USA > Indiana > Tipton County > History of Tipton County Indiana > Part 31
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For a year and a half after his return from the war Mr. Martz was in charge of the old homestead, and then went into the grain business with his brother, John, in Millersburg, Hamilton county. At the end of two years his brother sold out, but the younger partner continued in the business six years longer. John Martz meantime had bought his father's old mill, moved the business to Cicero, and later to Kokomo. There he died while still a young man, and Nicholas Martz spent four year's in that town settling up his brother's affairs, a task in which his father shared. In 1879 he went to Atlanta, Indiana, for a year, and from there to Windfall, where he leased a mill for another year. His next venture was in Greenwood, where he bought a grist-mill, built a saw-mill and embarked extensively in a grain and lumber business, which proved very successful. In 1888 Mr. Martz turned his attention to a new line of industry and opened a canning factory in Koko- mo, as a member of the firm of Charles & Martz. Three years later he sold out his interest there, and established a similar enterprise at Tipton, but sold out in 1898 to Grafton Johnson. It is still in operation, but is now known as the Fame Canning Company. Meantime he became interested in canning fac- tories in both Hamilton and Vermilion counties. He also had various real estate interests and owned valuable property in Tipton, Indianapolis and other places, besides a business block in Cayuga. He was recognized as one of the most enterprising and progressive citizens of Tipton, and was a man of in- fluence in the community.
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Mr. Martz was first married in April, 1866, to Elizabeth E. Walker, who was born on a farm near Fortville, Hancock county, Indiana, a daugh- ter of Tarlton Walker. She died near Fortville, the mother of three chil- dren : Charles M., Mary A., who died at the age of three and one-half years, and Minnie T. The mother was a member of the Christian church. Mr. Martz married for his second wife Mary Allen. She died less than four years after her marriage, leaving no children. Mr. Martz was married a third time to Anna Hanson, of Greenwood, Indiana, who survives him. She assisted her husband for a number of years in his canning factories in Tipton and Kokomo, until he sold out and discontinued that business.
After selling out his business the subject and his wife took a trip to California, and on returning to Indiana he managed a canning factory at Cayuga, Indiana, for four years. He then returned to Tipton and built the Martz Opera House block, with a seating capacity of one thousand. While here in the canning factory business he was a member of the city council and took an active interest in street and other city improvements. He also later built the Farmers Loan and Trust Company's bank building and the new Christian church. His bid on that church was one thousand dollars below the lowest bidder, and then he gave several thousand dollars to the church besides.
Mr. Martz was a Republican in politics and was elected mayor of Tipton in 1910, and was serving in that office at the time of his death. Mr. and Mrs. Martz were members of the West Street Christian church, and at one time he was an elder in the church.
Mr. Martz died on May 10, 1912, at the Deaconess Hospital in Indian- apolis, where he had submitted to an operation. Fraternally, he was a mem- ber of Austin Lodge No. 128, Free and Accepted Masons, of Tipton Chapter No. 114, Royal Arch Masons, and of Tipton Commandery, Knights Templar.
Mrs. Anna (Hanson) Martz, widow of the subject, was born at Madison, Jefferson county, Indiana, January 21, 1856. Her father, Hiram Hanson. was born in Maine, her mother in Jefferson county, Indiana, and they were early residents of that county. Her father died there and her mother in Greenwood, Indiana, in 1896, at the age of sixty-seven years. They were the parents of six children : Charles Nicholas, deceased; Alonzo, who died when a small boy; Hirametta, of Greenwood; Calvin I., deceased; Anna, wife of the subject; Mary, of Greenwood. The parental grandfather of Mrs. Martz. was Nicholas Hanson, while her maternal grandfather was Capt. John Jack- son. His wife was a Miss Hillis. He came from North Carolina in a very early day.
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JOSEPH A. MEINERDING.
The enterprise of Joseph A. Meindering has been crowned with success, as the result of rightly applied principles which never fail in their ultimate effect when coupled with integrity, uprightness and a congenial disposition, as they have done in the present instance, judging from the high standing of Mr. Meinerding among his fellow citizens whose undivided esteem he has justly won and retained, being one of the leading business men of Tipton, Tipton county, Indiana.
