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 89

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 89
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 89

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to be near their parents, who were growing old, they sold out and returned to Indiana. For the past few years Frank and Rudolph, under the firm name of Lusher Bros., have conducted a profitable mercantile business in Elkhart. Being young men of energy and ability, they have justly attained the rank of being smong the foremost merchants of Elkhart.

JOHN H. WALTERS is a native of Mahoning county, Ohio, where he was born July 7, 1852. When only nine months old he was brought to the State of Indiana, and on a farm in Elkhart county he grew to manhood, obtaining his education in the district schools near his rural home. He followed farming until about 1884, commencing for himself about 1878, but in the former year he abandoned the work and began dealing in grain at Teegarden in Marshall county, where he lived for six years. Following this he came to Nappanee and after working four years in the box factory of Coppes Bros., he entered the store of his brother, in whose drug store he has since remained. He was married in 1875 to Miss Christina Weaver, whose birth occurred in Ohio, January 14, 1855, she being a daughter of David and Bardric (Kauffman) Weaver, who were of German descent and natives of Pennsyl -. vania. They came to Indiana from Ohio about 1870. The result of Mr. Weaver's union has been seven children: Ammial, Rebecca, Christena, Mary, Lucinda, David and Susan. Mr. and Mrs. Walters have three children: Melvina, who was born January 14, 1876; Nora, born March 22, 1878, and Daniel, born Jannary 26, 1879. The family attend the Amish Mennonite Church, and in his political views Mr. Walters is independent, voting for the man rather than the party. He is devoting his earnest attention to the drug business, is now doing well financially, and has a good home in the eastern part of Nappanee. He met with reverses in the grain business, having been burned out, and thus lost everything that he owned. He is actively identified with school and church matters, as well as kindred enterprises for the benefit of his community, and is a well-respected citizen.

JAMES A. ROACH inherits the sturdy perseverance of his English ancestors, for from that country the founders of the family came and settled in the woods of Pennsylvania, where they identified themselves with the religious sect-the Quakers -and tradition says they were among the original settlers of the Keystone State. The paternal great-grandfather of James A. Roach lived in Virginia, where he fol- lowed the calling of a gunsmith and made many of the old-fashioned flint-lock guns for the continental army during the Revolutionary period. Mahlan Roach, the grandfather, was born in Lancaster county, Va., and in early life followed the calling of a miller. He was married on Virginia soil, and by his wife became the father of one child, Francis. About 1816 he moved to Warren county, Ohio, and settled on a large tract of wild land which he bought, and there he cleared up two good farms, becoming a substantial and wealthy farmer. His second wife was Elizabeth Young, of the city of Washington, daughter of Abraham Young and one of the proprietors of the original tract of land on which the city of Washington now stands. He was also wealthy and died in 1798. The second union of Mr. Roach resulted in the birth of seven children: James, William, John, Charles, Abraham, Ann and Sarah. The father of these children attained to the advanced age of eighty-four years, his death occurring in 1852. He was a Quaker and his second marriage was out of the church, since which time the family has not identified itself with that religious denomination. He was a man whose judgment was respected by the people and for many years he discharged the duties of justice of the peace and adjusted the difficulties of his neighbors with great fairness. James A. Roach, his son and the father of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, was born on his father's farm in Loudoun county, Va., Jannary 2, 1811, and was given such educa- tional advantages as could be had in his day, at the same time learning the details of farming. At the age of about seven years he was taken by his parents to Ohio where he attained man's estate and led to the altar Mariah, daughter of Jeremiah Hamplon, one of the early settlers of Warren county, Ohio from Virginia, and the

