Centennial History of Grant County Indiana, Part 47

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

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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).

On Sunday morning Mr. Lewis takes his place at the First Methodist church, a sort of a doorkeeper in the House of the Lord, and strangers as well as members are welcomed alike and offered a hymn book and psalter used in worship there. He always finds a seat for the stranger, and people visiting a church are glad of such attention. While the Lewis family has not always lived in Grant county, it is certainly part of community affairs, and fills a niche both in the social and business world. While he is surrounded by a competent force of salesmen, all of them defer to him in many things, a man who thoroughly knows the hardware trade and understands a profitable and necessary business, and that is what makes of the Marion Hardware store a necessity in the community.

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ORLANDO H. COUCH. There are probably few progressive farmers and stock men in eastern Indiana who are not familiar with at least the reputation of the Matthews Stock Farm of which Orlando H. Couch is proprietor. This stock farm, located in Section Five of Jefferson Town- ship is the seat of a big industry and one which for value and usefulness of its output equals any large industrial factory or commercial estab- lishment in the county. Of the one hundred and twenty-one acres com- prising the farm, one hundred acres are under intensive cultivation. Some of the features which at once attract the eye, and indicate the class of business done on that place is a large red barn, a silo of fifty-tons capac- ity, a first-class grain barn, a stable for the stallions, and a comfortable and commodious house of eight rooms. An unfailing supply of good water is furnished both to the house and to the stock farms by means of windmills and gasoline engines. Besides the facilities on the farm itself, Mr. Couch and his brother own a large brick property fifty by three hundred and fifty feet in Matthews, and utilize that for the feeding and breeding of hogs during the winter seasons. Some of the best red Duroc swine in the country can be found on the Matthews farm, and they are raised both for breeding purposes and for market. Mr. Couch keeps about four hundred head of these red Durocs. Jersey cattle is another specialty of his, and he has perhaps made his greater reputation as a successful breeder of Percheron horses. His Percheron stallion known as Lafayette, is a thoroughbred and was imported from France in 1909. Lafayette weighs twenty-two hundred pounds and cost twenty-five hun- dred dollars. An even greater horse by record and reputation is the Belgian stallion, Martin De Cappelle, which was imported in 1908. This horse weighs twenty-two hundred pounds, and cost Mr. Couch three thousand dollars, won the gold medal at Chicago as the champion Bel- gian stallion in 1908, and has not only proved valuable in a financial way to its owner, but has been the source of much up-breeding and im- provement in the horse stock in this community. Mr. Couch has followed stock farming since young manhood, and has proved himself both a prac- tical and scientific breeder and manager of live stock. All his colts have turned out well, and many of them have won prizes in the exhibitions.

Orlando H. Couch is a member of a family that has been identified with Grant county since the early days, and a somewhat detailed history of the family and its connections will be found elsewhere in this publi- cation, under the name of Thomas M. Couch, a brother of Orlando. Orlando H. Couch was born in Jefferson township June 10, 1870, a son of Samuel and Nancy (Furnish) Couch. The maternal grandfather was Judge Benjamin Furnish, one of the early settlers of Jefferson township, who entered large tracts of land, and that land, or a considerable part of it, has been in the possession of some of his descendants down to the present time. Mr. Couch was one of a family of five sons and two daughters, all of whom are married and have families of their own, except one sister, Nettie, who died after marriage to L. E. Richards.

Orlando H. Couch was reared and educated in his native township, and since twenty-five years of age has given all his attention to the prac- tical business of farming and stock breeding. In Madison county of this state, on August 31, 1893, he married Miss Ida M. Worth, who was born in Van Buren township of Madison county, March 24, 1873, was reared and educated there, is a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Hoppis) Worth, who lived and died in Madison county, passing away in the full ness of years. Mr. and Mrs. Couch are the parents of eight children, whose names and some facts about whom are mentioned as follows: Hallie L., who graduated from the Matthews high school with the class of 1911, but still remains at home. Wade S., who is attending high

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MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH NEEDLER

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school; Marion G .; Howard O .; and H. Joseph, who are all three in the grade schools; Helen M .; and John R. The oldest child, Samuel W., died at the age of eleven weeks. Mr. and Mrs. Couch attend worship in the Baptist church, and in politics he is a Democrat.

