USA > Indiana > Dearborn County > History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 103
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wonder therefore he is popular with all classes of people in this county, for among the young men residing here he occupies a position of confidence and esteem.
VONHOLT BROTHERS.
Among the well-known farmers of Lawrenceburg township, Dearborn county, Indiana, are Henry, Charles and Fred H. Vonholt, the sons of Fred and Sophia (Leupke) Vonholt, natives of Germany, the former of whom was born in March, 1821, and the latter was born on October 27, 1827.
Henry Vonholt was born on July 26, 1857; Charles Vonholt was born on July 2, 1859, and Fred Vonholt was born in April, 1861. The Vonholt broth- ers now have no relatives living except two cousins, Fred and Henry Grabben- kamper, who live at Vinton Place, Ohio, and who are the sons of Henry and Angeline (Vonholt) Grabbenkamper, both deceased.
The parents of Henry, Charles and Fred H. Vonholt came to America early in life and first settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they lived for many years. Subsequently, however, they removed to a farm near Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and lived in Lawrenceburg township for the remainder of their lives. They owned a farm consisting of one hundred and thirty acres in Lawrenceburg township, which is now owned jointly by their three sons, the subjects of this sketch. The farm is located three miles from Law- renceburg, and also three miles from Aurora. It is beautifully situated, highly productive and shows the care and good management of the thrifty German farmers who own it. The father was a most excellent farmer and from the products of this farm was enabled for many years to obtain a com- fortable living. He is engaged in mixed farming, raising all of the grains common in this section of the state, and a considerable number of hogs and cattle every year. His sons, who have succeeded him in the management and ownership of the farm, have followed in his footsteps. The buildings on the farm are substantial and well located, fences well kept up, and the soil is well drained. Located on a much traveled thoroughfare, the Vonholt farm pre- sents an attractive and pleasing appearance.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Vonholt were prominent farmers in their neighbor- hood and influential citizens in the community. Both belonged to the Zion Evangelical church of Lawrenceburg. Of their seven children four are now deceased, the living children being the subjects of this sketch. After a long and useful life the father, who was kind and intelligent, and who by economic
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living, toil and good management provided well for his family, passed away on February 18, 1904, at the age of nearly eighty-four years. His beloved wife, the mother of Henry, Charles and Fred H. Vonholt, died on January. 17, 1912, at the age of nearly eighty-five years. Their memory is revered by their dutiful sons, who at their passing succeeded to the comfortable for- tune which they left.
In many respects the lives of Fred and Sophia (Leupke) Vonholt were not unlike the lives of many men and women who have come to our 'shores from foreign lands, and who have added so much to the stability of our institutions. To say that they were diligent, God-fearing and sincere people is to tell only a small part of the truth. They were all this, but they were even more. In unremitting toil they expended their life's energies that their children might live in comfort and happiness. Nor is it too much to say that the three sons who bear their name revere their memory and respect them for the loving kindness which they bestowed so generously, not only upon their children, but upon all who came in contact with their benign and endear- ing influence.
WILLIAM MEYERS.
A man's reputation is the property of the world, for the laws which govern modern society have so decreed. When after long years of residence in one locality a man is held in high esteem by those who know him best and have come into contact with him in both a social and business way, then indeed is his reputation for all that makes for true manhood a thing to be highly prized by him and a rich inheritance to be left to his children. The reputation of William Meyers, one of the leading citizens of Clay township, Dearborn county, Indiana, has been unassailable all along the pathways of life, according to those who have known him long and well and it is therefore fitting that a short sketch of his career should find a place within the pages of a book of the character of the one in hand.
William Meyers has passed his entire life in this community, having been born in Dillsboro on September 27, 1873, a son of John and Mary (Johnson) Meyers. John Meyers also was a native of Dillsboro, having first seen the light of day in that hamlet on December 5. 1844. The Meyers family were among the early citizens of Dillsboro and have been associated with its affairs from the time it was merely a village up to the present thriving town of today.
