USA > Indiana > Shelby County > Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana, Vol. 2 > Part 45
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Mr. Zike was united in marriage in the spring of 1886. to Mrs. Anna M. Linville, nee Kynes, widow of the late David Linville, who. from that time to the present has been his faithful companion and efficient co-worker. Mrs. Zike was born and reared in Shelby county and is a lady of many amiable qualities. By her first marriage she had a daughter. Belle Linville.
Mr. Zike's first marriage resulted in the birth of nine children. name- ly: Sarah, deceased, who married Doctor Carpenter. of Kingsville, Missouri : Susie, wife of Dr. Samuel S. Boots, of Greenfield : William R., deceased : Rob- ert, who lives in Capac, Michigan : Roscoe, who died some years ago in Cal- ifornia; Hannibal, of Sullivan county. Indiana: Judilla. now Mrs. Frank E. Johnson, of Greenfield: Charles, a grocer of Morristown, and Joseph G .. who is connected with the elevator business in the latter place.
Mr. Zike has always taken great pleasure in his children, who, in turn, have fully appreciated his efforts in their behalf. He not only provided for their educational training, but when they left the parental roof to establish homes of their own, assisted by a generous share of this world's goods. be- sides looking after their welfare in various other ways.
Within the last few years Mr. Zike has disposed of his jands and in- vested the proceeds in city real estate and other property, owning at the pres-
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ent time an elevator in Morristown, which does a large and lucrative busi- ness, and is a heavy stockholder in the Union State Bank. He was a leading member of the Patrons of Husbandry during the early years of the organiza- tion and has always manifested a lively interest in agriculture and the means of promoting the same. He is a Republican, but never entered the political arena as an aspirant for office.
JOHN DAKE.
The Dakes were settled in Virginia at a very early period, and many of them exhausted their activities on the soil of the Old Dominion. In time. however, when the western fever set in. they sent some strong representatives to join the first pioneers and establish families in the wilderness. It was a peculiarity of the pioneers that as a rule they were very prolific, and usually we find them credited with numerous children. Three generations of Dakes. however, were prided for having "only sons." John Dake, the first me re- corded in the family history, had an only son, whom he named John, the lat- ter in turn had an only son of the same name, and this was repeated in the case of his own son. The latter was the John Dake who became the fist set- tler of his name in Moral township, and was the progenitor of the nummer- ous and widely known connections who subsequently became important factor- in the development of the northwestern part of the county. John Dake was born in Virginia in 1789, and in early manhood was married to Catherine. daughter of Daniel and Ann ( Coffman) Bowman. In 1828 a party was made up to leave the somewhat worn lands of old Virginia for the fertile soil of the new states carved out of the Northwest Territory. This party consisted of John Dake and wife, his father-in-law and family and the Fans- ler family, all making the long journey together. but eventually arriving in Shelby county. They located in Moral township, near London, the head of each homestead entering government land. At this time the whole region for miles around was an unbroken forest, whose vastness and difficulty of subjugation presented to the pioneers their most difficult problem. Rude log cabin- were erected. small clearings made, patches of corn planted and the live stock was turned into the woods to fatten on mast. Visitors to this sec- tion today can hardly realize that the fine farms, splendid roads, commodious buildings and other improvements have all been the work of two generations. Daniel Bowman, who came out with the party, was prosperous in his under- takings, established a fine home, reared a family and ended his early career July 27. 1843. when about sixty-four years of age. His wife survived him several years and passed away January 28. 1848, aged nearly seventy-tive
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years. Mrs. John Dake died September 30. 1853. and her husband departed this life March 6. 1862, both finding a final resting place in the Dake ceme- tery, where repose several generations of the family and their blood relations. John Dake had a large family of children. most of whom have long since settled their final accounts with this world. Daniel, John J. Benjamin and Elizabeth, who married James P. Means, are all dead. Frederick, the fifth child. is a resident of Jowa: William, who lived in Oklahoma, died March 31, 1909: Henry, who was a Union soldier: George W .: Catherine Ann. wife of James Doyle, and Louisa, wife of Joseph Surber, all repose in the family cemetery. Mary Adeline, the youngest child, is still a resident of Moral township. The parents as well as most of the children were all mem- bers of the Baptist church, and no family has done more during the last eighty years for the development of Moral township than the Dakes and their widespread connections. High on the roll of honor, known as "the first set- tlers," will be found the name of John Dake and his descendants. and his sons have proven worthy sons of a worthy sire, by taking up and handing on the work he did for Moral township, for its growth and progress during his active life.
