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 29
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Andrew A. Heiney was reared in the neighborhood of his present residence, and had his education in the district schools, attending in the winter months and in the open season spending his time at home on the farm. He lived at home until he was twenty-six years old, working by the mouth for his father after he had reached his majority, so that when he married Sarah D. Rittenhouse on May 11, 1889, he had a small cash capital at his command. She was born in Rock Creek township, in Huntington county, on June 11, 1868, and is a daughter of Anderson and Mary (Ludwick) Rittenhouse. She had a similar upbringing to that of her husband, and she is the mother of three children. Edna G., born November 8, 1889, a graduate of the common schools, and the wife of Raymond Yates, of Lancaster township; Orville E., born September 15, 1891, and May E., born in February, 1898, and now a high school student.
Vol. II-15
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Mr. Heiney is a Democrat in his politics, and in 1908 was elected a trustee of Lancaster township, in which office he is yet serving. He is known for a capable and progressive farmer, and his fine place, lying in sections 28, 29 and 33 and consisting of two hundred and thirty-six acres, about ten miles south of Huntington, is one of the most productive and well conducted places in the township. A comfortable dwelling and appropriate and necessary barns are in evidence on the place, and the proprietor of the Locust Grove farm may be pardoned for a degree of pride in his agricultural achievements.
JOHN F. ELLIS. John F. Ellis, by reason of his accomplishments in the agricultural industry in Lancaster township, takes his rightful place among the foremost men of the community. He is a native of Wayne township, Huntington county, born June 4, 1867, and he is a son of C. C. Ellis and his wife, Mary E. (McGovney) Ellis. The father was born in Brown county, Ohio, and accompanied his parents to Adams county, Ohio, when he was a lad of six years. There he grew up and obtained such meagre education as was his portion in life. He married on December 2, 1866, and located in Wayne township, Huntington county, where he lived for a year, and then purchased a drug store in Mount Eaton. He came to Lancaster township and settled on a farm, here con- tinuing in residence until the late years of his life, when he moved to Majenica. He died there on February 18, 1910, and his widow survives him, making hier home with her son, Frank.
C. C. Ellis reached a state of financial independence, chiefly through his activities in the drug business, before he turned his attention to farming. To him and his wife were born six children, five of whom are now living. They are as follows: Isabelle C., the wife of Joseph Kitch, of Huntington, Indiana; William I., a farmer on the home place; John F., of this review; Ella M .; George D., of Rock Creek; Jessie O., of Huntington.
John F. Ellis was educated in the district schools and brought up on the Lancaster township farm, of which his brother is now the occupant. He was twenty-one years old when he left home, and set out for him- self independently, and after a few years, or in 1893, on the 7th day of September, he married Anna E. Schultz. She was a daughter of John Schultz, and like her husband, was reared to farm life and had a country school training. One daughter has been born to them,-Bertha B., born February 18, 1898.
Mr. and Mrs. Ellis are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he is one of the stewards of the church. His fraternal affiliations are with the Modern Woodmen of America.
Mr. Ellis is everywhere regarded as a man of sound judgment, and he is known to be an upright, honorable and wide-minded citizen. He is reckoned among the foremost farming men of Huntington county, and his farm of one hundred and sixty acres on the Huntington-Warren Road is finely situated about five miles northwest of Warren and eight miles distant from the town of Huntington.
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JOHN P. SHUTT. The entire life of John P. Shutt thus far has been spent on the farm where he now lives, so that his life is an open book to the people of Lancaster township, where he has a wide circle of good friends among a wider circle of lifelong acquaintances. Mr. Shutt is a son of David and Susan (Marks) Shutt, and concerning the parentage and ancestry of the subject, it would be well to begin with the activities of John Shutt, grandsire of the subject, who came to Lancaster town- ship, Huntington county, from the vicinity of Canal Dover, Ohio, in 1840, bringing his family here in 1849, so that the family has been established in this vicinity in the neighborhood of seventy years.
