USA > Indiana > Huntington County > History of Huntington County, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with a short history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the State of Indiana > Part 70
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
J. Stetler, which was solemnized January 19, 1860. Her birth occurred January 16, 1837. To this marriage six children were born, viz .: Mary E., born November 11, 1860; Nora A., born April 9, 1863; Alonzo L., born May 4, 1865; John E., born April 16, 1866; Flora B., born September 4, 1868, and Daniel O., born May, 24, 1870. Two of this group are married, as follows: Mary E., united with John W. Zook, on the 29th of March, 1883, and Alonzo L., married Lucinda Allred, September 25, 1884. The wife of Mr. Ham died July 29, 1886. Our subject is the pro- prietor of 100 acres of fine farming land, eighty of which is cleared, situated in Section 25, Polk Township, which is in a high state of cultivation and comfortably improved. The sub- ject has held the office of Constable in Polk Township, for one term. He is a Mason, and in politics is a Republican, and always takes a live interest in political matters. On the morning of April 4, 1884, Mr. Ham was the victim of a serious financial accident, occasioned by the burning of his barn and contents, which included four head of horses, farm machinery, hay, etc., the total loss aggregating about $1,500, which was the work of an incendiary, who is as yet unpunished, This was the cause of considerable inconvenience to him, but he has about overcome the dilemma.
JOHN C. HART (deceased), was born September 18, 1831, in Preble County, Ohio, the eldest son of five children, born to Jacob and Mary (Quinn) Hart, natives of Ohio and Georgia, res- pectively, who moved to Huntington County in the year 1850. This gentleman received a common school education. He was reared on a farm, and he, with a younger brother, from the time he was fourteen years, supported their family of father, mother and younger brothers and sisters, until their deaths. At the age of twenty-three he was married to Miss Sarah E. Jen- nings, on the 25th of April, 1854. One child was born to this marriage, but was deceased at birth, and unnamed. The wife died one day later, March 12, 1856. The subject was again mar- ried to Miss Adaline Thomas, the event being solemnized, Octo- ber 1, 1863. The result of this union was the following issue: Thomas B., born September 22, 1864; Will H., born November 12, 1865; John J., born October 31, 1867; M. Josie and H. Anna, (twins), born October 30, 1869; S. Elizabeth, born February 26, 1874; Clara M., born October 10, 1876. The birth of the mother occurred February 19, 1844, in Randolph County. She is a daughter of Robert and Harriet E., (Hollings- worth) Thomas, natives of Randolph County, Ind., and Ohio, respectively. The father and husband's death occurred February 24, 1878. At his death he left the family 427 acres of land on Reserve 31, and Section 21, Polk Township, all of which was unincumbered, one-half of which is under high cultivation and substantially improved. Mr. Hart was a member of the Grange, and politically a Republican. Mr. Hart was considered
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one of the leading men in the county, so far as enterprises that tended to the advancement of the good of the people, and com- munity in general. In short, he was a kind husband, loving father and agreeable neighbor, who commanded the entire re- spect of his large circle of acquaintances. Mrs. Hart was mar- ried March 30, 1881, to Mr. J. S. Jennings. She is a member of the Disciple Church.
WILL H. HART, a native of Huntington County, and second son of the above John C. and Adaline (Thomas) Hart, was born November 12, 1865. He was reared on a farm and at first re- ceived a common school education, which was afterward im- proved upon by his attendance at the National Normal University, of Lebanon, Ohio, for two successive years - 1884 and 1885. Since completing this course of study, his attention has been given to teaching school during the winter season, and in summer he has been employed with his brothers, Thomas B. and John J., on the large farm that was left the family by the death of the father mentioned above, from which labor the family has been sup- ported. As was his father, Will H. is an ardent Republican, and always "does his best" for the success of that political organi- zation.
JOHN J. HART, the third son of the above mentioned John C. and Adaline Hart, was born in Polk Township, Hunting- ton Co., October 31, 1867. His early training was acquired on the farm, where he has assisted his elder brothers in the man- agement and tillage of the same. His education was acquired at the common schools of Monument City, and the Cen- tral Normal School, of Danville, Ind., having attended the latter institution during the summers of 1884 and 1885. During the past two years he has been engaged in teaching school in the vicinity of his residence, and gave general satisfaction as an in- structor of the younger minds. In matters political, he is a " chip. of the old block," and although as yet has never been permitted to vote, his sympathies are with the Republican party, of which he is an ardent supporter.
