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 74

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, C. C. Chapman & co.
Number of Pages: 1192

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 74

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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.

the end of a year he sold out and worked in the locomotive and repair shops of the Conn. & Passussmasick Rivers R. R. Co. until 1858, when he returned to Canada and engaged in the manufacture of carriages and wagons until 1867, when he again sold out and came to Elkhart, arriving Feb. 15, 1868, since which date he has spent the most of his time in carriage and wagon work; was about five years in the employ of Allen & Worrey, Smith & Myers, and Ball & Sage, serving as superintendent for all these companies in the same wagon-works. He is now employed on the general wood-works in the locomotive department of the L. S. & M. S. R. R. shops in Elkhart.

In the winter of 1849, Mr. Parker was a charter member of the Sons of Temperance of the Alpine Division, No. 67, in Chester, Mass .; was charter member of Beaver Lodge, I. O. G. T., in 1863, in Magog Province, Canada; in the spring of 1874 he was elected a member of the City Council of Elkhart on the Temperance Repub- lican ticket, and served one term. In the fall of 1875 he united with the M. E. Church and was soon afterward appointed Steward; in the spring of 1877 was appointed Class-leader, by Rev. F. T. Simpson, then preacher in charge.

Philo J. Parmater, of the firm of Maxon & Parmater, Inmber- dealers and wood-workers, was born in Niagara county, N. Y., March 15, 1833. He was the son of Aaron and Louisa (Winegar) Parmater. The family, when Philo was a small boy, removed to Michigan, settling on a farm in Farmington, Oakland county, which they improved from its state of primeval forest land. They remained there till 1845, when they took up their residence in Ypsilanti. After five years Mr. Parmater came to Elkhart, and remained here till his departure for California, which occurred in 1853. He made the journey overland, and engaged in mining in Colorado county. He remained in California 15 years, and returned in 1867 with considerable capital in his possession. He has spent his time in Elkhart nearly ever since. He went into the wood- working and lumber business with Mr. Maxon some time since, and holds that business relation at the present time. He was married some years ago to Miss Ellen Schutt, daughter of J. V. O. Schutt.

Erastus A. Perkins, farmer, sec. 15; P. O., Elkhart; was born in Lower Canada Oct. 8, 1818. His parents were David and Judah Perkins, the former a native of Vermont, and the latter of New Hampshire. In 1833 the subject of this sketch went to Vermont, and in 1852 came to this county. He was married Nov. 24, 1842, to Nancy A. Wadley, by whom he had 5 children; of these only 1 is living, Emma G. She is a graduate of Oberlin (O.) College; she is also a telegraphi operator, and operated on the L. S. & M. S. railroad for about two years, and on the Grand Trunk railroad for six months. Some time ago she spent two years in California. Mr. Perkins is a farmer by occupation; he owns a farm of 124 acres one-half of a mile south of Elkhart, worth $110 per acre.

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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.

Henry and James Philliber, of the coopering firm of Philliber Bros., were born in Freeport, Armstrong Co., Pa., the former March 6, 1843, and the latter Oct. 13, 1841. The family removed to Davenport, Iowa, in 1855. Their father being a cooper, the sons learned the trade at an early age. In 1857 they all came to Niles, Mich., where the father established a coopering business, his sons continuing to work with him. In 1862 James enlisted in the United States navy, and Henry, in 1864, enlisted in the Board of Trade battery. During his 13 months of service in the Tennessee fleet James was commissioned as Master's Mate. Henry served his country 18 months, and was in the army of the Cumberland during the battles around Chattanooga. After spending several years as journeymen coopers, the brothers embarked in the business on their own account, in Elkhart, an enterprise which they have prosecuted since with constantly increasing success. Since their establishment here they have erected a large building and attachments on Water street, and are now prosecuting an extensive business. They own the land on which the factory and Henry Philliber's residence stands. They are the principal coopers in Elkhart, and furnish all the bar- rels used by the Sage Bros. and by the Voisinets. They are now making over 40,000 barrels a year, and have a capacity for 80,000 per annum. Only Henry Philliber is married. His matrimonial alliance was made with Miss Carrie Shelden, Sept. 7, 1863. They have 5 children.

