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 93

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 93
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 93

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WILLIAM KERCHER is & substantial farmer of Pennsylvania nativity, and from the date of his birth, which occurred in Lancaster county, December 31, 1813, be has resided either in that State, Ohio or Indiana. He is of German descent and has inherited many of the most worthy traits of the German race. His father, John Kercher, was also born in Lancaster county, Penn., and was married there to Cath- erine Koser, the daughter of a well-to-do farmer of that county, and their union resulted in the birth of the following children: William, Susan, Katie and Eliza. The father was a member of the Lutheran Church, was a hard-working, industrious man. and was naturally very strong and rugged, but his career was cut short by the band of death at the age of fifty years. His son William unfortunately received but little schooling io bis yonth, instead of which his time was devoted to learning the miller's trade, at which he worked for sixteen years. At the age of twenty-six years he removed to Ohio, where he spent one year in the grist-mill of Benjamin Hushig, of Richland county, after which he worked for some time in a mill in Wayne county. He then returned to Richland county, and for four years worked in the Spring mill. The year before, January 7, 1838, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Moyer, daugh- ter of John Moyer, a farmer of Richland county, who became a resident of Elkhart county in 1849, and died at the age of eighty years, having been an upright and honorable man throughout & long and useful career. Nine children eventually came to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kercher: Sarah, Catherine, John, Abraham, Susannah, William, Caroline, Albert and Rebecca. Mr. Kercher came with hie family to Indi- ana in 1851, arriving in Goshen October 23 of that year, and in the spring of the following year he settled on his present farm, which then consisted of 120 acres, only a small portion of which had been cleared and improved. Like the majority of pioneer settlers

" He cut, he logged, he cleared his lot And into many a dismal spot he let the light of day."

He made many improvements, and after many years of hard labor he had the satis- faction of seeing waving fields of grain where once had been heavy timber land, and knew this to have been brought about by his own efforts. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Dankard Church, and he was one of the prime movers in building the church of that denomination in the township. He is a Republican, & public- spirited citizen, and an honorable man in every particular. Being essentially relig- ious he has brought up his children in a very creditable manner, and bas assisted them all to a substantial start in life. His daughter, Sarah A., married Samuel Steiner, a farmer of Kansas, by whom she has four children; Catherine married Sam- uel Smith, also a farmer of the Sunflower State, by whom she has three children; Joun married Miss Kate Peck, by whom he has three children, and is a butcher of Freeport, Ill .; Caroline married Jobn Buzzard, a farmer of Harrison township, Elk-

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hart county, and is the mother of six children; Abraham married Ann Buzzard, is a farmer of Elkhart township, and has six children; William married Eliza Ann Cripe, is a farmer of the township, and has four children; Rebecca married Samuel F. Croup, of Goshen, and has two children; Alfred married Sophia Blough, and is farming on the old home place, and Susan is at home. Mr. Kercher has twenty-eight grand- children and six great-grandchildren.

