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 27
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son township, paying seventeen hundred dollars and incurring an indebtedness of eight hundred dollars. He owned this place only about seven months when he got an opportunity of selling it. On this trans- action he made a small margin of profit and then purchased eighty-two and a half acres in Nottingham township, where he now lives. It cost him three thousand dollars, but it was improved to the extent of having upon it a good barn and nice orchard. He has improved it since by erecting a good house, commodious outbuildings, fencing, ditching, etc. He has also cleared twenty- five acres and has purchased a farm in Har- rison township of forty-six acres that is well improved and in a fine state of cultivation. He raises Poland China and Chester White hogs and shorthorn cattle. For a long time he made a practice to feed all his grain to his stock, but in later years he sells considerable on account of the uncertainty of hogs. All that they are possessed of, and it is no small or insignificant fortune, has been made by him and his faithful wife.
Mr. and Mrs. Speheger are the parents of seven children, viz: Allen married Stella Nutter and lives on his father's farm in Har- rison township; Mary married John Bower and also resides in Nottingham township; John resides at home with his parents; Wil- liam is employed at Ruth, clerking; Anna, Ida and Fritz are still at home. They have each received as good an education as the district schools of the state afford. They are intelligent, well informed young men and women, with far better opportunities than their parents ever had and it remains to be seen whether or not they will achieve as much of success in life as have their par- ents.
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In religion both Mr. and Mrs. Spehe- ger are members of the Evangelical church and are active in church and charitable work. He is a steward and a teacher in the Sunday school. In politics he is nominally a Democrat, but in local affairs he is never bound by party ties. In this, as in other mat- ters, he acts independently. He is a man of kindly nature and generous disposition, there being nothing selfish or miserly about him. His success is wholly attributable to industry and good management. He has a determination and firmness of purpose that will overcome every obstacle.
J. E. SAUNDERS, M. D.
In no field of human endeavor is there opened a wider avenue of usefulness than in the medical profession. The true physician is in many ways a benefactor of his kind. He not only ministers to the suffering by al- leviating pain and curing disease, but to him is intrusted the responsibility of labor- ing for the development of a higher and nobler type of physical humanity than that which now obtains. No one should think of engaging in this noblest of all callings without natural endowments of a high or- der, supplemented by thorough intellectual discipline and the most careful and critical professional training. With little appreci- ation of the responsibilities which it en- tails many enter the profession, but the law of the survival of the fittest proves that few reach the goal of success and become true healers. Among the successful class it is
eminently proper to include the subject of this sketch, who, though a young man, has by proper preparation and conscientious fidelity to duty risen to a position in the medical world with many older in years and of much greater experience have not at- tained.
Dr. J. E. Saunders, of Petroleum, comes of a medical family, his father, C. B. Saun- ders, being one of the oldest and most suc- cessful practicing physicians of north- eastern Indiana. Dr. C. B. Saunders is a native of Ohio. He married in Indiana, Miss Harriet Morrical, and after preparing himself for his life work took up his residence on a farm in Jay county, Indiana, where he spent thirty years in the successful practice of the heal- ing art. Subsequently he changed his abode from the county to the town of Penn- ville, where for about twenty-five years he has ministered to the wants of suffering hu- manity, being, as already stated, one of the oldest if not the oldest practitioner in that part of the country. In addition to his pro- fession, he also managed a farm for a num- ber of years, but made agriculture merely a side issue to his labors as a healer of men. The Doctor has been four times mar- ried and is the father of nine children, the oldest of whom, a son by the name of George, has been lost track of, his relatives not knowing whether he is alive or dead ; William, the second of the family, is a resi- dent of British Columbia, as is also Charles, the next in order of birth; Celia is not liv- ing; Jesse E., the subject of this review ; Joel E. is a physician and surgeon practic- ing his profession in Nottingham township, Wells county ; Belle is the wife of John Van Horn, a resident of Pennville, Jay county,
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and Harry H. C., the youngest of the num- ber, lives with the father.
