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 25
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IRA GANS. The business and records of Kosciusko County have never been entrusted to more efficient hands than to the present coun- ty recorder, Ira Gans, who entered upon his official duties in January, 1915, for the regular term of four years. Mr. Gans is a native son of Kosciusko County and his family were among the most substantial early settlers. His active career has been divided between farming, the postal service and other duties and interests, and as a citizen his popularity has been of that type which is only extended to men of the highest integrity and public usefulness.
The Gans family was established in Kosciusko County by his grandfather John Gans, who came from Stark County, Ohio, to Kosci- usko County, Indiana, a number of years before the Civil war and settled in Turkey Creek Township near the head of what was then called Nine-Mile Lake, now Lake Wawasee. John Gans had married Elizabeth Shafer, and out of their nine children only two are now living. Jacob Gans, one of their sons, was a very small boy when brought to the wilderness of Kosciusko County, grew to manhood there, and as a boy finished his limited schooling in the old log school- house in the MeClintick woods. He farmed all his active years, held a few local offices, was a member of the Dunkard religious faith, a dem- ocrat in politics, and, like his father before him, commanded universal esteem. Liberal in his regard for his fellow men, charitable in his views, he fitly represented the best elements of citizenship in Kosei- usko County. Jacob Gans married Ellen Shock, daughter of Isaiah Shock, whose people were also pioneer settlers in Kosciusko. She died in 1907, while Jacob Gans passed away in 1913. Their five chil- dren were: Ira, Ida, Emma, John and William, and of these Emma died at the age of twenty-two.
The present recorder of Kosciusko County was the oldest of his parents' children, and was born April 20, 1869. Having spent all his years in this county, he is intensely loyal to its interests and its general welfare and progress. His early home was one of simple com- forts and high ideals, and after he had finished his education in the public schools he took up the substantial vocation of the farmer. For sixteen years he carried the mail from Vawter Park to Leesburg by way of Oswego and North Wehster.
Mr. Gans has a large and loyal following among the people of Kosciusko County. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Loyal Order of Moose and has long been active in the republican party. It was the votes of a handsome majority which called him to his present office in 1914, his official term beginning January 1, 1915. On December 5, 1899, he married Miss Lena Poppenfoose,
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daughter of Harmena Poppenfoose. The two children of their mar- riage, Margaret and Carroll DeWitt, both died in early childhood. Mrs. Gans is a member of the Church of God.
EDGAR S. HOVER is a native of Kosciusko County and for many ycars has been successfully identified with the farm enterprise of Monroe Township. He is perhaps most widely known over the county as operator of a grain threshing outfit. He gained his first experience in this business in Illinois and since 1900 has been proprietor of a com- plete equipment for power threshing and has threshed grain for most of the farmers throughout the county. The Hover farm is in section 7 of Monroe Township, on rural route No. 6 out of Warsaw.
Mr. Hover was born in Washington Township, this county, on section 34, southwest of Pierceton, December 27, 1859. He is a son of Samuel S. and Minerva J. (Pratt) Hover. His father was born in Logan County, Ohio, and after his marriage came to Indiana and located on land in section 34 of Washington Township. The family lived there to the spring of 1860, when they removed to Monroe Town- ship. Samuel S. Hover died here February 17, 1897. He is a repub- lican and a member of the Presbyterian church. His wife, who is still living in Monroe Township, is a Methodist. They had two sons, James S. and Edgar S., the former also a farmer in Monroe Township.
Edgar S. Hover grew up on his father's farm, and was educated in the common schools. At the age of nineteen he left home, and had a varied experience for some years in Illinois and other localities. On March 12, 1882, he married Miss Mary S. Linn. She was born in Prairie Township of Kosciusko County March 31, 1858. When she was thirteen years old her parents moved to Clay Township, where she finished her education in the district schools. Mr. and Mrs. Hover after their marriage moved to a farm near the old homestead but subsequently sold that and bought the place where they now reside, with all the improvements and comforts and conveniences of country living.
