USA > Indiana > Kosciusko County > Progressive men and women of Kosciusko County, Indiana : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography > Part 68
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HIRAM O. KING, M. D.
twenty-five he left school and began teach- ing in the district schools. He also com- menced a course of medical study under the preceptorship of Dr. J. L. Gilbert, of Kendallville, and later entered the Detroit Medical College, graduating therefrom in the spring of 1876. Not content with the knowledge thus obtained, he entered Rush Medical College of Chicago, taking a post- graduate course, graduating therefrom in 1882. In 1876 he began the practice of his profession at Moscow, Hillsdale county, Michigan. remaining there for one year. In the fall of 1877 he moved to Pierce- ton, where he again opened an office and. with the exception of the time requisite to complete his post-graduating course, has continued here ever since in the practice of his profession. Dr. King has grown in favor as a physician and surgeon and now enjoys a most lucrative practice. His standing among his professional brethren is high and the value of his services in the sick chamber has been long assured and appreciated by many families throughout the entire county.
Fraternally the Doctor is a member of Pierceton Lodge No. 387. A. F. & A. M .. has held, all the offices of the local lodge, and is now its worshipful master. Dr. King also holds membership in Pierceton Lodge No. 245. K. of P., is a past chan- color and has served as representative of the local or subordinate lodge in the grand lodge. In medical associations he holds membership. not only with the county, but state organization, and is a regular attend.
This successful physician and farmer of Pierccion, Kosciusko county, Indiana, a son of Michael and Rachel (Switzer) King, was born in Noble county, Indiana, No- vember 16, 1850. He attended the public want at the sessions of each. He is a mem- schools of his native place for his prelim- ber of the United States pension examin- inary education and took a course at the ing board, receiving his appointment under Kendallville Academy. At the age of President MeKinley's first administration.
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On November 11, 1879. Dr. King led in this line of business and having saved to the altar Miss Ida Bethia Wilson, a some money, he engaged in business on his daughter of Albert and Isabelle ( Tro- bridge) Wilson, who became the mother of one son, Ralph, born . April 1, 1874. now checking in a clothing store at Piercetoll. Mrs. King was born March 12. 1861, in Noble county, on her father's farm. ad- joining that where the Doctor was born. own account in 1841, following it success- fully until 1859, when he traded his mill property for a farm which he conducted un- ti! 1877. While he was successful as a farm- er, he ever had a yearning to again engage in milling and looked about him for an op- portunity to do so. The chance finally came Dr. King is of German descent. His father was a native of Baden-Baden, Ger- many, born in 1804, and came to America when he was a young man of twenty-six years of age, locating first in Ohio, and in 1850 moved to Indiana. He was three times married, first to a lady in Germany; his second wife was Miss Rachael Switzer. a native of Ohio, and his third wife was Mrs. Henrietta Potter. and he traded his Richland farm for the grist-mill located in Pierceton, Kosciusko county, Indiana, where he has since been lo- cated and conducted the milling business. Some time since he disposed of a third in- terest in the mill to Daniel W. Strouse, of Pierceton, who continued as his partner un- til April, 1902, when Mr. Balliet purchased his interest and is now the sole owner in the enterprise. The revolution in the manu- facture of flour by the introduction of the roller process prompted Mr. Balliet to add the improvement to his plant, in order to DAVID BALLIET. meet the demands of consumers and keep pace with competitive millers from other points, which was speedily done. The mill is now doing a large general business and is the only flouring mill in Pierceton. It en- joys a fine trade and the product enjoys a high reputation among the people of the county.
The gentleman whose biography is here given is one of the prosperous farmers of Washington township and principal owner and founder of the Pierceton Roller Mills, and well deserves mention in the biograph- ical memoirs of Kosciusko county. He is a son of Stephen and Catherine (Zehner) Balliet, and was born in Northampton coun- . Pennsylvania, February 8, 1820. His boyhood days were passed in his native county and it was there he attended school until his seventeenth birthday, when his par- cts moved to Richland county, Ohio. To sis former schooling was added two winter terms in the public schools of Richland county, and then he applied himself to the milling business. After becoming proficient
The grandfather of our subject was Leonard Balliet of Franco-German parent- age, and was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania. His father, John, and two brothers, Paul and Joseph, were the first of the family that came to America, over two hundred years ago, and settled in the Penn colony. Leonard married a lady of Scotch parentage and they reared a large family, consisting of eleven children. The father. Leonard, became a soldier in the Continental
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army and served throughout the long and trying struggle which finally culminated in the independence of the colonies from Eng- lish domination. The names of the children born to Leonard Balliet and wife are as fol- How's: Leonard, Jr., Stephen, George Dan- iel. Eva. Joseph, Henry, Jonas, Jacob, David, and John, who died in infancy. It will be seen from the chronology that Stephen, the second son of Leonard, and who married Catherine Zahner, is the father of our sub- ject. David Balliet. Stephen Balliet was a cooper and blacksmith by trade, and also a farmer. He and his wife became the par- ents of twelve children, namely: Nancy. Benjamin. Joseph, John, Stephen, Leonard, Henry, David ( the subject ), Tillina, Cath- erine. Jonas and Mary Ann. Leonard and David are the only members of the family now living, Leonard now residing in Wyan- dot county, Ohio, at the advanced age of eighty-six.
