USA > Indiana > Hancock County > History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions > Part 98
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Azzel J. Shull received his education in the schools of Hancock county, after which he engaged in farming and since 1876 has lived on the present farm of sixty acres. Here he has erected modern and convenient buildings, all of which are in excellent condition. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising.
In 1868 .Azzel J. Shull was united in marriage to Nancy Miller, who was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, on May 4. 1850. Mrs. Shull is the daugh- ter of John and Susan ( Koffer) Miller. Susan Keffer was a native of Union county and came with her parents. Jacob and Eva ( Teaster)' Keffer, to Mad-
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ison county and there died on the farm, that the parents had entered some time after locating in the county. Peter and Catherine Miller, the parents of John Miller, were for many years residents of Madison county, but later re- moved to Illinois, where they purchased a farin and here they died. John Miller, the father of Nancy ( Miller, Shull, received his education in the schools of Madison county and later engaged in farming during his active life. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were the parents of six children, one. Michael, served in the army during most of the Civil War. The mother of Mrs. Shull died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Shull in 1880.
To Azzel J. and Nancy Shull were born four children : Alice Cora, Mary , Estella, Lena May and William Grover. The family are members of the Christian church and take an active part in the church work. Fraternally, Mr. Shull is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and of the Improved Order of Red Men.
DANIEL J. WARRUM.
Daniel J. Warrum, a native of Green township, near where he now lives, was born on December 12, 1860, being the son of James and Sarah ( New ) Warrum, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. The paternal grand- parents of Daniel Warrum came to Hancock county as pioneers and settled In Blue River township, where they entered land. They later came to Green township. Harmon Warrum, the grandfather, entered one hunderd and sixty acres of land in Blue River township in 1805 and later, after having lived in Green township, moved to Center township, where he died. He was married to Mary Butler, of Wayne county, who was of Quaker descent. To them were born two sons, Noble and James, and four daughters. While in Blue River township, Harmon Warrum built the first frame house in Hancock county. Mrs. Warrum died at the home in this township. Here in the town- ship Mr. Warrum accumulated a large farm of several hundred acres.
The maternal grandparents of Daniel J. Warrum were Daniel New and wife, who were natives of Kentucky. They were pioneers of Blue River township, where they entered land and here made their home and here died.
James Warrum received his education in the schools of Hancock county and early in life became a farmer in Green township. Here he lived! until the time of his death. Ile owned about one hundred and sixty acres of land. a part of which is the farm of Daniel J. Warrum. James Warrum and wife were the parents of the following children: William 11 .. Elizabeth, Amanda.
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deceased : Ilarmon, deceased: J . MyM. D . Louisa. The father and mother both died in Green township.
Daniel J. Warrum received his education in the schools of Hancock county and at the Spiceland AAcademy and the Danville Normal. After com- pleting his education he engaged in farming in Center township and later moved to the farm where he was reared and here he has ninety-five acres.
Daniel J. Warrum was married on October 23. 1884. 10 Elizabeth Frost. To this union two children have been born: Ernest E. and Jesse J. Mr. Warrum bas but lately retired as township trustee, in which position he served for six years.
Fraternally, Mr. Warrum is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and has taken the chapter degree. He and his wife belong to the Friends church.
Elizabeth ( Frost ) Warrum was the daughter of James and Eliza ( Trow- bridge ) Frost, both natives of Indiana. Mrs. Warrum is a native of Center township, where her paternal grandparents, Richard and Elizabeth Curry Frost. settled in an early day. The father of Mrs. Warrum was reared in Hancock county and lived here until his death. He was an extensive land- owner. Mrs. Warrum's parents both were dead before she was two years of age.
ELI A. RICHHART.
Eli A. Richhart was born on November 15. 1859. the son of William and Margaret ( Layton ) Richhart. William Richhart was born in Pennsylvania and was married twice, first to Margaret Layton, and to this marriage the fol- lowing children were born: Samuel E., Eli, who is the subject of this sketch : Mary, William and Nancy. His second wife was Mrs. Joseph Colborn. The father of William Richhart was Samuel Richhart, who was born in Penn- sylvania, and who was a farmer. He owned six hundred acres of land in Hamilton county. Indiana, and he was a member of the Christian church. He handed down to the Richhart family a very old Dutch Bible. He was the father of the following children: William. Boze. Nancy, Mary. Priscilla and Susan. William Richhart. the father of the subject of this sketch, was a farmer in Hamilton county and owned one hundred and sixty acres, which his father gave him. He was a member of the Christian church, and died in 1860.
