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 78
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to Montpelier, having unbounded confidence in the city's future.
Hle is a Mason of high standing, belong- ing to the Mystic Shrine and the Scottish Rite, and is also an active worker in the Pythian brotherhood.
In recognition of his services to the Re- publican party in a number of campaigns, local, state and national, Mr. Knight was appointed, in 1897, postmaster of Mont- pelier, the duties of which position he has since discharged in a most praiseworthy manner. He is kind and obliging to all and is recognized alike by political friends and those of the opposition as a capable and pop- ular public servant.
Mr. Knight was married in Montpelier, July 21, 1896, to Miss Grace Brannum, a native of Blackford county, and a daughter of Henry C. and Rebecca Brannum, the fa- ther a well known lumber dealer of Hartford City. Mrs. Knight was bor. in Montpelier, July 31, 1876, and is the mother of one child, Henry Alfred, whose birth occurred on the 9th day of January, 1899.
ADAM KESLER.
Adam Kesler, one of the few remaining of the carly pioneers of Blackford county, whose farm is in Jackson township and whose postoffice is Priam, is a native of Perry county, Pennsylvania, having been born there March 27, 1825. He is a son of David and Elizabeth (Stum) Kesler, the former of whom was a son of Adam and Mary Kesler, who came from Germany to Pennsylvania in the early days, being among the German pioneers of that state.
Adam Kesler, the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm in Perry county, Penn-
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sylvania, performed his share of the labor of the farm and obtained such education as the country afforded at the time. On Au- gust 28, 1848, when he was twenty-three years of age, he married Elizabeth Gutchall, also of Perry county, and in the spring of 1853 the couple removed to Indiana, com- ing by railroad to Cleveland, Ohio, thence by Lake Erie to Toledo and thence by canal to Fort Wayne. The rest of the way they drove overland. At Fort Wayne they fell in with Thomas Smith, who induced them to settle on his land in Jay county, but during the same year Mr. Kesler purchased eighty acres of lus present farm, his brother, Jacob, purchasing the other half of the quarter-sec- tion. The price paid for the one hundred and sixty acres was six hundred and twenty- five dollars, nearly the whole of which was paid in cash. Much of it was swamp land, with plenty of heavy timber, such as oak, hickory, ash and black walnut and also sugar maple. A great deal of this timber, which would now be exceedingly valuable if standing, he cut, piled the logs into heaps and burned, as was the custom with most of the pioneers, in order to get it out of the way, and of course realized very little if anything for it. In those early days there was a great quantity of all kinds of game in the woods, such as deer, bear and wolves. Mr. Kesler well remembers the killing of his firs' deer, which he still relates with great gusto. Wolves howled around at night, making music which was far from delight- ful. There were numerous ponds and much swampy land in the vicinity, which made the country sickly as a general thing, but notwithstanding this Mr. Kesler and his fam- ily were unusually healthy.
One of the first things he did was to erect a log house, which, as the logs were
hewed and as the shingles shaved out by himself, was one of the best houses in the vicinity of his home. It was the custom then for each pioneer to assist each of his neighbors to raise their houses and barns and also to clear and log their timber, other- wise it would have been difficult if not im- possible to do a considerable portion of this work, and Mr. Kesler was always ready to lend a helping hand.
Since settling here he purcl .ed more land, so as to bring his total purchases up to four hundred and eighty acres, much of which he has improved. His present farm consists of one hundred and twenty acres and upon this, as well as upon his other farms, he has constructed many rods of both open and closed drains. It was Mr. Kesler that laid the first tile in the neigh- borhood and he has always been making im- provements. Politically Mr. Kesler is one of the old-fashioned Democrats, having cast his first presidential vote for James K. Polk and having voted for every Democratic con- didate for the presidency. At the present time he is in favor of William J. Bryan for the presidency, hoping to see him elected in November, 1900. While he has never been an office seeker, yet he has filled several of the minor township offices.
