USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > A twentieth century history and biographical record of Elkhart County, Indiana > Part 42
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Mr. Stonex married, December 20. 1883. Miss Eunice Bivins, who was born in Mishawaka, Indiana, a daughter of William L. Bivins, who twice served as postmaster at Goshen. His father. Chauncey Bivins, was a pioneer settler at Goshen. Mr. and Mrs. Stonex have one son. Arthur Bivins, and one daughter, Mildred. Mr. Stonex is a Republican in politics affiliates with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a member of the Episcopal church. He was a prime mover in the organization of the Elkhart County Historical Society, served several years as its president, has read before its sessions several valuable papers stored with historical data concerning this county, and has done nich for the cause of preserving local history.
DAVID F. MILLER.
David F. Miller, a leading representative of industrialism in Nap- panee, who is engaged in the manufacture of buggies, was born in Concord township, Elkhart county, September 22, 1862. His father, Joseph Miller, was a native of Pennsylvania and became one of the pioneer residents of Elkhart county, but was killed in 1865 when his son David was only about three years of age. The latter was reared upon a farm in Kosciusko county. Indiana, by J. H. Miller, with whom he remained until eighteen years of age. and during that time he mastered the branches of learning taught in the public schools and also gained an intimate and practical knowledge of farm work in its various departments. On starting out upon an active business career he worked as a farm hand. being thus employed for five years, but thinking that he might enter a business that would prove more con- genial and more profitable he came to Nappanee in 1884 and began dealing in harness and buggies. He continued in that line until 1802. when he commenced the manufacture of carriages as a member of a
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company, but in igoo he purchased his partner's interests and is now conducting the business alone, employing about thirty men. He manu- factures carriages, buggies and cutters, and the output of the factory is now quite large, as is indicated by the fact that so many workmen are retained in his services. Thoroughness and substantial workman- ship are two of the qualities which characterize the output and have been a strong element in his success. His trade is growing and Mr. Miller has made for himself a creditable position among the leading manufacturers of Elkhart county.
I stanch Republican in his political views, Mr. Miller has accept- ably served on the school board, and whether in office or out of it he labors consecutively and effectively for the welfare of the community. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias. He was married October 23. 1885, to Miss Alice Artz, a daughter of Ahab Artz, and a native of Elkhart county. They now have two interesting children -- Vera and Walter, and in social circles they are well known. the hospitality of the best homes of this locality being freely accorded them.
EZRA G. LEEDY.
As the history of a nation is best toll in the lives of its people, ac- cording to the words of Emerson, it is imperative that we make men- tion of Ezra G. Leedy, who is one of the representative agriculturists of Jackson township. He was born in this county May 4, 1861. His father, Christian S. Leedy, was a native of Ohio, born about 1821, and in the state of his nativity he was reared to manhood. Determining to seek a home elsewhere, he walked across the country to Elkhart county, taking up his abode in Jefferson township, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of partially improved land. He became one of the pioneer settlers of that locality, assisting in its early develop- ment and improvement and there he made his home until his death. which occurred in 1869. In his political views he was a Democrat and both he and his wife were members of the German Baptist church. Mrs. Leedy bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Garver and was born in Ohio, being a few years her husband's junior. She too lived for many years in this county, her death occurring in Elkhart township. By her marriage she had become the mother of nine children, seven sons and two daughters, of whom Ezra G. was the sixth in order of birth. Of this family seven are yet living, while four are residents of Elkhart county. Those residing elsewhere are Lewis G., an agricul- turist. who is married and resides in Van Buren county, Michigan: Ira G., who is a horticulturist and is married and makes his home in Colona. Michigan; and Rufus, who is married and is a prosperous citizen of Moline, Illinois.
Ezra G. Leedy was reared in Jefferson township to the life of a farmer, early becoming familiar with all the duties and labors that fall
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to the lot of the agriculturist. His preliminary education, acquired in the common schools, was supplemented by a term's study in the college at Ashland, Ohio. He remained upon the home farm until twenty years of age and was then married to Miss Emma Clery on the 26th of February, 1880. She was born in Elkhart county, July 23. 1863, and is a daughter of Levi and Mary ( Sickefoos) Ulery. She acquired her education in the public schools and by her marriage has become the mother of a son and three daughters. Dwight L., who after attend- ing the common school pursued a four years' course in the Goshen high school, is now a painter following his trade in Goshen. He married Miss Regina Zetler. Pearl M., who attended the public schools near her home, has spent three and a half years as a high school student and is now one of the successful teachers of the county. She also studied music to some extent at the Tri-State Normal School at .Angola, In- diana. Mary E. was graduated as member of the class of 1902 from the New Paris high school under Professor Swart. Ida U. was grad- uated from the New Paris high school in the class of 1904 and to some extent has studied music.
