History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 103

Author: Ford, Ira, 1848- ed
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 618

USA > Indiana > LaGrange County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 103
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 103
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 103
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 103

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).

John W. Harvey has spent all his life on the old homestead in Jefferson Township. He attended the district schools and finished his education in the Tri-State Normal at Angola. After his education he worked the home farm, and on January 20, 1897, at the age of twenty-six, he married Miss Cora E. Faux. She was born near Mount Gilead in Morrow County, Ohio, December 17, 1873, and at the age of two years was brought by her parents to Noble County, where she grew up and received her edu- cation in the local schools. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey have three children: Carl E., born November 5, 1897, is a graduate of the common schools and of the high school at Kendallville and is still at home; Charles N., born September 27, 1903, is a student in the common schools; and Ivah B., born in Feb- ruary, 1909, is also a schoolgirl. The family are members of the Zion United Brethren Church. Mr. Harvey is a church trustee. He is affiliated with Kendallville Lodge No. 316, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and with the Encampment No. 156 at Kendallville. He has specialized to some extent in the breeding and raising of cattle, especially the Polled Angus. Mr. Harvey is a republican, and has been quite active in the party. Among other inter- ests he is a stockholder in the Albion National Bank.

EDWARD A. OLNEY. There is probably no farm in LaGrange County which has been longer under one continuous ownership than the place where Edward A. Olney lives in Van Buren Township. He was born on that farm September 17, 1862, while his fa- ther, William S. Olney, was born there September 16, 1834. The latter date indicates that the Olney family has been in possession here for at least eighty-five years. The grandfather, John Olney, was

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born in Vermont February 24, 1800. On August 14, 1823, he married Esther Smith, who was born March 13, 1802.

John Olney with his family came to Van Buren Township in 1830. They made the journey with an ox team from Morgan County, Ohio. Before leav- ing Ohio John Olney had cut from the native woods a cane to serve as a staff as he walked along and for the purpose of driving his oxen. When he reached his land in Van Buren Township he stuck the cane in the ground in the front yard of his humble log house. In a few weeks he was surprised to find it budding out and within his own lifetime it grew into a shapely tree. That tree is still a remarkable and interesting landmark, is now a great and handsome shade tree, and three feet from the ground it measures sixteen feet, four inches in cir- cumference. John Olney died on the old homestead June 9, 1841. He and his wife had the following children : John Deming, Struman, Asa Jackson, Betsey Ann, Henry, William Smith and Martin Van Buren. After his death his widow married Na- thaniel Callahan, on March 23, 1847, and they re- mained on the old farm where she died February 12, 1858, and he on July 20, 1855.

The deeds for the old Olney homestead were given to John Olney by the Government and are four in number, signed in 1831, 1832, 1833 and 1837. The first three bear the signature of Andrew Jackson, President of the United States, while the fourth was signed by Martin Van Buren.

William S. Olney was only seven years old when his father died, and after the death of his mother he and a brother bought the old homestead and in 1881 he became its sole owner. He had much of the energy and industry of his father and was a suc- cessful farmer and at one time owned 440 acres in Van Buren Township and 200 acres in St. Joseph County, Michigan. He was an honored resident of the county until his death October 21, 1915. He served one term as trustee of Van Buren Township and was one of the organizers and builders of the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Van Buren Township. He was a charter member of the church organization and he and his family connections were all prominent in the early days of Methodism in that locality.

William S. Olney married Delila J. Sidener. She was born October 2, 1839, a daughter of Nicholas and Margaret (Bussard) Sidener. Her parents were both natives of Fairfield County, Ohio, where her father was born December 3, 1811, and her mother June 27, 1817. They were married April 6, 1837. Nicholas Sidener had made his first trip to LaGrange County in 1835, buying 160 acres in Van Buren Town- ship. After his marriage in Ohio he returned and settled on his land in section 30. Nicholas Sidener was a son of Nicholas and Nancy Sidener, the former born in Virginia September 1, 1773, and the latter in Pennsylvania in 1782. In the family of Nicholas and Margaret Sidener were the following children : Delila J., Henry, Samuel L., Willard, John, Mary, James E., Martha E. and Margaret E.

William S. Olney and wife had three children: Charles B., who was born June 30, 1859, and died May 15, 1873; Edward, born September 17, 1862; and one that was born October 27 and died November 28, 1873.

