USA > Indiana > White County > A standard history of White County Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and county, Vol. II > Part 17
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His first wife was Angeline Tam, of the well known family of that name in White County. She died March 10, 1880, and was laid to rest in the Shafer Cemetery. She was the mother of six children: Flora, Effie, Harry, Grace, Sanford and one that died unnamed. On April 15, 1881, Mr. Johnsonbaugh married Elizabeth Ginn, who died without children on December 22, 1905, and was laid to rest in the cemetery at Idaville. On February 7, 1907, he married Harrietta Weiand.
In politics Mr. Johnsonbaugh has always been aligned with the democratic interests, and has ever been a keen student of current affairs and many times has made himself a factor for local improvements. It is noteworthy that like his father he has served two terms as township trustee, and during his administration kept the schools up to the highest grade of improvement and efficiency. He and his wife attend the German Lutheran Church in Cass Township. A part of his record which will always be esteemed by his descendants was his service in the Union army during the critical days of the Civil war. In 1864, when nineteen years of age he enlisted in Company B of the One Hundred and Forty-second Indiana Volunteers, first commanded by Colonel Comport of Fort Wayne and later by Colonel Oakley. He was ordered with his command to Nashville, and took part in some of the campaigns which brought the rebellion to a close. He was given his honorable discharge at Indianapolis in July, 1865, and is one of the youngest of the veterans of that great conflict, still living and active in affairs.
PETER F. BISHOP. In any account of White County mention must be made of the Bishop family, which in the past eighty years has had a large share in shaping the destinies of this section. Its various members have all possessed the most sterling traits of citizenship. The first settler was a fine type of the pioneer, willing to sacrifice much in order to develop a new country, and in the memories of the older settlers of this county the name of Peter Bishop is recalled as a man of splendid business ability and great strength and nobility of character.
The pioneer settler was Peter Bishop, Sr., whose long and active life came to a close at Burnettsville, February 13, 1894, at the age of eighty-one years, six months, twenty-three days. He was born in Nicholas County, Kentucky, July 18, 1812, about the time of the out- break of the second war with Great Britain. It was his distinction to
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live through the presidential administration of Madison, Monroe, Adams, Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison, Polk, Taylor, Pierce, Buchanan, Lincoln, Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Cleveland, Harrison, and cast his first vote for that great democratic exemplar Andrew Jackson and passed away during the second administration of Grover Cleveland. He was one of thirteen children born to Henry and Margaret Bishop, who were natives of Virginia. Reared on a farm and with meager education, according to the opportunities of the time, at the age of seventeen he removed to Greene County, Ohio, lived there two years, and in company with John Hanna came to Jackson Township, White County, Indiana, November 8, 1831. He was one of the first to venture into this wilderness, when it was still filled with Indians and all manner of wild game. His first possession was a little tract of forty acres, but his industry and good management subsequently enlarged that to a generous farm. At the time of his death he owned 150 acres, and all of it represented his individual efforts, since he started life with nothing. He also owned some town property.
Peter Bishop was first married in June, 1835, to Miss Margaret Hamill, who died August 3, 1845, leaving five children : Sarah, Henry, John, Mary and Margaret. His second marriage occurred in April, 1846, when Miss Jane Delzell became his wife. She died September 29, 1858, leaving three children : Manda M., Miranda J. and Nancy E. In 1859 Mr. Bishop married Mrs. Jane (Whitman) Robbins, who died February 10, 1892. In 1872 Peter Bishop removed from his old homestead to Ida- ville, but after three years tired of town life and bought another farm west of Burnetts Creek, and finally removed thereto, but he died in Bur- nettsville, after he had sold the farm. Peter Bishop was present at the first election held in Jackson Township and was one of the county's first jurors. A number of years before his death he united with the Church of God or New Dunkards, and lived faithful to that creed the rest of his days.
Henry Bishop, a son of the pioneer Peter Bishop, was born on section 35 in Jackson Township, White County, June 3, 1837. He grew up in White County when it was a pioneer community and had few schools, and those operated under subscription plan. He went into farming almost as a matter of course, and when the war came on enlisted in Company E of the Forty-sixth Indiana Infantry in the fall of 1861, and was with that regiment on all its campaigns, marches and battles until honorably discharged on account of illness August 22, 1863. His army service permanently undermined his health, and for this reason he was never able to accomplish as much as many other men of like ability. He was a democrat, but sought no office, and was an active member of the
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Church of God. His death occurred as a result of lung trouble con- tracted while a soldier on March 3, 1880. He is buried in the old Burnettsville Cemetery. Henry Bishop married Martha J. Shull, who was born in section 14 of Jackson Township June 19, 1837, and is now the oldest living native of that township. She is a sister of J. Wesley Shull, who is mentioned on other pages of this publication. Mrs. Bishop has lived in Idaville for the past twenty-eight years, and has her home with her son Harvey J. To Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bishop were born nine children : Peter F .; Rosa Belle, deceased; Harvey J .; Mahala A., de- ceased; Emeline; Margaret; George; Robert, deceased; and Laura.
