History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 21

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 21
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 21
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 21
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 21

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In 1900 he married Miss Alice Casebeer, of James- town Township, daughter of Samuel and Gelain (Lucas) Casebeer, of Millgrove Township. Two children were born to their marriage: Arline, born November 10, 1902, graduated with the class of 1919 from the Orland High School. Wayne, born June 7, 1906, was just enjoying the promise of youth and the prospects of manhood when he died July 27, 1918.

WILLIAM M. DIGGINS has lived all his productive years in Noble County, and his interests in farming and as a public spirited citizen of Wayne Township have made him well known and highly esteemed in that community.

Mr. Diggins, whose fine farm is a mile and a half west of Kendallville, was born June 14, 1859, son of Artemus and Caroline (Ottman) Diggins, the former a native of New York State and the latter of Ohio. Artemus Diggins came to Indiana when a boy, his people locating four miles north of Ken- dallville. The Ottman family came to Indiana from Ohio, the parents of Caroline Ottman having been born in Germany. Artemus Diggins and wife were members of the Christian Church and in politics he was a republican. There were five children: Wil- liam M .; Elmer E., a farmer on the old home- stead; Carrie, unmarried, now living in Los Angeles and formerly a teacher; Linford W., a railway mail clerk on the New York Central Lines; and George F., a contractor at Kendallville.

William M .. Diggins has spent his entire life in Noble County, was educated in the district schools and lived at home until he reached his maturity. After two years in North Dakota Territory he re- turned to Indiana and bought a farm. September 29, 1886, he married Miss Tillie M. Pierce. She was born in Noble County February 10, 1862, daughter of E. Clark Pierce. Her father was born in New York State and her mother in Ohio, and both families were early settlers in Indiana. E. Clark Pierce was brought to this state when only a year old.

After his marriage Mr. Diggins began house- keeping on the farm where he now resides, and he has made all the improvements. His place com- prises 196 acres, and is the home of good live stock and of thrifty enterprise in every direction.

Mr. and Mrs. Diggins have two children and one grandchild. Frank C., born in July, 1887, married Inez C. Black and they live on the home farm. Harold H., born September 4, 1892, attended the Kendallville High School and spent two years in Purdue University. He married Ruth Needham. The family are members of the Christian Church. Mr. Diggins is affiliated with Kendallville Lodge No. 276, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is a republican.

RAY CLARK is one of the progressive farmers of Scott Township in Steuben County, having a fine farm of 140 acres in that locality.

He was born in Scott Township, June 22, 1876, a son of Arby and Louisa J. (Dygert) Clark. His mother was born in York Township, September 2, 1850, a daughter of Benjamin and Phoebe Anne (Carpenter) Dygert, one of the old and very prom- inent families in Steuben County. Arby Clark was born near Jamestown, New York, October 29, 1843, and was not yet eighteen years old when the Civil war broke out. He went all through that struggle as a member of Company A of the Forty-Ninth New York Infantry. After many battles he was cap- tured and was a prisoner of war for three months in Libby prison, was then transferred to Bell Isle, and two weeks later made his escape and swam

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

down the James River all night and after many perils and adventures reached safety within the Union lines. Soon after the war he came back and settled in York Township of Steuben County and in 1877 took his family to Arkansas, where he lived five years. On returning to Steuben County he set- tled on forty acres in Scott Township, a tract of land that is now included in the farm of his son Ray. He continued farming there the rest of his life and died in December, 1915. His wife passed away June 30, 1915. They were the parents of six children : Clara, who was born in York Township in 1873; Ray; Nina, who was born January 6, 1879, in Arkansas and died at the age of eighteen years, three months and eight days; Ina May, born October 12, 1881, in Arkansas; Leah, born in Scott Township of Steuben County, June 20, 1883; and Arla, born in Scott Township, March 14, 1888.

Ray Clark had his first recollections of his parents' home in Arkansas and was about six years old when the family returned to Steuben County. He ac- quired his education in the local schools, and even- tually acquired the homestead of his father and has added to its area 100 acres, giving him the 140 acres as above noted. He has made good improvements, has tiled much of the land, and devotes his enter- prise to general crops and livestock. He feeds hogs, cattle and sheep every year. He is a republican voter, is affiliated with North East Lodge of the Masonic Order and Steuben Lodge No. 231 of the Odd Fellows at Fremont.

April 4, 1914, Mr. Clark married Miss Luella Mc- Clue. She was a daughter of Thomas and Helen (Farnham) McClue and granddaughter of Erastus Farnham, one of the very early settlers of Steuben County.

