had an interesting record as a soldier, going into the army at the time of the Mexican war. He was discharged as a lieutenant. When the Civil war broke out he organized a company and went in as lientenant and was promoted to captain. After the war he came to Kosciusko County. His first wife was Miss Moore, and her children still living are Mary, Richard, Jennie and Elizabeth. By his marriage to Elizabeth Rush, Alonzo Doty, Sr., had four children : Alonzo U .; Rosa, deceased wife of Henry Newcomb; Matilda, deceased wife of Harry Tripp; and Jacob E., who is a partner with his brother in the firm of Doty Brothers.
Alonzo U. Doty spent the first thirteen years of his life on his father's farm and in the meantime acquired a fair education in the district school. At the age of fourteen he went to work at the mason's trade, and that has been an important line of his work to the present time. He and his brother have handled some very large contracts in this part of the state. In October, 1896, Mr. Doty moved to his farm of eighty-three acres three quarters of a mile south and a quarter of a mile east of Milford and conducts his farm in the same thorough and efficient manner in which he does his contracting work.
Mr. Doty married Cora B. Huffman and they began housekeeping at Milford. She was born in Preble County, Ohio, and was educated in the local schools. They are the parents of eleven children : Lulu, wife of Lloyd Felkner; Ollie, wife of C. A. Gawthrop; Harry, who married Nina Sharp; Pearl, Ray, Bessie, Dwight, George, Bernice, Dorothy and Henry. Mr. Doty is a past grand of Milford Lodge No. 478, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has sat in the Grand Lodge. He is a republican in politics. For twenty years he held the office of constable.
MARTIN V. MCCLINTIC, a prosperous farmer of Turkey Creek Town- ship, represents the third generation of a family that became identified with Kosciusko County about eighty years ago. The name has been associated with good citizenship, capable industry as farmers, and faithful performance of all community responsibilities.
Mr. McClintic was born on the farm where he still resides, July 14,
511
1
HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
1878, son of John and Lydia (Koher) McClintic. His father was born in 1837 and his mother in Adams County, Indiana, in 1845. The fam- ily was founded here by the grandfather, Esten MeClintic, who when the country was all new acquired 563 acres in Turkey Creek Town- ship, and there developed a large farm and enjoyed every degree of prosperity corresponding to his time and generation. He was the father of a large family, consisting of Abbie, Elizabeth, William, Mitchell, Margaret, Lucinda, Julia A, Mary, Aaron and John.
John McClintic grew up in Kosciusko County, and after his mar- riage settled on the land where his son Martin now lives. He and his wife spent the rest of their days in that home. He was a soldier of the Union Army, enlisting in Company I of the Thirty-Fifth Indiana, and saw much hard and active service. In politics he voted as a dem- ocrat. He and his wife had four children: Esten E., of Syracuse ; Charles F., formerly an engineer with the Interstate Steel Corpora- tion of Chicago; Martin V .; and John C., who was killed by a horse in 1894.
Martin V. McClintie grew up on the home farm and had a dis- triet school education. At the age of thirteen, when his mother died, he went to live in the home of his uncle, Mitchell MeClintic. Mr. McClintie also has an army record, gained during the brief war with Spain. He enlisted April 23, 1898, in Company H of the One Hun- dred and Sixtieth Indiana Volunteers, and saw three months of active service on the Island of Cuba. He was mustered out April 26, 1899.
On January 11, 1898, Mr. MeClintic married Miss Sarah V. Hall. Five children have been born to their marriage: Marie, Gerald, de- ceased. Donald. Mildred and Ethel.
Mr. MeClintic owns a half interest in the 139 acres of the old home- stead, and is busily engaged in general farming and stock raising. He is an independent voter and is affiliated with North Webster Lodge No. 367, Knights of Pythias.
SHERMAN HUFFER. Among the men of Kosciusko County who have won success by industry, good management and hard and well directed efforts is Sherman Huffer, whose home and farm are in Monroe Township, 21/2 miles south and two miles west of Pierceton on rural route No. 6. Huffer is a name that has long been well and favorably known in the county. One of the members of the family is now sheriff, and the name has always been associated with hon- orable and straightforward living and good and useful citizenship.
Sherman Huffer was born in Prairie Township of this county, Jan- uary 31, 1865, and is a son of the late Rudolph Huffer. Rudolph Huffer was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, February 6, 1831, son of Daniel and Sarah Huffer, natives of the same state. He is one of ten children and when he was four years of age his parents moved to Fairfield County, Ohio. In 1854 Rudolph Huffer came to Kosciusko County, living at Warsaw two years, and working at the trade of blacksmith, which he had learned in Ohio. From Warsaw he moved to Prairie Township, was a farmer there about eight years, and Vol. II-9
512
HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
later settled upon a farm in section 28 of Harrison Township. He first acquired 160 acres, and gradually cleared away the heavy growth of timber and added to his farm until he had 200 acres and was regarded as one of the most prosperous men of his community. At the time he came to the county his wealth consisted of $530. He was also a man of affairs, serving as township trustee and as school direc- tor. In politics he was a republican and at one time took a very active part in the Kosciusko County Agricultural Society.
