USA > Indiana > Marshall County > History of Indiana : containing a history of Indiana and biographical sketches of governors and other leading men. Also a statement of the growth and prosperity of Marshall County, together with a personal and family histry of many of its citizens, Vol. II > Part 16
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were strikingly similar to his own. He was a man of limited education, but possessed in a marked degree the elements of a popular pulpit orator and successful pastor, which peculiarly fitted him for pioneer Christian work in the sparsely settled dis- tricts of northern Indiana. Stewart and Sally Bailey were the parents of ten children, five sons and five daughters, three of the latter deceased. The following are the names of the children: Melinda D. (deceased), Stewart J., of Menomonee, Wis., mem- ber of the Wisconsin legislature; W. E .; Caroline, wife of David Black; Walter C., attorney at law, Peru, Ind .; Daniel S., of Wis- consin; Nancy M., wife of A. S. Benedict; Olive J., deceased wife of Wesley Eurit; William H., dentist, of Menomonee, Wis., and Laurie E., deceased wife of A. P. Carvey. Prof. W. E. Bailey was reared in Miami, Cass and Marshall counties, and received his early educational training in the common schools. He sub- sequently attended the Logansport seminary, in which he made substantial progress in the higher branches of learning, and after- ward worked with his father at farming and brick making until 1861, when he and an older brother, Stewart J. Bailey, enlisted in Company G, Ninth regiment, Illinois cavalry, both going from their home in Bourbon to Chicago in order to join a cavalry regiment. At Helena, Ark., our subject was thrown from a horse in 1862, the effect of which was to incapacitate him from further active duty in the field. He was then sent to the United States general hospital, Keokuk, Iowa, where he remained an invalid from September, 1862, until March, 1863, at which time he was discharged from the hospital, and placed in command of the provost guard, at that post, holding his position about eighteen months. His term of three years' enlistment having ex- pired, Mr. Bailey was honorably discharged at Springfield, Ill., and immediately thereafter returned to Marshall county, where in March, 1865, he was married to Susan E., daughter of Solo- mon Linn, one of the pioneers in this part of the state. Mr. Linn moved to Marshall county from Kentucky in 1836 and took an ac- tive part in the early development of the county. After his mar- riage, Mr. Bailey began the manufacture of brick in Bourbon, and in 1866, entered upon his career as a teacher, by taking charge of a country school not far from the above town. He taught three successive terms in this locality, working at the plas- terer's trade during the summer season, and in 1869, was ap- pointed principal of the Bourbon public school, which position he filled in a creditable manner, for a period of three years. He was one of the prime movers in the organization of the Marshall county teachers' association in 1869-70, and was treasurer of the same until the enactment of the county superintendency law in 1872-73, when the society was merged into the present county institute work. In 1872 he was appointed teacher of room B, of
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the Plymouth public school, and while thus employed, was ap- pointed to fill out the unexpired term of Thomas McDonald, county school superintendent. He became superintendent by appointment the following June, and was three times re-elected to the same office in 1875, 1877-79, respectively, and discharged the duties of the position until 1881. He retired from the office that year, and became special agent for the Union Central Life Insurance company, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in which capacity he continued until June, 1887, when he was again elected to the su- perintendency, being the present incumbent. As an educator, Mr. Bailey is well known throughout Indiana, and as a popular superintendent, few in the state enjoy a more extended reputa- tion. No better evidence of his ability and efficiency can be ad- duced than the fact that though Marshall county is largely dem- ocratic, he has served over ten years in the principal educational office. He is a supporter of the republican party, a member of the Masonic fraternity, and an active worker in the G. A. R. Mrs. Bailey is a lady of intelligence and refinement, and has con- tributed largely to her husband's success in life. To Mr. and Mrs. Bailey four children have been born as follows: Clara B. (deceased) ; Walter H., in business in Chicago; Norman E. and Maud M. Mr. and Mrs. Bailey belong to the Presbyterian church at Plymouth.
