USA > Indiana > Lake County > Encyclopedia of genealogy and biography of Lake County, Indiana, with a compendium of history 1834-1904 > Part 60
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Mr. Wood was born in Athens county, Ohio, September 30. 1844. being a son of Darius C. and Diana S. (Carter) Wood. His mother was a descendant of the great Carter family of Massachusetts. His father was a school teacher and farmer. This branch of the Wood family settled in
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
America before the Revolutionary war, being of English and Welshi ex- traction. Their first home was at Litchfield, Connecticut, and later descend- ants of the family moved to Rochester, New York, and to the state of Michigan and to Ohio. Governor Wood of Ohio was of the family, as also was President Millard Fillmore. Many of Mr. Wood's relatives were sol- diers and officers in the war for American independence, and some of his direct ancestors fell in the battles of Bunker Hill and Yorktown.
When Thomas J. Wood was seven years old his father brought the family out to Indiana and settled on a farm near Terre Haute. The son lived at this place until he was twenty-two years old. spending much of his time in working on the farm. For two winters he attended the high school in Terre Haute, having gained his elementary education in the common schools of Vigo county. After his high school course he taught school for two years, and then took up the study of law in the office of Judge William Mack at Terre Haute. He later went to the Ann Arbor Law School, from which he graduated at the head of his class in 1868. For this literary and professional education he paid by his own efforts, either at manual labor or in teaching school. In his youth he formed excellent habits of industry and personal morality, and these staying principles have remained with him ever since.
After he graduated at Ann Arbor he settled at Lowell in this county and began active practice of the law. He remained there only a short time. and in 1870 moved to Crown Point, where he has since carried on his ex- tensive legal business, practicing in all the county, state and federal courts. He has been retained in many important cases, and in the course of his pro- fessional career he has handled nearly four thousand court causes. He is considered a safe and reliable counselor, and is one of the strongest advo- cates in this part of the state, being especially successful in jury trials.
Mr. Wood's career in public life began soon after he entered upon the active work of his profession. He was elected to the offices of clerk and treasurer of Crown Point ; was elected and held the office of state's attorney for two terms of two years each. from 1872 to 1876, and made a fine record in convicting criminals of all classes. from misdemeanors to murder. In 1876 he was elected state senator for Lake and Porter counties, and during his four years in that office was identified with much important legislation,
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and he stood among the pre-eminent debaters on the floor of the senate and was a leader on the Democratic side. His alertness to the true interests of both the country and his party is illustrated by an incident during his sena- torial career. At a time when many of the Democratic senators were absent from the hall the Republicans took advantage of the occasion to call up some purely partisan legislation, hoping to get it through by whirlwind work be- fore their opponents could rally their forces. Mr. Wood at once leaped into the breach by taking the floor and launching into a long-winded speech with a vehement arraignment of the Republican side, which he continued until the messengers could bring from various parts of the city the absentee Demo- cratic members, thus restoring the normal equilibrium and saving the day for the party. While in the senate Mr. Wood pushed through much legis- lation affecting land titles all over the state. In 1882 he was elected to the forty-eighth Congress, representing for two years the old Colfax district. In this strong Republican district he was defeated for re-election, but by less than three hundred votes. It is said that he was defeated by Democratic votes in Valparaiso and Chesterton, one thousand dollars having been the price paid to withdraw enough venal Democrats from his support in order to accomplish his defeat. Previous to the last Democratic national con- vention Mr. Wood was a much talked of favorite for the presidential can- didacy. He had friends at St. Louis from fifteen states, and had the Alton B. Parker movement failed on the first ballot Mr. Wood's name would have been placed before the convention and he would have received thirty-nine votes on the next ballot.
Mr. Wood has been a prominent Mason for thirty years, being a Mas- ter and a Royal Arch Mason. He has been an Odd Fellow for twenty- five years. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Crown Point for sixteen years, and is a trustee and a member of the official board and active in church work, having filled the pulpit many times.
