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 23

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 23
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 23

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able men and women. She took for her second husband Hiram Morehonse, by whom she became the mother of three children: Jesse, Emeline and George. Jesse and George were soldiers in an Indiana regiment during the Civil war, and Jesse died in Nebraska of wounds received while in the service, and George was killed while marching with his company. Politically, Mr. Weddel has always been a stanch Republican, supports the men and measures of his party on all occasions, but is not an aspirant for office. His daughter Carrie graduated from the graded school of Goshen, and has successfully taught two terms of school in Benton, and is a young lady of much natural ability. The sons are also well educated.

THOMAS D. CALVERT (deceased). The sketch here given is that of a former citi- zen and resident of German township, St. Joseph county, and is a tribute paid to his many virtues and to the lessons which, as a father, he impressed upon the minds of his children by the example of a noble and honorable life, which, although it was fraught with hard labor and patient industry, was a model to his heirs of the sterl- ing qualities that characterized a man who lived nearer to nature in its purity than to the artifices of society. He was born in England, December 3, 1815, to Isaac and Isabella (Bird) Calvert, who were also natives of Great Britain, and by them was brought to America in 1818, settling in Philadelphia, Penn., where the father carried on an extensive dairy business for about fifteen years. In the fall of 1834 he came with his family to St. Joseph county, Ind., and entered a large tract of land five miles southwest of South Bend, on which the family settled in a small log cabin, and began to clear the land and establish a home. Here Isaac Calvert lived until his death, February 27. 1839; his wife's death occurred March 7, 1866. Thomas D. Calvert was about three years of age when his parents came to America, and was a young man of about nineteen years of age upon their arrival in St. Joseph county; consequently he was among its pioneers. He was married, Novem- ber 26, 1842, to Miss Sarah Curry, who was born on January 18, 1822, in Franklin county, Ind., a daughter of Daniel and Jane (Curry) Curry, the former of whom first saw the light of day in Westmoreland county, Penn., September 18, 1791, his parents being James and Matilda Curry, James having been a Revolutionary patriot, enlist- ing at the early age of fifteen years. Daniel was reared on a farm in his native county, and was married, in 1813, to Jane Curry, a uative of Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1825 they removed from Franklin county, Ind., where they had settled at a very early day, to Butler county, Ohio, where Mrs. Curry died in the month of October, 1827. In the spring of 1833 Mr. Curry and his children came to St. Joseph county, settling in Olive township, where he bought a farm and lived for many years. His death occurred in Kansas in 1862. After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Calvert they settled on a farm in Portage township, but two years later removed to Olive township, and in April, 1848, they came to German township, where Mr. Calvert purchased 120 acres of land, on which his widow now makes her home. He was an industrions and hard-working man, and by careful management accumulated considerable property, being the owner of nearly 200 acres at the time of his death, which occurred on December 22, 1890. He was a man of undoubted honor and integrity, and his death was much regretted by all who had known, loved and respected him in life. His union resulted in the birth of six children: Isaac B., Daniel M., Mary J., Sarah E., Elizabeth (deceased) and Cora I. (deceased). In addition to the estate in German township MIrs. Calvert owns nearly 100 seres in Union township, and is thus insured a comfortable and prosperous old age. She is a lady of intelligence and refinement, is kind, hospitable and charitable and has many warm personal friends.

PETER PHILLIPS, farmer of Clinton township, Elkhart Co. Ind., is of sturdy English stock, and the family tree first took root on American soil about the time of the Revolution. Peter Phillips, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a farmer of Loudoun county, Va .; was there married and reared a family of chil- dren, of whom John, Wilson and Nancy are the only ones remembered. He moved to 10

