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 109

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 109
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 109

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When the body of John A. Washington, of Mount Vernon fame, who was killed by Col. Hascall's regiment at Elkwater, was borne back to the enemy, Col. Hascall re- ceived the first flag of truce sent during the war by Gen. Robert E. Lee. In De- cember, 1861, at Louisville, Ky., he was placed in command of a brigade consisting of the Seventeenth and Fifteenth Indians Regiments and the Sixth and Forty-third Ohio Regiments, and assigned to Nelson's division. Three months later he was trans- ferred to a brigade in Gen. Wood's division and commanded it at Nashville and Shi- loh. In April, 1862, he participated in the battle of Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing, and at the close of the engagement, when Gen. Beauregard requested permis- sion to bury the Confederate dead on the field, received the first flag of truce sent dur- ing the war by that general. April 20, 1862, he was without solicitation promoted to brigadier general of volunteers, and thereafter, until the fall of 1864, was actively en- gaged in all the operations of the armies of the West, most of the time in command of s division, and at times temporarily in command of an army corps. At the battle of Stone River he commanded the forces on the left after 10 o'clock of the first day, and was more instrumental than any other officer present in preventing the defeat on the right from becoming an utter rout of the Union army. After this battle he was sent to In- disnapolis to superintend the work of returning deserters from the army in the States of Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. While so engaged he was transferred from the Army of the Cumberland to the Army of the Ohio, and placed in command of the district of Indiana, and during his command there Vallandigham was arrested, the Chicago Times and numerous "Copperhead" papers in Indiana were suppressed, and the great meeting of rebel sympathizers in Indianapolis, to seize the State arms and turn the State over to John Morgan, was foiled in its design. Later, in command of a division of the Twenty-third Army Corps, Gen. Hascall went with the army into east Tennessee and took an active part in the capture of Knoxville, and afterward in the siege of that city when Longstreet was attempting its capture. When Sherman moved upon Atlanta, after Longstreet's repulse, Gen. Hascall marched at the head of his division, conspicuous in all the engagements that resulted in the capture of that city, his division planting the first batteries around the doomed town and de- livering the first shot and shell into the city of Atlanta. At the close of the war Gen. Hascall, in connection with John W. Irwin, Esq., engaged in the banking business at Goshen, under the name of the "Salem Bank," and became one of the most active and successful men in that city. In 1879 Messrs. Hascall & Irwin be- gan the manufacture of hardwood lumber on a large scale with John H. Lesh, under the firm name of John H. Lesh & Co. Since 1889 the business has been conducted under the firm name of Irwin & Hascall It comprehends the manufacture of large amounts of black walnut and other hardwood lumber, which is sold extensively in Germany, Great Britain, France, Australia and other foreign countries. In 1890 Gen. Hascall withdrew his interest in the bank at Goshen and took up his residence in Chicago. Besides attending to the lumber industries at East Chicago, already referred to. he has, since locating in the World's Fair City, been actively interested in real estate matters, having been one of the projectors of the new Lexington Hotel and other important real estate interests. In politics Gen. Hascall is an ardent Re- publican, and during some campaigns has made numerons telling speeches in be- half of his party. In 1884 he was one of the electors-at-large for Mr. Blaine. He is a member of the Illinois Commandery of the Loyal Legion, and takes an active interest in its meetings and the conduct of its affairs. In 1886 he was married to Mrs. Rose S. Miller, of Canton, Ohio, who was formerly Miss Rose Schwarz, of that city.

Da. JAMES F. GRIMES. Integrity, intelligence and system are qualities which will advance the interests of any man or any profession and will tend to the pros- perity to which all aspire. Dr. Grimes' life in the professional arena has been char- acterized by constancy of purpose. conscientionsness, undoubted ability and energy, and as a natural result his time is fully taken up with the duties of a profession

