USA > Indiana > Wayne County > Richmond > Memoirs of Wayne County and the city of Richmond, Indiana; from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Wayne County, Volume II Pt II > Part 20
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and tolerant in his judgment and ever ready to lend a helping hand to those "in any way afflicted in mind, body or estate." His upright life, careful judgment and generous attributes made his name a synonym for character and worth.
Charles Henry Deitemeyer, a prosperous and highly esteemed farmer of the township of Wayne, Wayne county, is a native of the city of Richmond, born on South Tenth street, Feb. 6, 1862. His father, Adam Deitemeyer, a native of Hanover, Germany, was born in 1826, and his mother, Louisa (Lauman) Deitemeyer, was born in the same country in 1839. They were married in Ger- many and then came to America, in October, 1859, locating in Richmond, where the father worked as an employe for others one year. He then rented a farm south of Richmond and resided there about five years, after which he purchased a farm north of Richmond, adjoining the present residence of his son, Charles H. He first purchased fifty acres, but added to this tract until he had a farm of 170 acres, and resided there until his death, April 23, 1897, his widow passing away Aug. 25, 1905. They were members of St. Paul's South Seventh Street Evangelical Lutheran church, of which Adam Deitemeyer was a charter mem- ber, and he assisted in the erection of the building. He was an ardent Democrat and took an active interest in public affairs. There were seven children: Henry, born in April, 1860, was ac- cidentally killed at the age of five years; Charles H. is the second in order of birth; Mary, born Sept. 11, 1864, is the wife of James Schroeder, of Green township; Edward F. (see sketch) ; Emma, born in August, 1869, died in 1892; George, born April 9, 1872, is a farmer and resides in Kansas; and William, born May 23, 1875, is engaged in the drygoods business at Kokomo. Charles H. Deitemeyer acquired his educational training at a German school in Richmond and at the Starr schoolhouse in Wayne township, and he resided at home until twenty-one years old. He then con- tinued to work for his father until twenty-seven years old, re- ceiving $100 per year for his services, and at the end of that time rented a part of his father's farm, the same upon which he now resides. He afterwards purchased seventy acres of his present farm, which he proceeded to improve, and later added ninety-three acres, making 163 acres in all, which constitutes his farm to-day, its south line being two miles from the corporation limits of Richmond. He has carried on farming in a general way. In politics Mr. Deitemeyer is independent and has not been a seeker after public office. Himself and wife belong to the South Seventh Street Lutheran Church in the city of Richmond. On April 16, 1890, he was united in holy wedlock to Miss Emma Foien, born in New Garden township, June 21, 1870, daughter of Harmon H. and Mary (Lammert) Foien, the former born in Cincinnati, Feb. 23, 1844, and the latter in Richmond, June 16, 1850. The father was a cigar-maker in early life and as a young man came to Richmond, where he worked at his trade a number of years. He then purchased the farm where he resides, in New Garden township, engaged in general farming. His wife died Aug. 27,
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1899. They were the parents of seven children: Henry W. is a farmer and resides in New Garden township; George died in childhood; Mrs. Deitemeyer is the next in order of birth; Etta died in April, 1884, at the age of five years; William is a farmer and resides near Centerville; Louis resides at the parental home, and Anna also resides with her father.
