USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > A twentieth century history and biographical record of Elkhart County, Indiana > Part 78
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Samue! Holtz, who was left an orphan at the age of eight years. was reared by his uncle John Holtz until fifteen years of age, when he started out in life on his own account. For three years he worked at the blacksmith's trade and for one year rented a coal bank in Stark county. opening up and operating a mine there On the expiration of three years he sold that and in April. 1854, he came to Elkhart county, locat- ing in Osolo township on the place where he now resides. Here he cleared and improved a farm, erecting all of the buildings, adding all modern equipments and accessories, and now has a well developed prop- erty which in its fine appearance is indicative of his careful supervision, painstaking methods and progressive views along agricultural lines.
In 1851 Mr. Holtz was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Creigh- baum, who was born in Summit county, Ohio, and they have two chil-
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dren: Sarah A., now the wife of O. F. Brussman, living on the home farm; and Cora Ida, the wife of Samuel Swinehart, of Elkhart. They also lost three children. Mr. Holtz has taken a deep interest in all that pertains to the welfare and improvement of the county and has ever given his earnest support to the Democracy. He holds membership in the Evangelical Lutheran church, in which he was at one time quite active. He owes his success entirely to his well directed efforts, for he started out in life with meagre capital, but he possessed strong deter- mination and a willingness to work. By perseverance and energy he has overcome all of the obstacles and difficulties in his path and has gained both a desirable competence and an honored name. Through a long period he has lived in Elkhart county, where he is now widely and far- orably known.
JOHN W. MILLER.
John W. Miller has for so long a period been a resident of Elkhart county that he is numbered among its old settlers, and his life has been so well spent that he is classed with its most respected citizens. He was born in Osolo township May 18. 1838. His father, Jesse Miller, was a native of Ohio, and came to Elkhart county, about 1837, locating in the northern part of the county, where he remained for a year. He then traded his land there for a farm in Harrison township. Elkhart county, upon which he spent his remaining days, his life's labors being ended in death when he was about sixty-six years of age. With the pioneer de- velopment and improvement of this section of the state he was con- nected, and his aid could always be counted upon to further the interests of Democracy and of the Methodist Episcopal church. His religious faith was a permeating influence in his life and made him worthy the regard in which he was uniformly held. He married Miss Lucy Dal- rymple, a native of Ohio, who died in Concord township, Elkhart county. when about sixty-six years of age. They were the parents of three sons and five daughters, and with one exception all reached adult age.
John W. Miller, the fourth child and eldest son. was only about a year old when taken by his parents to Harrison township. this county, and upon the home farm he was reared, pursuing his education in a schoolhouse built of round logs and furnished with primitive equip- ments in harmony with the methods of instruction. He remained at home, assisting in the work of the farm save through the short winter season when he attended school, and became familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist.
In 1860 occurred the marriage of John W. Miller and Miss Mary Stutsinan, a daughter of Daniel B. and Betsy ( Bashore ) Stutsman, who came to this county at an early day, settling in Harrison township, where their daughter's birth occurred. At the time of his marriage Mr. Miller located on a farm adjoining his father's place, but after a year sold that property and bought his present place of residence about 1865. There
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were few improvements on this place and it stood in the midst of the forest, but he has since developed one of the best farms of the county. He has carried on general tarming and has also made a specialty of the raising of berries and other fruit. About twelve thousand ties were furnished from his farm to the Lake Shore Railroad Company, and also much timber was furnished for building cars. In former years Mr. Miller owned other farms, but has since disposed of much of his property. retaining possession of the old homestead, which comprises one hundred acres, all of which is valuable land, the greater part of it being under a high state of cultivation.
To Mr. and Mrs. Miller have been born the following named: Cy- rus. who is inspector for the street railway company and is living in Concord township: Nervy, at home ; Ira J., of Elkhart ; Louis R., an en- gineer on the Lake Shore Railroad, living at home; Ortha, the wife of Charles Dinehart, of Concord township : Edward, a druggist of Elkhart ; and Lawrence, engaged as foreman of the Tablet Works, of Kalamazoo. Michigan. Mr. Miller is a Democrat but has no aspirations for public office. His entire life, covering sixty-seven years, has been passed in this county, and he is familiar with much of its development and growth. What to many is merely a matter of history is to him a matter of per- sonal experience. because of his residence here during the occurrence of certain events that have aided in shaping the annals and the policy of the county, and at all times he has furthered the movements for the pub- lic good.
