USA > Indiana > Wabash County > History of Wabash County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 50
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Harmon L. Emrick married Emma Bowman, the daughter of Eli Bowman. By this marriage there were two children, Virgil and Verlin, the first born January 9, 1899, and the second on January 24, 1900. Verlin died December 7, 1900. Virgil died in November, 1906. The mother of these two children died in 1901. For his second wife Mr. Emrick married Estella Clara Flook. Her parents were David E. and Mary Elizabeth Flook, the former of whom died on August 4, 1901, and the latter on January 20, 1910. Mrs. Emrick was one of ten children, the others being named Jennie, Anna, Charles, William, John E., Mary V., Ervin, Myrtle M., and two that died in infancy. Of those all except Anna married and are living lives of usefulness in the various communities to which their duties in life have called them. All the Flook children were born in Waltz township. By his second wife Mr. Emrick has three children: Floyd, the oldest, is deceased; Beulah, was born September 29, 1905; and John was born December 7, . 1906.
Mr. Emrick is a stanch republican, and has been a trustee of Waltz township continuously since January, 1908, a term of six years. Fra- ternally he is a Mason and an Odd Fellow. He and his family have long been esteemed as people of many excellent traits of character and ad- mirable qualities of heart and mind, and are included among the good citizens and stanch friends and neighbors of their community.
CLARKSON W. WEESNER. The publishers of this history of Wabash county take the grateful privilege of presenting a brief biography of the family and individual career of Clarkson W. Weesner, the supervis- ing editor of the history. As Mr. Weesner has spent most of his life in Wabash county and is known in every city, town, township and community, any further introduction would be considered superfluous and the writer of this sketch only regrets the lack of details which would render a more adequate estimate of his long and useful career in Wabash county.
Clarkson W. Weesner was born August 12, 1841, in Henry county, Indiana. His first American ancestor was Michael Weesner, who was born in Germany April 3, 1740. He and his brother were early Quakers or Friends, and being opposed to war or service in the army, ran away from home, crossed the ocean and settled in Stokes county, North Carolina. In that county Micajah, a son of Michael, was born January 20, 1762. Michael Weesner, son of Micajah, was born in the same county December 25, 1788, and was the founder of the family in the Quaker settlements of eastern Indiana.
Michael Weesner and Ruth Mendenhall were married in Stokes county, where Michael was for some years engaged in his vocation as a hatter, making the Quaker hats so prevalent and characteristic in early days. Early in the last century he made a visit to the west with a view to locating in the new country, but his removal was deferred on account of his wife's unwillingness to move to a new country. Believing that in time, when her people had moved to the west, she would become
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Jonathan Weesner
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reconciled to his plan, Michael Weesner continued to live in North Carolina some five or six years. In the meantime, he had placed an old iron tea-kettle in the chimney upstairs in his cabin, and such change as he could spare was dropped into that vessel, a fact entirely unknown to the rest of the family. Six years later, when they all made prepara- tions to move to the west, since some of his wife's sisters had already settled there, and when all was in readiness to start, with the wagon loaded, Michael went upstairs and took out his money, and found that the accumulations of six years amounted to $680.80. This was a capital that enabled the family to make the removal in comparatively easy circumstances and went a great way toward establishing a new home. It was in the year 1824 the Weesners settled near Chester, Wayne county, Indiana, and as the best land had been taken up by earlier settlers they had to be contented with a second grade of land. Michael Weesner cleared up his farm, and he and his wife lived and died there as respected citizens and members of the Friends church, where they sat as head of the monthly and quarterly meetings. To Michael and Ruth Weesner were born six children, as follows: Abigail, who mar- ried William Kendall; Jonathan Weesner; Ruth, who married Joseph Votaw; Asenath, who married John Kenyon; Lydia, who married Isaac P. Woodard; and Elwood P. Weesner-all of whom are now deceased. Jonathan Weesner, a son