USA > Indiana > Kosciusko County > Progressive men and women of Kosciusko County, Indiana : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography > Part 67
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Mrs. Makemson has proved in every sense a fitting partner to her husband. shar- ing his trials and helping him to face them. rejoicing in his success and taking pride in his prosperity, until now, in the sunshine of a contented home, they are surrounded with happiness which results from difficulties con- quered and obstacles removed. She is de- votedly attached to the church with which her husband is identified and is noted for her good works and charities generously be- stowed upon the unfortunate and the deserv- ing poor.
There have been few cascades, eddies or shallows in Mr. Makemson's life stream: it has always had an ever deep and steady flow. He moves steadily on. attending faith- fully to his own affairs and observing the maxim of one of America's greatest busi-
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ness men. "Do what you do thoroughly and married; he settled in Pennsylvania, where le faithfully in all accepted trusts." He al- he engaged in farming and where his son John, father of David Stoler, was born. The part of what is now the Keystone state in which Martin Stoler was at that time was still inhabited by the Indians, who became antagonistic, and drove Martin and his Tam- fly to Virginia, where they resided seven years, and then returned to the farm in Pennsylvania which Martin had first settled upon and where these pioneers passed the remainder of their lives. ways has a fixed end and aim in view. an! when he acts it is quietly and with precision. He has a strong and positive will and in his make-up there is no hypocrisy and nothing savoring of ostentation of show. Ile is lib- erail to the worthy and performs his charities in a quiet. umobtrusive way, which char- acterizes the true philanthropist and genu- ine lover of his kind. Throughout his life Mr. Makemson has first of all been true to himself and. it has then followed that he could not be untrue to any man: One of his main ambitions has been to do good to his fellowman individually, and at the same time to use his influence so as best to sub- Serve the general welfare of the community. In him Tippecanoe township has a truly gol man, a useful citizen and the com- munity a popular and genial friend and neighbor whose sympathizing nature leads him & make any reasonable sacrifice if thereby the material and oral status of his tell w men may be promoted.
DAVID STOLER.
This octogenarian and one of the oldest living citizens of Washington township. Kosciusko county. Indiana, is a native of Belford county. Pennsylvania, and was born November 3. 1817. a son of John and Mag- daiena ( Fluke) Stoler, both of whom were i German extraction.
Martin Stoler, paternal grandfather of David, whose name stands at the head of this Biographical record, was the first of the family to, come to America, where he had ` where at cabinetmaking, but still did a great
John Stoler, father of David. grew to manhood on the Bedford county. Pennsyl- vania farm, and there married Magdalena Fluke, who bore him seven children, viz : Abraham, who lived to be ninety years old : Catherine, who died in the fall of 1901. in' Pennsylvania in her ninety-fifth year : John : Mary : Philip: Susanna and David.
David Stoler was reared on the home farm in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, but at a proper age was apprenticed to the trade of masonry, and when twenty years old left the homestead to work as a journeyman mason and also at farming. About this time. 1839. he married Miss Barbara .1. Shoup, a native of his own state, and con- tinned to work at his trade about eight years longer, in connection with farming.
In October, 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Stoler came to Indiana and settled in Washington township. Kosciusko county, where he pur- chased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in the southwest corner of the town- ship and paid for it all, excepting one hun- fired dollars. He built a log cabin and con- verted the wildl place, in course of time, into a first-class farm, living on it till 1862. From that time until 1875 he worked else-
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dead of this class of work on his own premises.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Stoler have been born eleven children, viz: Martin 11 .. George W., Drucilla, Frederick. Will- iam, Lovica, two that died in infancy in Pensylvania. Sammel P. Tobias and James.
Mrs. Barbara A. Stoler was called away in 1800, and Mr. Stoler chose for his second wife Mary Banta, whom he married in 1863. but to this union no children were born. This lady died in June, 1893, and Mr. Stoler next married Elizabeth A. MeFurson, who dial June 22, 1901, also without issue. Since then Mr. Stoler has lived alone on his farm.
