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 28
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 28
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Liberty Township; Edna A., wife of Charles Haughton; Bessie E., de- ceased, wife of William Bareus; Isaac O., who married March 31, 1917, lives on the home farm with his father; and Taylor Alonzo, deceased. Politically Mr. Morris is a prohibitionist, and religiously he is a Quaker.
WILLIAM J. ARCHBOLD has played a very prominent part in the affairs of Decatur and of Adams County, both as a business man and public official. He was county treasurer in 1914-15, elected to that office on the democratic ticket. A stancher and truer American there could not be found anywhere, and it was his splendid loyalty to the essen- tial fundamentals of American life and also bis strenuous opposition to the saloon element that caused Mr. Archbold's defeat for re-election.
The name Archbold is one of the oldest and most honored in Adams County, where it was established about the time the county was or- ganized. The Archholds are of Irish ancestry. His great-grandfather, Thomas Patrick Archbold, fought as a soldier in the American Revo- lution and also in the War of 1812. Ile died either in Pennsylvania or in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Ilis son, Thomas Archbold, grandfather of William J., was born in Pennsylvania in 1800, and was quite young when he went with his parents to Tuscarawas County, Ohio. He grew up there, and married Malinda Andrews.
It was in 1835, a year before Adams County was formally organized, that Thomas Archbold brought his father to this section of Indiana. Hle located a traet of government land in Root Township a mile and a half northwest of Decatur. At that time there were numerous Indians, but friendly, and they were less an obstacle to the pioneers than more natural difficulties that stood in the way of cultivation and improve- ment. Much of the land was low and swampy and it was also covered with heavy timber. The woods furnished one source of support to the pioneers in the abundance of game. The Archbeld family knew Decatur as a village of a few houses and their neighbors were few and far be- tween. Thomas Archbold cleared a space in the wilderness, erected a log cabin, and in the course of many years by unremitting industry had a first class farm. Thomas Archbold died on the old homestead in 1872 at the age of seventy-two. His wife was born in 1802 and died in 1874. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Thomas Archbold was one of the most influential democrats in the early days of Adams County. ITe was the father of three sons and six daughters, nearly all of whom reached old age, and two of the daughters are still living.
Jeremiah Archbold, father of William J., was the fourth child in his parents' family. Ile was born in Ohio September 25. 1829, and was six years of age when brought to Adams County. Ile grew up with the old Root Township farm as his environment, and eventually owned half of that farm, comprising a little more than 100 acres. To its cultivation and superintendence he gave the active years of his life, and he died there honored and respeeted on June 10, 1917, when nearly eighty-eight years of age. Ile was a lifelong supporter and voter with the democratic party. For twenty-six years he held the office of justice of the peace. Whether officially or otherwise he was a man whose word was almost accepted as law, and he presided over his justice court with such dignity and impartiality that few decisions were ever appealed and rarely was one of them reversed by a higher court.
In Adams County Jeremiah Archbold married Lovina Paulison, who was born in New Jersey in 1832, was taken when very young to Ohio and was still a girl in her teens when she came to Adams County and settled in Root Township with her parents, John and Elizabeth (Van
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Camp) Paulison. Her parents spent the rest of their days in Root . Township, and her father died in his fiftieth year. There were many sons and daughters in the Paulison family, but only one of them is still living. The Paulisons were members of the Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Lovina Arehbold died at the old home at the age of eighty-three. She became a member of the Methodist Church. There were four sons and five daughters, five of whom are still living, William J. being the fourth in age.
Mr. Archbold was reared on his father's farm, and made the best use of his educational advantages. He worked as a farmer and also taught school until he was twenty-six and after his marriage he taught for two years.
In 1890 he married Miss Izora J. Mann, daughter of Joseph E. and Louisa (Kiess) Mann. Her parents were among the early settlers of Root Township. Her father spent his career as a farmer and died sev- eral years ago at the age of sixty-nine. The widowed mother is still living, hale and hearty, and occupies the old homestead, being now nearly three score and ten years old. The Manns were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Archbold was born in 1871, and was well edu- cated. graduating from the common schools under William J. Archbold as teacher.
