USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > A twentieth century history and biographical record of Elkhart County, Indiana > Part 69
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Elder Wysong has lived for fifty-nine years in Union township and during the greater part of this period has been engaged in general farming and in preaching, still having charge of the Turkey Creek congregation. During the past sixteen or seventeen years he has been engaged in evangelistic work, and in this connection has traveled in twenty-tour states preaching the gospel as a member of the German Baptist Brethren church. He is well known among the people of the denomination, and his efforts have been far-reaching in behalf of the
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canse of Christianity. He owns in Union township a farm of seventy- four acres and is still looking after his interests on this place. He has never been known to take advantage of the necessities of his fellow men in any trade transaction and his efforts have been crowned with success when viewed from a financial standpoint, while his labors in the ministry have also been granted a full harvest.
LEVI D. ULERY.
Levi D. U'lery, who has long been a resident of Elkhart county and is now living on section 33, Union township, was born in this township May 30. 1842. His father, Daniel Ulery, was a native of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and when a lad of ten years accompanied his parents on their removal to Miami county, Ohio, where he spent the days of his boyhood and youth. Later the home property was sold there and the family removed to Elkhart county, Indiana, about 1832, living upon a farm that comprised the present site of the city of Goshen. Daniel Ulery was married in this county to Miss Mary Davenport and took up his abode in Union township, in 1841, being one of its first settlers. He entered the land from the government and began the dle- velopment of a farm in a locality where the work of improvement and progress had scarcely been commenced. His nearest neighbor was two miles distant. There were no roads to his place and he had to blaze a trail to his home. At a later date he entered a quarter section of land on which not a tree had been cut or an improvement made. He was closely identified with the work of material progress and upbuild- ing in this section of the state and while promoting his individual busi- ness interests he at the same time co-operated in many movements which had for their basic element the general good. He was deeply interested in the cause of education, did what he could to promote the welfare of the schools and also was the champion of good roads. He acted as one of the first school trustees of Union township and was known throughout the county as a man whose efforts were far-reach- ing. effective and beneficial. He held membership in the Dunkard church, in which he long served as deacon and in the work of which he took an active and helpful part. His death occurred in 1891. The mother of our subject was born in Greenville, Darke county, Ohio, and was of French lineage. She was one of the brave pioncer women whose counsel and assistance proved of such value to the husbands and fathers during the days of early settlement here and she passed away in 1896 respected by all who knew her. In the family were eight chil- dren. four sons and four daughters, all of whom reached adult age and were married, while seven of the number are still living. All were born in Union township. Elkhart county, and the family has from pio- neer times down to the present figured in the public life of this section of the state, doing much toward introducing and maintaining the evi-
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dences of advanced civilization which have made this one of the lead- ing counties of the commonwealth.
Levi D. Ulery is the oldest member of his father's family and the others are as follows: Lydia, the wife of J. S. Wisler; John, who is mentioned on another page of this volume: Catherine, the wife of Alpheus Wisler of Kansas: Elizabeth, the deceased wife of Emanuel Whitehead; Samuel, who married Sarah Martin of Dayton, Ohio, and is living in Kosciusko county, Indiana; Sarah, the wife of William Eversole, a resident of Kansas: David, who married Susan Miller of Dayton and now resides at Milford Junction.
The boyhood days of Levi D. Ulery were quietly passed, but he early knew the value of unremitting labor in the development of a farm. He attended the public schools as opportunity offered and through the months of vacation assisted his father in clearing and cul- tivating the land. working upon the old homestead until twenty-six years of age. He has devoted his entire life to agricultural pursuits and soon after his marriage he located upon the farm which is yet his home. He has one hundred acres of rich and arable land together with property in Nappanee, and his place on section 33, Union township. constitutes one of the desirable farms of the community, for it is equipped with all modern conveniences and in its natural resources presents an excellent opportunity to the agriculturist.
