History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 75

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 75
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 75
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 75
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 75

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. Bowser is a republican in politics and his wife is a Methodist. They have four children: Roy, who graduated from high school at the age of sixteen and is now assisting his father, Cleo, who has com- pleted the work of the common schools, and Gale and Ada.

FRED C. FAST, who recently became identified with the business community of Angola, where he is ren- dering a useful service in helping supply that city with pure milk, is a member of an old and interest- ing family of Steuben County, where he himself was born and has spent his life.

His grandfather was Christian Fast, who came to Northeast Indiana in 1852. He was born in Fay- ette County, Pennsylvania in 1814, son of Martin and Catherine (Blosser) Fast. In 1816 the family joined the few scattered pioneers of Ashland County, Ohio, where Christian Fast grew up in a frontier com- munity. On coming to Steuben County in 1852 he settled in Pleasant Township, where in the course of a quarter of a century he developed a fine farm, after taking it as wild land, and surrounded himself with every material comfort and evidence of popular esteem. He died December 13, 1898. In 1839 he married Henrietta Sowle, who was born in New York State in 1820. They had a family of eight children.

Allen Fast, a son of Christian Fast, is widely known in Steuben County as one of the former sheriffs. He was born in Ashland County, Ohio, August 25, 1845, and from the age of seven lived on his father's farm in Pleasant Township. Winter terms of school and summer work in the fields were his early opportunities and advantages. He also learned the carpenter trade. From 1878 to 1882 he was trustee of Richland Township, and in the latter year was elected sheriff, and by re-election in 1884 served two terms. Since retiring from this office he has been primarily engaged in farming in Rich- land Township, but is now living retired in Angola. He has been noble grand of his lodge and four times represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge of Indiana Odd Fellows. In 1864 he married Julia A. Sowle, daughter of Isaac and Ann Marietta Sowle. She died in 1866, the mother of one child, Curtiss. Allen Fast married in 1869 Emma Gaskell, who was born in Scott Township of Steuben County, daugh- ter of Asa and Emily (Goodale) Gaskell. By this union there were four children, Stanley, Fred, Ethie and May.

Mr. Fred C. Fast was born at Metz February 25, 1878, and supplemented the advantages of the dis- trict schools of York Township with studies in the Tri-State Normal College at Angola. As part of his life experience and service he taught school twenty-two months. After that he settled down to the industrious business of farming in Richland Township, and for fifteen years also operated a saw- mill and converted a large amount of native timber into good hardwood lumber. In the spring of 1919 he left his farm and established his retail dairy busi- ness at Angola.

Mr. Fast married in 1900 Miss Artie Deller, daugh- ter of John A. and Lucy (Mercer) Deller. They have four interesting young children, Ralph, Wanda, Margaret and Christian. Mr. Fast is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and is a past chancellor of Metz Lodge No. 411. With his family he is a mem- ber of the Christian Church.

MELVIN EUGENE WILSON. The Wilsons have been regarded as one of the most permanent families of LaGrange County, and their activities as farmers and good citizens have made them especially well known in Springfield Township.

Melvin Eugene Wilson was born in that town- ship June 1, 1857, a son of Wallace William and Elizabeth (Notestine) Wilson. Wallace W. Wil- son came to LaGrange County when a young man, was married, and in 1861, at the call of his coun- try, he left his farm and his family to enlist in Company G of the Thirtieth Indiana Infantry. He served as a courageous soldier until he was shot in the leg in the battle of Stone River. He died and was buried at Nashville, Tennessee. He left two children, Isaac Elonzo and Melvin Eugene, the latter he'ng about six years old when his father died. The widowed mother carefully reared her two sons and lived to the advanced age of eighty- six, passing away February 22, 1917.

Melvin Eugene Wilson received his primary edu- cation in Springfield Township, and since early youth has known no other occupation than farm- ing and has always been a resident of his present community. He bought the farm where he now lives about 1906. This farm has two complete sets of building improvements, and the buildings where his son Roy lives were put there by Mr. Wilson himself. He owns 290 acres, and he and his son are well known stockmen, keeping pure- bred Shorthorn cattle, Duroc Jersey hogs, high grade Shropshire sheep and grade horses.

