USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Dekalb County, Indiana, with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families > Part 42
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interurban line was constructed through Auburn and great progress was made in the paving of streets and in making other public improvements. Fra- ternally. Mr. McClellan is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Free and Accepted Masons and he and his wife belong to the Order of the Eastern Star.
On November 4, 1913, Mr. McClellan was elected mayor of Auburn for four years by one of the biggest majorities Auburn ever gave a candidate.
In 1885 Mr. McClellan married Jennie Barton, of Ashland, Ohio, the daughter of Elisha and Sevilla (Weirman) Barton. Mr. and Mrs. McClel- lan move in the best social circles of Auburn and are popular among their acquaintances.
JOSEPH E. SHOWALTER, M. D.
To be anything but mediocre in any profession requires not only a happy combination of natural faculties, but also a strong personality, a blending of courtesy and affability, and certain business qualifications that no discourage- ments can overcome. The well known physician whose name forms the cap- tion to this article and whose name has long been a household word in this county seems to possess these traits, for he has climbed, step by step, from a modest beginning to a position of prominence in his community, being now numbered among the leading representatives of the medical profession in De- Kalb county.
Joseph E. Showalter, of Waterloo, was born near Huntington, Indiana, on the 18th day of January, 1863, and is a son of Levi and Clarinda A. (Shilling) Showalter. The Showalters in America are descended from good old German stock, the emigrant ancestor having come to America about two hundred years ago, settling in New Jersey, and from his eight sons have come the many representatives of this family now scattered over the United States. The subject's paternal grandfather was Joseph Showalter, who was a prosperous citizen of Wayne county, Ohio, where he owned two hundred acres of land, besides which he gave eighty acres in Indiana to each of his children. His son, Levi, was born in Wayne county in 1838, living there until he was twenty-two years of age. The eighty acres which he received from his father were located in Huntington county, Indiana, and thither he proceeded in 1860. On the way he stopped in Concord township, DeKalb county, Indiana, where he formed the acquaintance of Clarinda Shilling. Their acquaintance ripened into love and some time after he had established himself in his new home, he returned to Concord township and married her.
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She was born in Stark county, Ohio, in 1841, and was the daughter of Joseph E. and Catherine (Hornberger) Shilling. They came to Indiana in 1846, driving through and locating in the woods in Concord township. where the parents lived until late in life, when they moved to Auburn. In 1876 Levi Showalter bought the old Shilling farm, in Concord township, and there made his home for about twenty years, when he moved to Waterloo, where his remaining years were spent, his death occurring in 1908; his widow still lives in Waterloo. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom four died in infancy. Those living are as follows: Joseph E., the immediate subject of this sketch: Mary, the wife of Frank Parker, of Angola, Indiana ; Cora, the wife of John A. Friedenberger, of Pontiac. Michigan; Jennie, who lives in Waterloo, is the widow of the late Daniel Rorabaugh: Hortense is the wife of William E. Ingalls, of Salem, Oregon : Myrtle, who is unmarried, lives in Waterloo; William A., of Salem, Oregon; Bessie, of Waterloo, unmarried.
Joseph E. Showalter was reared on the paternal farm in Concord town- ship, receiving his elementary education in the common schools, and after- wards attending the Tri-State Normal School at Angola. He then engaged in teaching school for three years, when, having decided to take up the prac- tice of medicine, he matriculated in the medical department of Wooster Uni- versity, at Cleveland, where he was graduated in 1893, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. A few months later he came to Waterloo, and entered upon the active practice of his profession, in which he has been engaged prac- tically ever since. Natural aptitude, thorough professional training and an ardent love for his work have combined to render him signally successful and among his professional brethren in this county he is held in high regard. He has been successful financially and is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and forty-three acres, two miles south of Waterloo, which is well improved and on which the Doctor has recently erected a fine large barn, up-to-date in every particular.
In 1893 Doctor Showalter was married to Olive Moor, of Concord town- ship, DeKalb county, the daughter of Noah and Josephine ( Nelson) Moor. Her paternal grandfather, William Moor, came from Ashland county, Ohio, in a very early day, the Nelsons also coming from the same locality. To Doctor and Mrs. Showalter have been born four sons, three of whom are living, namely : Edward Bruce, John Paul and Eugene D. .
