History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 116

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 116
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 116
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 116
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 116

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).

It was in 1845 that Samuel D. Miller came to Indiana. Two other young men accompanied him, his twin brother, Valentine C., and another brother, John C. Yoder. All of them settled in the same community. Samuel D. Miller had a wife and two children. He set out from Somerset County with a wagon drawn by a horse team, and they were on the road many weary days before reaching Indiana. Samuel Miller rented a small farm on Elkhart Prairie for eighteen months. In the meantime lie bought eighty acres in the midst of the heavy woods of Newbury Township, LaGrange County. He ar- rived in Indiana with only $150 and paid $200 for his land in LaGrange County. Out of his original capi- tal he bought a cow, stove and a few other house- hold utilities. After clearing a spot among the trees he put up a log cabin, and he took his family to that rude shelter in the month of December. The first night they went to sleep with bed quilts over the door and window openings. The horses were tied to the wagon and the cow to a tree. In that typical pioneer fashion the Millers began their resi- dence in LaGrange County. By hard labor continued through successive months and years Samuel D. Miller cleared up his first tract of land and then hought eighty acres adjoining, and had most of it in cultivation before his death, which occurred March 17, 1900. His wife passed away May 29, 1886. This farm developed by Samuel D. Miller was afterwards purchased by his youngest son, Yost C., for $8,000.

A brief record of the children of Samuel D. Mil- ler and wife is as follows: Sarah, born October 6, 1840, died in childhood; Joseph C., born June 12, 1842; Daniel C., born February 6, 1844; Mary, born April 27, 1846, the first born in LaGrange County, the other three being natives of Somerset County, Pennsylvania; Elizabeth, born December 17, 1847; Barbara, born October 13, 1849; Esther, born Oc- tober 16, 1851; Samuel C., born March 6, 1853; and Ypost C., born April 28, 1855.

Yost C. Miller, who is therefore the youngest of the family, acquired his early education in the dis- trict schools and began farming in his native town- ship on the old homestead. He farmed there con- tinuously until 1907, and then moved to his present place of 120 acres in sections 15 and 14 of Newbury Township. For the past two years he has sur- rendered the heavy burdens of operating and man- aging this farm to his son.

Mr. Miller married Lydia Mishler in 1873. She was a daughter of Daniel and Leah (Miller) Mish- ler. Mrs. Miller died March 17, 1901, after they had been married twenty-eight years. In that time nine children were born, and most of these are now married and there are a number of grandchildren. Uriah Y., the oldest, was born February 12, 1874, married Barbara Mishler and has three children, Ora, Homer and Ralph. Daniel, born October 5, 1875, married Lizzie Rheinheimer, who died in Feb- ruary, 1903, the mother of Maude May and Howard. Samuel Y., who was born May 13, 1877, married Lovina Misliler, and their family consists of Willis, Charles, Maud, John, Lowell and Edith. Mary Ann, born April 5, 1879, is the wife of Aquila Schrock and has a daughter, Cora. George Y., born July 29, 1885, married for his first wife Lizzie Hostetler, who died in 1916, leaving Amzie and Holly, and for

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his second wife he married Sylvia Miller. Mahlon C. was born April 1, 1887, and married Bessie Nel- son. Frances Ella, born June 5, 1890, is the deceased wife of James Troyer, by whom she had a daughter, Dorothy. Perry Y., horn December 9, 1892, married Addie Cripe. Irvin Y., the youngest of the family, was born April 3, 1898, and married Ida Mishler.

March 23, 1903, Mr. Miller married Mrs. Elizabeth (Brenneman) Good, a daughter of John L. and Elizabeth (Keller) Brenneman. By her first mar- riage she has three children: David, who married Bessie Berry ; Henry, who married Ela Woods; and John, who married Ruth Berry.

Mr. Miller has been pastor of the Shore Menno- nite Church since he was ordained to that position December 4, 1892.

ALBERT ANDERSON, who was born on a farm in Greenfield Township, LaGrange County, October 2, 1857, and is still living in that locality, is a member of one of the first families who settled in this part of Northeast Indiana.

