USA > Indiana > Memorial record of northeastern Indiana > Part 33
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He located at Montpelier September 15, 1873, where he very successfully practiced his profession till stricken with an illness that eventually terminated in his death.
April 7, 1870, he was married to Miss Mari- etta Ely, a native of Blackford county, In- diana, and a daughter of John and Keziah (Richardson) Ely, who were natives of Ohio, came from Licking county and settled in Blackford county in 1850. Mr. Ely depart- ed this life April 22, 1869. Mrs. Ely still lives, with Mrs. Wilt. Of the three children born to Dr. and Mrs. Wilt but one survives, Adelbert Irvine. John F. died at the age of twenty-two months, and Virgil Edgar, a promising youth of eight years, was drowned January 12, 1885, in the Salamonie river.
Dr. Wilt was a valued member of the Blackford County Medical Society. He was also a member of the Masonic order, and in politics he was a staunch Republican. For ten years after settling in Montpelier he very successfully followed his calling, and built up a large and lucrative practice. He was taken sick July 5, 1893, with la grippe first, and three weeks later he was taken to Indianapolis, to be treated by the celebrated Dr. Fletcher, by whom his disease was pronounced a mental and nervous dis- order. Three weeks later he returned to his home, where he remained till January, 1895, when he was taken to Fort Wayne to receive treatment from Dr. Myers, a noted specialist, but without benefit. His malady was mental, alike unyielding to science, lov- ing care and tender nursing. He lingered until April 1, 1895, when the death angel called and bore him to the land of "many mansions," where sickness and death do not enter.
When stricken with his fatal sickness he was forty-five years of age, and he had then just reached the height of his physical and mental powers. He was ambitious, had worked hard to properly care for his large practice, to which he personally attended
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when he should himself have been under the care of a physician. All that skill and the care of a devoted wife could do for two years availed nothing, except to smooth the way and ease his suffering. He was a Chris- tian man and a useful member of the Baptist Church. He was laid to rest in the Odd Fellows' Cemetery, receiving Masonic burial. Mrs. Wilt is quietly residing at the home- stead in Montpelier, surrounded by many sympathetic friends and former friends of her husband who all revere the memory of the late departed.
B ERNARD HUNSEL, one of the most progressive and enterprising merchants of Garrett, Indiana, dealing in gents' furnishing goods, hats, caps, boots and shoes, and in addition doing a general merchant-tailoring business, was born in Westphalia, Germany, on the 12th of March, 1851, and is a son of Henry and Gertrude (Hilgenberg Schulte) Hunsel. With his sister Elizabeth and her husband, John Westhoff, he sailed from Bremen on the 2d of November, 1872, and landed at New York. He was then a young man of twenty-one years, who was ambitious to make for himself a good home in the New World. Mr. Hunsel continued his journey westward to Effingham, Illinois, and there secured work with J. Fletcher, a tailor. He had learned the business in his native land, having at the age of sixteen been appren- ticed for a three-years term to Gerhardt Holtweber. After his term of service had expired he worked as a journeyman until emigrating to the United States. He con- tinued his residence in Effingham until the Ist of March, 1873, when he went to Chi- cago and entered the employ of Mr. Gatz-
ert, who was then doing business on State street. In the fall of 1873 he removed to St. Louis, where he remained for about three months. He then spent four months in Cairo, Illinois, and on the expiration of that period entered St. Joseph's College at Teutopolis, Illinois, where he continued for six months.
It was at this time that Mr. Hunsel came to Indiana, spending a half year in Madison. He then returned to St. Louis, where he remained for a year and a half, when he again went to Chicago, which was his place of abode until locating in Garrett, on the 6th of December, 1876. He came here to take charge of the business of Michael Zim- mer, who ran a tailoring establishment and shoe store. He was thus employed for fif- teen months, after which he bought out Mr. Zimmer and began business in his own in- terests. On the ist of January, 1879, he purchased the substantial store building at the corner of King and Cowan streets, where he has since conducted his business. He started out with a capital of only $275, but has constantly enlarged his facilities to meet the growing demand of the trade, and now has a very extensive stock, valued at $15,000. He carries everything found in a first-class establishment of the kind and turns out an excellent class of work from the merchant tailoring department. Earnest efforts to please his customers and straight- forward, honorable dealing have brought him a liberal. patronage. He has extended his business to other towns and put in a similar stock at Uniontown, Whitman coun- ty, Washington, valued at $4,500. This was in January, 1895, and the business there is managed by his brother-in-law, John Westhoff, and J. A. Schultz, postmaster of the place.