Mr. Stoler has for sixty years been a member of the Presbyterian church, of which for many years he has served as a trustee and as sexton. In politics he is a Democrat and has always enjoyed the con- fidence of his party, whom he has served as supervisor of his township. His neighbors have always respected Mr. Stoler as one of the most upright of men, and his long life of usefulness has merited this recognition his many friends, who all warmly esteem him.
DAVID DAUSMAN.
fairs of this part of the country ever since becoming a resident of Kosciusko county, thirty years ago, and today there are ien men as widely known or who have accom- plished as much as he towards the material development of one of the most fertile regions in the northern part of Indiana. . 1s the name indicates, the Dausman family is of German origin. David Dansman, father of the subject, was born in Alsace, Germany. March 27, 1816, and when thirteen years of age was brought to America by his parents. David and Mattie Dausman, who settled in Canada. Shortly after his arrival in the new world young Dausman began working at the potter's trade and on becoming proficient engaged in the manufacture of pottery. which he continued with marked success un- till 1873. meanwhile devoting a portion of his time to farming. In his young manhood he married Miss Magdalene Byers, who was born in Canada, near Niagara Falls, on the Ed day of February, 1817. Subsequently David Dansman and family moved from Canada to Elkhart county, Indiana, where he entered land. choosing for his future home a tract in what is now the township of Jackson. He made of the latter a com- fortable home and continued to live thereon until his death, which occurred in August. 1890. Mrs. Dausman is still living, making her home at this time with a married daugh- ter in Kosciusko county. David and Mag- dalena Dausman reared a family of eight children, whose names are as follows: Jacob ( deceased). Anna. Mary, Michael ( deceased). David. Catherine, Samuel and Moses.
Among the leading men and representa- 1 tive farmers of Kosciusko county none en- joy a higher standing or have achieved a greater measure of success than the worthy subject of this review who lives on one of the most beautiful and attractive places in David Dausman, whose name forms the township, Elkhart county, Indiana, August the township of Jefferson. Mr. Dansman caption of this article, was born in Union has been a potential factor in the local ai-
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RESIDENCE OF DAVID DAUSMAN
NAMEDAd aIVAa SO ZOW2012HA
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3. 1848. He was fortunate in being de- seended from thrifty ancestors, his parents being noted for their industrious and frugal habits as well as for the sterling moral worth which was ever a prominent characteristic of their lives. Young David inherited these excellent traits and early exemplified them in his childhood and youth while assisting his father with the work of the farm and obtaining an education in the common : schools. He grew up with the predominat- ing idea of relying upon himself, and while still young began to formulate plans for his future course of action. He remained un ler the parental roof until after his majority and then decided to devote his life to agricultural pursuits, a resolution which he carried out with results that are today plainly apparent to the people of his community and through- out Kosciusko county in general.
Is a worthy helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Dausman chose Miss Tillie Phillips, of Wayne county, Chio. Mrs. Pausiran was born August 23, IS51, the daughter of Lewis and Harriett ( Orwig) Phillips, ratives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively: these parents moved to Indiana is: 1865 and settled in Elkhart county, where Mrs. Dausman grew to womanhood and it was nere also that her marriage was solemnized.
Two days after his marriage Mr. Daus- man took his bride to Kosciusko county and began housekeeping on a farm in Tippecanoe township, where he lived about three years as a renter. Subsequently he changed his residence to the township of Jefferson, where in 1877 he purchased the land from which he has since developed one of the finest farmis and most beautiful and attractive homes in that part of the county. When
Mir. Dansman moved to his place he found it without improvements of any kind and covered with a dense growth of forest and underbrush which required a prodigious amount of hard labor to remove. Like many others in similar circumstances he threw all 1 the energy of his being into the task before him and knew little rest or recreation until he had reduced other improvements in keep- ing therewith. In the course of time the for- est was cleared away. stumps removed, fences built, a successful drainage system inaugurated, and recently one of the finest brick residences in Jefferson township erect- ed. in addition to which barns and other out- buildings were put up until the farm now bears every evidence of the advanced pros- perity which has characterized the career of the proprietor since he set out to make a home and carve out a destiny.
