USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of DeKalb County, Indiana : together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns and biographies of representative citizens : Also a condensed history of Indiana > Part 49
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Owen W. Rummel, harness-maker, Spencerville, Ind., was born in Beverly, Randolph Co., W. Va., Feb. 19, 1837, a son of William and Martha (Williams) Rummel, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Virginia, of Welsh descent. In his youth he learned the printer's trade, serving an appren- ticeship of three years, and then worked two years as journey- man. He then began working with his father, who was a har-
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ness-maker, remaining with him till January, 1860, when he came to De Kalb County, Ind., and established his business in Spencerville. In February, 1865, he enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Fifty-second Indiana Infantry, and served till the close of the war. The following July after his enlist- ment he received a sunstroke, which disabled him for active duty in the field and he was detailed as Regimental Postmaster, and subsequently assigned to duty in the harness shop, where he remained till the time of his discharge. Since his return to Spencerville he has worked at his trade, at which he has been successful and has built up a good business. He was married Jan. 3, 1862, to Nancy C. Boyles, daughter of Jonathan Boyles. They have five children-Martha E., wife of Lewis Shutt ; Lu- cretia, Jonathan, Hulbert N., and Owen W. Mr. Rummel is a member of Concord Lodge, No. 556, A. F. & A. M., John C. Carns Post, No. 144, G. A. R., and Spencerville Lodge, No. 422, I. O. O. F. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Republican.
Nelson Scholes was born in Belmont County, Ohio, Nov. 15, 1819, a son of John and Mary (McGee) Scholes, natives of Maryland, and early settlers of Ohio. When he was four years old his parents moved to Richland County, where he was reared, and lived till his removal to De Kalb County. When he was sixteen years old his father died, and he remained with his mother till his marriage. In November, 1852, he moved to De Kalb County, and bought his present farm of 150 acres on sections 14 and 23, Concord Township. A part of it was for- merly the Widney farm, and partially improved. He has been successful in his pursuits, and now has his land under cultiva- tion, and his buildings are among the best in the county. He was married in 1847 to Lydia, daughter of Peter and Sarah (Butlinger) Wiltison. They had three children, but one of whom is living-John, now of Dallas County, Iowa. His wife died April 18, 1851. Sept. 5, 1852, he married Mary Swaidner, daughter of Jacob and Barbara (Goodbaker) Swaidner. To them have been born six children-Emma J., wife of Charles Abel, of Muskegon County, Mich .; Franklin, of Allen County ; Florence, wife of Charles Justison; Joseph, Ida and Elida. The latter died aged five years. Mr. and Mrs. Scholes are members of the Disciples church. In politics he is a Democrat.
Levi Sechler, another of the prominent pioneers of Concord
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Township, is a native of Lehigh County, Pa., born June 26, 1812, a son of Jacob and Mary (Fusselman) Sechler, natives of Pennsylvania, of French and German descent. He was reared on a farm, receiving a common school education, and remained with his parents till after attaining his majority. In 1837 he started for the West, and with the exception of crossing the lakes made the entire journey to De Kalb County on foot, being nearly four weeks on the way. He entered eighty acres of land in the wilderness, and during the summer helped his brother clear and improve a piece of land. The following fall he walked back to his native county and remained there till 1853, when he returned to De Kalb County and began to im- prove his land. He has added to his first entry, and now has a fine farm of 100 acres all under cultivation. He was mar- ried in February, 1839, to Mary Kistler, a native of Lehigh County, Pa., and to them have been born eleven children- Catherine, William (deceased), James, Levi, Jacob, Mary, Emma, Henry, Franklin, Susan, and Rosetta. Mr. and Mrs. Sechler are members of the German Reformed church. In politics he and his sons cast their suffrage with the Democratic party.
J. R. Shilling, farmer and stock-raiser, Concord Township, is a native of this township, born Nov. 4, 1851, a son of Solomon Shilling, one of the early settlers of De Kalb County. He was reared a farmer but was given a good education, attending the district schools and later the Auburn and Spencerville High Schools. Before reaching his majority he began teaching, and followed the vocation winters for eight years, working on the farm in the summer. In February, 1880, he bought the farm in Concord Township where he now lives, which contains eighty acres of choice land all under cultivation. He is indus- trious and enterprising, and is one of the representative young farmers of the township. He was married March 4, 1879, to Alice J. Gill, a daughter of John Gill. They have one child, C'ecil Guy, born April 5, 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Shilling are mem- bers of the Protestant Methodist church, and he has been Superintendent of the Sabbath-school the past three years. In politics he is a Republican.
