History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 89

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 89
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 89
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 89
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 89

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).

ALBERT HASKINS, an honored veteran of the Civil war, was born in LaGrange County more than three- quarters of a century ago, and most of his active life has been spent in that county, where he is widely known as a financier and public official.

Mr. Haskins was born in Springfield Township August 14, 1843, a son of Willis and Jane (Jackson) Haskins. His parents were natives of New York, were married in that state, and at once came to LaGrange County, Indiana, in 1838. They made the journey from New York to Indiana by wagon and team. Willis Haskins entered Government land, and was a resident of Springfield Township until his death. On his land he put up the first buildings and cleared the first fields. He and his wife had a family of eight children: Elizabeth, deceased wife of Alanson Harger; Franklin, deceased; Charles; George, deceased; Albert; Mary Jane, who died as the wife of John Sawyer; Edith and Willis, both deceased.

Albert Haskins received his education in the schools of Springfield Township. As a boy he began working out at monthly wages, and before he was of age he moved to the vicinity of Elgin, Illinois. While there he enlisted on May 14, 1863, in Com- pany K of the One Hundred and Forty-First Illinois Infantry, and was in service until the close of the war nearly two years later.

Thirty-five years ago Mr. Haskins engaged in the private loan business, and has continued that service to the community of Springfield Township ever since. His offices are at Mongo, where in 1915 he and others were associated in the organizatoin of the Mongo State Bank. The first year he served as vice president and since has been president of the bank. Mr. Haskins for thirty-four years has been a justice of the peace, and at the expiration of his present term he will have spent forty years in that office. He has done much to adjust community difficulties, and few of his decisions have been appealed or reversed by higher tribunals.

October 19, 1879, Judge Haskins married Miss Amie Huss. She was born in Ohio, a daughter of Elijah Huss, who came to LaGrange County when his daughter Amie was three or four years old. Mr. and Mrs. Haskins have three children: Garfield and Herman, twins, the former a farmer in Green- field Township, and the latter a lawyer at LaGrange; and Louis, a farmer in Springfield Townsnip.

H. H. PINCHON, a native of Northeast Indiana, has given his mature life to the saw milling and lum- ber business. He was head sawyer in the Goodwin mills at Fremont for a number of years, afterward operated independently in the woods of Michigan,

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HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

and is now proprietor of a prosperous and growing concern in the manufacture of lumber at Fremont.

Mr. Pinchon was born at Wawaka in Noble Coun- ty, March 7, 1871, son of Anthony and Mary Ann (Deckmann) Pinchon. His mother was born at Philadelphia, a daughter of Charles and Wilmina Deckmann. Her father died near Hudson in Sten- ben County, Indiana. He was a shoemaker by trade. Charles Deckman and wife had the following chil- dren: John, Jacob, Conrad, Adam, Henry, William, Lena, Wilmina, Mary and Caroline. Two of the sons, Adam and William, were soldiers in the Civil war.

Mr. Pinchon's paternal grandparents were John and Susannah Pinchon, the former a farmer near Wawaka in Noble' County. Their children were: John, Harvey, Anthony, Frank and Cassie. The son John died in childhood.

Anthony Pinchon, who was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, in early life distinguished himself as a very skillful axman. It is said that he cleared up over 200 acres of heavy timber, and would take con- tracts to clear off a tract of land at $1.25 an acre. He was a very useful man to have in a community, being skilled in mechanical occupations, was a grain thresher and a wagon maker and wagon repairer. He built wagons by hand, making them with thorough workmanship from tongue to endgate. He spent many years at threshing and wagon making and died in 1884. His first wife was Lydia Lower, and of their children who survived infancy their names were Frank, Jefferson and Susanna. He mar- ried for his second wife Mary Ann Deckmann who died April 22, 1919, and H. H. Pinchon is a son of that marriage.

He acquired his early education in the public schools of Noble County, and at the age of nine- teen went to work as head sawyer in a lumber plant. For eleven years he was employed in that capacity by J. W. Goodwin at Fremont, and he then bought a small sawmill and operated about two years near Moserville, Michigan. He then bought ninety acres of timber and used his mill to work it up into lumber. In January, 1909, he returned to Indiana and bought the mill at Fremont, and has supplied a large part of the local hardwood lumber to this locality.

In 1895 Mr. Pinchon married Ella DeHuff, daugh- ter of Simon and Mary DeHuff. They have jour children: Zona, Inez, Clarence and Wava. The family are members of the Methodist Church.

