USA > Indiana > Madison County > History of Madison County, Indiana ; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 62
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Frank Meyer, the father of William P. Meyer, was born in Dortmund Province, Germany, and was there reared to manhood and became a glass
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worker by trade. although he subsequently followed various other occu- pations. In 1887 he emigrated to the United States, and first settled at Tarentum, Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade, but in 1898 came to Elwood, where he has since been employed as a steel worker. While still a resident of Germany, he served in the regular army of his country. He and his wife are consistent members of the Catholic church. They have had five children : John, residing at Jeanette, Pennsylvania ; Frank, who lives at Elwood; William P .; Mary, who makes her home at Elwood, and one child who died in infancy,
William P. Meyer attended the parochial school in Tarentum, Penn- sylvania, until he was eight years of age, at which time he accompanied his parents to Elwood, Indiana, where he finished his primary schooling and took a high school course. For a short time thereafter he was engaged in keeping books, but eventually became connected with the drug business as a clerk in Green's pharmacy, where he remained three years. During this time he studied assiduously, and eventually entered the Indianapolis College of Pharmacy, from which he was graduated a registered pharmacist. On October 5, 1911, he formed a partnership with his former employer, Mr. Green, and since that time the firm style has been Green & Meyer, with Mr. Meyer as manager. The business of the store has shown a gratifying increase and much of this is due to the progressive ideas, improved methods and personal popularity of the junior member of the firm, who has been able to attract to the estab- lishment a new line of trade. He is courteous and obliging, is thoroughly conversant with every detail of the business and with every piece of stock in the store, and is familiar with his customers' needs and caters to them. The stock is new, fresh and well selected, and Mr. Meyer has been able to display it in a most advantageous manner.
Mr. Meyer is a member of the Catholic church. His fraternal con- nections are with the Knights of Columbus and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. His political proeilivities make him a Demo- crat, but he has been too busy with the management of his business affairs to think of entering the publie arena.
HON. WILLIAM G. ZERFACE, whose career as legist, jurist, business man and citizen has reflected honor upon himself and his community, is widely known to the legal profession throughout Madison county, as well as to realty men in this part of the state, where he has made his home for many years. He is a native of Indiana, having been born in Montgomery county, September 13, 1857, and is a son of Martin and Mary Jane (Larew) Zerface.
The Zerface family was founded in America by Philip Zerface, the paternal great-great-grandfather of Judge Zerface, who came from England, although his people were originally from near Berlin, Ger- many. Jacob Zerface, the great-grandfather of Judge Zerface, was born in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, and from that place enlisted for serviee in the Colonial army during the War of the Revolution. Adam Zerface, son of Jacob Zerface, was born in Virginia, from whence he moved at an early day to Ohio, and in 1839 moved to Indiana and there spent the remainder of his life in farming. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth, died young, in 1840, having been the mother of the following children: George, Jacob, Margaret, Martin, Philip, Silas, Sarah and Catherine. Martin Zerface, father of Judge Zerface, was born in Ohio, and was ten years of age when he accompanied his
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parents to Indiana in 1839. He grew to manhood in Montgomery county, and became a carpenter by trade, but subsequently turned his attention to farming in Wayne township, where he accumulated 240 acres of land. There he reared his family, and his death occurred at Waynetown, in 1897, when he was sixty-nine years of age, while his widow survives him and resides at the old home place in town. Mr. Zerface was married in Montgomery county, Indiana, to Mary Jane Larew, who was born in Indiana, daughter of Garrett and Elizabeth (Ricketts) Larew, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of this country. They were pioneers of Indiana and located in Wayne town- ship, Montgomery county, where Mr. Larew became engaged in farm- ing and stock dealing. He died on the home place when just past middle life, while she died in advanced years. Their children were: Abraham, Nancy, Garrett, Esther and Mary Jane. Mr. Larew served his country as a volunteer during the Blackhawk War. To Mr. and Mrs. Zerface there were born four children, namely: William G .; Jacob Andrew, who lives in Montgomery county ; John W., who is deceased; and Rosa M., who became the wife of George Warfield, and resides in Montgomery county.
