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 6
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Doctor Leedy spent his boyhood days on a farm near Pierceton, attended the local schools and high school, and prepared for work as a teacher by attending the normal school at Valparaiso. After four years of work as a teacher in his home county, he took up the study of medicine in the Detroit Medical College, from which he was grad- uated M. D. May 4, 1897. Since that date he has been one of the hard working physicians at Pierceton, and more and more his abili- ties have come to be appreciated and his service broadened over the surrounding country. Doctor Leedy has served as president of the
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Kosciusko County Medical Society, and has always kept in close touch with professional affairs.
Besides the business of his profession he might also be classed as a practical farmer and stock raiser. He owns 120 acres of land and has given much attention to the breeding and raising of high grade Shorthorn cattle. Doctor Leedy married in 1897 Clara Moody, who was born in New York state, but has lived in Kosciusko County since early girlhood. Dr. and Mrs. Leedy are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, In Masonry he is affiliated with the lodge at Pierceton, with the Chapter, Council and Commandery at Warsaw, and with the Scottish Rite at Fort Wayne. He is also a Past Grand in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a member of the Knights of Pythias, and in politics casts his vote as a democrat.
SABIN V. ROBISON. One of the most capable farmers and citi- zens of Tippecance Township is Sabin V. Robison, who has earned the respect and esteem of his fellow men.
He was born in the township May 16, 1863, son of Vincent and Joanna (Gordon) Robison. Both parents were natives of Perry County, Pennsylvania, the father born in 1800 and the mother on June 29, 1825. The Gordons were a prominent family of pioneers in Northeastern Indiana. Joanna Gordon was a daughter of Thomas D. and Elizabeth (Bull) Gordon, the former born October 6, 1788. and the latter on March 31, 1788. They came west and settled in Sugar Creek Township of Wayne County, Indiana, where her father was a cabinet maker. In 1833 he moved to Kosciusko County and spent the rest of his days here.
Sabin V. Robison is the only living child of his parents. He at- tended public schools and also took a commercial course. Mr. Robison married Lulu E. Brenneman, who was born in Whitley County, Indiana, May 2, 1864. After his marriage he lived on a farm a couple of years, then conducted a store at North Webster four years, and in 1893 went on the road as a traveling salesman and general agent for the Plano Harvester Works. He was with that firm until 1897, when he joined the Deering Harvester Company, and in 1902 was appointed manager of that company at Elmira, New York, where he remained three years. He was then with the Eastern Rock Island Plow Company until January, 1913, and was two years in the hard- ware business at Leesburg, Indiana. He has since settled down to farming.
Mrs. Robison is a daughter of Abraham and Jane (North) Bren- neman. Her father was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and her mother in Champaign County, Ohio. After their marriage in Ohio they moved to Whitley County, Indiana, and settled near South Whitley, and abont 1873 located near Oswego in Kosciusko County, where they died. Mr. and Mrs. Robison are the parents of four chil- dren, two of whom are deceased. The living are Rolland, who is in the hardware business at Leesburg, and Garland, who is married and resides at home, but is now in a training camp of the United States army.
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AUGUST C. CAIN is one of the prospering and progressive farmer citizens of Etna Township, and his intensively cultivated farm of forty acres 51/2 miles northeast of Etna Green is known as the Clover Leaf Farm.
Mr. Cain was born at Tippecanoe County, Indiana, January 10, 1881, a son of William and Mary (Miller) Cain. His parents were both born at Michigan City, Indiana, his father June 22, 1856, and his mother in September, 1860. Both are still living, and their family of children are as follows: Christ Cain of Scott Township; August C .; William of Kosciusko County; Lydia, deceased; Edward; Ben- jamin H .; Martha, deceased; Sylvia, wife of T. Growcock ; James, who lives in Denver, Indiana, and Anna, unmarried and at home with her parents.
August C. Cain grew up on a farm and had a common school education, supplemented by one year in the high school. March 2, ยท 1907, he married Miss Maude Huffman. For the past ten years they have been working steadily to the improvement of their condi- tions, acquired the nucleus of a good farm, and have a long vista of prosperous and useful years ahead of them. Mr. and Mrs. Cain live in a new modern home and are highly esteemed in their community. They are members of the Church of God, and Mr. Cain is a republi- can and a member of the Horse Thief Detective Association. For three years he served in the National Guard at Monticello, Indiana, Company A, Third Indiana Regiment.
