USA > Indiana > Kosciusko County > Progressive men and women of Kosciusko County, Indiana : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography > Part 77
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meud & tal secured employment as a farm Fatal. Meantime his opportunities for ac- pasta an education were exceedingly wenger, at best being limited to a few weeks' attendance, now and then, upon the poor subscription schools which obtained in north- on hihi a half century ago.
Jir. Puntenney continued in the capacity i a faras tabover until twenty years old. whos attaining his majority went. in the ring of 1803, to Colorado and took up a Saim, with the object in view of engaging in agriculture and stock raising. Not long after reaching the territory he became im- Daed with patriotic fervor to enter the serv- ice of the government to assist in crushing the rebellion, which was then at its height : accordingly. in August of the following year, He became a member of Company G, Third Colorado Cavalry. This regiment was re- cuited For the hundred-days service and Mr. Pantenney remained with his command un- til the expiration of his period of enlistment. Decenthver 29. of the same year, after which : e returned to his claim and resumed farm- ing. The following three years were marked My a large influx of immigrants to all parts of the western territories, causing improved lattes to increase rapidly in value. Seeing a i andre sportunity to dispose of his farm at & Aberal figure, Mr. Puntenney, in the spring of 1867, sold out and returned to Niciusko county, where he was united in marriage on the 16th day of April, that year, & Mis- Electa Guy, of Prairie township. daughter of Major James and Nancy Heatley ) Guy. Mrs. Puntenney's father was a native of Virginia and served with distinction in the war of 1812, as major of a regiment from the Old Dominion state. MES father came to America from England
in an early day and settled in Virginia. where his death occurred a great many years ago. After his marriage Major Guy moved to Ohio, thence a number of years later to Kosciusko county, where he and wife spent the remainder of their days, both dying in Prairie township, of which they were early settlers. Of their seventeen children Mr -. Panteney was best to the youngest, and her life in the main has been spent within the limits of her native county.
After his marriage Mr. Puntenney be- gan farming in Prairie township on land leased for the purpose, and he continued as a renter until 1876. In that year he pur- chased one hundred and twenty acres of un- improved land in Tippecanoe township. from which, in due time, by hard and long continued efforts, he developed a fine farm. Ilis improvements are now among the best and most valuable in his part of the county. consisting of a fine dwelling and barn, good outbuildings and fences, while the original fertility of the soil has been maintained and in places greatly enhanced by a successful system of drainage, containing at the pres- ent time over eight hundred rods of tiling. There are no more methodical or successful tillers of the soil in Kosciusko county than Noah Puntenney, all conceding his high standing as an enterprising and progressive agriculturist. Not only as a farmer and business man is he considered representative. but in all that constitutes nobility of char- acter and good citizenship he has long oc- cupied a conspicuous place in the commu- nity. He is an able financier, his judgment being seldom at fault in matters of business policy, and he may justly be regarded as a notable example of the exercise of those cor- rect principles which win success and earn
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is that possessor the respect and confidence ing for some time in the capacity of super- of the people. intendent.
Ve. and Mrs. Puntenney have been Nessed with three children, viz: Harriet. bra March 29, 1808, is the wife of E. E. No resend : Fannie J .. who was born Novem- Der I. 1871, married B. S. Crechee, a Haber se stock rater of Washington wasap; Mary M., the youngest. Wie worth occurred on the 17th day of May. hoyg, is the wife of John Elder, one of Prairie township's successful husbandmen. De addition to their own children, Mr. and Mrs. Puntenney took to their hearts and better, some years ago. two orphan broth- CHS. Lewis R. and Roscoe Peterson, inmates of an orphan asylum, whom they have cared Er with the same love and devotion that frankod the training of their own offspring. They are still living with their foster par-
J.r. Puntenney has been a stanch Demo- erat ever since old enough to wield the elect- Eve franchise and still takes an active part in political affairs, working earnestly for his and sparing no reasonable pains to promote its success. Ile is an intelligent observer and careful reader, keeping himself fully in- formed relative to the great questions and Essuies of the times, and has the courage of Rt- convictions upon all matters, political, secular and religious. His fraternal rela- time include the Grand Army of the Re- public and Independent Order of Odd Fel- the creed of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is zealous in religious work, having served for a number of years as class leader and steward of the congregation to which he and his wife belongs, and he is also an active worker in the Sunday school, serv-
Mr. Puntenney believes in using the means with which he has been blessed to worthy and noble ends, consequently he is quite a liberal contributor to the church and has given with a free hand to promote other enterprises having for their object the mondi dlevation of humanity. He and his esti- mable wife are very popular in their neigh- borhood, because of their many kindly acs of charity, and the township in which the. have their home can boast of no better if more worthy couple. Born in poverty's hunble vale, rocked in the cradle of adver- sity and educated in the rugged school of self-reliance, Mr. Puntenney knows how to sympathize with the poor and unfortunate. and his life has been marked by a broad ani generous Christian charity which in its scope takes in all those whose lots have been cast in environments tending to discourage and dishearten. His life has always been a blessing and benediction to mankind.