CHARLES EDWARD LARRISON.
Shelby county has been fortunate in the character of the men who ob- tained possession of her soil in the days when it could be had almost for the asking. It was a brave and sturdy class that came in from various southern states and Ohio, a class that was inured to hardships and not appalled by the sternest difficulties in their efforts to make fine agricultural lands out of the forest covered soil found all over eastern and central Indiana. The strug- gles of these men, their achievements and endurance, constitute the history of the county. Taken in its entirety it was a moving tragedy, interspersed here and there with touches of comedy, on the whole making a heroic chap- ter in the progress of civilization. as 'developed by the settlement and gradual development of Indiana. The older ones, of course, have long since passed away, occupying the "windowless palaces of rest" scattered over the county, in the shape of family cemeteries. Perhaps none of the burial grounds in- clude more interesting pioneer remains than the Dake cemetery, located on the old homestead of the first settler of the name, not far from the town of London. Here repose representatives of three generations, including men of strength, both of body and mind, men of action who took on their shoulders the burdens of their day and left much to show as the result of the work they had done.
Charles Edward Larrison, with whom we are to deal briefly in a bio-
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graphical way, is a representative of the generation now on deck, who, through inheritance, is entrusted with one of the fine old farms dug out of the wilderness by the first comers. He is one of the enterprising young farmers of Moral township, in whose hands the trust reposed by the ancestors will find a competent guardian. He was born at Pleasant View. February 7. 1862, and is a son of Isaac Larrison, one of the well known citizens of Moral township. January 1. 1895. Mr. Larrison married Margaret, daughter of Benjamin Dake and granddaughter of the original founder of the family name in Moral township. After marriage the young couple spent the sum- mer as a honeymoon, in Indianapolis, but in the fall went to housekeeping on the old homestead of the bride's father. This place consists of three hundred sixty acres of as fine farming land as the county affords, and Mr. Larrison is managing it with the skill of the up-to-date farmer. All the cereal crops for. which "old Shelby" is noted, are produced in great abundance, the methods being scientific and the results highly remunerative. The stock is of the best quality, is fed and marketed systematically, and altogether its original own- ers and developers, if alive, could find nothing to complain of in the manner in which the inheritance is being managed by the later representatives. Mr. and Mrs. Larrison have three children : Benjamin Isaac, born April 15. 1800; Margaret Frances, born September 11. 1899, and Roy Ebert, born July 18. 1902. Mr. Larrison is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge, at .\c- ton, and affiliates, politically, with the Republican party.
JOIIN BERG.
Among those who came from Germany during the rush for America in the forties were Theobald and Eva ( Richards) Berg, young people who had little of this world's goods, but hoped to better their fortunes in the land of promise beyond the sea. They shipped in one of the old-fashioned sailing vessels of those days and had a very tedious trip, the voyage consuming forty days. Almost immediately after landing in New York City the emigrants start- ed inland, and after some rough traveling over bad roads, mountain passes, and down rivers, they reached the Indiana border of the Ohio river, and set- tled in Dearborn county. Securing a small tract of land, the head of the house engaged in farming, but also ran an "up and down" saw mill as kind of a side line. He was an industrious man, fairly well educated in the schools of his native country and trained to discipline by service in the army, which is required by all German subjects. They were good samples of the kind of emigration that comes from the Fatheriand. being frugal, hard-working. saving and resourceful in making both ends meet. After a number of years
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in the occupations mentioned this worthy couple passed away at their In- diana home, near the great western river. They were the parents of six children: Philip, who served as a member of the Fifty second Indiana Regi- ment during the Civil war, is now a resident of Dearborn county ; Mary, wife of Michael Kuhn, resides in Queen City. Missouri: Jacob died in May, 1908. and Catherine passed away in youth : John, subject of our sketch, and Rachael, wife of Jacob Fritts, of Franklin county.
