Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 44

Author: Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: 428, 502 p. : ill., ports. ;
Number of Pages: 962

USA > Indiana > Whitley County > Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 44
USA > Indiana > Noble County > Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical > Part 44

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).

LEONARD S. MARING was born in Richland County, Ohio, March 6, 1817, and was one of seven children born to Philip and Sarah (Lash) Maring, who were both natives of Virginia. January 16, 1841, our subject was mar- ried in Richland County, to Elizabeth Bell, a native of that county. He there rented a farm, on which he remained until the fall of 1843, when he came to Washington Township, this county, and settled on 100 acres of wild land, cut- ting his road eight miles through the wilderness, and camping out while his cabin was being built. Here he remained one year, and then moved to this township, and located on the 130 acres where he now lives. He is the father of six children-Mrs. Amina Bennett, Flora C., one who died in childhood, Weltha A., Charles H. (deceased), and Richard H. Mrs. Maring died July 8, 1880, a consistent member of the Church of God, of which Mr. Maring is also a member. He is a Republican ; was elected Justice of the Peace at the first election ever held in the township, and held the office three years ; he was also a member of the Township Board of Trustees from 1848 until 1851.

JOHN L. McGLAUGHLIN was born in Philadelphia March 28, 1837, and was the eldest of five children born to Thomas and Mary (Blee) McGlaugh- lin, natives of Ireland, who came to this county in 1841, and settled in this township, where the father died. John has remained on the homestead since childhood, and now owns one-half of the place. November 29, 1864, he was married in Chester County, Penn., to Kate Dougherty, who has borne him four children-Thomas, William E., Mary A., James. Mr. McGlaughlin served as Town Assessor in 1879, and is now Township Trustee. He is a member of the Catholic Church, and votes with the Democrats.

JOHN H. McTAGERTT was born in Boone County, Ind., March 18, 1809, and died January 14, 1880. He was of Scotch-Irish extraction, and when a boy was apprenticed to a tanner in Boone County, at Jamestown. When about eighteen, he began work in Louisiana, on the Mississippi banks, and then three years later took to trading and boating on the river. About 1836, he

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came to Huntington County, Ind., and traded with the Indians, and for a time ran a saw-mill. About 1840, in connection with another party, he bought several hundred acres of land in Huntington and Whitley Counties, and in 1844 settled in the southeast corner of Jefferson Township, where he died. He was married in Huntington County, December 13, 1843, to Catherine Lewis, and to their union were born two children, both now deceased, the mother dying February 2, 1852. The latter part of the same year he married Mary J. Mc- Clellan, who bore him two children-Jesse V. and Estella, the latter deceased. Jesse V. has always lived on the old homestead, where he was born October 8, 1853. November 25, 1879, he married Caroline Miller, a native of Fort Wayne, and to them has been born one child-Estella B. Jesse now owns a farm of 288 acres, lying partly in Huntington County. He is a Democrat, as was also his father.

ROBERT L. PENCE, born in Stark County, Ohio, June 2, 1835, was one of seven children of William and Nancy (Black) Pence, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Ireland respectively. Our subject left the home of his parents at the age of seventeen, to fight the battle of life for himself, and farmed for different parties till 1855, in which year, on February 22, he was mar- ried to Mary A. Ummel, born in Columbiana County, Ohio, and who bore him seven children, two only of whom are living-William E. and Hiram M. Mrs. Pence died February 10, 1866, and March 20, 1867, Mr. P. took for his second wife Magdalen Biery, also a native of Columbiana County, Ohio, by whom also he had six children-Norman H., Cora E., Corwin, Denver N., Charles E., Harvey E. Mr. Pence owns eighty acres of fine land in this town- ship, and a one-half interest in the Forest Flouring Mill, which he purchased the spring of 1882. In politics, he is a Democrat, and in 1869 was elected Justice of the Peace, which office he still retains.

