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 33
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Peter Hahn, a prominent farmer of Bourbon township, was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, December 4, 1845, being one of fifteen children. His parents were William and Mary E. (Bower) Hahn, both natives of Germany, who emigrated to America in 1840, locating in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where they afterward owned good property and followed farming, but before coming to this country the head of the family was a weaver by trade. Mr. Hahn removed to Marshall county in 1849 and located in Bourbon. He died in 1859, and his wife survived him until 1881, when she died at the age of sixty-five. Both were members of the German Reformed church. Their son, who is the subject of this sketch, was in his fourth year when his parents arrived in Marshall county. He was reared on the farm and received in the common schools an ordinary education, which he has added to by his own efforts to such an extent as to be well versed on general topics. At the age of sixteen years he began an appren- ticeship to the shoemaker's trade, and afterward did journeyman work in the same business for several years. He opened a shop in Panama in 1868, and one in Bourbon in 1872. He continued the business at the latter place for two years, when he abandoned his trade on account of poor health. For the succeeding four years he tried several different kinds of business, such as pub- lishing a newspaper and selling agricultural implements, then finally leased land, and settled down to farming, at which he has since continued, and now owns a good home. He is an active partisan in the democratic ranks and acted as marshal of Bour- bon one term. He was married in 1871 to Miss Margaret E.
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Dinkeldein, then of Kosciusco county, but born in Crawford county, Ohio, in 1852. She was the daughter of Jacob and Ger- trude (Reichart) Dinkeldein, both natives of Germany. The result of this union was nine children, eight of whom are living, viz .: George, William, Minnie, Cora, Evelyn, Frederick, Ellen and Francis. Mr. Hahn and wife are members of the German Reformed church, and are highly esteemed wherever known. Mr. Hahn is quite prominent and popular as a democratic poli- tician, and at this writing (the summer of 1890) is a candidate for auditor of the county.
John H. Iden, photographer, son of Samuel and Tabitha (Edwards) Iden, was born in Owen county, Ind., in the year 1847, and came to Marshall county with his parents in 1859, since which time he has been a resident of Bourbon township. His youthful years were spent on his father's farm, which he assisted in clearing and developing and he remained under the parental roof until attaining his majority, when he began learn- ing the science of photography. He soon acquired skill in this calling, and by long experience is now one of the most expert artists in the county, ranking with the best in the state. He has a fine gallery in Bourbon and is in the enjoyment of a very lucrative business. He was married in 1875 to Luretta Neiman, whose parents reside in Kosciusko county. Mr. and Mrs. Iden have two children: Clarence A. and Nellie.
Samuel Iden is a native of Ohio, born in Carroll county in the year 1820. His parents, George and Matilda Iden, were natives of Virginia, where they were married, and they became residents of Ohio about the year 1815. They resided in Carroll county, that state, until their respective deaths, the father dying in 1850, and the mother in 1886, the latter having reached the advanced age of ninety-six years. Their family consisted of six boys and six girls, two of whom died in infancy. The rest of the family grew up and scattered to various parts of the country, all being farmers except the youngest. The early life of our subject was spent on a farm, and in 1840 he was married to Tabitha Edwards whose parents moved from Virginia to Ohio as early as the year 1805. After his marriage Mr. Iden began farming for himself in his native county, where he remained until 1844, when he re- moved to Owen county, Ind., which at that time was sparsely set- tled, and where he went through the usual pioneer experiences. He moved to Marshall county in 1859, settling in Bourbon town- ship, where he has since resided in the pursuit of his chosen call- ing, farming. Mr. and Mrs. Iden have had five children: Lu- cinda, widow of Jacob Mong; George W .; John Henry; Frances M., wife of William Sparrow, and Hannah, wife of George Schram. The family are nearly all members of the Disciples church, and Mr. Iden is a democrat. George Washington Iden, the eldest
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son, was married to Evaline Burch, and moved to Marshall county, Iowa, in the year 1876, where they still reside.