Solomon Shilling, one of the most successful and enterprising citizens of Concord Township, was born in Stark County, Ohio, March 15, 1823, a son of Adam and Mary (Roan) Shilling. He was reared and educated in his native county, remaining on his
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father's farm till 1850, when he came to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled on 160 acres of wild land which his father had pre- viously entered from the Government, on section 19, Concord Township. He built a cabin into which he moved his family and began to clear and improve his land. He has been an en- ergetic and hard working man, and has accumulated a large property, adding to his land from time to time, and now has 400 acres all well improved. For the past thirty years in ad- dition to farming he has been engaged in buying and shipping live stock, being the oldest stock dealer in the county. In 1872 Mr. Shilling was elected Township Trustee and in 1874 was re- elected, serving four years. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Protestant church. They have had a family of twelve children, eleven of whom are living-Daniel J. R., Will- iam, Mary E., Sarah A., Adam, Francis, Hiram E., John, Vienna L., and Dora. A daughter died in infancy. In politics Mr. Shilling has affiliated with the Republican party since its organization.
Levi Showalter was born in Wayne County, Ohio, Jan. 4, 1838, a¿son of Joseph and Barbara (Hoff) Showalter. The former died in January, 1884, aged eighty years, and the latter still lives on the old homestead, age eighty years. In 1859 Levi Showalter came to Indiana and located in Steuben County. He had learned the blacksmith's trade in his native county and worked at it in Steuben County one winter. He then returned to Ohio, walking from Angola to Ft. Wayne and carrying his baggage. He remained in Wayne County till the fall of 1861 and then came to De Kalb County, and the following spring, March 27, was married to Clarinda, daughter of Joseph Shilling, an old settler of Concord Township. After his marriage he went to Huntington County, Ind., and lived a year on an unimproved farm of his father's. He then returned to De Kalb County and bought eighty acres of partially improved land in Wilming_ ton Township, and two years later moved to Steuben County, and engaged in farming two years. Then moved to Angola and worked at his trade two years, and then again engaged in farming eight years. In the spring of 1876 he sold his property and went to Ohio and carried on the old homestead for his father a year. In 1877 he bought the old Shilling homestead which was entered by Mrs. Showalter's grandfather, Adam Shill- ing. This farm contains 160 acres of choice land and the im-
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provements are among the best in the township. To Mr. and Mrs. Showalter have been born eleven children, seven of whom are living-Joseph E., Anna Mary, Cora E., Flora J., Hortense May, Myrtle J., and William A. The deceased are, Leander C., Barbara A., Catherine J. and Alice C. In politics Mr. Showalter is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the. Methodist Episcopal church.
Jonathan Shull, farmer and stock-raiser, Concord Township, was born in Fayette County, Pa., April 21, 1838, a son of Daniel and Susan (Newcomer) Shull, the former a native of Maryland, born in January, 1810, and the latter born in 1815. His parents were married Sept. 3, 1831, and in 1837 moved to Wayne County, Ohio, where they lived till the fall of 1846, when they came to De Kalb County, Ind., and bought eighty acres of wild land, afterward adding to it 160 acres. Here the father died Sept. 28, 1853. He was an old line Whig in politics, and a member of the Disciples church, as was also his wife. They had a family of nine children; eight lived till maturity and seven are now living-David, of Lansing, Mich .; Jonathan ; Eliza, wife of H. J. Abel ; Henry C., of Allen County ; Sarah, deceased, was the wife of Abraham Cottrell, of Lansing, Mich .; Lydia, wife of M. D. Hadsell, of Nebraska ; Joseph ; Harriet, wife of Lucius Palmer, of Allen County. Their eldest child, Mary, died in September, 1843, aged twelve years. In 1857 the mother married Asher Coburn, who died Sept. 11, 1874. She now resides in Allen County. Jonathan Shull was eight years of age when his parents moved to De Kalb County. He was reared on a farm, receiving a good education in the district schools, completing it at the Newville Academy. When eigh- teen years of age he began teaching school, and taught winters for fourteen years, farming during the summer. After his mar- riage he continued in the business of farming and teaching for eleven years, and then moved to Lansing, Mich., where he en- gaged in the mercantile business two years. Then he returned to De Kalb County, and added fifty acres to the old homestead farm where he now lives, which contains 130 acres, all under cultivation. Mr. Shull was married Dec. 25, 1862, to Maria M. Hadsell, a native of Trumbull County, Ohio, daughter of James and Mary (Abel) Hadsell. They have had a family of seven children-Clara C. (wife of Lewis Lake), Cadmus C., Thurman H., Rosa (died in infancy), Henry C., Carl D., and Fred. N. Mrs.
