USA > Indiana > Huntington County > History of Huntington County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 26
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
Frank Smelser was the third in order of birth of his parents' chil- dren, and was reared on the home farm in Wayne township which his father had developed. He received a fair common school education and studied to some extent under the preceptorship of his father, who in addition to being a farmer was also engaged in teaching at various times. On January 11, 1880, Frank Smelser was married to Miss Bettie Kind-
606
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
ler, who was born in 1856, in Fairfield, Ohio, and educated in the pub- lic schools of Ohio and Huntington county, Indiana, her father, Adam Kindler, having come to this state in 1870 and located in Wayne town- ship on a farm. Mr. and Mrs. Smelser had one child, who died when four years old, and they have reared Goldie Smelser, the daughter of Charles H. Smelser, a brother of Frank. She was given good educa- tional advantages and reared to useful womanhood, and August 25, 1906, was married to James L. Goff, who was born in Jefferson township, Huntington county, and is now engaged in farming. They have one daughter : Elizabeth J., who was born September 21, 1907.
Mr. Smelser is a democrat in his political views, and was elected township trustee of Wayne township, but declined to serve as he has never cared for public office, preferring to contribute to his community's wel- fare rather as a public-spirited citizen than as an official. He has met with success as a general farmer, but has given the greater part of his attention to the raising of stock, and especially as a breeder of fast pacing horses. One of the animals now in his stable is "Lady Costes," a mare with a mark of 2:20. Mr. Smelser is a good business man, shrewd and far-seeing and ready to grasp every opportunity, but his transactions have been carried on in such an honorable manner that he has gained and maintained the respect and confidence of all with whom he has come into contact. His acquaintance is extensive and his friends are to be found all over this part of the county.
RICHARD MESSERSMITH. Among the men of Huntington county whose labor has been the measure of their success is found Richard Mes- sersmith, who for years has been connected with the agricultural inter- ests of Wayne township. A man of energetic spirit and progressive nature, from small beginnings he has steadfastly fought his way to a foremost position among his community's substantial citizens, and at this time is proprietor of the well-known Sugar Ridge Stock Farm, a tract of 180 acres of valuable land, located one mile south and eight miles west of Warren, and eighteen miles southwest of Huntington. Mr. Messersmith has been a lifelong resident of Wayne township, having been born on a farm in section 35, May 25, 1860, and is a son of Ephriam and America (Dicken) Messersmith, the former born in Wabash county, Indiana, and the latter in Grant county, this state.
Ephriam Messersmith was for some years a successful farmer of Huntington county, but later turned his attention to the manufacture of tombstones and monuments, and in 1862 removed with his family to La Salle county, Illinois. He subsequently became a resident of the city of Streator, in that state, went thence to Monticello, Illinois, and finally returned to Streator, where he passed away. He was a business man of the strictest integrity, a good and public-spirited citizen, and gained and held the respect and esteem of those with whom he came in contact. Ephriam and America Messersmith were the parents of the following children : Hettic Mary, who is the wife of Henry Alf ; Richard ; George, who is deceased; Effie, who is the wife of Eugene Gentry, and Clara, the wife of Schuyler Lauderback, living near Delevan, Illinois.
607
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
Richard Messersmith was two years of age when he was taken by his parents to Illinois, and there he eommeneed his edueation in the publie schools. He continued to reside in the Prairie state for sixteen years, during which time, he followed various vocations, but when eigh- teen years old returned to Indiana and seeured employment as a farm hand, working by the day or the month as labor presented itself. He thus continued for seven years, thriftily saving a part of his earnings, and on September 12, 1885, established a home of his own when he was married. The lady of his choiee, Miss Luella Hieks, was born in Grant county, Indiana, Mareh 14, 1864, received good educational advantages and was one of the first graduates of the common sehools of Washington township, Grant eounty. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Messer- smith located in Jackson township, Wells eounty, but after one year returned to Grant eounty, and bought forty aeres of land in Washington township. This he operated for several years, after which he disposed of his Grant eounty interests and came to Huntington eounty, settling on the present home farm in Wayne township. At that time the farm was in a swale, often soggy and swampy, and eovered with rank vege- tation, while other parts were almost wholly covered by a dense growth of timber. It looked like a hopeless task to endeavor to develop this into a productive farm, but Mr. Messersmith and his devoted wife settled down to the work, and the greater part of the farm was soon eleared and ditched, and as the years have passed the property has been made into one of the best in the township. It has a good set of buildings and improvements of the latest eharaeter, and Mr. Messersmith devotes his time to general farming and the breeding of blooded stoek. He has won the right to the title of self-made man. No fortunate family or peeuniary advantages aided him at the outset of his eareer. Obstaeles and difficulties have confronted him, but these he has overeome by determined efforts and, as the years have advanced, he has worked his way steadily upward.
Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Messersmith: Mary Ona, who is a graduate of the common sehools and the wife of Dan Smith, of Wayne township; Earl, who is engaged in farming with his father and resides at home; Edna Fay, a graduate of the common and high schools, who spent one term in Franklin College and is now the wife of Arthur Spaulding, a merehant at Banquo; Josie M., a graduate of the common and high schools, and now single at home; and Clara O., also residing with her parents. Mr. Messersmith is a republiean, and has been influential in local and county politics, although not an offiee seeker. Mrs. Messersmith and three of her daughters are members of the Second Salem Missionary Baptist church.
JAMES E. PRICE has been an agrieulturist of Wayne township for fifteen years, and the favorable opinion passed upon him at the outset of his eareer has in no degree been changed or modified, but on the contrary has been strengthened by the passing years as he has demonstrated his ability in the line of his ehosen vocation. Mr. Priee
608
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
has been a very busy man, with large interests to demand his attention yet he has found the time and the inclination to aid other progressive and helpful citizens in advancing the locality's welfare and in forward- ing the cause of education, morality and good citizenship. . Mr. Price was born on a farm in Wayne township, Huntington county, Indiana, June 26, 1878, and is a son of Daniel T. and Lorena H. (Logan) Price. The father, who was for years a successful farmer of Wayne township, is now living a retired life, his home being at Marion, where he is widely known and highly respected. He was twice married, his first wife, the mother of James E. Price, having died in 1902. By his first union he had two children, one of whom died in infancy.
James E. Price was reared on a farm in Wayne township, and in common with other lads of his day and vicinity spent the summer months in the work of the home farm, while in the winters he attended the public schools. He secured better educational advantages than some of his fellows, however, as after he had completed the elementary branches he became a student in the high school, thus securing an excel- lent training. He was brought up to the work of the farm and trained along lines of industry and integrity, and upon embarking upon a career of his own became a farmer, work in which he has continued to be engaged until the present time. He has been successful in his ventures, so that he has never had any reason to regret of his choice of occupa- tions. He was three years of age at the time he moved to the farm which he now occupies, a tract of 200 acres, of which he took charge at the time of his father's retirement. Mr. Price was married November 7, 1901, to Miss Grace Bradford, who was born in Washington township, Grant county, Indiana, March 29, 1881, daughter of Francis Bradford, a prosperous farmer of that county. Mrs. Price was given a good common school education and her training was one calculated to make her a useful member of her community. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Price settled on the farm on which they now live, and which Mr. Price subsequently purchased from his father. He now has the 200 acres in a high state of cultivation, with improvements of an excellent char- acter and good, substantial and attractive buildings. He believes in the use of modern methods and machinery, through which he has achieved very satisfactory results, and his dealings have always been characterized by the strictest integrity. The fact that he is connected with one of the old and honored families of Huntington county would entitle Mr. Price to mention in this work even if he had not been a factor in the agricultural life of Wayne township and Huntington county. His activ- ity in this relation, however, has had direct bearing upon the develop- ment of his community, and the fact that he acts from public-spirited and patriotic motives is indicated by the results which he has accom- plished for the general good in various ways. In politics Mr. Price is a democrat, but has never taken any active participation in public affairs, preferring to give his time and attention to his general farming and stockraising operations.
