USA > Indiana > Miami County > Biographical and genealogical history of Cass, Miami, Howard and Tipton counties, Indiana > Part 41
USA > Indiana > Howard County > Biographical and genealogical history of Cass, Miami, Howard and Tipton counties, Indiana > Part 41
USA > Indiana > Cass County > Biographical and genealogical history of Cass, Miami, Howard and Tipton counties, Indiana > Part 41
USA > Indiana > Tipton County > Biographical and genealogical history of Cass, Miami, Howard and Tipton counties, Indiana > Part 41
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Mr. Sewell received his appointment to the position of police commis- sioner at the hands of Governor Mount, for the short term, one year, and upon its expiration he was re-appointed for three years.
At Baltimore, Maryland, November 4, 1880, was consummated the marriage of Mr. Sewell and Miss Isabel Stone, daughter of Richard Stone. They have one child, Harriet.
JACOB G. OFF .- Tipton county is honored by the life and career of this representative farmer of Liberty township. He is a native of Germany, whence most of our industrious and thrifty citizens have come, born at Wurtemberg, southern Germany, December 25, 1839, the youngest of the eight children of George P. and Walburga (Mertz) Off, natives also of that country, where they passed their entire lives. The father was a successful farmer by occupation and a man of thrift and superior intelligence. Both himself and wife were prominent members of the Lutheran church.
Three brothers, of the name of Off, came to America and located at Indianapolis, Indiana. First came the two older brothers, -Philip and Christian,-in 1852, and afterward John, and in 1854 Jacob G., of this sketch, and they all located at Indianapolis. Jacob G. remained at his
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parental home in Germany until he obtained his education and was con- firmed as a member of the Lutheran church; then, leaving his fatherland and his parents, he emigrated to the new El Dorado, America, coming direct to Indianapolis, joining his brothers. He soon found employment at the deaf and dumb asylum, where he continued for two years. Next he appren- ticed himself to the carpenter's trade for three years, during which time he attended night school, in order to familiarize himself with the English language and other most useful branches; and he was a very apt pupil both in his chosen trade and in general scholarship. After the expiration of his term as an apprentice he was employed as a journeyman until 1863, during which time he was engaged upon some of the largest blocks in the city, and some of these structures are still standing as monuments of his skill and reliability. In 1863, in company with two brothers, he rented a sawmill in Indianapolis, which they successfully operated until some time in the year 1865, when they moved to Tipton county and purchased a sawmill at Jackson Station and four hundred acres of timber land, and here they labored industriously and perseveringly, buying more timber land as their needs required, and selecting the best trees, but never using rail timber. Soon they commenced improving some of their land, preparing it for culti- vation, and in 1873 quit the mill and gave more attention to clearing and the development of farm land. In 1877 they made a division of their property, and Jacob G. thus came into possession of four hundred acres of his present homestead. He now has over three hundred acres cleared, well ditched and in a fine state of cultivation. All the improvements have been made under his direct supervision, and his farm is one of the largest and best in the county. Mr. Off is still a hard-working man, looking after all the details of his large landed interests and keeping everything neat and in its place. His first house and barn he lost by fire, and he has replaced them with superior buildings, finished with slate roof and all modern conveniences. All the auxiliary buildings and structures are neat and well arranged.
Politically, Mr. Off has always been a Democrat, believing that the prin- ciples of the party of his predilection are best suited to the interests of the mid- dle classes and laborer. While running the sawmill at Jackson Station he was appointed postmaster and served as such for a number of years. For several years he was also a supervisor of the county; and the people, recognizing his financial ability in business and his unswerving integrity, elected him to the
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office of county commissioner, -a position which he had not sought, and in that responsible office he continued to fulfill the public duties attached to it for eighteen years, when he refused to serve longer. In public position as well as in private business, Mr. Off has proved himself a good financier; for it seems that he has done more than any other man for the advancement of the county's interests. He was president of the board of commissioners who had in charge the erection of the new court-house and jail, which are splendid monuments of their economy and good judgment and a source of great pride to the people throughout the county and even the state, for there are probably no better county buildings in Indiana. Mr. Off was also president of the pike road commission, which supervised the construction of over two hundred miles of pike in Tipton county. In short, his enterprising and public spirit, his good judgment and unflinching performance of public duty, -which is often neglected by lazy office-seekers and political jobbers, -have placed Tipton county among the foremost in the state. He was the "architect of his own fortune " in the first place, and then he became the "architect of the fortunes " of the county, and this placed him in the front rank of public benefactors.
