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 39
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
land. His farm is in the oil field and con- tains nine very good wells. He is a general stock farmer and breeder, principally of Po- land China hogs and shorthorn cattle. He has been on the farm where he now lives since he first settled on it and has devoted his time wholly to his farming interests. He is the father of eight children, seven of whom are living, viz: Edith, born August 13, 1879, married James M. Mitchell, now a resident of Chester township, Wells county ; Charlie, born March 21, 1881, died Febru- ary 26, 1899; Clayton, born December 22, 1882, at home with his parents ; William O., born November 1, 1884; Henry, born Aug- ust 17, 1886; Bertha, born July 27, 1889; Edward R., born December 21, 1893, and Grace, born January 31, 1900.
The subject is the owner of eighty acres of fine farming land and a pleasant country home, where he resides surrounded by all the comforts attending successful farm life. His wife is connected with the Disciples church, to which he is a liberal con- tributor. He is a member of the Mt. Zion Lodge No. 684, I. O. O. F., also of Oil City Encampment No. 182, at Montpelier, Indi- ana. He with his wife also belong to Para- dise Rebekah Lodge No. 83, at Bluffton, Indiana. He has passed through all the chairs of the subordinate lodge and has twice been a representative to the grand lodge. Mr. Terhune has been a Republican all his life and is an active party worker in all campaigns, national, state and county. The subject of this sketch is a worthy represent- ative of that class who stand midway as it were between the hardy pioneers, who first broke the primeval solitude of our virgin forest with intent to found homes for them- selves and posterity in its vast areas, and the
304
IVELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
present generation who are so abundantly reaping the fruits of their labors-a class who in their half century of existence have ably supplemented the labors of their prede- cessors by a continuation of the reclamation of the remaining tracts of forest land, which stood as mute witnesses of the unfinished labor of a passing generation and an invita- tion to the ambitious and energetic of their sons to carve out for themselves homes be- side those of their sires. After availing him- self of the common schools, the subject set- tled on land in the woods and by his own efforts has builded a home which is an honor to himself and a credit to his vicinage. In doing this he has also found time to take an active and intelligent interest in public affairs and a participation in the social amen- ities as exemplified in the fraternal orders of his locality. He is an active and intelli- gent citizen, possessing the confidence of his neighbors and with an aptitude for the trans- action of public business. All honor to the class of whom Edward Terhune is a worthy representative.
GEORGE W. CAPS.
It is a fact patent to all that the United States can boast of no better or more law- abiding class of citizens than the great number of Germans who have found homes within her borders. Though holding dear and sacred the beloved fatherland, they are none the less devoted to the fair country of their adoption and should necessity require it would be willing to go forth to battle for the maintenance of its institutions. Among this large and highly respected class is the
subject of this sketch, who for a number of years has taken precedence as one of the lead- ing citizens of Harrison township, Wells county, Indiana.
George W. Caps is the son of Christo- pher and Edna (Wertenberger) Caps and was born at Newsteadt, near Darmstadt, Germany, on the 13th of July, 1825. On the maternal side the subject is descended from several families of France who, because of religious persecution, were driven from that country and settled in Germany. The par- ents of the subject remained in the father- land all their lives and there reared a family of six children, of whom George W. was the youngest. The latter was reared in his native land and learned the trade of a bar- ber. In May, 1854, becoming convinced that larger opportunities awaited him in the new world, he emigrated thither and upon landing in New York city at once went to work at his trade, at which he continued for a short time. Subsequently he came to Wells county and worked at the blacksmith trade, being in the employ of his brother for some time. He was energetic and ambitious and when out of regular employment worked at anything he could find to do. For a while he worked at common labor and then for some years was a renter. He went to Allen county and for some time carried on farm- ing operations in connection with his brother. In 1878 he returned to Wells county and purchased the farm on which he now resides and has continued since to oper- ate it with success and financial profit. When he obtained the land it was cleared, but he has erected the present comfortable and commodious buildings and has other- wise in many ways improved the place, until it now stands as one of the best farms for
-
MRS. GEORGE L. CAPS.
GEORGE L. CAPS.
305
WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
its size in the township. He has always been a hard-working man, has exercised sound judgment in the management of his business affairs and has been able to save of his means so that today he is considered fairly well off.