Mr. Dansman's farm contains one hit- dred and twenty acres and is a model in all of its improvements and appointments. Everything on the place gives evidence of the industry, care, good taste and successful management of the owner, who, as stated in a preceding paragraph, has honorably earned and well sustained the reputation of one of the county's most enterprising and progressive farmers as well as one of its clear-headed. shrewd and far-seeing busi- ness men.
In addition to cultivating his own land. Mr. Dansman is the business manager and general overseer of the Dunning estate, which is perhaps the largest and most im- portant agriculturist interest in Kosciusko county, containing eighteen hundred and seventy-one acres, much of which is in a high state of cultivation. This large place is owned by David M. Dunning, of Auburn,
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New York, a capitalist and man of affairs. living at home; and Goklie, who was born November 28, 1893, and departed this life
To manage successfully such a large in- terest requires sound judgment and basi- . December 1, 1894. ness ability far above the average, both of which, with other equally meritorious qual- ;; ities. Mr. Dansman possesses in an eminent degree. He has proven worthy of the con fidence reposed in him and has never failed : represents.
to render a strict reckoning to the entire sat- , known subject of this sketch is 'one of the isfaction of the wealthy capitalist whom he ; leading men of Washington township or İ
In a business sense Mr. Dansman's life has been much more successful than that of the average farmer; although he began without the least pecuniary help from any one, he has by close application to his ai- fairs amassed a competence. This has been the result of individual efforts and he is therefore a conspicuous example of the self- made man. Personally he is kind and obli- ging, taking delight in conferring favors upon his friends, while his enemies, if he has any, have never uttered a breath of suspi- cion against his character nor cast a blot upon his reputation as an honest, upright. moral citizen. He is a kind and considerate husband and father and obliging neighbor. and in every way a most amiable and esti- mable gentleman.
Mr. and Mrs. Dausman are the parents of seven children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Stella. April S. 25;2, died July 7. 1873: Mlinnie, March 4. 1874. married Ansil D. Weimer, a farmer of this county: Charles, January 8, 1870. 1
married Nettie Palmer and lives in the coun- ty of Kosciusko; Samuel D., June 20, 1870. married Clara Thwates and is also a resi- dent of the county: Franklin. June 28, 1880. died June 2. 1805: Beulah, July 24. 1887.
WILLIAM H. THORN.
It is not too much to say that the well-
that the county of Kosciusko is proud to "number him among her most worthy and exemplary citizens. A native of Indiana. his birth occurred in Wabash county on the 12th day of April. 1845. For many years the Thorns were residents of Ohio, in which state numerous descendants of the original founder of the family are yet living and, as far as known, all who bear the name are noted for honor, integrity and the essential elements of intelligent and enterprising citi- zenship. John and Rebecca ( Metcalf ) Thorn, parents of William HI .. came to Wa- bash county. Indiana, as early as 1836 and settled in North Manchester where the ia- ther built the first flouring-mill ever operated in that part of the country. John Thorn had two brothers, Isaac and William, the latter the pioneer merchant of North Manchester and a successful business man. John con- tinued to manufacture flour until seventy- four years of age, meanwhile meeting with good success in his business and becoming one of the financially strong men of the county of Wabash. By reason of several business reverses he lost a considerable por- tion of his wealth, which compelled him to spend the remainder of his life in circum- stances far different from what he had for- merly enjoyed.
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In religion he was a devout member of states and territories of the west, in several the Methodist church. He was an aggres- Fof which he now has large landed interests. sive politician and for many years a local " Mr. Thorn has given especial attention to leader of the Republican party. Honored and esteemed by all who knew him, he earned the reputation of an upright citizen, always willing to render assistance to worthy enterprises, free to give careful and disin- terested advice and in many instances afford- ing substantial aid and encouragement to the needy and deserving. John and Rebecca Thorn had ten children: Hannah, Phoebe. Joseph, William H., Sarah, Anna, Anola. Eva. Iantha and two that died in infancy.
