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 55
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NEAREST NEIGHBORS.
" When I first moved into Franklin my nearest neighbor was at Denmark, ten miles off. My next neighbor on the west was on Jackson Prairie, twenty-two miles away. I had to buy my grain on the prairies, and take it to White Pigeon Prairie to get it ground; and with the many mire holes I had to struggle through, and with the vast number of times I had to unload and pry up the wagon, and take a bag at a time on my shoulder through creeks and sloughs often breast deep in water, and fre- quently ice to break at that, it generally took me from two to four days to make the trip. Often when away from home I had fears lest some blackleg might murder my wife and child, and little sister-in-law, ten years old, and rob the house. But they were never disturbed.
" I came in with the very best of constitutions, but I am now
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
very much broken, and afflicted with rheumatism so that I have to get help to put on my clothes. Of the four of us robbed by the Indians, I suppose I am the only one alive. Avery died in Fort Wayne; Samuel Houlton died at the mill on Fish Creek in May, 1839; Hughes left Wayne in 1839 for the West, and he undoubtedly has filled a drunkard's grave ere now, for I heard him say in the presence of Samuel Houlton and Wil- liam Rogers that he thought he was doing well when $500 a year paid his grog bill."
Early Justices of the Peace for Franklin were : M. Wheeler, L. Buck, J. King, John McCurdy, George Beard, George Fire- stone, T. M. Mitchell. Early Constables were : G. W. Jeffords, Miles Waterman, Cyrus Jackman, David Clark, John Shock, Abner Slentz, John R. Ball, George Firestone, Wm. Oberlin. The Trustees prior to 1860 were: G. Beard, B. Smith, Jabez Hubbell, Miles Waterman, G. Shultz, H. Slentz, A. Baxter, J. T. Aldrich, J. Jackman, H. Smith, Joseph Boyer. A. Baxter and E. H. Taylor were early Assessors.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Jason D. Aldrich, deceased, was born in Franklin Township, Sept. 17, 1839, and died Nov. 27, 1877. He was a son of Isaac Aldrich, a pioneer of Franklin Township, who died Feb. I, 1883. He was reared and educated in his native township where he won many friends by his genial, courteous manners, and honest, upright dealings. He was married May 20, 1860, to Sarah Knisely, daughter of William Knisely. To them were born four children, three of whom are living-Isaac N., Ada D. and William E. Isaac married Mary Rummel, and has one child-Bertha. Ada married James Kannel, and has one child -Flora. Mr. Aldrich was a sincere Christian, although at the time of his death he was a member of no religious organization. He was a member of the Odd Fellows' order.
Andrew Baxter, section 5, Franklin Township, was born in Washington County, Pa., March 15, 1813. He is the youngest of a family of ten children. His father, William Baxter, mar- ried Sarah Rogers in their native County Tyrone, Ireland, and, after the birth of two children, Daniel and Jennette, they emi- grated to America in 1791 and settled in Washington County, Pa., where was born to them other children as follows : Sarah, William, James, Moses, Mary, a daughter who died in infancy,
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John and Andrew. The subject of this sketch, William Bax- ter, died in January, 1832, after the marriage of all their chil- dren, except Sarah, John and Andrew, and with them, their mother removed to Wayne County, Ohio, in March, 1835. Here John married Sarah Kelley, and Andrew, in the spring of 1838, married Nancy Brown, eldest child of Andrew Brown, of Scottish birth ; whose wife, Ellenor Richey, was a native of North Ireland. In June, 1841, John and Andrew, accompanied by their brother, James, and Simon Fegley, came to De Kalb County, built rude cabins upon their land entered from the Government in 1838; Andrew upon the farm where he still resides, and John in Smithfield Township, and in October, 1841, they moved with their families upon their farms, each with a wife and two small children, and their mother and sister Sarah, as members of the family with Andrew. Here, in the al- most unbroken forest, with privations and ague almost con- stantly with them, they "cleared" their farms, took their quinine (when they could get it) and "raised " their families. Andrew and Nancy Baxter had born to them children as fol- lows: Elvina, Ellen, William, a daughter who died in infancy, Andrew J., Mary J., John W., Nancy E. and James B. Nancy died January 18, 1858, leaving her husband and the eight chil- dren above named surviving her. May 4, 1859, Andrew was again married this time to Elizabeth L. Brown, the youngest sister of Nancy, his former wife, and to them were born six sons-Orrin A., Charles O., Miles, Chauncy B., Cora L. and George D. Elizabeth L. died Jan. 3, 1877, leaving her husband and the five last named sons surviving her. Andrew Baxter has held the important offices of Township Trustee and Asses- sor, each for several terms and with credit to himself. Of his thirteen living children, Elvina Baughman is a widow, and is generally employed at keeping her father's house ; Ellen, wife of David Carter, is living upon a farm in Nebraska; William is owner and manager of a good farm in Iowa, and the others all live in De Kalb County. Andrew J. is practicing law in Butler ; John W. in Auburn ; Mary J., after teaching more than twenty-five terms of public school, has become the wife of Frank A. Brink, an attorney and teacher, and lives in Butler; Nancy E. is the wife of William Fee, and lives on a farm adjoining the old home in Franklin Township; James B. is the Deputy Clerk of De Kalb Circuit Court, and lives in Au-
