USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A twentieth century history of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 42
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WILLIAM FRANK. Distinguished not only as a prosperous farmer and respected citizen of Niles township but for his gallant services as a soldier in the Civil war, William Frank is especially worthy of representation in this volume. Pleasantly located on section 13, he has a farm of one hun- dred and twenty acres which he is managing with ability and profit, devot- ing his time and attention to the raising of small grains, fruit and stock. A son of Stephen Frank, he was born March 6, 1842, in Mercer county, Ohio, near Celina, coming from a German family that settled in Pennsyl- vania in early times.
A native of New York, Stephen Frank was born and brought up in Chautauqua county, but subsequently settled as a farmer in Ohio. He died while yet in manhood's prime, in Coldwater, Ohio, aged forty-five years. He married Delilah Downing, who was born in Virginia, a daugh- ter of William Downing, a soldier of the war of 1812. She survived him, coming to Indiana and dying at the home of her son William in Niles town- ship at the age of seventy-six years. Of the children born of their union three are living, namely: Dennis C .; William, the subject of this sketch ; and Mrs. Catherine Shatto. Margaret and Perry died in childhood. Politi- cally Stephen Frank was an earnest supporter of the Whig party and a great admirer of William Harrison, or "Old Tippecanoe," as he was popu- larly called by his adherents. Both he and his wife were members of the Disciples of Christ church.
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Before attaining his majority, on September 20, 1861, William Frank offered his services to his country by enlisting in the Fifth Ohio Battery, Light Artillery, under command of Captain Andrew Hickenlooper. With the battery he went first to St. Louis, Missouri, to the old arsenal, and from there to Jefferson City, Missouri, and in April, 1862, took an active part in the battle of Shiloh, subsequently being present at the siege of Corinth, the engagement at Iuka, at the second battle in Corinth, at the skirmish in Cold- water, Mississippi, and at the siege of Vicksburg, which capitulated in July, 1863. Mr. Frank, with his comrades, was then sent to Little Rock, Ar- kansas, to assist General N. P. Banks, and from that time until his honor- able discharge from the army in October, 1864, he was on duty in camp or field.
Returning home, Mr. Frank remained in Ohio until 1869, when he came to Delaware county to locate. Buying land in Niles township, he turned his attention to its improvement, and has now a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres, on which he successfully pursues his pleasant and inde- pendent occupation. His farm is on the trolley line, but one and one-half miles from Dunkirk, and is considered one of the most desirable pieces of property in the neighborhood.
Mr. Frank married, June 4, 1866, Catherine Carson, who was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, a daughter of John and Mary Carson. She died in 1881, aged forty-three years. Four children were born of their marriage, two of whom have passed to the life beyond, and two are living, namely : Delmar Logan, who has a farm near his father's, and Mrs. Irene Bantz, of Blackford county. Mr. Frank married second, April 9, 1887, Mrs. Leah (Bales) Wingate, widow of the late Philip Wingate and a daughter of James Bales. Philip Wingate was born in this county, a son of James and Belinda (Stewart) Wingate, and died here at the early age of twenty- eight years. He was a man of irreproachable character and a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church. Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wingate four are deceased, namely: John H., who died at the age of eighteen months; Cora Melissa, at the age of ten months; Sophia Jane, at the age of twenty-four years; and Mrs. Minnie Myrtle Hultz, at the age of twenty-one years. The two now living are Alfred Ellsworth Wingate, of Blackford county, and Renie Belle, wife of Henry Thomas, of Albany.
James Bales, the father of Mrs. Frank, was a pioneer settler of Niles township, coming here from Greene county, Ohio, in 1853. Taking up land : that was still in its virgin wildness, he erected a log cabin in the space which he cleared, and with the counsel and assistance of his young wife set to work in earnest to build up a home. Hospitable and kind almost to a fault, he gave hearty welcome to all that entered his door. He cleared a farm and lived to see the land around him settled up and improved, his death occurring on his homestead in 1892, at the good old age of seventy-four years. On November 10, 1842, Mr. Bales married Malinda Shirk, by whom he had eleven children, four of whom are deceased, while seven are living,
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namely : David, who served in the Civil war; Alfred, also a soldier in that war; Henry; James A .; Jacob; John; and Mrs. Leah ( Bales) (Wingate) Frank. Politically Mr. Bales was a stanch Democrat, and both he and his wife belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church.