Peter F. Bishop, the oldest member of his father's family, was born in section 35 of Jackson Township, May 22, 1858. On August 10, 1876, he married Miss Mary D. King, daughter of William H. and Barbara King of Cass Township. Mr. King preempted land from the Government in Cass Township in 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop are the parents of six children : Ralph, who died in infancy; Maude, wife of James D. Brown, mentioned elsewhere; Alpha, who died in infancy; Manford W., who lives at Attica, Ohio, and by his marriage to Helen Weaver has one child, Audrey; Glen H., who lives on his father's farm half a mile from Burnettsville and by his marriage to Agnes McClellan has two children, Ralph Wallace and Leroy Franklin; and Hazel A., who married Lee Hutton and lives north of Peru in Miami County.
Peter F. Bishop has made farming his life vocation and his posses- sions comprise sixty-six acres in a well cultivated farm a half mile south of Burnettsville, and also nine acres in the town of that name. He is a democrat, has never sought office, but is now serving as assistant road superintendent of Jackson Township. He and his wife are members of the Church of God or New Dunkards.
GEORGE B. TAM. A native son of White County, for many years well known in the Idaville district as a farmer and stockman, active in politics, and recently retired from six years of capable service as township trustee, George B. Tam is one of the forward-looking men of White County, vigilant and diligent in his own business, public spirited when the wel- fare of the community is at stake.
His family have been identified with Indiana for three generations. His grandfather was Stephen Tam, who was of Scotch-Irish descent and an early settler in Carroll County, from which locality he removed to Logansport, and died there about 1846. Stephen Tam married Mary Lingo, who was also of Scotch stock.
Alfred C. Tam, the youngest of the five children of Stephen and Mary, was born in Carroll County, April 8, 1843, and when a young
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man moved into White County about 1860. December 24, 1863, he mar- ried Rachel Smith, a daughter of Jacob J. and Hettie Smith. Jacob J. Smith was one of the early settlers in Jackson Township, having entered eighty acres of land in section 4 from the Government. He was born March 8, 1843, and died December 23, 1880, in Idaville. Mr. and Mrs. Albert C. Tam were married in White County on the farm where they spent the rest of their lives. Albert C. Tam at his marriage had nothing except hope and ambition and a pair of willing hands, but with this capital he succeeded above the ordinary, and at his death left an estate of about 200 acres. He was an uncompromising democrat. During the '70s he filled township offices, and beginning in 1882 served two terms as a county commissioner. He was a big man physically, with a genial disposition, and always lived peaceably and helpfully in his community. It was his proud claim that he was never sued and had never sued any man in his life. In addition to farming he also dealt considerably in cattle. He died at his home in Jackson Township, January 25, 1905, having lived on the same place for forty-two years. Rachel Tam, his wife, was born March 3, 1844, and died on the homestead, April 20, 1895. They were the parents of seven children: George B .; Joseph S .; John I., deceased ; Rosie, now deceased, who married George Richardson; Isaac J .; Milton A .; and Effie M., now the wife of Alva Hunt.
George B. Tam, the oldest of these children, was born on the old homestead in Jackson Township, September 10, 1864. Practically all his life of fifty-one years has been spent in White County. His educa- tion came from the country schools, and the work which he did as assistant to his father proved a good preparation for his independent career after his marriage. He has been a farmer, owns 100 acres of agricultural land and considerable real estate in Idaville, and has also been an active cattle dealer. For several years he has done little actual farm work.
A democrat in his political affiliations, he takes broad views in local matters, and endeavors to support the man best fitted for the particular duty of the office. He has served as democratic township committeeman a number of terms, and in 1908 was elected township trustee of Jackson Township and served until January 1, 1915. Many firmly believe that the schools and the general affairs of the township were never in better condition than during that six-year term.
