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 51
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When Harvey R. Hippensteel was a child his parents moved from Kosciusko county to Wabash county, he being four years of age at the time. His years were spent in that county until he was twelve, and at that time, the family moved to Warren township in Huntington county. His schooling was therefore divided between the schools of Wabash and IIuntington county, and after leaving the common schools he attended the Valparaiso University, the Marion Normal College and still later
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the Huntington Business College. Mr. Hippensteel is a self-made and self-educated man, in the sense that all his college training was acquired by his own earnings, and he is the type of man who is constantly looking ahead and striving to better his horizon of opportunities. During his early career he spent seven terms as a teacher in district country schools. He later was employed in Chicago, and while bookkeeper for the firm of the Chicago Handle-Bar Company, the Spanish-American war came on and he left his employment to enlist as a soldier .. His enlistment was on June 17, 1898, when he became a member of Company K of the One Hundred and Sixtieth Indiana Regiment. His regiment saw two months of service in Cuba, until the end of the war, and he was mustered out at Savannah, Georgia.
Mr. Hippensteel married Mary E. Spimkle, who was born June 21, 1876, a daughter of H. S. and Mary (Storm) Spimkle. Himself a teacher, Mr. Hippensteel made good choice of his wife, from the ranks of the same profession. Mrs. Hippensteel who was first educated in the district schools and later in the Marion Normal College, was for eight years a successful teacher in Huntington county. To their marriage is one living child, Dale E., born November 15, 1903. Mrs. Hippensteel is a member of the Progressive Brethren.
In politics Mr. Hippensteel has always accorded loyalty to the repub- lican party until the campaign of 1912, when he cast his vote for the progressive cause. By appointment from the county commissioners he served as trustee of Clear Creek township, but resigned before the expira- tion of his term. As a farmer, he is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land. He does general farming and stock raising and has found in his present vocation a full outlet for his energies and all the opportunities that could be desired for business success and has gained a satisfying share of prosperity and made himself and family a good home.
EDWARD SMITH. The comfort, health and safety of the public de- pends largely on the efficiency of those who fill positions of responsibility and probably no one man has more multiplied duties in this direction than has the street commissioner of a busy, bustling city where thousands daily hasten to and fro carrying on the various activities and pleasures of life. Huntington, Indiana, since 1909, has had, in Edward Smith, a public official well qualified through years of business experience to fill the office of street commissioner, to which he was appointed by Hon. Milo Feightner, Mayor of Huntington.
Edward Smith was born June 16, 1867, in Wabash county, Indiana, the youngest of a family of nine children born to his parents, Samuel and Margaret (Dick) Smith. Both parents and eight of their nine chil- dren were born in Germany. When they came to the United States they landed in New York harbor and from there came to Wabash county, Indiana. The father was able to provide well for his family, being an experienced stonecutter, stone mason and bricklayer. Edward Smith attended school in Wabash county, first being a pupil in the public school Vol. II-26
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but later having better advantages in a private or select school. Both he and an older brother, Valentine Smith, learned the associated trades of stonecutter, brick mason and layer and then entered into a partnership, under the style of Smith Brothers, which continued for twelve years and was then dissolved by mutual consent. On account of his wife's failing health and in the hope that a milder climate might benefit her, Mr. Smith moved to Cleveland, Texas, but, upon finding no such encouragement, returned to Indiana and located in Huntington county and since then has lived during the greater part of the time in the city of Huntington. After settling in this county he soon built up a prosperous business in contracting and building, his work covering dwelling and business houses, schoolhouses and churches, and the quality of his energy and enterprise was shown, when, after the great fire that practically de- stroyed Markle, he rebuilt nine of the business houses in ninety days. He continued his contracting business until he was appointed street com- missioner, the duties of which office demand all of his time.
In 1891 Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Carrie Bro- .bender, who was born in Germany, and they have the following children : Lena, Lawrence, Mildred, Edward, Jr., and Dorothy. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the German Reformed church. In his political affiliation Mr. Smith is a democrat.
