History of Tipton County Indiana, Part 34

Author: M. W. Pershing
Publication date: 1914
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 701

USA > Indiana > Tipton County > History of Tipton County Indiana > Part 34

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Politically, Mr. Brown has been a life-long Democrat, and has always taken an active and earnest part in the deliberations of his party. While still living at Sharpsville, he was appointed justice of the peace to fill out an un- expired term and held that office for one year to the satisfaction of all con- cerned. As prosecuting attorney of a county which lays just claim to being one of the cleanest counties in the state with regard to law violation, he has shown himself entitled to his full share of credit for this condition, and as a lawyer he is well informed in his profession and faithful to his clients and the law. He is an honest and fair practitioner, and his career has won for him the sincere regard of his associates at the bar, and in all the important litigation with which he has been connected no one has ever charged him with anything calculated to bring discredit upon himself or cast a reflection upon his profession. His life affords a splendid example of what an American youth, plentifully endowed with good common sense, energy and determina- tion, may accomplish when directed and controlled by correct moral principles.

OSCAR VANNESS.

The name of Vanness has been for many years an honored and respected one in Tipton county, and the gentleman of that name who is the immediate subject of this sketch is richly deserving of the universal respect and esteem which is accorded him in the community in which he lives. He is numbered among the enterprising and progressive citizens of the county, and he has also been accorded definite recognition in the political circles of the county. being now the county assessor, in which position he is rendering efficient and satisfactory service.

Oscar Vanness was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, on September I.

Digitized by Google

355

TIPTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

1877, the son of Eugene and Emily (Garrison) Vanness, the father being a native of Ohio. He is one of nine children, the others being Ollie Josephine, of Indianapolis; Pearl, the wife of C. F. Parker, of near Wichita, Kansas; Carl Otto, of Omaha, Nebraska; Frank T., of Madison township, this county, who served three years in the United States army, being assigned to the coast defense station at Fort Michie, of New York; Ray, of Greenwood, Indiana : Feril, who lives with her brother, Frank, and her mother in Madison town- ship. Eugene Vanness was a carpenter by vocation for eight or ten years and then took up farming, which pursuit he followed during the remainder of his life. In an early day he came to Tipton county and here followed farm- ing until his death, principally in Madison township, where his death occurred on April 29, 1908, in the fifty-third year of his age. His widow is still living. They were both identified with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which they were faithful and earnest adherents. On the paternal side the subject of this sketch is descended from Furman Vanness, whose wife was Deborah (Hand) Vanness, they being early settlers of Tipton county and prominent in the early life of this community. Furman Vanness was a New- light minister and farming was his usual vocation. He died in Howard county, this state, at an advanced age, and his wife was past sixty years of age at the time of her death. Their children were Frankie, Ida, Abigail, Josephine and Ollie, twins; Sarah, Eugene, Mary and James. The subject's maternal grandfather was Robert Garrison, who was an early settler in Madi- son county, near Duck creek, and there the maternal grandmother died in middle life, her husband living to an advanced age. He was a veteran of the war with Mexico and his death occurred in Tipton county. They were the parents of three children, Miles, Emily and Harvey.

Oscar Vanness spent his boyhood days on the home farm and attended the district schools in Madison and Prairie townships, graduating from the common school in Kempton in 1895. He later attended the Marion Normal School a short time, and after that for five years engaged in teaching public school. A year later he became truant officer, filling this position efficiently for a year and then during the following three years he was foreman of the fence gang on a railroad. He then farmed in partnership with his brother- in-law, F. C. Parker, and later for two years they engaged in the operation of a general store at Gilead, Miami county, this state. Mr. Vanness then re- turned to Tipton county, and for a year engaged in farming and later served one year as deputy county treasurer under T. J. Reese. A short time after- ward he was appointed county assessor to fill out the unexpired term of A. H.

Digitized by Google

356

TIPTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

Pence, and is still the occupant of that office. The duties of county assessor are very exacting and of vital importance to the prosperity of the county, and Mr. Vanness has so conducted the affairs of his office as to win the hearty commendation of his fellow citizens. He has also been successful in his private affairs and owns a splendid farm of one hundred and twenty-six acres in Madison township, the same being well improved and under a high state of cultivation.