His parents were William and Elizabeth (Selby) Anderson. William Anderson was born in Ohio in 1815, and in 1827 his parents, John and Rebecca Anderson, came West, lived for two years near White Pigeon, Michigan, and in 1829 located in La- Grange County, where they took up government land on Pretty Prairie. John Anderson became an extensive land owner and was a prominent pioneer of LaGrange County. William Anderson was one of a family of thirteen children and was about four- teen years old when he came to LaGrange County. His enterprise was vigorously displayed as a farm- er, and at one time he owned 700 acres, including the place of eighty acres where his son Albert now lives. He died in 1891 and his wife in 1887. His wife was born in Ohio in 1825, Their children were Mary, Eliza. Amos, James, Amanda, Rebecca, Albert, Alonzo and Clara.

Albert Anderson grew up on the home farm and attended country schools and the LaGrange County Collegiate Institute and also the Valparaiso Normal. His career has been spent on the old farm of eighty acres. He is a republican in politics.

November 11, 1882, he married Miss Nora Gilbert, who was born in Springfield Township in 1866, a daughter of Austin and Julia Gilbert. To their mar- riage were born two children. Blanche, born August 16, 1884, had a high school education and is the wife of George Bollman, of Sturgis, Michigan. Gail, born December 3, 1887, was educated in high school, for several years was employed by his brother-in-law, George Bollman, at Sturgis, Michigan, and in 1917 bought part of the home farm of eighty acres from his father. June 23, 1909, he married Carrie Alta Miller, and has two children, Clota Blanche and Alberta June.

JOHN ALMON HOVARTER, of Salem Township in Steuben County, has an interesting family record, being a grandson of John Hovarter, and in the maternal line of Leonard Hartman. Both these families were pioneers in DeKalb County, Indiana, and their descendants are now widely scattered over Northeastern Indiana and in many other states.

John Hovarter and his wife, Nancy Wyrick, lived for many years in Wayne County, Ohio. About 1849 they moved to DeKalb County, Indiana, huy- ing eighty acres of land, and spending the rest of their days there. They lived in a time of large families, and their own children numbered thirteen, as follows: Henry, Nancy (who died in infancy). John, Christopher, Jacob, William, Lizzie, Samuel,

Adam, Caroline, David (who died in childhood), Levi and Benjamin.

The maternal grandfather, Leonard Hartman, and his wife, Mary Martz, were both natives of Ger- many. They came to the United States before their marriage, lived in Wayne County, Ohio, and in 1847 moved to DeKalb County, Indiana. Leonard Hart- man was a very successful business man and land owner, began with about 200 acres in DeKalb County and later had 300 acres. His first house was built of logs and was in the midst of the woods, deer, wolves and turkey abounding for several years. Leonard Hartman and wife had the following chil- dren : Catherine, John, Susan, Adam, Sophia, Lydia, Martha Elizabeth and Solomon (both of whom died in childhood), Emma, Levi, Joseph and Martha.

Henry Hovarter, father of John A., was born in Wayne County, Ohio, November 24, 1835. He mar- ried Catherine Hartman, who was born in the same county May 22, 1840. Henry Hovarter grew to manhood in DeKalb County, attended the public schools there, and was married in October, 1858. On April 6, 1859, he moved to the farm in Salem Township, where his widow and their son John A. now live. He bought 160 acres and in 1878 improved it with a fine brick house and put up a good barn in 1881. He lived a life of great industry and good purpose and died May 15, 1901. In politics he was a democrat, and was very active in the United Brethren Church, the Pleasant Ridge Church of that denomination standing on his land. He and his wife had five children: Isaiah, who is proprietor of the National Vault Works at Ashley; William, one of the large land owners and farmers in St. Joseph County, Michigan; and John Almon, Jacob Ira and Emanuel, all farmers in Salem Township.

John Almon Hovarter was born on the farm where he lives today, February 1, 1865. He grew up there, attended the public schools, and has de- voted his time to general farming and the raising of small fruits. He owns twenty-five acres in Salem township, other land near Brownsville and about fifty acres in Southern Mississippi. Mr. Hovarter, who is unmarried, is a democrat in politics but independent when casting his vote in local elections.

CLAUD H. CATON is a member of the firm Caton Brothers, furniture dealers and undertakers at La- Grange, a business that they have built up from a modest start twelve or thirteen years ago until they are now the leading firm of the kind in LaGrange County.

Mr. Caton was born in the Town of LaGrange, February 28, 1873, son of Capt. John H. and Annetta (Kingsley) Caton. His father was born at Fred- ericksburg, Maryland, and died March 19, 1916, while the mother is still living. Claud H. Caton was one of five children, and only he and his brother are now living. He grew up in LaGrange County, at- tended public school at LaGrange, and for several years followed different lines of employment and also spent three years in the West. On returning to LaGrange he formed a partnership with his brother, and the history of their establishment be- gins with May 16, 1907. Both brothers are gradu- ates of the Barnes School of Embalming at Chicago.

