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 8
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JOHN F. CLYMER, who is now busying himself with the manage- ment of his farm a quarter of a mile west of Silver Lake, has had an unusual scope of experience and activity, having been a teacher, newspaper man, traveling salesman, and is a former postmaster of the Village of Silver Lake.
Mr. Clymer was born near Mansfield in Richland County, Ohio, March 18, 1855, a son of Henry and Mary (Landis) Clymer. His father was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and his mother in Montgomery County, Ohio. They married in the latter county and soon located in Richland County, were farmers there until 1858, when they went out to Bond County, Illinois. They had their home there four years and in 1862, on coming to Indiana, located in Ran- dolph County for two years, and in 1864 moved to Kosciusko County, and in this county they spent their declining years. They were active members of the Dunkard Church and the father was a repub- lican. Of the nine children seven reached maturity: Samuel, of North Manchester; Elizabeth, wife of Peter Tredle, of California; John F .; Mary, wife of Clay M. Wise; Nancy, widow of Joshua Den- ser, living near Claypool; Sarah C., wife of Christian Dought; and D. H. Clymer, who is a newspaper writer at Logansport.
John F. Clymer grew up in Kosciusko County from 1864, when he was nine years of age, and acquired his education in the local schools. He was a good student and at the age of twenty-one applied for a license as teacher. He taught and also attended the Methodist College at Fort Wayne. His record as a teacher covered sixteen terms. When Benjamin Harrison was elected president Mr. Clymer was appointed postmaster at Silver Lake and filled that office sev- eral years. For nine years he was on the road as traveling repre- sentative for the Deering Harvester Company, and for eighteen months he was connected with the South Bend Times. Otherwise his experience has been that of a farmer, and his home place com- prises forty acres of well cultivated and highly improved land.
In 1880 Mr. Clymer married Miss Lodelle Kerlin, who was born near Silver Lake in 1862 and was educated in the common schools. Their four children are: Oma G., wife of Percy Perry, of Lake Township; M. T., who is married and an operator with the Grand Trunk Railway, living at Granger, Indiana; Noble Ray, who is mar- ried and is connected with the Big Four Railway at Berrien Center,
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Michigan ; and Mary P., who is a graduate of the Silver Lake High School and is still at home.
Mr. Clymer is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Masonic Order, and is a past chancellor of the former. He has al- ways been interested in the success of the republican party, and through it has given his chief public service. He is the present nom- inee for the office of trustee of Lake Township.
THOMAS E. BALL. Many of the best farmers in Kosciusko County are located in Seward Township, where local pride is shown in the substantial and attractive buildings and richly cultivated fields which stand as substantial evidence of the industry and intelligence of their owners. One of these capable men around Silver Lake is Thomas E. Ball, whose farm is four miles west of that village.
In this township he was born June 25, 1858, a son of Henderson W. and Freela (Lumpkin) Ball. His father was a native of Ran- dolph County, Indiana, and his mother of Putnam County. They married in the latter county and after some years came to Kosciusko County and were well known residents of Seward Township for many years. The father had a farm of 120 acres. Both father and mother were active in the Baptist Church, and the former was a well known local minister who did work here and in many other communities. He was also active in the republican party, and for a number of years held a commission as notary public. The death of this honored old time citizen occurred in January, 1910, while his widow passed away April 22, 1914. They earned the gratitude of coming genera- tions by establishing a large posterity. Of their children two died in infancy and one after reaching maturity. Those still living are: Martha, wife of William Williams; Lewis C., a farmer in Fulton County, Indiana; Charity, wife of Calvin Moyer, of Warsaw; John M., a farmer in Franklin Township; Freela, wife of George Swick, living in Texas; Thomas E .; Laura A., wife of Monda Gast; Viola, wife of Henry Meredith, of Akron, Indiana ; Jennie, unmarried ; and Robert N., a Baptist minister living at Indianapolis.
Thomas E. Ball grew up on the old farm in Seward Township. The scene of his boyhood is only a mile and a half from his present home. He went back and forth to the district schools, especially dur- ing the winter terms, and was a factor in the home circle until twenty-five. He then married Miss Laura Roberson. She died April 18, 1891, the mother of two children, Angus G., a farmer in Seward Township, and Iva F., wife of Percy Helser, of Lake Township. For his present wife Mr. Ball married Mrs. Sarah A. (Friend) Utter, of Miami County, Indiana, where she was born. Her first husband was John Utter. Mr. Ball takes an active interest in various organiza- tions and movements, is a member of the Horse Thief Detective As- sociation, is a republican, and filled the office of justice of the peace four years.
