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. 2, Part 39

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 948

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. 2 > Part 39
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. 2 > Part 39

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IGMUND OPPENHEIM, a retired merchant_of Bluffton, Indiana, was born in Baden, Germany, in 1821. HIe was reared in his native country, and in his youth waseducated in the mercantile business. In 1848 he came to the United States, land- ing in New York City July 1, where he remained about two months. Hle then went to Newark, Ohio, where for a few months he was employed as a mereantile clerk. From there he went to Mount Vernon, Ohio, where he was employed in the same capacity until the spring of 1849, when he went to Somer- set, Ohio, remaining there until the following December, when, influenced by the gold excitement, he went to California and worked in the Yuba Diggins until October, 1850, when failing to realize his anticipations he went to San Francisco, and engaged in the

more promising business of keeping a restaurant. In September, 1852, he returned to Ohio, and elerked at Zanesville, Mount Vernon and Mansfield until September, 1853, when he came to Indiana and located at Bluffton. Hle embarked in the mercantile business, which he continued until 1877, and from 1881 until 1885 engaged in the mann- facture of cigars. Since 1585 he has lived retired from active business life. In politics Mr. Oppenheim is a Democrat. He has no aspirations for official honors, the only offices he ever held being those of school trustee and couneilman, holding the former position fourteen years and the latter one term, re- fusing to accept a second nomination. lle has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1849, and is a member of both lodge and chapter at Bluffton. He is also a mem- ber of the Odd Fellows order, lodge, and encampment, and has been a representative to the Grand Lodge and Grand Encampment of the State. Mr. Oppenheim was married in 1854 to Mary Jane Niblick, daughter of James Nibliek, of Adams County, Indiana. They have three children-Albert, agent for the American Express Company and manager of the Western Union Telegraph office at Bluffton; William S., an attorney, of Fort Wayne, and Addie.

ATHAN ROBERTS, farmer, Liberty Township, was born in Rock Creek Township, this county, October 17, 1851, son of Robert and Abigail (Redding) Roberts. Ile was reared on a farm, obtain- ing his education in the common schools. March 9, 1876, he was married to Miss llarriet Ann, daughter of Henry Mossburg, who was born February 22, 1853. Ile set- tled upon his present farm on section 3, Lib-

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erty Township, it being then heavily timbered. lle now has a fine farm of 200 acres, 150 aeres being in a high state of cultivation, all of which he has earned by his own in- dustry. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts have two children-Rosa May, born August 17, 1877, and Nettie Bell, born December 11, 1850. Mr. Roberts is a member of Bluffton Lodge, No. 92, K. of P., and in politics is a Demo- crat. Mrs. Roberts is a member of the Christian church.

OHN P. CONNETT, farmer, Harrison Township, was born in Athens County, June 7, 1821, the fifth son and seventh of ten children of John and Rebecca (Piekett) Connett, the former a native of New Jersey and of Scotch ancestry, the latter a native of Maryland and of English ancestry. lle re- mained with his parents on the farm until he reached his majority, and December 30, 1841, he was married to Miss Jane McCart- ney, daughter of John and Sarah (Jones) McCartney, of West Virginia, and of Irish and Welsh ancestry. After his marriage he settled upon a farm in his native county and lived there until the fall of 1847, when he came to this county, bringing his wife and two small children. They remained in Bluffton during the winter, and the following spring Mr. Connett purchased forty acres of heavily timbered land on section 16, Har- rison Township, which he began clearing and improving. He cleared ten acres, built a dwelling-house, lived there two years, then sold out and purchased his present farm on section 21, again settling in the wilderness. Ilis farm consisted of eighty acres, which he has cleared and improved, and now has it in a good state of cultivation. They passed through all the vicissitudes of pioneer life. 51

They were the parents of ten children, five of whom are living-Emily, wife of William Brice; Rhoda, wife of William Singer; Re- becea, deceased; Sarah married Joseph Stead, and is now deceased; Margaret F., deceased; Joli N .; James M., deceased; Julia A .; Laura B., and Lydia M., deceased. Mr. Con- nett came to this county with limited means. Ile chopped wood for 25 cents a cord, and worked for John Studabaker for seven years. lle now has a good property, which he has accumulated by hard work and good manage- ment. Himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in polities he is a Republican.

