History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 50

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 50
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 50
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 50
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 50

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).

CHRIS CHRISTENSEN. A native of Denmark, and with all the sturdy characteristics of the Danes, Chris Christensen is an example of a man of for- eign birth who came to the United States without means and with no knowledge of American tradi- tions, and by hard work and good management has achieved a prosperity such as few native born Americans surpass. He is one of the leading farm- ers and stock raisers in Swan Township, near Laotto, Indiana.

Mr. Christensen was born in Denmark, May 12, 1862, son of Jesse and Margaret (Bodter) Chris- tensen. His parents spent all their lives in Denmark. They had seven sons, six of whom are still living. Two of these sons were compelled to give their services to Germany during the great World war. Their names are Hans and Peter. The other four are residents of the United States. Nels is in Montana, Christian, in Illinois, and Christopher is also in this country.

Chris Christensen spent the first nineteen years of his life in Denmark and was educated in the Danish schools. In April, 1882, he landed at New York City and soon went to Petersburg, Illinois. He reached there with only $2.00, and owed $50 for his passage money. He was soon working as a farm hand in Illinois for $10 a month, putting in fourteen to sixteen hours a day of hard lahor and he kept that up for several years, gradually getting some capital and acquiring a working experience of American farming conditions.

Mr. Christensen married Anna Hansen, also a native of Denmark. She came to the United States in 1894. For several years Mr. Christensen was a renter and in 1909 he came to Noble County and moved to his farm on March 1, 1910. He went in debt $7,400 for 160 acres of land, but has paid that and has also made a good living, chiefly by raising hogs and cattle. He sold forty acres of his farm in 1918.

He and his wife had four sons: Elmer, Harvey, Walter and Cicero. The family are members of the Lutheran Church and he is a republican in pol- itics. Mr. Christensen acquired his second citizen- ship papers March 1, 1890, and is one of the most thoroughly loyal Americans in Noble County.

MILO H. ROWAN. Of such great importance are the agricultural interests of the United States at the present time that people not only of our own but of other lands anxiously watch our crop reports and market conditions. The farmer today is the most valuable man in the country, for when the world is hungry it is to the tillers of the soil it must look for relief. There are many experienced farmers and stockmen in LaGrange County, a sub- stantial representative being found in Milo H. Row- an, whose well cultivated acres, lying in Clay and

Clear Spring townships, thoroughly demonstrate' his efficiency as an agriculturist.

Milo H. Rowan was born in Clay Township, La- Grange County, Indiana, July 26, 1864. His parents were Jacob and Anna (Carr) Rowan, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and was mother- less when he accompanied his father, Jesse Rowan, to LaGrange County. He grew up in Clay Town- ship, attended the early schools, became a pros- perons farmer and at the time of death, in 1877, owned 200 acres of land situated one-half mile west of his son's property. He married a daughter of David and Sarah Carr, who were early settlers in Noble County, Indiana. She died in 1901, the de- voted mother of a large family of children, six of whom are living. The parents of Mr. Rowan were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The father gave his political support to the democratic party.

Milo H. Rowan was reared in Clay Township and had educational advantages in the country schools. He worked for his father and neighboring farmers through early manhood and then went to Kansas, where he spent sixteen years as a farmer. When he returned to LaGrange County he bought a tract of eighty acres in Clay Township, to which he later added eighty acres, continuing to add as circum- stances favored until he now has 327 acres, situated in both Clay and Clear Spring townships. A prac- tical and experienced farmer, he has given intelli- gent attention to the proper development of liis land, choice of standard stock, and may justly be numbered with the successful agriculturists of the county. Mr. Rowan keeps well posted on all mat- ters pertaining to his line of business, and in his farm operations makes use of improved machinery. He has adequate and substantial buildings and all his farm undertakings prosper because of his good judgment and the close attention he gives them.

In 1892 Mr. Rowan was united in marriage to Miss Ella Beaty. Her parents were Samuel and Eliza (Mosier) Beaty, very early settlers in Clay Township who entered land from the government and in the course of time acquired 500 acres. Sam- uel Beaty died in 1897 and his wife in 1909, aged respectively eighty-nine and eighty-two years. Of their eight children four are living. Mr. and Mrs. Rowan have three children,. namely: Samuel, who is a graduate of the LaGrange High School, mar- ried Pearl Scott and they live on the old Beaty farm on which his mother was born; Noel, who was educated in the public schools and assists his father on the home farm; and Fern, who is a graduate of the high school at LaGrange. Mr. Rowan is broad- minded in his political views and casts an inde- pendent vote.

