USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph County, Indiana > Part 96
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between here and that place, and still fewer houses. When he arrived he had only $9, but he went to work for Mr. John Rush on the Michigan road, at $14 per month. Although he was a stranger to Mr. Rush he entered his land for him, paying for it himself and waiting till Mr. Moon could earn it by work. Mr. M. continued
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to work in this section during the summer, returning to his home in Warren county in the winter. He removed his family here in 1841, and has since that time been a resident of this tp. He was Township Treasurer for nine or ten years, and held the office of Town Trustee for about the same length of time. He is well known and respected all over his county; has been a member of the M. E. Church since he was a young man. He is an earnest advocate for every enterprise that has for its object the advancement of his county.
John Moon was born June 6, 1818, in New London tp., Wayne county, Ind. (For his ancestry see preceding sketch.) He was married Aug. 22, 1839, to Lydia James, daughter of David and Jane James, of Wayne county, Indiana, but formerly of North Carolina. They have 4 children living: Henrietta, born Sept. 14, 1843; Josiah, born Sept. 22, 1845; Nancy, born Jan. 18, 1852; and Louisa, born in January, 1854; Anderson was born in 1848 and died in Lakeville in 1872; he served two years in the late war in the 128thi Ind. Reg .; Elias died at the age of 19 in 1865. Jessie and Ada died when young.
John Moore, M. D., Lakeville, Ind.
Oliver H. Perry was born in Edwardsburg, Mich., Oct. 16, 1836. His parents, Henry and Lorina Perry, were early settlers in this county; they removed to this tp. before the Turkey-Foot road was yet cut out. Mr. Perry was married Feb. 3, 1858, to Hannah Bayley, daughter of Louis Bayley, formerly of this county; they had 2 children, one of whom is living, namely, Horace. He was married a second time to Sally Bassett, daughter of George and Dorcas (Taylor) Bassett, of this county; they have 4 children: Lorma, George, Edith and Louisa. Mr. P. was in Co. I, 155th Ind. Vol., in the late war ; was out nine months. His father was in the service three years, in Co. H, 29th Ind. Vol. Mr. and Mrs. Perry are both worthy members of the U. B. Church. Mr. P. commenced here in the woods with but little capital, except a persevering will to succeed; he now has a good home.
Moses Pimches was born in Fayette, Seneca county, N. Y., March 2, 1822; his parents left New York in the fall of 1832, going to Geauga county, Ohio; here they lived for about three years, when they moved to Stark county, O., and from there, in the spring of 1841, to Seneca county, Ohio. Here Mr. Pimches lived until he came to this tp., in the fall of 1855. He was married in April, 1851, in Seneca county, O., to Miss Jane Jackson, daughter of the late John and Elizabeth Jackson, of this tp .: she was born Oct. 27, 1825, in Columbia county, Pa., and their children are John J., born Feb. 15, 1852; Mary J., born in December, 1856; Josephine, in September, 1854; Betsey, in January, 1858; Hiram B., in October, 1869. John J. was married Feb. 16, 1873, to Marietta Annis, of this tp., and has Amy M., Mary J., Grace and Floyd. He lives in Marshall county and is engaged in milling. Mary J. married Levi Gears, and has Homer and Dora; he resides in Marshall county; Betsey married Rufus Cunningham, and is
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
living in Marshall county. When the war broke out in 1861, Mr. Pimches was among the first to respond to the call of his country, serving four years in Co. C, 48th Ind. Vol .; he participated in the battles of Champion Hills, Jackson, Vicksburg, and was with Sherman on his march to the sea. Has 80 acres of land. Busi- ness, farming and blacksmithing.
