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 33

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 33
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 33

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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ents of the following children: Michael, Levi, George, David, Magdalena, Catherine, Ann, Christena, Mary and Rebecca. Mr. Hoff died on his farm in Wayne county, Ohio, December 17, 1865, at the age of seventy-six years, his widow surviving him until March 5, 1873, dying at the age of seventy-six years.

JOSEPH E. MULLIGAN. Among the sons of Pennsylvania who have brought with them to this western land the sturdy habits of independence, integrity and industry which have ever marked the natives of the Keystone State, it is a pleasure to name Mr. Mulligan, whose beautiful and well-tilled farm of 136 acres (twelve of which is in timber), is located within the confines of Clay township. Mr. Mulligan's native county was Crawford, where he was born August 2, 1851, to Patrick and Elizabeth (Downey) Mulligan, who were natives of County Cavan, Ireland, the birth of the father occurring in 1801. He was brought up to a farm life in his native land and about the year 1828 was married to Elizabeth Downey. He crossed the ocean to America in 1847, and settled in Crawford county, Penn., where he made his home nutil the fall of 1851, when the family removed to near Dayton, Mich., and there spent the following year. At the end of this time they settled in the southeast part of Berrien county, near the line of Cass county, Mich., but in 1859 came to St. Jo- seph county, Ind., and took np their residence in Clay township, near Notre Dame. In 1864 they settled on the place where the son Joseph E. now resides, in Section 13, where Mr. Mulligan lived until his death, April 4, 1883. His wife survived him until April 24, 1883, when she, too, paid the last debt of nature. She presented her husband with eight children: Catherine, Owen, Patrick, Ann, Margaret, Mary (deceased), Elizabeth and Joseph E. Although Mr. Mulligan was born in Penn- sylvania, the greater portion of his life has been spent in St. Joseph county, Ind., as he was but eight years of age when his parents came to Clay township. He was educated in the public schools of the township, and during the many years that he has spent in this section the people have had every opportunity to know and judge his character and qualifications and naught has ever been said derogatory to either. He has devoted his life to farming and in this occupation has been deservedly suc- cessful, and is now in command of a comfortable competency. On May 27, 1884, he was married to Miss Ellen Haney, who was born April 24, 1862, in Springfield, Ill., the daughter of Patrick and Elizabeth (Stipes) Haney, the former 8 native of Ireland, and the latter of Illinois. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mulligan: Joseph, Edward, Elizabeth, Leo and George. Mr. and Mrs. Mulligan are members of the Catholic Church, and the men and measures of the Democrat party have always received Mr. Mulligan's support.

SOLOMON M. KAUFFMAN. The success which has attended the efforts of Mr. Kanffman as an agricultorist is by no means a matter of chance, nor was he in any sense an especial favorite of fortune, for when he started out in life he began at the lowest round of the ladder. In his case fortune smiled upon him because of his untiring efforts, his close and intelligent application to the ordinary affairs of life, and his thrift and enterprise, which were of a character to merit success under any circumstances and in any field of labor. He was born in Holmes county, Ohio, September 20, 1837, being one of the following family of children: Mary, Martha,

Jonas, Jacob, Solomon, Fannie, Elizabeth, Lydia, Joseph, Rebecca, Moses and John. The father of this somewhat numerons family was Moses Kauffman, and their mother was Lydia, daughter of John Plank. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kauffman were of Peun- sylvania Dutch stock, and for many years the father was a farmer of Somerset county, Penn., and supported his family comfortably, but they never counted on being supplied with many of the luxuries of life. Moses Kauffman removed to the wilds of Ohio when a young man; was married in Holmes county, and without any very considerable resources, they settled down to the business of making the best of their opportunies, and getting ahead in the world as rapidly as possible, and turned their attention to tilling the soil as a sure means of gaining a livlihood. After making a few changes they finally came to Elkhart county, Ind., and since

