USA > Indiana > Blackford County > Biographical memoirs of Blackford County, Ind. : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography embellished with portraits of many well known residents of Blackford County, Indiana > Part 51
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faithful to his employers, whose confidence he enjoys, and the people of Hartford City speak of him in terms most complimentary.
The first that is known of the name is Jean Monfort (IV), a Frenchman, Duke of Brittany, born in 1293 and died in 1345. He was a son of Duke Arthur II, and succeeded his brother, Jean III, in 1341. Hle had to contend for his duchy with Charles of Blois, to whom Jean III had bequeathed it, and who was aided by King Phillip of Volois. In order to save Nantes from assault he sur- rendered and was carried prisoner to Paris, but his wife, Jeanne of Flanders, withdrew to Heimebou, where she defended herself against the forces of Charles, and was aided by Edward III, of England. Monfort es- caped in disguise in 1345, and after an at- tempt to capture Quimper, retired to Heime- hou. He left a son who continued the war with Charles, and became duke as Jean V.
Simon de Monfort I, a French soldier, died June 25, 1218, engaged in the fourth crusade and in 1208 was elected the leader of the crusade against the Albigenses of southern France, whom he mercilessly pur- sued and slaughtered. On the taking of Be- zais, 1209, more than 20,000 of its inhabi- tants were put to death. Monfort ruled des- potically over the territories which he had wrested from Count Raymond of Toulouse in this war and when Pedro II, King of Ara- gon, came to Raymond's aid the crusade defeated and kill him under the walls of Muret, September 12, 1213. Monfort be- sieged Toulouse for eight months, and was killed by a stone thrown from the wall. His clder son, Auraury, succeeded him as Count of Toulouse, became grand constable of France, and died in 1241 on his return from Palestinc.
Simon de Monfort II, Earl of Leicester,
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younger son of the preceding, was. born about 1200, and was killed August 4, 1265. Ile went to England in 1231 and gained fav- or of Henry IH, who made him Earl of Leicester and governor of Gascony, and gave him the hand of his own sister Eleanor, Countess Dowager of Pembroke. He be- came the head of the barons who conspired to curtail the king's prerogative and in 1258 constrained him to sign provisions of Ox- ford, by which the whole power was thrown .in the hands of twenty barons, controlled by Monfort. In May, 1264, he defeated the royal army at Lewis in Sussex, and captured the king. His overbearing conduct now ex- cited discontent, and the king's son, Prince Edward, who was kept as a hostage, having made his escape, many of his former oppon- ents joined his standard. Monfort was de- feated at Eversham and slain with one of his sons and many barons.
It is supposed that the American branch of 'his family are direct descendants of this f .. . ly, as Franz Monfort came to America on the ship Elizabeth in 1630, settling in Massachusetts. The descendants of this man have figured prominently in the numerous Indian, British, French and Revolutionary wars and in 1790 Alonzo Monfort came with his family to Ohio, where he died in 1814. From the last named is traceable in direct descent the immediate subject of this sketch.
JOHN A. REMY.
John Andrew Remy, attorney and coun- sellor-at-law, was born in the town of Hope, Bartholemew county, Indiana, November 25, 1869, the son of Alfred H. and Sarah ( Moore) Remy, both parents natives of the
Hoosier state. Alfred H. Remy was reared a farmer and followed his chosen calling un- til 1889, when he removed to the city of Kokomo, where he has since been engaged as a liveryman. His wife, the daughter of John A. Moore, Esq., a prominent farmer of Shelby county, is the mother of ten children, all of whom are living at this time, John Andrew being the first in order of birth. Mr. and Mrs. Remy are highly respected people of Kokomo and Mrs. Remy is an active member of the Methodist church at that place.
