USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Past and present of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
JOHN BALSER.
It is safe to say that no class of citizens have done more for the develop- ment of Lafayette and Tippecanoe county than the Germans, and of this element none is more deserving of special mention than John Balser, who was born in Germany but spent his active life in America, where he pros- pered by reason of his industry and fidelity to duty to himself, his family and his adopted country. After a very active and useful life, he was gathered to his fathers in the "great beyond" in 1894, leaving a goodly amount of property to his faithful wife and dutiful children. He was an engineer of no ordinary ability, and, having taken an interest in local political and public affairs, was called upon to serve the city of Lafayette as street commissioner. city and county commissioner, having very ably filled these positions of public trust for many years, and when he passed away his many friends and acquaintances realized that a very active business man and useful citizen had gone from their midst. He became the owner of eighty acres of land in Tippecanoe county which he farmed for some time in connection with his other numerous duties ; this very valuable piece of land the family still owns.
John Balser married Barbara Stauffenberg May 19, 1861. She is the daughter of John and Elizabeth Stauffenberg, natives of Germany who came to America March 16. 1860, and settled in Lafayette, Indiana. They were the parents of six children, five girls and one boy; two daughters and the son are now living. To John Balser and wife six children were born, as follows: Henry, deceased; Catherine is a dressmaker in Lafayette, who at this writing is making a tour of Europe; Elizabeth is deceased; Anton began
830
PAST AND PRESENT
when fourteen years of age to do for himself and has been away from home for several years; Ann K. is a graduate of the Lafayette high school of the class of 1890, and since 1898 she has held the trusted position of forelady in Peirce's wholesale grocery firm, being a very competent and thorough busi- ness woman; she also has charge of the Balser home and sees that her good mother is properly cared for,-indeed, all the children take a delight in min- istering to her every want, which is evidence of the wholesome home atnios- phere in which they were reared. Louis Balser is the youngest child. All the children have remained single and all four live with their mother at their pleasant and neat home, No. 822 North Fifth street, where Mrs. Balser has resided for the past forty-four years. She is well preserved for a woman of her years and is held in high esteem by her neighbors and friends,-in fact, this excellent family holds high rank among the representative citizens of Lafayette.
REV. CONRAD HASSEL.
The life of the Rev. Conrad Hassel, pastor of the Salem Reformed church in Lafayette, is one that the biographer would hold up to the young men whose futures are yet to be determined, as a model, which should serve in piloting them through many precarious places, for his is a self-sacrific- ing, unostentatious and honorable life, lived largely for others, thus emu- lating the lowly Nazarene.
The Reverend Hassel was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, two. miles southeast of the city of Sharon, January 26, 1863, the son of George and Elizabeth (Dresch) Hassel. The Hassel family were natives of the Rhine country, Bavaria. George Hassel emigrated from Germany to Amer- ica when he was eighteen years old, locating at Sharon, Pennsylvania. The Dresch family were from the saine country, and they also came to Sharon, Pennsylvania, where the parents of the subject were married in 1860. The father was a hard working man who made his daily bread in whatever honest way that presented itself. In 1868 he moved to Ohio, locating two miles southwest of Sharon, Trumbull county, on a small farm, and it was here that Conrad was reared, assisting with the work on the home place and at- tending the district schools. Being ambitious, he attended the night schools in order to learn German. He was also taught by his father and became proficient in the German language. He was a regular attendant at the serv-
831
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, IND.
ices of the St. Paul Reformed church and was a teacher in the Sunday school. When twelve years of age he united with the church. In his Sunday school work he used the Bible only, for he had no other literature at that time, and in this way acquired a great deal of Bible knowledge even in liis early youth. Conrad was the second child in order of birth in his father's family. His parents have both long since gone to their eternal reward, being remembered by all who knew them as honest and highly respected citizens.
