USA > Indiana > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 86
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One special incident related by Mrs. Jane Harvey may be of importance to those interested ,in the early history of Franklin county regarding the Indians. Many of the pioneer trappers and hunters of the Whitewater found it was policy to keep on friendly terms with the red men. In the year 1833 when Mrs. Harvey was twelve years old, she accompanied her father and mother to the last camp of about forty Indians located on Indian creek in Metamora township, preparatory to their removal to a reservation. Tt
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was their farewell pow-wow and the Indians were loath to leave such fine hunting grounds.
Our readers will pardon us for giving incidents of pioneer people, but, as many enjoy reminiscences of this character, will relate a few more his- torical facts relating to the Osburn ancestors and their descendants. Every- body about St. Marys of the Rock and in the Pipe creek country knows Squire Osburn as the genial, honorable and generally hospitable farmer, who is the last son of the original Osburn family. He carries the ear marks as regards sociability of his father and the Virginians of ancestral fame.
George Riley Osburn, whose death occurred November 20, 1909, was a soldier during the Rebellion. He enlisted on January 1, 1862, in Company B, Fifty-second Indiana Infantry, and fought for the Stars and Stripes and the preservation of our Union.
As stated previously in this narrative, George Riley Osburn, the fifth child of his father's family of eleven, remained at the old homestead near St. Mary's and farmed and taught school until 1867, when he and his wife and family removed to Richland county, Illinois. He was the owner of three hundred acres of fine black soil, but sickness and the death of his wife and six children discouraged him to remain in a malarial country, hence Mr. Osborn sold out and he and his remaining son, William, returned to Franklin county where it was more healthful.
If our readers will be patient, will digress and give a brief historical account of the naming of Cincinnati and how it came about. The emigra- tion westward from eastern and middle states in 1787 was very great. The commander at Fort Harmer, at the mouth of the Muskingum, reported four thousand five hundred persons as having passed that post between February and June of 1788.
In January, 1788, Matthias Denman, of New Jersey, took an active in- terest in the "Simms Purchase," and located among other tracts the sec- tions upon which Cincinnati has been built. Mr. Filson, who had been a schoolmaster, was appointed to name the town and he named it Losantiville, which interpreted means: ville, the town : anti, against or opposite to; as, the mouth; and L, for Licking river opposite.
Fort Washington was established after Fort Vincennes was erected during the earlier part of the troublesome Indian wars under General St. Clair and General Anthony Wayne, and the town proper was called by the name Losantiville. As stated, in 1799, its name was changed by Governor St. Clair to Cincinnati and was the headquarters of the military and capitol of the Northwest territory.
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During the stampede from New Jersey, Virginia and the southern states by emigrants seeking homes in the northwest along the Ohio river to Kentucky and what was then called Indiana territory, there were thousands who settled in this state. Among these many settlers was the Osburn fam- ily. The wife of Capt. James T. Osburn, Ruth Nelson, was an own cousin of President William Henry Harrison.
To return to the Osburn genealogy, we have tried to give a scattering history, dating back to the Revolutionary War, from the fact that Captain Osburn's father and his father's brother were both veterans of the War for Independence.
Ruth (Nelson) Osburn died March 20, 1857. Captain James T. Osburn's death occurred April 5, 1859, in his seventy-third year.
It has been one hundred and fourteen years since the ancestral Osburn family emigrated from Kentucky to Indiana, and one hundred and twenty- seven years since Captain Osburn's father, who could not swim, fell out of his canoe and was drowned.
Squire Osborn, now in his seventy-sixth year, and Mrs. Mary Schakel, his aged sister, aged eighty-one years, are the only survivors of this his- torical family.
JOHN S. MARTIN.
There are few native-born residents of Franklin county who have lived longer within the limits of the county than John S. Martin. For very near four score years he has been a resident of the county and his family was one of the first to locate in what is now Franklin county. The father of John S. Martin located in this county in about 1810 or 1811, three years before the county was formally organized and six years before Indiana was admitted to the Union.
