USA > Indiana > Steuben County > History of Steuben County, Indiana, together withbiographies of representative citizens > Part 77
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B. Frank Griffith was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, May 16, 1846, a son of John and Jemima (Gossage) Griffith, and was five years of age when his parents moved to Indiana. After the break- ing out of the war of the Rebellion he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-second Indiana Infantry and served the greater part of the time of his enlistment in the Shenandoah Valley after it had been swept clean of rebels by Sheridan's army. On his re- turn home he again assumed charge of the homestead and cared
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for his widowed mother till her death. Christmas day, 1868, he married Julia, daughter of Elder Harlow J. and Fanny Carpenter. She was born in Ohio in 1850, and was about one and a half years of age when her parents came to this township. Mr. and Mrs. Griffith have four children-Eugene A., Harlow J., Maude C. and Leo. Mr. Griffith is a prominent member of the Republican party, and is serving his second term as Township Trustee, being one of the most efficient officers the township has ever had. He is a member of Baron Steuben Post, No. 387, G. A. R.
John Griffith was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, in 1813. He was reared a farmer and attained his majority in his native county. In 1839 he was married to Jemima Gossage, a native of the same county, born in 1812. In 1850, with a view to bettering their condition, they came to Indiana and located in De Kalb County, entering 160 acres of land in Franklin Township. Nine children were born to them, seven in Ohio and two in De Kalb County-Susan is the wife of Jeremiah Kepler; Lewis; Nancy, wife of Hiram Oberlin; Leman, who enlisted in Company H, Seventy-fourth Indiana Infantry, and was wounded in the battle of Chickamauga, and after spending some time in the hospital was offered his discharge but refused, and after a furlough of a few weeks returned to his regiment and served till the close of the war, although his death in 1866 was the result of his wound and disease contracted while in the service; Lydia is the wife of George H. Carpenter; Frank B .; Catherine died at the age of fifteen years; John B., and Sarah, who died in 1858. In 1857 Mr. Griffith be- came a partner of his brother Lewis, who was in trade in Hamil- ton, and continued there three years, when they traded their stock with Nelson Earl for 227 acres of land in this township. John Griffith bought his brother's interest and lived the remainder of his life on this farm, selling his property in De Kalb County to Mr. Haverstock. He was an active, pushing man, a good citizen and much respected. His death occurred in September, 1860. His wife survived him and was cared for by her son B. F. and his wife on the old homestead till her death, Dec. 22, 1884.
Captain Lewis Griffith, son of John and Jemima (Gossage) Griffith; was born June 17, 1838, and was twelve years of age when his parents settled in De Kalb County, Ind. He remained at home till the breaking out of the Rebellion, and July 25, 1861, enlisted in Company A, Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry. His first engagement was at the heroic siege and capture of Fort Donelson;
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the next was at Pittsburg Landing where he received several slight wounds. The regiment suffered severe losses, thirty-five color bearers being either killed or wounded. At the battle of Stone River he was in Crittenden's division, and was there promoted for gallant and meritorious conduct from a Sergeant to First Lieuten- ant. Prior to this he was in the campaign of General Buell against Bragg, and later at the battle of Chickamauga, where he was wounded in the right hand and won a Captain's commission. The gallant Forty-fourth was nearly annihilated at this battle, be- ing able at Chattanooga to muster only seventy men. They were then placed on post duty and were never again in the front of battle. Captain Griffith veteranized and was discharged Oct. 22, 1865. While awaiting orders from the front, Sept. 1, 1861, he was mar- ried to Betty M., daughter of Elder Harlow J. and Fanny Car- penter. They have eight children, all at home-Emma C., Jessie, Edna, Sarah, Nellie, George, Shirley and Ford. After his return from the war Captain Griffith engaged in agriculture and bnying and shipping stock. His army service has cansed permanent dis- ability, and he is one of the thousands who have given the best part of their lives to the nation, and are now partially dependent on her for maintenance. In 1868 he was elected Assessor, an office he has since acceptably filled. He has served four years as Deputy County Auditor. He is a member of Baron Steuben Post, No. 387, G. A. R., of which he is at present Commander.
