History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 121

Author: Reifel, August J
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1648

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John Hartmann, the father of George W., was educated in the Catholic schools of Germany. He came to America at the age of twenty-five and settled first at St. Leon, Dearborn county, where he worked as a farm hand. When about thirty years old he married, after which he bought a farm of forty acres in Dearborn county, on which he erected modern buildings, planted an orchard and which he otherwise greatly improved, and there he spent the rest of his life. He and his wife were the parents of George W .. the subject of this sketch; Barbara, who married Mathew Feller and lives in Dearborn county; Joseph, who died at the age of twenty-six; Stephen, who married Catherine Merkel; Henry, who married Ida Bricks; Elizabeth, de- ceased; Michael and Catherine, both single, and several who died in infancy. John Hartmann and family were all members of the Catholic church.

George W. Hartmann was educated in the public schools of St. Leon.

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As a young man he worked on a farm until after his marriage, at the age of twenty-six.

George Hartmann was married on November 24, 1891, to Mary Brack- mann. She was born on September 8, 1864, at Neuenkirchen in Huelsen, Fuerstenaur, Hanover, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Anna (Kleinaier) Brackmann. Her parents moved to Oldenburg, this county, when she was three years old and spent the rest of their lives here farming. Mr. and Mrs. Hartmann are the parents of the following children: Anna, who married Louis Overmeyer; George, Rosa, Frank, Lena, Joseph and Clara, all single and at home; and one daughter, who died in infancy.

After his marriage Mr. Hartmann lived two years at St. Leon, Indiana, and then came to Franklin county. Here he has lived for twenty years on what was known as the old Burdick farm in Ray township. In 1914, how- ever, he moved to a farm adjoining the one he first purchased. He now owns two hundred and eighty acres in Ray township and forty acres in Salt Creek township, where he engages in general farming and stock raising.

Mr. Hartmann is identified with the Democratic party and takes a good citizen's interest in political affairs. He and his family are members of the Holy Family church at Oldenburg. Mr. Hartmann comes from the good old German stock and throughout all of his life has been a hard worker, having been dependant upon his own resources. He has prospered largely and now is enjoying the reward of the hard labor of earlier years. He and his family are highly respected in the community in which they live, being honored as they rightly deserve to be.

LOUIS GERHARD SCHONE.

An enterprising and successful farmer of Franklin county, who has succeeded in agriculture to a large extent because of industry and good man- agement, is Louis Gerhard Schone, of Ray township. Mr. Schone is a man who believes in lending what aid he can to his neighbors and the public in general, while advancing his own interests. Consequently, he is regarded as one of the best citizens of Ray township.

Louis G. Schone was born in Ray township on the farm where he now lives, in Franklin county, Indiana, March 4, 1874, the son of George G. and Mary Anna (Meyer) Schone. His father was born in Hanover, Germany, October 24, 1828, and his mother in Prussia, July 21, 1833. The latter died March II, IQII.

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George G. Schone came to America as a young man about twenty-nine years old, locating in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he operated a dairy for five or six years in partnership with a Mr. Thie. He then settled on one hundred and sixty acres of land in Ray township, Franklin county, where his son now lives. The rest of his life he farmed this place and built a substantial house on the farm in 1885. While living in Cincinnati Mr. Schone was married to Mary Anna Meyer, and to this union eight children were born: Henry, who lives in Oklahoma; George, of Ray township; Herman, who lives in Cali- fornia; John, who lives in Topeka, Kansas; Fred, who also lives in Kansas; Elizabeth, who married Henry Holle, a farmer of Ray township; Louis, who is the subject of this sketch, and Edward, who married Elizabeth Meyer. The family are all members of the Lutheran church at Huntersville. Politically, the men of the family are identified with the Democratic party.

Louis G. Schone was educated in the public schools of Ray township and began farming with his father when a young man. In 1908 he bought out the heirs and now owns one hundred and sixty acres, on which he en- gages in general farming and stock raising.

Mr. Schone was married on May 8, 1901, to Anna Mary Charlotte Stick- fort, who was born near Huntersville December 14, 1878, the daughter of Bernard H. and Carrie (Belter) Stickfort. To this union was born one son, Elmer, who was born June 22, 1913, and died July 31 of the same year.

