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 16

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 16
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 16

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JEREMIAH HAUN, who since 1866 has made his home in Olive township, was born in Fayette county, Penn., February 12, 1830, the third in a family of twelve children reared by John and Martha (Shank) Haun, the former of whom was born in that county and State also, his birth occurring May 1, 1801. He was a son of one of the early pioneers of that county, and of that section he remained a resident until he was twenty-five years of age, but owing to the fact that he was forced to begin working at a very early age, his opportunities for obtaining an education were lim- ited. He was married in Fayette county and in 1837 moved to Holmes county, Ohio, where, in addition to tilling the soil, he followed the occupation of threshing

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for many years, and succeeded in becoming well to do. He was active in the polit- ical affairs of his section and was a life-long Republican. He is now living a retired life in Holmes county, and has attained to the advanced age of ninety-two years. Not- withstanding the fact that the snows of many winters have passed over his head, he is quite active for one of his age and his mind shows but little the ravages of time. For thirty-five years he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is interested in Christian work, and reared his children to honest and industrious man- hood and womanhood. His wife was born in Fayette county, Penn., in 1807, a daughter of Christian Shank, and resided with her husband and children in Ohio until her death in 1889, at the age of eighty-three years. She had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years, was a helpmate, indeed, to her husband, and was devotion itself to the following children which she bore her hus- band: James is a farmer, a man of family and resides in Holmes county, Ohio; Mary is the wife of Christian Kilmer, of Holmes county; Jeremiah (the subject of this sketch), is a farmer and lives in Elkhart county, Ind. ; Peter, died at the age of fif- teen in Holmes county; Nancy. who is the wife of John L. Moyer, of Clay county, Ind .; Uriah, who died at the age of seventeen years; Mahala, who died in childhood; two that died in infancy; Harry, whose residence was in Holmee county, but who died in Missouri in 1890. He had been a member of Company G, Nineteenth Ohio Regiment, was in battles, and was taken a prisoner of war at Chickamauga, and was kept in captivity at Andersonville for eighteen months, during which time he suf- fered untold hardships and privations; Jacob, who was a soldier in the One Hun- dred and Second Ohio Regiment, was taken a prisoner in Alabama, and was kept in captivity for six months, during which time he was treated very cruelly. His regi- ment was blown up on a boat near St. Louis about the close of the war. He died in 1877, leaving a family in Wayne county, Ohio, where he for many years followed the occupation of farming. Solomon, living in Wayne county, is a farmer and a man of family. Jeremiah was six years of age when taken to Ohio, and on a woodland farm in that State he grew to manhood. He received a fair education in the district schools but at the age of twenty-one he started out for himself and settled on a farm in Holmes county, where he was married to Mariah, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Showalter) Longnecker, who were early settlers of that region. The father died at Mr. Haun's home in Elkhart county, his wife's death occurring in Owen county, Ind. They were about seventy-five years of age and he wae a member of the Mennonite and she of the Dunkard Church. Their children were: Isaac, of Ohio; Sarah, married Jacob F. Lentz, and is deceased; Mariah: Rebecca, wife of F. Coppage, of Terre Haute, Ind .; Leah is the deceased wife of William Stevic, of Ohio; Lovina is the wife of Eugene Doriot, of Fulton county, Ohio; Rhoda is the wife of F. M. Barnhart, of Clay county, Ind .; Adaline is the wife of Jacob F. Rohrer, of Elkhart county; Elizabeth died unmarried; Joseph died at two years of age; Amanda became the wife of George Leferer, of Elkhart county. The parents of these children became prominent residents of Ohio in 1836. They made a good property and reared a family that commanded the respect of all. He was a Republican in politics. Mrs. Haun was born in Fayette county, Penn., Feb- ruary 13, 1835, and was a child when the family settled in the woods of Ohio. She and Mr. Haun grew up in the same neighborhood and attended the same school. In 1866 they came to Elkhart county, Ind., and as Mr. Haun had previously been very successful in business, he was enabled to purchase 161 acres of land in Olive town- ship, and this has eince been his home. He and his wife are members of the Evan- gelical Church; he is one of its stewards and politically is a member of the Repub- lican party, which he has always enthusiastically supported. In 1868 he was elected trustee of Olive township, and held the position three successive terms. He has been very successful as a stock raiser, and as a tiller of the soil has been no less prosper- ous for he brings to bear sound judgment and practical experience. To himself and wife have been born a good old-fashioned family of fourteen children: Mary, born Feb-