From 1860 to 1869 Mr. Balliet, while a resident of Ohio, held the office of township trustee of Wyandot county, and also the of- fice of supervisor. . In his marital relations Mr. Balliet has been unfortunate and yet fortumate. His first marriage occurred Jan- uary 6, 1846, the lady being Miss Lena Swartz, a daughter of John and Catherine ( Drysbuck ) Swartz. Children were born to this union, namely : Aaron, deceased ; Ly- FRANCIS MCNAMARA, DECEASED. dia, deceased: John Franklin, a banker, of Kansas: Marietta: Tillman, a resident of Grydeland; and one that died in infancy. After the death of Mrs. Balliet Mr. Balliet married Elizabeth Balliet, widow of his I rather Joseph. There were no children by this marriage. His third wife was Jane Bridget McNamara, sister of Francis, " died in the city of Philadelphia at the re- (Raney ) Weatherby, daughter of Robert Kaney. They were the parents of one ' markable age of one hundred and sixteen
child. Charles, who assists in the operation of the mill. The fourth wife was Mrs. Elizabeth ( Manner) Shank, daughter of James and Jane McAlexander Manner. She was born March 30, 1837, and was formerly the wife of Abraham Shank.
Politically Mr. Balliet is a Democrat. but of the quiet type who leave the turmoil of politics for others. The paternal an- cestors of Mr. Balliet are of German de- scent, coming to America prior to the Rev- olutionary war and settling in the Penn col- ony. Mr. Balliet is an active participant in all movements that tend to the public good and enjoys the confidence and es- teem of many sincere friends. Fraternally he is a Mason, having become a member of Nevada Lodge, in Ohio, in 1803. He has held many of the offices therein. In religion his early choice was the German Reformed church, but on moving to Ohio he became a member of the Lutheran church, there being no church of the form- Ver denomination in Richland county. On coming to Pierceton similar difficulty was met and there being no Lutheran church he became a member of the Presbyterian church, in which he is a prominent official.
Francis MeNamara was a native of Clare Castle, County Clare, Ireland, and was a son of Francis and Mary ( Hassett) MeNamara, a family long and well known in Clare Castle.
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years. She was the wife of John Sweeney, born in Swartzenberg, Germany, in 1813 a veterinary surgeon, known in Ireland as "and came to America in 1832, when nine- a farrier. After the death of her husband | teen years old, suffering shipwreck on the Bridget ( MeNamara) Sweeney came from i passage. She found a home with a sister London to America, to make her home | in Pennsylvania, and her father, being with her son. John F. McSweeney, a Cath- olie priest located at Maysville, Kentucky. The remarkable vitality of this family is as- tonishing, and the feat that she performed in crossing the Atlantic ocean when ninety- six years old can not, it is believed by the writer. be paralleled. The father of Fran- cis MeNamara lived to be one hundred and six years okl, dying in the old country. Francis MeNamara, the subject of this sketch, came to America with an uncle. named MeBeth, who commanded the sail- ing vessel Sarah, of Greenoch. Captain MeBeth was an educated gentleman and was of much assistance to Francis, the lat- ter remaining with him until reaching the age of twenty-eight, about which time the vessel was wrecked and lost.
Francis MeNamara, when about twen- ty-eight years old, went into nautical sery- ice on Lake Champlain, which he followed for two years. He then worked on a farm about one year in New York, and then went to Fayette county, Pennsylvania, continu- ing in the same line about two years. Later he became a manager in one of the depart- ments of a paper mill owned by William Togg. It was at this time he was mar- ried. the lady who became his wife being Christina Webber, a daughter of John Adam and Anna Mary ( Burkhart ) Web- ber. They became the parents of nine chi !- dren. namely: William, John Goodlow, Margaret Ann, Mary, Francis, Barbara, Bridget. Mathew and George Gordon.
