USA > Indiana > Carroll County > History of Carroll County Indiana, its people, industries and institutions > Part 49
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Mr. Wecht is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Burling- ton and is an active worker in the church. Mr. Wecht has served as super- intendent of the Sunday school is now a member of the official board. Fra- ternally, he is a member of Burlington Lodge No. 77, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is a past noble grand. He is also a member of the Eagle lodge in Washington. Mr. Wecht votes the Republican ticket.
ANDREW MILBURN.
Among the self-made men of Carroll county, Indiana, the name of Andrew Milburn, of Burlington township, holds a prominent place and in the annals of highly-respected men of that community, his sterling qualities as a man and a citizen are shining examples to others, whose standards are set high above the average. His competency was entirely acquired through his own well-directed efforts and the sincere regard in which he is held, by his fellow citizens, is the result of an honorable career.
Andrew Milburn is the son of James and Sarah (Gwinn) Milburn and was born on March 21, 1843, in Monroe county, West Virginia. James Milburn was born in West Virginia as was his wife, Sarah (Gwinn) Mil- burn. These two were reared within a short distance of each other and remained in West Virginia until after their marriage, when they removed to Indiana and located on the banks of the Wild Cat. About three years before their marriage, James Milburn had taken a trip to Indiana and at that time had purchased a farm of unimproved land, consisting of one hundred and
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sixty acres. After his arrival on his farm in Indiana, buildings were erected and other improvements made and forty acres was added to the original purchase. This land was taken in trade from Thornton Perry. James Milburn and Sarah (Gwinn) Milburn were the parents of five children : Martha, wife of Joseph Bean; Andrew; Isaac, deceased; Lizzie, deceased, and Agnes, wife of David Hinton, deceased. The mother of these children passed away after a life of usefulness and James Milburn was united in marriage, to Nancy Crites, daughter of Abraham Crites and to them were born three children: Henry, Lincoln and Maggie who is the wife of Will- iam Lohman, a resident of Democrat township, Indiana. James Milburn was a wealthy man for those days and had acquired upwards of six hundred acres of land during his life of honesty and toil. While visiting his old home in West Virginia, he was taken ill with typhoid fever and passed away, leaving his wife and children to mourn his loss.
Andrew Milburn remained at home until twenty-two years of age and at that time answered his country's call for volunteers in the great conflict of the Civil War. In 1865, he enlisted in Company H, of the One Hun- dred and Fifty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry and after the war returned home, where he remained until his marriage to Catherine L. Shaffer, on December 19, 1867. Catherine L. Shaffer was the daughter of Henry F. Shaffer and Anne Shaffer, of Democrat township, Indiana.
Andrew and Catherine L. (Shaffer) Milburn became the parents of nine children : Vincent O., who married Millie Pullin; Sarah Anne, deceased; Henry W., deceased; James M., who married Laura Lowe and now lives on a farm in Burlington township. Indiana; Salina Vidella, wife of John Fogellesong; Charles E., Jacob Labon, married to Selina Webb; Alta; Ben- jamin, married to Theodosia Ransford. Charles E. and Alta are at home.
With the exception of five and one-half months, Andrew Milburn has lived on his present farm since its purchase and the clearing and improve- ments have all been made by him. This well-improved land consists of two hundred and seven acres located two miles southwest of Burlington, in Burlington township, Indiana. Andrew Milburn affiliates with the Repub- lican party and is a stanch and enthusiastic supporter of same. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and a Christian gentle- man, deporting himself as becomes a man of his standing in the community. He is widely known for his sterling qualities as a man and a citizen, and deserves to be classed among those who have served their country. their family and their God, to the best of their ability.
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VIVALDY A. SHANKS.
There is more room for profit-making on a farm than any other line to which the average man could direct his attention. all things considered. One does not enter upon any business enterprise with any expectation of satisfactory results, unless he has a sound basis, either financially or the demands of the surrounding territory, and in most instances the continued daily expenses are far greater accordingly than those on a farm.
Vivaldy A. Shanks, farmer, on route No. 1, Flora, Indiana, and the proprietor of the "Locust Grove Farm," consisting of one hundred and sixty-four acres, was born on February 17, 1858, in Cass county, Indiana, and is a son of Moses and Emily ( Blue) Shanks. He grew to young man- hood in Carrollton township, where he attended the district schools. He was married at the age of thirty-two years, and started out in life with some money in his own name. His present productive farm is located five miles east and one mile north of Flora. Mr. Shanks has always been a stanch Democrat, and has taken an active part in local politics, as well as in the politics of the county. Fraternally. he is a member of Flora Lodge No. 605, Free and Accepted Masons.
