USA > Indiana > Wabash County > History of Wabash County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 24
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WILLIAM A. ELWARD. One of that last surviving members of that little coterie of native sons of Wabash county who date their birth back to the 'thirties is William A. Elward, who was born in a log cabin in Lagro township, Wabash county, more than three quarters of a century ago. All his life has been spent in the confines of the county, and more than the Psalmist's span of years have given him a host of associations and memories that make this locality for him "the fairest spot of the world." For many years Mr. Elward was known as one of the largest grain buyers in the county. In 1912 he retired from active business and has since lived quietly in Wabash, enjoying the fruits of the labors of earlier years and free from the more active cares of life.
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William A. Elward was born in Lagro township, Wabash county, Indiana, on September 8, 1838, one of the thirteen children born to his parents, James and Ellen (Driscoll) Elward. Ten daughters and three sons, a typical pioneer family, were reared in the home of the Elwards in Lagro township, and of these children seven are living today, three of them in Wabash, three in Lagro township and one in Indianapolis. The parents had a varied and interesting career in Indiana, and it is fitting that some mention, more or less extended, be made of them in this connection.
James Elward was a native of Kilkenny, Ireland, and was about midway between his seventeenth and eighteenth birthdays when he decided to come to America. This was about the year 1831, and he took passage on a sailing vessel bound for America within a short time after the idea of immigrating came to him. Landing in New York harbor after a voyage of six weeks, for a year young Elward was employed as a gardner's assistant in the state of New York. The hundred dollars earned in that year was paid to him in a lump sum when he quitted the service of his employer, and with that money in his pocket he determined to visit his home in Ireland. But the call of his native land was not sufficient to hold him there long. Having had a taste of American life, he was soon bound for America's shores again, the second time accompanied by a brother, William, who later died in Vincennes, Indiana. For a time after his return James Elward maintained a resi- dence in Pennsylvania, and while there made the acquaintance of Robert English, a contractor, who was later engaged in the construction of the old Wabash and Erie Canal in Indiana. In the year 1833 Mr. Elward, with others, drove ox team wagons loaded with tools and equipment to be used on canal construction work to Lagro, at that time the largest and most promising town in the county of Wabash. For a considerable time thereafter he was engaged in the work of hauling stone for the building of the canal locks, making his home in Lagro. The work on the canal was of necessity suspended during the winter months, so that Mr. Elward decided he could not better occupy his time than in the improving of a farm. This was followed by. the purchase of an eighty of heavily timbered land some two miles north of Lagro, for which he paid a hundred dollars, and in the winter seasons he applied himself to the task of clearing the land or cutting down the standing timber pre-
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WILLIAM A. ELWARD
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paratory to the actual clearing process. When a spot sufficiently large had been cleared a round-log cabin was put up, and there he lived during the long winter months. During this time he and a neighbor, who lived a mile away and was also engaged in clearing land, would meet on Sundays to grind their axes, and he occasionally saw a wild Indian roaming through the woods, otherwise he seldom saw a human being. A magnificent black walnut forest, generously sprinkled with oak, sugar maple, hickory and beech trees, the equal of which today spell inde- pendent wealth for its owner, was ruthlessly cut down, rolled into log heaps and burned, there being no market in those days for such material, and the land in a productive state being worth infinitely more than any quantity of what is today almost priceless timber. About 1833 or 1834 three Driscoll brothers and one sister, Ellen Driscoll, came from county Cork, Ireland, to Indiana, and settled in the woods in the neighborhood of Mr. Elward's farm. It was thus that James Elward met the attractive young Irish girl who became his wife in 1836. Through the influence of Mr. Elward two of his brothers other than William, previously men- tioned, came from Ireland. They were Thomas and Richard Elward. Thomas engaged in business at Memphis, Tennessee, and there he died in later years. Richard, who located in Natchez, Mississippi, was a bookbinder by trade, became prominent in the business and other activ- ities of that city, married there, established a home, and later founded the Natchez Free Trader. He was a close friend and neighbor of Jeff Davis, whom he assisted into Congress, and through some instrumen- tality he was afterward appointed postmaster of Natchez, during the Polk, Pierce and Buchanan administrations.