GEORGE A. WALTERS has that degree of material prosperity rep- resented by the ownership of a good farm of 120 acres, and this pro- prietorship is the more significant of his thrift and industry when it is stated that he made the farm altogether as the result of his efforts, and taking the land in the woods cleared away year after year an , additional space for cultivation and has put every improvement upon the land which enhances its value.
The Walters family reside at the farm three and a half miles west and half a mile south of Claypool on Rural Route No. 1, in Seward Township. Mr. Walters was born in Knox County, Ohio, January 29, 1864, a son of Edward and Hannah (Dean) Walters. The family came to Kosciusko County in 1874 and located on a farm in Seward Township. The parents died here. They had seven sons: Abe, Levi, Joseph, William, Isaac, George and Albert.
George A. Walters was ten years old when he came to Kosciusko County. His early education begun in Ohio, was continued in the local schools here, and he was at home up to the age of nineteen.
When Mr. Walters left home his material possessions consisted of a single dollar and some clothing wrapped up in a newspaper. Fur- ther than that he had his experience in various kinds of farm work, and he put this experience to test by hiring out to other farmers at wages of $14 or $15 a month. For seven years he labored for others, and the savings from his work he invested in twenty-three acres of land. That was his first purchase, and about that time he married, and thirty years have sufficed to give him his present farm and all its
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improvements, and at the same time he has provided a good home and reared his children to lives of usefulness and honor.
August 18, 1888, Mr. Walters married Miss Susanna Adams. Their children are: Mertie M., wife of Harry Taylor; Harley G., who mar- ried Nerley Hinsey; Artie, who married Ella Engle; and Roy, who is still at home. Mr. Walters is a republican voter.
FREEMAN E. CRIPE is an Indiana man by birth and training, grew up on a farm, and has found increasing scope for his usefulness and service with the passing years. He is the leading doctor of veterinary surgery in Jackson Township, and combines his large practice with the operation of a farm where he resides two miles east of Sidney.
Doctor Cripe was born in Carroll County, Indiana, September 4, 1885, a son of Chris and Barbara (Wagoner) Cripe. His father was born in Carroll County on the same farm where he now lives. The mother was a native of Tippecanoe County. They have spent their married lives in Carroll County and are active members of the Church of the Brethren, and in politics the father is a republican. They had five children: Dr. Earl J., who is now in training camp in the medical service of the United States Army ; Curtis E., a farmer in Wabash County; Dr. Freeman E .; Claude, a farmer in Carroll County ; and Floyd, who is in the army at Camp Taylor, Kentucky.
Freeman E. Cripe grew up on a farm, and early evinced that fondness for animals and their care which was the basis of his pro- fessional interests. He was educated in the common schools, also in the North Manchester College, and from there entered the Veterinary College at Indianapolis, from which he graduated in 1911 with the degree D. V. M. He practiced about a year at Nappanee, Indiana, but in August, 1912, came to Sidney, and in connection with his profession operates a large stock farm of 160 acres two miles east of that town.
August 4, 1912, Doctor Cripe married Miss Nora Ross, member of one of the oldest and most prominent families in this part of Kos- ciusko County. She was educated in the common schools and took musical instruction at the North Manchester College. They have one daughter, Helen, born June 5, 1915. Dr. and Mrs. Cripe are mem- bers of the Church of the Brethren.
Robert Ross, father of Mrs. Cripe, is now living retired at Kinsey in Jackson Township. He was born in Clarke County, Ohio, Decem- ber 17, 1843, a son of George and Hannah (Heckman) Ross. His father was born in Virginia in April, 1815, in early manhood moved to Clarke County, Ohio, where he married, and after his marriage settled in Clarke County, then spent two years in Shelby County, Ohio, then again rented a farm two years in Clarke County, and in September, 1849, brought his family to Koscinsko County. He had come to Jackson Township in the fall of 1848, secured land and erected a hewed log cabin in the woods. To this little home he introduced his family, and on that farm he spent the rest of his life. He was a man of very sturdy mold, active, energetic, acquired about 560 acres of land, and was also a force in the moral nplift of that part
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of the county. He always voted as a republican after the organiza- tion of that party. In his family were two sons and four daughters, the daughters being now deceased, while the sons, Robert and John Ross, are both residents of Jackson Township.
