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 52
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 52
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JACOB J. SCHWARTZ. In Adams County as in many other sections of the Middle West the day of the big farm and the loose farming methods has almost passed. Farming is now both a practical and scientific business and many of the most successful are pursuing it ac- cording to the intensive method, making one acre grow what the old- fashioned husbandman produced on two or three acres. One of the prosperous little estates which well illustrates this principle is the farm of Jacob J. Schwartz in Monroe Township. His acreage is only forty, but some of the men who have followed his thrifty enterprise con- fidently assert that he has made his farm yield as much as other places twice its size.
Mr. Schwartz located on his present place in January, 1908. The forty acres were cleared and had been under cultivation, but it was left to him to develop it as a real farm. He has put in all the building improvements, has done the ditching, the fencing, has sunk the wells, and Vol. II-23
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the entire place stands as a credit to his genius as a farmer. Mr. Schwartz has not found it profitable to handle any stock except thor- oughbred. His pure bred stock include Holstein cattle, Shropshire sheep and Hampshire hogs. Mr. Schwartz is an expert cheese maker and comes of a family of cheese makers, the record of activity in that industry among the Schwartzes going back for 200 years. His ancestors at one time lived in what was known as the Department of Danube on the Danube River in Southern Europe.
Mr. Schwartz was born in Monroe Township of Adams County June 23, 1870, a son of Jacob and Mary (Liechty) Schwartz. His grandparents were John and Anna (Ramsyer) Schwartz. Jacob Schwartz, Sr., was born in France April 15, 1842, and on coming to Indiana settled on eighty acres in Adams County, which he cleared up and made into a good farm. He is still living, a resident of French Township, but his wife died in July, 1908. Their children were: Rosaina, who died April 26, 1885; Jacob J .; John J .; Catherine; Rachel ; David J. ; Solomon J .; Sarah ; C. W. R .; and Joel J.
Jacob J. Schwartz grew up on a farm and had his schooling in the common schools of Monroe Township. He has done much teaching in his active career and has been school principal of the Amish Christian Church. His father was for many years an active minister of that church, whose worshippers were composed of residents of Monroe, French and Wabash Townships.
Jacob J. Schwartz has always given much credit to his good wife as a factor in his prosperity. Mrs. Schwartz is a thoroughly practical housekeeper, and with all the cares and responsibilities involved in rear- ing a family of wholesome children has found time to make her home almost self-sustaining and a center of manufacture of many products for which the Schwartz family does not resort to the grocery stores. She is an expert maker of soap, is an adept in the preserving of meats, fruits and vegetables, and her cellar is well stored with all the good things that support and sustain life.
Before her marriage she was Miss Lena Habegger, a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Oberly) Habegger. Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz were married December 15, 1901, and their children are named as follows: L. Reuben, born March 28, 1903; Rosina L., born March 5, 1905: Hnldah L., born March 31, 1911 ; Naomi L., born October 31, 1912; and Mary L., born September 1. 1913.
Her father, Jacob Habegger, was twice married. He married Cath- erine Oberly in 1862 and their children were: Mary Anna, born March 8, 1863; Elizabeth, born October 8, 1864; Peter H., born November 15, 1865, and died January 17, 1910; Samuel H., born October 22, 1867, and died in July, 1901 : David II .. born October 28, 1869; Abraham H., born October 25, 1871, and died September 5, 1877; Rachel II., born July 16, 1873, and died August 30, 1877; Joel H., born November 18, 1874; Catherine H., born June 28, 1876, and died August 26, 1877; Daniel H., born April 5, 1878; and Lena. The mother of these children died May 13, 1880. Jacob Habegger married for his second wife in 1881 Catherine Neushaum. Their family of children consisted of the fol- lowing: Emanuel II., born April 4, 1883: Jacob, horn February 6, 1885: Noah, horn December 18, 1891, and died March 18, 1894: John, born September 7, 1894; Anna, born February 23, 1896, and died June 13, 1900; Barbara, born April 12, 1898; Amos, born August 18, 1899.
When Mr. Schwartz' father first came to the United States every- thing in this district where he settled in Adams County was wild and new, and he worked night and day to make a home and a farm out of his 120 acres. His farm gained wide note over this section of Indiana
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under the name of Apple Grove Farm. Mr. Schwartz and all his fam- ily are members of the Amish Christian Church, of which church he is as- sistant elder.
