History of Madison County, Indiana ; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I, Part 81

Author: Forkner, John La Rue, 1844-1926
Publication date: 1970
Publisher: Evansville Ind. : Unigraphic, Inc.
Number of Pages: 918

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 81

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Alfred P. Sellers, the paternal grandfather of Wilfred Sellers, was a carpenter by trade and an early settler of Howard county, being the builder of the barracks at Kokomo. There he passed away advanced in years, as did also his wife, who had borne the maiden name of Mary Cole. They were the parents of the following children: Lewis, John, William, George Ira, Alice, Flora, Cora, Elizabeth and Mattie. Mr. Sellers' maternal grandfather was William H. Kellar, a native of Kentucky and an early settler of Howard county, Indiana, where he conducted a sawmill and was also engaged in farming. He died at the age of sixty-five years, while his wife, who had been formerly Miss Garr, of Kentucky, survived him a long time and passed to her final rest when eighty-six years old. They had children as follows: Mary, Lewis, Hite, Edward, Kate, Charles, and Rebecca.

George Ira Sellers was born in Howard county, Indiana, and there received his education, following which he learned the trade of car- penter with his father. He later turned his attention to specializing in stair-building, and while thus engaged formed the idea of manu- facturing kitchen cabinets. This business he started in a small way at Kokomo, in 1888, and the excellence of the product soon gained it a wide sale, the working force of the plant growing rapidly from twenty-five to one hundred and thirty skilled mechanics. In 1905 the Kokomo plant was destroyed by fire, and in December of that year Mr. Sellers came to Elwood and purchased the plant of the Elwood Furni- ture Company, which he remodeled to suit his own business, and here he continued to be actively engaged until his death, September 19, 1909, when his widow succeeded him as president of the concern. A business man of the old school, who believed that strict honesty and integrity were the surest mediums through which to attain success, and proved it, Mr. Sellers had the fullest confidence and respect of his business associates. He was possessed of a mind fertile in resources, means and expedients, and was never at a loss for a course to pursue. The Chris- tian Church knew him as a liberal supporter, his adopted town as a public-spirited citizen, his acquaintances as a loyal friend, and his family as a kind husband and indulgent father, while the business world lost in his death one who had been steadfast in maintaining high principles. He and his wife, who was also born in Howard county, Indiana, were the parents of six children, as follows: Ellena G., who is the widow of James Parsons, of Elwood; Ida B., who is the wife of Harry Hale, of Fairfield, Indiana; Wilfred; Mary E., who is the wife of Henry Striker, of Elwood; Charles E., residing at Fort Wayne, Indiana; and George L., of Kokomo.

On completing his studies in the public schools of Kokomo, Wilfred Sellers entered his father's factory, thoroughly learning every detail of the extensive business, from the bottom rung of the ladder to the top. When the Elwood business was founded, he was admitted to partner- ship with his father, and became secretary, treasurer and manager of

631

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY

the firm, positions he has continued to occupy to the present time. He has inherited much of his father's mechanical genius and business ability, and is known as one of the leading business men of the younger generation here, having shown himself eminently capable to handle the large interests of the manufacturing plant. In addition, he is the inventor of an ant-proof castor and is now acting in the capacity of manager of the Sanitary Castor Company, at Elwood. These have met with a large sale, while the famous Sellers kitchen cabinets have estab- lished a market in almost every large city in the United States and Canada.

On October 21, 1909, Mr. Sellers was married to Miss Marjorie F. Shoemaker. daughter of William and Mary E. (Young) Shoemaker, and to this union there has been born one daughter: Mary Rebecca. Mrs. Sellers is a member of the Presbyterian church, and is popular in religious and social circles of Elwood. Mr. Sellers is a Democrat in political matters, but has not sought public office. His fraternal con- nections are with Quincy Lodge No. 230, F. & A. M., the Elks and the Knights of Pythias, in all of which he has numerous friends.

ALEXANDER WISE. A large farm of four hundred acres partly in Lafayette and partly in Pipe Creek township represents the business enterprise of Alexander Wise, one of the oldest native citizens of Madi- son county, and one who has spent practically a lifetime of efforts in the cultivation of the soil. As a farmer he has won material prosper- ity, and at the same time has lived with honor in all his relations with his community and fellow citizens.

