USA > Indiana > Porter County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 42
USA > Indiana > Lake County > Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 42
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GEORGE BROWN was born November 7, 1829, in Bavaria, Ger- many. He is the eldest of two children born to Jacob and Mary A. (Glaab) Brown, both natives of Bavaria. Young Brown lived with his father until sixteen years of age, when he began learning his trade of miller, which he completed in four years. According to the prevailing custom there, he then traveled two years. He now emigrated to Amer- ica, settling in Chicago. Here he worked on the railroad as fireman for three years, when he came to Valparaiso and farmed for a short time, and then obtained a position in Sager's Mill, where he was en-
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gaged for four years. He now bought a share in the Prattville Mills, continuing there seven years. After this he engaged in milling more or less, and at present he is engaged as miller in the Liberty Mill. He owns a residence in Valparaiso, where his family lives. He has been a member of the I. O. O. F order. He has always been a strong Demo- crat, and is a well-known. enterprising citizen. He has five children living-Claudina, Ryneor, Elma, William and George, Jr.
JOHN C. COLE was born June 27, 1836, in Huron County, Ohio. He is the third of nine children born to Edward P. and Sally (Dilling- ham) Cole, natives of New York and of Ohio. John C. lived with his father in Huron County until his second year, when his father came to this county and bought somewhere near a half section, and at one time nearly a section and a half, and lived here until his death, in 1877. In his twentieth year, John C. Cole was married to Mary Osborn, a native of Huron County. Mr. Cole now settled on ninety acres from his father's estate and his present farm, on which he has resided ever since, with the exception of about three years' service. He enlisted in the Sev- enty-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the battles of Perryville, Chapel Hill and in a raid to Alabama, where they were capt- ured and paroled and placed on guard duty, fort-building, etc. He was mustered out of service at Nashville July 10, 1865. Mr. Cole's farm consists of 244 acres of well-improved land, with good buildings, wind pump, etc., most of it under cultivation. He is a member of the F. & A. M. order, Calumet Lodge, No. 379, and during the time of it was a mem- ber of the Grange. He has been Trustee for three terms, and is an active Republican. It was through his influence that the station of Woodville, an extensive grain market, store and post office, was placed in the town- ship, on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. He built and owns the build- ings. He has five children-Ada A. Freer, Carthaette S. Griswold, Dan- iel E., George J. and Frederick H.
JEREMIAH DALY was born in 1851 in Ireland. He is one of six children born to Daniel and Julia (Singleton) Daly, both natives of Ireland. They emigrated to the United States when Jeremiah was about one year old. After a short stay in New Jersey, they went to Ohio, where they remained about one year. The father was a contractor on the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago Railroad. He worked along the road to Valparaiso, where he arrived in 1857. The railroad company being at that time in embarrassed circumstances, the elder Daly had to take a quarter section of land as back pay, part of the present farms owned by the Daly brothers. The farm on which our subject and his unmarried brother, Michael, is living, is the old homestead. The father and sons began clearing the original forests, and have succeeded in making a set of the best farms in the township. The brothers, altogether, own about 520 acres. Jerry, as he is called, and his brother Michael, own 260 acres of it, with good buildings, etc. The father and mother lived to a ripe old age, and died suddenly-the former in 1875, and the latter about one and one-half years before. He and his brother Michael are both members of the Catholic Church. Michael was born in 1855, in Ohio, and is the youngest member of the family. Jeremiah is at present Road Superintendent of the township. In political faith, he has always been
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a Democrat, and takes an active part in politics ; he is at present the representative of the Democratic Committee in this township. As a man, he is well informed, genial and enterprising ; as a citizen, public-spirited and influential. He was married November 3, 1880, to Kate Leahy, a native of Valparaiso. They have one child-Cornelius. Mr. Daly re- ceived a common school education, and has been a great reader ; his wife was educated at the St. Paul Catholic School of Valparaiso.
HENRY FRIDAY was born April 12, 1848, in Germany. He is the eldest of five children, living, born to James and Sophia (Linder- mann), Friday, both natives of Germany. Young Friday lived in Ger- many, with his father, until he was six years old, when he emigrated to the United States, settling in Michigan City, Ind., and afterward living in Otis, La Porte County, when, in 1858, he came to Westchester Town- sbip and bought 160 acres of land. Henry lived with his father up to twenty-five years of age, receiving the usual education. In April, 1873, he married Frederica Mahus, a native of Germany. He then bought forty acres, living on that about two years. At the death of his father, he went to live on the old homestead, where he remained five years. He now bought his present farm, consisting of 140 acres of fine land, well improved, with good buildings, etc. He has begun stock-raising as more of a specialty than heretofore. Mr. Friday is a member of the F. & A. M. order, and has taken three degrees. He and wife are members of the German Lutheran Church. He is a Greenbacker, an intelligent man and enterprising citizen. He has three children living-William, Louis and Charles.
