Centennial History of Grant County Indiana, Part 109

Author: Rolland Lewis Whitson
Publication date: 1914
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1034

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Mr. Wolfe was married in 1883 to Miss Margaret A. Bradford, daughter of William R. Bradford, a pioneer settler of Washington township, and to this union there have been born three children, of whom one died in infancy, the others being: Norman, aged thirty-two years, married and living in Colorado; and Florence, at home, a music teacher of rare attainments. With his family, Mr. Wolfe belongs to' the Methodist Episcopal church, and has been a liberal supporter of its movements, while his daughter has always been active in its work. He is a Democrat in his political views, but has never sought nor desired public office.

SAMUEL M. HIGHLEY. Probably never in all history was so much interest taken in the farmer and in the activities of country life as at present. In the years gone by the story of how a banker or merchant won his way to the top was always attractive, but nowadays we find current literature filled with the annals of the farmer citizens. The process by which a tract of new land is made to respond to plow and ax, and which in years produces a comfortable homestead, a profitable and growing business concern, is properly a subject for study.

One of the prosperous citizens of this township whose career might furnish an instructive story of hard and thrifty management is Samuel M. Highley. Mr. Highley, forty years ago got married and had only enough capital to buy a team. He and his young wife rented land, and since then have gone steadily ahead until few people anywhere are more prosperous than they.

Samuel M. Highley was born in Richland township of Grant county, May 14, 1850, a son of James and Sarah (Myer) Highley. James Highley was born in Virginia in 1827, and was nine years of age when his family moved to Union county, Indiana, in 1836. There he grew to manhood, and in 1847 accompanied his father to Grant county. In the same year the Myer family came to Grant county, and after James and Sarah were married they established a home in Richland township, then an unbroken forest, and the father lived here all the rest of his natural life. His death occurred July 6, 1891. His widow still lives on the old homestead, at the age of eighty-three. In their family were seven children, six of whom are still living, namely: David F. Highley, whose home is in Wells county, Indiana; Samuel M .; Daniel M., a resident on the old homestead; Lydia A., deceased; Claiborn H., a resident at Jonesboro, in Grant county; Martha E., wife of William Eller of Richland; and Jacob M., of Miami county.

Samuel M. Highley was born in Richland township, and at the proper age entered the public schools, which he attended during the

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winter seasons, and assisted on the farm during the summer. When he reached the age of eighteen he stood the examinations, and secured a license to teach, and for four years was one of the successful educators of Grant county.

On November 3, 1872, Mr. Highley married Miss Catherine Morton, of Grant county. She was born in Jay county, came to Wabash county at the age of eight years, received her education in the district schools of Wabash county, where she was also a teacher, and is a cultured and noble woman, who has proved an excellent helpmate to Mr. Highley and together they have reared their children amid excellent influences. As already stated, after their marriage, they had enough to buy a team of horses, and then started out as renters. Later through their thrift and energy, they accumulated enough to buy the place where they now reside. Their farm is called "The Highlands."

Mr. and Mrs. Highley are the parents of four children: Olive I., graduated from the common schools, attended the Fairmount Academy, is a skillful musician and both a vocalist and instrumental player, and teaches a large class in her home vicinity; Aiden Marvin, is a graduate of the common schools in which she was a prize winner, attended the Fairmount Academy for two years, graduated from the Marion Normal College, and also from the State University, was for several years a teacher of mathematics in different high schools in Indiana, and is now located at Monroe, Michigan; Levi Preston, graduated from the common schools as a prize winner, studied in the Converse High School, graduated at the Indiana Business University, and is now in business at Indianapolis .. Samuel R. is a graduate of the common schools, and lives in Blackford county, Indiana. The family are members of the Christian church at Somerset, and Mr. and Mrs. Highley have been identified with that church for forty-five years. In politics he is an active Republican, served one term as trustee of Richland township, and is glad to take part and assist in any community enterprise. As a farmer he has gained great success in the breeding of fine trotting and pacing horses, and has given his attention to that line of industry since 1887. He is said to have brought the first standard bred horses to Grant county, and has bred and raised more standard bred trotters than any one else in the county.

