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 32
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Fair Association .- The people of Bourbon township, and more especially the farming community, can well boast of the most creditable township fair in the Union, in fact in its display of agricultural products, fine blooded live stock, it is unexcelled by any of the county and district fairs, and in the exhibition of agri- cultural machinery, but few expositions can equal it. The large crowds of people in attendance, both from the immediate vicinity and from abroad, at the fairs for the past score or more of years has been simply immense, almost beyond belief. The grounds, imme- diately in the northern suburb of Bourbon, belonging to the fair company, are most beautifully located, finely improved and most admirably adapted for the purpose of an exposition grounds. This fair has done much both for the farming coun- try and the business men of Bourbon in advertising Bourbon people.
Painters, Artists, etc .- Frank Caul, everybody knows Frank, the " champion painter," who for the past one-third of a century has been a familiar landmark of Bourbon, as his father was be- fore him. Frank is on deck always when fishing is on, or John Baxter or John Wolford, or the Zeblays have a fishing excursion to talk of. Everybody knows all these, and that Frank can't abide a dog-fish, or anything but "correct bait" for fishing. Johnny Johnson, Elmer Wilt, Mont. Fitcraft, and Capt. Ramsey,
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are all old citizens, and what would Bourbon be like if it had not been for their paint brushes? Echo answers, what! Messrs. Perry Greer and John Paschall, with Mrs. Rose Shirey, are artists, as proven by their work both portrait and scenic. But few painters of celebrity can show as beautiful work of the pencil and brush, as do these home artists. Bourbon is proud, as she well can be, of her artists. Mr. J. Henry Iden as a pho- tographic artist, is a most decided success, and his productions will bear comparison with the best work of the city photographers.
Business Blocks .- Ketcham & Borton, and Greer Bros., erected a beautiful brick block on the west side of Main street in 1879, Peter Hahn a handsome building adjoining on the north, and Col. Sear, Jacob Witts, and Adam and George Mettz a large and substantial brick block that extended over the full block to the street on the north. In the rear part of this block is one of the prettiest little opera halls in northern Indiana. On the east side of Main street, S. E. O'Brien has as fine a business block as is in town, in which is the model bakery, established and success- fully conducted for years by Mr. Lampson, latterly being asso- ciated with Mr. Frank Patterson. Within a few months past Messrs. Mong & Schorn have succeeded to this business. Then the Brillhart & Davis brick block, next south, is a fine substantial block that is a credit to any town. It is occupied by Beldon Bros., as a meat market, and by Mr. Pat. Galvin & Bros., a saloon. An iron clad building has been erected by Thomas Lee on the spot where the Bendle building was destroyed by fire. This is a temporary building, soon to be replaced by a fine large brick block, arranged for mercantile purposes. The iron-clad is now occupied by Jacob Walmer as a saloon. Messrs. Wekster & Hogue are conducting an extensive bakery, restaurant and grocery, and have occupied their present quarters for some years.
Railroads .- The Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago railway was built through Bourbon township, from east to west, in 1852-3, and gave this section an outlet for its products, especially timber and lumber, which before that time was so little valued that even the finest timber in the world, such as poplar, walnut, oak, etc., were burned on the ground as worse than valueless. In fact, many farms in clearing were fenced with rails made from the finest walnut ever seen. This timber, if it were on the lands to day, as before this railroad was built, would be ten times more valuable than the farms where it grew are to-day, with all improvements. Surveys for the Michigan, Indiana & St. Louis railroad have recently been made through Bourbon, and already part of the work has been done in the building of it. Surveys have also been com- pleted through Bourbon for the Indiana Pacific railroad, of which road Col. William Sear is president, and also surveys of the New York, Ft. Wayne & Chicago railroad, Col. John Lee, of
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Crawfordsville, president, which passes through Bourbon. All these roads are to be constructed at the earliest date practicable. When completed they will render Bourbon a railroad center and a city of importance.
