USA > Indiana > Miami County > Biographical and genealogical history of Cass, Miami, Howard and Tipton counties, Indiana > Part 53
USA > Indiana > Howard County > Biographical and genealogical history of Cass, Miami, Howard and Tipton counties, Indiana > Part 53
USA > Indiana > Cass County > Biographical and genealogical history of Cass, Miami, Howard and Tipton counties, Indiana > Part 53
USA > Indiana > Tipton County > Biographical and genealogical history of Cass, Miami, Howard and Tipton counties, Indiana > Part 53
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
530
BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF
school board for three years, serving as its president one year; was a mem- ber and secretary of the board of health of the city, and is now serving his fourth term as a member of the city council. He has ever been most prompt and faithful in the discharge of his official duties, laboring earnestly for the best interests of the community, and has won the high commendation of both parties.
Socially the Doctor is a Master Mason. His home life is pleasant and he and his family have a wide circle of friends. He was married to Miss Isabelle E. Fox, and to them were born two children, but the son, Andrew J., is deceased. The daughter, Uba S., was graduated in the classical department of De Pauw University, and is now employed as teacher of Latin in the high school of Logansport. In the practice of his profession, in the conduct of his commercial interests and in the discharge of his official duties, his reputation is unassailable. He is an honorable, upright man, active in business, ever true to the trust reposed in him, and in Logansport he is held in the highest regard.
J W. MAGRUDER, M. D .- This rising young physician of Peru, a resi- dent here since June, 1896, is a native of Champaign county, Ohio, born November 14, 1870, a son of V. S. and a grandson of James L. Magruder, both of whom reside at Mechanicsburg, Ohio, associated in business. The latter was born in the famous Shenandoah valley, in Virginia, whence he emigrated to Ohio.
Dr. Magruder, of this sketch, attended the public schools in his boyhood and completed a four-years course at the Ohio Wesleyan University at Del- aware, that state, where he graduated, in the class of 1893, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science. Previous to this time he had decided to pur- sue a professional course of study, and during the last two summer vacations of his college life had pursued a course of medical study at Mechanicsburg. He received his regular lecture course at the Miami Medical College, Cincin- nati, Ohio, where he graduated in April, 1896, receiving the degree of M. D., and soon afterward located for practice in the city of Peru.
In the comparatively brief period that Dr. Magruder has been a member of the medical fraternity of Peru, he has won the respect of all members of
531
CHISS, MIAMI, HOWARD AND TIPTON COUNTIES.
the profession and already occupies an honored place as a physician and sur- geon. He is a member of the Miami County Medical Association, and is a gentleman of fine social qualities and as a citizen is held in high esteem.
P OWHATTAN DODD, who resides on a fine farm in Cicero township,
Tipton county, one mile north of the court-house in Tipton, is an hon- ored pioneer of this locality, having been identified with its interests for almost forty years. He has, therefore, witnessed the many changes which have transformed it from a wild and uncultivated region into fine farms and comfortable homes, with here and there a thriving town in which the various industrial and commercial interests are represented. He belongs to that class of enterprising, energetic men to whom are due the progress and improvement of the west, and his finely cultivated farm indicates in a measure the industrious and useful life he has led.
Mr. Dodd was born in Amherst county, Virginia, September 10, 1825, and is of French and English descent. His paternal grandfather aided in the struggle which brought independence to the American colonies. The father, Joseph Dodd, also a native of Virginia, followed farming and black- smithing and made his home in the state of his nativity until 1840, when he removed to Hamilton county, Indiana. There he rented the farm of Elijah Brock, where he spent his last days, his death occurring at the age of forty years. His wife bore the maiden name of Betsy Hatten, and she also was born and reared in Virginia. She died in Hamilton county, Indiana, at the age of sixty. They were the parents of twelve children, six sons and six daughters, all of whom reached years of maturity, were married and reared families of their own.
Powhattan Dodd was the eldest son and third child in the family. After his father's death he assumed the household cares, and in addition to the operation of the rented farm, upon which they resided he made all the shoes worn by the family and cared for his younger brothers and sisters until they were able to provide for their own maintenance. In the year 1840 he became a resident of Hamilton county, Indiana, where he made his home until 1859, when he came to Tipton county, locating five miles northeast of the county seat. He traded for the farm in Madison township which became
532
BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF
his home, and continued to engage in its cultivation until 1877, when he came to his present home in Cicero township, which was deeded to him by Dr. Newcomer, one of his most intimate friends.
