Biographical and historical record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana : containing portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Jay and Blackford Counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families and a concise history of Jay and Blackford Counties and their cities and villages., Part 19

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 922

USA > Indiana > Jay County > Biographical and historical record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana : containing portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Jay and Blackford Counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families and a concise history of Jay and Blackford Counties and their cities and villages. > Part 19
USA > Indiana > Blackford County > Biographical and historical record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana : containing portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Jay and Blackford Counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families and a concise history of Jay and Blackford Counties and their cities and villages. > Part 19

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Jacob M. Bosworth settled in the southern part of Wayne Township in 1836, was a farmer, and afterward practiced medicine also. He was well known throughout the county, on account of his superior intelligence. It is said that he delivered the first temperance address west of the Alleghany Mountains. He died at College Corner, in 1866.

Daniel W. McNeal, also county surveyor, came soon afterward. He died many years ago, in Portland.

B. B. Snow, who studied with Dr. Milli- gan, practiced here awhile and moved to Adams County, where he died about 1870.

Joseph Watson, a fine man, also studied medicine in the office of Dr. Milligan, resided at College Corner for a time, and died in 1874 or 1875.

Emanuel Reed, another student of Dr. Milligan, practiced medicine in Portland for a period, when death ended his career.

T. J. La Follette studied the healing art under the direction of Dr. Joseph Watson, practiced medicine at Portland, and also for a time edited the Democratic Review. He now resides in Whitley County, this State.

Dr. Van Fossen practiced medicine here a short time.

Isaac B. Beal, regular, located at Camden

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about 1841 or 1842, and practiced tliere until his death in 1857 or '58. He was a native of Maryland, a Hicksite Friend, and had a good practice.

William Freeman, from New York, located at Camden in 1846, practiced many years was surgeon during the war for two Indiana regiments successively, and died some five or six years ago. A son of liis, a very worthy man, is practicing medicine at Decatur.

E. M. Morrison, regular, located at Cam -. den about 1852, remaining until 1859. He was a native of Preble County, Ohio, a gradu- ate of the Ohio Medical College, and a good practitioner.

Benjamin Hull Jones, a native of Olio, became dissipated, and by accident shot away a large portion of his face.

The medical profession of Portland now comprises Drs. D. S. Stanton, C. S. Arthur, T. S. Shepherd, D. S. Kinsey, H. C. Hutchens, C. W. Mackey, Robert P. Davis, J. W. Hall and Jolin T. Dickes, regular; I. G. Sims, eye and ear; James and S. A. D. Gillum, Ezra W. Moon, John A. Moorhous, Arthur Milli- gan and S. K. Poling, eclectic; and F. W.

Mincks, homeopathic. Some of these, as Drs. Stanton, Arthur and Gillum, have been practicing in this county for thirty to forty years. Sketches of most of the above appear elsewhere.

Dr. H. C. Hutchens was only six years old when, in 1840, his parents settled in Noble Township. He commenced practice in Bellefontaine in March, 1869, and for the last four years has followed liis profession in Portland.

Dr. Arthur Milligan was born in October, 1859, in Bear Creek Township, his father being J. Wilson Milligan. In 1880 he began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. Moorhous, and graduated in February, 1883, at the Physio-Medical Institute at Cincinnati, since which time he has practiced his pro- fession at Portland.

For the other physicians of the county, see the respective village histories and the index to the biographies.

The regular physicians of tlie county have an active medical society, and the eclectics some years ago formed an organization but are not keeping it up.

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THE PRESS. K

HAT " the pen is might- ier than the sword " is a saying so trite that one is almost ashamed to qnote it, yet it is worth urging upon the attention of nnobservant peo- ple that the rapid progress of humanity in the nineteenth century is due, more than to any other one agency, to im- proved facilities of travel and communication. Railroads, mails and newspapers have be- come necessities to mankind, though many are now living who are older than the oldest railroad, and to whom a daily paper once seemed a useless extravagance. Even now changes are made yearly, and improvements discovered of such moment that the future value and function of the newspaper cannot yet be estimated.

