USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph County, Indiana > Part 71
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LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
Liberty township formerly embraced the territory included in Lincoln township, but being inconvenient for the settlers that resided in (now) Lincoln township to attend elections, in June, 1866, according to petitions of Lincoln settlers, it was detached and made an independent township. Liberty is generally known as being among the first settled townships in St. Joseph county. The first settlements were made in 1833 near North Liberty, by John Kane, John and Jacob Earhart and Isaac Townsend. But few other settlers eame into the township till 1836. John Rupel came in January, this year, soon followed by David Rupel, Jas. Cole, Jacob Rupel and Joseph Liggett.
In May, 1837, the township was organized by the following per- sons: Daniel and James Antrim, John and David Rupel, Samuel Loring, James Cole, Jacob Rupel and Joseph Liggett. The first election was held the same spring, in North Liberty, at the house of Jas. P. Antrim, who was elected Justice of the Peace. In 1838 Mr. Waldsmith, father of Geo. Waldsmith, a present resident of Liberty township, settled on section 30.
Then the early settlers met with hardships the present settlers know nothing of. They had to go to Elkhart in order to get wheat or corn ground for bread, and sometimes would have to wait nearly a whole week before their turn would come, all the while their families at home subsisting on nothing but what we call "hard tack " and wild meat. The wives of the settlers shared their trying lot with great paticnee and boldness of spirit. Their husbands were compelled to go away from home and work, leaving home just as soon as the morn of Monday would break; go to a place ten or twelve miles distant, where he would labor all the. week and not return home till the stars had lit the sky on Saturday evening; and as he would plod his weary way along the Indian trail bearing a piece of fresh beef, which was a part of the fruits of his week's labors, frequently the hungry wolves would get scent of the precions meat he had, and he could hear their howling in the distance, then a little nearer and a little nearer till their incessant howls only told that they were persistently too near. Then he would be compelled to drop his meat to be devoured by the angry wolves and would have to go home at last without meat for his family. At this time the Pottawatomie Indians strolled in bands through the forests of this vicinity in search of "Big Injun's deer," which roamed in great herds through St. Joseph county. The Indians at this time were peaceable, but by their savage and warlike actions would frequently frighten the settlers' wives. At
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
one time in mid-winter about a dozen of these red skins called at the house of Mr. Waldsmith, and he not being at home, Mrs. W. was greatly terrified. They (the Indians) would stand around the fire, and, scraping the snow off their "leggins," would stop and point their huge bowie knives at Mrs. Waldsmith's children and say, "See, dat is de white man's pappoose; de white man's pap- poose." This frightened Mrs. W. almost to death and she treated them with great hospitality,-with a great deal more than human nature would do under any other circumstances. She gave them food and almost everything in that line, and finally they departed, much to the joy of their benefactor. But it was only a few years before the Indians were removed westward.
In 1837 a grist mill was built in North Liberty, much to the convenience and accommodation of the settlers. In 1839 Hiram Bean and Alonzo Hill built a saw-mill not far from where the present grist-mill stands.
The land of this township, as already stated, was very thickly and heavily timbered, and it was not till about 1850 that the work of grubbing and elearing began to be faithfully prosecuted; but since that a great portion of it has been cleared up, thereby redne- ing to cultivation a body of land unexcelled in fertility and pro- duetiveness of all kinds of grain. The leading industrial pursuits of the settlers are farming and Iumbering. Five saw-mnills are actively running in the township. Live-stock rearing is fast be- coming a leading feature of the industry of Liberty township.
Among the leading farmers of this township we find the names of D. W. Reece, V. S. Bulla, Henry Reamer, Jacob D. Row, A. H. Price, Ort Cook, Samuel Williams, L. Decoutres, Geo. Wald- smith, C. Schroeder, Franklin Pearce and his two sons L. S. and N. W., who are stock-raisers; N. S. Miller is a merchant and far- mer; Isaac R. Cole, Jacob Geiger and Levi J. Knepp, farmers and mill sawyers.
The inhabitants of Liberty township are mostly of German an- cestry, or what are called Pennsylvania Duteh, but they are a very enterprising class of people.