60
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
WEADEN W. ERVIN. Huntington county is admirably located for the successful prosecution of farming, for the land is exceedingly fertile, water is plentiful and easily obtained, the climatic conditions are nearly ideal and transportation facilities are unexcelled. However, although the agriculturist here has these advantages, he cannot meet the com- petition about him successfully unless he carries on his operations ac- cording to modern ideas and uses modern improved machinery in his work. That the majority of farmers here are progressive is proven by the number of finely developed farms to be found all over the county, which have placed Huntington among the leading agricultural counties in the state. One of the men who has contributed materially to the activities which have brought about this desirable condition of affairs, a live, energetic and enterprising farmer, is Weaden W. Ervin, of Wayne township.
Mr. Ervin was born in Franklin county, Indiana, September 5, 1861, and is a son of Robert and Sarah (Hall) Ervin, the former born in Franklin county, Indiana, and the latter in England. During the lat- ter sixties, the parents brought the family to Huntington county, set- tling on a farm in Wayne township, and here continued to spend the remainder of their lives in the tilling of the soil and the establishing of a home for the family. Both passed away here, widely known and highly respected and estecmed by all. They were the parents of five children, of whom three are alive at this time: John, who is engaged in farming in Van Buren township, Grant county; Josie, who is the wife of John Doyle, of Van Buren township; and Weaden W.
Wcaden W. Ervin was still a lad when he accompanied his parents to Huntington county, and here his cducation was secured in the dis- trict school during the winter months, while in the summers he worked faithfully on the home farm. He began for himself when he was still in his 'teens, at the age of thirteen was drawing wages, and by the time he had reached his majority had saved himself some capital and was ready to embark upon his carcer among the world's workers. On October 18, 1888, he was married to Mrs. Mary A. (Gaines) Dicken, who was born in Washington township, Grant county, Indiana, and there educated in the public schools. She was the daughter of George Gaines, and in young womanhood was married to Albert Dicken, who died five years later, leaving two children: George G., of Marion, Indiana; and Bertha. A., the wife of Crooks Bish, of Grant county. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ervin: Charles R., a fermer of Wayne township, who is married; Frank, a graduate of the common and high schools; Oscar G., a graduate of the common schools and a student in the high school; and Mildred A., the baby, born in July, 1907. Mrs. Ervin is a member of the Christian church at Banquo. In politics Mr. Ervin is a democrat but is not active in public matters, although he takes an interest in all matters which affect his community.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Ervin settled on the farm which they now occupy, and which comprises a quarter-section of land in Wayne township. This has been brought to a high state of cultivation through
610
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
the persevering and intelligent efforts of Mr. Ervin, who has steadfastly advanced himself to a leading position among his community's agricul- turists. He is wide-awake and progressive, and he and his family have a wide circle of friends, to whom the hospitality of their own pleasant home is freely and graciously accorded.
GEORGE W. DUNCAN. Many of the progressive agriculturists of Hun- tington township are devoting a large part of their attention to the breed- ing of stock, for the prosecution of which industry the farins of this section are remarkably well adapted. One of the well-appointed tracts devoted to this line of activity is the Cedar Grove Stock Farm, consisting of eighty acres of good land, located in Wayne township at the forks of the Banquo and the Huntington and Marion gravel roads, seventeen miles from Huntington and seven miles from Marion. The proprietor of this property, George W. Duncan, is not only a progressive farmer, but a citizen who upon numerous occasions has shown his public spirit when questions of importance to the community have arisen, and a man who has won the confidence of his fellow townspeople by reason of his strict integrity and straightforward dealing.
Mr. Duncan is a native of Wayne township and was born October 25, 1854, a son of John and Delilah (Bodkin) Duncan. His father, a native of Scotland, emigrated to the United States when a young man, settling in Shelby county, Ohio. Following his marriage to Delilah Bod- kin, who was a native of that county, he came, in 1842, to Huntington county, Indiana, located in Wayne township, and here passed away in 1855 after some years spent in agricultural pursuits. The mother, who was born March 23, 1822, died August 25, 1874. They were the parents of seven children, of whom four are now living: Elizabeth, who is the widow of Archibald Moore; Leann, who is deceased; James, who is a resident of Polk township; Louisa, the widow of William Benson, of Grant county ; Rachael, deceased, who was the wife of George Roberts; Thomas, who is deceased; and George W.