In 1871 Mr. Ulery was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Kinsel. Her parents died during her early girlhood and she was reared by Jacob R. Noffsinger of Dayton, Ohio. Three sons and two daugh- ters have been born of this union. William, who married Chloe Drum- baugh and is living in Nappanee; Jesse, who wedded Emma Ruck- man and is also living in Nappanee: Ada, the wife of Virgil Hemes of Kosciusko county, Indiana: Alvin, who married Lucinda Jackson and remains upon the home farm: and Mabel, who is also under the parental roof.
Mr. Clery has spent his entire life in Union township and has taken an active interest in every progressive measure looking to the general good. He is a member of the Dunkard church, has contributed generously to its support, has assisted in its various lines of activity and is now one of its deacons. His political allegiance has always been given to the Republican party and he has filled a number of local offices, the duties of which he has discharged with promptness and fidel- ity.
HARLAN A. STAUFFER.
Harlan A. Stauffer, attorney at law and real estate dealer. a young but very successful business and professional man of Goshen, has spent all the years of his life since early childhood in Elkhart county and since his entrance upon his active career some eight years ago has advanced to a position of worth and very high esteem among his fellow citizens.
N. a Stauffer
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Born on a farm in LaGrange county, Indiana, January 5, 1876. a son of Emanuel G. and Elizabeth ( Maunn) Stauffer, both natives of Pennsylvania and of German lineage, he was brought, in 1881, when five years old, to this county, his father locating on a farm in Concord township, where he still engages in agricultural pursuits. There were eight children in the family, and Harlan is the oldest but one.
Reared on a farm, Mr. Stauffer began the acquiring of an education in the country schools, and later attended the Northern Indiana Normal College, where he pursued his law studies. He received admission to the bar on March 4, 1897-the day of Mckinley's first inauguration-and in May of the same year located at Goshen, where he has attended to a grow- ing law practice and general real estate business. He had just attained his majority when he began practice, so that his excellent record of suc- cess beginning with manhood is most creditable to his powers and spirit of enterprise. He is deserving of the more credit since he had been de- pendent on his own resources since he was sixteen years old, and has therefor entirely achieved his own success.
Mr. Stauffer is a Republican in politics, and affiliates with the Mod- ern Woodmen of America. His office is located at 122 North Main street.
REV. PETER W. STUCKMAN.
Rev. Peter W. Stuckman, who is a proprietor of a stock farmi on section 28, Union township, was born in that township. December 27. 1852. He is of German lineage, his ancestry being traced back to Gus Stuckman, who was born in Germany and came to Elkhart county from Pennsylvania in 1829, casting in his lot with the early settlers of Union township. He took up land from the government and with characteristic energy began the development of a new farm, perform- ing the arduous labor incident to transforming wild land into richly cultivated fields. His son, Martin Stuckman, father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania and with his parents came to Indiana in
early manhood. being at that time about twenty-one years of age. He was the first man married in Union township and he also cast the first vote in that district. He lived to be about ninety-four years of age and was long classed with the honored pioneer residents of this part of the state, where his labors proved effective and beneficial in promoting general progress and improvement. He shared in the pri- vations and hardships of pioneer life, and noting the opportunities for accomplishment he joined with his fellow men in promoting measures that have for their object the welfare and general advancement of the county. He married Martha Elston, a native of Kentucky, who came to Elkhart county when about twelve years of age with her father. Josiah Elston, who was also one of the pioneer settlers of this part of the state. He was active and influential in public affairs and for many years he served as justice of the peace. His daughter, Mrs. Stuck-
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man, died when only about forty-five years of age. In the family were nine children, of whom the eldest son died in youth, while the others reached manhood and womanhood.
Rev. Peter W. Stuckman, the youngest member of this family. spent the days of his boyhood and youth in his home locality and acquired his education in the public schools of Union township. The little " temple of learning " was a log building, seated with slabs and finished with a puncheon floor. The methods of instruction were also somewhat primitive, but he made the most of his opportunities and has continually broadened his knowledge by reading and observation in later years. He remained with his parents and assisted in the opera- tion of the home farm up to the time of his marriage.
