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 90

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 90
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 90

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MEMOIRS OF INDIANA.

born December 30, 1868, in Wayne county, W. Va., attended district and village schools in Illinois, Ohio and Kansas; at the age of sixteen she began to teach school and followed this the most of the time until the spring of 1888, when she went to the eastern part of the State and attended school two years in Neodesha, graduating in the spring of 1890, when she came to Nappanee and has taught school one term in Union township since coming bere. Luther E., the next child, was born in Illinois May 11, 1871. He, too, attended school in Illinois, Ohio and Kansas, but has acquired most of his education by careful reading at home. He has also attended the Nappanee Normal. In western Kansas he worked the farm. He, his next younger sister and his brother drove with loaded wagons from western Kausas to Nappanee in the fall of 1890, a trip of 1,129 miles by the route they traveled. Since then Lnther was creamery man for a few months, and in the fall of 1891 began teaching school in Locke township, where he is engaged to teach the present year. He is a well-posted young man, and is one of Nappanee's "eligibles" to appoint- ment as postal clerk, as he passed a creditable examination in Chicago in the spring of 1892. Kittie A. was born at Sunbeam, Ill., August 19, 1873, attended district school, has gone parts of two years to the graded schools of Ashland, Kan., and the last two years to the Nappanee schools; Hattie S. was born in Illinois July 1, 1875, and died September 27, 1882; Alice G. was born at Summit, Ill., July 31, 1878, and Charles Ellsworth was born at Edna, Kan., January 11, 1881. The younger chil- dren had not much schooling while on the frontier, but have attended school reg- ularly since coming to Nappanee.

NATHAN POOLEY. Among the honored and substantial business men of Goshen who have retired from the active duties of life, is Nathan Pooley. He comes of good old English stock, his father. Edward Pooley, having emigrated from Suffolk. Eng- land, in 1824, bringing his family with him. His wife's maiden name was Mariah Smith, and she was also from Suffolk, England. Six children were born to them, as follows: Edward, George, Mariab, Ann, Nathan and Mary. Mr. Pooley settled at Marion, N. Y., and died a few years after coming to this country, when Nathan our subject, was but eight years of age. The latter was also a native of Suffolk, England, born February 10, 1822, and was about two years of age when his parents brought him to this country. The mother died the year following ber arrival in this country. Thus at an early age young Pooley was left an orphan. He was taken and reared by Oliver Durfee, a Quaker farmer of Palmyra, N. Y., and here young Pooley found a good home and secured a good education, not only at- tending the district school, but the high school at Marion. When he reached the age of twenty-one years bis kind benefactor gave him his note for $400, which he afterward paid. This worthy man gave him still more, as he had instilled into the mind of his young protege the principles of morality and temperance, and a strong love of honesty and truth. He was a kind and affectionate father to the orphan boy, whose brothers and sisters were also reared by the same good old Quaker. On Sep- tember 25, 1844, Mr. Pooley married Miss Mary J. Bilby, daughter of William and Mary (Strape) Bilby, the former being of an old colonial New Jersey family and a native of that State. Mrs. Bilby was of Germau ancestry. Mr. Bilby moved to New York State in 1826, and settled at Marion, where he worked at the blacksmith's trade the remainder of his days. He was the father of six children, all of whom are now living: Jeremiah, John, Joseph, Christopher, Mary J. and Thankful. Mr. Bilby lived to the age of seventy-one years, and was a very substantial and wealthy man. He and wife were members of the Baptist Church aod they were honored and esteemed by all. Soon after marriage. in 1844, Mr. and Mrs. Pooley moved to Michigan, and settled on eighty acres of land that her father had entered in 1831, and resided on this for a time. This land Nathan Pooley redeemed by paying the taxes, and also bought ont the heirs. This Michigan farm was almost in the wilderness, and with the assistance of his most estimable wife, and by much hard labor, Mr. Pooley soon had a good home. He planted orchards, erected substantial

