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 21
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John Nifong, an enterprising farmer of Center township, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Schuylkill county, that state, January 11, 1822. His parents were George and Magdalene (Jacoby) Nifong, who came from Schuylkill county to Marshall county, about the year 1852, and settled in Center township, upon the farm now occupied by Daniel Jacoby, which Mr. Nifong cleared and improved. Mr. and Mrs. Nifong were mem-
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bers of the German Reform church, and their deaths occurred in 1874 and 1875, respectively. Of their ten children but three are living, viz .: the subject of this biography; Mary, wife of William Kenley, and Martha, formerly Mrs. Greene, now Mrs. York. John Nifong moved from his native county and state when quite young, to Ohio, and after residing in Franklin and Delaware counties, that state, where he obtained an education in the coun- try schools, came to Marshall county, in 1849, and purchased his present farm, in Center township, upon which he has since re- sided. He was married in 1845, to Miss Lorendo Watson, of Delaware county, Ohio, a union blessed with the birth of three children, whose names are as follows: Martha, wife of Gotleib Weiser; James and Joel W. Mr. Nifong takes an active interest in the affairs of the township, is a warm friend of the public schools, and belongs to the Mt. Olivet congregation, Methodist Protestant church, in which he holds the positions of trustee and class leader. His political views are in accord with the demo- cratic party, but he has never been an office seeker.
One of the well-known lumbermen of northern Indiana and a leading business man of Plymouth, is Mr. N. H. Oglesbee, who was born in Green county, Ohio, July 10, 1826. He is a son of Jacob and Edith (Woolman) Oglesbee, natives repectively of Vir- ginia and New Jersey. Mr. Oglesbee's ancestors, on both sides, were among the early pioneers of Ohio, and maternally, he is a descendant of John Woolman, the eminent Quaker of Eng- land, a conspicuous figure in the early history of the Friends' church. Jacob and Edith Oglesbee were married in Ohio, and resided in that state until 1854, when they came to La Porte county, Ind., which was their home until their removal to Mar- shall county, four years later. The father followed farming dur- ing the greater part of his life, and died in Plymouth in 1867. His widow survived him four years, dying in 1871. They reared a family of seven children, six of whom are now living, three sons and three daughters, one son being deceased. The imme- diate subject of this biography was reared on a farm until his twenty-third year, received a good education in the common schools, and in 1849 abandoned agricultural pursuits and began working at the carpenter trade in La Porte county, Ind. After following carpentering and building until 1856, he removed to Plymouth and engaged in the mercantile business in partnership with Thomas Price, of La Porte, and the firm thus formed con- tinued about eight months, when Mr. Oglesbee purchased his partner's interest and became sole proprietor. He sold goods with encouraging success for three or four years, and during that time suffered severe losses by fire, his store having been twice completely destroyed. He early took an active interest in po- litical affairs, and in 1858 was the republican nominee for the
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office of county treasurer, to which he was elected over a large democratic majority. He was re-elected in 1860, and his official record was one of the best the county has ever known. In 1863 he was appointed captain commissary of subsistence, in which capacity he served during the rest of the war, establishing sup- ply depots throughout the south. He was with Sherman in his celebrated march to the sea, and for merited conduct while in the field, was breveted major at the close of the war. On sever- ing his connection with the army, he returned to Marshall county and engaged in the lumber business at Plymouth, which he carried on until 1866, at which time he went to Chicago, where he was similarly engaged until 1871. Since that time he has dealt extensively in lumber in this county, and is now a member and director of the Indiana Lumber company, head- quarters at Nashville, Tenn., and also operates a large mill at Simpson, Ill., which does a very extensive business. He deals largely in lumber in Plymouth, buying and selling for the local and general trade, and is one of the substantial business men of the city. Mr. Oglesbee was married in 1847 to Mary A. Walm, of Ohio, who died in 1853, leaving one child, since deceased. His second marriage was solemnized in 1857 with Lydia Doolittle, of Plymouth, whose death occurred in 1870. She was the mother of three children living. Mr. Oglesbee belongs to the Masonic fraternity.
