USA > Indiana > Decatur County > History of Decatur County, Indiana: its people, industries and institutions > Part 78
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WESLEY THROP.
The late Wesley Throp, of Fugit township, Decatur county, Indiana, belonged to one of the oldest families of the county, his father, Thomas Throp, a native of New Jersey, who had come to Warren county, Ohio, in 1817. having emigrated to Decatur county and entered a tract of land from the government in 1821, at a time when the settlement of Decatur was just beginning. Since 1821, therefore, a period of nearly a century, the Throp family have been prominent in the agricultural, political and civic life of this section, and in all of this period have contributed materially to the progress and prosperity of Decatur county. It was so with the original Thomas Throp, and also true of the family he left at the time of his death.
The late Wesley Throp, who, during his lifetime, was a well-known farmer of Fugit township, and who owned two hundred and forty acres of land at the time of his death, land which is now in the possession of a son, Bruce, and a daughter, Miss Jennie, himself was born on December 29, 1825,
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the son of Thomas and Ellen ( Emily) Throp, the former of whom was born on October 17, 1776, and who was married, November 29, 1800, to Ellen Emily, who was born on November 30, 1784, and who died on August 12, 1859. Of their ten children, William was born on August 7, 1802; Bethany, December 15, 1804, and married Daniel Heaton, of near Adams ; Jane, March 4, 1807, married James Freeman, a merchant of Greensburg; John I., March 15, 1810; Mary Ann, December 23, 1812, and married, first, a Mr. Miller, and second, Talbert Gillam ; James B. was an extensive farmer of Fugit township during his life. December 22, 1815, and married to Mary Kerrick, who was born on August 15, 1830, and who died in 1907, and died on April 6, 1884; Eleanor, February 10, 18IS, and married Granville Kindred; Margaret Fin- ley, April 26, 1820, and married Richard Clark; Charles C., December 6, 1822, married, first, Kate Roberts, and second, May Sneidiger, and Wesley, the subject of this sketch, November 29, 1825. All of the children erected homes in the vicinity of the old homestead and owned the Throp land.
The subject of this sketch, who was the youngest child born to his parents, was a native of Decatur county, born after the removal of the parents from Warren county, Ohio, to Indiana, and he spent all of his life in this section. After his marriage, in 1855. he and his wife began housekeeping in a log cabin on his farm, and a few years later removed to a new frame house which he built, now occupied by his daughter, Jennie, and his son, Bruce. Here the parents lived until their death. Eventually, he became the owner of two hundred and forty acres of land, adding to his original tract as he was able to do so, and this entire farm is still intact and is still owned by members of his family.
On September 4, 1855, Wesley Throp was married to Nancy M. Ardery, who was born on January 22, 1835, in Fugit township, the fifth child born to her parents, Thomas and Martha ( McKee) Ardery, the former of whom was born in 1801, and who died in 1846. The latter was a daughter of Daniel McKee. Thomas and Martha ( McKee) Ardery were natives of Kentucky, who were married in that state and who came with their family to Fugit township, Decatur county, Indana, in 1830. Their children were Mrs. Jane Wallace Smith, deceased; Mrs. Mary Alexander Walters, deceased; MIrs. Martha Thomas Thomson, deceased: Mrs. Eliza Archibald Spear, of Rush- ville; David A., a well-known farmer of Washington township, Decatur county, Indiana, and John William, who died in youth.
Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Throp, three are now deceased. The living children are Bruce, the eldest child, born on November 22, 1856, and lives on the old home farm with his sister, Jennie. April 4,
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1873, the sixth child : Mattie. April 11, 1867, who was the fifth child in her parents' family, married William R. Pleak, and lives at Culpeper, Virginia. The deceased children are Luna, Omer and Bessie. Luna was born, February 4. 1859, and died on April 25, 1862: Omer, February 10, 1862, and died on October 7, 1863: Bessie, January 24, 1865, married William Schomper, and died on November 23, 1890. She left one son, Ralph, born on November 21, 1890. He lives in Tipton county, Indiana.
The father of all these children, who passed away quietly at his home in Fugt township on August 18. 1881. was a Republican in politics, and a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church at Kingston at the time of his death. He was also a charter member of Clarksburg Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons. His wife survived him many years, dying on February 3, 1914.