William G. Zerface was reared on his father's farm in Montgomery county, it being his parents' intention to make an agrieulturist out of the lad, but the latter had other views as to what should be his life work. After attending the district schools of Wayne township, he went through Ladoga College and the Northern Indiana Normal school, at Valparaiso, and for several years thereafter was employed as an educator. He next became a clerk in a mercantile establishment, and while so employed found an opportunity to study law, and in 1884 was admitted to the bar at Crawfordsville, where he began his practice as deputy prosecuting attorney in Wayne township, under John H. Burford, who afterwards beeame judge of the Oklahoma Supreme bench. His health failing, after several years Judge Zerface came to Elwood, where he was again en- gaged in clerking for a time, but eventually resumed his law practice, and in 1904 was elected Judge of the Elwood City Court, a capacity in which he served until January 1, 1910. During this time he established a reputation as a wise, conscientious and impartial judge, and was known as one of the most popular officials Elwood has ever had. On his retire- ment from the bench, Judge Zerface entered the real estate business, in which he is engaged at the present time.
On October 9, 1880, Judge Zerface was married to Miss Emma Lidster, who was born in Montgomery county, Indiana, daughter of William and Melvina (Goode) Lidster, the former a native of England and the latter of Ohio. There were eight children in the Lidster family, namely : Thomas, Mary, Henry, Anna, Cornelius, Araminta, Redden B. and Emma. Judge and Mrs. Zerface became the parents of the follow- ing children : Prineella, who married John Misner, of Elwood, and has four children,-Ruth, John, Lenora and Engene; Grover, a-decorator of Elwood, who married Bessie Hawkins, and has one child,-Gertrude; James Lloyd, who married Dorothy Eckhoff, daughter of Clemens Eckhoff, a furniture manufacturer, who lives in St. Louis, Missouri; Martin F. is in the employ of the American Sheet and Tin Plate Com- pany, and also writes fire insurance as a side line; Allen Walter is in the employ of the G. I. Sellers Manufacturing Company, and resides at Elwood; and Nellie and Maurice Philip reside with their father. The mother of these children died June 10, 1902, aged forty-three years, in
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the faith of the Christian church. On December 15, 1910, Judge Zerface was married to Mrs. Myrtle (Mitchell) Perkins, daughter of John and Catherine (Shane) Mitchell, natives of Kentucky. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell the following are now living : Myrtle; Sylvester; Gertrude, who married Charles Horton; Piona, who is single ; and Ferol. Mrs. Zerface was born in Shelby county, Indiana, and was married to Arthur Perkins, by whom she had one son : Henry B. Perkins.
Judge Zerface is a valued member of the Improved Order of Red Men and the Independent Order of Foresters. Although a stalwart Democrat, he has never been an office seeker, and has served in public office only when he has been suggested, nominated and elected by his friends. Of these he has many throughout this part of the state, where he is known as an exemplary citizen, a loyal friend and a man upon whose record there is not the slightest stain or blemish.
PATRICK S. BRADLEY, general manager of the Home Storage and Manufacturing Company, at Elwood, Indiana, an example of the self- made manhood of which this country is so justifiably proud, has been a resident of this city for nearly twenty years, during which time he has firmly established a reputation as a capable man of affairs. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, May 14, 1854, and is a son of Arthur and Ann (Murnin) Bradley, natives of County Down, Ireland.
The paternal grandparents of Mr. Bradley, Peter and Catherine (Bnrns) Bradley, were farming people of Ireland, who passed their entire lives on Erin's Isle, there attaining to ripe old age. They had a large family of children, among whom were Peter, Bernard, Arthur, Felix and Catherine. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Bradley was Patrick Mnrnin, a farmer who was highly esteemed in his home district in Ireland. He married Ann Murnin, and they both attained old age, being the parents of these children: Arthur, Bridget, Catherine, Ann, Mary, Lawrence, Patrick and John. Arthur Bradley, father of Patrick S., was reared and married in Ireland, and there followed the trade of weaver until his emigration to America in 1852. The family settled first in Brooklyn, New York, but subsequently moved to Troy, New York, where he became a boss maltster. Subsequently the family moved to Cattaraugus county, New York, where Mr. Bradley engaged in farming and lumbering, and there his death occurred in 1872, when he was fifty- six years of age, while his wife passed away in February, 1912, at the age of eighty-three years. Both were consistent members of the Catholic Church. Their seven children were: Patrick S .; Mary A., who became the wife of Joseph Biederman, of Warren, Pennsylvania; John S., living at Kane, Pennsylvania; Felix R., of Warren; Margaret, who became the wife of William Fitzpatrick, of Lima, West Virginia ; Peter R., who also lives at Lima ; and Thomas, whose home is at Sistersville, West Virginia.
