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 25

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 25
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 25

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efforts and with the assistance of his worthy wife, and they now have a comfortable home and are surrounded with all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. Four of their children lived to be grown: Silas, born February 12, 1848, married Emily Miller, by whom he has four children and is a farmer near Sugar Hill; Christiana, born April 11, 1852, married Henry A. Snyder, a farmer of this town- ship by whom she has one child; Lonson, born March 3, 1859, married Lizzie Wil- ner, by whom he has three children, and is a farmer of this township; and Benja- min, born June 7, 1863, is a farmer of this township, is married to Miss Mary Haney and is the father of one child. All these children are settled in the immediate vicinity of their old home and are honorable, respectable and useful citizens of the com- munity. Silas has been trustee of Benton township two terms. Mr. and Mrs. Blue are devout members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics he is a Re- publican. He is a substantial farmer who has never taken part in politics, but has devoted his attention to clearing his land and properly bringing up his family and the result is greatly to his credit. He has always puraned a correct course through life, and for honest integrity and thrift has set a good example to his children. He is a thoroughly self-reliant man, but at the same time is quiet and unobstrusive and " pursues the even tenor of his way " without interfering with his neighbors' affairs and with no desire for public preferment.

ALEXANDER DOTSON is a retired farmer of Elkhart county, Ind., who has fought the battle of life successfully, and after the burden and heat of the day, is living in the enjoyment of a competency which his early labors and perseverence won him. His advent into this world occurred in Bedford county, Penn., October 13, 1826, to Samnel and Sarah (Moses) Dotson, who were also born in the Keystone State, the father'a family being of Irish origin, and the mother's of German. The paternal grandfather emigrated from the Isle of Erin to America at an early day and settled in Pennsylvania, as did also the mother's family. Samuel Dotson was an iron mannfacturer and worked for old Dr. Shonenberger, whose forge was in Blair county, Penn. He and his wife became the parents of five children that grew to maturity, only two members of which family are now living. Alexander was reared in Pennsylvania, in the subscription schools of which State he was educated. He helped to build the first free school house in Bedford county, Penn., at the town of Freedom, when eighteen years of age. He crossed the Alleghany Mountains and located in Venango county, Penn., where he was married in May, 1850, to Miss Catherine Downing, by whom he became the father of ten children, eight of whom survive: Samuel, Daniel, John, Charles, Mack, William, May and Nellie. In 1864 Mr. Dotson went to the lower oil regions of Ohio by steamboat, bnt remained in that State only a short time, coming to Elkhart county, Ind., in 1865, and here purchased a farm of 122 acres on "Two Mile Plain," where he lived a short time, then removed to where he now resides, purchasing 194 acres of land north of Elkhart, which he soon sold to the Hydraulic Company, with the exception of twelve acres on which his residence is aitnated and on which he is residing. This property is now nearly all in town lots. Mr. Dotson built the house in which he is living, and for his farm of 192 acres paid $11,500, but sold it six months later for $100 per acre, which netted him a handsome surplus. He soon after purchased 204 acres in Cleveland township, but after farming this land for three years sold ont, and has since returned from active life. He is the owner of seven dwelling houses and a store building in Elkhart, and ia in receipt of a very comfortable annual income. His second mar- riage was celebrated in October, 1891, to Mrs. Emeline (Yant) Conrod, a native of Ohio, who became the mother of five children by her first husband: Edward, Hattie, William, Clyde C. and Floyd N. Mr. Dotson ia one of the substantial citizens of Elkhart county, and has numerous frienda who wish him well. His honesty is well known; his kindness of heart is recognized and his liberality and public spirit are unquestioned.