Politically Mr. Frank was a Republican, but is now a strong Prohibi- tionist. Socially he is a member of Benjamin Shields Post No. 289, G. A. R., of Dunkirk, and religiously both he and his wife belong to the Baptist church, in which they are earnest workers and of which he was a trustee.
JOHN A. CROSS. Widely known throughout Niles township as a man of honor and integrity, and one of its most successful farmers, John A. Cross has won distinction both as a citizen and as a gallant soldier, his services in the Civil war being worthy of record. On August 15, 1862, re- sponding to Lincoln's call for more troops, he enlisted, in Ritchie county, West Virginia, in Company G, Fourteenth West Virginia Volunteer In- fantry, under Captain Mott Reitz, the officers of the regiment being as fol- lows; Colonel, David D. Johnson; lieutenant colonel, G. W. Taggart; major, S. Moore; adjutant, H. H. Moss; regimental quartermaster, J. E. Hooton; and chaplain, Rev. John L. Irvine. With his regiment he was subsequently in action much of the time, taking part in many engagements of note, including among others those at Massanutton Mountain, Cloyd Mountain, Lexington, Curtis Farm, Winchester, Martinsburg, Lynchburg, Halltown, Berryville, the second battle of Winchester, Foster Hill, and was at Cedar Creek on that memorable day when brave Phil Sheridan, at Win- chester, thirteen miles away, heard
"The terrible grumble and rumble and roar, Telling the battle was on once more,"
and hurried to the front to save the day. Mr. Cross served until the ex- piration of his term of enlistment, and was then honorably discharged with a good record for fidelity, being mustered out at Wheeling, West Virginia.
A son of Nimrod Cross, John A. Cross was born in Ritchie county, West Virginia, May 6, 1839, of honored English ancestry. His paternal grandfather, Dickey Cross, was a lifelong resident of Virginia. Nimrod Cross married Eliza Richards, who was born in Virginia, of German ances- try. They had a family of ten children, all of whom grew to years of ma- turity, namely: George W., of Ritchie county, West Virginia, served dur- ing the Civil war in the same regiment as his brother John, and was wound- ed at the battle of Winchester; Mary; John A., the subject of this sketch ; Catherine ; Jane ; Susan; Martha ; Ellen; Victory ; and Louise. The father, who was a Republican in politics and a stanch Union man, lived until eighty years old, while the mother died at the age of three score and ten years. Both belonged to the Dunkard church.
Mr. Cross has been twice married. He married first, in Ritchie county, West Virginia, June 7, 1860, Caroline Snodgrass, who was born in Vir- ginia, a daughter of Nathan J. Snodgrass, and there spent her entire life.
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She bore her husband ten children, five of whom died in childhood, and five are living, namely: Jack, Creed and Edward, living in Virginia, and Willie and Mrs. Zena Wilson, living in Indiana. On June 15, 1892, Mr. Cross married for his second wife Josephine Moats, who was born in West Virginia, a daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Swadley) Moats. She is one of a large family of children, namely: Katie; Josephine, now Mrs. Cross; Delia; Etta; Alice ; Vallie; Cora; Belle; and Danie G., deceased. In 1907 Mr. and Mrs. Cross came to Indiana to make their permanent home. Lo- cating in Niles township, Mr. Cross bought the farm which he now occu- pies of Mr. William Rutledge, and in its care and management is taking much pleasure. Although comparatively newcomers here, both he and his wife have won the esteem and confidence of their neighbors, and their pleas- ant home is the center of a generous hospitality that is truly characteristic of the Virginian people.
THOMPSON M. HUFFMAN. Prominent among the native-born residents of Niles township is Thompson M. Huffman, who has been an important factor in bringing this particular section of the state to its present fine ag- ricultural condition. He is a man of good business capacity, intelligent and well informed, and is actively associated with the progress and best inter- ests of the people of this community. A son of George Huffman, Jr., he was born on the homestead where he now lives March 22, 1862.
George Huffman, Sr., Mr. Huffman's grandfather, was born in Penn- sylvania of German ancestry. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812, after which he moved to Ohio, locating first in Greene county, but subse- quently settling in Guernsey county, where he spent his last years of earthly life. He married Mary Kimble, of Pennsylvania birth, and they became the parents of eleven children, all of whom lived to be married, the youngest member of the parental family dying first.