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Shull is a member of the Disciples church. In politics Mr. Shull is independent.
William Shutt, one of the most prominent and influential citi- zens of Concord Township, was born in Stark County, Ohio, March 23, 1831, a son of Jacob and Nancy (Dickerhoof) Shutt. He was a year and a half old when his parents moved to Sum- mit County, Ohio, and lived there till seventeen years of age. In the spring of 1848 he accompanied the family to De Kalb County, and settled on a tract of unimproved land. This he assisted in clearing and improving, remaining with his mother till manhood. His first purchase of land was 100 acres, but to that he has added till he now owns 280 acres, including the old homestead. He has been a successful agriculturist, and since 1869 has also dealt in agricultural implements and farm machinery. He was married Feb. 13, 1862, to Elizabeth F., daughter of George Houck, of Concord Township. They are the parents of five children-Laura A., Eva B., Alda A., Jennie L., and Muriel A. In politics Mr. Shutt is a member of the Democratic party. In 1868 he was elected Trustee of his Township and served two terms. He is a member of Concord Lodge, No. 556, F. & A. M. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical Lutheran church.
Levi Smith, farmer and stock-raiser, Concord Township, was born in what is now Mahoning County, Ohio, Feb. 22, 1828, a son of Peter and Elizabeth Smith, early settlers of Ohio from Pennsylvania. His early life was spent on a farm, and when seventeen years of age he began to work at the shoemaker's trade, serving an apprenticeship. . In 1849 he bought fifty acres of land in Portage County, Ohio, where he lived till the spring of 1854, when he came to De Kalb County, Ind., and bought eighty acres of land, but very little being improved, and by close attention to his pursuits and industry he has now a farm of 320 acres all under cultivation. He is a self-made man, and can now look back on a well spent life and enjoy the fruits of his early years of toil and hardship. He was married April 24, 1849, to Harriet Robb, a native of Ohio, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Robb. They have two children-Ira E. and Isaiah. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Church of God. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat.
John H. St. Clair. the second son and fourth child of John C. St. Clair of Union Township, is a native of De Kalb County,
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Ind., born April 5, 1858. He was reared on a farm, receiving a common school education, and since leaving school has followed teaching in the winter, at which he has been successful, being a good disciplinarian, and thoroughly competent to fill the position he has chosen for a livelihood. He has devoted the summer to agricultural pursuits, and in 1882 settled on a farm of 120 acres in Concord Township, which is under a good state of cultivation. He was married Oct. 6, 1881, to Miss Ella S. Erehart, a native of Wilmington Township, daughter of Adam and Mira (Kiner) Erehart. She was a teacher in the public schools before her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. St. Clair have been born two chil- dren-Roscoe R., and an infant, deceased. In politics Mr. St. Clair affiliates with the Democratic party.
Cyrus C. Walters, farmer and stock-raiser, Concord Township, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, Nov. 26, 1840, the eldest son of Joseph and Sarah (Nixon) Walters. In October, 1846, his parents moved to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled on a tract of unimproved land, moving into a cabin without doors or win- dows, and with the ground for a floor. Here he was reared, his youth being spent in assisting his father. He attended the district school a few weeks each winter when his services were not required on the farm, and by application in his leisure hours was qualified to teach when he was twenty years of age, a vocation he followed five years during the winter. He was married April 10, 1862, to Sarah Donaldson, a native of Wayne County, Ohio, daughter of Henry and Jane Donaldson. After his marriage he settled on a part of the old homestead, where he lived a year and then bought a farm where he lived till 1873, when he began the study of law, but a year later he abandoned it and engaged in the hardware business a year. In February, 1876, he bought the farm of 120 acres in Concord Township, where he has since lived. He is a member of Hacker Lodge, No. 326, A. F. & A. M. In politics he is a Democrat. To him and his wife have been born five children-C. B., of St. Joseph, Ind., Joseph, M. L., Ford and Frank.
