USA > Indiana > Pulaski County > Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 71
USA > Indiana > White County > Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 71
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he has also held the offices of County School Examiner and Justice of the Peace-the latter for ten or twelve years. He is still a Democrat, and one of the township's leading citizens.
WILLIAM A. ENT was born in Washington County, Penn., Octo- ber 3, 1849, and is the youngest of three children born to Lambert and Sarah (Fishel) Ent, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Pennsylvania, and both of German descent. Lambert Ent was a shoe- maker, and for many years followed his trade in Pennsylvania. In 1853, he came with his wife and family to this township, bought forty acres of unimproved land, built a frame house, and was here employed in farming and at his trade until his death, July 10, 1881; Mrs. Sarah Ent died October 19, 1870. William A. Ent received a fair common school edu- cation, and until twenty-one years of age assisted on the home farm. He then worked out by the month for about three years, and then moved on the home place where he now resides. He was married, March 21, 1880, to Clarrie B. Wood, a native of Adams County, Ohio, and one daughter, Ethel M., has blessed this union. In politics, Mr. Ent is a Democrat.
JOSEPH FELKER is a native of Union County, Penn., was born April 19, 1819, and is the second in a family of fifteen children born to Henry and Anna (Romig) Felker, both natives of Pennsylvania, and of German descent. Henry Felker, who was a farmer, died in his native State in 1870, a member of the Lutheran Church ; his wife, who was also a member of the Lutheran Church, died while on a visit to Ohio in 1853. Joseph Felker worked on the home farm until twenty-two years old, then for nine years ran a saw and grist mill, and then for three years farmed on shares. In the spring of 1855, he moved from Penn- sylvania to St. Joseph County, Mich., and in the following fall came to this township, and for three years was here engaged in farming on shares. As far back as 1839, he had entered 280 acres in Indian Creek Township, and in 1858 he built a frame house and put eighty acres under cultiva- tion, and here has made his home ever since. He was married in August, 1840, to Louisa Fees, a native of Union County, Penn., who has borne him seven children, six of whom are yet living. Mr. Felker has served the township as Assessor for two years, and as Justice of the Peace for twelve years. In politics, he is a Democrat, and he and wife are mem- bers of the Lutheran Church.
MARTIN FISHER was born in this township September 14, 1854, and is the youngest of the eight children born to William W. and Re- becca (Widner) Fisher, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Ohio. In 1838, William W. Fisher, while yet a young man, came to this town- ship and bought 600 acres of Government land, on which he erected a cabin and cleared up a farm ; then, in 1845, moved to another portion of
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his land and built another cabin, and here resided until his death, which occurred October 22, 1880. He was married in Cass County, Ind., February 6, 1839. He once was Assessor for the whole of Pulaski County, and was one of its earliest settlers. Mrs. Rebecca Fisher is still living on the old homestead. Martin Fisher, with the exception of one year passed in the milling business, in which he is still interested, has always resided on the old homestead. He was married, February 8, 1879, to Rebecca Davidson, a native of Logansport, Ind., who has borne him two children-Mildred and Harry. In politics, Mr. Fisher is a Demo- crat.
GEORGE W. GEMBERLING was born in Portage County, Ohio, July 17, 1838, and is the second of the five children born to Daniel D. and Sophia (Seiber) Gemberling, both natives of Snyder County, Penn., and of German descent. Daniel D. Gemberling was a farmer, was mar- ried in Pennsylvania, and in 1837 moved to Portage County, Ohio, where he farmed on shares for two years. In 1839, he brought his family to this township, bought 160 acres unimproved land, moved into a log cabin and cleared up his farm, and died in the fall of 1857, a member of the Presbyterian Church ; his widow, a member of the same church, died February 28, 1868. George W. Gemberling assisted on the home farm until he was twenty-one years old, and then farmed on shares five years. In the fall of 1864, he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered out at the close of the war, in August, 1865. He next farmed on shares for a year, and then bought a partially improved farm of forty acres in this township, which he has since increased to 240 acres, all well improved, and part of it in Van Buren Township. He was married April 5, 1863, to Phebe J. Waterhouse, a native of Cass County, Ind., and a member of the Christian Church. In politics, Mr. Gemberling is a Democrat.
