History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 28

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 28
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 28
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 28
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 28

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 M. Weimer grew up on the home farm, at- tended the common schools, and as a youth started to learn the trade of carpenter. He acquired much skill in that line, and worked not only as a journey- man but also took individual contracts and followed the business for about thirty years. During that time he built a large number of barns and other structures throughout Noble County. From the age of eighteen until he reached his majority Mr. Weimer gave all his wages to his parents, and then started out even with the world to win his own fortune. He has had the cooperation of his good wife through all the years, and they have secured and developed a valuable farm of eighty acres, rep- resenting to them a good home and also an invest- ment for their future years. Mr. Weimer has the farm well stocked.

January 1, 1887, he married Miss Susanna Diehm. She was born in Allen Township of Noble County and was educated in the common schools. One son was born to their marriage, Carl G., born March 10, 1890. He was educated in the common schools and for five years was a mail clerk in the United States Railway postoffice, having a run on the Wabash Railroad. He left that service to enter the army and remained with the colors until recently, now being at home. Mr. and Mrs. Weimer are members of the Lutheran Church and in politics he is a democrat.

THOMAS CURTIS is one of the men who are carry- ing some of the active burdens of farming and animal husbandry in Lima Township of LaGrange County, and he has been a factor in that com- munity for nearly twenty years.

Mr. Curtis was born at London, England, De- cember 19, 1871, and was only a few weeks old when his parents, Henry and Elizabeth Curtis, located in LaGrange County in February, 1872. He grew up at Howe, attended the grammar schools there and also the high school, and from early manhood has been identified with farming as his vocation. He bought his present farm in Lima Township, consisting of ninety-six acres, in 1906. It was well improved land but he has remodeled the house and barn and added a silo, and is doing a prosperous business as a general farmer and stock- raiser. Mr. Curtis is a republican and a member of the Episcopal Church.

In 1897 he married Miss Ada Abey, of Van Buren Township, daughter of Jacob Abey. She was reared in the home of her grandfather, Jacob Abey. Mr. Curtis died in 1910, at the age of thirty-three. She left one son, Leland H. J., born in October, 1898. He was educated in the public schools and high school at Howe, and is still at home with his father.

RUFUS C. FULLER is a native of Noble County, has had a busy and useful life as a farmer, and today owns one of the good farms of Washington

Township, located in section I, three miles west of Wolf Lake.

He was born in York Township October 15, 1861, son of Cornelius and Mary (Grimes) Fuller, both natives of Ohio. After their marriage they located in York Township of Noble County and spent the rest of their days in that county. Cornelius Fuller was a carpenter and contractor, and built many houses and other structures that still stand to attest his skill. His wife was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their children were named Melissa, Jacob, Samantha, Amanda and Rufus.

Rufus C. Fuller lived in York Township until he was six years old, when his parents removed to Noble Township, and since coming of age he has given his years to the pursuit of agriculture. His present farm comprises 120 acres, and it is well equipped and well stocked and represents a com- fortable competence.

Mr. Fuller married May Richmond, who was born at Wolf Lake November 23, 1866, daughter of William and Letecia A. (Bethel) Richmond. Her parents were born in Ohio, were married at Wolf Lake, and her father was well known as a teacher, carpenter, contractor and farmer. Mrs. Fuller was reared on a farm, and attended school in Wolf Lake, Ligonier and Spring Hill. Mr. and Mrs. Fuller had five children: Bird, now deceased; Gertrude, wife of Roy Salmon; Letecia, wife of Don Braden; Ralph, a farmer; and Schuyler. Mr. Fuller is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Kimmell and in politics is a re- publican.

SHERMAN MORRIS. One of the oldest and most val- ued farm homes in Sparta Township is that of Sherman Morris, comprising 240 acres of rich and well cultivated soil which has been in the owner- ship of the Morris family since pioneer days. Sher- man Morris was born on this farm July 15, 1868, has lived there all his life and has been a man of public affairs as well as a capable farmer.