JOSEPH NEEDLER. The Needler family record in Grant county goes back eighty years. It was established here about three years after Grant county became an organized civil community. Joseph Needler is a son of the pioneer, and is of the third generation consecutively residents in the county. His own career has been spent as a farmer in Jefferson township, where many years ago he won a place as a substan- tial citizen, and is now enjoying the fruits of his long and well spent years, on his home in section thirteen of that township.

His grandfather Needler was a native of Germany, was a young man when he came to America, and his marriage occurred probably in Pennsylvania. From Pennsylvania they moved to Virginia, where James, father of Joseph, was born and probably other children. Later the family moved to Guernsey county, Ohio, and very late in life the grandparents moved into Grant county, where they passed away when very old. Their bodies now rest in a family lot in Jefferson township.

James Needler who was one of six sons, was born in Virginia, about 1800. All of them came to Indiana, all were married and had children and are now deceased. James Needler grew up in Guernsey county, Ohio, and there married Rebecca Ward. She was born in Ohio. After their marriage James and wife lived in Guernsey county, and while there Eliza J., Sarah, George, and John were born into their household. Early in the thirties they determined to find a home in the then new country of eastern Indiana. It was customary among the pioneers often- times to go to the country they had in mind, look over the land, select the place, and purchase it from the government, and make some little improvement preparatory to the establishment of the family. Thus in 1833 James Needler came into Jefferson township, and after selecting a place in the wilds he put up a rough log cabin. In 1834, having in the meantime gone back to his family, he brought the entire house- hold and all their movable possessions to Indiana, and started life in the midst of a wilderness. His location was in one of the most remote and unsettled portions of the township, and for several years practically the entire substance of the family was derived from wild game. He often killed bear and deer within a few rods of the home. James Needler became the owner of four hundred acres of land in that township. The old log cabin was in time replaced with a substantial house, and his industry and good management introduced many other improvements and comforts into the family economy. James Needler died when about eighty-two years of age, and his wife passed away in 1871. They de- serve to be mentioned among the hard-working, thrifty, and honest people who had the strength and sturdiness of character of the early population of Grant county. Mr. James Needler was a member of the Methodist church, though he made no profession of religious faith. In politics he was a Democrat. Joseph Needler who was one of the youngest of the six sons and six daughters, and who has three brothers and two sisters still living, was born on the old homestead in Jefferson town- ship, August 31, 1841. As his recollection goes back nearly seventy years he readily recalls some of the customs and institutions which have long since become obsolete in Grant county. For instance, he attended one of the old subscription schools, supported by contributions from the individual families, and taught by an itinerant schoolmaster. Ever since reaching man's estate, Joseph Needler has depended upon his own

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resources, and being thrifty and industrious gradually accummulated enough to enable him in 1881 to purchase one hundred and twenty acres of fine land in section thirteen. Since then all of that place has been improved with the exception of fifteen acres of native timber, and there is a full set of excellent farm buildings, including the comfortable residence in which he lives. The farm is now operated by others, and Mr. Needler has no occasion for worry over his financial circumstances, since he has ample to keep him in comfort the rest of his life.

Mr. Needler was first married to Nancy J. Owings, who was born in Delaware county, Indiana, a daughter of George and Ruth (Owings) Owings, her parents being cousins. Her family were among the promi- nent early settlers of Delaware county. Mrs. Needler died in Jefferson township when comparatively young. She was an intelligent and lovable woman, a capable assistant to her husband in his early efforts, and she is cherished in the memory of her children. Her children were: Elmer, who died at the age of twenty-one years, having been fatally injured when struck by a piece of timber; Orlando C., a successful farmer, and the owner of ninety-five acres in section thirteen of Jeffer- son township, married Sarah E. Ballenger; Lacy, wife of Carl Osborn; and Louis L., whose career is given in more detail on other pages of this work. The second wife of Mr. Needler was Mrs. Elizabeth (York) Wilds, who was born in Henry county, Indiana, and by her marriage to William Wilds had three children, as follows: Fred, who is married and has a family, his home being in Eaton, Indiana; Mamie Pearl, wife of Harry Pancoast, of Eaton, and their children are William and Arlis; and Leonard; the youngest, died aged two years seven months. Mr. and Mrs. Needler have one child of their own, Edith Ethel, the wife of Rev. Edward C. Corts, a minister in the Church of God at Logans- port, and they have a son Adrian. Mr. and Mrs. Needler are members of the Church of God, and in politics he is a Prohibitionist.