In 1910 Mr. Caton married Celia Steel. a native of Adams County, Indiana. She is well educated and was a successful teacher before her marriage. They have two children, Claudine and Volga. Mr. and Mrs. Caton are members of the Episcopal Church at LaGrange. He is affiliated with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and is a republican in politics.

Vol. II-27

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HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

CHARLES H. BEECHER, a veteran business man of Lima Township, LaGrange County, represents a family of old and substantial record in this part of Northeast Indiana.

He was born at the Village of Lima, now Howe, January 18, 1857, son of Alexander W. and Adelaide P. (Acheson) Beecher. His mother was a native of Ireland and was six years of age when she came to the United States. Her father, Thomas Acheson, settled in LaGrange County and had a farm near Lima. The paternal grandparents of Charles H. Beecher were Isaac and Mary A. (Shaw) Beecher, very early settlers of Lima Township. Isaac Beecher had been a school teacher in Ohio and was a man of good education and a fluent linguist. Alexander W. Beecher settled in Lima more than seventy years ago, and for some years was a clerk, conducted a drug store from 1860 to 1865, and for a number of years was a general merchant. He married in Lima Township and died in 1902, at the age of seventy- two. He was a republican in politics and his wife was a member of the Episcopal Church. They had four children: Charles H., Edward, Frances and Catherine.

Charles H. Beecher acquired his education in the public schools of Howe and worked as a clerk for his father, and then they were in partnership for several years. In 1878 they built the store at Lima in which Mr. Beecher now does business. The father and son sold out their stock of merchandise in 1887, and after that for twelve years Charles H. Beecher lived in Sturgis, Michigan, where he was a merchant for several years and for two years was a traveling man. He returned to Howe in 1899, and from 1902 to 1912 was a rural mail carrier. He re- sumed merchandising at the old stand in 1915. He also owns the old homestead. Mr. Beecher is a republican in politics.

In 1878 he married Miss Julie Vial, who was born at Ionia, Michigan. They became the parents of three sons, Edward H., city salesman for the Na- tional Biscuit Company at Kalamazoo, Michigan; William A., who died in infancy; and James A., who lives at Shipshewana, Indiana. James married Belva Farver, daughter of John Farver, a prominent citi- zen of Northeast Indiana. James A. Beecher and wife had three children: Francis, who was drowned; Julie Catherine; and James A., who is connected with the Oliver Plow Company.

LEE HENRY MUSSER, who is a son of John and Harriet (Snyder) Musser, the former a pioneer of Steuben County and a veteran of the Civil War whose career is told on other pages, has spent his life in this county, and through many years of work at his trade has acquired the prosperity represented by one of the good farms of York Township.

He was born in York Township December 17, 1878, and grew up at Metz, where he received his schooling and learned the trade of mason. For twenty years he followed this trade with develop- ing skill and increasing experience and success, and in 1918, largely from the proceeds of his years of labor, he bought his present farm of 120 acres in York Township. He is now giving all his time to farming and stock raising. Mr. Musser is a republican in politics.

In 1900 he married Miss Maud Teegardin, mem- ber of an old and well known family of Steuben County. She was born in Otsego Township, July 4, 1883, a daughter of Jacob and Phoebe (Hanghey) Teegardin. Mr. and Mrs. Musser have six children : Willis, Wilma, Cora Ellen, Edsel and Eva and Neva, twins.

ANTHONY EDGAR KEAGY has been one of the busy and useful men of LaGrange County for many years, and many houses, barns and other structures testify to his skill as a builder and carpenter. He has lived on a farm for many years, and is one of the prosperous and substantial citizens of Greenfield . Township.

He was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, Septem- ber 18, 1852. His paternal grandparents were John and Margaret (Mesee) Keagy. His grandfather was a mill and store owner in Salisbury, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Patrick Keagy was two years old when his father died, and later he was bound out to Abraham Buechle, his uncle, and lived with him to the age of eighteen. He then went to Berlin, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, learning the chair making trade. In 1847 he moved to Ohio, locating in Coshocton County. Patrick Keagy was born in No- vember, 1822, and was married in Ohio to Magda- lena Long. She was a daughter of George and Rebecca (Keefer) Long, both natives of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Her grandfather, George Long, came from Hesse-Cassel, Germany, to Amer- ica about the close of the Revolutionary war, landing in Philadelphia and settling at Southampton, Vir- ginia. George Long, Jr., died in Tuscarawus Coun- ty, Ohio. Three of his sons, Reverend Peter, Daniel and John, came to LaGrange County and became heads of families still widely and prominently known here. Three of the daughters also came to La- Grange County, Magdalena, Mrs. Patrick Keagy; Elizabeth, wife of George W. Price; and Ella, Mrs. Levi Hostetler. Another daughter, Mary Crites, wife of Cyrus Crites, also lived in LaGrange County for a time but died in Kansas.