John Shutt located in Section 33, Lancaster township, and here con- tinued a resident until his death. David Shutt, his son and the father of John P. Shutt, whose name introduces this sketch, was ten years of age when the family came to Indiana, and the bulk of his educa- tion, not any too extensive at the best, was gained in the district schools of Lancaster township, where he later reared and educated his own children. He had his practical training on the farm of his father, and in young manhood he married and settled down quietly in the com- munity where he had been reared. He built a wooden sawmill in Lan- caster and for several years operated it with fair success. Later he became a contracting carpenter and he was well known in this section for his work along that line. He married Susan Marks and to them were born twelve children, nine of this goodly family being now alive. They are named as follows: John P., of this review ; Lewis A .; William T .; Mary, the wife of Joseph Denton; Joseph, a merchant of Lancaster ; Hattie, the wife of Orville Giltner; Emma, who married Samuel Heiney ; Elizabeth, the wife of Nathan Hardman; and Fred Shutt, a resident of this place. All were educated in the common schools of Lancaster.
John P. Shutt was born October 25, 1861, and was reared in Lan- caster township, attending the same schools that had furnished the edu- cational training of his father before him, though he was favored further in an educational way in that he was able to attend the State Normal School at Valparaiso for a time. He began teaching school when he had concluded his studies and for some years continued in that profession, being for a time principal of the State Street School of Huntington.
In May, 1888, Mr. Shutt married Miss Kate Chamness, who was born in Wabash county, but had her upbringing for the most part in Hunt- ington county. The young couple began housekeeping in Huntington, where Mr. Shutt was then engaged in his pedagogic work, and they lived there for two years. He gave up teaching and purchased a farm in Jefferson township, but in 1908 he sold the place, and bought 140 acres of the old home farm where he has since made his home and carried on active farming activities.
Mr. Shutt is undoubtedly one of the foremost men of his township, and one who has taken an active part in the public life of the com- munity. A public spirited man, his citizenship has been of a high order, and has stood out beyond that of the average man. He has been a Repub- lican always, though never one to inject partisan ideas into local politics,
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so that his influence has always been of an upward trend, void of per- sonalities and selfish ends and aims. He served four years as a trustee of Jefferson township while a resident there, and during that time was instrumental in securing the building of the present graded school of that township at Pleasant Plain. Being a teacher, he knew the needs of the community, and as a man of sound business judgment, his adminis- tration as a township officer was above the average, reflecting much credit upon him and the community.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Shutt are seven in number, and are here mentioned briefly as follows: Jessie, a graduate of the common schools; Winifred, a teacher in the Lancaster High School, of which she is a graduate, also of the State Normal; Hermia, who attended the State Normal, is the wife of Charles E. Paul; Mildred is now a high school student; Mary is attending the common schools; and the two youngest are David, born in 1903, and Agnes, in 1910.
DANIEL L. SHIDELER. A native son of the township in which he now resides, Daniel L. Shideler was born here on January 12, 1856, and has passed his entire life within the confines of Huntington county. IIe is a son of Jonas and Fannie (Berg) Shideler, the father born in Ohio in 1816 and the mother a woman of Pennsylvania birth, of the year 1821. They were married in Wayne county, Indiana, and came to this county in the same year, settling in Lancaster township, and here they passed the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom six survive at this writing. They are as follows: Benjamin Shideler, of Montana; A. B. Shideler, of Lancaster; Mary A., the wife of J. B. Harris; Catherine, the wife of J. P. Wire; Daniel L. Shideler, of this review, and Simon A., of Lancaster. The parents were lifelong members of the Church of the Brethren, and were among the stable and reliable citizens of their community. They lived worthily and reared their family in accordance with those precepts of life which they in their turn had absorbed, so that they gave to the county and state citi- zens who are exerting a beneficent influence in the communities wherein they are found.
Daniel L. Shideler was reared in Lancaster village and attended the common schools of that community. He was employed for three years in the local drug store of D. B. Hoover & Company, at Huntington, and then he turned his attention to farm life, in which he has since con- tinued with a generous measure of success and prosperity. He is the owner of one hundred and eight acres, and two acres in the village of Lancaster. On the farm is a gravel pit that has supplied the gravel roads in this part of the county for years. Mr. Shideler is a stockholder in the Majenica Telephone Company, and is otherwise materially inter- ested in those public enterprises that have added so much to the com- munal well being of the township.
