USA > Indiana > Miami County > History of Miami County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 49
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
Mr. Stitt was married in 1898 to Miss Pearl Jones, a daughter of Thomas R. Jones. They have no children. For a number of years, Mr. · Stitt has been affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and is also identi- fied with the Masonic fraternities, having membership in Harrison Lodge No. 660, A. F. & A. M. He and his wife attend worship in the Christian church.
JOSEPH L. RESLER. For a period of forty-four years, Joseph Ressler has been identified with Miami county, where he began his career on a rented farm, and where by hard work, by honorable dealing with all men, and by a persistence which eventually brings all good things to mankind, has won prosperity and has lived with honor for many years.
Joseph Resler was born in Fayette county, Ohio, December 22, 1853. His father was Hiram Resler, and his grandfather Michael Resler. His mother, whose maiden name was Mahala Lindsey, was a daughter of John Lindsey. The mother passed away March 4, 1883, and the father on July 17, 1885. Two of their sons, W. J. and Henry T. Resler, were soldiers in the Civil war, both in Company A of the First Ohio Cavalry. Henry T. died in July, 1906.
Joseph Resler was reared in his native county, and remained there until he was about fifteen years of age. A year was then spent in the state of Missouri, and from there he came to his present location in Harrison township of Miami county, in 1869. Upon his arrival he found a home on a farm, about three quarters of a mile from his present estate, worked as a renter, and lived there for two years. At the end of that time he was able to purchase eighty acres, comprised within his present home, and a portion of that land was cleared of its trees and
769
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
brush, as a direct result of his labor. Mr. Resler also built the barn, and has instituted many other improvements. The home in which he resides was erected by the previous occupant.
Mr. Resler was married in 1873 to Miss Sarah J. Brown, a daughter of Asa Brown, and a granddaughter of Elisha Brown. Mrs. Resler is the sole survivor of a family of seven children. Her father settled in Miami county, in February, 1853, was one of the early residents, and lived here until his death at a good old age, on March 22, 1873. His widow survived him until October 19, 1888. To the marriage of Mr. Resler and wife have been born five children as follows: Francis L., born October 27, 1875, a physician and surgeon at Amboy, and a graduate from the State Medical College in Indianapolis, married Emma Whitesell; Edith A., born November 23, 1877, is the wife of Dr. A. S. Newell; Arthur G., born October 23, 1880, and died November 13, 1888; Dorothea B., born March 22, 1887, is the wife of Elmer King; and Everett C., born February 10, 1890, died January 31, 1892.
Mr. Resler and family attend the Methodist Episcopal church, which he at one time served as trustee. His fraternal relations are with the Masonic Order in Converse Lodge No. 601.
JAMES W. RAYBURN. A resident of Miami county since 1875, a farmer citizen who has followed his vocation with substantial success, and wlio now lives retired in the village of Miami in Deer Creek town- ship, James W. Rayburn began his career as a renter, and by industry and capable management and a thorough integrity which has charac- terized all his dealings finally acquired all the elements which constitute material success and worthy position in the community.
James W. Rayburn was born in Marion county, Indiana, near the city of Indianapolis, May 5, 1848. His paternal grandfather was John W. Rayburn and his father David Rayburn. His maternal grandfather was James Ruggles, the maiden name of the mother being Nancy Ruggles. The ancestry is of mingled Scotch and German.
James W. Rayburn was reared in Marion county, and received his education in the schools of that locality. On leaving home he located in Tipton county, where he remained as a farmer for about ten years and where he became acquainted with Miss Effie C. Humrickhouse, to whom he was united in marriage on August 1, 1871. Her father, Ebenezer Humrickhouse, was one of the earliest settlers in Miami county, and for two terms served as treasurer of this county, so that his name is pre- served among the official annals of the county government. His death occurred in February, 1868, and he had located in Deer Creek township in 1844. Several years after his marriage Mr. Rayburn, in 1875, came to Miami county, and located on the farm of his father-in-law in Deer Creek township.