JOHN HIRE has been a resident of Elkhart connty, Ind., for many years, and be-

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longs to an old family of Pennsylvania, to which State his ancestors came from Ger- many in early times. The father of John Hire, Rudolph Hire, was born in the Key- stone State, and was there united in marriage to Annie Iman, who bore him tan children: Jemima, Absalom, Elizabeth, Nancy, Jesse, Mary, William, Jacob, Rudolph and John. Rudolph Hire removed to Ross county, Ohio, when it was a wilderness inhabited by various wild animals, and there be cleared a farm, made a home, and resided until 1832, when he moved with his family to Benton township, Elkhart Co., Ind., and settled on the Fort Wayne road. At that time he was over sixty years of age, but he possessed the energy and push of a young man, and entered 160 acres of land which his sons cleared for him. Mr. and Mrs. Hire were members of the Dunkard Church, and in this faith Mr. Hire died at the age of eighty-six years. He was a thrifty, industrious and upright man, much respected by those who knew him, and was especially honored and esteemed by his own immediate family. John Hire, whose name is at the head of this biography, was born on a farm in Ross county, Ohio, in 1817, but owing to the fact that he was compelled to labor hard on the farm, he did not receive much schooling, a fact he has always greatly regret- ted and which he has endeavored to remedy by reading and contact with the world. He has been a resident of Indiana since he was fifteen years of age, and here he was married, after reaching manhood, to Miss Mary Blue, daughter of Jacob and Charlotte (Mortimer) Blue, the former of whom was one of the early settlers of the Buckeye State. A family of twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hirs, eight of whom lived to grow to maturity: David, Eli, Malinda J., Lawson, Abraham, John, William and Emma. After his marriage Mr. Hire took up his residence on the farm now occupied by his son William, and which was entered by his father and consisted of eighty acres of heavy timber land. This he cleared, after many a hard day's work, and as his means increased he made other purchases of real estate until he became the owner of 200 acres in Benton township and 300 acres in Kosciusko county. He generously and thoughtfully assisted each of his children, when they started out to fight life's battles for themselves, and either presented them with $2,000 or its equivalent in land. His wife, who was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was called from life, and Mr. Hire took for his second wife Mrs. Mary Brown, whose maiden name was Bean, and by her he became the father of three children: Frank, Ray and Harry. Mr. Hire assisted largely in developing Elkhart county, and may well take pride in his labors, which have borne such abun- dant fruit. His reputation for sterling worth and honor can not be gainsaid, and that he is one of the honored citizens of the county is acknowledged by all. He first affiliated with the Democrat party, but for the last twenty-five years has been a Repub- lican. Two of his sons, David and Eli, served in the Civil war. The former was born on the home farm, January 2, 1842, and received a good common-school educa- tion. In 1862 he enlisted in Company I, Seventy-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, as a private, and went to Indianapolis with his regiment, where he was mustered into the service of the United States. From there his command went to Louisville, Ky., from which point his regiment pursued the Confederate general, Bragg, through Kentucky. Succeeding this, David served in Tennessee and took part in the battles of Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Jonesboro, the Atlanta campaign, in which he marched with Sherman to the sea and was in a number of sharp skirmishes. Although he was sick three months at Laverne, Tenn., he would not enter the hospital, but remained in camp. He served his country faithfully for nearly three years, and in June, 1865, was mustered out of the service at Indianapolis, Ind., and returned home to turn his sword into a ploughshare. The following winter he attended dis- trict school, although he was twenty-three years of age, and on September 26, 1867, he was married to Rachel A., daughter of Richard D. and Mary A. (Cormany) Knox, her birth having occurred in Elkhart county on September 22, 1846. Richard D. Knox was born in Monroe county, Va., September 30, 1809, came to Elkhart county when a young man, and was married at Benton, April 30, 1835, his wife's birth hav-

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ing occurred in Preble county, Ohio, January 15, 1814. Mr. Knox opened up a good farm, and being a good manager, and industrious and honorable withal, his efforts were rewarded and he became wealthy. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and hecame the parents of ten children: Har- riet A., John A., Lucinda A., Joseph T., George D., Rachel A., Enoch, Mary J., Richard M. and an infant son. These children received good educations and three of them became school teachera, and two, John and Richard M., became physi- cians. Mrs. Hire was a teacher in her youthful days, but after her marriage she and her husband settled on a portion of the farm on which they are now residing, which then consisted of forty acres of land which was given Mr. Hire by his father, and to which, by industry and thrift, he has added until he is now the owner of 160 acres of land. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he was class-leader and steward and is now trustee. Mr. Hire ia a stanch Republican, politically, and although public-spirited and interested in the welfare of his section, he is a man of quiet tastes and has always refused to hold any official position, although frequently urged to do so. He is a member of the G. A. R., Stansbury Post, No. 125, Ligonier, Ind. Three children have been born to himself and wife: George A., Linval J. and Nellie E. Mr. Hire is a warm friend of education and has given his children excellent advantages. George A. attended the commercial college of Angola, Steuben Co., Ind., and Linval J. attended the high school of Ligonier and took a course in music in Chicago. He is a skillful vio- linist and is a competent teacher on that instrument. As a soldier, David Hire was faithful and true, and was not afraid to face rebel bulleta, as he proved on many a hard-fought field. He did able and active service, and to auch men the country owes the downfall of the Confederacy.

