USA > Indiana > Wells County > Biographical memoirs of Wells County, Indiana : embracing a comprehensive compendium of local biography, memoirs of representative men and women of the county whose works of merit have made their names imperishable, and special articles by Hugh Dougherty [et al.] > Part 13
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Emsley Mock, son of Daniel Mock and father of the immediate subject of this re- view, was born in Ohio in 1813 and when a small boy accompanied his parents to the new home in the wilds of the Mississinne- wa. He was reared to young manhood amid the pioneer scenes of Randolph county, chose agriculture as the vocation best suited to his taste and inclinations and continued that pursuit near where the fam- ily originally settled until 1869 when he sold his possessions and divided the greater part of the proceeds among his children. By industry and good management he not only made a fine farm but succeeded in ac-
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cumulating an ample competence, with the residue of which he came to Wells county the above year and purchased a small estate near the city of Bluffton. Here he spent the remaining years of his life as a con- tented agriculturist until called from the scenes of his earthly labors on the 3rd day of January, 1877. Like his father before him, Emsley Mock was a man of herculean physique and strength, attaining a height of six feet five and one-half inches and weighing in health upon an average of two hundred and twenty-five pounds. He was superbly developed mentally as well as phys- ically, independent in thought and action, and the soul of honor in all that constituted true manhood and upright citizenship. His name was a synonym for integrity, his word among his fellows was taken in lieu of his bond in business transactions and the correctness and purity of his motives were never questioned by any one with whom he had dealings. Al profound student of the sacred scriptures, he so believed in the good- ness and overreaching mercy of an allwise Father as to disassociate his name from the idea of everlasting punishment, a favorite doctrine at that time among orthodox churches and much more frequently dis- cussed than at the present day. His read- ing and investigation led him to accept the beautiful doctrine of the final salvation of the human race, as consistent with the na- ture and attributes of God, and he lived in that faith for a number of years, later in life becoming a spiritualist, a belief from which he also derived much pleasure and genuine satisfaction. The wife of Emsley Mock bore the maiden name of Ruth Wat- son; she was the daughter of James Wat- son, a native of Pennsylvania, and first saw
the light of day in that state, but grew to maturity near Jamestown, Ohio, where her father moved when she was quite a small child. The Watsons were of Irish lineage and members of the family achieved much more than local distinction in different pro- fessions and vocations. A brother of Mrs. Mock, Hon. Enos L. Watson, became an eminent member of the Indiana bar and practiced his profession at Winchester for a number of years with distinguished suc- cess. His son, Hon. James E. Watson, of that city, is one of the brilliant orators of the west and for four consecutive terms represented his district in the congress of the United States. Mrs. Mock was born in the year 1816 and died at Bluffton in 1897. She became widely known as a leader among the spiritualists of Indiana, took ad- vanced grounds in the advocacy of that be- lief and for a number of years shone as one of the cult's most brilliant and influential stars. She was a lady of strong mentality, wide reading and beautiful moral charac- ter and her influence had much to do in forming the life and shaping the destiny of her distinguished son whose name fur- nishes the caption of this article. Emsley and Ruth Mock were the parents of three sons and one daughter; the latter's name was Rachel, and when a young woman she became the wife of Emanuel Trostel, of Randolph county, her death subsequently occurring in this city. John G., the second in order of birth, is a well known and pros- perous farmer now pursuing his vocation in the county of Wells. The third in suc- cession is Levi, who is the immediate sub- ject of this review, after whom comes James D., also a successful agriculturist of this county.
