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 5
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George R. Ulrich, for several years one of the leading farmers of Jefferson, first beheld the light of day in Marshall county, Indi- ana, Oct. 17, 1868. His father, Martin T. Ulrich, a native of the Keystone State, born June 27, 1838, migrated westward to Wayne county as a child in company with his parents, who settled on what is known as the "Tidewater Farm," of 160 acres, in the township of Jefferson. Martin T. Ulrich was born in Bedford county, Penn- sylvania, son of John and Catherine (Teeter) Ulrich. His grand- father, John Ulrich, brought his wife and family west, about 1818, and entered several tracts of government land in Wayne county. one of the tracts being what is known as the "Tidewater Farm," lying west of and near Hagerstown. His son, Jolin, the father of Martin T. and grandfather of George R., received this farm from his father. He was also a native of Bedford county, Pennsylvania, born about 1795, and his wife was born about 1805. He was a Democrat in his political views and his religious faith was ex- pressed by membership in the Church of the Brethren. To him and his good wife were born eleven children-Daniel, Hannah, John, Christian, Elizabeth, Barbara, Mary, Jacob, Martha, George, ,and Martin T., all deceased but George and Martin T. George is a
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farmer in Henry county, near Petersburg. He is married to Cath- erine E. McSherley and they have two children: Amanda A., who is deceased, married Alfred Waltz, and they had one child, Lena A., who is married to Edward O. Beeson (see sketch) ; and Allie A., who is married to Oscar A. Brown (see sketch). Martin T. Ulrich was educated in the district schools and has always fol- lowed farming. In 1867 he removed to Marshall county, Indiana, where he purchased 103 acres, to which he later added forty acres, and resided there seven years. He then traded this farm for seven- ty-six acres in Henry county and lived there two years, after which he sold that farm and purchased the place where he resides, in the northern part of Jefferson township. The farm originally com- prised 100 acres, but, in 1896, he sold sixty acres, thus reducing his farm to forty acres, which he continues to operate. Ile is a Demo- crat in politics, and a member of the Church of the Brethren. He was married March 29, 1860, to Anna Main, daughter of William and Martha (McMullen) Main, who resided in Henry county, near Petersburg. Mrs. Ulrich is one of fourteen children born of these parents, and she and a brother and a sister are the only ones sur- viving. The sister is Catherine, wife of Henry Holder, a retired farmer of Randolph county, and the brother is Aaron Main, a farmer in Madison county. The deceased brothers and sisters are: Mary Jane, Nancy, Rachel, Emily, Margaret, Nelson, Martha, Otho, Al- fred, Lucinda, and Elizabeth. William Main settled in Henry county in an early day, coming from the State of New York, where his wife also was born, but they were married in Indiana. Ile was a Democrat in politics and a member of the Church of the Brethren. Ile died at the age of eighty-seven and his wife passed away at the age of eighty-five. To Martin T. and Anna (Main) Ulrich were born three children : Harvey, born Oct. 26, 1863, mar- ried a daughter of Benjamin Jewett, of Hagerstown, and they have two children-Ruth, who is the wife of Perry Holliday, and Robert ; George R. is the second in order of birth; and Charles, born Jan. 27, 1875, was married, Aug. 16, 1895, to Amy R. Austin, daughter of Garrison and Alice (Paddock) Austin, of Cambridge City, and they have three children-Vernelia, born June 8, 1896, Garrison Martin, born March 25, 1902, and Elbert Austin, born July 13, 1903. Harvey is a blacksmith in Hagerstown and Charles is a farmer in Jefferson township. George R. Ulrich received his education in the schools of District No. 4, in Jefferson township, and when not occupied with his studies was busily engaged in assisting his par- ents about the farm. Consequently at an early age he learned the arduous lesson of hard work and acquired an intimate knowledge of farming, which occupation he has continued to pursue with suc- cess and profit. He remained with his father until maturity, and also worked at the carpenter trade for a time. He then worked at fence building from 1887 to 1893, after which he operated Dr. Hines' farm in Dalton township one year, and from 1895 to 1903 logged for the saw mills in Hagerstown. In 1903 he settled on his present farm of fifty-eight acres in the northern part of Jefferson township, where he is engaged in general farming. He also farms
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thirty acres, which he rents near by, and does some dairying. Po- litically he is actively affiliated with the Democratic party. In 1888, Mr. Ulrich was united in holy wedlock to Ella Pedro, daugh- ter of Charles and Victoria Ann (Mills) Pedro, of whom the latte- is deceased and the former is the present assessor of Jefferson township. Mrs. Ulrich is one of six children born to her parents, the others being Edward, George Della, Frank, and Oscar. Seven children have blessed the happy marital union of Mr. and Mrs. Ulrich : Eva, born Jan. 12, 1889, is the wife of Thomas Lamar; Nevada, born Sept. 26, 1891 ; Mabel, born Jan. 31, 1898; llazel, born June 14, 1900; Jessie, born Jan. 6, 1903; Ilarry, born June 26, 1905; and Walter F., born June 10, 1908.