In Kosciusko County Rudolph Huffer married, October 11, 1855, Miss Sarah Staymates, daughter of Jacob Staymates, one of the pio- neers of Harrison Township. Rudolph Huffer and wife had eleven children, nine of whom are still living: Jacob D., present sheriff of the county ; Horton C., of Warsaw ; Sarah C., wife of Charles Vander- mark, of Burkett, Indiana; Gertrude, who married James Falley; Charles D., who lives in Franklin Township; Lawrence, now deceased ; Joseph and Edmond, both of Harrison Township; Jennie, wife of Tilden Milburn ; Pearl, wife of Roll Anglin ; and Sherman.
Sherman Huffer grew up on his father's farm in Harrison Town- ship, and gained his education in the district schools there. At the age of twenty-one he entered into a formal agreement with his father to work on the farm, and remained there one year. He then took employment with the late Horace Tucker, and put in good and faith- ful service with that well known farmer for three years before his mar- riage and remained with him seven years longer. He then bought 131 acres where he now lives in Monroe Township, and has occupied this place continuously since the spring of 1898. The farm stands as a monument to his industry and good management. Mr. Huffer has always kept good grades of stock and his success is due to the same degree of efficiency that a merchant or manufacturer employs in his business.
Mr. Huffer married Phoebe Smith, a native of Kosciusko County and daughter of Samuel Smith. They have four children: Russell E., who is a graduate of the common schools and married Mary Cook ; Monroe R., a graduate of the common schools, married Florence Dunkelberger; Vesta M. and Velma G., both of whom have finished their education and are now married. Vesta M. married Harry R. Taylor, of Chicago, but who is now on the firing line in France. Velma G. married Carl Snell, whose home is in Jackson Township. He is now in training at Camp Custer, Michigan. The family are members of the Christian Church and in politics Mr. Huffer is a republican.
CHARLES M. TUCKER, a son of Albert Tucker and grandson of the pioneer John Tucker, both of whom are referred to more at length on other pages, is recognized as the largest land owner and farmer, feeder and shipper of livestock in Franklin Township. He does busi- ness on a large scale, employs a number of men on his farms, and has made a success of agriculture and stock husbandry without indulging in any fads and fancies. Mr. Tucker has gone in for registered and
513
HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
blue ribbon stock only on a very limited scale and without interfering with his major operations as a stock feeder.
The farm where he lives today was the scene of his birth on July 10, 1870. As a boy he attended the public schools, part of his educa- tion being acquired at Mentone. He started out with an independent capital of about $2,500, and has since accumulated 1,500 acres of land and has more of it in cultivation to grain crops than any other farmer in that part of the county. As a rule Mr. Tucker cultivates about 170 acres in wheat, 160 in oats and 160 acres in corn. On his pastures and feed lots he runs about 250 head of cattle, 275 head of hogs, a few sheep, and for a number of years has been a breeder, buyer and seller of horses. He has had as many as 100 horses at one time. Mr. Tucker is an unrivaled judge of livestock, and it was his keen judgment of stock that has brought him his chief success.
Mr. Tucker married Miss Susanna Eiler, daughter of Henry and Ellen Eiler. She was born in Franklin Township and finished her education at Warsaw. Her father, Henry Eiler, was both a farmer and lawyer. While living on his farm he was elected to the office of prosecuting attorney of Kosciusko County, and then moved to Warsaw, where he died. He was one of the prominent republicans of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Tucker had nine children : Nellie, the eldest, a graduate of the Mentone High School, and is the wife of Professor Earl Blue, of the Warsaw High School; Mars, the second child, graduated from the Mentone High School and married Faun Doran, and has two children ; Floyd, a graduate of the common schools, married Flo Igo ; Cuba is a graduate of the high school at Beaver Dam ; Mary graduated from the high school at Beaver Dam; Chauncey, aged eleven, Edison, aged seven, and Curtis, aged four, are the younger children in the home circle. Lillian, seventh child in order of birth, died when six months old.
Mr. Tucker has always been a liberal supporter of churches and every worthy movement in his community. He is affiliated with Men- tone Lodge of Masons and with the Royal Arch Chapter Council and Knight Templar Commandery at Warsaw. Politically he is a repub- lican. Mr. Tucker is a stockholder in the Mentone Bank.
GEORGE W. SMITH has given about forty years of his career to the business of farming, and is still one of the useful men in Kosciusko County in keeping up the volume of production that constitutes the quota of this county and state to fill the needs of the Government and the allies. Mr. Smith's farm is two miles south of Mentone in Frank- lin Township.