Frank M. Primley was born in Elkhart Nov. 9, 1847, and is a son of Jacob and Sarah Primley, who came to this county about 1845. Mr. Primley was brought up and educated in Elkhart. At the age of 18 he learned the tinner's trade, which he followed until 1873, when he opened a hardware store on Main street. He still runs the hardware business with success, and also has a tin-shop in connection with it. He is a jolly old bachelor.

Jucob Primley, deceased, was born in Pennsylvania May 18, 1814; was reared on a farm, and for several years after he was grown he followed the vocation of a farmer. He then went to Louisville, Ky ., and learned the cabinet-making trade. About 1840 he went to Mercer county, Ohio, where he married Miss Sarah Hitchmer, a native of Warren county, O. They had 10 children, of whom 6 are living: Franklin M., Amanda E., Jonathan P., Hamil- ton, Worthington and Sherman. He came to Elkhart in 1845, and worked at his trade for several years, when he engaged in the gro- cery business some time, and afterward engaged in the sale of dry goods for a period. He died May 16, 1875, a good, moral man.

Jonathan P. Primley, druggist, was born in Elhart in Dec., 1862. His father was Jacob Primley, who settled in Elkhart at an early day, and began his career here as a cabinet-maker, and finally be- came a dry-goods merchant. He reared a family of 4 sons and 1 daughter, all of whom still reside in Elkhart. The elder Primley died in 1875. The subject of this sketch attended the schools of Elkhart and began his business life as clerk for C. E. Potts & Co.,

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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.

Richmond, Ind. He remained with them two years and a half, when he returned to Elkhart and was employed as clerk in the drug store of Joseph Rollin. He afterward was a clerk in the store of H. C. Dodge. He then bought Mr. Rollin's drug store, which was located in a fine brick building on Main street, near the depot, where he has carried on the drug business till the present time, He has one of the best locations, and the finest-appointed, well stocked drug stores in Elkhart, and is doing a lucrative business. He was married in 1879 to Miss Phoebe Simonton, of Elkhart. Mr. Primley is still a young man, and his present leading position among the business men of Elkhart is an example of what energy, industry and correct business habits can accomplish, and ranks him among the representative men of Elkhart city and county.

Proctor .- The Proctor family of Elkhart is one of the most prominent in this county. They are noted for their longevity. John Proctor, father of the well-known business man and capitalist, William Proctor, was born in 1791, and is consequently 89 years of age; yet he is still quite vigorous, and can talk fluently of the early times when the nation was yet in its youth. Mr. Proctor's father came from England at a very early day. His son thinks he was brought over when a boy, and his labor sold to a Virginian for the purpose of replacing his passage money. The boy's father and mother were dead before he left England. He was bound out as an apprentice to a shoemaker in some town near Norfolk, Va. He grew to be a man and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was in many of the battles throughout the seven years' contest. He was at the battle of Stony Point, under Gen. Wayne; and was at the siege of Yorktown. After the war closed he traveled over the Alle- ghany mountains and Blue Ridge chain to West Virginia, and began life as a farmer, locating on the Kanawha river. In process of time he engaged in milling, and constructed boats, and in coopering, and shipped the product down the river to market. He continued to run the mills after John had reached his majority, and then John man- aged the mills, while his father worked the farm. John also worked at coopering, and boated on the Kanawha. He speaks of the great amount of game that abounded in that country in the early days, such as elk, deer and wild turkeys. The employment of the peo- ple was largely fishing and hunting. He attended school in a log cabin, with slab stoolstor benches. It was amid such primitive and unconth surroundings that Washington, Madison, Jefferson, and Randolph rose to the eminence of the greatest of our earlier statesmen; and contending with such circumstances, gave endur- ance and energy to such pioneers as Mr. Proctor. The teachers of schools in that day and section were generally soldiers crippled in the Revolutionary war, who were thus pensioned on the subscrip- tion of the people. There were here and there planters of consid- erable importance, who lived in better style than the majority, and had slaves to perform their labor and home service. Mr. Proctor's mother's family were natives of Virginia, and her maiden name

