History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 47

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 47
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 47
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 47
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 47

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).

He and his wife have four children: William, who married Myrtle Daily and has five sons, named Carrol, Cleo, Willis, Devere and Walter. Lydia, the wife of John Stayner. Branch, who married Fred Seybert and has one son, Howard. Ora B., who rents his father's farm, married Ruth Boyer and has a son, Keith.

FRANK W. MCWILLIAMS. One of the most inter- esting farms in the rural district of Greene Town- ship, Noble County, is widely known as the Old Homestead, an estate that has been continuously in the name and ownership of the McWilliams fam- ily for eighty-five years and has been the home of portions of five generations of the McWilliams family. It comprises 190 acres of well cultivated land with modern improvements and is now in the ownership of Frank W. McWilliams.

The land was entered by his grandfather Oliver P. McWilliams as early as 1834. There has never been a transfer of title since that date. Frank W. McWilliams is a son of John P. and Josephine (White) McWilliams. His father was born in Ju- niata County, Pennsylvania, and was about eighteen years old when his parents came to Noble County. He lived on the old McWilliams farm and died there. His wife was a member of the Lutheran Church and he was a democrat, and was quite prom- inent in county affairs. In 1860 he was elected county recorder, serving two terms, and later was county commissioner two terms. He was also assessor of Greene Township. In early life he taught school for several terms. John P. McWilliams and wife had nine children: Alma, wife of Oliver Fred- erick, of Rice County, Kansas; Frank W .; William

H., who is unmarried and is employed by the Pull- man Company of Chicago; Alta, wife of M. D. Brackney, of California; Walter P., of Idaho; Charles, of South Chicago; while the other children are now deceased.

Frank W. McWilliams spent part of his youth at Albion, and afterward returned to the home farm and attended the district school nearby. On October 6, 1881, he married Elzada Hines. She was born in Richland County, Ohio, and came to Noble County with her parents and received her education here. Mr. and Mrs. McWilliams have two children. Mina M. is the wife of A. L. Budd, of Greene Township. Carlos P. is a graduate of the Albion High School and also attended the Tri-State College at Angola, Indiana. He now lives on the home farm. He married Helen Earnhart, and has two children, John C. and George H.

Frank W. McWilliams is a member of Albion Lodge No. 178, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and also belongs to the Eastern Star. He is a dem- ocrat and is a stockholder in the Farmers State Bank and a stockholder and director in the grist mill at Albion.

ISAIAH SMITH is a farmer both by inheritance and by choice, and has spent all his life on the old Smith homestead in Spencer Township, DeKalb County. His model country home is located three and a half miles southeast of Spencerville, close to the Allen County line.

Mr. Smith was born on that farm November 23, 1856, a son of Levi and Harriet (Robb) Smith. His father was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, Feb- ruary 22, 1828, a son of Peter and Elizabeth Smith, natives of Pennsylvania, and he grew up a farm boy and shoemaker's apprentice. In 1849 he mar- ried Harriet Robb, a native of Ohio, and daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Robb. In the same year he bought land in Portage County, Ohio, and in 1854 removed to DeKalb County, Indiana. He be- gan here with eighty acres of partially improved land, and many years before his death was pos- sessor of a highly improved farm of 320 acres, and possessed ample means for all his needs. He lived on the farm until his death in September, 1900. His wife passed away in April, 1904. They were mem- bers of the Methodist Church, and he was for a number of years a leading democrat in his section of the county. He was especially liberal in behalf of his church and always favored public improvements. He and his wife had two sons, Ira E. and Isaiah.

Isaiah Smith grew up on the home farm where he has always lived and had a common school edu- cation. In 1878 he married Eliza Sibert. They have two children, Samuel L., who is married and lives in Spencer Township, and Emery R., who lives in the same Township and is married. The mother of these sons died in 1887. June 17, 1888, Mr. Smith married Delilah Kinsley. She was born in Allen County, Indiana, March 12, 1861. To this union were born three children: Effie, born July 20, 1889, wife of James Stewart; Warren, born July 30, 1893. and still at home; Clara, born April 10, 1899. Mrs. Smith is an active member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Smith is a democrat. In addition to his inherit- ance of 160 acres of the old homestead he bought 150 acres more and has 310 acres under complete and successful operation for general farming and stock- raising.