They have six children: Dessie B., a graduate of the common schools, is the wife of Frederick Hartsock; Walter D. married Bessie East and lives in Monroe Township ; Emma G., a graduate of the high school and of Valparaiso University, is the wife of Edward Polk, of Monroe Township; Callie is the wife of Arch Kirkendall, of Clay Township; Lenna L., a graduate of the common schools, married Herschel Boyer; Wilma, who is now attending high school at Warsaw. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Hover has served as trustee of the church. He is a member of Kosei- usko Lodge No. 62 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in politics has been quite prominent in his locality as a republican.
WILLIAM H. BUTTERBAUGH, proprietor of a farm in Lake Township, has made his years and experience count toward useful ends not only as a farmer but as a good citizen and as a worker in church, politics and other affairs of his community.
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The farm that he now owns was his birthplace. He was born April 18, 1851, son of John and Sarah (Montel) Butterbaugh. His father was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, and came to Kosciusko County about 1840. His wife was also a native of Montgomery Coun- ty. They grew up and married in Indiana, and soon settled on the farm now owned by their son William. The father died here in 1895 and the mother July 3, 1885. They were members of the Dunkard church and in politics the father was a republican. Of their eight children only two are now living, William H. and Mahlon, the latter a resident of Bloomington, Indiana.
William H. Butterbaugh spent his early life on the home farm, attended the district schools, and in 1876 married Miss Viola Dirck. She was born in Seward Township of this county, November 18, 1857, and was reared in Wabash County. Her father, Henry Dirck, was a native of Ohio, and died in September, 1916. He married in Ohio, but spent most of his life in Indiana. Mrs. Dirck is still living. Her family comprises eight children : Ida, wife of Emanuel Homan ; Viola, Mrs. Butterbaugh ; Orpha, deceased wife of Charles Wells; Sadie, wife of John Landis; Leonard, a farmer in Michigan; Samantha, wife of Joe Swihart, of Silver Lake; Ada, wife of Robert Warren; and Asa, who farms part of the old homestead.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Butterbangh rented the old farm and finally bought 1971/2 acres there. The farm has since been reduced to 148 acres, and during his more active years Mr. Butter- baugh gave much attention to the breeding of Hereford cattle. He has been prospered, and has used his means and position in the community to forward many worthy enterprises. He and his family are members of the First Brethren Church and in politics he has been active as a republican. Mr. and Mrs. Butterbaugh have two children and four grandchildren. Hazel, their older daughter, is a graduate of the com- mon schools and wife of Alvin Perry of Wabash County. Nellie M. is also a graduate of the common schools and the wife of Glenn Walthen. Mr. and Mrs. Walthen live with her father.
LEVI FRUIT has been one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Lake Township for many years. For twenty-five years he has annu- ally fed a bunch of cattle and hogs on his farm, and for the past seven years has been an extensive shipper both of his own stock and of that of other growers. Mr. Fruit's farm comprises 160 acres in Lake Township, and 101 acres in Jackson Township, 21/2 miles south of Packerton.
Most of his life has been spent in the southeastern corner of Kosci- nsko County, and he was born two miles south in Wabash County November 26, 1864, a son of Christian and Frances (Snell) Fruit. His father, who was born in Germany in 1827, was brought to the United States a boy of twelve years, and about that time the Fruit family established a pioneer home in Jackson Township of this county. Christian Fruit married Frances Snell, a member of the old and prominent name of that family in Jackson Township. After their
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marriage they located in Wabash County, but eventually returned to Jackson Township and spent the rest of their days here. He died in 1914 and the mother in 1915. Both were members of the Conserva- tive Brethren Church. Of their nine children six are living: Anna, wife of John Brumbaugh, a prominent citizen of Huntington Coun- ty ; Sophia, wife of Ellis Lehmer, of North Manchester; John, of North Manchester; Levi; Frances, wife of Charles Livezy, of Lake Town- ship; and Susan, wife of Joseph Cripe, of North Manchester.
Levi Fruit spent his boyhood and youth in Jackson Township, and attended the neighboring district schools. On April 8, 1891, he mar- ried Miss Florence C. Ganote, who was born in Clarke County, Indi- ana, November 28, 1864. She came to Kosciusko County at the age of twenty-two, and had in the meantime completed the course of the common and high schools. Mr. and Mrs. Fruit have five living children, Calvin, a graduate of the common schools; Frank, who has taken one year in a commercial school ; Louise and Ernest, both grad- uates of the common schools; and Walter, who finished the common school course in 1918. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at North Manchester. Mr. Fruit's politics has been in line with the republican party for many years.
