Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 81

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 932

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In 1876 Dr. Northrop studied theology at the Rochester Theological Seminary, a president of the Indiana Baptist State Con-

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vention twice. He is a Republican, and had the honor of offering prayer at the Wednes- day session of the National Republican Convention at Chicago in June, 1888. Dr. Northrop is the author of a popular work, recently published, entitled "A Cloud of Witnesses." He shows conclusively that the greatest men in Christendom are firm believers in Christ and the Bible. The pub- lication has had a fine sale, having just passed into its second edition.

Dr. Northrop was married to Miss Celes- tia A. Joslin, August 16, 1877. She was born at Hamilton, New York, September 8, 1856. Mrs. Northrop is a graduate of Hamil- ton Female Seminary. Her father was leader of the choir in the old First Baptist Church of that town, over forty years. Mrs. Northrop has inherited in a large de- gree the musical talent of her father. She is a charming vocalist and has been leader of a choir from the beginning of her husband's ministry. Much of Dr. Northrop's success is due to his helpful and estimable wife. They have one child, Laura May, who has made herself well known recently in taking the first prize of $50 offered by the Harper Brothers. Though there were over ten thousand competitors she named thirty-six of the forty American "Immortals."

'ILLIAM MCINTYRE, retired, Auburn, Indiana, is not to be considered a pioneer of north- eastern Indiana, but it is neverthe- less undoubtedly true that he is the most widely known citizen in De Kalb county, and one of the most favorably known. It is as a man of affairs that he takes promi- nence, his career, since settling in Auburn, being marked by a degree of success pleas-

ant to consider. In localities here and there arise men of such sterling integrity and keen business acumen that their connection with the business affairs of a place imparts tone and healthfulness to its entire commer- cial interests, and such it may be safely said is true of Mr. McIntyre.

To return to a consideration of his life in its entirety, it is to be noted that he was born in the State of New York, August 9, 1827. His parents were William and Mary (Decker) McIntyre, both natives of the same State, the former of Scotch, the latter of German, lineage. Three children resulted from their union, all of whom are now living: Nicholas, the eldest, formerly a blacksmith by trade, is now a resident land owner of De Kalb county and a highly respected citizen; Jane, second in order of birth, is now the wife of Andrew Bateman, of this county; and William, third in order of birth, is the one particularly noted in this sketch.

In youth his educational advantages were limited to the common schools, and at these his attendance ceased when he was fifteen years old. At this age he had a well developed physical system, rugged and strong beyond his years, seemingly well adapted by nature to perform the laborious work of a black- smith; and to that end he entered his broth- er's shop, where for two years he worked incessantly, in that time becoming an all- round good workman. Obtaining employ- ment of Emery Barrett for a remuneration, he at once entered his shop, where he con- tinued a year, afterward following his trade in different places until 1851.

At this time the California gold fever was epidemic in the land, and taking the con- tagion he took ship by way of Cape Horn for the famed golden "Mecca " of the far

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Pacific coast. After a voyage of six months he reached his objective point. He was young and strong, and possessing a laudable ambition, backed by a plenty of courage, he was in no wise intimidated by the scenes 'of recklessness and lawlessness then prevalent in that land. He did some mining, at which he was fairly successful, and also worked a while at his trade, for which he received $7 a day. After a stay of two and a half years in California he returned to his home, rich in experience and with a "fatter" purse also than when he went away. A short trial at keeping hotel convinced him that a man without a wife could be better engaged. Selling ont, he proceeded to Rockford, Illi- nois, where for one year he engaged with a partner in conducting an eating-house. Dis- posing of this he went to Portage, Wiscon- sin, where he secured a contract for ironing wagons, and it proved a profitable under- taking. He now decided to go to De Kalb county, Indiana, to which his brother, Nich- olas, had previously gone. This was in 1857. Together they opened a shop four miles west of Waterloo, in which he was en- gaged until he was appointed station agent at Lawrence (now Sidon) on the Air Line of the Lake Shore Railroad.