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Levi Mock was born April 20, 1840, in Randolph county, Indiana, and to him fell the good fortune of being reared in close touch with nature on the farm, that fruit- ful soil from which has sprung much of the nation's political sinew and moral fiber. With the exception of the time spent as a soldier, he remained on the home place un- til his twenty-sixth year, attending to the varied duties of the farm in the summer and of winter seasons prosecuting his studies in the public schools of the neighborhood. After completing the usual course he se- cured a teacher's license and for some years divided his time between teaching and at- tending school, devoting the fall months to the latter and the winter and early spring to the farm. Blessed with excellent par- entage, young Mock grew up with intelli- gent conceptions of life and the dignity of honest, honorable endeavor. Inheriting from his father the splendid physical and mental qualities for which the paternal branch of the family had long been noted, and from his mother equally marked intel- lectual traits, softened perhaps by the gentle feminine graces which were among her dis- tinguishing characteristics, he early devel- oped vigor of body and independence of mind which enabled him to formulate plans for his future course of life and action. With a well defined object in view, he de- termined to make the most of his time and circumstances and that he succeeded in car- rying out these purposes and realizing in full the ambitious desires of his youthful days is attested by the distinguished course he has since pursued as an influential factor in the political arena and that eminent po- sition which he has attained in professional circles and in the world of affairs. When
the national atmosphere became overcast with the approaching clouds of civil war, Mr. Mock did not long discuss the advisa- bility of tendering his services to the gov- ernment in its hour of need. Animated by patriotic motives, he laid aside his studies and on the 14th of August, 1862, enlisted in Company E, Eighty-fourth Indiana Volun- teer Infantry, which formed part of the Fourth Army Corps. He saw considerable active service in West Virginia and Ken- tucky, sharing with his comrades the vicis- situdes and fortunes of war until failing, health obliged him to leave the ranks and take treatment in a hospital. For a period of sixty-six days he was closely confined to one room and such were the sad effects which disease made upon his erstwhile vig- orous constitution that at the end of that time he was pronounced unfit for further effective duty ; accordingly in April, 1863, he received his discharge and as soon as possible thereafter he returned to his old home, where, under more salutary influ- ences and surroundings, he in due time regained a goodly portion of his wonted health.
As soon as sufficiently recovered Mr. Mock resumed his studies, which, with teaching, engaged his time until 1866, when he began reading law under the guidance of his uncle. Hon. Enos L. Watson, of Win- chester. Much of his study was prosecuted at home during his hours of leisure and with such assiduity did he apply himself to his books that his Sundays were devoted ex- clusively to their perusal and not infre- quently would he pore over his text of nights until the still small hours of the morn- ing admonished him to recuperate his jaded energies with a little sleep. Meanwhile he
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would recite to his uncle at stated intervals, receive his instruction, and in this way he continued his investigations in the realm of legal science until sufficiently advanced to engage in the practice. Mr. Mock's pre- liminary studies covered a period of about two years, at the expiration of which time he located at Bluffton where, in February, 1869, he was formally admitted to the bar. Here he soon made his presence felt, not alone in his profession, but also in local poli- tics as is attested by the fact of his election as mayor of the city within nine months after his arrival. So ably did he dis- charge the duties of this position that he was retained in the office by successive re- elections from the year 1869 to 1873 inclu- sive, and in 1875 he was again made the city's chief executive, serving in all eight years, the last two under the amended char- ter which extended the term of mayor to two years. In 1870 Mr. Mock entered into a law partnership with Hon. Joseph S. Dai- ley, the firm thus constituted lasting for a period of eighteen years, during which time it built up a business second in volume and importance to that of no other legal firm in northeastern Indiana, the two distinguish- ed members easily ranking with the ablest and most successful lawyers in this section of the state. They represented either the plaintiff or defendant in nearly every im- portant case tried in the courts of Wells county during the existence of the partner- ship, in addition to which-their practice ex- tended to many other counties, also to the supreme and federal courts where they added to their already firmly established rep- utations as masters of their profession. The firm of Dailey & Mock was dissolved by the appointment of the former to the circuit
judgeship, from which time Mr. Mock was with Abe Simmons in the practice until about 1895 when he took John and George, his two sons, who have since been partners, under the name of Mock & Sons.
