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 49
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 49
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JACOB MINNICK, Mishawaka, Ind. The subject of the present biography is one of the prominent old settlers of St. Joseph county, and one of the substantial pio- neer farmers of Penn township. He is of good old Pennsylvania Dutch stock. His grandfather, Jacob Minnick, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, was a farmer in Bucks county, married a Miss Storm, and became the father or eight children: Jacob, John, Joseph, Samuel, William, Catherine, Polly and Margaret. Jacob Minnick moved to the State of Ohio about 1812, and settled in Stark county while it was still a wilderness. He cleared up a good farm of 160 acres, but after his sons grew up he sold this farm and bought forty acres with a saw-mill, and here passed the remainder of his days. He was a hard-working, honorable, pioneer citi- zen, and both he and his wife were members of a pioneer church. He was respected by all, and when his death occurred suddenly, at the age of seventy-one years, he was lamented by many. Jacob Minnick, a son of the above and the father of our
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subject, was born in Bucks county, Penn., and received only a limited common-school education, but could read and write. He learned the trade of tanner, and married in Center county, Penn., Susan Harvey, also of Pennsylvania, of Dutch stock, and to them were born nine children, as follows: John, William, Jacob, Joseph, Betsy, Polly, Catherine, Sarah and Susan. Mr. Minnick removed to Ohio in 1816, and died at the age of forty-two years. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, and an industrions, hard-working, honorable man. Jacob Minnick, his son and our subject, was born in Pennsylvania and was six weeks old when he was brought to Stark county, Ohio, by his parents, and was but twelve years of age when his father died, and he was brought up by his grandfather from the time he was two years of age. His early education was received in the pioneer log cabin schoolhouse, where the door was hung on wooden hinges and the latch was a wooden one, with the string hanging out. His school days were contained in six weeks during youth, but after he was eighteen years of age he went to school two months one winter. Later in life he was quick and accurate at figures, computing interest correctly in his mind and never using the pencil. Those were the days when boys learned to work, and his case was no exception, as st that time there was much work that fell to the share of the boys that now can be done by machinery. He helped to thresh the grain, and rode the horsethat trampled it out on the barn floor. He was an inmate of his grandfather's home until he was eight- een years of age, at which time he learned the trade of plasterer. He made a bar- gain which he soon realized was not a just one, and so refused to fulfill it, receiving for his services twelve shillings with which he bought six yards of muslin for two shirts. He then engaged on the Ohio Canal, as a driver on the tow-path, later going to school for twomonths, and working that winter for his board. Following this he worked on the farm for Jacob Myers, for several years, and January 30, 1845, married Mary A. Baker, s daughter of Jonathan and Theresa (Adams) Baker. Mrs. Minnick descended from the distinguished Adams family, of New England, and the Bakers were of Pennsylvania stock. Jacob Adams was a second cousin of John Adams, the President of the United States, and he was the grandfather of Mrs. Minnick. He was born in Adams county, Penn., a son of - Adams, who came from New England at an early day, and settled in Pennsylvania, and from whom Adams county took its name. Jacob Adams was a man of prominence and education, and became a wealthy citizen. To Mr. and Mrs. Minnick were born six children: Louisa M., George W., Amanda M., Ruthannah L., Ellen T. and Laura A. After marriage Mr. Minnick lived for five years in Stark county, Ohio, but in the spring of 1849 came to St. Joseph county, Ind. He made the removal with a span of horses and a farm wagon, being thirteen days on the way, leaving Stark county May 2, and arriving in Mish- awaka on the 15th of the same month. One week later he bought eighty acres of his present farm. At this time he was in limited circumstances, having one pair of horses, a wagon and $320 in cash. At that time he had a wife and one child. Forty acres of his land had been chopped over for charcoal, and there was a log cabin on the place. For this land he agreed to pay $1,000, paying $300 down. There were thirty acres of grass on the place and eighteen acres of wheat. By hard work, thrift and economy, Mr. Minnick added to his farm, until he now owns 200 acres with substantial buildings. He has reared a large family, and has given them educational advantages. His daughter, Amanda, was educated at St. Mary's Academy, and taught in Mishawaka and district schools for a period of thirteen years, becoming proficient as well as a veteran in the profession. Ellen st- tended school at Valparaiso, and taught ten terms in the county. All of the chil- dren are now married, and well settled in life. He has made his way by the dint of hard work and honest endeavor, and deserves the esteem which he receives through the county. Politically he is a Republican, having formerly been an old line Whig.
