USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > A twentieth century history and biographical record of Elkhart County, Indiana > Part 86
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Nicholas T. Fisher, spending his boyhood days under the parental roof, was reared to farm life, working in the fields through the summer months. while in the winter seasons he attended the public schools. After arriving at years of maturity he was married, on the 4th of January, 1877, to Miss Della Carmer, a daughter of Lyman and Catherine (Royer) Carmer. Her mother came to Indiana in 1850 with her second husband, her first husband having died in Ohio. She then married John Long and on their removal to this state they took up their abode in Washington township. Elkhart county. Mrs. Fisher was born in Ohio in 1861 and had two sisters: Nettie. now the wife of Jacob Pickerell, a resident of Middlebury, Indiana: and Ella May, deceased. The mother departed this life in 1904 at the home of her daughter. Mrs. Fisher, when sixty-six years of age. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and was of German lineage, while the Carmers were descendant from old English stock. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Fisher was blessed with two daughters : Myrtle, now the wife of Charles Steinberger, a carpenter residing at Wawaka, Indiana: and Elsie, the wife of Harvey Cooper, who is liv- ing in York township.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Fisher are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church in Middlebury and are interested in various church ac- tivities in which they co-operate, at the same time contributing gen- erously of their means to the support of the church. Mr. Fisher is also connected with the Knights of the Maccabees and in his political views is a stalwart Republican. He was elected township trustee of York township in the fall of 1904. so that he is the present incumbent in the office. For more than a half century he has lived in this county. covering almost the entire period of his life and that he is best liked where best known is an indication that his career has at all times been in harmony with upright, manly principles.
ELMER E. SIMMONS.
Elmer E. Simmons, who farms one hundred and forty-five acres of land and is raising fancy stock in Jefferson township, is a native son of Elkhart county and a typical representative of the citizenship of the middle west, being alert, enterprising and progressive. He was born in Goshen in 1862 and is in the maternal line descended from a pioneer family whose residence in the county dates from 1826. His father. Moses Simmons, was born in Miami county, Ohio, in 1834. and died January 2. 1897. He came to Indiana in 1846, making the journey westward with his parents, who settled in Harrison township. Elkhart county. His father was a native of Ohio and reared a family of ten children, namely: Moses, Aaron, John. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
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Noah, Mary, Sarah and Barbara. Moses Simmons was a carpenter and stair builder and did much work of that character in his locality. In his later years he turned his attention to farming and through his well conducted business interests acquired a competency, so that he left his family in comfortable financial circumstances. He was a prominent member and active worker in the Baptist church and served as an officer in both church and Sunday-school, acting as superin- tendent of the latter. His early political allegiance was given to the Democracy and later he became a stanch Prohibitionist. He served as a member of the city council of Goshen and his interest in public affairs led to active co-operation in many movements which tended to promote the general advancement and upbuilding of his community. He married Catherine Rush, who was born in Concord township in 1838.
Her father, Josiah Rush, was one of the prominent pioneer set- tlers of this portion of the state. He was born in Ohio and came with his parents to Elkhart county in 1826, settling on the edge of Pleasant Plain, south of Elkhart, where his father had entered one hundred and sixty acres of land. a part of which is still owned by his grand- children. Josiah Rush was reared upon this farm and when a young man he entered from the government one hundred and sixty acres of land in Concord township, four miles south of Elkhart. There he carried on general farming and as his financial resources increased he extended the boundaries of his farm. It was also upon that place that he reared his family, numbering six children, namely: Jessie, de- ceased: Mrs. Catherine Simmons; Matilda, who is the wife of George Morris and a resident of the state of Washington: James, a farmer of North Dakota; Noah deceased; and one who died in infancy.
Josiah Rush, who was reared upon a farm, continued in that oc- cupation throughout his active business career or until his retirement to private life. In the fall of 1872 he removed to Huntsville. Ala- bama, where he owned a large tract of land, upon which he lived for seven years. He then brought his wife back to Indiana and she died at the home of Moses Simmons, in 1879, when sixty-six years of age. while Mr. Rush departed this life in California in 1887, at the age of seventy-four years.