Joseph A. Meinerding was born at Fort Recovery, Ohio, February 1, 1875, the son of Wenceslaus and Agnes (Romer) Meinerding, who were natives of the Buckeye state and the parents of seven children: Elizabeth, the wife of W. H. Anthony, of Celina, Ohio; Mary lives at Fort Recovery, Ohio; Catherine is the widow of J. W. Schrocter, of Fort Recovery ; William H., of Petersburg, Indiana; Agnes died at the age of thirty-four; Joseph A .; Wenceslaus, of Great Falls, Montana. The father of the subject was' reared in Mariastein, Ohio, and during his life engaged in the mercantile and lumber business, principally at St. Henry's and Fort Recovery, Ohio. He died in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1884, in his forty-third year, and his wife is still living at Fort Recovery. They were members of the Catholic church and he held a number of offices. The paternal grandparents of the subject of this review were Wenceslaus and Mary Meinerding, who were born in Germany and came at an early pioneer time to Mariastein, Ohio, where they spent their lives in agricultural pursuits and died there, he at the age of sixty-five and she at the age of ninety-seven. They had five children who grew to maturity : Clemens, Mary, Wenceslaus, Charles and Mrs. Tangiman. The subject's maternal grandparents were Joseph and Mary Romer, also natives of the fatherland and early settlers at St. Henry's, Ohio, where they died, both at the age of seventy-three years. They were the parents of seven children. Henry, Bernard. Elizabeth, Mary, Agnes, Catharine and Joseph.
Joseph A. Meinerding spent his boyhood at Fort Recovery, Ohio, and attended the public and parochial schools, this preliminary education being rounded out by a course in Pio Nona College at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from which he graduated in 1894. Completing his studies, Mr. Meinerding engaged in the hardware business at Fort Recovery, Ohio, until 1908, when he removed to Toledo, Ohio, about February Ist, continuing in Toledo until November Ist, when he again removed, coming to Indiana and locating at Petersburg. However, his stay in Petersburg was a short one, for the follow-
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ing March he came to Tipton, and has been engaged in the hardware business here since, enjoying a steadily growing patronage and enjoying the confidence and respect of the community. .
On September 9, 1900, Mr. Meinerding was united in marriage to Ger- trude Forbing, daughter of Peter and Mary (Toneliere) Forbing, of Decatur, Indiana, where she was reared. Her mother died in 1912, at the age of about sixty-five, while the father is still living in Decatur. To Mrs. Meinerding's parents were born ten children: Elizabeth, Margaret, Gertrude, Anna, Elea- nor, Rose, Bernadetta, Anthony and Vincent. Mrs. Meinerding, on the ma- ternal side, was of French descent. To the subject and wife have been born two children, Paul B. and Catharine, the latter dying at the age of six months.
Mr. and Mrs. Meinerding are devout communicants in the Catholic church, while the subject belongs to the Knights of Columbus.
GEORGE A. LEATHERMAN.
It is the pride of citizens of this country that there is no limit to which natural ability, industry and honesty may aspire. A boy born in poverty and reared under the most adverse circumstances may nevertheless break from his fetters and rise to the highest station in the land. And the qualities do not have to be of a transcendent character to enable him to accomplish this result. It is more the way he does it and his skill in grasping the opportunities presented than to any remarkable qualities possessed by him. Accordingly. it is found that very often in this country the president, governor and other high officials possess no higher ability than thousands of other citizens. They have simply taken better advantage of their circumstances than their fellows. And this truth runs through every occupation. The business man who rises above his fellows does so because he has found out how to rise above the sur- roundings 'which hold others down. Such a man is the gentleman whose name heads this paragraph, and he is eminently entitled to representation in this volume.
George A. Leatherman was born June 25, 1847, near Indianapolis, In- diana, the son of Daniel and Mary J. (Shields) Leatherman, natives, re- spectively, of Maryland and Virginia. The subject of this review was the oldest of a family of five children, the others being: Marion, living near Noblesville, Indiana; Hattie, deceased, was the wife of William H. Huff : Sarah J., the wife of Eli Marquette, is living at Carlisle, Sullivan county, In-
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diana ; Aaron, of Greenfield, Hancock county, Indiana. The father of these children lived near Fredericktown, Maryland, until his sixteenth year, and then came with his parents to Indiana, they locating north of Indianapolis, where he grew to manhood, engaged in farming for himself and lived there the rest of his life. He died in 1903, in his eighty-sixth year, his wife's death occurring in 1888, in her sixty-ninth year, he being a member of the English Lutheran church and she of the Methodist Episcopal denomination Fraternally, the subject's father was a Mason, belonging to the Millersville lodge and at the time of his death being the oldest member of that lodge.
