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 6
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William H. H. Kneisly grew to adult age under the sturdy and in- vigorating diseipline of the pioneer farm and in addition to assisting in its work when a boy and youth he also found employment in the grist mill with which his father was identified. He availed himself of the ad- vantages of the common schools of the locality and period, and thus eonstrueted a substantial basis for the broad superstructure of knowl- edge which he has since gained through self-discipline and through active association with the practical affairs of life. For a time he was employed as clerk in a mercantile establishment in his native county and he continued his residence in Ohio until January, 1870, when, at the age of about thirty-two years, he came to Indiana and established his resi- dence in Huntington county, where he has since maintained his home and where he has gained independence and generous prosperity through his close and effective identification with agricultural pursuits. His present farm, well improved and eligibly situated, comprises ninety- nine acres, and though he is now venerable in years, he still finds pleasure in giving a general supervision to its affairs, though he has resigned active labors to others, after having borne to the fullest extent the "heat and burden of the day" and proved himself one of the world's produc-
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tive workers,-a man to whom duty has ever been paramount and whose life has been marked by kindliness and tolerance as well as by carnest and fruithful endeavor. He is a republican in his political allegiance and has been liberal and loyal in the support of measures and enter- prises that have tended to advance the general welfare of the community.
On the 3d of September, 1872, in the third year of his residence in Huntington county, Mr. Kneisly was here united in marriage to Miss Helen Marshall, of Jefferson township, and in loving companionship they have walked down the pathway of life during the long intervening period of more than forty years. Of their three children only one is living,-Susan B., who is the wife of Nathan W. Ehret, of Andrews, this county, and who has no children. Lilly M., the other daughter who attained to years of maturity and who is now deccascd, became the wife of Samuel Zeigler and is survived by two children,-Oscar K. and Esther L., the former of whom is a student in Valparaiso University at the time of this writing, in 1913. Esther L. has completed the public school course in the eighth grade and Williams Street school, in Hunt- ington, Indiana. She has taken instruction in music and has taught music for two years. Mrs. Kneisly is a Methodist and she is a member of the Ladies' Aid Society. The estate of Mr. and Mrs. Kneisly is known as "Pleasant Grove Lawn Farm."
CHARLES G. HAUENSTEIN. In Huntington township just a mile and a half from the city of Huntington is a place which for many years has been known as the Hauenstein farm, now under the energetic pro- prietorship of Charles G. Hauenstein, who was born on the place, and whose acreage now comprises one hundred and forty. Mr. Hauenstein has long been successfully identified with the dairy business, supplying large amounts of milk and dairy products to the county seat, besides shipping much milk to other markets. His home is one of the best in the countryside, a modern residence built in 1908, and with the modern conveniences and facilities of running water, and furnished attractively and comfortably for the accommodation of his family.
Charles G. Hauenstein was born on this farm, September 11, 1857, a son of John and Wilhelmina (Brandt) Hauenstein. John Hauenstein was born in Switzerland, September 7, 1820, the third son of Rudolph and Anna (Dotwiller) Hauenstein, spent his boyhood and youth in his native country, and worked upon a farm with exception of two years spent as a soldier in the national army. In 1845, when twenty-five years of age, John Hauenstein arrived in New York City, thence made his way to Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, working for two months there in helping to build a canal lock, and having a brother and sister in Hunt- ington county, Indiana, set out on foot to make the entire journey, which he thus accomplished, carrying a large box with his surplus cloth- ing on his back. He reached Fort Wayne on the Fourth Day of July, and arrived in Huntington county three days later. His first employ- ment here was in a sawmill, and that work kept him busy until his mar- riage. On December 18, 1849, John Hauenstein married Wilhelmina
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(Brandt) who was born in Germany, July 31, 1829, a daughter of Charles and Mollie (Budda) Brandt. Since his marriage Mr. Hauen- stein steadily followed the occupation of farming. He located the home- stead where his son Charles now lives in 1852. His first wife died Novem- ber 13, 1880, and on August 16, 1882, he married Mrs. Louisa W. J. Allschwede, who was born in Germany, November 9, 1829. There were ten children by the first marriage of John Hauenstein, as follows: Amalie, born November 13, 1850, and the wife of Conrad Baade; John J., born March 18, 1853, and died March 9, 1860; Mary W., born March 9, 1855, who married Fred Poehler; Charles G .; Johanna W., born January 13, 1860; Sophia M., born May 1, 1862, the wife of Charles Dickman; Anna B., born April 28, 1864, the wife of Henry Schroeder; Caroline B., born October 20, 1866, who married William Strodel; Emma M., born February 23, 1869, the wife of John Petrie; and Gottlieb E., born August 2, 1872, whose home is in Huntington. The family all became communicants of the Lutheran church, and John Hauenstein was generally an active supporter of the Democratic party.