F. J. GOLDMAN. There is no greater pleasure for the hand and pen of the his- torian or biographer to perform than in recording the life and achievements of a man who has begun life's battles under adverse circumstances, and through his own unaided efforts has secured the general acknowledgment of being an honest man, a gentleman, and has acquired a profitable and lucrative business. Such a man is F. J. Goldman, one of the leading druggists of Elkhart. A native of Berks county, Penn., his birth occurred December 6, 1843, being one in a family of six children born to the marriage of John Goldman and Elizabeth Shultz, who were also nativea of the Keystone State and of German extraction. The father waa a farmer by occu- pation and was also engaged to a considerable extent in the manufacture of cigars. The subject of this biography was reared to manhood upon a farm, and in the cigar factory, which trade he followed at intervals during his boyhood, securing only a common-school education. By reason of his father's removal to Stouchsburg in 1857, the better to carry on the manufacturing business, he readily began for him- self at the age of fourteen years. Commencing as a hired hand at $4 per month to a neighboring farmer, he continued this work for four years. Espousing the cause of the Union at the time of the attempted secession by the South, young Goldman enlisted in Company K. One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Pennaylvania Volunteer Infantry on August 8, 1862. Being mustered in as a private, he was immediately ordered to the front and participated in several skirmishes, and in these sanguinary engagements at Antietam and Chancellorsville, being taken prisoner at the latter place on May 3, 1863. He was conveyed to Richmond, was incarcerated in the notorious Libby Prison twenty days and then, fortunately, was paroled and exchanged. In the meantime his term of enlistment-nine months-had expired, and upon his release he found an honorable discharge dated May 20, 1863, awaiting him. The object of his original enlistment not having been accomplished, he re-en- listed in February, 1864, and became a member of Company H, One Hundred and Eighty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. From that time until the complete subjugation of the rebels, his time was occupied in doing provost and garrison duty in his own State, and at the front, serving as deputy provost marshal and as United

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States detective. His final discharge bears date August 15, 1865. Realizing that the great West was the place for a young man to seek his fortune, he started for California, but on reaching South Bend, Ind., found it expedient to replenish his shat- tered financial resources, and as a means to this end he secured employment in a brick- yard, where he remained during the summer of 1866. For two years he worked at various occupations and demonstrated the fact that he was eminently capable of looking out for his own interests. In September, 1888, he entered the establishment of A. Huntsinger & Co., druggists, at Mishawaka, and remained in the employ of this firm for four years. He then accepted a position with D. M. Coonly at South Bend, but in 1873 returned to Mishawaka and purchased an interest in the firm of A. Cass & Co., remaining thus associated for three years. He then disposed of his interest and removed to Elkhart, where he was engaged in clerking until 1884, at which time he became a partner with Frank Timmis, on the southwest corner of Main aud Franklin streets, bnt later purchased his partner's interest and has since conducted a profitable trade alone. Mr. Goldman is a Republican in politics, has been a member of Auten Post, No. 8, South Bend, Ind., G. A. R., since 1866, is a member of the brotherhood of Odd Fellows, in which he has taken all the degrees of the subordinate lodge and encampment, in which he held various positions of honor and trust. June 29, 1871, Miss Maggie A. Stonebrook became his wife, and to them four children have been born: Walker J., Royal F., Rita M. and Harry W.