Edward A. Olney, the only living child of his fa- ther, acquired his education in the Scott School in Van Buren Township, attended high school at Stur- gis, Michigan, and from early manhood has worked the home farm, which is owned by him and his widowed mother. On June 21, 1893, he married Anna Wisler. She was born January 20, 1874, in Lima Township of LaGrange County, a daughter of

Henry and Anna Lucetta (Nye) Wisler. Her father was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, November 19, 1826, and her mother in Ohio May 6, 1834. Henry Wisler when a young man went to Elkhart County, Indiana, and about 1869 settled in Lima Township of LaGrange County, where he spent the rest of his active life. He and his wife lived their last years in Michigan. In the Wisler family were children named W. R., Jesse F., Samuel L., Grace, who be- came the wife of Frank Clugg, Anna, and Sara, who married Sherman Malcolm.

Mr. and Mrs. Olney had one daughter, Lucetta Jane, who was born September 28, 1913, and died April 6, 1918, when in her fifth year. As their only child her death was a terrible sorrow to her parents, and as a baby she was widely known because for three consecutive years she had been awarded a bronze medal which was given by Woman's Home Companion in the LaGrange County baby contest as making the best score for a perfect baby. Mr. and Mrs. Olney have taken two daughters to rear at their home, Ruth Brownlee and Blanche. Mr. and Mrs. Olney are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Scott. He is a director of the Farmers State Bank of Shipshewana and a stock- holder in the National Bank of LaGrange.

CORNELIUS V. JONES, who is now living retired at Angola, has played a conspicuous part in the affairs of Scott Township for many years, both as a farmer and a public official. He is a former trustee of that township, and has long been active in the politics of Steuben County.

Mr. Jones was born in Scott Township October 29, 1862, a son of Samuel and Sarah (Van Horn) Jones. His grandfather, Ziba Jones, was born in 1793, became a prominent settler in Licking County, Ohio, and married Flora A. Everett. In 1848 Ziba Jones brought his family to Steuben County and settled in section 8 of Scott Township. Before com- ing to this county he had experimented in the cul- ture of silk worms in Ohio, losing his money, and was therefore in poor circumstances when he came to Indiana. He cleared up a tract of seventy acres of land, and renewed his prosperity sufficient to live in comfort during his last days. He died Novem- ber 13, 1880. For over seventy years he was a mem- ber of the Methodist Church. His wife died in 1872.

Samuel E. Jones, who was one of eight children, all natives of Licking County, Ohio, was a young man when he came to Steuben County, and mar- ried there Sarah Van Horn, who was born in 1827. Ziba Jones started the first nursery in Steuben County. Samuel E. Jones died February 11, 1871, at the age of forty-seven. He was a republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He owned a farm of seventy acres, comprising the old Jones homestead in Scott Township, and lived on it until his death. His wife died in 1892. Their chil- dren were Elva, Sarah, twins that died in infancy; Cornelius V., Albert and Alice.

Cornelius V. Jones grew up on his father's farm. This old homestead is now owned by his brother and sister. He attended the public schools, also the Fremont High School, and in 1900 bought eighty acres near the old home place. He has found that sufficient to furnish him with plenty of work and opportunity to render good service as a farmer and citizen. He built a barn and added to the house, and continued general farming and stockraising until November, 1918, when he removed to Angola and bought a good home on Martha Street, where he lives retired, leasing the farm.

Mr. Jones is a republican. He was elected trustee of Scott Township in 1914, beginning his duties in

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1915 and continuing in office four years. He has also served on the advisory board of Scott Town- ship. He and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

January 22, 1885, he married Miss Mattie Merritte. She was born in Jamestown Township of Steuben County, January 15, 1861, a daughter of James and Susan (Whistler) Merritte. Her father was born in Morgan County, Ohio, February 22, 1832, and her mother in Pennsylvania February 3, 1832. Her mother came to Fremont, Indiana, in 1842 with her parents, Abraham and Sarah (Faylor) Whistler, who were pioneers in Jamestown Township, where Abraham died, his widow spending her last days with her son Enos in LaGrange County. James and Susan Merritte were married in LaGrange County, and then came to Steuben County and settled in Jamestown Township, where he followed farming until his death on September 13, 1906. His widow is now living with Mr. and Mrs. Jones. In the Merritte family were three sons and one daughter, Adelbert, Joseph, John and Mattie. Mrs. Jones' brothers all died in infancy or early childhood.

