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 83
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several acres into village lots, contributing materially to the growth of Dundee, which, though deprived of proper transportation fa- cilities, is quite a prosperous interior village. Should it have the good fortune soon to have some of its so-called business men re- placed with a few live, active, intelligent citizens, it stands an excellent show yet of having a conspicuous place in the affairs of Blackford county.
The business interests of Mr. Roberds have ever continued to thrive, his matured judgment and careful investment being a guarantee of the outcome of whatever en- terprise he embarks in. Having faith in the result of investigations for oil, he gave en- couragement to those familiar with develop- ments in that line, leasing his own farm, upon which eleven active, producing wells are now in operation. 'The lease is consid- ered by operators as the best in this region, where hundreds of wells have been sunk. A constant income of from fifteen to twenty dollars per day from this source has proven an important factor in Mr. Roberds' finan- cial ventures.
On the 9th of May, 1900, Mrs. Roberds passed from among her wide circle of friends, whose earnest sympathies had been with her through a long and painful sickness. Few women have known more bodily dis- · tress, she having been a sufferer for the fourth time from that most agonizing com- plaint, inflammatory rheumatism. Those of their family who lived to maturity are: Laura Alice, who is the wife of Rev. Charles Love, of New Castle, Indiana. She is also widely and favorably known as a minister of the United Brethren church and is the present pastor of the church at New Castle. As a girl of fourteen she became much in- terested in religious work, deciding to de-
vote her own life to the needs of the church. She prepared for the ministry in Hartsville College and when but twenty-two was li- censed to preach. She was married about this time, removing to Illinois, where her husband was a missionary, and was there or- dained. Throwing her whole soul into the work she has made rapid progress, now holding an enviable position in the church. She is a forcible and earnest speaker, holding an audience with wrapt attention. She is a close and logical reasoner, her sermons hav- ing received commendation from the ablest critics. Lillie Belle is the wife of Jonas Palmer, postmaster at Roll; William Dell Roberds, whose untimely death occurred at the early age of twenty-two, was a superior young man, whose aspirations and attain- ments had exerted a powerful influence for good in the community; Hattie Ila is the wife of Ora Atkinson, assistant cashier of the bank at Albany, Indiana.
Mr. Roberds has been a professor of religion since his eighteenth vear; having embraced the faith as expounded by his own father, and while he has during life affil- iated with other denominations he is now a respected member of the church of his youth. His wife. whose own profession was made under his father's preaching, remained a consistent Christian, dying in the faith after traveling life's pathway in company with her husband for more than forty-one years.
Mr. Roberds was a Prohibitionist when he stood alone in Washington township and has adhered faithfully to the principles of the party through the various vicissitudes that have since overtaken it.
Bearing through all the transitions of a busy and successful life the respect of all with whom he has borne relations, and true to every tenet of the faith that has shaped
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his course, he is widely recognized as one whose life has been an example which the youth of the county may study with profit. Straightforward in every transaction, the confidence of all in him has never had cause for weakening, no man having greater claim to being looked upon as the most truly rep- resentative citizen of northern Blackford county.
H. C. ZEIGLER.
The career of H. C. Zeigler may be said to be one of the most successful known in the oil trade. It may also be quoted as exemplifying what a man may do in the busi- ness. Born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, No- vember 28, 1847, Mr. Zeigler's youthful days were spent much as were those of any other boy of the period. He lived with his parents at Sharon and West Middlesex, his father being prominently identified with the woolen industry in Sharon from 1840 to 1852.
The first employment of the younger Zeigler was that of driving a team on the old Erie & Pittsburg canal between Erie and Rochester, Pennsylvania, and from driver he was promoted to the position of captain, having charge of the boat M. F. Walker from 1865 to 1866. During the time spent on the canal the young man saw numerous bodies of soldiers going to and returning from the recruiting station at Pittsburg by the medium of the canal. Leaving the canal at the close of the war he entered the em- ploy of the same company for which he worked on the canal, this time in their store, remaining with them until they went out of business a year or so later. Then Mr. Zeig- ler was employed in a large company store
at Sharon until 1869, from which year dates his efficiency in the oil business.
