USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Dekalb County, Indiana, with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families > Part 62
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On September 30, 1891, Frank W. Olinger was married to Mary M. Ditmars, who was born about three miles south of Auburn, the daughter of Isaac and Martha (George) Ditmars. Isaac Ditmars, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, on September 7, 1837, was the son of John A. and Eliza (Neff) Ditmars, who, in 1853, came to DeKalb county, Indiana, locat- ing a mile and a half south of Auburn, where they made their permanent home. There John A. Ditmars owned a farm and a good water-power saw- mill. In the building of the latter Isaac Ditmars had a hand and there he labored many a day and night. John A. Ditmars, who was born in New Jersey on November 28, 1811. married Eliza Neff, who was a native of Hunterdon county, New Jersey. On their DeKalb county homestead Isaac Ditmars was reared to maturity and took up farming for his life occupation. On September 22, 1861, he enlisted in Company F. Forty-fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he saw some severe service. At the battle of Shiloh he received a serious wound, from the effects of which he was rendered unfit for duty and received an honorable discharge. He still limps some from the effects of the injury. After returning home, Isaac Dit- mars resumed his farming operations south of Auburn, in which he met with good success, at one time owning three hundred and twenty acres of land. Since the death of his wife he has made his home with his sister, Mrs. Emily Reed, about a mile and a half north of Anburn. On October 30, 1862, Isaac Ditmars married Martha George, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, and was the daughter of John T. and Nancy ( McClelland ) George, who came to Indiana in 1844. To Isaac and Martha Ditmars were born four children, namely: Ulysses Ellsworth was killed by falling from a tree October 2. 1873. in the eleventh year of his age ; George M. is a farmer about two miles south of Auburn: Mary M., the wife of Frank W. Olinger : Anna L., the wife of Frank Dawson, who lives a mile north of Auburn. The mother of these children, who passed away on April 20, 1905, was a worthy woman and a highly esteemed member of the Baptist church at
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Auburn. To Frank W. and Mary M. Olinger have been born three children, namely: Everett D., born September 30, 1893. died on December 5. 1897; Ethel Geraldine, born June 16, 1807, is a student in the Auburn high school, and George M., who was born on April 15, 1899, is also a student in the public schools. Fraternally, Frank W. Olinger is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of the Maccabees. Earnest purpose and tireless energy, combined with mature judgment and every-day common sense, have been among his most prominent characteristics, and he has merited the respect and esteem which are accorded him by all who know him. He is broad-minded, kind-hearted and friendly in his relations with others and is universally well liked.
CHARLES CAPP.
While success cannot be achieved without unflagging industry, the fu- tility of effort is often noticeable in the business world and results from the fact that it is not combined with sound business judgment. Many a man who gives his entire life to toil, earnest and unremitting, never acquires a competency, but when his labor is well directed, prosperity always follows. Mr. Capp is one whose work has been supplemented by careful management and today he is among those who have triumphed over adverse conditions and won success.
Charles Capp was born in Lorain county, Ohio, on July 12, 1864. the youngest son born to Edward and Sarah Capp. His early life was spent on the paternal farmstead and his education was secured in the district schools of that locality. After the death of his parents, and that of his elder brother in 1882, Mr. Capp went to Morenci, Michigan, to carry on the latter's busi- ness. After spending five years in that city as a stock dealer and butcher. Mr. Capp came to Butler, Indiana, and entered into a partnership with his brother Edward in the meat business. They started in on a small scale, but by strict attention to their enterprise and fair dealings with their patrons. they built up a large and prosperous business, so that later on they were enabled to purchase a building of their own. Edward Capp sold his interest in the business to his brother William, but eventually the subject bought his brother's interest and conducted the meat market successfully for twenty years. In 1903 Mr. Capp purchased the Madden farm, located east of Butler, on which he built a slaughter house and a large stock barn, and in 1908 sold his meat market in Butler to A. L. Lake, of Spencerville, Indiana. Mr. Capp
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has continued to butcher for the local trade, but is giving his chief attention to the buying and selling of live stock of all kinds, in which business he has met with pronounced success. He is a good judge of live stock, and has bought and shipped immense quantities throughout this locality. He pos- sesses splendid business qualifications, and by untiring perseverance and the exercise of sound judgment he is achieving a splendid success in his en- terprise.