The one son of Mr. and Mrs. Jones is Vern Rus- sell, who was born April 8, 1886. He attended public schools, graduated from the Fremont High School, took the scientific course in the Tri-State Normal College, graduating in 1909, and subse- quently received the A. P. B. degree from the same institution. He has had a successful record as a teacher, having taught in Scott Township three years, at Flint three years, in Angola two years, and at Edgerton, Ohio. During his second year at Edgerton he resigned his school work to enter the railway mail service, where he is still on duty. Vern R. Jones married Alta Denman, of Jackson Town- ship, Steuben County. She is a graduate of the Flint High School. Her parents, Arthur and Olive (Walsh) Denman, are farmers in Jackson Town- ship.

CHARLES J. MASTERSON, who has an interesting personality, is a resident of Steuben County. He has spent many years in the service of the New York Central Railroad and is widely known as a scientist. For over thirty years he has been a student of astronomy, and he is one of a notable group of men who without the aid or affiliation of any great en- dowed institution has contributed new knowledge and done much to advance general enlightenment on this subject. Mr. Masterson owns the largest tele- scope nearer than Ann Arbor, Michigan, and in addition to his other duties has employed much of his time in his own observatory as special instructor of astronomy to students attending the Tri-State Normal College at Angola. Perhaps an even more important feature of his scientific work has been his regular contribution, covering a period of about twenty-five years, of articles that have appeared in the Steuben Republican, and have done much to pop- ularize this science.

Mr. Masterson was born at Orange, New Jersey, November 28, 1860, a son of Alfred and Annabella (Johnson) Masterson. His parents were natives of County Norfolk, England, and three of their chil- dren were born there, two sons dying in infancy. Their daughter Anna came with her parents in 1857 to the United States. The family located at Orange, New Jersey. In August, 1861, Alfred Masterson enlisted in the Seventh New Jersey Volunteer In- fantry, and was killed at the battle of Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1862, when only twenty-six years of age.

Charles J. Masterson, the only child of his parents born in the United States, came with his mother in 1865 to Steuben County, Indiana. In 1869 his mother married John Barrett, of Angola, and she died on

January 28, 1914, at the age of seventy-eight. Her son by Mr. Barrett is John Barrett of Hillsdale, Michigan.

Charles J. Masterson grew up on a farm in Scott Township of Steuben County and acquired his edu- cation in the grammar and high schools of Angola. He has rounded out a service of twenty-two years with the New York Central Railroad. Mr. Master- son, who is unmarried, is a republican in politics and a member of the Congregational Church.

JERRY O. WIGGINS, who for the last ten years has lived retired in a comfortable home at LaGrange, was long identified with the farming interests of Johnson Township, and represents two of the oldest and most important families in the early and later history of LaGrange County.

He was born in Johnson Township January 12, 1870, a son of Nathan E. and Mary E. (Outcalt) Wiggins. His paternal grandparents were John and Lora Wiggins, who were very early settlers in Steuben County, Indiana, where they spent the rest of their lives. They had five children: Eu- nice, Henry, Nathan, Andrew and another son that died when about eighteen years of age.

Nathan E. Wiggins was born in Steuben County, grew up there, had a public school education and as a young man enlisted in Company B, of the One Hundredth Indiana Infantry. He went out from Steuben County and served more than three years in the Union army and was one of the faith- ful and courageous soldiers whose record belongs to the military history of Northeast Indiana. He was in Sherman's army on the march to the sea. After the war he returned to Steuben County and worked for John Seaburn for some time at monthly wages, and later bought a farm in Johnson Town- ship, where he lived until his death in 1875, at the age of thirty-five. He was a republican in politics.

Mary E. Outcalt, who became the wife of Nathan E. Wiggins, survived her hushand over forty years and died May 8, 1916. She was the mother of two children, Jerry O. and Lois, the latter dying at the age of eight years.