The childhood and youthful years of William H. Thorn were spent in Wabash county in the common schools of which he received a good practical education. When he was fourteen his mother died and two years later he started out to achieve his own fortune. When a small boy he entered his father's mill for the purpose of learning the miller's trade and at the age of sixteen he had become so proficient that it was no diffi- cult matter for him to secure remunerative employment. He continued to follow his chosen calling at various places until his fortieth year, meantime obtaining his full share of the amusements and enjoyments of life, besides saving from his earnings suffi- cient means to put him in comfortable cir- chimstances.
It was about the year 1880 that Mr. Thorn first turned his attention to dealing in real estate, from which time until a compara- tively recent date he made that his chief business. Ilis real estate transactions took a wide range and for several years he trav- elel quite widely throughout Ohio, Indi- ana and other middle states, besides making a number of extensive tours through various
dealing in farm lands, in which from the beginning his transactions have resulted in liberal financial gains. Not only has he traded for other parties, but by buying when favorable opportunities presented themselves and disposing of his lands when the markets were right he frequently met with the most encouraging success. As a judge of the relative values of all kinds of real estate Mr. Thorn has few equals and no superiors in his line of business and all of huis dealings have been carried on and con- summated with the object in view of satisfy- ing all parties concerned. His integrity has never been questioned in any of his trans- actions and when once given, his word has proved absolutely reliable and the end gen- erally justified the confidence which his pa- trons reposed in his honor and good judg- ment. Mr. Thorn became a resident of Kos- ciusko county in 1869 and since the year 1885 has been permanently located in the county. Ile was united in marriage Novem- ber 10, 1891, to Mrs. Emeline King, widow of the late Albert King and daughter of John D. and Mary Shaffer, residents of Noble county and of German descent. Mr. and Mrs. Thorn have a beautiful, attractive and hospitable home, supplied with many of the comforts and conveniences and not a few of the luxuries of life, and their social standing in the community is second to that that of no other two residents of the county. Mr. Thorn is a man of decided convictions on all matters, and, being intelligent and wide awake, it is natural that he should take much more than a passive interest in public and political affairs. He has always stood
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for progress and improvement in material and moral things and politically has long wielded a potential influence for the Repub- lican party, of which he has been a stanch adherent ever since old enough to exercise the right of voting. Not an aspirant for official preferment himself, he works dili- gently in behalf of his friends and deems no sacrifice too great to make if thereby the in- terests of the party may be advanced. He is a member of the Masonic brotherhood, the principles of which he endeavors to exem- in which he will ever be the most independ- ent. Of course when this is said reference is made to civilized man, because hunting and fishing were the primitive pursuits of man before he reached the civilized state. Since the evolutionists have shown that man comes from a man-monkey that lived in the last geological epoch and that the said monkey in turn came from a still lower form of primates, and so on back to protoplas:n. the superiority of one person by reason of birth over another has been almost wholly plify in a life devoted to the good of his fel- . given up. In other words, as all mankind low men. Mr. Thorn has ever been loyal i came from monkeys, it is not in order for to his convictions of right and has dis- charged the duties of neighbor and citizen with the object in view of making his friends happier and the community better. Blessed with an abundance of worklly wealth, all of which has been acquired by his own unaided efforts, he has not been selfish; on the con- trary, his benefactions have been many, while his liberality and philanthropy have been felt not only in his own locality but in other places where worthy enterprises have been prosecuted. Personally he is a man of pleasing presence, genial in deportment and popular with all-in short, a typical representative of the enterprising, success- ful. self-made men who have done so much to develop the resources of the great middle west and advance all of its interests.
JOHN S. HEAGY.
