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 45

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 45
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 45

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MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

of excellent abilities, who has worked hard-not only because work was a necessity with him, but also because it was a pleasure-and whatever he has accumulated in the way of worldly goods has been acquired through persistent labor. He has been successful in all his business venturee, for his sound judgment has ever been his aid and guide, and upon everything to which he has devoted his attention he has left the impress of his personality and the marks of study and thought. He owns a half interest in the tile and brick factory which is known as Delotter & Co., which manufactures large quantities of drain tile and building brick. This estab- lishment gives employment to about fifteen men, and are shipping their goods to various points in the vicinity as well as to varione localities in the Esst. Mr. Mel- linger is the owner of some land throughont the county, and, financially, is well-to- do. On the 4th of Angust, 1870, he was married, in Elkhart county, to Lucinda Coppes, a daughter of Jacob Coppes, and to them four children were born: Ella I., born in 1871, is the wife of Harvey Banter, by whom she has three children; Sarah E., who died at the age of fifteen months; Emma, who resides with her parents, and Jeanette also. Mr. Mellinger and his family are members of the German Bap- tist Church, and in politics his good judgment has led him to uphold the Repub- lican party. He is treasurer of the town of Nappanee, held the office of county commissioner, in 1884 and again in 1886, resigning the position in 1887. A typical business man, he sustaine the part of a citizen admirably. Although the foregoing ie but a meager outline of a busy and useful life, it nevertheless teaches a useful lesson. To those who can gange character from events, even this is sufficient to show that Mr. Mellinger is a talented business man, and a leader in the section in which he resides. Nor is his full work yet done, as those who know him best look upon this much as but a preparation for even better work in the future. Hie judg- ment is sound on questione of paramount importance, and he has no faith in any road to success not made by individual effort, and is a firm believer in the old saying that "There is no royal road to fortune." He has no faith in the value of a result not reached by independent research, and his own attainmeute are due to laborious application, and even his education, which is sound and comprehensive, has been acquired without the advantage of more than a very limited school training.

DR. C. A. DAUGHERTY. Perhaps no member of the medical fraternity in Sonth Bend enjoys a more extensive practice or is more widely known than the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch. He has built up a large practice by steady devotion to duty and the constant exercise of energy and judgment. He was born in Worcester, Wayne Co., Ohio, November 23, 1850, but his parents, James and Ann E. (Stanffer) Daugherty, were Pennsylvanians. The family is of German and Irish stock, and the first of the family to come to America, settled in "Penn's Woodland." The parents of the subject of this sketch were united in marriage in Wayne county, Ohio, but removed from there to Defiance, Ohio, and in 1861 took up their residence in St. Joseph county, Ind., where they have since resided. The father has efficiently filled the office of county sheriff, and is now in a like manner dis- charging the duties of county commissioner. He has a fine farm and a comfortable home in Pennsylvania township, where he reared three of the nine children born to him. Dr. C. A. Daugherty was fourteen years of age when he came to this county with his father and mother. He was first given the advantages of the public schools in the vicinity of his rural home, but afterward became a high-school pupil at Mishawaka and later a college student at Hillsdale College, Hilledale, Mich. He assisted his father on the home farm until he began the study of medicine at the age of twenty-one years, and in 1873 he graduated from the Bennett Eclectic Medical College of Chicago. Immediately thereafter he located at Lakeville, Ind., for the practice of his profession, and during the four years that he remained there he acquired a good practice. He then entered the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis, from which he was graduated in 1879, locating immediately there- after in South Bend, where he has been practicing continuously ever since, with the