The only male descendant of the late Wesley Throp is his son, Bruce, who is unmarried. and who lives on the home farm with his sister, Miss Jennie. In fact, these two members of the family of Wesley Throp are the only ones who now reside in Decatur county. Miss Throp is a member of the Kingston Presbyterian church, and for many years has been active in church work. Wesley Throp was a man who was highly respected during his life, a man of honorable and humane impulses, kind to his family and cordial to his neighbors, one of the empire builders, whose work and labors live on, even though the author of the work and labors has passed away.
MAX RUHL.
It is a distinction of no mean importance to have lived to become the oldest living native-born settler of the township of one's residence. This distinction belongs to the venerable Max Ruhl, a retired farmer of Marion township. now living in Millhousen, himself the son of native-born German parents, who settled in this township three-quarters of a century ago. While it is a considerable distinction to have attained the rank of the oldest living native-born citizen of a township, it is a further distinction to have lived an honorable and useful life in this community and this also belongs to the life works and career of Max Ruhl.
The venerable Max Ruhl, a pioneer citizen and farmer of Marion town- ship, now living retired in Millhousen, was born on February 15, 1843, on a farm in this township in a log cabin, built by his father, the late Gehardt Ruhl. This farm, which now comprises two hundred acres all in one tract,
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is a productive body of land, which, in recent years, has been maintained in a higli state of cultivation. A magnificent house sets back a quarter of a mile from the main road and is reached by a well-kept driveway. Gerhardt Ruhl, who was born in Germany, came to America when a young man and, after working in Cincinnati and Franklin county for some time, in 1840 settled in Marion township, one mile north of Millhousen. It is literally true that his farm was cut out of the virgin forest. Here he cleared in all one hundred and twenty acres of land and, in the meantime, built a comfortable home. He passed away at the the age of sixty-six on February 8, 1875. His wife, who, before her marriage, was Mary Ann Peters and to whom he was married at Oldenburg, Franklin county, died on March 10, 1872. They reared a family of ten children, seven of whom are now living and three deceased, Mrs. Caroline Fischer, who was the eldest; Christ, the fourth born, and Catherine, the youngest. The living children are, Max, the subject of this sketch ; Joseph, who lives in Cincinnati ; Mrs. Mary Henneker, who lives in Millhousen ; John, of Minnesota; Grefor, who lives on a farm near Batesville; Adam, of India- napolis, and Anthony, of Cleveland, Ohio.
When Max Ruhl was a young man, he worked in various parts of the country and, for a considerable period, was engaged in driving a team for a miller at Millhousen, Indiana. After his marriage, in 1872, he came back to the home farm and eventually purchased the interest of the other heirs to his father's and mother's estate in the home farm of one hundred and twenty acres and has since added eighty acres to the original tract, making in all two hundred acres. When we consider that practically the entire value of this two hundred acres has been created by its present owner and that he has had little assistance of anybody, we can understand his real work as a citizen, since this value could not have been created and this farm could not have been paid for and increased without hard and laborious efforts, unfailing determination, frugal living and careful management, all of which are distinctive marks of worthy citizenship. This venerable pioneer citizen deserves inexpressible credit for his many sturdy qualities of head and heart.
On January 7, 1872, he was married in the state of Ohio to Rosa Spander, who was born on February 15, 1850, and who has been the companion in all of his struggles, trials and tribulations of his early life and the triumphs and comforts of his later years.
In one respect Mr. and Mrs. Ruhl have been exceptionally fortunate. since every one of the six children born to them is still living, is married and rearing a family of his or her own. The names of the children, in the order of their birth, are as follow: Mary, William, John, Clara, Anna and Law-
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rence. Mary married Joseph Zapfe, of Jennings county, and has eight chil- dren, Luella, Esther, Harry, William, Edward, Olivia, Lawrence and Ray- mond. William, who lives on a farm in Marion township, first married Rosa Herbert. After her death, he married a Miss Rosczell and has two children, Leo and Herbert. John, who lives in Kokomo, in Howard county, Indiana, married Julia Ann Zapfe and has two children. Esther and Albert; Clara became the wife of William Fry, of Marion township, and has three children, Alfred, Olivia and Ferdinand; Anna, who is the wife of Harry Leuken, of Marion township, has four children, Luella, Edna, Frank and Walter, and Lawrence, who married Josephine Blankman, lives on the home place.