M ATTHEW ALLEN, deeeased, was the youngest child of Ebenezer and Abigail (Batty) Allen, and was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, October, 26, 1820. Hle came to Jefferson Township in 1848, and entered a quarter section of land on the Indian Reserve, and also entered a quarter section for his brother Hezekiah. The latter built a cabin for his family prior to their re- moval to this county. Matthew was a single man when he came, and three years later mar- ried Amelia Goff. They had two children, both dying in infancy. Mrs. Allen died January 27, 1862, and January 28, 1869, Matthew married Miss Mary J. Hoopengard- ner, daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth (Hage) Iloopengardner, natives of Pennsylvania and of German ancestry. Peter, the great-grand- father of Elizabeth Ilage, was born in Ger- many, and was the first of that name to immigrate to America. He settled in Lan- caster County, Pennsylvania, where the moth- er of Mrs. Allen was born. After the death of his wife Mr. Allen enlisted in Company 1), One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Indiana

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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.

Infantry. Returning home after his dis- charge, he purchased the farm upon which his wife now resides, and erected a handsome briek residence. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Allen were-Ahnira E., Lafayette L. and Rhoda M. Matthew was a quiet, unas- suming man, and, with the exception of supervisor of roads, would not be a candidate for official positions. After being well set- tled in life and having a beautiful home, with the joys that come to those surrounded by a happy family and loving wife, he was seized with an illness that terminated his existence December 31, 1879. Ilis family are in in- dependent cireumstanees, and are very highly esteemed among their neighbors and friends.

YRUS WILSON, farmer, was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, a son of Gib- son and Nancy A. (Harris) Wilson. The father was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of James and Alice Wilson. He married his wife in Ohio, and for several years they resided upon his father's farm. In 1851 Mr. and Mrs. Gibson Wilson, with their children, Elizabeth, Cyrus, James and Naney, made a location in Jefferson Township. The father purchased 240 acres on section 16, town 28, range 12, upon which he erected the first cabin the same year. The whole traet was covered with timber and Cyrus, our subject, although seven years ofage, helped to burn the brush, and saw the logs placed in position that were to shelter the family in the new country. The nearest neighbors, William Craig, Sr., William Shap- hel, Moses Louthen and William Chapman, were residents of Ossian, and the latter kept a small stoek of general merchandise. Gibson Wilson was a quiet, inoffensive man who took the greatest comfort in his home and with his

funily. Both himself and wife were of Irish ancestry, the grandparents of both having been born in Ireland. He was one of the first road supervisors in the township, and was the overseer when the first roads leading from Ossian were cleared of underbrush. Ile and his wife were members of the first Presbyterian church erected in the township, and the children were reared strictly in that faith. John L., Margaret and Emma were born in this county. The death of the father oe- curred in 1862. His wife still survives, and is now in her sixty-eighth year. All the chil- dren but one are living, and all are married. Elizabeth became the wife of Robert Rodgers, a farmer residing on a part of the original Wilson homestead; James married Lydia Fleming, and resides in Harrison Township; Naney A. is the wife of Isaac Allen, a son of one of the oldest residents of the county; Mar- garet A. married Lorenzo Anthony, a resident of Union Township; John is the husband of Mary Honsel, and resides on the homestead farm. The mother lives with them and has had the pleasure of holding twenty-one grand- children in her arms, all of whom were born in this county. She has one great-grandchild, Clarence Smith, son of William and Mary J. (Rodgers) Smith, youngest daughter of Eliz- abeth and Robert Rodgers. In August, 1862, our subject enlisted in Company K, Seventy- fifth Indiana Infantry, as a private. He was soon after made Corporal, serving three years in that capacity. Ile was Color-Guard at the famous battles of Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Resaca, Atlanta, and in the march to the sea he was either Color-Gnard or Standard Bearer. In one of the engagements a bullet passed through his clothes without touching his body. He carried the colors of his regi- ment when the great military review was held at Washington, the grandest military spectacle ever seen on the American con-

John Ogden

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tinent. Ile laid his colors down only when peace was declared and the preservation of the Union was acknowledged by all to be due to the noble sons of the States who had fought valiantly for three long years. After his return from the army he went to Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where he remained ten years engaged in farming. In that State he was married in 1875, to Miss Mary Fra- zier, of Lawrence County, and the same year the young couple returned to Indiana, where Mr. Wilson purchased his present farm. Ile erected his elegant honse, and they are now comfortably settled within sight of Ossian. They have five children-Raymond F., John Il., Nettie B., Otto O. and Chester C. Mr. Wilson built his fine barn, 36 x 56 feet, in 1887.