Alexander Wise was born August 2, 1838, in Madison county, and was a son of John and Harriet (McClintock) Wise. His father, John Wise, was originally from the state of Virginia, and was only a boy himself when he accompanied his father, Martin Wise, grandfather of Alexander, to the middle West. John Wise grew up and took up the occupation of farmer, acquired a large estate, and finally passed away, enjoying the respect and esteem of a large circle of friends. The chil- dren in his family are mentioned as follows: Martin, deceased; Mary, deceased ; Elizabeth, deceased; Alexander, Jennie, William, Samantha, wife of Noah Rine, and Margaret, wife of George Schuyler.

Alexander Wise as a boy attended the public schools in Perkins- ville, and throughout the period of his school attendance he was also engaged in the experiences and duties of the home farm. In 1859, on the 24th of November, he married Hannah Moore, a daughter of John Moore. The eight children of Mr. Wise and wife are: William H., who is married and has two children; Jennie, wife of Joseph Love; Sarah, who is the wife of J. Swain, and has three children; Rose, wife of Albert Wilburn, and the mother of three children; Grace; Myrtle, who is married and has four children; John, who is married and has three children; and Martin, who is married and has three children. Mr. Wise is one of the old members of the Methodist church in Pipe Creek township. On his farm he is engaged in the raising of stock, and has built up an estate which is an honor and credit to his township.

Mr. Wise is one of Indiana's grand old men and he has a double record-a record as an honest, and successful citizen and a soldier's record. He enlisted in the 142nd I. V. I. and served his county as a soldier under the grand old general, "Pap" Thomas, whom the "boys in blue" would follow into the jaws of death. His term of service lasted Vol. II-18

632

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY

nine months, when he received his honorable discharge and returned to his home, to again don the civilian's garb. Mr. Wise is quoted in his locality, among his many friends as one of the "Prince of the Pioneers" of old Madison county.

WALTER R. WERKING has been connected with the Nicholson File Company for the past twenty years and during this time has worked his way steadily up from the position of shipping clerk to that of office manager of this progressive Anderson concern. Such a record is ample evidence of his steady perseverance and close application to the details of the business, and his able management of this line of the business stamps him as one of the alert and energetic business men of the city. Mr. Werking is a native son of Madison county, having been born in the village of Pendleton, March 13, 1873, the only living son of James H. and Elizabeth K. (Jackson) Werking.

James H. Werking was born in 1842, in Indiana, and was reared and educated in this state. At the outbreak of the Civil war he answered his country's call for volunteers by enlisting in Company I, Thirty-sixth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served faith- fully and valiantly with that organization during four years and six months, receiving his honorable discharge with an excellent record. At the close of his military career, he entered business life at Pendleton, and subsequently came to Anderson, and is still a resident of this city, although he is now living a retired life. Mr. Werking married Miss Elizabeth K. Jackson, who was born near Chillicothe, Ohio, and she died in 1901.

Walter R. Werking was a small lad when brought to Anderson by his parents, and his education was secured in the public and high schools of this city. On graduating from the latter he secured employ- ment with the Nicholson File Company, in 1893, in the capacity of shipping clerk, and has continued to remain with this company to the present time, repeated promotions having advanced him to the posi- tion of office manager. He is thoroughly familiar with every detail of the business, and his good judgment, sagacity and executive ability have done much to extend the trade of his firm.

On October 10, 1900, Mr. Werking was united in marriage with Miss Dinnie E. Palmer, of Anderson, a daughter of Clarkson Palmer, an old and highly esteemed resident of this city. Mr. and Mrs. Werk- ing have one child. They have a neat modern residence at No. 1826 Meridian street. Mr. Werking is a prominent Mason, belonging to Fellowship Lodge, No. 65, F. & A. M., to Anderson Royal Arch Chap- ter, to Anderson Commandery, and to Murat Temple of the Mystic Shrine, Indianapolis, and is also a Scottish Rite Mason. He is also well known to the members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, holding membership in Anderson Lodge, No. 131, and Star Encamp- ment, No. 84. During his long residence in Anderson he has ever shown himself willing to co-operate with earnest public-spirited citizens in forwarding movements for the benefit of the city and its people, although his participation in politics has been confined to that of any good citizen interested in his community's growth and development. He has a wide acquaintance among business men and many warm friends throughout the city.

