USA > Indiana > Adams County > Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : An authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume II > Part 21
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : An authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume II > Part 21
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James D. Goodin was born March 17, 1836, in Morrow County, Ohio, and was there brought up and educated. He came with his mother to Indiana, and since taking up his residence in Chester Township, Wells County, has been engaged in agricultural pursuits, being now one of the most prosperous farmers of his community. He has been very active and influential in the administration of public affairs, and one of the leading members of the democratic party. In 1865 he was elected justice of the peace, and held the office four years. Elected trustee of Chester Township in 1869, he served in that capacity until the fall of 1873, when he was chosen county commissioner, a position which he filled satisfactorily for three years. For a period of twenty years he served as a director of the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company of Huntington, Wells and Wabash counties. Fraternally he is a member of Montpelier Lodge No. 288, Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons.
James D. Goodin has been twice married. He married first, in October. 1860, Nancy Twible. She was born in Blackford County, Indiana, a daughter of David and Margaret Twible. She died in Feb- ruary, 1872, having borne him five children, Madison, Elizabeth, Nettie, Ella, and a child that died in infancy. Mr. Goodin married for his second wife, November 13, 1873, Olive Ashbaugh, who was born in Logan County, Indiana, a daughter of Andrew and Matilda Ashbangh. Two children blessed their union, namely: James L., the subject of this sketch, and Herman R. Herman R. Goodin was graduated from the Montpelier High School, after which he continued his studies at Purdue University for two years. He married, May 8, 1916, Viola Staten, who was graduated from high school at Elgin, Illinois, and from Western College, in Oxford, Ohio, and is an accomplished linguist, speaking French and German as fluently as she does English. He and his wife are living on a farm at Five Points, and are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
James Lawrence Goodin was graduated from the Montpelier High School with the class of 1906, after which he entered the Indiana Uni- versity, at Bloomington, where he remained a student for nearly four years. Entering upon a professional career, Mr. Goodin taught school at Keystone two years and at District No. 4 in Chester Township one vear. He was then made deputy surveyor and served under Charles W. Decker, surveyor, for two years. Subsequently forming a partner- ship with Mr. Decker, as junior member of the firm of Decker & Goodin. he was engaged in the real estate business until January 1, 1916, when the firm took the agency for the Overland automobiles and in that work met with decided success, having built up an extensive and lucrative trade, their sales being annually increased. December 1. 1917, Mr. Goodin sold out his interest in the Overland Ageney and bought out Mr. Keplinger's interest in the agency for the Buick automobile, the Bluffton Buick Company.
Mr. Goodin married Goldie Shimp, who was born in Blackford County, Indiana, a daughter of Andrew Shimp. Politically Mr. Goodin is a stanch democrat. Fraternally he is a member of Bluffton Lodge
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No. 145, Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons, and of Bluffton Lodge No. 796, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
ROBERT CASE. Active and progressive, and possessing decided busi- ness sagacity and judgment, Robert Case, of Decatur, is prominently identified with the promotion of the mercantile prosperity of Adams County, and as a dealer in grain and coal is carrying on an extensive business. A son of Almon Case, he was born, January 8, 1856, in Bluff- ton, Wells County, and was there brought up and educated. Ilis ancestors for many generations lived and died in New England, his paternal grandparents, farmers, having resided in Connectient.
Almon Case was born about 1808 in Connecticut, on his father's farm, not very far from Hartford. As a boy he became familiar with the different branches of agriculture, while assisting his father gathering valuable knowledge and experience. Soon after his marriage to his first wife he decided to go west where he could follow his chosen occupa- tion much more advantageously, one of his brothers having previously settled permanently in Iowa, where he found cheaper land. Following the emigrant's trail, he made his way to the Western Reserve, in Ohio, and there took up land and began the improvement of a farm. There his wife died, leaving two children, both of whom went to live with their maternal grandparents.