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John Meyers was a farmer all his life. His first property holdings consisted of sixty acres of farm land, to which he added from time to time until he was owner of one hundred and eighty-eight acres. At the beginning of the Civil War, he enlisted with the cause of the Union, serving for three years as a private in the Seventh Indiana Cavalry, during which time he saw much active service. His death occurred on February 11, 1912, when sixty-eight years of age. Throughout his life he was one of the highly respected men of the community in which his entire life had been passed. Mary (Johnson) Meyers, his wife, was born in this county, near Farmers Retreat, on May 7. 1846, and remained with her parents until the time of her marriage.
William and Evangeline Meyers were the paternal grandparents of the immediate subject of this sketch and both were natives of the German em- pire. They were married before coming to this country, which they did when about thirty-five years of age, and brought one or two of their children with them, the balance being born in this country. There were seven in their family : Louisa, Henry, Sophia, Catherine, John, Edward and Andrew. William Meyers located in Dearborn on land which he secured from the government and gave the balance of his life to agricultural work. He reclaimed his land from the virgin forests and after many years of hard labor put it into excellent shape for cultivation.
William Meyers is one of a family of four children, one of whom died in early infancy. The others are Henry and Alice. Henry married Lillian Fritsch and they make their home in Dillsboro. They have one child, Harry. Alice Meyers became the wife of Andrew Zimmerman and they reside at Milroy, Minnesota, where they are engaged in farming. There are three children in their family : Floyd, Velma and Clara. all of whom are attending school.
William Meyers received his education in the schools of Clay township and remained on the family homestead, assisting his father in the work of the farm, until the time of his marriage. After marriage he rented a farm in Clay township for some eleven years, and in 1912 purchased the place, where he has continued to make his home to the present time. Mr. Meyers carries on general farming, such as is practiced throughout this section and is uniformly successful with his crops.
On August 22, 1901, William Meyers was united in marriage with Minnie Graver, a daughter of William and Millie (Buecker) Graver, both of whom were natives of Germany, having come to this section in 1867, when they settled near Dillsboro, where they continued to make their home. To
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Mr. Meyers and wife have been born four children, Cora, Ethel, Howard and Clifford, all of whom are in school receiving good educations.
Mr. Meyers holds his religious membership in the Presbyterian church, of which he has been a faithful member for a number of years. His political support is given the Republican party and he is regarded as one of the strong advocates of that party's principles in this community. For four years he served his party most efficiently as road supervisor for Clay township and he has also filled, with satisfaction to all, the office of township trustee. Mr. Meyers holds his fraternal affiliation with the Knights of Pythias and the Red Men through the local societies of those bodies. He is at present serv- ing the former order as chancellor and has the distinction of being one of the charter members of the local lodge of the Red Men. Mr. Meyer has long since proven himself to be a man among men in every particular, hav- ing met the various issues of life in the proper spirit. He takes a deep and abiding interest in all that concerns the welfare of the community and nation and gives his earnest support to all movements for the advancement of his fellow men.
WILLIAM H. McCUNE.
The attention of the reader is now called to a short sketch of the life of William H. McCune, one of the oldest citizens of Dearborn county, Indiana. Mr. McCune was born in Clay township on April 10, 1830, and during his life has seen many remarkable changes come to pass. In his earlier life much of the labor of the farm was done by hand, by methods which seem now most antiquated when the modern farm implements are considered. In the earlier days the farmer was practically isolated from the world and its affairs, but now he may have at his door every day the daily newspaper, his telephone places him in instant connection with the world at large and his home may be as modern and convenient as any city home.
William H. McCune is the son of John and Elizabeth (Riemer) McCune, the former born in Ohio and the latter in North Carolina. John McCune came to Dearborn county when a young man, locating here for the balance of his life, his death occurring in middle age. William McCune had a great reputation as a hunter and trapper in his younger years, spending much time in that manner, and now at the age of eighty-five he is still able to handle a gun successfully in competition with the best shots. Throughout the years,
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many fox, coons, opossum and other game have fallen by his hand and he has the distinction of having killed the last deer to be shot in Caesar Creek township.
William H. McCune was one of a family of four children, namely : Mary, John, William and Sylvester. In his younger years he worked out by the month on farms throughout this section and then purchased a ·farm of forty acres in this county, where he lived for years. He then purchased the interests of the heirs in the farm of his wife's father, this consisting of forty-two acres in Caesar Creek township and later purchased an adjoining tract of forty acres, whereon he farmed for a number of years.
