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 30
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He was born in Clay Township January 28, 1864, son of John and Eva (Sellers) Cauffman, both of whom were natives of Juniata County, Pennsylvania. They grew up and married there, and after their marriage lived about five years in Michigan, and from there moved to Kosciusko County and settled on a farm two miles south of Claypool, in Clay Township. John Cauffman was not only a practical farmer, but also a minister of the Evangelical Church for many years. He was a republican voter. By his second wife he had nine children, five of whom are still living: Michael, a farmer on the home place two miles south of Claypool; Amelia, wife of J. O. Deaton, of Clay Township ; John A .; Levi, a farmer in Lake Township; Nancy, wife of Richard Brown, living in Nebraska; and the other members of the family, including one who died in infancy, are Alice, who married Jacob W. Shoemaker, and Cora, who became the wife of Rev. Mr. Hill.
John A. Cauffman spent his boyhood days on the old farm south of Claypool. After attending the district schools he went to work for the railway on the section gang, and for sixteen years was section fore- man. In the meantime he married Mary Garman, who left him three sons: Earl O., a graduate of the common schools and high school and now a resident of Montana; Carl, who also graduated from high school and lives on one of his father's farms; Edward, who in addition to his high school course, graduated from Winona and was formerly super- intendent of the Burkett public schools, is now serving in the United States Army. For his second wife Mr. Cauffman married Lydia Dick. They have two children, Raymond and Marjorie, both graduates of the common schools.
The family are members of the United Brethren Church at Clay- pool. Mr. Cauffman has been a sturdy republican and his personal popularity is reflected in the fact that while Clay Township normally has a margin of thirty-eight democratic majority, he was elected to his office as trustee by one vote over his opponent. Mr. Cauffman's work and character deserve all the support he has received in public
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affairs. His home farm comprises 120 acres, and he has another place of seventy-seven acres, and all of this represents his individual toil and good management. He is also one of the stockholders in the Farmers State Bank at Claypool.
JOHN KIMES. Representing a family that came to Kosciusko County more than eighty years ago, and one of the most enterprising and prosperous agriculturists of Clay Township, John Kimes owns a splendid farm a mile and a half east and a mile north of Claypool. He has his land improved with buildings, equipped with machinery and other facilities, with home and everything in perfect order, and it con- stitutes a place such as may well arouse pride in what he has done.
Mr. Kimes, who is also one of the county commissioners of Kos- ciusko County, was born in Plain Township, about three miles north of Warsaw, January 23, 1851, a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Gen- singer) Kimes.
His father, Jacob Kimes, was born in Dauphin County, Pennsyl- vania, March 17, 1814, a son of Peter and Nancy (Leggett) Kimes. . He grew to manhood in his native state, and he and Elizabeth Gen- singer were married in 1833. In 1836 they moved from Ohio, where they had spent the first three years of their married life, and settled on a farm in section 31 of Plain Township, entering 118 acres from the government in the old "Monoquet Reserve." That land, situated three and one half miles north of Warsaw, was in the midst of the heavy woods, and many times in the early days he had to go only a short distance from his log cabin to kill a deer; in fact it is recorded that he killed a deer the first day he arrived in the county. For years he was a noted hunter, and most of the meat consumed by the family was furnished by his rifle. In early times he took his corn to Lafayette and also to Goshen, and had many experiences in traveling over the rough roads and trails of those days. He began farming immediately upon his arrival in Kosciusko County. Prosperity came to him in large measure, and in time he owned 600 acres of land. He was a republican, first voting as a whig, and at one time served as road supervisor. His wife died in 1884, and he lived to very advanced years. He and his wife had been married more than half a century. They were the par- ents of eleven children, and those to reach mature years were George, Jacob, Daniel, John, Susan and Catherine. Only two are now living, John Kimes and his sister Catherine, wife of Salem Black, of Warsaw. The son George saw more than two years of service as a soldier in the Civil war.
Mr. John Kimes grew up on the old farm north of Warsaw and his school advantages were limited to the district schools during the winter, while his summers were spent on the farm. He was part of the home circle until July 4, 1875, when he married Miss Alice Kelley. Mrs. Kimes was born in Plain Township July 2, 1854, daughter of William and Celina (Parker) Kelley, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania. Her parents were married in Kosciusko County and they lived in Plain Township until the death of her father.