HANFORD R. MILES. The material development of Upland and vicinity owes much to the ability of Hanford R. Miles, prominent as a general contractor and builder. For twenty years he has been a resi- dent at Upland, and has to his credit a remarkably long list of worthy achievements in houses and public buildings, and other successful con- tracts. In later years a very important feature of his business has been street paving and concrete construction. Examples of his work may be seen in the Pennsylvania Railroad freight house at Hartford City, and the passenger stations at Converse and Ridgeville. For three entire years. Mr. Miles was employed altogether by the Pennsylvania Com- pany. The number of public schools likewise testify to his energy. Mr. Miles is a practical architect, and has drawn more than one hundred plans for public buildings, and different kinds of work. He was the architect and superintendent of construction of the fine high school at Matthews, and stood in the same relation to the handsome Washington Street bridge at Marion.

Hanford R. Miles was born in Blackford county, Indiana, July 2, 1869. He was educated in the public schools and in Normal College. and before his marriage got a wide and thorough experience in the different lines of the building trade, and in contracting. He lived in Blackford county until 1893, and in that year came to Upland. He had already proved successful in carrying out several important contracts, and as the business broadened and larger opportunities were presented, he determined to prepare himself for the proper handling of these larger opportunities. He studied architecture, and for a number of years has given close attention to both the professional and practical side of his business. He was chosen superintendent of construction in

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the erection of the Deeren Planing and Lumber Mills at Upland, and had the superintendence of operation for seven years. He also drew the plans and took an important part in the construction of most of the buildings along the business streets of Upland, and successfully carried out the contracts for the erection of the handsome group of University buildings on the campus of Taylor University.

Hanford R. Miles was one of a family of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, all of whom are married and all are living except two. The Miles family was established in the northeastern states sev- eral generations ago, and General Nelson A. Miles belongs in the same family relationship. The founder of this branch was Thomas Miles, who came from England when young, with his step-mother, and a few years later took part as a soldier on the American side during the Revo- lutionary war. So far as known, his life was spent in the state of New Jersey. Grandfather Lorenzo Miles was born in New Jersey, later moved to Western New York, and in 1835 to Indiana, settling first in Fayette county, and in 1838 in Jefferson township of Grant county. Lorenzo Miles died in this county, in 1850, when quite old. Hammond Miles, son of Lorenzo, was the first child born in. Hammond, Steuben county, New York, and his birth occurred June 1, 1826. He was nine years of age when the family came to Indiana, and about twelve when they located in Jefferson township on a farm. He began life as a farmer, and acquired one hundred and fifty acres in Blackford county. He finally retired to Hartford City, where he died in 1910. Hammond Miles was married in 1849 to Sarah Remly. Their marriage occurred in Grant county, and she was born in Pennsylvania in 1829, and died November 25, 1901. When a child she lost her parents, and was taken into the family of Peter Gregory, who became one of the first settlers of Blackford county where she was reared and educated.

All generations of the family, so far as known, have produced loyal Democrats, and Hanford R. Miles is one of the ablest men in his party in Grant county. He has served his home community as a member of the town council, and also on the board of education. In 1892, in Black- ford county, he married Miss Luella Johnson, a daughter of Thomas and Sarah Jane (Rix) Johnson. The Johnsons were old settlers of Blackford county, were substantial farming people, and Mrs. Johnson died there when her daughter Mrs, Miles was four years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Miles have two children: Leah B., who graduated from the Upland high school in the class of 1913, and is now a student of German and music in Taylor University ; Doris, who is now a high school student; Dallas, a son, the first child of Mr. and Mrs. Miles, died aged two years.