In Hamilton county Mr. Dodd was united in marriage to Miss Lorinda Wilson, and to them were born three sons and a daughter, namely: James P., William M. and Milvan J., all deceased ; and Lorinda Jane, wife of William Russler, of Tipton. In 1875 Mr. Dodd wedded Mrs. Elizabeth Tingle, daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Kessler) Burket and widow of Robert Tingle. She was born in Wayne county, Indiana, August 30, 1827, and is of German descent. She was the twelfth in a family of fourteen chil- dren and was reared in her native county, acquiring her education in the common schools. She, too, is descended from Revolutionary ancestry, her paternal great-grandfather having fought with the American army for free- dom from the yoke of British tyranny.
In his early political associations Mr. Dodd was a Whig, and after the dissolution of that party joined the ranks of the Democracy and has since marched under its banner. He belongs to the Christian or New-Light church and is ever quick to respond to the call of the church or any other worthy movement. His life has been one of honorable activity in the department of agriculture and his perseverance and energy have met the reward which is the fruit of earnest toil.
JACOB T. LONG, one of the most prominent farmers of Howard county and a resident of Clay township, is a descendant of an honored pioneer family. He is a native of this county, born July 31, 1851, and reared to honest toil in agricultural pursuits, receiving his education at the common school. His parents, Robert M. and Mary J. (Thorn) Long, were natives of Kentucky. Thomas Long, the father of Robert M., was also a native of that state, who enigrated to Indiana early in this century, locating in Marion county, where he cleared land and made a nice farm, and resided there a number of years. He then came and entered land in Howard county, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1888, at the age of eighty-four years. His wife survived a year longer, departing this life in 1889, at the age of eighty-two years. Both were respected members of the
533
CHASS, MIAMI, HOWARD AND TIPTON COUNTIES.
Methodist Episcopal church. He was prominent and well and favorably known, filling offices of honor and trust. For a number of years he was county judge, and he filled many township offices, etc. By trade he was a gunsmith, which he followed to some extent at his residence.
Robert M. Long came to Indiana when very young, and was reared mostly in Marion county. When of age he came to Howard county and entered land, returned to Marion county, married, brought his wife to this county, built a cabin in the wilderness and commenced the battle of life for himself. To his first entry he added by purchase forty acres more of land, and he proceeded to inake a fine farm and a well furnished home. He died in 1893, at the age of sixty-eight years. He was one of those hard-working pioneers whose contribution to the development of the country entitles them to special mention in every biographical work. He was a very prominent and honorable man, filled the office of county commissioner eight years, and also held other offices, His wife yet survives, sixty-eight years of age, and makes her home with her daughter on a portion of the old homestead. The country home of Mr. and Mrs. Long, who were prominent Methodists, was a home for ministers and a popular place for religious meetings. They had eight children: Mrs. Margaret Yardley; J. T., our subject; Nancy, now Mrs. J. Kirkpatrick; Mrs. Amelia Orem; Jennie, the wife of O. G. Irvin; Mrs. Ada Hobson; Charles, a farmer; and Jessie, now Mrs. F. Irvin.
Jacob T. Long remained at his parental home until twenty-four years of age. In 1875 he married and settled upon a farm of his own in Ervin town- ship. Four years afterward he sold this and removed to the place where he now lives, containing one hundred acres of good land, four miles northwest of Kokomo, mostly ditched and tiled, cleared and reduced to a good state of cultivation, whereon was a small house, which he has remodeled. He has built a large barn, planted an orchard, etc. In former years he has run a thresher, a sawmill and tile factory, which last was burned down, and he now gives his attention to farming and gardening, especially the latter. He is a good manager, as his premises show.
In 1882 he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Murphy, a daugh- ter of Chester and Polly Murphy. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania and her mother of Tennessee. Her father, a farmer by occupation, served through the Civil war in the Thirteenth Indiana Cavalry, and contracted a chronic disease in the service, which eventually ended his life in 1876. His
534
BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF
wife yet survives and is living in Clay township. She kept all her children together, who are now all married. She is a Missionary Baptist, as was her husband. Their children are Mrs. Sarah A. Hodson; William A. and David, both deceased; Elizabeth, wife of our subject; Mrs. Margaret Hubbard; Lewis, a farmer; Ada, who is now Mrs. L. Wright; and Mrs. Oka Andrews Mr. Long's children are Blanche and Omar, at home, Mazie, Madge, Gracie, Carl, Roscoe and Dale, the baby.