of Michael and Ruth Weesner, was born in Stokes county December 6, 1815, and was about nine years of age when the family moved to Indiana. His death occurred at Wabash April 15, 1902, at the age of eighty-six years, four months and nine days. Although receiving a limited education in the common schools, Jonathan Weesner possessed a remarkable memory, which he cultivated to the fullest extent, and was regarded as one of the foremost scholars in his community. Such were his powers as a mathematician that he could calculate an eclipse of sun or moon. As a historian he had few equals. His greatest pleasure was in the discussion of theological questions, and he was always loyal to science. On October 26, 1836, Jonathan Weesner married Ruth Williams, daughter of William Wiil- iams. She was born October 15, 1815 and died October 20, 1846, aged thirty-one years and five days. To this union five children were born as follows: Hezekiah Weesner, born September 14, 1837, and now liv- ing in Seattle, Washington; Susannah, who was born May 20, 1839, and died March 14, 1898, married Joseph Ridenour; Clarkson W., born August 12, 1841; Elwood, born November 16, 1842, and died December 20, 1857; Grear, born January 12, 1845, died March 4, 1864, at Chat- tanooga, Tennessee, from pneumonia contracted while on duty as a private in Company A of the Seventy-fifth Indiana Infantry, and his body now rests in the National Cemetery at Murfreesboro. Jonathan Weesner and Anna C. Barnes, a daughter of Henry Barnes, were mar- ried in Ohio March 14, 1848, and their six children are mentioned as follows: Permelia, born April 11, 1849, married Lafayette D. Marcus Julien; Elvira, who became the wife of Michael Ridenour; Michael Henry, born April 18, 1852, and died January 16, 1855; Eli Arthur
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St. Clair, born July 12, 1855, died July 12, 1908, aged fifty-three; Rebecca Ann, born August 19, 1857, and now living in Peru, Indiana, married Albert D. Bent; Lydia Maybelle, born November 6, 1862, mar- ried Albert Bakehorn, and she now lives in San Diego, California.
Having lost the use of one leg by a fever when only eight months old, Clarkson W. Weesner's schooling was limited to a few terms in the common schools of the county, while his most valuable instruction was received at the fireside in the winter evenings under the tuition of his scholarly father. At the age of seventeen he began teaching sub- scription schools, and subsequently taught in the public schools, hold- ing a license from the following school examiners: General Charles S. Parrish, Alvah Taylor, Joseph Mackey and Warren G. Sayre. In the intervals of teaching his time was spent at work on the farm until September, 1863, when he moved from the country to the city of Wa- bash to take up his duties as deputy treasurer of the county. Mr. Weesner was at the county seat during the latter years of the war, and continued his duties until 1866, when he once more took up teaching.
Owing to his work in the different county offices, he became familiar with the names of all the residents of Wabash county and knew the exact location of most of them. This acquaintance was extended by a lecture he delivered at a number of places on the subject of the "Gulf Stream" the greatest river in the world, and later one on Abraham Lin- coln, frequently before teachers institutes and the Grand Army Posts.
Mr. Weesner was secretary of the first building and loan association organized in Wabash county, and assisted in the organization of others. For several years he was secretary of the Wabash County Agricul- tural Society. A Republican in politics was elected in 1876 mayor of the city of Wabash, and declined re-election for the same office. He became a candidate in 1878 for county clerk and was elected and served continuously from November 1, 1879 to November 1, 1887. The opposi- tion party did not name a candidate to oppose him. Since retiring from the office of clerk Mr. Weesner has been engaged in the practice of law, consisting chiefly of Probate work, and of late years in the examinations of Abstracts of Title for the Aetna Life Insurance Company, the Penn Mutual Insurance Company and the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, and for several real estate dealers. For the past eight or ten years Mr. Weesner has been president of the Old Settlers Associa- tion of Wabash county.
Mr. Weesner's father and mother performed their own marriage ceremony in the Friends church, and all their children held birth rights in that church. Mr. Weesner has been affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1881, has filled all the chairs in the local lodge, and has gone as a delegate to the Grand Lodge of the state.
