USA > Indiana > Memorial record of northeastern Indiana > Part 49
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The Beeson family was founded in America by three brothers who came to this country with William Penn and were mem- bers of the Society of Friends. The pater- nal grandfather was William Beeson, and the father, Henry Beeson, was a native of Columbiana county, Ohio. The latter married Miss Catherine Eisemann, a native of Alsace, France, their marriage being cele- brated in Stark county, Ohio, after which they settled at Canal Dover in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where they both died in 1844. They left four children, two of whom are now living, E. B. of this sketch, and Mrs. Caroline Sleesman.
Our subject was born in Canal Dover, October 28, 1837, and was left an orphan at the age of seven years, after which he was bound out to an aunt, on whose farm he remained until sixteen years of age. His education was obtained in a log school- house, and his advantages along that line and in other directions were very meager. On leaving his aunt's home, he entered the employ of Mr. Kuhn, with whom he re- mained for two years, when he took a drove of sheep from Stark county, Ohio, to Har- risburg, Pennsylvania. The year 1856 wit- nessed his arrival in Whitley county, Indiana, which was then a wild region, almost on the border of civilization, there being plenty of deer and turkeys in the woods at that time. Mr. Beeson appren-
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ticed himself to a blacksmith, with whom he served for three years, when he began reading law in the office of the firm of Myers & Cotton. A year later he entered the law office of J. S. Collins, but aban- doned his text-books in 1861 to enter the service of his country.
The smoke from Fort Sumter's guns had not yet cleared away when, on the 15th of April, he joined the three-months, troops at Columbia City, becoming a member of Com- pany E, Seventeenth Indiana Infantry. He was a non-commissioned officer, and with his command went to West Virginia, taking part in the battle of Greenbrier, and after- ward in those of Shiloh, McMinnville, Mun- fordville and Corinth. The regiment was then mounted and chased General Clay- bourn's division to Hoover's Gap. They were in almost continuous service from that time up to the battle of Chickamauga, and later participated in the battle of Farming- ton and all the engagements of the Atlanta campaign. They several times met in bat- tle the forces under General Hood. Later they were transferred to Wilson's command, participated in the engagement at Bogue's creek, and at Selma, Alabama, captured more prisoners than they numbered. Mr. Beeson was never wounded or captured, and was always found at his post of duty as a faithful defender of the Union cause. For a long time he served as Color Bearer, and when mustered out held the rank of Orderly Sergeant. After four years and three months spent in the active service of his country, he was honorably discharged, at Macon, Georgia, on the 28th of August, 1865.
In February, 1866, Mr. Beeson married Miranda N. Compton, a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, and a daughter of James and Orpha Mossman) Compton, the former a
native of New Jersey and the latter of Ohio. Her father was twelve years of age when he located in the Buckeye State, and upon his marriage settled in Coshocton county, whence he removed in 1842 to Whitley county, Indi- ana. Here he settled in Richland township upon a tract of wild land. Indians were still in the neighborhood, and the work of progress and civilization seemed scarcely be- gun. In 1849 be removed to Columbia township, locating upon the farm which is now the home of our subject. Not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made thereon, but he at once began its develop- ment, and in course of time it yielded to him a good income. His wife died there in 1850, and his death occurred on the old homestead in 1866. He owned 900 acres of valuable land. In politics he was a Republican, and was a man of prominence in the community. Of the six children of the family, only two are now living, -Mrs. Beeson and Mrs. Mary Schrader.
Mrs. Beeson was born September 5, 1838, and was educated in a log school- house. Our subject and his wife have no children of their own, but have reared sev- eral, giving them the care and attention of true parents.
Mr. Beeson is one of the representative agriculturists of Whitley county. He now owns 277 acres of improved land, and in ad- dition to general farming is extensively in- terested in the raising of Oxford sheep, hav- ing at this time a flock of fifty head. He was the organizer of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company, in 1884, of which he was the first secretary and general busi- ness manager for five years. An enterpris- ing and wide-awake business man of sound judgment and keen discrimination, his suc- cess in life is the outgrowth of his own ef-
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forts. Thrown upon his own resources when a child of seven years, he has made the most of his opportunities, and has steadily worked his way upward to a position of affluence.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Beeson are active and prominent members of the Church of God, and for many years he has been a teacher in the Sunday-school, and served as its superintendent. Socially, he is con- nected with the Grand Army Post of Colum- bia City, and the Patrons of Husbandry, in which latter order he has passed all of the degrees, and for twenty-one years has been one of its lecturers. He is a fluent and forcible speaker, a man of broad general in- formation, and a genial, companionable gentleman whom it is a pleasure to meet.