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1851 have been residents of Middlebury township, where they at one time owned 280 acres of fine farming land. Being a minister of the Amish-Mennonite Church, he reared his children carefully and upon his death in his sixty-eighth year he had the unbounded satisfaction of knowing that they had attained honorable manhood and womanhood. The early members of his family were persecuted in Germany on account of their religious principles, but upon an invitation fromn William Penn they sought an asylum in the New World and carved a home for themselves in " Penn's Wood- land." The family has grown with the country's growth and has contributed much to the thrift, the industry and the prosperity of this country. Solomon M. Kauff- man was about fourteen years of age when he became a resident of Elkhart county, Ind., and as much of his time during the years of his boyhood was occupied with tasks set him by his parents, who believed in industrial training, his education was only such as he was able to obtain in the common schools. However, he was enterpris- ing and ambitious, and with indomitable energy and determination, qualities which he, no doubt, inherited from his sturdy Dutch ancestors, began laying the founda- tions for a successful future, and in the field of agriculture he has made the best use of his talents. He now has a fine and well-kept farm of 203 acres, on which is a substantial brick residence with good farm buildings of all descriptions. Novem- ber 29, 1866, he was married in Millersburg to Miss Catherine Speicher, who was born March 8, 1840, soon after which he settled in the southern part of Middlebury township, where he made his home for seven years, then came to his present farm, which at that time consisted of 123 acres. To Mr. and Mrs. Kauffman the follow- ing children have been born: Charles E., born December 10, 1867; Frank E., De- cember 20, 1876; Emma D., May 10, 1879; Cora M., September 8, 1873; Mary E., May 24, 1872; Fred L., born July 10, 1882, died February 13, 1884. Mr. and Mrs. Kauffman and three of their children are members of the Lutheran Church, to the building of which he was a liberal contributor and is now one of its most generous supports. He stands high as an honorable and useful member of society, and has always been an earnest supporter and patron of educational institu- tions. His son, Charles E., is one of the reputable and successful teachers of this county and is at present attending Valparaiso Normal College; Mary E. is an accomplished musician, has at present a class of fourteen music scholars, and is the organist in the Lutheran Church. Mrs. Kauffman is a daughter of Jonathan and Eliza (Yergin) Speicher, both of whom were members of old German families who have been known in the history of Pennsylvania for many generations back. When a young man Mr. Speicher removed to Wayne county, Ohio, where he married and is still living at the advanced age of eighty-five years. He is a member of the Ger- man Reformed Church and has always been an honest man and a law-abiding citi- zen. His wife, who died on the 7th of April, 1842, bore him five children: Mary A., Frances, David, Catherine and Eliza. In 1846 he married Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, by whom he became the father of five more children: Harriet. Rebecca, Rosanna, William and Emily. The mother of these children was blind for fourteen years of her life and is now deceased. For the past thirty-six years Mr. Kauffman has fol- lowed the calling of a thresher in Elkhart county and in the winter runs a portable saw-mill, which is in active operation the most of the time and has proven a valua- ble source of revenue. He is universally esteemed by his friends and associates for his integrity and good citizenship, and he has done his full share toward promoting the commercial, social and religious development of his section.

JOHN REDMOND. Many of the best known farmers and residents of St. Joseph county, Ind., have been born in the Emerald Isle, and this is the case with Mr. Redmond, for to county Wexford, Ireland, he owes his nativity, his birth occurring on November 12, 1822. His parents, William and Catherine (Berry) Redmond, were also born in Ireland, but the family originally came from England. William Redmond was reared on the Isle of Erin and there followed the calling of plow maker. Lawrence, the father of William, was a farmer. The marriage of William Red-

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mond resulted in the birth of five children: Patrick, John, James, Mary and Catherine. John Redmond was resred on a farm in his native land and to that occupation has devoted his life. He was married in Ireland to Alice Summers, and their union resulted in the birth of one child: Edward. Mrs. Redmond died in Ireland, and in 1856 Mr. Redmond came to America and at once turned his footsteps in the direction of St. Joseph county, Ind., and for several years made his home with his brother-in-law, Edward Summers, in Olive township near Carlisle. On May 30, 1861, he was mar- ried to Catherine Layden, who was born in County Clare, Ireland, January 6, 1849, and came to America with her parents, Patrick and Mary (Kirby) Layden, when about thirteen years of age. The Layden family settled on a farm near Hillsdale, Mich., where the father spent the remainder of his days, dying October 25, 1891. His wife died in Ireland when her daughter Catherine was about six years old, and the mother of Mr. Layden came to America and reared his two little daughters, the other child's Dame being Julia. After Mr. Redmond's marriage he located in Clay township, St. Joseph Co., Ind., and there they have since made their home. In November, 1876, Mr. Redmond purchased the farm where he now lives, which con- sists, at the present time, of 115 acres, about one hundred of which are under cul- tivation. This place is well conducted and shows that a man of thrift and intelli- gence has the management of affairs. Mr. Redmond and his family are members of the Catholic Church. In politics Mr. Redmond is a Democrat. He is a man of sound judgment; is energetic, charitable and liberal, and is considered by all a decided acquisition to the section in which he resides. He and his wife have four children: James I., born May 10, 1862; William B., born July 19, 1864; John P., born March 18, 1868, and Mary C., born August 7, 1873. The second son, William B., was married February 27, 1890, to Martha Akers, who was born April 2, 1891, in Hardin county, Ky., a daughter of George W. and Ann (White) Akers. Mr. and Mrs. Redmond are the parents of two children: Alma, born February 2, 1891, and Mary, born May 6, 1892. William B. and his wife reside in Senora, Ky., and are engaged in tilling the soil. James I., the eldest son of John, is the present assessor of Clay township, being elected to that office in the spring of 1890, for four years on the Democratic ticket. This is one of the worthy families of the county, each and every member of which is well known and highly respected.