In 1880 Mr. Wilson married Miss Catherine Alice Horner. She was born in Fayette County, Pennsyl- vania, daughter of William and Mary (Milhuff) Horner. Her parents came from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, to LaGrange County in 1868 and settled in Greenfield Township, where they spent the rest of their lives on a farm. Mrs. Wil- son's grandparents all lived out their lives in Pennsyl- vania. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, the two oldest, Earl and Marvin dying young. Corda is the wife of Claud Funk and has a daughter, Margaret E., their home being on her father's farm in Greenfield Township. Roy is asso- ciated with his father in farming and on February 22, 1916, married Miss Neva McKinzie, daughter of Nelson McKinzie, a native of Springfield Township. Roy and wife have one daughter, Evelyn May.

JOHN B. A. W. MUGG. Members of the Mugg family were identified with the pioneer element in Pleasant Township of Steuben County, locating there during the decade of the thirties. A promi- nent representative of this family was the late John

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B. A. W. Mugg, who began life a poor boy and by industry and good judgment acquired a competence. He was a farmer and business man and was widely known throughout Steuben County.

He was the son of Jesse J. and Elizabeth (Squires) Mugg. Jesse J. Mugg was born in Yates County, New York, February 13, 1814, and married Elizabeth Squires, a native of Ontario County, New York, January 17, 1818. The date of their marriage was June 12, 1836, in Sandusky, Ohio, and between the years 1841 and 1844, they came to Steuben County, Indiana, where they engaged in the hotel business at Angola. Jesse J. Mugg died at Angola, September 9, 1864. His wife passed away December 6, 1854. Their children were: Sarah Caroline, boru July 13, 1839, at Sandusky, Ohio, died at Angola, November 21, 1857; Mary Jane, wife of Charles Merriam, born September 8, 1841, in Sandusky County, Ohio, died in Chicago in 1903; Adaline Louisa, born June 25, 1844, at Angola, died Marchi 20, 1845, at Angola; Francis Lafayette, born June 21, 1846, at Angola, died February 28, 1847, in the town of his birth; John B. A. W. (the subject of this memoir), born October 13, 1850, in Angola, died November 1, 1910, at Angola ; Helen Eliza, born June 27, 1848, at Angola, wife of Andy Hackett, deceased, who resides at Beatrice, Nebraska, the only surviv- ing member of her parents' children.

Jesse J. Mugg married for his second wife, Nancy Nichols, on December 24, 1861, but there were no children by that uniou. Concerning Jesse J. Mugg's career it may be stated that by trade he was a shoe- maker, and when he first came to Angola he pur- chased lots from the northeast corner of the public square east to Martha street. On the corner of East Maumee and the public square, was a building in which Mr. Mugg conducted a shoeshop. Subse- quently he owned and conducted the Russell House, then known as the Eldorado. He owned a stock of goods in the Carver building; in 1852 he and his wife moved this stock to Elkhart; where they con- ducted a store two years, and in 1854 returned to Angola, to the same building they had left. Mr. Mugg soon built a building just west of the Russell House, into which he moved his general stock of merchandise. Later, he sold out his stock to John Bigler, who moved it to Michigan. In 1855 Mr. Mugg bought the property ou the corner of West Maumee and North Superior street, where he remained until his death, September 9, 1864. During the time he resided in Angola, he was county treasurer, from 1844 to 1850. He had stock in the Jonathan Weaver grist-mill and after its destruction by fire, he went into the rebuilt mill in order to retrieve his loss. Politically, Mr. Mugg was a democrat, and his fra- ternal society affiliations were numbered among the Masons and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was one of the original members of the Angola Lodge of Odd Fellows formed in 1857.

John B. A. W. Mugg, son of the above named Jesse J. Mugg, born in Angola, Indiana, October 13, 1850, lived in the place of his birth until the death of his father in 1864, when he went to Clyde, Ohio, to live with his uncle, Basil Mugg. His uncle had a life scholarship at Hillsdale College (Michigan) 'and John was sent there, but not liking it, returned to Clyde. When seventeen years of age, he went to Missouri, where he clerked in a store, but finally returned to Angola, where he lived with his sister, Helen Eliza, wife of Andy Hackett. At the age of twenty-one, he again returned to Clyde, Ohio, and settled up with his uncle, who had been his legal guardian, and then came to Angola. He was not given his full name until large enough to talk. His father wanted him named Warwick and the mother

desired his name to be Arthur. His uncle, Basil Mugg, told him if he would have his name-John Basil, he would give him a colt. After that he called himself John Basil Arthur Warwick Mugg. When he went to Clyde to make settlement with his uncle, he received the promised colt and rode it back to Angola.

