USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 81
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JOHN W. BAKER.
For forty-five years John W. Baker has been identified in a prominent way with the public and business life of Indiana and has long been one of the best known and most influential citizens of Whitley county. When still quite young Mr. Baker "got ink on his fingers." in other words he became enamored of the newspaper business from which he did not succeed in divorcing himself until recent- ly. Mr. Baker was born in Hancock county,
In 1877 the legislature selected him as one of the directors of the Northern Indiana Prison at Michigan City and he filled that position acceptably for two and a half years. In October, 1882, he was appointed post- master of Columbia City by President Ar- thur and held this office until removed in June, 1886, by President Cleveland as an "offensive partisan." In 1898 Mr. Baker was elected joint representative to the legis- lature for the counties of Kosciusko and Whitley and served one term. January 18. 1906, he again became postmaster of Colum- bia City, by appointment of President Roose- velt, being commissioned for four years from
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that date. Mr. Baker takes pride in the fact that he has always been a consistent Republican, having cast his first presidential vote for General Grant in 1868, since which time he has never missed an election of any character, municipal, township, county, dis- trict, state or national, and has never scratched a single candidate placed upon the Republican ticket. He has served repeatedly as chairman of the Republican county central committee and it may be stated without ex- aggeration, that no man in Whitley county has worked harder for his party or devoted himself more unselfishly to its interests than John W. Baker. His religious affiliations have always been with the Methodist Epis- copal church and his fraternal connections embrace membership in the Odd Fellows, K. of P. Lodge, the Maccabees, Order of Ben Hur, Daughters of Rebekah, Pythian Sis- ters, Nicholson Encampment, I. O. O. F. He is also a member of Oak Grove Grange, Patrons of Husbandry.
July 26, 1864, Mr. Baker was united in marriage to Sarah E., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. Thornburg, of Laporte county, In- diana. The children of this union are: Mell, Stella, and Grace Baker ..
LOGAN STAPLES.
One of the public officials of Whitley county, is a type of that "average man," which Senator Beveridge declared to be a special product of Indiana: meaning one who begins the battles of life early, moves with facility from one occupation to another. fulfills all his obligations well and steadily rises in the world on the strength of merit
and industry. Mr. Staples was born in Thorncreek township November 5, 1868, his parents being James and Elizabeth (King) Staples. He grew up on the farm having all the usual experiences that fall to the lot of country boys. He attended the public schools and is indebted to them for all the book learning obtained before reaching man- hood. In 1891 he became fireman on the Nickel Plate Railroad, continuing for four years, earning the reputation of being one of the most efficient men in the company's ser- vice. He united with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen at Fort Wayne. Mr. Staples finally determined to abandon rail- roading in order to engage in the tubular well business, which he followed until se- lected as sheriff, living on and operating a farm in Thorncreek township which he still owns. In 1904 he was elected sheriff by a majority of ninety-seven votes, the nomina- tion having been proffered him without ef- fort on his part, and gave such satisfaction that his party gave him a renomination in 1906, and the fact that he was elected by a majority between four and five hundred shows that he made friends and acquired increased popularity by his methods of man- aging his office.
July 19, 1896, Mr. Staples was married to Edith L. Hemmick, of Columbia City, daughter of George W. and Mary E. (Sut- ton) Hemmick, early settlers of the county, both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Staples have two children, Raymond Dewey and Myron Hemmick. Mr. Staples is a member of the Knights of Pythias, is courteous in social intercourse and is one of the best known and most popular men of Whitley county.
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HENRY EDSON BAKER.
The life of a printer is seldom eventful. The work is arduous, the employment ex- acting and the "man at the case" has little time for branching out in pursuit of ambi- tions calculated to interfere with his calling. Perhaps this zealous occupation has never BAYLESS LOWER. had a steadier or more faithful devotee than the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. Mr. Baker was born in Hancock county, Ohio, August 21, 1853, his parents being Henry D. and Eve Baker, the former a na- tive of Virginia, and the mother of Penn- sylvania. The father dying, the mother re- moved to Warsaw, Indiana, in 1859, when Henry was but six years old. In his six- teenth year he began to learn the printer's . an Indiana regiment, with which he ren- trade in the office of the "Northern Indian- ian." In the winter of 1869 he removed to Columbia City, where he resumed his busi- ness of setting type and he kept at the case with few intermissions until February 2. 1906, when he was appointed by his brother deputy postmaster. His previous training had taught him the art of assorting and do- ing things methodically and in his new em- ployment he has proved a faithful and pains- taking public servant. Mr. Baker is a quiet and unassuming man, who attends the Pres- byterian church, votes the Republican ticket, and performs all the other duties of a good citizen. He lias little taste and less time for "society" but is rather fond of the fraterni- ties and is a member in good standing in the various orders, including the Knights of the Maccabees, the Knights of Pythias and the Pythian Sisters.