Politically, Doctor Showalter believes in the principles of the Socialist party, but in local elections he supports the men and measures which seem to him best for the public welfare. Fraternally, he is an active member of the
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Independent Order of Odd Fellows and other fraternal orders. Quiet and unassuming in disposition, Doctor Showalter is, nevertheless, a man of force- ful personality and positive character and among his fellow citizens he is held in the highest regard.
DR. SIMEON UNDERWOOD TARNEY.
Each calling or business, if honorable, has its place in human existence, constituting a part of the plan whereby life's methods are pursued and man reaches his ultimate destiny. Emerson said that "All are needed by each one." And that is as true in one avenue of life's activities as in another. However, the importance of a business or profession is in a very large mea- sure determined by its beneficence or usefulness. So dependent is man upon his fellow men that the worth of each individual is largely reckoned by what he has done for humanity. There is no class to whom greater gratitude is- due from the world at large than to those sympathetic, noble-minded men who have applied their efforts to the alleviation of human suffering. There is no known standard by which their beneficent influence can be measured; their helpfulness is as broad as the universe and their power goes hand in hand with the wonderful laws of nature. Among this honored class in DeKalb county, Indiana, must be numbered him whose name appears as the caption of this article, who through a long course of years has enjoyed the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens, and today is numbered among the representative people of his county.
Simeon Underwood Tarney is a native son of DeKalb county, Indiana, having been born in Jackson county on October 16, 1838. His parents, Samuel and Elizabeth ( Wyatt) Tarney, came in 1837 from Ohio, and entered government land in Jackson township, which they improved and developed into a good farm, and there they spent the remainder of their days. Samuel Tarney was a typical pioneer, strong and stalwart of body, and equally rugged in character, being numbered among that sterling class who laid here the foundations for the splendid prosperity which has been inherited by the pres- ent generation. He was a practical millwright and successful farmer and was the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of good land. Politically, Samuel Tarney was an active supporter of the Democratic party and satis- factorily filled several local offices. To him and his wife were born seven children, of whom one died in infancy.
The subject of this sketch was reared on the paternal farmstead, to the
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cultivation of which he gave a hand as soon as large enough. His educational training was received in the common schools and at the age of twenty-one years he engaged in teaching school, carrying on this vocation during the winters for about five years, working on the farm in the summer vacation periods. In the fall of 1865 Mr. Tarney engaged in the butcher business at Corunna, where he remained five years and then moved to Auburn, where he opened a shop on Main street, opposite the court house. He conducted a good business and remained thus engaged there for eighteen years, becoming well known as a man of good business methods and fair dealing with his patrons.
As early as 1884 Dr. Tarney began work as a specialist in the treatment of rectal diseases, and in 1888 laid aside all other interests in order to devote his entire time and attention to this practice. His attention was first turned particularly to this form of ailment because of his own sufferings from rectal trouble, for which he could secure no relief from methods or remedies then in use. He then devoted himself to a serious study of the subject and finally, after a series of experiments, succeeded in formulating a remedy that effected a complete cure in his own case. Believing that he had discovered a valuable cure for one of the most annoying physical ailments, he then gave the remedy a thorough test on others until absolutely satisfied that he was right, and then he began placing the remedy before the public. The remedy is known as the Positive Painless Pile Cure and has had a wonderful sale, its beneficent effects being testified to by hundreds of testimonials which have voluntarily been given to the Doctor by those whom he has treated successfully and who have been helped by this wonderful remedy. The Doctor has been successful materially, as the result of the successful record of his remedy, but more to him than material success has been the satisfaction of knowing that he has been instrumental in relieving human suffering and thus per- formed a real service for humanity.
On June 17, 1860, Doctor Tarney was united in marriage with Caroline O. Castner, who was born and reared in Seneca county, Ohio. To this union have been born three children, namely: Laura Etta is the wife of Joseph Guy, of Chicago; Madison Melvin, who died at the age of thirty-four years, was married, but left no children; Romeo Elliott spent most of his life in Auburn, Indiana, but is now a resident of San Jose, California. He has been twice married, first to Ada McNabb, by whom there were two children, Ralph and Ruth; his second wife, who was a resident of San Jose, was Edna Geach.