JACOB H. MORT has been a figure in the business life of Kosciusko County for a number of years. He is well known over a large scope
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of country as a former grain and stock buyer, but is now concen- trating his attention upon the management of the Highland Orchard, and is one of the largest and most successful fruit growers in the county. His entire farm comprises 100 acres, situated in Jackson Township, a mile south and a mile and a half west of Sidney. Mr. Mort has sixty-five acres in fruit trees and is a producer of fruit on a commercial scale, and has acquired all the facilities for the ex- pert handling of his crop.
Mr. Mort was born in Allen County, Ohio, October 18, 1863, a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Harpster) Mort. Joseph Mort was born in Harrison County, Ohio, son of George and Mary Mort, the former a native of Maryland and the latter of Pennsylvania. Joseph Mort at the age of three years accompanied his parents to Tuscar- awas County and at the age of fifteen he left home to live with an uncle. In his twentieth year he entered upon an apprenticeship to learn the trade of tanner and currier at Tiffin, Ohio, and followed that business for many years. In Allen County, Ohio, November 4. 1849, he married Miss Elizabeth Harpster, who was born February 15, 1831, in Fairfield County, Ohio, a daughter of Anthony and Sophia Harpster. Joseph Mort brought his family to Kosciusko County in 1871, and for some years operated a tannery at Warsaw. In July, 1882, he located upon a farm a mile and a half northwest of Warsaw, later farmed in Jackson Township and died in advanced years at Silver Lake. While living in Ohio he served as trustee, was a democrat in politics and a member of the Grange. He and his wife had children named Anthony, Mary, George, Emanuel, Lydia, Nancy, John M., Jacob H., and Emma.
Jacob H. Mort grew up in and from the age of seven to six- teen attended the public schools of Warsaw. Later he graduated from a business college in Chicago. He entered upon his business career as a hay and grain buyer and shipper, and owned an elevator for about a dozen years. He then came to his present farm in Jackson Township and is busy from one year's end to the other in looking after his trees and handling his enormous crops of fruit.
Mr. Mort married Miss Ora Hinkson, a native of Kosciusko County. They have five children, Ruth, Russell, Bernice, Louis and Louise, twins, the last being seven years of age. The two older chil- dren are graduates of the common schools. Mr. and Mrs. Mort are members of the Christian Church. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias Lodge at North Manchester, and votes as a democrat. While he has never taken much part in politics or sought office, he has accepted the nomination for assessor in his township.
ALBERT E. Ross, when he married twenty years ago, had a team and twenty-seven dollars' worth of furniture. He applied himself to farming, the vocation to which he had been trained as a boy, and by hard and constant work and by paying attention to the selling as well as to the producing end of his business he has prospered so that he owns a large farm of 370 acres in Jackson Township, his home being in section 2 south of Sidney, and his name is everywhere
3. E. bill
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HISTORY OF KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
in that community recognized as one of the good and substantial citizens.
Mr. Ross was born August 30, 1876, in the same township where he now resides, and his parents were John and Jane (Stout) Ross. His mother died in 1884 and his father is still living. Albert E. is the oldest of four children. His sister Cora is the wife of A. B. Ulrey, of Jackson Township. Eva is the wife of Milton Miller, of Jackson Township, and Charles W. Ross is also a well known farmer in the same locality.
Albert E. Ross grew up on the old homestead, attended the dis- trict schools near home, and was married in his twenty-first year, on February 26, 1898. Miss Rosa C. Fox was his bride. She has been a faithful manager of the home and has closely co-operated with her husband in their joint enterprise as farmers. Mr. Ross has fed many carloads of cattle, hogs and sheep during the last twenty years and he has made his money in stock and grain. He ships his own stock, buys by the carload, and keeps in close touch with market conditions. Mr. Ross is a republican, has been quite active in party interest, and he and his wife are members of the Church of the Brethren. They have two sons, Eugene, a graduate of the common schools, and Lawrence, eight years old.
JAMES E. GILL, a farmer living a mile and a half north and a mile and a half west of Silver Lake, is a man of wide and unusual experience, and has spent more than half a century as a citizen of Kosciusko County.