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burn, and the others still domicile under the paternal root-tree. Nine of the children of this family have taught in the public schools of the county, and three others are expecting to do so in the near future. Of the brothers and sisters of Andrew Bax- ter, all are now dead, except Moses, who lives in Smithfield Township where he reared a large family of children, all of whom have taught in the public schools of the county. His sisters, Jane, daughter of William and his first wife (and half-sister of Andrew) and Jennette married two brothers, Joseph and William Scott respectively, and died, leaving fami- lies in Southern and Western Ohio. Daniel, his brother, died in Harrison County, Ind., and William but recently died in Wes- tern Pennsylvania, near the place of his birth. The family of James survive him in Van Buren County, Mich. John died up- on his farm in Smithfield Township in 1853, leaving a large family of small children who have grown, married and scat- tered, leaving only three who are still residents of De Kalb County ; all are prosperous. Mary, a sister of Andrew, married George J. Duncan and came to Smithfield Township where they settled and reared a large and respectable family, nearly all of whom still live and prosper in De Kalb County.
Nicholas Bontrager, farmer, section 36, Franklin Township, was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Nov. 19, 1838, a son of Joseph Bontrager. In the fall of 1852 his father moved to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled in Troy Township, where he died in December, 1879. Nicholas Bontrager was reared a farmer, and has always followed that vocation. He remained at home till the breaking out of the war of Rebellion, when he enlisted in Company F, Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry, under Captain Gunsenhouser. He participated in seven battles, but was on detached service the most of the time. He now draws a pension for injuries received. Mr. Bontrager was married Dec. 30, 1877, to Elizabeth J. Hantz, daughter of Jesse Hantz, of Steuben County, Ind. They have three children-Amy A., Joseph A. and Jesse H. Mr. Bontrager settled on the farm where he now lives Feb. 5, 1884. He now owns forty acres of good land, with a pleasant residence and comfortable farm buildings. Mrs. Bontrager is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church.
Cyrus C. Boyer, section 20, Franklin Township, is a native of this township, born July 2, 1848, a son of Joseph and Sarah
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(Jackman) Boyer. Joseph Boyer was born in Stark County, Ohio, Sept. 1, 1821, and in 1836 came to De Kalb County with his father, Peter Boyer, who entered 160 acres of land on section 17, Franklin Township. He was a man of fine business quali- ties, and by good management and strict adherence to business, he became one of the most wealthy and influential men of the township. He died March 9, 1881. Cyrus C. Boyer is the third of eight children. He received a fair education, such as the schools of Auburn, Waterloo and Angola could afford. With the exception of six years spent in study and in business, in Waterloo, he has always devoted his attention to agriculture and stock-raising. He has a large farm in a high state of culti- vation and fully stocked with improved breeds of cattle, sheep and swine. Mr. Boyer was married June 9, 1881, to Mary E. Walsworth, daughter of William J. Walsworth, a pioneer of De Kalb County, now a resident of Union Township. Mr. and Mrs. Boyer have two children-Carey W. and Nellie W.
William Bratton, deceased, was born in Williams County, Ohio, May 19, 1838, a son of John Bratton, of Edgerton, Ohio. He was a farmer by occupation, and an esteemed and honored citizen. He was married Oct. 30, 1861, to Mary J. Houlton, daughter of Francis and Evaline Houlton, of Franklin Town- ship, De Kalb County. He settled in Edgerton, Ohio, residing there till his death, Oct. 2, 1865. Mrs. Bratton then returned to her father's home where she has since lived. The homestead contains 160 acres of valuable land, and is superintended by George A. Young, a native of Atchison County, Vt., born Jan. 27, 1852, a son of Horace and Electa Young, who moved to Michigan in 1863. He has had charge of the Houlton home- stead since August, 1878, soon after the death of Mr. Houlton. Mrs. Bratton has had two children, but one of whom is living- John. She has an adopted daughter, Sarah Sewell.