A. W. Shiddler was born in October, 1830, in Stark county, Ohio; his parents were George W. and Catharine (Wise) Shiddler, both ratives of Washington county, Pa. Nov. 6, 1853, Mr. Shid- dler was married to Miss Kloffenstine, daughter of Christopher Kloffenstine, of Stark county, Ohio, who was a native of France, coming to this country in 1826 or 1827. They have a family of 9 children: Bell, Francis S., Emma L., Author, Schuyler, Alice, John W., Adam and Eleanor V. Mr. S. left Ohio in the spring of 1854, coming to this tp .; he built Coquillard's Mill that summer, and ran it for abont ten years. In 1864 he removed to his present farm, where he had a saw-mill until a few years ago, when lie removed it to Marshall county. He has been engaged in farming and lumbering all his life. He looks at farming from an analyt- ical point, and makes it a study; and for his forethought and prudence he is amply rewarded in his abundant crops. On an 80- acre lot, during the last five years, he has raised each year from 1,100 to 1,400 bushels of wheat, 600 to 900 bushels of corn, about 300 bushels of oats and 20 to 25 tons of hay; he does not pasture any of this ground. In his business affairs Mr. S. has been quite successful. They are members of the Christian Church at Lake- ville. He is a Mason and a Republican. P. O., South Bend.
Paul Shuppert, son of Joseph and Susanna Shuppert, of South Bend, was born Jan. 25, 1854, in this tp. May 1, 1873, he was mar- ried to Miss Minnie Steim, daughter of Frederic Steim, of this tp .; she was born in 1853; they have 4 children: Adam, deceased, Ida, Hattie, Egbert and an infant. Mr. S. was educated in the public schools of this tp., and is a farmer on sec. 29. P. O., South Bend.
Adam Snyder, farmer, sec. 21; P. O., Lakeville, was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, May 14, 1837; his parents were Peter and Elizabeth (Lowery) Snyder, natives of Pennsylvania. He was mar- ried Dec. 4, 1859, to Elizabeth Moon, daughter of John and Eliza- betli (Rone) Moon, of Coshocton county, O .; they have 3 children: Leander, Nancy Ann and James E. Mr. Snyder removed from Ohio to this tp. in 1866; he commenced working at the carpenter's trade when 18 years of age, and followed it until a few years ago.
Daniel Stonehill, son of Solomon and Catharine Stonehill, natives of Pennsylvania, was born in Stark county, Ohio, in Janu- ary, 1825; he left that county in the spring of 1854, coming to this county and settling on the farm on which he now resides. He was married in June, 1850, to Miss Adaline Brothers, of Stark county, Ohio, who was born in June, 1828; they have 4 children: Elizabeth, Cynthia, Marion and Warren. Elizabeth married Mar- tin Miller, and resides in this tp .; Cynthia married Calvin Moon,
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
and lives in Mishawaka. Mr. Stonehill served 6 months in Co. I, 155th Ind. Reg., in the late Rebellion; he has a good farm in sec. 30; P. O., South Bend.
Alfred F. Stull, son of Conrad and Hester (Snyder) Stull, natives of Pennsylvania, and who were among the first to settle in Stark county, Ohio, was born in that county, June 26, 1838; he left Ohio in the spring of 1858 and came to this county; here he engaged in milling and lumbering, and has been in that business ever since. He was married Oct. 20, 1859, to Susan Shively, daugh- ter of John and Margaret Shively, of Stark county, Ohio. They, also, were among the first to settle in Eastern Ohio. Her mother was a native of Maryland, and her father of Pennsylvania. Her great-grandfather came from Germany. Their children are: Ellis B., deceased, born June 22, 1864; Judson L., born Oct. 9, 1862; Dwight M., born Jan. 28, 1868. Mr. Stull is a member of the Masonic lodge at Lakeville; has 124 acres of well-improved land in sec. 19; P. O., South Bend.
Charles J. Sweezey, was born in Yates county, N. Y., June 3, 1839; his parents were David and Elizabethi (Gillett) Sweezey, natives of Orange county, N. Y .; his ancestors on his father's side were of Welsh descent, and on his mother's Englisli, they having come to this country several generations ago. His great-grand- father was a soldier in the war of the Revolution. Mr. S. moved to Plymouth, Ind., in the fall of 1859. When the war broke out he enlisted and served three years in Co. K,29th Ind. Vol .; was wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of Chickamauga, Ga .; was paroled and taken to Camp Chase in Sept., 1863. At the close of the war he returned to Seneca county N. Y ., where he lived till he removed to Mishawaka in the fall of 1869. July 4, 1865, he was married to Harriet E. Lyon, daughter of James and Sophia Lyon, of Mar- mount, Ind. Mr. S. came to Lakeville in 1875, and engaged in the mercantile business; he has a large country store and is doing a good business; has been Postmaster, but now holds the office of Township Trustee; he is a member of Monitor Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 29, at Mishawaka; also member of the M. E. Church at Lakeville.
