Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead, Part 100

Author:
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers
Number of Pages: 786

USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead > Part 100
USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead > Part 100

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).

PROF. EUGENE F. LOHR, principal of the high school of South Bend, Ind., bas developed the highest qualities as a teacher, his enthusiasm in his work, his hearty convictions, together with attractive methods of tuition, having combined to make him one of the most successful high-school conductors in a State noted for its good schools. In fact, his versatility is found to include the rare gift of imparting knowledge in an original and attractive manner, hence his success. He was born in Washtenaw county, Mich., near Ann Arbor, in 1859, his parents, Philip and Mary (Bach) Lohr, having been born in Germany, the former near Strassburg in May, 1820. Philip was a son of John Lohr, who came to the United States about 1836 and located at Wayne, Mich., where he died in 1874, at the age of eighty-six years. He was an extensive real-estate dealer when in Germany, and was a cavalry officer in the German army. His son, Philip, now resides in Ann Arbor, Mich., a retired

662

PICTORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

farmer. Mary (Bach) Lohr was born in Germany, and when three years of age was bronght to the United States by her parents and with them first resided for a few years in the city of Philadelphia, after which they took up their residence in Washtenaw connty, Mich., where the father died in 1866 and the mother one year later. Eugene F. Lohr was the seventh child in a family of six sons and three daughters, and in the vicinity of Ann Arbor he was reared, in the common schools of which section he received his initiatory training. Succeeding this he fitted himself for a University course in the Ann Arbor High School. Upon finishing his course there, he entered the noted western institution of learning, the University of Michi- gan, and after attending one term, taught a district school for six months in order to obtain means to continue his pursuit of knowledge. The school-house in which he " wielded the ferule" waa of the old-fashioned kind. with benches all around the room, and the stove, which was supposed to furnish heat to the room, although it first boasted the prond possession of three legs, eventually lost one and in its stead two bricks were used. In 1884 he came to South Bend and accepted a position as instructor in German and Latin in the city high school, which he held until 1890 when, upon the resignation of Charles H. Bartlett as principal of the high school, he was appointed in his stead and has discharged the duties of this responsible office to the general satisfaction of all concerned. During his vacations he has made two trips to Europe, thus gaining a practical knowledge of the ways of the Old World, which has been of great use to him in his profession. Besides having a thorough knowledge of the English and German languages, he has spent two of his vacations at Oswego studying French and Spanish. On June 20, 1892, he was united in marriage to Miss Blanche Snyder, a popular young lady of South Bend, who was born in New York, a daughter of A. H. and Julia (Stowell) Snyder, both of whom were born in New York State and came to South Bend in 1882, where they are atill residing. Mr. Snyder is one of the leading druggists of the city. Prof. and Mrs. Lohr are members of the Presbyterian Church. He is in every respect a self-made man, is one of nature's noblemen and is in the enjoyment of a large circle of friends.

MARTIN L. WENGER is a retired farmer, and is a prosperous real estate dealer of South Bend, and by jndicious and honorable management his affairs have devel- oped to a gratifying magnitude. He is deservedly popular, and as a successful finan- cier his judgment is unquestionable. He was born in Lebanon county, Penn., June 16, 1820, to Martin and Elizabeth (Light) Wenger, who were also natives of the same county, the former dying in 1860 at the age of seventy-nine years and eight months, and the latter when the subject of this sketch was a small boy. Mar- tin Wenger, Sr., was a farmer, and learned the details of this calling of his father, Christian Wenger, who was born in Germany. When a young man he left his native land to seek a home in America, and spent the rest of his days in Pennsylva- nia, dying st an advanced age. The maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Henry Light, being a descendant of the family that many years before laid out the town of Lebanon. To Martin and Elizabeth (Light) Wenger four sons and four daughters were born. The father of the subject of this sketch was married twice, and by the second union were six children, of whom the subject is the seventh in order of birth in the first union, and the only one now living. He resided with his father until he was ahout twenty-one years of age and received a good edu- cation in the German language. On October 13, 1841, young Wenger left the pater- nal roof with $200 in his possession to seek his fortune in the West, where others of the family had already settled. On November 9 he arrived in St. Joseph county, Ind., having made the entire trip alone, walking to Springfield and Dayton, Ohio, where he visited his sisters. From there to South Bend he came by private convey - ance, where he met an older brother, Christian Wenger, who had settled here. He stayed with his brother during the winter, but in the spring, filled with the spirit of adventure aud a desire for wealth, and on hearing that larger wages were paid for

