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 85
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John B. Slaughter, the only marble dealer in Goshen, was born at Ravenna, Portage Co., Ohio, March 3, 1831. IIe was the son of Solomon and Ruth (Burdick) Slaughter. He passed his boy- hood on his father's farm, and attended common school. When he had arrived at a sufficient age he was apprenticed to the marble cutter's trade, his employers being Jones & Sons, of Cleveland, Ohio. One of the sons of Mr. Jones at this date is United States Senator from Ohio. Mr. Slaughter finished his apprenticeship in three years, and then traveled throughout the West as a journey- man marble cutter, working by intervals in various places, among them Chicago, Toledo, Huntington and Ligonier. In the latter place he carried on the marble business for three years. In 1859 he came to Goshen, and established himself in marble cutting and dealing, since which time he bas commanded that trade in Goshen, being the only proprietor of marble works here. Having been so many years in the business, and having begun in his present loca- tion so early, he can justly claim to have erected more tombstones and cemetery monuments than any other marble dealer in Elk- hart county, or probably in Northern Indiana. He has been engaged in the trade on his own account for 21 years, and has been a marble cutter for 31 years,-a length of period passed in this branch of industry that few men of his craft can claim. Mr. Slaughter in 1864 was married to Miss Lydia M. Dean, by whom he has had 2 sons and 1 danghter. Mr. Slaughter is an ardent Republican in politics, and a Free- mason, holding in the order the office of Scribe in chapter 45, and has belonged to the mystic brotherhood 26 years. IIe has been honored by his fellow citizens with an election as City Council- man for two successive terms. The gravity of Mr. Slaughter's occupation does not prevent his being a cheerful gentleman, and one whose every-day life is characterized by kindness and fair treat- ment of his fellow men.
Levi Smith, deceased, was born in Rockdale county, Ky., near the town of Crab Orchard, Feb. 8, 1815, and is a son of Jonathan and Barbara Smith, natives of Tiger's Valley, Va. His mother was a daughter of Col. Crow, of Revolutionary fame. His father died when he was but three years old, and consequently he was compelled to work assiduously and undergo many hardships, as his mother was poor. He removed to Clarke county, Ohio, with his
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mother in 1820. He afterward served three years' apprenticeship at the blacksmith's trade, in Logan county, Ohio. He came to this county in 1834 and established a distillery in company with Sam- uel Burns, near Waterford. He was married Nov. 9, 1837, to Miss Polly McDowel, by whom he had 1 child, James A., now in Elkhart. Mrs. Smith died in June, 1840, and he returned to Ohio in 1842, and engaged in the distillery business. In May, 1843, he returned to this county, and Aug. 21 following he married Miss Elizabeth W. McDowel by whom he had 10 children; of these, 6 are living, viz .: John H., Levi M., Rebecca R., William P., Lovina C. and Carrie L. He engaged in farming one mile south of Elk- hart for several years, and grew wealthy. He died July 26, 1880, loved and respected by all. He was a very benevolent and kind man. He left 921 acres of land to each of his 7 children, and the same to Mrs. Smith.
J. Souder is a prominent farmer of Elkhart tp .; resides on sec. 25.
Wm. M. Starr was born in Mifflin county, Pa., April 16, 1837. His father's naine was Geo. L. Starr, who married Lucinda Rutter. The family removed to Ohio when William was an infant, locating in Williams county, and settling on a farm, where they remained till the fall of 1855. In the spring of 1856 Mr. Starr entered the office of the Republican Standard as an apprentice, and remained there two years. After an interval of one year he resumed the art preservative and traveled as a journeyman. When the war broke out he enlisted in the 13th Indiana Infantry, at Pern, prompted by the first call for troops after the fall of Fort Sumter. He served 13 months and was captured in the Shenandoah valley when on the skirmish line. He was taken to Libby Prison, but was confined there but a few hours, when he was paroled and sent to Washing- ton. There, in due course of time, he was honorably discharged. Returning to Bryan, Ohio, he purchased a partnership in the Press and Leader, with S. L. Hunter, and was connected with that paper for five years. He removed to Goshen and assumed control of the Times in August, 1867. He continued in the editorship of the paper and management of the Times printing establishment till the summer of 1880, when he sold his share of the property to Dr. Beyerle, the present proprietor, who had owned an interest in it since 1877. Since his disposition of the Times he has bought a half interest in a printing establishment in Jacksonville, Ill., Joseph J. Ironmonger being the original owner and his present partner. Mr. Starr also owns 160 acres of land in Emmet county, Mich. He was married in Bryan, Ohio, May 8, 1866, to Miss Aggie E., daughter of Rev. Thos. Tanneyhill. Mr. Starr is a mem- ber of the Methodist Church, also of the Masonic order, and of the Odd Fellows. He is a Republican in politics. At this writing, he intends soon to depart from Goshen and take up his residence at Jacksonville, the scene of his future labors.
