History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 80

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

USA > Indiana > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions > Part 80

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April 16, 1907, at the age of forty; Mrs. Elizabeth Lehr, of Clarksville, In- diana; Mrs. Hattie Musselman, of Wayne township, wife of the immediate subject of this sketch; and George Paulsel, Jr., who is now living on the home farm in Wayne township.

Mrs. Paulsel was married October 24, 1872, to Fleming Scearce, and they lived on the .Paulsel farm until 1892, when they moved to Noblesville, where they lived until the death of Mr. Scearce, February 18, 1898. One son was born to this marriage. Carah H. Scearce. After the death of her second husband Mrs. Scearce lived at Clarksville until her death, which oc- curred May 1, 1911, at the age of seventy-seven.

George Paulsel, Sr., had two brothers who were well known in this county, Peter and John. Peter was a farmer and lived in Noblesville many years. He married Eliza Burroughs, who survives him and is now living in Noblesville. John lived south of Clarksville, in Wayne township, for many years, but is now a resident of Indianapolis.

Mr. Musselman is a Democrat in politics, but has always preferred to devote his time and energy to his agricultural affairs rather than engage in political matters. He and his family are devoted members of the Christian church. He takes a deep pride in keeping everything about his farm in good repair, with the result that his farm always presents a very neat and attractive appearance. He gives his unqualified approval to all public-spirited measures and has always stood for the best interests of his community.

GEORGE W. DRAKE.

It is generally considered by those in the habit of superficial thinking that the history of so-called great men only is worthy of preservation, and that little merit exists among the masses to call forth the praises of the historian or the plaudits and the appreciation of mankind. A greater mis- take never was made. No man is great in all things. Many by a lucky stroke achieve lasting fame who before that had no reputation beyond the limits of their immediate neighborhoods. It is not a history of the lucky stroke which benefits humanity most. but of the long study and effort which made the lucky stroke possible. It is the study of the preliminary work, the method, that serves as a guide for the success of others. Among those in Hamilton county who have achieved success along steady lines of action is George W. Drake. a member of the Milling Company of Sheridan, Indiana.

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George W. Drake, the son of Robert B. and Melissa (Teller) Drake, was born in Brown county, Ohio, January 25, 1847. His parents, both of whom were natives of Ohio, reared a large family of children, six of whom grew to maturity. These children in the order of their birth are as follows : Louise, Josiah W., Lucena; Melissa, George W., Clara, Laura F. and one who died in infancy. Louisa first married Alexander Cooper, and after his death, William P. Harbaugh, who is also now deceased; Josiah W., a vet- eran of the Civil war, is now living in Muncie, Indiana: Lucena, deceased, was the wife of Jacob Oberleas, of Sheridan; Melissa died in 1861, at the age of eighteen years; George W., the fifth child in the family, is the present representative of the family in Sheridan, and the immediate subject of this sketch; Clara married Harvey Pickett and lives at Baker's Corner, this county ; Robert B. is a resident of Denver, Colorado; Arminda first married Henry White, and after his death she married John Cooper, of Marshall county, Indiana : Laura F. is the wife of L. E. Jay, a prosperous farmer of Adams township, this county.

Robert B. Drake, the father of George W. Drake, was born and reared in Brown county, Ohio, and as a young man followed the occupation of farming. Later he engaged in the flat-boating business on the Ohio river. making fifteen trips from Higginsport to New Orleans on flat boats. In 1850 he left Ohio and settled three miles east of Sheridan, this county, where he lived until his death at the age of seventy-eight, his wife surviving him four years, her death occurring at the advanced age of eighty-two years. The paternal grandfather of George W. Drake was Neely Drake, who was born in Brown county, Ohio, as was his wife, and they lived all of their days in that state. The wife of Neely Drake was fifteen years of age at the time of her marriage and was the mother of fifteen children. The ma- ternal grandfather of Mr. Drake was William Teller. while his wife was Charlotte Garliner, both being natives of Brown county, Ohio. William Teller died in Ohio and his widow later came to Indiana, where her death occurred in 1851. William Teller and wife reared a large family of chil- dren.