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buildings and made other improvements. After remaining on this farm abont ten years, or until April, 1855, Mr. Pooley came to Goshen, Ind. He brought his family the next fall, and engaged in the boot and shoe business. By thrift and attention to business he accumulated considerable property, and continued in this business for twenty years. He was successful, built several houses and a commodious brick store on Main street which he owns, as well as his residence and other real estate; seventeen acres of land adjoining West Goshen. Mr. and Mrs. Pooley hold member- ship in the Baptist Church, and Mr. Pooley has been church trustee for many years. He and wife were among the founders of the Baptist Church in this city, and assisted liberally with their means in building the first church of that denomination in Goshen, and also the present structure. In politics he is a strong Republican and · is one of the original Abolitionists, his Quaker benefactor early infusing into his mind a hatred of slavery. Fred Douglass delivered his first lecture at Palmyra, N. Y., and young Nathan Pooley was among his interested hearers. Before the war Mr. Pooley and others assisted slaves from the South through this county by means of the underground railroad. Mr. Pooley is one of the honored citizens of Goshen and has held a number of local positions, the most prominent being alderman, town- ship trustee and supervisor. He has taken an active interest in the canse of educa- tion, and was a member of the school board. He has assisted in establishing good schools in Goshen, is public-spirited and thoroughgoing. He gave all of his chil- dren good educational advantages. William E., supplemented his schooling received in the common schools by attending college at Kalamazoo, and the Commercial College at Buffalo, N. Y. The other children were educated in the public schools of Goshen. William E. who is a farmer of Missouri, married Miss Kate Richmond, of Goshen, and they have five children; Emma M. married William M. Davis, a ma- chinist, and resident of Topeka, Kas., and they have three children; Charles A. married Miss Lydia Irvin, a book-keeper in Goshen, and they have one child. Mr. Pooley is a strong temperance man and has ever been an honorable, upright citizen. During his long career as a business man his integrity has remained without a stain.

DAVID C. MILLER. A worthy history of Elkhart county, Ind., could not be given without mentioning the name of Mr. Miller, who, for over forty years, has been a prominent resident of this county. During his long term of years here his good name has remained untarnished, and he has well and faithfully performed every daty, both public and private, that has fallen to his lot. He is a native of the Buckeye State, born in Montgomery county, near Dayton, June 8, 1817, and was a son of Jacob and Polly (Michel) Miller. Jacob Miller was born in Kentucky about 1795, and was the son of David and Abigail (Morgan) Miller, and the grandson of Phillip Miller, a native of Maryland, whose parents came from Germany and were pioneer settlers of Kentucky. The grandfather of our subject was one of three brothers, Daniel, David and Abraham, all of whom lived to be aged men. They left the Blue Grass State on account of the slavery question and settled in Mont- gomery county, Ohio, where they reared their families. All were members of the Dunkard Church. The grandfather of our subject, David Miller, was married in Maryland to Miss Morgan, and these children were born to them: Michael, Jacob (father of subject), Lydia, Esther, Katie, Betsy, Susan and Nancy. Only one died when young, and he was accidentally shot. The above mentioned children settled in Ohio, married, reared families, and there most of them passed the remainder of their days. The father died in Montgomery county at an early day. The father of our subject, Jacob Miller, was a boy of about ten years when his parents moved to Ohio, and he there grew to manhood. He married Miss Polly Michel and reared the chil- dren who are named as follows: David C., Michel, John, Mary, Sallie, Emanuel, Henry, Hettie, Susan and Martin. All are now living but Michel and Susan, and all married and reared families. Our subject. Susan and Martin moved to Indiana and settled in this part of the State. Michel died in Ohio a very wealthy man, and John also became quite wealthy and is now living in Kansas. The father of these

