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 53
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ing: Mrs. Voss is the first in order of birth; Elvira is the wife of Christopher C. Bartley, of Moberly, Mo .; and Frank Albert and Francis Marion are twins, and reside upon adjoining farms in Decatur county, Indiana. There were no children by either of Mrs. Voss' marriages, her first union being with John W. Porterfield, at New Paris, Ohio, July 30, 1863, and he died Oct. 31, 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Voss reared two children of a brother of Mrs. Voss: William Homer Thompson, who was born April 28, 1868, and resides at St. Mary's, Ohio, is a son of Abraham V. Thompson, who died Jan. 23, 1893; and Ruby Thompson, born Ang. 5, 1889, is a daughter of Charles B. Thompson, who died Aug. 15, 1908. She resides with Mrs. Voss.
Charles Ellsworth Werking, a prosperous and highly respected carpenter and architectural worker of Hagerstown, is a native of Jefferson township, born Feb. 24, 1869, on a farm near Hagers- town, a son of David M. and Caroline (Rowh) Werking, who are given appropriate mention upon another page of this volume. Charles E. Werking received his educational training in a German Baptist school, after which he took a Normal course, preparatory to teaching. At the age of eighteen he left school and taught two terms, one in Henry county and one in Wayne. At the age of seventeen he had begun work at the carpenter's trade, and in 1889 went to Tacoma, Wash., where he worked at his trade a couple of years. At the age of twenty-one he returned to Hagerstown and has since been engaged with the firm of Werking & Keagy as a carpenter, devoting his attention mostly to superintending construction work on the outside, and officiating as foreman from 1898 to 1908. In 1904 he completed a course in architectural work with the Scranton Correspondence School and since 1900 has done all the draughting for the firm of Werking & Keagy. He drew the plans for the Knights of Pythias Hall at Hagers- town, and also for many dwellings in that place, Anderson, Cam- bridge City, and Germantown. In 1905 he took the civil service examination for Superintendent of Public Construction at In- dianapolis, and was placed on the eligible list, in a short time be- ing assigned a position as draughtsman in the office of the super- vising architect at Washington, D). C., but he eventually resigned this position for a wider field. He completed the plans and su- perintended the construction of the eight-room graded-school building at Mooreland, Henry county, which work was completed in 1907, and officiated in the same capacity in the. Jacksonburg school building of two rooms, which was completed in 1908. He also was the architect for a school building of two rooms in Jef- ferson township, east of Hagerstown, completed in 1909, as well as the office of the Light Inspection Car Company, built in 1910, in which building he has his office. He also has designed two school buildings in Dalton township, and in 1911 designed and superintended the construction of Charles N. Teeter's residence near Hagerstown. Mr. Werking is admirably affiliated with the Masonic order, being a member of Blue Lodge, No. 49, at Hagers- town, Chapter No. 9, at Cambridge City, and Council No. 53, at
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New Castle, and he also has membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows-Subordinate Lodge, No. 25, Encampment, and Rebekahs-at Ilagerstown. In his religious views he is very liberal, and though a Christian, has never been affiliated with any religions denomination. On Jan. 1, 1894, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Amanda E. Waltz, daughter of Solomon and Mahala ( Fouts) Waltz, early settlers of Wayne county and both of whom are deceased, and of this union was born one child-Paul-born Sept. 21, 1897. Mrs. Werking is a native of Jefferson township, Wayne county, Indiana, born April 10, 1866, and is one of nine children-six sons and three daughters-all of whom are living, with the exception of one daughter. Solomon Waltz was a Democrat in his political views and he and his wife were faith- ful members of the Lutheran church. Mrs. Werking is a member of the Rebekahs and of the Eastern Star, having gone through the chairs in the last named organization, and her husband has filled most of the offices in the Masonic and I. O. O. F. lodges.
