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 79
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
children on account of their differing from him politically - they were Mrs. Morrison and Mrs. Pulse. Those two daughters were married to strong Union men, and, as stated, Mrs. Morrison sac- rificed a son on her country's altar, which, of itself, was suffi- cient to cause her to denounce the Confederate cause and its sympathizers. Owing to her political views her father entirely ignored her in his will, but to-day, like a true and honorable child, she reverences his name, and will not permit the amount of a few paltry dollars, which she had worked so hard in her youth to make, destroy the love she cherished for him. She re- sides with her son, Louis M. Morrison, a prominent farmer and stock raiser. He was born on the old home place, where he now resides, May 2, 1853. His entire life has been spent on the farm, and he has adopted farming as a life occupation. On Septem- ber 21, 1881, he was married to Miss Rosa A. Ernst, daughter of John and Mary (Ziegler) Ernst, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German descent. Her paternal ancestors came from Germany. She was born in Ashland County, Ohio, October 27, 1860, and in 1863 her parents emigrated to Wells County, Ind., where, by at- tending the district schools, she received an education sufficient to enable her to teach a number of terms successfully in our public schools. This union is blessed with these children, namely: Sarah E. and Carrie B. In 1884 Mr. Morrison be- gan breeding and raising fine Short Horn cattle and Poland China hogs. The firm is known as Morrison & Elliott, fine stock breeders, and possesses some of the finest registered stock in the country, on which they have received premiums wherever they have competed. Mr. Morrison upholds the principles of the Re- publican party and is one of the coming young business men of country. He is in comfortable circumstances, surrounded by all- the conveniences found on a well regulated farm.
DANIEL MOSSBURG, one of the pioneers who came to this county when all was in the woods, was born in Clinton County, Ohio, March 16, 1819. His parents were Rev. Henry and Jane (Thrailkill) Mossburg, The former was born to William and Mary Mossburg, in Germany, and when six months old his parents emi- grated to America and settled in Maryland, during the Revolu- tionary War. William Mossburg was a soldier during this war for American Independence .. Henry Mossburg, the father of our subject, was reared on a farm in Maryland, and at the age of twenty-one could not speak a word in English. About the age of twenty-two he attended an English school, and fitted himself for teaching. He now had a good education in both German and English, and went down into Virginia and engaged in teaching school. After a couple of years, residence in Virginia, he was married to Jane Thrailkill, and emigrated to Clinton County, Ohio. While he resided there the War of 1812 broke out, and he offered his services to his country, and fought under Gen. Harrison for almost two years. He endured the hard-
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ships of that unequal struggle, before he was permitted to re- turn to his family in Clinton County, Ohio. In 1819 he removed his family to Wayne County, Ind .; there he resided until 1823, when he removed to Delaware County, and from thence to Wells County in 1837, and settled on a tract of land on the line adjoin- ing Huntington County, Ind. He was the second settler in Lib- erty Township, Wells County; there were but few settlers in that county at that time; there was no county seat and the nearest market was Muncie. He settled in the woods, and moved into a cabin that Daniel and his brother Henry, had come out in June before and built. His health was poor and during the summer of '38 consumption set in, and about the first of Novem- ber, 1838, he was called away. The family was left almost helpless in the midst of a wilderness, with scarcely anyone to go to for assistance. Daniel started to Muncie on foot to buy the burial clothes, some days before his death, the trip requiring four days. Those were trying moments for that widowed mother and her family, never to be forgotten. There was not a cabinet maker in the county and no one to make a coffin. A neighbor who had purchased some poplar lumber to make a wagon box, donated it for the coffin. It was rudely nailed together with eight penny nails, into it was placed the earthly remains of Henry Mossburg, and they were interred on a spot selected by him before his death, on his land. This was probably the first burial in Wells County and likely the most affecting one ever in the county. At the time of his father's death, Daniel was a youth of nineteen, his health was good. The family then consisted of the mother, four sons and four daughters. Mrs. Mossburg lived un- til 1865, when she was called away. Up to the age of eighteen Dan- iel had received but little schooling. In the winter of '38 he made arrangements to go down into Delaware County, and attend a district school. On the way down he met Elisha Brown, and his daughter Elizabeth, who was driving a yoke of oxen. Daniel went on after a few words with Mr. Brown. He remained in school about two months, which ended his school days. During the summer of 1840, while attending an Indian dance at the mouth of Rock Creek on the Wabash, he again met Elizabeth Brown. An intimacy sprang up between them which culminated in their marriage January 6, 1842. - Prior to this he had trapped and killed enough coon to bring him $50, with which he entered forty acres in Section 14, where he now resides. He erected his cabin in the fall of '41, everything was a wilderness, and it seemed an endless undertaking to ever make a home in the forest. But by dint of industry and perseverance, Mr. Moss- burg kept struggling on, and to-day owns one of the best tracts of land in Section 14. His home was blessed with eight chil- dren: Mary, James, William, John, Jane, Daniel, Malinda A., and an infant daughter who died unnamed, of whom William and Jane are deceased. The children who lived to maturity are all married and living within twelve miles of the old homestead.