Among the successful business men of Plymouth few occupy a more conspicuous place than Philip J. Ball, senior member of the mercantile firm of Ball & Carabin, extensive dealers in dry goods, notions, clothing, hats and caps, and the leading merchant tailors of Marshall county. Mr. Ball was born in Alsace-Loraine, France, now a part of Germany, May 1, 1836. He grew to man- hood in his native country and there learned the tailor's trade in which he became a very skillful workman and which he followed both in Germany and the United States. He came to this coun- try in 1854, and located at the town of Java, N. Y., where he
worked at his trade for three years, and later worked at different places in that state until 1862, at which time he went to Michigan where he remained for two years. He next went to Fort Wayne, Ind., and after working for some time there located at Columbia City, Ind., where he did a successful business until 1875. In the meantime, 1866, he revisited his former home in Germany where he remained for a period of about six months. During the last years in Columbia City, he carried on business for himself, and while there formed a partnership with August Carabin, and the firm thus formed was moved to Plymouth in 1875, where it has since carried on a very successful business. On coming to this city, Messrs. Ball & Carabin carried on the merchant tailoring busi- ness alone, but since that time have added dry goods, hats, caps and notions, and now have one of the largest mercantile estab-
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lishments in Plymouth. Mr. Ball was married in 1867 to Cath- rine Carabin, to which union five children have been born as follows: Prosper A., Jerome A., Edward J., Alfonse J. and Mary L. Mr. Ball and family are among the well-known citizens of Ply- mouth. They are members of the St. Michael congregation, of which Mr. Ball is treasurer.
Among the enterprising citizens of Plymouth is John F. Behrens, who for a number of years has been prominently iden- tified with the lumber interests of the county, and who is, at this time, one of the largest dealers in lumber, sash, doors, blinds, shingles and building material, in this part of the state. Mr. Behrens is a native of Germany, born 1837, in Schleswig-Hols- tein. He left his native country in 1860, and immigrating to the United States, located first at Davenport, Iowa, where he learned the cooper's trade, and in 1861 came to Plymouth, where for a period of three years he operated a cooper shop doing a good business. In 1864 he engaged in the dry goods and clothing business, boots and shoes, in Plymouth, also dealing in and man- ufacturing lumber, operating various saw-mills in different parts of the county. In 1881 he moved his mercantile business to Walkerton, where he still conducts a large dry goods house and also operated a successful lumber trade in Plymouth. From time to time he closed out his manufacturing business, disposing of his saw-mills, and for some time past has turned his attention largely to the lumber trade and in dealing in sash, doors, blinds, and building material of all kinds. He has a large establishment at the corner of Gano and Plumb streets, which, under the con- trol of his son, Charles F. Behrens, has become one of the largest and most successful enterprises of the kind in Marshall county. Mr. Behrens has been quite active in public affairs during his residence in Plymouth, and as a local politician has been a potent factor in the success of his party in a number of closely contested campaigns. He is essentially a self-made man, and as such, ranks with the most enterprising citizens of the county. He came to Plymouth possessed only of his trade, but by the practice of economy and good business methods he has suc- ceeded in overcoming the obstacles before which men of less energy would have been discouraged, and is now regarded as one of the substantial and well-to-do men of the city. He was married in 1864 to Amelia Angerman, a native of southern Ger- many. She was born in 1838, came to the United States in 1854, and was, for a number of years, a resident of New York city. To Mr. and Mrs. Behrens have been born five children, three living, viz .: Charles F., John A. and Anna A. Charles F. Beh- rens, oldest son of the above and manager of his father's exten- sive business interests, is one of the rising young men of Plymouth. He was born in this city January 4th, 1868, received
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a good education, and on leaving school, entered his father's em- ploy and, as already stated, is now the business manager. He is a young man of excellent business habits, and possesses in a remarkable degree the confidence and esteem of his fellow citi- zens. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order, belonging to the Americus lodge, No. 91, of Plymouth.