George W. Drake came to this county with his parents when he was three years of age and with the exception of five years which he spent in Illinois. his entire life has been spent in this county. His first schooling was in the old-fashioned log school house with its puncheon floor and clap- board roof. He went to school one whole winter without any shoes at all. and this was not an unusual occurrence in his day, for many boys grew to manhood in the early history of Indiana without ever having had shoes on

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their feet. Mr. Drake remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age and then married and rented a farm, on which he began housekeeping. Later he purchased forty acres of land and with the forty acres which his wife's father gave him, he had a very respectable farm to cultivate. He remained on the farm until 1885, when he moved to Sheridan and assisted in the building of the flour mill which is still operated by himself and F. C. Stahl. The mill has been one of the prosperous institutions of Sheridan since its innovation and now has a capacity of seventy-five barrels of flour daily.

George W. Drake was married February 15, 1868, to Mary E. Thistle- waite. the daughter of John and Rebecca (Simonds) Thistlewaite. John Thistlewaite was born in England and came to this country and settled in the eastern part of this state. His wife, Rebecca Simonds, was born near Spiceland, in Henry county, this state, and Mrs. Drake was born near Rich- mond, in Wayne county, Indiana. John Thistlewaite and wife were the par- ents of five children, Hannah, Henry, Charles, Edward and Mary, the wife of Mr. Drake. The mother of Mrs. Drake died and afterwards her father married a second time, and to his second marriage were born eight children. William, Thomas, Joanna, Carrie, Walter, Grant, Sherman, Oscar and, Lillie.

Mr. and Mrs. Drake are the parents of seven children, Edward, May, Annis, Bertha, Beatrice, Robert and Mary F. Edward is a traveling sales- man for a Chicago stove house. He first married Ina McKinzie, and after her death, Daisy Dye; May, the second child of Mr. and Mrs. Drake, died in infancy: Annis married J. M. Applegate. of Sheridan, and has three chil- dren, Dorothy, George and Robert; Bertha is the wife of Charles Blake, of Chicago, now deceased: Beatrice married Karl Kercheval: Robert was in the United States navy for four years and took a trip around the world on the battle ship Louisiana. He is now a conductor on the interurban line from Indianapolis to Martinsville and lives in Mooresville, Indiana. He married Laura Troub and has one daughter, Loneta ; Mary F., the youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. Drake, is teaching school in Kirklin.

Mr. Drake is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and a char- ter member of the Sheridan Lodge, No. 176. Knights of Pythias. He also holds membership in the Improved Order of Red Men at Sheridan. Polit- ically, he is a Democrat, and while taking an active interest in civic affairs, has never been an aspirant for any public office. Mr. and Mrs. Drake have been life-long members of the Christian church and have always contributed liberally of their time and substance to its support. Mr. Drake is well

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known throughout Hamilton county as a reliable, straightforward business . man. He is genial in manner and is held in high esteem by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

SCOTT ROUDEBUSH.

Among the earnest men whose enterprise and depth of character have gained for them a prominent place in the community and the confidence of his fellow citizens is Scott Roudebush. A leading farmer and stockman of the township in which he resides and a man of decided views and laudable ambitions, his influence has always been cast in behalf of all measures in- tended to promote the welfare of the community.

Scott Roudebush, the son of Francis M. and Alice (Lennen) Roude- bush, was born July 11, 1873, in Wayne township, Hamilton county. His father was born in Ohio and came to this county with his parents when a small lad. James Roudebush, the grandfather of Scott, was a school teacher, beginning at the age of eighteen, in the early history of this county, getting one dollar and a half a day for his services. He saved his money until he had one hundred and fifty dollars and then bought a farm for three dollars an acre. This land in Wayne township was in the family name for fifty-two years and when it was finally sold it brought twelve thousand dollars. Francis M. was about eight months old when he came to this county with his parents and all the remainder of his life was spent in this county. He died February 2, 1912, on this same farm, and his widow is still living in Noblesville. Francis M. Roudebush and wife were the parents of four chil- dren : Scott, whose history is here recorded; Sadda, the wife of Harvy Curry, a farmer living near Greenfield, Indiana; India, deceased; Madge, the wife of Charles Wright, the proprietor of an orange grove in Florida.