It was in 1883 that Mr. Leedy located in Jackson township, where he owns one hundred six and two-thirds acres of land, on which he has erected a comfortable country residence. His farm is well improved and yields to him good crops, so that his business is now proving profit- able. In politics he is a Democrat where national questions are involved, but at local elections he votes independently, regarding only the capabil- ity of the candidates. Both he and his wife are members of the Breth- ren church at New Paris and Mr. Leedy has served as one of its trus- tees, while he and his daughters are teachers in the Sunday school in the Evangelical church at New Paris.
The Leedy family in four states hold an annual reunion, and the Leedys of Indiana held their reunion the fourth Wednesday in August at Winona Park, Indiana, and there were about one hundred in at- tendance at this memorable occasion, which occurred August 23. 1905.
CHARLES H. MOORE.
Charles H. Moore, well known as one of the progressive and prac- tical farmers of Olive township, is a scion of one of the old settlers of this county, and in his own industrious and successful career has continued the good work begun by his father during the pioneer period. Mr. Moore was born in Elkhart county, March 5. 1866. A son of John and Julia (Compton) Moore, he was the seventh in their family of twelve children. three sons and nine daughters, eight of whom are liv- ing and all residents of this county. Two of the sisters were teachers in this county, and Josephine, now the wife of Tabor Mitchell, taught for twenty years.
John Moore, the father, was born in New York state in 1820 and
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died in 1901, after attaining the advanced age of eighty-one years. At the age of fifteen he left his native state and accompanied his parents on their arduous and pioneer journey through the woods to Indiana. where they arrived in time to experience all the primitive conditions which surrounded the earliest settlers. His active career was passed as farmer and stockman, and though he began life without cash capi- tal, long before the close of his career he was rated as a prosperous man and one who wielded influence in his community. Many years ago he bought eighty acres of untouched timber land in Olive town- ship, going in debt for it and erecting for his first habitation a log cabin. He improved his land into one of the model farms of the town- ship, and by further purchase owned one hundred and forty-four acres in the township. He was a Democrat in politics and was a member of the Evangelical church. His father came from England, but the family stock is Scotch. The mother, Julia (Compton ) Moore, was born in Indiana and died when her son Charles was nine years old.
Reared to manhood in this county and receiving a common school education, Mr. Moore began his independent career by purchasing part of the old homestead, and it is here that he has wrought out his suc- cessful career. He tends his land in an up-to-date manner, raises good stock, and is known as a thoroughly practical and efficient farmer.
.August 15. 1884. Mr. Moore married Miss Harriet Zimmerman. and three children have been born to them. Clyde C., who has fin- ished the common schools and taken two years of high school work. is his father's efficient helper and gratifies his taste for mechanics by doing all the work of that nature around the place. Madge E .. the elder daughter. has taken the eighth grade of school work and also studied music. Mildred [., the youngest. is in the second grade. Mrs. Moore is a native of the far west, having been born in California, but since the age of six years has lived in Indiana, where she received a common and high school education. Mr. Moore is a Democrat in poli- tics, and he and his wife stand high in the esteem and favorable regard of their community.
RUFUS C. EHRET.
Rufus C. Ehret is the enterprising gentleman who is manager and editor of the Wakarusa Citizen, the history of which bright little paper is given elsewhere in this volume. Of German lineage, and deriving from that source many of the determined qualities of character which have served him so well in his career. Mr. Ehret was born in Elkhart county, January 1, 1868. the eldest of four children, two sons and two daughters, born to Michael and Lydia (Seitz) Ehret. Three children survive. Sarah is the wife of George Austin, a farmer at Nashville. Michigan : and Homer E. is a farmer of the same locality, and married Miss Hattie Scott. The father, who was born in Ohio and now re- sides in Nashville, Michigan, was of German parents, and during his
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active career has followed farming with marked success. He is an ardent Republican, and he and his wife adhere to the religious faith of the United Brethren Radical. The mother, who is also living, was born in Pennsylvania.
