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 82
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May 17, 1842, Dr. Ellis was married to Miss Maria Crozier, formerly of Chillicothe, Ohio. This lady died April 21, 1846, leaving 2 children, Sarah Annette and William R. Jan. 27, 1848, the Doctor was again married, the second wife being Minerva Jennette Brown, daughter of Ebenezer Brown. She died at Indianapolis, June 15, 1856, leaving 1 child, Emma Maria; she had also given birth to 4 other children, all of whom were deceased when she died, 2 being buried in Indianapolis, and 2 in Goshen. In August, 1858, the Doctor was a third time married, the last Mrs. Ellis being formerly Mrs. Rosalia Harris, widow of Leonard G. Harris, and daughter of Samuel Harris, of Elkhart.
He assumed charge of the Auditor's office, Indianapolis, in Jan- uary, 1850, the journey thither at that time requiring a week of tedious travel. In the summer of 1850 himself and John S. Spaun purchased the contract for the State printing and also the printing material of the Indiana State Sentinel. Under this contract they printed the Revised Statutes of 1852. They began the publication of the Indiana Statesman, a weekly paper, which was continued two years, of which Dr. Ellis was the editor. In this paper he opposed the extension of slavery in the campaign of 1848, and thus placed himself at variance with the majority of his party, and secured his own defeat to the nomination for Anditor in 1852, and retired from that office in January, 1853. IIe left the Democratic party in January, 1855, on account of the position of the Demo- cratic State Convention, when it was proposed to make the border ruffian policy of the administration a test of party policy.
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The life of Dr. Ellis was henceforward replete with public events. He was elected by the Legislature Commissioner of the Institute for the Education of the Blind, and Secretary of the Board; was chosen President of the Pennsylvania & Indianapolis railroad, an office which he held two years; at a subsequent time he was Presi- dent of the Madison & Indianapolis railroad for two and a half years. He was also one of the Directors of the Indiana & Illinois Central railway, and of two or three other lines then in their incipiency. He at length engaged in the mercantile business in Goshen, with his brother-in-law, Chauncy S. Hascall, investing $11,000. This proved disastrous to the Doctor, and he lost $40,000 -almost every dollar of his property!
In 1856 he was again candidate for Auditor of State on the first Republican State ticket, but was defeated. After the close of the campaign he returned to Goshen and purchased an interest in the Goshen Times, C. W. Stephens being the other partner. For two years he was editor of the paper, when he sold his interest to Mr. Stephens, and closed his connection with the press. In 1858 he was again elected Auditor of Elkhart county, and was re-elected in 1862. When the Peace Congress was proposed on the outbreak of the Rebellion, Gov. Morton appointed Dr. Ellis as one of the dele- gates from Indiana, and he acted in that capacity in the memorable convention that met in Washington with such futile result. He took an active part in raising troops for the war, and was appointed by Gov. Morton Commandant of a camp to raise a regiment of three years' men. The camp was located about two miles south of Goshen, and was called Camp Ellis. When the first draft was made he was appointed enrolling officer for Elkhart county. He was Deputy Marshal of the county till the close of the war.
In 1865 Dr. Ellis was elected State Director of the Bank of Indiana, and held the office for one year, or until the winding up of the institution. The public life of Dr. Ellis closed with the expiration of his last term as Auditor, when he engaged in the more particular care of his private affairs.
Dr. Ellis joined the Masonic order in 1846, and afterward became a charter member of Goshen Chapter, No. 45, and for several years was its Iligh Priest, and also Thrice Illustrious Grand Master of Barber Council of Royal and Select Masons. He has occupied other lofty positions in the order. The Doctor's life from youth to old age has been an exceedingly busy one, and replete with important public service, a distinction that ranks him among the very first citizens of Elkhart county.
David Evans was born in York county, Pa., May 22, 1822. and is a son of David and Mary (Lyons) Evans, also natives of Penn- sylvania. His father was of German descent, and his mother of English extraction. He was brought up on a farm, and at the age of 18 learned the carpenter's trade, which business he continued for 15 years. Oct. 9, 1845, he married Miss Elizabeth Deardorff, by whom he had 4 children: Sarah J., John, Anna M., deceased, and
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Elizabeth, deceased. Mrs. Evans died Dec. 16, 1874, and he again married Oct. 10, 1878, this time Mrs. Susan Deardorff, daughter of Joseph Cripe. Mr. Evans has given some land to his children, and still owns 160 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Evans are mem- bers of the German Baptist, or Dunkard, Church. In education he is a self-made man.