THOMAS FIELDS. A worthy representative of the clear-headed and progressive business men and farmers of LaGrange County, Thomas Fields has lived a life of satisfying experiences and accom- plishments and is one of the most highly esteemed residents of the Woodruff section, where he still lives on his farm.

He was born in Johnson Township of LaGrange County, September 15, 1862, a son of Robert and Sarah (Taylor) Fields. His parents were both na- tives of Lincolnshire, England, and came from there to the United States when young and unmarried and were wedded in LaGrange County, after which they settled on a farm there. Thomas Fields was only two years old when his mother died, and he then went to live and grew up in the home of Joseph Taylor, his uncle, who owned the farm which Thomas Fields has since acquired. He at- tended the common schools at limited intervals, and was with his uncle up to the age of twenty-one. He then rented the Taylor farm and worked it until he engaged in the general merchandise busi- ness at Woodruff. He was a merchant at that vil-

lage for four years and for eight, including that time, was postmaster.

March 12, 1885, Mr. Fields married Anna Young, who was born in Johnson Township April 18, 1865. Mr. Fields and his wife both attended the same schools. For thirty years they have lived on their present farm, where they own 136 acres, and forty acres in Orange Township of Noble County. Mr. Fields has been quite active in republican politics, and his name is associated with a competent service as township trustee of Johnson Township for six years.

Mr. and Mrs. Fields have a family of interesting children : Charles, who is a high school graduate and a graduate of the law department of Valparaiso University, is a fruit grower at Hood River, Ore- gon; Maude is the wife of Clyde Keck, of Clay Township, LaGrange County; Mary graduated from the common schools and married Bert Bowser and lives in Noble County; Elgie is a high school grad- uate and wife of Harvey Grossman; Willie, a high school graduate, is still at home and is secretary- treasurer of the Farmers' Shippers' Association at Wolcottville; Raymond is in the medical department of the army at Fort Sheridan, Ilinois; and Clara, the youngest, has completed the common school course and is at home.

D. CARL RANSBURG, a former trustee of Steuben Township, has had a business career as a merchant that has been distinguished by long and uninter- rupted service in practically one store and one firm. As a boy he started clerking for the veteran mer- chant of Pleasant Lake, Frank H. Chadwick, even- tually won a partnership, and for over a quarter of a century has been a member of the firm Chadwick & Ransburg, who do the greater bulk of the general merchandise business in and around Pleasant Lake.

Mr. Ransburg was born at Tiffin in Seneca County, Ohio, March 16, 1862. His father, John T. Rans- burg, was born near Frederick, Maryland, March 15, 1835, and married Elizabeth Zimmerman, who was born near Tiffin, Ohio, in 1838. In 1864, when Carl Ransburg was two years old, the family re- moved to Steuben County, Indiana, settled on a farm in Salem Township. John Ransburg was a man of mechanical skill and of great industry, and in connection with farming operated a saw mill. In 1870 he moved to Pleasant Lake, and there became established as an important factor in business af- fairs, operating a lumber yard, also a general mer- chandise store, and selling drugs. After 1875 he sold out the merchandise and drug business and gave all his attention to the operation of his lumber mill. He also operated a threshing outfit, and through this varied enterprise became one of the best known men in his section of the county. More than that he was a helpful factor in promoting religious and spiritual life. He had a splendid voice, and gave that talent to evangelistic work, and was usually present at any important religious gathering in his section of the county. He was the leader in estab- lishing the United Brethren Church at Pleasant Lake. This well known and esteemed citizen died in 1907 and his wife in 1905. They had a large family of children, a brief record of whom is as follows: Effie, who died at the age of eleven months; Harper G., an executive official connected with the Adams Express Company ; D. Carl, third in age; Ella B .. wife of Cyrus Robertson; Claudia May, wife of John W. McCrum; Frank L., who is connected with the Adams Express Company at San Francisco; Nellie G., who died at the age of twenty-nine, the wife of C. L. Bunting; Mark R., a traveling sales- man ; Grace E., who died at the age of four years; Paul; and Gertrude E., wife of Charles Gilbert.

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H. G. Ransburg entered the employ of the Adams Express Company at Indianapolis, was messenger, cashier and onhand clerk, later was traveling auditor, having a special agency at principal points and was then made superintendent of the Chesapeake Divi- sion, with headquarters at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He has been associated with the company for thirty- seven years.

D. Carl Ransburg received his early education in the schools of Pleasant Lake. In 1877, when fif- teen years old, he became a clerk and general utility man in the store of Mr. Chadwick. He grew with the business in ability and efficiency, and in 1890 was admitted to the firm, which then became Chad- wick, Ransburg & Company. Mr. Ransburg has therefore devoted the best years of his life to the building up and management of this well known concern. However, he made a splendid record dur- ing the six years he served as trustee of Steuben Township, from 1908 to 1914. He is a member of the United Brethren Church.