OHN OGDEN was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, October 9, 1807, a son of Samnel and Elizabeth (Crouch) Ogden. llis grandparents, Malachi and Temperance Ogden, were natives of New Jersey. Both were of English descent. The subject of our sketch was reared on a farm and received his education in the subscription schools, in the primitive log school-houses of the early day, remaining on the farm with his parents until he attained his majority. Ile was married May 27, 1828, to Miss Martha Swearingen, who was a native of West Vir- ginia, and a daughter of George and Ruth Wilcoxson, natives of Maryland, and of Danish extraction. After marriage, John Ogden fol- lowed farmning in West Virginia, and also in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, until April, 1837, when he came to Wells County, Indi- ana. Arriving here, he entered 160 acres of Goverment land on sections 30 and 31, Jef- ferson Township, where he remained until the

following June, when he returned to his former home in West Virginia. October 10, 1839, Mr. John Ogden, with his wife and five children emigrated to their frontier home in Indiana, completing the journey in fourteen days with horse teams. With buoyant heart and willing hands hecommenced the laborions task of elearing a spot of ground, upon which he ereeted a log cabin 18x20 feet, roofing it with clapboards and flooring it with punch- eons, into which he moved his family. He further continued the task of clearing an ad- ditional portion of ground, preparatory to putting in a spring crop, and succeeded in getting in three acres of corn, which consti- tuted their first year's erop. When he arrived in Indiana his capital stock consisted of three horses, a cow and heifer, and 840 in money. Three weeks after his arrival he lost his best horse, a drawback of no small proportions to a new beginner in a new seetion of country. Passing through all the hardships and priva- tions subject to frontier life, he followed farm- ing in Jefferson Township, living to see the once nubroken forest fall before the woods- man's ax, and as the result of the constant application of the horny hand of toil, in time he saw rich fields of golden grain greeting the eye on every hand, and furnishing plenty and to spare for the ever increasing population and their accompanying wants; the narrow circuitous trail through the dense woods gave way to the broad thoroughfare; regions once traversed by bands of murderous Indians, or made the safe retreat of vieions, howling wolves, gave place to useful ends and happy scenes, as the school-house, with its laughing girls and boys; all this accomplished in re- sponse to that indomitable energy from time immemorial characteristic of the white race. The pioneer in his early experience was not much troubled by being hurried away from his home to give his support and presence at

HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY

some district or State convention, and thus weary and rack his brain, for political pur- poses, but he was content with his friends, home and quietude. The memory, by the pioneer, of the hardships and privations, is sweetened by the recalling of incidents per- taining to the log-rolling, the fox, deer or wolf hunt, the ingathering of neighbors from far and near to enjoy both the luxuriant pro- duet and happy scenes of the sugar camp, or the social converse around the old fire-place, with its great back-log, its heap of glowing eoals and dazzling light.

Oh hallowed spot ! Oh precious token !

The hearthstone around which our loved ones have gathered ;

The chair in which they sat; The cup their lips have kissed; The flute their hands have swept ; What jewels can replace their value ?

Unto John Ogden and wife were born ten children, eight of whom grew to manhood and womanhood, three of whom still survive, viz. -Sarah A., the wife of David Kimmel; Fannie, the wife of William Goshorn, and George S., a resident of Bluffton, Indiana. The deceased are-Robert P., Samuel J., John M., Martha A., wife of ex-County Auditor G. E. Gardiner, Harriet R., wife of Harmon Nettlefield, and Elizabeth; and one died in infancy. Mr. Ogden was bereft of his wife by death, on November 15, 1864. The sub- ject of our sketch has been elected by the people to many oflices of trust and responsi- bility, viz .: Supervisor, school trustee and civil trustee, serving in township offices eleven years. He was elected as county assessor, being the last one to serve under the old law to assess the whole county, which work took him ninety-five and one half days. Ile served the county as commissioner for six years. In 1370 he was elected to the office of county treasurer and re-elected in 1872. He also

served as a member of the City Council of Bluffton. Mr. Ogden is an active and con- sistent member of the United Presbyterian church, and is the only original member of that church at Murray, Indiana, now living in the county. Ile was elected as a member of the session of this church at its organiza- tion, which office he continues to hold. He was financial agent of the Wabash Presbytery, now Northern Indiana. Politically he affiliates with the Democratic party, easting his first presidential vote for General Jackson. Hle is now in his eightieth year, a remarkably well preserved old gentleman, enjoying the full vigor of mind and body. He resides in Bluffton with his son-in-law. For integrity, honesty and fair dealing, Mr. Ogden has no superior in his county. His kind treatment and courteous manner with the people while treasurer of the county, marks that period as one of the most pleasant in the history of that oflice. He is an honorable citizen and Christian gentleman, and a model for the rising generation.

