USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph County, Indiana > Part 75
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George Friedman, farmer, sec. 9; P. O., Woodland; son of John and Mary (Bower) Friedman, dec., natives of Germany, was born
48
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
in Germany in 1822; he came to America in 1851, and to this county in 1859; he was married in Ohio in 1851, to Margaret Bols, who was born in Germany in 1825, and they have 5 children living, 3 boys and 2 girls. Mr. F. and family are members of the Catholic Church; his educational advantages in Germany were good. He owns 90 acres of good land on sec. 9, worth about $60 per acre, and is a hard-working man.
Isaac H. Gilman, farmer, sec. 9; P. O., Mishawaka; son of Jonathan and Berintha (Ferris) Gilman, natives of New York; was born in Indiana in 1840, and is of English descent. His parents emigrated to this county in 1848, and settled in this tp. In 1866 he was married to Lizzie A. Bartlett, who was born in New Hamp- shire in 1844, danghter of Josiah and Hannah (Clark) Bartlett; ler great grandfather signed the Declaration of Independence. They have had 4 children, of whom 3 are now living: Mary L., Abbie F. and Charles E. Mr. G. and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; politically, he is a Repuplican. They own!180 acres of good land, which they value at $75 per acre. In 1861 Mr. G. enlisted in the army at Goshen, under Col. Eddy, of South Bend; he was in the service three years, and eight months; was in the battles at Inka, Florence, the siege of Vicksburg, and was discharged at the close of the war.
Christian Grose, farmer, sec. 21; P. O., Woodland; is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Helminger) Grose, and was born in France in 1822; he came to this country with his parents in 1827, and to this connty in 1850. He was married in 1848 to Sophia Shearer, who was born in France in 1829; they have had 12 children, of whom 9 are living, namely: William, Margaret, Sadie, Katie, Abram, Christian, Philip, Ellen and George. Mr. G. and wife are members of the German Baptist Church. He owns 200 acres of land on secs. 21 and 22, and is a careful, industrions farmer.
John Hahn, farmer, sec. 20; P. O., Mishawaka; son of Henry and Barbara Hahn; was born in Germany in 1822, and came to America in 1831. Ho was married in 1844, and has 5 children, all living. Politically, Mr. H. is a Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical Church; he owns 80 acres of land and is an industrious farmer.
Jacob Hetzel, son of Gottlieb and Katie (Rinehart) Hetzel, was born in Wittenburg, Germany, in 1827, and came to America in 1851. His parents were also natives of Germany and are both deceased. He came to this county Nov. 1, 1853, and settled in this tp. He was married in Germany in 1849, to Fredrica Wagner, who was born in Germany in 1827, and they have had 11 children, of whom 9 are now living: John, Fredriaa, Katie, Mary, Caroline, Sarah, Panlina, Ernest and Matilda. He owns 96 acres of land; he and his wife are members of the Evangelical Association.
D. B. Jewell, a prominent farmer, sec. 23; P. O., Mishawaka; is the son of Amos and Lorinda (Brown) Jewell, and is the oldest of a family of 6 children, of whom 4 are now living. His parents
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
were natives of New York; they came to this tp. in 1852, and set- tled on sec. 24, where they both died. D. B. was born in Portage county, O., in 1822, and is of English deseent. He was married, first, in 1848 to Naney Crocker, a native of Conneetient, who died in 1852 at the age of 26 years; and, secondly, in 1853, to Eleanor Galor, a native of Indiana, who died in 1862, leaving 3 children: Cynthia D., Lusetta L. and William M .; two others died when quite young. He was married again in 1863 to Mary (Avery) Allen, who had 2 children, George B. and Milan W. Mr. and Mrs. J. have one child, May F.
Mr. J. has been Trustee of the tp. and was Enrolling Commis- sioner for the tp. during the war; he is a Republican, and a mem- ber of the Baptist Church; his wife is a Methodist. His educational advantages were quite limited, being compelled to attend subserip- tion schools in log houses. He owns 150 acres of good land, worth about $45 per aere.
Charles Kelley, son of Jolin and Anna (Fulmer) Kelley, deceased, was born in Germany in 1829, and was brought to America by his parents when only two years old and to this county abont 1854. In 1855 he was married to Fredrica Lang, a native of Germany, and they have 5 children: Peter, Fredrick, Emily, Bertha and Ida. Mr. K. owns 140 acres of land which he values at $40 per aere. He is a hard-working man, and a good citizen; has been a farmer all his life, and is now on see. 21; P. O., Woodland.
