USA > Indiana > Wabash County > History of Wabash County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 55
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
After his marriage Robert E. Weesner and his wife located on a farm in Waltz township, about two miles distant from his father's home. This was an improved farm and continued to be his home until 1896, when he erected a residence in Wabash and afterward resided there. After an illness of a few weeks Robert E. Weesner was called to his reward on July 14, 1914. His ancestors for generations past were members of the Society of Friends, and he was an adherent to their quiet, unassuming mode of life. He was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
CHARLES W. THOMPSON. During more than a quarter of a century Liberty township has profited by the energy and good judgment of
Digitized by Google
ยท
938
HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
Charles W. Thompson, who is the owner and operator of Bass Wood Stock Farm, a tract of one hundred and ten acres lying two and one- half miles north and two miles east of La Fontaine. He is known as one of the leading stock breeders of this part of the county, devoting the major part of his attention to the big type of Poland-China hogs, also engages to some extent in general farming, and conducts his affairs along practical and modern lines. Mr. Thompson has been a life-long resi- dent of this locality, having been born in Liberty township February 23, 1869, a son of John P. and Martha J. (Ferguson) Thompson.
John P. Thompson was born in Rush county, Indiana, and in 1842, when eleven years of age, was brought to Huntington county by his parents, Ebenezer and Nancy E. (Pollock) Thompson, there growing to manhood and engaging in agricultural pursuits. During the Civil war he enlisted as a private in Company F, One Hundred and First Regi- ment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was subsequently promoted orderly and later second lieutenant, and as such received his honorable discharge at the end of the war, after a service of three years. His military career was marked by participation in numerous hard-fought engagements, in which he showed himself a brave and faithful soldier. Mr. Thompson was first married to Miss Virginia Plank, and they had one child, W. F. Thompson, now a resident of Marion, Indiana. In 1868 he was married to Martha J. Ferguson, who was born in Greene county, Ohio, and they had a family of six children, of whom five are now living: Charles W., of this review ; Mary E., who is the wife of Robert Carter, of Lawrence- burg, Tennessee; Colonel Robert S., a well known auctioneer residing in Liberty township; Rev. Isaac Ferguson, a minister of the Christian church ; and Grace A., the wife of William Hubbard, of Liberty township.
Charles W. Thompson secured his early education in the schools of Liberty township, later becoming a student in the State Normal School, and completed a short course in Purdue University. After leaving the latter institution he was for four terms a teacher in the country schools. On December 10, 1902, he was united in marriage with Miss Harriet J. Hubbard, a daughter of Samuel and Harriet J. (Myers) Hubbard, and to this union there have been born four children, as follows: Walter H., born November 22, 1903; Ruth F., April 3, 1906; John, March 21, 1909; and Edith M., March 18, 1911. Mr. Thompson has been a devoted member of the Christian church since 1885, and has served as deacon therein for some years. His political support is given to the republican party.
After his marriage Mr. Thompson settled down to agricultural pur- suits on the home farm, and about the year 1889 began to breed the big type of Poland-China hogs, his business in this direction having assumed large proportions. At the head of his herd of one hundred and twenty is Giant Wonder, a two-year-old weighing (if fat) 1,000 pounds, register No. 85083. Mr. Thompson holds annual sales, and at the last, held November 7, 1913, his hogs averaged $57.80 in spring pigs. He is one of the open minded and well posted men of his township, an advocate of
Digitized by Google
939
HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
education and progress, and a strong supporter of honest business and clean social life.
DANIEL, E. SPEICHER. One of the oldest and largest families of . Wabash county is that bearing the name of Speicher, whose representa- tives have long been prominent in public and civic life, in the professions, in agriculture and in business affairs. A worthy representative of the name is found in the person of Daniel E. Speicher, directing head of the Cyclone Seeder Company, manufacturers of the Cyclone Seeder, an invention which has become known to agriculturists all over the United States and in various other countries. Mr. Speicher was born on his father's farm in Lagro township, Wabash county, Indiana, Sep- tember 22, 1867, and is a son of Samuel S. and Mary (Kepler) Speicher, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana.
