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 55

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 55
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 55

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GOODSPEED BROS. CH

0.2. Hubbree

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MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

ber 20, 1874, assists his father on the farm, and Otto, born September 27, 1879, is in school.

LEWIS T. STOVER is the efficient, intelligent and energetic marshal of South Bend, Ind., and besides is a substantial and successful man of business, being the owner of some good and valuable property in the city. His father, John Stover, was born in Botetourt county, Va., February 25, 1805, and was married there to Miss Julia Stratton, whose birth occurred on October 27, 1809, their union being blessed in the birth of the following children: Edward, James, George, Lemuel, Augusta, Lewis T. and Lucy A. About 1830 John Stover removed to the Buckeye State, but one year later came to St. Joseph county, Ind., and settled first on Palmer's Prairie, and later on wild land in Center township, where he passed the remainder of his days, dying March 25, 1846, at the age of forty-one years and twenty-six days, having, in connection with farming, followed the calling of a cobbler. His widow survived him until February 14, 1872. This worthy and highly esteemed couple were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and politically he was a Democrat. Lewis T. Stover was born on the old home farm in this county, March 8, 1844, and received the education and rearing of the average farmer's boy. At the age of eighteen years he left the plow to enlist in his country's service, and on October 6, 1862, his name could be found on the rolle of Company E, Sixty-third Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the war terminated and he was honorably discharged, at Raleigh, N. C., October 29, 1865, returning immediately to South Bend, which place he reached November 3. In the battle of Resaca, Ga., May 14, 1864, he was wounded on the top of bie head by a piece of shell, and fell senseless on the battlefield. He was conveyed to the hospital at Chattanooga, where he remained one month. His regiment lost in killed and wounded 213 men, while charging the rebel works. He was then in the battle of Kenessw Mountain, June 16, 1864, and was wounded by a minie-ball across the top of the forehead, and was again stretched senseless on the field. Upon recovering consciousness he refused the aid of a stretcher and walked to the rear. He was in the hospital on Lookout Mountain for two months, after which he rejoined his regiment at Atlanta, Ga., and participated in the Atlanta campaign, and was present when that city was captured. He was also st Columbia and Franklin, Tenn., the rebels charging thirteen times in the last engagement. His command then fell back to Nashville and fought a two days' fight with Gen. Hood. He was at Fort Anderson, Willmington, N. C., where he assisted in the capture of the town and in the retaking of 500 Union prisoners; also at Raleigh, at the sur- render of Gen. Johnston, where he was appointed assistant postmaster of the military postoffice, under Gen. Ruger. After his return to St. Joseph county, he was married in Centre township to Miss Eliza A. Reasor, December 2, 1866, daughter of Christopher and Elizabeth Reasor, and to their union one child was given: Elmer H., who died in infancy. After his marriage Mr. Stover farmed and was in the Inmber business, in each of which occupations he did well. He has always been a Democrat, has served two terms 88 township assessor, was appointed superintendent of the St. Joseph County Asylum December 1, 1881, in which capacity he served three years, and thereafter served six months 8s guard at the Michigan City State Penitentiary. Returning to South Bend he turned his attention to butchering, in partnership with Henry Burt, under the firm name of Burt & Stover, and followed this business with success for four years. In 1888 he was elected city marshal of South Bend, and after serving two years was re-elected, carrying every ward in the city and running far ahead of his ticket. In 1891 he was reappointed to the superintendency of St. Joseph County Asylum, which position he is still ably filling. He has greatly improved the appearance of the institution and farm since taking charge of it, and although when he first filled the office the produce of the farm nearly supported the institution, it has since exceeded this. In 1891, 500 bushels of wheat were raised, 1,000 bushels of corn, 421 bushels

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of rye, 400 bushels of potatoes, 40 bushels of turnips, 15 bushela of beana, and 20 bushels of tomatoes, and canned abont 500 quarts of different kinda of fruit and berries. The general health of the inmates has improved, and all the buildings are in good sanitary condition. Mr. Stover is an efficient officer, and the discipline of the place ia kind and wholesome, and the entire farm, buildings, etc., present a neat and attractive appearance. He makes a business of anything that he nndertakes, and ia wide awake, pushing and enterprising, the proper man in the proper place.

