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 41
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 41
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145, of Bluffton. In his early days Captain Kel- ler was a noted hunter and trapper. He knows every foot of ground in this and adjoining counties. Ilis keen eye and steady nerve made him an expert in the use of the gun and seores of deer have fallen by his steady aim, and not only deer and the game then usually found in Wells County, but when he was in the great West he enjoyed the excitement of hunting and killing the buffalo, which roamed in vast herds over the plains. Very few men have had the experience of Captain Keller as a hunter. His name is not only known in Wells County, but on the plains of Oregon and other Western States. As a soldier he has followed his country's flag in more than a hundred engagements. In Mexico, as a pri- vate, he saw the triumphant march of our troops into that city. Asacommissioned offieer, in the South, at New Madrid, Champion Hills and Vieksburg, he led his company like a true soldier and patriot, and when he again had seen the enemies of his country vanquished, he like a true and faithful subject settled down to a quiet life. Thus we have briefly sketched the life of one who was an early pioneer, a famous hunter, a brave and true soldier of two wars and a model citizen.
OIIN I. CLARK, farmer and stock- raiser, section 18, Liberty Township, was born in Huntington County, Indiana, August 12, 1840, the eldest son and second child of Sargent and Ennice (Irwin) Clark, natives of Guilford County, North Carolina. The father was born in 1813, a son of John Clark, also a native of North Carolina, and of Seoteh-Irish anecstry. The mother was a daughter of John Irwin, a native of the same State, and the same ancestry. They removed to Indiana in 1837, settling in Huntington
County, where Mr. Clark entered eighty acres of Government land, which he eleared and improved, and where he passed the re- mainder of his days. Ile died November 2, 1884, an honorable, Christian man, who won the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. He was seventy-one years of age at the time of his decease. Politically he affili- ated with the Democratie party. His wife still resides on the farm he entered from the Government in 1837, and is sixty-eight years old. Of their eight children, four still sur- vive. Our subjeet was reared on a farm, and his youth was passed in assisting his father in elearing and improving his land. Hle re- eeived a common-school edneation, and re- mained at home until he attained his majority, after which he worked out four years, then purchased his present farm of sixty-nine acres of heavily-timbered land. He has since added to his first purchase, and now owns 266 acres. He was married Feb- ruary 17, 1870, to Miss Nancy A. Helm, daughter of George and Nancy Helm, who came from Tennessee to Indiana about the year 1834, settling in Jefferson Township, Huntington County, where the father passed the remainder of his days. Ile was elected to many offices of trust during his life, and acquitted himself creditably. Mr. Clark set- tled npon a farm and has since been engaged in agriculture. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have four children-Viola P., Rufus B., Garnett E. and Lester E. Mr. Clark is a member of the Odd Fellow's Lodge at Bluffton, No. 114; of the Rebecca Lodge, No. 83; Patrons of Husbandry, Salem Grange, No. 760. Politi- cally he affiliates with the Democratic party. Although not a member of any church, he donated the land and a good part of the tim- ber to build one. His improvements are among the best in the township. Until 1887 he lived in the old log cabin, but now has a
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new frame residence. Ilis barn, built in 1883, is 40 x 80 feet, and 20 feet in height. Mr. Clark is a very temperate man, using no intoxicating drinks or tobacco in any form.
