USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Past and present of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 63
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CALVIN LESLEY.
One of the well-known men of Perry township, Tippecanoe county, is Calvin Lesley, who has risen from discouraging environments to a position of influence by reason of his well-directed energy along worthy lines. He is a native of the community where he now lives, having first seen the light of day on October 1, 1852, the son of Daniel Lesley, who was born Sep- tember 26, 1793, in Pennsylvania, the son of Jacob Lesley, also a native of the old Keystone state. Daniel Lesley had no chance to go to school, but he did not let this hinder him in his life work, for he succeeded without it. He had the distinction of serving in the war of 1812. He remained in his native state until 1826, when he went to Ohio, and about 1830 came to Tippe- canoe county, Indiana, having been preceded by two brothers, John and Andrew, in 1827. Daniel, a typical pioneer of the bravest and most sterling type, located in Perry township where he secured eighty acres of timbered land on which he put up a log cabin and started to make a home. His brother Andrew lived in section 1, Perry township. In 1867 Daniel Lesley went to Shelby county, Illinois, where he bought a farm, on which he died, July 7, 1883. He was twice married, first to Margaret Wyrick, a native of Pennsyl- vania, and secondly to Elizabeth Witte, who was born near Terre Haute, Indiana, of Scotch-Irish descent. The Lesleys were originally from Ger- many. Elizabeth (Witte) Lesley's death occurred in April, 1903. To Dan- iel Lesley and his first wife seven children were born, all now deceased. The following children were born to Daniel Lesley and his second wife; Mar-
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garet married John Hudson, of Shelby county, Illinois; Calvin, subject of this review; Elzina married Jerry Underwood, of Shelby county, Illinois ; George, who has remained single, lives in Shelby county, Illinois; Frances married Eli Francisco, and they live at Arkansas; Archibald married Ellen Olehigh, of Shelby county, Illinois.
Daniel Lesley devoted his life to farming. He was a Republican. He believed in education and tried to give his children every advantage possible. Calvin, of this review, attended the home schools, but was not able to get a very extensive text-book training. In 1867 he went to Shelby county, Il- linois, but returned to Tippecanoe county, Indiana, the following year and worked for Seno Gunkle and his brother-in-law for ten years, and also farmed. In 1883 he bought his present farm in section 4, Perry township, first securing forty acres, to which he added land adjoining until he now has a fine farm of one hundred acres, a part of which is in Washington township, all in a good state of cultivation and so managed as to yield a comfortable income. He has lived on his present farm since 1884, and, having always been a farmer, he is well abreast of the times in this line. He has made all the improvements on his place. For three and one-half years he was connected with the elevator at Buck Creek. For a man who started in life poor, what Mr. Lesley has accomplished shows that he is made of sterner stuff than the average man.
On January 18, 1872, Mr. Lesley was married to Mary Crider, a native of Madison county, Indiana, a daughter of William and Nancy (Whitaker) Crider, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Ohio. They lived in Madison county, Indiana, and later came to Tippecanoe county, lo- cating in Washington township. Mr. Crider died in 1860 and Mrs. Crider followed him to the grave in 1865. They were the parents of twelve chil- dren. Those living are James, of Washington township, this county ; Mark, of Lafayette; Ellen, of Washington township; Mary, wife of Calvin Lesley of this review.
To Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Lesley eight children were born, namely : Charles D., an attorney at Dayton, Indiana; he was educated at Valparaiso University and also at the State University at Bloomington, Indiana, also studied at the Law School in Indianapolis. He was a teacher for fifteen years, and was very successful in that line, as he is now in law. He married Louise Church and they have two children, Pauline and Louis. Arthur E. Lesley was educated at Valparaiso University, and has taught for twelve years, at present being the efficient principal of the schools at West Point, this state; he married Alice Cole. Bruce S. Lesley married Lulu Nalley, and they are the parents of four childrer, Cecil V. ( deceased). l'elen A .. Latra E.
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and Robert B. Bruce S. Lesley is a farmer in Perry township. Curtis W. Lesley, a fireman on the Wabash railroad at Lafayette, married Nellie Blood, and they have two children, Mary A. and Alma. William C. has been teach- ing for the past six years in Washington township; he married Ethel Munea and they are the parents of three children, two of whom are deceased, the living child being Julia F. George L. died at the age of one year. Mary C. married Orville Spencer, who manages an elevator in Washington township. Oliver A., the youngest child, is still a member of the home circle.