Max Ruhl has never been an office seeker nor has he ever been active in the councils of the Democratic party, with which he is affiliated in Marion township, since he has always preferred to devote his time and attention to his home, his family and his farm. The Ruhil family are all members of St. Mary's Catholic church at Millhousen.
WILLIAM HARRISON ISGRIGG.
In the industrial field there are few names better known in Decatur county than that which the reader notes above. One of the most prominent building contractors in southern Indiana, a form of activity to which he turned his attention very naturally, following the footsteps of his father, who was one of the best-known builders and decorators in this part of the state, Mr. Isgrigg has made a name for himself which must be enduring in this region, for the buildings which he has erected hereabout stand as impres- sive testimonials of the substantial character of his work.
The firm of W. H. Isgrigg & Son, for Mr. Isgrigg's son, Isaac J. Isgrigg, is associated with him, does a business of not less than one hundred thousand dollars to two hundred thousand dollars annually, employing a large number of workmen. This firm has made a specialty of erecting school buildings and is well known in this field, having in the last few years com- pleted twelve high and grade schools. They have also completed many other buildings, such as churches, passenger stations, factories, etc. At the time this is being written, the firm is erecting the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion building in Greensburg.
Mr. Isgrigg also has done work in Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, Den- ver, Wichita, Colorado City, Ft. Scott, Dodge City and other cities in Iowa,
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Michigan and Nebraska and in Arkansas City and other cities in the West and South. He started contracting in 1873, operating under the firm style of Isgrigg & Brown and later under the firm style of Isgrigg & Tumulty, then for a time he again operated alone, in 1904 taking his son, Isaac J. Isgrigg, into partnership, since which time the firm has been W. H. Isgrigg & Son and has been very successful.
William Harrison Isgrigg was born in the city of Greensburg, Decatur county, on April 16, 1853, the son of Jefferson and Martha Rebecca ( Morris) Isgrigg, natives, respectively, of Ripley and Dearborn counties, this state. Jefferson Isgrigg, who was born on November 4. 1828, and died on July 8, 1859, was the son of Elijah Isgrigg, who came to America with his father, Daniel Isgrigg, from England when nine years of age and settled in Ripley county, this state. Jefferson Isgrigg was reared in Ripley county and learned the trade of plasterer and stucco worker, becoming very proficient in that line of work. On February 29, 1852, he married Martha Rebecca Morris, who was born six miles north of Lawrenceburg, in Dearborn county, on December 28, 1833, daughter of Isaac and Matilda (Fitzgerald) Morris, natives, respectively, of Wayne county, Virginia, and Newcastle, Kentucky. Matilda Fitzgerald was a daughter of Joseph Fitzgerald, a native of Ireland, who fought in the War of American Independence under General Wayne. Isaac Morris was a son of Amos and Rebecca (Tyler) Morris, the latter of whom was a sister of John Tyler, tenth President of the United States.
On March 1, 1853, a little more than a year after his marriage, Jeffer- son Isgrigg came to Greensburg to perform the ornamental work on the Decatur county court house, which was being erected at that time, and liked the town so well that he remained, making Greensburg his headquarters the rest of his life, although his work required him to travel extensively over the country. To Jefferson and Martha Rebecca ( Morris) Isgrigg were born three children, Mrs. Nellie Throp, William Harrison, the subject of this sketch, and Sarah, who was born on January 26, 1856, and died on Septem- ber 29, 1857.
William H. Isgrigg was educated in the schools of Greensburg and early devoted himself to the building trades, following in the footsteps of his father. With a view to learning the business literally from "the ground up" he began at an early age to learn the bricklayer's trade under William Dyer and Mr. J. W. Stites. At fourteen years of age he started to carrying the hod and served his apprenticeship of three years. Upon completing his trade, he started out as a journeyman workman, going westward through Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. After acquiring some very practical experience by this
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method, he returned to Greensburg and engaged in contracting on his own account. He later was associated with others in the same line of business, as noted above, and in 1904 made his son, Isaac J. Isgrigg, a partner in the business, since which time the firm has been known as W. H. Isgrigg & Son, one of the most successful and energetic firms of building contractors in the state of Indiana.