ILL ELMER STRAWN, propri- etor of the New City Hotel, Montpelier, Indiana, has been identified with this place only three years, but in this brief time has estab- lished a good business and won an enviable reputation as a popular landlord.
Mr. Strawn was born in Bremen, Fair- field county, Ohio, April 23, 1862, son of Thomas Jefferson and Mary Magdaline (Holliday) Strawn, both natives of Ohio. His father was born in Perry county, June 10, 1835, and is now a resident of Mont- pelier; his mother. born May 8, 1843, in Fairfield county, died November 21, 1871, in her native county. They were married in the year 1860, and became the parents of three children: W. E., the subject of this sketch; Elizabeth Alice, wife of Allen G. Hart, was born September 28, 1867, and died March 27, 1887, her only child dying in infancy; and Mary Jane, born 23
October 21, 1871, lives in Ohio. The mother of these children was Mr. Strawn's second wife. His first wife, whose maiden name was Delila J. Grimes, and whom he married in 1857, had only one child and it died in infancy. February 6, 1873, he mar- ried for his third wife Miss Clarissa Ann Mesnard, and the children of this union are Charles, Mesnard, Hiram, Alva, Dell. Be- sides these they have two deceased. The paternal grandfather of our subject, whose name was Thomas Strawn, was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, and early in life emigrated with his father on a flatboat down the Ohio river, making settlement in Perry county, where he spent the residue of his life and where he died in 1875, at the age of seventy-six years. His wife was be- fore her marriage a Miss Bennett, and they reared a large family. The maternal grand- father of Mr. Strawn was John Holliday. He was one of the oldest pioneers of Fair- field county, Ohio. To him and his wife, whose maiden name was Miss Magdaline Ruffner, were born the following named children: Jacob R., William C., Joseph, John, Rebecca, Mary Magdaline and Emma.
Will E. Strawn had good educational ad- vantages in his youth and prepared himself for teaching. He, however, never engaged in that occupation. In March, 1876, his parents moved to New Lexington, Perry county, Ohio, where his father engaged in farming, and April 1, 1881, they came over into Indiana and located in Harrison town- ship, Blackford county, southwest of Mont- pelier. Upto this time, and for three years after, the subject of our sketch was a mem- ber of the home circle, except when away at school. February 1, 1884, he left home for Lincoln, Nebraska, with the double purpose of visiting relatives and friends and selecting
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a business location. On this trip he visited Burlington, Kansas, and Maryville, Missouri, and May 15, 1884, began work as general traveling agent for Weaver & Company, book publishers, then of Kansas City but now of Chicago. His career as a book agent covered several years and was attended with remarkable success. While with Weaver & Company he handled "A Tribute of Flowers to the Memory of Mother," the work of Dr. John McCoy, of Kansas City, and personally he sold 5,000 volumes. Then for seven months and a half he had a branch office at Atlanta, Georgia, during this time operating throughout Nebraska, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia, and selling through his sub-agents no less than 10,000 copies. For one year, from March, 1887, he repre- sented F. L. Patrick & Company, Columbus, Ohio, traveling on a salary and selling a work entitled "Beacon Light," by B. R. Cowen. After this he returned to his former employers, and was with them, all told, about five years, up to June 1, 1890. On the 5th of June, that same year, he was mar- ried at his old home in Ohio, and brought his bride to Montpelier. Life on the road was not conducive to good health, and at the end of his six years of travel he found it neces- sary to quit the business, on account of ill health, from which he has never wholly re- covered.
After his marriage he spent some time on his father's farm, remaining there until De- cember 6, 1892, when he moved into town and started a boarding-house on South Adams street. After a year at that location he took charge of the City Hotel, now called the Brunswick, which he operated eight months, and during that time did a $3,000 business. Then he bought his present prop- erty, and moved into the old building Feb-
ruary 19, 1895. Immediately afterward he began the erection of the new City Hotel building, which was rapidly pushed to com- pletion and finished April 28, and he moved into it in thirty-eight days from the time it was commenced. This new building has thirty-seven rooms, nicely finished and fur- nished, and will accommodate seventy-five people. But even this is not sufficient ac- commodation for his guests, and it his inten- tion in the near future to build an addition of eight rooms and bath. He now rents a six-room house in McGrew's addition and a ten-room house on the corner of Adams and Monroe streets. Besides the property above referred to, Mr. Strawn owns two lots in Montpelier.
