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 45
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present farm and his present prosperous condition indicates clearly the success he has attained.
The family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church, except the hus- band and father. While having no ill will whatever toward religion, he is not con- nected with any denomination. He is a member of John P. Porter Post No. 83, G. A. R., of Geneva. In politics he is a Re- publican, has always been an active worker in the party and is recognized as a man of standing and influence in his locality, being generally a delegate in the conventions of his party. From an exceedingly small be- ginning he has accomplished far more than many others with better opportunities, which speaks well for the native merit of the man.
WILLIAM E. BOWMAN.
The average yearly accumulation of the American working man, in dollars and cents, is not large. The great majority find it im- possible to make any saving whatever. There are, however, a few who manage to lay aside a little and by its assistance, after years of privation, self-denial and the for- tunate investment of their hoardings, man- age to secure a competency. Few are able to accomplish what William E. Bowman, the subject of this sketch, did in seven years. With his own labor and that of a team of horses on a rented farm, he managed to pay expenses and save, in a period of seven years, the sum of three thousand eight hundred dollars, an average saving of about five hundred and forty-three dollars a year.
William E. Bowman was born Novem-
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ber 22, 1861, in Stark county, Ohio. He is the son of Adam and Charlotte (Shick) Bowman, natives of Ohio, where they re- sided on a farm up to the time they moved to Elkhart county, Indiana. Later they moved into Harrison township, Wells county, where they have resided ever since. They were the parents of ten children, all of whom are living, viz : Charles, a resident of Elkhart; Samuel, a resident of Elkhart; William E., the subject of this sketch ; Anna, wife of Philip Househoulder, resides in Harrison township; John, a resident of Bluffton; Henry, a resident of Bluffton; Frank, a resident of Elkhart; Adam, a resident of Cass county, Michigan ; Ida, wife of James Cherry, of Bluffton; Edward, a resident of Bluffton.
When William E. Bowman was old enough to attend school he was more for- tunate than many who preceded him, in having good schools, comfortable school buildings, model text books and efficient teachers. He attended school in Harrison township each winter until he was eighteen years of age and profited by the instruction he received. He then began working for wages, making his home, however, with his parents. Up to the time of his marriage he worked by the day, week, month or job as he was able to secure employment. He was prudent and provident. He knew how he got his money and very little of it escaped from him without bringing him some re- turns. On the day of his marriage he was the owner of a good team of horses, a wagon and one hundred and ninety dollars in money.
On the 22nd day of March, 1889, he was united in marriage to Miss Rachael Funk, a daughter of Absalom and Mar-
garet A. (Bower) Funk, well-to-do resi- dents of Wells county. Immediately after marriage the young people took up their residence on the Funk farm, where they re- sided for six years. He worked with his team and at such jobs as he could procure, doing only enough farming to procure feed for his team. After trying this for six years he discovered that there was little in it more than a bare living. This determined him to change his policy. He rented the Sol DeLong farm in Harrison township and devoted himself assiduously to the man- agement of that farm for seven years. At the end of that time he had saved enough money to justify him in purchasing an eighty-acre tract of land of his own. He selected a nice piece of land and bought it, paying three thousand eight hundred dollars cash for it, every dollar of which he accumu- lated during the seven years he had been liv- ing on rented farm. March 1, 1901, he took tip his residence on his new purchase and be- gan improving the land. Since then he has ditched, fenced and cleared this land, making it a most valuable farm. He carries on general farming, raising grain, hay, vege- tables and stock of all kinds. He gives his preference to shorthorn cattle, but considers the cross between the Poland China and Berkshire the most desirable in hogs. The greater part of his farm is now under culti- vation. To Mr. and Mrs. Bowman four children have been born, Carrie, Cora, Hugh and Bert. Mrs. Bowman is a member of the German Reformed church, a regular at- tendant upon its services and a liberal con- tributor to its support. Mr. Bowman is a member of Washington Council No. 5, Order of United American Mechanics, of Bluffton, is an active member and much in-
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terested in the work. In politics he is a Re- publican, sufficiently liberal to accord to others the privilege he takes to himself, that of voting for whom he pleases. He and his brother-in-law, John Funk, have just re- turned from an extensive trip through the principal large cities of the east, where they saw much that was entertaining, instructive and amusing. They visited Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Jersey City, New York City, Brooklyn, Baltimore and Washington City, taking in all places of interest in each, return- ing by way of Cincinnati. The industry, prudence and thrift of Mr. Bowman is most commendable, all the more so because neither selfish nor parsimonious, but he wants to see proper, legitimate return for every dollar he expects. If all good citizens were equally careful in money matters, the latter days of many good men and women would not be, as they frequently are, em- bittered by poverty.