He of whom this sketch is written was reared and educated mostly in Angola, and from 1888 to 1891, was engaged in the grocery business, having for his partner his father-in-law, Moses L. Freligh. In 1894 Mr. Mugg moved to his farm at the west end of Crooked Lake, iu Pleasant Township, but in 1900, returned to Angola and in 1907, built the substan- tial brick home at the corner of North Wayne and Broad Streets, where his daughters, Lola and Mabel, now reside.

Mr. Mugg was united in marriage March 18, 1880, to Miss Sophia Adelaide Freligh. She was born in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, September I, 1858, daughter of Moses L. and Eleanor (Lockwood) Freligh. Her father was born in Ontario County, New York, May 12, 1828, and her mother in the same county and state, May 20, 1833. John Freligh, father of Moses Freligh, came from Holland to Clyde, Ohio, when he was twelve years old.

Moses Freligh came to Steuben County in 1834; he was married December 16, 1856, and lived on the old Freligh farm three and one-half miles northeast of Angola, where his father had settled upon coming to this county. By occupation Moses Freligh was a farmer, but was also interested in business in Angola, where he died May 30, 1908. His wife passed away November 30, 1914. They had celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1906. Eleanor Lockwood was a daughter of James and Ann (Berry) Lockwood, who in the spring of 1837, ar- rived in Steuben County and settled on a farm that is now owned by Charles McClue. Ann Berry Lockwood came from Ireland when four years of age. In 1855 James Lockwood moved to Atlantic, Iowa, where his wife died October 21, 1876, aged sixty-nine years and seven months. He then re- turned to Steuben County and lived here till death in 1881, at the age of seventy-seven years and four . months. James Lockwood was a carpenter by trade. He and his wife had the following children: Ann, born July 27, 1829, died August 10th of the same year; Albert, born September 29, 1830, and died August 2, 1861; Eleanor, born May 20, 1833, died November 30, 1914; Lucy Kirk, born March 29, 1836; Adelaide, born April 28, 1844, died August 9, 1852. Moses and Eleanor Freligh had two children, Sophia Adelaide and Elfie May. The latter was the wife of Fred L. Picket, and after his death became the wife of Homer S. Green of Bluffton, Ohio. By her first husband, she had a daughter, Emma L. Picket Clymer. Mrs. Clymer has one child, Margaret Lonise, born October 14, 1915.

Concerning Mrs. Mugg it should be said that she was a well educated woman, having attended high school under Professor Williams and Professor Albert W. Long. Mr. and Mrs. Mugg were the parents of two daughters, Lola Inez and Mabel Ade- laide, of whom further mention will be made.

Mr. Mugg, after enjoying the prosperity earned by his years of industry, spent the last years of his life in comfort and died November 1, 1910. His widow passed away May 17, 1917. Politically, Mr. Mugg was a democrat and in lodge affiliations was a member of the Masonic order, also a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge. In Masonry, he had ad- vanced high and was a member of Angola Com- mandery No. 45, Knights Templar. Both he and

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his wife were charter members of Irene Court No. 44 of the Tribe of Ben Hur.

Of the two daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Mugg, above named, it should be said that Lola Inez was born in a home owned by her grandfather, Freligh, on North Wayne street, May 5, 1888, and graduated from the Angola High School June 1, 1907. She completed her course in the Tri-State College June I, 1916. She is a graduate in music with the degree of B. M., also finished a course in art, and has been a talented and successful teacher. For two years she taught music in Fort Wayne, from May, 1915, to May, 1917.

Mabel A. Mugg, sister of Lola Inez, was born in Angola, May 28, 1892, graduated from high school in 1909, and for three years attended the Tri-State College. She began teaching in 1910, and for two years was at Churubusco, one year at Helmer, and she also taught three years in the South Whitley High School.

The sisters, Lola I. and Mabel A. Mugg, own a business block in Angola, and a farm of two hun- dred acres in Pleasant Township. While enjoying incomes from a substantial property, they have al- ways sought lines of special usefulness and effort, and have rendered much good service in their com- munity. Lola is an active worker in the First Con- gregational Church and her sister, Mabel, in the Christian Church of Angola. Both belong to the Eastern Star Chapter and the Rebekahs, the latter being a Past Noble Grand, while Lola is a member of the Pythian Sisters. Both Lola and Mabel re- ceived the decoration of Chivalry conferred by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows November 8, 1919, at Kendallville.