On September 5, 1865, at Kokomo, Indiana, occurred the marriage of Clarkson W. Weesner and Anna E. Leeson, daughter of William and Susanna Leeson. Her father was a teacher in the common schools of Wabash and Howard counties, and at one time served as justice of
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the peace in Howard county. Mr. Weesner has four sons, all of whom have attained successful positions in business affairs except the young- est, who had infantile paralysis when seven months old and still remains. an invalid. Harvey Roscoe, the oldest, was born in Wabash county October 24, 1866, attended the city schools and subsequently finished a course in the Poughkeepsie Business College in New York, graduating at the head of his class, and then took up a business career. He is. a large stockholder in the Wabash Screen Door Company, and lives in Minneapolis where the main factory is located, while the company has an extension branch at Memphis, Tennessee, and the principal offices are in Chicago. Harvey R. Weesner was married November 9, 1887, to Ollie A. Hoover, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Hoover of Wa- bash. Their three children are: Beulah, born in Wabash county, No- vember 2, 1888, and on April 24, 1912, married at Minneapolis to Frank Edward Struthers, their home being in Minneapolis; Louise, born Oc- tober 3, 1894, and a graduate of the schools and college at Minneapolis; and Donald, born at Minneapolis February 8, 1907. Alvah Elwood Weesner, the second son, was born in Wabash May 26, 1868, and his- attendance at the city schools was followed by a course in the business college at Poughkeepsie, and for a number of years he has been engaged in the real estate and insurance business at Rhinelander, Wisconsin. He married on June 30, 1897, Mary Louise Wiley. Oliver Otis, was: born in Wabash March 9, 1870, and was married July 1, 1891, to Blanche M. White. They soon moved to Marion, Indiana, where he became superintendent of the electric light plant until it was consolidated with the Marion Light Company, when he took the office of city weighmaster, a position he still holds. They have one son, Thomas Delmar, born in Marion March 24, 1907. Leeson Hildreth, was born in Wabash April 26, 1880, and owing to his infirmities is at home with his parents. A daughter, Cora Bell, born December 11, 1872, lived only seven days.
IIIRAM K. PICKERING. Worthy pioneers, whose lives should be re- membered in any history of Wabash county, were the late Hiram K. Pickering and his wife Margaret (Jackson) Pickering, both of whom died a number of years ago but are still gratefully remembered in the community at New Holland, where they were among the first settlers.
Hiram K. Pickering was born in Belmont county, in eastern Ohio, October 8, 1814, and died at the home of his son Dr. Samuel Pickering in New Lisbon, Indiana, May 9, 1898, at the ripe age of eighty-three years. He came with his parents to Henry county, Indiana, in 1823,. before the surveys were completed in that portion of the state, and the family located on a tract of land near Greensboro, which was still in the possession of the family at the time of his death.
In Dublin, Wayne county, on November 30, 1838, Hiram Pickering married Margaret Jackson. She was born in Pasquatauque county, North Carolina, December 16, 1818, and died at her home in New Hol- land, Wabash county, September 1, 1893, when upwards of seventy-five years of age. Her family were likewise among Indiana pioneers, her
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parents settling at old Vandalia, now part of Cambridge City in Wayne county, in 1820. It was in that neighborhood that she grew to woman- hood and lived there till her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Pickering soon moved to Henry county, spending a few years at Knightstown and Greensboro, and in 1845 moved to Wabash county, settling on the banks of the Salamonie river, at the present site of the little village of New Ilolland. They were among the earliest settlers of that neighborhood, and for forty-eight years their lives were identified with the progress and development of that prosperous community. At New Holland Iliram Pickering engaged in tanning and the harness trade. One who had lived close to him for forty years said at the time of his death that his upright, honest life should prove a legacy to his family beyond all material measurement, and while his career was unostentatious it was in the highest degree useful, and he was honored by his own char- acter and by the family of children and other descendants left to remember his name.
Hliram Pickering had a birthright membership in the Quaker church, and at the division of that church between the two sets of the Hicksites and the Orthodox, he chose the Hicksites and was a mem- ber of the Lincolnville Friends until 1880. His wife had joined the Wesleyan Methodist church in 1852, and in 1874 transferred her mem- bership to the Methodist Episcopal church, and lived a useful and devoted member of her church, always prompt in public services and in her attention to the sick and needy. In 1880 Mr. Pickering yielded to the denominational preferences of his Christian wife, and joined the Methodist Episcopal church, and both spent their declining years in that faith. After the death of his beloved wife, Hiram Pickering lived with his children, among whom he was a wlecome guest. and cheerfully and with perfect resignation awaited the end.