SAMUEL HOOK, present trustee of Stafford Town- ship, DeKalb County, is a farmer on the extremne eastern line of the county and has spent practically all his life in that one locality. His home is in section 16.

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HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIAN.A

He was born there March 17, 1872, a son of Henry and Ursula (Strohl) Hook. Henry Hook was born in Germany, and was eleven years of age when brought to the United States by his parents, who settled in Summit County, Ohio, where his father spent the rest of his life. Henry Hook came to De- Kalb County, Indiana, when a young man and after his marriage settled on land in Stafford Township. His first wife was Rachel Miller, who died in 1861. She was the mother of four children: Mary A., wife of John Zimmerman, of Defiance County, Ohio; John J., a prosperous farmer in Stafford Township; Amanda and Sarah, both deceased. Henry Hook married Ursula Strohl for his second wife. She is still living on the same farm with her son. By his second marriage there were seven children, five of whom are still living: William, of Defiance County; Ida, wife of Uri Murphy, in Allen County, Indiana ; Irene, Samuel and Rosa. Henry Hook besides being a prosperous farmer was a leader in local affairs and at one time served as trustee of Stafford Town- ship.

Samuel Hook grew up on the home farm and was educated in the district schools. He was a small child when his father died and when he became old enough he took charge of the homestead and at present owns 140 acres, but manages and cultivates 320 acres. This extensive property he uses for gen- eral farming and stockraising.

Mr. Hook has always been a democrat. He served four years as township assessor and on November 5, 1918, was elected township trustee. He had a ma- jority of six votes over his opponent though the township is normally republican by about ten. He has also been active as a member of the County Central Committee of his party.

JOHN L. ANSPAUGH. It is the good, honest record of farmers and capable citizens that bring the Anspaugh family frequently into the annals of Steuben County. Several of the name have given good accounts of themselves, including Mr. John L. Anspaugh, who grew up in Steuben County and for a number of years has been one of the chief farmers in the Crooked Lake district of Pleasant Township.

He was born in Williams County, Ohio, Septem- ber 5, 1860. His grandparents, Jacob and Barbara Anspaugh, were natives of Pennsylvania and settled in Stark County, Ohio, in 1808, and moved to Williams County in 1844, where Jacob Anspaugh died in October, 1857, and his wife in 1874. John Anspaugh, father of John L., was born in Stark County, Ohio, and married Sarah Ann Cain, who was born in Harrison County, Ohio, in 1830. John Anspaugh lived for several years in Williams County, Ohio, and in March, 1870, settled in section 5 of Richland Township, Steuben County, where he acquired a good farm and where he did his duties as a private citizen and a worthy member of the community for many years.

John L. Anspaugh, who was ten years old when the family came to Steuben County, finished his education in the district schools of Richland Town- ship, and began farming in that township when a young man. In 1880 he moved to Pleasant Town- ship and in 1892 became superintendent of the Steuben County Farm. He held that office until he had rounded ont a term of twenty years and six months, and had made a record of administration entitled to the highest praise and commendation. He left the County Farm in 1912 and has since been identified with his own business interests in Pleasant Township. In 1915 he built the home where he now lives on the banks of Crooked Lake.

For about ten years he owned seven cottages at Pebble Beach on Crooked Lake, and they were in regular demand during the summer seasons by resorters. He sold this property March 15, 1919. Mr. Anspaugh now owns about 100 acres in Pleas- ant Township, in section 8, on the north branch of Crooked Lake. That is his home farm, and he also has 160 acres in section 31 of Millgrove Town- ship.

All of this property represents the steady accumu- lation of years of hard work, thrifty management and successful farming.

September 5, 1885, he married Cora B. Richard- son, daughter of Henry Richardson, a well known family of Pleasant Township spoken of more in detail on other pages. Mr. and Mrs. Anspaugh have one son, Glenn E., who is a graduate of the Tri-State Normal College at Angola and is now looking after one of his father's farms.

DAVID W. EBERLY is a successful farmer and stock- man in Swan Township of Noble County, and for years has been one of the public spirited citizens. of that locality, having to his credit a most efficient administration as township trustee for six years.

He was born in Greene Township of Noble County January 1, 1863, son of David D. and Mar- garet (Kanagy) Eberly, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. After their marriage in Ohio they moved to Indiana and settled in Allen County, later in Whitley County, and from there came to Noble County, where they spent the rest of their days. Both were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the father was a republican voter. There were five children, three living; Susanna, wife of John Waterson; Zachariah and Ruanna, both deceased; Emma, wife of Eli Spear; and David W.