JOSEPH AWKERMAN.
One of the bravest ex-soldiers of the Civil war and now a respected resident of Liberty Center, Wells county, Indiana, is Joseph Awkerman, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, October 1, 1839. His father, also named Joseph, was a native of Berne, Switzerland, came to America when still quite young, and married at a proper age Miss Mary Osenbaugh, a native of Northı- ampton county, Pennsylvania. He was called away, however, when but twenty-eight years of age, leaving Joseph, the subject proper of this sketch, then but three months old, to the care of his mother, who died
when the son was only three and a half years of age.
Joseph Awkerman, Sr., at the death of his mother was placed in the care of a so- called guardian, who never even furnished the child with a pair of shoes nor clothing enough to cover him decently. The case was so aggravated a one that the boy was persuaded to run away from his guardian by a friend who had secured a home for him, where his services were rewarded with good board and clothes and five dollars in cash per year, that is, the equivalent of five American dollars. He was an industrious and faithful lad, always found plenty of work to do, and as he grew older his pay was increased proportionately. The last year he worked in Switzerland he received twelve dollars per month, but the next year. when he demanded thirteen dollars, his de- mand was refused. About this time he was informed that there was a party being made up for migration to America and he de- cided to join it. In 1817 he landed in New York, but for some reason he and his fel- low passengers were reshipped ón the same vessel to Philadelphia, where he was landed with no funds whatever. A kind stranger, becoming aware of the fact, furnished the young Switzer with four dollars and with this sum the latter paid his passage to Pitts- burg, near which city he secured work on a farm, and remained thereon for two years. From Pennsylvania Mr. Awkerman re- moved to Ohio and for a while worked on a farm in Columbiana county, and later in a grist-mill for the same employer. He had made up his mind to come further west, when a proposition was made to him to clear up a fifteen-acre tract, a certain quan- tity of land to be given him as pay for his
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labor. But he heard that land could be had from the government further west at a much lower figure, and he accordingly gathered together all his available means and went to Wayne county, Ohio, where he en- tered eighty acres in the forest. There Mr. Awkerman built a cabin in which he lived alone four years, and then, about 1827, mar- ried Mary Osenbaugh, a daughter of Henry Osenbaugh, of Pennsylvania.
Mary Osenbaugh was but fourteen years of age when her parents came from the east and first located in Fairfield county, Ohio, whence they removed to Wayne county, Ohio, where Henry Osenbaugh and wife passed the remainder of their days. After marriage Joseph and Mary (Osenbaugh) Awkerman settled on the farm he had en- tered, and there had eleven children born to them, namely: A daughter, who died in in- fancy; Sarah, who died when seven years old; Elizabeth, who died at three; Cather- ine, widow of David Shreiner, of Medina county, Ohio; Susanna, deceased wife of William H. Funk, of Bluffton, Indiana; John, of Medina county, Ohio; Anna, de- ceased ; Joseph, whose name opens this biog- raphy ; Lovina, deceased; Rachael, wife of Levi Cross, of Michigan; and Henry, who has his residence also in Medina county, Ohio. Joseph Awkerman, the father of the above enumerated children, passed away November 23, 1863, and the mother Novem- ber 15, 1877.
Joseph Awkerman, of this sketch, at- tended the district schools in Wayne county, Ohio, until twenty-one years of age and then worked at carpentering until the summer of 1862, when he enlisted, August 9, in Com- pany E, One Hundred and Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he served
three years. He never had a part in any very severe battle, but participated in many lively skirmishes and was in one siege of four days' duration. He was honorably mustered out June 30, 1865, and Mr. Awkerman stoutly maintains that his com- pany never was conquered until it reached Todd's Barrack, at Columbus, Ohio, where it was completely routed by bed bugs and compelled to sleep in the yard.