Few men in Indiana are more widely known than Hon. John S. Bender, a leading politician and prominent attorney of Plymouth, who was born in the state of Pennsylvania, near the city of Car- lisle, Cumberland county, on the 26th day of January, 1827. His parents were Jacob and Jane (Dobbs) Bender, natives respect- ively of Cumberland and Juniatta counties, Penn., the father a miller and farmer by occupation, and a descendant of German ancestors, who were among the earliest settlers of Virginia in the time of the colonies. Jacob Bender was an industrious and up- right citizen, of strong religious tendency, and a prominent mem- ber of the United Brethren church. The family came to Indiana a number of years ago, and settled in that part of Marshall county which now belongs to the county of Stark, where Mr. Bender purchased a farm and afterward engaged in the manu- facture of flour. Of the children born to Jacob and Jane Bender, the following are living: the subject of this biography; Robert H., present auditor of Stark county; Susan J., wife of Edward Tib- betts; Adaline, wife of Lorenzo D. Glazebrook, and Jacob G., a commercial traveler of Goshen, Ind. John S. Bender spent the first ten years of his life near the city of Carlisle, Penn., and later moved with his parents to Wayne county, Ohio, locating near the city of Wooster, where he attended school at the village of Mill- brook during the years 1838-39. In the spring of the latter year the father took charge of a mill in Millbrook, which he operated for some time, the subject assisting him and attending school at intervals. In 1840 they removed to Shreve, Ohio, in which place the subject attended school during the winter seasons, and as- sisted in the mill the rest of the year, becoming thoroughly fami- liar with the miller's trade. In 1843 he accompanied his parents to Richland county, Ohio, locating near the city of Mansfield, where the family remained three years, during which time he at- tended school and worked in the mill of nights. The family came to Marshall county in 1846, and settled in that part of the county which has since been added to the county of Stark, and here John S. assisted in building the first school-house in the lat- ter county. He taught school in the winter of 1846-47, and in the latter year did general farm work, and also engaged in raft- ing on the Kankakee river. In 1848 he took charge of the North Liberty Mills, St. Joseph county, with his father, and continued business there until the destruction of the mill by a cyclone in the year 1850. In the meantime he became severely afflicted
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with inflammatory rheumatism, in consequence of which he was compelled to abandon milling, and for several years thereafter taught school in St. Joseph and Stark counties. In 1850-51 and 1852, he attended the high school at South Bend, where he made rapid progress in his studies. Having a decided taste for the scientific branches, he read extensively upon the subjects of as- tronomy, natural philosophy, geology, mineralogy, etc., besides giving considerable attention to mathematics and the classics, in all of which he became thoroughly well informed. In 1852 he began the practice of surveying and civil engineering, which he continued as often as his abilities in this direction were required for a number of years. His health failing him in 1856, he was com- pelled to relinquish the duties of active life, and at the solicitation of his friends was induced to make the race for the clerk and audi- torship of Stark county, to which office he was elected, and the duties of which he discharged in a highly satisfactory manner four years, refusing a re-election. In the meantime he had given considerable attention to the legal profession, having become well informed in the same by extensive reading, and on retiring from the office of auditor he turned his attention almost exclu- sively to the practice of law in Marshall, Stark and other coun- ties. Mr. Bender has been an important factor in the political history of northern Indiana, having entered politics when a young man and continued in the same ever since. He was educated in the political faith of the democratic party, with which he affili- ated until the breaking out of the late war, and which he repre- sented as a delegate in a number of state conventions. His first recognition as a delegate was in the democratic state convention in 1859, in the deliberations of which he took a very active and prominent part. Becoming dissatisfied with the policy of the democratic party at the breaking out of the rebellion, he severed his allegiance from the same and cast his first republican vote for Abraham Lincoln when the latter made his second race for the presidency. He opposed Lincoln's first election, voting for his competitor, Stephen A. Douglas, for whom he did valuable service during the campaign as a speaker and political writer. Mr. Bender was uncompromisingly in favor of prosecuting the war, and used all of his energies toward raising troops and fur- nishing supplies, spending freely of his own money in this laud- able work. Owing to injury received a number of years previous which unfitted him for active service in the field, he was reluc- tantly compelled to remain out of the army, though offered the position of civil engineer with the pay of colonel. In 1864 he was a delegate to the republican state convention, and was simi- larly honored in every state convention from that year to 1876, inclusive. A close and conscientious student of political econ- omy, Mr. Bender gave a great deal of attention to financial mat-
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ters, and becoming satisfied that the republican party did not oc- cupy the proper position upon this great question, he became a member of the national greenback party in 1878, since which time he has been one of the exponents of its principles and strongest advocates in this part of the state. In 1879 he helped to construct an entirely new platform for the party, having been a delegate to the national convention that year, in which he served on the platform committee. He was again chosen delegate to the national convention held in St. Louis in 1880, in which he also served upon the committee to prepare a platform, and was the author of the first resolution in favor of the enfranchisement of women ever offered in a national convention. Mr. Bender served as a postmaster of Stark for some time, by appointment of Abraham Lincoln. It will thus be seen that his life has been a very active one, and his abilities, which are recognized as of a high order, have been given almost exclusively to public affairs. He is not unknown to the literary world, having contributed to a number of periodicals, besides publishing several more preten- tious works, among the best known of which are "Hoosier's Ex- . perience in Europe" and "Money; Its Definition." In the field of journalism he has had considerable experience, having con- . ducted The Plymouth Republican, a political paper, from 1868 until 1875. He is a clear and trenchant writer, a close reasoner, and eminently fair in the discussion of political questions. Mr. Bender was married in 1855, to Miss Maggie Bowers, daughter of Samuel Bowers, of Richland county, Ohio. She died in 1856. In March, 1858, Mr. Bender's marriage with Miss Rachel Houghton, daughter of James Houghton, of England, and an early settler of Marshall county, was consummated. Mr. and Mrs. Bender are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he has belonged since 1854. He is a prominent member of the Ma- sonic fraternity, belonging to Plymouth lodge and commandery, No. 26, K. T.