JOHN O. SPURGEON. Now actively engaged in business as a manu- facturer of drain tile, and connected with several other financial and business concerns. Mr. Spurgeon is secretary-treasurer of the Herbst Drain Tile Company; vice president of the Fowlerton Drain Tile Com- pany; a director in The Farmers Trust and Savings Company of Ma- rion; a stockholder in the Sweetser Rural Telephone Company, and in the Citizens Natural Gas Company, and is president of a corporation organized for the purpose of building an electric railroad from Marion to Logansport. Mr. Spurgeon is perhaps best known for his long serv- ice in the cause of education. He began teaching about the close of the war and kept it up continuously for a period of forty years, and hun- dreds of his old pupils pay their tributes of respect for the man who worked conscientiously and with patient zeal in their early training.

John O. Spurgeon was born in Adams county, Ohio, September 20, 1845, a son of Joseph and Cynthia (Powell) Spurgeon. Both parents were born, reared, educated and married in Adams county, Ohio. The mother died there in 1859, and the father died and was buried at Sedan, Kansas, in 1891. The father served as lieutenant in Company E, of the Seventieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war. He was a private on entering the army, but for meritorious service was

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advanced to the rank of lieutenant. He was held in high honor by his old comrades, and was buried under the auspices of the Grand Army of the Republic. In 1850, he joined the Christian church, and in 1873 he became a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and remained a faithful member in both until death.

In 1865, the family moved to Indiana, and on August 29th of that year settled in Sims township, one mile west of the present town of Sweetser. There were seven children in the family, four of whom are now living: John O., Albert S., Adaline Sutton and Sarah Jolly.

John O. Spurgeon was twenty years old when he located in Grant county. His early education had been received in the schools of Adams county, and he had already qualified as a teacher and taught one term in Ohio before moving to Indiana. His later education was received in the Jonesboro High School, the Marion Academy, the National Normal University, of Lebanon, Ohio, and the State Normal School at Terre Haute, Indiana. During his long career as an educator, he taught common school, was superintendent of the Jonesboro schools, and of the Swayzee schools, and for twelve years was superintendent of the Sweetser schools. Probably no other citizen of Grant county has a more detailed and appreciative knowledge of early educational condi- tions than Mr. Spurgeon.

On December 31, 1876, he married Miss Emma Riggs of Madison county, Indiana. Mrs. Spurgeon was born in the State of Virginia. They became the parents of four children, the two now living being: Verlin R., cashier of the First State Bank of Gas City, and of the Citizens' Bank of Jonesboro, and who married Bertha Johnson, their home being in Gas City. Madge, a graduate of the common schools, also college trained, is at home with her parents.

The family affiliates with the Christian church, and Mr. Spurgeon is a member of Sweetser Lodge, No. 433, I. O. O. F .; of Grant Encamp- ment No. 66, of Marion; of Canton Marion No. 6, Patriarchs Militant, and he was the first captain of Marion Uniformed Degree Camp, No. 5. Mr. and Mrs. Spurgeon hold membership in Marion Rebekah Lodge No. 247. Mr. Spurgeon having passed the chairs in all these fraternal organizations. In politics, a Democrat, he served as trustee of Pleasant township.

MARVIN M. WOODMANSEE. In Richland township, twelve miles north- west of Marion, and five miles northeast of Converse, is located the beautiful and attractive farm of Marvin M. Woodmansee, which is widely known throughout that locality, as the "Old Hickory" Farm. This is an estate of one hundred and forty acres, in the southwest quarter of section fourteen. He is one of the prosperous farmers and stock raisers in the western half of Grant county, and as a young man of thirty- five he has done remarkably well in business and in laying the founda- tion of a greater prosperity to come.

Marvin M. Woodmansee was born in Clinton county, Ohio, Septem- ber 1, 1878, a son of Wilson and Anna (Noble) Woodmansee. His father served two years in the Civil war, having enlisted in the Union army from Clinton county, Ohio. In 1882, the family moved to Howard county, Indiana. The father is now deceased, while the mother resides in Howard county. They were the parents of eleven children, ten of whom are yet living, mentioned as follows: Grant, a farmer in Howard county ; Melissa, wife of William Windsor of Miami county; Ida, unmarried; Maggie, wife of Ora Hunsinger, of Howard county; Pro- fessor Robert, a graduate of the State Normal and the State University, and a teacher of mathematics; John, a farmer in Richland township;

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Marvin M .; Alice, wife of Ulysses Brannen of Greentown, Indiana; Rose, wife of Ed. Powell, of Miami county; Sylvia, wife of Homer Middlesworth of Howard county.