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Athens county, Ohio, and lived on a farm there until he was quite advanced in years, when he came to Indiana and made his home with his son John until his death, which occurred at the age of eighty-one years. John Phillips, his son, was born in Loudoun county, Va., and in early manhood removed to Athens county, Ohio, and was married there to Miss Esther Batchelor, whose father had been a soldier of the War of 1812, and her grandfather an old Revolutionary soldier. The Batchelors were of English descent and old settlers of the State of Maine, and pioneers of Athens county, Ohio. Mrs. Phillips' brothers and sisters that are re- membered were: Daniel, William, Ollie, Polly, Nancy and Abigail. In 1836 Mr. Phillips came to the new county of Elkhart, Ind., and entered land which his son Peter now owns. To him and his wife seven children were given, all of whom attained mature years: Benjamin, William, Sallie, Eliza, Adaline, Levins, and Peter. Mr. Phillips entered eighty acres of land covered with timber; built a log cabin thereon and gradually began to clear up his land, but besides this, had sixty acres in Clinton township. He was always industrious, thrifty and honest, and politically was a Jeffersonian Democrat. His death, which occurred at the age of sixty-nine years, August 15, 1872, was universally regretted, for he was one of the county's most progressive citizens and was highly esteemed for his upright character and his sterling integrity. His wife was a member of the Christian Church. Their son Peter, the subject of this sketch, was born on his father's farm in this township, What January 25, 1840, and was early innured to the vicissitudes of pioneer life. education he secured in his youth was obtained in the old log school house of those days, and this knowledge he has since greatly increased by reading and contact with the business affairs of life. In addition to becoming familiar with the duties of farming, he also learned the carpenter's trade of his father, who followed that calling from an early day and exchanged work with his neighbors. He took for his com- panion through life, Elizabeth, daughter of Lewis Williams, who was of Irish descent and was one of the first settlers of Kosciusko county, Ind., to which region he removed from Ohio. He reared four children: Elizabeth, John D., William W. and Jane. Mr. Williams is now residing in Miami county, Kan., and has attained He has married twice, his second wife being

to the age of seventy-four years.

Miss Mary Miller, by whom he became the father of four children. He has followed the calling of agriculture throughout life and is now in good circumstances. He and his wife are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. After his mar- riage Peter Phillips remained on the old homestead; bought out the other heirs of the property and by industry and thrift added to the original tract until he now owns 240 acres. In 1881 he erected a substantial brick residence-one of the finest in the township, and his farm buildings are all substantial and kept in good repair. He is what may be termed a thrifty and prudent farmer, and everything about his place indicates that a man of intelligence and sound judgment has control of affairs. His farm is one of the most valuable in the township, for besides being exceedingly fertile it is well supplied with a number of fine springs of pure cold water, which makes it well adapted to the raising of stock. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Phillips: Alice M., Lewis F., Esther E., Carrie M., Warren W., Orrin E., Nors B., William B., Clarence C. and Grover C. Mr. Phillips has held the office of township trustee two terms, and politically is a stanch Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church, aud he is a very public-spirited gentle- man; has been a member of the school board a number of terms and has also held the position of road supervisor. He is giving his children good advantages for an education, and Carrie M. has graduated from the graded schools of Goshen and has taught school three terms in Clinton township and has met with good success.

JACOB YODER, who resides near Goshen, Ind., has been remarkably successful as a husbandman and at one time was the owner of 600 acres of ae fine land as could be found in Elkhart county. For generations the family have been members of the Amish Mennonite Church and were originally from Switzerland, from which coun-

