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 41
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Saltenright died February 3, 1876. By her present marriage Mrs. Bohmer has two children, Clara J. and Ada E .. Mr. and Mrs Bohmer are members of the Wesleyan Methodist church. He is a staunch supporter of the republican party. Mr. Bohmer's par- ents, Conrad and Barbara (Weirermiller) Bohmer, were both na- tives of Bavaria, Germany, and came to the United States in. 1857. He was by occupation a weaver, and followed that trade after coming to America. His first wife died in March, 1853, and in 1855, he married Miss Wolf, who accompanied him to America. He afterward engaged in farming, and died May 16, 1866, at the age of sixty-two years.
D. S. Conger, a former well-known resident and pioneer set- tler of North township now retired, was born in Butler county, Ohio, November 9th, 1810, the son of David and Eve (Trout- man) Conger, natives respectively of New Jersey and Pennsyl- vania. The family moved to Butler county, Ohio, in an early day, and the father served in the war of 1812. Mrs. Conger died in the year 1824, and four years later Mr. Conger married Miss Mary Taner, who survived him many years, having lived to be over ninety years of age. David Conger died in the year 1848. His father, Designa Conger, was a native of New Jersey, and a soldier in the war of the revolution. David Conger reared a family of nine children, all by the first wife, four of whom are now living, viz .: The subject of this mention, David J., of Shelby county, Ind .; John T., of the same county, and William A., of Knox county, Ill. D. S. Conger grew to manhood in Butler county, Ohio; remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age, at which time he started in life for himself as a farmer. He was married in 1831 to Sarah, daughter of Jacob and Nancy (Linn) Powers, who was born in Butler county, Ohio, Febru- ruary 7th, 1810. Two years after his marriage Mr. Conger came to Indiana, and located near Logansport, Cass county, settling upon land which he had previously purchased and upon which he resided until his removal to Marshall county in 1836. On coming to this county he located a farm in what is now North township, in which part of the county his father-in-law also moved, the two families having been among the pioneer settlers. Mr. Conger's life was that of nearly all early settlers in a new country, and he experienced in full measure the many hardships and trials incident to clearing and developing homes in the for- est. He cleared three farms in Indiana, and still owns a fine place in North township, from which he retired in 1878, moving to Plymouth, where he is now passing his declining years in re- tirement. Mr. Conger has filled several official positions, having been trustee of North township for fifteen years, and also com- missioner of the county for one term. He is a republican in politics, voted in 1836 for Gen. Harrison, and also cast his ballot
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for him in 1840. Of Mr. Conger's children, three are living at this time: David, of New Albany; William, on the homestead; and Mary Jane, wife of John H. Chase, of Plymouth. Mr. and Mrs. Conger are members of the Baptist and Methodist churches, respectively.
William H. Conger, farmer and stock-raiser, is a native of Marshall county, born in North township, October 24th, 1842, and is a son of D. S. and Sarah (Powers) Conger. Paternally he is descended from Scotch ancestry, the Conger family having come to America prior to the revolution, in which struggle his great- grandfather bore a distinguished part. The parents were both natives of Ohio, born in Butler county. The early life of our subject was passed on the farm, and he attended the common schools in which he obtained an education that enabled him to follow the teacher's profession for some time in his native town- ship. He remained at home until attaining his majority, and afterward, in partnership with an older brother, D. J. Conger, engaged in the lumber business, which he continued until March, 1865, when he entered the army, enlisting in Company I, One hundred and Fifty-fifth Indiana volunteers, with which he served until honorably discharged at Indianapolis. While in the service he was detailed as company clerk, and also acted as regi- mental clerk and assistant adjutant. Returning to Plymouth, August, 1865, he at once resumed the lumber business, which he followed until the spring of 1868, when he disposed of his inter- ests and moved to his present home in North township, where he 'has since given his attention to farming and stock-raising. He has a fine grain farm of 120 acres, and also manages his father's homestead, his real estate being among the most valuable in this part of the county. He is an active worker in the republican party, and belongs to the Masonic fraternity, and also to the G. A. R. Miss Lottie A. Smith, who was born in Orange county, N. Y., became his wife, December 26th, 1867. Mrs. Conger was born July 30th, 1846, and is the daughter of J. N. and Catherine C. (Chase) Smith, both parents natives of New York, the father of Irish, and the mother of English, descent. Mr. and Mrs. Conger have four children, viz .: Harry E., Charles H., Ray E. and Effie M.
