History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 49

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 49
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 49
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 49
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 49

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).

Mr. Sanders married March 10, 1897, Jennie Smiley, a daughter of George and Catherine Smiley. Mrs. Sanders tauglit school in the district schools of Steuben County for about seven years before her marriage. She was educated in the public schools of Steuben County and in the Tri-State Normal. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders have two children, Mark C. and Hugh George. Mr. Sanders is a Knight Templar Mason, a trustee of the Knights of Pythias Lodge, and Mrs. Sanders is worthy matron of the Eastern Star Chapter at Angola. Both are members of the Christian Church.

CARY R. FRISBEY. It is difficult to estimate and value properly the life and character of such a man as Cary R. Frisbey of Clay Township, LaGrange County. He is the type of man to whom his fellow citizens .give honors and responsibilities gladly Everyone knows where and how he stands, and that he could be relied upon. Mr. Frisbey and his good wife have lived on one farm for over half a cen- tury, and that long residence is of itself character- istic of the solid and enduring qualities of this hon- ored couple.

Mr. Frisbey was born in Morgan County, Ohio, February 2, 1836, but has lived in LaGrange County since early youth. His grandparents were William and Ruth Frisbey. His father, John Frisbey, was born in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and in June, 1817, married Mary A. Van Clief, a native of Wash- ington County, Ohio, and a daughter of Peter Van Clief. John Frisbey brought his family to La- Grange County in 1844, spent a year in Clay Town- ship, was then in Lima Township until 1855, in which year he returned to Clay Township, and was there until his death on November 1, 1858. He and his wife had a family of ten children: James, Jane, Daniel, Ephraim, Peter, Mary Ann, Ruth, Cary, Sarah and John.

Cary R. Frisbey was eight years old when his parents came to LaGrange County. He attended his first school at Chester Hill, Ohio, and later at- tended the district schools of Lima township. He finished his education in the Ontario Collegiate Insti- tute in Indiana.

September 30, 1861, Mr. Frisbey enlisted in Com- pany H, of the Forty-Fourth Indiana Infantry. On July 17, 1862, he was mustered out on account of disability. In the meantime he had been a part of General Grant's army in the capture of Fort Donel- son. On September 30, 1864, he re-enlisted in Com- pany D of the One Hundred Forty-Second Infan- try of Indiana, and remained until the close of hostilities. During the battle of Nashville his regi- ment formed a part of the reserves.

After the war Mr. Frisbey at once entered upon a busy career, one productive of much service to his community. He taught public school for fifteen winters and for over forty years was a veteran singing master, being a leader in many singing schools. On April 2, 1864, he married his first wife, Julia Osborn, who died Septemher 22, 1864. On October 27, 1867, he married Elizabeth Boyd, daughter of James and Catherine (Engle) Boyd. They moved to their farm in 1868, and probably no couple in Clay Township had lived longer in one home and one locality.

For a period of forty-eight years Mr. Frisbey has been a writer of the local news for Clay Town- ship, and probably knows the history and the people of that community better than any other man. He served as deputy county treasurer under Treas- urers Hoff, Preston, Anderson, Halhert, McCally and Musser, altogether a period of twenty-four years. He was county coroner by election and ap- pointment four years; jury commissioner one year ;

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was census enumerator in 1890; spent thirty-five days on a jury; was justice of the peace for Clay Township by appointment and election for seven years, and re-elected for another four year term; served as township assessor two years; was deputy real estate appraiser under Lampman and Schermer- horn two years; has been superintendent of the Ridge, Pointer and Clay Sunday schools for fifteen years; was deacon of his church three years and township president of the Sunday School Associa- tion twenty-nine years. He has been a popular mem- ber of the Grand Army of the Republic and has attended both the State and National Encampments. He has had some active relations with practically everything that has taken place in his township for the past half century.

Mr. and Mrs. Frisbey had three children: Erie S., who married Olive Crowl and has two children, Roger and Audrey; Minnie May, who married Ed- ward Pyle and has three children, Beth, Juanita and Edith; and Frances, wife of Henry Frank, and mother of a daughter, Phyllis. Mr. and Mrs. Frisbey celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1917.

James Boyd, father of Mrs. Frisbey, was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in 1801. His wife, Catherine Engle, was a native of the same county. This family moved to Noble County, Indiana, in 1842, living near Wawaka, and in 1855 established their home in Clay Township of LaGrange County, where they spent the rest of their lives. James Boyd died in 1877. He was the father of a numer- ous family of seventeen children, their names in order of birth being Delilah, Eston, Arion, Har- rison, Edward, John, Charles, Elizabeth, James, Mary, Peter, Jacob, Douglas, Urias, Samuel, Daniel and Corinda.