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which is the most arduous of any in the field of science. He ia of Irish, English and German descent. His grandfather, Samuel Grimes, was a resident of Freder- ick county, Md., and for his second wife married a Miss Grimes, of English stock, but not known to be related to him. To them seven children were given: Reuben, James, Samuel, Noah, Lena, Alvira and William. After the death of the mother of these children Mr. Grimes again married, his third wife presenting him with eleven children: Warren, Noah, Ann, Dorcas, Catherine, being the only ones remembered. Samuel Grimes was a prominent farmer and stockraiser of his day and on his fine farm in Frederick county, Md., he was called from life at the age of eighty-two years. His son, James Grimes, first saw the light in Frederick county, Md., and owing to the breaking up of the home by the death of his mother, he was appren- ticed to a miller, but was fortunate enough to receive a common-school education. He became a soldier in the War of 1812 and waa a participant in the battle of Blandensburg. He was united in marriage with Rebecca, daughter of George and Rebecca Ott, of German descent, and around their hearthstone a family of nine children eventually gathered, all of whom lived to mature years: Matilda, David, Joseph, Joshua, Catherine, James F., Susanna, Elias and Lydia. James Grimes followed the calling of a miller in Maryland until forty years of age, at which time he became a farmer in the old Ott homestead, and in 1833 moved to Seneca county, Ohio, where he entered and purchased land until he was the owner of 280 acres. He pursued the calling of a farmer the remainder of his daya, and lived to the advanced age of four-score years and four. He was a man of much intelligence, and his judgment was respected by the people of hia section to auch a degree that for twenty-eight years he diacharged the duties of justice of the peace to the satisfac- tion of all concerned. Dr. James F. Grimes, his son and the subject of this sketch, was born on the old Ott homestead in Frederick county, Md., April 13, 1825, and when a youth received a practical education in the common schools. He was taken to Seneca county, Ohio, when a child of eight years, and when about nineteen years of age, with his father's consent, he began the study of medicine with the family physician. Dr. Norton, and later pursued his investigations with Dra. Myers and Harria, of Bellevue, Ohio, after which he practiced one year. He then entered the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1853, after which he almost immediately located at Mishawaka, Ind., of which place he has since been an active practitioner. During the Civil war he was the only physi- cian in Mishawaka, and in the early days of his practice traveled far and wide on horseback, carrying his medicines with him in a saddlebag. At that time the roads had hardly been cut out of the thick woods and were almost impassable south of Mishawaka, but this intrepid physician managed somehow to respond to the calls of suffering humanity, although his health, and even his life itself, was often endan- gered by hia long rides through wind and weather, and his services were required almost day and night. There was much more sickness in those early days than at the present time, for the marshes had not yet been drained, the people were not as well clothed and fever and ague abounded. Dr. Grimes was married in Seneca county, Ohio, to Miss Caroline E., daughter of John and Elizabeth (Lay) Harris, and to their union four children were given: Rebecca E., Harriet, John H. and Mary A. Dr. Grimes keeps well posted in his profession, takes many of the leading medical journals of the day and owns a valuable medical library. He is a physician of forty years' experience, during which time he has met with excellent success and has a large practice, the most of which his son. Dr. John H., now attenda to, the latter being a graduate of the Bennett Medical College of Chicago. He is married to Rose Fisher and has two children. Rebecca E. married Orlando Welklow (de- ceased) and is now residing at Port Chester, Alaska Territory. She has been for many years a successful teacher in the graded schools of South Bend and Mish- awaka. Harriet E. is married to E. Volney Bingham, an attorney of Mishawaka, and has four children. Mary A. married William Bortwick, who is with the Mish- 42

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awaka Manufacturing Company and has one child. Dr. Grimes is one of the respected citizens of the county, and owing to the many years that he has devoted to the cause of humanity he has won the gratitude and affection of all. There is but one other physician in the county who has a longer record as a resident physi- cian: Dr. Harris, of South Bend, his brother-in-law who came to this section the fall before he did.

