USA > Indiana > Warren County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 53
USA > Indiana > Jasper County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 53
USA > Indiana > White County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 53
USA > Indiana > Newton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 53
USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 53
USA > Indiana > Benton County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 53
USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Biographical history of Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Pulaski counties, Indiana, Volume II > Part 53
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
Mr. Griffin has been twice married. On the 27th of November, 1878, he wedded Louise French, daughter of Edward French. She was born at Bath, Steuben county, New York, October 29, 1848, and died April 4, 1888. On the 3d of March, 1892, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Griffin and Miss Aurilla Morris, a native of Covington, Indiana. Socially he is con- nected with South Englewood Lodge, No. 448, I. O. O. F., in which he has filled all of the chairs, serving as treasurer of the lodge at the present time. He and his wife are members of the adjunct order known as Daugh- ters of Rebekah, and in politics he is a Republican. His genuine worth and upright life commend him to the confidence and respect of all, and he is uniformly held in high regard.
EMANUEL CIRCLE.
There are everywhere very many worthy members of society who are un- able to trace their lineage and their family history with any degree of definite- ness and completeness; but it is conceded that the knowledge of a creditable family history tends to stimulate the men of to-day to emulate the virtuous achievements of their ancestors. 'Squire Emanuel Circle, of White Post township, Pulaski county, is especially fortunate in this respect.
The Circles are numbered among honored old Virginia families, and are of Hessian stock. Abraham Circle, great-grandfather of Emanuel Circle, came from Hesse about the time of the American Revolution, accompanied by his wife and nine sons and a daughter. Locating in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, he became an extensive land-holder and farmer. It is said that he
1008
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORI.
owned three thousand acres and three hundred negro slaves, besides saw- mills, gristmills and still-houses. He did not do military service in defence of the colonies, nor did he side with his brother Hessians. It is said that his friendship for Washington, with whom he was personally acquainted, kept him neutral, with a leaning toward the patriot cause. He served the cause of his adopted country, however, in the war of 1812. He died in Virginia, at a ripe old age.
Among his sons were Peter and Michael Circle. Michael founded the town of Circleville, Tipton county, Indiana. Peter, who was the grand- father of 'Squire Emanuel Circle, married in Virginia and moved to Spring- field, Clark county, Ohio, about 1819, and lived there about ten years. From there he moved to Mercer county, Ohio, where he took up an im- proved farm of forty acres, and he died at the age of about eighty years. His children were James, Emanuel, Andy, Jacob, Regina, Sally and Annie. He was a devoted Lutheran during all the active years of his life. James Circle, father of Emanuel, was born December 1, 1808, in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, and was eleven years old when his parents removed to Clark county, Ohio. There he married Mary Oatewalt, who also was born in the Shenan- doah valley, daughter of George and Frances (Hall) Oatewalt. George Oatewalt came from Virginia to Ross county, Ohio, and moved thence to Clark county. He was an exhorter in the Methodist church and a soldier in the war of 1812. He was an influential man and an extensive farmer, being the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of fine land. He lived to be seventy-six years old.
James Circle located in Mercer county, Ohio, in October, 1837, and was a pioneer there, nine miles distant from any one who could help to raise his log cabin, and thirty or forty miles from the nearest mill, at Piqua. His original entry of eighty acres was doubled in area, and in time he had one of the finest farms in that part of the country. James Circle had children named as follows: Joana, born February 28, 1835; Francis, March 10, 1837; Margaret, June 5, 1838; Sarah, March 15, 1841; George, March 28, 1842; Emanuel, October 4, 1845; Matthew, February 15, 1848; Catharine, April 4, 1852; John, December 5, 1854; Edward, July 1, 1857; and Elizabeth, November 11, 1860. Mr. Circle was a religious man of liberal views, and at different periods of his life, as convenience of worship dictated, was con- nected with the Campbellite, United Brethren and Methodist denominations. Until the organization of the Republican party he was an old-line Whig. He voted for Fremont in 1856, and for every Republican candidate for the presidency so long as he lived. In 1873 he moved to Portland, Indiana, where he acquired considerable town property, and he died there December 5, 1882.