March 14, 1873. Mr. Stuckman was joined in wedlock to Miss Rebecca Frederick, who was born in Hardin county, Ohio, and was a daughter of William Frederick, a native of Niantic county, Ohio. . \t the time of his marriage Rev. Stuckman located on his present farm and in addition to the care and cultivation of the land he became actively connected with the ministry, doing evangelical work. He traveled a great deal in the interest of the church and was at Johns- town, Pennsylvania, at the time of the great flood, memorable in the history of the country. He has visited in the work of the ministry various points in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Pennsylvania, and was very successful in promoting the work of the German Baptist church. He was also well known as a revivalist but he gave up evangelical work about 1900. He is now engaged in the raising of fine horses and owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 28, Union township. where he has a well developed property.
To Mr. and Mrs. Stuckman have been born four children: Cal- vin, who was a teacher for a number of years but is now a horse dealer of Philadelphia: Melvin, who was a teacher and is now engaged in shipping horses: Ollie, the wife of Francis Neff of Milford, Indiana, a prominent land owner and real estate dealer: and Myrtle, who is now attending De Pauw University, in which institution she expects to grad- nate. Mr. Stuckman has educated his children, providing them with excellent advantages in that direction, and his two sons are graduates of the Northern Ohio University at Ada. His political allegiance is given to the Prohibition party and he is a man of strong temperance principles, having throughout his entire life been an advocate of abstin- ence and the opponent of the liquor traffic. His life has been honorable and upright, permeated by high principles and characterized by motives that will bear closest investigation and scrutiny.
CORNELIUS MORRIS.
A resident of Elkhart county for the greater part of sixty years, a successful man of affairs, eminently public spirited as a citizen, and universally honored for his probity of character and true worth, Mr.
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Cornelius Morris needs no introduction to the readers of this volume. He was born in this county, December 9. 1845, and with the basic industry of agriculture he has identified his efforts for many years, so that few men in Olive township stand on a higher plane of general regard and exercise more influence than Mr. Morris.
Mr. Morris was the ninth of ten children, five sons and five daugh- ters, whose parents were Isaac and Elizabeth ( Sailor) Morris. There was a unique order of succession in the births of these children, the sons and daughters coming by pairs, viz., the first two born were sons, then two daughters, two sons, two daughters, and the last two a son and a daughter. The six living children are as follows: Elizabeth, a widow. a resident of Starke county: Moses, who is married and is a farmer in St. Joseph county; Eliza Ann, wife of Michael Snyder, of Marshall county, Indiana ; Mary Jane, wife of Jacob F. Ehret, a farmer of Olive township; Cornelius, who is next : Rachael M., wife of Frederick Coth- ron, of Olive township.
Isaac Morris, the father, who was born in Monroe county, Ohio. in 1803, and died in 1884, was reared and married in his native county. receiving his education in the primitive schools of the time, and after a year spent in eastern Indiana came to Elkhart county in 1835, where he placed his habitation among the red men and became one of the earliest pioneers of the western part of the county. It was in Baugo township that he first established his home, at a time when the now prosperous city of Elkhart contained only a few log houses, and when there were very few highways from one part of the county to another. After living a year on his eighty-acre timber purchase he sold out and came to Olive township, where, in addition to his purchase of forty aeres, he entered one hundred and sixty aeres from the government, in sections 13. 14 and 23. receiving parchment deeds that are still in existence. The log cabin that the father built there was some time later the birthplace of Cornelius. Isaac Morris, with five other men, held the first election after the organization of Olive township. The ballot- ing was carried on in the Morris cabin, Isaac's wife holding the ballot box, which was nothing less than an old-fashioned blue porcelain sugar bowl, and this vessel is carefully treasured in the home of Cornelius Morris, where the writer has seen and handled it. Isaac Morris was a Democrat in politics, and at that memorable first election in Olive town- ship there was only one Whig vote cast. In religion the father was a Dunkard, and the mother a Methodist. The mother was born in Mon- roe county, Ohio, in 1805, and died in 1881, and was reared in Ohio. The Morris family is of English and Scotch origin.
Mr Morris grew up on a farm in this county and from early youth has known all the practical phases of farm life. He attended school in a log cabin in the southwest corner of section 13. The building was sixteen by twenty feet in dimensions, with a clapboard roof, heated by a fireplace. the window sixteen inches high and eight feet long and
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made by removing one log from the side of the building. He has written with a goosequill pen, made by the master, and his text books were the Elementary spelling book, Ray's arithmetic and McGuffey's readers. The school was supported three months each year by subscrip- tion.