Mr. Kesler is a member of the Evan- gelical Zion Lutheran church at Hartford City, but works in harmony with all denom- inations. He and his wife are the parents of ten children, as follows: Caroline, who mar- ried John Wellman, and died at the age of thirty-seven years; M: " Agnes, the wife of Henry Howland, of Jackson township, Blackford county ; Michael Jacob, whose biog- raphy appears elsewhere in this work; Eliza- beth Lida, who married Aaron Clouse, and died when thirty-two years of age: Martha
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Jane, wife of L. Barnes, of Jackson town- ship; Emeline, who died when in her sixth vear ; Sarah Aun, wife of George William living near Hartford City: David Gideon. a farmer of Jay county, Indiana ; and Alice Luella, wife of Joseph M. Rook, of Jay county, Indiana. Mr. Kesler has thirty- two grandchildren and two great-grandchil- dren.
The eight children that arrived at mature years Mr. Kessler a tisted to start in life for themselves by giving each fourteen hundred dollars and has always been ready to aid them as they might need. He has always settled his affairs according to his own views of right and always satisfactorily to right and justice. His children all live within a few miles of the old home, which still re- mains the most favored spot for all to meet, and family gatherings are not few nor far between. Mr. Kesler is one of the sub- stantial men of his county and is highly re- garded by all who know him.
MATHEW McK. THOMPSON.
Mathew McKeiver Thompson, one of the most prominent citizens of Blackford county, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania. February 12, 1815. His father, Captain John S. Thompson, was born near Gettys- burg, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Jo- seph Thompson, a native of Ireland, who came to the United States late in the last century. He was of Scotch-Irish ancestry and a man of energy and decision. John S. Thompson was a captain of militia in Pennsylvania in the days when more atten- tion was given to the training of the militia than has been given in recent years, and his
portrait, showing him in his regimentals, is still retained as a souvenir in the Thomp- son family. He married his cousin, Mar- garet Thompson, a daughter of Mathew Thompson, a brother of Joseph Thompson, ber parents bringing her to America when she was about six years of age. By trade Captain John S. Thompson was a wheel- wright, building spinning wheels, looms, etc. He died in Brooke county, Virginia. in 1836, when about sixty years of age, his widow dying in 1858, when she was sixty-seven years of age. His family consisted of four sons and one daughter, viz : Joseph, Mathew Mckiever, James, John Graham and Rachel, Mathew McK. being the only surviving son.
Mathew McKeiver Thompson was mar- ried in Guernsey county, Ohio, in 1840, and in 184t he removed to Indiana, bringing with him his wife and mother. A few years later his brother, Joseph, located in Allen county, Indiana, and lived there until his death. His sister, Rachel, who married William Cool, a harnessmaker, came later and settled in Hartford City, in which place Mr. Cool followed his trade for several years, and where he is still well remembered by all old settlers. Late in life he and his wife removed to Missouri, where they lived until his death, when the widow with her family removed to Kansas, she dying in Abe- line, that state.
Mathew McK. Thompson, as stated above, is the only surviving member of the family. When he was about twenty years of age he spent one year on the Ohio river at Shaw's town, about fifteen miles below Pittsburg, now known as Avon, where he was engaged in the building of steamboats. Upon the death of his father he returned to his home, where he remained caring for the home and his mother. In 1841, after being
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married in Guernsey county, Ohio, he located ou land which was entered some four years previously by his fathe. in-law, who gave eighty acres to his daughter, to which he him- self added eighty acres more. At this time the land was in its prin tive condition, covered with fine forest trees. Nothing had been done in the way of clearing or improvement, and it was therefore necessary for Mr. Thompson to cut his own road for quite a distance through the woods. A rude log cabin, erected by himself, of huge logs, with clapboard doors and a puncheon floor and with but one window, served as a home for more than twenty years, but which at the time of its erection cost but a few days' la- bor. Mr. Thompson helped to cut out and make all the roads in his part of the coun- try, the distance between neighbors often being very great. He had but one neighbor within half a mile and but four families then lived at Trenton, their names being Ezekiel Laning, Robert Laning, William Cortright and James Ransom. To the south and west there was but one settler, Emanuel Fuller, he being about one mile away. Then the woods were full of all kinds of game -- bear were still in this vicinity, deer were numerous and wolves were plentiful, the latter doing a great deal of damage by their ravages among the sheep. He spent but little time in hunting, but at once set hint- self to work clearing up his farm, to which he devoted his time, and now has about one hundred and forty-five acres under a high state of cultivation. This farm has been underlaid with many rods of tile, and is hence w .11 drained and possesses as a conse- quence a more warm and genial soil.