In 1855 Mr. Caps was united in mar- riage with Miss Mary E. Marks, a native also of Germany, and to this union were born nine children, of whom eight still sur- vive, as follows : John E., Rine, Tilla, Lydia, William, Dora, John C., George L. P., Amos died in infancy. Of these children, the following facts are noted: John E., a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, is, in com- pany with three brothers, Rine, William and John C., engaged in the manufacture of printers' special machinery. He married Miss Myrtle Boger and is the father of one son, Joseph E. He also has two daughters by a previous marriage, Maud and Hortense. Rine, of Kansas City, married Miss Bertha Tusteron and they have two children, Arthur and Genevieve. Lydia is the wife of F. W. Paulsen, of Ft. Wayne, who is con- nected with the Western Gas Company, and they are the parents of three children : Har- old, Freddie and Arthur E. William, a resident of Kansas City, wedded Miss Alice Taylor and by her has two children, Donald and Thelma. John C., of Kansas City, who married Miss Florence Fowler, has one son, Dean. Tilla was the wife of Moses Sawyer, deceased, and has one son, William Martin. Dora is the widow of John Ratliff and the mother of three daughters, Alice, Ina and Evelyn. George L. is mentioned at length further on in this review. Religiously George W. Caps has for many years been a member of the German Reformed church and since residing in this country has affili-
ated with the Democratic party in poli- tics. He received a thorough education in his native tongue and is well read and thoroughly informed on all the leading ques- tions of the day, taking at all times a keen interest in all things affecting the best inter- ests of the community or nation.
George L. Caps, son of the gentleman whose name forms the caption of this article, was reared upon the home place and in the common school received a fair education. He was early taught the secrets of success- ful agriculture and all his life has remained at home .. He is now operating the farm and by the exercise of sound judgment, wise management and a thorough understanding of the advanced methods of agriculture has achieved a pronounced success in his calling. He is well known among the people of Har- rison township and has won for himself a legion of warm personal friends who es- teem him for his personal worth.
For a helpmate on life's journey Mr. Caps chose Miss Louisa Linn, the daughter of Levi and Caroline Linn, and to them have been born two daughters, Gladys and Helen. In politics he is a firm and uncompromis- ing Democrat, ready at all times to defend his honest convictions on all matters affect- ing the public welfare. Religiously he is a faithful and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, belonging to the congregation at Bethel. He is at pres- ent one of the trustees of his church and at the time of the erection of the present hand- some brick structure he took an active inter- est in its building and was one of the most liberal contributors towards its erection. He has served as superintendent of the Sunday school and in many other ways has shown a keen interest in the success of the various
20
306
WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
church activities. His methods are in keep- ing with the progressive spirit of the twen- tieth century and his present prosperity is a monument to his thrift and well-directed efforts. He is a man of broad humanitarian principles, of earnest purpose and upright life, is widely known and is esteemed by all for his genuine worth.
EDGAR C. WILLIAMS.
Prominent among the successful farm- ers and stock raisers of Wells county is Ed- gar C. Williams, who was born in the town- ship of Nottingham on the 10th day of Feb- ruary, 1862. His father was Thomas Wil- liams, a native of West Virginia, and his mother, who bore the maiden name of Mary A. Taylor, was born in Old Virginia. These parents were taken to Ohio when quite young and grew to maturity in that state, marrying near the town of Bell Brook, Warren county. There Thomas Williams engaged in farming, but three years after his, marriage moved to Wells county, Indiana, settling in March, 1856, on the farm now owned and occupied by the subject. His original purchase was wholly timber land and when he reached the site of his future home the snow lay twenty inches deep on the ground and a more gloomy and uninviting prospect than that which greeted the new comers would be difficult to imagine. He selected his place some time previous to the above date and erected thereon a log cabin, eighteen by twenty-four feet in size, the floor of which consisted of rough boards made with a whip-saw. Mr. Williams and fam- ily occupied this humble dwelling for three
years, during which time he cleared a good- ly portion of his land besides making a num- ber of other improvements. At the expira- tion of the third year he changed his abode to what is known as the Whiteman farm, consisting of four hundred acres which he rented during the ten years following, re- turning at the end of that time to his own place where he continued to reside until his death, on the 15th day of July, 1897, at the age of seventy-nine. Mrs. Williams preced- ed her husband to the silent land by nearly twenty years, departing this life on the 15th of June, 1877, when fifty-four years old. Seven children were born to this excellent couple, three of whom are living at this time, namely : John, a farmer and stock raiser of Nottingham township; James F., also a resi- dent of Nottingham township, and Edgar, whose name introduces this review. The deceased members of the family were Eliza, wife of Solomon Shoemaker, Thomas C. and Theodore, twins, and Eber.