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ruary 13, 1853, died December 17, 1854; Martha E., born September 16, 1854, is the wife of Allen Maurer, of Marshall county, Ind., and has these children: Dora, Jeremiah, Daisy, Allen, Marvin; Joel (who died at the age of twelve); Clemen- tine (died at four years), and three died in infancy; Almira, born February 11, 1855, and died December 17, 1864; Isaac H., born November 8, 1857, died December 22, 1864; Joel S., born March 6, 1859, died December 12, 1864; Lorenzo K., born April 10, 1861, died April 10, 1878; Harrison R., born April 30, 1863, died December 19, 1864; Joseph G., born November 26, 1864, is living in Olive township, married to Caroline Marker, by whom he has a daughter: Olga L., and two children who died in infancy; Pers E., born March 17, 1867, is the wife of Wayne F. Fichler, of Wakarusa, and is the mother of two children: Ruby and Vernon J .; Homer was born June 21, 1869, and died June 22, 1869; Adelpha, born April 7, 1872, is the wife of Ruel R. Reinebold, of St. Joseph county, by whom she has one child: Volney G .; John M. was born July 17, 1874; Pardon was born July 11, 1877, and died at the age of four months; and Lulu M. was born March 4, 1882. Five of their children died in- side of two weeks, in 1864, of diphtheria. Mr. and Mrs. Haun are among the best known citizens of their section of the country, and through their own industry are now enjoying their comfortable and pleasant home. Mr. Haun raises a high grade of draft horses and a fine breed of sheep.

CHRISTIAN BLOCHER has been a resident of Elkhart county, Ind., for the past twenty-seven years, but was born in Erie county, N. Y., December 15, 1836, a son of Christian and Catherine (Beam) Blocher, the former of whom was of Lancas- ter county, Penn., born December 16, 1806, a son of John Blocher, who was a native of Switzerland and was brought to Lancaster county, Pa., when two years old, but later became s resident of Erie county, N. Y., where he died at a ripe old age. His wife, who was a Miss Frick, died in Erie county also. They reared a family of eleven children: John, Jacob, Tison, Christian, Peter, David, Martha, Susan, Sophia, Elizabeth and Polly, of whom Sophia is the only survivor. Chris- tian was reared on a farm in York State, there grew up and married and there paid the last debt of nature March 27, 1852. When a young man he had married Catherine Beam, a daughter of Christian Beam, of the same county in New York, but her birth occurred in the same county as that of her husband October 2, 1799, and died in Indiana with her son, Christian, on July 2, 1877. She was the mother of six children: David, born July 27, 1831, and died in Erie county at the age of forty-six years; Peter was born February 1, 1834, and died June 11, 1892, in Pennsylvania; Christian; John C., who was born July 18, 1839, and is a res- ident of Bloomington, Ill. ; Catherine, born September 24, 1842, is the wife of Jacob Bessey. The father and mother were members of the Mennonite Church and polit- ically he was a Whig, and as a tiller of the soil succeeded in accumulating some property. In the public schools of New York State, Christian Blocher received a good business education, and owing to the death of his father, he began making his own way in the world at the age of fifteen years. He worked on different farms in Erie county until he was nineteen years of age, then went to Michigan and began devoting his attention to the lumber business. After remaining there a short time he began tilling the soil and continued it until the firing on Fort Sumter caused him to abandon his plow in order to fight his country's battles and the same year his name could be found on the rolls of Company G, Seventh Michigan Volun- teer Infantry, he being one of the first men to enlist in his country's service. He held the rank of corporal and was promoted to sergeant, a position he was filling at the time he quit the army three years later. He was with the Army of the Po- tomac and was at Fair Oaks, the second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, where his regi- ment had 216 men wounded and thirty-nine killed. Mr. Blocher was wounded in both heels by a gunshot and was in the hospital for some time before he was able to re- join his regiment. He was also at Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and on May 6, 1864, was struck by a spent ball which knocked him down but did not

