USA > Indiana > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, notes, etc., together with a short history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the State of Indiana > Part 64
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HON. JACOB MUTZ, a wealthy and influential citizen of Jackson Township, Shelby County, Ind., is a native of Lancaster County, Penn., born October 11, 1825. His parents were George and Catharine (Fryberger) Mutz, the former a native of Germany, and the latter of Switzerland. When Jacob was four years of age, his parents removed to Montgomery County, Ohio. There he was reared amid the scences incident to farm life; his early education was fair for that day of limited school facilities. At the age of fif- teen, he was apprenticed to learn the blacksmith's trade. After completing it, he followed that for an occupation about twelve years. On the Ioth day of April, 1847, he arrived in Jackson Township, and immediately began working at his trade. Decem- ber 7, 1847, he was united in marriage with Maria Snepp, daugh- ter of Leonard and Magdalena ( Warner) Snepp, natives of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Mutz were blessed with ten children, six of whom are living, namely: Charles M., Catharine, Etoile Belle, Emma A., Philo J .. Oscar W. Mr. and Mrs. Mutz are members of the Lutheran Church, with which they have been united a number of years. He is a member of Edinburg Lodge No. 100, F. & A. M.
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Politically, he is a staunch Democrat, and firmly upholds the prin- ciples of that party. In the fall election of 1860, he was elected to the Indiana Legislature, and was re-elected in . 1862: during those sessions, the business to be transacted was of the utmost importance to the citizens of Indiana. In 1869, he was elected a member of the Indiana State Board of Agriculture, and took such an interest in the work, that he was continued in office fourteen years. He was appointed by Gov. Porter as Trustee of Purdue University, which position he held until his election to the Indiana Legislature in the fall of 1884, when he resigned. He has always been a hard working man and now owns a farm of 400 acres. Mr. Mutz is one of the foremost citizens of the county, and is pre-eminently a self- made man.
JOHN NIEBEL, a prominent farmer and resident of Jackson Township, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, December 5, ISIO. There his boyhood and youth were spent amid the hardships of farm life, receiving a fair education for that day. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Myers) Niebel. Our subject remained on the old home farm until he was about twenty-five years old, when on February 1I, 1836, he was united in marriage with Catharine Snepp, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Isley) Snepp. Mr. Niebel came to Shelby County, Ind., arriving in Jackson Township, in June, 1837, and has made that his home ever since. Their home was blessed with seven children: Eliza, Mary, Louis, Daniel W., Elizabeth, Noah T. and Anna, of whom Louis died in infancy, all the others are grown to maturity. Mr. and Mrs. Niebel are mem- bers of the Lutheran Church, with which they have been united over forty-five years. Politically, Mr. Niebel is a Democrat, and has held the position of Township Assessor. Honest and upright in all his dealings, he now holds the respect and confidence of the en- tire community.
LEVI NIEBEL, a prominent and influential farmer and citizen of Jackson Township, is a native of Montgomery County, Ohio, where he was born October 15, 1821. His parents were John and Elizabeth Niebel. Our subject spent his boyhood and youth on the farm, and owing to the limited school advantages he could not receive more than a fair education. At the age of nineteen he began farm- ing on his own responsibility as a renter, which he followed until his removal to Shelby County, Ind., in 1849. On January 17, 1843, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Yoe, daughter of John and Venia Yoe, natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Niebel was born in Pennsylvania, October 6, 1822. There she was reared and in Ohio she became the wife of our subject. This union has been blessed with seven children: Jennetta A., Sarah M., Harriet, Joseph H.,
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Mary C., Clara J., Laura A., of whom Harriet, Joseph and Laura are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Niebel are members of the Lutheran Church, with which they have been united over twenty-six years. Politically, Mr. Niebel is a staunch Democrat, and at one time was Trustee of Jackson Township. Mr. Niebel is one of the well-to- do farmers of the township, and is highly esteemed by all who know him.
HON. WILLIAM PATTERSON, a farmer of Jackson Township, was born there February 11, 1827. His parents were David L. and Ann (Shaw) Patterson, natives of Ohio, the latter of whom is yet living and has arrived at the ripe old age of eighty- two years. Mr. Patterson began life on his own responsibility, at the age of twenty, and on December 10, 1846, he was united in marriage with Miss Charlotte Eberhart, daughter of John and Nancy Eberhart, whose personal history is contained in this volume. This union was blessed with three children: John, Willis and George, of whom Willis is deceased. Mrs. Patterson was called away in 1854, and Mr. Patterson was married to Loretta Eber- hart, a sister to his first wife. Their union was blessed with one child, Amanda. He owns a fine farm of 480 acres, all of which he has made by adopting a straight forward course in life. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a staunch Democrat. In 1874, he was elected to the State Legisla- ture, which position he filled with credit. Loretta, the second wife of Mr. Patterson, was called away, March 2, ISSI, and Janu- ary 1, 1884, he was married to Miss Eliza F. Mayes, daughter of M. W. and Nancy Mayes, prominent residents of Jackson Town- ship.