J. E. RARICK, M. D. A physician and surgeon at Wolcottville since 1905, Dr. Rarick has found his time and talents fully engaged in a busy professional practice. He is a prominent member of the com- munity, has a high standing as a physician, and is also active in local business and civic affairs.

He was born on a farm in Rock Creek Township of Huntington County, Indiana. April 25, 1881, a son of Samuel W. and Cornelia (Cupp) Rarick. He was the only child of his parents, and during his boyhood he engaged in the diversions and work of the home farm in his native township. He at- tended the public schools at Markle, graduating from high school, and took his college work in Heidelberg College at Tiffin, Ohio. He graduated there with the degree Bachelor of Science and pur- sued his medical studies in the Indiana University School of Medicine, from which he received the Medical Doctor degree. Before taking up private

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practice he spent a year as interne at Hope Hospital in Fort. Wayne. Dr. Rarick began his professional career at Wolcottville December II, 1906. He is a member of the County, State and American Medi- cal Associations and for three years served as health officer of Wolcottville.

He is a stockholder in the Wildman State Bank. Fraternally he is affiliated with Wolcottville Lodge of Masons, the Knights of Pythias at LaGrange, is a democrat, and still retains his membership in the Reformed Church in Rock Creek Township, Hunt- ington County.

CASSIUS M. BARR. The farming element of any section of the state is justly included among the most representative and important of its citizens, for not only is the vocation of farming one of the lead- ing branches of industry, but the men engaged in it are essentially of the highest type of mankind. Steu- ben County is contributing some of the best of these progressive agriculturists, one of them being Cas- sius M. Barr of Otsego Township. He was born in Otsego Township April 4, 1877, a son of Henry K. Barr.

Henry K. Barr was born in 1828, and he was married in Ohio to Almeda Souders, born November 6, 1836. They came to Steuben County in 1870, settling on a farm in Otsego Township, where they resided for many years, but after their retirement from farming they moved to Hamilton, where he died June 17, 1918, aged ninety years, she surviving him until September 15, 1918, when she passed away, aged eighty-two years. Politically he was a demo- crat. The United Brethren Church held his mem- bership, while she was an equally earnest member of the Christian Church. Their children were as follows: Marcella, who is the widow of George McNeal; Berdella, who is the wife of John Dargue, of Hamilton: Hattie, who is the wife of Lewis Hagerty of Hamilton; Alta, who is the wife of George S. Malone, of Chicago; and Cassius M.

Cassius M. Barr attended district school No. 1. of Otsego Township, and was reared on his father's farm. In 1903 he bought his present farm of eighty acres in Otsego Township, to which he later added more land until he now has 113 acres of valuable land. He erected the comfortable modern residence on this property and made other improvements, and here he carries on general farming and stockraising. By inheritance and inclination he is a democrat, and is faithful in his adherence to the principles of his party.

On June 4, 1902, Mr. Barr was united in marriage with Myra Cary, born in Salem Township December 12, 1877, a daughter of George and Elmira (Shaff- stall) Cary, early settlers of Salem Township, Sten- ben County. Several brothers of George Cary, David, Henry and Phineas Cary, were soldiers dur- ing the Civil war, one of them dying during General Sherman's march to the sea, and the other two soon after the close of the war from the effects of their military service. Adam, Frank and Nathaniel Shaff- stall, the maternal uncles of Mrs. Barr, were also soldiers of the Civil war. Mr. Cary died August 10, 1911, having been a farmer and prominent citi- zen. Mrs. Barr attended the public schools, the Tri- State College at Angola and the Epsworth Hos- pital Training School for Nurses, from which she was graduated July 9, 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Barr have three children: Henrietta, who was born Octo- ber 30, 1905; Marguerite, who was born March 29, 1913; and Georgiana, who was born January 18, 1916.

The circle of friends Mr. and Mrs. Barr have gathered about them numbers some of the leading

people in this part of the county, and all enjoy at frequent intervals the delightful hospitality of the rural home of the Barrs, where they are always made cordially welcome. While Mr. Barr has never sought political honors, his popularity and fitness for office would doubtless result in his securing many votes if he cared to devote the time to such matters, but so far he has been so occupied with the farm and house affairs that he has not wished to go be- fore the people for their suffrage.

