Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 99

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

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"Increase my faith, O God! Increase my trust in Thee; Without Thee, life is death, This life a shoreless sea."

While in Boston, seeking relief from a physical infirmity which caused him great suffering, and while attended by his wife and two of his daughters, the end came, and he passed to that "eternal rest and joy " which is for such as he.

OBERT STEWART, a retired farmer of Liberty township, Wa- bash county, Indiana, is an old and highly respected citizen of the county, one who has done his share in its development and has labored faithfully in season and out of season as a Christian man in every good word and work.

He is a native of Belmont county, Ohio,

born July 4, 1824. His father, James Stew- art, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylva- nia, in 1794, and at the age of twelve years moved with his parents to Belmont county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. His father, James Stewart, Sr., was a native of Ireland, who after his marriage emigrated to the United States shortly after the Revolu- tionary war and located in Pennsylvania and from there removed to Belmont county, Ohio. James Stewart, the father of our subject, married Mary Wellman, a native of Brooke county, Virginia, born in 1796 and removed with her parents to Belmont county, Ohio, in 1802, when she was but six years of age. Her parents were there- fore among the very earliest settlers of the State of Ohio. The marriage of James Stew- art and Mary Wellman took place June 26, 1821. They remained in Belmont county until 1838, when they removed to Coshocton county, Ohio, and from thence to Wabash county, Indiana, in 1849 locating in Liberty township; here the husband and father died September 12, 1854, in his sixtieth year. The mother died at La Fontaine, in 1880, in her eighty-fourth year. They were the parents of eight children, seven of whom grew to maturity.

The subject of this sketch was the sec- ond born in the family and was fourteen years of age when the family moved to Co- shocton county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. He received but a limited edu- cation in the schools of his native State. In Coshocton county, he formed the ac- quaintance and wooed and wedded Elizabeth Graves, a daughter of Wesley and Nancy (Wright) Graves, who were natives of Virginia and who were among the early set- tlers of Coshocton county, Ohio. They were married February 12, 1846, at the

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MEMORIAL RECORD OF

home of her parents. By this union thirteen children were born, -six sons and seven daughters, viz .: Nancy Jane, born April 23, 1847, who is now the wife of William Hawkins; James W., born September 20, 1848, now resides in Wabash, Indiana; Mary V., died in infancy; Laura J., born September 30, 1851, died in 1872; Frank C., born December 8, 1853, is a homeopathic physician of Indianapolis, Indiana; Willis B., born December 1, 1856, is also a prac- ticing physician of Indianapolis; Julia A., born May 14, 1858, is now the wife of J. E. Bloomer; Martha E., born April 1, 1860, is now deceased; John W., born October 22, 1861, is a homeopathic physician of Wabash, Indiana; Charles E., born April 7, 1863, is engaged in farming in Liberty township; William R., born July 10, 1865, is a prac- ticing physician of Indianapolis; Lizzie B., born April 2, 1868, resides at home; Elzora E., born April 16, 1870, is now deceased.

In 1853 our subject removed with his family to Wabash county, Indiana, where he purchased a farm on section 19, Liberty township, where he engaged in farming, and where he remained until 1889, when he retired and moved to La Fontaine. He yet retains his farm of 280 acres. In his life work he has been fairly successful and has reared a family of which he has reason to be proud. Of the thirteen children nine have engaged in teaching in the public schools, and four of his sons are prominent and successful physicians. In politics he is a stanch Republican and for six years was one of the trustees of Liberty township, and for the same time he served as County Com- missioner. He is a member of the Christian Church, with which he has been connected since he was sixteen years old. For twenty- five years he served as a Deacon in the

church and has always been an earnest worker in the Master's vineyard.

Mrs Elizabeth Stewart, the faithful and beloved wife of our subject, departed this life December 3, 1885. She lived to see her children grow to manhood and woman- hood and all occupying comfortable posi- tions in life and all highly respected. She was a woman of kindly nature, one who endeavored to set before her children a Christian example of right living, and when the final summons came she was prepared to go to her reward. The second marriage of our subject took place February 6, 1889, when he wedded Mary V. Stone, a native of Wabash county, Indiana, and daughter of John L. Stone. They now reside in a neat and comfortable home at La Fontaine, loved and respected by all who know them.

E RANK T. ZIMMERMAN. A man's reputation is the property of the world. The laws of nature have forbidden isolation. Every human being submits to the controlling influence of others, or as a master spirit wields a power either for good or evil on the masses of man- kind. There can be no impropriety in justly scanning the acts of any man as they affect his public and business relations. If he is honest and eminent in his chosen field of labor investigation will brighten his fame and point the path that others may follow with like success. From the ranks of quiet, persevering yet prominent citizens-promi- nent on account of what he has done in com- mercial circles-there is no one more de- serving of mention in a volume of this char- acter than Frank T. Zimmerman, who occupies the responsible position of general

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NORTHEASTERN INDIANA.

manager with the Zimmerman Manufact- uring Company, of Auburn, Indiana.