Conrad Hassel completed his theological course at the Heidelberg Uni- versity at Tiffin, Ohio, and was ordained in 1899. While a student at Cleve- land, Ohio, in the year 1887, he won a gold medal for the best German scholarship in the college. Aside from the influence of an excellent Christian home, the subject was influenced in a large measure during his attendance of the Sunday schools of his community, by a Mr. Patterson, a Scotch Presbyterian, who would relate impressively the story of the Cruci- fixion and others of like interest on such occasions. During his school days at Tiffin, Ohio, Reverend Hassel supplied the pulpit at Ashland, and also a small country church near Galion, Ohio. After he was ordained he con- tinued to serve these churches about one year, then accepted a call from the First Reformed church at Galion, where he preached in two languages, Ger- man and English. This church was very largely attended and Rev. Hassel continued to serve it for a period of twelve years. During these twelve years three hundred and seventy-two persons were baptized, two hundred and nineteen funerals conducted, three hundred and fifty members received into the church, leaving on the rolls at the close of his pastorate six hundred and twenty-five. He was very successful in the work at this place and became well known throughout Crawford county. He was the organizer and president of the Crawford County Historical Society and he made a close study of the early history of the county, especially that dealing with the Wyandotte Indians. He was interested in Colonel Crawford and in the his- torical affairs of Crawford county, Ohio. The Colonel was born in Virginia, in 1732. He built a cabin in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, which stood until 1896 when it was torn down and a number of gavels made from it. Reverend Hassel has one of them. H. P. Snider, a great-grandson of Colonel Craw- ford, was editor of the Connellsville Courier at that time. He it was who had the logs of the old cabin sawed up and made into gavels, in memory of his ancestor, Colonel Crawford. . The Colonel was captured in the campaign of 1732 and burned at the stake, after a battle with Butler's Rangers and the Indians near Upper Sandusky, Ohio. The retreating army later fought a battle at Olentangy near Galion, Ohio, a monument being erected on this
832
PAST AND PRESENT
battlefield in September, 1896. Reverend Hassel had charge of the unveiling ceremonies and delivered the principal address upon that occasion.
Rev. Conrad Hassel came to Lafayette, Indiana, February 1, 1903. The church of which he has been pastor since that time has, at this writing, in 1909. over four hundred members and is in a flourishing condition. Of this con- gregation the Men's Society is an important feature, it consisting of eighty members. Reverend Hassel has also done much good work in the Ladies' Aid Society and the Christian Endeavor. He is the superintendent of the Sunday school. The subject is a well known lecturer. Among the subjects upon which he lectures are such as "Abraham Lincoln," "Patrick Henry." "Crawford's Campaign," "Rise and Fall of the Rebellion," and "Our Ameri- can Soldiery." He is president of the Western board of home missions of the Reformed church in the United States. He is also a member of the board of foreign missions, the headquarters of which are at Philadelphia. He is an honorary member of the Grand Army of the Republic, having been re- ceived at the Indiana State Soldiers' Home by Jasper Packard Post. No. 589. and on the date of his admission was presented with a handsome badge in design the same as the regular Grand Army badge, and inscribed as follows : "For Distinguished Service this Badge was Presented to Rev. Conrad Hassel upon his Election to Honorary Membership in this Post, May 23. 1909."
The domestic life of Reverend Hassel began when he was united in the bonds of matrimony with Lydia Forwick, a native of Wisconsin, but who was living in Ohio at the time of her marriage. She is a daughter of Rev. F. Forwick, now deceased, but who at that time (August 26. 1889) was preaching at Vermilion, Ohio, and who for many years was stationed at Cleveland, Ohio, where he enjoyed a very successful pastorate. To Reverend and Mrs. Hassel six children have been born, namely: Frieda, Alma, Otto, Irene. Carl and Ira, all still members of the home circle.
Reverend Hassel often speaks at lodges, soldiers' and public gatherings. He is not only popular with his congregation but is held in high esteem by the people of Lafayette and Tippecance county, irrespective of religious creed.
JEREMIAH EDWARDS.
As the honored president of the Farmers and Merchants' Bank of Ot- terbein, and one of the representative citizens of Tippecanoe county, with which he has long been identified in various ways, it is incumbent that specific
MR. AND MRS. JEREMIAH EDWARDS
833
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, IND.
mention be made of Mr. Edwards in a work of this nature, not alone by reason of the prominent position which he holds, but also with a view to the incentive which the record of his honorable and useful career may afford to those who in time may come to peruse these pages.
