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 24

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 24
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 24

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MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

SETH A. JONES is one of the honored residents of Elkhart county, where in va- rious capacities he has proved his claim to upright and meritorious citizenship.

ISRAEL HESS comes of German stock, the first member of his family to settle in America being his grandfather, Baltser Hess, who was born in Hesse, Germany, and came to America before the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, through which he served as one of Gen. Washington'e body guard. He was captured at the battle of Long Island, and was a prisoner for seven days. He was a shoe- maker by trade, and this occupation received the most of his attention throughout life, although in later years he also followed the calling of an agriculturist to some ex- tent. After the termination of the Revolution he was married to Miss Eve Hen- sel, of German stock, by whom he became the father of nine children: Daniel, Baltser, Moses, Sally, Eve, Polly, Betsey, Katie and Susan. Mr. Hess spent his first years in America in the vicinity of Philadelphia, but after his marriage resided for a time in Bedford, Penn., and later took up his abode in Ross county, Ohio, on land which had been granted him two miles north of the city of Columbus, and on which he passed the rest of his days, dying a few years after his first settlement. A portion of this land is still in the possession of his de- scendants. In his youth he received a common-school education, was an excellent provider, in comfortable circumstances, and was an honest, straightforward man and a patriot. He died in 1806 at the age of sixty years, a member of the Lutheran Church and an old line Whig in politics. His son Baltser was born in Bedford, Penn., received a limited common-school education in his youth, and was an active participant in the War of 1812, stationed at Upper Sandusky. In his youth he learned the details of farming and also the baker's trade, and after his marriage to Sarah Immell be settled at Columbus, Ohio, and engaged in the bakery busi- ness. After a time be settled on 100 acres of land in Franklin county, Ohio, but in 1829 left that State to remove to Indiana, and arrived in Elkhart Prairie May 5. He found John Violett settled in a log cabin, having just arrived; also a Mr. Riggs and a Mr. Simpson, who had arrived the fall before, and Col. Jackson and James Frier who came in the spring of 1829. Mr. Hess brought with him to this section three yoke of oxen, a team of horses and two large wagons, one drawn by two yoke of cattle and the other by one yoke and the team of horses in the lead. He drove before him several other horses, quite a herd of cattle, sheep and hogs, so that he was much better equipped to begin life in a new country than the major- ity of pioneer settlers. Mr. Hess settled with his family two miles south of Goshen, on land which he had selected the previous year, when he had made a visit to the region. This land had been pre-empted by a man by the name of John Thornton, who had built a little log cabin, and for the improvements that had been made Mr. Hess paid him $17. Mr. and Mrs. Hess became the par- ents of eleven children. that lived to maturity and reared families of their own: John, Elisa, Mary E., Baltser, Moses, Israel, Daniel, Emily, Martha, Jacob and Lydia. These children were partly grown when Mr. Hess removed to Indiana, and his sons assisted him in clearing and improving the home farm. He was at one time the owner of 1,300 acres, but he kindly assisted his sons to a start in life and only retained the old homestead, which consisted of 600 acres and brought him in an income sufficient to abundantly provide for himself and wife throughout life. They were earnest members of the Baptist Church, and he was a local minister of that denomination, his house being the stopping place of the early preachers who came to the region. They found in Mr. Hess an admirable aid in establishing and organizing churches, and he was also very active in advancing the cause of education by erecting school bouses, and while serving as trustee of his school district endeavored to procure good teachers. He was a strongly built man, possessed a good constitution, and succeeded in establishing a good home, where he reared a large family to honorable manhood and womanhood. In fact, his value as a pioneer was inestimable; for he was enterprising, public