ILLIAM N. BUCKNER, farmer and stock-raiser, Liberty Township, was born in Bracken County, Kentneky, September 15, 1827, son of Thomas and Matilda (Hanson) Buckner, also natives of Kentucky. Thomas Buckner was a son of Philip and Tabitha Buekner, the former a native of Virginia and of German ancestry, the latter a native of Maryland and of Ger- man-Irish ancestry; her father was John Hanson, a native of Maryland. Our subject passed his early life on the farm and attended the early subscription schools in the primi- tive log cabin. He was married January 16, 1851, to Miss Amelia M. Yelton, daughter of Charles and Amelia (Gosney) Yelton, the

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873

former a native of Virginia, and the latter of German descent. After his marriage Mr. Buckner followed farming until 1855, when he came to this county and purchased forty acres of heavily timbered land on section 16, Liberty Township. He sold this land and purchased eighty acres on section 18, this being also heavy-timbered. Ile cleared and improved his last purchase, and has added to it from time to time until he now has 320 aeres. Mr. and Mrs. Buckner have had nine children-John T., Charles N., Millie J., wife of Joseph Tharlkill, Missouri E., Martha Ann, wife of Byron HI. Prible, George W., Miami M., Francis Marion and Benjamin F. Mr. Buckner is a self-made man. By his own industry and good man- agement he has acquired a good property, and his family is surrounded with all the comforts of life. Himself and wife and four children are members of the Disciple church. Politically Mr. Buckner affiliates with the Democratic party.

ENRY THOMA, manufacturer of and dealer in furniture at Bluffton, was born in Ebersdorf, Germany, the date of his birth being January 28, 1832. Ilis parents being farmers, he was reared to the same avocation, remaining on the home farm until reaching the age of seventeen years. He then left his native country for the United States, landing at New York June 7, 1849. lle first settled at Findlay, Ohio, where he began to learn the cabinet-maker's trade, at which he served an apprenticeship of three years. During 1852 he attended the Presbyterian Academy at Findlay, de- fraying his expenses by the money which he earned by working at his trade during even- ings. In the spring of 1853 he was em.

ployed as clerk in a grain elevator. In October, 1853, he came to Bluffton, where in January, 1854, he formed a partnership with Jacob Tribolet, with whom he was associated in the forniture business under the firm name of Tribolet & Co. until 1561, when the part- nership was dissolved by mutual consent. Hle then clerked for a short time in the hardware store of Henry Cook, when he engaged in his present business, which he has since carried on with success. In 1869 Mr. Thoma was married at Bluffton to Miss Matilda Deaver, a daughter of James Deaver, a former resident of Wells County. They have one son, llerman, who was born at Bluffton, June 16, 1872, and is now attend- ing the public school at Bluffton. In politics Mr. Thoma is a Democrat. He has served in all, at different times, five years as city elerk of Bluffton, was councilman three years and for one year served as school trustee, and in 1886 was elected coroner of Wells County. Mr. and Mrs. Thoma and their son are men- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church of Bluffton. Mr. Thoma is a Master and Royal Arch Mason, and is a member of the lodge and chapter at Bluffton. His parents, Christian and Christina (Sherf) Thoma, died in their native village, Ebersdorf, Germany, the father in 1872 at the age of seventy years, and the mother in 1879, at the age of sixty-nine years. Both were members of the Lutheran church.