R. J. Having.
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Mr. Hunsel was married in Garrett, No- vember 11, 1886, the lady of his choice be- ing Miss Theresa Loth, daughter of Peter and Magdalena (Hoffman) Loth, born Oc- tober 12, 1860. Three children grace their union: Henry, born June 20, 1888; Carl, born February 7, 1891 ; and Reginia, born August 12, 1893.
By his ballot, Mr. Hunsel supports the men and measures of the Democracy. He is at present serving as City Treasurer of Garrett, a position which he has held for twelve years with credit to himself and satis- faction to his constituents. He is a mem- ber of the Catholic Church, is a wide-awake and broad-minded man who has traveled quite extensively, and is a citizen whom this community could ill afford to lose.
ICHARD H. MARING, who is num- bered among the most prominent farmers and among the leading and influential citizens of Whitley coun- ty, was born on the farm which is still his home, on the 13th of April, 1859, and is a worthy representative of one of the honored pioneer families. His father, Leonard S. Maring, was born in Richland county, Ohio, in 1817, and was a son of Philip and Sarah (Lash) Maring, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Virginia. The grandfather of our subject was a soldier in the war of 1812, and became one of the earliest settlers of Richland county, Ohio. About 1845 he came with his wife to Whit- ley county, Indiana, locating in Washing- ton township, where they spent their re- maining days. Having arrived at years of maturity Leonard S. Maring was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Bell, a native of Richland county, born in 1820, and a
daughter of Rev. Zephaniah and Margaret Bell. The father was a Wesleyan Methodist minister and preached in Ohio for a good many years, after which he took up his resi- dence in Whitley county, then on the front- ier, where he continued his ministerial labors until his death. He was one of the prominent preachers of his day, most highly respected and winning friends everywhere.
The parents of our subject celebrated their marriage in Richland county, Ohio, and came to Whitley county in 1843, set- tling at first in Washington township, but removing the following year to the farm which is now owned by Richard H. Maring. Their first home was a log cabin, built in the midst of the forest. As acre after acre was placed under the plow the tract of land was transformed from a wild region into one of rich fertility and became one of the fine farms of the county. Mr. Maring took quite an active interest in political affairs, was one of the early Trustees of his township and was elected the first Justice of the Peace after the township organization. Both he and his wife held membership with the Church of God, being members of the local society known as the Evergreen Bethel Church, in which he took quite an active part, serving as Trustee and as Superintend- ent of the Sunday-school for a number of years. Both were estimable people, whose many excellent traits of character won the re- gard of all. The father died February 22, 1892, and the mother's death occurred July 8, 1880. Their family numbered six children, three of whom are now living: Amina, wife of Simon Bennett, of Forest, Indiana; Wealthy; Richard H .; Charles H., who died at the age of twenty-four; Flora C., who died at the age of eight; and an infant, deceased.
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Our subject is the only surviving son of the family. His childhood and youth were passed on the old homestead farm, which is therefore dear to him from early associa- tions as well as because it is the home of his later life. He was educated in the schools of Columbia City, was also a student in the Normal School, of Valparaiso, Indiana, and at the age of eighteen years began teaching, being employed for five terms in the public schools. He took a course in penmanship (Spencerian) in a business college in Cleve- land, Ohio, and then a course at the Insti- stute of Penmanship, at Delaware, Ohio, after which he organized and taught classes in penmanship and subsequently was em- ployed as a teacher of that branch of study in a business college. He has since carried on farming and now has the old place under a high state of cultivation and improved with the accessories and conveniences which go to make up the model farm.
On the 15th of May, 1884, was cele- brated the marriage of Mr. Maring and Miss Vallona Shinneman, a native of Columbia City and a daughter of Adam and Vallona (Pond) Shinneman. Her parents both died during her early girlhood and she was reared by Isaac Shinneman, one of the early set- tlers of Whitley county, obtaining her edu- cation in the schools of Columbia City. One child graces the union of our subject and his wife, Mayolo.