In 1853 Patrick Keagy with the three Long fam- ilies moved to Marion Township, Owen County, Indiana, and lived on a farm about a mile south of Marion Mills, where his first home was a log cabin in the woods. Patrick Keagy died May 3, 1883, the father of seven sons and three daughters.

Anthony Edgar Keagy was a small boy when he went with his parents to Owen County, Indiana, and he worked on his father's farm. In 1874 he lo- cated in LaGrange County, where for seven years he gave all his time to his trade as carpenter and joiner. He lived at Mongo and other places in Greenfield Township until 1888, when he came to his present farm, comprising 1151/2 acres near Greenfield Mills. He has put all the substantial buildings on this land and in his earlier years he did most of the carpenter and building work in and around Mongo. At present he spends most of his time at his trade, while his farm is worked by his son-in-law. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Orland Lodge No. 541, and was formerly a member of the Knights of Pythias. September 8, 1877, Mr. Keagy married Miss Nancy E. Swihart. She was born in Allen County, Indiana, daughter of Daniel Swihart, member of a family well known in LaGrange County. Mr. and Mrs. Keagy have four daughters: Orpha, Belle, Mary Adella and Viva Bernice. Orpha is the wife of Frank Schultz, of Mishawaka, Indiana. Belle died January 2, 1913, wife of Harley Anderson. Mary Adella is the wife of A. S. Hess, a contractor and builder at Gary, Indiana. Viva Bernice is the wife of Jonas J. Troyer, and they live on the old farm.

Mr. Keagy served nine years as postmaster of Greenfield Mills, and for the past thirty-two years has officiated as a justice of the peace and is one of the oldest public officials in the county. He is a member of the Progressive Christian Church.

GUY HARRIS. The family represented by this well known farmer and citizen of Greenfield Township,

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LaGrange County, was among the first in that coun- ty and first in point of enterprise as well as time of settlement.

The farm where he lives today was the birthplace of Guy Harris. He was born there August 13, 1854, a son of Simon and Frances ( Rowley) Harris. His mother was born in New York State in 1826 and came with her parents, Ithmar and Frances Rowley, to LaGrange County in 1836. The Rowley family settled in Newbury Township, and later in Lima Township, where her father died. Simon Harris was born in New York State in 1814 and came to LaGrange County in 1834. He was married here and then built a sawmill west of Lima, one of the first in the county, and later operated a sawmill at Ontario. He finally bought the 120 acres con- stituting the farm of his son Guy, and lived there until his death in 1856. His widow survived until 1881. They had four children, Emily, Orley, Julia and Guy.

Guy Harris was only two years old when his father died. He grew up on the homestead farm, had a public school education, and as a youth began buying fur. For twenty-five years he was traveling salesman representing the firm S. Bash & Com- pany of Fort Wayne. In the meantime he bought out the heirs in the old home farm and has bought and sold several other farms. He is now giving his time to general farming. He is a republican and formerly was affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

In 1891 he married Miss Minnie Swain, of La- Grange County. They have seven children, all liv- ing: Hazel, who is married and has a daughter ; Charles Eugene, Francis, Elmer, Theodore, Rachel, and Mary Ellen. The son Charles went into the army in 1917, was trained at Camp Sherman and in June, 1918, went overseas. He was returned to this country July 26, 1919. The son Elmer was also drafted but never got across.

JAMES H. ROBINSON, a resident of Steuben County over fifty years, grew up here, and the labors he has expended and his good judgment have been productive in building up and acquiring one of the best farms in York Township. He is still busily en- gaged in looking after his business interests.

Mr. Robinson was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, April 23, 1854, a son of James and Mary Ann (Dixon) Robinson. His father was also a native of the same county, and was married in Ohio and in 1867 brought his family to Steuben County, ac- quiring 160 acres of the farm where his son James H. now lives. He and his wife spent the rest of their days there. James Robinson, Sr., was a re- publican and a member of the Christian Church. A brief record of his children is as follows: Thomas, who served as a Union soldier and from the hard- ships of early life died about six months after his honorable discharge; Nathan D., who was also in the uniform of a Union soldier for three years and is now deceased; Lucretia, deceased; Lydia; Eliza- beth, who died at the age of thirteen; James H .; Laura; and Emeline.

