USA > Indiana > Dearborn County > History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 58
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Shortly after his marriage John Cooper purchased a farm of one hundred acres from his father-in-law. He farmed this tract and raised some live stock and in addition to those duties he kept tavern for traveling stock men, and often kept in his pens and fields over night thousands of various heads of cattle. In those days there was no shipping by railroad as is now done, and all stock intended for Cincinnati market and points farther down the river had to be driven to their destination. Often great distances were covered in this way. and a place which offered shelter and protection for both man and beast was much prized and well patronized. In this way John Cooper formed an extremely wide acquaintance and was probably as well or better known than any other man in this section. To his original farm of one hundred acres he added an additional fifty-six acres on the east and later another fifty acres on the north. Here he lived at the time of his death, Jan- uary 6, 1903.
Ruth Ann Darling, who became the wife of John Cooper, was a native
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of this county, born on September 9, 1825. She received her education in the early subscription schools of the county and remained with her parents until the time of her marriage. To her were born nine children, as follow : William, the eldest, was born on May 14, 1845, and is now a farmer near Oxford, this state. His wife before her marriage was Isabelle McMullen and to them has been born a family of four children, Grace, Herbert, Laura and Pauline. Thomas was born on May 22, 1847, and lives near Boswell, Ben- ton county, this state, where he is engaged in general farming and stock- raising business. His wife was Sallie Hazleby, and they are the parents of seven children, Charles, William, Etta, Walter, Flora, Arthur and Edith. Sarah was born in 1849 and now lives at Robinson, Illinois. James R. was born on October 12, 1851, and is located in Bell county, Texas, where he is engaged in agriculture. His wife was Ella Blasdell and they have a family of ten children, Carrie, Ora, Sadie, Florence, Blanche, James; and four de- ceased, Fannie, John, Scott and an infant. John W. was born on October 27, 1853, and married Ella Jackson. He also lives in Benton county, where he is engaged in farming and is the father of four children. The eldest, Edna, is dead, and those living are Ethel, Floyd and Pearl. Matthew was born on December 13, 1855, and married for his first wife Jennie Hayes, who bore him one daughter, Bessie. After her death he married Adeline Courtney and by that marriage he has a son, Bert. Matthew is a general stock farmer in Benton county, this state, and is also known as the owner of a good line of race horses. David, who was born on January 13, 1857, died when young, on March 22, 1865. The next in the family is Edward, the immediate subject of this sketch, born on May 31, 1863. Lucy is the widow of Frank Bodine and the mother of three children, Bern, Harry and Darrell. Harry, the youngest of the family, born on May 19, 1871, also resides at Boswell, Benton county, where he is in the butcher business. He married Mary Myers and has two children, Lelia and Helen.
When a boy, Edward Cooper attended the common schools of his home district and aided his father in the work of the farm and tavern until the time of his marriage to Mildred Boswell, December 16, 1885. They were married at Parish Grove, Benton county, this state, and for four years they rented and farmed a tract .of one hundred and twenty acres. They then sold out their belongings and moved to Manchester, this state, purchasing seventy- six acres of land there in 1890. He was engaged in general farming for a few years and then began specializing in the horse and stock business. About 1905 he added to his original tract of land, buying seventy-two acres (38)
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on the north. and from that time to 1909 he practiced as a non-graduate veterinary physician. On September 20. 1909. he entered the Indiana Veteri- nary College. at Indianapolis, and took the complete course. being graduated from that institution on April 12, 1912, and since that time he has practiced his profession in addition to managing the work of his farm.
Doctor Cooper is uniformly successful in treating his dumb patients, having a natural understanding of and aptitude for handling those of the equine race. He has several fine stallions in his stables. among them being a Shire stallion. No. 10306, and "Kappa," No. 77044. the latter being a pure- breed Percheron. He also owns "Little Dan," one of the best road horses ever owned in this county. and in previous years has owned many stallions equally as good as those now occupying his stalls.
Mrs. Cooper was born in Parish Grove, this state, on February 4. 1865. and being orphaned when a child, she made her home with her uncle. Henry Robertson, until the time of her marriage. Doctor and Mrs. Cooper have two sons, Ernest and Roy. both at home.