MARTIN MCFARLAND, a native of Frederick County, Ind., born March 14, 1819, the eldest son of five children born to Will- iam and Elizabeth (Keller) McFarland, both natives of Virginia, who emigrated to Miami County in the year 1836. One year later our subject came to Huntington County, where he remained about a year, and was employed in clearing up the then dense wood lands. He received a limited education; was reared on a farm. December 31, 1843, he and Miss Henriette Jennings were united in marriage, when they located on the farm on which they now reside, he having previously prepared a home. His wife is a native of Warren County, Ohio, where she was born
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
April 17, 1824. She is the eldest daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Springer) Jennings, natives of New Jersey, and North Carolina. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. McFarland, eight children were born, four boys and four girls: Edward H., born September 20, 1844, died in the Army December 23, 1861; Charles W. A., born July 9, 1848; Clementine E., born May 5, 1850, died November 28, 1870; Newton H., born April 14, 1853; Victoria A., born December 17, 1856; Elmer E., born May 22, 1861; May L., born April 27, 1864; Arthur M., born July 8, 1866. Our subject enlisted, October, 1862. in Company E, of the Forty-Seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was in the service about three years, most of which time he served as an Orderly Sargeant. He owns 165 acres in Section 34, Polk Township, 140 of which is in a fair state of cul- tivation, and is substantially improved. He owns over 3,000 acres of land in Texas, which at this writing is rapidly increas- ing in value. He was, during the existence of the Grange So- ciety, a member of that order, and is now a member of R. S. Thomas Post, No. 214, G. A. R., of Mt. Etna. Previous to the war our subject was a Republican, but has since been voting with the Democrats, and for a number of years has been a member of the County Central Committee, always manifesting a live interest in the affairs of the county. He is one of the men to whom is due great credit for the up-building and progress of Huntington County, and will long be remembered as one of its most enterprising pioneers.
WILLIS JAMES, a native of Grant County, was born Feb- ruary 7, 1838, the fourth son of ten children born to Daniel and Mary (Clark) James, mentioned elsewhere. Our subject was brought to this county by his parents when he was but three weeks old, and has been a continuous resident of the county ever since, with the exception of, perhaps, a year or so, when he was engaged in traveling. He was the recipient of a common school education, was reared as a farmer, and at the age of nine- teen commenced life for himself by renting the "home farm." When the war broke out he was attending college at Roanoke, but his patriotism grew so strong that he could do nothing but volunteer his services to his country, and accordingly he enlisted in the Thirty-Fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Company G, on the 21st of September, 1861, and served as a private for three years, being discharged therefrom on the 24th of September, 1864. His marriage to Mary A. Turner was solemnized on the 19th of November, 1871. She is a native of Randolph County, Ind., born September 17, 1844. One child was born to this union, viz .: Florence, born November 4, 1872. His wife died February 11, 1873. Mr. James owns forty acres of land on Section 15, Polk Township, also one-sixth interest in 145 acres on Section 26 of the same township, which is undivided. He is an Odd Fellow, and also a member of R. S. Thomas Post, No. 241, G. A. R., of Mt. Etna. He is a member of the Christian (Disciple) Church. Po-
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POLK TOWNSHIP.
litically our subject is a Republican, and always manifests a live interest in political affairs.
HEYMAN KLINGEL, a native of Stark County, Ohio, was born April 20, 1822, the youngest son of George and Jane (All- man) Klingel, natives of Pennsysvania and Virginia, respect- ively. Our subject received a common school education, was reared on a farm and remained at his parents' home until he was twenty-two years age, after which he engaged in the manufac- ture of grain cradles for a period of about twenty years, inter- spersed with house painting. He was married to Miss Almira Cary on the 19th of November, 1844. She was a native of the same county, born August 26, 1824. To this marriage four child- ren were born, viz .: Sanford P., born August 1, 1845, died July 6, 1846; Lydia J., born March 6, 1847; Silverius, born May 12, 1850, died June 18, 1854; Ermina, born April 5, 1855. He was divorced from his first wife, and was again married to Miss Lydia T. Smith, a daughter of David and Rachel (Walker) Smith, who was born November 1, 1846, in Onondaga County, N. Y. This event was solemnized October 12, 1868. Three children have blessed this union, viz .: David D., born December 29, 1870; Eliza E., born May 26, 1876; William W., born January 31, 1879. The subject owns eighty acres of land on Section 11, Polk Town- ship, one-half of which is under a fair state of cultivation and substantially improved. He enlisted in the Seventy-Fifth Regi- ment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Company H, August 6, 1862, and served as a Corporal until April 23, 1863, being discharged at Quincy, Ills., on account of physical disability incurred during service. He is a member of Andrew's Post, No. 116, G. A. R., of Andrews. Politically, Mr. Klingel is a Republican. He has served as Road Supervisor and Justice of the Peace. He has been a resident of this county since the year 1857 or 1858. He has in the meantime lived in Wisconsin and Arkansas, and Peru, Miami County, in all about four and one-half years, although he has considered Huntington County his home ever since he first located here.