663

MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

hands in Illinois than here, he at once determined to set out for that place. So buying an old horse for $70 and hiring a buggy, in company with a friend, on May I he again set his face westward, but on arriving in Illinois he found things alto- gether different. Wages were not nearly as high as in Indiana, so, after prospecting for some time in different places in Illinois and Iowa, he turned back, sadly discour- aged, arriving again at South Bend just before harvest, out of money. He at once hired to a Mr. Ulery to assist in operating a traveling threshing machine. He gained ex- perience readily and at the end of the first month was employed by Mr. Briggs, the threshing machine manufacturer, to operate machines and act as agent for $25 per month. He followed the occupation of threshing for many years, and this experi- ence was the means of developing the energy and business talent that has been so characteristic of his life. February 18, 1845, he married Miss Christena Studebaker, who was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, six miles west of Dayton, on Stillwater Creek, she being a daughter of Samuel and Lydia (Leer) Studebaker, who was resred and married in Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Dayton, Ohio, in an early day. Mr. Studebaker was a millwright and built a grist-mill on Stillwater Creek, which he sold to Mr. Ainsley about 1829. Following this he came to St. Joseph county, Ind., and entered the land now owned by the subject of this sketch, moving his family here in 1831. At that time the country was covered with heavy timbers and inhabited by various wild animals. Here they carved out a home for them- selves in the thick forest, and in due course of time became wealthy as the country became settled and towns began to spring up. Mr. Studebaker died in 1837 and hia wife in 1845. He built the first saw-mill in St. Joseph county on the St. Joseph River at the mouth of Wenger Creek, and he also assisted in laying out the city of South Bend. He was a prominent and influential man of his day and belonged to that sturdy class of pioneers who were instrumental in making the country the magnificent agricultural region it now is. Mr. Wenger and his wife first began housekeeping in a small frame house 16x18 feet and one story high, situated three miles south of South Bend on what is now known as the Turkey Creek Road, but at that time was accessable only by an Indian trail through the heavy woods. The family have in their possession a picture of the house. Here they resided three years, after which Mr. Wenger purchased the Studebaker homestead, a farm of 156 acres, on which he has resided for forty-three years. The most of the land he, him- self, cleared. The farm is now all within the corporate limits of the city of South Bend, the land being nearly all laid out in town lots. He has sold seven acres to the Toy Manufacturing Company, five and three-fourth acres to the Miller & Knoblock Wagon Factory, and nearly two hundred lots as well as various other sales. Mr. Wenger has several streets named in honor of his family as follows: Wenger street laid out in 1882, Elizabeth street, Priscilla street, Fellow street, Christian street, Marietta street, High street, Broadway street. Pennsylvania avenue. He has one son and one daughter living Marietta (wife of H. W. Krieghbaum, who is an elder in the German Baptist Church); and Christian (a prosperous farmer near South Bend). Ephraim and Ira are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Wenger are members of the German Baptist Church, which is located on land owned by Mr. Wenger. He has always been a warm Republican, and his first presidential vote was cast for William Henry Harrison. He has always been an industrious and upright citizen, and has done a great deal to improve the city of South Bend and is regarded as one of her most substantial residents.

F. J. LEWIS MEYER, one of the foremost attorneys of South Bend, Ind., is a son of Rev. F. F. Meyer, who was born in Alsace, Lorraine, France (now Germany), and when sixteen years of age emigrated to Canada, and for eleven years there- after was a school teacher in the Dominion, in the following of which calling he won an excellent reputation. About 1870, while living in Canada, he entered the ministry of the Evangelical Association, and about five years later came to the United States and settled in Michigan, and at a still later period in South Bend,