William B. Ferrell, deceased, was born in Lawrence county, Pa., Nov. 5, 1815. His parents were James and Eleanor Ferrell, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of New Eng- land. He was reared on a farm until the age of 15, when he learned the carpenter's trade. This he followed nearly all the re- mainder of his life, and was very successful, and is a fine workman. In 1840 he married Miss Sarah Thomas, who was born in Lawrence county, Pa., June 9, 1819. They have had 7 children, 6 of whom are living: Mansfield A., Clara (now Mrs. Geo. Merrill, of Goshen), Laura (now Mrs. L. Krider, of Goshen), John W. (of Silver Lake, Ind.), Eliza (now Mrs. Henry Motto, of Goshen) and Mary E. They came to Goshen in 1864, where, Nov. 2, 1878, Mr. Ferrell died. He was a faithful Christian man and an ardent worker in the cause of temperance. He was a kind and affectionate husband and father, and a valuable member of society. In fact, none knew knew him but to love him.
Tolbert Fink was born in North Germany, and came to this country when he was but seven years of age. He was the son of Courad and Helen Fink. The family landed in Baltimore and re- mained a short time, and then went to Harrisburg, Pa. There were 3 boys in the family: Henry, the eldest, Frederick C. and Volbert. Henry and Frederick are now living in Harrisburg. At 16 years of age Volbert went into a butchering establishment in Harrisburg, to learn the trade of a meat purveyor. At 20 lie em- barked in the business on his own account. He made a success of the enterprise, and amassed considerable property, but lost heavily by subsequent reverses. Thinking that fortune would smile upon him more propitiously at the West, he came to Goshen in 1867, and immediately embarked in the meat-market business here, open- ing his first shop where the City National Bank now stands. He remained at this stand till Ang. 16, and then removed to Thomp- son's old block, where he did business for two or three years; thence to Culp's building, finally locating in his present place on Main street. Since his arrival in Goshen he has steadily progressed in business, and has accumulated a handsome competence. He is reputed to have more capital than any other butcher in Goshen, and he has accumulated it all by his own industry, he having not a cent when he began life for himself. Mr. Fink is considered one of our most reliable business men, and his word is as good as his bond. He was married in 1858, in Harrisburg, to Miss Catharine Stoll. They have 6 living children, 4 sons and 2 daughters: Helen, Mary, George, Charles, William and Harry. Mr. Fink and all of
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his family of sufficient age have been confirmed in the Lutheran Church. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias.
James Frier, deceased, an early pioneer of Elkhart county and a self-made man of merited reputation, was born in the county of Down, Ireland, July 11, 1796. His mind having been excited by the glowing accounts of the great western empire in America, and dissatisfied with the oppression endured by his countrymen, he took au early opportunity to emigrate, and, shipping at Belfast in 1818, after a long and tempestuous voyage, in due time arrived safely in Quebec. The colony of Lower Canada was, however, too closely attached to the mother country, and too much alike it in customs and habit, to induce the young and impulsive Irishman to adopt it for a permanent residence, and he accordingly soon made his way to Chittenden county, Vt., where, in 1823, he mar- ried Miss Clarinda Young.
The Western country was just then being developed, and glow- ing accounts came to his ears of the beauty and fertility of the lands toward the setting sun. For a man in his humble circum- stances it is not improbable that the cheapness of the lands was one of the chief allurements. In 1829 he removed with his family and effects by way of the Erie canal and lake to Detroit. Here and at White Pigeon they passed the winter, when they resumed their journey to Indiana. March 17, 1830, they arrived in Elkhart county through a bed of snow two feet in depth. The first night after their arrival, Mr. Frier cut down some bushes to prepare shelter and a bed to sleep upon, and here we may believe the hardy emigrant and his little family, under the protection of that Heav- enly Father they had been tanght to worship, slept as soundly and as sweetly as if in a palace and on beds of down.