William Harrison Pickett is a member of a family that has been favorably known throughout the eastern part of Wayne county since the pioneer days. He was born on the farm where he resides, in Wayne township, March 12, 1831, son of Benjamin and Deborah (Clark) Pickett, the former born in Chatham county, North Caro- lina, Sept. 22, 1797, and the latter in Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1798. In 1807 the paternal grandparents-Joshua and Sarah (Davis) Pickett-left their early friends and associations in North Carolina and journeyed to the wilds of Indiana, following a blazed path, and upon their arrival first camped on the bank of the Elkhorn river, south of Richmond, where Jeremiah Cox, a brother- in-law of the grandfather, then resided. They remained there until the following spring, when they located on a farm adjoining the one now occupied by William H. Pickett, and there they planted apple seeds, which the grandmother had brought in a satchel from their North Carolina home. The surrounding country was a wilder- ness and they resided at that place about fifteen or twenty years. The grandfather was a blacksmith by trade and the Indians fre- quently came to his shop and house, being upon the most friendly terms, because he was a follower of William Penn. The grand- father later sold the farm and removed to Milton, where his young- est daughter married Jonathan Kinley, a preacher in the Society of Friends. The grandfather died at Milton, after which event the grandmother remained there a short time and then removed to the farm where William H. Pickett resides, and there resided with her son until her death, living to a ripe old age. When the maternal grandfather, Israel Clark, of English descent and a Friend, whose wife was Amy Walton, of American descent, sold out, in 1812, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, he intended to move to Indiana, but, owing to his wife's fears of Indian troubles in Indiana Terri- tory, he settled on a farm near Baltimore. In 1816, the war of 1812 being ended and border strife having quieted down, he moved to Wayne county and settled on what is known as the Joseph Ratliff farm, in Wayne township. After two years there he went to Cin- cinnati and entered a claim to the southwest quarter of section 17, range I west, or what is a part of William H. Pickett's farm. There he built a hewed log cabin, which stands well preserved to-day, on a hill overlooking the valley of the fork. Ile eventually acquired some 600 acres of land. His death occurred on land adjoining Wil- liam II. Pickett's farm, on the south, and his wife died in the log cabin already mentioned. A division of the Friends' church oc- curred about 1820, and Israel Clark and wife became allied with the Hicksite branch, as opposed to the Orthodox branch. Benjamin Pickett, father of William II., was a natural mechanic and planned and erected a corn and flour mill on the place before he had reached
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his majority. He also erected a carding and woolen mill on the farm and conducted it several years, but later sold it to a Canadian, who removed it to Laporte and located it on the Kankakee river. About 1839 or 1840, while building a log cabin on the hill, Benjamin Pickett was returning home one evening from his work, when he was attacked in the thick brush and woods by a large savage wolf. He was compelled to defend himself with a foot-adz, with which he had been footing rafters for his cabin, and in so doing backed away from the wolf, which leaped at his throat. While retreating he sud- denly fell and the adz cut a deep gash in his ankle. The smell of blood only added to the fury of the beast and it redoubled its efforts to kill the man. Mr. Pickett's cries for help were heard by his brother, Joshua, and a neighbor, John White. The family dogs also came to his assistance and with the help of the men drove the wolf off. Mr. Pickett was so weak from loss of blood that he was carried home and eventually recovered. But for the timely arrival of his rescuers soon he would have lost his life. Benjamin Pickett had no desire to be a farmer, although he went to Cincinnati and purchased the farm from the government. With the assistance of his sons, after the lapse of years, he had eliminated from the forest a good sized tract of land, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1875. The mother died in 1865. They had the follow- ing children: Eli M. is living retired in Chester, in his ninetieth year; Mary Ann is deceased ; Milton L. is deceased; Hannah died at the age of three and one-half years; William H. is the next in order of birth; John T., who served as a soldier in the Civil war with the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Indiana infantry and became crippled while in the service, resides at Irvington, near In- dianapolis; Eber V. is a farmer and resides between Williamsburg and Green's Fork ; and Albert J. is engaged in the real estate busi- ness in Richmond. William H. Pickett worked on the farm with his father until twenty-four years old and then, because of ill health, gave up the farm, took lessons in penmanship, and for one year traveled over the country, giving lessons in that art. In June, 1856, he went to Iowa and taught writing school in Oskaloosa City until election time, when he returned to Wayne county to vote for John C. Fremont, and then, immediately after, went to Highland and Clinton counties, Ohio, until the following spring. He then re- turned to Wayne township and, being persuaded by his mother and brothers, joined them in the erection of a saw mill in the village of Chester. He continued in that business three years, and in the fall of 1858 returned to Iowa and married, bringing his wife home with him and settling in the village of Chester. The mill was sold in 1861, and then Mr. Pickett removed to Richmond, where he purchased property on what is now North Tenth street ; and resided there, following the carpenter trade, for more than twenty years. Two years before leaving Richmond, his father having died, he purchased the old family homestead, and since removing here has been engaged in farming pursuits, failing eye- sight rendering him unfit for mechanical work. He erected a fine dwelling house and other necessary farm buildings and has
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confined his attention to general farming and dairying. On Oct. 14, 1858, Mr. Pickett took to himself a wife and helpmate in the person of Miss Hannah Ellen West, born near Carmel, Hamilton county, Indiana, June 15, 1836, daughter of John and Elizabeth S. (Jessup) West, the former born in Clinton county, Ohio, and the latter in Wayne township, this county. The father was a farmer by occupation, but some years after his marriage en- gaged in the harness trade at Bethleham (now Carmel), and in 1852 he and his brother went to Iowa, where they resided until the breaking out of the Civil war. A brother of Mrs. Pickett enlisted in the service at the age of seventeen and was accidentally killed, while entering a rifle-pit, by the discharge of a fellow sol- dier's musket. The father enlisted in what was known as the "Oskaloosa Greybeards" and served to the end of the war. He then returned to Oskaloosa and engaged in carpentering. Later, he traveled two years in the employ of the Fairbanks Scale peo- ple and then engaged in contracting at Oskaloosa. He after- wards removed to Lynnville, where he died, and his widow then removed to Independence, Kan., where she spent the residue of her life. They were the parents of five children: Martha Jane is the wife of a Mr. Lister, of Indianapolis; John Wesley is de- ceased ; Elizabeth is the wife of Theodore Dunbar, of Perry, Iowa; Cyrus was killed in the Civil war; and Mrs. Pickett is the oldest of the family. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Pickett resulted in the birth of four children: John F., born Aug. 23, 1859, is a car- penter and mechanic and resides at Chester, in Wayne township; Benjamin E., born Dec. 5, 1861, is a farmer and resides in Web- ster township, also having a residence in the city of Richmond; Minnie May, born Feb. 17, 1864, is the wife of Elmer E. Hall, a machinist, in Richmond ; and William Elmer, born Feb. 19, 1868, is engaged in the grocery business in Richmond. Mr. Pickett, politically, sides with the Democratic party, although he was a Republican until 1898, but he has little to do with public af- fairs. His course as a farmer has been marked with thorough- ness and skill, and as a citizen he is held in high regard. His religious faith is expressed by membership in the Orthodox Friends' church, in which faith he was born.