1009
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
'Squire Emanuel Circle was born on his father's farm in Mercer coun- ty, Ohio, at the date above given. He received a rudimentary education in the district school. In 1868 he was married, in Auglaize county, Ohio, to Emily Elizabeth Graybill, born in that county March 25, 1852, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Cable) Graybill. Jacob Graybill was born in Fair- field county, Ohio, April 3, 1810, of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock. He was a pioneer in Auglaize county, and a man of prominence in his community. In 1877 he moved to Liber, Jay county, Indiana, where he is living retired and honored, at the age of eighty-nine years. He is a member of the New-Light church, and in politics is a Democrat. His son, Edward Graybill, served gallantly in the civil war.
'Squire Emanuel Circle settled on, cleared up and improved an eighty- acre farm, in Mercer county, Ohio, and lived upon it and managed it suc- cessfully until February, 1873. In 1875 he moved on to a farm of eight acres, three miles south of Portland, Jay county, Indiana, which he im- proved and in time sold to advantage. He then rented a large farm, which he operated successfully for a time, and improved. Later he managed an- other farm, near Portland, until 1888, when he bought his present farm of one hundred and twenty acres, in White Post township, Pulaski county, In- diana, only thirty acres of which was then under improvement.
Mr. Circle is a member of the Church of God, and so are his wife and all of their children; and his son, Rev. Oliver M. Circle, is a regularly ordained minister of that religious body and has officiated in that capacity since 1897. Their other children are named Jacob B., Mary E., William F., Daisy B. and Henry L. As a family they are highly regarded by a wide circle of acquaintances. 'Squire Emanuel Circle is a man of great probity and of the best business judgment, and his administration of the office of jus- tice of the peace has won for him the respect and admiration of his fellow citizens. Politically he is a Republican, and his influence in the councils of his party is recognized. His brother George, who was a member of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, did gal- lant service for his country in the war of the Rebellion, participating in nu- merous engagements and receiving wounds which were later regarded by his many friends as honorable witnesses to his patriotism.
SAMUEL LINTON.
One of the reliable business men of Medaryville is Samuel Linton, a furniture dealer and undertaker, whose well directed efforts, diligence and capable management have brought to him excellent returns. He was born May 7, 1842, in Guernsey county, Ohio, and is a son of William S. and Sarah
1010
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
(Voorhees) Linton. The Linton and the Voorhees families were of sturdy Pennsylvania-Dutch lineage, and were early settlers of that state. William S. Linton was a native of Pennsylvania and was a saddler by trade. In Muskingum county, Ohio, he married Sarah Voorhees, a native of that county and a daughter of Stephen Voorhees, who was an uncle of Senator Daniel Voorhees, of Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Linton began their domestic life in the Buckeye state, he engaging in the harness and saddlery business in Cam- bridge. He died while visiting in Kansas, when about sixty-five years of age. In his political views he was a Democrat, in his religious faith was a Method- ist, and was a highly respected citizen, who by reason of his sterling worth enjoyed the warni regard of all with whom he came in contact. His chil- dren were Mary J., Joshua, Elizabeth, Samuel, William H., Jacob and David. Two of the sons loyally served their country as defenders of the Union dur- ing the civil war.
Samuel Linton acquired his education in the common schools near his home, and in his youth started out upon his business career, learning the carpenter's trade. When eighteen years of age, he offered his services to the government to aid in the suppression of the rebellion, enlisting at Cambridge, in 1862, as a member of Company H, Seventy-eighth Ohio Infantry, to serve for three years or during the war. He participated in the battle of Fort Donelson, and was always at his post, faithfully discharging every duty that devolved upon him. In 1863, on account of physical disability, he received an honorable discharge and returned to the north.
Later Mr. Linton became a resident of Jasper county, Indiana, where he engaged in contracting and building, continuing in that business for thirty- one years. He erected many of the best buildings in Jasper and Pulaski counties, including several churches, the flouring mill at Medaryville and many new school-houses, and for many years he sustained the reputation of being the leading contractor in his section of the state.
Mr. Linton was married in August, 1864, in Walker township, Jasper county, to Catherine Davidson, who was born in that county in 1844, a a daughter of Solomon Davidson. They began their domestic life in Walker township, and in 1876 removed to Medaryville, where they have since resided. Here, in addition to contracting and building, he carried on the lumber business, and in 1894 extended the field of his operations by open- ing an undertaking establishment. He pursued a full course in the Massa- chusetts College of Embalming, in Boston, and became very skillful in that department of the undertaking business. He has the finest modern instru- ments and appliances, carries a large and complete line of undertaking goods and has two fine hearses. In July, 1897, he erected a substantial and com- modious business block, in which he now has one of the largest and best
1011
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
arranged furniture stores in Pulaski county, carrying a complete line of goods wherewith to meet the demands of the public.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Linton have been born the following children: Sarah A., James R., Lydia M., Mary, William H. and Grover C. The parents are consistent and active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, contribute liberally to its support and do all in their power to promote its growth. Mr. Linton exercises his right of franchise in behalf of the men and measures of the Democratic party, but he has never sought office, preferring to devote his energies to his business affairs. He started out in life empty-handed and has steadily worked his way upward, accumulating through his own industry and perseverance a handsome competence. His business methods have ever been above question, and his life has been a busy, useful and honorable one, in which success has come as the reward of labor.