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children died in 1861. He was one of the early pioneers in Ohio, and was a very popular man. He accumulated a handsome property, all the result of his own exer- tions, and liberal in his contributions to all worthy enterprises. Mrs. Miller, his wife, was born in Pennsylvania, and was but seven years of age when she came with her parents to Ohio. She was the daughter of Jacob and Mary (Mayer) Michel, natives of Pennsylvania, who moved to Ohio at a very early day. She was born in 1800 and died in 1851. Our subject was reared on a farm and secured a fair educa- tion in the district schools. In 1838 he married Miss Rachel Bigler, a native of Washington county, Penn., born May 1, 1817, and the daughter of David and Nancy (Graybill) Bigler. Mr. and Mrs. Bigler came from Washington county, Penn., to Stark county, Ohio, and died there when aged people. They reared a large family of children as follows: Andrew, Rachel, Moses, Daniel, Amos, Julia, Nancy, Phoebe, Delila, Lydia, Barbara. Two died young, but most of the others are living. To Mr. and Mrs. Miller were born ten children, nine daughters and one son, and all but four now living. Nancy married and is now residing with her son David, in Kosciusko connty; Jacob resides on a farm in this county (see sketch), Mary married Daniel Wysong (see sketch), Hannah married Adam Miller, of this township (see sketch), Susan died when seven years of age; Sarah (deceased) was the wife of Charles Stuart; Julia married Joshua Wysong (see sketch), Rachel married Joseph Geyer, of Union township; Lavina married Henry Wysong (see sketch), and Malinda (deceased) was the first wife of Solomon Pepple. Mr. Miller has a number of grandchildren. He has resided in this county for many years, and his farm was covered with woods when he first settled on it. He has witnessed the growth and development of the country and has contributed his share toward its improvement. He has held a number of local offices and has ever proved himself a man of good judgment and sound sense. He and his esti- mable wife are not enjoying the best of health just at present, but surrounded by their children, they are thus rendered happy. Both are members of the Dunkard Church, and Mr. Miller votes with the Democratic party.

CHARLES FRANK is an intelligent man of affairs, who keeps abreast of the times, and is an honored ex-soldier of the Civil War. He is descended from good old Pennsylvania stock, and was born in Beaver county, of that State, March 18, 1842, a son of Reinhold and Catherine (Roupp) Frank. He received a common-school education at first, which he finished in the Academy of Beaver county, Penn. At the age of nineteen years, on September 14, 1861, he enlisted from his native State in Company B, Seventy-fourth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, with which he served on many a hard-fought battlefield for three years. He took an act- ive part in the engagements at Cross Keys, Va., Cedar Mountain, Pope's campaign in Virginia, Freeman's Ford, White Sulphur Springs, Waterloo Bridge, second bat- tle of Bull Run, the two days' battle at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Get- tysburg. He was then sent to the Department of the South, and for one year was before Charleston and in several severe skirmishes. From that place his regiment was sent back to Washington, and he was mustered ont of the United States service September 14, 1864, receiving honorable discharge. He was an active and efficient soldier, and in the best years of his life he did not hesitate to risk his life and face rebel bullets on many a hard-fought battlefield. To such men as Mr. Frank the nation owes its preservation. During the last year and a half that he gave to his country he served on the non-commissioned staff as regimental commissary. After the war be came to Mishawaka, Ind., and engaged in the lumber business with Frederick Lang, buying out the interests of two of Mr. Laug's partners. Since that time he has been engaged in the business, and has conducted his affairs in such a manner that his patronage has grown to large proportions and his name come to be as highly regarded as his bond. He is thoroughly posted in matters pertaining to his business, and also has exceptionally intelligent views on the general questions of the day. He chose for his companion through life Miss May Buchheit, and to 35

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their union four children have been given: George F., J. Norman, Estella M. and Grace L. In 1889 Mr. Frank took up his residence in Mishawaka, where he hae since continued to reside, he and his family being highly regarded in the social cir- cles of the place. He is a member of Houghton Post, No. 128, G. A. R., of Mish- awaka; has held all the offices in the same and at the present time is adjutant. He is a member of Monitor Lodge, No. 286, I. O. O. F., of Mishawaka, in which honor- able order he has filled all the chairs. Politically he has ever been a stanch Re- publican. He is a man who is thoroughly respected for his honorable traits of character and sound judgment, and although a Republican held the office of justice of the peace for four years in Madison township, which always goes strongly Demo- cratic. Like many of the old soldiers, after fighting his country's battles be settled down to business, and became a practical, successful man and a highly respected citizen. John George Frank, his paternal grandfather, was a citizen of Wurtem- burg, Germany, in which kingdom his son Reinhold was born. When seven years of age, or in 1806, the latter was brought to America by his father, who was a mem- ber of the famous Rappist Colony under George Rapp, and for a time resided in Pennsylvania and afterward in Posey county, Ind., on the Wabash River. The elder Mr. Frank died soon after coming to America, but his son Reinhold lived with the Rappites until he was thirty-five years of age, after which he resided for some time in Beaver county, Penn. He died in 1872, at the age of seventy three years. He was the father of Ernestine M., George F., William A., Charles, Julia D., An- gustus and Edward R. Mr. and Mrs. Frank were members of the Lutheran Church, and she is yet living at the age of seventy-seven years. The maternal grandfather of Charles Frank was John George Roupp, who was born in the grand duchy of Baden, Germany, and served as a soldier in the Baden contingent under the great Napoleon. He married and became the father of two children: Catherine and Madelina, the former becoming the wife of Reinhold Frank. Mr. Roapp came with his family to America in 1832, and settled in Beaver county, Penn., where he died at the patriarchal age of eighty-nine years. He became a substantial man of affairs, and was for many years identified with the Dunkard Church.