CHARLES H. LEHMAN. A practical agriculturist, giving close atten- tion to the management of his farm, Charles II. Lehman of Monroe Township is meeting with well-merited suecess in his work, his home- stead property of sixty acres of rich and fertile land being under a good state of tillage, and amply furnished with comfortable and convenient buildings. Ile was born, April 14, 1867, in Switzerland, where his parents, Abraham and Marianna (Neukum) Lehman, spent their entire lives, the death of the mother occurring in 1887, and that of the father in 1909.
Leaving his native land at the age of sixteen years, Charles H. Lehman came directly to Adams County, Indiana, arriving in Berne April 30, 1883. IIe worked by the day as a farm laborer until 1898, when he made use of his mechanical ability, and for a few years there- after followed the carpenter's trade, in the meantime owning and op- erating a threshing outfit during the harvest seasons. His father, a landholder in Switzerland, had also farmed and managed a threshing machine and a sawmill, so that he was familiar with the work. In 1899 Mr. Lehman bought forty acres of land in Monroe Township, and carried on farming for four years. Selling the property in 1903, he moved to Berne, where he was engaged in carpentering for five years. In 1908 Mr. Lehman bought his present farm of sixty aeres in Monroe Township, and has sinee devoted his time and attention to general mer- chandise, his land heing under good eultivation, and responding readily and satisfactorily to his efforts.
Mr. Lehman married, March 6, 1898, Bertha Liechty, a native of Switzerland. She is a daughter of Samuel and Anna Lieehty, who reared several other children, as follows: Jeremiah ; Jephtha ; Helena ; Adelina ; Matilda ; David; Caroline; and Rosa. Two of the daughters are still living in Switzerland. Mr. and Mrs. Lehman are the parents of six children, namely: Marcus, born December 13, 1898; Arthur, born August 15, 1900; Ellis, born August 5, 1902; Paul, born March 21, 1905; Arvilla, born October 6, 1907; and Anna, born April 10, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Lehman, true to the religious faith of their parents, are members of the Mennonite Church.
JUDSON W. TEEPLE is one of the oldest active members of the Adams County bar, having been continuously in practice at Decatur for thirty- six years. He is a man of solid achievements in his profession and has always shown a willingness to get out and work for anything that con- cerned the public welfare.
Mr. Teeple was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1883. He had studied law at Decatur with the well-known old time firm of Peterson & Iluffman. For the first year after his admission Mr. Teeple had as a partner Shaffer Peterson, but since that time has practiced alone and has been given many important cases to handle in the courts and as a counsel.
In 1909 he was elected mayor of Decatur, filling that office four years. In 1894 he was chosen a member of the eity council and was in that body four years. Politically he is a republican and his aetive affiliation with a party that has always been in the minority in Adams County accounts for the fact that his publie career is not a more eon- spicuous feature of his life. From 1898 to 1902 he was county ehair- man of his party, and in 1900 was nominated for county judge, though he made little effort in the subsequent campaign in this democratic
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stronghold. His first appearance in polities eame in 1884 when he was nominated for state representative from Adams and Jay counties. Though practically unknown in the latter county he had a majority of the votes there, and his defeat was due to the preponderance of democrats in Adams County. Mr. Teeple is affiliated with the Improved Order of Red Men and the Tribe of Ben Hur.
Ile was born in St. Mary's Township of Adams County October 29, 1856, and represents some of the very oldest and best known names in the early annals of this county. He grew up in his native community, was educated in the local schools and also the eity high school, and for several years taught in Adams County and also in the State of Ohio before taking up the study of law.
Ilis father, John E. Teeple, was born in Morrow County, Ohio, in 1831, and was brought to St. Mary's Township in Adams County in 1842. The grandparents spent the rest of their days on the farm which they improved from a wilderness condition. John Teeple married Catherine Smith, who was born in St. Mary's Township January 1, 1835. Her parents were Zachariah and Susanna ( McCleland) Smith, both natives of Ohio. The Smith family came to Indiana and located in what is now Adams County before the limits of this county had been definitely assigned and before a county organization had been effected. The year of the Smiths advent to Adams County was 1834. Zachariah Smith was a man of great influence and prominence in the early days. He developed at one time nearly a thousand acres in separate farms. He was the first man elected sheriff of Adams County, in 1835, upon its organization and he filled that office until he was drowned, in 1844. He was accidentally drowned while trying to ford the St. Mary's River, which was then greatly swollen, being on his way home at the time. His. death threw the care of nine young children on the shoulders of his good wife, who performed a notable part in making for them a home and giving them an education. She lived many years after her hus- band's death and passed away in 1892. Zachariah Smith was an ardent whig and one of the first men in time and in influence in Adams County. Two of his sons, Isaac and Joseph Smith, were gallant soldiers of the Civil war, Joseph serving three years and Isaac four years. Joseph was captured at Mumfordsville, Kentucky. Both these soldier boys came home, married, and Joseph is still living, while Isaac died only a few years ago.