Edward Frederick Deitemeyer is a native son of Wayne county and one who has done his full share in the development of the natural resources, as is evidenced by his devotion to the basic industry of agriculture. He was born on the old home- stead in Wayne township, this county, March 10, 1867, son of Adam and Louisa (Lauman) Deitemeyer (sce sketch of Charles H. Deitemeyer). Edward F. Deitemeyer received his education at the old Starr schoolhouse in Wayne township, and also attended one term of school in District No. 10. He remained subject to his father's orders until twenty-one years old, although he worked for others from the time he was fourteen. He remained at the parental home until twenty-five years old, when he rented an eighty-acre farm adjoining the old homestead and resided there three years. He then rented an adjoining farm on the south,
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which tract was then owned by Harry C. Lintner, and this he operated six years. In November, 1900, he purchased the farm where he resides, moving on to the place, Feb. 19, 1902. The original purchase consisted of 136 acres, but in 1907 he purchased the old homestead, consisting of 130 acres, and hence his landed posses- sions amount to 266 acres. He has the old homestead rented to Charles A. Brown, and also has a man operating the place where he resides, while Mr. Deitemeyer farms but a small portion him- self, giving his attention to looking after his interests and to the raising of stock. While his residence is in Webster township the greater part of his land is in Wayne township. In 1911 he erected a barn, modern in every way, and in 1905 remodeled his dwell- ing house. He gives an unswerving allegiance to the time-hon- ored principles of the Democratic party and his religious affilia- tions are with St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Richmond. Mr. Deitemeyer was married in Franklin township, Aug. 24, 1892, to Miss Emma Anna Heitbrink, born in Richmond, May 3, 1869, daughter of John Frederick and Anna Mary (Griswell) Heit- brink, born in Hanover, Germany, the father on May 21, 1840, and the mother on Jan. 8, 1842. They were married in Germany and came to America in October, 1865, locating in Richmond, where the father worked as an employe in various capacities about four years. He was then employed as engineer in the Wiggins Tannery sixteen years, at the end of which time he purchased a farm one and one-half miles north of Core's Mill, in Franklin town- ship. He resided on this farm twenty years and then, leasing it to others, moved to Richmond, where he has since lived re- tired. Ile and his good wife became the parents of three children : Henry John, born May 30, 1864, in Germany, married Anna M. Kehlenbrink, born April 6, 1866, daughter of Ex-Councilman Jlenry Kehlenbrink, and his widow resides in Richmond, his death having occurred June 26, 1896; Katherine Mary, born June 24, 1867, resides with her parents, and Mrs. Deitemeyer is the young- est of these children. The son, Henry J., learned the banking business under Daniel Reid and John B. Dougan, and in 1884 be- came connected with the State National Bank at Logansport, first as teller and later as cashier, which position he held when he died, after a residence there of twelve years. His remains were brought back to Richmond for interment upon a train ar- riving at the same hour of the same day and month that marked his departure twelve years before. He left one son, Russell Alvin, born Oct. 24, 1890, now in his Junior year at Purdue University, studying electrical engineering. Mr. and Mrs. Deitemeyer have no children, but have taken to rear Laura Marie Neff, born April 7, 1895.