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spirited and well to do, and did not selfishly use his means for his own benefit alone, but was liberal in his contributions to worthy enterprises. His son Israel was born in Franklin county, Ohio, September 28, 1818, on his father's farm, but his youth was almost entirely devoid of school advantages, for his time was almost wholly de- voted to assisting to clean and till the home farm. He was in his twelfth year when he came to Indiana, and in Elkhart Prairie he grew to manhood. Indians at that time were quite numerous throughout that section, and often came to his home to trade with his father. Deer and wild turkeys were not plentiful in the region until after the Indians had left the country, but the streams were full of fish, and prairie chickens abounded. Mr. Hess went to the first school ever held in Elkhart Prairie, taught by a Mr. Smith in his own cabin on congressional land, which, when surveyed, became school land which was not subject to pre-emp- tion, and the latter was obliged to move to other quarters soon after. Young Israel helped to clear away the brush which bordered the margin of the prairie, much of which was kept back by fires started by the Indians, but which has since been allowed to grow and now constitutes good timber land. The prairie was covered with sage grass, and in the woodland openings the wild pea-vine grew luxuriously, on which the cattle subsisted. Mr. Hess' father obtained his supplies at Michigan City, some sixty-five miles away, but the wants of the fam- ily were very simple, and they were content with what they conld obtain from their own land. He first laid in a supply of corn meal at Fort Wayne, sufficient to last the family until a crop could be raised, and as soon as roasting ears were large enough, the family lived largely on them and afterward ground the ripe corn and made meal. At the age of twenty-one Israel Hess began to work for him- self on some woodland which had been given him by his father, upon which there had not been a tree felled, but this land he afterward sold and was given 205 acres of land in Kosciusko county, Ind., by his father, which was also timber land. He cleared 100 acres of this farm, but at the end of ten years, or in 1863, he came to his present fine farm of 200 acres, then a cultivated and improved farm. Here he has made many valuable improvements, electing an excellent barn and a sub- stantial brick residence. The daughter of John B. and Susannah (Ditmore) Cripe, Rosanna Cripe, became his wife and has borne him seven children: Mary E., Sey- mour, Moses, Cassius M., Martha, Nancy and Ida L. Mrs. Hese is a member of the Dunkard Church. Mr. Hess has given all his children good educations, and stands high as an industrious and honorable citizen. He is now seventy-four years of age, but is still vigorous and hale, the result of a naturally good constitution and right living. Mr. Hess originally was a Whig in politics, and at the organiza- tion of the Republican party in 1856 he joined himself to it. His reasons, as he says, for being a Republican are that the party of his choice is American, and that the Government was founded in liberty and his ancestors bore an humble yet important part in superseding the lion with the eagle.

FRANK L. GOFF, photographer. In few branches of art or science have such de- velopments or perfected improvements been made as in photography and no estab- lishment in Elkhart county shows more conclusive proof of this assertion than that of Frank L. Goff. This gentleman is an artist of well-known reputation and wher- ever his works are exhibited they are recognized as of superior quality and finish. Mr. Goff was born in Coldwater, Mich., April 2, 1845, a son of Dorset J. and Julia (Terrill) Goff, the former of whom was born in Courtland county, N. Y., and the latter in Ashtabula, Ohio. Dorset J. Goff became a hardware merchant of Cold- water, Mich., and died in Burr Oak, Mich., of which town he was mayor at the time of his death. He had three sons and one daughter, the subject of this sketch being the eldest of the family. He was reared in his native town and was educated there and at Hillsdale, Mich., but in 1863, removed to Buffalo, N. Y., where he was em- ployed in the wholesale hardware business of Sidney Shepherd & Co., with whom he remained five years, two subsequent years being spent with the Western Insur-

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ance Company, of Buffalo. At the end of this time the death of his father called him to Burr Oak, where he remained for some time studying music and the art of photography. In 1877 he came to Elkhart and purchased a photograph gallery of Daniel W. Smith and has conducted a successful business ever since. He has occu- pied his present quarters since December, 1881, and it is needless to add that Mr. Goff's patrons are of the refined and cultivated classes, who appreciate art at its true value. His reception rooms are well and tastefully fitted up, and his studio is one of the most attractive in Elkhart. He executes photography in all its branches, and produces in all his work the best and most beautiful effects. Socially he is a gentleman and an honest and upright business man. Many pages of this book are adorned with portraits reproduced from negatives by Goff.