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exception of a part of one year which was spent in traveling through Europe. While in Vienna he studied some special branchea of his profession, his trip abroad being for this purpose, as well as sight-seeing, and he haa since made a specialty of surgery, in which he is extremely proficient and skillful. Dr. Daugherty haa built up a large and lucrative practice and has a handsome and finely furnished office in the Oliver Block. He is surgeon for the Chicago & Grand Trunk Railroad, the Vandalia Railroad and the Michigan Central. He was elected president of the city school board in 1883, and has held this office continuously ever since, having a short time since been elected for a term of three years. Politically he is a Democrat and socially belongs to the I. O. O. F. He was married in Lakeville, Ind., in May, 1874, to Miss Julia Clay, by whom he has two children: Mand E., aged fourteen years and Helen F., aged one year. Mrs. Daugherty is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JOHN McMICHAEL, of Mishawaka, has long been retired from the active duties of life and is in the enjoyment of the respect of the community wherein he has long reaided. He is a native of Northumberland county, Penn., where he was born Sep- tember 10, 1813, a aon of John and Mary (McFee) McMichael, who were also Pennsylvanians and of Scotch-Irish descent. The grandfather, Alexander McMichael, croased the ocean and settled in Pennsylvania, where he became a member of the continental army and participated in the Revolutionary war. Two members of the family were soldiers in the War of 1812. Alexander was a prominent merchant of the continental period and lived to be one hundred and eight years old, dying in Pennsylvania. His wife was blind for twenty years prior to her death. John McMichael, the father of him whose name heada this sketch, came west by wagona in 1833, crossing the black swamps near Cleveland, Ohio, and as there were very few bridges in those days he had to swim his horses across the Maumee River. He came to St. Joseph county, Ind., and located on Harris Prairie, where he purchased eighty acres of land. He erected a hewed-log honse, the neighbora turning ont for miles around to assist, and in this they lived until better improvements could be made. Their trading point at that time was Niles, Mich., and afterward Bertrand. In order to break sod he used the old wooden mold-board plow, to which were attached three yoke of oxen, and continued thus to till hia land until better imple- menta were introduced. Their clothing was all home-made and the women folk were kept busy at the spinning wheel and loom, while the men were employed in cultivating and improving the land. The father died on Harris Prairie about 1843, and the mother near Edwardsburg, Mich. They were the parents of four sons and five daughters, only two of whom are living at the present time: John, whose name heads this sketch, and Margaret Dennia. James, who recently died, served through- out the Civil war in the Mulligan Brigade, Company F, Twenty-third Illinois. John McMichael, the subject of thia aketch, was twenty years of age when he came to this country. He had received fair common-school advantages, and having been brought up to the occupation of farming be devoted his attention to this business apon starting out in life for himself. Early in the fifties he had charge of the warehouses on South Race, Mishawaka, where the boats landed, and he continued thus employed, in connection with buying wheat, atock, etc., for a number of years, during which time he did an extensive business and became widely known. He is known as one of the pioneers of St. Joseph county, for he has witnessed the growth of the country from its primitive condition to its present magnificent state of agri- cultural perfection. For a number of years past he has lived in retirement, and although still active, hale and hearty, he may be said to have earned his holiday. He was first married in 1837 to Miss Mary Lavelle, of Kentucky, who bore him thirteen children, of whom eight survive: William C. (clerk of St. Joseph county), Rachel (Stoy), John A., Alfred R., Margaret E., Adoniram B., Cora A. and James A. (a township clerk, Toledo, Ohio). Mr. McMichael's second marriage took place in 1869, Nancy A. Sisson becoming his wife. She was born in York State, but was

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brought to Indiana at the age of eleven years. Both Mr. and Mrs. McMichael are members of the Presbyterian Church, and politically he is a Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Martin Van Buren. William C. McMichael, his son, and clerk of St. Joseph county, was born in Harris township of this county April 27, 1841, and received the education usually given the pioneer farmer's boy. He attended school in Mishawaka for four terms and during his vacations worked on the Mishawaka Free Press, now the Enterprise, where he acquired a practical insight into the printer's art. He became an employe on the South Bend Forum, afterward on the Register, which was managed by Schuyler Colfax, and for four years was foreman of the Ave Maria, of Notre Dame, being connected with this office for five years. While filling this position, his leisure time was devoted to the study of law, and eventually the degree of bachelor of law was conferred upon him. In 1874 he was elected to the State Legislature from St. Joseph and Marshall counties, in which body he served efficiently for one term. At this time he was foreman of the Register office of South Bend, and at the expiration of his term as legislator he went to Washington, D. C., and for three years was in the document rooms of the Government printing office, and the following year was in the general postoffice, in the Finance Department, under Postmaster-General Keys. At the end of this time he went to Chicago and read proof on the city directory for a con- siderable period, then once more became a resident of Mishawaka, and for two and a half years filled the position of deputy recorder. In 1884 he was again elected to the Legislature, and in 1886 began discharging the duties of his present position, to which he was re-elected in 1890. He has been a beau ideal public officer, faithful to every interest of his section, and his career in the political arena has been without a blemish. He has always been a stauch Democrat and is popular with all classes, whether of his political creed or not. He was married in 1881 to Miss Minnie E. Roberts, who is a worthy member of the Episcopal Church.