Types were first nsed to reproduce only the Bible, and snclı books as were demanded in large numbers. Then came the periodical and pamphlet. The reviews and magazines increased in number and frequency of publi-

cation, and then the weekly newspaper was established, to be supplemented in time by the daily journals. At first only large cities could support papers; now it is a poor vil- lage that cannot have one or more, and a small county that has not its half dozen. One of the most important changes in the devel- opment of the country newspaper occurred from 1860 to 1870. Before the former date, home news, locals and correspondence were not considered worth printing, but the read- ing matter was composed of reprints from the great journals, news from Europe, pro- ceedings of Congress, and heavy editorials on national politics. Now these are supplied by the large city papers, which are brought to every village by those annihilators of dis- tance, the railroads, and the paper is largely filled with home news. The best connty paper now is the one which gives the most space to town and county news, correspond- ence from every postoffice, and the proceed- ings of local organizations.

In Jay County, to-day, are published five newspapers, while many more have been issued that are now defunct, by change of name and suspension. Generally speaking,

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HISTORY OF JAY COUNTY.

the editors have been men of intelligence and enterprise, while to-day tlie members of the press are considered to be far above the average in ability and scholarship.

PORTLAND COMMERCIAL.

Let us first briefly mention what may be considered the ancestry of this paper, namely, those whichi have, in succession, served the Republican element.

The first newspaper published in Jay County was the Portland Journal, com- inenced in September, 1852, by James M. Bromagen. The means was furnished mainly by General J. P. C. Shanks. In politics it was neutral; but in 1854, when the Douglas Democracy repealed the Missouri compro- mise and opened the gate to slavery in the Ter- ritories, we find the Journal in the hands of J. Y. Hoover and L. M. Morrison, taking the side of the " Anti-Nebraska " party, as tlie Republican, or anti-slavery party, was then called. October 21, that year, Mr. Morri- son's name disappeared from the head of the editorial column. Some time in the winter of 1856-'57 this pioneer periodical was dis- continued, its circulation at that time being about 300 copies.

In March, 1858, the Jay County Republi- can was first issued by Hon. J. P. C. Shanks and L. M. Morrison. In a short time Mr. Morrison sold to William S. Jones, and on the 13th of April the last number was issued.

September 8 following, the Jay Torchlight was commenced by M. W. Montgomery, in a room of the abandoned old brick court- house, and afterward moved to Miller's build- ing. During the first year its circulation increased from 300 to nearly 600. July 18, 1861, R. C. Harper became one of the pro- prietors, but re-sold to Mr. Montgomery April 17, 1862. In the summer of the latter year L. G. Dynes edited a few issues. At

the close of the third volume Mr. Montgom- ery sold the paper to P. S. Loofbourrow, who in 1865 moved the office away.

Next, the Jay and Adams Republican appeared, owned and edited by R. C. Harper, who for the purpose bought the office of the Democratic Review. The first issue was dated August 3, 1865. In 1866 the names of J. P. C. Shanks and David V. Baker in turn appear as editors. December 30, 1869, the paper was considerably enlarged. About this time Mr. Harper sold to Joseph E. Jones, who a few months afterward died of consumption, and his father, Joseph H. Jones, then took charge. During the first week of December, 1871, he sold the periodical to Elias J. Marsh, who changed the name to the Portland Commercial, issuing the first number on the 7th of that month. July 1, 1883, he sold to J. M. Beelman, of Findlay, Ohio. October 9, 1884, Mr. Marslı purchased a lialf interest in the paper, and February 10, 1887, Mr. Beelman's remaining interest also, and is now the sole proprietor and editor. March 3, 1887, is the date of the first number printed by steam-power furnished by natural gas as a fuel, the first newspaper in the county so printed. March 17 the enterpris- ing editor published an elaborate history of the gas enterprise at Portland in " booming " style. Mr. Marsh is a pushing man. During the agricultural fairs hie issues a daily, and since April 2, 1887, he has been publishing a regular daily, giving all the news. W. F. Warren, city editor.