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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.

was Elizabeth Huddleson. John was married in 1812 to Miss Rebecca Spangler, a lady of German descent. In 1816 he resolved to go to Indiana. Being a boatman, he determined to make the voyage toward his future home in a dug-out. Accordingly he pro- cured a large tree trunk, fashioned his primitive transport, placed his family, his household goods and " gods" therein, and embarked on the gliding Kanawha. Floating down that stream and out upon the Ohio, the voyaging family at length reached Cincinnati. From that city they made the journey to Brookville, Franklin county, Ind., by wagon. As soon as he could get settled he began to work at coopering, blacksmithing, and carpentering, and labored hard at various employments for a dollar per day. As time passed he bought 80 acres of land in Randolph county (then Wayne). Buy- ing at second hand he had to pay $4 an acre instead of the Govern- ment price. His farm was on the boundary of the Indian lands, and Mr. Proctor gives them the honorable name of excellent neighbors and honest men, living in the garden of Eden, without a care, and unburdened by the labor and exigencies of civilized life, and nn- tainted by its sophistries and fictions and dishonesties. He now asserts with earnestness that he had rather have one of those In- dians than 20 Christians; that money by the bagful was perfectly safe in their hands, and lost property of any kind once found by them would be faithfully restored. They, without charge, assisted him to erect his first cabin. Eventually Mr. Proctor sold his original farm, and bought land in Henry county, which he after- ward traded for a mill on Buck creek.

This brings us to the time when William Proctor was quite a lad. He was born in Randolph county in 1822. When he was four years old he removed with his parents to Henry county, and remained there till 1835, when the family came to Elkhart county. He lived upon the farm till he was 20, when he went to La Porte county and engaged in saw-milling, carpentering and farming till fall. The following winter he taught school eight miles south of Goshen. After his three months' term closed he began a course of study at Ontario Seminary, Lagrange connty, and remained there nearly three years, working on farms during haying and harvesting. He spent the winter of 1846 in Texas. In the spring he returned to Indiana and bought 120 acres of land on St. Joseph river. He cleared 100 acres, built a barn, and in 1849 was married to Miss Frances Downing, daughter of Col. Downing.

In the spring of 1850 Mr. Proctor went across the plains to Cali- fornia, driving a team. He remained there till the fall of 1851, mining and trading the while. When he returned he resumed life on his farm, and occupied it till 1856, when he located in Elkhart and engaged in the mercantile business, which, while he was occu- pied with it, embraced dry goods, hardware, clothing, groceries, etc. He also has constructed some of the finest buildings in Elkhart. He built the Fourth and Fifth ward school-houses, Odd Fellows' block, Main street, and several other structures. In 1869 he was

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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.

superintendent of the Elkhart Hydraulic Works, and had oversight of the construction of the St. Joseph River Works.

In 1873, in connection with John W. and Edwin Irwin, he took the job of constructing the hydraulic works of Constantine, Mich., a work that was successfully accomplished. Since that time he has busied himselt mostly with farming. He has 150 acres of fine land within the city limits. He was City Marshal of Elkhart for two years, namely in 1872-'3. He served one year as Trustee of Washington tp. Mr. Proctor's domestic relations have pro- duced its mingled joys and sorrows. He has lost 4 children by death, and 3 are now living. His son, C. M. Proctor, is now a civil engineer, with an office in Elkhart. Another son, L. M. Proctor, is attending school at Notre Dame. Ella May is but 14 years of age, and is attending school. The deceased children were named respectively, Emma, Florence, Homer and Marian. Mr. Proctor is a member of the Odd Fellows' association.