JOHN JOHNSON, JR., was born April 8, 1825, in Virginia. He is the eldest of five children born to John and Eleanor (Louis) Johnson, both natives of Virginia. The elder John died when our subject was about eight years old. When about twelve years of age, he went to work for himself, working on the farm until about twenty-four years of age. This was in Ohio, where the family had come a few years before the father's death. Our subject was married, October 15, 1849, to Mary A. Fury, a native of Virginia. He had bought his present farm of eighty acres of good, well-improved land, and now increased to one hundred and sixty acres. He has forty acres also in Michigan. His farm is crossed by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, one mile west of Woodville Post Office. He is a member of the United Brethren Church ; he has held the office of Justice of the Peace for twelve years, which indicates the satisfaction he has given ; he has always been a Democrat in political belief; is a well-informed man and enterprising, influential citizen. His first wife died in November, 1864, of consumption. He married for his second wife Mrs. Susan Hubbard, a native of Ohio. He has five children liv- ing-John B., Amanda, Mary A., Andrew and Cora.
FRITZ LINDEMANN was born July 25, 1836, in Mecklenburg, Germany. He is one of eight children born to Jasper and Mary Linde- mann, both natives of Germany. Fritz lived in Germany with his father until twenty-two years of age, having received a common school educa- tion, when he emigrated to the United States, and settled in Porter County, working around for about four years ; he now bought land in Jackson Township. He had been married to Sophia Fanter, a native of
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Germany, in 1859. He took his wife to his new farm, where they resided for fourteen years on 120 acres of good land. In the fall of 1877, he bought his present farm of 319 acres of excellent land. It is now in good condition, through the intelligent care of Mr. Lindemann, with good buildings and other improvements, and he has fair prospects of becoming one of the best farmers in Porter County. He has been a Mason for the last four years, and has taken seven degrees. He and his wife are members of the German Lutheran Church. In the spring of 1880, he was elected Township Trustee, and has served with ability. He is a Greenbaeker and an ex-Republican. He has five children-Henry, Frank, Fritz, David and Emma.
SAMUEL M. PHARES was born in Porter County August 23, 1843. He is the eldest of eight children born to Martin and Maria (Shafer) Phares, the former of Greene County, Ohio, and the latter of Luzerne County, Penn. Samuel lived with his father, with the exception of the time of service in the war, until about twenty-seven years of age. He received the usual early educational advantages. He enlisted Decem- ber 8, 1863, in the Twelfth Cavalry, One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, and was in service in the South and West. January 1, 1871, Mr. Phares married Narcissa C. Beam, a native of this county. He had already bought his present farm, which consists of seventy-six acres of good land, well-watered, and with good buildings. He has held the office of Township Trustee for about four years, and is at present Assessor, both of which offices he has filled creditably. He has always been a Republican, and a public-spirited citizen. He has one child- Charles W.
SYLVESTER C. SHEETS was born December 29, 1840, in Seneca County, Ohio; he is one of eight children born to Henry and Hannah Sheets, both probably from Maryland. Young Sheets lived with his father until the latter's death in about 1854; he received the usual early educational advantages; he then lived with his mother until her death, when he was about twenty-two years of age; he then farmed some on Mr. Bartholomew's farm. On October 27, 1864, he married Louise Sco- field, a native of Connecticut; he enlisted in February of 1865, in the One Hundred and Fifty-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry. On account of exposure, he was confined to the hospital until he was discharged ; he bought eighty acres, a part of his present farm, now consisting of about 203 acres of good land, well watered. By hard work and intelligent management he has accumulated all he now owns. Mrs. S. received, be- sides common school benefits, the advantages of the high school and is a woman of not common intelligence. Mr. S. has always been a stanch Republican, and is a strong temperance man ; he has seven children- Lillian M., Arthur E., Frederic R., Adela I., Augustus C., Garie C. and Clifton B.