DANIEL SMELTZER is one of the most prominent young men of Elkhart county, Ind., and although he may be said to be self-educated, he is far above the average in business and executive ability, and is among the leading literary men of Elkhart county. He was reared in the woods of this section, and there for many years spent both his summers and winters hard at work in tilling the soil, his advantages for obtaining an education being exceedingly limited. Notwithstanding this rude rear- ing he was made of the right kind of metal, and this was bound to show itself in time. As soon as opportunity offered he began working for his board and attending school, for he had a natural inclination for books and had the intelligence to see that a good education would be of great benefit to him in a business way, and for some time was an attendant at Wakarusa, where he made rapid progress in his studies and laid the foundation of his present extended and comprehensive knowl- edge of books. Through his own efforts he advanced step by step until he attained to the position of cashier of the Exchange Bank of Wakarusa, which position he has filled with great credit to himself for the past few years. Mr. Smeltzer was born in Olive township, Elkhart Co., Ind., November 28, 1857, to John Smeltzer, an early pioneer of this section whose sketch appears in this work. He was one of a large family of children, and as his father's financial circumstances were none of the best, he had to work early and late to keep the wolf from the door, and at a very early age began the battle of life as a follower of the plow and in doing odd jobs around the farm. After becoming sufficiently well posted he began teaching school in the country, and later at Wakarusa, and for six years filled that position very creditably -one year in the primary department, one year in the intermediate department, and four years as principal. In addition to discharging his responsible position of cashier of the Exchange Bank, he has for twelve years filled the position of justice of the peace, and has impartially adjusted the difficulties of his neighbors. After becoming a pedagogue he attended the normal schools that were held in Goshen, and by putting his heart in his work and by earnest self-application, he became one of the leading teachers of the county, and his services were in demand throughout the county. He is agreeable and courteous in his demeanor, and his kind heart and willingness to oblige those with whom he has business or social relationa has been the means of winning for him numerous friends. He has always been a warm sup- porter of Republican principles, and being public spirited he has endeavored to promote the welfare of his section at all times, and among its worthy citizens is considered one of its most desirable acquisitions. Naturally the cause of education has found in him a stanch supporter, and at three different times he conducted a normal school in Wakarusa, but soon gave it up for other work. He is a member of the Christian Church, in which his wife also enjoys membership. On January 26, 1879, he led to the altar Miss Ida M. Lammond, a native of Ohio, who was born May 25, 1862, to Courtland and Nancy (Grove) Lammond, which family came to this section from Ohio at an early day and settled in Wakarusa, where they resided until 1887, when they moved to Michigan. This family consisted of two daughters and four sons, of whom Mrs. Smeltzer is the youngest daughter. She has borne her husband four children as follows: Olive A., born April 5, 1883; Birch B., born October 1, 1885; Hazel C., born July 24, 1888, and Forest D., born August 21, 1892. Mr. Smeltzer and his wife are well known and much respected in Wakarusa.

VERY REV. AUGUST B. OECHTERING, of Mishawaka, is the youngest son of Gerhard H. and Theresa (Benningmeier) Oechtering, who was born in the province of West- phalia. Prussis, September 8, 1837, and completed his education in the College of

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Rheine in 1858. In July of the same year he came to America to prepare himself for the extensive mission of the Catholic Church, for which he always had a strong inclination, and for this purpose the newly appointed Bishop Luers of Ft. Wayne, Ind., to whom he had applied for admission into his diocese, sent him to the Semi- nary of Mt. St. Mary's of the West near Cincinnati, where he completed his the- ological studies in May, 1861. On the 17th of the same month he was ordained priest of the Cathedral of Ft. Wayne by Bishop Luers, and soon after his ordina- tion was appointed rector of the much neglected mission of St. Joseph's Church at Delphi, Ind., where, from May 26, 1861, till December 22, 1865, he labored with good success, building up a good congregation and school. At the same time he also attended several small missions in the surrounding country. In 1864 he accom- panied his kind friend, the Bishop Luers, to Europe, where, after an absence of six years, he visited his aged parents, who at that time celebrated their golden wedding, holding & reunion of their eight children and their families. In 1865 he was ap- pointed rector of St. Mary's Church at Avilla, Ind. While there he labored eight- een months with eleven different congregations in four counties. In Waterloo a new church was erected, at Kendallville an old one was nicely repaired. He also labored in other places during this time, and during his short stay in Avilla he de- livered many lectures upon the Catholic subjects such as "Confessions," "Popery" and the "True Church," in his different missions, thus clearing away many preju- dices and silencing many false accusera. In 1867, at the request of the Bishop, he took charge of the St. Joseph's Church at Mishawaka, where he has since labored with good success. In December, 1879, the Bishop of Ft. Wayne. Dr. Dwenger, tendered him a much larger and more remunerative field of labor, Huntington, but he declined, as he had formed an attachment to the citizens of Mishawaka and pre- ferred remaining at his old post. In 1875 he again went to Europe, visited Rome and had an audience with the venerable and saintly Pius IX. He also traveled through France, England and Ireland. This last visit was a very profitable one to him in various ways and was a source of much pleasure. In 1886 the Catholic Church of Mishawaka was entirely inadequate to supply the wanta of the congrega- tion and a fund for the building of a new church was started by Father Oechtering, and in 1890 active preparations were begun for the erection of a new church, but it was deferred on account of the pastor's poor health, and five months of that year were spent in traveling through Europe in search of health, and he was much benefited by the change. Upon his return he began active work again, and in the beginning of 1891 the foundation was laid and the corner-stone placed in position by Rt. - Rev. Joseph Rademancher, of Nashville, Tenn., the ceremony taking place Angust 30, 1891, before an audience of about 10,000 people. The total cost of the new church will be nearly $50,000. It is 160x60 feet, its spire rising to the height of 180 feet. It will be occcupied in October, 1893. Father Oechtering has been president of the Catholic School Board of the diocese of Ft. Wayne, also one of the consulters to the Bishop of Ft. Wayne, which is a prominent position. He is dean of the Fifth Dis- triet of Fort Wayne, presiding at their semi-annual meetings. He is rich in the love of his people, and of him it may be said, "Well done thou good and faithful servant."

