History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 104

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 104
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 104
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 104
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 104

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· In September, 1873, he married Chloe Arvilla Ransburg, a daughter of Leander and Harriet Lu- cinda (Spangle) Ransburg. Mr. and Mrs. Noll having no children of their own took into their home Ida May Farres when she was two years of age. This adopted daughter is now the wife of Clyde Allen.

Leander Ransburg, father of Mrs. Noll, was born in Frederick County, Maryland, November 6, 1819, a son of Christian and Catherine Ransburg. He settled in Salem Township of Steuben County in 1851 and spent the rest of his active life on a farm. His first wife was Rachel Mithour, and they had one daughter, Emeline. Harriet Lucinda Spangle was his second wife, and she was the mother of Chloe Arvilla, Edith Ella, Lewis Walter and Olive E.

GEORGE GORDON TALMAGE, M. D. Talmage is the name of an old and prominent family in Springfield Township, LaGrange County, where Dr. George Gordon Talmage was born December 20, 1869.

His father, Elisha Talmage, was born at Milton in Saratoga County, New York, in 1813, one of the ten children of Enos and Polly (Barber) Talmage. His parents were also natives of New York and of English descent. Elisha Talmage as a youth learned the carpenter's trade, and followed it for two years at wages of ten dollars a month. In the summer of 1836 he was working at Auburn, New York, and the following fall came west to Michigan and spent a short time in Lenawee County. He went back east by way of Canada, and in the spring of 1837 came to Indiana, settling in the fall of that year on

120 acres in Springfield Township. He paid $500 for this land. He was a man ot skillful industry and much enterprise and developed a good farm of 169 acres, where he lived for many years. One feature of his farm business was the manufacture of cider.

He married for his first wife Lucy Williams, a native of New York, who died in April, 1849. Their five children were Joseph, Harriet, Enos, Mary E. and Calista E. In October, 1851, Elisha Talmage married Jane Griffen. She was born at Spaxton, England, and came to this country in 1833 with her parents, Robert H. and Mary ( Polman) Griffen. Elisha Talmage by his second wife had ten chil- dren: Lewis E., Isaac G., Charles E., Harvey H., Herbert J., Lucy L., Arthur F., Ernest E., George G., and Eva J. The oldest son of Elisha, Joseph W., served as a Union soldier, enlisting in 1861 in the Twenty-First Indiana Infantry, and soon afterward was transferred to the Twenty-first Heavy Artillery. In later life he donated the land for a church on his farm in Nebraska. Elisha Talmage and wife are both buried in the East Springfield Cemetery.

Dr. George G. Talmage attended the public schools of his native township, was a student in the Tri- State Normal at Angola and in June, 1901, gradu- ated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago. He had a busy country practice on Brushy Prairie until the spring of 1904, when he removed to Washta, Cherokee County, Iowa. He is a republican in politics. March 29, 1894, Dr. Tal- mage married Miss Laura E. Brown, of Springfield Township, where she was born April 10, 1875. She is the only daughter of Warren and Falona (Baxter) Brown, and member of a family whose career has been traced in detail on other pages. Dr. Talmage and wife had two children : Russell Brown Talmage, born November 4, 1900, was educated in the Spring- field Township High School and graduated from the Fremont High School in Steuben County in 1918. At present he is engaged in farming on the old homestead, being a member of the fourth genera- tion on this farm, known as the Brown Homestead. Ernest Erastus Talmage was born January 6, 1904, and is now a student in the Springfield Township High School.

DAVID ABURN is identified with the farming com- munity of Perry Township in Noble County, has had a long and useful career, and has always lived up to the highest obligations and standards of good citizenship. His farm home is in section 32.

He was born in Darke County, Ohio, June 13, 1852, son of William and Catherine (Arnett) Aburn. His father was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, June 25, 1825, and his mother in Miami County of the same state, September 13, 1826. They were married in Miami County, then located in Darke County, and on August 9, 1860, left that section of Ohio to come to Indiana and settled in Noble Town- ship of Noble County. On March 21, 1882, they transferred their home to the farm where their son David now lives. William Aburn and wife were people of the highest character and lived industrious and honest lives, and were very devout members of the Dunkard Church. In politics the father affiliated as a democrat. His wife died October 22, 1894, and he passed away on the old farm December 2, 1892. There were seven children and four are still liv- ing: David; Tobias, of Whitley County, Indiana : Harriet, wife of T. N. McNear, of Canada; and Margaret, wife of C. D. Betzner, of Perry Town- ship.