WILBERT WARD, attorney at law of South Bend, Ind. This gentleman is one who has attained a considerable degree of eminence in the lines of his profession
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and, although young, has gained an excellent reputation as an advocate and coun- selor. He is a native of the county in which he resides, his birth occurring April 29, 1861, his parents being George and Jane (Cobb) Ward, both natives of this county also and now residents of Clay township. The paternal grandfather, George Ward, settled in this region about 1837 and resided here until his death, which occurred in the spring of 1885. His son George is a farmer by occupation and is a man who possesses many worthy traits of character. He and his wife became the parents of the following children: Wilbert; Albert; Cora, wife of Richard Hicks; Mertie and Grace. Wilbert Ward grew up in the town of Mishawaka, attending the high school of that place, until he was thirteen years of age when he removed onto a farm with his parents, and although still attending the Mishawaka School he became accustomed to farm work during his vacations. At the early age of seventeen years we find him in a school-house as a pedagogue, at Dutch Island School of Penn town- ship, thence Stover School-house of Clay township, which was in bis home district, where his brothers and sisters were among his pupils. In the fall of 1880 he ma- triculated at De Pauw University, and tbe succeeding winter taught a term of school in Portage township, after which he returned to De Pauw University and graduated from that institution in June, 1884. The winter of 1884-5 was spent as the prin- cipal of the Clayton High School of Hendricks county, but he spent the following sum- mer reading law in the office of Williamson & Daggy, of Greencastle, Ind. The next winter he completed his law course in De Panw University, but just prior to graduating he went to Anderson, Ind., where he accepted the principalship of the high school, finishing that term and remaining till June, 1888. He immediately located in South Bend, and bas built up a professional reputation that places him among the leading members of the St. Joseph county bar. He is discharging the duties of deputy collector of internal revenue, and at the present time is the nomi- nee on the Republican ticket for the office of State representative. He was married in Anderson, Ind., to Alice Chearhart, by whom he has one child, Wilbert. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he is one of the board of managers of the St. Joseph Connty Loan Association and is the efficient attorney for the Workingmen's Loan Association. He has won a wide reputation as an ad- vocate and counselor, and the prospect of future brilliant achievements lies before him in long years of continued usefulness. All that he has attained has been the fruit of self-culture and self development and his remarkable capacity for hard work. His is a fitting career for the emulation of young aspirants for legal honors.
JACOB O. KANTZ. Mr. Kantz, a resident of Nappanee, Ind., was born Novem- ber 12, 1857, in Snyder county, Penn., and comes of a prominent German family, the Kantz, Kents, Kants and Kentz in this country having originated from the same German family, Kantz. Our subject was sixth in order of birth of ten children born to Jacob and Elizabeth (Aumiller) Kantz. Jacob Kantz, Sr., was born in Snyder county, Penn., February 14, 1815, and was the son of Philip and Lavina Kantz, and one of five children. His parents died in the Keystone State and three of the chil- dren emigrated toward the setting sun, two settling in Indiana and one in Ohio. Those who came to Indiana settled in Bristol, Elkhart county, one in 1852 and Jacob Kantz, Sr., in 1866. He had married in his native State Miss Anmiller, a native of Snyder county, Penn., born in 1825, and one of five children born to the marriage of George Aumiller. Mr. Aumiller was born in Pennsylvania and passed his entire life in that State. His family was of German and Swedish descent. Mrs. Kantz was the only one of her family to settle in the Bristol neighborhood. Mr. Kantz and his wife are members of the Evangelical Church, and he was for many years a member of the Masonic fraternity. He is now a retired farmer and owns a comfortable home near Bristol. In politics he was formerly a Democrat, but he now affiliates with the Prohibition party. He held office and many prominent pub- lie positions in his Eastern home and is highly esteemed wherever he resides. Of his children, Christian N. resides at Bristol and is married; J. Edward, also mar-