The subject of this sketch is P. N. Cummins, who was born in North township, this county, February 18, 1841. His father, David Cummins, was one of two children born to Caleb and Silva (Corbin) Cummins, both natives of New York, and early resi- dents of Indiana, having moved to Henry county about the year 1820. David Cummins came to Henry county in early childhood, and in 1834, became a resident of Marshall county. He married March 21, 1834, Miss Eliza Schroeder, who was born in Indiana, in the year 1817, Mr. Cummins having been born in New York,
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four years previous to that date. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Cummins settled in Marshall county, and later became resi- dents of North township. Their daughter Mary A., born Jan- uary 28, 1835, was perhaps the first child born in this territory, embraced in the present limits of this township. In 1852, Mr. Cummins located in section 16, and later purchased 160 acres in section 22, a part of which is now owned by the subject of this sketch. Here he improved a farm and became a leading citizen of the community. His first wife died in 1884, aged sixty-seven years, having been a consistent member of the Wesleyan church. Mr. Cummins is still living making his home with his son, P. N. Cummins, and is a well preserved man of seventy-seven years. His has been a very active life, and from a wilderness state he has seen North township developed into one of the best cultivated and most prosperous districts of northern Indiana. His family consisted of six children, viz .: Mary A., Nancy, Joel, Peter N., Marion and Sarah; the second, fourth and fifth are still living. Peter N. Cummins is purely a Marshall county man, having passed all of his life with the exception of the period spent in the service and one winter in Rochester, within its borders. His education was received in the country schools, and he began working for himself at the age of twenty- one, but remained with his parents until the date of his marriage, which was consummated April 10, 1866, with Miss Amanda Ridg- way, who was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, February 26, 1845, the oldest daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Link) Ridg- way. These parents were both natives of Delaware, were mar- ried in Ohio, and came to Marshall county in 1865, locating at Linkville, where they accumulated handsome property. They reared a family of four children, viz: Mrs. Cummins, Mrs. Enoch Baker, Orlando and Richard. Mrs. Ridgway died in the year 1867, and Mr. Ridgway was afterward twice married, the second time to Mrs. Polly Ann Guard, and his third wife was Jane McBroom, who is still living. Mr. Cummins removed to his pres- ent home in the fall of 1866, since which time he has cleared and developed a fine farm from what was then an unbroken forest. He served in the late war, responding to the last call for volun- teers in the spring of 1865, enlisting in Company H, One Hun- dred and Fifty-fifth regiment, from which he was honorably dis- charged the following June. In all of his relations in life, Mr. Cummins bears the reputation of an upright and honorable man, and as a prohibitionist takes an active part in political affairs. His family consists of two children, viz .: Carry D. and Allen B.
George Eckert, dealer in general merchandise in Linkville, was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, October 24, 1862, and is the second son of John and Matilda Eckert, natives of Germany and Pennsylvania respectively. The father came to America a
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number of years ago, settling in Tuscarawas county, where he was married, and in 1865, became a resident of Marshall county, Ind., locating at.Linkville, where he followed the trade of shoe- making. Later in life he turned his attention to farming, and died August, 1889, aged sixty-four years. He was three times married, the last union resulting in the birth of six children, three sons and three daughters. George Eckert came to this county when three years of age, and received his education in the common schools, working on the farm during his vacations. When twenty years of age, he invested a small amount of capi- tal in notions, which he offered for sale in the village of Link- ville, where his business soon increased to such an extent that a building became necessary. He erected a commodious structure in 1886, in which he now carries a well ordered assortment of merchandise, and is in the enjoyment of a lucrative trade. He has increased his capital from time to time, and keeps in stock all the goods required by the general trade, and by studying the wants of his patrons, has become a very popular and successful merchant. He was married December 26, 1866, to Emma, daugh- ter of Lewis and Catherine (Hoskins) Davis, who has borne him one child, Floyd F., whose birth occurred February 29, 1888. Mrs. Eckert was born in Hancock county, Ohio, and came to this county in 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Eckert are members of the Wesleyan church.
