USA > Indiana > Warren County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 44
USA > Indiana > Jasper County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 44
USA > Indiana > White County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 44
USA > Indiana > Newton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 44
USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 44
USA > Indiana > Benton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 44
USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 44
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Henry Robertson moved from Kentucky to Indiana with his parents
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when he was twenty-two years old. His educational advantages were very limited, and his varied and extensive knowledge is the requirement of a naturally strong mind from experience and comprehensive reading. They located four miles north of the present site of Boswell, and his father entered a quarter of section of land, to which he added, at a later time, until he had four hundred acres. Henry Robertson started in with no capital except strong hands and a willing heart, and has amassed a large amount of prop- erty. . He retired from active life in 1893, when he owned two thousand acres of land, and eighty shares in the Citizens' State Bank of Boswell, which has a capital stock of forty thousand dollars. He was elected presi- dent of this institution in 1893, and has held the office continuously since.
He was married August 19, 1868, in this county, to Miss Sarah A. Truby- ville, daughter of John Trubyville, who was a native of North Carolina. Their union has been childless. Mr. Robertson is a Republican, and has been promi- nently identified with the progress of the county, having been the first sheriff of Jasper county, in 1838, and organized the county. He was the first sheriff appointed by the governor, in 1840, to organize Benton county. He has served as county surveyor three or four terms, was trustee at various times, and county commissioner for fifteen years. He was made a Mason in 1856, and is an earnest member of the Presbyterian church at Boswell and one of the present trustees. He is widely known and highly esteemed throughout the community.
DAVID YOST.
The Yost family springs from old colonial stock of Virginia and German ancestry, who were Lutherans. 'Anthony Yost, the grandfather of David, was a farmer in Rockingham county, Virginia, and his children were John, Jacob, Anthony, Abraham, William; Magdalene, who married William Gladden and settled in Wea prairie, Tippecanoe county; a daughter who married a Mr. Bowers and located in Preble county, Ohio; another daugh- ter, who became the wife of a man named Wikles; and still another, who became Mrs. Beck.
Anthony Yost settled at an early day in Preble county, Ohio, as a pio- neer, cleared a tract of land in the forest and passed his remaining days there, as a farmer. He lived to be a man of venerable age, dying at his home in Preble county. Jacob Yost, the father of our subject, was born in 1805, in Rockingham county, Virginia, and when young went to Preble county, Ohio, where he was brought up a farmer and also learned the dis- tilling business. In the county mentioned he married Rachel Fouts, a native of North Carolina. Mr. Yost continued to reside in Preble county, for a
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number of years after his marriage, and then emigrated to Indiana, settling in Tippecanoe county, on the Wea prairie near the Gladdens, about 1839. Next he purchased land on the Wildcat creek, in Carroll connty, and finally owned about two hundred acres. He did not settle on the land just alluded to, but continued to follow the business of distilling, settling about 1843 on land near where his grandson Amos now lives, in Perry township, when there were three distilleries in the neighborhood.
His children were: William, born in 1827; Isaac, in 1829; James, about 1831; David, January 17, 1832; Catherine, who died an infant; Jacob; Levi, who died young; Mary, John and George. The first six were born in Preble county, Ohio, and the others in this county.
Mr. Yost was an industrious and upright man who reared his children to good habits. He died in August, 1854, in Perry township, this county, at the age of fifty-five years.
David Yost, the father of our subject, was born January 17, 1832, in Preble county, Ohio, and was seven years old when brought by his parents to Tippecanoe county. He received no school education, but learned to read and write by his own energies, while he was brought up among the typical pioneers of this great state. Throughout the most of his life, especially in his younger days, he was employed in clearing land. At the age of twenty-two years, in 1855, in Perry township, he married Mary J. Weaver, who was born March 7, 1839, in that township, a daughter of John and Catherine (Homer) Weaver. John Weaver was born in Ohio, of sturdy Pennsylvania-Dutch stock from Montgomery county, Ohio. He moved to Tippecanoe county in pioneer times, locating on land in Perry township. His father, Jacob Weaver, also came to Perry township and built a mill on the south fork of the Wild-cat, and this was one of the earliest mills in Perry township. John Weaver became a prosperous and substantial farmer, owning at the time of his death about two hundred acres of land. His chil- dren were Samuel, Charles, Mary J. and James. He died at the age of about fifty-five years, a member of the " Dunkard " church.