Henry Puterbaugh was born in Miami county, Ohio, Jan. 14, 1822, and is a son of George and Polly Puterbaugh, natives of Franklin county, Penn. He was reared on a farm and educated in a common school. He came to this county in January, 1849, and settled on a piece of woodland in Concord tp. He has pur- sued the avocation of a farmer to the present time. May 25, 1842, he married Miss Mary Lloyd, who was born Feb. 4, 1822. They have 5 children, viz .: John, Mary A., Amza H., David, Orvil T. His land was given to him by his father. He also owns a farm in Kosciusko county, Ind. Mr. P.'s grandmother lived to the ad- vanced age of 94 years.

Joseph Puterbaugh was born in Miami county, Ohio, Oct. 20, 1823, and is a son of George and Mary Puterbuagh, natives of Lan- caster county, Pa. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. He taught school for several years in Ohio, and then learned photography with one Mr. Baker, of Tippecanoe, Ohio. He followed this for one year, and then, in 1849, came to this county and taught a school the following winter. His father gave him 160 acres of timber land (including 2 acres of cleared land), which was a part of an Indian reservation, and had formerly been occupied by a person who, learning that it belonged to the Indians, abandoned it. There were no roads through this land at that time, and he was obliged to cut his way to his land. He was married May 29, 1851, to Sarah A. Patterson, daughter of William and Nancy Patterson. She was born in Favette county, Ind., March 16, 1827. They have 5 children, viz .: William F., George L .. Harriet A., Elizabeth F. and Jesse C.

Mr. Puterbangh owns 183 acres of valuable land in Concord tp., and 80 acres in Kansas. In politics he is a Republican. He served four years as Justice of the Peace, and was re-elected, but declined to serve. He is the present Assessor for Concord tp. His father was born in 1792, served in the war of 1812, and died in 1872, at the age of 80 years.

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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.

Daniel Richason is a son of Joshua and Jane Richason, natives of Bucks county, Pa. He was born Oct. 25, 1814. His parents were early settlers in Bango tp., their settlement in the county being in 1832, and in Baugo tp. in 1834. Mr. Richason, our subject's father, was a coachmaker by trade, and worked at that a greater portion of his life in Addlesborough (or Crooket Billet). He died in August, 1841, aged 62 years. The subject of this sketch was reared in the woods, and received his education in log school- houses. When young he learned the tailor's trade, which he fol- lowed for 18 years. He was married July 20, 1837, to Nancy A. Mote, and had 12 children, 9 of whom are living, viz. : John, Allen, Benjamin F., Jane (now Mrs. Joseph Dobson), Mary A. (now Mrs. Philip Smeltzer), Olive, Rachel (now Mrs. Jno. Lightfoot), and Mahala (now Mrs. Jacob Sternberger). Mrs. Richason died March 2, 1875, and Dec. 28, 1876, Mr. R. again married, Mrs. Coder, nee Moshier, the widow of Andrew Coder, who died in 1863. They had 8 children, 4 of whom are living, viz .: Andrew, Sanford, George and Ella. Mr. Richason's great-grandfather was a member of Wm. Penn's colony, and was present when the treaty of peace was made with the Indians. Mr. R. is the owner of 164 acres of land in Bango tp.