Marvin M. Woodmansee was reared on a farm, in Howard county, Indiana, the family having moved to that locality when he was four years of age. His early education was received in the district schools of the country, and he lived at home until he was married, doing a large part of the work on the farm.

On February 10, 1904, Mr. Woodmansee married Maude Miller, who was born in Miami county, a daughter of Eli Miller of Swayzee, Indiana. Eli Miller was a son of Levi Miller, who is well known through his large practical philantrophy as the founder and builder of the Orphans' Home at Mexico in Miami county. This home is a refuge for children whose parents are deceased or are too poor to care for them. Levi Miller was a remarkable man in many ways, and will always be honored for his benevolence which took so practical a turn and which has brought benefit to so many hundreds of orphaned chil- dren. He was an active member of the Dunkard church, and a man of highest moral standards. Mr. and Mrs. Woodmansee are the parents of three children: Emerson, aged eight years; Eldon, aged six; and Charlotte, aged four. They are members of the Methodist Church, being attendants at Richland Chapel.

OLIVER J. WEAVER. Two and a half miles northwest of Sweetser is situated Sugar Grove Farm, the proprietor of which is Oliver J. Weaver, who has made a reputation as a stockman and horse breeder of excep- tional success. His stud occupies several fine horses and in particular the noted Ira Julian, a trotter with a record of 2:2014. Mr. Weaver is a young man, in the thirties, and has lived in Grant county all his life, having been trained for farm life and making crop growing and stock raising a regular business.

He was born in Pleasant township of Grant county, November 25, 1879, a son of James A. Weaver. Reared on a farm and educated in district schools, he was still a young man not yet twenty-one years old when he took upon himself the responsibilities of a home of his own. He was married January 28, 1900, to Nora O. Gilbreath. Mrs. Weaver was born in Pleasant township. They have one son Garl, born June 28, 1901.

Mr. Weaver's farm comprises sixteen acres, and besides his barns and feed lots, he devotes practically all his place to the growing of fruits. He is probably one of the most successful fruit growers in the county, especially the small berry crops, raising each season large quan- tities of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. In his stud he has three fine Percheron Norman horses, besides the great trotter stallion Ira Julian. Ira Julian is a handsome bay stallion, stands sixteen hands, and weighs twelve hundred pounds. His blood lines are of the best and he is a son of Jaybird, and has relationship with a number of America's famous horses. Mr. Weaver has a splendid location for his stock breeding enterprise, and with his skill and experience in this line his success is assured. In politics he is a Democrat.

MATTHEW SHEFFIELD. Well known in Grant county, Indiana, and particularly in Franklin township where he makes his home, is Matthew Sheffield. He has been a farmer in this vicinity for many years and his father was a farmer here before him. The name is associated with all that is honorable and upright, and Mr. Sheffield has the respect and liking of a large circle of acquaintances and friends. He has not only

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been engaged in agriculture but he is also known as a business man in Marion, where he was in the wholesale butcher business for eighteen years, and he won a reputation for fair dealing that is an enviable one.

Matthew Sheffield was born in Hocking county, Ohio, on the 6th of August, 1861. He is the son of William and Miriam (McClune) Shef- field. His father was born on that quaint little island off the coast of Rhode Island, which is known as Block Island. At the age of nine years, William Sheffield came with his parents to Hocking county, Ohio, and here he grew to manhood and married Miriam McClune. They lived in Hocking county until she died in 1865. Four children were born to them, only two of whom are living now, Matthew and Augusta, who is the wife of Jerome Fisher, and lives in Fairfield county, Ohio. Two of the children died in infancy. After the death of his wife William Sheffield continued to live in Ohio until November, 1882, when he came to Indiana and located in Grant county where he lived until his death. Meanwhile Mr. Sheffield had married again. By this marriage he had one child, Webster Sheffield.