Mr. Tam is affiliated with Idaville Lodge No. 556, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a trustee of the lodge. The home of the Tam family is located three and a half miles northeast of Idaville. Mr. Tam was married in Monticello, February 12, 1890, to Miss Ida York, daughter of William H. and Barbara J. York of Burnettsville. After more than
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twenty-two years of married companionship Mrs. Tam died June 10, 1912. Her children were: Fred J .; John D., who lives in Jackson Township, married Sylvia Baer, and has one child, Althea May ; William H., who lives at home; Lottie M. and Joe L., also at home.
Fred J. Tam, the oldest child, is the present postmaster at Idaville. He is a graduate of the Idaville High School, and took summer work in the Marion Normal and one summer in the North Manchester College. He became a teacher, and did five years of successful school work in White County prior to taking up the duties of postmaster at Idaville. He is affiliated with Idaville Lodge No. 556, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Fred Tam married Fleeta Gardiner, and has one child, Galen Eugene.
HENRY REINGARDT. The manifold possibilities of White County as an agricultural district attracted Henry Reingardt to local citizenship about ten years ago. Mr. Reingardt is now proprietor of what is known as the Plain View Poultry and Stock Farm in section 8 of Jackson Township. While he and his wife give much attention to poultry, especially the Buff Rock chickens, his farm is a large one, comprising 260 acres, and is all under cultivation and much of it devoted to general farming and the raising of graded live stock. Mr. Reingardt is a man of sound judg- ment in business matters, and has proved a welcome addition to the agri- cultural community of Jackson Township.
Henry Reingardt was born in Hanover, Germany, August 5, 1864, a son of Christ and Frankie (Wickman) Reingardt. When he was about eight years of age his parents crossed the ocean to find a home in the new world, arriving in the United States July 4, 1872, and at once going West to Kendall County, Illinois. Two years later they removed to DeKalb County in the same state near Hinckley. Christ Reingardt was a farmer and stock raiser and died February 18, 1905, and is buried in DeKalb County. He was a member of the German Lutheran Church and was a democrat and took considerable interest in local affairs. His widow is now living at the age of eighty-eight years. In their family were six children: Christ, a resident of Iowa; Minnie, now deceased, who married Christ Dienst; Louisa, deceased, who was the wife of Henry Hartman; George, who died in infancy; Henry; and William, who lives in Illinois.
Henry Reingardt received most of his education in Illinois public schools, grew up on a farm, and with considerable practice and training started out for himself at the age of twenty-two. On September 26, 1887, he secured an excellent helpmate for his career by his marriage to Miss Minnie Dieters, daughter of Christian and Minnie (Leifheit)
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Dieters, who came to the United States from Germany in 1869, also locating in Illinois. Her father, who was born January 29, 1840, died October 18, 1909, while her mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Rein- gardt have four children: Albert, who married Gertrude McClelland ; Edward and Fred, both at home; and Ervin, who died in 1913 a promis- ing youth of fourteen years.
Mr. Reingardt removed to White County on March 10, 1905. He had bought his present farm three years before, and in the past ten years has done much to develop and improve it and increase its value. In politics he is a republican, and with his family is a member of the German Lutheran Church at Reynolds. He has his daily mail delivery from Idaville.
CHARLES E. GIRARD. The business and social community at Idaville have had a valuable and influential citizen in the person of Charles E. Girard. His home is an excellent farm located three miles southwest of Burnettsville, and his postoffice is Burnetts Creek. He is identified in a business way or by church and social connections with all of these vil- lages, and is one of the best thought of men in that locality, and in every way has deserved the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens.
His family has lived in this part of Indiana for a great many years. His grandfather, Nathaniel Girard, was born near Troy, Ohio, in March, 1806. His first wife was Ann McDermott, and he afterwards married Margaret McDermott in Pennsylvania. By the first wife there were nine children and two by the second union. Nathaniel Girard died at Quincy, Ohio, in 1864.