David W. Eberly grew up on the home farm, had a district school education, and lived at home to the age of twenty-one, but from the age of seven- teen has been self-supporting and by industry and intelligent management has carved his own destiny without particular help from anyone.

He married Miss Dessie Krider. At the time of his marriage he had bought a small piece of land, and he took his bride to that farm and in that one locality has steadily worked toward better fortune and now owns one of the best farms in the town- ship, comprising ninety-one acres devoted to gen- eral crops and livestock. Mr. and Mrs. Eberly have two children : Bertha, wife of Frank Fulk, of Swan Township, and Leslie, who is still at home.

The family are members of the Church of God, and Mr. Eberly is affiliated with Churubusco Lodge No. 37, Knights of Pythias, Churubusco Lodge No. 515, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is a member of the Eastern Star lodge of the same place. He is a stockholder in the Exchange Bank of Churubusco. He is keenly interested in local im- provements and has served as superintendent of the county stone road, and his term as township trustee from 1908 to 1914 was signalized by many important services in behalf of the public schools and other matters entrusted to his official charge. Mr. Eb- erly is a republican in politics.

A. FRANK WILSON, a well-to-do farmer of Rich- land Township in Steuben County, has made the successive years of his active career count for steady progress towards better things and is re- garded as one of the most useful members of his home community.

. He was born in Otsego Township. on the old Wilson homestead, March 9. 1872, a son of Alex- ander G. and Mary Ann ( Maxwell) Wilson. This

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is one of the well known families of Steuben County. Mr. Wilson grew up on his father's farm, attended local schools, and spent the winter of 1893-94 in the Normal School at Angola. For a quarter of a cen- tury he has devoted his best efforts to farming. In 1899 he bought forty acres in Richland township and in 1902 he bought the farm of eighty acres on which he now lives. He sold his first forty acres in 1904. He has kept the improvements increasing as a measure of his prosperity. He remodeled the house in 1912 and has a fine barn that was built in 1910.

Mr. Wilson is a republican and served two years as assessor of Richland Township and for four years as a member of the advisory board. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren Church at Mount Pleasant.

October 30, 1895, he married Miss Mary E. Lint. She was born in Richland Township April 1, 1873, a daughter of John S. and Rebecca J. (Allomong) Lint. John S. Lint has long been a well known resident of Richland Township. He was born in Williams County, Ohio, September 15, 1845, son of Samuel and Elizabeth Lint, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio. The Lint family settled in Williams county in 1841. John S. Lint and his brother Wil- liam were both Ohio soldiers in the Civil war, en- listing in September, 1862. They served all through until the Grand Review at Washington, participat- ing in the greatest battles of the Middle West and South, including the Atlanta campaign and the march to the sea. John S. Lint married Rebecca Allomong on August 1, 1869. She was born in Richland Township of Steuben County, March 6, 1847, a daughter of Joseph and Catherine Allo- mong. The Allomongs were pioneers in Steuben County. Joseph Allomong had the reputation of being the most corpulent man in Steuben County, but that did not interfere with his very successful business career. At one time he owned about 600 acres of land and many fine horses. He died Octo- ber 11, 1889, and his wife on April 16, 1869. John S. Lint for half a century lived on a farm in section 20 of Richland Township. He and his wife had three children: Flora, wife of John Penrod, of Bryan, Ohio; Mary E .; and Martha, wife of Rev. S. L. Cunningham. Mr. and Mrs. Lint are members of the United Brethren Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have one son, Robert Burns. He was born October 23, 1900, and completed the eighth grade in school work in 1913. He attended high school at Eden, Ohio, graduating in 1918. He spent two summers in the Tri-State College and during the winter of 1918-19 was employed to teach the Alvarado School in Richland Township. He was given a teacher's license for two years and is employed to teach the Bethel School during the year of 1919-20.

OSCAR F. RAKESTRAW. Everyone in Steuben County knows Mr. Rakestraw as the veteran editor of the Steuben Republican. He has been continu- ously identified with that publication for over forty years and is one of the oldest newspaper men in Northern Indiana.