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try they fled on account of religious persecution, to America and sought a home in the wilds of Pennsylvania, where an asylum had been offered them by the great law giver and benefactor, William Penn. The Yoders settled in Lancaster county and were a peaceable and law-abiding people and thrifty and industrious farmers and, like the patriarchs of old, whose ways they closely followed, they multiplied and flourished in the land. Christian Yoder, the great-grandfather of Jacob, was born in Switzerland in February, 1728, but in 1744 he took up his abode in America and until 1775 was a resident of the eastern part of Pennsylvania, at which time he moved to Somerset county of the same State, where he was called from life in the month of November, 1816. His sons were: Christian, Solomon, John, Jonathan, Henry, David and Jacob. He was married twice. His son, Jacob, was born in the Keystone State and became a substantial farmer and land owner of Somerset connty. He was also married twice and his first wife bore him a number of children, only David, Christian, Joseph and Elizabeth of whom are remembered. His second wife bore him children named: Mary, Catherine, Philip and Jacob. He lived to be an old man, was much respected in the community in which he resided, was honor- able in every particular, was industrious, and in other ways set a good example to his children. His son, Christian, was born in the old homestead in Somerset county, was brought up to a thorough knowledge of farm life in his native county. He was married there to Miss Juda Gindlesperger, who was born July 24, 1787, and died November 8, 1832, after having borne him a family of ten children, all of whom grew to maturity with the exception of two, Peter and Barbara, both of whom died in childhood. Those who attained manhood were: Stephen, Jacob, Tobias, Joseph, John, Valentine, Daniel and Herman. The father of these children took for his second wife Miss Koffman, who bore him two children: Moses and Elizabeth. Mr. Yoder lived to be nearly eighty years of age and died on November 17, 1866, on his farm in Somerset county. He was a devout Christian, a follower of the doctrines of hie church and lived an upright and useful life. He was at one time township collector, and in various other ways proved himself a useful citizen. Jacob Yoder, his son and the immediate subject of this biography, first saw the light of day on his father's farm in Somerset county, Penn., September 2, 1814, and there he obtained a slight knowledge of German, but no knowledge of the English branches. He early learned to labor in & thorough and painstaking way and at the age of twenty-three went to Wayne county, Ohio, and worked at clearing land, and was there married on January 4, 1837, to Miss Rachel Yoder, who was born June 23, 1810, in Somerset county, Penn., her parents being Solomon and Barbara (Miller) Yoder. Their marriage resulted in the birth of five children: Herman; Elizabeth, who died in early womanhood; Edward; Amos; and Jonas, whose death occurred in childhood. Mr. Yoder cleared a woodland farm of 150 acres in Wayne county, Ohio, but sold it and in 1847 came to Indiana and settled on his present farm con- sisting of 180 acres. As he has been prospered financially he has made additional pur- chases of land and is now the owner of some magnificent real estate which is very valuable. This property was mostly acquired by hard work, in the good old-fash- ioned way of tilling the soil, in which his faithful wife gave him efficient aid. Like their ancestors before them they are members of the Amish Mennonite Church; have brought up their children to the same belief, and thus havebeen handed down from father to son the religious principles of the early founders of the church. Mr. Yoder followed the example of his father and gave each of his children a good start in life, but reserved 177 acres in Kosciusko connty. This family is an example of prudent living and of simple, Christian life.

Da. G. W. SPOHN, of Elkhart, Ind., is a prominent specialist in diseases of the nose, throst and esr, and is in the enjoyment of a large practice with the better class of citizens in and around the city. He has always been a close student in his chosen profession and the result is every day seen in the large number of patrons constantly flocking to his office, and he is regarded by his friends, and justly so, as

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doing & very large business. Although the humanizing influences of Christianity are shown in thousands of directions, it is shown in none to a more marked degree than that of medicinal and surgical science. Notwithstanding the fact that Elkhart has many fine physicians, Dr. Spohn is ranked among the leaders. He was born in Concord township, Elkhart county, April 19, 1857, & son of Daniel and Mary Spohn, the former of whom settled in the vicinity of Elkhart in 1844. The Doctor inherits German, English and Welsh blood of his parents. He was brought up on & farm and like the majority of farmer's boys, obtained his education in the district schools near his rural home. At the age of eighteen, being of an ambitious and independent disposition, he secured a school in the neighborhood of his home, and was engaged in teaching for several terms, his leisure hours being devoted to the perusal of med- ical books. Subsequently he entered the Normal College, of Valparaiso, Ind., where he took a scientific and classical course, after which he was employed as professor of sciences in the college st Portland, Ind., occupying the chair for a term of two years, at which time he resigned the position in order to still further prosecute his medical studies. He entered the office of Dr. Arthur, of Portland, a well-known physician, and completed his course in the Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati, graduating in 1887. He located in Elkhart in the spring of the same year and began life's battle against many competitors, and in the practice or his profession he has gained & reputation that money could not buy. Not satisfied with what he already knew of his profession, he took & post-graduate course in the Polyclinic of Chicago, and a like course in the city of New York, and obtained much valuable experience while doing hospital work in that city. He has & nicely appointed office at the corner of Main and Division streets, well equipped with all the latest and modern appliances in instruments and electrical apparatus which he obtained at a heavy expense. In fact, the Doctor is not excelled either in New York City or Chicago in appliances for his speciality. He is a member of a number of medical fraternities, is president of the Elkhart City School Board, and president of the Home Electric Light & Power Company. In 1885 he was married to Miss Elma Clemons, a most accomplished lady of Davenport, Iowa. They have three children: Vera M., Lillian C. and Iris H. The Doctor and his wife are members in good standing in the Presbyterian Church.

