USA > Indiana > Marshall County > A twentieth century history of Marshall County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 18
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In January, 1861, Mr. Gilmore was united in marriage to Abbie R. Burt, a daughter of Elijah Burt, and they have four sons: Burt J., a resident of Indianapolis and an agent for the German American Insur- ance Company ; William S., engaged in business in Chicago, the western representative of the firm of Spencer, Trask & Company, brokers of New York city, and he is a resident of Evanston, Illinois; James A., Jr., of Omaha, Nebraska, employed in the state office of the Standard Oil Com- pany, and Jesse T., in the employ of Marshall Field & Company, in Chicago, and he is also secretary to Mr. Shedd, the president of the company.
JOHN W. LEONHARD. From the fatherland of Germany came Philip Leonhard as a boy of fourteen years, and his first home in the United States was in Marion county, Ohio, from whence he removed to Jay county, this state, and there he lived and farmed during the remainder of his life. His death occurred in 1900, aged sixty-seven years. His widow. who bore the maiden name of Christena Theurer, was born in Ohio, and she is now living in Jay county, having reached the sixty-seventh mile- stone on the journey of life. In their family were eleven children, one of whom died in infancy, while the remainder attained to years of maturity and nine are now living. Mr. Leonhard, the father, supported the men and measures of the Democratic party, and was a member of the Lutheran church, as is also his widow.
John W. Leonhard, one of their nine children, was born in Jay county, Indiana, August 14, 1860, and he attained to manhood's estate on a farm there and received his educational training in its district schools. After his marriage he removed to Marshall county and began farming on rented land in German township, from whence in 1891 he came to his present homestead in section 26, Center township. The nucleus of his present estate was eighty acres, but he has since added
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William H. Welborn
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Mrs. Hcm It. Welborn.
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
forty acres thereto, and his homestead is now one of the valuable ones of the township.
Mr. Leonhard remained in the parental home until twenty-six years of age and was then married to Ella Balsley, a daughter of Jacob C. and Catherine Balsley, of German township, Marshall county, Indiana. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Leonhard, namely: Orlow E., a teacher in the public schools; Clara E., Earl A., Okla May and Blanche C. Mr. Leonhard is a Democrat politically, and both he and his wife are members of the German Reformed church. He also has fraternal relations with the Modern Woodmen of America.
WILLIAM H. WELBORN, a resident of Marshall county for a half century, is now successfully engaged in general farming and stock- raising on section 7, West township. He was born in Green township, December 15, 1858. His father, David Welborn, who has now departed this life, was also a farmer and became one of the early settlers of Marshall county, taking up his abode in West township when the work of development and progress had scarcely been begun. He was a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Stark county, that state, in 1829. There he was reared and at about the age of twenty years he left home in company with Ike Barlow, well known in Marshall county. Their joint capital consisted of but two cents, but they were resolute, energetic young men, who believed that they could earn a living and meant to do so. They traveled on foot to Indianapolis, carrying their tools with them and making wooden pumps on the way, thus providing for their own support. They not only made their expenses, but managed to save twenty-five dollars. After reaching their destination they engaged in making pumps in Indianapolis for a number of years and thus Mr. Welborn gained his start in business life. He was married to Miss Eliza Moore, a native of Green township, Marshall county, Indiana, in which locality she spent her girlhood days. She was a daughter of James Moore, one of Marshall county's active farmers and representative citi- zens, who settled in Green township when the work of civilization and improvement had scarcely been begun. The greater part of the land was still in possession of the government and he entered a claim which was covered with the native forest trees. There in the midst of the green woods he began clearing and developing a farm and as the years passed he brought a large tract of wild land under cultivation. It was upon the old Moore homestead, amid the scenes and environments of pioneer life, that Eliza Moore was reared, remaining with her parents until she gave her hand in marriage to David Welborn. The young couple began their domestic life upon a farm and as the years passed the family circle was increased to include three sons and a daughter, namely: Henry, who is now deceased ; William, of this review ; Ellen, who died in infancy ; and Otice Melroy. The mother passed away in Green township and the father afterward married again, his second union being with Mrs. Barbara (Miller) Runner, the widow of Jake Runner, who laid down his life upon the altar of his country while serving as a soldier of the Civil war. He left one son. By the second marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Welborn there were born two daughters, Nora Dean and May, both natives of West