William M. Girard, father of Charles E., was born January 30, 1832, near Germantown, not far from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was married in Miami County, Ohio, and moved to Warren County, Indiana, lived for two years in Carroll County and then settled in White County. He came to White County about 1871 and died at Burnettsville, March 30, 1906. He was a miller by trade and for three years after locating at Burnettsville sold milling machinery. He then moved to Carroll County and operated a farm and sawmill and continued as a saw- miller almost to the close of his life. He was a republican in politics, and for one year during 1876 served as assessor of Jackson Township, though he was never known to express any desire for office, and merely accepted such responsibilities from a sense of duty. He was always willing to help others and such was his liberality that he never accumu- lated a fortune, although he was a good money maker. At the time of his death he owned his home of seven acres at Burnettsville and also some town lots at Monticello. He and his wife were members of the
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Baptist Church, and his entire career was that of an upright citizen. William Girard married Amanda Statler, a daughter of Stephen and Nancy (Stewart) Statler, whose home was a mile south of Piqua, Ohio. By this union there were eight children: Ida married John Strasser, they live at Mexico, Indiana, and have seven living children and two deceased; Frank S., who lives in Adams Township of Carroll County, married Elizabeth Love, and has five living children and one deceased; Harry died in infancy ; Charles E. is the fourth in the family; William C., whose home is in Arkansas, married Anna Young, and they have four children; Lawrence Elmer, who lives in Salina, Colorado, married Effie Curtner, and of their five children two are deceased; Thomas W., whose home is at Barlow, Kentucky, has four living and one deceased child by his first marriage to Blanche Henderson, and three children by his second wife, Olive Paisley; Mary, who lives with her mother at Bur- nettsville, has two children by her marriage to John Longbreak.
The birth of Charles E. Girard occurred May 28, 1864, while his parents were living in Warren County, Indiana. On November 19, 1889, at Burnettsville, he married Margaret Shafer, a daughter of George A. and Mary A. (Stephen) Shafer. The Shafers were early settlers in White County, having come in 1859, and purchasing the land now in- cluded in the farm of Mr. Girard. That land and homestead was the birthplace of George Mitchell, who is said to have been the first white child born in Jackson Township and who died in the fall of 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Girard are the parents of four children. Roy D., who was graduated from Purdue University with the class of 1914 and is a scientific agriculturist, now farm manager for Reverend Doctor Scoville at Butler, Indiana, married Eva Scroggs, a daughter of David A. Scroggs, a well known citizen of Jackson Township. Minnie is living at home. John A. is a student in Purdue University, and Elsie Inez is still at home.
Since his marriage Mr. Girard has occupied his present home farm. Prior to that time he had attended the public schools, also was in high school for a time, and had considerable experience in the sawmill in- dustry. He has always been a reader and a student of men and affairs, and in that way has gained the equivalent of a liberal education. As a farmer he has been most successful in the stock business. It has been his aim to feed everything he grows in his fields, and not infrequently he has made purchases of as high as 1,000 bushels of corn for feeding of his horses and cattle. His farm comprises about ninety acres, well im- proved, with good house and substantial barns, and he is also a stock- holder in the State Bank of Burnettsville. Both he and his wife are interested and active members of the Church of God, incorporated at
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Idaville. For the past seven years he has been superintendent of the Sunday School, having succeeded Perry Godlove in that office. Some- thing should also be said of his work and influence as a citizen. He is a republican in political views and in 1902 was appointed to fill out an unexpired term on the township advisory board, and was elected for a regular term from 1903 to 1907. In the fall of 1914 he was on the progressive ticket as a candidate for township trustee.
ELMER G. REIFF. One of the most highly respected families in the vicinity of Idaville is that of Reiff, represented by Elmer G., a well known farmer and stock shipper in that locality. They have lived in that part of the state for a great many years, have been substantial and thrifty citizens, God-fearing people, kindly neighbors and a credit to their name.
The late John Reiff, who was long a farmer, and for six years was in the sawmill business, was born October 1, 1836, a son of Christian Reiff, of whom mention will be found on other pages. John Reiff died June 1, 1905. By his first marriage he had one daughter, Mary E., who married Gilbert Stinebaugh. John Reiff's second wife was Mary G. (Wenrick) Risser. She was a daughter of David and Elizabeth Wen- rick, of the prominent Wenrick-Grubb family of Darke County, Ohio. Mary Risser Reiff died at Idaville, March 29, 1910, when past seventy years of age. By her first marriage she had a son, David Risser, who now lives in Cass County, Indiana, just north of Burnettsville. David Risser married Mary Davis and had seven children. John and Mary Reiff became the parents of four children: Martha, who married Albert H. Tobias, of Burnettsville, and had six children, named Paul, Ruth, John, David, Mary and Mark; Dr. Christian W. Reiff, a physician of Idaville, who married Fanny Eikenberry, and had one child, Helen ; Laura Bell, who lives with her brother, Elmer Garfield, the youngest of the family.
Elmer G. Reiff was born August 4, 1881, in Cass County, Indiana, and grew up on the old homestead and lived with his mother until her death. He had an education in the common schools, and then took up farming and other lines of business activities. On June 15, 1912, he married Miss Blanche O. Gibson, daughter of Herbert and Carrie (Jones) Gibson. Herbert Gibson was an uncle of Nathan C. Gibson, who is mentioned elsewhere. To Mr. and Mrs. Reiff was born one son, John Robert, on August 30, 1913.