Mr. Teeple married in Wayne County, Indiana, Maggie A. Zigler. She was born in Center County, Pennsylvania, in September, 1858, and was eight years of age when her parents removed to Wayne County, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Teeple became the parents of three children : Erie M., horn in 1886, died at the age of seven months; and the youngest child, Roy S., born in 1892, also died at seven months. Their only living son is Ray Zigler Teeple, born in 1889. He was educated in the Decatur High School, and is now a telegraph operator at Decatur with the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railway. He married Miss Hilda Smith of Decatur and they have one son, Richard Smith, born in July, 1913.
DAVID FLANDERS, now living retired at 313 South Third Street in Decatur, is a man of wide and unusual experience in life. For many years he was active in the railway service, but more than twenty years ago came to a farm in Root Township of Adams County, and only left off active farming in 1911, when he moved to his town home and has since enjoyed its ample comforts.
Mr. Flanders still owns the 120-acre farm in Root Township which he occupied in 1894. This farm might well serve as a model for farm
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improvements in this seetion of Northeastern Indiana, is thoroughly eultivated, kept up in a high state of efficiency, and has a fine group of building improvements, including barns, granaries and a substantial ten-room house. Mr. Flanders also owns a farm of 400 acres in Midland County, Michigan, a mile from the town of Sanford. This is a very productive fruit and grain farm, and has also excellent building im- provements. Mr. Flanders has owned this Michigan property for the past seven years. Besides his own residence at Decatur he has a high elass dwelling house on North Second Street oceupied by his son.
Prior to his removal to Adams County Mr. Flanders was for many years a resident of Cineinnati, and in the service of the Big Four Rail- way Company. He began in the baggage department and later was a passenger eonduetor for twenty-two years. Most of this time he had a fast passenger run between Cincinnati and Indianapolis. For a time he was in charge of a local suburban train out of Cincinnati for a dis- tanee of twenty-five miles, and when he left that run he was given in appreciation for his services a gold-headed cane hy the commuters who had long traveled with him and who felt a personal interest in his suceess. This eane hore the inseription "on time" and he had the reputation of taking his train in and out of the terminal strictly on the minute. He enjoyed a large acquaintance among the traveling publie an'd was highly esteemed by his superiors in railroad circles.
Mr. Flanders was born in Southern Canada November 10, 1844, but of New England parentage. He is a son of David S. and Sally (Leavett) Flanders, hoth natives of Vermont. They were married in Lower Canada, and spent their lives there as farmers. They died when quite old. They were first affiliated with the Wesleyan Church and later heeame Methodists. David S. Flanders had two brothers, Alvin and Philip, who spent their active careers in the West. Alvin Flanders was at one time governor of Washington and also represented that state in the United States Senate. He died in Washington, and his brother, Philip, who was a successful gold miner, died in California. There were several other uneles and aunts of Mr. Flanders who died in Boston, where they were well known, prominent people, and of families identified with politics, business and several of them with the whole- sale and retail trade. Mr. Flanders' unele, Rev. Rufus Flanders, was very prominent in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada, and at the time of his death several years ago was chairman of the Conference of Upper and Lower Canada.
Mr. David Flanders has a sister, Mrs. Mary Pope, now living at the old homestead in Lower Canada. IIer son, Jerry, beeame a lieutenant in the Canadian contingent of the allied armies in France and was re- eently killed while leading his men bravely at the famous Hill No. 70. Another brother of Mr. Flanders named Philip died when young in Canada. His brother Rufus resides in Cineinnati, is married but has no children. Another brother, Jerry, is a successful business man in Boston. A sister, Mrs. Horaee Taylor, also lives in Boston and has a family of sons and danghters.