Eli A. Richhart was educated in the common schools, and was married at the age of twenty-one to Ellen Laudig, who was born in Hamilton county.
MR. AND MRS. ELI A. RICHHART
RESIDENCE OF ELI A. RICHIIART
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Indiana, and who was the daughter of Jonas and Catherine ( Caylor ) Laudig, who were farmers and attended the Dunkard church, of which Mrs. Laudig was a devout member. Mr. Richhart lived for twenty-six years in Fall Creek township, Madison county, Indiana, but about six years ago he moved onto the farm on which he now lives. He has built a splendid house and barn on the same and owns in all one hundred and fifty-five acres in one body. He and Mrs. Richhart belong to the United Brethren church of Mt. Gilead. Ile is also a member of the Horse Thief Association. Eli .A. Richhart and wife are the parents of the following children : William S., who lives in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, and who married Lola Reddick : Jonas F., who lives in Los Angeles, California, and who married Effie Collins; Clara M., who lives in Madison county, Indiana, and who married Harry Nowland; Ruth, who lives in Frank- lin, Indiana, and who married the Rev. Leo Noland, a Baptist minister, and Paul D., who is deceased.
CHARLES L. COLLINGWOOD.
Charles 1. Collingwood was born in Rush county, Indiana, in 1875, and is the son of Joseph and Mary J. (Grove) Collingwood, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. Charles Collingwood, the father of Joseph, was born in England and came to America in 1801. Lydia (Moss ) Collingwood. the mother, was born in the state of New York, she being a descendant of the Moss family that came over in the "Mayflower." After the marriage of Charles Collingwood and Lydia Moss, they came to Decatur county, where they lived and died. Mr. Collingwood was by trade a tailor; in England he made hoop skirts and dress stays. He was well educated and a well-read man and was school examiner when living in Pennsylvania. It is supposed that .Ad- miral Collingwood, of England, who took part in the battle of Trafalgar. was a member of the family. Charles and Lydia Collingwood were the par- ents of nineteen children, fourteen boys and five girls.
Joseph Collingwood was educated in the primitive schools of Pennsyl- vania. In early hfe he learned the trade of a boat builder and assisted in the construction of boats on the Alleghany river. He later came to Indiana and engaged in farming, in addition to his other duties as manager of a saw-mill. threshing machine and tile factory. He removed from Decatur county to Rush county and in 1882 located in Hancock county, on the farm of one hundred and sixty acres, where the son, Charles L., now resides. Ile died
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here in 1913 and the widow still makes this her home. The family were members of the United Brethren church.
To Joseph Collingwood and wife were born the following children : Ezra B., Charles La Rue, Lydia Mary. Daniel M .. Charles 1 ... Elmer E .. Lillie M. and Goldie Ethel.
Charles L. Collingwood received his education in the schools of his town- ship and in the Danville Normal. He is also a graduate of the Indiana State Normal at Terre Haute, from which institution he graduated in the class of 1912. Mr. Collingwood began teaching at the age of eighteen and continued to teach during a part of the year until he finished the work at the State Normal. For the past two years he has been at the head of the schools of Amboy. Benton county, and is superintendent of schools of the township. He is interested in the Collingwood Brothers' elevators.
In 1896 Mr. Collingwood was married to Nellie M. Thomas, of Green- field, the daughter of J. B. Thomas and wife. Mrs. Collingwood died in 1011.
Mr. Collingwood is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is active in all educational matters and takes much interest in all enterprises that tend toward the advancement of the community.
DANIEL M. BALLINGER.
Daniel M. Ballinger was born in Blue River township, Hancock county. November 26. 1858. He is a son of Templeton T. and Mary C. ( Beckner) Ballinger: his father a native of Virginia and his mother of Kentucky. D. 1. Ballinger began to make his own way in the world when he was twelve years of age. He worked on the farm and at any kind of work he could find to do from the time he was a boy. In later years he engaged in farming for himself, renting land for that purpose. By industry and economy he saved enough to buy a small farm and from the proceeds of this he bought more land until he had a farm of ninety-three acres, which he at present owns. This farm is located in Green township. He has recently built a new house and made an enlargement to his barn, and is making other improvements from tinie to time on his farm and farm appointments and facilities. He is engaged in general farming and uses modern farming methods.