Mr. Ehret spent only the first two years of his childhood in this county, and thereafter until he was thirty-two years old was a resident at Nashville, Michigan. A common school education was supplemented by a course at the well known business school, Ferris Institute, at Big Rapids, Michigan. He was granted a teacher's certificate at the age of eighteen, and for fifteen years following taught school in the coun- ties of Barry and Eaton, Michigan. He then went into the far south- west, to Socorro county, New Mexico, and for six months was em- ployed as a bookkeeper in the mining camps of the territory. In the fall of [goI he returned to Elkhart county and for a year was em- ployed with Mr. Frank Brown, the attorney, and in the fall of 1902 took charge of the Wakarusa Citizen, a seven-column, quarto print which is a credit to the editor and the town of Wakarusa, and leads the van in many enterprises of concern to the progress of the town. The office has a Washington press, a Chandler-Price-Gordon job press, and on each Friday morning the issue of seven hundred copies is distributed to the many readers in the town and throughout the county.
Mr. Ehret married Miss Florence Wells, who was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, and was educated in the public schools and took a business course in a convent. Her parents are both living in Ontario. They have one little daughter, Florence Mildred.
A stanch Republican, Mr. Ehret cast his first vote for Harrison, and on all the public questions of the day he keeps himself intelligently informed, so that he is a pleasant gentleman to talk with. He was secretary of the Wakarusa Improvement Association, an organization designed to encourage the location of factories and other industries in Wakarusa. During his residence at Nashville, Michigan, he was treas- urer of his town and township two different terms. Since locating in Wakarusa he has gained the highest esteem of the citizens through his public-spirited citizenship, his upright conduct, and genial disposition. He edits his paper with clearness and force, yet with utmost regard for propriety and taste, and neatness and thoroughness seem to charac- terize everything he undertakes.
DAVID W. NEIDIG.
David W. Neidig, who with the exception of the first five years has spent his entire life in Elkhart county and who in recent years has been identified closely and prominently with county affairs and with the business and financial life of Goshen, is the cashier of the State Bank of Goshen.
Born near Columbiana, Columbiana county, Ohio, May 8, 1853.
DuMendigo
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
a son of William and Maria C. ( Greenamyer) Neidig, natives of the same county, Mr. Neidig is in the fourth ancestral remove from the Neidig, whose first name is not now recalled, who came from his native German fatherland and founded the family in America. The son of this emigrant was David, who was among the early settlers of Colum- biana county, Ohio, coming there from Pennsylvania. The parents, who married in Columbiana county, in 1858 left there and came to Elk- hart county, settling about two and a half miles southwest of Goshen, and later on they moved into Goshen, where they died, the mother in .August, 1897. at the age of sixty-four, and the father in October, 1898, aged seventy-one. The father, although by trade a blacksmith, fol- lowed farming the greater part of his life, and passed his later years in retirement from active pursuits, having prospered in business affairs. He was a Republican, and he and his wife were Methodists. Their three children are Mrs. Melissa I. Miller, David W., and Charles E., who is a lumberman in Goshen.
Coming to this county when five years old. Mr. Neidig has spent practically all his life here. He passed childhood and youth on a farm, and went to school in Waterford, later attended the Northern Indiana College at Valparaiso, also the Goshen high school, and completed his education in Mt. Union (Ohio) College. When he was twenty-two years old he got a teacher's certificate and for eight terms was the mas- ter of a country school. From the schoolroom he entered the law office of Vail and Neidig in Goshen, where he took up abstract work. December 19, 1881, he became deputy county recorder, and after he had hell that office five years he was elected, in November, 1886, re- corder of Elkhart county, having been the Republican nominee for that office. His term as recorder ended in November, 1891, and in the July following, on the incorporation of the State Bank of Goshen, Mr. Neidig was elected cashier, which position he has continued to fill to the pres- ent time.
Mr. Neidig's fraternal affiliations are with the Knights of Pythias and he is a Master Mason. An active Republican for many years, he was once secretary of the Republican county committee and twice chair- inan of that body. He has served two terms as a city councilman of Goshen, and for three years was a member of the Goshen school board, being treasurer two years and president one year.
Mr. Neidig married. in 1883, Miss Edith M. Hoffman, of this county. They have one son. Edward W., who is seventeen years old and is a student in the Culver Military School.
WILLIAM B. PRATT.
William Brooks Pratt was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, May 23. 1853 His parents were Frederick B. and Charlotte E. Pratt. Spending the greater part of his youth as well as mature years in Elk-
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hart, he received his education in public and private schools in that city and also from private tutors. After finishing school at the age of eigh- teen, in 1871. he entered the retail hardware business, and in 1873, with his father started the business of F. B. Pratt and Son, manufacturing carriages. He has been continuously identified with this industry to the present time, and has been president of the Elkhart Carriage and Harness Manufacturing Company for twenty years. He has also been connected with several other manufacturing companies for a number of years.
