USA > Indiana > LaGrange County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 81
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 81
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 81
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 81
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128
JAMES B. CHANDLER. For the greater part of his active lifetime James B. Chandler has given his time, energies and enthusiasm to his business as a farmer in Johnson Township of LaGrange County, to his duties as a public official, and to the performance of all the obligations laid upon a high-minded and responsible citizen.
Mr. Chandler, who is a former township trustee, was born in LaGrange, Indiana, June 14, 1853, a son of Samuel R. and Julia H. (Strang) Chandler. His father was born in Ohio August 25, 1828, and his mother in New York City August 13, 1829. They came to Indiana with their respective parents, the Chandler family settling in LaGrange County during the '30s, and the Strangs in 1840. Samuel and Julia were married November 12, 1848, in Clear Spring Township of that county, and after living on a farm for a few years moved to LaGrange, where Samuel was in the grocery business the rest of his life. He also served as deputy sheriff, and while in that office was one of the most vigilant prosecutors of horse thieves in the early days. An
John, S. Boots
291
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA
important part of his business was dealing in horses. A judge of a good horse he had few superiors, and in the early days he frequently bought large num- bers of horses which he took to market at Toledo and Detroit. While he was a good mixer, mingled with men and affairs all his life, he was a model of temperance, never tasted whiskey nor tobacco, and did not indulge in profanity. In politics he was a republican. He and his wife had four children, two sons and two daughters. Both daughters died in childhood. The other son died at the age of thirty-nine.
James B. Chandler was twelve years old when his parents removed from LaGrange to a farm in Clear Spring Township. He had rather limited oppor- tunities to get a good education, and from early manhood has farmed, worked in a sawmill for several years, and spent one year in New York State working at the trade of carpenter. From the age of thirty-three he gave his entire attention to farming.
Mr. Chandler married Frances S. Koontz, who was born in Ohio July 22, 1854, and came to In- diana in 1858, and has ever since lived in LaGrange County. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Chand- ler lived in Clear Spring Township, and from 1886 to 1894 he served as superintendent of the Rogers Orphans Home in that township, being appointed to those duties by the board of county commission- ers. He served as road superintendent of Clear Spring Township during the life of that law. His service as trustee of Johnson Township was for a term of four years. These various positions of re- sponsibility have come to him without solicitation, and he has been only nominally active in democratic politics. Mr. Chandler has a good farm of ninety- five acres, and still handles its cultivation.
He and his wife have one son, John P., who grad- uated from the common schools at the age of thir- teen, also attended high school, and since he mar- ried Eva Huff has lived on the home farm with his father and mother. Mr. Chandler is affiliated with Ionic Lodge No. 380, Free and Accepted Masons of Wolcottville, Indiana.
JAMES A. BOOTS. There is no name that has stood for better things and has been longer identified with DeKalb County than that of Boots. The family was established here by the late John S. Boots, whose life was one of great purpose and energy and in many ways was directly associated with the progress and upbuilding of the community.
The late John S. Boots was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, October 5, 1822, a son of James and Sarah (Stringer) Boots. His father died in 1855 and his mother in 1877. When he was two years old, the family removed to Richland County, Ohio, where John S. Boots grew to manhood and acquired a district school education. On April 12, 1849, he married Eliza Ambrose. She was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1823. A few days after his marriage John S. Boots started for the West to find a place to locate, entered land in section 35 of Jackson Township, and on June 20th again started from Ohio, this time with his wife to make permanent settlement. He had only $2 when he arrived in Indiana, bought 160 acres, cleared and improved, and worked steadily until he was rated as one of the prosperous men of the town- ship. He developed a fine farm of 280 acres. He was a real leader in the township, and was a pioneer in the good roads movement. For many years he was road supervisor, and his district, No. 5, was twice awarded prizes for the best roads in the county. He was also a school director and in every sense a public spirited citizen. John S. Boots died
in 1909. His first wife passed away August 26, 1866, the mother of six children: Sarah J., Amanda S., James A., Ida, William R. and John T. In 1868 John S. Boots married Matilda Hall. Three children were born to their union: Pearl, Clyde and Myrtle, all living. John S. Boots was a member of the Masonic order and a republican in politics. The old homestead farm is now owned and occupied by three of his children: Amanda S., James A. and William Rufus.