WESLEY WEAVER, whose affairs as a farmer of Noble County have long prospered, is a member of one of the old families of that section of North- east Indiana, and his people have always done more than merely make a living, and have upheld all those moral forces which give character to a com- munity.

Mr. Weaver was born on the farm where he now lives in section 30 of Orange Township July 8, 1861. His parents were Christian and Susanna (Towns) Weaver. Christian Weaver was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, January 1, 1826. In 1849, when twenty-three years of age, he journeyed overland to Northeastern Indiana and bought 180 acres in Noble County, now the home farm of Wesley Weaver. After making the purchase he returned on foot to Ohio, and the following year came to Indiana with the Towns family. He went to work in the woods, cleared away a spot and built a log house, and on September 20, 1851, mar- ried Susanna Towns. She was born in Stark County, Ohio; February 11, 1824. The Towns family settled in Steuben County in 1850. Chris- tian Weaver, though starting life with limited means, has prospered far above the ordinary, and at the same time was extremely liberal of time and means in behalf of church and other worthy causes. His prosperity was represented by the ownership of about 300 acres of land. Soon after coming to this county he and his family joined the Spring- field Church of the Brethren, and in 1855 he was elected an elder in this church. He was a deep student of the Bible, and as a preacher was un- remitting in his devotions and work. During his life he officiated at many marriages and preached many funerals. He was a stanch democrat but never held any office. Christian Weaver died March 16, 1907. His good wife, who was the soul of

generosity, died January 10, 1897. Six children were born to them, and two are still living, Sylvanus, of Orange Township, and Wesley.

Wesley Weaver grew up on the old farm and was well educated in the district schools. He lived at home until his marriage.

Mr. Weaver married Miss Barbara Frick. She was born in Elkhart Township of Noble County and was educated in the local schools. Since their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have occupied the old Weaver homestead, containing 108 acres, and he also has 180 acres in Elkhart Township. He followed general farming and has good grades of livestock of all kinds. Mr. Weaver is also a stockholder in the Kendallville Motor Truck Com- pany. He is a democrat, keeps well informed on all current affairs, and with his family is active in the Church of the Brethren.

Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have three children : Grover is a graduate of the common schools and married Mary Pickett; Olive is the wife of Lee Franks; and Wilber married Mary Chapman.

RALPH A. MORSE, a prominent young farmer of Steuben County, is the active manager of the Morse farm in Jamestown Township, where his father lived for many years. The family came to Steuben County over sixty-five years ago, and the name has always been associated with industry and sound citizen- ship.

Mr. Morse was born in Jackson Township Sep- tember 15, 1883, a son of Orrin L. and Alice (Cor- bett) Morse, and a grandson of John Morse, who came in 1852 to Steuben County, first settling in Pleasant and later in Jackson Township, where he died. The children of John were George, Sanford, Francis, Hortense, Louisa, Jerome, Orrin and John.

Orrin L. Morse was born in Michigan June 5, 1847, and his wife was born the 25th of June of the same year. He grew up in Pleasant and Jackson townships, and after getting his education went west to Nebraska and homesteaded a quarter section. Later he returned to his home county and first had a farm of forty acres in Jackson Township. He sold that and in the spring of 1884 bought eighty acres in Jamestown Township, where his son Ralph now lives. He made many good improvements on this farm, building a substantial brick house in 1892. He lived on the farm and was active in its work until 1911, when he moved to Hamilton. In later years he has made his home at Mason, Mich- igan. His wife died on the old farm May 3, 1907. Orrin Morse is a republican and a member of the Methodist Church. He and his wife had two daugh- ters and one son: Lillie, wife of C. W. Hertz, of Michigan; Daisy, wife of Ira Bowerman, of Jack- son Township; and Ralph A.

Ralph A. Morse grew up on his father's farm and had a public school education, supplemented by courses in the Tri-State College at Angola. He has since been a farmer and now leases the home farm from his father. He handles good live stock. Mr. Morse is a republican and his wife is a Meth- odist. August 27, 1908, he married Miss Eva Tubbs, a native of Branch County, Michigan.

JOHN F. CAMERON, M. D. A native of Steuben County, Doctor Cameron chose this county as the scene of his life work, and as a physician and sur- geon for thirty years he has gained real distinction in his profession and rendered a service that is appreciated.