March 15. 1885, he married Elizabeth H. Brown, daughter of George A. and Ursula (Stocker) Brown. To their marriage were born three chil- dren : Don R., Harold B. and J. Raymond. The last named was born in 1896 and died in 1900. Don R. Ransburg was for seven years a telegraph operator with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and is now engaged in the advertising business. He mar- ried Florence Dickey and has one child, Don Byron.

JAMES J. MISHLER. Many of the excellent farmers and upright citizens of LaGrange County, Indiana, came to this section from Pennsylvania, the majority being intelligent and well educated. An example may be cited in James J. Mishler, who is one of Newbury Township's most highly re- spected and substantial citizens. For thirty-seven years Mr. Mishler has been a deacon in the Men- no1 ite Church.

James J. Mishler was born in Pennsylvania, November 21, 1855. He attended. the public schools and also a normal school, where he prepared to be a teacher, and afterward alternated working on a f - and teaching school until 1877, when he came t LaGrange County, Indiana, a section to which other members of the family also came. In 1879 he bought a farm on Seminary Road, five miles west of LaGrange, in Clay Township, eighty acres of good land, and lived there for five years and then took advantage of a fair offer and sold. He then bought eighty acres on the Banhaga Road, on which he also lived for five years and sold. In 1889 he came to Newbury Township and bought the first seventy acres of his present farm, adding tracts from time to time until he now owns 128 acres. This land is all in fine condition, and the remodeled buildings are adequate to the necessities of a modern farm business. He carries on general farming and raises stock.

In 1879 Mr. Mishler was united in marriage to Miss Lydia Yoder, who was born in Pennsylvania, a daughter of Jacob Yoder, who was a pioneer settler in Clay Township. Mr. and Mrs. Mishler had the following children: Albert, Mabel, Oliver, William, Lizzie, Amanda, James and Ola. The mother of these children died December 3, 1896. On February 28, 1899, Mr. Mishler was married to Miss Amanda Miller, a daughter of John Miller, Jr., of Newbury. He died in 1894, aged sixty years. Mr. and Mrs. Mishler have four children, namely : Ira, Cland, Nona and Lucy. All of Mr. Mishler's first family of children now living have married and had children, as follows: Albert married Inez Wampole. They have two children, Elden and Maxine, and they live at Tillamook, Oregon. Oliver Vol. II-21

married Pearl Yoder, and they have one child, Frances. He is in the lumber business at Ship- shewana. William married Mary Gittens, and they live at Woodburn, Oregon, where he is prominent in school affairs, an educator there for nine years and for two years superintendent of the high school. Lizzie is the wife of Jerry C. Troyer, of Newhury Township, and they have four children: Inez, Dorothy, Francis and Esther. Amanda is the wife of Joseph E. Nelson, rural mail carrier, and they live west of Shipshewana. James married Verna Miller, of Holmes County, Ohio, and they live in Newbury Township and have one child, Mary Ruth. Ola is the wife of Ira E. Yoder, a farmer in New- bury Township, and they have one child, Catherine. Mr. Mishler has great reason to be proud of so fine a body of descendants.

DANIEL M. PLANK, now living in comfortable retirement in Brighton, has been a farmer, thresher- man, carpenter and an industrious worker in every duty assigned him, and has earned the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens.

He was born in Elkhart County, Indiana, August 18, 1865, a son of Christian J. and Mary ( Mosier) Plank, both natives of Ohio. His grandparents, Christian and Elizabeth Plank, were natives of Pennsylvania, and spent the last ten or fifteen years of their lives with their son Christian in LaGrange County. Grandfather Plank was a flour miller by trade. Mary Mosier was the daughter of a Swiss emigrant, the Mosiers being early farmers in Adams County, Indiana. Christian J. Plank was educated in Wayne County, Ohio, moved to Elkhart County, Indiana, about 1862, and after farming there some three years moved to Greenfield Township, LaGrange County, in 1866. After the death of his wife there he left the farm a year or two before his death. He improved a farm of 193 acres. He was a charter member of the Farmers Rescue Insurance Company and served many years on its board of finance. He and his first wife had children named Amos F., Katherine, Rebecca E., Susan, Mary A., Daniel M., Samuel, Lydia, Elizabeth and Alice. Christian J. Plank married for his second wife Mrs. Fannie (Morrell) Plank, a widow with three children, named Elida, Jeptha and David, and to her second marriage was born one son, Harvey Plank.

