History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 86

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

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JOHN ELLER.

Dpendent very largely upon his own resources, even from his carly youth, John Eller, a retired farmer of Arcadia, has attained no insignificant success and though he has encountered many obstacles and met with re- verses at different times, yet he has pressed steadily forward, ever willing to work for the end he has in view. His tenacity and fortitude are due, no doubt, in a large measure, to the worthy traits inherited from his sterling ancestors, whose high ideals and correct principles he has ever sought to per- petuate in all the relations of life. He early learned the habit of industry, and during his vacation periods, while attending school as a boy, he was con-

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stantly employed on his father's farm and thus early in life he became ac- quainted with the multitude of details with which the successful farmer must become acquainted.

John Eller, the son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Auchenbach) Eller, was born in Jackson township, this county, December 29, 1851. Andrew Eller was born in Roanoke, Virginia, and in his boyhood moved with his parents, David Eller and wife, from that state to Ohio, later accompanying his parents to this county. Andrew Eller and wife were the parents of seven children, Henry, a soldier of the Civil War; Mrs. Mary Leaman; Sarah, the wife of George Dunn, who has five children, William, Wilson, Mack, Minnie and an infant: Peter; Lydia. deceased, who was the wife of Frank Kauffman, of Terre Haute, Indiana, and had a family of several children: Charles, Alva, deceased; Mona, Emma, Mollie, deceased; Eva, Edward, deceased, and Addie; John, with whom this narrative deals, and Elizabeth, deceased.

John Eller has spent his entire life in White River township, the place of his birth. He received a good common school education in the Fairy Glade and Mulberry schools of his home neighborhood, and spent his boy- hood days when not in school in assisting his father on the home farm. At the age of nineteen he began life for himself by renting a farm and from that time until his final retirement from active farm labor in 1908, was continu- ously engaged in the pursuit of agriculture. Within a short time after starting out for himself he was able to purchase twenty acres, to which he has added from time to time until he is now the owner of eighty acres of finely improved land in White River township. As a farmer he was energetic and enterprising and carried on a diversified style of agriculture, raising all the crops common to this section of the state and meeting with marked success in his work. He always devoted considerable attention to the breeding of live stock, his annual sales netting him a handsome profit.

Mr. Eller was married January 5, 1871, to Anna Overdorf, daughter of George and Mary ( Steichleman) Overdorf. Mr. and Mrs. Overdorf were the parents of eight children, George, Mrs. Mary Scott, John, Sarah, Kate, Anna, Mattie, deceased, and Lizzie, deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Eller are the parents of six children, Nora, 'William, Charles, Jess, Flora and Edward. Nora is the only one of the family who is deceased; William married Luella Young, and has four children, Elsie, who married B. Newby, and has one child, Ruby-Ethel. Ray and Marie : Charles married Susan Sumner, and has five children, Eva, Ruth, Eda, Ray and Paul; Jess married Allie Hankley, and has seven children, Orlie, Kenneth, Letha, Wayne, Catherine, Fay Olive and Donald Murrell. Flora is the wife

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of Frank Landis and has three children, Mildred, Catherine and Garald; Edward married Laura Jack, and has two children, Venita and Clifford.

Mr. Eller has always been independent in politics, both he and his sons declining to exercise the right of franchise. Believing that his time and energies should be devoted to his agricultural interests he has never felt that he had the time to take an active part in political affairs. However, no worthy measure of his community has failed to enlist his support when he felt that it would be to the general benefit of his fellow citizens. Religiously, he and the members of his family are loyal adherents of the Church of the Brethren, and to it they have contributed of their time and substance. Mr. Eller is essentially a self-made man and the success to which he has attained has come solely through his own labors. He and his good wife have reared a family of children to lives of usefulness and honor, while he himself has always lived such a life as to bring to, him the commendations 'of his fellow citizens.

JOSEPH BOONE LAFEBER.

