USA > Indiana > Tipton County > History of Tipton County Indiana > Part 54
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Omer Darrow, farmer of the beautiful Home Lawn farm of two hun- dred and four acres, three miles west of Elwood, in Tipton county, Indiana, first saw the light of day October 29, 1882, on the Jackson farm, one-half mile south of New Lancaster, this county, the son of Lemuel and Mary (Level) Darrow. Lemuel Darrow, the subject's father, was a farmer, born and reared in this same township, where he was honored and respected by his neighbors as a man of industry and integrity. He was the father of ten
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children, Fannie, Ollie, Pearl, Josie, Omer, Nola, Wayne, Clifford, Goldie and Mary.
An exceptionally good education was acquired by Mr. Darrow, he at- tending the New Lancaster school until he reached the age of twelve years, then pursuing his studies in the school at Omega, Hamilton county, for one term, after which he attended the educational institutions in Tipton, event- ually finishing at Elwood, with a term at the Hobbs high school. On reach- ing his legal majority, the subject was for a time employed in a store in Tipton, but soon gave up this to take to farming on land which he rented from his father. By a course of careful economy and strict attention to the details of his agricultural operations he was in time in a position to purchase land for himself, and he bought thirty-five acres of good land near Hobbs, this county, this land now constituting his present highly developed and val- uable home place.
On December 24, 1903, Mr. Darrow was married to Maud E. Hobbs, the daughter of Granville H. Hobbs, of Hobbs, and to this union have been born three children, Charles, Ruth J. and John R. The subject, in addition to general farming, has devoted considerable attention to the raising of good stock, and has been excedingly successful in this department. The family of Mr. Darrow are all faithful members of the Christian church, in which they display a deep and earnest interest. Although his father was quite active in political affairs, having served as county commissioner and also as county treasurer, Mr. Darrow has never sought public office, being content to devote his time to his agricultural affairs. He casts his ballot with the Democratic party.
WILLIAM A. YOHE.
It is a pleasure to investigate the career of a successful, self-made man. Peculiar honor attaches to that individual who, beginning the great struggle of life alone and unaided, gradually overcomes unfavorable environments, removes one by one the obstacles from the pathway of success and by the master strokes of his own force and vitality succeeds in forging his way to the front and winning for himself a competency and a position of esteem and influence among his fellowmen. Such is the record of the popular citizen of Madison township, Tipton county. Indiana, to a brief synopsis of whose life and character the following pages are devoted.
William A. Yohe, prosperous farmer and owner of eighty acres of fine
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land on the New Lancaster pike about two miles from Elwood, was born February 9, 1874, on the old Yohe farm just one-half mile north of his present home, the son of Marion W. and Martha (Riley) Yohe, the father, Marion W., having also been born in this same county and township. The subject's grandfather, Michael Yohe, was a native of the Keystone state, and his son, Marion W., came to Tipton county, Indiana, at an early date, settling here and becoming a large land owner and an influential and respected man in the community. Here he spent the remainder of his days, raising a family of four children, namely : James L. married Conney Cochrel and was the father of six children, Chester, Hazel, Loral, Martha, Marion and Dorothy : William 'A .; Julia became the wife of Ernst Hurst; Francis married Emma Hiatt and they have eight children, Harold, Howard, Mary, Mamie, Sarah Jane and Marjorie.
An education similar to that obtained by the average farmer boy of that time was obtained by William A. Yohe in the school at New Lancaster, this county, his time aside from his studies being occupied in assisting in the labor on his father's place. He continued to work on the home farm until he reached the age of twenty-three years, when he was enabled to purchase his present farm, investing in it the hard-earned savings of thirteen years of strenuous labor. On this splendid tract of land he has since engaged in gen- eral farming and stock raising, and has attained to a success commensurate with the efforts he has put forth.
On March 27, 1895, Mr. Yohe was united in matrimony to Estella Knotts, the daughter of James L. and Catharine (Jennings) Knotts, and this union has resulted in the birth of three children, Cleo, Arthur and Noble, all of whom are under the paternal rooftree and are attending school.