TRUMAN SKINNER was born in November, 1825, in Wayne County, N. Y .; he is one of twelve children born to Asa and Electa J. (Mason) Skinner, both natives of New York. Truman lived with his parents in New York until 1834. when they went to Canada, remaining there four years, and then came to Porter County, and the father bought eighty acres of land. In 1839, his wife died and he went back to New
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York. Truman was bound out to Henry Dillingham, who reared him up to about his eighteenth year; he received the usual educational advant- ages, and worked out for about three years, then about seven years at Gosset's Mill. He now bought eighty acres, sold it and bought 140 acres of which his present farm is a part, having sold forty acres leaving 100, his present possession. With the exception of two years in Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas, he has lived here ever since he first came. All he has he obtained by his own efforts ; he has been a member of the United Brethren Church, and during its life was a member of the Grange; he was at one time a Whig, and is now a Douglas Democrat, though he votes for the man rather than the party; he has eight children living-Ellen, Electa J., Paulina, Mary, William, Truman H., Mahala and Melna.
ABRAHAM STAFFER was born January 14, 1822, in Pennsylvania; he is one of eight children born to Abraham and Rebecca (Krider) Staffer, of Pennsylvania. Young Staffer lived with his father until about twenty-seven years of age, receiving a common school education ; he was married September, 1848, to Emily Brumbaugh, a native of Maryland ; he now began running a threshing machine, and soon after, with his brother, bought a carding machine, carding wool for about three years. They now bought the Gosset Mill, owning that for about six years. Since that Mr. S. has built and run threshing machines. In the spring of 1882, he bought three acres of land, his present home; he also owns a saw mill in the Hughart settlement ; he was Township Trustee and Postmaster for some time ; he is a Greenback Democrat and is an intelligent man and good citizen ; he has three children-Laura Gus- tafson, Mary E. Harris and Francis L. Blachly. Mr. S. has consider- able inventive talent, and great taste for machinery, and has had three inventions patented-a saw gummer, the concave, and the cleaning apparatus of a thresher and a flour cooler ; he engaged in steamboating on the Calumet River with three barges and a tug boat, but on account of a sand bar in the river the enterprise proved a failure ; he is now run- ning a saw-mill and a threshing machine.
NORMAN B. TANNER was born May 28, 1829, in Munson, Geauga County, Ohio ; he is one of ten children born to David and Ruth (Cochron) Tanner, the former of New York and the latter of Massa- chusetts. Young Tanner lived with his father in Geauga County until 1840, when he moved to Union County, where Norman remained until twenty-one years of age, having received a common school education ; he then married Sarah A. Cratty, a native of Union County, August 10, 1850. In 1852, his wife died. After renting awhile, in 1854, he went to Chicago and engaged as boatman, working but a short time, when he came to Porter County and worked in a saw mill, owned by Joel Wicker, of Chicago, until the mill burned in July of 1854; he now engaged in a saw mill on the old plank road near Chesterton, where he served about four years, at the end of which time he rented a farm of Mr. Dilling- ham. After two and a half years nearly, he bought his present farm of eighty acres of good land, well watered with spring-water ; he had been married to Sophronia P. Vanslyke, a native of New York. Mr. T. has been engaged more or less in lumbering, wire fence foreman and saw- mill, etc., at which he made a success ; he engaged in these because of
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lameness, which prevented his farming. In 1852, he joined the Presby - terian Church, while his present wife was a Baptist. They both after- ward joined the Christian Church ; he was a member of the I. O. O. F., and at present is a member of the Masonic fraternity ; he has held the office of Township Assessor for five years successively ; he is a strong Republican and used to be a "conductor" on the "underground rail- road." He has five children -- Sarah A., Ida M., George D., John L. and Schuyler S.