MOSES P. MILLER is a LaGrange County citizen whose part has been played laboriously and efficiently in agricultural affairs. He has lived here for half a century, has endured the vicissitudes as well as the fortune of this long period of time, and is still able to take his part in management and farm work at his home place in Clay Township.

Mr. Miller was born in Cambria County, Pennsyl- vania, July 28, 1845, a son of Joseph D. and Nancy (Yoder) Miller. His grandparents were Daniel and Mary (Mast) Miller. Joseph D. Miller and wife were both natives of Somerset County, Pennsyl- vania, the latter being the daughter of Yost Yoder. Joseph D. Miller was a Pennsylvania farmer until 1857, when he went to Eden Township, LaGrange County, Indiana. Here he farmed until 1871, when he moved to Hickory County, Missouri, and lived there until 1873. He and his wife had the follow- ing children : Daniel, Frances, Moses P., Eliza- beth, Jacob. Nancy and Samuel.

Moses P. Miller was twelve years old when brought to LaGrange County, and he finished his education here in the public schools. For three years of his early manhood he farmed in Newbury Township and in 1860 sought a new home in Hickory County, Missouri. He remained there three years, but in 1872 returned to Eden Township, was there four years, and in 1876 moved to his present farm in section 3, Clay Township. He owns 108 acres, has gathered crops from the land for forty years, and practically all the good buildings represents his in- vestment and labor.

In 1865 Mr. Miller married Eva Hostetler, a daughter of Moses J. Hostetler. To their marriage were born a family of eleven children, noted briefly as follows: Betsey Anna, who died September 4. 1896; Josiah; Nancy M., who died June 16, 1898:

Moses M .; Uriah M .; Polly E., who died December 4, 1903; Fannie Jane, who died January 30, 1896; Minnie May, who died March 3, 1903; Eva Adaline; Samuel, who died March 3, 1919; and Katie, who died in 1903. Mr. Miller is a member of the Men- nonite Church.

Samuel Miller, a son of Moses P. Miller, married Katie Bontrager. After his marriage he lived at home and farmed the old place for his father until his death. Since then his widow and her children have remained with Moses P. Miller and have car- ried on the operations of the home farm. Samuel and Katie Miller had seven children, named Fayma Irene, Mand Adaline, Martha Lydia, who died July 21, 1912, Freeman, Oscar Moses, Orpha Catherine, who died January 8, 1918, and Mary Elizabeth.

SAMUEL F. LONEY came to man's estate thirty- five years ago and since then has made many changes in his circumstances and every change for the better. He started farming with very little capital and very little land, and now owns one of the most complete and best adapted farms in Pleasant Township of Steuben County.

Mr. Loney was born in Pleasant Township March 4, 1862, a son of Hugh and Mary (Freighley) Loney, of an old and well known family of Steuben County. He grew up on his father's farm and soon after leaving public schools went to work as a farm hand. In fact he was only fifteen years old when he earned his first wages, $8 a month. He continued in this way for several years, later started farming on his own account, and bought his first place of sixty-four acres in Otsego Township. He sold that, bought another farm of eighty acres in the same township, and after holding it four years came to his present place in Pleasant Township in February, 1918. Mr. Loney's farm comprises 130 acres with good im- provements, and is only three miles from Angola, the county seat. All the property he has represents his individual work and good management spread over a number of years.

Mr. Loney is a democrat and has never asked for a political office.

March 20, 1890, he married Miss Mary Jane Hutchins, member of the well known and prominent Hutchins family of Steuben County. She was born in Scott Township June 26, 1866, a daughter of John Riley and Waty Ann (Sowle) Hutchins. Her father was born in Sandusky County, Ohio, in 1832, and her mother was born in the same state in 1834. Her mother was a daughter of Joseph T. and Mary (Brown) Sowle, the Sowle family having furnished several pioneer settlers to Steuben County. Mrs. Loney was one of five children: Joseph, deceased ; John R .; Mary Jane; Cora Dell, deceased; and Fred.

Mr. and Mrs. Loney had two children: Mont- gomery G. died January 18, 1904. Ethel May, born March 24, 1895, is the wife of Jay Bollinger and has two children, Opal Ilene, born June 22, 1916, and Donald S., born July 22, 1918.