OHIN J. GRANT, farmer, section 9, Rock Creek Township. is a native of Hampshire County, West Virginia, the date of his birth being August 13, 1816. His parents, John and Mary (Gray) Grant, were born in the State of Virginia, the father being a son of William Grant, who was a

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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.

native of Scotland, and the mother being of Irish ancestry. John J., onr subject, was reared in his native county until attaining the age of fifteen years, when he went to Fairfield County, Ohio, and worked on a farm in that county about six years. In 1837 he came to Wells County, Indiana, where he worked for a time as a farm laborer. He was married May 30, 1839, to Miss Matilda Sparks, who was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina, coming with her father, George Sparks, to Wells County in the fall of 1837. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Grant five are yet living-Sarah Aun, Mary J., Elizabeth, George W. and El- mira. Delilah and Jacob are deceased. Mr. Grant lived on rented land a few years after his marriage, when he bought forty-three acres of unimproved land which he cleared and put under cultivation, and after living on this farm twenty-two years he sold it and purchased his present farm, to which he re- moved March 12, 1872, where he has seventy aeres of improved land, located on seetions 8 and 9, which he has gained by persevering industry and energy. In polities Mr. Grant is a Demoerat. He has served as constable and assistant constable in all four years, and also was elected as assessor for four years, and served the full term. Both he and his wife are members of the German Reformed church.

M RS. RHODA HOUSEL, of Ossian, was born in the State of New York in 1814, the thirteenth child of Ebenezer and Abigail Allen. She was four years of age when her parents removed to Trumbull County, Ohio. She was married December 25, 1834, to Absalom Housel, a native of Northumberland County, Pennsyl-

vania, of German ancestry. His parents, Peter and Sarah (Myers) Honsel, could not speak the English language when they were married. The father was born in 1750. They reared a family of seven children, six sons and one daughter; all are living except the husband of our subject. She came to this county with her husband in October, 1848, and settled in Union Township, upon land now owned by the Fosselman brothers. They had five children previous to their removal- Freeman, Harriet, Peter, George W. and Iliram. After their arrival here Sarah J. and Mary E. were born. At that time there were neither roads nor improvements, and but few families living in the neighborhood. When a visit was made they followed the blazed trees instead of a publie highway, and the log cabins were just as hospitable as are the modern mansions of to-day. A hnge fire-place in which the fire eraekled and glowed furnished both light and heat in many instances, and the johnnycake and corn pone were baked in Dutch ovens upon the glowing embers. The hardships of the pio- neers were lessened by the lack of conven- tionality: a neighbor was a neighbor in deed as well as word. Men would go miles through the woods to assist in raising a log eabin, or to aid a new-comer in rolling his logs, that a crop might be planted. Four of the children of our subject were soldiers in the late eivil war. Jered F. enlisted in the Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry in 1861; Peter C. and George W. enlisted in the Thirty- fourth, and Iliram in the Forty-seventh, At the battle of Pittsburg Landing Jered F. was shot through the thigh by a rebel bullet, and for months was in the hospital at Evansville, Indiana. His mother was by his side for several months, and with loving hands nursed him back to health. After his return from the army he was married to Drusilla Reeves,

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of De Kalb County, Indiana, where they still reside. They have one son --- Ellsworth E. Peter and Hiram were both wounded at the battle of Champion Hills. Hiram received a bullet in the arm, and Peter had a bullet graze his check. After their return Hiram married Delilah Slippey, and they have three daughters and one son. They are residents of De Kalb County. George W. died from disease at Camp Carleton, near New Orleans. Peter is a bachelor and resides with his mother at Ossian. Ilarriet M. married Thomas F. Reeves, whose death occurred in 1866. She had one daughter, Luella, wife of James Monroe, of St. John's, De Kalb County, this State. Sarah JJ. became the wife of James Reed, of this county, who is seetion boss of. the Muncie & Fort Wayne Railroad. They have seven children, and two deceased. Mary E. married John Wilson, son of one of the early settlers, and resides at Ossian. They are the parents of four children. Seventeen grandchildren are living, and some of them are grown. Mr. Honsel died in July, 1883. Peter received a sunstroke after the surrender of Vicksburg, while on the march to Jack- son, Mississippi. This so undermined his health that he has never been able to work, and he receives a pension of $50 a month.

OEL KEMP, farmer, Harrison Township, was born in Clarke County, Ohio, Feb- ruary 23, 1829, son of Solomon and Elizabeth (Baker) Kemp, the former a native of Maryland, and the latter of Virginia and of German ancestry. When he was three years old his mother died, and in the fall of 1839 Solomon Kemp came to this county with six children and purchased 212 acres of land in Harrison Township, where he began clearing and improving a future home. Ile |

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Author: Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 948

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 948