A native of Pennsylvania, George Huffman, Jr., was born and brought up on a farm, and after attaining his majority assisted his father, who was a miller as well as a farmer, in the management of the mill for seven years. In 1849 he came to Niles township to locate on the land which had been entered from the government by his father under the law of 1822, at one dollar and a quarter per acre, the deed to this property being signed by Martin Van Buren, president of the United States. Settlers were few and far between in those days, and the nearest market was miles away. He built a log cabin of the true pioneer style, and, having cleared a sufficient space, sowed grain for his first crop. Wild animals of all kinds were nu- merous and destructive, bears, deer, wolves, foxes and wild hogs frequently visiting the clearing, necessitating the guarding of the growing grain and the sheltering of the stock at night. On one occasion, when he was return- ing from a trip to the distant mill, he found a family of wild hogs near his door, and he killed the sow, while his bulldog attacked and killed the boar. He served as a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting for a term of eight months 22
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in the Twenty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He lived in this town- ship, honored and esteemed for his many excellent qualities, until his death in 1880, at the age of fifty-six years, being then but a little past the prime of life. He was a man of sterling integrity and honesty and a faithful member of the Baptist church.
In 1844 George Huffman, Jr., married Nancy Cox, who was born in Ohio, a daughter of Ephraim and Margaret (Christie) Cox. Mr. and Mrs. Cox migrated to Iowa in 1854, settling as pioneers in Poweshiek county, where they spent their remaining years, beloved and respected by all. Of the union of George and Nancy (Cox) Huffman seven children were born, namely : Two that died in infancy ; William, of Albany, Indiana; Samuel F .; Joshua C., who died, leaving a wife and one child; Mrs. Mary M. Lim- erick, of Hartford City, Indiana; and Thompson M., the subject of this sketch.
Growing to manhood on the parental homestead, Thompson M. Huff- man acquired a substantial education in the district schools, and while as- sisting in the pioneer labor of clearing and improving a farm acquired a practical knowledge of the details of agriculture in its many forms. Suc- ceeding to the ownership of the home farm, he is managing it with skill and ability. Since the days of his boyhood he has witnessed many changes throughout this locality, and as a good and capable citizen has contributed his full share in promoting its growth and prosperity. His farm contains eighty acres of good land, and he farms the eighty acres belonging to his sister, from which he annually reaps rich harvests of grain and fruits, his agricultural labors being well rewarded by the abundant crops produced.
Mr. Huffman married, September 5, 1905, Helen V. Williams, a daugh- ter of Edward James and Margaret ( Wilson) Williams, of Allegan county, Michigan, and their pleasant home is a center of social activity. One little child, a boy, Everett Thompson by name, was born December 9, 1907.
JOHN J. HOOK. As a soldier in the Civil war John J. Hook, now a resi- dent of Niles township, bravely assisted his country in her time of need, and as an industrious and progressive farmer and a man of honesty and integ- rity is now faithfully performing the duties devolving upon him as an es- teemed and valued citizen of our state. A son of Lewis Hook, he was born February 18, 1845, in Xenia, Greene county, Ohio, coming from a prominent Virginian family. His grandfather, James Hook, a native of Rockingham county, Virginia, married Mary Lewis, who was born in Ken- tucky, and soon after taking that important step moved with his family to Ohio, locating in 1806 in Greene county. Courageous and persevering, he labored unceasingly in his efforts to clear and improve a homestead, and in his work was exceedingly successful, becoming one of the leading farmers of that county.
Lewis Hook was born in Virginia, but was brought up and educated in Ohio, growing to man's estate in the rude log cabin which was the fam-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
ily's first home. The country thereabout was then a comparative wilderness through which the deer and other wild animals roamed at will, while wild turkeys were more plentiful than the barnyard fowl. He married Minerva Lloyd, who was born in Greene county, Ohio, a daughter of John Lloyd, who was a soldier in the War of 1812. John Lloyd married Sophia Owens Wright, whose father, George Wright, served on General George Wash- ington's staff during the Revolutionary war and was at one time taken prisoner by the British. Lewis Hook was engaged in agricultural pursuits during his comparatively brief life of forty years. His wife preceded him to the life beyond, dying when but thirty years old. They had five chil- dren, namely: Maria; Thomas Corwin, who served under General Sher- man in the Civil war and died in Greene county, Ohio, in 1901 ; Mary Ellen ; John J., the subject of this sketch; and Martha C., deceased. The Lloyd family was very prominent in Greene county in early times, and were charter members of the old Methodist Episcopal church established at Union Church in 1807, and among its most generous supporters.