The town of Bourbon is well known all over the country as one of the best business points in the state, carries larger stocks of every line of merchandise; has the liveliest, wide-awake busi- ness men of any town in the state. The township has a larger body of perfect farming lands, is better cultivated, with better improvements, with more prosperous farmers than the average township in the northwest. Bourbon is proud of the country surrounding it; proud of the farming community ; proud of the pros- perity of the farmers about it; as equal, if not surpassing, those of any part of the county. Bourbon township is proud of their town of Bourbon; proud of the fine business establishments, second to none; proud of the business men whom they patronize; proud of public spirit and energy of Bourbon people; proud of the prosperity of their town; proud of the town that has aided to make them all more prosperous. Each is proud of the other, and that mutual pride and confidence has much to do with the up- building of the town and the community. They see that what is for the benefit of one is for the benefit of the other; what is to the injury of town is sure to be the injury of the country; and what militates against the prosperity of the country injures the town. This is the reason the town and the country are growing together, in wealth, mutually happy that their lot was cast in such a grand old township as is Bourbon, and firmly believe that but few spots in the Union are so favored in all respects as is old Bourbon; the town and country striving in unison for the welfare of all. Never a failure of crops, no cyclones to blow all their possessions to the four winds; one of the most healthy regions in the Union. Never yet a desolating epidemic. The flouring mill visited thousands of times, for one call on the doctors; sea- sons always as favorable as the most favored; taxes light, com- pared with other localities, and fair prices received for all the produce of the farm or the factory. Why should not Bourbons rejoice that they are domiciled and prosperous in glorious old Bourbon.
William J. Acker, lumber dealer of Bourbon, was born in Rensselaer county, N. Y., in 1836. His father, William Acker, was a native of the same state, and a descendant of one of the oldest families of New York. At the age of seventeen, William J. Acker accepted a position as section foreman on the Albany and Boston Railroad, which he retained four years, and then took a tour through the western states, going first to Iowa and Illinois, and finally locating in the city of Fort Wayne, Ind. After a short. residence there he came to Bourbon, Marshall county, where he
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soon became interested in the lumber business, which he has fol- lowed continuously ever since. On the 15th of August, 1861, Marcia A., daughter of John Z. Grant, became his wife, a union blessed with the birth of four children, viz .: Frank, Charles, Otis and Grace. Mr. Acker.belongs to the Odd Fellows' fra- ternity, and the Presbyterian church holds his religious creed.
Edwin S. Barber, son of Milo and Miranda (Butler) Barber, was born in Kosciusko county in the year 1851. The father came to Kosciusco county about fifty years ago, and was one of the very early settlers of that part of the state. He is still living in Seward township of that county, being eighty-seven years of age and still hale and hearty. His brother, M. F. Barber, was one of the first settlers of Fort Wayne, in which city he taught school when a young man, and there married Jane Suttenfield, the first white child born in Fort Wayne. He afterward became one of the largest landowners in Bourbon township, having at one time been possessor of 1,100 acres. A number of members of the Barber family are scattered throughout the United States, all of whom are noted for their longevity. Milo and Miranda Barber had a family of nine children, seven boys and two girls, the three oldest of whom were born in New York, in which state the par- ents were married. At the age of twenty the subject of this men- tion began business for himself as a fur dealer, having previous to that time worked at various occupations in different parts of the country. He traveled quite extensively throughout the western states and territories, returning from California in the year 1873. In 1877 he was united in marriage to Miss Ann G. Bailey, of Rush county, the daughter of George W. Bailey, who died when Mrs. Barber was nine years old. Mr. Barber moved to his present farm in April, 1877, and has resided upon the same ever since. Besides making many valuable improvements, Mr. Barber purchased land adjacent to his original farm and is now the owner of 136 acres. His improvements are all first-class and his residence, which was built in 1888, is one of the best structures. ofits kind in the township. His large barn was built in 1889 to replace the one destroyed by fire the previous year, the loss of which amounted to $2,000. Mr. Barber is a republican, but has never been actively engaged in politics beyond using honor- able means for his party's success. Maud R., Grafton E., Perry O., Elsie A., Harrison R., and an infant not named are the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Barber. The church affiliation of the family is with the United Brethren, with which they have been identified for seven years.