Jeremiah Edwards was born in the beautiful little city of Delaware, Delaware county, Ohio, on August 22, 1833. The subject's father was a native of the state of New York and his mother was born in Wales. The father died when the boy was but a baby and he has always borne his mother's name, Edwards. The mother is living at Morocco, Indiana, at the remarkable age of ninety-seven years. The subject secured his first school- ing at Rensselaer, Ohio, and after coming to Tippecanoe county he attended four terms of subscription school, the sessions being held in the old-fashioned log buildings which in those days prevailed. This, with one term in a school at Montmorenci, comprised the sum total of his school training. However, Mr. Edwards has been a close reader of the best literature and a keen ob- server of men and events, and today few men are better informed on matters in general than is he. Mr. Edwards was about fourteen years old when he came to Tippecanoe county, and at the age of fourteen years he located in Shelby township, where he has remained practically ever since, being now the second oldest resident of the township. In that early day the country was wild and covered with the primeval forests with the exception of an oc- casional clearing and a few strips of prairie land. Wild animals were numer- ous and wild game was a prominent feature on the pioneer bill of fare. Mr. Edwards was employed at day work until he was twenty-eight years old. He had been economical and had managed to save his wages so that some time prior to this he had bought a small tract of land and had erected a house thereon. He now entered eighty acres of land in Jasper county, but soon sold it and bought land in section 27. Shelby township. He has added to his landed possessions from time to time and is now the owner of two hundred and sixty acres of land, comprising several splendid pieces of land lying in sections 11 and 27. being considered one of the well-to-do and solid men of the community. He has been practical and progressive in his methods and has done as much, if not more, than any other one man to advance the general interests of the township. He has carried on general farming opera- tions and the general condition of his property reflects credit on the owner. He has a splendid and comfortable home, while the barns and other out- buildings are up-to-date and commodious.
In 1903 Mr. Edwards took a leading part in the organization of the Farmers and Merchants' Bank of Otterbein, which is a state bank, owned by
(53)
834
PAST AND PRESENT
a stock company, and capitalized at thirty thousand dollars. Mr. Edwards, who owns the largest block of stock, is president of the bank and gives it much of his attention, its marked success being due largely to his efforts and influence. The bank building, a neat and commodious two-story edifice, is owned by the institution.
On November 20, 1860, when about twenty-eight years old, Mr. Edwards was wedded to Barbara E. Shambrough, the daughter of Jacob and Sarah Shambrough. She was born in the township in which she now resides in 1840, and is descended from Pennsylvania stock, her parents having come to Indiana from that state, being among the earliest settlers in Tippecanoe county. To Mr. and Mrs. Edwards have been born three children, namely : Annis J. is married and lives in Wisconsin; Elbert H., of Otterbein, mar- ried Margaret Parker and they have four children; Ross W. is engaged in the sheep business in Montana. Despite his seventy-six years, Mr. Edwards is active and energetic and takes a keen and healthy interest in the current events of the day. He still gives a portion of his time to the farm, on which he frequently does a regular day's work. Altogether, he is a man whom to know is to like, and he justly merits representation in a work of this char- acter.
WILLIAM H. MOORE.
Among the business men of honorable repute who in years gone by contributed their just share to the work of developing the city of Lafayette, Indiana, from an insignificant country hamlet to a bustling mart of wide in- fluence, William H. Moore is deserving of much credit. His worthy life companion who, with her children, was left to enjoy the comfortable compe- tence which he accumulated by years of patient toil and endeavor, reside in a neat and attractive home at No. 713 North street, Lafayette, being highly esteemed in that neighborhood.
Mrs. Sarah A. (Miller) Moore was born in Darke county, Ohio, near Greenville, October 12, 1837, the daughter of Abraham C. and Elizabetlı (Elston) Miller. Abraham C. Miller, who was born in the state of Penn- sylvania, was a typical pioneer, rugged, adventurous, but loyal to duty and honest and it was to such men as he that the present solid prosperity of the great middle West was made a possibility. His faithful life companion was born in Ohio. They were the parents of five children, all now deceased except Sarah A., who received what education she could in the primitive log school
835
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, IND.
houses of the early days, and when she reached womanhood married William H. Moore, April 28, 1869, the wedding occurring in Lafayette, Indiana. To this union three children were born, one son and two daughters. They are named as follows: Edith, born June 15, 1870, died in infancy; Wilbur G., born August 28, 1871, has remained single and is living in Lafayette, having been educated in the city schools, receiving a good education, after which he devoted himself to the study of electricity and has become an expert in this line, at present conducting a well equipped and carefully managed shop on Fifth street; Leota Grace Moore was born May 12, 1874, and died in the sixteenth year of her age. She was a bright girl and popular with a large circle of young friends.