HON. E. VOLNEY BINGHAM, Mishawaka, Ind. Among the members of the St. Joseph coonty bar there is no man who has been more the architect of his own fort- unes, as a representative and prominent citizen, than Mr. Bingham. In his chosen profession he occupies a high position which he has acquired by arduous study and a strict adherence to an honorable cause. As a citizen he is well and favorably known to his fellow townsmen, having passed all his life in their midst, while as a pol- itician he is deservedly popular with the leaders of hie party, as well as with the masses. He is descended from sterling Scotch ancestors and from an old American colonial family who were among the early settlers of New England. Elisha Bing- ham, his grandfather, was born in Vermont, where he followed agricultural pursuits. He was married in that State to Phobe Wright and afterward settled in western New York. As a citizen, he was present and took part in the battle of Plattsburg. After some years he moved to Ashtabula county, Ohio, of which he was one of the pioneer settlers and where he resided many years. In his old age he came to St. Joseph county, Ind., and passed bis declining years with his son Alfred, dying at the age of seventy-seven years. He was a member of the Baptist Church and an earn- est Christian gentleman. He was the father of Alva, Elisha, John, Lorinda, Mary, Alfred, Harriet and William Bingham. Alfred Bingham was born in western New York, February 16, 1810, and received the common-school education of his day. He was reared a farmer and was married in New York to Lucy Judson, by whom he became the father of two children who died young. Later they moved to Ashtabula county, Ohio, but between 1834-5 he removed to Branch county, Mich., and in 1835-6 came to St. Joseph county, Ind., and settled on a tract of wild land in Penn township. After a short residence on this land he located in Mishawaka and became an employe in the St. Joseph Iron Company, with which he remained for many years. Since that time he has engaged in various pursuits, but is now retired from active life, having reached the advanced age of eighty-three years. He has ever held a high place in the estimation of the public, for his career has been marked by honesty, energy and candor, and he has held a number of minor offices in his town- ship. He possesses an active and inquiring mind, has always been a great reader, an independent thinker and of very decided opinions. After the death of his first wife he married Ann, daughter of Francis Miller, who was born in Ireland and came to America at the age of twelve years, settling in Pennsylvania, where he followed the occupation of farming and operated a carding-mill. Mr. Bingham's second union re- sulted in the birth of the following children: Newton, Francis, E. Volney, Sarah, Lydia J., Eliza L., Hattie and Ellen. He was a strong Union inan during the great Civil war and had three sons in the army. Newton enlisted in Company F, Forty-eighth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry at Mishawaka in 1861, as a pri- vate. He was elected orderly sergeant, was promoted to second lieutenant at the battle of Inka for bravery on the field, and was assigned to Company G. He was then commissioned first lieutenant, but never filled this office as he received his commission as captain at the same time. Later he was made major and after serv- ing in this capacity for a short time was made lieutenant colonel and finally colonel. He was a brave and gallant soldier, an efficient officer and served his country until the war closed, dying soon afterward of consumption. Francis enlisted in the One Hun- dred and Thirty eighth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry and served about one year. E. Volney was in Company G, Forty-eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was born in Penn township, St. Joseph Co., Ind., August 1, 1844, on his parents' farm, but was reared in Mishawaka, in the public schools of which he received his education.

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When quite young he began working in a furniture factory. From his earliest boy- hood he was a great reader and when quite young began reading law, but his studies were interrupted by the Rebellion, and in February, 1864, he enlisted in the United States service, in which he remained until the war terminated,being with Sherman on his march to the sea, and from Savannah to Richmond, and terminated his mili- tary career with the Grand Review at Washington, D. C. After being mustered out and honorably discharged at Indianapolis he returned to Mishawaka with the rank of sergeant major, being a non-commissioned officer on the regimental staff. After his return to Mishawaka he clerked for two years, after which he became a traveling salesman. During this time he had remained true to his determination to become a lawyer and as a means to this end he carried a law book with him on the road, and his leisure hours were devoted to its perusal. Owing to failing health he qnit the road and for two years thereafter was unable to follow an active business life, but this time was by no meane wasted, for it was spent in posting himself in his chosen profession. Upon regaining his health he was elected to the position of justice of the peace and held this position three terms, or twelve years, although the township was strongly Republican, and the Republicans always elected their ticket. While filling this position he naturally resumed the study of law and was admitted to the bar in 1875, since which time he has been a successful practitioner. He has re- cently been elected by a good majority on the Democrat ticket to the State Senate, and although he is an active Democrat he has been by no means an office seeker. He was postmaster of Mishawaka for four years under President Cleveland and has been a member of the school board and of the board of school trustees of the town. He is entirely a self-made man and owes his success in life to his own unaided efforts. His education and knowledge of law was gained by painstaking study, which was pursued under many and trying difficulties, but with characteristic energy he perse- vered and is now independent. He stands deservedly high as a member of the St. Joseph county bar and it is needless to say that his integrity is unimpeachable. December 7, 1872, he was married to Hattie E. Grimes, daughter of Dr. J. F. Grimes, a sketch of whom appears in this volume, and to them four children have been born: Katie R., Hattie B., James F. and Charles W.