The Simmons family has a creditable record in connection with military service. for John, Abraham and Isaac Simmons, brothers of Moses Simmons, were soldiers of the Civil war. Abraham joined the army at the beginning of hostilities and attained to the rank of captain of a company of the Twenty-first Indiana Heavy Artillery. Isaac was a member of the same company and regiment, and also attained official rank. By the bursting of a gun he almost lost his life. He was but a boy at the time of his enlistment.
In the family of Moses and Catherine ( Rush) Simmons were six children, but the eldest died in infancy. The others are: Myron E., a
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millwright living in Mississippi ; Elmer E .: Oliver E., a farmer of Jef- ferson township: Arthur E., deceased: and Clara M., the wife of S. G. Farr. a farmer and stock raiser living near Kankakee, Illinois. He is of English descent and his father was one of the pioneers of Illinois.
Elmer E. Simmons at the usual age entered the district schools, and he also pursued his education in Goshen. He was only ten years of age when his parents removed to the home farm and he early became familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the stock. Later he operated a sawmill upon the farm for six years, and then went to Missouri, where he was engaged in the lumber business for three years. Upon his return to Elkhart county he located on the home farm on section thirty-five. Jefferson township, where he has since carried on general agricultural pursuits and stock raising, having some fancy stock upon his place. He owns here one hundred and forty-five acres of land which is rich and productive and annually returns to him golden harvests.
In 1884 Mr. Simmons was married to Miss Clara Morlan, who was born near Nappanee. Indiana, in 1864. a daughter of Martin H. Morlan. who was an engineer and is now living retired in Jefferson township. He comes of Onaker ancestry. He married .\my Winder, and the Winders and Morlans are both of English descent, and among their an- cestors were those who came over in the Mayflower. Both Mr. and Mrs. Morlan emigrated from Ohio and located in Elkhart county when quite young. They had a family of eight children, of whom five are living : Hilbert, of Elkhart: Clara: Elihu, who is living in Stark county : Mary, of Harrison township. Elkhart county ; and James, a teacher in the high school at Alexandria, Indiana.
Four children graced the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Simmons, but Otis. the first born, is now deceased. The others are Wilma and Mildred. loth in high school at Goshen, and Noble. The parents are members of the Baptist church and are well known socially, enjoying the hospitality of many of the best homes of this section of the county.
ALBERT YATES.
Albert Yates, one of the best known residents of Goshen and of Elkhart county, with which he has been actively identified since the Civil war period. was born in Miami county, Ohio, April 12. 1840, and came to this county when he was eighteen years old. A man of substantial character and whose activity has in many ways benefited his county, he has spent his mature years in this county engaged until recently in the vigorous and successful direction of his farming and other interests. While devoting himself with characteristic energy to the pursuits which have provided his material comfort, he has also been deeply interested in the public welfare, and has held public office and been identified with various of the institutions of organized society.
His father was Edmond S. Yates, born and reared in New Jersey,
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who followed the occupations of farmer and stone-mason and who spent most of his life in Miami county, Ohio, where he died at the age of sev- enty-three. He was a member of the Old-School Baptist church. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Lemon, was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, and was also about seventy-three years of age at the time of her death. They were the parents of thirteen children, of whom .Albert was the twelfth child and now the only one living.
After spending his childhood and boyhood in his native county, Mr. Yates came to Elkhart county in 1859, and for several years thereafter followed the carpenter's trade. In 1864 he enlisted in a hundred days company and was made second lieutenant of Company D. One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Indiana Infantry. On his return to Goshen he entered into business relations with R. W. Whitmer, in the manufacture of sash. doors and blinds. Selling out his interest in this enterprise in 1876. he bought a farm adjoining the city of Goshen, and this he still owns, al- though he rents it to other parties for operation.
A lifelong Republican and always active in party affairs, in 1886 Mr. Yates was elected a county commissioner, and by re-election served six years. When he came up for his second term the regular election resulted in a tie vote, but at the special election declared by the governor Mr. Yates received a large majority over his opponent. From 1894 to 1904 Mr. Yates served as constable of Elkhart township.
