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 66
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 66
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children in that belief. She has borne her husband seven children, three of whom are living: John W., born May 24, 1857; Ella J. was born on October 11, 1860, is the wife of Josiah Smeltzer, of Nappanee, by whom she has had three children; Jonas J., deceased, and Charles L. and Ray P. are living; and Sarah S., who was born September 4, 1865, married Charles W. Camp, of Garrett, and has one child, Maude E. The children who are deceased are: Holdah, who was born April 30, 1854, and died March 20, 1873; Loring W., born April 1, 1856, and died May 15, 1856; Samuel M., born July 16, 1858, and died in January, 1859; and Mary S., born May 23, 1863, and died August 23, 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Wieler are prominent in the affairs of the county, and especially so in their township, and are law-abiding, generous and kind-hearted. Besides their own children they have reared other children to manhood and womanhood-Martin Troxel and Mary M. Berk. Mr. and Mrs. Wisler have a large circle of warm friends and are prominent in church affairs. Their children who are living are well-to-do and are among the highly respected citizens of the township. Mr. Wisler is a Republican in politics and has held a number of minor offices in his section. In early days he and his brother, Isaac, were in the manufacturing business at Locke, where they carried on a thriving trade; but for a number of years past Mr. Wialer has been successfully engaged in tilling the soil and is now in good circumstances and in an independent finan- cial condition. The establishment of enterprises for the benefit of his section has always found in Mr. Wisler a liberal and active supporter, churches, schools, good roads. etc., being the principal objects of his assistance and encouragement. John W. Wisler, his son, was born May 24, 1857, in the town of Locke, Ind., and on hia father's farm in that township he grew to manhood, his literary education being acquired in the schools of his district and the village school of Locke. Possessing a mind which was quick to grasp at all objects and ideas that presented them- selves, he made good progress in his studies and acquired a practical business education. He worked in his father's mill until about fourteen years of age, at which time he moved with his parents to the old homestead, in Lock township, and from that time until he was nearly thirty years of age he was a worthy tiller of the soil, and as such proved himself thrifty, intelligent and consequently successful. He then came to the conclusion that it was not good for man to live alone, and therefore married him a wife and started to improve a farm of his own, and in this work found a true helpmate in the lady he chose for his wife, Miss Eliza McDonald, a daughter of John J. McDonald, a sketch of which family appeara in this work. Mrs. Wisler waa born in Harrison township March 2, 1867, and grew to womanhood in Harrison and Union townships, attending the district schoole until her marriage, at the age of nine- teen, to John W. Wisler. Soon after this event they located on an improved farm in Locke township, on the old Plymouth road, and although the farm consisted only of forty acres, it is tilled in an admirable manner, is well improved with good buildings and is in every respect a desirable farm. The most of his land is devoted to raising grain and stock, bis knowledge of each of these branches of agriculture being considered sound and practical. He has always supported the principles of Republicanism, is prominent in politics, and in 1890 was elected assessor of Locke township, the duties of which he discharged in a very praiseworthy and satisfactory manner. He is a promising and rising young farmer, is honest, sober and industrione and has sufficient enterprise to make his future prosperity assured. In his comfort- able home he enjoys the society of his amiable and intelligent wife and has two handsome and promising children: Madge E., who was born October 2, 1888, and Charles Otto, who was born November 1, 1889. Blanche, who was born in 1892, in the month of March, died twelve days after her birth.
JACOB H. WISLER is the fifth child of John and Sophia Wisler, and his natal day was October 17, 1833. Mahoning county, Ohio, was his native place, but when a boy of sixteen years he came with his parents to Indiana, and, like all his brothers, assisted on the home farm and attended the district schools. Upon reaching his
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MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.