Michael Trump was born in Stark county, Ohio, March 7, 1811; his parents, Michael and Margaret (Huffman) Trump, were natives of Adams county, Pa. He was married in March, 1834, to Sarah Simmons, of Stark county, Ohio. She was born in Pennsylvania June, 1814. Her parents were John and Susan (Brame) Sim- mons, of Pennsylvania. They have a family of 9 children: Silas, Amos, Margaret, Amanda, John, Sarah, Michael, Henry and Luetta; most of them are married. They came here from Stark county, O., in the spring of 1869. Mr. T. has a good farm of 80 acres; they are worthy members of the U. B. Church; residence, sec. 16.
Alpheus O. Van Lieu was born in Tipton county, Tennessee, May 19, 1849. The tradition is that his ancestors came from the
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Netherlands to America, among the first emigrants, and settled in New Jersey, and for four or five generations are interred in the cemetery of Middlebrush, near the city of Brunswick, in that State; his grandfather's family were Sansbury, Ogden, Henry, John, Ellen, Dennis, Julia and Dunbar. His father's family is as follows; Alpheus O., John, Julia E., Thomas, deceased, and Thomas L. John married Emma Robinson; has one child, Etta; and is a rail- road agent at Ada, Ohio. Mr. VanLieu married, June 2, 1872, Mary M. DuComb, daughter of Vincent and Harriet C. DuComb, formerly of this county; they have 3 children: Dora Maud, born April 12, 1875; Aggie May, born Jnne 14, 1877; Dan Foster, born Aug. 17, 1879. Mr. V. came to this county in January, 1867; he attended school in South Bend until 1870. July 5, 1871, he engaged in the drug business in Lakeville. He realized that if one would be successful in business, he must attend to it closely; and so attentively did he apply himself to his business that at one time he was not out of the village but a few times, and then but a couple of miles, for three years. He is now doing a good business in drugs and hardware. Mr. V. has been Township Trustee from 1876 to 1880.
WARREN TOWNSHIP
This township borders on the Kankakee river and lies between Olive township on the west and German and Portage townships on the east, consisting of 26 whole and 17 fractional sections. Its width from east to west is 33 miles, and its extreme length from north to south is 10} miles. Its surface is generally rolling. From the eminences of some of the knolls in the northwestern part, from which Terre Coupee Prairie can be viewed, a grand and magnificent view meets the eye. During the growing season one beholds verdant fields dotted over with fine farm residences, school- houses, etc. Before the hand of man had subdued these lands, and when the prairie and woodland were in their virgin State, the scenery from these eminences must have been supremely charming. With its green, flowery carpet, its undulating surface, skirted by a beautiful growth of timber that more definitely marks the bound- aries, it must have presented to the eye of the lone traveler or new settler a scene most beautiful and sublimely grand. A little over half a century ago, the sound of the white man's ax had not been heard in these forests; the ringing of the anvil, the rattle of the reaper, the hum of the thresher, and the whistle of the engine would have been strange music to the ear of the wild Indian, whose song and war-whoop were the only sounds indicative of human existence. The soul-stirring music of the band, the melodious tones of the organ, and the still sweeter voices of the choir would have been in strange contrast with the howl of the wolf or the scream of the panther as they roamed fearlessly over the spot which we now find thickly settled. The bark canoe and the majestic steamer, the rnde wigwam and the stately mansion, the Indian pony and the iron horse, the slow messenger or courier and the lightning telegraph, but faintly illustrate the vast difference between the savages of that period and the civilization of to-day.