JACOB LAHR was born on the 21st day of July, 1836. His father's name was also Jacob, and the mother's Anna Maria. The subject is the eldest of seven children born to the above parents. He attended school from the time he was six years old, until he reached the age of fourteen continuously, under the in- struction of George Sholl, and received a good German educa- tion. His place of nativity was Stetten (near Donner's Berg), County of Kirchheim Bolanden, Rheinish, Bavaria. He was con- firmed on the 24th of March, 1850, by August Risch, in the Pro- testant Church. On the 13th of June, 1851, he embarked, in company with Peter May and family, for the United States, where they arrived at Huntington, August 15th. After his ar- rival, he was employed by his several uncles and other relatives
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
in Clear Creek Township, clearing and farming, for about one year. After this the subject's parents came to the county, when he joined them, and remained at home for the following five years. August 17, 1857, he was united in marriage to Miss Cath- arine Sperb, a native of Esselborn (near Alzey), Hessen Darm- stadt, who was born February 24, 1836. To this marriage nine children were born, viz .: George W., born September 23, 1858; Jacob F., born July 21, 1860, now in Kansas; Franklin M., born December 31, 1862, died August 27, 1864; Mary E., born October 2, 1866; Susannah, born August 16, 1868; Emma, born, March 27, 1871; Eli, born August 11, 1873; Barbara, born July 29, 1875; Zachariah, born July 19, 1878. Our subject is owner of 312 acres of land in Polk and Dallas Townships, 150 in the former, and the remainder in the latter township, Section 35, Dallas, and Sections 2 and 11 in Polk. This is under a good state of cultivation, and improved in a comfortable and substantial manner. Politically, Mr. Lahr, since before the election of Abraham Lincoln, has been identified with the Republican party. With the exception of about $1,000, given the subject and wife by their parents, they have, by dint of economy and energetic push, acquired their now extensive possessions, have reared a large family, and com- mand the respect of the entire community in which they reside. The subject has never attended schools where the English lan- guage has been taught, but by his own study and application has acquired a fair, practical knowledge of the same, which enables him to transact all his affairs in a creditable and business-like manner.
HIRAM W. SATTERTHWAITE, a native of Warren County, Ohio, was born April 24, 1830, the second son of six children born to Joel and Phebe (Watson) Satterthwaite, natives of New Jer- sey and Ohio, respectively, who emigrated to Huntington County, Polk Township, in 1840, where they continuously resided until their respective deaths, which were, the father's in 1846, and the mother's in 1886. Our subject was the recipient of a common school education, was reared on a farm, and remained at his pa- rents' home and superintended the workings of the farm until his twenty-sixth year, when he was married to Miss Margaret Weller, daughter of Peter and Maria Weller. Eleven children were born, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Mary A., born November 31, 1856, died September 10, 1861; Laura J., born October 27, 1858; Benjamin L., born January 13, 1861; Peter W., born April 15, 1863; Phebe M., born April 11, 1865; Fannie B., born September 2, 1867; Hiram U., born Novem- ber 22, 1868; Joel W., born April 7, 1870; Frank O., born June 6, 1871; an infant, unnamed; Mollie M., born August 9, 1873; Her- bert S., born January 4, 1877. During the existence of the Grange Society he was a member of that order. He at present is the owner of about 700 acres of fine farming land, most of which is under a fair state of cultivation, and improved in a comfort-
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POLK TOWNSHIP.
able and substantial manner. His wife's birth occurred in Mont- gomery County, Ohio, on the 18th day of August, 1837. Mr. and Mrs. Satterthwaite have reared a large and happy family, and are now living in the happiness that is due them, they having begun life in limited circumstances, but by dint of economy, per- severance and energetic push, they have attained a position of high standing in the community in which they reside. In mat- ters political our subject is a Republican, and was the candidate of his party in 1882 for the office of County Commissioner, but was defeated by a limited majority.
