History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 85

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 85
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 85
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 85
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 85

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).

George Riley Powers, whose life record makes him a man of prominence in York Township, where he has spent the greater part of half a century as a farmer, was born on the old Powers farm in section 29 of that township July 27, 1842. He at- tended the Powers School House as a boy, worked on the farm, and at the age of twenty-one started for himself on the place where he is still living. and which has been the center of his work and associations for fifty-five years. All the improve- ments on that good farm have been erected by him.

September 3, 1864, he married Lydia A. Hemry, daughter of Abraham and Mary Ann Hemry. Mr. and Mrs. Powers own ninety-one acres in sections 29 and 30 of York Township.

Mrs. Powers' father was born in Ohio, a son of Isaac Hemry. Abraham Hemry was a farmer in Crawford County, Ohio, and about 1860 came to York Township in Steuben County and spent the rest of his life there. He owned eighty acres of land. The maiden name of his wife was Mary Ann Vol. II-20

McLaskey. They had the following children : John; Margaret, wife of James Foster; Nancy J., wife of John Stance; Lydia, wife of G. R. Powers; Re- becca, who married Alexander Hanselman; George E .; Delia, wife of Haden Franks; Andrew J .; and Eva, wife of Douglas Gamber. After the death of his first wife Mr. Hemry married Mrs. Elizabeth Hanselman, and had a daughter, Mary E., who married Minard Headley.

Mr. and Mrs. Powers are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church known as Powers Church. He served one term as trustee of York Township and has interested himself in every worthy community improvement. He and his wife have two children. Emry married Della Lash and has a son Wayne. Luella married Henry Van Pelt and has two children, Lena and Forest.

WESLEY C. STRANG. In addition to the material success which has awarded his efforts as a LaGrange County farmer, there is special interest in the career of Wesley C. Strang, whose home is two and a half miles east of Topeka, in the fact that practically all his life, constituting three score years and ten, has been spent in the one environment. Here he grew up when the woods were tall, and has witnessed a remarkable transformation and evolution, has played his own part worthily, and still enjoys many of the associations which were familiar to him as a boy.

He was born on the farm which he now owns August 23, 1846, a son of John L. and Margaret (McQuiston) Strang. His father was a native of New York City and his mother of Virginia. They grew up in Indiana, were married in LaGrange County, and then settled on the land which is now in the home farm of their son Wesley. They were active members of the Methodist Church. John Strang was a republican in politics. Of the five children three are still living: Mary A., wife of B. A. Jones; George E., of Michigan; and Wes- ley C.

Wesley C. Strang attended the common schools of the 'sos and early '60s, and the only time he was ever away from home for any important interval was a six weeks' trip to the far west during his early manhood. In 1872 he married Mary V. Tritipo, who was born in Ohio October 22, 1841. Mr. Strang is owner of a well proportioned farm of 200 acres in section 33 of Clear Spring Town- ship. He is a republican and has served as town- ship supervisor.

He and his wife had four children: Jesse R., a graduate of the common schools, who married Edna Sutton and lives at Indianapolis; Ethel is the wife of Willis O. Sesoline, of South Bend; Porter E. married Lulu Bowman, of Topeka; and John L. is a high school graduate and was with the American Expeditionary Forces in France. He has returned from the overseas service and is now in the regular army as a first lieutenant.

LEWIS A. HENDRY. One of the most conspicuous names in the early settlement of the northwestern corner of Steuben County is that of Hendry. The family have an honorable place throughout the rec- ords of the county for over eight years.

Lewis A. Hendry, now living at Angola, is re- garded as one of the men who have been most closely identified with the growth and development of that city. He was born in Lorain County, Ohio, November 18, 1835, son of George and Thankful (Hotchkiss) Hendry, the former a native of New York and the latter of Ohio. It was in the spring of 1836 that the Hendry family came to Steuben

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County and located 21/2 miles south of Orland, close to Jackson Prairie. They made the journey from Lorain County, Ohio, with wagons and ox teams. George Hendry had already selected 120 acres of Government land and had built a log house pre- paratory to the shelter of his family. By trade he was a blacksmith and for many years he kept his shop on his farm. Later he lived in York Town- ship, but finally moved to Angola, where he died in 1898, at the age of eighty-six. His widow survived until 1907, and was ninety-four when she died. They had six children: Marsden, Marcia, Lewis A., El- mina and Elzina, twins, and William.