Willis D. Rich, a prominent agriculturist of the township of Wayne, is a native of Wayne township. Ile was born on the old Rich homestead, Jan. 9, 1858, son of William C. Rich (see sketch). Willis D. Rich acquired his educational training at the Starr and Sevastopool schools in Wayne township. He worked on his father's farm until he attained his majority and then continued
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with his father four years longer as an employe. He then rented from his father for another period of four years. Ile was frugal and saved most of his earnings, and, in 1887, purchased a farm of forty-five acres adjoining his present home. Later he pur- chased the farm of sixty acres where he resides. By carrying on an extensive system of drainage and fertilization he has greatly increased the productiveness of the soil and has so im- proved the buildings that to-day he has what would in common parlance be. termed an up-to-date farm. He does a wholesale dairy business and general farming. Ile is a Republican in poli- tics, but has never been an aspirant for public office. Fraternally lie belongs to the Woodward lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and also to the Red Men. Ile was united in matri- mony to Miss Emma Naoma Duffce, daughter of Alexander and Sarah J. (McCoy) Duffee, on Nov. 20, 1884. Both of these parents were born in the Keystone State and migrated in an early day to Indiana, where for several years the father pursued the occupation of a carpenter. He died Jan. 7, 1911, and the mother resides with their only child, Mrs. Rich, born April 3, 1858. To Mr. and Mrs. Rich were born the following children: Marjorie, born July 31, 1885, is the wife of George P. Unthank, of Rich- mond, and they have one child, Bernice, born Sept. 16, 1910; Omar A., born April 23, 1887, and Ernest B., Nov. 24, 1894.
Milton L. Davis, a popular farmer of the township of Wayne, is a native of Wayne county, born in Center township, about one mile west of his present home, Ang. 15, 1844. His father, William M. Davis, a native of Pennsylvania, born Nov. 20, 1799, a farmer by occupation, was brought to Wayne county, in 1800, by his parents, and became a land-owner in Center township and later in Wayne township, where he passed away, on the farm where his son, Milton L., resides, March 24, 1887. The mother of Milton L. Davis-Nancy Lyons-was born in New Jersey in 1802, and died Ang. 21, 1868. There were nine children in their family : Charlotte, born Jan. 15, 1824, died May 12, 1895; Barbara Ann, born Aug. 6, 1825, died Jan. 22, 1890; Esther, born Ang. 25, 1827, died Jan. 11, 1889; Ida Jane, born Dec. 20, 1829, died in infancy ; Daniel Dale, born Jan. 7, 1834, and Elizabeth, born Jan. 21, 1835, are deceased ; Lovisa, born March 17, 1837, died in infancy; Mar- guerite Jane, born Aug. 31, 1840, died Aug. 4, 1855; and Milton L. is the youngest and the only one surviving. The last named received his schooling in the district schools of Wayne township and also attended a few terms at the Culbertson schoolhouse in Center township. He worked upon the parental farm until the age of twenty-two years, when he took charge of its operation and has resided there continuously since, the place being com- posed of thirty-six acres. He has improved and enlarged the buildings on the place and during his active career conducted a general farming business. Since 1904 he has rented his fields out, being seriously afflicted with sciatic rheumatism. The house was built by his father about 1857. Mr. Davis was engaged in tile manufacturing for several years, aside from farming, and about
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eight years conducted a threshing outfit. Politically Mr. Davis is a Democrat and has never aspired to public office. On March 28, 1866, he was united in holy wedlock to Miss Indiana Turner, born in what is now Fairview, Wayne township, Feb. 8, 1848, daugh- ter of Jesse and Anna (Barton) Turner, and of this happy union six children were born: Esther, born March 31, 1867, is the wife of Jesse Brower, a traveling salesman of Cincinnati, and she has two sons by a former marriage, Frederick and Earle Kuhl- man ; William H., born Aug. 15, 1868, is engaged in the black- board business at Grand Rapids ; Sarah M., born April 26, 1870, is the wife of William E. Bryant, a mason contractor of Richmond, and they have five children-Hazel, James, Martha, Ernest and Pearle; Mary Elizabeth, born June 12, 1872, died July 10, 1892; Martha, born Sept. 4, 1877, is the wife of Allen Irvin, a farmer in Webster township ; and Howard II., born Jan. 17, 1883, is a rail- road man and resides in Cincinnati. He married Cora Pouder and they have two children-Leo Dale and Lucile. Mrs. Davis' father, a carpenter by occupation, was a native of Wayne county, born June 27, 1817, and here followed his trade. He retired from active work a few years prior to his death, Dec. 19, 1881. llis wife died Feb. 8, 1887. In their family were eight children : William II., born Jan. 9, 1841, died July 12, 1864, at Atlanta, Ga., in the enemy's hands, having been wounded and taken prisoner while serving as a soldier in the Civil war; Samuel, born Feb. 25, 1844, died April 22, 1865, in a Federal hospital in the city of Washington, having contracted a disease of the lungs while in the service during the Civil war; Sarah, born Jan. 10, 1846, died Nov. 9, 1886; Mrs. Davis is the next in order of birth; Margaret Virginia, born Dec. 6, 1850, died Feb. 6, 1887; Franklin, born Sept. 12, 1853, died Sept. 1, 1860; Oliver Jeptha, born July 13, 1859, died July 7, 1889; and Martha Jane, born Feb. 6, 1867, died March IO, 1890. The mother was born at Waynesville, Ohio, Feb. 14, 1823.