After his marriage David Yost resided in Perry township, bought land in the green woods in Ross township, Clinton county, Indiana, where he cleared a goodly farm of eighty acres, and completed a comfortable resi- dence with inviting premises. By his first wife his children were Charles, Wisley and John. The mother of these children died in 1858, three years after marriage, at the early age of nineteen years. She was a young woman of noble character. In 1865 Mr. Yost married, in Darke county, Ohio, Mrs. Sarah (Weybright) Lucas, the widow of George Lucas, and by this marriage there were five children: Aaron, Amos, David, Rachel and Nancy. Mrs. Yost died March 21, 1877. Mr. Yost is a member of the German Baptist
:
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church, as were also both his wives. He has always been a hard-working farmer, and, in relation to his fellow-citizens, zealous in good works.
Amos D. Yost, one of the sons above mentioned and also one of the sub- jects of this sketch, was born in Clinton county, Ohio, April 27, 1867, brought up on a farm and received a common-school education and also a normal education at the National Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio, and also a collegiate training at Purdue University, near Lafayette, this state. After quitting the halls of scholastic learning he began teaching a public school, in Ross township, Clinton county, this state, in 1890, and continued the suc- cessful prosecution of his profession there for five years. In 1896 he began teaching in Perry township, Tippecanoe county, where he is at present a well known educator. He purchased forty acres of good farming land, set- tling upon it in 1895, and here he has a pleasant home. He is a young man of good education and intellectual ability, having a good reputation throughout the county as an efficient educator and being uniformly successful in his sohool work. Politically he is a Republican.
He was married in Clinton county, Indiana, August 13, 1893, to Myrtle Woodruff. Mr. Yost's children are Velda R., born September 11, 1894 ; and Lila Bernice, born February 12, 1898.
Charles W. Yost, another son of David Yost and a patron of this work, was born May 13, 1856, in Carroll county, Indiana, received the usual coun- try-school education and has always been a farmer. At the age of twenty- four years he married, in Perry township, February 17, 1881, Viola May Warwick, who was born in this township, in 1860, a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Staley) Warwick. After marriage Mr. Yost occupied rented land for several years, and in 1892 moved to his present farm of one hundred and fifty acres, well improved. His children are Clarence, Bertha and Eva M. Politically he is a Republican. I He is an honored citizen of the township, of which he has been trustee three years and is a practical, straightforward honorable citizen.
Aaron Yost, still another son of David Yost, is a practical farmer and respected citizen of Perry township, born in Clinton county, Indiana, Octo- ber 21, 1865. He received a common-school education, taught school two winters in Perry township, and October 18, 1889, married Rena Warwick, also a native of this township, born April 28, 1870, on the Warwick home- stead, a daughter of George W. and Catherine (Barr) Warwick. After his marriage Mr. Yost continued to reside on the Warwick homestead, and is well known as a straightforward and practical farmer. His children are Dale M., born April 22, 1890 ; and Verne W., born November 15, 1894.
Professor John Yost, another son of David, has passed all his professional life in the educational field, and is now a resident of Egg Harbor, Wisconsin.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
ARTHUR CHARLTON GOODWINE.
Many years ago there resided in the state of Kentucky a family of set- tlers named Goodwine. James, the husband was of English antecedents, and Sallie, the wife, of German parentage. They were industrious, hard- working people, intent upon making an honest living, and rearing their fam- ily in the ways of honesty and virtue. Among the children was a son, Harrison, born in 1819. Not feeling altogether satisfied with his prospects in Kentucky, he decided upon trying his fortune in another locality, and moved, with his family, to Indiana, locating first near West Lebanon, and later at Jordan's Creek, in Warren county. Here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, which by his frugality and industry was soon increased to sixteen hundred acres. He chose as the partner of his life Miss Isabelle Charlton, who was born in 1815, and was of Irish parentage. After farming for some time in Warren county, Indiana, they moved to Vermilion county, Illinois, and died there-the husband and father in 1887, and the wife two years later, in 1889. They had seven children, of whom our subject, Arthur Charlton, was the eldest. The others are James, a stock-raiser near Talbot, Indiana; Lafayette, a stock-raiser near Hoopeston, Illinois; William, deceased; Jane, the wife of Oscar Crane, of Vermilion county, Illinois; Harrison, a stock-raiser near Rossville, this state; and Jose, deceased.