Lewis A. Hendry was only a few weeks old when the family came to this country. He attended the district schools near his father's home, and later was a student in Oberlin College, located in the same county where he was born. He began life as a farmer and for many years did an extensive busi- ness as a dealer in live stock. He also extended his enterprise to general merchandising, and became widely known as a grain and wool buyer. In some years his dealings in wool reached a high total of $100,000. About fifteen years ago he gave up the dry goods business, and has since exerted his means and influence for the material upbuilding and im- provement of Angola. He has probably given that city as many substantial improvements as any other individual. He built several substantial blocks and is owner of the Hendry Block, which covers about an acre and a half of ground and includes the Hotel Hendry. He was also one of the men most prominent in financing the Tri-State College. He has been a lifelong republican but never an aspirant for any office.

During the Civil war he married Miss Catherine Jackson, of Steuben County. The only child of that union, Belle, married Doctor Lewis and her daughter, Bessie, is the wife of Mr. Lowe, and they have four children. After the death of his first wife Mr. Hendry married Chloe Moss. By this mar- riage there were three children. The oldest is Ada, wife of Frank Beil. The second is George, a resi- dent of Angola, who married Zella Brown. Of their four children their son George Jr., saw active serv- ice in France during the war. The third of the family is Gladney A., referred to in following sketch.

GLADNEY ARTHUR HENDRY, son of Lewis A. Hen- dry, whose career is given above, has for a number of years been one of the leading business men of Angola.

He was born in that town July 11, 1874, and was well educated in the public schools, the high school and the Tri-State College. For several years he managed the Hotel Hendry for his father and for about eight years was also a practical farmer. In 1909 he engaged in the building material business and has built up a large trade and developed facili- ties adequate for a wide and comprehensive service in that line.

Mr. Hendry is a republican in politics and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In 1899 he married Miss Stella Allen, of Windfall, Indiana. To their marriage were born five children: Pauline and Genevieve, who died April 27 and April 28, 1917, respectively, both of diphtheria; Helen, Luella and Sarah Virginia.

GEORGE E. SHANOWER. While practically all his life has been spent in Northeast Indiana, George E. Shanower has had experience as a farmer in Noble as well as LaGrange County. He owns a good farm in Bloomfield Township of the latter

county, and is one of that community's most highly respected and valued citizens.

He was born in Noble County September 30, 1867, a son of Samuel and Susan (Hartz) Shan- ower. His parents were both born in Ohio, his father in 1841 and his mother in 1847. The paternal grandfather, George Shanower, was an early set- tler in Johnson Township, LaGrange County, locat- ing on eighty acres a mile south of Adams Lake. He sold that property and moved to Noble County and finally retired to Wolcottville, where he died at the age of eighty-six and his wife at seventy-two. Their children were Fannie, Samuel, Mary Ann, deceased, Jacob, Clinton, Newton, Amos, Harriet, and George, deceased.

Samuel Shanower came to Northeast Indiana when he was a boy, had a public school education, and served in the 44th Indiana Infantry as a Union soldier until the close of the war. After the war he rented a farm in Milford Township, later was in Elkhart Township of Noble County, where he bought a hundred twenty acres, and from there came to Johnson Township in LaGrange County and owned a farm of a hundred fourteen acres and later a place of sixty-two acres. Recently he sold out his landed possessions and is now living re- tired at Wolcottville. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and a republican in politics. His wife, Susan Hartz, is a daughter of Samuel Hartz, who was an early settler in Johnson Township and later moved to Michigan, ten miles north of Toledo, where he spent his last days. In the Hartz family were five children, named Jacob, Amanda, Samuel, Fannie and Susan. Samuel Shanower and wife have three children: George E .; Jennie, wife of Ira Brill; and Loren.

George E. Shanower was educated in Noble County and when about twenty-one years of age came to LaGrange County. He lived in Johnson Township until about 1905, when he bought his present farm of eighty-eight acres in Bloomfield Township. He is a republican in politics.

On January 26, 1893, Mr. Shanower married Miss Lottie Price. She was born in LaGrange County, a daughter of Dr. Henry and Mary Ann Price, early settlers of the county who came here from Pennsylvania in the spring of 1865. Her father practiced medicine at Brighton and later at Woodruff. Doctor Price and his wife are both deceased, the doctor dying in 1894 and Mrs. Price in 1906.