When his sons attained their majority Mr. Thompson and his wife retired to Mill Grove, where they lived until the latter died,
September 5, 18gt, at the old home, at the advanced age of eighty-two years. Since then Mr. Thompson has lived with his son on the old home place. Mr. Thompson in his earlier life was an okl-line Whig, his first vote for president of the United States being cast for William Henry Harrison. Since that time he has voted at every presi- dential election, and for the Whig or Rc- publican candidates. At the first election which he attended in Blackford county there were cast but eleven votes in the township. Mr. Thompson has served the people as a township trustee and in a few other loc offices, but has never cared for political pre- ferment, though he has always been an ar- dent Republican since the organization of this party, and was one of the most active in its earlier days. He has been and is a thorough believer in its principles and doc- trines, and has always been ready to up- hold the course of its leading men. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church, and has been for more than sixty years, his membership being at Sharon church in Delaware county, Indiana. He has had from his earliest boyhood the confidence of those who have known him and he is now one of the highly esteemed citizens of his county. Mr. Thompson is the oldest living pioneer of his township and now, at the venerable age of eighty-five years, can look back over a long life of usefulness and of honest endeavor to make the world better. His long and active connection with the in- terests of the county has earned him that respect and esteem which is universally ac- corded him.
His family of seven children lived to mature years and of these two sons and three daughters are still living. One son, John, served during a portion of the war
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of the Rebellion in the Thirty-fourth Indi- ana Volunteer Infantry, but was discharged therefrom by reason of disability. He re- enlisted in the Nineteenth Indiana Volun- teer Infantry, in which he served long enough to bring the entire period of his service up to about three years. In the bat- tle of the Wilderness he was wounded in the hip and from exposure his health was quite broken down, so much so that he died February 25, 1883; Mary, who married Jo- seph L. Smith, of Guernsey county, Ohio, and later moved to Topeka, Kansas, where she is still living ; Rachel. who died in 1863, aged seventeen years; Elizabeth, wife of Moses White Cotton, of Jackson township, and living on an adjoining farm; George H., a farmer of Jackson township; Mar- garet, wife of Franklin Cotton, of Rochester, Indiana, and William M., whose biograph- ical sketch appears elsewhere in these pages.
WILLIAM M. THOMPSON.
William M. Thompson, a prominent farmer of Jackson township, whose post- office is Priam, was born April 16, 1853, on the farm where he now resides. He is a son of Mathew McKeiver and Jane ( Huff- man) Thompson, fuller mention of whom is made on another page of this work. Dur- ing his boyhood and youthful days he re- mained at home, receiving such education and religious and moral training as other farm boys received, with a view to honorable and useful citizenship. In 1872 he and his brother-in-law, W. F. Cotton, took charge of the homestead, the north eighty acres of which he now owns, his father retaining the other part. Mr. Thompson was married
September 17, 1884, to Miss Letitia Shroyer, a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Sea- mian) Shroyer, of Mill G.ove, where Le- titia was born August 21, 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have the following children : Mary, Lena, George and Rufus, all of whom are living at home.
The farm upon which Mr. Thompson lives is in fine condition and has been amply tiled at great expense. It is largely devoted to the raising of grain, though considerable stock is kept upon it. In politics Mr. Thompson is a Republican, but he has never had any desire to take any active part in politics. Both he and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church at Trenton, he being a member of the board o' trustees and assistant superintendent of the Sunday school. Though born and reared in the woods lie never cared to hunt and has never shot an animal or bird in his life. While he lived at home his father allowed him his Saturday afternoons, but he did not spend the time in sport; but in- stead was exceedingly fond of reading and keenly alive to the benefits of education. He is a man of genial nature, fond of all that is elevating in its character, and is es- pecially fond of children. Ilis disposition is so kindly that all who know him are his friends.
JOSEPH H. WELLER.