Michael Kendall is one of the progressive farmers of Wayne township, where he was born and reared, and where the family has been a prominent and highly respected one for the past sev- enty-five years. Michael Kendall was born in the township of Wayne, on a farm adjoining his present place of residence, April 9, 1856, son of William and Abigail ( Weesner) Kendall, born in North Carolina, the father on Aug. 17, 1808, and the mother on Oct. 10, 1812. Thomas Kendall, the paternal grandfather, mar- ried Elizabeth Harvey, in North Carolina, and they came to In- diana in an early day, first settling where the waterworks plant is located in the city of Richmond. The grandmother died there, and later the grandfather sold that property and lived with his children until his death, in 1861, in Henry county, at the residence of a son, and his remains are interred in Whitewater cemetery. The maternal grandparents came to Wayne county about 1824 and settled on the township line, between New Garden and Wayne. There the grandfather died July 10, 1869. The grandmother died April 16, 1836, and after her death the grandfather married Leah
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Pegg, Feb. 16, 1843, and continued to reside on the homestead until his death. He was a conscientious Quaker in his religious affiliations. The parents of Michael Kendall were married in 1833 and first settled near Short Creek, south of Richmond, where they resided until 1836, and then removed to the farm just north of the one now occupied by their son, Michael. There, in the course of a long and active career, the father developed for himself and family one of the finest homesteads in the township. He cleared the land, erected the necessary buildings, and for some years be- fore his death, Feb. 6, 1861, was able to enjoy in peace and quietude the results of his early hardships and endeavors. Ilis good wife followed him to the other shore, dying March 25, 1879. They were the parents of twelve children, particular mention of whom fol- lows: Mahlon, born May 2, 1834, died April 2, 1886; Enos, born Oct. 22, 1835, is living retired at Thornton, Boone county ; Jane, born Sept. 5, 1837, died April 9, 1908; Harvey, born March 24, 1839, died April 16, 1857; Lizzie, born April 4, 1841, married Theodore F. Wilson on Sept. 29, 1880, and they are both deceased, he dying June 3, 1906, and she on March 24, 1909; Wilson, born May 7, 1843, married Martha S. Weesner on Aug. 30, 1865, and they reside in Wayne township; Thomas, born March 9, 1845, died June 9, 1853; Eveline, born April 10, 1847, died May 23, 1864; Leah, born Ang. 4, 1849, resides on the old homestead; Re- becca, born June 29, 1851, died Oct. 9, 1854; Michael is the next in order of birth; and Margaret, born March 30, 1858, resides on the old homestead. The father filled various local offices and was highly esteemed by his neighbors as a man of honor and useful- ness in the community. Michael Kendall received his preliminary education in the district schools of Wayne township, attended the Webster High School one year, and was a student four terms in Earlham College. He was five years old when his father died and remained with his mother until sixteen years old, and then he and his mother managed the farm until her death. In 1880 he purchased fifty-one acres of land where he resides and began de- veloping a farm of his own. lle soon purchased an additional twenty acres, making a total acreage of seventy-one, all nicely im- proved and very productive, upon which he follows general farmi- ing. He is a Republican in his political views and for several years has been the incumbent of the office of member of the ad- visory board; having also served as supervisor. llis religious faith is expressed by membership in the Friends' church. On Oct. 2, 1883, Mr. Kendall was married to Martha E. Ryan, born in North Carolina, Jan. 17, 1854, daughter of William and Mary (Rees) Ryan. Of this union were born two children: Alsie M., born Sept. 26, 1884, became the wife of Edwin G. Crawford, Jan. 2, 1907, and they reside in Richmond, where the husband is a book- keeper for the Second National Bank; and Wallace W., born April 7, 1895, is a student in the high school at Richmond. The father of Mrs. Kendall was born in North Carolina, Oct. 4, 1831, and her mother was a native of Virginia, born March 19 of the same year. The father was a farmer by occupation, having come
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