Samuel Wasson, one of the first settlers, and the first of those now living, of De Kalb County, was born in Funkstown, Pa., July 9, 1809, a son of David and Flora (Graham) Wasson, na- tives of Ireland. When he was a child his parents moved to Montgomery County, Ohio, and later to Darke County, where he grew to manhood. After attaining his majority, in 1830, he
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went down the Mississinnewa River and worked for the Indi- ans from spring till fall; then returned to Darke County, and in the spring of 1832 went to Ft. Wayne and worked on the canal, and in the fall of 1833 came to De Kalb County in com- pany with six or seven families and worked for the settlers till 1837, when he entered eighty acres of land in Concord Township, which he cleared and improved, and on which he has lived nearly a half century. He has been a hard working man and has probably assisted in building more log cabins and houses than any other man in the county. He has cut and split 2,000 rails in seven days. He has lived to see De Kalb County change from a country of Indians and wild animals to one of cultivated farms and prosperous villages, and no one has done more to bring about this change than he. Although seventy- six years old he still retains considerable of his youthful vigor and oversees the cultivation of his farm. He was married Jan. 16, 1840, to Eliza Means, a native of Pennsylvania, daughter of James and Elizabeth Means, who came to De Kalb County in 1837. To them have been born twelve children, ten of whom are living-Sarah, Elizabeth, Lewis, David, Benjamin F., Nancy, Jane, Matilda, Milton and Ann. James and John are deceased. In his youthful days Mr. Wasson was a Whig in politics, but since its organization has cast his suffrage with the Republican party.
Erastus White, a son of Ephraim and Betsey (Bartholomew) White, was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, Dec. 1, IS20, and in April, 1838, came with his parents to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled in Concord Township, near where he now lives on rented land. He afterward bought eighty acres of school land in Concord Township, which he improved, and lived on till his death, May 2, 1847. The mother afterward married Alexander Crawford and moved to Ohio, and lived till after the death of her husband, and then returned to De Kalb County, where she died Nov. 17, 1869. Our subject remained with his parents till the death of the father and then took charge of the homestead, subsequently buying the interests of the other heirs. To the original purchase of his father he has added till he now owns about 127 acres of valuable land, 100 under cultivation, and twenty-seven timber land. He was married Jan. 1, 1846, to Clarissa Johnson, a native of Pennsylvania, daughter of Thomas and Lydia (Draggoo) Johnson. To them were born four child- 35
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ren, three of whom are living-Jacob I., Thomas E., and Frank- lin J. Their third son, Henry E., died at the age of twenty years. Mrs. White died Nov. 6, 1883. Mr. White is a member of the Lutheran church. In politics he is a Republican.
Charles W. Widney, the eldest son and second child of seven children of Samuel and Johannah (Brearley) Widney, was born in Franklin County, Pa., Dec. 18, 1825, and was ten years of age when his parents moved to De Kalb County. His youth was spent in assisting his father to clear and improve a frontier farm. He remained with his parents till manhood, and then bought 100 acres of unimproved land on section 10, Concord Township, where he lived till 1880, when he retired from the active labors of farm life and moved to the village of St. Joe. He has been successful in his pursuits, and now has a compe- tency for his declining years. Mr. Widney was married Oct. 5, 1854, to Nancy Cole, a native of Jefferson County, Ohio, daughter of John Cole. To them were born three children, but one of whom is living-Mary J., wife of Jacob Sechler. Mrs. Widney died Sept. 30, 1872, and Nov. 10, 1874, Mr. Wid- ney married Mary Sechler, daughter of Levi Sechler. Mr. and Mrs. Widney are members of the Lutheran church. In politics he affiliates with the Republican party.
John Widney, farmer and stock-raiser, Concord Township, was born in Franklin County, Pa., Jan. 26, 1834, the fifth child of Samuel Widney, one of the earliest settlers of De Kalb County. He was reared and educated in this county, remain- ing with his parents till his marriage, and then settled on a part of the old homestead, where he lived six years. He then bought ten acres in Concord Township, to which he has added from time to time, till he now has 123 acres of the best land in the township, all under cultivation. His improvements are valuable, his residence and farm buildings being among the best in the county. He was married Jan. 1, 1857, to Nancy Knight, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Boyles) Knight, To them have been born eight children-Wilson D. (was killed while chopping a tree at the age of twenty-three years), Sylvester S., Mary C. (wife of Franklin Sechler), Etta, Cyrus J., Addie S., Lulu J., and Cora B. In 1884 Mr. Widney retired from the active labors of farm life and moved to the village of St. Joseph. He and his wife are active members of the Evangelical Lutheran church. In politics he is a Republican.