The Speicher family originated in Switzerland, from whence two brothers emigrated to the United States, married and reared families in Ohio. Mrs. Speicher's people originally came from Holland. Sam- uel S. Speicher was a small child when brought by his parents to In- diana, and here at the age of fourteen years he began his career as a carpenter, an occupation which he followed for some thirty years. He subsequently turned his attention to farming and became the owner of a valuable farm, which he conducted in a modern manner and with suc- cessful results. He had always been of an inventive turn of mind, and had made numerous labor-saving devices for his own work on the farm, but it was not until 1870 that he conceived the idea for a seeder, which proved such a great boon that he finally placed it upon the market. He first fitted up a little shop on his farm where he was able to produce about 150 seeders a year, and continued to so operate for about ten years, when, a heavy demand having come for the product, he moved his business to North Manchester, and there turned out about from 2,000 to 5,000 seeders annually. After being in North Manchester about ten years, he moved his plant to Urbana, where he took over the old Urbana Planing Mill, and this was used for a part of the factory until 1913, when this department was destroyed by fire. New quarters were im- mediately found, and the product of the factory now averages from 30,000 to 40,000 seeders per year. Mr. Speicher continued to be at the head of this business until his death, which occurred in 1895, and through his industry, energy and good management built it up to large propor- tions. He was a man of the strictest integrity and fidelity in business matters, and on numerous occasions proved his good citizenship. Mrs. Speicher, who survives her husband, has been the mother of three children : Daniel E., of this review; Matilda, who is now the wife of Charles Grist ; and Paul J.
Daniel E. Speicher received his education in the public schools and was brought up as a farmer, but in 1890 came to Urbana to join his father in the business established here. At the time of the elder man's death he became the directing head of the enterprise and his diligence, executive ability and modern ideas have resulted in a largely increased
Digitized by Google
940
HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
business. The principal product of the Cyclone Seeder Company is the Cyclone Seed Sower, considered one of the best on the market. Among its chief features are found a slant feed board, which keeps the hopper properly filled; an automatic feed adjustment, which stops or starts the flow instantly ; oscillating feed agitator, a positive force feed which cannot clog; a patent distributing wheel, full regulation size, without soldered joints, which always scatters the seed instantly ; triple, adjustable gears, and a large hopper, which, while easy to handle, is of unequaled capacity. Other articles manufactured by the company are the Chicago (Bow) Seed Sower, the Little Wonder Seed Sower, the Double Fan Seed Sower and the Sectional Tube "Horn" Seed Sower, while smaller articles are the Cyclone Jr. Seed Sower and the Champ Jr. Seed Sower. All of these goods have an extensive sale throughout the country, and for the foreign trade an office has been established at No. 149 Queen Victoria street, London, England.
Mr. Speicher was married April 21, 1892, to Miss Alice Stark, who was born at Naperville, Illinois, daughter of the late William Stark, and to this union there have been born four children: Naomi, Miriam, Harold and Virginia. Mr. Speicher is a member and trustee of the Evangelical Association church. In political matters he is a stanch prohibitionist.
CHARLES R. DELAUTER. Among the younger generation of agricul- turists of Wabash county who are achieving success in their operations through the application of modern methods to the practical experience gained by their forefathers after many years of labor, is found Charles R. Delauter, of Pleasant township, who is proving himself a worthy rep- resentative of one of his community's substantial families. Mr. De- lauter has been a lifelong resident of this part of the county, has grown to manhood amid its rural surroundings, and is now taking his place among the men who are striving to maintain its high agricultural stand- ards. . He was born on his father's homestead farm in Pleasant township, April 8, 1886, and is a son of Frank and Sarah J. (Bussard) Delauter.