majority he began driving & team for his brothers, who wore in the milling and manufacturing business at Locke, and continued in their employ until 1858, when, on May 13 of that year, he was united in marriage to Miss Anns Troxell, a daughter of Peter Troxell, an early pioneer of Wayne county, Ohio, where he still resides. She was left motherless when an infant, and was herself called from life on April 27, 1866, at the age of twenty-five years, having become the mother of two children: William H., who was born March 26, 1859, and died September 23, 1890, lesving & wife, Mary, to whom he was married April 27, 1885, and two chil- dren-Homer and Harley, who are living in Nappanee. Her name was formerly Mary A. Martin. Lewis A., who was born January 13, 1863, and who married Ida Miller, of Michigan, December 24, 1889, is at present a blacksmith at South Bend. In 1868 Mr. Wisler's second union took place, Sarah, the daughter of Isaac and Anna (Kilmer) Kilmer becoming his wife. Isaac Kilmer was born in Penn- sylvania, January 21, 1814, and was a son of Isaac and Eva (Shelly) Kilmer, who were native Germans and early settlers of the Keystone State and afterward of Ashland county, Ohio. In that county Isaac was married, and in that State and in Indiana, to which he came in 1853, he reared his family. He became & wealthy farmer of Bangor township, Elkhart county, and died on March 25, 1883. He was & member of the Mennoni-e Church and was in sympathy with the Democratic party, and a public-spirited, enterprising citizen. The wife of Isaac Kilmer, Anna Kilmer, was born on Pennsylvania soil June 14, 1810, a daughter of John and Magdaline Kilmer. She died in Elkhart county, Ind., at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Wisler, January 23, 1892, having been an exemplary Christian in every re- pect, and a noble, faithful and wise wife and mother. She bore her husband five children: Eliza, who died when young; Mary, who was born on May 24, 1841, married Abraham B. Holdeman, of this county; Sarah, who married Mr. Wisler, was born June 14, 1844, in Ashland county, Ohio; David, who was born October 5, 1846, is married, a man of family, and lives on a part of the old Kilmer homestead; and Dr. Samuel L., who was born April 12, 1849, and is now a successful practicing physi- cian of South Bend. The Kilmers are among the most reliable and substantial residents of the county, and being industrious and reasonably prudent in their ex- penditures, they are all in comfortable circumstances. Mrs. Wisler is & member of the Mennonite Church and the greater part of her life has been spent in this county. Jacob Wieler and his wife have three children: Isaac S., who was born January 23, 1869, is farming the home place, is & Republican in politics and is a promising young man; Harvey F. was born August 19, 1870, and died August 23, 1877; Aona S. was born November 24, 1873, and is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Wisler enjoy a comfortable competence and a good home, as well as the respect of those who know them, and politically he is in sympathy with the Republican party and has always taken a deep interest in the current issues of the day. His farm com- prises 150 acres of well-improved land, it being the old family estate, and has been farmed and resided on almost as long as any place in this section of the county. Mr. Wisler experienced the hardships of pioneer life, and during the days when wild game was numerous, he was an experienced hunter, and killed many deer. He is decidedly public spirited, and by influence, money and personal assistance he has sided in the establishment of churches, schools and kindred institutions and in the improvement of the public highways; in fact, all worthy enterprises have found in him a liberal supporter and an intelligent and practical adviser. He is & deacon of the Mennonite Church, of which William H,, Mary, his wife, and Anna S. were also members.
ISAAC WISLER, one of the elder children of the worthy Jobn Wisler, was born in Columbiana, now Mahoning county, Ohio, February 14, 1829. During his early boyhood he assisted his father on the farm, but later gave his attention to blacksmith- ing, which he followed for some years, and also became an intelligent machinist. He became a resident of Elkhart county, Ind., at the age of twenty years, and in
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the country, in the vicinity of his home, he worked st his trade, first opening a shop at Waterford in 1850, afterward in Locke in 1853, at which time the place was known as Wisler Town. After some time he and his brother Jonas started a manufact- uring woodenware establishment, making s specialty of wooden bowls, which business he successfully continued until 1864, when he sold hisinterest and has since followed his trade of machinist and blacksmithing, as well as farming. He has ever been quite active in the political matters of his county, and has always supported the men and measures of the Republican party, and being also public spirited he has sup- ported schools, churches, and, in fact, sll movements tending to benefit the sec- tion in which he lives. His own ednestion was obtained in the public schools of Obio, and that system of education has found in him a substantial and earnest supporter. He . has s farm of 160 acres, all of which is well improved with good buildings, fences, etc., and he also owns sixty acres of heavy timber land in the same neighborhood. Considerable of his attention has been given to saw-milling, and being an intelligent machinist he has made & decided success of this business. He was justice of the peace of Locke township from 1854 to 1865, was township trustee for s number of years, and also held the position of assessor. He may be said to be s self-made man, for he began the battle of life for himself on a heavily wooded tract of Govern- ment land, but is now in independent circumstances financially. In 1858 he was married to Miss Rebecca M. Winder, daughter of Caleb and Margaret (Bloomfield) Winder, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania, a son of Joseph Winder, & prominent farmer of that State. Caleb's early life was spent on his father's farm, but in esrly life he also learned the hatter's trade, which he followed for some time, but after his removal to Stark county, Ohio, after his marriage, he taught school; im- proved a good farm and reared his family there. He died in 1840, at the age of forty-four years, his wife's death occurring in 1842, at the age of thirty-six years. She was born in Crawford county, Penn., s daughter of Andrew Bloomfield, and she and her husband were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the latter being one of its class leaders, in politics a Whig, and a soldier in the War of 1812. To Caleb and his wife seven children were born: Louis, James, Warren (deceased), Samuel (deceased), Eli; Susan (Mrs. Truex), of Nappanee; Rebecca, wife of Issac
Wisler. The latter was born in Ohio, October 30, 1837, and in 1858 her union with Mr. Wisler took place, which eventually resulted in the birth of seven children: Oli- ver P., born November 13, 1859, married Elsina Bline, by whom he has four boys: Lester, Elias, Morris and Glynn (Oliver P. is living in Locke township on & farm, and is a Republican in politics); James M. was born in 1861 on July 24, married Della Doromus, of Michigan, by whom he has three children; Albert was born Au- gust 24, 1863, and is attending school in Peoria, Ill .; Mary was born Angust 1, 1865; Lizzie married M. D. Jacobs, s railroad man, by whom he has two children, Harry and Ralph (she was born January 16, 1867); Edith was born September 23, 1871, and died at the age of three years, and Addie, who was born September 23, 1877, is teaching in the schools of Locke. Mr. and Mrs. Wisler are in the enjoyment of good health, and are living on the farm on which they settled many years ago. They are held in high esteem by the citizens throughout that section, and are in every way worthy the good will of their fellows.
JOHN H. WHISLER is an experienced and wealthy farmer of Harrison township, Elkhart Co., Ind., the great natural resources of which region have been devel- oped by the practical and intelligent toil of such men as Mr. Whisler, who is recognized as a man full of spirit and business enterprise. His father, Jacob Wbis- ler, was born in Bucks county, Penn., to Christian and Susan (Holderman) Wisler, the former of whom was born during the Revolutionary period in the State of Pennsylvania of German parents. Jacob Whisler was & brother of John Wisler, the father of the Wislers residing in Locke and Union townships, but for some time past the name has been spelled differently. Jacob Whisler was resred on s farm in his native county, and upon the removal of his parents to Columbians
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MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.
county, Ohio, he made the change of location at the same time, and was thereafter- ward united in marriage with Miss Mary Hoover, daughter of David Hoover, 8 sketch of whose family appears in this volume. Mary was born in Franklin county, Penn., and, like her husband, removed to Columbiana county, Ohio, with her par- ente. In 1847 Jacob Whisler removed to Elkhart county, Ind., with his family, making the journey through the wilderness by wagon, and settled on the farm on which John H. is now residing. Prior to this, however, he made the trip to the sec- tion on horseback and located the land, which amounted to 240 acres of fine wood- land. This farm he managed to clear by the exercise of all his energy and intelli- gence, and for over forty years tilled it in & highly satisfactory manner, not only deriving sustenance from it but managed to lay by a snug sum for & rainy day. He became a lesding man in the affairs of his section, and in principle was & Repub- lican politically, but did not take a particularly active part in politics. He was a lifelong member of the Mennonite Church, and took an active part in church affairs, aiding the cause of Christianity by personal effort and with his means. He died in 1889 st the age of eighty years, having spent a useful life. His wife, Mary, bore him seven children; five of whom are still living, their names being as follows: Hannah; Susan. who is the wife of Henry Culp, a prominent farmer of Harrison township; Magdaline, who died in 1880, was the wife of David Culp; Mary, wife of Joseph Culp, died in 1886; Elizabeth, who died when young, and John H., the immediate subject of this sketch. The mother of these children was called from life in 1859, at the age of fifty-three yeare, having been a lifelong member of the Mennonite Church, and a most exemplary woman in every respect. She and her husband were useful and honorsble citizens, and commanded respect from all with whom they were acquainted. John H. Whisler claims Mahoning county, Ohio, as the place of his nativity, in which section he first saw the light of day, August 28, 1842, being the youngest of the family and only five years of age at the time of his parents' removal to the State of Indiana. His rudimentary education was obtained in the district schools in the vicinity of his home, but by considerable self-applics- tion he managed to acquire a good business education and eventually became a school teacher. He spent twenty years in the milling and lumber business st Wakarusa, in company with Mr. Henry Bichtel, both branches of industry meeting good success under the intelligent and careful management of these worthy gentle- men. Mr. Whisler is a self-made man, and throughout his well-spent career he has been interested in farming and kindred pursnita, and is a member of the well-known firm that owns the Spring Brook Stock Farm, and is also s member of the Elkhart Belgium Draft Horse Importing Company. He is the owner of 350 acree of land, all of which is well improved and well located. His farm and home is one of the best improved places in the county, and his large barns are well filled with well- graded