James H. Robinson was thirteen years old when he came to Steuben County, and since then has lived almost continuously on the old homestead farm. He acquired his education in Ohio and also in the pub- lic schools of York Township. Taking the original place of his father, he has kept improving and adding until he now owns 2981/2 acres, and besides this has seventy acres in Richland Township. He devotes his land to general farming and stock rais- ing. He has never sought office, is a republican voter and a member of the Christian Church. In 1881 he married Miss Jennie Lash, of Williams County,

Ohio. Mrs. Robinson died September 20, 1908, when they had been married twenty-seven years. She was the mother of two children. Lottie, born in 1882, is the widow of Leeman McCool and has two children, Thelma and James Irwin. The son Perry, born Jan- uary 27, 1889, is numbered among the progressive young farmers of Steuben County and now has the active management of the 160 acres constituting the old Robinson homestead. He is a republican. He married Hazel Gamber, of York Township, and their two children are George Russell and Gladys Velehr.

JOSEPH G. SCOTT. The Scott family through three generations have been identified with that old and interesting community of LaGrange County known as Ontario. One of the important industrial institu- tions there for many years was a woolen mill, and it was owned and operated by the Scott family. The late Joseph G. Scott was active in the management of this mill for a number of years, and spent the greater part of his active life in that business. Sev- eral of his children still live in and around Ontario, while others have found their work and homes in other localities and other states.

Joseph G. Scott was born near Racine, Wisconsin, February 18, 1848, and died at his old home near Ontario, May 3, 1909. His parents, James and Sarah (Woodhead) Scott, were born and married in England, and on coming to America settled at Racine, Wisconsin. James Scott was a wool manu- facturer and was connected with woolen mills in several states. For a time he lived in Ohio, also at Rome City, Indiana, and in 1854 moved to Ontario and bought the old woolen mill there, equipping it with new machinery. He was its sole owner and proprietor for many years. Later he moved to Vicksburg, Michigan, where he died, and his widow passed away in Kalamazoo. They had a family of eight children.

Joseph G. Scott finished his education in the La- Grange Collegiate Institute at Ontario, and then took charge of the woolen mill and continued its manage- ment until he was elected county treasurer. He was a man of high standing in his community and the county at large, and in 1888 was elected county treas- urer, an office he filled for four years. After leav- ing office he returned to Ontario and located on the farm of 180 acres, where he lived until his death.

In 1872 he married Miss Sarah Jerusha Hudson. She was born at East Palmyra, New York, daughter of Isaac Hudson and sister of Pliny E. Hudson of LaGrange County. Mrs. Scott, who is still living on the home farm, is the mother of eight children. Two of her sons distinguished themselves in the late World war. Robert, the oldest of the family, resides at Union City, Indiana. Walter Ross, second in age, lives at Ontario, and for more than two years was connected with the army work of the Y. M. C. A., spending one year in American camps and another year in France. The third of the family is Mary E., wife of Carl Willard, of LaGrange. James R., next in age, lives at Grant, Montana, while Alice E. is Mrs. Ledger Mckibben, of Valentine, Indiana. Wil- liam Arthur operates the home farm; Frank Alton is a resident of Sheridan, Montana, while the youngest is Capt. Clair H., whose home is at Ontario.

Clair H. Scott was born April 10, 1892. He graduated from the Howe Military School and spent some time in the forest service of the Government in Montana. In 1912 he entered the University of Indiana, and was a student in the Law Department until 1916. In that year he enlisted as a private in the First Indiana Infantry, and saw active service on the Mexican border. He was mustered out as a sergeant. He had resumed his law studies and was

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graduated in law from Indiana University in 1917. In the meantime his former military organization had been demobilized and in its stead Battery F of the First Indiana Artillery had re-enlisted many of his comrades. On April 15, 1917, Clair Scott was commissioned a first lieutenant in that organization. He entered training camp the 14th of August, and as part of the 150th Field Artillery he went overseas with the famous Rainbow Division, and before going to France he was commissioned a captain. He was with the 150th Field Artillery as captain through all the brilliant service in France and returned with his organization and was honorably discharged in the spring of 1919.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 116

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