EDWIN FRAIN.
Enterprise and well applied industry have characterized the career of Edwin Frain, whose life has been passed in northwestern Indiana. A son of John Frain, whose history is printed elsewhere in this work, he was born August 30, 1846, in Pulaski county. Though his educational advantages were extremely limited, he having attended school but thirty months alto- gether in his youth, he made the best of his opportunities, and, being an apt student, kept pace with those of his own age. For three terms he was a pupil in the school at Winamac, and for a period of three months he went to the Logansport school.
When twenty-four years of age, our subject rented a farm of his father, and for the following six years cultivated the place on shares, receiving one- third of the profits, while his father furnished everything. During part of this period he taught school in the winter time, thus keeping very busy the entire year. As previously stated, his own education had been largely the result of private study, but he became well posted in the ordinary branches, and made a very successful teacher. His first experience in this direction was in the Brown (now Mull) school, in Van Buren township, during the winter of 1870-71, when he taught for eighty days, and the succeeding winter he taught for eighty-five days. In the winter of 1872-73 he had charge of the Sutton school for the term of eighty days, and subsequently he taught for terms of sixty-five days in the Hoch school, in Monroe township, and two winters in the Cooper school, in Franklin township.
In the summer of 1877 he built a comfortable house, and March 2, 1878, he moved into it with his family. Renting a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, he has continued to cultivate the place ever since, with success. From
1012
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
1891 to 1897 he served as an agent for the Osborn binder, selling fourteen of the machines in different parts of the county. He has dealt to some ex- tent in live stock, and has made a good livelihood for his family. Politically he is a Republican, and takes an active interest in local affairs.
Edwin Frain and Miss Ida Alice Hartman, a daughter of Charles Gordon Hartman, were united in marriage May 3, 1876. Mrs. Frain was born March 3, 1859, in Francesville, Indiana, and was summoned to the silent land October 7, 1884. Her eldest child, Eura Alice, born March 8, 1877, is the wife of John Galbreath, of Winamac, and they have one son, Albert; Cecil Mahlon, born May 11, 1880, makes his home with his grandfather; and Frank, the youngest, was born December 16, 1882. On New Year's day, 1889, the marriage of our subject and Emma Jane Smith was celebrated. They have two bright little daughters: Dora, born November 18, 1889; and Edna, born April 5. 1891. The family has a pleasant home, where their friends are always made hospitably welcome.
HUBERT D. WOODRUFF.
The Woodruffs of whom the gentleman named above is a representative are of good old English stock, the first American settlers locating in New England in colonial times. Samuel Woodruff, the father of Hubert D., was a tanner and shoemaker by trade, but through life generally followed farm- ing. He was one of the original settlers of Guernsey county, Ohio. He married Ellen Maybe, also of New England ancestry, and their children were Andrew. Charles, Elias, Samuel, Eli, Sarah A., Jeremiah, and Hester Ann.
In the early '40s Samuel Woodruff, the father of our subject, came to Indiana and settled in Kosciusko county, where he first engaged mainly in making shoes, and afterward was employed in a tannery. A few years later, in Tippecanoe county, he married, and then settled at Romney, where he followed his trade, meanwhile making his home upon his farm. In 1861-2 he moved to Clark Hill, where he remained until his death, at the age of nearly seventy years. Politically he was a Republican, and in religion a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which body he was a class- leader. Two of his sons, Samuel H. and Hubert D., served in the civil war. Samuel H. enlisted August 2, 1861, near Warsaw, Indiana, as a private in Company J, Thirtieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for three years or during the war, and served his time, being honorably discharged April 2, 1865. He was in many of the battles of the Atlanta campaign and was promoted second lieutenant.