Mrs. Schone's father was born September 6, 1853, and her mother was born June 4, 1852, the former having been born in Ray township, Franklin county, the son of Henry and Agnes (Drusty) Stickfort. Bernard H. Stick- fort was educated in the public schools of Ray township and began farming as a young man on the home place. In 1883 he bought seventy acres and Jater added to this fifty-four acres. He farmed actively until the last few years, although he still lives on the place. He was married May II, 1876, and to him and his wife two daughters were born: Anna Mary Charlotte, who is the wife of Mr. Schone, and Lilly Mary Agnes, who was born September 20, 1888, and who was married November II, 1903, to Fred F. Meyer, born October 24, 1879. The Meyers have three children, Delia C. L., Esther A. E. and Florence E. N. Mr. Meyer lives with Mr. Stickfort and farms his place. The Stickfort family are members of the Lutheran church at Huntersville and are one of the oldest families of Ray township.

Louis G. Schone is one of the prosperous young farmers of Ray town- ship. He and his wife have a pleasant farm home, with buildings, fences and farm equipment all in good condition. They are extremely popular in the community where they live and are members of the Lutheran church at Hun- tersville.

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CHARLES M. MARCUM.

Charles M. Marcum is a representative farmer and stock raiser of Ray township, Franklin county, Indiana. He is known as one of the alert, pro- gressive and successful farmers of Franklin county. In Mr. Marcum's ex- perience as a farmer he has sought to avoid all ruts and has studied and ex- perimented in an effort to secure the maximum returns from his efforts. Mr. Marcum is a man of honorable business methods, advocates whatever tends to promote the public interest, and commands the confidence and regard of the people in the community where he lives.

Charles M. Marcum was born April 7, 1868, at Ansonia, Darke county, Ohio, the son of Thomas and Samantha (Joseph) Marcum, the former born May 25, 1845, in Darke county, Ohio, and the latter born March 15, 1852, in Darke county, Ohio.

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Marcum was Thomas Marcum, who was a native of Virginia. His wife was Elizabeth Knee, who came from Wur- temburg, Germany. Thomas Marcum, Sr., was a cooper by trade, who came north before the Civil War. His father was a plantation owner and also a slave holder. When Thomas Marcum, Sr., came north he settled in Darke county, Ohio, where he married. He worked at the cooper's trade for a few years, and then conducted a tavern in Ansonia, Ohio. Before the breaking out of the Civil War he moved to Warsaw, Indiana, where he operated a saloon and lived in that city until the close of the war. At this time he moved back to Darke county, Ohio, where he spent the most of his remaining years, his death occurring in Covington, Ohio, at the age of eighty-six years. He and his wife were the parents of six children: Mary Jane, Mary Catherine, Wil- liam Henry, Beverly, Thomas and Horace G. After the death of his first wife, Thomas Marcum married, secondly, a Miss Morehead, who died with- out issue, Mr. Marcum afterward marrying her. twin sister, to which union one child, Albert W., was born. Mr. Marcum was a Republican and was a man of considerable influence in the community in which he lived.

The maternal grandparents of Charles M. Marcum were William and Christina (Supinger) Joseph, who lived in Pennsylvania, where both were born. They reared a family of five children, one son and four daughters. The son, Albert, died at Dalton, Georgia, of the measles while serving as a Union soldier during the Civil War.

The father of Charles M. Marcum, Thomas Marcum, Jr., obtained very little education, and at the age of sixteen he answered Lincoln's first call for volunteers, serving his country as a member of Company D, Fifty-eighth

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Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was in the service during the entire period of the war, at different times serving under Chester A. Arthur and Generals Grant and Sherman. He served part of the time as a mail carrier for the army and was not wounded during the entire war. After the close of the war he returned to Darke county, Ohio, where he lived part of the time on his farm and a part of the time in town. Later in life he moved to Pauld- ing county, Ohio, and here he followed his trade as a carpenter and worked in factories. In 1867 Thomas Marcum, Jr., married Samantha Joseph and the following children were born to this union: Charles M., who is the im- mediate subject of this sketch; Christina H., who died young; Roy, who married Parthina Caldwell; Orlando Washington, who married Minnie Wolf ; Mary L., who became the wife of Edward Proxmire; Samuel Joseph ; William H., who married Susannah Schnepp, and Nelson E., who died young. Thomas Marcum, Jr., and wife are still living.