Charles G. Hauenstein was reared on the home farm, attended the local schools, and after considerable experience as a farmer, and in mak- ing his own way, was married on November 30, 1882, to Miss Minnie Horstmann. She was born in Logansport, Indiana, February 15, 1861, a daughter of Henry and Mary (Klinsick) Horstmann. Both her par- ents were natives of Germany, who came to Indiana, and located near Logansport in the early days, and both are deceased. The four chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Hauenstein now living are mentioned as follows: John F., was educated in the English and German schools and wedded Miss Phillabeana Meyer, and they are residents of Huntington town- ship. Henry G., who resides at home, was educated in both German and English schools. Esther M., also at home, was in the eighth grade of the public schools and has taken musical instruction. Marie W. is in the seventh grade. Mr. and Mrs. Hauenstein have given their chil- dren the advantages of good schooling. Mr. Hauenstein, politically is an independent, casting his vote for whom he considers the best candi- date for the office, regardless of party. The beautiful country home is one of peace and contentment. Mr. and Mrs. Hauenstein and children are all members of the German Lutheran church at Huntington, Indiana.
WILLIAM A. LAWRIE. A native son of Huntington county and a rep- resentative of an honored family whose name has been identified with the history of this county for more than half a century, Mr. Lawrie has here found ample opportunity for worthy and productive effort along normal lines of enterprise and he is today numbered among the substantial agri- culturists of Huntington township, where his fine landed estate is known as Elm Lane Farm. He has well upheld the high prestige of the family name and is a citizen whose loyalty and public spirit are on a parity with his energy and progressiveness as a man of affairs.
Mr. Lawrie was born in the township that is now his home and the date of his nativity was December 31, 1859, so that he became a right
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welcome New Year's guest in the home of his parents, George and Mar- garet (Lillie) Lawrie, both of whom were born and reared in Scotland, where their marriage was solemnized, and both having been members of sterling old families of the land of hills and heather. In 1857 the parents of William A. Lawrie immigrated to the United States, and soon after their arrival they came to Indiana and established their home in Hunting- ton county. The father became one of the early merchants of Hunting- ton, the judicial center of the county, and identified himself fully with the social and business interests of the community. He continued to be concerned with the merchandise business until 1880, and in the meanwhile he made judicious investments in farm land in the county. In 1880 he removed to his well improved farm in Huntington township, and there both he and his devoted wife lived until their tragic death in 1899, when both were killed by a mad bull, the animal having first attacked Mr. Lawrie, whose wife attempted to rescue him, and who likewise received fatal injuries, their deaths being a severe shock to the community, in which their circle of friends was limited only by that of their acquaint- ances. These honored pioneers became the parents of these children- George, John, William A., Mary C. and one son who died in childhood. Mary C. is the wife of Samuel M. Gesaman, who is individually mentioned on other pages of this publication.
William A. Lawrie was reared to manhood in the township in which is still his place of residence, and he continued to attend the district schools until he was about eighteen years of age, in the meanwhile assist- ing in the work and management of the home farm, so that he acquired discipline and knowledge that have been of inestimable benefit to him in connection with his independent operations as an agriculturist and stock- grower. He remained at the parental home until his marriage, December 11, 1890, and during the ensuing decade he was actively engaged in farm- ing on a place located a few miles northwest of the city of Huntington. In 1900 he purchased and removed to his present fine homestead, which comprises 205 acres of most fertile land and which has permanent improvements of excellent order. He has been indefatigable in his labors and has made substantial advancement through his well directed efforts, which have given him secure place among the representative agriculturists and valued citizens of his native county. Sincere, upright and unassum- ing, he has not aspired to leadership in public affairs of local order, but has been essentially liberal and loyal as a citizen, and has at all times commanded the unqualified confidence and good will of his fellow men. In politics he accords allegiance to the republican party, and both he and his wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Greenwood.