He located on the east side of Elkhart Prairie, making a settler's claim of 160 acres, which he subsequently purchased at the land office at Fort Wayne. The first thing in order was to erect a house. He searched through the woodland which skirted the prairie until he found a large fallen or lodged tree, which he made use of for the rear end or back side wall of his edifice. He planted corner poles or posts some ten feet high in front, from which he extended rafters to the log in the rear. The sides and roof were formed of interlacing boughs and poles, and a Mackinac blanket suspended as a door performed the double duty of keeping out the cold and keeping in the smoke for the curing of their bacon. A shed somewhat similar, but of less elaborate construction, was prepared for the use of the hired men. This was, however, replaced by a more commodious cabin made of logs, the following antumn. Mr. Frier and his wife were zealous and devoted mem- bers of the Methodist Church, and for many years his dwelling was the welcome home of the itinerant preacher, and was the prin- cipal meeting-house, or preaching place, on the prairie. The latch- string was always out, and no one went away hungry from its doors. Mr. Frier was an industrious man and was greatly prospered
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in the accumulation of wealth. Human habitations gathered around him but slowly. There were no schools or churches. It was a long way to the house of a neighbor, many miles to a store, and 40 miles to a mill, across the border in Michigan. Many a time with his ox team and Pennsylvania wagon he forded the streams on his way to mill, at the imminent peril of his life, but the Great Father was, as he always said, his preserver. Game was abundant, and contributed no little to the table of the pioneer. His pet deer were often chased by the wolves to his door, and the turkeys perched within easy reach of his trusty rifle.
Upon the organization of the county in 1831, he was appointed the first Assessor, but was relieved from duty on account of not having been naturalized. This defeat being remedied, he was af- terward appointed County Treasurer, and in 1840 served as Deputy Collector of Taxes, under the late Thos. H. Bassett. In every re- lation of life he was an honest man, a kind neighbor, and a gen- erous friend. In 1850, on the breaking out of the gold fever in California, he went by ship to the promised land of gold. Here he died in the fall of 1852.
Robert B. Geddes, born in Ohio in 1843, is the son of John and Lucinda (Heath) Geddes, natives of New York, and of English de- scent. The subject of this sketch is a citizen of Goshen, where he received his education and also learned his trade, that of a painter and grainer, in which he is a first-class workman. He commenced to learn his trade at the age of 17, and has worked at it continually ever since. Most of his work is in the city of Goshen. He enlisted in 1862 in the 57th Ind. Vol. Inf., Co. K, under Captain Billings. He was third Sergeant, and was discharged at the close of the war. In politics he is a Democrat. He was Constable in Goshen in 1872-'3.
Dr. P. D. Harding, allopathic physician, was born in Tioga county, Pa., July 5, 1838. His father's name was Joseph M. Hard- ing, and his mother's maiden name was Pamelia M. Hayden. Both parents were American boru. Dr. Harding's education was begun in the district schools of his neighborhood; as age advanced it was pursned in Dickinson Seminary, Williamsport, Pa., and afterward at the Methodist College, at Lima, N. Y. He received his medical education at Geneva Medical College and also has a degree from the Chicago Medical College. He enlisted in the 40th Ind. Vol. Inf., in 1862, and served as Assistant Surgeon during the summer of that year. Leaving the army he came to Goshen and settled down as a medical practitioner. He has been very successful as a physi- cian, and now ranks among the better class in Elkhart county. Dr. Harding, in the spring of 1867, was married to Miss Mary E. Clifford, a graduate of the Northwestern University at Evanston, Ill. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Gen. Milo S. Hascall, one of the most prominent citizens of Indiana, was born in Le Roy, Genesee Co., N. Y., Aug. 5, 1829. He was the son of Amasa and Phoebe (Smith) Hascall, natives of
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Massachusetts. The elder Mr. Hascall was a prominent man among his neighbors, and occupied various official positions. Emigrating to the State of New York, he first located at Canandaigua, and sub- sequently removed to Le Roy, Genesee Co. The boyhood of Gen. Hascall was passed with his parents on the farm, the rudiments of his education being obtained in the common district schools of his locality. At the age of 16 he attended an academy, and thus obtained a sight into the fields of a higher education. At 17 years of age he left home and came West to Goshen, where three of his brothers then resided. This was in 1847. Chauncy S. Hascall, one of the brothers, was then engaged in trade in Goshen, and the General entered his store as clerk. This engagement lasted but three months, when he taught school for one term. While he was teaching he received an appointment as cadet at West Point. This oppor- tunity was secured through the influence of Hon. Charles W. Cath- cart, member of Congress from the La Porte district, which then embraced a large part of Northern Indiana. He went to West Point in June, 1848, and remained there four years, graduating June 16, 1852. He ranked 14th in a class that entered 96 and graduated 43, a good record indeed, and one of which any West Point student might well be proud. His class embraced several gentlemen that became prominent in the history of the country. Among these were Henry W. Slocum, of Brooklyn, Gen. D. S. Stanley, Jerome N. Bonapart, the Baltimore member of the illustrious family, Geo. L. Hartsuff, Gen. Charles R. Woods, Marshall T. Polk, Alex D. McCook, Gen. Wm. Myers, Gen. A. N. Kantz and Gen. Geo. Crook, the Indian fighter. Gen. Sheridan was also a member of the class. After his graduation Gen. Hascall was promoted to the Third Artil- lery as brevet 2d Lieutenant, and stationed at Fort Adams, R. I., where he remained about one year. He was then promoted to a 2d Lieutenancy in the Second Artillery, and was stationed at Old Point Comfort, Va. Here he remained to the time of his resigna- tion, which was in 1853.