James A. Boots, who was born on the farm where he now resides, constituting the northeast quarter of section 35, 31/2 miles west of Spencerville, on March 19, 1856, has lived here all his life and has never married. He is a director in the Farmers and Mer- chants Bank at Spencerville and a republican in politics.
I. D. DELLER. One of the thoroughly representa- tive farmers of Steuben County is I. D. Deller, who owns Ido acres of valuable land in Steuben Town- shin. He was born in this township December 19, 1858, a son of Nicholas Deller. The original an- cestor was born in Switzerland, but came to the United States in 1827, settling in Butler Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, where he continued to live until his death.
Nicholas Deller was born near Berne, Switzerland, in 1818, accompanied his father to the New World in 1827, and was reared in Butler Townhip, Colum- biana County, Ohio. There in young manhood he was married to Lydia Redman, who died in 1848, leaving three children, George H., John A., and Aaron. There were also two children who died before their mother. Nicholas Deller was married second to Mary Ann Fetterhoof, born in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and they had the following children : Serena, Loretta, I. D., Thompson, and Perry N. In 1851 Nicholas Deller moved with his wife and children to Steuben Township, Steuben County, and settling in section 8, lived there until death claimed him, June 21, 1874. He was a farmer by occupation, and worked hard all his life.
I. D. Deller began farming on his present farm and has made a valuable property of it, erecting all of the present buildings, which are modern and well adapted for their several purposes. He owns 180 acres of fertile land, and here he does general farm- ing and stockraising, and his efforts have met with a gratifying success.
On March 28, 1878, Mr. Deller was united in mar- riage with Margaret A. Harpham, and they have the following children: Geneva, who married Ottimar Chasey, has two children, Paul D. and Margaret A .; and Clarence F., who married Dean McDowel. For a number of years Mr. Deller has been a con- sistent member of the United Brethren Church, of which he is at present a trustee. In all of his busi- ness transactions he is scrupulously upright, and when he makes a promise those acquainted with him know that he will keep it, no matter what the cost may be. He is well posted on current affairs, and gives support to movements looking to secur- ing good roads, efficient teachers and first class transportation facilities for farm products.
CHARLES C. SOUDER, whose farm home is two miles north of Butler, has been industriously engaged in agriculture in DeKalb County for over twenty years. He is a son of George B. Souder, a well known retired farmer living in Troy Township.
George B. Sonder was born in Perry County, Pennsylvania, June 30, 1846, son of John and Rachel A. (Billow) Souder and a grandson of Martin Sonder. Martin was a native of Germany, came to the United States when a boy, settling in Perry
1
292
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA
County, Pennsylvania, and married and reared his family there. His children were Henry, John, Katie, Rebecca and Sarah. John Souder's wife, Rachel A. Billow, was a daughter of George Billow, also a native of Germany. George Billow while a soldier was taken prisoner and with six companions was shut up in a barn preliminary to being hanged. The prisoners escaped, and he soon afterward came to the United States, settling in Perry County, Penn- sylvania, where he married Susanna Ensminger. For a number of years they conducted a popular place of entertainment known as the Billow's Tavern. After his death his widow moved to Shelby, Ohio, where she died. In the Billows family were children named David, Adam, George, Susan, Sarah and Rachel. John and Rachel Souder moved from Perry County, Pennsylvania, to Richland County, Ohio, where they spent their last years. Their children were: Jane, wife of George Blatman, of California ; George B .; Hannah, wife of Amos Snyder, of But- ler, Indiana; Rachel, wife of Will Sheley, of Browns- town, Indiana.
George B. Souder was fourteen years old when he accompanied his parents to Richland County, Ohio, and he acquired most of his education in a German school in Pennsylvania. On February 27, 1868, he married Sarah Melissa Adams, who was born in Crawford County, Ohio, January 15, 1848, and was reared near Shelby. After his marriage George B. Souder rented his father's farm five years and in 1873 came to DeKalb County and bought eighty acres in Franklin Township. He lived there until 1878, when he bought his present home. He is a republican in politics and has filled the office of supervisor. Of his six children five are living : Charles C., of Franklin; George M. and Ernest C., also of the same township; Jessie M., who is the wife of Charles A. Dohner, of Troy Township; and Harry L., also a resident of Troy Township on his father's farm.