About 1833 Almon Case left Ohio and came as far west as Wells County, Indiana, and located at Bluffton before the town was laid out. Subsequently, when the town was platted, he was given his choice of the town lots, and agreed therefor to build a hotel. He erected a double log cabin, two stories high, Adney Hall, a Connectient man, who had induced Mr. Case to locate in Bluffton, where he had settled a year earlier, furnishing the oxen to haul the logs for the cabin. The hotel property is now known as the Curry property. The old hotel was burned in 1842, and Mr. Almon Case later erected a two-story frame house on the present site of the Wells County Bank and ran it as the "Exchange Hotel" until 1862. The following two years he was engaged in the live stock business at Fort Wayne, Indiana; returning then to Wells County, he bought a farm and there both he and his wife spent their remaining days, his death occurring May 7, 1875, and hers March 17, 1880, at the age of sixty-seven years. He was a straightforward republican in politics, and served as the first postmaster of Bluffton. He was known as a man of honest integrity and sterling worth, his word at all times being as good as his bond.
The maiden name of the second wife of Almon Case, to whom he was married in Ohio, was Mindwell Hayes. She was born in Connecticut in 1813. Of his union with his second wife the following children were born, namely : Scott, deceased, born in Ohio: Catherine, deceased, left two sons at her death, her husband having been Snyder Filson ; John, third child of Ahmon Case; Elizabeth, who had the distinction of being the first female child born in Bluffton, was twice married, by her first husband having two children, and by her second husband, Dr. Horton, one child; Almon, Jr., was accidentally killed in his father's woolen mill when but seventeen years old; Helen, widow of the late S. M. Cum- mings, of Elkhart, Indiana, has two daughters; Hamilton died at St. Louis, Missouri, in February, 1915, leaving a widow and four children ; and Robert, of whom we write.
After the death of his father Robert Case carried on the home farm for ten years, and then moved to Magley, Adams County, where for twenty-six years he carried on a successful business as a general mer- chant. Going from there to Indianapolis, he spent a year in that
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metropolis, and in 1910 accepted the position of manager of a grain business in Decatur. Succeeding well in that capacity, Mr. Case is now an active member of that grain firm, and as its manager is carrying on a large and lucrative business, having a capacious elevator, and like- wise coal sheds, well located on the Grand Rapids and Indiana Rail- road.
Mr. Case married in Vera Cruz, Wells County, Sarah Arnold, a native of Adams County, and into their pleasant home seven children have been born, namely: Theodore, died in infancy; Mindwell, wife of Frank Anna, of Chicago, has two children, Robert C. and Sarah E .; George, a graduate pharmacist, married Adelle Walderman, an Indian- apolis girl, and is now a druggist in Indianapolis; Ralph, also a druggist in Indianapolis, is married; Irven, field manager at Elkhart, Indiana, for the Lincoln Life Insurance Company of Fort Wayne, is married and has two children, Mary E. and Virginia, twins; John Robert, representing a Chicago supply house; and Harold, at home with his father. Politically Mr. Case is a strong republican, and fraternally he is a prominent member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons, belonging to lodge, chapter and council.
LEVI HUFFMAN is proprietor of the Wheatland Farm of Jackson Township, Wells County. That farm has been the home of the Huff- mans in this county for more than three quarters of a century. It is a conspicuous example of thoroughgoing and efficient agricultural man- agement. When the first Huffmans took possession of the land it had no productiveness so far as the uses of civilized land were concerned. Its improvement has been a process of slow and steady work carried on from one generation to the other. While there is a great deal of interest naturally centering in this farm, because of its value and the many associations with the lives of these worthy people, the farm itself is only one expression of the life and character of its owner. Mr. Huffman has for years been an important figure in the citizenship of Wells County. He has rendered a good account of his time and energies and opportunities, whether in the cultivation of his fields or in looking after the varied relationships he has sustained to the community welfare.