James Elward in after years purchased sixty-five acres and cleared one hundred and forty-five acres from a primeval forest, and there he resided until his death in 1890. He was a man inclined to reticence in his manner, a quality peculiarly noticeable in an Irishman, but withal was inclined to be genial and companionable. He was a lover of horses, and was a hard-working man all his days. He was saving and prudent, and he educated his children to the best of his ability. Both he and his wife were Catholics in their religious faith, and in that faith reared their family. A democrat, and while always an interested participant in the discussions of the day, he was never found an aspirant for political preferment or favors of whatever order.
William A. Elward had his early training in the back-woods schools of Wabash county. He knew but little respite from the duties that fell to the lot of the family of a pioneer farmer, and he hoed and grubbed and planted and harvested from season to season as only a country boy can appreciate. He attended the neighboring schools three months during the winter season, and later attended school at Lagro for a time. When a little past eighteen years old he took the prescribed examination for a teacher's certificate, and was given a two-year license as a result of the test. His first term was taught in the vicinity of Urbana, the school being known as the Speicher school, and he later taught the Frushour school in the same neighborhood. In March, 1859, young Elward entered
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the store of James H. Britton at Lagro. The wages they agreed upon was a hundred dollars a year and his board. The next year he was with W. B. Cubberly as a clerk, and still later entered the employ of Martin Dedreick, who was a grain buyer and elevator operator, as well as station agent at Lagro. In this connection Mr. Elward gained a thorough insight into the duties of a railroad agent and express agent, and, together with his other duties, he was watchman of the bridge at Lagro. In 1865 his appointment as station agent at Wabash caused him to move to this city, and he held the position for the ensuing twenty-seven and a half years.
It was while thus occupied that he began to give some attention to the grain business as a buyer, and soon, with Captain Samuel Steele, succeeded to the business of William Steele, Jr., and the firm of Steele and Elward, thus organized, continued in the grain buying and elevator business until 1883. During that time Mr. Elward was practically the manager of the enterprise, and in 1884 he, with W. R. Adams, obtained control of the elevator at Lagro. Together they leased the elevator at Rich Valley in 1886, and in 1892 came his retirement from the agency of the Wabash station, the better to devote himself to his private interests. He then bought out Mr. Adams and assumed proprietorship of the three houses. He also bought the plant at Andrews, then Antioch, but held the latter plant only about four years. In 1885 he bought an interest in the elevator at LaFontaine, in which he maintained an interest for more than twenty years. He was also identified with the roller mill enterprise at LaFontaine. His grain operations, all considered, constituted him the largest individual grain buyer in Wabash county and one of the most successful and prosperous of Wabash county men. In May, 1912, Mr. Elward sold his grain business, and since that time has led a quiet life in the city. He was married on October 14, 1868, to Miss Ella Fougeres. Four daughters were born to them. Deborah is now the wife of L. L. Duret, living in Wabash. Nellie married L. H. Riffel and lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Leah lives at home, and Adelaide is the wife of J. H. Conner, of Elkhart, Indiana. Mrs. Elward passed away on August 7, 1900.
Mr. Elward is a democrat in his politics and has long been active in local political matters. He was county chairman for twelve years, and was at one time a candidate for election to the office of county auditor, but was defeated by the enormous Republican majority of the county. He also at one time headed the democratic ticket as nominee for mayor of Wabash, and though democratic politics has seldom controlled in this county, he showed his spirit by consenting to run when he was named on the party ticket. He is at present a member of the Wabash school board, and is giving excellent service to the city in that capacity. His has been a useful and honorable career. Within the lines of normal, but concentrated business activity he has won the prosperity that is most men's ambition, and with admiration for his commercial ability his fellow citizens also commend his fine integrity and valuable citizenship.
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MR. AND MRS. JOHN H. KNEILEY
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JOHN HENRY KNEILEY. Among the men of Wabash county who have been the architects of their own fortunes, who have builded on the firm foundations of energy, ambition and persistence, and with the material of honest effort and untiring industry, and whose structure, fully erected, is found worthy in the eyes of their fellow citizens, is John Henry Kneiley, of Paw Paw township. Mr. Kneiley embarked upon his career as a lad of sixteen years, when he left his home to battle with the world on his own account. He was gifted with no advantages, either of an educational or . financial nature, but bravely went out against strangers, made a place for himself among men, and as the increasing competition of the years came found that he was able to successfully cope with it. Today he is the owner of a valuable farm of 160 acres, located on the east side of the road, about three and one-half miles east of Roann, a tract which in its numerous advantages gives evidence of the ability and thrift of its owner. He owns another tract of 40 acres just south of this farm, making a total of 200 acres. He also farms a 40 acre tract adjoining his land, which belongs to his mother.
