USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 86
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Mr. Licke votes with the Democratic party and in religion belongs to the German Lutheran church. He has made all he pos- sesses, having always been a hard worker, but by judicious management he is now in a situation to retire from active duties and
enjoy the well earned fruits of his many years of honorable toil. The names of his brothers and sisters are Martin, Henry, Christian, William, Minnie, Caroline, Han- nah, Susan and Lizzie, of whom Minnie, Hannah and Lizzie are deceased.
GEORGE W. COX.
The prospect was not pleasing but the outlook discouraging to the wanderers from the east, who entered the young county of Whitley as early as the year 1830. Its whole surface was covered with forest and to make matters worse almost its entire area was more or less marshy. This meant not only years and years of hard work but the dread- ful "chills and fever" arising from the ma- larious climate, which in the years to come was destined to slay prematurely many a brave man and woman. Among those who came in and faced this dreary prospect at the period mentioned, was a young man of Ohio birth, but descended from Pennsylva- nia parents. He entered a small tract of land in Columbia township, which at that time was unpromising enough, but in the course of time he whipped it into shape and as he prospered bought more and more land, until at the close of his career he owned a fine estate of four hundred and eighty acres. Before leaving his native home at Spring- field, Ohio, he had married Mary E. Rob- erts, by whom he had eleven children, all still living but one.
George W. Cox, one of the younger chil- dren, was born in Columbia township, Whit- ley county, Indiana, April 11, 1885. After
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his father's death, he and his brother inher- ago. Fred, one of their elder children, was ited the land, of which the homestead, con- sisting of two hundred acres, is now occu- pied by himself. He carries on general farming, but makes a specialty of feeding stock for market, usually having about fifty head of horses on hand for this purpose. He also raises sheep. and the Cox Bros., who together own the family estate of four hun- dred acres, do a great deal of trading, buy- ing. feeding and selling various kinds of live stock. He has made many improve- ments on his place, which include eight hun- dred rods of tile ditching besides fencing.
After reaching his majority Mr. Cox mar- ried Myrtle J. Pugh, daughter of a farmer living in the southern part of the state. The family are members of the Lutheran church and in politics Mr. Cox usually votes independently.
FRED DREYER.
This gentleman, who is now one of the prosperous and successful farmers of Wash- ington township, affords an object lesson as to the opportunities offered by this free re- public to young men of ambition, energy and talent. It takes nerve for a boy to leave home, cross three thousand miles of ocean and begin the struggle for existence among strangers. with limited education and no capital except that afforded by his willing- ness and ability to work. Such a man is he, whose career in the new world during the last half century, forms the subject of these brief biographical details. Henry and Dora Dreyer were small farmers, who spent their lives in Germany and died there many years
born in the fatherland December 22, 1838. After reaching a rational age he looked around and concluded that his native land offered few inducements to one like himself and having heard much of the United States determined to try his fortunes in that far- off country. He was "going on eighteen" when he set sail and it was well along in the year 1856 when he landed on the east- ern shore. one among many emigrants bound on the same mission. The German boy managed to make his way inland as far as Indiana, but when he reached Whit- ley county he had not a cent in his pocket. He set to work bravely, however, and it was not long before he found himself in better circumstances. He located in Columbia township, and by 1868 was able to buy his present place, which at that time was wild and unimproved. The main task before him was clearing off the brush and timber to make the land suitable for cultivation and he spent many weary days and anxious nights before this object was accomplished. For six years he lived in a rude cabin, but eventually built and moved into the house which has been his home for a long time. At present he owns three hundred and sixty- eight acres of land and all the improvements on the place were put there by himself. He has attempted no fancy farming, but con- tented himself with going along in the slower but safer way of general agriculture, which consists of raising the cereal crops adapted to this section and keeping the amount of live stock justified by the size and products of the place. He handles the ordi- nary grades of cattle and makes a specialty of Duroc Jersey hogs.
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In 1866, Mr. Dreyer married Louise Ki- meyer, who died after giving birth to one child, August, now a resident of Allen county, near Fort Wayne. Mr. Dreyer again married, his second wife being Caro- line Licke, by whom he has had nine chil- dren, six boys and three girls, all living. The family are members of the Lutheran church and Mr. Dreyer's political affiliations are with the Democratic party.
FRANK E. COX.