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injure him. When his term of service had expired he received his discharge on the field, but after remaining at home abont two months he returned to the service. When the war was over he returned to New York and was there married on June 18, 1865, to Susannah Martin, who was born in Erie county June 6, 1837. She was a daughter of Abraham and Mariah (Herst) Martin, both of whom died in York State, the former having been born in Pennsylvania. After his marriage Mr. Blocher removed with his wife to Ohio, but came to Elkhart county, Ind., a few months later and after renting for some time purchased a farm of eighty- five acres which had been partly improved. He and his wife began devoting their energies to improving this land and it is now a well-improved and well-cultivated tract. His wife is a member of the Mennonite Church and he has always been an active Republican in politics. He has held the office of township supervisor for eight years and since 1886 has held the office of township trustee two terms. He is inter- ested in the much needed improvement of the public roads, and has always been a patron of the public schools. He raises nearly all the cereals on his farm, and stock- raising has received considerable attention at his hands. He and his family are highly regarded in their community and he is well known to the agriculturists of Elkhart county. He has a family of four children: Martin A., who was born July 22, 1866, is married to Maggie Winger, has one child, and is a farmer of Olive township; John M., born June 7, 1868, has been a school teacher for a number of years and has become quite prominent as an educator; Anna E. was born January 19, 1870, is married to J. W. Moyer, of Olive township, and Ida A., who was born February 14, 1872, is at home with her parents.

JAMES McMI. SMITH, president of the South Bend & Mishawaka Railway, was born in Overton county, Tenn., February 13, 1852, a son of Alexander A. and Jane (McMillan) Smith, who were born in Virginia and North Carolina respectively. The father followed the calling of a carpenter, and after his marriage, removed to Macoupin county, Ill., where he engaged in farming until death called him from this life in 1866. His widow survives him and is residing in the Indian Territory with a son. She became the mother of seven children: Dr. H. B., of McAllister, I. T .; Horace, agent for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, of McAllister, I. T. ; Mrs. Elizabeth K. Harrison; Mrs. Henrietta R. Bolling; Milton L., who is on the editorial staff of the New York World, Otto W., agent of the Missiouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad at Gainesville, Tex., and James McM. The latter began learning telegraphy with the Chicago & Alton Railroad at the age of ten years and remained in the service of this road for five years, at the end of which time he became con- nected with the Pullman Palace Car Company, located in Chicago, as receiving cashier, and for twenty years remained thus connected. The last eight years he was the private secretary of George M. Pullman, and traveled with him over a great portion of the world. He resigned this position in 1888 and engaged in the iron manufacturing business in Chicago, making a speciality of rolling mill machinery, hammers and heavy forgings. In the spring of 1889 he sold his interest in this business and embarked in the street railway business, his first experience in this line being in Des Moines, Iowa. In that city two street car companies were very an- tagonistic to each other, but Mr. Smith succeeded in creating harmony between them and they were eventually consolidated. He bonded this new company for $600,000, after which he succeeded in establishing a number of other companies. In the fall of 1889 he took up the South Bend street railway property, which was then a horse-car line owned by two companies. He succeeded in consolidating them, put in the electric system, and has since been its president. He is just now getting the road in good working order, and is rebuilding its lines with heavy "T" rails. This is being done under his own personal supervision, and as he is a thorough and practical business man, it will without doubt be a grand success. He has the deter- mination and push necessary for a successful business career and his future out- look is bright and promising. He was offered the presidency of one of the Chicago

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elevated railways, but respectfully declined to accept the position. Mr. Smith never went to school a day in his life, his rudimentary education being obtained at home under his mother, and in every sense of the word he is & self-made man. He was married in 1877 to Miss Jennie Turner, of Chicago, and in that city now makes his home. Mr. Smith has a cousin, Benton McMillan, in Congress, who has won considerable distinction. He was educated by Mr. Smith's mother and like the latter has shown that he had excellent early training. The parents of Mr. Smith lived to a ripe old age and the maternal grandmother lived to the extreme old age of nearly one hundred years.