WILBERT F. McGARY, manager of the Pierceton Lumber Company, is the example of a young man of enterprise and ability who started life without capital and by his undivided energies attains a successful and influential position in business and community affairs.
He was born at Middlebury, Indiana, June 23, 1881, a son of Charles and Mary (Miles) McGary. His parents are still living at Middlebury. Of their two children the daughter Rosa died at the age of twenty-one.
Wilbert F. McGary was educated in the public schools at Middle- bury, also had a high school course and learned and followed for four years the painter's trade. Since then he has given his attention almost entirely to the lumber business. For seven years he was with the Griner Brothers at Middlebury, then for two years was with a lumber firm at Schoolcraft, Michigan, and on March 4, 1917, came to Pierceton and with W. B. Schaefer of South Bend owns the Pierceton Lumber Company yards and Mr. McGary is the active manager of the business.
Mr. McGary married for his first wife Elnora T. Anderhalt. She was reared at Sturgis, Michigan, and died in 1914. At Schoolcraft, Michigan, Mr. McGary married Ivah Schug. She is a graduate of the high school at Schoolcraft and was a teacher before her marriage. They are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. McGary is affiliated with the Masonic Lodge and Royal Arch Chapter at Schoolcraft. In politics he is a republican, and while a resident of Middlebury served as a member of the city board.
E. M. RADCLIFF is one of the successful business men of Kosciusko County, has had a long and varied career as a merchant, teacher and in other business affairs, and is now proprietor of the E. M. Radcliff
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Flour & Feed Exchange at Pierceton. Mr. Radcliff knows the general provision and feed business from the standpoint of an expert in experi- ence and of long study, and while he is a thorough business man it is also his ideal and aim to make his business and his experience count as a real service to the community in which it is located.
Mr. Radcliff was born in Vinton County, Ohio, June 1, 1853, a son of Hiram and Margaret (Rogers) Radcliff. Both parents were na- tives of Vinton County. The father was born there in 1828. The mother died in Vinton County when a comparatively young woman. She left two children, E. M. and Rachel A. The latter is the wife of I. N. Bryan, of Pierceton, Indiana. In 1862 Hiram Radcliff moved with his family to Whitley County, Indiana, and spent the rest of his life there as a farmer. By a second wife he had the following children : John L. and C. O., merchants at Pierceton ; Frank H., de- ceased ; Roscoe R., a coal dealer at Pierceton; and Zelda, wife of John McDonald, a farmer in Whitley County.
E. M. Radcliff was nine years old when his father moved to Whit- ley County, and he grew up on a farm there and was educated chiefly in the public schools of Larwell. He did his first work as a teacher in Whitley County and taught seven winter terms in the country district. He also had some experience in the intervals as a merchant. Mr. Radcliff was one of the early students of the old Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso, now Valparaiso University. He first entered that institution in 1872, about the time it was founded, and graduated in both the normal and commercial courses. For five years he was a merchant at Larwell, sold out and moved to Sidney, where he bought a tract of land and laid out the town of Sidney and gave that village its first impetus to growth. He remained there 41% years and in 1884 came to Pierceton, a date which makes him one of the oldest business men and residents of that village. He was first in business at Pierceton under the firm name of Radcliff & MeNamara. This firm continued for sixteen years. Mr. Radcliff then sold his interests and for four years was alone in business, and after selling out his store to his brother entered his present special line as a flour and feed merchant, and has conducted the E. M. Radcliff Flour & Feed Ex- change successfully for seven years.
March 30, 1876, Mr. Radcliff married Mary M. Norris, who was born and reared in Whitley County, and had a good public school education. They have only one child, Dr. F. E. Radcliff, of Bourbon, Indiana. Doctor Radcliff was educated in the high school at Pierceton, and is a graduate of the Indiana Medical College, since which date he has pursued his professional career with marked appreciation and success. He married Lela Knox.
The Radcliff family are members of the Baptist church. Mr. Radcliff has been active in church affairs, and is also affiliated with Pierceton Lodge No. 377, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, War- saw Chapter No. 48, Royal Arch Masons, and Warsaw Commandery No. 10, Knights Templars. Politically he is a republican, but has practically given all his time to business without seeking the honors of office.