One of the few distinguished veterans of the Civil War who are living today in Hamilton county, Indiana, is Joseph B. Lafeber, a prominent in- surance man of Atlanta. He is a man who has been a valuable factor in the local affairs of his community for many years. As a farmer he was recog- nized as one of the leaders in his township, while as an insurance man he has built up a profitable business in Atlanta. During his career of nearly fifty years in this county he has so conducted himself as to win the hearty approval of all with whom he has been associated.

Joseph B. Lafeber, the son of James and Sarah (Boone) Lafeber, was born in 1843 in Hamilton county, Ohio, near Cincinnati. James Lafeber was born in Pennsylvania and brought his family from Pittsburg down the Ohio river to Cincinnati, and later came to Indiana, coming to this state in 1863. The wife of James Lafeber, Sarah Boone, is a member of the family which boasts of Daniel Boone, the famous frontiersman of the early his- tory of this county. Joseph Boone was a cousin of Daniel Boone, and a resi- dent of Kentucky. James and Sarah ( Boone) Lafeber were the parents of six children, Frank, Adelia, John, Joseph B., with whom this narrative sub- sequently deals ; James and Philip.

Joseph B. Lafeber received all of his education in Hamilton county, Ohio, near Cincinnati, and was still a mere youth when the Civil War opened. He enlisted in the Sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served under

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Col. Nicholas Anderson in the Army of the Cumberland for three years. Most of his service was in West Virginia, but he was in battles throughout the eastern and southern states before the close of the war. He made a gal- lant record and served with distinction until his final discharge. His broth- ers, James and Frank, also served during the war as members of this same company.

Immediately after the close of the war, Mr. Lafeber went to Cambridge City, Indiana, and while living there was married in 1869. A year later he came to this county and engaged in farming, continuing to follow that occu- pation for the next twenty years. For the past twenty-five years he has been engaged in the insurance business in Atlanta and has built up a prosperous business in the town and surrounding territory. He thoroughly understands every angle of the business and carries some of the largest and strongest old- line companies to be found in the country today.

Mr. Lafeber was married in 1868 to Carrie Waltz, and to this union have been born four children, Henry, Walter F., Frank and Mrs. Nellie Noble. Mr. Lafeber is a member of the Christian church and Mrs. Lafeber is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member and past commander of Lookout Post No. 133, Grand Army of the Republic, at Noblesville, and a charter member of Lodge No. 445, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Atlanta, which was organized June 17, 1865, and has gone through all the chairs of that lodge.

Politically, Mr. Lafeber was a Republican in politics until the organiza- tion of the new Progressive party, in 1912, since which time he has been identified with this latter political organization. He has always taken a deep interest in politics and his ability and service to the party was recognized by President Harrison, who appointed him postmaster of Atlanta in 1889. He held this office until the close of the Harrison administration and but for the change in Presidents he would have continued in the office, in the discharge of which he gave eminent satisfaction. Mr. Lafeber always has been inter- ested in everything which affected the welfare of his home town and such measures as he felt would benefit it have received his hearty and enthusiastic support. He has stood for good government and pure politics, and because of his attitude on public questions he is regarded as a man of influence in the locality where he lives. He is a man of pleasing manner, an interesting con- versationalist and is able to recount many incidents of the three years' service which he spent in the Civil War. As a friend, citizen and public official his career has been unstained by word or act of dishonesty and presents an en- viable record of faithful duty promptly performed.

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JAMES M. DRIVER.

It is a well attested maxim that the greatness of a community or a state lies not in the machinery of government nor even in its institutions, but rather in the sterling qualities of the individual citizen in his capacity for high and unselfish effort and his devotion to the public welfare. In these particulars he whose name appears at the head of this review has conferred honor and dignity upon his locality, and as an elemental part of history it is but proper that there should be recorded a resume of his career, with the object in view of noting his connection with the advancement of one of the most flourishing and progressive sections of the commonwealth, as well as his official relations with the administration of the public affairs of Hamil- ton county.

James M. Driver, a prosperous farmer and stock raiser of Jackson town- ship, and the present postmaster of Arcadia, was born August 6, 1861, in the township where he has spent his whole life. He is the son of J. T. and Elizabeth C. (Deal) Driver. His father was born in Rush county, in this state, in 1831. He is the son of John Driver who was born in Tennessee. John Driver came to this county in 1852 and settled on one hundred and sixty acres in the northwestern corner of section 10. To John Driver and wife were born five children: Mrs. Martha Wilson; J. T., deceased; J. C., de- ceased; Mrs. Margaret A. Deal, deceased, and Mrs. Elizabeth C. Smith.

