USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 58
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As August grew up in his native home, hie secured a fair education in the excellent schools for which Germany is noted. These have industrial departments, known here as manual training, and by taking advantage of this feature young Erdmann was enabled
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to qualify himself as a brick-layer. He worked at this trade in the old country until twenty-four years of age, when he de- termined to try his fortunes in the great Re- public. Taking passage in 1868, he landed at the port of Baltimore, but soon made his way to Forty Wayne, Indiana, where he put in one year in such irregular employ- ment as he could obtain. Being favorably impressed with what he heard of Columbia City as offering opportunities in his line, Mr. Erdmann came to this place in 1869. He soon found employment and worked steadily at his trade during the next nine- teen years. In 1881 he purchased a local brick-yard and entered actively into the busi- ness of manufacturing building material and contracting. He is justly proud of the fact that most of the fine brick buildings that now grace the streets of Columbia City were erected under his supervision and out of the material made in his busy yards, in partner- ship with Charles Wynkoop. Mr. Erd- mann's political affiliations are with the Democratic party, and he is at present serv- ing his second term as a member of the city council.
In 1870 Mr. Erdmann married Wilhel- mina, daughter of William and Johanna Luecke, of Whitley county, and to this union have been born nine children: Johanna, wife of William Kuhne: Louisa, deceased wife of William Bruggeman ; August, also a brickmason: George, in business at Chi- cago; Minnie, wife of Ash Clugston; Ed- ward, Emma and Amelia. The parents are members of the German Lutheran church and are much esteemed in the social circles of the community.
WILLIAM HENRY HILDEBRAND.
The subject of this sketch is a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he was born August 2, 1846. His parents, Dewalt and Margaret ( Huffman) Hilde- brand, came to Columbia City in 1852, and here he followed his trade of cabinetmaker and carpenter until his death in April, 1857. He was a member of the Lutheran church and an unobtrusive, industrious man, who made and kept many warm friends. He left five children, William H .; Elizabeth, wife of John Fullerton, of Columbia City ; Joseph, deceased ; Mary Margaret, and Jane, wife of Benjamin Flora, residents of Kansas. Mrs. Margaret Hildebrand later married Peter Hartman, by whom she had two chil- dren, Abraham L., deceased, and Hugh W., a resident of Kansas. Again left a widow, Mrs. Hildebrand chose as her third husband Levi Gilliland, by whom she had one child, Bartlet, and became a widow for the third time, surviving Mr. Gilliland and now living in Kansas with her daughter Jane. Wil- liam Henry Hildebrand was six years old when brought to Whitley county. In 1865 he went to Missouri, and five years later to Kansas where he spent two years. His next step was to Colorado, where he put in another two years, and then "took the back track" as they say out west, revisiting the same states and places. Remaining in Kansas until 1876 and in Missouri from that time until 1885, he concluded that Colum- bia City was good enough for him and re- turned to Whitley county. He had worked as a carpenter for several years and until 1878, when he began to learn the wagon-
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maker's trade and in 1892 established his present business. He manufactures buggies and wagons besides doing general repair work, horseshoeing and blacksmithing. His business has prospered as the result of much hard work, patient industry and ceaseless at- tention to the details incident to his occu- pation.
In 1874 Mr. Hildebrand married Emma Cross, of Illinois, who bore him one child, named Nellie, who died in infancy, the mother also dying after a companionship of ten years. Mr. Hildebrand married Dolly A. Fullerton in 1886. They are members of Grace Lutheran church and have hosts of warm friends in Columbia City. Mr. Hilde- brand is a Republican and has served in the city council for two years, where he made a record for careful attention to the city's interests. He is a firm believer in and advo- cate of the municipal ownership of public utilities, the soundness of such opinion be- ing supported by actual experience in his own city.
JOHN HANSON.
As far back as records show, members of this family have been engaged in agri- culture pursuits, and are excellent types of the class of men who rescued Indiana from the wilderness and made her one of the great farming states of the Union. Charles and Nancy (Garlan) Hanson, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter a Pennsylvania, formed part of the pioneer army that invaded the state of Ohio when it was still struggling with all the difficulties of the early settlement. Having been mar-
ried in the Keystone state, they settled for a while in Fayette county, Ohio, but about 1845 sought a home in northeastern In- diana, when that section was still filled with wild game and Indians. Residing temporar- ily in Kosciusko county, they removed later to Noble, where their remaining years were spent on a farm. He died at the age of eighty years. This pioneer couple reared twelve children, whose names are as follows: Julia, Samuel, Isaac, Elizabeth and Sarah, all now dead: Rebecca Jane, John, Joseph, Margaret, Mary, Charles (deceased) and Malissa.