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Mr. and Mrs. Mossburg have been united with the Christian Church forty five years. They were among the charter mem- bers of the Rock Creek Church. Mr. M. is a member of the order known as the "Patrons of Husbandry." Politically he has been a staunch Republican since the exciting canvass of 1856.
JOHN D. PULSE, who has been a resident of Huntington County forty-eight years, and at present a retired citizen of Warren, is of German origin, his grandparents on both sides of the house emigrating from Germany about the beginning of the sixteenth century. John was born in Jefferson County, Va., May 6, 1807. His parents were John D. and Sarah (Fry) Pulse, the former a native of Lancaster County, Penn., born in 1766, and the son of Michael Pulse, a native of Germany, the latter a native of Jefferson County, Va. ' Her parents also were natives of Germany. The father of our subject, John D. Pulse, Sr., was ten years old when the Declaration of Independence was made, and too young to enter the War of the Revolution, He remained at home with his aged parents while three of his brothers fought for Independence. At the age of seventeen he went to Jefferson County, Va., and engaged in farming. There he was married to Miss Sarah Fry. He continued to farm in Virginia until 1817, when he removed to Highland County, Ohio, and purchased a farm near Hillsboro, the county seat. There he resided until his death in 1849. His wife, the mother of our subject succeeded him ten years, and was called across the dark river in 1859, both lived to quite an advanced age. John D., Jr., was ten years old when his parents moved to Ohio. He remained at home until he was twenty-five years of age, spend- ing his boyhood and youth on the farm and in the clearing. On May 10, 1832, he was married to Miss Nancy Jones, a daugh- ter of Samuel and Sarah Jones, whose biographies are found in this volume. Nancy was born in Highland County, Ohio, where she was raised. Mr. Pulse at this time owned fifty acres of land with a house on it, and upon this farm he began married life. In 1834, he paid Huntington County a visit, and was much pleased with this country, and entered 175 acres, which lays in Section 30, resolved to return to Ohio, and as soon as he could make necessary arrangements to remove to Indiana. It was on the 26th of September, 1838, when he arrived at Samuel Jones', the first settler of this township. He immediately built a cabin and began work in his clearing. By the 1st of May, 1839, he had ten acres of land cleared, fenced and planted in corn; all of this work he did himself, except two days' services by a hired hand. This country was then a wilderness and the pioneer settlers lived miles apart, there were only four or five houses within miles of Warren, and the nearest market was Hunting- ton. There was scarcely a road to be found anywhere, and when a settler started to market he was often compelled to carry an ax to cut his way through. Mr. Pulse and Daniel Stroup are
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the only two now living who came here with their families when all was in the woods. His wedded life was blessed with five children: an infant died unnamed, Sarah L., Mary E., George J. and Silas A., of whom the infant, Sarah L., Mary E., and George J., are deceased. Mrs. Pulse was also called away in 1875, at the ripe old age of sixty-one; for a number of years she was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and held in high estimation by the numerous friends she left behind. Our sub- ject is leading a retired life and resides with his son S. A. Pulse. Our subject united with the Masonic order in 1848, and has been an active member ever since. He has always held liberal views in politics, and to day firmly advocates the principles of the Republican party. He started in life a poor man and by careful management has accumulated considerable property. While a resident of Ohio, he held commissions from the Governor of that State: first a Lieutenant in the First Light Infantry Company, First Regiment, Second Brigade, Ohio militia; next he held the commission of Captain in the same Company; then he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the First Light Infantry Regiment, Second Brigade, Eighth Division. After he became a resident of this county he was was elected Justice of the Peace in the spring of 1840, and held that position until 1845. On the 16th of April, 1848, he received his commission from the Gov- ernor of Indiana, to act as Associate Judge of Huntington County, and held that office about seven years. In all of his life he has endeavored to do what he thought to be right, regardless of the opinions of others.