Charles M. Marcum, the eldest son of his parents, received his educa- tion in the schools of Darke county, Ohio, attending several different schools, the last one being the Union school near North Star, Ohio. As a young man he worked in the timber in Paulding county, Ohio, and after following this occupation for seven years went west to Iowa, where he worked in coal mines as hoisting engineer for the Phillips Fuel Company, of Ottumwa, Iowa. He remained with this company for three years as hoisting engineer, after- ward working down in the mines for two years. On April 8, 1891, he lost his right eye in an accident in the mines. He later worked for the Hawkeye company as hoisting engineer at the same place, after which he came to Iowa City and assisted in the construction of sewers, working for the John Berry company, contractors. With this same firm he went to Davenport, Iowa, and later returned to Iowa City to work for Edward Crawley, for whom he operated a hydraulic pump. From that place he went to Cedar Valley, Iowa, where he remained one year, and from this latter place to Shellburg, Iowa, where he was employed in a brick and tile works as an engineer for about eight months. From Shellburg Mr. Marcum went to Brooklyn, Iowa, where he assisted in rebuilding the town after a destructive fire. He then entered the employ of Jackson & Moss, of Des Moines, Iowa, helping to put in water pipes, and became an expert pipe fitter, remaining with this firm about eight months. He then returned home from Amboy, Minnesota, to Payne, Ohio, and remained at home one year. Mr. Marcum then went to Sligo, Missouri, and worked in the timber, going back home again the following spring and working on a sewer in Greenville, Ohio. After this Mr. Marcum worked at Piqua, Ohio, as a pipe fitter, and two years for the American Strawboard company as an engineer and steam fitter. He then went to Dayton, Ohio,

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where he worked two years for the Aetna paper mill as a steam fitter. After- ward he worked four years as an engineer for the S. N. Brown company, of Dayton, Ohio.

Mr. Marcum was married April 22, 1908, while at Dayton, to Mrs. Mary C. Girard, the daughter of Henry Boing, of Ray township, Franklin county, Indiana, and to this union has been born one daughter, Ethel Marie, who was born June 1, 1909. Mrs. Marcum has one child by her first husband, Arthur Girard. Mr. and Mrs. Marcum came to their farm in Ray township, Frank- lin county, Indiana, in October, 1910, from Dayton, Ohio. They have a farm of one hundred and four and one-half acres, and here Mr. Marcum is engaged in general farming and stock raising, with a very gratifying degree of success.

Mrs. Marcum is one of twelve children born to her parents, the others being Anna, Henry, William, Elizabeth, Margaret, Theresa, Rosa, Lena, Frank and Emelia. Of these children Anna, Henry, Theresa, Rosa and Lena are deceased.

Mr. Marcum has good reason to be proud of his ancestry, as members of the family fought in the Revolutionary War, in the Mexican War, in the Civil War and in the Boer war in South Africa. His father stood guard over his grand-uncle and two cousins after the battle of Shiloh in the Civil War.

Charles M. Marcum started only a few years ago with a farm that was once run down, but with untiring energy he is improving it gradually, and will soon have one of the best farms in the county. He takes a warm interest in the affairs of the community in which he recently put in his part and is rapidly taking his place as one of the leading men in Ray township.

FRANK J. RAVER.

Among the progressive young farmers of Franklin county, who have achieved a considerable measure of success in their chosen vocation, is Frank J. Raver, of Ray township. Mr. Raver has impressed his personality upon the citizens of the township where he lives, and is today ranked as one of the leading factors in the community life of that township.

Frank J. Raver was born March 17, 1873, in Ray township, four miles west of Oldenburg, Indiana, the son of Frank F. and Anna (Lamping) Raver, the former a native of Ray township, born May 20, 1844, and the latter born March 31, 1846.

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The paternal grandparents of Frank J. Raver were John and Adeline (Nienaber) Raver, the former of whom was a native of Germany. He came to America as a young man and settled in Ray township, where he bought two farms of eighty acres each. The Raver family was one of the earliest families in this part of Franklin county. John Raver and his wife were the parents of five children : Henry, who died at the age of twenty-one; John; Frank F .; Mary, who married Theodore Meyer, and Catherine, who married William Dwenger. Frank F., father of the subject of this sketch, is the only living child born to this marriage. 'The family were Catholics and members of the church at Oldenburg.