The subject of this review. while yet a young man, has long been recog- nized as an important factor in the farming and stock raising activities of this section of the Hoosier state, he having been prominently identified with the material growth and prosperity of this part of the commonwealth, his life having been closely interwoven with the history of the county where he has been content to live and follow his chosen vocation for over a third of a century.
In public affairs, Mr. Yohe has ever taken an intelligent interest and while never having sought office for himself. he has consistently supported the principles of the Democratic party, giving his best judgment freely in the councils of that party on men and methods. He is a member of the Christian church, in which he takes an earnest interest and to which he contributes liberally of his means.
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JOHN H. COOK.
The gentleman whose name forms the caption of this biographical review is widely known in Tipton county as an honored citizen and a valued factor in the development of the varied interests of his community. His well- directed energies in the practical affairs of life, his capable management of his own business interests and his sound judgment have demonstrated what may be accomplished by the man of energy and ambition, who, persevering often in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, proves that he is the pos- sessor of those innate qualities that never fail to bring success if properly directed, as they have evidently been in the case of Mr. Cook.
John H. Cook, machinist and farmer, resides at New Lancaster, Tipton county, Indiana, and is the son of Thomas B. and Elmira (Hobbs) Cook. Thomas B. Cook was born near Indianapolis, in Marion county, Indiana, and he was the son of Solomon and Hannah (Ragon) Cook. Solomon Cook came originally from the East to Harveysburg. Ohio, subsequently. in 1820. removing to the Hoosier state and locating in Marion county, being one of the earliest settlers in that part of Indiana. He was a carpenter by trade. His father-in-law, named Ragon, was quite a prominent man. Thomas B. Cook. the father of the subject, was a soldier in the Civil war, being a member of Company B, Thirty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and also serving in the Eighth Indiana Cavalry. To the subject's parents were born six children, namely : One died in infancy ; Edna is deceased ; W. I ..; Rufus : John H. and Mary.
In his boyhood days Mr. Cook worked on the farm and managed to secure a fairly good education in the district schools. In his early manhood he took up the machinist's trade, and in this line acquired a degree of skill that has caused his services to be very much in demand, the products of his shop exhibiting a perfection of workmanship and attention to detail that makes them compare very favorably with work of a similar character turned out by larger concerns having far greater facilities for metal working than has the subject.
Mr. Cook was united in marriage to Cliffie Harney, daughter of Henry Harney. The subject takes a most active and intelligent interest in public affairs and is a strong factor in the councils of the Republican party. to which he renders an ardent support. Public spirited and progressive, his aid is never sought in vain to promote any enterprise which has the well being of his fellow men at heart, Mr. Cook giving freely of his time and means to all
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worthy movements. In fraternal relations he holds appreciative member- ship in the Free and Accepted Masons. He has been an industrious man all his life, striving to keep abreast of the times in all respects, and as a result every mile post of the years he has passed has found him further advanced, more prosperous, and with an increasing number of friends. He has a com- fortable and happy home, a wide and loyal circle of friends and the respect and esteem of his fellow men, a trinity of blessings of which he is eminently worthy.
WILLIAM M. HOOVER.
Agriculture has been an honored vocation from the earliest ages and as a usual thing men of honorable and humane impulses, as well as those of energy and thrift, have been patrons of husbandry. The free out-of-door life of the farm has a decided tendency to foster and develop that independence of mind and self-reliance which characterize true manhood and no truer blessing can befall a boy than to be reared in close touch with nature in the healthful, life- inspiring labor of the fields. It has always been the fruitful soil from which have sprung the moral bone and sinew of the country, and the majority of our nation's great warriors, renowned statesmen and distinguished men of letters were born on the farm and are indebted largely to its early influence for the distinction which they have attained.
William M. Hoover, the proprietor of a one-hundred-and-sixty-acre farm two miles east of Tipton in Cicero township, this county. was born March 16, 1859, the son of Frederick and Eveline ( Miller) Hoover, both of whom came from Wayne county, Indiana, and settled in Tipton county in 1860. His father was a merchant in Tipton for several years, and later engaged in agricultural pursuits.
