USA > Indiana > Adams County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 1 > Part 42
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : Containing portraits of all the Presidents of the United States from Washington to Cleveland, with accompanying biographies of each : a condensed history of the state of Indiana : portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Adams and Wells counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families, and a concise history of the counties and their cities and villages, pt. 1 > Part 42
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erine Debolt, and of the four children born to this union only two are living-Annetta Florence, born Angust 26, 1866, and Sey- mour II., born May 17, 1871. Ira McClelland was born July 7, 1863, and died July 18, 1863, and Sarah Catherine, who was born November 17, 1864, died December 5, 1864. Mrs. Carpenter is a daughter of Isaae and Elizabeth (Poundstone) Debolt, who came to Adams County, Indiana, from Licking Coun- ty, Ohio, about thirty-three years ago and settled in St. Mary's Township. They were the parents of the following children-John, Marion, Abraham, George, Isaac, David, Amanda and Sarah Catherine. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter are comfortably settled on their farm in St. Mary's Township, in a neat and commodious farm dwelling, their farin being one of the best in the township. When Mr. Carpenter first settled on his farm it was en- tirely unimproved, and heavily covered with timber, but by patient toil he has cleared acre by aere until the forest was changed into a very well improved and productive farm. The nearest voting precinet when he settled in the county was Decatur, but after a few years Union Township was organized and the entire county was laid out into townships. There were no improved roads in the county, and it was a common occurrence for the early settlers to go as far as two or three miles to work out land tax. Mr. Carpenter was elected supervisor, and assisted in open- ing out two miles of the road to Pleasant Mills, then ealled the Mill road, and also as- sisted in opening up a part of what was then called the Deeatur road. Wild animals were numerous in that early day, and sheep had to be secured in pens to protect them from the wolves. Flax and wool were mannfae- tured into cloth by the thrifty housewife, which was made into elothes for both male and female. Trading and milling was done
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at Fort Wayne, twenty-nine miles distant. Salt sold at 83 a barrel. Hogs, when dressed, were sold at the same trading point for 2 cents a pound, which the early settler con- sidered a good price. Mr. Carpenter carried the mail for three months from Fort Wayne to Cold Water, Michigan, a distance of sev- enty-one miles, receiving for his services 86 a month. All the harvesting was done by hand, the priee paid being 50 cents a day, or if the laborer preferred he could have instead a bushel of wheat for his day's labor. Many were the hardships and privations experienced by Ira Carpenter and his family, but they have lived to see the country covered with well cultivated fields and thriving villages, and are now enjoying the fruits of their years of toil and industry, surrounded with all the necessary comforts of life, and are well re- spected among the citizens of the county where they have spent so many years.
LARK J. LUTZ, attorney-at-law, Deca- tur, Indiana, was born March 14, 1862, at Williamsport, Allen County, Indi- ana. At the age of sixteen years he engaged in the drug and general mercantile business in Williamsport, Indiana, with his brother, Jacob S. Lutz, under the firm name of Lutz Bros., in which business he continued until 1882, when he removed to Decatur and en- tered the high school. In 1883 he engaged in the real estate business with J. F. France under the firm name of France & Lutz, and in 1884 the firm was dissolved and he entered the law office of France & Merryman as a student. Early in 1885 he was admitted to the bar, but continued as a student until Jan- uary, 1886, when he commeneed the practice of law. In polities he is a Demoerat. On the 14th day of October, 1886, he was united in
marriage with Miss Anna M. Lewis, of Deca- tur, Indiana, who was born in Zanesville, Ohio, September 22, 1862. In 1879 she removed to Decatur and resided with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph MeGonagle. In 1879 and 1880 she attended the conservatory of music at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and in 1883 and 1884 she received instructions in musie from Professor Emil Leibling, of Chicago. Iler parents were natives of Ohio, and her father, Dr. J. V. Lewis, is now a practicing physician of Richmond, Indiana. The par- ents of Mr. Lutz were born in Stark County, Ohio, and removed to Allen County, Indi- ana, near Williamsport, in 1852, where they now reside. Mr. and Mrs. Lutz are members of the First Presbyterian Church, of Decatur.