In the fall of 1890 Mr. Archbold eame to Decatur and for eighteen years was local agent of the Adams Express Company. During part of that time and later he served sixteen years as city treasurer. Mr. Archbold in a business way is known as a manufacturer of specialties for steam boilers and he has built up a successful business and markets the output through his own ageney. He and his family ocenpy a nice home at 38 North Tenth Street. Mr. and Mrs. Archbold have the following family of children : Lawrenee, Marion, Earl, Esther and Catherine. Lawrence is a graduate of Purdue University and is now employed as chemist with the Holland Street Sugar Beet Factory of Decatur. He married Miss Aliee Elliott of Lafayette, Indiana. The son Marion also pursued technical courses in Purdue University and is a chemical engi- neer. He saw active service during the troubles along the Mexican bor- der in 1916 and qualified as a first class gunner. The son Earl is now seventeen years of age and in the third year of the city high school, while the two younger children. Esther and Catherine, are aged respectively twelve and five years. The family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
JOHN JELLISON. Now spending his declining years in peace and com- fort on his farm in Chester Township, John Jellison is one of the sturdy young men who responded to the call to arms when the Union was in its most critical danger and fought well and hard as a private in the ranks for three years. More than half a century has passed since that great war and these years Mr. Jellison has employed quietly and industriously as an agriculturist in Wells County.
He was born in Preble Countv. Ohio. October 17, 1839. a son of Ephraim and Mary A. (Reed) Jellison. Both parents were natives of Pennsylvania, his father of Westmoreland County. They married in Preble County. Ohio. and lived there for a number of years. On Septem- her 25, 1853. the family arrived in Wells County, and established home in the new district of Chester Township. The parents spent the rest of their days there. and the father became a republican voter upon the organization of the party. There were four children in the family and Mr. John Jellison is the last survivor. His brother James gave up his life to the Union at the battle of Chickamauga on September 19, 1863.
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The two daughters were Mary E. and Sarah J. The latter never married. Mary beeame the wife of Isaae Jones.
John Jellison was fourteen years of age when the family came to Wells County. He had attended district schools in Ohio, and he grew to manhood with the sturdy discipline of a new farm in Wells County. On August 1, 1862, he responded to the call for 300,000 men to put down the rebellion, enlisting as a private in Company E of the Seventy-fifth Indiana Infantry. Ile saw nearly three years of active service carrying a musket through some of the hardest fought campaigns of the war. He was not mustered out until June 8, 1865. A partial list of the battles in which he participated indicate the campaigns by which the Confederacy was gradually split in two and triumph brought to the Union flag. These battles were ITartsville, Hoover's Gap, Decker Station, Chickamauga, Milton. Tullahoma, Chattanooga, Missionary Ridge, Graysville, Ringgold, Tunnel Hill, Rocky Face Ridge, Adairsville, Cassville, New Hope Church, Big Shanty, Culp's Farm, Kenesaw Mountain, Marietta, Chattahooche River, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Ezra Church, Jonesboro, Savannah, Fayetteville, Averyshoro, Bentonville and Smithfield. He was in the fighting through Eastern Tennessee, the Atlanta campaign, the march to the sea aeross Georgia, and up through the Carolinas until the armies of General Johnston surrendered. Several times he was slightly wounded, hut was never absent from duty for any length of time. For many years Mr. Jellison has been an honored member of Lew Dailey Post No. 33, Grand Army of the Republic.
After the war he returned to Wells County and on October 24, 1867, married Miss Naney J. Miller. Mrs. Jellison was born in Wells County January 11, 1848, a daughter of Henry G. Miller. Henry G. Miller's name is established in Wells County history as proprietor of one of the first grist mills in the county. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Jellison rented a farm for a year or two and then hought ninety-six aeres in the midst of the green woods, and that traet has been gradually developed into one of the most productive and most highly improved places of Chester Township. Here Mr. Jellison has continued to live to the pres- ent time His wife died July 30. 1888. Four children were born to them and the only one now living is Elmer Jellison, a farmer at Mount Zion. Mrs. Jellison was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Jellison cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln on No- vember 6. 1860, and has never waivered one jot or tittle from the princi- ples which he at that time upheld and which have made him one of the oldest republican voters of Wells County.
