USA > Indiana > Kosciusko County > Progressive men and women of Kosciusko County, Indiana : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography > Part 79
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James E. Hollar, to a brief review of whose lite the reader's attention is now re- spectfully invited, was born on the home place in Shenandoah county, March 9, 1851. He was fortunate in having favorable sur- rounding's during his childhood and youth, the farm being situated in a beautiful and healthful locality and the labor required of sim being suitable to his years and strength. ile received his first educational training in a subscription school taught in a building which his father erected upon his own farm at his own expense, there being no house in the neighborhood especially designed for public school purposes. Realizing the need of better schools than the indifferent ones .that had been formerly taught at divers the above building primarily for the educa- Son of his own children and secondly for the children of any of his neighbors who stav fit to send their children to it for instruc- tion. He also procured the services of a Competent teacher and the work done in the Rttle school house on the Hollar farm gave an impetuis to the cause of education in that reality, which subsequently led the people to take greater interest in the intellectual de- velopment of their children. Young James attended school of winter seasons until nine-
Having accumulated about five hundred dollars at his trade. Mr. Hollar in the above year came to Kosciusko county, Indiana, and not long after his arrival went in partnership with his brother Joseph. for the purpose of ; purchasing a tract of land in Jefferson town- -
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ship. The land was all in the woods and the Two brothers at once proceeded to clear and Leveop it, a work which he prosecuted very moastriousiy and with most encouraging results. At the end of one year Mr. Hollar again turned his attention to his trade as there was then a great demand in Kosciusko county for experienced carpenters. Ile erected a number of buildings of various kinds in different parts of Jefferson and other townships and when thus engaged continued to clear his land and add to its improvements. During the fourteen years following he divided his time between car- pentering and agriculture, meanwhile, with the assistance of his brother, extending the area of cultivable land until the farm ranked with the best improved and most valuable in the township of Jefferson. At the ex- piration of the fourteen years he quit his trade and devoted all of his time to agricult- ural pursuits, which he prosecuted with such energy and success as won for him the repu- tation of one of the most enterprising and progressive farmers in the community. Sub- -equently he purchased a saw-mill and en- gaged in the manufacture of lumber, about the same time investing considerable money in a tile factory, which proved a very for- tunate enterprise. Mr. Hollar operated the saw-mill with much success about seven years, and then again took up agriculture. The second year after coming to this coun- by the farm was divided, Joseph taking the west half of the farm and James the east. While partners their relations were most amicable and being men of much more than ordinary judgment and thrift, their success Was commensurate with the energy dis- played in their various undertakings. After the property was divided James E. made
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other and greater improvements on his farm, among which was the large and elegant brick residence erected in 1886 at a cost of several thousand dollars. He also added to his real estate from time to time until his place contained four hundred and forty-nine acres, its present area. This is one of the model farms of Jefferson township and there are few if any in the county that are better improved or represent a greater value per acre. Mr. Hollar is a progressive agricult- urist and prosecutes his work upon quite an extensive scale. He is also an excellent judge of fine stock and in connection with "general farming devotes considerable time to cattle, hogs and horses, in the raising and selling of which he has been quite success- ful.
As a man and citizen Mr. Hollar is high- ly esteemed, standing for all legitimate pub- lic improvements and taking an active inter- est in the material development of his town- ship and county. He takes large and liberal views of life, there being nothing narrow or bigoted in his nature, and keeps himself well informed upon the leading topics of the day. He is one of the intelligent, broad-minded men of his neighborhood and has always en- deavored to use his influence so as to make wiser and better the people of the commun- ity in which he lives.