Of the four brothers previously mentioned, all are prominent and highly respected citizens, and all are loyal to their adopted country. Two reside in this county and two in Indianapolis.
In 1867, at Indianapolis, Mr. Off was united in matrimony with Miss Mary Karthauser, who was reared near the capital, the youngest child of her parents, emigrants from Saxony, Germany, settling near Indianap- olis. Mr. Karthauser was a gardener and farmer in the old country. Both the parents died before the marriage of their daughter referred to. After marriage Mr. Off continued in the sawmill business and accordingly left his family temporarily in Indianapolis, returning each week to them, until 1872, when he brought them to his present home. Mr. and Mrs. Off's chil- dren are: Emma, now Mrs. Brookbank; Edward, a graduate of Purdue Uni- versity and a mechanical engineer and machinist; Carrie and Oscar, unmar- ried. The mother of these children died December 21, 1877, a pious member of the German Presbyterian church; and Mr. Off, although reared and con- firmed in the Lutheran church in Germany, has never identified himself with any religious organization in this country. He is a member of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, Tipton Lodge, No. 220.
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G
EORGE W. WILSON .- A representative of a pioneer family of both
1 Cass and Miami counties, George W. Wilson resides at No. 31 Broad- way, South Peru. His parents were Alexander and Matilda (Thorp) Wilson. His father was born in Gibson county, Indiana, January 10, 1805, a son of Walter Wilson, who was a native of Virginia and a pioneer of Gibson county. Walter Wilson removed to Logansport in the early history of Cass county, was a typical pioneer and took an active part in the early Indian troubles, and was familiarly known as General Wilson. He had three sons and two daughters who grew to mature years, but all of them are now deceased. Alexander Wilson was married to Miss Matilda Thorp at Logansport May 28, 1829, and theirs was the first marriage authorized by a license at that place. In 1834 they came to Peru, where Mr. Wilson was among the earliest mer- chants of the place. He was an active and successful business man and was of an enterprising spirit. For a considerable time he was engaged in ship- ping supplies, consisting chiefly of lard and lumber, to New Orleans, on flat- boats which he built in Peru. He was thus engaged in 1846 when the Mex- ican war came on; and, prompted by his commercial spirit, he joined the army as a sutler and accompanied it to Mexico, remaining in the army till the close of the war. Then he purchased a number of government horses that had been used in the service, and while leaving that country on his return he was robbed and murdered by a band of Mexican guerrillas, August II, 1848. His son Byron, who was with him, brought the remains home about a year after his death. The family had removed to a farm in Wash- ington township, Miami county, not long before this sad event, and there the remains received a temporary resting place, and later were removed to Oak Grove cemetery. The wife and mother passed away many years later.
Alexander Wilson and wife were the parents of three' sons and two daughters who attained to years of maturity. The oldest and the youngest sons are deceased; the former was Byron Isaac, who, as before noticed, accompanied his father to Mexico. Later he removed to California, where he died January 24, 1883, leaving a family of four daughters.
Walter Wilson, the youngest of the sons, served in the war of the Rebel- lion as a member of the Seventeenth Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was a railroad engineer for twenty-five years. About three years before his death he became blind. His death occurred August 23, 1897, when he left a wife and seven children. Indiana, the elder of the two daughters, is
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the wife of John T. Stevens, of Peru. She was born in Peru August 8, 1836, being the first white girl born in this place. Louisiana, the second daughter, is now the widow of John T. Parmelee, of Indianapolis.
George W. Wilson, the only surviving male representative of his father's family, was born in Logansport, Indiana, August 16, 1832, and was two years old when the family removed to Peru. During his boyhood he attended the public schools here and assisted his father as he became old enough to be of service. An important event in his boyhood was that of accompanying his father on a flatboat to New Orleans, for many scenes and experiences of that trip indelibly impressed themselves upon his memory. His life has been spent largely in agricultural pursuits in Washington township, near Peru; and he is now practically retired from farming, residing with his family at their pleasant location in South Peru. Politically he votes with the Repub- lican party. He has served his township as trustee for two terms, but has never aspired to political honors.
