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 40
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While Mr. Van Voorst has not taken an active part in political af- fairs, he has contributed of his abilities, means and influence in the support of men and measures which his judgment tells him will be of benefit to the city of his adoption. He was reared in the faith of the Baptist Church, and has continued as a member of that denomination to the present time. His fraternal connections are with the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of Pythias, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 775, in all of which he has numerous friends. His career has been one which is to be commended and which entitles him to the regard in which he is held in his community as one of White County's representative men.
JOSEPH S. MINCH. During the long period of his residence within the borders of White County, Indiana, J. S. Minch has worked out an admirable destiny, and although still in the prime of life, has from small beginnings drawn about him for the comfort and happiness of his later years such substantial compensations as wealth, the credit for having contributed materially to the general development of the community and its interests, and the confidence and good will of his business and social associates. Mr. Minch was born in Henry County, Illinois, May 12, 1870, and is a son of George and Catherine (Luther) Minch.
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Mr. Minch is a grandson on both sides of the family of natives of Germany. His paternal grandfather was but nineteen years of age when he emigrated to the United States, but had already acquired some repu- tation in his native land as a musician, but when he came to this coun- try and located at Peoria, Illinois, he found but little demand for his services in this direction, and accordingly accepted whatever employ- ment was offered him, at first working as a farm hand at $10 per month. In later years John Minch became the owner of a good farm, and when he died was known as one of the substantial men of his community.
George Minch was born in Illinois and grew up as a farmer on the rolling prairies of the Prairie State. He received his education in the pioneer district schools and while assisting his father on the homestead also learned the trade of carpenter. When Joseph S. Minch was one year old the family moved to Peoria, and there the father worked at the trade of carpenter for about two years, subsequently going to the little town known as Washington, Illinois, where he settled on the farm that had belonged to his father. That continued to be the scene of his successful labors until 1880, when he moved to Ford County, Illinois, and purchased his first farm. There he remained until the spring of 1896, when he came to White County, Indiana, and until his retirement was engaged in general farming operations, being the owner of 400 acres of highly developed land. At the present time Mr. Minch makes his home at Chalmers, where he has a modern residence of the bungalow type. He and his wife have been the parents of seven children, of whom Joseph S. is the first born.
Joseph S. Minch was ten years of age when the family moved to Ford County, and there in the public schools he received his education. Reared as a farmer, when he had finished school he adopted that voca- tion as his life work, and when twenty-two years of age laid the founda- tion for establishing a home of his own by his marriage to Miss Lydia Fellwock, who was born in Ford County, Illinois, June 15, 1873, the only child living born to Charles and Catherine (Barrick) Fellwock. She was reared and educated in her native County of Ford. Mr. Fell- wock, the father, was a native of Germany, but was only eight years of age when he came with his parents to the United States, their first place of residence being in Southern Indiana. Mr. Fellwock became an agri- culturist and a member of the Methodist Church. He is now living in White County, Indiana. Mrs. Fellwock was born in the State of New York, and she died on the 21st of December, 1912, and was buried in the Knights of Pythias Cemetery in Big Creek Township.
In 1896, Mr. Minch, with his wife and parents-in-law, came to White County, Indiana, and here Mr. Fellwock purchased 240 acres of unim-
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proved land, on which he and Mr. Minch later made all the improve- ments, doing draining, tiling, fencing, etc. Mr. Minch has since added materially to the first purchase, and now operates 2,900 acres, of which he is the owner of 2,700 acres, the balance belonging to Mr. Fellwock. Here general farming and stock raising are carried on extensively, and the property has been brought to the highest state of cultivation, the soil being rich and fertile, the buildings substantial, the equipment of the practical and useful character, and the cattle fat and contented.