Mr. Hollar is a married man and the fa- ther of ten children. His wife, formerly Miss Elizabeth Price, daughter of Samuel and Rachel ( Hulvy) Price, was born in Ohio, March 14, 1854, and the ceremony which changed her name to the one she now bears was solemnized on the 17th day of April. 1874. The following are the names of the children constituting the family of Mr. and Mrs. Hollar, together with the birth
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of each; Samuel A., April 5. 1875 : William, of Shenandoah, June 23. 1849, and spent the Hi .. November 13, 1876: Eva .A., March 13, years of his childhood and youth on the fam- 1878: James E., September 29. 1879; George W., June 12, 1881; John E., Au- gust 30, 1882; Grover C., December 15, ISS4. died August 23, 1899: Enos E., Oc- tober 11. 1886; Charles M. March 24, 1888; and Amos R., March 4. 1802. Mr. Hollar is a Democrat in politics, while fra- ternaily he is a member of Lodge No. 418. F. &. A. M., and Lodge No. 478, 1. O. O. F., both at Milford, Indiana. Mrs. Hollar is a member of the German Baptist church. ily homestead. He received his education in the school taught on his father's farm and until nineteen years old contributed his time and energies to the family support. When about nineteen he engaged with George W. Smooty to learn the millwright's trade at a monthly compensation of eight dollars for the first year. "His services proving valu- able, his wages were increased at the end of one year to twelve dollars per month and he continued with his employer until 187o. In April of that year. in company with his brother. James E. Hollar, he started on foot JOSEPH HOLLAR. to make his fortune in the West and the two proceeded on their way to Licking county. Prominent among the successful farmers and representative men of Jefferson town- ship is Joseph Hollar, a Virginian by birth and an Indiana man by adoption. His par- ems. Alexander and Eva ( Price) Hollar, were natives of the Old Dominion state and descendants of early pioneer German set- tlers. He lived in Shenandoah county, where the father acquired local repute as a farmer and citizen. He was one of the prominent men of his community. took a leading part in public affairs, especially in the matter of education, of which he was an ardent friend and liberal supporter. By reference to the sketch of James E. Hollar, a brother of the subject of this review, it will be learned that Alexander Hollar at his ; own expense erected a house for school pur- poses upon his land, furnished it with the necessary appliances and fuel and then se- cured the services of a teacher who opened a school for the accommodation of the chil- dren of the neighborhood. Ohio, where they received employment for a limited period with a framer. After work- ing two weeks clearing, chopping wood, splitting rails, etc., they took a train for Tiffin, Ohio, whence they proceeded to the town of Melmore. Seneca county, where an uncle by the name of Jacob Price was living. Shortly after reaching the home of his re lation Joseph went to work for a farmer in the neighborhood at twenty dollars per month and at the expiration of the second. month invested his wages, amounting to forty dollars, in a set of carpenter's tools. With these he began working with William Little and Samuel Brooks, well-known loc! builders, and, although without previous ex- perience other than as a millwright, he w ... paid the sum of one dollar and a half per day for his services. After continuing with those gentlemen a short time he started out for himself and soon found work with other parties at better wages. He continued car- pentry in Seneca at two dollars per day until Joseph Hollar was born in the county 1873, in December of which year he and his
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brother came to Kosciusko county, Indiana, extensively, but adds very materially to his and invested their combined capital in a income by raising and selling live stock. He keeps on his farm quite a number of fine cattle and hogs, and also pays considerable attention to horses, but does not make a busi- ness of raising the latter for the market.