The early life of Edgar C. Williams was similar in most respects to that of the general run of country boys, having been devoted to labor in the woods and fields in the summer time and to study in the district schools of winter seasons. His first educational ex- experience was in the school at Domestic, which he attended at intervals until his twentieth year, and it is but just to state that he made commendable progress and became a good practical scholar. Reared on the farm, he early learned the equally, if not more valuable, lessons of industry, thrift and self-reliance, so that before attaining his majority he found himself in a situation to support and properly care for a companion on life's journey. On the 25th day of Feb- ruary, 1882, he was joined in wedlock with
307
WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
Miss Susannah Sawyer, a native of Notting- ham township and daughter of Beniville and Sarah (Reiff) Sawyer, natives of Pennsyl- vania who came to Wells county about the year 1865. After his marriage Mr. Wil- liams rented the home farm, which he culti- vated with his father's assistance until the latter's death. He received two-thirds of the proceeds of the place and made a home for his father as long as he lived, looking carefully after his interests and ministering to his necessities and comfort with the most earnest and loving consideration.
Mr. Williams now owns eighty-five acres of the old homestead which he has brought to a successful state of tillage, and since taking possession of the same he has devoted his time and attention to agriculture and stock raising with handsome financial results. He raises fine varieties of short- horn cattle and the Poland China breed of swine and of recent years has given con- siderable attention to thoroughbred Shrop- shire sheep, which he raises and sells solely for breeding purposes. His reputation as a sheep raiser is second to that of no other stock raiser in the county and such is the high repute of his animals that there is al- ways a much larger demand for them than he can possibly supply. As a general farm- er he easily ranks with the most enterprising and successful men of his part of the county, as the condition of his buildings, fences, finely cultivated fields and other accessories abundantly attest.
Mr. Williams has not failed to reap his share of the benefits resulting from the dis- covery of oil in this part of Indiana; his farm lies in one of the best producing fields of the county and from the six wells which have been drilled thereon he receives no in-
considerable part of his income. He is deep- ly interested in this large and growing indus- try and hopes, with every reason of fulfill- ment, for still greater financial returns at no distant day.
Mr. Williams is a progressive, wide- awake man of the times, and takes a pardon- able pride in the advancement of his town- ship and county along agricultural and in- dustrial lines. He is an excellent neighbor and a praiseworthy citizen, assists to the ex- tent of his ability all enterprises having for their object the moral and social welfare of his community and is invariably found on the right side of every question or issue of any public moment. In politics he is a Repub- lican on state and national issues, but when it comes to matters of a purely local nature he generally votes for the man instead of obey- ing the dictates of party leadership. Mr. Williams is a firm believer in the revealed religion of the Bible and wishes to be known simply as a Christian or Dis- ciple. Firmly convinced that the sacred scriptures are sufficient as a rule of faith and practice without the aid of man-made creeds or statements of doctrine, he united with the Christian church and is now one of the most active and influential members of the congre- gation worshiping at the village of Domes- tic. He has served as deacon for a number of years and is an ardent worker in the Sun- day school, where his services have been utilized both as teacher and official. He has also held the position of trustee ever since the present house of worship was erected and in this as in other capacities proves his value and efficiency as a loyal disciple of the Christ.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams are the parents of one child, a daughter by the name of
308
WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
Amanda, who was born December 15, 1883 ; she is now the wife of Peter Coffman and the mother of two children, Leona P. and Len- ora. Mr. Coffman is a prosperous farmer and at the present time manages his father- in-law's place. Mrs. Williams was born in Nottingham township on the 2nd day of No- vember, 1862, and is one of the eight chil- dren comprising the family of Beniville and Sarah Sawyer, to whom reference is made in a preceding paragraph. The names of her brothers and sisters are as follows : Emeline, wife of Jerry French; George; John; Amanda, wife of Benjamin Green; David, Noah, and Eliza, now Mrs. Edward Baker. Mrs. and Mr. Sawyer moved from Wells county to Kansas in 1885 and after living four years in that state changed their residence to Carthage, Missouri; where Mr. Sawyer spent the remainder of his days and where his widow still resides.