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township. After his second marriage David Welborn removed from Green to West township and purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in the midst of the forest. There he built a log cabin and cleared his tract of land of one hundred and twenty acres with the assistance of his sons. As time passed the trees were cut down, the stumps grubbed up and the brush burned, and then followed the task of plowing and planting, so that in the course of years rich harvests were gathered as the soil became fallow and productive. As his financial resources increased he added to his original farm, purchasing one hundred and twenty acres which had already been cleared. He then improved that place and continued a resident and valued farmer of West township until his death, which occurred when he was seventy-four years of age. He was unfaltering in his political allegiance, which was given to the Democracy, and he was equally loyal and faithful as a member of the German Baptist church. He well earned the proud American title of a self-made man, for he started out in the business world empty-handed. He soon learned, however, that "there is no excellence without labor," and as the years passed he worked persistently and energetically. Honor- able in all his dealings, he was never known to take advantage of the necessities of another in a business transaction, but followed methods which would bear the closest investigation and scrutiny. At his death he left to his family the priceless heritage of an untarnished name as well as an excellent farm property.
William Welborn was reared in West township and remained at home until his marriage. He acquired his education through the medium of the public schools and was trained in farm work by his father, early becoming acquainted with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. In 1879 he established a home of his own through his marriage to Miss Margaret Cabridge, who was born in West township, a daughter of John and Elizabeth Cabridge, early settlers of that town- ship, who came to Marshall county from Elkhart county, Indiana. For a year after his marriage Mr. Welborn worked upon the home farm and then purchased the Samuel Burns place of eighty acres. He cleared most of this and made all of the improvements. He now owns one hundred acres of land, the greater part of which is under cultivation, well tilled fields bringing forth golden harvests each autumn. Everything about the farm is kept in excellent condition and his energetic labors are seen in its attractive appearance.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Welborn have been born six children, three sons and three daughters-Mary Edith, Ora, Lucy, Elsie, Virgil and Law- rence, all of whom were natives of West township. Mr. Welborn lost his first wife January 27, 1882. Then he reared and cared for his family for two years, when he married Mrs. Rebecca (Wickizer) Kreighbaum, November 23, 1884. Mrs. Welborn is a native of Stark county, Ohio, born May 6, 1856, a daughter of Asa and Rebecca (Sturgeon) Wick- izer. There were ten children, three sons and seven daughters, in the family, and five are living. Two are residents of Indiana, one in Kansas and two in Illinois. Father Welborn was born in Ohio, was an agri- culturist, received a common school education, and politically a Repub- lican. He died in Marshall county. Mother Welborn was also a native
WILLIAM H. WELBORN, FAMILY GROUP.
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
of Ohio and was a member of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Welborn was an infant when her parents brought her to Indiana, so she has been reared and educated in Indiana and here grew to womanhood. Her first husband was Aaron Kreighbaum and three children, one son and two daughters, were born, but only the son, William, is living. He is a resi- dent of South Bend and is a carpenter and joiner by trade. He received a common school education and is a natural mechanic. He wedded Miss Bertha Pittman, and one little daughter, Mandie, was born of this mar- riage. William Kreighbaum is a Democrat. Mrs. Welborn has proven herself a worthy helpmeet to her husband and her home is a model in neatness and cleanliness. The family is a prominent and highly esteemed one in the community. The parents and also Edith and Lawrence are members of the German Baptist church and are earnest, consistent and faithful Christian people. Politically Mr. Welborn has been a lifelong Democrat, interested in the work of the party and rejoicing in its success. He has never sought to figure prominently before the public in any light save that of a farmer, but while he has never sought nor desired public office he has always been loyal in his citizenship, and his influence and aid are found on the side of justice, progress, truth and right.