John A. Richley is a native of Seneca Falls, New York, and was born May 2, 1836. His parents were Joseph H. and Susan A. (Adamns) Richley, the former a native of Philadelphia, Pa., and the latter of Easton, Pa. Mr. Richley engaged as clerk for the Franklin House at Seneca Falls for some time, and in 1858 he came to South Bend, Ind., where he engaged as salesman for French & Adams for two years, and then acted in the same capacity for Guthrie & Zimmerman for 18 months. He then came to Elkhart and spent a portion of the winter, then returned to South Bend and clerked for Wyman. In 1862 he enlisted as a private in Co. C, 73d Ind. Vol. Inf. He took. it upon himself to help recruit, and suc- ceeded in enrolling 66 men in 11 days. At the organization he was elected First Lieutenant, from which, in six weeks, he was promoted Captain. He was taken prisoner May 2, 1863, at Rome, Georgia, while assisting Col. Straight to prosecute a raid in the rebel territory. They surrendered to Gen. Forrest on the condi- tions of parole, but the rebel general violated his part of the con- tract for the reason, he said, that his prisoners had committed depredations. Mr. Richley, with others, was kept in Libby prison for one year. He was exchanged at Columbia, S. C., and sent to Washington, and thence to Columbus, Ohio; but was soon sent back to the front at Huntsville, Ala. He was discharged in July, '65, returned home, and Aug. 9 married Miss Alice L. Howland. In 1867 he engaged in the sale of hats, caps, straw goods, fnrs and gents' furnishing goods, in Elkhart, and has had a steadily increasing trade. He carries a capital stock of $6,000 to $10,000, and his annual sales amount to $12,000 or $15,000.

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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.

Jesse Rush, deceased .- According to the testimony of the Rush family that are yet living, Mr. Jesse Rush was the first settler in this county, having settled here in May 18, 1826. He was born in Pennsylvania, May, 1791. In 1810 he went to Darke county, Ohio. His conveyance from Ohio to this county was a four-ox team. He was a voter at the first election, and aided in building the first school and church houses in the county. He aided in laying out the county and at its organization. He also assisted in laying off Elkhart city. After a siege of 12 years of pioneer life he fell vic- tim to the terrible epidemic that raged so destructively in the year 1838. After a lingering illness Mr. Rush dicd. The entire family, except Richard, was prostrate with this disease (cholera). He was married and had 9 children, 7 of whom are living, one son living in Alabama, and one remaining on the old homestead.

" Deacon " Jesse Rush was the son of Isaiah Rush, who was the brother of Jesse Rush, the latter one of the earliest settlers of Elk- hart county. The younger Jesse came to Indiana with his father in 1849, the family settling on Sumption Prairie, St. Joseph Co. The next spring Jesse Rush, sr., bought a farm of 160 acres in Liberty connty, where he resided until his death in 1854. When Jesse Rush, jr., came to Indiana he was 19 years of age. He had partly learned the blacksmith's trade in Ohio. He resumed this employ- ment in South Bend, working for Robert Hardy, with whom he remained for two years, after which he worked in La Porte for three years. He subsequently was employed at his craft in Momence, Ill., then in La Porte again, where he worked for his previous employer; then in Mishawaka, where he remained for five years. We next find him in Westport, Mo., where he was in the employ of M. F. Graham & Co. during three years. While he was at Westport the civil war broke out, and in April, 1862, he returned to Elkhart. He has opened a shop on Main street, renting at first, but at length purchasing the same premises. Here he has continued business ever since, adding to blacksmithing the wagon and car- riage business. Mr. Rush was married on Oct. 15, 1860, to Miss Sarah A. Elliott, of Elkhart, daughter of G. W. Elliott. They have 3 children, Geo. E., Harry and Amy, -- 2 living at home, and Harry being at South Bend, where he is learning the machinist's trade. Mr. Rush is a Junior Deacon in Eagle Lodge, R. A. M., and has passed all the chairs in the order of Odd Fellows.

Jesse C. Rush was born April 23, 1836, and is a son of Josiah and Malinda Rush. He received a common-school education; but little of his youth was spent in a school-house; he was principally on a farm grubbing, chopping and picking brush and roots. He now owns 160 acres of land, in sec. 28. He was married Nov. 13, 1862, to Eliza J. Scoles, by whom he has had 1 child, Herrick Mar- tin. Mrs. Rush was born in Marshall county, Ind., March 7, 1844.