The paternal grandparents of George 'A. Leatherman were Frederick and Sarah ( Wilhite ) Leatherman, natives of Maryland and of German descent. He was a farmer and they both died comparatively young in Marion county, Indiana. They had six children: Daniel, subject's father; Christo- pher, Frederick, Joseph, Conrad and Sarah.
On the maternal side the subject's grandparents were named Shields, the grandmother having been a Sinclair. They were also early settlers in Marion county, Indiana, coming to this state from their native state of Vir- ginia, and living in this county the rest of their days, engaged in the pursuit: of agriculture. He died early in life, the wife surviving to the age of fifty- nine. They were the parents of six children: Mary J., Allen, Sarah, Eliza- beth, George W. and John M.
George A. Leatherman was reared in Marion county, Indiana, on his father's farm and attended the district schools. On reaching young man- hood his father gave him a colt and, with it and a small piece of rented land, the subject started in life on his own account, soon, however, acquiring more land and extending his operations until about 1890, when he forsook agricul- ture and engaged in the furniture and undertaking business in Noblesville for two years, then removed his business to Cicero for five years, and in 1900 came to Tipton, where he has since been and has built up a splendid business, in addition to the furniture and undertaking branches, having added pianos Victrolas, carpets, etc., until his establishment has become one of the leading business houses in Tipton.
On November 5, 1879, Mr. Leatherman was married to Geneva A. Cropper, daughter of Sidney and Sarah (Mowery) Cropper, born in Marion county, Indiana, December 21, 1859. Her parents, now deceased, were early settlers in Marion county, the father being being a native of Kentucky. To these parents was born, beside the subject's wife, Mrs. Katie Wall. To Mr. Leatherman and wife have been born two children, Lee S. and Ralph D. Lee
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S. married Mabel Crum and they have one child, Ruth. Ralph D. married Madge Daum.
Mr. and Mrs. Leatherman are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which they take an active and earnest interest. In the Masonic fraternity, the subject belongs to Austin Lodge No. 128, Free and Accepted Masons; Tipton Chapter No. 114. Royal Arch Masons, and Tipton Council No. 80. Royal and Select Masters. In political matters, Mr. Leatherman gives his support to the Republican party. The subject's sons are also inter- ested in fraternal matters, Lee S. being a member of the Knights of Pythias, while Ralph D. is a Scottish Rite Mason and belongs to Murat Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Indianapolis.
PROF. EMERY E. VAN BUSKIRK.
That life is the most useful and desirable that results in the greatest good to the greatest number, and, though all do not reach the heights to which they aspire, yet in some measure each can win success and make life a blessing to his fellow men. It is not necessary for one to occupy eminent public positions to do so, for in the humbler walks of life there remains much good to be accomplished and many opportunities for the exercise of talents and influence, that in some way will touch the lives of those with whom we come in contact, making them better and brighter. In the list of Tipton county's successful citizens the gentleman whose name forms the caption for this brief biographical review has long occupied a prominent place. In his record there is much that is commendable, and his career forcibly illus- trates what a life of energy can accomplish when plans are wisely laid and actions are governed by right principles, noble aims and high ideals. In of- fering the following resume of his life history to the present time it is be- lieved that it will serve as an incentive to the youth whose careers are yet matters for the future to determine.
Prof. Emery E. Van Buskirk, principal of the departmental schools of Tipton, Indiana, was born in Henry county, Indiana, October 4, 1853, the son of John and Martha Ellen ( Williams) Van Buskirk, early settlers in Henry county, Indiana. Professor Van Buskirk's parents had seven children. namely : Emery F .; Joseph Connell, deceased : Charles Ulysses : Lincoln, de- ceased: Esther Fanny, the wife of Drury Alsman, of Omaha, Nebraska ; Lou is the widow of Henry McCoy, of Omaha, Nebraska ; a son who is the twin
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brother of Lou. The subject's father was a carpenter and farmer in his early manhood, and came to Tipton county about 1859, locating three and one-half miles south of Tipton on a farm of eighty acres, where he died in 1865 in his forty-fourth year. His wife, who was born in 1833, survived him, her death occurring at the home of her daughter, Lou, near Arlington, Nebraska. They were members of the Christian church.