A Democrat politically, Mr. Vanness has for many years been active in his efforts to advance the party's interests, and has been held in high esteem by his political colleagues. In March, 1912, he was a candidate for the office of county treasurer, but was defeated at the delegate convention. Personally. Mr. Vanness is genial and unassuming and because of his upright character and sterling integrity he has retained the friendship of all who knew him.

EDWARD D. DANIELS.

In every community are to be found individuals who, by reason of pro- nounced ability and forceful personality, attain an influence with their fel- lows; who, by revealing traits of perseverance in effort and directing pur- pose, are entrusted with positions of honor and responsibility and become in the full sense of the term leaders of men. Of this class is the well known gentleman and successful lawyer whose name appears above, a man who ranks among the leading citizens of Tipton county and who for a number of years has borne an influential part in the affairs of the city and county in which he resides.

Edward D. Daniels was born in Lafayette, Tippecanoe county, Indiana. on April 18, 1878, the son of Joseph and Azilda (Lord) Daniels, natives respectively of New York state and Canada. They were the parents of three children. namely: Edward D., the subject of this sketch: Helen, deceased. who was the wife of Otis Mayn, who is also deceased, and Paul, who died in young manhood. The subject's paternal grandparents were natives of east- ern Canada, who afterwards moved to New York state, near the Canadian boundary, and there followed farming, later going west to Kankakee county. Illinois, where they died at advanced age. To these paternal grandparents were born four children, Joseph, Edward, Margaret and Mary. Of these. Joseph spent his boyhood in New York state and Vermont and in young manhood moved west, where he became a locomotive fireman and afterwards

Digitized by Google

357

. TIPTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

a locomotive engineer in the employment of several different railroads, which occupation he followed for more than forty years, being at the time of his death the oldest engineer in point of service of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad, having gone to this railroad from the Wabash in 1874. His death occurred in Tipton, Indiana, on September 4, 1908, at the age of sixty- four years. His wife died one year later at the age of fifty-five years. Both were earnest members of the Catholic church. The subject's maternal grand- parents were David and Mary ( Toupan) Lord, who were natives of Quebec, Canada, coming to the United States, locating in Kankakee county, Illinois, where they followed farming, and their deaths occurred there at very ad- vanced age. To them were born Frank N., Hermine, Joseph, Rosa, Louise. Francis, Azilda, and other children.

Edward D. Daniels lived with his parents in Lafayette until nearly six- teen years of age, received his early education in the parochial schools in that city and later he attended St. John's Academy at Tipton, and upon the con- clusion of his elementary studies he entered Valparaiso University in the scientific and law departments, where, after being required to partially work his way through, he graduated in law in 1897, at that time being the youngest student to have received a Bachelor of Law degree, and possibly the young- est in the state, being little past nineteen years of age. He entered upon the practice of his profession at Tipton, in which he has been actively and con- tinuously engaged until the present time. He has served one term as prose- cuting attorney of Tipton and Howard counties, two terms as deputy prose- cutor, was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination of judge of the thirty-sixth judicial district in 1908 and for member of Congress from the ninth congressional district in 1910. He has earned a wide reputation as a successful lawyer and has been connected with much of the important liti- gation tried in the Tipton county and Indiana supreme courts, as well as im- portant cases in adjoining counties. He has prosecuted or defended success- fully every homicide case tried in Tipton county during the past fifteen years, one of these being the famous case of the State versus Henry Yarling. He is counsel for the Shirk estate and the Indiana Gas Light Company and local counsel for the Lake Erie & Western and the Pennsylvania railroads and has legal connections with other important interests.

On the 13th day of November, 1898, Mr. Daniels married Elizabeth Staats, the daughter of John F. and Lou (Jamieson) Staats. Mrs. Daniels was born in Wayne county, Indiana, on March 2, 1879, her parents being also natives of Indiana, and are now living in Tipton, the father being fence agent

Digitized by Google

358

TIPTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

for the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Daniels have two children living, John Edward and Helen Louise. Mr. and Mrs. Daniels are members of the Catholic church and, fraternally, Mr. Daniels belongs to the Knights of Columbus and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of which latter organization he has been prominent, having been the first exalted ruler of Tipton Lodge No. 1012, chairman of its building committee and a district deputy grand exalted ruler. Politically, he is a staunch Republican. active in party work and a frequent contributor in its educational campaigns.

