History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 9

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 9
USA > Indiana > Noble County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 9
USA > Indiana > DeKalb County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 9
USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II > Part 9

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).

JOHN REIDENBACH has been a resident of Noble County, Indiana, over sixty years, since birth, has been identified with farming in Elkhart Township forty years, and in material affairs as well as in good citizenship has well earned the place of pros- perity and esteem he enjoys. Mr. Reidenbach and family reside in section 34 of Elkhart Township.

He was born in the same township, June 3, 1857, son of Philip and Catherine (Comin) Reidenbach. His father, who was born in Germany in 1820, came to America in 1840 and lived for several years in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. He married there Cath- erine Comin, who is also a native of Germany and had come to the United States at the age of twenty and settled in Tuscarawas County. In 1844 Philip Reidenbach moved to Indiana, settling in the woods of Elkhart Township of Noble County. He and his wife spent the rest of their days there, and were long known as people of solid industry and true worth. They were members of the German Methodist Church and the father was a democrat. In their family were nine children, and the follow- ing are still living: Christine, widow of William Miller ; Malinda, wife of John Koch; Mrs. Eliza- beth Koch; John; Philip, a farmer in Elkhart Town- ship; and Mary, widow of Charles Ramer.

John Reidenbach grew up on the old farm, and the first school he attended was kept in a log school- house. Later he was a student in the frame school- house, and he made the best possible use of his op- portunities to acquire an education. At the age of twenty-one he married Emma Monk, who died with her only child. He married for his present wife Louise Schmidt, of Wayne County, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Reidenbach have the following chil- dren: George, a graduate of the common schools, married Helen Kirkpatrick; Ella, who completed a high school course, is the wife of Rudy Gill; Cora, who also had a high school education, is the wife of Oscar Yoder; Brady, a high school graduate, mar-

ried Marie Stiffner; Roy, a high school graduate, served as a first sergeant with the American Expedi- tionary Forces in France; and Florence, who is a graduate of high school and is still at home.

Mr. Reidenbach for many years has given his labors to the business of farming and stock raising on his place of 142 acres. He is also one of the directors of the Farmers State Bank of Wawaka. In politics he is a democrat, has served as supervisor of his township, and is a past chancellor and past member of the Grand Lodge of Wawaka Lodge No. 432, Knights of Pythias. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a trustee and steward.

SILAS C. Cook is owner of one of the farms that have a history in Noble County. Most of it was acquired in a condition of absolute rawness fully sixty years ago by his father. In buildings, general improvements and productivity the Norwood Farm, as it is known, is recognized far and near as one of the best farm estates in the county. It comprises 220 acres, and lies in the southwest quarter of section 19, the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 30, and twenty acres in Noble Township.

It was on this farm that Silas C. Cook, its present proprietor, was born December 26, 1867. He is a son of Jonas and Elizabeth (Zigler) Cook. Jonas Cook was born in Carroll County, Maryland, De- cember 10, 1827, son of Baltzer and Elizabeth (Faulk- ner) Cook, both of German ancestry. Baltzer Cook and wife were also born in Maryland. He was a farmer by occupation. In 1830 he moved to Mont- gomery County, Ohio, and he and his wife spent the rest of their days there. Jonas Cook was only three years old when taken to Ohio. As a boy he lived on the farm and attended country schools. At the age of nineteen he began an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, and followed that as a business with marked success for fifteen years. It was with his savings and modest capital derived from his me- chanical skill that he came to Noble County in 1859 and bought 120 acres now included in the Norwood Farm. It was a big task he set himself to make a farm out of a portion of the primeval wilderness. But he steadily persevered and saw all his affairs prosper and increase. He bought other land until he owned 220 acres. On that farm he died in hon- ored old age in February, 1907, and his wife passed away June 4, 1905. He and Elizabeth Zigler were married in 1849. Silas C. Cook is the only one living of their three children. The daughter, Letitia, was married to E. C. Oldwine, and the son Gran- ville married Alta Smith.

Jonas Cook in the fall of 1864 enlisted in Com- pany C of the Thirteenth Indiana Infantry, and was in the Union army about a year, receiving his hon- orable discharge and returning home in the fall of 1865. He saw some active service during the siege of Richmond, was also at Fort Fisher and at Ben- tonville, where the last important battle of the war occurred. He was a loyal republican in politics and one of the leading members of the Dunkard Church in his community.