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father of a large family of children. To Mr. and Mrs. James Roach eight children were born: Mahlan F., Thomas W., James A., Elizabeth (who died at the age of eighteen years), John A., Charles (who died when fifteen years of age), Franklin F. (who died during the Civil war while serving in Company I, Seventy-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry), and Sarah J. After his marriage Mr. Roach resided in Ohio until his three eldest children were born, moving to Elkhart county, Ind., in the fall of 1840, and settling on & farm near Benton, March 4, 1841, which then consisted of 120 acres, only five acres of which were cleared. By the exercise of brain and brawn he increased his land to 520 acres and gave each of his children eighty acres, or nearly that amount. He was interested in and a patron of the pub- lic schools, was first an old line Whig in politics and afterward & Republican, and died at the age of forty-eight years, October 14, 1858, a highly honored citizen. He left a well-respected family of children who are now honorable citizens of the county. James A. Roach, whose name heads this sketch, is a product of Warren county, Ohio, his natal day and year being March 18, 1838, and was not yet three years of age when brought by his parents to Indiana. When quite a small boy he began to assist his father on the farm, for much labor was required to clear the heavy timber land of that region, but in the meantime he acquired a practical education in the pioneer schools of his day and afterward attended school at Goshen and Hillsdale, Mich. Being extremely patriotic, he was one of the first to respond to his country's call for troops. He returned home from school and in the fall of 1861, on the 16th of October, he enlisted in Company K, Thirtieth Regiment Indiana Volunteer In- fantry, the fortunes of which he followed for three long years. He was in the battles of Liberty Gap, Tenn., siege of Corinth, siege of Atlanta and in numerous skirmishes. In the latter siege of Atlanta his regiment was under fire for 105 days, out of 125 days. He was also in the battles of Jonesboro and Peach Tree Creek. The first time he was taken ill during his service he was in the hospitals at Nashville and Louisville and received a furlough home for three days. He rejoined his regiment just prior to the siege of Corinth, but was again taken sick and four weeks were spent in the Louisville hospital. Upon convalescing he again rejoined his regiment. He did gallant and faithful service while in the army, fearlessly faced rebel bullets and was true to every trust reposed in him. On November 17, 1871, he was united in marriage to Miss Paulina, daughter of Samnel and Nancy (Woods) Baker, the former of whom was born in Madison county, Ohio, of English parents. He was the father of six children who lived to grow up: Abigail, Mary R., Ann E., Josephine, Paulina and Commodore P. Mr. Baker was & farmer of Kosciusko connty, Ind., but became a farmer of Elkhart county in 1844, his land amounting to 120 acres, all of which he cleared and improved. He and his wife were members of the Church of God, in which he was class leader for six years. He died in 18- at the age of fifty-three years, a substantial farmer, and su industrious, progressive and useful citizen. He was a Republican politically. Mrs. Roach was born Febru- ary 11, 1845, and after her marriage she and her husband settled on their present farm, which then consisted of 130 acres of partly cleared land, to which he has since added forty acres more. This land is fertile, well tilled and nicely improved with buildings. fences, etc. Mr. and Mrs. Roach have two children: Carrie D., born August 13, 1872, and Albert, born October 6, 1875; the former of whom attended the normal school at Valparaiso. Ind., and has successfully taught six terms of school, her first term being taught at the extremely youthful age of fourteen years. Mrs. Rosch is a member of the Church of God, and Mr. Roach is a Republican politically. He occupies a high position in the estimation of the people and is known as a man of strict integrity of character.

DR. AMOS C. JACKSON is one of the highly respected and honored citizens of Goshen, and has been identified with the medical profession as one of the oldest pioneer physi- cians of Elkhart county. In 1846 he began the practice of medicine at Goshen, but this was two years later than his preceptor and business associate, Dr. M. M. Latta,