Mr. Kneiley was born September 2, 1869, on his father's farm in Lagro township, Wabash county, Indiana, and is a son of George and Mary Ann (Sloop) Kneiley. His father, a native of Germany, learned the trade of cloth weaving in the Fatherland, but as a young man decided that better opportunities awaited him in the United States, and accord- ingly, as soon as he was able to save the cost of his passage, emigrated to this country. Here he at once came to Wabash county, a region of which he had received glowing reports, and soon secured employment among the farmers, being on the farm of Sam S. Speicher for some time. Mr. Kneiley was married in this county to Mrs. Mary Ann Moore, who was born in Ohio and came as a girl to Wabash county with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Sloop, who came to this county with a wagon and ox-team and located three miles west of Wabash in a log house. In a short time John Sloop purchased 100 acres of land three miles east of Roann, in Paw Paw township, then all in the woods, and the family located in a small log house which is still standing. Mr. Sloop put the greater part of this property under cultivation, but after the death of his wife sold it and went to live at the home of his son, Adam Sloop, four miles west of Wabash, on the Farr turnpike, and there his death occurred. Mary Ann Sloop was married first to Philip Moore, a widower with children, who passed away in Lagro township, where for some years he had been engaged in agricultural pursuits and owned a productive farm. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Moore: Samuel; and Rose, who is the wife of Charles Keifer. After the death of her first husband, Mrs. Moore married George Kneiley, and they became the parents of three children : John Henry, of this review; Maggie M., who is single; and Matilda, who is the wife of Arthur Hobson. After Mr. Kneiley's death, Mrs. Kneiley married John P. Baker, who was for years engaged in successful farming operations in Paw Paw township, on a property adjoining that now owned by John H. Kneiley, and on which he passed away several years ago. Mrs. Baker still survives and resides on that
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farm, her seventy-fourth birthday having occurred March 21, 1914. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Kneiley lived for a time on the farm that had been owned by Mr. Moore, but subsequently rented a property in Lagro township, on the Rock Spring turnpike. About the time the canal was abandoned they purchased forty acres of land one and one- half miles southeast of Speicherville, this property being all in the woods. Here Mr. Kneiley put up a two-room residence, walking back and forth from the old home each day while building it, and this became the family home, in which he died in 1875, when still in the prime of life. He was a man of industry, and had cleared up the greater part of his land when called by death. He was never a politician or an office seeker, as he was too busily engaged in making a home for his family, but still found time to take an interest in affairs of his community and to assist good move- ments and able men. When he passed away he left a wide circle of friends. Mrs. Baker is widely known as a woman of much ability and goodness of heart, who has witnessed a great change in Wabash county, and who has borne a full share therein.
John Henry Kneiley was born on the farm in which his parents started housekeeping in Lagro township, and there he grew up and attended the district school. He was a strong and industrious lad, and was put to work in the fields when the lads of today are still absorbed with their childish play, and by the time he had reached the age of sixteen years was able to accomplish a man's tasks. At this time he became possessed of the desire to carve out a career of his own, and accordingly left home and began working out on different farms among strangers. He was willing and industrious, cheerful and a capable worker and commanded wages of thirteen dollars a month, which were later raised when his worth became known. Always with the idea of becoming the owner of a property of his own, he saved his money thriftily, and finally was able to purchase ten acres of land, for which he paid $850, considered an exceedingly high price in those days. On September 15, 1892, Mr. Kneiley was married to Miss Mary A. Hipp Ensteel, and they became the parents of one child, Loren L., now a resident of San Francisco, Cali- fornia. Mrs. Kneiley died eight years later.