stock, in which he takes much pride and of which he is a good judge. The fine stock farm in which he is interested has exceptionally fine-stocked stables, and since it was founded in July, 1888, it has been held in very favorable estimation by the farmers of Elkhart county. The first year thirty three fine specimens of the Belgian draft horses were disposed of, the second year the merits of these besuti- ful and useful animals became better known, and their sales amounted to between $50,000 and $60,000. The following year $85,000 worth of stock was sold, and being located midway between Nappanee and Elkhart, the farm is very con- veniently located for shipping purposes. Mr. Whisler has always shown himself to be an honorable man, and in his business transactions this has had a good deal to do with his continuous success through life. Politically he has always been sn active Republican, and enterprises for the good of his section have always found in him a liberal supporter. He is the owner of valuable property in Elkhart, in Union and Harrison townships, also a fine tract of land in Kansas. At the age of twenty- seven years he was united in marriage with Miss Christina Weaver, s daughter of John and Mary (Zimmermsu) Weaver, who came to Elkhart county, Ind., from Lancaster
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county, Penn., and the former is still s resident of this county. Mrs. Whisler was born in Lancaster county, Penn., January 1, 1852, and has borne her husband three children: Noah, who died in 1892, January 24, at the age of twenty-one years, was a young man of much promise, and was married to Miss Annie Musser, daughter of Ephraim Mnsser, with whom she is now living; Jonas L., who was born August 2, 1872, is assisting his father on. the farm; and Emma, who was born January 10, 1878, and is attending school at Goshen. Mr. Whisler lost his first wife some years ago, and for his second wife took Hettie Wagner, daughter of Jacob Wagner, a native of Ohio and a son of John Wagner, an early pioneer of that State, but ia now a resident of Monroe, Mich. He and his wife were the parents of three chil- dren: Elmer, Hettie and Minnie, all of whom were reared in the faith of the United Brethren Church. Mrs. Whisler was born February 3, 1866, is an intelligent and accomplished lady, is skillful in the use of the needle and has s talent for music and painting. The family move in the highest social circles and are considered acquisitions to the section in which they reside.
JOHN S. WISLES is the eighth child of John and Sophia Wisler, and ia one of the worthy, public-spirited and successful agriculturists of Marshall county, Ind., although the greater portion of his time has been apent in this county. He was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, February 6, 1842, and was seven years of age at the time of his parents' removal to this section, and here he attended the district schools in the vicinity of his home, and thus gained a good business education. Like his brothers he assisted on the home farm, and dutifully remained with his father until he attained his majority, when he began working at the carpenter's trade, and after becoming familiar with its details, he worked at it for some time. On October 18, 1866, he took for himself a wife in the person of Miss Lydia E. Ulery, a daughter of the old pioneer settler, Daniel Ulery, whose sketch is in thia work. After his marriage he settled in the town of Locke, where he worked at his trade and assisted in building the mill at that place. In 1867 he brought the first ateam thresher to the neighborhood, and after operating it with success for some time, he removed to the old homestead which he began to till, remaining on it for about three years. At the end of that time he purchased tho farm where he now lives, in Marshall county, but he still has a warm regard for the connty in which so many of the active years of his life were spent. He is the owner of 120 acres of well- improved land, on which are erected some fine buildings and substantial and neat fences. He has twenty-five acres of heavy timber land and is giving much of his attention to the raising of stock, in which branch of agriculture he has been success- ful and for which he haa a decided taste. He is with the Republican party in all its movements, is well posted on all matters of public interest, is public-spirited in all that the word implies, and in every respect is a credit to the class of business men which he represents. He is decidedly broad-ganged, and has not kept alone in the beaten tract of agriculture, but has followed other lines of interest which have paid him well, and he has now in his control a considerable amount of property. He is highly honored in the section in which he resides, and the people have shown aufficient confidence in his good judgment to elect him to various positions of trust. His wife was born on the old Ulery homestead in Union townabip, Elkhart Co., Ind., on November 15, 1843; was educated in the public schools, and in time became a school teacher and a successful one. She is the mother of five children, all of whom are living with the exception of one, William C., who was born October 16, 1877, and died on the 25th of the same month. Those living are: Edwin L., who was born October 4, 1868, has been a teacher for the past four years, which calling he expects to make his life work, and is now preparing himself for this work by attend- ing school; he is a Republican, and socially is a member of the K. P. Lodge at Breman, where he is highly esteemed as an amiable and intelligent young man; Mary B. was born March 19, 1873, and is at home with her parents; Elmer E. was born September 13, 1875, assista his father on the farm and is attending school; and
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Chester O., who was born February 25, 1881, is also attending school and is well advanced in his studies for one of his age. The family attend the German Baptist Church, of which Mrs. Wisler is a member.