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IIARLES BROCK, farmer, resides on section 25, Root Township, where he owns forty acres of land; he also owns twenty-six aeres on seetion 24. Ile is a son of Samuel and Catherine (Swartz) Broek. The father was born in Germany in 1780, and the mother was born in 1789, in the same country, where she died in 1833, leaving three sons and two daughters. The year fol- lowing the father took his five children and eame to America, settling in Massillon, Stark County, Ohio, where he and his eldest son, Jacob, went to work in Charles Skinner's woolen factory. One year later the father died, aged fifty-five years. Jacob kept the family together for a year and a half, and was then advised by Mr. Skinner to separate them. Charles, our subject, went to live with W. A. Reed, where he was reared until about fourteen or fifteen years old, when he went to live with his brother-in-law, where he remained until seventeen years of age, then served an apprenticeship of three years
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at the earpenter's trade, with Levi Suyder. Ile has followed this trade ever since, with the exception of four years spent in Califor- nia, where he was engaged in mining. Ile went with 8380 and returned with 8330. IIe went back to Wayne County, Ohio, where he remained five years, then came to his present farm, which he had purchased pre- vions to leaving Ohio. The land was wild, and he lived in a rented house a few weeks while he built his hewed-log house. Ile lived in his log cabin until 1876, when he built a fine frame house. He worked at his trade . and hired men to clear his land. He has built many of the houses in his neighborhood and township. Mr. Brock was born in Ger- many, June 2, 1825, and was only eight years old when he came with his father to America. Ile was married April 20, 1854, to Miss Nancy Culbertson, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio, April 28, 1823. She was reared within five miles of Wooster. Five years after their marriage they came to Adams County, Indiana. Mrs. Broek's father, Thomas Culbertson, was born in Westmore- land County, Pennsylvania, April 21, 1790, where he was reared and married. After the war of 1812 he removed to Wayne County, Ohio, where he was an early pioneer. There were no roads, nothing but Indian trails. Mr. Culbertson was the first elerk of the first election held in Plain Township, Wayne County. He died in September, 1879, within five miles of the place where he opened his new farm in Wayne County. He was a pen- sioner of the war of 1812. Mrs. Brock's inother, Margaret (Cahill) Culbertson, was also born in Westmoreland County, Pennsyl- vania, January 21, 1794, and died September 14, 1869 She united with the Presbyterian church when eighteen years of age, and died in the hope of a blessed immortality. Mr. and Mrs. Broek have had two children-Mary
M., born February 1, 1855, was married Oc- tober 30, 1879, to Albert J. Bailey; Jennie E., born January 26, 1858, died December 19, 1885, and is buried in Alpha cemetery. She was a devoted Christian, having united with the Methodist Episcopal church when nineteen years old. She commenced teach- ing when seventeen years old, and taught summers and attended school during the winter. More recently she taught both sum- iner and winter. She was a favorite with old and young, and all loved her for her many lovely qualities of mind and heart. Mr. Brock's mother had two brothers, Phillip and John, who were born in Germany. They went to South America, and being bakers by trade, became very wealthy and owned slaves. Mrs. Broek's grandfather, Alexander Culbert- son, was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and died about 1833, in Wayne County, Ohio. He was a Revolutionary sol- dier. Her grandmother, Ruth (Brice) Cul- bertson, was born on the ocean, of Irish parents, and died in Wayne County. Her maternal grandfather, Abraham Cahill, was married in Pennsylvania, and was drowned in Wooster, while assisting emigrants aeross the river. Her grandmother, Naney (Wal- lace) Cahill, was probably born in West- moreland County. She died in Richland County, Ohio, at a ripe old age.
IRAM M. ASPY, physician and drug- gist, Geneva, was born in Wabash Township, this county, December 23, 1850, son of Mark and Elsa Aspy, early set- tlers of Adams County. Ile remained on the farm until he became of age, attending the common schools, and also attending Liber College in Jay County, two years, after which he engaged in the study of medieine, and
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commenced practice in Geneva in 1875, which profession he still follows. He received his medical education at Miami Medical College, Cincinnati, in the winters of 1874-'73-'76, of the allopathie school. IIe engaged in the drng business in 1885. Dr. Aspy was mar- ried October 23, 1879, to Elizabeth P. Burk, a native of Jay County, born October 25, 1856, danghter of William Burk, an old set- tler of Jay County; he afterward lived in Adams County about twenty years, and now lives just across the line in Jay County. Mr. and Mrs. Aspy have one child-Ivy Blanch, born July 7, 1582.