WILLIAM H. MARKS. There are several localities in LaGrange County that are able to appreciate the abilities of William H. Marks as a farmer and business man. It was his ability to direct farming operations on a large scale that constituted the quali- fications leading to his appointment as superintend- ent of the DePauw University lands in Clear Spring Township. This is a large body of 733 acres. He manages the lands and all the operations, and in- dividually farms a large part of the tract himself. Besides this work, which obviously requires most of his time, he himself owns a farm in Clay Township.

He was born in Clay Township, March 27, 1864, a son of David and Anna (Eiman) Marks. His father was born in Stark County, Ohio, in 1842 and his mother was born in Johnson Township of LaGrange County, February 10, 1841. David Marks came to LaGrange County when a boy, grew up and married in Johnson Township, then moved to Clay Township, later bought a farm in Broomfield Town- ship, and after many years of residence retired to the city of LaGrange, where he spent the rest of his life. He was a democrat. He and his wife had six children : William H .; Nancy A., who is married and lives in Oregon; Martha E., wife of Albert Bixler; Florence, wife of Frank Duncer; Daisy, wife of James Corry; and Bertha J., widow of Fay Cresler.

William H. Marks was seven years old when his parents moved to LaGrange, and he acquired an education in the public schools of that city, but in early manhood decided upon farming as his choice of vocation. On December 16, 1886, he married Miss Rebecca C. Bushong. She was born in Bloomfield Township, February 10, 1867, a daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Moffett) Bushong. Her early edu- cation was acquired in the public schools of Rome City.

After his marriage Mr. Marks began farming in Clay Township, but after several years moved to Johnson Township, then to Clear Spring Township, and for seven years again lived on liis farm in Clay Township. Several years ago he was appointed superintendent of the farms owned in Clear Spring Township by DePauw University. Mr. Marks is affiliated with Star in the West Lodge No. 159, In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, also with the Knights of the Maccabees, and is a democrat in politics.

He and his wife have five children: Virgil D., a graduate of the common schools; Hazel M., who also completed her work in the common schools and is the wife of Glenn Mooney; Carl J., who has finished school and is still at home; Melvie B., wife of Norman Dodge; and Vera V., a graduate of the . common schools.

HON. ORVILLE CARVER. At no time in the last half century has the community of Angola been unappre- ciative of the services and the possession of Orville Carver. He fought as a soldier of the Union in the Civil war. He was in the drug business for so many years that the people of Angola came to look upon his store as a permanent feature of the business district. He was postmaster fifty years ago, and has been a member of the State Senate, prominent in republican politics, and in many ways has con- stituted the ideal of good citizenship.

Mr. Carver was born at Hebron in Tolland County, Connecticut, August 20, 1843, a son of Dr. Lewis E. and Frances A. ( Porter) Carver. His parents were also natives of Connecticut. In 1845 the family came west and settled in Steuben County, at Orland, then known as Vermontville, where Doctor Carver prac- ticed his profession of medicine, riding horseback over three counties. In 1850 he moved to Angola, and lived there until his death. There were many interruptions to his career as a physcian. In 1849 he was elected county treasurer, and after three years was elected county recorder. When his official duties required his presence at Indianapolis he made the trip on horseback from Angola. He was one of the first members of the republican party, and was a strong anti-slavery man. In the early days his home was a station on the underground railroad. His wife, Frances A. Carver, was a member of the Pres- byterian Church. In his religious views he was lib- eral. Doctor Carver and wife had eight children: Eugenia, deceased; Orville; Adelaide, deceased; Os- car; Adelbert, deceased; Eugene; Frank; and one that died in infancy.

Orville Carver was seven years old when his parents moved to Angola, and he received his early education there in the public schools. While he lost much during his school days by his early enlistment he believes that it intensified his loyalty and patriot- ism. He was only seventeen when he enlisted, in May, 1861, in the Fourth Michigan Infantry, and after a few weeks of training participated in the first battle of Bull Run. He was also in the Penin- sular campaign, Antietam, Gaines Mills, Malvern Hill, second battle of Bull Run, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Petersburg, Gettysburg and Fredericks- burg. He participated in forty-two engagements, both large and small. At the battle of Gettysburg he was struck by a minie ball, but was not in a hos- pital during his service of over three years. He was mustered out at Detroit in July, 1864, but later re- enlisted, this time in Hancock's veteran corps, and was with the army until some months after the close of hostilities.