To their union were born nine children, sis sons and three daughters. and three sons and two daughters still survive. The daughters are Mrs. Clementine Satterthwaite and Mrs. Minerva Craig. both of whom are widows and live in Logansport. Indiana. The son James P. lives in Oxford, Indiana, and Dr. Samuel at New Lisbon, this state. The son Abner graduated at the West Point Military Academy. entered the regular army, spent some time in the service on the western plains. was in Cuba with the rank of captain during the Spanish-American war, and later in the Philippines, and now holds the rank of colonel in the Eh verth United States Infantry, and is stationed on the Mexican bonder in Texas
JOHN T. GRADEN. A man of wealth and promin now. yet unspoiled by his property and position: a man whove life was filled with kin ily thoughts and deeds: a man of sterling integrity who left his impass upon the commandal Bite of Wabash during a long period of years and one who typited in his every day existence the biggest type of Christian charakter, was the late John T. Grain, who will be well remembered by the offer generation, not alone as a business man but
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as one who shared in the work of developing the city and who rendered material service in public office. Mr. Graden was a native of the state of Ohio, his birth occurring near Gallipolis, Gallia county, August 30, 1849, and a son of John and Maria (Zimmerman) Graden.
When Mr. Graden was about fifteen years of age the family moved to Illinois, and succeeding his schooling he entered a drug store with a view of embarking in that business later in life. Subsequently he went to Indianapolis, where he furthered his studies in drugs, and in 1872 came to Wabash. He at once opened an establishment here and from the start it proved unusually successful, Mr. Graden winning the confidence and esteem of the people of the city through his knowledge of his vocation and his straightforward manner of doing business. His enterprise became one of the leading ventures of its kind in the city, and Mr. Graden was widely known to the trade throughout this sec- tion. Socially he was identified with the Odd Fellows and Masonic fraternities, and as a republican in politics he served several terms as a member of the city council, where his advice and leadership were eagerly sought by his colleagues. When he died, August 21, 1889, his adopted city suffered a severe loss, as did a host of friends.
Mr. Graden was married April 9, 1874, to Miss May Pawling, daugh- ter of Albert Pawling. Mr. Pawling, who was one of Wabash county's pioneer settlers, was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, January 21, 1809, and was a son of Joseph and Sarah (Riffert) Pawling. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Graden: a daughter who died in infancy; Alberta, who died at the age of twenty years; and Jean, who married Fred B. Walter, secretary and treasurer of the firm of B. Walter & Company of Wabash.
JESSE MOYER. Although now remembered only by the older gene- ration, the late Jesse Moyer in his day exercised a beneficial influence upon his community in Wabash county, and for many years was directly identified with local affairs of importance in Pleasant township. Al- though no one conspicuous act or service stands prominently forth as his life achievement, he served his locality well, steadfastly stood for the highest ideals of citizenship and gained friends by his sterling character and held them by his loyalty and fidelity. Mr. Moyer was a native of the state of Ohio, where his birth occurred June 21, 1830, being a son of Mathias and Mary Moyer. His father was twice mar- ried, and by his first union had four sons and one daughter. His second wife was a Stover, and both are long since dead and buried.
The advent of the Moyer family in Indiana occurred when Jesse Moyer was a mere lad, his parents driving through from the Buckeye state and spending several days at North Manchester before continuing on to Miami county. There both parents died. Jesse Moyer was given his education in the early public schools of that locality, and was reared to farming and the nursery business, his father, Mathias Moyer, being the first nursery man in nothern Indiana, locating at Nicorza in 1833. He won success through his energy and ability Vol. II-28
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and was known as a substantial man. On November 18, 1860, he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Hoover, daughter of Elias and Mary (Whitmire) Hoover, and they became the parents of two sons: George, who is a nurseryman of Wabash county ; and Charley, who carries on successful farming operations here. Mr. Moyer always took an active part and interest in anything that would benefit his community, and at his death, January 25, 1887, bore the respect and esteem of all who knew him.
