USA > Indiana > Cass County > History of Cass County Indiana : From its earliest settlement to the present time with biographical sketches and reference to biographies previously compiled, Volume II > Part 2
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Mr. Butler was reared on his father's farm in Liberty township, Fulton county, and divided his boyhood between work of an agricultural nature and attendance at the common schools of his locality. It was the intention of his parents that he adopt the vocation of farmer, but when he was twenty-one years of age he became deputy to his father, who at that time was sheriff of Fulton county. Thus, at the very out- set of his career, he received an introduction to the duties of official life, and to the responsibilities undertaken by those who enter the public arena. Proving an able and trustworthy assistant, Mr. Butler continued as deputy under succeeding sheriffs until 1894, at which time, during the landslide of that year, he found himself, with others of the Democratic faith, without office, and accordingly, during the next year,
MR.& MRS. BENJAMIN BANTA
RESIDENCE OF BENJAMIN BANTA
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he acted in the capacity of attendant at the insane asylum, at Indian- apolis, this being succeeded by two years in the same capacity in the asylum at Toledo, Ohio.
On June 17, 1896, Mr. Butler was married to Miss Minnie E. Mc- Dowell, whose people were among the earliest settlers of Cass county, and soon after this event he became a conductor on the old Logansport Railway Company. He continued in the service of this road, and those that succeeded it, for the following fourteen years, and was known as one of the company's most capable and trusted employes, and a great favorite with its patrons. Mr. Butler, however, could not resist the struggles and activities of public life, and accordingly, in 1909, again entered the field as candidate for the office of sheriff of Cass county, being returned the winner in the election that followed, and taking office in 1910. He was again elected in 1911, on the Democratic ticket, and continues to hold office, being known as an efficient and courageous officer, with an excellent record in office.
Mr. and Mrs. Butler now reside in a comfortable home in Logans- port, in which city their two children, Ben and Irene, are attending school. Mr. Butler has interested himself to some extent with fraternal work, and is exceedingly popular with his fellow members in the Red Men, the Eagles, the Knights of Pythias and the Masons, in the last- named of which he has attained to the Knights Templar degree.
BENJAMIN BANTA. The vocation of farming, as now practiced by the intelligent and practical agriculturist, is as different from the farm- ing of several decades ago as could be imagined. The day of the work- hardened, horny-handed farmer has passed. In these days the agricul- turist who uses scientific methods is able to retire in time to spend the remaining years of his life in the enjoyment of a well-earned competence. Among those who have profited by new methods and ideas, Benjamin Banta, of Jefferson township, holds a prominent place. Although now retired from active pursuits, Mr. Banta is widely known, not only as one whose activities contributed materially to the agricultural impor- tance of his section, but as a veteran of the great Civil war. Mr. Banta was born in Jefferson township, Cass county, Indiana, June 16, 1839, and is a son of Beaufort and Elizabeth (McNairy) Banta, natives of Bour- bon county, Kentucky. As a youth, Beaufort Banta removed to Ohio, where he was married, and in 1829 came to Indiana, settling in Jeffer- son township, Cass county, where he passed the remainder of'his life in tilling the soil. He and his wife had four sons, of whom three served as soldiers in the Union army during the Civil war.
Benjamin Banta was reared on the home farm, and the greater part of his education was secured in the school of experience and hard work, although he made the most of his opportunities and attended the district school whenever he could be spared from home. On July 22. 1862, he enlisted in Company G, Seventy-third Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, being first under General Buell, and later in the Army of the Cumberland. He participated in a number of engagements, including Richmond and Perryville, but February 3, 1863, received his honorable discharge on account of disability after a brave and faithful service. On his return home from the war he was appointed enrolling officer in
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the sub-district 131 of Jefferson township. As soon as he had sufficiently recuperated, Mr. Banta resumed work on the home farm in Jefferson township, where, March 12, 1867, he was married to Elvira Wilson. She was born in Jefferson township, and here died September 12, 1875, having been the mother of three sons, two who died in infancy, and Everett, who married Pauline Wimer, and died January 12, 1911. Mr. Banta was married January 11, 1889, to Mrs. Margaret Herand, who was born in Boone township, Cass county, Indiana, March 14, 1847, and was first married to John L. Herand, by whom she had one son : John A., who is single. Mrs. Banta was educated in the public schools of Jefferson township, and is a lady of much culture and many social graces. She is a well-known member of the Presbyterian church at Pisgah, and a member of the home and foreign missionary societies. She belongs to the Women's Relief Corps No. 30, Logansport, Indiana, Grand Army of the Republic, of which she has been president of the Women's Relief Corps department, and has held numerous other offices, being national recruiting aid, and a delegate to the national convention in 1912, as well as holding office in the district department. She also holds mem- bership in the Daughters of Liberty, Loraine Council No. 10, and in the Lady Maccabees of the World, being especially active in the work of the latter and a charter member, and is a member of the Home Making Agricultural Society.