J. H. MYERS, Middlebury, Ind. It is a pleasure to chronicle the history of a man whose life has been one of honor and usefulness, and although he has considerably passed the zenith of his career, Mr. Myers has accumulated a fortune that enables him to enjoy to the fullest extent the true comforts of a home that is made beautiful by the sweet spirit of kindliness and mutual appreciation among the members of the family. He comee of good old Pennsylvania Dutch stock, and is descended from one of the early colonial families that have for generations been residents of York county, Peun. The paternal grandfather, Conrad Myers, was born in that county, and like the most of the male members of his family, became a well-to-do farmer and miller, and lived to attain the age of seventy years. Jacob R. Myers, his son and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born and reared on his father's farm in York county, Penn., and like a true son of his father became a tiller of the soil when thrown upon his own resources. He acquired a practical education in the German language in the common schools of his vicinity, and upou reaching man's estate was married to Lydia, daughter of Andrew Utz, also a native of York county and of Dutch descent. To this union a good old-fashioned family of thirteen children was born, two of whom died in infancy, the rest reaching maturity: Jesse H. (the subject), Elizabeth, John B., Andrew, Samuel, Levi, Daniel, Hiram, Moses, Aaron and Frank. In 1832, with the ambition, courage and sturdy manhood which have always been distinguishing characteristics of American pioneers, he pushed into 'Stark county, Ohio, in search of land upon which to make a settlement and located on a farm four miles South of Canton, where he made his home until 1853, when Elkhart, Ind., became the scene of his labors. He became the fortunate possessor

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of a fine, arable farm of 200 acres, on which he passed the remainder of his days, dying at the age of sixty-two years in 1868. Like the majority of agriculturiste he was hard-working and honest, and left a valuable estate to his heirs. Politically a stanch Democrat, he was a very strong Union man during the war, and gave two of his sons to assist in protecting the Union, both of whom served three years in the Seventy-fourth Indiana Regiment, and were in several battles, among which was Lookout Mountain. They miraculously escaped wounds and sickness and returned home able-bodied men. Their mother was a member of the Dunkard Church. Jesse H. Myers, the subject of this sketch, first saw the light of day on hie father's farm in York county, Penn., June 18, 1826, and owing to his early removal to Ohio where schools were few and far between, and even then not of the best quality, his education was limited to the three R.'s, -"readin', 'ritin' and 'rithmetic." He early learned the details of farming which was conducted in the old-fashioned way; the grain being tramped out by horses on the barn floor. Eventually Mary, daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Albright) Oberlin, became his wife, their union being consummated in Stark county, Ohio, to which section her parents came from Lancaster county, Penn., when the country was a wilderness inhabited by the red man and infested by numerous wild animals. However, Mr. Oberlin wielded his axe to some purpose and finally became the owner of a valuable farm, dying on the same at the ripe old age of eighty years. To Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Myers four children were born: William H., January 19, 1850; Emma E., September 26, 1851; Edward L., April 24. 1862, and Kate A., October 19, 1866. In 1855 Mr. Myers came with his family to Elkhart county, and purchased a good farm one mile west of Middlebury, which he has greatly improved and which has since been his home. Everything about his place is in harmony, for each nook and cranny of fields, fences and barns is well kept, neat and attractive, speaking well for the management of the owner, who looks beyond the work of the moment and the gain of the moment to the future. His farm is well adapted to the raising of stock, for it is well watered, and to this branch of agriculture Mr. Myers has given considerable atten- tion. His wife died November 16, 1887, a devout member of the Lutheran Church, and October 18, 1888, Mr. Myers took for his second wife Mrs. Sarah Fulton, widow of Dr. J. H. Fulton, of Otsego, Mich., by whom she became the mother of two children: Nellie, wife of Matthew L. De Wolf, a station agent of San Antonio, Texas. and Frank. Mrs. Myers was the daughter of Mercon and Elizabeth (Quack- enbush) Fox, the former of whom was a member of an old American family of English descent, whose wife bore him twelve children, seven of whom lived to mature years: Arthur, Ralph, Sarah, Faunie, Henry, Albert and James. Albert, Arthur and Henry were soldiers in the Civil war, and the first mentioned, who was a soldier in the Twenty-ninth Indiana Regiment, was killed at the battle of Chick- amanga; and Henry, who was in the Thirteenth Michigan, was killed in the battle of Murfreesboro. Mr. and Mrs. Fox were members of the Presbyterian Church of Lima, and were substantial and upright farmers. Mr. Myers is a member of the Lutheran Church, and held the office of trustee and elder for three years, and has been superintendent of the Sunday-school for the past seveu years. He has given his children good educations, for he recognized the fact that a good education is rather to be desired than great riches, and his son Edward is teaching a graded school at Burlington, Kan. Mr. Myers is well contented with his lot in life, for he is in comfortable circumstances and holds a high place in the estimation of his fellows as an honorable. straightforward man. January 27, 1892, a reunion of the Myers family was held at the residence of J. H. Myers, and nine stalwart brothers and one sister once more gathered at the same board, for the first time in thirty-five years. Forty members of the family were present, and the occasion will long be remembered. The eldest son of J. H. Myers, William H., was married to Annie Balyest, by whom he has one child, he is residing on an excellent farm given him by his father in Middlebury township; Emma married Isaiah Goodyear,