F. M. Orr, business manager of H. G. Thayer & Co., grain dealers, was born in York county, Penn., April roth, 1837. His parents, George W, and Hannah (Bennett) Orr moved to Rochester, Fulton county, Ind., in 1840, and settled about six miles south of that city and engaged in farming. George W. Orr was a forgeman in his early days but after coming to Indiana gave his entire attention to agricultural pursuits, dying in 1888. Mrs. Orr's death occurred in 1885. To Mr. and Mrs. Orr were born the following children: The subject of this sketch, Mrs. Lucretia Miller, Charles, Mrs. Emma Ault, J. N. and Adisetta. F. M. Orr was reared on the home farm in Fulton county, at- tended the township schools at intervals during his youth, and lived with his parents until 1865, in December of which year he became a resident of Plymouth. For a number of years he has been connected with H. G. Thayer & Co., and as already stated is now the general manager of their large warehouse at Plymouth. December 14, 1865, he married Julia A. Dunlap, daughter of James Dunlap, a native of Pennsylvania, but an early settler of Fulton county, Ind. Mr. Orr is one of the intelligent citizens of Plymouth and has the unbounded confidence of his employers. He is a member of no political organization, casting his vote for the man rather than party.
John W. Parks was born in Marshall county, Ind., May 25,
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1852, where he lived with his parents about one mile north of Bourbon, in the first frame dwelling erected between Plymouth and Leesburg. He is the son of the Hon. James O. Parks, of whom a few words should be said as a prelude to this biography. James O. Parks was born in Bourbon county, Ky., March 20, 1813. In 1827 the family with whom he belonged emigrated to Rush county, Ind., and after residing there a few years, in 1835 again moved, and this time to Marshall county, and were the first white settlers in Bourbon township, naming the postoffice, the town and the township after the county they came from in Kentucky. Mr. James O. Parks during fifty-five years in Marshall county has filled many important positions of trust, and enjoyed the full con- fidence of the citizens of the county. On the 3rd day of Octo- ber, 1836, he married Miss Susan Dinwiddie, a lady full of love- liness and amiable qualities, and in labor and hardships of life proved a worthy helpmate. John W. Parks, the subject of this sketch, has been a resident of Marshall county from his birth, when a boy moving with his parents from the farm north of Bourbon into town, where he resided until moving to Plymouth in 1876. Mr. Parks obtained that education which he could pro- cure in the public schools of Bourbon, until 1870, when he was appointed deputy postmaster at Bourbon, and serving in that capacity for about three years; during the term H. D. Weaver, postmaster, resigned, and Harman Baylor being appointed. Dur- ing the deputyship under the last named postmaster, the whole management of the office was conducted by the deputy, Mr. Bay- lor pursuing other business. At this time the German Baptists of northern Indiana had established what was known as "Salem college," and Mr. Parks being possessed of a strong desire to know more, resigned his position in the postoffice and entered Salem college, which he attended for two years, subsequently en- tering the law department of the University of Michigan, where he, in March, 1875, graduated, receiving the degree of bachelor of law. Soon after the completion of his legal course he was admitted to practice law at the Marshall county bar, and was subsequently admitted to practice in the supreme court of the state. Soon after his commencing to practice law he was united in marriage with Miss Sallie H. Mozingo, of Tipton county, Ind., and later in 1876 moved to Plymouth, where he has since con- tinued to make his home. Since Mr. Parks was admitted to the bar, he has actively engaged in the practice of his profession, building up a reputation as an advocate and counselor which places him in the front rank of the lawyers of Indiana. Mr. Parks is identified as a prominent republican, and one of the leaders of his party in this community. He is not an office-seeker, and has never been a candidate or held any political office. In 1884 his republican friends desired to give him the judicial nomination of
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his party, which he for personal reasons declined to accept, but over his positive protest he was given a complimentary vote which was extremely flattering, it only being two short of a nom- ination. Mr. Parks is a devout member of the Plymouth Pres- byterian church, with which he united in 1878. He served as a member of the building committee, and to his efforts the congre- gation owe much for the magnificent church building which the society now enjoys. Mr. Parks has for several years served as a popular superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday-school, the school being the largest in the county.