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Samuel Strickler was born in Pennsylvania. When he was six years of age his parents moved to Canada, and resided near the Niagara river till after the war of 1812, when they removed to New York, and resided 18 miles east of Buffalo until 1826, when the family returned to Canada. Benjamin W. Strickler, son of Samuel Strickler, came from Canada to Indiana with his parents when he was 12 years of age. His father lived in Goshen one year and a half, when he settled on a farm of 160 acres, in sec. 7, this tp. He improved and cultivated this farm till 1868, when he died, at the age of 58, leaving a widow and 5 children. The north half of the farm fell to the share of Benjamin, and he cultivates this estate at the present time. In 1860 he was married to Miss Rebecca Shunk. who had recently come from Pennsylvania. They have 3 children, George Allen, John Henry and Mary Alice.
Samuel Stutsman was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, Oct. 11, 1821, and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth Stutsman, natives of Pennsylvania. He came with his parents to this county in 1832, when there were many wild Indians here. He has played and shot with bow and arrows "many a day with the Indian boys." His father settled on the east side of the Elkhart river, and the school was on the west side, and he could attend school only when the ice was thick enough to allow him to cross on it. As this was only a portion of the winter, and the school taught by subscription, his early educational advantages were very limited. His school-house, of course, was of the pioneer class, viz .: a little log cabin furnished with slab seats, and boards supported on pins in the wall for a writ- ing desk. He was married in 1845, to Miss Caroline Swinehart, by whom he has had 11 children; of these, 7 are living, viz .: Benja- min, Amanda, Amelia A., Martha, Sarah, Sealon and Delilah. Mr. Statsman resided in Concord tp., and still owns the same farm of 170 acres. He grew feeble, and in 1874 removed to Goshen, where he now resides. Mr. and Mrs. S. are members of the United Breth- ren Church in the locality where they formerly resided, Mr. Stats- man having served as Church Trustee for some time.
William A. Thomas, banker and capitalist and a leading manu- facturer of flour, was born in Monroe county. Va., March 3. 1816. His father's name is Thomas Thomas. He still resides in Warsaw, this State, and is SS years of age. His mother's maiden name was Mary Kelley. The family remained in Monroe county, Virginia, until William was 10 years of age, during which time he had some tuition in a subscription school. Leaving Virginia iu 1826, the family removed to Richmond, Ind., and settled there. William enjoyed the advantage of such tuition as the district schools afforded at that early day. In 1828 the family again struck their tents, and this time drove their stakes in the then famous St. Joseph's valley, but not " finding anything to live on" there, as Mr. Thomas expressed it, they finally sought a resting place in Elk- hart county. This was in the spring of 1829. The family settled on a farm, which was located on what was called "Two-Mile
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Plain." There they remained until the elder Mr. Thomas was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court, when they changed their residence to Goshen. For some time afterward William worked on a farm near town. In 1833, his father having opened a store in Leesburg. William became a clerk in it, and remained in that occupation till 1837, when he returned to Goshen, and was employed in his father's store as salesman here. This was con- tinued till 1838, when he went into the Circuit Clerk's office as deputy to his father. This employment lasted until the close of his father's term of service, which extended over 14 years. In 1844 Mr. Thomas was a candidate for clerk on the Whig ticket. His was the losing party that year, and he was consequently defeated. After this campaign, and until the spring of 1845, Mr. Thomas was not particularly employed. During the last-named year himself and Milo Mercer engaged as partners in the dry-goods trade. Their store was on Main street. On October of the same year Mr. Thomas was married to Miss Sarah McKenney, by whom he had 1 daughter. The firm sold goods till the spring of 1848, when the partnership was dissolved, after which Mr. Thomas continued the dry-goods business alone. He sold goods for 20 consecutive years without the intermission of three days. He was burned out in 1872, but this did not materially interrupt his business. He closed up his dry- goods trade in 1875. In 1869 he established a flour mill on the hydraulic canal. This enterprise is still in a flourishing condition. In September, 1876, Mr. Thomas opened the Farmer's Bank on Main street, Goshen, and that enterprise is still maintained under his management. The first Mrs. Thomas having died, Mr. T., in 1850, was again married, to Miss Eliza McKenney, sister of his former wife. She has presented her husband 3 daughters; 2 of these are married : one to C. M. Harris, and the other to Laporte Eaton. Mr. Thomas is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics he is a Republican.