Mr. and Mrs. Kimes kept house and did their work as farmers on
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the old farm homestead five years after their marriage, and in 1880 they bought the farm where they now live, and have occupied it con- tinuously since 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Kimes own about 300 acres. They also lived five years in the village of Claypool.
They are the parents of four children: Ona, a graduate of the common schools, is the wife of Charles Clace, of Wayne Township; Minnie is the wife of Joseph Leiter, of Clay Township; Avery, a grad- uate of the common schools, married Lucy Leckrone; and Horace J. lives in Clay Township and married Alma Parker.
The family are members of Mount Pleasant Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Kimes is one of the church officials and very active in its behalf. He is a republican in politics and has always been inter- ested in the good of his party and the welfare of his community. As county commissioner he served one entire term, and was re-elected for a second term, but on account of ill health resigned after one year. Mr. and Mrs. Kimes have a most interesting family, and besides their own children they have seventeen grandchildren.
EMSLEY A. ARNOLD. There is perhaps no better known citizen in the southern part of Kosciusko County than Emsley A. Arnold, who has been a practical farmer in Lake Township most of his life.
He was born on the farm where he now resides November 19, 1861. He was reared by his grandfather, Martin Arnold, who was born in Knox County, Ohio, in 1809, and was one of the pioneer settlers of Kosciusko County. He entered 160 acres of Government land and lived there until his death. He was an ordained minister of the Chris- tian Church and voted as a republican.
Emsley A. Arnold grew up on the farm, attended district schools, and lived with his grandfather until his marriage. December 31, 1881, Miss Amanda Garman became his wife. She was born in Allen County, Indiana, but her parents came to Kosciusko County when she was three months old, and here she grew up and received her education.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Arnold farmed the old home place for seven years, then bought a farm, and subsequently acquired the 145 acres which constitutes their present home. They have two children, Oder A. and Vesta M. Oder lives just across the road from his father, and by his marriage to Alma Whitmer has one daughter. Vesta is a graduate of the common schools and is the wife of Foster Canffman of Clay Township.
Mr. Arnold is a republican in politics. His fellow partisans and citizens have manifested such confidence in his good judgment that he is now the nominee of his party for county commissioner to repre- . sent the southern district.
LEROY W. CALDWELL. Leroy W. Caldwell is a member of an old Clay Township family, is a man of university training and education, and is applying his efforts to the business of agriculture. His farm home two miles southwest of Claypool illustrates much of the spirit of progressiveness and efficiency that are characteristic of the intelligent and high minded generation of modern farmers.
Vol. II-16
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Some of the first things in the history of Clay Township revolve around the Caldwell family. His great-grandfather, Joshua Caldwell, came from West Virginia to Kosciusko County in January, 1837, and entered land near Claypool. He came along with members of the Minear family, who were also among the first pioneers of that town- ship. History records that the first religious services were held in Joshua Caldwell's cabin in the winter of 1837, a Methodist missionary preaching. The first Sunday school was organized in the same cabin the next year.
Joshua Caldwell had two sons, Isaac and David. David died at the age of twenty-eight, leaving a son, David A., who is now living in Fort Wayne. Indiana. Isaac Caldwell married Eliza Jameson, and their two sons were William and Joshua V., the latter dying in 1884. Wil- liam Caldwell, father of Leroy W., was born in Clay Township in October, 1852, grew up on the old farm and had a district school edu- cation. He married Anna Wells, a daughter of William P. and Almira (Truax) Wells. Her parents were also early settlers of Kosciusko County. William Caldwell and wife have two children, Leroy W. and Clare.
Leroy W. Caldwell, who was born on the old farm in Clay Town- ship August 10, 1881, grew up in the country, attended the district schools, the Claypool High School, and later graduated A. B. from Indiana University. While in university he paid his way largely through his earnings as a teacher. He was principal of the Claypool High School, and for two years was a teacher in the Central High School at Pueblo, Colorado. He finally gave up the occupation of teacher and returned to Kosciusko County and engaged in farming. Besides his farm he is one of the directors of the State Bank of Clay- pool. Mr. Caldwell is a democrat in politics, is affiliated with Lake City Lodge No. 73, Free and Accepted Masons; Warsaw Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Warsaw Commandery No. 10, Knights Templar, and is also affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Warsaw, and is a member of the Kappa Sigma College fraternity.