In Mt Thomas

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a farmer of Clinton township; Edward L. married Jennie Smith, by whom he has three children; and Katie is married to Charles Wehmeyer, a real estate and insurance agent of Goshen, Ind.

DR. C. C. BAUMGARTNER, physician and surgeon of Elkhart, Ind., is successfully engaged in practicing, a calling which is perhaps the most trying on brain and body of any in the field of science. He is one of the busiest of this busy class of men, and is well equipped and fully prepared to meet any professional demande that may be made upon him, and has met with flattering success from the start. He was born in the canton of Berne, Switzerland. February 2, 1842, a son of John and Catherine (Lehman) Baumgartner, the former of whom was born in Switzerland, and there passed from life. His widow survives him and is a resident of Bluffton, Ind. She bore her husband two children: John J., who joined the Fourth Indiana Volunteers and died in Andersonville prison, and C. C., who was ten years of age when he left his native country. He took passage for this country on a sailing ves- sel for Havre de Grace, and after an ocean voyage of forty-two days landed at New York City. His mother, brother and some other relatives came at the same time, and he, with his immediate relatives, located in Adams county, Ind., and in the pub- lic schools of that and Wella county he acquired a fair practical education. Until eighteen years of age his attention was given to farming, but at that age he began the study of medicine at Akron and Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from a medical institution of the latter place in the spring of 1861. He at once entered upon the practice of his profession in Wayne county, Ohio, but about seven years later became a practitioner of Adams county, Ind., where he continued to devote his talents to healing the sick and afflicted for seven years. He then gave up attending to the physical wants of his fellow creatures and began looking after their spiritual welfare, and for three years was a member of the Evangelical Association at Wabash City, and one year in Elkhart, Ind. His scholarly attainments, eloquence and earnest- ness soon made him a power in church circles, and for eight years he acted in the capacity of presiding elder, four years being spent in Indianapolis and four years in the Elkhart District. He became well known for his earnestness and zeal, and his disconrses were considered able, eloquent and of a most convincing order. Dur- ing his last term as a presiding elder he was crippled by an accident, after which he located in Elkhart, again took up the medical profession, and is successfully pursuing this honorable calling. During his residence in this city he has won many friends by his straightforward, gentlemanly and courteous conduct, and his earnest support and connection with everything tending to the welfare and progress of the city and section, especially in church matters, has done much toward making him the popu- lar and respected citizen he now is. In 1863 he was married to Miss B. C. Leh- man, by whom he has three sons: William H., Albert J. and Reuben A., all of whom are residents of Elkhart. Dr. and Mrs. Baumgartner have a very comfortable and pleasant home where they dispense a refined and generous hospitality. Albert J., their second son, is now taking his first course of lectures in Rush Medical College at Chicago; Renben A. is clerk in the district passenger office of the Big Four Rail- road, and William H. is a carriage trimmer in Pratt's Carriage Works in Elkhart.