MOSES J. MILLER. The name of Moses J. Miller is connected with some of the best farming that has been done in Newbury Township, and he is held up as an example of the rising generation of what a good man and a desirable citizen should be. He was born in his present township, April 29, 1844, a son of John and Margaret (Sutter) Miller, who made the long trip overland to Indiana from Penn- sylvania in wagons in 1842, and upon their arrival in LaGrange County bought eighty acres of land in Newbury Township for $250.00. The father worked hard at clearing off the land until his death in 1861, when he was forty-nine years old. His widow survived his death until 1873, when she died at the age of fifty-nine. In religious faith they belonged to the Amish Society. Their children were as follows: Joseph, who died November 28, 1918, aged seventy-five years ; Moses J., whose name heads this review; John, who died at Shipshewana, De- cember 14, 1918, aged seventy-two years; and Barbara, who died at the age of three years.

Moses J. Miller was reared in his native town- ship, and after he had attended the public schools he became a student of the institute at Ontario,

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Indiana. For nine terms he was engaged in teaching school, and then in 1875 bought 160 acres of land in Van Buren Township, adding to it until he had 345 acres.

During his residence in Van Buren Township, he was engaged in the public affairs of his town- ship, being elected township assessor in 1884, and served one year satisfactorily and to the approval of his constituents, and as executor of wills, admin- istrator of decedents' estates, he administered and settled many estates, always to the satisfaction and approval of the parties connected therewith. In 1903 he bought another farm of eighty acres at Pashan in Newbury Township, and moved thereon and conducted it for six years, owning in all now 425 acres. During these six years he sold the farms in Van Buren Township and in 1909 bought the Brookside Farm of 102 acres in Newbury Town- ship, which is one of the best improved farms in the township, and moved on it. He erected a tenant house, retired, and rented the farm, which is devoted to general farming and stockraising. Politically he has given his support and vote to the candidates of the republican party. Both he and his wife are Mennonites.

On April 9, 1865, Mr. Miller was married to Elizabeth Miller, born in Cambria County, Penn- sylvania, in 1848, a daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Yoder) Miller, who came to LaGrange County in 1855, and settled west of Emma in Eden Township. Later they moved to Missouri, where he died about 1870, and she returned to her old home and there died.

Mr. Miller dates his ancestry in this country back to his great-grandfather, John Miller, who lived in Berks County, Pennsylvania, as early as 1757, later moving to Somerset County, that state. His son, Joseph Miller, was born in that latter county, and was the father of John Miller, the father of Moses J. Miller. At the time the great-grandfather, John Miller, was still living in Berks County, occurred the terrible massacre of the Hostetter family by the Indians in that region. One of the descendants of the latter family was married to Moses P. Miller, and they lived in Clay Township, LaGrange County.

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Miller have been as follows: Nancy, who died at the age of eleven years; Martha, who is the wife of Henry Elliott, has the following children, Florence, Fern, Bruce, Brice, Claude and Katie; Mary, who is the wife of Edward Mishler, of Van Buren Township, has the following children, Bertha, Ida, Howard, Harley, Fern and Mildred; Frank, who married Esther Taylor, has two children, Kelso and Taylor ; Katie, who is the wife of Monroe Hostetter, and their children are as follows: Joy, Guy, Margaret and Claude; Minnie, who is the wife of Levi Hooley, and their children are Amos, Nancy, Titus, Rachael, Reva and Vada; and Loretta, who is the wife of Levi Berkey, has the following children, Cletus, Perry, Harley and Opal, living, Ray having died. Mr. and Mrs. Berkey rent the homestead from Mr. Miller.

The grandchildren of Mr. Miller who are married are as follows: Florence Elliott, who married Leonard Hess, has the following children, Lucile, Mark, Paul and William; Bruce Elliott, who first married Wanona Michael, had two children, Lester and Chester, twins, and afterward he was married to Alva Jessup, and their child is named Herman; Brice Elliott, who married Rosy Yoder, a daughter of Tobias V. Yoder, and their children are George, Arthur and Henry, and Brice died in 1918; Fern Elliott, who married Ira Shideler, and their children are Frank and Harry; Claude Elliott, who married Irene Holderman, had one child, Robert.

As will be seen by the above, Mr. Miller is con- nected with nearly all of the leading families of the county, and he and his stand very high in public esteem.