November 10, 1857, is the date of Mr. Wilson's union in matrimony with Miss Mary Rettig, daughter of George and Anna Mary (Snyder) Rettig, who was born in Columbus, Ohio, January 22, 1833, and came to Miami county with her parents when a child. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have six chil- dren, -four sons and two daughters, viz .: Alexander R., who has passed nearly all his life in Miami county and has lately moved to Richmond, this state. The other sons, Frank, Lewis and Edward, are residents of Peru. The daughters, Mary L. and Elizabeth, are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are esteemed representatives of worthy pioneer families and well worthy of the place assigned to them in this work.
It would be proper to mention here the name of Col. John M. Wilson, a paternal uncle of the subject of the foregoing sketch. He was a soldier in the war with Mexico, raised a company of volunteers and served during the war as captain. He entered the army of the Union in the war of the Rebellion as captain in the Thirteenth Regiment of the Indiana Volun- teer Infantry, was promoted to the position of major and lieutenant- colonel of that regiment, and was mustered out August 5, 1864. He re-en- tered the service as colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Regiment and served as such to the close of the war. By profession he was a lawyer, and after the war he resumed practice, in Peru. His death occurred a number of years ago.
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C HARLES T. CLARK .- The Clark Hotel, opposite the Union depot, at Peru, Indiana, was erected in the spring of 1894 by William Kurtley, of Defiance, Ohio. It is situated on the site of the old St. James Hotel, which for some time had been the property of Mr. Kurtley. Immediately upon the completion of the new building, July 15, 1894, Mr. Charles T. Clark, as manager, opened the hotel, and has since been doing a prosperous business, catering to the traveling public, among which he has a large acquaintance and is favorably known.
Mr. Clark is a native Hoosier. He was born in Hendricks county, Indiana, in 1844. His father, who was an early settler of that county, died many years ago. At the time the Civil war was inaugurated the subject of our sketch was yet in his 'teens, and, young as he was, he was among those who responded to the call for Union soldiers in the first year of the war. He enlisted in August, 1861, as a member of Company A, Eleventh Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, and was in the service three years, his regiment being a part of the western army and participating in many of the important events of the war. After the war Mr. Clark engaged in railroading. He has been con- nected with several roads and his service as brakeman, yardmaster and con- ductor covers a period of twenty-seven years.
Mr. Clark has a wife and six children. Mrs. Clark was before marriage Miss Josephine Brown. Their children, in order of birth, are named as follows: George, Charles, Eva, Kate, Mary and John.
R OBERT G. GREEN, one of the highly respected citizens of Logansport, Indiana, has had a railroad career covering a period of more than thirty- three years and is at this writing one of the oldest engineers on the Chicago division of the Pan Handle Railroad.
Mr. Green was born at Waterford, Oakland county, Michigan, but was reared in Indiana, his boyhood days, up to the time he was seventeen, being spent in Starke county on a farm and in his father's store and in the office of a railroad company, his father being station agent and the only business man of the place.
At the age of seventeen young Green went to Chicago to attend school, and was in that city at the time the Civil war was inaugurated. He enlisted.
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as a member of Company A, First Illinois Light Artillery, for a term of three months and was stationed at Cairo, Illinois. At the expiration of the three months he re-enlisted for three years and shortly afterward went to the front. Among the engagements in which he participated were the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson, the battle of Shiloh, the Vicksburg campaign and the campaign around Atlanta. He was honorably discharged at Kenesaw mount- ain and on leaving the army returned to Chicago.
In that city Mr. Green secured a clerkship in the establishment of Tobey & Booth, pork packers, remaining with them a short time, and from that business turned his attention to railroading. May 16, 1865, he entered the employ of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company as a fire- man. Two years later, December 12, 1867, he went to work on the Pan Handle in the same capacity, running out of Logansport, and continued firing on this road until September 1, 1872, when he was promoted to the position of engineer. About 1880 he received another promotion, this time to the passenger service, with which he has since been connected, and is now the oldest man, in point of service, on the north end of the Chicago division.