Doctor Cooper is a man of decided convictions on all the questions of the day and gives earnest support to all movements having as their ultimate object the betterment of the social, moral, educational or material life of the community. The result is that he enjoys in a large measure the sincere regard and esteem of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the county.
His religious membership he holds with the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he gives liberally of his means, and his fraternal affiliation is held with the Free and Accepted Masons.
GEORGE F. DIEFENBAUGH.
The foundation for the present prosperity of the Hoosier state was laid many years ago by those who cleared the land and made it ready for culti- vation, and among these early citizens of the state there was no class which contributed more rapidly to the growth and development of the common- wealth than those men and women who came here from the German empire. The predominating trait of their nation is frugality and this, coupled with integrity and an honest desire to succeed, played no small part in opening up this section to the advance of civilization. Of this excellent class of citizens. the immediate subject of this sketch is a worthy descendant.
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George F. Diefenbaugh was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, June 15. 1863, being a son of Adam and Elizabeth (Wendel) Diefenbaugh, being the third child in their family of twelve children. The others are: William, deceased; Anna, now Mrs. Amm: Henry. of Nebraska: Kate, was Mrs. Link, now deceased; Elizabeth. now Mrs. Adams: John, of Ohio: Martha, now Mrs. Bode; Ed., of Milan. Ripley county, this state: John William, of Cincinnati; and two who died in infancy.
Adam Diefenbaugh was born in Germany in 1832. and when a child of two years was brought to this country by his parents. The voyage was made in a sail boat, many weeks being consumed in the passage, and the family finally touched the shores of the new land at New Orleans. They had the Hoosier state in mind as their destination, and fitting themselves out with a team of oxen and a covered wagon, they accomplished the dis- tance between this county and New Orleans entirely in this manner. Upon reaching Lawrenceburg after their arduous journey. they located on a farm which they rented, north of the then small town of Lawrenceburg, and there they remained but one year. Their next move was to a farm near Harmon Station known now as the Fogel place, and there the family remained for six years, at which time they came to Manchester township and settled per- manently on a farm near Hogan creek. Adam Diefenbaugh remained under the parental roof until the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Wendel, in 1858, and continued to work on the homestead with the father until the time of the latter's death in 1871, when he took complete charge of the farm of eighty acres. buying out the interests of the other heirs. There he continued for the balance of his life, passing away on April 7, 1894.
Adam Diefenbaugh held his religious membership in the Lutheran church, being an active member of the same. For many years he was a member of the official board and did much to advance the cause of the society. In politics he was a Democrat, although not devoting much time to this ques- tion, although he was a man who took great interest in all questions which affected the welfare of the community in which he had chosen to make his home. He was a son of Michael Diefenbaugh, who was born in Germany in 1801, receiving an excellent education in his youth and also serving his time in the German army. After returning home from the army, he turned his at- tention to farming, and remained in his native land until thirty-three years of age, at which time he immigrated to this country. His wife died the year after he reached Dearborn county and he never remarried. He first se- cured from the government a tract of land containing forty acres and the
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next year secured an additional forty, for all of which he paid one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. Six years later he added the Fogel place to his farm, and continued to farm the entire tract, with the aid of his son Adam, until the time of his death.
Elizabeth (Wendel) Diefenbaugh was born in Germany, in 1833. She received a good education in her native land and when fifteen years of age was brought to this country by her parents. They located first in Cincinnati and lived in that city for three years, when they decided to try farm life and settled in Ripley county, remaining there for the balance of their lives. Eliza- beth remained with her parents until the time of her marriage to Adam Diefenbaugh.
