History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 71

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 71
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 71
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 71
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 71

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).

WILLIAM E. BLACKMAN, who recently retired from the office of township trustee of Fremont Township, has spent all his life on one farm in that locality. His people were early settlers, and the work which his father did as a pioneer has been carried on by the son and has made one of the best farms in Steuben County.

William E. Blackman was born on the farm where he lives today, July 23, 1860, a son of Allen P. and Margaret (Corbett) Blackman, and a grandson of Eleazer Blackman and William H. Corbett. His father was born in Massachusetts, March 3, 1812, and his mother in New York State. Allen P. Black- man moved from Genesee County, New York, to Branch County, Michigan, in 1855, and the following year came to Steuben County, locating in Fremont Township. He acquired land in section 17, most of it unimproved and uncleared, and in course of time had a well-developed farm of 102 acres. He died at the old home in 1899 and his wife in 1885. Wil- liam E. Blackman is the youngest in a family of five children and the only son. His sisters were: Anna, deceased wife of James Turley; Elizabeth, also de- ceased, who married Solomon Alis; Martha, wife of F. R. Drury; and Amie, wife of Isaac Foss.

William E. Blackman attended the district schools of Fremont Township, also the village schools of Fremont, and as a boy helped his father with the farm and in young manhood took over its management independently. He has owned the home place since 1900, and since it has been in his possession the house has been remodeled and given added comfort. He has also built two barns and a silo. He has his farm well equipped for stock raising.

In 1887 Mr. Blackman married Miss Jeanette Sowle, a daughter of Francis and Elizabeth Sowle. They have a family of seven children, named Vere . C., Eleazer, Frank, Kenneth, Margaret, Malvern and

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Luana. Mrs. Blackman died in 1904. Mr. Blackman is affiliated with the Moose at Angola and the Masonic Lodge at Fremont. He has always enjoyed the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens, and he justified that trust during his term as trustee of the township from Jannary, 1915, to January, 1919.

J. EDWARD EATON. Though Mr. Eaton is living today practically amid the scenes where he was born and reared, he has made his successful progress not by changing his location, but by diligently working to prosper and alter his material circumstances. He is one of the leading farmers of Clay Township in LaGrange County, and with the exception of a year and a half spent at Sturgis, Michigan, and eleven months in California has been in that township all his life.

He was born August 14, 1862, a son of Josiah and Rachel (Preston) Eaton. His parents were both natives of Sandusky County, Ohio. Josiah Eaton came to LaGrange County in 1845, and grew to manhood in Lima Township, but about 1856 moved to Clay Township, and for many years was one of the leading farmers of that locality. He and his wife had five children: Sarah E., J. Edward, Charles C., William and Alton H.

J. Edward Eaton grew up on his father's farm, had a district school education, and for many years has lived in section 15 of Clay Township, where he owns 141 6-10 acres of good farming land. In 1891 he married Lottie White, daughter of Washington White. They have six children; Lelah who died in 1917, the wife of James Fuller, leaving one child, Edna; Marie; Bertha, wife of John Howard and the mother of a son, John Calvin; Wava; Kenneth and Gilbert.

EUGENE DAVIS is one of the largest land owners in LaGrange County. For a quarter of a century he has planted crops and looked after his extensive interests as a farmer and stock raiser at his present home in Newbury Township.

Mr. Davis, who was born in Newbury Township, a half mile north of Shipshewana, January 22, 1857, is a member of an old and prominent family of the county, a more complete account of whom is given on other pages. His father was Hezekiah Davis, who was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, October 9, 1825.

Eugene Davis as a boy attended district school in Newbury, also was a student in the Ontario Col- legiate Institute, and since early manhood has been a practical farmer. He did his first independent work as a farmer in Van Buren Township, but in the fall of 1893 came to his present home in section 12 of Newbury Township. Mr. Davis is the owner of about 1,230 acres in Newbury and Van Buren townships.