RICHARD PILE was born in Johnson County, Ind., January 12, 1827, the son of Richard and Margaret Pile, natives of Ken- tucky. Richard was reared on the farm, in Johnson County, and attended the schools of that day. At the age of twenty-one he began life on his own responsibility, and at the age of twenty-three engaged in work in a warehouse in Edinburg, where he remained until he was twenty-five years old. On August 5, 1852, he was mar- ried to Maria Anderson, daughter of William and Rebecca (Con- ner) Anderson, born in Bartholomew County, Ind., in 1830. This union was blessed with six children: John, Eliza M., George M., Emma, Albert and Arrilla, of whom Emma is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Pile are members of the Protestant Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, he is a Republican, and has never sought political honors. Mr. Pile to-day has a comfortable home, and has been very liberal with his children, and has assisted them to homes; he, however, owns a fine farm of 232 acres, of good land. He is
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honest and upright in all his dealings, and holds the respect and con- fidence of the entire community.
ALEXANDER PRUITT, a wealthy farmer and lumber dealer of Jackson Township, was born on the farm where he now resides, September 4, 1835. His parents were Pleasant and Nancy Pruitt, who were among the pioneer settlers of Jackson, the former of whom is yet living. Our subject was reared on the farm and in connection with saw milling and brick making, owns and controls one of the finest farms in Shelby County. In the fall of 1857, he chose for his life companion Miss Sarah A. Miller, a native of Ohio. This union was blessed with twelve children, seven of whom are living, they are: Israel A., William A., Adda A., Jackson A., Franklin A., Doc. A. and Gracie A. Politically, he is a loyal Dem- ocrat, and when his services are needed he is always found at the front. He has never sought office, but gives his time and money willingly for the success of his party and its principles. He began life in moderate circumstances, and in IS69, when he purchased the old home farm he assumed a debt of $22,250, which enormous amount he has wiped out. His fine improved farm con- sists of over 300 acres, and is situated just east of the city limits of " Edinburg." He also owns a fine farm in Bartholomew County. He has located on the home farm a large steam saw mill. He also manufactures a fine quality of brick, and all in all is one of the leading business men of Shelby County, and to-day, the wealthiest resident of Jackson Township.
JOHN F. SHANER, a prominent resident of Jackson Township, was born in Adams County, Penn., December 17, 1836. His parents were John and Aaron ( Feizer) Shaner, natives of Pennsylvania, of German descent. Our subject, at the age of thirteen years, ac- companied his parents to Shelby County. They settled near St. Paul, in Noble Township, and there John grew to manhood and attended the district schools of that day, receiving a fair education. At the age of seventeen he began life on his own responsibility by engaging at work by the month. On March 15, 1860, he was united in marriage with Catharine A. Coffman, daughter of James and Mary Coffman. Mrs. Shaner was born and reared in Jackson Township, her birth occurring April 20, 1837. This union was blessed with ten children, of whom Mary J., Clara F., James W. Ellen, and Charlie are now living. Mr. Shaner is a staunch Demo- crat, and firmly believes in the principles of that party. In April, 1884, he was elected Justice of the Peace of Jackson Township, which position he now holds. October 22, 1862, he enlisted in Co. G, Second Indiana Cavalry, Forty-first Regiment, under command of Col. McCook, and was placed in the department of the Cum-
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berland. He took part in some of the most hotly contested bat- tles of the war, namely: Triune, Shelbyville, Green River, Knoxville, Nashville, Stone River, Buzzard Roost, Resaca, and the Atlanta campaign. In the spring of '65, he was selected to accompany Gen. Wilson in his cavalry raid, starting in middle Tennessee, passing through Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and to Macon, Ga., where they arrived about April 25, 1865. This com- mand took part in a severe fight at West Point, after the sur- render of Lee's army. At the last battle he was wounded in the wrist. He began life a poor boy and has earned every dollar he is now worth by hard and honest toil.