A. S. SENSENICH, M.D. There is probably not a physician in Elkhart county, Ind., who is known as widely or who enjoys the practice that is given to the subject of this sketch; and that he deserves the good fortune that has attended his efforts is indispntable, for he is not only honest, reliable and intelligent, but is sympathetic yet cheerful in the sick room and possesses the happy faculty of winning the conti- dence and liking of his patients, which has much to do with their restoration to health. He has had an office at Wakarusa for the past twelve years, and through- out that section and, in fact, throughout the county he is considered an authority in medical lore, and is highly regarded by the medical fraternity. He was born in Lancaster county, Penn., August 3, 1849, to Levi and Mary (Stauffer) Sensenich,

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the former of whom was also born in Pennsylvania on the old homestead there that has been in possession of the family for many generations. His parents, Francis and Elizabeth (Weaver) Sensenich, were early pioneers of the State, and lived and died on the old family homestead in East Earl township, Lancaster county. Upon reaching manhood, Levi Sensenich took unto himself a wife in the person of Mary Stauffer, whose parents, Jacob and Elizabeth (Martin) Stauffer were also early set- tlers of that region. Mr. and Mrs. Sensenich lived on the old homestead on which the former's parents had settled, and there he paid the last debt of nature in 1862, leaving his widow with a family of five children to care for. The father was 8 prominent man in his section of the country, and took an active part in political mat- ters, being first an enthusiastic Whig and later & Republican. A life-long member of the Mennonite Church, he took an important part in church matters, and was in every respect an excellent and public-spirited citizen. Shortly after his death his widow and the subject of this sketch, who was then a lad of sixteen years, emigrated to Elkhart county, Ind., the other members of the family being John, who died in childhood; Susan, who ie the wife of Daniel High, of Olive township; Fianna, who also died young, and Benjamin F. Upon the removal of Mrs. Sensenich to this section sbe purchased a farm in Olive township, and on this farm the Doctor gave his mother valuable aid and such time as could be spared from his labors was spent in attending the district schools, where he was considered exceptionally well ad- vanced in his studies. His kindly nature instinctively turned to the broad field of medicine for his life work, and in 1878 he began his medical studies in the office of Dr. H. T. Mangemy, now of South Bend, but then of Wakarusa. In 1879 he entered Rush Medical College of Chicago, from which he graduated in 1881, and after returning home at once formed a partnership with his former preceptor, who was a prominent physician. At the end of a few years Dr. Sensenich succeeded his . partner and took upon his shoulders the entire charge of the sick throughout his section, and was soon patronized so liberally that his time was occupied with the duties of his calling almost day and night. He is a member of the State Medical Association and the Elkhart County Medical Society, in each of which he is highly honored and is considered an acquisition. He makes it the object and aim of his life to keep in touch with everything connected with his profession, is thoroughly up with the times iu the practice of his noble and useful calling, and his name has become a familiar household word in the region in which he resides. Politically he is Republican, and has always manifested much interest in the success of his party, and has also manifested much interest in the prosperity of Wakarusa, being excep- tionally public spirited. In 1868 Martha Brubaker became his wife, she being a danghter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Nnsbaum) Brubaker, the former of whom was a native of Pennsylvania and the latter an Ohioan. They were married in Ashland county, Ohio, and were among the first to settle within the limits of Elkhart county, Ind. Mr. Brubaker was first & farmer of Harrison township, but later followed the same occupation in Olive township and eventually became a leading dry goods merchant of Wakarusa, in which town he passed from life in 1880. His widow is still living in this county. Their union resulted in the birth of the following chil- dren: Abraham, who is a banker of Warsaw, Ind .; John, a lawyer of the same place; Martha, wife of Dr. Sensenich; Mary, wife of George Kilmer, of Mentone, Ind., and Anna, who is the wife of George Mountjoy, of Elkhart, Ind. Mrs. Sen- senich was born in 1849, and at the time of her parents' settlement in the county she was a small girl. The Doctor and his wife have s handsome home in Wakarusa, and are highly regarded in the social circles of that place. Three of their children are living and two are dead. Ida E. is the wife of William Clay, a prominent young druggist of Wakarusa; Roscoe L. is at school, and Oma F. is with her par- ents. Bertha M. died at the age of eleven years, and Agnes V. when two years of age.