Mrs. Loney has a nephew, Lewis Hutchins, son of her brother John Hutchins and wife, Lottie V. Hutchins, who enlisted at Toledo while serving as a brakeman with the New York Central line and joined the noted Railroad Engineers' Division. He went into the service in April, 1918, and after some training at Camp Laurel, Maryland, was sent over- seas in June and had some of the interesting experi- ence of the Railroad Engineers' Division, which made a splendid record and introduced some of the effi- ciency of American railroad management into the handling of transportation facilities in France.

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HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

EDWARD G. CRAIN. For over sixty-five years one farm in Otsego Township has responded to the labors and care of the Crain family, and most of the land contained in it has probably produced at least sixty crops. The present possessor, Edward G. Crain, son of the late Lucius H. Crain, settled on the land in 1853.

The Crain family has a long and honorable record in American history. Edward Crain's great-grand- father, Elijah Crain, was a Revolutionary soldier and was a participant in the battle of Bunker Hill. He died in Chautauqua County, New York, in 1848, in the ninety-ninth year of his age. The grand- parents of Mr. Crain were Lucius and Paulina (Frink) Crain. The former visited Steuben County, Indiana, as early as 1836, when most of the land was a wilderness and still owned by the Govern- ment. He bought part of section 36 in Steuben Township and in September, 1837, moved his family there. The following year they returned to New York and settled permanently in Steuben County in 1840. Lucius Crain died August 31, 1848.

Lucius H. Crain was born at Eden in Madison County, New York, June 6, 1827, and was thirteen years old when the family settled permanently in Steuben County. On January 20, 1851, he married Nellie Aldrich, who was born in Vermont in 1830, a daughter of Isaac T. and Lovina Aldrich. Her parents settled in DeKalb County, Indiana, in 1837. For a brief time after his marriage Lucius H. Crain lived in DeKalb County and in 1853 he settled on a tract of wild land in section 31 of Otsego Town- ship. He built a log house in the midst of the timber and began clearing around it, and in course of years had eighty acres cleared and the greater part under cultivation. He was one of the good farmers and good citizens of that locality and lived there until his death in 1912. His wife died in 1904. He was reared in the United Brethren Church and his wife was a Methodist, and in politics he was a democrat. Lucius H. Crain and wife had four children, Jane, who died at the age of eleven years, Charles T., Mary P. and Edward G.

Edward G. Crain was born on the farm where he now resides in Otsego Township June 15, 1873. He attended district schools and for a number of years was working with his father and since 1898 has been farming for himself on the old homestead. He has increased its area to about ninety-nine acres and devotes his land to general agriculture. Mr. Crain is a member of the Methodist Church. In 1904 he married Pearl Harris, daughter of James and Mary (Zedekar) Harris. Two children were born to their marriage, Charles Clair and Ivan Carl.

ABRAHAM A. YODER. One of the substantial farmers and a very highly respected citizen of Clay Township, LaGrange County, is Abraham A. Yo- der, who belongs to an old family of this section that has lived and prospered in this county for over seventy years. Mr. Yoder was born in New- bury Township, LaGrange County, Indiana, July 16, 1871.

The parents of Mr. Yoder were Aaron T. and Magdalena (Kauffman) Yoder. The father was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1845, a son of Tobias C. and Maria (Swartsen- tooker) Yoder, who came to Newbury Township. LaGrange County, in 1847. bought 160 acres of land and added forty acres, and a part of this old farm is yet in the family. The mother of Abraham A. Yoder was born April 14. 1848. and died April 16, 1007, survived by the father until January 21, 1908. The maternal grandparents were John J. and Kath- erine (Miller) Kauffman, who were pioneers in Newbury Township. The grandfather operated a Vol. II-12

sawmill until he removed to Douglas County, Illinois, but later returned to Newbury Township and died there, the grandmother dying in Elkhart County.

Aaron T. Yoder remained on his father's farm and was a farmer all his life, owning 440 acres of well developed land. Both he and his wife be- longed to the Amish Church. They had the follow- ing children: Rudolph, born April 17, 1867; John, born June 1, 1868; Barbara, born November 27, 1869; Abraham A .; Daniel, born February 17, 1873, died January 4, 1875; Peter, born August 20, 1874; Amos, born December 6, 1876, living on the old home farm; Aaron, born April 17, 1879; and To- bias, born January 6, 1882.

Abraham A. Yoder had country school advan- tages and grew up on the home farm with his brothers and sisters. His father was a man of practical good sense, one who trained his sons to be industrious and useful. In 1894, when Mr. Yo- der came to his present farm, he found himself well qualified to operate it economically and profita- bly, and is considered one of the most successful general farmers and stockraisers in Clay Township. In 1904 he bought the farm in Clay Township and has made all the improvements on the place and erected all the buildings except the barn. Mr. Yo- der has always taken great interest in his work as a farmer, and his undertakings have usually turned out satisfactorily.