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ried, resides at the same place; Philip, also at Bristol, is a widower; Jacob O., the subject of this sketch, resides in Nappanee; Abbie W. ie at Bristol, unmarried; George A., married, resides at Bristol; Sarah E., wife of B. H. Bidford, of Elkhart; and Anna, at home. Jacob O. Kantz was a lad of eight years when his parents moved to this county in 1866, and he attended the common school of his district. Soon after this his parents moved to Vandalia, Mich., where he attended the graded school. Later his parents returned to Hoosierdom and again settled at Bristol, where our subject finished his schooling in the graded schools at that place. He fitted himself for teaching and followed this profession in Elkhart county for ten years, five years in the graded schools at Nappanee. For the past two years he has not followed that profession, but has been engaged in the insurance and loan busi- ness. He was very successful as an educator and was well known as one of the best instructors of the county. He has a sister who is now teaching school at Bris- - tol. Mr. Kantz was married September 5, 1881, to Miss Flora E. Truex, a native of Elkhart county and daughter of Jesse and Susan Truex, who were among the early settlers of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Truex, now reside in Goshen, but their home was formerly in Union township. Mrs. Kantz was born July 3, 1858, and is one of two children, her brother, Thomas O. Truex now residing in Goshen. She attended the district school in the country, also the normals of Nappanee and Goshen, and became a teacher, following this in the schools of the county for a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Kantz moved to the farm three and a half miles east of Nappanee and there they made their home for two years. In 1884 they , took up their residence in Nappanee and this city has been their home since. Their marriage has been blessed by the birth of three children, a son and two daughters: Thomas E., born December 28, 1882; Grace, born July 28, 1884, and Pansie B., born February 27, 1887. Mrs. Kantz is a member of the Methodist Church. So- cially Mr. Kantz is a member of the K. of P. Lodge, No. 287, of Nappanee, and has held many offices in the same. Formerly an Independent, he is now & Pro- hibitionist, and is a public-spirited man, assisting so far as able to further all worthy movements. He is much interested in educational work and is a well-informed man, keeping along with the times.
JACOB B. BOWERS, Mishawaka, Ind. The subject of the present sketch is one of the prominent farmers and old-soldier citizens of St. Joseph county. Jacob Bowers, the grandfather of our subject, was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He married and settled in Stark county. Ohio, entering 160 acres of land, twelve miles north of Canton. He was one of the pioneers, settling as early as 1802 when Stark county was yet a wilder- ness. He reared a family of whom the following are remembered: John, Jacob, Frederick, Sallie, Elizabeth and Mary. He died in Stark county and was buried in Uniontown Cemetery. Frederick Bowers, son of the above and father of our sub- ject, was born in Bedford county, Penn., went to Stark county with his parents when but eight years of age and received but a limited common-school education. He was resred among the pioneers and married Elizabeth Coxen, and to Mr. and Mrs. Bowers were born five children, as follows: Rachel, Jacob B., William, Henry and Catherine. Rachel died at the age of forty-three years, a married woman, the wife of a soldier, Isaac Shriver, who served three years in the same regiment and company with our subject and died after the war, from the effects of army life. Mr. Bowers had a farm of eighty acres, in Stark county, and died on his farm at the age of eighty-six years. Mrs. Bowers also died on their farm at the age of seventy-six years. He was an invalid the latter portion of his life, but was a man of great integrity of character. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bowers were devout Christians and members of the Reformed Church. Jacob B., son of the above and our sub- ject, was born on his father's farm in Stark county, Ohio, October 29, 1841. He received bnt a limited education, as the schools of his day in that locality were not very good, and at the age of twelve years he began to work out from home, so
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continuing for several years, but from sixteen to twenty years he worked on the home farm. Just before he attained his majority, President Lincoln issued his call for 300,000 men, and our subject enlisted at Uniontown, in Stark county, and was mustered in and enrolled at Massillon, Ohio, August 14, 1862, to serve three years or during the war and was honorably discharged, by reason of the expira- tion of his service, at Murfreesboro, Tenn., June 22, 1865. He was held with his regiment until July 5, when the regiment was paid off. On account of meritorious service, he was made a corporal and served from September 18, 1862, in this ca- pacity, acting part of the time as sergeant. His service was in Kentucky, near Covington, and then in Ohio, doing provost duty at Cincinnati during the winter of 1862-3, and then was sent to Nashville, Tenn., where he was made a guard on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad. Here he came in freqnent contact with some of Generals Forrest's and Wheeler's forces. The regiment had several severe skir- mishes with Generals Forrest, Hood and Wheeler. When Hood made his raid on Nashville the engagement lasted more than a week. The Union troops followed him from Franklin to Nashville and his retreat was one continual fight and the regiment was under severe fire every day. Thirty of the companions of our subject were taken prisoners, from the block houses, while guarding the rail- road. Mr. Bowers was an active and efficient soldier, was neither wounded nor taken prisoner; was in active duty with the regiment except one month while sick in camp; did not go to war for fame, but in duty