DR. JOHN B. BERTELING was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, January 27, 1860. He attended the schools of Cincinnati until reaching his eighteenth year, when he became a student at Notre Dame University, Ind., where he was graduated both in the aci- entific and classical courses, with degrees of B. S. and A. B., followed by the degrees of A. M. and M. S. two yeara later. Returning to Cincinnati, he matricu- lated at the Miami Medical College, now the medical department of the Cincinnati University, and after a three years' course was graduated with the degree of M. D. The young Doctor located in his native city, and proved from the first moment his fitnesa for the profession he had chosen. For two years he was a member of the city board of health, and during the great flood of 1884 was an active member of the relief corps. In 1885 he was appointed ataff officer of St. Mary's Hospital, serving in that capacity nntil September, 1888. The excellent opportunities which this insti- tution afforded for the study of operative surgery were not neglected by Dr. Berte- ling. In 1888 President Walsh, of Notre Dame University, offered him the position of professor of anatomy and physiology at the university, which was accepted, and in September of the same year he changed his residence to South Bend, Ind., a flourishing manufacturing town, two miles south of the college. In addition to his duties as lecturer on anatomy, the Doctor was appointed attending physician to the institution, and was alao invited to attend the pupils and Sistera of St. Mary's Acad- emy, a young ladies' seminary in charge of the Sisters of the Holy Cross order, and located one mile west of Notre Dame. While thus engaged at both institutions Dr. Berteling opened an office in South Bend, in the Oliver Opera House building, and in a very short time established himself as one of the prominent physiciana of the town. Two years afterward he was elected president of the county medical society, and re- elected for a second term. Thus far Dr. Berteling has not chosen a specialty, but he has been unusually auccesaful in medical and surgical diseases of the chest, and he enjoya the confidence of the best men in the profession. He was married in 1886 to Mias Alice MeCabe, of Milwaukee, and his family relations are most happy. There are three children: Marjorie, John and Hildegarde. Since coming to South Bend Dr. Berteling's residence has been on Taylor street.

WILLIAM W. HAWKINS ia an old and prominent resident of Mishawaka, Ind., was born in Marshall county, Ind., September 22, 1845, grandson of Thomaa Haw- kins, who was a pioneer of Marion county, Ind., where he became the owner of a fine body of land ten miles from Indianapolis consisting of 300 acres. He was mar- ried twice, his second wife being a Mrs. Pogne. By his first wife he became the father of six children: John, William, Thomas, Mary and two whose names are unknown. One daughter married a Mr. Van Dyke, a prominent merchant of Indianapolis, and the other is married and lives in Rushville, Ind .; Thomaa died at the age of seventy yeara, was buried on the old homestead just out the city limits of Cumberland, where a monument marks his last resting place. Hia son, Thomas, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born on his father's farm, where he was also reared and received a common-school education. He was married to Elizabeth Yeakley, daughter of William and Phoebe (McAlrath) Yeakley, but Mrs. Hawkins was called from this life after giving birth to two children: Marian M. and William W., the latter being two years of age at the time of his mother's death. For his second wife Mr. Hawkins took Miss Phoebe McAlrath and she also died after bearing two children: Elmer, and an infant that died. Sophia Allman became Mr. Hawkins' third wife and presented him with three children: Wellington, Alburtus