Eli Monroe Wisehart, an honored citizen of Wayne county, now living practically retired, is a scion of stanch American ances- try and a native of the great Hoosier State, which has given to America such a valuable element of citizenship. Ile was born in Liberty township, Henry county, Indiana, April 13, 1846, a son of John L. and Margaret (Davidson) Wisehart, the former born in Henry county, Nov. 9, 1814, and the latter in Mason county, Kentucky, Dec. 18, 1818. The paternal grandfather was Benja- min Wisehart, a farmer in Henry county, and the maternal grand . parents removed from Kentucky to Henry county, Sept. 14, 1826. John L. Wisehart, the father, was educated in the district schools of Henry county and eventually located in Liberty township, where he became a prominent citizen and served two terms as township trustee, and there he passed the remainder of his life, which was one of signal usefulness and honor. He espoused the cause of the Republican party, of whose principles he continued a stanch advo- cate from the time of the birth of that organization. He and his wife were members of the New Light Church in Henry county. Ile was summoned to the life eternal, March 25, 1864, and his widow survived until Sept. 21, 1903. Of their union were born twelve children : Benjamin Franklin, born Nov. 28, 1837, died Dec. 4, 1902; Samuel Davidson, born Oct. 18, 1839, became a grain dealer at Millville and died in 1910; Amerika, born in 1844, married Boon Engels and died in 1883; Eli M. is the next in order of birth ; Wil- son Albert, born May 22, 1848, was married to Lorena Atchinson, Aug. 15, 1869; Alonzo, born July 1, 1852, was a school teacher and died March 3, 1897; Lagrande, born Sept. 29, 1858, was a merchant and died Jan. 4, 1906; Viretta, born in 1854, married Eli Walrath and resides near Muncie, in Delaware county ; Maria Catherine, born Aug. 8, 1850, is the widow of John Hart and resides with her son at Galveston, Ind .; Ella, born June 30, 1856, married Charles Stafford, Dec. 24, 1875, and resides near Muncie, in Delaware coun- ty ; Mary E. is the next in order of birth ; and John Wesley, born in 1860, married Nellie Craven, in 1892, and is a general agent for the International Harvester Company, with headquarters at Fort Wayne, Ind. Eli M. Wisehart passed his boyhood and early youth on the old homestead farm in Henry county, Indiana, where his early educational discipline was secured in the common schools. At the age of seventeen he began clerking in the drygoods store of
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his brother, Benjamin F. Wisehart, at New Castle, and remained thus employed a period of two years. He was then employed one year by his brother, Samuel D. Wisehart, and his brother-in-law, Boon Ingels, at Milton, Wayne county, in a drygoods store which they conducted at that place. In 1866, Eli M. Wisehart returned to Henry county and assisted in operating his mother's farm until 1869, when he moved to his own farm, adjoining his mother's place, and resided there one year, having purchased eighty acres of the other heirs of his father's estate, in Liberty township, Henry. county. In 1870 he sold this place and moved to the farm of Lewis Kinsey, in Liberty township, where he worked by the month from March 1, 1870, until Ang. 1, of the same year. Ile then moved to the farm of Lewis Kinsey, in Jefferson township, Wayne county, and this farm he rented from August, 1870, until March 1, 1872, at which time he rented a farm of 278 acres