Hubert D. Woodruff, our subject, was born December 29, 1841, in Guernsey county, Ohio, and when he was a child the family moved to Indi-
1013
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
ana, locating in Tippecanoe county. His school education was very limited. He began to drive a team at the age of fourteen years, from Lafayette to Romney, and carried the mail from Romney to Corwin. When about seven- teen years old he left home and enlisted in the Union army, at Clark's Hill, in August, 1861, being mustered into service August 3, at Indianapolis, as a private in Company G, Twenty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, for three years, and January 15, 1866, long after the close of the war, he was honor- ably discharged, at Indianapolis. He was promoted orderly sergeant. The scene of his military service was on the frontier in Missouri and in Indian Territory.
After his discharge he returned to Tippecanoe county, settled at Clark's Hill, where he worked at his trade as blacksmith, but, owing to the nature of his specialties, he frequently changed his place of operations, in Clinton, Brown and Carroll counties. It was in 1892 that he located in Pettit, Tip- pecanoe county, where he now resides.
June 27, 1867, at Clark's Hill, he married Serena A. Gant, who was born February 27, 1848, in Clinton county, this state, a daughter of William and Susannah (McFarland) Gant. Mr. Woodruff's children are Clarissa Mary, Anna P., Lorena A., Myrtle, Lela B., Olive B., Alonzo J., Nellie O., Harry D., F. E. and Maud C. Mr. Woodruff is a Republican, and he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church, and are exemplary members of society.
LUKE ROGERS.
The subject of this review is one of the oldest residents in the vicinity of Wolcott, White county, Indiana, and has many pleasant reminiscences of the early times. He is known and liked by every one, while his example and kindly interest have been an incentive to many a young man in his battle with the world. He was born November 28, 1830, in Hampshire county, West Virginia, but at that time the territory of that commonwealth was all included in the state of Virginia. His parents were Nathan Skinner and Rachel (Kane) Rogers. The grandfather, John Rogers, married a lady named Skinner, and was a native of Virginia, although sprung from English stock. He fought in the war of 1812, and both he and his wife lived to ad- vanced age.
Nathan Skinner Rogers was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, October 28, 1807, remained there until he had reached the age of fifteen years, when he removed with his parents to Hampshire county. In 1836 he removed to Big Creek township, White county, Indiana, where he operated a rented farm for six years. He then moved to Princeton township and entered eighty
1014
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
acres, in 1843. The section was at that time wild and was uninhabited, ex- cept by wild beasts and the fiercer Indians. Their nearest neighbor was nine miles distant, while the nearest physician was unavailable in cases of emer - gency, as he lived nineteen miles distant. The families of those times were not as dependent upon others as they are to-day, and it is partly due to this self-reliance in all things that this pioneer generation was so sturdy and pros- perous. Nathan S. Rogers owned four hundred acres of land at the time of his death. He was a Whig in the early days, and later supported the Re- publican party. He was a member of the Baptist church, and was a con- scientious Christian man. He married Miss Rachel Kane, whose father was Irish and whose mother, Margaret (Dowman) Kane, was a Jewess. Mrs. Rogers was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, in 1808, and was wedded in that county. She was laid to rest in White county, Indiana, in 1845, leav- ing eight children, as follows: Beckwith, deceased; John W., deceased; Nance, the widow of John McCallip, resides in the state of Washington; Margaret, the widow of J. W. Dobbins; James, deceased; Joseph, a resident of Chalmers, Indiana; Warden, deceased; and Luke, the immediate subject of this sketch. After the death of the mother of these children Mr. Rogers married Miss Phobe Hughes, in 1850. She was a daughter of John C. Hughes, of Pennsylvania, and her death occurred in 1883. She became the mother of six children, namely: Rachel Ann, wife of Albert Martin, of Fow- ler, Indiana; Nathaniel Smith, of Franklin; George T., a farmer, residing six miles northeast of Wolcott; Matthew, of Monon; Lucinda, wife of Robert Bren- ton, of Nebraska; and Edward, a farmer near Monon. Nathan S. Rogers entered his long sleep and was laid to rest on his seventy-sixth birthday.
When Luke Rogers was six years old his parents removed from Virginia to White county, Indiana, and he has resided here continuously since 1843- He attended school in Big Creek township, and afterward in Princeton town- ship, remaining with his father and assisting him on the farm until he was twenty-five years of age. He then located six miles northwest of Wolcott and began farming for himself. The first six years he farmed on rented land, and in 1869 he bought forty acres, two miles northwest of Wolcott, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits for the next twenty years. He then left the arduous duties of farm life and retired to Wolcott, where, in 1891, he built his present comfortable dwelling.