ELEAZER FRYMAN is a product of the county of Elkhart, Ind., and is a descendant of one of the early pioneer farmers of the section. He was the second child and only son born to Samuel and Barbara (Hay) Fryman, the former of whom was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, about 1816. Hie early ancestors came to this country from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania, and later in Montgomery county, Ohio, where Samuel was reared. His early life was spent in a great mill with his father, who was & miller by trade, but later he learned the trade of a carpenter and alao engaged in farming. In Ohio he was married to Miss Hay, a daughter of Valentine Hay, and at the end of two years moved by wagon through the woods to Indisna and located on a farm in Harrison township, Elkhart county, which is now owned by his only son, the subject of this sketch. He bought land to the extent of eighty acres, all of which was heavily timbered, but after some years, by hard work at his trade, and by clearing his farm at night, he soon had his farm in fair condition for agricultural purposes. He made his settlement in 1842, and he and his good wife went through all the many privations of life on a frontier farm. He and his wife were life-long members of the German Baptist Church, and although he was reared a Democrat, about 1850 he became a Republican and supported that party until his death in 1887, at the age of seventy-one years. He was one of nature's noblemen, and as a citizen was all that could be desired. He was a self-made man, won many friends by his correct mode of living, and upon his death left a nice property to his heirs. His worthy wife was born in Bedford county, Penn., in 1813, and died in Elkhart county in the spring of 1892. She had become the mother of four children by a first marriage to Jonas Miller: Henry, Hettie, Valentine and Elizabeth. The two last mentioned are deceased. Hettie is the wife of Valentine Berkey. Mrs. Fryman had emigrated to Indiana with her first husband and lived in St. Joseph county near South Bend. After the death of her husband she went back to Ohio, and there later married Mr. Fryman. Among the children born of her second mar- riage is Isabella, who was born in October, 1840, and is now the wife of Michael S. Weaver, of Concord township, by whom she has three children: Edward, Eleszer and Tacy. Eleazer Fryman was born September 1, 1848, on the farm where he now lives, and as soon as he became old enough began to assist his father and soon took almost entire charge of the place, and his father gave the most of his attention to his trade. Eleazer attended the district schools and spent one term in the Goshen High School, where he gained a practical education. He remained at home managing the farm until the death of his father, and in 1869 was married to Eliza- beth Steiner; who was born in Lebanon county, Penn., October 6, 1850, a daughter of Andrew Steiner and Henrietta (Vile) Steiner, the former of whom was also born in that county October 20, 1820, & son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Lesher) Steiner. Frederick Steiner was a native of Germany, came to this country with his parents when a child, and from him sprung the numerous people of that name in Pennsyl- vania. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. Andrew Steiner grew up and married in his native county, there reared his family, but died in Elkhart county, Ind., November 20, 1891, having lived here two years with his daughter, Mrs. Fryman. He was a member of the United Brethren Church, and was a Republican in politics. He was a stone-mason by trade, as was his father before him, and became a promi- nent contractor, being especially skilled as a bridge builder. He was very charitable,

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ever lent a hand to the poor and needy, and was liberal in the use of his means in worthy causes. He was quite a Nimrod, took great delight in the sport, and every season spent some months in the Allegheny Mountains hunting deer and in fishing. His wife was a daughter of Henry Vile, and when quite young she was left an orphan and was reared by her grandmother Spangler. Her grandfather. Spangler came from Holland, and tradition has it that he brought with him to this country a box of gold. To Andrew Steiner and his wife nine children were born, and the latter made a number of trips to the West to visit her children, who had settled in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. She died in 1877, at fifty-two years of age, an earnest member of the United Brethren Church. She was a Christian in every sense of the word, and waa always very kind to the sick and poor. Her children were as follows: John A., born May 10, 1844, is living in Michigan, married .to Rebecca Womer; Catherine A. is the wife of Dr. C. J. I. Murray, of Morris, Ill .; Isaac A. is married to Tacy Maulfair, and lives in Maryland; Caroline, who died in childhood; Eliza- beth H. (Mrs. Fryman); Emma M. is the wife of Dell Young, of Chicago; Marius W., a dentist of St. Joseph, Mo., is married to Lillie Grant, daughter of Judge Grant, of Grundy county, Ill .; William, who is living in Maryland, was married to Sally Carminey, and after her death took for his second wife Sadie Sumerill; Mary, who is the wife of Adam Phranier, of San Francisco, Cal. ; Sadie, who died in infancy; Charles, who died at the age of seven years, and Mindie M., who is now Mrs. Peter Chapman of Goshen, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Fryman were married in Lebanon county, Penn., in 1869, and soon after came to Elkhart county, Ind. They have two sons: Samuel A. born January 24, 1871, and is married to Alice Wagoman, daughter of Andrew and Catherine A. (Shoman) Wagoman, and is now living on a farm owned by his parents. He and his wife have one child, a daughter, Fern, who was born May 29, 1892. Samuel is a Republican, and is a wide-awake, pushing young man. The second child born to Mr. and Mrs. Fryman was Marius W., born October 14, 1889. They are members of the Progressive Church, and Mr. Fryman has always been a Republican. He has a good farm of 112 acres, and he and his wife are among the most popular residents of their section.