SAMUEL K. CAUFEMAN.
Samuel K. Cauffman, following the occupation of farming on sec- tion 25. Osolo township, was born in Pennsylvania, October 1, 1847. His father. Peter Cauffman, was also a native of the Keystone state and in 1853 came to Elkhart county, Indiana, settling in Washington town- ship, where he remained for four years, when he located in Osolo town- ship, there spending his remaining days. his death occurring when he had reached the venerable age of eighty years. He was a lifelong Re- publican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and at all times was loval to his honest convictions and honorable in all his rela- tions with his fellow men. He wedded Mary A. Horner, a native of Pennsylvania, and she lived to be sixty-one years of age. They were the parents of five sons and five daughters, and nine of the family reached manhood or womanhood.
Samuel K. Canffman. the fifth member of the family and the second som. was about six years of age when he came to Elkhart county and the days of his boyhood and youth were passed in Washington and Osolo townships. He attended the schools of the neighborhood, and through the summer months assisted in the labors of the fields, working at home until twenty-one years of age, when he began farming on his own account. For three years after his marriage he lived upon a farm
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adjoining his present home and in 1877 he erected his present brick resi- dente, which is one of the attractive and substantial dwellings of the locality. He owns one hundred and forty acres of well improved land and carries on general farming, his richly cultivated fields returning to him golden harvests. On the 11th of November. 1904. an engine exploded on Mr. Cauffman's place. and Warren Bassett, a boy of ten years, John Boldenhouse and Mr. Cauffman's son Floyd were killed and others were badly hurt -- a disaster that caused deep sorrow throughout the neighborhood.
Mr. Cauffman was married March II, 1873. to Miss Martha J. Lacy, the fourth member of the family of Michael and Eliza .A. ( Barker ) Lacy, who had five children. The father was a native of Ireland and the mother of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Caufman have four children: Willie. who diel in infancy; Fred L., who died at the age of four years: Frank : and Floyd, who was killed in the explosion.
Mr. Cauffman has always voted with the Republican party, and in his community is recognized as one of the strong and active workers in its ranks. He is now serving as a member of the advisory board. but has little time or inclination for public office, preferring that his undlivided attention be given to his business affairs, which, carefully con- ducted, have brought to him a good return. His residence in the county covers a half century and thus he has a wide acquaintance, while the friendship of the greater majority is extended to him, for he has mani- fested in his career the qualities which go to make up a reliable business man and loyal, public-spirited citizen.
HENRY WARREN HIXON.
Henry Warren Hixon, organizer and proprietor of the Farmers' Bank of Middlebury, was born in Portage county, Ohio, March 21. 1833. Ilis father, Solomon Landis Hixon, was a native of Buffalo Valley, Pennsylvania, and was of German lineage, the original Ameri- can ancestors settling first in New Jersey. His uncle, John Hixon, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. Solomon Hixon started out in life as a carpenter, and in 1839 removed to Portage county. Ohio, where he worked at his trade. He also bought land there and became inter- ested in farming pursuits, but finally disposed of his property in that state and removed to Elkhart county, Indiana, reaching his destina- tion on the 4th of April. 18344. He found a pioneer district, the picture presenting tracts of forest land and unimproved prairies. Locating in Middlebury township he entered from the government one hundred and sixty acres of land on section ten, on a part of which the village of Mid- dlebury now stands. In the spring he erected a log cabin prior to the arrival of his wife in this county. The next spring he built a barn and as soon as it was completed he sold his farm for eight hundred dollars. Hle then removed south of Middlebury, where he lived for a time. He