Matthew Sheffield grew up on his mother's farm in Ohio, and there received his education in the public schools. When his father came to Grant county he accompanied him, and he remained with his father until he was twenty-three years of age. He then rented his father's farm and began operations for himself. This farm was located where the Malleable Iron Works now has a plant. His father bought another farm on section 18, Franklin township and there Mr. Sheffield now lives. The farm consists of a hundred acres and since his father's death Mr. Sheffield has greatly improved the place until now it ranks among the fine farms in Franklin township.

Although farming is the occupation with which Mr. Sheffield would rather be identified than any other, he has now spent all of his life in this field. He went west after having farmed for a number of years and settled in Kansas City, Missouri. Here he learned the butcher's trade, and upon his return to Grant county, he went into the wholesale butchering business in Marion and in this vicinity. He was thus engaged for eighteen years, and it is only. within the last two years that he has given up this business. He is a general farmer, raising a variety of crops.

Mr. Sheffield was married on December 20, 1884, to Miss Rhoda Small, who was born April 5, 1864, the daughter of Josiah and Nancy Boxell Small, pioneers of Franklin township, who came to this settle- ment when it was all in woods, and raised a large family. All lived to be grown and of the seven daughters and four sons, two boys and four daughters are still living. To Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield were born five children : James William, born September 1, 1886, is now with the Union Traction Company, of Marion; Dwight Mc., born April 22. 1890, is now farming for his father; Etha, the only daughter, was born January 29, 1896. When this little girl was four and one-half years old, on October 16, 1900, she went out to play about 10 o'clock where the mother had burned some trash. Her clothing caught fire and she was burned all over her little body, and at 9 o'clock that night her spirit took its flight to the God who gave it-the first great sorrow of their lives. Warren T. was born May 12, 1902; Donnel J. was born May 10, 1903. They attend the little red schoolhouse at the corner of their father's farm. Mr. Sheffield holds his political allegiance with the Democratic party, while Mrs. Sheffield and the son hold to the Prohibition party. Mrs. Sheffield is a member of the Wesleyan Metho- dist church at Roseburg.

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FELIX BLACKMAN. For a long period of years one of the most pros- perous farmer citizens of Grant county has been Felix Blackman. His rural estate in Pleasant township is popularly known as the Richland View Stock Farm. This farm comprises one hundred and twenty- four acres, and has been brought to a state of improvement comparing favorably with that to be found on any farm in Grant county. Mr. Blackman's progressiveness and prosperity as well are indicated in the fact that he owns and uses an automobile, both for pleasure and busi- ness. He raises the general variety of crops usually cultivated in this section, and feeds practically all his grain to his own stock.

Felix Blackman was born in Wabash county, January 10, 1855, a son of Alpheus and Eliza (Debricks) Blackman. His father was a New. Englander by birth, born in the state of Vermont. His wife came from Virginia, and they were married after both had come by different routes to Wabash county. There they spent the balance of their lives and were respected and honored people in their community. The father for a number of years conducted a store at Young America in Wabash county. The children were: Felix, Naomi, and Lincoln. Naomi became the wife of Marion McIlvain.

Mr. Felix Blackman spent his youth in Wabash county, where he grew up and had his education in the district schools. On October 8, 1876, at the age of twenty-one he married Letha Barley, who was born in Grant county, and received her education in the schools of her native locality. They are the parents of six children, mentioned as follows: C. C. Blackman, a fireman on -the Pennsylvania Railroad, running be- tween Logansport and Chicago; Harry, who is a farmer in Grant county ; Netta, wife of Ross Doget, who lives near Swayzee, Indiana; Blanche, wife of Charles Lawrence of Marion; Grace, wife of J. R. Kemm; Clifford; who is a graduate of the grade and high schools, and now a scientific student in the state normal.

The family are attendants and members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Jalapa, and Mr. Blackman is a trustee of the parsonage. Fraternally his affiliations are with Sweetzer Lodge No. 433, I. O. O. F., of which he is a past noble grand and a member of the State Grand Lodge. In politics his support was steadily given to the Republican cause until the campaign of 1912, when he voted with the Progressives.

AMOS LIVEZEY. On section twenty-one of Green township, six miles south and a mile and a quarter west of Swayzee, is the home of a man who has been a resident of Grant county since early youth, and through his own efforts and enterprise has prospered. He has also enjoyed the esteem of the neighborhood in which he dwells, and has never hesitated to perform a kindly service to his friends and neighbors.

