History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 54

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 54
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 54
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 54
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 54

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and stock raiser. He keeps a number of grade Shorthorn cattle. Mr. Nichols has also taken a public spirited part in local affairs, serving as a member of the advisory board when the Scott High School was built. He is a republican in poli- tics.

Mr. Nichols married Miss Etta Burch, January 12, 1896. They have two children, Ardith, a junior in the Scott High School, and Arthur, in the first year of the local high school. Mr. Nichols is a member of the Angola Co-operative Shippers As- sociation.

Mrs. Nichols is a daughter of Chester and Jane (Maxton) Burch. Her father was born in Otsego Township of Steuben County, July 29, 1848, and died in Scott Township, May 24, 1904. His father, Ches- ter Burch, Sr., was born in Vermont in 1810, son of Oliver Burch. He grew up in New York State and in Washington County, Ohio, and in 1831, in the latter locality, married Polly Davis, who was born in 1812. Chester Burch, Sr., came to Steuben Coun- ty, Indiana, in the pioneer year of 1837, settling in Otsego Township and some years later buying eighty acres in section 10 of that township, where he lived until his death in 1879. He and his wife had seven children. Chester Burch, Jr., was an active farmer for many years, was a republican, an Odd Fellow, and he and his wife were members of the Christian Church. On June 28, 1868, Ches- ter Burch married Jane Maxton, Mrs. Nichols be- ing their only child. Jane Maxton was born in Richland County, Ohio, May 6, 1847, and is now living with her daughter. Her parents were John and Christina (Ralston) Maxton, both natives of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. From Pennsylva- nia they moved to Richland County, Ohio, lived there many years and in 1860 came to Steuben County, Indiana, settling in Otsego Township, where John Maxton died January 8, 1901, at the age of eighty-seven, and his wife on October 23, 1902, aged seventy-nine.

GEORGE SHUMAKER is one of those fortunate men who have never been obliged to go far from home and birthplace to secure their opportunities for use- ful labor in the world. He is living today on the farm where he was born in Steuben Township, and for many seasons has helped produce the generous crops on a farm that was formerly owned by his father.

Mr. Shumaker was born November 30, 1876, a son of John and Amanda (Chard) Shumaker, the former born in Virginia December 31, 1824, and the latter in Ohio in 1833. John Shumaker was a pioneer settler of Steuben County. He came to this section of Northeast Indiana a poor man, seeking opportunities to better his condition, and his hard work and his ability in handling livestock and in all other branches of agriculture brought him a striking success. He first settled east of Pleasant Lake four miles, on a farm that he later sold to Lewis Fifer. Subsequently he bought the farm oc- cupied by his son, George, and lived there until his death in 1887. Besides the 166-acre farm where his son George lives he owned 160 acres in Salem Township and another place of eighty acres in the same township. He was a democrat in politics and his wife was a member of the United Brethren Church. Their children were: Cyrenus, born in 1853; Dolly, born in 1855; Sylvester, born in 1858; Eliza, born in 1862; John, born in 1864; Ella, born in 1867; Elijah, born in 1870; and George, born in 1876.

George Shumaker, the youngest of the family, is joint owner with his brother Elijah of the old homestead. As a boy he attended the Parsell school,

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and he learned habits of industry from his father. He was about twelve years old when his father died, and his share of the inheritance was forty-six acres of the homestead. He soon after went to work for himself and subsequently rented some of his brother's land. Gradually his efforts have borne fruit and he is one of the substantial property own- ers of Steuben County. The substantial house in which he lives was built by his mother after his father's death. The barn represents one of Mr. Shumaker's many improvements.

He is independent in politics and attends the Trinity Reformed Church, of which his wife is a member.

In 1900 Mr. Shumaker married Miss Rosa Parker. She was born in Marshall County, Indiana, a daugh- ter of William and Pena Parker, who lived in Steuben County for a few years but afterward re- turned to Marshall County, where her father died in 1918. Her mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Shumaker have three sons, Harry, born March 19, 1901; Oscar, born May 16, 1902; and Ora, born September 2, 1905. These boys have all received good advantages both at home and in the public schools.

ULYSSES S. WILLARD, who for many years has been one of the familiar and popular figures in the State Bank of Lima at Howe, is a member of an old LaGrange County family, though he was born in Morris County, Kansas, May 2, 1873. His parents are Ransom J. and Susan M. (Horner) Willard, whose careers are noted on other pages of this pub- lication.