While making his own way from his early years. Mr. Ballinger did not neglect the opportunities afforded in the schools of his neighborhood to ob- tain an education. He attended the public schools in Green township a suffi-
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cient time to acquire a good elementary education, and has supplemented that by reading and practical application in later years. He was married, January 12. 1883, to Amanda E. Jonas, daughter of Jesse and Eliza Jonas. Their children are: Chelsie R., Cora Pearl. Elva May and Jessie Vern. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Ballinger is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons at Eden. He was for six years a member of the township advisory board. He was appointed, October 7. 1914. to fill a vacancy on the board of county commissioners, and, at the general election in that year, was elected for the short term as a member of the board.
The father of D. M. Ballinger was educated in Virginia and came to Indiana when a young man. He located in Hancock county, where he later was married. He worked as a day laborer on the farm in Hancock county. and later removed to Shelby county, where he and his wife both died very suddenly. She dropped dead while about her work in the house. He was working at the carpenter trade and died suddenly while engaged in this work. Daniel M. is the only living child of this family. A daughter. Eva May died in Effingham, Illinois; a son, Henry Sampson, died in infancy, the result of an accident from falling down stairs. The family were members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church.
The paternal grandparents of D. M. Ballinger were Virginians: they were born, lived and died in that state. The maternal grandparents were Kentuckians and spent their entire life in Kentucky.
BENTON L. BARRETT.
Benton 1. Barrett was born on the farm where his son now lives, in Green township. Hancock county, October 28, 1851. He is a son of Edward 11. and Mary A. Barrett, who were pioneer settlers in this neighborhood. They settled on and improved the farm on which Benton L. lived until he retired from farming and removed to Greenfield. Edward 11. Barrett had a farm of two hundred and forty acres, a greater part of which he cleared and improved. He put up the first log building, which he used for some time as a residence. Ile and his wife died here.
Benton L. Barrett was reared and educated in Green township, and lived on the home place until he retired from active work and removed to Green- field, in 1907. He had two hundred acres of land, well improved, with good residence, barns and other buildings, all of which he built. He was engaged
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in general farming. He was married on October 31, 1872, to Sarah E. Stuart, of Knightstown, Indiana. To this union the following children were born : Eva May Albea, Illa S., Margaret .A., Laura B. Woods, Carrie A. Simmons. Edward S. (Ward), Charles H. and Earl I. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Edward S. Barrett ( Ward) was born on October 23. 1886, and was reared and educated in Hancock county. He has always lived on a farm and now owns the old home place, a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He was married in October. 1907, to Bernice Howard, daughter of John and Martha A. Howard, both deceased. He has one child, Lewis. He is a mem- ber of the Free and Accepted Masons, at Eden.
GILBERT HAANN.I.
Gilbert Hanna, son of Frank Hanna, was born in Buck Creek township in 1880. He was educated in the McCordsville schools and took up farming for his life vocation. He began on the farm where his father now lives, in Vernon township. In 1909 he bought the eighty-acre farm adjoining the farm of his father and has since lived there engaged in general farming.
Mr. Hanna married Miss Dolly May McCord, daughter of Isaac McCord, of Buck Creek township. The children born to this union are: Leo Jackson. Thelma Caroline, Glenn Ward and Mary Ellen. Mr. and Mrs. Hanna are members of the United Brethren church.
WILLIAM J. HENDREN.
William J. Hendren, one of the substantial farmers of Hancock county, was born in Blue River township in 1870 and is the son of Jeremiah Hendren and wife. He was educated in the public schools of Ilancock county and took up farming after leaving school. He first located on a farm near Alex- andria. where he remained for five years and then came to the farm where he now lives, in Green township. At the death of his father in 1911 he bought one hundred and eight acres of land of the home place. Here his father erected the first buildings built on the place. Mr. Hendren is a general farmer and stock raiser.