Silas C. Cook grew up on the old farm in Green Township, and besides the advantages of the com- mon schools attended Normal School at Albion and Valparaiso. Besides helping his father on the farm he taught school and was engaged in that profession altogether for about fifteen years.

In 1891 Mr. Cook married Miss Emma Garber, who was born near Webster Lake in Indiana. After their marriage they located on the home farm, and have lived there continuously except for two and a half years in North Webster.

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

Mr. and Mrs. Cook are the parents of three tal- ented daughters : Elsie, a high school graduate and a former teacher, is now in the adjutant general's office at Washington, D. C. Mildred, also a grad- uate of high school and a former teacher, is now connected with the Gospel Trumpet Company at Anderson, Indiana. The youngest daughter, Eliza- beth, is still a student in high school. Mr. Cook is an active republican and has served as committee- man of Green Township.

GEORGE PERRY is one of the most interesting citi- zens and personalities in Noble County, particularly in the community of Swan Township where he has spent all his life, a period of four-score years. The Perrys are one of the oldest and most respected families of Noble County.

The farm he now owns and occupies was the birth- place of George Perry. He was born there March 21, 1839. When he first looked out upon the world with conscious eyes he saw practically the same scenes and environment which the earliest pioneers had encountered. He has witnessed every change and process in the making of Northeast Indiana what it is today. In that progress and development his own part has not been without honor and im- portance.

His parents were Oliver L. and Mary (Francis) Perry, the former a native of New York State and the latter of Connecticut. After they married they bought forty acres of land in New York State. A brief residence upon it convinced him that it was practically worthless, and he soon disposed of it for much less than he paid and invested the remain- ing capital in four yoke of oxen and two wagons. In this manner he started westward. He journeyed through Canada, on to Michigan, and purposed to locate at Coldwater in the southern part of the state. All the good land had been taken up in and around Coldwater. News came to him of the construction of the canal from Fort Wayne connecting the waters of the Wabash Valley. He set out for this locality, which he deemed a region of new opportunity. On the way he crossed section 36 of Swan Township in Noble County. At that point his wife broke down with discouragement and weariness and per- suaded him to stop. He therefore entered 320 acres in section 36 and in that way was established the Perry family in Noble County, where they have been located for over eight years. Oliver Perry and wife spent the rest of their days on the old home- stead and during his lifetime fully 200 acres of it was cleared up and made useful for agriculture. He was a man of splendid integrity, a fine type of pioneer, and died at the age of fifty-six. He was a democrat in politics. His widow survived him some years. Of eight children only three are now living: George; Irene, wife of David Fair of Huntertown; and J. Frederick, whose home is in Allen County, Indiana.

George Perry had no really good schools to at- tend as a boy and part of his education was acquired in the old-fashioned subscription schools. As soon as his strength permitted he worked with his father in clearing up the land, and at the age of twenty- one hired out to his father by the month. Later he remained with his mother on the farm and eventually succeeded to the ownership of most of it. On May, 1869, almost fifty years ago, Mr. Perry married Miss Rose Mickey. She was born in Ross County, Ohio, October 20, 1836, and was brought to Indiana by her parents in 1839. The Mickey family located in Whitley County near Churubsco, and in that locality Mrs. Perry grew to womanhood, familar with many of the same

pioneer scenes as her husband. Mrs. Perry tanght school five years, though her teaching was spread over a period of about twelve years. She was an excellent teacher and is still kindly remembered by many of her old pupils. Mr. and Mrs. Perry began housekeeping in May, 1869, and they have lived on that one farm steadily now for fifty years and will soon celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. No children have come into their home. Both are faith- ful members of the United Brethren Church and Mr. Perry is a democrat in politics. He was once nominated for representative from Noble County. He is now practically retired from active responsi- bilities of farming, but owns 160 acres in the old homestead and at one time had 240 acres.

ADAM OREWILER is one of the representatives of the prominent family of that name identified with Steuben County since pioneer days, and like most of the name his work and chosen vocation has been farming.