O. N. LOMBERT, who has justly earned the reputation of being one of the most enterprising and progressive men of Elkhart during his ten years' residence in the city, is deserving of no inconsiderable credit for the success he has thus far made of life, particularly so when this result has been attained unaided and entirely through his own efforts. He is a native of Ingham county, Mich., his birth occurring in March, 1849. His father, Orrin Lambert, was a farmer in very limited circum- stances and his death, when our subject was only about one year old, left the widow, formerly Betsy Reynolds, and only child in destitute circumstances. Mrs. Lum- bert remarried, but in 1854 died, leaving her child, at five years of age, to the mer- ciless task of fighting his own way in the world. Young Lumbert's early career was not altogether an experience of happiness and contentment. Poverty was one of the chief drawbacks, for being too young to earn his own livelihood, he necessarily had to put up with such necessities as his relatives could afford to contribute, which were very meager indeed. At the age of fifteen a change for the better came to him- not in the way of a cessation from hard labor and privations, but in helping forma- late habits for the better which previously had no restraint or guiding hand. It was at this age, when lads are usually accustomed to the tender care of a mother and the ennobling influences of home, that his youthful ardor led him to enlist under the stars and stripes for the preservation of the Union. The discipline of army life benefited him, not only in his soldier life, but in after years when manhood had fully come to him. For nearly two years he was under the command of that great mili- tary leader, General Sherman, participating in his campaign to the sea, through the Carolinas, and in the Grand Review at Washington. Returning to civil life, he followed farming summers and attended schools winters for a number of years, and later engaged in the painter's trade. Acquiring in this way a good, practical

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education, he married Miss Athelis R. Earl, in 1878, and the succeeding year be- gan "keeping house" in Eaton county, Mich. In 1880 he entered the employ of an insurance company located at Detroit, and from the very beginning displayed marked ability for this line of business. He later accepted the position of superiu- tendent of agencies for another Michigan company, and was thus employed until 1883. In February, 1883, he organized the People's Mutual Benefit Society, of Elkhart, Ind., and from that time to the present has been an officer, director and an active worker for this company, of which he is now secretary. Unquestionably the People's Mutual Benefit Society owes much of its prosperity to the marked business sagacity of Mr. Lumbert. Aside from his success in business, Mr. Lum- bert has been active in the promotion of his adopted city's best interests; is con- nected with various public enterprises and socially is a Knight Templar and Thirty- second degree Mason. He is & Republican in politics, a "hail fellow, well met," and the father of one child-Ollie E.