Christina ( Webber) McNamara was
wealthy, paid for a round-trip ticket for two years, but they never went back and consequently were disinherited. Christina was a college graduate and quite accom- plished. While residing with her brother and sister the family removed to Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and there Christina met Mr. McNamara, to whom she was. married at Brownsville, although they were of diverse religions, he being a Catholic and she a Lutheran. About 1840 Mr. Mc- Namara migrated to Ohio and purchased a farm of eighty acres in Jefferson township. Knox county, where he resided until 1881, when he moved to Kosciusko county, In- diana, and here his wife passed away at Pierceton June 21, 1886, and here, also, after a life of retirement of about six years, Mr. McNamara was called to the in- known beyond January 19, 1887.
John Goodlow McNamara was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania October 9. 1837. and when four years old was taken by his parents to Ohio, where he later attended school in an old-fashioned log school- house, he being then about fourteen. When he was aged twenty-three he attend- ed the Haskill Academy at Loudonville. Ohio, for five months, and then came to Warsaw, Kosciusko county, Indiana, there he kept bachelor's hall and attended school one season. He next went to Columbia City, and then attended the high school at Pierceton for two terms. He was next em- ployed in clearing off forest land for three years, and finally became a contractor, in
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which vocation he erected twenty-two barns and forty-seven houses, going through all the lumber with jack-plane and dressing it by hand. In the meantime he took a course vi study in law, and also did some farm work.
1. 1803 and 1864 Mr. MeNamara was engaged in getting out timber in Michigan, and there also he built the trestle-work across the Vitawawassee river; later lie took a gang of men to the pineries aul got out three million feet of logs. He then returned to Kosciusko county and bought fifty-two acres of timber-land and went into the lumber business for about a year. He also placed part of this land under cultivation, later sold it and pur- chased one hundred and ten acres, which he cleared up and made his home until about 1901. when he retired to Pierceton to pass the remainder of his days in peace and com- fort.
The marriage of John G. MeNamara was solemnized in Knox county, Ohio, Jan- uary :. 1802, with Miss Caroline Beam, a daughter of Jacob and Mary ( Kruger ) Beam, and born in Knox county October 23. 1841. This marriage has been blessed with four children, viz .: Mary E., who died in 1806, when three and a half years off: John Francis, who died July 3. 1876. aged eleven years and three weeks: Dora AAda, bern September 16, 1867. is deceased : and Alina Bell. born September 27, 1868. died February 25, 1869.
Jacob Beam, father of Mrs. Caroline MeNamara, was born in West Baden, Ger- many, and there learned shoemaking. He was still a Young man when he came to the United States and settled in Knox county. Ohio, where he married Mary Kruger, also
a native of Germany, who at the age of twenty came to America with her parents, who settled in Canton, Ohio, where her grandfather, John Kruger, met his death Ly a fall from a cherry tree.
John G. MeNamara is a skillful and versatile mechanic, being a blacksmith. gunsmith, carpenter, cabinetmaker, and, in fact, a worker at any trade requiring the use of tools. He stands very high in the esteem of his neighbors. He is a member of the Masonic order and also a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, of which he was instrumental in organizing the first lodge in the county, in 1873. In politics he is a Democrat, but has never been an aspirant for office.
JOSIAH ANDREAS.
Josiah Andreas, a son of John and Nancy Jane ( Balliert ) Andreas, was born Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. December 17, 1835. When he was but a child of two years of age his parents moved to Mans. field. Richland county, Ohio. Here his early youth was passed and through the , medium of the district schools he obtained his education. On laying aside his text- books he applied his energies to mastering the trade of carpenter, working at that business for three years. He then moved to Wyandot county and engagel in farm- ing, which he carried on for eighteen years, meeting with fair success. In 1877 he con- cluded to change his location, and moved to Pierceton and purchased seventy-one and three-fourths acres of land located in Washington township, adjoining the town,
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on which he has since made his home. In ty, and it was there her education the cultivation of his farm Mr. Andreas completed, leaving school at the age of sev- has paid considerable attention to fruits, enteen. which in their season are the source of great income and profit. He also is a breeder of stock and his pastures afford ample range for many fine specimens of cat- tle and hogs, which are fattened for the market on grain raised upon the farm. His management is productive of good results, giving a handsome income for the labor and care expended.