Doctor Cameron was born in Richland Township May 8, 1855, a son of John and Mary (Carlin) Cameron. His maternal grandfather was Robert

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

Carlin. John Cameron was born in Scotland, son of George and Janet Cameron. George Cameron brought his family from Scotland in 1834, and after several years in Canada three of his children came to Indiana. John Cameron came to America six months previous to the family's immigration. He was nineteen years of age when he came to America, and on leaving Canada he went to the State of New York and took some sub-contracts for work on the Erie Canal. Later the same business brought him to Indiana as a contractor on the Wabash Canal. During a year and a half at that work he saved money sufficient to enable him to take up a homestead in Richland Township of Steuben County in 1841. He acquired 160 acres of timbered land, and lived there until his death in 1878. He was a man of prominence in that locality, serving twelve years as a justice of the peace, and was in his second term as a county commissioner when he died. He was also trustee of Richland Township two terms, and was very active and made his experience as a contractor count for public benefit in laying out and surveying public roads.

Doctor Cameron received his early education in the public schools of Richland Township, graduated from the academy at Angola, and spent one term in Hillsdale College of Michigan. He paid his way and earned the money for his medical course by teaching school. He began the study of medicine with his brother, Dr. J. G. Cameron, at Edon, Ohio, and then entered Rush Medical College at Chicago, where he graduated in 1880. On December 12, 1880, he married Elnora Powers, daughter of Hon. Clark Powers. She died in 1886, and her only child, J. Clark, died in infancy.

Doctor Cameron began practice at Hamilton on April 29, 1880, and has practiced medicine steadily in Steuben County ever since with the exception of the time he has been in school during post-graduate work. He still enjoys a large professional business at Hamilton and the surrounding country. He took post-graduate courses in the Medical School of New York, and was in Columbia University Medical Col- lege during the winter of 1886-87. Doctor Cameron was one of the first directors after the organization of the First National Bank at Angola, and has been steadily on the board of that institution ever since. Since 1887 he has frequently attended annual clinics in Rush Medical College at Chicago, and is a member of the County, State and American Medical associations. He is a charter member of Hamilton Lodge Knights of Pythias, which was organized in 1889.

On November 6, 1887, Doctor Cameron married Mary Jane Haughey. Don Franklin, the older son of Doctor Cameron, is a graduate of the Hamilton High School, the Tri-State Normal College at An- gola, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Indiana State University at Bloomington, and took his Master's degree at Chicago University, and has a Fellowship in the University of Minnesota. His major studies were chemistry and physics. He finished his undergraduate medical course in Johns Hopkins University, where he graduated in 1913 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He had one year as interne in St. Luke's Hospital at Chi- cago. He then served as an interne in Johns Hop- kins University, and there took examination for a medical officer in the navy, receiving a reserve com- mission. For one year and a half he worked under the direction of Doctor Young, an eminent urologist at Brady Institute. He also did three years of post-graduate work in the Minnesota State Univer- sity, but in the meantime, before receiving his degree, was called into the navy and at present is at the

Kansas City Recruiting Station with the rank of first lieutenant.

Angus Lavern, the second son, completed the high school work in Hamilton, attended the State Normal at Terre Haute two years, and is also a graduate of the Indiana State University, taking one year of his medical work there. He received the degree Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University, and has his Master's degree from the University of Chicago, where he did special work in pathology and bacteriology. He graduated in medicine from Rush Medical College in 1916. For one year he was connected with the staff of the Children's Memorial Hospital, and the second year was con- nected with the Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago in the capacity of assistant house surgeon. He went to France as a first lieutenant with Base Hospital No. 13, one of the first units of the American forces to go overseas. At present he is serving a three-year surgical fellowship at the University of Minnesota.

Mrs. Cameron's father was Timothy Haughey, who was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, November 5, 1824, and died June 28, 1914. Her mother was Mary Catherine Gerst, who was born November 29, 1823, in North Bavaria, Germany. Timothy Haughey was a pioneer of Steuben County, locat- ing in Otsego Township in 1843. He spent prac- tically all the rest of his life there as a farmer. During his first years in the county he also taught school during the winter terms. He and his wife had the following children: Christiana, Hannah Louise, William D., Phoebe Eliza, Mary Jane, Emily, Laura Rumina and Frances G. Mrs. Cam- eron is a graduate of Valparaiso University, and for eight years before her marriage taught school in Steuben County. She is a granddaughter of Robert and Hannah (Wyckoff) Haughey, both natives of eastern states. They settled in DeKalb County in 1846.

