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 4
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 4
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
John C. Tyndall, father of Senator Tyndall, was born in Crawford County, Ohio, in 1827, but grew up in DeKalh County, Indiana, and he married in Van Wert County, Ohio, Miss Rachel Wagers, a native of that county and a daughter of John and Anna (Johnson) Wagers, who were pioneers of Van Wert County, moving there from Harrison County, Ohio. The old Wagers' farm in Van Wert County is still owned by a descendant, Joshua Wagers. John C. Tyndall after his marriage walked with his young bride through the woods, a distance of ten miles, to their new home in Blue Creek Township of Adams County. Mrs. John C. Tyndall died at this home when John W. Tyndall was five years of age. In 1861 John C. Tyndall had gone into the Union army as a member of Company H of the Forty-seventh Infantry, and served nearly two years until discharged for disability. He never recovered his former health and his death on July 2, 1885, was the direct result of illness contracted in the army. He was a prominent democrat, served several times as assessor and for twelve years was justice of the peace. He married for his second wife Athe Ann Campbell, who was of Scotch ancestry. Later they sold the old farm and bought another nearby and it was at this home that John C. Tyndall died. His widow afterwards married John Beatty and moved to Oklahoma, where she died when well advanced in years. John C. Tyndall had children by both wives.
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John Wilson Tyndall married at Decatnr Miss Mary Heller, who was born in that city in 1870, a daughter of the late Judge Daniel Heller and a sister of Mr. John H. Heller, president of the Decatur Democrat Company. Mrs. Tyndall was the youngest graduate of the Decatur High School, and at the age of sixteen began teaching, a work she continued for several years until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Tyndall have two sons. Daniel Heller Tyndall, born in 1893, is a graduate of the city high school, spent one year in the State University of Ohio and one year in the Indiana State University, and is now associated in business with his father. He married Catherine Egley of Berne, Adams County. The second son, Ralph, was born in June, 1901, and is still carrying on his studies in the high school.
SAMUEL MCCLEERY. For over sixty-five years the name MeCleery has been identified with Wells County, where its associations are most honorable and where it is spoken with the respect due to success in business, public service and duty well performed.
The present Mr. Samuel MeCleery is now a retired merchant and carpenter, and is a native of Bluffton, having been born on Wabash Street May 8, 1852. Many of his most active years were spent away from Bluffton, but he has always regarded it as his permanent home. His parents were Samuel and Mary (Forbes) McCleery. His father was born in County Antrim, Ireland, and his birthplace was a stone honse known as Iva House. At the age of nineteen he came to the United States, first locating in Philadelphia, where he married a Miss Daugherty, who died in that city. Not long afterwards he came to Wooster in Wayne County, Ohio, and there married Mary Forbes. They were the parents of five children. The daughter Elizabeth was born in Wooster, Ohio, and is the widow of Lafayette Shinn, living at Montpelier, Indiana. The second child, William A. MeCleery, was born at Edinburg, Ohio, and is now deceased. In 1849 the MeCleery family came to Bluffton, and the first child born here was Charles MeCleery in 1850, whose death occurred in 1916. Samuel MeCleery, Sr., died at Bluffton in 1893. His second wife passed away in August, 1863.
Samuel MeCleery, Sr., on coming to Bluffton was employed by the firm of Studabaker & Winters, and then started a shop of his own as a boot and shoe maker. He built up quite a business and had several men working under him. In 1856 he moved to the old town of Murray in Wells County, and lived in a log house there. He also conducted a tavern at Murray and built a shoe store there in 1859. In 1860, return- ing to Bluffton, he resumed his trade as shoemaker and in 1861 he erected the store room now occupied by W. H. Merriman on North Main Street, at the corner of Wabash Street. At one time he served as town marshal of Bluffton.
Samuel MeCleery, Jr., grew up at Bluffton and remained at home until he was twenty-two years of age. In the meantime he had benefited by the instruction of the public schools. Concerning his early education it is interesting to recall the fact that he attended a school in the house where he now lives and which then stood at the northwest corner of West Market and Johnson streets. He was also a student in the first high school established at Bluffton.
