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 64
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WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
Harold, Orin, Mary and Helen. In poli- tics, although reared a Democrat, he has given his own support to the Republicans, being one of the most active and enthusi- astic workers of the party in Jefferson township, being one of the precinct com- mitteemen of the township. He also served one term as councilman of Ossian just after its incorporation, in which posi- tion he earnestly advocated such public improvements as would benefit the com- munity. He is a man of intelligence, is an excellent citizen, a good neighbor and enjoys the highest esteem of his acquaint- ances.
WILLIAM EHRET.
To the pioneer let us offer due credit, especially to the pioneer farmer, who cleared the wilderness and suffered the many priva- tions of frontier life. The subject of this sketch is one of these, having come to this country with his parents when a babe, help- ing to clear his father's land when a young man and assisting in the growth of the com- munity until interrupted by the call of his country, which he faithfully served for three years. Having discharged his duty as a soldier, he again took up the laborious work of developing his community and how well he has fulfilled his charge let this sketch pro- claim. William Ehret was born in Wurtem- berg, Germany, March 30, 1826. His par- ents were Simon and Catherine (Miller) Ehret, and sprang from a sturdy race of ancestors whose strength and courage have been transmitted to the present generation. Simon Ehret was born, reared and married in Germany, where he served his apprentice-
ship at the blacksmith's trade. He came to America in 1829 and joined the German community at Zoar, Tuscarawas county, Ohio. He remained there, working at his trade nine years, going next to Chillicothe, Ohio, where for five years he worked at the anvil. He then returned to Bolivar, but later moved to Canal Fulton, Ohio. In the spring of 1848 he brought his family to Wells county and purchased eighty acres of land in section 23, Jefferson township, where he established a rude home in the woods. As the country was new the Ehrets were obliged, until their own cabin could be erected, to move into the house of a neighbor, Jake Burns, where they remained for five weeks. He had decided to ply his trade even in the wilderness and for that purpose erected a shop, working as a smith while William, his son, did the clearing.
William Ehret was then twenty-two years old and was a man of rugged appear- ance. He was a rail splitter of no mean re- pute and held his own at the log rollings in the neighborhood. He continued to work on his father's farm until 1857, when he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Niblick, of Adams county, and established a home of his own. His wife was ten years his junior. having been born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in 1836. At the age of nine months she was brought to Adams county by her parents, Robert and Syden Niblick.
While Mr. Ehret was thus getting a start in life, our country was tottering between freedom and slavery, and, imbued with pa- triotism, he felt that he was needed in the defense of Old Glory, and, leaving his young wife and four children, he offered his services and enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and First Indiana Regiment, under Captain
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Trusedale, being mustered into service at Indianapolis, in August, 1862. He served three years and was mustered out in July, 1865. The regiment left for the South soon after its organization and was soon in active service, the first engagement being at the battle of Perryville, Kentucky. He also participated in battles at Hartsville, Milton, Hoover's Gap, Tullahoma, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, Graysville, Ringgold, Tunnel Hill, Rocky Face Ridge, Dalton, Resaca, Adairsville, Cassville, Auk- worth, Picket Mills, New Hope Church, Big Shanty. Culp's Farm, Lost Mountain, Pine Mountain, Marietta, Kenesaw Mountain, Smyrna, Peach Tree Creek, Chattahoochee River, Atlanta, Ezra Church, Utoy Creek and Jonesboro. He was in Sherman's march to the sea, at Savannah, Ebenezer Church, Barnwell Court House, through the Caro- linas, Fayetteville, Averysboro, Bentonville and Smithfield. During his service Mr. Ehret was confined in the hospital two nights and a day, besides being obliged to spend a short time in the convalescent camp. He had many narrow escapes, and for his services receives a pension of twelve dollars per month. After an absence of three years from his family he returned home and re- sumed life on the farm, where he has con- tinued to reside. He has become a farmer and stock raiser of some note. He is a lover of fine stock and in his county is an authority on good horses, having bred several fine ani- mals which took premiums at the county fairs held in Wells and adjoining counties. In politics he has always voted with the Democratic party and in his younger days was an active and ardent worker in his party. As a member of the Grand Army of the Re- public he is popular with his comrades
in the William Swaim Post at Ossian, In- diana.