J. T. Driver was twenty years of age when he came to this county with his parents and, until his marriage, helped his father clear the farm and put it under cultivation. Upon his marriage to Elizabeth Deal he started farm- ing on an eighty-acre farm in this township. J. T. Driver and wife were the parents of six children: John E .; Wm. H., deceased; Margaret, de- ceased; Francis, deceased; James M., with whom this narrative deals, and C. M., of Winchester, Kentucky.

James M. Driver received his youthful instruction in the schools of Arcadia and spent all of his boyhood days when not in school on his father's farm. Marrying in 1882, he at once began farming on a rented farm of one hundred and sixty acres, but shortly after bought a farm of fifty-six acres ' upon which he moved. He has since added to this farm until he now owns a highly productive tract of seventy acres in this township.

Mr. Driver was married March 2, 1882, to Mary Newby, daughter of Squire and Jane (Cullap) Newby. To this marriage have been born five children : Hazel Lee, deceased; Carrie Blanche, deceased; Frank, a banker of Indianapolis, who is married and has one son, James E., and James T.,

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of Detroit, Michigan. Mr. Driver was married a second time, on May 7, 1891, to Rose A. Kellar, and to this second marriage has been born one son, Edward, who is now assistant postmaster under his father.

Mr. Driver is actively interested in the principles of the Democratic party and has always taken a prominent part in the deliberations of his party. He was postmaster at Arcadia during both terms of Grover Cleveland, and was appointed postmaster again by President Wilson. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, while religiously he holds to the faith of a Christian church. Mr. Driver is a man of many splendid qualities and is highly regarded by every one with whom he has been associated. In the public position which he holds he comes in contact with hundreds of people daily, and in this way he has as wide an acquaintance in this sec- tion of the country as any other man. He has a kindly disposition and his genial demeanor has won him a large circle of friends and acquaint- ances.

JOHN F. WHITE.

Among the retired farmers of Hamilton county who have played an important part in the history of the county is John F. White, who is now living in Westfield, this county. Left an orphan at an early age, he had to struggle against adverse circumstances, yet with no outside help he has become one of the substantial and solid men of, his township. At the open- ing of the Civil War he was one of the two hundred thousand men of In- diana who enlisted and served their country faithfully and well. His in- tegrity and honesty never have been questioned, and during his long life in this county he always has so conducted himself as to win the hearty com- mendation of his fellow citizens.

John F. White, the son of Burden and Agnes (Jessup) White, was born January 24, 1840, in Guilford county, North Carolina. Burden White was the son of Thomas and Mary (Lamb) White, both of whom were stanch Quakers and natives of North Carolina. Agnes Jessup, the mother of John F. White, was the daughter of Caleb Jessup, of Scotch ancestry, her mother having been a Hoskins.

The mother of John F. White died when he was a'mere child, and his father died when he was only six years old. Burden White and wife reared a family of ten children, and after his parents' death John F. White went to live with his brother, Caleb, with whom he remained two years, and then went to live with Nathan H. Clark, to whom he had been bound out for a

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definite number of years. It was while living with Mr. Clark that he came to Indiana in the spring of 1857, being at that time seventeen years of age, and continued to reside with the Clark family until he enlisted in the Civil War. He was given a common school education and from his earliest boy- hood was a hard worker. He enlisted in August, 1862, in Company D, One Hundred and First Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry and served until the close of the war. He was with General Sherman in his memorable march through Georgia to Savannah and then on to Washington for the Grand Review. At the battle of Chickamauga, in September, 1863, Mr. White was severely wounded and for seven months was confined in the hospital. He received his injury while serving on a detail in the Nineteenth Indiana Battery, one of the most gallant batteries which Indiana furnished during the war.