He is the head of a large family, he and his wife having had ten children, and there are a number of grandchildren which gather at the old home place in Newbury. On April 19, 1877, Mr. Davis married Alice Summey, daughter of Abraham and Rachel (Chambers) Summey. Abraham Summey, a son of John and Susanna Summey, was born in York County, Pennsylvania, in 1827, and in 1837 accom- panied his parents to Wayne County, Ohio. Later he lived in Elkhart County, Indiana, and in 1850 married Rachel Chambers, who was born near Columbus, Ohio. In 1851 Abraham Summey moved to Newbury Township of LaGrange County, and he became the owner of 572 acres of land in that local- ity. He died in June, 1900, and his wife January 14, 1914. In the Summey family were six children, Susan, Eliza, John E., Ellis, Alice and Oliver. The

oldest child of Mr. and Mrs. Davis was Stewart, who married Retha Newell and died February 27, 1904. The second, Beulah, is the wife of Edson Oxender and has four children, Ethel D., Ralph O., Helen Mae and Mildred O. Niles H., who is at pres- ent superintendent of schools in North Dakota, but expects to return and make LaGrange County his home, married Ida Foss, and their family consists of Esther Alethea, Doris Vivian, Keith Foss and Alice E., but the last named died when three months old. Opal, the fourth in the family, is the wife of Eldon M. Hostetler. Their children are Alice, Ruth, Paul, who died in infancy, and Elizabeth Mae, who was burned to death when three years old. Pearl Davis is the wife of Jay Conrad and has one child, Marion J. Eugene H. is still at home. Ocie married Willard E. Murray, and their children are Vera Beulah, Roscoe D. and Rachel Dorothy. Josie is the wife of Glenn E. Norris and the mother of Davis J. and Dorothy Melissa. Retha, the ninth in the family, died April 14, 19II, while Hewlitt M., the youngest, died March 21, 1900.

MICHAEL F. LONG. The life of the subject of this sketch has been such as to elicit just praise from those who know him best, owing to the fact that he has always been true to the trusts reposed in him and has been upright in his dealings with his fellow men, at the same time lending his support to the advancement of any cause looking to the welfare of the community at large.

Michael F. Long is a native of DeKalb County, having been born near Auburn on June 4, 1849. His parents, Michael and Caroline (Baird) Long, were natives of Georgetown, Lancaster County, Penn- sylvania, where they were reared and married. Sub- sequently they moved to Ohio, locating near Orville, Wayne County, but in 1845 moved to Auburn, Indi- ana, where they located on a farm. Seven years later they moved into Auburn, where Mr. Long opened a meat market, being a pioneer in that line here. That was prior to the use of refrigerators and most of the meat was peddled by wagon. This business he conducted until his death. He was a democrat in his political affiliations, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They were the parents of two children, Henry J., of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Michael F.

Michael F. Long received a good education in the public schools of Auburn and then for a number of years he was engaged in teaching schools, being employed in the district schools and in Auburn. He then engaged in the mercantile business at Auburn, which claimed his attention for three years. Mr. Long then took the United States civil service ex- amination and received an oppointment as railway mail clerk. He held some of the earliest "runs" in this part of the country, having those from Chicago to Cleveland on the Lake Shore Railroad, from Chi- cago to Newark, Ohio, on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and then opened the route from Toledo to Dayton. Eventually, tiring of that vocation, Mr. Long came to Butler and opened a fine meat market, which he conducted about eight years. Then for six years he was engaged in the farming implement busi- ness, relinquishing that vocation to enter the office of county clerk, to which he had been elected on the republican ticket. He faithfully and efficiently discharged the duties of this responsible office for four years, and at the expiration of his term he returned to Butler and entered the employ of the McCormick Harvester Company, for whom he trav- eled for about seventeen years. Because of failing health he was compelled to resign that position, and

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he then opened the Overland Garage at Butler, which he is now conducting and in which he has met with well-deserved success.

On October 8, 1871, Mr. Long was married to Vianna Stonebraker, and to them were born four children, namely: Blanche, the widow of Charles Felske; Lenore, the wife of Charles LaDne, of New Rochelle, New York; Louise, wife of Albert E. Whitehead; George, who was drowned near Butler when fourteen years of age. The mother of these children died in 1881 and in 1885 Mr. Long mar- ried Eva Share. To this union two children have been born, Frank L., a butter salesman, and T. M., who is interested with his father in the garage.

Politically Mr. Long has been a life-long re- publican and has taken an active part in the affairs of his community. His fraternal relations are with the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias. His life has become a part of the history of his community, and his long and honorable busi- ness career has brought him before the public in such a way as to gain the esteem and confidence of his fellowmen.

JOHN P. CATON is a member of the Caton Broth- ers, furniture and undertaking, having built up one of the largest and finest establishments of the kind in Northern Indiana. Mr. Caton, who started his career without fortune, has achieved definite suc- cess, and is rated as one of LaGrange's leading men of affairs and with a public spirit responsive to every community demand.

