USA > Indiana > Marshall County > A twentieth century history of Marshall County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 15
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Mr. Voreis was married in July, 1873. to Miss Lottie Personett, a native of Peru, Miami county, Indiana, where her people reside. To their union have been born four daughters-Pearl, Nellie, Daisy and Grace. Mr. Voreis' fraternal connections are with the Masonic fraternity. he being the present master of H. H. Culver Lodge, No. 617.
JOSEPH C. WHITESELL. Among the native sons of Marshall county is recorded the name of Joseph C. Whitesell, who is now its representative in the office of county clerk, taking the oath of office on the Ist of Jan- uary, 1907. He was born in West township September 2, 1873, a son of Joseph and Caroline ( Learman) Whitesell, the former of whom was born in Stark county, Ohio, but he became one of the early pioneers of Marshall county, Indiana, and his death occurred at the age of forty- eight years, while the mother was born in Indiana, near Ft. Wayne, and is now living in Donaldson, this state.
Joseph C. Whitesell, the fourth child and fourth son in order of birth of their seven children, six sons and a daughter, attained to years of maturity in his native township of West, where he attended the public schools and completed his educational training in the Valparaiso Uni- versity. With this excellent training to serve as the foundation of his future life work he entered the school room as a teacher and taught in the
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schools of West township for fourteen years, teaching during the winter months and farming in the summers.
In 1902 Mr. Whitesell married Claudia, a daughter of Dr. Samuel R. and Sarah R. (James) Richey. He affiliates with the Democratic party and is a member of the United Brethren church.
DAVID ZEIINER, SR. Across the water from the old country came the first American ancestor of the Zeliners, Adam Zehner, in 1746. The voyage was made in a sailing ship, he working for his passage, and during the long journey hither he became in love with the captain's daughter and they were married in Philadelphia. The young couple then established their home on the Schuylkill river, and they became the parents of fifteen children. Adam Zehner served his adopted country faithfully and well in the war of the Revolution and died in 1809, aged eighty-three years. One of his sons and the grandfather of David, David Zeliner, Sr., was a captain in the war of 1812, and at the close of the conflict he engaged in the milling business and died in 1831.
Solomon Zehner, a son of David, was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in 1803, and in his native commonwealth he followed the milling business until his removal to Indiana in 1842. He drove across the country with a horse team and located in Hagerstown, Wayne county, where with his brother Benjamin he purchased Burkett mill and the family continued their residence in a log cabin there until 1850, when they removed to Fulton county, Indiana, and after a short time there came to Marshall county and purchased government land in section 32, Green township, now Walnut township, three miles from Tippecanoe. All was then new and wild here and Mr. Zehner cut the logs with which to erect his little log cabin, and this primitive dwelling was the first home of the Zehner family in Marshall county. They arrived here in the fall of 1850, and in December of that year he purchased a mill at auction and took possession of it on the Ist of January, 1851. He became one of the best known business men of his community, and he continued the opera- tion of his mill until his life's labors were ended in death in 1852, aged fifty-three years. He was a member of the Lutheran church and politically was a Jackson and Jefferson Democrat. In his native county of Schuyl- kill, Pennsylvania, Solomon Zehner wedded Saloma Hoppis, a native daughter of the commonwealth, born in 1807, and her death occurred in 1879, long surviving her husband. Eight children were born to them, of whom six are now living,-David, Michael, Eliabeth, John, Abraham and Solomon (deceased).
David Zehner, the first born, claims Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, as the place of his nativity, his natal day being the 15th of June, 1830, and twenty years later he arrived with his parents in Marshall county, Indiana. From 1852 until 1857 he was in the milling business with his brother William, and at the close of the period he sold his interest in the mill to his brother Michael Zeliner. He was reared as a farmer and miller, and he remained under the parental roof until his father's death, and as the eldest son was appointed the administrator of the estate. Purchasing one hundred and sixty acres of timber land, he erected a little log cabin and began the arduous task of clearing and improving his land.