David Aburn, who has never married, has spent most of his life in Perry Township, and acquired his early education in Noble Township. He owns

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160 acres of land in section 32, and among other interests is a stockholder in the Citizens Bank of Ligonier. Politically he is a democrat, like his father.

CHESTER P. CRAIN, who was a member of one of the early families of Steuben County and achieved successful results in a business way there, was a native son of the county and spent practi- cally all his life within its border. The fine farm which he developed is situated in Pleasant Town- ship, and is now occupied by his widow and his son-in-law, Mr. George Saul.

Mr. Crain was born in Steuben County Septem- ber 5, 1845, a son of Ezekiel W. and Rebecca (Demory) Crain. His parents came from Canada, where they were married in 1823, moving to Michi- gan in 1834, and in the spring of 1836 Ezekiel Crain came to Steuben County and bought land and built a log cabin, moving the family to the new home in the following December. Ezekiel Crain was a man of great influence among the early settlers, and died in Steuben County in 1871, his widow passing away in 1880. They had seven children: Abram, Orange, Nicholas, Richard, Eli- zabeth, who became the wife of William Carpenter, Benjamin and Chester Perry.

Chester Perry Crain grew up on the old farm where his widow now lives, had a public school education, and with the exception of one year in Kansas spent his life in Steuben County. After the death of his father he bought the homestead and had 120 acres. For about thirty years he made a specialty of the breeding of Red Polled cattle, and that business is still carried on by his son-in-law, George W. Saul. Mr. Crain was a democrat in politics, and he and his wife with their daughter and husband were members of the Christian Church at Angola.

January 23, 1873, Mr. Crain married Miss Susie Baker, a daughter of Edward and Susan (Sandall) Baker. Her parents came from England, were early settlers in Steuben County, and more ex- tended mention of the family is made on other pages of this publication. Mr. Crain had one daughter, Elgie Melvina. She was born October 13, 1875, attended the public schools and the Tri- State Normal College, and on June 12, 1901, be- came the wife of George W. Saul. Mrs. Saul died May 12, 1915.

Mr. Saul was born in St. Clair County, Michigan, November 12, 1876, son of Leander and Catherine (Hoyer) Saul. His parents were natives of Wil- liams County, Ohio, lived for several years in Michigan and from there came to Steuben County and now live in Salem Township. Mr. Saul's fa- ther is a republican and his mother is a member of the United Brethren Church. The six Saul children, all living, are Jennie, Nettie, George W., Ivan, Orran and Pearl. George W. Saul finished his education in Pleasant Lake High School. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows at Angola. He and his wife had one daughter, Troas Olive, born May 28, 1903.

ELDER WALTER SWIHART is one of the men of most varied interests in and around the village of Churu- busco in Noble County. He has a fine farm, was vice president of the Farmers State Bank of Churu- busco from the time it was organized until he re- signed in 1919, has for a number of years been an elder in the Church of the Brethren, and some con- siderable part of his life he gave to educational work as a teacher.

Mr. Swihart was born in Wabash County, In- diana, July 21, 1864, son of Jacob and Clara (Gidley) Swihart. His father was born in Hancock County, Ohio, November 30, 1837. His mother was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, October 14, 1838. When Jacob Swihart was eight years old his parents moved to Wabash County, Indiana, and settled near Roann. He grew up there and had such limited advantages as the local schools could furnish. His wife was reared in Ohio, had a good education and was a teacher for several years. She and her husband were married near Roann and became farmers there. Later they moved to Whitley County, and in 1870 established a home in Green Township of Noble County, where they spent the rest of their days. Jacob Swihart died while visiting in Arkansas, February 22, 1898. His wife died in Noble County, April 29, 1899. Both were active members of the Church of the Brethren. They were the parents of seven children: John, of Elkhart County; Walter ; Elizabeth, wife of Alvin M. Hire; Amy, wife of Arthur Gardner, of Elkhart County; Martha, wife of Amasa Cripe, of Elkhart County; Jesse, of Noble Township, Noble County ; and Charles, whose home is in Arkansas.