Joseph E. Emerson, a well-known old resident of Marshall county, was born in what is now Lake county, Ohio, March 18, 1818. His father, Elijah Emerson, was the son of Jesse Emer- son, who took part in the war of the revolution, his first battle being the memorable engagement of Bunker Hill. He was a native of England, and belonged to one of the old Puritan fam- ilies which came to America in the time of the colonies. Elijah Emerson was born in Massachusetts in the year 1775, in which state he married Miss Savilla Martin, and soon afterward settled in Ohio, where Mrs. Emerson died. He then married Mrs. (Bates) Gurney, who bore him four children: Joseph E., Savilla, Sylva and Violet. Mr. Emerson took part in the war of 1812, and spent the greater part of his life on the frontier. He moved to Michigan in an early day, thence to Wood county, Ohio, and in 1838 immigrated to Indiana, and died in North township, Mar- shall county, in 1840. His wife died the fall of the previous year near Rochester, Fulton county, where the family had stopped to pass the winter. The subject of this sketch assisted his father .in supporting the family, worked hard during the early years of his life, in consequence of which he enjoyed but limited educa- tional advantages. Upon reaching manhood's estate he came to Indiana with his father, with whom he remained until the latter's death, and afterward farmed for himself on rented land. In
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1846 he purchased a part of his present farm to which he has since added, until he now owns 170 acres, the greater part of which is well improved. He also owns another farm three miles west of his home place, and is one of the well equipped farmers of his township. He was married December 14, 1842, to Miss Mary Jones, a native Fleming county, Ky., where she was born October 19, 1817. Mrs. Emerson came with her parents, John and Hannah (Swimm) Jones, to Indiana, locating near Indian- apolis, thence later to Marshall county, in the fall of 1835. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Emerson, viz .: Elijah, John. Lydia (deceased), Mark, Sanford (deceased), George, Helen and Joseph. Mrs. Emerson died in 1877, having lived a consistent life as a member of the Advent church, to which Mr. Emerson also belongs. His two sons, Elijah and John, were sol- diers in the late war, and his daughter is now living with him keeping house and looking after his interests.
Dr. J. J. Hamilton traces his ancestry to the states of Con- necticut and Pennsylvania, where several representatives of his father's and mother's families located in a very early day. His paternal grandfather was born in Connecticut, and was a rela- tive of the celebrated Wolcott family of that state, who were among the early pioneers and Indian fighters. His maternal grandfather, Peter Duler, was a native of France, and a man of some prominence in political circles in that country. He was also a first cousin to Count De Rochambeau, who assisted us in gaining our independence. On account of his espousing the cause of the king, he became obnoxious to the empire, in consequence of which he was obliged to leave the country, which he did after the French revolution, in which struggle he participated for sev- eral years. He received a severe wound from a sword thrust, and also carried a bullet in one of his limbs, the effect of which was to render him a partial cripple for life. On leaving France, he came to the United States, and for some years thereafter ob- tained a livelihood and acquired some means by teaching foreign languages in the city of Philadelphia. He was a man of brilliant attainments, spoke seven different languages fluently, and be- came an intimate friend of many of the representative citizens of Philadelphia, among whom was the celebrated Stephen Girard. He reared a family of two children, both daughters, one the mother of the subject of this sketch, and died at the age of seventy-six years. The father of Dr. Hamilton was Mar- vin P. Hamilton, a native of Connecticut, of Scotch ancestry, and a farmer by occupation. He possessed an adventurous disposi- tion, and in early life served in the Seminole and Indian wars, and also in the war with Mexico, and spent over seven years in the United States army. At the siege of Vera Cruz, he con- tracted asthma, which eventually culminated in consumption, and