JOHN W. STIENBARGER. One of the prosperous general farmers and stockraisers of Steuben County is John W. Stienbarger of Scott Township, who was born in Elkhart Township, Noble County, In- diana, April 1, 1855, a son of Charles G. and grandson of Joseph Stienbarger. The great-grand- father was Frederick Stienbarger, who was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, but the family origi- nated in Prussia, Germany. Joseph Stienbarger was born near Culpeper, Virginia, but later moved to Ohio, where he was married to Mary Cracraft, born in Shelby County, Ohio. The Stienbarger family were millers and distillers, and when Joseph Stien- barger came to Cooperville, Noble County, Indiana, he built a saw and grist mill, and was engaged in operating it until his death. Some of the material in this mill was hauled by team from Adrian, Michigan. As his mill was the only one in the neighborhood, at some seasons of the year the farmers would so crowd the capacity that it was kept running day and night, and those desiring their grain ground would have to wait two days for their turn. These farmers came from a distance of twenty miles, carrying their grain on their horses in front of them as they rode over the dirt high- ways. There were four sons and two daughters in his family who grew to maturity.

Charles G. Stienbarger was a farmer of Elkhart Township, Noble County, where he spent his entire life. His wife bore the maiden name of Sarah Lininger, and she was born in Star County, Ohio, a daughter of Samuel and Catherine (Weir) Linin- ger. Mr. and Mrs. Stienbarger had the following children born to them: John W., George, Joseph H ard Sarah. The first Mrs. Stienbarger died, and Mr. Stienbarger later was married to Rebecca Lamp. his children by his second marriage heing as follows: Ansel, who died in infancy, David M., Mary, Charles and Fred. All his mature years Charles G. Stienbarger was a consistent member of the Lutheran Church.

John W. Stienbarger attended the public schools of his native township, and for some years after he reached his majority he worked for different farmers, thus gaining a practical and first hand knowledge of farming. On April If, 1880, he was united in marriage with Manda J. Zimmerman, a daughter of Noah and Fannie Zimmerman. Mr. and Mrs. Stienbarger became the parents of two children, Charles H., who married Zella Teagarden, and Millard, who married Alta Ettinger. In 1894 Mr. Stienbarger moved on his present farm, which was formerly owned by Mrs. Stienharger's parents, and which comprises eighty acres of very valuable land. Mr. Stienharger has made a success of his farming and is held in high esteem by his neigh- hors, who appreciate his good qualities as a man and a citizen.

HENRY J. HOSTETLER, who has lived in LaGrange County fifty-five years, has found his time fully occupied since early manhood in the vocation of farming and in the performance of his varied re- lationships with the community, both as a public official and as a private citizen. He is a farmer with home located two miles east of Topeka.

Mr. Hostetler was born in Holmes County, Ohio, June 18, 1863, a son of Moses J. and Elizabeth (Maust) Hostetler. His parents were both natives of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The father was

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born June 9, 1812, and the mother May 1, 1822. They were married January 7, 1838. The father died April 17, 1894, and the mother on August 9, 1889. They were hard working, industrious, God- fearing and worthy people, were parents of a large family of thirteen children, were active in the old Amish Church and the father was a democrat in politics. The names of their children, with dates of birth, are as follows: John M., born April 16, 1839; Samuel J., February 19, 1841 ; Elias M., Octo- ber 3, 1842; Moses M., March 21, 1844; Eve, March 18, 1846; Paul J., November 25, 1847; Elizabethı, November 26, 1849; Polly, February 2, 1852; Jacob J., Angust 12, 1854; David, July 10, 1856; Andrew, August 18, 1858; Uriah, March 6, 1861; and Henry J., June 18, 1863. Six of these are still living.

Henry J. Hostetler, the youngest of the family, was about a year old when his parents came to In- diana in 1864 and located in Eden Township of La- Grange County. He grew up there, with an educa- tion in the common schools, and at the age of twenty-six moved to Clear Spring Township, where he has since had his home. He owns eighty acres of land, thriftily and productively cultivated, and is also a stockholder in the Farmers State Bank of Topeka; and is a stockholder in the Sycamore Lit- erary Society at Topeka. As a voter he has always been affiliated with the republican party and gave a very competent administration of the office of trus- tee of Clear Spring Township from 1900 to 1904. He and his family are members of the Mennonite Church.

June 1, 1886, he married Miss Ida May Roderick. Their four children were: Velma B., born March 18, 1888, now the wife of Dale Stroman; Lora V., born August 10, 1891, wife of Kenneth Leming ; Bessie, born July 6, 1893, who died at the age of eighteen; and Willie H., born December 7, 1898, married Lucile Cline.