JOHN F. POUND.
The gentleman to whom attention is di- rected in this review has attained pro- nounced prestige by reason of his social and commercial high standing in Kosciusko county, and also as an official of h's town- i ws and his religious faith is represented by , ship. Mr. Found is one of the representa. " tive men of Plain township and for some years past has been prominently identifie with the industrial and business interests of Kosciusko county. He takes a deep and abiding interest in everything pertaining to the material advancement of the township in
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when he resides and every enterprise in- He was a Republican in politics and always tended to promote the advancement of Kos- took an active interest in the success of his party, though never an aspirant for public favors. He was the father of eight children, of whom four grew to maturity, viz: Mary C. (now deceased ). Sarah E. and John F., by his first marriage, and Jacob HI. by his second marriage. ciusko county is sure to receive his hearty support. He is rated as one of the progres- i've citizens of the community in which he Hes and the high respect in which he is Mit by all classes of people is a deserving e mpliment to an intelligent, broad -minded .de mest worthy mall.
Me Found is a native of Ohio, having been born in Montgomery county, that state, on the 220 of March, 1852. His father, B'liap Bound, was a native of Germany. hra in Wurtemberg May 16, 1815, and im- migrated to America with his parents when four years of age settling in Lancaster coun- a. Pennsylvania, where he grew to ma- curity. He came to Montgomery county. chio, in 1839 and there met and married Russmak Martin, who was a native of that state. Be purchased eighty acres of land on
the Fray pike, about seven miles north of , chased ninety acres of land in section 34. Dayt il. where he afterwards resided for a i Plain township, on which he settled and en-
number of years. His wife, the mother of the subject, died while living here, in De- cember. 1853, and he subsequently married Anna Wolf. In 1859 he moved to Elkhart county. Indiana, where he purchased one hundred acres of land near Goshen, on which he settled and resided eleven years. While living here he was again bereaved of His wife, who died in March. 1862. In 1804 Renteried Elizabeth Brown. In 1870 he sont off his interests in Elkhart county and innved to Nostitisko county, purchasing one Hundred and twenty acres of land near Os- Wege, rain township, on which he after- Martes resided until his death, which oc- cartel in January, 1891. He was an intel- ligent tand enterprising man, a great reader. and was noted for his remarkable memory.