The late John Reiff was a republican in politics, but took little part in party affairs, and divided his attention between the duties of his farm and household and his church. He and his wife were both members of
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the Brethren Church, in which for many years he was a deacon. He lived at peace with his neighbors, and was quite successful in every- thing he undertook. He and his wife were laid at rest in the Idaville Cemetery. He was the first secretary of the Idaville. Telephone Com- pany, which was organized in May, 1903.
Elmer G. Reiff has become well known in the community of Idaville as the proprietor of the Green Lawn Stock Farm, located a mile south- east of Idaville on the Stringtown Road. It is a highly improved and well cultivated place, and in addition to its management Mr. Reiff buys and ships stock in partnership with Wilbur Timmons, of Idaville. A republican, he casts his vote for the best man in local affairs, and always tries to render effective service in civic and other movements in the community. In the fall of 1914 he was a delegate to the state convention on the progressive ticket. While not a member of any church, he supports church activities, and his wife belongs to the Church of God at Idaville.
SAMUEL G. NEEL. More than sixty-five years have passed since the Neel family first became identified with White County. One of the most prominent citizens of Jackson Township is Samuel G. Neel, who was born in that part of White County, and still takes an active part in affairs.
His grandfather, Samuel Neel, was the son of an Irish emigrant, and in 1832 journeyed from Logan County, Ohio, to Carroll County, Indiana. Later he moved to White County, and after passing through many pio- neer experiences and doing his part in clearing up the land of a new country, died in August, 1863, and was laid to rest in Cedar Cemetery. In politics he was first a whig and later a republican, and belonged to the seceder branch of the Presbyterian Church. Samuel Neel married Elizabeth Ginn, who was born in Ohio.
Abram Neel, the third in the family of seven children, was born in Ohio, September 5, 1816, and was about sixteen years of age when the family came to Indiana. He subsequently became one of the pioneer farmers of White County, and though starting life a poor man, he was able to rear and support a large family of children, and was the owner of seventy acres at the time of his death. He lived a straightforward, honest career, was cheerful and patient in the face of difficulties, and to the end enjoyed the respect and esteem of his entire' community. He was a democrat in politics, but never sought office. Originally he belonged to the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, but at the time of his death both he and his wife were members of the Reformed Presbyterian denomination. He died January 28, 1878. He married
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Eliza Gibson, a daughter of John Gibson, one of the early settlers of White County. She was born October 12, 1817, and died January 12, 1883, and was laid to rest beside her husband in Idaville Cemetery. Abram and Elizabeth Neel were the parents of eleven children, named as follows: George C .; Anna G .; Samuel G .; Mary M., deceased ; Jane Elizabeth, deceased; John W .; Sarah E .; Cyrus F .; James H .; Effie A .; and Emma T., deceased. Eight of these are still living.
Samuel G. Neel was born on section 33 in Jackson Township of White County, January 27, 1843. His birthplace was an old log house, and he grew up in surroundings that were of the simplest character, though his parents were both high-minded and earnest people, who trained their children in the way they should go. Samuel G. Neel was married March 23, 1865, to Elizabeth A. Delzell, a daughter of Samuel and Mary C. Delzell, who came out to Blount County, Tennessee, and located in Carroll County, Indiana, in the early days. To the mar- riage of Mr. and Mrs. Neel were born three children: Emma J., who died in infancy ; Ella F., the wife of Forest Hackenburg, and they live in Monticello and have one child, Maude E .; and William W., who died in infancy. One of those impressive family events which always attract attention was the celebration of the fiftieth marriage anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Neel on the 23d of March, 1915. On that occasion nine persons were present who were guests at the wedding in 1865. There were thirty-one wedding guests, and twenty-one of them are still alive. Mr. Neel has been a farmer all his active career. He was educated in the common schools such as were maintained in White County during the '50s and early '60s. In many ways, in addition to acquiring suffi- cient material prosperity for himself and family, he has worked for the benefit of the community. He is a democrat, and while never seeking office, was honored in his township by election to the office of supervisor for two terms, once in Carroll County and once in White County. Mr. Neel was a resident of Carroll County from about 1865 to 1872, and since the latter date has been steadily occupied with his interests in White County. He also served as school director one year. He owns forty acres of land 41/2 miles east of Monticello, and is a stockholder in the Idaville Co-Operative Telephone Company. He and his wife are both members of the United Presbyterian Church, and among the' most liberal supporters of that society.
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