S. S. Keller, a native of Cumberland county, Penn., was born June 6th, 1849, and is a son of Daniel and M. Catherine (Kline) Keller, who are still living in the above county and state. Mr. and Mrs. Keller have had ten children, the subject of this sketch being the only representative of this family in Indiana. He was reared on a farm, and in the spring of 1871 came to Bourbon, at which place he attended school one year and subsequently at- tended two years at Earlham college at Richmond. He engaged in farming on the place where he now lives in 1875, at which time his farm consisted of 160 acres, but which now numbers 200 acres, the greater part of which is under a successful state of cul- tivation. Mr. Keller is a successful farmer, and also pays consid- erable attention to the breeding of fine stock, principally Dur- ham and Jersey cattle, being one of the well informed stockmen of the county. He taught school in Bourbon township two terms and was quite successful as an instructor. He is a republi- can in politics, but has never been an aspirant for office, preferr- ing to give his entire attention to his farming interests. Mr. and Mrs. Keller are members of the German Baptist church of Bourbon. Mr. Keller and Ellen E. Bland, daughter of Alex- ander Bland of this county, were united in marriage in the sum- mer of 1872, and they have a family of six children whose names are as follows: Arthur M., Vernon C., Grace M., Herbert A., Bessie A. and Mabel C. The Keller family came originally from Switzerland and were among the early settlers of Penn sylvania.
A. Kinsey is a son of Christian Kinsey, a native of Switzer- land, who came to the United States in 1847, settling in Crawford county, Ohio, where the family remained until their removal to Marshall county, Ind., in 1853. The father died in 1867, and the mother a year previous. They had a family of ten children, four of whom are at this time prominent residents of Marshall county. Al Kinsey was born in Switzerland in 1846, being about one and a half years old when his parents came to this country. He remained under the parental roof until twenty-one years of age, at which time he engaged in farming, as a renter, and in 1875 bought his present place, which he cleared and developed, and upon which are many valuable improvements. He was mar- ried August, 1865, to Nancy Adamson, who has borne him six children, four sons and two daughters. Mr. Kinsey is a repub- lican in politics and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, while his wife belongs to the United Brethren church.
John K. Lawrence, a prominent citizen of Bourbon, and ex- county treasurer, is a native of Ohio, born in Wayne county, that state, in the year 1842. His parents, Philip and Eliza Law- 20-B.
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rence, located in Auglaize county, Ohio, in 1843, and still reside there upon a farm. They were both born in the year 1816, in the state of Pennsylvania. John K. Lawrence passed his early life in Auglaize county, and was a resident of the same until 1863, at which time he entered the army, enlisting in Company E, One Hundred and Eighteenth Ohio infantry, with which he served gallantly until the close of the war. In 1868 he came to Kosciusko county, Ind., where he was engaged in mercantile pur- suits until 1872, at which time he came to Bourbon, and also en- gaged in merchandising. In 1882 he was elected county treasurer, re-elected in 1884, and earned the reputation of being an able and painstaking public servant. He has always been a democrat in politics and is recognized as one of the standard bearers of his party in this county. In the fall of 1868 he was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Upton, of Mercer county, Ohio, to which union three children have been born: Winnie Z., Mary and Dora.
A. C. Matchette, M. D., a distinguished physician and surgeon of northern Indiana, was born in Wayne county, this state, August 24th, 1837, and is the son of Dr. William J. and Eliza (Wasson) Matchette, natives of Virginia. The family came to Indiana in 1842 and located in Goshen, in the high school of which city the doctor received his early educational training, and later pursued his studies in the Northwestern university at Chi- cago. He learned the drug trade with his father in Goshen, under whose instruction he also commenced the study of medi- cine, assisted in the latter by his brother, W. C. Matchette, a prominent physician of that place. He subsequently pursued his professional reading under the able instruction of Profs. H. A. Johnson and Edward Andrews, of Chicago, and graduated with honor from the medical college of that city in March, 1860. The doctor was almost wedded to clinical work, spending every avail- able hour in the wards of the United States Marine hospital, Mercy hospital, St. Luke's and others, being awarded the posi- tion of interne in the two former and chief of the college dis- pensary over the claims of many other candidates, although he himself had not been a candidate for the hospital appointments. The doctor was tendered a position in the navy in 1861, which he declined for an appointment as surgeon in the United States army, in which capacity he served during the war of the rebellion, leaving the service with the rank of surgeon in chief of artillery of division of west Tennessee, including west Tennessee, Mis- sissippi and Arkansas. During his military service he was elected president of the military surgical association of the de- partment of the Mississippi, with headquarters at Memphis. After the close of the war he engaged in the practice of his pro- fession with his brother, W. C. Matchette, at Bourbon, Ind.,
acmatcherta med.