in Henry county, near Middletown, and remained there one year. In 1873 he rented a farm of 150 acres, which he now owns, situated near his old home in Liberty township, and resided there five years, at the expira- tion of which time he purchased 100 acres of the tract, and about 1890 purchased the remaining fifty acres. In 1894 he purchased forty-two acres of the Bailey farm, and about five years later pur- chased eighty-three acres additional of the same tract, thus giving him a total of 275 acres of land. He resided on the farm of 150 acres from 1874 until 1899, a period of twenty-six years, and on Sept. 5 of the last named year removed from Henry county to Wayne county, for the purpose of caring for his wife's father, Lewis Kinsey, in his declining years. Mr. and Mrs. Wisehart own the farm of 203 acres, formerly belonging to Mr. Kinsey, situated in Jefferson township, near Hagerstown ; and though practically re- tired, Mr. Wisehart gives his attention principally to the manage- ment of that farm, which is devoted to diversified agriculture and to the raising of high-grade live stock. He has made excellent im- provements on his fine homestead and the same is one of the vali- able and attractive farms of this favored section of the Hoosier commonwealth. A stanch adherent of the Republican party, Mr. Wisehart has given an intelligent and active support to its cause, in which he has rendered effective service. Ile and his wife are zealous members of the Church of the Brethren. On Aug. 7, 1868, Mr. Wisehart was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Jane Kinsey, a daughter of Lewis and Catherine (Shultz) Kinsey, and of this union were born twelve children: Martin Chester, born Nov. 24, 1860, who is a mail clerk on the Pennsylvania railroad between Cincinnati and Chicago, was married Dec. 24, 1893, to Jennie Robin- son, who died April 13, 1905, leaving two daughters-Ada Flor- ence, born Oct. 19, 1894, and Martha Sarah, born Feb. 10, 1905- and after the death of his first wife Martin C. married Maude Poin- dexter, of Anderson, Ind .; Ida Florence, born Jan. 29, 1871, died April 9, 1897; Catherine Estella, born Oct. 10, 1873, was married to Harley B. Messick, of Richmond, Nov. 30, 1892, and they have two children-Howard Churchill, born Feb. 24, 1895, and Eugene Wisehart, born Feb. 22, 1903; Lewis Monroe, born April 19, 1875.
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died Aug. 5, 1881; David Wesley, born Dec. 6, 1877, who is a farmer in Henry county, married Marie Moore, July 22, 1902, and they have three children-Goldie Olive, born Nov. 19, 1903, Ruth Marie, born April 21, 1905, and Josie May, born Feb. 7, 1909; Olive Carrie, born Jan. 4, 1880, was married, March 17, 1896, to Perry R. Hill, a meat inspector at Fort Worth, Tex., and they have a son, Robert Guy, born March 29, 1898; Goldie Frances, born Dec. 22, 1881, was married, June 20, 1906, to George E. Ilarter, a dentist of Elkhart, Ind .; the next in order of birth was an infant that died unnamed; Edna Margaret, born March 29, 1884, is the wife of Dr. Charles B. Harter (see sketch) ; Luther Churchill, born Jan. 17, 1887, was married, March 24, 1906, to Josie Iloover; Charles Eli, born March 1, 1889, died April 18, 1896; and Anna Clair, born Aug. 5, 1892, died April 6, 1896. The little granddaughter, Martha Sarah Wisehart, daughter of Martin C., resides with Mr. and Mrs. Wisehart. Aside from his farming interests, Mr. Wisehart is a director of the First National Bank of Hagerstown.