Frank F. Raver was educated in the public schools of Ray township and as a young man began farming on his father's farm. For many years he operated a threshing machine in connection with farming. He moved to Oldenburg about 1893, previously owning a farm of two hundred acres. After moving to Oldenburg he sold farming implements for about fifteen years, but is now living a retired life. He and his wife were the parents of the following children: Henry, a farmer of Decatur county, who married Margaret Little; Anna and Mary, both of whom died young; Frank; Benja- min, who married Bernardine Kuntz; Philomena, who married Anthony Ziegler and lives on the old home farm in Ray township; Amelia, who died young ; Frances, who married Henry Schwegmann, of Decatur county ; Anna, who married Joseph Huser, deceased, and George, who married Elizabeth Wanstreth and lives in Ray township. The family are all members of the Holy Family church at Oldenburg.

Frank J. Raver, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the Enochs- burg school. As a young man he started in with his brother in the threshing business. They also did job sawing and followed this business for five or six years. Then Frank J. Raver went to Oldenburg and bought out a black- smith business, operating this for two years and then returning to his father's farm.

In 1898 Mr. Raver was married to Mary Bunnemeyer, the daughter of Clemens and Agnes (Wielenberg) Bunnemeyer, who was born at Oldenburg, this county. Her father came from Dinklage, in Oldenburg, Germany, lo- cating, about 1850, at Cincinnati, where for twelve years he followed his trade as a tailor. At the end of that time he moved to Oldenburg, this county, where he resided for forty years before his death. To the marriage of Frank J. and Mary (Bunnemeyer) Raver were born four children, Clem- ens, Walter, Raymond and one son who died in infancy.

In 1898, the same year in which Mr. Raver was married, he moved to the farm three miles west of Oldenburg, which was owned by his father. In

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1904 he bought the farm and now owns one hundred and fifty-nine acres. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, as well as threshing.

Mr. Raver is a stockholder and director in the Farmers and Merchants bank at Oldenburg. He is identified with the Democratic party and is now a member of the advisory board of Ray township. The family are members of the Holy Family church at Oldenburg. Mr. Raver takes an active inter- est in questions affecting the interest of the public and is highly respected in the community where he lives.

JOHN G. OESTERLING.

One of the enterprising and successful farmers of Franklin county, who has succeeded in his chosen vocation wholly as a consequence of his own cour- age, thrift, industry and good management, is John G. Oesterling, of Ray township. Mr. Oesterling is thrifty and enterprising, although unassuming, and believes in lending what aid he can to his neighbors and the public, while prudently managing his own individual interests. Consequently, he is re- garded as one of the best citizens of Ray township.

John G. Oesterling was born October 17, 1870, at St. Maurice, Decatur county, Indiana, the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Wisker) Oesterling, the former born October 15, 1845, in Germany, and the latter born in 1854 in Franklin county, Indiana. Elizabeth Oesterling was the daughter of Gehrard Wisker.

Henry Oesterling came with his parents from Germany when he was three years old. They settled at Oldenburg and his father, Henry Oesterling, Sr., owned a small farm in Ray township. Henry Oesterling, Sr., died when Henry Oesterling, Jr., was five years old, and the mother died seven years later. Henry Oesterling, Jr., was educated in the public schools at Olden- burg, and as a young man began working as a farm hand for six dollars a month. Later he worked in Kingston, Decatur county. At the age of twen- ty-eight he married and bought a farm of eighty acres. There were no im- provements on the land when it was purchased, and he built a log cabin and a stable of poles. In 1880 Henry Oesterling, Jr., built a large frame barn, and in 1882 he built a house. He farmed there the rest of his active life and still lives on the farm, his youngest son now operating the place. To Mr. and Mrs. Henry Oesterling, Jr., five children were born: Catherine, who died when twenty years old; John, the subject of this sketch; Anthony, de- ceased, who married Elizabeth Fahrmann; Minnie, who is unmarried; Benja-

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min, who married Mary Berkermeyer and lives on the home place. The Oesterlings are all members of the Catholic church.

John G. Oesterling was educated in the public schools of St. Maurice, Indiana. As a young man he assisted his father, remaining with him until he was twenty-four years old, when he married Elizabeth Aultanau, who was born in 1868, the daughter of John and Mary Aultanau. John G. and Eliza- beth (Aultanau) Oesterling became the parents of six children: Anna, born in June, 1895; Clara, born in November, 1897; William, born February 9, 1900; Frances, deceased; Mary, born in October, 1904, and Rose, born in March, 1908.