May II, 1871, Mr. Wood married Miss Mary E. Pelton. of Crown Point. Her mother, Eliza Pettibone, is the widow of the late Dr. Harvey Pettibone. Her father, Hiram S. Pelton, was a prominent business man in Lake county. a successful merchant, and a fine man and much beloved by the people, having been one of the first county commissioners. For his time he left quite a large estate. Mary E. Pelton was a relative of John
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W. Pelton, a nephew of Hon. Samuel J. Tilden, who was elected president of the United States by the people. Mr. and Mrs. Wood had seven children, but through the ravages of diphtheria lost five of them within six weeks. Mrs. Wood is a woman of splendid character and capabilities, motherly and kind-hearted, and one of the women who make great wives.
Mr. Wood is personally a genial gentleman, wholly without deceit, straightforward, honest and earnest in all social relations. He is forceful in character, hates shams and puts truth and honesty above all other virtues, and is highly respected by all people of his community and acquaintance. He is himself above the low level of light amusements, many of which he holds as tending to the moral degeneracy of the race, but at the same time he is broad-minded and liberal in his outlook on life, is optimistic of the future, has no jealousy of others and is not willing to cast others aside in his own race for the best of the world's possessions, and, withal, looks con- stantly on the sunny side of life and wants to see men made better and happier. But most prominent of all his characteristics is his firm and un- flinching devotion to what he sincerely believes to be right, and when the moral right and wrong are arrayed there is no doubt what side he will take. His own career has wrought out in him a sturdy independence and he feels thoroughly able to take care of himself on any proposition, and from this ability of self-control and direction of his energies into the channels which he chooses he is also able to give intelligent and valuable aid to causes and principles lying outside his own personal relations. He has pride in good moral society, believes in the beneficence of church influences for the betterment of the world, and his life has worked out for the general good and advancement of his fellow citizens.
HENRY A. KLAAS.
Henry A. Klaas, of Hanover township, belongs to a class of citizens noted for industry, thrift and native intelligence, derived largely from his German race and lineage, to which nationality Lake county is indebted for much of her permanent development and prosperity.
Mr. Klaas was born in Hanover township, this county, June 15, 1857, being the eldest of eleven children, four sons and seven daughters, born to Christian and Wilhelmina (Brenker) Klaas. Six of these children beside
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Mr. Klaas are living, namely: Louisa, wife of F. Berg. a farmer of Parnell, Missouri: Anna, wife of Fred Echterling, also a farmer at Parnell : August H., who is married and farming in Hanover township: Mary, wife of Joe Schenker, of Conception, Missouri ; Christian F., who is married and a farmer of West Creek township; Emma, wife of John Kretz, a harness dealer at Crown Point.
Christian Klaas, the father. was born in Lippe-Detmold, Germany, in 1828. and is still living at the age of seventy-six years. Being reared in Germany to the age of nineteen, he then took ship at Bremen and after a voyage of seven weeks reached New York, whence he came directly to Lake county, arriving with little money but with plenty of youthful energy and ambition. He purchased land from the government, and during a successful career he came into possession of about three hundred and eighty acres of land in Indiana and Illinois. He was a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Catholic church. The village of Klaasville was named after his father, Henry, who also aided in the erection of the St. Anthony Catholic church in that place. Mother Klaas was also born in Germany, in the year 1832, and she is still living.
Mr. Klaas was reared in Hanover township, and was educated in both the English and German languages. At the age of fourteen he was con- firmed by Bishop Durnger. He was reared to the life of a farmer and stockman. November 28, 1882, he married Miss Mary Moenix, and all their twelve children are still living, as follows: Rosa E. was confirmed at the age of fourteen by Bishop Rademacher, was educated in the common schools through the eighth grade, and is now at home. Henry C., who was in the eighth grade of school. is a farmer and living at home. Mary A. was confirmed at the age of fourteen by Bishop Rademacher and has taken the seventh grade of school work and also studied music. Veronica. con- firmed at the age of twelve, is in the seventh grade. Edward, confirmed by Bishop Alerding. is in the sixth grade. Agnes is in the sixth grade of school, Alma is in the fifth, Emma in the fourth, Anton B. in the third, and the three youngest children are Andrew C., John F. and Stella.
Mrs. Klaas was born in Lake county, December 5, 1861, being a daughter of Christopher and Anna Marie ( Berg) Moenix, her parents natives of Germany and both now deceased. There were ten children in the Moenix
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family, six sons and four daughters, and of the four still living two are resi- dents of Lake county, and Anna is in Illinois and Louie is in Canada. Mrs. Klaas was educated in the common schools, and was confirmed at the age of thirteen by Bishop Durnger.