While filling this position, in 1870, he was elected Auditor of De Kalb county, on the Democratic ticket. Moving to Auburn at that time, it has since been his abiding place. Soon after the expiration of his term of service in the Auditor's office, in 1874, he began agitating the question of establishing the First National Bank. His plans finding adherents, on March 25, 1875. the bank opened its doors for business. Soon after he was elected to the responsible position of cashier, which he creditably filled until 1887, when he resigned in favor of his son,

William H., who was immediately elected to the place, and Mr. McIntyre was honored by an election to the vice-presidency of the bank, retaining with it the position of as- sistant cashier.

His activity and unerring business sagac- ity soon made the First National Bank of Auburn a most popular institution. Its growth into public favor and business was rapid. From the beginning it retained the confidences of its patrons, and a more cred- itably conducted banking institution cannot be found in northeastern Indiana, if in the State. It was not until 1893 that Mr. Mc- Intyre retired from its active management. He had labored hard for years without cessation, and now realizing that at least a partial abandonment of his many cares was necessary to his health he withdrew to en- joy the much needed and deserved rest. His magnificent residence in Auburn is a well appointed home, where is dispensed a cor- dial hospitality to numerous friends and acquaintances.

Mr. McIntyre was married in Portage City, Wisconsin, March 17, 1857, to Miss Mary Ann, daughter of John McFighe, who was born in county Mayo, Ireland. When a young man he settled in Canada, and sub- sequently in Portage City, Wisconsin, where he became a prominent man of affairs. To Mr. and Mrs. McIntyre have been born two children: John C., now a resident of Ten- nessee, and William H., -- both young men of excellent character and fine business abilities.

While the career of Mr. McIntyre at its opening was somewhat varied in character, in its progress each step and change is stamped with his versatile powers and his perfect adjustment of self to the undertak- ing in hand. Each step forward was in the

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direction of better things. All his under- takings have been characterized by a well grounded knowledge of organization, and all his enterprises have been pushed by a zeal and indefatigable industry that admits only of success. Of a mental organization highly deliberative, his plans are never quickly conceived or chimerical in character, but always the emanation of a declarative analysis peculiar to the trained and deliber- ate man of affairs.

0 AVID J. SWARTS, M. D .- The maximum of success possible of attainment in any specific case is so seldom realized in fact that when there are afforded us examples which even approach this ultimate we cannot but find a lesson and an incentive. Often a trivial circumstance proves adequate to de- flect an individual from the path along which lies his greatest potentiality and in the lat- ter years the subjective recognizes his error in judgment more forcibly than can any mere observer. In the subject of the pres- ent review we find a man who has lived closely to the mark of his high calling and who is recognized as one of the distinguished members of the medical fraternity of Indi- ana, one who has for nearly thirty-five years been established in the practice of his pro- fession at Auburn, De Kalb county, and who has gained the confidence and esteem of the people throughout a wide radius of country wherein he resides. Devoted to the noble and humane work which his profession im- plies he has proved faithful and has not only earned the due rewards of his efforts in a tem- poral way, but has proved himself worthy to exercise the important functions of his call- ing through his ability, his abiding sympathy 38

and his earnest zeal in behalf of his fellow men. In his work he has an able coadjutor in the person of his accomplished wife, who is also a practicing physician and to whose labors we shall incidentally refer in succeed- ing paragraphs.

The parents of our subject were David and Catherine (Smith) Swarts, who were among the pioneers of the Buckeye State, the father having been a prosperous farmer and a man of utmost probity. Dr. Swarts was born on the old homestead farm, near the town of Jeromeville, Ashland county, Ohio, on the 30th of June, 1832, and the first nineteen years of his life were passed in assist- ing in the work of the farm and in attend- ing the district schools in the neighborhood of his home during the winter months. When twenty years of age he entered Ver- million Institute, Haysville, Ohio, where he remained for two years, spending the sum- mer vacation at work on his father's farm. He was a youth of reliant and independent nature and resolute character, and thus it was but to be taken for granted that he should early give distinct definition to the course along which he should direct his efforts in making for himself a place in the economic activities of the world. He thus determined to prepare himself for the med- ical profession, and looking to the realization of his ambition in this line he began a course of technical reading, in 1856, in the office of Drs. Robinson & Firestone, of Wooster, Ohio, under whose able preceptorage he continued his studies until the fall of 1858, when he matriculated in the Ohio Medical College, at Cincinnati, and graduated at that institution as a member of the class of 1860. Immediately after his graduation the Doctor located for the practice of his profession at Reedsburg, Ohio, but in November of the

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same year (1860) he removed to Auburn, Indiana, where he has since maintained his residence and been actively engaged in prac- tice save for the interval when he was in the service of his country, and for a period of eight years (1867 et seq.) during which time he practiced medicine in La Grange county, at a point about twenty-eight miles distant from his present home.