Scott Roudebush received a good common and high-school education in the schools of this county, securing his high-school education in Noblesville. Early in life he decided to follow farming and he has never regretted that he made up his mind to devote his whole life to agricultural pursuits. He has a highly productive farm of seventy-four acres on which he carries on general farming with a degree of success commensurate with his efforts. He has a beautiful home. commodious barns and outbuildings and takes a great deal of pride in keeping everything looking neat and attractive about his place.

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Mr. Roudebush was married December 23, 1896, to Bertha Mitchell, daughter of J. L. and Susan A. (List) Mitchell, natives of Johnson county. Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are the parents of six children : Charles E., Logansport : Mrs. Cora Kepner, whose husband is a farmer in this county ; Talmage S., of White county. Indiana; Bertha, the wife of Mr. Roude- bush; Mrs. Anna Park, of Chicago, and George, of Chicago. To Mr. and Mrs. Roudebush have been born three children: One daughter, Dorothy, and twin daughters, Anna Cathryn and Alice Carolyn.

Mr. Roudebush is a Republican in politics, a "stand-patter," but has never been an aspirant for any public office, preferring to devote all of his time and energy to his agricultural pursuits. He and his family are mem- bers of the Christian Church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men. Mr. Roudebush is highly respected and honored by every one with whom he has come into contact.

FRANCIS T. HINSHAW.

The Hinshaw family now number thousands of people in the United States and are found scattered from coast to coast. The original member of the family who came to this country was Thomas Hinshaw, who was born in Ireland and came to this country about the middle of the eighteenth cen- tury. He left the Emerald Isle to seek his fortune in the new world, bring- ing with him his shuttle and scissors in order that he might follow his trade as a weaver. Upon coming to this country he settled in North Carolina, where he later married Rebecca, a native of North Carolina, and of Irish parentage. To Thomas Hinshaw and wife were born six children, Mary, Sarah, Martha, Deborah, Stephen and Hannah.

Stephen Hinshaw, the grandfather of Francis T., was born in North . Carolina in 1803, and was married in that state November 22, 1826, to Guly E. Hoover, a native of the same state. In 1830 he came to Indiana and spent three years on a farm near Richmond, in Wayne county. He then came to Hamilton county, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land and lived the remainder of his life, his death occurring September 25, 1854, while his wife survived him many years, not passing away until April 16, 1873. To Stephen Hinshaw and wife were born ten children : Millicent, deceased : Andrew : John S. : Thomas: Enos; Alcinda, who died in infancy ; William H. : Rebecca H. : Martha A. and Ira.

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Thomas Hinshaw, the father of Francis T., was born in North Caro- lina, in Randolph county, but lived only a short time in Hamilton county. Indiana. He came to this county in August, 1862, but returned to North Carolina in 1866, and is still living in that state at the advanced age of eighty-two years. Shortly after returning to North Carolina, he became engaged in the general mercantile business, putting up a small store building on one corner of his farm and has been in active charge of this store down to the present time. His wife is still living at the age of eighty. To Thomas Hinshaw and wife have been born eight children, four of whom are living: . Francis T .; Amos S., who lives in North Carolina: Mrs. Aletha J. Bird. also living in North Carolina, and Lewis J., living in North Carolina.

Francis T. Hinshaw received a meager education in the schools of his native state, which were supported by the Friends church, married in 1883, and immediately after his marriage. he and his young wife came to Hamil- ton county, Indiana, and located on the farm of eighty acres, where he is now living. He purchased forty acres adjoining forty which his wife had inherited from her father. He has been very successful as a farmer and from time to time has added to his land holdings until he now owns one hundred and sixty acres of fine farming land in Washington township. He carries on a general system of farming and combines his raising of crops with the raising of live stock in such a way as to yield him handsome returns each year.

Mr. Hinshaw was married March 8, 1883, to Emma A. Harvey, the daughter of James and Rebecca (Rayle) Harvey, both natives of Guilford county, North Carolina. James Harvey was a minister in the Friends church and at the same time a very successful farmer. He and his wife came to this county early in its history. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey walked practically the whole distance from North Carolina to this county. Mrs. Harvey riding a half day at one time when she was too ill to walk. Mr. and Mrs. Hinshaw are the parents of two sons, Ara B. and Hervey W. Ara B. was married July 23, 1908, to Gertrude Randall, and they have one daughter. Thelma. He is now the manager of the elevator at Nora, Indiana. Hervey W. is still living with his parents.