Mr. and Mrs. Klaas began life at his birthplace in Hanover township on land which his father gave him. For twenty-two years, or almost a quarter of a century, they have resided in Hanover township, and they are citizens of the highest standing in every relation of life. They have reared a large and excellent family, and they are known among their friends and associates as people of industry and honesty and high worth. Mr. Klaas is a Democrat. having cast his first vote for W. S. Hancock, and has sup- ported each candidate since. He is a friend of education and does all in his power to support the public school system. He and his wife and the older children are members of the Catholic church, St. Anthony's, at Klaas- ville, and Mrs. Klaas is a member of the Rosary Sodality and the girls of the St. Mary's Sodality. He and his wife own one hundred and thirteen acres of good land in Hanover township, and he is one of the prosperous German citizens who stand high in the estimation of the people.
FRANK H. LYONS.
Frank H. Lyons, in the real estate and insurance business at Hammond, has for a number of years been identified with the industrial, public and business affairs of this city, where he has practically spent the years of his life. He is a young man of much ability, alert and eager, and gifted with an energy and an enterprise which make him influential in his circle of business acquaintances.
Mr. Lyons was born in Sandusky, Ohio, September 18. 1873. a son of John M. and Winifred (Conlon) Lyons, both natives of Ireland, and the latter one of a large family born to Michael Conlon, who was an Irish farmer and died in Ireland at the advanced age of eighty-five years. The father of John M. Lyons was also a life-long Ireland farmer, and was about ninety years old when he died. There were twelve children in his family. John M. Lyons was a general contractor, and after his migration to America located on Kelly's Island in Lake Erie. About 1874 he came to Indiana. and a year later located at Hammond, where he has since lived. He and his wife are members of the Roman Catholic church. They had nine
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children, four sons and five daughters, and the five now living are Peter J., Frank H., John and Matthew, all of Hammond, and Miss Winifred, of Chicago.
Mr. Frank H. Lyons was reared in Hammond, receiving his education in the public schools. He afterward took up the trade of tinner and sheet metal worker, and followed it for twelve years. He was foreman of the sheet metal department of the G. H. Hammond Packing Company for five years. From 1898 until 1902 he held the office of city clerk, and during the same period was deputy clerk of the superior court. Since leaving this office he has been engaged in the insurance and real estate business, and has already built up a creditable amount of business.
June 26, 1900, Mr. Lyons married Miss Mollie B. Hastings, a daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Clark) Hastings. They have one son, named Robert F. Mr. and Mrs. Lyons are members of the Catholic church. Their residence is at 142 Russell street, at which location they also own another good house. He affiliates with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Maccabees, and in politics is a Democrat.
MICHAEL KOLB.
Michael Kolb, the well known druggist and pharmacist at Hammond, is one of the native sons of Lake county, and has proved an honor and a credit to his county and city in business and in matters of citizenship. He is a man of known integrity among his associates, and his worth of character and thrifty enterprise have gained him a well deserved place among the fore- most men of Hammond. His life span covers much of the history of Lake county from the primitive pioneer past to the wonderful progress of the present, and he has faithfully borne his share of the duties and responsibilities in private, business and political life.
Mr. Kolb was born on a farm in Lake county, February 28, 1855, being the eldest of the family of Michael and Katharine ( Becker ) Kolb, both natives of Alsace-Loraine. Germany, and the latter being one of the nine children of George Becker, a life-long German farmer, who attained the age of seventy-six years. Both the paternal great-grandfather and grandfather of Mr. Kolb bore the name of Michael, and the grandfather spent his life in Germany as a farmer, dying when an old man. He had two children by his first marriage, and was twice married.
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Michael Kolb, the father of Mr. Michael Kolb, grew to manhood in his fatherland, and in 1854 came to America and located in Lake county. He bought a farm in St. John township, and improved it and reared his family on it. When he bought the land it was wild and covered with woods, in which were often seen the wild deer. He cleared it up, and eventually had a fine farmstead. on which he lived until 1893, since which time he has resided with his son Michael. His wife died November 14, 1879, at the age of fifty-nine years. They were both Catholics. There were nine children in their family, four sons and five daughters, and the four now living are: Michael ; Joseph, of Hammond; Katharine, wife of Anthony Kouratt, of Chicago; and Rose, wife of John C. Klein, of Chicago.