Robert H. Humphreys was born in Clark County, Ohio, a son of James and Catherine Humphreys. He was reared on a farm, and receiving a good education. He remained at home till his mar- riage, Nov. 22, 1860, to Sarah E. Carpenter, daughter of Harlow J. and Fanny (Merry) Carpenter. She was educated and qualified for a teacher, and at the time of becoming acquainted with Mr. Humphreys was one of the teachers of Clark County, Ohio. They made their home in Genoa, Pickaway Co., Ohio, till 1863, when Mr. Humphreys enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Ohio In- fantry, and after his discharge they moved to Steuben County and settled on section 15, Otsego Township, buying what is known as the Dunham place. The Indian village and burial place of the Pottawatomie Indians was on this farm. His sterling worth was early recognized by the citizens of this township, and soon after his arrival he was elected Township Trustee, an office he filled ac- ceptably and to which he was again elected at the last election be- fore his death, which occurred July 29, 1869. Three of the four
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children born to Mr. and Mrs. Humphreys died in infancy. The only one living is Frank B., who was born Feb. 15, 1866, and is now a young man of promise, possessing many of the noble traits of his father. Mrs. Humphreys and her son own and occupy the old homestead.
William R. Ingalls was born in Rochester, Windsor Co., Vt., March 27, 1827. He was about four years of age when his parents, Jeremiah and Lance (Carpenter) Ingalls, moved from Vermont to Cuyahoga County, Ohio, there joining the Shakers, a community of whom was established in that county. His mother became dis- satisfied and left there, and afterward married Alonzo Hancock. Her death occurred Oct. 15, 1843, in Summit County, Ohio. The father remained with the Shakers until his death, as did also his son George W. He died in 1858. Mr. and Mrs. Ingalls have had six children-Effie C., Lana J., Willie E. and Lillie (twins), Albert T. and Germ W. Lana J. married William Clark and resides in Douglas County, Dakota. The subject of this sketch, William R. Ingalls, has been the architect of his own fortunes. He has taken care of himself since he was fifteen years of age. He had good school advantages which he well improved, although, having to earn his way, he was not able to give his youth entirely to study. Most of his boyhood life was spent on a farm. He was married in Ash- land County, Ohio, in 1850, to Sylva M. Rowley. Two children were born to them-Charles A., now a resident of this county, and Susan, wife of Prof. A. W. Long, of Angola. Mrs. Ingalls died in 1859. Mr. Ingalls was again married Nov. 14, 1859, to Lovina J. Thompson, daughter of John and Cornelia Thompson, of Wood County, Ohio. Her father came from Scotland when seventeen years of age, and died in Branch County, Mich., July 28, 1870. Her mother now lives with her daughter, Mrs. Hattie Legge. Mr. In- galls first came to this township in 1847, employed by Everitt Farn- ham, chopping, on land now owned by Mr. Ingalls. He was engaged in this work five months, then returned to Ohio, still in the employ of Mr. Farnham, who lived there. Mr. Ingalls knowing the value of this land was ready to buy it if opportunities offered, and the purchase was effected in 1850, and in the fall of 1851 he moved his family here. He now owns one of the best farms in the township, containing 200 acres. Mr. Ingalls fitted himself for the practice of law and is a member of the Steuben County bar. Though he has had some practice he does not care to make it his business. By industry, energy and frugality he has placed him-
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self and his family beyond want, and by his upright, square deal- ing life he has earned the good-will and confidence of all who know him. He is a member of Angola Lodge, No. 236, F. & A. M., and to the teachings of the ancient and honorable Masonic order he "squares" his life.
Robert Jackman, the first settler of Richland Township, Steuben Co., Ind., was born in Ireland in 1785. When he was about five years of age his parents came to the United States and settled in Jefferson County, Ohio, where they spent the rest of their lives, and where he was reared and married in 1808 to Phebe Vail, a na- tive of New Jersey. Not long after their marriage they moved to Richland County, Ohio, and March 7, 1836, came to Steuben County and bought for himself and sons 640 acres of land in the southwestern part of the township, making his residence on sec- tion 30. He was an energetic, enterprising man and made a fine farm of his land. He was perfectly honorable and won many friends. Coming as he did when the county was inhabited by Indians, he by his upright dealing with them won their confidence and had many friends among them. He died in 1851 while on a visit to his old home in Richland County, aged sixty-six years. His wife sur- vived him many years and died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Aldrich aged eighty-two years. They had a family of twelve children, nine of whom grew to maturity; all but one married and had families. The sons are all dead. Four of the five daugh- ters are living-all widows-Mrs. Lydia Hill, of Montgomery County, Ohio; Mrs. Margaret Johnson, of Richland Township; Mrs. Mary A. Aldrich, of Otsego Township, and Mrs. Jane San- ders.