Mr. Willard was a small child when his parents settled at Pleasant Lake in Steuben County and in 1884 they removed to Ontario, where Ulysses S. Willard completed his education in the public schools. He graduated in 1892 from the Lima High School at Howe, and then for a period of six years was a teacher. Since 1899 he has had his home continu- ously at Howe. For a year and a half he worked in a local hardware store, then for one year was a rural mail carrier, delivering mail over one of the first routes established in LaGrange County, and in 1903 entered the service of the State Bank of Lima, with which he has been identified ever since.

Mr. Willard is a republican and for the past four years has served as trustee of Lima Township. He is affiliated with Howe Lodge No. 698, Free and Accepted Masons., LaGrange Chapter No. 102, Royal Arch Masons, Council No. 50, Royal and Select Masters, at Kendallville, and is a member of the Scottish Rite bodies at Fort Wayne. He is also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias at Howe and he and his wife belong to the Episcopal Church. They own the old Will Block in LaGrange.

Mr. Willard married Miss Harriet R. Schaeffer on April 29, 1896. She is a daughter of James W. Schaeffer of Howe. To their marriage were born three children: Ruth S., who has completed the work of the Lima High School at Howe; Paul, a senior in the Lima High School; and Kenneth S., who is in the junior year of his high school work.

CLARENCE F. DALLY. Members of the Dally fam- ily have been residents of Steuben County for over half a century. They have been known as farmers, intelligent and public-spirited citizens, and people of the utmost personal and community worth.

One of them is Clarence F. Dally, who now has a well-ordered farm in Otsego Township, where he was born September 27, 1882. His grandfather, Vincent Dally, was born in Vermont, May 24, 1812, and died October 25, 1888. On March 17, 1842; he

married Hannah Mumper. She was born in Penn- sylvania January 4, 1821, and died March 26, 1888. Vincent Dally came to Steuben County and settled in Richland Township about 1863, and lived there the rest of his life, for twenty-five years. The record of his children is: Margaret, born March 24, 1843, was married to Silas Shoup on March 22, 1865; Marion, born November 14, 1846, died March 21, 1902; Mary Jane, born January 16, 1849, became the wife of Hortie Lamport on May 27, 1875; Sarah, born August 25, 1851, married Richard Burrell February 15, 1881; Lovine Ellen, born January 15, 1856, married Frank Metzler August 20, 1876; Emma, born September 2, 1858, died December 8th of the same year; Relifa Alice, born February 26, 1863, married on April 10, 1881, Elsworth Cary.

Marion Dally, father of Clarence, was born in Ashland County, Ohio, November 14, 1846. He married, April 25, 1875, Miss Jennie Bland, a native of Seneca County, Ohio, and daughter of William Bland. As a young man he began farming in Riclı- land Township and after his marriage moved to Otsego Township, where he spent the rest of his life and where he acquired the ownership of a good farm of 120 acres. His first wife died Octo- ber 17, 1882, the mother of two children, Clyde F. and Clarence F. He married for his second wife Rhoda A. Bland, sister of his first wife. They have one daughter, Elsie B.

Clarence F. Dally after attending the public schools of Otsego Township went to work on his father's farm and continued to work the fields after his father's death. At the age of twenty-one he rented the home place for three years, and in 1905 came to his present home, where he bought sixty acres. Since then he has bought thirteen and one- third acres, and now has his land in fine condition. His farm is in sections I and 12 of Otsego Town- ship, and is devoted to general crops and stock raising.

January 6, 1904, Mr. Dally married Ethel J. Par- rott, a daughter of Orson and Mary Parrott. They have two daughters, Mabel, born August 27, 1910, and Marjorie, born April 3, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Dally are members of the Christian Church at Metz.

WILLIAM LEPLEY is proprietor of one of the val- nable small farms of Salem Township, a place where he lias spent practically all his life, and which his father took and improved from the woods more than half a century ago.

Mr. Lepley was born in Huron County, Ohio, February 7, 1862, and was about two years of age when his parents came to Indiana. He is a son of Samuel and Catherine (Hender) Lepley, the former a native of Greenfield Township, Ashland County, Ohio, and the latter of the same locality. His grand- parents were Peter and Catherine (Dick) Lepley. Peter Lepley, a native of Pennsylvania, moved from there to Huron County, Ohio, and spent the rest of his active life on a farm there. His last two or three years were spent in Salem Township at the home of his only son, Samuel. He had one daugh- ter, who was the wife of Levi Ludwig. Samuel Lepley came to Salem Township in 1864, and at that time bought seventy acres in section 15, the land being covered with heavy' woods. He cleared away a considerable part of it and lived there the rest of his industrious life. He and his wife were active members of the Reformed Lutheran Church. They had two children, Ella and William.