He was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, October 30, 1849, a son of Caleb and Elezan Rakestraw, who came to Steuben County, Indiana, in 1858. Oscar Rakestraw finished his education at Hillsdale Col- lege, Hillsdale, Michigan, and his first important business experience was as general agent for an in- surance company of Hartford, Connecticut, working much of the time as general agent in New Eng- land. He followed that business for a few years, until 1877, when he entered the Steuben Republican office at Angola, and since then has been connected

with every phase of the business, most of the time as editor and proprietor.

He is, like his paper, republican in politics, is affiliated with the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias, and for over forty years has been a mem- ber of the Christian Church at Angola. On June 10, 1879, at Angola, he married Melissa Cline, daughter of Michael and Barbara Cline. They have two daughters, Zanna and Dorothy. Dorothy is the wife of S. P. Hull, formerly of Baraboo, Wisconsin, and now living at Montgomery, Michigan. Zanna is organist at the Jefferson Theater in Fort Wayne.

ELI B. GRIFFIN. Food is the great necessity of the next few years and many of the patriotic and far-visioned men of the country, especially those who have had experience in farming, are returning to the soil, realizing that in cultivating it they will be rendering a valuable service, to humanity. One of these men who are practically demonstrating their love of country is Rev. Eli B. Griffin of Pleas- ant Township, Steuben County, Indiana, a man already distinguished in the ministry of the United Brethren faith.

The birth of Eli B. Griffin took place on his present farm in Pleasant Township August 1, 1867. He is a son of Charles and Jane (McBride) Griffin, the former of whom was born in Steuben County, New York, January 12, 1834. The latter was born in Stark County, Ohio, October 6, 1839, a daughter of William McBride, a native of Ireland. The paternal grandparents, Eli and Eliza (Bundy) Griffin, were natives of New York State and Cayuga County, New York, respectively. They came west from New York to DeKalb County, Indiana, settling on a farm near Auburn.

Charles Griffin attended the schools of DeKalb County, and was engaged in agricultural pursuits until he was twenty-two years old, when he met with an accident which resulted in the loss of an arm. He was driving a team operating an old- fashioned threshing machine when it ran away, and so injured him that amputation resulted. It is a remarkable fact that although he was thus crippled he attained a wide reputation as an expert wood chopper. With the loss of his arm, however, he found it necessary to adopt some calling which would enable him to earn a living without too much physical effort, and he became a student at Wayne Seminary, where he prepared himself for teaching. At one time he was professor of mathematics at Fort Wayne, and always was an able instructor. With the salary paid him for teaching he bought and paid for a farm in DeKalb County, which he later sold and purchased a mercantile business at Sedan, Indiana, but in 1867 traded it for a farm in section 33, Pleasant Township, Steuben County. When he took possession of it the only building then standing was a log cabin, and only six acres of the land were cleared. Immediately he began im- proving the place, erecting suitable buildings and installing appliances, and here he spent the remain- der of his life, at the time of his death owning 182 acres of land. He and his wife had the following children: Emma J., who died at the age of twenty years; John N .; Eli B., whose name heads this biography; Ida, who married Walter Ward; and Byron. The parents of these children were con- sistent members of the United Brethren Church.

Eli B. Griffin attended the public schools of his native township, and then took a three years' course at the Angola Tri-State College. A United Breth- ren by inheritance and inclination, Mr. Griffin entered the ministry of that church and continued to serve as such continuously until October, 1917. He

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is now on an inactive leave for one year, and is making good use of his vacation by operating his fine farm of fifty-five acres. Mr. Griffin has been very active in his church, serving for twelve years as presiding elder of the Michigan Annual Con- ference of the United Brethren Church. For twenty successive years he has been elected as a member of the General Conference of the church.

On June 23, 1892, Mr. Griffin was united in mar- riage with Nettie May Dirrim, a daughter of Hugh W. Dirrim, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Griffin became the parents of the following children: Charles Wesley, who married Zana Oberst; Etta May, who married Clarence Munger : Elcie Fae, who married Paul Irvin; Wilhelmina Daisy; and Henry L. Mrs. Griffin died October 2, 1918, having been a devoted wife and mother and true Christian, and her loss is mourned by her many friends.

Mr. Griffin is a man who has always given boun- tifully of his gifts to his people, and has exerted a wonderful influence for good in his community. He is not one to be readily deceived in men or misled in measures, and so has naturally been chosen as a leader. His work has been carried on capably and effectively. Always accessible and sympathetic to those who seek his help, sincere and unselfish, he has always been an inspiration for activities of the best sort.