ANDREW GILSINGER is a native of France, and was born Jan- uary 1, 1840, and is the fifth of the eight children of Joseph and Sophia M. (Keller) Gilsinger. Joseph Gilsinger, a wagon-maker, came with his family to the United States in the spring of 1851, bought forty acres of land in Seneca County, Ohio, worked at his trade and at farming, in- creased his estate to 200 acres, and in 1864 sold out and came to this township, bought a farm of 233 acres and here resided until his death, August 8, 1867. Mrs. Sophia Gilsinger is living with her son Franklin on a part of the old homestead, and she is, as was her husband, a member of the Catholic Church. Andrew Gilsinger remained at home until twenty-three years old, with the exception of some seven months, when engaged in a saw mill in Michigan, and four months, when employed on the Pittsburgh, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad. For several years, he
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worked on shares, and subsequently became owner of 110 acres of the land. He was married, June 14, 1870, to Mary A. Weaver, a native of this county, and to this union were born five children, of whom three are still living-Sophia M., born July 5, 1872; George, June 2, 1875 ; Alexander F., October 26, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Gilsinger are members of the Catholic Church, and in politics he is a Democrat.
FRANKLIN GILSINGER, the youngest in a family of eight chil- dren born to Joseph and Sophia M. (Keller) Gilsinger, was born in France November 22, 1848. He received, in his youth, a fair common school education, which he has since greatly improved by his own exer- tions. At the age of nineteen, he ceased working for his father, and for two years engaged with his brother in working a part of the home farm on shares. He then bought sixty acres of the homestead, and two years later purchased fifty more, including the original improvements, and has- recently added thirty-five acres, making in all 145. He was married, November 4, 1873, to Magdalena Nice, a native of Seneca County, Ohio. Of the six children born to this union, four are still living-Joseph F., Mary M., Anna M. and Cecelia K. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gilsinger are members of the Catholic Church, and in politics Mr. G. is a Democrat.
REUBEN GOOD, the eldest of the eight children of Jonas and Elizabeth (Troxell) Good, was born in Snyder County, Penn., August 24, 1824. Jonas Good was a blacksmith and farmer, was married in Pennsylvania, and in the spring of 1827 moved with his wife and family to Crawford County, Ohio; in 1830, he removed to Seneca County, and in the fall of 1839 came to this township and entered 280 acres, wrought out a farm, and here died, in 1855, in his fifty-sixth year. He was owner of 721 acres of land; was one of the Township Trustees, under the old constitution ; was County Commissioner for one term, and was a a member of the German Reformed Church. Reuben Good, until twenty- three years old, remained on the home farm. October 18, 1846, he mar- ried Carolina Moyer, a native of Lehigh County, Penn. He moved upon sixty-eight acres of land presented to him by his father,, on which he has since resided, and which he has increased to 186 acres. He is a Dem- ocrat, and has served four years as Township Assessor. He and wife are members of the German Reformed Church, and have had born to them nine children, of whom six are yet living.
JONAS GOOD was born in Crawford County, Ohio, November 12, 1827, and was the third of the eight children of Jonas and Elizabeth (Troxel) Good, both natives of Pennsylvania and of German descent. Jonas Good, Sr., was a blacksmith, was married in Pennsylvania, and in 1826 moved to Crawford County, Ohio ; he bought forty acres of land, improved it, and in 1833 sold out and went to Seneca County and en-
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tered 160 acres, which he also improved. In 1841, he again sold out, and came to this township, where he had entered 160 acres the year pre- vious. This farm he subsequently increased to 751 acres, and here he died in the winter of 1854. He had been one of the Commissioners of Pulaski County, and died a member of the German Reformed Church. Mrs. Elizabeth Good was a member of the Lutheran Church, and died in 1847. Jonas Good, Jr., remained on the home place till twenty-two years old, and then farmed on shares and ran a threshing machine for two years. He next bought of his father 160 acres of partially improved land in this township, on which he has ever since resided, but has added thereto until he now owns 360 acres, all well improved. He was mar- ried, November 27, 1849, to Polly Shelhart, a native of Ohio, and of German descent. This union has been blessed with thirteen children, of whom eleven are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Good are members of the German Reformed Church, and in politics he is a Democrat. In his early days, Mr. Good was one of the noted fishermen of the country.
GEORGE W. GOOD was born in Indian Creek Township Novem- ber 3, 1850, and is the eldest of the thirteen children born to Jonas and Polly (Shelhart) Good, both natives of Ohio, and of German descent. At the age of seventeen, Jonas Good came to this county with his parents, and with them he lived until twenty-one, when he married. His father then gave him a farm in this township, on which he still resides. Both he and wife are members of the German Reformed Church. George W. Good received a very fair education at the common schools, and was em- ployed on his father's farm until his majority. He then farmed on shares for five years ; he next bought a farm of eighty acres in this township, on which he still lives. He was married, December 13, 1871, to Rebecca M. Parcel, a native of this county, who has borne him six children, of whom five are living-Mary P., Jonas C., George E., William I. and Dora E. M. In politics, Mr. Good is a Democrat.