The family of this name contributed ex- tensively to the development of Whitley county agriculture during the formative stage known as the pioneer period. This is somewhat indefinite both as to its beginning and ending but the former dates from the arrival of the first settlers. continues through the clearing process and may be said to have terminated about the time of the Civil war, when farmers were in fairly good shape and the worst was over in the conquest of forest and marsh. Among those who took part in the fight against natural conditions, when the country had but few settlers, was John Cox, the founder of this family name in Whitley county. He was born at Spring- field, Ohio, of Pennsylvania parents and re- moved to Indiana in 1830. He settled in Columbia township on a tract of land pur- chased from the government and being ener- getic and industrious had accumulated con- siderable property by the time of his death. After growing to manhood he had married Mary E. Roberts, also of Pennsylvania par- entage, who shared all his fortunes in the
western wilderness and bore him eleven children, all of whom but one are still liv- ing. When the estate was settled it was found to consist of four hundred acres of land lying partly in Washington and partly in Columbia township, which is now held by the sons jointly, who operate it under the name of Cox Brothers.
Frank E. Cox, one of the younger chil- dren and a member of the firm, was born in Columbia township, Whitley county, In- diana, in 1872. After the father's death he settled in Washington township and has been engaged some years in general farm- ing and stock-raising. He also deals in horses and hogs, buying and shipping in re- sponse to the market demands. He handles only the best grade of hogs and mostly horses of the heavy draft quality. He is regarded as one of the successful young farmers and lives in a comfortable home one mile south of Peabody. In 1902 Mr. Cox was married to Miss Lillie, daughter of Frank and Mariah (Stoner) Smith, and they have three children, Ruth, Esther and Forest.
GEORGE KNELLER.
Among the German emigrants contrib- uted to this country during the early years of the nineteenth century was a poor but in- dustrious young man by the name of Gotlieb Kneller. He was fairly well educated be- fore leaving the fatherland and entered upon his career in the new world with the per- sistent patience and unconquerable ambition characteristic of his race. In due time, he found himself "up against" the serious prop- osition of making a living in a new country.
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He worked as a laborer in Ohio for a few years but hearing much of the new state of Indiana, he concluded to try his fortunes there and joined the rush to the northeast, when all that section was still wrapped in primeval wilderness. He settled first in Noble county, where he farmed for some years, and afterward moved over into the neighboring county of Whitley. He pur- chased eighty acres of land from Fred Dreyer and another piece of forty-seven acres, all in Washington township, which he spent the rest of his days in improving and farming, his death occurring in 1882. In early manhood he married Catherine Lethers, also a native of Germany, by whom he had eleven children, eight of whom are still living. The mother at present is a resident of Columbia City.
George Kneller, one of the surviving sons of this worthy German couple, was born in Green township, Noble county, In- diana, January 16, 1856. He was eleven years old when his parents settled in Wash- ington township and has spent all of his sub- sequent life in the same locality. Starting with his small patrimony he has added to his possessions until at present he owns one hundred and five acres, nearly all of which is under cultivation. He has made all the necessary improvements in the shape of barn and other outbuildings, besides the usual amount of fencing and ditching, until the property has become valuable and produc- tive. He lives in a comfortable residence. erected under his own supervision, and car- ries on general farming with success and profit. He has Durham cattle, crossed with Herefords, and keeps a good line of Duroc- Jersey and Poland-China hogs. He is re-
garded as one of the successful farmers and does his full share in keeping up the agri- cultural reputation of Whitley county. He deserves the credit of being a self-made man, as all he has is due to his own industry and good management. Mr. Kneller is a mem- ber of the Democratic party, but has never been a seeker after office, being too busy with his own affairs to be much of a poli- tician.
In 1881 Mr. Kneller married Rebecca Auer, who was born in Washington town- ship, Whitley county, daughter of Michael and Mary Smith, the father a native of Ger- many and the mother from Ohio, early set- tlers of Whitley county. now both dead. Mr. Kneller and wife have had four chil- dren, all boys : Charles F., John M .. Joseph H. and Sherman L.
RUFUS W. BURNS.