Moses Shanks, father of our subject was born in Ohio, and came to Indiana as a young man, and settled in Cass county. He had no funds when he began farming for himself, but soon saved enough to venture upon the purchase of one hundred and sixty acres, which he paid for unaided. Politically, he was a Democrat, and his religious sympathies were with the Hard-shell Baptists, of which church he was a liberal supporter. To Moses and Emily (Blue) Shanks were born eight children, seven of whom were living in 1915, Hezekiah, a retired farmer living at Camden, Indiana; Minerva, who became the wife of Hamilton Ogleson, and lives in Washing- ton township; Wilson Shanks, a farmer of Washington township; Lambert, who also follows farming, and lives in Rock Creek township; V. A. Shanks; Della, who became the wife of Hiram Wallace, and lives in Jackson town- ship. and Artemus Shanks, a farmer in Jackson township.
Vivaldy A. Shanks was united in marriage, February 19. 1899, to Minnie Mabbitt, daughter of John M. and Margaret (Martin) Mabbitt. She was born on April 7. 1864, at Logansport. Indiana. The children born to this union are: Ona M., a graduate of both the public and high schools, and is now the wife of Harry Spitler; June, a graduate of the high school, is single and lives at home; Ray is also a high school graduate, and is assist-
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ing his father on the farm; Bright is a graduate of the Flora high school, and is at present a student in primary work at Indianapolis, Indiana.
Mr. and Mrs. Shanks are living a life of quiet simplicity on their farm, away from the noise and bustle of city activity, and fully appreciate their privilege in being thus circumstanced.
WILBERT WHITEMAN.
Prominent in the political life of Madison township, which he served faithfully and efficiently as trustee during the six years ending December 31, 1914, and well-known in the fraternal circles of Carroll county, Indiana, Wilbert Whiteman is a successful farmer, who was born on the farm where he lives and where he has spent all of his life, save one year.
Mr. Whiteman was born on July 21, 1869, and is the son of James P. and Mary I. (Dawson) Whiteman. James P. Whiteman was born in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, December 6, 1829. His father was John White- man, who came from Tennessee to Indiana, and who was born in the Old Dominion state. John Whiteman died in Carroll county, Indiana. James P. Whiteman was reared in Tippecanoe county and in Carroll county. He married Mary I. Dawson, who was born on July 28, 1845, and some time during the fifties moved to Carroll county, Indiana, locating in Democrat township. Later, however. he moved to Madison township. He was a Democrat in politics. By his marriage to Mary I. Dawson, there were born five sons and three daughters, who are now living, Florence, the widow of Albert Draper; Samuel G., a farmer on the old farm; Wilbert, the subject of this sketch; Florida, the wife of Benton W. Stone, of Bloomington, Indiana; John, a farmer in Democrat township; Jason and Grover C., who are partners with Wilbert in the grain business at Ockley, Indiana; and Uda, the wife of Charles Lupper.
James P. Whiteman died October 27, 1915, on the old home farm, which has been the Whiteman homestead for forty-eight years. Mrs. Mary I. Whiteman is still living; Wilbert resides with her.
When old enough, Wilbert Whiteman attended the neighborhood school in Madison township, during the winter, but worked on the farm during the summer. Afterward he engaged in farming on his own responsibility. Elected trustee of Madison township in 1909, he served six years or until December 31, 1914. Mr. Whiteman is a member of Cutler Lodge No. 571,
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Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is the past grand in the lodge. He is also a member of Rebekah Lodge No. 602, and of Carroll Encampment No. 127.
Mr. Whiteman's prominence as a citizen of Carroll county is connected intimately with his high standing as a member of the Masonic lodge. He is a York Rite Mason, a member of Mount Olive Lodge No. 48, Free and Accepted Masons, of Delphi Chapter. No. 21. Royal Arch Masons; of Delphi Commandery. No. 40. Knights Templar ; and of Murat Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Indianapolis.
SAMUEL MITCHELL.