Amos Livezey was born in Henry County, Indiana, July 10, 1851, a son of Charles and Hannah (Bavington) Livezey. His father was born and reared in Pennsylvania, while the mother was a native and grew up in the state of Maryland. They were married in Pennsylvania, and on moving to Indiana, located in Henry county, which was their home all the rest of their lives. The father was a man who per- formed his duties quietly, and never sought conspicuous place in affairs. He was the father of six children by his first marriage, and also had six by his second wife. Amos Livezey was the youngest child of the first marriage.

He was reared on a farm in Henry county, and while living at home and assisting in the work of the farm, he attended the district schools during the winter seasons. His father died when Amos was still a boy, and for this reason he did much work at home to assist in the support of

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the family. When he was seventeen he came to Grant county, locating in Green township, and for a number of years depended upon his own industry and the labor of his hands to get a start.

On March 6, 1876, he married Miss Sarah Downs, who was born in Grant county in 1849, and received a district school education. The four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Livezey are: William F., who died at the age of thirty years, was a graduate of the common schools and was a student at the Ladoga Normal College and also a student of the State Normal School of Terra Haute, Ind. He spent a number of years as a teacher. William F. married Miss Flavilla Litzenbarger and had one child, Donald L .; Zella B., a student of the Fairmount Academy and who taught school, died at the age of twenty years; Charles C., after completing the common schools, married Senia Rybolt, a daugh- ter of William H. Rybolt, and they have one child Charles E. Verlin A. is unmarried and lives at home. The family are members of the Methodist church at Point Isabel. In politics Mr. Livezey is a Repub- lican, but has never sought any office. At his home place in section twenty-one he owns one hundred and twenty acres of land, and has forty acres in section twenty-two. He engaged in general farming and stock raising and the value of his annual crop represent a tidy sum.

ARTHUR B. BREWER. In these years of the twentieth century the tiller of the soil is gradually coming into his own, and rewards of con- stantly increasing scope await the young farmers possessing the same qualities of thrift, industry and business judgment which marked their pioneer fathers, together with the scientific training of modern effi- ciency. Of this later generation of young men now firmly established in the great business of managing soil and crops in Grant county, Arthur B. Brewer is a very successful example. His fine estate is on section thirty-four of Liberty township.

On this place he was born March 1, 1880, a son of Mahlon and Winnie O. (Freeman) Brewer. Both parents were long well known and sub- stantial people of Liberty township. The father died in July, 1907, while the mother passed away June 10, 1895. There were eleven chil- dren in the family and the seven living in 1913 are: Rosa, wife of A. M. Harvey, of Traverse City, Michigan; Myrtle, wife of Emory Scott of Texas; Fred, who married Rebecca Clark and lives in Kokomo; Fern, unmarried; and Horace, who is connected with the Shadeland Stock Farm at LaFayette, Indiana.

On the old homestead Arthur B. Brewer was reared and attended the Little Ridge school house until he had completed its curriculum, later graduating from the Fairmount Academy. Mr. Brewer is a college man and a thoroughly educated farmer. After his preparatory course, he entered the Purdue School of Agriculture and completed the four years course, graduating with the degree of A. B. With this thorough training he returned to the farm, and has made himself an influential factor in local agricultural circles. He takes much part in the Grant County Farmers' Institute, and was at one time a member of the Grant County Boys' Corn School, of which he was secretary. As a farmer he does much in the breeding of thoroughbred Duroc swine, and all the stock on his place is high grade in quality.

On January 1, 1906, Mr. Brewer married Etta Kirkpatrick. Mrs. Brewer was born in Mill township, of Grant county, was educated in the public schools and in the Jonesboro high school. They are the parents of three children,-Levon O., five years old; Florence O., aged three years; and Winford E., aged one year. The family are members of the Friends church of Little Ridge, while in politics Mr. Brewer is a Repub- lican, though in the latter years he has supported the Prohibition cause.

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ARTHUR B. BREWER AND FAMILY

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Centennial History of Grant County Indiana, Part 109

Author: Rolland Lewis Whitson Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Rolland Lewis Whitson
Publication date: 1914
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1034