ELIAS J. MARSH, editor and proprietor of the Portland Commercial since 1871, was born November 9, 1846, in Hancock County, Indiana. William Marsh, his father, was a farmer in limited circumstances, a faithful member of the Society of Friends, and died October 12, 1861, aged forty-four years, eight months and seventeen days. Martha Ann,

AAAAAA

Very Truly yours E. J. MMarsh

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his wife, was born in Virginia June 6, 1814, and died August 4, 1879. They reared a family of six children, of whom Edith, the eldest, died in youth; Elias J. and Margaret were twins; the latter is now the wife of Amos C. Beeson and resides in Winchester, Indiana. Thomas L. has been engaged until recently in the manufacture of tiling at Spiceland, Henry County, Indiana; William P. is a farmer near Winchester; Benjamin F. is an attorney at law at the same place. Mr. Marsh, the subject of this sketch, was sixteen years of age when his father died. He then entered upon an apprenticeship in the print- ing office of the Hancock Democrat at Green- field, continuing there two years, and com- pleting his knowledge of the art at Indianap- olis. A portion of his wages, and apprentice printers' wages are proverbially small, was devoted to the maintenance of the family. In 1870 he launched forth in the newspaper business, buying the Winchester (Indiana) Journal in partnership with his brother-in- law, Mr. Beeson; but the following year he came to Portland, purchased the Jay and Adams Republican, changed the name to Portland Commercial, issuing the first num- ber December 14, 1871, since which time he lias conducted it as the principal paper of Jay County. He was married May 8, 1870, to Miss Anna B. Peck, of Sedgwick County, Kansas, the license for the marriage being the first issned in that county after its organi- zation. The ceremony was performed by Esquire Steele, in the shade of a large elm tree, on the banks of the beantiful Little Arkansas River, in the presence of a large circle of relatives and friends. Mrs. Marsh is the daughter of Edward A. and Margaret E. Peck, the former a native of Boston, Mas- sachusetts, and the latter of Kentucky. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Marsh are-William E., George, Bertha R., Glenn and Earle J.

The eldest son is already completing the course in the grammar grade of the public school, and was neither tardy nor absent during the last year, nor this year, up to date of writing. Being somewhat under the inedium stature and weight, and of a chiar- acteristic wiry constitution and active tem- perament, Mr. Marsh belongs to that class of inen who are proverbially known to do the largest portion of the hard work of the world. Accordingly, he is a well posted Republican, a witty editor, a driving business man, and a philanthropic advocate and worker for all the public enterprises calculated to build up the moral and material interests of the com- munity in which he resides. Commencing as an apprentice printer, and devoting a large portion of his meager wages to the support of his mother and family, he has nevertheless managed to accumulate some property. He has dealt considerably in real estate in Portland, built two business blocks, and was president of the company who built the Merchants' Hotel. He is a strong tem- perance man, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and of the orders of Free- masonry and Knights of Pythias.

PORTLAND SUN.

We will first notice briefly those papers which might be logically, if not organically, considered the predecessors or ancestors of the Sun.

The Jay County Democrat was started November 27, 1856, as a five-column folio, with W. M. McCormick as editor and pro- prietor. May 5, 1858, is the date of the first number showing that G. H. Moore was admitted as a partner. After running some- time longer, it was discontinued.

The Democratic Review was ushered into existence October 1, 1863, with C. C. Morri- cal as editor and proprietor. It was a seven

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HISTORY OF JAY COUNTY.

column folio. In the fall of 1864 the head- ing shows that W. J. Stewart and T. J. La Follette were editors and proprietors. The paper was discontinued.