Isaac E. Bell, although not an old resident of Marshall county, has passed so many years of his life in the adjoining county of Kosciusko, that his extensive acquaintance in Marshall fairly entitles him to recognition in this work. Mr. Bell was
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born in Knox county, Ohio, 1844. His father, Benjamin Bell, born in 1812, was for many years a minister of the Disciples church, but like nearly all the preachers of his time he owned a farm and tilled the soil for a living, his service as a minister being gratuitous as the natural debt due the Master. His farm lay in Knox county, Ohio, in which part of the state his family of twelve children were raised. The mother of our subject whose maiden name was Mary Moore, was a native of New Jersey. While little is known of dates in regard to the Moore family, it is as a matter of family tradition that they were among the earliest settlers of New England. Mrs. Bell died in 1860. and Mr. Bell was called to his reward in 1874. Of their family five are now living: James M. is a farmer in Knox county, Ohio; Susan is the wife of Lewis Eley, a well-known farmer and mill operator at Bloomburg, Ind .; Charles H., is a prominent busi- ness man of Geneva, this state, and Samuel E. is a resident of Coshocton county, Ohio. Isaac E. Bell was raised a farmer. His early education was limited to the district schools, but his father being educated to a degree beyond the average farmer of his day impressed the value of intellectual culture upon his family so that they are all inclined to look upon education as one of the necessities of life. Mr. Bell acquired land in Kosciusko county, near the Marshall line, sometime in the sixties, and for over twenty years has been closely identified with the agricultural in- terests of the latter county. In 1889 he moved to Bourbon and engaged in the livery business in partnership with S. E. O'Brien, whose interest he subsequently purchased and is now the sole proprietor. Mr. Bell possesses fine business qualifications and is considered a good man for the town. He finds time to devote to social interests, being an active member of the Masonic fraternity, which order he joined in 1867. While not an aggres- sive politician Mr. Bell has in a quiet way wielded considerable influence in behalf of the democratic party. He was married in 1870 to Harriet E. Sarber, daughter of Christian Sarber. They have seven children living, viz .: Mary L., William O., Susan B., Maggie M., Clyde C., Grover E. and Vaughn.
Ervin Dillenius, M. D., a prominent and skilful physician of Bourbon, was born in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1854. His father, Charles Dillenius, was a native of Germany, in which country he held many distinguished positions, being somewhat like.unto our secretary of interior, having the directorship of public improve- ments and works. He was a mason of high rank, and recently died. Dr. Dillenius, at an early age, was placed in school, and after gaining a high school education in his native city, he com- pleted a liberal scholastic education in college and then entered the university Theibig and Heidelburg, graduating in medicines in 1876. In 1870-71, he left the class room and quitted his studies
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to become a volunteer from his native country in the Franco- Prussian war, and acted as surgeon. He received a wound at the renowned battle of Sedan, and in honor of his gallant service in this war, he carries a medal of honor presented to him. After he gradu- ated in medicines in 1878-79, the doctor, for two years practiced in the hospital of Vienna, and here gained much experience to fit him for his chosen profession. In 1880, he emigrated to America, and for a year each, practiced first in New York city and then in Bal- timore. He then made an extended trip through the " Great West," and practiced for a while in Washington territory, but in 1884, he came from the west to Indiana and located at Plymouth, where he practiced for about one year, when he located at Bour- bon, where he has continued an active and successful practice. He is familiarly known as and called the " Old German Doctor," and enjoys the esteem and confidence of a wide acquaintance. He is a member of the American Medical association, and ranks among the ablest physicians of the county. He is an honored member of the Masonic fraternity, and has been for many years a member of the I. O. O. F., and is also a member of the Im- proved Order of Red Men. The doctor is a congenial spirit and of quick perception and quick decision, and a liberal and good natured soul.
Dr. J. W. Eidson, a practicing physician of Bourbon, was born in Fulton county, Ind., in 1854, the son of B. A. and Sarah (Decker) Eidson. Paternally the doctor is descended from German ancestry, and on the mother's side from an old Ken- tucky family. The doctor's early life was spent on a farm, and after obtaining a good education in the common schools and the normal college of Valparaiso he engaged in teaching, which he followed for eight years in the counties of Fulton and Kosciusko. In the meantime he began the study of medicine, and after com- pleting a professional course in the medical college in Indian- apolis, which he entered in 1881, and from which he graduated in 1884, began the practice of the same in Bourbon. Since lo- cating here, he has met with gratifying success and is classed with the rising physicians of Marshall county. The doctor has been active in politics, and in 1888 was elected on the democratic ticket as representative from Marshall county in the state legis- lature. He discharged the duties of that honorable position with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents, and proved himself to be a well qualified member of that body. The doctor was married in 1878, to Minerva Ball, of Fulton county, the daughter of P. Ball.