Mr. Huffman was born October 20, 1850, on the farm which is now known as the Wheatland Farm. The Huffmans came to Wells County from Ohio. His grandfather, Adam Huffman, was one of the carliest settlers of Clark County in that state. Levi Huffman's parents were Henry and Catherine (Baker) Huffman, the former a native of Clark County, Ohio, and the latter of Pennsylvania, a daughter of Adam Baker. Henry Huffman came into Wells County, Indiana, in 1840. At that time he entered land in Jackson Township. That land is now a portion of the Wheatland Farm, and Levi Huffman has in his possession an old parchment deed hearing the name of President Martin Van Buren as an evidence of title to this property. Not a stick of timber had been felled and not a foot of ground had been plowed when Henry Huffman took possession of his homestead. He was a man of sturdy mold, and well fitted for the heavy responsibilities of pioneering. His own hands cleared away acre after acre of the woods, and by the time Levi Huffman was old enough to appreciate his surroundings, the greater part of the ninety acres were in cultivation. IIenry Huffman subsequently added to his place until he had 170 acres. The first home of the family, where Levi Huffman was born, was a log house. In 1867 it was replaced by a more substantial frame structure, at the time one of the best homes in Jack- son Township. It is said that when the Huffman family first came to Jackson Township they could not proceed fifteen rods in the woods in
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any direction from their home without danger of getting lost. Henry Huffman was a resident of Wells County for over forty years. He died in the fall of 1883. His first wife was Elizabeth Ebersole, who died leaving four children, Jacob, Catherine, Sallie and Peter. His second wife, Catherine (Baker) Huffman, died just four weeks and three days before his passing. They became the parents of ten chil- dren : Frederick, George, Henry, Lydia, John, Samuel, Levi, Eliza, Eva and Mary. All of these fourteen children of Henry Huffman came to maturity, and their strong and vigorous lives are evidence of the physical and mental character they inherited from their ancestors.
The strong constitution he inherited has enabled Levi Huffman dur- ing a long career to accomplish much more than the ordinary man. As a youth he was enured to hard and honest toil, and he was earning the equivalent of a living even as a schoolboy. He continued to attend the public schools of Jackson Township during the winter terms until his twentieth year. For a time he rented a portion of his father's home on shares, and also rented other land of his neighbors. In this way he gradually got something ahead and was looked upon as one of the coming young men of the county.
On December 31, 1874, he established a home of his own by his mar- riage to Miss Martha Coolman, daughter of William and Mary A. (McKee) Coolman. Her parents were natives of Ohio and carly settlers of Huntington County, Indiana. With a wife as a companion and counsellor and with the responsibilities of home, Mr. Huffman began honsekeeping in a little log house on a forty acre tract of land which his father subsequently purchased. Here his labors were prospered for seven years. In the meantime his father was growing old, and he returned to the home place to take its active management from his shoulders. After that he lived with his parents until he passed away and gave them the utmost of his affection and devotion. In the mean- time he had bought some land in Blackford county, but sold it and then acquired the interests of the other heirs in the old family place. Here he has lived as proprietor since 1883 and it is his management chiefly that has given the Wheatland Farm its well deserved fame among the . agricultural homesteads of Jackson Township. One improvement after another has been made and a large part of the revenues from the land have returned to its improvement and enrichment. In 1884 he erected one of the most commodious barns in the township, and his modern residence followed five years later.
Mr. Huffman has always been a combination crop grower and stock raiser. His farm comprises about 400 acres, and at one time there were a number of producing oil wells on the land.
His investments have also gone into other properties, including a business block in the town of Warren and dwelling houses and other property in Montpelier. For a number of years Mr. Huffman has had varied interests to look after, but finds his chief pleasure still in super- vising his fields and the growing and breeding of fine livestock. He has been one of the leading Shorthorn cattle breeders of the county, and has also handled Poland China and Duroe hogs. From his farm many high grade animals have been introduced to other farms in the county and have served to raise the standards of livestock in the entire county.
Material prosperity has always been the means and not the ultimate end and aim of Mr. Huffman's career. He and his wife have long been devoted members of the German Baptist Church, and through the church and its varied activities have not only expressed their own religions ideals but have found a means of doing good and enriching the moral life of their community. He has been interested in politics
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chiefly as the instrument through which worthy community projects can be carried out. He has always been a democratic voter, is a man of strong convictions on political and economic questions, and he rendered some valuable service to the county as county commissioner from 1907 to 1910. He is now a member of the Wells County Hospital Board.
Mr. and Mrs. Huffman have two children, Ardella and Josephine A. Ardella is the wife of Watson Hayward. Josephine A. married Daniel Roscoe Hardman.
