USA > Indiana > Newton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 22
USA > Indiana > Benton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 22
USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 22
USA > Indiana > Warren County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 22
USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 22
USA > Indiana > Jasper County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 22
USA > Indiana > White County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume I > Part 22
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Being a man of good education, Mr. Decker was interested in schools, and after coming to this vicinity he taught one winter, and later served as a
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school examiner for five years. Very active and radical in politics, he was elected by his friends, on the Democratic ticket, to the legislature, where he served for two years, 1846-7. After his return home he was a justice of the peace for three years, and at another time he held the office of township assessor for two years. He voted for Douglas, and, while opposed to the policy of the administration during the war, he was loyal to the Union and assisted in raising Company H, of the Forty-sixth Regiment of Volunteer Infantry. Subsequently he again ran for the office of state representative, and though he made numerous excellent campaign speeches he was defeated by the Whig candidate, the Rev. Mr. Sneathen, a minister of the Christian church. Religiously, Mr. Decker adhered to the German Reformed church, in whose doctrines he had been reared.
For a wife he chose Matilda, daughter of John Wages, and their eldest born, Lewis, whose birth occurred September 24, 1844, died when but two weeks old. James K. Polk, our subject, was the second child. George Washington, born June 18, 1848, now serving as one of the commissioners of Pulaski county, never married but resides with his widowed mother on the old homestead. Julia Ann, born August 4, 1849, married E. W. Hummell. Rebecca, born September 28, 1851, married Ephraim Felker, of this county. Sarah Matilda, born December 10, 1855, is a court stenographer, with head- quarters at the county-seat, Winamac. Mary Ann, born June 15, 1858, married George Bailey, and has one child, named Mary. They live in Blaine township, Garfield county, Oklahoma. Mrs. Matilda Decker was born August 4, 1824, on a farm near Westminster, Maryland, of which state her father, John Wages, was likewise a native. He married Margaret Logue about 1820, in 1831 removed to Germantown, Ohio, and seven years later proceeded to Logansport, Coming to Pulaski county in 1849, he located upon section 35, Indian Creek township, where he owned forty acres. He died March 22, 1855, when about sixty years of age, and in March, 1869, his widow entered the silent land, both being buried at the graveyard in this township. His father, Richard Wages, of Holland-Dutch extraction, married Ann Frizzle, and their children included John; Richard; Rachel, who married Caleb Roach, of Maryland; Elizabeth, who became the wife of a Mr. Frizzle; and Ann, who married a Mr. Penny. William Logue, father of Mrs. Margaret Wages,. was of Irish descent. Two of his sons, Ambrose and William, emigrated. from Maryland to the vicinity of Dayton, Ohio, at an early day, the former becoming a permanent resident there, but the latter returning to his native- state at the end of a year. The other members of that family were Eliza, Elizabeth, Jesse and John.
As stated at the beginning of this article, James K. P. Decker was born and has usually dwelt in Indian Creek township. In his youth he had but
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limited educational advantages, and until he arrived at his majority he con- tinued to aid his father in the care of the home farm. Then for three months he worked at sixteen dollars a month as a farm hand, after which he engaged in ditch contracting, for which he obtained ten or twelve cents per yard, the ditches being made from twelve to fourteen feet wide and from four to six feet deep. This line of business he followed successfully until 1885, chiefly in this township, but also in other parts of this and Starke counties, and employing from four to six men. He then leased forty acres of land of Mrs. Susan Shideler, in Monroe township, on which property stands a house which was erected by George W., brother of our subject.
On the 14th of November, 1867, James K. P. Decker married Catherine Ann, daughter of Frederick and Margaret Reap. She was born in Germany, February 2, 1846, and died October 26, 1870. The infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Decker, Margaret Matilda, born March 1, 1870, died September 6 of the same year. The second marriage of our subject, March 10, 1872, was to Semirah Elizabeth Shideler, daughter of Jacob Shideler. Mrs. Decker was born September 4, 1851, near Dublin, Wayne county. The children born of this union are Rosetta Isabella, whose birth occurred September 26, 1873; Viola Frances Pearl and David Oscar Newton (twins), born August 16, 1876; Charles Lewis, July 24, 1879; Samuel Isaac, born April 26, 1882, and died January 21, 1896; Barbara Alice, born September 21, 1891; and Jessie Agnes, born September 2, 1895.
