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 62

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 62
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 62

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).

the death of the husband and father, his widow was married to John Maguire to whom she presented three children: Joseph, Malinda and Morris. The mother of these children was called from this life about the 1st of July, 1862. When Philip B. Boone was about seven years of age he went to Madison county, Ind., with his parents, where he grew up on a farm, receiving the advantages of the country schools near his rural home. Owing to the early death of his father he learned to depend upon himself when a mere lad, and at the age of sixteen years began to work for himself on a farm, for with that calling he was thoroughly familiar. Since 1844 he has been a resident of St. Joseph county, and upon taking up his residence in German township, he purchased 110 acres of land and at once began to prepare it for cultivation. He tilled this land successfully for many years and showed him- self to be a man of sound views in every thing connected with farming, and all his efforts were prospered. About the year 1881 he retired from active business pur- suits and took up his residence in South Bend, where he is still residing, surrounded by numerous warm personal friends. He was married in German township Novem- ber 30, 1846, to Miss Susan Miller, who was born in Wayne county, Ind., January 11. 1829, and soon after their marriage they settled on the above mentioned farm, which at that time was solely improved by a little log cabin. As their circumstances improved this gave way to a better habitation, and upon leaving the farm they were very comfortably sitnated. On that farm they reared the following children: James A., Daniel W., Alwilda E., Elizabeth A., Schuyler C., William T. and David E. While & resident of German township Mr. Boone served in the capacity of justice of the peace for four years and township trustee three years. In politics he has ever been a staunch Republican and has always labored for the good of that party. He is a member of that worthy society, the I. O. O. F., and he and his wife are mem- bers in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Boone is a daugh- ter of David and Sarah (Hardmao) Miller, natives respectively of Virginia and Ken- tucky. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were married in Wayne county, Ind., and in 1831 came to St. Joseph county settling in German township, of which they were among the very first settlers. He became the owner of 160 acres of land on Portage Prairie and underwent the hardships and privations attendant upon pioneer life. The Indians were numerous at that time and in the anticipation of trouble with them a fort was erected on the Miller homestead, which stood for several years afterward as 8 monument to hostilities experienced by the pioneer settlers of the county from the red man. Mr. Miller died in the fall of 1843, a fact universally regretted, and

411

MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

his widow was called from life on the 5th of June, 1849. They were upright and respected people and useful and progressive citizens-a blessing to the new county in which they settled.