DANIEL SNEPP, SR., is an old and highly respected resident of Jackson Township, born in Montgomery County, Ohio, September I, 1814. His parents were Daniel and Elizabeth (Isley) Snepp, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Tennessee, both of German descent. The father died when Daniel was nine years of age, leaving a widow and six children to mourn his loss, thus it became necessary for Daniel to do for himself, and for a few years, he was compelled to make his home among strangers. His mother re-married, and once more the family was brought together, but soon the happy circle was broken by the death of that dearest friend on earth, the mother, which occurred in 1831. Daniel was seventeen years old, and was soon apprenticed to learn the black- smith trade, which he followed about five years. In 1832, he paid Shelby County a visit and was very much pleased with the coun- try. On July 3, 1836, he was married to Mary Rollman, daughter of George and Barbara Rollman. Mary was born in Pennsylvania, but accompanied her parents to Ohio, when quite young. Mr. and Mrs. Snepp began housekeeping about seven miles south- west of Dayton, Ohio, where they resided on a rented farm until March, 1839, when they started in wagons for Jackson Township. The year before, Mr. Snepp came out and purchased seventy acres of the farm he owns to-day for $700. There was a cabin on the land, and into that he moved his family and set about to clear up a home. His land was covered with a dense growth of heavy timber, and it has required a vast amount of hard labor to develop the land, but to-day, he owns over 300 acres, divided into two fine improved farms, and he is surrounded with the comforts of this life. Ile and his wife were blessed with six children, namely : Joseph, Will- iam, Elizabeth J., John E., George W., and Catharine A., of whom Catharine A., is deceased. The mother and wife was called away February 22, 1853. She was a true Christian woman, a member of the Lutheran Church, and highly respected by all who knew her. On October 16, 1855, Mr. Snepp was again married, his
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choice being Mrs. Mary Guntle. daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Six) Guntle. Mrs. Guntle was a widow of John Guntle, (de- ceased), a native of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Snepp are mem- bers of the Lutheran Church. Politically, he is a staunch Demo- crat, and was selected one of the first Trustees of Jackson Township, and has served ten or fifteen years in that capacity. His life has been an honorable one, and to-day he stands without reproach in the estimation of the people.
HENRY SPURLIN was born in Warren County, Ohio, in IS22. His parents were Jesse and Elizabeth (Goodpaster) Spurlin, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Kentucky. At the age of six he came to Washington Township, Shelby County, with his parents, who resided here until their deaths. When he came here this was a perfect wilderness, filled with all kinds of game. They purchased land of Joseph Drake. and began to make a home. Henry was reared amid the hardships of farm and pioneer life, and has lived to see a wonderful change in this country; what was a wilderness sixty years ago, has been transformed into fine beautiful farms. At the age of twenty-one he began to do for himself, and in 1847 was married to Miss Sarah J. Coffman, daugh- ter of Henry Coffman, whose biography appears in this volume. This union was blessed with fourteen children: Elijah W., George W., Mary C., Andrew J., Harvey A., Christina E., Jacob L., Frances A., Sarah A., Ester J., Charley W .. Bruce, Amanda M. and Henry J., of whom Elijah W., Andrew J., Sarah A. and Ester J. are deceased. Politically, Mr. Spurlin is a staunch Democrat, and firmly believes in the principles of his party. By hard and earnest toil he has succeeded in providing himself with 259 acres of first class land. He adopted farming as a life profession, and to-day can be classed among the successful farmers of Jackson Township.
JOHN STINE, a prominent farmer and lumber dealer of Jackson Township, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, October I, 1838. His parents were Frederick and Elizabeth (Wertz) Stine, the former a native of Frederick County, Md., where he was born May IS, 1813, and at the age of ten, he accompanied his parents, John and Sophia Stine, to Montgomery County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood, and was married in September, 1837. Eliza- beth his wife. was born in Middletown, Ohio, June 29, 18IS: her parents were Daniel and Sarah Wertz, the former of whom lived to be ninety-four years of age, when he died from an accident received by falling down a flight of stairs. John, at the age of five years, accompanied his parents to this county, arriving here October 1, 1843. They settled on what is now known as the George Muttendon farm, and in May, 1844, moved to a farm one mile
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east of Mt. Auburn, where the father of our subject was called away April 3. 1875. The mother is still living, and is to-day the wife of John Warble, and resides in Hendricks Township. Our subject grew to manhood here on a farm, and adopted farming as a life profession. On March 7, 1858, he was married to Mary A. Green, by whom he had five children: Matilda E., William H., Sarah S., Frederick F., and Charlotte A., of whom Charlotte A. is deceased. On October II, IS71, he was married to Phebe Lamar, born May 29, 1849. This union was blessed with five children. Clarke and Hattie, twins, Kittie, Carle and Grover, of whom Hattie is deceased. Mr. Stine began life as a renter, and to-day owns 29S acres.