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AMUEL FOUST is a native of Indiana, born in Salamonie Township, Hunting- ton County, May 17, 1841, a son of Jonathan and Naney (Shaffer) Foust. IIe was reared on the old homestead in his native county, where he was early in life inured to hard work, helping his father to clear and cultivate the farm, but the lessons of persever- ing industry learned in those days have been of lasting benefit to him. He was married May 17, 1861, to Miss Margery King, a na- tive of Wells County, and daughter of Gabriel and Susan King, old settlers of Liberty Town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Foust have had six chil- dren, of whom four are living -- William, Ella May, Benjamin Alvadore and Charles Arthur. Jonathan Adam and Jacob Sylves- ter are deceased. Mr. Foust lived with his parents until about two years after his mar- riage, when he bought forty aeres of partially cleared land, adjoining the old homestead, on which he lived until coming to his present farm on section 1, Jackson Township, in September, 1875. His home farm consists of ninety-six acres, of which about seventy-six acres have been cleared, and most of this has been done by himself. Besides this land he owns another traet of fifty-nine acres, where he has thirty acres eleared. In polities he affiliates with the Republican party, and has held the office of supervisor sinee becoming a resident of Jackson Township. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist church at Salem, of which he is trustee. Three of Mr. Foust's brothers were soldiers in the war of the Rebellion, Jonathan and Adam being
members of the Seventy-fifth Indiana In- fantry, and Jacob belonging to the Thirty- fourth Indiana Infantry. Jonathan Foust, the father of our subject, was born in West- moreland County, Pennsylvania, and when a young man removed with his parents to Highland County, Ohio, where they lived until their death. He was married in High- land County to Miss Nancy Shaffer, who was a native of Maryland. In 1839 Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Foust enme by team to Indiana and located on the old Fonst farm in Salamonie Township, Huntington County, across the line from Jackson Township, Wells County. The father had entered there 160 acres of heavily timbered land on which not a tree had been cut, and he immediately began clearing a space on which to build his cabin. He was a great worker, and before many years had his farm cleared and improved, and he and his wife lived to enjoy the fruits of their years of toil, and after passing through all the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life are now surrounded with all the necessary comforts of life, yet living on the old homestead in Salamonie Township, the father aged eighty-five years, and the mother eighty-three years of age. In politics Jona- than Foust was formerly a Democrat, but has affiliated with the Republican party since its organization.
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AMUEL WATTS, deceased, a pioneer of Nottingham Township, was born in Pennsylvania, and in 1802 accompanied his parents to Columbiana County, Ohio. Ilis father, Thomas Watts, was the first sher- iff of that county, serving two terms. The family, in 1818, moved to Richland County, where Samnel was married in 1830 to Mar- tha M. Paxson, who was born in Chester
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C. D. Cotton
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
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County, Pennsylvania, in 1807. In 1847 he moved to Jay County, Indiana, and in April, 1848, moved to Wells County, where he died in March, 1859. In polities Mr. Watts was first a Whig, and then a Republican. Ile was trustee of his township one term, and was the first postmaster at Nottingham, the office being kept at his house. After his death the office was in charge of a danghter seven years. For several years his house was the only one where travelers could be accom- modated, and it became known far and near. Ile was an enterprising, publie-spirited man, and one of the most prominent of the early settlers. His family consisted of four sons and two daughters. One son, Ira P'., a resi- dent of Randolph County, has been clerk of the courts four years, and in 1875 received the nomination of Secretary of State, but was defeated, although he ran ahead of his tieket. Another son, Stephen M., enlisted in the first call for three months' troops, and afterward enlisted in the three years' service, and was killed by bushwhackers near Nashville, Tennessee, in the spring of 1862.
S. COTTON, farmer and stock raiser, Rock Creek Township, was born in Holmes County, Ohio, December 30, 1840, a son of Samuel Cotton. When he was four years of age his parents eame to Wells County, Indiana, and settled in Rock Creek Township, where he grew to manhood, his youth being spent in assisting his father on his farm and attending the schools of his neighborhood. Ile remained with his parents until his marriage, which occurred September 6, 1860, taking for his wife Miss Margaret Torance, a daughter of Francis Toranee. She was born in County Donegal, Ireland,and came to America when eight years of age. Four 52
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Cotton-Sumner Wellington, a farmer of Rock Creek Township; Sarah Lizzie, wife of Jacob A. Funk, of Rock Creek Township; Minnie, died aged sixteen years, and Charlie L. After his marriage Mr. Cotton settled on a tract of forty aeres of unimproved land in Liberty Township which his father had given him. He cleared and improved this land, living on it until 1865, when he sold it and bonght eighty acres where he now resides, which was then entirely unimproved. Since that time he has cleared his land, which he has brought under a good state of cultivation, and his improvements are among the best in his neighborhood, his land being well feneed and well drained, and his residence and farm buildings commodious and con- venient. He also owns 120 acres located a short distance from his home farm which is under cultivation. With the exception of the forty acres given him by his father he has acquired his property by his own persevering industry and good management. In connec. tion with his general farming he has been extensively engaged in dealing in and ship- ping stock, and is now one of the oldest stock shippers in the county, beginning this enterprise in 1864, and is still largely engaged in dealing in stock. In his political views Mr. Cotton affiliates with the Republi- can party. Ile is a member of the Baptist church, and his wife belongs to the United Presbyterian church.