John Andrew Remy received his prelim- inary education in the common schools of his native town and at the age of seventeen became a student of Huntsville College, which he attended until his twentieth year. Meantime he turned his attention to various kinds of mannal labor and for several years spent a part of his vacations operating an en- gine for threshing wheat. A short time prior to attaining his majority he went to Kokomo and engaged in the real estate business and while thus employed devoted his leisure to the study of law under the direction of Wil- liam P. Hofferbert and others, making a rapid and substantial progress in his legal researches. In 1891 he came to Hartford City and shortly thereafter was admitted to the Blackford county bar by Hon. R. T. St. John, judge of the judicial court. Mr. Remy at once opened an office and engaged in the practice of his profession and in due season was rewarded with a lucrative business which has continually increased in volume and financial results to the present time. In 1893 he effected a co-partnership with Thomas M. Pierce, which lasted until 1897, since which date he has been alone in the practice. Meanwhile, actuated by a com- mendable desire to add to his scholastic
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knowledge, he entered upon the scientific course of study of Taylor University, which he completed in 1899, receiving his diploma that year. During the time thus spent, which covered the period from 1897 to 1899, he was not a regular attendant at the university, but pursued his studies a part of the time under the direction of private tutors and was graduated with a commendable standing in his class.
Mr. Remy is a careful student and brought to his profession a mind well forti- fied with general knowledge and a thorough acquaintance with the principles of law. By patient industry he has won recognition at the Hartford City bar and is considered a safe and reliable counsellor, careful in the preparation of legal papers and sparing no pains to give his clients the best service at his command. His legal career thus far has been marked by a high order of merit and since his admission to the practice he has been an important factor in the courts of Blackford county, standing deservedly high in the profession, with a future of still great- er promise before him. He was appointed city attorney in 1898 and still holds the po- sition to the satisfaction of the public.
Mr. Remy was married on the 9th day of November, 1892, to Miss Nettie Jocelyn, a native of Columbus, Indiana, and step- daughter of William Henderson, a well- known resident of Columbus, Indiana. This happy wedded life was rudely terminated by the untimely death of Mrs. Remy on the 7th day of August, 1896.
In politics Mr. Remy is a Republican and has been all his life; he takes an active inter- est in political affairs'and contributes his service to the party during campaigns, in a number of which his efforts have been of great value and highly appreciated. Fra-
ternally he belongs to the Pythian order and in religion is a Methodist, of which church his wife was also a devoted member.
MICHAEL CAPPER.
Out of the religious and political convul- sions of Europe has come some of the best blood of America. The Puritans of New England, the Quakers, Germans and Scotch- Irish of Pennsylvania. The coming of the Germans and the Scotch-Irish of the seven- trenth and eighteenth centuries, and others of their like, was not to satisfy the cravings of the animal nature. It was a protest against the then existing regime in their respective countries, and to this class of people are we indebted for the important contributions to the totality of our national life.
The gentleman whose name heads this biography is descended from both the Ger- man and Scotch-Irish race. His grandfa- ther was a native of Ireland and his grand- mother of Germany. He was born in Grant county, Indiana, March 28, 1839. Charles Capper, the father of our subject, was born in Virginia and there married Sarah Eliza- beth Mckeever. The grandparents, it is presumed, settled in Virginia on coming to America from their respective countries. In 1829 Charles Capper removed from Vir- ginia and settled in Grant county, Indiana. His family consisted of eight children, as follows: Lydia, Charles J., Thomas A., David and Michael, twins, Elmira Marga- ret, James and Merideth, and of this family the three boys all served in the Civil war with the exception of Merideth, and in the same company, and all returned at the ex- piration of their term of service.
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Michael Capper, the subject of this re- view, received his education in the public schools of his native county, and at the age of sixteen he engaged in farming, which oc- cupation he followed until August 16, 1861, when he, in response to his country's call, enlisted in Company F, Thirty-fourth In- diana Volunteers, and was mustered into the service at Anderson, Indiana. His regiment participated in the battle of Green River Bridge, and also some skirmishing af Bards- town, Kentucky. They were then force- marched to Salt River and joined General Nelson and were embarked on boats and arrived at Fort Donaldson on the Red River, where they received reinforcements. They then went to St. Louis and were sent across the river to New Madrid, Missouri, where they had a hard engagement. From there they were sent into the country ten miles to the south where they captured a band of five hundred guerrillas going hence from there to Helena, Arkansas. At this point they laid in camp for a part of the summer, when they were ordered to Little Rock, by way of the White river. From this point they proceed- ed down the Mississippi to Natchez, where they were in camp about one week, when they were ordered to Vicksburg and ran the blockade, after which they were sent to Grand Gulf, on the Mississippi river. Here they crossed and, marching all night, in the morning they were engaged with the rebels at Magnolia Hills, which fight lasted all day. They then proceeded to Rayney, Mis- sissippi, and participated in the battle of Rayney, after which they went to Jackson, Mississippi, where they were again engaged and took the city. They were then ordered back to Vicksburg, from where they were sent to Champion Hill, where the Confeder- ate army, composed of 75,000 men, was
driven two miles down the Black river. Here the federal forces built a pontoon bridge and drove the Confederates twelve miles into Vicksburg, when the siege commenced which lasted forty-seven days. They then followed the rebels back over the same ground to Jackson, and hence to the Mississippi river, where they took boat to New Orleans and were marched through Louisiana into Texas, where they were engaged at New Iberta. They were then ordered back to New Orleans and from there were sent again to Texas, to Gartas Island. Their time being about expired they re-enlisted and came home on a fur- lough, and upon its expiration reported back to New Orleans. They were then shipped to the mouth of the Rio Grand river, to the Island of Biasas Peach, and from there were sent two hundred and ninety miles up the Rio Grand river. Three months later peace was declared, and in the spring of 1865 they were discharged, two hundred and ninety miles up the Rio Grande river, but Mr. Cap- per was mustered out at Indianapolis in March, 1866, when he came home.