JAMES S. STEVENS, a native of Rush County, Ind., was born August 23, 1824, the eldest son of eight children born to Isaac and Elizabeth (Smith) Stevens, natives of North and South Carolina, respectively, who were residents of Indiana before the year 1800. Their deaths occurred in Rush County. Our subject re- ceived a very limited education, was reared on a farm, where he remained until after he was twenty-one years old, when he was married to Miss Olive A. Churchill, a native of Rush County, Ohio. This event was solemnized on the 1st day of August, 1844. To this marriage eight children were born, viz .: John M., deceased; William M., Isaac N., Mary M., deceased; Amanda M., deceased; Sarah E., Samuel L., and Elijah L., deceased. His wife died February 1, 1863. Mr. Stevens was again, on the 29th of September, 1864, married to Mrs. Elizabeth B. (Bailey) Large. She is a native of Maine, and a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Smith) Bailey, natives respectively of Scotland and Massachu- setts. Her birth occurred December 16, 1832. By Mr. Stevens she became the mother of three children, viz .: Albert, Marcus E. and Maggie M., only one - Marcus E .- of whom is living. A daughter, that had been given the family to raise, by the name of Orphe, is also deceased. Mr. S. is the owner of 140 acres of land, eighty acres situated on Section 16, Polk Township, and sixty acres on Section 21, about two-thirds of which is cleared land, and which is under a fair state of cultivation, and comfort- ably improved. He and wife are members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Politically he is a Republican, to which faith he has been a life long adherent. Mr. S. emigrated to Wabash County, in 1846, where he lived about five years, and then came to Huntington County, where he has since continuously resided. He and family are held in high esteem by the residents of the community in which they reside. His present wife was formerly married to Mr. Samuel Large (deceased), August 25, 1853. Two children were born to this marriage, viz .: Imla, deceased, and John. Her husband died March 12, 1858.
DR. SAMUEL C. WAY, whose portrait appears elsewhere, is a native of Highland County (near Hillsborough), Ohio, was born March 1, 1831. the fourth child born to Robert and Abigail (Williams) Way, natives of Bedford County, Penn., and North Car-
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
olina, respectively. Our subject received a common school (literary) education, which enabled him to teach school for some time, after which he attended medical lectures at Cincinnati Eclectic Medical College in the winter of 1853-54, receiving a di- ploma therefrom. After completing his course in the college, the doctor engaged in the practice of medicine, but not being suited with his chosen profession, soon abandoned it, and in the year 1862 he volunteered his services for the preservation of the Union, enlisting in the Seventy-Ninth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, Company F, and was in the service until the war closed. During the time of his engagement he never missed a day of service on account of sickness. He was with Sherman on his celebrated " march to the sea," and participated in every battle fought during that famous raid. After the war, he studied the science of dentistry at Waynesville, Ohio, for about a year, and then commenced the practice of this profession in Warren, Hunt- ington County, in the month of April, 1869, and in the fall of the same year came to Mt. Etna, where he has since resided. No- vember 6, 1869, he was married to Mrs. Martha A. (McClannahan) Heffner, a native of Bracken County, Ky., born May 18, 1831. Mr. and Mrs. Way are the owners of 120 acres of land, eighty of which are located on Section 36, Polk Township, and forty on Section 30, Lancaster Township. This farm has eighty acres under good cultivation, and substantially improved. Mr. and Mrs. Way are both members of church, the former being en- rolled on the Church of Friends (Quakers), and the latter is a member of the Christian (Disciple) Church. The subject was a soldier with Lane's command in Lawrence, Kansas, during the great struggle of that State for her rights, accounts of which have been more extensively recorded. Mrs. Way has been a resident of Indiana since her ninth year, having come with her parents and settled in Fayette County, and then in Rush County, and when sixteen years of age came to Huntington County, where she has since been a resident. She was married to Mr. Isaac Heffner, January 24, 1845, with whom she lived until his death, which occurred on the 19th of March, 1869. Politically, Mr. Way was, during the existence of the Whig party, a member of that organization, but since the advent of the Republican, he has cast his ballot in accordance with its principles.