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was a great trader in real estate, and when he died on the 25th of Maich, 1894, he was a wealthy man, having gained a very desirable fortune through his investment in property. He passed away in his eighty-ninth year after a long life of activity and enterprise in which his genuine worth gained him the respect and honor of those with whom he was associated. He held membership in the Baptist church and his early political support was given to the Democracy, but owing to the fact that his son. Henry W., intended to cast his first vote for John C. Fremont the father also supported the pathfinder and voted the Repub- lican ticket, remaining an advocate of the party up to the time of his (lemise. He was a man of strong convictions, charitable in his purposes and kindly in his relations to his fellow men. He wedded Nancy Remele. who was born in Middlebury, Vermont, in 1816, and died March 29. 1864. Her parents were Stephen and Mary Ann ( Curtis) Remele. The father was of English lineage, his ancestors coming from England and settling in Vermont. Steplien Remele was a native of Vermont, and he named the town of Middlebury, Indiana, after the town of Middle- bury, Vermont. He came from the Green Mountain state to Indiana to inspect the country in 1832, but settled near AAkron, Ohio. In 1834. however, he came again to this state and took up his abode on section thirteen. Middlebury township. He was a farmer and land speculator and accumulated considerable property. In his family were four chil- dren. a son and three daughters, including Mrs. Nancy Hixon. Her husband. Solomon Hixon, was one of ten children, four sons and six daughters. Unto this worthy couple were born five children: Henry W .; Elizabeth .A., who died at the age of twenty-one years; Stephen and Charles L., both deceased; and Lavonia, the deceased wife of Charles 1. Mathers.
Henry W. Hixon acquired his education in the district schools and the old Middlebury seminary. Fle engaged in teaching school for nine terms, working on the farm during the summer months and was thus engaged until after the outbreak of the Civil war. On the 16th of .August, 1862, in the Methodist church at Middlebury, he enrolled his name with the troops of the 21st Indiana Light Artillery and thus served until mustered out at Gallatin, Tennessee. While fighting the bushwhackers on the gunboat, Orion. on the Cumberland river about four miles above Gallatin, he lost his right arm through the premature discharge of a cannon. This occurred March 25, 1863, and in May he was sent to Gallatin, where on the 4th of June, 1863, because of his injuries, he was honorably discharged.
Mr. Hixon at once returned to his home and notwithstanding his crippled condition located on the farm and began its further develop- ment. In 1866 he removed to Middlebury where he entered into busi- ness with his brother-in-law, Charles S. Mathers, buying wool, wheat and corn. After six months spent in that way he began an independent business as a loan agent and in 1890 he opened a private bank which
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he called the Farmers' Bank. He now has an extensive patronage and has continuously and successfully conducted the business for fifteen years.
Mr. Hixon was married in 1866 to Nettie Curtis, who was born in Summit county, Ohio, and was a daughter of Charles and Eunice ( Crager ) Curtis. Her father, who was a native of Vermont, died in 1893 at the age of seventy-two years, while his wife passed away in 1856 at the age of thirty-three years. The great-grandfather of Mrs. Hixon came from England and settled in New England and the maternal grandfather came from Switzerland. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hixon have been born four children: Elizabeth Alice, the wife of Dr. Hugh L. Conely, a practitioner of Gass City, Indiana: Fred S., who married Orpha Ames and is with his father in the bank and owns a farm at Stone Lake, LaGrange county, Indiana; Edna May, who is the wife of William L. Winn, an attorney of Whitehall, Illinois; and an infant.
Mr. Hixon's mother organized the first Sunday-school in Middle- bury township and the subject of this review is now the only one of her pupils yet connected with that school. He has in his possession four of the old parchment deeds, three signed by President Andrew Jackson and dated September 2. 1834. February 10, 1835. October 8. 1835, and one signed by President Martin Van Buren. August 1. 1837. These are valuable documents, and are of the twenty-two deeds found in the county of Elkhart. He is a Republican and for twenty-two years has served as justice of the peace, his decisions being strictly fair and impartial He has always been enterprising and his interests are thoroughly identified with those of Elkhart county. At all times he is ready to lend his aid and co-operation to any movement calculated to benefit business success of the state or advance its wonderful develop- ment and he is as loyal in citizenship as when he followed the stars and stripes to the south. In business he has achieved success through honorable effort, untiring industry and capable management and in pri- vate life he has gained that warm personal regard which arises from true nobility of character.
