USA > Indiana > LaGrange County > Illustrated Atlas and Columbian Souvenir of LaGrange County, Indiana. > Part 10
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E. W. Olinghonse, of Clearspring township, was born in Eden township. Dec. 11. 1853. His father. Jonathan J. Olinghouse, is a farmer of this county and our subject worked on the farm, and at the age of 17 began threshing, which he has followed ever since. He, in partnership with Amos Newhouse, have two complete threshing ontfits. with traction engines. He was married Oct. 2. 1876. to Catherine Medlam, daughter of Levi Medlam. of Hawpatch. In 1884 Mr. Olinghouse honght his present farm of 75 acres and since that time has added 26 acres. It is well improved and mostly cleared. He has four chiklren living, one girl and three boys, Mr. Olinghouse is a member of the I. O. O. F. at LaGrange.
Frank B. Lewis, of Bloomfield township, was born March 20. 1844, in Coventry township. Chenango county. New York. His father. Harvey Lewis, was a farmer and settled permanently iu this state when Frank B. was 9 years oldl. The latter lived in Steuben county until May 26, 1867, when he was married to Samantha S., danghter of W. S. and Sarah A. Newnam, of Spring- field township. Soon after n arriage he bought the old Newnam homestead and lived there 21 years, then sold the farm for $8,000 to Daniel Pray and took in part payment 84 acres of Mr. Pray at $4.000, which he soon afterward sold for $5.225. On account of failing health he removed to LaGrange in 1889, and while living there purchased 52 acres in Springfieldl township, and in fall of 1891 traded it for present farm of 54 acres in Bloomfield township. During the year 1892 he made great improvement in buildings and grounds. Mr. Lewis served one and one-half years in the army, enlisting in Co. A. 44th lud. Vol .. March 28, 1864, aud dis- charged Sept. 14, 1865. His brother, N. P. Lewis. now of Angola, served with the regiment all through the service. In 1864 when at home recruiting the company Frank B. enlisted. Mr. Lewis is a member of the G. A. R. at LaGrange, and his wife of the Relief Corps, and both are members of the M. E. church. Mr. Lewis is also a member of the Masonic order.
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AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
Ira Talmage, of Springfield township, resides upon a tract of 160 acres which was entered by his father, Henry Talmage. The land was then covered with heavy timber, but all is now cleared but thirty acres. This was the father's home until his death in 1882; when the property descended to Ira Talmage. The latter was born in New York, and came to this county with his parents Oct. 20, 1840. The farm is in excellent condition and well improved. The improvements in buildings made by Mr. Talmage amonnt to over $2,000. The soil is fertile, yielding an average of over 20 bushels al acre of wheat, and from 35 to 65 of corn. Mr. Talmage has also given attention to fine stock, breeding some fine short horn cattle, and he also feeds a large number of sheep every winter. His land is well adapted also to fruit raising.
Damel Cole, one of the prominent farmers of Lima township, was born in Wayne county, N. Y., Ang. 22, 1822. He came to Lima in 1840, purchased a threshing machine and for twenty seasons followed that business. Saving enongh he bought a small piece of land, and with persevering frngality the acres increased until he now has 345 acres in this township alone, with a com- fortable home surrounded by conveniences. His life is a lesson for young men. Mr. Cole is an enterprising man and assisted materially in the establishment of the Lima manufacturing com- pany, of which he is president. He was married in 1846 to Melonia Stevens and they have had five children.
Norman Taylor, Eden township, was born Oct. 4, 1862, on his present farm, son of James Taylor, one of the early settlers, who bought the present farm of the government in 1837, paying 81.25 per acre. He moved his family here in 1838 and was a resident of this county until his death in 1880. Norman took a commercial course at M. E. college in Fort Wayne in 1883-4, and has since managed the farm, and is also interested in the breeding of fast horses, having several that have shown considerable speed. He was married to Sadie Moore April 16, 1884, and they had one child, Grace. Mrs. Taylor died Nov. 5, 1885. Mr. Taylor was afterwards married to Ella Longenecker, of Noble county, July 27. 1889. They are members of the M E. church.
Amos Bowsher, of Eden township, was born in Noble county. Sept. 9, 1842. His father, Boston Bowsher, is a farmer of that county. Jan. 8, 1862, Amos enlisted in Co. I. 48th Ind., and served three years, being in thirteen battles and sieges, among them being Vicksburg, Atlanta and Sherman's march through Georgia. He came ont of the service in 1865 and in 1867 was imarried to Clara, daughter of Win. Poyser, of LaGrange county. In 1869 he bought land in Noble connty and lived there three years and in 1871 bought his present farm in Eden township, then bnt partially improved. In 1883 he built his large brick house, which is the largest and one of the best in the township. He has six children living, the oldest. Alwilda, being married to H. D. Shoup.