In August, 1906, he married Anna Jaques. Mrs. Caldwell is a graduate of the Silver Lake High School. They have two children : William Isaac, born October 28, 1907; and Florrie C., born March 18, 1916.
JOEL F. THOMPSON. A long life lived with honor, with fidelity to high principles, with worthy service to his family and his fellow men, has been that of Joel F. Thompson, one of the best known residents of ยท Clay Township. His home is six miles southeast of Claypool, and he has been a resident of Kosciusko County more than half a century.
Mr. Thompson was born in Pennsylvania June 28, 1836, a son of William and Catherine (Young) Thompson, and a grandson of Wil- liam Thompson, of English ancestry. His grandfather spent most of his life in Pennsylvania. His father, William Thompson, Jr., was apprenticed to the tailor's trade, but also lived on thirty acres of land and combined farm supervision along with tailoring. He and his wife were both active Methodists. They had a family of five children :
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Sarah, widow of John Chase, who now lives in Wisconsin; William, deceased ; Daniel W., who saw service as a Union soldier in the Civil war, is now married and lives in Clay Township of this county ; John, who died in 1913; and Joel F.
Joel F. Thompson grew up in Pennsylvania and was educated by means of the subscription and public schools of his native state. When he was about seventeen years old he attended a high school in Pennsyl- vania, and soon afterward came to Indiana and entered upon a work that occupied him for twenty-eight years, that of teaching. With the exception of one term in Huntington County and one in Wabash County, all his work was done in Kosciusko County, and there are many people still living past middle age who have kindly and inter- esting memories of him as a teacher. This ocenpation he followed during the winter terms, and the rest of the year was a farmer.
In 1859 Mr. Thompson married Elizabeth Fisher. The following year he bought eighty acres of land covered with brush and timber, and in 1863 moved to the farm where he now lives in Clay Township, consisting of 200 acres. He also has another place of 120 acres north of the home farm. It was as a farmer that he acquired his substantial prosperity, and for many years he has lived in comfort and liberally provided for the children who grew up under his roof, and most of whom are now settled in homes of their own.
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson had ten children, and seven are still living. Sarah is the wife of Simon Shults, of Clay Township; Samuel is also a resident of Clay Township; Luella is the wife of Jacob Galls, of Scott Township; Calvin, a Clay Township farmer; Emma, wife of Layman Vance, who manages and lives on the home farm; Melissa, who is the wife of James Snoke, of Clay Township; and Marshall, who is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music and lives in Fort Wayne. The mother of these children, after more than half a century of happy married life, died in the fall of 1915.
Mr. Thompson is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Packer- town, and was formerly one of the church trustees. In politics he is a democrat. He served one term as trustee of Jackson Township, and for two terms was honored with a similar office in Clay Township. He is also a stockholder in the Packertown Farmers Elevator Company.
THOMAS B. HATFIELD. While Clay Township is noted for the fer- tility of its soil, the success which attends the labors of some of the agriculturists there cannot be altogether attributed to this fact. A thorough understanding of the principles of farming and the posses- sion of the good judgment and the industry to apply them are, after all, the greatest factors in making a farmer's life pleasant and profit- able. One of the intelligent, well informed farmers of this section is Thomas B. Hatfield, proprietor of Maple Grove Farm, situated a mile and a half west of Claypool, in Clay Township.