Thus early he had been in the practical training school of business life, and was just gaining that knowledge which was later to have considerable effect on his career. The active work of oil development had not long been removed from the immediate vicinity of the Oil Creek flats when Mr. Zeigler's attention was drawn to it, and he made the decision that it would be a good business to which to devote his time and energies ; he would make a trial of it in any event, and the developments of the future would in- struct him as to whether it would be profit- able to continue. He began at the lowest round of the ladder and studied the busi- ness as few men have done, with the result that he acquired a knowledge which served him a good stead in after years 'when his operations became more extensive.
The first venture consisted in a working interest in the Taylor well, located close to Lock's machine shop in the Pleasantville development. That was unsuccessful and the young man had the rather disheartening ex- perience of seeing labor and cash left at the bottom of a dry hole. The Ray Milton field next claimed his attention, where, in com- pany with E. A. Wilson (now of Oil City) and others, he drilled a well on the A. W. Raymond farm, which turned out to be a good producer and is still producing oil, though twenty-nine years old. Next Mr. Zeigler embarked in the hotel business at Foxburg, in the old Fox house, in company with G. M. Clark, changing the name of the house to the Continental and continued there for a period of eighteen months. Sell- ing out his hotel interests Mr. Zeigler turned his attention to the Butler fourth sand de- velopment near Petrolia, acquiring a prop-
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erty of the C. D. Greenly Company, and meeting with success from that time on. He continued in the fourth sand development for some time until it had effectively ceased to exist, and then turned his attention to the producing districts.
Mr. Zeigler may be said to have played a somewhat important part in the trans- portation problem in the early days of that phase of the petroleum industry and was one of the first to recognize the possibility and usefulness of the pipe line as a means of overcoming exorbitant charges for the transportation of crude oil, and he was in fact the leading spirit in one of the first independent pipe lines established in the Butler county field, which made a general business of transporting oil from all por- tions of that producing area.
In 1877, in company with J. D. Ritchey and W. T. Jackson, a prominent merchant of Parker City, Mr. Zeigler procured a charter for the Cleveland Pipe Line Com- pany and organized under that title to pipe oil from the Butler county feld to Cleve- land, Ohio, that city then being one of the most important of the refining centers. S. D. Karns, the then oil king. seeing merit in the venture and admiring the pluck and en- ergy of the promoters, purchased the ma- jority of the stock, and the concern was merged into the Karns Pipe Line Company, with Karns as general superintendent and Mr. Zeigler as manager, under whose super- vision the line was built and put into success- ful operation. Mr. Zeigler remained with the Karns pipe line until near the time when it was sold to the United Pipe Line Com- pany, his investments in it proving highly remunerative.
The line proved to be a boon to the producer of the Butler field and the efforts
of the promoters werc highly appreciated by the producing fraternity, inasmuch as the latter were afforded an outlet to the refining interest of Cleveland. Owing to ill health Mr. Zeigler then left the oil regions for about a year, during which time he was in the drug business at Sandyhake, Pennsyl- vania. Returning health brought a desire to get back into the oil business and Mr. Zeigler's next move was to the Bullion, Ve- nango county, field at its inception. His op- erations were extended to Six Points and Crawfords Corners in company with S. R. Simcox and Porter Phipps. Selling out in the lower fields, he operated extensively in the Bradford field in company with Jacob S. Smith, now manager of the Indiana Nat- ural Gas Company, of Chicago. They ex- tended their operations in the Richburg, Al- legany county, New York, field and the Cherry Grove pool in Warren county, Penn- sylvania. In both of the latter fields their operations were uniformly successful and one of their wells at Cherry Grove started as a twelve-hundred-barrel producer. _ The Cogley field, in Clarion county, Shanopin and Beaver county fields also came in for some attention, with successful results. Mr. Zeigler and Jacob S. Smith were among the first to sight profits in the Trenton Rock fields in Ohio and Indiana, and they soon were located in Wood county, Ohio, where they drilled something more than one hun- dred wells, enjoying one of the largest daily productions in that field. The Smith & Zeigler No. 8, on the Freeman D. Huffman farm, was good for more than five thou- sand barrels a day and was the third largest. well ever struck in the Buckeye state. The firm soon extended their operations into the Indiana field, securing forty-seven thousand acres of oil and gas territory in the coun-
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ties of Howard, Madison and Grant, drill- ing a sufficient number of wells to justify the organization of a gas company to supply the city of Chicago with coloric fluid and the Indiana Natural Gas Company, of Chi- cago, a gigantic enterprise, is the outcome of the original organization in which Mr. Zeigler participated.
