USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > History of Elkhart County, Indiana; together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history: portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 108
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now lives. They have raised a family of 10 children, 6 of whom are now living, namely: Caroline. Delilah, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Edmond and Mary Ellen; the deceased are William, Samnel, Harrison and Sylvester. Coming to this county in an early day Mr. Eby has seen many changes and suffered many disadvan- tages; he is now in his 74th year, and his wife is in her 71st, and they enjoy good health. Politically, he is Democratic.
Moses Everingham, farmer, sec. 13; was born in Lycoming county, Pa., April 14, 1827; his parents are deceased. He was married in Pennsylvania to Mary Ann Hitesman, who was born in New Jersey. They have had 9 children, 8 of whom are living; 3 are married and the balance remain at home. Mr. E. came to this county in 1862 and purchased the farm he now lives on, consisting of 40 acres of land in a fair state of improvement, and worth $50 per acre. He is a Democrat.
George G. Greiner, M.D., physician, Vistnla, was born in Snyder county, Pa., May 29, 1843, son of William and Margaret Greiner; father died in 1850, in Pa., when George was only seven years old. He was principally raised on a farm until he was 16 years old; his mother moved to town to give her children a better education. George commenced to study medicine at 20 years of age, and con- tinued to study and attend lectures at the State University, Phila- delphia, at which school he graduated in the winter of 1865-'6; after graduating he came West in 1866, and located in Vistula in 1877, where he began his practice of medicine. He was married to Sarah C. Hass, who was born in Pa. in 1838; they have had 6 children; the living are: William H., Alfred, Stilla and Lula May; those deceased are Maggie May and Edith; one died in infancy. The Doctor has worked up a practice in the vicinity of Vistula and also has the good will and confidence of all. He owns a neat residence in which he lives, his mother living with him. Politi- cally, he is Republican and is Justice of the Peace.
Harrison G. Hodges, farmer, sec. 27, was born in Oneida county, N. Y., April 6, 1815; father died in Knox county, Ohio, in his 83d year, and mother in Indiana. He was married to Elizabeth Vanloon in Ohio, and they had 9 children. Mrs. H. died of insanity at Columbus, Ohio. Mr. II. married for his second wife Mrs. Eliza (Rush) Martin, in 1861. She had 4 children by her former marriage. Mr. Hodges owns 40 acres of land under a fair state of cultivation, on which he lives and farms; he is Republican.
Eleazar Ivins, farmer and fruit-grower, sec. 24; was born in Stark county, Ohio, April 21, 1830; is the son of Isaac and Mary Ivins; he came to Indiana in 1841 with his parents; worked at home until 18 years old, then began for himselt; at the age of 20 years had earned enough to purchase 40 acres of land. He was married Oct. 10, 1858, to Elizabeth Dean, born near Columbus, Ohio. in 1839; they have 5 children: Dale, S. V., Owen, Ida M. and Ralph. Mr. Ivins owns 121 acres of land, well improved and
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supplied with fruit of all kinds; he also has 30 stands of bees, in which he claims to make a specialty. He is a Greenbacker.
Isaac Ivins, retired farmer, scc. 23; was born in Mansfield, Burlington, Co., N. J., Sept. 30, 1806. He moved to Ohio in 1824, where he married Mary Woods, who was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, Sept. 5. 1813; they have had 16 children. 10 of whom are living; 6 of his sons enlisted in the war of the Rebellion; 1 died in Andersonville prison, and 1, soon after coming home. Mr. Ivins came to this county in 1841 and located on the land he now lives on. He and his wife are past doing for themselves, and have to depend on the children; he still owns 153 acres of land, on which he first settled. He is a free thinker and a Republican.
A. J. Lee, farmer, sec. 22; P. O., Middlebury; was born in Middlebury tp., this county, March 1, 1840, son of Thomas and Sarah S. Lee; father died in 1849; mother living now with him. He was raised on a farm, and by careful attention to farming he has made for himself a good home, consisting of 120 acres of land, worth $40 per acre. He was married in 1863 to Alvira Camp, born in this tp .; they have 2 children: William A. and Charles C. Mr. L. has hield the office of Justice of the Peace, and is now School Trustee of this tp. Politically, he is a Democrat.