John Hanson, who was number seven of this list, was born in Fayette county, Ohio; January 2, 1841. He went through the usual experience of a farmer's boy, doing farm work in summer and attending school irregularly until he reached legal age. He then rented for some years till he became a land-owner himself. After buying and selling several tracts, he eventually pur- cliased eighty acres in Thorncreek township. which he still retains. In addition to this. he owns five acres of land adjoining Colum- bia City, and here he makes his home, hav- ing retired from active farm labor. He leads an unobtrusive life, votes the Repub- lican ticket, attends services at the 'Metho- dist church and has a wide circle of acquaintances.
In 1861 Mr. Hanson married Nancy Moore, who died in 1891. In 1901 he chose a second wife in the person of Mary ( Mil- ler) Hively, widow of George Hively, by whom she had two children, Lovina, who married William Humbarger, and died leav- ing one child named Canova. Ira Hively, the only son, is a professional cartoonist and
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caricaturist formerly connected with the Davenport (Iowa) journals. Mrs. Han- son's parents were Solomon and Malinda (Unspaugh) Miller, the former one of the first settlers of Whitley county and still liv- ing in Thorncreek township. Mr. Hanson is not affiliated with any fraternities.
JOSEPH H. RUCH.
This name has been a familiar one in Whitley county, and especially in Columbia City, for more than half a century. Those who bore it have been engaged in a wide variety of business pursuits, from farming to livery and from mechanic arts to partici- pation in many lines of modern industry. As is usual in wide family connections, some have failed, some have partially succeeded. some have "merely made a living," while others have much to show as the result of lives of energetic endeavor, wisely directed toward the accomplishment of results. As these brief biographical details will show, the immediate subject of this sketch belongs in the last mentioned class and may look back on a life well spent, which has brought that competence and ease without which the evening of one's days will be a time of trial.
It was in 1845 that Charles and Sarah (Firdig) Ruch, natives of Pennsylvania, settled in Fort Wayne. The former was a cabinetmaker by trade and depended upon this work for his livelihood. After spending a few years in Allen county he came to Whitley county, and located on a farm in Smith township, and later engaged in paint- ing in Columbia City, but this in turn was
abandoned to take up the livery business, which he conducted until a year or two before his death. His marriage resulted in the birth of eleven children, Sarah Jane. Mary, Margaret. Joseph, George, Jacob, Albert, Elizabeth, and three who died in infancy. Joseph H. Ruch, the fourth, was born at Fort Wayne, January 26, 1847, and received what schooling he obtained after coming to Whitley county. He learned the painter's trade with his father, and, in company with his brother George. followed that trade for eighteen years. At different times he was engaged in the drug trade and in the grocery and in lumbering and electric lighting. In company with his brother George, he erected an electric light- ing plant, operating this and the saw-mill at the same time. After operating the electric plant for eleven years he sold it and installed the present city lighting plant under contract. They then engaged in buying and shipping horses until 1906. In partner- ship with his brother, George, he owns one hundred and fifteen acres of farm land in Union township, besides several rental properties in Columbia City. At present he resides in a commodious residence on East Van Buren street, whose surroundings are among the most beautiful in the city. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Masonic order.
In 1868 Mr. Ruch married Adriena Ale- baugh, a native of Columbia City, and they have two children : Samuel, married Jennie Alwine, and operates a hoop and stave mill at Dexter, Missouri. Ione is a bookkeeper. Mrs. Ruch and daughter are members of Grace Lutheran church as well as of the Eastern Star.
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OLIVER H. DIFFENDARFER.
It was in 1873 that Harry and Hannah (James) Diffendarfer came from their na- tive state of Pennsylvania to seek a new home in Indiana. They settled in Kosciusko county, where the former engaged in teach- ing, supplementing this by clerking in stores during vacations. His career in the state, however, was short-lived, as he met an untimely death in 1876. His widow sur- vives, and is a resident of Denver, Colorado. The children, three in number, are Clarence, a resident of Glenwood Springs, Colorado; Oliver H., and Mary, the wife of Herman Willer, at Denver.