Arthur Charlton Goodwine made his home with his grandfather from the age of four until he was thirteen, at which time his grandfather died. He was born February 23, 1839, near Williamsport, Warren county, Indiana, and attended the district school until he was eighteen years of age. After the death of his grandfather he returned to his father's home, where he remained until he was seventeen, when he began the cultivation of the one hundred and sixty acres given him by his grandfather. This was situated on Jordan's creek, in his native county, and he added to it until he had an acre- age of almost four times the original. He continued to cultivate this six hun- dred acres until 1866, raising grain and stock and doing a profitable busi- ness. Thinking to better his circumstances, he disposed of his land in 1866 and moved to West Lebanon to open a grocery store. He purchased a resi- dence, store and grocery stock at an outlay of eighteen thousand dollars, and lost the entire amount through misplaced confidence in the clerks in his employ! After this misfortune -he returned and rented three hundred and twenty acres of the home farm from his father. By hard work and close application he succeeded in laying up a small sum, and in 1889 he bought a piece of land in the edge of the town of Ambia, containing thirty-six and three-quarters acres, which he set out in small fruit of all kinds. In 1885 he once more quit the farm, came to Ambia and embarked in the hotel busi-
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ness, conducting the Phoenix hotel; and he erected the greater part of the present building. In 1887 he entered into partnership with his brother Har- rison in a general store in Ambia, which they ran for two years. In 1889 his brother withdrew from the store and Mr. Goodwine disposed of his hotel, and all the stock in the store except the groceries and queensware, and devotes his entire time and attention to that line of goods. His business is on a prosperous footing. He carries a stock valued at four thousand dollars, and owns a nice residence and twenty acres of ground on the old homestead, besides having a life interest in the family property.
He was married March 16, 1858, near West Lebanon, to Miss Eliza- beth Briggs, who was born in Ohio, in 1840, a daughter of Jacob Briggs, and who died in 1875, in Warren county, this state, leaving three children: Capitole, the wife of James Finley, of Fowler, Indiana; Flora Isabelle, the wife of Robert Fix, of Ambia; and Laura, the wife of Thomas Gasway, of Lafayette, this state. Mr. Goodwine's second wife was Mrs. Elizabeth (Rammach) Lerch, of Warren county, who was born in 1853, near Reading, Pennsylvania. Five offspring have been the fruit of this alliance. Pearl was born March 18, 1880; Jane, March 1, 1882; Elmer Ellsworth, May 17, 1887; Benjamin Harrison, September 1, 1889; and Anne Arabel, December 9, 1896.
JOHN C. FREY.
One of the proudest boasts of the United States has always been that her sons who have climbed from a humble station in life-from poverty and obscurity, perhaps-to positions of affluence and respect in a community, constitute the only nobility of this country. To such men we accord the palm of victory and highest praise. In the person of John C. Frey is found another instance of one who has risen by sheer force of character, untiring energy and sound business sense to a place among the representative men of affairs in Lafayette, his native place. With the exception of perhaps a few months he has passed his whole life in this thriving little city and is thor- oughly identified in heart and interest with everything which tends to pros- per and add to the progress of the place.
The parents of the above named citizen were Valentine and Susanna (Koehler) Frey, natives of Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany. The father emigrated to this country in 1850 and for five years was engaged in the manu- facture of brushes in Philadelphia. Thence going to Cleveland, Ohio, he made his home there for a year or so, after which he came to Lafayette, here to make his permanent place of residence. Though he was variously employed here, he was most successful when engaged in the transfer busi-
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ness, conveying freight, etc., from the Wabash railroad to the Monon. For several years he was employed in the government mail service, and during the civil war he served about one year in the Union army. His death occurred in this city in 1887, when he was in his fifty-ninth year. His wife departed this life in 1883, at the age of fifty years. They were members of the Methodist church, and were worthy, respected citizens. In their case one is reminded of the oft-repeated statement that we have no finer, more loyal citizens in our beloved land than the sturdy sons of the German empire, who cast in their lot with us, prepared to do or die for the country of their adoption. Of the four children of this estimable couple three are living, namely: William F., Medora E. and John C. The father of Valentine Frey lived and died in Germany, attaining an advanced age. He was a slate- roofer by trade. In his family were nine sons, who grew up to be good and useful citizens of the various communities in which they settled. The father of Mrs. Susanna Frey, Conrad Koehler, was a tinner by trade, and before leaving Germany, his native land, he served his time in the regular army. After coming to America, he at first resided in Philadelphia, later went to Paris, Ohio, and finally to Bloomington, Illinois, where he died when well along in years.