After spending one year on his ten-acre property, Mr. Kneiley went to Wabash, and there for six months was employed by a lumber company. In the fall of the same year he made removal to the farm of Charles Wallace, two and one-half miles west of Wabash, on the Farr turnpike, where he was first an ordinary employe and subsequently was made over- seer of the entire property of 428 acres. He remained on that farm for seven years, but after the death of his first wife, which occurred January 27, 1900, he and his son moved to the ten-acre farm. This, however, he sold in the following fall and purchased forty acres of good land just west of it. While on the Wallace farm, he had previously purchased seventy-two acres at a low figure, so that he was now possessed of 112 acres. In the spring after he sold his ten-acre property, Mr. Kneiley was employed by Frank DuPuy, whose farm of 800 acres in Lagro township he operated for two years, and during that time rented out his 112
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acres. He then returned to his own farm and conducted it until the spring of 1907, when he sold out and purchased his present property from George Sewell. It is interesting to note that Mr. Kneiley had worked as a hand on this same farm when it had been owned by B. R. Johnson. He has put many dollars into improvements on this land, and it may be truthfully stated that he now has one of the nicest tracts of its size in Wabash county. He has reroofed the many buildings, has laid his 200 acres out into fields of twenty acres each, and has put in over 1,000 rods of fencing, with over six hundred rods of cement posts. He devotes his attention to general farming, feeds a great deal of stock, and does a big business in hogs and cattle, shipping large numbers to the markets. He has always been a firm believer in purchasing the best machinery, and has carefully studied the new methods, inventions and discoveries which are constantly adding to the knowledge of the trained agriculturist. In his business dealings with his fellow men he has proven himself alert, shrewd and farseeing, but has never been willing to take advantage of another's misfortune. In democratic circles of his township he is well known, not as a seeker for personal preferment, . but as one who may be relied upon to support the party's best interests and to give his stanch aid to its candidates.
On June 17, 1908, Mr. Kneiley was united in marriage with Miss Pearl Heppensteel, a half-sister of his first wife and daughter of David B. and Maggie E. (Bowers) Heppensteel, both of whom make their home at Urbana. Mr. and Mrs. Kneiley are consistent members of the Evan- gelical church.
MARCELLUS G. HUBBARD. Among the men who have contributed to the agricultural prosperity of Wabash county by their intelligent and well-directed operations, Marcellus G. Hubbard is worthy of extended mention. His has been a career of singular activity, and from humble circumstances he has advanced himself to a position of independence and prominence, at the same time contributing to his community's welfare. His present property, a tract of 124 acres in Paw Paw township, on the west side of the road on the Minick pike, about seven miles north of Wabash, has been brought to a high state of productiveness and is an excellent example of what may be accomplished by industry and earnest effort.
Mr. Hubbard has been a lifelong resident of Wabash county, having been born on a farm in Noble township, January 10, 1861, a son of Samuel and Elizabeth Ann (Green) Hubbard. Samuel Hubbard was a native of North Carolina, from whence he went in young manhood to Fayette county, Indiana, and in 1853 came to Wabash county, where he spent the remainder of his life in farming in Noble township. IIe was married in Fayette county, to Miss Nancy Glidewell, who passed away leaving a large family. Later Mr. Hubbard married Elizabeth Ann Green, and they became the parents of eight children, of whom Mar- cellus G. was the third from the youngest. Mr. Hubbard was reared in Noble township, where he secured his education in the district schools,
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but his parents died when he was about fifteen years of age and he was forced to put aside his books and to begin to shift for himself. During the next three years he devoted himself to whatever occupation presented itself, working on various farms in the vicinity of his birthplace, and finally entered the employ of Ross Riggen, with whom he remained for seven years. On March 14, 1886, he was married to Miss Rebecca Speel- man, daughter of Joseph and Catherine Speelman, of Paw Paw township, both of whom are now deceased. Mr. Hubbard rented land for four years after his marriage in Noble township, being for three years on the old homestead farm of 119 acres, and after its sale rented the old Patter- son farm, now known as the old Murphy farm, a tract of 120 acres, for one year. At the end of that time Mr. Hubbard had accumulated enough capital with which to buy sixty acres of his present land from Mr. Carnes, of North Dakota, on which was located a log house and barn, the former having been an old church and for many years a landmark of this locality. The land was all located in the woods, but Mr. Hubbard set himself resolutely to the task of clearing and developing it, and soon had the property in a productive