He was married June 5, 1890, to Miss Maggie Eva Entley, who was born November 15, 1862, in Athens county, Ohio, daughter of Bernard and Malinda (Johnson) Entley. They have one child, Linden Rex, born Jan- uary 3, 1892.
Mr. Strawn casts his vote for Republican candidates, and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
J SOHN KREIDER claims Darke coun- ty, Ohio, as the place of his nativity, the date of his birth being May 29, 1845, but he has been identified with Whitley county, Indiana, since he was ten years old and for more than a quarter of a century has resided at his present location on section 12, Cleveland township.
Mr. Kreider's parents, Jacob and Eliza- beth (Brenner) Kreider, were natives of Ohio, the father born in 1809, and up to 1855 their lives were spent in that State. That year they moved over into Indiana and set- tled in Cleveland township, Whitley county.
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Here the mother died the following year. The father lived on the farm on which he first settled, and which he cleared and im- proved, until 1865, and subsequently he re- moved to Huntington county, where he still resides. He now has his third wife. The children of his first marriage are eight in number and as follows: Barbara Gable, George, Sarah Arnot, Joseph, Eliza, David, John, and Elizabeth Aultman.
John Kreider spent the first ten years of his life in his native county, then came with his parents to this State, and before he was twelve years old was deprived of a mother's love and care. He remained with his father until he was eighteen, assisting as much as he could in clearing and cultivating the farm, and a brief portion of each year attending school in a little log schoolhouse. Thus were passed his boyhood days. When he was eighteen he found a home with Abram Gable, and for some time thereafter worked out by the month. In January, 1865, he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Fifty-second Indiana Volunteers, and went to the front, being with the forces that par- ticipated in the East. His service was at Harper's Ferry, Charleston, Winchester and Camp Fiat. He was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, Indiana, in September, 1865.
After his discharge from the army, Mr. Kreider returned to Mr. Gable's and for a time continued to make that his home. He was married March 17, 1867, to Miss Hul- dah Wantz, daughter of Fred and Catherine (Wysong) Wantz. Her father was born Sep- tember 19, 1806, and died September 17, 1880; and her mother, born June 16, 1803, died January 27, 1884. The Wantz family came to Whitley county in 1844 and settled on the farm on which Mr. and Mrs. Kreider now live, Mr. Wantz entering it from the
Government when Indians and wild animals were much more plentiful here than white people. Of the eight children composing the Wantz family, only two are now living, - Melzine, wife of H. H. Williamson, Cleve- land township, Whitley county; and Mrs. Kreider. The latter is the youngest of the family. She was born on this farm April 1, 1845. Her parents were members of the Lutheran Church, and in that faith she was reared. Mr. and Mrs. Kreider have eight children, viz .: Sarah Elizabeth, Fred, Jo- seph J., Eliza Catharine, Harriet Minnie, John L., Isaiah B. and Lloyd.
After his marriage Mr. Kreider settled on the farm on which he has since resided. Here he has 240 acres of land, 140 of which are under cultivation, and the whole place gives evidence of the industrious and careful farmer.
Mr. Kreider is in harmony with the prin- ciples advocated by the Democratic party, of which party he has been a stanch sup- porter ever since he became a voter. On various occasions he has served as delegate to conventions. He is a prominent member of the G. A. R., has served as Commander of William Cuppy Post, No. 195, of South Whitley, and has been delegate to the State organization of G. A. R. He is also a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F.
Such, in brief, is a sketch of the life of one of Whitley county's representative farin- ers and most worthy citizens.
IDEON RAYHOUSER, a promi- nent lawyer and real-estate dealer of Montpelier, Indiana, dates his birth March 10, 1832, in Harmony, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, twelve miles from the city of Pittsburg, his parents
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being Daniel and Magdalena (Listchenberg- er) Rayhouser. The other members com- posing their family are as follows: Naomi, who died in infancy; Cyrus, born August 2, 1836, is a practicing physician of La Fay- ette, Indiana; Rufus, born February 19, 1838, is a resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Albert, born April 24, 1842, is an edi- tor of La Crosse, Wisconsin.