Frank Vinton Thornburgh, whose advanced ideas on matters pertaining to agriculture are giving him a prominence among peo- ple interested in that branch of industry, is a native of this county, born in Dalton township, Dec. 31, 1871, son of Dempsey Carver and Ethelinda (Williams) Thornburgh (see sketch of Dempsey C. Thornburgh). Our subject attended the district schools of Dalton township and afterward completed his education at the high school of Hagerstown. While attending school his spare time was devoted to work on the home farm and this was his abode till the death of his parents. His life's work has been along the line of farming and his theories in this important branch of industry are given practical demonstration and are bearing out excellent results. His work is carried on in a scientific manner. Ile worked on the old home- stead with his brothers, assisting in managing the same until the death of his mother, when he took possession of 135 acres, to which he has since added forty acres, adjoining, in Randolph county. Po- litically, Mr. Thornburgh is a Republican and he is a member of the Friends' church. Fraternally, he has membership in the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 150, at Economy ; the Encamp- ment of the same order at Losantville, and of the Masonic lodge at IIagerstown. On Dec. 30, 1906, he was married to Miss Essie May Strode, daughter of Thomas J. and Malinda ( Routh) Strode, of Fort Scott, Kan. Mrs. Thornburgh was born Dec. 31, 1876.
John M. Replogle, for years an active follower of agricultural pursuits in Wayne county, with residence in Jefferson township, is a native of the Hoosier State, born on the farm now owned by Mrs. David Krull, north of Hagerstown, Feb. 24, 1869. His father, Joel Replogle, a native of Wayne county, born on a farm near Hagerstown, was a farmer by occupation, residing upon a farm in Jefferson township until his death, in 1899, at the age of sixty-four years, he having been born Dec. 4, 1835. Politically he was a Re- publican many years, but later in life was a Prohibitionist. The mother of John M. Replogle-Aurelia (MeLucas) Replogle-,-was a native of the Hoosier State, born north of Hagerstown, daughter
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of John McLucas, who came from Scotland to Wayne county. The paternal grandfather was Joseph Replogle, who came from Penn- sylvania. Two children were born to Joel Replogle and wife: Christina, wife of Moses Keever, a farmer in Jefferson township, and John M. The subject of this record received his schooling in the district schools of Jefferson township and has always followed farming as an occupation, with the exception of eleven years, which he spent at the blacksmith trade with William Wedekind, of Ha- gerstown. The past two years he has served as township super- visor, in which position his sound judgment and executive ability have been utilized for the welfare of the community. In politics he is a member of the Republican party and in fraternal circles ranks high, being a member of the Subordinate Lodge and the En- campment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Hagers- town. On Jan. 22, 1888, he was united in holy matrimony to Miss Rebecca Almira Pipher, daughter of Philip and Sarah (Stamm) Pipher, of Jefferson township. Philip Pipher was a native of the State of Ohio, born near Springfield, Aug. 1, 1835, son of Philip and Catherine Elizabeth (Getz) Pipher, who in an early day removed to Wayne county and settled in Hagerstown, where they resided some years. They then moved to a farm east of Hagerstown and later to a farm north of town, and Philip, Sr., and his wife both died on what is now the Mahlon Leonard farm. The grandfather was a Democrat, and they came from Pennsylvania to Springfield, Ohio. Philip Pipher, Jr., father of Mrs. Replogle, received his edu- cation in the district schools and eventually purchased twenty-four acres of his father's farm, east of Hagerstown, and later added thir- ty-six acres to it from the Daniel Petty estate. In the fall of 1902 he sold the place and purchased a residence at the north edge of Hagerstown. In 1903 he purchased forty acres of John Smith, east of Ilagerstown, the tract being now part of Martha Bunnel's farm. In 1904 he sold this tract and purchased the sixty-six acres which is occupied by his widow and the family of his son-in-law, Mr. Replogle, upon which he continued to reside to the time of his de- mise. He was always an enthusiastic member of the Democratic party and he and his wife belonged to the Lutheran church. On Jan. 13, 1860, he was married to Sarah Stamm, daughter of John and Rebecca Stamm, who came from Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, to Hagerstown, in 1853. Sarah Stamm was born Jan. 26, 1840. She is the mother of two children, of which Mrs. Replogle is the younger, the other being Anna Mary, born Feb. 28, 1863, the wife of Henry Swinn, of Jackson township, and of this union there is a son, Harvey, born Oct. 22, 1891. Mrs. Replogle was born Sept. 14, 1867, and of her union with Mr. Replogle there is a daugh- ter, Golden, born Oct. 12, 1888. She resides at the parental home.