PETER WELLER, a native of Montgomery County, Ohio, was born February 3, 1841. He is the seventh son of twelve children born to Peter S. and Maria (Snyder) Weller, natives of New Jersey, who emigrated to Huntington County in the fall of 1853, and located on Section 33, Polk Township, where they lived until their deaths. The father died in April, 1882, and the mother in 1874. Our subject received a common school education, was reared on a farm and remained at home until after his twenty- first birthday. On the 22d of July, 1862, he enlisted in the Sev- enty-Fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Company A, and with
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ROCK CREEK TOWNSHIP.
the exception of about the last year, when he was promoted to a Corporalship, he served as a private soldier until June 8, 1865, when he was discharged. He took part in the battle of Chick- amaugua and Mission Ridge, besides many lively and interest- ing skirmishes. One year after his return from the war, on June 28, 1866, he was united in marriage to Miss Abigail B. Wat- son, born October 28, 1842. To this union eight children were born, viz .: Laura B., John W., James F., Harry W., Sarah C., Martha A., Thomas M. and Leroy B. He is a member of R. S. Thomas Post, No. 241, G. A. R., of Mt. Etna, and is the present Junior Vice Commander. He is the owner of 145 acres of land situated on Sections 35 and 33, mostly under a good state of cul- tivation and comfortably improved. He has been Road Super- visor of his district. Politically he is a Republican, and cast his first vote for Lincoln, while in the army, and since that time has manifested a live interest in the welfare of his chosen party and its general success.
CHAPTER XIV.
ROCK CREEK TOWNSHIP - SITUATION AND BOUNDARY - SETTLE- MENT BY THE WHITES - EARLY EVENTS - MARKLE - INDUS- TRIES - CHURCHES - PLUM TREE - ROCK CREEK CENTER --- BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
R OCK CREEK is Congressional Township 27 north, range 10 east, and dates its history as a separate jurisdiction from the year 1842. It is situated in the eastern part of the county, with the following boundaries: Union Township on the north, Wells County on the east, Salamonie Township on the south, Lancaster Township on the west, and derived its name from Rock Creek which traverses the eastern portion, flowing into the Wabash River about one and a half miles southwest of Markle. The Wabash waters and drains the northeast corner of the town- ship, while the central and western portions are drained by Loon Creek, which heads in Section 28, and flowing a northwesterly course, crosses the western boundary on Section 7. The surface of the township is gently undulating, and when first seen by pio- neers was covered by a dense forest growth of the finest timber which attested the superiority of the soil for agricultural pur- poses. These forests generally fell before the settler's ax, and the township now presents as rich and as highly developed farming region as is to be found in any part of Northern Indiana.
Settlement by the Whites .-- The first white man to attempt a permanent settlement in the wilderness of Rock Creek appears
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
to have been one Albert Draper, who located a home in Richard- ville Reserve, near the present site of Markle, as early as the year 1832. He was one of the first Justices of the Peace in the township and is remembered as a man who passed through life in a truly philosophical manner, taking everything as it came with but little questioning as to the why and wherefore of the same. He succeeded in accumulating a good property but sub- sequently disposed of the same and emigrated to Illinois. In 1834 Moses Sparks, a native of North Carolina, moved to the town- ship and settled a short distance southwest of Markle, where he located and improved a small farm. His father came to the new country the same time but settled just over the line in Wells County, in the early improvement of which he bore an active part. Isaac Sparks, brother of Moses, early became a resident of Rock Creek and is still residing in the township. The year 1838 was marked by the arrival of several substantial settlers, promin- ent among whom was John Sheets, who located near the Wells County line, where he lived until a comparatively recent date. He is now a resident of the City of Huntington. A Mr. Adams came the above year, also, and made a home about one and a half miles southwest of Markle. His son-in-law, John School- craft, lived in the house for some time but subsequently moved to Huntington. Mr. Adams moved from the township a number of years ago. Jacob Souers, in 1837, visited the township for the purpose of selecting a location and being pleased with the appear- ance of the country, located a place in Section 33, to which he moved his family two years later. Mr. Souers moved here from Wayne County, and was an honored resident of the township until 1886, at which time he moved to Huntington, where he now resides. Reason Souers, brother of Jacob, came the same year and settled in Section 32. In 1839 Israel First settled in the western part of the township, moving from Wayne County and entering a valuable body of land. Jacob Shively settled in the northern part of the township quite early but soon afterward moved to Wells County where he still resides. George Poff was an early settler in the eastern part of the township moving about the year 1840. He was a brother-in-law of Mr. Sheets and a man of many sterling qualities. Gideon Landis, as early as 1840, or 1841, settled in the northern part of the township and a Mr. Poulson settled where John Smith now lives, not far from Rock Creek Center, about the same time.
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