664

PICTORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

in which place he pursued his ministerial duties for three years. He is now located in South Dakota, where he is secretary and treasurer of the Farmers' State Alliance, prior to which he efficiently tilled two terms as county superintendent of schools. When in Canada he was married to Mary Foerster, a native of that country and a good old-fashioned family of fifteen children was given to them, of whom F. J. Lewis Meyer is the eldest. All the members of this large family are living: F. J. Lewis; Jacob; George, a foreman for Studebaker Bros .; Sophia, wife of C. M. R. Haeske, superintendent of the wagon department of Studebaker Bros .; Mary; Lena; Moses; Daniel; Joseph; Bertha; Mattie; John; Fred; Edward and Charles. F. J. Lewis Meyer, together with John A. Berers, principal of the Mish- awaka schools, and George A. Powles, now of Chicago, were the founders of the South Bend Normal School, an institution that has become widely and favorably known. Mr. Meyer was born in Canada in 1860, and in the common schools of

Michigan he received a good education. In 1880 he came to South Bend from the Wolverine State, and for a number of years thereafter taught school and, like his father before him, won a good reputation as an educator. From 1886 to 1888 he was principal of the Lafayette School. After choosing law as his life work, he took a course in the Union College of Law at Chicago, and at the time of his graduation he took the first prize for the best thesis on any legal subject. He was admitted to the bar in 1890, and his first case involved $3,000 and was before the Michigan Supreme Court. He won the suit against the Hon. A. N. Van Riper as attorney, a man of high standing, who just before was attorney general of Mich- igan. Mr. Meyer speaks German and consequently has a good practice among the German population of St. Joseph county. Although engaged in the practice of law he still holds a State license. He is attorney for the St. Joseph County Loan & Savings Association, and is also treasurer of the Workingmen's Building & Loan Association. He has always been a stanch Republican, and on that ticket ran for the position of mayor of South Bend in 1890, but was defeated. In 1884 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary L. Rough, of Michigan, by whom he is the father of one son and two daughters: Edwin, Ivy and Louis. He has a very attractive home on the corner of Navarre street and Portage avenue, and he and bis intelligent and amiable wife are members in good standing of the German Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Socially he belongs to the I. O. O. F. He is s man who occupies a high position in the estimation of the public and is deservedly classed among the eminent attorneys of the county.

GEORGE W. ZINN. The Zinn family comes of sturdy German stock, and those of that name in this country are supposed to have descended from two brothers who crossed the Atlantic ocean prior to the opening of the war of the Revolution, to seek a home for themselves on a foreign shore and in a strange and new country. The great grandfather of the subject of this sketch was one of these young men and upon reaching this country he settled at Hagerstown, Md., where he married and reared a large family of children. The other brother went to the State of New York where he married, and many of his descendants are now in that State and in Pennsylvania. One of the sons of the Maryland Zinns married and moved with his family to Preston county, W. Va., where the remainder of his days were spent, dying at a ripe old age, and leaving behind him a large and highly respected family of children. One of these children was George, the father of George W. Zinn. He was a tailor by trade and later in life worked at carpentering and farming, in which line of work he met with fair success. Upon reaching man's estate he was married to Miss Elizabeth Powell, a native of Virginia, and to them a family of eleven children was given, of whom George W. was the youngest member. Later in life he took for his second wife a Miss Inlow, who bore him three children. In the early settlement of Central Ohio he moved thither and made s location in what is now Knox county, and he it was that erected the first house in the now flourishing little city of Mt. Vernon, but a few years later he moved to the vicinity of Columbus and