January 29, 1868, Mr. Green was married in Logansport to Miss Martha J. Franklin, daughter of Jacob A. Franklin. For nearly thirty years she shared the joys and sorrows of life with him and was called to her last home November 2, 1897. The children born to them are as follows: Grace, wife of Harry S. Burson, of Chicago, whose two children are Glen R. and Dor- othy; Gertrude, deceased; Robert B., an employee of the Pan Handle; and Miss Francella C. Green.
Mr. Green is a member of the Masonic fraternity, affiliating with Tipton Lodge, Logan Council and St. John's Commandery.
R UFUS LAYMON. - A native of Owen county, Indiana, Mr. . Laymon was born near Spencer, October 23, 1862, and is a son of John and Aurilla (Randolph) Laymon, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. The grandfather, John Laymon, was also born in the Key- stone state, was of German descent, and by occupation was a farmer. He was also a minister of the Separate Baptist church, and was the father of several sons, all of whom preached for the same church. The grandfather
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died in Owen county, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years, and thus ended a long, useful and honorable life. The maternal grandfather of our subject was for many years a resident of Ohio, and at an early day came to Indiana, locating in Owen county, whence he afterward removed to How- ard county. He also devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits, and passed the eightieth milestone on life's journey. John Laymon was reared on a farm and made the tilling of the soil his life work in connection with ministerial labors in the Christian (New-Light) church. When a young man he came to the Hoosier state, and in 1868 removed from Owen to Howard county, locating four miles south of Kokomo, where he resided until 1879. He then sold his farm and went to Clinton county, Indiana, settling near Michigantown, where he is still living on a farm. He also continues his labors as a minister of the Christian church, and his noble example and earnest exhortation have been a strong power for good in the communities with which he has been connected. His wife, who was also a member of the Christian church, died in 1866, and he afterward married Mrs. Rhoda Shewmaker, daughter of Mr. Eckard. He had twelve children by the first marriage and seven are now living: Alfred; Sarah; William; James W .; Caroline, wife of John R. Daily; Rufus; and Jennie, wife of O. P. Chand- ler. There were three children by the second marriage, but Stephen A. is the only one now living.
Rufus Laymon was a child of seven years when his parents removed from Howard to Clinton and in the common school he acquired his prelim- inary education, which was supplemented by study in the Holbrook Normal, at Lebanon, Ohio. On laying aside his text-books as a pupil, he assumed the duties of teacher, and successfully followed that profession for five years. He then purchased an interest in a general store in Michigantown, in part- nership with William Jenkins, and under the firm name of Jenkins & Com- pany, business was carried on for about eight months. Mr. Laymon then sold his interest to his partner, and removed to Kokomo on the 21st of May, 1890. Here he purchased the East End Grocery Store which he conducted for a little more than two years, and in the meantime he bought the Hall stock of groceries on Sycamore street. In January, 1894, he removed from No. 9 Sycamore to No. I East Sycamore street, his present location, where he is now engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery trade, employing a large force of salesmen and conducting an extensive and profitable business. In
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August, 1897, he purchased a large grocery house in Frankfort and does nearly as much business there as he does in Kokomo.
On the 1st of November, 1886, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Laymon and Miss Etta M. Amos, daughter of William and Caroline (Mat- lock) Amos. They have two children, Gladys M. and Paul. Mr. Laymon is a member of the Christian church and of the Knights of Pythias frater- nity. His political support is given the Democracy and he is one of the enterprising and wide-awake business men of the city, - one who, while advancing his individual interests, is alive to the best good of the commu- nity, and in touch with all movements that are designed to promote the public welfare. His business and social relations have brought him into contact with a large circle of acquaintances, and among them he has many warm friends. His success is most creditable, resulting from well directed and honorable effort, and he well deserves his prosperity and the regard in which he is held.