EDWIN M. ELSEA is a prominent farmer of Benton township, Elkhart Co., Ind., for he has inherited the love of the calling which has ever characterized his ancestors and has had practical experience in this line from his youth up. His great- grandfather, John Elsea, was born in England and came to America before the Revolutionary war, in which struggle he took an active part, rising to the rank of captain in the colonial army, being ever afterward known as Capt. Jack Elsea. He married and settled in Rockingham county, Va., near Fredericksburg, and there his twelve children were born: Isaac, Lewis, John, Marion, Harriet, Rachel, Re- becca, Margaret, Mary, Elizabeth, the names of the other two being unknown. Margaret became the wife of the first editor of the Cincinnati Methodist Advocate. Capt. Jack Elsea lived to be quite aged and as a husbandman was very successful, owning a large amount of real estate, the manual labor on which was performed by his slaves, of which he owned a large number. He was also the owner of a fine flouring mill for those days. He presented his son Isaac, with a number of slaves, but the latter refused to hold them. Isaac was born on the old plantation in Virginia May 5, 1776, and was married to Matilda,. daughter of John Burgess, of Annapolis, Md., and to them three children were born: John D., Eveline and Mary. Mr. Elsea became a pioneer settler of Muskingum county, Ohio, and from that section he enlisted as a soldier in the War of 1812. In 1835 he settled in Jackson township, Elkhart Co., Ind., at which time he was quite an old man, and there made his home with his son-in-law, Adam Groves, until his death, which occurred at the age of eighty-seven years. John D. Elsea, his son and father of the sub- ject of this sketch, was born in Rockingham county, Va., in 1805, and was twenty- two years of age when his father moved to Ohio. After residing there for some time he removed to Wayne county, Ind., and there took for his life companion Sarah, daughter of Valentine and Martha (McCormick) Fleahart, the former of whom was a farmer of Rush county, Ind. In 1831 Mr. Elsea settled in Benton township, Elkhart county, and two years later took up his residence on the farm on which the subject of this sketch is now residing. His wife bore him two daughters: Matilda and Martha J., but did not live to see them grow up, her death occurring when they were very small children. Mary, the daughter of Rudolph and Nancy (Inman) Hire, became his second wife, and in due course of time was the mother of seven children, who lived to maturity: Rudolph, Mary, James, Nancy, Elma, Edwin and John. Politically Mr. Elsea was a Democrat and held the offices of justice of the peace two years and county commissioner two terms. He was very

Melo S. Hereally

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energetic and enterprising and was the first man to introduce Durham cattle into the county, an example that was followed by many others when it was found to be a paying investment. He was a man of unquestioned integrity and was made ad- ministrator of a number of estates. He was class leader and steward in the Meth- odist Church, in the doctrines of which he was a firm believer and of which he was an earnest member, up to the time of his death, which occurred when he was fifty- seven years of age. He was a stanch Union man during the Civil war and sent one son, Rudolph H., to fight for his country, the latter was a member of Company I, Seventy-fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he served six months as a private and died in Tennessee of sickness contracted while in the serv- ice. Edwiu M. Elsea, son of John D., was born on the old homestead in Benton township May 7, 1854, and in his boyhood was given the advantages of the common schools in the vicinity of his home, and his knowledge has since been strengthened and increased by reading and contact with the world and the business affairs of life. He was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Robert and Charlotte (Flen) Chatten. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Elsea has resulted in the birth of two chil- dren: Ray C. and Roy H. (twins), born August 5, 1881. Mr. Elsea is the owner of 145 acres of land and is a progressive and enterprising tiller of the soil. He is a deservedly popular man and is well known for his integrity and general intelligence, which renders him a leader in enterprises which are brought before the public. He is a Democrat politically. The Elseas have resided on the farm on which Edwin M. is residing for over fifty years.

ALEXANDER GORDON. Alexander Gordon, one of the best known and most pro- gressive farmers of Elkhart county, is a native of Westmoreland county, Penn., born January 26, 1828. John Gordon, his father, was a native of the Keystone State, a farmer by occupation, although for a number of years he operated a wool-carding machine. He married Nancy Hamilton for his first wife, who died after bearing a large family of children; he then married Mrs. Eleanor Johnson, whose maiden name was McWilliams, a widow with four children, and by her became the father of six children, the subject of this sketch being the youngest. Alexander Gordon, at the age of eight years, was left fatherless, and the family in destitute circum- stances because of the liberality of the father in accommodating his friends by going security. Practically at this age he began struggling with adversity for the pur- pose of secnring to himself and others the comforts of home. His youth and early manhood were passed as a farm laborer, the wages received rarely exceeding $8 per month. While yet in his teens he found employment in the lumber regions of northwestern Pennsylvania, and later was engaged in that business upon his own responsibility. To those who never experienced the actual life of a lumberman, that career does not seem to be any more filled with hardships than many others; but such was not the case in those days. After swinging the ax day after day in the forest, the timber would be taken to the river, lashed together and rafted to the markets of Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville and other points, the workers being exposed to the fury of the prevailing storms. It required men of excellent phys- ique and constitution to do this work, and men of brain, grit and determination to make it a success. Until 1872 Mr. Gordon continued this business and by the hardest of work accumulated a fair competency. Desiring to give his children better educational advantages than he had, he sold his lumber interests advantage- ously, moved to Elkhart county, Ind., in the year above stated, and purchasing a tract of land engaged in agricultural pursuits. The county has ever since been his home and farming his occupation, except for the past six years he has resided in the city of Elkhart, and besides his beautiful home, he is the owner of about 400 acres of land in this county and 550 acres in Emmett county, Iowa. Mr. Gordon's edu- cational advantages were very limited being confined to times when he could secure no work and when he possessed suitable and sufficient clothing. Inheriting the combat- ive nature of the Irish, and the high principles of integrity and industry of the Scotch