The Live Hoosier, Democratic, was com- inenced May 4, 1871, as a six-column folio, with H. F. Kingsberry as editor and pro- prietor, who, August 20 following, sold it to W. W. Timmonds, of Sidney, Ohio. The latter changed its name to Portland Demo- crat, and afterward to Jay County Granger, eight columns folio. January 16, 1879, on the suggestion of George M. IIolloway, assistant editor, the name was changed to the Portland Sun. September 3, 1881, Mr. Timmonds sold the paper to Bayard S. Gray, who conducted it until December 14, 1885, when he sold to the Sun Publishing Com- pany, then comprising Hon. John M. Smith, George P. Holloway and L. J. Craig. In November, 1886, Mr. Craig sold his interest to Mr. Holloway, and in January, 1887, Mr. Smith sold his interest to George M. Hollo- way. The paper is now owned by the Sun Publishing Company, consisting of George P. and George M. Holloway, the latter being the manager and editor. The paper is now a six-colinnn quarto, printed with large type on a fine, heavy quality of white paper, and is edited with care and spiced with' wit. The office is on the first floor, spacious, clean and convenient.

GEORGE M. HOLLOWAY, manager of the Sun Publishing Company, and editor of the Port- land Sun, was born in Shelby County, Ohio, April 3, 1858. A sketch of his parents is given as the next topic. He was five years of age wlien they moved to Bear Creek Town- ship, this county, settling upon a farm, and was about eleven years old when they moved to Portland. At the age of fourteen, Mr. Holloway, the subject of this sketch, entered the printing office of the Portland Democrat,

W. W. Timmonds, proprietor, and worked there uninterruptedly until May, 1878, part of the time as local editor, when he went to Manchester, Adams County, Ohio, and estal)- lished the Manchester Herald. About ten months afterward he returned to Portland, and to the employ of Mr. Timmonds, and his suggestion at this time that the name of the paper be changed from Granger to Sun was adopted. In January, 1882, after his mar- riage, lie moved to Lima, Ohio, where for four years he was the local editor for the Allen County Democrat. In December, 1885, he returned to Portland again, and has since been manager of the Sun. In January, 1887, the present company was formed. Mr. Holloway is an active member of the Port- land Lecture Association, and takes a lively interest in the public welfare generally. December 22, 1881, is the date of Mr. Holloway's marriage to Miss Susanna Waltz, daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Dunham) Waltz. She was born in 1856, in Miami County, Ohio. They have three children, namely, Lella A., born December 21, 1882; Ina M., January 27, 1884; and Emma G., April 21, 1886.

GEORGE P. HOLLOWAY, senior member of the Sun Publishing Company, Portland, was born in Vigo County, Indiana, in 1820, a son of Gooding and Alma (Palmer) Holloway. A brother of his paternal grandfather was in the American service during the Revolution- ary war, being Captain of a privateer, and he was successful in capturing many prizes from the British. When George was seven years of age his parents moved with their family to Miamisburg, Montgomery County, Ohio, where he remained until he was six- teen years of age; from that time until he was twenty he was at Springboro, Warren County, that State, learning the saddle and harness maker's trade, which he followed in

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his native county two years, in Warren Connty again for a time, Bellbrook, Greene County, Ohio, two years, Miami County six years, Shelby County four years, and May 25, 1863, he settled in Bear Creek Town- sluip, Jay County, Indiana, on a farm. Two years afterward he moved to Portland, which he has since inade his home, following his trade, and recently adding thereto an interest in the Sun office. When he was four years of age his hip-joint was dislocated, and for the want of a physician it was not replaced, and to this day he has been a cripple. Starting out in the world thus crippled and with but little mneans, and suffering severe losses, once by fire when he was burned ont at Lena, Miami County, Ohio, and once dur- ing the war when a large portion of his gro- cery capital was ont on trust among thie soldiers and uncollectable for the time, this faitlıful citizen has struggled hard and long and accumulated a little property, and has even contributed liberally of his means for the public welfare in various ways. He ventured some money in the first experiment for the discovery of natural gas at Port- land. He served as justice of the peace 1871-'75. In 1847 he joined the order of Odd Fellows, and is now the oldest member in Jay County; was a charter mem- ber of Omega Lodge, No. 281, which was organized by his personal effort in May, 1867, and is now a member of the Grand Lodge of the State of Indiana, I. O. O. F. Mr. Holloway was first married in 1844 to Elizabethı Wheaton, who died in 1846. In 1848 lie married Elizabeth Carmony, who was born in 1818. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Holloway are-Amanda, who died at the age of eight years; Jacob N., born in 1849, residing in Portland; Mary Alma, who married W. R. Haffner and resides in Bear Creek Township, aud George M.