Mr. Long is a highly respected member of the Methodist Episcopal church, superintendent of the Sunday-school, and is a strong Republican but has never aspired to office.
D R. WILLIAM T. WILSON, postmaster at Bunker Hill, is a venerable physician well known throughout Miami and surrounding counties, and is a representative of the best traits of the Scotch character, which is con- fessedly among the noblest in the world. His American forefathers were early settlers in North Carolina, in colonial times.
Reuben Wilson, the Doctor's father, a farmer and a member of the Friends' society, was a native of the Old North state and a son of Renben, who emigrated to that state from Connecticut. He married Miss Miriam Overman and was for a long time a resident of Guilford county, North Caro- lina. His children were Theophilus, Benjamin, Mary A., William T., Charles and Reuben. He moved to Indiana about 1829, settling in Washington county, on land near Salem, built the first brick house in that county, cleared and reduced to cultivation a tract of land and there passed the remainder of his life, dying at his rural home at the early age of forty years. He was a straightforward, honest friend, very pious and industrious, and highly esteemed by his many acquaintances for his sterling worth.
Dr. Wilson was born August 4. 1827, in his youth received the usual common-school education, and for three years attended Earlham College, a noted institution of learning founded and conducted by the Friends at Rich- mond, Indiana. His intellectual qualifications were recognized and he was employed to teach school in Henry, Wayne, Morrison and Hendricks coun- ties, this state, and Preble county, Ohio, engaging in the profession altogether for about ten years. Then, deciding to follow for life the labor-
535
CASS, MIAMI, HOWARD AND TIPTON COUNTIES
ious and most charitable of all professions, that of medicine, he began pre- paratory studies at Newport, now Fountain City, Wayne county, this state, under Dr. Samuel Purviance as preceptor, a well known and prominent physician of his day. He then attended the Western Reserve Medical Col- lege at Cleveland, Ohio, and Rush Medical College at Chicago, at which lat- ter institution he graduated in 1862. He had begun, however, the practice of medicine in 1857, in Marion county, Indiana, ten miles west of Indian- apolis, and while thus engaged there he enjoyed the success that is due to superior natural insight into the laws of vitality. In 1858 he settled at Luray, in Henry county, where he followed his chosen profession for three years. Next he moved to Butlerville, Jennings county, Indiana, and remained there four years; then was in Salem, Washington county, until after the war had commenced. During these years he had the care of his aged mother, who was a helpless paralytic, and this prevented him from carrying out his patriotic desire of enlisting in the army for the Union as soon as he desired, In 1864, however, he passed an examination before the Kentucky board of examining physicians of the United States Army and was assigned to the Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry in Georgia. Joining that regiment in October, 1864, he remained with it during the famous " march to the sea," and cared for the wounded in many a battle and skirmish. At Savannah he was assigned to the hospital there, where he was stationed for about three weeks. He was then sent to Blair's Landing on Broad river in South Carolina, where he had charge of the sick and wounded in a tempor- ary hospital in the field, and was thus employed when Lee surrendered and the war virtually closed, and he resigned and returned home by way of New York, Pennsylvania and Louisville, Kentucky.
After practicing in Salem for a year longer, he removed, in 1866, to Randolph county, Indiana, where occurred the death of his first wife, of whom we speak more particularly farther on. About half a year afterward he visited Illinois, Iowa and Kansas, and finally returned to Indiana, locating at Bunker Hill, where he has since been engaged in medical practice, his success being in evidence of his superior attainments in knowledge and skill. Nearly forty years of his life have now been zealously devoted to the profes- sion. In 1897 he was appointed by President Mckinley to the position of postmaster of Bunker Hill, and he assumed the duties of the office on the ist of July, that year. He is a Republican in his political principles, a Quaker
536
BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF
in his religious principles, though he married "out of the church," and is a gentleman of the highest character, as one might expect from the old Quaker stock of the Old North state.
The Doctor was first married in Marion county, this state, on Thursday, March 19, 1857, to Miss Mary E. Cooper, who was born July 14, 1837, a daughter of Robert and - (Hammer) Cooper, and the children of this marriage were Ida B., born January 16, 1858, and Eva Myrtle, August 6, 1860. Mrs. Wilson left the scenes of earth on the 2d of April, 1866, in Henry county, Indiana; and May 8, 1873, the Doctor was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Barker, who was born September 7, 1845, in Wayne county, Indiana, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth J. (Pitts) Barker, and by this marriage there was Hattie G., who was born February 12, 1875, and died an infant.