His father, Andrew Morris, was born in Preble County, Ohio, November 6, 1828, and when ten years old, in 1838, the family moved to Kosciusko County, Indiana, and entered government land in Turkey Creek Township. The grandfather spent the rest of his days there. Andrew Morris mar- ried at Pleasantville, Indiana, March 17, 1859, La- vina Morrow, whose family were among the first pioneers of Noble County. She was born in Perry Township of that county in 1836, and died Jan- uary 20, 1917. Andrew Morris and wife after their marriage settled in Sparta Township and spent the rest of their days there. His wife was a member of the Universalist Church, and he was a liberal supporter of that cause. He was very active and prominent as a republican and for three years was a member of the County Board of Com- missioners and also assessor of Sparta Township. There were four children in the family: John C., of Sparta Township; Jennie, wife of J. F. Eagles ; Sherman; and Manford, of Turkey Creek Town- ship.

Sherman Morris received a common school edu- cation, and for thirty years applied himself to the practical business of farming the old homestead. He is also a stockholder in the Farmers and Mer- chants Trust Company at Ligonier.

On November 10, 1898. he married Rena Buchtel, who was born in Perry Township of Noble County, January 27, 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Morris have no children of their own but are rearing a daughter, Pauline Knapp, who was born March 29, 1905, and

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is now attending the public schools. Mr. Morris is affiliated with Cromwell Lodge No. 729, Free and Accepted Masons, is past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias Lodge and has been a member of the Grand Lodge. In politics he is a republican. During his four years' term as trustee of Sparta Township he made a creditable record, and handled all the affairs entrusted to him, particularly the schools, in a way to satisfy the wishes and desires of a great majority of the people of the township.

WILLIAM PIEPER has for many years been one of the most industrious and capable farmer citizens of Noble County. His life has been productive in many ways, and among men in whom the people have con- fidence and who carry into private and public life every mark of esteem perhaps no one is better known than Mr. Pieper, who has been successful as a farmer and has held many of the offices of trust in his county.

He was born in Westphalia, Germany, November 15, 1847, son of Casper and Elizabeth (Simon) Pieper. His mother died in Germany, and his father spent his last years in the United States. William Pieper grew up in his native land and lived there to the age of twenty. His education was the result of attending the common schools to the age of six- teen. After that he spent four years selling hard- ware on the road during the winter seasons and helping his father on the farm in summer. He pur- sued this business so energetically that he was able to accumulate about $1,000.

With this capital, which made him a rather wealthy immigrant, he started on August 5, 1868, for his future home in the United States. He was nineteen days on the ocean and landed at Baltimore October 5, 1868, and soon afterward arrived in Ken- dallville and from there went to Avilla, in which locality he has lived now for half a century. The first three months he was employed as a farm la- borer, and then bought eighty acres three miles northeast of Avilla. There he built his first home in the county, and two years later he married Miss Rosa Vogeding. She was born at Dayton, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Pieper lived on their farm near Avilla for forty-four years, and then moved to his present place, where he has 160 acres in Allen Township and also owns a business house in Avilla.

Mrs. Pieper died September 7, 1917, after thirty- five years of married companionship. Five of her children are still living: Henry E., who graduated from Valparaiso College, taught in Noble County and for seven years was a teacher in the Philip- pines, and is now a teacher of Spanish at Valparaiso ; Frank J., who is a hay inspector with the United States government at Toledo, Ohio; William, now living at Washburn, Wisconsin; Charles J., a grad- uate of high school and of Wabash College, was for four years a teacher in the University School at Chicago Heights and is now a chemist in Govern- ment service at Washington; and Lillie, a graduate of the Kendallville High School and keeping up the home for her father. Mr. and Mrs. Pieper also took into their household an adopted child, Hilda Heck- man.

Mr. Pieper and family are members of the Cath- olic Church at Avilla. He is a democrat in politics. In 1884 he was elected trustee of Allen Township, and gave a competent direction to his official affairs for six years. He was elected a member of the County Council and served four years. For nine years, three successive terms, he was a county com- missioner of the Middle District of Noble County.

AMOS C. SCHROCK is trustee of Van Buren Town- ship in LaGrange County, and the good work he

is doing in that office is what was anticipated by his fellow citizens, who have long known him as a practical farmer and business man identified with every movement in the community for advancement and progress.

Mr. Schrock lives today on a farm where he was born December 12, 1873. He is a son of Cor- nelius Schrock, who was born in Holmes County, Ohio, in 1830, and a grandson of Peter and Fannie (Plank) Schrock, both natives of Ohio. Peter Schrock settled in Elkhart County, Indiana, in 1842, and lived there the rest of his life. His children were John, Abraham, Rachel, Mary, Peter, David, Joseph and Cornelius. Cornelius Schrock married Magdalena Bontrager, who was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, June 11, 1832, a daughter of John and Martha Bontrager. In 1871 Cornelius Schrock bought the farm in Van Buren Township now owned by his son, and was busy with its care and superintendence the rest of his life. He owned eighty acres. His death occurred January 27, 1913. He and his wife had a large family of children, named Peter, Cyrus, Joseph, Anna, Daniel, Isaac, John, who died at the age of sixteen, Henry, Eli, who died when two years old, Christ, David, who died at the age of two years, Amos and Andrew, who died in childhood.