Charles C. Souder was born near Shelby, Ohio, October 18, 1871, and was a year old when his par- ents moved to DeKalb County. He grew up on the home farm, attended the local schools, and in March, 1896, married Catherine Coll. She was born in Troy Township. They have one child, Ora L., who was born June 23, 1898, and is a graduate of the Butler High School and took a business course at South Bend.
Mr. Souder is a stockholder in the Arctic Co-opera- tive Livestock Shipping Association, and conducts his general farming and stock raising operations on a place of eighty acres. He is a republican and is affiliated with Butler Lodge No. 283 of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows.
HARLIE J. HERN has been a resident of LaGrange County the greater part of his life, is a practical farmer, for many years was engaged in educa- tional work, and on November 5, 1918, was elected to the responsible office of sheriff, of which he is the present able incumbent.
Mr. Hern was born in Greenfield Township of LaGrange County, June 2, 1872, a son of Harlow J. and Martha (Mix) Hern, the former. a native of Bloomfield Township and the latter of Lima Township in LaGrange County. His father after his marriage became a Union soldier, and after- ward returned to LaGrange County and followed farming the rest of his life. He was an ardent prohibitionist. He had eight children, five of whom are still living.
Harlie J. Hern grew upon the farm, and had meager advantages to obtain a good education until
after he was on his own responsibility. At the age of thirteen he went to work for a neighbor and at the age of fourteen went west to Nebraska and spent four years in that state as a cattle herder and also as an employe of a big contractor on rail- road construction. He was working for Reuben J. Towne when the latter was elected sheriff of Thayer County, Nebraska, and then became his deputy, serving about a year in that capacity.
Mr. Hern on returning to LaGrange County at the death of his grandmother took charge of the farm and has continued farming and teaching school in winters many years. He owns a well improved place of 142 acres in Lima Township. He was called from the farm to the duties of public office by his election as sheriff.
December 30, 1897, he married Florence E. Long, a native of LaGrange County. They are the par- ents of five children, Robert J., Dorothy F., Ralph E., Martha A. and Helen J. The family are mem- bers of the Episcopal Church at Howe. Mr. Hern is affiliated with the Masonic Order and Knights of Pythias Lodge at Howe, being past chancellor of the latter. In politics he is a republican, and was elected on that ticket to the office of sheriff, though his general popularity among the citizenship also counted heavily in his favor.
ABRAHAM L. PHILLIPS has lived on one farm in Steuben County since he was a small child, has cultivated his acres and made many crops, and throughout has borne the reputation of being a hard-working and public-spirited citizen.
Mr. Phillips, whose home is in York Township, was horn in Hancock County, Ohio, May 19, 1866. His father, the late Augustus C. Phillips, who died January 26, 1918, was born in Athens County, Ohio, February 23, 1834, a son of Job and Louisa Ann Phillips. The Phillips family located in Hancock County, Ohio, in 1835, and subsequently moved to Hardin County in the same state, where Job Phil- lips died in 1879. Augustus Phillips married, No- vember 11, 1858, Tabitha White, who was born in Hancock County April 7, 1843, daughter of George and Isabel White. Mrs. Augustus Phillips died February 25, 1917. She was the mother of ten children, and the six to reach mature years were: Leander B., Louretta, Abraham L., Lucinda, Adolphua and Flora D.
Augustus C. Phillips brought his family to York Township, Steuben County, in the fall of 1869, buying eighty acres of partially improved land in section 20 of York Township.
On that farm Abraham L. Phillips has lived since childhood, acquired an education in the public schools, and for several years farmed the place on the shares with his father.
December 25, 1900, he married Mabel L. Stallman, a daughter of A. A. Stallman, a well known citizen of Steuben County. Mrs. Phillips died June 29, 1919. She was a member of the Powers Methodist Episcopal Church, as is also Mr. Phillips.
CHARLES S. ROYER is a LaGrange County citizen and has been prospered as a farmer, has been a good business man and has shown an active public spirit in all his relations with the community. Mr. Royer owns one of the well developed and valut- able farms of Johnson Township, in section 8.
He was born in the same township August 29, 1862, son of A. J. and Catherine (Wert) Royer. His father was born near Akron and his mother near Van Wert, Ohio. His father first married in Ohio Martha Stahl. They had one child, Norman, who is now a rural mail carrier at Wolcottville.