His birth occurred in Champaign County, Ohio, September 24, 1843. His birthplace was near Mechanicsburg. His parents were John D. and Sophia (Winett) Gill. His grandfather, David Gill, was born in Maryland of Irish ancestry, and married Mary Dent of Scotch-Irish ancestry. They were married in Maryland, where Mary Dent's father was an extensive slave holder. When his daugh- ter married this planter gave her eight or ten slaves, but when David Gill and wife moved to Ohio the slaves automatically became free, and all of them remained in that state but one, who kept close to the family as long as she lived. David Gill had a home near Mechanicsburg, Ohio, and was both a farmer and a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He and his wife died in that vicinity. They had four sons and four daughters. John D. Gill was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, January 14, 1812. His wife, Sophia Winett, was born in Virginia June 25, 1808. They married in Champaign County, Ohio, and lived on a farm and later in the Village of Me- chanicsburg, where John D. Gill followed his trade as a shoemaker. He was the father of seven children: Henry and Susanna, deceased ; Newton A., a retired farmer living in Clay Township of this county ; James E .; John J., of Warsaw; Amelia A., wife of Joshua Rose, of Seneca County, Ohio; and Sophia F., wife of Henry Baum, of Sew- ard Township.
James E. Gill was eleven years old when he came to Kosciusko County. His education was such as could be supplied by the dis-
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trict schools of his day. His first important enterprise was in asso- ciation with a brother. Together they cleared and put into culti- vation a tract of eighty acres of land. This was the work that kept him busy until he was twenty-three, when he established a home of his own by his marriage April 1, 1866, to Miss Martha A. Rolland. She was born in Knox County, Ohio, March 7, 1845, and came to Kosciusko County at the age of ten years.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gill went to housekeeping in a little log cabin 16 by 18 feet, furnished with the utmost sim- plicity of furniture and equipment. It remained their home for eight years, and they then bought a farm of 115 acres one mile west of Silver Lake. This was their second home and after eight years they sold it, and in 1884 came to their present home of eighty acres, constituting one of the well kept and productive farms of Seward Township.
Mrs. Gill died August 10, 1912, and her death was the first break in the family circle in more than forty-five years. She was the mother of seven children, and one of them has died since her death. These children are: John D., of Warsaw; Dellie, wife of Cal Wise, of Warsaw; Louis, deceased; James E., of Mentone, Indiana; La- verna, wife of Albert Whittenberger; Samuel F., who lives in Mon- tana; Elmore, whose home is north of Warsaw. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Gill is a demo- crat and has served as constable, and wherever possible has exer- cised an influence toward the betterment and upbuilding of his com- munity.
LEONARD SUMME's carefully tended and valuable farm is in Franklin Township. He has spent practically all his life in the southern part of Kosciusko county and beginning life with little capital has proved his ability and won a comfortable competence and success. He owns 203 acres where he lives.
He was born January 29, 1862, in Seward Township, a son of Samuel and Catherine (Rough) Summe. His father was born in Berne, Switzerland, January 25, 1836, and came to the United States when a young man in 1855. He settled in Columbiana County, Ohio, where he met and married his wife, Catherine Rough, who was a native of that county, born November 20, 1840. In 1861 they moved to Indiana, locating near Claypool in Seward Township, and subse- quently established their home in Franklin Township. The parents are still living, in advanced years, and are among the highly esteemed old people in this part of the county. They had ten children, namely : Mary, wife of John F. Haney; Amos, of Franklin Town- ship; Leonard; John, of Silver Lake; Malinda, who is one of the deceased children ; Fred, of Silver Lake; Frank, of Mentone; Alva ; Alta, deceased wife of I. Tucker; and Elmer, of Silver Lake.
Mr. Leonard Summe grew up in Seward Township and was educated in the district schools there. When only a boy he started out to make his own way in the world, and has well earned the success now enjoyed. He married Miss Effie D. Tucker, grand-
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daughter of that well known and stalwart pioneer and leading citizen of Kosciusko County, Horace Tucker. Mrs. Summe was born in Franklin Township, June 7, 1875, daughter of Albert L. and Eliza- beth (Bechtelheimer) Tucker. Her mother died in 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Summe after their marriage lived on the Alva L. Tucker farm until 1902, and then came to their present home, where their children have grown up and where they have surrounded themselves with good neighbors and with most prosperous circumstances.
They have four children: Delta R., a graduate of high school and wife of Orville Royer of Franklin Township; Albert L., who is a graduate of high school and is still at home; Alta M. and Ralph M. Mr. and Mrs. Summe have one grandchild. Mr. Summe is a democrat in politics but has never cared to hold office.