Andrew Jackson was born in Stark County, Ohio, Dec. 3, 1829, a son of John and Orpha (Watson) Jackson. His father died about 1831 and his mother twenty-seven years later. His mother married a man by the name of Asa Church, and moved from Stark County to Crawford County, and then to Wood County, thence to Williams County, Ohio, where she died. She was the mother of four boys by her last husband. When he was two years of age he was taken into the family of Peter Boyer, and remained with them till about fourteen years of age. Peter Boyer moved to De Kalb County, Ind., in the year 1836, and settled in Franklin Town- ship, where he and his wife died. Andrew Jackson endured all the hardships that were incident to the earlier settlers of our now beautiful county. He did not wear shoes until after he was ten
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years old. In the winter when he was sent out to cut fire-wood he would warm a shake to stand on, and when it would get cold he would go in the house and warm it again, or until he had com- pleted his wood cutting. After the death of Mr. Boyer, Andrew lived in the families of Abram F. Beecher and John Fee a short time and when sixteen years of age went to Defiance County, Ohio, and remained one season, then came to Steuben County and attended school the following winter. In the fall of 1849 he went to Cook County, Ill., where Evanston now is, and engaged in garden farming for a man by the name of Eli Garfield. In December, 1853, he returned to Steuben County. Dec. 24, 1856, he was married to Mary M. Rima, a native of Northern Ohio, born June 20, 1838, daughter of Daniel and Anna (Burr) Rima. In 1843 her parents moved to Green County, Wis., and in 1853 to Steuben County, Ind., where they both died. For two years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Jackson lived in Franklin Township, De Kalb County, and then moved to Steuben County and bought 120 acres of land on section 20, Otsego Township. In 1875 he sold his farm and moved to Grand Traverse County, Mich., and six years later returned to Steuben County and purchased his old farm, where he has since lived. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have no children, but have an adopted daughter, Nellie May Stoddar, born Jan. 23, 1874. They also reared Judson Jackson, who is now a young man. In politics Mr. Jackson is a Republican.
Edwin Jackson was born in Otsego Township, on the old home- stead, Jan. 20, 1844, a son of Theophilus and Mary Ann (Carter) Jackson. His father came to Steuben County before his marriage and bought a tract of wild land. After his marriage he settled on section 19, where he now owns 234 acres of land all finely improved. In the early days of the county he was one of the township's most prominent men, serving several terms as Trustee and in other positions where reliable and responsible men were needed. For the past seven years he and his wife have been living a retired life at Pleasant Lake. Five children were born to them-Edwin is the eldest; Lenora, wife of Henry Gaylord; Sarah, wife of James Stel- lar; George, a resident of Michigan; and Frank, who died at the age of four years. Edwin Jackson was reared and educated in Otsego Township, and has always made the old homestead his home. He has by his manly and upright dealings won the respect and confi- dence of his fellow townsmen. He was married April 17, 1870, to Sarah Stellar, a native of Ohio, born March 28, 1847, daughter of
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William and Sarah Stellar, both now deceased. Two children have been born to them-Maude and Clyde. Mr. Jackson is one of the leading Democrats of the county, and in 1884 was the party's nominee for County Treasurer, but as his party is largely in the minority was defeated.
Edward C. Johnson, son of James and Elizabeth Johnson, was in the twentieth year of his age when his parents settled in Otsego Township. was born in Otsego, N. Y., Oct. 15, 1816. The two years following his coming he spent the most of the time in South Bend. With that exception he has lived on the old home- stead on section 17, which he now owns. To the original 160 acres he has added from time to time till he now owns 250 acres. In addition to this his brother Orrin owns seventy acres adjoining. In June, 1845, he was married to Eleanor P. Mabrey, who was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., and came to this county with her parents, James and Martina Mabrey, in 1840. She died Nov. 28, 1847, leaving one child six days' old-Eleanor P., who grew to womanhood and married Josiah Bennett. She died Oct. 2, 1882. Jan. 16, 1848, Mr. Johnson married Mary Corbin. To them have been born four children-Elmer A., died Aug. 25, 1854, aged six years; Cyrenus, died in infancy, Aug. 20, 1851; Calista is the wife of Lebbens Anderson, and Mina May is at home. Mrs. Johnson was born in Monroe County, N. Y., Feb. 28, 1831, a daughter of Amos and Civil Corbin. Her mother died Jan. 15, 1835, and Sept. 9, 1835, her father married Hannah Coe. His children by the first marriage were Harvey Corbin, of Ionia, Mich. ; Judson, of Angola; Newell, of Yolo County, Cal .; Calista died Jan. 22, 1881; she was the wife of Peter Pisher, who died Aug. 25, 1874, the day his twin sons, Judson and Newell, were twelve years old. Mr. Cor- bin came West in 1843 and died in this township Aug. 15, 1846. March 1, 1885, Grandma Corbin quietly passed away at the ripe old age of eighty-seven years and two months, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have a happy home and are surrounded with all that makes life a pleasure.