SILAS A. PULSE, of the large general merchandise firm of Pulse & Frash, Warren, Ind., is the only surviving child of John D. Pulse, one of the last of the living pioneers of Salamonie Township, and whose history appears in this volume. Our sub- ject was born near Warren, July 25, 1842, his boyhood and youth being spent on his father's farm. During the winter he would attend school, thereby receiving a good education in the common schools of the State. He also attended the Graded School at Monmouth, Ill., and Marion. Ind. At the age of twenty he en- gaged as a clerk in Good & Bro.'s store in Warren, and remained with them until the fall of 1863, when he enlisted in Company A, Thirteenth Indiana Cavalry, under the command of Capt. Isaac Delong. He took his place as a private, and his Company was ordered to join the Army of the Cumberland, and was in all the bold dashes and raids of the cavalry of this department until the close of the war. He was soon promoted to a Lieutenancy, and was mustered out of service as a Captain. He received an hon- orable discharge in November, 1865, and immediately returned to Warren. In February, 1866, he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness, which he followed until 1879. He now resolved to retire from business, and sold his entire stock of goods, and turned his attention principally to farming and dealing in stock. This he
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
followed until 1883, when he again resolved to enter the mercan- tile business, and accordingly purchased another large stock of general merchandise. His immense business demanded more room, and in 1884 he erected a large brick building on the corner of Wayne and Second Streets, Warren, capable of holding a $40,000 stock. About this time he associated with him Mr. C. A. Frash, a live young business man of Warren, who at present owns an interest, and is a partner in the firm. Mr. Pulse chose as his life companion, Miss R. C. Hayward, and this union was blessed with seven children, namely: Minnie M. H., Effie G., Lillie M., Annie R., Daisy M., John, and an infant, deceased, un- named. Mr. Pulse commenced life on his own responsibility in fair circumstances, and by carefully managing his business has accumulated quite a fortune. Besides his large and valuable in- terests in Warren, he owns over 1,000 acres of as fine farming lands as the Salamonie Bottoms afford. By his honest business methods he has won the confidence of the people, and stands without a peer among the prominent business men of Warren. He is a member of the F. & A. M. order, and advocates the princi- ples of the Republican party.
GEORGE E. SHAFER, who has been a prominent resident of Salamonie Township for twenty-four years, was born in But- ler County, Ohio, October 29, 1820. His parents were Philip and Mary M. (Barnhart) Shafer, natives of Buckingham County, Va., of German descent. George spent his boyhood and youth in Butler County, Ohio, principally on a farm, receiving a good edu- cation between the age of eight and fourteen. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to Elias Koomler, of Butler County, to learn the tanner's trade. After working as an apprentice six years, he bought the tannery and began business on his own re- sponsibility. His mother kept house for him, and George pros- pered. After had been engaged for twelve years in this work he sold out and turned his attention to farming. On August 2, 1849, he was married to Mary E. Kemp, who was called away in 1853; she was for some years in poor health. Mr. Shafer was again married to Margaret Wolf, May 29, 1853. This union was blessed with six children: Philip, Emily M., John W., Mary E. A., Sarah M. and Jacob E., of whom Emily M. is deceased; she died the wife of John Thompson. Mr. Shafer paid this county a visit in 1856, he having a sister living here. In 1863, he sold his prop- erty in Ohio, and removed his family to this county. He settled in Section 14, and has, resided here ever since. He purchased 160 acres of wild land, put up a cabin, and began to clear up a home. By hard work and earnest toil he has succeeded in developing one of the best farms in this locality. When he first landed upon it, a great portion of it was a swamp and under water. His wife died March 13, 1885; she was a member of the United Brethren Church. Mr. Shafer is also a member of that church, with which he has been identified over fifty-one years.
