USA > Indiana > Whitley County > History of Whitley County, Indiana > Part 98
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in common with all enterprising agricul- turists of this part of the state, he has been liberal in the matter of drainage, his farm being well tiled, and as a result its fertility and productiveness has been greatly en- hanced.
Mr. Bentz is a good farmer, a wide- awake citizen and all enterprises of public nature enlist his hearty co-operation and sup- port. When a young man he taught several terms of school in Whitley county, earned an honorable reputation in that profession and has ever been a warm friend of edu- cation. In politics he is an uncompromising Democrat and in recognition of services rendered the party, he was nominated in 1906 for the office of county auditor, but was defeated.
In 1901, Mr. Bentz was united in mar- riage with Miss Bertha, daughter of G. A. and Mary (Hippensteel) Bowers, natives of Pennsylvania, and for a number of years well known residents of Whitley county. (See sketch of G. A. Bowers). Mr. and Mrs. Bentz have one child, whom they have christened Myron.
REUBEN F. JUDY.
The founder of this family in America was a native of Germany who first settled in Pennsylvania and went from there to Vir- ginia, where he spent the remainder of his life as a tiller of the soil. His son Abram, born. in Pennsylvania but reared in Vir- ginia, devoted his life to agricultural pur- suits and died in 1849 in the state of his adoption. He married Catherine Housden, a Virginian by birth, by whom he had twelve
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children, only three of whom survive: Reu- ben F., Andrew, who lives near Springfield, Missouri, and Elizabeth, wife of Edgar Mil- ton, a farmer and carpenter residing in the northern part of the state. Reuben F. Judy. eldest of the survivors, was born in Page county, . Virginia, January II. 1838, and re- mained in his native commonwealth until reaching manhood's estate, meanwhile re- ceiving a fair education in such schools as the neighborhood afforded and becoming familiar with the varied duties which fall to the lot of the tiller of the soil. In 1863. he came to Whitley county and purchasing a part of the land that constitutes his pres- ent beautiful farm in Cleveland township, at once addressed himself to the task of its improvement. In this labor his progress was commendable and in the course of a few years he not only had his farm in cultivation, but made a number of substantial improve- ments, besides increasing its area by addi- tional purchases from time to time. Mr. Judy is now the owner of two hundred fer- tile acres, one hundred and twenty of which are tillable and highly productive, thirty- five consisting of woodland, on which is growing some very fine timber, the remain- der of the farm being devoted to pasturage. By a judicious rotation of crops Mr. Judy has retained much of the original fertility of his land and being a model farmer of advanced ideas and employing only the most approved methods, his success has been commensurate with the labor bestowed. The dwelling which the family now occupies was erected in 1875 : it is a substantial build- ing, with many conveniences, well adapted to the uses for which designed and is a model country home.
In 1864, Mr. Judy was married to Miss: Amelia, daughter of Jesse and Amelia ( Mc- Cabe) Kyler, who became residents of Whitley county in 1846, the father a farmer and carpenter by occupation. They had ten children, of whom the following are living at this time: Basil, Jesse, George, Ellen, Mariah and Mrs. Judy. To Mr. and Mrs. Judy two children have been born, one that died in infancy and Frank, who married Della Calhoun, of Wabash county, and has three children, Ruth M., Roy F. and Ephriam B .. Mr. Judy is a public-spirited man and while primarily interested in agri- culture and stock raising, he has ever mani- fested commendable zeal in the material prosperity of his township and county and taken an active part in promoting the social and moral welfare of his fellow citizens. He is a Democrat, but not a politician in the sense the term is usually accepted. He has held the office of supervisor several times and at different times has been chosen to look after the educational interests of the township. He is a member of the Christian church, to the plain and simple teachings of which he yields loyal and active support. Mrs. Judy is a member of the same church and deeply interested in its various lines of work.
FRANCIS M. KING.