DAVID MILLER, son of Elder Jacob Miller, whose sketch appears in this work, was born in Franklin county, Va., about the year 1788, and in 1800 removed with his parents to Ohio, and grew to manhood in the vicinity of Dayton, and was there united in marriage with Sarah Hardman. He afterward settled in Wayne county, Ind., and in 1829 came to St. Joseph county to select a home, and in the spring of 1830 brought his family here to settle on a farm four miles west of South Bend in German township, where he had entered between five hundred and six hundred acres of land. Here he improved a large tract, and with characteristic generosity granted portions of the same to his children. When about twenty-five years of age Mr. Miller became a minister of the German Baptist Church, and was an eminent, worthy and eloquent minister of the gospel until his death, and was highly honored and respected for his exemplary life and generosity by all who knew him. According to the belief and custom of the church he never received any financial remuneration for his services. He was an intelligent farmer and good business man, and as he was also a hard worker and a careful manager he accumulated a good property. He died on the homestead in German township on the farm which he had entered and labored to improve. His widow survived him until June 2, 1850, having borne him the following children: Elizabeth; Aaron, who was an earnest and capable minister of the German Baptist Church, and died in South Bend at the age of seventy-nine years; Catherine, who married James Goot, and lived in German township; Hannah, died in infancy; Anna, married Robert Cissne; Phoebe, married Joseph Cissne, and lived in La Porte county; Mary, married Isaac Marble, and lived in German township; Sarah, married George Witter; Susan, married Philip Boone; David, married Elizabeth Hoover, and removed to Iowa in the early settlement of that State and there died; Martin, married Elizabeth A. Wills, and removed to Iowa, settling near Des Moines; and the youngest child, Tobias, married Surena Jackson, moved to Kansas, and in that State spent the remainder of his days. Daniel H. Miller, of South Bend, was born June 18, 1831, in German township, a son of David and Sarah (Hardman) Miller. On the old homestead his boyhood and early manhood was passed, and the district schools of the township afforded him his education. December 4, 1852, he took a wife in the person of Mary O. Price, who was born July 8, 1833, in German township, daughter of Joshua M. and Frances (Huston) Price, the former a native of Kentucky, and the latter of Ohio. They came to St. Joseph county, Ind., in the spring of 1833, and in German township made their home for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Price were the parents of two children, one of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Price died March 27, 1889, in South Bend, and Mr. Price survives her and makes his home with his daughter Mary, being over eight-one years of age. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Miller located on a farm in Warren township, and three years lated settled on a farm of eighty acres, the greater portion of which Mr. Miller cleared and improved. His industry was rewarded, and since his retire- ment from the active duties of life in 1879, he has enjoyed a comfortable com- petency. He is a resident of South Bend and there owns valuable residence property. Mr. Miller and his wife have two adopted children: Ryall T. and Viola

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A., who married Adam Kollar. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members of the Univer- salist Church, and in politics he is a Republican. They both possess admirable traits of character and naturally have numerous friends.

ISAIAH VIOLETT, an honored and well-to-do citizen of Elkhart county, Ind., is descended from an old colonial family of French origin that has flourished in Amer- ica since the first member of the family landed on our shores and sought to carve out a home for himself in the then wilds of this country. Isaiah Violett is a son of Major John W. Violett and was born on the old homestead belonging to the former, June 2, 1835, in the vicinity of which he received a common-school educa- tion in the pioneer school house of his day, which was supplemented by sn attendance of the public schools of Goshen. He remained at home until he was twenty-three years of age, for he found that he could profitably employ his time on the home farm, which was a fine tract of land in oue body, two and one-fourth miles long by one-half mile wide, and contained 750 acres. Besides this his father also owned other valuable land amounting in all to 1,330 acres, and Isaish naturally settled on one of these farms when he started out in life for himself and in time had cleared 160 acres from the heavy timber which covered it. Like all pioneer set- tlers he had to labor incessantly to accomplish this result and although he bravely endured the usual hardships, his efforts were at last crowned with success. On September 4, 1862, he married Helen C., daughter of Curtis Hale, and after his marriage he resided on a farm in Jackson township until 1871, when he purchased a part of the old homestead consisting of 147 acres of land, but later sold a part of this and gave ten acres to the Waterford Cemetery on the Elkhart River. Mr. Vio- lett devoted but little attention to farming, his attention at present being given to the purchase and sale of real estate, for which he seems to have a natural aptitude, as he has done, and is doing remarkably well in his line. He is so circumstanced that he is enabled to take life easy and quiet pursuits occupy the most of his time. He has traveled extensively in the United States and has several times visited the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. His descriptions of California life and scenery are graphic and interesting, for being a close observer no object of interest escaped his eyes, and he has the power of expressing himself in a fluent and interesting manner. Politically he has always supported Republican principles, but in no way has been an aspirant for political favor as the turmoil and intrigue of the political arena is not at all to his taste. He has become well known for his hospitality, for to his pleasant home his friends are warmly welcomed, and no one is turned from his door without a kindly and cordial word. He is highly respected for his many excellent traits of character and possesses those qualities of honesty, intelligence and energy for which the American citizen has become world famed.