The only village that Liberty township contains is
NORTH LIBERTY.
It is situated at the conjunction of sections 28, 29, 32 and 33. and contains a population of nearly 400. It was laid out in 1837 by Daniel and James P. Antrim, and was surveyed by T. W. Bray. No houses had yet been built on the site, but the " distant future lent enchantments," and soon after its location James Downey built a house; the same year four other houses were built. The first store in the place was opened by Daniel Antrim in 1837. IIe did business one year, then sold his stock to E. S. Reynolds, and in 1840 he sold to A. P. Richardson, who kept the store till about 1845, when James Harvey purchased the stock and started a general
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
store. Mr. Harvey continued in business till 1867. In 1875 the Houser Brothers opened a general store. They still continue in business. In 1865 Mr. Norman S. Miller opened a large dry-goods establishment, which he continues. In 1866 Cole Brothers built a large planing mill and manufacturing establishment, which was burnt the winter of 1871. Jan. 1, 1873, a company was formed named Cole, Ragon & Co., consisting of Cole brothers, Honser and Knepp, and they built the North Liberty manufacturing estab- lishment. They continued in business till 1875, when Houser & Knepp purchased Cole Bros.' interest in the establishment and have kept it in operation.
The home manufacturing company started in business in the fall of 1873, but has since discontinued, and the machinery was pur- chased by Schwartz & Tischer and moved to Walkerton, where they erected a planing-mill.
The present business of North Liberty consists of two large dry- goods establishments, two boot and shoe stores, one drug and hardware store, one grocery and hardware store, one planing-mill and manufacturing establishment, one grist-mill, one millinery store, one butcher shop, one barber and four practicing physicians. There are also three churches and one school-house.
The first church in Liberty tp., was erected by the Mehodists in North Liberty, in 1851, during the pastorate of Rev. A. Badley. This was used till 1878, when, during the administration of Rev. R. H. Sanders, a new and commodious structure was erected. The persons that aided principally in the founding of the Church at North Liberty in 1851, were: John Rupel (since deceased), Jas. Cole, John Quigley, Henry Reamer, Samuel Williams, Sumner G. Williams and D. W. Reece. The class-leaders of the North Liberty M. E. Church are Henry Reamer, Isaac R. Cole and Thos. Faulkner. Perhaps no other quarterly conference in Northern Indiana can boast of having sent more men from the private ranks to the active duties of the ministry, nor of men who under God have more faithfully wielded the weapons of Christian warfare, which in their hands have been mighty to " the pulling down" of "strong- holds," among whom are Revs. Samuel T. Cooper, H. B. Ball, Nelson Green, James Green, Samuel Godfrey, J. C. Metsker, S. Lamb and C.W. Miller, of the North Indiana conference, and John C. Baker, of the Iilinois Conference.
The second church in the township was the Seventh-Day Advent church at North Liberty, which was built in 1868 by donations from James Harvey, Elias Styles, Jacob Styles, Anson Worster, Adam Rupert and Russel Hoag, since deceased.
The Episcopalians also built a church a few years ago.
There are also five other churches outside of North Liberty,-two Dunkard churches, one Evangelical, one German Lutheran, and one United Brethren church.
The first school-house in Liberty township was erected near the site of the Dunkard church, one-half mile south of the village, in
WJ.EDBROOKEARCHIT
JMANZ & CO.CHICACO
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
1838. It was built of logs, and had a huge fire-place in one end of the room. The windows were one sash with three lights. One was in each side of the room. In 1840 a school-house was built in North Liberty, and in 1868 a high-school building was erected. A graded school has since been kept. Mr. J. N. Reece is the principal and George Sands is the teacher in the lower department.
North Liberty is a very pleasant little town and is surrounded with wealthy men. All the disadvantage that this place meets with is the lack of railroad facilities; but should a railroad be con- structed through this place it would become one of the most flourishing towns in the county.
BIOGRAPHIES.
The history of Liberty township is substantially continued in the brief personal sketches which follow, of leading pioneers and residents.