Mr. and Mrs. Ehret are highly respected in Jefferson township, where they have spent all their married life. They are the parents of fourteen children, eight of whom are liv- ing. They are good neighbors, excellent citizens and are held in high esteem by all who know them. They are Presbyterians in faith, being members of the church at Elhanan, and are much respected by their associates. Mr. Ehret is a whole-souled, genial man and is so known far and wide in Wells county, while his wife also has the love and respect of all.
MARTIN HECKLEY.
The present solid prosperity enjoyed in this country may be attributed largely to her pioneers. In the days of her maid- enhood, when the only welcome tendered a stranger was a wilderness, those who settled here had little to encourage them and much to discourage them in their enormous undertaking. But the sturdy settlers came not only with the determi- nation to succeed, but to succeed honest- ly, and worked persistently until, late in life, they became prosperous and honor- able citizens of their locality.
Martin Heckley, who is one of Jeffer- son township's prominent and prosperous farmers, was born in Wurtemberg, Ger- many, September 15, 1836. He was the son of Martin and Mary (Beck) Heckley, poor but respected German citizens. As a boy he attended the schools of Germany and, while his education was not polished,
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WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
yet it was sufficient to enable him to make his way in the world without much diffi- culty. When he was seventeen years old he was apprenticed as a ropemaker, at which trade he worked until he came to America, in 1855, at the age of nineteen.
He came directly to Jefferson town- ship and for some time made his home with his uncle, Mathias Beck. At the time of his arrival in Wells county he was indebted to his uncle to the amount of seventy dollars, which had been sent him for the purpose of defraying the expense of his passage to America, and being of an energetic disposition he immediately went to work to repay this money. He worked fourteen months for his uncle in order to discharge his indebtedness and when freed from this load hired himself out to a farmer for a period of five years, receiving one hundred and twenty-five dollars per year as a remuneration. Dur- ing that time he managed to save five hundred and twenty-five dollars and, after sending twenty-five dollars to his people in Germany, he bought eighty acres of · woodland, his present homestead, which he proceeded at once to clear and im- prove.
In 1861 Mr. Heckley was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Moyer and took her immediately to the new home in the woods. This house was later remodeled and is the present home of the family. He is now the possessor of three hundred and sixty-five acres of as fine land as the county affords, it being divided into six farms estimated to be worth about twenty thousand do !- lars. In March, 1889, his first wife died and he was again married, September 16, 1891, to Mrs. Eugenia McDowell, who
was born in Bluffton, Indiana, in April, 1858. His first wife bore him seven chil- dren; Malinda, wife of Dan Miller; Mary, wife of Jacob Shoe; John married Clara Kleineigh; Sam, the husband of Zoe Judd; Rosa, wife of Charles Isnogle ; Martin, Jr., married to Agnes Hunt; and Frank, whose wife was Catherine Judd.
Mr. and Mrs. Heckley are both highly respected church members, he being a member of the Presbyterian faith, while the wife is enrolled with the United Brethren. They are active and enthusi- astic church workers and are depended upon by their fellow workers in all church affairs. Mrs. Heckley is also a member of the Order of Eastern Star, in which in- stitution she is quite prominent. Mr. Heckley has all his life voted the Demo- cratic ticket. The Heckleys are well re- spected citizens of Wells county, where they have a host of acquaintances, and their influence, which has been felt by friends and strangers alike, can be said to be uplifting.
Mr. Heckley's home is pleasantly sit- uated four and one-half miles east of Os- sian and its doors are ever open in genial hospitality to rich and poor alike, Mr. Heckley never forgetting the days of his own struggles and privations when the kind words and welcome of others were highly appreciated.
WILLIAM F. KLEINKNIGHT.