He came to Goshen after leaving the army, and traveled for some time thereafter. For one year he was a contractor on the Northern Indiana & Michigan Southern railroad, after which he studied and eventually began the practice of law. During his law practice he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for the Court of Common Pleas. In the fall of 1859 he was elected Clerk of Elkhart Circuit Court, which office he retained till the spring of 1861, when the war of the Rebellion broke out and called him to his country's defense. When the first call for three months' men was made the General was among the number that readily enrolled themselves as privates in the ranks. He was a member of the first company organized in Goshen. When the company was full he was elected its Captain, and conducted it to Indianapolis, to be mustered into the three months' service; but the Captain and his comrades were too late. Such was the eager rush to arms of the citizen soldiery that before the Goshen company arrived, only 72 hours after the call had been
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made, the six regiments required of the State had been filled, and the Goshen patriots had to disband and return home. But Gov. Mor- ton, having learned that Capt. Hascall was a graduate of West Point, requested him to remain in Indianapolis, which he did, and was ap- pointed Captain and Aid de-Camp on Gen. Thos. A. Morris' staff, in which capacity he had the labor of organizing and drilling six regi- ments in Camp Morton, preparatory to the regiment's taking the field. When Gen. Morris took his command to West Virginia, in June, 1861, and began the first active movement of the war, Capt. Has- call accompanied him. He was in the first engagement of the war after Sumter, which was fought at Philippi. There the enemy, under Gen. Porterfield, were defeated and routed, and the first rebel flag was captured. The next day after this engagement Gov. Mor- ton sent a telegram to Capt. Hascall announcing his appointment as Colonel of the Seventeenth Indiana Infantry. He immediately returned to Indianapolis, bearing on the way Gen. Morris' official report to Gen. McClellan at Cincinnati. He also was the bearer to that General of the flag taken at Philippi. On arriving at Indian- apolis he was mustered into the three years' service as Colonel of the Seventeenth Indiana Regiment, he being the first officer of that grade so mustered into the three years' service. His regiment was ordered to Parkersburg, W. Va., and arrived there at about the time of the first battle of Bull Run. He was immediately ordered to proceed to Oakland, Western Maryland, it being feared, after the rebel success, that the enemy would invade Pennsylvania by way of Harper's Ferry. His regiment remained there on the lookout for two weeks, during which time Fort Pendleton, in the vicinity of Oakland, was erected. It becoming evident that the rebels would not invade Western Maryland, Capt. Hascall and his troops were ordered to Grafton, W. Va., and thence, by way of Philippi and Beverly, to Elkwater and Cheat Mountain, where they remained till the winter of 1861, participating in all the engagements about Elkwater, Huttonville and Cheat Monntain. In an engage- ment with the enemy at Elkwater, in September of that year, Colonel Hascall's regiment killed the celebrated John A. Wash- ington, of Mt. Vernon fame, who was on the staff of General Lee. When the dead body was taken back to the enemy, Col. Hascall received the first flag of truce offered by the rebels under Gen. Lee at the beginning of the war. In December of that year he was ordered to proceed with his regiment to Louisville, Ky., where he was placed in command of a brig- ade, consisting of the 17th Indiana, the 6th Ohio regiment, or " Guthrie Grays," the 43d Ohio, and the 15th Indiana Regiments. This brigade was assigned to the division commanded by the late Gen. William Nelson. After three months had passed, he was transferred to the command of a brigade in Gen. Thomas J. Wood's division, and served in that capacity during the advance on, and capture of, Nashville, and in the advance on Shiloh. In April of the following year he participated in the battles of Shiloh and