Francis Marion Elliot, whose life is here briefly sketched, is eldest of a family of nine children. Alexander W., his father, emigrated with his parents, Jesse and Rachel Elliot, from North Carolina to Preble county, Ohio, when he was about ten years
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old. Alexander W. was brought up on the farm, and at an early age had to provide for himself. August 17, 1837, he was married to Rebecca Parker, who was born and reared in Preble county, Ohio. In the fall of 1848 the father with his young family, emi- grated to Fulton county, Ind., and settled on a piece of govern- ment land, which he had entered several years previously. For ten years succeeding this, the time of the lad was divided between assisting his father on the farm in the summer, and going to " district " school in the winter. His desire to attend and take a thorough collegiate course of education, kept him busy plan- ning and building air castles. In these plans and desires, his mother entered with all her sympathetic heart, but the father needing his help on the farm, which was then barely large enough to give subsistence to his large and growing family, did not take kindly to the idea. The spring following the son's nineteenth year, his father announced to him that he had determined to permit the young man to have his liberty the coming fall, on two con- ditions, viz .: First, that he should work faithfully at home until September Ist, and secondly, that he should then go to school, but not ask him for any assistance. The first part of the con- dition could be easily fulfilled, but how about the second one ? Then, as now, it required means to go to school, " but where there is a will there is a way." To the boy who is determined to win in the race there is always a way. A cow and a pig which he had acquired through his father, were sold, and the proceeds applied to the expenses of his first term in the Logansport seminary. That ended, and money gone, a country school was looked up and engaged, and soon the smooth-faced boy was the school- master, in Buck's school-house, Liberty township, Fulton county, Ind. By boarding around, sixty-five days' work rewarded him $60. This was all he saved for the further prosecution of his studies. He entered Hanover college in the sophomore year. A call for volunteers being made by the government, he enlisted as a private in Company G, Eighty-sixth regiment Indiana volunteers of the Union army, in August, 1862. But the exposure being too great for him, he broke down, and was discharged February, 1863, on the ground of disability. This arrested his further studies in college. Early in his academical course, closely following the death of his mother, he had devoted himself to the gospel ministry. Soon after his enlistment in the army, his mar- riage with Miss Mary J. Fisher, living at Frankfort, Ind., was consummated. Upon returning from the army, he, with his wife, engaged in school work at Clarkshill, Tippecanoe county, Ind., where he remained until August, 1865. Here his oldest son, Harry Labarer, was born August 7, 1864. His first great sorrow came to him May 12, 1865, in the death of his beautiful wife. In Sep- tember of that year, he took charge of the high school at Ross-
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ville, Ind., where he remained for one year, at the end of which time, having been licensed to preach the gospel, he went to the Western Theological seminary, at Alleghany, Penn., to finish his theological studies. Spending one year there he returned and took charge of the Presbyterian church of Union Mills, Ind., in May, 1867. His marriage to Permealia McKee, of Tippecanoe county, Ind., occurred July 11, 1867. His supply of the Union Mills church resulted in a call to its pastorate, accepting this call, he was ordained and installed May, 1868. Receiving a call to the church at Kokomo, Ind., he resigned his first charge and accepted this call; this pastorate not proving satisfactory, he re- signed and accepted a call to the First Presbyterian church at Rochester, Ind., in September, 1871, where he settled and re- mained until October, 1876. From this field he removed to Pierceton, Ind., and took charge of that church in connection with the Presbyterian church of Bourbon, Ind. This pastorate lasted from September, 1876, till October, 1882. ' While serving this field the pastor was called to the Presbyterian missionary work of Vincennes presbytery, but the presbytery of Ft. Wayne, under whose jurisdiction he was working, refused to dissolve the pastoral relations, hence he was continued in this field of labor. Subsequently he received and accepted a call to the church at Montague, Mich., entering upon his work, November, 1882. He remained upon this field until November, 1885. Finding his throat giving down in consequence of the heavy lake atmosphere, he resigned and accepted work in Perry, Iowa. At the close of this supply he accepted the supply of the Menlo and Panora churches, and the principalship of the Guthrie county high school. At the end of one year's service in this school, he was proffered the chair of languages in the Dexter normal college, at Dexter, Iowa, in which field he supplied the pulpit and took the pastoral oversight of the Presbyterian church, in connection with his du- ties in the college. But he found the labor and responsibilities unequally matched against his physical strength. A unanimous call coming to him both from the old church with which he united when a boy, and the church of Bourbon, Ind., over which he had formerly presided, he accepted and commenced work in that field October 15, 1890.