Of German descent, William F. Klein- knight was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, February 28, 1830, but is now one of the
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WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
prominent farmers of Jefferson township, Wells county, Indiana. His parents were John M. and Anna (Isenhart) Kleinknight, the former of whom, a native of Wurtem- berg, Germany, was born October 24, 1794, and the latter, a native of the same country, was born in 1788. These parents were mar- ried in Pennsylvania and were in but indiffer- ent circumstances as far as the goods of this world were concerned, although there existed a legendary rumor in an early day that one or both had been left a small legacy. John M. Kleinknight received an excellent education in his native land. He was reared to the blacksmith's trade, was a man of prudence and from his savings paid his passage to the United States about the year 1819, but on the way over, a fellow passenger, a young lady, Miss Anna Isenhart, was taken sick, and in her fate Mr. Kleinknight became greatly interested. His attentions to this young lady created a warm friendship between the two which culminated in a still warmer feeling, of the nature of which the reader will readily surmise. On the arrival of their gallant bark at Baltimore, Maryland, Mr. Kleinknight found employment at his trade and Miss Isenhart secured a position as a domestic in one of the German families of the Monu- mental city and for some time the young lovers became separated, but were finally re- stored to each other and about 1821 were united in marriage. For a few years the young couple continued to reside in Balti- more and then changed from place to place until Mr. Kleinknight purchased a small piece of land in Middletown, a hamlet lying between Galion and Crestline, Ohio, where he built a shop and followed his trade until 1849, in the spring of which year, in com- pany with Michael Kunkel, of whom further
mention will be made, he came to Wells county, Indiana, and entered a tract of land in section 31, Jefferson township, one-half mile north of Tocsin. These gentlemen then returned to Crawford county, Ohio, where they liquidated their debts, disposed of their various interests and came back to the wilds of Jefferson township, Wells county, In- diana.
On reaching Wells county, Mr. Klein- knight had a capital of about two hundred and seventy-five dollars in cash, realized from his earnings when he lived in Ohio, and from this amount he invested one hundred and twenty in land in Jefferson township. In the fall of 1849 he loaded up his household goods in two covered wagons, of which one team belonged to himself and the other was hired. To the east of the point of destina- tion was a large swamp, but, nothing dis- couraged, the party made a long detour to the south and in a roundabout way eventu- ally reached the new home. As no prepara- tion had been made here for their shelter, they were hospitably welcomed to the neigh- borhood by David Myers, who opened the door of his one-roomed cabin and entertained them until they could prepare a patch of land on which to erect a cabin, a task that re- quired about two weeks time. The usual frontier experiences were gone through and on this farm his wife died in 1859, his own - death occurring at the home of his son-in- law, Michael Kunkel, in the fall of 1867.
The family born to John M. and Anna Kleinknight comprised the following named children: Jacob and Peter (twins), born January 20, 1822, and both now deceased ; John, born January 22, 1825, deceased; Mary A., born December 31, 1827, was mar- ried first to Michael Kunkel and after his
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WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
death became the wife of Eph. High, of Bluffton ; William F., whose name opens this biographical record; Lydia J., born April 6, 1832, and now the wife of Charles S. High, of Bluffton. In 1854 Mr. Kleinknight turned over the management of his farm to his son, William F., with the understanding that the latter was to pay fifty dollars to each of the other heirs and retain the property. While still a resident of Baltimore, Mr. Kleinknight had joined the United Brethren church and soon after his arrival in Wells county, Indiana, organized Salem class, a society which is still in existence, as the Tocsin church. Of this class the following persons constituted the members : John M. Kleinknight and wife, J. C. Johnson and wife, David Gilliland and wife, Nancy Miller, Christopher Graham and wife. Mr. Klein- knight was the first class leader and offici- ated in some capacity in the church until the day of his death, revered and beloved by all.
.William F. Kleinknight had assisted his father in the shop in Ohio until nineteen years old, when the two came to Wells coun- ty. Indiana, and here he attended school and thus acquired a fair education. On reaching Wells county he continued to assist his father for about two years in clearing up the farm and in cultivating it, and was then united in marriage, at the age of twenty-two years, with Miss Nancy Amrette Richey, who was born in Licking county, Ohio, October 25, 1833, and in 1836 came to Wells county, In- diana, with her parents, who settled in Lan- caster township, near Murray. Here the little girl had but few opportunities to at- tend school, but she was blessed with a reten- tive memory, was a constant reader and be- came well versed in biblical knowledge and
current history. This marriage has been crowned with children as follows : John M., who was born December 20, 1854, and died January 1, 1875; Ivan O., born January 6, 1858, married Serena Smith, and is one of the leading farmers of Lancaster township; Albert C., born November II, 1859, died June 17, 1881 ; Norville J., born January 17, 1863, was educated in the district schools and in the Ossian graded schools and at the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valpa- raiso, was a teacher of high repute in Wells county for many years and is now a well- to-do farmer in Lancaster township, and married to Sade Wasson; William M. mar- ried Minnie Sowards and is a prosperous farmer in Jefferson township; Lydia A., born in November, 1867, is the wife of Mil- ton Reed, and Anna, who was born Septem- ber 14, 1873, is the wife of Henry Schoch.