CHRISTIAN UMBAUGH is one of the progressive young agricultorists of the county of Elkhart and is deeply interested in the welfare of this section, for here he was born on July, 29, 1861, being the sixth in a family of seven children (three of whom are living) born to the marriage of William Umbaugh and Elizabeth Cloves. The early life of Christian was spent on his father's farm, on which he was born, in Union township, which is located four aud a half miles northeast of Nappanee, and his education, which is of a practical kind, was obtained in what is known as the Stauffer school. Like most farmer's boys, he had to assist his parents on the farm when he became old enough, and thereafter attended school only during the winter months. He was left fatherless at the age of fourteen years aud thereafter he assisted his mother and brother, William, in managing the old home place. There his mother was called from life in the month of March, 1890. At the age of twenty-two years Christian was noited in marriage with Miss Susan Stump, born April 27, 1862, a daughter of Solomon Stump. a sketch of whom appears in this work, and imme- diately after they took up their residence on the farm of eighty acres, on which they are now living, all of which is well improved and forty acres are cleared, the other forty being in heavy timber land. At the time of their location the place had no improvements but an old log house which had stood on the place for years, but this Mr. Umbaugh burned down and erected on its site his present handsome resi- dence, and has made other valuable improvements in the way of out-buildings, fences, etc. He has shown himself to be a live and progressive young man and the manner in which he manages his farm shows that he possesses a thorough knowledge of his calling as well as sound judgment. His property has been acquired by up- right methods, and being interested in the welfare of his section and generons in his

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support of worthy causes, he is considered a decided acquisition to the region in which he resides. He is well informed on all the current issues of the day and has always supported Democratic principles. He is following a general line of farming, gives considerable attention to the raising of stock, and besides the land on his home farm he tills forty acres in the vicinity of his home, on the west, and twenty- five acres near the old home place. He is one of the first citizens of the county, is an energetic young man and gives every promise of becoming wealthy. He has two sons: Verner, who was born July 24, 1884, and Mervin, born March 10, 1886, both of whom are attending school. Mr. Umbaugh's parents came from Ohio to- Indiana, but the mother was born in Germany November 16, 1824, and came to this country when a girl, her parents having died in their native land. She married Mr. Um- baugh in 1850 and two years later they took up their residence in Elkhart county, being among the early settlers of this region. Here they followed farming and reared their family. John died a number of years ago and left a family in Union township; George died at the age of eighteen yeare; Lizzie is the wife of William Wagner and is living in Nappanee; Regina was severely burned in childhood and died from its effects; Christian; William is a farmer of Union township, and the rest of the children died in early childhood. The mother died when sixty-five years of age, having for many years been a member of the Reformed Church; she was an exemplary Christian and was loved by all who knew her. The father was a prominent farmer of the county and died in 1877, having been born in Germany in 1816. When he was a young man he sought a fortune in America. eventually made a good property and left a good estate, which was divided among his children. He was also a member of the Reformed Church and held office in the same. He had experienced the trials and privations of pioneer life and thor- oughly knew the hard work involved in clearing up a farm from the wilderness. He was a stone-mason by trade and worked at that occupation to some extent after taking up his residence in this country. After their marriage he and his wife first resided for a time in Columbiana county, Ohio, and upon coming to this section were in moderate circumstances, and here eventually became prominent.