Nathan Kent, long a resident of Hawpatch, was born in Butler county, Ohio, Nov. 30, 1843, and in 1847 removed with his father to LaGrange county. He lived with his father and followed farming, and on May 16, 1872, was married to Miss Josie Coldren, langhter of Nehemiah Coldren, Sr., then of Eden township. He moved on his present farm in 1874 and bought the same in 1881. Mr. Kent served two terms as trustee of Eden township and is Connty Assessor, appointed by the Commissioners in June, 1891. and elected in 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Kent are both members of the M. E. church at Eden chapel. They have two children, Walter and Rollin.
Elliott and Price is the title of a firm composed of James Elliott and Harry Price, The former is a son of Wmn. Elliott and the latter a son of A. M. Price. They have run a threshing machine for six years and Mr. Elliott has been in the business for the past twelve seasons. They own two outfits, also clover huller. and are very successful. Mr Elliott was born in 1868 in Spring- field township, and was married Dec. 24, 1890, to Lillie, daughter of Orrin Gage, of Bloomfield township. He has one child, a son. Mr. Price was born in 1869 in Morgan county, Mo. His father, A. M. Price, was farming then and when Harry was six years old they moved to Michigan, lived there two years, and then moved to LaGrange county, where they have since lived.
Dayton H. Long, of Bloomfield township, was born in Tasca- rawas county, Ohio, in 1857. His father, Daniel Long, was a farmer then and moved to this state in 1860 and settled in Green- field township. He died in September, 1889, at the time of bis death owning 1.130 acres of land in Greenfield, Springfield and Bloomfield townships. Dayton was the youngest son and lived with his father ntil 1883, when he purchased land of his own. He was married Oct. 21, 1880, to Sabra A. Stacy, daughter of Nelson N. Stacy, ex-sheritf of LaGrange county, and they were the only couple ever married at the LaGrange jail, they being married while Mr. Stacy was in office. They have three children living. Mabel C., Harry D., and Malilon D.
C. E. Sears, of Bloomfield township, was born in Springfield township Ang. 4, 1855, son of Isaae Sears, who settled 50 years ago. Charles was married to Maggie A., daughter of H. J. Vesey. of Milford township, Dec. 23, 1875, and settled on 80 acres of his present farm. Since that time he has honght considerable land in addition to it, making 210 acres in all. He has made numerons improvements on the farm and built a large barn. He has two daughters living, Rinnie and Nellie. Mrs. Sears was formerly a teacher in the public schools of this county.
Lonis E. Deal, of Bloomfield township, was born in 1860 in Springfield township, son of Harrison Deal. He farmed with his father and taught school until Sept. 25, 1884, when he was married to Ella R., danghter of Samuel Gage, of Springfield township. This same year he purchased his present farm in Bloomfield town- ship and has since made great improvements, making one of the best farms in the township. He has two children, a son and daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Deal are both members of the M. E. church at Hill's Corners, and Mr. Deal is Justice of the Peace. He attended the State Normal school at Terre Hante two years. In addition to farming he is interested in thoroughbred Shrop- shire sheep, also bnys and feeds sheep for the eastern markets. In addition to his own farm of 180 acres he farms his father-in-law's farm of 200 acres in Springfield township. This year he had 75 acres of corn. 80 acres of hay and 105 acres of wheat, and has an interest in abont 500 head of sheep.
William Elliott, of Bloomfield township, was born Sept. 17, 1828, in Richland county, Ohio. His father. Wm. Elliott, was a farmer and in 1852 moved to LaGrange county and settled in Springfield township. Wm., Jr., was married in 1850 to Mary Sattison, of Huron county, Ohio. She died July 28, 1885, and he was married again to Mrs. Jane Archer. Jan. 29, 1886. She was born in England in 1843 and came to this country when a child. Mr. Elliott bought 160 acres of his preseut farm in 1854 and the other 130 just a few years ago. When he purchased the first farm there were abont ten acres cleared and no other improvements. He has since cleared all bnt 80 acres and built a large brick house in 1884. Mr. Elliott has one son and three danghters, all married !. and his wife has one son and two daughters.