293
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIAN.\
A. J. Royer came to Indiana, where his first wife died, and he then married Catherine Wert and set- tled on a farm. They lived in Johnson Township for forty years and then moved to LaGrange, where the father spent his last years in retirement. They were members of the Evangelical Church at Wood- ruff and in politics he was a republican. Of eight children born to their marriage seven are still liv- ing; Mary, wife of J. H. Murray of Albion, Mich- igan; Charles S .; Dr. William A. of Battle Creek, Michigan; Ida, wife of Clinton Stover of Chicago; Jennie, wife of Daniel Free of Battle Creek; Laura, wife of Arthur Munger of Oklahoma; and Mrs. Lou Wortheridge, living in Canada.
Charles S. Royer grew up on a farm in Johnson Township, had a common school education, and lived at home to the age of twenty-one. He chose farm- ing as his vocation, and for nine years occupied and managed the old homestead. In 1899 he bought his present place, comprising seventy-one acres, well improved and very productive. He breeds good horses and cattle. Mr. Royer is a republican in politics and is affiliated with Lodge No. 76 of the Masonic order at LaGrange and also the lodge of Odd Fellows in the same town. He is a very active member of the Methodist Church at Valentine, and is church steward.
October 17, 1888, Mr. Royer married Miss Lizzie C. Troxell. Mrs. Royer is one of the practical and public spirited women of LaGrange County and has been active in promoting many affairs of value to the community. She was born in Florence Town- ship, St. Joseph County, Michigan, near Constan- tine, January 12, 1862, a daughter of George and Mary E. (Bradley) Troxell. Her father was born in Pennsylvania in 1839 and her mother in 1842. Her mother died August 29, 1913, and her father is also deceased. Mrs. Royer was six years old when her parents came to Indiana and settled near Ontario in LaGrange County. She was educated in the local schools and taught nine years. Mrs. Royer was one of the seven who organized the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of LaGrange County and she has served as its secretary through- out its existence with the exception of three years. The society now has over 100 members, meets six times a year and has accomplished an immense amount of good in the matter of general enlighten- ment and the promotion of those principles of co- operation upon which good agriculture, fruit grow- ing and other rural interests depend for their suc- cess. Mrs. Royer is also a member of the Eastern Star and of the Rebekahs, and belongs to two lit- erary societies, one at LaGrange and one at Wol- cottville.
HOWARD E. PURDY. It is an opinion shared by many people in Steuben County that Howard E. Purdy has done his work well, whether as a prac- tical farmer or as a good citizen. He has spent practically all his life in Steuben County and for nearly thirty years has enjoyed the ownership and the returns from a fine farm in Jackson Township.
He was born in Orland, Indiana, April 1, 1865, a son of Robert N. and Eliza ( Benschoten) Purdy. His father was born in Canada, near Lake Ontario, January 1, 1824, and died August 12. 1906. The mother was a native of Erie County, Ohio, a daugh- ter of Daniel Benschoten. Robert N. Purdy when a young man moved from Canada to Ohio, from that state went to Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, working in a sash, door and blind factory, and about 1859 settled at Orland, Indiana, where his services as a carpenter were in demand throughout the rest of his active life. He and his wife had seven children: Tacy; Wilton, who died in child-
hood; Jennie, Corena, Wilton, Iona, and Howard. The public schools of Orland furnished Howard F. Purdy with his early advantages. He made wise use of them and was himself a teacher for twelve years, spending one year in LaGrange County and the rest of the time in Steuben County. He taught his first school in 1884, at the age of nineteen, and continued teaching even after he became a farmer. until 1896. Mr. Purdy has occupied his present farm in Jackson township since 1890. He owns 160 acres, eighty acres in section 3 of Jackson and eighty acres in section 34 of Millgrove Township. The substantial buildings on the place have been put there in his time, and he has done much to develop his farm as a stockraising proposition. He is one of the few breeders in Steuben County of the Milking Shorthorn cattle.