By the sheer force of his powerful per- sonality, as well by reason of combining within himself the essential elements of lead- ership, Mr. Mock forged to the front in the councils of the Democratic party and within a short time after locating at Bluffton be- came an acknowledged power in local and state politics. In 1882 he was elected joint representative from the counties of Adams, Jay and Wells to the general assembly, and two years later served in the legislature from Wells and Blackford counties and in 1886 was elected from Wells county. His career as a law maker fully justified the wisdom of his choice and with little or no exception met the high expectations of his constituents irrespective of party. He be- came one of the most influential members of the body and both in the committee room and on the floor did much towards mould- ing public thought and shaping legislation. Through his instrumentality many 'impor- tant laws were passed which have had a de- cidedly beneficial influence on the state and as a leader of the Democratic side of the house he was untiring in his efforts to strengthen party lines and promote a spirit of harmony in the organization throughout Indiana. For four years, beginning with the year 1889 and ending with 1893, Mr. Mock was a member of the board of directors of the Northern Indiana Prison at Michigan City, in which capacity his busi- ness-like methods and untiring efforts were of especial value to the state. He looked carefully after the interest of this institu-
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tion and the welfare of its inmates, and took advanced grounds as to the proper manage- ment and treatment of the criminal classes. The board's report to the governor contains the following statement expressive of his views upon this important matter: "The board is of the opinion that crime is a dis- ease resulting from heredity and environ- ment, and that no man should be punished for what he does, but should be imprisoned to protect society, and while in prison it is the duty of the state to elevate his manhood to a higher standard if possible, which can only be done by moderate labor, kind treat- ment and moral suasion." This broad hu- manitarian view of one of the most difficult and perplexing problems that has been en- gaging the attention of the management of penal institutions, although in advance of the age, was not without a decided effect upon the chief executive and law-making power, for since the adoption of the report the Southern Prison has been made an in- firmary, thus revolutionizing the govern- ment of the two institutions which formerly obtained.
Mr. Mock has long been interested in the agricultural development of his own and other counties and has done much to encourage and foster modern methods of farming and other industries growing out of husbandry. In 1879 he was elected pres- ident of the Wells County Agricultural Society and during his incumbency devoted much time and energy to place the organi- zation upon a firm financial basis so that it would answer the noble purposes for which it was originally designed. Additional to the official stations already referred to, he has been identified at different times with various enterprises calculated to promote
the industrial growth of Bluffton, while all movements having for their end the mater- ial prosperity of the city or county have been sure of his encouragement and sup- port. He is indeed public spirited, taking an active interest in whatever tends to the material advancement of the community and, having implicit faith in the future of the city of his residence, has done as much if not more than any of his fellow citizens to advertise its advantages to the world as a favorable business center, a safe place wherein to invest capital and a desirable residence location.
Reference has already been made to Mr. Mock's power and influence as a politician. In every campaign his voice is heard and as a strong, logical and eloquent speaker he has few superiors on the hustings in the state. Thoroughly grounded in the basic princi- ples of jurisprudence and familiar with the intricacies of practice, he stands with few peers as an able and conscientious lawyer, looking upon his profession as the means by which wrongs may be righted, justice done and society and the state protected. At dif- ferent times he has been called to the bench and there, as before the court, his attain- ments have shone with peculiar luster, fully demonstrating a masterly grasp of great le- gal questions and an ability to render decis- ions in strict harmony with the letter and the spirit of the law. He served as special judge in the courts of Wells, Adams, Jay, Blackford, Huntington, Allen and Grant counties, frequently occupying the bench for weeks at a time, and while serving thus his opinions were characterized by lucidity and great legal acumen, his rulings were fair and impartial and his decisions, devoid of technical verbiage, but clear, explicit, incis-
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ive and embodying every point at issue, sel- dom if ever suffered reversal at the hands of the supreme court.
Personally Mr. Mock is a gentleman of unblemished reputation and the strictest in- tegrity and his private character as well as his career in public places and as custodian of high and important trusts has always been above reproach. He is a vigorous as well as an independent thinker and has the couragè of his convictions upon all subjects which he investigates. He is also strikingly original, prosecutes his researches after his own peculiar fashion and cares little for con- ventionalism or for the sanctity attaching to person or place by reason of artificial dis- tinction, accident of birth or tradition. He is essentially cosmopolitan in his ideas, a man of the people in all the term implies and in the best sense of tlie word a repre- sentative type of that strong, virile Ameri- can manhood which commands and retains respect by reason of inherent merit, sound sense and correct conduct. Like his father and grandfather before him, Mr. Mock is a man of heroic mould and superb physical proportions. His commanding height of six and a half feet and correspondingly large but well knit frame, weighing two hundred and sixty pounds, makes him a marked figure wherever he goes and he is sure to attract attention in any crowd or as- semblage as a man born to leadership. With his splendid build he likewise possesses al- most unlimited endurance and knows not by practical experience the meaning of weariness or fatigue such as the average mortal feels. Mr. Mock is a great lover of manly sports and nearly every year finds pleasure in hunting bear, deer and other game in the forests of Michigan, Arkansas,
Minnesota and other western states and ter- ritories, frequently prolonging these ex- cursions for weeks and months in the pur- suit of his favorite pastime. He is usually accompanied by a few congenial spirits and in this way, far from the distractions of courts and the trammels of civilization, they throw care to the winds, forget their an- noyances in the joys of the hour and for one brief season at least get in close touch with nature by throwing off artificial re- straints and imbibing in some degree the un- seen spirit pervading the universe.