January 2, 1878, Mr. Baker was united in matrimony with Cora E., daughter of
Warren and Mary Jane Mason, all of Co- lumbia City. They have had five children, of whom Walter, the second, died when five years of age, the survivors being Edith G., Frederick D., Kate E. and Margaret L.
John B. Lower, Bayliss Lower's father, is a native of Ohio, born in the county of Columbiana about 1844. He was reared in that state and Indiana and in early life en- gaged in the manufacture of lumber, which he followed continuously until the breaking out of the war, when he responded to the president's call for volunteers by enlising in dered service until the cessation of hostil- ities. His command was attached to the Army of the Tennessee and took part in the Atlanta campaign under General Sherman and continued in the celebrated march to the sea. He was severely wounded and in con- sequence was obliged to spend some months in a military hospital, his face still bearing the scar. Mr. Lower took up the peaceful pursuits of civil life, and since his attention has been principally devoted to the lumber business, being at this time employed as an expert buyer of lumber and timber for the export trade with headquarters at Logans- port, Indiana. He was married at Columbia City in 1866 to Julia A. Shuh, of Spring- field, Ohio, and nine children survive: Bay- less, Viola, wife of Prof. E. L. Miller, of Indianola, Iowa; Wallace, a physician resi- dent in Arkansas: Albert, a farmer of Whitley county ; Joseph, manager of a gold- mining corporation in Corea; Alice, wife
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of Melvin Shoemaker, of Whitley county; Katherine, who married Hurl Shoemaker, of Whitley county ; Blanche, wife of George Miller: Mabel, who is unmarried and living with her mother near Compton church.
Bayless Lower was born December I, 1868, in Whitley county, and enjoyed the best educational advantages Columbia City afforded, completing his full school course and graduating when a youth. He then en- gaged in the manufacture of lumber with his father and after spending four years in this industry turned his attention to contracting. Mr. Lower entered the railway service as fireman with the Pennsylvania company in July, 1899, with which he has since been actively identified, holding for four years the ardnous and responsible position of loco- . motive engineer. In all his varied ex- perience he has ever proved faithful and efficient and as a result enjoys the con- fidence of his superiors. Mr. Lower owns two farms in Whitley county, to the management of which he gives personal at- tention, making his home on a farm three and a half miles south of Columbia City.
Mr. Lower and Miss Ida Keiser, of Whitley county, were married December 29, 1896. She is a daughter of Daniel and Rebecca (Harvey) Keiser, who were born and married in Pennsylvania and came to Whitley county in company with his father, Jacob Keiser. He received part of his fa- ther's homestead and made a farm from the woods, their entire married life passing on this farm, now owned by Mrs. Lower. Dan- iel Keiser died at sixty-eight. surviving his wife, and also a second wife, who was Sarah Bell. Mrs. Lower is the only daughter, but three sons survive, Harry, Willie and Ira Keiser.
FRANCIS MARION MAGERS, M. D.
Francis Marion Magers, M. D., who for forty years has enjoyed high repute as a physician in Churubusco, was born near Danville, Knox county, Ohio, January 28, 1838, and is the son of Nathan and Wini- fred (Logsdon) Magers. His paternal grandfather was Nathan Magers, a native of Maryland, in which state he passed his entire life. Nathan Magers located in Knox county, Ohio, in 1819, and devoted his life to agriculture. Himself and wife came from Maryland to Ohio on horseback, carrying their cooking utensils and cloth- ing. They were the parents of eight sons : Ambrose, who is living in Noble county, Indiana, aged eighty-seven years; Benedict, deceased; Raphael, deceased; Lawrence, a retired farmer of Warrensburg, Missouri; Nathan, John and William, deceased; and Francis M. The parents both died in the faith of the Catholic church. Mrs. Magers' father was Raphael Logsdon, who was of French extraction, his ancestors having come to Maryland with Lord Baltimore.