to our Government call for troops, in defence of our country and its flag. His brother, William, of the same regi- ment, died of typhoid fever in the hospital at Cincinnati, in 1863. After his return home, Mr. Bowers married, in Stark county, Leah, the daughter of David and Nancy (Flory) Hoover, and to Mr. and Mrs. Bowers have been born four children: Joseph B., Clemma, Carrie E. and Grace. Mr. Bowers lived in Stark county until 1879, engaged in farming and in carpenter work. When he came to Indiana he first bought land in Elkhart county and lived there one year, but in 1882 he came to St. Joseph county and settled in Mishawaka, where he followed the busi- ness of contracting and carpenter work. He lived five years in the town and then bought the present farm in 1887, consisting in all of 130 acres. By industry and good management he has made a good farm here, has put many improvements on the place and has erected a substantial residence, barns and all of the necessary out-buildings for & modern farm. His children have all been well educated, at- tending the schools of the town and district, and Clemma also attended the normal school at Valparaiso. She married Edwin Kreps and they reside in Toledo, Ohio. Carrie and Grace are at home. Joseph B. learned the telegraph business in the Lake Shore office, at Mishawaka; has been operator and agent on the Lake Shore & Western Railroad for two years at Tomahawk Lake, Wis. Mr. Bowers is a member of the G. A. R. at Mishawaka, and both he and wife and all the children are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Bowers is an honorable and re- spected citizen, who did not hesitate about his duty when he was called upon to testify as to his loyalty. David Hoover, the father of Mrs. Bowers, was of Penn- sylvania-German stock and was brought by his father, William Hoover, to Stark county, Ohio, when but four years of age. William Hoover was one of the pioneers, settling there about 1811, while the Indians were still living in the vicinity. David Hoover was reared and became acquainted with the hardships of pioneer life, grew up a farmer and married there. He became a well situated man and died on his farm, in 1889, aged eighty-two years. He was the father of seven children: Elias, Moses, Simon, Samuel, Caroline, Leah and Lydia, all born in Stark county. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hoover were members of the Baptist Church and he was an honorable and upright man. The Bowers family on both sides are descended from good old colonial stock, were soldiers in the Revolutionary war and both pioneers and patriots. Grandfather Coxen, on the maternal side of the Bowers family, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and lived to a good age. Mrs.
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SILAS BALDWIN.
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Coxen lived to the great age of ninety-four years. This is a family that can claim good stock as far back as it can be traced.
WALTER A. FUNK has applied himself with earnestness and determination to the practice of law and has become recognized as a sound and able lawyer, of unques- tioned integrity and high character. He is now pursuing the lines of hie pro- fession in South Bend, and has built up a clientage which is in every way satis- factory. He was born in Elkhart county, Ind., December 18, 1857, son of William and Catherine (Myers) Funk, who were born in Northampton county, Penn., and Co- lumbiana county, Ohio, respectively. In 1854 they removed from Wayne county, - Ohio, to Elkhart county, Ind., and settled six miles west of Goahen, where the father operated a steam saw-mill which was the first in that section of the country. Mr. Funk now resides in Elkhart, where he is well known and highly respected. Walter A. Funk spent the first seventeen years of his life on a farm, and his initiatory educational training was received in the common country schoola, but he was sufficiently intelligent to make the most of hia opportunities, and at an early age we find him teaching a country school, attending school at Goshen and the Northern Indiana Normal School. He graduated in the scientific course of the latter institu- tion in 1881, after which he accepted a position aa principal of the school of Ben- ton for one year, after which he served as principal of the Bristol school & like length of time. In 1884 he entered the office of A. Anderson as a law student, and in 1885 graduated from the law department of the Michigan University of Ann Arbor, and the following year, for the practice of his profession, located in South Bend, where he has built up a large and satisfactory patronage. He practices in all the courts and is remarkably well adapted for his chosen profession, for he is versatile, quick to grasp at ideas and thoroughly understands the intricacies and most delicate points of the law, and has the power to present his ideas in a forcible, concise and clear manner, that is very convincing to judge and jury. He was deputy prosecuting attorney of the county for two years, and at the present time is the attorney for several important corporations. He has taken an active interest in politics and was the Republican candidate for State senator in 1892. He was married April 21, 1892, to Miss Mayme E., daughter of Mrs. Mary Harris, of South Bend, and lives at 705 Colfax avenue.