No section of the country has produced men of more progressive spirit than the cen- tral Mississippi States. They have the un- dannted enterprise of the West, the stability of the East. In this section is the birth- place of our subject. In fact, he is a native son of DeKalb county, his birth having oc- curred in Concord township, July 21, 1852, his parents being E. and Mary (Bittinger) Zimmerman. Their family numbered seven children, five of whom are now living, namely : Frank T .; George B .; Celestia A., now the wife of C. C. Schlatter; Mary A., now the wife of Dr. A. M. Markle; and John, who is secretary of the Zimmerman Manufacturing Company. Two children of the family are now deceased. The father is numbered among Auburn's honored pioneer settlers and a man prominent in business affairs.

No event of special personal importance occurred during the boyhood and youth of our subject. During his first fifteen years he was largely engaged in acquiring an edu - cation in the district schools. He then en- tered upon his business career as an employe in his father's stave factory in Leo, Allen county, and was soon placed in charge of this factory, which he successfully managed until the fall of 1872. In the same year he joined his uncle, S. J. Zimmerman, in the establishment and operation of a sawmill one mile from St. Joe, on the line of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. When a year had passed Frank T. Zimmerman sold out to his uncle and removed to Auburn, where he obtained the position of engineer with the Auburn Hub & Spoke Company. Here his excellent business ability was soon recog- nized and a month later, when he purchased

stock in the company, he was made general manager. From this time forward Mr. Zimmerman has been prominently identi- fied with the manufacturing interests of the city and has taken an active and influential part in promoting, through this channel, the general welfare of Auburn. On resigning his position with the Auburn Hub & Spoke Company, he embarked in business on his own account; and later on, in December, 1886, organized and established the Zimmerman Manufacturing Company. His capable management, his well directed efforts and his thorough understanding of the business have not only enabled him to build up an extensive trade, but have also won for the company a most high reputation. The plant is located in Auburn and is one of the best equipped in the State. From the beginning its trade has steadily increased, the superiority of the products well meriting the liberal patronage received. The manu- factured products of the establishment are diversified in character, including carriages, buggies, road-wagons, windmills, wagon hubs, etc. In addition the plant comprises a plan- ing mill that turns out moldings of every description from the ornamental, artistic in design and finish, to the commonest article that enters into use in the builder's art. The company furnish employment to seven- ty-five hands, and the outside trade is se- cured through the agency of five traveling salesmen, who have brought to them a hand- some business from Iowa, Missouri, Mich- igan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. The paid- up stock of the company is $50,000 and its officers are as follows: E. Zimmerman, presi- dent; John Zimmerman, secretary; Albert Robbins, treasurer; and Frank T. Zimmer- man, general manager. The success of this enterprise is largely due to the last named,

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a man of excellent business and executive abil- ity, careful in the management of all affairs, considering no detail too unimportant for his attention. His correct business habits, his progressive methods and his sound judg- ment have brought to him a well deserved prosperity and gained him the unqualified respect of all with whom he has been thrown in contact.

On the 28th of June, 1877, was cele- brated the marriage of Mr. Zimmerman and Miss Della Gregg, daughter of William Gregg. In his social relations Mr. Zimmer- man is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is also a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity. The greater part of his time and attention have, however, been given to his business interests; nor have his energies been directed alone to the enterprise which bears his name. He has aided in bringing to a prosperous condi- tion the Auburn Manufacturing Company, of which he is a director; the Auburn Foundry & Machine Works, of which he 's vice- president ; and the Farmers' Bank, of which he is also a director, -and in all of the vari- ous enterprises with which he is connected he enjoys the full confidence and esteem of his associates.

EMUEL WILLARD ROYSE .-- The father of Mr. Royse, namely, George W. A. Royse, was a na- tive of New Hampshire, and his mother, Nancy (Chaplin Royse, was a na- tive of Vermont, and was born near the Bennington battle-ground. The elder Royse was a blacksmith, and married Miss Chaplin in Wood county, Ohio, in 1835. In the same year they were married they located in Kosciusko county, Indiana.

On the 19th day of January, 1847, Lemuel was born, near Pierceton, in Kos- ciusko county. When he was six years of age his parents moved to Larwill, Whitley county, this State. Six years later his father died and he was then taken by a farmer, for whom he worked until sixteen years of age, when he was able to render support to his widowed mother and the family. He attended public school in the neighborhood and pursued his studies at home. At eighteen years of age he began teaching school during the winter, and kept it up for eight consecutive winters, working on the farm in the summer. While teaching he began reading law, and in the spring of 1872 he entered the office of Frazer & En- cell, of Warsaw. He read law in their office for two summers and was admitted to the bar in September, 1873. The following summer he began the practice of law at Warsaw. In 1875 he and Edgar Haymond formed a partnership, which was continued until the latter was elected Judge of the Thirty-third Judicial Circuit, in 1890.