He was born at LaGrange, April II, 1877, a son of Capt. John H. and Annetta (Kingsley) Caton. Concerning his father and mother's families ex- tended reference is made on other pages. Mr. Caton was five years old when his father and mother moved to the farm in Milford Township where he grew up and lived until he was twenty years of age. He attended public schools near the farm home, also the South Milford High School, and took a business course in the Hawkins Commercial School at Huntington, Indiana. On leaving the farm he was for about six years employed in the Hawk Mills at Mongo. He left there and in order to prepare himself for the undertaking profession entered the Carl L. Barnes School of Embalming and Sanitary Science at Chicago, of which he is a graduate. After finishing his course he returned to LaGrange, for 21/2 years was employed by John- ston Brothers, furniture and undertaking, and then joined his brother Claud in the undertaking busi- ness. A year and a half later they leased their present store in the Brown Block, and under the name of Caton Brothers have rapidly expanded their business as dealers in high class furniture and have an unsurpassed equipment and service for undertaking.

In 1917 Mr. Caton with Charles Smith, C. B. Hinkley and Rolland Van Kirk bought out the W. W. Murray plant and organized the LaGrange Creamery and Ice Company. He is one of the di- rectors of that important local utility. He was also one of the organizers of the LaGrange County Trust Company and has been its vice president since organization. Mr. Caton owns eighty-five acres of good land in Milford Township, constituting a well improved and valuable farm.

He has been quite active in county politics as a republican and for the past ten years has held the office of county coroner. He is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and a member of Miz- pah Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Fort Wayne. He received his early degrees in Masonry in Mer- idian Sun Lodge No. 76, Ancient Free and Accepted

Masons, at La Grange. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias at LaGrange. In religious mat- ters he is liberal, giving his chief support to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

May 21, 1899, he married Miss Mand Hawk, daughter of William C. and Augusta (Shepardson) Hawk, of Mongo, Indiana. Mrs. Caton died in January, 1902.

OTTO SIMMONS. Fully eighty years have passed since the Simmons family became identified with Steuben County. In that time three generations have contributed to the improvement and advance- ment of this section of Northeast Indiana. Otto Simmons is a member of the third generation, and is handling the operation of one of the fine farms in Jackson Township, which was developed from a wild estate by his father.

Mr. Simmons was born on the farm where he is now living August 10, 1880, son of Henry Simmons, who still lives with him, and grandson of Cephus and Lizzie (Churchill) Simmons. Cephus Simmons was born in Vermont and his wife near Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts. They were married in Ver- mont and in about 1837 started for the West. At that time there were no railroads, and they traveled partly by stage and partly by ox-team until they reached Steuben County. He lived most of his life in Jackson Township and as a mason followed his trade in Salem, Jackson and Millgrove townships. At the time of his death he owned a farm of forty acres in Jackson Township. His children were Harriett, Ellen, Henry, Maria, Lucy and Viola.

Henry Simmons, who was born in Jackson Town- ship October 27, 1840, grew up in the pioneer days, attended local schools and after his marriage secured eighty acres of the present homestead farm. It was wild and uncleared land, and his first home was a log house. As he prospered he added more land until he had 110 acres, and all he spent on building improvements represents his investment and labor. Henry Simmons married Nancy Parker, a daughter of Isaac and Margaret Parker. They had four chil- dren: Philena and Hattie, both of whom died in childhood; Abbie, who is the wife of Oliver Walter; and Otto.

Otto Simmons secured his education in the Mor- gan District School of Jackson Township, and from early boyhood has been working on the home farm. For twenty months he lived on a nearby farm, and with that exception his entire life has been spent on the place developed by his father. Since 1900 he has been renting the farm and does general farming and stock raising.

Mr. Simmons married in 1899 Mabel Tubbs, a daughter of Frank and Barbara Tubbs. They have four children: Wren, born in 1900, is a student of the High School at Flint, Lela, Ania and Frank.

DANIEL J. YODER carries the heavy responsibili- ties of managing and operating a large farm in Eden Township of LaGrange County. Largely through his individual enterprise and efforts he has made a success of farming, and his farm and home bear many evidences of his progressive spirit. His home is near Schrock.