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CLYDE L. BISHOP is a jeweler by trade, was in that business at Pierceton for a number of years, but is now finding profitable and congenial employment in looking after his broad acres and his other interests as an agriculturist and stockman on his farm near Pierceton in Washington Township.
A native of Kosciusko County, he was born in Monroe Township December 16, 1877, son of Marquis and Harriet (Baker) Bishop. His father was born in Crawford County, Ohio, and his mother in Hancock County, that state. She came with her parents to Kosciusko County, while Marquis Bishop reached here in young manhood. After his mar- riage he farmed successfully, owned a large amount of land, and was especially well known as a breeder of registered livestock. He was an active factor in politics and at one time held the office of township trustee.
Clyde L. Bishop was one of two children and the only one now liv- ing. He grew up on the home farm in Monroe Township, and attended both the grammar and high schools. At the age of eighteen he went to Elgin, Illinois, and served a long and thorough apprenticeship at the watchmaking and jewelry trades. - He followed his occupation as a journeyman in different places and for five years was in business for himself at Pierceton. His farm of 155 acres adjoins the corpora- tion limits on the north, and he is one of the men in this county who are helping swell the volume of agricultural products not only as a matter of professional pride and good business practice, but also as an aid toward winning the war.
October 25, 1899, Mr. Bishop married Miss Jessie Knox. Mrs. Bishop is a graduate of the Pierceton High School. They have four children : Merwood, a high school boy; Harold, in the grade schools; and Robert and Mary. Mrs. Bishop is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Bishop is a republican in politics and is affiliated with Pierceton Lodge No. 277, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
JOHN L. ANDREAS. When any new and progressive enterprise breaks the routine of the community life of Pierceton it is pretty certain that John L. Andreas has a hand in it, if he is not primarily responsible for the undertaking. Mr. Andreas during his residence at Pierceton has been a lumberman, farmer, manufacturer. and more than any one else has helped revive an old time agricultural industry, hemp raising and manufacturing. There has never been any diffi- culty in raising hemp, but the handling of the crop has presented dif- ficulties that could only be overcome by the hardest and most arduous manual labor. Mr. Andreas is responsible for some of the machinery and appliances which lighten the burden of hemp culture. He is inventor and manufacturer of hemp breaking machinery and of prac- tically a complete installation of apparatus used in preparing hemp between the field and the final processes of manufacture.
Mr. Andreas is a native of Ohio. He was born near Nevada in Wyandotte County in June, 1867. His boyhood days were spent there but in 1877 he came to Indiana and finished his education with a
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
business course in Valparaiso. For the next five years he did office work and floor work in a general store at Akron, Indiana, and then came to Pierceton and for a number of years was chiefly identified with the lumber industry. He was associated with his brother and they both bought and sold lumber and timber. Mr. Andreas made this business his chief work until 1911.
In 1895 he married Miss Ida A. Brower, of Kosciusko County. She is a graduate of the local high school. They have three children. Susie G. is attending high school, and she was a student of St. Mary's University. The two younger children are John L., Jr., aged seven, and Sarah, aged three. Mrs. Andreas is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Andreas is a charter member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Akron, Indiana, and in polities is independent.
His home farm comprises 188 acres adjoining Pierceton, but alto- gether he has under cultivation about 315 acres. He is a specialist in some of the truck crops, including cabbages and tomatoes. As a hemp raiser he began on a very small scale, but especially emphasized the matter of quality. He increased his fields until he has 300 acres in cultivation. He also began the manufacture of hemp breaking machinery on a very small scale, and he put in the first drying kilns for curing hemp. A large part of his time is now taken up with installing and manufacturing hemp dryers, breaking machines and cleaning plants. He has patents to cover his special original ma- chinery.
ELMER E. MCCARTER. Among the men who have lived longest in Kosciusko County a place of special honor belongs to Elmer E. Mc- Carter for his unique record as a teacher in Washington Township. In later years Mr. MeCarter has applied his industry successfully to the management of a first class truck farm, and is the present trustee of the township.