Mr. Royse is a Republican. In 1876 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for this circuit, composed of the counties of Kosci- usko and Whitley, serving two years. In 1894 he was elected to Congress from the Thirteenth Congressional District by a plu- rality of 4, 141. He was elected Mayor of the City of Warsaw in May, 1885, and again in 1887 and 1889. He was a member of the Republican State Central Committee from 1886 to 1890, and also a delegate to the Minneapolis convention, which nomi- nated Harrison for the second time.

On July 10, 1883, he and Miss Belle Mcintyre, of Hillsdale, Michigan, were united in marriage. They have a son, James, their only child.

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NORTHEASTERN INDIANA.

Mr. Royse is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and has passed all the chairs of a subordinate lodge.

His life is a fine example of what an American youth with pluck, energy and determination may accomplish in this coun- try, without aid; and besides the usual success he helped a widowed mother in the support of the family. He has made for himself a place in the history of his State and county of which others may well envy and emulate him.

J OHN M. WILT, one of the pioneers of Allen county, was born November 30, 1800, at Mount Rock, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania. His grand- father, John Wilt, emigrated from Germany about the middle of the past century and died in 1823 or '4, his wife surviving him about a year. His son Peter, father of the subject of this sketch, was born January 8, 1775, and died about 1842. His wife was of Irish descent and died before him in 1831. All of them lived and died at the family home in Cumberland county.

John M., their son, was reared on the farm until he was twenty-one and was edu- cated in a private school in that county, there being no public school at that time. He taught school five or six years. At the age of thirty-two or thirty-three he made a trip of observation to the far West and pur- chased some property in Bull Rapids, Allen county, and commenced cutting timber, but returned to Pennsylvania in the autumn of 1833. In the spring of 1835 he returned to Allen county and permanently located and resumed his work of clearing. In the fall of that year he entered the office of 47

Colonel John Spencer, receiver of the land office of Fort Wayne, and remained with him as clerk for three years. Hethen spent one year in the employ of Samuel Lewis, one of the canal commissioners, after which he was appointed to take charge of the land office at Peru for the sale of canal lands. He remained in that office for five years,- until nearly all the canal and Government land in his district was sold, when he re- turned to Fort Wayne in 1845. From that time his principal occupation was that of surveyor. There are few old landowners in the county who have not availed themselves of his services. Mathemathics was always a favorite study with him, and he pursued it diligently, making himself well known as an accurate surveyor. He was elected and served two terms as county surveyor, during which period his time was constantly occu- pied, as the county was then rapidly filling with settlers.

He was married in 1841 to Sarah Ellen Brady, who with an infant child died in 1842. In 1843 he was again married to Rhoby Smith, who died in 1872, lamented by all who knew her. She left five children living, one of whom was Anna Mary, wife of Oscar Simmons, president of the First National Bank. She died in 1875.

Mr. Wilt was a Presbyterian by education and choice, and was among the earnest work- ing members of the church. Since 1854 he had been a Republican, and earnest and conscientious in his opinion had won the full respect of his political opponents for the honesty of his convictions. When he first came to Fort Wayne it was a small frontier village in the woods. He lived to see the bleat of the deer and the rifle crack give way to the whistle of the locomotive, the city replacing the woods and the village, and

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MEMORIAL RECORD OF

to see the people change from a rude to a refined civilization. He was one of the pioneers of the section of whom so few re- main. But with his erect form and firm step he continued to witness the progress of the city which he saw rise from a small back-woods village, where he had so long resided among the many friends who honor his years of virtues, until his death in 1883, when he was aged eighty-three years.

HARLES BOWMAN .- This gen- tleman is the proprietor of the saw works located at No. 37 Pearl street, Fort Wayne. He is both a practical and expert saw-maker and pro- gressive business man, and, standing, as he does, at the head of an establishment which forms another link in the chain of Fort Wayne's industrial supremacy, it is emi- nently fitting that a sketch of his life and enterprise be accorded place in this work.

Charles Bowman is a native of Indiana. He was born in DeKalb county, July 13, 1844, and there spent his boyhood days, assisting his father in the machine shop until the Civil war came on. James Bow- man, his father, is a native of Oswego county, New York, and is ranked with the early pioneers of DeKalb county, Indiana, where he was for many years engaged in the machine business. He is now living retired from active life. His good wife, nce Re- becca Jane Bourt, was born in Pennsyl- vania. Should they both live until Sep- tember 26, 1895, it is their intention to celebrate the fifty-sixth anniversary of their wedding. In their family are seven chil- dren, of whom Charles was the second born.