Francis M. Magers enjoyed only ordi- nary educational advantages, his time being divided between working on the farm and in attendance at the district schools. At the age of fourteen he entered St. Mary's Acad- emy at Perryville, Missouri, where he at- tended for three years. He also spent one year in St. Thomas College at Bardstown, Kentucky. In 1855-56 he taught near Avilla. Indiana, where his older brother had already settled. After two terms in Noble county he returned to Ohio and taught in his home town. The next three years were devoted to teaching in Knox county. He then returned to Indiana and
FRANCIS M. MAGERS.
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taught in Allen county, though his mother's Elizabeth, the wife of Lawrence Maloney, a death required his attendance at the old miner of Colorado; Ursula J., an employe of the Exchange Bank at Churubusco; Francis Andrew is one of the advanced farmers of the county, keeping in touch with modern methods as developed in the agri- cultural colleges and is active in all the movements, such as farmers' institutes, that lead to up-to-date methods in agriculture; Marcella Gertrude is a student in the Uni- versity of Indiana at Bloomington. The doctor and his family are members of the Roman Catholic church. He is a Democrat, and for many years was active in the party conventions, though not aspiring to public office. He at once time was city clerk and treasurer of Churubusco and has served two terms on the school board. In every re- lation of life he has been true to the trust reposed in him and to the obligations de- volving upon him. Dr. Magers is the owner of two excellent farms near Churubusco which are operated by tenants. home. He was appointed administrator of the estate, which he settled, and then began reading medicine under Dr. Bryant at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and in 1864 entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. The following year he engaged in active practice in Churubusco, where for forty years he has stood in the front rank. Dr. Magers, having more than the ordinary preliminary . education of medical students, was well pre- pared to take up the study of medicine. He has always been a close student and volumi- nous reader and has kept abreast with the advanced ideas of his chosen profession. He is a charter member of the Whitley County Medical Society in which he takes great in- terest. The society has honored him as its president and treasurer and as a delegate at different times to the American Medical Asso- ciation and the Indiana State Medical Asso- ciation. He has a large and saisfactory prac- tice and is widely and favorably known, a ge- nial nature and social disposition having won him many friends. November 23, 1866, Dr. Magers married Miss Mary E., daughter of ELIAS LANTZER. Andrew and Elizabeth (Dresback) Metzger, whose parents were of Holland extraction and This prosperous farmer and respected cit- izen is a native of Stark county, Ohio, as were also his parents, Jonathan and Sarah (Bear) Lantzer, both representatives of old Pennsylvania families and of German de- scent. The Lantzers were among the early settlers of Stark county, Ohio. In addition to farming Jonathan Lantzer worked at the carpenter's trade and his entire life was spent on the family homestead. which his parents purchased and developed, dying there December 21, 1859. To Jonathan and Sarah were pioneers in Allen county, Indiana, she being his pupil the winter he taught in her neighborhood. She was a teacher of Allen county, and also in Whitley county after her marriage. Dr. and Mrs. Magers have had seven children: Casimer B., electrician at the Home of the Feeble-minded in Fort Wayne; Mary F., the wife of William A. Devault, postmaster at Churubusco; Ed- mund Lambert, trainmaster on the Houston & Texas Central Railroad at Eninss, Texas;
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Lantzer were born three children: John, Elias, and Mary M., who became the wife of Solomon Heizy; Elias being the only sur- vivor. Elias Lantzer was born December 6. 1850, and spent his early life on the old homestead, attending the public schools in Stark county. When sufficiently old to earn wages of his own he worked in the neigh- borhood as a farm hand and when not em- ployed thus labored for his mother who, by the death of her husband, was left with no other means of support than that afforded by her two sons. Mr. Lantzer divided his time between the home farm and working for his neighbors until 1875 when he came to, Whitley county. He was married No- vember 26. 1876, to Sophia Plattner, daugh- ter of William and Elizabeth (Schneider) Plattner, and who was born three miles south of Columbia City December 30, 1858. Her parents had come from Stark county, Ohio. After marriage Mr. Lantzer returned to Ohio, buying the homestead on which they lived five years, when he returned to Whit- ley county and has since lived near Mrs. Lantzer's old home. He now owns one hun- dred and five acres in two farms, each hav- ing suitable buildings. His buildings are modern and substantial and in all that con- stitutes a comfortable and at the same time beautiful and attractive rural home, his place compares favorably with that of any of his neighbors, being well located and abundantly supplied with the comforts and conveniences that render country life pleasant and desir- able. Mr. Lantzer is a man of progressive ideas, has devoted much study to the science of agriculture and by directing his efforts according to the most approved methods his labors are generally rewarded by abund-
ant returns. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Lantzer consists of two living children, Ver- non E., who operates one of his father's farms, and Jeff J., who is his father's assist- ant on the home farm. Mr. Lantzer belongs to the German Reformed church and his wife and sons are members of the same body, and all are highly esteemed for their zeal in all lines of effort under its auspices. He is a Democrat and has served four years as town- ship assessor.