While his time has been largely devoted to his agricultural opera- tions, Mr. Minch has also engaged actively in other matters, and with an equal measure of success. He is a member of the board of directors of the State Bank of Chalmers, is president of the Farmers Grain Com- pany, which was organized in 1913, and is vice president and a stock- holder of the Chalmers Telephone Company. Mr. Minch came to Chal- mers in 1901, and has identified himself since that time with every progressive movement that has been warranted to benefit the community. In the generally accepted meaning of the term he is not a politician, but he has taken an active part in the operations of the republican party, has served one term as a member of the county board, and at the latest election met with defeat by but four votes. Fraternally he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, Camp No. 6058, and took the offices of the lodge; and of the Masonic Lodge at Brookston, No. 66, White County, and in both orders has numerous friends. Mr. Minch has found the time and the inclination to take an active part in religious affairs, being a charter member of the First Baptist Church of Chahners, in which he has served for some time as superintendent of the Sunday school, a position which he now fills.
Mr. and Mrs. Minch are the parents of four daughters: the Misses Verna May, Laura Gladys, Maude Evelyn, and Shirley T., the first two born in Illinois, and the latter two in the county which is now their home. With the exception of Shirley, the daughters are graduates of the Chalmers High School. Verna also spent one year in Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, and one year in the Woman's College at Oxford, Ohio. Laura also spent two years at Oxford, and is now a stu- dent in Bradley Institute at Peoria, Illinois. Maude has had one year at Oxford and is also attending Bradley Institute.
HERMAN SCHROEDER. Big Creek Township regards the Schroeder family as one of the most prominent, and a conspicuous representative is Herman Schroeder, the popular and successful merchant at Smith- son, Indiana. Mr. Schroeder began his career as a farmer, but since taking up merchandising has gradually extended his trade, his stock and capital, and now has an excellent business.
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Herman Schroeder was born near Reynolds in Honey Creek Town- ship, of White County, December 17, 1870. His father, John Schroeder, was a German by birth, and was about seventeen or eighteen years of age when he arrived in Monticello, of White County, during the winter of 1860-61. He came with a relative and his parents followed him sev- eral years later. His first work was by the month in the employ of farmers. During the war his chief employer was Roland Hughes. Sub- sequently he took up farming as a renter, and finally acquired a place in Honey Creek Township. It was unimproved land, and he showed both courage and industry in redeeming it from the wilderness. He after- wards sold this place, then rented for some time and then bought a farm in Big Creek Township. This last named place is now owned by Charles Zarse. Finally John Schroeder bought property in Reynolds, and lived there until his death. John Schroeder married for his first wife Miss Grugel, who died when her son Herman was two years of age. There were four children by the union, and one is now deceased. For his sec- ond wife John Schroeder married Mary Fastnow, and they became the parents of five children.
Herman Schroeder grew up on a farm, was educated in the local schools, and with the discipline and experience acquired under his father's direction was ready for independent responsibilities after he married. Mr. Schroeder married Mary Bernfeldt, daughter of Fred Bernfeldt. They are the parents of three children : Fred, Edward and Mabel, all of whom were born in Big Creek Township.
After several years of farming, Mr. Schroeder in 1897 established a general store at Smithson, and opened up with a very small stock. He did not bid for patronage in vain, and in a short time was conducting a profitable business. It has been gradually increased and is now one of the best country stores in the county. Mr. Schroeder is a member of the Lutheran Church at Reynolds, and in politics is a democrat and his father has been likewise minded in the matter of politics.
JOSEPH W. CHAMBERLAIN. Among other distinctions White County enjoys that of having what is generally conceded to be the finest farm of Indiana within the limits of this county. This is the great W. E. Morris farm, situated in Prairie Township. It contains 640 acres, and every square yard is susceptible to cultivation. A long article might be written to describe this estate, its equipment and improvement, and the efficiency which governs all its processes. These may be briefly suggested when it is stated that the price of $275 an acre has been refused for the farm.
The responsibilities of managing such an estate are naturally in pro-
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portion to its value. For a number of years these duties have been entrusted to the capable hands of Joseph W. Chamberlain, who is a native of White County and is one of the practical men who have done so much in recent years to develop the agricultural resources of this region.