Mr. Mock is a man of domestic tastes and takes a loving interest in the beautiful and attractive home of which he is the head. He was happily married on the 19th of No- vember, 1871, to Miss Rebecca C. Patter- son, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Mc- Farlin) Patterson, who moved to this county in an early day from Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where Mrs. Mock was born. Mr. and Mrs. Mock are the par- ents of three children, John, George and Charles, the first two members of the Bluff- ton bar and associated with their father in the practice under the firm name of Mock & Sons. They read law under the father's direction and each was admitted to the bar on the day he attained his majority. Mr. Mock has been an active member of the Masonic fraternity for over thirty years and stands high in the order, having taken a number of degrees, including that of the Royal Arch. He is also identified with the Improved Order of Red Men, being a char- ter member of the camp meeting in Bluff- ton, and is also a charter member of the Elks. A careful and conscientious investi- gation of spiritualism led him to accept that beautiful and satisfactory belief and he is
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now one of its most intelligent advocates, though by no means narrow or intolerant in his views, according to everybody the same right of opinion which he claims for himself.
CHARLES C. SIXBEY.
It requires a master mind to rise super- ior to discouraging environments and estab- lish, successfully guide and control large and important industrial enterprises. The necessary ability to accomplish such results is possessed in an eminent degree by Charles C. Sixbey, one of Bluffton's leading citizens and a typical western business man of tireless energy, unfaltering perseverance, keen discrimination and absolute reliabil- ity. Few men have done as much in the same length of time as he and it is fitting in this connection that a brief outline of his life and achievements be given, as his friends and acquaintances throughout the state are many and will no doubt gladly peruse the record. Mr. Sixbey's father was Col. John Sixbey, a native of New York, born and reared in what was formerly known as the Big North Woods, a section of country one hundred miles long by eigh- ty miles wide bordering on the St. Law- rence river in Herkimer county. For many years the men of that region were noted for their great physical strength and endur- ance and also for sturdiness of character and resoluteness of purpose in carrying to successful conclusion any undertaking to which they addressed themselves.
Col. Sixbey and five sons, three of whom entered the service of their country in the late war and fell while bravely fight-
ing to maintain the integrity of the union: John, the oldest, was killed in the battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia; Nicholas fought un- der the brave Gen. Lyon at Wilson's Creek, Missouri, and inet his death on that bloody field; Jerome received his death wound in the engagement at Nelson's farm; Charles met with an accidental death at home in the year 1849; the subject of this sketch was named for the last mentioned. In ad- dition to the five sons, there were six daugh- ters in the family, the majority of whom grew to mature years and became well set- tled in life.