Mr. Daniels was one of the organizers of the Tipton Chautauqua as- sembly movement and president of the organization in 1914. He is also secretary of the Tipton County Commercial Club.

WILLIAM E. DE VAULT.

Holding distinctive prestige among the leading men of his community and standing out clear and distinct as one of the public-spirited citizens of Tipton county, William E. De Vault has achieved an honorable record as an enterprising, self-made man, who, from a modest beginning and by his own individual efforts, has worked his way to a position of affluence and influence in the county. His life has been one of unceasing industry and perseverance and the systematic and honorable methods which he has ever pursued have gained for him the unbounded confidence and esteem of his fellow men and a permanent place among those to whose energy, sound judgment and superior foresight the city of Tipton and the county are so largely indebted for their advancement and importance.

William E. De Vault was born February 13, 1867, in Tipton, Tipton county.' Indiana, the son of William and Rhoda Elizabeth ( Reeder ) De Vault, natives of Tennessee, and the parents of eight children, namely: William E .; John G., of Loogootee, Indiana; Robert F., of Broad Ripple, Indiana ; Lloyd O., of Peoria, Illinois; Tampie D., of Tipton: Lulu, the wife of Aaron Lane, of Peoria, Illinois; two who died in infancy.

Mr. De Vault's father was reared in Tennessee and was a farmer. When the Civil war broke out he came to Indiana, and enlisted at Louisville, Ken- tucky, in the Union army, serving three years and four months, taking part in many battles. After the war he came to Tipton and has lived here ever since, following farming and various other pursuits. His wife died in 1905

Digitized by Google

359

TIPTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

in her sixtieth year. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as is also her husband.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. De Vault were natives of Tennessee, where they lived their entire lives, the grandfather dying in middle age and his wife living to an old age. They had five children: William, Gideon, Melvina, Lulu and Mamie.

Mr. De Vault's maternal grandparents were G. P. and Tabitha (Childs) Reeder, natives of Tennessee, who came to Tipton county in pioneer days. The grandfather was a farmer in his younger days, later working at the carpenter's trade, and then conducting a hotel at Tipton Junction, where he died in his sixty-eighth year, his wife passing away at the age of sixty. They were the parents of Rhoda Elizabeth (subject's mother ), Catharine, Mary, Minerva, Alice, Lydia, Martha, Delia, Emma and Elizabeth.

William E. De Vault was reared in Tipton and attended the public schools there, living at home until he reached the age of twenty-two, when he worked on a farm by the month for a while, then renting land and farming for several years in Cicero and Madison townships. Receiving the appoint- ment as superintendent of the county poor farm, Mr. De Vault devoted his attention to this responsible position for two years, during which time he placed that institution on a self-supporting basis. In 1905 the subject re- ceived the nomination for sheriff from the Republican party, and was elected by a majority of three hundred and sixty-eight votes, at the end of his term of office being again elected for another term of two years, and his ad- ministration of the affairs of that important and responsible office gained for him the approval of his fellow citizens. On his retirement from the sheriff's office he engaged in the livery business for two years, and was then appointed chief of police, serving for three and one-half years. In 1912 he was again the nominee of his party for the office of sheriff, but went down to defeat with the rest of the candidates of his ticket.

On December 17, 1889, Mr. De Vault was married to Elizabeth Wright, daughter of Morgan and Celia ( Philpot) Wright, who was born in Tipton county, Indiana, February 15, 1870, her parents having been residents of Tipton county for many years, and having reared a family of the following children : William E., John M., George B., Josephus, Mary E., Elizabeth and Julia A. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. De Vault were natives of the Hoosier state and died in Hancock county, having reared a family of the following children: Morgan, John, Josephus, Mary and Lucy. Mrs. De Vault's maternal grandparents were Martin and Lucy Philpot, natives of Han-

Digitized by Google

360

TIPTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

cock county, Indiana, the parents of the following children : Lewis, John, Celia, Jane and Henrietta. The father of Mrs. De Vault is an old resident of Tipton county and was a commissioner many years ago, also having served as sheriff and county councilman, he having been a Democrat all his life.

To Mr. and Mrs. De Vault have been born four children : Orial married Florence Racobs and they have two children, Elizabeth Jane and Marita Cath- erine; Jesse Morgan, Loran Charles and Blanche M.