VALENTINE BERKEY. Among those who have engaged in other occupations out-

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side the chosen channels of agricultural life ia Mr. Berkey, who, no doubt, inherits his thrift, energy and perseverance from his German ancestors. In tracing the genealogy of this family, we find that the immediate progenitor of the family came from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania at a very early date. The grandfather of our subject, Peter Berkey, was born in Somerset county, Penn., and was a miller, a manufacturer and a lumber merchant. He married a Miss Fyock, and nine chil- dren were born to them: Daniel, Peter, Joseph, Christian, Elizabeth, Polly, Rachel, Catherine and Sally. Mr. Berkey passed all his days in his native county and died there when eighty years of age. He was a Seven Day Baptist in his religious belief, and a man of good character. He was held high in the estimation of all, was justice of the peace for many years, and his opinion and views were sought on nearly all subjects. In politics he was at one time an old line Whig, but he subsequently espoused the principles of the Republican party. His son, Daniel Berkey, father of subject, was also a native of Somerset county, Penn., born in the year 1808, and received the common-school education of his day. He cleared up a farm in his native county, and was there married to Miss Francea, daughter of Jacob Huffman. Five living children were born to this marriage: David, Andrew, Valentine, Peter D. and Mary, all born in Somerset county. Owing to his good management and in- dustry, Mr. Berkey accumulated a handsome property and became the owner of about 1,000 acres of land. He was an extensive farmer and made his home in his native county until past middle age. Then, as some of his children, Valentine, Peter D., Andrew and Mary, bad settled in Elkhart county,Ind., he sold his land in Pennsylvania and between 1865 and 1870 located in Harrison township, thia county. He still resides in this county and is now eighty-one years of age. His long life has been spent in usefulness, and although the winters of time have tonched him with their frost, he still enjoys comparatively good health. A member of the German Baptist Church, he takes an active interest in all good work and haa con- tributed liberally to his church. In politics he supports the Republican party and advocates its principles and policy. His character is above reproach, he has ever been industrious and energetic, and no man in the county is more highly esteemed. Like his father and grandfather, our subject, Valentine Berkey, was born in Somer- aet county, Penn., and his natal day ia May 23, 1833. In the common schools of his day he received a fair education and he was early trained to the duties of farm life. In November, 1854, when in his twenty-second year, he came to Elkhart conuty, Ind., and made a settlement in Goshen. For some time he worked by the day in clearing land, and on the 23d of April, 1857, he was married to Miss Hettie Miller, daughter of Jonas and Barbara (Hay) Miller. Mr. Miller was born in Mont- gomery county, Ohio, but is a descendant of a prominent Pennsylvania family. To his marriage were born two children, Henry and Hettie. In 1836 Mr. Miller moved to South Bend. Ind., and there followed the mason and bricklayer's trade for some

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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 109

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

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