He disposed of his interests in the Chi- cago Gas Company and then turned his sole attention to the production of oil in the Jay, Blackford and Wells county field, with head- quarters at Montpelier, Indiana. He was one of the organizers of the Rowland-Zeig- ler Oil Company, and their operations were very extensive, having drilled over three hundred wells in different parts of the In- diana producing territory; Mr. Zeigler has acted as president and general manager. of the company.
In 1898 Mr. Zeigler, in company with George J. Marrott, of Indianapolis, the sec- ond largest dealer in shoes in the United States, purchased the Heat, Light & Power Company, at Muncie, Indiana. They reor- ganized the company, Mr. Zeigler being elected as president and general manager, and the company is now supplying natural gas to the consumers of Muncie city.
Wherever he has resided, in all the dif- ferent points of the Pennsylvania oil regions and in Ohio and Indiana, Mr. Zeigler has been recognized as a public spirited citizen, a promoter of educational and religious movements and has been a consistent mem- ber of the Methodist church, taking also an. active part in politics, so far as his business associations permitted. He has not been sparing of his labors and funds in promot- ing the good of the Republican party, with which he has always affiliated. He was one of the delegates from his district in Penn-
sylvania that nominated IIon. M. S. Quay for state treasurer. In his Indiana home he has likewise been prominent in political cir- cles. In 1896 he, by a large majority, was elected mayor of Montpelier and taking up the reins of government in the city where matters were at best in a chaotic state, he soon brought order out of disorder, intro- duced various reforms of much benefit to the people as tax payers and law abiding citizens and compelled compliance with the law with- out the introduction of unnecessarily harsh measures of enforcement. His administra- tion was noted for his clean, honest and fearless conduct of the affairs of the city, being handled on the principle that the filch- ing of money from unfortunates was only a legalized form of stealing, and that the granting of license, by payment of a small fee, to do wrong is not a proper form of government, but by better and cleaner meth- ods he compelled a regard for law. The Hartford City News takes occasion to com- pliment Mr. Zeigler very highly upon the efficient manner in which he governed the city of Montpelier. During Mr. Zeigler's administration there were also numerous public improvements in the way of a new city hall, the organization of a fine fire de- partment and the establishment of a com- plete sewerage system, all of which are a credit to the city. Other journals in that section of Indiana have taken occasion to highly compliment Mr. Zeigler upon the thorough and efficient manner in which he administered the affairs of the municipal- ity of Montpelier, now one of the most prom- inent oil towns in the Hoosier state. Com- mended generally by the press, as has been the case of Mr. Zeigler, it may safely be as- serted that he has accomplished something out of the ordinary, or else he would not
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have been the recipient of such praise from a press always critical of public officials in whatever capacity they serve.
Mr. Zeigler's career as an oil man is one of which he may justly feel proud, cov- ering, as it does, all the ramifications of the business from the humble position of a well worker, helping to sink in the carly-day methods of shares for whatever labor the in- terested parties could turn in successfully, to producer, pipe line promoter, fuel gas developer, organizer of corporations and in- terested in banks and a business man of the world generally, in whom his associates rec- ognize a man of more than ordinary worth and endowed with the ability and energy ripe with the cares of large interest and corpora- tions.
The esteem in which Mr. Zeigler is held in his present home is another tribute to the manly character and irreproachable life of the man. The National Steel Casting plant, located at Montpelier, a prominent manufacturing concern, employing upwards of two hundred mechanics, was promoted and put in operation largely through the efforts of Mr. Zeigler and his associates. Likewise is he interested in the Franklin steel casting plant, of Franklin, Pennsyl- vania, one of the largest of its kind in the United States.