John C. Frey was born in Lafayette, March 22, 1862, and received a common-school education. His business-like spirit first found exercise when, at an early age, he began selling newspapers. He was still a mere youth when, in company with his brother, William F., he embarked in merchan- dising here, carrying a stock of groceries and general notions and dry goods. They were associated in this enterprise for fifteen years, at the end of which period John C. withdrew, and for a few months engaged in building and con- tracting in Ashland and Bellevue, Ohio. In the meantime he and Mr. Rieff had started a sawmill in Lafayette, and he returned and carried on this enter- prise for four years. Since 1894 he has been in partnership with his brother in the management of the sawmill, in addition to which they own the Planet flouring mills and are stockholders in the Lafayette Wagon Company. John C. Frey is the secretary and treasurer of the last mentioned concern and holds the position of president in the two mill companies. About forty-five men, including teamsters, are employed at the sawmill; some forty hands in the wagon-works and twelve in the flouring mill. He and his brother assisted in organizing the Lafayette Brick Company, he being secretary of the same for some time. They own several fine farms and considerable city property, and are thoroughly wide-awake, pushing business men.
In a social point of view, John C. Frey is as highly esteemed as in com- mercial circles. He is genial, cheerful and companionable, readily making friends, and, what is better still, possesses the secret of retaining the friends
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he makes. He is a member of the Lincoln Club, the Lafayette Club, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Royal Arcanum, and in his political affiliations is an ardent Republican. He and his sister reside in their attractive home, at the corner of Fourteenth and South streets.
EDMUND FRYBACK.
One of the most venerable citizens, honorable pioneers and substantial farmers of Tippecanoe county is Edmund Fryback, who springs from sturdy Pennsylvania Dutch stock. He was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, August 28, 1816, a son of John and Letitia (Emerson) Fryback.
George Fryback, the grandfather of Edmund, was born in Pennsylvania and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, serving under General Putnam, and was in the battle of Long Island. In his old age he used to describe the scenes and incidents of that battle and the retreat of the Americans. He was but a boy of sixteen years when he joined the army. He was married in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, to Susannah Steed, and their children were: George, John, Sallie, Annie, Mary, Lydia (who died young), Susan and Elizabeth. Mr. Fryback moved to Ohio in 1798, settling in Pickaway county, four miles from Circleville, as one of the very early settlers of the county. The coun- try there was then a wilderness and the Indians were plentiful. Mr. Fry- back's farm was in the Pickaway plains, where, about 1807, he entered a half section of land and improved a pioneer farm, and here he passed the re- mainder of his life, dying at the age of about seventy-three years. An old Indian town was on his farm, and here the famous Indian chief, Cornstalk, lived, and Squawtown also was near, on grandfather Emerson's farm.
John Fryback, the father of our subject, was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and was about ten years old when his father located in Picka - way county, in 1798. He served forty days as a soldier in the war of 1812, and was married in Pickaway county, to Letitia Emerson, who was born in Virginia, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Donney) Emerson. The Donneys were of Irish stock and the Emersons of French and English. Thomas Emerson was an old settler of Pickaway county, locating there in 1807, from Hampshire county, Virginia. In this locality he owned three-fourths of a section of land. His children were James, Thomas, John, Nancy (who remained in Virginia), Polly, Letitia, Sarah, Margaret, Elizabeth, Susannah, Matilda and Rachel. Thomas Emerson was a well-to-do and respected farmer, who lived to be about seventy years of age, passing from the scenes of earth in Pickaway county. John Fryback settled on the old homestead of his father and there passed all his remaining days. His children were Ed-
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mund, Benjamin, Mary, George, Robert, Susannah, Nancy, Letitia, Joseph, Sarah J. and Eliza, who grew up, and one who died in infancy. Mr. Fry- back became a farmer in good circumstances. Besides his home farm in Ohio, he had over four hundred acres in Tippecanoe county, Indiana. In his politics he was an old-line Whig. He was a man of delicate health and at the age of forty was unable to do much hard work, his health having been permanently injured in pioneer times by exposure and hard work; but after middle life he grew stronger, and was in fair health at the age of sixty years. He was a man of good mind, and an excellent business manager. Finding that with his large family of children he would not have much to leave them, he entered land in Tippecanoe county and planned to buy more; and, aided by his family, he succeeded well and bought a very valuable tract. He reached the age of eighty-seven years, dying in 1875. His wife was a member of the Presbyterian church.