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and Bertha. Owing to his advanced years Mr. Hawkins aerved only three montha in the Civil War, being a member of the Ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteer In- fantry, during which time he participated in the battle of Cheat Mountain. In 1879 he went to Kansas and settled on land in McPheraon county near Christiana, becoming the owner of 160 acres. He has always been industrious and puah- ing and is now enjoying a fair measure of prosperity. William W. Hawkins was educated in the common schools and in 1861, at the age of sixteen years, he enlisted in Company I, Twenty-ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until December 3, 1865, when he was honorably discharged at Marietta, Ga., having served four years three months and six daya, during which time he partici- pated in the battles of Shiloh, Stone River, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Liberty Gap, Dalton, Corinth, Decatur, Perrysville and many skirmishes, some of which were very hotly contested. He was alightly wounded at Chickamauga, and his Springfield rifle, which he carried in his hands, was shattered to piecea. He then took the rifle of a dead comrade and carried it through the remain- der of the war. A short time before receiving his discharge he had a severe attack of aickness-eryaipelas-which resulted in the total losa of the sight of one eye, and the sight of the other eye ia greatly impaired. He was a good soldier and was promoted after the battle of Chattanooga to second sergeant. For three montha he waa chief bugler and sounded the calla of battle at Dalton, hia first colonel being John F. Miller who afterward became the California millionaire. While in the service hia regiment marched over 7,000 miles, over one-fourth of the distance around the globe. Although but a mere boy, not out of his teena when the war closed, he en- dured the hardships of the soldier'a life and the severe and protracted marchea with fortitude, and ao faraa bodily health waa concerned came out of the service much better off than many older soldiera. He has a vivid remembrance of his army life and can portray many of its acenea in an interesting and telling manner. After the war he was in the aervice of the United States Government for two years and assisted in establishing national cemeteries at Marietta and Andersonville, Ga. He was in charge of twenty-five men at Marietta and was assistant clerk and timekeeper at Andersonville. In the former place there are 10,151 aoldiers buried and at Ander- :sonville 13,714 Union soldiers who died aa prisoners. After this aervice Mr. Haw- kina weut to Rome, Ga., and in 1868 learned the iron molder's trade with Noble Bros. & Co., an English firm. In 1873 he returned to Plymouth, Ind., and soon went to Chicago for treatment for hia eyes and worked in the Cook County Hospital Diapenaary for some time. He then reaumed hia trade in that city, later followed it in Indianapolia for one year, after which he spent one year in the diapenaary of the Soldier'a Home at Dayton, Ohio. In 1879 he came to South Bend and worked in the foundry of the Oliver Chilled Plow Company thirteen montha. In 1880 he came to Mishawaka, aince which time he has been with the St. Joseph Iron Com- pany and the Dodge Manufacturing Company, where he is now engaged as a molder. November 28, 1879, he waa married to Annetta P. Kitaon, a daughter of Jonathan and Philinda (McChristen) Kitaon, the former of whom was born of German parents and became a resident of Mishawaka in 1878. He settled at Niles, Mich., in 1892 and ia engaged in farming. To Mr. and Mrs. Hawkina aix children have been born: Don E., born September 27, 1880; Mabel E., born May 7, 1883, and died at the age of three yeara; Ernest R., born March 11, 1885; Annebel, born July 22, 1887, and died at the age of five years; Birdie May, born November 28, 1891, and Flora A., born August 21, 1892. Since coming to Mishawaka Mr. Hawkins has become the owner of a comfortable home on the north side. His wife is a member of the Methodist Church, and socially he ia a member of the G. A. R. That he was a trusted and efficient aoldier is attested by the fact that at different timea he was presented with two rolls of honor by the officers of hia regiment, in acknowledg- ment of hia meritoriona services. In July, 1865, at Marietta, Ga., he was detailed aa a clerk at the headquarters of Gen. John D. Stephenaon on the court martial

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records, in which capacity he worked three months, the last part of his service being at Atlanta, Ga. He has, by hard study during his life as a soldier and since, gained a fair knowledge of chemistry, botany and music, and writes a good hand. He was one of the detachment from the Twenty-ninth Indiana Regiment, which took the body of Gen. McPherson from Ringgold, Ga., to Chattanooga, Tenn. Mrs. Hswkin's father and mother became the parents of the following children: Sanford P., Edward S., Mary E., Annetta P., Clarence, Ida, Sherman and Frank.

JACOB B. MILLER. To the person who closely applies himself to any occupation which be haa chosen as his calling in life, there can only come one result-that of success, and a high place in the esteem of those among whom he has made hia home. And Mr. Miller is no exception to the rule, for it has only been by industry and strict attention to agricultural pursuits that he has attained to the position which he now enjoys. He owna 100 acres of as well-improved land as can be found in the county-probably the best improved as to its buildings-and is engaged in general farming and stockraising. His pleasant residence is a home indeed, and at once a monument and a reward of patient continuance in well-doing, hard toil and sober living. Mr. Miller was born in Darke county, Ohio, July 12, 1841, and is a son of David C. and Rachel (Bigler) Miller, both nativea of Pennsylvania, the father born in Montgomery county, in 1817, and the mother in Washington county the same year. (For further particulars see sketch of David C. Miller.) Our aub- ject was the only son in a family of ten children, as follows: Nancy, Jacob, Mary, Hannah, Susan, Sarah, Julia, Rachel, Lovina and Malinda. Of these four are de- ceased-the eldest, the youngest and two others. Jacob was but nine years of age when the family emigrated to Indiana, and he was reared principally in Union town- ship, Elkhart county. He received his education in the Miller School-house and waa reared to mature years on his father'a farm, assisting in the arduous duties of the same until twenty-six years of age. In the year 1866 he married Miss Esther Swi- hart and rented a farm for one year. Later he moved to Koscinsko county, near Warsaw, where he lived for five years, after which he moved to his father's place and carried it on for three years. In 1876 he bought his present place and hae since been engaged in improving and developing his farm. In his political views Mr. Miller is a Democrat. He has held the office of school director, also supervisor, and is interested in all public matters of any consequence. He has been usually successful as an agriculturist and his success is due largely to his excellent judg- ment and strict honesty and npright dealings; the proud position he now occupies as a representative citizen being a just tribute to his worth. He is a member of the German Baptist Church and is deeply interested in religious and educational matters. His wife was born in Senecs county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Samuel and Fannie (Baker) Swihart. Samuel Swihart was born in Washington county, Penn., and of German descent, his father having been Peter Swihart. Mrs. Swihart was the daughter of Daniel Baker. Of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Swihart, Mrs. Miller was second in order of birth. They were named as follows: Jonss, Esther, Elizabeth and Ellen. All are living and all but Mrs. Miller in Kosciusko county. The parents died in that county where the father had emigrated in 1854, being among the earliest settlers. He became quite wealthy. He and wife held member- ship in the original German Baptist Church. Esther was born August 24, 1844, and was reared in Kosciusko county where she received a fair education. Mr. and Mrs. Miller's union has resulted in the birth of six living children: Samuel S., who was born April 18, 1868, is at home; David, born November 29, 1870, and resides at South Bend where he is employed at the county jail; Daniel, born April 1, 1872, ia at home: Rachel, born September 2, 1874; William, born January 3, 1877, and Charles E., born November 13, 1879. All the children have attended the Weldy School and all are well educated. David and Daniel have also attended the Nap- panee schools, and all the sons now voting support the principles of the Democratic party.