Mrs. Moore was reared a Presbyterian and the strict discipline received in her girlhood, when the principles of this sound old-time doctrine were inculcated in her by her parents, has had a great mitigating effect on her after life, rendering it pure and wholesome; however, she is not at this writ- ing identified with the Presbyterian congregation. Mrs. Moore is neat and tidy about her home, modest, pleasant and agreeable, kind and thoughtful rather than over-talkative, her disposition being of the kind that wins and holds friends.
Christian Miller, a brother of Mrs. Moore, was among the patriotic sons who responded to President Lincoln's first call for volunteers at the outbreak of the Civil war in 1861. He was instrumental in raising Company A, which became a part of the Tenth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was elected captain of the same. While leading a charge at the battle of Rich Mountain, Virginia, he was shot down and for several months was in a serious condition at Beverley, Virginia. He was finally able to return home, where he recovered his health to some extent, although he died from the effects of his wounds several years afterward.
JAMES P. COMBS.
James P. Combs, who is well remembered among the railroad fraternity as a very capable and genial engineer, which line of work he followed for many years and then passed on to the "great beyond" that awaits us all, was born in Kentucky October 11, 1826, and came to Jacksonville, Illinois. when a boy and was educated in that city. On reaching maturity he decided to become an engineer, which line of work he took up and successfully followed.
836
PAST AND PRESENT
He ran as an engineer along the Illinois river, with headquarters at Naples, at an early day. When the Civil war began he showed his patriotism by joining the Union forces as a private in the Tenth Indiana Battery. He was in the hospital and on a gunboat most of the time he was in the service. He received an honorable discharge and drew a pension of twelve dollars per month.
Mr. Combs chose as a life partner on September 15, 1850, Sarah P. Green, their wedding occurring at Winchester, Scott county, Illinois, six- teen miles west of Jacksonville. Sarah P. Green was born in the last named city on March 23, 1833, the daughter of Jonas Green, who was born in Pennsylvania on August 10, 1806, and his death occurred February 18, 1900. having reached the remarkable age of ninety-four years. By trade he was a blacksmith and cooper, working at these in the city of Lafayette. He married Mahala Crawley, who was born in Kentucky in 1813, their wedding occurring April 17, 1827, in Jacksonville, Illinois. She, too, reached a good old age, passing to her rest on March 24. 1896. Their family consisted of four daughters and three sons. Two of the girls are now living, Mrs. Sarah P. Combs and Mrs. S. J. Bentley, of Seattle, Washington.
To Mr. and Mrs. James P. Combs the following children were born : Nettie, whose birth occurred August 14, 1852, married Charles Opp, lives at Otterbein, and is the mother of two children, both married; Mr. Opp is a farmer. James Combs, a farmer, was born November 11, 1854. married Sarah Smith, and they are the parents of seven children. Edwin Combs, born May 9, 1857, died in infancy. Fanny D. Combs, born November 13, 1858. married Will McCombs, of Lafayette, and died November 10. 1896, in Kansas City, Missouri. William C. Combs was born August 3, 1861, and died when twenty-three years old. Thomas G. Combs was born January 6. 1864, lives in Otterbein, Indiana, and married Lizzie Hallahue, who has borne him four children. He is a mechanic, farmer and well driller. Minnie M. Combs was born May 10, 1866, married William McCombs at Wichita, Kansas. He is a very prosperous man, being overseer of the Dole Packing Company's plant.
Mrs. Sarah P. Combs was reared a Methodist, but she is now a member of the Christian church, and is also a member of the Union Veteran League, being very active in its work, also that of the church. She is known for her charitable deeds, being a true "mother in Israel" in time of sickness or dis- tress in any way among her neighbors. She is a well-preserved woman for one of her advanced years, having a merry laugh that bespeaks healthfulness of soul as well as body and it is indeed good to be in her presence, for she
837
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, IND.
makes everyone feel better and happier. She has a good memory and is in full possession of all her faculties and it is a rare treat to visit her nicely-kept, cozy and hospitable home at No. 823 Cincinnati street, where her many friends always find the latchstring hanging on the outside.