On January 15, 1893, Abraham A. Yoder was married to Miss Lydia Miller, a daughter of Isaac D. and Mary (Hostitler) Miller, who still survive and reside with Mr. and Mrs. Yoder. The latter have the following children: Amos, horn October 7, 1893, died July 8, 1912; Martha, born Decem- ber 20, 1894; Mary, born August 30, 1896; Ezra. born May 28, 1898; Joseph, born June 27, 1900; Katie, born April 12, 1902, died November 9, 1918; William, born February 17, 1904; Susie, born Jan- uary 7, 1906; Polly, born February 16, 1908; To- bias, born April 2, 1910; Amelia, born February 18, 1912, died September 13, 1912; and Lydia, born September 7, 1913. Mr. Yoder and his family all belong to the Amish Mennonite Church, and follow the quiet. peaceful teachings of this faith.

MARION A. OBERST is proprietor of a valuable and productive farm in Clear Lake Township of Steuben County. He has spent practically all his life in that county and represents several family names that have had much to do with the development of the county from pioneer times.

He was born in York Township, January 17. 1865. His father, Christopher Oberst, who was born in Ottawa County, Ohio, August 26, 1841, died July 10. 1919. His parents, John and Barbara Oberst, were natives of Germany and came to America about 1830, living for three years at Rochester, New York, and then moving to Ottawa County, Ohio, where Barbara Oberst died in 1856 and her husband in 1877. Christopher Oberst was the youngest of eight children, and he grew up and received his education in Ottawa County. He was honored among other things for his record as a soldier in the Civil war. He enlisted in 1861 in Company A of the Forty- Fourth Indiana Infantry, and was in the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Stone River and Chickamauga. He was wounded at Chickamauga in September, 1863, lay on the battlefield ten days and fell into the hands of the enemy. After his parole he was sent to a hospital and did not rejoin his command until May, 1864. After being mus- tered out of the army in November, 1864. he came to Steuben County and bought a farm in Clear Lake Township and was identified with that community for over half a century. On September 3. 1861.

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HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

Christopher Oberst married Mary M. Lord. Her parents, Henry A. and Catherine (Flora) Lord, came to Steuben County in 1849 and were early settlers in Clear Lake Township. Mrs. Mary Oberst died in April, 1901. On March 30, 1903, Mr. Oberst married Mrs. Elvira Fletcher, widow of Milton Fletcher. She still makes her home on the farm in Clear Lake Township. Christopher Oberst by his first marriage had two sons, Marion A. and George A. George A. Oberst, who died September 16, 1914, married Linnie McElhenie.

Marion A. Oberst acquired his education in the district schools and worked on the farm with his father for a number of years. In 1886 he married Miss Addie Laughlin, daughter of Robert and Kate Laughlin. Since his marriage he has given his time to farming, and for over thirty years has lived in sections 31 and 32 of Clear Lake Township, where he has 102 acres, the buildings and other improve- ments representing his personal labor and invest- ment.

Mr. and Mrs. Oberst had two children: Zana and Walter Keith, the latter still at home. Zana is the wife of Charles Griffin, and three children were born to their marriage, Marvin, Thelma and Velma, the last two, twins. Marvin and Thelma are now de- ceased.

Robert Laughlin, father of Mrs. Oberst, was for many years a farmer in Camden Township of Hills- dale County, Michigan. He died September 25, 1905, and is survived by his widow. They had four children : Addie, Mabel, who died at the age of five years, Earl and Pearl, twins, the latter the wife of O. V. McFadden.

THEODORE McNAUGHTON, who for many years has been prominent as a banker, grain merchant and farmer in the Ray community of Steuben County, is a member of a family that has been in Steuben County for over fifty years.

Mr. McNaughton was born in Fremont Township February 13, 1854, son of Joseph and Jeanette (Du- guid) McNaughton. His father was a native of New York State, while his mother was born in Steuben County, a daughter of James and Eleanor (Jones) Duguid. Joseph McNaughton was a farmer in Fremont Township from early manhood until his death. He owned eighty acres there. By his first wife he had five children, Theodore, Louisa, John B. (who died in childhood), Eleanore and Robert. Later he married Mrs. Robert Duguid, and by that marriage had four children, French, Leslie, James and Nettie.