GEORGE D. MATHER is a prominent farmer, residing in the vicinity of Middle- bury, Ind., and is descended from a distinguished colonial Puritan family, who were among the founders of the early New England churches, and have been promi- nent as clergymen, statesmen and lawyers for generations. For the early history of this family see the sketch of J. R. Mather, of Elkhart, Ind. The grandfather of George D. was Jonathan Mather, son of Samuel, and was born in New Jersey, July 4, 1787, and died December 30, 1860. He married Anna Bishop, of West Hamp- ton, N. J., in 1809, and by her was the father of ten children: Mary, born Decem- ber, 1810; David B., born June 8, 1812; a son who died in infancy; Phoebe, born September. 1816; Lydia Ann, born February 22, 1819; Jonathan R., born May 25, 1821; Caroline M., born December, 1827; Irene A., born May 1, 1823; Joseph H.,

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born June 14, 1825, and Ira L. David B. Mather was born in Orange county, N. Y., was principally self-educated and became a good mathematician. He was married in his native county to Melissa, daughter of Jonathan Sayer, a farmer of that county. To David B. Mather and his wife five children were born: Jonathan S., Mary, Charles, Joseph and George. In June, 1837, Mr. Mather came to Elk- hart connty, Ind., having previously entered land in Middlebury township, now occupied by Jonathan S. Mather. He brought his family thither in the fall of 1837 and cleared a farm from the forest, to which by thrift and industry he added until he finally accumulated 2,100 acres. Upon first coming to Middlebury he engaged in the mercantile business, but this venture did not prove successful. When a young man he had traveled with the famous Van Amburg show, and had learned to auctioneer and to keep track of his sales in his head, and thus became an expert. After his mercantile experience he became an auctioneer and for years traveled extensively throughout northern Indiana, selling stocks of goods, etc. ; was also col- lector for Eastern firms, and in this way did a large business. He was a very ener- getic man and read law after reaching middle life, and practiced law in the justice's conrts throughout the county, becoming the legal adviser for many of the pioneer settlers. At first he was an old line Whig, but afterward became a Republican, being one of the founders of that party in Elkhart county, the principles of which he espoused in many & stump speech. He was a man of moral worth and integrity of character. He was a large land holder, having much of it under cultivation, and possessing a strong constitution and active mind, he kept his varied interests all in good working order. He was an extensive dealer in stock, one of the largest in northern Indiana, and in all matters was wide awake, enterprising and pushing. He gave all his children good educations, and taught them in the practical affairs of life. He was essentially a self-made man, and became well educated through his own mental efforts and the varied experiences through which he passed. He lived to be fifty years of age, but unfortunately had greatly injured his health by his travels, exposure and the arduous duties of his life, which greatly shortened his career.

GEORGE D. MATHER, his son, was born on the old Mather homestead June 21, 1859, and received a good education in the Middlebury High School, from which he graduated, afterward attending the commercial college at Kalamazoo, Mich. He then clerked for his brother, C. S. Mather, in Middlebury for two years. On Sep- tember 1, 1880, he married Minnie B., daughter of John K. and Lydia J. (Brown) Burridge, the former of whom was born in Braintree, Vt., and was drowned in Lake Michigan September 7, 1868. He was the owner of a fine frnit farm at Benton Harbor, Mich., and socially was a member of the A. F. & A. M. He was the father of four children: Minnie B., George E. L., William S. and Lola N. After marriage Mr. Mather settled on the good farms which he inherited from his father, and which now contaio 264 acres of land within the corporation of Middlebury. He has erected a fine two-story residence of brick and stone at a cost of $6,500, the con- struction taking place in 1883. It is very beautiful, and does credit to Mr. Mather's taste for the fitness of things and for the beautiful. He also has fine barns. He and his wife have one child, Lola Mabel, born December 12, 1881. Since his marriage, Mr. Mather has extensively engaged in farming and stockraising, and has 8 herd of fine Jersey cows. He has been quite an extensive traveler, has visited all the Eastern States and cities and points of interest, as well as Chicago, Kansas City, and other Western points. He is a stanch Republican, as his father was before him, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a public-spirited gentleman, in favor of all enterprises for the good of his section, and to this end gives liberally of his means. His traveling experiences, in which he took great interest, have added to his general information and contributed to make him one of the most intelligent and practical men of his section. He is essentially a man of his word, and his honor is unimpeachable.

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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 33

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

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