Elder Walter Swihart grew up on a farm in Green Township, and besides the advantages of the district schools he attended the Ohio Northern University at Ada and was graduated with the degree Bachelor of Science. In the meantime he had begun teaching in country districts, and altogether put in nineteen years as an educator. Some of his teaching was done outside the state. In 1895 he went to Phoenix, Arizona, and taught school there and also at Glen- dale, in that territory, for a year and a half. In the fall of 1900 he went to Florida and was a teacher there two years. Another year he spent in New Mexico, and has also seen much of the state of Texas.

Elder Swihart married for his first wife Sarah Huber, of Elkhart Township, Noble County. She was born in that county, was well educated in public schools and in the Tri-State Normal at Angola, and also did considerable teaching. She died in August, 1902, the mother of three children: Huber, a high school graduate and a student at North Manchester, and also in a Bible school at Chicago, is now a farmer in Illinois; Lucile studied at North Man- chester and in the Chicago Bible School and is now the wife of Rufus Sipe; and Calvin is a graduate of the Churubusco High School.

In 1903 Mr. Swihart married Minnie Miller. She died December 29, 1917, the mother of six children, named: Fairy, Faith, Ruth, Ernest, Robin and Donald. Both these wives were earnest Christian women and active members of the Church of the Brethren.

Mr. Swihart has been an elder in this church since 1904. In politics he is a republican.

Mr. Swihart, besides his many other interests, gives an active supervision to the work of his home farm, which comprises 164 acres.

WILLIAM H. CRONE has spent most of his life in Northeast Indiana, for many years was a practical farmer, still owns a large amount of land and in recent years has given his time and energies to the promotion of business and manufacturing at Wol- cottville. He is interested in the manufacturing plant of the Centennial Stave Silo and Drain Tile Com- pany at Wolcottville.

He was born in Allen Township of Noble County August II, 1851, 'a son of John and Catherine (Switzer) Crone. His father was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, August 26, 1818, and his mother in Richland County, Ohio, February 23,

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1820. They were married in Ohio in 1839, and from that state moved in 1849, settling in Allen Township of Noble County, Indiana. John Crone spent the rest of his lite in Noble County as a farmer and was a highly respected citizen. He died in Decem- ber, 1899, and his widow lived at Garrett, Indiana, until her death in February, 1907. Both were mem- bers of the Evangelical Church. John Crone served as a trustee of the church and in politics was a democrat. Of their twelve children five are now living : Barbara, widow of S. A. Rawson; John S., a farmer in Allen Township of Noble County; Wil- liam H .; Amy R., wife of B. F. Stultz, of Elkhart, Indiana; and Laura, wife of George B. Tyler, liv- ing near Lisbon in Allen Township of Noble County.

William H. Crone grew up on his father's farm, attended district schools, and lived at home until he was twenty-one years old. On October 27, 1874, he married Laura J. Wilson. She was born March 21, 1853, daughter of Albert and Isabel Wilson.

After his marriage Mr. Crone bought a farm in Jefferson Township, and taking it in its native con- dition he cleared it up and had all under cultivation except fifteen acres. He remained there twelve years and then sold and moved to Florence Town- ship of Noble County. Later he moved to the vicinity of Wolcottville, where he lived on a 200- acre farm until 1906. Since then his home has heen in Wolcottville, and he had an extensive business there in buying and shipping live stock until recent years. He has been a director in the Silo and Drain Tile Company since its organization, and gives all his time during the summer seasons to selling silos. The last several winters Mr. Crone has spent in the South. Besides his other interests he has a two- third interest in 215 acres of land in Johnson Town- ship.

Mr. Crone is the father of two children, Maude and John. The daughter is a graduate of the com- mon schools and is now the wife of W. D. Fisher. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher had two children, and the one now living is Gerald W. John Crone is a graduate of the Avilla High School, attended the Tri-State Normal at Angola three years and is now a farmer in Johnson Township. He married Dora Whan- settler. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Mr. Crone is a democrat.

STEPHEN T. McKEE. During the many years he spent in the farming community of Lima Stephen McKee was known for his progressiveness in every- thing he did and also for the energy which he ap- plied to his undertakings and which brought him the abundant prosperity he now enjoys in his comfort- able home at Howe.

