USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Dekalb County, Indiana, with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of old families > Part 81
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and were in such a condition that at two hills on the journey he was compelled to carry half of the load uphill a sack at a time. He has for many years been active in the Democratic party, having held various offices, was supervisor for two years, justice of the peace for fourteen years, and a member of the board of county commissioners for one term. To him and his wife were born six children, namely: Mary, the wife of William Bachtel, lives one and one- half miles west of Eli Walker, and they have two sons. Harry and Verne; Dora, the widow of Douglas Kelly, who was killed by a falling tree about ten years ago, and left one son. Walker Kelly, and a daughter, Emma; his widow afterwards married Clark Campbell and lives near her father : the daughter, Emma, died from the effects of scalding in 1913: Laura is the wife of Bert Campbell, and lives three-quarters of a mile north and one mile west of her father, and they have two sons, Edward and Jerry : Ceranda is the wife of David Hamman, and they have two children, Lester and Mabel: Frank married Dora Gfellers, and they have three sons, Floyd. Russell and Carl; Daisy is the wife of Wid Childs, and they live on the home place with her father, and have a son, Ralph. Eli Walker is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Masonic order, while he and his wife belong to the Pythian Sisters and the Order of the Eastern Star.
Frank Walker was reared on the farm of his father, where he re- mained until twenty-two years of age. He secured his preliminary training in the district schools and afterwards attended the Tri-State Normal School at Angola, Indiana. When he was twenty-one years of age he rented a farm and operated it on shares with his father. The next year he bought eighty acres of his father's farm and on this he now resides, and to the cultivation of which he gives his undivided attention. Progressive and up-to-date in his ideas, he has made many permanent and substantial improvements on the place, which is now numbered among the best farms in the community. In 1900 Mr. Walker built the splendid residence in which he now resides, and three years later erected a large and commodious bank barn, besides which he has made many other improvements which have added to the value and attractiveness of the farm. In 1906 he bought eighty acres from W. H. Leas, adjoining his father on the south, and is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres lying in close proximity, one hundred and thirty acres of which is under active cultivation.
On January 10, 1900, Frank Walker was married to Dora Gfellers, the daughter of Fred and Mary Gfellers, who are mentioned elsewhere in this work, and to this union have been born three children: Floyd. born De-
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cember 12, 1900: Russell, born August 18, 1904, and Clark, born August 10, 1908.
Fraternally, Mr. Walker is an active and appreciative member of the Knights of Pythias, and in his daily life endeavors to exemplify the sublime teachings of that order. He has been successful in his financial affairs and lives in a home which is characterized by furnishings of taste and elegance, and among the luxuries which he enjoys is an up-to-date automobile, this being but one of the many things which characterize him as a man of pro- gressive tendencies. He has attained success through his own efforts, having been dependent practically upon his own resources since attaining manhood, and because of his business success, integrity of character and genial dispo- sition he has won and retains a host of warm personal friends throughout this section of the county.
ELI WALKER.
This venerable and honored pioneer of DeKalb county is approaching the psalmist's span of three score years and ten, but is still hale and vigorous and finds a full measure of contentment and serenity as the shadows of his life begin to lengthen from the west. He has made his days count for good, has acquired a competency and is satisfied in that he has done the best possible and has wronged no man in thought, word or deed. He has been a life-long resident of DeKalb county and has here acquired a good farm, reclaiming much of the land himself and being one of the sterling old citizens of this locality.
Eli Walker was born in 1844 in Smithfield township. DeKalb county, Indiana, and is the son of John R. and Catherine ( Krumrine) Walker. John R. Walker was born in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1808, and was there reared and married to Catherine Krumrine, who was born in Maryland in 1810. In 1835 they moved to Columbiana county, Ohio, and lived there until their removal to DeKalb. county in 1844, when Mr. Walker bought one hun- dred and sixty acres of land in section 35, Smithfield township. Mr. Walker's father, Nicholas Walker, was a distiller and in his youth he had learned the business and followed it a number of years in Ohio. He was a native of England. Catherine Krumrine was the daughter of George Krumrine and wife, both of whom were naitves of Germany. When John R. Walker pur- chased his land in Smithfield township it was.as the Indians had left it, with
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no improvements whatever and a very small patch of ground cleared. There he made his permanent home, cleared and cultivated the soil, and spent the remainder of his life, he and his wife dying there. They were the parents of seven children, one of whom died in infancy, the others being Mrs. Sarah Vogtman, Manuel, Amanda McEntarfer; Lydia, who died in infancy ; Humphrey, who died in boyhood; Eli and George. Of these, only Eli, George and Mrs. Vogtman are living.