Harry Carver Thornburgh, one of the leading citizens of Dal- ton township, was born at the old homestead, a portion of which constitutes his present farm residence, Jan. 6, 1884, the youngest son of Dempsey C. Carver and Ethelinda ( Williams ) Thornburgh (see sketch of Dempsey C. Thornburgh). He attended the district schools of Dalton township and his life's work has been in the line
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of agriculture, commendable success having come to him in this pursuit. His father was careful and painstaking and the lessons learned from the sire and the supplementary reading on agricul- tural subjects have given to the son a prestige that makes him an authority on land tilling. The Thornburgh homestead comprises 392 acres of fertile land and in point of landscape is one of the most attractive in the county. Upon the death of the mother, Sept. 2, 1908, Ilarry C. Thornburgh took possession of 127 acres of the old homestead and has since resided thereon. The buildings are of the most substantial construction and are equipped with the most modern conveniences. In politics Mr. Thornburgh is a Republican and follows his party on all issues. Socially he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, his lodge being No. 151, at Mooreland, and as often as possible its meetings are attended by him. On July 25, 1906, occurred his marriage to Miss Cora Bell Wilson, daughter of Anderson and Rosa (McColley) Wilson, of near Mooreland, in Henry county. Mrs. Thornburgh was born in Boone county, Sept. 19, 1887. Her parents were natives of Indi- ana, the father having been born in Boone county, July 13, 1862, and the mother in Marion county, June 5, 1861. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Thornburgh there is a son, Kenneth Carver Wilson, born May 28, 1907.
Dr. James E. Taylor was a native of Ohio, born in Sewells- ville, Belmont county, that State, April 5, 1843. His parents- Barnett and Letitia S. (McPherson) Taylor -- were natives of that county, and the father was a carpenter and contractor by occupa- tion, having built about all of the churches and schoolhouses in Kirkwood township in that county. He also owned a farm of 200 acres, upon which he lived, and he served as justice of the peace twenty-one consecutive years. The father and mother died in Belmont county, in the same township in which they were born, and of their seven children who grew to maturity, five are living. James E. Taylor received his preliminary education in the village primary school and later attended the Fairview High School. Ilav- ing finished the preparatory course he entered college, but soon the sounds of civil war called him from the classroom to the camp, and on Oct. 15, 1861, he enlisted in the Fifth Ohio cavalry in General Wallace's division. This regiment was organized at Camp Dennison, from September to November, 1861, to serve three years. On Feb. 26, 1862, it received orders to move, and on March I left Camp Dennison for Paducah, Ky .; reporting to Brig .- Gen. W. T. Sherman. On the night of March 15 the regiment dropped down to Pittsburg Landing and at the battle of Shiloh was con- stantly under fire, General Grant giving direct orders to it and assigning it various difficult and dangerous duties and positions in the field. The behavior of officers and men throughout their initial battle was highly commended by both Generals Grant and Sher- man. The regiment advanced with the army in the slow "siege" of Corinth and had its share of picket duty and other exposure. The first and second battalions brought on the battle of Meta- mora, Tenn .- or, as the Confederates call it, "The Hatchie" ---
DR. JAMES E. TAYLOR.