Patrick S. Bradley was reared in Troy, New York, and there attended the parochial schools. On completing his education he entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company, at Troy, and following this joined their forces at Bradford, Pennsylvania, where he continued to be employed for upwards of a quarter of a century. In 1894 Mr. Bradley came to Elwood, and this has been his home until the present time. For seven years he was the proprietor of a saloon business, but sold out to become identified with the Home Storage and Manufacturing Company, of which he was president until January, 1913, and since that time has
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acted in the capacity of general manager. This company, with which he has been identified since shortly after its inception, manufactures ice and pop and does a coal and cold storage business, and a large force of men is kept busily occupied. Mr. Bradley has the executive ability necessary to the handling of the multitudinous affairs incident to such a position, and has the thorough confidence of his associates and the respect and esteem of his men. He has been able to develop and extend the scope of the company's trade, and his dealings have been of a nature calculated to inspire confidence and good feeling.
In October, 1890, Mr. Bradley was married to Miss Elizabeth Doran, who was born near Louisville, Kentucky, daughter of Bryan and Mary (Kavanaugh) Doran, natives of Ireland who are both now deceased. There were five children in the Doran family as follows: Mary, Larry, Elizabeth, James and Bryan. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley have had eleven children : Thomas, Bernard, Marguerite, Viola, Arthur, Edna and Genevieve, and four who died in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley are members of the Catholic church. They live in their own home, which Mr. Bradley built in 1899, at No. 1003 S: Anderson street, and have many friends in that vicinity. He is a Democrat in his political views, but takes only a good citizen's interest in public matters and has never sought preferment of an official nature.
CHARLES H. HERRING. The career of Charles H. Herring, of Elwood, furnishes an example of the truth of the fact that industry, perseverance and well-directed energy invariably lead to success. Content to start business life in a humble capacity, and to work his way upward through merit, he finds himself today in an enviable position among the business men of this city, and his establishment, at No. 1528 Main street, where he carries a full line of general house furnishings, receives its full share of patronage. Mr. Herring was born at New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, Jnne 8, 1857, and is a son of John and Martha A. (Royse) Herring.
The Herring family originated in Germany, from whence the pro- genitor of the name came to the United States and settled in Pennsyl- vania, where the paternal grandparents of Charles H. Herring spent their lives. The maternal grandfather, Henry HI. Royse, was a native of Indiana, and lived at New Albany, where for years he was engaged in a tinware and hardware business. He died at that place in his sixty- sixth year, the father of these children: John, William, James T .. Martha A., Louise, Mary and Roxanna. John Herring, the father of Charles H. Herring, was born at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and was there educated in the public schools and reared to manhood, learning the trade of tailor. As a journeyman, he removed to New Albany, Indiana, at an early date, and subsequently removed to Illinois, about 1858, where his death occurred. Later she married again, her second husband being James M. Moreland, of Rockville, and they had two children : James W. and Chauncey R. Mr. and Mrs. Herring were faithful members of the Presbyterian church. Charles H. Herring was their only child.
Charles H. Herring resided in New Albany, Indiana, until he was seven years of age, at which time he moved with the family to Rockville, and there attended the public schools. On reaching the age of twenty years, he went to Indianapolis, where he secured employment in a fur- niture store, with which he was connected for some twenty years, becom- ing thoroughly familiar with every detail of the business. He subse-
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quently came to Elwood, where he opened a house furnishing store for J. T. Royse, an establishment which he managed for five years, and then bought an interest in the business. Four years later he disposed of this interest to Mr. Royse, and with his brother, Chauncey R. Morlan, formed a partnership and opened a similar establishment. This association con- tinned for three years and ten months, when Mr. Herring bought ont Mr. Morlan's interest, and since that time has successfully conducted the business alone. Mr. Herring's business operations have ever been hon- orable and straightforward, and his close application, perseverance and unabating energy have enabled him to work his way steadily upward to a place of affluence. He is loyal as a citizen, faithful in his friendships, and enjoys the warm regard of all with whom he has been brought into contact.