Edmund Fryback, whose name heads this sketch, in his youth received but little education, and that was in the pioneer log school-house, where even the seats were made of round poles, which were roughly hewed, splinters be- ing left on the surface. The chimney was in the northwest corner. In such a rough place Mr. Fryback attended school, such as it was, until he was about twenty-one years of age. In 1840 he came to Tippecanoe county, and settled on land belonging to his father in Wea township. At that time his father owned about three hundred and twenty acres, which he had entered in 1825, and also the farm of one hundred and sixty-seven acres where he, our subject, now lives. This he purchased, and he also bought a quarter- section more and also a lot of twenty-three acres, so that altogether he had in Wea township about six hundred and sixty-five acres. Edmund received his share, two hundred and fifty-seven acres, on which there was some clear- ing, and some of the land was prairie. He improved this land and prospered by his steady industry and good management, becoming in time one of the most substantial farmers in Wea township. He now owns five hundred and sixty acres in Tippecanoe county, one hundred and sixty acres in Illinois, forty acres in Pulaski county, this state, and three hundred and twenty acres in Newton county, Kansas-making in all one thousand and eighty acres. All his life he has been energetic, hard-working and steady.
In his political principles he is a stanch Republican. In 1870-1 he was one of the county commissioners, discharging the duties of the office to the satisfaction of the citizens. Religiously, he is a member of the Lutheran church, in which he was an elder for a number of years. He has always been a public-spirited man, in favor of good schools and roads, and in every way he has always been a progressive citizen, well known for his straight- forward life as an honest and honorable man.
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September 13, 1843, in Wea township, this county, he was married to Elizabeth Hoover, who was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, June 26, 1816, a daughter af John and Elizabeth Hoover. John Hoover was a farmer and miller, who in an early day moved from Ohio to Wea township, this county, entered land and became a well-to-do farmer. He died August 3, 1849, at the age of sixty-five years and five months; and his wife, Eliza- beth, whom he had married January 24, 1805, died January 19, 1856, aged sixty-eight years and five months. From their old family Bible we copy the following. record:
Alexander Hoover, born November 6, 1805; Henry, January 17, 1807; Polly, January 21, 1809; John, March 22, 1811; William, March 28, 1814; Elizabeth, January 26, 1816, Jacob, May 20, 1818; Elias, June 28, 1820; Samuel, March 10, 1823; Levi, July 31, 1825; David, Decemer 22, 1827; and Lemuel, September 30, 1830. Deaths: Alexander, October 5, 1856; Henry, November 9, 1863; John, October 30, 1849; Jacob, March 31, 1842; Samuel, August 12, 1871; and Lemuel, November 12, 1865.
In religion Mr. Hoover was a Friend or Quaker, and was an exem- plary citizen, rearing his children to excellent habits.
Mrs. Fryback died November 20, 1884, aged sixty-eight years, five months and four days. She was a devoted member of the Lutheran church and a woman of excellent character. Mr. and Mrs. Fryback were the parents of one son, who was born January 16, 1848, and died five days afterward.
JAMES W. SCHOOLER.
James W. Schooler, a member of the firm of Wilgus & Schooler, en- gaged in the real-estate, loan and insurance business in Lafayette, is also a prominent political leader and holds the position of secretary of the Demo- cratic county central committee, as well as that of secretary of the city cen- tral committee. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 17, 1863, a son of William W. and Anna (Sullivan) Schooler, the former a native of Penn- sylvania and the latter of London, England.
In the parental family were three children, of whom our subject is the only survivor. He came to Indiana with his parents at an early day and they settled on a farm near Crawfordsville, where William grew to manhood and was married. When the civil war broke out he enlisted in the Eleventh In- diana Volunteer Infantry, which was under command of the well known writer, General Lew Wallace. With his regiment Mr. Schooler saw active service through the famous Atlanta campaign, and his record is that of a brave, faithful soldier. When the war was over he returned to his family on
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