JACOB WERTZ (deceased, ) was born in Ohio, where he was raised. He was married there to Elizabeth Warble, daughter of Mathias and Elizabeth Stoap. Mrs. Wertz was born in Virginia, November II, IS17. She was quite young when her parents removed to Ohio. Jacob Wertz and family moved to Shelby County in IS47, and located on the farm where Mrs. Wertz now resides. Jacob Wertz was suddenly called away September 16. 1876. He was a member of the Lutheran Church. He left a widow and three children: Mathias, John and Daniel, of whom Daniel, born January 31, 1852, is deceased, dying August 9, 1884. Mrs. Wertz continues to reside on the old home farm. She is a devout member of the Lutheran Church, with which she has been united over fifty years. Jacob Wertz left home for Edinburg. to meet Rev. Mr. Westner, of the Lutheran Church: on his return home, while passing the house of an old friend of his, William Cutsinger, it was on fire. and during the excitement dropped dead. This was on September 16, 1876.
JOHN WERTZ, a prominent farmer of Jackson, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, May 30, 1844. He was the son of Jacob and Elizabeth Wertz, whose personal history appears in this volume. When three years of age he accompanied his parents to Shelby County, locating one mile east of Mt. Auburn, on the farm where his mother still resides. His boyhood and youth were spent on the farm, and his life occupation has been farming. At the age of twenty-two, or on October 12, 1865. he was married to Eliza A. Myers, daughter of Jacob and Barbara Myers, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Ohio, where Eliza was born April 8, in 1845. Shortly after her birth her mother was called away, but prior to her death they had removed to Shelby County. Indiana. Her father Jacob Myers, continued to reside in this township, un- til August 26, 1886, when he died. This union was blessed with seven children: Elizabeth A., Minnie A., Philo J., Ida M., Elsie C ..
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Clarance M. and Ottis A., all of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Wertz are members of the Lutheran Church, also their daughters, Annie and Minnie. Mr. Wertz is a staunch Democrat; he owns a fine farm one mile east of the village of Mt. Auburn, and has a comfortable home, and is one of the successful farmers of Jackson Township. The births of his children are as follows: Elizabeth A., was born September 3, 1866: Minnie A., February 4, 1868; Philo, March 30, 1871: Ida M., July 30, 1874; Elsie C., February 14, ISSI; Clarance M., June 13, 1884; Otis A., January 19, 1887.
MATHIAS WERTZ is a native of Montgomery County, Ohio, where he was born August 22, 1840. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Warble) Wertz, the former a native of Ohio, and the latter of Virginia. They emigrated to Shelby County in the spring of 1847, and settled one and a quarter miles east of Mt. Auburn, where Mrs. Wertz still resides. Mathias was then eight years of age, and therefore was almost entirely reared in this county. At the age of twenty-one he began to do for himself, and adopted farming as a life profession. In December, 1862, he was married to Mary Mahley, daughter of John and Christena Mahley, natives
of Germany. Mary was born in Germany, and accompanied her parents here when quite young. This union has been blessed with seven children: Daniel P., Jacob H., Charles S., William W., George A., Jesse M., and Frank M., all of whom are living. Mr. Wertz began life with a fair start, and to-day owns 240 acres of fine land, and has one of the best homes we have had the pleasure to see. They are members of the Lutheran Church. Politically, he is a staunch Democrat. He has always been very successful, and to-day can be classed among the substantial farmers of Jack- son Township.