Mr. M.Cleery learned the shoemakers' trade and followed it for eight years, but then took up work as a carpenter. He was employed in the bridge department of the Clover Leaf Railway in 1879, 1880 and 1881 and was then engaged in building bridges with the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railway for a year. In 1882 he went with the Wabash Railroad, and on May 26, 1886, he joined the Santa Fe Railway Com-
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pany at Wichita, Kansas, and was in the bridge building department of that western railroad until 1900. From 1900 to 1903 he was connected with the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway Company and was super- intendent of bridges and building over the entire road, a distance of over 500 miles. In October, 1903, Mr. MeCleery returned to Bluff- ton and for several years concerned himself chiefly with looking after and repairing his property. In January, 1910, he engaged in the grocery business, but soon sold out and is now retired. Mr. MeCleery has never married. He owns sixty acres of land at the old town of Murray, and has several properties in Bluffton, including a business room at the corner of Main and Wabash streets.
Ile is an active member of the Presbyterian Church, is affiliated with Bluffton Lodge No. 145, Free and Accepted Masons, and also with the Royal Arch Chapter and Council and is a past sachem of the Improved Order of Red Men. Politically he has always cast his vote as a stanch democrat.
NOAH FRAUHIGER has a very extended personal and business acquaintance all over Adams and Wells counties, largely as a result of his business and profession as an auctioneer. Mr. Frauhiger has been especially active in the business of buying and dealing in livestock, and is now a resident of Bluffton, with home at 424 West Lancaster Street.
He was born in Adams County, Indiana, December 23, 1882, a son of Philip and Bertha (Meyer) Frauhiger. His father was a native of Darke County, Ohio, and his mother of Wells County, Indiana.
When Noah Frauhiger was eight years of age his parents removed to Lancaster Township in Wells County, and there he grew up to the sturdy discipline of the farm, with advantages supplied by the district schools. He stayed at home with his father, helping to clear up the farm, and the land was all in cultivation when he left home at the age of twenty-four. Removing to Preble in Adams County, Mr. Frauhiger conducted a meat market there for a year and a half and also engaged in the buying and shipping of stock. It was while there that he took up the profession of auctioneering, and his success in this line has brought him many engagements all over Northeastern Indiana and he has cried sales for the past ten years. In 1911 Mr. Franhiger came to Bluffton, and he now gives all his attention to auctioneering and the buying of horses.
He married Esta Yarger, a granddaughter of Samuel Yarger. They have six children, three sons and three daughters, named Herman, Ervin, Kenneth, Velma, Lucile and an infant. Mr. Frauhiger is a democrat in politics but has neither sought nor held office.
THOMAS H. KOONTZ graduated from the Bluffton High School thirty years ago, took up the trade of carpenter, and now for many years has been one of the leading contractors and builders of Wells County. He is also widely known over the county because of his former service as city clerk.
Mr. Koontz was born at Columbia City, Indiana, September 5, 1869, a son of O. P. and Catherine S. (Bitner) Koontz. His father was born at Canton, Ohio, August 8, 1835, and grew up in his native state and received a liberal education, having attended Mount Union College at Alliance. In 1854, he came to Whitley, Indiana, locating at South Whitley. He was living there when the war broke out and in 1861 he enlisted in Company E of the Forty-fourth Indiana Infantry, and saw active service until the close of the struggle, coming out with the rank of captain of his company. He then returned to South Whitley, and
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soon afterwards was elected sheriff of the county, filling that position four years. He was a very successful educator, having taught in the schools of Whitley County seven years, part of the time being principal of the school at Larwill and at Coesse. In March, 1878, he removed to Bluffton and for two years taught in the Central sehcol building of that city. Later he entered merchandising and finally became a contractor, a line of business which he followed until his death in 1908. He was a democrat in politics, a member of the Baptist Church and a charter mem- ber of Bluffton Lodge No. 92, Knights of Pythias. He and his wife were married in Whitley County in 1858. Of their children two are still living, Morris B. and Thomas H. The former is a carpenter at Kansas City, Missouri.
Thomas H. Koontz was nine years of age when the family removed to Bluffton and he grew up there, attending the public schools. He graduated from high school with the class of 1886 and at once began learning the carpenter's trade. He used that trade as a basis for an independent business career as a building contractor, and has handled many important contracts all over Wells County.
September 18, 1899, Mr. Koontz married Miss May Crewell, daugh- ter of Eli Crewell. They have one daughter, Catherine H., born Sep- tember 28, 1905.
Mr. Koontz is affiliated with Bluffton Lodge No. 92, Knights of Pythias, with Bluffton Lodge No. 145, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, being worshipful master of the lodge, and he and his wife are both active in Crescent Chapter No. 48, Order of the Eastern Star, he serving as worthy patron and his wife as worthy matron at the present writing. Politically Mr. Koontz has been very active in the democratic party. He was elected and filled the office of city clerk at Bluffton four years, from 1898 to 1902.