On the morning of August 16, 1863, our subject's major, who had charge of the post at New Madrid, Missouri, got orders to fix up winter quarters. On the morning mentioned the Major ordered Mr. Capper to take a man and go to the wreck of a ship and get some nails. When they got there. his companion took a crowbar and opened a box, which contained a nice kit of tools. Another box attracting his attention he thought he would open it; forcing the bar through the cover it struck a twenty-pound shell, which at once exploded, wounding them both and causing blindness to both. Eventually Mr. Capper recovered the sight of one eye, but his companion, Adison Kee- ver, never recovered his sight and was totally
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blind. On his return from the army Mr. Capper engaged in farming, which he fol- lowed until he was forty years of age, when he located in Upland and engaged in the house-moving business. Here he remained for twenty years, when he moved to Walnut Creek and in 1891 he settled in Hartford City and purchasing city lots, he bought a house and moved it upon one of the lots where he now resides. He now carries on his business of moving houses and the trans- porting of engines, boilers and heavy machin- ery of all kinds. Mr. Capper was married, on September 5, 1869, to Miss Lacy A. Darrin, daughter of Richard and Mary Ann Bougher, by whom he has had nine children : Odus, Ollie, Minnie, Lydia, Lillie, Dora, Luther, deceased, Le Roy, deceased, and Lewis.
Mr. Capper was for sixteen years an Odd Fellow, and is regarded as one of the en- terprising and progressive citizens of Hart- ford City.
JOHN R. GETTYS.
The subject of this review, a son of Joseph and Maria (McMillan) Gettys, is a native of Blackford county, Indiana, born in the township of Licking on the 12th day of October, 1838. From this date it will be seen that he is one of the oldest natives of the county now living, and practically he has spent all his life within its borders. When of sufficient age he entered the old-fashioned subscription school, common in the western country a half century ago, and after attend- ing the same during the winter seasons until his eighteenth year began farming, which he pursued profitably for a period of thirty- two years. In 1894 he abandoned agricul-
ture and engaged in the mercantile business at Hartford City where he has since carried on the grocery trade.
Mr. Gettys was married, April 23, 1863, to Miss Anna E. Worster, who bore him four children: Maria E., now the wife of Henry Daugherty; Emma V. married Alonzo Williams; S. Pomeroy, of Hartford City, now in the Phillipine Islands, and Mary S. The mother of these children was born in 1842, and departed this life November 20, 1890. Subsequently Mr. Gettys entered into the marriage relation with Jessie Bock, daughter of Milton and Elizabeth (Cain) Bock, a union without issuc.
In 1864 Mr. Gettys was elected justice of the peace for Licking township, and served in that capacity for four years, discharging the duties of the office in a highly acceptable manner. A number of years ago he became identified with the Wesleyan Methodist church and has ever since been active in re- ligious work, holding at this time the posi- tion of trustee of his local congregation, be- sides being a regularly licensed minister. While not in charge of any circuit or station he frequently preaches at different places throughout the country and his services are in demand upon funeral occasions or in the absence of the regular pastor whose place he often fills to the edification of large and ap- preciative audiences.