Lyman R. Lowell, deceased, was born in Vermont in 1802, and was married May 12, 1844 to Mercy Crownover, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1806; they had only 1 child, John Moralivo, who now resides on the home farm and lives with his family in part of the house with his mother. In 1864 Mr. Lowell died, leaving his wife and son a good farin of 96 acres, worth $50 per acre; he came to this State in 1850, and located on the west side of the river, and in 1859 to this county.
John Nihart, farmer, sec. 33, was born in Northumberland county, Pa., May 23, 1826. His parents moved to Indiana when John was nine years old, and located five miles east of Goshen; the father died in 1873; mother in 1866. Mr. N. was married in 1854, to Elizabeth Myers, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1824; they have 7 children, all living, namely: Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Jacob IIenry, Ella May, John Winfield, William Sherman, Clara Elizabeth. His son, Benjamin F., is now conduct- ing the Normal school at Atchison, Kansas, and George W. is in Cass county, Mich., engaged in the practice of medicine. Mr. Nihart commenced his married life with nothing, and for 11 years farmed in Middlebury tp., after which he moved to this tp., and now owns one of the finest farms in the tp. It consists of 185 acres of land, worth $75 per acre, on which he has good buildings and an abundance of fruit; his wife is a member of the Lutheran Church. He is a Democrat.
William Overleese, tenant farmer, sec. 21; was born in Ohio in 1843; his parents are both deceased; he came West and located in Indiana in 1860, and in 1864 enlisted in the 13th Ind. Regt., and served until the close of the war; then returned to Goshen where
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.
he teamed and farmed; was married in 1870 to Eliza J. Carey, who was born in this county; they have 4 children: Letta, Della, Sybil and Fornev.
David Patterson, merchant, Vistula; was born in Northumber- land county, Penn., June 7, 1811; his father was a soldier of the war of 1812, and died with camp fever; his mother moved to Stark county, O., where she married Samuel Nash, and moved to this county. His step-father was killed while walking on the rail- road track in Michigan; in 1873 his mother died, in the 81st year of her age. Mr. Patterson was married in 1833 to Rebecca Thom- son, who was born in Ohio, and died in August, 1875; they had 6 children, 3 boys and 3 girls: Almnon G. enlisted in the late war of 1861, and died at Gallatin, Tenn., with the typhoid-pneumonia; Elizabeth S. married Lucius H. Knapp, who also enlisted Ang. 20, 1861, and was killed in November of same year in battle; she died March, 1862; Eleanor H., now Mrs. S. W. Wickham; Alphens J., Alvira T. and Elma. Mr. Patterson married, for his second wife, Jane Hutchison, born in New York in 1822. Since he came to this county he has worked, and by his labor and toil has earned 312 acres of land, worth $50 per acre; he rented his land and is engaged in merchandising in Vistula, in connection with Job Smith, where they keep all kinds of goods necessary to supply the trade; they have a good share of the country patronage. They buy grain for commission men and pay in cash. In early life while on the farm Mr. P. kept a travern, what was known as the " Patterson Corners;" also was Postmaster for six years at the same place; has held the offices of Justice of the Peace and Supervisor of the town: politi- cally he is a Democrat.
Josiah D. Pierson, farmer and fruit-grower, sec. 24; was born in Monroe county, N. Y., May 12, 1821. In the earlier part of his life he followed various occupations, such as keeping store, and practiced dentistry for a number of years; coming West in 1854, he located on the present farin he now owns, consisting of 95 acres, which he has under a good state of cultivation; has a good house and barns, and an abundance of fruit of all kinds, which is of the choicest varieties, and all budded; his grapes and peaches can not be excelled in the county. He was married March 13, 1843, to Cornelia Hart, born in New Hartford, N. Y., in 1818; they have had 7 children; the living are: Hart E., J. De Forest and Mary Augusta; those deceased are: Anna A., Cornelia F., Charles HI. and Duane K. Mr. P. is one of most influential citizens in the tp., and a man of good principles; he and wife are members of the Methodist Church at White Pigeon, Mich .; he is a Republican.