Mr. Hinshaw has always been identified with the Republican party, but has never felt any inclination to be a candidate for public office. However, he is well informed upon the political issues of the day and takes an in- telligent interest in the welfare of his community. He and his family are loyal members of the Friends church and have always been liberal support-

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ers of all church work. He and his wife are highly respected and esteemed .by every one who knows them and their pleasant home is known to their many friends as a place of hospitality and good cheer.

GEORGE W. NOBLE.

That the plenitude of satiety is seldom attained in the affairs of life is to be considered a most beneficial deprivation, for where ambition is satisfied and every ultimate end realized, if such be possible, apathy must follow. Ef- fort would cease, accomplishment be prostrate, and creative talent waste its energies in inactivity. The men who have pushed forward the wheels ot progress have been those to whom satisfaction ever lies in the future, who have labored continuously, always finding in each transition stage an in- centive for further effort. George W. Noble is one whose well directed efforts have gained for him a position of desirable prominence in the agricul- tural circles of Hamilton county, and his energy and enterprise have been crowned by a gratifying degree of success.

George W. Noble, the son of John W. Noble and wife, was born July 4, 1873, in Arcadia, this county. John W. Noble was born April 28, 1843, in this county, and spent his entire life with the exception of the time of his service in the Civil War, within the limits of the county of his birth. As a member of the Thirty-ninth Regiment and Eighth Indiana Cavalry, he served throughout the whole period of the war. his regiment being attached to Gen. Philip Sheridan's command. He died April 13, 1911, and his widow is still living in Arcadia on the old homestead at the age of sixty-four years. John W. Noble and wife were the parents of five children: George, with whom this narrative deals: Charles, who is living with his mother on the old home place : Daisy. born February 4, 1876, died January 8. 1903: Mrs. Lil- lian Burton, whose husband is a farmer in this county, and Clarence, the twin of Lillian, who died in infancy.

George W. Noble was educated in the district schools of his home town- ship and completed the course in the common schools. He remained with his parents on the home farm until his marriage, at the age of twenty-five, after which he began farming for himself, and he is now operating a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, eighty acres of which he secured by his own efforts and eighty acres of which his late wife inherited. He carries on a general system of farming and combines with it the raising of live stock.

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GEORGE W. NOBLE.

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MRS. ALZETTA NOBLE.

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Mr. Noble was married February 16, 1898, to Alzetta Waltz, who was born in this county on November 7, 1880, the daughter of William and Sarah J. (Dawson) Waltz, natives of Hamilton county and North Carolina, respectively. Mrs. Alzetta (Waltz) Noble died August 20, 1914, and is bur- ied in the cemetery at Arcadia. Mr. Waltz was a successful farmer and at the time of his death owned eighty acres of fine land. Mr. and Mrs. Waltz were killed at Gray's Crossing, September 10, 1913, when the automobile in which they were returning from the Indiana. State Fair was struck by an inter- urban car. They were the parents of only one child, the wife of Mr. Noble, and their fine farm of eighty acres became the home of Mr. and Mrs. Noble, the latter of whom, however, survived the death of her parents a little less than a year. To Mr. and Mrs. Noble were born four children: Paul, born July 25, 1898, who is now attending the high school at Westfield; Raymond, born August 19, 1900; Lillian, born November 25, 1903, and died December 13th of the same year, and John W., born February 26, 1905.

The Progressive party has claimed the support of Mr. Noble since its organization, in 1912, and he is a firm believer in the principles and policies advocated by that party. He is an earnest and loyal member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and is interested in the work of the church and Sun- day school. as well as in everything which pertains to the welfare of his com- munity, giving his hearty support to all measures which have for their object the advancement in any way of the welfare of the community.

AARON STOTTLEMEYER.