Oliver H. Diffendarfer was born at Ken- nett Square, Pennsylvania, October 20, 1863, and hence was twelve years old when his parents removed to the west. The death of his father not only deprived him of his only support, but threw him on his own re- sources at the tender age of thirteen. He faced the situation bravely, however, and did such work as he was able to secure until, at sixteen years of age, an opportunity was afforded that promised better results. I. N. Smith, who was in the produce business at Warsaw, Indiana, offered him a clerkship that was gladly accepted. That determined his business for life, as after remaining at Warsaw a few years he came to Columbia City, and opened up in the same line on his own account. It was only in a small way that he began in 1883, but, backed by resolu- tion, industry and natural turn for trading, he is now able to show much accomplished in the twenty-three years.
In the busy season he employs about twenty hands at his place on South Chaun-
cey street, and he handles most all the poul- try, butter and eggs that are produced in the country tributary to Columbia City, his an- nual business amounting to about one hun- dred thousand dollars. Mr. Diffendarfer has made hosts of friends and we find him influential in the councils of the Republican party. He served four years in the city council, besides being active in fraternal cir- cles, as a Knight of Pythias, a Maccabee, and a Woodman.
In 1885 Mr. Diffendarfer married Miss Minnie A., daughter of Isaac N. and Chris- tiana (Grindle) Brady, old settlers of Kos- ciusko county. The former at one time owned one thousand two hundred acres of land near Winona lake, and was a man of note in that section of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Diffendarfer have four children, Earl, Vern, Nadene, and Zoe.
JOHN W. WATERFALL.
In the early half of the nineteenth cen- tury there was born in the canton of Berne, Switzerland, a boy christened Samuel Waterfall, who married a neighboring girl by the name of Mary Helbling, and this couple. in 1847. crossed the ocean and took up their residence in Fairfield county. Ohio. They were poor, and the husband had to work for his daily bread, in this way sup- porting his family until 1854. when he came to Whitley county. For a while he rented land, but in 1869, having saved sufficient money, he bought a small farm in Thorn- creek township on which he lived until his. retirement from active business in 1901.
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His wife died in 1893, but he survives at the age of eighty-eight years, making his home with his children. These were five in number: Mary, widow of Jacob Phiested, now living in Columbia township: Elizabeth, wife of Daniel Poulus, of Noble county ; John W .; Ann, wife of William Kessler, of Columbia City, and Samuel, who died in infancy.
John W. Waterfall was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, September 22, 1847, soon after his parents' arrival from Switzerland, and since coming to Whitley county he has spent within its borders all the intervening years. He obtained but a meager education, but learned all about hard work on the pio- neer farms of the county's formative period. He learned the carpenter's trade, and in a few years began contracting and building, which he has followed for more than thirty- five years, meeting with a success insured by experience and attention to details, many of the finer residences of Columbia City stand ing as monuments to his capacity, skill and supervision.
In 1873 Mr. Waterfall married Caroline, daughter of Frederick Humbarger, an early settler of Thorncreek township, who was born in 1854. Her demise occurred March 27, 1906. They had eight children, William H., Frederick S., Irene Elizabeth, Carl, Mabel, Catherine, Mary and Paul. The family are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church and Mr. Waterfall is a Knight of the Maccabees. He has ever been a strict advocate of temperance, his decided aver- sion to the liquor traffic leading him to aban- don the old parties twenty-four years ago, since when he has been an untiring advocate of the principles of prohibition, a cause to
the furthering of which his best energies are devoted.
JOHN F. LAWRENCE.
John F. Lawrence, proprietor of the Hoosier Foundry and machine shops of Columbia City, is a native of Wayne county, Ohio, and the son of John and Sarah Eliza- beth ( Rouch) Lawrence, he born in Harris- burg, Pennsylvania, the mother in Hagers- town, Maryland. They grew to maturity and were married in Wayne county, Ohio. Mr. Lawrence was a farmer and civil en- gineer, a profession he followed until his eighty-sixth year, having often served as surveyor of Wayne county. He possessed sound judgment combined with practical ideas and wide information and during a long and useful life exercised a wholesome influence. He lived to the ripe age of nine- ty-three years, being well preserved to the last. His wife died when eighty-five years old and of their eleven children, none died under the age of forty. George W., ex- county commissioner, is a successful farmer of Union township; Mary Ann married Wil- liam Mowery, and died some years ago in this county ; Malinda, also deceased, was the wife of S. L. Rouch; Sarah, Mrs. J. D. Wagoner, lives in Warsaw, Indiana; Mar- garet J. is the wife of James E. Kelly; Priscilla is Mrs. Austin McMannis ; Henry H. resides in Union township; Lehannah is the wife of Elmer McMannis; Isaiah E. is a doctor of Columbia City, and Levi is a farmer of Union township.