tract of wood land lying in Jefferson town- ship, the same on which he has ever since lived. After purchasing their land the two brothers returned to Ohio for the purpose of settling up their business affairs, this done
Mr. Hollar's life has been quiet and un- they came back in January, 1874, and began ' eventful. at the same time productive of good to his fellow man. He attends strictly
the work of clearing a farm and laying the foundation of their future homes. The two " to his own affairs, although interested in the brothers continued as partners in farming growth and development of the community, and his name is usually connected with all enterprises for the common good. He is a man of unswerving integrity and keen judgment of men and things, and his pur- poses once formed are generally carried out to the letter. All who know him speak in the highest terms of his standing as a neigh- bor, friend and citizen and it is a compli- ment worthily bestowed to class him with the representative, self-made men of his adopted township and county. and carpentering and later saw-milling and the manufacture of drain tile until Septem- ber. 1874, when they divided their interests and each took possession of his half of the land. Joseph took the western part of the place and has since bent all his energies to its improvement. In October following the division of the property he built a substan- tial dwelling and since that time other building's have been erected and a gen- eral system of improvements inaugurated and carried to successful completion ; his Mr. Hollar and Miss Eva Tusing, daugh- ter of Nicholas and Catherine ( Biller) Tusing, natives of Virginia, were united in marriage on the TIth day of October. 1874. Mrs. Hollar was born October 26, 1849, in Shenandoah county, Virginia, and has pre- sented her husband nine children, Alexan- der N., Charles L., George W., Viola M., Cora I., Irving J., Loren A., Clarence V. and Fremont C., all living but the two daughters, Viola and Cora. farm is now classed with the best and most valuable in Jefferson township. In 1893 he replaced his first residence with a fine mod- ern brick edifice, beautiful in design, hand- somely furnished and finished with the lat- est conveniences which make the house wife's lot an enviable and desirable one. His is one of the most attractive and rural homes in the county of Kosciusko, as he has spared neither pains nor expense to make it a dwelling place for a farmer who believes in progress and improvement, as well as in the nobility of his chosen calling. The farm, JOHN MARQUART. which contains one hundred and sixty acres. is well fenced and drained and every acre George Marquart, the father of the sub- ject of this review, was one of the sturdy, industrious citizens which Germany has con- tributed to the United States. He belongs devoted to agricultural purposes has been developed to its full productive capacity. Mr. Hollar, like his brother, not only farms
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to that large and eminently respectable class of foreigners that became loyal supporters of American institutions and by their in- dustry and enterprise did so much to pro- mote the material development of our coun- try. George Marquart married in the fatherland Miss Mary A. Kurtz and about the year 1833 left his native shores and came to the New World. He first settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, whither many of his countrymen had preceded him. and after living there about three years changed his abode to Stark county, Ohio. He made his home in the latter state until IS54. at which time he came to Kosciusko county. Indiana, and settled on a farm in Jefferson township, which his son, the sub- jeet of this sketch, now owns and cultivates. Hle resumed his labors as tiller of the soil and after a long and useful life he bade adien to carth and earthly things and en- tered another and a happier state of exist- ence; he died in 1879, his wife preceding him to the other world by about nine years. Of the five children born to George and Mary A. Marquart, the subject is the only one living ; the others were Christian. Eliza- beth, a twin sister of John. George and Mary C.
John Marquart was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, February 10. 1839. the same year which witnessed his parents' removal to Stark county, Ohio. He spent fifteen years of his life in the latter county and state, meantime attending at intervals the country school and assisting his father with the labors of the farm. In 1854 he ac- companied the family to the county of Kos- ciusko and from that time until attaining hi majority did his full share in clearing and cultivating the home place and con-
tributing to the support of his parents. brothers and sisters. He was reared to agri- cultural pursuits and after coming to Jeffer- son township did not leave the parental roof. but continued to look after the farm and his father's interests until the latter's death. His brothers and sisters dying. the place iell to him and he has since cultivated it with success and financial profit. until it is now one of the best improved and most valuable farms in the township of Jefferson.
Mr. Marquart has added to the original place and now owns two hundred and sixty acres of fine land, admirably situated in one of the richest agricultural districts of the county, two hundred acres being in culti- vation, the remainder heavily wooded with fine timber.
Mr. Marquart has led a very active and industrious life, from his boyhood knowing little by practical experience of the meaning of idleness. He believes in earning bread by the sweat of the brow and, fully realizing the true dignity of honest toil, has bent his en- ergies in the direction of providing com- fortably for himself and family and making the world better by his presence. As a farm- er there are none better. and as a man he combines within himself the sterling quali- ties of head and heart which makes the use- ful neighbor, the steadfast, faithful friend and the enterprising, energetic citizen. He is well known among the people of this and other parts of the county as a quite, umas- suming man, honest and upright in all of his dealings, ever ready to lend a helping hand to a friend and fulfilling to the best of his ability all requirements expected of a citizen of a great and enlightened common- wealth. He is one of the financially strong and reliable men of his community. being
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the possessor of a competence sufficiently gomery county, Ohio, where he purchased ampie to enable him to spend the remainder of his days in plenty and content.