D. FITZPATRICK, physician and snr- geon, Vera Cruz, was born in Delaware County, Indiana, August 13, 1829, a son of' William and Catherine (llock) Fitz- patrick, the former a native of Kentucky and of Irish-English ancestry, the latter a native
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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.
of Pennsylvania, and of German ancestry. His youth was passed in attending school. In 1853 he began the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. Jelletf, of Vera Cruz, remained with him three years, then formed a partnership with him for two years. In 1856 he was married to Miss Mary A. Bennett, daughter of Joshua Ben- nett, of this county, and they had one child, who died at the age of one year. Mrs. F'itz- patrick died soon after the birth of her child. The doctor then went to Camden, Jay County, where he followed his profession three years. IIis second marriage was with Miss Cathe- rine S. Peirce, of Randolph County, this State, who was a native of Pennsylvania. Soon after this occurred he came to Vera Cruz, and had a successful practice for a period of twenty-six years. For the past four years he has been engaged in agrienlt- ural pursuits. In 1883 he embarked in the mercantile trade with 1. B. Shoemaker, his interests being represented by his son James F. Two years later he and his son purchased his partner's interest. Ile has sixty-tive aeres of well cultivated and well improved land. Mr. and Mrs. Fitzpatrick have had six children, three of whom are living- James F., born May 20, 1864; Edward V., born May 18, 1866, and Charles P., born April 27, 1873. Mrs. Fitzpatrick has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church ever since her childhood. Politically the doetor affiliates with the Republican party.
HOMAS ARCHIBALD, retired farmer, Ossian, was the son of Patrick and Francena (MeLean) Archibald, who were born in Westmoreland County, Penn- sylvania. His grandfather, Thomas Archi- bald, was born in Virginia; the grandmother,
Mary, was of Welsh ancestry. The MeLeans were of Irish origin. They remained in Pennsylvania, and the Archibalds removed to Harrison, Ohio, and later to Tuscarawas County, same State. In 1848 the parents of our subject, with a part of their children, came to Wells County, settling in Jefferson Township, on the tract of land now owned by Martin Heckle. Their children were-Jo- seph, John, Thomas, William, who died in infancy, Lettiee, Ann, Mary, Francena, Sarah . and Rebecca. All were married and came to this county except Sarah. Joseph married Elyla Vanhorn; John married Elizabeth Gibson; Lettice married Azaniah Vanhorn; . Ann married William Gibson; Mary is the wife of George Gibson; Francena married Thomas Hay; Sarah A. married Thomas Mullen, and Rebecca married Robert Green. Our subject was born in Har- rison County, Ohio, September 19, 1811. Ile was married in Ohio to Miss Phebe Val- entine, and five of their children were born in that State. They came to Wells County and made a location in the fall of 1848. Samnel T. (deceased), Robert, John, Mary J. and Emmett B. were born in Ohio, and Francena, Lydia and James were born in Jefferson Township. Mr. Archibald pur- chased his land for 8200. Not a stick had been ent except by the roving hunter, and the work of making a home in the new country devolved upon Thomas and his eld- est son. A cabin was built on the northeast corner of his land, where his family spent the winter of 1848-'49. Their house was fitted up with furniture made by Richard Trenary, who is now deceased. Benches were made of basswood, and bed-teads were made by putting a hole in a log which formed one of the walls of the eabin, then by setting a post on the floor into which two holes were bored aud stieks inserted at right angles that
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
were lashed together with strips of basswood bark, upon which the bedding was placed. Mr. Archibald was not alone in this primi- tive manner of house furnishing; it was almost universal in the new country. The early settlers were mostly poor people, and for the first ten years Mr. Archibald depended almost entirely upon the manufacture of black salts for the money necessary to sup- port his family. As the timber was burned, the ashes were gathered and placed in a great leach, which was drained and the lye evapo- rated in kettles until it became stiff. This was sold at about $3.00 per hundred pounds, and found a ready market at Fort Wayne and other towns. The timber was very heavy and it took years of toil to make a small farm. To add to the misfortunes of Mr. Archibald, he was attacked with rheu- matism the next spring after he came to the county, and those were the darkest hours of his life; for without money, the spring time at hand, and the song of the ax that was heard on every traet except his own, made the time pass slowly. His neighbors came in and showed by kindly acts that he was not only welcome, but was highly appre- ciated in the new country. He thinks their attention made him a better neighbor than he otherwise might have been. As each cloud has a silver lining, so were the lonely hours then spent to be dissipated by joy and succeeding prosperity. His first crop was a good one, and from that time he has been prosperous. lle has bought and sold several tracts of land, and his ventures have been successful in every respect. Of his children, Samuel was the first one married; his wife was formerly Mahala Shney, and they have three daughters-Mary B., wife of Daniel C. Double, Phebe Luella and Ida May. Mary J. married Jacob Yager, and has four chil- dren living-Maggie, wife of Edward France,