Eli Walker was reared on the home farm, where he lived until his mar- riage in 1866, when for three years he farmed on his father's place on the shares. In 1872 he bought the farm where he now lives, located a short distance north of Waterloo, which has been his home for more than four decades. He retains a strong recollection of many of his experiences in pio- neer days, among which is the fact that when a youth of but fourteen or fifteen years he hauled many loads of wheat to Fort Wayne with oxen, the trip requiring three days and but few houses passed on the way. Two hills over which he journeyed were so steep and rugged that he found it necessary to carry half the load uphill a sack at a time. In those early days the only roads were blazed trails and Mr. Walker well remembers the first train that went through on the Airline railroad. Mr. Walker at one time owned three eighty-acre tracts of good land, but he has let his children have all but eighty acres, which he retains on the home place.
In 1866 Eli Walker was married to Susan Wilderson, who was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, the daughter of Martin and Barbara, ( Cronk) Wilderson. She came to DeKalb county with her parents about 1851, they locating in Smithfield township on a farm adjoining that of Mr. Walker There her parents made their permanent home and there her father died. His widow and children then spent five years in Elkhart, but at the end of that period returned to DeKalb county and the mother resided in Grant town- ship until her death. To Mr. and Mrs. Walker have been born the following children: Mary, wife of William Bachtel, and they have two sons, Harry and Verne; Dora is the widow of Douglas Kelly, who was killed by a falling limb about ten years ago, leaving a son, Walker, and a daughter, Emma, and the widow afterwards became the wife of Clark Campbell, and she lives near her father : Laura is the wife of Bert Campbell, of this township, and they have two sons, Edward and Jerry; Ceranda is the wife of David Hamman, who is represented elsewhere in this work, and they have two children, leslie and Mabel; Frank, who married Dora Gfellers, living north of Mr. Walker, has three children, Floyd, Russell and Carl; Daisy is the wife of Williard
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Childs. and lives on the home place with her father, and they have two chil- dren, Ralph and Hazel.
For many years Mr. Walker was very active in the support of the Democratic party and held a number of important local offices, including that of supervisor for two years, justice of the peace for fourteen years and in the fall of 1907 was elected as a member of the board of county commissioners, assuming the duties of his office in January, 1909, and serving until January, 19II. During this term he helped prepare the plans for a new court house and a new building at the county farm, and so conducted his official duties as to avoid any cause for criticism. It is noteworthy that upon the completion of the new building at the county farm it was discovered that he and his as- sociates had completed it at a much less cost than the original appropriation. Fraternally, Mr. Walker is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Free and Accepted Masons, and he and his wife belong to the Pythian Sisters and the Order of the Eastern Star. Mr. Walker has been first of all an hon- orable and upright citizen of noble aim and worthy purpose, progressive in his ideas and enterprising in carrying out his well-devised plans. He has liter- ally grown up with the county in which he was born and has witnessed its remarkable growth and development, contributing of his energies the mean- while to bring about the high state of civilization for which DeKalb county is now distinguished. All movements having for their object the advance- ment of the public welfare have received his cordial endorsement, and his influence has ever been potent for good in his community and to those with whom he has had business or other relations. As a neighbor or citizen, as a husband and father, he has been all that he should be in these several capaci- ties and his career may be studied with profit by the young man whose char- acter is yet to be formed and life work achieved.
WILLIAM WOLFE.
There is no calling, however humble, in which enterprise and industry, coupled with a well directed purpose, will not be productive of some measure of success and in the pursuit of agriculture the qualities mentioned are quite essential. Among the well known and highly respected farmers of DeKalb county who have attained to a definite degree of success in their line and who, at the same time, have greatly benefited the community in which they live, is the gentleman to a review of whose character the reader's attention is now directed.
MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM WOLFE
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DEKALB COUNTY, INDIANA.
William Wolfe was born on February 24, 1866, on the old Wolfe home- stead in Franklin township. DeKalb county, Indiana, where he was reared and he received his education in the Franklin Center school. He has never made but one move from the old homestead and that was to the place where he now resides. His father died when the subject was but eighteen years old and thereafter he lived with his mother five years, or until his marriage in 1889, and then he and his wife lived on the old homestead until the year 1901, in which year Mr. Wolfe moved to his present attractive place of forty acres in Franklin township, where he now resides. This place when he acquired it was without improvements of any sort, the farm being badly run down, but by dint of the most persistent energy, strenuous effort and sound judgment he has improved the farm, increased its fertility and by proper attention to its operation has developed it into one of the good farmis of the township. In addition to his own operations, he is associated with his brother, Samuel, in the operation of a corn husker and wood saw and other lines which are re- quired by the farmers of the community and they have been successful in these things. Mr. Wolfe has built a fine barn, thirty-two by forty-four feet in dimensions, has set out an orchard, erected many substantial fences and in all things possible has made his farm what it should be.
On February 17. 1889. at Waterloo, Indiana, Mr. Wolfe was married to Minnie Gurtner, who was born in Steuben county, Indiana, on August 1. 1868. Later the parents moved to DeKalb county, where she became ac- quainted with her future husband. To them have been born the following children : Bessie Leone, born March 12, 1890, became the wife of Lee Hodge, and they have one child : Mary May, who was born January 14. 1892. married Bruce Lower, and they have one child : Dellie R., born September 7. 1896, died at the age of two years, and Clarence, born September 3, 1903.
Politically, Mr. Wolfe is a Democrat, although he is not a hide-bound partisan in any sense, as in local elections he generally votes for the man whom he deems best qualified to fill the office, irrespective of party lines. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Hamilton, in which lodge he has passed through the chairs and he maintains a live interest in the workings of this order. Mr. Wolfe is a man of many . praiseworthy traits, being scrupulously honest in all his dealings with the business world, generous and pleasant. possessing rare fortitude and good judgment, advocating wholesome politics and clean living and honesty in business, and it is needless to add that such a man has hosts of friends and stands high in the estimation of all who know him.
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DEKALB COUNTY, INDIANA.
HARRISON M. DANIELS.
It is a pleasure to investigate the career of a successful self-made man. Peculiar honor attaches to that individual who, beginning the great struggle of life alone and unaided, gradually overcomes unfavorable environment, re- moves one by one the obstacles from the pathway of success and by the master stroke of his own force and vitality succeeds in forging his way to the front and winning for himself a competency and a position of esteem and influence among his fellow men. Such is the record of the popular citizen of Smith- field township to a brief synopsis of whose life and character the reader's attention is herewith respectfully invited.
Harrison MI. Daniels was born in Smithfield township, DeKalb county. Indiana, on March 31, 1852, the son of Reuben G. Daniels, who was a prominent citizen and pioneer agriculturist of this county. The subject was reared on his father's farm, and in 1872, when twenty years of age, went to Wisconsin, where he spent a year working at the mason's trade. He then re- turned home and until 1881 he and his brother. Arthur, were engaged in the operation of eighty acres of land which they had purchased together. Then for a year the subject rented farming land in Franklin township, this county. but in March, 1882, he went to Waterloo, where during the following year he was variously engaged, working on the Lake Shore railroad part of the time, giving some attention to farming and also engaging in the buying of timber. He then rented a farm one mile and a half east of Waterloo, which he operated a year and then bought it, remaining on the place about three and one-half years longer. In the fall of 1892 Mr. Daniels bought the farm where he now lives, which had been formerly owned by Isaac Smith. This farin comprises one hundred and twenty acres of fine land, in addition to which Mr. Daniels also owns sixty acres less than a mile east and thirty acres north of this, comprising a total acreage of two hundred and ten acres. Fairly progressive and up-to-date in his agricultural methods, Mr. Daniels has, by indomitable industry, sturdy perseverance and good management, attained to a large success in his vocation, and the general appearance of the land as well as the attractive residence, commodious barns and other details of his place indicate him to be a man of good judgment and excellent taste.