William H. Foulke, a prominent citizen of Bourbon town- ship and native of Bucks county, Penn., was born in the year 1840, the son of Casper J. and Susan Foulke, who are well- known residents of Warsaw, this state, to which place they moved in 1862. The subject came to Kosciusko county in 1863, and the same year entered the army, enlisting in Company G, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Indiana volunteer infantry, with which he served from its organization until mustered out at the close of the war. On leaving the army he returned to Kos-
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ciusko county, where he was afterward married to Susanah, daughter of the late Rev. John S. Todd, who was a well-known minister during the early history of Marshall county. Mr. Foulke followed the pursuit of agriculture in Kosciusko county until 1873, at which time he became a resident of Bourbon town- ship, locating upon his present farm four miles north of Bourbon. Mr. and Mrs. Foulke are members of the Methodist church, be- longing to the congregation worshiping at Foster chapel. They have a family of seven children, all of whom reside with their parents except the oldest, who is the wife of William Rosebrook. Politically Mr. Foulke is a republican, and fraternally a member of the G. A. R.
William E. Gay, whose sketch is herewith presented, is a na- tive of Ohio, and the son of Easty and Esther Gay, who were married in the state of Massachusetts. They subsequently moved to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, where they lived until the death of the father in 1834, the subject being at that time but three weeks old. Mrs. Gay subsequently went to Portage county, Ohio, William being but four years old at that time. Mrs. Gay afterward married Samuel Bradner, in 1842, with whom she lived until her death, which occurred in Wood county, Ohio, in 1862. William Gay's residence in Indiana dated from November 1, 1852, and his residence in Marshall county from the year following, and was here married in December, 1853, to Mary J. Dennison, daughter of Joseph Dennison, who entered land in Bourbon township in 1849, the same on which the subject resides. Mr. Gay lived in Sandusky county, Ohio, from 1856 to 1860, when he again became a resident of Bourbon township, purchasing his present farm in 1877. He served in the late civil war, belonging to Company F, Seventy-fourth Indiana volunteer infantry, with the rank of wagoner, enlisting in August, 1862, and serving until the close of the war, in 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Gay have one child living, namely: Orris, who resides in this township, and who mar- ried Miss Catherine Ruby. The father of Mrs. Gay was born in Maryland, near Emmetsburg, January 1, 1800, commencing life with the present century, and lived to be over eighty-five years old. He became a resident of Marshall county in 1850, moving here from Ohio. His family consisted of six children, two sons and four daughters, all living but one. Mr. Gay is a republican in politics, a member of the I. O. O. F., and formerly belonged to the G. A. R., and was appointed and served as United States census enumerator for the township of Bourbon in the year 1890.
James Guy was born in Kosciusko county, Ind., January 30, 1840, and is the son of Lewis Guy, who came to that county in the year 1835. Lewis Guy was born in Augusta county, Va., on Bull Run, in the year 1800, and resided there until the age of eighteen, at which time he went to Ohio, where he afterward married
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Mary Fleshman, who was born in Gallia county, that state, in 1805. They had a family of twelve children, and died in the years 1851 and 1883, respectively. The Guy family has been repre- sented in Kosciusko and Marshall counties by numerous descend- ants, over fifty of the name being buried in the old Galveston graveyard. James Guy was reared in his native county and has always lived within ten miles of his birth place. He was ten years of age when his father died, after which he remained with his mother, looking after her interests until his twenty-sixth year when he was married to Esther A. Hanold, a native of Stark county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Guy began housekeeping in Perry township, Kosciusko county, where they lived until 1875, at which time they came to Marshall county and purchased a farm of forty acres in the southeast corner of Bourbon township. He has added to his original purchase at intervals, until his farm at this time numbers 200 acres, upon which are many valuable improve- ments. He is a thrifty and enterprising farmer, and ranks among the best citizens of the community in which he resides. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Guy consists of the following children, viz .: James, Gertrude, Clifford and Thomas.
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