Lewis O. Debow. of Bloomfield township, was born July 28, 1830. in Tioga county, Penn. His father, Jobu Debow, was a farmer and when our subject was 14 years of age they moved to LaGrange county and settled in Greenfield township in 1848 He was married Oct. 30, 1852, to Mahala, daughter of James Sayles. then of Greenfield township. They lived on rented farms until 1873, when he bought his present farm of 127 acres in Bloomfield township. At that time the place was heavily timbered and no improvements except an old log honse. He has since cleared all but five acres and has built a good house and barn. They have five children living, John H., Alice Jane, Frank M., Elizabeth and Delbert, all married. Mr. and Mrs. Debow are both members of the M. E. church at Hill's Corners. Ever since he has been old enough Mr. Debow has practiced veterinary surgery with good success.
Jolin MeCally, of Bloomfield township, was born in Clark county, Ohio, July 14, 1850, son of Samuel McCally, a farmer of this county. He came to Indiana with his parents in 1855 and soon after located in Bloomfield township. He was married July 4. 1869, to Eliza, danghter of Simon Thomas, of this county. She died in December, 1886, and he was married again Dec. 30, 1888. to Mrs. Anna Seidmore. He has two sons and one daughter, mar- ried to Jacob Boley of this county, and his wife had two children.
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AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
Samuel J. Hostetler, of Eden township, was born in Somerset conuty, Penn., Feb. 19, 1841. His father, Moses J. Hostetler, was a farmer there. When Samnel was one year old they moved to Holmes county, Ohio. When 21 years of age, May, 1862, he was married to Catherine, daughter of Christian Mehl, of that county, aud soon after this they moved to Indiana and located in Eden township. He bought his preseut farm ahont fifteen years ago, aud has made great improvements since, building the present fine brick house in 1887. They have seven children, six girls and one boy.
William Sigler, of Clearspring township, moved npon an 80 Here tract now part of his farm October 2, 1853, and began life here with but very little resources. He now owns 2743 acres of valnable land and a pleasant home. He was boru iu Washington county, Maryland, October 12, 1820. When ten years okl he moved with his parents to Richland county, Ohio, aud farmed for his father until of age. December 29, 1841, he was married to Lydia Himes, and they started out for themselves with uo capital but willing hauds. After twelve years in Ohio they came to La- Grange county and are now numbered among its estimable people. Mrs. Sigler was born in Pennsylvania March 6, 1823. They have had eleven children, ten of whom are living. Thirty-five grand- children and three great-grand-children are numbered in their family.
Robert Kent, a prominent farmer of the Hawpatch, was born iu Butler county, Ohio, Nov. 10. 1841. His father, Orviu Kent, who was a teacher in the public schools in that county, came to LaGrange county in 1835 and entered 200 acres iu Clearspring and Eden townships, now the old homestead, paying the govern- ment price, 81.25 per acre. After entering this land he resumed teaching, and in all taught over eighty terms of school in this and adjoining states. He was married in 1840, and in 1847 moved his family to LaGrange county and lived here until his death, June 1, 1892. Robert lived with his father nutil his marriage. April 19, 1870, to Martha, daughter of Emannel Stutzman. of this connty. After marriage lie owned several farms at different times, but bonght his preseut farm of his father in 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Kent have one son. Bernis, aged 15, and had one danghter who died when quite young. Mr. Kent served twenty-five months in the army during the late war, in Co. B. 12th Cav., 127th Reg. Ind. Vol. He has served two terms as trustee of Eden township.
C. C. Greenawalt, of Clearspring township, was born in Fair- field county, Ohio, April 1, 1837, where he lived until 17 years old, when his family removed to Clearspring township, and settled on the old Greenawalt homestead. He has been farming all the time since, except abont a year in a saw mill and several years in clearing. He was married March 3, 1863. to Rebecca, danghter of Emannel Stutzman, of Eden township. He and wife were horn in the same honse. her birth occurring Jan. 6, 1840. In 1864 he pur- ebased his first land, 212 acres in Eden township, and lived there about 14 years. then sold that and bought the George Tumbleson farm in Eden township. After living there four years, he sold to Jacob Byler. and purchased his farm in Clearspring township. where he has built a large and handsome house aud barn and made other general improvements. He has living two sons, Amos and Volney. and one daughter. Clara, wife of Eli Parks.
Richard Coppes, of Clearspring township, was born Feb. 18, 1822. in Berks county, Pennsylvania. He lived in Pennsylvania until of age, then resided in Ohio 11 years, and moved to Indiana in October. 1853. In March of the following year he purchased his present farm of 160 acres. He was married in Pennsylvania in 1843 to Hannab Brown, of Berks county. His father died when Richard was nine years old and he was put out among strangers. He followed the carpenter's trade until 1860. then farmed two years, and then in 1865 went into the saw mill business, which he followed nntil recent years. His wife died very suddenly at din- ner Sept. 5, 1882. They had bnt two children, Abram, who lives on the farm, and Mrs. John Low, who died Jan. 20. 1889. Abram was born Ang. 28. 1851, in Wayne county, Ohio. He has always followed farming on his father's place. He was married Sept. 3. 1573, to Miss Lantz, of Noble connty. and they have living, one son, Elton. and two daughters. He also manages a farm of his own of 80 acres in the same township.