EDWIN C. LAIDLAW, Mishawaka, Ind. One of the substantial farmers of Penn township, is the gentleman of whom this sketch is written. His father, John Laid- law, was one of the pioneers of St. Joseph county, born January 5, 1812, at Blaine- ley, near Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a son of John Laidlaw, Sr., who came to America in 1818 and settled at Edwards, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., where he engaged in farming. By trade he was a stonemason, and in his native country did an extensive business. He married Susan Smith and became the father of thirteen children, the record of whom is as follows: The eldest died unmarried; Thomas married Eliza Blood, and they were the parents of five children (he became a farmer of St. Law- rence county, N. Y.); Alexander came to Indiana from New York and died at the home of his brother John, nnmarried; Isabel married James Noble, and they had a large family of ten children, and resided in St. Lawrence county, N. Y .; John, father of subject; David married Jane Newton, had a family of three children and resides in St. Lawrence country, N. Y .; Mary married Austin Clark, had a family of five children, and they reside at Russell, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. ; Martha married Mr. Green, has two children and resides in Minnesota; Franklin married Miss F. Buck, has three children and resides in Iows; William; Ann, who married and re- sides in Canton, N. Y., and Edward. John Laidlaw, our subject's father, remained in St. Lawrence county N. Y., and Canada until he was twenty-one years of age, but in 1836 he came to St. Joseph county, Ind., and purchased a quarter section of land in Madison township, which he afterward sold. He had the advantages of a common-school education, and when a young man of eighteen or nineteen engaged in logging in Canada for two years, then came to Indiana and entered his land in St. Joseph county. He then worked on the mill race on the the north side of Mish- awaka, and also assisted in getting ont iron ore for the Mishawaka Iron Furnace. Following this occupation, in company with Elias Cook, he contracted to burn char- coal for the iron company, and bought eighty acres of land where his present farm now is, and this was covered with heavy timber. Here he erected a log cabin near the present homestead and partly cleared his eighty acres, and by thrift and hard work was enabled to buy more land, so continuing until he was the owner of 500 acres in one body and 120 in another. The Indians had not yet left the country when Mr. Laidlaw settled on his land; wild game abounded, wolves were numerous and neighbors were few and far between. Among them were Elias Cook, the Entzlere, Hollingsheads and Hezekiah Dixon. The chief employ- ment in this section of the country was chopping and clearing away the timber and burning charcoal, and the smoke from the coal pits of the settlers was to be seen in every direction, as all were preparing charcoal for the smelting pits of Mishawaka. Mr. Laidlaw married Sally, daughter of Benjamin Shaw, a farmer of Kosciusko county. To Mr. and Mrs. Laidlaw were born twelve children, viz. : Susan, who mar- ried John Dixon, of Mishawaka; Benjamin, who died in infancy; Lydia, who mar- ried Robert Martin; Edwin C., our subject, who married Harrieta Pulling; Alex- ander, who married Elizabeth Burroughs; Silas, who was killed at the age of seven- teen years; Caroline S., who married William Herrick; Jane, who married John Holliday; Mary, who married William Harling; Ella, Emma and John W. Mr. Laidlaw was a man of medium size, but very strong and was never sick a day in his life until his last sickness. He was a hard-working, honest, pioneer citizen. Both Mr. and Mrs. Laidlaw were members of the Christian Church in which he held the office of deacon. Politically he was a stanch Republican, formerly an old line Whig. He lived to the age of seventy-two years and died in 1883, respected by the pioneers as an honest and upright man and had many friends. He brought up & family of children who became good citizens. In 1870 he removed to Mishawaka, where he passed the last years of his life. Always public-spirited he was always the friend

412

PICTORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

of the public schools. During the war he was a stanch Union man and assisted liber- ally with his means to fill the quota of his township. At his death he had no debts and throughout his life he made it a principle never to have a mortgage upon any of his property. Mrs. Laidlaw's parents were born in Massachusetts, moved to Ohio at an early day and subsequently to Indiana, where they both died and lie buried in the Eutztus burying ground in Penn township. The grandfather was in the Revolu- tionary war and aided in establishing our national independence. He moved to near Marietta, Ohio, and there died and is there buried. Mr. Laidlaw owned one of the best farms in Penn township, upon which he erected fine farm buildings, and here he was content, never accepting office although often solicited to do so. He was very fond of hunting and killed many deer in his time, as well as other kinds of game. Two different winters the Indians camped upon Mr. Laidlaw's farm for the purpose of hunting, and he joined them in hunting coon. Edwin C. Laidlaw, son of the above prominent subject, was born on his father's farm in Penn township, and has passed all of his days on the old homestead which has now been owned by the family for sixty-one years. He received a common-school education and was a pupil at the old pioneer log school-honse until he was sixteen years of age. This did not satisfy him, for, after his services as a soldier were over, he attended the Northern Indiana College at South Bend and also Eastman's National Business College at Pough- keepsie, N. Y. He was reared to farm life, but at the age of twenty-one enlisted at Mishawaka as a private soldier in the service of the United States and was mus- tered in May 27, 1864, in Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry; served nine months and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, Ind., on account of the expiration of his term of enlistment. This service was principally guarding the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, which was defended by means of block houses, and the fighting was seven skirmishes with the bushwhackers, a very dangerous kind of fighting. He was sick with chronic diarrhoea at the hospital at Tullahoma, Tenn., for one month. Although he re-joined his company, he never totally regained his health. After his services as a soldier, he returned home and resumed farming and managed the place after his father moved into Mishawaka. He married, January 25, 1876, Henrietta Pulling, born March 20, 1851, danghter of Charles K. and Mary A. (Neiler) Pulling. Mr. Pulling was of English stock and was born May 15, 1811, in Monmouth county, N. J., the family having been an old colonial one. The members of the old family yet remaining, are, Charlotte, aged seventy-five years, residing at Bordentown, N. J. ; and Rebecca, aged ninety-one years, at Treoton, N. J. The family is a long-lived oue. Mr. Pulling married in Philadelphia in 1836; his wife's family was an old American one, of Dutch and Welsh descent and belonged to the society of Quakers. In 1851 Mr. Pulling moved to St. Joseph county, Ind., and bought a farm of 120 acres of land now occupied by the Studebaker residence and grounds, at South Bend, called Sunny Side. Mr. Pulling sold his farm and bought one on Harris Prairie and then sold that one and bought one three miles east of Mishawaka, but finally retired from farming and removed to Mishawaka. where he lost his wife. He was at the time of his death a resident of South Bend, and was seventy-four years of age. To Mr. and Mrs. Pulling were born nine children, as follows: Emeline; George; John; Ellen; Anna; Charlotte, died at the age of eighteen years; Henrietta; Catherine; and Catherine deceased at the age of eleven years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pulling were members of the Baptist Church. Politically he is a Republican and gave two sons, John and George, to the late war. The parents of Mr. Pulling were Samuel and Charlotte Pulling, natives of New Jersey. Mr. Pulling was a substan- tial farmer and an honest and respected citizen. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Laid- law settled on the old homestead where they still live, and to them have been born three children: Abbie, born April 7, 1881; Mabel, born May 2, 1883, died January 15, 1886, and Chester E., born January 17, 1887. Socially Mr. Laidlaw is a mem- ber of I. O. O. F., also G. A. R., Houghton Post, of Mishawaka, and has held the