Jolin King, founder of the family of this name, was a Pennsylvanian, who emi- grated to Preble county, Ohio, where he died at an advanced age in 1882. His son, Eli, who was born in 1822, came to Whit- ley county in 1843 and was among the early
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pioneers of Cleveland township, where he prepared, having a fine sugar grove of purchased land and developed a farm, on more than a half a thousand trees, besides all the latest improvements and devices used in the successful prosecution of the industry. Mr. King not only enjoys prestige as a pro- gressive agriculturist of the times, but oc- cupies a conspicuous place in the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens, being a man of advanced ideas and possessing to a marked degree the estimable qualities of mind and heart that win and retain strong friendships. He is a Republican in politics, with well defined opinions relative to the leading questions of the day, and in matters religious subscribes to the Methodist creed, being a zealous and influential member of the local church with which he and his wife have long been identified. which he made his home until called from earth November 10, 1894. He married Eva Tilman in Preble county, Ohio, of which locality both were natives, and they had five children : Susan, wife of Rev. Levi Rice, a well known minister of the Lutheran church: John, a farmer of Huntington county ; Alice, who married Rev. Benjamin Stultz, of the Lutheran ministry; Francis M. ; Florence, wife of Rev. William Dingel, a Methodist divine. A fact worthy of note in this connection is that the three sisters became the wives of ministers, all of whom are men of much more than ordinary learn- ing and ability and influential in their re- spective fields of labor.
Francis M. King was born in Wabash county, Indiana, August 22, 1855, and re- ceived the usual training of farm boys of that period. On arriving at an age when young men are accustomed to lay plans for the future, he selected agriculture for his vocation and has since prosecuted the same with most gratifying results. After an ex- perience of several years' duration in the em- ploy of others, he succeeded in accumulating sufficient capital to purchase land of his own. Accordingly, in 1902, he bought his present farm of one hundred and thirty acres, of which one hundred and thirteen are tillable, the whole being admirably situated and well adapted to general agriculture and stock raising, in both of which lines Mr. King has achieved success such as few of his calling attain. In addition to his farming and live stock interests he devotes consider- able attention to the manufacture of maple syrup, for which line of enterprise he is well
In 1880, Mr. King was happily married to Miss Ellen Harsbarger, of Whitley coun- ty, who, in addition to being his faithful and loving wife and helpmate, has borne him three children : Edith, Russell and Neva, all living and with their parents con- stituting a mutually happy and prosperous household.
WEBSTER SICKAFOOSE
Is a native of Stark county, Ohio. where his birth occurred August 9, 1848, being the fifth in a family of nine children, whose parents were Samuel and Elizabeth ( Pool) Sickafoose. Samuel Sickafoose was born in Pennsylvania, but in early life was taken by his parents to Stark county, Ohio, where he grew to maturity and married and where he continued to reside until his removal in 1855 to Whitley county. He visited this part
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Webster Sickafoose was about seven years old when his parents moved to Indi- ana and since 1855 he has lived in Whit- ley county, having been an eye-witness of the many remarkable changes through which the county passed before reaching its present advanced state of improvement. He was reared to farm labor, received his education in the district schools and on ar- riving at the years of manhood, chose agri- culture for a vocation and has devoted his energies to the same ever since, owning at this time an excellent farm of one hundred and twenty acres, on which are some of the finest improvements in Cleveland township. Mr. Sickafoose is a practical farmer and his career in his calling presents a series of snc- cesses such as few attain. He has one hun- dred acres in cultivation, all in good condi- tion, thoroughly drained by considerably in excess of one thousand rods of eight-inch tiling, while his improvements in the way of buildings and fences are unexcelled in this part of the county. His dwelling, a handsome brick edifice of attractive design,
of the state twice before making it his per- is one of the finest structures of the kind manent place of residence. his first trip to the in the township and his barns and other buildings are up-to-date and fully answer every purpose for which intended. One of the most attractive features of this model farm is a splendid sugar grove, consisting of five hundred large, fine maple trees, from which Mr. Sickafoose manufactures every spring large quantities of high grade syrup, which command a liberal price in the markets and among the numerous pri- vate customers whom he supplies. county being made on foot from Stark com- ty, Ohio. After looking over the country and duly weighing the advantages of the differ- ent parts, he finally entered a quarter sec- tion of land in Cleveland township, which in due time he cleared and converted into a fine farm and it was on this place that he spent the rest of his life, dying at the ripe old age of eighty-nine years. He had nine children : Martha. George W .. Jennie, Sarah, Webster, Albert, Wesley and Rich- ard (deceased), and an infant that died unnamed.