George F. Diefenbaugh was but an infant when his parents came from Cincinnati to Manchester township, Dearborn county. He grew to manhood here, receiving his education at district school No. 11, near his home, and remained with the father until 1887, when with the desire to see something of the country he went to Nebraska, and for one year lived the life of a cowboy. Soon after his return home, he was united in marriage with Marguerite Hiller, daughter of John and Dora (Ellinghausen) Hiller, the ceremony being performed on February 21, 1889. Mr. Diefenbaugh and his bride set- tled on a farm of eighty acres which they rented from Enoch Nowlin, and remained there three years. They next rented a farm of three hundred and forty acres from F. Meyer and lived there until the house was destroyed by fire one year later. They next went to York township, where for seven years they lived on a farm of one hundred and forty acres owned by Thomas Emerson. By that time the family homestead was in need of someone to take charge of it, and for the next two years Mr. Diefenbaugh rented this farm from his mother. The place was then purchased by a brother and for another year Mr. Diefenbaugh continued to be a renter and then purchased the old family homestead for his own. This contained eighty acres and after living thereon for another six years, subject purchased a farm adjoining of the same size. This makes him one hundred and sixty acres in his homestead.
Mrs. Diefenbaugh's parents, John and Dora (Ellinghausen) Hiller, were both born in Germany and while they were acquainted in their native land, their marriage did not take place until they were settled in Lawrence- burg. He settled first on a tract of land which he rented and farmed for five years and then purchased the Nowlin farm of one hundred and forty-five acres, where both he and his wife passed the remainder of their days. Both were devout members of the Lutheran church and Mr. Hiller served both as a
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deacon and elder for several years. There were eight children in this family, Mrs. Diefenbaugh being the third in order of birth. The eldest was Henry, who is a farmer living in the state of Missouri; Albert, who farms in Iowa; as do also Fred and George; Mary is Mrs. Engelking, and lives in Okla- homa; John resides at Tipton, Indiana; and Anna is Mrs. Foulke, of Law- renceburg township, this county.
George F. Diefenbaugh is a man of quiet and unassuming disposition, genial and friendly in his relations with others, and he has for many years enjoyed a wide acquaintance and large prestige throughout the community where he lives. In politics he votes the Republican ticket, and holds his reli- gious membership with the Lutheran church, being an official member of that body. To Mr. and Mrs. Diefenbaugh have been born a family of eight children, of whom Albert is the eldest. He is located on a farm near Sheldon, Illinois. Louis died at the age of sixteen and one-half years. The other children, Fred, Mary, Harry, Arthur, Anna and George, remain at home with the parents.
JAMES MURDOCK.
The decade from 1840 to 1850 witnessed the arrival in this country of many desirable immigrants from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, who were quick to see the opportunities in this new land and had the strength and courage to transform their hopes into realities. Among them was James Murdock, the subject of this biography.
James Murdock is a son of William and Anna (McGookin) Murdock, and was born on June 25, 1836, in Ireland, where he attended school for several years. Coming to America with his parents, when but eleven years old, in 1847, he completed the course in the country school, and remained with his parents on the farm until the time of his marriage, when he com- menced housekeeping at Aurora, Indiana, where he was employed in a foundry about four years. Leaving that place, he went to Missouri and rented a farm, and not liking the climate, he removed in a short time to Sullivan. Indiana, where he bought eighty-two acres of land, and cultivated it for fourteen years. Tiring of this location, he sold and moved to Manchester township, Dearborn county, where he did general farming until satisfied with his accumulation of wealth. He rented his farm to Claude Greenham, and is living a life of retirement, which he enjoys to the fullest extent. His
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straightforward method of dealing with his fellow men has won the respect and confidence of the citizens of the township, and he is a man who has always been interested in questions concerning the welfare and benefit of the public. Mr. Murdock has always been a true Democrat. At present he is a director of the Moores Hill State Bank.
William and Anna (Gookin) Murdock were both natives of Ireland. The former was born in 1796, and was educated in the land of his nativity. After his marriage he cultivated a farm for several years, about twelve miles from Belfast, Ireland. He brought his family to the United States in 1847, and landed at New Orleans, after a voyage of ten weeks and three days. They came up the Mississippi river and then up the Ohio river to Aurora, Indiana, and rented a farm in Sparta township, where they remained but a short time, and then rented sixty acres in Manchester township. They lived on this place three years, and after a number of later moves, finally settled in Sullivan county, Missouri, in 1856, where he bought sixty acres, on which he lived and died a few years later. His wife, Anna (McGookin) Mur- dock, lived with her parents until her marriage, and came to America with her husband and children, of whom she was the mother of eight, John, George. William, James, Isabel, Jane, Matilda and Jennie.