Robert Ross was about six years old when brought to Jackson Township, and he spent part of his early life in the log cabin home of his father and attended the nearby district schools at Sidney. On De- cember 31, 1868, he married Susan Snell. The name Snell is also associated in the pioneer settlement of this section of Kosciusko County. Susan Snell was born in Jackson Township June 6, 1848, daughter of John and Magdalena (Brower) Snell. Her father was born in Augusta County, Virginia, in 1809, and her mother in Rock- ingham County in the same state in 1812. After their marriage in Virginia they moved to Ohio in 1830, settling in Preble County, and while there six children were born to them. In 1844 the Snell family came to Kosciusko County, and here John and Magdalene spent their last years. Of their family of eleven children four are still living : Susan Ross; John, of Wabash County; Samuel, who lives in Ohio; and Catherine, wife of Reuben Frantz, of North Manchester.
Robert Ross after his marriage located on his farm, and that was his home and the scene of his activities as a prosperous farmer for forty-four years, operating 289 acres. When he retired he moved to the Village of Kinsey. He is a republican. He and his wife had four children : Alonzo, a farmer in Jackson township; Amos W., a grad- uate of North Manchester College and of Monnt Morris College in Illinois, now serving as a missionary in India ; Elmer C., a farmer in Jackson Township; and Nora, Mrs. Cripe. Robert Ross is a member of the Church of the Brethren and one of its deacons.
CALVIN O. KETROW, of Jackson Township, has had a most inter- esting range of experience during his life. He had to shift for him- self from an early age, but in spite of handicaps and disadvantages secured a liberal education, and has been a farmer, a public official, a salesman, and has satisfactorily solved practically all the problems of life as they have presented themselves. He now owns and occupies one of the good farms in Jackson Township, south of Sidney, and is carrying his share of public responsibilities in the office of township trustee.
Mr. Ketrow was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, January 20, 1865, son of Allen and Susanna (Ramsey) Ketrow. His parents were natives of the same county and state. The father died in 1868, when Calvin was only three years old. In 1869 he was sent to live with a family named Bond, and their home was near Mexico in Miami County, Indiana. It was in that vicinity that he first attended school, and he grew up practically among strangers. His ambition led him to acquire a better education than could be furnished by the common schools, and he attended the State Normal and passed a successful examination for a teacher's license in Whitley County. Instead of taking up teaching, he went to work on a farm in Whitley County, and in 1885 married Miss Nellie M. Warner, of Kosciusko County.
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For a time he was engaged in the live stock and butcher business at South Whitley, spent one year in Pierceton, rented a farm and em- ployed himself in different ways as a means of making a living and getting a real start in life. Finally he bought a farm, and for a num- ber of years has given close and skillful cultivation to his land.
Mr. and Mrs. Ketrow have one son, Ernest E., born in 1886. He is a graduate of the common schools and is now a machinist in the foundry shop of the American Can Company at Detroit, Michigan.
Mr. Ketrow was a deacon in the Church of the Brethren, in affil- iated with Sidney Lodge No. 579, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, also with the Royal Arch Chapter at North Manchester, and is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Since early manhood he has given his enthusiastic support to the republican party and its principles. He has worked for the good of the community and has received several important honors at the hands of his fellow citizens. During the legislative session of 1901 he served as journal clerk in the House. When the office of trustee in Jackson Township became va- cant through the resignation of James Thompson, Mr. Ketrow was appointed his successor in November, 1914, and filled out the unex- pired term ending in January, 1919. He has used this opportunity to render some effective service in looking after the best interests of the local schools, and is one of the best qualified men who ever occu- pied the trusteeship in that township.
LOYAL W. DOME is upholding his end of farm enterprise in Jack- son Township, is a citizen whose public spirit is appreciated in that community, and at the request of his friends he recently became a candidate for township trustee on the democratic ticket. Mr. Dome's farm is three-quarters of a mile north of Sidney.
The Dome family has been in Kosciusko County for over sixty- five years. His grandfather, Isaac C. Dome, was born in Elkhart County, Indiana, April 10, 1832. Isaac's grandfather died in In- diana, so that this state has had at least five generations of the Dome family among its residents. Isaac Dome went to California in 1850 with his father, traveling overland, and they had many adventures and experienced much of the excitement and hardship of California life. Isaac Dome returned home in the spring of 1852, bringing with him less than a thousand dollars, representing the profit of his expe- rience in the west. A few weeks later he bought forty acres of land in Wayne Township of Kosciusko County, built a log cabin, and on December 18, 1853, married Mary J. Huff, who was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, July 18, 1835. Isaac Dome moved out to Mis- souri in 1865, but remained there only a short time and then returned to Kosciusko County and settled in Monroe Township. His first wife died in this county, and her only son was George W. Dome.