i 1

- -

633

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY

FRED T. BARBER. It is to a large degree to the self-made men of Madison county that this section owes its present prosperity; to those men who, starting life without financial assistance or influential friends, have worked their own way to the front, placing themselves by the sheer force of their energy and perseverance among the successful men of their communities. An example of self-made manhood is found in the career of Fred T. Barber, president and general manager of the Barber Manufacturing Company, at Anderson. Embarking upon his struggle with life when a lad of sixteen years, he has steadily fought his way upward, overcoming such obstacles as have presented them- selves, always with a well-defined course in view, until today he is recognized as one of the substantial and influential business men of his adopted city and a force to be reckoned with in matters of a commercial nature. While he has been busily engrossed with the duties pertaining to the management of a rapidly-growing enterprise, Mr. Barber has found time also to discharge the responsibilities which every large com- munity places upon its influential men, and in positions of public trust has ably and conscientiously served his fellow-citizens, thus materially advancing the public welfare.

Fred T. Barber was born upon a farm in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, October 1, 1859, and is a son of George H. and Jane (VanCamp) Barber. His father died when Fred T. was but eighteen months of age, but the mother managed to keep her family together and to give her children good common school advantages. Fred T. Barber spent a part of his boyhood in working on the farm, in the meantime attending the public schools, and when sixteen years of age found employment as a clerk in a general store located on the banks of the Delaware river. There he continued four years, thus earning the means whereby he could pursue a supplementary course in the Capitol City Commercial College, Trenton, New Jersey, and so thoroughly did he master the details of the curriculum that after two years he was employed as a teacher in that institution. Following this, he re-entered business life as an employe of a wholesale grocery concern at Trenton, where he remained four years, and resigned to take a position with the Trenton Spring Mattress Co., as manager in their New York office, and from there was transferred to Chicago to take charge of their branch factory located there, where he gained experience that proved of great value to him in later years. In 1894 Mr. Barber made his advent in Ander- son, where he became the organizer and promoter of a concern known as the Barher Manufacturing Company, which was incorporated under the same name during the following year, with Mr. Barber as presi- dent and general manager. This company manufactures bed, daven- port, chair and carriage springs, and all kinds of springs used in seats of any kind. The output of the factory is shipped to all points in the United States, and meets with a large sale in Australia, under special order. Mr. Barber has been the directing head of this large enter- prise since its inception, and his management of its affairs places him in an acknowledged position among his adopted city's most able busi- ness men. He has so directed its policies that the concern has the high- est commercial standing, while his own known integrity has added to its prestige.

In 1895 Mr. Barber was married to Miss Ida Wilson, of Trenton, New Jersey, a daughter of Capt. John A. Wilson, who has been a Dela- ware river captain for the past thirty-six years. One son has been born

634

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY

to this union: Wilson, a student of the Anderson High school, aged sixteen years. Mr. Barber has ever shown a commendable interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of Anderson, and has not hesi- tated to perform the duties of citizenship. At different times a mem- ber of the Democratic Central Committee, he has been active in the suc- cess of his party in this city, and is now representing the Second Ward in the city council, of which body he is president, and is a member of the board of public works. His influence has always been on the side of progress and improvement, and his services to his city have been untiring. Fraternally, he is connected with Anderson Lodge, No. 209, B. P. O. E., of which he is exalted ruler.

CHESTER H. ANDERSON. One of the young citizens of Madison county who are exponents of the modern science of farming, and who have applied business methods and science to their industry is Chester H. Anderson of Fall Creek township. He is a young man of less than thirty years, but in his ability and in the quality of his work ranks among the leaders of agriculture and live stock producers in his section of the county. Chester H. Anderson was born on a farm in Fall Creek township on November 25, 1885, and is a son of A. C. and Caroline J. (Heacock) Anderson. There were two children in the family; his sister Stella is the wife of E. D. Allen, a resident of Pendleton. Mr. Anderson spent his boyhood on a farm, and graduated first from the district schools, and then from the Pendleton High School with the class of 1904, being then eighteen years of age. He became a student at Purdue University, where he was in the Agricultural Department, and thus well equipped, returned to his home county to begin his practical career as a farmer. On December 19, 1906, he married Lulu B. Clark, who was born in Pendleton, October 20, 1886, a daughter of Albert and Mary (McKee) Clark, who received her education in the common schools, being a graduate from the high school in the same class with Mr. Anderson. After their marriage lie moved to a farm one mile west of Pendleton and with the aid of his thrifty and ambitious young wife he began his practical career. Two children have been born to their marriage, Mary E., on May 4, 1910, and Paul C., on July 22, 1913. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Friends church, while his wife belongs to the Methodist denomination. He is affiliated with Pendleton Lodge, No. 88, I. O. O. F., and in politics is an Independent. Mr. Ander- son in his farming operations makes a specialty of Registered Duroc Jer- sey hogs and Jersey cattle and raises them for the market and also for breeding purposes. He also has some Percheron horses. He uses good judgment in all his work, and has made profit where many farmers have succeeded only in making a living. Mr. Anderson is one of the young energetic farmers of Madison county whose impress will be left behind him in the agricultural world.