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Mr. Carver returned to Angola to engage in the drug business, and that was the enterprise by whichi he was perhaps best known to the people of the com- munity for forty years. In 1869, under President Grant, he was appointed postmaster, and for fourteen years kept the postoffice in his store. In 1889, with W. G. Croxton, Mr. Carver organized the Steuben County State Bank, and has been one of its directors and its vice president for thirty years.

There are many other relationships by which he has been identified with the community. At one time he was trustee of Pleasant Township, and was elected a member of the State Senate to succeed James Drake. For ten years he was a trustee of the Tri-State Normal College, and one of the men most active in promoting the upbuilding of that in- stitution. He also served as the first mayor of Angola, and for three successive terms was chairman of the republican county committee. He was on the governor's staff at the World's Columbian Ex- position at Chicago, with the rank of lieutenant colonel of artillery. He was a delegate to the Na- tional Convention of 1884 when James G. Blaine was nominated. He also attended as a delegate the Progressive National Convention at Chicago in 1916. Mr. Carver has been affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for more than half a century, and in 1885 was a member of the Grand Lodge, and was one of the members who located Circil Hill Cemetery, and was a trustee over thirty years. He was also one of the trustees of the order during the construction of their lodge building, 62 by 210 feet, the largest structure in the city. He was a charter memher of the Silver Gray Fishing Club thirty-six years. For many years he has also been an active member of the Grand Army of the Re- public. He and his family are members of the Congregational Church. Mr. Carver has owned two farms near Angola, one of 160 acres 21/2 miles south- west, and the other of thirty-three acres about a mile from Angola, but the smaller farm is now owned and occupied by his son Lewis.

In 1867, at Union City, Michigan, Mr. Carver mar- ried Miss Fronia Thayer, daughter of E. Thayer, formerly of New York. Mrs. Carver died in 1889, without children. In 1892 he married Miss Flor- ence Bowman, daughter of a former sheriff of Steuben County. She is the mother of his two sons, Edwin B. and Lewis O., twins, born August 18, 1895. Both sons were educated in the grammar and high schools, and attended Tri-State College. Lewis mar- ried Rose Gale, and has one son, Waldo O. The son Edwin was taking an engineering course at the Tri- State College when he was called into active service as a member of the National Guard for duty on the Texas border. Later as sergeant of Company B of the One Hundred and Thirty-Seventh Field Ar- tillery he went to France. Mr. Carver is proud of the service he and his sons have rendered to their country.

ORA B. NOTESTINE. More than seventy years have passed since the Notestine family became es- tablished in LaGrange County. They have been people of the highest worth and respectability, have been good farmers and have supplied patriotic citi- zenship to their community, state and nation.

Ora B. Notestine is one of the younger genera- tion, and owns one of the good farms of Spring- field Township. He was born on that farm Feb- ruary 26, 1870. His parents were John and Maria (Brown) Notestine. His father was born in Ohio, September II, 1832, and his mother in New York

State, October 15, 1831. In 1847) the Notestine family, consisting of Nicholas and Sarah Note- stine and their children, including John, set out from Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and after a num- ber of days of travel reached Springfield Township of LaGrange County. Nicholas Notestine acquired 120 acres, which he developed as a farm and later bought forty acres more. He died in Springfield Township in April, 1870, and his wife in 1885. Their children were: Lavina, born September 24. 1825; Peter, born February 20, 1828; Elizabeth, born April 14, 1830; John, born September II, 1832; Henry M., horn March 24, 1835, and died young; Sarah, born November 24, 1837; Isaac, born February 2, 1843; Della Ann, born March 20, 1846; Delilah, born December 31, 1848.

John Notestine was fifteen years old when brought to Indiana. He acquired most of his edu- cation in his native state, but also attended school in . LaGrange County. Besides farming he also followed the trade of carpenter. He bought forty acres of land and later traded it for forty acres now owned by his son Ora, and also bought the other forty acres which makes that a complete farm of eighty acres. He lived there until his death in March, 1917. His widow is still living, residing with her son Ora. John Notestine was a republi- can and voted for Lincoln. He and his wife had four children : Charles R., born February 6, 1857; Armida, born January 10, 1859; Hattie, born June 26, 1865; and Ora B., born February 26, 1870.

Ora B. Notestine grew up on the home farm and hesides the district school attended the LaGrange High School. For a quarter of a century he has been operating the old homestead of eighty acres and is regarded as one of the men in LaGrange County who thoroughly understand the business of agriculture and stock farming. Politically he is a republican and for four years was honored with the office of trustee of Springfield Township.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 75

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