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where with the exception of two years spent in Chicago, he has since resided. He went to Chicago in 1866 and engaged in the drug business, giving especial attention to the manufacture and wholesaling of drugs and perfumery, in which he met with very flattering success. He returned to Bourbon in 1868, and resumed the practice which he has since carried on in connection with the drug business, his professional life in this town extending over a period of twenty-five years. During this time he has built up an immense practice, one of the most extensive in northern Indi- ana, and to such an extent has his ability been recognized that he frequently sends prescriptions to all parts of the Union besides several European countries. In 1886 he purchased a large sani- tarium at Detroit, Mich., which had a capacity for 500 patients and conducted the same for several years. This institution was supplied with a complete system of baths, mineral water, electric, Russian, Turkish, etc., and was well patronized during the time the doctor remained in charge. The doctor's practice is both general and special, and in the latter he has frequently been called to attend difficult cases in distant states several times as far remote as California. He has written much for the public, and is well-known as a contributor to many of the leading medical journals of this country and Europe. He has also traveled quite extensively and is a man of broad and liberal views and upon all the leading questions of the day he has de- cided opinions which he does not hesitate to express. The doc- tor has but little taste for public life although he has frequently been tendered official positions from that of town, county and state office up to that of representative in the congress of the United States, all of which he has seen fit to decline. He is not a politician in the strict sense of that term, being bound to no particular party, preferring to be governed by careful judgment of candidates and political measures in the exercise of the elec- tive franchise. He is a Mason, Odd Fellow, Red Man, A. O. U. W. and also belongs to the G. A. R., in all of which fraterni- ties he has been an active worker and leading spirit. The doctor is not a member of the church, his religion being that Christi- anity which manifests itself in the every day actions of life rather than ostentatious service in the sanctuary once a week. He is a close reader of religious literature, and while not taking much interest in public preaching, reads all of the published sermons of the leading divines of the country. The doctor is now devot- ing considerable attention to the manufacture of specialties, used in his own practice for the last thirty years, which have gained a great reputation among his own patrons and the public generally for the cure of certain diseases. As a public-spirited citizen the doctor has been an earnest advocate of all movements having for their object the material advancement of the town, and
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especially has he been interested in behalf of railroads and other improvements that would redound to the benefit of the country at large. In addition to his extensive practice he is at this time connected with L. H. Whittaker in one of the largest and best stocked drug houses in the northern part of the state. He was married in 1866 to Miss Marie Louise C. Curran, second daughter of Rev. R. A. Curran, of Huntington, Ind., a former resident of Trenton, N. J., a union blessed with the birth of one child, Richard O.