Z. T. Longenecker, farmer on see. 18; P. O., Mishawaka; was born in Ohio in 1849, and is the son of Levi and Elizabeth (Welty) Longeneeker, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Ohio. They came to this county in 1864, where they both died. Mr. L. and his two maiden sisters own 186 acres of land, worth about $60 per aere. Politieally, he is a Republican; his education, when young, was only such as was afforded by common schools.
Adam Mochel, farmer, see. 22; P. O., Woodland; was born in Germany in 1822, and eame to this country in 1850. His parents, John and Margaret (Mornawick), natives of Germany, are deceased. Mr. M. came to this tp. in 1854, and was married in 1853, to Agnes Kelley, who was born in Germany in 1825; and their 8 living children are: Rosa, John, Mary, Katie, Ernest, Martin, Charles and Edward. Mr. M. and wife are members of the Evangelical Church. He owns 80 aeres of land, worth about $3,000, and is a partner in the store at Woodland, of which mention has been made.
Harrison Pentecost, farmer, see. 15; P. O., Woodland; was born in Ohio, in 1812. His parents, Joseph and Mary (Worrell) Pen- tecost, now deceased, were natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. P. came to this county in August, 1854, and settled in this tp., where he has been a resident and successful farmer ever since. He was married in 1840 to Susanna Bolinger, who was born in Ohio in 1819, and they have 2 children: Adaline, wife of Jacob Kelley, a farmer of this tp., and Lavina, wife of Jonas Williams, a resident of Miehi- gan. Politieally, Mr. P. is a Democrat; his education was limited,
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
but he reads a great deal. He owns 220 acres of land, which he values at $40 per acre. He had no start in life when he began for himself, and has worked hard all his life, being a careful manager, an industrious citizen, and an obliging neighbor. Mrs. Pentecost, who is still living, has been quite unfortunate in suffering from insanity.
John Schaffer, farmer, sec. 8; P. O., Mishawaka; son of Adam and Margaret Schaffer, deceased; was born in Germany in 1822; he came to America in 1850, and was married in 1855 and has 8 children: John, Jacob, Peter, Tadnalı, Philip, Frederick, Maggie and Mary. Mr. S. owns 160 acres of land which is worth about $40 per acre; he is a Democrat. His wife is a member of the Evangelical Church.
Jacob Schlarb was born in Germany in 1829, and came to Amer- ica in 1848. He is a son of Philip and Margaret Schlarb. In Ohio, in 1857, he was married to Mary Kleinschroth, who was born in Germany in 1839; they have 6 children, all of whom are living: William, Mary, Sophia, Katie, Charles and George. Mr. S. owns 90 acres of land, which he values at about $50 per acre; he is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Evangelical Church. Mr. S. has been an industrious farmer all his life and is now situated on sec. 13; P. O., Woodland.
Nicholas Schlarb, farmer, sec. 13; P. O., Mishawaka; son of Philip and Margaret Schlarb; was born in Germany in 1827, and came to this country in 1847, and settled in Ohio, where he remained until 1855, then came to this tp. He was married in 1854, to Mar- garet Bicker, who was born in Germany in 1832, and they have 5 children: Bena, Philip, Catharine, Margaret and Jacob. Mr. S. owns 80 acres of good land. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical Church; Mr. S. is a Democrat.
Eli Shearer, farmer, sec. 34; P. O., Woodland; was born in Carroll county, O., in 1853, and is of Pennsylvania Dutch descent. His father, Samuel Shearer, was born in Pennsylvania in 1807, and died in this tp. in 1877; his mother, whose maiden name was Mary E. Fleck, was born in Pennsylvania in 1810, and is now living in this tp. Mr. S. came to this tp. with his parents in 1855. Politi- cally, he is a Republican; his educational advantages were not the best, but he is a great reader.
Scott Shenefield, farmer, sec. 34; P. O., Woodland; son of Daniel and Mary (Slough) Shenefield; was born in Ohio in 1844, and is of Pennsylvania Dutch descent; his parents, natives of Pennsylvania, are now dead. Mr. S. came to this tp. in 1863; he was married in 1867 to Elizabeth Mornawiek, who was born in Ohio in 1847, and they have 3 children: Cora, Minerva and Berton. Politically, Mr. S. is a Democrat. He owns 70 acres of land, worth about $50 per acre. He and his cousin also own and run a saw-mill on sec. 27.