WILLIAM J. DUNFEE.
William H. Dunfee was born in Adams county, Pennsylvania. April 10, 1822. In 1831 he accompanied his parents to Ohio, where he learned the trade of cabinet-mak- ing and lived until 1845, when he came to Indiana and for two years thereafter worked at his trade in Fort Wayne. In 1847 he came to Columbia City, was chosen assessor of Whitley county a little later for three years, and in 1856 was elected sheriff, serv- ing four years. Subsequently he was asses- sor of the township for fifteen years, also being deputy sheriff. Mr. Dunfee was mar- ried March 5. 1848. to Catherine Jones, of Columbia City, who bore him six children : Laura V., Stephen E., Henrietta R., William J., Albert E., Harry H., and they raised Flora C. Bair to womanhood, she now be- ing Mrs. Massillon Leaman. He died May 29. 1888.
William J. Dunfee was born at Colum- bia City April 22. 1854. He worked six years at the barber's trade in Columbia City and two years at various towns in Indiana
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and other states. Returning to Columbia City he took charge of his father's farm near the town, where he remained five years, then renting a farm in Union township, which he operated three years. He then baught a small farm, improving it during the succeeding fourteen years, when he sold the place and returned to the family home- stead in Columbia township at his mother's death. He now lives on this farm and by various improvements has greatly enhanced its productiveness. Located but a short dis- tance east of Columbia City, it is a most desirable place of residence.
December 2, 1880, Mr. Dunfee married Mary Elizabeth Walker, whose birth oc- curred in Whitley county in October, 1861. her parents, Thomas and Hannah, moving to this state from Ohio and were married in Whitley county. Mr. and Mrs. Dunfee have no children of their own, but they are giving a suitable home to an orphan girl, May Walker, now six years old, whom they took to themselves and in whose education care and development they each feel a pa- rental interest. Besides general farming and stock raising, Mr. Dunfee buys and sells horses. He has made a number of substan- tial improvements, including a fine modern dwelling and a commodious barn, in addi- tion to which he has brought the land up to a high state of fertility.
EDMUND JONES.
Edmund Jones merits prominent mention in the history of Whitley county, having steadily grown from the lowest round of the
ladder until he owns a splendid farm of two hundred acres, the result of personal indus- try and good management. He was born June 29, 1845, in Greene county, Virginia, and is the son of Edward and Lucy (Mor- ris) Jones. Edward was born in Albemarle county, Virginia, in 1780, and died in the same state in 1860, while the mother was born in Greene county, Virginia, and died in Rockingham county, the same state, in 1868. They were farmers, industrious and exemplary in their lives. To this union ten children were born, namely: Matilda, de- ceased wife of Harrison Shiflet; John, de- ceased ; James, living in Virginia; Henry Allen and Virginia, all three deceased; Wil- lis, living in Missouri; Edmund, and two who died in infancy.
Edmund remained on the farm with his parents until he grew to manhood, discharg- ing the duties of a son and meantime receiv- ing what educational advantages he could from the common schools. In 1864 he went to Pennsylvania and spent ten years in agri- culture, when he came to Indiana and located on an eighty-acre farm in Richland township. This farm was in a "rundown" condition, but more land was cleared, all ditched and fenced and brought to a high state of cultivation, good buildings being erected and everything presenting a substan- tial and attractive appearance. His success has been such as to enable him to purchase other land until the farm now contains two hundred acres, all in productive and profit- able condition, indicating good judgment and excellent management by the owner.