Daniel M. Plank received his education in country schools and at Howe, and as a youth manifested special mechanical genius, which led him to take up the threshing business. He operated threshing out- fits altogether for twenty-one years and had prac- tically all the various types of grain threshing machinery of that period. He was also a farmer, the first five years living on his own place near Cedar Lake and then for five years on his father's farm. He moved to Brighton in 1900, and for several years followed the business of threshing and the trade of carpenter. For four years he made his home at LaGrange, and during that time was a motorman on the St. Joseph Valley line. Since returning to Brighton he has built a comfortable home, enjoying life somewhat at leisure.

Mr. Plank married on October 2, 1890, Miss Etta Steirnagle, a native of LaGrange County and a daughter of John Steirnagle. They have one daugh- ter, Bertha, now Mrs. Floyd Bolley, of Brighton.

CHARLES YOUNG. Steuben County has some of the most substantial farmers of Northeastern In- diana, who take a pride in the fact that they are descended from the pioneers of this part of the state and that members of their family assisted in de- veloping the country. One of those who belong to this class is Charles Young, of Pleasant Township.

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He was born in Pleasant Township, Steuben County, March 3, 1852, a son of Jacob and Nancy (Failing) Young, and grandson of Andrew Young and Thomas Failing. Andrew Young was born in New York, but moved to Steuben County, Indiana, in 1835, lo- cating in Pleasant Township, where he bought eighty acres of land, and on it lived out the re- mainder of his life. He and his wife had the fol- lowing children: Edward, Laton, George, Jacob and Daniel. Thomas Failing arrived in Steuben County a year later than Andrew Young, and he located land in Jamestown and Scott townships, and in 1837 brought his family to his new home, they living in Jamestown Township. He was a native of Montgomery County, New York, where he was born March 20, 1796, and he died in Steuben County, In- diana, November 18, 1883. On December 8, 1818, he was married to Catherine Klock, and they had the following children: Ann, Elizabeth, Nancy, Adam and Marietta. Mrs. Failing died October 24, 1879. They became wealthy after locating in Steuben County, and were very highly respected.

Jacob Young was born in Jefferson County, New York, in 1822, and his wife, Nancy Failing, was born in the same county in 1827. After attending the schools of his native county he assisted his father, and later began clearing off land of his own. In 1819 he went with other gold seekers to California. and remained in the West for eighteen months, but did not live many years after his return home, as he died at the age of thirty-three years. His widow survived him many years, dying in 1909, at the age of eighty-two years. They had three children, namely: Ella, who married William Simms; Charles; and Albert, who is now deceased.

Charles Young grew up like any normal farmer's son, being taught to be useful on the farm and sent to the public school of Pleasant Township. After attaining his majority he moved to his present farm and now owns 160 acres in Pleasant Township, four and one-half miles directly north of Angola and 160 acres across the road in Jamestown Township. Here he carries on general farming and stock raising.

In 1890 Mr. Young was united in marriage with Viola Carmoney, a daughter of Jacob and Abigail (Gochemaur) Carmoney. Mr. and Mrs. Young had three children : Vera, Charles and Wayne. Vera, married Ford Champion, and they have four chil- dren, Cleyon, Reno, Clair and a baby daughter. Mrs. Young died in 1912, deeply mourned by all who had the privilege of her acquaintance, for she was a lovely character, who made friends everywhere. Mr. Young served Pleasant Township as supervisor, and safeguarded its interests efficiently and con- scientiously. He is a man of means and deserves an important place in the history of his community.

HENRY ESHELMAN after more than forty-five years of steady management and work as a farmer is living on his attractive and valuable place 21/2 miles northeast of Wolcottville in LaGrange County. Years have brought him ample prosperity for all his needs, and he has utilized many opportunities to help his community and participate in movements that reflect the best ideals and spirit of progress.

Mr. Eshelman was born in section 23 of Johnson Township, LaGrange County, April 23, 1851, a son of Joseph and Mary (Erford) Eshelman. His father, a native of Pennsylvania, went to Ohio when a young man and after his marriage lived there eight or nine years. He brought his family to Indiana in the fall of 1850 and settled in section 23 of Johnson Township, living there many years and then moving to the farm where his son Henry resides. He died there. He was a very active member of the Evan-

gelical Church and was affiliated with the repub- lican party, and always willing to do his share in any community undertaking. He became the father of eleven children, only three of whom are still living, Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Royer; Henry; and John F., of LaGrange County.