GEORGE W. GRANT was born in Sullivan County, N. Y., Au- gust 18, 1836, the third of four children of Benjamin F. and Lucy (Smith) Grant, natives respectively of New York and Connecticut, and both of Scotch descent. Benjamin F. Grant was a farmer, and was mar- ried in New York. In the winter of 1836, he came with his family to Liberty Township, White County, Ind., entered about 200 acres of land, and engaged in farming and stock-rearing. In 1838, he removed to this township, bought land, and here farmed until his death, in September, 1841. He was a Justice of the Peace at an early day, was one of the organizers of White County, and was one of the Commissioners who lo- cated Monticello as the seat of justice thereof, and named it after the county seat of his old home in York State. Both he and wife were mem-
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bers of the Baptist Church, and after her husband's death Mrs. Grant, who was reduced in circumstances by a depreciation in the value of live stock, supported her family by working at the loom and by teaching. She taught her first term in this township, in her own house, during the win- ter of 1841-42, and was one of the earliest teachers in Indian Creek Township. She died in White County, March 9, 1869. George W. Grant was fairly educated, and has taught school in White and Carroll Counties. Between the ages of seven and seventeen, he helped to support the family, and then, in 1853, began working out by the month. About 1860, he began selling trees for a nursery at Sidney, Ohio, and in 1869, started the Indian Creek Nursery, near the mouth of the creek of that name. In 1872, he bought eighteen acres, which he has since increased to forty- three, and which he has converted into a fruit-tree nursery. He also owns a nursery near Monticello, which he started in 1879. He was mar- ried, March 28, 1867, to Cartes S. Hanawalt, a native of Mifflin County, Penn., who has borne him six children, four now living. Mr. Grant is a Mason and a Republican, and Mrs. Grant is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
ERNEST HARE, the second of the three children of John and Mary A. (Weis) Hare, was born in Germany January 16, 1832. In 1842, John Hare brought his family to America, and settled at Wildcat, Car- roll County, Ind. In 1845, he sold his farm of eighty acres, and moved to Delphi, where he followed draying for many years, and where he is now living retired. Mrs. Mary A. Hare died in 1844, and was, like her husband, a member of the Catholic Church. Ernest Hare, at the age of twelve, began an apprenticeship of four and a half years at harness-mak- ing, in Louisville, Ky .; then worked there as journeyman for six months, and then, in 1853, moved to Logansport, Ind., where he followed his trade until November, 1881, when he moved to this township and set- tled on his farm of ninety acres, which he had purchased in 1866. In June, 1857, he married Catharine Hoover, a native of Seneca County, Ohio, who has borne him six children. Mr. Hare has been for many years a member of Tipton Lodge, No. 33, A., F. & A. M., at Logansport, and in politics he is a Democrat.
B. S. HOOVER was born in Seneca County, Ohio, September 18, 1833, and was the fourth of a family of thirteen children born to Peter and Mary A. (Hoover) Hoover, natives of Lorraine, France. The father, who was a shoemaker, brought his family to the United States in the spring of 1833, and settled in Seneca County, where he bought forty acres of land ; this he sold in 1840, and came to this township, bought 190 acres of wild land and cleared up a farm. In 1849, he built the first saw mill in the township, if not in the county ; he continued to add to his
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estate until, at the time of his death by accident April 9, 1863, he was owner of 800 acres in this and Marshall County. Mrs. Anna Hoover died February 9, 1849, and both were members of the Catholic Church. B. S. Hoover attended school and worked for his father until he was twenty-one, and then sold books, farmed on shares, and worked out by the month for several years. In the spring of 1858, he started with a party for Pike's Peak, but turned back on reaching the Missouri River. In 1866, he bought the old homestead, which he still owns, and on which he engaged in farming and stock-raising until 1880, when he went to Winamac and engaged in the dry goods trade with R. S. Rogers for six months. In 1881, he bought an additional farm near Pulaski, on which he now lives. He was married, March 18, 1862, to Sarah E. Bliss, a native of New York, who bore him one child-Lola M .- and died Decem- ber 12, 1866. On April 13, 1871, Mr. Hoover married Eliza J. Rhine- hart, a native of this county, and to this union four children were born, three of whom are yet living-Ura E., Maud M. and Ethel A. Mr. Hoover is a Democrat, and has served as Assessor of the township.
