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 48
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G. W. Morelock, a native of Germany, was born in the year 1820, and came to America at the age of twenty-seven, and for two years thereafter lived on Long Island, N. Y. He subse- quently moved to Rochester, that state, near which city he fol- lowed farming for three and one-half years, thence moved to Ohio, where he was married to Elizabeth Morelock. In 1854 he came to Marshall county, where he has since resided, and since 1875 in West township. Mr. and Mrs. Morelock have a family of seven children, five boys and two girls, all of whom, with one exception, reside in Marshall county. The members of the
438
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
family are in comfortable circumstances and it is a fact worthy of note, that not one of his children has ever touched intoxicat- ing liquors or used tobacco in any form. The history of Mr. Morelock's early life is one of hard work and small remun- eration, while industry and frugality tell the story of his success. He is a member of the German Baptist church, joining while quite young, and in politics believes in the principles of the demo- cratic party of which he has been for years a zealous supporter. His limited knowledge of the English language has prevented him from aspiring to office which his education would otherwise justify him in seeking, as he is well-informed in his native tongue, having received a professional training in civil engineering. The secret of Mr. Morelock's success in life to use his own language is "not in trading, not in swindling, but in the honest sweat of my own brow." John A. Morelock, eldest son of the above described, was born in 1854, in Marshall county, where he has since resided. He was married, October, 1879, to Dora Cramton, whose father, Smith Crampton, was one of the pioneers of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Morelock have two interesting children, and are among the popular and well-to-do people of the com- munity. He is a democrat in politics, always alive to the inter- ests of his county, and a prime mover in all enterprises that tend to its welfare. E. R. Morelock, brother of the preceding, and fourth child of G. W. Morelock, was born in Union township in the year 1858. His early life was uneventful and his education was obtained in the common schools of the country. In 1883 he was married and the same year began farming for himself in West township, about one-fourth of a mile south of the central part. His wife, whose maiden name was Fannie Crawford, is the daughter of Elijah Crawford, also of West township. They have one child, Cora M. Mr. Morelock is in principle a democrat, and takes an active part in the political affairs of the county.
James Thompson, now deceased, was for many years one of the most widely and favorably known citizens of Marshall county. His ancestry as far as there is any accurate knowledge, is purely American. His father, Larkin Tompson, was a Virginian by birth, and his mother was also a native of the old Dominion state. The father was a tanner by trade, to which trade the subject of this sketch was also trained, but he never followed it after arriv- ing at his majority. Mr. Thompson was born in Virginia, Feb- ruary 9, 1808, and here grew to manhood. He removed from his native state to Clark county, Ohio, where he lived several years, and during his residence in the latter state, was joined in mar- riage to Elender Fuller, whose parents were also Virginians. After a few years' residence in Ohio, Mr. Thompson came to In- diana and settled in La Porte county, and later moved to Mar- shall county, locating first in the southwest part of what is now
439
MARSHALL COUNTY.
Center township, being among the original pioneers of that lo- cality. After partly clearing a farm there, he moved to the northeast corner of West township, where he made valuable improvemnts, and where he and his descendants became owners of a large and valuable tract of real estate amounting in all to about 640 acres, which presents the results of earnest persistent labor. Mr. Thompson's early education was of necessity quite limited, but in the course of a long and active life he acquired a degree of knowledge that was in many respects almost phenome- nal. He was a man of remarkably accurate judgment, and though he never read a law book in his life he was for many years an acknowledged authority among his neighbors on all points of common law. In his investigations he based his opinions, not so much upon his knowledge of what was law, but what his shrewd common sense taught him it should be. He made a specialty of mathematics, and was to an extent an expert in figures, being able to solve mentally, problems that would necessitate long and intricate calculations by ordinary processes. Politically, Mr. Thompson was a life long and representative democrat of the Jacksonian type, but in the decline of life, abandoned active po- litical life. He was a representative citizen, a faithful friend and a kind and loving father, and in his death, which occurred in 1890, there ended a long and useful life. By his marriage he became the progenitor of several offspring, of which two died in infancy, and one, Milton, departed this life later. The following are the names of the survivors: James M., Jerome B. and W. Clark, are prominent farmers of West township: Frances is the wife of Adam Vinnedge, of Plymouth; Sarah E., wife of Ezra Black, lives in the far west. The youngest, Harriet, is the wife of Scott Marks, a resident farmer near the county seat.