Ignatius Mattingly, a well-known newspaper man of Mar- shall county, is a native of the eastern shore of Maryland, where he was born in 1811. In the fall of 1812 his parents emigrated to Kentucky and settled at Richmond, in Madison county. At an early age young Mattingly entered a printing office belonging to his brother and learned to set type. In 1831 he was married, and shortly afterward went to Illinois to seek his fortune. There he taught a winter term of school, and in the spring removed to Vin- cennes, Ind. He secured a situation on the Vincennes Sun, then edited by the venerable Elihu Stout. Mr. Mattingly re- mained there until 1836, when he went to Corydon, Ind., and commenced the publication of the Weekly Investigator. At first neutral, the paper finally came out for the whig party and be- came a zealous and influential champion of that cause. After about three years, Mr. Mattingly sold his paper, and subsequently bought a half interest in the New Albany Daily and Weekly Gazette. This venture proved a losing one, and later on Mr. Mat- tingly returned to Corydon a poorer but wiser man. Subse- quently here-purchased the Gazette, and continued its publication for eight years, when he sold out to a young lawyer of New Al- bany, by the name of T. C. Slaughter. Thinking he had enough of that costly and fascinating, but unremunerative work known as "printing a paper," Mr. Mattingly embarked in the mercantile business. But, like many others who have once got printer's ink on their fingers, Mr. Mattingly found it difficult to keep out of the seductive pursuit, and moved to Plymouth, Ind., where he bought a paper called the Banner. He changed the name to the Marshall County Republican, and issued the first number the week before the state election in 1856. The Republican com- menced its career just as that young political giant known as the republican party, after achieving some notable local victories was girding its loins for a much mightier struggle which was des- tined to result in a national victory of the greatest import and inaugurate the most remarkable period in the history of North America. It was a good time to commence the publication of a republican paper in a northern state, and Mr. Mattingly soon placed his journal on a sound financial basis, and made it one of the best county papers in the state. In 1868 he sold the Republi-
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can to Mr. John S. Bender, and tried the lumber business for a year or two. But he could not long keep his fingers out of the ink, so in 1871 we find the veteran editor again on the tripod and publishing the Bourbon County Mirror, of which he still has charge at the date of this sketch. Though he has in his time helped many others to political prominence and positions of value, Mr. Mattingly has, himself, never held any office. It is the mission of the editor to make great men out of very small material and to reap abundantly of the hard knocks of politics, while experiencing few or none of its rewards or riches. Mr. Mattingly, we believe, enjoys the title of "oldest editor in the state," and those who have known him long agree in saying that he has so discharged the duties of editor as to reflect credit both upon himself and his profession.
William Myers is a native of Elkhart county, Ind., and dates his birth from the year 1847. He is a son of David and Catherine Myers, who moved to Indiana a number of years ago from Ohio, settling in Elkhart county. His paternal ancestors were natives of Germany, from which country they came to the United States in an early day. The name of the subject's mother previous to her marriage was Catherine Bonner. She died when William was quite young. His father afterward re-married and raised a second family of five children. William Myers is one of a family of four children, three sons and one daughter. His early life, similar to that of the majority of country boys, was uneventful, having been passed 'mid the rugged duties of the farm, with a few months at- tendance each year in the common schools, where he obtained his education. In 1872 he was united in marriage to Sarah Foust, daughter of Henry Foust, of Sommerset county, Penn., and in 1874 he moved to Marshall county, and purchased his present home place in the western part of Bourbon township. Mr Myers is a successful farmer, and socially is well respected by his neighbors and friends. Politically he is a republican, but has never taken any active part in politics. He and wife are both members of the German Baptist church, in which he is also a minister, having been elected as such in 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Myers have a family consisting of the following children: Mil- lard, Carrie, Stella, Nettie and Calvin.
James O. Parks, lawyer and prominent citizen of Bourbon, was born March 20th, 1813. His parents, natives of Maryland and Virginia, moved to Bourbon county, Ky., when he was quite a young child. The family consisted of eight brothers and two sisters, all of whom lived to become heads of families. The mother of Mr. Parks was a woman of unusual ability. To a well developed physical organization were added rare moral and in- tellectual endowments, and she was well informed upon all the questions of the day, and familiar with the standard literature of
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the period in which she lived. Her energy of character and in- tegrity have been fully reproduced in the subject of this sketch, who for a number of years has ranked with the intelligent citi- zens of Marshall county. His early education was obtained un- der many difficulties, and owing to circumstances over which he had no control he was unable to attend school after his four- teenth year. In 1827 he came with his father's family to Rush county, Ind., and was a resident of that part of the state until 1835, at which time he became a resident of Marshall county. In the meantime he had become proficient in the science of sur- veying and civil engineering, and for fifteen years was a special agent of the general government in looking up illegal claims, during which time he also followed surveying in this and other counties. In 1839 his father died, after which James was left to manage the large estate. In 1844 he was elected justice of the peace, the duties of which he discharged for three years, when he resigned in order to make the race for the legislature, to which he was elected as representative of Marshall county in 1847. He was re-elected in 1848, and in 1852 was admitted to the bar of Marshall county, and began the practice of his profession, which has extended over a period of twenty-seven years. As a lawyer Mr. Parks has been painstaking, and he has the reputa- tion of a safe and reliable counselor. In 1860 he went to the Virgin islands on a private mission to settle an estate involving a considerable amount of capital. This was the only extensive trip ever taken outside of the United States, though he has traveled extensively over various parts of this country. Mr. Parks was married in 1836, to Miss Susie Dinwiddie, to which union two sons and two daughters have been born.