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Fraternally, Doctor Tarney is an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the local lodge at Auburn, which he instituted, being at that time district deputy grand master. He has been an Odd Fellow for forty years and still keeps closely in touch with the workings of the society, in which he retains a live interest. Though now in his seventy: fifth year, he retains his physical powers to a remarkable degree, being as active as most men of forty years and enjoying splendid health. Intensely optimistic in his view of life, he is a genial companion at all times and is well liked by all who know him. He owns some valuable residence and business properties in Auburn, including his own comfortable and attractive home, and is proud of a fine cottonwood tree standing in the yard of his home, it having, since 1876, attained a height of ninety feet and a circumference of over nine feet.
Doctor Tarney has been an eye-witness of and active participant in the wonderful development which has characterized this section of Indiana, his memory going back to the pioneer days when wolves howled around their log cabin home at night and when deer were more plentiful than sheep are now. The pioneer home was primitively and scantily furnished, and lacked many things now considered actual necessities, but life in those days was less exacting and in many respects more carefree, so that the pioneers raised their children to habits of industry, persistence and economy which today are not emphasized as they should be. In the community where he has spent three- quarters of a century, Doctor Tarney has so lived as to win and retain the sincere respect and confidence of the people and he is deservedly popular in the community which has been honored by his citizenship.
JERRY A. BOLINGER.
By a life of persistent and well applied industry, led along the most honorable lines, the gentleman whose name appears above has justly earned the right to he represented in a work of the character of the one at hand, along with other men of DeKalb county who have made their influence felt in their respective communities.
Jerry A. Bolinger, foreman of the trimming department of the Zim- merman Manufacturing Company at Auburn, was born in the city in which he now resides on December 29, 1872, and is a son of Andrew and Eliza- beth (Walhorn) Bolinger. These parents, who were both natives of the
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state of Pennsylvania, came in their childhood to Dayton, Ohio, where they were reared and where their marriage occurred. During the latter sixties they came to DeKalb county, locating three miles west of Auburn, where the father followed farming pursuits and also conducted a dairy, and there he lived until his death, which was the result of injuries received by being struck by a railroad train at Garrett on August 9, 1887, while on his way home from delivering milk. He lingered until September Ed, that year, when he passed away. He was one of the leading members of the Lutheran church at Auburn, living a life entirely consistent with his profession and was an official of the church for many years, his wife also belonging to that society. They were the parents of four children, two sons and two daugh- ters, namely: Benjamin Franklin, familiarly called Frank; Emma, the wife of Emanuel Miser; Lettie, the wife of Levi Wolf, and Jerry A., the sub- ject of this sketch, who was fourteen years old at the time of his father's death. In 1888 the family moved to Auburn and here the mother still resides.
The subject of this sketch resided on the home farm, in the work of which he took a part until his father's death and his mother's removal to Auburn, when he accompanied her to this city and here finished his educa- tion, which had been begun in the district schools. His first active employ- ment was in the Auburn woolen mills, where he remained two years and then he entered the employ of the Kibblinger Company, manufacturers of carriages, where he learned carriage trimming. When Mr. McIntire suc- ceeded Mr. Kibblinger, Mr. Bolinger remained with him seven years and then accepted a position as a carriage trimmer with the Zimmerman Carriage Manufacturing Company at Auburn, with whom he remained five years, then going back to the McIntire Company for five years longer. In Octo- ber, 1908, Mr. Bolinger went to Butler and took charge of the carriage trimming department for the Butler Manufacturing Company, in which position he was retained three years, and then going to Elkhart, Indiana, took charge of the trimming department for the Crow Motor Car Company. After remaining there one season Mr. Bolinger returned to Auburn and on August 3, 1912, took charge of the trimming room for the Zimmerman Manufacturing Company, having sixteen men under him. By natural adapt- ability and training Mr. Bolinger is well qualified to supervise this import- ant department of the business and his services with the different firms with which he has been connected have been eminently satisfactory in every re- spect. He has at all times enjoyed the fullest measure of confidence on the
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part of both his employers and the men under him and is considered an in- valuable man in the position which he occupies.