JACOB MAY.
Among the large class of foreign-born citizens who have come to our shores and have done so much for the development of all sections of the United States, none seem to have done more or made better citizens than the Germans. A representative of this class was Jacob May, who enjoyed distinctive prestige among the enterprising business men of Lafayette and Tippecanoe county, having fought his way onward and upward in the face of obstacles until he earned the right to be called one of the progressive men in industrial circles, winning a position among the earnest men whose depth of character and strict adherence to principle excited the admiration of his contemporaries.
Jacob May was born in Schiefferstadt, Bavaria, January 18, 1836, the son of Jacob and Susanna (Dennhart) May. The former was a prom- inent farmer and also owned a brewery, being a man who prospered by reason of his inherent business ability, which seems to have heen transmitted to succeeding generations, for he was a man who believed in the old adage, "if a thing is worth doing it is worth doing well." Judging from the eminent success the members of this family now living in Lafayette have achieved. one would say that they, too, are advocates of such principles. Jacob May, of this review, received his educational training in the Father- land, working in his father's brewery in the meantime. As was the custom in his country, when he reached manhood he entered the army and served for a period of six years. Upon leaving the same he returned home and worked for his father until 1865, in October of which year he set sail for America, where he believed greater opportunities existed for him. Unlike many of his countrymen, he did not tarry in the East, but came direct to Lafayette, Indiana, reaching this city on October 12, 1865. His former experience in the brewery business caused him to seek employment in the local brewery, which he found, working here as a foreman for a period of. two years. In 1868 he and John Kuntz formed a partnership and conducted a brickyard for about two years, when Mr. May purchased the interest of
838
PAST AND PRESENT
Kuntz and continued the same alone in a successful manner. He also con- ducted a yard at Sheldon for three years, but this not proving so successful was closed-in fact it became necessary to discontinue both yards during the panic of the early seventies, owing to the stringency of the money market. Mr. May then worked for others for several years, and in 1882 he resumed work in his brickyard in Lafayette. In those days the work was all done by hand and numerous employes gathered about Mr. May's yards. He continued to operate the local yard until 1901, when he took in four of his sons as partners, Fred, John, Michael and Jacob. In 1904 they purchased the extensive tile factory of M. C. Meigs, located at "Three-mile Switch," near Lafayette, on the Big Four and Lake Erie railroads. Four kilns are operated here and about twenty thousand dollars' worth of tile is manu- factured here each year, their trade being now very extensive and the repu- tation of the firm second to none in the Hoosier state, the patronage of the same constantly growing, owing to the high-grade material turned out here and the honest methods employed in conducting the business, resulting in securing the confidence of every customer.
The domestic life of Jacob May dates from January 13, 1867, when he formed a matrimonial alliance with Susanna Dennhardt, a native of his own town, Schiefferstadt, Germany. She was the daughter of Valentine and Magdalena Dennhardt and came to the United States in October, 1866. She was always known as a woman of pleasing personality, kind and gen- erous, and her death, which occurred February 1. 1908, was deeply lamented by her many warm friends in Lafayette. Preceding this sad event she had been in declining health for three years, but with Christian fortitude she bore her lot patiently, never complaining. She was followed to the grave by her husband August 30, 1909.
To Mr. and Mrs. Jacob May eleven children were born, and all the members of this large family gave early evidence of the wholesome home training which they received. They are Joseph, who died at the age of ten years and two months; Fred married Julia Kramer, of Lafayette, and they are the parents of two children, Paul Jacob and Herbert Michael Fred- erick; John married Mary Mulherin, of Lafayette, and four children were born to them, three of whom are living, John Jacob, Anna Mary and Celia Alice; Gertrude, the second child born to Mr. and Mrs. John May. died in infancy ; the third son, Michael G., has remained unmarried; Susanna P. married John E. Brown and lives at Raub, Benton county, this state; they live on a farm and are the parents of four children, John Frederick. Jacob Charles, George Balthaser and Margaret Gertrude. Jacob and Mary Cer il
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.