413

MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

office of senior vice-commander. Politically he is a stanch Republican. He is a public-spirited man, has held the office of school director and has taken a deep interest in the schools of the community. He is a practical farmer, been a hard worker and has followed threshing for thirteen years. He is one of the fore- most promoters of fine stock in his neighborhood, has a fine herd of Durham short horn cattle and Jersey cows and has always been foremost in breeding heavy draft horses, Clydesdales, shires and hackneys. He is also an extensive breeder of Shrop- shire Down sheep and of Poland China hogs. He manages the estate left by his father, which is yet undivided, besides eighty acres of his own land, and is one of the most efficient and practical farmers in Penn township. He stands deservedly high both as a man and a citizen. There is no other Laidlaw family in America of which this family has any knowledge that ever came to America. When John Laidlaw, father of our subject, started to visit the lady who subsequently became his wife, he used to take his gun and walk through dense woods to her father's house st Wolf Lake, in Kosciusko connty, some sixty miles away, the trip consuming two days.

THE COPPES FAMILY. The members of this well-known and distinguished family in Elkhart county, Ind., have become noted as practical, honorable, shrewd and snc- cessful business men, who have made the most of their advantages, and have always grasped at opportunities for bettering their financial, moral and social conditions. They come of good old Puritan stock, and the progenitor of the family in this country settled in Mount Bethel township, Northampton Co., Penn., which neigh- borhood was the family seat for a number of years; in all probability for nearly two generations. The Coppes originally came from England, where, to-day, there are large estates belonging to the family, but their right to this valuable property can not be directly traced up to the present time. Of the early members of the Coppes family, Rev. Samuel D. Coppes was among the most prominent. He was born in England, came to America during the early history of this country, became a wealthy landholder of Northumberland county, Penn., was very popular throughont that section, owing to his kindly disposition and charitable nature, and became eminent as a successful practicing physician, for the duties of which he fitted himself in England. He won golden opinions for himself as a medical practitioner, for besides being remarkably skillful he was very philanthropic, and bestowed his services on rich and poor alike, never charging the latter for attending them nnless they were willing and desirous of repaying him. His practice extended all over the State of Pennsylvania, as well as a large portion of the State of Ohio, and in the early days of Indiana he made frequent visits to this State. He was also a minister of the Mennonite Church, and for many years looked after the spiritnal as well as the bodily welfare of his fellows, and was an able instructor in a righteous canse. He was one of the pioneer preachers of his church, and held services in different portions of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, and his visits to this section of the country are well remembered by his people. He was an honorable, upright and God-fearing man, and his example as an earnest Christian is still in the minds of those who knew him. He was first married in Northampton county, Penn., to a German lady by the name of Delph, and by her became the father of the following children: Abraham, whose descendants are now in Ohio; Jacob, who was one of the early pioneers of Elkhart county, Ind .; John, who left a family in Ohio; Samuel also died in that State; and Polly, who married Jacob Carver, lived and reared a family in the Buck- eye State. The first wife of Rev. Samnel Coppes paid the last debt of nature in Northampton county, Penn., after which he took for his second wife, Miss Susan Burkey, whom he took with him to Ohio about 1834, settling on a farm in Medina county. This union resulted in the birth of one danghter, Rebecca, who married Jacob Shaffer, with whom she removed to Elkhart county, Ind., and whose descend- ants are now residing in Harrison township. The second wife of Samuel D. Coppes survived him a number of years, and died in this county at the home of her only daughter, Mrs. Shaffer. Rev. Dr. Samuel Coppes was called from life in Ohio, in