Mr. Gettys grew from childhood to man- hood in the community where he was born and by his many admirable traits won the confidence and esteem of a large circle of friends and neighbors in Licking township and other parts of Blackford county. He has assisted in maintaining churches and schools, charitable and benevolent societies, and in every sense is an honored and valuable citizen. It is such men that make American
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communities the best in the world and it is such citizenship that makes a neighborhood strong and effective for good and worthy of emulation.
Mr. Getty's paternal grandfather, Joseph Gettys, was a soldier in the war of 1812 and several of his ancestors served with distinc- tion in the American Revolution. Joseph Gettys, the subject's father, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1800, and by occupation was a blacksmith. · When a young man he became a resident of Ohio, and about the year 1836 came to In- diana, settling in Delaware county, where he married Maria McMillin. Later he moved to the county of Blackford where he spent the remainder of his life, dying on the home farm in Licking township; his widow is still living, having reached the ripe old age of eighty-three.
Joseph and Maria Gettys reared a family of four children, the subject of this sketch being the first in order of birth; Mary Eliza- beth became the wife of Dr. Wheeler ; Joseph L. died at the age of thirteen, and Malissa died when eleven years old.
ELI HUGHES.
Eli Hughes, of Hartford City, ex-county treasurer of Blackford county, was born in Jackson township, that county, three miles cast of Hartford City, on the farm upon which stands the Gochnauer school house. This farm was entered by Samuel Goch- nauer, grandfather of Mr. Hughes, and it was deeded to him, the first deed given for the land being dated February 19, 1840. His parents were David and Eliza (Gochnauer) Hughes, the former of whom came from Virginia and was an only child. About all that is known of him is that he was of
Scotch-Irish ancestry. David Hughes and Eliza Gochnauer were married in Jackson township, and Eli was their only child, the mother dying when he was but two weeks old. David Hughes married, for his second wife, Tabitha Blunt, of Harrison township. He was a farmer by occupation, but also ran a mill, finally settling at Greenland, this county, where he died at about fifty-six years of age. His wife has also died, but some of their children are still living in the county.
Samuel Gochnauer, grandfather of the subject, was a native of Virginia, but of Ger- man parentage. He married Miss Catherine Waldamoth, and about 1837, when their children were all grown to mature years, removed from Virginia to Indiana, locating first in Henry county and later in Blackford county. After looking over the land, in company with his son-in-law, Jacob Emsh- willer, he walked to Fort Wayne, going through the woods, guiding their course by the compass, and accomplishing the journey, a distance of fifty miles, in one day ; there they entered the land. The first log house erected by Mr. Gochnauer was what may be with propriety called a "homemade" one, he himself having done all the work connected with the preparation of the materials of which it was constructed. Here he lived and died and with his wife lies buried in what may be called a neighborhood cemetery, on his farm. He was a typical pioneer, a large, strong, rugged man. By trade he was a cooper, and carried on this business in con- nection with the management of his farm. While not an office seeker, yet he served as county commissioner one term. He was an old-line Jackson Democrat, first, last and all the time. As a mechanic he built grain cradles, spinning wheels and looms, and also made furniture, one of his tables, made of
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black walnut wood, in the first place split out of the tree and then finished up in fine style with an adze, being stil; retained in the fam- ily of Mr. Hughes as a souvenir of ancient days. His family consisted of three daugh- ters and two sons, the sons dying while yet young. The daughters were as follows : Mary Ann, wife of Jacob Emshwiller; Cath- . erine, who married Joseph K. Hobson, and is now living in Allen county; and Eliza, the mother of the subject, who died, as stated above, when he was two weeks old.
Mr. Hughes, after the death of his mother, was taken by his grandfather to rear, and upon reaching a sufficient age assisted in the clearing up of the farm. For his services thereon in clearing and managing it, it was deeded to him by his grandfather, and in re- turn for this act of generosity he cared for his grandfather and grandmother during the remainder of their lives, the former of whom was somewhat more than seventy years of age at the time of his death, and was well known by all living in the vicinity. Mr. Hughes was married October 25, 1860, to Miss Susan Ashbaugh, a native of Pennsyl- vania who was brought to Indiana by her parents, Jesse and Catherine Ashbaugh, they locating in Washington township when she was ten years of age. Here her father died when seventy-three years old and her mother at the age of eighty-five in Hartford City.