Jerome B. Thompson, the second son of James Thompson, whose sketch appears above, was born in the year 1837, while his parents resided in La Porte county. He grew to manhood on the farm, with the rugged duties of which he early became familiar, and remained under the parental roof until the age of twenty- two, at which time he was united in marriage to Miss Christina Miller. He engaged in the pursuit of agriculture after his mar- riage, and was thus employed about two years, when becoming attracted by the glittering promises of the far off country of California, he made a trip to that state, where he remained, vari- ously employed, about three years. Returning to Marshall county, he resumed farming, which he has since followed, and in which he has met with much more than ordinary success. Mr. Thompson's wife died in 1876, leaving three children, whose names are as follows: Ida, wife of James Ligett; Eleanor, and James L., both of whom still reside with their father. In 1878 Mr. Thompson married Louisa Garner, who bore him two
440
IIISTORY OF INDIANA.
children: Florence and Howard. In 1886, Mr. Thomspon was again called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who was called to her reward that year. While still in the prime of life the subject of this sketch has attained a fair share of this world's goods, and ranks among the first of Marshall county's successful farmers. Per- sonally, he is very popular in the community where he resides. and is also widely and favorably known throughout the county. His political convictions are strongly democratic, but he has never been a partisan in the sense of seeking official position at the hands of his fellow-citizens.
William W. Warnes, the subject of this sketch, is one of the prosperous farmers of West township, who, by intelligent applica- tion, has made rapid progress and improvement in a compara- tively short time. Mr. Warnes was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, in 1842. Of his ancestry, family records and tradition show that his forefathers were among the early American colon- ists, being of Scotch and Irish descent. Our subject came to Indiana in 1848, at which time there were no railroads, the family moving by wagon first to Wabash county, afterward to Miami, and finally to Kosciusko county. Here Mr. Warnes, who was a tanner by trade, concluded that farming was the bet- ter business in this country, consequently began operations in that capacity, and became a well-known citizen of Kosciusko county. His family consisted of eight children. William W. was a young man when the war broke out, but he hastened to enlist in his country's service. He was mustered in 1862 in the Seventy-fourth Indiana, Company F, and his career in the army was of one year's duration, during which time he saw active ser- vice at Perryville, and some minor engagements. At the end of the year he was discharged on account of sickness. After re- turning from the army he attended school a year, an advantage he had never before enjoyed, and so well did he improve his time, that he was fitted for teaching, and followed that calling successfully for several terms. In 1866 Mr. Warnes took for a life partner, Helen M. Jones, whose parents were natives of New York, and, like the Warnes, descendants of the early American settlers. The young people moved at once to Marshall county, and took up their abode on the farm which they still oc- cupy in West township. Mr. Warnes is one of those farmers who might be described as " practical and scientific." His plan is first to test all proposed operations by careful experiment, and base them on results deduced therefrom, and his success may be judged from the fact that his farm has doubled in value within the last ten years. Among the many improvements in which Mr. Warnes takes pride are the two splendid artesian wells and a fine fish pond well stocked with German carp. Our subject's family consists of nine children; of these, the two eldest sons, Harry T.
441
MARSHALL COUNTY.
and J. C. are successful teachers; the others are still in youth and childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Warnes are both members of the United Brethren congregation, of Donaldson. Mr. Warnes is a republican, and is well known, politically, as an honest and faith- ful party leader in his township.