Mr. Sickafoose is a Republican but not ยท an active politician, and in religion he holds to the faith of the United Brethren church. being with his wife an earnest and faithful member of the local congregation.
The domestic chapter in the life of Mr. Sickafoose dates from 1876. Mr. Sicka- foose married Miss Isabelle, daughter of George and Catherine (Ran) Slusser, who were among the early pioneers of Hunting- ton county, moving here from Dayton, Ohio, several years prior to the arrival of the Sickafoose family and settling on a farm in Warren township. Mr. and Mrs. Sickafoose have three sons: Milton, who married Ida Gable and lives in Cleveland township; Gilbert, a farmer of Whitley county ; and Arthur, who is still a member of the home circle.
GEORGE A. BOWERS.
George A. Bowers, a retired farmer and business man and veteran of the Civil war. was born near the city of Chambersburg, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, September
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16, 1843, the son of James and Mary C. Bowers, natives respectively of Maryland and Pennsylvania. James Bowers went to Pennsylvania when a young man and for some time followed the vocation of farm- ing, later coming to Wabash county, In- diana, where his death occurred in 1884, at the age of eighty-five years.
George A. Bowers was reared in his na- tive state and there remained until his twenty-first year, at which time he responded to the country's call for volunteers, enlisting in February, 1863. in Company D, Twenty- first Pennsylvania Cavalry, with which he served until 1865, during which time he was with Sheridan's command in the Army of the Potomac and took part in some of the noted battles fought under that intrepid leader. He partici- pated in several of the Virginia cam- paigns and at one time while bearing dis- patches had two horses shot from under him, besides narrowly escaping death in a number of other critical and dangerous sit- uations. At the expiration of his term of service Mr. Bowers returned home and the following year (1866) came to Indiana and engaged in contracting for several lines of work in Wabash county, which he carried on during the ensuing ten years, meeting with encouraging success. At the end of that time he bought a farm in the same county and resided there until 1888. when he changed his residence to Whitley county, purchasing his present homestead in Cleveland township, where he devoted his attention to agriculture and the raising of live stock, until retiring from active life six years later.
hundred and sixty acres, is one of the most beautiful and valuable estates in the town- ship and. under the able management of his son, is second to no like number of acres in the county in point of productiveness. Although practically leading a retired life. Mr. Bowers still retains his live stock inter- ests, in which he has been more than ordi- narily successful, devoting especial atten- tion to the raising of blooded shorthorn cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs, his animals being among the best in this part of the state and yielding him every year a liberal income. In his business affairs he has al- ways exercised sound judgment and wise discretion with the result that he is now financially independent, being among the solid men of his township and county and ranking as a public-spirited citizen.
In 1865 Mr. Bowers married Mary J .. daughter of James and Mary (Warren) Hippensteel, of Pennsylvania. the union re- sulting in the birth of seven children : James E., who lives on the home farm; Edward. an auctioneer of this county; Ainsley, a farmer living in Wabash county: Bertha, wife of Perry L. Bentz (see sketch of Mr. Bentz) : Elizabeth, who married Bert Myers and lives in Washington township: and Blanche, now Mrs. Vernon Warner, whose home is in Kosciusko county.
Mr. Bowers manifests an abiding in- terest in public and political affairs and as a Republican has been an influential party leader in the township. Besides holding several local positions of minor importance. he was for three years a member of the board of county commissioners. in which capacity he rendered valuable service that
Mr. Bowers' farm, consisting of one was greatly appreciated by the people of
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the county. He is a comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic and a consistent member of the United Brethren church. Mrs. Bowers died December 22, 1906.
JAMES COLLETT.