The paternal grandfather of the Professor was Joseph Van Buskirk, who, with his wife, Rebecca, was a native of New York state and of Holland Dutch descent. They were pioneers in Henry county and early settlers in Tipton county, Indiana. Joseph Van Buskirk. who was a blacksmith by trade, was twice married. To his first union were born the following chil- dren : Elisha, Elias, Dillard, George and John, the two last named being twins. By his second marriage Joseph Van Buskirk became the father of five children, Jehu, Joseph, Amos, Mary Ann and Hannah.
The subject of this review came, with his parents, to Tipton county, Indiana, when he was but six years old, and was reared on the home farm, securing a good education in the district schools and in the Tipton high school. Subsequently he engaged in teaching and has followed pedagogical pursuits for thirty-five years, a record as an educator of which any one might feel proud. He first taught in the district schools of his home community and then for four years was an instructor in the Tipton public schools, at the end of which period Professor Van Buskirk accepted a government appoint- ment in the Indian schools, first in the industrial school at Lawrence, Kansas, and then at the Pine Ridge agency in South Dakota. After two years spent in the hotel business in Rushville, Nebraska, where he located on his resigna- tion from the government service, the subject returned to Tipton and was proprietor of the Commercial Hotel for two years, at the end of which time he accepted the principalship of the departmental schools of this city, which position he yet occupies, having efficiently filled that responsible office for the last fifteen years.
On July 15, 1874, Professor Van Buskirk was united in marriage with Mary Elizabeth Recobs, daughter of James and Lydia C. (Burnett ) Recobs. Mrs. Van Buskirk was born in Tipton, Indiana, on June 20, 1855, her parents being natives of the Buckeye state and early pioneers in Tipton county. they having come to this section in a covered wagon when there were but three families in the place. She was reared on a farm a mile and a half south of Tipton and attended the district schools and the Tipton public schools. Her father died in Tipton in November, 1911, in his eighty-third year, his wife
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having passed away February 20, 1910, in her seventy-seventh year. To Mrs. Van Buskirk's parents were born thirteen children, of whom eight lived to maturity, namely : Mary Elizabeth, Jennie A., Verrella, Robert, Harry, Fred, Gay and Samuel. Mrs. Van Buskirk's paternal grandparents were Frederick and Elizabeth (Rowe) Van Buskirk, while her maternal grand- parents were James and Frances (Cullup) Burnett, natives of Ohio and pio- neers in Tipton county.
To Professor Van Buskirk and wife have been born the following chil- dren : John LeRoy married Gertrude Dean and lives in Indianapolis ; James O. died in infancy : Winona C. married M. H. Southers and they also reside in the Hoosier capital : Maud P. married John Casey, of Lima, Ohio, and is now deceased; Hazel died in infancy; Cleo died at the age of twenty-three years and was unmarried: Jessie is at home; Bessie died at the age of nine- teen months.
Professor Van Buskirk and wife are members of the Christian church. while, in political matters, the subject recognizes no party ties, preferring to cast his ballot for what his conscience tells him are the right men and the right principles.
HARRY E. GRISHAW, M. D.
It is not always easy to discover and define the hidden forces that move a life of ceaseless activity and large professional success: little more can be done than to note their manifestation in the career of the individual under consideration. In view of this fact the life of the successful physician and public-spirited man of affairs whose name appears above affords a striking example of well-defined purpose, with the ability to make that purpose sub- serve not only his own ends, but the good of his fellow men as well. Doctor Grishaw holds distinctive prestige in a calling which requires for its basis sound mentality and intellectual discipline of a high order, supplemented by the rigid professional training and thorough mastery of technical knowledge, with the skill to apply the same, without which one cannot hope to rise above mediocrity in ministering to human ills. In his chosen field of endeavor Doc- tor Grishaw has achieved a notable success and an eminent standing among the medical men of his county. In addition to his creditable career in one of the most useful and exacting of professions, he has also proved an honorable member of the body politic, rising in the confidence and esteem of the public. and in every relation of life he has never fallen below the dignity of true man-
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hood nor in any way resorted to methods that have invited criticism or censure.