EDWIN LUKENS. Beginning his career as a farmer, Edwin Lukens spent ten years as a prosperous street contractor in Anderson, from which he eventually reverted to the farm and has since continued in the successful operation of one of the attractive places in Anderson township. His place today shows the care and cultivation of a man who understands the business of farming in its every detail, and is undeniably one of the fine farm spots of the community. Three genera- tions of Lukenses have farmed in Madison county, the first of the family

---

635

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY

to establish his home hereabout being William Lukens, the father of Benjamin Lukens and the grandfather of Edwin Lukens. The name is thus in no wise an unfamiliar one to the old residents of the county, and is one that has long been honored and esteemed among the best citizenship of the district.

Edwin Lukens was born on October 15, 1864, on the old Shaul farm near the town of Pendleton, and he is the son of Benjamin and Susan (Haines) Lukens. The father was a native son of Madison county and was here reared and passed his life. Edwin Lukens was his first born child, the others being as follows: William A., a resident of Fall Creek township; Mrs. Mattie Darlington, and Benjamin N. Lukens, of Indianapolis.

As a boy in his home community Edwin Lukens attended the dis- trict school in Stony Creek township, as well as the Boot Jack school, so called because of its unfortunate location in a swamp of so exceed- ingly hungry a nature that when the boys plunged into it upon what- ever pretext the suction was great enough to pull their boots from their feet in their efforts to disentangle themselves. School conditions there were in common with those existing in other parts of the country in the early years following the war, and it may readily be understood that his education was not of the highest order. However, Mr. Lukens as a boy was well versed in the matter of farm work, and was continu- ously employed upon the home farm until he reached the age of twenty- one, when he. established himself upon a forty acre tract in Fall Creek township. He spent three years there, and in 1892 came to Anderson where he became interested in the business of street contracting, cement work at that time just beginning to come into use. For ten years he continued successfully, but at the end of that time he decided to return to the farm. He accordingly bought his present place, con- sisting of one hundred acres of fertile soil on the Muncie road, about one mile distant from the limits of Anderson. Here Mr. Lukens has occupied himself with farming, and his place has reached a high degree of productiveness with the passing years. The place is one that is well kept up, with suitable buildings of every kind, and a first class silo attests the progressive ideas of the proprietor at the same time. A practical farmer in the main, Mr. Lukens is one who is ever willing to embrace a new idea in farming, when the same is supported by rea- sonable arguments, and he is deeply interested in the Farmers' Institute. As a stock man, he is one who is quoted widely in Madison county, and his success in that branch is worthy of commendation.

On February 23, 1886, Mr. Lukens married Mary Rogers, the daugh- ter of Levi and Emily (Dobson) Rogers. Levi Rogers, it may be said at this point, was a native of Chester county, Pennsylvania, and was a farmer and carpenter. After he settled in Pendleton, Indiana, he devoted himself for the most part to the building business, and there ended his days. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rogers,- Mary, the wife of Mr. Lukens; Fannie Boorman and Edwin, who is deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Lukens became the parents of four children. Alice, the first born, married Frank Rodecap; Myron, the second, is unmar- ried; Herman married Eva Ray; and Hortense married Ellsworth Rodecap.

The family were at one time members of the Friends church, but

636

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY

have in later years been identified with the Christian church, in whose activities they have borne praiseworthy parts.