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he suffered from that ailment during the rest of his life. On leaving the army, he came to Ohio, and there married Mrs. Frances L. Selby, widow of E. R. Selby. Mr. Hamilton moved to Marshall county, Ind., in 1851, and located an eighty acre land warrant, upon which he resided five years, during which time his two sons, John J. and Henry N. were born. He after- ward removed to West township, where his death occurred in 1868. His widow survived him a number of years, dying in 1882. Mr. Hamilton was engaged in teaching for some years, and was also an ordained minister in the German Baptist church. He was a highly respected citizen, and his death was felt as a per- sonal loss by the citizens of the community in which he resided. Henry N. Hamilton, the only brother of the doctor, is a well- known teacher, and at this time is serving as superintendent of schools in Brule county, S. D. Dr. Hamilton was born in Bour- bon township, March 22, 1853. He enjoyed the advantages of the common schools, in which he acquired a good English edu- cation, and at the age of eighteen began teaching, which he fol- lowed with good success until his twenty-fifth year. When he was but fifteen years of age his father died, and from that time on he was obliged to contribute his share towards the support of the family, in consequence of which his scholastic training was not completed as he had originally intended. Having decided to make the medical profession the channel in which his life voyage was to be made, he began preparing for the same at the age of twenty-five years, in the office of William H. Meyers, of Fort Wayne, under whose instructions he continued two years, and then began the practice at Linkville, this county. He at- tended medical lectures during the winters of 1880 and 1881, and graduated from the Fort Wayne medical college, in the latter year, after which he resumed the practice at Linkville, where he continued until June, 1886. In that year, he removed to La Paz, where he has since resided, doing a large and lucrative practice in various parts of the county. Professionally, the doctor has won an enviable reputation in his calling, and he is one of the thorough going young men in this part of the country. Politi- cally he is a democrat, and, as such, was elected to the office of coroner, in 1888. He was married April 22, 1880, to Miss Ann Eliza Seltenright, of North township, daughter of William Seltenright, a union blessed with the birth of two children, William H. and T. W. Dr. and Mrs. Hamilton are worthy members of the Wesleyan Methodist church.
The subject of the accompanying sketch, Daniel K. Harris, ex-sheriff of Marshall county, and a successful farmer and stock- raiser, is a native of Ohio, born in Wayne county, that state, November 27, 1833. His father, Barton Harris, was born in Virginia, in 1798, and when a small boy moved to Wayne county,
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Ohio, where he grew to manhood. He was a skillful mechanic, and later in life followed farming. He was married in Wayne county, Ohio, to Lydia Rice, and became the father of twelve children, seven sons and five daughters, the subject of this sketch being the sixth in number. The family left Wayne county in 1842, moving to Holmes county, that state, where the father's death occurred in 1850, at the age of fifty-two years. Mrs. Harris moved to Indiana in the fall of 1852, locating in Center town- ship, Marshall county, where she purchased a piece of wood- land which was afterward improved by her son-in-law, John G. Andras. She died February, 1869, having lived upon this farm until within a short time prior to her death. The early years of Daniel K. Harris were spent in Holmes county, Ohio, and his educational training was received in such schools as the country at that time afforded. On leaving home he entered upon an apprenticeship, at sixteen years of age, to learn the trade of wool carder and fuller, which he abandoned after following it three seasons, and found employment as a farm laborer at 371/2 cents per day. He was married December 23rd, 1852, to Miss Elizabeth Fryar, of St. Joseph county, Ind., who was born March 16, 1837, the youngest of ten children born to George and Elizabeth (Weaver) Fryar, natives of Virginia and Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Harris five children have been born, viz .: Ida L. (deceased), John H .; Emma A., wife of Alvin Spacey; Marion L. and Robert A. After his marriage Mr. Harris located in Center township, where he lived until 1860, in which year he moved to the farm where he now lives, the only improvement at that time being a small cabin and eight acres of partially cleared land. Since then he has added various improvements and has brought nearly all of his land under cultivation, and now owns one of the well ordered farms of the township. He served in the late war from September, 1864, to the following June, during which time his regiment was under Sherman in the Georgia campaign, and took part in the celebrated march to the sea. Mr. Harris was elected sheriff of Marshall county in the year 1870, having carried the usual democratic majority, and in 1872 was re-elected by a largely increased vote. He proved a careful and efficient officer, and during his incumbency became widely acquainted throughout the county, and is now one of the popular citizens. He has served fourteen years as assessor of his town- ship, having been elected the last time in the spring of 1890 for four years, which he says will end his official record. He and wife are active members of the Wesleyan Methodist church.