JOHN Q. SWANGER ie an old and highly-respected citizen of the community in which he now resides. His great-grandfather was born in Germany and came to America before the Revolutionary war, in which he afterward became a participant. He settled near Pittsburg, Penn., from there went to Wayne county, Ohio, and in 1833 took up hia residence in Richland county of the same State, where he became very wealthy aa a tiller of the soil and lived to the advanced age of one hundred and two years, having for a great many years been a believer in the doctrines of the Lutheran Church. Jacob Swanger, his son, was born in Lancaster county, Penn., and was married there to Mary Lasher, to which union thirteen children were given: Peter and Jacob (twina), Elizabeth, Michael, John, Betsey, David, Catherine, George, Susan, Abram, Martha, and one that died young. After the birth of his three eldest children Mr. Swanger moved to Wayne county, Ohio, but in 1833 became a resident of Richland county, where he bought and resided on a farm of 120 acres until 1851, the nine subsequent years being spent in Berrien county, Mich. He then returned to Richland county, Ohio, and there was called from life at the advanced age of ninety- seven years, at which time he was a member of the Lutheran Church. He was a sol- dier in the War of 1812 and was with Perry on Lake Erie, also participating in other engagements. He was an industrious man and a good mechanic, besides being a successful tiller of the soil, a practical shoemaker, a good weaver, a manufacturer of cradles for the cutting of wheat and also of wooden mold-board plows, obtaining his material for them from twisted trees. Peter Swanger, his son and father of the subject of this sketch, first saw the light of day on April 21, 1801, in Lancaster county, Penn., but unfortunately received but little education in his youth, his serv- ices being required on the home farm. He went to Ohio with his father and was married in Wayne county to Mary Boydson, who died after bearing him two chil- dren: John Q. and George W., the latter dying while serving in the Union army during the Civil war. After the death of his wife Mr. Swanger moved to Richland county, Ohio, in 1835, there wedded Martha Johnson and by her became the father