FRANK SMILEY. The leading general mercantile house of Matthews was established in that vicinity by Frank Smiley twenty-five years ago, and Mr. Smiley has employed the sound principles of commercial integ- rity and industry in effecting a result which classifies him among the substantial and prosperous citizens of Grant county. He started out in the drug business in New Cumberland, now known as "Old Town" and is so called to designate the older part of the little city of Matthews. Mr. Smiley moved his enterprise to the new town of Matthews, when that village was started in 1891, and here became a general merchant on Massachusetts Avenue. His business there has been conducted for more than twenty years, and with marked success. In 1910, Mr. Smiley moved his establishment to a new location near the corner of Seventh Street on Massachusetts Avenue, and there occupies a well arranged store, twenty-two by eighty feet in ground dimensions, and his stock is always fresh and selected with a view to supplying all the wants of

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the large and prosperous community about Matthews. Mr. Smiley has been one of the leading men in his community for many years and was the first postmaster of Matthews, serving a long period in that office.

Frank Smiley was born in Jefferson township of Grant county, August 5, 1861. His parents were Jonas and Lavina (Mullen) Smiley. The father, who was born and reared in Darke county, Ohio, was a young man when he took up his residence in Grant county, was married here, and thereafter followed farming in Jefferson township until his death at the age of forty-seven. With farming he combined the trade of carpentry, and while during his youth he had no educational advan- tages, he was always regarded and esteemed as a bright and intelligent man. He and his wife were Methodists in religion, and his political faith was that of the Republican party. His wife was born and reared in Grant county, and died at the old home in Jefferson township at the age of forty-two. Besides the Matthews merchant the other children were: Charles, who is an oil well man, living in Fairmount, and by his marriage to Anna Monnahan has one daughter, Lavina; Mattie Grace is the widow of Eben Coppick, and has a son Reuben and a daughter Ruth. One daughter died in childhood. Frank Smiley was about eight years old when his parents died, and he grew up and was educated in Jefferson township, started out without capital and all through his own efforts has built up a substantial business. He was married in Delaware county, this state, to Miss Minnie Millspaugh, who was born in Jeffer- son township of Grant county forty-four years ago, but was reared and educated in Delaware county. Her parents are William and Margaret J. (Burgess) Millspaugh, both natives of Indiana, reared and married in Grant county, and later active farmers in Washington township of Delaware county. There her father died in 1906 when sixty-two years of age, but Mrs. Millspaugh still occupies the old homestead, and is now sixty-three years of age. The Baptist was the faith of the Millspaugh family. There were five sons and three daughters, and with the excep- tion of one son, all are living, and all are married but one. Mr. and Mrs. Smiley are the parents of one son, Russell, who was born January 19, 1891, and is still getting his education. Mr. and Mrs. Smiley are Presbyterians in religion. He is a Republican and for nine years gave an efficient administration of the duties of postmaster in Matthews.

ALVIN B. HOOVER. A solid business enterprise of Matthews has a history of its own, which illustrated both the progress of the town and the career of one of its foremost citizens. This business, conducted under the name and proprietorship of Alvin B. Hoover, is a complete establishment for the supplying of hardware, wall paper, paints, with also a plumbing and tinware department, and occupies a storeroom forty-two by ninety feet in dimension at the corner of Eighth and Massachusetts Avenue. This business represents the steadily progres- sive labors of Mr. Hoover, over a number of years. He established a business here in March, 1911, and in April, 1913, took over the entire stock of the Hayworth Hardware Company, and is now the only dealer in general hardware and related supplies in Matthews. His business up to a few years ago, was more in a special line as a paper and paint- ing contractor and house decorator. As a house decorator his business extends all over this section of Grant county, and also into Blackford, Madison and Delaware counties. He is himself a practical house painter and decorator, and that trade was the basis on which he has built up his present prosperous commercial enterprise.