Mr. Morris is one of those whose names appear in the military history of Elkhart county. He enlisted November 15. 1863. in Com- pany E, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regiment Indiana Infantry, which rendezvoused at Kendallville. His captain was S. B. McGuire, and the regiment was part of the Army of the Cumberland under the command of W. T. Sherman. Mr. Morris took part in the battle of Resaca and was almost constantly under rebel fire from May 8 to Sep- tember 1. 1864. during the Atlanta campaign. On August 6, while on the western side of Atlanta, he was struck in the left leg by a spent ball, and still bears the scar of that wound. He was in the Ohio divi- sion of the Army of the Cumberland, and at the conclusion of the Atlanta campaign and before the " march to the sea." this division was sent back to engage Hood's army in Tennessee. Under General Thomas it took part in the battle of Franklin and the still more sanguinary two days' battle at Nashville. Mr. Morris's regiment was in the neigh- borhood of Raleigh, North Carolina, when the news of Lee's surren- dler came, followed shortly after by the tidings of Lincoln's assassina- tion. At Charlotte, North Carolina, he received his final discharge on August 29, 1865, and then returned home to resume the more peaceful vocations of life. Having saved three hundred and forty dollars dur- ing his army service, he made this the capital for his start in life. The first few years of his independent career were spent as a renter on his father's farnı.
November 19. 1872, Mr. Morris married Miss Sarah E. Smyser, and of the six children that have been born to them three are now liv- ing. namely. B. A., who was educated in the common schools of St. Joseph county and is now a barber in Syracuse, Indiana : he married Miss Lola Mishler, by whom he has two children, Berneda and Ford. The son Cornelius, who was educated in the St. Joseph county schools and at a business college in South Bend, is a stenographer in the employ of the Northwestern Nursery at Eau Claire, Michigan. Eddie, the youngest, is in the fifth grade of the public schools. The three deceased children were all girls. Mrs. Morris was born in Ohio. September 5. 1853. but reared in St. Joseph county. this state, being a daughter of Cornelius Smyser. who recently died at the advanced age of over eighty years. His life is thus commemorated by the press: " Cornelius Smyser. one of the best known men in St. Joseph county, passed away at the home of his daughter. Mrs. Henry Ernsperger, of near Springbrook park. Had he lived until December he would have been eighty-five years old. Mr. Smyser was a grand old man, and while alive was an example to those about him for goodness, honesty, patience, sobriety
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and for his religious experience. Since early boyhood he had been a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church and took a great interest in religious affairs. A great reader of the daily newspapers he kept in touch with the current affairs of the day and was always willing to be interviewed by representatives of the press and often assisted re- porters with data at his command. He told many interesting stories rela- tive to the early political history of this country. He was a lifelong, stanch Republican and took great interest in his party and always in- sisted on voting, no matter what state of his health. In the last presiden- tial campaign he was too weak to go alone to the polls in South Bend. J. M. Studebaker, of that city. a great friend of Mr. Smyser since youth, came to Mishawaka and conveyed Mr. Smyser to the polls in his private carriage. that he might cast his vote for Theodore Roosevelt. He was born in Adams county, near Pine Town, Pennsylvania, Dec. 20, 1820. In 1839 he went to Ashland county, Ohio. August 21. 1845, he was mar- ried to Miss Anna Eliza Davis, in Carthagena, Ohio. Their married life was singularly happy. In 1853 they came to Mishawaka and engaged in farming. For thirty years they resided on the C. G. Towle farm, south of this city. Mrs. Smyser died Sept. 11, 1891, since which time Mr. Smyser has lived a retired life, making his home among his children. principally with Mrs. Ernsperger. He leaves five daughters, Mrs. Ern- sperger, of near Springbrook Park; Mrs. Charles Doolittle, Mrs. Law- rence Meixel, of Mishawaka ; Mrs. Edward Shank, of River Park: Mrs. Cornelius Morris, of Wakarusa, Indiana ; two sons, Albert Smyser and Alonzo Symser, of Richmond, Indiana : three brothers, Philip Smyser, of Independence. Iowa: Frank Smyser. Portland, Oregon ; Henry Smyser, of Horton, Kansas; one sister, Mrs. Hanna Davis, of Hart. Michigan ; thirteen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren."