John F. Lawrence was born April 27, 1840, in Wayne county, Ohio. In Septem-
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ber, 1860, he came to Indiana and for two years taught school in Whitley and Elkhart counties. August 14. 1862. he enlisted at Wooster, Ohio, in Company A, One Hun- dred and Twentieth Ohio Infantry, with which he shared the fortunes and vicissitudes of war for three years and five months, par- ticipating in a number of battles, among them being an attack on Red River, where his regiment lost two hundred and thirty-six men. The regiment was on a boat going up the river to join the command and the one boat was attacked by five thousand of the enemy. The boat was disabled and floating to the opposite shore the survivors managed to escape, but one hundred and eighty-six of the four hundred and four men getting away. He was also in the attack on Mobile besides numerous skirmishes and minor engagements. He returned to Indiana and engaged in the manufacture of lumber. in which he continued until 1885. when, in partnership with Frank Mossman. he estab- lished the foundry and machine shop in Columbia City of which he is now sole pro- prietor. The Hoosier Foundry and Machine Shop is one of the largest establishments of the kind in northeastern Indiana.
On the 3d day of October. 1867. Mr. Lawrence married Miss Eliza J. Penland. who was born in Elkhart county, Indiana. October 7, 1847, being the daughter of John and Eliza ( Abshire ) Penland, early settlers of that county. The father, a soldier in the late civil war, lost his life in the battle of Chickamauga. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence have had seven children : Effie May, wife of George L. Padgett : Charles C., an attor- ney by education, but now a traveling sales- man for a Chicago publishing house : Myron,
(deceased). was in the United States mail service, Pittsburg to Chicago, till his deathi. February 17, 1895, aged twenty-three : James A., of Portland, Oregon: Sarah E., wife of D. F. Main, of Toledo, Ohio: Blanch. now Mrs. Christian D. Meyer, living at Redland. California, was a teacher for several years in Whitley county ; and Walter I. Mr. Lawrence and wife are members of Grace Lutheran church. Politically he is a Republican and fraternally belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, being a past commander and present quartermaster. Fi- nancially Mr. Lawrence has been fortunate. owning in addition to his beautiful home and business interests in Columbia City. a two-hundred-acre farm in Union township.
EMILE DORIOT.
The subject of this review was born Sep- tember 28, 1840, in the canton of Berne, Switzerland. His parents, Gustavus and Amelia ( Leshalı) Doriot. emigrated to America in 1850, and settled in Wayne county, Ohio, removing five years later to Williams county, their permanent home, however, being in Fulton county, where both died. They were the parents of sixteen chil- died. They were the parents of sixteen children.
Emile Doriot grew to maturity on a farm in Ohio and received a limited education. He was early taught the necessity of honest toil, working almost incessantly to help sup- port the large family.
He enlisted in 1862, in Company F, Nine- teenth Ohio Infantry, with which he served
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for a period of eleven months, re-enlisting in Company G, Sixty-fourth Regiment, serving until the close of the war. His military ex- perience included hard service in several campaigns, he participating in the battle of Stone River, McMinnville, Spring Hill and Franklin, and many others. He was severe- ly wounded in the last engagement, being confined to the hospital from November until the following June, a gun-shot wound in the throat rendering treatment exceedingly diffi- cult, a permanent disablement of his right arm resulting. He fell into the hands of the enemy during the battle of Franklin. but after three weeks was re-captured, the confederates leaving their hospital when re- treating from Nashville. He returned to the farm in Ohio and was married at Columbia City in 1866, to Miss Elizabeth Pfiester, who was also a native of Switzerland. Their children are Alice, wife of Theodore Mosier, of Anderson, Indiana ; William, who mar- ried Jessie Peltcher and lives in Peru: El- more, a resident of Michigan City : Charles G., the fur dealer in Columbia City, and Edward, deceased, a twin brother of William.