EZRA F. SHOCK. The Highland Farm in Clear Creek township, of which Mr. Shock is proprietor has for many years borne a high reputa- tion among stock raisers, especially for its Jersey cattle, and the present owner has jealously guarded the substantial reputation of his stock, and as a result there are few men in the county who have upheld the stand- ards of the stock business more uniformly through a course of many years. Mr. Shock has lived in Huntington county nearly all his life, a period of about fifty years, has acquired a substantial interest in the agri- culture and general civic affairs and has also been honored with positions of public trust and responsibility.
Ezra F. Shock was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, near the city of Dayton, March 16, 1860, a son of Henry and Mary (Flory) Shock. The mother died in 1907 while the father still lives in Clear Creek town- ship. Both were natives of Montgomery county, Ohio, where they grew up in the same neighborhood, were educated in the district schools, and were married. In August, 1864, when their son Ezra was four years of age they moved to Huntington county and located in Clear Creek town- ship. The father through many active years followed farming, and is now one of the oldest residents of this section of Huntington county. There were eleven children in the family, and all but one are still living : Ezra F .; Clare, the widow of Samuel Beverly ; Cora, wife of David Col- clazer ; Rosella, unmarried; Joseph H., who is principal of the schools in Lafayette, Indiana; William A., teacher of manual training in the Hunt- ington public schools; Rev. D. W., a minister of the Brethren church; Harvey M., a farmer in Clear Creek township; Jennie, wife of Edwin Miller ; Arminda, wife of C. E. Schlusser.
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It was in Clear Creek township that Ezra F. Shock spent his early years, and until he was about eighteen his time was divided between attendance at the district schools in the winter and work on the farm during the summer. His father operated a sawmill in the township and he was early made an assistant in the conduct of that enterprise.
Soon after he became of age, in December, 1881, Mr. Shock estab- lished a home of his own by his marriage to Miss Sarah Buckwalter, a daughter of George Buckwalter. Mrs. Shock was educated in the district schools of Huntington county. After their marriage they settled on a farm, and from that time forward their prosperity has been steadily on the increase. For a quarter of a century Mr. Shock has made a specialty of the breeding of pure strains of Jersey cattle, and his progressiveness in this as in every other enterprise he takes hold of has been the source of generous profit. Mr. Shock is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land, and the farm for a number of years has been well known among stock raisers throughout this part of Indiana as the Highland Farm. In addition to his farm Mr. Shock finds his time pretty well em- ployed through his position as solicitor and adjuster for the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Association. In this position he has charge of territory including Jackson, Clear Creek, Warren, Dallas, Huntington, and Union townships.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Shock were born six children : Albert W., who is married and lives in Dayton, Ohio; Effie B., the wife of Charles S. Lingle; Laura, a graduate of the Clear Creek high school, and now a teacher in the schools at Richmond, Indiana; George A., un- married and living in the southern states; Davis E., unmarried; and Mabel E., at home. Mrs. Shock is an active member of the Brethren church. In politics Mr. Shock has for years given his active support to the democratic interests, and has done much as a leader in his party in this part of Huntington county. He was elected and served four years as assessor of his township.
PHINEAS HANLINE. One of the oldest native sons of Clear Creek township is Phineas Hanline, who was born in that locality of Hunting- ton county nearly seventy years ago, has lived here quietly but with substantial prosperity, and has proved himself a good citizen, a hard worker, an energetic provider for his family, and a man whose influence has always been on the side of right and progress.
Phineas Hanline was born in Clear Creek township of Huntington county, July 18, 1845, a son of Thomas and Sarah (Fetters) Hanline, who were among the pioneers in this section of the state. They were born, reared and married in Stark county, Ohio, and in 1840 moved to Indiana, and located in Clear Creek township. There the father lived until his death at the age of forty-nine, and his widow survived him until she was past eighty-eight and did a noble part by her children, rearing them and keeping the homestead intact until all its members were self supporting. Seven of the eight children are still living, the family being mentioned as follows: Phineas; Flora, wife of George Andrews; Mar-
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garet A., deceased ; Jackson, of Whitley county, Indiana; Jacob, of Hunt- ington ; Martin, of Huntington; Sidney, wife of Jacob Stoner, of Whitley county ; Agnes, wife of Moses Crum, of Fort Wayne.
Phineas Hanline was reared and educated in Clear Creek township, spent his youth on a farm, was trained to the work of farming from an early age and since starting out for himself has made all his prosperity as a result of close attention to business and a talent for management of land and its crops.