John F. Pound, the subject of this re- view, came with his father to Elkhart coun- ty and from thence to Kosciusko county in 1870, where he has practically made his home ever since. He was educated in the common schools of Elkhart and this county and at the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso, from which institution he was graduated in 1876. He afterward en- gaged in teaching school in Elkhart and Kosciusko counties for fifteen years, more or less, having also taught six winters pre- vions to his graduation. In 188o he pur-
gaged in farming, though he continued to teach school during the winter months. In 1880 be purchased the general store and property of Charles L. White, at Oswego. Indiana, which he took charge of in March of that year, and has resided here ever since, doing a successful business. On coming here he was appointed postmaster of this place and held the office until 1898, when he resigned and accepted an appointment as trustee of Plain township, to fill the unex- pired term of Charles L. White, and th 1900 he was elected to that office for a four-years term. In this capacity he is now serving, and has proven himself to be one of the most efficient and faithful officials that has ever served the people of Plain township. Mr. Pound is an ardent supporter of the Re-
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painical party, to which he has given much 1882. She began teaching school when of this energies and from which, as already . nineteen years of age and taught consecy- stated, he has received marks of favor. He enters into political work with the same force and energy that characterize his ci- forts in business affairs. Hle stands well with the opposition and numbers among his Cores personal friends and warmest ad- mirers many who are as radically Demo- cratie as he is Republican. Fraternally he Remember of St. Leon Lodge, No. 192. A. of P. of Leesburg, in which he stands
tively until 1888, with the exception of four years spent in the Shepardson College. Mr . Pound is a consistent member of the Bapti -: church, in which she has been a member since her seventeenth year. She is at pre- ent postmistress of Oswego, having re- ceived the appointment at the time her hits- band resigned in 1898, and has kell the wi- Rice ever since. To Mr. and Mrs. Pogal have been born two children. Philip Haro !. bom June 8. 1888, and Adria Athena. Se ... tember 16, 1895. Both are bright an! promising children and stand at the head of their classes in school, the eller having graduated from the common schools of his district in 19ot. Mr. and Mrs. Pound are refined and congenial people and are highly esteemed by all who have had the good for- tune to meet them.
Ne Pound was united in marriage it CoNego, Indiana. September 24. 1884. the b dy of his choice being Miss Sarah J. Den- akat, a native of this county who was born August 31, 1850. She is a daughter of Rec. Aimer and Harriet M. (Wade) Den- man, who were both natives of Ohio, though among the early setters of Kosciusko com- ty. Rev. Denman was previously married. v HHle in Ohio, to Sarah J. Crane, who bore Ha one child, Almer C., who died in in- 1 fancy. This wife lived only about one year OLIVER WRIGHT. after their marriage, then passed to the After world. Subsequently Rev. Denman To sketch the life of a busy man of ai- fairs and in a manner to throw a well- focussed light upon the principal events of his fre is the task in hand in portraying the career of Oliver Wright, of Leesbare. O: the 15th day of March, 1902. he turned his fifty-eighth mile stone on life's journey, and! is now in the zenith of the powers, physicals and mentally, a strong, symmetrically de- veloped man and worthy citizen of the thrive- ing little town in which he has his home. The American branch of the Wright family appears to have originated in Pennsylvania. same to Kosciusko county and settled in Oswego, where he met and married Miss Hade. He was a Baptist minister and had Stage of the Oswego church and also the chures at Warsaw for a number of years Core the death, which occurred April 20. cosa His widow subsequently married Witam: Gunter and at present resides in Best township. Two children were born is de union with Rev. Denman, Sarah J. ... Mariah E. Mrs. Pound was educated in the public schools of this county and at Bre She andson College at Granville, Ohio, in which state the subject's grandparents bron which institution she graduated in " were born and reared. In an early day they
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WAR riner to Blocking county. Ohio, where Robert Wright, father of Oliver, was born. and later moved to ladiana, setting in the costi ty of Grant. When a young man Rob- ert Wright took up his abode in Wabash county, moving thither about the year 1852. shortly after his marriage, in Grant county, to Miss Margaret Wright, whose family name was the same as his own, though they were in no wise related. He purchased eighty acres in the county of Wabash, which he cultivated four years, and then disposed of the place and returned to the county of Grant, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in the year 1848. ITis widow sub- seguentiy remarried and is now living in Kansas. Robert and Margaret Wright had new children, the subject of this review and Existe the latter dying when five years old. Oliver Wright is a native of Indiana. born in the county of Wabash on the 5th Bay of March, 1844. Reared in the country on a farm, he spent the years of his child- ! wood and early youth in healthful outdoor exercise and upon his mind were early im- pressed the lessons of industry and thrift by On moving to Leesburg Mr. Wright ei- fected a copartnership in the butcher busi- ness with Cyrus Long, which after a short time was dissolved by the subject purchas- 1 ing the latter's interest and becoming sole proprietor. He also bought the transfer business of the town, which he ran for some time in connection with his meat market. owning the only drays in the place and do- ing a very lucrative business in that line. Subsequently he disposed of his meat mar- ket, and since then has devoted his entire time to the transferring business, which has continued to grow in magnitude and import- realizing a handsome income. which his subsequent years have been char- acterized. He attended the common schools of winter seasons until sixteen years of age and then left Home to make his own way in the world. He fest obtained employment as a farm laborer and after working as such for a short time in his native county came in the county of Kosciusko, where he spent the sameaver at monthly wages. Returning to Wales county, he continued farm work Er a period of six years, at the expiration of white's time he came back to Kosciusko and secured employment on a large farm near the town of Milford. In the vicinity of Mil- f ance until he now has all he can possibly do, ford were then living William and Mary E.'