Benjamin F. Toms was born in Ashland county, Ohio, in 1838; came to this State in 1860 and located in Goshen, where he has since resided, and for the greater part of this time has been in the employ of Mr. Hawks as miller. Mr. Toms was married to Miss Matilda Price Feb. 22, 1866, who was born in this county, and there have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Toms 6 children, of whom there are 5 living: Benjamin F., Alpheus, Emily, Ellen, Lizzy and Jas- per. Mr. John T. Toms, father of the subject of this sketch, is a native of Pennsylvania, as is also his wife. Mr. Toms is a very en- ergetic man and a good financier, as his present circumstances indi- cate, having had but a limited education, such as conld be obtained in the common schools of Ohio 30 years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Toms are members of the Baptist Church.
Wm. Twomey is of Irish descent, having been born in Killarney, county Kerry, about 1524. His father's Christian name was Thomas, and his mother before marriage was Miss Catharine Mc- Sweeney. His parents were Catholics, and William attended parish
57
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school in his native place until he was 16 years of age, when he went to London to finish learning the shoemaker's trade, which he had partly learned under an apprenticeship to his brother. He worked in London about seven years, when he and his brother re- solved to come to America. In the month of January they en- barked in the ship Franklin, commanded by a Swedish captain, which was in the American trade. The passage over was a stormy one, and consumed six weeks before the rugged coast of New Eng- land was descried. Unfortunately the Captain missed his reckonings, and the vessel was grounded on a sandbank near Cape Cod. The peril was imminent, as the sea ran high and was pounding against the vessel fearfully, and threatening to break her in pieces. The Captain had concluded that the tide would soon be at the ebb and thus the ship would be floated off the bank; but again he had mis- calculated, for the tide began to flow, bearing the vessel still deeper into the fatal bank, and making her total loss certain. The sea continued to dash upon the ill-fated bark until she went to pieces. All the crew and passengers but four, of which number onr hero was one, were swept off by the waves, or were lost by attempts to launch the life boats. The four clung to the bowsprit until they were rescued by a party of wreckers. Mr. Twomey's brother was among the lost. After his escape from a watery grave he was hos- pitably treated by the inhabitants of Cape Cod, where he worked for some time at his trade, thus procuring means to purchase clothes and tools. He went to Boston and there worked at his trade for 18 months; thence he went to Worcester, Hartford, New Haven and New York, finding employment for a time in each city. While in Hartford he was married to Miss Mary Kough, by whom he has had 6 children. He removed to Goshen in the summer of 1855, where he was employed as a journeyman for about 18 years; he opened a shop on Market street, opposite the postoffice, about six years ago, and has kept it ever since. Mr. Twomey is a genial gentleman, and vividly recites the story of his shipwreck to his friends.
Rev. H. L. Vannuys, Pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Goshen, was born in Kentucky Nov. 3, 1829; his father, Tunis Vannuys, was a native of New Jersey, and his mother, Kate (De- maree) Vannuys, was a native of Pennsylvania. Mr. Vannuys is a graduate of Hanover College, and also of the Theological Semi- nary of Princeton, New Jersey; he came to Goshen Oct. 21, 1852, where, in March, 1853, he organized the Presbyterian Church, with fifteen members; he is still the pastor, and his is, perhaps, the longest pastorate in Indiana; the summer of 1867 he spent in Europe; during his labors in Goshen, nearly five hundred have been added to the Church. He was united in marriage with Miss Rebecca H., daughter of S. P. Williams, of Lima, Lawrence county, Ind., and they have had 1 child (deceased). Mrs. Vannuys died in 1869, and in 1872 he married Miss Lillie W. Loring, by whom he had 1 child, which is also deceased.