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where it fought bravely throughout the day, driving the rear guard in its retreat and capturing many prisoners. In April, 1863, a severe battle was fought at Coldwater, Miss., in which the regi- ment was engaged. An expedition which Mr. Taylor joined, com- posed of 100 men each from the Fifth Ohio, Second Illinois, and First Missouri cavalry, was sent out toward Panola, Miss., under command of Major Henry, and on June 20, while in bivouac on the plantation of Dr. Adkins, twelve miles south of Hernando, was sur- rounded in a dense fog by General Chalmers with a force of 2,000 men, with six field guns. The little band, however, by a gallant charge cut through the enemy's lines and escaped, although closely pursued ten miles. During the spring of 1864 the regiment effected a veteran organization and in the autumn joined Sherman in his march to the sea and up through the Carolinas. It was retained in service until Oct. 30, 1865, when it was mustered out. Mr. Tay- lor rose by meritorious service in turn to the positions of orderly sergeant, first lieutenant, captain, acting assistant adjutant-general, and assistant adjutant-general on the staff of Gen. Thomas T. Heath. He enlisted at the age of eighteen years, as a private, and was not twenty-one when he received a captain's commission. Ile was in the army more than four years, participating in all the cam- paigns of his regiment, and was mustered out at Charlotte, N. C. In December, 1865, he entered the Iron City Commercial College, at Pittsburgh, Pa., and remained there until May, 1866. He then commenced the study of medicine, to which his tastes had inclined from boyhood. Soon afterward he engaged in the drug business at Bay City, Mich., continuing his medical studies, and in that city began the practice of his profession. In 1869 he attended a course of lectures at Miami Medical College, graduating in 1871 in the College of Medicine and Surgery in Cincinnati, Ohio, and then removed to Richmond, Ind., where he continued in the practice of medicine until his death. On Nov. 8, 1871, he was married to Miss Sarah HI. Snell, of Fort Plain, N. Y., who died March 10, 1880. He was married on Dec. 10, 1881, to Gertrude E. Snell, of St. Johns- ville, N. Y., who died March 23, 1891, and of this union was born one child, Julia L. Taylor. On Sept. 12, 1901, he was married to Martha J. Neal, who survives her husband and resides in Rich- mond. Dr. Taylor's fraternal relations were with the Masonic order, which he joined in September, 1867, and he attained to the Thirty-second degree, being a member of the Richmond Lodge and of the Consistory at Indianapolis. He was a Past Eminent Com- mander, and from 1873 to 1875 was Captain-General of the Rich- mond Commandery, being elected Eminent Commander the fol- lowing year. He was a member of Sol Meredith Post, Grand Army of the Republic, an association that his valorous army rec- ord eminently entitled him to, and was also a member of the Loyal Legion. One incident of his military career is worthy of mention in this article. On the evening of Dec. 31, 1863, which was one of the coldest and most bitter nights of the Civil war period, he called his men together and asked for a volunteer to cross the river for supplies and blankets, but not one responded. Thereupon Captain
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Taylor took it upon himself to perform the task and, securing an old Indian canoe, he made seven trips across the river, carrying loads that forced the boat down until the top of it was but an inch or two above the water, which froze to his hands, and thus he faced death on each and every trip. The Doctor was also a mem- ber of the Young Men's Business Club, and for thirteen years served as president of the Margaret Smith Home for Aged Women. Politically he was an adherent of the Republican party and in 1868 took an active part in the Republican convention of the Sixth Con- gressional district of Michigan, one of the most exciting political assemblies ever held in that State. While a member of the village council at Portsmouth, Mich., now incorporated with Bay City, he was instrumental in saving that town $70,000, by his ingenious and able efforts. Some years ago he served one term as coroner of Wayne county.
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