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Jacob Byler, of Hawpatch, was born in 1835 in Mifflin county, Pa., where he lived until 1856, when he came to LaGrange county. He followed farming in this county nntil 1867, having changed farms several times, and theu resided iu Noble county 19 years, 10 years of this time living in Ligonier and clerking in a hardware store two years. In 1886 he returned to LaGrange county and built his commodions house in the village. He has a fine farm of 100 acres, costing 810,250, one and one-half miles from the village. There is no better farming land in the county, not having a foot of wet land on it, and it is all cleared except a small grove. He was married in February, 1857. to Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Kauffman, then of Eden township. They had one son. Ezra, who died in 1869, aged 11 years.
Isaac Sutton. of the Hawpatch, is a son of David Sutton, who was one of the early settlers of that region and died in 1854. Isaac was born Feb. 8. 1853. in Eden township. He was occupied on the home farn. until 1879, when he was married to Julia, danghter of Wm. Roderick, also an old settler of Eden township. He bought his present farm in 1877. There were no improvements on the place and he had to cut the trees out to get room to build a house. He has continued to improve the place until now there are about 55 acres of cleared land. He built the present large barn in the spring of 1889. In 1875 Mr. Sutton began raising fast horses aud has gradually increased in the business, dealing mostly in the Hambletonian stock kuown as the "Hawpatch" stock. Mr. Sutton has two children living and three dead.
The pioneers of Eden township were the Latta family. Robert Latta, of Urbana, Ohio, visited the land in 1830, and moved there with his family in 1832, building a log honse on Section 26, and coming into possession of eighteen "eighties." He rests in the cemetery established by him, as does also his brother, Dr. John- ston Latta, who lived here from 1841 to 1873. His sons, J. N. Latta and F. C. Latta, are now prominent farmers, and stock breeders, and infinential citizens, with excellent farms and beauti- ful homes. In 1890 J. N. Latta was elected to represent LaGrange county in the legislature. Upon his farm is one of the Experi- mental Stations of the State Agricultural College.
David J. Hartzler, of the Hawpatch, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, Ang. 11, 1848, sou of David Hartzler, a farmer who moved to Indiana when David, Jr., was five years old and located in Noble county. He has followed farming all his life. He was married March 31, 1872, to Lydia, daughter of John H. Yoder, of Pennsylvania. In 1878 he bought the present farm in Eden town- ship. which then had few improvements, but was mostly cleared. Mr. Hartzler has since cleared the remaining portiou and has made great improvements, in the way of fence, etc., and in 1888 built a very fine farm house. It is now one of the best farms in this section, being in the very center of the original "Hawpatch." Mr. Hartzler has two children, a son and daughter, Selina, aged 19 and Harvey, aged 16. He is a member of the Amish Mennonite church.
In the original "Hawpatch," from which that great scope of country received its name, is the Denny farm, part of which is now owned by Milton Herald, a successful farmer who makes his home at Ligonier, where he has a fine residence. Mr. Herald is inter- ested in the breeding of horses, a notable industry of Hawpatch, and has a number of standard bred mares on his farm, also the trotting mare, Eldine, with a record better than 2:30. She shows great promise with limited training. Mr. Herald was married in 1879 to Mary M., daughter of William Denny.
Nehemiah Coldren, of the Hawpatch, was born in 1834 on his present farm in Eden township. His father, Nehemiah Coldren, was one of the early settlers of the county and entered the present farm, paying less than $3.00 per aere for the same. He was the first sheriff of the county, being appointed by the governor in 1830. He lived in Eden township until his death in 1872. Nehe- miah had always lived with his father and followed farming, and in the year 1874 was married to Savilla J., daughter of Wmn. Poy- ser, then of Eden township. They have four children, Clara, Denzil, Reuben and Fanny. Mrs. Coldren's father, Wm. Poyser. was also one of the old settlers of Eden township, born in 1825 and died in 1882.
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Portrait and Late Residence of Ralph P. Herbert, LaGrange.
Portrait and Late Residence of Jonathan Zook, HawPatch.
Mill and Lumber Yard of A. R. Yeager & Son, Wolcottville.
Residence of Jacob Roser, Milford Township.