James Johnson, one of the pioneers of 1836, was very prominent in the early history of Otsego Township and a history of the county would be incomplete without a mention of him. He was born in Otsego, Otsego Co., N. Y., Sept. 24, 1790, and was married in his native county Nov. 22, 1810, to Elizabeth Crandall, a native of Newport, R. I., born Aug. 26, 1792. Their five children were all born in New York and at the time they came West were all living.
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Three, Cyrenus, Edward C., and Elizabeth, came with them. James H., the second son, moved to Ohio the same year his par- ents came to Indiana. Orrin, the third son, remained in New York and in 1839 married Laura Barras, who was born July 2, 1814, and died in March, 1843. In 1856 Orrin Johnson came to Steuben County, and in 1860 went to California, returning to In- diana the following year, and since then has made his home with his brother, Edward C. In 1849 Cyrenus went to California but returned some years later and married in Otsego County, N. Y. Subsequently he returned to California and died there in 1864. Edward C. resides on the old homestead. Elizabeth, the second wife and now the widow of the pioneer, James Clark, now lives in Quincy, Mich. Mr. Johnson took an active part in the organiza- tion of the township and named it in honor of his native township and county. He was elected Magistrate, an office he held seven- teen years. He is well remembered by all the old settlers for his honest, upright life. He died Sept. 10, 1856. His widow survived him till Dec. 10, 1861.
William H. Keyes, one of the prominent citizens of Steuben County, resided on section 23, Otsego Township. He was born in Knox County, Ohio, Dec. 12, 1841, a son of Tolman and Mary ( Richards) Keyes, his father a native of Rutland, Vt., and his mother of Connecticut. He is the tenth of eleven children; only three beside himself are living-Augustus, of Minnesota; Hiram, of Lagrange County, Ind., and Charles, of Branch County, Mich. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812. Shortly after his marriage he moved to Ohio and in 1844 to Richland Township, Steuben County, where the mother died in the spring of 1863, aged sixty-four years. The father died at the age of eighty-four years. They were firm believers in the faith of Wesley. William H. was educated in the common-schools, making good use of his somewhat limited advantages. He remained at home till after the breaking out of the Rebellion and in the fall of 1861 enlisted in Company A, Twenty-ninth Indiana Infantry. His first engagement was at the battle of Pittsburg Landing. He was taken sick soon after and sent home on a furlough; rejoined his regiment at Battle Creek, and later participated in the battle of Liberty Gap and Chicka- manga. His Colonel, John F. Miller, now United States Senator from California, was wounded in the battle of Liberty Gap. Mr. Keyes has a letter from Senator Miller, dated Sept. 2, 1884, in which are kindly words of remembrance of Mr. Keyes and all the
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gallant men of the old Twenty-ninth, in whom he had the greatest pride. The regiment after the battle of Chickamauga was stationed at Chattanooga on post duty and Mr. Keyes was detailed to duty at General Stanley's headquarters. A few months later he was with the regiment a short time and then was detailed to duty in the postal department. After the rebel General Wheeler had severed commucations with Knoxville and the road again opened he was sent with a car load of mail and was also given charge of mail sent to Sherman after the capture of Atlanta. He remained in that department till his discharge, early in November, 1864. He was married Jan. 10, 1865, to Melvina Cary, a native of Knox County, Ohio, born Jan. 18, 1843, a daughter of William and Melissa Cary. They were play mates in childhood and were rocked in the same cradle. Mr. Keyes could not be an idle spectator of the struggle against rebellion and in 1865 again enlisted as a recruit and was assigned to Company B, Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania Infantry, and was present at the death of secession, and at the grand review at Washington. After the war he resumed agricultural pursuits, making his home in Richland Township. In October, 1878, he was elected Sheriff of Steuben County, and re-elected in 1880. It is no disparagement to others to say that the county never had a more efficient officer. He made for himself quite a repu- tation as a detective. Lewis Schwartz, charged with burglary and larceny, was traced and captured by Mr. Keyes. Dell Quin, a horse thief, was captured at North Manchester, Ind. James Cul- ver, charged with grand larceny , and Joseph Etting, a forger to the amount of $40,000, were captured through his co-operation. Mr. and Mrs. Keyes have been from early youth members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, and for several years he has been a local preacher. He is an ardent Republican and in politics, as in all questions of public interest, always has an opinion and is very free to express it. He is courteous and genial in his manners and never intentionally wrongs any one. He is one of Steuben County's most prominent citizens and is popular with all classes. While Sheriff of the county he sold his farm in Richland Township and about the close of his second term bought the one where he now lives, known as the Sander's place. A daughter, Cora A., is their only child.