Mr. Yoder was born in Holmes County, Ohio, Sep- tember 19, 1856, a son of Jonathan J. and Catherine Yoder, the former a native of Mifflin County, Penn- sylvania, and the latter of Holmes County, Ohio. Mr. Yoder went to Holmes County when sixteen years old and married for his first wife Rebecca Lantz. He had one son, Gabriel, now deceased. After the death of his first wife he married Cath- erine Yoder, and continued to live in Holmes County

mil. Pangagner

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until 1865, when he brought his family to Newbury Township of LaGrange County. After a brief resi- dence there he bought another place, and finally bought the 160 acres where his son Daniel now lives, and was on that farm until his death. Of his thirteen children seven are still living: John J., of Newbury; Lydia, wife of Manassas Borntrager ; Barbara, widow of Jonas B. Yoder; Jonathan, who married Magdalena Miller, of Eden Township; Ben- jamin C., of Eden Township, who married Mary Beachy; Daniel J .; David, of Newbury Township, who married Sarah Yoder.

Daniel J. Yoder was eight years old when brought to LaGrange County. Here he finished his educa- tion in the common schools and lived at home to the age of twenty-one. He then worked out at day labor, and being a young man of thrifty habits and sound industry soon accumulated about $200. With that capital he rented his father's farm for two years, then for two years rented the place where he now lives, and then bought it.

November 14, 1878, he married Elizabeth Each. To their happy union were born twelve children, eleven of whom are still living: Samuel, Enos, Andrew, Jonathan, David, Emanuel, Anna, Sarah, (deceased), Daniel, Mary, Elizabeth and Menno. The family are members of the Amish Mennonite Church.

Mr. Yoder not only owns 150 acres of the old homestead, but also eighty acres across the road and eighty acres in another locality of Eden Town- ship.

MELVIN J. VAN WAGNER. Of the numerous good farms in Jackson Township, Steuben County, one in its present day improvements and value represents years of faithful toil and good management on the part of its former owner, the late Melvin J. Van Wagner. Mrs. Van Wagner and her children still live on the old homestead and enjoy much of the prosperity created by her honored husband.

Mr. Van Wagner was born in Salem Township, Steuben County, March 2, 1852, a son of Harvey and Abigail (Parsell) Van Wagner. His parents came at quite an early day to Steuben County, set- tled in Salem Township on rented land, and Harvey Van Wagner followed several different occupations, including that of butcher. He lived at Flint for a time and died at Plymouth, Ohio. He was born in 1826 and died April 3, 1903. Mr. Van Wagner's mother passed away in 1875. Their children were six in number, Mary Jane, Melvin J., Diantha, Henry, Isaac and Sylvester.

Melvin J. Van Wagner acquired his education in the public schools of Salem Township, and leaving home at an early age he worked for others, both by the month and year. Finally he rented some land and later bought a place of forty acres near Turkey Lake. He sold that and again continued renting for several years and about twenty years ago he bought sixty acres, but later sold forty acres of that tract and then bought sufficient land to give him a farm of 200 acres in Jackson Township. It was with the cultivation and management of this farm that he was busied at the time of his death on October 23, 1916. He put up many improvements and as a stockman specialized in pure bred Shrop- shire sheep.

He was one of the leading democrats of the county and was twice a candidate for sheriff. He made a good campaign, but at that time the county was strongly entrenched in republican favor. Mrs. Van Wagner is a member of the Congregational Church, as was her husband.

October 4, 1874, he married Mary E. Laughrey, who was born in Salem Township March 31, 1856, Vol. II-17

a daughter of John and Charity (Young) Loughrey. Her parents settled in that township in April, 1850, buying 160 acres southeast of where the Block Church now stands. Her father died there in 1865 and her mother in 1886. Mr. Laughrey was a demo- crat and his wife a Presbyterian. In the Laughrey family were ten children: Nancy, Emily, Andrew, William, James, George, Elmer, Irvin, Jane and Mary E. All of them grew to manhood and woman- hood except James, who died in Ohio.

Mrs. Van Wagner was the mother of seven chil- dren, and now has a number of grandchildren. Her oldest child was Bernice, who died September 27, 1909. She was the wife of Ernest Shank and the mother of three children, named Arlo, Keith, who died at the age of five years, and Wier. Lloyd, who is now the active manager of the home farm, married Floy Shank, a daughter of Norman Shank, of Jackson Township, and they had seven children, Gerald, Raymond, Melvin, Dale, Hope, Wendall and one that died in infancy. The third and fourth chil- dren of Mrs. Van Wagner died in infancy. Bertha is the wife of Clyde Purdy, and their family con- sists of Vera, Elton, Robert, Alice, Paul and By- ron. Carl Van Wagner married Hattie Groves and has two children, named Mary and Basil. Byron, the youngest of the family, married Florence Davis, and they have two children, Joyce and Harold B.