But a young child when his mother died, John J. Hook was brought up in the family of his Grandfather Lloyd, receiving his early education in the common schools of Xenia. In 1864 he enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under command of Captain Joseph Bouk and Colonel Robert Stevenson, and after serving gal- lantly both in camp and on the field of battle until the expiration of his term of enlistment was honorably discharged from the army September 5, 1864, at Camp Denison, Ohio.
Mr. Hook married, October 31, 1872, Josephine St. John, who was born in Greene county, Ohio, a daughter of Cyrus B. St. John, but was brought up and educated in Jay county, this state. Five children have been born of their union, namely: Lewis C., living in Richmond, Wayne county ; Ora G., residing in Delaware county, near Albany; Paul D., of Coldwater, Ohio, is a railroad man; Cyrus Raymond, of Dunkirk, is employed in the Dunkirk National Bank; and Walter M., living with his parents on the home farm.
A son of John St. John, Cyrus B. St. John, father of Mrs. Hook, was born August 20, 1827, in Lebanon, Warren county, Ohio, of French ancestry. John St. John married Eliza Bone, who was born in Warren county, Ohio, a daughter of Cyrus and Sarah (McPherson) Bone, both of whom were of Irish descent. He was a farmer, and died on his Ohio homestead at the age of sixty-eight years. In his earlier years he was a Whig, but afterwards affiliated with the Republican party. Both he and his wife belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their large family of children eleven grew to years of maturity, namely: Cyrus B., Joseph, John, Charles Wesley, William, Franklin, Morgan, Raper, Ira, Isaac Wilson, of Dunkirk, and Jane Peterson. Cyrus B. St. John married, at the age of twenty-one years, Doro- thy Hickman, who was born in Greene county, Ohio, a daughter of Laban and Catherine (Price) Hickman. Mr. Hickman was one of the original
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
settlers of Greene county, where he took up one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government, selecting what he deemed to be a desirable tract of land. Having cleared a space in the forest, he built a log house, and by indomitable perseverance and resolute labor cleared a homestead. In 1856 Cyrus B. St. John came with his family to Jay county, Indiana, and as a farmer met with eminent success, becoming owner of a magnificent agri- cultural estate containing three hundred acres. Since his retirement from active labor Mr. St. John has made his home in Albany. Mrs. Dorothy (Hickman) St. John died in April, 1891, at the age of sixty-four years, her birth having occurred September 27, 1827. She bore her husband ten children, of whom nine are living, namely: David Milton, of Niles town- ship; Joseph W., of Randolph county; Lewis R., of Jay county, living on the old homestead property; Catherine, wife of William Campbell, of Ham- ilton township; Cyrus R., of Richmond; Josephine, wife of Mr. Hook; Roscoe M., of Jay county ; Lillie, wife of James Lewis; and Jeremiah Frank- lin, of Muncie.
MATTHEW . DAVIS. The prosperous and substantial citizens of Niles township have no more worthy representative than Matthew Davis, who occupies a good position among the keen, enterprising and business-like farmers who are so ably conducting the agricultural interests of this part of Delaware county. A son of the late Rev. Christian S. Davis, he was born July 18, 1852, on the parental homestead, and comes of patriotic stock, his grandfather, Matthew Davis, for whom he was named, having served in the Revolutionary war.
Christian S. Davis was born in Brown county, Ohio, on the farm which his father hewed from the dense wilderness, and received his elementary education in the typical log schoolhouse of his day. From childhood he showed a strong tendency to religious thought and feeling, and from an early age was a close student of the Bible. When but twelve years old he went to Kentucky, where he grew to manhood. Coming then to Indiana, he located first in Randolph county, but afterwards removed to Delaware county, and while here assisted to redeem a portion of the uncultivated soil and also labored to incline the hearts and minds of the people to religious things. He was a preacher in the German Baptist church, and in the per- formance of the duties devolving upon him in this capacity traveled ex- tensively throughout Delaware and Jay counties. He lived a long and use- ful life, exemplifying in his daily walks the beauties of the gospel which he preached, and passed away at the age of eighty-four years, serene and happy in his faith of a better world beyond. He married Christina Metzer, who was born in Pennsylvania, and died at the age of seventy-six years in Indiana, leaving three children, namely: John G., of Tennessee ; Matthew, the subject of this brief biographical sketch ; and Charles, of Tennessee.