Mr. Banta is a member of Logansport Post No. 14, Grand Army of the Republic, and is the recipient of a pension of fifteen dollars per month. In political matters a Republican, he has held numerous minor offices, but has not been a politician in the generally accepted meaning of the word. Although retired from active farming, he still owns 160 acres of well-cultivated land. Mr. and Mrs. Banta are highly esteemed in their community as people whose activities are at all times promoting good citizenship and the spread of morality and religion.
GEORGE ULERICH. Farming has drawn out the best efforts of some of the leading men of Cass county and developed their abilities, and through their efforts in an agricultural line they have become well-to- do and prominent in their communities. One of the substantial farmer- citizens of Cass county, whose intelligent knowledge of the soils and the most profitable uses to which particular lands may be devoted has made him justly regarded as one of those whose activities are advanc- ing the agricultural importance of his community, is George Ulerich, of Clay township, who has lived in Cass county for nearly a half a century. Mr. Ulerich was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, November 18. 1853, and is a son of Henry and Caroline (Fry) Ulerich.
Henry Ulerich, who was a farmer by vocation, brought his family from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to Cass county, Indiana, in the spring of 1866 and settled first on the old Andrew Dritt farm, where he remained for about five years, then moving to a farm near Twelve Mile, where he still resides, being eighty-seven years of age, while his wife passed away some years ago.
George Ulerich commenced his education in the public schools of his native county, and was thirteen years of age when he accompanied his parents to Cass county. Here he completed his schooling, in the mean- time assisting his father in the work of the home farm, remaining under
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the parental roof until he had reached the age of nineteen years. At that time he started to work for George M. Smith, as a farm hand, and on leaving his employ was engaged by Sam Harman, with whom he also remained a short period, succeeding which he started to work on the farm of Joseph Davidson. In February, 1885, Mr. Ulerich was married, and at that time began operations on his own account on a rented farm of twenty acres, belonging to John I. McDowell, but after three years removed to the farm of his former employer, Mr. Davidson, where he continued two years. Following this he spent five years on the farm of Barnett Brothers, and then spent one year on a farm near the school- house, but eventually came to his present property, a tract of 153 acres which his wife had inherited. Here he has continued to reside to the present time, working his land with his son, who lives on an ad- joining property. The old log cabin built by Mrs. Ulerich's father still stands on the farm, located behind the modern frame farm house which was built by Mr. Ulerich, in addition to which Mr. E. C. Metsker has erected a new barn and made numerous other improvements on the place. He has engaged in diversified farming, raising good crops, breed- ing cattle and finding a ready market for his dairy products. An able business man, his success has been due to his strict attention to the de- tails of his vocation and an inherent ability that has come down to him through a long line of agricultural ancestors.
Mr. Ulerich was married February 13, 1885, to Miss Maggie P. Metsker, daughter of E. C. and Louisa C. (McDowell) Metsker, who lived in Cass county for many years, and to this union there have been born two children: Hugh, who is twenty-six years of age; and Harold, aged seven years. Hugh, who assists his father in the work of the farm, also received a commercial course in the commercial college. He mar- ried Leta Ingmire, daughter of John Ingmire. Mr. Ulerich is a Demo- crat in his political views, but has not cared to enter the political arena, being content to devote his entire attention to the cultivation of his farm. His business integrity and honorable dealing have gained him a high reputation among the people of Clay township, among whom he num- bers many sincere friends.
