USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 73
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tion to the pursuit of agriculture. In 1860 he moved his family to Whitley county, In- diana, where for a time he followed any employment he found to do, but it was not long until his industry and business ability won recognition, with the result that they were soon directed into more lucrative chan- nels. In due time he opened a commission house in Fort Wayne, and another in To- ledo, Ohio, in both of which cities he built up an extensive business which he conducted with well merited success until his death in 1903. By her first marriage Mrs. Crau- ser had three children, and two by her sec- ond, the names of the former being Theo- dore, the subject of this sketch, Simon, who died in Columbia City in 1862, and John Garty, who departed this life in 1880. Theo- dore Garty attended school in his native land until twelve years of age, during which time he not only became familiar with the French language, but also acquired a sufficient knowledge of the German tongue to use it intelligently in reading and conversation. On coming to America he found no use what- ever for the language which he learned at his mother's knee, but had ample opportunity to apply his knowledge of German, there be- ing not a few of that nationality living in the community in which the family settled. He has never forgotten the smooth. classical speech of La-belle France, however, and still speaks it with fluency, its sound being one of the most musical that can possibly fall from the lips of man. Mr. Garty's scholas- tic experience was finished in Ohio and im- mediately after coming to Columbia. City he began to learn cabinet making, a trade in which he acquired considerable proficiency, and at which he worked under instruction
until 1862, when he accepted a position in an establishment at Fort Wayne, where he labored during the ensuing two years at regular wages. Leaving Fort Wayne at the expiration of the period indicated, Mr. Garty went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he worked as a journeyman for one year and then ac- cepted a similar position in a St. Louis fac- tory, where he continued for the same length of time, going from the latter city to Quincy, Illinois, between which place and Palmyra, Missouri, he spent the next three years, be- coming quite a skilled artisan the meanwhile. During the succeeding three years he was employed in the car shops at Hannibal, Mis- souri, after which he opened an establish- ment of his own in Lawrence county, Mis- souri. Owing to the prevalence of malaria, however, to which he was easily susceptible and from which he suffered greatly. Mr. Garty closed out his business in Missouri and sought a more healthful and congenial clime . elsewhere. Accordingly, he returned to Co- lumbia City, where he entered into partner- ship with his former employer, Mr. Snyder, the firm thus constituted conducting a profit- able business in the manufacture and sale of furniture until about 1879. Mr. Garty es- tablished in Columbia City a plant for the manufacture of walnut lumber specialties, such as stir balusters, etc., procuring his raw materials principally from the limbs, stumps and other parts of walnut trees which had been considered as of little or no value, but which were found especially adapted to . the ends the establishment was designed to meet. Mr. Garty lost no time in visiting the woods and fields of the surrounding country and for a trifle procured these neglected por- tions of trees and from the lumber into
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which they were converted built up a large and thriving business, which he continued with growing success until 1883. He con- verted his factory so as to manufacture handles for forks, hoes and other agricultural implements, his plant being the largest and best equipped of the kind in northeastern In- diana and as successful as any similar enter- prise in the state. For twelve consecutive years Mr. Garty devoted his attention very closely to this line of manufacture, including that of extension tables, and during that time his establishment forged steadily to the front among the leading industries of this section of the state, gaining for him an honorable reputation in business circles "and a high standing as an enterprising citizen. By reason of combinations of capital which cheapened production so that he was no longer able to compete, he was obliged to close his plant and retire from the business. In 1900 he was elected on the Democratic ticket county assessor, which office he still holds, and the duties of which he has dis- charged in an able, trustworthy manner, creditable to himself. and satisfactory to the public, irrespective of political affiliation.
In 1871 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Garty and Miss Christina Blume, of Hannibal, Missouri, a union blessed with five children: Nellie is the wife of Charles Seymour, of Fort Wayne: Edwin E. ; Celes- tia, wife of Arthur T. Carmody : Robert W .. a telegraph operator in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Colum- bia City; Menna is still with her parents. Mr. Garty and family are Catholics in their religious belief and have ever been loyal to the Holy Mother church and its teachings.