JACOB J. YODER. Hardly any name has a sturdier and more substantial record in connection with the agriculture, business, social and civic life of North- east Indiana than that of Yoder. Jacob J. Yoder's family has lived in LaGrange County for over fifty- five years, and most of his own life has been spent within the borders of that county. His home was formerly in Clay Township but for several years past he has owned one of the good farms of New- bury Township.

Mr. Yoder was born in Somerset County, Penn -. sylvania, May 11, 1861, a son of Jacob and Barbara (Miller) Yoder. His parents were both natives of Pennsylvania, his father born December 11, 1831, and his mother October 22, 1835. They were mar- ried on March 3, 1854, and in 1863 came to La- Grange County and settled in Newbury Township. A year later Jacob Yoder went to Clay Township, and he lived on his farm there until his death in 1915. His wife passed away December 19, 1879. Both were members of the Mennonite Church. A record of their family of children is as follows : George, born March 21, 1855; Edward, born Feb- ruary 15, 1857, died in infancy; Lydia, born March 9, 1858. and died December 3, 1896; Jacob J .; Wil- liam, born March 7, 1863; Samuel, born March 29, 1866; Fanmie, born August 31, 1870; Lizzie, born October 29, 1872; Andrew, born September 11, 1875, died April 30, 1900; and Susan, born January 13, 187c.

Jacob J. Yoder was two years old when brought to LaGrange County, acquired his education in the district school near his father's home in Clay Town- ship, and in early manhood began farming there. He owned a good farm of eighty-four acres in section 27, but sold this property in 1913 and bought his present home in section I of Newbury Town- ship. He owns 151 acres and has repaired and put all the buildings in good condition and is well sit- uated for the profitable handling of his operations as a farmer and stockman.

In 1884 Mr. Yoder married Sarah Miller, a daugh- ter of Jonison Miller. Their married life continued for sixteen years, until the death of Mrs. Yoder October 2, 1900. To their marriage were born seven children: Ammon, who married Katie Mishler ; Henry, who served in the National Army, spending

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about six months in France; William, who was also a soldier, his time with the army being spent at Camp Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky; Owen; John; Norah, who is the wife of James Troyer and has a son, Samuel; and Artie. In 1908 Mr. Yoder mar- ried Rebecca Huber, a daughter of Jacob B. Huber of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Yoder are members of the Mennonite Church. In January, 1912, they adopted a boy two years old and a girl three weeks old, and these foster children are receiving every advantage in their home. They bear the names Paul and Mary Y'oder.

HERMAN E. KRUEGER is owner of the Forest View Farm in Fairfield Township of DeKalb County. The record of the family might be called a tri-county family history, having been identified with three counties in Northeast Indiana. His parents on com- ing from Germany first settled at Kendallville, and all the Krueger children except Herman, the young- est of ten, were born in Noble County. In 1880 the family moved from Noble to Steuben County, and there Herman E. Krueger was born December 4, 1882. Since reaching manhood he has established his home in DeKalb County. Some of the interesting facts and comments on the history of his parents are told in later paragraphs.

Herman E. Krueger married Paulina Kiebel April 10, I910. They had a daughter born July 22, 1912. The wife and mother died two weeks after the birth of the daughter, and the child has since been cared for by his sister, Mrs. Augusta Richard of Kendall- ville. Mrs. Krueger was a daughter of Otto and Wilhelmina (Mensil) Kiebel. Her brothers, Otto, . Albert and Abe, and her sisters, Bertha and Emma, are all residents of Noble County. Her parents came from Germany and Paulina was born in that coun- try and was an infant when brought to America.

October 11, 1914, Mr. Krueger married Bertha Helen Voges. She is a native of DeKalb County and a daughter of Albert and Helena (Hoffmeyer) Voges. Her father came from Germany and in 1879 moved to Michigan and finally came to DeKalb County. Mrs. Krueger's sisters are Sophia, Mary and Emma, and she has one brother, John Voges. Mr. and Mrs. Krueger buried twin children. Their two living children are George Walter and Helen Sophia, who represent the fourth generation of the Krueger family in America.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 71

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