JAY COUNTY BAZOO.

The first number of this paper was issued December 3, 1886, by Messrs. Moudy & Vaus, and was printed in the Jaqua building on Main street until the following April, when it was moved to the rooms over Ey- man's grocery, on Meridian street. In May a steam press was purchased and placed in the office. The paper is a five-column quarto, Republican in politics, fresh in its editorials, and painstaking in giving the news. During the first four months of its existence it reached a circulation of about 700 copies.

MARTIN V. MOUDY was born in Williams County, Ohio, July 9, 1845, and was reared and educated there. September 10, 1861, lie enlisted in Company E, Thirty-eighth Ohio Infantry Volunteers, and served three years, being discharged September 10, 1864, after which he re-enlisted in the Eighteenth Ohio, serving seven months longer. He partici- pated in nearly all the battles in which the Army of the Cumberland was engaged-his regiment being in that division-as the bat- tles of Perryville, Stone River, Chicka- manga, Missionary Ridge, campaign of Atlanta, and the battle of Jonesboro, Geor- gia, but was never wounded or sick for a single day, although he was at the front a great deal and had many narrow escapes. For some years after the war he followed building, taking contracts, and lıis healtlı failing somewhat he took to journalism, ed- iting the Felicity (Ohio) Times nearly two years; then, establishing the Ridgeville (In- diana) Enterprise, he conducted it nearly one year. IIe then came to Portland, and has since been publishing the Jay County Bazoo. He was married in 1868, to Miss Carrie Wartenbee, daughter of Isaac and Eliza Warteubee, and a native of Defiance County, Ohio. His children are-Willard, Edward and Bessie.

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HISTORY OF JAY COUNTY.

J. W. VAUS was born October 3, 1847, in Williams County, Ohio. His parents were natives of Caroline County, Maryland, and moved in 1810 to Pickaway County, Ohio, when the country there was almost an unbroken wilderness, and in 1836 or 1837 to Williams County, same State. His father, T. W. Vans, died in 1881, at the age of sev- enty-four years, and his mother, née Elizabeth Towers, in 1884, aged seventy-six years. Mr. Vans was brought up to agricultural pursuits. From 1871 to 1874 he was engaged in the grocery business, and for about seven years afterward in carpentering and building, etc. Since October 1, 1885, he has been in part- nership with Mr. Moudy. Since the age of fourteen years he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which society he has served as steward two terins. He was married in 1869, to Miss Catharine, daughter of George and Sarah Rittenour, and a native Williams County, Ohio. They have one daughter, named May.

REDKEY BANNER.

The Redkey Gazette was started in June, 1880, by F. N. Haines. This was succeeded in October, 1881, by the Redkey Observer, James U. Roland, editor and proprietor, and this in 1883 by the Redkey Weekly Enter- prise, J. W. Apple, proprietor, which also proved to be too weakly an enterprise to re- main long. Next, John B. Heath, the sanie year, set up the Redkey Post; it fell down, and in 1884 G. H. Faulkner flourished the Redkey Record a little while, after which the Post was set up again, and lastly the Redkey Banner has been unfurled to the breeze, since May, 1886, by H. Oliver-fonr columns quarto. A job office is attached. All the foregoing papers were neutral or inde- pendent in politics.

Mr. Oliver, who is also a practicing attor-

ney, was born in Greene County, Ohio, in 1849. When five years of age his parents moved with him to Washington Township, Blackford County, Indiana. and fifteen years later to Jonesboro, Grant County. From 1874 to 1886 Mr. Oliver was engaged in the practice of law, and for the last six years he has also been employed in newspaper work. In 1880 he established the Jonesboro Eagle, and subsequently the Jonesboro Gazette, and in 1886 he came to Redkey, as above noted. In 1884-'85 he was prosecuting attorney for Grant County. His father, Harrison Oliver, died in 1880; his mother, Mrs. Lucy Oliver, is living. April 28, 1869, the subject of this sketch married Mrs. Martha Anderson, who has a daughter named Laura. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver have had three children-Lucy, who is the wife of L. E. Howe; Charles, and Maggie, who died at the age of nine years.