IVAN TUCKER is a grandson of Horace Tucker and is a prosperous farmer in Franklin Township, in the vicinity which has been made memorable by the residence and activities of the Tucker family since pioneer days.
His grandfather, Horace Tucker, was born in Richland County, Ohio, November 8, 1825, son of John and Mary (Ward) Tucker, Horace Tucker came to Kosciusko County in 1846 and paid $2.50 an acre for a quarter section in section 20 of Franklin Township, a short distance northeast of the farm where Ivan Tucker now lives. He cut the first tree in the woods, erected a log cabin home, and then went back to Ohio, where on January 13, 1848, he married Miss Eliza Johnston. They came and occupied their log cabin home in the fall of 1848, and it was on that farm that their three children were born, Albert L., Rosella and Hollis. Horace Tucker was one of the pioneer stock raisers and dealers in Kosciusko County. He and another man shipped the first carload of stock ever sent by rail from Warsaw. The prosperity he and his wife enjoyed in later years was the more appreciated because their first home in the county was of the crudest description and with the most meager furnishings, much of it home made furniture with no pretense to style and with very little comfort. In 1871 Horace Tucker erected a brick house on his farm. It is said that his wind pump was the second in the township. He was in the stock business on an extensive scale, and in that line was succeeded by his son Albert.
Albert L. Tucker was born in Franklin Township, September 19, 1849, and in many ways measured up to the business ability and sturdy character of his honored father. He married Elizabeth Bech- telheimer, who was born in Indiana in 1853 and died in March, 1888. They have eight children : Elmore, of Newcastle, Indiana; Effie, wife of Leonard Summe, of Franklin Township; Ida, widow of Lawrence Huffer, of Burket, Indiana; Ivan; Roy, a farmer in the state of Washington; John, of Chicago; Millie, wife of Arthur Gelty, of Silver Lake; and Frank C., of Claypool.
Ivan Tucker was born on his father's farm in section 31 of Frank- lin Township and in that community he grew to manhood, attending the local schools. At the age of eighteen he went to work for his Vol. 11-5
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grandfather, Horace Tucker, later farmed his place one year, spent one year in Ohio, and also a short time in the West. In December, 1901, he married Miss Alta Summe. She died in August, 1902, without children. April 2, 1905, Mr. Tucker married Cecil McFar- land. She was born in Franklin Township, December 21, 1884, and was educated in the common schools.
For a number of years Mr. Tucker owned and occupied the old Horace Tucker homestead, but finally sold that and in 1911 came to his present place in section 30, where he owns 144 acres of care- fully cultivated land. He is a breeder and raiser of graded stock and usually feeds a carload of cattle for the market every year. Politically he is a democrat.
Mr. and Mrs. Tucker have two children: Mirabel, born August 20, 1907, and Alton L., born March 19, 1909.
OMER N. IGo is one of the influential citizens of Franklin Town- ship, is a farmer, stock buyer, and a leader in all the community activities. His fine farm, which represents almost a lifetime of effort and enterprise on his part, is situated five miles south and one mile east of Mentone.
Mr. Igo was born in Edgar County, Illinois, September 16, 1866, a son of William and Leah (Wilkins) Igo. His parents were both born and reared iu Highland County, Ohio, where they married. William Igo was a son of Henry Igo, one of the early settlers in that part of Ohio. From Highland County William Igo and wife moved to Edgar County, Illinois, were farmers there many years, and later moved out to Oklahoma, where they died. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of their nine children five are still living, and two of the sons are in Kosciusko County, George and Omer, the former also a farmer in Franklin Township.
Omer N. Igo was edneated in Edgar County, Illinois, also attended school in Kosciusko County, and at the age of twenty he became self supporting and went to work for John R. Black, whose daughter, Minnie Black, he subsequently married. After their mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. Igo settled on the farm where they now live, and here he owns 127 acres of well improved soil. From his farm he carries on his extensive operations as a cattle man. He buys, feeds and ships several carloads of stock every year. Mr. Igo was one of the organizers of the Farmers Mutual Telephone Company and a director for some years. He also served one term as trustee of Franklin Township, and has taken quite an interest in politics as a democrat.