Mr. Lesley is deputy assessor of Perry township, and in his political affiliations he is a Republican. Fraternally he is a Mason, belonging to Lodge No. 425, at Buck Creek, Indiana; he also belongs to Lodge No. 497, Knights of Pythias, at Buck Creek. He has given his children all a good education and the entire family ranks high in Perry township socially. Mrs. Lesley is a member of the United Brethren church, to which she gives her earnest support.
JOHN FLACK.
Among the names of prominent farmers of Tippecanoe township is found that of John Flack. Successful as a stockman, he has gained a wide acquaintance and has by his business foresight made for himself a fortune that indeed is not a small one. Coming in 1884 to Tippecanoe county from Fountain county, he settled in the township where he now resides. He pur- chased a farm of one hundred and forty acres, to which he has added until he now holds title to two hundred and sixty acres of the best land in the county, valued at one hundred dollars per acre.
Mr. Flack was born in county Cavan, Ireland, in February, 1849, the son of Samuel and Mary ( Bell) Flack. Samuel Flack was an honest, hard- working man, and, hearing of the wider scope for activity in America, he decided to cast his lot in the new land. Accordingly, in 1863. he embarked. Not having the money to bring his family with him on the first trip he came to America alone and secured work first at Fort Schuyler. He later went to live at Shawnee Mound, in Tippecanoe county, and it was while work- ing at this place that he sent for his family. Later they moved to the city of Lafayette.
When a young man, Samuel Flack had married in Ireland. His first wife dying, he remarried, and it was his second wife that came to America. By the first marriage four children were born, as follows: John, Mary Ann. Hugh and Maggie. In early life the daughter took up church work,
JOHN FLACK
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decided to devote the remainder of her life to this work, and entered a convent in Pennsylvania, where she is now a Catholic sister. John and Hugh did farm work in Tippecanoe county, getting small monthly wages. Later they went to Fountain county to seek similar employment. John received fifty dollars in money for his first year's work and his employer furnished his clothing. He nurtured a desire to acquire greater learning, and while working on the farm he managed to get in three months in the country school. After the end of the first year his employer paid him eighteen dollars a month, and he continued to serve this man for ten years, at the end of which time the young man was ahead two thousand dollars. He then decided to be- gin life on his own responsibility. He bought a team and a few implements and began farming in Fountain county. He remained in that county for one year and then moved to Tippecanoe county, where he started on a small scale, but worked hard and finally has succeeded in gaining a competence.
It was in 1884 that Mr. Flack married Jennie Stewart, who was born and reared in Wisconsin. To them were born three children, as follows : Mary E., in October, 1889: Stewart, on February 28, 1891; and George WV., February 22, 1894. Mary E. has successfully completed her common and high school courses, having graduated from the Battle Ground high school in 1909.
The personal side of Mr. Flack's life has been a pleasant and an upright one. He is a prominent member of the Battle Ground Methodist Episcopal church, being a trustee in the congregation. For twelve years he served as worshipful master of Battle Ground Lodge, No. 313, Free and Accepted Masons, and has also been chancellor commander of Tippecanoe Lodge, No. 273. Knights of Pythias, and he has represented both these lodges in the grand lodge.
In politics Mr. Flack is a stanch Republican, and has been active in the party life in the county, his counsel being always sought when a critical issue is at hand. He is one of the stable men of the county, his pleasant home being hospitable and comfortable. He owns a fine five-passenger Cameron automobile and he is a well-known figure, driving the elegant ma- chine about the country.
FRANCIS MARION CONES, D. D.