SARAH NORDYKE .- As pioneers who have done much to develop the section of Indiana comprised in Howard and Tipton counties, we may mention Daniel Nordyke, deceased, and his estimable surviving widow, Mrs. Sarah Nordyke.
Mrs. Nordyke was born in Wayne county, Indiana, March 30, 1829, and reared at her parental home on a farm. Her father, John L. Lindley, was a native of that county, while her mother, whose name before marriage was Mary McMullen, was a native of Virginia. James Lindley, her grandfather, was a native of North Carolina and the father of the last mentioned, Aaron Lindley by name, emigrated to this country during the Revolutionary war. Being a " Tory," he was killed on account of his political principles, and his wife was murdered. James, thus left a complete orphan, grew up in North Carolina, married Susanna Stout and emigrated to Indiana in early day, locating in Wayne county and later in Howard county, where he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives.
John L. Lindley, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Wayne county, married there and came to Howard county in 1846, entering land near Greentown. This land he improved and was enjoying the work of elaborating the features of a comfortable home when, June 18, 1850, he departed this life. He was a member of the United Brethren church.
537
CASS, MIAMI, HOWARD AND TIPTON COUNTIES.
Politically he was a Free-soiler, was active and influential in public affairs, was justice of the peace and was highly respected as a safe counselor. When he came here, in 1846, the country was new, heavy timber covered the land, much of it was swampy and crossed by sloughs, wild animals, both game and savage beasts, abounded. Indians plentiful, etc. The county was organ- ized the year of his arrival here.
He had eleven children: Sarah, the subject of this sketch, Samuel, James, William, Susanna, Nancy, Martha J., John W., Mary E., Hannah and Thomas M.
In 1847 Miss Sarah Lindley was united in marriage with Daniel Nor- dyke, who was born in Clinton county, Ohio, June 27, 1823, and in 1844 came to Kokomo, took a claim joining that place, improved it, sold it and took another piece of land, and after marriage sold that also and took still another, near where Greentown now is, and later he entered this tract, made further improvements, sold it and came to Tipton county in 1854, and pur- chased the eighty acres now occupied by his surviving widow. This place, at the time he bought it, was covered with heavy timber. He built a cabin and commenced improving the place, and after he had succeeded in opening a small portion for cultivation and was prospering in his chosen work of establishing a comfortable home, equipped with the modern appliances of civilization, he died January 28, 1864, as the result of a protracted period of suffering from chills and fever. He was a sincere and pious member of the United Brethren church, and in politics a Republican, influential in local affairs. Mrs. Nordyke is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
They had eleven children and all that are living are well settled and are members of the church. The names of all the eleven are: William, John, and James, deceased; Mary, now Mrs. Walter; Erastus H., who was mur- dered by a man named Fox, the criminal escaping and being never caught; Charles W., deceased; Lewis, a farmer; Nancy A., now Mrs .. Richards; Amey, now the wife of Rev. William Bogue, of the "Christian Holiness " church; David L., deceased; and Jacob, a farmer.
"Aunt Sarah," as she is familiarly known for her many Christian deeds and kind, neighborly disposition, commands the respect of the entire com- munity, having accomplished much in bringing about the present high stand- ard of morals in her neighborhood, and having reared all her own children to become Christians,-the pride of her declining days.
538
BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF
E LIAS B. KELLER, a prominent citizen of Bunker Hill, Miami county, is a native of the Buckeye state, born in Montgomery county, three- fourths of a mile west of the Soldiers' Home at Dayton, September 22, 1845, a son of Godlop and Hannah (Beckley) Keller, and was seven years of age when brought by his parents to Indiana. Like nearly all the sturdy citizens of this state, he was reared in agricultural pursuits, receiving but a limited schooling.