Having been educated in one of the higher arts, Samuel Mitchell. whose name stands at the head of this review, enjoys the distinction of fol- lowing a vocation out of the ordinary. The gift of a musical ear is not the good fortune of all, although there are few who do not appreciate good music when they are fortunate enough to hear it. Mr. Mitchell is a natural born musician, and is to be congratulated upon having his life work fall along such pleasant lines.
Samuel Mitchell, instructor of music, Deer Creek, Carroll county, was born on February 14. 1866, in Carrollton township, in the county where he still resides, and is a son of E. H. and Mary Agnes (Snell) Mitchell. He received a good public school education, and later took a musical course at Tabor College in Iowa, finishing at the Metropolitan School of Music, at Indianapolis. Mr. Mitchell moved to Deer Creek in 1897, where he has given instruction on the piano, violin, cornet, and other instruments, and has been instructor in the city schools for the past eight years. He is a Democrat, while his religious belief is with the United Brethren church, where he has been organist and pianist thirty consecutive years. He is the present pianist, and one of the parsonage trustees. He was prominent in the organization of the telephone company at Deer Creek, and officiated as its original secretary, which position he resigned, and later accepted again, and in which capacity he has served for the past seven years.
E. H. Mitchell was born in Hendricks county, Indiana, on April 20, 1840, and came to Carroll county with his parents in 1856. His early edu- cation was obtained at the public schools, and he later entered Bainbridge, finishing at DePauw University. He taught school in the later fifties and
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early sixties, entering the service of his country in October, 1862, and served until the end of the Civil War. He was a member of Company A, Fifty- fourth Regiment, Indiana Volunteers and was wounded in the battle of Chickasaw Bayou, in Vicksburg campaign under Colonel Mansfield, and later contracted malaria and typhoid fevers, and was reported dead. He resumed school teaching for a short time, and in 1864 was united in mar- riage with Mary Agnes Snell, who was born October 17, 1842, and died May 26, 1866. Mr. Mitchell then returned to Hendricks county and taught school at Clayton, 1868 and 1869, where he became acquainted with Mary E. Miller, also a teacher and widow of J. H. Miller, who became his second wife, and the mother of nine children : Nellie V., Harry T., Livingston H., Jessie, Columbus N., Charles H., Anna L., Horace Ewing, and Arthur E. Nellie Mitchell became the wife of J. L. Edmondson and lives in Hendricks county, Indiana; Harry T. was graduated from DePauw University, and was united in marriage with Eva Snodgrass. They reside at Sugar City, Colorado, where Mr. Mitchell is superintendent and teacher in the high school; Livingston H., a musician of note is at present president of a large conservatory at Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Jessie became the wife of Frank Beadle and resides at Clayton. Indiana. Columbus N. is a civil service employe. He is married and resides at La Jaunta, Colorado, Arthur E., an attorney, is a graduate of Colorado College of Colorado Springs, also the University of Chicago. He was united in marriage to Joan McDougal, a graduate of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and at present resides in Knoxville. Tennessee. Willie Miller, the step-son, is married and is a lumberman at Farragut, Iowa. Charles Howard, Anna Lillian and Horace Ewing are deceased.
After his second marriage, Mr. Mitchell moved to Sydney, Iowa. August. 1860, where he lived until the death of his wife, when he returned to Hendricks county, Indiana, and made his home with his daughter, Jessie, spending the remainder of his life near the old homestead.
Samuel Mitchell, the paternal grandfather was a Presbyterian minister. a circuit rider. who accepted a charge at Clayton, Indiana, remaining there a number of years during Van Buren's time. He was a prominent man in his day, a forceful speaker, and took an active part in church societies. After his children grew to maturity. he moved to Camden. taking charge of the church there and at Wheeling, where he lived until his death, which occurred on the Albert O'Bear farm.
In his sphere of endeavor, Mr. Mitchell has arisen to a prominent and enviable point, and is second to none in his township, where his name and fame have become widely known:
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DAVID T. SHANKS.
David T. Shanks, farmer, rural route No. 2, Camden, Indiana, was born on August 12, 1867, in Deer Creek township, Cass county, Indiana, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Blue) Shanks. His youth was spent in Cass county, where he attended the district schools during the winters and assisted his father on the farm during the summer seasons, until he was twenty-four years of age, when he began farming for himself on a rented place, which he cultivated for eight years, and then bought his present fine farm consisting of one hundred and eighty-six and one-half acres, situated in Rock Creek and Jackson townships, this county, known as "Plain View Farm."