When the great war-cloud gathered and

burst upon the country, the subject of our sketch left his father's shop and entered the Union ranks. He enlisted in Company A, Eighty-eighth Indiana Volunteers, under Colonel George Humphrey, and went out for three years or during the war. At this writing he is the only survivor of his regi- ment, and there is probably not another man in the city of Fort Wayne who partici- pated in so many battles or passed through as much hard service as did Charles Bow- man. To give an account of all the battles in which he was actively engaged would be to write a history of much of the war. Suffice it to say that a truer, braver soldier never entered the ranks, and that in what- ever position he was placed he performed his duty with the strictest fidelity. On sev- eral occasions he was wounded. He was first struck by a twelve-pound solid shot and received severe injuries in the breast and side, but refused to go to the hospital. This unfitted him for service for two months. At the battle of New Hope Church he was wounded in the thigh, at another time he was shot in the right side by a minie ball, and at Elk River, Tennessee, he received a sunstroke. June 17, 1865, he was mustered out of the service, after which he returned to his home in DeKalb county, Indiana.

On his return home from the army, Mr. Bowman resumed work in his father's shop, and remained with him until January, 1867, when he embarked in business for himself. He purchased a mill in DeKalb county, which he operated three years and then sold to R. M. and W. C. Lockhart, and after selling to this firm he ran the mill for them one year. Next we find him in Michigan, where he was employed in various sawmills until 1881. From 1881 until 1886 he was fireman on the D., R. & W. R. R., and

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NORTHEASTERN INDIANA.

since 1886 he has been engaged in his pres- ent business in Fort Wayne.

His manufacturing plant, located, as already stated, at 37 Pearl street, comprises a two-story building, 20x50 feet in dimen- sions, which is equipped with all necessary machinists' tools, operated by steam power, and furnishes employment to a force of skilled workmen. He makes a specialty of the manufacture of Bowman's patent saw- mill-feed machine, which is used by lumber manufacturers everywhere, and is widely recognized as the most perfect device of the kind in the market. He also does general machine repair work, and his establishment is indeed one of great value to this city.

He is a member of the Union Veteran Legion and also of the Junior Order of the United American Mechanics.

He married Miss Silva Nolton, a native of Ohio, and they have three children, one son and two daughters.

S AMUEL WOODWARD FULTON has been prominently identified with the agricultural interests of Huntington county for many years. He resides on the old farm, where he was born August 3, 1850, and where he has made his home continuously, with the exception of a short time spent in the West in 1872. Upon his return from the trip, in partner- ship with his brother Benjamin, he engaged in the cultivation of the homestead, and they continued farming in this way until the death of their father. From that time until Au- gust, 1892, Mr. Fulton rented the land of the heirs, and then purchased the entire tract of 167 acres. He occupies the dwell- ing erected by his father in 1855. Progress- ive in his views he has always readily adopt-

ed the most advanced methods of agricul- ture, and has his land all under excellent cultivation.

He was united in marriage, October 14, 1874, to Mary Melinda Killen, a daughter of John and Jane (Bratchen) Killen, born in 1852. Mrs. Fulton died in November, 1879, the mother of one child, that died in infancy. Mr. Fulton's second marriage was to Nellie Gertrude Snyder, a daughter of George B. and Martha (Fooshee) Snyder. She was born March 15, 1863, and was married No- vember 14, 1882. There are three children of this union: Herbert George, born Septem- ber 18, 1883; Howard Franklin, born No- vember 4, 1884; Edith Irene, born March 27, 1889.

Samuel Woodward Fulton is the son of Samuel and Catharine (Woodward) Fulton, natives of Augusta county, Virginia, and Cen- ter county, Pennsylvania, respectively. The father emigrated to Greene county, Ohio, in an early day, and there engaged in the heavy labors of the pioneer farmer. He bravely did his part in clearing the path for the on- ward march of civilization, and by his indus- try and uprightness won an honored place in that community. In 1846 he emigrated to Huntington county, Indiana, and here purchased land in Huntington township, the patent for which was signed by President Andrew Jackson. He again engaged in ag- ricultural pursuits, which he followed until his death, August 17, 1876. His wife died September 21, 1870, the mother of a family of nine children: William, Sarah Maria, John, Martha Jane, Margaret Ann, Mary Louisa, Catharine Sophia, Benjamin Franklin, and Samuel Woodward, the subject of this notice. The father was twice married, the first wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Kirkwood, living but five months after her marriage.

9782

HECKMAN BINDERY INC.

SEP 93 N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962

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Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 99

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