GRANT PYLE. Diligent and ever alert for his chance of advance- ment, Grant Pyle has progressed steadily along the road to success until he is recognized today as one of the foremost business men of Bluffton. Here he is held in high esteem by his fellow citizens, who honor him for his ability and for his fair and straightforward career. He is district manager of the Farmers National Life Insurance Company, his head- quarters being at Bluffton.
Grant Pyle was born on a farm in Rock Creek Township, Wells County, the date of his nativity being July 3, 1867. He is a son of Robert and Mary A. (Clinger) Pyle, the former of whom was born near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 23, 1831, and the latter in Ohio, September 10, 1836. Mrs. Pyle accompanied her parents from the Buck- eye State to Jay County, Indiana, and there was solemnized her mar- riage. In 1863 Mr. and Mrs. Pyle located on a farm in section 27 of Rock Creek Township, Wells County, and part of their land now forms the Town of Rockford. They cleared and improved their homestead and continued to reside thereon until 1912, when they retired from active work and settled in the city of Bluffton. Here he died February 22, 1915, and she was summoned to eternal rest July 16, 1917. They were both devout members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and helped organize the church of that denomination at Rockford. After their arrival in Bluffton they affiliated with the First Methodist Episcopal Church, where they gained many warm friends, by whom their demise is uniformly mourned. Politically Mr. Pyle was a stalwart republican. Mr. and Mrs. Pyle became the parents of two sons and three daughters : Emma is the wife of W. A. Redding of Muncie, Indiana; Grant is the immediate subject of this review; IIuldah M. married G. B. Johnson,
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of Bluffton; Melissa A. is the wife of Robert Dickey, of Rock Creek Township; and C. P.
Grant Pyle passed his boyhood and youth on the old homestead farm in Rock Creek Township, attending the public schools during the winter months and working on the farm during the spring and summer. He remained at home with his parents until he had reached his majority. His preliminary educational training was supplemented by a course of two years in the Methodist Episcopal College at Fort Wayne, Indiana, now Taylor University at Upland, Indiana. He initiated his business career as a traveling salesman for the St. Louis Range Company, cover- ing Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. Two years later he severed his con- nection with that concern and entered the employ of the Alpaugh-Dover Company, of Chicago, as superintendent of agencies, his territory being the eastern and New England states and Kentucky. He was with the latter company for three years, during part of which time he traveled as far west as Oklahoma and Wisconsin. He then engaged as salesman for the W. H. Hood Company and the Tobacco Company of Fort Wayne, remaining with those firms for seven years. April 16, 1914, he engaged in the life insurance business as district manager of the Farmers National Life Insurance Company, his territory comprising the counties of Wells, Adams, Blackford, Jay, Randolph and Delaware. His main office is in Bluffton and he stands in the front rank as an enterprising insurance writer. Mr. Pyle is a member of Bluffton Lodge No. 145, Free and Accepted Masons, in which he is past master; Bluffton Chapter No. 95, Royal Arch Masons; Bluffton Council No. 63; and Bluffton Command- ery No. 38, Knights Templars. He is likewise affiliated with Bluffton Lodge No. 114, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having been a mem- ber of that organization since July 4, 1892. He is an enthusiastic repub- lican and is an active politician. He was nominated for the office of county recorder in 1894, and came within 200 votes of being elected. He is a stockholder in the Alpaugh-Dover Company and the Farmers National Life Insurance Company, both of Chicago.
In the year 1893 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Pyle to Miss Ida M. Cassell, who was born in Darke County, Ohio, January 1, 1873, and who was educated in the public schools of her native place. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Pyle: Edna, Russell, Naomi, Mildred, Harved, Kenneth and Merriam. Russell, second oldest child, is a graduate of the Bluffton High School and is now a successful teacher in Wells County. The entire family are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, to whose good works they are liberal contrib- utors.
W. H. BERLING is secretary, treasurer and general manager of the Berling-Moltz Company at Bluffton. This is one of the large and impor- tant industries that give Bluffton its importance and prosperity, and the company also owns plants at Montpelier and Warren, Indiana.