DR. JULIA D. GODFREY, physician and surgeon, is a worthy example of this progressive age and of what can be accomplished by the "weaker sex," when op- portunity is afforded. She possesses those attributes necessary for a sncceasful career aa a practitioner of the "healing art," for she is naturally kind hearted and sympathetic and has the happy faculty of inspiring hope and courage in those upon whom she is called to attend, while her native intelligence and thorough and prac- tical knowledge of her calling can not be denied. She was born in Brown county, Ohio, in 1852, and comes of an excellent family, her parents being Abner Devore and Louise M. Gardner (mother's maiden name), who were also Ohioans, the former a successful tiller of the soil in the Buckeye State. He and his wife became the parents of six sons and one daughter. The maternal and paternal grandfathers were clergymen. Dr. Mrs. Godfrey received her initiatory training in the public schools and subsequently entered Ursuline Convent, and from there became a student in the Lebanon State Normal School, but shortly after entering this institution her mother died, which prevented her from finishing her course, as she immediately re- turned home and began keeping house for her father. After teaching several terma of school ahe was united in marriage to Samuel Godfrey and after a lapse of a few years she took up the study of kindergarten methods, but did not put the knowledge thus gained into practical use. About this time she set her heart upon pursuing a medical career and with the energy which has ever characterized this wide-awake lady she began the earnest study of medicine and graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College, of Chicago in 1891. She then located in South Bend, where she has since made her home and where she has deservedly built up a very satisfactory practice, which fully occupies her time. She deserves much credit for the way in which she had surmounted the obstacles which have strewn her pathway in the

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fields of science, and her career is a useful object lesson to others of her sex to " go and do likewise." She has made numerous friends and her future career is bright with promise. She is a member of the Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan Medical Associations, and makes it the aim and object of her existence to keep well informed of the progress made in her profession.

JEREMIAH BECHTEL. A glance at the interesting genealogy of the Bechtel fam- ily shows that Jeremiah Bechtel comes of very prominent people, who have become noted in the annals of Elkhart county history, and who have, by their upright, straightforward course through life, kept their names unspotted and honored in the sight of God and man. Mr. Bechtel is at present a banker of Wakarusa and one of the most prominent citizens and business men of the place. He owes his nativity to Blair county, Penn., born September 30, 1848, and was the fourth child boru to Daniel and Sarah (Neterer) Bechtel (see sketch of Daniel Bechtel). When but a child our subject was taken by his parents to Elkhart county, Ind., and there grew to manhood amid the rude pioneer surroundings of Harrison township. He at- tended the district school near his home and there laid the foundation for his sub- sequent prosperous career. When twenty-one years of age he emigrated westward and located in Clinton county, Mo., where he engaged in farming, but on account of sickness came home where he worked on a farm by the month for two years. Later he engaged in the lumber business and still later bought a farm in Union township on which he erected a saw mill. This he operated for about sixteen years in connection with farming and since 1877 has made his home on the farm in Union township, where he owns a fine tract of land. He was very successful as a farmer and mill man and in that way the foundation for his fortune was laid. Success fol- lowed him, he grew in wealth year by year, and is to-day one of the wealthiest men of the county. He is possessed of superior business ability, excellent judgment and his prosperity is due wholly to his energy and enterprise. Mr. Bechtel con- tinned the lumber business in connection with farming until the last few years and on September 15, 1890, he started what is known as the Exchange Bank of Wakarusa. He is recognized as one of the solid business men of the county, is an accomplished and polished gentleman, both by instinct and training, and a very pleasant acquaintance. Public spirited and progressive, he gives his hearty support to all enterprises worthy of mention. In his political views he is a strong advocate of the principles of the Republican party and has held a number of local positions, being county commissioner in 1888 and re-elected in 1890. The first time he was elected by a majority of 700 votes in the county. It is probable that Mr. Bechtel has given more attention to the roads than any man in the county, and his energy, industry and perseverence in every enterprise he has undertaken, is an example worthy of imitation by humble youth. Mr. Bechtel selected as his life companion Miss Louisa McDowell, a native of Elkhart county, born November 14, 1851, in Harrison township, and the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Cart) McDowell (see sketch of William McDowell). Mrs. Bechtel was the eldest of five children born to her parents and was reared on her father's farm in Harrison township. She received a good education in the district school and then became a school teacher, following that profession for five terms in Elkhart county, and meeting with the best of success. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Bechtel resided on the farm in Union township, but in 1892 they bought a handsome residence in Wakarusa and make their home there at the present time. They have two children, Harvey S., born December 5, 1882, and Ruth G., born November 29, 1891. Mr. Bechtel and wife have many acquaintances and are classed among the best citizens of the county.

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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 16

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

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