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another pioneer physician of this city. Dr. Jackson is a descendant of good old American colonial Virginia stock of Scotch descent. His grandfather, Peter Jackson, wsa born in Greenbrier county, Va., and was married there. He was the father of two sons-John and William-and several daughters. At an early day Mr. Jackson moved to Ross county, Ohio, and was one of the pioneers of that county, settling on Deer Creek, where his death occurred st the advanced age of eighty-four years. He wae a man of strong constitution, and when quite aged rode horseback to this county to visit his relatives. This was in 1838, and he returned in the same manner after a visit of a few months. His nephew Irs and niece Elizabeth accompanied him on his return trip, the journey being about 300 miles. Mr. Jackson was a substantial farmer of Ross county and a respected and much-esteemed pioneer citizen. His judg- ment was respected by the people and he was one of the early jnatices of the peace. His son, Colonel John Jackson, the father of the original of this notice, was born in Greenbrier county, Va., in 1790, and went to Ross county, Ohio, with his father when a boy. He was reared amid the pioneer scenes of that county and received a very good common-school education for his day. He married Catherine Carr, daugh- ter of Gideon Carr, of Dutch descent, and to Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were born ten children: Mary, Elizabeth, Ira. Amos, Henry (who died young), Hagee, Martha, William, Peter and Ann. This is the order of birth. Mr. Jackson cleared his farm in Ross township of the heavy timber and made a good home. He was a soldier in the War of 1812 and was one of the men who was in the expedition to break up the Pottawattomie Indian village st the south end of Elkhart Prairie in 1812, on the farm now occupied by Jobn E. Thompson. These soldiers were from Fort Defiance on the Maumee River, in Ohio. During this expedition Colonel Jackson was captain of a company. The night before the soldiers arrived at this village the Indians fled and left much of their property. Thus Colonel Jackson became acquainted with Elkhart Prairie, and being much pleased with the country, he selected the spot where he afterward built his log cabin. In 1825 he made a visit to this region, but it was not until January, 1829, the roads being then hard with frost, that Colonel Jackson came out with some hired men and two ox teams of four oxen each, to make a settlement and get ready for the spring work. As before mentioned, he built a log cabin, and with the ox teams broke up the virgin soil. The seed-corn was dropped between sods and was therefore called sod-corn. A good crop was made without further cultivation. In the fall Colonel Jackson returned to Ohio, and with the first frosts of October brought out his family, making the journey with ox teams. This was one of the first families established on Elkhart Prairie, and Colonel Jackson broke the first ground on the prairie. He entered a tract of land and gradually added to it until he was the owner of over one thousand acres. He was one of the prominent pioneer citizens and was colonel of the old militis of this county for many years. He was one of the organizers of Elkhart county and a member of the first board of county commissioners. He entered eighty acres of the original plot of Goshen for the county. In politics he was a stanch Democrat and represented the county in the State Legislature for many years. Being justice of the peace, many of the pio- neer cases were tried before him. He was possessed of a remarkably strong con- stitution and could endure extreme cold and fatigue. Both Colonel and Mrs. Jack- son were life-long members of the Methodist Church and their pioneer log cabin was the home of the itinerant Methodist preacher, and Colonel Jackson was one of the founders of Methodism in this conoty. Of a social and genial disposition and possessed of an unusually good heart, he was very popular among the early settlers and was well known thronghont northern Indiana. He died in 1872 at the advanced age of eighty-three, and his descendants may well take pride in the stanch and patriotic soldier and sturdy pioneer from which they sprang. Dr. Amos C. Jackson, son of the colonel, was born December 31, 1821, in Ross county, Ohio, on his father's farm, and was eight years of age when he came with his parents to Elkhart Prairie. He well remembers the trip and the appearance of the country through which they

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traveled. The journey through the Black Swamp in Ohio was very tedious and con- snmed much time and patience. The family walked much of the way, occasionally riding in the ox wagons. They camped at night by the wayside and were many days in making the trip. Frequently they would follow Indian trails. then the road of the pioneer who had gone farther west, and these would become indistinct or cease alto- gether. To render their situation more comfortable in their cabin home, they brought, in their great ox wagons simple household furniture, goods and provisions; after much perseverance and toil they reached their pioneer home. Dr. Jackson describes the appearance of Elkhart Prairie as he knew it when a boy. in all its wild and virgin freshness, ss beautiful beyond description and covered with many varieties of highly colored flowers. It was a hunter's paradise. The water of the Elkhart River was then as clear as crystal and full of fine fish. There were no roads, but Indian trails and paths made by the pioneers passed through the country in differ- ent directions. Dr. Jackson attended the first school ever held in Elkhart county. The school-house was a rude log structure, built in the center of the prairie for the convenience of the settlers on all sides of this prairie. The floor and seats were made of split logs, called puncheons, and one side of the room was devoted to an immense old-fashioned fireplace from which the smoke escaped by a mud-and-stick chimney. The first school teacher was a Yankee, who rejoiced in the name of Potts, and the next was Capt. Brown, father of the present editors of the Goshen Democrat. In that pioneer school Dr. Jackson gained the rudiments of s common education and in his early twenties attended the Asbnry University at Greenville, Ind., for two and s half years. Subsequently he attended the La Porte Medical College at La Porte, Ind. This college is now extinct. From this he graduated in the winter of 1844-5. He also studied medicine under Dr. M. M. Latta and began practicing his profession at Galveston, Kosciusko Co., Ind., where he remained one year. In 1845 he became associated with Dr. M. M. Latta in the practice of medicine and continued in company with him for nearly sixteen years. Since that time he has practiced medicine on hisown account. Dr. Jackson is one of the best known of the pioneer physicians of Elkhart county, as at an early day he traveled far and wide, visiting the pioneers in all kinds of weather, both by day and night. In 1853 he married Miss Harriet Clark. There were no children born to this marriage and four years later Mrs. Jackson died. In 1872 the Doctor married Miss Sarah E. Burn- ham, daughter of Ward Burnham, of New York State. To Dr. and Mrs. Jackson bave been born four children: Ward, Kate, John and Mary. Socially Dr. Jackson is a member of the I. O. O. F., having beld membership in the same since 1846, and has held all the offices of his lodge. He is a friend of education and has been s member of the school board for some time. For six years he was president of the City National Bank. The Doctor is a man of untarnished integrity of character and is well-known as a man of high moral standing. For many years his medical practice in this county was the largest and most successful of any practitioner of northern Indians, and his practice brought him very valuable returns. He is now one of the few reinsining original pioneers of Elkhart county, and one of the highly honored citizens.