Sinclair D. Parks, oldest son of James O. Parks, was born in Kosciusko county, Ind., in the year 1837, and came with his par- ents to Bourbon township at the age of one year. With short intermissions he has been a resident of the above mentioned township ever since, and is classed among its best known and most intelligent citizens. He was raised a farmer, to which use- ful calling he has since given his attention, and in which he has been very successful. His early scholastic training was of a lim- ited character, but his father, a man of superior intelligence, di- rected his studies at home, and afterward sent him to the acad- emy at Waveland, in which he obtained a good literary educa- tion. Subsequently he took up the study of law, and in order to become proficient in the same he entered the law department in the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from which he graduated, and then began the practice of his profession in the town of Bourbon where he has sice resided. He has a good business and practices in the courts of Marshall and adjoining counties, in all of which he sustains the reputation of a sound
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lawyer and successful practitioner. He inherits in a marked de- gree the strong mental qualities so abundantly possessed by his father, and has succeeded his parent in a great measure to the well deserved confidence of the people. To Mr. and Mrs. Parks, whose maiden name was Maria A. Nolan, were born three child- ren: Orison, Early and Claud, all of whom are deceased. In connection with the legal profession, Mr. Parks, as already stated, gives considerable attention to agricultural pursuits, being at this time proprietor of a fine farm of 120 acres a short dis- tance north of Bourbon. He is a republican in politics, and as such has rendered his party valuable services in Marshall county.
Martin Reed, retired, was born in Erie county, N. Y., Feb- ruary 15, 1827, son of Benjamin and Lucy Maria (Stricker) Reed, who left York state about the year 1834, and moved to Detroit, Mich. The family subsequently moved to Marshal county, Ind., and settled on a farm in the southern part of Bourbon township, which he purchased from the government. The family were among the early settlers of this part of the county, and Mr. Reed became one of the leading citizens of Bourbon township. The mother died in this township April 9, 1865, and the father afterward moved to Kansas, thence to Missouri, where his death occurred February, 1878. He served in the war of 1812, as did also his father, who was killed in that struggle. The following are the names of the children born to Benjamin and Lucy M. Reed: Betsy Ann (deceased), Israel, Mrs. Lucinda Merrill, Laura (deceased), Martin, Richard (deceased), Mrs. Eliza Jane Grant, William H. H. C., Mrs. Candas A. Keller. Martin Reed came to Marshall county when the country was new, and grew to manhood amid the stirring scenes of pioneer life, attending the indifferent schools of that period as circumstances would permit. He helped to clear the homestead farm and has always followed farming, in which he has met with well deserved success. In an early day he ran an ashery with his father, which produced much of the saleratus used by the pioneers of the community. April 9, 1848, he married Miss Emeline Towns, daughter of Elijah T. and Roxana (Bassett) Towns, who were natives of Canada and early settlers of New York. After his marriage, Mr. Reed located on eighty acres of land, in section 29, Bourbon township, upon which he lived for a few years, and then moved to Iowa, settling in Black Hawk county, that state, which was his home until 1861, when he returned to Marshall county. He followed farming quite successfully in Bourbon township until 1883, when he re- tired from active life, and is now spending his declining years in the town of Bourbon. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Reed, viz .: Margaret, wife of Wayne Jordan, who has six children; Charles W., resident of Center township, married Mary
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