William Lepley acquired his education in the pub- lic schools of Salem Township, and even as a boy took some heavy responsibilities in the field and in the other work around the farm. He also learned the carpenter's trade, and has used his skill not

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only at home but in the service of a large com- munity. In connection with farming he has done more or less carpenter work during the past twenty years. He has been the responsible manager of the old farm since 1889, and today owns fifty-five acres. He and his wife are active members of the Lutheran Reformed Church.

July 4, 1888, Mr. Lepley married Deborah Conk- lin. She was born at the village of Salem, Sep- tember 2, 1861, a daughter of Ensign and Elizabeth (Hollister) Conklin. Mr. and Mrs. Lepley have a family of six children: Guy, who married Gladys Spangler and has three children, Udell, Winifred and Oneta; Hazel, Cecil, who during the war was a member of Battery A of the Third Regiment of Field Artillery at Camp Jackson; Herbert, who sailed overseas in March 1918, as a member of Company A of the Twenty-Fourth Engineers, and was part of the American Expeditionary Forces ; Sheldon; and Katheryn.

Ensign Conklin, father of Mrs. Lepley, was born in Ohio, son of David Conklin and a grandson of Isaac Conklin. The Conklins were among the first families to settle in Steuben County. Isaac Conklin arrived here in 1842. David Conklin came to Sten- ben County in September, 1844, locating in section 15 of Salem Township. He was born in New York State in 1803 and married Polly Van Vleet. They were the parents of seven children. Ensign Conk- lin spent his life as a farmer in Salem Township. His wife, Elizabeth Hollister, was born in Pennsyl- vania, a daughter of Artemus and Clarissa Hollister. Artemus Hollister, also a native of Pennsylvania, came from there to Salem Township in the early days and had to cut a road four miles between Pleasant Lake and the place of his settlement. He lived on a farm in Salem Township the rest of his life and reared a family of three sons and three daughters.

Ensign Conklin, who was the oldest of the family of seven children, had the assistance of his brothers in clearing up a good farm of 160 acres. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Church at Salem Center and he was a democrat in politics. Their children were six in number, George, Dora, Estella, Guy, Deborah, and Flora. Dora and Es- tella are both deceased.

THEODORE F. WOOD, M. D. If it were the purpose to single out the physician whose service has been longest and whose work has been most represent- ative of the high character of the medical profes- sion in Steuben County, choice would inevitably fall upon the veteran Theodore F. Wood, who handled his first cases in this locality while the Civil war was in progress, and rounded out a full half cen- tury of effective work in his profession and in be- half of his fellow men.

He is not the only member of the Wood family conspicuous in the medical profession in Steuben County. He was one of four brothers and all of them adopted medicine as their career and all of them practiced in Steuben County.

His forefathers were English people, and his grandfather was born in Canada and moved from there to New York State, where he reared his family. The father of Dr. Wood was Joseph Wheeler Wood, who was born in New York State in 1801. His first wife died young, the mother of one daughter. He married for his second wife Sarah Farnham, who was born in Connecticut in August, 1804. She was of Welsh ancestry. They had eight children: Warren Alphonso, Elizabeth, Sarah, Phedima, Hugh D., Melvina, Theodore F. and Frederick B. In 1843 the Wood family moved to Williams County, Ohio, and in 1846 settled in

DeKalb County, Indiana, where Joseph Wheeler Wood died in February, 1851, and his wife in 1859.

Of the four physician brothers the oldest, Warren Alphonso, began practice in 1850 at Metz in Steuben County and later moved to Angola, where he died in 1868, at the age of forty-two. Hugh D., the second brother, was born in 1836, worked his way through college by teaching and farming, studied medicine under his brother Warren A. and later in college, and began practice at Metz in 1861. In 1869 he moved to Angola to succeed to the prac- tice of his deceased brother, and was engaged in his professional work there until his death, Decem- ber 17, 1918, at the advanced age of eighty-three. He was one of the prominent men of Steuben County in many ways. He was one of the founders of Fort Wayne Medical College, held a chair in its faculty, was president of the County Society, of the Northeast Indiana Medical Society, and other- wise widely known in medical circles. He was the first secretary of the County Board of Health, and led in the organization and was the first president of the Tri-State Normal College Association at Angola. The youngest of the four brothers, Fred- erick B., began practice at Big Rapids, Michigan, in 1866, later moved to LaGrange, Indiana, and finally to Garrett, Indiana, and spent his last days with his brother, Theodore, at Angola. He had a record of service as a soldier during the Civil war.