Mr. McKee was born in Montour County, Penn- sylvania, October 7, 1856, and has lived in LaGrange County since he was eight years of age. His par- ents were William and Nancy (Ellis) McKee, both natives of Columbia County, Pennsylvania, while their respective parents were born in Scotland and spent their last years in Pennsylvania. William and Nancy McKee brought their family from Pennsyl- vania to LaGrange County in the spring of 1865. They traveled by railroad as far as Sturgis, Michi- gan, and thence a horse drawn vehicle took them to a place a little north of Howe, where they arrived the first of April. William McKee bought a farm in Lima Township, and he and his wife lived there until their death. He had eighty acres, and im- proved it and made a good home. He and his wife were active Presbyterians. Their family consisted of six children: James, who died in Pennsylvania ; Ellis ; Oliver P .; Amandas, now deceased ; Elizabeth, deceased wife of Washington Gilbert, and Stephen T.

Stephen T. McKee attended country schools in

LaGrange County and also the high school at Howe. As a young man he learned the trade of carpenter, but has used his skill largely to do his own building and repair work. He took up farming in Lima Township on his fatlier's old place, later owned it, and increased its area to 120 acres. Mr. McKee equipped this farm for dairy purposes and developed one of the best Jersey herds in the township. His farm was also distinguished by having one of the first silos in that vicinity, and as a carpenter he con- structed the silo himself.

Mr. McKee has lived retired at Howe since 1902 He is a charter member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Howe, is a Presbyterian, and has been quite active in local politics, serving as a member of the Township Advisory Board.

On November 4, 1896, he married Miss Anna- belle Smith, a native of Howe and a daughter of John Smith, one of the best known citizens of La- Grange County. Mr. and Mrs. McKee have one daughter, Mildred E., who finished her education in a college at Marion, Virginia.

SAMUEL F. MUSSER, cashier of the LaGrange State Bank, has had a long and active career in LaGrange County, has been a farmer, merchant, traveling salesman and is a former county treas- urer, an office he filled with thorough competence for two terms.

He was born in Clear Spring Township of La- Grange County, September 15, 1852, son of Daniel and Rebecca (Ritter) Musser. His parents were born, reared and married in Franklin County, Penn- sylvania, and came to LaGrange County about 1845. They brought all they had with them in a one- horse wagon, and thus started with practically nothing in the woods of Clear Spring Township. Industry brought its sure reward, and in course of time he owned a good farm of eighty acres, well improved, and provided liberally for his family. The parents were members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and he was a republican in politics. Of the seven children four are still living, Samuel F .; Maynard F., a mail carrier at LaGrange; Jen- nie, wife of Myron Nelson; and Alsie, a widow living at Battle Creek, Michigan.

Samuel F. Musser attended the district schools during his hoyhood and also had a thorough train- ing in all the duties of the farm. In 1876 he mar- ried Miss Eliza Cowley. For ten years they rented a farm and then moved to LaGrange, where Mr. Musser engaged in the implement business for eight years. Selling out he bought a farm, and after- ward leased his land and traveled for an imple- ment house three years. In 1896 he was honored with election to the office of county treasurer and took up his duties in January, 1898. He was in the courthouse for two successive terms, and in the meantime disposed of his farm and became one of the organizers of the LaGrange State Bank. He was formerly its assistant cashier before his pro- motion to the office of cashier. Mr. Musser has always been an active republican. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Howe, and he and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Musser have two sons. Lee A. is a dentist with a good practice at South Haven, Mich- igan. Fred C. is a physician, and is well estab- lished in his profession in Detroit.

MELVIN C. MCGREW. It is over seventy years since the McGrew family came to Steuben County, and the name has been identified with practically all the history of development of this section of Northeast Indiana from the pioneering and log

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cabin days to the era of modern transportation, improved highways, and unprecedented prosperity for the agricultural district.

A representative of this family, Melvin C. McGrew, is one of the leading farmers in Pleasant Township. He was born in Richland Township of Steuben County, February 16, 1852, son of Find- ley and Betsey (Sharrock) McGrew. His father was born in Pennsylvania in 1809 and his mother in Morrow County, Ohio, in 1815. They were married in the latter state and in 1848 came to Steuben County and paid a dollar and a quarter an acre for land in Richland Township. Ob- viously it was virgin soil and did not have a single tree removed, and it was the task of Findley McGrew to clear it up and make a home. He had eighty acres, eventually well developed and im- proved, and the log house which was the first home of the family gave way to a good frame house. He was a very fine mechanic, a millwright by trade, and it was his practice to build, operate and own mills. He operated mills at Metz, on Fish Creek, one northeast of Butler and also one at West Buffalo, Ohio. He was one of the most useful citizens of the county in his time. He died in 1872 and his wife in 1870. He was a democrat, and they were members of the United Brethren Church. They had a large family, named Henry, Joseph, Constance, Sarah, Benjamin, Matilda, James, Emily, Susan, Melvin C., Ida and Ada, twins, and Findley.