On November 24. 1889, Charles Capp was united in marriage with Lizzie Swift, of Fayette, Ohio, and to this union have been born six chil- dren. four sons and two daughters, of whom two sons and one daughter died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Capp are well known throughout this com- munity and enjoy the friendship of all who know them, who esteem them because of their excellent qualities and genuine worth.
GILES THOMPSON ABBEY.
The life history of Giles Thompson Abbey, one of the well known and highly esteemed venerable veterans, now living in honorable retirement in the picturesque little town of Waterloo, Indiana, shows what industry, good habits and staunch citizenship will accomplish in the battle of acquiring property and rearing children to lead steady and respectable lives. His life has been one replete with duty well and conscientiously performed in all of its relations. He has not been a man to shrink from his duty, however irk- some or dangerous, and it is such traits that win in life's affairs. He has come down to us from the pioneer period and has noted the wondrous trans- formation from that time to this, playing well his part in the drama of civilization. He has been an advocate of wholesome living, and cleanliness in politics as well, and has ever been outspoken in his antipathy to wrong doing, whether by the humble citizen or by the incumbents of influential offices.
Giles Thompson Abbey, who for forty-nine years has been a resident of DeKalb county. Indiana, was born on November 24, 1827, in Sandusky county, Ohio, and is a son of Alanson and Lucy (Daggett) Abbey, both of whom were born and reared in Ontario county, New York, where their mar- riage also occurred. The subject's paternal ancestry is traced back in an unbroken line to emigrants from England, who located in Massachusetts, they being the subject's great-grandparents. The subject's paternal grand-
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father, Joshua Abbey, who was born in Massachusetts, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, in which also his brother, John, was an officer. Joshua Abbey moved to Ontario county, New York, and there Alanson Abbey was born in 1793, and who was eventually a soldier in the war of 1812. After his marriage in 1819 he moved to Sandusky county, Ohio, where he bought and developed a farm. In 1838 the family moved to Steuben county, Indiana, settling in Steuben township about one-half mile south of Pleasant Lake, where the father spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1877. at the age of eighty-four years. His first wife, who died in 1840, was the mother of ten children, six of whom lived to maturity. In November, 1841, Alanson Abbey married Mary Boyce, whose death occurred when the sub- ject of this sketch was fifteen years old, at which time the father broke up housekeeping. His first wife, mother of the subject of this sketch, was born in New York in 1803 and was the daughter of Jacob Daggett.
Giles T. Abbey received his education in the district schools of Sandusky county, Ohio. One of his first teachers was the grandmother of Gen. J. B. McPherson, the latter having been a playmate of the subject in his youthful days. Giles Abbey was but eleven years of age when brought to Steuben county, at which time the Indians were numerous here, and in his youth he wrestled, ran foot races and engaged in nearly all the sports with which the Indians were familiar. At the age of fifteen years he started out in life on his own account and for a year was employed at farm work. He then apprenticed himself to learn the tanner's trade in his home township, at which he was employed until he was twenty-one years old. It was not a hard matter to find employment, but it was extremely difficult to get money. Before Mr. Abbey had attained to his majority he had, by dint of the most persistent economy and closest saving, accumulated money enough to pur- chase forty acres of land and about the time he became of age he bought one hundred and two acres adjoining his first tract, and upon this land he engaged in farming on his own account. At the time he first engaged in learning the tanning trade he had reserved the privilege of going to school three months each winter. This he did until the age of eighteen years, when the teacher of his school quit and Mr. Abbey was put in his place and taught school during the winters until twenty-four years old. He had very little education except what he could pick up outside of the schools which he attended, but by dint of the most persistent reading and close observation he became a well informed man. In 1850 Mr. Abbey was married and then continued farming three years, at the end of which period he sold his farnr and moved to Flint, Steuben county, and bought two hundred and forty
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aeres of land there, which he sold a year later. He then moved to Lagrange county, this state, and for three years was engaged in the milling business at Mongo, formerly called Mongoquinon. In 1860 he moved back to Steuben county, where he resided four years and where his wife died in 1864. He then moved to DeKalb county and for a year was engaged in the livery business at Waterloo, but sold the business back to the parties of whom he bought it. The next year he erected a three-story brick business block on the east side of Main street, about a bloek south of the railroad, and during this same period he lost three thousand dollars through endorsing notes for a Waterloo merchant. During the following two years Mr. Abbey was engaged in a mill at Waterloo, doing the buying and selling. In 1870 he became agent of the Fort Wayne, Jaekson & Saginaw Railroad, which runs north and south through Waterloo, retaining this position for six years. In 1876 Mr. Abbey became cashier of the DeKalb Bank, and during the fol- lowing twenty-seven years he filled this position to the entire satisfaction of his associates in the bank and to the patrons of the institution. Since that time Mr. Abbey has not engaged in any permanent business because of in- paired health, though he has settled a number of estates and bought and sold some real estate. In 1909 he unfortunately fell and received an injury to his spine which has since rendered him an invalid, though until the sum- mer of 1913 he was able to go about and, to some extent, attend to business. He is now residing in Waterloo, where he has a pleasant and attractive home on the south edge of the town, his daughter and her husband. Mr. and Mrs. Hollester, living with him.