But little is known of the history of Warren township prior to 1831. Nov. 19 of that year Judge Reynolds Dunn, by whom this township was named, settled upon the lands now owned by his son, J. T. Dunn. Other settlements were afterward made by W. W. Brick, Peter Wikoff, Geo. Witter and John Kingery, who came in 1832 or '3, and opened farms. Walter Field settled on section 26 in 1833; Jesse Frame and his sons, William, Nathaniel, Cornelius, Isaac, David and Jesse, settled on section 22, on Portage Prairie, in 1833. Nathaniel Willson also came this year, perhaps before Isaae W. Phillip settled on section 8, abont 1833; Harry Buckles opened up a farm on section 36 about 1836; James Dunbar, about the same time, and Joseph P. Jones took up lands on Portage
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Prairie in 1835; Joseph Price was an early settler; Thomas Jack. son settled on section 22, and Calvin Myler on section 24; so also John Skiles, Theophilus Case, Jacob Mikesell, Geo. Dunnahoo, Abram Brown, Jonathan Platts and Win. Crumb were early settlers.
To those who opened up and developed the wonderful resources of Warren township the present and coming generations will owe eternal gratitude. They suffered untold privations and incon- veniences, labored with unflagging energy and toil, receiving only a meager compensation; were far away from their friends and their old homes, and with scarcely any means of communication with them, the pioneers were encouraged and kept up with the hope of soon establishing comfortable homes.
The children of these early settlers were not long without the instructions and discipline of the schoolmaster, for we find that as early as 1839 Dr. Howell taught school in a log house on section 26; this rnde structure, which was erected by the contribution of the labor of the pioneers, would not compare favorably with the modern, neat and tasteful frame and brick edifices that adorn many of the knolls through this section.
There is but one church building in this township. It was erected in 1879, on section 30, at a cost of $1,000, by the Dunkard society, which is a thrifty one, with 115 members. James H. Mil- ler is the present Pastor.
During the late war, Warren proved loyal " to the core " and furnished many of her brave sons as a sacrifice to retain an undivided union. Many of those who went to the front, after enduring years of untold hardships and danger, were permitted to return to their homes, where they are now living to enjoy the liberties they so nobly fought for. Many of them, however, went to return no more.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
W. H. Barker was born June 8, 1854, in Hillsdale county Mich., and is the son of L. S. and Sophia Barker, natives of New York, who emigrated to Michigan about 1828, where they still re- side; W. H. was reared on the farm and received his education in the common schools. He learned telegraphing in 1872, and has been in the employ of the L. S. & M. S. R. R. Company since Jan. 13, 1873, first taking charge of the office at Allen Station, which position he had only two months, when he was transferred to the Charleston office. In about three months he took charge of the present office at Warren Centre, where he has faithfully dis - charged his duty as telegraph operator and ticket and freight agent. He erected a neat farm residence last season. Mr. B. married Miss Emeline Mikesell Nov. 10, 1875, who was born in this county Sept. 10, 1855, and Elsie and Charles are their children. Post- office, Warren Centre.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
James T. Dunn, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser, was born in Greene county, Ohio, Jan. 2, 1829, and is the son of Judge Reynolds Dunn, a farmer and a native of Somerset county, N. J., who named this tp. after the tp. in Ohio from which he came. The Judge married Miss Plicebe Tatman, a native of Kentucky, and of Scotch descent. They settled in this county in 1832. James T. completed his education at the high school in South Bend. October 17, 1858, he married Ellen Umberger, a native of Dauphin county, Pa., of German ancestry, and a respected member of the Methodist Church. Of their 6 children 5 are living, 2 sons and 3 daughters. Mr. Dunn has been successful in life. At one time he owned 400 acres of choice land in this tp. He now has 200 acres and his farm is a fine one. Cost of dwelling, $4,000. In politics Mr. Dunn is a Democrat.
G. S. Dunnahoo was born in this tp. in 1839, and is the son of George and Catharine (Mikesell) Dunnahoo, the former a native of Virginia, and of Scotch descent, and the latter a native of Ohio, and of German descent; received all his school education in this tp. and district No. 3; has always been a farmer, except 14 years he was employed as track foreman by the L. S. & M. S. R. R. Company. In agriculture he has been successful, and now owns 93 acres of land. He is a Democrat; has been Tp. Trustee two terms and School Director two years. In 1867 he married Phoebe Anna Ward, a native of this tp., and they have 4 sons and 2 dangh- ters living.