On December 12, 1875, Mr. Hanline was married in Clear Creek township to Miss Lucy A. Hoke, who was born in Ohio, but was rearcd in this county. To their union were born nine children, mentioned as fol- lows: Perry E., a farmer in Clear Creek township; Maude, wife of Alfred Keel; Burdell, who lives in the state of Oregon; Albert, of Michigan; Belva and Bernice, twins; Chester, who lives at home and is unmarried; Katie, wife of Ben Stahlsmith, of Whitley county; and Maggie, deceased.
The family are all members of the German Baptist church, and in politics Mr. Hanline is a republican. When he and his wife got married they started out with practically nothing and all their prosperity has been the direct result of their individual efforts. At the present time the Hanline home in section 16 comprises ninety-three acres of well cultivated and highly improved farm lands.
JAMES W. WILSON. One of the old families of Union township is represented by James W. Wilson, who with his wife and family have had their home on their present attractive rural estate in that township for more than twenty years. Mr. Wilson himself came to Huntington county when a boy, and during his lifetime here has not only been constantly progressing himself, but has witnessed many remarkable changes in the country about him.
James W. Wilson was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, in Walnut town- ship, January 13, 1846, a son of James and Anna (Bibler) Wilson. His father was a native of Maryland, and was fourteen years of age when he came with his parents to Fairfield county, Ohio, where he grew to man- hood, and where he met and married Anna Bibler, who was also reared in that county. From Ohio the family moved to Huntington county, Indiana, in 1864, and eighty acres of land at Brown's Corners was the first homestead in this county. There the father lived until his death on January 24, 1890, while his wife passed away May 21, 1876. There were eleven children, three of whom are still living, including James, George W. of Brown's Corners, and Anthony W. of Kansas.
James W. Wilson was cighteen years old when he came to Hunting- ton county, and as a boy his opportunities for getting an education were limited, and he has made his own way through life, and prospered more than the average. For a number of years he worked as a farm hand, and gradually accumulated enough to make an independent start. On Sep- tember 25, 1875, Mr. Wilson married Saloma M. Forst, who was born May 1, 1857, a daughter of George Forst. Her birth occurred in Warren
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township of this county, and as she grew up she attended the common schools of the district in which she was reared. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Wilson settled in Union township, and have been very success- ful as farmers and stock raisers. In 1892 they located on the farm where they still live. One daughter was born to their union, Iva M., in Decem- ber, 1876. She received, besides a common school education, training in music, and is now the competent wife of Oscar Hurdle of Union town- ship, and the mother of five sons. Mr. Wilson affiliated with the Star of Hope Lodge No. 464, I. O. O. F., of which he was a charter member. In politics his affiliation has always been with the democratic party, though never an aspirant for office.
GEORGE W. LAHR. One of the well cultivated and valuable agricul- ·tural properties of Huntington county is the Spotted Stock Farm, a tract consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, located one and one-half miles south of Andrews, Indiana, in Dallas township, on the Andrews and Monument City gravel road. The proprietor of this farm, George W. Lahr, is one of the progressive and energetic men of his community, and has won success through well directed and persistent effort, at the same time giving his influence and means to the betterment of society, to schools and church, to the support of good government and order and to industries which he has believed have been calculated to promote the interests of this section of the Hoosier state.