Jesse E. Saunders was born Decem- ber 16, 1870, one mile south of Notting- ham, Wells county, his mother, whose maiden name was Harriet Morrical, being his father's third wife. After attending the district schools until completing the pre- scribed course, he entered the high school at Pennville and while thus prosecuting his studies devoted the summer seasons to work on his father's farm. When a mere lad he conceived a great taste for medical liter- ature and every spare hour at his command he would spend poring over the books with which his father's library was plentifully stocked. In this way and by assisting his father in the office he easily acquired a valuable practical knowledge of the profes- sion which proved of great benefit to him when he took up the study of medicine in regular course some years later. His younger brother, Joel E., was equally inter- ested with him in reading and otherwise ob- taining an insight into the mysteries of the healing art, the two availing themselves of every opportunity to add to their knowl- edge, not alone by reading, but by tending the office, preparing their father's medicine case and not infrequently accompanying the latter on his professional rounds. Later the subject spent five years as a drug clerk, two in Pennville, two at Shideler and one at Poneta, and in this capacity became familiar with materia medica, besides acquiring a knowledge of practical business methods which has conserved a good purpose in his chosen calling.
In the fall of 1893 Dr. Saunders entered the American Eclectic Medical College at
Cincinnati, which he attended two years, and then finished his professional course at Marion, Indiana, beginning the practice at Hartford City in the latter part of 1895. The following spring he located at Pe- troleum, Wells county, and here he has since resided, meanwhile building up a large and lucrative business which has been as successful financially as it has been pro- fessionally. As already stated, Dr. Saun- ders grew up in a doctor's office, conse- quently he entered upon his life work with a confidence and self reliance which the great majority of beginners do not possess. This natural ability, supplemented by rigid professional discipline, peculiarly fitted him to discharge his duties and since opening an office his advancement has been so rapid that he is now accounted one of the most successful physicians and surgeons in the county of Wells. He has spared neither . pains nor expense in acquiring a thorough knowledge of his profession, as witness the fact that of his having in the year 1900 at- tended the Chicago Polyclinic, from which he holds a post-graduate certificate, and re- ceiving in 1897 a certificate from the state board of medical registration which enables him to practice in any part of Indiana with- out further examination. His success has been commensurate with the ability and energy displayed in his practice and his pat- ronage today is perhaps larger and more re- munerative than that of any other physician of like experience in this part of the state. He is widely and favorably known in medi- cal circles throughout Wells and neighbor- ing counties and has a personal acquaint- ance with many of the most eminent profes- sional men of the country, among whom he
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is considered as rapidly coming to the front as a profound student and successful healer. He has been a member of the American As- sociation of Physicians and Surgeons since 1897 and in this and many other ways keeps himself in close touch with the trend of modern thought relative to medicine and surgery, thus earning the confidence of his patrons.
Financially the Doctor's success has more than met his brightest anticipations. He has already accumulated a handsome competence and is well situated to enjoy life, owning the most beautiful and desir- able residence in the village of Petroleum, besides other valuable property, real and personal. Dr. Saunders is a great admirer of fine horses and gratifies his taste in this direction by keeping for his own use the finest animals obtainable. He has on his place a model barn, one of the most com- plete structures of the kind in the county, and he spares no pains in caring for his horses and keeping them in the best of con- dition possible. He also has a well equipped office, containing the most approved appli- ances used in the profession, a fine library of technical works and a large stock of ยท drugs, representing at a conservative esti- mate considerably in excess of three hundred dollars.
Dr. Saunders is a progressive man of broad and liberal views and maintains an active interest in all enterprises for the good of the community. In politics he is a Democrat, but so great have been the de- mands of his profession that he has never stepped aside to take a very active part in political affairs. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow, holding membership with Lodge No. 721 at Petroleum. He was married on
the 21st day of September, 1895, to Miss Mary Wiseman, daughter of Daniel and Mary A. (Butter) Wiseman, the father a native of Pennsylvania, the mother born in Fayette county, Indiana. After living for a number of years in the county of Fayette these parents moved to Blackford county. where they spent the remainder of their lives. They had seven children, whose names are as follows : Martha, wife of Bud Bowman, a resident of Montpelier; Mary, deceased wife of Alexander Johnson, of Blackford county ; Frank, deceased ; Charles, deceased ; Mrs. May Saunders; Belle, the wife of Frank Pruden, of Hartford City. and an infant that died unnamed. Dr. and Mrs. Saunders are the parents of three children. Ralph, Delorme and Twilo, a little daughter, the latter being the only one liv- ing.