The subject of this sketch had one brother, Jacob M., deceased, whose widow is still living in Tipton. William M. started to school at the early age of five years and received all his education in the district schools. At the age of twenty-one he rented part of his father's farm and was soon able to pur- chase eighty acres for himself. This he cleared and improved and brought to a high state of cultivation. Later he sold this farm and purchased his pres- ent farm of one hundred and sixty acres, on which he has resided since.
Mr. Hoover was married to Ida May Manifold on January 14, 1883. She was a daughter of Joseph and Caroline (Allen) Manifold, of Wayne county, this state, and to them have been born eight children, Cloa, who is at
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home with her parents; Opal, who married Floyd Webb; Jesse married Hallie Achenbach; Gernie, Pearl, Carrie, Eula and Russell, the last three named being still under the parental roof and attending school.
Mr. Hoover has always advocated the principles of the Democratic party, but although he has taken an active part in the deliberations of his party, he has never sought for any political office. He and his family are earnest and loyal members of the Christian church and have always taken an active inter- est in all the affairs of that denomination. Mr. Hoover has also taken an interest in fraternal matters, being an enthusiastic member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Eiks.
Mr. Hoover has met with marked success in his agricultural affairs and. besides raising all the crops common to this section of the country, has made a specialty of breeding and raising Poland China hogs, and by his earnest en- deavor and indomitable energy he has forged to the front and placed himself where he deserves to be among the progressive and enterprising men of his community. His long carer in this county has but served to strengthen the feeling of admiration on the part of his fellow men, owing to the honorable life he has led and the worthy example he has set for the younger generation.
E. N. TODD.
One of the most difficult literary tasks is to write an exceptional review of a living man. If the life is worthy of record there is always danger of offending that delicacy which is inseparable from merit; for even moderate praise, when it meets the eyes of the subject, is apt to seem fulsome, while a nice sense of propriety would not be less wounded by a dry abstract contain- ing nothing but names and dates. To sum up a career which is not yet ended would appear like recording events which have not yet transpired, since justly to estimate the scope and meaning of a history it is important that we have the closing chapters. In writing biographical notice, therefore, the chronicler from the moment he takes up his pen should consider the subject as no longer among his contemporaries, for thus he will avoid the fear of offending by bestowing praise where it is merited and escape the risk of giving but a frag- mentary view of that which must eventually be taken as a unit. At some risk. therefore, the writer assumes the task of placing on record the life and char- acter of a man, who, by the force of strong individuality, has achieved emi- nent success in the vocations to which he has addressed himself and has won
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for himself an enviable place among the leading men of the city and county honored by his citizenship.
E. N. Todd, the owner of four hundred acres of the best farming land in the county, proprietor of the opera house and gas works at Windfall and well known man of affairs, was born April 10, 1856, in Franklin county, In- diana, the son of George and Mary Ann Todd. George Todd was a native of Virginia and came to the Hoosier state many years ago, becoming a large land owner in this community. He was the father of the following children : Anna, deceased; Robert: Leslie, deceased; Joseph, deceased ; George; Ange- line, deceased ; E. N., Frank, Clemm and Lemuel.
All the education which E. N. Todd secured from text-books was acquired in the old-fashioned log school house of the early days. During all his boyhood days and in his early youth he was occupied in assisting in the various duties on his father's place and rendering valuable assistance to him in its cultivation and improvement. At the age of nineteen years Mr. Todd commenced working for himself on rented land, clearing and planting eigh- teen acres the first year. So well did he conserve his means and apply himself to his work that he was soon in a position to purchase land for himself, his first tract being twenty acres, located in Cicero township, this county. In time he bought forty more acres near this, upon which he moved. By reason of his thorough knowledge of all the branches of farming and stock raising, the subject has prospered in all that he has attempted along this line and is now the owner of over four hundred acres of land. In connection with his activities along agricultural lines, Mr. Todd also operated a saw and planing mill very successfully. Investments in various other businesses have been made from time to time by him, he being the proprietor of the opera house at Windfall, which he operates to the satisfaction of the public, and he also owns the controlling interest in the gas plant. As his activities became more pronounced in affairs outside of agriculture, he has rented most of his land and is operating but one hundred acres near Windfall at the present time.