Varied, useful and adventurous has been the career of the chaplain of the Soldiers' Home at Lafayette, who is spending the evening of his life in
(71)
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comforting the ailing veterans and administering to their spiritual needs. His parents, Joseph and Nancy (Gregg) Cones, were natives of Kentucky, who became pioneers of Indiana at what the local historians call "in early days." We find them in Hancock county in the thirties, in Clinton county in the sixties, and subsequently in Boone county, the occupations of the father being farming and merchandising. He was born in 1805 and died in 1868, his wife's birth occurring in 1808, and her death in 1894. Francis Marion Cones, one of the seven brothers of the original family of ten children, was born at New Palestine, Hancock county, Indiana, November 17, 1836. His first.school attendance was in the Clinton county public schools, followed by three years in the Thorntown Academy, from which he was graduated in 1860. Shortly after this the current of his life was broken by the great shock of the Civil war, which was destined to make and unmake many men and give an impress to the minds of millions that would endure to the end of their days. August 14, 1862, he entered as a private in Company I. Eighty-sixth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Captains Lambert and Carna- han and Colonels O. H. Hamilton and George F. Dick, who commanded the company and regiment at different times. His service was only of five months' duration. being cut short by ill health, caused by exposure while on duty, which compelled his discharge at Bowling Green, Kentucky. Return- ing north. Mr. Cones took up the profession of teaching, first at West La- fayette and later at other places. Subsequently he was elected a professor in the Thorntown Academy, and was there associated with John Clark Ridpath. the eminent scholar and historian. At a later period he went to Asbury University to take the classical course of study and had the honor of receiv- ing his degree in 1872 from Bishop Thomas Bowman. the president, who still survives at the advanced age of ninety-two years. In this class were several persons noted subsequently as missionaries, viz .: Rev. John Blackstock and Rev. Howell Pyke, as also was Governor Buchtel, of Colorado. After leav- ing college. Mr. Cones traveled in the south for his health one year, later on taught for two years as principal in the Cookston Seminary at Parksville. Tennessee, and in 1875 entered the Holston conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, his first charge being at Leicester. North Carolina. After a year at this place he was transferred to Greenville, Tennessee. for a service of twelve months, after which he was elected professor of Latin in Holston Seminary at New Market. Tennessee, but only held this position a year be- fore returning north to enter upon a number of pastoral charges, which, under the itinerant system of the Methodist church, lasted only for brief periods. Thus we find him at Asbury, Kentucky. for a year, and in charge of
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a congregation near Newport for one year. Then followed two years de- voted to a vice-principalship at Thorntown Academy, followed by a return south in 1882, to accept a conference pastoral appointment to Kingston, Tennessee. From there he was called home in Indiana by the sudden death of his brother, Doctor Cones, a practicing physician, and later spent one year each at Rossville, Whitestown, Clark's Hill and Remington, in all of these places having charge of important congregations. Returning south in 1898, he was appointed field agent at Sevierville, Tennessee, for a year for Murphy College. Next he was appointed pastor for a year at North Knox- ville, Tennessee, and the next year at Elizabethton, Tennessee; then he was appointed assistant principal of Wesleyan Academy at Chemkey, Tennessee. In January, 1904, he was appointed chaplain of the State Soldiers' Home at Lafayette and has since so continued. He has written a unique history of Thorntown Academy, a denominational institution under the supervision of the Methodist Episcopal church, located at Thorntown, Indiana." This school had a history of thirteen years and was deservingly popular. It filled a niche in the educational history of the state in the years when the funds for public school support were much limited. This institution was founded in 1855 and closed its work as a denominational school at the close of the academic year in 1868.
In 1897 Mr. Cones received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from Harriman University in Tennessee, and in 1905 Taylor University, of Up- land, Indiana, conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. While residing at Thorntown he was chaplain, adjutant and post commander of Lookout Valley Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, department of Indiana, and is on the memorable list of pensioners, drawing twenty-four dollars a month. He is a member of Jasper Packard Post, No. 589, Grand Army of the Republic, located at the Soldiers' Home at Lafayette, Indiana, has charge of all the religious services and associations of this home, his duties being many and varied. He loves his work and is in close touch with all his people. Cheerful and optimistic in temperament, of deep convictions, and sincere in all his conduct, Doctor Cones is a fine type of the American pastor, as well as the American man and citizen.
LUTHER TULL.