Benjamin Casey, farmer and stock-raiser, section 26, Franklin Township, was born in Holmes County, Ohio, Sept. 4, 1835, a son of Benjamin Casey. Benjamin Casey began to learn the carpenter's trade of his father and worked at it eight years. In 1848 his parents moved to Steuben County, Ind., where he lived with them till the spring of 1864, when he came to De Kalb County, and lived in Wilmington Township three years and a half. He then moved to the farm he now owns, where he pays special attention to stock-raising, having many fine grades. His
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Poland - China and Chester-white hogs are unexcelled in the county. In addition to attending to his farm he also works at his trade. Mr. Casey was married Feb. 22, 1858, to Sarah A. Mathews, a native of Chester County, Pa., daughter of Noble Mathews. Mr. Casey is a member of the Odd Fellow's order.
Captain George H. Casper, section 11, Franklin Township, was born in Chemung County, N. Y., July 2, 1842, a son of Charles Casper, a native of Pennsylvania, who settled in Chemung County when a young man, and in the spring of 1845 moved to De Kalb County and settled on section 33, Wilmington Town- ship. His mother, Lucinda Casper, was a native of Vermont, a daughter of William Weeks. He was the seventh of a family of twelve children. He remained at home till the breaking out of the Rebellion, when he enlisted Sept. 21, 1861, in Company F, Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry, as a private. He was pro- moted to Second and later to First Lieutenant, and for some time was acting Captain of his company, and subsequently was commissioned. He participated in the battles of Fort Donel- son, Shiloh, Corinth, Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, and many others of less importance. He was wounded at Shiloh, and at Stone River he with a few others were cap- tured, but thinking he had a chance to escape he turned and ran, with a rebel infantryman in pursuit. A ball from his enemy's musket took off the fore finger of his left hand, in which he was carrying his gun. He ran till he fell, when the enemy gained on him, and he turned and surrendered, placing his gun by his side with the stock on the ground. The rebel irritated him by swearing at him, and he raised his gun and plunged the bayonet into his breast, killing him instantly, then turned and ran again and escaped from the fast approaching army. After his return from the war, Sept. 14, 1865, he engaged in agricult- ural pursuits in Steuben County five years, then returned to De Kalb County, and with the exception of the years 1880 and 1881, again in Steuben County, he has made this his home. He settled on the farm where he now lives April 4, 1882. He owns nearly fifty-four acres of valuable land, with a good resi- dence and farm buildings. Mr. Casper was married Feb. 18, 1864, to Evaline, daughter of Isaac Dirrim, of Steuben County. They have had five children-George M., Ada (deceased), Renna, Mary, and Ona. Mr. Casper is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and is Senior Vice-Commander of his
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post. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren church.
John N. Clark, farmer and stock-raiser, section 16, Franklin Township, was born in York County, Pa., May 26, 1822. His father, David Clark, was born in Lancaster County, Pa., Dec. 13, 1799, and in the spring of 1846 moved to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled on section 17, Franklin Township, where he lived till 1875 ; then lived with our subject till his death, Sept. 8, 1879. John N. Clark moved to De Kalb County in the fall of 1846, and lived with his father till March, 1847, when he moved to the farm where he now lives. He was the first settler on section 16. He has cleared 200 acres of land, 130 of which he owns. In 1847, '48 and '49 he planted his corn without plow- ing the ground, chopping holes and dropping corn in them. He was married December, 1843, in Stark County, Ohio, to Mary M. Hamman, daughter of Daniel Hamman, an early set- tler of De Kalb County. To them were born nine children, six of whom are living-Levi, Martha A., Joanna, Olive, Fietta and Phila. Mr. Clark owns 240 acres of valuable land, with a good residence and farm buildings.
Ervin A. Crain, farmer and stock-raiser, section 11, Franklin Township, is the youngest of six children of Ervin J. and Nancy (Gaylord) Crain, and a grandson of Charles Crain and Eleazer Gaylord. Charles Crain was a native of Middlebury, Vt. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and after his return home, in 1816, emigrated to Chautauqua County, N. Y., and thence, in 1834, to Painesville, Ohio, and to De Kalb County, Ind., in 1836, settling on section 8, Franklin Township, where he died in March, 1866. Ervin J. Crain was born in Middlebury, Vt., Jan. 29, 1815, and remained with his father till manhood, com- ing with him to De Kalb County. He was married to Nancy Gaylord April 5, 1840, and to them were born six children, four of whom are living-Melissa L., Leander T., Horace Greeley and Ervin A. A daughter, Phidelia J., died at the age of thirty-two years. She was the wife of B. C. Lemon, and left two children, Lucinda and Luther K. A son, Luther K., went West when eighteen years of age, and was employed in the mail service, and subsequently by Powell & Newbern, freight- ers across the plains. He has not been heard from for sixteen years, his family being unable to find a trace of him. Ervin J. Crain was killed by a pet bull Oct. 28, 1874. Ervin A. Crain
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was born in Franklin Township on the old homestead Dec. 6, 1852. He received a good education, completing it at the Hamilton select school. He was married April 5, 1872, to De- lana Dirrim, a native of Franklin Township, born Jan. 10, 1852, a daughter of James Dirrim. They have three children-Eva, Luther J., and Delana. Mr. Crain owns eighty-eight acres of valuable land, all well improved, and is making a specialty of stock-raising.