Mr. Orewiler was born on the Orewiler home- stead just across the road from where he now lives in Scott Township, February 25, 1859, and is a son of David and Lucy Orewiler. Other reference to the family is made in other pages of this publica- tion. Adam Orewiler grew up on the home farm, had a public school education, and has steadily devoted himself to agriculture for forty years. He still retains and manages a good farm of eighty acres and has given forty acres to his son. Mr. Orewiler is a republican withont official aspirations and is a member of the Christian Church.

In 1884 he married Miss Hattie Tarr, a daughter of John and Sophia Tarr of Angola. Her mother is still living.

The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Orewiler is Roy, born in 1885. He supplemented his public school education with a course in the Tri-State Normal College, and is making a good record as one of the younger farmers of Scott Township. He married Miss Mellie Maxton, of Steuben County, and they have two sons, Russell Dale and Keith Raymond.

JOSEPH C. KIMMELL. During the past quarter of a century no citizen has been more active in public and business affairs in Sparta Township than Joseph C. Kimmell. Mr. Kimmell is a former member of the State Legislature, also a former county auditor of Noble County, for years has done a large business as a farmer, and is now giving his time to his duties as cashier of the Sparta State Bank at Cromwell.

He was born in Orange Township of Noble County, April 28, 1872, a son of Cyrus and Ellen (Lane) Kimmell, the former a native of Canton, Ohio, and the latter of Pickaway County in the same state. Their respective families came to In- diana in early days, locating in Noble County, where Cyrus and Ellen were married. They first lived on a farm in York Township and then moved to Orange Township, where he owned a fine farm of eighty acres. Cyrus Kimmell and family moved to Sparta Township in 1873, and purchased a farm of 160 acres. He was an active member of the Church of God and in politics was a republican, serving at one time as assessor of York Township. Joseph C. Kimmell was the only child of his parents, and grew up in a good home, early had farming experience, and at the same time acquired a liberal education, partly in the common schools and afterward com- pleted a business course in the Tri-State Normal at Angola. On May 18, 1893, hie established a home of his own by his marriage to Lena A. Kechn, who was born in Perry Township of Noble County. After

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

their marriage they settled on the old home farm, and that is still their home, where they enjoy the peace and contentment of rural life and the pros- perity which their broad and well tilled acres afford.

Mr. and Mrs. Kimmel have five living children : Verlie, a graduate of the common schools, now a practical farmer ; Joseph K., a high school graduate ; Harriet, a junior in high school; Chester, who is also attending high school; and Mildred, in the first year of high school. The eldest daughter, Lera Eva, died April 20, 1910, aged sixteen years.

The family are members of the Christian Church at Ligonier, Mr. Kimmell being one of the elders. He is affiliated with Excelsior Lodge No. 267 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and with the Masonic Order of Cromwell, and politically is a democrat. He was elected on that ticket to repre- sent Noble County in the Legislature in 1907, and gave a good account of himself to his constituents. He was elected and served as auditor of the county from 1911 to 1914. The Sparta State Bank was organized in 1917 with the same officers as at pres- ent, namely: Fred N. Hunt, president ; George S. Bouse, vice president; and J. C. Kimmell, cashier. The other directors are J. E. Hilter, J. E. Knapp, A. M. Snyer, N. S. Stump, Martin L. Hussey and Lee Lung.

WILLARD SLABAUGH is a veteran of the Spanish- American war, and since the close of his service has been one of the successful farmers and stock raisers in Perry Township of Noble County. His home is in section 9, three and a half miles northwest of Ligonier.

He was born in the same township December 8, 1876, son of Christian and Catherine (Bowser) Sla- baugh. They were the parents of four children : Sidney, a farmer in Perry Township ; Willard; Ollie, wife of John Larimer of Montana; and Ray, a farmer in Perry Township.

Willard Slabaugh grew up on the home farm, at- tended the district schools, and was about twenty-one years of age when, soon after the outbreak of the Spanish-American war, he enlisted in Company L of the One Hundred and Fifty-Seventh Indiana Vol- unteers, under Colonel Studebaker. He was in the service for six months.

Mr. Slabaugh married Miss Zinla Latta, who was born in Elkhart County, Indiana, a daughter of James T. and Abigail (Simpson) Latta. After their marriage they located on a farm in Perry Township, and through a period of twenty years have been steadily prospering until they now have a farm of 161 acres in sections 9 and 16. Mr. Slabaugh is making a success of handling the pure bred Short- horn cattle and Duroc hogs. He is a stockholder in the Citizens Bank at Ligonier and is a democrat in politics.