Of the sisters of Dr. Wood Elizabeth married Dr. Solomon Stough, of DeKalb County, and both are now deceased. Sarah died in DeKalb County when a young woman. Phedima became the wife of Leveret Williams and died in DeKalb County. Mel- vina is the wife of David Ferrier, of Steuhen County, later moving to Kansas, where he died. Dr. Theodore F. Wood was born in Chenango County, New York, June 2, 1840, and was three years old when his parents moved to Ohio and six when they settled in DeKalb County. After the death of his father he lived with his sister, Mrs. Stough, and while there attended district schools and did chores at home and around his brother-in- law's office. This early association with Dr. Stough was the primary influence leading to a career as a physician. Like his brothers he paid for his prep- aration by his own earnings. He was a farm hand and also a teacher, and by the earnings of these occupations paid for four years at Hinsdale Col- lege in Michigan. He also studied medicine with his brother, Warren A., at Metz, and for six con- secutive terms taught school in Otsego Township. During the winter of 1863-64 he attended Rush Medical College at Chicago and then began practice at Metz with his brother. He remained in the prac- tice there when his brother moved to Angola in 1865. Progressiveness has always been a feature characterizing the professional careers of the Wood brothers. Dr. Wood never neglected an opportunity to improve his skill and experience. Though well established in private practice, he took additional courses in the Charity Hospital Medical College at Cleveland in 1868-69, where he received his Medical Doctor degree, again spent some time in Rush Medical College, and in 1872-73 attended lectures in New York and Philadelphia. In 1887 he and his brother, Hugh, went abroad and spent much time in the hospitals of London and the Continent. His reputation as a physician brought him an extensive practice not only over Steuben County, but over DeKalb County and Williams County, Ohio. Dr. Wood has served as president and secretary of the County Medical Society, also as president and in other offices of the Northeast Indiana Medical So- ciety, and has long been a member of the Indiana State and the American Medical associations. He

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was made a Mason in 1861 and an Odd Fellow in 1863, and is one of the oldest members of these orders. He is affiliated with Angola Commandery No. 45 of the Knights Templar and Fort Wayne Consistory of the Scottish Rite. Dr. Wood is lib- eral in his religious views, but has assisted finan- cially in building churches in a number of localities in this part of Indiana and also in Ohio. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Angola, and has always been on its Board of Directors. Among property interests he owns two good farms a mile and a half from Angola.

April 12, 1863, Dr. Wood married Miss Elizabeth Powers, who was born in Steuben County in Jan- uary, 1842, daughter of Calvin and Emeline Powers, well known farming people of Steuben County. Mrs. Wood died May 5, 1908. They were the par- ents of three children: Lillie, the oldest, died at the age of fourteen months. Edna B. is the wife of Dr. Thomas J. Creel of Angola.

Alphonso Calvin Wood, the only son of Dr. Wood, chose the profession of law as his life work and is one of the leading attorneys of the Steuben County bar. He was born in Richland Township of this county, January 23, 1874, and lived at Metz to the age of eighteen. While there he attended the public schools and on July 7, 1895, graduated in the classi- cal course from the Tri-State College at Angola, and on June 22, 1899, received his LL. B. degree from the law department of the University of Mich- igan. Since then he has been in active practice, having been admitted to the bar in April, 1897. Mr. Wood is a democrat, served as town clerk, is a member of the Congregational Church, and is a Knight Templar and Scottish Rite Mason.

June 28, 1899, he married Miss Mayme Moffett, daughter of Thomas R. and Mary (Moffett) of Angola. They have one son, Theodore Thomas, who represents the fourth generation of the Wood family in this part of Indiana, and was born Feb- ruary 2, 1905, and is now a high school student at Angola.

THOMAS J. CREEL, M. D. Recently Dr. Creel con- cluded a quarter of a century of steady practice as a physician and surgeon in Steuben County. His work has been attended with every degree of suc- cess and attainment, and he is easily one of the leaders in his profession in Northeast Indiana.