The Doctor's nature and character were not such as would permit him to pass un- heeded the call of his nation for valiant men and true to assist in perpetuating her unity as infringed by armed rebellion, and he threw the ardor of his deeply loyal manhood into the Union cause, enlisting, in June, 1862, as a member of Company A, One Hundredth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, being commissioned First Lieutenant of his com- pany at the time of its organization, and thus serving until the October following, when he resigned his commission and was made First Assistant Surgeon of the regi- ment, in which capacity his services were naturally of superior value. He continued as Surgeon until he was mustered out of the service, in June, 1865. The Doctor was a participant in most of the battles of the Fifteenth Army Corps, under General John A. Logan, and among the most important engagements in which he took part were those of Jackson, Dallas, New Hope Church, Pigeon Roost, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, the sieges of Atlanta and Vicksburg, and the battles of Missionary Ridge, Black River, Lovejoy Station and Bentonville. His regi- ment marched over 3,000 miles while in service.

At the close of the war the Doctor re- turned to Auburn and resumed the practice of his profession. His ability and his fidelity to those to whom he ministered soon gained

to him distinctive prestige and a representa- tive support throughout the community, and this tribute to his skill and honor has con- served an increasing popularity and prac- tice throughout the many succeeding years. While in La Grange county Dr. Swarts went to New York city and took a post- graduate course at Bellevue Hospital Col- lege. He is a member of the American Medical Association, the Indiana State Medical Society, was a former president of the Northeastern Indiana Medical Society and is the present president of the De Kalb County Medical Society.

He was for four years Secretary of the De Kalb County Board of Health and is the present Secretary of the Board of Health of Auburn. During his long residence in the county he has maintained a lively interest in all that has fostered public welfare and he has contributed a due quota to the substan- tial upbuilding and material prosperity of the thriving little city of his residence.

On the 28th of August, 1862, was con- summated the marriage of Dr. Swarts to Miss Vesta M. Ward, daughter of Rev. Stephen B. and Laura Atherton (Brooks) Ward. Mrs. Swarts' father, lately deceased, was a Baptist clergyman, an old resident of Auburn, and a man prominent in public af- fairs, having represented his district in the State Legislature in 1856-7. Her mother was the daughter of Dr. George Brooks, of Bath, Ohio. Mrs. Swarts was born in Lorain county, Ohio, April 26, 1841, and within the year after her birth her parents removed to De Kalb county, Indiana, and here she was reared to maturity. Her pre- liminary educational discipline was secured in the public schools of Auburn, and her literary training was completed in the North- eastern Indiana Academy, at Orland, Steu-

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ben county, in 1858, from which time until her marriage she was engaged in teaching, having been for some time the incumbent as superintendent of the Auburn schools-a fact which bears indubitable attest to her ability in pedagogic work and her personal popularity. She is a woman of noble char- acter and the most gentle refinement, and her zeal in supporting the Union by every means in her power was strikingly exempli- fied at the time of the late war, when she rendered efficient service in the hospitals at Louisville, Kentucky, -in 1864-5. In 1878 Mrs. Swarts began the study of medicine under the effective preceptorage of her hus- band, and in August, 1880, she passed an examination and was admitted to the junior class in the medical department of the Uni- versity of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where she did excellent work during the ensuing year. She then passed one year at the Fort Wayne College of Medicine, where she graduated March 1, 1882, since which time she has been associated with the subject of this memoir in his practice, and has proved a most effective co-laborer, her knowledge of the science of medicine being exact and profound and her practical ability being equally pronounced.

Drs. David J. and Vesta M. W. Swarts are the parents of two sons: Harris J., born August 24, 1866; and Willard Ward, born July 14, 1872.