The family of this name in Whitley county is descended from Abraham and Hannah Burns, who were residents of Utica, New York, during the earlier years of the nineteenth century. John Burns, one of their sons, was born at the paternal home in 1814 and grew to manhood in his native place. August 28, 1836, he married Mary E .. daughter of William and Louisa (Howe) Letson, whose birth occurred in Orleans county, New York, September 20. 1820. Next year after marrying John Burns came with his bride to Whitley county, bought eighty acres of wild land in Richland town- ship and joined the rest of the early pioneers in the desperate struggle against the marshes
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and forests of this primeval wilderness. In (Ensley) Beard. parents of Mrs. Burns, both after years he told of his poverty and hard- ships, recalling that on arrival he had only twenty-five cents left in his pocket, which he spent in sending a letter to the old folks at home. After many years of hard work, he succeeded in converting his land into a re- spectable farm, assisted in laying out the main roads of the county and eventually be- came a well-to-do farmer. Meantime, be- fore his death in 1898. a large family came to cheer his household, whose names thus appear in the family records : Julia, Lavina, Mary (deceased), Mariah, Jane, Ellen (de- ceased). Hannah, Justice, Abraham (de- ceased). Rufus W. and John S. (deceased).
Rufus W. Burns, the tenth in the above list, was born at the old homestead in Rich- land township. Whitley county, Indiana, Jan- uary 22, 1851. He grew up as a farmer's boy, did all kinds of work incident to such a life and has spent most of his years in and near his native township. His occupa- tion as a farmer was varied by one term of school teaching and a short time spent as a clerk in a store at Larwill. He was also en- gaged awhile in the railroad ticket office of this town, but in the main his whole ac- tive career has been devoted to agricultural pursuits. He owned and improved a farm in Richland township and in 1902 purchased the eighty acres in Thorncreek township, three and one-half miles north of Columbia City, which constitute his present home. This is known as the Parkinson farm and homestead. He is a quiet. industrious farm- er. a good citizen and esteemed neighbor.
June 3. 1875. Mr. Burns married Sarah C. Beard, who was born in Richland town- ship, July 22, 1858. Samuel and Polly
natives of Ohio, came to Whitley county in 1843, bought and cleared a farm in Richland township and lived there until the father's death in 1863. After that event the widow married Jonathan Sattison, now also dead. but the former is a resident of Columbia City. By her first marriage she had seven children : Virgil, Mariah J., Louisa, Roxie, Sarah C., Martha (deceased) and Rhoda. Mr. and Mrs. Burns have had six children : El- gia, a farmer near Leon Lake: Mabel, wife of Jacob Lawrence, of Thorncreek township : Florence E., a teacher in Thorncreek town- ship: Carl, a student at Valparaiso; Earl L. and Velma. Mr. and Mrs. Burns are mem- bers of Thorncreek Grange and attend serv- ices at the Christian church.
WILLIAM SELL.
Some time in the thirties Henry B. Sell. of Pennsylvania, married Nancy Eberhard. of Maryland, and settled on a farm in Stark county, Ohio, which they spent several years in cultivating. In 1842 they came to Indi- ana, spent one year in Wabash and then re- moved to Whitley county, where they se- cured a location in Columbia township. It was the same old story of the log cabin, the grubbing, the clearing and all the other hardships incident to the pioneer period. Eventually the old folks, after reaching ad- vanced ages. paid the inevitable debt of na- ture after rearing a family of six children. whose names were Catherine, Henry. Wil- liam. Solomon, Elizabeth and George.
William Sell, third of these children, was
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born in Stark county, Ohio, August 2, 1837. and hence was five years old when his par- ents came to Indiana. As he grew up he helped to clear the farm and became a man of influence, as is shown by his election at one time as trustee of Columbia township. He became owner of a farm in that township but. while still retaining its management, was engaged for twenty years in the agri- cultural implement business at Columbia City. Eventually he sold his farm and purchased another place of eighty acres in Thorncreek township. During a long and blameless life he achieved the reputation of being an hon- est man, as well as a good husband and fa- ther. His death occurred June 3, 1906, and his remains were laid away in the Eberhard cemetery at Columbia City.