Politically, Mr. Decker adheres to the early training which he received and is a stanch Democrat. He is one of the trustees and is a valued mem- ber of the United Brethren church.
JESSE JOSEPH HOLTAM.
This gentleman, a general merchant at Earl Park, Indiana, is well estab- lished in a prosperous business, was born in Omaha, Nebraska, December 27, 1861, and is of English and Irish descent. Both his father and his grand- father were born in England. The former, Joseph Holtam, died in Indiana, in 1887, at the age of seventy-eight years. Thomas Holtam, the father of our subject, was born at Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, and in his native land spent the first eighteen years of his life. At eighteen he came to America, landing at New York city, and from there directed his course to Cincinnati, Ohio, thence to Sioux City, Iowa, and later, about 1858, went to Omaha, Nebraska, where he conducted a confectionery store. He died in Omaha, in 1872, at the age of fifty years. The mother of our subject was, be- fore her marriage, Miss Margaret Boyle. She was born in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, daughter of Charles and Mary Boyle, both natives of Ireland and
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both now deceased, his death occurring at the age of seventy-six years and hers at seventy. Mrs. Margaret Holtam is still living and makes her home with her son Allen, in Earl Park. Of her children-one daughter and three sons-we record that Frances is the wife of Oscar Dyer, a farmer near Brookstown, White county, Indiana; Jesse J. was the second born; Charles, who is in the store with his brother, Jesse J., is also the proprietor of the Commercial Hotel of Earl Park; and Allen is also in the store with his brother.
The subject of our sketch spent his boyhood days up to the time he was fourteen at Omaha, where he received his education in the public schools. Between the ages of fourteen and sixteen he was employed in his grandfather Holtam's general store at Reynolds, Indiana, and from that place came to Earl Park to clerk for A. D. Raub & Company, general merchants, and remained with them two years. Following this he was for six years in the employ of R. Jacobs, of Goodland, Indiana, and at the end of this time he went west to Colorado, where he spent three years. Returning to Earl Park, he clerked for his brother Charles. In 1891 he entered into a partner- ship with F. Huntington and they purchased the general store of Charles Holtam, and the following year he bought out his partner and has since con- ducted the business under his own name. He carries a stock of general mer- chandise and hardware valued at twelve thousand dollars and is doing a prosperous and increasing business. Also he owns improved real estate in Earl Park.
Mr. Holtam was married at Earl Park, June 5, 1895, to Miss Mary Gerse, a native of Columbus, Ohio, daughter of Mrs. E. J. Scott, a resident of Earl Park, who came to this place from Columbus. Mr. and Mrs. Hol- tam have one child, Rufus Herold, born June 9, 1896.
While not a member of any church, Mr. Holtam is a regular attendant at the services of the Presbyterian church. Fraternally, he is a Knight of Pythias, which order he joined in 1889, and his political affiliations are with the Republican party. For the past two years he has been town clerk and town treasurer of Earl Park.
JAMES D. HILLIS, M. D.
Lafayette is fortunate in possessing such a superior class of professional men as are numbered among her citizens, and in the field of medicine none surpass Dr. Hillis, who has been established in practice here for the past eight or nine years. While he conducts a general family practice and is very successful, he has made a specialty of late years of bacteriology, toxicology, electrical science, the wonderful "X-rays," etc. In the spring of 1897 his
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ability, skill and experience as a physician was acknowledged anew by his being honored with election to the chair of electro-therapeutics in Purdue University, a position he has since occupied. During the administration of President Cleveland, Dr. Hillis was secretary of the Tippecanoe county board of pension examiners.
Born in the vicinity of Bainbridge, Putnam county, Indiana, September 15, 1854, James D. Hillis is a son of James and Elizabeth (Swift) Hillis. The father was a native of Kentucky, and in early manhood he removed to Putnam county, this state, where he continued actively engaged in agricult- ural pursuits for many years. For his wife he chose a daughter of John Swift, one of the first settlers of Putnam county. Indeed, he it was who built the first pen around the public spring at Greencastle, in the neighbor- hood of which he camped for some time ere he decided on a permanent place of settlement. Finally he located on land about ten miles south of Greencastle, and lived there until his death, at the ripe age of eighty-nine years.