SHERMAN O. COLE. The ability with which he las directed his private affairs as a farmer and all around good citizen has commended him so strong- ly to the confidence and good will of his fellow citizens in Scott Township that Mr. Cole is by choice of the people serving as township trustee. He is a native of his present township and repre- sents one of the old and prominent families of Steuben Township. Other references to the Cole family are found on other pages of this publication.

Mr. Cole was born in Scott Township, September 24, 1867, a son of Nelson and Eliza ( Phenacie) Cole. He grew up on his father's farm, and the advantages of the public schools were supplemented by courses in the Tri-State College. From college he returned home and began farming, and his independent career was started with a small place of thirty acres. After keeping that for several years he sold it and bought a larger place of eighty acres situated just east of the farm of his brother, Frank Cole. He sold that in 1004 and then bought the 160-acre Kinney farm. Mr. Cole is in every way progressive and has given his farm some high class modern improve- ments. In 1916 he built a large barn 40x100 feet and also a hay and straw barn 40x60 feet. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, and he owns two other farms in Scott Township, eighty acres in each and both improved with good build- ings.

Mr. Cole has interested himself in local affairs and was elected township Trustee in 1918 for a term of four years. He is a republican, is affiliated with the Lodge of Odd Fellows at Metz and the' Knights of Pythias at Fremont. He attends the. Christian Church.

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

November 27, 1890, he married Mary Dotts, who was born in Scott Township, March 7, 1870, a daughter of John and Louisa (Sage) Dotts. Her father was born in Hancock County, Ohio, March 28, 1835, and her mother in Lorain County of the same state July 12, 1842. John Dotts was brought to Steuben County in 1847 by his father and step- mother, and he grew up here and was long well known in the citizenship of northeast Indiana. He died August 30, 1915, and his wife April 21, 1915. Mrs. Cole is one of four living children, the others being Elmer, Lena and Carl.

Mr. and Mrs. Cole also have four children. Wavel, born July 29, 1891, died February 13, 1900. Ora Nelson, born February 13, 1897, went to the com- mon schools through the eighth grade, attended the Angola High School two years, and is now at home. Wilma, born April 20, 1901, graduated from the Tri-State College. Joyce, born March 15, 1908, is now in the grammar school.

REUBEN B. WALB. One of the hard working farmers and respected citizens of LaGrange County is Reuben B. Walb, who has spent nearly fifty years in cultivating crops and raising livestock, and now has a fine farm and country home in Johnson Township, in section 17.

He was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, November 21, 1850, a son of Reuben and Eliza (Beaver) Walb. The Walb family originated in Switzerland. On coming to America they settled in Pennsylvania. Reuben Walb after his marriage to Eliza Beaver moved to Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Reuben B. Walb grew up there and became acquainted with Susanna Norris. They were married July 22, 1875, and continued to live in Pennsylvania several years.

April 5, 1878, Mr. Walb came to LaGrange County, Indiana, and settled in Clay Township. He owns forty acres of land there and worked it at the same time he followed his trade as a car- penter. In 1898 he moved his family to Johnson Township, where he has lived now for over twenty years. Mr. Walb is a republican, and is a trustee of the Valentine Methodist Church, where all his family attend worship.

Mr. and Mrs. Walb have five children: Ira B., who was born in Pennsylvania and is now living at LaGrange, Indiana; Clyde A., who was born in Clay Township, is a former county surveyor and a banker and contractor; Bertha P., born July 16, 1880, is a deaconess in the Methodist Church in Chicago; Vera, born in April, 1882, is the wife of Irvin Cook, of Johnson Township; and Ray, born June 8, 1885, is helping his father farm. Mr. and Mrs. Walb also have nine grandchildren.

ZEOTUS P. KEESLAR, whose home is in Millgrove Township, is a member of the rather numerous and specially prominent and influential Keeslar fam- ily, whose name is identified with the early settle- ment and affairs not only of Steuben County but of Branch County, Michigan.