The following memorial notice is here reprinted as being of special interest in con- nection with mention of the subject's chil- dren :
IN MEMORIAM .- Delorme Saunders, little son of Dr. J. E. and B. M. Saunders, was born August 20, 1899, and died January 6, 1902, being two years four months and seventeen days old, after a linger- ing illness of four and one-half weeks. Delorme was brighter than ordinary children of his age, and was loved by all who knew him. The last few minutes of his life, he knew something was wrong, but could not tell what it was. About fifteen minutes before he died he asked his father to take him. His father took him in his arms and the child looked up into his papa's face and said, "O, papa," wanting his papa to do something for him; but the father with broken heart, could do nothing, and saw death clasp his little son. Then Delorme placed his arms around his father's neck and said, "Good-bye, papa," and all was over. The funeral occurred at 2 o'clock, January 7, at the United Brethren church at Petroleum, Bro. E. Polly officiating, and the remains were taken to Pennville and laid to rest in the Odd Fellows' cemetery.
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WILSON HUDSON.
Wilson Hudson was born on the stroke of midnight and it is yet an unsettled ques- tion whether his natal day should be cele- brated as the 9th or Ioth of July, 1836. His grandfather, being an old sea captain, claims that it is permissible to date back, but not forward. So, in accordance with his grand- father's dictum, this solution was adopted and he was named George, born July 9, and so recorded in his grandfather's record. After a few years his uncle Wilson was killed by a falling rail while climbing a fence and so his grandmother would have the boy's name changed to Wilson, born July 10, 1836, in Clinton county, Ohio, and since that time he has been known and called by the name of Wilson. He came with his parents to Huntington county, Indiana, in 1853. He obtained the rudiments of his education in the country in Huntington county. He remained under his father's con- trol even to the extent of not being allowed to call upon young ladies, until he was twen- ty-three years old. As an instance of par- ental supervision, he relates that upon one occasion he with his father were cutting rail timber on a day the evening of which the subject had promised to call upon a young lady of the neighborhood. Being afraid his father might interpose objections, the young man invented an excuse to escape his lynx- eyed parent and account for his absence. So he left the measuring pole some distance back, and telling his father he would return for it, he hastened to the house to don his best clothes and seek the presence of his in- amorata. After he had started, he heard his father calling him, and his mother answer- ing, seeking to cover his retreat, as mothers
will in such cases, God bless them, inform- ing him that the young man had "dressed and gone." The father's only remark on the occasion was, "Why in the devil did he not say he was going," which would indi- cate that in this case young Lochinvar's fear was the chief element to discourage love's young dream. The subject was married May 20, 1860, to Margaret L. Corey, who was born in Rush county, Indiana, July 9, 1838, the daughter of Stephen and Mary (Downard) Corey. After his marriage Mr. Hudson remained one year with his father, who still retained control over him, and even the second year after his marriage he could not say that he was his own boss. At this time he and wife moved to them- selves and rented land in Huntington county. He remained there for two years, when he traded out and removed to the farm where he now lives. In 1863 this farm was all in the woods except twelve acres which was chopped to eighteen inches. (It was the custom in clearing land in the early days of the state to remove everything under eighteen inches in diameter, deadening the larger timber by girdling, and farming the land, a few years before finally clearing it off.) There were thirty-seven trees lying across the fences surrounding this twelve acres. The improvements in the way of buildings consisted only of a log house and barn. He now has one hundred acres of cleared land with fine buildings, the house having been built in 1893. About 1880 the subject's father sold his farm in Hunting- ton county and moved onto a twenty-five- acre tract of land belonging to the subject. Here his parents remained for about ten years, when the son moved them into his own house where, after two years, the
Margaret I. Hudson
Wilson Hudson
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mother died. The son then gave his father the choice of any room in his house he wanted. He chose and was freely given the bed room of the subject and remained with him the rest of his life. He died very suddenly of heart disease at the home of Orlando Thorp, in Warren, Indiana. As is frequently the case, he had presentiments of his approaching end, and the changes at- tending the inevitable lot of all cast their shadows before.