ILLIAM HALL, engaged in farming on section 23, Hartford Township, where he has eighty acres of choice land, is a native of Perry County, Ohio, born May 16, 1843, his parents, Samuel and Margaret (Brown) Hall, being natives of the same State, the father born March 10, 1805, and the mother February 16, 1810. They were married in Ohio, April 18, 1828, and to this union were born seven children, four sons and three daughters. They came with their family to Adams County, Indiana, in 1844, and settled on section 15, Hartford Township, where they lived till their death, the father dying January 9, 1845, and the inother April 26, 1862. Both were mein- bers of the old-school Baptist church. The father was a carpenter, which avocation he followed, in connection with his farming operations, until his death. The IIall family is of English and German deseent. William IIall, the subject of this sketeh, was reared to manhood on his father's farm in Adams County, receiving such education as could be obtained in the district schools of that day. During the late war he enlisted in Company
M, Twenty-eighth Indiana Infantry, and af- ter serving his country three months was discharged on account of sickness. After leaving the army he went to Illinois, where he spent two years, when he returned to Adams County, Indiana. He was married June 13, 1869, to Mrs. Melissa (French) HIall, widow of Nathan Hall, who was born in French Township, Adams County, Indiana, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Beach) Freneh, the father born in Maine, March 19, 1794, and the mother born in Maryland, February 14, 1801. Mr. and Mrs. Hall are the parents of three children-Rachel, wife of Benjamin Runion; Sarah E. and Chester F. Mrs. IIall is a member of the Baptist church. Joseph French, her father, was one of the oldest settlers of Adams County, and a prominent citizen of French Township, which was named in his honor. Ile is a de- scendant of the French family of Ireland. Ile served in the war of 1812. In polities he was a Democrat, and was elected on the Demoerat tieket sheriff of Adams County. Ile was married in Ohio to Eliza Beach, and to this union were born ten children, five still living-Philema, Joel, William, John, Minerva, Melissa, Alonzo, Sylvia, Jane and Edgar. Mr. French died in French Township. October 17, 1842, his wife dying in 1858, aged fifty-seven years. In their re- ligions views they were Baptists.
OIIN WILSON TYNDALL, surveyor of Adams County, Indiana, is a native of this county, born in Blue Creek Town- ship, October 30, 1861, a son of John C. and Rachael (Wagers) Tyndall, natives of Ohio, the father of Welsh and the mother of Ger- man-Irish descent. ITis paternal aneestors came to America prior to the war of the
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Revolution and were prominent in the early days of American history. John C. Tyndall was reared a farmer, and in 1850 located in Adams County, Indiana, being one of the first settlers of Blue Creek Township. He improved a farm, and in the earlier days of the county taught about twelve terms of school during the winter. In 1861 he enlisted in the defense of the Union, and was assigned to Company I, Forty-seventh Indi- ana Regiment, and served nearly two years, when he was discharged for disability. He never recovered his former health, and his death which occurred July 2, 1885, was the result of siekness contracted in the army. Politieally he was a Democrat. Ile was a prominent citizen of his township, and served several terms as assessor, and twelve years as justice of the peace. The mother of our subject died in 1865, when he was but four years of age. J. W. Tyndall was reared in Blue Creek Township, where he received the rudiments of his education. When six- teen years old he began teaching, and when seventeen bought his time of his father, pay- ing him 8100 a year until he was twenty-one. In 1882 he entered the college proper at Valparaiso, and graduated from the commer- cial, seientific and classical departments, completing the latter with the class of 1885. He is self-educated, earning the money to detray the expenses of his college course by teaching. Upon leaving school it was his intention to go to Kansas and engage in teaching, a vocation for which he is so emi- nently fitted, but the death of his father obliged him to remain in Adams County to settle up the estate, and in March, 1886, he was the nominee of the Demoeratie party for county surveyor, to which office he was eleeted by a large majority the following November. Mr. Tyndall is a young man of fine ability, and his prospects for future use-
fulness are promising. His career thus far has been marked with success, and he is well fitted to assume any duties the future may have in store for him.