Noah Early, farmer, was born Sept. 16, 1836, in Rockingham county, Va., the son of Jacob and Mary Early, natives of Virginia, and of German descent, who moved to Allen county, Ohio, in 1842; in 1864 they moved to Piatt connty, Ill., but without unloading they returned to Ohio, where Mr. Jacob Early now resides. Noah received a common-school education. Feb. 10, 1859, he married Mary E. Vincent, who was born in Allen county, O., Feb. 10, 1841; of their 2 children only Emma L. is living. Mrs. E. died Oct. 17, 1864; in 1873 Mr. E. came to this county; in January of this year he married Eunice Davenport, who was born May 7. 1841, in this county. Mr. E. served three years in the late war, in Co. E, 99th Ohio Inf .; was wounded in the leg at Chickamauga; was also in the battle at Stone River and many other engagements. Mr. E. owns 161 acres of land. He and his wife are members of the German Baptist Church. They are bringing up an orphan boy named Hiram Shirk. P. O., South Bend.
Stephen Fields, deceased, was born in Ohio in 1813, the son of Walter and Sarah (Sears) Fields, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German descent; was brought by his parents to this county when 12 years of age, settling in this tp .; received a common-school education; was married the first time to Charlotte Beyler, and they had 2 children; was married the second time, Jan. 26, 1842. to Priscilla C. Buckles, and they had 4 sons and 4 daughters. They were both members of the Dunkard Church. and Mr. F. was a
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Democrat, as also are his sons. He was Justice of the Peace eight years, and was a strict temperance man, even using no tobacco. At the time of his death he owned 240 acres of land.
Abram Frame was born June 5, 1818, in Preble county, Ohio, and the son of William and Nancy Frame, natives of Virginia, who migrated to Michigan in 1835 and to this tp. in 1838, where they resided until death. Abram was raised on the farm, and he has followed farming thus far through life. He married Miss Martha Poff, a native of Floyd county, Va., June 5, 1845; she was born March 1, 1824; of their 8 children 4 are living, to wit: Nathaniel A., Mary E., Daniel B. and John R. Mr. F. has been very successful financially, now owning 260 acres of No. 1 land, worth $75 per acre. Residence, sec. 23; P. O., South Bend.
Nathaniel A. Frame was born in this county April 29, 1852, and is the son of Abram and Martha Frame, father a native of Ohio, and mother of Virginia; was reared on the farm and received a common-school education; Feb. 12, 1874, married Miss Phoebe A. Chamberlain, who was born in this county Nov. 15, 1855; they have had 3 children: Cora E., Albert and Marvin C. Mr. F. has followed farming thus far through life, and now owns 105 acres of land. Mr. and Mrs. F. are members of the German Baptist Church. Residence, sec. 14; P. O., South Bend.
George Kizer was born Oct. 12, 1839, in Wayne county, Ohio, and is the son of Ebenezer and Susannah Kizer, of German descent; was only six years old when his parents came to this county; was reared on the farm and has been a resident of this county all his life except eight years he lived in Michigan. He has been reason- ably successful in life. He married Miss Mary A. Cameron Oct. 18, 1860, who was born in Pennsylvania; of their 8 children 7 are living: Arbella C., Lula C., Minnie A., Effie L., Osborn, Arthur F. and Olive A. Residence, sec. 27; P. O., South Bend.
Philip Korn, farmer, sec. 10; P. O., Buchanan, Mich .; was born April 15, 1829, in Baden, Germany, and is the son of Mike and Susan Korn; he came to America in 1852 and landed at New York, where he staid five years, and thence came to Berrien county, Mich., where he resided until 1868, at which time he located in this tp. He married Miss Frances Summers, of Baden, Germany, April 2, 1854; she was born Feb. 15, 1830; they have had 9 chil- dren: Joseph, Mary, Carolina, John, Sophia, Frank, Ellen, Annie and Willie. Mrs. K. died Aug. 7, 1878. Mr. K. was formerly a tanner by trade, but at present his occupation is farming. He owns 144 acres of land.