William Pomeroy, a leading farmer of Center township, son of Grove O. and Margaret (Smith) Pomeroy, was born in St. Joseph county, Ind., July 26, 1834. His parents, natives respectively of Massachusetts and New York, were married at Vincennes, Ind., in 1832, settled in St. Joseph county in 1835 and the same year, came to Marshall county and located in Center township. Grove Pomeroy, the subject's grandfather, was the first permanent set- tler on the present site of Plymouth. The father of William, a farmer by occupation, and a leading citizen in the community in which he resided, died April 14, 1869. His widow still survives. They reared a family, four members of which are still living: Grove B .; the subject of this sketch; Smith, and Clarissa, wife of Miles Van Vactor. William Pomeroy was brought to Marshall county by his parents, when about two months old, and was reared in Center township, in the schools of which he received a fair English education. He assistsd his father in developing a farm, and subsequently engaged in farming for himself, owning at this time one of the best cultivated places in Center township. He was married in 1863 to Miss Sarah Ann Van Vactor, daughter David Van Vactor, who has borne him five children, viz .: Miles, Minnie Bell, Hattie May, Lulu Jane and Grace E. Mr. Pome- roy is a republican in politics and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
G. R. Reynolds, M. D., a well-known physician and surgeon of Plymouth, was born in La Porte county, Ind., March 11, 1841, and is the only son of John and Keturah (Vincent) Reynolds, who were both natives of New York, and whose deaths occurred in Indiana, in the years 1869 and 1859, respectively, the father dying in Marshall county and the mother in La Porte county. Dr. Reynolds grew to manhood in La Porte county, and he re- ceived his literary education in the common schools, a Metho- dist college at Valparaiso, and the high school at Plymouth. He began reading medicine in La Porte, Ind., and subsequently graduated from the medical department of the University of Michigan, receiving his diploma March 27, 1867. After completing his professional education he began the practice of the same in Plymouth, in which city and Marshall county,
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he has since done a very extensive and successful business. He possesses many of the elements of a successful practitioner, and in his professional experience has a reputation much more than local. He is a member of the county and state medical socie- ties, and as a member of the city school board has been a potent factor in promoting the educational interests of Plymouth. He was the first health officer of the county, and for three years has been secretary of the county board of health. He was formerly employed as a surgeon by the different railroad companies run- ning through Plymouth, and while in this capacity was called upon to perform many exceedingly difficult operations. Politi- cally, the doctor is a democrat, and fraternally a prominent member of the Masonic order, belonging to Blue lodge, chapter, and commandery. He served as postmaster of Plymouth, from 1885 until 1889, and discharged the duties of that position with satisfaction to all concerned. The doctor was married to Miss Martha Higday, daughter of W. S. Higday, of La Porte, Ind., and five children have been born to them, viz .: Bertha K., Maud N., Carl D., George F. and Estella.
David Alexander Ross, who has been a resident of Marshall county since September, 1863, is a native of Rush county, Ind., his birth dating from September 11, 1835. His father, Alexander Ross, came from his native country, Ireland, a number of years ago, and settled in Kentucky, in which state he married Mary Ross, by whom he had ten children: Jennie, Ann, Abie, Hettie, Sally, Angeline, America, Catherine, James Henderson and David Alexander. The mother died in 1843, and the father subse- quently married Emma Williams, who had two children, Lovina, of Rush county, and James, whose residence is not known. The family came to Marshall county in 1850, and purchased the farm owned by the subject of this sketch, where the father remained on the farm about one year, and returned to Rush county, where he remained until his death in 1868. His widow still survives. The early years of our subject were passed in Rush county, and he has always been a farmer by occupation. As already stated he came to Marshall county in 1863, and purchased the home farm, upon which he has since resided, and which is one of the well cultivated places of Center township. His first wife, whom he married in Rush county in 1854, was Miss Martha Machlen, daughter of John Machlen. She died July 29, 1872, and of her children the following are living: Amanda, Ross, Jonana Jose- phine, wife of William Stranderman; Armilda, wife of John Kenley, and William Elmer, of Spokane Falls, Wash. Mr. Ross's second marriage was solemnized in 1872 with Mrs. Wilhel- mina (Weissert) Ross, who has borne him two children, viz .: Caroline and Pearl. Mr. Ross is a member of the Methodist Protestant church, and belongs to the Mt. Olive congregation,
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in which society he holds the office of steward, likewise that of trustee.