An enumeration of those men of the present generation in Tippecanoe county who have won public recognition for themselves, and at the same time
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have honored the locality to which they belong, would be incomplete were there failure to make mention of the one whose name forms the caption of this sketch, who is a substantial and highly respected citizen of Fairfield township. Luther Tull, one of the leading agriculturists of this county and one of the best known citizens of Fairfield township, was born in Washing- ton township, this county, March 10, 1861, the son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Brown) Tull, both natives of Ross county, Ohio. They came to Tippecanoe county, Indiana, when young and here married. Isaac Tull was educated in the common schools. After his marriage he located in Washington town- ship, Tippecanoe county, and in 1866 moved to Fairfield township, where he purchased thirty acres of partly improved land in section 2. There he de- veloped a valuable farm and also found time to operate a threshing machine for many years, making a success of both and becoming well known through- out that part of the county. He was an active Republican, but was not a public man. He was highly respected and his death, which occurred January 22, 1871, was lamented by all his neighbors, as was also that of his wife in October, 1873. She was a member of the United Brethren church. Their family consisted of five children, namely : William, Charles, Louisa, all de- ceased : Luther, of this review; John, a farmer living near Delphi, Indiana.
Luther Tull had but little opportunity to attend school, but he made good use of what he did have. He lived with an uncle, John Wolf, at Col- burn, Indiana, for three years, and he also lived with a Doctor Anderson for some time. On June 2, 1885, Mr. Tull was married to Catherine J. Ely, who was born in Fairfield township on the place where Luther Tull now lives. She is the daughter of Philip and Sarah (Buck) Ely, the former of Fair- land township, this county, and the latter of Perry township. Philip Ely was the son of Henry and Mary (Isley) Ely. He was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, December 18, 1797, and was the son of Henry and Ann (Apple) Ely, of German extraction. His mother died when he was nine years old and his father again married. He went to Ohio in 1825 and the following year came to Tippecanoe county. Indiana. He married May Isley, of Montgomery county, Ohio. She was born July 9, 1810, and was the daughter of Daniel Isley. He settled on one hundred and sixty acres of land in Fairfield township, and died May 1, 1864. his widow surviving until July 10, 1887. They were members of the United Brethren church, and their family consisted of eleven children, of whom those living are James, a resi- dent of Texas; Annie of Lafayette, Indiana; Sarah lived in Washington township, this county; Jennie lives in Michigan City, Indiana. The follow-
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ing named children are deceased: Philip, John, Henry, Daniel, Jacob, Kate and Susan.
Sarah Buck was the daughter of Joseph Buck, born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, September 13, 1799. His father was John Joseph Buck, a native of the same state, of German ancestry. This family moved from Pennsylvania to Butler county, Ohio, in 1816, and Joseph Buck married Catherine Widnes. In 1829 they came to Tippecanoe county and settled in section 17, Perry township, securing one hundred and sixty acres of timber land, having entered this the year previous. He cleared the land, made a good home, dying there in 1865. He and his wife were members of the United Brethren church, and in politics he was a Democrat. They were the parents of eight children, namely : Daniel, deceased; Samuel lived in Perry township; Elizabeth and Eliza are both deceased; Susan married John Sing- ley, of Fairfield township, where they now reside; Sarah first married Philip Ely, and then Allen Overley; she died August 22, 1901. Philip Ely died August 30, 1878, and Allen .Overley died November 15, 1891. John is de- ceased, as is also the eighth child, Elias. Mrs. Joseph Buck died in 1846.
Following are the names of the children born to Philip Ely and wife : Catherine J., wife of Luther Tull, of this review, born March 30, 1861 ; Cornelius J., born December 27, 1865, died June 27, 1866; Sarah J., born February 24, 1871, died when two years old. Allen Overley and wifed reared a son, George, now living in Lafayette, Indiana, employed in the Monon railroad shops. Philip Ely was educated in the common schools and he was always a farmer, a Democrat in politics and a very active member of the United Brethren church. He cleared a great deal of land and lived con- tentedly on his farm in Fairfield township.
To Mr. and Mrs. Luther Tull one daughter, Lida May, was born. She was educated in the home schools at Lafayette, with one year in high school and also a course in a business college. She is also a graduate in music, being a very skilled musician, and she has taught music very successfully. She is at this writing stenographer and bookkeeper for J. M. Miller, a real estate and insurance dealer in Lafayette.
Ever since their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Tull have lived on their pres- ent farm in Fairfield township. He has devoted his entire life to farming, with the result that he is regarded as one of the leading agriculturists in his community, carrying on general farming in a manner that shows him to be abreast of the times. Mr. and Mrs. Tull are members of the Baptist church of Lafayette, and they are popular both in the city and throughout Fairfield township.