George W. Duncan was reared in the vicinity of Banquo, and his education was received in the district school located at that place. He was brought up to follow the pursuits of agriculture, and when not attending school was engaged in assisting his father in his farm work, remaining under the parental roof until reaching the age of twenty-two years. He was married October 2, 1886, to Miss Martha C. Robbins, who was born near Richmond, Indiana, August 24, 1855, was brought to Huntington county by her parents when she was seven years old, and was educated in the Hann school north of Banquo. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Duncan: Rhoda, who was the wife of John Carl, a resident of Marion, Indiana, and has six children. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan are members of the Missionary Baptist church, and attend services at the Second Salem church of that faith. He is interested in fraternal matters, being a member of Mount Etna Lodge No. 304, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, past grand thereof and a mem- ber of the Grand Lodge of the state. In politics he is a democrat,
611
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
but has not been particularly active in public affairs, except as they have affected his immediate community. With other good and pub- lic-spirited citizens he has endeavored to advance movements for the welfare of Wayne township and Huntington county and has withheld his support from no enterprises which have promised to advance edu- cation and morality.
Mr. Duncan has always been engaged in general farming, but of late years has made a specialty of raising stock, and has met with much success in breeding Duroc and Poland-China hogs. He has made a careful and thorough study of his vocation and has met with success because of his intelligent application of modern methods in his work. Among those who know him he is recognized as a man of sterling in- tegrity and his friendships are limited only by the number of his acquaintances.
HOWARD LEE. Methods in the field of agricultural work have changed very materially during the past several decades, and now that even the chief executive of the nation is taking a deep interest in progression among the farmers, there is every reason to suppose that still further advance will be made along all lines in this vocation. Interurban serv- ice, the telephone and the automobile, with the consequent bettering of the roads on account of the latter, have brought the farmers much closer together and have placed them in close touch with the various large business centers, and as a class the men today who devote themselves to the cultivation of the land are more independent than any other workers in the world. Huntington county has its full quota of live, progressive men who are taking advantage of the benefits to be derived from this nation-wide advancement, and among them is found How- ard Lee, of Wayne township, whose fine farm of seventy acres is located on the Banquo turnpike, one and one-half miles south of Banquo and nine miles north of Marion.
Mr. Lee was born on a farm in Van Buren township, Grant county, Indiana, March 3, 1867, and is a son of Joseph and Lucetta (Compton) Lee, the latter of whom is deceased, while the former still survives and is a retired farmer of Van Buren township. The father was for many years engaged in tilling the soil in Grant county, and as a hard-work- ing and energetic man accumulated a good property. He has been the father of nine children, of whom seven are living: Angeline, who is the wife of Stephen Baker; Malinda, who is the wife of W. M. Boller ; Phoebe, who is unmarried and resides with her father in Grant county ; Susan, who is the wife of W. O. Endsley; Anna, who is single and re- sides with her father and sister; Leander and Sarah, who are both deceased; and Howard.
The boyhood of Howard Lee was passed on his father's farm in Grant county, where during the long summer months he worked with his brothers in the cultivation of the soil, receiving an excellent train- ing for the work to which he intended to devote his life. In the mean- time his education was secured in the district schools. Mr. Lee remained
612
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
under the parental roof until his marriage, in 1892, to Miss Flora Tinkel, who was born in Washington township, Grant county, and at that time they came to Wayne township and located on the property which they now make their home. This is known as the Ingleside Farm, and is a tract of seventy acres which has been brought to a high state of develop- ment under Mr. Lee's intelligent treatment. He is a man of good busi- ness ability, capably managing his extensive farming and stock-raising interests, so that his labors are bringing to him very desirable and gratifying results, thus placing him in the front ranks of the leading citizens of his township. Politically, he is a republican, but has never taken a very active part in politics.