When David Flanders was nineteen years of age, after a youth spent on the home farm in Canada and an education from the local schools, he removed to Boston, Massachusetts, and a year or so later went to Cin- einnati, to take his first position with the Big Four Railway Company. At that time the Big Four was a small road with about a hundred twelve miles of traek, while now it is a system of nearly two thousand miles. Several years after going to Cincinnati Mr. Flanders married Miss Alatha G. Gladden. She was born in Steubenville. Ohio, June 23, 1849, daugh- ter of George W. and Martha L. Gladden. Her mother was born in Ohio,
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a daughter of Frederick and Mary (Long) Risher, the former born in Pennsylvania in 1803 and the latter in Kentucky in 1801. The Risher family spent most of their lives in Ohio and died when quite old in Steubenville. They were active Methodists, and Frederick Risher was a lay preacher in that denomination. IIis business was operating saw and grist mills and also farming. George W. Gladden, father of Mrs. Flan- ders, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, son of James and Sarah (Shively) Gladden. Ilis parents spent their lives on their fine farm in Eastern Ohio, were members of the United Brethren Church, and lived to be quite old. George W. Gladden after his marriage settled in Jeffer- son County, Ohio, and followed the trade of carpenter for several years. In 1860 he brought his family to Cincinnati, where he entered manufac- turing. In 1882 he moved to Adams County, Indiana, settling in Root Township, and was a practical farmer there until his death in November, 1895. His widow died in January, 1899. George W. Gladden was a very decided republican and during war times gave a most active support to the Union cause. He and his wife were Methodists and he was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Mrs. Flanders is the oldest of her parents' children and the only sur- vivor at the present time. One daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Flanders, Allene, died young and was buried in Cincinnati. Their family now con- sists of one son, George G., who was born at Cincinnati, September 20, 1870, and was educated in the city schools. For several years he was in the grocery business, but for the past eight years has been connected with the Decatur postoffice. Ile married Jessie Carlisle, who was born in Cincinnati of Seotch parents. Her father, Robert Carlisle, is now liv- ing at Decatur. George G. Flanders and wife have two children, the joy and pride of their grandparents. The older is Carlisle D., aged twenty, a graduate of the Decatur City High School and now serving with the National army, having enlisted with Company A of Decatur. At the present time he is stationed in Mississippi. The second granddaugh- ter, Gladys, aged eighteen, is a senior in the Decatur High School. The family are all active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Flanders does much church work. and is active in the missionary and other societies. Fraternally Mr. Flanders is a Knight Templar Mason, having his affiliations in Cincinnati.
DR. JAMES M. MILLER. Twenty years ago Dr. James M. Miller came to Decatur, and at that time was a well accredited general physician. Dur- ing his practice at Decatur he has more and more concentrated his time and work upon special lines as a specialist in eye, ear, nose and throat diseases. Ilis attainments in this field rank him among the leaders of Northeastern Indiana, and cases come to him from many outlying coun- ties and districts. Doctor Miller has the equipment, the experience, and by constant study and association with elinies and hospitals has kept up with the profession in every advance.
Doctor Miller was born February 14, 1861, at Celina, Ohio, and he ae- quired his early education in that city. He began the study of medicine under a local doctor at Celina, and in 1883 attended the course at the medical department of Wooster University at Cleveland and in 1886 received another diploma from the Ohio Medical University at Cincinnati. He then entered private practice as a physician and surgeon at Mendon in Mercer County, Ohio, and enjoyed a large practice there for eleven years. In 1897 he removed to Decatur and was in the general lines of his profession here for six years before he developed his specialty. Doctor Miller has taken post-graduate work every few years, visiting the hospitals and elinies at Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis and New York
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City. His specialty requires a large amount of equipment, and he has everything needed for his work and has a specially equipped office in a substantial brick structure adjoining his beautiful home.