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Maj. W. H. Venamon was born in Piqua, Ohio, in 1836; his father was Harvey Venamon, and his mother's maiden name was Margaret Barnes; they were both Kentuckians, and of English de- scent. When Mr. V. was six months old, his parents moved to Kosciusko county, Ind., where they remained till 1849; they then made another remove, this time locating at Goshen, this county. Maj. Venamon, when a boy, attended the district schools of his neighborhood, and in 1851 he began to learn the cabinet maker's trade; he worked at this occupation until 1859, when he attended Bryant & Stratton's Commercial College, in Chicago. In 1862 he enlisted in the 100th Ind. Reg., and performed three years of ser- vice; he followed the illustrious Sherman from Vicksburg to the sea, and was in 47 battles; he entered the army as First Lientenant, and was promoted through the regular gradation to the rank of Major; he served as Quartermaster and Adjutant; when he was Captain he took his company into the battle of Mission Ridge, 32 strong; when the carnage was over, only seven men answered the roll-eall; 25 had been either killed or disabled. On June 18, 1865, Maj. Venamon was honorably dis- charged, and returned to Goshen; soon after, he went into the boot and shoe trade with Jacob Hattel; in about a year from that time he was appointed County Treasurer, in place of Hiram Morgan, deceased. He served in this capacity for one year, and when elec- tion recurred, he was voted into office for another term, and re- elected for the ensuing term. After the expiration of his last term, he spent two years in traveling through the Eastern and Western States; returning from this diversion, he settled down in Goslien. Five years since he engaged in the sash, blind and door manufact- ure with Mr. W. R. Whitmer, and has since continued this busi- ness relation. Maj. Venamon is a genial gentleman, of excellent physical proportion, and is yet untouched by time and the vicissi- tudes of experience through which he has passed. He belongs to the Masonic order, being a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Commandery.
John B. Vesey was born in Cayuga county, Ohio, May 22, 1836 ; in 1838 the family moved west to Indiana and settled in Middlebury tp., this county, then a very new country. The howling of wolves could then be heard often at night. As the country improved they removed to Elkhart tp. and bought a farm one mile northeast of Goshen, then a small village of 800 or 1,000 inhabitants. Here the subject of this sketch worked on a brick yard and farm, as necessity directed (his father trying to attend to both), the most of the time until he was of age, attending the common subscription school then in vogne from three to four months a year. At the age of 16, however, he attended for a year the Ontario Collegiate Institute, Lagrange county, then the best school in this part of the country. In the mean time he had some experience in business. He rode considerable as Depnty Sheriff for C. W. Seely, collected taxes, etc .; also taught a number
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of terms of common school, with good success. His services were considerably sought after, and he always received the highest wages paid in the tp. where he taught at that time. Aug. 8, 1860, he was united in marriage to Miss Alice Newell, of Jefferson tp., Elkhart county. He had by strict economy and industry saved up about $1,200, and after bnying a team and farming utensils, household goods, etc., he had $700 to pay on a farm of 85 acres. He soon sold the first farm, being unable to pay the balance of payments as they came due (for $300 more than he gave, however), and bought a large farm of 205 acres, for which he went in debt for more than two-thirds of the price paid, and paid every dollar he owed in three years. He owns the same farm yet and a part of his father's small farm, for which he paid the money. He never received anything from home. He also has property in Goshen, where he now lives.
He followed the pursuit of a farmer, mixing a little other busi- ness with it, mainly stock, until 1875, when his wife's health became very much broken, and he was advised to change climate. He was with his wife and two children in Minnesota, then through the West to San Francisco ; after remaining there a few days they started down the coast and went as far as Los Angeles; returning to Indiana, they went to Michigan near Detroit, thence to New York, Philadelphia and Washington. After about 18 months, Mrs. Vesey's health being much improved.he returned to Goshen and engaged in the lumber trade ; after continuing in this business two years his health failed and he was obliged to sell out, since which time he has been looking after his farins and attending to some other business.
Isaiah Violett, son of the well-known and prominent John W. Violett,deceased, was born in Elkhart in 1835; he received his educa- tion in the public schools of Goshen; was married in 1862 to Miss Helen C. Hale; is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and lends his aid to all charitable institutions. He resides on the old homestead sec. 27, owns 140 acres of valuable land and is engaged in general farming. In politics Mr. Violett is a staunch Republican.