ADAM E. HIVELY.
There are few harder struggles in life than that presented to a young mother of numerous small children, left with little means and dependent upon her own manual labor to escape penury. With the stimulus to "keep the children together" until of age to do for themselves, many a brave woman has faced this task but none who met and accomplished it in a more commendable way than the wife of the Civil war veteran, to whom this sketch is devoted. Adam E. Hively was born June 15, 1842, his parents being Jacob and Delilah Hively, of Ohio. August II, 1862, when entering upon his twenty-first year, he enlisted in Company K. Eighty-eighth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Captain David Harshberger and served faithfully, being honorably dis- charged June 7, 1865. As a result of eating poisoned food Mr. Hively's health was per- manently injured. He operated a barber shop until forced to succumb and died Oc- tober 18, 1878, when only thirty-six years old. November 15, 1866, he had married Martha Thorn, then a mere girl and a native of Whitley county. With five small children she faced the future with a resolution and determination to provide for and keep her little ones together. The struggle was hard and bitter, but by doing washing she was enabled to feed and clothe her children, giv- ing them such training as would enable them to care for themselves. By the aid of a small pension she purchased a modest home. where she resides in comfort. Mrs. Hive- ly's five children are Loran Leroy, propri- etor of a laundry in Columbia City : Charles Edward, foreman in a paint shop at Auburn,
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Indiana : Effie May, wife of Frank Hopkins; pleting the course in 1878. For several Leona, who died at the age of fifteen; and Alice Josephine, who died at sixteen.
MARTIN L. GALBREATH.
The Galbreatlı family originated in Scot- land. The first authentic record is in 1750 when three brothers from Glasgow crossed the North Channel and settled in the little Irish village of Bellanahench, about twenty miles south of Belfast. Their residence liere was of short duration when they came to America and settled near Carlisle, Pennsyl- vania. One of them, the grandfather of our subject, took an active part on behalf of the government in the whisky insurrection. He was a noncommissioned officer of the Con- tinental army and did good service during the entire Revolution. Religiously for sev- eral generations the Galbreath family has been identified with the Universalist church and has adhered to the different political parties that have been in opposition to the Democracy, but the subject of this sketch has been an active Democrat since his ma- jority and his counsel and assistance are sought and given in each campaign. While not a member of any church himself and family are regular attendants and support- ers of the First Presbyterian church in Co- lumbia City.
Mr. Galbreath was born on the farm in Kosciusko county May 12, 1858. While yet quite young his father died, leaving a large family dependent on the mother. He made the most of conditions on the farm, attended the district school and began teach- ing at nineteen. He worked his way through the Indiana State Normal, com-
years his work was teaching and he held the principalship in various towns, but located in 1883 on a beautiful farm at Collamer, which he still owns. In the fall of 1890 he was elected trustee of Cleveland township, brought order out of chaos and put the township in good condition, financial and otherwise. Soon after the expiration of his term as trustee he was appointed receiver for the Arnold bank and his work in closing the business of this financial wreck attract- ed the attention of financiers, so that on the- organization of the Provident Trust Com- pany at Columbia City in 1900 he was of- fered and accepted the position of manager. His conduct of this institution has been eminently satisfactory to the patrons of this bank, as well as to its stockholders and officers. He has shown himself large enough to master the various and compre- hensive functions of this highly successful institution and has its business well in hand. He is the best posted man on farm values and conditions in the county.
October 18, 1882,. Mr. Galbreath was united in marriage with Miss Ellen Puter- baugh, of Peru, Indiana, and to them have been born five children: Neva, a teacher in the Columbia City schools; Russell, just completing the high school course; Mariae, a student in the high school; and Jamie and Walter, aged five and two years.
ROBERT R. SCOTT.