R EBECCA T. CROWE .- This highly respected pioneer of Tipton county, residing on section 35. Cicero township, was born in Wayne county, this state, February 25, 1825. Her father, David J. Wood, was born in Virginia, in 1794, the youngest of three brothers, and married Rebecca Thomas, had two children there, and then emigrated to Indiana, about 1815, locating in Wayne county. In 1820 he built the second gristmill erected in that county, was a large land-owner, engaged in farming and milling, and became well known and prominent. He was a deacon of the Baptist church. He gave to each of his twelve children a farm. He died in 1864 and was buried in the Elkhorn Baptist cemetery. His father, William Wood, was also a native of the Old Dominion, of English descent, and was a fariner and slave-owner.
' The mother of our subject, Rebecca T. Thomas, also a native of Vir- ginia, died at the age of fifty years. Her father, Joseph Thomas, was also a native of Virginia and a farmer and slaveholder. David J. Wood had twelve children, -Henry, Eliza, Martha, Joseph, Napoleon, Mary, Rebecca T. (Mrs. Crowe, our subject), John and Sarah (twins), David, Valentine and Wash- ington. Of all these Mrs. Crowe is the only one living. She was reared in her native county and educated in the old-fashioned log school-house, at a
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time when about all the pioneer school-houses throughout the states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois were alike.
She became the wife of John W. Crowe, who was born in Wayne county, this state, June 1, 1824, reared in that county and educated at the old-time log school-house. He followed agriculture during life and finally died July 2, 1871, in Tipton county, in which he was an early settler. He was a zealous member of the Christian church, of the Masonic order and of the Republican party, and he held a number of local offices. He was a well and favorably known citizen, whom the community held in high regard.
His father, Daniel Crowe, was a native of North Carolina, settled in Wayne county, this state, in 1817, and died in 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Crowe came to Tipton county in 1848, locating in an unbroken forest, on the tract upon which the subject of this sketch now resides. Here Mr. Crowe first built a log house and then proceeded to clear his land. He had three daughters and two sons, namely: Martha A., born February 13, 1848, is liv- ing with her mother; Mary A., born March 26, 1851, became the wife of Jasper Sinclair and has three daughters living,-Eva, Mattie and Juda, and one deceased, named Maud; William W., born May 22, 1853, married Zora Lee; Eli C., born February 10, 1856, is single and living at his parental home; Margaret A., the wife of Holman Losey, and they had four sons and four ·daughters, five of whom are living - Clara R., Minnie C., both deceased, Harley W., Aaron G., Ina A., deceased, Frank M., Fred R. and Rubie E.
Mrs. Crowe has forty acres in a neat farm. She is a consistent and worthy member of the Christian church, and is well known for her many good qualities.
S YLVESTER A. GWINN .- Three miles from Kokomo is located the fine farm which is owned and operated by Sylvester A. Gwinn, a leading agri- culturist of Howard county. He was born in West Virginia, February 18, 1850, and is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Taylor) Gwinn, also natives of the same state. In 1852 they emigrated to Indiana, locating in Carroll county, where they remained until 1859, when they came to Howard county. Here the father purchased three eighty-acre tracts of land in Center township, and at once began to develop and improve the same. He cleared much of it. and continued his residence upon his farm, which he purchased in 1863, near
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the Clover Leaf Railroad, until 1875, when his life's labors were ended in death. He passed away at the age of fifty years. He was a member of the Christian church, as is the mother of our subject, who since her husband's death has married Barnabas Busby and now resides in Kokomo. Her father was a pioneer of Madison county, Indiana, locating near Anderson, where he died at an advanced age. By birth he was a Virginian. Mrs. Gwinn had four children by her first marriage: John, Sylvester A., George L. and Allen.
The subject of this review was only a year and a half old when with his parents he came to Indiana, and since the age of nine years he has resided in Howard county. In the district schools he acquired his education, and under the parental roof he remained until his marriage. On the 16th of December, 1875, he was joined in wedlock to Miss Emma Chase, daughter of Robert and Adelia (Hartman) Chise, of Bartholomew county. They had two children, Ruey, -at home, and o e who died in infancy. The daughter is the wife of Earl Sharp, and they reside with her parents. Mrs. Gwinn is a inember of the Christian church and is a lady of many excellencies of char- acter.
In his political views Mr. Gwinn is a Republican and has always sup- por.ed that party. His time and energies are devoted to his farming inter- ests, and his is one of the most desirable farming properties of Center town- ship. Howard county. He owns and operates two hundred and ten acres of valuable land.
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