Doctor Miller belongs to a professional family. His father, Dr. Mil- ton M. Miller, a native of Greene County, Ohio, began to practice of medicine there in 1847. Later he removed to Mercer County, Ohio. His wife was Susan E. Noble, a native of Auglaize County, Ohio, and she was reared and educated and for a time taught school. Two of her brothers became physicians, one of them, Joshua, practicing for many years in Buffalo, New York, while the other died in Pennsylvania soon after tak- ing up practice. Dr. Milton Miller after his marriage removed to Mendon in Mercer County, but about 1855 went to Celina and finally retired from his active work and died there in 1889 at the age of seventy-two. His widow survived him many years and passed away in 1909 at the home of a sister in Chicago when she was eighty-six years old. Both were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. James M. Miller married for his first wife Dell White, who was born and reared in Mercer County, Ohio, and died eighteen months after her marriage. She was survived by a daughter, Zilla, whose death occurred at the age of sixteen. In 1892 at Decatur Doctor Miller married Miss Sadie M. Archbold, who was born in Adams County. Doctor and Mrs. Miller are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a democrat and is now serv- ing as a member of the city council. For twelve years he was county health officer, and he made that office an opportunity for real service to the people of the county, doing much to educate them to the importance of proper sanitation and the observance of the fundamental principles of health. Doctor Miller is a member of the Indiana State and County Medical societies and has filled all the offices in the latter organization. Fraternally he is affiliated with Kekionga Lodge No. 65 of the Knights of Pythias, with St. Mary's Lodge No. 167, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is also a member of the Local Tribe of Ben Hur. He has done much professional work with these orders and is a past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias and past noble grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having represented both in the State Grand lodges in Ohio.
ANNIE E. WINNES. For over half a century the name Winnes has been associated with the business affairs of Decatur and with one of the oldest and most prominent families of that city. Two generations of Adams County people have bought their boots and shoes from the Winnes store of Decatur. This business, one of the oldest established and one of the longest under one continuous family management, is now success- fully conducted by Miss Annie E. Winnes, daughter of its founder, and for many years proprietor. Miss Winnes is a splendid business woman, and has been in the boot and shoe business, either under her father or as his successor, upwards of thirty-five years.
The present store is at the corner of Second and Monroe streets, and the large stock of goods occupy a room 24 by 60 feet. The founder of the business was the late Henry Winnes, who came to Decatur in 1866. Ilis first store was on West Monroe Street, where the city hall was afterwards built. In 1869 he moved to Second Street, buying a lot and store, and was there until 1880, when he sold the property to the Schafer Hardware business. For a time after that he operated as a lumber mer- chant, but at the end of eighteen months again bought a stock of hoots and shoes in 1883, and had his store on West Monroe Street until Janu- ary, 1897, when he moved his stock to the present store building at the corner of Second and Monroe streets. Ile continued active in the busi- ness until his death on May 15, 1899.
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Henry Winnes was a son of Christopher and Anna B. Winnes and was born at Waldorf in one of the Rhine provinces of Germany Novem- ber 18, 1835. He received his early education in Germany and at the age of seventeen came with his parents to the United States. The voyage was made by sailing vessel and was a long and tedious one. Landing in New York City, they proceeded to Western New Jersey, where Christo- pher Winnes and wife located on a farm. They spent the rest of their years in the vicinity of Bridgeport, New Jersey, and were quite old when they passed away. Both were members of the German Lutheran Church.
Henry Winnes came to manhood on the old farm in New Jersey and learned the trade of shoemaker there. He finished his apprenticeship in Philadelphia, where during the war he was engaged in filling contracts for boots and shoes to supply the Union soldiers. Early in 1866 he left Philadelphia and started west for the purpose of finding a suitable busi- ness location. He visited Peoria, Illinois, and Fort Wayne, Indiana, but was not satisfied with either place and then came to Decatur, which at that time was a town of about five hundred people and was just beginning its development as a commercial center. He located here five years be- fore a railroad came to the town. In 1869 Henry Winnes built a home at the corner of Fifth and Madison streets, and that has been the family residence ever since. On July 20, 1862, in Philadelphia, Henry Winnes married Anna B. Forrester. She was born in Thierstein, Germany, in 1842, and was a small girl when she came with her parents to America. They arrived at Baltimore, Maryland, December 15, 1853, which was practically the same date at which the Winnes family had landed in this country. Her parents were John Wolfgang and Catherine (Schorner) Forrester. Both of them spent their last years in Baltimore, where her father was a shoemaker. They were active members of the Baptist Church. Mrs. Henry Winnes is still living at the age of seventy-six and is enjoying good health and considerable activity for one of her years. She is active in the Baptist Church. Mr. Henry Winnes was prominent in Odd Fellow and Masonie circles, and his funeral was under the auspiees of the above orders. He was a democrat and at one time quite active in local politics, serving as a member of the Town Board and doing much in many ways to promote the welfare of Decatur.
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