JACOB C. HOOVER, a native of Seneca County, Ohio, was born April 7, 1837, and is the sixth of a family of thirteen children born to Peter and Mary A. (Hoover) Hoover, natives of Lorraine, France. Jacob C. Hoover is largely self-educated, and is possessed of more than ordinary mental powers. He was reared on his father's farm and in his saw mill until twenty-two years old, and then for fourteen months he worked in La Porte, Ind., in a saw mill; then by the month on a farm in White County, Ind., and September 18, 1861, enlisted in Company A, Second Indiana Volunteer Cavalry, or Forty-first Regiment, and served until October 4, 1864, when he was honorably discharged. He participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga and Resaca ; also took part in the Atlanta campaign and accompanied Gen. McCook's division in the Stoneman raid. After his discharge, he came to this township and farmed on shares one year, and then bought a partially improved farm of eighty acres, on which he still resides, having increased it to 200 acres. He was married, June 9, 1868, to Martha Waddell, a native of Huntingdon County, Penn., and of Irish-Scotch and German descent. To his marriage there have been born seven children, of whom three only are living. Mr. Hoover and wife are members of the German Reformed Church, and in politics he is a Democrat.
JOHN G. HORSTMAN was born in Prussia March 5, 1821, and is the eldest of the nine children of John B. and Mary A. Horstman. The subject of this sketch received a liberal education in his native land, having studied for ten years. In August, 1849, he emigrated to the
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United States and settled in Cincinnati. He found employment first on the turnpike roads in Indiana and Kentucky, on which he worked eight- een months, and then for a few months he worked in a foundry at Cin- cinnati. From 1851 to 1854, he was employed as foreman of a stone quarry at Dayton. He then came to Fulton County, this State, where he improved some 400 or 500 acres of land for a Mr. Dickey, building four dwellings and a barn on the same. In the spring of 1861, he came to this township; here farmed on shares for five years, and in 1866 bought the farm of 160 acres on which he now lives. He was married, in 1855, at Dayton, Ohio, to Hannah Gray, a native of Ohio and of Irish descent. Of the eleven children born to this marriage, six are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Horstman are members of the Catholic Church, and in politics he is a Greenbacker.
CHARLES N. HUSTON, M. D., was born in Dearborn County, Ind., June 28, 1856, and is the eldest of the five children of David J. and Ann E. (Fain) Huston. The father was born in Connersville, Ind., October 27, 1821, and the mother in Spencer, Ind., in August, 1822, and both are of Scotch descent. David J. Huston was ordained a Bap- tist minister October 20, 1847, and has been in charge of the congrega- tion at Sugar Creek, of four classes in Howard County, and of the con- gregations at Greensburg, Lawrenceburg, Columbus, at a point in Jennings County, Rensselaer and Goodland, at which last place he is now stationed. He also had the agency for six years of Franklin College. Charles N. Huston was educated in this county and at Valparaiso Col- lege. In 1876, he began the study of medicine with his uncle, Dr. R. C. Huston, at Oxford, Ohio, and graduated from the Ohio Medical Col- lege at Cincinnati in the class of 1878-79. He then entered into prac- tice with his former preceptor at Oxford, and in the spring of 1880 came to the village of Pulaski, where he is meeting with excellent success. In December, 1881, in company with D. W. Goble, he opened the first drug store in Pulaski, under the firm name of Huston & Goble ; in November, 1882, Mr. Goble retired, and Dr. J. M. Ward took his place, and the firm now stands as Huston & Ward.
JAMES KEY was born in Carroll County, Ind., October 14, 1839, and is the sixth of nine children born to Samuel and Elizabeth (Grate- house) Key, natives respectively of Virginia and Ohio, and of Irish and German extraction. When Samuel Key was a small boy, his parents settled near Dayton, Ohio, and there. he was educated and married. About 1829, he moved his wife and children to the wilderness of Carroll County, Ind., entered eighty acres, built a cabin and cleared up a farm. In the fall of 1840, he sold out and came to this township, entered 120 acres, and here farmed until his death in September, 1864. James Key,
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until his majority, lived with his father, receiving the usual education attainable at the frontier schoolhouses. For three years he worked out by the month, and then bought forty-eight acres of unimproved land on Section No. 29, which he improved and added to until he now owns 100 acres. In February, 1865, he enlisted in Company H, Forty-sixth In- diana Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was married, June 27, 1864, to Mary A. Chrisinger, a native of Marion County, Ohio, and to this union there have been born eight children, all of whom are living. In politics, Mr. Key is a Democrat.