John S. Martin, the son of Stephen and Sarah (Wilson) Martin, was born on his present farm in Brookville township, November 24, 1835. His father was born in South Carolina, March 7, 1783, and his wife was born in the same state, June 6, 1802. The parents of both Stephen Martin and Sarah Wilson came from South Carolina in 1810 and were married after coming to this state. Stephen Martin owned about two hundred acres of land in Brookville township and lived on it until his death, May 5. 1846. His wife survived him many years, living until February 11, 1888. He was a Democrat in politics and a Universalist in religious belief, while his wife was a member of the Methodist church. Stephen and Sarah ( Wilson) Mar-
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tin were the parents of three children, only two of whom are living, John S. and Charles B.
The maternal grandparents of John S. Martin were William and Pattie (Charles) Wilson, both of whom were born in South Carolina and came with the Martin family to Indiana in 1810. Grandfather Wilson entered a goodly tract of government land, a portion of which is still held by the Wilson family. William Wilson and his wife lived the remainder of their days on their farm in Brookville township.
John S. Martin was reared on his father's farm in Brookville township and has lived his whole life of seventy-nine years on the same farm. He received such education as was afforded by the subscription schools of his boyhood days and early in life began to work for himself. He now owns about four hundred acres of well-improved land and has put on his farm all the improvements which are now found upon it.
John S. Martin was married October 21, 1863, to Sarah Jones, who was born in Maryland, the daughter of James and Emeline Jones, early set- tlers of Franklin county and now deceased. Mr. Martin and his wife cele- brated their golden wedding anniversary on October 23, 1913.
Mr. and Mrs. Martin have no children of their own, though they raised four children who received as careful rearing as though they had been their own. These persons who owe their early rearing to the kindly ministrations of Mr. and Mrs. Martin are William Beutel, Hugo Tettenborn, a merchant of Brookville: Josephine, who still lives with her foster parents, and Louise Wood, who married James Waller, a farmer of Brookville township, and has one daughter, Neoma. Mr. Martin's brother, Charles B., who married Ellen Foster, has six living children, John E .. Emma, William H., Lizzie, George A. and Nellie. 1
John S. Martin always has been identified with the Democratic party and some years ago was a member of the General Assembly of Indiana, in which honorable and responsible position his services gave excellent sat- isfaction to his constituents. It is probable that he is the oldest Odd Fellow in the county and few in the state have held membership in this popular old ritualistic order longer than Mr. Martin. He has been a member of the lodge since 1856. He and his wife have been lifelong members of the Methodist Episcopal church and always have taken an active interest in its welfare. Mr. Martin is one of the very oldest native-born citizens of the county and his whole career has been such as to reflect credit upon himself and bring renown to a family which has always stood firmly for the best interests of the county.
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PETER WILLHELM.
Although Peter Wilhelm has been a resident of this county but a com- paratively short time, yet he has already closely identified himself with its agricultural and stock-raising interests. He came to Franklin county in 1899, and now owns a well improved farm in Brookville township, where he makes his home. He belongs to that large class of citizens who are de- scended from German stock, and those characteristics of thrift and indus- try which dominate the people of the German nation are found largely marked in Mr. Willhelm, and all movements which have for their object the advancement of the public welfare have always received his cordial endorse- ment, his influence ever having been potent for good in his community.
Peter Willhelm, the son of John and Rachel (Andres) Willhelm, was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, November 14, 1865. His father was born in Germany in 1834, and his mother in Dearborn county, Indiana, in 1844. They reared a family of thirteen children, Fronie, Caroline, Peter, Ferdi- nand, Annie, John, Lizzie, Joseph, Edward, Philip, Mary, Frank and Ragena Anna. All of these children are still living with the exception of Caroline, Anna, Philip and Mary.
John Willhelm, the father of Peter, came to America in 1853, and worked in Ohio for the first year, receiving fifty dollars for his first year's work. He lived in Ohio until 1884, in which year he moved to Franklin county and bought two farms in the county, aggregating two hundred and seventy-two acres. He also had a farm of eighty-five acres in Ohio. John Willhelm died in Whitewater township, Franklin county, in 1902, his wife having passed away in 1898. He was a Democrat in politics, while he and his family were all loyal members of the Catholic church.
The maternal grandparents of Peter Willhelm were Philip Andres and wife, both born in Germany and early settlers in Dearborn county, Indiana. She died in that county and he later moved to Franklin county, where his death occurred.