ALBERT E. TERHUNE.
Wells county is proud to number among its enterprising farmers and progressive men of affairs the well known and highly esteemed gentleman to a brief review of whose life and achievements the reader's at- tention is here directed. Albert E. Ter- hune is a native of Miami county, Indiana, and the son of Garrett and Mary Ann (Davison) Terhune, the father born in Kentucky and the mother in the state of Pennsylvania. The maiden name of Mrs. Terhune was Davison. She was brought to Indiana when young, as was also Mr. Ter- hune, and their marriage was solemnized a number of years ago in the county of Wells.
Subsequently they removed to Miami county and after living for some time in that part of the state, returned to Wells and located on the place now owned by William Ter- hune, where they spent the remainder of their lives, Mrs. Terhune dying November 27, 1900, and her husband on the 23rd of April, 1898. They reared a family of five children, all but one still living, the subject of this sketch being the first born ; the others are Edward, a farmer of Chester township, this county: Elizabeth, the wife of Peter Speece, of Wells county ; Alice, deceased, was the wife of Robert Murray, and Wil- liam, who, as stated above, owns and culti- vates the family homestead in Chester town- ship.
Albert E. Terhune was born on the 22nd day of July, 1851, in Miami county, Indiana, and at the age of nine years was taken by his parents to Illinois. After spending two and a half years in that state, the family re- turned to Indiana and settled on a farm near McCullick Ford, Wells county, and it was on this place that the subject grew from youth to young manhood. Mr. Terhune's first educational experience was in Miami county and later he attended three terms of school in the state of Illinois. After mov- ing to Wells county he continued his studies in the winter time until about twenty years old, attending his last term at the Five Point school house in Chester township. On attaining his majority Mr. Terhune worked as a farm hand during the greater part of one year and then returned home for the purpose of looking after his parents' inter- ests. He remained with his father until about twenty-five years of age, when he took to himself a companion and helpmeet in the person of Miss Susan Jones, the ceremony
309
WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
by which the two were made husband and wife being solemnized on the 28th day of December, 1876. Mrs. Terhune was born in Wells county, August 8, 1858, the daugh- ter of Isaac and Sarah (Huffman) Jones, lìatives of Ohio and early settlers of Jack- son township, this county, where they are still living. Isaac Jones came to Indiana when Wells county was a wilderness and took an active part in the material develop- ment of the country ; he reared a family of ten children, whose names are as follows : Susan, wife of the subject of this sketch; Mary, wife of Ira Brown; Daniel; Eliza. now Mrs. Jacob Sills; Mary C. married W. O. Terhune; Nora, wife of Charles Stinson ; Amy, wife of O. F. White; Ella, who mar- ried J. A. Alespaugh, and Minnie, who be- came the wife of Willard Grover.
Immediately following his marriage, Mr. Terhune settled on a part of his father's place and during the succeeding three years followed agricultural pursuits there with gratifying results, at the expiration of that period moving to the Shull place, where he lived about the same length of time. He then cleared up a tract of wood and swamp land in Chester township on which no im- provements worth mentioning had been made and addressed himself to the task of clearing away the timber and draining the parts too wet for tillage. To redeem this land and transform it into one of the finest and most productive farms in Chester town- ship required a prodigious amount of hard labor, but in due time the forest disappeared and what was originally a wilderness of miry swamp and marsh is now the richest of black loam soil, producing abundantly ail the grain and vegetable crops grown in this lati- tude. Mr. Terhune has good substantial
buildings on his place, fine fences and every- thing pertaining to the premises indicating the home of an intelligent, progressive far- mer who keeps in touch with modern agri- cultural methods.