He and his wife have four children: Keith, who attended high school for a year and a half is now with his father on the farm; Dorothy, in the third year of high school; and Everett and Forrest.

WILLIS BEIGH. More than sixty years have passed since the Beigh family became established in Steuben County. Some of the family history is recorded on other pages, and at this point special mention is made of Willis Beigh, one of the prominent resi- dents and farmers of Salem Township.

He was born in Jackson Township of the same county August 30, 1859, a son of John and Mary (Gooding) Beigh. He grew up on his father's farm and lived there until he was twenty-seven years of age, acquiring a good education in the public schools. For thirty-two years he has owned a half

interest in 1091/2 acres in Salem Township, and later he bought 121/2 acres more. This farm is one of the good ones in Salem Township, is improved with good buildings, and is the basis of a very satis- factory business. Mr. Beigh is a republican, is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows at Salem Center, and with his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

November 18, 1886, he married Miss Sarah Bell Cary. She was born in Fairfield Township of De- Kalb County, Indiana, May 7, 1868. She was well educated, attending the Angola High School and Tri-State College, and for several years before her marriage was a teacher. Mrs. Beigh is a daughter of John and Christina (Helwig) Cary. Her father was born in the State of New York December 2, 1841, and her mother in Troy Township of DeKalb County, July 29, 1842. Her grandparents were John W. and Martha (Cosper) Cary, early settlers of DeKalb County, and they lived on a farm east of Helmer for many years, and while living here the sons enlisted in the Civil war. John W. Cary died in May, 1880, and his wife in 1885, in York Town- ship, Stevens County, Indiana. They were the parents of the following children: David, who was a Union soldier and died near Helmer ; Phineas, who was also in the Civil war and died at Henderson, Kentucky; John Wallace; Henry, a Civil war sol- dier who was buried at Nashville, Tennessee; George W .; Cassie, who died in childhood; and Alice.

Mrs. Beigh's maternal grandparents were Jacob and Sarah (Gorsuch) Helwig, who were among the first settlers of DeKalb County. Jacob Helwig was a farmer, living first in Troy and later in Fairfield townships, and died in the latter locality in 1870. He was prominent in democratic politics, serving in the Legislature in early days. His wife died in 1885, at the age of seventy-six. Jacob Helwig and wife had the following children: Barbara Ann, Kesiah, Mary, Rebecca and Christina. By a former marriage to Miss Jennings, Jacob Helwig had five children, George, Elizabeth, Peter, Isaac and John. John Helwig was a graduate of Wittenberg College at Springfield, Ohio, was a minister of the Lutheran Church, and later for some years was president of Wittenberg College.

Mrs. Beigh's father after his marriage moved east of Salem Center, in Salem Township. In March, 1887, he moved to the farm now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Beigh. John Cary died March 17, 1910, and his wife on December 26, 1888. Mrs. Beigh was their only child. Her paternal grand- father was a prominent Methodist and a local preacher in the early days. Her maternal grand- father was equally prominent in the Lutheran Church as a layman and minister.

WILLIAM L. BRAUN is one of the older business men of Angola and for thirty-five years has been retailing meats to an appreciative public in that city. For nearly thirty years of this time he has been in business for himself. He has been suc- cessful, has prospered through his own abilities and industry, and is a man of high standing in the community.

He was born at Fort Wayne, Indiana, September 26, 1857, a son of Henry Edward and Margaret (Heldt) Braun. His mother at the age of one year came from Alsace-Lorraine with her parents to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where John and Barbara Heldt spent their last years. Henry E. Braun was born in Saxony, Germany, February 28, 1831, learned the meat cutter's trade in the old country, and on coming to America worked at his trade in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he met and married his wife.

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST INDIANA

Later he moved to Waterloo, Indiana, and engaged in the meat business, and lived there until his death. in 1911, at the age of seventy-nine. He was a prohibitionist in politics and a member of the Methodist Church. His widow died at the venerable age of eighty-two years. Their three children, all living, are Katie, William L. and George A., the latter of Auburn, Indiana.