Richard Rush is an Ohioan, and was born in Darke county, that State, May 18, 1825, and is a son of Jesse and Mary Rush, who were among the early settlers of this county. He came with his

David S. Simon Ton

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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.

parents to this county in 1826, being only one year old; conse- quently he remembers but little about his native place. Here, with the Indian boys, he passed his childhood years, receiving little or uo education, only in bow and arrow shooting with the keen-eyed Indian lads. At this feature of amusement he became quite expert and seldom "shot amiss," and could kill a pheasant or partridge 20 yards distant. He also participated in their various amuse- ments, such as wrestling and boxing. At this date they were camped on the farm which he now occupies, and there were on this tract of land an Indian camp numbering about 300 inhabitants, situated on the beautiful hillock which rises so commandingly above the adjoining prairie. Old Mamshaw and Banaca were chiet's of that band, and they treated the settlers with great kindness. In 1836-'7 the Indians were removed westward, and it was then that Mr. Rush turned his attention to books; but, because he had no company, Dec. 6, 1849, he married Mary, daughter of Isaiah and Emily Irwin, of New York. They have had 7 children, 6 of whom are living, viz .: James, who married Ella Bridgeman, Emily, who married Francis M. Miller; Clowe (Chloe?), who married Wm. J. Morrow, Maggie E., Lizzie, Mary A. and Alfred, deceased. Mr. R. owns 100 acres of land in sec. 20, worth $75 per acre. Politically he is a staunch Democrat.

Martin G. and Norman Sage, of the banking and milling firm of Sage Bros., were natives of Chautauqua county, N. Y. Their father's name was Moses, and their mother's maiden name was Nancy Goldsmith. The family removed to Adamsville, Mich., in 1834, where they remained till 1869. There they were engaged in milling and merchandise, father and son. On their removal to Elkhart they embarked in the same enterprise here. They were also largely engaged in farming. The father died in 1862, and his mantle fell upon the sons, they taking up his business and financial affairs where he had left them. He had become much involved in debt, but the sons, by industry and careful management, cleared the property of enenmbrance, and now are one of the soundest firms in' Elkhart. They make common stock of their property and business, keep no accounts between themselves, and have never had a dis- agreement in their lives, working together as one man. Their present business embraces a bank, a large flour mill, and stock in a starch factcry, the Elkhart Gas Company, a straw-board mill, and the Elkhart Hydraulic Works. Martin Sage has been a member of the Common Council of Elkhart. He was Notary Public for many years in Adanisville, and Norman was Postmaster at the same place for a period. Both gentlemen have families, and occupy fine brick residences in the southeastern part of the city.

S. W. Shumard .- The subject of this sketch was born in Cler- mont county, Ohio, Feb. 21, 1834, and is a son of William and Lavina Shumard, the former a native of New Jersey, and the latter of Ohio. He was reared on a farm, and educated at Milford Semi-

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HISTORY OF ELKHART COUNTY.

nary, Ohio. His father owned a farm, and a saw and flouring mill, which gave the boys employment both winter and summer.

In 1856 he went to California by way of the isthmus. He there engaged in mining for three years, and was very successful. He then returned and engaged in farming until 1864, when he went to Oregon. He remained there until 1865, when he came to Goshen and kept a boarding house until 1869. He then came to Elkhart, and opened a saloon in company with Donglas Beardsley, which they ran for one year. In 1870 he, with Abe Blivenonr, opened a wholesale liquor store in Elkhart, and ran it for two years. They went to Pittsburg. Pa., in 1872, and ran a saloon one year. Mr. Shumard then returned to Elkhart and erected a brick block on Harrison street and opened a grocery in it, in company with Mr. Golden. In the spring of 1880 he purchased Mr. Golden's interest, and is now conducting the business alone. He has a good and steadily increasing trade. He was married in 1862 to Miss Martha Golden, daughter of Jolin Golden. They have 1 child, Luln.

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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 74

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, C. C. Chapman & co. Number of Pages: 1192

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, C. C. Chapman & co.
Number of Pages: 1192