Rev. Orlando R. Beebe, son of Samuel C. and Currence B. Beebe, was born near Salem, Porter county, Ind., Sept. 25, 1843. At the tender age of three years, his father died, and thenceforward his support and training devolved upon the widowed mother. Care was taken to secure for him the benefits of a common-school educa- tion. When about 16 years of age he began the struggle for larger advantages than the common school afforded. He accordingly became a student in the Valparaiso Collegiate Institute, where he was still at work with his books, when, in Ang., 1862, he enlisted in the Marine Artillery, and was soon with his command in North Carolina, where he obtained a transfer to the 3rd N. Y. Artillery. Shortly after this transfer the troops in North Carolina were removed in large part to South Carolina, to engage in the siege of Charleston. One year from his enlistment he was discharged, and, returning home, again enlisted in an Indiana Regiment, the 138th, where he served for a little more than one hundred days and was again discharged. This was followed by a third enlistment in the 151st Ind. Infantry. Here he remained until the close of the war. After the war was over and following a year's residence in Chicago, he began business for himself in Hebron, Ind. Here he became acquainted with and married Miss Laura G. Cain, daughter of Wes- ley and Elizabeth Cain. As the fruit of this marriage they have 1 daughter, born Nov. 15, 1875. On the 11th of May, 1872, having already been licensed by the Hebron Quarterly Conference as a local preacher, and having closed up his business affairs at Hebron, he began work in the Methodist ministry on Marmont Circuit, North- west Indiana Conference. At the conference held in the following September, he was re-appointed to the same work. In the follow- ing year he was appointed to the Winamac charge. After a year of labor at Winamac he became pastor at Argus, in Marshall county. From thence he removed to Wheeler in Porter county. After a three years' term at Wheeler, Union Mills, in Laporte county,
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became his field of labor. His next appointment brought him into this county, to North Liberty circuit, where he now lives and labors.
V. S. Bulla was born in this county Feb. 14, 1847. His par- ents, W. F. and Mary Bulla, were natives of Indiana. His father was one of the first settlers in St. Joseph connty. (The biography of this early pioneer appears in another place.) V. S. was reared on a farm in Clay tp., north of South Bend. He was educated in the Notre Dame schools; was married Jan. 8, 1874, to Elizabeth, danghter of Daniel and Adaline Mckenzie; to them were born 2 children, viz .: Mary A. and Lore. Mr. B. owns 240 acres of land in secs. 31 and 32.
Alex. S. Campbell, M. D., physician, North Liberty, was born in Baltimore county, Md., May 3, 1828. His parents were James H. and Elizabeth (Hattan) Campbell; he was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools of the country; in 1831 he, with his parents, moved to Zanesville, O., and in 1834, to McConnells- ville, O .; remained there till 1845, then moved to Mt. Vernon, Ohio; in 1846 'lie went to Chesterville. O., and in 1852 went to Johnsville, and in 1855 to Iberia; in 1853 he commenced studying medicine under Drs. Henry H. Duff and T. White, of Iberia; he commeneed practicing in 1857 at Iberia; and in 1860 he went to Zanesfield, where he practiced till 1870; then came to North Judson, . Ind .; in 1871 he came to North Liberty, where he still resides, engag- ed in the practice of his profession. Mr. Campbell has been a mem- ber of the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical Association since 1869. He was married in 1848 to Miss Elizabeth Wilson, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Ferris) Wilson, and they have had 9 ehil- dren, viz .: James M., a physician at Burlington, Iowa; Harriet L., now Mrs. Albert Liggett; Anna, now Mrs. Elias Styles; Thos. W., Emma A., now Mrs. Joseph Lucado; Win. and Alice, twins, the latter now Mrs. Cyrus D. Houser; Amanda and Ada. Mrs. Camp- bell departed this life Sept. 9, 1877. Mr. Campbell was again married May 9, 1880, to Miss Sarah Gordon, daughter of John W. and Elizabeth Gordon, natives of Virginia.