Peter Willhelm was reared on his father's farm in Ohio, and educated in the public schools of his immediate neighborhood. After his marriage he farmed for nine years in Ohio and in 1899 came to Franklin county and rented his father's farm of one hundred and sixty-two acres in Springfield township. In 1902 he left this farm and rented another farm in Brookville township, where he remained for six years. Later he went back to Spring- field township and in 1910 bought his present farm of eighty acres in Brook-
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ville township. He has engaged in general farming and stock raising with results which have reflected credit upon his ability as a progressive farmer.
Mr. Willhelm was married January 22, 1890, to Joanna Stenger, who was born in Franklin county, April 18, 1872, a daughter of Adam and Mary (Willman) Stenger, and to this union have been born six children, Otilia. John. George, Elizabeth, Veronica and Eugene. The father of Mrs. Willhelm was born in Germany, while her mother was a native of Dearborn county, Indiana. Her father came to the United States with his parents, Frank and Iva (Roell) Stenger, and settled in Dearborn county, Indiana., Adam Stenger still lives in Franklin county, at South Gate. He is a shoe- maker and also makes harness.
Mr. Willhelm and his family are members of the Catholic church and greatly interested in its welfare. Mr. Willhelm is an independent voter. believing that in casting his ballot for the best men, irrespective of their political affiliations, he is best serving the interests of good government.
JOHN F. ENNEKING.
Holding an important place among the successful men of his community, John E. Enneking has had a large share in the advancing of the material interests of Franklin county. The study of his life is sure to produce inter- est, for he is not only distinctively representative in his sphere of endeavor, but has established an excellent reputation for integrity and honor. Num- bered among the substantial and worthy citizens of his community, no man is more deserving of a place in this volume than he.
John E. Enneking was born in Oldenburg, Ray township, Franklin county, Indiana. December 24. 1879, the son of John B. and Frances (Hurst) Enneking. His father was born in Ray township, Franklin county, Indiana, October 3. 1846, and died June 24. 1910. His mother was born in Alsace- Lorraine, then a part of France, April 13. 1849, and is still living.
The paternal grandparents of John E. Enneking were John B. and Mary (Smith) Enneking and were born in Oldenburg, Germany. They came to America in 1837, unmarried and settled in Ray township. Franklin county, Indiana, where they were married and spent the remainder of their lives. They were active members of the Catholic church and helped to build the church at Oldenburg. They died at the ages of eighty-five and eighty-four, respectively.
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JOHN E. ENNEKING.
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The maternal grandparents of John E. Enneking were Henry and Mary (Schmidt) Hurst, natives of Alsace-Lorraine. She died in Europe and he married again, immigrating to America in 1870 and settling in Franklin county, Indiana, where he died.
John B. Enneking early learned the blacksmith's trade and located in Oldenburg, near the place where he was born. He conducted his business in one shop for forty-five years. He was a well-built man. His political affiliations were with the Democratic party, in which he took an active inter- est, filling creditably the position of marshal of Oldenburg for years and also serving as town councilman. He was a loyal member of the Catholic church.
The mother of John E. Enneking came to America with her three older brothers in 1862 and settled in Oldenburg, Franklin county, Indiana. Their voyage across the ocean was a long, tiresome one, comprising six weeks, in which time their ship was damaged by a storm and, on account of scarcity of food, they were reduced to one slice of bread and one bowl of soup per day. Mrs. Enneking was a niece of Father Francis Joseph Rudolph, the founder of Oldenburg, Indiana. In 1870, eight years after Mrs. Enneking and her three brothers came to this country, her father and stepmother also immi- grated to Franklin county, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
John E. Enneking spent his youth studying in the Holy Family Catholic school at Oldenburg, and one year as a student in the high school at Bates- ville, Indiana. At the early age of seventeen he assumed the duties and responsibilities of a school teacher, which position he filled with marked suc- cess, as is shown by the fact that he taught for fourteen consecutive years in Ray township. In all the years as a teacher he taught in only three differ- ent buildings.
On November 20, 1912, he was married to Cecelia Stockhuetter, who was born in Ray township, Franklin county, Indiana, the daughter of Henry J. and Lena Stockhuetter, both of whom are living. To this union has been born one son, Edwin, who was born September 3, 1913.