Dillon and their family, one of the children being a daughter. Sarah J., between whom and young Wright a warm friendship soon sprang ap. This finally ripened into a ten- der attachment which in due time terminated in marriage, which was solenmized on the 18th day of July, 1863. Mrs. Wright's par- ents are of German descent ; they came to this county from Pennsylvania and rented in the township of Van Buren.
At the time of his marriage Mr. Wright had little means and was dependent for a livelihood upon any honorable employment to which he could turn his hands. After working for some time at various kinds of labor he turned his attention to stone masonry and soon became quite skilled in that line, so much so that his services were in great demand in various parts of the country. Always industrious and economical, he soon had all the work he could do and by carefully saving his earnings was able, in the spring of 1882. to purchase the comfortable home in Lees- burg which he now occupies.
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Vir. Wright is in all respects a self made dan and justly entitled to mention among the enterprising and progressive citizens of the community in which he lives. No one who knows him will question his unsullied integrity. his unselfish devotion to duty or His intense desire to promote In every means . : Lis og mand the good of the public, ma- arially and morally. Unpretentious, he has Bred so as to make his fellow men better. while his agreeable manners and amiable dis- position have won for him in a marked de- ! gree the confidence and esteem of his fel- How citizens of Leesburg and country ad- jacent thereto.
Mr. Wright is a Democrat in politics. having supported the principles and doc- I ties of that party ever since old enough to cast a ballot. While not a member of any church, he has a religious observance of truth, a righteous hatred of wrong and a warm sympathy for mankind. He respects ; ecclesiastical organizations for the good in- Buence they exert in winning man to a better plan of living, but has little regard for the many theological theories which divide the. world into so many contending religious factions. He is a well-informed man, with a nost retentive memory, everything which he reads being stored in a mind which has been welt disciplined by much thought and iservation.
Mir. Wright is an ardent and earnest ad- viete of temperance. He has never been under the influence of any kind of intoxi- cat's and believes tire drink habit to be the great crying evil of the day. His private He and character have been free from vice of any description and his reputation as an Honorable, upright man is and always has Pees sack as to merit the respect of his fel-
"low men. In addition to his regular busi- ness he has charge of the express office at Leesburg. His high standing is such that the company requires no bond from him, al- though he handles much valuable merchan- dise, while thousands of dollars every year pass through his hands.
Mr. and Mrs. Wright are the parents of five children: Mary E., born October ;, 1805, is the wife of Henry Matthews, of Turkey Creek township: Dora E. was born in the year 1867 and died in July, 1881; William D., who was born in June, 1800. married Ella K. Cadey and lives in the township of Turkey Creek : Ida E. married E. E. Strely, a hardware merchant of Syra- cuse; Norman, born June 31. 1878, is still with his parents. Mrs. Wright is a lady of many estimable traits, popular with all who know her and for some years has been an active worker in the Baptist church of Lees- burg.
WILLIAM H. CLAY.
Prominent among the enterprising farm- ers and worthy citizens of Plain township is William IT. Clay, who as a civilian has long been identified with the material growth and development of one of the best parts of Kos- ciusko county, and as a soldier in a war that tested the stability of the American institu- tions and decided once and for all that a "government of the people and by the peo- ple and for the people should not perish from the earth." is entitled to the honor and respect which all loyal people should accord their country's heroes and defenders.