Mr. Shanks has always been an ardent supporter of Democratic poli- cies, and has been active in local politics, officiating as a member of the advisory board of the township. Religiously, he is an attentive member of the Baptist church at Camden, Indiana, and his fraternal alliance is with Camden Lodge No. 332, Knights of Pythias, of which he has been trustee. Mr. Shanks has made the most of what he now owns, unaided. He has improved his place in every possible way, including good drainage and two sets of modern buildings of all kinds, all of which has placed his property in the list of well-kept and up-to-date farms of the county.
Henry Shanks, father of the subject of this sketch, was a son of John Shanks, and came from Cass county to Carroll county, Indiana, at an early date, and lived in Washington township until his death. He was born in Ohio in 1829. He was united in marriage with Mary Blue, daughter of Uriah Blue. This union was blest with eleven children, nine of whom are living in 1915: L. P., Margaret, who died in 1893; Alice A .; John U .; Melvina, deceased; Sarah J .; William; David T .; Mary F .; James O. and Nora B. L. P. lives in Washington township; Alice A. is the wife of Jasper Fouts, of Washington township; John U. is mentioned elsewhere in this volume: Sarah J. became the wife of Charles Snyder of Carrollton township; William lives on a farm in Montana; Mary F. is married to Will- iam McCloskey, of Deer Creek township. Cass county; James O. lives in Washington township; Nora was married to John Hummel, of Cass county, Indiana.
John Shanks, the paternal grandfather. was a native of Ohio, and was one of the early settlers in Cass county, Indiana.
Uriah Blue, the maternal grandfather, was an early settler in Carroll
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RESIDENCE OF DAVID T. SHANKS
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MR. AND MRS. DAVID T. SHANKS.
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county, where he served as a member of the board of county commissioners, and was a prominent citizen of his time.
David T. Shanks was united in marriage on December 29, 1891, with. Artie M. Houser, daughter of John and Margaret (Campbell) Houser. She was born on December 27, 1872, and reared on a farm in Carroll county, her father dying when she was a babe in arms. She was educated at the public schools of the district. To Mr. and Mrs. Shanks have been born four children: Elsie, died at the age of two years; Ruby M., born on October 2, 1893, a graduate of the Camden high school. afterward became a student of music at that city, and lives at home; Raymond V. Shanks, born on February 27, 1895, is also a graduate of the Camden high school, and is at present attending the North Manchester College; Ethel M., died at the age of four and one-half years.
Mr. Shanks has blended his business interests with those of the repre- sentative and leading interests of Camden, occupying some of the most prominent offices, among them being director of the Camden Telephone Company, and also director of the Farmers State Bank of Burrows, with the following officers: Doctor Wagoner, president; M. J. McGreevy, vice- president; and E. E. Shookman, cashier; the board of directors consisting of David T. Shanks, Samuel Wasson, William J. Guckien and William Martin.
JOSEPH STUDEBAKER.
Retired farmer, teacher and lawyer of Flora, Carroll county, Indiana, Joseph Studebaker is one of the best known citizens of the county. In 1861 he suffered a misfortune when working with a mowing machine and as a consequence of this accident has been crippled practically all of his life. Notwithstanding his infirmity, he was able, determined or destined to lead an active life for many years and is still able to oversee the work on his splendid farm of two hundred and fifteen acres in Carroll and Cass coun- ties.
Joseph Studebaker, justice of the peace of Monroe township and an attorney-at-law at Flora, Indiana, was born. in Cass county on May 27, 1853. His parents were John S. and Elizabeth (Sandis) Studebaker, the former of whom was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of whom was born in the same county and state. Both grew to manhood
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and womanhood in the same community. After their marriage they emi- grated to Miami county, Ohio, and then to Delaware county, Indiana, locat- ing near Muncie, where John S. purchased one hundred and sixty acres of timber land, and carved out a home in the wilderness. He was an early champion of good roads and the pike, which passes by his old home in Dela- ware county, is still known as "the Studebaker pike." After a time he sold his farm and removed again to the woods of Cass county, Indiana, locating on Deer Creek, where he built a small cabin and where in time he came to own four hundred acres of land. A man of industrious habits, he was also thrifty and became a very prosperous farmer. For more than forty years he served as a minister in the church of the Brethren, without receiv- ing any compensation. He died in 1905 in his ninety-first year at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Lydia Wells, near Camden, Indiana. His wife had died nearly a half century previously. She was the mother of thirteen children, ten sons and three daughters, four of whom are now living, John, Amos, Lydia and Joseph. John is a resident of Kansas. Amos resides in Indiana. Lydia is the wife of Edward Wells, of Carroll county. Joseph is the subject of this sketch.