Mr. and Mrs. De Vault are members of the Christian church. Fra- ternally, he belongs to Austin Lodge No. 128, Free and Accepted Masons; Tipton Lodge No. 220, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; the Modern Woodmen of America; the Tribe of Ben-Hur, and the Improved Order of Red Men. He has a good home at No. 321 South Independence street, where they are the center of a circle of admiring friends, and their hospitality is a byword among their neighbors.

JOHN SIESS.

Although many foreign countries have sent their citizens to Tipton county, Indiana, and they have figured.in the various walks of life, the Ger- man empire has furnished a quota which will stand comparison with any other, and while one, by way of comparison, could not say that these sons of the fatherland have surpassed all others, it would be safe to say that none nas outstripped them or made better supporters of our institutions. Of this worthy class. John Siess, long since passed to his reward, was a brilliant example, his life, both in his native land and in his adopted country, being one that may be pointed to as a guide to the ambitious youth whose future is yet unplanned.

John Siess was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, May 7, 1843, and emi- grated to America in 1860, locating first in Decatur county, Indiana, where he remained until 1872, then coming to Tipton county. He first located on rented land in this county, where he continued for two years, until 1876, when he located on a farm in section 33 in Cicero township, which land is still in the family. Here he lived until his death, October 1, 1894, in his fifty-first year. A sincere member of the Methodist church, a Republican in politics and a man of intelligence and honorable daily walk, he won the respect and

Digitized by Google

--- -

361

TIPTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

admiration of his fellow men. His parents were farmers all their lives in Germany.

On December 26, 1873, the subject was united in marriage to Emma C. Stewart, daughter of Stephen and Amy M. (Ruddick) Stewart, and to this union four children were born, namely : Oscar S. was in the hardware busi- ness in Arcadia for a number of years, and still owns his store there, but is now farming in Cicero township, four miles from Tipton, on one of his mother's farms. He married Carrie Doty and they have two children, Paul R. and Dorothy O .; Lewis S. is also farming on the same farm; Walter C. and Clarence E. died young.

Mrs. John Siess was born in Bartholomew county, Indiana, June 6, 1853. Her father, Stephen Stewart, was a native of Kentucky and emi- grated to Indiana in an early day, coming to Tipton county in 1855, where he settled on a farm in Cicero township and became an extensive land owner. He died on the home farm in 1888, at the age of sixty-six years. His wife · died in 1897 in her seventy-second year. They were Methodists and were the parents of ten children: Robert O., of Carmel, Indiana; William P., a farmer in Cicero township: Emma C., widow of the subject; Amy C., of Tipton; Mary J. is the wife of Joseph Woolverton, of Cicero township; Laura E. is the widow of William Moore; John S., of Loranger, Louisiana ; Anthony S., of Parker, Arizona; two who died in infancy. Subject's widow was the third born of these children and was in her second year when she came to Tipton county. In her young girlhood she attended the district school and then taught school for one summer term. Her father was from Kentucky and was of Scotch-Irish descent, while her mother was born in Bartholomew county, Indiana. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Siess were Stephen and Elizabeth (Corn) Stewart, natives of Kentucky, where Stephen died, his wife afterward coming to Tipton county, where her death occurred in 1866, in her sixty-fourth year. Stephen and Elizabeth Stewart were the parents of the following children: Nancy J. Pruitt; Stephen ; Jessie : George : Gilly Ann is now residing in Kokomo, Indiana ; Emily ; Cal- vin: Caroline Hill. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Siess were Jesse Ruddick and Catharine ( Baker) Ruddick, natives of North Carolina and pioneer settlers in Bartholomew county, Indiana, where they spent their lives and died, he at the age of eighty-six and she at seventy-four. They had the following children : Mary and Nancy (twins), Lydia, Lovey, Catherine, Jesse, Sallie, Jane Mecinda, William and Mrs. Siess' mother. The father of Jesse Ruddick was Solomon Ruddick, and his wife's name was Ann. The

Digitized by Google

362

TIPTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

father of Catherine Baker was named Umphra Baker, and he was a soldier in the Revolutionary war.

Mrs. John Siesss owns a splendid farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Cicero township, four miles from Tipton, where she lived until the spring of 1903, when she removed to Tipton and bought her comfortable home at No. 128 West Madison street. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is highly respected in the community for her genuine worth.