Mr. Hatfield was born in what is now Lake Township of Kosciusko County, January 31, 1856, son of Jacob and Lydia (Shook) Hatfield. The name Hatfield has been rather numerously and prominently iden- tified with Kosciusko County from almost pioneer days. Jacob Hat-
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field and his wife were both natives of Ohio. He was born October 4, 1830, and died in 1880, and his wife was born May 24, 1835. Their respective families came to Koscinsko County in the early days, and Jacob and Lydia were married here. Much of their farming was done on the land now owned and occupied by their son Thomas. The parents were faithful members of the United Brethren Church at Center, and Jacob Hatfield was a loyal democrat. Jacob and Lydia Hatfield were splendid people, and the merit of their own lives and characters was transmitted to their children. The record of their chil- dren is a remarkable one, since there were eighteen sons and daughters, and most of them grew to maturity, and a number of them are still in Kosciusko County. The names of these children, with the dates of their birth and some other facts, are recorded as follows: Leander V., born May 27, 1854, a farmer in Clay Township ; Thomas B .; Sarah E. and Aurilla I., twins, born May 6, 1857, both now deceased; Mary C., born December 16, 1858, wife of Z. Gunder, of Jackson Township; Isaac E., born September 11, 1860, now deceased; Chester N., born May 8, 1862, a farmer in Jackson Township of Huntington County ; Jacob M., born November 21. 1863, a resident of Indianapolis; Della E .. born September 9, 1866, deceased; Emma J., born March 7, 1865, wife of A. J. Gunter; Martha C., born September 2, 1868, wife of William Rhoads, of Onatchee, Washington ; Alice E., born September 9, 1869, wife of George Maddux, of Plymouth, Indiana; Andrew D., born March 22, 1871, deceased ; Phoebe V., born August 11, 1872, wife of Charles Ernsberger, of Elkhart, Indiana: Florence B., born July 23, 1874, deceased : Rosella, born July 10, 1875, deceased ; Laura E., born February 9, 1877 ; and Nora E., born July 31, 1879, deceased.
Thomas B. Hatfield grew up on the farm where he now resides. His education was supplied by the district schools, and at the age of eighteen he took an effective part in the handling of the home farmn. About two years later he became a saw mill worker, and followed that occupation for eight or nine years. On December 24, 1886, Mr. Hat- field married Elnora Thompson. Mrs. Hatfield was born in Clay Township June 24, 1865, a daughter of D. W. and Anna (Fisher) Thompson, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Jackson Township of this county. Mrs. Hatfield was reared in Clay Township and was educated in the local schools there.
At the time of his marriage Mr. Hatfield became manager of the C. L. Lucas farm, but after two years moved to Jackson Township and bought a small tract of land, and lived there altogether for seven- teen years. In 1910 he moved to his present place in Clay Township, the old Hatfield farm, and in the cultivation of its fertile acres he is finding ample return for his labors and is enjoying the comforts of one of the good country homes of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield are members of the United Brethren Church at Claypool. He is affil- iated with Claypool Lodge No. 515, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, of which he is past noble grand. He is now and for a number of years has been quite active in the cause of temperance and the pro- hibition party.
Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield have a family of eight children: Ethel M.,
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a graduate of the common schools and wife of Charles Horner of Hegewisch. Illinois; Charles L., a soldier, who married Cordelia Jef- fries ; Lillie A., a graduate of the common schools, wife of Ernest Jameson, of Monroe Township; James I., who represents the family with the United States armies in France ; Daniel R., who lives in Clay Township and married Letitia Rhodes; Donald D., a graduate of high school and still at home; Susie P. and Esther T., who are also members of the home circle.
LEVI F. CAUFFMAN is one of the men who are upholding the record of Kosciusko County as a great agricultural center, and is directing the productive forces of a fine farm of 200 acres in Clay and Lake townships, one and one half miles east and two miles south of Clay- pool, on rural route No. 2 out of that town.
Mr. Cauffman was born on a farm in Clay Township, August 26, 1869, a son of John and Eva (Sellers) Cauffman. His parents were both born in Pennsylvania, and after their marriage the father lived five years in Michigan and then came to Kosciusko County. He located two miles south of Claypool and here he spent the rest of his days. For fifteen years he was an ordained minister of the Evangelical Church, and served as a local preacher for a number of years in Kos- ciusko County. He had a fluent command of both the English and German languages, and conducted services in both tongues. He was twice married and by his first wife had five children. The children of his second marriage were : Michael A., a farmer in Clay Township ; Amelia, wife of Jacob O. Deaton, of Clay Township; Alice, deceased ; John A., present trustee of Clay Township ; Nancy, who married Rich- ard Brown and lives in Nebraska; Levi F .: Pierce, who lives at Wabash. Indiana, and is track master for the Big Four Railway; and Cora, wife of Silas Hill.