GEORGE E. ECKERT. Marshall county numbers George E. Eckert among its most prominent business men and representative citizens. He entered the business world when but a lad, his first employment having been in a saw mill, and during his five years' connection with that occu- pation he succeeded in saving twenty dollars, the result of hard and per- sistent labor. With this sum he started in business for himself, opening a small store, and for eighteen years he has been numbered among the general merchants of Linksville, now carrying a five thousand dollar stock of goods. During about fifteen years of this time he also conducted a sales wagon throughout Marshall county, and in addition to his fine business property he also owns twenty-five and a half acres of excellent farming land adjoining Linksville.
Mr. Eckert was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, October 30, 1862, a son of John and Matilda (Grazer) Eckert, natives, respectively, of Germany and the state of Pennsylvania. The father made the voyage to America when but three years of age, the family locating in Ohio, where the son John learned and followed the shoemaker's trade until coming to Marshall county, Indiana, in 1865. Here he resumed the work of his trade in Linksville and remained one of its leading business men until his death. His widow is now a resident of Bremen, Indiana.
George E. Eckert, the eldest son and second child of their five chil- dren, was but three years of age when with his parents he came to Linksville, and thus nearly his entire life has been passed in this vicinity. He was first married to Emma Davis, who died July 29, 1904, leaving three children-Floyd, Pearl and Elmer. On the 8th of September, 1907, Susan Greiner became his wife, and their home is one of the pleasant residences of Linksville. In political matters Mr. Eckert votes for the men whom he regards as best qualified for office. He is one of the representative men of Marshall county, public spirited and energetic, and he is held in the highest esteem by all.
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
ADAM KUNTZ. In the history of agricultural development in Mar- shall county mention should be made of Adam Kuntz, who, although he has attained the scriptural age of three score years and ten, is an active factor in the world's work, successfully carrying on farming and stock- raising in German township. He is a native of Alsace, France, now a province of Germany, in which his birth occurred on the 22d of April, 1838. His father, Adam Kuntz, Sr., cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of German township at a very early period in its development. He is a native of Germany, where he was reared. Here he shared in the hardships and privations which are always to be met in the settlement of the frontier. Although his educational privileges were somewhat limited his training at farm labor was not meager, and he early came to realize the value of industry and unwearied diligence. He married Elizabeth Parson, also a native of Germany, and as the years passed children were added to the household to the number of nine-three sons and six daughters, all of whom were born in Germany with the exception of one, who is a native of Marshall county. With his family Adam Kuntz, Sr., came to the new world and immediately after landing made his way direct to Marshall county, Indiana, his choice of a location being influenced by the fact that his brother, Jacob Kuntz, was living in this locality. He settled upon a tract of land in German township, upon which a part of Bremen now stands. He first purchased eighty acres of land and in the midst of the forest built a hewed log house. He also cleared about one-half of his land and improved it, carrying on the farm work year after year until his fields were brought to a high state of fertility and his labors were crowned with success. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-two years, being one of the most venerable citi- zens of the county at the time of his demise. From the time that he became a naturalized American citizen he gave loyal support to the Democracy and his religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Evangelical church.
Adam Kuntz, reared under the parental roof, attended the schools of German township and during the periods of vacation worked upon the home farm. Thus he early became acquainted with the best methods of clearing and developing the fields. There came an interruption to his farm labor, however, in 1862, when on the 16th of January he enlisted in the Fifteenth Indiana Battery, with which he served for three years, five months and sixteen days. During that period he participated in a number of hotly contested engagements, including the battles of Franklin, Knoxville, Nashville, Atlanta and others of lesser importance. He entered the army as a private but was promoted from time to time until he attained the rank of second lieutenant. He is now a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and belongs to that company of honored veterans to whom the country owes a debt of gratitude that can never be paid.
On the Ist of October, 1871, Mr. Kuntz was united in marriage to Miss Katherine Allen, a native of Pennsylvania and a daughter of Mr. Allen, who died when Mrs. Kuntz was but a young girl. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Mary Heim, was a native of Pennsylvania. After losing her first husband she became the wife of Andrew Berger, a
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
tanner of German township, now deceased. Mrs. Kuntz was educated in the Plymouth schools and the Plymouth Seminary and is a lady of many excellent traits of character. By her marriage she has become the mother of eight sons and three daughters, all of whom were born in German township, namely: Mabel A., John R., Ida M., Milton G,. Bert O., Clarence A., George W., Milo E., Elizabeth M., Elmer E. and Earl F.