Mr. and Mrs. Rayburn are the parents of six children, named as follows: Hattie M., the wife of Charles A. Pearcy; Charles E., who married Lethe Lawrence; Arthur D., who married Pearl Russell of Bennetts Switch; May, who married A. M. Zehring; Lottie C., who married Harry H. Weise; Herbert E., who married Dollie Roth. The children are all residents of the county, with the exception of Arthur, whose home is in Tipton county. Mr. and Mrs. Rayburn have taken pains to give their children the best of home and school advantages, and all of them have acquired worthy places in the world's activities.
Mr. Rayburn lived on the old Bowman farm in Deer Creek township up to 1910, at which time he moved to the village of Miami. He has a modern and attractive residence and his home represents the comforts which his prosperous career has produced. The old Bowman farm was
770
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
long known as the Bowman Beer Garden, having been occupied with a saloon in the days before Mr. Rayburn took possession of it. On the first land which Mr. Rayburn farmed in Miami township stood a log house, and that was the residence for himself and wife for about eight years, and several of the children were born in that primitive old home. It contained three rooms. He subsequently erected a modern house and barn and other outbuildings on this place. 'Beginning with only fifty acres of land, he gradually accumulated, as prosperity came to him, more land until at the present time he is the owner of one hundred and eighty-three acres, and is as well situated from a material point of view as any citizen in his vicinity.
Mr. Rayburn and family are members of the Methodist church and all his ancestors for as many generations as there are records of were also connected with that denomination. He, a number of years ago, served in the state militia. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Improved Order of Red Men, his, tribe being No. 267.
JOHN H. DAVIS. In Deer Creek township near the little village of Miami, Mr. Davis and family resides, his home being the old Austin Herrell place, a farm which has been known to the residents of Deer Creek township since pioneer times, and possessing associations such as few individual homes in this locality have. Mr. Davis and wife both represent old families of Miami county, and he has long been known as one of the successful agriculturists of this vicinity.
John H. Davis was born in Miami county July 20, 1870. His father was John R. Davis, and the maiden name of his mother was Martha A. Powell. The father passed away about 1900 and the mother in 1879. John R. Davis had come to Miami county in 1866 and his previous resi- dence had been Miami county in the state of Ohio. However, he was born in Virginia, and his people for generations back had all been resi- dents of that commonwealth.
Mr. John H. Davis remained on the old homestead until he was twenty-one years of age, and attained his education and early training in this vicinity. The first home which his father had occupied on coming to Miami county was an old log house which stood upon the farm at the time, and John H. was born in this rude house and has known many of the environments of pioneer existence. The father subsequently built a modern residence and made it his home up to the time of his death. On coming to the county, he obtained one hundred and sixty acres of land, but of this only twenty acres was cleared and all the rest was in the virgin wilderness.
At the age of twenty-one, in 1892, Mr. John H. Davis married Miss Clyde Herrell, and he subsequently bought her father's old farm near Miami. The place when he bought it consisted of one hundred and fifty-nine acres, but he has since sold seventy-nine acres and retains the remaining eighty acres. The old home was built by Austin Herrell himself and Mr. Davis during his ownership has put up the modern barn which now adorns the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Davis attend the Methodist Church and he is affiliated with the Improved Order of Red Men and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Miami, Ind. They are the parents of one child Charles, who was born November 24, 1892, and is now living at home.
The late Austin Herrell, the father of Mrs. John H. Davis, was one of the pioneers of Deer Creek township, was the first to occupy the office of township trustee, assisted in the erection of the first school house in the township, and in many ways was prominently identified with the early history of this section of Miami county. He was born
771
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
in Kentucky in 1825, and was nearly eighty years of age at the time of his death Nov. 22, 1902. He came to Miami county in 1842, working for his brother for a number of years, and in 1846 took a homestead of eighty acres of land in Deer Creek township. He built a log cabin and began his married life in pioneer style, became notable as one of the most successful farmers of the vicinity, was honored frequently with public trust and responsibility, and out of his industry and good management created a fine estate. The first school house of the town- ship was built on his farm, and he was also interested in the little village of Miami, where he was the second to engage in the mercantile business and he built a warehouse there in 1860, continuing for many years as one of the local business men. His name is one to be remembered in the history of this county.