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JOSEPH WISE.
When Joseph Wise and his sister Catherine in childhood played about the old Wise homestead in Alsace-Lorraine, then a part of France, where the former was born June 14, 1840, they talked of a life of adventure and agreed that when they had grown older they would cross the great briny deep and with their own eyes see America, of which country they had heard so much. Their parents, John and Annie (Fry) Wise, both of whom were natives of Alsace where they spent their lives on a farm, both long since joining the phantom army in the silent land, did not encourage their chil- dren in this, to them, a very uncertain undertaking, especially to people of their tender years. But it was hard for them to properly care for their family of eight children, of whom only Joseph and his sister Annie, of France, are now living, and the old parents finally acquiesced in the plan to come to the New World, and thus with a blessing sent their two children out from the old roof-tree, bidding them God-speed on their long trip. Joseph was then (1859) nineteen years old, and he had a fairly good education, having attended the schools in his native community while not at work on the home farm assisting in the support of the family. He and Catherine boarded an old-fashioned sailing vessel, and, after a voyage of forty-two days, landed at the port of New York full of youthful ardor and hope. They soon made their way westward to Wayne county, Ohio, where their brother had al- ready located, and with him Joseph remained two years and then came to Adams county, Indiana, where he was employed in clearing the then woody land for a period of two years. He then went to Benton county, Indiana, where he remained one year, then moved to Clinton county, later to Tippe- canoe. Having saved his earnings, he was enabled to purchase eighty acres of land three miles east of Rossville, which was then covered with timber; but he set to work with a will to clear the land and establish a home, which he eventually did and has since enjoyed a comfortable income from his farming as a result of his habits of industry and his good management. In 1866 Mr. Wise disposed of this eighty-acre farm and purchased forty-five acres one mile north of Pettit, this county, and he lived on that place for twenty years, clearing and improving it, transforming it into a veritable garden. He added to this and finally owned eighty-five acres there. Sell- ing this place in 1885, he bought where he now lives in section I, Fairfield township, owning at this time one hundred and five acres, on which he has made many valuable improvements, having cleared twenty acres himself, and
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he raises wheat, corn, hay and oats in abundance, doing a general farming business and is very comfortably situated, having a commodious dwelling and good outbuildings and, plenty of stock on his place.
Mr. Wise was married January 1, 1865, to Margaret Ginder, a native of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, and to this union eleven children have been born, namely : Samuel, a machinist employed in Mason City, Iowa, married Mary Freed and has four children; Benjamin is a farmer in Calhoun county, Iowa, married Ella King and has six children; Annie, the wife of Charles Hendrickson, of Tippecanoe county, Indiana, is the mother of four children; Caroline (deceased) married William Amstutz, lived in Perry township and had five children; Catherine is single and living at home; John, a farmer in Fairfield township, married Pearl Clawson and has two children; Bertha married Ed McLaughlin, of Lafayette, and has two children; Mattie mar- ried Lewis Beaver, of Fairfield township; Emma is the wife of Bert Jenkin- son, of Lafayette; Daniel died when sixteen years of age.
Mr. Wise has never aspired to positions of public trust; however, he takes an interest in the public welfare. He is a member of the Mennonite church. He is a good sample of a truly self-made man and is deserving of much credit for what he has accomplished and the honorable life he has lived.
EDWARD HUBERTZ.
A native of Perry township, Tippecanoe county, and a man who has proven to be one of the most scientific and progressive agriculturists of the same since he has reached man's estate is Edward Hubertz, whose date of birth was August 28, 1877. A criterion of his business ability and his high standing in the community is found in the fact that he is the present assessor of his township. He is the son of Stephen and Margaret (Duffy) Hubertz, the former born in Germany, March 1, 1847, and came to America with his parents in 1854. They settled two miles east of Lafayette where they began farming, later purchasing land in section 3, Perry township. Their farm of eighty acres was all in timber, but Mr. Hubertz and his son cleared it and made a good home, and here the parents died. Their family consisted of four sons and two daughters, namely: Mathias, John, Kate, Mary, Stephen and William. Stephen Hubertz, father of Edward, was educated in the common schools. He remained at home taking care of his aged parents -in fact, he still lives on the old place in Perry township where he has suc-
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