Until he was fourteen years of age Dr. Hillis resided on his father's farm, his time being devoted to the work of the homestead and in attending the district schools. At fifteen he entered Asbury (now DePauw) University. and took the regular classical course, leaving in his sophomore year. While in college he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi society. Then he was principal of the Putnamville schools for a period of two years, and met with success as an educator. After studying under the direction of Dr. Wilcox, of Greencastle, for three years, he attended a course of lectures in Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. In the spring of 1878 he opened an office and began practicing medicine in Darlington, Indiana, continuing there up to the summer of 1879, when he went to Ann Arbor and became a student in the medical department of the University of Michigan. July 1, 1880, he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, receiving the honors of his class, as he was chosen its president. Thus thoroughly equipped for his future professional life, the Doctor returned to Darlington, where he made his home until the autumn of 1890. Since that time he has been a resident of Lafayette and has built up a large and representative practice here. He is a member of the Tippecanoe County Medical Society and the Indiana State Medical Society, and in various ways endeavors to keep thoroughly in sympathy with the spirit of progress in the science of disease and its proper treatment.
At Crawfordsville, Indiana, Dr. Hillis became a member of the Knights of Pythias, and was a charter member of the Darlington Lodge of the same order, and was honored by being made its first chancellor commander. He is also connected with the Uniform Rank, being a member of Company I,
.
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U. R., of that order. He is also a Master Mason, a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Foresters and of the Ancient Order of Druids, and he is the surgeon of the Eighth Indiana Regiment, with the rank of major.
CHARLES C. ROBINSON.
One of the most prominent and successful business men of Lafayette, Charles C. Robinson, a wholesale grocer, was born in Worthington, Hamp- shire county, Massachusetts, May 22, 1833. His parents, Silas and Cynthia (Porter) Robinson, were natives of the same state and resided there during their entire lives, the mother dying in 1879, at the age of seventy-six years, and the father in the summer of 1886, when eighty-four years old. The latter was a tanner by trade but later became a farmer. Both parents were members of the Baptist church and led useful and consistent lives. Of their large family of twelve children but six are now living. These are: Emily, wife of F. E. Burr, of Philo, Illinois; Harriet, wife of Thomas Porter, of Southampton, Massachusetts; Charles C .; Clarissa, widow of Eben Edwards, of Dorchester, Massachusetts; Martha, wife of David Rice, Philo, Illinois; and Eliza, wife of Ferdinand Schadee, of Florence, Massa- chusetts.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was Zebulon Robinson, who was. born near Boston, Massachusetts, and was of English descent. He was a hotel-keeper, had a large family and died when eighty years of age. On the maternal side Mr. Robinson's grandfather, named Porter, was a native of Massachusetts and was a farmer.
The early youth of Mr. Robinson was passed in his native state, where he attended the common schools, then worked in a shoe factory and for a short time on a farm. On reaching his majority, however, he determined to see what the great west held in store for youths of energy and enter- prise, and, bidding farewell to the hills and valleys of New England, in 1854, he took his way to the Prairie state, finding his first stopping place in Kendall county, where for a while he worked by the month on a farm. From there he went to Bureau county and rented a farm, remaining on it for two years. The following two years were spent on a farm in Woodford county. At the end of this time Mr. Robinson decided to change his occu- pation and entered into the general merchandising business in Woodford county one year, removing to Champlain county, where he carried .on his store until 1875, then taking in a partner to whom he entrusted the man- agement of the concern, while he himself returned to Massachusetts, where he spent the next two years.
On March 1, 1877, Mr. Robinson returned to the west, taking up his
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residence in Lafayette, Indiana, and going into the wholesale grocery trade in partnership with C. H. Hale, under the firm name of Robinson & Hale. Three years later Mr. Robinson bought out the interest of Mr. Hale, and since that time has carried on the business in his own name. He still retains his store in Sidney, Champaign county, and employs a number of traveling salesmen to look after his extensive business. In addition to his two stores Mr. Robinson has a well conducted farm of two hundred and fifty acres in White county, Indiana.