John H. Violett, a wealthy farmer and a prominent citizen of this tp., was born Nov. 22, 1829, at a point about two miles sonth of what is now the city of Goshen, and was the first child of white parents in Elkhart county. They were among the earliest settlers of the county. The father, John Wesley Violett, was a native of Virginia, but of French descent, his ancestry having emigrated to America in the early days of this country's settlement. He was born Aug. 29, 1795, near Harper's Ferry, where he lived until he was about seven years of age. His father having died, his mother, with her family, emigrated to Ohio and settled on Buck creek, about 10 miles from Springfield, where he was engaged in assisting his mother on the farm, when not attending school, until he reached the age of 18. He enlisted in the army during the war with Eng- land in 1812, serving about two years. When Fort Meigs was
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besieged he was at Fort Finley. For his services in the army he was granted a Government land warrant in after life. In politics he was a Whig of the Henry Clay school, and he was a great admirer and ardent supporter of " Harry of the West," for whom he cast his first ballot for President, a copy of which he carefully preserved. In 1820 he went to Missouri, where he remained about three years, receiving an appointment as Justice of the Peace. In 1823 he returned to Ohio and purchased a farm in Clarke county. Aug. 31, 1824, he was elected Sergeant-major of the 2d Regiment, Fifth Brigade, Fifth Division of the Ohio militia. Mr. Violett was a man of close observation and good judgment, and methodical in all his business habits. He kept a memorandum of passing events, and but a few months prior to his death he collected from his diary an account of his journey from Ohio to Indiana. In the spring of 1828, he sold his farm in Clarke county, Ohio, with a view of remov- ing west of the Mississippi to procure a larger tract of land. Hav- ing heard favorable reports of the country in Indiana, watered by the St. Joseph of Lake Michigan and its tributaries, he concluded to look at it. Oct. 4, 1828, he set out, accompanied by his father- in-law, each being supplied with a good stock of provisions for the trip, knowing they would be obliged to camp out a part of the time during their explorations. They went to Fort Wayne, then but a hamlet, and the following day they proceeded as far as Wolf lake, where they camped over night. Leaving this desolate place, they found a better country for the next 80 miles. They soon struck the Elkhart bottom, a rich expanse of timber land. After crossing the river they discovered Elkhart Prairie, which they thought the most beautiful tract of land they had ever seen. They came to a spring at the Elkhart river, where DeCamp afterward built a mill, and remained over night. The next morning they crossed the St. Joseph river near the mouth of Elkhart. Here they found the first set- tler since leaving the neighborhood of Fort Wayne. In about nine miles they reached Beardsley's Prairie, a beautiful rolling plain with a few squatters, and put up with Mr. Beardsley, where they found good accommodations. Here they found the first crop of growing corn, and investigation showed it to be good, both in qual- ity and quantity, for sod corn. The blades were yet green, no frost appearing that fall until Oct. 9. In this place they became acquainted with Hon. George Crawford, now of La Porte, and his partner, Mr. Meacham, who gave them satisfactory information in regard to the country and its probable wealth and productiveness. The following day they visited Young's Prairie, a rich and beauti- ful tract of land, where they put up with a squatter for the night. He claimed a large amount of the prairie for himself and friends. In this place was another crop of good corn. Next day they went to White Pigeon Prairie and stayed over night with Judge Winckel. He also had a good crop of corn. In the morning they left for Elkhart Prairie. Major Violett had concluded to settle there, and wished to further examine the prairie and its surroundings. Arrived
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there they camped for the night at Elkhart river, where Benton now stands. The following day was spent in looking over the prairie. They found the prospect for a settlement very flattering, a plentiful supply of good water, and an abundance of valuable tim- ber. They were soon joined by Messrs. Crawford and Meacham, on their way Sonth to purchase stock-hogs; about the same time Matthew Boyd arrived at their camp. He afterward became a res- ident of Benton. Oct. 14, they started for home. That evening they met Elias Riggs and his son-in-law, with their families, mov- ing to the Elkhart Prairie. They first built a house on the land afterward owned by Colonel John Jackson, and were the first set- tlers on the plain. During the winter Major Violett made prepara- tions to move to Elkhart Prairie, and March 3, 1829. he started with an ox team loaded with provisions, farming utensils, and their heavy furniture, leaving his family with his friends for a time. He was accompanied by two other men with ox teams and by two young men, William Chance and James Bishop, whom he had hired to assist him in starting his farm. They were 12 days on the journey. He made a squatters claim on the prairie running through the timber lands to the river. Here he built a cabin and soon after began making rails for fencing. During the spring he put in cultivation 32 acres of corn, inclosing with a substantial rail fence 50 acres of his land. This was the first crop of corn raised in the vicinity, and proved of great use the following winter and spring to families and stock that had come into the country with- out sufficient grain. In July, Major Violett moved his family to his Indiana home.
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