For four years after his marriage Adam Kuntz resided upon the old homestead farm and in 1875 he bought eighty-nine acres of his present farm, the boundaries of which have since been extended until they now embrace one hundred and thirty-three acres. He has cleared the greater part of the land and has made all of the improvements upon the place. He uses modern machinery to facilitate the work of the fields, which are divided by well kept fences, while the buildings are substantial and in a good state of repair. He has always given his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits and his success is the merited reward of earnest, persistent labor, intelligently guided by sound judgment. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise he has given his political allegiance to the Republican party, but has not sought the honors nor emoluments of office as a reward for party fealty. In all matters of citi- zenship he stands for progress and in other relations of life ever advocates justice and advancement.
CHARLES T. MATTINGLY. Retired from active business, but still giving much of his attention to his large real estate interests in Marshall county, Charles T. Mattingly has for many years evinced able, patriotic and elevated qualities of American citizenship. He is an old resident of Plymouth, this county, born in Corydon, Harrison county, Indiana, on the 6th of October, 1845, and is the son of Ignatius and Rachael T. Mattingly. His father left his native state of Virginia at an early day and in his youth migrated with his parents to Kentucky, where he reached manhood, subsequently removing to Corydon, Indiana, and there engaging in the newspaper business for many years. He came to Marshall county in 1856 and published the Marshall county Republican until 1868 and in 1871 moved to Bourbon and published the Bourbon Mirror.
When he was eleven years of age, Charles T. Mattingly came to Marshall county with other members of the family and obtained his mental training in the public schools and in the office of the Marshall county Republican, which his father then published. In 1867, after com- pleting a commercial course at Oberlin, Ohio, he engaged in the lumber business and became, successively, a member of the firms Oglesbee, Mat- tingly & Black and Oglesbee & Mattingly. Until 1877 he had an active career in that line, and then disposed of his interests in Marshall county, retaining, however, the control of the Indiana Lumber Company, of Nashville, Tennessee. From 1885 to 1889 he was a prominent and successful merchant of Plymouth, but, as stated, of late years has found employment in the care of his own large estate, which includes property in Plymouth, Chicago and other cities, as well as several valuable farms in Marshall county. He is largely interested in stock- raising and makes a specialty of raising pure breed short horn cattle.
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HISTORY OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
He was one of the first stockholders and one of the first directors of the State Bank and was vice-president.
In 1866 Mr. Mattingly wedded Miss Evalin L. Paine, and one child, Ralph, has been born to their union. He is located at Nashville, Ten- nessee, and is managing the affairs of the lumber company there. He is married and has one child, Evelyn. His wife's maiden name was Ada Mae Long. Politically Mr. Mattingly has always affiliated with the Republican party, becoming a voter the year after the conclusion of the war. His service for the Union was with Company E, 138th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until the expiration of his term of enlistment, having held the rank of orderly sergeant, and he is now a member of Miles Tibbitt's Post, Grand Army of the Republic, with which he has been identified for many years. He is also prominent in Masonry, belonging to Kilwinning Lodge, No. 149, Plymouth Chapter, No. 49, and Plymouth Commandery, No. 26, K. T.