DORILAS L. TEEGARDIN, who since the age of seven has been a resident of Steuben County, has been a well satisfied and prosperous agriculturist of Otsego Township for more than thirty years. At one time in his early manhood he had an ambition to achieve success as a homesteader in the far West, but a brief experience convinced him that there was no country better than Steuben County.

Mr. Teegardin was born in Allen County, Ohio, October 18, 1862. His father, Josiah Teegardin, was horn in the same county January 3, 1839, and was a son of Joseph and a grandson of William Teegardin. Records of this interesting family are noted on other pages of this publication. Josialı Teegardin and other members of his family came to Steuben County in 1869, and Josiah became one of the extensive farmers and land owners in Otsego Township.

Dorilas L. Teegardin grew up on his father's farm in Otsego Township, worked in the fields and at- tended school, and made his pioneer adventure to the Northwest in 1885. He went to South Dakota, which was then Dakota Territory, and prospected for a homestead, but soon became convinced that the country was not to his liking and in December returned to Steuben County and accepted the forty acres given him by his father for a start in life. He put all the buildings and other improvements on that land, and gradually expanded his scope of enterprise to include 186 acres, devoted to general farming and stock raising. Mr. Teegardin inherits the skill of his father as a cabinetmaker and wood- worker. The son has in fact displayed some rare ability in this line and if he had followed it as a profession would undoubtedly have made a great success. As it is he has exercised his skill on the furniture in his own home and has produced a number of pieces of splendid art and equalling the fine lines of the famous masters.

December 20, 1885, Mr. Teegardin married Sarah Adelia Baker, daughter of Christopher and Roseman (Watkins) Baker. They have had six children : Elmer Clinton, deceased ; Clarence B., who married Laura Decker and has one child, Hollis; Izola E., wite of Harris Dirrim and the mother of a dangh- ter, Henrietta ; Lester L., Prentice and Verald. Mr. Teegardin and family are members of the Metho- dist Church and he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grange.

Christonher Baker, father of Mrs. Teegardin, was born in Virginia April 18, 1836. His father, Samuel Baker, came to Steuben County in 1850, locating in Otsego Township, where Christopher Baker fol- lowed farming for many years. August 28, 1859, Christopher Baker married Roseman Watkins. She died February 13, 1876, the mother of three chil- dren, Samuel, Adelia and Frank. On May 24, 1877, Mr. Baker married Annie J. Fox. They had two children, Leno C. and Leora E. Christopher Baker died January 23, 1893.

GEORGE F. ESHELMAN, whose career as a farmer brought him substantial success as fruitage of long years of toil and well directed effort, is now living retired at Wolcottville, and moved to that village

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in April, 1907, at that time building the beautiful modern home of native stone in which he and his family reside. Mr. Eshelman is widely known in LaGrange County, which he served as a county commissioner.

He was born in Orange Township of Noble County January 21, 1864, a son of Levi and Nancy (New- nan) Eshelman. His father was born in Stark County, Ohio, in 1837 and died in 1906. His mother was born in Noble County, Indiana, in 1839. They were married in Johnson Township of LaGrange County and a year later moved to Orange Township of Noble County, where they had their home about six years. Returning to Johnson Township, they lived on the southeast bank of Adams Lake two years, then for several years the home was on the north of that lake, and from there the parents moved to Wolcottville, where they spent their last years. They were members of the Evangelical Church and Levi was a republican. In the family were seven children: George F .; Leroy, of La- Grange; Henry of Seattle, Washington; Harvey G., of Noble County; John J., the only member of the family now deceased; Mary E., wife of Riley Case, of Johnson Township; and Nellie, widow of Garland Case.

George F. Eshelman grew up and spent his child- hood chiefly in Johnson Township, where he ac- quired his education in the common schools. After reaching his majority he had the interesting experi- ence of life in Montana for one year and then re- turned to LaGrange County, and on March 14, 1888, married Emma S. Hall. She was born in Spring- field Township of LaGrange County, April 9, 1866, a daughter of Charles G. Hall and received her education in the local schools of Indiana.