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MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

MELVIN R. PHILLIPS, Mishawaka, Ind. The subject of this sketch is one of the old settlers and soldier citizens of St. Joseph county, Ind. The Phillips family originated in England, but Enoch Phillips, the grandfather of our subject, was probably a native of Massachusetts, and no doubt belonged to one of the old colo- nial families. In early life, we learn, that Enoch Phillipe was a hunter, and it was while upon one of his famous hunting expeditions that he discovered the now cele- brated Saratoga Springs, and for some time he resided near there. He married and was the father of six children: Reuben, Amaziah, Levi, Darins, Charity and Amity. Mr. Phillips finally settled in Essex county, N. Y. on wild land, cleared up & farm, and lived to the age of almost one hundred years, dying about 1836. He was an honorable and upright character, and he was one of those old pioneer hunters of the Eastern States who were unique features of the early day in that section. Reu- ben Phillips, the son of the above and the father of our subject, was born in Essex county, N. Y., served in the War of 1812, and took part in the battle of Plattsburg. He was a man of some education, and married Lydia Cole, a daughter of Orrin Cole, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. To Mr. and Mrs. Phillips were born thirteen children, all of whom lived to become men and women. Mr. Phillips was a farmer in Essex county, and moved in 1832 to Medina county, Ohio, lived there one year, then removed to Chatauqua county, N. Y., remained there two years, and then moved, in 1834, to Erie county, Penn., where he bought & farm, and at this place his wife died. He lived here until 1844, when he moved to Medina county, Ohio, and resided there upon & farm which he bought, until 1854, when he returned to Erie county, Penn., but afterward moved to Adams county, Wis., bought a farm and lived upon it until his death, in 1881, at the age of ninety-five years. He was always in comfortable circumstances, an honorable, industrious man and a respected citizen. Physically he was a very robust man, and his children all inherited his strength. Melvin R., a son of the above, and the subject of the present sketch, was born August 17, 1826, in Essex county, N. Y., on his father's farm. He attended the best common schools of his day, sometimes in the log school-house of the pio- neer, and also in Erie county. He learned the trade of wagon maker in Chatauqua county, N. Y., but worked only during the winters, preferring life on the farm dnr- ing the summers. In 1846, st the age of twenty years, he came to St. Joseph county, Ind., making the journey with a pair of horses, and a wagon which he had made with his own hands, and coming with John Peek, who is now living in this town- ship. Mr. Phillips followed farm work, and in 1849 he crossed the plains to Cali- fornis with the Bristol Company, which was made up from the counties of Elkhart, Kosciusko, La Grange, Steuben and St. Joseph, and as it was organized at Bristol, Ind., took the name of that place. The company consisted of thirty-nine men, fifteen ox wagons, each wagon drawn by three or four yoke of oxen. They left Mishawaka, March 17, 1849, and reached the mining district on Bear River, Cal., September 30, 1849. They lost three men by cholera on the way, and they were buried on the plains. Otherwise they had no severe trouble. Mr. Phillips mined in California for two years, also engaged in prospecting, and then returned to St. Joseph county by way of the Isthmus of Panama. He married Ruth A. Cook, and by her was the father of one child, Jay, who is now married and settled at Cedar Rapids, Neb., and has one child. Mr. Phillips engaged in farming, and learned the stonemason trade in 1854, working at the trade until 1881. He became a skillful mason, and laid the stone work for the Water street bridge in 1857, and was the foreman for the stone work for the Mishawaka bridge across the St. Joseph River in 1873-4; the Jefferson Street bridge in 1881; the large culvert at the east end of Mishawaka in 1875, and the stone work of the mill race, besides many of the best foundations in Mishawaka. October 15, 1862, he enlisted in Mishawaka, as & sol- dier in the Civil war, for nine months, serving until he was honorably discharged February 3, 1863, at Murfreesboro, Tenn. At the battle of Stone River he was wounded, shot in the thumb, and was also struck by a limb which was cut off by 8