CHARLES V. GAHS. Standing high in the estcem of his fellow citizens in Harrison township, an agriculturist who has in many ways proved his expertness, and who possesses a substantial property and is well fortified in the confidence and regard of his community, Charles V. Gahs has spent all his life in Miami county, and all his active career has been spent in Harrison township.
Mr. Gahs was born in Peru, the county seat, September 9, 1868, a son of Valentine and Philippina (Graf) Gahs. His mother was a daughter of Michael Graf. Valentine Galis was for a time employed in the packing plant at Peru, later started a grocery, and did some packing of the meat sold through his store, and was generally successful in his dealings and business affairs. His time was devoted to business until his death, which occurred in 1879. His widow survived him until 1899. They were the parents of four children, three sons and one daughter, of whom two sons are deceased. Frank M., the oldest, died in 1889, at the age of twenty-five years. Fred dicd at the age of twenty-seven years. The daughter, Catherine P., was her brother's housekeeper, but she is now deceased, dying April 7, 1913.
After the death of the father, the family moved to a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Harrison township, and that was the environ- ment in which Charles V. Gahs was reared to manhood. He was educated in the district school, having attended school in Peru for a short time, and at an early age resumed the responsibilities of directing the farm. He has made numerous improvements, has erected some of the present group of buildings, and in every direction has shown a progressive and enterprising spirit. Mr. Gahs is unmarried. He attends the Presbyterian church as did also his sister, and his political support is given to the Democratic party. The pretty cstate of Mr. Gahs is known as "Shade Lands Stock Farm."'
MOSES D. HENSLER. Few residents of the country community in Miami county have more thoroughly deserved the esteem and high standing among fellow citizens than Mr. Hensler, whose home has been in Harrison township, since his childhood. His years were still those of boyhood when he first took a hand in the practical affairs of life, and with little education and relying almost entirely on his native ability and industry, he has prospered as few other residents in his section have, and now enjoys not only a comfortable competence, an excellent home, but has been honored by his fellow citizens with positions of trust and responsibility in public affairs.
M. D. Hensler is a native of Ohio, born in Holmes county, November 8, 1851, a son of Lewis C. and Sarah (Miller) Hensler. His grand- father was Christian Hensler. The father was born in Germany, and in
772
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
coming to America was six weeks in performing the journey across the ocean. In 1857 when M. D. Hensler was six years of age, the family moved from Ohio to Indiana, locating in Miami county, on land adjoin- ing that now occupied by, M. D. Hensler in Harrison township. This was the scene of his early years, and his boyhood days were spent in assisting with the farm work. Until he was fourteen he attended school about three or four months each year. The nearest school and the one he attended was in Howard county. After he was fourteen all his time was given to farm work, and thus his schooling was limited. Under the parental roof he lived until his marriage and then started out for himself. His home has always been in Harrison township, and when he and his young bride faced the world together, they had very little capital, but much courage and were quite willing and were well justified in mortgaging the future. The first purchase of land was forty acres, included within the present fine Hensler homestead, and to this purchase, through successive years of industry and economy, they have added from time to time tracts of thirty-seven, forty-three, twenty, twenty-one, forty and two and a half acres, so that the entire estate is now two hundred and two acres. A portion of this land was cleared when it came into their possession, but the labors of Mr. Hensler have cleared off some thirty or forty acres, and with the exception of a barn, which he has remodeled, he has erected all the buildings to be seen about the płace.
On April 11, 1875, Mr. Hensler married Margaret Gerhart, a daugh- ter of Michael and Margaret (Dancer) Gerhart. Mr. and Mrs. Hensler have lived together nearly forty years, and in that time there have come into their home and blessed their marriage twelve children, five of whom died when quite young. Those living are John H., Nettie G., Homer L., Reuben R., Rolla Nelson, Roscoe Vernon, and Orlando. Of this number three are settled in homes of their own. John H. married Cora Roth; Nettie G., is the wife of Milton Strauss; and Homer L. married Frankie Hunt.
The continued prosperity and the enterprise shown by Mr. Hensler. in all his dealings and his career commended him to the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens, and in 1900 he was honored by election to the office of commissioners of Miami county. He served one term on the board, and in that office and also as a private citizen has always worked effectively for community welfare. The pretty home of Mr. and Mrs. Hensler is known as "Village View Farm.'