Henry Eshelman grew up on the farm in section 23, and with the exception of two years spent in Iowa has always lived in LaGrange County. His education was supplied by the district schools. He went to Iowa at the age of twenty-one, and on re- turning to this state bought eighty acres included in his present farm, and subsequently bought twenty acres more. On February 17, 1875, he married Odella Sigley. She was born in Whitley County, Indiana, but lived in LaGrange County from the time she was six years of age. Mrs. Eshelman, who died January 28, 1917, was the mother of seven children, two of whom are living. Adrian, who is a graduate of the common schools and had one year in high school, lives in Johnson Township. Edith M. is a graduate of the common schools and spent two years in high school, and is a graduate of the Conservatory of Music at Fort Wayne. She is now the wife of Harry E. Lower, of Toledo, Ohio. Mr. Eshelman has five grandchildren.

He has long been identified with the Evangelical Church and in politics is a republican. With great capability he filled the office of trustee of Johnson Township one term. He has served as treasurer and is now a director of the Farmers Telephone Company.

FRANKLIN CARY. It is no small distinction that Franklin Cary has lived to witness the growth and development of Angola for a period of over seventy years, but he has never been merely a witness of action and progress and has participated personally in the work of the community and even today, at the age of eighty-seven, is seen on the streets and in daily attendance upon his business affairs.

Mr. Cary was born at Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio, August 29, 1832, son of Abel and Sarah Cary. His mother died in Bucyrus and the father came to Steuben County and settled at Angola in 1840. He was one of the first merchants and lived there until his death at the age of seventy-five. By his first wife he had four children: Marcie, who is now ninety-three years of age; Bartley K., deceased ; Franklin; and Nancy, deceased.

Franklin Cary came to Angola in 1845, when thir- teen years old, and except for several years spent in California has been a continuous resident. He made three trips to California, going both by the overland and by the water route. His half brother, William Carey, also went to California, and returned by way of Cape Horn. Franklin Cary early learned the trade of blacksmith, and he followed that occu- pation industriously for a period of half a century. For some years he was also in the well drilling busi- ness, and for the past twenty years has been a hard- ware merchant at Angola. He is owner of a wooden block known as the Cary Block, and has consider- able other local property. He here has made a success financially, stands high in the esteem of the people of the county, and has well earned all the respect he enjoys. Mr. Cary is a republican in politics, and is deeply interested in Masonry. He has been affil- iated with that order fifty-eight years and is now the oldest and the only surviving charter member of Angola Lodge. He takes much pride in the fact that both his son, Charles, and his grandson, Carl, are also Masons.

In 1857 Mr. Cary married Miss Alvina Mariman. Mrs. Cary died about twenty years ago, after they had been companions together on life's highway

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forty years. The only son and child is Charles Cary of Angola. Mr. Cary has four grandchildren and a number of great-grandchildren. Charles Cary married Cinda Gordon. Their four children are : Etta, Nellie, Leta and Carl. Etta is the wife of C. J. McIntyre and is the mother of five children, Donna Marie, Morris, Elizabeth, Charles and Mary. Nellie is unmarried and is a teacher in the public schools of Gary, Indiana. Leta is the widow of Cash Freeland. Carl Cary; the only grandson of Franklin Cary, was in the army for six months as a motor mechanic in the field artillery. He married Irene Salsbury of Orland, and has one son, Gordon.

WILLIAM MILLER for a third of a century has lived and farmed on one place in Lima Township. He has enjoyed the esteem of that community for his industry as a farmer, his public spirit as a citi- zen, and several times has been honored with pub- lic responsibility.

He was born in Ontario County, New York, September 8, 1845, a son of James and Elizabeth (Hutchison) Miller, the former a native of On- tario County, New York, and the latter of England. The paternal grandparents, Thomas and Sarah (Ripper) Miller, spent their lives as New York State farmers. The maternal grandparents came from England, settled in New York State, and at a very early date moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, and the maternal grandfather died at Huntertown in that vicinity. James Miller was born and edu- cated in New York, and during the '50s came to LaGrange County with his family. On coming west he had traveled up Lake Erie by boat. He bought a farm in Lima Township soon after his arrival and made some improvements there, but later moved to English Prairie, where he acquired three hundred sixteen acres, clearing off much of the land and making many improvements to increase its value and productiveness. He built a barn on this farm and lived there until his death. At one time he served as trustee of Greenfield Township, and was an active member of the Presbyterian Church. He and his wife had six children, Wil- liam, Charles, James, Clara Jane, Mary Elizabeth and George. All are living except Clara Jane.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 89

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