GEORGE E. STEELE. The City of Deeatur has long had an example of the enterprise furnished by George E. Steele, as a business man and capable and straightforward eitizen. Mr. Steele has been in business at Decatur for nearly a quarter of a century, and is now head of the heating and plumbing establishment on North First Street. He first went into business in 1893 with his brother, Albert N., under the firm name of A. N. Steele & Brother. For several years they dealt in wind mills and pumps, but in 1896 expanded their business as plumbers and heating workers and in 1913 Albert Steele sold his interest to his brother and retired.
George E. Steele was born in Ashland County, Ohio. July 13, 1860, and was about eighteen months old when in September, 1861, his parents removed to Adams County. He grew up here and received his early edu- cation in the local schools, and under his brother Albert learned the buteher's trade. Albert Steele was for about seven years proprietor of one of the leading meat establishments of Decatur. From 1886 to 1892
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George Steele was in Colorado, at Denver and various other cities, fol- lowing his trade as butcher. He returned to Decatur in 1892, and the following year became associated with his brother in business.
On coming to Adams County his parents, Levi and Charlotte (Bark- ley) Steele, settled in Union Township. Ilis parents were both born in Pennsylvania and were quite young when their respective families moved to Ashland County, Ohio, where they grew up and married. Levi Steele served an apprenticeship at the tanner's trade with Martin Bender. He remained in Mr. Bender's employ for several years, and on coming to Adams County in 1861 he conducted the tannery of his relative, John Bender, while the latter was serving as a Union soldier. This tannery was noted for its fine leather products, and was conducted according to the old established principles governing the business. After the war Levi Steele took up farming, and continued a resident of Union Town- ship until his death about 1884, when sixty-five years of age. His widow died in 1894 at the age of seventy. They were very active members of the Church of God, and a house of worship was built on their farm and a cemetery laid out there. They were among the leaders of the church and liberal supporters to its cause. Levi Steele was a republican in polities and all his sons followed him in political action. There was a large family, eight of whom grew up, all of them married and three sons and one daughter, Mrs. Ellen Mumma, are still living.
Mr. George E. Steele married at Georgetown, Illinois, Miss Golda MeKinnie. She was born in Howard County, Indiana, about 1872, and was reared there. Her parents, William and Mahala (Chandler) Me- Kinnie, are still living at Russiaville in Howard County and are now past sixty-five years of age, but retain a great deal of their physical and mental vitality. They are active members of the Christian Church and her father is now an ardent prohibitionist. Mr. and Mrs. Steele have one son, Irwin W., aged eleven years, and a student in the publie schools of Deeatur. He is also one of the talented performers in the Decatur Brass Band. Mrs. Steele and son are members of the Christian Church. Politically Mr. Steele is a republican. In the way of public service he was superintendent of the local waterworks for two years.
SIMEON B. FORDYCE was born in Adams County seventy years ago, was a youthful soldier in the Civil war, and for a half century has been identified with the county as a practical farmer, land dealer, merchant and a citizen on whom has been conferred many positions of trust and responsibility.
He is of German and Scotch ancestry. His grandparents spent their lives in Pennsylvania. John Fordyce, father of Simeon B., had a brother, David, who became a California forty-niner. Early in 1850 John Fordyce also went out to California, going around by way of Cape Horn, and he and his brother had considerable success in the gold mines of the far west. After a year John returned to Adams County, where he had settled some years previously and in 1854 made a second trip to the West. John Fordyce had left his native state of Pennsylvania and had moved to Guernsey County, Ohio, where he married Mary Brown of Scotch ancestry. Five of their children were born in Ohio and about 1845 the family came to Adams County, traveling over the rough roads into a new and sparsely settled district. They located in St. Mary's Township and here erected a log cabin home in which their three youngest children were born, Simeon B. being next to the youngest. The land was cleared np, and in time constituted a good farm.