Isaac R. Cole was born in Darke county, O., June 13, 1833; his parents were James and Sarah Cole, the former a native of New Jersey, and the latter of Pennsylvania; he came with his parents to this conuty in 1836, and they settled two and a half miles south of North Liberty. His father's family were among the first settlers of Liberty tp. Here on this frontier Isaac R. was reared to man- hood and educated in the pioneer or frontier school, as it may be called. He was married Sept. 16, 1856, to Eliza J. Rush, daughter of Isaiah and Rebecca Rush, natives of Ohio. To this marriage was born one child, viz .: James Arthur. Mrs. Cole departed this life March 3, 1859. Mr. Cole was again married Oct. 21, 1861, to Mary E. Reamer, daughter of George and Rebecca Reamer, natives of Pennsylvania; their 3 living children are Alma A., Benj. F. and Mable B. Mr. C., in connection with his brother, owns 160 acres
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
of land, also two saw-mills, one in Liberty tp. and the other at Crum's Point. Mr. C. also owns 102 acres more near North Lib- erty.
Ort Cook was born in this county Ang. 8, 1847, and is a son of the Rev. Elias and Sophia (Eberhart) Cook. He was reared on a farın, and educated in the South Bend College. His father came to this county in the early part of 1847, and was a minister of the M. E. Church. Mr. Cook was married Oct. 5, 1874, to Miss Arvilla Rupel, daughter of John Wesley and Elzada Rupel. Her father was a native of Ohio, and her mother of Indiana. Two chil- dren were born to this nnion, one living, viz .: Adolphns and Tutt. Mr. C.'s grandfather Cook was a soldier in the Revolution.
Isaac Early was born in Rockingham connty, Va., March 7, 1838; his parents, Jacob and Mary (Summons) Early, were natives of Virginia; he went to Allen county, O., when two years old, was educated in a common school, in a log house with slab seats, stick chimney, etc. In 1865 he came to this county where he still resides, engaged in farming and stoek-raising; he followed school-teaching for awhile in Ohio. He was married April 18, 1861, to Mary E. Irvin, a native of Rockingham county, Va. To them were born 8 children, viz .: Sarah M., Hattie E., Mary E., Charles E. and Ella M. (twins), Mattie A., William I. and John J. Mr. E. owns a farm of 240 acres, worth $50 per acre.
Martin Finch was born in Michigan June 19, 1836, son of Zimri and Hannah (Wright) Finch; he came to this county in 1844, and, with his parents, settled near Mishawaka; his father was a forgeman by trade and worked in the Mishawaka iron works. Martin was married Dec. 12, 1869, to Elizabeth Rupel, by whom he has had 5 children, viz. : Samnel N., Henry N., Ettie E., Ira A. and Ruth A. Mr. F. owns. 91 acres of land in secs. 31 and 36.
Geo. R. Flood, harness-maker, keeps on hand a full stock of harness, whips, etc .; was born in Fairfield, Ind., Oct. 8, 1851, and is a son of James and Rachel E. Flood; he learned harness-making when 14 years of age, in Westville, his parents having moved there when he was young; his father was a merchant there for several years, and in 1872 Geo. R. went to Iowa, returning in 1874. In 1875 he worked at Lafayette, and in 1876 he came to North Liberty. He was married Dee. 4. of the same year, to Miss Mary E. Mc- Kenzie, daughter of D. R. and E. A. MeKenzie, and they have had 2 children, viz .: Daniel R. and Mahel M. Mr. Flood's grandfather on liis father's side was born near Dublin, Ireland, and during the Irish insurrection lie was compelled to flee to another "seaport," and came to the free American soil; his grandfather Best was the first white child born in Cincinnati, O.
Jacob Geiger was born in Seneca county, O., Jan. 27, 1840. His parents, Henry and Christina (Zenderfan) Geiger, were natives of Baden, Germany; they came to this country in 1825. Mr. Geiger is the 3d child and 2d son of a family of 8 children; he was reared on a farm and educated in school-houses built of slabs, and
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
furnished with slab seats and writing desks. He left Ohio in 1863, and went to Jasper county, Ind .; and in 1865 came to this county, and has since followed farming and lumbering. In 1877 he pur- chased an interest in a saw-mill which he has since kept in operation- He was married Oct. 28, 1862, to Maria Shaffner, daughter of Mar. tn and Susanna Shaffner, natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. G. have had 9 children 7 of whom are living, viz .: Theodosia, Vesta, Christiana, Madison F., Gertrude, Susanna and Ethel.} Mrs. Geiger was born Feb. 8, 1843. Mr. G. owns 195 acres of land in sec. 36, also 200 acres in Marshall county.