On August 4, 1855, William H. McCune was married to Elizabeth Head- ley, who died on November 12, 1901, at the age of seventy-three years. She was the mother of eight children, namely: Harrison, Wesley, Mary, Sarah Belle, Anna, Philip, America and Emily. Harrison married Martha Span- gler; Wesley married Elvira Hindman; America became the wife of Francis C. Gloyd and the mother of two children, Myrtle and Harry; Emily married Henry Bohb and lives in Peoria, Illinois; Philip married Emma L. Gloyd, who was born in Ripley county, a daughter of James H. and Adeline (O'Neal) Gloyd, their marriage being solemnized on September 8, 1887.
Mr. McCune is remarkably well preserved for one of his years and in the spring of 1915, when eighty-five years old, he cut and split seventeen cords of stove-wood. He owes his remarkable health and vigor to his out-door life and for one of his age he shows unusual vitality.
WILLIAM CHARLES MULFORD.
The subject of this biographical sketch has always been a man of won- derful vitality and energy, far beyond that of the average individual. and taken a deep interest in the public affairs of his township. William Charles Mulford, justice of the peace, Sparta township, was born on November II, 1842, in the same township in which he now resides. His parents were Benjamin and Mary (Legg) Mulford. He received his education at the district schools at Cold Springs, and when through school followed farming under the instruction of his father, and has been in that business all his life. Mr. Mulford has always been prominent in the affairs of his township, and has not escaped some of the public offices, among them being justice of the
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peace, which he held for twenty-four years in Sparta township. and was also road supervisor. Politically, he has always given his support to the Democratic party, and his religious membership is with the Presbyterian church. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
Benjamin Mulford, father of William C. Mulford, was born on August 17, 1802, in Clermont county, Ohio, and received his education in that sec- tion. His father died when he was quite young and he was called upon to look after the farm and the family, living there until 1832, when he came to Sparta township and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land at a cost of three hundred dollars, and in 1834 he bought forty acress adjoining. for which he traded a house. He lived on this farm until his death, which occurred on February 28, 1883, aged eighty-one years. Mr. Mulford was a Democrat, was interested in all public enterprises and was particularly ener- getic on the question of good roads, many of which he assisted in building, and was road supervisor for a number of years. His religious membership was with the Free Will Baptist church. His parents were Daniel and Con- stance Mulford, and his wife was Mary (Legg) Mulford, daughter of John and Constance Legg. She was born on February 22, 1808, in Boone county, Kentucky, and was educated at Cincinnati, where she lived until her mar- riage, which took place near the present site of the Cincinnati Zoo.
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Mulford were the parents of six children, and had one adopted child : Oliver, John, Ann, William, Franklin and one who died young. Oliver Mulford married Sarah Wills and lived at Dillsboro, Indiana, where he followed the blacksmith trade. They had seven children, Benja- min, Oliver, Martha, Sarah, Morton, Grant and Frank. John Mulford was married twice, first to Cynthia Henderson, by whom he had four children, Charles, Martha, Mary Alice and Ida, and by his second wife, Mary Chance, he had three children, Morton, Laura and Emma. Ann Mulford became the wife of Michael Tarelin, and lived in Sparta township. They had six children, Mary, Elizabeth, Catherine, John, Edward and Fanny. Franklin Mulford was also married twice, first to Nellie Allen, who died young. They lived in Ripley county, and were the parents of four children, Oliver, Albert, Cora and Freemont. Mr. Mulford's second wife was Catherine Allen. They resided at Pierceville, Ripley county, and were the parents of four children, Mary, Laura, Hazel and Lora. James Vandolah was the adopted child, and he married Mary Larabee. They lived in Sparta town- ship and two children were born to this union.