Perhaps no family in Adams Connty sacrificed more to the cause of the Union than the Fordyees. In 1861 two sons of John Fordyce,
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Jasper and Henry, enlisted in Company C of the Forty-seventh Indiana Infantry. In 1862 the father decided that his services were needed at the front and he went to join the same company and regiment. At the battle of Port Gibson on the Mississippi Jasper was shot through the forearm and the museles of the upper arm, the ball passing out through the shoulder blade. That wound erippled him so that he was incapacitated for further field duty, and spent the rest of his three years' time of en- listment as a steward in a hospital ward at Madison, Indiana. A week after the wound which incapacitated him his brother, Henry, was killed in the battle of Champion Hill. In the meantime the father, John, had reached the regiment and he was assigned to look after his dead son, and while attending to the burial of his body suffered sunstroke, so that he was discharged and sent home. John Fordyce died in February, 1866, at the age of sixty-two.
Simeon B. Fordyce was born in St. Mary's Township of Adams County January 27, 1847. Ile was only fourteen years of age when the war broke out, and his patriotic ardor grew from day to day. He saw his two brothers go into the army, later his father, and he tried again and again to get consent to be taken as a soldier himself. Finally in October, 1863, in his sixteenth year, he was enrolled in Company C of the Eleventh Indiana Cavalry. With this regiment he saw some very ardnous service, being assigned largely to seouting duty, and after the campaign which ended with the battle of Nashville his regiment was transferred to Missouri in Kansas, and did much fighting of guerillas and Indians. He was granted his honorable discharge at Madison, Indi- ana, being only nineteen years of age when mustered out. Thus were four gallant soldiers in the Fordyce family and Simeon was the only one who returned from the front practically unseathed.
He resumed eivil life as a farmer, and later conducted a grocery store at Pleasant Mills. He gave up that business in favor of farming and in 1890 removed to Decatur, where he entered business as a grocer and con- ducted one of the best patronized stores in the town for about twelve years until he retired in 1902. He has also dealt extensively in farm lands in Ohio and Indiana, and he owns a well equipped small farm of his own in Root Township. His pleasant home is at 210 South Fourth Street in Decatur.
He is the type of citizen who by experience, activities and judgment the people implicitly trust. For twelve years he has served as a member of the Adams County Board of Guardians, for six years as a member of the County Board of Charities, and served two terms as a member of the city council of Decatur. Mr. Fordyce is an active republican, has served as senior vice commander of Post No. 63 Grand Army of the Re- public, and for twenty-five years has been affiliated with Lodge No. 65 of the Knights of Pythias. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Fordyce married Miss Mary Branderbery, a girl who grew up in the same neighborhood with him. She was born in Washington Town- ship April 5, 1849, was well educated and for several years before her marriage taught school. She is member of the well known Branderbery family elsewhere mentioned in this publication. Mr. and Mrs. Fordyce have one danghter, Maggie. She was reared from early girlhood in De- catur, and graduated from the high school with the elass of 1897. She is now the wife of Charles D. Teeple, who was born in Van Wert County, Ohio, but was reared and educated in Adams County. Mr. Teeple is now head of the successful clothing firm of Teeple, Branderbery & Pet- erson of Decatur. Mr. and Mrs. Teeple have a daughter. Alta Fordyce Teeple, born February 21, 1900. She is now a senior in the Decatur Vol. II-13
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High School and her education is to be continued in Vassar College. Mr. and Mrs. Teeple and daughter are members of the Presbyterian Church.
DAVID A. LUDWIG was born near Mount Joy, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, December 23, 1861, the son of Emanuel E. and Hannah Stager Ludwig, and now resides on his farm in Harrison Township, Wells County, one mile south and two miles west of Bluffton, Indiana. IIe is of German extraction, tracing his family history back to Bavaria, Germany, from which place in 1733 Daniel and Mitchell Ludwig, two brothers, sailed on the Marthouse under command of Captain Cluster, landing at Philadelphia, September 18, 1733. It was a family tradition and that through political difficulties they left their native home as they were closely related to the ruling house of Bavaria and Wurtemberg, whose present king is a Ludwig.