JAMES MATHEWS, M. D.
Many accord to the medical profession the highest position in de- termining the value of the different callings to which man devotes his energies. All acknowledge it to be the most important and a success- ful physician fills an important place in the community where he re- sides. The elements of self-sacrifice and humanitarianism enter into the life of every conscientious physician, without which no man in the calling attains to high rank. Dr. Mathews is well known in New Paris and vicinity, where he has won a favorable reputation for his skill and ability in his profession and he is so well known here that he needs no special introduction to our readers. He is a native of Jackson town-
Respectfully Wro. J.G. Mathews
yours Jouly James Matthews Ing
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ship Elkhart county, where he was born May 28, 1847. being the sec- ond m a family of thirteen children, five sons and eight daughters. who were born to Edwin and Mary A. ( Mills ) Mathews. The father, a native of Maryland, was a farmer by occupation and when a young man came to Indiana. He had acquired a public school education, and he was a man of strong convictions, always fearless in his defense of what he believed to be right. In politics he was a Whig until the organization of the Republican party, and he and his wife were ardent members of the Methodist church. When called to his final rest his remains were interred in Van Buren township. Kosciusko county. The name of Mathews is of Welsh origin and was originally spelled Matt- hews, but recent generations have dropped one of the t's.
Dr. Mathews was reared on his father's farm until fourteen years of age, when he started out as a wage earner, giving, however, a part of his earnings to his older brother and his parents. He attended the common schools of Elkhart county, and afterward pursued a grammar course in Goshen under Professor Valois Butler. He entered upon the profession of teaching in Benton township and his second school was in the home district. He regarded this merely as an initial step, however. to other professional labor, for at the age of nineteen he de- termined to enter upon the study of medicine and began reading under the direction of Dr. P. D. Harding. at Goshen, and he also acted as office hoy. He continued his reading there for three years and he also did whatever work he could secure that would yield him an honest dol- lar. It was in 1867 that he entered upon his studies and while still un- dler the supervision of Dr. Harding he attended a course of lectures in the Ohio Medical College, at Cleveland. About 1870 he entered the Detroit Medical College, where he remained for two terms and he also spent a summer term in that institution. There he took charge of St. Mary's Hospital and he was graduated with the class of 1871. Later he pursued a post-graduate course in the same institution and was thus well qualified for his chosen work by broad study and investigation, to which was added practical experience, which he gained in the hospital.
About the time that he was ready to enter upon the active practice of medicine Dr. Mathews was married to Miss Jane G. Cowan, of Jackson township. He had intended to locate in New Paris, and in fact had arranged his office and fixtures, but at that time his uncle, Dr. Elias Jones, a physician and surgeon of Wolf Lake, Noble county, Int- diana, expressed a desire to have Dr. Mathews take his practice, as he wished to retire from the profession and enter the drug business. Ac- cordingly Dr. Mathews established his home at Wolf Lake, where he remained for about three years, meeting with good success there. He wished, however, to locate at New Paris, Indiana, and in 1875 he returned to Elkhart county, where for a time he gave his attention 10 agricultural pursuits. Finally he located in the village and estab-
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lished a drug store, which he conducted in connection with the practice of medicine and surgery. He has been quite successful here, keeping in touch with modern methods of practice, and his labors have been attended with gratifying success in checking the ravages of disease and in restoring health.
Dr. Mathews is also a fancier of fine animals and particularly of the Golden Sable and white Scotch Collie. He has a fine kennel of the very best blood, his registered dog being Sallie Lou. Dr. Mathews was formerly a fancier and breeder of fine standard roadster horses, and ‹lealt in such animals as Geo. Wilkes, Electioneer, Nutwood, Gov. Sprague, Dick Taylor, Onward, AAlmount and Online and such brood mares as Green Mountain Marie, Beautiful Belle, Minnehaha, Miss Russell, Old Dolly, Belle Sprague. His animals are all of imported breeds. He also raises Buff Orphington chickens, Poland China hogs, Angora guinea pigs and Angora cats. He is possibly the only one in northern Indiana having pure-blooded stock of these kinds and his sales annually reach a large figure.