Mr. and Mrs. Morris lived in St. Joseph county eleven years. The first land he purchased was ten acres, which he paid for with the money he had saved while in the ranks. He then purchased thirty acres in section 13 of Olive township, and shortly afterward forty .acres in sec- tion 14, all this land being part of the old Morris homestead. After selling this land he rented five hundred and seventy acres in St. Joseph county and for nine years carried on stock-raising on an extensive scale. He then bought his present farm of eighty acres and has re- sided thereon ever since. He has made a success of his life work, lives independently. enjoys the freedom of country life, and is a fine speci- men of the rugged manhood which characterizes the truly successful American farmer. A lover of sport, he often participates in hunting excursions that take him to the heart of nature and refresh him in mind and body for the more serious tasks of life.
Since casting his first vote for Grant he has always upheld the principles of the Republican party. Fraternally he is a member of Custer Post No. 232. G. A. R., at Wakarusa. and has been commander and adjutant and at the present time is senior vice commander. The
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old One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Indiana has the honor of hav- ing held the first reunion, and the annual meeting in 1905 will be the thirty-eighth. He also affiliates with the Knights of Columbia. Mr. and Mrs. Morris are members of the Methodist church at Wakarusa. Mr. Morris and wife held a family reunion August 3. 1905, at their country home and we add a clipping from the Citizen :
"We went to press too early last week to give particulars of the Morris family reunion which was held at the Cornelius Morris home last Thursday. There were 125 members present and the day was passed in visiting. recitations, etc. Rev. Parker, who was present, gave an address. The threatened rain just at noon drove those at the first table into the house, but the weather cleared and the outdoor tables were used for the remainder to eat upon.
" The society decided to holl the next reunion at one of the neigh- boring parks and a committee, composed of C. O. Ehret, Geo. Renner and Ernest Bebee, was appointed to decide on the location.
" Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: President, Philip Bimiller ; Vice President, Mrs. Chas. Miller: Treasurer, Jno. C. Myers: Secretary, L. L. Kilmer; Corresponding Secretaries, Mrs. . 1. C. Lehman and Mrs. L. L. Kilmer.
" The Moris family is one of the oldest in the history of Elkhart county and their ancestors were among the first settlers in Olive town- ship. They take a deep interest in each other's welfare, and in their annual reunions. They have a right to be proud of their family record."
CHRISTIAN HUNSBERGER, SR.
A stanch and patriotic German-American citizen, whose compatriots have probably done more for this nation in its development than any other class of population, a man of irreproachable character and whose long career in Elkhart county stands forth as a matter of pride and an object of emulation to all younger generations, Mr. Christian Hunsberger is a representative among his fellow citizens of Olive township of those strong and rugged qualities of manhood, of that enterprise and ability in the management of the affairs of the world, and of that sincerity and hon- esty of purpose in all his relations with family and society which, in their aggregate, form the very foundation upon which the integrity of nation and people is based.
Mr. Hunsberger was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, No- vember 30. 1831. being the fifth in a family of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, whose parents were Christian and Esther ( Overhulzer ) Hunsberger. Seven of these children are living, as fol- lows: Peter, married and living in Olive township, a prosperous farmer ; Christian: Michael, married and a farmer of Locke township: Henry, married and a farmer of St. Joseph county: Daniel, a resident of Olive
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township: Sarah, widow of John Brenneman, of St. Joseph county : Susan, wife of Joseph Culp. a farmer of Isabelle county, Michigan.
Christian Hunsberger. the father, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1793. before General Washington died, and who successfully followed the career of farming, came to Elkhart county about 1859. He died at the age of eighty-three, and his wife, who was also a native of Pennsyl- vania, lived to the three-quarter century mark of life. They were both members of the Mennonite church.
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