John Berg, fifth of this family, was born in Dearborn coumy, Indiana, May 2. 1848. As he grew up he assisted his father with the farin work and though he made but little money, acquired habits of industry, which proved valuable in after life. He continued this way until he had completed his twenty-third year. when he began forming plans for entrance into the world on his own resources. October 4. 1871. he married Lizzie A. Wendel, who was born in Franklin county. Indiana, December 7. 1851. Her parents were Conradt and Louisa ( Metz) Wendel, natives of Germany, who were mir- ried and had two children before they decided to abandon their European home to seek a betterment of fortune in the western world. They embarked in a sailing vessel, were tossed about on the seas until they became heartily sick of the water and finally landed in New York, after a voyage of forty- two days. They lost no time in seeking the far West, made the usual rough and tiresome journey over the mountains, and eventually reached the state of Indiana. They chose their place of abode on a farm in the county of Franklin, worked industriously for many years to convert it into a comfort- able home and finally closed their eyes on the world with the consciousness that they had done their duty. Their children were: Henry, deceased : John. who died in July, 1908: George, deceased: Lizzie, wife of John Berg, and William, deceased. After his marriage Mr. Berg lived for nine years with his parents. In March, 1880, he came to Shelby county, bought forty of land in Moral township, and has devoted all of his time to increasing and develop- ing his property. By different purchases he has added, from time to time, to what he originally bought until his holdings now amount to two hundred fifty acres of well cultivated farming land. His health failed some time ago and for several years he has been in retirement from active business, and renting his land. He has been successful and is recognized as one of the most painstaking and progressive of Moral township's many good farmers. He has four children: Minnie Eva, horn November 30. 1872, is the wife of Samuel C. Fisher and resides in Moral township, and has two children. John Ernest and Lizzie Mabel. Rachael L .. Mr. Berg's second child, was born March 11. 1876. married Daniel P. Williams, has one child. John D., and re- sides in Moral township. Lucy Jane Berg was born December 4. 1877, and on January 8, 1896, she married James H. Dake, who is mentioned more fully below. Lizzie .\., the youngest child, was born September 22, 1881,
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but died in infancy. The parents are members of the German Evangelical church, at Shelbyville.
James II. Dake, Mr. Berg's son-in-law, was born in Moral township. November 18. 1873. being a son of Benjamin Dake. After his marriage to Lucy J. Bug, he settled on a farm of one hundred sixty acres where Mr. Dake has built a beautiful home. They have three children, John Ben- jamin, born September 12. 1896: Mina May, born April 22, 1898, and Jesse Morris, born October 7, 1903. Mr. Dake is a member of the Knights of Pythias, at Acton.
BENJAMIN DAKE.
At one time the late Benjamin Dake was the largest land owner in Moral township. He was also one of the first arrivals, as he came here as far back as 1828. The story of his life is much like that of the pioneer boys. with the exception that he made better use of his opportunities than the aver- age, using better judgment in trading and learning the secret of saving money. He lived many years and his life was a useful as well as an indus trious one, few citizens in the county figuring more conspicuously in its ag- ricultural development. A son of John Dake, an old-time citizen of Virginia. Benjamin Dake was born in the Shenandoah Valley, December 12, 1821. Soon after his birth his parents caught the western fever, bundled up for the long journey over the mountains and down the rivers, eventually pulling up in Shelby county and finding a location in Moral township. At this time Benjamin was only seven years old and he had a severe drilling as he grew up on a pioneer farm in the wild woods. For the lack of education, ren- dered impossible in youth by absence of schools, he well atoned in after life by close reading, and as he advanced in years was regarded as an unusually well informed man. As he approached his majority he naturally began to think of marriage, and this eventuated in his union with Martha, daughter of Fountain Means. February 22, 1843. Taking an inventory of his po: - sessions he found that he had exactly five dollars on which to commence housekeeping, but his young wife encouraged him, he was brave himself, and they were not long in leasing a wild tract of eighty acres, on which they lo- cated and worked hard for five years. Before the time was out, however. he had saved enough money to buy the place, and thus Benjamin Dake, for the first time in his life, found himself a land owner on his own account. IIe prospered as such men generally do and from time to time added to his pos- sessions until, a few years prior to his death, he owned two thousand acres of fine farming land. all located in Moral township. As he realized that his race was nearly run. he divided up with his family, and sold some, with a
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view to avoiding complications after his death. He died January 10, 1908. and was laid away in the family burying ground in the presence of a large concourse of mourners.
His first wife died May 4. 1854. after becoming the mother of the fol- lowing named children: John, deceased: Mary, wife of John Stucker, of Moral township: Eliza, wife of Henry Smith, of Moral township: Columbus, deceased : Martha, deceased, wife of Landa Clayton. Mr. Dake's second wife, whom he married February 5. 1856, was Margaret, daugh- ter of David Simpson. She was born September 11. 1837, and died October 8. 1888. after becoming the mother of the following children : David E. and William (twins). the latter deceased: Robert Anderson. a resident of the township: Laura, widow of Richard C. Mann, of New Pal- estine: Margaret, wife of Charles Larrison, of this township: James, a res- ident of Moral township: Elvina, born April 2. 1868, died November 12. 1801 : Hattie makes her home with her sister, Mrs. Harrison: Charles, boru April 4. 1877. was drowned July 24. 1892. Mr. Dake was a member of the Democratic party until the Civil war, but changed to the Republican party as the result of the issues raised and remained with that organization until the close of his life. Shelby county had no better citizen than he.