A. Lindley, farmer, sec. 27; P. O., South Bend; was born Jan. 1, 1830, in Wayne county, Ind., and is the son of Tence and Martha Lindley, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Maryland. He was 14 years old when his parents moved from Wayne to Howard county, where he became of age; he was reared on the farm and received his education in the common schools. He married Miss Mary E. Huston Dec. 11, 1851, who
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
was born July 16, 1835, in this connty, and they are parents of 10 children, of whom 5 are living: Viretta J., Emma L., Harvey E., Adelle F. and Melville A. Mr. L. has been very successful in life, and now owns 193 acres of good farm land. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace, and was Enumerator of the Census in his tp. this year (1880). He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
John C. Marble, sec. 15; P. O., Dayton, Mich .; was born Oct. 28, 1815, in Washington county, Vermont, and is the son of Joseph and Annis Marble, the former a native of New Hampshire and the latter of Massachusetts. He emigrated to Michigan in 1831 and resided there until 1835, at which time he came to this county, and stopped a short time at Mishawaka, and visited several places; he located at Elkhart, where he was engaged in the lumbering and carpentering business for two years; he then in 1837 moved to Por- tage Prairie, where he followed barn building; he has built 96 barns thus far in his life, and many dwelling houses; he moved to this tp. in 1843 or '4, and settled on the farm George Witter now owns. He married Miss Catharine Holmes, of Berrien county, Mich., in March, 1857; she was born Oct. 26, 1826; they never have had any children of their own, though they have reared to manhood 6 boys, and at present are rearing Clarissa and Lucy, his brother's orphan children. Mr. Marble is a land speculator, having bought and sold thousands of acres, and is now owning 1,009 acres. His father was in the war of 1812, and grandfather in the Revolution, and wounded at Breed's Hill.
Calvin Myler, sec. 24; P. O., South Bend; is a son of James and Olive Myler, and was born March 5, 1820, in Butler county, Ohio. His father was a native of Westmoreland county, Pa., and was born in 1797; and his mother was a native of New York. They were married in Butler county, Ohio, and came to this county May 11, 1836, and settled in this tp. Calvin Myler was married to Mary J. Scott March 26, 1842, who was born in Bartholomew county, Ind., Dec. 24, 1823, and they have had 9 children, to-wit: Wm. F., Catharine, formerly a school-teacher, Martha A., Sarah, E. J., Geo. L., who is also a teacher, John S., attending college at Valparaiso, Alexander and Charles. Mr. Myler commenced in life a poor boy, and to day he owns 221 acres of land, worth $90 per acre.
D. R. Rockhill, farmer, sec. 14; P. O., South Bend; was born in this connty March 3, 1853, and is the son of Wm. D. and Sarah Rockhill; father a native of Kentucky, and mother of Ohio, who came to this county. in an early day. Thomas, a brother of D. R., was born Oct. 21, 1855, also in this county. Thomas was married Dec. 12, 1878, to Miss Emma Lindley, who was born about 1860 in this county; they have one child, Clarence. These two brothers are farming in partnership on their father's farm of 226 acres, and
are having good success. They are enterprising young men and are highly spoken of by all who know them.
David Rose, a native of Dauphin county, Pa., was born Sept. 12, 1847, and is the son of John and Mary Rose, both natives of Penn-
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
sylvania; he came to this county in 1870 and settled in this tp. the same year. May 22, 1871, he married Miss Mary Frame, who was born in this county in 1849; they have 2 children: John A. and Edgar. Mr. Rose served four years and five months in the late war, first enlisting in Co. D, 47th Pa. Vol. Inf., afterward in Co. M, 16th Pa. Cav. He formerly worked at the shoemaker's trade, but is now following farming, owning 110 acres of land on sec. 11. P. O., South Bend.