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The paternal grandparents were Daniel and Constance Mulford, the former a native of the United States who lived during Revolutionary times. removing to Clermont county, Ohio, at middle age. To this union nine chil- dren were born : Daniel, Hugh, James; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (triplets). Anna, Mary and Phoebe. Daniel Mulford married Rillie Farkuer, and moved to Illinois, where he followed farming. They have had five chil- dren, Perry, Jacob, Mary, Elizabeth and Abigail. Hugh Mulford married Mariah Hall, and moved to Lafayette, Indiana. They have had six chil- dren, William, Luther, Frahl, Scott, Mary J. and Mariah. James Mulford was married to Lucena Shults, and moved to Middletown. Ohio, in middle life. They had five children, Jasper, Van, Minerva, Alvina and Charlotte. The triplets died in infancy. Anna Mulford became the wife of Richard Pall, and lived at Riverside, near Cincinnati, Ohio, where they followed farm- ing on a large scale. They were the parents of six children. Henry. Richard. Mary Jane, Ann, Elvira and one boy who was killed when very young. Mary Mulford married a Mr. Meyers, a grocer of Cincinnati. They have had two children. Phoebe Mulford became the wife of Isaac Yost, and lived at Milford, Ohio, where her husband followed cabinet-making. Their chil- dren are William, Benjamin and Mary.
The maternal grandparents were John and Constance Legg. both natives of Scotland, and were very young at the time of landing in the United States. They settled at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and were married there, after which they moved to Boone county, Kentucky, where they bought a farm and sold it again in a few years, coming to Sparta township, where they bought one hundred and sixty acres from a Mr. Kellogg. They again sold out, to Mr. Benjamin Mulford, and moved to Clay township, near Dills- boro, where Mr. Mulford died at quite an advanced age. He was a private in the Mexican War, serving full time, and after his death his heirs bought the farm, and Mrs. Legg moved to Dillsboro, where she died in 1837. when quite an old lady. This union was blessed with five children, Owen, Rich- ard (who died young), Claressa, Margarette Elizabeth and Mary. Owen Legg married and lived near Dillsboro, Clay township, and he and his wife were the parents of eight children, John, Benjamin, Hartsal, Mary. Jane, Claressa, Anna and another. Claressa Legg became the wife of Thomas Wilson, and lived in Clay township, near Dillsboro, and is the mother of seven children, Sara, James, William, George, Mary Elizabeth, Judah and Millard. Margarette Legg married Thomas Patterson, and lived first at Aurora, and later at Versailles, Ripley county, where Mr. Patterson is con-
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nected with the revenue office. Mr. Patterson was commissioned captain in the Civil War, and came out as colonel, serving the full three years. This union was blessed with five children, Richard, Martha, Thomas, William and Sarah. Elizabeth Legg was married to Peter Roland, and lived in Clay township, near Dillsboro, where Mr. Roland followed farming in connection with the carpenter's trade. They had six children, Maggie, Rebecca, Eliza- beth, Dean, Columbus and Richard.
William C. Mulford was married, August 17, 1862, to Rebecca Cald- well, daughter of Barkley and Alice (Stage) Caldwell. She was born on March 9, 1845, in Sparta township, and died on October 25, 1895. To this union have been born three children, James F. (deceased), Benjamin B. and Fleetwood S., who died aged five years. Benjamin B. Mulford was married to Anna Fuller and lives in Sparta township. They have two children, Idel and Clarence. Mr. Mulford also adopted a boy, Philip, who married Sophia Honegar and is engaged in automobile work at Cincinnati. He has two children, Howard and one who died in infancy. After the death of his first wife, William C. Mulford was married, secondly, to Amelia Wilkennig, daughter of Henry and Wilhelmina (Wellholf) Wilkennig.
Barkley and Alice (Stage) Caldwell, parents of Mrs. Mulford, are natives of Sparta township.
Mr. Mulford has been a life-long farmer, and is well and favorably known throughout his township, where he possesses the respect and friend- ship of all who know him and his family.
PHILIP BERG.
Philip Berg is a native of this county, having been born here on July 2, 1839. His parents were Theobolt and Eve (Richard) Berg. Theobolt Berg was a native of Germany, coming to this country from Strassburg when a young man, and beginning his life in America in Kelso township, this county. He later removed to Jackson township and made this his home until the day of his death in 1873, when he was sixty-three years of age. Eve (Richard) Berg was born and married in Germany. Philip Berg was still a young man helping his father on the farm during and after the schooling until the Civil War broke out. He then enlisted in Company B, Fifty-second Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and for four years he followed the flag of his
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adopted but beloved country. He took part in the battles at Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, Tupelo, Nashville and others.