The son of a pioneer minister of the gospel, Matthew Davis attended the brief sessions of the district schools, in the meanwhile assisting his
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
father during seed time and harvest. Developing a liking for the rural occupation to which he was reared, he became a farmer from choice and is now the owner of a fine farm of eighty acres, whose broad fields yield him rich harvests. He has a modernly built house, with a creditable set of farm buildings, and on his estate he has both gas and oil wells.
Mr. Davis married, in Delaware county, June 18, 1874, Lizzie Beal, who was born in this township, a daughter of John and Rebecca Beal. She was born December 12, 1853, and died September 10, 1876, at the early age of twenty-three years. She bore him two children, one of whom died in infancy, the other being Mrs. Nettie G. Ledbetter, of Niles township. Mr. Davis married second, November 22, 1877, Mary E. Beal, a sister of his first wife. She died December 5, 1884, aged twenty-seven years, leaving two children, namely: Orville L., of Randolph county ; and Mrs. Lola S. Philabaum, who lives on her father's farm. Mr. Davis married third, December 3, 1885, Rose E. Fleming, who was born and bred in Niles township, born March 4, 1855, a daughter of William C. Fleming and granddaughter of Caleb Fleming, of Ohio. Mr. Fleming was born in Ohio and during the Civil war served for nine months. He subsequently settled on a farm in Niles township, and for a number of years was actively employed in tilling the soil. He is now living retired in Hartford City, where he is esteemed and respected as a man of honor and integrity, and is a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Sarah Worster, who was born in Fayette county, Illinois, a daughter of the late Amos M. Worster. Mr. Worster had passed the age limit for soldiers at the time of the Civil war, but so anxious was he to serve his country that he put the number forty-five in his hat and testified that he was under forty-five, and at the same time a young son of his, a beardless youth, put the number eighteen in his boots and said that he was over eighteen, and both were mustered into service. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. William C. Fleming, namely: Mrs. Rose Davis, wife of the subject of this sketch; James A .; Mrs. Sarah O. Caldwell; Mary E., who died at the age of nineteen years; Mrs. Sophronia King, of Pueblo, Colo- rado; Mrs. Rachel Cassiday, of Wabash, Indiana; and Mrs. Mattie Tilton, of Danville, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have one child, Ivan C. Davis, living at home. He was educated in the common schools and is a pro- gressive farmer. He wedded Miss Ethel Vincent, daughter of Minan Vincent. They were married November 16, 1907, and reside in Niles town- ship. Both Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Davis are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and liberal supporters of the organization.
CALVIN C. EDGINGTON. A farmer of well known ability and enterprise, Calvin C. Edgington is closely identified with the agricultural interests of Niles township, where, by persevering labor and judicious forethought, he has a finely improved farm of eighty acres. A son of Job Edgington, he was born May 5, 1839, in Adams county, Ohio, almost on the banks of the
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
Ohio river, on the homestead which his grandfather, William Edgington, cleared from its original wildness.
A native of Virginia, William Edgington was born of English ances- tors. He served in the war of 1812, and on land which he received from the government in Adams county, Ohio, he subsequently settled. With his wife, whose maiden name was Phebe Jane Nolman, Mr. Edgington's great-grandfather made the journey across the rough and hilly country lying between Virginia and Ohio with two pack horses, taking their two children in baskets, one being swung on each side of a horse, while in the saddle-bags of the other horse their clothing, bedding and some of their household goods were stowed. He, however, walked the greater part of the way.
Job Edgington was born on the parental homestead in Adams county, Ohio, and was there brought up in true pioneer style. From his youth up he worked on the farm, and when ready to establish himself in life came to Delaware county, where he improved a good homestead. He became one of the leading farmers of his neighborhood and a citizen of prominence and influence. Taking intelligent interest in public affairs he was actively identified with the Democratic party, and for nine years served as justice of the peace. He died on the home farm at the age of fifty-eight years, his death being a loss to the community. He married Huldah A. Smith, who was born in Adams county, Ohio, where her father, William Smith, settled as a pioneer, moving there from Virginia after the war of 1812, in which he served most valiantly. Mr. Smith married Rachel Tennis, who was born in Virginia, of German ancestors. Of the union of Job and Huldah A. (Smith) Edgington seven children were born, namely: Calvin C., the subject of this sketch; William, who served for three years in the Civil war, belonging to the First Ohio Heavy Artillery, and died in 1902 at Muncie, Indiana; Sarah Jane, deceased; James S., deceased; Mary E .; Joseph, deceased; and Catherine R., in Adams county, Ohio.
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