On May 19, 1882, E. N. Todd was united in marriage to Mollie E. Hus- ton, a native of Wayne county, this state, and they have the following chil- dren: Sylva became the wife of H. Wright and is the mother of three children, Sherrel (deceased), Maxine and Charlotte; Mildred married Guy Dean and they have had two children, Stanley and William, deceased; Jewell is living at home and graduated from the Windfall high school in 1912.
Mr. Todd is highly respected as one of the leading business men and citizens of the community, and no worthy enterprise for the advancement of
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the community ever appeals to him for aid in vain. Public spirited and pro- gressive in all that he does, he has won a position of honor and respect among his fellow men of which any man might well be proud.
JAMES B. W. WHEATLEY.
Among the citizens of Jefferson township, Tipton county, Indiana, who have built up comfortable homes and surrounded themselves with valuable landed estates and personal property, few have attained a higher degree of success than the subject of this sketch. With few opportunities except what his own efforts were capable of mastering and with many discouragements to overcome, he has made an exceptional success in life and now has the gratifi- cation of knowing that the community in which he resides has been benefited by his presence. He is the owner of the noted Indian Lawn Stock farm of five hundred and thirty-six acres and his reputation as a man of affairs ex- tends far beyond the immediate locality honored by his residence.
James B. W. Wheatley was born July 27, 1856, in Greene county, Ohio, near Jamestown, the son of Francis H. and Margaret ( MacDorman) Wheat- ley. Francis H. was a native of Frederick county, Maryland, and was a farmer and stock raiser. He located in Tipton county, Indiana, in 1857, when the subject of this review was one year old. Besides James Wheatley, three other children were born to Francis H. and his wife : Susanna Campbell. J. F. and Jane Smith.
A fairly good education was acquired by the subject, he attending the Wheatley school in this county, and working on his father's farm during all his youthful days. Early resolving to make agriculture his life work, Mr. Wheatley devoted himself to a thorough and painstaking study of the best methods in that vocation, and, being of an industrious and economical nature, it was not long before he was able to purchase land in his own right, at the age of twenty-two buying one hundred and sixty acres, every dollar expended in making this deal having been earned by him in hard, honest toil. By applying good business methods and intelligent management, Mr. Wheatley has from time to time added to his holdings until he at the present time ranks among the largest land owners in the county. The improvements on the place are of the very best, his fine brick residence being a model of comfort and convenience, while his barns and other farm buildings are first class in every particular.
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Mr. Wheatley was married in 1880 to Sarah Campbell. He is a citizen of high civic ideals, and ever manifests his liberality in connection with meas- ures and enterprises tending to advance the general welfare of the commun- ity honored by his residence. He has been the architect of his own fortune and upon his career there rests no blemish, for he has been true to the highest ideals and principles in business, civic and social life. He has lived and labored to worthy ends and well merits the high esteem in which he is uni- versally held. While his life has been so busily engaged in his own private affairs and he has never sought public office, yet he takes an intelligent in- terest in public affairs and, believing in the principles of the Democratic party. casts his ballot with that party. His stock raising operations are car- ried on on an extensive scale, and his thorough knowledge of selection and breeding has gained for him a wide reputation among stock men, not only in the immediate community, but throughout the state. He ships cattle all over the United States and has a national reputation as a live stock man.
MARCUS VAN BIBBER.
The successful men are those who have planned their own advancement and then have accomplished it in spite of obstacles, at the same time winning the favor and esteem of their fellow men. The history of Tipton county furnishes many such examples and among these Marcus Van Bibber occupies a prominent and distinctive place. All that he has achieved has come about as the reward of his tireless energy, perseverance and determination.