414

PICTORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL

1863, his death being a source of much regret to all who knew him. He was well known as a public-spirited citizen, and politically was a Whig. He was a shrewd financier and accumulated a good property which was divided among his children in 1865. He was one of the oldest settlers of this section of the county; as an expounder of the gospel, he was forcible, eloquent and logical, and he wielded a wide influence for good in the different sections in which he resided. His homes in Pennsylvania and Ohio were many times occupied by his patients who had no homes of their own, and possessed but little means, and thus he carried on his noble work until death over- took him, and he passed to his reward. All his sons and daughters married and reared families of their own, and in the different localities in which they made their home, they were held in high esteem, and having inherited many of their noble father's qualities were honored and respected. His second son, Jacob, was born in Northampton county, Penn., about 1812 or 1813, and was brought up to the healthy life of a farmer's boy. Upon reaching man's estate, he took for his wife Sarah Fravel, who was born in the same county as himself in 1822, and who was one of twelve children reared by Daniel and Fannie (Myers) Fravel, the former of whom was born in Bucks county, Penn., and was of English parents. He was left fatherless when a small child, and was reared by strangers, and upon starting out in life, took a wife from the same county as himself, and by her reared a large family of children, as follows: Jessie, Polly, Catherine, Fannie, Joseph, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Susan, Sarah (now Mrs. Coppes), William, Daniel and Matilda. Of this family three children are living: Mrs. Coppes, a resident of Nappanee, Ind .; Elizabeth and Catherine who re- side in the Keystone State. Jacob Coppes and his wife removed to Ohio at the same time that Rev. Dr. Samuel Coppes settled in that section, and there he remained for a period of about eight years, following the trades of shoemaking, and millwrighting. In 1844 he came to Indiana and settled in Harrison township, Elkhart county. For the first few years of his residence here his efforts were not prospered, and he met with various reverses which kept him in straitened circumstances for some time, but he kept perseveringly at work, and by the help of his oldest children, managed to keep the wolf from the door, and at last secured enough means to purchase forty acres of land in Locke township, on which he resided until death called him home in 1874. Notwithstanding the hard luck which met him in his career through life, he was never known to willfully wrong any one, and was honest, industrious and public spirited, ever casting his influence on the side of what he considered justice and right. In early life he supported the principles of the Whig party, and later the stand taken by the Re- publican party commended itself to his excellent judgment. With his wife he was a member of the Mennonite Church, and in his daily walk through life showed that he was a Christian. He was very domestic in his tastes, was devoted to his home and family, and never cared to fill any public position, the strife and turmoil of politics having no charms for him. His widow survives him, and is residing in Nappauee with her children, and although she is over seventy years of age, and reared a large family of sons and daughters, she is a well-preserved lady for her age, and appears to be in the enjoyment of good health. Her children are as follows: Daniel, Samuel, Amanda, Susan, Eliza, Rebecca, Saloma, Lucinda, John D. and Frank. Three children died in infancy; Amanda, Susan and Rebecca. A brief sketch of the members of this family will not come amiss. Daniel was born in Pennsylvania, was reared on a farm under the watchful eye of his father, and when still quite young began learn- ing the paiuter's trade, at which he worked in Goshen, where he became a well-known and popular young man. He was one of the first to respond to his country's call at the opening of the Rebellion, and became a member of Company K, Thirteenth Regi- ment Indiana Volunteer Infantry at Goshen, where he became a commissioned officer. He was faithful and fearless on the battlefield and was greatly loved by his reg- imental comrades, who considered him not only a model soldier, but also a true and trusted friend. At the battle of Murfreesboro he was wounded by a gunshot in the leg, and during the three days and nights that he lay on the battlefield, he suffered