0 AVID E. STUDABAKER, Bluff- ton, Indiana, is a representative of one of the oldest and most highly respected families in northeastern Indiana. He is a native of Bluffton, born April 25, 1854, son of John and Rebecca (Angel) Studabaker, who are properly men-

tioned elsewhere in this volume. David E. grew to manhood in his native city and re- ceived his primary education in the public school. At the age of fifteen years he was sufficiently advanced in his studies to admit of his entering college. In the Fort Wayne Methodist College he pursued a course of study in the higher branches for two years.

Returning to Bluffton he was given an interest in the grain and produce business, which was conducted under the firm name of Waring, Studabaker & Company. At

that time the firm operated only one ele- vator. The business increased rapidly, necessitating the erection of other elevators, and now operate in the following places: Warren, Markle, Van Buren, Liberty Cen- ter, Buckeye and Lautersville, as well as at Bluffton. In 1886, the name of the firm was changed to Studabaker, Sale & Com- pany, Mr. Waring having retired from the firm. John Studabaker, James W. Sale and David E. Studabaker, now comprise the firm.

Mr. Studabaker is rapidly forging to the front as a successful business man of affairs. His father has more than a local reputation for sound judgment and discreet manage- ment, qualities largely acquired by his son, whose business training was supervised by the father. Besides his interest in the grain and produce business, he is in partnership with Messrs. H. A. Bennett and W. B. Nim- mous in the oil trade. Together they oper- ate forty producing oil wells, located in Wells and Grant counties. This business is conducted under the firm name of Studa- baker, Bennett & Company.

Mr. Studabaker was united in marriage with Miss Emma, daughter of L. L. Holmes, of Portland, Jay county, but formerly of Wells county. They have two children

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living: Frank, aged nineteen; and Harry, aged seventeen years. The third child, a daughter, died at the age of fourteen months. Mrs. Studabaker is a lady of refinement and takes an active interest in Sunday-school and church work.

Success has crowned Mr. Studabaker's efforts in every particular, and he has the confidence of business associates everywhere. Of the Studabaker Bank he is the vice-pres- ident, and in the management of public af- fairs he exhibits the same conservative methods pursued in his private business. In all matters pertaining to the welfare of city, county and State no man is willing to do more. For many years he has been a consistent member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and is actively interested in everything that pertains to the public good.

ON. WILLIAM WILLIAMS is one of the best known men in the State of Indiana, and has been honored by his party and fellow citizens with various important official po- sitions, each of which he has filled with credit and honor to himself and people.

He was born near Carlisle, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, May 11, 1821, and when but thirteen years of age removed with his parents to Perrysburg, Ohio, where they located in July, 1834. In 1836 the family removed to Kosciusko county, Indiana, and were among the earliest settlers south of the Tippecanoe river. Our subject received such education as was afforded in the thinly set- tled country of Ohio and Indiana. He lived with his parents about two miles north of the present site of Warsaw, and at the time the county seat was located he was one of the chain carriers. On the 19th day of

April, 1840, he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza J. Douglass, by whom he had ten children, eight of whom are now living.

Previous to his marriage Mr. Williams began reading law, and in 1841 was admitted to the bar, and soon took rank among the best attorneys in the section of the State where he resided. Like every other attor- ney in that early day, he became a politician and his services were in demand during every campaign as a public speaker. He was originally a Whig and was nominated by his party for the office of County Treasurer of Kosciusko county in 1852, and was duly elected. Before the expiration of his term he was nominated for Lieutenant Governor, and resigned the position of Treasurer that he might make the canvass of the State with his political opponent, the Hon. Ashbel P. Willard. Both were eloquent speakers and they held joint debates in sixty-five counties of the State, traveling by private conveyance, the only railroad at that time being from In- dianapolis to Madison. Although he ran several thousand votes ahead of the candi- date for Governor on the same ticket, he was defeated.

At the close of the campaign Mr. Will- iams engaged in banking at Warsaw, being the owner and manager of the Bank of War- saw, one of the few free banks of the State. At this time there was considerable railroad excitement throughout the northern part of the State, when Mr. Williams took part in securing the location of the Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad through Warsaw, and was for years one of the directors of that road. In 1859 he was elected one of the North- ern Indiana prison at Michigan City, and in 1862 was appointed by Governor Morton as Commandant of Camp Allen at Fort Wayne, with authority to raise troops. Within six

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weeks he had four full regiments ready for the field, which were mustered into the serv- ice as the Seventy -fourth, Eighty-eighth, and One Hundredth Indiana Volunteer In- fantry. In recognition of his services in raising these recruits, he was appointed paymaster for volunteers, with headquarters at Louisville, Kentucky, where he remained until the close of the war.