Marcus Van Bibber, the proprietor of a three-hundred-and-forty-acre farm in Liberty township, was born in Tipton county, April 13, 1853. His parents were Merritt and Mary (Axtell) Van Bibber. Merritt was born in Belmont county, Ohio, August 22, 1820, and received his limited schooling in that county. Before coming to Tipton county, Indiana, in 1850. he lived in Athens county, Ohio, for some time. He was married in Ohio and upon coming to Tipton county he at once bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres of land which he operated for the next eleven years. He then moved into Jefferson township, where he continued to farm until a few years before his death, when he retired from active work and made his home with his son, Marcus, the subject of this sketch. While still a young man in Ohio he was married to Mary Axtell, the daughter of Lorenzo and Maria Axtell, and to this union there were born fifteen children : Madison, who died May 22, 1867;
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Elizabeth, who married George Wookey, and has six children, Laura, Belle, George, Tivia, Jesse and Charles; Taylor, who married Catherine Good- knight and has six children, Oliver, Allen, Walter, Carrie, Everett and one who died in infancy; Harriet, who married Samuel Brown, and has four chil- dren, Cooper, Orin, Jesse and Pearl; Mary, who married Hardin Keene, and has three children, Leslie, Nora and Edna : Marcus, the subject of this sketch ; John, who died, unmarried, in January, 1896; Dayton, who married Char- lotte Hyatt, and has two living children, Roma and Lora; Lincoln died at the age of three years; a child who died in infancy; Emma, who married Solo- mon Lydy and has eight children, Charles, David, Lelia, Flora, Nora, Walter. Arthur and Lawrence; Grant married Susan Robinson and has no children ; Neossia Valley married Carrie Hayworth and has five children living, Leland. Gilbert, Mary, Stella and Margaret : the last two children died in infancy.
Marcus Van Bibber was reared amid the rural scenes of Tipton county and, along with his meager schooling, he early gained that practical knowl- edge of agriculture which was the foundation of his future success along that line. Through his entire life he has engaged in agricultural pursuits and by capable management, untiring industry and sound judgment he has gradually increased his land holdings until he now owns three hundred and forty acres of as good land as can be found in the county. As soon as he was married he bought forty acres and with his good wife started out to carve his fortune. His wife, a most estimable lady, greatly aided him by her careful manage- ment of the household affairs and the able manner in which she reared her children.
Early in life Mr. Van Bibber was married to Mary M. Grishaw, the daughter of John W. and Millie Jane Grishaw, and their union was blessed with five children: Arthur, who married Carrie Becker, the daughter of Fred and Rosa Becker, has one son, Fred Edwin: Earl is still unmarried: Lora married Flora Spaulding and has one son, Lowell W .; Cleo is still single. The subject's first wife died on August 20, 1900, and a few years later he married Eva (Simpson) Arbuckle, the daughter of James Arbuckle. There have been no children by the second marriage.
Mr. Van Bibber has always given his support to the principles and policies of the Republican party, but has never been a seeker for political preferment. He is a devoted and consistent member of the Society of Friends and has lived his life according to the teachings of his church. Such uniform regard as he receives from his friends and neighbors is a sure indi- cation that he has always lived at peace with his fellow men and followed
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principles which have ever commanded respect and admiration. Mr. Van Bibber is widely known in this county, where his whole life has been passed, and he is well worth a deserving place in this volume.
TIPTON D. CAMPBELL.
There is no calling, however humble. in which enterprise and industry, coupled with a well directed purpose, will not be productive of success, and in the pursuit of agriculture the qualities mentioned are quite essential. Among the well known and highly respected farmers of Tipton county who have at- tained to a definite degree of success in their line and who have at the same time benefited the community in which they live, is the gentleman whose name forms the caption for this brief biographical review. T. T. Campbell has long been one of the most active and leading citizens in this community and his labors along the line of general farming and stock raising have been amply rewarded, he having gradually improved his valuable place, and while he has prospered in this he has also found time and ample opportunity to assist in the material and civic development of the county.
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