In 1892 William J. Hlendren was united in marriage to Sarah C. Nelliner,
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the daughter of Louis Nelliner and wife. Mr. Nelliner was born in Marion county. August 11. 1831, and was the son of George and Mary Nelliner. who were natives of Germany and came to Marion county at an early day. where they engaged in farming. Louis Nelliner came to Greenfield in 1856 and here married Lydia Lace, of Brandywine township, the daughter of Henry and Mina ( Helms) Lace. Mr. Lace was a native of Pennsylvania and came to Brandywine township in an early day, where he engaged in farming. He died in Greenfield some years after retiring from active life on the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Nelliner were the parents of two children: George and Sarah C., who is the wife of William J. Hendren. The family were members of the Lutheran church.
To William J. Hlendren and wife have been born the following children : Marie, Gladys and Iva. The family are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church and take much interest in church work. Fraternally, Mr. Hen- dren is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Modern Wood- men of America, at Fortville.
Jeremiah Hendren, father of William J. Hendren, was the son of John and Mary Hendren and was born in North Carolina. October 18, 1831, and died on October 29. 1911. Jeremiah Hendren came to Hancock county with his parents when he was but twelve years of age, having walked the greater part of the way from the old home in North Carolina. The family having located in Hancock county, here young Jeremiah grew to manhood and at- tended school in the county. He later engaged in farming, in which he was successful. When war with Mexico was declared he was among the first to enlist and was the youngest member of the company and the last survivor of the war in Hancock county. When the Indiana General Assembly created the flag commission, Mr. Hendren was appointed a member and served as its president until just a short time before his death. Mr. Hendren was a charter member of Morristown Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, and retained his membership there until he moved to Greenfield.
On August 23, 1850, Jeremiah Hendren was united in marriage to Sarah Gates, who died on May 18, 1898. They were the parents of the following children : Lavina Bixler, Hla E. Fisk. Nola M. Mazelin and William J. 1leu- dren, and one daughter, who died when very young.
John Gates was a native of Pennsylvania, where he was born on May 1. 1793. and was the son of John Gates and wife. His parents were of German origin, the father having come to America with an elder brother when but a small boy. He later served as a private in the Revolutionary army and saw much of the hardships of the war. After the war he was married and settled
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in Pennsylvania, where he remained until about 1804. when he and his family removed to Virginia and settled in the rich and beautiful Shenandoah valley. There being no railroads at this time the family were engaged in driving teams over the mountains with products of the valley. In 1814 the family came to Ohio, settling near the present city of Chillicothe, and there the father bought one hundred and sixty acres of land.
John Gates, Jr., was the second of a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters. Ile moved with his father's family from Pennsylvania to Virginia and later to Ohio at the age of twenty-one. He remained at home and had but few advantages, which was common to the boys of that time. His education was limited. He had the opportunity of attending a German school but a few weeks. He served as a soldier in the War of 1812. after which he returned home, where he remained with his father until he was twenty-five years of age. After the debt on the farm was paid he en- gaged in work for himself. He worked at the carpenter's trade for three years, most of which time was employed in the building of bridges.
In 1821 John Gates was united in marriage to Mary Weaver, a native of Virginia and of German parentage. She was born in 1802 and at the age of sixteen came with her parents to Ohio, they driving a two-horse team the entire distance. After their marriage they resided in Ohio for about five years. There four children were born to them: Rebecca, Samuel, Henry and Dayton In 1825 they made a visit to relatives in Brookville and Rush county. Indiana. After the visit they determined to try their fortunes in the new country. Mr. Gates at once entered eighty acres of land near Blue Valley in Ripley township. Rush county. In the fall of 1826 a rude log hut was erected. with a dirt floor, and the family moved in. On their arrival their property consisted of two horses and wagon, some household goods, three cows and three dollars in money. Here in the midst of the dense forest the family set to work to make a home and clear the land. After some years of toil they bought from the government another eighty acres of land. They soon made for themselves a comfortable place to reside. . \ new house was erected. which is still standing and occupied by members of the family.
It was there that nine children were born to them: Isaac T., Sarah Hendren, Mary Brooks, Malinda Stutsman, Elizabeth Hunt. John Wesley, Margaret Newson, William and Joseph, the latter two having died in infancy. John, while in the services of his country, during the Civil War, was taken sick and sent home on a furlough. lle later died. The other children are all alive and with the exception of Mrs. Hunt, who lives in Illinois, live in Rush and Hancock counties.