L. M. Sanger, farmer, sec. 32; was born in Connecticut March 29, 1809; his parents moved to Genesee county, N. Y., where they lived 16 years; from there to Allegany county, where they lived prior to his coming West; in June, 1836, Mr. S. settled in Middle- bury tp., where he entered land at Fort Wayne, and still holds the patent issued by the Governor. He returned to New York in 1845,
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.
and married Laura Morton, born in New York State; they have 6 children: Phebe, now Mrs. Gregory; Laura, Morton, Marcus, - Emeline and Henry. Mr. Sanger owns 120 acres of land; he is one of the oldest settlers of the tp., which he helped to organize; he is a Republican.
Charles P. Van Frank, farmer, sec. 19; is the son of next mentioned, and was born in New York State June 11, 1833; com- ing West with his parents he grew up, with the State in the im- provements of the county, hie father being one of the first settlers in this tp .; was married in 1859 to Amelia Bickel, born in Ohio in 1836; they have 3 children: William, Walter, Frederic Charles and May. Mr. V. owns 108 acres of land under a good state of culti- vation; he is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Repub- lican.
John Van Frank, retired farmer, seo. 19; was born in Oneida connty, N. Y., May 10, 1803; was on the farm with his father until of age, when he began life for himself, continuing his voca- tion in his native State. In 1832 he married Miss Harriet Whip- ple, who was born in North Providence, R. I., Jau. 7, 1808, and they had 2 children: Charles P. and David B., both born in New York. In the spring of 1835 they came via Buffalo steamer to Detroit, and ox-team thence to what was then Middlebury tp., this county, a wilderness, where Mr. V. entered 40 acres of land, At that time there were but 20 or 25 settlers in the township. In answer to a petition of the citizens, the fractional tp. of York was set off from Middlebury, named after the State of New York, and they immediately elected their justice of the peace, school trustees, supervisore, road commissioners, etc. Since coming to Indiana Mr. V. has had 4 children, only 2 of whom are now living: James D., who lives with his father on the home farm, and Hannah Maria, now Mrs. John A. Hogan, Wyandotte county, Kan. The 3 deceased are: Edward P., who died March 1, 1838; Mary Eliza- beth, who died July 24, 1851; and David Branerd, who enlisted in Co. I, 88th Ind. Vol. Inf., in 1861, and died at Bowling Green, Ky., Dec. 7, 1862, of pneumonia. He and his wife joined the Presby- terian Church at Mottville, Mich., and when the Church at Bristol was organized, they united with it, where is still their place of worship. In 1842 Mr. V. was elected Elder. He and his wife are now very aged, yet they enjoy good health. They have en- dured the hardships of frontier life, and by persevering toil they have made homes for their children and laid deep the foundations of good society. Charles V. Van Frank and Harriet A. Bickel were married August 10. 1859, and they have 3 children: William Wal- ter, Charles Frederick and Mary Maria. James D. VanFrank and Susie Analinda Fowler, were married Jan. 7, 1869, at Peeks- kill, N. Y .; they have 1 son, Lewis Hiram. Hannah Maria and John A. Hagan were married Sept. 26, 1871; they live at Arm- atrong. Kansas; they have 2 children: John Van and Lawrence D.
Mr. J. Van Frank united with the Congregational Church in
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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.
1821 in Clinton, Oneida county, N. Y., and Mrs. John Van Frank united with the Congregational Church at Hampton, same county, in 1830.
A portrait of Mr. John Van Frank will be found in this volume.