JOSEPH B. PLUMMER was born in Preble County, Ohio, April 4, 1839, the third of a family of six children, born to Samuel and Catherine (Berry) Plummer, natives of North Carolina and Ohio. At the age of twenty, our sub- ject came with his parents to this township, where the father bought eighty acres of land, and where Joseph lived till he reached his majority. August 17, 1862, he enlisted in Company F, One Hundredth Indiana Volunteer Infan- try ; was wounded at the battle of Mission Ridge, and was honorably dis- charged January 17, 1865. After his return from the war, he worked as a carpenter until the fall of 1868, when he moved on a farm of eighty acres in this township he had purchased three years previously, and he still resides there. October 21, 1866, he married Amelia A. Broxon, of Rush County, Ind., and to their union have been born two children-Henry and Lewis. He and his wife are members of the Disciples' Church, and in politics he is a Republican. He has a comfortable home and a well-cultivated farm, and is a prosperous agriculturist.

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JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.

B. F. PUTT, M. D., is the son of John W. and Mary Putt. His father was born in Washington County, Md., March 24, 1819, the son of Benjamin

and Barbara Putt, born in the said county. They moved to Stark County, Ohio, in 1826, and settled on the spot where Massillon now stands. Benjamin was born in 1756, and was of Holland descent. At the age of nineteen, he enlisted in the Revolutionary war, serving under Capt. George Lancaster a part

tled on a farm in Bucks County, Penn. Was married, in 1813, to Barbara of the time and under George Washington the balance. After the war, he set-

Lawmen ; moved to Washington County, Md., and, in 1826, to Stark County, Ohio, and there died in 1852, aged ninety-six years, his wife surviving him four years. They left a family of four boys and three girls. John W. was the fourth son, was born in Washington County March 24, 1819, came with his parents to Ohio, and was there married, January 1, 1841, to Mary Wiest, who was born in Huntingdon County, Penn., January 1, 1819, the daughter of Jacob and Catharine Wiest, who emigrated from Germany to Cumberland County, Penn., about 1805, and purchased a large tract of land, which was all lost through a poor title, and then moved, in 1827, to Massillon, Ohio, where the father shortly after died, leaving a wife and seven children, Mary being the eldest daughter; shortly after, the mother followed the father. John W. fol- lowed his trade of wagon-maker in Stark County until 1853, when he moved to Allen County, Ind., and purchased the farm on which he and wife now reside, enjoying life at the ripe age of sixty-five, after having reared a family of eight children, born and named as follows : Sarah A., October 9, 1841; Harvey A.,

May 20, 1843 ; Caroline, April 19, 1845; William, March 25, 1849; John, March 24, 1851; Benjamin F., August 16, 1853 ; Rosana, March 19, 1858, died January 23, 1861 ; Charlie, August 6, 1859. At the age of six years, our subject, Benjamin F., began his studies in a country school, which he con- tinued till his twelfth year, when the family moved to Fort Wayne; here he attended the Western College four years, when his father moved back to his farm. The New Year's Eve of 1868, our subject lost three fingers from his left hand by the explosion of a gun, which accident disabled him as a farmer, and he then began the study of medicine. Having already acquired considerable knowledge of anatomy and physiology, he made very rapid progress. He entered a drug store at Nine Mile, Allen County, as druggist and Deputy Postmaster, at the same time practicing medicine until 1876, when the Medical College at Fort Wayne was organized. Here he attended a five-months course of lectures, had access to the hospital wards daily, and read in the office of W. H. Myers, the well-known surgeon. Having completed his collegiate course, he came to Forest in 1877, and resumed practice in association with Dr. John Richards, and soon gained the confidence of the public as a competent, careful and attentive physician. April 17, 1878, he married Miss Lillian E. Barger, daughter of Elias and Mary Barger. Elias Barger was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, October 15, 1833, his wife in Delaware County, Ind., October