Mr. Yates married Miss Mary B. Martin in 1864. She was born in Jefferson township of this county, October 22, 1842, being a daughter of William P. Martin, who made settlement in this county among the pioneers. Both he and his wife, Mary Blue, were natives of Miami county. Ohio, and of their eight children Mrs. Yates was the seventh. The only ones living are Mrs. Yates and her brother, Blackford, who lives in Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Yates have three children. Their daughter, Nora M .. who is the wife of J. P. G. Turner, was educated here in Goshen, taught school several years, was three years a missionary in India, and returned to this country on account of poor health. She is the mother of three children, Nedra Beth. Kathrin Leah and Leona N.
Mr. and Mrs. Yates have spent all their married life in Elkhart county, with the exception of three years during which they were resi- dents of Missouri. They are active members of the Baptist church in Goslien, he being the oldest member of the congregation in this city, and he was also the first unmarried man to unite with the church in Goshen. He is one of the trustees in the church, and Mrs. Yates takes an active part in the primary department of the Sunday School.
CHARLES S. STUTSMAN.
Charles S. Stutsman, owning and operating a farm of sixty-five acres on section seven, Washington township, is a native son of Elkhart county, having been born in Jefferson township in 1868. He is the
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eldest of the three children born to Andrew and Sarah Ellen ( Spangler) Stutsman. His father, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, came from Ohio to Indiana in 1865, settling in Jefferson township, where he yet makes his home. He is one of a family of eleven children, the others being Lydia. the wife of William Berkey, of Goshen: Aaron, Susan, Noah, Levi, Moses, and infant children, all deceased; and Mary Ann. the wife of Jacob Miller, of Jefferson township. Andrew Stutsman is a farmer and fruit raiser who owns eighty acres of land in Jefferson township. He has madea close study of horticultural interests and thor- oughly understands the needs of different trees as to soil and climate. He annually sends to the market a large amount of fruit which commands excellent prices because of size and quality. His views concerning the temperance question are indicated by the loyal support which he gives to the Prohibition party. His wife is a member of the United Brethren church. She was born in Fairfield county. Ohio, in 1845. and was a daughter of Solomon Spangler. a veterinary surgeon. Her parents are both deceased. In their family were eleven children: Anna, Solomon, who is living in Ohio; Caroline, Nellie. George Jefferson, Rebecca. Reut- ben and Jacob, who are residents of the same state : Franklin, of Goshen, cleceased : Mrs. Shoemaker : and Sarah Ellen.
To Mr. and Mrs. Stutsman have been born three children : Charles S .: Jennie, the wife of Charles Culp, a farmer of Bristol, Indiana; and Harry.
Charles S. Stutsman pursued his education in Bristol and was reared upon farms in this county. He early became familiar with agricultural pursuits and as a salesman, and he now lives on section seven, Wash- ington township, where he owns sixty-five acres of land which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. He has also extended his oper- ations to other lines of labor, and was one of the organizers of the Creamery Company of Bristol, and was its manager until it was placed on a safe basis, and now is following other mercantile pursuits. His place is known as the Spring Brook farm. and the owner is regarded as one of the most progressive, practical and enterprising agriculturists of his community.
Mr. Stutsman married Miss Laura E. Smith, a daughter of L. C. and Alma Smith, the former a farmer by occupation and a native of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Stutsman was born in Jefferson township in 1872, and by her marriage has become the mother of five children: Mabel. Ethel. Sadie. Hazel and Thelma. Mrs. Stutsman belongs to the United Brethren church, and Mr. Stutsman has membership relations with the Knights of Pythias. He votes with the Republican party, but has never sought or desired office. for his business interests fully claim his time and attention and demand his talents. He is conspicuous for his probity, thoroughness and honorable methods, as well as his success, and in all that he does in public and private life he is eminently practical.
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QUINCY D. WINEGAR.