Alfred P. Wright, a prominent and well-known farmer and stock-raiser, now residing in York tp., is a native of New York city, and was born Dec. 23, 1832; in 1835 his parents removed to Monroe county, N. Y., near Rochester, where Mr. Wright received a very liberal education. In his youth the common schools were steadily attended; afterward he was a pupil at the Henrietta (N. Y.) Academy for several years, and in 1852 entered the Lima (N. Y.,) Wesleyan Seminary, remaining in this institution some two years. At the completion of his studies in 1854, he removed to Bristol, this county; in 1855 he returned to Monroe county, N. Y., where he was married Jan. 23, 1855, to Caroline Fargo; they had 1 child, Carrie F., born February, 1856, now residing in New York State. Mrs. Wright died in 1856. Mr. W. remained near Bristol nntil the spring of 1855, when he disposed of his property in Elkhart county, and traded quite extensively in Kansas, Missouri and Iowa, and in the spring of 1859 went to Pike's Peak, Col .; conducted a party across the plains and first discovered the Gunnell Lode in Eureka Gulch, Gilpin county, Col., which developed into a first-class mine, and is still being worked. Mr. W. also built the first steam apparatus for hoisting ore, put up in the mountains. He returned to Indiana in 1860, and March 8 was married to Mary C. Virgil, born in this county in 1836; they have 6 children, of whom 5 are living, viz .: Jennie J., born Feb. 16, 1863; Ida S., March 23, 1865; Alfred P., Jr., March 16, 1868; Harry G., Jan. 20, 1870; and Arthur G., May 17, 1875. After his marriage Mr. W. returned to Colorado, where he was very successful; himself and Mrs. W. trav- eled through the Eastern States for about one year, and finally lo- cated on the site of their present home in this tp. Mr. W. has been County Commissioner one term; his success in life is due princi- pally to his own industry and perseverence.
We present a portrait of Mr. Wright in this volume.
Joseph A. Yoder, farmer, sec. 27; was born in Wayne county, Ohio, May 29, 1849; he moved with his father to Indiana in 1850, when he was only two years old. He was married in 1868, to Mary Prough, who was born in Indiana; they have now 3 children: Ada C., Sophronia E. and Ella F .; he owns 40 acres of land in this tp., under a good state of cultivation, worth $50 per acre; politically, he is a Republican.
Noah B. Metzler was born in Mahoning county, O., Ang. 30, 1840, being one of a family of 10 children, of whom 4 sons and 4 daughters are still living. His ancestry were German, and came to America before the Revolution. His father, Samnel Metzler, was born in Lancaster county,. Pa., Dec. 1, 1817. His grandfather,
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David Metzler, and family moved to Mahoning county, O., when Samuel was but a boy. His mother, Susanna, nee Burkholder, was born in Rockingham county, Va. Noah's early life was spent on his father's farm, where he worked during his boyhood, at the same time making good use of the opportunities for education offered by a district school, which he attended during the winter terms until he was about 18 years old; at the age of 19, in October, 1859, he was apprenticed to John Winch, carriage-maker, of Columbiana, Ohio; after serving his apprenticeship he went home, where he remained until October, 1862, when he came to this county. The following November he went to work with Shively & Co., mann- facturers of agricultural implements; while in their employ his principal work was that of making rake-wheels. In 1866 he went to work for Wharton & Sons, carriage-makers, of Warsaw, Ind .; after working for them a few months he returned to New Paris, where he and Mr. Ettlein started a small wagon-shop; the first two vears they worked in a small building on Main street, north of the Blanchard House; during that time they were chiefly employed iu doing repair work. but fonnd time to turn ont a few wagons and bug. gies each year. In 1868 they erected on Market street, a two-story frame building 22 x 32, the lower story for the manufacturing of wood-work, and the npper for a paint shop; they also built a black- smith shop the same year. They carried on the business in the new shop until January, 1869, when Mr. Ettlein sold his interest in the firm (excepting buildings) to Metzler & Landgreaver, who carried on business until the following March, when J. Zigler (a blacksmith) was admitted in the firm, and the business carried on under the firm name of Metzler, Landgreaver & Zigler; they were doing a good business until August, 1874, when their work-shop (the main building) with all its contents was destroyed by fire, and also a repository which they built a few years before, and a lot of lumber, etc. Their loss was several thousand dollars. They picked up courage and proceeded immediately to build a temporary shanty, in which to make the wood-work for vehicles which were ordered. The following October Mr. Landgreaver retired and the firm of Metzler & Zigler was formed, which exists at the present time. In 1875 they erected a good, substantial, two-story building 32x46 feet. A good trade has been carried on by this firm since then; they developed a high grade of work, having built up that reputa- tion for durability and style which classed them among the leaders in the business in Elkhart county. In 1879 they fitted up a nice repository.
Jan. 14, 1868, Mr. Metzler was married to Mary Wantz, and they have 2 children, both girls: Clara Bell, who was born Nov. 3, 1868, and Amy Myrtle, Feb. 3, 1876.
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