Henry Geyer was born in Dearborn county, Ind., Feb. 14, 1849. His parents, John G. and Anna H. Geyer, were natives of Germany, and emigrated to America in the year 1840, and settled in Dear- born county where they resided till 1850, when they came to this county. Mr. G. was married Sept. 11, 1874, to Margaret A. Mor- row, daughter of Andrew and Sarah Morrow, natives of Ohio. Mrs. Geyer died July 7, 1877, leaving one child. The 11th day of December following, Mr. G. married Sophia Stumble, daughter of Abram S. and Lydia Stumble; they have had one child, Chas. A. Mr. G. owns a farm of 230 acres in secs. 26 and 35, valued at $50 per acre.
John Hawblitzel was born in Stark county, O., in the year 1833; his parents, John G. and Ann C. Hawblitzel, were natives of Ger- many. He came to this county in 1863; was married in 1858 to Anna C. Geiger, by whom he has had 4 children, of whom 3 are living, viz .: Nelson M., Henry G. and Anna C. Mr. H's father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and his grandfather on his father's side was in the Revolutionary war. He owns a farm of 144 acres.
Russel Hoag was born in New York State, Feb. 17, 1836. His parents were Russel and Mary Hoag, the former a native of New York and the latter of Rhode Island. He was reared in the town of Coalsville, N. Y., and educated in the schools of that place; he went to Michigan in 1857, and in 1868 came to this county; he was married April 2, the same year, to Miss Emma Carpenter, daughter of William and Nancy Carpenter, natives of Rhode Island. To this marriage were born 3 children, viz .: William R., Joseph H. and Myrtie Bell. Mr. Hoag was one of the founders of the Seventh- Day Advent Church at North Liberty; he owns 35 acres of land near North Liberty, worth $100 per acre, and also a house and lot in the town.
C. D. Houser, of the firm of Honser Bros., dealers in general merchandise, North Liberty, Ind .; was born Feb. 18, 1850, son of George and Lncy (Long) Houser, natives of Pennsylvania; he was reared on a farm, and educated in the Roanoke schools; followed farming till 1873, when he and his brother opened the store. He was married Sept. 22, 1878, to Alice Campbell, daughter of Dr. A. S. and Elizabeth Campbell, natives of Ohio; they have had 1 child Grace.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Daniel W. Houser, of the firm of Houser Bros., dry-goods dealers, and also of the North Liberty Manufacturing Company, is a brother of the preceding, and was born in Coshocton county, O., Dec. 7, 1842; he was reared on a farm, and educated in the common schools; he left Ohio in 1858, and came to this county, where he followed farming till he was of age, then purchased an interest in a saw-mill; he followed milling until 1868. In 1872 he with his brother opened a manufacturing establishment. Mr. H. was mar- ricd Mar. 1, 1877, to Miss Ella Briggs, daughter of William and Charlotte Briggs; to them were born 2 children, Gail E. and Eva M.
William Inman was born Feb. 7, 1832, in Clarke county, Ohio. His parents, John and Hannah Inman, were natives of England, and came to this country about the year 1815, settling in Ohio. His educational advantages were limited to the common schools of the country; in 1838 he came with his parents to this county when all was wild and unbroken, almost equal to his native place. His father purchased 235 acres of land at the Government price ($1.25 per acre); they then moved on the land and began improving it. Our subject was married Jan. 3, 1848, to Miss Adelia Whitman, daughter of Joel and Artemisia (Hewitt) Whitman, and their 8 children are: William C., Alma V., Ann M., Frances E., John A., George M., Martha M. and Artemisia. Mr. I. owns 158 acres of land, worth $45 per acre, and is a Republican.