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from his ancestors, he has applied both, not only in the accumulation of this world'a goods, but in securing a fair education by extended readings. In Elkhart county, where he is best known, Mr. Gordon commands universal respect for his honesty and morality, and is justly conceded as a man of more than ordinary information and good judgment. In every sense of the word he is a self-made man. Firat a Whig in politics, he became a Republican in 1856 and has since affiliated with that party. While a man of strong convictions, he recognizes errors in his party and so far as he ia able strives to rectify them. The temperance cause has in him a warm advocate, and he believes it would be for the best to absolutely abolish the traffic in liquor as a beverage. While a man of much liberality, he confines his munificence to objects of education, Christianity and morality. Mr. Gordon was married August 20, 1857, to Miss Mary Jane McBride and to their uuion eight children have been born: Allen Hamilton, Albert Addison, Mary Jane (deceased), Margaret (deceased), Alexander, Addie Greene, Alice Alabama and William Grant. Mr. Gordon is an Encampment degree Odd Fellow, and while a member of no church organization is a Unitarian in belief.

JOSEPH STIVEA, Benton, Ind. The prudent ways and careful methods of the Teutonic farmer are conspicuous in Elkhart county, where so many representatives of the German race have settled, and Joseph Stiver is no exception to the rule. The early members of his family were residents of Wurtemberg, Germany, and the original spelling of the name was Stoefer. A Lutheran minister of the name immi- grated to America about 1712 and settled in Lancaster county, Penn., and was aaid to have bean the first minister of that denomination to settle within the borders of "Penn'a Woodland" He reared a family of children, and spent the rest of his days in the land of his adoption. Casper Stiver, his son, was a babe when his parents brought him to American shores, but there he grew to sturdy and honorable manhood and was an active participant throughout the Revolutionary war. He rose to the rank of captain and was very active in furnishing provisions for the Continental army, the supplies being hauled to the army by his sons. He married in Pennsylvania, bat afterward became a pioneer aettler of Montgomery county, Ohio, in which region he took up his residence as early as 1806, having come down the Ohio river on a flat boat and landing at Cincinnati. The family prospered and became wealthy, and in Ohio, as well as Pennsylvania, they were anbstantial and representative farm- ers. John Stiver, son of Casper, waa born in Pennsylvania, and was married there to Miss Wolf, who bore him the following children: Frederick, Michael, Samuel, Eli, Barbara. Susannah, Elizabeth and Catherine. When the family removed to Ohio, John Stiver was among the number, and in Montgomery county the remainder of his days were spent on a fine farm of 500 acres. He died at the age of eighty- three years, having followed the occupation of saw-milling in connection with farm- ing. His son, John B. Stiver, was born in Danphin county, Penn., in 1804, and was only two years of age when taken to Ohio. Owing to the very poor school facilities of that day he obtained only a limited education, the most of his youthful days being devoted to tilling the soil and operating a saw-mill. Upon reaching manhood he led to the hymeneal altar Miss Catherine Bickel, daughter of Jacob Bickel, her mother being a Wilhelm. Their nuion resulted in the birth of four children: Susan, Barbara, Jonathan, and Joseph, the subject of this biography. After his marriage, which occurred when he was about twenty-five years of age, he settled in Montgomery county, Ohio, but became dissatisfied with his location, and about 1837 moved to Indiana and located on a tract of timber land in Clinton town- ship. Elkhart county, which he cleared and converted into a fine farm. The land which he devoted to the culture of agricultural products amounted to about 100 acres, but he owned sixty acres of timber land besides. On this farm he " pursued the even tanor of his way," and thus assisted in settling and improving two new counties. Politically a Democrat, he was much respected and helped to organize the township of Clinton. He was an honorable and substantial citizen, and his

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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 25

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

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