Politically, Mr. Abbey has always been a staunch Republican, and was an enthusiastic worker in the interests of the party in early days, having assisted in forming the Republican organization in Steuben county. Fra- ternally, he has been a member of the Masonic order for forty-eight years and has been appreciative of the work and. in fact, has endeavored to exem- plify the sublime precepts of that time-honored order.
In 1850 Mr. Abbey was united in marriage to Martha A. Long, who was born in Steuben county, Indiana, the daughter of James and Mary (Guthrie) Long. Mrs. Abbey died in 1864, leaving two children, Ella J .. now the wife of Wellington H. Hollester, of Waterloo, and Carrie J., the wife of John B. Parsell, who is cashier in the First National Bank at Angola, Indiana. In 1866 Mr. Abbey married Mrs. Lurene (Howe) Davis, the widow of Joseph D. Davis, deceased, late of Auburn. She was born in New York state and was the daughter of James Howe. She came to Fort Wayne .. Indiana, with her parents and there married Mr. Davis, by whom she had
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two sons, Hugh and Emmett. To her union with Mr. Abbey were born two children, Edith L. the wife of Albert Theiss, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Earl G., who lives in Kansas City, where he is employed in the secret service. He is a man of great physical courage and is sent by the service to the most important cases. He was recently assigned to recover two pictures of rare value that had been stolen and his finding of them caused a great deal of favorable comment. He married Maude Drake, who died leaving two chil- dren, Ethel and Mino. Mr. Abbey's second wife died in 1882, and in 1885 he married Saphronia ( Holmes) McEntarfer, the widow of Anthony Mc- Entarfer. She had two children by her first marriage, hoth of whom are deceased. Mrs. Abbey died in 1909 after twenty-four years of happy wedded life together, and, being a woman of many fine qualities of head and heart, her death was considered a distinct loss to the community. Mr. Abbey's life record exhibits a career of unswerving integrity, indefatigable private industry and wholesome home and social relations, a most commend- able career crowned with success. It is the record of a well-balanced mental and moral constitution, strongly marked by those traits of character which are of special value in such a state of society as exists in this country. A resident of DeKalb county for nearly a half century, he has been an eye witness and participant in the wonderful development which has character- ized this locality, and among the venerable and honored citizens of the county no man enjoys to a more eminent degree the respect and veneration of the people with whom he has mingled so long. Because of his genuine worth and his record in the community he is clearly entitled to representation among DeKalb county's representative citizens.
JOHN W. DUESLER.
It is with pleasure that the biographer has an opportunity to place hefore the readers of this work the life record of the honorable gentleman whose name initiates this paragraph, for he is deemed eminently worthy of repre- sentation along with the best and most industrious citizens of DeKalb county, owing to the fact that he belongs to the energetic and enterprising class that has made this favored section one of the most noted and richest in the great Hoosier state. Enjoying distinctive prestige as a farmer, he has achieved marked success, while his practical intelligence, mature judg-
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ment and sound business principles have had much to do in moulding public sentiment in the community where he has long maintained his home.