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4, 1833, and they were married at Roanoke, Huntington County, Ind., Sep- tember 10, 1857, where they still reside, enjoying every comfort and the respect of all who know them, and the enduring love of their two children -- Lillian E., born April 2, 1860, and Flora E., born August 29, 1862. Shortly after his marriage, Dr. Putt purchased property at Forest, and withdrew from his partnership with Dr. Richards. In 1881, he took a second course of lect- ures at Fort Wayne College, and graduated with high honors. His practice is now very extensive as well as lucrative. He has a fine residence, a well- stored library, and has made a number of paying investments. He has one son-Harold F., born September 23, 1880. He is a member of the Masonic order, which he joined in 1876; and is also Deputy District Grand Master of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and is altogether a popular and rising young man.

JOHN RICHARDS, M. D., son of William and Rachel Richards, is the eldest of a family of seven children, and was born October 21, 1836, at Gettys- burg, Darke County, Ohio. His father was a native of Kentucky, and his mother of Tennessee ; the former was born June 28, 1813, and the latter June 30, 1809. They were married in Darke County, Ohio, in 1835, and resided a short time at the town of Gettysburg, removing in 1840 to Indiana. Her death occurred in this county September 5, 1864, and the following year William Richards went to Andrew County, Mo. In 1874, he returned to this State and settled at Five Points, in Allen County, where he died on the 9th of the ensuing June. John Richards, with his parents, went to the town of War- ren, and there engaged in teaching school. In the fall of 1855, he abandoned this pursuit and studied medicine one year with Dr. Law, and one year was under the tutelage of Dr. Palmer. After attending a course of lectures at Rush Medical College, Chicago, he returned to Warren and resumed studying under his old preceptor, remaining with him until August 1, 1859, when he began practicing at Dundee, Blackford County, Ind. After nine months, he went to Lancaster, Huntington County, Ind., and while there was actively engaged in practicing his profession. October 26, 1862, he came to this county. In the fall of 1870 he went to Cincinnati, and after attending sev- eral courses of lectures at the Eclectic Medical College, graduated from that institution May 25, 1871. He returned to this county, and soon after located at Forest, where he has built up a large practice, and, as the leading physician, has the confidence of the community. He also is engaged to some extent in the milling business, and is the patentee of several inventions. Dr. Richards was married to Elizabeth Williams October 6, 1858. She was born in Preble County, Ohio, July 5, 1839. They are the parents of the following children : Mary A., William R., John S. (deceased), Edwin R. and Lillian E.

FREDERICK SCHOENAUER was born in Switzerland April 3, 1831, the second of four children born to John and Magdalen (Salomon) Schoenaner, and at the age of twenty-one came with his elder brother to America, and be-

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JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.

gan working in Holmes County, Ohio, on a farm by the month. Two years later, he went to Wells County, and in 1857 returned to Holmes, and married Sarah Fabra, a native of that county. In 1859, he came to Elkhart County, this State, farmed one year, then changed to Cold Springs, Etna Township, this county, invested in a stock of dry goods and groceries, and ran a store for four years. In 1864, he was drafted, and served till the close of the war. In 1865, he settled on twenty acres of land in this township he had purchased before the war, remaining on it a little over a year ; in 1867, he bought forty acres of the farm on which he now lives, which he has increased to 120 acres of as fine land as there is in the township. Of ten children born to him, eight are living, as follows : Alfred, William, Mrs. Mary L. Hasty, John F., Edward C., Sarah A., Ella J. and Clara E. In politics, he is a Democrat, and his religion is that of the German Reformed Church.