This enterprising business man, who has contributed greatly to the material advance- ment of Columbia City and adjacent coun- try, is a native of Whitley county, Indiana,
ML Galbraith
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and dates his birth from November 10, 1857. His parents. James E. and Lydia Scott, came from Ohio. the former being of Scotch-Irish descent, the latter of Welsh blood. James E.'s father, Robert, a native of Ireland, in- migrated to the United States a number of years ago and settled in Indiana county. Pennsylvania. thence removed to Fayette county, Ohio, where he spent the remainder of his life as an industrious and prosperous tiller of the soil. His wife, Mary Ray, who was of Scotch lineage. also died in the above county, leaving five children, of whom James E. Scott was the fourth. James E. Scott re- mained in Ohio until attaining his maturity, when he. in 1849, located permanently in Whitley county, taking possession of a tract of two hundred acres in Troy township. which his father had previously purchased from the government. In due time he de- veloped a fine farm and followed agricultural pursuits with success and profit all his life. He died on his home place in December, 1884, his widow surviving to the present time. The maiden name of Mrs. Scott was Lydia Cockerill: her ancestors, originally Welsh, settling in Virginia, from which state they subsequently migrated westward and became identified with the growth and development of various parts of Ohio, in several counties of which the name is still familiar. Three children were born to J. E. and Lydia Scott, namely: James W., a phy- sician of Whitley county; Edward M. (de- ceased) and Robert R.
Robert R. Scott was reared and educated in Whitley county and on arriving at man- hood's estate took charge of the family home- stead. where he followed the pursuit of ag- riculture until 1891. at which time he dis-
continued tilling the soil and became a real estate agent in the city of Chicago. After a short time there he returned to the farm, which had fallen to him by inheritance, and which he still owns, and continued its man- agement until April, 1904. when he removed to Columbia City, the better to look after the interests of the Wilmot Mutual Telephone Company, which had been organized in the meantime, and of which he was secretary and director. Mr. Scott was officially con- nected with this enterprise until the follow- ing year, when he promoted the Farmers' Mutual Telephone Company, of Whitley county, which was originally capitalized at twenty-five thousand dollars, and subse- quently increased to one hundred thousand. and of which he was president. After one year as executive head of the concern he was made general solicitor and field man- ager, in addition to which he also became, in July. 1906, assistant secretary, discharg- ing the duties of these responsible positions in an able and praiseworthy manner, as the rapid growth of the enterprise in public favor abundantly attests. On March 16. 1904, the first instrument was set. since which time considerably in excess of one thousand have been installed and the efficiency of the enter- prise greatly facilitated. The company rep- resents an actual investment of forty-five thousand dollars and as originally planned something like thirty thousand dollars addi- tional capital will be required in order to make it meet the purposes for which de- signed. There are at present seven hundred stockholders, among whom are many of the leading farmers of the county and the lines are being extended so as to communicate with various points in the counties of Whit-
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ley, Kosciusko, Huntington, Cass, Miami, Wabash, Noble and DeKalb. At this time the company has instruments in Whitley. Huntington, Noble and Kosciusko counties and about six hundred miles of wire, but the enterprise is being pushed rapidly for- ward and when completed it will doubtless prove one of the most efficient and best man- aged plants of the kind in the state. The credit of the undertaking belongs largely to Mr. Scott and to him more than any other is due its steady growth and the confidence with which it is regarded by the public. Mr. Scott possesses business abilities of a high order, is a fine executive and manager, and under his able direction the company, as al- ready indicated, is forging rapidly to the front among similar enterprises throughout Indiana and other states.
Mr. Scott was married April 10, 1879. to Miss Margaret Templeton, of Etna township. Three children were born and pe- culiarly all were born on the 7th of the month. The two surviving are Ina, a teach- er in Etna township Central school, and Mar- vin, manager of the Central Union Tele- phone station at Huntertown, Indiana. Mr. Scott is a Democrat and is generally found in campaign work.
GEORGE ALLEN PONTIUS.