Mr. Lahr is thoroughly informed as to climate and soil conditions in Dallas township, for he has resided here all his life. He was born on a farm in Polk township, in September, 1858, a son of Jacob and Catherine (Sperb) Lahr, natives of Germany. He is a grandson on the paternal side of Jacob and Marie (Mathias) Lahr and a great-grand- son of Ulrich Lahr, who married a Miss Corell. The great-grandpar- ents immigrated from Germany to America in 1842, locating in the then wilderness of Clear Creek township, Huntington county, Indiana, where they spent the remainder of their lives, and nearly all the Lahrs in this county are their descendants. Jacob and Marie (Mathias) Lahr left their native land of Germany for the United States in 1852, and they also established their home in Clear Creek township. They were accompanied on the voyage by their sons and daughters, excepting Jacob, who came over in 1851 with a friend. Jacob Lahr was born in Rhine Bavaria, Germany, in 1836, and was about fourteen years of age at the time of the immigration. In Huntington county he met and mar- ried Catherine Sperb, who was born in the Rhine Province of Hessen- darmstadt in 1836, and was twenty years of age when she came to this country. After their marriage they settled on a property in section 11, Polk township, and they resided there until 1872, in which year they moved to section 2, in the same township, two miles south of Andrews, their farm there continuing to be their home and Mr. Lahr's field of agricultural operations until death. Nine children were born to Jacob and Catherine Lahr, of whom eight survive: J. F., a resident of Okla- homa; Elizabeth, who is the wife of H. G. Miller, of Union township,
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Huntington county; Susie, who is the wife of A. C. Hahn, of Polk township; Emma, the wife of William Gephart, of Allen county, In- diana; Eli, whose home is at Lincoln, Nebraska; Barbara, who married John P. Miller, of Polk township; and Zachary T., who resides at Cache, Oklahoma.
George W. Lahr was reared on the home farm in section 11, Polk township, until he was fourteen years of age, and then accompanied the family to the property in section 2. He was given his educational training in school district No. 1 during the short winter terms, but, like most boys of his day and locality, during the summer months he was expected to assist his father and brothers in cultivating the home fields. He grew up an industrious and ambitious youth, and continued to re- main under the parental roof until 1897, in which year he purchased the nucleus of his present property, which has since been developed into one of the finest farms of its size in this part of the county. Aside from his general farming operations, in which he has been successful, Mr. Lahr is known as a scientific breeder of fine horses and cattle, as well as hogs. His specialty, from which his property derives its name, is the Spotted Arabian horse, his product at all times demanding a high price in the market. As a business man he is far sighted and capable, and his associates know him as a man of the utmost integrity, while his signature is always honored on commercial paper. During his long residence in Dallas township he has formed a wide acquaintance, and in this he numbers many warm friends. He has always supported re- publican principles and candidates but otherwise has not been partic- ularly active in politics.
JACOB KARST, whose labor has been the measure of his success, has for some years been numbered among the prosperous agriculturists of Lancaster township. Years ago he started his operations with no capital save energy, determination, an active body and a strong mind; today he is the owner of 200 acres of valuable land lying five and one-half miles southwest of Huntington. He is, moreover, a citizen who has gained the trust and confidence of his fellow men through a life of in- dustry and integrity, so that he figures prominently in public as well as agricultural circles of his section. Mr. Karst was born in Hancock county, Ohio, April 24, 1852, and is a son of Peter and Anna (Zeigler) Karst.
Peter Karst was born in Germany, and as a young man he decided to cast his lot with the citizens of the United States, of whose country he had heard such glowing tales. Accordingly, he came to this coun- try, and after a short stay in New York, his landing point, made his way to Pennsylvania, where he met and married Anna Zeigler, a native of the Keystone state. Subsequently they moved on to Hancock county, Ohio, then to Henry county, Indiana, and finally to Huntington county, this state, and in the spring of 1865 located in Polk township, where Mr. Karst continued to be engaged in agricultural pursuits throughout the balance of his life. He was the father of five sons and four daugh-
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ters, and of these children four are living in 1913: Peter, who is a resident of Huntington, Indiana; Jacob; Barney W., a resident of Montana; and Sylvester, whose home is in Polk township.
Jacob Karst received his education in the schools of Ohio and In- diana, in the vicinities in which the family lived from time to time. He was a lad of thirteen years when brought to Huntington county, and here he assisted his father in the cultivation of the home property, grow- ing up to sturdy manhood and learning thoroughly every branch of the farming industry. He remained as his father's assistant until he was twenty-seven years of age, and during this time, through industry and right living, through thrift, economy and good management, he saved some $1,200. Deciding to establish a home of his own, he was married in 1879 to Miss Mary B. Miller, of Huntington township, and they began housekeeping on the farm on which they now reside, and on which they have continued to live with the exception of three years when Mr. Karst was looking after the old homestead. The present property of 200 acres has been accumulated by steady industry, and has been brought to a high state of cultivation. Its buildings are substantial and modern in character, its improvements of the best and its machin- ery of the latest manufacture. The sleek, well-fed and content live- stock testifies to Mr. Karst's abilities as a raiser of cattle, horses and hogs. Mr. and Mrs. Karst are consistent members of the Catholic church of Sts. Peter and Paul at Huntington, and he is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and St. Joseph's Society. He is a democrat in politics, but has never found time for public office, and had he done so it is doubtful if his quiet and unassuming nature would have allowed him to accept preferment.