Amos Snyder, farmer, sec. 28, and School Trustee of the tp., was born in Lancaster county, Penn., in 1837, and is of German descent. His parents, Samuel and Sarah (Birch) Snyder, natives of
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Pennsylvania, are now living in Ohio. Mr. S. came to this county in 1862, and settled in Penn tp. in 1865, where he lived until 1870, when he came to this tp. He was married in 1865 to Catharine Kettring, who was born in Ohio in 1848; they have 6 children, all living: Sarah E., Emery, Franklin, Matilda, Norman and Cilia. In 1877 Mr. S. was appointed School Trustee; in 1878 he was elected to that office, and in 1880, as an appreciation of his services, he was re-elected: he has also held the office of Assessor two terms. Politically, he is a Democrat; his education was quite limited, being confined to a few months school in the winter time. Heowns 40 acres of land, and is an honest and industrious man. In 1864 he enlisted in the army at Appleton, Wisconsin, in the 40th Wis. Regt., under the command of Captain J. H. Hauser. He enlisted for one hundred days, and at the expiration of his term, was discharged. P. O., Woodland.
Frederick Stuber, son of Frederick and Catharine (Collinbarger) Stuber, was born in Wittenberg, Germany, in 1847, and came with his parents to America in 1868; he was married in 1878 to Mary Mochel, who was born in this tp. in 1854; and their children are William and Catharine. Mr. S. and wife are members of the Evan- gelical Church. He owns 100 acres of land, on sec. 9, which he values at abont $50 per acre; he had very little start when he commenced life for himself, and has secured all he has by hard work.
OLIVE TOWNSHIP.
Scarcely any township in Northern Indiana presents a fairer domain or more fertile soil than Olive township; but not until 1830 was it occupied by enterprising members of the white race. At the date mentioned there were about half as many Indians in this section of the county as there are whites at the present day.
Among the oldest settlers of Olive township we may mention that man of great memory, Mr. Barvilla Druliner, of New Carlisle, who was born July 7, 1807; Joseph Adams and wife, of section 31, the oldest couple now living in the township. Mr. A. made his start in the West by splitting rails, at 50 cents per 100, while boarding himself. He has made as many as 500 rails in one day. The young men of to-day would as soon try Dr. Tanner's experi- ment of fasting 40 days as to make 500 rails in one day. Jacob Rush, who was born in Ohio in 1806, is now living on section 36, one of our oldest pioneers. He held the plow for the first furrow ever turned in this township, and he also helped to raise the first cabin here, which belonged to his brother Israel Rush, who was afterward the first Justice of the Peace, and died in 1837. Jacob is still a lively and energetic man. Asher White was a boy of only 16 years of age when he came here in 1830. His biography is given more in full on a subsequent page.
Among the oldest settlers now deceased we mention Samnel and Jesse Goward, Jeremiah Williamson, John Balker, James Shingle- ton, Nathan Haines, Isaac Phillips, Jacob Egbert. There are oth- ers whose names we did not fully obtain.
What is now known as Olive township was once called the Indian reserve. In 1830 the northern line of the State was removed 10 miles farther north, in order that Indiana might have greater access to the lake.
At this time it was thought that it would be no great task to civilize and Christianize the untutored savage, and soon to have him wash off his paint, lay aside his tomahawk, change his wigwam to a permanent house, his habits of idleness to those of industry, from reading the tracks of wild animals to the tracts of Christianity, etc., and consequently the whites established the " Carey Mission " one and one-fourth miles below Niles, at a point now called the Big Springs. It had at one time 200 Indian pupils. By a law of the general Government each pupil at this mission was to have 160 acres of land, to be selected for him by the Indian agent from the ten-mile strip mentioned above. Hence a large portion of this township was selected for these pupils; and hence also the Indians in this community were more quiet and friendly than elsewhere,
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
and the whites felt safe among them. It is true that they suffered an alarm in this vicinity at the commencement of the Black Hawk war in the Northwest. It was reported that an Indian had killed a white man in the wild country where Chicago now stands, and ten men went from this settlement to examine the situation, but they returned the next day, having found no cause of alarm. A fort was built at Plainfield.
This part of Indiana was surveyed in 1830 by William and Noah Brock, the latter running the base lines, and the former dividing the land into sections; and this township received its name in honor of the wife of Charles Vail. She is still living in New Car- lisle. Mr. V.,who settled here in 1830, was afterward elected County Judge. After the survey of the township, the first Justice of the Peace acted as County Commissioner until the regular annual elec- tion.
The first death in this township was that of Jonathan Garwood; another of the earliest deaths was that of Mrs. Garoutte, by freez- ing. She lived, however, just outside of the present limits of the township. See sketch, a little further on, of Hon. T. J. Garoutte, her son.
The first couple married in this township, according to the Atlas of the county, were Charles Vail and Olive Stanton, but this is not correct.