On December 11, 1890, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Lawrie to Miss Martha M. Beal, who was born and reared in Lancaster township, this county, and who is a representative of a well known and honored family of this section of the state. Mrs. Lawrie was born June 29, 1865, and was educated in the common schools. Her father was born in Hunt- ington county and was a farmer. He was a soldier in the Civil war,
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taking part in several engagements, and was honorably discharged. He was a republican. Her mother is a native of Huntington county and is yet living, the widow of Michael Zent. She is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrie had five children-Wil- liam H., who was born September 14, 1892, and who is associated in the work and management of the home farm, his name being still en- rolled on the list of cligible young bachelors; Mary E., who was born February 27, 1894, is the wife of Clarence F. Garretson of this county, and James E., who was born May 25, 1900, is in the eighth grade at- tending the schools in the home district, as is also Agnes L., who was born June 29, 1902; Edith H., the youngest child, born July 15, 1909, died December 15, 1910.
DAVID FUNDERBURGH. As one of the substantial agriculturists and representative citizens of Huntington township, where he is the owner of a well improved landed estate, David Funderburgh has made earnest and well directed industry the foundation of the worthy success which he has achieved as one of the world's productive workers, and his high standing in the community eminently justified the specific recognition here accorded him in the history of the county that has ever been his home and in which he is a scion of a sterling pioneer family.
David Funderburgh was born in Lancaster township, Huntington county, Indiana, on the 19th of March, 1849, and he was a child at the time of his parents' removal to Union township, where he was reared to adult age on the home farm. He is a son of David and Anna (Ream) Funderburgh, the former of whom was born in Springfield, Ohio, and the latter in Virginia, the respective families having settled in the old Buckeye state in the pioneer epoch of its history. The marriage of David Funderburgh and Anna Ream was solemnized at Carlisle, Warren county, Ohio, and within a comparatively short period after this important event in their lives the young couple came to Huntington county, Indiana. They were numbered among the early settlers of the county, and in Union town- ship David Funderburgh, Sr., reclaimed from the wilderness a productive farm. He was a man of indefatigable industry and of inflexible integrity of character, so that he merited and received the unqualified confidence and esteem of his fellow men. He contributed his quota to the develop- ment and upbuilding of the county along both civic and industrial lines, and the names of both him and his wife merit high place on the roster of the worthy pioneers of this favored section of the Hoosier state. They continued to reside in Union township until their death and there reared their children to lives of usefulness and honor.
David Funderburgh, Jr., who figures as the immediate subject of this review, passed his childhood and youth under the conditions and influ- ences of the pioneer farm, in the work of which he early began to lend his assistance. In the primitive log school house of the pioneer days he gained a good common school education, and the same has been amplified most effectively through the lessons since acquired under the direction of that wisest of all headmasters, experience. He continued to be associated in
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the work and management of the home farm until he had attained to his legal majority, and thereafter his independent career was marked for some time by the arduous labors involved in splitting rails, digging wells, assisting in saw mills, etc. He carefully saved his earnings and prior to his marriage, which occurred in 1876, he had been able to purchase a small tract of land, his financial resources having been limited to the returns from his own exertions. That he has won definite and worthy success against the opposing obstacles of time and place is emphatically shown by the fact that he is now the owner of a fine landed estate of five hundred acres, in association with his wife, who has been his devoted com- panion and helpmeet, sharing with him the joys and sorrows that fall to all human beings, and showing the most loyal interest in his ambitious purposes, so that they have literally worked side by side to gain the inde- pendence and prosperity that are now their gracious portion. They have given to their children the best of educational advantages and in all the relations of life have proved true and steadfast, so that they have the sincere regard and unqualified confidence of all who know them.