David, Žehner ber Mrs. David Jehner
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In time the little cabin home gave place to a two-story frame residence, and with the passing years he added to his landed possessions until he became the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of land. The entire tract was covered with a heavy growth of timber, and in 1860 he built a saw mill to facilitate his work of clearing and has ever since been engaged in the milling business. He was at one time interested in a foundry in Plymouth, but this was destroyed by fire and Mr. Zehner lost heavily in the disaster. He now owns between five and six hundred acres of land, and during the years of 1860-1-2 he served his township of Green as a trustee. He is a stanch Democrat in his political affiliations.
On the Ist of November, 1857, Mr. Zehner married Miss Elizabeth Voreis, who was born in Green township, Marshall county, Indiana, August 18, 1836, and her death occurred on the 17th of May, 1872. She was a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Pollard) Voreis, and by her marriage she became the mother of seven children, the five now living being John W., Thomas N., David, James L. and Eva. Mr. Zehner was married a second time on the 14th of February, 1875, to Savannah Hubble, who was born May 1, 1848, and died September 5, 1876. On the 14th of October, 1877, he married Mrs. Mary J. White. She was born in Kosciusko county, Indiana, June 26, 1848, a daughter of Jeremiah and Mary (Hanson) Vandermarke, both of whom were born in Putnam county, Ohio. Mrs. Zehner is the youngest of their five children, and her mother died when she was but two years of age, but her father lived to the advanced age of seventy and spent his days in Kosciusko county, Indiana, as a farmer. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was a Whig in his early political affiliations. Mrs. Zehner's foster parents were John and Catharine Stoops, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and she resided with them until her first marriage to Mr. White. After his death she returned to her home and remained with them until her second marriage. On the 18th of Novem- ber, 1866, she became the wife of John J. White, who was born in Ohio, and his death occurred in 1875. Their four children were: Catherine and Martha, both of whom died in infancy, and Clement H. and John A., who are living. Mr. White was a member of Argos Lodge, No. 399, A. F. & A. M., and he received the honors of a Masonic burial. He served at one time as the assessor of Walnut township. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Zehner,-Mary C., Lawrence C. and Clarence L., twins, Bertha, Daisy and Adam. Mr. Zehner is a member of the Lutheran church, and his wife is a communicant of the Methodist Episcopal denomination.
THOMAS MILNER. One of the first families to ally their interests with those of Marshall county were the Milners, the name having been prominently identified with the history of this community since the early year of 1836. They trace their descent to the mother country of Eng- land, from whence came the great-grandfather of Thomas, Francis Milner, who was a seaman and was lost at sea. His son William served his country in the Revolutionary war for about five years and was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine. His death occurred in Rush county, Indiana. Michael E. Milner, the father of Thomas, was born ten miles
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from the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, but in an early day in its history he moved to Preble county, that state, and in 1836 came to Marshall county, Indiana, arriving here on the 28th of September. He purchased forty acres of land in Center township, but his death occurred in the township of North when he had passed the seventy-second milestone on the journey of life. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Martha 'Banfield, was a native of Concord, New Hampshire, and was but six months old when taken by her parents to Cincinnati, Ohio, and when she was but a little maid of six years her mother died and she was reared by an uncle in Preble and Butler counties, Ohio. She was a daughter of John Banfield. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Milner were eleven children, six of whom grew to years of maturity and three are now living.
Thomas Milner, their fourth child in order of birth, was born three miles from the town of Eaton, in Preble county, Ohio, March 2, 1825, and was eleven years of age when the family home was established in Marshall county, where during his boyhood days he walked three miles to attend the old-time log schools of Center township. He remained at home and superintended the work of the old homestead until about forty years of age, first working with his brothers, but later the property was divided and his estate now consists of three hundred acres, which he rents.
On the 20th of December, 1848, Mr. Milner wedded Ruth Hooper, who lived only about two years after her marriage, and it was not until eighteen years later that Mr. Milner was again married, Emilie Downs then becoming his wife, and their two children are E. B., a railroad man, and Alice, at home. Mr. Milner votes with the Democracy, and he was at one time made a supervisor of roads, but would not accept the office. He is numbered among the revered early pioneers of Marshall county, and he has proved an honor to the honored family name which he bears.