From reliable information it appears that the Clay people originated in Germany. Just
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when the first representatives left the father- every true American able to bear arms land and settied in Pennsylvania cannot be : pointed with unerring fingers to the South- iscertained, as too many years have elapsed ; land, where the rebellion was raging in all since that time to make mere oral stiltements of much authentic value. h is known that the subject's ancestors left Pennsylvania a long time ago and migrated to Stark county when that part of Ohio was still in posses- sion of the original inhabitants of the land. The subject's grandfather purchased from its fury, Mr. Clay, on the Inth of August, 1862, enlisted in Company A, Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, this being his third attempt to enter the army. His command was attached to Grant's army in Tennessee and it was not long after his enlistment un- til he received his baptism of fire on the the government a tract of land in that part , bloody field of Stone River. Subsequently of the state and was a typical representative . he shared the fortunes and vicissitudes of of the strong and fearless pioneer class who took their lives into their own hands and penetrated the dease wilderness, infested with wild beasts and painted savages, for the purpose of making homes for themselves and their posterity. his comrades in a number of campaigns and engagements, notably among which were Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, and nearly all the battles around Atlanta, Franklin and Nashville, besides numerous minor engagements and skir- mishes, in all of which he bore himself with the bravery becoming a loyal and enthus ;- astic defender of the nation's honor. Mr. Clay was several times wounded, but not seriously, and was discharged at the expira- tion of his period of enlistment. November, 1865, at once returning to his home in Stark county, Ohio.
John Clay, father of William 11., was born in Pennsylvania and was young when the Sunfiy moved to the new home in Ohio. When he grew to manhood he married Susan Smith, who bore him children as fol- lows: William IL .. John .A., Jane M., Jef- ferson I. Francis, Vice and firam, all liv- ing. the subject being the only member of the family in Kosciusko county.
William 11. Clay was born on the old family homestead in Stark county, Ohio, on New Year's day, 1840. He grew up on the farm and experienced the hard work which usually ialis to the lot of a country lad. ITis ' early educational privileges appear to have been somewhat meager, but after attaining is angorny he made tip ht some degree pop vais deficiency by attending school taught by a very accomplished instructor. IIi. easy life was without incident and it was not until the dark and sinister war cloud -great over the country that its monotony was broken. Realizing that the duty of
On February 6, 1866, Mr. Clay entered into the marriage relation with Miss Isa- belle Sanderson, a native of the Buckeye state, born of English parentage. After foi- lowing agricultural pursuits in Ohio until 1872 he disposed of his interests there and came to Kosciusko county, Indiana, settling in Plain township on a tract of woodland, which he has since shared and developed into a good farm.
Mr. Clay has labored diligently, live i well and is now the owner of a fine home and a sufficiency of the comforts of life to render any anxiety about the future unnec- essary. He is indebted to nobody but him-
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set for his present competency and knows that every dolar in his possession has been carnes honestly and by honorable means. He stands well with his neighbors and fel- Low citizens, is respected by all with whom He is acquainted and has long been recog- 1 mized as a gentleman of probity and unim- peachable character. He has never been a speculator, but contents himself with the Steady and sure gains which come as the rected efforts.
In his political affiliations Mr. Clay is a Republican and as such is well posted upon the istes of the day, but he has little taste or inclination for the distractions of active : oftic -. He is a pain, unassuming man of the people, a respectable representative of the large and influential class that in a quiet way mould public opinion and give stability in the state. Mr. and Mrs. Clay are mem- bers of the Christian church, believing carestia in its plain, simple teachings and exempliving its great cardinal truths in lives devoted to God's service and to the up- Hating of humanity. He has been clerk of the Leesburg congregation for a number of years and is also a member of its board of trustees. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow, ah hhg pupred! ah the chips in the local lodge to which he belongs, besides representing it in different sessions of the grand lodge.
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Mr. and Mrs. Clay have seven children, four sons and three daughters, namely : Austin 1. is married and lives in Plain 1 iowaship: Ida B. is the wife of Charles E. Hlicanan and lives in the state of Kansas: Clarence W., who is a married man, resides in Warsaw: Elmer 1%, also married, is a Partner of Harrison township: Eva married Ans mal Borkert, of Prairie township, this
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