Mr. Berling was born at Decatur, Indiana, October 16, 1886, a son of G. and Helen (Hartman) Berling. His father was a native of Ger- many and his mother of Allentown, Pennsylvania. G. Berling came to Decatur when a young man, and was in business there until his death. The widowed mother is still living at Decatur. There were four daugh- ters and three sons in the family. Joseph J., of Decatur; Mary C., unmarried ; William H .; Edward, of Decatur; Agnes, a graduate of the Decatur High School and a teacher: Genevieve, a graduate of Sacred Heart Acadamy at Yonkers, New York, and now secretary of the Martin Klepper Tanning Company of Decatur; and Matilda, a graduate of
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Sacred Heart Academy at Fort Wayne. Matilda, Mary, Joseph J. and Edward are proprietors of the H. Berling Company at Decatur.
William H. Berling grew up in his native city, attended the Catholic parochial schools there, and at the death of his father, at the age of sixteen, he joined his brother Joseph J. in taking over the produce busi- ness which their parents had built up. He continued actively associated in this line at Decatur until he removed to Bluffton August 9, 1909.
June 20, 1911, Mr. Berling married Edna E. Ehinger, daughter of E. X. Ehinger, cashier of the old Adams County Bank. Mrs. Berling was educated in the parochial schools of Decatur. They have one child, William H., Jr., born June 27, 1912. Both Mr. and Mrs. Berling are active members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church at Bluffton. He was affiliated with Bluffton Lodge No. 796, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is a member of the Knights of Columbus at Decatur. Politically he casts his vote as a republican.
JONAS S. COVERDALE, M. D. From the point of continuous service the oldest physician in Adams County is Dr. Jonas S. Coverdale of Decatur. He comes of a family of physicians, his father before him having prac- ticed medicine in this section of Indiana, while one of his sons enjoys a large practice as a specialist at Decatur.
Dr. Coverdale took his preparatory work in medicine at Cincinnati and began practice in Adams County in 1872. Eight years later he graduated from the Fort Wayne Medical College and has always kept abreast of the advancing ideas and methods of his profession. He has built up a large practice and has ridden and driven over practically every highway leading out of Decatur even beyond the boundaries of the county. Doctor Coverdale is an active member of the state and county medical societies, and has been president of the latter society.
He was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, February 23, 1849, but when four and a half years of age his parents removed to Allen County, Indiana, and somewhat later to Monmouth, in Adams County, a few miles north of Decatur. In that community he grew up and acquired his early education in the public schools.
Doctor Coverdale is of old Seoteh ancestry. The Coverdales have been in America for four or five generations. His grandfather Elias Coverdale was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, and died there in early life. His widow married a second time and also speut her years in Muskingum County.
Dr. Lemuel N. Coverdale, father of Jonas S., was born in Muskingum County October 3, 1812, and that date attests the early settlement of the family in Ohio. He was one of the three sons of his father, being the youngest in age. He grew up and married Mary Ann Shaver. She was born in Muskingum County March 25, 1810, her parents being early settlers there, coming probably from Virginia. Her mother lived to be eighty-nine and her father even older.
Dr. Lemuel Coverdale after his marriage hegan practice in Muskin- gum county and along with his work as a medical practitioner he also did duties as a lay minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife was a very devout member of the same church. All of their eleven children were born in Muskingum County. Two of these children, a son and daughter, were twins, the son dying in infancy while all the others grew up, two sons and eight daughters, and all but three married. Five of them are still living, including two maiden sisters and two wid- ows. After the family removed to Adams County Dr. Lemuel Cover- dale continued his work for many years as a physician and lay preacher. For the last eight years he lived retired and passed away in 1889. His
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wife died in 1887. They are buried side by side in the Deeatur cemetery. In matters of polities the senior Doctor Coverdale followed the fortunes of the whig, abolitionist and republican parties.
In Adams County May 20, 1873, Dr. Jonas Coverdale married a neighbor girl, Catherine E. Patterson. She was born in Wayne County, Ohio, August 4 ,1854, and when a child removed to Adams County, Indi- ana, with her parents, Thomas and Margaret (Shamp) Patterson, who were of Seotch-Irish ancestry. Her parents spent the rest of their lives on the farm in Adams County, having located there during the '50s. Her father cleared away a portion of the wilderness to make this farm and was a man of considerable substance and importance in his com- munity. He and his wife were active members of the Presbyterian Church. In the Patterson family were the following children: Etta, Van R., J. Monroe, George W., John, Emma, Zale, Mrs. Coverdale and Margaret, four of whom are still living. All were married and one is now a widow and one a widower.