WILLIAM A. WELLS. It was but comparatively a few years ago that most men ridiculed the idea of applying science to agriculture, but sci- ence has never gone backwards; it has always been progressive in nature. There are still many farmers who plant, reap, feed their cattle, and let their implements stand out in the sun and rain in the careless, thriftless old way, but science is revolutionizing the farming business as it has revolutionized almost every other modern business, and the agriculturist who would attain the full measure of success must keep abreast of the trend of the times, and bring to his labors every help which modern in- vention and discovery will give him. Among the good, practical farm- ers of Cass county who have realized the benefits to be derived from sci- entific. treatment of the soil, William A. Wells, of Clay township, is deserving of mention. A resident of Cass county for nearly a half a century, he has attained a position of affluence through intelligent opera- tions and in the meantime has so directed his activities as to benefit his community. He was born at Kewanna, Fulton county, Indiana, Febru- ary 14, 1856, and is a son of Dudley and Mary (Davis) Wells.
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The father of Mr. Wells was a native of Connecticut and the mother was born in New York; they were married in Fulton county, Indiana, and came to Cass county in 1865. Dudley Wells was a farmer by voca- tion, an occupation which he followed throughout his active career, and his death occurred in Logansport, November 24, 1906, his wife having passed away September 2, 1903, in Kewanna, Indiana.
William A. Wells commenced his education in the public schools of Kewanna, and was nine years of age when he accompanied his parents to Cass county, here completing his studies in the district schools of Clay township while assisting his father in the work of the home farm. He was thoroughly trained in all the details pertaining to the operation of a farm, and on attaining his majority started to work on his own ac- count. He is now the possessor of an excellent tract of land, which he devotes to general farming and stock raising, and on which he has made numerous improvements. His buildings are substantial and in a good state of repair, his cattle are sleek and well fed, and the excellent crops produced each season leave no doubt as to his ability as an agriculturist. This farm is one of the old land-marks of the township, and on it stood the first schoolhouse erected within the township limits.
On September 15, 1880, Mr. Wells was united in marriage with Miss Anna Freshour, daughter of George Freshour, who came to Cass county in 1835 among the earliest pioneers. To Mr. and Mrs. Wells was born one son-Kirk, who resides with his parents. He finished the public schools and the city high school at Logansport, and then took a full business course. The son is a high Mason, having taken both the Scot- tish and Yorke rite of masonry. He is a member of the blue lodge, coun- cil and chapter, at Logansport, and the Shriners at Indianapolis. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, and affiliates with Tipton lodge, No. 33, Logan chapter No. 2, Logan council No. 11, St. John's commandery No. 24, Murat Temple, Indianapolis, Indiana Consistory of Indianapolis. Mr. Wells, Sr., has interested himself in fraternal work to some extent, and is a popular member of the local lodge of the Odd Fellows and the Masons. Although not a politician in the generally accepted meaning of the term, he has ever been faithful to the duties of citizenship, and for the past four years has served as a member of the board of trus- tees of Clay township. He is known as a man who lives up to his word in his business transactions, who is true in his friendships, and who, hav- ing succeeded himself, is willing to assist others to success.
GILLIS McBEAN, SR., was born in Scotland in 1794 and died on his farm in southeast quarter, section 20, Clay township, in 1839, and lies at rest in the old cemetery. He came to America when a boy and engaged in the milling business on the Mississinewa river. In 1827 he moved to Logansport before the town was laid out or even named and acted as Indian agent and kept a hotel in a double hewed log cabin, situated on the southwest corner of Third and Market streets. The legislature appointed three commissioners to organize Cass county and locate its county seat, who met at the house of Gillis McBean in the summer of 1829, by direction of the legislature, and the first board of county com- missioners met at Mr. McBean's house on July 25, 1829, and appointed him agent for the county.
GILLIS JAMES McBANE
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About 1832 he bought a farm and moved to Clay township, where he died as noted above.
Mr. McBean represented Cass county in the state legislature in 1833. He was married in Corydon, Indiana, to Elizabeth Kintner. From this union six children were born, to wit: Margaret, Catherine, Gillis James and Thomas, twins; Peter Todd and Frank, all of whom are now dead except Frank, now living at Canon City, Oregon, and Gillis J., who resides at Moscow, Idaho.