The Chamberlains are among the older pioneer families of White County, having been established here more than seventy years ago. His grandfather, Aaron Chamberlain, was a native of England and came from New York State to Prairie Township in White County in 1843. Daniel Chamberlain, father of Joseph W., was born in the State of New York, April 12, 1834, two years after the Black Hawk war, and was about nine years of age when he came to White County. He married Sinia Robinson, a daughter of George W. and Eliza (Andrews) Rob- inson, who were also early settlers in White County. All the six chil- dren of this union are living, very unusual for an aged family: Joseph W., Aaron F., George W., Melissa, Lola and Charles E. Only Joseph W. and his brother George W. are residents of White County. George W., who lives in the Village of Chalmers, married Addie Martin, and their children are Amy, Earl, Leo, George and Opal.
Grandfather Chamberlain was the owner of 180 acres of land in White County at the time of his death. Farming has been the regular vocation throughout the three generations. The male members of the family, from grandfather to grandson, have been Jeffersonian demo- crats in politics, but office seeking has not been a family characteristic. The earlier members of the family in White County were of the Uni- versalist faith but the younger people are Baptists.
Joseph W. Chamberlain was born in Prairie Township on section 7, August 7, 1862, and practically all his life has been spent in that one locality. For fourteen years he was engaged in the hay business at Brookston, and gave up that vocation fifteen years ago to take the man- agement of the W. E. Morris estate known as the "Bank Farm," in Prairie Township. At different times he has made his influence felt as a democrat, and has taken a prominent part in the different branches of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows No. 164 at Brookston. He is affiliated with Grand Prairie Lodge No. 164, with the Encampment and with the Rebekahs, No. 376. He has been through all the chairs and is a member of the Grand Lodge.
A successful man from a business point of view Mr. Chamberlain has been helped throughout his career by a noble wife, and they have a fine family of children. On December 9, 1883, Joseph W. Chamberlain and Miss Melissa E. Darnell were united in marriage. The seven chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain are: Ethel D., who married Winnie
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Deckard and lives in Bloomington, Indiana; Sinia Blanche, who is the wife of Martin Van Schapen, living in Lafayette; Tinia May, who is the wife of Thomas Vanderkolk, living at Liberty, Indiana, and they have two children, named Helen Irene and Gertrude; Hattie B. is the wife of Charles Vanderkolk, and they live in Tippecanoe County; Ira C. is unmarried and lives at home, and Chester C. and Alice Gertrude are also at home. Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain have given their children good, practical educations, and all have graduated from the common schools. The two youngest, Chester and Alice Gertrude, are now attending the Brookston High School. Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain have also given a home to an estimable young lady, Miss Gertrude Belle Upjohn, since her parents' death. She took a complete course as a nurse in the Home Hos- pital at Lafayette, Indiana, and now occupies a high place in her pro- fession. She is a graduate of the Brookston High School, and is a mem- ber of the Baptist Church and of the order of Rebekahs at Brookston. Mrs. Chamberlain was born in the Blue Grass State of Kentucky, De- cember 4, 1861, the seventh of the ten children, seven sons and three daughters, of John G. and Melissa (Arrowsmith) Darnell. Eight of the children are living, and all are residents of Indiana, while four are living in White County. Mr. Darnell, the father, was born in Virginia, March 16, 1825, and died in March, 1902. He remained in his native state until young manhood, locating then in Kentucky, where he married. He was a cooper by trade, but the most of his active life was devoted to agricultural pursuits. It was in 1868 that he came to Indiana, locating first in Decatur County, and in 1876 came to White County. He gave his political support to the democratic party, served as a soldier in the Mexican war, and became a member of the Campbellite Church, now known as the Christian Church. Mrs. Darnell was born, reared and educated in Kentucky, and her death occurred in White County in 1896. She was a Baptist in her religious belief. Mrs. Chamberlain was but seven years old when she became a resident of White County, and here she was reared and educated. She is one of the grand and noble wives and mothers of her community, has reared her children to lives of usefulness, and has been a true helpmeet to her husband. She is a member of the Baptist Church and also of the Order of Rebekahs at Brookston. Both Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain come from old and promi- nent families, and their names should be recorded among the honored residents of White County.