The Stottlemeyer family, which is worthily represented in Hamilton county- by Aaron Stottlemeyer, has traced its ancestry back through sev- eral generations, and it is found that the original members of the family came from Germany in early colonial times. For more than one hundred years the family lived in Frederick county, Maryland, and Meyersville, a thriving town in that county, was named for Aaron Stottlemeyer's great- grandfather, Jonathan Meyers. Mr. Stottlemeyer is a man of strong con- stitution, a great reader, fond of music, and has taken a great interest in his home life. He and his wife have reared a large family of children to lives of usefulness and honor, and have in turn seen their children's children take their places as representative members of society.

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Aaron Stottlemeyer, the son of Hiram and Elizabeth (Ambrose) Stot- tlemeyer, was born in Highland, Frederick county, Maryland, on July 22, 1848. He received his education in the county where he was born and after leaving school remained at home until his marriage. Two years after his marriage he and his young wife left Maryland and came to Indiana. They had very little of this world's goods, but they both enjoyed good health and were ambitious to succeed. They made their home in a log cabin for three years in Hamilton county, and Mr. Stottlemeyer worked diligently at any- thing he could find to do. In 1874 he rented a farm in Madison county and started working for himself. He continued farming in that county until 1887, when he moved into Hamilton county and rented a farm on the east side of Wayne township near where he now lives. He lived on this place until 1900, when he bought his present farm of ninety acres. He has im- proved this farm in many ways, and each year finds his place in a better condition.

Mr. Stottlemeyer was married in Frederick county, Maryland, July 22, 1869, to Amanda C. Gaver, who was born in Frederick county, Maryland, the daughter of Peter and Caroline (Palmer) Gaver. To this union ten children have been born: James Elmer, Mollie, Maud, Llewellyn, Parker, Harry, Lee, Richard, Rowena and Linnie. James E. married Ada Cum- mings, and lives near his father's home. James and his wife have nine children, Alta, Charley, Raymond, Rosa, George, William, Loretta, Mary and Martha, the latter two being twins. Alta married Lawrence Anderson, and lives in Madison county, this state. All the rest of the children are single and are still living with their parents. Molly, the second child of Mr. and Mrs. Stottlemeyer, is the wife of Albert Huffman, and lives near her father's home. Mr. Huffman and his wife have three sons and three daugh- ters, Ernest, Ruth, May, Walter, Fay and Ira. Maud, who died in May, 1909, was the wife of John DeWitt, and the mother of three children, Clara, Helen and Lena, who died in infancy. Llewellyn is the wife of William Turner, and lives across in Madison county. She has four children living and one who died in infancy. Her living children are Edgar, Neal, How- ard and Margaret. Harry married Jessie Graham, and lives on the west side of Madison county. Parker, Lee, Richard, Rowena and Linnie are still living with their parents.

The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Stottlemeyer holds membership in the Improved Order of Red Men. Polit- ically, he is a Democrat, but has never been an aspirant for public office, pre- ferring to give all his time and attention to his agricultural affairs.

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JOHN W. ANDERSON.

The Anderson family have been connected with the history of Hamil- ton county, Indiana, for more than eighty years, and its various members have contributed in no small measure to the general welfare of the com- munities in which they have lived. John W. Anderson, who was born in this county at the opening of the Civil War, has spent his entire life within its limits, and has so conducted his affairs as to merit inclusion among the representative men of his township and county. He has lived a quiet and unostentatious life, doing his daily duty as he saw it, and taking ungrudg- ingly his share of the burdens of community life.

John W. Anderson, the son of Ambrose and Micah (McClintick) An- derson, was born August 10, 1861, in the southeastern corner of White River township, Hamilton county, Indiana. His father was born in 1827, in Clermont county, Ohio, and was a son of John and Nancy (Stephenson) Anderson. John Anderson and his wife were both natives of New Jersey and came to Ohio early in its history and later located in Madison county, Indiana, in 1832, about one-half mile north of Lapel. A year or two later John Anderson and his family moved into Hamilton county, and bought government land in section 20, Wayne township. John Anderson was a great hunter and killed several bears and deer after locating in this county. He lived in the eastern part of Wayne township until his death, with the exception of one year which he spent in Texas. In the early history of the county he operated a saw mill five days in the week and ground grain on Saturday for people of this and surrounding counties. He was .an ex- tensive land owner, owning land not only in several places in Indiana, but as far away as Iowa.

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History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 80

Author: John F. Haines Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051