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shell. His company was supporting the Union batteries, and he was lying down with the other men when he was struck across the back and so disabled that he was taken to the hospital and remained there until his discharge. Mr. Phillips married, in Hillsdale county Mich., February 1, 1859, Louisa Headley, born November 18, 1842, in Columbians county, Ohio, a daughter of Reuben and Louisa (Harper) Head- ley. Mr. Hesdley was born in New Jersey, of American parentage, was a farmer of Columbiaos county, Ohio, and later removed to Steuben county, Ind., where he settled on s farm and died in 1860. He was the father of eleven children, who lived to grow up, as follows: John, Joseph, Mary, Reuben, Wheelen, Nancy, Alex- ander, Hannah (decessed), Louisa, Sarah and Emma. Mr. Headley lived to be seventy-three years of age, and was an industrious, hard working man, respected by all. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips are the parents of two children: Frank, born October 18, 1860, and Myron Reuben, born November 22, 1866. Frank married Effie Owen, and is employed on the Lake Shore Railroad, residing in Elkhart. He has three children: Florence M., Francis and Charles. Myron R. is & farmer on the home farm. He married Carrie Bonner and has one child, Gracie. Politically Mr. Phil- lips is a stanch Democrst; socially & member of the Masonic order. He has given his children good educational advantages. He stands deservedly high as an honor- able citizen, s patriotic defender of his country, snd & man of sterling traits of character.

ROBERT MYLER, county suditor, is one of the most efficient, faithful and pains- taking officers St. Joseph county has ever had, and in discharging the functions of his office he has shown the utmost courtesy to all with whom he has come in contact, and has won innumerable friends. He was born in Henry county, Ind., July 29, 1832, to James and Olive (Main) Myler, natives respectively of Maryland and New York State. At an early day Indians became their home, and in the county of Henry the father successfully tilled the soil until 1836, when he took up his resi- dence in Warren township of St. Joseph county, where he purchased s very slightly improved farm and began making his home in a little log cabin that had been erected thereon. He died in Buchansn, Mich., leaving four sons and eight daughters. The subject of this sketch is the youngest son, and was but four years of age when his parents located in this section. Like most farmers' boys he obtained 8 district school education, his attendance being confined to a three months' winter term, to which he was compelled to walk three miles. The facilities at that time were very poor, the school building was a small log structure, and the arrange- ment of the interior was of the most primitive description. When twenty-two years of age he left home to make his own way in the world, and as a means of livelihood took up farming, an occupation with which he was thoroughly familiar, in Warren township, following it until 1860, when he abandoned it to cross the plains to the Pacific slope. He visited Pike's Peak, but his efforts as & gold hunter were unsuccessful, and at the end of six months he became discouraged and returned home. He purchased a farm in German township, which he still owns, and during his residence there he was trustee of the township two terms. In 1870 he moved to South Bend and engaged in the manufacture of furniture, which he carried on two years, then began devoting his attention to the real estate and insurance business, which he successfully conducted for a number of years. Following this for seven years he traveled for the Oliver Plow Company. He still owns his farm, consisting of 182 acres two and a half miles from South Bend, which is known as Portage Point farm. Mr. Myler is a well-known stockman and wheat bayer, and his repu- tation throughout the county as a man of affairs is of the very best. He has always been interested in politics and was an alternate to the Chicago National Convention in 1884. He has been a delegate to nearly all the county and district conventions, and has filled his present office, to which he was elected by the Democratic party in 1890, with marked ability. Socially he is a member of the A. F. & A. M. In 1854 he was united in marriage to Miss Phoebe A. Dunn, by whom he has three children; William E., deputy auditor; Nellie A. and R. O.

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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 55

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

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