OIIN P. PORTER, M. D., deceased, who was one of the foremost practitioners of his day in Adams County, was born in Mansfield, Ohio, in 1823, a son of Dr. Alex- ander and Sarah (Pomeroy) Porter, early settlers of Adams County. His early educa- tion was received in the schools of his neigh- borhood, and at the high school at Dalton, Ohio. He followed the avocation of a teacher for several years, commeneing at the age of seventeen years. He began reading medieine under the preceptorship of his father, and later attended Rush Medical College of Chicago, Illinois, graduating from that insti- tution. He was married in 1850 to Miss Elizabeth Dorwin, a native of Mansfield, Ohio. Three children were born to this union-Charles D., Miles F. (a practicing physician of Fort Wayne, Indiana), and Jennie (deceased). Dr. Porter began the practice of medicine at Decatur, Adams County, Indiana, which he followed until 1862, when he was commissioned First Sur- geon of the Eighty-ninth Indiana Infantry and went South with his regiment. He was taken prisoner at Munfordville, Kentucky, and returned home on parol. He was after- ward exchanged and joined his regiment, and November 1, 1864, he was shot and killed by bushwhackers, near Lexington, Missouri. During his military service Dr. Porter attended the siek and wounded and is yet remembered by his comrades for his many good qualities and kindness to all, and they have perpetuated his memory in the name of the Grand Army post at Geneva. He was a
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true Union man, and in polities was a strong Republican. Genial in temperament, chari- table toward the unfortunate, active in the support of every movement calculated to promote the public welfare, he was a man who took a prominent position in the com- munity in which he lived, and gained the confidence of all who knew him. He was unusually skilled in the knowledge of his profession, and while at Decatur established a large practice. Ile was a member of both the Masonic and Odd Fellows orders. Mrs. Porter is also deceased, her death taking place in October, 1584. Both the doctor and his wife were members of the Presby- terian church.
ILLIAM A. ASPY, principal of the Geneva schools, was born in Wabash Township, this county, April 6, 1858, son of Mark Aspy, deceased. Ile was reared on a farm and attended the common schools of his neighborhood. When he was twenty- one years of age he attended the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso, gradu- ating in the seientifie and the teachers' course in 1853. Since that time he has been en- gaged in school teaching, and is now teaching his second term in Geneva. Ile owns a farm in the township, and a fine residence with several lots in town. lle is the youngest of a family of eight children. IIe is a very worthy young . man and a popular teacher. Ile is a member of the Disciple church.
AAAPTAIN HARRY. W. KIRBY, a brother of Mrs. Thompson, was born at Lamartine, Carroll County, Ohio, De- eember 18, 1845. Entered Harlem Springs
College in 1860. In 1861 enlisted in the Eightieth Ohio Regiment, served through the war under Grant and Sherman and rose to Captain. In 1865 he entered the Uni- versity of Michigan, and remained until his senior year, when he accepted the position of Professor of Mathematics in Harlem Springs College; studied law under Judge Tripp, of Carrollton, Ohio, was admitted to the bar in 1880, never settled down to practice, but has handled many intricate cases successfully. In 1882 he came to Willshire, Ohio, to nurse his brother with small-pox; after which was principal of schools at Pleasant Mills, Indi- ana, for three years, and has since made his home in Adams County. Ile served one term as deputy county surveyor. Ile has contributed to the leading journals of the country, and is at present arranging to pub- lish a volume of his own poems.
OBERT BURNS ALLISON, a retired banker and business man of Decatur, was born in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, June 19, 1833. Ilis father, John Allison, was a native of Pennsylvania, of Scotel-Irish extraction, and by avocation a merchant. He died at Brownsville, where he was in busi- ness in 1839. ITis mother (nee Mary Craw- ford) was also a native of Pennsylvania, and was of Scoteh ancestry. After the death of her husband, in 1839, she moved back to Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, where she lived until 1848, when she came with her family to Decatur, Indiana, where she died in 1878. She was the mother of four children-Rob- ert B., Jane A. Crabb, of Toledo, Ohio, and two who died in infancy. Robert was reared in the mercantile business, being employed as clerk in Waynesburg when only ten years old. Ile was educated in the subserip-
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tion schools and the Waynesburg College. Hle took a commercial course at the Iron City Commercial College, at Pittsburg, when he came to Deeatur with his mother at the age of fourteen. IIe was em- ployed as a elerk in the store of J. & P. Crabb, and clerked and attended school until March, 1859, when he engaged in the mer- cantile business at Buena Vista, Adams Conn- ty, being associated with J. & P. Crabb, as Crabb & Allison. In 1861 he became the successor of the firm, by purchase, and con- tinned in the business there until 1878, al- though in 1872 he became a resident of Decatur, the business in Buena Vista being under the management of Eugene Morrow, who finally succeeded him there. In 1872 Mr. Allison associated himself with Jesse Nibliek, David Studabaker and J. D. Nut- man as private bankers, and did a banking bus- iness at Deeatur under the name of the Adams County Bank, which was afterward organized under the State laws, when he was chosen to fill the position of cashier, and afterward be- came its president. In 1883, on account of failing health caused by too close attention to business, he was obliged to resign the presi- deney of the bank and retire from business. I'olitieally he is a Republican. August 18, 1859, he was married at Buena Vista to Miss Catherine Vanee, danghter of the late Will- iam and Sarah Vanee. They have three chil- dren living -- Jessie C. Townsend, wife of the proprietor of the boat house, Deeatur; Rufus K., a merchant of Berne, Adams County, and Mary V., still at home. They lost one by death, Frank C., who died at Deeatur, No- vember 4, 1874, aged nearly four years. Mr. Allison is a very prominent Free Mason and Odd Fellow. In Odd Fellowship he is a member of the lodge and encampment of Decatur. lle is a Thirty-second Degree Mason, and is a member of Decatur Lodge, | France & Son. In 1879 his father moved to 26
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No. 571; Fort Wayne Chapter, No. 19; Fort Wayne Council, No. 4; Fort Wayne Com- mandery, No. 4, and the Consistory of the State of Indiana, at Indianapolis.