Aaron Collett, founder of the family of this name in the west, was a Marylander who came to Indiana in 1840, settled in Wabash county and died there in 1870. With him came a son named Abraham, who located in Whitley county in 1871 but after two years' residence went to Kosci- usko county, where he died in 1883. He married Catherine Ramsey and they had three children, Aaron, Angeline and James, the latter being the only survivor. James was born at Liberty Mills, Wabash county, Indiana, November 12, 1841, received his early training under excellent home influ- ences and remained with his parents until the breaking out of the Civil war. Ani- mated by the prevailing patriotism, he turned his back upon the pleasant scenes of youth and went forth to battle for his coun- try's rights. In 1861 he enlisted in Com- pany E, Forty-fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for four years in the army of the Tennes- see, participating in some of the most san- guinary engagements of the war, among the most noted of which were the battles of Stone River and Chickamauga, besides all the others in which his command took part. He earned an honorable record as a brave and gallant sollier and at the expi- ration of liis term of enlistment returned
home and resumed the peaceful pursuits of civil life, engaging in farming with his father until the latter's death. Since then he has carried on agriculture and stock raising upon his own account and his progress has been steadily forward until he now occupies a prominent place among the leading men of his calling, not only in Whitley county but in the northeastern part of the state. Mr. Collett's realty at the present time amounts to three hundred and thirty-three acres of fine land in Cleveland township, two hundred of which are in cul- tivation and highly improved, being well drained and containing some of the best buildings in the community. As a raiser of fine stock Mr. Collett enjoys much more than local repute, his breeds of Aberdeen cattle, Poland-China and Duroc-Jersey hogs and thoroughbred Shropshire sheep being sec- ond to none in this section of Indiana, while as a farmer he stands in the first rank, cul- tivating the soil after the most approved methods and keeping abreast of the times on all matters relating to the science of agri- culture. On his place is also one of the larg- est and best sugar groves in Whitley county, containing over four hundred fine maple trees, the proceeds of which add very materially to his income. He has all the modern devices for the manufacture of a superior grade of syrup, which he disposes of in large quantities, not only to private customers but in the local markets, where it always commands a high price.
Mr. Collett is a Republican but not a partisan in the sense of aspiring to office. As a citizen he is energetic and public spir- ited, having great faith in the future pos- sibilities of his county and state and confi-
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dence in the rectitude of his fellowmen. In brief, he is an optimist, who always looks on the bright side and to the extent of his ability he encourages all enterprises having for their object the material, social and moral welfare of the community.
In 1865 Mr. Collett married Miss Susan. daughter of George and Sarah (Williams) Moore, and they have five children: Lizzie B., wife of John Jordan, of Kosciusko county ; Charles E. died in childhood: Ada Catherine, now Mrs. Alex Havens, of Cleveland township; Lula, deceased, and an infant that died unnamed. Mr. Collett and wife are members of the Christian church.
DAVID V. WHITELEATHER.
David V. Whiteleather, the oldest of a family of eight children and the son of John Firestone and Mary (Walter) Whiteleather, was born on a farm in Coluumbiana county, Ohio, on December 4, 1866. The father of David V. Whiteleather was the only son of David Whiteleather and Elizabeth ( Fire- stone) Whiteleather, and his mother was a daughter of Henry and Catharine (Smith) Walter. His parents were born and raised in Columbiana county, Ohio. John Firestone Whiteleather died in 1897, at the age of fifty-six years. Except while serving his country as a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war, he lived on the farm and was engaged in farming and teaching, having taught more than forty terms of school.
David V. Whiteleather was reared on a farm, attended the district schools, in 1883
received a teacher's license and began teach- ing. During the following six years he taught district schools in Stark and Colum- biana counties, Ohio. In the summer vaca- tions he attended the Northwestern Ohio University at Ada and Mount Union Col- lege at Alliance, Ohio. In 1889 he was se- lected as principal of the schools at Larwill, in Whitley county, and as a consequence became a resident of Indiana. During the time when these schools were not in ses- sion Mr. Whiteleather was reading law in the offices of P. H. Clugston and E. K. Strong, of Columbia City. In 1894 he suc- cessfully passed the examination for admis- sion to practice and at the September term of the Whitley circuit court was sworn in and registered as one of the members of the Whitley county bar. In January, 1901, he was admitted to practice in the supreme court of the state of Indiana and in the dis- trict courts of the United States. January I, 1895, Ivers W. Leonard and Mr. White- leather formed a partnership to engage in the general practice of law in Columbia City, Indiana, which partnership continued for about three years, when Mr. Leonard moved to Fort Wayne. In 1899 a partner- ship for the practice of law was formed by Thomas Gallivan and Mr. Whiteleather. They continued as partners in Columbia City until January 1, 1903, when Mr. Galli- van withdrew from the firm and moved to Parma, Missouri. At the time of this disso- lution a partnership was formed by Hon. Benton E. Gates and Mr. Whiteleather un- der the firm name and style of Gates & Whiteleather, for the general practice of law in the state of Indiana, which partner- ship is in existence at present. In 1896 Mr.