Mr. Kolb spent the first twenty years of his life on his father's farm, where, among other valuable things, he learned to be thrifty and industrious. He attended the distriet schools, and also the high school at Crown Point, where he graduated in 1878. For the following twelve years he was en- gaged in teaching school. In the latter part of this period he spent his leisure in learning the drug business from his brother-in-law, L. G. Kramer, and in 1890 he came to Hammond and entered the drug business on his own account, which enterprise he still continues with profit and success.
Mr. Kolb is a Democrat in politics. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church, and he belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters. His residenee is at 23 Condit street, where he erected a fine home in 1891. He was married May 4, 1880, to Miss Angeline Kramer, a daughter of Matthias and Susan (Wachter) Kramer. Eleven children have been born of their union: Rose M., Michael E., Maria, deceased, Matthias J., Leonard G., Clara K., Agnes M., Francis A., Katharine M., Cecelia, and Edward O.
EDWIN J. MUZZALL.
Edwin J. Muzzall, proprietor of a livery stable at Crown Point, where he is also engaged in buying and selling horses, was born in Ross township, Lake county, August 28. 1861. The family of which he is a representative is of English lineage and was founded in America by Abram Muzzall, a native of England, who, on emigrating to America, established his home in Canada. He afterward came to Indiana, settling in Lake county in 1836.
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
Here he took up land from the government, for which he paid one dollar and a quarter per acre, thus becoming the owner of a quarter section in Ross township. He was one of the first settlers in this part of the state and found here an undeveloped region. The prairies were uncultivated and unclaimed and the forests still stood in their primeval strength, only here and there could be seen the little log cabin of the pioneer, and the work of progress and improvement seemed scarcely begin. John Muzzall, the father of our subject, was born in Canada and, being brought to Lake county by his parents, was here reared amid the wild scenes of frontier life. When he had arrived at years of maturity he wedded Miss Julia Irish, a native of Vermont, in which state she spent her girlhood days. The young couple began their domestic life upon a farm, and John Muzzall continued to engage in agricultural pursuits until 1891, when he removed to Crown Point and became interested in the livery business in connection with his son Edwin J. In 1894 John Muzzall was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife. There werc three children of that marriage, the daughters being Chloe and Mary.
Edwin J. Muzzall, the only son and the youngest child, was reared upon the old home farm in Ross township and at the usual age entered the district schools, where he continued his education until he had mastered the branches of learning taught therein. He was also early trained to habits of industry and economy upon the home farm, and when but a boy became familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He continued to engage in farming until 1891, when he removed to Crown Point and with his father established a livery barn and also began buying and selling horses. The harn is well equipped with a fine line of carriages and a number of excel- lent horses which are rented to the general public, and a liberal patronage is now accorded Mr. Muzzall. He is an excellent judge of horses and is thus enabled to make judicious purchases and profitable sales. He has been engaged in this business for twelve years, and in the year 1903 he bought and sold over four hundred head of horses. He goes long distances, as far as Logansport and Monticello, to make his purchases, and he is now the largest horse dealer of the county. He also owns a farm of one hundred and six acres of valuable land. pleasantly located a mile and a half southwest of Crown Point, and this returns to him a good income. On the 16th of August, 1893. Edwin J. Muzzall was united in marriage to Miss Jennie
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Patton, the youngest daughter of Joseph Patton, one of the early settlers of Lake county. Mr. and Mrs. Muzzall have two sons and a daughter. Percy. Leslie and Mabel.
Mr. Muzzall is connected with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of the Maccabees at Crown Point. and has taken an active part in these lodges, filling various offices therein. His political allegiance is given the Republican party, and he keeps well informed on the questions of the day, both politically and otherwise. He is deeply interested in the welfare and progress of his native county, and his co-operation has been a factor that is ever counted upon in support of all measures for the gen- eral good.
JOHN PEARCE.