After his marriage Mr. Hughes con- ducted the farm until he was elected treas- urer of the county, in November, 1878, in which office he served two terms. Previous to his being elected to this office he had held all the local township offices, such as super- visor, etc. Like his grandfather Gochnauer, he is a Democrat, taking great interest in the welfare of his party, and continues to attend local, district and state conventions. He has
also attended several national conventions, is well known to the leaders of the party, has much influence in county and state campaigns and carries on much of the important work in his county and district. After the expira- tion of his last term as county treasurer he established himself in the grocery business, continuing in that line for sixteen years, when he sold out to his son, who continues to conduct the store up to the present time.
Mr. Hughes has always been a public- spirited citizen, ready at all times to aid in promoting internal improvements, both of a public and private nature. He was one of the first men in this part of the state to put in a gas well, his being the second gas well in Indiana. Ever since that time he has re- tained his interest in this line of industry. Having sold his farm, he invested his means in Hartford City property, erecting several residences which he still owns. He also erect- ed the two-story brick building occupied by him so many years when in the grocery busi- ness, and which is now occupied by his son. June 18, 1900, Mr. Hughes opened a general feed, flour, seed, tobacco and cigar store, wholesale and retail, called the New Idea Store.
Mr. Hughes and his wife are the parents of seven children, as follows: Malinda, who married Michael Schmidt, both of whom are deceased, but who left two children, Lena M. and Roy M .; Jane, who died in infancy; Catherine, who married John David Tate, of Hartford City; Samuel, engaged in the grocery business; Ella, wife of Chester Brickley, of Hartford City; Flora, wife of Franklin F. Smith, of Hartford City; Wal- ter and Eliza, the latter two living at home. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes are members of the Lutheran church at Hartford City, and are highly esteemed by all who know them.
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ELMER E. SHINN.
Elmer Ellsworth Shinn, son of B. G. Shinn, was born on the 26th day of August, 1866, in Bluffton, Indiana. The greater part of his life has been spent in Hartford City, in the schools of which he received his educa- tional training, and his name is intimately connected with the growth and development of the place. On quitting school he en- gaged in business as news dealer and this he has since followed, being at the present · time proprietor of a successful establishment which returns him a liberal and satisfactory income. On November 17, 1895, he was happily married to Mrs. Isabelle Gronen- dyke, daughter of Abyram Johnson, of this county.
JAMES P. RAWLINGS.
James Pressley Rawlings, treasurer of Blackford county, is paternally descended from an old Scotch family, which had rep- resentatives in the state of New York, Ver- mont and Virginia as early as the colonial period. He comes from the Virginia branch and traces his lineage to his grandfather, William Rawlings, who was taken from Vir- ginia to Kentucky as long ago as 1780 and settled in the county of Fleming near the town of Flemingsburg. William Rawlings married, in the above town, Priscilla Day, also a native of Virginia, and became the father of six children, namely: Jefferson, Pressley, William, Frances, Martha and Fannie. He was a Universalist minister of considerable note in the early days of Flem- ing county and there he preached his faith for a number of years, besides planting many churches throughout various parts of Ken-
tucky. He is remembered as a man of much ability, an able orator and indefatigable worker in the cause of religion and morality, and the purity of his life and motives were never questioned in the community where so much of his life was spent. Ile died at a ripe old age in the year 1870.
William Rawlings, third son of the above William, was born in Fleming county, Ken- tucky, and there married Martha Valand- ingham, a lady of German extraction, who bore him children as follows: Jeremiah, born in 1843, died in 1890; he married Sophronia J. Johnson and had two children, Joseph and William. James Pressley, sub- ject of this biography, born March 24, 1836. Aaron, born in the year 1849, has been an extensive traveler and at this time is seek- ing his fortunes in the newly discovered gold fields of Cape Nome, Alaska. William, the next son, was born in 1852, and departed this life in 1888. Mary Elizabeth, born 1855, became the wife of Emerson Coulter and died in 1889; she bore her husband two children, Lulu and Corintha. The next in order of birth is John Day, a resident at this time of Randolph county, Indiana; he was born in 1858. Oliver, the youngest member of the family, was born in the year 1861; he married Nancy Magunigell and has three children.
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