Reared on a farm in Cass county, Indiana, Joseph Studebaker, when old enough to do so, attended the pioneer public schools of the county. He was graduated from the Indiana State Normal in 1899, but had been a teacher for twenty-five years at Pittsburg, Rockfield, Burlington, Burrows, Radner, Deer Creek and Flora. Mr. Studebaker studied law under Judge Charles R. Pollard, of Delphi, Indiana, and then was admitted to the bar of Cass county, at Logansport, Indiana, and practices in Cass and Carroll counties. He has served three terms, of four years each, as notary public and is now on his second appointment as justice of the peace in Monroe township, Carroll county.
On November 29, 1883, Mr. Studebaker was married to Mrs. Katie J. (Gish) Mummert, who was born in Carroll county, in 1850, the daughter of Elder Henry Gish, a minister in the Church of the Brethren. Mrs. Studebaker, by her previous marriage, had one son, John H. Mummert, who married Minnie A. Himes. She bore him two children, Ralph I. and Mary C., both of whom are students in the Walton high school, having recently graduated from the common schools.
Mr. and Mrs. Studebaker have had three children, two of whom are living. One died in infancy. The living children are Harvey E. and Lula A. Harvey E. was educated in the public schools, at Purdue University and North Manchester College. He married Audie Aetna Gee, the daughter of
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John T. Gee. Lula A., who graduated from the common schools and pur- sued her education in North Manchester College, is unmarried. She lives at home with her parents.
The Studebaker family are all members of the Church of the Brethren and for the past twenty years Mr. Studebaker has led the music at church conferences held in Indiana and adjoining states. He is well versed in music and is a capable and popular director. He votes the Democratic ticket.
As one of the upright and honorable citizens of Carroll county, Joseph Studebaker is well known to all the citizens of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Studebaker spend most of their winters in Florida, because of the, healthful climate. They have lived together almost half a century, about thirty years of their time in Flora, Indiana, where they have property interests, having assisted many enterprises which have tended to make Flora the beautiful, prosperous city it now is. Many of the good people of Flora have obtained their homes through the influence of Joseph Studebaker, who has helped them to buy on the instalment plan, instead of always paying rent. He has some half dozen people now paying for homes that way. He handles real estate, makes farm loans for the North Western Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as special loan agent, and writes his own insurance, using most of his time looking after his own real estate inter- ests, both farms and town properties.
WILLIAM KNETTLE.
The career of William Knettle, the subject of this sketch, is similar to that of a number of other enterprising agriculturists of Carrollton township, who have carved their fortunes out of mother earth, with no other help than their own strength of will-power and continued industry.
William Knettle, farmer, Carrollton township, Indiana, was born April 5, 1873, near Miami, in Miami county, Indiana, and is a son of William and Mary (Beeler) Knettle. His father died one year after he was born, and he was reared by his step-father. At the age of thirteen years, he started out to earn his own living, working by the month until he was twen- ty-one years of age, up to which time he had accomplished absolutely noth- ing in a financial way. After his marriage, he worked by the month for two years, and then rented a farm for several years, and was sufficiently
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successful to enable him to purchase his present home place in 1904, which he has improved with good buildings, all of which he has accomplished unaided. His real estate holdings cover a quarter section, where he resides. Mr. Knettle has always been an ardent believer in Democratic principles, and his fraternal alliances are with the Improved Order of Red Men, in which he has passed all the chairs and has been a member of the grand lodge and the Knights of Pythias.
William Knettle, Sr., father of our subject, was born in Jackson town- ship, Carroll county, and his wife, Mary ( Beeler) Knettle, was a native of the same county, where their marriage took place. Mr. Knettle died in 1874, and Mrs. Knettle's death occurred in 1901, our subject being the only child by this marriage. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Knettle was again married to Thomas Tate, by which marriage she became the mother of eight children, five of whom are living in 1915, Edward. John, Minnie. Ella, J. Victor and Maud, who is deceased, as well as two who died in infancy.
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