February II, 1869, he was united in marriage to Margaret Emeline, daughter of Leonard and Sarah Ann (Smith) Diller.
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who was born in Pennsylvania, February 6, Spear, born in Miami county, Ohio, July 10, 1844. Her parents, who were natives of Pennsylvania and of German extraction, are now deceased. They were faithful members of the German Lutheran church and highly esteemed. Ten children were born to them as follows: William, deceased; Evana, Sa- rah Ann, deceased at three years; Peter, liv- ing in Columbia City; Eliza, deceased ; Sarah Jane, Fiana, and two died in infancy.
Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones: John Luther, who married Olive Grant, living in Kentland, Indiana; Charles W., married to Mary Hentzleman, living in Troy township; George Franklin married Nellie Sattison and lives in Rich- land township; Naomi, the wife of Olin Van Derford, of Troy township; Lucy E., wife of Charles Hess, living in Fort Wayne; Chester A., married to Zoe Stickler, living in Troy township; Chloe died in infancy; James Allen, unmarried and at home.
In politics Mr. Jones believes in the prin- ciples of the Republican party and renders it consistent support. The family is hospitable and generous and enjoys social and friendly relations with a largecircle of acquaintances.
WILLIAM C. MORE.
An honored resident of Whitley county for a period of more than seventy years, William C. More has stamped his individual- ity upon the community as an influential fac- tor in public affairs and in the material ad- vancemtnt of the locality . His father, John W. More, was born May 27, 1810, in War- ren county Ohio, and there married Mary
1810. Their removal to Indiana is recorded in the sketch of Alexander More. In 1856 he removed to Missouri, purchasing a large tract of prairie land in Davis county, but be- coming dissatisfied with the conditions in Missouri owing to slavery, he sold out, re- turning to Whitley county in 1857 and bought an improved farm of eighty acres in Union township, where he owned two hun- dred and forty acres and which continued his home for thirty years, until his death. He was the first justice of the peace and the first assessor of Smith township, was deep- ly interested in public matters and was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and judg- ment. William C. More was born in Smith township May 13, 1839. He spent his early life on the farm and attending the public schools. Enlisting in August 1862 in Com- pany B, Seventy-fourth Indiana Infantry, he served until the close of the war, taking part in many of the noted campaigns and parti- cipating in a number of battles, among them being Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Nashville. He was in numerous engage- ments in the operations against Atlanta, and was severely wounded at Jonesboro, Septem- ber 1, 1864, by a musket ball, from the effects of which he has never en- tirely recovered. When sufficiently recov- ered he was taken back to Nashville, being in the battle against the army under General Hood, subsequently rejoining his command at Ringgold, Georgia, and in June, 1865, was honorably discharged. He resumed farming, a pursuit to which his attention has since been devoted. He is classed as one of the leading farmers and stock raisers, own- ing a fine farm of two hundred and forty-
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six acres, which is highly improved, his into the war of 1812, and was never after buildings being among the best in Union township and the soil comparing favorably with any.
Mr. More was married on January 10, 1867, to Miss Martha Compton, whose birth occurred in Smith township October 7,1847, being the daughter of Nelson and Nancy (Waugh) Compton. They have six children : Huldah E., wife of John Briggs, a farmer; Frank E., a locomotive engineer on the Pennsylvania Railroad for the last three years and now motive power inspector on the Pennsylvania Railroad on the Pittsburg and Chicago division with office at Fort Wayne; Irving N., operating the homestead; Hallie Florence, wife of Charles Larimore, a loco- motive engineer on the Pennsylvania Rail- road; Charles A., a Pennsylvania Railroad engineer, and Alpha C., ex-surveyor of Whitley county and now a student in the chemical engineering at Lead, South Da- kota.
Mr. More belongs to George S. Stough Post, No. 181, Grand Army of the Republic. Mrs. More is identified with the Methodist church. He is active in supporting the princi- ples and candidates of the Republican party and for six years has served on the advisory board. He has devoted considerable attention to local geology and archaeology, and from his farm alone has collected a large cabinet of fine specimens of Indian implements and tools. Mr. and Mrs. More are highly re- spected and their fine home is the abode of a genuine, old-fashioned hospitality.
Nelson and Nance (Waugh) Compton, parents of Mrs. More, were natives of Ross county. Ohio, whence they came to Smith township in 1837. His father, John, went
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