On September 3. 1875, Mr. Daniels was united in marriage to Mary Ellen Lower, the daughter of Jacob and Margaret Jane ( Holmes) Lower. She was born and reared on the north edge of Grant township, where she re- sided with her parents until her marriage. To this union have been born four
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children : Claude L .. born June 8, 1876, married Maude Link, and lives in this township; they have one son, Glen ; Ethel, the wife of William Hartman, of Fairfield township, has four sons, Kenneth, Raymond, Lester and Verl; Dora is the wife of Carl Dilgard, of Smithfield township, and they have one daughter, Bernadine; Ruth is the wife of Ross Hise, of Bucyrus, Ohio. Mr. Daniels' protracted residence in this county has made his name widely and favorably known throughout this section. His life and the history of his locality have been pretty much the same thing. He has seen the community grow from a comparatively insignificant settlement into one of the most prosperous of the commonwealth. He has been one of the community's humblest laborers and wisest counsellors : his has been a long life of honor and trust, and no higher eulogy can be passed upon him than to state the simple truth that his name has never been coupled with anything disreputable. and that there has never been the shadow of a stain upon his reputation for integrity and unflinching honesty. He is respected by all who know him and the county of DeKalb can boast of no better man or more enterprising citizen.
JACOB LOWER. JR.
Smithfield township, DeKalb county, Indiana, furnished a home for many a pioneer who settled within its boundaries with no capital save the intelligence and physical abilities that were the gifts of his Maker and later attained a competency and a position of influence in the locality in which he chose to reside that, in after years, redounded in an enviable reputation for himself and his descendants. Among these old and honored pioneers was the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this brief review, who was a native of the old Buckeye state, but who spent nearly a half century of his life :n Indiana.
Jacob Lower, Jr., was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, in 1819, and. was a son of Jacob Lower, Sr., a native of Holland, who married a Miss Sayner. He was reared in Columbiana county, there received his education in the district schools and on February 21, 1839, was married to Elizabeth Miller. In 1844 he and his wife came to DeKalb county, Indiana, settling on the Henry Rempis farm in Smithfield township, where he built two log houses and began life in true pioneer style. The development of a farm in this locality in that period entailed an immense amount of the most strenuous
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kind of labor, for the land was densely covered with timber, which it was necessary to remove before any progress could be made in the cultivation of the soil. Here Mr. Lower's first wife died, leaving five children, namely : Mrs. Melissa McCurdy, of Bucyrus, Ohio; Alonzo, of Waterloo, Indiana ; Mrs. Catherine Schimpff, of Pleasant Lake; John, of Sheridan, Michigan, and Albert, who died in infancy. On January 6, 1853. Mr. Lower married Margaret Jane Holmes, who was born in 1828, at Melmore, near Tiffin, Ohio, and came to Indiana with her parents in 1842, when she was fourteen years of age. Five children were born of this second marriage, namely: Isadore, who died in infancy : Mary Ellen, the wife of 'H. M. Daniels, of Smithfield township, who is represented elsewhere in this work; Perry J., who died on March 3. 1909. at Alexandria, Indiana; Dora, the wife of Frank Tuttle, of Steuben county, died on January 23. 1901 ; Nancy, who died in infancy. The mother of these children died on August 30, 1869. Mr. Lower persevered in his efforts to create a home in the wilderness where he first located, and in this effort was eminently successful and in the course of time found himself in possession of as fine a farm as could be found in this entire locality. Steady industry and rigid economy were prerequisite to success, but these qualities he exemplified in a marked degree in his life, and he came to be numbered among the successful farmers and representative citizens of his community. He carved for himself a permanent home in the new country, accumulated a rea- sonable fortune and owned a splendid farm, the improvements including a large brick dwelling just east of Uniontown on the north edge of Grant town- ship. He was a kind neighbor and friend, whom all could trust. and who was ever ready to help those in need about him. Quiet and unostentatious. never- theless he could always be depended upon in the support of every worthy movement for the benefit or uplift of the community. . \ man of strong domestic tastes, he found his greatest pleasure about his own fireside with his loved ones about him. In his younger life he was a strong and vigorous man, , and at one time walked all the way to Columbiana county, Ohio, and returned. and on reaching home, found that their baby had died while he was away, but of which fact he had not learned because of the slow transit of the mails at that period. The demise of this honored pioneer occurred at his home here on January 5. 1889, and his death was universally considered a distinct loss to the community in which he had lived, and which he had honored by his citizen- ship. He was respected by all classes and conditions of people, possessing a personality that won for him many friends, and those who remember him now speak in high terms of his many fine qualities and his upright character.