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Samuel Widney, deceased, was one of the most esteemed citi- zens of De Kalb County. He was born in Franklin County, Pa., July 21, 1796, the second son of Charles and Mary (Hen- derson) Widney, the former a native of Ireland, born in 1763, and the latter a native of Cumberland County, Pa., of Irish descent, born in 1775. He was reared on a farm in his native county, but was given a good education, and subsequently taught school a number of terms in connection with farming. He was married May 2, 1822, to Johannah Brearley, a daughter of Joseph and Jane (Mitchel) Brearley, the former a native of England, and the latter of Ireland. In May, 1836, Mr. Widney moved to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled on 200 acres of Government land, entered the year before. A part of this was on section 10, and the rest on section 11, Concord Township. Here Mr. Widney cleared and improved a farm, making it his home the remainder of his life. He was one of the most influ- ential men of the township, taking an interest in anything that tended toward the advancement of its material and social wel- fare. He held various offices of trust and responsibility, among others was Commissioner, Township Trustee, and Associate Judge. He and his wife were in early life members of the Methodist Protestant church, but in later life he united with the Lutheran church. He died Feb. 1, 1878, and his wife Sept. 3, 1875.
Samuel L. Widney, farmer and stock-raiser, Concord Town- ship, is the eldest son of John P. and Jane (Linn) Widney, and was born in DeKalb County, Ind., June 26, 1839. He received a good education attending the schools of his native county, and remained with his parents till manhood, assisting his father in the work on the farm. He was married Jan. 1, 1860, to Mary A. Moore, a native of Richland County, Ohio, daughter of James and Ellen Moore, early settlers of Jackson Town- ship, DeKalb County. After his marriage Mr. Widney lived on his father's farm a year, and in 1861 settled on the farm in Concord Township, where he now lives, where he has 333 acres of choice land, under good cultivation. He has been successful in his pursuits, which is the just reward of industry and energy, and has one of the pleasantest homes in the town- ship. To him and his wife have been born five children, four of whom are living-Byron E., Viola, Otto L., and Iva May. Their eldest child, Marion, is deceased. Mr. Widney is
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a Republican in politics, and a strong supporter of the prin- ciples of his party.
George W. Wilmot, farmer and stock-raiser, was born in Port- age County, Ohio, Jan. 10, 1825, a son of Ella and Lucretia (Blair) Wilmot. When twenty years of age he went to Wis- consin, and remained there a year and a half. He then returned to Ohio, passing through DeKalb County, Ind., on the way. In 1849 he came to the county and bought the farm now owned by B. A. Hodsell, remaining through the winter and spring. He returned to Ohio, and in 1854 came again to DeKalb County, and settled on the farm in Concord Township, where he has since lived. He owns eighty-one acres of valuable land which he has brought under a good state of cultivation, it being all heavily timbered when he first settled on it. He has always taken an active interest in the public affairs of the township and in 1859 was elected Magistrate and served four years. He has also held several minor offices of trust. He was maried Jan. 13, 1852, to Lucia Palmer, a native of Pennsylvania, daughter of Roswell Palmer. To them have been born nine children- Ella, Arthur, Pliny G., Leon, George Carroll, Vernon, Lucre- tia, Albert E., and Victor. Mr. and Mrs. Wilmot are members of the Disciples church. In politics he was formerly a Whig, but since its organization has affiliated with the Republican party.
William Wyatt, deceased, was born in the State of Pennsyl- vania, in 1819, and died in Concord Township, DeKalb County, Ind., Jan. 22, 1870. He was a son of Nathan Wyatt, also a native of Pennsylvania, who moved to Ohio when our subject was a child. He was reared a farmer and on arriving at man- hood came to Indiana that he might with his limited means pro- vide himself with a home, thinking a new country the best place for a young man to gain a livelihood. He was married in this county July 17, 1842, to Miss Nancy Strong, a native of Geauga County, Ohio, daughter of Daniel Strong, also an early settler of DeKalb County. He built a log cabin into which they moved the first day of August following their marriage, and began housekeeping on their farm, which, at that time, was heavily timbered. They were industrious and economical, and by their united efforts soon had a good farm and a pleasant home. To them were born fourteen children, eleven of whom are living-Nathan, Daniel, Lydia, Ephraim, William H., Isaac N., Marietta, George W., Israel, Laura J. and James A.
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