665

MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

from there to Clark county of the same State, where he arrived at a serene old age, but passed to his reward at the home of his son George W., in Indiana at the age of seventy-eight years. In his political proclivities he was an old line Whig and a man well posted on religious and historical subjects, and public spirited in every respect. He was a pioneer of two States and a man who took an important part in the affairs of each. George W. Zinn received such advantages as is usually given the farmer's boy, that is, he was thoroughly drilled in the mysteries of farming from the first and received such early education as the district schools of his vicinity afforded. When sbout nineteen years of age he left his home in Ohio and went with a married sister by wagon to Knox county, Ill., sbont the year 1836, in which State he remained one year. He came to Elkhart county, Ind., at the end of this time to visit snother married sister, Mrs. John Pittman, riding sn Indian pony to this section. His intention was to return to Illinois after a short visit, but instead of doing so Elkhart county has continued to remain his home up to the present time. The first few years of his residence here he worked as a farm hand and later as a brickmaker, by which means he secured a start, although he never received over $13 per month for his services. Out of this small compensation he clothed and fed himself and also contrived to save a small amount each month, with which he pur- chased a small tract of land. He disposed of this property after a short time and after making a number of changes located on the farm which he still owns in Jack- son township, which comprises 200 scres of finely improved land, not only so far as cultivation is concerned, but also in the way of buildings, fences, etc. In addition to this he owns a pleasant and comfortable home in Goshen. On March 17, 1842, he led to the altar Miss Elizabeth Myers, who was born in Preble county, Ohio, July 26, 1821, her husband's birth occurring September 5, 1819, near Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio. When an infant he was taken by his parents to Clarke county, that State, and there he sttained manhood. To Mr. and Mrs. Zinn six children were given: Eli M., who died in his seventeenth year; Mary Jane, wife of H. N. Hop- kins, a resident of Garnett, Kan .; Arvilla Z., who married Samuel Vail (who died some years after their marriage), and makes her home with the subject of this sketch: Milo C. died in childhood; Ida May also died when a child; Frank Hamlin ia a successful dentist of Chicago. These children and Mr. Zinn were called upon to monrn the death of the wife and mother March 20, 1884. She was one of the noble, Christian women of her community, was an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and had the respect of all who knew her. A few years after his wife's death Mr. Zina rented his farm and moved to Goshen, where he now resides. Mr. Zinn has been a life-long Whig and Republican and has held the office of county commissioner, in which he discharged his duties in a very acceptable manner and to the satisfaction of all those interested. He is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and in all ways is a most worthy citizen. He has been an omnivorous reader and is well posted on current topics and matters in general and his ideas of business are shrewd and far-seeing and of a decidedly practical nature. Mr. Zinn's parents, Christian and Elizabeth (Nation) Myers, were natives of North Carolina, . but moved to Tennessee in the early part of the present century and from there to Preble county, Ohio, in 1811. In 1828 they came to Elkhart county, locating on Elkhart Prairie, where they brought up a large and honorable family of children, many of whom moved to Iowa and were early settlers of that State. Two of the sons were well known in this county. Joseph held the office of county com- missioner and justice of the peace and was afterward a land commissioner of Iowa. The Myerses were pioneer settlers of four States and the Zinns of three.

THOMAS STARR was born February 4, 1855, near Montpelier, Williams Co., Ohio, and in 1865 moved with his parents to Bryan, Ohio. When thirteen years old he came to Goshen and entered a printing office. Two years later he went to Cass county, Ind .. and worked on a farm and in a printing office, attending a three months' term of school in the meantime. He returned to Goshen and worked in the printing

666

PICTORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

office until 1874, then went West for a year and returned to take charge of a printing office established at Syracuse, Ind. He remained there one year and in 1876 went to Albion, Ind., and with J. P. Prickett, purchased the New Era. In 1878 he went to Hicksville, Ohio, and purchased the News, having sold his interest in the New Era. Mr. Starr sold the News in 1881 and in 1882 went to Goshen and purchased the Independent, the name of the paper being changed to the News. In 1883 be established the Daily News. His business now consists of daily and weekly News, book and stationery store, book-bindery and a first-class job-printing office. He was married in 1878 to Adella, daughter of the late Judge William M. Clapp, of Albion, and they have three children.