Amos Schrock acquired a district school education in Van Buren Township and when sixteen left home and began earning his living as a monthly laborer. He followed this line of employment until he was twenty-three years of age. In 1893 Mr. Schrock left Indiana, spent one year in Nebraska, and after that lived in Kansas until 1900. He then returned to Van Buren Township and in 1902 bought the home- stead of eighty acres in section 33. He also owns thirty-one acres in Newbury Township.

Mr. Schrock married Laura Marhofer April 4, 1898. She is a daughter of Valentine Marhofer, of Greenwood County, Kansas. To their marriage have been born three children: Marion V., a student in the Indiana State University; Jesse E., and Glendon L. Mr. Schrock was elected and began his duties as township trustee in January, 1919. During the four preceding years from January, 1915, he held the office of township assessor.

ALVIN R. ROUSH. This is a family name that has been identified with the good citizenship and agri- cultural activities of Washington Township in Noble County for a great many years. Alvin R. Roush is one of the younger members of the family and has had a successful career as a general farmer and stock raiser.

His farm of eighty acres is in section 19, and is the same farm where he was born in August, 1882. His parents were Alfred and Elizabeth (Rider) Roush. His father was a native of Ohio. His mother was born in October, 1849, on the same farm where she now lives with her children. Her father, Jacob Rider, was a pioneer in this section of In- diana, entered government land, and was long known for his upright and honest character. He had learned the miller's trade in Pennsylvania, be- ginning when he was sixteen years old and after he came to Indiana he built and for many years operated what was known as Rider's Mills. He was a democrat in politics. Jacob Rider lived to the age of ninety-four. Of his seven children only two are now living: Mrs. James Wilson and Mrs. Alfred Roush. Alfred Roush during the high tide of his activity as a farmer conducted and operated 250 acres of land. He was an active member of the Lutheran Church. He and his wife had nine chil- dren, and the four now living are: Harry, who is unmarried and lives with his mother; Alvin R .;

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Nettie, a high school graduate and a former teacher, now the wife of. A. D. Wilkinson of Whitley County, Indiana; and R. W., a resident of North Wehster, Indiana.

Alvin R. Roush spent his entire life on the old farm. He was well educated, first in the district schools, later in high school for one year, and he also attended college at Hillsdale, Michigan, and at Angola, Indiana. On May 9, 1903, he married Orra Seymour, who was born in Noble Township and County June 7, 1881, and is a graduate of the Wolf Lake High School, after which she taught for five years, until her marriage. She is a daughter of George and Lydia (Howenstine) Seymour, of Wolf Lake. Mr. and Mrs. Roush have lived on their present farm since their marriage and have been steadily prospered, and already have sur- rounded themselves with all the circumstances of prosperous people, including a family of four bright young children. These children are: Francis, born October 19, 1904, now a student in high school; Alfreda, born in September, 1907; Thomas, born in January, 1909; and Georgie E., born in December, 1910. Mr. Roush is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Cromwell and is a democrat.

KEEP LEMMON. Several pages of this publication are given over to tracing the conspicuous facts in the record of the Lemmon family in Steuben County. In all their varied relations and long resi- dence here they have proved themselves stalwart and worthy citizens, good farmers, good neigh- bors, and people of the utmost worth and valne. They are one of the oldest families, and many of them have intermarried with other old families.

One of the younger generation is Keep Lemmon, a prominent farmer of Otsego Township. He was born in that township, May 19, 1869, a son of Brace and Dill (Crain) Lemmon and a grandson of Mor- ris and Lucinda (Rathburn) Lemmon, who were the founders of the family in Northeast Indiana. Brace Lemmon was born in Sandusky County, Ohio, in 1845, had a common school education and after his marriage, which was celebrated in DeKalb County, settled on a farm now owned by Earl Lem- mon. He cleared up much of that land and re- peated that process with two other tracts of land. About 1889 he moved to the place now owned by his son Keep Lemmon, and lived there' until his death in January, 1918. His first wife died in 1875, leaving two children, Lucinda and Keep. Brace Lemmon married for his second wife Diana Quick. They had four children: Lee, wife of Lewis Wallberry, a son of George H. Wallberry, the old soldier and well known citizen of Otsego Township; Bell, wife of Joseph Sewell; Phena, wife of Lafayette Wells; and Edna, wife of Glenn Greenwood. Grace Lemmon was a republican and a member of the Methodist Church.