When Mr. Awkerman reached his home, he found that his father had passed away, and his mother was just preparing for har- vesting. Joseph therefore passed the re- mainder of the season in working for her and her neighbors, and the next year worked at his trade all summer. In the spring of 1867 he came to Liberty township, Wells county, Indiana, and in just two years and four days after arriving here purchased the farm of eighty acres on which he now lives and for which he paid nine hundred dollars, of which amount three hundred dollars was in cash; for the balance, he gave three notes, of two hundred dollars respectively, at twelve, twenty-four and thirty-six months, two of which notes he paid promptly when due, but the third he was thirty-three dollars short just at the time, but made it all right in a few days. After purchasing his farm, Mr. Awkerman continued to work at his trade in summer and in a saw-mill and at other kind of labor in winter, and thus was able to earn the means with which to pay for his farm, continuing to work in the same manner for ten years.
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Mr. Awkerman was united in marriage, February 1, 1877, at St. Mary's, Ohio, with Miss Cynthia B, Bireley, who was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, April 8, 1837, a daughter of Lewis and Mary Bire-
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ley, the former of whom was born in Mary- land, and the latter in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. Cynthia B., the daughter of this respected and honored couple, was but seven years of age when taken to Ohio by her parents, who settled in Miami county, where she grew to maturity. There were five children in the Bireley family, born in the following order ; Elnora, now deceased ; Rebecca ; William, deceased; Susan, de- ceased, and Cynthia B., now Mrs. Awker- man. At his marriage, Mr. Awkerman be- gan housekeeping in a log cabin, eighteen by. twenty-four feet in dimension on the ground floor, with two rooms upstairs. They had made some bed clothing, on "the sly," and Mrs. Awkerman brought the bed, the chairs, a rocker, a cupboard, a table and several other little articles of household furniture. Mr. Awkerman had no team at that time, but in the following November bought two horses and a wagon and began farming, relinquishing carpenter work as much as pos- sible. Two or three years after marriage, on one occasion, Mr. Awkerman found him- self to be rather hard pressed for cash, but was told by his wife that it was absolutely necessary to have flour. The young hus- band was somewhat nonplussed, but put a bold face on and went to Poneta and se- cured some flour from John Penrod on credit, this being the only time in his life that he was really "hard up."
Mr. Awkerman continued farming until 1884, when he succumbed to ill health con- tracted in the army and was unable to do any work until the middle of October fol- lowing. Up to this attack of sickness every thing on the farm had worked auspiciously, but he was compelled to rent his farm and retire to Poneto. His residence in the town
had a continuance of three years, but in the second year of this period he secured, in recognition of his military service, a pen- sion of sixteen dollars per month and back pay for eighteen months, and this sum put him out of debt, nor does he owe any man a dollar. In 1887 Mr. Awkerman returned to his farm, over which he still keeps su- pervision, but rents out the arable portion to John Wineland. The farm is improved with a handsome dwelling, a good barn, and one thousand one hundred and fifty rods of tiling, and with the exception of seven acres is all cleared off and under cultivation.
Mr. Awkerman is a member. of the Dunkard church and Mrs. Awkerman is a member of the Methodist Protestant, and of the former he is a member of the building committee and a trustee. In politics Mr. Awkerman is a Republican, but was reared a Democrat, and the change was brought by the first slave he ever saw and who preached Democracy out of him. Mr. and Mrs. Awkerman are among the most respected of the residents of Liberty Center, and for his present elevated position Mr. Awkerman does not hesitate to award to his faithful helpmate a full share of praise and credit.
JAMES H. KEEFER.
This young, talented and energetic editor and proprietor of the Weekly News, published at Ossian, Indiana, was born in Maysville, Allen county, Indiana, February II, 1869, and is descended from parents in whose veins the blood of the Pennsylvania Germans largely predomi- nated. He secured the elements of an
JAS. H. KEEFER.