THOMAS TOLEN. A recent addition to the sterling citizenship of Big Creek Township is Thomas Tolen, who spent part of his early life in White County and this district of Indiana, but who laid the foundation
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for his substantial prosperity as an Iowa farmer, and only about two years ago returned to White County and invested extensively in lands and is now one of the aggressive factors in carrying on the business of development and improvement in his section of the county.
Thomas Tolen was born in Benton County, Indiana, December 10, 1873, a son of Edward and Mary Ellen (Ormsby) Tolen. His father was a native of Ireland and his mother was of Irish parentage. There were three sons in the family : William, who is a merchant in Iowa, and married Geneva Hanna, whose people came from Wisconsin; Charles, an Iowa farmer, who married Catherine O'Connors of Iowa.
Mr. Tolen's father came to this section of Indiana in 1867, and after working at monthly wages finally bought a little land and entered upon his career as an independent agriculturist. On account of sickness he lost his first purchase, and then worked as a renter for ten years. He finally moved out to Iowa, and is still living in that state, prosperous and highly respected.
Thomas Tolen received his education while living on a farm and assisting his father. He continued at home until the age of twenty-three, and then married Miss Caroline R. Mills, daughter of Herman and Elizabeth (Demerly) Mills, who were among the early settlers of White County. After his marriage Mr. Tolen located on a rented farm, re- mained there five years, and the results of his industry and the thrifty management on the part of himself and wife, enabled him to buy eighty acres in Webster County, Iowa. He improved that land, then bought 100 acres in the same section, and was soon recognized as one of the most substantial residents in the fine farming district around Fort Dodge. Mr. Tolen took an active part in local politics while a resident of Iowa, and his popularity is illustrated by the fact that while he is a democrat and lived in a republican district, he was elected township clerk by a majority of forty-seven, though normally the republican candidate would have had the office by at least sixty votes. To further show the esteem and respect paid Mr. Tolen whilst a resident of Iowa, the people of the Twenty-seventh Senatorial District, in 1912, urged him to become a can- didate for state senator in this district, overwhelmingly republican, with a usual majority of 3,500, and he made the race and was defeated by only 800 votes. For two terms he also served on the school board and was twice president of the board, and his value in citizenship well matched his progressiveness and prosperity as a farmer.
In 1913 Mr. Tolen returned to White County, and bought his present farm, comprising a half section of land, in Big Creek Township. He has invested much money and has used the experience acquired in Iowa in developing this place, and is already well established as a general farmer Vol. II-24
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and stock raiser. He is also instrumental in the building of a new gravel road in Big Creek Township. This road is now under construc- tion and will be known as "The Tolen Road." He and his family are members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Reynolds, Indiana.
Mr. and Mrs. Tolen have the following children: William Edward, Elizabeth Louise, Catherine Violet, Herman Leo, Mary Ellen, Thomas Vincent, Anna Josephine, Paul Joseph, and Lillian Irene.
CHARLES H. SHIGLEY. It has been the privilege and fortune of Charles H. Shigley, one of the substantial farmers of White County, to realize many of his worthy ambitions, and through the exercise of good judgment and business sagacity to wrest from his opportunities a full measure of success. He has spent his entire life in the State of Indi- ana, having been born in Tippecanoe County February 10, 1867, a son of Noah B. and Sarah (Stewart) Shigley, and a member of an old and honored family of that county, where it was founded by his grandpar- ents, natives of Ohio, who migrated to Indiana at a very early date in the state's history.