On November 12. 1857, Mr. Andreas and Mary Petrie, a daughter of David and Lydia ( Settlemeyer ) Petrie, were married. They are the parents of nine children, namely: Amelia Carretta died at the age of twelve years; Phiana E. died at the age of twenty-eight years; William D. died in infancy : Valiria died when twelve years of age: Emma became the wife of James Houser and they are residents of Akron. Fulton county, Indiana; Mary died at the age of twenty-four; John Louis lives at home: Cyrus lives at Culver, Indiana; Savillia married Charles Brauer and they are residents of Fort Wayne.
In his religious views Mr. Andreas is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and has served the congregation as trustee and as steward. He is independent in his politics, and cares nothing for the platforms or policies under which the vari- otis parties seek to obtain office for their adherents. He exercises the right of fran- chise in favor of the man whose qualities and honesty of purpose are best known.
Her grandfather, Jacob Petric, was a native of Pennsylvania. He married a Miss Zaner, and they were the parents of six children. David, the father of Mr. Andreas, was born in Pennsylvania May 120, 1815, died April 20, 1881, married Lydia Settlemeyer, and they became the parents of six children: Jacob, deceased; Mary: Lavina, who became the wife of Nathan Hazenbaugh: Louis, who resides in Warsaw; Catherine married Amos Eby ; and David, deceased.
JAMES HINTON STINSON.
The above named gentleman, now trus- tee of Washington township. Kosciusko county, Indiana, is a son of Jacob and Sarah ( Wilson) Stinson, and was born on the old homestead in Washington township, August 12, 1846. He was educated in the common schools of the district and at the . age of seventeen laid aside his text-books and helped to clear and develop the home farm, becoming quite apt in the use of the ax and other implements required on a farm, and thus acquired a good knowledge of all the details pertaining to the business. On May 26, 1870, he was united in mar- riage to Miss Margaret Moore, a daugh- ter of Thomas and Rebecca (Makemson) Moore. Mr. and Mrs. Stinson have no children.
Fraternally he is a member of Pierce- ion Lodge No. 257. I. O. O. F., and has passed all the chairs and represented his lodge in the grand lodge. Religiously he
The wife of Mr. Andreas was born September 1, 1839, and was educated in the common schools. In 1852 her parents moved to Ohio, settling in Richland coun- . is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
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church. In the political field he gives his support to the Republican party and takes an active part in the political affairs of his township and county. In 1900 he was hon- cred by the people of his township by be- ing nominated and elected to the position of township trustee and is now performing the duties of that office in a manner credit- alle to himself and satisfactory to his con- stituency.
Jacob Stinson, the father of our subject. came to Kosciusko county in 1837, and en- tered six hundred and forty acres of gov- ernment land under the administration of President Van Buren. He was one of the pioneers of that early period who blazed the way in the forest wilds for the building of the great commonwealth which now ranks among the prominent states of the Union. He died in 1870 on his original homestead, where he had lived since first coming to the county.
SAMUEL RIDER.
This prosperous farmer and ex-soldier of the Civil war is a son of John and Cath- erine ( Hake) Rider, and was born in York CHEMS: Petervania, March 3. 1815. There he resided antil he was ten years of age, at which time his parents moved to Whitley county, Indiana. It was there that Sammuel again took up his studies, attend- ing the old primitive log school-house, with its rude benches for seats, puncheon floor and slabs laid upon pegs driven into the side of the house for writing desks. Three years were devoted to study and farm life and at the age of sixteen his entire time was given to the work of clearing the land for 1
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the plow. It was during that period of the Civil war when the conflicts between the opposing armies toll of strenuous efforts to bring the war to a successful termina- tion and additional troops were called for by President Lincoln. Young Samuel, though not of the age required, was strong and rugged and was imbued with that pa- triotic fervor which characterized the host of gallant defenders who offered their lives in defense of those principles of self-gov- ernment which has made our country great. Going to Kendallville he enlisted as a re- cruit in Company F, Twenty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was sent to Indianap- olis, where he was mustered into the serv- ice, and with others forwarded to Chatta- nooga to join the regiment. He was with his command in east Tennessee, and re- turned to Nashville in time to take part in the decisive battle around that city under General George II. Thomas: was at Buz- zard Roost, and followed Hood's retreat- ing army into Alabama, a series of almost daily conflicts. The regiment was finally returned to Chattanooga, doing garrison duty for four months. In July, 1865, his regiment was a part of the expedition that moved into Georgia, going to Dalton, thence to Atlanta, and subsequently to Marietta, where he was mustered out of the service on October 24, 1865. Drawing his pay at Nashville, he returned to his home and engaged in farming, clearing and developing one hundred and forty-five acres of wild land in Marshall county, and there remained for about nine years, going thence to Whitley county, taking up his residence at Larwill, where he lived for three years. He then went to Kansas, lo- cated a homestead of one hundred and
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sixty acres in Kingman county, which he York county, Pennsylvania, where he died. "proved up." staying two years, and then Ile was the great-great-grandfather of our returned to Whitley county, where he re- subject. mained about nine years, coming thence to Kosciusko county and locating on an eighty-acre tract in Washington township. JOSEPH WARNER, DECEASED. Two years were spent on that place, when he bought eighty acres of land in section 24. Washington township, where he moved and resided until March, 1902. when he purchased and settled on his present farm in section 26, same township.