The gentleman whose biography is here- with presented is a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, where his birth occurred Jan- uary 14. 1860. He is descended from an old German family that settled in Pennsyl- vania at an early period in the history of that
state and it was there that his grandfather. Daniel Pontius, reared his family and spent his entire life as an honest, industrious tiller of the soil, a vocation which the majority of the name appear to have followed. Levi Pontius, son of Daniel, and father of the subject, was born in Pennsylvania, but in early life went to Ohio, settling in Pickaway county, where he married, reared a family and followed quite successfully the pursuit of agriculture and stock raising. At one time he made arrangements to dispose of his holdings in Ohio and move his family to Indiana, to which end he came in advance to the latter state and purchased land in Adams county, which he designed for a home for himself and those dependent upon him, but before he could carry out his plans he was seized with a violent illness which soon de- veloped unmistakable symptoms of hydro- phobia. although nineteen years had elapsed since he had been bitten by a dog, having al- most forgotten the occurrence. In due time, however, the dread disease manifested itself and after intense suffering and untold ag- ony, death mercifully came to his relief. Shortly after the demise of her husband Mrs. Pontius and her children soon moved to the farm in Adams county, Indiana, on which some improvements had been made, and there she raised her family and spent the re- mainder of her life. Some years after changing her residence to this state she be- came the wife of Jacob Clinge, with whom she lived until called to the other world in 1886. By her first marriage she was the mother of six children, Daniel, deceased ; Sarah Elizabeth, deceased: Rachel Ellen. wife of Fletcher Rayns; George Allen : Emma and Minnie, the last two deceased.
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George Allen Pontius was quite young when brought by his mother to Indiana and his early life on the farm in Adams county was pretty much after that of the majority of boys reared in close touch with nature in the woods and fields. His first school expe- rience was in a crude log building, hastily constructed and meagerly furnished, but la- ter he pursued his studies under most fa- vorable conditions until obtaining a fair knowledge of the branches constituting the common school curriculum. Although young in years the conditions under which the fam- ily were obliged to live early threw upon him cares and responsibilities ill suited to his tender age, but he acquitted himself with credit in the work of the farm and contrib- uted his full share to the support of his mother and other members of the home cir- cle. Being needed in the fields during the spring, summer and part of the fall months, his educational advantages were consequent- ly limited, but by making the most of his opportunities he in due time, as already in- dicated, succeeded in becoming quite well in- formed. In addition to the district schools which he attended in winter seasons during his childhood and youth he subsequently pur- sued his studies for about three years in a village school of higher grade, at Vera Cruz. Indiana, at the end of which time he accepted a position in a drug store, where he re- inained until 1875. In that year Mr. Pontius went to Bryant, Indiana, where he also en- gaged in the capacity of drug clerk and after remaining there for a period of two years accepted a similar position in the city ot Bluffton, where he continued during the en- suing four years, severing his connection with his employer at the expiration of the
time indicated to become traveling salesman for a wholesale drug house. Mr. Pontius represented his firm on the road about two years, or until 1884, when he resigned his position and engaged in the drug business in Columbia City upon his own responsibility. Three years later he purchased a drug store that stood on the lot occupied by his present building and in due season built up an ex- tensive trade, which has steadily increased from that time to the present, being now one of the largest and most successful drug deal- ers in Columbia City, with an establishment complete in all its departments and fully stocked with everything demanded by the trade. In addition to his regular retail and prescription business he does quite a profit- able jobbing trade, his store occupying a larger space and representing more capital than any other establishment of the kind in the northeastern part of the state. The build- ing is three stories high, twenty-one by one hundred and fifty feet in area, the entire space being devoted to his business with re- sults that have been highly satisfactory, as the ample fortune which he has accumulated bears evidence. Mr. Pontius is not only a careful and methodical business man, thor- oughly conversant with every detail of the line of trade to which his attention is de- voted, but as a skillful pharmacist stands at the head of his profession and enjoys to the utmost the confidence of his numerous customers. He is a careful buyer, employs modern methods throughout his establish- ment and to his easy, courteous manner and eminently fair and honorable dealings he at- tributes not a little of the large measure of success which he to-day enjoys. Mr. Pon- tius is not only a representative business man
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of the modern school, who keeps abreast of the times in everything relating to his lines, but is also a public-spirited citizen, with the welfare of the community at heart, and a cultured gentleman whom to know is to re- . spect and honor. By industry, sound judg- ment and rare forethought he has succeeded in establishing himself and family in the confidence of the people, and his high stand- ing in business circles and in the social world has been fairly and honestly won. Starting in life with no capital save a well rounded character, sterling honesty and a will that hesitated at no difficulties, he per- severingly pursued a straightforward, man- ly course, taking advantage of opportunities when they presented themselves and creating them where they did not exist, he gradually surmounted every obstacle in his way and now, in the prime and vigor of his life and power, he has reached an eminence which few attain. Mr. Pontius began in 1894 making sealing wax just for local trade and the business has become one of great propor- tions, making now in the neighborhood of five hundred tons per year and which is sold from coast to coast and is known as Pontius Pure Sealing Wax. He owns land in Adams county, Indiana, and valuable property in Columbia City.