Mr. Maring holds membership in the Universalist Church, has attended many of its State conventions, and is a delegate from Elkhart Association for the year 1895. In his political affiliations he is a stanch Re- publican, and has served as township com- mitteeman for ten years. He has been a delegate to both the State and Congressional conventions and is recognized as one of the
leaders of the party in this county. He took the United States census in Jefferson township in 1880 and again in 1890, was elected County Clerk of Whitley county in the fall of 1894, and in November, 1895, will enter upon the duties of that office for a term of four years. He is faithful and true to every trust reposed in him and with- out doubt will prove a most acceptable officer in the new position. His farm com- prises 130 acres of richly improved land, and to-day he is one of the substantial and valued citizens of the community.
HOMAS HOLMES STEWART, who is now practically living a re- tired life in Garrett, Indiana, is one of the most honored and esteemed residents of the northeastern part of the State. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 17th of July, 1822, and is a son of Nathan and Mary (Vincent) Stewart. The grandfather, Thomas Stewart, was probably born in New England, but it is thought that his father was a native of Scotland and the founder of the family in America. The great-grandfather on the maternal side was a native of England, and the grandfather was born in New England.
Nathan Stewart, the father of our sub- ject, was born on Martha's Vineyard (island), Massachusetts, and in 1815 removed to Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a tanner by trade and engaged in the manufacture of harness, boots and shoes. He died at the age of fifty-eight years, of yellow fever, which was brought up the Ohio and Mississippi rivers from the South in March, 1852. His wife died in Cincinnati, in March, 1844, of erysipelas, when fifty years of age. Their children were ten in number, five sons and
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five danghters, of whom eight grew to ma- turity. After the death of the mother Mr. Stewart was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Roberts.
Mr. Stewart, of this sketch, acquired his early education in the public schools and read a course of theology under the in- struction of Rev. Silas Dudley, a Freewill Baptist minister. In 1845 he was licensed to preach, and in 1847, in Cincinnati, he was elected to be a missionary. His duties called him to Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, where he did principally city work. In 1848 he removed to Indiana and shortly afterward took charge of the Indiana Yearly Meeting. He located near Vevay, Switzer- land county, Indiana, where he remained for ten years. He changed his church re- lationship to the regular Missionary Baptist in 1854. In the spring of 1855 he was made pastor of the Vevay church, a congre- gation of that denomination, and in 1858 was called to the pastorate of the church in Madison, Indiana. In 1859 he removed to Indianapolis, having charge of the mission- ary work in that city for five years, and dur- ing his services there established a mission that has since become what is known as the South Church, which is now one of the rich- est in the State.
In 1863 Mr. Stewart felt that his country needed his services and enlisted as Chaplain of the Ninth Indiana Cavalry. He went as far as Louisville, Kentucky, but was there discharged on account of the hip disease from which he was suffering. This did not end his service, however, for he did all he could for the cause at his home, and had been very active in recruiting his regiment. He had previously served as First Lieuten- ant in the State Guards in Cincinnati, and always felt an interest in military affairs.
He also aided in caring for the sick and wounded in the hospitals during the war, doing much to alleviate the sufferings of his fellow men in both mind and body. After his return to Indiana, he was called to the pastorate of the Baptist Church in Craw- fordsville, where he remained for a year and a half, and then took charge of the Delphi Baptist Church, where he continued for three years. He was also pastor of the church in Kendallville for a year and a half. Subsequently, Mr. Stewart took up the study of medicine, and in 1880 was graduated at the American Eclectic Medical College, of Cincinnati. He then located in Indianapo- lis, where for three years he was a trustee and professor in the Eclectic Medical Col- lege, of Cincinnati, and in 1884 he came to Garrett, where he has since practically lived retired.