Stephen White was born in Pennsylvania, near the city of Philadelphia, in 1816. When quite young his parents moved to Champaign county, Ohio, where they lived until Stephen was eighteen years of age, at which time the family moved to Mar- shall county, Ind,, and settled in what is now West township. Here his father died at the age of ninety. He was a descendant of one of the old German families of New Jersey, and served with distinction in the war of 1812. His wife, the mother of Stephen, died in Missouri, at the advanced age of ninety-seven years. Stephen White was reared amid the active scenes of pio- neer life, and at the age of twenty years acquired title to the land he now owns, in West township. Upon this land he erected the conventional log cabin, 15 by 16 feet in size, with a seven- foot ceiling, the only tools used in its construction being one hand-saw, one augur, and three axes. He was assisted in its erection by three white men, the only settlers in the vicinity, and thirteen Indians, the latter of whom lived in the village on the banks of Twin Lake, not far away. In 1842, he married Isabel Cordner, of Dayton, Ohio. During the interval between his twentieth and twenty-sixth year, Mr. White worked at the car- riage maker's trade, and later engaged in farming, which has since been his principal occupation. Mr. White states that in 1835 he made a trip to Chicago, then an insignificant town of less than 1,200 inhabitants, and while there, became acquainted with the entire population of the west side, which consisted of one lone hunter. In 1838, Mr. White returned to his place and be- gan earnestly to clear and develop his farm, which in a few years he brought under a successful state of cultivation. His farm is now one of the best in the county, and his buildings and other improvements are second to none in West township. As a re- publican, Mr. White has always taken an active interest in polit- ical affairs, working faithfully for the interest of his party, but has never been a candidate for any office. His family, besides himself and wife, consist of nine children, viz .: Joseph, who lives near the home place, and is a farmer by occupation; Thomas, who resides in South Bend; Amanda J., wife of Eber Burch, of Polk township; Bell, wife of William York; Granville, who lives in Plymouth; Tabitha, wife of John York, of Akron, Ohio; Will- iam, a farmer of West township; Clara, wife of Rev. Stahl, of Wayne county, Ohio; Lozetta, wife of Henry Zekel, of Marshall county. Mr. White is a member of the Odd Fellows order, be- longing to Plymouth lodge, and of the German Reformed church.
442
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
CHAPTER VII.
INDUSTRIAL REVIEW OF MARSHALL COUNTY - MANUFACTURING INTER- ESTS-MILLS OF VARIOUS KINDS-THEIR PRODUCT- RAILROADS AND THEIR VALUATION-TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE COMPANIES -PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS-TAXABLES OF THE COUNTY.
ARSHALL county's commercial interests are only such as are sustained and maintained by the citizens of other agricultural counties in the state, of its size-possessed of like advantages and handicapped with similar weights and disadvantages. Plymouth, the county seat, is only a small inland city, of less than 3,000 inhabitants, with a score of other trading points around it, several of which offer equally as good inducements to purchasers as does the city of Plymouth. Union township, which is numbered one on the records of the county, has no commercial importance whatever in the general sense of the term, and no manufacturing interests-even the saw-mills of the days of yore nearly or quite all having been removed or allowed to rot or rust into a state of worthlessness. Their mis- sion is ended-the forests are gone and their work is done. Union township has two railroads running through it-the Terre Haute & Logansport or "Vandalia" railroad, and the New York, St. Louis & Chicago railroad. The following is a state- ment of the number of miles of main and side tracks, valuation of rolling stock, personal property, etc .:
New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad:
Personal property
$45 00
Improvements on right of way
115 00
Main track, 6 and 38-100 miles, at $12,000 per mile
76,560 00
Side track, I and 80-100 miles, at $2,500 per mile.
4,515 00
Rolling stock - proportion
22,330 00
Total
$103,565 00
Terre Haute & Logansport Railroad:
Personal property .
$30 00
Improvements on right of way
1,035 00
Main track, 7 and 86-100 miles, at $4,500 per mile
35,370 00
Side track, I and 73-100 miles, at $1,500 per mile Rolling stock - proportion
2,595 00
1 1,005 00
Total
$50,035 00
443
MARSHALL COUNTY.
Western Union Telegraphı Co .:
Poles, wires, etc, total.
$2,905 00
Recapitulation of Union township.
$103,565 00
50,035 00
2,905 00
Total
$156,505 00
In Center township, in which is located the county seat, there are, of course, more industrial interests than in any of the other townships in the county. The oldest institution in the place is the " Plymouth Water-mill property," located in the northeastern part of the city of Plymouth. It was first built by Austin Fuller ("Judge Fuller"), about the year 1843. The original frame still stands, but as time has gone along the inner gearing has been remodeled from time to time to keep pace with the new inven- tions and improvements, and it is at this writing, 1890, one of the best flouring and merchant mills in northern Indiana, being thor- oughly equipped with the "roller process," which is all the rage at this date. It is now owned by Mr. William Zehner, for many years a respected citizen of this county and a man of experience in his business. The mill furnishes employment to from four to six hands regularly, or, the year round.
The "Eureka Flouring mill," situated in the central eastern portion of the city-one block east of the Parker house-was constructed about fifteen years ago, or about the year 1875, by Mr. Joseph Westervelt. It was afterward owned by John M. Shoemaker and others. It is now owned by Peter Disher and wife. The mill is very conveniently located and under the watch- ful care of Mr. Disher is doing an excellent custom business and is rapidly growing in favor with the citizens of the county. This mill also employs from four to six hands regularly.