HENRY C. RUSCHAUPT.
It was a cold day in 183; when Conradt Ruschaupt and Mary Catherine Ruschaupt left their home in the kingdom of Prussia to venture on the broad bosom of the Atlantic in a trip to the New World. They took passage on an old sailing vessel which consumed nine weeks in crossing. but eventually they reached New York City, but lost no time pushing into what was then known as the western wilderness. It was about Christmas. 1837, when they reached Indianapolis, and in the following spring they moved into the woods of Han- cock county, located on a wild tract of eighty acres in Sugar Creek township. and forthwith began a long fight to subdue the forest. German pluck and persistence conquered and in time these two courageous immigrants had made for themselves a comfortable home, where they spent the rest of their days in quiet.
Henry C. Ruschaupt, a son of these Prussian pioneers, was born on the Hancock county farm. December 4. 1838. or just a year after his parents reached the state. He had to work hard as he grew up on the farm, had little chance to go to school, and at an unusually carly period was forced out into the world to make a living for himself. Though remaining at home he worked out as a farm laborer for several years, and in 1867 rented some land in Moral
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township. His earthly possessions at that time consisted of a team and wagon, with an expectancy of ninety-seven dollars which was owing to him, but only half of it being subsequently paid. With this poor equipment he set to work bravely and by dint of the most ceaseless care and industry he found his financial condition gradually improving. It was a long and tedious road to travel. but at the end we find that Mr. Ruschaupt was the owner of three hundred acres of highly developed farming land, as good as is to be found anywhere around. Among the improvements are a beautiful home, modern barns and every outhouse or other feature necessary to complete a model farm. Mr. Ruschaupt. in addition to the regular crops, feeds stock exten- sively and finds in this one of his chief sources of income. In 1866 he mar- ried Julia Smith, a native of Indianapolis, where she was reared to woman- hood. and to this union there have been born ten children: Anna, wife of Henry Fink, is a resident of Irvington : Edward lives in Marion county. Gus- tave is deceased, and George is a resident of Moral township: Emma. wife of John Fink. is a resident of Irvington: Tillie. Frederick. Bertha. Julia and Gusta are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Ruschaupt are members of the German Evangelical church at New Palestine.
JAMES McGUIRE.
Ireland contributed largely to the European emigration which flowed into the United States in such rich streams during the decades between 1830 and 1860. Usually the sons of Erin embarked in canal and railroad buikling, the manufacturing industries or other pursuits calling for skill in the mechan- ical arts. Sometimes though, they became gardeners, in which branch of in- dustry they had no superiors and not infrequently we hear of great successes among these energetic and ingenuous people in strictly agricultural lines. A sample of this is James McGuire. the popular and prosperous farmer of Moral township, who has shown what hard work, attention to business, and good judgment will do in lifting a man out of despondency and planting his feet firmly on top of the "delectable mountains." Mr. MeGuire was born in the county of Tyrone, Ireland. March 8. 1831. and was simply one of mil- lions of poor boys of the famous Emeraldl Isle, who found himself in poverty facing the hard problem of making a living in the world. His parents were Edward and Ann (Campbell) McGuire, a worthy couple who passed their days in the hard struggles which then confronted the mass of the Irish people and their earthly careers were ended many years ago. As he grew up, young McGuire turned his face longingly toward the great republic beyond the sea, but was twenty-five years old before he was able to carry out his plans to
CHADWICK'S HISTORY OF SHELBY CO., IND.