The marriage of our subject to Miss Abbie M. Cummings took place at Princeton, Illinois, November 6, 1861. Mrs. Robinson's parents were Preston and Cynthia (Marcy) Cummings, both natives of Massachusetts. Her father when a boy learned the trade of mason in Dudley, Massachusetts, and afterward for a time kept a livery stable in Oxford, that state. In 1863 he removed to Sidney, Illinois, where he carried on farming until his death, in 1868, at the age of fifty years. His widow is now living in St. Louis, Missouri. Mrs. Cummings' father was Bradford Marcy, of Irish descent, and a double cousin of ex-Governor Marcy, of New York. He died when a young man. His wife was Miss Cynthia Stevens, of English descent.
Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, namely : Chester H., who is in the store with his father. He married Miss Victorena Riley, and they have two children living-Nellie F. and Helen E .; Lena M. died in infancy; Fred D. and Frank P. are employed in their father's store; William H. married Miss Miriam G. Bailey and lives in Lafayette; Annie M. is a pupil in the Metropolitan School of Music at Indianapolis; Daniel W. is in college at Oberlin, Ohio; Nellie C. is also a student at Oberlin; Charles C., Jr., is attending the military academy at Culver, Indiana.
Mr. Robinson erected the beautiful residence in which he now resides in 1885. It stands on Perrin avenue, and is one of the most cominodious and handsome homes in Lafayette. While still taking an active part in his various business enterprises, in which his success is due to his perseverance, energy and upright dealings, Mr. Robinson finds time to enjoy many delight- ful hours with his interesting family and with the many friends to whom his hospitable doors are always open. He is alive to all the great issues of the day, and while not an aspirant of office is always ready to work for the pub- lic welfare. Formerly he was a Republican, but for some years past he has been a Prohibitionist. His influence and best endeavors are ever enlisted in behalf of temperance, education and morality. He uses the wealth which he has acquired, by his own exertions, to promote all good causes, and is educating his children to use their time and talents in benefiting not only themselves, but their fellow-men.
Mrs. Robinson is a member of the Universalist church and ably seconds
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her husband in every laudable work. The family is most popular and highly esteemed, not only in Lafayette, but also at all other points where their name is known.
DANIEL E. STORMS.
One of the well known and highly esteemed members of the Tippecanoe county bar is Daniel E. Storms, a native-born son of this county, who has passed his whole life here, with the exception of the time when he was away at college, and no one is more thoroughly identified with the best interests of Lafayette than he. An ardent, hard-working Republican, he possesses many warm friends in the party and has made numerous effective, eloquent speeches during campaigns for the past six years or more. He is now chair- man of the tenth district of the Indiana Republican League. In the frater- nities he is a Master Mason, belongs to the Knights of Pythias and is adju- tant of the Eighth Brigade, Uniformed Rank of the Knights of Pythias, and at present grand prelate of the grand lodge of Indiana.
In the traditions of the Storms family is one to the effect that four brothers of the name, natives of Germany, were among the early colonists of Virginia, and that their surname was originally spelled Sterm, and later Storm, Storme and Storms. Several of their descendants were soldiers in the war of the Revolution, and others served in the war of 1812. Peter and Daniel Storms, brothers, and sons of John Storms, all natives of Virginia, went from their own state to Ohio and thence to Indiana. Here they were numbered among the pioneers of Tippecanoe county, and continued to dwell here until death put an end to their busy lives. One of the sons of Peter was Abner Storms, the father of our subject. He was born in this county in 1826 and for many years was extensively engaged in farming in the vicinity of Stockwell. Now well along in years, he is living retired in the town just mentioned, enjoying the fruits of his former toil, and respected and loved by a large circle of friends whom he has endeared to himself in the past. For a long period he was a local minister in the United Brethren church. His wife, whose maiden name was Philetta Jackson, was a native of Clinton county, Indiana, and was a distant relative of Andrew Jackson.
The birth of Daniel E. Storms took place on the parental homestead near Stockwell, this county, January 30, 1866. His boyhood was passed there and his elementary education was acquired in the district schools. After taking a scientific course to the sophomore year in Purdue University, he engaged in teaching for four years, meeting with gratifying success. He was principal of the seventh ward school in this city one year, and also taught in the Lafayette high school for one year. Prior to his career in this
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Daniel & Storms.