REV. BEVERLY R. WARD. Few people in considering the lives of men who have given themselves to the Christian ministry, stop to realize in more than the most casual manner the immensity of the sacrifice some must make in order to obey the pointing finger of duty. Old estab- lished ties must be severed, long cherished plans relinquished, interests fraught with much that is personal and intimate be wiped from the slate of life,-all to make possible the obedience of the individual to the clarion call of conscience. Rev. Beverly R. Ward was one of those hon- est, conscientious and unrelenting men, who had sacrificed much that was deeply rooted in the spring of being in order to fulfill his destiny as a member of the Christian ministry, and his life in that capacity has fully justified the sacrifice.
Born in Rush county, Indiana, in about the year 1820, Rev. Ward was reared on the farm of his parents until the death of his father when he was five years old, after which he was cared for by an elder brother in Clinton county. There he learned the trade of a cabinet maker, and when he was about eighteen years old he married Nancy J. Lett. In
773
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
later years fortune favored him to such an extent that he was able to engage in the furniture business, in Alto, Howard county, Indiana, and he had reached a considerable prominence and success in the enterprise when he became converted to Christianity, was baptised and became a member of the Baptist church. His conversion was not merely an emo- tional experience, but went deep into his life and so strongly did he feel the call of the Gospel that he in time saw the day when he could no longer withstand his call to preach. He was a man of common school education, but he was determined to respond to the call, and fully confident that his course was the right one, sold out his business in Alto in order that he might supply the means to continue his education. Everything the young zealot owned was sacrificed, and he entered Franklin College in Johnston county, and at this time he had five sons and his wife. He got into touch with the common branches and later engaged in the study of theology. In due time he was equipped for the ministry, and the remainder of his life, covering a period of nearly fifty years, was spent in the preaching of the gospel in various places where he was sta- tioned throughout Indiana. He served the old Deer Creek church faith- fully as well as the church at Bunker Hill for many years, and he was long the pastor of the Antioch Baptist church. He was a stanch Union man during the Civil war and four of his sons were soldiers in the Union army during the struggle.
By his first wife, Rev. Ward had six children, all of whom are liv- ing. The mother died in 1864, and he later married Rebecca J. Camp- bell, and to them were born four children, two of the number being yet alive, and one of them, Elizabeth, is now a missionary to Japan. Rev. Ward died February 21, 1900.
JAMES O. WARD, M. D. A son of the late Rev. Beverly R. Ward, Dr. J. O. Ward is one of the oldest physicians and surgeons of Peru, in which city he has been almost continuously identified with his profession for more than forty years.
James Osborn Ward was born in Clinton county, Indiana, Febru -. ary 9, 1844. He attended the public schools during his youth and was old enough to give six months of service to the union during the war of the Rebellion. He went in with the One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment of Indiana Infantry, and all his service was in eastern Ten- nessee. Returning to the army in 1864 he took up the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Drs. Cooper and Johnson at Kokomo. In 1867 he graduated in medicine from the Miami medical college at Cin- cinnati, and first established himself for practice at Galveston in Cass county. In 1869 he came to Peru and with brief exceptions his practice has been steady in this city and vicinity ever since. Dr. Ward is one of the physicians who combine the old time characteristics of the kindly doctor with the more scientific and skillful attainments of the modern physician, and he has consequently enjoyed a large practice and the high regard of all the local citizenship. Dr. Ward served as pension examiner at Peru from 1870 to 1883, and his resignation from that position was due to his removal to Denver, Colorado, on account of ill health. After living at Denver and practicing a little less than three years he re- turned to Peru, and has been in this city ever since.
Dr. Ward belongs to the Miami county medical societies and the state associations, also to the American Medical Association, is affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a Republican in politics. He and his family are members of the Baptist church and he is a deacon for life in that church.
In 1867 Dr. Ward married Miss Amelia B. Clements, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Charles Clements, who later became one of the
774
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
well known farmers of Deer Creek township in Miami county. The three children born to the doctor and wife were: Harry Beverly, a graduate of the University of Chicago; Lottie, also college educated at Franklin, Indiana, and Lewis Sampson, who graduated from the Peru high school, and continued his education at the University of Chicago, now deceased. The daughter Lottie married Mr. E. E. Dildine, a rail- road man, and they now reside in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Mrs. Ward has passed away to the life eternal-death occurring in January, 1910. The following lines, true to her life and character, are here appended.