He and his wife have a fine family of children, ten in number, briefly mentioned as follows: Icie, a graduate of the common schools and wife of Marion Taylor; Fro, a graduate of the common schools and wife of Floyd Tucker; Joe, who finished the common school course and is now with the colors; Nellie, who has completed the work of the local schools; Othello, a student, in high school; and Ernest, Virgil, Lewis, Edgar and Lillian E., who are the younger children, still in the home circle.
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ELIAS LEININGER has been content to extend his usefulness and energy largely in one locality, and in the quiet but valuable vocation of farming. Mr. Leininger lives on one of the good farms of Frank- lin Township, not far from Beaver Dam.
He came to Kosciusko County when a boy. He was born in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1849, a son of Isaac and Mary C. (Petry) Leininger. Both parents were natives of Penn- sylvania, the mother of Berks County. After their marriage in Berks County they settled in Schuylkill County, where the father died in 1856. The mother married again and subsequently came to Indiana, bringing some of her children and settling near Beaver Dam. She died in that community. She was the mother of ten children by her first husband, and those living today are: David, a farmer in Fulton County ; Elias; Daniel, a merchant at Akron, Indiana, and Sarah, wife of Henry Halderman.
Elias Leininger was about fifteen years old when he came to Kosciusko County. He finished his education here in the German and English schools and lived at home until eighteen. Having learned the cabinet-making trade, he worked at that occupation at Beaver Dam for fourteen years, being employed as a cabinet-maker largely during the winter seasons and working as a carpenter in the summer. Then for several years he was associated with his brother Jonas in a general merchandise store at Silver Lake.
In 1875 Mr. Leininger married Miss Amanda Kistler, who was born and reared in the same locality of Pennsylvania as her husband. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Leininger located at Beaver Dam, and in the spring of 1883 they came to their present fine farm in Franklin Township. Mr. Leininger is a breeder of Duroc hogs, but has not specialized to any extent, and has made his prosperity through general farming. He and his family enjoy the comforts of a very modern home, built in a most substantial manner, with brick veneering. He and his wife are members of the Church of God and he is a republican, though he voted as a democrat up to the campaign of 1896.
Mr. Leininger is the father of eight children : Anina ; Loa ; Beulah ; Ida, in the employ of the government as domestic instructor; Charles; Mabel, wife of Carl Gast, of Akron; Daniel, who is a Second Lieu- tenant and now in Texas; and Helen, at home.
ISAAC M. SHOEMAKER is one of the men of high standing and substantial achievements in Franklin Township. His farm is in section 5, a mile east of Beaver Dam. He has lived in that com- munity many years and not least among his contributions to the community is his family of sturdy sons and capable daughters who have grown up in his home and gone forth most of them into homes of their own.
Mr. Shoemaker was born in Franklin Township, February 27, 1856, a son of Elias and Rebecca (Radbangh) Shoemaker. His father was born in Maryland and his mother in St. Joseph County, Indiana. Elias Shoemaker went to Ohio at the age of sixteen, later
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to St. Joseph County, Indiana, married, and after a few years came to Kosciusko County and established a home on the farm now owned by his son Isaac. He and his wife were active members of the Dunkard Church. In politics he was a democrat. Of the twelve children in the parents' family seven are living: Barbara A., widow of Albert Myers; Mary J., wife of Amos Swihart; Levi, of Blooms- burg, Indiana; Joseph, of Clay Township, this county; Isaac M .; Benjamin, who lives in Kansas; Daniel, of Seward Township.
Isaac M. Shoemaker grew up on his father's farm and had the advantages of the local schools. March II, 1883, he married Miss Margaret Miller. She was born in Ohio, September 23, 1859, but from early girlhood was reared in Kosciusko County.
At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker settled on the farm where they now reside, and that has been Mr. Shoe- maker's home ever since but for a period of five years. He has eighty-two acres that has long responded to his skillful and capable management, and has furnished him the resources for keeping up the home and providing for his children.
He and his wife had fourteen children, and a brief record of those that grew up is as follows: Elva, wife of Elza P. Karns ; Clyde, who married Fern Regnos; Ralph, who married Myrtle Gilmore ; Earl, who married Ruth Douglas, of Chicago; Edna, wife of Clark Chapman, of California; Carl, a resident of California but now with the United States Army ; Floyd, who married Elma Thornburg and lives in Fulton County; Russell, who married Isel Hill and is now with the United States forces in France; Roy, at Camp Colt, Gettys- burg; Lester, who married Lavon Snyder and lives in Lake Town- ship; Forest and Glenn, both at home, the latter still in high school. Mr. Shoemaker is an independent voter.
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