Charles, Lydia and Phebe; John became the linsband of Harriet Kiser, and they had five children -- Charles W., Thomas (deceased), Franklin, Emmett and Emory D .; Robert married Drusilla Metts, and they have six children-Myrtle, Fleetwood, Thomas, Harry, Hope and Golda; Lydia married Andrew J. Cartwright, and they have five children -- Leona M., Alfred, Marcellus, Thomas and Hattie O .; Francena is the wife of llenry Rupright, the commissioner of Wells County, and has had four children -- Wence Gradville, Nellie, Charles (deceased), and Lola; Emmett B. married Lonisa Caid, and they have four children - Joseph, George, Curtis and Blanche; James, the youngest son, was at- taeked with rhenmatism, and for several years has been confined to the house. The death of Mrs. Archibald occurred in 1855. Her husband, during all the long years that have intervened, has remained true to her mem- ory, and has never married. Ilis children have been reared, have married, and are all settled in life. The log cabin has long since been replaced by modern buildings, and the great oaks have been removed from the fer- tile soil. While these changes have wrought a complete revolution on the face of the coun- try, it has also changed the young to the old; the old man who sits by a glowing fire sur- rounded by his children and grandchildren, with wealth at his command, is hardly recog- nized as the pioneer of forty years ago, Ilis hair is streaked with gray, but his mind is keenly alive to the scenes and incidents of the early days. Mr. Archibald served several terms as township trustee, and also as as- sessor; but he has repeatedly refused to be- eome a candidate for official positions. When a candidate he has never been defeated. llis first presidential vote was cast for Andrew Jackson. He has been a member of the Pres- byterian church since 1850, and helped to
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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.
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build the first church in the township. Ile has three great-grandchildren, whose mother, Mary B. Double, was the daughter of Samuel Archibald, Thomas' eldest son.
RS. SARAH A. BUNN is the widow of Jacob Bunn, and both were born in Pennsylvania. The husband was born near Mercersburg, Franklin County, in 1504, and our subject at Newberg, Cumber- land County. Jacob was a son of Nicholas and Rosanna Bunn, and when thirty years of age he left Pennsylvania and settled at Man- elester, Stark County, Ohio. The mother of our subject, Barbarn Wheeler, died in Pennsylvania, and her father, Daniel Wheeler, with five children, John, Jacob, Lena, Thom- as and Sarah A., emigrated in 1825 to Stark County, Ohio, where our subject formed the acquaintanee of and married Jacob Bunn in 1836. Three years later they removed to this county, settling upon the land that Mrs. Bunn yet owns. Jacob had entered the land the year previous, and engaged some of the residents to build a cabin, that his family might have suitable shelter when they ar- rived. Two children, Jaines and Dennis, were born in Stark County, and were small children when their parents settled in their western home. They were the eighth family to settle in Jefferson Township. A wagon drawn by one horse, containing necessary bedding, with wife and babies, completed the load. Mrs. Bunn drove the horse while her husband attended to the two cows that were driven through. Two young men aceom -. panied them, but they remained ouly a short time. When they arrived in 1839 not a stick had been ent except where the eabin stood; but that autumn found two acres cleared and sown to wheat. During the win-
ter several acres more were cleared for corn, and the coming spring found the enterprising farmer ready to plant his erop. The malarial atmosphere brought the ague, which pre- vailed extensively; yet the heroie pair held bravely on, until by their united exertions the heavy forests had melted away and a nice farm was opened up in the wildwood. The rude log cabin was replaced by a neat hewed- log house, which in turn gave way to the substantial frame building. Their first barn was built of hewed logs, and still stands a monument to the memory of pioneer days, and its builder, Jacob Bunn. Other children came to grace their home-Harriet, David, Jennette, Caroline, Lewis, Isabella, Sabina, Mary and Harrison. Jacob Bunn was for a number of years a member of the Dunkard ehureh, and died firm in that faith. His death ocenrred in the autumn of 1877, having lived long enough to see a large family well settled in life. Harriet married Dr. A. HI. Metts, and is now deceased; Jen- nette married Henry Gailhouse, a resident of Ohio; Caroline is the wife of Samnel Hughes, who lives on the Bunn homestead; Isabella became the wife of Elza Justus, now in the lumber trade in Mississippi; Sabina married Clarence Carr, and they live in Ossian; Mary E. married Cyrus Weaver, a carpenter and joiner, of Decatur, Indiana; James, deceased, was a farmer, and married Susan Trenary, and they had three children; David married Almira Springer, of Ohio, and has since re- sided in that State; Lewis and Harrison are unmarried. David was a soldier during the late war, serving in an Ohio regiment, and went through the entire war, except when confined in a rebel prison. Jacob Bunn was a large-hearted man, and the pioneers still speak of his death with regret, as it took from their midst one of the most prosperous and exemplary men. Mrs. Bunn is in her
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seventieth year, and is still hale and vigor- ous. She has a pleasant home in Ossian, and is surrounded by her children, two of whom make their home with her. Her lot in life is such as befits one who has lived well and truly.