John M. Werking, senior member of the firm of Werking & Keagy, at Hagerstown, Wayne county, is a native of the Key- stone State, born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, March 29, 1848, son of John M. and Catherine (Miller) Werking, also natives of Pennsylvania, where the father was born in 1817 and the mother in 1811. They came west in 1849 and settled near Hagerstown, where the father did carpenter work as well as farming. He first purchased forty acres of land, but about eighteen months later sold this tract and moved into the edge of Henry county, on a farm of eighty acres. He lived there until 1890, when he removed to Ilagerstown and resided there until his death, which occurred in 1895, and his widow passed away in 1891. John M. received his educational training in the district school known as the "Chicago School," attending its sessions during the winter months and working on his father's farm in the summer until twenty years old. For the next few years he farmed and also worked at the carpenter trade, and in 1872 entered into a partnership with his brother, William M., and Zachariah Teeter and Jacob Teeter, in the saw-mill and general contracting and building business. Zachariah Teeter disposed of his interest to Henry Keagy in 1882. and in 1883 Jacob Teeter sold his interest in the concern to the other partners. In 1891 William M. Werking withdrew from the firm, leaving John M. and Mr. Keagy as the sole owners. John M. Werking did much of the work about the mill and for several years gave much attention to contracting and building for the concern, but since 1895 has looked after the mill work, doing but little carpenter work himself. The concern has constructed many honses in Richmond, Cambridge City, New Castle, and other places. Mr. Werking is the sixth in a family of eight children born to his parents, the others being: Jacob, deceased; Mary, deceased ; William M., who lives retired on his farm, a half-mile west of Hagerstown; David, deceased; Hannah, wife of Aaron Woollard, a farmer in Jefferson township; Martin, deceased. ,and Kate, wife of Mark Lewis, a retired farmer of Kalispeel, Mont.
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Mr. Werking was united in matrimony to Miss Louisa Grisum, daughter of James and Susan (Campbell) Grisum, who for many years were residents of Henry county, and of this umon there was born a son, Frank, in 1872. The first wife dying, in 1902, Mr. Werking was married to Mrs. Julia ( Brown) Fritz, of Hagers- town, daughter of Elisha and Polly Brown, farmers of Jefferson township. Mr. Werking has always gained his livelihood in the saw-mill and contracting business and is an enthusiastic follower of his calling. He is a member of the Board of Directors and also vice-president of the Citizens' State Bank at Hagerstown. In politics he is an ardent champion of the Republican party and for some fifteen years served on the town council, though he has never been a seeker after public office, believing that the office should seek the man rather than the man the office. Hle is a liberal as regards his religious views and is affiliated with no par- ticular church society. In 1900, the firm of which he is a member purchased the old Mason farm, described as the southwest quar- ter of section 27 and the northwest quarter of section 34, in Jef- ferson township, and consisting of 317 acres of excellent timber land ; and this they have since cleared of timber, using the product in their mill business. In 1906 they purchased eighty acres in Henry county, for the timber, and most of this has been utilized by the mill.
David M. Werking, one of the sterling citizens whose memory linked the pioneer era in Wayne county with the latter days of opulent prosperity and advanced civilization, was one of the repre- sentative farmers of this section and was a citizen who ever com- manded the high regard of all who knew him. He came to this county with his parents when a lad of six years, and his reminis- cences of the early days were ever interesting and graphic. Mr. Werking continued his interests in Wayne county until 1876, when he removed to a farm in Liberty township, Henry county, three miles west of Hagerstown, where he resided until his death, Feb. 12, 1910. His memory is revered by all who came within the sphere of his kindly and generous influence. Like many others of the honored pioneers of this county, Mr. Werking was a native of beautiful old Bedford county, Pennsylvania, born Dec. 27, 1842. lle was a son of John M. and Catherine (Miller) Werking. In 1849 these parents emigrated to the State of Indiana and num- bered themselves among the early settlers of Wayne county. The father secured a tract of land in Jefferson township and reclaimed a considerable portion of it from the virgin forest before he was summoned from the scene of life's mortal endeavors. Both he and his wife remained on the homestead mentioned until they were summoned to that "undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns." Further mention of the family may be found in the sketches of the careers of John M. Werking, John E. Werking, Henry W. Keagy, and Charles E. Werking, on other pages of this volume. As already stated, the subject of this memoir was six years of age at the time when his parents, re- moved from the old Keystone State to Wayne county. He was