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FREDERICK SHEETS was born in Rock Creek Township, this county, July 27, 1839. His parents were John and Julia (Wyatt) Sheets, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and born to Frederick and Margaret Sheets in 1816. The latter was a native of Ohio. They were married July 12, 1838, and in October of 1838, they settled in Section 36, Rock Creek Township, where Mr. Sheets had entered 160 acres, of what in that day was consid- ered a wilderness. He built a cabin, and entered the forest with his ax to clear-up a home. The hardships of those early pioneers were not felt by him like many others who came. It was on this tract of land, entered by John Sheets, in 1836, that our subject, Frederick Sheets, spent his young life. He was taught the art of farming successfully from his earliest experience. He attended the district schools and received a fair education. At the age of twenty-one he began to do for himself, but remained at home, until his marriage, which occurred March 23, 1862. On this date he led to the altar Miss Maria Shively, daughter of Jacob and Rebecca (Brower) Shively. She was also born in Rock Creek Township, but spent the greater part of her early life in Wells County, Ind. Prior to his marriage Mr. Sheets had acquired 120 acres of partly improved land, in Section 1, Salamonie Township. On this he built a hewed log house, and into this he moved and began the work of life to make a comfortable home for himself and family. He has always been very successful in his under- taking in life, and has given his attention almost exclusively to farming. He has added to his original tract, and now owns 240 acres of as fine land as can be found in this section of the coun- try; his improvements are modern and substantial. His home is a pleasant one, and blessed with five children: Elizabeth A., Mary R., Viola, William H. and Julia E., who were twins. All are living, and the first two are married and caring for their own homes. Mrs. Sheets is a member of the German Baptist Church. Politically Mr. S. has always upheld the principles of the Demo- cratic party.
DAVID G. SMITH, who has been identified with the inter- ests of Salamonie Township for forty-three years, was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, January 17, 1811. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Smith, natives of Virginia. The former of French and English descent, and the latter of German ex- traction. David remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age, receiving not more than two months' schooling during any one year up to that age. He then engaged in carpentering, and followed that occupation until his marriage with Miss Mary Johnson, which occurred August 18, 1836. She was the daughter of Isaac and Martha (Wheeler) Johnson, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Maryland. She was born in Harrison County, Ohio, July 12, 1816. In November of 1836, Mr. Smith came to Salamonie Township, and entered the northwest quarter of Section 4, and the west half of the southeast quarter of this
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section. He returned to Ohio and continued to reside there until the fall of 1844, when he loaded a two horse wagon with a few household goods and his family and started for his tract of wild land in this township. After arriving here, he was compelled to sleep in his wagon and cooked by a camp fire until he could erect a cabin, which he built near the site of his present residence. The task of clearing up a home in the wilderness would to a less courageous man than Mr. Smith seem unsurmountable, but he persevered, and earnestly toiled from morn till night, and by degrees transformed the heavy forest land into a fine, beautiful farm. He left home at the age of twenty-one with 50 cents in his pocket, and earned the money to buy his first suit of store clothes. Farming has been his occupation through life, in which he has been eminently successful. In the fall of 1870, he was visited by a very disastrous fire, which destroyed his residence and much of his household goods. He and his wife have for over forty years been identified with the Baptist Church, and to- day are members of two powerful organizations, namely: The Baptist Home Mission Society, and The Baptist Theological Union, of Chicago, Ill. Mr. Smith was in early life a Democrat, but since the war has upheld the principles of the Republican party, and has never missed an election or failed to vote his ticket straight since the organization of the party. His home was blessed with five children: Thomas J. and Benjamin C., who reside in Kansas; Mary E., who is married to C. C. Miller, and residing in Ft. Wayne; Isaac A., who is married to Amanda Garrett, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Garrett, who emigrated to Wells County, Ind., from Ashland County, Ohio, when Amanda was four years of age. Isaac and wife are blessed with two child- ren: Bertha E. and Lucina W. Isaac is a graduate of the Medical Department of the University of Michigan, but owing to poor health had to give up his profession and returned to farming. He is residing on the old home farm, and caring for his venerable parents. The youngest child was Martha E., who was called away when about three years of age. Mr. Smith is one among the few who are left to tell the story of life in the woods forty years ago. He voted for the free school system of Indiana. Has always managed to live within his income, and never owed as much as $100 in his life. He saw the advantages of an education, and gave each of his children the advantages he wished for when a youth. He has always led a straight, honorable life, and is held high in the estimation of all with whom he associates.