John Pearce, the well-known stock-raiser of Section 24, Eagle Creek township, has spent all his life of over sixty years in Lake county, and belongs to onie of the pioneer families of northwestern Indiana. He did not enjoy many years of grace during his boyhood, for just about as soon as he could manage a plow or perform the ordinary duties of a farm he took his deceased father's place and helped provide for the family welfare. He has been more than ordinarily successful, and his fine hogs and cattle have a high reputa- tion throughout the county. While so busily engaged with the serious side of life, he has not neglected the many other interests of society and citizen- ship, and is held in high esteem for the worthy career that he has made for himself during a long life in one community.
Mr. Pearce was born on the farm where he now resides. January II, 1842. His grandfather, Squire Pearce, was a native of New Jersey, of Scotch origin, and was among the pioneers of LaPorte county, Indiana. Michael Pearce. the father of John, was born near Hamilton. Ohio, in 1808. and died in 1861. He was reared in his native place, and in 1838 accompanied his father to Indiana, making settlement in Lake county, where he passed the remainder of his years. He married Mary J. Dinwiddie, who was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1818, and died August 8, 1894. Mr. John Pearce was the oldest of ten children, seven of whom are living, the others being: Harriet. wife of Isaac Bryant, of Hebron, Indiana; Nancy Ann, wife of O. V. Servis, of Eagle Creek township: Mary J., wife of W. T.
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
Buchanan. si Eagle Creek township: Susanna. wife ci G. H. Stahl, ci Eagle Creek township : Seth L. : and Thomas, in the 1 homestead.
Mr. John Pearce attended me i the primitive Ing-cabin scho 's. now a thing of ancient history in Indiana. He got efficient training in farm work from his father, and at the latter's death he took up the management vi the home place and has carried it on ever since. He has ne hundred and Twenty acres in the home farm and fifty acres elsewhere in the thwnship. and he and his son Jay M. make a specialty of raising hogs and cattle. respectively of the Poland China and Shorthorn varieties. He has Ane facili- tres fr heg-raising. and has been in the business for twenty-five years.
Mr. Pearce is a stanch Republican in politics, and has taken a good citizen's part in public affairs. He is an active member ci the Masonic lodge at Crown Point. He was married : Miss Elizabeth B. Foster, a native ci Pennsylvania and a daughter cf Frederick and Betsey Foster, Tkewise natives ci Pennsylvania. Mrs. Pearce was reared in her native state to the age of sixteen, and then came to Lake county. and in this and in Porter county taught school for several years before her marriage, being one of the instructors in Ball Institute at Crown Point. Ma. and Mrs Pearce have :m. children Siving, and two are deceased: Florence is the wife ci Thomas Ross, of Eagle Creek township; and Jay M. is the parmer of his father.
CLIFFORD C. ROBINSON, M. D.
One of the younger representatives of the medical profession in north- western Indiana is Dr. CHR .... Clarence Robinson, wh. since 1002 has en- gaged in practice at Indiana Harhar, bringing on his work accurate and com- prehensive kn. wiege of the most modem ideas, discoveries and methods use. ty the members of the medical fraternity. He is a native son of In- cena, Mus binh having occurred in Elkhart, on the path of August IS-1 H's paternal grandfather. Squire Robins. n. M. D., was a nathe ni te strte of NewYork and in early Sie was a minister of the Damkard church, but later be tula of the study of medicine and began practice when thirty-six vers dage. At the time of the Civil war he served in the Union ammy as Fargen. tos rendering valuable ald to the boys in blue. He became a resi- ent : Iodland at an early period in the settlement and mipr. "ement of the state, wal after and remy ed : Michigan Locating of Benton Harbor, where
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HISTORY OF LAKE COUNTY.
he died at an advanced age. Hle married a Miss Clem and they reared a large family. This number included Dr. Clarence S. Robinson, who was born in Indiana and is now a practicing physician and surgeon of Dowagiac. Michigan, where he has lived for the past ten years, enjoying a liberal pat- ronage. He married Miss Agnes Clark, also a native of Indiana. Her father, who was a native of the state of New York and was a farmer by occupation, enlisted for service in the Civil war, as a member of the Union army, and was killed in battle. His wife bore the maiden name of Julia Fuller and they had a numerous family. Their daughter. Mrs. Robinson. passed away in 189 ;. when thirty-seven years of age. She held membership in the Baptist church, to which Dr. Clarence S. Robinson also belongs. Their children were two in number. but one died in infancy.
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