Mr. Marquart was married in this coun- By April 22. 1873. to Miss Elizabeth Oster, daughter of William and Elizabeth ( Sarr- bruck ) Oster, the union resulting in eight Children, namely: Mary .A., Emma E. (de- consoli. Madinda (deceased ), Matilda. Rimane (deceased ). George, John (de- vered , and Clara. By reference to this list of children it will be seen that the hand of affliction has been laid heavily upon the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Marquart. Like a refining fre, the visitations of the death angel may be blessings in disguise. To the unbeliever. sach dispensations of Providence are but clouds of midnight darkness with not a ray to dissipate the intensity of the gloom: to those who look upon this life as a prepara- tion for a higher and holier state, they are "among the afflictions that tend to work out "a far more exceeding and eternal weight
: of glory". Mr. Marquart is a Democrat in : Miller departed this life on the 2nd day of politics, and in religion a Lutheran, while : September, 1891.
his wife belongs to the Evangelical Associa- tion. David K. Miller, whose name introduces this sketch, was born in Darke county, Ohio, May 22, 1836. He learned his first lessons of practical life on the farm as soon as old DAVID K. MILLER. enough to do manual labor and in such schools as the country afforded received a The family of which the subject of this review is an honored representative is of German lineage and dates its history in America from a very early period. The first of the Millers to come from Germany to the Cater States were three brothers, one of fair English education. Reared to agricul- tural pursuits, he decided to make farming his life work and with little exception his attention has been devoted to tilling the soil ever since leaving his parental home : the ex- , ception referred to was a limited experience whom, David, was the great-grandfather of in operating a saw-mill and several years David K. Among his children was Mich- | spent at the carpenter's trade.
d. C. Miller, the subject's grandfather, who in a very early day settled in Mont- '
Hand and became a prosperous tiller of the soil. He was twice married and reared perhaps the largest family in the county of Montgomery, the two wives bearing him twenty-two children. The oldest son was John C. Miller, whose birth occurred Octo- ber 15, 1807. He was reared a farmer and followed that vocation all of his life, first in Montgomery county, Ohio, and later in the county of Darke, where he entered a tract of land about seven miles northeast of the city of Greenville. He married in the former county Miss Gertrude Krider, who was born November 15. 1815. and it was shortly after taking to himself a wife that he moved to the farm in Darke county on which he spent the remainder of his life. Mrs. Miller died August 29. 1887, after bearing her hus- band twelve children, namely: Michael K .. Aaron K .. David K., Sarah, Mary, Moses, Noah. Daniel. Fannie, Catherine and two that died in infancy unnamed. John C.
Mr. Miller was married in Darke county, Ohio, November 18. 1860. to Miss Magda-
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Ton Wise, whose birth occurred in the same County on the 20th day of December, 1840. Tes parents. Jacob and Christena ( Shope) Wise, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, re- spectively, were married in the latter state and sometime thereafter moved from Miami county to the county of Darke, where the father died April 28, 1877. in his sixty- seventh year. The mother subsequently went to live with one of her daughters in Proble county, where her death occurred on the 25th of April, 1808. Jacob and Chris- tema Wise were the parents of twelve chil- dern whose names are as follows: Benja- min. Isaac. Magdalene, Moses, Barbara, Sarah. Fannie, Jacob, Aaron, Samuel, Noah and Nancy.
of the farm is now far more fertile and pro- dnetive than the timbered portion and repre- sents a greater value per acre than most land by which the farm is surrounded. Indeed it may be said that the Miller farm yields to no other in the county in productive capac- ity, and acre for acre it is perhaps worth as much as the most valuable farm lands in northern Indiana.