T. A. Borton, M. D., a popular physician and surgeon of Ply- mouth, was born in Ohio, Stark county, December 16, 1831, the son of Samuel and Mahala (Nash) Borton. His parents were residents of the above county and state, and were descended from Quaker ancestry. Of their children the following are liv- ing: Lizzie, wife of Dr. Lanning, of Clay county, Kan .; Louise, for many years a teacher in the public schools; Rhoda A., wife of Dr. Johnson, of Bourbon, and the subject of this biography, who is the oldest member of the family. The doctor was reared in Stark county, received his rudimentary education in the common schools and afterward pursued his literary studies in the high school, and also attended select school for some time. During the progress of his education, he chose the medical profession as the channel in which his life's voyage was to be made, and began the
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study of the same in his native county in the office of Dr. Day, under whose instructions he continued for some time making sub- stantial progress. Actuated by a desire to increase his knowl- edge of the profession the doctor subsequently entered the Starl- ing Medical college at Columbus, Ohio. On quitting college, he re- mained in the office of Dr. Day for one year in order to obtain a practical knowledge of the healing art, and having thus familiar- ized himself with the details of the profession he came to Ply- mouth and began the active practice of the same in Marshall county. His thorough preparation and scientific devotion to his profession has given him a creditable rank among the physicians of the city, and his practice which extends throughout Marshall and other counties is very extensive and constantly increasing. The doctor was married in 1857, to Miss Jennie Green, daughter of George A. Green, of Portage county, Ohio, a union blessed with the birth of four children, viz., Haddie, wife of C. W. Boyd, of Salt Lake City; Grace W .; May, a student at the Western Fe- male seminary, Oxford, Ohio, and Lewis G. The doctor is a member of the county medical society, and for two years held the position of surgeon on the P., Ft. W. & C. R. R. He is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, in which he holds the position of elder.
Marion A. Bland, farmer and county commissioner, was born in Miami county, Ohio, April 3rd, 1840, and is the son of William and Nancy (Ziegler) Bland, the father a native of Virginia, and the mother of Pennsylvania. The family came to Marshall county in 1870, and purchased a farm in Bourbon and Walnut townships, where the father died in 1875, and where his widow still lives. The following are the names of the living children of William and Nancy Bland: John, of Findlay, Ohio; Mary, wife of Charles B. Mckinney, of Bourbon; Arthur S., of Dakota; William T., of Findlay, Ohio; Marion A., Minerva; Ida B., wife of Edward Alexander, of Ohio; Frank, of Montana, and Harry, who resides on the homestead. The subject of this sketch was reared to manhood in Ohio, was educated in the public schools and has always followed farming. He came to Marshall county with his parents, in 1870, and remained with them until 1876, at which time he purchased his present farm in Center township. He is a successful farmer, a democrat in politics, and as such, was appointed county commissioner, October, 1889. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to lodge 227, at Bourbon. Miss Alice Greer, daughter of Moses Greer, of Center township, became his wife in 1871, and to their union have been born two children: John W. and Pearl E.
Joseph W. Boggs is a native of Marshall county, born in Cen- ter township, February 20, 1856. He is a son of Lewis and Sarah (Devault) Boggs, who are among the pioneers of this
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county, settling on what is now known as the Parker farm. Mr. Boggs was an active member of the Advent church, a democrat in his political belief, and died May 16, 1888. His widow sur- vives him and resides on the home farm. They were the parents of eight children, of whom seven are now living, viz .: James, Jefferson, Sarah Jane, Franklin, Lewis B., Joseph W. and Axie. Joseph W. Boggs was raised in his native township, in the schools of which he received a fair English education, and began life for himself as a farmer, which calling he still continues. He owns a well-improved place of 162 acres, and is one of the thrifty and well-to-do citizens of the community in which he resides. He was married in 1882 to Miss Ollie Davis, daughter of Jackson Davis, of Walnut township. Coral, Bonnio and L. J., are the liv- ing children born to this marriage. Chloe, the oldest child, died in 1885.