Michael Ryan, deputy auditor of Marshall county, and one Plymouth's popular young citizens, was born in the city of La Porte, Ind., February 23rd, 1857, and is the son of David and Mary (Ryan) Ryan, both parents natives of Ireland. The father came to America in 1854 and located in the town of La Porte, and from there moved to Plymouth in 1858. His wife whom he married in La Porte, came to the United States in 1855. They were the parents of three children, two living, viz .: Michael and Mary, wife of Michael McGary of Plymouth. Mr. Ryan died April 18th, 1885, in his sixty-first year. His widow still survives, making her home in Plymouth. They were both active members of the Catholic church, and assisted in the or- ganization of St. Michael's congregation in this city. Michael Ryan was educated in the public schools of Plymouth, and the parochial schools of the same place, and at the age of fourteen became clerk in the dry goods and clothing store of R. William- son, in whose employ he continued for a period of nine years. He then engaged with M. Laur & Son, in the same line of trade, with whom he remained as salesman for six years. March 14, 1887, he was appointed deputy auditor of Marshall county, under C. H. Lehr, the duties of which position he has discharged in a very creditable manner until the present time. Mr. Ryan has been very active in church work, striving with laudable energy and enterprise to build up the congregation and place it upon a substantial financial basis. February 18th, 1890, he read a very carefully prepared and elaborate address upon the history of the congregation at this place, the major portion of which is reproduced in this volume.
George Schafer, manufacturer and dealer in lumber, is a na- tive of Stark county, Ohio, and son of John and Rosanna Schafer, who came from Germany a number of years ago, and settled in the above county and state as early as the year 1816. John Schafer was a mechanic, and for a number of years fol- lowed the wagon-maker's trade in Stark county, Ohio, where his death subsequently occurred. His wife also died in Stark county. Their children living, are: Love, Mrs. Catherine Spidel, Mrs. Rosanna Carter, Mrs. Eliza Klein, Mary, and George, whose name introduces this sketch. George Schafer was reared in Stark county, Ohio, in the schools of which he received his education, and in early life became quite proficient as a carpen- ter and builder. In 1852 he went to California, where he re- mained until 1857, returning to Indiana in the latter year and settling at Valparaiso, where, in 1860, he was united in marriage to Miss Paulina Miller, daughter of Charles Miller, of Porter county. He afterward moved to Colorado, thence to St. Joseph
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Mo., and later to Nebraska, where he engaged in stock-raising. He came to Marshall county in 1866, and engaged in the manu- facture of lumber at Inwood in partnership with Mr. Croup, and the firm thus formed continued about eleven years. At the end of that time Mr. Morris, of Plymouth, became a partner, and the firm lasted until February, 1890. Mr. Schafer has been success- ful in his various enterprises, and in addition to the lumber trade, deals quite extensively in wagons and agricultural imple- ments. Politically, he is a democrat, and in religion, a Luth- eran. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Schafer are five in number, viz .: Charles, traveling salesman, resident of Logansport; George, William, Lewis and Jennie.
Hiram U. Shafer, a native of Stark county, Ohio, and son of John and Sarah Shafer, was born March 20, 1844. John and Sarah Shafer, whose maiden name was Secrest, were both na- tives of the above county and state, where they resided until 1845, when they moved to Marshall county, Ind., and cleared a farm in Green township. In 1852, Mr. Shafer moved to Fulton county, where he also cleared a farm upon which he lived until 1866, at which time he returned to Marshall county and became å resident of Green township. He moved to his present farm in Center township in 1882, and is now retired from active life. He has been a prominent citizen of the county, is a democrat in poli- tics, and has filled several official positions among which was that of justice of the peace. In addition to farming he was for some time engaged in the saw-milling business, and for several years operated a threshing machine in different parts of this and other counties. Mr. and Mrs. Shafer had a family of eight children, six sons and two daughters, viz .: Israel, Hiram, Philetus, Martin, William, Leonard, Cynthia, and Alwilda, now Mrs. Charles Myers. The immediate subject of this mention was reared to manhood in Fulton county, received his education in the com- mon schools and has followed agricultural pursuits and the car- penter's trade. He settled on his present farm in Center town- ship in 1875, since which time he has cleared the greater part of the same and added to his original purchase until he now owns 335 acres in the home place, besides 315 acres elsewhere, making an aggregate of 650 acres. He is one of the largest landholders in the county and also ranks as one of the most successful farm- ers. He was married in 1870 to Miss Lucy E. Taber, daughter of Samuel Taber, of Center township, to which marriage one child was born. This child died in infancy, and Mrs. Shafer de- parted this life in 1877.