He was born in Hamilton County, Indiana, April 4, 1861, son of Alfred G. and Sarah A. (Stinson) MeCarter. The McCarter family are of old Pennsylvania stock. Grandfather William MeCarter was born in Pennsylvania January 1, 1800, and was a bricklayer by trade. He married Harriet McCord, who was born in Philadelphia November 27, 1800.
Alfred G. MeCarter, father of Elmer E., was born at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, May 16, 1827, and is well remembered in Kosciusko and other Indiana counties for his work as a Methodist missionary and minister. He grew up in Montgomery County, Ohio, began the trade of cabinet maker at Dayton, and in that trade worked as a journeyman for seven or eight years in different towns and localities. In 1852 he was licensed as a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Logansport and in 1853 was received into the North Indiana Conference. He did his work as a missionary preacher in nearly every county of Northern Indiana, and was retired from the ministry in 1880. In 1854 he was pastor of the churches west of Warsaw in Kosciusko County, in 1856 was on the Pierceton circuit, in 1858 on the Leesburg circuit, in 1872 on the Silver Lake circuit, and in 1873
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on the West circuit. After 1880 he lived retired on his wife's farm in section 17 of Washington Township.
Rev. Mr. MeCarter married June 17, 1858, Sarah A. Stinson, who was born in Pike County, Ohio, February 26, 1838. She came with her parents to Indiana and grew up in Kosciusko County. Five children were born to their marriage and four are still living: George W., of Warsaw; Elmer E .; Lnella, widow of Morton Little; and Harriet, wife of Dr. A. B. Rimer, of Remington, Indiana.
Elmer E. McCarter grew up on a farm, and was educated in public schools in different localities. He also attended the Methodist College at Fort Wayne. He began teaching in early life, and for twenty-nine consecutive years had charge of one school in Washington Township, where toward the last he taught some of the children of his early pupils.
April 7, 1886, Mr. MeCarter married Miss Lou Baker, who was born in Kosciusko County and was educated in the local public schools. For a number of years Mr. and Mrs. McCarter have lived on a small but highly productive farm in Washington Township, comprising seventeen acres, which they have operated as a fruit and truck farm. They have three children: Nina is a graduate of the Warsaw High School, also carried her higher education through the University of Chicago, and is now a teacher in the Pierceton High School. Jacob C., a graduate of the local high school, is connected with a wholesale jewel- ery house in Chicago. Alfred F. is a graduate of the Pierceton High School and is still at home with his parents. The family are mem- bers of the Methodist Church at Pierceton and Mr. MeCarter has served on the official board and also as superintendent of the Sunday school for over twenty years. In politics he is a republican but his only pub- lie office has been his present responsibility as trustee of Washington Township.
JOSHUA WEAVER is one of the prominent residents of Monroe Town- ship, where he has conducted a well managed and profitable farm for a number of years. His home is on route No. 1 out of Sidney and located four miles northeast of that village.
Mr. Weaver was born in Wood County, Ohio, August 17, 1851, and lived in that section of the Buckeye state for many years before coming to Indiana. His parents, John and Harriet (Martin) Weaver were born and married in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and from there moved to Bloom Township in Wood County, Ohio. They were among the substantial farming element of that section the rest of their lives. The father was a democrat and quite active in party affairs and filled office as township assessor, treasurer and trustee. Of the ten children only two are now living: Mary E. and Joshua. Mary is the wife of Samuel Kachensbarge, of North Baltimore, Ohio.
Joshua Weaver was reared on his father's farm in Wood County and was given a district school education. He lived at home with his parents to the age of twenty-five. On September 13. 1877, he married Amy A. Whitacre. She was born in Wood County and was educated in the schools of that locality.
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Mr. and Mrs. Weaver spent nearly thirty years on a farm in Wood County but in 1905 sold out and moved to Monroe Township of Kosci- usko County, where they have a large and well managed farm of 120 acres. Mr. Weaver has always been very successful in handling live- stock and makes that an important feature of his farm work.
They have four children. Mary, a graduate of the high school and formerly a teacher. is the wife of Charles Dickinson and lives at. Bakersfield, California. Isaac is a worker in the oil fields of Cali- fornia. Alta, a graduate of high school, married Charles Tracy, living near Casey, Illinois. Earl is an oil well driller in California.
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