MAEROD SCHIMBECKLER was born in Switzerland January 15, 1815, and was one of seven children born to Frederick and Benedicta Schimbeckler. Our subject remained on his father's farm till he reached the age of sixteen, and then for two years worked for others in the neighborhood, after which he engaged for eight years longer in dairies in the southern part of the German empire. In 1849, he came to this country, and for two years worked at car- pentering in Stark County, Ohio, after which he rented a forty-acre farm, ran it two years, then moved to eighty acres in the vicinity, and shortly after made a third location. In 1854, he came to Wells County, this State, worked a year at his trade, and in the spring of 1855, bought eighty acres of land in this township, on which he has ever since lived. May 13, 1849, in Stark County, Ohio, he married Mary Auer, a native of Germany, and to their union were born thirteen children, of whom nine still live, viz. : Mrs. Mary A. Walters; Fred, married; Mrs. Leh Clark; Mrs. Susan Kiefer; Frank, mar- ried; Katie, Lizzie, Augustus and Emma. Mrs. Schimbeckler died in October, 1866, and our subject, in 1870, married Katherina Kaufman, who was born in Germany and died in the fall of 1873.

HENRY VOGELEY was born in Canton Schaffhausen, Switzerland, March 20, 1836, one of six children born to Jacob and Anna (Würtenberger) Vogeley. The father, who was a farmer, died in his native land in 1857. Our subject left his father's farm at the age of twenty-four, and came to this country, expecting to return in at least three years. He landed in New York in May, 1860, and thence came directly to Stark County, Ohio, and went to work on the farm of Nathan Shaffer, and remained till the fall of 1862. The following spring he came to this township and bought eighty acres of partly improved land, on which he still resides. July 23, 1863, he was married to Catharine Smith in Stark County, Ohio. In 1870, he paid a visit to the land of his birth, and returned the year following. In politics, he is a Democrat, and held the office of Township Trustee from 1876 to 1880; and in the spring of 1882 was elected Assessor of Jefferson Township.

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MANFORD D. YONTZ was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, December 30, 1847, one of four children born to William H. and Sarah (Chapman) Yontz, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. The father is a carpenter, and about the year 1867 came to Columbia City, where he still resides. The first three months after his arrival in Columbia, our subject, then twenty years old, worked in a saw-mill, then took a position in Mr. Bain- bridge's dry goods store, which he retained till 1872, when he took charge of a stock of goods belonging to Ulerich & Worth, and in 1875 again entered the employ of Mr. Bainbridge. In 1878, he was given charge of a store belong- ing to Mr. D. M. Bainbridge, in Forest, where he now lives. July 28, 1870, he married Peoria Rice, native of Peoria, Ill., and to their union have been born two children-Ora N. and Cora B. He is a member of the M. E. Church and of I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 176. He is a Democrat, was Treasurer of Columbia City in 1874, and in the spring of 1882 was nominated for County Auditor. He has always taken an active part in politics, and is looked on as one of the rising young men of the county.

WILLIAM A. YOUNG was born in Summit County, Ohio, February 9, 1844 ; he is the son of Samuel and Sarah (Shook) Young, and the eldest of a family of ten children. William was eight years old when his parents moved to Washington Township, this county, and he remained with them till twenty- three years of age-the last two in his father's saw-mill. After his father's death, in 1867, he bought his father's share in the mill, and in 1876 it was removed to Forest, where it is still in operation, in connection with the Forest Flouring Mills, which were erected by Young & Co., and which have con- tributed materially to the growth of the place. December 7, 1868, he married Mary E. Wince, who was born in Muskingum County, Ohio. This couple are the parents of five children, viz., Clara A., Ina I., Byron E., Samuel O. and Ora. Mr. Young received a good common-school education, and since his majority has voted with the Democratic party.

THORN CREEK TOWNSHIP.

ANDREW ADAMS was the third of a family of five children, two boys and three girls, born to James and Jane Adams, who were of Scotch descent. The father died in Ireland and the mother in Ohio. Our orphaned subject was left in charge of an uncle, with whom he remained till eighteen years old ; having in the meantime acquired a common-school education and learned to be a machinist, he spent some thirty-five years in Eastern and Southern· cities, working at his trade and other kinds of labor, saving his earnings while single and buying with them 320 acres of land in this township. In Beaver County, Penn., October 8, 1854, he married Miss Elizabeth Elliott, daughter of George and Elizabeth (McDonald) Elliott, yet living in Beaver at the ages of eighty-