The youngest of Doctor Coverdale's children was May, who was well educated in the local high school and also in the Woman's College at Oxford, Ohio. She died eight months after her marriage to John Chris- tian. Nelson Thomas Clark Coverdale, the older son of Doctor Cover- dale, was graduated from the local high school, from the Fort Wayne International Business College, and is now a successful real estate man at Nashville, Tennessee. Ile married May L. Hughes, an Adams County girl, and their children are Graydon, born February 25, 1896, and a graduate of the Nashville High School in 1917; Donald Clair, born April 21, 1900; Jonas Seott, born January 30, 1902; and Ruth May, born October 9, 1907.
Dr. Earl G. Coverdale, the other son of Dr. Jonas S., was born November 11, 1879. He graduated from the Decatur High School and in June, 1902, received his Doctor of Medieine degree from Rush Medical College of Chicago. After two years of general practice he entered the Chicago Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Institute and received a diploma from that school. Since then he has been practicing along these lines and has built up a very fine special practice, being associated as a part- ner with his father. Doctor Earl married at Decatur Estella Ellis. She was born in Indiana and received her education in the public schools of Redkey in Jay County. She is the mother of one daughter, Mary Mada- line, horn June 21, 1914.
The family are active in the Presbyterian Church. Doctor Cover- dale is a Scottish Rite and a Royal Arch Chapter Mason, being affiliated with the Seottish Rite bodies at Fort Wayne and with Mizpah Temple of the Mystic Shrine in that city. IIe received his master mason's degrees in Masonry in January, 1873, not long after he began medical practice in Decatur. When the law was passed requiring counties to have a board of health Doctor Coverdale was elected to the first board and was its secretary. In 1894 he was elected to the city council on the republican ticket and served till 1898.
GEORGE D. SNYDER. The career of George D. Snyder, of Bluffton, has been in many ways a typical American success. Coming to Indiana a poor boy, working on farms and in stores, he proved his eapaeity and fidelity in small things and was promoted to increasing responsibilities, finally getting into business for himself and now for many years has enjoyed an enviable position in business and civie affairs. At the pres- ent time Mr. Snyder is distriet agent at Bluffton for the People's Life Insurance Company at Frankfort, Indiana. He is also a stockholder in the company.
PRIVATE LIRE ARY OF GRO. J. TOTHELET. BLUFFI . . IND. PLEASE RETURN PROMPTLY.
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Mr. Snyder was born at Mount Etna in Berks County, Pennsylvania, January 4, 1863, son of Aaron and Lavina (Lebo) Snyder. His parents spent all their lives in Berks County. His father was a man of good edu- cation, taught in publie schools, and later practiced law and became well known both in the law and in democratie politics. He was a mem- ber of the German Reformed Church. There were thirteen children in the family, ten sons and three daughters. Ten of the children are still living, Emma, Robert, George D., Keturah, Matthew, Kate, Carrie, J. L., William and Lester. George's brother J. L. also lives at Bluffton.
A member of a large family of children, George D. Snyder early acquired a sense of serious responsibility. His father was moderately well-to-do in financial circumstances but with such a large family it devolved upon the children as early as possible to become self support- ing. George D. Snyder lived at Mount Etna until he was seventeen years of age. He attended public school as opportunity offered, and at the age of nine began contributing to the support of the family. He worked in a general store and at other lines of employment. On com- ing to Indiana he found work in a livery barn, was there three months, then went out to Washington County, Kansas, where he found something more to his liking in a dry goods store.
Mr. Snyder eame to Bluffton, Indiana, in 1881 and entered the dry goods store of that old pioneer merchant, S. M. Dailey. After three and a half years he transferred his services to another well known old time merchant, G. F. McFarren. Mr. Snyder began his employment at Bluffton at wages of $3.50 a week. When he left Mr. MeFarren he was getting $1,750 a year. He gave up his employment in the MeFarren store to enter the boot and shoe business for himself, and condueted a very successful store at Bluffton for about ten years. In the meantime he had bought the Bluffton shoe factory. The weight of business respon- sibilities finally undermined his health and he spent two years recuper- ating in Asheville, North Carolina. On leaving Bluffton he had divided his stock with a partner. He also had a brief experience in the jewelry business and later resumed the boot and shoe trade. For a short time Mr. Snyder lived with his family in California. On returning to Bluff- ton he entered the life insurance business, and in that line has had a very marked snecess.
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