September 2. 1860, Mr. Sell married Martha Jane Ridenour, who was born May 16, 1841. Her parents. Andrew and Mar- garet ( Reitle) Ridenour, were Pennsylvan- ians who came to Whitley county in 1856, settled on a farm in Cleveland township and there spent the remainder of their lives. They had eight children: Martha Jane, Mil- ton, Lavina (deceased). Margaret. Anna. Henry, John (deceased) and Mary. Mrs. Sell died September 16, 1871. after becom- ing the mother of seven children: Benja- min F., Henry J., William J., Catharine. Miladore, Theodore and Charles (deceased). January 1. 1872, Mr. Sells married Anna Ridencur, his deceased wife's sister. by whom he had seven children: Cora, wife of Elmer Johnson, of Elkhart county; Os- car, deceased at nineteen ; Isaac, resident of Columbia township: Fanny and John, de- ceased in childhood : Arthur and Bertha, still at the parental home. Two children died in
infancy. The family are members of the Christian church. At present, the widow re- sides on the home farm in Thorncreek town- ship. Mr. Sell was a Democrat and belonged to the Knights of Pythias.
JOSIAH HAYNES.
The early settlers of Whitley county were almost invariably poor men and unable to purchase large tracts of land, usually taking quarter sections or less. Sometimes, how- ever, a man with a speculative turn would enter several hundred acres in a body and this was the case with Peter Haynes, when in 1845 he came to Thorncreek township. Before leaving his home in Ohio he had married Susannah Hudlow, but a few years after reaching this section his career was cut short by death and the business of managing the farm fell upon the widow. She was a genuine pioneer woman and proved equal to the difficult task imposed upon her, with the result that most of the land originally pur- chased by her husband is still owned by the descendants. This good woman, who was. an exemplary member of the Methodist church, closed her eyes on the world in 1872, after having reared a family of nine children : John. Peter. Jacob. Eli. Benjamin, Barbara, Elizabeth, David and Josiah, all of whom are deceased.
Josiah Haynes, youngest of this family. was born in Preble county, Ohio, May II. 1837. and hence was about six years old when his parents settled in Whitley county. His father dying when he was but a lad. he assisted his mother in the management of the farm and when of age inherited a part
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of the original large tract of land entered by his father. He was a man of kindly dispo- sition, fond of hunting and other outdoor sports and esteemed as a congenial compan- ion. He was successful in his business and at his death, which occurred November 20, 1884, owned a good farm of one hundred and thirty-two acres, three miles north of Column- bia City. In 1859 he married Margaret C. Engle, who was born in Stark county, Ohio, March 16, 1840. Her parents, John and Rachel (Forsythe) Engle, came from Ohio to Whitley county in 1841, when this whole region was covered with timber and only two or three houses marked the beginning of the future Columbia City. They located on a farm in Thorncreek township. built a log cabin in the woods and entered upon the ca- reer incident to all the pioneers of this period. The father died in 1846 and the hard work of clearing fell upon the girls and one son. under the supervision of their mother. The latter died in 1872, after completing her ar- duous undertaking with satisfactory results and meantime rearing to maturity a family of seven children. These by name in order of birth were Mary, Sarah, Nancy, Martha, Rachael Ann. Margaret and David, all now dead except Margaret and David. Mr. and Mrs. Josiah Haynes had three children : Ada. who died in childhood; Sherman and Wil- liam. After their marriage, the parents re- moved to the farm now owned and occupied by Mrs. Haynes. Her two sons remain with her and assist in the work and general management of the place. Sherman was born in 1866 and is regarded as one of the successful farmers of the community. Both sons, like their father, are Democrats but have no desire to serve the public.
VIRGIL HYRE.
Thorncreek township has no neater farm than a certain eighty acres in section 28. Everything about the premises indicates that a good farmer is in charge. The house is comfortable and kept newly painted : the barn is large and commodious : the lawn is clean, the garden well laid out, the fencing kept in repair and the whole surroundings indicate the plenty and prosperity that come from in- dustry and good management. Virgil Hyre, who owns this place, was born not many miles from it, May 30, 1861. His parents. Joseph and Jane (Gnegy) Hyre, were old settlers of Whitley county, coming as did most of the pioneers in this region from the state of Ohio. Virgil grew up on the farm and did his share of the labor until of age. when he took charge of the place and man- aged it until 1892. In that year he re- moved to his present farm, which he has been engaged in cultivating ever since, but in ad- dition to this he is part owner with his brother of a place of fifty acres in the same township. He carries on general farming, keeps a good line of stock and in every way is found fully abreast of the profession which is bringing Whitley county to the front as an agricultural section. Though not a large place. Mr. Hyre has so managed it as to ob- tain recognition as one of the model farmers of Thorncreek township. His whole life has been spent on a farm, he likes the business, understands all of its details and has made a creditable success in the prosecution of his affairs.