After his marriage Mr. Eshelman began as a farm renter and at the end of four years was able to buy a place of his own. His accumulations have mounted rapidly since then and now includes 390 acres of good farm land, nearly all of which he has made himself. He and his wife have two children : Eva is the wife of Sabin Austin, living on the home farm. Hilda, who is a graduate of high school and spent two years in the State University became a teacher in the high school at Albion, Indiana. She was married July 9, 1919, to Glode Ruppert, of Albion, Indiana .:

Since coming to Wolcottville Mr. Eshelman has been interesting himself in local affairs and is a director of the Cement Products plant there. His service on the board of county commissioners was for six years, between 1908 to 1914. He is an active republican, is a member of Ionic Lodge No. 380, Free and Accepted Masons, and is past noble grand of Aldine Lodge of Odd Fellows, and has sat in the Grand Lodge. Mrs. Eshelman is active in the Eastern Star and Rebekahs, and has filled the highest chairs in the latter.

FRANCIS F. WOLF. With the problem of feeding the destitute of Europe in addition to supplying the needs of our own country before us, we have come to appreciate more thoroughly the work accom- plished by our farmers, and to accord them the credit they have long deserved but not oftentimes re- ceived. The farmer has always been a very im- portant factor in the life of his country, because if he did not labor people could not eat. All have not appreciated him until through the pressure of cir- cumstances brought about by the late war the de- mand for foodstuffs increased in so remarkable a manner as to make the production of food of para- mount importance, and will result in the future of hringing back to the soil many who have left it, thinking to gain much by gathering in the more

congested regions. There are a number of intelli- gent men, however, who did not need any such rousing, having long ago adopted farming as their life work, and kept at it until they have accumu- lated a fair proportion of this world's goods. One of these representative men of northeastern Indiana is Francis F. Wolf of Steuben Township, Steuben County, who is now operating the homestead of his family.

Francis F. Wolf was born in Ashland County, Ohio, December 26, 1856, a son of William and Catherine (Fetterhoof) Wolf, and grandson of Adam Wolf. Adam Wolf was a pioneer of DeKalb County, Indiana, he having located near Hamilton when the county was undeveloped, although he was then of advanced age. William Wolf was born in Louden County, Virginia, August 6, 1805, and his wife was born in Pennsylvania, December 31, 1812, she being a daughter of Jacob Fetterhoof. Until 1864 William Wolf was engaged in farming in Ash- land County, Ohio, but in that year he came to Steuben County, Indiana, locating on the farm now owned by his son, Francis F., in Steuben Township. This farm contains 160 acres, and at the time he bought it there were but few improvements upon it, and he had to work hard to put it in prime condi- tion. Here he lived and was engaged in farming until his death in 1889, his widow surviving him many years, dying in 1902, when about ninety years old. They had the following children: John, Su- sanna, Andrew, Jacob, Adam, Joseph, Mary Ann, Catherine, Magdalena, Sarah Ann, William, Amos, Lydia, Francis F., Phoebe and two who died in infancy.

Francis F. Wolf grew up on his father's home- stead amid ideal family relationships, and assisted him while attending the district school and after he had completed his schooling. In 1880 he went to Leadville, Colorado, where he spent six months in a mining camp, and then went into Kansas. Pre- ferring Indiana to these western states, in 1882 he drove a team back to his old home. The year fol- lowing he was married, March 10, 1883, to Eliza J. Shoemaker, a daughter of John and Amanda Shoe- maker, and they had two children, Bert C. and Earl F. Mrs. Wolf died November 21, 1894. After her demise Mr. Wolf was married to Emma Hughes, a daughter of John and Martha Hughes, and they be- came the parents of the following children: Hazel, Waldo, Wayne, Estol and Leo. Of these children Hazel is a member of Company D, 132d Machine Gun Battalion of the Thirty-Sixth Division, Ameri- can Expeditionary Forces, and went to France in September, 1918. He is one of the brave boys of Steuben County who have helped to make the name of the "Yanks" a synonym for bravery and clean living.

Six months after his first marriage Francis F. Wolf moved to the family farm, and here he has since resided, carrying on general farming and stock raising, in which he is pre-eminently successful. His farm is a model one, and his buildings, fences and machinery show that he is a man who knows how to take care of things and is proud of his place. Mr. Wolf is a Mason, and lives up to the ideals of his order. His interest in his community is of such a character as to inspire wholehearted endeavor on the part of others in the direction of securing im- provements for the township and county.