On January 1, 1882, Mr. Shideler married Emma Heaston, the daugh- ter of John and Angeline (Wire) Heaston, and to them were born three children, two of whom are now living. Grace is the wife of Harry L.
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Pence ; Faith, a graduate of the Lancaster high school, became the wife of John Barton, and is now deceased; and Eber T., a graduate of the local high school, married Lela Hoover.
The family are members of the Wesleyan Methodist church, and Mr. Shideler is a class leader in the church. Politically he is a prohibitionist, and has had a praiseworthy part in the political activities of the town- ship. He and his family possess many of the solid traits that make for admirable citizenship, and they are well established in the town and county that has so long been the center of their activities.
GARL R. RUDICEL. Lancaster has in the person of Garl R. Rudicel an auctioneer and merchant who has been established here in business since 1911, and who has a splendid business standing in the town and in adjoining communities, despite the fact of his brief period of business activity. Mr. Rudicel is a progressive and aggressive young man of business, and it is predicted freely that he will go a long way on the road to success and prosperity. He already owns a nice stock and build- ing in Lancaster, drawing a generous trade from the surrounding com- munities, and he carries on his auctioneering trade in conjunction with his merchandising. Mr. Rudicel was graduated from the Jones' School of Auctioneering in Chicago in 1911, so that he is well qualified to con- duct a public auction in the most satisfactory manner.
Garl R. Rudicel was born in Polk township, Huntington county, Indiana, on May 23, 1886, and he is a son of Solomon and Ella (Bailey) Rudicel, farming people of that community. Mr. Rudicel was educated in the schools of his native community, finishing at the Lancaster Center high school in 1907, and soon thereafter engaging in the mercantile busi- ness in Lancaster township, to which enterprise, in 1911, he added his talents as an auctioneer. His success has been a pleasing one thus far, and promises an independent future. He is young and energetic and possesses commendable business enterprise and tact, so that his business venture promises much as to future growth and prosperity. He owns the store building he occupies, with its entire equipment, including fix- tures, and is well worthy the title of "hustler" that is frequently heard applied to him.
On December 25, 1909, Mr. Rudicel was married to Miss Inez Schultz, a young woman who was born in Lancaster township and is a graduate of the Lancaster Center high school. She was a successful teacher in the Lancaster high school, having finished a course in the Marion Normal in preparation for her teaching work. Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rudicel,-Rexford, aged seventeen months and Max, who at this writing is eight weeks old.
Mrs. Rudicel is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, but Mr. Rudicel has no church membership. He is a Republican and mani- fests the interest of a good citizen in the politics of the community. He enjoys an excellent reputation and standing in the community with which he has been identified practically all his life, and has a wide circle of friends throughout the county.
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SAMUEL PAUL. The entire business career of Samuel Paul has been passed in Lancaster township, where he is accounted a reliable and sub- stantial citizen and a farmer who is thoroughly conversant with agri- cultural conditions. His life story contains no thrilling chapters, but his long and faithful devotion to the highest rules of honest living, his earnest endeavor and constant industry, and his high standing in the community all combine to make his record one worthy of preserving in a history of the representative men of his community. Mr. Paul was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, May 27, 1849, and is a son of Henry and Nancy (Snowberger) Paul. Both were born and reared in Pennsylvania, and after their marriage moved to Indiana in 1850, locat- ing on a tract of 160 acres, located on the southwest one-quarter of section 11, in Lancaster township, Huntington county. For this tract, which was all located in the heavy timber, the father paid $500. Here he erected a cabin of logs, 18x20 feet, in which were reared all of his chil- dren, this continuing to be the family home for many years. He was an earnest and industrious workman, attempted faithfully to bring his chil- dren up to lead honest and useful lives, and himself rounded out a life of usefulness and helpfulness to his community. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, of whom eight are surviving at this time: Samuel, of this review ; David, who is a resident of Lancaster township ; Sarah, who is the wife of Jacob Shidcler; Mary, the wife of Joseplı Heaston, of Lancaster township; Susanna, the wife of John Adams, of Jefferson township; D. W., a minister of the Church of the Brethren, who has filled various charges in Huntington county; George W., an agriculturist of Rock Creek township ; and Andrew, the owner of a farm in Lancaster township.