GEORGE S. WALTERS has been successful from a pecuniary standpoint in the con- duct of his affairs, and is a liberal, generous and high-minded gentleman, whose cor- rect mode of living has gathered about him a large circle of friends and well-wish- ers. He was born at Hesse Cassel, Germany, April 14, 1844, the fourth child born to Justin and Elizabeth Walters, who brought him to America when he was about three years old, the voyage thither occupying about six weeks. They landed at Bal- timore, but at once moved to Ohio, and in 1853 came to Indiana, settling first in Harrison township and six years later in Union township. In 1859 they took up their residence on the farm on which the mother is still living with her daughter Lydia. At that time it was a typical pioneer farm of Indiana, for it was heavily wooded, and little or no improvements had been made. They at once set to work to clear it, and as their means at that time amounted to the sum of $80 they found it necessary to work early and late it order to keep the wolf from the door and to pro- vide themselves with the common necessaries of life. The father was a weaver by trade, and for a number of years wove all the cloth which covered his family. Their labors were in time rewarded and they eventually became possessed of a good prop- erty. The father paid the last debt of nature about 1869, his death occurring in the month of March, at which time, and for many years prior, he was a worthy member of the Mennonite Church. George S. Walters attended the schools of Elkhart county, mostly in Union township, and in the neighborhood where he now lives the prin- cipal part of his life has been spent. At the age of twenty-two years he took unto himself a wife in the person of Miss Susan Ernest, daughter of George W. and Rachel (Nagle) Ernest, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania, the father being 20
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now a resident of Nappanee. Mrs. Walters was the oldest of their three children, and was born in Cumberland county, Penn., on August 27, 1843. She was five or six years of age upon coming to this county, and upon her father's farm in Union township she attained womanhood, obtaining a. good education in the district schools near her nome. She married Mr. Walters at the age of twenty-one years, and with him settled on the old Walters homestead, where they resided two years, then rented a farm near Ulry school-house, and after making one more change to the Fritz farm, on which he remained for two years, honght the place on which he now resides, which consisted of eighty acres, and was only improved by a log house, stable, and twenty-five acres of cleared land. He now has a farm that is as well improved as any in the county, and has so conducted his business that he has been able to improve it with a handsome house and also in numerous other ways. He has a fine barn capable of holding a large amount of hay and stock, and is engaged in general farming and stockraising and in the winter devotes his attention to dealing in lum- ber. He has prospered in all his business undertakings, and this is, no doubt, owing to the fact that every detail of his work has been carefully looked after, and that he is energetic and honest. Like all public-spirited and intelligent gentlemen he is quite popular in the Republican party. His family consists of nine children: Frank, born August 30, 1866, is married to Sarah J. Hartman, daughter of Tobias Hartman, of Nappanee, and they have a little son, Ray; Frank Walters lives in Nappanee and is a clerk in Hartman's store; the next child of Mr. Walters is Alice E. who was born February 1, 1869, has taught eight terms of school in Elkhart county, and is now taking a teacher's course at Valparaiso, Ind .; Ida was born May 22, 1870, is quite a skilled musician, and is at home with her parents; Jesse, who was born Decem- ber 29, 1872, assists his father on the farm, and has also manifested a taste for music; Milo, born January 19, 1874; Ira, born April 7, 1878; Oscar, born June 29, 1881; Bertie, horn August 26, -- , and Vernon, born October 3, 1887. Two chil- dren died in infancy. Mr. Walters has endeavored to give his children good advan- tages, and as a result he has a bright and intelligent family, who give every promise of becoming an honor to their parents. During the Civil war between the North and Sonth Mr. Walters was a soldier in the Union army, serving in Company I, Indiana Volunteers, but was taken sick with measles and returned home. Mrs. Wal- ters' parents were native Germans, and her mother's maiden name was Dedrick. They were the parents of three daughters.
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