W. F. Kleinknight has been a member of the Tocsin United Brethren church since 1870, but his wife joined as far back as 1854. Both are ardent and untiring in church work and are well known throughout Jefferson township for their piety and excellent per- sonal qualities. The Kleinknight home- stead now contains sixty-seven and one-half acres, and it is all cleared, well tiled and well improved with substantial buildings and makes one of the desirable homes of the township. Mr. Kleinknight is a Republican, though formerly a Democrat; however, his greater activity in political work was in ear- lier life.
URIAH MAST.
One of the leading farmers and an ex- business man of Rock Creek township,
32
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WELLS COUNTY, INDIANA.
Wells county, Indiana, is Uriah Mast, who was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, February 26, 1847, and is a son of Abra- ham and Elizabeth (Albert) Mast, the former of whom was a native of Pennsyl- vania, born in Lebanon county, and who, when about twenty-three years old, mi- grated to Ohio and located in Montgom- ery county, where he renewed his friend- ship for the Albert family, with whom he had been acquainted before leaving Penn- sylvania, and, although a poor young man at that time, was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth. About 1853 Abraham Mast brought his family to Wells county, Indiana. 'He had previously been to Wells county and purchased a tract of land in Rock Creek township, in section 22, but did not then settle on this land. He first moved in with his mother- in-law, Mrs. Albert, who resided in Rock Creek township, on section 14, and at first rented her farm, which he afterwards purchased and on which he resided until moving to Bluffton, where his death took place in June, 1891, his wife having passed to the other world three weeks previous. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Mast com- prised eight children, named as follows : David, who is now a resident of Iowa; Uriah, whose name opens this biographi- cal record; Amanda, deceased; Eliza, widow of John Eichhorn; Laura, unmar- ried; Lucinda, wife of Edward Souers, of Bluffton ; Jennie, wife of Abe Simmons, of Bluffton, and Ida, wife of Benjamin Ash- baucher.
Uriah Mast was a child of about six years of age when he came with his par- ents to Wells county, Indiana, and here, at the proper age, he was placed in the
district school, which he attended during the winter seasons until twenty-one years old, but in the summer seasons dutifully assisted in caring for the home farm, and for a year after attaining his majority he worked for his father on the same con- ditions as would a hired hand, after which he went to Illinois and remained some time. On his return to Wells county, In- diana, he rented the home farm, which he conducted for a couple of years.
In 1874 Uriah Mast was united in mar- riage with Miss Maggie Eichhorn, a daughter of Philip and Margaret (Host- ler) Eichhorn. She was born in Ohio and when about eleven years old was brought to Wells county, Indiana. She did not, however, long survive the ceremony which made her a wife and within one year there- after was called to rest. The second mar- riage of Mr. Mast took place November 4, 1878, to Mrs. Lucetta Brehm, widow of John Brehm, but who had borne the maid- en name of Cassel. No children, however, were born to either of these two mar- riages. Mr. and Mrs. Mast are devoted members of the Reform church at St. Paul, in which Mr. Mast had officiated as elder and deacon for many years. In poli- tics Mr. Mast is a Democrat in principle, but has never been particularly active in the affairs of his party. Fraternally he is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men at Bluffton.
The doctrine or theory that agricul- ture is the veritable source of wealth has been exemplified in the experience of Mr. Mast. About the year 1887, he left his farm and went to Bluffton, and for eigh- teen months was identified with the Studabaker, Sale & Company warehouse,
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then also for eighteen months was with Jacob Brown. Next, he rented the H. Frieze feed barn for five years; but al- though he did a fairly paying business, he was not as well satisfied as when farming, and so returned to his home place in Rock Creek township, where he is now one of the leading farmers and most respected citizens.
LEVI SCHWARTZ.
The Schwartz family of Rock Creek township, Wells county, Indiana, is of German extraction and its most promi- nent representative in this county is Levi Schwartz, one of the well-to-do farmers of Rock Creek township. The grandfather of Levi Schwartz was the founder of the family in America, being one of the early settlers in Pennsylvania.