Keep Lemmon grew up on the farm of his father in Otsego Township, acquired a good education in the district schools, and during his life has ac- tively prosecuted his business as a farmer. He owns 179 acres, including the ninety-two acres last owned by his father. He gives his attention to general farming and stock raising. He is, like his father, a republican and a member of the Grange.

September 19, 1893, he married Miss Clarissa Fee, a daughter of Calvin Fee and a granddaughter of John Fee, who is recorded in history as the first settler of Otsego Township. Mr. and Mrs. Lem- mon have two daughters, Myrtie and Marie. Myrtie is the wife of Basil Oberlin, a son of James Ober- lin of Steuben County. Marie is the wife of Ford

Keppler, of Otsego Township. Both daughters are graduates of the high school at Hamilton, attended the Tri-State Normal College at Angola, and prior to their marriage were teachers.

JOHN OTT is a native son of Noble County, a man who has distinguished himself by enterprise and thrift and good judgment in all his relations with his community, and is one of the leading farmers of Noble Township. His home is in section 13.

He was born in Green Township of that county, March 31, 1852, son of Jesse and Docia (Brown) Ott. His parents were both natives of Preble County, Ohio, his father born December 1, 1822, and his mother in January, 1830. They were reared in Preble County, and after their marriage moved to Indiana in 1850, settling in the southern part of Green Township, where after clearing and improv- ing their land they lived until their death. They were active members of the Christian Church, Jesse Ott serving as a trustee, and was a republican in politics. They were the parents of eight children : Cornelius; Amanda, wife of William Cucas; John; George, who is deceased; Fred; Abraham; Eli; and Alpha.

John Ott grew up on his father's farm in Green Township, and had only the advantages of the common schools, but has wisely improved his op- portunities and is a man of wide inclination as well as much practical ability. For four years he worked out by the month, later rented, and since his mar- riage has acquired his present farm of seventy-four acres. Besides farming he follows the carpenter trade.

In November, 1879, Mr. Ott married Martha Man- ning. She was born in Allen County, Indiana, and received a common school education. Mr. and Mrs. Ott have a fine family of eight children, fourteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Their children are: Emmaretta, wife of William H. Huntsman; Mary, wife of George Edwards; Jesse, a farmer in Noble Township; Orvin, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Nevada, wife of Leo Gaff; Clinton, of Noble County; Clara, wife of Archie Friskney; and William, still at home. The parents are members of the Baptist Church and Mr. Ott is a republican.

OLIVER F. SCHUTT. A substantial farmer of Clay Township, LaGrange County, is found in Oliver F. Schutt, who owns a well improved farm of eighty acres, which he devotes to grain and general produce and to the raising of standard stock. He was born in Kosciusko County, Indiana, March 20, 1863, and is a son of Christian and Mary (Seybert) Schutt.

The parents of Mr. Schutt lived at Erie, Pennsyl- vania, before coming to Warsaw, Kosciusko County, Indiana. The father died in this county in 1871, when aged forty-nine years. His children were as fol- lows: Julia, Maria, Susan, Hannah, Martha, Henry, Aaron, Maggie, John and Oliver F. The mother was first married to Mr. Shue, who died during the war. One son, Jacob, was born to that union. The mother died in 1879.

Oliver F. Schutt was nine years old when he came to live in LaGrange County with his sister Susan, who was the wife of Davis Wolfe, a farmer in Van Buren Township, on the bank of Buck Lake. He was well taken care of, was sent to school and was taught to be a practical farmer. Later he bought his first farm, a tract of fifty-eight acres in Clay Township, but he soon sold that property and bought eighty acres six miles from LaGrange, in Newbury Township, and this he also sold and in 1912 came to his present farm of eighty acres in

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Clay Township. Mr. Schutt may feel that he has done well, considering that he has had his own way to make in the world ever since boyhood.