With the exception of three years dur- ing the war, which he spent in dealing in cattle, being known as a cattle broker, Wil- son Hudson has devoted his whole life to farming interests, and is also a general stock farmer. He has eight producing oil wells on his farm and says it is just like finding the money. The subject is the father of two children, both of whom died unnamed in infancy. Since then he has turned his attention to needy children, hav- ing at different times brought clothing for sixty-three children who were objects. for the charitably inclined. To many of these children he gave the privilege of buying the kind of clothing they wanted. He always has from one to four orphan chil- dren around him and is indeed a father to the fatherless. He and his wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have served many years as live practical workers.
Politically Mr. Hudson's affiliations have been with the Democratic party, and he has ever been true to church and party. Al- though many times solicited, he has never accepted public office. Believing that a public recognition of the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship would be conducive to the moral well-being of his locality, he
with others have petitioned that the oil wells be closed down on Sunday, but they have not yet succeeded in bringing this about. While the owners of the wells on his farm are pumping on Sunday, he has decided to donate his royalties of that duty to charity, and the proceeds of his Sunday production for the first year amounted to the sum of sixty-eight dollars and ninety-four cents. He is ever ready to lend a helping hand to the deserving poor, in which he observes the scriptural injunction in giving, to not let the left hand know what the right hand doeth. In the past four years the subject has aided four different parties (only one of whom was a relative) to the amount of fifty dollars each. Mr. Hudson thinks that he might have been wealthy if he had been a guardian. If it is more blessed to give than to receive, surely the subject is rich in the consciousness of good deeds well done. He has realized the proper use of money in creating happiness for others, thus setting a worthy example to others who are cloyed with the sordid practice of accumulation and hoarding, with the delusive hope that in the possession of money alone is happiness to be found.
Mrs. Hudson, the wife of the subject, was a maiden of nine years when she came with her parents to Grant county, receiving her education in that county. She has seen this part of Indiana when it was new, even when the wolves howled around their cabin door. She is one of those good, kind, af- fectionate, motherly ladies, whom it is pleas- ure to meet. She and her good husband's hospitable home is a haven for friend and stranger alike. Many hundreds have par- taken from their bountiful table, and been cheered by the happy smiling faces of father
-
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and mother Hudson. Mrs. Hudson has ever been her husband's companion in all the walks of life, ever ready to cheer him by her sweet presence, advice and counsel. To show their wonderful generosity and hospitality it is said that one year thirteen hundred people dined in their home.
HUDSON FAMILY.
Twenty-five Hudsons, among whom were five Johns, came from England and Ireland in the year 1600, the principal por- tion of this number landing in Pennsyl- vania. They were given between three and four thousand acres of land for their trans- portation and taking allegiance to the old country. The Johns aforementioned were distinguished from each other by John Pond, John Delight, etc., according as they happened to live by a pond, or other appel- lations suggested by surrounding circum- stances. They described their land as fol- lows: "On north side of marsh of Wicom- ico." This is a sample of deed: "John Hudson, 'John Pond,' thirty-four acres, surveyed October 9, 1674, in Dorchester county, on the north side of a marsh of Wicomico river." Dennis Hudson, great- grandfather of the subject, was born in Ire- land. Grandfather Selby Hudson was a sea captain, commanding a vessel during the Revolutionary war. He was on his way to some point with a vessel loaded with sol- diers, when he met vessels returning with the news that peace had been declared. He then moved to Rochester county, Maryland, where he lived for several years, still retain- ing the position of sea captain, and made his
stopping place at his home at Snow Hill, from which place he removed to Brown county, Ohio. He constructed the first steamboat that was built at Cincinnati, Ohio. He had two sisters, Margaret and Hester Ann, and three brothers, Melvin, Eli and Elihu; Eli died in Jay county, Indiana.