Ebenezer Helms, the subject of this sketch, is descended from German ancestry on the father's side, his great-grandfather, Jacob Helms, having come from the fatherland to Pennsylvania during the early history of that state. John Helms, the son of
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Jacob, and grandfather of Ebenezer, was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and a soldier in the war of the revolution. The subject's father was John Helms, who became a resident of Kentucky at an early day, and later moved to southern Indiana, where he married Sally Ryker, who was the daughter of John Ryker, a native of one of the New England states, and of Dutch descent. John Ryker was one of the pioneer settlers of Kentucky, and took part with Daniel Boon in the Indian wars of the "dark and bloody ground," and was later a captain in the army of Gen. Anthony Wayne. During that general's celebrated campaign against the Indians in the West Mr. Ryker rose by successive ap- pointments to the office of general, having been one of his com- mander's warmest friends and most trusted advisers. He settled in Kentucky in his boyhood days, was married there, and later moved to Jefferson county, Ind., locating upon what has since been known as Ryker's ridge, which took its name from the family. John Helms moved to Hamilton county in 1829, settling near the town of Noblesville, where he acquired valuable property, and where his death occurred in 1876 at the age of seventy-five. His wife preceded him to the grave, dying about eight years prior to that date. Ebenezer Helms was born July 31, 1826, and was reared to manhood in Hamilton county. At the age of twenty- one he began working for himself as a hired man, and later, in 1848 entered land near Kokomo, Howard county, where he im- proved a farm upon which he lived until 1862, at which time he moved to Kosciusko county. In the meantime, September 19, 1850, he married Miss Hannah Bradshaw, who was born in Green county, Penn., July 14, 1830, the daughter of Rev. John W. and Mary (Zook) Bradshaw, natives of that state. On moving to Kosciusko county Mr. Helms located near Galveston, and later purchased land near Millwood, where he lived until be- coming possessor of his present farm in North township in 1882. He owns a farın of 160 acres, splendidly improved, and ranks with the successful agriculturists of the county. By his first wife, who died in 1878, he had a family of seven children, viz .: Mary (deceased), Lettie; Sallie A., wife of William Hammond; Harriet, wife of Isaiah Kinney; Emma, wife of James Pierce; John, Milton (deceased), and William. Mr. Helms' second marriage was consummated June 7, 1884, with Mrs. Jennie (East- wood) Spade, who was born near Cookstown, Penn., October, 1840. Politically, Mr. Helms is a republican, having formerly been a whig. He and wife are consistent members of the Advent church.
Simon Keiser, a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, and oldest son of John and Lucy (Kerstetler) Keiser, was born March 28, 1841. His parents were both natives of Pennsylvania, and of German descent, the father born in 1809 and the mother in 1813.
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Daniel Keiser, the subject's grandfather, came from Germany about the beginning of the present century, and located in Penn- sylvania, where he followed the occupation of farming, and where he reared a family of ten children. John Keiser was reared a farmer and afterward learned the blacksmith trade with his father-in-law, Michael Kerstetler, and followed that calling a number of years. When Simon Keiser was one year old his parents moved to Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in which part of the state he spent the years of his youth and early manhood, attend- ing in the meantime the common schools. He resided in that county until 1875, when he moved with his father to Coshocton county, and engaged in milling business, which he continued until the spring of 1877. In the latter year he moved to Mar- shall county, Ind., and purchased 120 acres of land in Polk town- ship, upon which he lived until September, 1879, when he became possessor of his present place, consisting of 126 acres in North township. Mr. Keiser is a man of striking physique, weighing 273 pounds, and is in the vigorous possession of all his physical and mental faculties. He is highly respected in the community, and is a deservedly popular citizen in every respect. He was first married August, 1863, to Miss Mary Price, daughter of Jonathan Price, a union blessed with the birth of six children: John W., Alice, Margaret M., Lucy A., James A. and Franklin W. Mrs. Keiser died June 25, 1887, and on the 7th day of September, 1889, Mr. Keiser married Mrs. Mary J. Chew, daughter of Wiley and Miranda (Price) Riddle. Mrs. Keiser was born in St. Joseph county, Ind., December 28th, 1845, and is the mother of three children by her first marriage, Bertha, Lida B. and Albert L.
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