415

MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

indescribably. He was at last taken by his friends to a private residence, which had been turned into a hospital, to be cared for, but there breathed his last the tenth day after receiving his wound. So dearly loved was he by his comrades the he was not buried in a ditch like most of the dead, but with willing hands and sad hearts, they made him a rough board coffin, and buried him beneath a large oak tree on that historic battle ground. Hs was unmarried. One of his companions in battle saw him fall, and placing himself beside him tried to cheer him with encouraging words and said: "Dan I will stay with you or die," and in order to deceive the enemy placed himself beside his wounded comrade and pretended to be dead. He was discovered, however, taken prisoner and carried away, and for three days and nights the unfort- unate young soldier, Daniel Coppes, was exposed to the rain and sleet which was falling, and which withont doubt caused his death. He was a brave and gallant sol- dier, the pride of Company K, and is still remembered with respect and affection by the old residentsof Goshen, and in the hearts of his old comrades the memory of the brave young soldier who gave his life for his country, is still kept green. Samuel D. Coppes is a prominent banker of Nappanee, a more extended notice of whom immediately suceeds this; Eliza married Benjamin Yarian, and died a few years later, leaving a family of five children, all of whom are living, with the exception of the youngest. The eldest of these children was Elizabeth, who married Daniel Zook, a prominent business man of Nappanee, and a member of the firm of Coppes Bros. & Zook, who are doing an extensive business at that place; Frank is a journalist of Goshen; Ella is living in Nappanee with her sister, Mrs. Zook; Edward is at home with his father in Nappanee; and Lucinda, who died at the age of three years. The mother of these children died in 1876. The next child born to Jacob Coppes and his wife, was Saloma, who married Benjamin Frazier of Nappanee, by whom she became the mother of five children, the eldest of whom, Milo, was killed at the age of ten years in a wheat elevator at that place, by being sucked into a wheat bin and smothered; Nettie is now Mrs. William Lesh, of Ohio; Sadie is living with Samuel Coppes; and Laura and Medie reside with their father in Nappanee. Their mother was called from life in 1876. The next of Jacob Coppe's children was Lucinda, who married John C. Millinger, a prominent resident of Nappanee, by whom she has four children; Ella, who is Mrs. Harvey Banta of Nappanee, and ie the mother of two children, which are the great-grandchildren of Mrs. Jacob Coppes. This rep- resents now living in the town of Nappanee, four generations of the family. The younger members of this family are Mabel L., and John F. The sisters of Mrs. Banta are Sarah, who died in infancy, and Emma and Nettie, who reside with their parents. The next child born to Jacob Coppes, was John D., of whom a sketch is given in this work, there being also a sketch of Frank, the youngest mem- ber of this family. It can be truly said of Jacob Coppes and his wife, that they were very worthy residents of the county, and showed much heroism in braving the hardships, dangers and discomforts of pioneer life, in order to provide a home for their children, and obtain a competency for their declining years.

SAMUEL D. COPPES. It has been said, and truly said that "some men are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them and some achieve greatness," and to this last most important class belongs the subject of this sketch-Samuel D. Coppes -who was born in Medina county, Ohio, in 1844. When about six years of age he was removed by his parents to Elkhart county, Ind., and on his father's farm in this section he grew to manhood, his naturally good constitution being greatly strengthened by the wholesome and open air life that he led. Owing to the strait- ened circumstances in which his father was placed for some years after his residence here, he acquired only a rudimentary education in the district schools near his home, his attendance being confined to the winter months when his services were not re- quired on the farm. When he was about fourteen years of age his father lost a hand in a threshing machine and for some two years thereafter the support of the family fell on the youthful shoulders of young Samuel, who manfully took up the

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 62

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

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