JON. JOIIN THOMAS FRANCE, senior member of the law firm of France & Merryman, Decatur, Indiana, is a prom- inent young attorney of Adams County. IIe is a native of Ohio, born in Delaware, Dela- ware County, Ohio, December 5, 1553. 1Ie is the eldest of two sons of Charles M. and Miranda (Thomas) France. Charles M. France was a native of Vermont, of Scotch and English parentage. When a child his parents moved to Ohio, where he was reared. In 1851, when a young man, he came to Indiana and located in Adams County, where he fol- lowed farming until 1867, when, having in the meantime read law, he was admitted to the bar, and in 1868 located at Deeatur and began his practice. In the spring of 1879 he moved to Bluffton, Wells County, where he still lives. Ile was married in 1852 to Miranda Thomas, a native of Whitley County, Indiana, who died in 1857. John Thomas France was reared in Adams County, and was here educated, graduating from the high school at Decatur in the class of 1873. In the winter of 1873-'74 he taught his first and only term of school, in Blue Creek Town- ship. In the spring of 1874 he began to read law in the office of France & Miller, his father being the senior partner. Ile was ad- mitted to the bar at Decatur in 1575, and at once began to practice, becoming a member of the firm of France & Miller, changing the name to France, Miller & France. This co- partnership existed a year, when in 1876, Mr. Miller withdrawing, the firm was changed to
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Bluffton, and since that time he has been associated with different parties, and in Jann- ary, 1853, with J. T. Merryman, formed the present firm of France & Merryman. In polities Mr. France has always been identified with the Democratic party. During 1876 and 1877 he was deputy prosecuting attorney of Adams County, under Joshua Bishop, of Jay County. In the fall of 1878 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the Twenty- sixth Judicial Circuit, comprising the coun- ties of Adams, Jay and Wells, and was re-elected in 1880, filling the office four years. During his service as prosecuting attorney he tried several murder eases, the most important being the Richards-Baekester murder. Since 1875 he has taken an active part in polities, and in 1880 was elected chairman of the Adams County Democratie Central Committee, an office he has held to the present time. He is a member of Knights of Pythias, Kekionga Lodge, No. 65, and has passed all the chairs and has represented his lodge twice in the grand lodge of the State. Ile was married October 19, 1876, to Miss Isabella Corbin, daughter of Elijah and Phobe (Ullery) Corbin, natives of Virginia, who came to Indiana in 1846. Mrs. France was born in Marion County, Indiana, June 2, 1855, and was educated in the schools of Winchester, Randolph County. To Mr. and Mrs. Franee have been born three children- Carl O., born December 12, 1877; Richard R., April 6, 1879, and Herbert B., March 6, 1881.
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ESLEY II. STULTS, farmer, resides on seetion 30, Union Township, where he owns forty acres of land. Ile was born in Washington Township, this county, October 18, 1858, and has been reared
and educated in the common schools of Adams County. His parents were Jacob and Lucinda (Shenneman) Stults. Wesley II. Stults' was married September 23, 1554, to Miss Elizabeth Heiptley, who was born in Crawford County, Ohio, April 16, 1868, and when fourteen years of age eame with her father's family to Adams County, her parents settling in Root Township. Her father, Ru- dolph Heiptley, was born in Switzerland and came to America after reaching his majority, settling in Seneca County, Ohio, where he was married. He learned the blacksmith's trade in Seneea County, and followed his trade while he lived. He died in Crawford County, September 23, 1876, leaving a wife and one child, the latter being the wife of W. Il. Stults, our subjeet. The mother was born in Philadelphia, March 23, 1845, and when two years of age her parents brought her to Seneca County, Ohio, where she grew to womanhood and was married. After her husband's death she was again married, Sep- tember 12, 1882, in Crawford County, Ohio, to William Wetter, who was born in Switz- erland. After their marriage they came at onee to Adams Connty and purchased the farm upon which they now reside.
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