In 1885 Mr. Schutt was married to Miss Emma Newman, a daughter of Rozaine H. and Almeda Catherine (Laughlin) Newman. Formerly they were farming people in Van Buren Township but now live comfortably retired at LaGrange. Mrs. Schutt has one brother, Burr. Mr. and Mrs. Schutt have two children: Floyd, who was born July 24, 1886, is a farmer east of White Pigeon, Mich- igan, married Bessie Bollinger, and they have a daughter, Myrtle; and Verne, born May 10, 1888, who is a farmer in Bloomfield Township, married Nora Miller, and they have two children, Pauline and Virgil. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics Mr. Schutt is a re- publican.

SYLVESTER BLACKMAN is one of the oldest native sons still living in Noble County, and has spent more than three-quarters of a century there, during which time he has witnessed the upholding of nearly every condition which has important bearing upon the material prosperity and civilization of the present generation. Mr. Blackman was a veteran of the Civil war, and for half a century or more has been a practical farmer. He still lives on his fine farm in section 20 of York Township.

He was born in that township, October 6, 1842, the son of Elisha and Amy (Rollins) Blackman. Elisha Blackman was born in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1801. He went to Ohio in early life and at Troy in Miami County of that state married Amy Rollins on October 23, 1824. She, was born in Miami County, Ohio, September 2, 1808. Elisha Blackman and wife were among the earliest settlers of Noble County, locating in the year 1836 at Roudy Ridge, where he entered a tract of land comprising eighty acres. He was a blacksmith by trade, and set up a shop in the woods and did more mechanical work than he did farming. After several years he sold his first place and bought eighty acres near where his son Syl- vester now lives. There he divided his time between his blacksmith shop and his fields. In religious faith he was a Swedenborgian, and in, politics was formerly a whig and later a republican. He died February 29, 1872, and his wife died May 16, 1860. They were the parents of thirteen children.

Sylvester Blackman grew up in a pioneer com- munity and attended school in a log schoolhouse. Altogether he received only a few months of school- ing. A few weeks after his twenty-first birthday, on December 23, 1863, he enlisted in Company B of the Twelfth Indiana Infantry, and fought in active service from that time until the close of the war. He was with Sherman on his march to the sea and was honorably discharged from the service at Louisville, Kentucky, July 15, 1865. He returned home and during all the years since then has been busily engaged in farming.

On October 29, 1867, he married Mary Jane Burns, who died forty-five years later, on April 4, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Blackman are the parents of seven children. All are living except Frank, who died March 10, 1904. He was a graduate of the Ligonier High School. Ella, the oldest, is the wife of Emmet Black of York Township; Joseph E. married Lillian Dennison and William married Olive Smith. Ger- trude, Thaddeus and Anna are all unmarried. Thaddeus is a graduate of the University of Chi- cago, with a degree Bachelor of Philosophy.

Mr. Blackman is a member of the Sparta Chris- tian Church, and served twelve years as a trustee of the Eel River Christian Conference. He was

made a Mason January 4, 1864, at Albion, Indiana. He is also a member of the Royal Arch Chapter and Council at Ligonier, and is a Knight of Pythias. In politics he is a sterling republican. Mr. Black- man is a stockholder in the Farmers and Merchants Trust Company at Ligonier. He lives on his fine farm of 277 acres and enjoys the comforts of a fine modern home.

MANASSAS M. BORNTRAGER is one of the well known residents of LaGrange County, and occupies a fine farm which he bought and paid for out of his earnings as a practical agriculturist, and which is situated three miles west and four miles north of Topeka.

He was born in section 4 of Eden Township, No- vember 24, 1879, a son of Manassas J. and Lydia (Yoder) Borntrager. This is an old and well known family of LaGrange County, and his pa- ternal ancestors make a long line of Americans who have been in this country for more than a century and a half.

Mr. Borntrager grew up on his father's farm, attended district school to the age of seventeen, and then worked at home until reaching his major- ity. On January 19, 1905, he married Elizabeth Miller, who was born in Clear Spring Township, April 23, 1887, a daughter of Emanuel and Anna (Slabaugh) Miller. Mrs. Borntrager grew up on her father's farm in Clear Spring Township and attended the common schools.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Borntrager lived for one year on her father's farm, then bought eighty acres in Clear Spring Township, but after four years sold that place, rented one summer and in 1912 bought the 120 acres comprising their pres- ent well managed and valuable farm, which is de- voted to general crops and livestock.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 28

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