After his marriage Mr. Oesterling worked seven years for a farmer for twenty dollars a month. He then bought the place of one hundred and sixty acres which he now owns, December 15, 1900, removing to this farm Febru- ary 20, 1901. Mr. Oesterling is engaged in general farming and stock rais- ing. He and his family are members of the Holy Family Catholic church at Oldenburg. Mr. Oesterling is a Democrat, but has never been active in the councils of his party, though giving his interested attention to local political affairs, ever being willing to promote any movement looking to the advance- ment of the common weal.

JOHN WESSEL.

One of the largest land owners of Ray township, Franklin county, In- diana, a man who is somewhat past the active period of life, but who still oversees his farming interests, is John Wessel. Mr. Wessel is a plain, un- assuming man of pleasing temperament, who makes little noise in regard to the successes of his life. He has accomplished far more than the average man, and deserves to rank as one of the representative farmers of Franklin county.

John Wessel was born February 7, 1852, on the farm in Ray township where he now lives. He is the son of Frederick and Maria (Lubbe) Wessel, both natives of Germany. Frederick Wessel came from Germany while still a young man and settled on the farm where John Wessel now lives. He bought two hundred and forty acres and cleared most of it, putting up the first buildings on the place. He and his wife were the parents of four chil- dren : Henry, deceased, who married Mary Stickfort and was a farmer of Ray township; Herman, who married Margaret Skreiben, both deceased; Mary, who married August Krieger, and John, who is the subject of this

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sketch. Frederick Wessel was a Democrat, and a devoted member of the Lutheran church at Huntersville.

John Wessel was educated in the public schools of Ray township and began farming while still a young man on his father's farm. He has lived on this farm all of his life, and has owned the two hundred and forty acres since 1898. He engages in general farming and stock raising.

Mr. Wessel was married October 19, 1897, to Mary Hackman, who was born December 8, 1859, the daughter of Frederick and Mary (Birkstead) Hackman. Mr. and Mrs. Wessel have no children.

Mrs. Wessel was one of seven children born to her parents: Henry, who married Jane Abbot; John, who married Sophia Meyer; Elizabeth, who married William Hess; Ernst, who married Flora Brown; Herman, who mar- ried Lottie Armstrong, deceased; Mary, the wife of Mr. Wessel, and Louisa, who married Louis Schutte. Mr. Wessel is a Democrat, and he and his wife belong to the Lutheran church at Huntersville.

The Wessel family is one of the oldest in Franklin county. They came to Franklin county when the place was a wilderness, there scarcely being a wagon road anywhere. Mr. Wessel is one of the large land owners of the township. He has a splendid farm and has made the best use of his suc- cess in the community where he lives. He takes a worthy interest in all pub- lic enterprises and enjoys the universal esteem of the people of his township.

GEORGE W. MCCLURE.

Franklin county, Indiana, has many successful farmers, men who have applied themselves diligently and earnestly to agriculture, not merely as a source of daily wages, or of a comfortable living, but as a great business proposition with annual fixed charges, operating expenses and net profits to be considered as phases of helpful growth. The time was when farming was an indifferent success, notwithstanding the failure to consider these things, but land was cheap in those days, crop raising was confined largely to hand labor, and the farmer had a very small investment. It is no longer so. His investment is comparatively large in these latter days, when land is high, when splendid buildings must be erected at great cost, when fencing and drains are expensive, and machine equipment is constantly depreciating in value. Assuredly the farmer of today must first of all be a business man. Franklin county has many farmers who have "caught on" to this modern phase of farming and who are making it pay as a business, and George W.

GEORGE W. MCCLURE AND FAMILY.

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McClure, of Springfield township, undoubtedly is one of the foremost farm- ers of Franklin county belonging to this group.

George W. McClure was born in Springfield township, Franklin county, Indiana, January 1, 1858, the son of John W. and Mary (McCaw) McClure, the former a native of Franklin county, the son of James McClure, who came to America from County Sligo, Ireland.

James McClure, the paternal grandfather of George McClure, was born and educated in County Sligo, Ireland, and married Catherine Likely. After the birth of two sons, James McClure brought his wife and family to Am- erica, and was one of the first settlers of Franklin county, where he owned one hundred acres of land now known as the Frank McClure farm, and located in Brookville township. James and Catherine (Likely) McClure were the parents of five children, Richard, James, Jr., William, John W. and Henry. James McClure and wife were faithful and earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

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History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 121

Author: Reifel, August J Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1648

Author: Reifel, August J
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1648