JOHN J. NEWMAN, superintendent of the Globe Tissue Paper Company of Elkhart, Ind., brings to bear special qualifications by reason of a wide range of experience, close study of the wants of the best class of trade, and a sound, equitable commer- cial policy. This establishment has most influential and widespread trade relations by reason of the extent, superiority and moderate price of its stock. Mr. Newman was born in Brown county, Ohio, August 31, 1826, a son of Joseph and Nancy (Jolly) Newman, natives of the Buckeye State, the Newman family having been very early residents of that State. The paternal grandfather was a soldier in the War of 1812. Joseph Newman followed the peaceful, independent and happy pursuit of farming in Brown county, Ohio, until his death. His widow died at Des Moines, Iowa, having become the mother of three children: Alexander, now of California; John J., and David, of Middletown, Ohio. The subject of this sketch was only ten years of age when his father died, and up to that age he followed the occupation of farming, but when thirteen years of age he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and began to shift for himself, but first attended school for one year. Succeeding this he was & tobacconist for a short time, but at the age of fifteen years he abandoned it to learn the carpenter's trade, at which he served a four years' apprenticeship with one man, and was afterward with Pearson & Newton, of Cincinnati, for two years. When twenty-one years of age he embarked in business on his own responsibility and con- tinued to successfully carry it on in Cincinnati until 1850, when he removed to Middletown, Ohio, to take charge of a planing mill, and subsequently branched out extensively in contracting, in addition to successfully conducting a sash, door and blind factory. He did an extensive bridge contracting business and also built nu-

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merous houses, in fact, conducted a lively business, which kept him constantly employed. He built the paper mills of Middletown and converted the planing mill into the Titus Paper Mill. After remaining in Middletown until 1873 he came to Elk- hart, Ind., to build the Globe Paper Mills for Erwin, Upp & Co., but continued to remain here four years and built the pulp mills for Joseph Gregg and superintended the building of the Elkhart Paper Mill. His next business venture was as a bag manufacturer and later began manufacturing straw-board paper in the mills of the Baldwin, Sage Wagon Company, but this old structure subsequently burned down. He next formed a joint stock company and built a straw-board mill which was finally converted into what is now the Globe Paper Mill, of which he is superintendent and which is doing a very extensive and satisfactory business. When this mill was first started both white and colored tissue paper was used, but they now make waxed tissue paper exclusively. After their first mill was consumed by fire the present building was purchased, the establishment is in constant working order, night and day, and the product is shipped to jobbers principally. Mr. Newman is a stock- holder in this concern and its very efficient superintendent. They make a specialty of waxed paper, and Mr. Newman is the inventor of two machines for wax- ing paper, on which he has received patents. Thirty hands are given em- ployment the year round. He was a member of the city council for three terme and has shown much interest in the affairs of Elkhart. In 1847 he was married to Mise Elizabeth Devall, by whom he has three children: William, Warfield and Charles.

MRS. JANE MCCONAUGHEY has been a resident of Elkhart county for many years, and although she has attained the age of sixty-nine years she is still in the enjoy- ment of fair health, is very intelligent and retains her mental faculties to a remark- able degree. She was the only child born to James Frier, a Scotch-Irishman by birth, and a son of Thomas and Jane (Wilson) Frier, who conducted a linen bleach- ery in County Down, near Belfast, Ireland, close to "Ronan Tree." Thomas Frier was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and was a man of considerable means. He died in Ireland when quite aged. He became the father of quite a large family, but only Robert, James and Margaret are remembered. Robert came to America and settled on a farm near Des Moines, Iowa, where he reared a family and is still living. James, the other son and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born near Belfast, Ireland, in July, 1800, and there learned the trade of a stocking weaver. Although he received only the three months' schooling in his youth, he learned to read and write, and being of an ambitious disposition, at the early age of eighteen years he came to America and hired out as a farm hand in the vicinity of Burling- ton, Vt., in which section he met and married Clarinda, daughter of Caleb and Marion Young, the former of whom was a stone mason hy trade and a resident of New Hampshire, in which State he reared thirteen children and was called from life. His wife was a Hillard, of Dutch stock. After his marriage James Frier resided on a farm in Vermont for five years, and there his daughter, Jane, was born on November 12, 1824. In 1829 Mr. Frier turned his face in the direction of St. Joseph county, Ind., making the journey with three yoke of oxen and a large Penn- sylvania wagon, which he purchased in Whitehall. N. Y., while en route. He also had a one-horse wagon drawn by a French pony. He and his family spent the winter at White Pigeon with a Mr. Olds, and in March resumed their journey, reaching Elkhart Prairie on the 17th of that month. At that time the snow was two feet deep, and a fierce storm was raging and continued for three days, during which time Mr. Frier and his wife and danghter camped on the east side of a large log and kept warm by means of a large fire made of hazel brush. This was on the east side of the prairie and on a portion of the farm now occupied by Leonard McConaughy, Mr. Frier's grandson. The country was full of Indians but they did not molest the Friers, and when they were seen were friendly. The family lived on corn bread and venison, for deer were plenty and easily killed; and in the spring Mr. Frier em- ployed ten men to split rails and plow up a tract of land, and one of these men was