By the year 1836, about all the Government land was taken up. The land office was at Crawfordsville, and there were residents enough to justify the holding of public religious services. The first church was built at Hamilton in 1838, by the Methodists, who still hold meetings in it. At that time Hamilton was the great busi- ness center for this part of St. Joseph county. Since the railroad has been built through the county and made a station at New Car- lisle, Hamilton has run down. This place is frequently called Terre Coupee, from a postoffice of that name near there. There are also at Hamilton a neat school-house, a grocery and several residences. This village is situated near the center of section 24, in Terre Coupee Prairie. This prairie was very marshy before it was drained and cultivated; it is now one of the most fertile spots in the State of Indiana. It is over four miles in diameter and contains 3,000 or 4,000 acres, which is worth $80 to $120 an acre. It is almost as level as a barn floor, and just sandy enough for agricultural pur- poses.
New Carlisle is beautifully situated on a hill at the southeastern extremity of this prairie, and it therefore overlooks this fertile plain. Most of the village is on section 34. It was founded by Richard R. Carlisle, a sportsman and traveler of early day, who finally died in Philadelphia. The land at this point was first owned by Bursaw(?), a Frenchman, whose wife was an Indian; after his death the prop- erty descended to his children, and it was from them that it was bought by Mr. Carlisle.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Olive township is wealthy, as we see that while 18 sections are yet untilled and even unpastured, it pays a large tax. Most of the untilled lands are marsh or timber, and the timberand underbrush are so heavy that it seems as if it would take a man a life-time to clear an acre; but the Polanders are clearing it up fast. Frcd G. Miller imported the first company of Polanders into Indiana in 1865, most of them settling in this township, in what is called the marsh timber. At the present time there are 35 families liv- ing in this timber, where in a short time they have succeeded in clearing and subduing to cultivation 20 to 80 acres apiece, with plenty more land to clear; one strip of timber in the southern part of the township surrounded by marsh, is called Long Island; and another piece of timber similarly sitnated is called Hog Island, on account of the great number of wild hogs which fattened themselves here in early day on the plentiful mast. Mr. Kinney relates that he and Mr. H. H. Clark once passed through this island and found two large piles of skeletons of logs, which had piled themselves up in this manner to keep warm during a spell of severely cold weather, but froze to death.
Politically, Olive township is pretty evenly divided; but during the last war it did its duty toward putting down the Rebellion. The draft was executed here, and the township voted to raise money by taxation to fill her quota. A few men thought to resist this tax, particularly George W. Woods, who was quite obstinate. Some roughs thought they would try something else than moral suasion upon him, and they put him under a pump spout and pumped water upon him to a damaging extent. Since that time they say he has never "rebelled."
Among the prominent and wealthy citizens of this township are John Reynolds, said to be the richest man in St. Joseph county; James Reynolds, Henry H. Clark and H. B. Ranstead, who, with Mr. John Reynolds, are the largest land-holders in the township; J. H. Service and R. Hubbard, wealthy pioneers. The Messrs. Reynolds, Clark and Ranstead all together own 7.433 acres of land, a great deal of which is on the Terre Coupee Prairie. This, as before shown, is very valuable.
CHURCHES.
Methodist Episcopal .- James Armstrong was the Evangelist of Methodism in this county, influencing many persons to move from older parts of the State. He remained here as an enterprising missionary till his death, in the fall of 1834. The first Methodist society in St. Joseph connty was organized at the house of Paul Egbert, on Terre Conpee Prairie. It consisted of eight individuals, and John Egbert wasappointed class-leader. According to tradition among this people, the class was formed by Rev. E. Felton, of the Ohio Conference, in 1830. This class was supplied with pastors somewhat irregularly until 1834, when the work was thoroughly
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
re-organized by Mr. Armstrong, the Presiding Elder; since that time this society has been regularly supplied.
The first Methodist honse of worship in the county was erected at Hamilton, and was dedicated in May, 1841, by Rev. Aaron Wood, D. D. The first Methodist preaching at New Carlisle was by Rev. Abram Saulsberry, in 1849, then on " Byron Circuit." The first class in New Carlisle was formed in 1853, of the following mem- bers: Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Pidge, Josiah Pidge, Jacob Hopkins, James and Delilah Egbert, Mr. and Mrs. James S. White and Eliza White. Rev. A. H. Pidge was the class-leader. This year the parsonage was built, and ever since then it has been the home of the circuit preacher. The church building at this place was erected in 1858.
Since those early dates of organization, etc., inany changes have, of course, taken place.