In that township he has spent practically all the days of his life. He was born February 3, 1856, son of Leonard and Mary (Heise) Smith. His parents were both natives of Pennsylvania, married there, and in 1849 came to Franklin Township, when that district was still in the woods. Leonard Smith did a good deal toward mak- ing a farm, but died at an early age in 1864. His widow survived him until 1892. Both were active church members, and he was affiliated with the republican party from the time of its organization
514
HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
until his death. In the family were four daughters and six sons, four of whom are living: Daniel, a farmer in Fulton County, Indiana ; A. J. Smith, of Franklin Township; Albert, a farmer in Michigan ; and George W.
George W. Smith as a boy attended the district schools and made such good use of his educational opportunities that he himself taught for several terms in Franklin and Seward townships. August 23, 1884, he married Miss Rosa Jones. She was born in Seward Town- ship of this county June 10, 1865, daughter of Samuel and Eliza J. Jones. Mrs. Smith was reared on a farm a mile south of Burkett, and was educated in the public schools at Pierceton and in the high school at Warsaw. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Smith located on the farm where they now reside. The home farm comprises 120 acres, and they also have eighty acres in Seward Township.
Their only child, Cora F., was born August 15, 1885, and died September 13, 1896. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Mentone, and in politics he is a republican. For two terms he was honored by his fellow citizens for the office of trustee of Franklin Township, and made his administra- tion a forceful and wise one, productive of much good to the local schools.
ALBERT L. TUCKER. Member of one of the oldest families of Kosciusko County, Albert L. Tucker, of Mentone, has displayed many of the characteristics of the family in his makeup and experi- ence, and has become widely known through his success as a farmer and stock dealer.
He was born in Franklin Township of this county September 19, 1849, son of Horace and Eliza (Johnson) Tucker. Albert L. Tucker grew up on the home farm, attended the district schools in winter, and developed his strength by actual practice in the fields in summer.
At the age of nineteen he married Elizabeth Bechtelheimer on March 4, 1868. After his marriage he lived at home two years and his father then gave him $6,000 and with it he bought a farm of 208 acres, assuming a debt of $6,200. Later he bought another eighty acres and he still owns the original 208 acres. He has been a practical farmer, but more particularly has been successful in the buying and selling of cattle, sheep and hogs.
Mr. Tucker by his first wife had eight children: Elmore; Effie, wife of Leonard Summe; Ivan, a farmer in Franklin Township; Ida, widow of Lawrence Huffer; Roy, a farmer in the State of Washing- ton; John, a railroad conductor living at Chicago; Millie, wife of Arthur Getty, living at Silver Lake; and Dr. Frank C., of Claypool.
After the death of his first wife Mr. Tucker married Emma Mabe, and they had two children, Una and Horace, but the last named is deceased. For his third wife he married Lulu (Tipton) Tucker, and their two children are Dearl A. and Rex Le Roy. Lulu Tucker by her first marriage to John Tucker, had three daughters, Ethel, Lena and Anna; Ethel and Lena are attending the Mentone High School and Anna is deceased.
515
HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
Albert L. Tucker is a democrat in politics, and the only member of the numerous Tucker family in Kosciusko County to espouse that political allegiance. He lives in a township that is republican normal- ly, but when he was nominated by the democrats as candidate for trustee his well known ability and personal popularity elected him, and he served four years very creditably.
WILLIAM F. BAUGHER. It has been the good fortune of William F. Bangher to spend his life'in Kosciusko County, where he has been identified with the noble calling of agriculture, and has been consist- ently public spirited in his attitude toward all common and public duties. The farm from which he has long enjoyed the fruits and where he still lives is in Turkey Creek Township.
He was born in Tippecanoe Township of this county January 1, 1859. The old homestead that was his birthplace is now owned by his brother, John A. Baugher. He is a son of Charles and Henrietta (Gugeler) Baugher. His father, a native of Germany, came to the United States when a young man in order to avoid and escape the enforced military duty, and from New York City he came westward, first to Ohio and later arrived in Kosciusko County. He was a suc- cessful and prosperous farmer and lived on his farm for many years, but finally retired to North Webster, where both he and his wife died. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In their family were five sons and two daughters: Matilda and Jacob, both deceased ; John A., owner of the homestead in Tippecanoe Town- ship; William F .; Louise, widow of William Gross; Christian, who lives in Kansas ; and Henry, deceased.
William F. Baugher grew up on the old home farm and attended the district schools to the age of thirteen. Since that time he has been more than paying his own way in the world, and he remained at home and worked the farm till twenty-one, and then entered into a formal agreement with his father to run the homestead.
In 1891 he married Miss Alice Gross, a native of Turkey Creek Township. For two years after their marriage they continued to rent the old farm and Mr. Baugher then bought seventy-one acres included in his present farm.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.