Mrs. Mathews is a native of Elkhart county, born April 27, 1845. and is a daughter of William and Narcissa ( Jones) Cowan. She was a student in the common schools near her father's home, also studied in Oswego, Indiana, and in Goshen high school, after which she en- tered the Union Female Seminary at Nenia, Ohio, from which she was graduated with the class of 1866. She afterward engaged in teaching for three terms in Elkhart county. In addition to her literary course she pursued the study of instrumental music. Her father, who was a native of Ohio, born in 1811, followed the occupation of farming throughout his entire life, and died in 1871. In his political views he was a Jackson Democrat. His wife, who was born in Ohio, in 1823, died in 1884. They were members of the United Presbyterian church and both passed away in Elkhart county.
In his political views Dr. Mathews is a Republican, supporting the party since he cast his first presidential ballot for General U. S. Grant. In the line of his profession he is connected with Elkhart County Medical Society, and he is examining physician for the New York Life and Aetna Insurance Companies and also of the Modern Woodmen of America. Both he and his wife are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and he is now serving on the official board. while his wife has been chorister for a number of years. They have contributed generously to the work of the church and gave liberally to- ward the erection of the new house of worship in 1885. They have in their possession four parchment deeds, bearing the signature of President Andrew Jackson, and executed March 16, 1832, while an- other one is signed by Martin Van Buren, March 15. 1837. Dr. and Mrs. Mathews are both well known in Elkhart county and enjoy the friendly regard of many with whom they have been brought in contact.
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WILLIAM H. SHULTZ.
William H. Shultz, township trustee of Middlebury township and now engaged in the fire and life insurance business in the town of Mid- dllebury, was born in DeKalb county, Indiana, November 10, 1860, and is of German descent. His father, George Shultz, a native of New York, died in 1873. He became a pioneer settler of Ohio, where he located in 1842. He was also in Indianapolis when the town was laid out and was prominently connected with the material improvement of the western country through the building of canal locks and work at the stone mason's trade. His latter days were largely devoted to farming. He came to Indiana in 1854. first settling in DeKalb county. In his earlier years he had traveled extensively over the country, but in 1842 he was married and after that lived for longer periods in one place. As the years passed he prospered in his business undertakings, so that at his (leath he was enabled to leave his family in comfortable financial cir- cumstances. His political views accorded with Democratic principles and he served as justice of the peace, as constable and in other local offices He married Saloma Walter, who was born in the state of New York and died in 1890, in her sixty-eighth year. She too was of Gier- man lineage and was a member of the Lutheran church. In their fam- ily were ten children. of whom they reared the following: Curtis, who is a farmer of DeKalb county; Allen, who follows agricultural pursuits in the same county; Shannon, a carpenter of Butler, Indiana ; Franklin, deceased ; Rosanna, the wife of H. C. Mann, a farmer of DeKalb county ; Arilla, the wife of M. S. Graves, of Concord township: Lewis, who is a farmer of DeKalb county : and William H.
In the common schools of his native county William H. Shultz acquired his preliminary education, which was supplemented by study in Waterloo. He taught school for twelve years in DeKalb and Elk- hart counties and also worked at carpentering and farming. Through his own efforts he gained a start in the business world and whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his own labors.
In 1887 Mr. Shultz was united in marriage to Miss Nancy J. Pol- lock, a daughter of William and Elizabeth Pollock and a native of Noble county, Indiana, born in 1861. Her father was a farmer and settled in Noble county in pioneer days. Mrs. Shultz was a faithful companion and helpmate to her husband for sixteen years and then departed this life in the fall of 1903. She left four children: Russell, who is now a telegraph operator; Loren, who follows the same pursuit ; Nola : and Maynard.
Mr. Shultz is a member of the Odd Fellows society and his politi- cal allegiance is given to the Democracy. He served as assistant post- master at Middlebury for eleven years and in the fall of 1004 he was elected trustee of Middlebury township, overcoming the normal Repub- lican majority of seventy-five and winning the election by sixty-three
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votes, a fact which indicates his popularity. For the past ten years he has been engaged in the insurance business, representing both fire and life insurance companies. He is well known in Middlebury and is a representative citizen of his locality.
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