Levi J. Knepp was born in Ohio Jan. 7, 1835, and is a son of John and Mary (Price) Knepp; he was reared on a farm, and edu- cated in the common schools of the country. In 1857, he came to this county, and soon after went to La Porte; here he followed his trade, carpentering, for about two years; in 1859 he returned to St. Joseph county and pursued his former vocation till 1865, when he purchased a saw-mill, which was burned in about two months; he rebuilt and ran it for about four years, when it was again de- stroyed by fire; he replaced this with another, and has since fol- lowed milling in connection with farming. He was married Oct. 2, 1859, to Sarah Honser, daughter of George and Lucy Houser. To this marriage were born 4 children, of whom 3 are living, viz .: Jonathan D., Geo. F., Laura C. and Schuyler W. (dec.).
Elijah T. Lee, blacksmith and wagon-maker, North Liberty; was born in Wythe county, Va., Dec. 5, 1829; his parents, Martin and Mary Lee, were natives of Virginia; he lived on a farm till he was seventeen, then learned the blacksmith trade. In 1842 he went to Noble county, and worked at his trade till 1854, when he went to La Porte; he followed his trade there till the war broke out; he enlisted in the military service Aug. 9, 1862, in Co. E, 4th Ind. Cavalry, and served in that capacity till the close of the war; he participated in the battle at Mt. Washington, Ky., and at Atlanta; he employed most of his time at General Wilson's headquarters, working at his trade. He was mustered out at Edgefield, Tenn., and immediately returned to La Porte. . In 1865 he came to North
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Liberty, where he still resides, working at his trade. He was mar- ried in 1854, to Helen Nevins, daughter of Oscar Nevins; they have had 5 children, 4 of whom are living; viz .: Francis M., Ida Estella. Anna Laura and Mary Lizzie. Mr. L's father was in the war of 1812.
John A. Long, deceased,-was born in Tennessee, Nov. 14, 1813; was reared on a farin, and in November, 1841, he came to this county, and settled in Liberty tp. He was married Jan. 3, 1839, to Miss Elizabeth Troxell, daughter of Jacob and Catharine Troxell; 9 of their children are living; viz .: Jacob, Sarah C. (now Mrs. Jacob Jemison), Lucinda (now Mrs. Adam Longacre), George M., William, Francis M., Mary A. (now Mrs. Milton White), Margaret E., Benjamin A., Jonathan (dec.) and Thomas G. (dec.). . Mr. Long followed the life of the honest farmer up to the time of his death, which occurred June 27, 1874. He had been a member of the German Baptist Church for fifteen years, and during this time he led a life of fidelity and uprightness, and left the earth re- spected by all and at enmity with none.
Norman S. Miller, merchant, North Liberty, was born in Darke county, O., Feb. 25, 1832; his parents were Josiah and Martha Miller, natives of Somerset county, Penn .; he was reared on a farin and ed- ucated in the common schools of the country ; he came to this coun- ty in the spring of 1855, with only $75 in money. He taught school three months the following winter, for which he received $105. The same year he purchased a farm of 95 acres, near North Liberty, for which he paid $1,000, a part cash and the remainder "on tick." The spring of 1859, he sold the same farin for $1,687.50, realizing a gain of $687.50. In the spring of 1860 he bought 100 acres lying in sec. 8, for which he paid $1,100, and sold the same farm in 1863 for $1,800. He then purchased 160 acres in sec. 5, paying $2,100, and in 1867 sold it for $4,100. In 1865 he entered into the mercantile business, with a stock of general mer- chandise invoiced at $9,000. I: 1872 he purchased another farm of 160 acres, paying $3,300. Mr. Miller has held many prominent township offices. In 1857 he was elected Justice of the Peace, and served three successive terms with general acceptability. In 1869 he was elected Township Trustee, which office he filled seven years. He was married in 1855 to Miss Mary Rupel, daughter of John and Anna (Loring) Rupel. To this union were born 6 children, of whom 4 are living, viz., John H., Norman E., Anna M. and Lorene. Mr. M. is Postmaster, was appointed by President Lincoln, and strongly adheres to the noblest truths of the Republican party.
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