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of eight children: William (who died while serving in the Civil war), Hester A., Mary, Alexander J., Sarah, Margery, Loving C. and Franklin B. Mr. Swanger still resides on his farm in Richland county and has attained to the age of ninety.two years. He has always been highly respected by the citizens of Richland county and for many years has been a member of the Christian Church. Formerly an old line Whig in politics he is now a Republican, and during the Civil war was an enthusi- astic supporter of the Union, four of his sons enlisting to fight their country's battles: John Q., George W., William J. and Alexander J. John Q. Swanger owes his nativity to Wayne county, Ohio, where he was born May 3, 1832. At an early age he was called upon to assist in the duties of the farm, therefore he received a very limited education. At the age of twenty-one years he came to Sonth Bend, and after learning the carpenter's trade worked at it in Berrien county, Mich., the most of the time until the opening of the Civil war. January 6, 1856, he married Elsa J., daughter of Isaac and Electa (Scott) Tripp, the former of whom was a na- tive of Niagara county, N. Y., and was a plow manufacturer and farmer. He was the father of ten children: Nelson, Augustus, Helen, Elsa J., Lucinda, Anna E., Isaac, Silas, Mahala and Franklin. Mr. Tripp died at the age of seventy-six years at the home of his daughter, Mahala, in Michigan. He was well educated, a man of good general information and at one time read law. He for some time served as sheriff of his county. After Mr. Swanger's marriage he lived in Steel county, Minn., on some wild land for four years; in 1859 returued to Berrien county and there rented a farm. August 14, 1862, he enlisted in Company K, Twenty-fifth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry and served faithfully and well until he was honorably discharged June 24, 1865, at Salisbury, N. C., and received pay and was mustered out at Jackson, when he returned to New Troy, Mich. He was in the follow- ing engagements: Tibbs Bend, July 4, 1865, Kingston, London, Knoxville, Tenn., Mossy Creek, Rocky Face Mountain, Resaca, Dallas, Altoona, Cilps Farm, Kene- saw Mountain, Eutaw Creek, Decatur, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Duck River Ford, Nash- ville, New Brunswick, Wilmington, Goldsboro, Raleigh and Greensboro and at the surrender of Gen. Joe Johnston, besides which brilliant array of battles he took an active part in forty skirmishes. He was a good soldier, and although sick several times he was never in the hospital and escaped without wounds, but now suffers a great deal from rheumatism which, without doubt, was caused by exposure and & dis- abled left wrist resulting from a fall at the battle of Kingston, Tenn. Mr. Swanger's marriage has resulted in the birth of ten children: Myron F., who was in the regu- lar service of the United States for five years, was in a number of engagements with the Indians, is married to Clara Harris, resides at Safford, Ariz., and has three children: Levi E., died at the age of eighteen years; Homer married Candace Bul- lard, is a resident of Mishawaka and has four children; Lenora died when twenty- eight years of age; William J. is married and is in the hardware bosiness in Marion, Ind. ; Ella married Edward Nolan, a foreman in a shirt factory of South Bend; John Q. married Effie Lawler and is a tinner of Mishawaka; Grant died when nine years of age; May and Louie. Mr. Swanger has been a resident of St. Joseph county since the war, at first being an employe in the wagou factory of Alex Coquillard. Nine years later he entered the Studebaker Broe. establishment, after which he turned his attention to manufacturing cement sidewalks, which is still his chief occupation and of which he is a thorough master. This occupation has proved a profitable one and Mr. Swanger is kept constantly busy. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and in the G. A. R., of which he is a member, he is a junior vice-commander. He has always been a Republican politically. He is with reason considered & man of his word and is in comfortable circumstances.

LUCIUS K. ROBINSON, a well-known resident of Mishawaka, Ind., is descended from an old colonial family of New England, and is of English and Scotch descent. Daniel G. Robinson, the founder of the family in America, came from Scotland and was one of the original settlers of Connecticut, and from him descended the family of

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that name in New England, ex-Governor Lucius Robinson, of New York, being of the same stock, which has become distinguished throughout the East. Parley Rob- inson, the great-grandfather of Lewis K., was born in New England, but became a resident of New York. He was a soldier of the Revolution and the War of 1812, and was present at the battle of Lundy's Lane. He married and became the father of Betsey, Parley, Joseph, Burton, Alexander, Lyman and Emeline. He was one of the first residents of Lawrence county, Mich., but afterward located and died in Ingham county, having met with success as a farmer. Lyman P. Robinson, his son, was born in sight of the Green Mountains in Vermont, and in this State he ob- tained a common-school education, and later, being a natural mechanic, he followed the trade of carpenter. He removed to Newetead, Erie Co., N. Y., and was there married to Nancy Wilson, by whom he became the father of these chil- dren: Lucius K., Emeline, Mary R., Lyman C., Orin C. and Wilton P. In the spring of 1845 he settled in Paw Paw, Van Buren Co., Mich., and there died in 1847, at the age of thirty-eix. He was a man of powerful physique, was very in- dustrious and was much respected for his honorable character. Lucius K., his son and the subject of this sketch, was born in the town of Newstead, Erie Co., N. Y., December 25, 1833, and was taken to Michigan by his parents when but two years old. After serving three years to learn his trade he attended school, receiving a common-school education. March 30, 1856, he married Sarah, daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Ruthner) Sternberg, who were of German stock, and to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson two children were born that lived to grow to mature years: Annabel E., and Latan Willard, who was born July 7, 1860, and died January 15, 1862. Mr. Robinson was married and settled at Lawton, Van Buren Co., Mich., and in Oc- tober following the firing on Ft. Sumter he enlisted in Company H, Twelfth Regi- ment Michigan Volunteer, Infantry, as a private. He was first made second lieu- tenant, but was mustered in as orderly sergeant. He took part in the battle of Shiloh and the siege of Corinth, after which he was taken very ill and was sent home with an honorable discharge, dated July 9, 1862; was elected corporation trus- tee of the village of Lawton, and served in 1865-6. After his return he resided at Lawton until October 15, 1866, then went to South Haven and bought a hotel with livery in connection, which he conducted for four years, at which time he traded this house for a much larger hotel at Dowagiac, Mich., remaining proprietor of the same for one year. In 1872 he came to South Bend, Ind., and for some time worked in a cooper shop and conducted a large boarding house, but in the latter part of the same year he opened a cooper shop at Briston, Ind. Since May 12, 1875, he has been a substantial citizen of Mishawaka, where he has been very successful as a cooper and is the owner of a fine brick residence, 409 East Second street, a good frame house next to it, and an office and shop on East Division street. Both he and his wife are members of the First Method- ist Church. Politically he has always been a Republican, and while in Van Buren county, Mich., he held the position of constable and deputy sheriff. He is a member of the G. A. R., Hatan Post, 128, Department of Indiana, has been officer of the day and junior vice-commander. He is an upright, industrious citi- zen and has proven a valuable addition to the town.