Immediately after the close of the war Mr. White returned to the home of Mr. Clark, where he lived until his marriage, in 1869. He then pur- chased one hundred and twenty acres of land one and one-half miles north of Eagletown, in Washington township, this county, where he lived for ten years. He afterwards traded this farm for eighty acres two and one-half miles northwest of Westfield, and subsequently bought forty acres more ad- joining this farm. He continued to manage this farm until 1881, when he moved to Westfield, where he had previously purchased property, and in this town he has since resided. He now rents his farm, but still maintains a care- ful supervision of its management. He has been largely interested in stock feeding and breeding, making a specialty of the breeding of Clyde horses and Poland China hogs.

Mr. White was married February 23, 1869, in Washington township, this county, to Mary Jane Roberts, the daughter of Lewis and Hannah (Barker) Roberts, who was born October 27, 1847. Her parents were native of Ohio and North Carolina, respectively, and came to this county from Bucks county, Pennsylvania. Mary Jane Roberts was one of eight children ; the family consisting of four sons and four daughters. The Roberts family are of Welsh descent and for several generations have been mem- bers of the Friends church.

Mr. and Mrs. White are the parents of five children, three of whom are living: Luda, Gale and Maud. Luda married Edward L. Flannigan, lives in Indianapolis and has two children, Esther and Phoebe; Gale is the wife of Arvoy G. Baldwin, a druggist of Phoenix, Arizona; Maud married Edward L. Shepherd and is now a resident of Joplin, Missouri. Two of the daugh- ters, Hattie and Marie Ella, are deceased; Hattie married Dr. E. E. Hod-

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gins and lived in Indianapolis until her death in August, 1904, leaving two children, Agnes and John H .; Marie Ella married Rev. Lester Poor, a Methodist minister, and lived in Galveston, Indiana, until the time of her death in April, 1905.

Mr. White always had been a Republican until 1912, at which time he affiliated with the new Progressive party. Being a man of influence and universally recognized as a citizen of ability, the new party in this county chose him as a delegate to the first state convention of the new Progressive party. He always has been actively interested in political affairs, although never a candidate for any public office. He and his family always have been loyal members of the Friends church and contribute generously to its support. Mr. White has lived a useful life and has been an influential factor in his community for many years. As a private citizen and as an honored veteran of the Civil War he always was true to himself and his fellow men and consequently is well deserving of the esteem which is ac- corded to him by his fellow citizens.

DANIEL BOONE McCOUN.

The following is a sketch of a plain, honest man of affairs, who by correct methods and a strict regard for the interests of his patrons has made his influence felt in Noblesville and won for himself distinctive prestige in the business circles of the city; a man whose life story presents much that is interesting and valuable and which may be studied with profit by the young whose careers are yet before them; a man whose integrity and strength of character command the respect of his contemporaries and who has left the impress of his individuality deeply stamped upon his community.

Daniel Boone McCoun, a prosperous lumber dealer of Noblesville, In- diana, was born September 29, 1872, on a farm near Danville, Indiana. He is a son of Robert H. and Mary C. (Doty) McCoun, his father being a native of Missouri, and his mother of Carroll county, Illinois. Robert H. McCoun is a stock raiser and a prominent farmer of Hendricks county. He and his wife are still living.

Daniel B. McCoun was educated in the country schools of Hendricks county, and when a mere youth began teaching in the rural districts of Hendricks county. He taught three years and then attended the Central Normal College at Danville, where he took three years work. After leav- ing the college he became foreman of the bridge and depot construction

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gang of the Springfield division of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Rail- way. After four years' employment with this company he moved to Dan- ville in 1900 and became a carpenter contractor and has rapidly built up a good business in this line of activity. In 1903 he became the superintendent for the Danville plant of the J. W. Pinnell Lumber Company of Indian- apolis. He continued in the service of this company in Danville until August, 1909, when he moved to Noblesville, where he became the superin- tendent of the lumber plant of the same section of the Pinnell-Dulin Lum- ber Company, of Indianapolis. He has been connected with this company as superintendent ever since. His farm handles all kinds of building material and also conducts a coal yard in connection with the lumber yard. His business extends all over Hamilton and surrounding counties, and under the management of Mr. McCoun has developed into one of the important industries of Noblesville. He understands every angle of the business, and by his courteous treatment of his patrons and his reputation for square dealing has justly earned the commendation of the company in whose employ he is now engaged.