Gillis James McBane (originally McBean), son of Gillis McBean, Sr., was the first white child born within the original town plat of Logansport, December 30, 1829, in a double log cabin, then situated on the southwest corner of Third and Market streets, where the Kreutz- berger building now stands. When a child he moved with his father on what is known as the Skelton farm, on the north bank of Eel river in the southeast quarter section 20, Clay township, opposite Spencer Park. When grown he worked in Coulson's, Clem's and Vigus' bakeries in Logansport. Later lived with Mrs. Sharts on a farm near Anoka. At the breaking out of the war, 1861, he enlisted in Company G, Seventy-third Indiana Regiment. Serving three years, he returned to Anoka, where he resided on a farm until 1882, when he moved to Moscow, Idaho, where he has lived ever since, engaged in carpentering and paint- ing. He made a visit to Logansport in the fall of 1912, and is still hale and hearty, as shown by his picture accompanying this sketch, which was taken when he was eighty-three years old. Mr. BeBane was never mar- ried and says he is short on the fair sex, although his mother was a woman and the best in the world.
MRS. JANE H. WHITE. Among the residents of Clay township who have witnessed the wonderful changes that have taken place here during the past half a century, and have done their share in promoting the growth and development of the county, one of the best known is Mrs. Jane H. White, who resides with her family in a comfortable residence on Logansport Rural Route No. 4. Mrs. White was born in Adams town- ship, Cass county, Indiana, daughter of Joel H. and Mary (Harvey) Davis.
Joel Hubbard Davis was born near Albany, New York, of Scotch-Irish descent, and some time after his marriage came to Indiana, settling in Adams township, where he purchased a farm. Subsequently, when Mrs. White was one year old, the family moved to Fulton county, Indiana, purchasing a farm. The father died April 13, 1880, in Cass county, and the mother died November 5, 1879. Mrs. White grew to womanhood in Fulton county, and was there married January 6, 1861, to John Henry White, who was born of English descent in Frederick county, Virginia, son of Batley and Hannah (Haire) White. In 1843 the White family located on a farm in Clay township, and John Henry White and his brother Joseph inherited their father's estate, the former receiving the present home of Mrs. White, where he resided for upwards of fifty-two years, dying at the age of seventy-eight years. He was one of his township's well known and substantial citizens, and spent his life in clearing, cultivating and improving his land. In 1886 he was elected
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justice of the peace of Clay township, a position in which he served for some years.
Mr. and Mrs. White became the parents of one son: Horace Mason, who was born October 20, 1861, on the present homestead. He married Emma Puterbaugh, daughter of Jacob and Hannah Ida (Bauchman) Puterbaugh. Mr. Puterbaugh came from Dayton, Ohio, and at one time was the leading merchant of Logansport, where he still resides at the age of eighty-four years, one of the oldest living early settlers. His wife died in 1904. Horace and Emma White have had two children, namely : Edith Abigail, who married Roscoe C. Smith, of Indianapolis, and has one child,-Newell C. Smith, aged eight years; and Fred Har- vey, who married Jessie C. Straw, daughter of Andrew Jackson and Anna Elsa (Walker) Straw, the former of whom is superintendent of the gardening of the Longcliff insane asylum, and they have one child who is ten months old.
Mrs. White, her son Horace M. and wife, and their son Fred and wife, and the latter's baby, Esther, all live in the comfortable residence on the old homestead. This tract, a property of 110 acres, has been greatly improved by Mr. White, who has done much clearing, draining and fencing, and it is now considered one of the valuable properties of the township. Mr. White is a good, practical agriculturist, who takes ad- vantage of all the modern improvements and appliances in his work, and has risen to an enviable position among the agriculturists of Clay town- ship. Progressive in all things, in 1912 he became the candidate of the so-called Bull Moose party for the office of representative in the state legislature. Mrs. Jane H. White is one of the best known ladies of her locality, her kindness of heart and many charities having gained her many warm friendships. Although advanced in years, her faculties are unimpaired, and she recalls with unclouded memory many of the interesting incidents of early days in Cass county. The members of the family are all highly esteemed in their locality, where the name has always stood for strict integrity and probity of character.