Mary E. Outcalt was of remote German ancestry, but the family was established in America three generations prior to the birth of her father. Her father, Jeremiah Outcalt, was born in Portage County, Ohio, in October, 1812, son of Scobey and Clara (Sabins) Outcalt, heing one of their ten chil- dren. Scobey Outcalt was a teamster with the American army in the War of 1812. Later he and his wife moved out to Illinois in 1848 and died in that state. Jeremiah Outcalt first came to La- Grange County in 1839, and in 1846 settled at the village of Ontario, where he spent one winter in the cooperage trade. In the spring of 1847 he moved to his farm in Johnson Township, having purchased the land previously. He cleared and improved and erected substantial buildings, and was one of the useful and highly respected members of that com- munity until his death on February 16, 1902. Jere- miah Outcalt married Elizabeth Irwin, who was born in 1808. They were married September 27, 1840. She died March 16, 1885. Her first husband was a Mr. Ingram, by whom she had two children : Frances Elizabeth, born in 1834; and Sarah Jane, horn in 1830. The four children of Jeremiah Out- calt and wife were: Adalia and Charles Henry, twins. born in 1842; Mary E., horn January 18, 1844 ; and Hortense, who was born in 1846 and died in infancy.

Jerry O. Wiggins was only five years old when his father died and he grew up in the home of his grandfather Outcalt. He acquired a public school education, and all his adult career followed farming.

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He owns the farm of his grandfather Outcalt, and for a number of years had 189 acres in operation for crops and livestock. In March, 1910, he moved to LaGrange and bought a fine home on Hawpatch street, where he lives in comfort, leasing his farm lands.

Mr. Wiggins is a republican, is a member of the Town Board of LaGrange, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He married Miss Agnes Stone October 5, 1892.

LAWRENCE N. KLINK. While Mr. Klink has made his name and services known at Angola and over the surrounding territory as one of the leading undertakers, his own career has been only part of the honorable record made by his family in Steu- ben County since early pioneer days.

He is a grandson of Christian Klink, who was born in one of the German countries, and served five years and three months in the Napoleonic wars of Europe. Then when still unmarried he set out to find a new home in America, landing at Baltimore. According to the custom of the time he was "sold" for his passage money, and worked it out before leaving Baltimore. He then removed to Columbiana County, Ohio, and later, to Seneca County in that state, and in 1848 established his home in Steuben County, Indiana. He was one of the early settlers of Salem Township, and ac- quired a tract of land which is now owned and farmed by his grandson, Chester C. Klink. Only three acres of his land had been cleared when he took possession, and he lived to see much of it in cultivation, and was surrounded with all the com- forts of life when lie and his wife died there. His first home was a log cabin, replaced later by a frame house, and in 1878 the old homestead was improved by its then owner, the father of Lawrence N. Klink, with a large two-story, fourteen room brick house, one of the best country homes in Steuben County.

Eli Klink, father of Lawrence N., was born in Seneca County, Ohio, October 25, 1844, and was a small child when brought to Steuben County. He was educated in the local schools, and became one of the successful farmers in his neighborhood. The last four years of his life he lived retired at Angola, where he died in 1909. He was nominally a democrat but on all important issues cast an in- dependent ballot. Both he and his wife were de- voted members of the United Brethren Church. He married Syrena Deller. She was born in Sten- ben County, Indiana, in 1850 and is still living at Angola. Her father, Nicholas Deller, and her mother, Mary Ann Deller, were among the early settlers of Steuben Township. Their first home was just south of the Mount Zion Church. Nicho- las Deller died there and his widow spent her last days with Mr. and Mrs. Eli Klink. The latter were the parents of six children: Etta, wife of W. J. Huber, of Angola; Olen, who died in in- fancy; Ernest C., of Toledo, Ohio; Chester C., above mentioned as owner of the old homestead farm in Salem Township; Lawrence N .; and Zella, who died in infancy.

Lawrence N. Klink was born on the old farm in Salem Township May 15, 1882. He lived there until nearly grown, and supplemented the advan- tages received in the public schools by attending the Tri-State College. In December, 1902, he grad- uated from the Chicago College of Embalming, and the following two years he was in the furni- ture and undertaking business at Reading, Michi- gan. On September 1, 1904, he began his business and service at Angola, and has capably served this

community for fifteen years. Mr. Klink is a dem- ocrat in politics but has been too busy to concern himself with the responsibilities of public office. He is affiliated with the Masonic Order, the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America at Angola, and is also a member of the Rotary Club. He and his family are members of the Congregational Church. May 15, 1905, Mr. Klink married Miss Mabel Ab- bott, of Reading, Michigan. They have two chil- dren : Lurene and Harry.