John B. Bowell, the well-known proprietor of the popular Ross House, of Plymouth, was born in Walnut township, Mar- shall Co., November 25, 1854, and is the son of B. N. and H. (Kinett) Bowell, both parents natives of Clark county, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Bowell were among the pioneers of Marshall county, locating in Walnut township about the year 1850, where Mr. Bowell engaged in farming in connection with which he also car- ried on the saw-milling business. Later he carried on a meat market at Argos, where he is still living, having retired from active live. His wife, who died about 1872, was the mother of eight children, six of whom survive, viz .: George W., Mrs. Ann M. McGriff, William N., John B., B. C., Louis, A. J. and Addie M., wife of John Wallace. The subject of this mention remained with his parents until ten years of age, at which time he went to reside with Dr. R. B. Eaton, with the object of pre- paring himself for the medical profession. The first four years he was with Dr. Eaton he attended school and also studied telegraphy, and later secured a clerkship in the dry goods store of Parker & Atkinson, at Argos, with which firm he continued four years. During the following three years he was manager of the dry goods establishment of David Kershaw, Argos, and at the end of that time engaged in the dry goods trade at the above place as member of the firm of Bowell Bros. In 1876, he accepted a position with S. Becker, a dry goods merchant of Plymouth, and subsequently engaged with the firm of Ball & Carabin, dealers in dry goods and clothing, in which capacity he continued until March, 1889. He retired from the mercan- tile business in that year, and leased the Ross house, the leading hotel at Plymouth, of which he has since been proprietor, and which under his successful management, has become one of the popular stopping places for the traveling public in northern Indiana. Mr. Bowell possesses fine business ability, and in his
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capacity as salesman and as "mine host" has won great popu- larity among all classes of people. Politically he is a republican, but has never been an aspirant for official honors, preferring to give his attention entirely to his business. He is a member of Hyperion lodge, No. 117, K. of P., and of Cyrene council, No. 944, Royal Arcanum, and for a number of years has been a commun- icant of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was first mar- ried March, 1875, to Sarah E., daughter of David and Elizabeth (Butterworth) Kershaw, who was born in Marshall county, July, 1836, and died February 24, 1883, leaving two children: Daisy B. and Bert D., whose births occurred January 5, 1876, and Octo- ber 13, 1877, respectively. Mrs. Bowell was a lady of many ac- complishments, and was widely and favorably known for her many noble qualities of mind and heart. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and her life was in harmony with her religious profession. Mr. Bowell was married the second time January 25, 1887, to Elizabeth J., daughter of R. H. Cox, who has borne him one child, a son, Lloyd. In his second marriage Mr. Bowell was fortunate in securing a woman who has proved a help-meet in the true sense of the word. She is a consistent member of the Episcopal church of Plymouth.
Herbert A. Brenner, proprietor of one of the leading livery stables of Plymouth, is a native of Marshall county, born in Cen- ter township, January 13, 1857. His parents, Peter and Sarah J. Brenner, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and New York, were married in Marion county, Ohio, and came to Marshall county, Ind., about the year 1855. After living here a short time, they moved to Illinois, from which state they afterward emi- grated to Kansas, locating at Leavenworth, from which place the father subsequently drove cattle to Pike's Peak, Col., for the gov- ernment. Rejoining his family, he returned to Marshall county, Ind., and engaged in farming in Center township, where he lived for a number of years, during a part of which time, he was en- gaged in the saw-milling business. He afterward removed to Fulton county, and is still residing there. The mother died in 1871. They had a family of seven children, of whom the follow- ing are living: Henry A., Ida B., wife of B. Collins, Elizabeth, wife of William Dutton, Florence D., and the subject of this sketch, who is the third in point of age. Herbert Brenner, though still a young man, has had a varied business experience. He was reared in Marshall county, attended the county schools and the schools of Plymouth, and for some years worked as a farm assistant in Wabash county and the state of Wisconsin. In 1882 he formed a partnership with D. A. and D. E. Snyder, in. the grain business, and after continuing the same for one year, he disposed of his interests in the elevator and engaged in the restaurant business at Inwood. He continued this about one
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