JOHNSON LIDGARD was born in Pike County, Ill., January 15, 1840, and is the third in a family of twelve children born to Solomon and Mary A. (Hatfield) Lidgard, both natives of Lincolnshire, Eng. Solomon Lidgard was a tailor, but came to this country in 1833, still a young man, and settled in Marion County, Ohio, where he bought eighty acres of land, and where he was married. In 1838, he sold his place and removed to Pike County, Ill., where he farmed on shares until the spring of 1851, when he came to this township and entered 160 acres, on which he lived until the fall of 1867, when he moved to Van Buren Township, this county, where he died, April 4, 1874, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His widow, also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is now in her sixty-seventh year. Johnson Lidgard was em- ployed on his father's farm until September, 1861, when he enlisted in Company H, Forty-sixth Indiana Volunteer Infantry ; in the fall of 1864, he re-enlisted as a veteran in the same company, and was mustered out in the fall of 1865. He took part in all the battles around Vicksburg, and was with Gen. Banks in the Red River campaign. At the close of the war, he engaged in farming in this township. He was married in June, 1866, to Lucinda Waterhouse, a native of Marion County, Ohio. She bore her husband one son, and died in December, 1867, a member of the German Baptist Church. In September, 1869, Mr. Lidgard married Rachel Paul, who has borne him six children, three of whom are living. In politics, Mr. Lidgard is a Democrat ; his wife is a member of the Christian Church.
R. A. LOWRY was born in Wyandot County, Ohio, March 1, 1841, and is the eighth of the thirteen children of John D. and Margaret A. (Stotts) Lowry, natives of Virginia and Ohio, and of Scotch and Irish descent. At the age of twenty-one, John D. Lowry accompanied his parents to Circleville, Ohio, and was there married, in 1827, at the age of twenty-seven. In 1835, he moved to Wyandot County, and in 1853 came with his family to Monroe Township, this county, bought 360 acres of land, built a cabin, improved his land, and died in May, 1879. Robert A. Lowry remained with his father until he was twenty-eight. He then
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moved to this township, on a farm of 250 acres, which he bought from his father-in-law. Mr. Lowry was married October 28, 1868, to Pauline Bowers, a native of Seneca County, Ohio. The children born to this union are Margaret E., Jacob. Phebe A. and Harriet M. Mr. Lowry is a Democrat, and in 1880 was elected one of the County Commissioners, and re-elected in 1882.
JACOB MARCH was born in Union County, Penn., March 17, 1829, and was one of the twelve children born to John and Catherine (Racer) March, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German descent. John March was a weaver, was married in Pennsylvania, and in 1837 moved to Seneca County, Ohio, where he remained until the fall of 1840, when he came to this township, entered eighty acres, built a cabin and im- proved the land, which he increased to 160 acres, and died thereon in 1857. He was one of the Township Trustees under the old constitu- tion, and a member of the German Reformed Church. Jacob March, until twenty-three years old, attended school and assisted his father on the farm, and then he and his brother-in-law farmed on shares for two years. He then bought his present farm of 120 acres in this township, which he has since increased to 217 acres. He was married, February 5, 1854, to Mary A. Good, a native of Seneca County, Ohio, who has borne her husband six children, of whom five are yet living. In politics, Mr. March is a Democrat, and both he and wife are members of the Ger- man Reformed Church.
S. A. MARCH was born in this county February 11, 1856, and is the eldest of the seven children of Jacob and Mary A. (Good) March, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Ohio. Jacob March, at the age of twelve, came to this county with his parents, and was here mar- ried in about 1854. He then bought eighty acres of land in this town- ship, built a log house and developed a farm, to which he has since added from time to time, until it now comprises 240 acres, all well-improved. Both he and wife are members of the German Reformed Church. S. A. March received a fair common school education in his youth, and was subsequently engaged in teaching and assisting his father, until Decem- ber, 1879. He then engaged in general merchandising at Pulaski, in company with M. B. Crist, under the firm name of Crist & March. The firm is quite successful, doing a business of $12,000 per annum. In politics, Mr. March is a Democrat, and he is a rising young business man.
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