Theodore McNaughton acquired his education in the district schools of Fremont Township and ac- quired his early knowledge of farming in the same locality. At the age of twenty-five he bought eighty acres in California Township of Branch County, Michigan, and spent four years in that country com- munity. After selling his Michigan property he bought his present farm of eighty acres in section 13. He has sold off portions of this land until he now re- tains only about fifty acres.

He still makes his home on his farm, though for thirty-one years he has operated the elevator at Ray, part of this time in partnership with his brother Robert. About 1904 Mr. McNaughton was instru- mental in establishing the Ray Bank, and has been president and directing head of that sound financial institution ever since.

In 1877 he married Edith Fulton, a daughter of J. R. and Ellen (Reynolds) Fulton. Five children have come into their home: Earl, who married Pearl Ford; Ruth, who died March 4, 1919; Foye, who

married Cecille McMillin; Dean, who died in 1912; and Miriam.

ROBERT C. McNAUGHTON is one of the oldest busi- ness men of the village of Ray in Fremont Town- ship. Associated with other members of the Mc- Naughton family, who were prominently identified with the pioneer settlement of this section of Steu- ben County, he had been a grain merchant and dealer for a quarter of a century or more.

Mr. McNaughton was born in Fremont Township November 17, 1865, a son of Joseph and Jeanette (Duguid) McNaughton. His father was born in New York State in 1830, a son of Alexander Mc- Naughton, and of Scotch and Irish ancestry. The McNaughton family came to Steuben County in 1836 and were among the first settlers of Fremont Town- ship. They were prominent in the early organiza- tion of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in that section of the county.

Robert McNaughton, who was one of the four children of his father's first marriage, grew up on the home farm, attended the district schools and the high school at Fremont. As a young man he did farming and has owned several different farms in the county. About 1890 he engaged in the grain business with his brother Theodore. Since 1905 he has been associated with his half brother, Leslie, in the lumber business at Ray. Mr. McNaughton is independent in politics, was reared in the Reformed Presbyterian Church but he and his wife are now members of the Methodist denomination.

In March, 1899, he married Miss Elnora Griffin, a daughter of Edward and Mary (Magnus) Griffin, a well known old-time family of Steuben County. Her father is still living. Mr. and Mrs. McNaughton have four children: Brock Waldo, born March 27, 1900, a graduate of the Fremont High School, now in the sophomore class of DePauw University; Geraldine Pearl, born in 1904, a sophomore in high school; Rosamond Fern, born in March, 1905; and Frederick Lavern, born in March, 1916.

HOMER WATKINS. There is one farm in Otsego Township, Steuben County, that has been continu- ously occupied by its owner, Homer Watkins, for over forty years. Mr. Watkins is a successful man in the agricultural field, and is also widely known to many appreciative patrons as owner and pro- prietor of one of the most attractive summer re- sorts in Steuben County.

He was born in Richland Township of Steuben County June 23, 1855, a son of Simpson Watkins. Simpson Watkins was born in New York State and was a pioneer in Northeast Indiana, coming to Steuben County in 1836 and entering a tract of land in Richland Township. In 1840 he brought his family west and settled permanently on his farm. In 1870 he moved to Otsego Township, and after some years of residence in Michigan spent his last days in Otsego, where he died December 23, 1901. Simpson Watkins married Adelia Thomp- son, and they reared a large family of children. Some further references to the Watkins family are made on other pages of this publication.

Mr. Homer Watkins grew up on the home farm in Richland Township, attended the district schools, and worked for his father. He has lived in section 14 of Otsego Township since 1871. For many years he has owned a good farm of ninety-six acres, has developed the land, constructed good buildings, and carries on a large business as a general farmer and stock raiser. Mr. Watkins entered the resort busi- ness in 1897 when he built a hotel on Fish Lake.

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CHRIS CHRISTENSEN AND FAMILY

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HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

Every season it has enjoyed a large patronage and in 1913 it was necessary to construct an addition to the hotel. This is known as the Cold Springs Resort, and is located on the Watkins farm two miles north of Hamilton.

Mr. Watkins is a member of the Masonic Order. August 28, 1880, he married Emily Haughey, daugh- ter of Timothy Haughey. The Haughey family has long been a part of the history of Steuben County and many of its members have intermarried with other well-known families. Frequent references to the name appear on these pages. Mr. and Mrs. Watkins have four children: Josie, wife of Charles Chard: Roscoe, who married Georgia Todd and has three children, named Lyle, Marjorie and Robert; Odie, a school teacher at Boyne City, Michigan ; and Harold.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 49

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