In 1882, Mr. Hyre married Emma, daughter of Peter and Sarah (Engle) Haynes, early settlers of Whitley county
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from Ohio. Besides Mrs. Hyre, who is the youngest, her parents had three other chil- dren, Rachel, Josiah and Mary. Mr. and Mrs. Hyre have two children: Sadie, the eldest, is the wife of H. F. Egolf, who oper- ates the farm in connection with his father- in-law. They have one child. Frances Car- rie, the second daughter, married William Crone, of Smith township, and has one child. Martin Kinnet. Mr. Hyre is a Republican in politics but wastes no time trying to get an office. Mrs. Hyre is a member of the family in Thorncreek township that enjoys more general respect.
ness ability. She lived to the age of eighty- three years, and was active to the last, being engaged during the latter part of her life as manager of a boarding house. This Cana- dian couple had nine children, of whom seven are living. D. C. Fisher, one of the sur- vivors, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, January 29, 1839. He grew up on his fa- ther's farm and was beginning his twenty- first year when the opening of the Civil war made its irresistible appeal to all young patri- ots. In April. 1861. shortly after the first
Methodist Episcopal church, and there is no . gun was fired at Fort Sumter, he enlisted in Company C. Seventh Regiment, Ohio Volun- teer Infantry. with which he served five months. In 1862, he re-enlisted in Company F. Eighty-seventh Regiment. Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, with which he remained un- D. C. FISHER. til the conclusion of hostilities. He took part in the battles of Crab Orchard, Stone In the early part of the nineteenth cen- tury, before the days of steamboats, a cer- tain Captain Fisher was in the habit of mak- ing voyages from England to the countries of the west. On one of his voyages in 1816 he was accompanied by his son, a bright lad of twelve years, who was born near London in 180.4. This youth, whose name was Wil- liam Fisher, subsequently settled in Canada, where he lived until 1838 and then came to Wayne county, Ohio, where he earned his livelihood by farming. In 1859. he removed to Miami county. Indiana, where he resumed farming and continued in this business with success until his death in 1870. Before coming to this country, he was married in Canada to Charlotte Draper, born near To- ronto in 1813. She was a remarkable wo- man in many ways, being noted for her strength of character, her energy and busi- River. Nashville, Murfreesboro, Chicka- mauga. Missionary Ridge and innumerable skirmishes and smaller engagements. His military career as a member of the famous Army of the Cumberland was wound up as one of the host who accompanied Sherman on his dash to the sea during the memorable winter of 1864-5. Then, after the surren- der of Johnston ended the confederacy, Mr. Fisher had the pleasure of taking part in the grand review of the armies at Washing- ton and received his discharge July 7. 1865. After the war Mr. Fisher settled in Whitley county and resumed his old work of farm- ing. In the course of time he was able to buy forty acres of land in Washington town- ship, to which he added until his holdings now amount to one hundred and sixty-five acres. He has greatly improved his place since taking possession in 1877 and now has
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a fine brick house of ten rooms, a barn forty by ninety, to say nothing of the cost and labor of the fencing, ditching and other things incident to building up a modern farm. He raises shorthorn cattle, Chester White and Poland China hogs and Norman horses. He is a Republican in politics, but has held no office aside from serving on the board of elections.
In 1862 Mr. Fisher married Phoebe E., daughter of James and Elmira (Lockwood) Thompson, early settlers of Indiana from Virginia. In 1880 he was married a second time to Lucy A., daughter of Jacob and Lou- isa Crim, both of Preble county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have two boys, Frank and Jacob, who are in business at Rochester, Indiana.
GEORGE W. LAIRD.
George WV. Laird, a well known farmer and successful school teacher of Thorncreek township, is the son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Magley) Laird, the former of whom was born about 1816 and died in 1868 on the farm now occupied by the family. He came to Whitley county about 1857 and here bought eighty acres of wild land, which he soon improved and developed into the fine farm now owned by his family. Elizabeth ( Magley) Laird was a native of the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, and came to America with her parents, settling in Fairfield coun- ty. Ohio, and later removing to Whitley county, where she has passed her life. There were five children : George W., Eliza A .. Margaret. John F., deceased at twenty-five ; and Mary. Being left with five children, the
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