Of these numerous children Melvin C. McGrew is the only survivor. He grew up on his father's place in Richland Township and lived there to the age of twenty-one, enjoying such advantages as the local schools afforded. Since then he has been farming. For two years he rented the Northway farm in Millgrove Township and in 1880 bought the place which he still owns and occupies. He has 112 acres, and all its building improvements represent his individual work and investment. He does general farming and stock raising, and the means he has acquired represents what he has put into life by his well directed efforts and judgment. He is a democrat, but has no official aspirations, has been affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for about twenty-one years and is a member of the Christian Church.

In 1874 he married Rachel Fast. She was born in Ashland County, Ohio, December 4, 1850, a daughter of Christian and Henrietta (Sowle) Fast. This is a well known family of Steuben County. Christian Fast, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1814, a son of Martin Fast, lived from early in- fancy in Ashland County, Ohio, where the Fast family were among the earliest of the families to settle, and in 1839 he married Henrietta Sowle, who was born in New York State in 1820. In 1852 Christian Fast came to Steuben County and ac- quired a tract of wild land in Pleasant Township and eventually owned 160 acres, well improved and valuable. He died in 1898. His first wife died in 1859, the mother of eight children: Joseph A., Rosanna, Francis Allen, Eli, Mary, Rachel, John A., Henrietta. Christian Fast married for his second wife Rhoda M. Wells, and they had three children, Ira, Orla and Laura. The old Fast farm in Pleasant Township is now owned and oc- cupied by Mark Pogue.

Mr. and Mrs. McGrew have two children: Alida, born October 23, 1877, was educated in the public schools and the Normal School, was a teacher for several terms, and is now the wife of Harley Webb. They have two children, Hilda and Joyce. George

A. McGrew was born May 20, 1880, and also had a public and normal school education. He mar- ried Zora Spangle, and their family consists of Harold, Eilene, Marian and Wayne.

BERNARD PULLMAN has been a resident of Ken- dallville since he was seven years of age, and his successful position in business affairs is due to a concentration of effort along one line. He has always worked in the stone business, and is now proprietor of the Pullman Granite and Marble Works at Kendallville.

Mr. Pullman was born in Germany May 26, 1859, son of John and Elizabeth (Drasser) Pullman. His parents came from Germany in the spring of 1867 and located at Kendallville, where his father was a stone cutter and followed the trade many years with his son.

Bernard Pullman was educated in the common schools to the age of fourteen. Since that time he has been continuously identified with the stone busi- ness, spending four years in learning his trade and working as a journeyman four years. About ,1881 he entered business for himself, and for over thirty- nine years has conducted the leading granite and marble works of the city and Northern Indiana.

Mr. Pullman married Ida M. Lash, who was born in Kendallville, a daughter of William Lash. She was educated in the public schools of that city. They have two children: Inez, a graduate of the Ken- dallville High School, is the wife of Rodell Ludlow, now residents of Dallas, Texas. Harold L., who attended high school, is now at home. He married Aileen Shamburger. Mr. and Mrs. Pullman have one grandson, Bernard P. Ludlow.

Mr. Pullman, besides his close attention to busi- ness, has also been interested in local affairs. He has been a member of the City Council, is a repub- lican and is a prominent Mason, both in the York and Scottish Rite. He has taken thirty-two degrees in the Scottish Rite and is a member of the Lodge. Chapter and Commandery in York Rite, and has served as eminent commander of the Knights Templar. He is also a Shriner. He and his family are Presbyterians.

JOHN CRAIG SMITH. The name of John Craig Smith is associated with a high degree of prominence in business and civic affairs in LaGrange County. He is a resident of Van Buren Township and his family were among the earliest settlers of the county.

Mr. Smith was born in Lima Township December 22, 1857, a son of William and Esther (Craig) Smith. William Smith was born in Clark County, Ohio, January 10, 1822, one of the ten children of David and Elizabeth (Hurd) Smith, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Maryland. David Smith, of Irish descent, was a soldier in the War of 1812, was married in Ohio, and in 1833 brought his family to LaGrange County, Indiana, locating on a farm of 360 acres, where he lived until his death. He was an abolitionist in politics, one of the early temperance workers in the county, and was one of the first members of the Board of County Com- missioners.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 104

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