Dr. Creel was born at Parkersburg, West Vir- ginia, April 5, 1868, son of John N. and Calesta D. (Parmenter) Creel, the former a native of West Virginia and the latter of New York. Dr. Creel's mother died in 1873 at Parkersburg. John N. Creel spent his last days in Steuben County, where he died in 1895. There were seven children: Hattie V., Kate, Emma, Anna, Gilly, Lorenzo D. and Thomas J. Dr. Creel attended district schools near Parkers- burg, and in 1886, at the age of eighteen, came to Angola, Indiana to enter the Tri-State College. . He first graduated in the commercial course and later in the normal course and prepared for teaching. After two years of teaching he entered upon the study of medicine in 1888 at Metz with Dr. Theo- dore F. Wood whose daughter he later married. In 1889 he entered Rush Medical College at Chicago, from which he graduated in 1893. He at once located at Angola, and has long been associated with Dr. Wood. He is a member in good standing in the County and State Medical societies and the American Medical Association. Dr. Creel is a democrat and at one time served as mayor of Angola. He is active in Masonry, being affiliated with Angola Commandery No. 45, Knights Templar, Fort Wayne Consistory of the Scottish Rite, and

the Mystic Shrine. He and his family attend the Congregational Church.

March 31, 1891, Dr. Creel married Miss Edna B. Wood, daughter of Dr. T. F. Wood. They have two children : Joyce V. and Donald W., the latter now a student in the Angola High School. Joyce after graduating from the local high school attended Bel- mont College for Girls at Nashville, Tennessee, was two years in St. Mary's Academy at South Bend, and prior to her marriage was a successful teacher of domestic science in the high school at Angola and also the Tri-State College. She is now the wife of Martin Eastburn of Indianapolis. Mr. Eastburn during a portion of the war was training as a sol- dier in one of the camps in Kentucky.

DAVID E. WRIGHT. The fine record of a family through four generations in Steuben County is properly 'considered in the individual career of David E. Wright, one of the leading farmers and citizens of Salem Township.

This record goes back to his great-grandfather Jeptha A. Wright, who was born in New Hamp- shire in June, 1788, and married in that state Betsey Emerson. From New Hampshire they went to New York, all their children were born there, and Jeptha Wright followed the trade of blacksmith and later bought a farm in Orleans County. In 1837 he made a further stage of his western journey, going to Southern Michigan and buying a farm of eighty acres near Ypsilanti. The following fall he came to Steuben County to get land for his sons, several of whom had reached manhood. Acquiring 133 acres in section 19 of Salem Township, he was so pleased with the country that he soon followed with his family from Michigan. He found Steuben County practically a wilderness, his own land with- out a stick cut, and the first home to which he introduced his family was a log house. His first wife died in 1848 and his second wife in 1872. He lived until June, 1874, when almost eighty-six years of age. Those of his children to reach mature age were: Edward, Hemen, Mary, Evans, Elbridge, Chauncy, Charles and Richard. Jeptha Wright during his residence in Steuben County together with his sons acquired the ownership of about 700 acres of land.

The family history is carried on through his son Elbridge, who was born in New York State Decem- ber 28, 1822, and died May 28, 1879. He was about fifteen years old when brought to Steuben County, grew up on the pioneer farm in Salem Township, and was one of the highly successful farmers in the county, owning 300 acres of land. He married Martha Ann Cochran, who was born in Ohio March 3, 1824. His widow survived him several years, and their children were Elnora, Henry, Cyrus, Mon- roe and Marion, twins, Elsie and Dora.

The representative of the third generation was Henry Wright, who was born in Salem Township May 29, 1850. With the exception of three years he spent all his life on a Salem Township farm in sections 19 and 20 now owned by his son David. For three years he operated a sawmill at Fairfield Center, and aside from that time his vocation con- tinuously was one of an agriculturist. He acquired the 160 acres in sections 19 and 20 in 1881, and that combined with twenty acres in section 21 gave him the large farm now owned by his son. He was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, Knights of Pythias and Improved Order of Red Men. Henry Wright died February 15, 1909. He married Mary E. Frederick. She was born in Salem Township June 26, 1850, and died September 12, 1906. Her parents were David and Mary

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HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

(Fisher) Frederick, the former a native of Stark County, Ohio, and moving to Salem Township of Steuben County prior to the Civil war, in which he served as a Union soldier. After the war he spent the rest of his active life as a Salem Township farmer and lived retired at Hudson for about three years before his death. The children of David Frederick and wife were Susanna, Mary E. and Sarah, twins, Joseph and Josie, Ephraim and Jennie.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 54

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