LAFAYETTE M. BALL. A residence in Cass county that has covered nearly seventy years entitles Lafayette Ball, of Logansport Rural Route No. 4, to more than passing mention as one of Clay township's old and honored pioneer citizens. Coming to this township when still in in- fancy, he was for a long period identified with the agricultural interests of his section, and although he has now retired from the more strenuous activities of life, having reached a position when he feels he can afford to rest from his labors, he still takes a keen interest in all that affects the community in which he labored for so long. Mr. Ball was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, July 24, 1843, his grandfather, Iden Ball, being a prominent member of the Society of Friends in the Quaker settlement in that county. His parents came to Indiana in 1844, and first settled near Twelve Mile, one-half mile east of Bethlehem church, in which vicinity Lafayette Ball was reared to manhood. During the Civil war he enlisted in the Ninety-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which was mustered into the United States service where the Spry building now stands, on Pearl street, Logansport, and with this organization served two years and ten months, leaving the service with
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the rank of corporal. He was a brave and faithful soldier, and when his military career was ended resumed the duties of peace, which he has per- formed in the same able and faithful manner.
On January 8, 1891, Mr. Ball was married to Eleanor Johnson, daughter of Edward and Matilda ( Archer) Johnson. Edward Johnson was a native of Vermont and his wife of Williamsburg, Ohio, and they came to Cass county at a very early day, Mr. Johnson first engaging in the blacksmith business, which he gave up to devote his entire time to agricultural pursuits. This latter occupation he followed throughout the remainder of his life, and passed away September 2, 1891, in which year his wife also died on August 28th. Mrs. Ball is a lady who is pos- sessed of a genial, cordial and kind nature, and has ably assisted her husband in the care of their happy and pleasant home. Three children were born to Mr. Ball by his first marriage, namely: Harry, Linda and Lillian, the latter of whom is now deceased.
At the time of the marriage of Mr. Ball and his present wife they settled on the old farm, formerly the property of Mr. Ball's father, and originally a tract of 80 acres. For some years Mr. Ball continued opera- tions there. Eventually he retired from active pursuits, however, and sold a part of the land, he now owing forty-seven acres, while his wife owns twenty-two and 28-100 acres, and the greater part of this is now being operated by renters, and it lies in section 8, Clay township. The homestead of Mr. and Mrs. Ball is called "The Sunny Side Farm."
Mr. and Mrs. Ball are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Ball holds the position of steward, and both have been ac- tive in religious and charitable work. He is a popular comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic. During his long residence in this sec- tion Mr. Ball has seen many changes take place, and has done his share in promoting the growth and development of his community. He is honored and esteemed by those who have made his acquaintance, and has a wide circle of sincere friends. The pleasant family home is situ- ated on Logansport Rural Route No. 4.
RAYMOND C. TAYLOR was born in Cayuga county, New York, on Sep- tember 6, 1834, and died in Logansport, Indiana, on the 11th day of July, 1909. He was a son of Smith Taylor, a mechanic and farmer, and a grandson of Captain Noah Taylor, who won his title in fighting for American independence with the colonies during the Revolutionary war. The mother of Raymond Taylor was Sylvia Barnes, and he was one of the eight children she bore her husband. She was the daughter of Captain Thomas Barnes, also a soldier of the Revolutionary war period. The advantages of Raymond Taylor in an educational way were limited indeed, and when he was twelve years old he began to work as a stock driver, an occupation which eventually led to his embarking in the butcher business. He came to Logansport, Indiana, in January, 1864, and opened a meat market at Broadway and Sixth street, later moving his establishment to No. 501 Broadway. His business career in Logansport covered a period of thirty-four years, and as a result of creditable business methods he succeeded in putting aside a competency. He was well and favorably known in business circles in Logansport for many years, known as a substantial man of affairs, square and true in Vol. II-2
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all his business relations, and indeed, in all the relations of life, and valued by many as a good friend and neighbor.
Mr. Taylor was a Democrat, generally speaking, but he did not hesi- tate to place his support where he most approved of the candidate, re- gardless of party affiliation. He was a Mason of the old school, which may be interpreted as meaning that he was a Mason in heart as well as in name. He had conferred upon him all the degrees and orders of the York rite, and he, with his wife and daughter, were members of the Order of the Eastern Star.
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