On June 7. 1893, Mr. Pontius entered the marriage relation with Miss Estella May Baker, of Columbia City, who has borne him two children, Thomas Thornburg, whose birth occurred on May 17, 1894, and May, whose natal day is December 27. 1895. Es- sentially a business man and making every other consideration subordinate thereto, Mr. Pontius has not been unmindful of the du- ties of citizenship, or of the debt which ev-
ery enterprising man owes the public. He has ever been interested in whatever makes for the general good of his city and county. encourages all landable measures for the so- cial, intellectual and moral advancement of his fellowmen and in every relation of life his influence has been both salutory and powerful. He has attained high standing in the Masonic fraternity, including among oth- ers the degree of Sir Knight, is also an active worker in the Pythian order and, with his wife, belongs to the Presbyterian church, both being zealous and consistent members and deeply interested in all lines of activity under the auspices of the same. He is a Democrat in politics.
LEWIS HARTMAN.
This honorable citizen and gallant ex- soldier is a native of Shelby county, Ohio. where his birth occurred August 12, 1842. being the son of Peter and Savilla Hartman. Peter Hartman, whose parents came from Germany, was born in Lehigh county, Penn- sylvania, about 1814, and when a mere lad accompanied the family to Shelby county, Ohio, where he grew to maturity and re- sided until 1853. He there married Savilla Swander, who was born in Fairfield county, May 28, 1820, and moved to Whitley county in August, 1883, purchasing one hun- dred sixty acres of land near Columbia City. where he died in 1864, surviving his wife eight years. IIer parents were Frederick, of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, and Eva Glick, of same county, and they came to Ohio about one hundred years ago. The
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Swander family in America starts with Frederick, who came from Switzerland to Philadelphia in 1732. The family numbers about two thousand in America. Peter and Savilla Hartman had ten children: Peter, who died in infancy; Lewis: Benjamin F .. who served in Company D. Seventy-fourth Indiana Infantry, during the late Civil war, and died near Leesburg, Indiana. April. 1904: George Michael, a farmer near Lees- burg. Indiana: Jonathan Monroe, a farmer of Richland township, Whitley county ; Katherine Jane, who is the wife of John Rittenhouse, a resident of Thorncreek town- ship, this county ; Florence, wife of Andrew Roberts, of Shelby county, Ohio; Sarah. twin sister of Florence, also married a Mr. Roberts, a brother of Andrew, and lives in Shelby county, Ohio; James, who died in infancy; Eva Savilla, Mrs. John Fey, also a resident of Shelby county, Ohio.
Lewis Hartman attended the district schools, meantime working on the farm. He was eleven years old on coming to Whitley county. He worked on a farm as a hired man until the breaking out of the Great Re- bellion, when he responded to the President's call for volunteers by enlisting in his nine- teenth year, in 1861, in Company E, Seven- teenth Indiana Infantry. He was with his regiment throughout its varied experience, being in a number of campaigns and on many bloody battle fields. He was in West Virginia under General Reynolds and took part in the battle of Cheat Mountain, thence to Louisville, Kentucky, being attached to General Nelson's command. At Gallatin, Tennessee, the Seventeenth was assigned to General Wilder's celebrated cavalry brigade. .At Leet's Tan Yard. Georgia, the entire
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