Noah B. Shigley was a man whose career was an unusual one because of the extremes of poverty and substantiality which it included. He was born in Indiana and grew up amid pioneer surroundings, in a neighborhood destitute of schools, so that his education was necessarily of the scantiest kind. No other advantages were granted him, and he thus began life badly handicapped, but he possessed good habits, was thorough and thrifty, ambitious and determined, and through the pos- session of these qualifications and the willingness to work day and night he won his way to success. From working as a farm hand for others at small pay, he steadily advanced himself to a place where he was inde- pendent and in the possession of 700 acres of land, the head of a large and well established family, and the recipient of the esteem and respect of the people among whom he lived and labored. He came to White County in 1868 and settled first in Prairie Township, where he pur- chased 320 acres of land at $35 per acre, this being all unimproved land at that time. There the father did all the tiling, fencing and draining, and also erected the barn, the house being there at the time of his pur- chase. Mr. Shigley continued to be engaged in general farming and stock-raising operations during the balance of his career, or until 1903, when he retired from active pursuits and moved to his comfortable home at Chalmers. There Mrs. Shigley died in 1904, while he survived until 1908. In the family of Noah B. and Sarah Shigley there were eight children, Charles H. being the next to the last in order of birth.
The country schools of White County furnished Charles H. Shigley
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with his educational advantages, and when his studies were completed he started helping his father in the development and cultivation of the home farm. At the age of twenty-seven years he was married to Miss Nora A. White, a daughter of Daniel White, early settlers of Craw- fordsville, Indiana. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Shigley on the farm which they now occupy : Harry and Sadie. At the time of his marriage Mr. Shigley located on his present property of 195 acres, which is one of the good farms of the community. The buildings are modern and substantial and the improvements are up-to-date in every way, and Mr. Shigley has devoted a great deal of time and effort to putting in tiling. He is considered a good, energetic and progressive agriculturist, combining time-tried and practical methods with the ex- periments and innovations of the present day, and so directing his labors that they bring him a maximum of return for a minimum of work. His reputation in business circles is an excellent one, for he has always shown fidelity to engagements. Politically a democrat, Mr. Shigley has served his township very acceptably as a supervisor, and at all times has dis- played his earnest desire to help his community and his county to further development and prosperity.
WILLIAM ZARSE. One of the families in Big Creek Township that represents the sterling industry of the German-American citizen is that of Mrs. Minnie Zarse, widow of the late William Zarse, who came to White County when a young man, without capital, without any influ- ence or prospects, and before his death succeeded in establishing a home `for his family, and since then Mrs. Zarse has carried on and continued the work of improvement and both deserve the highest credit for what they have accomplished.
William Zarse was born in Germany in 1853, and after a brief edu- cation emigrated to America. After working for a time in White County. he was married at Reynolds, to Miss Minnie Hintz, daughter of Fred and Mary (Prill) Hintz. Mrs. Zarse, who was one of ten children, was born in Germany, and came to this country at the age of ten years, her parents locating in White County. Her father owned a farm near Reynolds.
Preceding William Zarse his two brothers, Fred and Charles, had come to America and located in White County. After his marriage Mr. Zarse established his home on a rented farm, known as the Boh Roberts farm, lived there two years, then rented the Reynolds farm for eight years, and finally bought the present place of eighty acres. On occupy- ing this land he took up with characteristic vigor the business of im- provement, and was getting well started and established financially when death took him away on February 3, 1895, at the age of forty-two.
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Since his death Mrs. Zarse has assumed the heavy responsibilities not only of the home but of the farm, and has done much in the way of improvement. She has erected several buildings, and has brought the land to a state of improvement which makes it much more valuable than it was twenty years ago. Mrs. Zarse and her children are members of the Lutheran Church, and her husband was of the same faith and in politics a democrat.
Their children are five in number, and all were born in White County. Anna is the wife of Andrew Wease, Theodore married Emma Brandt, Emma is the wife of Theodore Enz, Robert married Ida Dahlenburg, and Emil married Ella Mann.
JAMES F. FRENCH. Some of the most capable citizens White County has ever had have been members of the French family, which for nearly fifty years has been identified with Prairie Township. They have been farmers, manufacturers and business men, and there has been an almost invariable record of success in every enterprise with which they have been connected.
William French, the founder of the family in White County, was born in Miami County, Ohio, November 27, 1833, and grew to manhood in his native state. His father, Asa French, was a native of New Jersey and moved to Miami County, Ohio, during the pioneer days. Asa French was notable for his fatherhood, and by his two wives had twenty-one ; children.
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