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Pittsburg Landing. At the close of that fearful engagement he received the first flag of truce sent by Gen. Beauregard during the war on the occasion of his sending in to get permission to bury his dead on that field. On April 20, of the same year, while on the march from Shiloh to Corinth, he received his promotion as Brigadier General of volunteers, the same being awarded without solicitation or application on his part, and from that time till the fall of 1864 he was actively engaged in the armies of the West, in all their operations. He was most of this time in command of a division, and on several occasions, temporarily in command of an army corps. During the terrible battle of Stone River, he was in command of the entire forces on the left, after 10 o'clock of the first day's battle. and to him more than to any other one officer on the field was due the credit of preventing the crushing defeat on the right from becoming an ntter rout of the Union army. After this memorable battle Gen. Hascall was sent to Indianapolis to superintend the work of returning deserters from the States of Ohio. Indiana and Illinois. While engaged in this work, he was, at the request of Gen. Burnside, transferred from the Army of the Cumberland to the Army of the Ohio, and placed in command of the district of Indiana. It was during this time that the "cop- perheads " in Indiana, Ohio and Illinois were most active and vio- lent in their opposition to the measures of the Government to suppress the Rebellion. During his command in Indiana. Vallan- digham was arrested, the Chicago Times and numerous " copper- head" papers in Indiana were suppressed, the great meeting of rebel sympathizers in Indianapolis, that met to seize the State arms and turn the State over to John Morgan, was foiled in its design.
When Burnside began his famous movement from Lexington, Ky., to capture Knoxville and East Tennessee, he relieved Gen. Hascall of the command of the district of Indiana, and placed him in command of a division of the 23d Army Corps, at the head of which he went with the army into East Tennessee, and took an active part in the capture of Knoxville, and afterward in the siege of that city, when Gen. Longstreet was attempting its capture. When Longstreet's forces were finally repulsed and Sherman moved upon Atlanta, Gen. Hascall marched at the head of his division, and took an active part in that campaign, and was con- spicuons in all the engagements that resulted in the capture of that city. His division planted the first batteries around the doomed city. and threw the first shot and shell within the enemy's lines.
At the close of the war Gen. Hascall resumed the arts of peace, and, in connection with John W. Irwin. Esq .. engaged in the bank- ing business in Goshen. in the institution known as the "Salem Bank." and has continned that financial enterprise to the present time. During his business career here, Gen. Hascall has been one of the most active and successful men in Goshen. In politics he is an ardent Republican, and during the late campaign he made
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numerous telling speeches throughout Indiana in behalf of his party.
Jacob Huttel, Jr., is a Pennsylvanian by birth, his natal year being 1842. His parents' names were Francis and Rebecca (nee Cleni) Hattel. His father was born in France, but emigrated to this country from Germany; the family emigrated from Pennsyl- vania in 1845 and settled in Ohio, where they remained three years, when they removed to Elkhart county, Ind. This was in 1848. Mr. Hattel's grandparents reside in Elkhart county, and are prob- ably the most aged individuals in it, and have lived man and wife over 60 years. The larger portion of Mr. Hattel's childhood was passed in New Paris, this county, where direction was given to his young idea by attendance at district school. At 14 he began an apprenticeship at the furniture trade, which, having finished, he continued to pursue till he was 21, when he was married to Miss Elizabeth Whitehead, and 2 sons and 2 daughters are their children. In 1873 he removed to Goshen, and joined his brother, D. M. IIat- tel, in the furniture business. This was continued for two years, when a sale of the concern to Aaron Marks was effected. Ang. 1, 1876, he bought the furniture shop then conducted by Benj. G. Crary, and Dec. 9 the establishment was burned. Nothing daunted, Mr. Hattel continued business. In 1878 he erected a part of the building he and his associates now occupy, on Washington street, near the hydraulic canal. In the spring of 1880 he associated with himself and the brother who had been in company with him for somne time. Messrs. Kolb and Grass, under the firm name of " Hattel Bros. & Co." Latterly the manufactory has been enlarged, so that the building is now 100 feet in length and two stories in height. The company employ 30 hands, and are doing a thriving business in the furniture-making line. Mr. Hattel can be well satisfied with his career, having added an important industry to the manufactur- ing interests of Goshen.
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