Dr. Stewart was first married October 11, 1846, to Margaret Cotts Gentle, daugh- ter of William and Mary Gentle. She died September 22, 1847, at the age of twenty years. On the 11th of July, 1848, the Doctor was married, in Switzerland county, Indiana, to Mrs. Effie Stone, widow of Abraham Stone and a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (O'Neil) McHenry. The lady was born January 21, 1824, and is still liv- ing, with her husband in Garrett. Her father was born January 20, 1780, and died in May, 1856. Her mother, whose birth oc- curred December 19, 1782, passed away October 4, 1874. The Doctor and his wife became the parents of the following chil- dren: Isaiah Joseph, who was born April 13, 1849, married Jennie Lester, at Port Huron, Michigan, and is now a railroad con- ductor; Ezra Nathan, born October 17, 1850, died September 2, 1851; William Perry, born July 10, 1852, died on the 4th of Au-
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gust following: Addison James, born Oc- tober 4, 1853, married to Blanche Reyher, at Goshen, Indiana, October 6, 1874: he is merchandising in Garrett; Elsie Amanda, born September 8, 1855, died May 17, 1857; Charles Spurgeon, born October 29, 1857, was graduated in the medical department of Ann Arbor University in the spring of 1891 and is now practicing in Garrett; he is a railroad surgeon for the Baltimore & Ohio road, a member of the American Medical Association and other medical societies; Edward Thomas, born December 1, 1859, died July 20, 1860; and Emma Elizabeth, born October 31, 1861, is the wife of Fred B. Griffice, a merchant of Garrett; she is a fine musician and was instructed in that art at the Cincinnati College of Music.
In his political views in early life, Dr. Stewart, whose name heads thissketch, was a Free-Soiler. In 1848 he was a member of the Free-Soil convention which met at Indianapolis and ratified the nomination of Martin Van Buren. In 1852 he organized the first Prohibition convention of Ohio and Switzerland counties, Indiana, at East En- terprise, and it was the first convention of the kind in the West; but the prohibitory law of Maine had been passed the previous year. A full county ticket was placed in the field and the candidates were nominatad for the positions of State Senator and Repre- sentative, our subject being the latter. In 1853 he helped to organize the Sons of Tem- perance in Indiana. In 1854 the Prohibi- tion party elected Dr. P. F. Sage, of Swit- zerland county, Indiana, to the Legislature. His seat was contested but he succeeded in maintaining it, and in the session of the Gen- eral Assembly of 1854 a prohibitory law was passed, which went into effect in June, 1855, and was enforced for six months. Mr. Stew-
art was very active in helping to enforce this law in Switzerland county, but the law was finally declared unconstitutional by Judge Perkins of the Supreme Court of Indiana.
In 1864, Mr. Stewart became a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and ever since then has labored for the es- tablishment of the principles of the order. He has lectured at Odd Fellows' celebra- tions in all of the Middle States, and on sev- eral occasions has been appointed by the Grand Lodge of Indiana a special deputy to visit and adjust differences between certain lodges and their members. On the twenty- fifth anniversary of his initiation into the I. O. O. F. the members of Garrett Lodge presented him with a "veteran jewel " of the order as a token of their appreciation of his services to the order.
Prior to the war, Mr. Stewart was a stanch abolitionist and aided many negroes who were on their way to freedom. During the days of the war he supported the Re- publican party and the Union cause, and since that time has been identified with the Prohibition party, and has on six different occasions been nominated for the Senator- ship. He is a benefactor and a friend of all that is calculated to uplift and benefit hu- manity. His life has been well spent and upon his honorable career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil.
PILLIAM SELL, who owns and occupies a nice farm on section 34, Columbia township, Whitley county, Indiana, is one of the representative farmers of his vicinity and is entitled to some personal consideration in this work.
Mr. Sell springs from German ancestry,
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his grandfather Sell being a native of Ger- many and an early settler of Pennsylvania. In Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, his father, Henry B. Sell, was born and spent his boyhood days. At the age of eigh- teen he came west as far as Stark county, Ohio, where he was subsequently united in marriage to Miss Nancy Eberhard, a native of Maryland; and was for some years engaged in farming in Stark county. In 1842 Mr. Sell moved with his family to Liberty Mills, Wabash county, Indiana, and the following spring came over into Whitley county, settling first on section 32, of Columbia township, and later moving to section 33. This part of the country was then all a dense forest, and he had to cut his way through the woods for about three miles when he located here. The chief inhabitants of this part of Indiana at that time were Indians and wild animals, and there were only two other white fami- lies that had made settlement in this vicinity. Mr. Sell at first built a shanty and cleared about four acres and a half of ground, and after this erected a hewed-log house, in which he made his home for seven or eight years. It was at the end of this time that he moved on to section 33, the farm now occupied by Henry Sell. Here the pioneer father and mother passed the residue of their lives and died. Both were devoted Christians, he being a member of the Lu- theran and she of the Reformed Church. They were the parents of the following children: Catharine, who married William Seivers and had five children; John, Vina, Nancy, Solomon and George-all of whom are deceased; the living are: William (the subject of this sketch), Henry, Solomon and Elizabeth.