In addition to the income from his crops and the fine grades of live stock which he raises, Mr. Terhune realizes considerable money each year from the four producing oil wells on his farm, his place lying in one of the richest oil districts of Indiana. In all that constitutes the enterprising, up-to-date farmer, the true and loyal citizen, the sub- ject of this review is the peer of any resident of the county ; he maintains an abiding in- terest in whatever concerns the welfare of the community, takes an active part in its material and moral development and is ever ready to lend his influence or aid in a more substantial way any movements with these objects in view. He is a member of Odd Fellows Lodge No. 684 at Mt. Zion, having filled all the chairs in the same, be- sides representing the organization in the grand lodge during the session of 1898. In politics he has always been a Republican and in religion his belief is in accord with the plain. simple teachings of the Christian church. He and wife have been identified with this communion for a number of years and are among the most zealous members of the congregation to which they belong.
Mr. and Mrs. Terhune have had twelve children, of whom nine are living at this time, namely : Cora, born June 15, 1879, is the wife of Irvin West and the mother of one child, Ota ; Isaac, whose birth occurred August 10, 1881, lives on the home farm ; Della was born March 10, 1883. married James Hunnicutt and hás one daughter. Ethel N .; Ada A. was born October 6. 1885,
310
WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
and is the wife of George C. Neff; Daniel E. was born on the 8th day of April, 1887; Lela E., May 20, 1890; Ethel, March 15, 1892 ; Effie G., August 28, 1892; Ora, born on the Ist of April, 1894, and Gladys, the baby, aged four years. The names of those deceased are Homer, born August 12, 1888, died June 13, 1899; Nora H., born Febru- ary 12, 1896, and died September 14, 1897.
LOUIS A. NUTTER.
One of the prosperous and steadily thriving farmers of Wells county, Indiana, is Louis A. Nutter, who is also largely en- gaged in stock breeding, especially hogs. Mr. Nutter was born in Hocking county, Ohio, December 9, 1848, and is a son of Levi and Sarah A. (Martin) Nutter.
Levi Nutter, a native of Virginia, was a boy when he came to the Buckeye state with bis widowed mother, and there he grew to manhood and met and married Miss Sarah A., daughter of Patrick and Cynthia Martin, and reared near Canton. Levi went to housekeeping on a farm in Hocking county, where he lived about ten years, and then came to Wells county, Indiana, and entered eighty acres of land in Nottingham town- ship. Two years later he returned to Hock- ing county, where he passed the remainder of his life, and at his death left his widow with nine children, named as follows: Cyn- thia A., a widow now residing in Notting- ham township; Margaret, wife of Thomas Dyson, of Athens county, Ohio; Melissa, wife of George Dyson, of Nottingham township, Wells county, Indiana ; 'Louis A., the subject proper of this sketch; Lydia,
wife of Elijah Dyson, of Athens county, Ohio ; Levi D., a resident of Reiffsburg, In- diana; Charles M., deceased; Calista Slo- cum, of Grant county, Indiana, and Jane, wife of Robert Kennedy, of Dixonton, Ohio.
Louis A. Nutter attended the public schools and lived with his father until twen- ty-one years old and then began coal mining, at which he worked eleven years, during which period he married and located in Hocking county, Ohio. While mining he accumulated sufficient money to enable him to purchase a tract of eighty acres of farm- ing land in Nottingham township, Wells county, Indiana, a portion of which was cleared. This land had belonged to an uncle, from whom Mr. Nutter purchased it, but at the death of this uncle it was dis- covered that the title was clouded and he lost his land, which is now owned by the Rhea family. Mr. Nutter, however, filed a claim against the estate of William Nutter and was awarded the eighty-acre tract on which he now lives, and to which he has since added twenty acres and now owns one hundred acres, all in one body. Of this property he took possession in 1881, and in 1890 erected a very handsome dwelling and an excellent barn in 1901. He gives a great deal of his attention to the breeding of Duroc hogs and red polled cattle, as well as Oxford Down sheep, and feeds his corn mostly to his hogs.
Louis A. Nutter was united in marriage in Hocking county, Ohio, June II, 1874, with Miss Louisa Burgess, who was born in Wells county, Indiana, August 20, 1856, and is a daughter of Henson and Catherine ( Haines) Burgess, the latter deceased. The Burgess family were old settlers of Adams county, Ohio, but Henson is now a resident
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.