At the close of the war in which he served faithfully and well, Philip Berg returned to his home town and married Barbara Bosstler, who was a native of near Lawrenceburg, the date of her birth being September 25, 1849. After their marriage they lived with the father of Mr. Berg until his death, after which they bought a farm of one hundred and twenty-nine acres, where they still reside, engaging in general farming.
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Berg are the parents of seven children. Michael married Mary Donigan and lives in St. Paul. Katherine married William Holbert and resides in Franklin county. They have one son named William. Frank is the husband of Maggie Scheffler, and their home, which is blessed with two children, Eva and Louisa, is in Shelby county, Indiana. Elizabeth married Joe Kelley and their home is in Kelso township. Their children, three in number, are Gladys, Mabel and Eve. George is the husband of Sallie Dake and they reside in Hancock county. Their only daughter is named Emma Barbara. Maggie is now Mrs. Henry Storm, of Plummer, California. Their two boys are named Glen and Robert.
Besides his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, of which he is justly proud, Mr. Berg belongs to two organizations in whose history and purposes he has always had a deep interest. One of these organizations is the Lutheran church, and the other is the Republican party.
Mr. Berg is sincere and energetic in all that he undertakes to do, and all of his efforts have been aided and seconded by the cooperation of his wife.
JOSEPH SEIFERT.
Like many other young men of his day, Mr. Seifert rented the farm on which he first set up to housekeeping, and, also like others, he was thrifty, economical, and withal a good manager, and soon managed to save and put aside enough for the purchase of a place of his own, to which he has con- tinued to add until he now owns nearly two hundred acres of fine, tillable land, on which he has put a number of valuable improvements. He has always been a cautious, energetic farmer, a man of good sense, and has never failed his township when it needed his aid in furthering the interest of its citizens, and he has the satisfaction of knowing he has done the best within
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his power, not only toward himself and family, but toward his fellow men whenever possible.
Joseph Seifert, a prosperous farmer of Kelso township, was born at Kelso, February 3, 1865, and is a son of Anthony and Fronecke (Wilhelm) Seifert. His parents gave him the best education to be had at the public and parochial schools of the township. After leaving school he assisted his father on the farm for a time, and in 1883 he went to Illinois, returning home after a period of fifteen months. He liked the home place better than any- thing he found in Illinois and rented a farm in Kelso township, where he did general farming for two years, and then bought a tract containing one hun- dred and sixteen acres, belonging to his father. After tilling this for a few years, he found his needs calling for additional land and added eighty acres more to his belongings. In politics, Mr. Seifert is a strong believer in the principles of the Democratic party, and his political ambitions have been rewarded with several of the township offices. In 1900 he was elected to the office of supervisor, in which he served nine years, and in 1909 was elected township trustee, by a two-to-one vote. In this official capacity he served six years. He also had charge of building the county pike, crossing the south- west corner of the township, and through his good judgment and careful management he put the township out of debt, leaving it with a balance to its credit. Mr. Seifert is as loyal to his church as he is to his other interests and is a sincere member of St. John's church at Kelso.
Anthony Seifert was born in Alsace-Lorraine, France, in 1829, and came to the United States when quite young, landing at New York City. He came from that point to Cincinnati, but not finding it to his liking, came soon after- ward to St. Leon, where he was employed as a day laborer until he had saved enough to buy a forty-acre tract in Logan township. He was offered a profit- able sum for this place, and being progressive and wide-awake, he sold, and was thus enabled to buy a larger place containing one hundred and sixteen acres in the same township, where he farmed for about thirty years, when he moved to Cedar Grove, Indiana, where he lived until he was accidentally killed by a Big Four passenger train. He was a Democrat in politics, and in religion a faithful member of St. John's Catholic church. His wife, Fronecke (Wilhelm) Seifert, was born in 1837. at St. Leon, where she lived until her marriage. She died at Cedar Grove. Indiana, at the age of seventy- four years, in 1911.
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