SAMUEL OSBORN, a substantial farmer living in retirement at Culver, Marshall county, who also owns considerable property in that town, is a native of Delaware county, Ohio, born on the 18th of January, 1840. His prosperity and high standing as a citizen have been fairly earned, as will be strikingly evident from the facts of his life here set forth. The earliest American ancestors of the family were New Yorkers, the paternal grandfather, James Osborn, having been born in the Empire state July 21, 1774. The family removed to Luzerne county, Pennsyl- vania, and afterward to Delaware county, Ohio, where Mr. Osborn died January 12, 1844. George M. Osborn was one of the sons born in Luzerne county (July 30, 1802), who came to Delaware county with his parents and there spent the remainder of his life. He married Anna Hull, a native of New Jersey, born March 25, 1806, who in her child- hood also removed to Delaware county, Ohio, with her parents. Their marriage occurred in 1822, and resulted in the birth of the following children : Japhet, Lucy, William, Eliza, John W. and Samuel (of this sketch). An April 25, 1840, the elder Mr. Osborn, with his family, removed from Delaware county, Ohio, to Stark county, Indiana, where both parents died during the year of their location. The eldest of the six children thus bereft was twenty-one years of age and the youngest (Samuel) was but four.
For about five years after the death of his parents Samuel Osborn remained with his brothers and sisters, but at the age of nine he went to live with his brother William, who had just married. At this time Stark county was a wild and sparsely settled region, and when the family first located within its limits there were but five other white families in that section of the state. Samuel attended the first school organized in the county, held in a crude log house, and within its walls imbibed what education he could. But he was a sturdy, ambitious boy, and early saw the necessity of individual exertion as a duty he owed to other members of the orphaned family. He recalls the proud period of his life when, as a young boy, he earned his first money in digging snake root and selling it to the good people of Plymouth. With the proceeds of his sale he purchased two calves. In the following summer he went to Illinois
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and worked upon a farnı for eight dollars per month, which enabled him to maintain both himself and his infant herd. In fact, before long he had saved twenty dollars in gold and had become the owner of four more calves. From this small beginning his perseverance and thrift enabled him within a few years to start himself well on the road as a prosperous cattleman. In 1863 he sold the sixty head of cattle of which he was the owner and paid $1,700 in cash for an eighty-acre tract of farm land in North Bend township, Stark county. Upon it he erected a log cabin as his bachelor home and there he lived alone until his mar- riage to Henrietta Rice, on April 18, 1867. She died in March, 1883, the mother of four children-Olive A., Cora R., Carrie D., and one son, the eldest, who at the age of four years was scalded to death.
Until 1871 Mr. Osborn lived in a log cabin on his Stark county farm, which already had the reputation of being one of the best in the county. In the year mentioned he erected a handsome frame house and added eighty acres to the place. Later he purchased another tract of farm land in Stark county, his estate therein then comprising one hundred and fifty-five acres. Since that year he has made still other purchases of agricultural lands, until now he is the owner of three hundred and fifteen acres. In 1900 he ceased active control of his properties and moved to Culver, on January 18th of that year marrying Rebecca McDonald, widow of George Alleman and a daughter of Samuel and Eliza ( Porter) McDonald, both of whom were Marshall county pioneers. For many years Mr. Osborn was either a Democrat or a Greenbacker, but is now affiliated with the Republican party. Fraternally he is a member of Henry Speyer Post, No. 489, G. A. R., of Culver, having served during the Civil war as a member of Company H, Fifty-third Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He is also earnest in the work of the Church of God, and donates a commendable share of his substance to the allied causes of religion and charity.
JOSEPH A. YOCKEY. The name of Joseph A. Yockey is well known throughout Marshall county in connection with his duties as the post- master of Plymouth. He entered the office in 1896 as the deputy under W. H. Conger. and in 1901 was appointed the postmaster and reappointed in 1905. During five years he also served the township of Polk as its assessor, and he is a prominent factor and an active worker in the ranks of the Republican party.
Mr. Yockey was born in Delphos, Ohio, March 9, 1854, a son of Samuel and Mary A. (Gates) Yockey, the father a native of Pennsyl- vania and the mother of New York. His death occurred in Greene county, Ohio, at the early age of thirty-seven years, and he was of German origin. The mother passed away on December 2, 1907. In their family were seven children, but only two are now living, the older being John A., of Denver, Colorado. Their fifth child in order of birth, Joseph A., was ten years of age when he accompanied the family on their removal to Fulton county, Indiana, and he remained with his mother until reaching the age of maturity. It was in the year of 1866 that he came to Plymouth, receiving his education in the public : "cols, and for a number of years he was a clerk in a grocery store and Go in the post-
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