Charles C. Sixbey was born in Salis- bury, Herkimer county, New York, De- cember 22, 1851, and spent his early life on a farm, with the duties of which he soon be- came familiar. In addition to agricultural pursuits he also worked in a tannery and at times assisted his father in the lumber busi- ness, which the latter carried on for a num- ber of years. By reason of his services be- ing required at home, his early educational training was somewhat limited, but later, about 1868, he entered Elgin Academy, Elgin, Illinois, which he attended one year, making rapid progress in his studies during that time. With his father's aid he after- wards supplemented the above course by attending for several sessions the Fairfield Academy, Fairfield, New York, where he laid a broad and deep foundation for his subsequent career of usefulness in the busi- ness and industrial world. When a young man Mr. Sixbey entered the employ of the Peters Box and Lumber Company, Fort Wayne, Indiana, with which he continued about two years and later worked for some time in a factory operated by Mr. Pope. When he arrived in that city he could not
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boast the possession of a single dollar and some time elapsed before he found himself even in comfortable circumstances. While in Fort Wayne he was employed in differ- ent capacities, a part of the time being engaged with a lumber company and later working for a firm which manu- factured pails. During the year. 1879 he was employed by one John Peters at eighty-five cents per day, but before quit- ting that gentleman's service he was pro- moted foreman of the establishment and in that capacity greatly enlarged the magni- tude and widened the scope of the business. While exercising his duties as manager of the above concern Mr. Sixbey began deal- ing in wood on his own responsibility and after severing his connection with his em- ployer devoted his, attention for some time to the latter business. He ran a wood yard, which was well patronized, but later dis- posed of the same and in 1881 embarked in the lumber business at the town of Sheldon. This venture not being remunerative, he dis- continued it after a short time and purchas- ing a separator, engaged in the threshing of grain, following the same for only a lim- ited period.
Up to this time Mr. Sixbey's business enterprises had not been very successful and his financial condition was anything but en- couraging. On one occasion he was refused credit for a pair of shoes, but later had the satisfaction of opening a store hard by the one in which he requested the favor and be- came the unfeeling merchant's more formid- able competitor in the world of trade. Be- ginning on credit, he soon built up a large and lucrative trade, in due time becoming one of the most prosperous and successful merchants in the village of Sheldon. Dis- 8
posing of his stock in 1883, Mr. Sixbey came to Bluffton and opened a mercantile estab- lishment in the building now occupied by the Williamson Hardware Company. En- joying first rate credit with the leading wholesale houses of Ft. Wayne, he purchased a large and carefully selected assortment of groceries, subsequently adding boots, shoes, dry goods and gents' furnishing goods, and within a comparatively short time his place became one of the best known and most ex- tensively patronized mercantile establish- ments in the city. He commanded a large trade not only in Bluffton and from all parts of Wells county, but extended patronage throughout adjoining counties, his sales for the first year amounting to considerably in excess of forty thousand dollars. The con- tinued increase of custom soon rendered necessary a building of enlarged proportions, accordingly he purchased the old Presbyter- ian church, which when thoroughly re- modeled afforded him a very capacious and convenient room in which to meet the de- mands of the trade. The continued growth of the city and the consequent advancement of his own mercantile interests led Mr. Six- bey afterwards to erect a still larger and more commodious brick edifice on Market street. The capital required in putting up this block and the business depression which almost immediately followed caused Mr. Sixbey considerable financial embarrass- ment. Like many other merchants at that period, he failed to realize on outstanding obligations and not being able to meet his own bills as they became due, decided after struggling earnestly and manfully against adverse circumstances to retire from mercan- tile business.
By no means discouraged Mr. Sixbey at
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once began to look around and contrive some means to retrieve his fortune. He was with- out means to embark again in merchandis- ing, having finally paid up his outstanding obligations in full, consequently he was obliged to seek some other undertaking. It was at this time that the idea first entered his mind of manufacturing a cloth mitten and glove, a strong, durable article, but so cheap as to be within the purchasing power of the poor as well as the better class of working people. To conceive the idea was with him equivalent to acting and it was not long un- til he began operations in a little old build- ing with a force consisting of two girls and one boy, beside himself. He put in a small machine and advertising the product to the world, began manufacturing at first for the local trade, but the superior quality of his goods soon created a demand at other places. · From the outstart the enterprise proved suc- cessful beyond his most sanguine expecta- tions and within the first two years his trade had so grown as to require a larger building and a corresponding increase in the force of operators. His factory is now one of the largest and most important of Bluffton's in- dustries, containing one hundred and twenty machines and affording steady employment to one hundred and fifty hands, exclusive of the large number of salesmen who represent the establishment in all of the western, mid- dle, southern and several of the eastern states and Canada. The constantly increasing de- mand for the "Zero Mittens," as they are called, taxing the original factory to its ut- most capacity, led Mr. Sixbey in 1901 to es- tablish a branch at Fort Wayne which now gives employment to eighty operators. Still later he opened a second branch at Bluffton, but such has been the high reputation of his goods that the three factories, running at
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