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THORN CREEK TOWNSHIP.

seven and eighty-two years. Our subject began house-keeping here in the woods, but increased his land to 1,000 acres, and has owned as high as 1,200 acres, all improved. He unites live stock raising with farming, and, when his sons were at home, handled 100 head of cattle, 300 to 500 head of sheep and hogs, and 8 to 10 horses per year. He at present grazes about 75 head of cat- tle. He has assisted his sons in business, and reduced his real estate to 400 acres. His son, John, is in commercial business at Columbia City ; Thomas C. is a merchant at Albion, Noble County ; and Andrew, Jr., resides in Cali- fornia. Our subject is an active Democrat, and has served a term of six years as County Commissioner ; he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

JOHN Q. ADAMS was born in Ireland November, 1826, son of James Adams, who was of Scotch descent. Subject spent his boyhood partly in New York and partly in Ohio. He received a common-school education and learned the machinist's trade, which he followed at various places till about twenty-two years of age, when he settled in Columbiana County, Ohio, as a farmer, aban- doning his trade on account of declining health. Here he married, September 28, 1852, Christina Elliott, a daughter of George and Elizabeth (McDonald) Elliott, and born in Columbiana May 20, 1827 .. When they came to Whitley County, they located on 171 acres of partly improved land, known as the Grable farm, and after clearing twelve or fifteen acres, sold out and bought 160 acres in this township, all in the woods, to which they have added till they now possess 800 acres, about 180 of which are cleared, and finely improved with frame dwelling, two good barns and all other needful outbuildings. Our subject, in 1866, was elected County Treasurer, and re-elected in 1868; he had also served as Justice of the Peace two terms of four years each. He is a member of Columbia City Lodge, No. 169, A., F. & A. M., and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. He is the father of six children, as follows : George, John W., Charles, James McD., Andrew A. (at Jefferson College, Penn.) and Frank E. (at school at Valparaiso, Ind.). He has assisted in setting up his elder sons in business, and for the past ten years has devoted more of his attention to stock-raising than farming, and rears annually 35 to 40 head of cattle, 30 to 35 hogs, 25 sheep and 6 to 8 horses.

JOSIAH ARCHER is the son of Josiah and Nancy C. Archer, who emigrated from Ireland, their native country, to America, settling in Richland County, Ohio, where the subject was born August 27, 1846. His mother died there; and his father, in 1849, went to California, and for about eighteen years past no intelligence has been received from him. Josiah Archer received the common-school advantages, and worked on a farm up to the time of enlist- ing in Company A, Sixty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He saw four years' active service, and was with his regiment in the following engagements : Shiloh, siege of Corinth, Perryville, Stone River, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Dalton, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, siege of At-

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lanta, battle of Jonesboro, Duck River, Tenn., and Franklin and Nashville. He was discharged at Victoria, Texas. December 28, 1871, Mr. Archer was married to Miss Alice A. Barney, daughter of Everett and Mary Barney, who came from York State to Allen County, Ind., where they located, subsequently removing to this township, where they died. Mr. Archer located on his present farm of 108 acres soon after his marriage, where he has since followed farming and live-stock raising quite extensively. Mrs. Archer is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and they have a family of five children-Chloe, Everett, Josiah, Bertha and Earl D.

GEORGE BOWER was born in Licking County, Ohio, February 2, 1823, and was the son of Jacob and Mary Bower, who were born in Pennsyl- vania, the father dying in Perry County, Ohio, and the mother living with her daughter in Van Wert County, active and hale at the age of eighty-four years. Our subject was married, in Perry County, February 13, 1845, to Miss Mar- garet Alabaugh, native of Rockingham County, Va., and daughter of David and Elizabeth Alabaugh, natives of the same county. In 1849, subject and wife came to this township, and on the 6th of October located on present farm. which Mr. Bower had purchased without first viewing, but which proved to be better than represented. To the first eighty acres he has added till he has 280 acres, and has also presented another lot of eighty acres to his son. He has now 210 acres under cultivation. April 2, 1878, our subject's dwelling was set on fire, between 11 and 12 o'clock at night, by which he lost house, clothing, furniture, his barn and straw rick, but has recovered them all. Heand wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and have had nine children, viz. : William, married ; Jacob, married; David, killed by a falling tree limb ; Samantha ; Charles, married ; Annie, Alice, Elmer and Samuel.