ELBRIDGE G. HERE. This gentleman is descended from an old and well-known Pennsylvania family of that name who were colonial settlers of Lancaster county. Daniel, father of Elbridge G., was a native of the Keystone State, as was Misa Sarah Martin, who became his wife. Mr. Herr was a life-long hotel keeper in Columbia, Penn., his hostelry being well and favorably known to the traveling public. He took great interest in the militia of Pennsylvania, and prior to the war of the Rebel- lion was a brigadier general of State troops, and did much to give character and effi- ciency to them. He also represented his county in the State Legislature two terms in ante bellum days. August 11, 1861, he assisted in raising the Eleventh Pennsyl- vania Cavalry, and was commissioned captain of Company I. His company was recruited for the most part in York county, having served as infantry for their three months' term of enlistment, under Capt. Cochran. They then re-enlisted and after- ward served as cavalry. Mr. Herr was elected captain of the company. He was a large, corpulent man, and being well advanced in years, after a service of fifteen months in the Peninsular campaign where he saw much active service, he was com- pelled to resign on account of general debility and greatly impaired health. At his resignation, resolutions of regret and respect were given him in writing by all the officers of his regiment. He was most highly respected and spoken of by his comrades in arms. On his return to his home he resumed his duties as hotel pro- prietor. His death, which occurred in October, 1865, was deeply regretted by his family and a large circle of friends. He was a prominent member of the Masonic order, a most genial companion, a kind father and a worthy citizen. To him and wife were born six children, our subject, his brother Eugene and his sister Ada being all that are living. In 1866 the mother removed with her family to Goshen. Ind., where she has since resided. Elbridge G. was reared in the town of Columbia, where he was born March 25, 1842. He received an academic education and after leav- ing school clerked in a book store and assisted his father in the hotel, and when he en- listed in the army our subject assumed management of the hotel until his father's re- turn. He then entered the service of Uncle Sam and did clerical work in the United States provost marshal's office at Harrisburg. Penn., and detached duties elsewhere until the close of the war, and on Angust 31, 1865, he was discharged. He came with his family to Goshen in March, 1866, and was soon after appointed clerk to G. D. Copeland, United States revenue assessor, and about one year later became . assistant assessor for three counties and remained as such until January 1, 1873, when he resigned and formed a partnership with Col. R. M. Johnson, for the prac- tice of law. After thirteen years and several changes in the name of the firm, Mr. Herr succeeded to the business, which he has since conducted alone. He is pre- eminently an office attorney and has largely confined his practice to probate law and collecting. In 1883 he was appointed insurance inspector for the city of Gosben, a position he has since filled to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. One of the most prominent characteristics of Mr. Herr is his love and aptitude for the mil- itary. In 1873 he became a charter member of Calanthe Lodge, No. 41 Knights of Pytbias, and was the first master at arms. Starting from this appointive position in the order he has achieved that honor to which but few men aspire and fewer ever realize-that of being past grand chancellor and eventually representative to the

667

MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

supreme lodge of the world. In 1874 he was elected past chancellor and repre- sentative and attended the grand lodge session in July of that year. He was re-elected as representative in December, 1874, June, 1875, and December, 1875, and served on several important committees during these sessions. At the January session in 1877 he was appointed grand master at arms, vice Wilbur F. Taylor, who had been appointed grand K. of R. & S. ad-interim, vice N. C. Potter, resigned. At the same session he was appointed grand inner guard for the term ending July, 1877. He was elected grand prelate, in Jannary, 1878, grand vice- chancellor in January, 1882, and grand chancellor in January, 1883. As one of the charter members of Calanthe Division, No. 11, Uniform rank K. of P. he was elected at the organization as sir knight commander, and served as such until his promotion to the position of major of the Second Regiment Indiana Brigade U. R. K. P. in June, 1884, and in July, 1888, was promoted to the position of colonel of the regiment. His ability as a presiding officer is evidenced by the fact that his lodge elected him as chancellor commander for several years in succession. Col. Herr is said to be the next smallest commander, in stature, that ever wielded a eword at the head of a regiment of the Uniform Rank. His promotion in this branch of the order was rapid, and in every way merited. In June, 1892, he was re-elected colonel, and is now serving his second term as colonel of the Second Regiment. Mr. Herr was united in marriage in 1866 with Miss Mary A. Child, a native of Marietta, Penn., and to them has been born one son, Charles C., the well- known and popular junior member of the firm of Peters & Herr, of Goshen. Mr. Herr has been a life-long Republican and a laborer for the success of his party. He owns a nice home and valuable real estate in Goshen and is one of the most worthy and progressive citizens.

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.

Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of northern Indiana and of the whole state, both living and dead, Part 100

Author: Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers Number of Pages: 786

Author:
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Brothers
Number of Pages: 786