THE TRI-COUNTY PEOPLE,

a sprightly seven-column folio newspaper, is a new enterprise in Pennville. The paper was started by James A. Russell and Edward L. D. Murtha, two Jay County boys who have spent the greater portion of their lives with- in its bounds, and connected with its business interests; and being practical printers, young, active and enterprising, the paper is one of the newsiest and best conducted publications in the county. The first number of The People was issued April 28, 1887, and though in a town where patronage is neces- sarily limited, started out with a circulation of 500 copies, and the subscription list has been constantly on the increase froin the first. It is the determination of the publishers to make the paper one of the solid institutions of the place, and in their efforts in this direc- tion they are warmly seconded by their con- stituency.

The Liber Lamp was a monthly organ of Liber College before the war.

217

NATURAL GAS.

BY PROF. ELWOOD HAYNES.

RIOR to the spring of 1886 the existence of natural gas in Indiana had never been even dreamed of by either geologists or any other parties. The geologists said it would be a waste of time and money to attempt to drill into the Trenton rock for either gas or oil, as it had already been penetrated in many places and neither had been found in paying quantities. But about twenty- five years ago a dentist in Findlay, Ohio, Dr. Carr, in sinking a common water well in his yard, found gas, and placed a tin tank in the well to collect it, and from the tank, through an iron pipe, he conducted the gas into his house and thence- forward used it for both light and fuel. He made every effort to induce the people to bore for this useful agent, but he was for that

reason regarded as a " crank," and finally grew afraid of the insane asylum.

Finally, a man at Findlay, named Oster- lein, determined to make a practical test of the matter, and at his own expense drilled a well, which yielded a flow of about 200,000 cubic feet of gas per day! The result was a great surprise to everybody. The product was turned into the mains, and it was soon dis- covered that they had not only the cheapest light that they had ever used, but also the most convenient and economical fuel.

The above instance inay be considered a curious exception to the general rule that scientific inen encourage investigation to promote discovery, as success in this case was achieved by proceeding directly con- trary to the advice of geologists.

FIRST MOVEMENT IN INDIANA.

During the month of December, 1885, while Messrs. Moffitt & Sees, at Portland, were chatting around their foundry stove,

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HISTORY OF JAY COUNTY.

discussing the gas and oil news from Find- lay and Lima, Ohio, Mr. Sees remarked there were both gas and oil in Portland. A few evenings afterward, while talking over the current events of the day with a few business men who had "dropped " into Messrs. Gebhart & Johnson's hardware store, the subject of natural gas and oil came in for a liberal share of the conversation. Mr. Sees, who was an enthusiast from the first, finding those preseut inclined to the opinion that both could be secured in this locality by drilling, commenced talking it up in a general way. After he had " felt the pulse" of quite a numberof onr citizens and found that while many had very little if any confidence in the enterprise, they were generally will- ing to contribute a small amount in the ex- periment, he secured of Hon. John M. Smith articles of association, and commenced solic- iting stock. This was new business for him, and harder than molding castings, especially when he received a square refusal from those with large property interests and who would be greatly benefitted by the development of a rich gas or oil field in this vicinity; but lie labored on and secured quite a goodly nuin- ber of subscribers. Finally, becoming dis- couraged, he declared he would burn the papers and go to work in the foundry; but Mr. Moffitt urged him to "try it again." He started ont, and meeting William N. Curreut, told him he was discouraged and wanted hini to assist in soliciting stock for a gas and oil well. Mr. Current is a bricklayer, and like Mr. Sees, was not very busy, and consented to aid him as best he could. They walked up and down the streets of Portland, solic- ited subscriptions from business men and farmers, many of whom subscribed to get rid of them, for they "hung on like leeches," and wouldn't take no for an answer. The two "made a good team," and what one

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Author: Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 922

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 922