WASHINGTON B. KNOPP. It is the province of biography to treat with those busy toilers in the affairs of life who form the true strength of communities and of nations, for it is the men who are successful and enterprising in agriculture and commerce that bring advancement and prosperity to their country. A large proportion of this class of men appreciate the value of their success the more in that it has been gained by their own efforts. In Madison county are found many citizens who have been the architects of their own fortunes, but it is doubtful if there can be discovered many instances where this has been so strikingly true as in the career of Washington B. Knopp, who is now the owner of a valuable tract of 162 acres on the Wesley Chapel Road, about eight miles from Anderson in Richland township. A brief review of his career will show that he has at all times been industrious and perse- vering, and that true success may be gained without the initial advan- tages of wealth or influential friends.

Washington B. Knopp was born in 1862, in Roan county, West Virginia, a son of Jesse and May J. (Wiblin) Knopp. He was but a child when his father brought the family to Madison county, and here the elder man continued to carry on operations near Perkinsville, on a valuable farm, during the remainder of his career. He had a family of thirteen children, of whom eight are still living, as follows: Victoria, Josie, Matilda, William, Washington, ^ideon, Jesse, and Charles. Wash- ington B. Knopp secured his educatie in the district schools of Madi- son county, and during his entire school period assisted his father in the work of the home farm, as he did also after completing his studies. On attaining manhood, he started to work on neighboring farms for a salary of fifteen dollars per month, but after about six months entered a grocery store as clerk, a position which he filled but a short time. He also had some experience in railroad work, but eventually returned to the occupation of his forefathers, the tilling of the soil, satisfied that in that line lay his best opportunity for success. During all this time he had thriftily saved his earnings, and in 1885, with some money bor- rowed from his father, he bought a tract of eighty acres of land in Boone township. This property was in poor condition, but Mr. Knopp improved it in various ways, put it in a good state of cultivation, and eventually traded it for the property formerly owned by James Fork- ner. Here he has added to his property from time to time, until he at present is the owner of one of the best properties in the township, boast- ing of modern improvements of every kind and buildings of handsome architectual design and substantial character. In one piece he has put in 1,540 rods of tiling, in itself a task of no mean size, and his fine new two-story home is a credit to his industry and to the community in which he lives. His general farming and stock raising operations have been successful, but that has been no more than was expected, for he has labored faithfully and assiduously and his labors have been intelligently directed. Among his neighbors and business associates, he is known as a man who is to be relied upon in business matters, who is loyal as a friend, and who is at all times ready to assist his fellow- citizens in movements tending to advance his community. It is such men that form the bone and sinew of a township or a state and who are representative of the best type of American agriculturist.

1 1

637

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY

On August 26, 1886, Mr. Knopp was married to Miss Angeline Dyson, daughter of Richard and Martha (Gaither) Dyson, natives of North Carolina, the former of whom is deceased, while the latter makes her home with her daughter and son-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Knopp have had eight children: Estella, who married Orliffe Hunt, and has two children,-Lester and Otis; Frank, educated in Richland and Boone townships, and now manager of the home farm, who married Rose Hirschel and has one son,-Marvin; John, who is deceased; and Walter, Mattie, William, Edna and Ruth, all of whom reside at home with their parents. The family attends the Church of God.

OLIVER BROADBENT, M. D. In the death of Dr. Oliver Broadbent, which occurred at his home, six and one-half miles northeast of the city of Anderson, Indiana, June 3, 1910, the Anderson township medi- cal fraternity lost one of its pioneer members, a man who for forty- five years had been a worthy representative of all that was best in his noble calling. His was a life full of usefulness to his fellow-men, a career which covered more than four decades of administering to the ills of mankind, and although his labors have ceased the memory of his deeds remains, for numerous residents of his former scene of endeavor have ample reason to keep him in grateful remembrance. Dr. Broad- bent was born in Union county, Indiana, July 23, 1841, a son of Robert and Lucy (Preston) Broadbent. His father came to the United States from England as a boy and was for years engaged in the woolen mill business. There were seven children in the family: Robert, Stephen, Elizabeth, John, Cyrus, Charles and Oliver, all now being deceased. Of these Stephen Broadbent was the operator of a wool factory at Broad- bent's ford about a quarter of a century ago.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Madison County, Indiana ; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I, Part 81

Author: Forkner, John La Rue, 1844-1926 Publication date: 1970 Publisher: Evansville Ind. : Unigraphic, Inc. Number of Pages: 918

Author: Forkner, John La Rue, 1844-1926
Publication date: 1970
Publisher: Evansville Ind. : Unigraphic, Inc.
Number of Pages: 918