Clay Lemmon, youngest son of Maurice and Lucinda Lemmon, was born in Otsego Township, Aug. 18, 1844, and was here reared and educated. His early educational advantages were, however,
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meager, and his time for securing an education brief, for at the age of seventeen he entered the service of his country as a soldier in the civil war. He enlisted in Company K, Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry, Oct. 10, 1861. His company being left at Henderson, Ky., he was not present at the battle of Fort Donelson, but joined his regiment previous to the battle of Shiloh, and participated in that engagement, the siege of Corinth and all the marches and du- ties of the regiment until it encamped at Battle Creek, Tenn., in July, 1862. On account of ill health he was sent to the hospital at Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 17, 1862; was discharged Oct. 2, and reached home the 25th of the same month. He attended school the following winter, and having regained his health, on Nov. 26, 1863, he again enlisted as a veteran in Company H, Seventy- fourth Indiana Infantry, joining the regiment Feb. 14, 1864, at Chattanooga; was under fire the most of the way from there to Atlanta, and took part in the battles of Jonesboro, the last of a series of battles culminating in the fall of Atlanta, following the banners of Sherman on his march to the sea and through the Carolinas, thence to Washington via Richmond. He was in line at the time of the grand review of the army at Washington, May
22, 186: Having enlisted as a veteran he was trans erred June 9, 1865, .o the Twenty-second Indiana Veteran Volunteer Infan- try, and was discharged with them at Louisville, Ky., July 24, 1865. After his second enlistment, he was not absent from his regiment a day, and was in the ranks in all the marches and en- gagements of the regiment. He returned home in the month of his twenty-first birthday, and in November, 1869, shortly after his marriage, settled on the farm on section 20, Otsego Township, where he now lives. He has always taken an active interest in all public affairs of his township and county, and has been honored with several positions of trust and responsibility. In the fall of 1874 he was a non-partisan candidate for the office of Township Trustee, but was defeated. In 1876 he was elected to this office, and was again elected in 1878. During his last term he was in- strumental in having built the convenient and tasty school build- ing at Hamilton, and in establishing there a graded school which has proven of great benefit to the town and township. In 1880 he was elected Justice of the Peace for his township, and in 1884 Treasurer of Steuben County for the term beginning in Septem- ber, 1885. In politics he is an earnest Republican and an active worker in the party's ranks. He was married Sept. 19, 1869, to
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HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY.
Jane Cameron, who was born in Richland Township, Jan. 27, 1846, daughter of William and Sarah Cameron, early settlers of the county and of Richland Township. To them have been born four children, three of which number are living-Sarah E., Edith R., Earle C. Their second child, Ernest C., died Feb. 20, 1876, aged ten months and fifteen days.
David R. Lemmon, son of Maurice and Lucinda Lemmon, was born in Sandusky County, Ohio, Nov. 26, 1839, and was four years of age when his parents settled on the farm where he now lives, and where he has since made his home. This farm contains 156 acres of choice land, with a fine residence and other buildings. He was married Feb. 20, 1862, to Lorana Tuttle, a native of Steu- ben Township, Steuben Co., Ind., born April 15, 1840, daughter of Lemmon and Lora Tuttle. They have a family of nine children, all at home save the eldest-Maurice, Cora, Morton, Lora, Chap- lin, Vira, Bessie, Ethel and Elsie. Maurice is married and lives in Richland Township. Mr. Lemmon is a thorough, progressive farmer, and has been successful in all his undertakings. He stands high in the community, and is noted for his close attention to business. In politics he is a Republican.
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