Isaac Sellers, farmer, sec. 13; P. O., South Bend ;. was born in Union county, Pa., Dec. 29, 1825, and is the son of Henry and Eliz- abeth (Wells) Sellers. Henry was the son of Frederick and Eliza- beth Sellers, and Frederick's father was a native of Holland. Henry migrated to Pulaski county in 1847 and resided there until death. Isaac married Miss Elizabeth Shetterly May 1, 1845; she was born in Union county, Pa., Aug. 28, 1827, and they have 13 children, of whom 7 are living, to-wit: Susanna, Henry F., Geo. W., R. M., Wm. W. and Milroy. Mr. S.'s life companion died March 9, 1876. He married Miss Mary Lower, a native of Northumberland county, Pa., Sept. 13, 1877; she was born Nov. 11, 1823, and is a member of the Reformed Church. Mr. S. has been very successful in life, now owning 171 acres of land. He is liberal in his views.
Peter Smith was born in Maryland in 1829, the son of Christian and Catherine (Sensenbaugh) Smith, natives of Maryland, and of German descent; he received his education in the common schools of this county. By occupation he is a farmer. He was married in February, 1865, to Mary Ann Kaley, and they have had 6 children. He is a Republican. He came to St. Joseph county in 1835, and settled in German tp. He owns 150 acres of land.
Joseph Wells, farmer, sec. 10; P. O., Buchanan, Mich. ; was born in Greene county, Ohio, Dec. 27, 1820, and is the son of Charles and Susan Wells, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Virginia. They were married in Ohio, moved to Cass county, Mich., in 1830, and to Berrien county in 1834, where his father died in 1837, and mother in 1871 or '2. Joseph was reared on the farm, and carried on his father's farm 14 years. He also fol- lowed blacksmithing until 1853, at which time he rented his farm and devoted his time to his trade until 1868, when he quit his trade and returned to farming, which he has since followed with success. His brother is the model farmer in Berrien county, Mich. Joseph Wells was married Dec. 11, 1853, to Miss Sarah J. Jones, who was born in Butler county, Ohio, in September, 1827; they have 6 children living, to wit: Joseph, James L., Nannie, Libbie, Susie and John. Mr. W. bought land in this tp. in 1854, but did not set- tle here until 1864, since which time he has highly improved his farm, building a residence at the cost of $2,200, and his barn is worth $1,000. His farm consists of 215 acres, worth $60 per acre. Mr. W. is a member of the Masonic lodge.
George Witter, farmer, sec. 23; P. O., South Bend; was born Oct. 23, 1817, in Union county, Ind., son of John and Annie
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
(Moyer) Witter, natives of Lancaster county, Pa., who came to this State about 1800; mother died in Union county in 1832, father came to St. Joseph county the next year, settling on Portage Prairie, German tp., where he lived until his death, May 23, 1864. George Witter was reared on the farm; Feb. 16, 1840, he married Sarah Miller, who was born in Wayne county, Ind., Nov. 1, 1822, and of their 12 children S are living: Aaron, Adeline, Lucinda, Albert, Caroline, Martin, George and Harrison. Mr. W. came to this county in 1860; has served three years as Township Trustee, and he and his wife are members of the German Baptist Church. He owns 275 acres of land.
W. R. Zigler, farmer, sec. 25; P. O., South Bend; was born May 13, 1829, in Botetourt county, Va., and is the son of Samuel and Margaret Zigler, also natives of Virginia, who moved to this county in 1832, settling in Centre tp., where they resided abont two years; thence they moved to Penn tp., where they remained eleven years, and then moved to German tp., where the subject of our sketch gained his majority. Mr. Z. was reared on the farm; went to Iowa in 1854, where he remained only about nine months; while there he taught one term of school and also worked at the nursery business; soon after or shortly before this trip he went to California, where he remained a short time, and on account of bad health he returned home, where we find him busily engaged in farm- ing, which he carries on with success. He owns 198 acres of land. He married Miss E. O. Miller Oct. 29, 1858, who was born in 1834; they had one child, now deceased. Mr. Z.'s life companion died, and he married Lorinda Miller Feb. 20, 1860, who was born May 2, 1837, and also in this county. Their child is Maggie J. He and wife are members of the M. E. Church.
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