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reared to manhood under the scenes and influences of the pioneer era and his early educational privileges were limited to the primi- tive district schools, which were maintained by the pioneers with no slight difficulty and sacrificing. Although to some extent he followed other lines of employment, he never wavered in his ai- legiance to the great basic art of agriculture, and through his en- ergy and ability it was his to attain to more than ordinary suc- cess. He followed the cooper trade a few years in early life and then for a time operated rented farms. In 1871 he removed. to Stony Creek township. Henry county, and in company with David Replogle operated a grist mill four years. In 1876 he moved to Liberty township. Henry county, where he purchased a farm of sixty-one acres, three miles west of Hagerstown, where his widow maintains her home. He made the best of improvements on this farm and his homestead stands as one of the model places of Liberty township-a perpetual monument to his well directed efforts and good judgment as a business man. He ordered his life upon a high plane of integrity and honor, was tolerant and kindly in his association with his fellow men, and his genial per- sonality gained and retained to him inviolable friendships, of which he was ever deeply appreciative. In connection with his farm- ing interests he conducted a mill for six or eight years and a few years managed a threshing outfit. He never manifested aught of desire to enter the arena of practical politics, though a staunch supporter of the cause of the Republican party, and took a loyal and intelligent interest in the questions and issues of the hour. He contributed to the material and civic upbuilding of the com- munity in which he lived and his name merits an enduring place on the roll of the honored pioneers of this favored section of the Hoosier commonwealth. He was a zealous member of the Church of the Brethren from 1866 until the time of his death, and with that organization his widow also has been identified as an active member for forty-five years. On Oct. 8. 1865, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Werking to Miss Caroline Rowh, born near Baltimore, Md., Feb. 21, 1844, a danghter of John and Caroline ( Facialt ) Rowh, natives of Germany, the former born July 7, 1817, in the city of Baireuth, Bavaria. Mr. Rowh died in Jeffer- son township, Wayne county, Indiana. April 7, 1898. . At the age of twenty-one he was married to Caroline Facialt, and in 1841, with his wife and two children-Magdalene and Thomas-sailed for America and landed at Baltimore on Nov. 18. His wife died in 1855, and abou a year later he married Lydia Brown, in Mary- land. Ile removed with his family to Indiana, in 1858, and located in Jefferson township, Wayne county, where he spent the re- mainder of his life. His widow resides at Hagerstown. In con- clusion is entered brief record concerning the six children of Mr. and Mrs. Werking: Susan Emma. born Nov. 8, 1866, remains with her mother on the old homestead ; Charles Ellsworth is given extended mention on another page of this volume; Mary Jane. born Sept. 4, 1871, is the wife of Jacob Hutchinson, of Hagers- town, and they have three children- -- Hughie, born July 1, 1899.
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Luther, born Oct. 24, 1892, and Marie, born Feb. 26, 1895; Martha Ellen, born June 6, 1875, is the widow of John Grisum and the mother of two children-Ethel, born Sept. 9, 1893, and Ralph, born May 8, 1899; Oscar David, born May 12, 1878, married Josie Moore; and Carrie Bell was born Nov. 12, 1883.
John E. Werking, for many years a well known and influen- tial saw and planing-mill man at Hagerstown, first beheld the light of day in Jefferson township, Aug. 15, 1864, a son of William Miller and Lucy ( Walker) Werking, natives respectively of Penn- sylvania and Kentucky. The father was born May 14, 1840, in Bedford county, Pennsylvania. At the age of about nine years he came west with his parents-John M. and Catherine ( Miller) Werking-who settled in Jefferson township, in 1849, on a farm near Hagerstown, and there John M. Werking followed his trade of carpenter as well as farming. William M. Werking secured his education in the district schools, and in 1861 commenced work- ing at carpentering, which trade he followed until 1871, when he entered the saw-mill business at Jacksonburg, in partnership with a Mr. Bowman. In 1872 he disposed of his interest to his partner and removed to a small place one mile west of Hagerstown, where he entered the saw-mill business in company with his brother,- John M., who is given extended mention on another page,- Jacob Teeter and Zachariah Teeter. The concern did general saw milling and contract work. In 1891, William M. Werking with- drew from this firm, selling his interest to his brother-John M. -- and Henry Keagy, and in 1894 he erected a saw-mill plant a hali mile west of and adjacent to Hagerstown, on an eighty-acre tract which he purchased of William Purdy. In 1900 he sold sixty-five acres of this tract to David Swoveland, and still retains fifteen acres for general purposes and pasture. Since 1895 he has lived retired, his sons-John E. and David-actively carrying on the mill business. He has ever been a loyal Republican in politics, but never fostered ambition for public office. Mrs. Werking is a member of the Church of the Brethren, which is presided over by the Rev. Lewis Teeter. Lucy ( Walker) Werking, the mother of John E .. is a daughter of Dr. James and Clarissa (Smith) Walker, natives respectively of Vermont and Indiana. The fam- ily was living in Kentucky at the time of the death of the mother, and later Dr. Walker removed to Hagerstown. There were ten children in the family, and of these but one is living. Dr. Walker was born June 25, 1809, and died in the fall of 1887, well known in Hagerstown, after a long and useful career. William M. and Lucy ( Walker) Werking were married Sept. 27, 1863. John E. Werking acquired his education in the schools of District No. 4, in Jefferson township, dividing the days of his early youth be- tween the school room and his father's mill, and at an early age learned the lesson of hard work and self-dependence. Later he became an employe in the mill of Teeter & Werking, in which he worked at the carpenter business until 1894, when, with his father, he erected the mill which he now so succesfully conducts, and of which he has had control since 1895. At the inception of this mill