Mr. Zeigler was married to Miss Hattie J. Perrine, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Perrine, of Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania, in 1876, and to them two children have been born, Fred D. and Roy A. Mr. Zeigler and family occupy a fine home in Montpelier at the corner of Adams and Huntington streets, near which city he also owns a large tract of valuable land.
Mr. Zeigler in later years has been a large employer of labor, paying always the
best of wages, being a firm friend of the laboring class and believing their rights shall be upheld. He is also quite well known for his many acts of charity, though these are always of an unostentatious character.
JAMES S. TOWNSEND.
Succeeding generations will search with interest and anxiety to learn something def- inite of those who, braving the dangers and sharing the privations incident to a new, wild country, peopled mainly with wild ani- mals and still wilder men, carved out for themselves and their successors permanent and substantial homes, and, dying, passed from the scenes of effort, handing to sons and daughters a heritage made more hon- ored and valued by the bravery and self sacrifice shown in its making. Western New York was peopled mainly by those brave men who won undying honor and re- nown as soldiers under the gallant Sullivan in the memorable expedition during the Rev- olution against the Five Nations who were seduced by British emissaries into taking up arms against the colonists. Steuben county especially presented attractions and advantages for many of them and from such ancestors the Townsend family, who were pioneers in Blackford county, Indiana, sprang.
James S. Townsend was born in that grand county named in honor of a hero, May 9, 1822, being a son of Gilbert and Mary (Saxen) Townsend. The father was a native of New Jersey, where he was mar- ried and became a farmer and distiller, re- siding in New York some twenty-five years. The maternal grandfather, John Saxen, was
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himself a hero of the great struggle, serving as a drummer boy from his sixteenth year to the close, through seven eventful years, being wounded by a sword thrust in the shoulder at the last battle. He is one of the few survivors of the Revolution who have resided in Blackford county, having come here with his children and dying at the home of his son, James Saxen, about 1882, hav- ing reachedwithin a few days of the extreme age of one hunalred and two years. He was · one of the last of the defenders of the coun- try's infancy, his death having wide circula- tion in the papers.
In 1839 some fourteen families, nearly all being more or less related, and including those of Gilbert Townsend, James Saxen and others, drove from Steuben county to Indi- ana, the cavalcade making quite a pretentious emigration. All located in Blackford coun- ty, the Townsend family settling on the land where James now resides. Gilbert erected a cabin, which was finished in the customary style with stake and rider roof, puncheon floor, clapboard door and everything else corresponding, all being done by his own hands and without purchased material. This became their permanent home and here warmest hospitality was extended to all, the home becoming one of the most popular of the community. Here the parents lived and died, Gilbert dying in 1861, aged eighty- one, his wife surviving him nine years, being eighty-four years old at her death. They were the parents of eight children, all of whom came to Indiana. Charles improved quite a farm and resided here during an active and successful life, passing to the hereafter aged seventy-four; John. after a few years, removed to Illinois, where he died, aged forty-four ; Gilbert at first settled in Grant county, removing to Kansas in an
early day and died there, aged seventy-five; Alpha was associated with James S. for many years in the operation of the home- stead, became a soldier, serving through much of the war, and still resides in. Wash- ington township, a highly respected citizen. Further mention of him will be seen in con- nection with his son, Andrew J., of Lick- ing township. The daughters who came to this state were Ann, who became the wife of Allen K. Gadbury, of Licking; Sarah married Thomas Ashin, settled in Delaware county, and died when in middle life; Eliz- abeth married Daniel Leffler, of this county, and is still living at Renner Station; Mary married Fantley Foy and died in the county when yet in middle life.