TILLIAM MERTZ, Jr., druggist, Vera Cruz, was born in Wells County, In- diana, December 22, 1852, a son of Wilhelm and Anna (Engeler) Mertz. Hle attended school until fourteen years of age, and in October, 1868, went to Kendallville, Noble County, to learn the harness-maker's trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years. Ile then returned to his native village and opened a shop and followed his trade about two years. In January, 1874, he pur- chased a drug store, and has since followed that business. He was appointed postmaster under the administration of President Grant, which oflice he has since retained. He has' also held the office of town clerk and of school trustee. Ile was married August 1, 1875, to Miss Lneinda Miller, who was born in Nottingham Township, November 11, 1854, a daughter of Michael and Mary Miller. To this union three children have been born-' Edward Leander, John Roy and Mary Ann. Himself and wife are members of the Evan- gelieal Association, and politically he affili- ates with the Democratic party.
ILHIELM MERTZ, of Harrison Town- ship, was born in Thieringen OA Balingen KR Würtemberg, May 19, 1821, the youngest of nine children of Sieg- fried and Ann Mary Mertz. When fourteen years of age he went to learn the shoemaker's
trade, serving three years as an apprentice. He then worked as a journeyman in his na- tive country for three years, and in Switzer- land six years. May 10, 1849, accompanied by his affianced wife, he started for the United States, and was on the water thirty-six days. During this time he was seriously ill with the small-pox, not being able to leave his berth. They arrived in New York on the sixteenth day of June, went up the Hudson River to Albany, thence to Buffalo by canal, then across Lake Erie to Cleveland and To- ledo, thenee by canal to Fort Wayne, occupy- ing a period of over three weeks. From Fort Wayne they walked to Decatur, near where they had relatives living, but not being able to speak English they went six miles beyond their destination before discovering their mistake. Tired and foot-sore, they were obliged to retrace their steps over the rough roads. From Decatur they again started in pursuit of their relatives, a distance of twelve miles, reaching their destination at night. On the way they met a man named Diehl who volunteered to show them the way. lle took his gun, which, being a strange article to the travelers, made them a little afraid of their guide. After a tedious journey they found their friends, but Mr. Mertz was again taken sick, and for thirteen weeks was eon- fined to the house with ague and bilious fever. August 3, 1849, he was married to Anna Engeler, danghter of John and Magda- lene Engeler, and the following October eame to what is now Vera Cruz, there being one frame house and one log house at that time. They moved into a cabin near the town, making a table of a trunk, and two chairs of elapboards, and in this way they went to housekeeping, as happy as it was possible for two persons to be. Mr. Mertz at once began to work at his trade, going from house to house among the farmers to make their shoes
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HISTORY OF WELLS COUNTY.
Upon one occasion he went to the house of Mr. Prillaman and repaired all the old shoes. Not being able to tell them that he was ready to take their measures for the new shoes, he began packing up his tools. They, thinking he was going, all put up their feet. He took their measures and completed his work. Ile soon built a house for himself, and the town began to grow. In 1853 he built a shop in his residence and diligently followed his trade until 1860, then added to his business as the necessity of the country demanded. Ile carried on a shoe store until 1867, then purchased a half interest in a woolen factory, having Frederick Engeler for a partner three years. In 1870 his health began to fail, and he has been unable to at- tend to active business since. Mr. and Mrs. Mertz have three children-Siegfried died at the age of sixteen years and the eldest, a dangh- ter, died in infancy, and William, Jr., who is in the drug business. The parents are mem- bers of the Evangelical Association, and in polities Mr. Mertz affiliates with the Demo- cratie party.
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