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some attention was given to the side line of furniture manufac- turing, but the other mill interests caused that to be dispensed with. The business has been a flourishing one since the start, and John E. and his brother David conducted the business under the firm name of Werking Brothers until the spring of. 1911, when John E. purchased his brother's interest. In 1905 the brothers erected a cider and sorghum-mill in connection with the saw mill, and in the years 1909-10 rented and operated the 140 acres which is known as the "Tidewater Farm," purchased in 1908 by the Tidewater Pipe Line Company, but now owned by Robert Whar- ton. Like his respected and honored sire, politically, Mr. Werk- ing has allied himself with the Republican party, though he has not been an office-secker. Fraternally he has membership in the Subordinate Lodge, No. 25, and Encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Hagerstown, and he was one of the or- ganizers of the Hagerstown Fair Association. Lucy ( Walker) Werking, mother of John E., had six brothers and two half- brothers who served as soldiers in the Civil war, and they are all deceased. Of the union of William M. and Lucy ( Walker) Werk- ing there were born eleven children: John E. is the first in order of birth; Sarah Alice, born July 5, 1866, is the wife of Will Wil- liams, a farmer in Jefferson township, a former marriage having been to Martin Shultz, who is deceased-of the first union there is a son, Harry E., and of the second four daughters, Gladys, Lucy, Dorothy, and Nellie; David O., born Sept. 28, 1868, is married to Laura Holler; Martin O., born July 5, 1871, is mar- ried to Josephine Davis, and they have three children-Russell, George, and Mary; Myrtle M., born June 5, 1874. is a trained nurse by occupation and resides at the parental home; Rena .A., born April 8, 1877, also resides at home; Ella Pearl, born March 1, 1879, is the wife of Richard McShirley, a grocer at Hagers- town; William H., born June 25, 1881, and Rose J., born Sept. 4, 1883, reside at the parental home; Ida O., born Oct. 17, 1886, died Ang. 20, 1887; and Hazel A., born June 29, 1889, is the wife of Raymond Hogue, of Hagerstown.
Cornelius Edward Wiley, deceased, a successful farmer and stock-buyer of Wayne county, who later in life increased his oc- cupation to that of meat-dealer in the city of Richmond, was born on a farm near Bethel, Wayne county, Oct. 11, 1855. He was a son of Martin and Elizabeth (Van Nuys) Wiley, natives of Franklin township, Wayne county, where they were married. The father followed farming in the earlier part of his life, but later engaged in the keeping of a general store at Bethel, and for a period was trustee of Franklin township. For about ten years prior to his death he lived a retired life and his death occurred in 1889, his wife following him into the Great Unknown in 1895. They were both buried at Bethel. Our subject has one brother and one sister, both living. Matilda is the wife of Jacob Polley, of Bethel, and Abraham L. resides in Pittsburgh, Pa. Cornelius E. Wiley was educated at the district schools of his native town- ship. ITis entire life up to a little more than two years prior to
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his death was spent on the farm which he continued to own, and from an early age he practically had charge of the same, engaging exclusively in general farming for about three years, and then de- voted his attention largely to buying and shipping stock, which occupation he followed twenty-five years. His farm consisted of 100 acres and was kept in a high state of cultivation. In the fall of 1908, Mr. Wiley removed to Richmond, where he was engaged in the meat business, having engaged in this business in January, 1910. Socially, he was a member of the lodge of Knights of Pythias at Hollandsburg, Ohio, and of the Royal Order of Moose at Richmond. In politics he was a Republican on all national affairs and at the time of his death was the chairman of the Wayne County Republican Central Committee. While living in Frank lin township he was elected justice of the peace, serving four years in that position, and was also elected trustee of the township, serving in that capacity five years and eight months. He was then elected a member of the board of commissioners of Wayne county and served six years in that position, his term ending in January, 1910. His religious faith was expressed by membership in the Christian church at Richmond, of which his wife is also a member. On Oct. 16, 1880, our subject was united in the bonds of wedlock with Miss Josie M. Hunt, daughter of Francis M. and Lydia A. (Harris) Ilunt, old and highly respected citizens of Franklin township. The father now lives in Fountain City and the mother is deceased. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Wiley four children were born: Charles T., of Richmond; Amber, wife of George Irelan, of Bethel; Russell M., of Richmond ; and William Earl, who resides at home with his mother. Charles T. completed a four-year course at Purdue University, the daughter was edu- cated at the White Water High School, and William Earl is a stu- dent in the Richmond schools. In addition to his other interests Mr. Wiley was a director of the People's Banking Company at Hollandsburg, Ohio. lle died March 20, 1911.