During the Civil war, when he was but seventeen years of age, he left home without parental permission in order to enlist in the Union army, at Indianapolis, and was mustered in November 12, 1864, as a private, in Com- pany K, Fifty-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry; he was honorably discharged "on account of wounds received in battle, May 26, 1865. He was engaged in many skirmishes between Spring Hill and Franklin against the rebel general Hood, and was a participant in the hard-fought battle of Franklin, on the flank but not under fire, his regiment being held in reserve. He also was in action at the battle of Nashville two days, being severely wounded on the second day in a charge on the rebel works on Overton's Hill, by a minie ball through the calf of the right leg, and consequently was in the hospital from December 16, 1864, to May 26, 1865, when, gangrene persisting, he was finally discharged from military service. Of course it was a long time before he could use the leg much, and indeed it has troubled him ever since. Before he was wounded he was always an active soldier, never being taken prisoner or sick in hospital. Around Nashville before the final battle he was under fire for two weeks, and was in all the company's marches, battles and skir- mishes. At Nashville his company made a gallant attack to recover a lost position behind a stone fence on the skirmish line, when nine hundred rebels suddenly arose and fiercely contested, and retained their position, as the Union troops were unsupported. In the battle of Nashville on the 16th of December, his company lost sixteen men killed and wounded on Overton's Hill, and on the 15th two men were wounded.
After the war Mr. Keller resumed agricultural pursuits as soon as he was able, in which he has ever since been engaged. For a while he was also in the butcher business at Peru and Bunker Hill. When a lad he was brake- man for two years on the Wabash Railroad, and since the war he has also dealt in live stock to some extent for a number of years. For the past two and a half years he has had the office of superintendent of forty-four and a
539
CHISS, MIAMI, HOWARD AND TIPTON COUNTIES.
half miles of the pike system of Miami county, in which position he gives satisfaction. Politically he is a Republican, and he is a member of William Rayburn Post, No. 56, Grand Army of the Republic.
September 9, 1870, he was united in matrimony with Miss Emma Wick- ler, who was born in Miami county, Indiana, March 22, 1849, a daughter of William and Hannah (Walters) Wickler. Her father was a native of Ger- many and was nineteen years of age when he emigrated to America and set- tled in Washington township, this county, being a pioneer here. He was born December 10, 1813. By trade he was a knife manufacturer, but by occupation during life here he was a farmer. He was married in this county to Miss Hannah Walters, a daughter of John Walters, who also was a native of Germany. Mr. Wickler made his farm by clearing land from the dense woods, having at length a fine farm of two hundred acres; and he also aided in the construction of the canal from Peru to Delphi. He was an industrious man and honorable in all his dealings. His children were Jane, who died at the age of twenty-four years, Alvin, Mary and Emma. At his death his age was nearly eighty-four years. In his politics he was a Republican.
Mr. Godlop Keller was born March 25, 1814, in the kingdom of Wur- temberg, Germany, a son of William and Hannah (Bowman) Keller. Will- iam Keller was a cooper by trade and owned several small pieces of land. His children were Jacob, Frederick, Godlop, Adam, Charles, Alexander, Christina, Mary and Sophia. He emigrated with his family to America about 1834, being thirty-seven days on the voyage from Havre to New York, and coming in a sailing vessel. He went immediately to Baltimore and thence into Frederick county, Maryland, where he lived two years, and then came to Montgomery county, Ohio, settling near Dayton, and there he carried on a cooper shop. At length he emigrated to this state with his son, Frederick, and here he passed the remainder of his life, departing from this world at the age of eighty-six years, a faithful member of the Lutheran church. He was a hard-working, honest man, respected by all who knew him.
Mr. Godlop Keller received a good education in German and was about twenty years of age when he came with his father to this country, and he also learned the cooper's trade of his father, in Ohio. He moved with the family to Dayton, where he followed his vocation, in company with his brothers, Frederick and Adam. He was married in Montgomery county, Ohio, about 1830, to Hannah Bechley, a daughter of Michael and Hannah
540
BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF
(Kimmel) Bechley. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Keller lived in that county, where he carried on cooperage for a number of years, and here his children, Susanna and Elias, were born. Susanna died, aged about twenty-nine years, a married woman.
In 1852 he emigrated with his family to Miami county, Indiana, making the journey with a team and settling in the wild woods a mile and a half north of his present home, where he had purchased land; and two years later he moved to his present place, which then consisted of sixty acres, and here he cleared a spot on which to build his house, a log structure. By his steady industry he had here in course of time two hundred acres of good agricult- ural land. He is therefore not only a pioneer of Miami county, but also one of the successful farmers and a highly esteemed and useful citizen. He and his wife were both members of the German Baptist church, in which body he became a minister when about forty years of age, and he still preaches occasionally. Politically he is a Republican.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.