Mrs. Moyer subsequently married James Horning, and is now a resident of the village of Laketon, where she is widely and favorably known. Her father, Elias Hoover, was a son of Henry Hoover, of Maryland, and came to Wabash county, Indiana, from Ohio, in 1844. He and his wife became the parents of four sons and five daughters, and of the latter two are now deceased. Mrs. Horning is one of the real pioneers of this section of the country, which she has seen develop from a practical wilderness, without roads or schools, churches or im- provements of any nature, into a flourishing community, rich in agri- culture, prosperous in business ventures, and a center of educational and religious activity. She has done her full share in contributing to this wonderful growth and development, and in the evening of life may be proud and content that she has played her part in the wonder- ful drama in which Indiana has developed into glorious statehood.
JOHN WALTER. In the development of the rich agricultural inter- ests of Wabash county, John Walter is playing an active and useful part, being the owner of a well-cultivated property of eighty acres located in Chester township. His entire career has been devoted to the vocation of farming and his activities have been so well directed, and prosecuted with such earnestness of purpose that he has well won the right to be numbered among the men whose abilities and labors have contributed to the material development of one of the county's most prosperous sections. Mr. Walter has changed the spelling of his family name, as he is a member of the well-known family of Walters, known all over this section of the county in agricultural circles. He was born on the old home place in Chester township, June 4, 1862, and is a son of John and Mary (Smith) Walters.
John Walters, Sr., was born in Germany, April 4, 1826, and was about eighteen years of age when he emigrated to this country on a sailing vessel which arrived in port after a journey consuming forty- five days. He first located in Stark county, Ohio, where he was engaged in farming, and there married Mary Smith, five children being born to this union : Christian, Kate, John, Fred and Henry. Of this family, Kate is now deceased. The family came to Wabash county in 1851 and settled in Chester township, in the heavy woods, the family living for a time on rented land, but subsequently buying thirty acres, which was sold a short time later. The father then bought eighty acres, to which he subsequently added forty acres, and the former tract was the home of the parents at the time of their death, the father passing
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away in 1894 and the mother in 1882. They were industrious and hard-working people, who reared their children to traits of honesty and integrity, and were honored by all who knew them for their many sterling qualities of mind and heart. Although not a politician, the father was a stalwart democrat, and took much interest in affairs of a public nature as they affected the community in which he had his home. He and his wife were consistent church members and conscien- tiously endeavored to live according to their faith.
John Walter was given the educational advantages afforded by the district schools of Chester township, and during his vacations assisted his parents in the operation of the home farm. He remained at home until his marriage, September 18, 1888, to Miss Amanda Flick, daugh- ter of Dan and Mary (Miller) Flick, and at that time located on his present farm, a property of eighty acres which he has brought to a high state of cultivation. He is a general farmer, and has the reputation of being skilled and energetic in his work, using modern methods and achieving excellent results thereby. As a specialty he breeds Red hogs for the market, and his business ability enables him to secure top prices for his product. His good management and progressive nature are evidenced by a fine set of substantial buildings, which are equipped with modern improvements, and his entire property bespeaks his fit- ness for the calling to which he has devoted his life. Mr. Walter is a democrat, but has never held office, although local movements always find him a hearty co-operator. He and Mrs. Walter are consistent mem- bers of St. Peter's Lutheran Church.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Walter: Charley, born March 10, 1889, who is engaged in assisting his father with the farming operations at home; Clinton, born March 31, 1893, who mar- ried Tressie Crill and is engaged in farming in Chester township; Leota, born November 3, 1895, who married Howard Jackson, also of this township; and Homer, born August 26, 1898, who is attending the public schools.
THE PURDY FAMILY. One of the most interesting annual social events of Wabash county is the Purdy family reunion, at which time all the old and young of the Purdy name and connections gather and par- ticipate in a program of prayer, speeches, reminiscences, visiting and good-fellowship, and not least as a part of the entertainment, many good things to eat. Of this family association the president at this time is Mr. Christian Gurtner, whose wife is one of the older generations of the Purdys in Wabash county. Through the greater part of six decades the Purdy family have had their homes and the influence of their worthy characters and activities have extended to various communities of Wabash county.
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