Jacob Williams, one of the leading men of his locality, was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. The date of his birth was March 3. 1827, and his parents were Daniel and Margaret (Weber) Williams, the former a native of Guilford county, North Carolina, born in 1793, and the latter a native of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Daniel Williams was reared a member of the Society of Friends and devoted practically his entire life to. the ministry and the interests of that church. When a young man of twenty-one years he wended his way to Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, intending to locate there permanently. Ile began his ministry there, and there met Miss Margaret Zerns, who be- came his wife. Of their union were born five children: Lydia who married Joel W. Hiatt, of Wayne county, Indiana ; Rebecca, who married Silas Bond, of Wayne county ; Susan, who married John Murphy, of Wayne county; Nathan Il., who died in Ran- dolph county, Indiana; and Mary, who married Elwood Albert- son, of Wayne county, and one of her sons, Albert Albertson, is NOW ( 1910) treasurer of Wayne county. All of these five children
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are deceased, Lydia and Rebecca both living to a ripe old age and passing away in their nineties. For his second wife Daniel Wil- liams chose Mrs. Margaret . ( Weber) Shoemaker, a native of Mont- gomery county, Pennsylvania, of German descent. Of this union were born six children, the first five being born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, and the youngest in Wayne county, Indiana. They were as follows: Solomon, who died in Hamilton county, Indiana ; Jesse B., who passed away in Wayne county ; Jacob, who is the subject of this sketch; Sarah, who married William Hunt and passed away near Rockville, Parke county; Margaretta, who married Jonathan Thorne and removed to the State of Washing- ton, locating at Walla Walla, but later removed to Pendleton, Ore., where they resided until their respective deaths, but both are buried at Walla Walla, Wash .; and Daniel, Jr., the youngest child, was born and reared in Wayne county, where he spent his entire life on a farm, dying in Green township. Ile married Cynthia Ann Hayworth and they had two children, of whom the elder, Dillon II., resides in Kansas. Margaretta was a very successful minister of the Friends' church and began preaching as a young lady, prior to her marriage. After the death of his second wife, Daniel Wil- liams, Sr., was united in marriage to Miss Lydia Rider and they had one child, King R., who resides in Richmond, Ind. After a long and useful career as a minister in his beloved church the father passed away at his home in Green township, Ang. 14, 1873. Prior to his death he visited various countries in Europe, preaching with great success wherever he went. He removed with his family to Wayne county, in 1833, and located in Green township. There his second wife, the mother of Jacob Williams, passed away at the age of fifty-six years, an active member of the church and a devoted wife and mother. Later, while preaching in New York State, the father met and married his third wife, as before mentioned. The elder Williams was a quiet and industrious man, habits that were im- pressed upon him in his younger days, spent among the Quaker people, a sect from whom his ideals were taken and a people who never say ill of their brethren or neighbors. Jacob Williams, at the age of six years, accompanied his parents from their Penn- sylvania home to Wayne county. They were provided with three teams-one three-horse wagon loaded with household effects, one large two-horse carriage in which the family rode, and a one-horse wagon in which rode five of the other children, two of them be- ing Charles and Tacy Shoemaker, children of Mrs. Williams by her first husband, Elijah Shoemaker, deceased. On their arrival in Wayne county, in the spring of 1833, they began housekeeping in the house now owned by Calvin Fulghum, and which is yet in a good state of repair, located on Main street in Fountain City, the place then being called Newport. In about three months the family removed to a farm in Green township, locating upon land that is considered very valuable to-day. There Jacob Williams was reared, receiving his education in the district schools of Green township and engaging in all kinds of farm work incident ,to pioneer life. Ilis schooling was limited to a short winter term in
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