John W. Duesler was born on September 21, 1862, in Sandusky county, Ohio, and is a son of Lorin G. and Mary ( Hampsher) Duesler. Lorin G. Duesler was born on July 12, 1834, in Potter, Yates county, New York, the son of William and Catherine (Slosson) Dnesler, and died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. W. Metcalf, east of Auburn, DeKalb county, Indiana, on October 5, 1912, at the age of seventy-eight years. He was one of a family of eight, six daughters and two sons, and was descended from sturdy German ancestry on the paternal side, his mother being of Yankee parentage. When he was twelve years old the family moved to Seneca county, Ohio, and later to Sandusky county, that state, near Fremont, where he married Mary J. Hampsher, a native of Clyde. Ohio. They became the parents of five children, namely : Francis M .; Ada S., who died in infancy ; Eliza M., now Mrs. J. G. Diehr ; John W. and Minnie B., the wife of J. W. Metcalf. All of the children are now living in DeKalb county, except Mrs. Diehr, who resides in Fremont, Ohio. After living eight years near the old home Mr. Duesler moved, in May, 1864, to Indiana, locating about two miles east of Waterloo, where he began to clear land and make a home. By indus- try and thrift he was enabled to buy a small farm which, as his means per- mitted, he added to from time to time until he owned a splendid tract of land. In 1869 he moved to Elkhart, but nine months later returned to the home farm. After nearly fifty years of wedded life, his wife died on December 10, 1904, her death being considered a distinct loss to the commu- nity in which she had spent so many useful years. Lorin G. Duesler was a man of rare qualities of character and was never happier than when attend- ing to his farm and cultivating his garden. He was a faithful husband, a loving father and a helpful and considerate neighbor and upright citizen. To him and his wife were born five children, namely: One who died in infancy ; Francis M. lives about one and one-half miles east of Waterloo: Eliza M., the wife of George Diehr, of Fremont, Ohio; Minnie, the wife of William Metcalf, who lives about two and one-half miles east of Auburn.
John W. Duesler came to DeKalb county with his parents when but two years old and was reared in Grant township with the exception of a part of a vear, when the family lived at Elkhart. Indiana. He was reared to farm labor and secured an education in the public schools. At the age of about twenty-three years he began agricultural efforts on his own account on the home farm, to which he gave his attention until thirty years of age. In the spring of 1895 he rented a farm in the south part of Grant township and in
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the following year bought forty acres of land in the northwest part of section thirteen, which he operated until 1907. In 1904 he had bought the farm where he now lives in the northwest quarter of section fourteen, the place comprising eighty acres, which he rented until 1908, when he located on it. In the spring of 1910 he sold his first forty-acre purchase in section thirteen. The farm on which he now lives is splendidly improved in every respect and is numbered among the best farms of the township. The present condition of the farm is due to the persistent and untiring efforts of Mr. Duesler, who has spared no labor nor expense in putting the farm into con- dition that will in the future bring the best results. He raises all the crops common to this locality and also gives some attention to live stock and in all his efforts is meeting with well deserved success.
On February 6, 1894, Mr. Duesler married Rosa Mutzfelt, who was born in Wilmington township, this county, the daughter of Christian and Magdalena (Sclaugh) Mutzfelt. Christian Mutzfelt was born in Nassau, Germany, on March 25, 1827, and his wife in Baden, Germany. Mr. Mutz- felt was reared in his native community and in 1850 was married to Henri- etta Schneider, to which union six children were born. He came to America in 1854, locating west of Auburn, Indiana. In 1864 he enlisted in the United States army and on January 28th of the following year his wife died. On July 23, 1866, he married Magdalena Sclaugh, who was born on February 24, 1835, the daughter of Detrich and Katherine (Happ) Sclaugh. Her mother died when she was but eight years old and thereafter she lived in Germany until nineteen years old, when she and a sister, Rosa Sclaugh, three years older than herself, came to America with a party of neighbors. She had a brother and two sisters in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and her purpose was to live with them. However, when her sister married and moved to Ohio, she accompanied her, and eventually came to DeKalb county with her sister, living near Corunna until her marriage to Mr. Mutzfelt. Mr. Mutzfelt was a successful farmer, having started with twenty acres of land west of Auburn, but later sold this and bought a farm west of Butler, where he spent the rest of his active years, his death occurring there on November 6, 1892, leaving a wife, nine children and nine grandchildren, a brother and sister. He was a member of the United Brethren church from the year 1878, and was faithful and earnest in the performance of his church duties. He helped to build a new church edifice, which was dedicated just two weeks after his death. Mrs. Mutzfelt now lives with her daughter, Mrs. Duesler. To Mr. and Mrs. Duesler have been born five children, namely: Lena M ..