In 1892 Mr. Bolinger was married to Lottie Shall, who was born two and one-half miles west of Auburn, the daughter of Eli W. and Adeline (Olinger) Shull. Her father, who was born and reared here, is the son of Henry Shull, one of the early pioneers of this county. The Olingers are also one of DeKalb county's prominent old families, the early generation of the family having located here at a time when corduroy roads were in vogue and bridges more conspicuous by their absence than otherwise. To Mr. and Mrs. Bolinger has been born a daughter, Jessie. who is now stenographer for the De Soto Motor Car Company. She was for a time employed in the city treasurer's office at Elkhart.
Fraternally, Mr. Bolinger is a member of the Knights of Pythias and for a number of years was prominently identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Religiously, the family are all members of the Lutheran church. In every phase of life's activities in which he has been engaged, Mr. Bolinger has performed his full part as a man among men and, standing four square to every wind that blows, he merits the high position which he now enjoys among his fellow citizens. Genial and un- assuming, he has a host of acquaintances throughout the county, among whom he is popular.
JOHN W. BAXTER.
It cannot be other than interesting to note in the series of personal sketches appearing in this work the varying conditions that have compassed those whose careers are outlined, and the effort has been made in each case to throw well focused light on to the individuality and to bring into proper perspective the scheme of each respective career. Each man who strives to fulfill his part in connection with human life and human activities is de- serving of recognition, whatever may be his field of endeavor, and it is the function of works of this nature to perpetuate for future generations an authentic record concerning those represented in its pages, and the value of such publications is certain to be cumulative for all time to come, showing forth the individual accomplishments of which generic history is ever engen- dered. The bar of DeKalb county has ever maintained a high standing, and among the able members of the same is he whose name introduces this para- graph. With a natural predilection for the law, and endowed with an
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JOHN W. BAXTER
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analytical mind and ready powers of assimilation, Mr. Baxter has for a number of years been firmly established in his profession here, retaining a representative clientage and holding the esteem of his professional confreres, at the same time leading such a life as to gain the confidence and respect of all classes.
John W. Baxter was born in Franklin township, DeKalb county, Indi- ana, on November 19, 1849, and he is the son of Andrew and Nancy (Brown) Baxter. Andrew Baxter was born in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, the son of William and Sarah (Rogers) Baxter. He spent his childhood in Pennsylvania, moving with his mother to Wayne county, Ohio, where his marriage to Nancy Brown occurred. The latter was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and was the daughter of Andrew and Ellen (Richey) Brown, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Ireland. William and Sarah Baxter were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, from the north of Ireland. In the fall of 1840 Andrew Baxter came to DeKalb county, Indiana, and entered a tract of government land in section 5, Franklin township. He built a cabin and then returned to Ohio, and then, as early as possible in the spring of 1841, he brought his family to their new home. The land had not then been cleared and Mr. Baxter's first crop of corn was planted by striking his axe into the ground, dropping corn into the hole and then tamping by stepping on it. In that primitive way he succeeded in raising sufficient grain for feeding purposes. He spent practically the rest of his life on that farm, moving to the city of Auburn when eighty-nine years old and dying two years later. He had been prominent in the civic and public life of his community for many years, having served several terms each as trustee and assessor of the township. He was twice married. His first wife, who died in January, 1856, left eight children, Elvina, Ellen, William, Andrew, Mary Jane, John W., Nancy Emeline and James B. About two years after the death of his first wife, Mr. Baxter married her sister Elizabeth. To the second union were born six sons, five of whom grew to maturity and survived their mother, namely: Charles O., Miles, Chauncey, Cory and George. Mrs. Elizabeth Baxter died on January 3, 1877, and Andrew Baxter passed away on December 18, 1903. Religiously, Mr. Baxter never identified himself with any church, though his leaning was toward the Presbyterian church, for which he had the greatest respect and veneration, as he did for all religious societies. Politically, he was a stanch Democrat, never voting any other ticket. Between him and his children there existed the warmest affection, though on neither side was there
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much demonstration. Judged by present-day standards, Mr. Baxter did not receive much school education, but he had been a close student and was well informed in the fundamental sciences, being especially good in mathematics and a splendid penman. He took the keenest pleasure in assisting his chil- dren in their studies, and all but two or three of them afterward became teachers.