The mother died in 1873, and in July, 1878, Mr. Doriot married Alice Mettert, who was born June 4, 1858, in Preble coun- ty, Ohio, being the youngest of the three children of David and Elizabeth ( Banfield) Mettert, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. They also had five children, of whom two survive: Harry is still with his parents and Ransom living in Columbia City.
Mr. Doriot came to Fort Wayne in 1866, and in 1870 purchased a farm in Thorncreek township, removing later to Columbia town-
ship, where he bought eighty acres of wild land which he converted into a fine farm. He made valuable improvements, including substantial buildings, good fences and an extensive system of tile drainage. In 1902, he retired to Columbia City, residing in an attractive home which he built on West Van Buren street. Selling his old farm, he has invested in another wild tract two miles west of Columbia City, and is actively en- gaged in the improvement of a third farm in Whitley county.
Mr. Doriot was reared a Democrat, but after the war transferred his allegiance and has since been one of the most loyal and un- compromising supporters of Republican doctrine. He belongs to Post No. 181, Grand Army of the Republic, taking an active part in its deliberations and keeping in touch with all matters relative to the old soldiers. He is a wide-awake, public-spirited citizen, keenly alive to whatever tends to benefit the city of his residence and the county and with his family is widely known and possesses the esteem and warm regard of all who are favored by his acquaintance.
BENJAMIN RAUPFER.
Benjamin Raupfer was born in Baden, Germany, November 3, 1838. His father, Peter Raupfer, died in 1851, when the boy went over to Switzerland and worked at the teaming and selling silks until 1865. when he embarked for the New World at Havre-de-Grace, in the English ship "Be- lonia." After a stormy voyage of twenty- two days he arrived safely at New York.
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He soon after located at Columbia City and by the Modern Woodmen. Mr. Raupfer ran an engine for three years. He then also owns the brick block on Van Buren street, built by William Meitzler, and known as the Meitzler building. He also owns a fine residence on Line street, another on North Elm street, and several other pieces of property. opened a saloon, which he ran till 1879. He then, with Ford Walter, of Mansfield, Ohio, bought the Eagle Brewery in Columbia City, and at once put life, ability and business tact into the concern and transformed it from a languishing and low rate institution to one of the best of its kind in the country. In September, 1889, Mr. Walter sold his interest to Mr. Raupfer and his brother-in- law, Anton Meyer, who still runs it and holds it in the front rank, fully competing with the large breweries of the cities. It has a capacity of nine thousand barrels per annum. In September, 1859, Mr. Raupfer bought with R. J. Jontz, the stock of hard- ware of George W. North and soon there- after moved into his new building, subse- quently acquiring Mr. Jontz's interest. The new building which he erected at the corner of Line and Van Buren streets is the hand- somest in town. It is three stories and a basement thirty-nine by one hundred and fifty feet. The first story and basement, as well as all three stories of the rear part, are occupied with the immense hardware store, carrying a large stock including building material. The second story is occupied by the Free City Library, and the third by the lodge of Ben Hur. Finding even these commodious quarters too small for his grow- ing business, in 1904, he joined the Free Masons in building the Masonic block, the west part of the building belonging to Mr. Raupfer. It is eighty-nine by one hundred and forty-five feet. The first story is oc- cnpied with machinery and implements, the second is the armory of the local company of National Guards, the third is occupied
In addition to his business capacity Mr. Raupfer has found time to assist the commu- nity in other ways. He has been a large stockholder and director of the Harper Buggy Company, almost from its beginning, and was for many years a member of the councilmanic board under the old town gov- ernment. When the city government was installed he was again called upon and served several years as a councilman from the sec- ond ward, in which ward nearly all the busi- ness of the town is conducted. He was a chairman of the finance and other important committees during the digging of the sewers, the putting in of water works and the tak- ing over by the city from private parties of the electric light plant and also during the paving of almost four miles of streets. He has been identified with all the improve- ments that brought Columbia City from a backwoods town to a modern little city, giv- ing his valuable services for the pittance of a salary. Though himself one of the heav- iest tax payers, he has always advocated im- provement, though on a conservative busi- ness basis. He has been one of the directors of the Whitley County Building and Loan Association and is director of the Hunting- ton, Columbia City & Northern Electric Railway and was its first president. His faith in the enterprise, backed by his money and work, is about to bear fruit to the satis- faction of the public.
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