shape. Later, he added the remainder of his property in two pieces, one of which, consisting of fifty acres, was acquired by his wife from her father's estate. The orig- inal primitive structures were replaced by the present modern buildings, including a commodious residence, well-built barn and structures for the shelter of his stock and machinery, and the land is well fenced, drained and tiled. The north farm, which is now occupied by Mr. Hub- bard's daughter, Mrs. Haupert, contained a set of buildings at the time of purchase, but these have been somewhat remodeled. In his general farming operations Mr. Hubbard has shown a thorough knowledge of modern methods and the use of power farming machinery. He is a student of his vocation and is ever ready to give a trial to innovations, but has the practicality to depend largely on the old and tried methods. As a business man he has shown himself honorable in his dealings, and his associates have had every reason to depend upon his integrity as well as his good judgment and foresight. Like his fellow agriculturists in this section, he has devoted some attention to the breeding of livestock, in which venture he has also scored a success.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard: Ada, who is the wife of Ross Haupert, a complete review of whose family will be found on another page of this work; and Fay C., who is residing at home. Politically a democrat, Mr. Hubbard's popularity was shown in 1904 when he was elected trustee of Paw Paw township, an office in which he served continuously until 1909, being then succeeded by Jacob Wag- ner. He is one of the few democrats who have been elected to this responsible position in this township, which is strongly republican, and his record in office is one that is well worthy of emulation. His public- spirited citizenship has been shown on numerous occasions when he has supported other earnest and progressive men in bringing about reforms and changes which have placed the township on a more substantial footing. He finds his greatest interests in his farm and his home, but
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is not unmindful of the pleasures of companionship with his fellows, and has many friends among his fellow members in the local lodge of the Modern Woodmen of America. His religious faith is that of the Christian church, in which he has served for some time as deacon.
G. P. KIDD, M. D. In the village of Roann and vicinity Dr. Kidd has for nearly forty years filled the place of family physician to the families of that locality. That is the most responsible, the most honor- able, the most intimate relation man can hold to his fellowman. His has been a life of service, his name is a household word in a large community, and he has rightly won a prominent place among the citizens of Wabash county.
Born in Richland township, Miami county, Indiana, October 1, 1847, Dr. Kidd was one of a large family of children born to Edmund J. and Christiana (DeCamp) Kidd. Both his parents were pioneers of northern Indiana. His father, who was born near Bowling Green in Caroline county, Virginia, in 1793, when twelve years of age was taken across the mountains to Lexington, Kentucky, grew up there, and in early manhood enlisted for service with the Second Kentucky Regiment of Infantry in the war of 1812. He was with the troops under General Harrison in the campaign against the Indians and the British at the Wabash valley, and was on the site of Fort Wayne at that time. While at Lexington he learned the trade and worked as a cotton spinner, but after moving to Indiana in 1819 took up farming, which was his vocation during the greater part of his active career. In Connersville, Fayette county, In- diana, Edmund J. Kidd operated for years a woolen mill and there met. and married Christiana DeCamp. She was born in Addison county, Vermont, in 1803, and came to Indiana by a somewhat different route from that taken by her husband. When she was a young girl of twelve her family moved to New York state, and later she and a brother followed up the course of the Monongahela river to Pittsburg, and thence by boat came down the Ohio to Cincinnati, Ohio, and from there across country to Connersville, Indiana. During his residence at Connersville Edmond J. Kidd served as a captain of the local militia. In 1837 he moved from Fayette county and on the first of October in the same year located in a log cabin home which he had built in Miami county. He was one of the pioneers in that section, and the nearest neighbor during the first months of his residence was two and a half miles away. He died there in 1861, having lived to see Miami county developed, and he bore his own share in the pioneer work. While a hard working farmer, he was also a great. reader, kept up on current affairs, and like many other people through- out the United States during that time regarded Horace Greely and the New York Tribune as the very oracle of inspired political wisdom. His wife survived him many years and she died at the home of her son, Dr. Kidd, at Roann in 1884. The fourteen children in the family are briefly mentioned as follows: Eliza Ellen, deceased, who married first Peter Mount and after his death, leaving two children, she married Adam Haas, by whom she had one child, Charles S. Haas, and after the death
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