Christian Church .- Early in 1868, Elder Ira J. Chase, of Misha- waka, Ind., at the request of two or three resident disciples, began in New Carlisle a series of sermons on primitive Christianity, assisted at the first by W. M. Roe, pastor of the Christian Church at Rolling Prairie. The result was an accession of several converts to this Church, and March 29 the Church was regularly organized in the chapel hall of the New Carlisle Collegiate Institute. Arrangements for erecting a house of worship were immediately made; a very de- sirable location was secured, and during the winter of 1869-'70, the building was finished, a neat and tasteful structure with a seating capacity of about 260, and costing $2,500. March 13, 1870, the dedication sermon was delivered by Elder Chase. Since the organ- ization the Church has had the following pastors: W. M. Gleason, Jesse Roe, Joseph Wickard, J. P. Lncas, M. L. Blaney and M. J. Thompson. The society has been growing in numbers and influence until now it has a membership of abont a hundred. It also has a well-sustained Sunday-school.
Olive Chapel, on section 11, is a house of worship occupied by the "Church of God," "New-Lights," " Campbellites," or "Chris- tians," as they are variously called; they prefer the last-mentioned title. This society was organized in an early day, and they have had many trials. The chapel is a neat and substantial building, 34 by 48 feet, with ceiling 16 feet high, and cost $1,900. It was dedi- cated Oct. 10, 1869, by Elder Summerbell, of Cincinnati, Ohio. The membership at the time of organization, Jan 1, 1841, consisted of James S. Parnell, at whose house the society was formed, J. S. Hooton, Esther Hooton, Polly Parnell, William Hooton and Jack- son Hale and wife. Elder John Spray was the first preacher; William Hooton was the first elder, and he has been elder ever since. The membership at the present time numbers over 150. In 1877 Rev. S. C. V. Cunningham held a series of meetings here, which resulted in a greater accession to the membership than has ever been enjoyed at any other time. The Church is now withont a minister.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
SCHOOLS.
The old saying that it is better to be born lucky than rich may be applied to New Carlisle. The citizens here built their water- works in 1879, when everything was cheap. If they had waited until next year, this public improvement would have cost twice as much as it did. Likewise, they bought an $8,000 school-house for $1,500, happening to select a lucky time for the purchase. It is a two-story brick structure, 44 by 75 feet, neatly finished, and was first erected by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1859, which failed to pay its indebtedness on the building, which was $1,500. And as another element of good fortune to the people of this munic- ipality, a large number of people in the adjoining country added themselves to New Carlisle for school purposes, on account of this very purchase that had been made. It turned out that this build- ing cost some of the M. E. Church members more than it would had it been built by regular taxation. For example, J. H. Service gave $500 to start it as a Methodist college, and afterward was taxed to buy it for the town. Every dollar, he says, was a good invest- ment.
At the present time the school is in a flourishing condition, under Prof. A. E. Rowell, an old and experienced teacher; he has three assistants.
LODGES.
Masonic .- Terre Coupee Lodge, Number 204,' was organized in 1856, with the following members: E. Whitlock, Abraham Pyle, A. A. Whitlock, James L. Perkins, J. H. Service, T. L. Borden, E. Bacon, J. C. Williams, E. H. Keen and R. Pierce. Mr. Pyle was chairman at the organization, and the following officers were elected: Abraham Pyle, W. M .; A. A. Whitlock, S. W .; J. L. Perkins, J. W .; E. Bacon, S. D .; J. C. Williams, J. D .; J. H. Service, Treas .; T. L. Borden, Sec .; and E. H. Keen, Tyler. This meeting was held over T. L. Borden's store, July 24, 1856, where they continued to meet until 1862, when they changed the place of meeting to a room over the store of J. H. Service; here they met until 1876, when the new brick block was erected, one-third the expense of which was defrayed by the lodge, and this society has exclusive control of the upper story, all of which, except two rooms, they lease.
The lodge is in a flourishing condition, having a membership of 69, and comprising most of the leading men of the community. Eight members are Sir Knights. George Bissell is the present Master. The lodge is strict in the execution of the laws and regu- lations of Masonry.
Good Templars .- Olive Branch Lodge, Number 149, I. O. of G. T., was organized Jan. 4, 1875, by G. W. C. T. J. J. Talbott, with the fol- lowing persons as its first officers: A. T. Evans, W. C. T .; Mary Hoyt, W. V. T .; Josie Service, W. S .; Eli Miller, W. A. S .; Martha Lyda,
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
W. Treas .; E. H. Harris, W. Fin. Sec .; John Grigg, W. M .; Hattie Flanegin, W. D. M .; Libbie Albright, W. I. G .; Thos. M. Grigg, W. O. G .; Emma Miller, W. R. H. S .; Charlotte Harris, W. T. H. S .; and Joel Harris, P. W. C. T. There were also 30 other mem- bers.
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