Levi F. Cauffman grew up on the old homestead two miles south of Claypool, attended the district schools there, and was identified with the work of the home farm for a number of years. On May 26, 1894, he established a home of his own by his marriage to Gertrude Bodkin. She was born in Clay Township. After their marriage they farmed the old Cauffman farm four years, then rented the Wilson farm, and gradually out of experience and their modest accumulations ventured to make their first purchase of thirty-nine acres, going in debt for the land. After they had paid for it they sold and bought eighty acres contained in their present farm. This was their home for a year and a half. Mrs. Cauffman then inherited eighty acres of land, and together they bought forty acres adjoining, so that their present place comprises 200 acres.
Mr. and Mrs. Cauffman have two children. Flossie, born August 25, 1899, is a graduate of the common schools and still at home. Beulah was born May 10, 1906. Mr. Cauffman is a republican.
THOMAS W. BOGGS, whose farm home is in Clay Township, five miles south of Warsaw, is a member of an old family of this county, where the people of that name have lived since this country was a
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wilderness of woods and swamp. What Kosciusko County is today is largely the reflection of the energies and activities and influences created by such sturdy and upright families as that given particular attention in this sketch.
The founder of the name here was Andrew Hamilton Boggs, whose death on his ninety-sixth birthday, March 7, 1917, removed perhaps the oldest pioneer from the county's citizenship. He was born in Jackson County, Ohio, March 7, 1821, son of Andrew and Susanna (Bowen) Boggs, who were natives of Greenbrier County, Virginia. Andrew Boggs, Sr., took his family to Indiana about 1825, living in Wayne and Henry Counties, where his wife died May 4, 1834. Soon after her death he moved to Blackford County, where he married a second time, and served for a period as associate judge of the County Court of Delaware County. He was also one of the proprietors of Hartford City, county seat of Blackford County. His long and useful life came to a close January 27, 1854.
Andrew H. Boggs had very limited educational opportunities, but nevertheless his powers of observation and keen intelligence elevated him to a position where he enjoyed the respect of the best citizens of his community. From the age of fourteen he was practically on his own resources. In the spring of 1835, with two brothers, he left Wayne County for LaPorte County, making the journey on foot. During the same year he made a further journey to the Miami Reserve at Peru, but in the fall of 1835 came to Kosciusko County and for a time made his home with his brother-in-law, Joel Long, Sr., near Leesburg. His principal asset was ability to work hard and untiringly, and many days he labored at wages of only twenty-five cents a day. This indus- try, coupled with integrity and thrift, brought him gradually up the road to independence. December 14, 1843, he married Miss Martha Ann Thomas, a native of Indiana and daughter of Antipas and Axsa Thomas, natives of Tennessee. The Thomas family also became resi- dents of Kosciusko County in the fall of 1835. After his marriage Andrew H. Boggs lived on part of the Thomas farm, but soon after- wards engaged in the hotel business at Leesburg four years. He then resumed his residence in Prairie Township, and in 1868 moved from there to a farm near Clunette. In that locality his years were peace- fully and usefully spent until his death. He was a man of very char- itable disposition, was devout in his religious practices, and a demo- cratic voter. His wife died June 3, 1886. Their children were: Axsa S., who now lives at Warsaw, widow of S. D. Anglin, a former county superintendent of schools in this county ; Thomas W .; John L., . who married Rose Norris and lives in Monroe Township; Lucinda, deceased ; Samuel, of Kosciusko County ; Clinton, of Mentone, Indiana ; Jennie, wife of Mr. Shinn, of Oklahoma; Rose, deceased ; and Harvey D., of Prairie Township.
Mr. Thomas W. Boggs was born on his father's place three miles west of Leesburg in March, 1849. He grew up there, attended the public schools, and from early manhood has been identified steadily with farming. Mr. Boggs and family now have 150 acres in Clay
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Township, and it has been under his management as a general farm and stock proposition for many years. In politics he is a democrat.
Mr. Boggs married Matilda Hildebrand. They became the parents of three children: Alice V. is the wife of Frank McKrill; Lillie is the wife of Joseph Huffer ; Edward H. is a resident of Clay Township. The mother of these children died December 25, 1913. For his present wife Mr. Boggs married Birtie Boggs, formerly a resident of Okla- homa.
WILLIAM HEISLER has long enjoyed a substantial position in the community of Clay Township, where he has spent most of his active years, and is proprietor of a fine farm, well adapted to general agri- culture and stock raising. This farm and his home are in section 6 of Clay Township, on rural route No. 4 out of Claypool.
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