In 1866 Mr. Williams was nominated by the Republican party for representative to the Fortieth Congress and was duly elected. He was re-elected to the Forty-first and Forty-second Congresses from his district, and in 1872 was elected to the Forty-third Congress from the State at large. At the close of his last term he returned to Warsaw and again engaged in the practice of law. Soon afterward, however, he was appointed Minister to South America, which position he filled for some years. A natural poli- tician in the true sense of the term, and being one of the best "stump" speakers in the State, his services were always in de- mand by his party. In the Harrison cam- paign of 1888, he " stumped " California for the Republican ticket. His health being broken he is now practically living a re- tired life.

Joseph R. Williams is second in order of birth in the family of ten children born to William and Eliza J. Williams. He is a native of Warsaw, Indiana, born in 1843. In the common schools of Warsaw he re- ceived his primary education, and then took a two- years course in the Fort Wayne Col- lege. While in college the war broke out, and his patriotic blood was aroused. He enlisted in the Thirtieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry for three years or during the war, as a private, and soon afterward was ap- pointed Corporal, then Sergeant, and later

was commissioned Lieutenant. At the close of his term of service he was honorably dis- charged and returned home. He, however, remained but a short time and then enlisted in the Twelfth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was in all the important battles in which his regiment was engaged, and in June, 1865, was honorably discharged at Indianapolis and returned to Warsaw.

On his return home Lieutenant Williams engaged as a clerk in a dry-goods store for a short time and then removed to southern California, where he remained for seven years. In 1874 he was appointed a clerk in the War Department at Washington, Dis- trict of Columbia, which position he accept- ed, but subsequently resigned and returned to Logansport, Indiana, rented a farm and for six years engaged in farming. Then he was appointed agent for the United States Express Company, and later the American Express Company, at Warsaw, which posi- tions he held until he was elected, in 1894, Recorder of the county.

Lieutenant Williams married Miss Sarah Barnett, of Logansport, Indiana. They have two children, a son and a daughter. The son, Clark Williams, is a graduate of the Warsaw high school. Vina, the daugh- ter, is now deputy in the recorder's office. Fraternally, Lieutenant Williams is a mem- ber of the Odd Fellows, G. A. R., and Red Men, and politically is a strong Republican.

J AMES R. SLACK, who has now re- tired from active business and makes his home in Huntington, Indiana, was for many years a leading lumber- man of that city. His birth occurred in Huntington on the 15th of December, 1848,

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and is the second son of General James Richard and Ann P. (Thompson) Slack, the former born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, September 28, 1818, and the latter in Bracken county, Kentucky, February 4, 1821. !

On reaching a sufficient age our subject entered the public schools of hisnative city, where he remained until he was fourteen, at which time he entered Wabash College, thus supplementing his early education by a more advanced course of study. On leav- ing college two years later he returned to Huntington, and began learning the ma- chinist's trade in the establishment of the firm of Sees Brothers, where he remained for about two years and a half. In 1868 he entered Duff's Commercial College at Pitts- burg, Pennsylvania, at which institution he graduated in March, 1869. On the com- pletion of that course he obtained employ- ment in the foundry of Moffitt & Roche, of Huntington, but in January, 1873, became bookkeeper for C. L. Thorne & Company, in which capacity he served for two years. In March, 1875, however, he was admitted to partnership with C. L. Thorne and L. T. Bagley, in the lumber and planing-mill business, the firm becoming Thorne, Slack & Company. Later the business was con- ducted under the style of Slack & Ayres, the partner of our subject being Edwin B. Ayres, and this connection continued until Febru- ary, 1886, at which time Mr. Slack formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, Edwin K. Alpaugh. He disposed of his business in March, 1894, and is now resting in the en- joyment of the fruits of his former toil, having been quite successful in his under- takings. He always takes an active interest in the welfare and success of his city, and for six years served in the City Council,

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Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 81

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 932

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 932