The Elkhart Carriage and Harness Manufacturing Company, of which Mr. Pratt is president, has the beginning of its history at a date about thirty years prior to this writing, when F. B. Pratt and Son commenced making carriages in Elkhart. This business has since grown and prospered, being "the largest manufacturers of vehicles and harness in the world selling to consumers exclusively." Their methods of transacting business does away with the jobber, their deal- ings being directly with the consumer, wherever he may be located, to whom the desired goods are shipped and their quality and excellence thus beeome, on examination, their own salesman. The present extent of the business is familiar to the citizens of Elkhart, there being two large factories, one at Beardsley avenue and Michigan street, and the other at Pratt and East streets. Mr. William B. Pratt is president and secretary of the company, and George B. Pratt, vice president and treasurer.
Mr. Pratt has been a member of the Presbyterian church since the age of sixteen, and a trustee since he was twenty-one. Always inter- ested in the religious, moral and educational advancement of his com- munity, he was for several years president of the local Young Men's Christian Association, and for a number of years was a member of the Y. M. C. A. state board.
Ar. Pratt is a member of several local clubs, is a member of the National Association of Carriage Manufacturers, a member of the Na- tional Association of Implement and Vehicle Manufacturers and of the National Association of Advertisers.
Mr. Pratt married, in 1880, Miss Grace A. Tutt, a daughter of Hon. Franeis R. Tutt, of South Bend, Indiana. They have one daugh- ter. Mary Brooks Pratt, born in Elkhart, October, 1884.
P. A. EARLY.
P. A. Early, deputy prosecuting attorney of Nappanee, is a native of Germantown, Montgomery county, Ohio, born on the 13th of July. 1854. His ancestral history can be traced back to Virginia where lived his grandfather. John Early. The latter, a native of the Old Dominion, removed to Montgomery county, Ohio, where he spent his remaining days, following the occupation of farming. His son, Joseph B. Early, who was also born in Virginia, was a young lad at the time of the estab-
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lisliment of the family home in Ohio. He was married in Montgomery county to Miss Lydia Myers, who was there born and is now living in Ashland, Ohio, at the age of seventy-four years. In early life Joseph B. Early engaged in teaching school and also followed agricultural pur- suits. About 1857 he removed to Wabash county, Indiana, but was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, his death occurring there in 1860. His widow afterward brought her family to Elkhart county. They were the parents of four children, two sons and two daughters. but one son and one daughter died when about six years of age. The surviving daughter is Sarah, the wife of Guilford Leslie of Ashland, Ohio.
P. A. Early, the eldest member of the family, was only about three years of age when taken by his parents to Wabash county, Indiana. and when a youth of six years his father died and the mother removed to Elkhart county where she was again married. He remained with her until he had attained his majority and his education was acquired in the public schools. When he had sufficiently mastered the branches of English learning in order to pass an examination he secured a cer- tificate and began teaching. this profession being followed in Wabash county for two years. He also engaged in farming in Wabash county for seven years and in 1883 came to Nappanee. Here he turned his attention to merchandising. first as a dealer in hardware but at this writing is proprietor of a drug store. He employs a man to conduct the business, while he gives his attention largely to the practice of law. He entered upon the study of law in 1888 and in 1892 was admitted to the bar, since which time he has been in active practice with a con- stantly growing patronage. He is now deputy prosecuting attorney of Elkhart county and also state attorney. occupying the latter position for about ten years. The public and the profession accord him a lead- ing place in the ranks of the legal fraternity, and he is known as a con- scientious, earnest and painstaking lawyer, whose devotion to his clients' interests is proverbial.
On the 15th of October. 1875. Mr. Early was married to Miss Eliza Gilbert, a daughter of israel and Mary ( Horning) Gilbert. They became the parents of three children, but Maud, the eldest. is deceased. Nora M is at home and Clyde is an undertaker of Chicago.
In his fraternal relations Mr. Early is a Mason and a Knight ot Pythias and is true and loyal to the teachings and tenets of these organ- izations. Since age gave to him the right of franchise he has given his political support to the Republican party, takes an active interest in its work and has served on the town board and in other local offices aside from those in the direct line of his profession. His devotion to the public welfare is above question and the qualities of his manhood aside from his professional and official relations are such as commend him to the confidence and good will of those with whom he is asso- ciated.
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GEORGE L. LAMB.