Samuel Paul was reared on the old home farm and received his edu- cation in the district schools, which he attended, in the winter months while assisting his father during the summer seasons. He thus con- tinued until reaching the age of twenty-one years, when, tiring of the duties of the farm, he learned the plasterer's trade, and continued to follow that business for some thirteen years. At the end of that time, however, he returned to the tilling of the soil, which has continued to be his occupation to the present time. Mr. Paul has been successful because of his enterprise, industry and progressive spirit, and for thirty years he has been known as one of his community's most substantial citizens. During this time he has witnessed its development into one of the richest farming communities in the state and has been a potent fac- tor in advancing its interests. Honorable and upright in all his dealings, he has fairly won and retained the respect of his neighbors and asso- ciates, and few men are held higher in general public esteem.
Mr. Paul was married in January, 1872, to Miss Mahala Heaston, who was born in 1849, in Lancaster township, daughter of David Heaston, an early settler of Huntington county. Five children have been born to this union: Prof. David H., a graduate of the state normal school and now principal of the Williams Street school, at Huntington; Charles, a graduate of the public schools and now engaged successfully in farm-
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ing; Emma, who has been given a good education and is now the wife of Pcarl Ulrich of Mount Etna, Indiana; Elnora, who has also received good educational advantages and is single and resides with her parents; and J. B., a graduate of Valparaiso University and of the University of Wisconsin, at Madison, that state, a bright and progressive young agriculturist who is assisting his father in cultivating the home fields. Mr. Paul and his family are members of the Loon Creek Baptist church. In political matters he is a republican and has been fairly active in pub- lic affairs, although not as an office seeker.
ANDERSON POTTS. While not a native of Huntington county, Ander- son Potts has resided here since his second year, and the entire period of his business activity has been passed within its borders. At this time he is engaged in agricultural pursuits on a handsome farm of eighty acres, and his operations are being carried on in such an able and well- directed manner as to make him be accounted one of Lancaster town- ship's representative men. Mr. Potts is a native of Henry county, Indiana, and was born June 28, 1856, a son of Jacob and Christina (Hoover) Potts.
Jacob Potts was born in Washington township, Washington county, Maryland, moved to Pennsylvania in young manhood, and in the latter state was married, the mother having been born there. From Pennsyl- vania they came to Henry county, Indiana, and there made their resi- dence until the year 1858, when they came to Lancaster township, Hunt- ington county. Later Mr. Potts took his family to Noble county, but in 1863 returned to Huntington county and in that same year enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirtieth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Potts met a soldier's death on a southern battlefield and was laid to rest in the National Cemetery. He was the father of three children, of whom Anderson is the only survivor.
Anderson Potts was two years of age when first brought to Hunt- ington county. He secured his educational training in the public schools, but as he was still a lad when his father met his death, his schooling was cut short in order that he might go to work to aid in the family support. However, he was studious and intelligent, made the most of such oppor- tunities as were granted him, and subsequent study, reading and obser- vation in after life have made him a thoroughly informed man. He was twenty years of age at the time of his marriage, following which event he began agricultural operations on his own account. He has since made a success of his general farming, and is now the owner of a well-developed tract of eighty acres of valuable land located about five miles south of Huntington, on the Salamonie turnpike. He is also well known as a breeder of Belgian horses, and in this connection as in others has been prosperous. His business interests have ever been managed with such discretion, sagacity and sound judgment, have ever been prosecuted with such energy and diligence and characterized by such honesty that he has acquired a handsome competence and gained the respect and confidence of all with whom he has been brought into contact.