HENRY H. TILLOTSON was born December 18, 1826, near Toronto, Canada; he is the eldest of seven children born to Ira B. and Mariette (Tuttle) Tillotson, the former of Canada, the latter of New York. When Henry was two years old, his parents came to Erie County, Penn .; in about Henry's eighth year, his father died, and he was reared by a man named Donaldson, and, when twenty-two, he began for himself. He married Matilda Smith, a native of New York, about 1848 ; they had one child, deceased; his wife died about 1850. Henry then went to St. Louis and engaged in railroading as contractor about two years ; then to Chicago, lumbering for a time; he then came to Por- ter County and began milling, at which he continued for nine years. In 1861, he enlisted in the Ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served in West Virginia. When discharged, he came home and helped recruit the Seventy-third Indiana, and was commissioned Lieutenant, and served under Buell and Rosecrans. Then he went on a raid under Col. Straight to follow Bragg's army, on which he was captured near Rome, Ga. He lay in Libby Prison for a year, then was taken to Macon, Ga., thence to Charleston, S. C., where the prisoners were placed under fire of their own men; thence to Columbia, S. C., and soon after exchanged. They were held at one time as hostages for Mor- gan-all officers. In 1865, he bought his present farm, 109 acres, less the mill-dam of about 20 acres. He was married before he went into the service to Helen M. Schelenger, a native of Pennsylvania. His farm is good land, all improved. He is a member of two fraternities- Masonic and Odd Fellows; he was also a member of the defunct Grange. He has been Justice of the Peace six years, and was elected again, but resigned ; he is a very strong Peter Cooper Greenbacker, and is an intelligent, well-informed man and enterprising citizen. He has six children-Ira B., Frank J., John S., Helena R., Jennie, Edwin.
PORTAGE TOWNSHIP.
SAMUEL ALYEA, native of Butler County, Ohio, was born Sep- tember 21, 1825, the fourth of the twelve children of Isaac and Keziah (Smith) Alyea. The father was born in Essex County, N. J., and the mother in Tennessee, and both were of German descent. The paternal grandfather and great-grandfather of Mr. Alyea were both soldiers in the war of the Revolution. Mr. Alyea was reared by his grandparents, and, in 1835, came with them to La Porte County ; a year later they moved to Boone Township, this county, and the year following were
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joined by Isaac Alyea, who afterward moved to La Porte County, and there died. March 15, 1845, Mr. Alyea married Deborah Alyea, of Franklin County, this State. In 1851, he returned to La Porte County, where he resided, with the exception of one year passed in Tazewell County, Ill., until 1869, when he came back to this township, where he has resided ever since. He has a fine farm of 640 acres, and gives much aetention to dairying and stock-raising. Of the ten children born to him there are six living, viz., Orlando E., Theodore, Washington, Marion, Mrs. Melissa J. Gundy, of Union Township, and Samuel E. Mr. Alyea is a member of the I. O. O. F., is a Republican, and is one of the earliest settlers in the township now living, and one of its most substantial citizens.
B. G. CRISMAN was born in Huntingdon County, Penn., June 14, 1814. He is one of the eight children of Benjamin and Mary (Ying- ling) Crisman, and the youngest. Both parents were natives of Mary- land. When B. G. Crisman was four years old his parents settled in Carroll County, Ohio, where he was reared, and where he lived until 1849, at which time he removed to De Kalb County, Ind., and in 1850 settled in Union Township, Porter County, after which he moved on his farm in Portage Township. On March 2, 1836, he was married to Eliza- beth Baughman, of Carroll County, Ohio, a union which was blessed with twelve children, ten of whom are living-Addison, Isaac, Oliver (of Val- paraiso), Nancy, Henry, Milton, Solomon F. (of Moore County, Minn.), Mrs. Eliza J. Cole (of Brainerd, Minn.), Mrs. Clara Bender and Wash- ington W. Mr. Crisman owns a splendid farm, comprising 260 acres, with good improvements. In politics, he is a Republican.
ADDISON CRISMAN was born in Carroll County, Ohio, October 27, 1837, and is a son of B. G. and Elizabeth Crisman. He came with his parents to this county in 1850, and worked at home until he attained his majority, when he began working for farmers in the neighborhood. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, Seventy-third Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, and served until the war was closed. After his return from the field, he settled in Portage Township, where he has since farmed, excepting a little more than a year, which he spent in the mercantile busi- ness at Lake Station. On June 17, 1863, he was married to Jane E. Holmes, a native of this county, and daughter of William and Jane A. Rugar, who settled in Porter County about 1838. Four children were the fruit of this union-Addison M., William C., Thomas W. and Ben- jamin F. In 1873, Mr. Crisman made his home on his present farm of 253 acres. He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1866, and served six years. He is a Republican.