LATTA F. HERSHEY, whose people came to Steuben County seventy years ago, has been an active farmer forty years, and was called from the routine duties of his crops and fields to the office and responsi- bilities of sheriff of Steuben County. He served capably two terms, and has since remained in Angola as deputy sheriff. though still owning and supervis- ing the work of his farm.

Mr. Hershey was born in Fremont Township of Steuben County April 29, 1858, son of George R. and Joanna (Freligh) Hershey, his paternal grand- parents being George and Nancy (Holsinger) Hershey and his maternal grandfather John Fre- ligh. George R. Hershey was born in Ontario County, New York, January 25, 1811, and his wife was a native of the same state. He was educated in the public schools, was married in New York State, and in 1849 brought his family to Steuben County, Indiana, establishing his home on a farm in Fremont Township. He was a mason by trade and followed that in connection with farming, and by his industry made ample provision for his fam- ilv. He lived in Steuben County the rest of his life with the exception of one year. He and his wife had a large family of children, named Mary, Nancy, Susan, Moses B., Martha, George, Joan. Engene, Marshall and Latta F.

Latta F. Hershey acquired his education in the public schools of Jamestown Township. He was only a young man when he began farming, and in 1879 he established a home of his own by his mar- riage to Rosetta Richardson. She was born March 17, 1862, a daughter of Lewis and Frances (Hutch- ens) Richardson. Mr. Hershey took his bride to his farm in Jamestown Township, and then followed an uninterrupted career of diligent work and good

management until January, 1913. At that date he removed to Angola to take up his duties as sheriff, an office to which he was elected in 1912. He was re-elected in 1914, and gave all his time to the man- agement of his office until January, 1917, since which date he has remained as deputy of the office. Mr. Hershey owns a good farm of 320 acres, cleared part of the land and all the substantial buildings represent his personal investment and supervision.

Mr. Hershey lost his wife by death on February 14, 1898. She was the mother of two sons, Ross, born January 17, 1882, and Lewis B., born September 12, 1893. Lewis has made a splendid record as a soldier, going overseas as adjutant with the One Hundred and Thirty-Seventh Field Artillery. He ranks as a captain, and in the spring of 1919 was at Brest, France.

Mr. Hershey is affiliated with the Chapter, Coun- cil and Commandery of Masonry and is a member of the lodge and encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.

IRA FORD, supervising editor for LaGrange County in the compilation of this publication, has been in close touch with people and events in that county for at least half a century and has lived there since he was about eight years old.

Mr. Ford was born in Wayne County, New York, October 13, 1848, and came with his parents from that county to LaGrange County in April, 1856. His father and mother were Jared and Rebecca Ford, and all of their seven children grew to manhood and womanhood, Ira being the youngest, the only one now living.

Mr. Ira Ford was educated at LaGrange, and beginning when he was twenty years of age taught school in that county. His teaching continued from 1868 until 1881. After that he applied his efforts to farming in Clearspring Township, and he made his farming enterprise notable over the county for his breeding of fine sheep and hogs, and later he became a specialist in the breeding of fine poultry.

For four and a half years Mr. Ford was cashier of the Ellison Bank at Topeka, Indiana. He served as trustee of Clearspring Township from 1882 to 1884. He is president of the Old Settlers Asso- ciation of LaGrange County, is a stanch republican in politics, is affiliated with Haw Patch Lodge No. 760 of Odd Fellows at Topeka and is an elder in the Presbyterian Church at LaGrange.

On February 6, 1873, he married Julia A. Peck, daughter of Hawley and Harriett Peck. Her father came with his family to LaGrange County in 1846 from Wayne County, New York, making the jour- ney by wagons and settling in Clearspring Town- ship. Mrs. Ford was. one of twelve children, four of whom are still living.

CHARLES A. YOTTER was born in Iowa and came to Steuben County to attend the Tri-State Normal at Angola. After finishing his education there he studied law in a local office, and during the past quarter of a century has become one of the most prominent members of the bar of Northeast Indiana.

He was born in Lee County, Iowa, January 16, 1864. and lived in that state until after reaching manhood. He is a son of Jacob and Anna Marie (Carstens) Yotter. The father was an architect and practical mason in Southeastern Iowa. He died on the 12th of February, I911, at Fort Madison, Iowa, and the mother died at the same place in 1901. Charles A. Yotter received his early education in Denmark Academy and the Iowa Wesleyan University at Mount Pleasant. He came to Angola in 1887. graduated from the Tri-State Normal- College in 1890, and began the study of law in the

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 85

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