Joseph H. Weller, county commissioner and farmer of section 24, Washington town- ship, Blackford county, Indiana, was born at Spring Vall y, Green county, Ohio, Au- gust 7, 1854. His parents, Peter and Mary Ann (Murphy) Weller, were natives of Ohio and New Jersey, respectively. He
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died at the age of forty, as the result of an injury received from a horse, and let his widow with six children. She remarried and Joseph remained at home, on the farm, until his twenty-first year. He then devoted one year to commercial life, as a salesman, an occupation which he found a great bene- fit in his future career. He again returned to the farm, and in connection with its oper- ation, devoted some time to buying and sell- ing horses. Mr. Weller was united in mar- riage. February It, 1880, to Miss Sarah L. Cramer, of Highland county, Ohio, and, in 1883, came to Blackford county to his pres- ent farm, and purchased ciglity acres of un- improved Jand. For this he paid forty dol- lars per acre, assuming an indebtedness of eight hundred dollars. This he paid at the end of the fourth year, also extensively im- proving the farm, laying upwards of fifteen hundred rods of tile.
In 1896 he erected his present house, hav- ing in the meantime lived in a double log house. Much credit is due Mr. and Mrs. Weller for their energy and industrious and economical habits and the progress they have made in the race of life and the ac- quisition of a neat and comfortable home.
The family consists of one daughter, Flie V., an exceptionally bright young lady now in her eighteenth year. She is one of the few students from Washington township whose graduation from the county common school entitled her to a diploma at the carly age of fourteen.
Politically Mr. Weller is a Democrat. his activity in the councils of the party, his serv- ices as a judge of elections and upon the party committees having thoroughly proven not only his loyalty to the basic principles of Democracy, but also to the later views of Democrats as expressed in their party
platform. In recognition of his ability as a party organizer and his general fitness he. in the fall of 1896, was selected as one of the three commissioners of the county. This was at an important period in the county's progress, many public improvements such as pikes, drains, etc., being extended and com- pleted. The new buiklings on the county farm were erected during this time and many important matters requiring the exercise of mature judgment and business capacity were constantly before the board.
Mr. and Mrs. Weller are leading mem- bers of the Bethel United Brethren church, he serving as a trustee for eight years and being now treasurer of the board. He takes an active part in the Sunday school, which, tinlike most country schools, is largely at- tended all during the year.
The life of Mr. Weller has been an up- right and honorable one, which will bear the closest scrutiny and inspection. Entirely without ostentation or display he has taken a high place in the esteem of his fellows. He is honorable in his business dealings, friendly and genial in his social relations, and at all times a courteous and estimable gentleman, whom to know is to respect.
FRANK P. DOWELL.
Frank P. Dowell, abstractor of titles and dealer in real estate and insurance, is a native of Blackford county, Indiana, born in Hart- ford City July 2, 1852, the son of Jesse 11. and Fannie A. ( Ellis) Dowell. Mr. Dowell was reared in the town of his birth, the public schools of which he attended until eleven years old and then he began the battle of life for himself, devoting himself to various kinds of employment. He early became self-dependent and laid well the
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foundation of a character which has since won him a substantis. standing among the successful men of the city. After following different enterprises for a num- ber of years, and meeting with encour- aging success in the majority of them, Mr. Dowell finally engaged in real estate and in- surance, to which was also added the ab- stract business, and these have since demand- ed his whole attention. His office, in the Dowell block, on the south side of the pub- lic square, is the place where a large share of the real estate business in Blackford coun- ty is transacted and matters referring to loans. mortgages, insurance and preparing of abstracts of title. In his various enter- prises Mr. Dowell has come in contact with leading business men of this section of the state, among all of whom he sustains the reputation of a very energetic and reliable dealer.
Mr. Dowell has been twice married, the first time to Miss Mary A. Sharp, who bore him two children, Homer H. and Carl, the latter dying in infancy. Some time after the death of his first wife Mr. Dowell was united in the bonds of wedlock with Miss Nancy C. Coddington, a union blessed with the birth of three children, whose names are as follows: Ruth, deceased; Ralph H. and Merrille E. Mrs. Dowell is a lady of many sterling qualities of head and heart, a de- voted Christian and one of the most active workers in the Methodist church of Hart- ford City.
JAMES E. HOLCROFT.