emigrate. February 1. 1856, he took passage on an old sailing vessel which touched at the ports of Ireland, and after a tempestuous voyage of seven weeks was able to step ashore into the New Workl at the port of New York. A stranger in a strange land, the only problem before the new arrival was to get a job that would enable him to provide for the day that was passing over him. He succeeded in getting work on Long Island and devoted seven months of hard labor to his first task in the new country. Wisely deciding that the West offered much better opportunities for men in his condition, he took a train bound for Ohio, and eventually found himself in Cincinnati. Locating in Butler county, he succeeded in getting employment, which furnished him a fair living until the fall of 1800. At this time he married Isabelle Palmer, a fine type of the Irish girl, who had been reared to womanhood in her native land. The next move was into the state of Indiana, where employment was found for three years in the township of Franklin, Marion county. It was in 1864 that Mr. McGuire purchased seventy acres of land in Moral town- ship and began his residence in Shelby county that has continued until the present time. He proved to be a good farmer, soon learned all the "ins and outs" of the business and prospered steadily until by different purchases he increased his holdings to two hundred acres of the fine farming land for which this section is noted. His place has been greatly improved by the cree- tion of a commodious residence, good outbuildings and all the other ne- cessities that go to equip a modern farm. Mr. McGuire now has a valuable estate and well deserves it as it is the result of his ceaseless toil for more than forty-five years. He has always been strictly honest and upright in his deal- ings, has the good will of all who know him and stands high in the township as a first-class citizen. Mrs. McGuire, the faithful wife, who participated in all his struggles for nearly forty years, closed her eyes on this world in t898. and was laid to rest in the London cemetery. She was a member of the Presbyterian church and an exemplary woman in all the relations of life.
ALBERT C. JEFFRIES.
John Hamilton Jeffries will be recalled by old timers as one of the pio- neer carpenters of Shelby county. Born in Juniata county, Pennsylvania. January 13. 1823, he came to Indiana before he reached his majority and embarked at once as a contractor and builder. Many of the carly buildling's in and near Moral township were the work of his handicraft, and he obtaine! quite a local fame for the durability and careful construction of the buildings he superintended. He was a soblier in the war with Mexico, and was at Fort Smith: he drew a pension in recognition of his services. He was a moral
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man, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, at London, and when he died. July 20. 1875. he had many sincere mourners. In 1848 he married Mary F .. daughter of William and Mary ( Bowman) Fansler, who was born De- cember, 1830. Her father. William Fansler, was a native of Virginia, who came West at an early day and died in Moral township when Mrs. Jeffries was but five years old. Mary Bowman was a daughter of Daniel and Ann (Reason) Bowman, natives of Virginia, and among the very first settlers of Moral township. John Hlamilion and Mary ( Fandler ) Jeffries had two children: Mary Elizabeth was married in 1867 to Miles Ashton, resides at London and has two children: Mae, wife of Ernest Jacob Feaster, of Green- field, with one child. Modjeska : John Albert, who married Caroline House. is at home.
Albert C. Jeffries, second of his parents' two children, was born in Moral township. Shelby county. Indiana, March 5, 1854. After going through the local schools he spent two years at Franklin College. December 8. 1880. he married Fannie Shadley, who was born in Moral township. December 5, 1863. Her parents were Nathaniel and Emily Shadley, the latter a daughter of E. and Evaline ( Enoch ) Fouty, natives of Virginia, where she was born. They came to Indiana at a very early period, settled for a short time in Ilan- cock county, and then removed into what is now Shelby township. Shelby county, when Mrs. Shadley was about a year okl. This was abont 1858, and they lived out the remainder of their days on a farm. Mrs. Shadley's grand- father, Essa Enoch, was a soldier of the Patriot army during the Revolution- ary war. The Foutys had seven children: Enoch, deceased: Nancy, wife of Thomas Fouty, of Fountaintown: Isaac. deceased: Emily ( Mrs. Shadley) : Ephraim, deceased: Amos, a citizen of Moral township, and Eveline, de- ceased. Nathaniel Shadley was born in Ohio in 1825. and died July 20. 1908. He was a son of William and Rebecca ( Francis ) Shadley, the former a na- tive of Germany and the latter of Ohio. They came to Shelby coumy in 1835, and located in the woods of the southern part, where Nathaniel grew up and married Elizabeth French, by whom he has the following children : Jane, wife of James Philips, of Kansas: Sarah, deceased wife of Isaac llig- gens: David. a citizen of Illinois. The mother dying. Nathaniel Shadley married Emily Fouty, spent two years in Illinois and after removing to Shel- by county resumed his farming operations in Addison township and contin- ued in this work until called away by death. The children by his second mar- riage were as follows: Ephraim, a resident of California : John, a resident of Sugar Creek township: Isaac, deceased: Nancy, wife of John Fansler, of Brandywine township: Fannie. now Mrs. Jeffries: Benjamin, a citizen of Galesburg, Illinois: Virginia, deceased: Tilson, a resident of Greenwood. In- diana: Franklin, of Galesburg. Illinois: Charles, a resident of Indianapolis. Mrs. Shadley makes her home with her son-in-law. Mr. Jeffries. Nathaniel
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