On October 20, 1886, Mr. Purdy married Lydia O. Stayner, daughter of William Perry and D. Jane (Powers) Stayner. Her father, now deceased, was born in Ohio in February, 1829, and was about two years old when he came to Steuben County with his father, John Stayner, and his uncle, Jacob. Both his father and uncle had served as soldiers in the War of 1812. John Stayner built a cabin in the wilderness on the north side of Jackson Prairie, and for over eighty years members of the Stayner fam- ily have played a notable part in Steuben County. John Stayner died in 1870. It was at his suggestion that his township was, named in honor of General Jackson. He was instrumental in building the first schoolhouse in the township, the first county clerk's office was in his residence, and the first election was held in his dooryard. At one time he represented his district in the Legislature. Mrs. Purdy's father for many years owned and occupied the old pioneer homestead. He married Jane Powers, who was born in New York State in 1835, and her father, Stephen Powers, came to Steuben County in 1837. Mrs. Perry Stayner is still living at Orland. Of her six children only two reached mature years, Oliver and Lydia. The latter was born Angust 28, 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Purdy have two children: Leo B. and Bertice.
Leo B. Purdy graduated from the Orland High School, took the commercial course in the Tri-State Normal College at Angola and also the normal work taught in the public schools of Steuben County seven years, and is now teacher of manual training in the Orland High School. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Orland and by his marriage to Wilma Case has two children, Raymond C. and Betty Jane.
Bertice Purdy is also a graduate of the Orland High School, took her normal preparation in the Tri-State College, and was a teacher for six years in Steuben County prior to her marriage to D. Carl Brown, who has recently been returned to civil life after serving with the national forces. He sailed for France on the Saxonia September 1, 1918, being a member of Company D, Three Hundred and Thirty-Fifth
Infantry. Eighty-Fourth Division. From the Eighty-Fourth he was transferred to Com- pany D of the Ninety-First Division and still later was placed in the Twenty-Seventh Division. He was returned to New York March 9, 1919, and was mustered out at Camp Grant April 5. 1919.
H. O. WALTZ is a prosperous farmer of Spencer Township, and is also one of the influential men in the community in promoting co-operation among the farmers of DeKalb County in marketing their prod- ucts. He is manager of the Tri-Township Shipping Association. This corporation has as its officers: J. E. Ulm, president; F. E. Rhodes, secretary and treasurer ; and Mr. Waltz, manager.
294
HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA
Mr. Waltz was born in Defiance County, Ohio, March 14, 1875, son of William and Ellen (Hil- bert) Waltz. His parents were both born in Defi- ance County and his father was a farmer there until his death in 1878. The mother is still living at Lima, Ohio. Both were members of the United Brethren Church.
H. O. Waltz, the only one now living of two chil- dren, was reared in the home of his maternal grand- parents after the death of his father. He acquired a common school education and after his marriage he farmed the Hilbert place for two years.
November 24, 1898, Mr. Waltz married Miss Cora Farlow. She was born in the same community where she is still living. They lived on a farm in Defiance County for a number of years, but in 1915 came to DeKalb County and bought the 110 acres known as the Sunny Brook Farm. Mr. and Mrs. Waltz have two sons: Harold and Olan, both of whom graduated in the same class in the common schools and the former is now in high school. The family are members of the United Brethren Church but attend the Christian Church at Spencerville. Politically Mr. Waltz is a democrat.
ROZAIN HENRY NEWMAN, now living retired in the City of LaGrange, has spent almost a lifetime identified with the agricultural enterprise in La- Grange County. He and his wife were among the charter members of the Horticultural and the Agri- cultural Society of that county.
Mr. Newman was born at Ontario in Lima Town- ship, LaGrange County, February 22, 1844. That was three-quarters of a century ago, and the family name was one of the first to be identified with the pioneer settlement of the county. His parents were Richard L. and Mary Ann ( Parker) Newman. His father was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, De- cember 12, 1820, and his mother was born in Gene- see County, New York, in August, 1821. Richard L. Newman came to LaGrange County in 1832, when eleven years of age, in company with his uncle. He grew up in Lima Township, acquired his educa- tion in the primitive schools there, and in 1851 bought a farm west of Howe. He lived on that land until 1858, when he sold and moved to Van Buren Township, acquiring 160 acres which he occu- pied and cultivated until the death of his wife in December, 1893. After that he lived among his children and died at the home of his son Rozain in LaGrange June 28, 1912, at the venerable age of nearly ninety-two. He and his wife were married in Lima Township. He was a republican, and was one of the charter members of the First Baptist Church established in LaGrange County. That church was located at Howe, and he was one of the builders of its first edifice. In the family of Richard L. Newman and wife were five children: Rozain H .; Frances Emma, who died at the age of two years; Delmar, of Van Buren Township; Orlinda, who died in July, 1895; and Charles, who lives at Howe, Indiana.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.