Few men of Marshall county are so widely and favorably known as Thomas Shakes, a leading furniture dealer of Plymouth, and at present, the efficient trustee of Center township. Mr. Shakes is a native of Marshall county, being born in Greene
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township, February 10, 1850, the son of John and Eliza Shakes. The father was a native of Scotland, but came to the United States in early life, locating in Marshall county, Ind., where he purchased land from the government in Greene township, hav- ing been one of the pioneers of that section. His wife, whose maiden name was Eliza World, was born in South Carolina, but came with her parents to Indiana at an early day, and spent sev- eral years in La Porte county, where the family originally lo- cated. They subsequently moved to Greene township, Marshall county, where Mr. and Mrs. Shakes were married, and where his death occurred in the year 1856, and hers in 1872 in Walnut Sta- tion. They had a family of three children, two sons and one daughter, the latter deceased. The sons are the subject of this mention, C. W. Shakes being a prominent business man of Bourbon, this county. Thomas Shakes was reared on the home farm in Greene township, received his elementary education in the country schools, and subsequently became a student of the Valparaiso normal school, in which he completed the teachers' course, grad- uating in 1878. He taught school at intervals during his attend- ance at this institution, and after completing his education, followed the teacher's profession in Marshall county until about the year 1879, during which time he earned the reputation of being an enthusiastic and successful educator. His abilities as a school man were duly recognized in 1881, by his appointment as superintendent of the public schools of Marshall county, to which position he was twice re-elected without opposition. He brought to the office a mind well fortified with professional experience, and his superior executive ability made his three terms of six years signally successful in placing the schools of the county on a higher plane than they before occupied. Previous to his elec- tion as superintendent he held the position of deputy recorder of Marshall county, to which he was appointed in 1879, and the du- ties of which he discharged in an eminently successful manner until 1881. In the spring of 1888 he was elected trustee of Cen- ter township, and re-elected in 1890, by a majority of 415, the
largest ever given any candidate in the township, and of which office he is the present incumbent. It is safe to say that Marshall county has never had a more devoted friend of the public schools than Mr. Shakes, and although now practi- cally retired from educational work, he does not lose sight of the schools with which he was so long identified, and which he looks upon as the best safeguards of society and the country. Upon retiring from the superintendency he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business in Plymouth, and is now conducting one of the leading establishments of the kind in the city. It might be well to state that his first business experience was in the mercantile trade at the village of Walnut, where he began
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selling goods in 1871, and where he continued until compelled to close his establishment on account of the memorable panic of 1873. October 18, 1882, Mr. Shakes was united in marriage to Sarah L. Vogel, of Monterey, Pulaski county, daughter of Diebold Vogel, a native of the French province of Alsace. To this union have been born the following children: Mary, Olga, Rudolph, Vogel, and Eva Zenith. Politically Mr. Shakes is an earnest supporter of the democratic party, and fraternally a mem- ber of the Masonic, Royal Arcanum and Knights of Pythias societies.
Daniel C. Shively, a prosperous business man of Marshall county, and proprietor of the Inwood flouring mill, was born in Stark county, Ohio, April 3, 1842. His parents, Jacob B. and Anna (Bortz) Shively, were natives of the same county and state, and early settlers of Marshall county, moving here in 1846, and settling in German township where the father engaged in farm- ing. He afterward moved near the Stark county boundary, west of Plymouth, where he still resides. He is a prominent mem- ber of the Baptist church in which he has held the position of bishop for thirty-eight years, and is now an elder of a local con- gregation in Stark county. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Shively, the following are living: The subject of this men tion; Manuel, who resides on the old homestead in German town- ship, and Caroline, wife of Joseph Honnewalt, of Butler county, Ohio. Daniel C. Shively has been a resident of Marshall county since his fourth year, during which long period of residence he has gained the friendship and good will of a large number of people with whom he has had business relations. After remain- ing with his parents sixteen years, he began the manufacture of lumber in Bourbon township, subsequently engaging in agricul- tural pursuits, and since 1888, has been proprietor of the Inwood flouring mill, which he has greatly improved and supplied with machinery for the manufacture of flour by the roller process. He is doing a large and lucrative business, for the local and general trade, and the product of his mill has become widely and favor- ably known on account of its superior quality. He was first mar- ried in 1863, to Miss Hannah Burkholter, daughter of John Burk- holter, of Elkhart county, Ind. She died in 1879, leaving five children whose names are as follows: Oliver, who assists his father in the mill; John, of Elkhart county; Jacob, who resides in the county of Stark; Katie, at home, and Ulrich, who lives in Elkhart county. Mr. Shively's second wife, Mary Stuntz, daugh- ter of John Stuntz, of German township, whom he married in 1885, has three children: Frank, Emma and Mary. In addition to his milling business, Mr. Shively is proprietor of a feed store at Plymouth, which has a large patronage. He is a member of the German Baptist church in which he holds the office of dea-
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