James E. Holcroft, one of the most ex- tensive, enterprising and successful farmers of Jackson township, whose postoffice ad- dress is Hartford, and whose farm lies close
to the line between Delaware and Blackford counties, was born in the city of Richmond, Indiana, September 19, 1856. Hle is a son of James and Mary A. (Bailey) Holcroft, the former of whom was born in England and is now living in Hartford City. In 1864 they located in Delaware county, one- half mile south of Blackford county, but when he reached Richmond, Indiana, in company with his brother, he was without one cent of money in his pocket. By trade he was a plasterer, having served a seven- years apprenticeship, and by following this trade in Richmond, and still later in Dela- ware county, he accumulated a goodly quan- tity of this world's goods. Upon the farm he located upon in 1864 he continued to re- side until six years ago, when he removed to Hartford City, but he still owns the old homestead in Delaware county, even though he is living a retired life. He was married in Richmond, Indiana, and when he removed to Delaware county the subject of this sketch was eight years old.
James E. Holcroft attended the com- mon schools in Delaware county only a lim- ited time, twenty-three days being the entire extent of his public schooling ; but his mother took great interest in his future welfare and conducted his education at home, where he remained until his marriage, which occurred November 12, 1879, to Miss Laura Emma Black, of Delaware county. He then settled on a portion of his present farm, that por- tion containing forty acres of land, for which he paid twelve hundred dollars, having thirteen years in which to complete his pay- ments. His father had given him a team when he was twenty-one years old, and with this team he did much of the work on his farm, taking the entire twelve years to make his payments. At first there was but one-
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half an acre cleared and there was a little I Cincinnati. In Scotland his father had been log cabin erected, and by the expiration of a shipbuilder, but engaged himself as a gar- the thirteen years he had his forty acres all under cultivation, having devoted nearly the whole of his time to the improvement of the farm. Since then he has purchased two other tracts, one of fifty-four acres, the other of eighty acres, for the latter of which he | paid three thousand dollars and for the former, two thousand three hundred and ninety-five dollars. He now has two farms, dener upon reaching America. After some three years the family was brought to Grant county, Indiana, where the parents re- mained permanently, the father's death oc- curring there in is sixty-fourth year. Thomas was about ten years of age upon coming to Indiana, his boyhood being passed with his parents, and he became fa- miliar with all the labor incident to farmi if one hundred and sixty acres and one | work. After attaining his majority he worked of y-four acres, or two hundred and four- tech acres in all. He lives on the smaller farm, upon which he has erected an ex- cellent dwelling house, and of his two hun- dred and fourteen acres 'he has about one hundred and fifty acres in cultivation. All is well drained and in fine condition. Mr. Holcroft depends mainly upon hogs for a living, seldom if ever selling any grain off the farm, especially corn, feeding it to his hogs, of which he raises and sells about one hundred each year. out at the same line of labor until his mar- riage, which occurred at the age of twenty- eight to Miss Weda Paxton, of Blackford county. However, in about one year there- after he was called to part with her by death. HJis present wife was Miss Amanda L. Kirk- wood, daughter of Samuel and Mary ( Car- mane) Kirkwood, who were married in Del- aware county, where Amanda was born. When she was six years of age her parents settled upon the tract of land now forming part of the Greenlee home, and here she has since resided. Samuel Kirkwood, now re- siding at Upland, is one of the well-known and highly respected citizens of that com- munity.
Mr. and Mrs. Holcroft have three chil- dren, all at home, viz: George Roy, aged nineteen ; Anna, aged seventeen, and Ella, aged fourteen. Politically he is a Demo- crat, is at present supervisor and attends all the local conventions of his party. He and his wife are most excellent citizens, enjoying the respect and confidence of all that know them.
THOMAS JAMES GREENLEE.
Thomas James Greenlee was born a few miles from Glasgow, at Renfrewshire, Scot- land, on the 27th of January, 1851, and, at the age of six, was brought by his parents, George and Mary Isabella Greenlee, to near
After this marriage Mr. Greenlee began housekeeping in the log cabin, and that con- tinued their home until it was replaced by the present house about ten years since. Starting upon a tract of forty acres, with but a small amount cleared and in cultiva- tion, he kept constantly increasing the culti- vable land, meeting with such success in his operations as justified an additional pur- chase, paying eight hundred dollars for an unimproved forty acres adjoining the origi- nal home. This latter tract was largely of such a swampy nature that in its primitive state it was of little value. About nine hun-
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