The " Brick Planing mill," built by Mr. George L. Brinck and others, and now owned by Arthur L. Thompson, is located im- mediately south of Thayer's warehouse, on the south side of the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago railroad. It has been in operation fifteen or sixteen years, or since 1874 or 1875. Since the leasing of the Behrens plant to Mr. C. L. Morris, for the " Acme Novelty Works," the Brick planing mill is the only one in the city at this time. Mr. Thompson deals in lumber, doors, blinds, sash and building material generally, and furnishes em- ployment for five or six hands constantly.
The " Old Oglesbee saw-mill," about two squares east of the depot of the formerly I. P. & C. R. R., now Lake Erie & West- ern railroad depot, is the oldest saw mill in the city, having been running here over a quarter of a century. It is still owned
444
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
by Mr. N. H. Oglesbee, but is now rented by Mr. C. L Morris, who employs in it a half dozen hands, regularly. Mr. Morris owns and runs a saw-mill about one block west of the depot of the Terre Haute & Logansport railroad. This is one of the largest and best saw-mills yet remaining in the county. Including the hands employed in the mill and those engaged in drawing logs from his half section of timber land immediately north of the city, he gives employment to about twenty hands or more, constantly.
Mr. Morris is also the owner and proprietor of the " Acme Novelty works," recently put in the planing mill formerly owned and run by John F. Behrens. The industry is a young one but is evidently going to prove a success, as everything does that Mr. Morris engages in. This is the kind of industry we should have had many more of, many years ago- industries that would have used up our material in finer work and given employment to more operatives. In these novelty works employment is given to about twenty-five workmen. If Plymouth had a half dozen C. L. Morrises, she would have a permanent boom.
One of the oldest industries in the county is the tannery in the north part of the city, on the east side of Michigan street. It has been in its present locality at least twenty-five years. It is not run on a very extensive scale and furnishes employment for only three or four hands, generally. Although a very neces- sary institution, it is located in too public a place, and amounts to almost a nuisance to adjacent property owners and is certainly a drawback to that portion of the city. It is owned by Mr. John Shultheiss, a most estimable citizen.
The electric light works are located in the northwest part of the city, between the Lake Erie & Western and the Vandalia railroads. It was built out of a donation made by the citizens of Plymouth with the understanding that a great portion of the Fort Wayne Jenney Electric Light company's works were to be removed here. This the company failed and refused to do, and a suit brought by the citizens to recover the property, is now pending in the supreme court of the state, the case having been decided in the lower court in favor of the citizens. The building is being used for the manufacture of electric batteries and em- ployment is given to a dozen hands most of the time.
In Inwood, in the eastern part of Center township, on the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago railroad, there are two good flouring mills that are doing a good and paying business. The larger one is owned by Daniel C. Shively. The name of the owner of the other the writer of this has been unable to find out.
Mr. George W. Shaffer, former partner of Mr. Morris, now . of Plymouth, owns a very good saw-mill in the village of Inwood
445
MARSHALL COUNTY.
and is doing a fair business, although the timber in that vicinity is getting very scarce, but logs are now made into lumber that in the early days of the county would have been regarded as entirely worthless.
Center township has three railroads running through it and outside of the city of Plymouth has the following number of miles of main and side track and also personal property and rolling stock, appraised as follows:
Western Union Telegraph Co .:
Poles, wires, etc.
$2,540 00
Lake Erie and Western Railroad:
Main track 7 5-100 miles at $6,500 per mile.
$45,825 00
Rolling stock .
14,100 00
Total
$59,925 00
Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago R. R. Co .:
Main track 7 6-100 miles at $28,000 per mile .. .
$197,680 00
Side track I 49-100 miles at $3,500 per mile.
5,215 00
Personal property
90 00
Rolling stock.
45,890 00
Improvements on right of way
500 00
Total
$249,375 00
Terre Haute & Logansport R. R. Co .:
Main track 3 40-100 miles at $4,500 per mile.
$15,300 00
Rolling stock
4,760 00
Total
$20,060 00
Central Union Telephone Co .:
Personal property.
$125 00
American Bell Telephone Co .:
Personal property
$5 00
Recapitulation of Center Township Outside Plymouth:
Western Union Telegraph Co.
$2,540 00
Lake Erie & Western R. R ..