Leander T. Crain, section 1, Franklin Township, is a native of this township, born May 29, 1845, a son of Ervin J., a native of Vermont, and an early settler of De Kalb County. He was reared on a farm, and received a common-school education, re- maining with his parents till the breaking out of the Rebellion. In 1863 he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Twenty- ninth Indiana Infantry, and participated in the battles of Resaca, Buzzard's Roost, Rocky Face, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta campaign, Jonesboro, Franklin, Nashville, Fort Ander- son, Fort Fisher, Wise's Forks, and others. Since his return he has devoted his attention to agriculture and now has a good farm, well improved. In 1870 he went to the Rocky Mount- ains, visiting Montana, Idaho and Washington Territory, but spent most of his time in Montana. He visited the Geysers of Yellow Stone Valley, and there saw the Devil's Mush Pot, a large oval depression in the ground about eight or ten feet deep, at the bottom of which is a quantity of boiling sulphur ; also visited the hot springs, and saw parties catching fish in Gardner's River, and without removing the fish from the line or changing their seats, swing them into the boiling water and cook them. He returned to De Kalb County in December, 1875. March 22, 1876, he married Mary A. Fee, a native of Steuben County, Ind., born May 10, 1848, daughter of John Fee, a pioneer of Steuben County. They have had three chil- dren-Charles (deceased), Ervin J. and James. Mr. Crain is a member of the Odd Fellows' order and the Grand Army of the Republic.
John Dirrim, farmer, section 11, Franklin Township, was born in Chenango County, N. Y., Aug. 11, 1809, a son of Richard Dirrim, a native of Delaware, and a pioneer of Chenango County. After the war of 1812, in which he was a soldier, in September, 1815, Richard Dirrim moved his family to Stark County, Ohio, and settled in Brown Township, where our sub-
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M. CH. Hemstrat
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ject was reared and educated. In May, 1845, he moved to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled where he now lives, on what was then a tract of heavily timbered land. He was married Jan. 20, 1831, to Sarah Harkless, daughter of William Hark- less. To them were born two children, but one of whom is living-William, who married Mary A. Barker, and has four children-Hannah R., Viona, Florence and Maurice. Mrs. Dirrim died in November, 1834, and April 15, 1835, Mr. Dirrim married Hannah Gillespie. Of their eleven children, nine are living-Sarah, Hugh W., Leonard, Richard, Margaret, Isaac, Delana, Milton and Elizabeth A. James G. died while in the service of his country in the war of the Rebellion. Sarah married Fred D. Oberlin. Hugh married Catherine Spease, and has six children-Orlando, Lincoln, Clarence, Jordan, Net- tie and Emma. Leonard married Mary Gowdy, and has nine children-Frederick, William, Mina, Etta, Samuel, Anna, Sarah, George and Delana. Richard married Alice Wilkins, and has five children-Eugene, May, James, Pearl and an infant daughter. Margaret married M. M. Barker and has five children-Clara, Delana, Isaac, Charles and Chester. Isaac married Angeline Wagoner and has two children-Phobe and Mary. Delana married Irvin Crane and has three children-Luther, Eva and Delana. Milton married Minnie Turner and has two children -Jennie and Lulu. Elizabeth married Stewart W. Houston and has two children-James and May. Mr. Dirrim owns 100 acres of land in the homestead, which is now under the super- vision of his son Milton.