Quincy D. Winegar is one of the extensive land owners of Elk- hart county, his possessions aggregating five hundred and sixty-five acres, and his life record should serve as an inspiration and source of encouragement to others, for his success is the direct outcome of his own earnest labor. He lives on section thirty-five, York town- ship, and he was born on section thirty-six in 1855. He comes of Dutch ancestry, the family having been established in New York by representatives of the name who came from Germany. Ira Winegar, the grandfather, served as a soldier of the war of 1812 with a New York regiment and was the first veteran of that war in Elkhart county who drew a pension. His son, Edmund M. Winegar, was born in the Empire state and there spent his youth. Following his removal to the west he prospered in his business undertakings and at one time owned about five hundred acres of land in this county, personally cultivating about three hundred acres. He also raised stock to a considerable ex- tent and was well known as one of the prominent pioneer residents of this portion of the state. His brother James was a big hearted. good natured man, who came to Elkhart county a few years after the arrival of Edmund M. Winegar, who had cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers here in 1839. Edmund Winegar tells a story concerning a pioneer incident. He says that the courthouse yard was full of stumps. Several citizens, gathering one day, numbered the stumps and then drew numbers which would assign to them a stump that they were to pull up. James Winegar declared that he got the toughest and worst stump in the collection, but nevertheless the courthouse yard was cleared. Both James and Edmund M. Winegar were members of the Masonic fraternity and Edmund was at one time a member of the New York militia. Edmund M. Winegar was a Democrat in his political views and was nominated by his party for the office of sheriff. Notwithstand- ing the county gave a large normal Republican majority he lacked but sixteen votes of winning the election, such was his personal popularity. He was a large hearted man of kindly disposition, charitably disposed to the worthy poor and friendly to all who displayed true worth of character. He married Miss Catherine Woodward, who was born in Ohio in 1839 and was the sixth in a family of seven children. Her father was a farmer by occupation and came to Indiana in the '30s. settling in LaGrange county, but he afterward returned to Ohio on business and died in that state. He was of German lineage, while his wife was of English descent. Mrs. Winegar departed this life in July. 1894. in the sixty-third year of her age.
Quincy D. Winegar, born and reared in Elkhart county, pur- sued his education in the school of Middlebury and Goshen, attending a normal school in the latter place. He has engaged in teaching in the district schools for seven terms, but his attention has largely been given to agricultural pursuits and at the time of his marriage he located on a
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farm, since which time he has devoted his time and energies to the tilling of the soil. He lives at what is known as "Pat's" ( Patterson's) corner on section thirty-six, York township, and he owns five hundred and sixty-five acres of valuable land, all in this township. His farm is a splendidly improved property supplied with all modern conven- iences, and in the cultivation of his land and the care of his stock he shows that he is thoroughly familiar with modern and progressive methods.
In 1877 Mr. Winegar was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Cole, who was born near Rochester, New York, in 1858, her parents being Samuel and Sarah (Tippler) Cole, both of whom were natives . of England. They came to the United States about 1850, locating near Rochester, and in 1862 they arrived in Indiana, settling on section twenty-six, York township, where Mr. Cole followed the occupation of farming. In the family were seven children, of whom Mrs. Wine- gar was the fifth in order of birth. She has become the mother of three children: Blanche, born in 1879: Grace in 1885; and Helen in 1892. The parents are prominent in social circles in their community and have many warm friends. Mr. Winegar exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Democracy and in his fraternal relations is a Mason. In his business affairs he is enterprising and his close application and diligence have been the basic elements in his success.
WARREN E. BURNS.
Warren E. Burns is president of the Cosmo Buttermilk Soap Com- pany, whose extensive plant at Goshen is one of the monumental enter- prises in the industrial and manufacturing resources of that city. Lo- cated on the west bank of the river, on the outskirts of the city, but con- venient to transportation, the Cosmo Soap works has for a number of years been a landmark in Goshen and an institution which is pointed out with pride as forming one of the substantial sources of industrial wealth and activity to the city.
Mr. Burns, who entered the business as an affice boy and by his attention to duties and fitness for executive control has risen through the various grades of promotion to the presidency of the company, was born in Milford, Indiana. July 10, 1876. His father, Jonas J. Burns, a native of Ohio, was the founder of the Cosmo Buttermilk Soap factory, estab- lishing it in 1891. at first in Valparaiso, and moving the plant to Goshen in 1896. He is still the largest stockholder in the enterprise. The large factory at Goshen, which was completed in 1896. is of brick, sixty by two hundred and sixty feet in ground dimensions, four stories in height. and heavy brick fire walls divide it into three parts. On the east side is a two-story power house, fifty by fifty-seven feet, containing the engines, boilers, electric light plant and repair shops. The buildings throughout
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are equipped with most excellent fire-extinguishing apparatus, including steam pump and ample length of hose. The products of the factory are both toilet and laundry soaps, for the manufacture of which the most improved machinery has been installed. The Cosmo soaps now have what might well be called a national reputation, for they are of the high- est grades of excellence and the sales have been annually increasing by a large figure and over larger territory. Among the other departments of the plant might be mentioned the factory for manufacture of paper boxes and cartons, which are printed and engraved at the same place ; another two-story brick building, twenty-eight by sixty feet, where the crude giycerine is extracted from the animal fats, and where also are housed the wagons. About sixty persons are on the payroll of the company, so that it forms an industry of great value to the city and has created a large amount of wealth for the community.