JOSEPH ROBINETT. The year 1919 marks the seven- tieth anniversary of the residence of the Robinett family in Steuben County. As a family they have been distinctive not only for their long residence hut by very unusual ability and other substantial qualities. They have been large land owners, have

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built up several extensive tracts from wilderness con- ditions and many of them are still tillers of the soil and recognized as splendid citizens of their com- munity.

The first generation to settle here were Samuel and Julia (McDonald) Robinett. The former was born in 1802 and died May 3, 1893. The latter was born in 1800 and died September 9, 1888. When they came to Richland Township in 1849 they ac- quired 233 acres of land, and there lived the rest of their lives as farmers.

Their son, Thomas Robinett, who was born in Ohio August, 19, 1827, was a young man when he came to Steuben County with his parents. He lived on 225 acres known as the old homestead, and later bought 326 acres. As these ample possessions indi- cate, he was a very successful farmer. He was a man of special note in his community. He had strength, skill and endurance much beyond that of the average man. He especially excelled as a grain cradler at a time when the cradle was the only known implement for cutting and harvesting grain. He never met a man who could keep up with him in swinging the cradle hour after hour. He estab- lished a record when he cut seven acres of oats in one day. He and another man cut and put into shocks fifty-five acres in eleven days. While his services were naturally in great demand in harvest time, he spent a considerable part of the year fol- lowing his trade as a carpenter. He was a democrat and though liberal in religions views was a thor- oughly moral man and his parents had been strict Baptists. Thomas Robinett died November 18, 1901. He married Helen Buell, who was born in Vermont July 7, 1837, and died May 6, 1872. She was the mother of nine children : Samuel, deceased ; Elnora ; Elijah, Joseph, Juliette, Thomas, Myrtie, James, Byron, also deceased; and Dolly. Thomas Robinett married for his second wife Elizabeth Rosenberry, and their six children are still living, named Germ Oliver, Vada, Jennie, Alta, Florena and Ferm.

Joseph Robinett was born on the old homestead of his father March 14, 1863, and as a boy attended the local public schools. In 1894 he bought his pres- ent farm of 110 acres in Richland Township. He still lives there and has done much to improve it with good buildings. He now rents out his land and is practically retired. In politics Mr. Robinett is a democrat.

January 1, 1887, he married Miss Etta E. Brunner of Troy Township, DeKalb County. She died in 1901, the mother of three children. Ethel, the older, was educated in the public schools and is the wife of Galon Campbell, and had four children, only one of whom Mary Janette, is living. The three deceased were named Helen, Clifton Dale and Joseph. Mary B., the second daughter of Mr. Robinett, is a grad- uate of the Edon High School in Ohio, and the teacher's training course at the Tri-State College, after which she taught school, and then attended business college at Fort Wayne, and during the period of the war has been a typewriter in Govern- ment offices at Washington.

In 1903 Mr. Robinett married Miss Sarah Somer- lot. They have a daughter, Sevilla Irene, who grad- uated from the eighth grade in 1919. Mr. Robinett has been a member of the Liberal United Brethren Church since he was twenty years of age and has been a trustee of the church for over ten years and was treasurer when the new church was built in Troy Township of DeKalb County. His first wife was a member of the same church and joined it when a little girl. Their daughter Mary was the youngest child ever formally admitted as a member

of the church, being only nine years old at the time. The present Mrs. Robinett is also a member of this congregation.

J. H. METZ has spent forty years as one of the progressive and practical farmers of Otsego Town- ship in Steuben County. The farm occupied by him and his family is situated in section 10, and is land that has been in a state of improvement for over half a century.

Mr. Metz, who has long been one of the valued citizens of Steuben County, was born in Morrow County, Ohio, March 14, 1856. His father, Chris- topher Metz, was born in Baden, Germany. He married in February, 1842, Eva Katharine Gretch- man. She was born in Baden April 2, 1822, daugh- ter of Carl and Marguerite Gretchman. Christopher Metz brought his family to America in 1854. They were 103 days on the ocean. One of their sons died in Germany, they buried a daughter at sea, and another son was buried in New York. When they embarked on the ship they carried with them supplies of clothing and other goods, but all these possessions were lost in New York. The family went on to Ohio and about 1860 came to Otsego Township of Steuben County, where with the ex- ception of two years Christopher Metz spent the rest of his life. His children besides those above mentioned were: Catherine, who was born in Ger- many; Joshua, who was also born in Germany and was a soldier in the Civil war; J. H., William, Martha and Nathan.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 50

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