Frank Delauter was born in Frederick county, Maryland, a son of David and Emma (Lowery) Delauter, and had five sisters and seven brothers: Catherine, Mahlon, David, Sarah, Susan, John, Julia, Char- lotte, Louise, Aaron, Charles and George. Of these five are now de- ceased, George dying when quite young. Frank Delauter grew up in his native state, and was a young man when he came to Wabash county, Indiana, locating at North Manchester, where he was mar- ried to Sarah J. Bussard, daughter of Jacob Bussard, who was one of the earliest settlers of the county. Two children were born to them : Charles R., and Arthur who is single. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Delauter moved to the farm which is now occupied by Mr. Pen- rod, in Pleasant township, but after several years located on their pres- ent property, the old Bussard homestead, and here they have developed an excellent farm. This tract, equipped with a fine set of buildings and the most modern improvements of every description, is situated on
Digitized by Google
941
HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
the farm adjoining that of his son, Charles R., who lives across the road. Mr. Delauter has been a resident of Wabash county for thirty- four years, and during this time has taken a keen interest in its growth and development. He has been active in public matters, is a stanch sup- porter of the democratic party, and in 1912 and 1913 served efficiently in the capacity of road supervisor. He is a man of the strictest integrity. and is widely known and highly esteemed throughout this section.
Charles R. Delauter was given his educational advantages in the pub- lic schools of Pleasant township, and grew up on the homestead place, adopting the vocation of agriculturist when he entered upon a career of his own. He was married in Chester township, Wabash county, De- cember 31, 1908, to Miss Lina Neher, daughter of Joseph W. and Hanna (Crip) Neher, who were married in Pleasant township, Wabash county, having come to this part of the state as children, at an early day. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Delauter, namely: Irene Catherine, born December 16, 1909; and Herbert Leo, born January 23, 1914, both in Pleasant township. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Delauter located on a rented farm, and later went to the property lo- cated on the side of the road opposite to the old Bussard homestead. This is a tract of forty acres, upon which the present residence and all other buildings had been already placed, although Mr. Delauter has made numerous improvements. He is now operating one hundred and twenty acres, which he devotes to general farming and the raising of stock. He has shown himself, in his operations, a capable man of business, thoroughly versed in agricultural work and a good judge of cattle. Fur- thermore, his transactions have always been carried on in such a man- ner as to gain him the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens. Like his father, he is a democrat in his political views, but has found no time to give to the affairs of public life, his agricultural duties having demanded all of his attention. Mr. and Mrs. Delauter are consistent members of the Church of the Brethren, and both have many friends in its congregation, as well as in social circles throughout the township.
JOSEPH II. ELLIOTT. Among Wabash county citizens whose lives have been entirely spent within the county boundaries special mention should be made of Joseph H. Elliott, whose individual career has been one of successful accomplishment as a farmer, and whose father was one of the splendid pioneers who helped develop the county from its wilderness condition.
.
Joseph H. Elliott was born in Noble township, where he still lives, on February 22, 1863. His father, Jacob Elliott, was a native of Dela- ware county, New York, and his mother, Rebecca (Heston) Elliott, was born in Maryland. A point of family history which should not be omitted is the fact that grandfather Alvah Elliott at one time owned the site on which the city of Buffalo now stands. Jacob Elliott, who was a settler in Wabash county in 1841, had a great variety of experi- ence, both before and after coming to this county. When a small boy he was bound out, in accordance with a common custom of the day,
.
Digitized by Google
942
HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
but it is not known whether he completed the period of service for which he was indentured. He was still quite young, when, in company with two other boys, he started to walk from Buffalo to Detroit. The fact that he was the only one of the trio to carry out the resolution is a sufficient commentary on the pluck and persistence which was char- acteristic of him through all his life. Arriving in Michigan, for some time he drove a stage coach over the old national road between Detroit and Chicago. Arriving in Wabash county in 1841, he at once entered some government land, and put up a cabin in what he considered the most convenient spot. It soon proved that his location was an incon- venience to the Indians who still lived in that vicinity and while these sons of the forest were in the main peaceable, they showed considerable hostility to Jacob Elliott until he had removed an obstruction of felled trees from a trail which had long been their accustomed route in travel- ing from one place to another. His willingness to accommodate the Indians to the extent of clearing the obstruction enabled Mr. Elliott to live in peace, and he worked out his pioneer lot in such a way as to dem- onstrate his true pioneer qualities. Besides clearing the greater part of his land he also put up a number of good buildings, and his later years were spent in the generous provision which his earlier trials had de- served. In 1847 he married Rebecca Heston, and while he died on his farm March 19, 1899, his widow survived until March 15, 1911. To their union were born five children. Emma, the first, died in infancy ; Ella, is unmarried; Susan and Letitia both died when in their twentieth year of life; and Joseph H. is the only son.