George L. Lamb, prominently known in Nappanee and throughout the county as proprietor of the large novelty furniture manufacturing plant in that city, was born in Alliance, Stark county, Ohio, February 18, 1862. 1]is parents were David W. and Ann ( Zelly ) Lamb, both born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The father, who was a mechanic and cabinet-maker, came to Elkhart county in 1864, locating on a farm in Locke township and identifying himself with the agricultural inter- ests of the county. He is still living, and makes his home with his son George: the mother is deceased.
Having lived in this county since he was two years old, Mr. Lamb is both well known and has made himself an important factor in the industrial affairs of the county. He was reared and educated in Locke township, and began his business career in Goshen, where the firm of Chamberlain and Lamb were formerly well known manufacturers of brushes. This became later the Latta-Lamb Company, which continued the making of brushes and furniture until 1895, at which date Mr. Lamb became the sole proprietor of the plant at Goshen. In 1900 he came to Nappanee and established his present business, which has since grown to very large and profitable proportions, with a large annual output and with a force of employes numbering about thirty-five. Nov- elty furniture and brushes are the principal articles of manufacture, and their wholesale trade covers a very large territory. Mr. Lamb is pro- gessive and enterprising to an unusual degree, as his business record would indicate, and stands among the men of that class who have been responsible for the very rapid growth and development of Nappanee as a manufacturing and business center.
. Essentially a business man, he has never, however, neglected the other interests which claim the attention of every man who occupies a worthy place in his community. He is a public-spirited citizen and a stanch Republican, has fraternal affiliations with the Knights of Pythias. and is a trustee and elder in the Presbyterian church at Nappanee.
Mr. Lamb married, in 1873 at Goshen, Miss Carpenter, who was taken away by death in 1881. Three daughters were born to them : Anna Grace. Lulu May and Mabel Irene. Mr. Lamb married for his present wife Clara Warren.
WILLIAM H. WEYBRIGHT.
William H. Weybright is the owner of an excellent and well im- proved farm in Jackson township and is a representative agriculturist, manifesting in his life many sterling traits of the German ancestry and at the same time displaying unquestioned loyalty to America and her institutions. He also belongs to one of the pioneer families of Elk- hart county. and his birth here occurred December 26, 1848. He is the eldest son of a family of ten children, whose parents were John
HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY
and Joanna ( Lindeman ) Weybright. The father was born in the city of Dayton, in Montgomery county, Ohio, July 6. 1819. and his life record covered more than eighty-one years, his death occurring May 20. 1001. He spent the first eleven years of his life in his native county and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Elkhart county, Indiana, traveling in pioneer style in covered wagons. They settled on Elkhart prairie and in that section of the state there were few homes. much of the land being still in possession of the government. His father entered a claim and the family began their life in the state in a log cabin, which stood near the Elkhart river. The floor of the build- ing was of split logs or puncheons and the house was heated by the old- time fireplace. The Indians roamed through the forests and often stopped at this pioneer home, but they manifested a friendly spirit to- ward its inmates. There were many deer and wild turkeys to be had so there was no lack of meat on the pioneer board. Mr. Weybright of this review assisted his father in threshing grain, which was stamped out by the horses on the barn floor. He has seen the reaping done with the old-fashioned hand sickle and other primitive farm machinery used. The father was a miller by trade but spent most of his life as an agri- culturist, and although he performed manual labor that is not required at the present time because of the improved machinery he ultimately acquired a gratifying measure of success. As his financial resources increased he made judicious investment in property until he had large landed interests in both Kosciusko and Elkhart counties. He was well known for his strict honesty and upright purpose, and he took great pride in rearing his children to habits of integrity and industry-habits which in later years have borne rich fruit in upright life. In his politi- cal views he was a Whig and in his early life cast his presidential vote for William Henry Harrison when the rallying cry of the Whigs was " Tippecanoe and Tyler too." Following the dissolution of the party he never took any active interest in politics. He was reared in the faith of the German Baptist church and was one of the prime movers in organizing what is known as the "Big Church " in Jackson township. giving liberally of his means toward its erection and support. He was one of the deacons of the church for many years. Much of the timber for the building came from the forests on his land and some of the huge timbers were eiglity feet in length. Mr. Weybright also gave liberally for the building of other churches in his locality and he was a God-fear- ing man, who taught his children lessons of love, charity and benevo- lence. His wife was born in Germany, July 9. 1816, and was a little maiden when brought to America by her parents. She is yet living at the advanced age of eighty-nine years, residing with her son David on the old homestead, and her mental faculties are unimpaired. She is one of the worthy pioneer mothers of Elkhart county and her memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present.
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