Daniel R. Hardman, who with his wife occupies a fine farm in Jack- son Township two miles west of Mount Zion and four miles southeast of Warren, was born in Lancaster Township of Wells County February 17, 1875, a son of Joel P. and Martha P. (Winebrenner) Hardman. He grew up on a farm near Lancaster Center in Huntington County, was educated in the common schools, and for a time was a student in the Monument School and took special training at Huntington. For five years he taught in Lancaster Township and for a similar period was a teacher in Salamonie Township. Though his work as a teacher made him exceedingly popular in that vocation, he finally gave it up for a business career. IIe was for ten years in charge of the Montpelier Lumber Company at Montpelier, but in 1913 came to the farm where he now lives. On March 3, 1898, Mr. Ilardman married Miss Josephine A. Huffman. They have one daughter, Margaret. They are active members of the Church of the Brethren and Mr. Hardman is a dem- ocratie voter.
FRANK E. EHLE. Standing upon a high plane of affluence and influence is Frank E. Ehle, a well known druggist of Bluffton, Indiana. Brought up on a farm in French Township, Adams County, he there acquired his rudimentary education, attending the District School until fifteen years old. On September 4, 1890, he entered the Bluffton High School where he continued his studies for three years. The ensuing eighteen months Mr. Ehle was salesman in a dry goods store, and for a time after that was variously employed. From September, 1894, until September, 1895, he was employed as a clerk in the drug store of L. C. Davenport, in Bluffton, and there made his initial acquaintance with the drug business. Going then to Lafayette, Indiana, Mr. Ehle entered Purdue University, from which he was graduated with the degrees of Ph. C. and Ph. G. in the spring of 1897. He immediately returned to Bluffton and four years later, in March, 1901, bought a half interest in the business of his employer, L. C. Davenport, and began life for himself as junior member of the firm of Davenport & Ehle. On January 13, 1917, Mr. Davenport died, but the business has since been continued under the same name. This firm has been successful in its operations, being financially interested in other drug establishments, including one at Decatur and one at Huntington and the Public Drug Company at Bluffton, Indiana. Mr. Ehle is also connected with a 5 and 10-cent store at Wabash, Indiana, and is one of the directors of the W. B. Brown Company.
Mr. Ehle is an active and worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and as one of its official board is prominent in the manage- ment of its affairs. Fraternally Mr. Ehle is influential in Masonic circles, being a member, and past master, of Bluffton Lodge No. 145, Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons; a member, and high priest, of Bluffton Chapter No. 95, Royal Arch Masons; a member of Bluffton Commandery No. 38, Knights Templar, and a member of the Ancient Arabie Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of Bluffton Lodge No. 92, Knights of Pythias, and of the
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Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Politically he is a republican and actively interested in current affairs, regardless of party affil- iations.
A. A. IIAUK. The opportunities presented by Wells County, Indiana, for successful agriculture, have been recognized by many men of farm experience and matured judgment, and one of these is A. A. Hauk, who owns the northeast one quarter of section 19, Harrison Township. It is a valuable property and Mr. Hauk has made many substantial improve- ments here.
A. A. Hauk was born in Montgomery County, Indiana, December 17, 1859, and is a son of Daniel and Missouri (Traey ) Hauk. His father was born March 4, 1830, at Venice, in Erie County, Ohio, and his mother in Montgomery County, Indiana. Daniel Hauk was six years old when he accompanied his parents to Montgomery County, and he was reared near Waynetown, where the family lived until 1860. He was married in Mont- gomery County and some time afterward moved to Benton County, Indiana, where he entered 160 acres of land from the government, for which he paid $1.25 per acre. It was a wise investment as in 1901 he sold that same land for $200 per acre. After the death of his wife, Daniel Hauk returned to Montgomery County and still resides there. He has always been a democrat in politics and is a member of the Christian Church. He is known as an honest, upright man and a true Christian. His family consisted of five sons and two daughters. All the sons died in infancy except A. A. One daughter also survives, Miss Sarah, who lives with her father in Montgomery County, carefully looking after his comfort as he is now an aged man.
A. A. Hauk was three years old when the family moved to Benton County and there he obtained his education in the district schools. After his mother's death his father returned to Montgomery County as stated above, but he remained on the Benton County farm until 1901, and after it was sold came to his present property in Wells County.