George W. Dome was born in this county February 19, 1856, grew up here, and married Miss Ada Messmore. She was born in Kosciusko County December 17, 1856, and died in October, 1896. After their marriage they settled on a farm in Jackson Township, but later removed to Warsaw, where George W. Dome is serving as
Henry D. Oldfather Flotilla D. Oldfather
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street commissioner. He is an active member of the Christian Church. He and his wife had two children, Chalmer R., a resident of Warsaw, and Loyal W.
Loyal W. Dome was born in Jackson Township December 30, 1882, and has spent most of his life in that community. He was educated in the common schools, also attended high school, and for five years did splendid work as a teacher.
August 9, 1908, he married Miss Frances Palmer, daughter of Mr. O. Palmer of Sidney. Mrs. Dome is a graduate of the Warsaw High School. They have three children: Geneva, born in 1912; Irene, born in 1914; and Harold, born in 1916. Mr. and Mrs. Dome are active members of the Christian Church of Sidney. He is a democrat in politics. His farm near Sidney comprises sixty-one acres, and is used both as a grain and a stock farm.
HENRY L. OLDFATHER. In the thirty odd years Henry L. Old- father has had his home in Kosciusko County the people have come to esteem and appreciate his sterling type of citizenship, the quality of his business enterprise and the kindly and helpful attitude he has taken toward all matters of community welfare. Mr. Oldfather con- siders himself a retired farmer, but still lives in his fine country home a mile west of Silver Lake, and in many ways is as keenly ener- getic and active in affairs today as he was twenty years ago.
He was born in Wabash County, Indiana, May 24, 1852, son of Adam and Caroline (Borgher) Oldfather. Mr. Oldfather takes ap- propriate pride in the fact that his family has been in America for more than a century and a half. It was in 1769, six years before the outbreak of the American Revolution, that several of their fam- ily left their native city of Berlin, and after six months on the ocean, landed at Baltimore They made settlement in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, where they laid out a town named Berlin, in honor of their home city. One of the family, Frederick Oldfather, was the first elder of the First Reformed Church in that part of Pennsyl- vania. The grandfather of Henry L. Oldfather was Henry Old- father, a son of this Frederick. This accounts for four generations of the family in this country. Henry Oldfather emigrated with his family to Montgomery County, Ohio, in the year 1811, and was for many years identified with sawmilling and also operated flour mills.
Adam Oldfather was born near Farmersville, Ohio, and coming to Indiana in 1841, located in Wabash County. He and his wife, Caroline Borgher, were the parents of eight children, namely; Su- san, widow of Andrew Knoop, lives in Claypool, Indiana; Sarah C., who is the only one of the children not now living; Samuel T., a retired poultry dealer, who lives at North Manchester; Mary E., wife of George Leffel, of North Manchester; Henry L .; Melissa J., wife of Thomas A. Joutz, of Seward Township, this county; John F., a resident of Silver Lake; Irene B., wife of J. E. Byer, of Roches- ter, Indiana.
Henry L. Oldfather grew up on his father's farm in Wabash County and made the best possible use of his advantages in the dis- Vol. II-4
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trict schools. At the age of seventeen he began teaching, and for five years was identified with school work in Kosciusko County. He then took up farming, and has been a prominent resident of Kosciusko County since 1878. Mr. Oldfather married Flotilla Loop, of Kos- ciusko County, where she was born and reared. Her father was Moses C. Loop. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Oldfather located on a farm, aud since 1900 have lived at his pleasant country place near Silver Lake, where he has a fine improved farm of 200 acres. For five years he was also engaged in the livestock business, and for nineteen years he was secretary of the County Insurance Company and was general manager of the People's Mutnal Telephone Com- pany of Silver Lake until he sold his interest April 1, 1915. Every undertaking which he has touched has prospered, and he has the deserved reputation in the county of being one of its most able business men. Mr. Oldfather has also been a strong party man in the republican faith, and is a past chancellor of Lake View Lodge of Knights of Pythias at Silver Lake. Many of his friends know Mr. Oldfather as a clever writer of verse, and he has celebrated many of his experiences and many local incidents in verse forms that have been published and widely read.