59,925 00
Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago R. R. 249,375 00
Terre Haute & Logansport R. R.
20,060 00
Central Union Telephone Co.
125 00
American Bell Telephone Co.
5 00
Total
$332,030 00
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
PLYMOUTH CITY, IN CENTER TOWNSHIP.
Lake Erie & Western Railroad:
Main track 1.30 miles, at $6,500 per mile
$8,450 00
Side track .85 miles, at $2,000 per mile.
1,700 00
Improvements on right of way.
365 00
Rolling stock - proportion.
2,600 00
Personal property.
20 00
Total.
$13,135 00
Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago Railroad:
Personal property
$935 00
Station grounds.
670 00
Main track, 1.26 miles, at $28,000 per mile.
35,280 00
Side track, 1.660 miles, at $3,500 per mile.
5,810 00
Improvements on right of way.
5,950 00
Rolling stock - proportion
8,190 00
Total
$56,835 00
Western Union Telegraph Company: Poles, wires, etc.
$470 00
Terre Haute & Logansport Railroad Company:
Personal property.
$40 00
Main track, 1.51 miles, at $4,500 per mile
6,795 00
Side track, .46 mile, at $1,500 per mile.
690 00
Rolling stock -proportion.
2,115 00
Improvements on right of way.
510 00
Total
$10,150 00
Central Union Telephone Company: Personal, etc.
$40 00
Bell Telephone Company: Personal, etc.
$15 00
Recapitulation of Center Township and Plymouth City: Center township outside Plymouth.
$332,030 00 Plymouth City:
Lake Erie & Western railroad.
13,135 00
Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago railroad 56,835 00
Western Union Telegraph Co. 470 00
Terre Haute & Logansport railroad
10,150 00
Central Union Telegraph Co.
40 00
Bell Telephone Co.
15 00
Total in Center township and Plymouth City $412,675 00
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MARSHALL COUNTY.
Green township, No. 3, has no store or trading place, even, and has but one postoffice at Wolf Creek mill, after which the postoffice is named-"Wolf Creek." The Wolf Creek mill is situated in the northwestern part of Green township, and was built in the year 1845, by Robert C. Bliven, who, during a rise in the creek, on the 28th day of February, 1850, in attempting to repair or save the dam from breaking, lost his footing and was drowned. The mill passed into the hands of the Zehner family, and is now owned by Mr. Michael B. Zehner. It is one of the few mills in the county that retains the old process of grinding, and many prefer the flour made at this mill to that made by the new roller apparatus, now so universally in use. This mill fur- nishes employment for two or three hands only.
Mr. Thomas L. Voreis runs quite an extensive brick and tile yard in the east central part of Green township, and is succeed- ing well in his business which he has been running for some three years past. In the brick making season he gives employment to eight or ten hands, and one or two the year round.
The New York, St. Louis & Chicago railroad runs through Green township, and the following is the number of miles of main and side, and the valuation of personal property, rolling stock, etc.
Western Union Telegraph Co .:
Poles wires, etc .
$1,890
New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad:
Main track, 4 98-100 miles at $12,000 per mile. . . $59,760
Side track, 140-1,000 mile at $2,500 per mile 350
Rolling stock. 17,430
Total
$79,430
Bourbon township has but one town and postoffice in it, that being also named Bourbon. It is a lively and enterprising place and has many good stores, groceries, etc., but has no commercial interests to speak of. Some years ago the Northern Indiana Lumbering company was located in Bourbon and did a heavy business, but the forests are now nearly all cleared away, and this company is one of the institutions or organizations of the past. There is still one saw-mill in the place, owned by William J. Acker & Son. They also run a planing mill in connection with their saw-mill, but the saw-mill is more a matter of convenience to the citizens of that region than a paying business investment, doubtless.
The " Bourbon Flouring mills" are owned by a flour syndi- cate, and the mill is almost entirely shut down, and it is only used as a place of exchange where patrons bring their wheat
448
HISTORY OF INDIANA.
and get Warsaw flour in exchange. The mill is in the name of H. G. Thayer, of Plymouth, at last date of information, who has business partners in the Warsaw mills. The Bourbon mill is a very fine one and should give employment to at least a half dozen hands, but only one or two are employed, according to best ad- vices, at this time. The mill was built several years ago by the Davis Brothers, and was an honor to the town, but it is swallowed up in monopoly as many other laudable enterprises have been and will continue to be in this county and elsewhere.
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