ISAAC CRISMAN, farmer, was born in Carroll County, Ohio, June 3, 1839, and is a son of B. G. and Elizabeth (Baughman) Crisman. He was brought to this county by his parents in 1850, where he has remained excepting the time spent in the army. When he had reached his majority, he began to work among the farmers of his neighborhood. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, Seventy-third Indiana Volunteer In- fantry, and was discharged for disability in March, 1863; he re-enlisted however, in November, 1864, in Company D, Twenty-third Indiana Vol- unteers, and served until the end of the war. After returning, he farmed
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on the homestead until his marriage, December 12, 1870, to Jane White, a native of Will County, Ill. Four children were the result of this union-Wilbur F. (deceased). Myrta M. (deceased), B. Allen and Fannie E. (deceased). After his marriage, he located at Crisman, where he en- gaged in mercantile business and served three years as Postmaster. In 1875, he moved to his farm in Portage Township, where he now lives on seventy acres ; he is a Republican, and is serving his second term as Township Trustee.
MILTON CHISMAN was born in Carroll County, Ohio, March 12, 1847, one of the twelve children of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Baughman) Crisman ; was brought to this towship by his parents in 1850, and was reared to manhood on a farm. In 1872 and 1873, he engaged as a con- tractor on the Michigan Central and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroads, and in the latter year, June 5, married Miss Sarah E. Fifield, of this county ; he is now the father of three children-Raymond, Ross M. and Leonard. In 1874, he rented a farm in this township, and a year later bought the one on which he now resides. This consists of 145 acres of rich land, improved, with a good brick residence and other buildings. In politics, Mr. Crisman is a Republican, and for two years he filled the office of Township Assessor ; he received a good common-school education in his youth, and is an intelligent, enterprising and prosperous farmer and one of the substantial citizens of the township.
D. S. CURTIS is a native of Macomb County, Mich., and was born March 1, 1836, the youngest of nine children born to John and Abigail (Huggins) Curtis. The former was of English descent, and a native of Cayuga County, N. Y .; he was reared a farmer, and served as a soldier in the war of 1812. The latter was a native of the same county and State and of Scotch extraction. In 1838, the family came to Portage Township and settled on the farm where the subject of this sketch was reared, and where he now lives : here his father died November 12, 1865 ; he was a member of the M. E. Church; in politics, was a Democrat, and filled many offices of public trust. July 3, 1860, Mr. Curtis married Miss Ann Libby, a native of Canada, and five children have blessed their union, viz., Permelia A., George A., Charles E., Minerva A. and Wealthy A. Mrs. Curtis is a member of the M. E. Church ; Mr. C. is a Royal Arch Mason, and is now filling the office of Superintendent of Roads; in politics, he is a Democrat. He has a well-improved farm of 108 acres, and is highly esteemed by his neighbors.
BENJAMIN FIFIELD is the second of the seven children of Thomas H. and Elsie (Carter) Fifield, and was born in Grafton County N. H., November 27, 1827; his parents are natives of the same State, and his paternal grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The family moved to Canada when Benjamin was about five years of age, and thence, in 1841, came to Union Township, this county ; here our subject assisted on the home farm and attended school until 1853, when he settled on the farm in this township, on which he still resides. March 9, 1854, he mar- ried Lany Sphuler, a native of Germany, who has borne him seven chil- dren, viz .: Walker, of Liberty Township; Mrs. Sarah A. Crisman, of this township; Thomas H., deceased; Mrs. Myra Holmes, of La Porte County, Ind. ; Jaccheus H., Jessie A. and Clarence E. Mr. Fifield's
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farm comprises 250 acres of fertile land, well furnished with excellent buildings; he gives considerable attention to stock-raising and dairying. In 1856, his father removed to Valparaiso, and a few years since retired to South Bend, to enjoy in peace the fruits of his early industry. Mr. Fifield is a Republican, and is one of the substantial men of Portage Township.
ANDREW J. HARRISON was born in Porter County, Ind., June 9, 1843, and is one of the ten children of Robert and Esther (Garrett) Harrison, both natives of the Isle of Man. Robert Harrison was a black- smith, and about 1826 came to America and settled in Lake County, Ohio, where he followed his trade until 1836, when he came to Porter County, and the following year located in Portage Township, residing here until his death, in 1861; he was a licentiate of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and preached frequently ; he was also Township Trustee. Andrew Harrison has always lived on the homestead, and now has a good farm of 160 acres. On October 21, 1869, he was married to Martha Quatermass, a native of Ontario. Seven children followed the union- Laura M., Ettie, George R., Sarah M ., Alvie G., Thomas A. and Martha. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Harrison is a member of the Valparaiso Commandery, No. 28. In politics, he is a Republican; he has held several offices of public trust, among which are Township Assessor, in 1870; Township Trustee, and for four years, 1876-80, County Commissioner.
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