IN MEMORY
Time brings many changes. Winter disappears in approaching spring. The home of today is not the home of yesterday. Organizations, methods, leaders and workers all have their day, performing their mis- sion, and then disappear from our view. But the fruit remains. Mrs. J. O. Ward of Peru, Indiana, who for more than twenty years served the. Logansport Baptist Association as secretary of the Woman's Baptist Home Mission Society, has been called from labor to reward. After these twenty years of faithful service what has been wrought? The com- plete answer can only be made in the search-light of eternity. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors: and their works do follow them. ''
Done by order of the Woman's Missionary Conference of Logansport Association, this the twenty-fifth day of March, 1910.
Mrs. J. G. Tedford, Mrs. E. D. Closson, Mrs. H. Tucker, Committee.
JUDGE ALBERT COLE. In the death of Judge Albert Cole, which occurred in the city of Peru in 1879, passed away one of the men whose works and influence had been most conspicuous in the development of the early fortunes of this city and locality. He was a pioneer in the best sense of the term, a hard worker, a good· manager of men, a keen and resourceful business man and faithful and efficient in the performance of his civic responsibilities.
Albert Cole was born in Kensington, Connecticut, May 13, 1790. A son of Stephen and Lucy (Deming) Cole. The family was early estab- lished in New England, and both the father and grandfather had been honored residents of that state. Albert Cole was reared in the atmos- phere and conditions of his Connecticut home, and at the age of twenty- two he went south to the state of Louisiana, where an older brother was then living, and he became a soldier of the war of 1812 and fought in the memorable battle of New Orleans on the 8th of January, 1815. In August of the same year he returned to Connecticut, and was soon after- wards married to Miss Mary Galpin.
With his bride Judge Cole soon moved west to Zanesville, Ohio, where he bought a farm and also conducted a tannery. In 1833 he became one of the early settlers of Elkhart county, Indiana, and resided at Goshen until July, 1834, at which date he took up his residence in Peru. There he found a partnership with D. R. Bearss, another name well known in pioneer and later history of this city, and they had a store here for about a year. Judge Cole was for a number of years engaged in merchandising in this town which soon became an important point on the old canal .and he shared in the business activity of that period. He was honored with
775
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
the office of postmaster from 1848 until 1851. On leaving that office he moved to a farm just north of the city, but soon sold that property and thenceforth had most of his capital invested in city real estate. By his private enterprise he was a real contributor to the growth and improve- ment of this city. In public affairs he was active for many years. In 1840 he was elected judge of the district court, the system of judicial authority at that time comprising one president judge who was chosen by the state legislature, and two associate judges, elected by the people from the locality. President William Harrison appointed Judge Cole to the office of commissioner for the distribution of surplus revenue, and he held various other minor places of responsibility.
Judge Cole, after the death of his first wife, was married in 1857 to Mrs. McClaney of Zanesville. The children were all by his first wife, and were named as follows: Mrs. Emma A. Bearss; Alphonsa; Lucy, who became the wife of Louis D. Atkinson; Mary L., who became the wife of James T. Miller; James O., of Peru; and Ellen, wife of H. G. Fetter.
JAMES OMAR COLE. In every city and community are found several families or individuals who for many years have furnished the business initiative, the enterprise and resourcefulness which have made this par- ticular community noteworthy in a business sense, and at the same time their activities and influences have also been strong factors in the civics, and in every department of local affairs. This distinction of influence could be assigned to no one family in the city of Peru more properly than to the Cole family, and during the last half century the represen- tative of the name who has been most prominent in his participations of leadership in business life at Peru and in this county has been Mr. James O. Cole, now a veteran business man of Peru and in the eighty-fifth year of his life. Both at the present time and for many years in the past his name has been associated with the undertakings and institutions which have been regarded as the largest of their kind in this locality, and in a group of perhaps half a dozen men who might be chosen for reasons of power and activities in this city during the last half century, Mr. J. O. Cole would probably deserve the first mention.
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.