GEORGE BECK, the successful ice dealer of South Bend, Ind., is a German by birth, boru in the Fatherland on the 14th of July, 1821, to John and Sebina (Hab- ner) Beck, who were also born in that country. The father was a soap. maker by trade in Rawitch, Bavaria, and being an industrious and prudent man, he became possessed of a considerable amount of worldly goods. Three of their sons and four daughters still reside in Germany. George Beck was the second eldest of the family and in his father's establishment learned the details of soap- making. The outlook for acquiring a competency in that country was too slow and uncertain to suit one of his energetic and ambitious disposition, and accordingly in 1853 he turned his footsteps westward with the intention of making a home for himself in America and in 1858 became a resident of South Bend. He at once established a factory here for the manufacture of soap, which he continued with satisfactory financial results until 1876. He manufactured what was known as the Germany Model soap, the demand for which became large and remunerative. In 1876 he gave up this line of work to engage in the ice business, which has since oc- cupied his time and attention. His patronage extends to all parts of the city, and as he keeps a pure line of ice, fills his orders promptly and at reasonable prices, he is fully deserving of the large patronage which is his. In the winter of 1891-2 he and his son put up about 8,000 tons, but the June following the ice house was burned, the loss amounting to about $10,000 and there was no insurance. They have rebuilt their ice house and will do even a more extensive business in the future than they have done in the past. The education of Mr. Beck was obtained in the land of his birth and while there he was a soldier for six years in the regular army. He was married soon after he was released from the service, and for four years thereafter was engaged in making soap on his own acconnt, this experience and the apprenticeship

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which he had served under his father admirably fitting him for the successful conduct of such an enterprise. His wife was Miss Johanna Margarette, from the same locality as himself and their uniou resulted in the birth of two sons and five daughters, of whom one daughter is deceased: Minnie is the wife of Henry Fatish; Nomie is the wife of Mr. Grandes; Emma is a milliner of South Bend; Johanna is at home; John W. is in business with his father and George W. is a successful lumberman of Hobart, Mich. Mr. and Mrs. Beck are worthy church members and his first presidential vote was cast for James Buchanan. He is one of the substantial busi- ness men of South Bend, is honest and upright and has deservedly built up a large trade in the ice business.

WILLIAM ANDREA THOMAS. Perhaps there is no name more familiar, or more favorably known to the people of Elkhart county, Ind., than the one above men- tioned. This is not alone due to the fact that the one to whom it belongs has been a resident of Elkhart county for more than half a century, but the name has been very intimately associated with the moral, social and intellectual and financial growth of the county. In fact the name of William A. Thomas is to Elkhart county and Goshen, what an heirloom is to a proud and deserving family. The family to which William A. Thomas belongs came from Wales to America prior to the Revolution and settled in one of the Atlantic States, but at an early day emi- grated to Virginia. Thomas Thomas, the great-grandfather of William A., was likely a soldier in the war for independence, as he often spoke of those times and his meeting with Washington and other notables of that period. The family were residents of Delaware at that time, and it was here that Thomas Thomas, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1792. He went with his father to Mon- roe county, Va., and there, in 1815, he married Mary, daughter of a Mr. Kelly, a substantial farmer of that county. Early in 1827 Mr. Thomas came with his fam- ily to Richmond, Ind., but in less than two years he moved to Cary Mission, Mich., and in 1828 or 1829, located on Two Mile Plain, his nearest neighbors being a Mr. Rousnau, on Elkhart River, two miles away, and Andrew Naufsinger on the north side of the St. Joseph River. Here he engaged in farming and remained until the organization of the county, when he was chosen the first circuit court clerk, and moved his family to Goshen. He was clerk of that court fourteen years and well and faithfully performed his duty. During his incumbency in the clerk's office, he started s store at Leesburg and later one in Goshen which, with the sid of William A., he successfully operated. He was a man of very decided convictions, as his leaving Virginia that his family might be reared away from the baneful influences of slavery clearly indicates. He was an old line Whig, and a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and was in all ways a most worthy man. To him and wife were born & family of ten children, the most of whom married and made their homes in Elkhart county, where they became well-known and highly respected citi- zens. Lewis D., one of the sons, was the efficient recorder of the county for several years. Mrs. Thomas died in 1845, deeply lamented by the family and community. Later in life Mr. Thomas took a second wife, by whom he became the father of one child. Mr. Thomas died in Kosciusko county in 1883, at the advanced age of ninety one years. William Andrea Thomas was born in Monroe county, Va., March 3, 1816, and his education was such as the subscription schools of that day afforded. When the family moved to Goshen, William, for some time, found employment on a farm near town. He clerked for his father in the store at Leesburg, and later in the store at Goshen. The latter establishment was a frame structure on the present site of Dale's dry goods store, and was built by the Defrees Bros. In 1838 he en- tered the circuit clerk's office as deputy to his father, and from that time ou he was virtually that official, as his father was absent much of the time. In 1844 he was a candidate for clerk on the Whig ticket. but his being the losing party, he was con- sequently defeated. This ended his political career and the year following he and Milton Mercer engaged as partners in mercantile pursuits at Bainter's Mills, but