PETER WINTERROWD, a prominent resident and farmer of Jackson Township, was born July 9, 1824, in Warren County, Ohio. His parents were Jacob and Jane ( Anderson ) Winterrowd, natives of Pennsylvania, the former of German descent, and the latter of Scotch-Irish extraction. They were married in Warren County, Ohio, about 1823. and were in poor circumstances. Ac- cordingly they determined to seek a home in the west, and about the middle of December, 1824, he loaded his household goods, with his young wife and infant son, into a two-horse wagon, and started for Shelby County, Ind. Here they landed, December 25, in what is now known as Washington Township, but then as No- ble Township, near the bluffs of Flatrock, or about one mile east of Flatrock. His brother Joseph and family also came at the same time, and located near. He entered 160 acres of wild land, put
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up a cabin, and began to make a home in the forest. Thus we find Jacob Winterrowd among the first settlers of the county. After a residence here of five years, or on April 22, 1829, when he had thirty acres cleared, he was called away. A kind and indulgent father was gone, and the widowed mother and children mourned his loss. Peter was then five years of age. He had two sisters, Matilda and Belinda. Mrs. Winterrowd continued to reside on the farm and care for her children. The pioneer schools of that day were of the old type, and scarce. Mrs. Winterrowd was desirous that her children should obtain as good an education as her means and that day afforded. The district school was the only resort, and our subject, by strict attention to his books, acquired an edu- cation sufficient to enable him in after years to successfully teach in the public schools of the county. He remained at home until his maturity, when he began life on his own responsibility. On Oc- tober 24, 1849, he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Hageman, born near Mt. Auburn, Shelby County, March 7, 1825. Her parents were Peter and Clarissa (Dorsey) Hageman, who were among the pioneers of Jackson Township, settling here in I823, and locating on what is to-day known as the Lewis Nieble farm, south of Mt. Auburn. Mrs. Winterrowd has spent her en- tire life here, and has witnessed a great change in this country. Her parents resided here until their deaths. Mr. and Mrs. Win- terrowd were blessed with nine children: Walter S., Phebe J., George W., Clara L., Peter A., Julia M., Samaria C., David S. and Jacob G., of whom Walter S., Samaria C. and Jacob G. are deceased, the rest have all grown to maturity. Politically, Mr. Winterrowd is a Republican, but has never sought political honors. Peter Winterrowd, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, where he was reared and married, and in 1808 emi- grated to Warren County, Ohio, where he resided until his death, which occurred about 1842. Jacob, the father of our subject, was born January IS, 1798, in Pennsylvania, and therefore ten years of age when his father removed to Ohio. Jane Anderson, the wife of Jacob Winterrowd, and mother of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, August 2, 1802, and accompanied her parents to Warren County, Ohio, in ISII, where she was reared. Jacob Winterrowd was called away April 22, 1829. The mother of our subject, Jane Winterrowd - after the death of her husband, added forty acres of land to the tract he had entered, paying government price for it, or $50. She was called away in February, 1872.
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LIBERTY SKETCHES.
J. B. ANDERSON was reared in Cincinnati. where he received a common school education. He engaged in the cooper trade when twenty years old, but later returned to his home and helped his father, who was keeping hotel. Still later he opened a stone quarry, and shipped stone to the city by boat for several years. In IS38, he married Miss Elizabeth Darby, of Hamilton County, Ohio, a daughter of Henry and Margaret (Baker) Darby. After his marriage, he moved to Kentucky, where he remained fifteen years, when he returned to his boyhood home, where he was a successful farmer until he moved and located at his present home. He now owns a fine farm and gives his exclusive attention to farming and stock raising. He is the father of nine children, of whom seven are now living: Henry D., Henrieta, Eliza, Isabel, Ann, John K., and Margaret: the deceased were aged nineteen years and eight months respectively. Mrs. Anderson died in 1873. Mr. Anderson was born in Boone County, Kentucky, February 12, 1815. He was the oldest son and third child born to Enoch and Rachael ( Arnold ) Anderson, who moved to Boone County in early child- hood, and were married there. Mr. Enoch Anderson died at Cin- cinnati, after making a good home, at the age of seventy-three; his wife died some three years before at the age of sixty-five.
ELISHA M. ARNOLD Was born in Campbell County, Ky., May IO, ISIO. He was the fifth of ten children born to John and Mary (Cherry) Arnold, both natives of Virginia. Rev. John Arnold moved to Kentucky with his parents, in early manhood. He was a farmer, but began work in the ministry of the Baptist persuasion. In 1835. he moved to Decatur County, Ind. He was a man of some means, and soon had a good home though in a wild country. He continued in the ministry until old age compelled him to resign. He died at the age of eighty-four, and his wife at the age of seventy-six. Elisha Arnold passed his early life on a farm in Campbell County, Ky. He lived with his parents until he was mar- ried. March 8, 1835. to Miss Margaret Powell, who came to Shelby County with her parents. Abraham and Elizabeth Powell. Soon after his marriage Mr. Arnold rented a small farm, and three years later he purchased his present home. He served an apprenticeship at the mason trade, which he worked at many years. He has made a success of life and was at one time the heaviest tax-payer in the county. He is the father of ten children: Mary, Eliza, Ripley, Bennett W., Ferris, Laura, Fanny, James and E. Madison. Eliza died at the age of thirty-four years. Mrs. Arnold died July 24, 1863, aged forty-one. Mr. Arnold is an honest, upright man, and although identified with no church has lived a moral, Christian life.
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