Mr. Keeslar was born where Dan Pocock now lives in Millgrove Township, April 29, 1855. His grandfather was Peter Keeslar. Some more extended reference to members of the family, including Peter, is made on other pages. The parents of Zeotus were Dr. George and Mary (Green) Keeslar. Mary Green was born in Seneca County, New York, a daughter of David and Maranda Green. David Green, who died in Coldwater, Michigan, was one of the eminent citizens of Branch County. His wife died at Orland, at the home of her son, Dr. George Keeslar. Dr. George Keeslar was born in New York in 1829 and was a small child when he

went to Steuben County, Indiana, with his parents. He had a public school education, studied medi- cine with a physician at Orland, and in 1854 began a busy and successful practice at Auburn. His suc- cess and reputation as an able physician continued after he returned to Orland in 1869, and altogether he put in fifty busy and useful years in his pro- fession. He died in 1905, having retired from practice about a year previous. He was a repub- lican and a Knight Templar Mason. Doctor Kees- lar's wife died in 1898. Their children were Zaida, who died in 1918; Zeotus, and George C.

Zeotus P. Keeslar attended school in Auburn, also the Orland Academy, and since early manhood his time and energies have been taken up with the prac- tice of agriculture. He owns a good farm of eighty- two acres in Millgrove Township, and has paid much attention to stockraising, particularly the breeding of draft horses. He is a republican in politics.

March 10, 1885, Mr. Keeslar married Mary Alice Gamble, widow of Richard W. Gamble, and daugh- ter of Evan A. and Elizabeth E. (Philips) Rogers. The Rogers family came to Steuben County, and her parents both died there. Mr. and Mrs. Keeslar had one son, George Evan, born in 1888. He lived only eleven months.

DAVID A. BORNTRAGER. It is by no means an in- dividual opinion but one based upon the consensus of a community that David A. Borntrager is an ex- ceptionally good farmer and an equally high class citizen. The offices of honor and trust he has filled in his township and county show that, while his farm is a model in arrangement and business like effi- ciency. This farm where he lives in Newbury Town- ship was the scene of his birth December 30, 1864. He is a son of Amos and Lydia (Miller) Born- trager. The Borntragers are an old and numerous family in Northeast Indiana and several of the branches have been described in this publication. Amos Borntrager was born in Somerset County, . Pennsylvania, November 20, 1826.

David A. Borntrager attended public school in Newbury Township and when a young man rented his father's farm for three years and then bought the old home place. All his activities have been centered around the farm where he was born. He now owns 240 acres comprising the homestead and has acquired additional land until his total holdings aggregate 355 acres. On this land he has built a new modern home, has rebuilt the barn, and his buildings are very substantial and well arranged for all the demands made upon them. During the past twelve years Mr. Borntrager has been a breeder of pure bred Duroc Jersey hogs and Hereford cattle. His farm is known as the Sunny Ridge Stock Farm.

In 1887 Mr. Borntrager married Mary Hostetler, a daughter of Jacob Hostetler. The children are four in number: Earley, a farmer in Newbury Township, married Delcie Mishler and has two daughters, Alice Hilda and Glenola Ruth; Flora Amcda, who is the wife of Neri Borntrager and has three children, named Ruby Minerva, Lorene Mar- jorie and Glenden Lamar; Amos Timothy, who has served with the American Expeditionary Forces in France and at present is engaged in reconstruction work, being still in service there; and Fannie Anna. Mr. and Mrs. Borntrager also took into their home Lester Paul Hostetler when he was three years old, and he is still with the family, being fourteen years of age. The son, Earley, was educated in the high school at Shipshewana, in the Goshen Nor- mal College and for five years was a teacher in Newbury Township. The son, Amos Timothy, likewise graduated from the Shipshewana High

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

School and did normal work at Goshen, after which he taught for two years in his home township.

Mr. and Mrs. Borntrager are members of the Mennonite Church. Active in public affairs, he served twelve consecutive years as a member of the Township Advisory Board and for four years was a member of the LaGrange County Council.

FRANK M. TUTTLE. The conditions surrounding the operation of land in the fertile regions embraced in northeastern Indiana are so satisfactory that many of the most representative citizens have prac- tically spent their lives here, being perfectly con- tent with the results accruing from their investments in land and time. One of these alert farmers is Frank M. Tuttle of Pleasant Lake, who owns and operates a fine farm of 120 acres one mile west of town. He was born near Pleasant Lake in Steuben Township October 31, 1857, a son of Lemon Tuttle, born in New York State in 1813. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Felora Gould, was born in New York State in 1818, a daughter of Keah and Mehitable (Sturges) Gould. In 1838 Lemon Tuttle came to Indiana and in 1840 located in Sten- ben Township, Steuben County, where he lived until his death in June, 1881. His wife died De- cember 25th of the same year. Their children were as follows: Lorana, Emeret, Chester V., Frank, Alptha, Sylvester, Arad and Byron, the last three dying in infancy.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 21

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