When the subject of our sketch was two years old his parents removed from Penn- sylvania to Ashland, Ohio, where his father died November 29, 1848, at the age of six- ty-eight years. He was a Presbyterian minister, having entered the ministry about 1808. After his death the widowed mother kept her little family together for some years, and in this was ably assisted by her eldest son, Gideon. August 2, 1850, she accompanied him to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he learned the trade of printer in the Sentinel office, remaining there three years and a half. After this he traveled exten- sively through Michigan and Wisconsin, spending two years and a half in the North, and during that time had many thrilling ad- ventures with the Indians and the rough white element of the frontier, at times bare- ly escaping with his life. Then he returned to Fort Wayne and resumed work at his trade. In January, 1861, he established the Morning News, the first morning paper in Fort Wayne, which he ran until 1874, that year selling out to Jenkison, Hartman & Jones, who continued its publication un- der the name of Gazette. From the news- paper business Mr. Rayhouser turned to the law, beginning its study in the office of Joseph K. Edgerton, of Fort Wayne, now deceased, and in due time was admitted to the bar, the date of his admission being 1876. His career as an editor and publish-
er brought him into contact with all classes of people and gained for him a wide ac- quaintance in Fort Wayne, and on being admitted to the bar he at once opened an office by himself and soon launched out in a good practice. He continued to practice law in Fort Wayne until 1891, when he removed to Chicago and opened an office at No. 1400 Michigan avenue, there giving his at- tention both to law and real estate. For two years and eight months he did business in Chicago, and then, being taken sick, he returned to Fort Wayne, where he resided for one year not engaged in any business. July 22, 1895, he came to Montpelier and engaged in the practice of his profession.
Mr. Rayhouser was married December II, 1858, to Josephine Milliar, daughter of Leonard and Elizabeth (Knifeton) Milliar. She was born February 16, 1842, and de- parted this life September 1, 1886. The children of this union are as follows: Will- iam Edgar, born December 25, 1862, mar- ried Miss Annie Krotch, and resides in Fort Wayne; Charles Sherman, born March 4, 1865, married Miss Alice Allen, and is en- gaged in the oil business at Montpelier; Emma Ledora, wife of Frederick Kramer, was born December 25, 1867, and died in Fort Wayne, November 13, 1892; Annie Rose, born March 7, 1874, is the wife of James Jacobs, of Rock Island, Illinois; and Rose, born July 7, 1877, died September 8, 1877.
Mr. Rayhouser's mother was a native of Somerset county, Pennsylvania, born De- cember 23, 1794, and died in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, May 7, 1874. Her father, George Listchenberger, was a native of Hamburg, Germany, and in early life emigrated to America, and located in Pennsylvania, where he reared his family of five children,
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three daughters and two sons. The pater- nal grandfather of our subject was Peter Rayhouser. He was a native of Switzer- land, and on his emigration to this country selected for his location a place near Fred- erick City, Maryland, where he was for years engaged in farming. He was a par- ticipant in the Revolutionary war. His family was composed of six sons and five daughters, namely: Peter, Jonas, Gideon, Daniel, Cyrus, Abraham, Lydia, Polly, Ruth, Rachel and Naomi.
Mr. Rayhouser was intended for a Pres- byterian minister. One day his father called him to his side to talk the matter over, and while they were discussing the subject a man who was driving a team of horses stopped before the house. The load being heavy, the horses were unable to start it again and the man became angry and be- gan to inflict severe punishment on the balky horse. Young Gideon instantly ex- claimed that something ought to be done with the man for punishing the horse, to which the father assented. This put the boyish mind to reasoning, and he innocently asked his father what ought to be done with God for punishing sinners in everlasting flames. His father, being of the old Pres- byterian faith, thought the best thing to do was to administer a sound rebuke, and ac- cordingly gave the boy a severe corporal punishment. This little incident is related because it marks the turning point in the career of Mr. Rayhouser. He did not choose the ministry for a life work, but the law instead.
His political views are those advocated by the Republican party. During the war he was a strong Union man, but was prevented from entering the ranks because of his un- der size.