William H. Dirrim, section 11, Franklin Township, was born in Carroll County, Ohio, July 8, 1820, a son of Richard Dirrim, a native of Delaware, who died in this county in 1875, aged ninety and a half years. At the time of his death his descend- ants numbered 142. In 1833 the family moved to Wayne County, Ohio, and in 1844 our subject came to De Kalb County, and the following fall settled on the farm where he now lives. He bought 160 acres of wild land, 100 acres of which he improved. He now owns 146 acres, and his residence and farm buildings are convenient and comfortable. Mr. Dirrim was married Sept. 12, 1839, to Christiana Haughey, a native of Jefferson County, Ohio, daughter of Robert Haughey. They have had a family of nine children, seven of whom are living-Hannah J., Robert R., William S., Mary E., Christiana, Caroline and Timothy H. 39
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Hannah married Isaac Firestone, of Williams County, Ohio, and has seven children-Christiana, Dora, William, Sheridan, Timothy, Mary and Cora. Robert R. married Amanda Fire- stone; Mary married William Gowdy, of Steuben County, Ind., and has six children-Marion F., Francis, Charles, Mary, Rob- ert and Fannie. Caroline married George E. Hammond, and has two children-Timothy and Roy. Mr. Dirrim has served his township as Trustee one term and as Assessor two years. He and his wife and four of their children are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Hamilton.
George Firestone, section 23, Franklin Township, was born in Stark County, Ohio, June 30, 1811, a son of George Firestone, a native of Hagerstown, Va., and an early settler of Stark County. Our subject received a limited education, his services being required on the farm as soon as he was old enough to work. Oct. 18, 1836 he came to De Kalb County, Ind., and settled on the land which is now his valuable farm. At that time the chief inhabitants were Indians and wild animals, and the land was all heavily timbered. He entered 160 acres from the Government, which he improved and to which he has added, owning now 1921/2 acres. His first house was a cabin of round logs, and his furniture was of the most primitive sort. He early learned the use of tools and made the most of his fur- niture. For two years a chest, which he now uses to keep oats in, was used as a table. Mr. Firestone was married Oct. 9, 1832, to Catherine Crum, and to them were born thirteen chil- dren, ten of whom are living-Samuel K., Isaac, Hattie, Cath- erine, Amanda, Daniel, Benjamin F., Sarah, George S., and John L. One son, Josiah, died at the age of twenty-three years and two died in infancy. Mrs. Firestone died April I, 1870, and the following fall he married Mrs. Mary McIntyre. She had a large family by her first husband, but three of whom are living-Julia, Eliza and Ellen. Mr. Firestone is now living with his third wife, whom he married March 2, 1879. She was the widow of Richard Cook and the daughter of Samuel Lar- rabee. Her four children by her first husband-Samuel S., Mary M., Polly M., and Russell W., are all deceased. Mrs. Firestone came West with her father and settled in Adrian, Mich., in 1835. She cooked by a fireplace many years, using a cooking-stove for the first time in 1843. In 1840 she made the largest johnny-cake ever heard of in the United States, for a
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Fourth of July celebration at Coldwater. It was drawn by a six-horse team, in a canoe made of the largest whitewood tree to be found in the country, and was known as the Tippecanoe johnny-cake. A son of Mr. Firestone, Isaac, served over three years in the war of the Rebellion as a member of Company F, Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry. He participated in many hard- fought battles, the more prominent being Fort Donelson, Stone River, Shiloh, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge. He was wounded at Shiloh. Mrs. Firestone's son, Samuel S. Cook, served over four years as a member of Company C, Eighth Iowa Infantry, participating in the battle at Vicksburg, Sherman's march to the sea, and many others. He was killed by the accidental dis- charge of a gun in his own hands six years after his return from the war.
Samuel K. Firestone, section 23, Franklin Township, was born in Crawford County, Ohio, June 27, 1833, a son of George Fire- stone. In 1837 his father moved the family to De Kalb County and settled in Franklin Township on a tract of heavily timbered land. Here he was reared, receiving his education on the farm and among the wild animals in the woods surrounding them, but attending school very little, a few weeks in the winter being all the time allotted for that purpose. He became an ex- pert with his gun, killing many deer and other animals native to the county. He assisted his father till manhood, and when he began life for himself had very little money, but having a determined will and a strong arm he made up his mind to succeed, and having put his hand to the plow he kept steadily on, and his efforts have ever been crowned with success, and prosperity is his reward. When he commenced housekeeping he made the first bedstead of basswood poles, using the bark for a cord, and his wife painted it with poke-berry juice. He nows owns 220 acres of valuable land, which is well cultivated, and his residence and farm buildings are among the best in the town- ship. The first two years of his married life were spent in a log house in what is now Butler, occupied at present by Tim Otis. He was married Aug. 6, 1853, to Caroline Nelson, daughter of James Nelson, who settled in De Kalb County in 1847. They have had six children, five are living-George A., Hannah C., James E., Estelle, Maggie and Maude I. Mrs. Firestone is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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