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so tired of the wild life in the wilderness and the everlasting "hoe cake" that he told Mr. Frier that if he would give him wheat bread to eat he would work for him for nothing. Mr. Frier brought with him from Vermont a bound boy named Will- iam Y. Wilson, who is now a prosperous farmer and respected citizen of Santa Rosa, Cal. Mrs. Frier had among her effects 13 pounds of tea, 5 pounds of sugar and 1 pound of coffee, which constituted the family's stock of groceries. They traded with the Indians for maple sugar and honey, but could not eat the sugar on account of the dirt that was in it, but melted it and made it into vinegar. Old Cookoosh, an Indian chief, often came to the cabin to trade with Mr. Frier and was very friendly. There were but three white settlers between Ft. Wayne and White Pigeon, as fol- lows: Oliver Crane, who resided near the present Goshen fair grounds; a Mr. Boyd, at Benton, who was a French-Indian trader, and Maj. Violett on the west side of the prairie, which was then two miles wide and three miles long and covered with tall grass. Mr. Frier went forty miles for his supplies to a point near Niles, Mich., and used to cross the St. Jo River near Elkhart in high-water times by swimming his oxen. In this way his grist sometimes got wet, and in order to prevent it from molding it was put up to dry on the roof of the house. This is bnt one illustration of the hardships the early settlers had to endure, but they were borne courageously and without a murmur, for they knew it was but a question of time when brighter days would come. It was five years before any mail came to the settlers from the Eastern States. By industry and hard work James Frier accumulated 630 acres of land, which he conducted in an intelligent and satisfactory manner. He was at one time associated in business with a Mr. Griffin, in Goshen, but the business proved disastrous and Mr. Frier paid the debts. In 1850 he was seized with the California "gold fever," and made the journey to that State via New York City and Cape Horn. He at once engaged in mining there, but like many other ambitions and enterprising men who sought the treasures of mother earth in the wild West, he had only been in that section a short time when his career was cnt short by death, his dissolution taking place in 1852. He andhis wife were members of the Methodist Epis -. copal Church, and their pioneer cabin was used for religions purposes on many occa- sions by the early ministers of the Hoosier State. His wife died February 9, 1862, aged seventy-seven years. The first court in Elkhart county was held on the threshing floor which belonged to Mr. Frier, and the cases were nearly all against the settlers for indulging in too much whisky. Mr. Frier was at one time collector of the county, and as the county was not organized he carried the results to Indianapolis in a pair of saddle-bags. His danghter, Jane, was married at the age of twenty-one, June 2, 1844, to Alexander McConaughy, a Scotch-Irishman from the Emerald Isle, whose mother died of cholera in Quebec. After their marriage this young couple com- menced housekeeping in Elkhart Prairie, and after clearing up a farm, sold out in 1849, to James Frier, and removed to about twenty-five miles above Des Moines, Iowa, on the Des Moines River, where they had a farm of 214 acres, on which they lived until 1852, when they returned to Indiana and located on the old James Frier homestead. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McConaughy: James, Clarinda, William (who died young) Charles, Leonard, David, Elizabeth, Austin and Isadora, all of whom have been well educated. David graduated from the State University of Bloomington, Ind., and died May 7, 1886, at the age of thirty years. The father of these children was an industrions and honorable man, and was kind and considerate to his family. His widow has seen the country grow from a primi- tive wilderness to its present settled condition, which result has been brought about only by great labor. She has been possessed of great strength and force of char- acter, to face, as she has done, the privations of frontier life and to instill in her children principles of truth and right. She has borne her part in life's battles faith- fully and well, and has found much comfort and consolation in the Scriptures. She has long been a devout and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. McConaughy died September 22, 1866.

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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 23

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

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