THOMAS EGNER was born in Lancaster County, Penn., January 10, 1811, and was the son of Peter and Susan Egner, who emigrated to Ohio in 1827, and in that State died. Our subject resided with his parents till twenty- six years old; he married Rebecca Rush, September 22, 1841, in Richland County, Ohio; she died in October, 1854. He then married Mrs. Cynthia Elliott, a widow, and native of Virginia, who died in Wabash County in Octo- ber, 1859. January 12, 1861, he married Mrs. Elizabeth A. Goudy, a widow, and native of New Jersey. They came to this township in 1879, and pur- chased a farm, where they have ever since resided. Our subject's family num- ber twenty-four children, as follows: By his first wife-Emanuel, married and living in Wabash County; Eli, deceased; Charlotte, married and living in Thorn Creek; Martin; Susan; Samuel, in Illinois; Elizabeth, married and in Wabash County. By his second wife-Cynthia, married, and in Reno, Kan .; Priscilla, married, in Wabash County. By his present wife-David, John W., Rebecca, Sarah (deceased), and Julia H., children of his present wife, by her first marriage-Willis, married; Maria, married; Jacob, married; William, single; James, deceased. Children of his late wife by her first marriage :

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THORN CREEK TOWNSHIP.

Emaline, married; Ruth A., married; Hile, George and Etna (the last named deceased).

ADAM EGOLF, a native of Montgomery County, Penn., born August 6, 1800, is the son of Henry and Polly Egolf, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Pennsylvania. After the death of Henry Egolf, which oc- curred in Ohio, his wife moved to this State, where she afterward died. Adam Egolf lived in his native State until the age of nineteen, and there acquired a common education. He then went to Ohio with his parents, and assisted in clearing the home farm. He was married in Fairfield County, to Miss Susan Shriner, a native of Ohio, in October, 1823. Her father, Peter Shriner, native of Virginia, died in this State. Mr. and Mrs. Egolf, until they came to this township and settled in June, 1837, lived on his farm of eighty acres in Lick- ing County, Ohio. They were among the earliest pioneers here, and found the forests filled with Indians and wild animals. His first purchase included 240 acres of land, and until he could raise a log cabin, he built a temporary dwell- ing of rails. Mr. Egolf cleared ninety acres of his farm and increased it to 600 acres, and has given land to his children. His first wife died in 1841. They had eight children-Peter, a resident of Michigan; Elizabeth, deceased; Cath- arine, of Noble County ; Anna, deceased; Henry, of this township; John, of Michigan ; and Benjamin of this township. Mr. Egolf married his present wife, Mrs. Lydia Witham, in 1842. She was born in Washington County, Ohio, and is the daughter of Abel and Nancy Gates, the latter a native of Delaware. They died in Ohio. Mr. Egolf held the office of County Commissioner six years, and that of Township Trustee, six or seven years ; also served as Justice of the Peace one term. By his second wife Mr. Egolf had seven children-Rachel, George W. and Melissa, residents of this township; Jemima, of Columbia Township; Adam J., of this township; Har- vey M., an M. D. at Collamer, this county ; and Lydia A., of Columbia Town- ship. Mr. Egolf, in his hunting experience has killed four hundred deer, and numbers of other wild animals.

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Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana : historical and biographical, Part 44

Author: Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: 428, 502 p. : ill., ports. ; Number of Pages: 962

Author: Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852-1926; Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: 428, 502 p. : ill., ports. ;
Number of Pages: 962