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born May 5, 1895; Helen V., born October 14, 1898; Ralph L., born June 21, 1901; Charles W., born September 29, 1904, and Ruth W., born March 13. 1907, who died in infancy. Mr. Duesler and the members of his family are all affiliated with the United Brethren church, in the prosperity of which they are all deeply interested and to the support of which he contributes liberally of his means. Mr. Duesler has a wide acquaintance and hosts of friends as the result of his genial disposition, his kindness, honesty and uprightness and his unquestioned business ability, being one of the most highly respected citizens of his community, where he has spent the major portion of his useful and busy life.
JOHN MORRISON KIMSEY.
Among the men of a past generation who impressed their personality on the civic and public life of DeKalb county was John M. Kimsey, who for many years was an influential and potent factor in the welfare and development of this locality. He was born in Carroll county, Ohio, on Octo- ber 9. 1833, and he was a son of Dr. Thomas Boland and Sarah (Carr) Kimsey. Dr. Thomas B. Kimsey was born on December 7, 1806, probably in the state of Virginia, while his wife, Sarah Carr, was born on February 18 1807. in Anneskillin, Ireland. Thomas B. Kimsey was the son of John Kimsey, who was born in England and came to America as an officer in the British army, but, when he realized what the American colonies were fighting for. he left the British army, and later, at the request of General Washing- ton, became an officer in the American army, being killed during the progress of the war. He had brought his wife to this country and located in Balti- more. He left one son, John Kimsey, who married Lydia Boland, and they were the parents of Dr. Thomas B. Kimsey. The latter's wife, Sarah Carr Kimsey, died in Waterloo, Indiana, on September 9, 1875, having made her home with her son. Dr. Thomas B. The latter became a well known and successful physician. being engaged in practice at Carrollton, Ohio, and later moved to Monmouth, Adams county, this state, and in 1852 came to Auburn, Indiana, where he was numbered among the pioneer physicians of that com- miinity. His death occurred on May 6, 1856, and his passing away was con- sidered a distinct loss to the community. His children were as follows: John M., Aseneth, Lydia, William T., James Boland and Robert Ferguson.
John M. Kimsey was reared to manhood at Auburn and early in life became a clerk in the Sanders dry goods store. In September, 1858, he and
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his brother started the first Republican paper published in this county, the DeKalb County Times, but there were so few Republicans in this Democratic county that at that time the paper lacked proper support and went out of business in about three months after its establishment. Mr. Kimsey continued his services in the Sanders dry goods store at Auburn until 1860, when he came to Waterloo to accept a position in the store of Reuben J. Lent. In 1861 Mr. Kimsey enlisted as a private in Company K, Forty-fourth Regi- ment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was in the military service of his country for eighteen months. He was made principal musician of his regi- ment and was mustered out of the service when the bands were dispensed with. After his return to peaceful pursuits Mr. Kimsey became an employe in the store of Amos & Marshall Hale, of Angola, and later he went into business for himself in partnership with Myron Hester. A few years later he moved to Waterloo and resumed his old position with Mr. Lent. Then for a time he ran a transfer line and was subsequently appointed postmaster at Waterloo by President Hayes. His administration of the office was very satisfactory and he held the position through the administration of President Garfield and one year under President Cleveland, a total service of nine years. About 1890 Mr. Kimsey removed to Toledo and there spent the re- mainder of his days.
On July 28, 1861, Mr. Kimsey married Harriet E. Lent, the daughter of Reuben J. and Almira (Forsythe) Lent. Her parents were natives of New York state, the father born at Utica and the mother at Cooperstown. The latter was the daughter of John Kimball and Mary ( Bailey) Forsythe, while John K. Forsythe's father, Oliver Forsythe, was a general in the war of the Revolution. Mary Bailey's father, Joel Bailey, was also a soldier in the war of the Revolution. Harriet Lent was born in DeKalb county, Indiana, her parents having come here from New York state in about 1837. Her grandfather, John K. Forsythe, had come here in 1833, locating in Otsego township, Steuben county, Indiana, when there were only five families in that locality. Reuben Lent settled at Hamilton and built the first hotel in that place. Finally he moved to Auburn and ran the Ohio House in 1855. and in the following year he and Miles Waterman laid out the town of Waterloo. Here he established a dry goods store, ran a hotel and, for a time. he and T. R. Dickinson ran the Waterloo Press, Mr. Dickinson being editor. Mrs. Dr. Broughton, of Waterloo, has in her possession the first copy of the first issue of this paper. In 1863 Mr. Lent moved to Toledo and spent the rest of his life there, dying at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Kimsey. His
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