Levi Schwartz, son of Michael and Mollie (Houtz) Schwartz, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, June 14, 1846. Michael, the father, was reared on a farm and was educated in the German schools of the Keystone state, where he lived until 1850, when he came to Indiana and first located in Shelby county, remained there until the spring of 1852 and then came to Rock Creek township, Wells county, pur- chased eighty acres of what is now the Eichhorn farm, which was deep in the for- est, and there passed the remainder of his life, dying in 1860. To him and wife were born two sons and three daughters, of whom the following named still survive : Levi, whose name opens this biographical record; Eli; Caroline, wife of William Rarhar, and Elmira, wife of Samuel Crum.
When a lad of about six years of age, Levi Schwartz was brought to Rock Creek township, Wells county, Indiana, by his parents and there attended at the log school house for three terms, acquir- ing a very good education for pioneer days, and also assisting his father in the cultivation of the home farm. About one year after the death of his father Levi began to work out by the day on a farm in his neighborhood and continued to follow this class of labor until he had attained his twenty-first year, when, in 1867, he was united in marriage with Miss Harriet Farling, a daughter of Jacob Farling, this marriage resulting in the birth of eleven children : Ida, deceased ; Jacob; Thomas; Ann, wife of Elmer Price; John, deceased ; Edward, Effie, Margaret and four that died in infancy, unnamed.
At the time of his marriage Mr. Schwartz had but seventy-five dollars, but he was industrious and frugal, continued to work out as a farm hand and is now the owner of a good farm of fifty-five acres on which he lives, and also owns a business room at Murray, and a saw-mill at Murray, which he ran for one year. He likewise owns one of the best stone quarries in his part of the country, all of which property he has secured entirely through his per- sonal exertions. In fact, Mr. Schwartz is a natural born mechanic, has erected sev- eral substantial buildings, and is able to turn his hand to anything requiring skill and ingenuity in its construction.
Mr. Schwartz is a member of the Lutheran church, in the faith of which his wife, who was also a devoted member, was called away October 28, 1902. Frater- nally Mr. Schwartz is a member of Red
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Men's Lodge No. 82, at Bluffton. In politics Mr. Schwartz is one of the sub- stantial Democrats of Rock Creek town- ship, and although he is a faithful worker in the interests of his party and a strong advocate of its principles, he has néver sought a favor at its hand, as he has al- ways found himself too busy with his own affairs to devote his time to the precarious pursuit of office.
The active life led by Mr. Schwartz is but another instance of the success that ever attends industry, economy and the skillful application of means to secure an end, coupled with strict integrity. These virtues are possessed in an eminent de- gree by Mr. Schwartz, and the high standing he now occupies in the com- munity in which he has passed so many years of his busy life is but a just recog- nition of his personal worth.
L. E. DEAM.
Agriculture has been an honored voca- tion from the earliest ages, and as a usual thing men of honorable and humane im- pulses, as well as those of energy and thrift, have been patrons of husbandry. The free outdoor life of the farm has a decided ten- dency to foster and develop that indepen- dence of mind and self-reliance which char- acterize true manhood and no greater bless- ing can befall a boy than to be reared in close touch with nature in the healthful, life-in- spiring labor of the fields. It has always been the fruitful soil from which have sprung the moral bone and sinew of the country, and the majority of our nation's great warriors, wise
statesmen, renowned scholars and distin- guished men of letters were born on the farm and are indebted to its early influence for the distinction which they have attained. Among the enterprising, influential and well-known agriculturists of Wells county, Indiana, is the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this brief review.
The subject's grandfather, John A. Deam, was one of the early settlers in Wells county, having come here from Montgomery county, Ohio, in February, 1839. Upon ar- riving here he at once entered a tract of land bordering on the Wabash river, about one- half mile east of Bluffton. This tract con- sisted of over thirteen hundred acres of land and on this place he later erected a large and comfortable brick house which is still stand- ing. In connection with farming, he was also extensively engaged in stock raising, and found both branches of industry very profitable. He was a public-spirited man, was at the head of many enterprises of a pub- lic nature and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was twice married, and by his first wife had three children and by his second five. The lady to whom he was last married was in her maidenhood Catherine Booher, and of the children born to this union with her, John H., the youngest, was the father of the subject.
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