Mr. Burns, the president, was educated in the Goshen and Chicago public schools, and on taking up independent work went into his father's business as an office hoy, became bookkeeper, cashier, and then manager. and is now president of the company and responsible for the direction of its affairs. He was a resident of Chicago from 1890 to 1904, the business offices of the company having been removed from Chicago to Goshen only recently.
Mr. Burns was married in 1898 to Miss Ellen Rogers, a daughter of C. E. and Anna Rogers.
CHARLES L. DREESE, M. D.
Charles L. Dreese, M. D., ear, nose and throat specialist, as well as general medical practitioner, of Goshen, was born at Uniontown, Stark county, Ohio, August 27, 1848. His parents, Simeon and Nancy (Hain) Dreese, natives of Snyder county, Pennsylvania, and of Wur- temberger German lineage, were married in Ohio, lived for a time at Uniontown, and in 1850, with Charles, who was then their only child. came to Indiana, via the canal to Cleveland, thence by steamer to De- troit, by the Michigan Central Railroad to Niles, and from that point overland by wagon to section 12, Concord township, in this county, where the family home was made and where the father continued his successful career as farmer. The mother passed away in 1896 at the age of seventy-four years, followed in 1902, in his eighty-fifth year. by the father, who was one of those quiet, hardworking and substan- tial men who form the bulwark of every community. They were both members of the Lutheran church, and their sterling qualities of heart and mind endeared them to all their friends and cause them to be still remembered among the tried and true who have gone before. There were just two children in their family, and the daughter, Margaret C., is the wife of Henry E. Tiedemann, the grocer of Goshen.
Under the influences of such worthy parents, in a home, though
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lacking in our modern conveniences and never luxurious, abounding in those refining influences which make character, among the early rural surroundings of Elkhart county as it was forty or fifty years ago, young Dreese began the career which has since been so useful. In his youth he followed the plow, did all kinds of farm work, being employed with a threshing outfit for several seasons, and in the winter seasons attended country school. From this school he was sent for more complete in- struction to the old collegiate institute which formerly existed in Gosh- en, and which was conducted in the very place where his office now stands. For his higher education he attended Heidelberg College at Tiffin, Ohio. When he was twenty-one years old he obtained a license to teach school, and for twelve consecutive winters thereafter taught in the schools of Indiana and Ohio; and he was known as a most suc- cessful teacher. imparting something of value to character or mind to every child that came in contact with him.
On just such a basis as this have thousands of men laid their pro- fessional career. While teaching Mr. Dreese was also pursuing his medical studies at every opportunity, and he later entered the medical college at Fort Wayne, where he was graduated in 1881. Since that date he has been almost continuously engaged in practice at Goshen, and his very large patronage proves the success of his endeavors. Al- ways intent upon self-improvement, in 1889 he took a course of study on the ear, nose and throat under the famous Dr. Thomas Rumbold. now deceased, but then of St. Louis. Having determined to specialize upon these important branches of his profession, in 1890 he continued his study and observations in the best institutions of Europe, visiting, in England, the Great Central Hospital under Dr. Brown, the Golden Square under Dr. Mckenzie, the Portland under Dr. Woakes. He was a member of section 12 as a delegate to the International Congress of Medicine in Berlin, in 1890. After a brief period of study under Dr. Franke at Berlin he went to the medical center of the world- Vienna-and in the General Hospital visited numerous clinics, especi- ally those under Schnitzler, the eminent throat specialist. Afterward journeying to Venice and Milan in Italy, to Luzerne, Switzerland, visit- ing some of the clinics in Paris, he returned to the United States with an excellent equipment for his special practice, and since his return has given particular attention to the treatment of the ear, nose and throat. He is known as the anesthetist of Goshen, having been called upon to administer anesthetics more than a thousand times.
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