Joseph H. Elliott was educated in Noble township in the locality where he was born and reared. He also spent two and a half years at the Methodist Episcopal College in Fort Wayne, graduating in 1886. On October 12, 1887, occurred his marriage with Sarah Miller, daughter of Samuel C. and Susan (Beswick) Miller, the former a native of Fayette county, Indiana, and the latter of Logansport. Mrs. Elliott was born in St. Joseph county, Indiana, in the town of New Carlisle. She was one of four children, the others being Georgia, Edwin and Laura. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have been born two children : Joseph Loren, born April 4, 1890; and Lois L., born March 21, 1897. Both were born in Wabash county.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Elliott moved to a farm adjoin- ing his father's old homestead, and in 1900 came to their present farm. His farm is now conceded to be one of the most modern and highly im- proved places in the township, and it comprises three hundred and twenty-seven acres of fine land. His dwelling is new and of modern conveniences.
Mr. Elliott is a Methodist and a republican, as was also his father before him. The work that his pioneer father did so well is being con- tinued, though in a different time and under new conditions, by the son. While he has found his labors come easier than those performed by his father, he has brought to them a spirit no less progressive and
Digitized by Google
943
HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
enterprising, and his success has been in proportion to the rewards of this twentieth century era.
GARL MORROW. A general elevator business has claimed the atten- tion of Garl Morrow for some years past, though he has divided his in- terests in some measure between that enterprise and farming activities, which he never quite gave up. He is well known as a stock dealer here- abouts, and as a successful farmer and elevator man, so that his busi- ness interests are three fold, and bring him a prominence that not every farmer owns.
Garl Morrow was born in Liberty township, near La Fontaine, on February 11, 1872, and he is a son of C. H. and Joan (Howard) Mor- row. The father was born in Rush county, Indiana, in 1849, and in 1850 he came to Wabash county with his father, Charles Greer Morrow, who settled west of Wabash in what was known as Frog Pond. C. H. Mor- row was one of the eleven children of his parents, all of whom reached years of maturity. His father lived all the remaining years of his life on the Wabash county farm that became his home in 1850, and he made of the place a most creditable and productive spot. The buildings that he erected there when he first came into ownership were later replaced by new and more modern constructions by his son, Conrad H. Mor- row, the first ones being destroyed. Conrad H. Morrow was educated in Liberty township, under the tutelage of Captain Williams for the most part, he being a well known educator of that time and place. Later the young man took up farming, and he continued in that work for a good many years, though always on a rented farm. In more recent years he has been engaged as a member of the La Fontaine police force. He mar- ried Joan Howard, as has already been stated, and the children born to them were named as follows: Garl, of this review; John H., who mar- ried Mary E. Sparks; Howard died in infancy; Irene married Charles Stevens, and lives at Fairmount, in Grant county; Daisy married Her- man Snyder and lives at Marion; Vesta became the wife of Hubert Piety, of Wabash ; Ida died at the age of seventeen years.
Garl Morrow was given his early education in the schools of La Fon- taine, and he afterward was engaged in teaching. For some years he was thus occupied, and he experienced a very pleasing success in that line of work. He was twenty years of age when he married Lola D. Pefley, the daughter of Joseph Pefley, and she was seventeen years old at the time, it may be stated. The young couple had little in the way of earthly possessions, but they were possessed of youth and health and they were happy. The husband farmed and taught school, and was township assessor for some time. They continued in that way for about twelve years, and he finally gave up teaching and entered the office of the county treasurer as deputy, serving in that position for eight years. Though he gave up his pedagogic activities, he still continued to farm, and it was in 1896 when he became the owner of his first farm. It was a place of eighty acres in Liberty township, and since that time he has added considerable farm land to his possessions. In 1911 he sold
Digitized by Google
944
HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
his last farm and with the proceeds bought the elevator business which he now controls. In addition to this enterprise, which is one of the best and most lucrative in the community, he also interests himself largely in the buying and selling of stock. His business interests, it will thus be seen, are diversified in their nature, and he is one of the busiest and at the same time one of the most successful men in the township as a result of his numerous lines of enterprise.