John Murdock died on their voyage to the United States, and was buried in the Gulf of Mexico; George died on a farm in Missouri; William was a school teacher in Missouri, where he also died; James, the subject of this sketch; Isabel, the wife of Samuel McKinstrey, died in Manchester town- ship: Jane became the second wife of Samuel Steele, of Sullivan county, Missouri, where she died, leaving twelve children, including four sets of twins: Matilda is the wife of James Boyland, and is now living on a farm in Sullivan county, Missouri, and they have three children, Samson, Anna and Edna. Jennie, the first wife of Samuel Steele, died in Aurora, in 1849. leaving no children.
James Murdock was married on November 13, 1862, to Anna Russell, daughter of James A. and Elizabeth ( Barclay) Russell. Mrs. Murdock was a native of Ireland. but came to America with her parents when quite young, remaining with them until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Murdock have never been blessed with any children of their own, and longing for childish voices to brighten their lonely hours, adopted four children : Samuel McKinstrey, Anna Mckinstrey, David Johnston and Nellie Russell. Samuel Mckinstrey died in Colorado at the age of twenty-five; Anna McKinstrey became the wife of Hugh Withered, a farmer in Manchester township. They have two
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children, Benjamin and Raymond. David Johnston is a prosperous physician at Moores Hill, Indiana. Nellie became the wife of Claude Greenham, whose sketch is presented elsewhere in this book.
James A. and Elizabeth (Barclay) Russell, the parents of Mrs. Mur- dock, were natives of Ireland, where the former was educated and afterward learned the stone mason's trade, which he followed for a number of years before coming to America. He arrived at Philadelphia about 1844, and.came directly to Aurora, Indiana, buying a small farm near Hogan creek, where he lived until death called him hence. Mr. Russell continued to follow the stone mason's trade in this country, and assisted in building many of the finest houses in this section of the county. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religion a member of the Presbyterian church at Sparta, which church he helped to build, and served as its first elder. He died on March 1, 1855, shortly before the church was finished, leaving a widow and eight children. His wife, Elizabeth, was a daughter of James and Amelia Barclay. She was born and educated in Ireland, and lived with her parents in that country until her marriage. This union was blest with eight children, Anna, John, Robert, Mary, William, Hugh, Elizabeth, Sarah J. John Russell went to war in the Seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was taken pris- oner and died in Andersonville prison; Robert went to war in the Sixteenth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and lost his life at Vicksburg.
After an active and useful life, James Murdock is justly entitled to the peace and quiet which he is now enjoying.
PROF. ROBERT WALLACE LUSK.
There is perhaps no calling more fraught with potential possibilities for the future than that of an instructor of youth. While young children are sent to school primarily to secure the rudiments of an education, oftentimes the knowledge gained from books is the least part of the training, for a high- minded and far-seeing teacher can instill into the tender minds under his care the seeds of an honorable ambition which with the unfolding of the life of the pupil may expand into a wonderful and far-reaching benefit to humanity. The man whose name heads this sketch, while young in years, is possessed of the worthy ambition to so influence the lives of the young under his care as to throw all his influence on the side of the better things of life.
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Robert Wallace Lusk was born in Manchester township, Dearborn coun- ty, April 4, 1889, a son of Luther and Emma (Van Scyoc) Lusk. His father was born in Dayton, Kentucky, June 15, 1860, and owing to the death of his mother when he was a small child, Luther was taken into the home of Mrs. Phyllis Alexander, of this township, and there carefully reared. He received his education in the schools near his home and worked on the farm for Mrs. Alexander until the time of his marriage to Emma Van Scyoc, February 4, 1885. After his marriage, he purchased from Mrs. Alexander her farm of one hundred and twelve acres, and there he has since lived and reared his family. Luther Lusk is a member of the Universalist church, devoting much time and means to the cause of the local society which he serves in an official capa- city. In politics he is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party and holds his fraternal affiliation with the ancient order of Free and Accepted Masons. Emma Van Scyoc, his wife, was born in Manchester township and received her education in the public school near here home. She remained with her parents until the time of her marriage to Luther Lusk, to whom she has borne two children, Alton G., and Robert Wallace, the immediate subject of this sketch. Alton G. married Ethel Davenport, and is a farmer near South Bend, this state. Previous to going there, he taught school in this township for four years and has many friends among those with whom he labored. He is a member of the Universalist church and also of the order of Free and Accepted Masons.