Mr. and Mrs. Oldfather are the parents of one daughter, Iva, who was born February 14, 1879. She is now the wife of former state representative Harry W. Kline of Silver Lake. Mr. Kline is one of the leading farmers of that community. Mr. and Mrs. Kline have two children: Marcus H., a student in high school, and F'an- chon, still in the grade schools.
JOHN F. MITTERLING. One of the good homes and one of the productive farms of Kosciusko County lies a half mile east of Dutch- town in Tippecanoe Township, the home and scene of activities of the Mitterling family, including Mr. John F. Mitterling.
The latter was born in Noble County February 25, 1867, son of John and Susanna (Shadow) Mitterling. Both parents were natives of Pennsylvania. His father was born in Juniata County Septem- ber 16, 1831, and died March 16, 1902. The mother was born De- cember 17, 1830. They grew up in their native state and were married January 20, 1852, and in 1854 came west and settled in Noble County, Indiana. Their home was near Savilla until 1874, when they bought the farm where John F. Mitterling now lives in Kosciusko County. The parents were members of the German Bap- tist Church and were very active and liberal in their support. Of their seven children five are still living: Jane, wife of John Stone- burner of Plain Township; Michael, deceased, who married Sarah Moerzy; Joseph, who married Julia A. Hays and lives at Warsaw ; Samuel, who married Elizabeth J. Plew and lives in Wayne Town- ship of this county ; John F., and Emeline C. O., wife of Isaac Ran- dall.
John F. Mitterling was seven years old when brought to the farm where he has since lived, where he was trained to industrious habits, and where he has made a successful career as a farmer. His
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education was acquired in the district schools, limited to attendance during the winter terms, while the summer was spent in the work of the fields. Harry S. Randall, a nephew of Mr. Mitterling, married Grace L. Tenny, and they have two children, John and Audry.
Mr. Mitterling is affiliated with Warsaw Lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men, and is a past sachem of that order. He is also a member of the Moose lodge, and Harry Randall is affiliated with the same order. In politics Mr. Mitterling is a republican. One hun- dred twenty acres constitute the Mitterling homestead, and it is the home of some of the good livestock raised in this township.
JOHN S. JUDD. Five miles northwest of Akron in Franklin Town- ship is a farm that has been under the ownership of the Judd family more than forty years, and is now the home and scene of the progres- sive activities of John S. Judd, who was born in the same locality and has lived there practically all his life.
He was born March 6, 1879, a son of T. R. and Lucinda (Mickey) Judd. T. R. Judd was brought by his parents to Franklin Township when a boy, grew to maturity there, and after his marriage settled on the place now owned by his son John. Later he moved to Akron, where his first wife died in 1904. He married again, and his second wife is also deceased. He is now living in Franklin Township. There were eight children, five still living: Etta, wife of Elmer Bybee, of Fulton County ; Eliza, wife of J. J. Smith, of Elkhart, Indiana ; John S .; Lola, wife of C. C. Betters, of Elkhart; Howard, who is serving with the colors in France; Emma, Charles and another child died in infancy.
John S. Judd grew up on the old farm, was educated in the dis- trict schools, and gave his time and labor to the home farm until twenty-one. On July 25, 1901, he married Miss Myrtle Clifton. She was born in Fulton County and is a graduate of the common schools. They have two sons: Thomas C, born September 4, 1903, who has completed the work of the district schools; and Charles W., born January 12, 1906, still a student.
The family are members of the United Brethren Church at Beaver Dam, and Mr. Judd is superintendent of its Sunday school. In poli- ties he is a republican.
CHARLES W. Ross. The Crown Hill Stock Farm, a mile east of Sidney in Jackson Township, of which Charles W. Ross is proprie- tor, is one of the centers of animal husbandry in Kosciusko County that attracts favorable notice and attention from many outside com- munities. The stock farm has as its chief asset a fine herd of Short- horn cattle, the herd being headed by Sultan's Defender. Mr. Ross is also handling some Percheron horses, and has the well known Gazin, son of Jury, son of Carnot No. 66666. Other high grade live stock on the farm are some Dorset sheep and Duroc hogs.
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