E. H. PEFFLEY. A biographical compendium of St. Joseph county, Ind., would be incomplete were not mention made of the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch, for he is a man of much public spirit; he donates liberally to all public enterprises and gives his influence to every just measure for the promotion of the common good. He has resided in the county all his life and the people have had every opportunity to become familiar with his character and qualifi- cations and his good name has always remained unsullied. His birth occur- red in Warren township, December 30, 1848, Joseph and Catherine (Burt- ner) Peffley, natives of Lebanon county, Penn., being his parents. The family originated in Germany, from which country the grandfather came. Joseph Peffley was a minister of the United Brethren Church and for thirty-five years preached the doctrines of Christianity in Elkhart and St. Joseph counties. In September, 1848, he located in Warren township, of this county, where he purchased a farm on which he lived until the day of his death, January 23, 1885. His wife was called from life November 7, of the previous year, having borne her husband four children: Simon, Henry, Daniel and Ephraim. E. H. Peffley has always been familiar with farming and has made that his chief means of livelihood. In the fall of 1873 he moved to

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Greene township, where he has since resided on a well-improved farm of ninety-fonr acres, which, if small, is so admirably tilled that it yields a paying income. He has always been a Republican in his political views since he became old enough to vote, and his party showed its appreciation of his faithfulness in April, 1888, by electing him to the office of township trustee and honoring him by a re-election in 1890. He has displayed much ability in discharging his duties, and is in every way capable of filling a much more responsible position. In 1871 Anna Robertson, a danghter of J. W. Robertson, of South Bend, became his wife, and to their uniou two children have been given: V. Mariel and Clyde R. Mr. Peffley, besides thoroughly tilling his farm after the most approved methods, also gives considerable attention to raising sheep and thoroughbred hogs.

H. B. SYKES, dry goods and carpets, Elkhart, Ind. The dry goods, carpet and cloak house par excellence of Elkhart is the spacious and well-conducted emporium of which Mr. Sykes is the proprietor, which occupies an eligible location and is in command of a large trade. Mr. Sykes was born in Dorset, Vt., March 18, 1844, a son of I. N. and Diana (Gilbert) Sykes, who were also born in the Green Mountain State. Richard Sykes, the earliest ancestor of whom they have any knowledge re- sided at Dorchester, Mass., in 1634, from which place he removed to Springfield, Mass., in 1676. Victory Sykes, his son, was born in Springfield, Mass., March 3, 1648, and died in Suffield, Conn., April 25, 1768, at the age of sixty years. Victory Sykes, Jr., son of the senior Victory Sykes, was born in Suffield, Conn., September 5, 1689, and died September 12, 1749, at which time he was also in his sixtieth year. Titus Sykes, son of Victory Sykes, Jr., first saw the light of day in Snffield, Conn., June 15, 1726 but subsequently became a resident of Dorset, Vt., where he died January 7, 1811, his wife, Rhoda's, death occurring in 1790, after having become the mother of a large old-fashioned family of fifteen children. Israel Sykes, son of Titus, was born at Suffield, Conn., May 28, 1864, and died at Dorset, Vt., March 10, 1846, at the age of eighty-two years, having been a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Israel Newton Sykes, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born October 20, 1805. He was married in Cavendish, Vt., to Miss Diana Gilbert, October 19, 1831, and their golden wedding was celebrated at Dorset, Vt., at the old home October 19, 1881, at which celebration all their children and grandchildren were present. The mother was born July 11, 1809. The father followed farming the greater part of his early life. He filled the position of associate judge for two terms and the position of probate judge two terms. For a number of years past he hae re- tired from the active duties of life, but still resides with his wife on the old homestead in Vermont, at the good ripe age of eighty-seven years, in the enjoyment of a comfort- able competency. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, five of whom still survive. For forty-eight years there was not a death in this family. The snb- ject of this sketch was reared in Bennington county, Vt., and received his education in the public schools and in a seminary of his native county. He remained on the home farm until he was twenty years of age, after which he left home and took a course in Eastman's Business College of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., following which he was in a brother's store in Vermont for two years during which time he obtained a thorough insight into the business. In 1866 he came West and located at Belvidere, Ill., where he clerked in a drug store for about nine months, then was offered a position of assistant cashier of the First National Bank of that place, which he accepted and held abont eighteen months. He then made arrangements for entering mercantile life, and soon after formed a partnership with D. D. Sahin, in the dry goods busi- ness in that city, and the firm of Sabin & Sykes was continued for sixteen years. At the end of this time Mr. Sykes disposed of his interest to his partner and in 1884 located in Elkhart, Ind., in connection with J. H. Yourt purchasing the dry goods and carpet establishment of J. F. Hnnt & Company. In December, 1890, Mr. Sykes purchased his partner's interest and has since continued the business alone. He occupies a three-story brick building, equipped with an elevator, his establish-