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On December 21, 1876, Mr. Potts was married to Miss Charlotte A. Fisher, who was born in Lancaster township, and to this union there have been born six children: Jesse L .; Aurelius R .; Ira B .; Christy, the wife of Ozro Shideler, and lives in Canada; one who died in infancy ; and Eva May, at home and unmarried. Mr. and Mrs. Potts arc members of the Church of the Brethren at Loon Creek, and Mr. Potts is a member of the board of trustees. In politics a republican, he has served one term as assessor, a period of five years, and in his official capacity showed himself capable, conscientious and progressive. His career from early manhood has been one of constant advancement, and the success which has attended his efforts may be traced directly to his own unaided and well-directed efforts.
DAVID BURKET, long a resident of Huntington county and of Lancaster township, has identified himself with farming and car- pentering, realizing a generous degree of success in both enterprises, and, in addition to those vocations, has found time to mix somewhat in the political life of the town and county. He has served as county com- missioner of the county, giving an excellent account of himself in that capacity, and, as a soldier in the Union army, he also acquitted himself creditably as a member of the Twenty-third Indiana Battery.
Mr. Burket was born in Section 34 of Lancester township, on July 15, 1841, and is a son of Joel and Susanna (Wisler) Burket, both of whom came to this state in 1834, locating straightway on Section 34. They were pioncer settlers of. Huntington county, and shared fully in the deprivations and many hardships that marked the lives of those who settled in the wilderness and took their chances with the untamed Indian and the wild beasts that infested the forests in those early days. They were sturdy and admirable citizens, and when their com- munity so far progressed as to afford them neighbors, they proved themselves well worthy of the name of friend,-a trait that was an especially admirable one in those primitive times, if friendship can ever be more a thing to be prized at one time than at another.
Joel Burket and his wife lived quiet and plain country lives, devot- ing themselves diligently to the business of making their farm home a habitable place and a productive one, and they realized much of their ambition in their life times, for when they died in the late nineties, after more than sixty years of continued residence on their Section 34 farm, it had reached a delightful state of cultivation and was one of the valuable and fertile sources of agricultural profit in the township. The father was past cighty-two years of age, when he died on April 2, 1898, and the mother lived to the venerable age of ninety-two, having passed her ninety-second milestone some time before she died. She was born on November 4, 1818, and died on January 26, 1910. Both were members of the Church of the Brcthern at Lancaster, she being a charter member, and they were devoted to the work of the church, and held in the highest esteem by all who knew them. They were the parents of five children. Anna E. is the widow of John F. Schultz; Eli Burket is a resident
David Burket
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of Lancaster township; David is the subject of this brief review ; Joseph A. is a carpenter, now residing in Clarendon, Texas; and Eliza J. is the wife of Henry P. Schultz.
David Burket was reared on the home farm in Section 34, this township, and attended the district school at such times as he could be conveniently spared from the work of the farm. He was twenty-one years old when he volunteered for service in the Twenty-third Indiana Battery on October 24, 1862, or it would be more accurately stated to say that he was mustered into the service on that day, and mustered out on July 2, 1865, when the war was over. He was promoted to the rank of corporal and served through much of the war as such. Numerous engagements were participated in by his company, among them being Buzzard's Roost, on May 8 and 9, 1864; Resaca, Georgia, on May 14 and 15, 1864; Dallas and Altoona, Georgia, on June 1 to 14, 1864; Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia, June 20 to 25, 1864; News Creek, Georgia, June 27, 1864; Siege of Atlanta, in August, 1864; Columbia, Tennessee, Novem- ber 28 and 29, 1864; Franklin, Tennessee, November 30, 1864; Marshall, Tennessee, in December, 1864. Through all his service, he was not once wounded, and when the war was over and he was mustered out, he returned to his home and gave his attention to farming. He continued so for a time and then began to learn the trade of carpenter, and when he had completed it he began to work by the day for people in the sur- rounding communities. He was successful in his carpentry work, and mingled that enterprise with his farming activities through all these years of activity. He is now living retired.
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