WILLIAM FRIES, the superintendent of the Bremen water works and the present marshal of the city, was born in German township, Marshall county, Indiana, November 11, 1856, a son of Jacob and Louisa (Huff ) Fries, who were born in the fatherland of Germany. They were married in the United States, and in 1844 they came to Marshall county and established their home in German township, where they became promi- nently identified with its agricultural interests and spent the remainder of their lives, the father dying in his eighty-seventh year and the mother at the age of seventy. In their family were eight children, three sons and five daughters, all of whom grew to years of maturity.
William Fries, their seventh child, obtained his educational training in the district schools of German township, and he remained at home until of age. During the first five years after leaving home he resided two miles east of Bremen, for seven years thereafter was engaged in farming in Wabash county, Indiana, and returning thence to Marshall county he located in Bremen and was associated with the hardware trade until 1906. He was then made the marshal of this city, his present office, and at the same time is efficiently discharging the duties of superintendent of the city water works. He is a Democrat politically.
In 1888 Mr. Fries was united in marriage to Adeline Amacher, a
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daughter of Gottlieb and Elizabeth Amacher. She was born in German township, Marshall county, Indiana, and has become the mother of seven children, six sons and a daughter-Otto, Walter, Oliver, Carl, Raymond, Harold and Ruth. Mr. Fries is a member of the Evangelical church.
FREDERICK H. MYERS, the subject of this sketch, was born in the village of Tyner, then known as Tyner City, Marshall county, Indiana, September 21, 1858. His father was Matthias Myers, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1825, came to Marshall county in 1853, and died in December, 1891. His mother was Isabell Johnson, who was born in Seneca county, Ohio, in the year 1834, and the same year came to Marshall county with her parents, where she continued to reside until she died, September 16, 1903. She and Matthias Myers were married in 1855, and to them were born Ella Myers, October 30, 1856 (she being the first child born in Tyner), and Fred H. Myers, September 21, 1858. Mr. Myers' grandfather (his mother's father), John Johnson, was born in Berkley county, Virginia, in 1803, his wife, Harriet Wills, having been born in the same county and state in the year 1812. They were married in 1832, came to Indiana, and settled on the Jacob Powers farm in North township, Marshall county, in 1834, being the first settlers in that part of the county. There were many Pottawat- tomie Indians in that region at that time, and for four or five years after- wards; and in the county until four years later there resided about fifteen hundred of these first inhabitants of the county. Mr. Johnson died January 22, 1855, and his wife, Harriet, June 7, 1871.
At the time of Mr. Myers' birth fifty years ago, the county was sparsely settled, and still in reality in its primitive state. The first railroad constructed in the county had just been built from Laporte through the village in which he was born to Plymouth. As soon as he was old enough, he was sent to the public school at the place of his birth, and continued his studies until he was seventeen years of age, when he began teaching school. He attended the State Normal School at Terre Haute in 1876-7; taught school in winter and worked in brick yards during the summer season ; except one year he attended Bryant & Strat- ton's Business College at Indianapolis, graduating in 1878. He then accepted employment as floor-walker in the Boston Mercantile Establish- ment in Chicago, and later as salesman in a wholesale notion house. In June, 1885, he moved to Lapaz, and took charge of the general store of Morgan Johnson until 1889, when he purchased a half interest in the establishment and took entire control of the business, Mr. Johnson having removed to Greenville, Ohio. In 1905 Mr. Johnson died and Mr. Myers' sister, Miss Ella Myers, purchased his interest and the business continued under the same management. Mr. Myers is proud of the fact that he was in business twenty-two years in the same room, and was in partnership twenty years with Mr. Johnson, and during all that time not an unkind word passed between them. The business was a success financially. In 1907 Ella Myers sold her half interest to George W. Schaal, the business being now conducted in the name of Fred H. Myers & Co., Mr. Schaal as manager and Mr. Myers retiring from the active management.
From his boyhood to the present time Mr. Myers was always thor-
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oughly Democratic in his politics and political views, although his father was a stanch Republican until about 1868. Mr. Myers was always a working Democrat and in the second administration of Cleveland, begin- ning in 1893, he was appointed postmaster of Lapaz, serving until 1897, when the political complexion changed and so did the postmaster, Abram Schaffer, Republican, being appointed in his place.