On landing in the new world, these early ancestors of the Ludwigs in America cast about for a location to their liking and finally settled in Oley Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania and engaged in the milling business, building what was known as the Bartolette Mill in Oley, which is still standing at this day. Later Daniel Ludwig left this place and moved to Sinking Springs, six miles west of Reading, Pennsylvania, where he purchased a farm, and lived there the remainder of his life. Daniel Ludwig and his wife were the parents of eight children. One son, Christopher, served in the Revolutionary war and was superintend- ent of the bread making department under General Washington at Valley Forge in 1777 and 1778. Daniel Ludwig died at the age of seventy-nine years, and his remains lie buried at Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania.
Daniel Ludwig the second, son of Daniel the first, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, June 4, 1748. He was the father of six children, having been married three times. His first wife was Elona Miller and to them were born three children. His second wife was Eva Griesmore and to them were born two children. His last wife was Elizabeth Shepert and they were the parents of one child. Daniel and his three wives all are buried at Sinking Springs.
George Ludwig, a son of Daniel the second, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, March 11, 1784. He was married to Rachel Wandle and they reared a family of thirteen children, five boys and eight girls. He died at his home in Lancaster County. Pennsylvania, in 1853 and was buried near his home at Reamstown, Pennsylvania.
Emanuel E. Ludwig, son of George Ludwig, was born in East Calico Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, November 11, 1822. On - reaching the age of his majority, he was married to Hannah Stager and from this marriage the family tree of the Ludwigs was increased by nine, four boys and five girls. Emanuel E. Ludwig was throughout most of his life a general farmer, moving to Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, after his marriage and residing there until the death of his wife in 1862. In 1864 he re-married, this time forming a marital home with Miss Catherine Brant, and moved on his 200 aere farm near Millersburg, situated thirty- five miles west of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he continued his ac- customed occupation for a short time, selling his farm near Millersburg to engage in the mercantile business in a mining town known as Likens- ville. A great misfortune befalling the mines of the town by a cave-in of the mines, and killing of a number of men, was the source of a heavy loss to him as he was carrying many of them on his books. Ile then sold his store and moved to Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, where he again engaged in the mercantile business. in which he continued until the year 1873 at which time he sold out and purchased a canal boat. This was the year of the great panie and again he was caught in the
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maelstrom of finance losing heavily. The troubles with his boat were numerous and varied and having to wait idly in different places for a load before proceeding to his destination, always the source of loss. The boat he had purchased and from which he had hoped to re-coup his ex- chequer proved to be only an old one and quite unfit for service, but . had been painted up for sale. Returning to Middletown with a load of lumber, he barely escaped losing boat and cargo from sinking, but after unloading the shipment, he allowed the boat to sink, but was compelled to pay for the damage done to the lumber, after which he retired to private life.
The children now living of this pioneer are Emanuel S., a merchant at Penbrook, Pennsylvania, for a number of years postmaster at East Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which place is now called Penbrook ; Jerome Ludwig, a machinist residing at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Amanda Walhorn, widow of Frank Walborn, living in Lancaster Township, Wells County, Indiana : Lydia, the widow of Abram Shanaman, is living at Anville, Pennsylvania ; Hannah Ludwig, single, living in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and David A. Ludwig of this sketch. Emanuel A. Ludwig, died in 1882 and is buried at Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
David A. Ludwig was educated in the publie schools of his native state, leaving school to make his own way in the world at a very early age. One of his first places to be employed was at the King Car Works at Middletown, Pennsylvania, where he received the sum of sixty cents per day, and paying $3.00 per week for board. Here he helped to paint the first ears run on what was known then as the Toledo, St. Louis & Hoeking Valley Railroad, but which is now known as the Clover Leaf. After working there for a time, he sought employment elsewhere and soon hired to William Diekason, general repair boss for the Pennsyl- vania Canal Company at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, making from $2.00 to $2.25 per day. His next move brought him to Wells County, In- diana, where he was engaged as a farm laborer throughout Rock Creek Township until his marriage May 12, 1883, to Emma Raber, a daughter of William Raber and wife, of same township. The home thus formed has reared and sheltered five children, Charles, residing at Albion, Mich- igan; Ida, wife of Sherman Falk, of Rock Creek Township; Harry, living in Harrison Township; Mable, wife of Guy Falk, of Liberty Township, and Homer, who is still at home with his parents.
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