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ment being the largest in the city, and it ie safe to say has the leading trade in his line. His is in all respects a leading and well-appointed establishment, where is always displayed an unusually fine and very complete assortment of every- thing in the lines indicated, every department being replete with the latest novelties. The prices quoted, too, are rock-bottom figures, and no inferior goods are allowed to be placed in stock, patrons being assured of receiving honest valne and satisfactory treatment in this deservedly popular store. His business the first year amounted to $36,000 but has now resched the handsome figures of over $100,000. He devoted one entire floor to carpets, curtains and cloaks, and a finer department in this line is not shown between Chicago and Cleveland. He carries a stock of from $40,000 to $50,000, and is now employing a force of twenty salesmen and women. Mr. Sykes was married in June, 1869, to Mise Lonise S. Avery, of Belvidere, Ill., and to them for children havebeen born; Egbert N. ; Mary G .; Harry B .; and Walter A. Mr. Sykes is a trustee of the Presbyterian Church, of which he and his wife are members.

WILLIAM BLUE, who is endowed by nature with such gifts as characterize true manhood in all that the word implies, is descended from an honorable ancestry, and his family tree first took root on American soil in the colonial days of Virginia, to which region his ancestors came from England. His grandfather, Peter Blue, was one of the pioneers of Fayette county, Ohio, cleared a fine farm of 200 acres from the wilderness and there he and his wife, whose maiden name was Susan Hazel, and who was also born in Virginia, reared a family of eleven children: . Benjamin, John, Abraham, Peter, Jacob, David, William, Philip, Susan, Alice and Nancy. Peter Blue spent his life on his farm in Ohio and died at an advanced age. Three of his sons, John, Peter and Jacob, were in the War of 1812. Jacob Blue, his son, was brought up on a farm and was married to Charlotte, daughter of David Mortimer, of Maryland, an early settler of Fayette county, Ohio, and eventually of Benton township, Elkhart county, Ind., in which section he died. After his marriage Jacob Blue resided in Ohio for some years, but in 1833 settled in Elkhart county, Ind., on some land which is yet in possession of his descendants. An old-fashioned family of ten children were born to them also: Alice, Mary, Abraham, William, Margaret, Jacob, Peter, David (who died young), Snsan and Benjamin. Jacob Blne's farm was heavily covered with timber but by the exercise of all his energy he succeeded in clearing it from the forest and made a good home for his family. His health gave way, owing to the hard work he had done, and at the age of fifty-two years he was called from life, having been an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years, with which his wife was also connected. To such noble men as Mr. Blue is owing the fine agricultural condition of the country at the pres- ent time. William, his son, the subject of this sketch, was born on the farm in Fayette county, Ohio, December 27, 1824, but owing to the fact that he came to Elkhart county, Ind., when he was but nine years of age, he received but little schooling. They made the journey to this section by wagon and drove their cattle and hogs, and Mr. Blue can well remember the trip. October 1, 1846, he was mar- ried to Miss Rebecca Grayless who was born in Ross county, Ohio, February 26, 1828, daughter of William and Rebecca (Waugh) Grayless, the former of whom was born in Maryland and settled as a pioneer in Fayette county, Ohio, becoming s resi- dent of Indiana in 1833. He had a good farm of 160 acres in Allen county, on which he lived until his demise at the age of sixty-three years. He was a man of excellent moral character and was an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was the father of six children who lived to mature years: Mary A., Elizabeth. Martha, Charles, Rebecca, Malinda and Cynthia. After his marriage William Blue settled on forty acres of his present farm, then covered with heavy timber, but his energetic efforts soon cleared this land and he continued to add to it until he became the owner of 280 acres, 160 of which he has given to his children, and now has 120 acres of his own. His property has been acquired by his own

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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 24

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

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