WILLIAM L. JETTON is one of the old settlers of St. Joseph county, Ind., and formerly a substantial farmer of Harris township, but now a prominent and respected resident of Mishawaka. His paternal grandfather came from France and settled on the Delaware River in the State of Delaware, where he followed the calling of a medical practitioner for many years. He also owned a large farm in Newcastle county, Del. He was married after coming to this country and became the father of the following children: Peter, Thomas and Martha. Dr. Jetton passed from life in the State of his adoption. His son, Thomas, was the father of the subject of this sketch, and was born in the Blue Hen State, was there reared and educated and also married, his wife being Miss Rebecca Thomas, and their union resulted

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in the birth of the following children: Charity, Martha, Margaret, Mary, Lewis, William L. and a twin, who died in infancy. Thomas Jetton was a farmer by occupation and was called from life when just in the prime of manhood, st the untimely age of thirty-six years. William L. Jetton, his son and the subject of this biography, was born on his father's farm, near the Delaware River, in Newcastle county, September 6, 1819, and as there were no free schools in that section during his boyhood he secured only a very limited education, this being also in a messure owing to the fact that his father died when he was but two years old, and his mother when he had attained the age of seven years. William L. was thus thrown on the mercy of the world, but was kindly cared for by & cousin until he reached the age of fifteen years. When very young many small duties were laid upon his shoulders, and these increased with his years until he was thoroughly familiar with all the details of farm work. On February 6, 1844, he took a wife in the per- son of Miss Sarah J., daughter of Zachariah and Deborah (Derickson) Derickson, the former of whom was a well-to-do farmer of Newcastle county, Del., he and his wife being the parents of the following children: Joseph, Ellen, William, Han- nah, Sarah J., John P. and Lydis. Mr. Derickson died on his farm at the age of sixty-eight years. In 1844, soon after his marriage, Mr. Jetton came to St. Joseph county, Ind., the same year raised a crop of whest in Harris township, and in March settled on the eighty acres of land which he had purchased. To this prop- erty he added at various times, as his means would permit, and he eventually became the owner of 240 acres of fertile farming land, which he not only improved by cultivation but also by the erection of good buildings of all descriptions, every- thing about his place indicating that a man of intelligence, thrift and industry had the management of affairs. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and politically he is a stanch Republican, having in early times been an old line Whig. To his marriage two children have been born: Thomas J., born Jannary 1, 1856, and Rebecca D., born December 23, 1851. At the present time Mr. Jet- ton owns only 160 acres of land, having sold the rest. He has always been & hard worker and is in every sense of the word self-made. 'At the time of his arrival in this county he had $400 and a good span of horses, and from this small begin- ning has built up his present excellent property. His journey to this State occu- pied about twenty-five days. After crossing the Alleghany Mountains in a stage he went down the Ohio River to Wheeling, W. Va., and then walked to Mishawaka, returning to Delaware for his wife the following fall on horseback. His son, Thomas J., is married to Lydia Brooker and resides on the home farm, while Rebecca D., who married Eugene W. Baldwin, a bricklayer of Chicago, has two children.

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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 45

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

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