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AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
James B. Chandler, of Clearspring township, has since 1886 had charge of the Rogers Orphans Home, an institution managed by the county commissioners as trustees under the will of Dr. David Rodgers, a well known early settler who left his estate for the maintenance of a home for orphan children. A substantial frame building has been erected, the main part 33x38, with a wing, 16x24, and much good has been done by the institution. Mr. and Mrs. Chandler are model supervisors of such an institution. He was born at LaGrange, June 14, 1853, and from 1865 was a resi- dent of Clearspring for five years, then a year as a carpenter at Ponghkeepsie, N. Y. Returning he worked at farming and in a cider mill fonrteen years. He was married November 20, 1883, to Frances, danghter of George Koontz. They have had charge of from six to twenty-four children during their residence at the Home.
George W. Iuks, of Clearspring township, was born October 2, 1841, in Holmes county, Ohio, and in 1843 his family came to Noble county. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. B. 12th Indiana Infan- try, and on August 30th participated in the battle of Richmond, Va., where he was taken prisoner with 7,000 others by Kirby Smith. Paroled a week later he was at home a short time, and in November took train for Cairo, sailed to Memphis and marched over Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi, chasing Vandorn. After gnard duty in Tennessee, he was at Haine's Bluff participating in the great Vicksburg campaign, and marched in the pursuit of rebels to Jackson, seeing hard fighting. He then took part in the Atlanta campaign with the 15th corps, and then joined in the famons march to the sea, and finally camped in Savannah with his regiment. He then returned to Lookout mountain and at the bloody Mission Ridge was wounded in the left lung. He is one of the genuine heroes of the war. At the end of the war he came home, and Sept. 16, 1866, was married to Diantha A. Harding, of Clearspring township, resided in Noble connty until 1872 and since then has been farming on the old Harding homestead. He is an influential member of the Lutheran church.
Abiah R. Zook, of Hawpatch, was born Oct. 8, 1846, in Mifflin county, Pa. He followed farming in Pennsylvania until Decem- ber, 1867, when he came to Indiana and remained one year. Then went to Cass county, Mo., following farming part of the time, and in partnership with his brother ran a mercantile and stock busi- ness for three years. In 1874 he returned to Indiana and in February of the same year was married to Emma R., daughter of C. Hooley, of Clearspring township, LaGrange connty. He lived on and farmed his father-in-law's place 15 years, then bought property in Eden township and bas lived there three years. He has one child living, a daughter, Bertha. The last few years in connection with farming he has been buying and selling horses. He and family are members of the Mennonite church, and he has since 1873 been an nutiring worker in the Sunday school, never in that time having missed a year being either teacher or superinten- clent. Mrs. Zook has been a teacher continuously all that time. In November, 1892, Mr. Zook was elected county commissioner for the south district.
Hiram Gardner came to Indiana in May, 1836, and entered 200 acres in Section 9, Johnson township, at 81.25 per acre. This part of the country was an Indian reservation, which had just been opened for settlement, in fact a wilderness. Only four men were located in the township. There were 500 Indians on the banks of Oliver Lake, but they were moved west by the government in 1843 and 1844. Mr. Gardner was born in Lockport, Monroe county, N. Y., in 1815, and was married to Erin L. Crandell in 1842. There were born to this union, four boys and five girls, of whom there lived to be married one son and two daughters. The son, O. I. Gardner, born in 1844, has always resided in the county. He was married in 1867 to Caroline M., daughter of Joseph and Catherine Davidson, pioneers of Bloomfield township. Mrs. Catherine Davidson is still living, having seen her 80th year. Mr. and Mrs. Gardner have had nine chiklren, Mary C., George W., Bertha L., Elizabeth C., Amy V., Grace P., Emery E., ( deceased ), Earle F., and Edward E. Mi. Gardner resides on Section 20, Johnson township. George W. is farming, having charge of the farm of Mrs. Erin L. Gardner. He is a stockholder in the Fair association and the Wolcottville creamery, and is an enthusiastic worker in the canse of the working man and temperance.
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Samuel B. Showalter, of Eden township, was born in 1838, at Rockingham connty, Va., where he lived and followed farming until the fall of 1863, when he came to Eden township. He has followed farming ever since, bnying his present farm in 1866. The farm was one-half cleared at that time and the commodions brick house was built in 1856. Mr. Showalter has since cleared the rest and has made other general improvements. In 1890 he was elec- ted trustee of Eden township. He was married in 1865 to Sarah C., daughter of John W. Lutz, of Eden township, and they have four children, Harvey B., Elva A., John J. and Charity,
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