Mr. Enneking has always been a loyal member of the Democratic party and was elected town clerk of Oldenburg, which office he held for three terms. In 1912 he was elected, on the same ticket, as county recorder of Franklin county and took his office January 1, 1913. He is very efficient and administers the duties of the office to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citizens. He and his family are members of the St. Michael's Catholic church at Brookville. Fraternally, he takes an active part in the local lodge of Knights of Columbus.
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FIELDING E. LINES.
The history of Franklin county would be most incomplete if the men- tion of the Lines family was not made. This family has been here a num- ber of years and have been identified with the farming industry for many years. One of the members of this family is Fielding E. Lines, who is a substantial farmer of Springfield township, where he farms one hundred acres.
Fielding E. Lines was born in Franklin county, October 16, 1861. He is the son of James and Hannah (Linville) Lines and is one of six children born to his parents, the others being: Milton, James, Jr., Henry, Mary and Sarah. Of these Mary is married to James Barns and resides at Green- burg, Indiana. Henry is single and living in Indianapolis, Indiana. James, Jr., is married and lives in Rushville, Indiana. Milton married Anna Snody and resides in Springfield township. James Lines lived here a number of years and during his residence in this community was highly respected. He followed farming and was active in the affairs of this community. He died in 1892, survived by his wife and children. Mrs. James Lines is now residing in Indianapolis Indiana, with her daughter.
Fielding Lines was educated in the common schools of this county. When he was twenty-four years old he was wedded to Henrietta Barns, the daughter of Edward Barns. Subject's second marriage was with Julia Etta Angle, on February 24, 1892. She was born November 16, 1870, in Decatur county, Indiana, daughter of Amos Angle and wife, and died on March 28, 1898. His third marriage was with Mary Burns, the daughter of William and Ruth (McClain) Burns, of Butler county, Ohio. The third Mrs. Fielding Lines was one of five children born to her parents : Wilson, William, Sarah, Louisa and Mary. Of these Wilson married Em- ma Belmain and lived at Fairfield until his death. William married Carrie Keskit and lives at Scipio, Indiana. Sarah married Edward Jefferies. Louisa married William Parkhurst and lives at Okeana, Ohio. The grand- father of Mrs. Fielding Lines was Matthew Burns, who married Rebecca Ibbons and their children were Calvin, William, Thomas, Robert, Margaret, Martha, Rebecca, Phoebe and Susan. Matthew Burns took a very prom- inent part in the affairs of Butler county in his day. He was a member of the Grange and active in all of its affairs. He was identified with the Chris- tian church, of which he was a very active member. He was highly re- spected and held in high esteem by all who knew him.
Fielding Lines, by his second marriage, had three children, Goldie,
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Mabel and Herman E. (deceased 1897). Goldie married Henry Swaford and resides at Liberty, Indiana. They have one son, George. Mabel is still single and remains at home. Mr. Lines and wife are both Methodists and attend the church at Mount Carmel, Indiana. Mr. Lines' fraternal affiliations are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of which order he is a very prominent member. Three years ago he purchased a farm of one hundred acres which he devotes to general farming. Before coming to this place he farmed at what is known as the Slack place just south of here. Fielding Lines has always been held in high regard by all those who know him and though all of his activities have been confined mostly to his farm industries, he has found time to mingle with his fellowmen and par- ticipate in the civic affairs of his community. The family are all prominent- ly identified with all the good works of the Methodist church at Mount Carmel.
JACOB KUNKEL.
One of the farmers of Franklin county who has never been seized with the desire to roam to other counties is Jacob Kunkel, who has lived the life of a simple and unostentatious farmer in Franklin county. He has been farming in Brookville township since 1887 and now owns a fine farm of one hundred and five acres where he carries on general farming and stock raising with excellent results. He gives due attention to the welfare of his community and his influence is always cast in behalf of such measures as he believes will make for the advancement of civilization along all lines in his locality.