GEORGE W. MYERLY.

Success has been earned by George W. Myerly by long and hard work in connection with agricultural pursuits and he is now enabled to spend his declining years in peaceful retirement, surrounded by the comforts of life as a result of his earlier years of activity, when, for a long period of years, he was classed as one of Tipton county's energetic and successful tillers of the soil and public-spirited citizens, always ready to do his full share in further- ing any movement looking to the material or moral welfare of his community. and later, in a public capacity, rendering splendid service to his fellow men.

George W. Myerly was born in Carroll county, Maryland, January 2. 1835, the son of George and Susanne (Clabaugh) Myerly, natives of that county, who were the parents of eight children who reached maturity, namely : Mary Roxan, deceased, was the wife of Martin Stephens: George W .: John H., of Elwood, Indiana : Silas R. lives two miles south of Elwood, Madison county, Indiana : Thomas J. lives in Elwood; Amanda E. was the wife of David Julius, of Tipton county, and on his death she remarried: Charlotte is the wife of B. F. Hines, of Elwood: Christopher Columbus lives in Madison township, Tipton county, Indiana.

George Myerly, father of the subject, was reared in Maryland, and he and his wife came to Tipton county, Indiana, in 1842, locating in Madison township, where he cleared a farm and reared his family. Previously they had lived for five years in Wayne county, Indiana. They both died on the old home farm in Madison township at about the age of seventy. In pioneer days George Mverly served as township trustee. The subject's paternal grandparents spent their lives in Maryland, and, besides George. they had three children, Jacob, Louis and Rachel, the latter becoming the wife of Henry Hoppie. The maternal grandfather of the subject was Thomas Cla-

Digitized by Google

363

TIPTON COUNTY, INDIANA.

baugh and he and his wife also passed their days and died in Maryland. To them were born but two children, Susanne and John.

George W. Myerly was two years old when he came with his parents to Indiana and had reached the age of seven when they located in Tipton county, it now being his proud boast that he has been a resident of this county for seventy-two years. Reared on his father's farm, Mr. Myerly attended the old-fashioned subscription schools in his boyhood, later attending the district schools. He continued to reside at home until he reached his twenty-third year, when he was married, on April 9, 1857, to Lucinda Ray, daughter of Hugh and Catharine (Rader) Ray, born one mile and a half south of Elwood August 18, 1837. Her parents were born in Tennessee and came to Indiana on horseback, settling first in Rush county and later removing to Madison county, where they died at an old age. They were the parents of a large family of children : Ruth, Elizabeth, Polly, Minerva, Sallie, Lucinda, Jacob, John, William and Stephen.

To Mr. and Mrs. Myerly have been born children as follows: Francis M. is a mail carrier at Tipton. He married Margaret Gage and they have two children, May and Lawrence. May married Roscoe Foster and they have one son, John. Mary Ellen married Samuel T. Hobbs, of Madison town- ship, and they have two children living. Ida married Omer Harding, and they have a son, Raymond. Idrel Elmer was in the county treasurer's office with his father and later in the grain business with him. He is now a mem- ber of the city council, representing the third ward in Tipton. He married Addie Lamb and they have two children, Loren and Bonnie.

Previous to Mr. Myerly's marriage he had worked for his father, and after that he rented the farm which he now owns for nine years, at the end of which time being enabled to purchase the land. This tract contained one hundred and sixty acres, for which he paid twenty-five dollars an acre, having since refused two hundred dollars anfacre for his holdings. The subject and wife lived on this land until 1893, when, he being elected county treasurer, they removed to the city of Tipton. Mr. Myerly was serving as county com- missioner when the first gravel road was built in the county, and was a city councilman of Tipton when the interurban railroad franchise was granted. He was county treasurer when the present court house was built.

In their religious belief, the subject belongs to the Universalist church, while his wife is a member of the Christian denomination. During the course of a long and honorable life in this immediate community Mr. Myerly has become especially well known in the community, and he and his estimable wife have a host of friends, being highly esteemed for their real worth.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Tipton County Indiana, Part 34

Author: M. W. Pershing Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Number of Pages: 701

Author: M. W. Pershing
Publication date: 1914
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 701