To Mr. and Mrs. Morrow the following children have been born : Avery P., Mabel, William McKinley, Mildred, Delight and John Max- well. The third named, William Mckinley Morrow, was killed in the elevator when he was a lad of eleven. All were born in Wabash county, and have had their education in the schools of the community, or are still busy with their studies. The family have membership in the Christian church at Wabash, and Mr. Morrow is a republican in his politics. In April, 1914, he was nominated as candidate for treas- urer of Wabash county on the republican ticket. Though he is not a politician by any means, he has a healthy interest in party affairs, and is prominent among the men of the town and county, where he has long been known.
ALBERT ROONEY. One of the attractive and valuable farms of Pleas- ant township is the Albert Rooney place. Its proprietor acquired his land a number of years ago when most of it was a landscape of trees and stumps. To his work he brought both experience and ability, and his farm has been shaped out by his own labors and plans and repre- sents both a comfortable home and a gratifying success.
The Rooney family has been identified with Wabash county from the early days, but Albert Rooney was born in Kosciusko county of this state on February 14, 1864. His parents were Thomas and Nancy Ann (Ogan) Rooney. His father was a native of Ireland and his mother was of German parentage. The maternal grandfather was Peter Ogan, and Ogan Creek and Ogan church in this county derived their name from that family. Thomas Rooney came to Wabash county in 1841, and at North Manchester was for some sixteen years employed in a hotel, where Miss Ogan also worked, and they met and were mar- ried as a result of the acquaintance begun in that way. In the early days Thomas Rooney had the regular duty of carrying mail over the Plank road on horseback. After his marriage at North Manchester he rented the land which is now in the farm of Albert Rooney, but sub- sequently moved to Kosciusko county, where he also was a renter for some time. During his residence in Kosciusko county besides Alfred two daughters were born, Mary and Lizzie, both now deceased. In 1865 Thomas Rooney returned to Wabash county, and bought the farm that his son James now occupies. His first purchase here was fifty acres. im- proved with a small frame house, and his industry subsequently cleared up most of the land and built substantial dwelling, barns and other structures. Both Thomas Rooney and his wife died on that place, the father in 1893 and the mother in 1901. After their return to Wabash
Digitized by Google
-
945
HISTORY OF WABASH COUNTY
county two other children were born, Sadie, who is unmarried, and James, the son above mentioned.
Albert Rooney has been a resident of Wabash county for the past fifty years, and his education was acquired largely at Laketon. The family were in very moderate circumstances, and as all hands were re- quired on the farm, he never attended school after he was twelve years of age, but has employed his native intelligence to advance him in the world of affairs and has suffered little disadvantage in competition with his fellowmen. At the age of twenty-five Mr. Rooney married Ella Hida, a daughter of Anderson and Catherine (Enyart) Hida. Most of the Albert Rooney farm was the old homestead of the Hida family, and Mrs. Rooney was born in Chester township of Wabash county. Previ- ous to his marriage Mr. Rooney spent five years working on the rail- road, and when ready to settle down in life bought the seventy-seven acres comprising his present home place. Besides that he now owns another tract of twenty-five acres nearby. When this land came into his possession only thirty-seven acres was in cultivation and he has since gradually extended the tillable area and has cleared up all but six acres. An old log house and log barn were the chief improvements when he and his wife began making a home there, and these have long since given way to more substantial buildings and the general improve- ments which add value to the land are too numerous to mention.
Mr. Rooney and wife have four children: Cora, Paul, Iva and Marian. The children are all at home, and all have received the best influences of home training and have been educated as well as the means of their parents could afford. The oldest child was born on the first place they lived on after their marriage, but the others were born at the present Rooney home. While Mr. Rooney's father was a member of the Catholic church, he has identified himself with the Church of God. His father was a democrat and the son adheres to the same party, but believes in voting for the best man. For four years, James Rooney, his brother, was honored with the office of trustee of Pleasant township.
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.