Mr. Hoover has lived in Grant county sixteen years, and all his life has been spent in the vicinity of Matthews. He was born and reared in

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HON. BURTNEY W. SHAFER, WIFE AND DAUGHTER

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Washington township of Delaware county, his birth occurring January 4, 1868. His native township remained his home until he came to Matthews sixteen years ago. His parents were William and Catherine (Hoover) Hoover, his mother and father being of the same name, but not related. They were both natives of Blair county, Pennsylvania, coming of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, and previous to the Revolution members of the family lived. in Virginia. William Hoover when a young man moved west to Henry county, Indiana, and there he met and married his wife, who came from the same state as he. Mrs. Hoover's parents were Peter and Margaret Hoover, and had settled in Henry county, improved a good farm, and made that their home until their death when past eighty years of age. After four children had been born in Henry county, William Hoover and wife came to Washington township in Delaware county, and there established a home on eighty acres of land. There the parents lived quiet and industrious lives until past seventy and in 1905 retired to a comfortable home in Matthews, where both are now living, and are each seventy-eight years of age, and hale and hearty. The father belongs to the Progressive Dunkard church, while his wife is a member of the Old Church of that order. His politics is Republican.

Alvin B. Hoover was one of a family of six children, named as follows: Miles L., who is a merchant at Wheeling, Indiana, and has a family; Estella, who is married and lives in Missouri; George W., cashier of the Farmers State Bank at Eton; Alvin B .; Alta, wife of Denton Tomilson, of Madison county, and the mother of three children; and Benton, who died at the age of four years.

Alvin B. Hoover was married in Gaston, to Miss Margaret Barrett, who was born in Iowa in 1874, but was reared and educated in Delaware county. By her marriage she has become the mother of two children: Twila, who died at the age of two years and five months; and Hilda B., who is thirteen years of age and attending the public schools. Mr. and Mrs. Hoover attend worship in the Methodist Episcopal church, and he is in politics a Republican, served seven years in the offices of city clerk and treasurer, and made a splendid record in administering those offices. When he went into office the city was burdened with a debt, and when he left the treasury had eight thousand dollars. Fraternally he is well known in several orders, including the Blue Lodge of Masonry, and he occupies the Masonic Building at Matthews as the site of his store. He belongs to the Wheeling Encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, has taken all the chairs in the lodge and has also been honored with office in the Improved Order of Red Men.

HON. BURTNEY W. SHAFER. Over Grant county at large the name just mentioned will be most closely associated with the Democratic leader and former state senator of Jonesboro, and will recall the fact that he was a few years ago the first Democratic candidate who ever suc- ceeded in carrying Grant county in the senatorial district comprising the trio of counties, Wells, Blackford and Grant. While Mr. Shafer did some exceedingly commendable work in the state senate, his career is notable not only for his participation in politics, but also as one of Jonesboro's substantial business men, and he has long been one of the valued factors in local affairs of that city.

Burtney W. Shafer comes of an old Virginia family. His grand- father Phillip Shafer was born in Virginia, and was descended from a Revolutionary war veteran. Phillip Shafer was married in Rockbridge county, Virginia, to Miss Margaret McCorkle, a native of that county and of the prominent Virginia family of her name. Mrs. Phillip Shafer

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was an aunt of former Governor McCorkle of West Virginia, and she was a descendant of Colonel McCorkle, who served with the rank of colonel on General Washington's staff during the Revolution. The McCorkles were identified with early Virginia history, and by direct right were able to display their coat of arms granted during the residence of the family in old England. Phillip Shafer and wife spent most of their lives on a farm in Rockford county, but finally moved out west and settled at Tarkio, Missouri, where Phillip died when past eighty years of age. His wife subsequently returned to her native county in Vir- ginia, and died there when about eighty years of age. They were Presbyterians in religion and Phillip Shafer, although of old Virginian stock, was opposed to the holding of slaves. Of their children, the first was William D. Shafer, father of former Senator Shafer; Arthur, who died, left three daughters; John is married and lives in Rockford county, Virginia, having a small family. The son Emmett lives some- where in the west, and has several children.

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Centennial History of Grant County Indiana, Part 47

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

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