SAMUEL RENSBERGER. Among the sons of Pennsylvania who have brought with them to this western land the sturdy habits of independence, integrity and industry which have ever marked the natives of the Keystone State, it is a gratification to be able to name Mr. Rensberger, whose beautiful and well-tilled farm of 141 acres in Elkhart township, and eighty-eight acres in Clinton township, show him to be a man of thrift and enterprise. His father, Jacob Rensberger, was born in Somerset county, Penn., and was a son of George Rensberger. The family originally came from Germany to this country at an early date, and first settled iu Maryland, but afterward changed their location to Pennsylvania, where George Rensberger at- tained manhood and married and became the father of the following children: John, Jacob, Adam, Jonas, Catherine, Eva, Susan and Lydia. The father of these chil- dren lived until the snows of eighty winters had passed over his head, paying the last debt of nature in Fayette county, Penn., at the residence of his son John. During the latter part of his life he became a member of the Donkard Church, having throughout life been a successful farmer and a respected citizen. His son, Jacob S., was born April 1, 1807; received a limited common education; was brought up as a farmer and was married in Somerset county, Penn., to Fannie, daughter of Daniel and - (Mast) Hochstetter, and to them a family of eleven children was born: Caroline, Eliza, Josiah, Samuel, John, Jacob, Jonas, Edward, William, Susannah, and Lewis. After his marriage, Mr. Jacob Rensberger settled in Somerset county, bnt in a short time moved to Fayette county, and after a time returned to Somerset county. In 1832 he became a resident of Holmes county, Ohio, where he entered and settled on a tract of wild land, a portion of which farm he cleared, and in the spring of 1847 he came to Indiana and settled two miles east of Goshen, where he bought 120 acres, and became well known as an industrious and honorable citizen. Samuel Rensberger, his son, came to Elkhart county, Ind., at the age of sixteen years, and about May 10, 1847, settled on the farm now owned by Samuel Rensberger, his son. He was born in Elk Creek township, Somerset Co., Penn., June 15, 1831, his advantages being such as the common schools afforded. He remained with and assisted his father on the home farm in Indiana for about three years, then worked for various farmers in Jefferson, Elkhart and Clinton townships for some four years, and on March 30. 1854, won for his wife Martha, daughter of Beltser Hess (see sketch of Israel Hess), and on November 2, following the celebration of their nup- tials, he moved onto 102 acres of the old homestead which he had purchased, and here his career as a married man began. He greatly increased his acreage and has given seven of his children $1,000 each. His children are as follows: Josephine S., Alpheus D., Albert A., William W., Hiram, Melvin M., Cephas, Chloe F., Mary A. (who died at the age of sixteen years), and Grace P. Mr. and Mrs. Rensberger are members of the German Baptist Church, and he is actively interested in the prog- ress of his section, in which he has held a number of local offices. All his chil- dren have been well educated, and his son, Melvin, has been a successful school

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teacher of his county for three years. Mr. Rensberger has always been industrious, pushing and thrifty, and it is not to be wondered at that he has made a succes, of his affairs. He is liberal in the use of his means in the support of enterprises ,hat recommend themselves to his excellent judgment, and in every sense of the wo_ 'd is an acquisition to the community in which he has so long made his home.

FREDERICK LANO, Mishawaka, Ind. In a town of any size or importance the lumber business is a very essential one, and those who are engaged in it receive an ample return for the money invested. Mr. Lang is one who has given this line of business his attention, and in its conduct he has met with more than an ordinary degree of success and thoroughly undersands its most minute details, which is without doubt a secret of his prosperity, together with the fact that he is always found at his post. He was born in the Kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, May 9, 1834, where, like all German youths, he received a good common-school education, which was supplemented afterward by a two years' course in a Latin school. At the age of sixteen years he left home to make his own way in the world and celebrated bis six- teenth birthday on the Atlantic ocean while on his way to America. After reaching this country he resided for three years in Pittsburg, Penn., during which time be worked in a wholesale grocery store, then came to Mishawaka, Ind. His father. Frederick Lang, came to this country with his family, which consisted of his wife (Barbara Nummer, his second wife) and two children, Fredericka and Christina, and an

adopted son. He settled in Penn township, St. Joseph Co., Ind., five miles south of Mishawaka on a partly cleared farm of 160 acres, which he finished clear- ing and improving and on which he resided until his death in 1873. He was con- sidered a substantial citizen, and after coming to this country supported the princi- ples of the Republican party. Upon coming to this county, Frederick Lang, the subject of this sketch, took up his residence with his father, whom he assisted in the numerous and laborious duties of the farm for ten years. In 1857 Miss Ernestine M. Frank became his wife and to them the following children were given: Emma, who died a married woman; Otto E .; Minnie J. and Otilla J. In 1864 Mr. Lang, Charles Kelley and others formed a company and engaged in the manufacture of hardwood Inmber and wagon stuff, building a saw-mill in Madison township, which they conducted in a successful manner, financially, until 1889. These enterprising gentlemen, in 1867, opened a lumber yard in Misbawaka and the following year Mr. Lang removed to the town and has had charge of the same ever since and has con- ducted it in a highly successful and satisfactory manner ever since. He has always

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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 90

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

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