Much credit is due Mr. Miller for the work he has done in developing what was formerly considered an undesirable tract of wet land and transforming it from its wild state into one of the most beautiful rural homes within the geographic limits of Jei- ferson township. All of the modern me- chanical appliances and implements calcu- In February following his marriage Mr. Miller disposed of his interests in Ohio and moved to Kosciusko county, Indiana, pur- chasing the place in Jefferson township upon which he has since lived. He found the land covered with heavy timber, thickly in- lated to make the pursuit of agriculture an easy and agreeable vocation are employed by Mr. Miller, while his dwelling is supplied with the conveniences and comforts which lighten the good housewife's cares and make her lot much less burdensome than that terspersed with underbrush and no improve- ; of any others not so fortunately situated. ments of any kind in the way of a halvita- " Mr. Miller's place consists of one hundred tion or other buildings. With a resolute and sixty acres, the greater part under cul- tivation. Although he has reserved a suf- ficiency of timber to answer all practical purposes, of fuel and lumber, he has prose- cuted his farming systematically and by well directed industry and judicious man- agement has succeeded in acquiring suffi- cient means to enable him from now on to rest from toil and enjoy some of the results of his labors. He is one of the leading citizens of his community and enjoys in a marked degree the esteem of his neighbors and friends throughout the township of Jei- ferson. His career has been eminently honorable and all who know him speak in high terms of his many sterling qualities purpose he began the task of clearing the land, an undertaking requiring a vast amount of hard work, and in due time the effect of his labor began to be visible. He developed from the green and prepared for tillage the larger portion of the place, be- sides erecting a comfortable dwelling and other buildings which temporarily answered the purpose for which intended. Subse- quently more substantial structures were built, the area of cleared land was increased and a system of drainage inaugurated by means of which a large part of the place originally covered with swamps and swales was reclaimed and made tillable. This part
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and characteristics, not the least of which neglected in acting his part as a worthy son are invincible courage to do the right, un- of the great American commonwealth. The compromising integrity and a large faith in Goi and his fellow man. He is a deeply religious men and fails not to ascribe to his Maker the many blessings which have at- iended him through life.
Ma. and Mrs. Miller are devout mem- bers of the German Baptist church. They Have been active in the good work of the local congregation to which they belong. be- side- adding to promote all charitable and benevolent enterprises whereby the deserv- ing poor and unfortunate may be benefited. not the least of their blessings is the fact the death has not crossed their threshold to claim a victim from any of these manly sons and womanly daughters; the names ' and births of the children are as follows: Isaac. August 24. 1801 : Catherine, Febru- ary 13. 1863: Jacob. December 26, 1864 ; John. November 13. 1866: Jane, July 4, 1868: Noah. September 5. 1870: Daniel. January 8. 1877: Sarah, June 8. 1879; Ida November 6, 1881, and Mary, January 17, 1884.
The seventh of the above children, Their family consists of twelve children and ; Lewis, was born in Montgomery county. Ohio. January 25. 1818. He spent his youthful years amid the stirring scenes of the pioneer period, became a farmer and about the year 1837 was united in marriage to Rebecca Wagner, whose birth occurred in the county of Montgomery in the month of March, 1817. Mrs. Whitehead was the daughter of Jacob Wagner, one of the first white men to penetrate the wilderness of what is now Preble county and a bold and daring pioneer of the time in which he lived.
JOHN W. WHITEHEAD.
The subject of this sketch is one of the e gressive farmers and enterprising citi- vens of Jefferson township, where he has made his home for a number of years, being Casey associated with its development and welfare. He is a thorough practical agri- culturist and a man of business, and, like the great majority of successful men, has reputation as a citizen. He served as trus- been the architect of his own fortunes. His Adelity to his duties has never been
Whitehead family is of German-Scotch- Irish extraction, the subject's ancestors being among the carly settlers of Pennsyl- vania and Virginia. Valentine Whitehead, grandfather of John W .. was a Pennsyl- vanian by birth, but in an early day went to Montgomery county, Ohio, where he lived the life of a pioneer. He was the father of eleven children, viz: Valentine. David, Adam, Samuel. John, Peter. Lewis, Mar- garet, Elizabeth, Susan and Mary.
Lewis Whitehead remained in his native state and settled in Jackson township. Elk- hart county, where he purchased land and ยท cleared a good farm, the place being about a half mile west of the village of New Paris. There the wife and mother died on the 5th of March, 1893: subsequently Mr. White- head sold his farm and made his home with his children until his death, which occurred January 16, 1896. He was a man of excel- lent parts, popular with the people among whom he lived and enjoyed an enviable tee of his township a number of years and was a leading member of the German Bap-
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