The occupation of farming, to which this subject has applied his time and atten- tion since reaching his majority, is the ohl- est business pursuit of mankind and the one
one man to brag that he came from a better monkey than his neighbor. So that farmers stand just as high as merchants or doctors. In addition, the farmer is far more inde- pendent. If he is out of debt he can laugh at panics and periods of tight markets. Thus is situated the subject of this brief memoir. John S. Heagy was born in Wayne county, Indiana. May 29. 1860, and is the son of Theodore and Mary ( Barnes) Heagy. The Heagy family are of Germanic descent, the emigrant ancestor settling in Pennsylvania about four' generations ago. In that state the grandfather and father of subject were born and reared. The Barnes, family is of Scotch descent. The father and mother were married in Wayne county, In- diana, and to them these children were born : Eliza, who became the wife of Perry Bond and lives in Tennessee: Etta, who wedded Ed. Ridenbaugh and resides in Pierceton, Indiana: John S., subject: William, who married Miss Emma Little and lives in this ! i county : George, who wedded Miss Cora Mc- Alpine and resides in this township; Homer married Myrtle Wickersham, and resides at Marion, Indiana: Minnie married John
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Weaver, and is now deceased. The father moved from Wayne county to this county about 1870 or 1871, and located in Wash- ington township, where he still resides. Theodore Heagy is a man who knows how to make money by honorable business meth- eds, and was at one time connected with at large factory at Pierceton, Indiana. He possesses more than ordinary ability, and stands high in the community where he re- sides as a citizen and a business man. He is a member of the Baptist church, and in politics is a stalwart Republican.
John Heagy remained with his father un- til he was of age, receiving a fair education and learning fully the art of farming and stock raising. He determined to follow that occupation and began to rent and farm tracts for himself. On November 21, 1882, he married Miss Flora J., daughter of Joseph and Sarah Thatcher, of Pierceton, Indiana, and by her has four children, their names being as follows: Edna, born July 5. 1883. died when nine days old: Earl. born Feb- ruary 17, 1890: Ethel, born March 7. 1894. ded October 30. 1894; Carl, born April 16. 1897. Mrs. Heagy was born in Champaign county, Ohio, September 20, 1861. When Mr. Heagy was first married he had com- faratively nothing. He farmed one year in this evanty, and then took the western fever and started for Kansas, where he took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres Hat Rived on the same for thirteen months. when he went to central Kansas and rented land and made money. He remained in Setter county, Kansas, for eight years and attitted to pile up money in spite of the pressopers and the droughts. Like his Etter under whom he was trained. it is day for him to make money. His methods
take into account the saving of a part of his earnings. In the fall of 1893, when the Cherokee strip was thrown into market, he : took a claim of one hundred and sixty acres and remained on the same for six years. In 1 1899 he sold out and returned to Indiana, and bought his present farm of one hundred and ninety acres. He is in comfortable cir- cumstances and is respected for his many good qualities of citizenship. He is a Re- publican, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is one of the most intelligent and progressive of the younger farmers of the county.
CHARLES R. LONG, M. D.
This eminent physician and surgeon, now a resident of Pierceton, Kosciusko county, Indiana, is a son of James P. and Ebigha ( Hunt ) Long and was born in Mor- row county, Ohio, October 13. 1851. When he was two years okl his parents moved to Henry county, Illinois, where they resided until 1858, then returned to Fredericktown, Ohio, where our subject completed his edu- cation in the public and high schools, from which he graduated at the age of sixteen. He then attended a select class for two years. held by a Presbyterian minister, and in 1868 his parents came to Pierceton and here he engaged as clerk in a hardware store, where he was employed about six years. He then Legan the study of medicine with his father ( who was a practicing physician ), and later attended the Detroit Medical College, of De- troit, Michigan, from which he was grad- uated in 1880. He returned to Pierceton and at once began the practice of medicine
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and has since been recognized as one of the most skillful practitioners of the city.
Ile is a member of Pierceton Lodge No. 377, F. & A. M., in which he has passed all the chairs and represented the lodge in the grand lodge. He was master of Pierceton Lodge for seven years. He is also a mem- ber of the Pierceton Lodge No. 257, 1. (). O. E., has likewise passed all the chairs and represented the lodge in the grand lodge, and also belongs to the Warsaw Knights Templar Commandery, No. 10. He is a member of the national state and county medical societies and has been president of the county society three times. Politically the Doctor is a Republican and was elected as a member of the school board several times. The Doctor is the owner of two hun- dred and eighteen acres of fine farm land, and makes a specialty of raising fine blooded Durham cattle and Berkshire hogs and car- ries on general farming.
On March 15, 1881, Dr. Long was uni- ted in marriage to Miss Emma J. Hoover, daughter of Daniel and Henrietta ( Heagy) Hoover. by whom he has four children as follows: Nora, deceased, Adda, deceased, Lena and Florence.
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