William Sell dates his birth in Stark
county, Ohio, August 2, 1837, and at the time of the removal of the family to Indiana he was five years old. On his father's fron- tier farm he grew up, receiving only limited advantages for an education. He worked hard in helping to clear the farm on which they first settled and also has helped to clear two others. The nearest school was two miles away and during the winter months when he attended it he walked two miles in the morning and back again in the evening. He is now the owner of 160 acres of choice land, 135 of which are improved and under cultivation. All the improve- ments on this place have been put here by him.
Mr. Sell was married September 2, 1860, to Miss Martha Jane Ridenour, who was born May 16, 1841, daughter of Andrew and Margaret (Rebeck) Ridenour, both na- tives of Pennsylvania. The Ridenour fam- ily came to Whitley county, Indiana, in 1856 or '57 and settled west of South Whit- ley. Her parents are both deceased. In their family were nine children. Septem- ber 16, 1871, Mrs. Sell died. She was the mother of seven children, five of whom are now living, namely: B. Franklin, Henry J., William J., Catharine and. Miladore; the two deceased are Theodore and Charley. January 1, 1872, Mr. Sell married for his second wife Miss Annie Ridenour, a sister of his former companion. She was born August 8, 1853, and their union has been blessed in the birth of seven children, viz .: Cora Rockwell, Oscar, Isaac, Arthur and Bertha, living, besides Fanny and Johnney, deceased.
Mr. Sell and his family are identified with the Lutheran Church, in which he has for years been an active member, at times serving officially on the Church Board. He
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has always taken an interest in securing good schools, has served as Director of dis- trict No. 2, and has taken a pride in giving to his children better educational advantages than were accorded him in his youth. He has also served as Supervisor of his district. He casts his franchise with the Democratic party, and is a member in good standing of the Knights of Pythias.
J OHN DECKER is another one of the pioneers of Washington town- ship, Whitley county, Indiana, and another one of the worthy citizens of the county whose birth occurred back in the State of Pennsylvania. We take pleas- ure in here presenting a sketch of his life and ancestry.
Benjamin Decker, his father, was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, son of John Decker, a native of Germany, an early set- tler of the Keystone State and a soldier in the war of 1812. Grandfather Decker died in Pennsylvania. The maiden name of our Subject's mother was Rachel Swinehart, and she, too, was a native of Pennsylvania. Ben- jamin Decker and his family removed to Stark county, Ohio, in 1829, and there in the midst of the forest cleared up and improved a farm. On this farm he and his good wife spent the rest of their lives and died, both living to advanced ages. He died in Feb- ruary, 1887, at the age of ninety-four; she, in 1877, at eighty-one. They had ten chil- dren, all of whom reached maturity, name- ly: Catharine Myers; Jacob, deceased; Rachel Krieg; Sarah Stultz; John, whose name introduces this article; David; Eliza- beth Kroft: Mary Niteig; Christina Hershey; and Henry. Jacob served through the Civil war as a Union soldier. The parents were
members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and in politics the father was a Democrat.
John Decker, the immediate subject of this review, was born March 14, 1825, in Center county, Pennsylvania, and in Stark county, Ohio, was reared, receiving a limited education in the district schools. In the fall of 1845 he came to Whitley county, Indiana, and worked out as a clearing hand and rail-splitter, and two years later bought land here. After this he devoted his time and attention to clearing his own land, at the time of purchase it being all covered with heavy timber. A hewed-log house erected and a few acres cleared, and Mr. Decker's next object was to secure a help- mate, which he did in 1851, and here they began housekeeping. Throughout the years which have intervened both have done much hard work, and as a result of their earnest and honest toil they are now comfortably situated to enjoy life. To his original 160 acres, Mr. Decker has added forty acres more, and a half of the whole tract is cleared and under cultivation.
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