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education in . Maysville at the common schools and the completion of his studies was accomplished through self application to books, travel and close observation of men and things as they passed before his mental and physical vision. He was of an inventive turn of mind in his youthful days and a year of labor in a printing office taught him the details of the profession, although he had intended to follow an en- tirely different line of life work. At the age of twenty he entered into the whole- sale butchering and meat business at Maysville, but in 1885 Swift & Company, of Chicago, had monopolized the trade by. underselling the local dealers. Mr. Keefer then turned his genius to newspaper work and how well he succeeded will be found in a sketch of the Ossian News. The Os- sian Weekly Telephone was founded by DuBoise & Huffman, but dragged along a sickly existence of a few weeks only, when a Mr. Lipes started a job-printing plant with a view of founding another journal, which never materialized. In December, 1890, Mr. Keefer secured a meager five-hundred-dollar equipment and began the issue of the Ossian News. The quarters were too small and in Feb- ruary, 1891, he moved his establishment into the north room of the Ossian House. His determination to win overcame the doubts and prejudices of those who had been "gold bricked" by the Weekly Tele- phone, and soon subscriptions began to come in, and advertising to boom. In April, 1891, seeking larger quarters, Mr. Keefer moved into the upstairs rooms of the old postoffice building, where he had his living rooms as well. The News re- mained there until increased prosperity in-
duced the proprietor to build his pres- ent office, to which he moved in April, 1893. The paper at the start was a four- column quarto, but in three weeks its size was increased to a five-column quarto, two pages being printed at home, the rest being "ready-print" from the Fort Wayne Newspaper Union. This continued a year, when Mr. Keefer began to print four pages at home. January 1, 1898, the News changed dress to brevier and showed further improvements, making its appear- ance "pasted and trimmed" in its present neat and attractive form. Recently a large Jones-Gordon press and a service- able low-power gas engine were added, the equipment costing about twenty-five hundred dollars. The job printing facili- ties of the plant are equal-indeed super- ior-to any other in the county. The News itself is a bright, tasty, readable weekly, a mirror which reflects the life of the community, its carefully prepared news columns being now considered au- thority on local matters. It finds its way into nearly every home in this section of Wells county and has become almost a household necessity. Its news and edi- torial articles are written in a crisp, catchy style, such talent as that of C. A. Carpen- ter adding zest and pith to its columns and making it the favorite paper in hun- dreds of families.
In December, 1902, The News added a zinc etching plant by which it is enabled to present to its readers a line of interesting cartoons that materially enhance the value of the paper both from a reading and an ad- vertising standpoint. A 20th century souv- enir volume of Ossian, with an edition of two thousand copies, was issued by the News
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and received encomiums of praise from lead- ing editors throughout the country.
In 1902 James H. Keefer was chosen by the building committee of the new Presbyterian church to superintend the erection of the fine sixteen-thousand-dol- lar edifice and so satisfactory were his ef- forts that the building is without a peer when compared with other church edifices of the same cost. Following is a list of the members of this committee : L. F. Wil- son, chairman, Jas. H. Keefer, W. H. Rup- right, A. F. Roe, G. A. Morton, Rev. E. P. Gilchrist. Jas. H. Keefer was tacitly looked upon as a man whose critical pow- ers would be of service and indeed he was of much valuable assistance, for the en- tire committee deferred frequently to his judgment in weighty matters.
JOHN W. RINEAR.
The versatile man is not proven by the many callings to which he turns his hand. He is rather proven to be versatile by the number of which he makes a success. Hon. John W. Rinear, of Liberty Center, Wells county, Indiana, the subject of this brief sketch, has undertaken many vocations,- which in itself does not prove him to be ver- satile. He has undertaken nothing in which he has not been eminently successful,-that does. He has been a woodman, a farmer, a soldier, a dealer in real estate, a merchant, a member of the legislature and various other minor vocations, in all of which he acquitted himself not only with credit, but with marked honor.