ALBERT WISLER is the third member of the family reared by Isaac Wisler, a well-known resident of Elkhart county, Ind., and was born on the old home farm in the township of Locke on August 24, 1866, acquiring a good business education in the district schools near his home. He spent his early days in assisting his father on the home farm, and studied the trade of a machinist under the guidance of his father. Being of a mechanical turn of mind he made rapid headway in this undertaking, and at an early day he gave valnable aid to his father. On November 5, 1891, he began to study for the machinist's trade in Parson's Institute of Peoris, Ill., and there worked and studied for one year, becoming thoroughly familiar with the practical part of the work. He is a young man of superior ability, is honorable and upright in his business transactions, and as he earnestly endeavors to do what is right at all times he is well liked and has many friends. In politics he is a Re- publican, the principles of which party he aupports on all occasions. He is very ingenious, and has invented a number of useful contrivances.
DAVID WISLER is one of the early pioneers of Elkhart county, Ind., and is a son of Rev. Jacob Wisler, extended mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. David was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, June 8, 1830, and there in the public schools obtained a good common education in both English and German. In 1848 he came to Elkhart county with his parents and located in Harrison township, near where his brother, John H., who spells his name "Whisler," now resides. He re- mained with his parents until 1857, but for three years previously had been earning his own living. In 1857 he took up his residence on the farm in Olive township on which he is now living, having made the purchase of the same in 1852, which makes about forty years that this farm has been in his possession. It comprised eighty acres of woodland, but with characteristic energy he soon managed to clear it, and since 1857 has made it his home. As a farmer he has been successful; as a citizen public-spirited, enterprising and prominent, and for many years has been connected with the Mennonite Church, which faith was also held by his father, who was a leader of that denomination. In the past he has taken an interest in the Republican party, and has supported its principles for at least thirty years. His land is de- voted to the raising of the usual farm products, and as he was, when a boy, reared to habits of industry, these very essential qualities to success have followed him throughout life, and have made him the successful man of affairs that he is. He has been quite extensively engaged in handling lumber, of which business he has a thorough and practical knowledge. He took for a wife Miss Christina Shank, a daughter of Michael and Barbara (Whiteman) Shank, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania of Swiss parents. From Pennsylvania they removed to Canada in 1800, and there on British soil Mrs. Wisler was born on October 16, 1831, being one of fourteen children, twelve daughters and two sons, their names being as fol- lows: Catherine, Barbara, Anna. Fannie, Elizabeth, Esther, Mary, Sarah. Susan, Eve, Lydia, Christina, Samnel and Michael. The father of these children died in St. Joseph county, Ind., at an advanced age and the mother in Putnam county, Ohio. This family was also Mennonite in religious belief, and in the various localities in which they resided were held in high esteem by all who knew them. Mr. and Mrs. Wisler have reared a family of nine children, all but one being now alive: John B., born October 27, 1857, is married to Mary Walter, and is living in St. Joseph county, Ind., and is the father of two children, Lydia and Alexander; Mary, born March 19, 1859, is the wife of Frederick Longfield, of St. Joseph county, and has one child not named; Ann was born December 6, 1860, is the wife of Chauncey Clause, of Elkhart county, and has two children, John and Ida; Susan was born April 18, 1862, is the wife of John Hunchberger, of St. Joseph county, and has four children, Melvin, William, Rosetta and Jacob; Sarah, born October
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