Mr. and Mrs. Karst have been the parents of twelve children, of whom ten survive in 1913: Anna, who is the wife of Edward Morris, of Fort Wayne, Indiana ; Florence, who married John Blomeke, of Steuben county, Indiana ; Edward J., who is married to Anna Scher and resides in Lancaster township; George, of Lancaster township, who married Edith Scher; and Joseph, Mary, Julius, Jacob, Jr., Catherine, and Vergelia, all single and residing at home with their parents.
DAVID L. REYNOLDS. Well known in Huntington county, especially among the investors and land owners, David L. Reynolds has been ex- tensively engaged in real estate operations in various counties of Northern Indiana for twenty years or more. His primary business is that of farmer, and his thorough experience in that line has enabled him to handle land for others with unusual success.
David L. Reynolds was born at Amboy in Miami county, Indiana, in 1866. Reared on a farm, with an education acquired in the local schools, he located at Converse after reaching his majority, and there did his first business as a real estate man. He was one of the factors in the move- ment which began about twenty years ago, as a result of which there was a somewhat marked exodus from the high priced farming districts of Illinois into Indiana and Ohio and Michigan, where farms at that time
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could be bought much cheaper, though the quality of land was equal to the best Illinois soil. Mr. Reynolds' operations were directed toward transferring Illinois farmers to the lands of Grant and Miami counties, and as a result of his operations and of others similarly engaged, the value of land in those counties advanced from an average price of forty dollars to as high as a hundred and fifty dollars per acre.
Some years ago Mr. Reynolds located on a fine farm in Wells county, where he is the owner of one of the best quarter sections in the county. His farm lies a little west of Bluffton. He has his offices in Bluffton, but his operations extend over both Wells and Huntington counties. Mr. Reynolds is a hustling and successful farmer and real estate dealer, and has won all his success through his own energy and good judgment.
WILLIAM F. EBERHART. It is gratifying to be able to incorporate in this history specific record concerning a goodly quota of those sterling citizens who are ably upholding the prestige of Huntington county as a field of the best order of agricultural industry, and special consistency is given to the recognition here accorded to the representative farmer and stock-grower whose name initiates this paragraph, for he is also a native of the county and a member of one of its prominent and honored pioneer families. He is the owner of a well improvel farm in Clear Creek township and is a citizen whose influence and co-operation are in- variably given in support of measures and enterprises advanced for the general good of the community. His steadfast character is vouched for by the unequivocal popularity he enjoys in the county that has ever been his home and in which he has achieved worthy success.
William F. Eberhart was born on the old homestead farm of his father, in Warren township, Huntington county, Indiana, on the 4th of January, 1868, and is a son of Linus and Elizabeth (Ade) Eberhart, the former of whom was born in Prussia and the latter in the state of Ohio. Linus Eberhart was born in the province of Hohenzollern, Prus- sia. on the 16th of September, 1833, and was a son of Michael and Barbara (Henger) Eberhart, both of whom were born and reared in that district of the great empire of Germany. They came to America in 1854 or 1855. Their vessel was held in quarantine in New York harbor, where Michael Eberhart died of cholera and was buried in the ocean. Barbara Eberhart lived with her children until her death and is buried in the cemetery at the German church north of Andrews. Linus Eberhart was reared to maturity in his native province, where he was afforded the advantages of the common schools, and in 1852, when about nineteen years of age, he severed the ties that bound him to home and fatherland and set forth to win for himself a position of independence and due prosperity in the United States. He located in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where he lived un- til 1855, and in that year came to Indiana and established his home on a pioneer farm in Wabash county. He was married October 7, 1858, and in 1860 came to Huntington county and located on a farm in War- ren township. Linus Eberhart became the owner of one of the valuable farm properties of that township, and the development and improvement
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