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JACOB I. FRAZER.
A noble soul, as well as a many-sided and interesting character, was re- moved from the scenes of earth when Jacob I. Frazer answered the summons that precedes the last long sleep. . As he enjoyed a wide acquaintance and was generally popular, the public at large felt a sense of loss, and unusual honors, for a private citizen, were paid to his memory. But only the widow, who had shared his home, and a select coterie of his intimate friends were able to tell how kind was the heart that had been silenced forever by the grim "king of terrors." Space forbids a full study of his life and character, such as their merits would justify, and nothing more can be attempted in this memorial than the merest outline of a few of the more important features.
Jacob I. Frazer was born on August 7, 1818, in Columbiana county, Ohio, and his death occurred at his home in Waterloo, Indiana. on January 19, 1898, at the advanced age of seventy-nine years. When he was a lad of but four years of age. his parents moved to Stark county, Ohio, where he was reared to manhood, receiving his education in the district schools. In 1839 he was married and the following year he entered a tract of forty acres of land in Williams county, Ohio, to which he moved in 1841. and there began the struggle of pioneer life. In those early days life on the frontier meant a succession of hardships and trials which would utterly discourage the average farmer of the present day, but seventy years ago, realizing the golden oppor- tunities that lay before them, the bold pioneers literally took their lives into their own hands and, persevering amid the dangerous and discouraging cir- cumstances in which they were placed, carved out for themselves not only homes, but fortunes for their descendants. Mr. Frazer was eminently suc- cessful and lived in Williams county, Ohio, locating in Smithfield township in 1875 or 1876 just north of the John Campbell farm. There he remained about five years, when he moved to Waterloo, where he resided up to the time of his death. He was a man of sterling qualities of character and by his in- domitable will, sturdy industry and sound business methods he attained to a fair competency as regards this world's goods, his last days being free from embarrassment.
On October 14. 1839, Mr. Frazer married Lydia Spangler, and to their union were born the following children: Elias S., Josiah B., Leander, Will- iam W., John W., Harriet M., Mary L. and Martha M., the latter dying in 1883. Elias, who was a soldier in the Civil war, later went to Kansas where he became an undertaker and furniture dealer and his death occurred in that
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state. He was a man of genial and hospitable qualities, generous to his friends and ever ready to lend a helping hand to those in need; Martha M. became the wife of Frank Rempis, of Smithfield township, this county, and died on October 7, 1883, at the age of twenty-two years ; Josiah, Leander and William live in Kansas; Harriett is the wife of William Wartenbee and lives in South Dakota; Mary L. is the wife of Arthur G. Daniels, of Smithfield township. In 1888 the mother of these children was claimed by death, her passing away being considered a distinct loss to the community in which she had lived. She was an earnest, faithful member of the Reformed church, which she and her husband had joined in 1841 and of which they were faithful members throughout their lives. After several years of loneliness, Mr. Frazer married Margaret Smith, who survives him and is living at Waterloo. As a farmer Mr. Frazer was successful and industrious and at all times enjoyed the respect of his fellow agriculturists: He was also a suc- cessful veterinary surgeon. His life was a busy one, filled with action and the world was better for his having lived. As a citizen none occupied a more conspicuous place in the confidence of the public and as a neighbor he was long loved and honored by the people of his locality.
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