BETHANA A. MYERS. It is a pleasure to give the life story of a man who has served his country upon the field of battle, and who has also done his duty as a private citizen in the ordinary walks of life. Such a one we find in Mr. Myers, who served faithfully in the Rebellion and who is a descendant of good Virginia stock. His father, Abraham Myers, was s native of the Old Dominion and of English de- scent. He came to Elkhart county, Ind., when a single man, was one of the pioneers of this county, and here followed the occupation of a farmer and miller. He bought eighty acres on the south line of Clinton township, cleared it, and soon had a good home. He first settled here in the thirties and was married to Miss Susan Garnet. which union resulted in the birth of seven children. In connection with bis farming interest Mr. Myers carried on a grist-inill in Benton and Waterford for many years,

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and was an industrious, hard-working man. Late in life he moved to the State of Washington and died there when seventy-seven years of age. He and wife were worthy members of the Baptist Church, and he was a Democrat in politics. He built a saw-mill in Clinton township about 1855 and in 1860 built a grist-mill at the same place, being in partnership with Cephas Hawks, of Goshen, in the latter enterprise. He had three sons in the Rebellion: Frank M., in Company K, Thirtieth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, served three years and was in nearly all the battles of his regiment, escaping without a wound; John D., was in Company .. , Seventy- Fourth Regiment Volunteer Infantry, served three years and was in all the battles of his regiment; Bethana, our subject, was the first to enlist. He was born on his father's farm in Clinton township, Elkhart county, Ind., August 12, 1843, and the commou schools furnished him a fair education. He began for himself as a fire- man of stationary engines. When about nine years of age he left home and began working on the farm of his uncle. Since that time he has made his own way in life. When nearly eighteen years of age he enlisted in Company B, Twenty-ninth Regi- ment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served three years. For nearly two years he was in continuous battle, participating in the engagements of Nashville and Stone River, the latter lasting three days and nights. After this he drove a team most of the time until the close of his service. He was never wounded or taken prisoner, or in the hospital, and was a faithful soldier. Returning to his home at Millers- burg, after the war, he cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He engaged as a fireman in saw-mills and later embarked in the butcher's business in Millersburg, meeting with fair success in this undertaking. On the 4th of March, 1865, he wedded Miss S. Prichard, daughter of Jesse and Sarah Prichard. One child, Ora, was born to this union. In 1890 Mr. Myers engaged in the saw-mill business with John Langer, under the firm name of Myers & Langer, at Millersburg, and they are now doing a good business. They are live, energetic business men and have gained for themselves the confidence and patronage of the public at large. In his political views Mr. Myers supports the Republican party, and is a prominent member of the G. A. R., Randall Post, No. 320. He has held the offices of senior vice- commander and junior vice-commander for about eight years. By industry and good management Mr. Myers has made all his property and is now one of the substantial men of his section. He owns a half interest in the saw-mill which has a capacity of 50,000 feet per week, and he also owns a residence in town. Like many of the old soldier citizens Mr. Myers stands high in the estimation of all and is one of the county's best men. Mrs. Myers is a member of the Reformed Church and is active in all good work.