Robert Wallace Lusk received his elementary education in the schools near his home, later attending high school and the Normal College at Danville, this state, taking his teacher's training at the same institution. After returning to his home he taught one term at district school No. 14, of Manchester town- ship, and has now been principal of high school No. 6, at Manchester, for the past two terms.
In January, 1914, Robert Wallace Lusk was united in marriage with Fern Greenham, and to their union has been born one son, Paul Enloe. Mrs. Lusk is a daughter of McClellan and Belle Greenham and was born at Man- chester, being one of a family of three children, namely: Pearl, Lela and Fern.
Professor Lusk is a member of the Universalist church, as are the other members of his family. He holds his fraternal affiliation in the ancient order of Free and Accepted Masons, through Burns Lodge No. 55, of which body he is serving as secretary at the present time. Professor Lusk is most anxious to advance the welfare of his community along all possible lines, and any move-
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ment having as its ultimate aim the betterment of the social, moral, educational or material life of the locality, finds in him a most earnest advocate. He has proved himself faithful to every trust imposed in him and in view of his accomplishments while still so young a man, he bids fair to do still greater things in the future as the years bring greater opportunities and add to him their dignity and experience.
WILLIAM F. BUSSE.
No class of our adopted citizens has been more successful in America than that of German lineage. Their courage and energy have done much to inspire many of our native-born sons and daughters with energy and ambition, with- out which progress and success are at a standstill. The skillful manner in which Mr. Busse, whose sketch is here written, has managed and increased his splendid farming interests, has established an example which generations to come would do well to follow. Simple as it appears to one looking on, it takes an expert to make a financial success of farming. Most anyone can make a liv- ing, but a man makes a serious mistake in neglecting to see to it that he puts enough aside for the proverbial "rainy day," and the subject of this biography was one of the few who not only provided for the wet weather, but saw to it that even the storms could beat their strength out without materially affect- ing his comfort, or give him any concern regarding his financial soundness.
William F. Busse was one of the wealthiest and most influential farmers of Dearborn county. He was born on January 31, 1861, in Manchester town- ship, but received his education in Hogan township. His parents were Henry C. and Angeline (Gessel) Busse. After leaving school he assisted his father on the farm until his marriage, when he set up a housekeeping establishment of his own in Hogan township, on a ten-acre tract, which he cultivated for about nine years, and then bought a more profitable farm of one hundred and ninety-six acres in Manchester township. Here he carried on a general farm and dairy business, and, about ten years since, he bought the old Busse home- stead, which he rented out to a good advantage. Mr. Busse filled several of the township offices, serving faithfully as township trustee for four years. He was a Democrat in politics. A firm believer in the religion of Christ, he was an attentive member of the Lutheran church, to which he was a liberal contributor, and of which he was an official board member.
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Henry C. Busse, father of William F .. was a native of Prussia, where he was born on September 23, 1834. and where he received a good English and German education. He was a son of Rev. Christian and Dorothea ( Poos) Busse. Mr. Busse came to America with his parents, when but nine years of age. remaining with them until his marriage, when he bought land and started farming on a tract of one hundred and fifty-four acres. in 1861. He continued to add to his acres until he owned over three hundred, and con- tinued to do general farming until a few years prior to his death. when he moved to Aurora, Indiana. where he spent his remaining years. dying on August 2, 1914. He was a quiet, industrious citizen, and everything about his place indicated taste and thrift. Mr. Busse and his entire family were members of the Lutheran church, of which he filled the office of trustee for sixteen years.
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