In March, 1878, Mr. Rider was married to Miss Rebecca A. Johnson, daughter of William B. and Mary A. ( Leferts ) Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. Rider are the parents of eight children, namely: John William, a resident of Pierceton: Elzie Edward married Hes- ter Bennett, daughter of Noah and Ma- tilda Bennett: Estie Clarence died in Oc- tober, 1885, at the age of six years : Elmer, aged three years, died in 1885: Effie Eve- line is a student at school: Alva, Benja- min and Alta are also attending school.
Fraternally Mr. Rider is a member of John Murray Post. G. A. R., at Pierceton. He has held the office of senior vice and junior vice. Religiously he is a free think- er. In politics Mr. Rider is a stanch Re- publican, but does not engage actively in political contests.
Daniel Rider was the first of the name in America, was a Hessian, and belonged to a contingent. of troops brought to this country by the British. On learning the cause of the trouble between the colonies and England. he left the British army and joined the continentals under Washington. serving throughout the Revolutionary war. When peace was declared he settled in 1
This estimable gentleman and promi- nent agriculturist, who died April 19, 1895. was a son of Amassa and Cynthia ( Wal- ton ) Warner, and was born in Wayne county, Ohio, May 30, 1820. His early education, like that of the youth of those days, was obtained under those severe and trying conditions incident to the primitive log school-house of that period, kept up by. subscriptions from the parents of pupils after the scanty appropriation was exhaust- ed. Having pursued his studies with more than ordinary diligence, his progress was sufficient to secure a certificate as a teacher, and at the age of nineteen years he became a teacher in the district school of his native place in Ohio. ITis father. Amassa War- ner, had purchased from the government a tract of land located in Kosciusko county, Indiana, and in 1848 Joseph came and set- tled on one hundred and sixty acres which he purchased from his father, located in Washington township, which he cleared. improved and cultivated, and whereon he resided until the date of his death as above stated.
Prior to his removal to Indiana, Jan- uary 1. 1846, Mr. Warner was married to Miss Ruth S. Tillotson, a daughter of Asa and Ruth ( Beebe) Tillotson. She was a native of Monroe county. New York, born near the city of Rochester on August 30, 1825. She was a child of about three years
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of age when her mother moved to Ohio. There she attended the same school in which her future husband was educated and, like him, made the best use of the limited facilities for obtaining an educa- tion. On coming to Indiana to establish their home they met the usual difficulties and hardships that attend the pioneer, but their courage was undaunted and, knowing that honorable and well applied industry would bring in time those comforts which make a home the "dearest spot on earth," the task was never neglected nor the time wasted. As a result their efforts were re- warded, as evidenced by their substantial home and well-cultivated fields where Mrs. Warner now resides. They never enjoyed the comforting pleasures of parentage, but the innate goodness of their hearts went ont to children who were bereft of parents. They gathered seven in the course of time and reared them to manhood and woman- hood, as follows: Isaac Harrison became a soldier during the Civil war and nobly gave up his life in defense of his native country ; Clarissa Madden became the wife of Will- iam Clover, and is the mother of two chil- dren, Eva and Chester: Mrs. Clover is de- ceased, and the two children are now; mak- ing their home with Mrs. Warner; Tillie Warner married Seward Crosby (de- ceased), and resides at Larwell, Indiana ; Marion Gaibraith, now a farmer of Wash- ington township; and Francis Moore, also a farmer of Washington township.
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