James S. being but about sixteen at the emigration was, with his brother, Alpha, the main dependence in making the farm, the greater part of the labor of improve- ment devolving upon them. They worked in close relationship for about sixteen years, remaining on the old place at the request of their parents, who showed much preference in desiring to live with them. He was mar- ried, in 1848. to Miss Mary Leffler, who was a sister of Daniel Leffler, who had mar- ried the sister of James S. His father, to. insure being cared for by James, had deeded him the land and passed the remainder of life with him. James has since made addi- tional purchases and has given quite a farm to his son, yet his home place contains one hundred and forty acres, practically all of it being in excellent state of cultivation. He has most assuredly done one man's share in : the clearing from the wilderness this sec- tion of the state, having himself cleared about four hundred acres. His own farm was in its primitive condition, covered with ponds which required ditching before it was
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suitable for the production of even average crops. Ever an advocate of every move- ment that would enhance the value of the land, he carly began the laying of tile, hav- ing his own farm thoroughly intersected with a great number of rods of it. Nearly one-half of the entire acreage has in this scientific manner been reclaimed from what was nearly a valueless condition to what it now is, without doubt the most productive part of the farm. This low and formerly wet land has now become by far the most valuable ; where only wild fowl and animals formerly roamed, now growing luxuriant crops of all the grains and grasses usually found in the state. He was one of those men who have stood for advancement, and some sixteen years ago began the systematic improvement of his stock by the introduction of Hereford cattle, which, having materially bettered the stock of the neighborhood, has led him to make more definite and elaborate arrangements for their accommodation. He has just completed a stock barn that makes his facilities for handling stock to advantage most complete. He is already widely known as a stockman, his efforts at the growing and handling of fine grades of horses hav- ing given him a creditable record. Upon the whole the Townsend farm is one of the best managed and best arranged, every fea- ture of its improvement being made with the skill and adaptability that betokens the master mind. Here, after an honorable and creditable career, covering all the develop- ment of this part of the state, in the making of which he has been no unimportant factor, its venerable proprietor lives in the enjoy- ment of well earned ease and comfort, in which to pass the declining years of life. In the youthful period of life Mr. Townsend was most outspoken in his advocacy of the
principles of the Democratic party, with which he remained until the memorable and historic campaign of 1872, when he found the idea of supporting Horace Greely too severe a test of party allegiance, preferring to withdraw from active participation in public matters. However, the great ideas that have grown into prominence in these later years have been of too much importance for a man whose every interest is directly affected to stand aloof, and Mr. Townsend, whose natural inclination is to have a hand in the fray, whatever the issue, became pro- nounced in favor of those principles as ex- pressed in the platform of the Democratic party, and threw his weight and influence in the balance, feeling that a change in the policy of the government is an imperative necessity.
While the fame of Mr. Townsend as a farmer, stockman and citizen of repute and character is secure, without doubt he is more widely and favorably known from the prom- inent and pronounced part he has ever taken to improve the moral tone and Christian spirit of the community. Recognizing from the days of boyhood the absolute necessity of the Great Creator, he early gave indica- tion of a devout and meditative spirit, and as maturity opened the way began to devote many hours to the reflections that grew out of his observances. Earnest study of the bible, to the extent that he knew it thor- oughly, led him finally to identify himself with the Independent Church of Jesus Christ. which teaches what the Great Master and his disciples taught of the final holiness and happiness of all mankind. For thirty-five years he has earnestly tried to preach the gospel, his own growth in the faith em- phasizing and confirming his belief in the universality of the salvation of humanity.
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He is recognized as a free minister, his services being in frequent demand in the various churches regardless of the particular doctrine. He has constantly refused com- pensation for his services and has been known to refuse to return where a donation was urged upon him. Probably no minister has been more in demand to preach the fun- eral sermons of the departed, his own belief enabling him to extend consolation to many a saddened heart. Deeply imbued with the truth of what he preaches, he has ever stood prepared to defend the ideas, his well-known ability as a debater being called into requisi- tion in meeting in public debate many of the recognized controversialists of the various denominations. His own views of universal salvation came to him long before he had listened to a preaching of the doctrine, and later reading only contributed to the ac- curacy of his views. His universal consider- ation of his opponents has, in many in- stances, led him to a reception and embrac- ing of his doctrines. Many of his warmest friends are in the clergy of other churches, and by them he is constantly invited to con- duct services in their sanctuaries. Not con- tent with early convictions, he has kept abreast of the times and with the higher criticism, which only more and more con- firms the truth of universalism. Personal experience. wherein the touch of angel hands and the whispering of angel voices bearing to his own consciousness a message, has led him to recognize the truth of the closeness of the proximity of the departed and to feel that the accepted doctrines of spiritualism but accord to the teaching of the Master of all.
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