He was nominated by the Democracy in 1904 as their candidate for county treasurer, but was defeated by 71 votes when the Republican cyclone struck Marshall county. In 1906 he was again given the nomina- tion by his party, defeating the same man that ran against him two years previous, and is now the treasurer of Marshall county, Indiana.
April 15, 1888, Mr. Myers was married to Miss Dessa P. Thompson at Plymouth, Indiana, one son, Frederick Thompson Myers, being born to this union.
He is not a member of any church organization, but believes in having a clear conscience, in justice and love for fellowmen, and is broad and liberal minded. He is a member in good standing of the Knights of the Maccabees, and also of the Modern Woodmen of America.
Mr. Myers is a business man of large experience and his reputation in all the active relations of life are above reproach and such as any one might envy.
KEIM F. BROOKE. The name of Brooke is prominently associated with the history of Marshall county, one of its founders having been Keim K. Brooke, a native of Parker's Ford (Lawrenceville), Chester county, Pennsylvania, born May 12, 1835. He was a son of Mark Brooke, whose death occurred in Pennsylvania when his son Keim was but fourteen years of age. The son with his mother came to Plymouth in 1852, his elder brother having previously settled here, and he was engaged for a time as clerk in the drug business in Laporte and Indianapolis and subse- quently returned to Plymouth, becoming one of the early drug merchants of this city. For a time he also traveled in the interests of that business, and for seven years he was the deputy auditor of this county, while in 1878 he was elected to that office and served from March, 1879, to March, 1883. He was also a member of the school board for several years, about nine years in all, and was one of the best known men in Marshall county, engraving his name indelibly on its political and industrial history. He was a prominent Mason, and at the time of his death, which occurred on the 26th of June, 1907, was the oldest continuous member of the order in Plymouth. He passed away in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was long a zealous member, and his political affilia- tions were with the Democratic party. On the 16th of May, 1858, Mr. Brooke married Margaret H. Patterson, a daughter of Hon. William M. and Mary B. (Haas) Patterson, the former of whom was long one of the leading citizens of Marshall county, which he represented at one time in the legislature and was prominent in the council chambers of his state. Mrs. Brooke survived her honored husband but four months, her death having occurred on the 27th of October, 1907. In their family were one son and two daughters, of whom Nona is the wife of F. G. Smith, of Plymouth, and Carrie died on the 25th of September, 1902.
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Keim F. Brooke, the youngest of the family, was born in Plymouth, March 9, 1864, and received his educational training in the high school of Plymouth, graduating with its class of June, 1880, after which he entered the auditor's office as an assistant to his father.
For about one year he was in the office of the A. L. Thomson Lum- ber Company, and at the close of that period, in December, 1883, he entered the county clerk's office as deputy to Oliver P. Klinger, who was succeeded by D. A. Snyder, and Mr. Brooke continued in the office as deputy for the eight years of Mr. Snyder's terms. He then formed a partnership with D. E. Snyder in the insurance business, the relationship continuing for four years, and in 1898 Mr. Brooke was elected the clerk of Marshall county, serving in that official position from the Ist of Novem- ber. 1899, to the Ist of January, 1904, when he was succeeded by John R. Jones, Mr. Brooke continuing in the office as deputy to Mr. Jones. To him belongs the honor of having spent more years in the court house of Marshall county than perhaps any other man in the county.
He married, December 25, 1902, Jessie Toan, a daughter of Charles E. and Sarah R. (Barnard) Toan, and they have one son, Charles Toan, born September 26, 1903. Mr. Brooke is a Democrat in his political affiliations, a prominent and zealous worker in its ranks, and he is a worthy representative of two of the county's most honored and prominent early families.
SAMUEL R. RICHEY, M. D. In a history of the medical profession of Marshall county it is imperative that mention be made of Dr. Samuel R. Richey, who is successfully engaged in practice in Donaldson. He re- ceives public recognition of his skill and ability in a large and growing patronage and his close conformity to a high standard of professional ethics has won him the unqualified respect of his brethren of the medical fraternity.