JAMES A. STEWART is proprietor of one of the good farms in Noble County. His home is near Laotto, where for a number of years a goodly tract of 115 acres has responded to his wise and intelli- gent methods of cultivation, and where he has gained prosperity sufficient for his own needs and at the same time has provided liberally for those dependent upon him.

Mr. Stewart was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, March 19, 1857, a son of John W. and St- sanna (DeHoff) Stewart. His parents were natives of the same county and state. John W. Stewart was a son of Samuel Stewart and a grandson of Mathias Stewart, a native of Scotland who came to the United States and settled in Maryland. Sam- uel Stewart was born in Maryland, January 30, 1793, and was one of the pioneers to Columbiana County, Ohio, where he spent his life as a farmer and died in 1872. Samuel Stewart married Eliza- beth Long, who was born June 10, 1790. John W. Stewart and wife came to Indiana and settled in Allen County, where he died. She died February 15, 1919. Both were active members of their church, and he was a democrat in politics, being quite radi- cal in his beliefs. There were five children : Benja- min, of Holmes County, Ohio, who died May 20, 1919; James A .; David D., of Avilla, Indiana ; Eliz- abeth, wife of Robert Teare; and Belle, wife of John Wilken.

James A. Stewart came to Allen County in 1884, and on December 20, 1884, married Miss Rittie DeHoff, of Noble County. She was born in Colum- biana County, Ohio, January 19, 1855, a daughter of Anthony and Elizabeth (Hampshire) DeHoff. At- thony DeHoff was born in Columbiana County Sep- tember 10, 1824, and died May 19, 1876. In 1862 he moved to Noble County, Indiana, locating in Swan Township, and cleared up a farm from the midst of the woods. Mrs. Stewart was reared in Swan Township and was educated in the common, schools.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Stewart rented land for some years, and removed to their present farm in 1900. They have two children: W. Edward, born June 3, 1888, a graduate of the com- mon schools and still at home, unmarried, and Alice H., wife of Virgil Harter of Swan Township.

The family are members of the United Brethren Church, and Mr. Stewart is one of the trustees and superintendent of the Sunday school. In poli- tics he votes as a republican.

NOAH V. ZUMBRUN is one of the best known farmers and citizens of Green Township, Noble County, being proprietor of the Fairmount Farm, comprising 134 acres in section 29 in Green Town- ship.

Mr. Zumbrun was born on a farm in Thorn Creek Township of Whitley County, Indiana, Octo- ber 9, 1871, a son of Christian K. and Louisa J. (Ott) Zumbrun, the former a native of Montgomery county and the latter of Preble County, Ohio. Both were reared in Indiana, and after their marriage they moved to a farm in Whitley County, and for three years Christian Zumbrun was in the nursery business at Columbia City, Indiana. He then re- turned to a farm in Whitley County, lived there about six years, traded that property for a place in Thorn Creek Township, and finally moved to a farm in Noble County, where he lived until his death in 1916. His widow is still living. Christian Zumbrun was an active member and minister of the Church of the Brethren, and his long life was spent in industry and in honorable relations with every community where he lived. Of their ten children eight are still living: Noah V .; Charles W .; Jere- miah F .; Mary E., wife of Howard Harter, of Kosciusko County; Elsie, wife of Winfield Gaertie, of Noble County; Clara, wife of William Norris; Omer O., of Green Township; and Laura, widow of E. Frick, and living at home with her mother.

Noah V. Zumbrun grew up in Whitley and Noble counties and had the advantages of the common schools. He lived at home to the age of twenty-one. In 1893 he married Miss Della Anspaugh, a native of Whitley County. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Zumbrun lived on the old home farm one year and they then moved to another place in Noble County and were for fourteen years on one farm in Green Township. Selling that place, they moved to their present home, the Fairmount Farm, where they have found their ambitions as home owners and farmers thoroughly realized and have so pro- vided that their future years are secure with every comfort. Mr. Zumbrun is a stockholder in the Al- bion Grist Mill.

He and his wife have four children: Wildah, a graduate of high school and now a teacher in the Merriam school of Noble Township; Hearl, a grad- uate of the common and high schools, was for one year in North Manchester College and is now a student at the I. B. C. at Fort Wayne; Obra and Loetta R. are the youngest of the family. The family are members of the Church of the Brethren, and Mr. Zumbrun is a republican.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 47

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