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Whiteleather was appointed deputy prose- cuting attorney for Whitley county, Indi- ana, by Hon. Samuel E. Alvord, of Albion, prosecuting attorney for the thirty-third judicial district of Indiana. In 1898 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Noble and Whitley counties, was re-elected in 1900 and served until January 1, 1903.
June 20. 1895, Mr. Whiteleather mar- ried Miss Katura H., daughter of William and Catharine (Hassler) Essick, of Co- lumbiana county, Ohio. They have had four children: Dorothy Velma, John W., Hazel Glenn and Katura E., who died in 1902, at the age of eight months. Mrs. Whiteleather is a member of and an active worker in the Grace Lutheran church, and is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and Ben Hur Lodge at Columbia City, Indiana. Mr. Whiteleather is a member of the following fraternal orders: Free and Accepted Masons, Modern Woodmen of America, T. B. H. and Order of Eastern Star.
ALEXANDER MORE.
The gentleman whose brief story is herewith presented is one of the oldest liv- ing settlers of Whitley county and one whom to know is to respect and honor. He is a native of Miami county, Ohio, where his birth occurred April 6. 1833, being the son of John W. and Mary ( Speer) More, who were also born in that state, he of German and she of Irish descent. John W.'s grandather, John, was a German who came to Virginia, where he became a tiller of the soil, his death finally resulting from
accident. One son, John More, was bound out to a Mr. Whip, who took him to New Jersey, where the boy was reared. He mar- ried Sarah Gandy in Virginia and about 1792 went with his family down the Ohio river in a flatboat from Pittsburg to Cin- cinnati, settling on a farm near Dayton, where he remained for twenty years. He served under General Wayne against the Indians in this region in the war of 1812. He also bought and improved a fine farm in Miami county, Ohio, where he died at an advanced age. John W. More was the sev- enth in his family of ten. At the age of twenty-one he married Mary Speer and in the fall of 1834 came to Whitley county, entering one hundred and sixty acres of heavily timbered land. He brought his fam- ily a few years later and in due time devel- oped a good farm, experiencing many of the hardships of the pioneer. The old home is near the center of what is now Smith township and with additions of two hin- dred and forty acres became one of the larg- est farms in the county. In 1855 he sold and purchased eighty acres in Union town- ship. to which he later added eighty acres. His death occurred August 13, 1877, at the age of seventy-seven, being survived five years by his companion who was eighty- one.
They had four children to reach matur- ity: Sarah Ann, who married Andrew Briggs, both deceased: Alexander, Wil- liam C .; and Huldah. deceased. Alexander More has lived in Whitley county for more than seventy years. He attended the first school in Smith township. the building be- ing a deserted log cabin, the teacher an old educated Irishman by the name of John
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Strain. He assisted his father until twenty- three years of age, though meantime he taught two terms and then commenced farming the homestead for himself. If1 1856 he went to Davis county, Missouri, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of prairie, which he improved. In 1860 he made a trip to Pike's Peak, but after a summer spent prospecting returned the same year, disposed of his farm and moved back to Whitley county. Mr. More then engaged in carpenter work and farm- ing, renting the old homestead in 1864. In 1869 he bought one hundred and ninety acres of land in Union township. He erect- ed a fine brick house and substantial out- buildings, besides making other extensive improvements, his farm now being among the most beautiful and attractive rural homes in the county. His business has since been wholly in connection with this farm, now consisting of two hundred and forty acres.
November 9, 1855, Mr. More was mar- ried to Elizabeth Jane Nickey, of Ross county, Ohio, the union resulting in the fol- lowing named children: William A., a fruit grower in Allegan county, Michigan; Agnes, wife of John Lynch, of Whitley county ; Hubert A., who manages the home farm; Mary W., wife of Alexander Knise- ley in Whitley county; John, an electrical engineer of Davenport, Iowa, and Jacob N., deceased. At about thirty he was gradu- ated in civil engineering at Purdue Uni- versity and practiced in Kansas City.
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