John W. Rinear is a native of Ohio. He
was born near Cleveland, Cuyahoga county, March 4, 1842, the son of Charles and Jane S. Rinear. The father was a native of New Jersey, born July 7, 1816; the mother a na- tive of New York, born May 16, 1820. The parents of Charles were John and Rebecca (Gaskill) Rinear, both natives of New Jer- sey. Jane S. was the daughter of Silas and Esther (Montgomery) Parker, Silas being a native of Connecticut, a thoroughbred, down-east Yankee, while Esther was a na- tive of New York. Charles, the father of the subject, grew to manhood in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, having accompanied his par- ents to that commonwealth when he was only five years old. In this locality also the parents of Jane S. Parker had settled and engaged in farming. There they were mar- ried and resided until 1847, when they moved to Huntington county, Indiana, and seven years later to Liberty township, Wells county. That region was at that time dense woods, but there they purchased a tract of one hundred and twenty acres. Charles Rinear was at that time a large, powerful man, capable of doing much more work than the average man and rarely acknowl- edged a feeling of weariness. With little means other than their industry, they started in a log cabin and fought a winning fight against poverty and privation. Both the parents are now dead, the father dying De- cember 26, 1887, at the age of seventy-one, and his faithful wife went to her reward April 6, 1894, aged seventy-four. At the time of their death they were possessed of the title to the land purchased by them when they first came to Wells county, be- sides much other valuable property. Their work was ended when they passed away and it was well done. He was a deacon of the
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Baptist church and served in that capacity for forty years. In politics he was a stanch Republican, but there must have been some- thing radically wrong either with his teach- ing or the cause he espoused, for all of his sons are Democrats. Perhaps it was in the atmosphere, as Wells county is a little pe- culiar in that particular. Charles and Jane S. Rinear were the parents of six children, five of whom are yet living. They are as follows : John W., the subject of this sketch ; Elias M., who most efficiently served Wells county as commissioner ; Emma S., wife of Eli Smith, of Liberty Center; Charles A. died at the age of twenty-four years ; George F., a resident of Bluffton; Mary J., wife of H. J. Johnson, justice of the peace of Lib- erty township. Each received a good edu- cation and is comfortably settled in life.
John W. Rinear received his education in the common schools of Liberty township, which he attended until he was nineteen years old. Like many other youths of that period, his school days were prematurely abbreviated by the operation of the recruiting office. September 25, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Forty-seventh Indiana Volun- teers. After fourteen months' service he was obliged to leave the ranks on account of disability by reason of a bullet wound re- ceived in the right arm at the mouth ,of White river, Arkansas. Those fourteen months, however, were a period of much ac- tivity. He was stationed for a time at New Madrid, Missouri, and at Riddles Point, Missouri. He took part in the siege of Fort Pillow and his was the first Federal regi- ment in Memphis after the naval battle. It was with much regret that he was obliged to leave the service at a time when he felt most deeply interested in the success of the
Union cause. He received an honorable dis- charge at Memphis, Tennessee.
After returning from the war he was, on April 2, 1863, united in marriage to Miss Sarah C. First, a young lady of modesty and refinement and of an amiable disposi- tion. She was born February 23, 1843, in Liberty township, Wells county, her parents being Jacob and Hannah (Stonebrook) First, natives of Pennsylvania. Her father was born March 5, 1811. He entered a tract of land in Liberty township, Wells county, in 1836 and took up his residence thereon in 1841. He resided upon this land until a few years ago, when he began making his home with his daughter, Mrs. John W. Rinear, wife of the subject of this sketch. He is now the only man in Liberty township who has retained his ownership of the land he originally secured from the government. He has at different times held every office in the gift of his township, except that of assessor, and filled each position creditably and well. Now, after a life of unremitting industry, in his ninety-second year, he is still hale and hearty. Jacob and Hannah First were the parents of eight children, viz: Israel, de- ceased; Solomon ; Mary J., wife of Peter Frantz; George, deceased; Sarah C., wife of the subject; Salinda, wife of R. F. Taylor ; Thomas and Caroline, who was the wife of Theodore Ewart, but has since died.
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For three years after his marriage Mr. Rinear rented and lived upon the farm of Dr. Melshiemer in Liberty township. In the meantime, having saved some money, with it he purchased a tract of forty acres of land, which now forms a part of Liberty Center. The east half of the original plat of the town was laid out on this land by Mr. Rinear, and when purchased, this land
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was dense woods. With his own hands the new owner erected upon this place a_cabin eighteen by twenty feet. At this time his worldly possessions consisted of a team of horses, a cow and a few shoats. For the greater part of the purchase price he went in debt, but each and every note was paid by, or before, the time it became due. With his own labor and that of his faithful wife they cleared this land and made of it a farm and a home. In 1866 Mr. Rinear came into possession of his present farm, and on the 28th day of December, 1866, his home was gladdened by the birth of a daughter, Han- nah S., who was the first child born in Lib- erty Center. She is now the wife of John B. Funk, a prosperous druggist and postmaster of Liberty Center, who at the expiration of his present term will have served the gov- ernment in that capacity twelve years. They are the parents of three children, viz : John A. J., sixteen years old, is in the second year of high school and attended the Marion Normal School last spring; Sarah A. M., thirteen years old, a student of common school in the eighth grade; Charles Rinear, ten years old, also attending school.
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