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Politically, Mr. Gates never took an active part in party politics, yet he was an advocate of the principles of the Republican party. Ile and Mrs. Gates in early life belonged to the Lutheran church, but after coming to their new home they found it so inconvenient to attend church of their own denomi- nation that they became members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Frank- lin and remained consistent workers in the society until the time of their death. Mary Gates died on March 21, 1858, and her husband passed away at the residence of his daughter on January 24. 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Gates were honest, upright and industrious people, leaving behind an example worthy of imitation. As parents they were kind, yet firm and resolute, and impressed upon the minds of their children lessons long to be remembered.
HENRY T. SPIER.
Henry T. Spier was born in Germany. August 2, 1857. the son of William and Caroline ( Dehne) Spier. William Spier was born in Germany, January 6. 1821. and died there in 1890. Ile was a farmer by occupation and saw military service. His wife, Caroline, was born on March 20, 1832. and died on March 26, 1912, at just eighty years of age. They were the parents of the following children: Caroline, who was the wife of William Wopking : Henry, who is the subject of this sketch : Minnie, who was the wife of Carl Engerking: Christina, wife of William Clapper, and William, all of whom still live in Germany, with the exception of the subject of this sketch.
Henry T. Spier spent his childhood and youth on the old home place of his father and there he received his early education. After finishing school he learned the trade of carpenter. When he was twenty-five years of age he came to America and landed in New York on October 11, 1882. He went immediately to Indianapolis, where for two years he followed the carpenter's trade. It was during his second year here. on April 20, 1884. that he was married to Mary Ann Waltke, who was born in Sugar Creek township on the ull Waltke homestead on July 13. 1858. She was the daughter of William and Ricke ( Kruse ) Waltke, both early pioneers and both natives of Germany. They were the parents of the following children : Caroline. Sophia and Chris- tina, who were twins, and Mary Ann, who was the wife of the subject of this sketch. After his marriage. Henry T. Spier came to the oldl Walike home- stead and the same year his wife's father died and a part of the old home place was given to his wife and the remainder of the place was bought by
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Henry T. Spier from the other heirs. In addition to the forty acres of the old home place he bought thirty acres of Benjamin McNamee and this gave him seventy acres in all. Since taking posession of this place Mr. Spier has re- modeled his house, which has given him a very comfortable seven-room residence.
He has likewise enlarged, completed and improved his barn and has built a splendid corn-crib and granary and a modern shed and tool-house com- bined. He has. also, made other improvements in keeping with the sur- roundings. His wife died on January 2. 1912. She was a member of the German Lutheran church. They were the parents of the following children : Carrie, the wife of Charlie Kottlowski and the mother of two children, Ger- trude and Walter: Emma. William, Elizabeth. Louis and Charles, the latter five are all at home.
Henry T. Spier is a member and trustee of the German Lutheran church. is a Democrat in politics and one of the substantial citizens of Hancock county.
JUDGE EARL SAMPLE.
Earl Sample, judge of the Hancock circuit court, was born on December 6. 1875. on the farm entered by his grandfather, John Sample, near Cleve- land, in Hancock county. He has lived in his native county all his life. His parents, Andrew V. B. Sample and Zettie Emma ( Moore) Sample, have for many years been honored and influential residents of this locality. Andrew V. B. Sample was born on the old homestead near Cleveland, April 29, 1836, and grew to manhood in Jackson township. Mrs. Sample, the daughter of John W. and Julia Ann ( Hayzlett ) Moore was born in Kanawha county. Virginia (now West Virginia), September 20, 1846. She came to Indiana with her parents in 18440, the family also locating in Jackson township. Mr. and Mrs. Sample were married in 1873. Two children were born to them. Earl, now judge of the Hancock circuit court, and Mary, at present the head of the English department of the high school at Kankakee, Illinois.
John Sample, the Judge's grandfather, was one of the earliest settlers in Jackson township. His son, familiarly known in the county as V. B. Sample, was an apt student. After mastering all that the local schools could offer, he began teaching. He taught for a number of years, but was also closely identified with the public affairs of his county and township. In March, 1861. he was appointed county examiner and served one year. In
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