A native of Indiana, Dr. Richey was born in Cass county on the 5th of September, 1840. His father, the Rev. John Richey, was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, becoming one of the pioneer representa- tives of that denomination in Indiana, and thus aiding in molding the early moral development and progress of the state. He was a native of Kentucky, where he was reared and educated, and having arrived at years of maturity, he was married there to Miss McGill, also a native of Kentucky. They became the parents of ten children, of whom Dr. Richey is the ninth in order of birth. Soon after their marriage they. removed from the Blue Grass state to Indiana, and Rev. Mr. Richey continued in the work of the ministry, proclaiming the doctrine of Methodism in pioneer districts. He was an earnest, fluent, logical and effective speaker and held large meetings throughout the state. He died during one of these meetings at Attica, Indiana, and his church, his community and his family thus suffered a great loss. But while he passed from the stage of earthly activities at the comparatively early age of fifty-six years, his memory yet remains as a blessed benediction to many who knew him, and the seeds of truth and righteousness which he planted in the hearts of many have borne fruit as the years have gone by. In his political affiliation he was a life-long Democrat.
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Dr. Samuel R. Richey was reared and educated in Cass, Fulton and White counties of Indiana, accompanying his parents on their various removals according to the itinerant customs of the Methodist minister at that date. Determining upon the practice of medicine as a life work he prepared for his chosen calling and was graduated from the Indiana Medical College with the class of 1874. He then located for practice in Pulaski county, Indiana, and soon afterward located in Marshall county, where he demonstrated his ability to successfully cope with the intricate problems that continually confront the physician.
At the time of the Civil war Dr. Richey put aside all personal and professional considerations to aid his country in the preservation of the Union, enlisting in 1862 as a member of Company E, Eighty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for three years. The first engagement in which he participated was at Perryville. He after- ward went with Sherman on his celebrated march to the sea following the Atlanta campaign, and was in numerous important battles which led up to the final victory that crowned the Union arms. His bravery and loyalty were never questioned and his devotion to the cause which he espoused was most exemplary. He served until the close of the war and then returned to Plymouth, where he engaged in merchandising in the capacity of a clerk.
On the 20th of September, 1866, Dr. Richey was married to Miss Saralı E. James, who was born and reared upon a farm in Pulaski county, Indiana. By this marriage there were six children, four sons and two daughters, James, William, Harry O., who was a practicing physician and is now deceased ; Claudy Grace, Charles, and one who died in infancy. All were born in Marshall county. The family home was established in this county in 1874 and for many years Dr. Richey has continued actively in practice at Donaldson, his professional service, however, calling him into the three counties of Marshall, Stark and St. Joseph. He is a member of both the state and county medical societies and keeps abreast with the times in the progress manifest in practice of medicine and surgery. While quick to adopt any new method or idea that promises to prove of value in his professional labor, he is also slow to discard the old and time tried methods, the value of which has been proven in its actual experience. That his professional service is attended with excel- lent results is indicated by the fact that many families have been his patients for years and that his practice is constantly growing.
Dr. Richey has been a lifelong Democrat, interested and active in the party, doing all in his power to insure its success and secure the adoption of its principles. He is a member of the Plymouth Lodge of the Masonic fraternity and of the Grand Army of the Republic and is popular in all these organizations, where his genuine worth and social, genial nature have gained him a wide and favorable acquaintance and won him lasting friendships.
WILLIAM ZEHNER, deceased, was of German descent but of Ameri- can parentage. His great-grandfather, Adam Zehner, came from Ger- many in 1746. and settled in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. He served in the war of the Revolution and died in the year of 1809. aged eighty-
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three years. The grandfather, David Zehner, was a captain in the war of 1812, and at the close of the conflict he engaged in the milling business and died in 1831. The father, Solomon, was a miller, as were also all of his brothers, seven in number, and six of his sons were millers. In 1842 he moved from Pennsylvania to Wayne county, Indiana, and in 1851 came to Marshall county, settling in the woods southeast of Argos, where he lived two weeks under an elm tree until he could build a log cabin. This little cabin home still remains, it having withstood the storms of over fifty years. After a short sojourn at this place the Zehners bought the Wolf Creek mill. In August, 1852, the father died, and one year later William and David Zehner began the milling business on their own responsibility. William soon purchased his brother's interest and conducted the mill alone about eight years. In 1861 he erected a mill at Sligo and continued its operation until 1886, when he moved to Plymouth and began the manufacture of flour, and thus he continued until his death.
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