HARVEY A. MOORE. The leading business man of Avilla in Noble County is Harvey A. Moore, whose success is to be attributed entirely to his own energies and efforts. He started on a very modest scale and has not only acquired his present store and store building, but is also interested in a number of other affairs and is looked upon as a leader in every movement to improve and help forward his community.

Mr. Moore was born at Wawaka, Noble County, Indiana, November 17, 1877, son of Thomas and Sarah (Barnhart) Moore. His mother was a native of Williams County, Ohio, and in that county Harvey A. Moore spent most of his boyhood. He attended the public schools of Ohio. He gained his first business experience in that state, but in 1898 returned to Noble County, and with an exceedingly modest capital began selling merchandise at Avilla. He has since built up a large trade in furniture and is proprietor of that store and also a stockholder in a business that has stores both in Avilla and Auburn. Mr. Moore erected the Bank Block in which his own store is located and has considerable other interests in local real estate.

In 1897 Mr. Moore married Miss Byrd Repple. She is a college graduate and a very cultured woman. They have one daughter, Lorene, now attending high school at Avilla.

Mr. Moore is an active Mason, is past master of Avilla Lodge, and is also a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner at Fort Wayne. He is affiliated with the Elks at Kendallville. His name is widely known over Kendall County as a leader in democratic politics. He is now a member and president of the City Council of Avilla, and is also his party's nominee for membership on the Board of County Commissioners. Besides his hold- ings at Avilla he owns a good farm of ninety-six acres in Allen Township.

EDWARD NOLL. A history of the Noll family and that of Salem Township in Steuben County runs side by side for a period of eighty years. The Nolls came here in Indian times, and along with the de- velopment of a large acreage of wild land to cul- tivated fields they have exercised an influence over their community and furnished valuable service as capable mechanics and business men.

The founder of the family here was George Noll, who was born in Union County, Pennsylvania, in 1796, married Nancy Hall and lived in Stark County, Ohio, for many years. Nine children were born to them in that county, Nancy, Margaret, Elizabeth, Barbara, Catherine, Jacob, Henry, Samuel and Mar- tin, and the mother died there. In 1839 George Noll, having married again, brought his family to Steuben County and bought land in section II of Salem Township. He lived there until his death in 1852. His first home was a log cabin. An Indian Trail ran near the house and the family saw Indians passing over that road nearly every day. It is recalled that salt then retailed at $9 a barrel, thougli the wheat crop grown after much labor in clearing away the woods brought only 40 cents a bushel, and all grain

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had to be hauled to market at Coldwater, Michigan. Samuel Noll was born in Stark County, Ohio, in 1817, and had just passed his majority when he came with his father to Steuben County. His father being quite well advanced in years at the time most of the work of clearing up the land devolved upon him. He spent many long days chopping trees and clearing away the brush. He brought with him to Indiana a knowledge of the carpenter's trade, was a very skillful workman, and his services were in de- mand for making furniture and more particularly for fashioning coffins. Gradually, though he kept his home on the farm, he engaged in the undertak- ing business, and was in that work for about forty years, until the time of his death, which occurred in May, 1888. In Stark County Samuel Noll mar- ried Christina Flectling, a native of Alsace, Ger- many, where she was born in 1819, coming to Amer- ica at the age of eight years with her parents. Samuel Noll and wife were active members of the Reformed Church, and in 1882 they were instru- mental in building the New Trinity Reformed Church in Salem Township. Samuel Noll and wife had a family of eight children: John, Elizabeth, George Washington, William F., Edward and Caro- line, twins; Samuel, who died in childhood; and Mary.

Mr. Edward Noll, who therefore represents the third generation of the family in Northwest Indiana, was born at the old home in Salem Township July 23, 1849. As a boy he attended the neighboring dis- trict schools and besides work on the farm learned the carpenter's trade and for about two years was a blacksmith. His mechanical genius has found ex- pression not only in the varied work of the farm but as the operator of a threshing outfit, and he has been in that line of business for upwards of forty years and has worn out many outfits and has handled all the improvements in threshing machinery from the time of the old horse power apparatus. Mr. Noll and family are members of the Reformed Church.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 103

Author: Ford, Ira, 1848- ed Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 618

Author: Ford, Ira, 1848- ed
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 618