Mr. and Mrs. Lee are the parents of seven children: Emery J., who is married and lives at Banquo; Bertha, a graduate of the Banquo High school; Wilbur C., a graduate of the common schools; Lucille; Mary ; Galen B., and the baby, Verley, who is five years old. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are widely known in Wayne township, where the hospitality of their pleasant home is freely extended to their numerous friends.
JOHN NEUER. When on November 16, 1909, the spirit of John Neuer passed from earth there was completed and rounded out a life that may well serve as an inspiration for aspiring youth, through its disregard of difficulties, steadfastness of purpose, energy and accomplish- ment, sterling worth and helpfulness. In such a life there is inspira- tion and encouragement for every young man who is constrained to be the architect and builder of his own fortunes, even as this necessity was laid upon John Neuer. He was probably one of the most popular business men that Huntington has known, and seldom has the community been called upon to mourn the loss of a man who had so firmly estab- lished himself in the respect of his fellow men.
John Neuer was born in Huntington, Indiana, December 27, 1869, a son of Charles Neuer. His education as to attendance in the schools of his city was somewhat limited, and he early learned the necessity of hard and industrious labor. He was but a lad when he found employ- ment in the shoe shop of Nicholas Fisher, a pioneer merchant of Hunt- ington, and there, with characteristic energy and perseverance, he learned the retail shoe business, thus laying the foundation stone for his future success. His strict fidelity to duty, his alert and energetic manner and his pleasant and obliging disposition soon attracted attention, and he became known as a decided factor in the business of the old institution to which he was attached, and which, largely through his efforts, was enjoying an increased trade. Eventually, with his brother-in-law, A. J. Eisenhauer, he obtained control of the old store, which he had entered not so many years before as an errand boy. Although much devoted to his business, he was a great lover of home and ready to sacrifice anything for the sake of his wife and children. On the morning after his death, the Morning Times said, in part: "With the respect of all who knew him, the friendship of the entire community, the love of his family, and the admiration of his church, John Neuer closed his long drawn-out
John NEUEN
613
HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY
fight for life yesterday morning at 6:55, and Huntington lost a citizen whose character was most worthy of praise. For months, afflicted with an incurable disease, John Neuer fought the weakness that gradually grew upon him, in the hope that some day his deep desire to prolong life would triumph over the malady which claimed him. Hopeful to the last, dominated by a will-power that had enabled him to climb seemingly unsurmountable difficulties, he never ceased his struggle while there remained a spark of vitality in a bit of 'Johnny' Neuer, as hundreds delighted to call him. He was one of the most popular and highly respected men who was ever identified with the business circles of Hunt- ington. Here Mr. Neuer greeted the hundreds who knew him, always with a cordial and happy smile, always alert to please them, and here, too, he continued to prosper in business, and in that which he valued more, the esteem of the community. He was attentive to his own inter- ests, but he never failed to do a favor that was in his power, and when, about two years ago, it became necessary for him to be away from his store at times, no merchant was more greatly missed. Socially, too, Mr. Neuer was prominent. He was a charter member of the local Knights of Columbus. He was a democrat, taking considerable interest in the election of his friends, but in his busy career he never had time to seek office."
In 1895, at St. Peter and Paul's Church, Mr. Neuer was married to Miss Theresa Eisenhauer, the youngest daughter of Baltzer and Theresa (Holzinger) Eisenhauer. Mrs. Neuer, who survives her husband, resides in the palatial brick residence of her father, at No. 1013 Poplar street. She was born and reared in Huntington and educated in this city, attend- ing the parochial and select schools. She is a lady of many accomplish- ments and presides over her household with grace and dignity. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Neuer, namely: Theresa E., Carl Baltzer, Baltzer A. and Josephine E.
In closing this all too brief review of a man who so forcibly im- pressed his personality upon the business and social life of Huntington, we are again allowed to quote from the Morning Times :
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.