John W. Baxter was reared on the home farm, attending school at Auburn, Angola and Butler, He then entered the law department of Michi- gan State University at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated in 1876. He then borrowed one hundred and fifty dollars from a sister and one hundred and fifty dollars from a man, paying fifteen per cent interest to the latter, and with these funds he bought a law library and began the practice of law at Butler. He formed a partnership with William T. Bope, who had been a fellow student in the office of McBride & Morlan, at Waterloo, when the two young men read law together, and later they had been classmates at Ann Arbor. They remained together two and a half or three years, when they dissolved partnership, Mr. Bope going to Bad Axe, Michigan, where he has prospered and still lives. In 1880 the clerk of the DeKalb circuit court died and Mr. Baxter was appointed to fill out the unexpired term, and in the fall of that year he was elected to a full term of four years. After the expiration of his term as clerk, Mr. Baxter resumed the practice of law at Auburn, where he has since remained. Though quiet and unostentatious in his manner, Mr. Baxter has impressed himself on the citizens of his county and he has been connected with much of the most important litigation tried in the local courts, while he has a heavy office practice and has done a vast amount of work that has not brought him prominently to the notice of the public. Personally, he is a genial and companionable man, an interesting conversationalist and one who impresses himself favorably on all who come in contact with him.
Politically, Mr. Baxter is a Democrat, though not a very active partisan, while religiously he and his family are identified with the Methodist Episco- pal church.
On November 29, 1877. Mr. Baxter was united in marriage to Ella Chamberlain, the daughter of Dr. James N. Chamberlain. To this union have been born six children, one of whom died in early infancy, and one, Laura, died of diphtheria at the age of four years: Mary, who is a graduate of DePauw University, is teacher of languages in the Auburn high school; Frank, who graduated from the Indiana Law School in 1905, was for three
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years engaged in the practice with his father at Auburn; going to Fort Wayne on a business trip, he lost his life in the burning of the New Aveline hotel in that city ; George graduated from Purdue University in the depart- ment of mechanical engineering, and, after teaching two years in that insti- tution, he went to Indianapolis, where he is now employed as a mechanical expert with the Rockwood Manufacturing Company ; Ruth is a student in the high school at Auburn
WILLIS RHOADS.
Fealty to facts in the analysis of the character of a citizen of the type of the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this sketch is all that is required to make a biographical review interesting to those who have at heart the good name of the community honored by his residence, because it is the honorable reputation of the man of standing and affairs, more than any other consideration, that gives character and stability to the body politic. In the broad light which things of good report ever invite the name and character of Mr.Rhoads stand revealed and secure and, though of modest demeanor, his career has been signally honorable and useful and may be studied with profit by the youth entering upon his life work.
Willis Rhoads, the efficient and popular cashier of the City National Bank of Auburn, Indiana, was born on October 2, 1867, in Steuben county, In- diana, and is the son of Richard F. and Nancy ( Gates) Rhoads. Both of these parents were natives of New York state, being brought by their re- spective parents to Indiana in their childhood. Richard F. Rhoads was the son of Lorenzo D. and Abbie Rhoads, who came to this locality in 1850 and entered a tract of government land in Steuben county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Nancy Gates was born in Broome county, New York, and in 1840 was brought to Steuben county, where her parents also entered government land and were numbered among the early pioneers. Lorenzo Rhoads had a brother who was a colonel in the war of 1812 and the land which the family acquired here was obtained through government script. They still hold script entitling them to forty acres of government land in certain states. Richard F. Rhoads and Nancy Gates were married in Steuben county, were life-long farmers, and lived there to good old ages, the father dying in 1910 and the mother in 1911. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and under their careful direction their son Willis was reared with correct habits and instilled with correct principles
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