On December 10, 1882, William Harrison Isgrigg was united in mar- riage to Vira Byrum, of this county, and to this union two children have been born, Isaac J., on December 5, 1883, who married Lela Gayette Burke and has two children, Lela Florine and William Shelton, and Mary, July 18, 1885, married Frank Hamilton, a well-known attorney, of Greensburg, a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, and has one child, a son, William Everett.
Mr. Isgrigg is a Republican and gives due attention to the political affairs of his home county. He is an active, public-spirited citizen and is deeply interested in the cause of good government, throwing his influence invariably in behalf of such measures as are designed to uplift the common cause of the people. He is a member of Greensburg Lodge No. 136, Free and Accepted Masons, and is warmly interested in the affairs of that order. Starting at the very bottom of the ladder, so to speak, Mr. Isgrigg has created for himself a very distinct position in the industrial life of this part of the state and is honored and respected by all who know him or with whom his extensive building operations bring him in contact.
DR. CHARLES B. GROVER.
Very likely there are no physicians practicing in Decatur county who have had a more general experience in the practice of a profession than Dr. Charles B. Grover, the proprietor of the Grover Sanatorium, which is located in the Everhart block, city of Greensburg, and which is fitted up especially for treating patients in emergency cases. The hospital has twelve beds and two attendant nurses during all hours of the day and night. It is quite natural that Dr. Charles B. Grover should be a successful physician, since he is descended from a family of medical experts, both his grandfathers having been physicians in New Hampshire, the state of his birth.
Born and reared on a farm in the state of New Hampshire, Dr. Charles B. Grover is from every standpoint a self-made man. The parental home, which was located near the new Hampshire and Vermont state line, was the
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CHARLES B. GROVER, M. D.
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scene of his early labors and the place where his early ambitions began to shape themselves. He was born, May 21, 1851, the son of Andrew T. and Laura (Kimball) Grover, who were intelligent, progressive and broad-minded people, and successful farmers.
The career of Dr. Charles B. Grover is a striking example of the young man, who is led away from home ties and home influences successfully to seek his fortune in the outside world. At the age of seventeen years he left home, parents and friends, and eventually arrived in Boston, where for three years he worked at various odd jobs, doing any sort of work which presented itself. A man of splendid physique, and powerful build, able to perform the most arduous labor, after three years in Boston he was lured by the opportunities for work in the Northwest, and for two years was en- gaged in various kinds of labor in the state of Minnesota. In the meantime, however, he had devoted his spare time to the study of medicine, and had spent almost two years continuously in grounding himself in the funda- mentals of medicine and surgery. When scarcely past twenty-two years of age he returned to his New Hampshire home, and was there engaged in the practice near his old home for seven years. During this period he was associated with a well-known physician of that community, Doctor Weeks. Subsequently, however, he went from New Hampshire to Chicago, and for a short time was there engaged in the practice with a Doctor Wilson. Later he practiced medicine for seven years at Frankfort, Indiana, with a Doctor Saylor, and during all of this period was improving his medical education and enlarging his information by home study. He had come to be known by the medical profession in the various communities where he had practiced as a profound student of medical science.
In 1894 Doctor Grover came to Decatur county, locating at Greens- burg, and one year later established the Doctor Grover Sanatorium, which had met with a very satisfactory measure of success. He is known today as one of the hardest-working physicians in Decatur county, and one who prac- tices medicine for the love of the work, rather than for the desire of gain. Patients are welcome to his office and to his sanatorium. No questions are asked regarding their ability to pay for the treatment they receive. Fitted up with the latest appliances, devised for present-day practice, the sana- torium is especially equipped for the successful treatment of tubercular patients, and many of them have been cured under Doctor Grover's care and treatment. A self-made and a self-educated man, not only in medicine, but along broad and general lines of information, his entire evening periods are now devoted to the acquisition of the latest knowledge available to practi-
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tioners of the medical profession. Genial, whole-souled, and indifferent to pecuniary success, Dr. Charles B. Grover has established for himself a place in the hearts of the people of the county seat, which no one is likely very soon to take away. Earnest and sincere in his life's vocation, he deserves to be classed among the citizens of Decatur county as one of nature's own noblemen. Doctor Grover is not only a member of the De- catur County Medical Society, and of the American Association of Pro- gressive Medicine, but formerly he was a member of the American Medi- cal Association.