C. W. Swaarz, a resident of Nappanee, Ind., was born on his father's farm in Stark county, Ohio, June 1, 1837, the sixth of seven children born to Martin and Hannah Swartz, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania January 10, 1799, his parents being Matthias and Ann Elizabeth Swartz. The Swartz, Schwartz or Schwarz family originally came from Germany. Martin was a pioneer farmer of Ohio, a calling he followed for fifty years, and was a local minister of the Methodist Church, living for many years on a farm near Marlboro, Ohio, but spending his last days in that village, where he died in 1878, at the age of nearly eighty years. He had accumulated considerable property in spite of the fact that he was twice burned out, the last conflagration occurring in his old age. Martin was married twice, and his first wife, Frances, left one daughter of the same name who was born in 1823 and died in 1857, the wife of Michael Hull. His second wife was the daughter of Caleb and Jane Southcard, and the widow of John Butterfield, by whom she has one son, William W. B. Butterfield, who was born June 12, 1819, and died in 1857, of typhoid fever, leaving four children. Mrs. Hannah Swartz was born in New Jersey March 28, 1797, but removed by wagon to Pennsylvania with her parents when a child. Nearly her whole life after her second marriage was spent in Stark county. Like her husband she was a member of the Methodist Church, and she was

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a good and amiable woman and a kind and gentle mother. She died March 2, 1880 near Marlboro, Ohio, on the farm where she had lived for so many years and where" she apent part of the time with her daughter after the death of her husband, whom ahe survived about a year and a half. Martin and Hannah Swartz had a family of four sons and three daughters, all but one of whom grew to maturity: Lavina Ann, who was born in 1826, passed away at the age of about sixty years, the widow of David Carr, a saw-mill man whom she survived thirty five or forty years; Etna Green, Ind., was named by Mrs. Carr, as her husband was a large land owner in that neighborhood, at the time the place was founded (Mrs. Carr left two sons: Jerome S. and Philonzo D., of whom the elder was a minister of the Methodist Church, but died in 1892, leaving a widow and family, and the younger is general agent for Baldwin Bros. Piano Company; he is a man of family, and his home is in Nashville, Teun. ); Louisa K. was born in 1828, and lives in Logan county, Ohio, the wife of John Lukens, a thrifty farmer and the mother of one aon, Charles, a young physician; Matthias B. O. Plympton was born in 1829, and died from an accidental scythe cut when he was not quite ten years old; John Fletcher was born in 1833, and is a well-to-do farmer of Hillsdale county, Mich. (he was married to Mahala Hamlin, and has four living children aud one aon dead, all his living chil- dren being married); Harriet Jane was born November 29, 1834, is married to Jacob Allapaugh, an energetic and prosperous farmer, and they reside on the old Swartz farm which he owna; Charles W. is next iu age; Martin Luther W. was born Decem- ber 10, 1839. He was a high-spirited young man who became a soldier in the Civil war, going with Company F, One Hundred and Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Near the close of the war he died of pneumonia, as a prisoner of war at Meridian, Miss., aged twenty-five years. Charles was reared on his father's farm, attended district school and taught a number of terms, then eutered Mt. Union Col- lege of Mt. Union, Ohio, where he graduated from scientific and classical courses, taking in the latter the highest honors of his class. After this he went to the war as a member of the Christian commission; he was out twice and has ever since suf- fered on account of exposure undergone at that period. About this time he entered the ministry of the Methodist Church, his first regular charge being in West Vir ginia. In 1866 he was married to Louisa H. Winder, a daughter of Joseph and Amy (Taylor) Winder, who are mentioned in other sketches of this book. Mrs. Swartz was born in Ohio in 1839, and although her father died when she was about twelve years of age, she not only attended the country schools, but finished her education in Mt. Union College. Before and after her college days she taught six- teen terms of school, mostly in Indiana and Ohio, the most of which were in the rural districts. She taught in the Stauffer and Ulery districts of Union township over thirty years ago, and the higher departments of the graded schoola of Ottawa and Mt. Union, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Swartz were married after the former had preached about one year. They lived in West Virginia about three years, then Mr. Swartz joined the Central Illinois Conference, and they moved to that State, where they lived and moved from place to place for about nine years, when they were called to Ohio on account of the death of the grandfather, Martin Swartz. Here they lived until after Mr. Swartz's mother's death, when they moved to eastern Kansaa, and Mr. Swartz became a member of the South Kansas Conference. Five years were spent in that part of the State, then the family went to southwestern Kansas and took a claim in Clark county, where they lived five years, enduring many hardships unknown to the younger people of the State of Indiana. In the spring of 1890 Mrs. Swartz was called to Nappanee by the condition of her mother, Amy Winder. Here the family has since lived. Rev. Swartz has not taken regular work as a minister for the past seven years. For most of that time he has traveled as salesman of books. At present he is salesman and general agent for a well-known firm of Chicago. He is. and has been for years, a Prohibitionist and an active temperance worker. He and his wife have a family of six children: Mary L. was

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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 89

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

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