A DOLPHUS HAMLIN BONHAM, who is carrying on a well conducted livery barn in Montpelier, Indiana, is numbered among the native sons of the Hoosier State, his birth having oc- curred in Washington township, Blackford county, December 28, 1860. His parents were Nicholas and Elizabeth (Crawford) Bonham. His paternal grandfather, Peter Bonham, died December 23, 1860, at the age of sixty years. His wife bore the maiden name of Susanna Yost, and their children were Isaac, Nicholas, Naomi, Ly- man, George, William, Francis and Mary. The mother of this family was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, March 23, 1800, became the wife of Mr. Bonham June 20, 1820, and died October 28, 1887. In 1837 the family removed to Delaware county, Indiana, and two years later took up their residence in Blackford county.
The father of our subject was at that time a youth of sixteen years. He was born November 28, 1823, in Ohio, and in early life became familiar with the wild scenes and experiences of the frontier in the Hoosier State. On the 14th of February, 1847, he married Miss Elizabeth Crawford, who was born in Ohio, March 31, 1828. The former died June 23, 1865, and the latter, surviving her husband ten years, passed away October 16, 1875. Their family numbered the fol- lowing members: Samantha Jane, who was born February 16, 1848, and was married November 1, 1866, to Samuel Mincer; Oli- ver Simon, who was born September 18, 1851, and died October 20, 1854; Leander Eaton, who was born January 3, 1854, and is now living in North Dakota; Albert Marion, who was born April 7, 1856, and makes his home in Blackford county; Peter Winfield, who was born December 23,
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1858, and is living in Montpelier; A. H., of this sketch; Ulysses Grant, who was born February 24, 1863, and was killed in Mil- ler's gristmill in Montpelier, November 6, 1889; William Nicholas, who was born June 25, 1865, and is a resident of Montpelier.
Our subject was only fourteen years of age at the time of his father's death. The family was then broken up and he went to live with J. T. Brotherton, with whom he remained until he had attained his majority, working for that gentleman in return for home privileges. Mr. Broth- erton carried on a store in Dundee, and Adolphus drove a huckster's wagon for him. He afterward engaged in driving a wagon of his own for a year, and in Feb- ruary, 1883, he came to Montpelier, where, in connection with his brother, Peter W., he established a livery stable containing ten horses. This was subsequently sold to Will- iam Cloud, and Mr. Bonham returned to Dundee, where he secured a clerkship. Sub- sequently he worked for a proportion of the profits and still later purchased an in- terest in the business, with which he con- tinued his connection until May, 1891, when he established a restaurant in connection with his brother Peter, under the firm name of Bonham Brothers. For two years they conducted that business, and in July, 1893, sold out to Mr. Miller and W. A. Bonham. On the 9th of October, following, however, he bought out Mr. Miller and the business was conducted under the firm style of Bon- ham & Bonham until November 18, 1894, when he sold out to F. G. Miller. Again he returned to the livery business, purchas- ing the livery and feed stables of W. M. McDermit, in partnership with J. T. Broth- erton. They kept on hand sixteen horses and boarded twenty-five others.
ness has still continued under the name of A. H. Bonham & Company, as a general livery, sale and feed stable. They now have on hand for renting purposes twenty horses and are boarding thirty.
Mr. Bonham has been twice married. On the 29th of December, 1883, he wedded Miss Emma Eliza Brotherton, daughter of J. T. and Abigail (Wright) Brotherton. She was born December 1, 1864, and died De- cember 13, 1887, leaving one son, Carl, who was born January 8, 1885. An infant daughter, bern January 15, 1887, died on the 4th of April, of that year. Mr. Bonham was again married, May 24, 1890, his second union being with Margaret L. Crandall, who was born in Huntington county, Indi- ana, June 10, 1869, and is a daughter of Michael and Sarah Crandall.
In his political views, Mr. Bonham is a Republican, and socially is connected with the Knights of Pythias fraternity. He is a thoroughly reliable business man, and all that he has has been acquired through his own efforts. Steadily has he worked his way upward from humble surroundings, and is now the possessor of a comfortable compe- tence.
J AMES H. SHAW, a practical and progressive farmer living on section 17, Union township, Whitley coun- ty, is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of this region. He was born August 16, 1829, and is a son of Gilbert Shaw, who was born near Belfast, in county Limerick, Ireland, in 1796. He came to America in 1819 and took up his residence in Muskingum county, Ohio, where he lived for some years. By trade
This busi- he was a weaver, but in this country carried
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