William L. Braun was but a child when his par- ents removed to Waterloo, and besides the instruc- tion he received from the public schools there he learned the trade of meat cutter under his father. In 1884 he came to Angola, and after seven years of working for others he engaged in business for himself in 1891, and has always had the reputation of conducting one of the best markets and supplying the highest class of provisions. In politics he is a democrat, is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

In 1879 Mr. Braun married Miss Delia J. Stroh, who was born and reared in DeKalb County, and her people lived on a farm southeast of Waterloo. Mr. and Mrs. Braun have one daughter, Maud, now the wife of Mack Fisher. The three children of Mr. and Mrs. Fisher are Malba Pauline, Ned Braun and Martha Jeanette.

GEORGE D. GABY. The first frame house built in Orange Township of Noble County was erected by the late Timothy Gaby, father of Ligonier's popular postmaster and prominent democratic leader in Noble County. The Gaby family in many ways have been prominent in this part of Northeast In- diana since early times.

Credit is given to George D. Gaby for the achieve- ment of making, at least temporarily, a democratic county out of the normal republican complexion of Noble County. That was while he was chairman of the Democratic County Committee. Mr. Gaby does not give all his time to politics. He is a thorough business man, and for years has been a successful farmer. He owns a good farm in Orange Township, and was born on the old Gaby homestead there July 4, 1853. His father, Timothy Gaby, was born in Genesee County, New York, in 1820, and went from that state to Ohio. There he married Amy A. Ed- monds, a native of Lorain County, Ohio. From Ohio they moved to Orange Township in Noble County, and Timothy bought or traded for land, and spent many busy years in cleaning it up and producing crops there. He died on the old farm in 1912, at the age of ninety-two, one of the most highly respected citizens of that locality. His wife died about 1900. Of the family of seven children only two are now living, George D. and Charles E., the latter also a farmer in Orange Township.

George D. Gaby grew up in his native township and acquired a common school education. At the age of twenty-four he entered the merchandise business at Brimfield and sold goods in that locality for eight years. After disposing of his store he returned to the old farm and bought out the other heirs and interests. He has a finely improved place of 190 acres, and he continued to make it his home and the scene of most of his business activities until he removed to Ligonier in 1913.

Mr. Gaby served three terms as county chairman of the democratic party in Noble County. Some years ago he was nominated for the office of county auditor. Governor Marshall appointed him one of the trustees of the school for the feeble minded at Fort Wayne, and he served three years, resigning to accept the appointment by President Wilson as post-

master of Ligonier. He is now in his second term of that office, his present term expiring in 1922. Mr. Gaby is a stockholder in the Albion National Bank. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Ligonier. May 13, 1880, he married Geneva V. Pancake, who was born in Elkhart Town- ship of Noble County in 1855, a daughter of Isaac Pancake. She was reared on a farm, received a good education in the district schools and in the schools of Ligonier, and is an active member of the Lutheran Church. Mr. and Mrs. Gaby have two sons, both of whom have finished high school and are practical farmers in Orange Township. Timothy E., the older, married Zelma Smith, of Jefferson Township, and they have an adopted daughter, Georgia V. Rolland Roy, the second son, married Ruth Pancake, of Convoy, Ohio, and they have two children, Helen and Norman.

JASPER N. OTT, who died June 24, 1919, gave many hard working years to the business of farming in Green Township of Noble County. All the pros- perity he enjoyed and which he has so liberally dis- pensed to his family was the result of his own efforts and enterprise. He was an honored resident of that locality for forty years. His home was in the south half of the southeast quarter of section 19, Green Township.

Mr. Ott was born in Benton Township of Elkhart County, Indiana, February 16, 1850, son of Jacob and Margaret (Gordy) Ott, the former a native of Preble County, Ohio, and the latter of Indiana. Jacob Ott came to Indiana at the age of twenty-two, located in Elkhart County, and two years later married and set- tled on a farm there. Ou leaving the farm he re- tired to Syracuse in Kosciusko County and lived there until his death. He and his wife were mem- bers of the Evangelical Church and in politics he was a very active republican. There were nine chil- dren in the family, seven of whom reached maturity, and the three living today are: John W., of Syra- cuse; Julia A., unmarried and living at Syracuse ; and Elmer, also of Syracuse.

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History of Northeast Indiana : LaGrange, Steuben, Noble and DeKalb Counties, Volume II, Part 9

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