On December 23, 1886, Mr. Herring was united in marriage with Mrs. Mary A. Sullivan, widow of William Sullivan, and daughter of Valentine and Martha (Adams) Harlan. Mr. and Mrs. Herring have had no children, but by her former marriage, Mrs. Herring had a daugh- ter, Nellie Sullivan, who married Joseph Mahoney, and had two chil- dren .- Paul, and one who died at birth. Mrs. Herring is a consistent member of the Christian church, where she has many friends. Her husband belongs to Quincy Lodge No. 230, F. & A. M., and Elwood Chapter No. 109, R. A. M., and Anderson Couneil No. 69, R. & S. M .; to Elwood Lodge No. 368, B. P. O. E., and to Seneca Tribe No. 113, I. O. R. M. His political views make him a Republican, and he has been stanch in his support of the principles and candidates of bis party, although he has never desired personal preferment. The pleasant family home is situated at No. 2528 South A street.
GEORGE W. KOONS. It has been the privilege of Mr. Koons to witness practically all the developments and growth of the remarkable industrial city of Madison county, Elwood, since he has lived in this vicinity for nearly thirty years, and his family represent the early settlers in this portion of Indiana. Mr. Koons has been identified with the Elwood postal service for a number of years and is now assistant postmaster, and during his official term has done much to improve and facilitate the mail service in this city.
George W. Koons is a native of Grant county, where he was born February 19, 1868. His family were originally from North Carolina, the paternal grandparents, Alfred and Mary Koons, both being born there. Alfred Koons was a farmer by occupation, and his death occurred near Pendleton, Indiana. In his family were the following children : Alfred, Samuel, Elijah, John, James, Rebecca, and Eliza.
The parents of Mr. George W. Koons were Margaret (Black) Koons. His father, a native of North Carolina, was reared in the mountains of Tennessee, came from that state to southern Indiana when a young man, settling at Brookville, following farm labor and tending stock. He sub- sequently moved into Rush county, where he was married and where he worked at the carpenter's trade. From there he brought his family to Grant county, buying a small farm in the woods, and clearing and improving it, and thus reaching a high degree of material prosperity. His next home was in Tipton county on another farm, and in the fall of 1884 he came to Elwood and lived retired for some time. He then moved to a farm in Duek Creek township, but after several years returned to Elwood, where his death occurred in 1909, at the venerable age of eighty-
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nine years. His wife, who was a native of Indiana, was the daughter of early settlers in Franklin county, and her father died in Missouri at a good old age. In the Black family were the following children: Ben- jamin, James, Rachel, Margaret, Elizabeth, Mary, Sallie, Lucinda and Winifred. The mother died in 1911 at the age of seventy-six. Both parents were members of the Christian church. The early boyhood days of George W. Koons were spent in Grant and Tipton counties, and he arrived at manhood in Madison county. The district schools near the home farm gave him his early educational advantages, and as he was about sixteen years of age when the family located in Elwood he attended the public schools of this city and completed his preparation for practical work by study in the Indiana State Normal School at Terre Haute. His first regular vocation in life was as teacher, and during nine years he made a record of efficiency and success in that calling. He subsequently took a clerkship in the Elwood postoffice, was then made a carrier in the city delivery service, continuing in that capacity for four and a half years, and in 1909 was advanced to the position of assistant postmaster, and has since had much of the practical direction and responsibility of this office.
On the nineteenth of August, 1891, Mr. Koons married Miss Alice Gray, daughter of David H. and Ellen (Nutt) Gray. Mrs. Koons was born in Union county, Indiana, and her parents were also natives of this state and spent most of their lives on a farm just north of the city of Elwood. Her mother died there in November, 1912, at the age of seventy-six. Her father is still living. The three children in the Gray family were Alice, Lorena and Dora. Mr. and Mrs. Koons have three children, whose names are Howard S., Esther and Marcella. The family worship in the Presbyterian church at Elwood, and Mr. Koons is an elder in that society. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Improved Order of Red Men and in politics is a Republican. A public spirited citizen, one who is always ready to advance the best inter- ests of his home community, Mr. Koons is giving further public service as a member of the board of education. His home is at 2119 South A street.