Jacob Kunkel, the son of Adam and Lizzie (Reisert) Kunkel, was born in Highland township, Franklin county, Indiana, December 14, 1862. His parents, both of whom were born in Germany, came to the United States before their marriage and after marriage located in `Highland township, where the father engaged in general farming and stock raising. Adam Kunkel died in April, 1914, at the age of eighty-four and his wife died January 23, 1909, at the age of sixty-six. They were the parents of eleven children, Kate, Mary, Jacob, Joseph, Lizzie, Maggie, John, Lena, Adam, Emma and Frank, the latter of whom died at the age of eighteen.
Jacob Kunkel was educated in the St. Peters' parochial school and the "public school of his home neighborhood. He remained at home until his marriage and then began farming for himself in Brookville township. His
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well-improved farm of one hundred and five acres bears ample witness to the fact that his efforts have been directed along proper channels.
Mr. Kunkel was married September 17, 1888, to Lizzie Messerschmidt, who was born in Highland township and died April 26, 1901. To this union were born six children, William, Amelia, Martin, Jacob, Alfred and Anna. Mr. Kunkel was married a second time, November 26, 1902, to Clara Ritzi, who was born in Franklin county in 1868, the daughter of Gabeit and Bene- dicta (Giger) Ritzi, the latter of whom died in 1909, her husband, still liv- ing, being among the best-known residents of his part of the county.
Mr. Kunkel and his wife are members of the Catholic church at Brook- ville. Politically, he is a Democrat, but has never taken an active part in the councils of his party, though his sentiments always are enlisted in behalf of any movement having to do with the advancement of the best interests of his home community.
JOHN REISTER.
The attention of the reader is now directed to a short sketch of the career of John Reister, well known farmer of Bath township, Franklin county, Indiana, special mention of whom is due on account of the fact that he proved himself one of the faithful sons of the Union who went to the front in the dark days of the early sixties.
John Reister is a native of Ohio, born in Greene township, Hamilton county, on January 25, 1848, a son of Philip and Agatha (Helfinsreader) Reister, both of whom were born in Baden, Germany, and came to this country without their parents. His paternal grandfather, who was a stone- mason, died in his native land when the father of Mr. Reister was still quite a young man, while his mother was a daughter of Sebastian and Hortense (Hart) Helfinsreader of Gruner, Baden, Germany, where her father was a farmer.
Philip Reister was well educated in Germany when a youth and upon coming to manhood was foreman of a gang of timber cutters. He was married in the fall of 1846 and the following spring emigrated to America, landing in the harbor of New Orleans. From that point he came up the broad waters of the Mississippi and Ohio to Cincinnati and remained near there, in Hamilton county, farming until 1866 or 1867, when when he came to Franklin county, this state, and located at Cedar Grove on Big Cedar. There he secured land on which he made his home for the remainder of his life, his death occurring about 1908. His widow is still living with her son
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John at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. Philip and Agatha Reister had but one child, the immediate subject of this sketch, and were devout members of the Catholic church throughout their lives.
When a youth John Reister received his education in the school near Bevis Settlement in Hamilton county, Ohio, and was still quite a youth at the outbreak of the Civil War. On August 10, 1863, when but fifteen years of age, he enlisted in Company E. Fourth Ohio Independent Battalion Cav- alry, serving with that organization for eight months, at which time his en- listment expired. He immediately re-enlisted in Company E, Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, serving with that body until August 18, 1865, at which time his enlistment expired, and he returned to his home in Hamilton county. However, his taste for army life had not yet been gratified, and the following spring he enlisted in the regular army, Company F, Thirty- first Regiment United States Infantry and was located at various points on the frontier, among these being Fort Rice, in Dakota; Fort Union, in Montana, and Fort Stephenson, in Dakota, at which latter point he received his honorable discharge in October, 1868. He did not, however, return home after leaving the army, but secured employement with the Union Pa- cific Railway Company, whose road then was in process of construction, and remained in the west with that company from the time of his discharge in 1868 to the completion of the railroad in 1871. From Evanston, Wyo- ming, the place of his last connection with the railroad company, he returned to his father's home at Cedar Grove, this state. From 1874 to 1876 in- clusive, he was employed by the Big Four Railroad Company as watchman at the big cut below Brookville, this county, after which he took up farming as a vocation and remained located on Big Cedar creek until 1907, when he removed to Bath township, where he has since resided. His farm con- tains eighty acres, all well improved, and there he carries on general farming.
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