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city as a teacher, however, he spent one year in the United States Military Academy at West Point, having been appointed to that honor on account of fine scholarship and general capability. After he had taught in our high school for a year he entered the law department of the University of Michi- gan, and in 1892 received the degree of Bachelor of Laws, being one of the twenty highest, in a class of over two hundred members, to whom special honors were accorded, for merit. `Admitted to the Indiana bar, Mr. Storms began practice in Lafayette, and for three years was a partner of Judge Davidson. He is now associated with Charles E. Thompson, the firm being Thompson & Storms, Mr. Thompson being the prosecuting attorney of his district. While in the Michigan University Mr. Storms established the Alpha Zeta Chapter of the Kappa Sigma, and it has grown and flourished. His friends are legion, not only in Lafayette, but wherever he has resided, and each additional honor bestowed upon him has been worn with such dignity and conscientiousness that new friends and champions have declared for him. As a lawyer he is aggressive, painstaking and well posted on technical points, and is unhesitatingly ranked with the leading members of the local bar by those best competent to judge. In December, 1897, he was elected county attorney, and was re-elected in December, 1898, and this office he now holds.
In 1891 Mr. Storms married Miss Hattie M. Kerr, of Sugar Grove. They have had three children, one of whom is deceased, while those living are named respectively, Lillian Gladys and Donald Campbell.
EDWIN B. LYMAN.
The late Edwin B. Lyman, dealer in coal, lime, cement, fire-clay, sewer- pipe, etc., at Nos. 110 and 112 North Second street, Lafayette, was one of the reliable, progressive, upright business men of this city. His residence here was of long duration and from the early days of the town's history he was closely associated with its upbuilding and development. He gave his substantial assistance to the promotion of various enterprises started here, from time to time, and was very active in the support of churches and char- itable organizations. In every respect he was what is termed a self-made man, for to himself alone he owed his position of high standing in the busi- ness and social world. Beginning his mature life without capital or influence, he relied upon his own efforts, and by well-applied industry and the exercise of good business methods became well-to-do.
Born in the village of Johnson, Franklin county (now Lamoille county), Vermont, July 17, 1828, our subject was a son of Simeon and Emma Lucre- tia (Potter) Lyman, who were natives of Vermont and Connecticut, respect- 13
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ively. The father was of Welsh descent, while the mother was of French extraction. Of the eight children born to them but two are now living, namely: John Albert, of Oklahoma, and Charles H.,. of Fort Wayne. The father was a fuller, carder and cloth manufacturer, and later in life was the proprietor and manager of a hotel in Johnson, Vermont. For several years he resided in Medina, New York, and in 1851 came to Lafayette, where he died three years later, at the age of sixty-one years. His wife survived him three years, dying when about sixty years of age. She was a member of the Congregational church. Her father, William Potter, was born in Connecti- cut, though his parents were natives of France. He followed agricultural pursuits and lived to be nearly four-score years old. Of his fourteen chil- dren all but one attained mature years and became useful citizens of the several communities in which they dwelt. John Lyman, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was born and lived and died in the Green Mount- ain state. He was a farmer, an honest, industrious man, respected by all who knew him. His death occurred when he was well along in years. His children comprised five or six sons and three daughters.
Until he was a youth of fourteen years Edwin B. Lyman resided on the old homestead in his native state, a portion of his time being devoted to the acquisition of an education in the district schools. Later, it was his priv- ilege to attend a local academy, and for a short time he was a student in a New York institution of learning. For ten years he made his home with his grandfather, assisting him in the management of his large and valuable farm, but in 1853, when the young man was twenty-four years old, he decided to strike out for himself in another field of enterprise.
Coming to Lafayette that year, he and his brother-in-law, John K. Sny- der, entered into partership and for seven or eight years successfully con- ducted a lumber business, also running a planing-mill. In 1861 Mr. Lyman engaged in the coal and lime business, and was therefore one of the pioneers in this branch of trade in the city. He was always very much interested in the raising of fine horses, and on his property near Porter Station, Indiana, known as the "Maple Avenue Stock Farm, " he kept many valuable imported Norman horses. Few, if any, men in this state could boast of a finer lot of high-grade horses, and time and again he had taken the blue ribbon on splendid specimens of horse-flesh at the Lafayette and other state fairs. He also raised cattle and hogs for the market, and did an extensive business in this line. His son, Harry B., is especially interested in the raising of light harness horses.
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