Mr. Hauk was married first to Miss Emma Moore, who died after the birth of two children, a daughter and son, Ethel and Earl. The former is the wife of Albert Sterner, a farmer in Harrison Township, and the latter is operating his own farm in Montgomery County. Mr. Hauk's second marriage was to Miss Eliza Watson, and they have two children, Ida and George A. The former, a highly educated young lady. is a graduate of the Bluffton High School and of Defiance College, and is a teacher in the Toesin High School. George A. is a prosperous farmer in Harrison Township, Wells County. He married Miss Fay Chalfont.
In politics Mr. Hauk is a sound democrat. He has never desired political honors although men of his good, common sense and practical ideas are invaluable as public officials. He is a faithful member and liberal supporter of the Six Mile Christian Church. He is well known over several counties and everywhere is held in respect.
CHARLES B. GAVIN. A worthy and able representative of the agri- cultural interests of Wells County, Liberty Township, Charles B. Gavin is successfully engaged in his pleasant calling on a well cultivated farm, which is furnished with an excellent set of buildings and plenty of farming machinery of the most approved kinds. A son of James B. Gavin, he was born. July 29. 1872, on the farm he now owns and occupies.
His paternal grandfather, George Gavin, was born, bred and educated in Ireland. During his earlier life he was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary, or government police force, as such doing duty in some Vol. II-10
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of the larger cities of the Emerald Isle. Immigrating with his family to the United States in 1848, he spent six years in Ross County, Ohio, from there coming, in 1854, to Wells County, Indiana. He first bought land in Harrison Township, near Six Mile, but later bought land in section 5, Liberty Township, where he continued a farmer during his remaining days. He married, in Ireland, Mary Benton, who bore him seven children, as follows: Robert, Mary, Sarah, James B., Delilah, Henry J., and Henrietta.
Born in County Galway, Ireland, August 10, 1845, James B. Gavin was but two years old when brought by his parents to the United States. Selecting farming as his occupation, he managed the parental homestead for about five years after his marriage, after which he bought 160 acres of land in section 36, Liberty Township, and moved upon it. He subsequently purchased eighty acres of near-by land, and by sub- sequent investments obtained title to upwards of 500 acres of good land in Liberty Township. He has more recently divided his land among his children, and is now living retired from active business, his home, since 1907, having been at No. 218 East Market Street, Bluffton, Indiana.
James B. Gavin married, March 31, 1870, Rebecca Hedges. She was born in Harrison Township, Wells County, July 6, 1848, a daughter of Robert and Sophia (Kirkwood) Hedges, and granddaughter of Elijah Hedges, who came to Indiana from Virginia in pioneer days. Eight children were born of their union, five of whom are living, as follows: Charles B .; William J .; Mary, wife of B. F. Buckner, of Liberty Township; Frank T., of Bluffton; and Theophilus, who was graduated from college in Adrian, Michigan, taught school in both Texas and Kansas and is now a resident of Liberty Township.
Having acquired his rudimentary education in the district schools, Charles B. Gavin continued his studies for a year at the Marion Normal School. Beginning life for himself. he migrated to Kansas, and for about a year was located in Marshall County. Not at all pleased with his prospects in that state, he returned to his home state and resumed farming. Subsequently Mr. Gavin moved with his family to North Dakota, where he purchased 160 acres of wild land, and began its improvement, his home in the meantime having been near Aberdeen, South Dakota. Three years later, in November, 1911, Mr. Gavin assumed possession of the eighty-acre farm he now owns and occupies.
Mr. Gavin married, September 30. 1894, Miss Lydia M. Bay, who was born in Liberty Township, a daughter of Harrison and Jane (Shoe- maker) Bay. Five children have been born into the household thus established, namely : Harry B., now serving as a soldier, is stationed at San Antonio, Texas; Cecil B .; George D .; Garrett; and James R. Politically Mr. Gavin is an earnest supporter of the principles of the democratic party. Fraternally he is a member, and past noble grand, of Liberty Center Lodge No. 747. Independent Order of Odd Fellows; a member, also, of the Bluffton Encampment; and of the Loyal Order of Moose.
FORREST RIDDILE, a prosperous and successful farmer of Rock Creek Township near Uniondale, is cultivating land which has been in the continuous ownership and occupation of members of his family for three successive generations. Four generations of the family have been represented in Wells County.
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