Harry E. Grishaw was born at Sharpsville, Indiana, May 29, 1873. He is the son of William and America (Shook) Grishaw, both of whom are also natives of Indiana. They had five children : Ora B., deceased; Ira Grant, deceased; James B., of Tipton county ; Charles L., of Tipton county, and Dr. Harry E., the subject of this sketch. The senior Grishaw was raised in Ripley county, Indiana, and as a young man learned the trade of a blacksmith. Later, he became a merchant and farmer in Cicero township, Tipton county, Indiana, where he owned a farm of three hundred and twenty acres. He car- ried on merchandising in Tipton and Sharpsville for several years, dying in Tipton in 1894, aged fifty-six. His wife is still living in this city. An indi- cation of the esteem with which he was held by his fellow citizens is shown in his election as county treasurer of this county. He was a soldier during the Civil war and left an enviable record for his service in that conflict.
Doctor Grishaw's paternal grandfather and grandmother were early settlers in Ripley county, and died there in middle life. They had three chil- dren, William, Jesse and Polly Naylor. The maternal grandparents were Lorenze D. and Maria Shook. He died in Ripley county and she in Tipton county at an old age. They had a large family, Colvin, David, Ann, America, James K., Abraham, Arie, Luther, Joseph and Hattie.
Doctor Grishaw was born and raised in Tipton, went through the com- mon schools in that city and graduated from the high school in 1892. He then entered Indiana University at Bloomington, where he continued his work for two years. He took a prominent part in college activities during his course there and was a member of the Greck-letter fraternity Phi Gamma Delta. After taking two years of work in the university, he started the study of medicine at Indianapolis and graduated from the Central College of Physi- cians and Surgeons in the spring of 1897, He at once began the practice of medicine in Tipton, where he has continued to reside ever since,
On the 24th of November, 1897, Doctor Grishaw was married to Bertha Gray, and they have one son, William H. Mrs. Grishaw was born in Rush county, Indiana. Her mother died several years ago, but her father is still living. She has one sister, Laura.
Doctor Grishaw is a member of the Royal Arch Masons at Tipton, and is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has always been a Republican and as such was elected county coroner for two years. He is also a member of the city board of health at the present time.
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SOLOMON D. ROULS.
Among Tipton county's best known citizens and leading men of affairs the name of Solomon D. Rouls has been prominent. Of keen, practical in- telligence and rare foresight, he has been a forceful factor in the business circles of the city of Tipton, to the material advancement of which he has contributed perhaps as much as any of his contemporaries, while in matters of public policy bearing upon the best interests of the community his council and advice have ever carried weight and influence. A strong mentality, in- vincible courage and a determined individuality have so combined in his makeup as to render him a natural leader of men and director of public opinion.
Solomon D. Rouls was born in Arcadia, Indiana, April 25, 1857, the son of William and Phoebe (Dill) Rouls, the father a native of the father- land and the mother of Hamilton county, Indiana. His father and mother were the parents of six children : Solomon D .; Louisa, the wife of Francis Goodwin, of Wildcat township; Frances, the wife of Luther A. Orr, of Wildcat township; Sarah C., deceased, was the wife of Thomas Gunning, of Cicero township; Alice is the wife of William Wiggins, of Cicero township: Lydia M. is superintendent of an Indian school in Everson, Washington.
William Rouls was reared in Germany and in early life learned the weaver's trade. Born in 1818, he came to America in 1848 and first located near Hagerstown, Wayne county, Indiana, and about .1851 came to Cicero. Indiana, where he was married on April 4, 1852, then removing to Arcadia. where he followed the cooper's trade until 1864. In that year he went to Iowa, locating in Story county, near Cambridge, following agriculture until February, 1867, when he came to Tipton county, Indiana, and purchased fifty-three and one-third acres of land in Cicero township. He here fol- lowed agriculture until within about four years of his death, when he re- moved to Tipton, dying there December 31, 1892. aged seventy-four years and twenty-six days. His wife died March 25, 1875, at the age of forty-two years two months and eleven days. They were members of the Evangelical church.
The paternal grandparents of the subject were Henry and Louisa Rouls. the latter dying in Germany in 1828. The grandfather came to America early in the fifties and died in Tipton county, Indiana. November 15, 1871, aged ninety-seven years. They were the parents of a large family of children.
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