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some time later removed their stock of goods to Goshen, where they remained together in business some three years. From that time on for more than twenty consecutive years, he was an active and uniformly successful merchant. In 1869. he established a flouring-mill on the Hydraulic Canal, which, for years, did a flourishing business. In 1875 he closed out his dry goods business, and a year later established the Farmer's Bank at Gosben, taking in as a partner his son-in-law, La Porte Heefner. This institution, under the wide and conservative management and direction of Mr. Thomas, has become one of the leading financial institutions in northern Indiana. November 14, 1845, Mr. Thomas was united in marriage with Miss Sarah J. Mckinney, whose people were well-known residents of Miami county, Ohio. Three years later Mrs. Thomas died, having borne bim two children: John F. and Sarah I. November 5, 1850, Mr. Thomas married Miss Eliza C., sister of his first wife, and a lady of great social and moral worth. By this union there were three children: Mary E., Jane E. and Elvira L. Of the five children born to bim, only three are living. The only son and Mary E. are deceased. Sarah I. became the wife of C. M. Harris, and is a resident of Goshen; Jane E. married La Porte Heefner, and Elvira L. resides at home. Could it be known the motives which actuate the most humble, a romance as picturesque as the Arabian Nights or Lalla Rookh might be written, but as actions, character and things accomplished are the only outward manifestations of the real man, it is upon these and these alone that the judgment must be founded and the verdict given. This being true, it can never be otherwise than pleasant to consider the life of a man whose character has been firm and unswerving in the right, whose actions have been manly, and who has accomplished that which commands the respect and esteem of all who know him. All this can be justly said of William Andrea Thomas. A son of honest and industrious parents, who came to Indiana at a time when naught but hardships were to be expected, he early learned the importance of self-reliance and economy, and at an early age began the battle of life for himself. His whole hfe bas been one of toil and close application to his varied interests. He early recognized the fact that nothing could be attained withont labor, and bearing thie ever in mind, he has done his work well, and now in his old age he is enjoying a justly earned competency and the respect of all who know him. By some, Mr. Thomas is considered a severe economist, but be that as it may, it can truly be said of him that he is a true friend to those whom he considers deserving of his friendship. Politically be has always voted and acted in opposition to the Democratic party. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Snch in brief is an account of the life of William Andrea Thomas, one of Elkhart county's oldest and most highly re- spected citizens.

MILTON MERCER, who has been long and prominently connected with the busi- ness affairs of Goshen and throughout an honorable career in the commercial affaire of the city has made numerous warm friends, owes his nativity to Fairfield, Green Co., Ohio, where he was born on June 23, 1820, his parents being Moses and Mary (Carpenter) Mercer, with whom he came to Goshen, Ind., arriving on the day he was twelve years of age. The journey thither was a tedious and toilsome one and young Milton covered the entire distance on foot. Owing to the fact that the family was in straitened circumstances, and the head of the family an invalid, who died in April, 1833, Milton was compelled to seek employment in order to as- sist in the support of the family, which consisted of three younger brothers. At that time the country was new and the now thriving town of Goshen was but one year old, consequently it did not take him long to find employment in a store owned and conducted by Morrison, Harris & McCord, at the by no means munificent compen- ation of $3 per month. He boarded at home with his mother, and although his compensation was small it aided materially in keeping the wolf from the door, and although he was brought in contact with the hard realities of life at an early age it taught him many useful lessons, among which energy and self-reliance were not the

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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 93

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

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