In 1909 Dr. Charles B. Grover was married to Ethel Clemons, daughter of Henry Clemons, a well-known citizen of Greensburg, to which union two children have been born, Gladys and Laura Margarette.
A member of the Christian church since 1885, Doctor Grover is one of the leading members of the Greensburg congregation, and takes a reverent interest in the affairs of the church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias at Faribault, Minnesota. A Republican in politics. he has been honored by the people of this county to election as county coroner of Decatur county, and served four years in this office, from 1908 to 1912. During his residence in Clinton county he was deputy coroner there for eight years.
Men of Doctor Grover's type are so few that a community which num- bers one among its citizens is fortunate indeed. When his work is finished he will have what money cannot buy, the respect and esteem of this county.
EDGAR EARL HITE.
The lawyer's training is vastly different now from what it was a genera- tion ago. Today the best law schools are within the range of opportunity of every young man who aspires to the legal profession. Most of the younger lawyers have been trained efficiently in the standard law schools of the coun- try. One of the well-known younger attorneys of Greensburg, Indiana, who enjoys the advantages of a splendid preparation for the law and a splendid training in the law, is Edgar Earl Hite.
Mr. Hite was born on October 3, 1881, on a farm near Clarksburg, in Decatur county, the son of Lewis E. and Elizabeth ( Miller) Hite, the former of whom was born in 1849 in Rush county, and the latter of whom was born in 1851 in Fairfield, Franklin county, and who died in 1904. Lewis E. Hite
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is the son of Nicholas Hite, who married Sarah Fisher. The latter was born in 1819 in Pennsylvania, and came overland with her parents from that state in 1830. She died in 1913. The former is a native of Virginia, and was an early settler in Rush county. Nicholas Hite, who was born at Staunton, Virginia, owned a large tract of splendid farming land on the Rush and Decatur county line. Edgar Earl Hite is one of three children born to his parents. The others are Albert M., a farmer, and Charles C., who is fifteen years old.
Edgar E. Hite, after having received a common school education, and having been graduated from the Clarksburg high school, spent the year 1900-01 in Butler College at Indianapolis, and then three months at tlie Indiana Law School at Indianapolis. Subsequently, he spent four years in Indiana University, from which he was graduated in 1905 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. From 1905 to 1906 Mr. Hite was associated with Judge Douglas Morris, now on the Indiana supreme court. Coming to Greensburg in October, 1907, he began the practice of law here, and served one year as deputy prosecuting attorney.
Since 1910 Mr. Hite has served as city attorney of Greensburg, having been elected by the city council of that year for four years. He was re-elected in 1914 for a term of four years. In 1904 he was a candidate for prosecuting attorney of Decatur and Bartholomew counties, and has always been active in politics. Recognized as one of the leaders of the Democratic party in this county, he served for two years as secretary of the Democratic central com- mittee in Rush county, from 1905 to 1907. From 1908 to 1914 he was seere- tary of the Democratic central committee of Decatur county. He has also been secretary of the Democratic city committee since living in Greensburg.
Edgar E. Hite was married on October 19, 1908, to Eva M. Cartinel, daughter of Joseph A. and Susan Cartmel, formerly of Clarksburg. Mrs. Ilite's father is now deceased. She is the mother of one daughter, Hazel Ione.
Mr. and Mrs. Edgar E. Hite are members of the Christian church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons. He is at present chancellor commander of the Greensburg lodge, Knights of Pythias. and exalted ruler Greensburg Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
A young man of affable and agreeable personality, well learned in the law, Edgar E. Hite not only enjoys a comfortable practice in Decatur county, but is a highly respected citizen of the county, and one who enjoys to the fullest degree the confidence of the Decatur county people.
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GEORGE M. SCHEIDLER.
All success in this life represents progress, and those who laid down their burden in the dangerous days of the wilderness, planted the seeds that have, by careful pruning and scientific grafting, grown into trees whose fruits have benefited, not only the new country, for which they braved the perils of the seas to reach, but have reached far beyond our own shores, back to the homes of their native soil, and in fact over the entire civilized, work, in many instances. For those of us who are interested in evolution and scientific progress, it is a matter of deep regret that we cannot know what will be accomplished along these lines after we are put away under our six feet of ground. The prosperous looking farm wagon of today bears but little resemblance to the oxen-drawn wagons of pioneer days.
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