MYRON SMITH, one of the early settlers of Salamonie town- ship, was born in Warren County, Ohio, October 29, 1826. His parents were Simon and Elizabeth (Patie) Smith, both natives of New York, and of English descent. The grandparents of our subjects on both sides of the house were in the Revolutionary War. Myron was reared on his father's farm, attending the schools of that day, receiving a fair education. He remained at
-
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home until he was twenty-three years of age; he then began to do for himself, and engaged in farming. About 1850, he began clerking in a general store in the town of Westfield, Ohio. On September, 16, 1852, he was married to Hannah A. Bartlett, daughter of Lester and Balinda (Scofield) Bartlett, both natives of New York, of English descent, who were married in New York about 1829, and in 1830, they emigrated to Ohio where Mrs. Smith was born, September 29,''31. She spent her young life in Morrow County, and received a fair education for that day of log school houses. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were blessed with ten children: Balinda E., Alice, Ella, Adelia, Henry P., Dora and Doras, who were twins, Loretta, Frank and Fanny, who were also twins. Doras is deceased. In December, 1852, about three months after the marriage of Mr. Smith, he loaded all his per- sonal property into a two horse wagon and turned his face west- ward, Warren being the place he had selected for his future home. On the 9th of December, he arrived at Noah McGrew's tavern, and he and his wife boarded with Mr. McGrew for several months. Mr. Smith located in Warren for the purpose of engaging in the dry goods business. Soon after his arrival, he rented a room of Mr. McGrew, and the next morning after his arrival here he took five teams and started to Huntington to load them with dry goods and groceries, which he had shipped to Huntington by way of the Wabash & Erie Canal. They left Warren about sunrise and did not arrive in Huntington until after dark, which illustrates the condition of the highways of that day. The next morning the wagons were loaded, each contain- ing about 1,200 pounds of merchandise, and it was 12 o'clock at night before they reached Warren. The names of the men who aided Mr. Smith in hauling his goods from Huntington were Thomas Ford, Barney Ford, William Thorp, Isaac Young and David Young, of whom Thomas Ford and Isaac Young are de- ceased. ยท Mr. Smith continued in the general merchandise busi- ness for over thirty-one years, and is to-day spoken of by the young men of Warren, as being in the business when they were boys. Mr. Smith, during his business career in Warren, had associated with him as a partner, Adam Wolfe, of Muncie, Indiana. To-day he is in comfortable circumstances; besides a valuable residence property, he owns a couple of business rooms in Warren. He also owns 160 acres of fine farm land in Section 20. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Smith advocates the principles of the Democratic party.
ROBERT SPROWL was born December 13th, 1820, in Preble County, Ohio. His parents, on both sides were of Irish descent. His grandfather, William Sprowl, belonged to the regular army in England, and was with General Wolf at the battle of Quebec, September 13, 1759. After the expiration of his term of enlist- ment he concluded to remain in America, and went to Rock- bridge County, Va., and married Elizabeth Lusk. This marriage
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HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON COUNTY.
was blessed with five boys and five girls. All grew to be men and women, of which Joseph Sprowl, the father of our memoir, set- tled in Preble County, Ohio, in 1806. Robert's boyhood days were spent on the farm, and at the age of thirteen years, accom- panied his father to Indiana, and settled near the present site of Lancaster, Lancaster Township, Huntington Co., and were the first white settlers in the township. In the winter of 1846, the subject of our sketch left the farm and came to Warren and en- tered business. He was married to Hannah Shaffer, daughter of John C. Shaffer, August 14th, 1849. This marriage was blessed with eight children, four living, and all married. About the year 1855 he commenced the business of drugs, continu- ing from that time to the present without change. He was appointed Postmaster at Warren by James Buchanan, and held the office during the term of his administration, and received the appointment again during Andrew Johnson's ad- ministration. Robert's education was very limited, as all other children of our early settlers, but he has always been a staunch supporter of the free school system of the State, and felt it his first duty to see that his children obtained a good busi- ness education. That has been the means of furnishing some of most thriving business and professional men of this beautiful village. Mr. and Mrs. Sprowl are members of the First Christian Church of Warren, and have been very liberal in the support of the ministry.
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