In politics Mr. Funderburgh has been a staunch supporter of the cause of the republican party, and he is liberal and public-spirited as a citizen, though he has had no predilection for the honors or emolu- ments of public office. Both he and his wife are earnest and zealous members of the German Baptist church, which has many sterling repre- sentatives in this section of the state. He has realized the responsibilities and duties which success involves and has done his part in the furtherance of those objects which tend to promote the general welfare of the com- munity, besides which he found special satisfaction in being able to render financial assistance to his children as they initiated their in- dependent careers, each of them having been presented with $2,000.
In the Centennial year, on April 27, 1876, was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Funderburgh to Miss Anna D. Summers, and of their ten children the following are living, the while each of the number has hon- ored the family name. Frank Willis, who was educated in the common schools and has a six months teacher's certificate, is working in Washing- ton, D. C., for the United States Government; Elnora is the wife of Wes- ley Johnson, of this county ; Clifford, who was graduated in the University of Indiana, is a man of fine intellectual attainments and.marked adminis- trative ability, has been specially successful as a representative of the pedagogic profession and is now the able and popular incumbent of the office of county superintendent of schools in Huntington county ; Elsie is the wife of Daniel Gesaman, of this county; Bertha is the wife of Her- man Clark and they likewise maintain their home in Huntington county ; and Ray is associated with his father in the management of the fine old homestead farm. Mrs. Funderburgh is a native of Fayette county, Indiana, born August 25, 1858, a daughter of Galvin and Sarah J. (Tins- ler) Summers. There were nine children in the family, six sons and three daughters, all living. Mr. Summers is yet living, aged eighty-five, but his wife died in August, 1909. Mr. Summers is an agriculturist and a democrat. Mrs. Summers was of the old school Baptists.
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ISAIAH SOURS. For upwards of half a century Isaiah Sours has steadily pursued his chosen vocation as a farmer. Mr. Sours is one of the old soldiers of Huntington county, having enlisted from this section in an Indian regiment, and bearing a wound away from his career as a defender of the Union. His home has been in one place in Huntington township, throughout most of his career, and along with material pros- perity he has enjoyed the esteem of the county, and has often exerted himself in behalf of the general welfare of his home vicinity.
Isaiah Sours was born in Stark county, Ohio, December 18, 1840. The founder of the Sours family in America was grandfather Henry Sours, who came from Germany, first locating in Pennsylvania, where he married Catherine Harter, and then moved to Stark county, Ohio, which continued to be his home until his death. The parents of Isaiah Sours were Levi and Abigail (Weston) Sours. Levi Sours was seven years old when the family located in Stark county, and was reared and married in that vicinity. In 1847 he brought his family to Hunt- ington county, locating in Jackson township. About 1855, he moved out to Iowa, but after a few years' residence again returned to Indiana, and located in Jackson township. Just a short time before the beginning of the Civil war he located on the farm where his son Isaiah now lives. That old homestead was the place where Levi Sours spent his declining years. There were ten children, six of whom are yet living, namely : A. H. Sours of Kansas ; Rebecca J., wife of Wesley Knave, of Wellington, Kansas ; Isaiah ; Ruhamma, wife of Israel Ashbaugh ; Phoebe C., widow of Frank Thrift, deceased ; Lydia, wife of David Hoover, of Huntington.
As his father was seven years of age when the family moved from Pennsylvania to Stark county, so Isaiah was the same age when the fam- ily moved from Starke county to Huntington county. His education began in Ohio, was continued in the public schools of Jackson township, and as his early life was spent in the years before the thorough establish- ment of a public system of education in Indiana, his book training was somewhat neglected. Most of his preparation for life was acquired by actual experience in running the farm, and assisting his father. The war had come on before he reached his majority, and when he was twenty- three, on December 7, 1863, Mr. Sours enlisted in Company D of the One Hundred and Thirtieth Indiana Infantry. The regiment became a part of the Twenty-third Army Corps, and saw much service in the great campaign by which Sherman and other Union generals established the supremacy of the Union arms in Tennessee and Georgia. Mr. Sours first got into active fighting at Dalton, Georgia, and continued through the Atlantic campaign, until wounded at Kenesaw Mountain on July 1, 1864. He was disabled for some time, and on recuperating joined his regiment at Decatur, Georgia, and was with the command until after the close of hostilities, being mustered out in December, 1865. Return- ing home he resumed his duties as a private citizen, and applied himself with efficient energy to his career as a farmer. For many years Mr. Sours has been one of the honored members of the J. R. Slack Post No. 137, G. A. R.