CHARLES L. ARMINGTON, M. D. Numbered among the able and hon- ored representatives of the medical profession in Madison county is Dr. Charles Lee Armington, who is a scion of one of the sterling pioneer families of the Hoosier state and who has attained to marked distinction in the profession that was dignified and honored by his father. Dr. Armington has been established in the practice of medicine and surgery at Anderson, the thriving capital of Madison county, for nearly a quarter of a century, has served as county coroner and held other positions of trust, and his hold upon popular confidence and esteem is on a parity with his high professional attainments and sterling worth of character.
Of French and English lineage on the paternal side, Dr. Armington was born at Vevay, Switzerland county, Indiana, on the 23d of February, 1847, and he is a son of Dr. John L. and Eliza B. (Lee) Armington, the former of whom was born at Ballston Springs, New York, and the latter of whom was born in Pennsylvania, as was also her father, Col. Charles W. Lee, who was a distinguished officer in the United States army, in which he was for some time a line officer of the Fifteenth Infantry : he held the rank of colonel at the time of his death, which occurred when lie was but thirty-four years of age, and it is worthy of special note that
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CHARLES L. ARMINGTON
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he was a kinsman of the distinguished officer of the Confederacy in the Civil war, General Robert E. Lee.
Dr. John L. Armington was a son of Benjamin Armington, who was born in the state of Rhode Island and who was a carpenter and con- tractor by vocation. For a period of years Benjamin Armington main- tained his residence at Ballston Springs, New York, whence he finally removed to Palmyra, that state, near which place he became the owner of a farm situated opposite to Bible Hill, a place so designated by reason of the fact that the hill was that on which Joseph Smith claimed to have found the Mormon bible, the "Book of Mormon." Upon this homestead farm, three miles distant from Palmyra, Benjamin Armington died at the venerable age of eighty years.
Dr. John L. Armington, a man of exalted integrity of character and of fine intellectuality, admirably fortified himself for the profession in which he achieved unqualified success and prestige. In 1839 he was graduated in the Louisville Medical College, at Louisville, Kentucky, and after receiving from this institution his degree of Doctor of Medicine he was engaged in the practice of his profession at Vevay, Indiana. In 1848, he removed to Greensburg, the judicial center of Decatur county, where he continued in successful practice until 1857, his wife, Mrs. Eliza B. (Lee) Armington, having there passed to the life eternal in the year 1849. Upon leaving Greensburg Dr. Armington removed with his family to Minnesota and became one of the pioneer physicians and sur- geons of that state. He remained for a time at Hastings and then re- moved to Goodhue county, where he purchased a farm, near Cannon Falls, and where he continued in the practice of his profession, in con- nection with the development and improvement of his farm, until he responded to the call of higher duty and entered the service of the Union, the integrity of which was jeopardized by armed rebellion on the part of the southern states. He enlisted in the Second Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, of which he became assistant surgeon, and with which he saw arduous and varied service. He was with his command in numerous engagements, including those of Perryville, Crab Orchard and Murfreesboro, and finally he was appointed a member of the board of examining physicians for the Army of the Cumberland, with assign- ment to duty with General Steadman's brigade. His service in this capacity had to do with the granting of discharges to soldiers. Later ne was appointed physician at Hospital No. 1 at Gallatin, Tennessee, and finally he was transferred to the Army of the West, in which he served as surgeon of the Second Cavalry, under General Polk, until the close of the war. At the battle of Perryville his servant was killed and his horse was shot beneath him. He lived up to the full tension of the great conflict for the preservation of the Union and his record in this con- nection gives lasting honor to his name and memory. After the close of the war he returned to his home in Minnesota and in 1896 he removed from his farm to Northville, that state, where he was engaged in the practice of his profession, as was he later at Minneapolis and Marshall. He passed the closing years of his long and useful life at Minneapolis, where he was summoned to eternal rest at the venerable age of eighty- seven years. He served as surgeon of his post of the Grand Army of the Republic, was a Knights Templars Mason and was prominently affil- iated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, as was he also with various professional associations. He was one of the founders of the State Medical Society of Indiana. Of the four children of Dr. John
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