July 4, 1861, Mr. Rogers enlisted in Company K, Twentieth Indiana Infantry, and began service at Lafayette. He was promoted from the rank of private to corporal and then to sergeant, and was discharged July 29, 1863, at Indianapolis, Indiana. He was in the Army of the Potomac, and participated in the engagements at Richmond, in the second battle of Bull Run, at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Chantilly, Gettysburg, and a great
1015
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
many minor engagements. He served under Generals McClellan, Burnside, Hooker, Meade and Grant, and saw the thrilling encounter between the Mer- rimac and Monitor, off Hampton Roads. He had a talk subsequently with a prisoner taken off the Merrimac, and was an eye witness of one of the longest and hardest fought naval battles in the history of the war. The Monitor was not allowed to use the steel-pointed shot, and other wise would have sunk the Merrimac. On his right wrist Mr. Rogers carries a scar that marks the point at which a ramrod, worm and ball passed through that mem- ber. He receives a pension for this disability.
Mr. Rogers has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Harriet A. Dobbins, to whom he was married February 22, 1855. She was born Jan- uary 11, 1834, and was a daughter of John Dobbins, of Virginia. She died in 1881, having become the mother of five children, namely: James, John, Sarah E .. Josie and William. Of this number four grew to adult years and three are yet living. Josie is deceased and William died at the age of six months. James is a farmer in Newton county, Indiana; John is a hardware merchant in Morocco, this state; and Sarah E. is the wife of Hugh Barcus, of Wolcott. October 19, 1885, Mr. Rogers was united in marriage to Mrs. Sarah Ann McKee, a daughter of Benjamin Sunderland, of Allen county, Indiana, and the widow of Nelson McKee, by whom she had three children: Cora, who is the wife of Frank Reed, of Logansport, is the mother of six sons (Frank, Charles, Merritt, Ned, Edward and Lawrence); Benjamin F. McKee, deceased; and Charles, of Wolcott, who married Della Chamberlain, and has two children.
Mr. Rogers is a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic and has filled all of the offices in the post. He is a stalwart Republican, and served as township trustee from 1880 to 1884, and again from 1886 to 1890. He is a member of the Christian church, and for twenty years has been an elder and a very earnest worker for the cause of the church, com- manding the esteem and respect of the entire community.
WILLIAM S. KORNER.
As his surname indicates, William S. Korner, an esteemed citizen of Star City, Pulaski county, is of German descent on the paternal side, the fam- ily having been founded in the United States by his great-grandfather, who settled in Pennsylvania. His son Andrew, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Lancaster, county, that state, prior to the Declaration of Independ- ence, and died about 1844, at three-score and ten years of age. He married Sarah Hendrix, and several children were born to them. John, the eldest, went to Lowell, Tennessee, where he married a Spanish lady, but had no
1016
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.
children. She therefore inherited his wealth, for he died about 1843, after having made a fortune as a manufacturer of woolen goods. John Jacob, the next son, was a farmer of Seneca county, Ohio, and his children included Robert, Richard, Catherine and Mary Jane. John Henry, who was twice married, is a car-builder, as is his son, William Henry, now of Sandusky, Ohio. John George is the father of our subject. John Joseph married Matilda Christ, and their son Winchester died in the Union army during the war. Rachel married George Shoch, a prosperous farmer of Seneca county, Ohio. The youngest daughter, wife of Henry Sutley, lived in Fulton county, Indiana, and their children were: Sarah Jane, Jacob Korner, Jeremiah, Angeline, Jemima, and Christie Ann.
John George Korner was born November 23, 1809, and departed this life August 20, 1876. From his native state, Pennsylvania, he went to Canton, Ohio, in 1836, and for two years was engaged in cabinet-making there. Then settling in Flat Rock, Ohio, he opened a shop and did carpenter's work on contract for a period of several years. On the 5th of May, 1848, he arrived in Pulaski county, and bought the eighty-acre farm, in Indian Creek township, now owned by Joseph F. Korner. He made substantial . improvements on the place and took an active part in local affairs. He was a Democrat, and for some time held the office of justice of the peace. He was an earnest Christian and was an officer in the Methodist Episcopal church. On the fly-leaf of an old Bible owned by him there appears the fol- lowing inscription, in his writing: "John George Korner: his good Bible. May the contents of this good book be engraved upon my heart, that I may never therefrom depart. Bought of Henry Song, a Lutheran minister of the gospel and agent for the American Bible Society. Price thirty-seven cents. Bought November the 10th, 1844."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.