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On March 1, 1868, Mr. Sours married Margaret McNamara, who was born in Stark county, Ohio, and came with her parents to Huntington county when she was sixteen years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Sours have three children, namely : Aurelius G., who is unmarried and lives on the home farm with his father; Alice M., wife of John H. Stetzel, of Huntington township; Ida T., of Fort Wayne.
The active political support of Mr. Sours has been given to the re- publican party ever since the war, and besides voting the ticket, he has served as delegate to county and district conventions. For many years the efforts of Mr. Sours were directed towards the improvements of local highways, and he did much good work as gravel road superintendent. Mrs. Sours passed away October 18, 1888.
SAMUEL M. GESAMAN. He whose name initiates this review is a member of a sterling family whose name has been long and worthily linked with the history of Huntington county, and he is one of the pro- gressive and substantial farmers of Huntington township, which section of the county has been his home from the time of his birth and in which he has marked the passing years with large and worthy achievement. He has impregnable vantage-place in the confidence and esteem of the people of his native county, and as one of the progressive and influential citi- zens of Huntington township he is fully entitled to specific recognition in this publication.
Mr. Gesaman was born on the old homestead farm of his parents, in Huntington township, this county, and the date of his nativity was Octo- ber 28, 1862. He is a son of John H. and Sarah C. (Lonas) Gesaman, the former of whom was born near Chambersburg, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of whom was a native of Virginia, their marriage having been solemnized in Stark county, Ohio. About the year 1860 John H. Gesaman and his young wife came from Ohio to Hunt- ington county, Indiana, the journey to the new home having been made with team and wagon. John H. Gesaman purchased a tract of land south of the city of Huntington, in Huntington township, and there he reclaimed a most productive farm, the homestead being now one of the model places of the township and being still the residence of the venerable and honored pioneer who there established his home about half a cen- tury ago. The devoted wife and mother passed to eternal rest in 1884, and is survived by six children : Mary, who is the wife of Samuel Scott, of Rock Creek township; Frank E., who is a prosperous farmer in the state of Montana; Samuel M., who is the immediate subject of this sketch ; John W., concerning whom individual mention is made on other pages of this volume; Jennie, who is the wife of Frank Minton, of Hunt- ington township; and Charles W., a resident of Chautauqua county, New York state.
Samuel M. Gesaman found his childhood and youth compassed by the influences and discipline of the homestead farm on which he was born and to the work of which he early began to contribute his aid. He con- tinued to attend the district school, principally during the winter terms, Vol. II-4
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until he was about seventeen years of age, and he continued to be asso- ciated in the work and management of the old homestead place until he had attained to the age of twenty-four years, though his marriage oc- curred shortly after he gained the distinction of legal majority. He is now the owner of a well improved and most productive landed estate of nearly two hundred acres, all being situated in Huntington township. His homestead place, improved with an attractive residence and other excellent buildings, comprises eighty-one acres, and his other farm, lo- cated about two miles distant, has an area of one hundred and five and one-half acres. Both farms give every evidence of thrift and prosperity and the owner avails himself of the best modern facilities in carrying for- ward the various details of the farm operations. He and his wife have a wide circle of friends in their native county, and their pleasant home is a center of generous hospitality. Loyal and progressive as a citizen and a stanch republican in his political allegiance, Mr. Gesaman has mani- fested no desire for public office, though ever ready to aid in the further- ance of measures projected for the general good of the community. He is affiliated with Huntington Lodge, No. 93, Knights of Pythias, in the city of Huntington, judicial center of the county.
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