Selby Hudson was twice married. His first wife was Hettie Davis and to them were born two children who lived, Thomas and Katie Ann. His second wife was Eliz- abeth Richardson, by whom he had several children. To both marriages were born twenty-two children. When Selby Hud- son came to Cincinnati, Ohio, he moved his family there. James W. Hudson was born in Maryland, his father later removing his family onto a farm in Brown county, Ohio, when James W., the father of the subject, was a small boy. Soon after his removal to Brown county, Ohio, James was sent on an errand to his uncle's. He started, wearing a new pair of trousers. It being a custom- ary thing in those days to wear long shirts, he hung his trousers in a tree by the way- side and thus dressed in the usual costume for boys of the period, he continued his journey, performed his errand, and return- ing by the same way, he repossessed him- self of the, what seemed to him, unnecessary part of his apparel which he had left hang- ing in the tree and wore them back home. Selby Hudson died in Clinton county, Ohio, at the age of eighty years; James W. grew up on the farm in Ohio, and there met and married Catherine Sharp, a daughter of Stockdale and Mary Sharp.
After his marriage James W. Sharp settled in Ohio, where he remained until 1853, when he removed to Jefferson town-
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1
ship, Huntington county, Indiana. About 1885 he moved to Wells county and lived virtually with Wilson Hudson until his death. Catherine, his wife, died November I, 1894, aged eighty-two years ten months and twenty-two days. James W. died Aug- ust 19, 1899, aged eighty-seven years ten months and six days.
AMOS GEHRETT.
Wells county is characterized by her full share of the honest pioneer element who have done so much for the development of the county and the establishment of the in- stitutions of civilization in this fertile and well-favored section. A great work was ac- complished by the early settlers and it is granted by all that they builded wiser than they knew. Admit that as a rule, but few ever realized in the dimmest way the trans- cendant possibilities that rested upon their shoulders; grant it that their lives, in most instances, were somewhat narrow and that they realized but little the great results that ultimately crowned their efforts; yet there exists the supreme fact that they followed their restless impulses, took their lives in their own hands, as it were, penetrated the wilderness and with a patient energy, reso- lution and self-sacrifice that stands alone and unparalleled, they worked out their al- lotted tasks, acomplished their destinies and today their descendants and others enjoy undisturbed the fruitage of their labors. A few of these honored old pioneers are yet living in the midst of the scenes of some of their former labors and are today enjoying the richly-merited honors and material re- wards which have come to them as the re-
sult of their former endeavors. Among this class may be properly included the gentle- man whose name forms the caption to these paragraphs.
Amos Gehrett is a native of Pennsyl- vania, having been born in Berks county, that state, in 1822. His father, Henry Gehrett, was also a native of the same state and was immediately descended from Rev- olutionary ancestry, the subject's paternal grandfather and two of the latter's broth- ers having given up their lives on the altar of their country's independence. Henry Gehrett grew to manhood in his native county and was there married to Miss Susan Feon. For some time after his mar- riage he remained there and pursued the occupation of farming. Subsequently he removed with his family to Fairfield county, Ohio, and there also engaged in the same occupation. He spent the most of his life there, but his last days were spent in Wells county, Indiana, where he made his home with his children, his wife having died during their residence in Ohio. They were the parents of thirteen children, briefly mentioned as follows : Benjamin, de- ceased ; Lydia, deceased; Elizabeth, deceas- ed; William, deceased; Peter, deceased ; . Samuel died while in the military service of his country; Amos, the subject; Sarah, the widow of Jacob Warner; Susan, the widow of William Kirkwood; Deborah, deceased ; Henry and Rosetta, twins, of whom Henry is a resident of Ohio, and Rosetta is the wife of Reuben Stout, of Wells county ; a son who died in infancy.
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