Mr. McCoun was married, November 19, 1895, to Estelle M. Carter, daughter of Joseph M. and Matilda (French) Carter, of North Salem, Hendricks county, Indiana. To this union have been born two children, Frances Jessica and Morris, both of whom are now attending the public schools in Noblesville. They are all members of the Christian church, and take an active part in all the Sunday school work of their denomination. Mr. McCoun is a member of the board of deacons, and for the past two years . has been the superintendent of the Sabbath school.

Mr. McCoun always has taken an active interest in political affairs pertaining to Noblesville, and previous to 1912 had been a Republican. Up- on the organization of the new Progressive party, in the summer of 1912, he gave his support in behalf of the new party, believing that it advocated principles which would be of great benefit to the country at large. In 1913 he was a candidate on the Progressive ticket for the mayor of Noblesville. This has been his only effort to enter political life as an official. He is a splendid type of the good American citizen, and never withholds his sup- port from any movement which he thinks will benefit his community. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, holding membership in both the Chapter and Council of that fraternity. He is also a Knight of Pythias, and takes a great interest in the work of that fraternity. Mr. McCoun is a genial and companionable man who makes friends wherever he goes, and has by his well ordered way of living earned the respect of every one with whom he has been connected since coming to this county.

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ISAAC BRIGHT.

The following is a sketch of a plain, honest man of affairs, who by correct methods and a strict regard for the interests of his patrons has made his influence in Arcadia and won for himself prestige in the business circles of that town. He would be the last man to pose in the role of a hero of romance or become the subject of fancy sketches, nevertheless his life presents much that is interesting and valuable and may be studied with profit by the young whose careers are yet to be achieved. He is one of those whom in- tegrity and strength of character force into an admirable notoriety which their modesty never seeks, who command the respect of their contemporaries and their posterity and leave the impress of their individuality deeply stamped · upon the community.

Isaac Bright, a prominent carpenter and contractor of Arcadia, was born July 14, 1864, in the township where he has always made his home. He is the son of David G. and Eliza (Bowser) Bright, his father being a native of Virginia, and his mother a native of Hamilton county, Indiana. David G. Bright came to this state when a young man and first settled in Ran- dolph county, later coming to Hamilton county, where he purchased land and lived the life of a farmer until his death. David G. Bright and wife were the parents of the following children : William, Zacariah, Cassius, Mary, Philina, Hattie, Ino, Isaac, Henry, George, Joseph, Lizzie, Della, Elma and David.

Isaac Bright received a good common school education in the schools of his home township and assisted his father on the home farm during his summer vacations. Marrying at the early age of nineteen, he started in to learn the carpenter's trade and is now recognized as one of the best carpenters in the state. He is painstaking in all of his work and thoroughly under- stands every kind of carpentry work. He not only does a large amount of work in his own town but he has worked on some of the highest class jobs in Indianapolis. His services are always in demand where good work is wanted, with the result that he has been able to acquire a very comfortable competence for his declining years.

Mr. Bright was married June 26, 1873, to Sarah Kinder, the daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Putnam) Kinder. To this union were born two children, Julia and Lula. Julia married Mr. Cruse and has three children : Inez, John and Paul. Lula married William Walton and has two children, Charles and Amel.

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Mr. Bright is a Progressive in politics, having identified himself with the new party upon its organization in the summer of 1912. He takes an active interest in public affairs, and has always advocated such measures and enterprises as he thought would be of benefit to his community in any way. However, the necessity of attending very closely to his business has kept him from engaging in politics, although his advice and counsel are frequently sought by the leaders of his party. He and his family are all members of the German Baptist church and contribute freely of their means to its support. Mr. Bright is strictly a self-made man and is deserving of a great deal of credit for his success. He is a man of pleasing person- ality and has a host of friends who admire him for his kindly disposition and clean and wholesome life.

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History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 86

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

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