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 58
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 58
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
Mr. Martin Laughlin was the only son of the family. He has three sisters living, and all are married and have children of their own. Mrs. John Kelly is the wife of a hardware merchant at Geneva. Mrs. Adelia Ford also lives at Geneva. Margaret is the wife of Joseph Reuben and they live on the old Laughlin homestead in Jefferson Township.
Martin Laughlin married for his first wife in Adams County Mary A. Kenney. She was born and reared in Indiana, her parents eoming from County Mayo, Ireland. Her death occurred in Jefferson Town- ship in 1890 when in the prime of life and at the birth of her first child, Michael D., who survived her and died a boy six years old. Mr. Langh- lin married for his second wife in Potter County, Pennsylvania, Miss Adelia O'Donnell. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1860, daughter of Patrick and Bridget (Kinney) O'Donnell, both of whom were natives of Ireland. They spent many years of their lives on a farm in Potter County, Pennsylvania, where her father died when past seventy years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin and family are prominent members of the Catholic Church. He is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, and has done much effective work in the democratie party, both as a loeal leader and as a delegate to state conventions.
Mr. and Mrs. Laughlin have a family of very bright and interesting children. The oldest, Dayton, was educated at home and in Valparaiso University and is now employed in the steel mills at Gary, Indiana. Carl S. also finished his education at Valparaiso and is now living in Mon- tana. Emmett J., aged nineteen, has attended Valparaiso College and
845
ADAMS AND WELLS COUNTIES
is now employed at Buffalo, New York. Martin A. is a student in high school, Mary is now teaching school, and Grace, aged fourteen, is one of the capable seholars in the home schools.
Mr. Laughlin while he was living on the farm was the first president of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Geneva, holding the posi- tion for three years.
ELMORE J. COOK. Thirty-five years a resident of Adams County, Elmore J. Cook has a record not only of progressive farming but of pro- gressive eitizenship, and a man who has stood every test of character and popularity in the community where so many years have been spent. His name as a good farmer and good eitizen is widely known through- out the county and especially in his home community of Washington Township.
Mr. Cook was born in Orleans County, New York, September 28, 1857. He has an interesting and honorable ancestry. His great-grand- father Lemuel Cook played the part of a brave and patriotie soldier in the Revolutionary war. After that war he located in Orleans County, New York, then a pioneer wilderness, and he lived there until his death. His life was a remarkable one on many eounts, one of which was that he was one hundred and thirteen years old when he died. He possessed great strength and energy and his keenness of intellect remained with him to the very end. One of his children was Curtis Cook, who was born in Orleans County, and he and his good wife Rebeeea spent their years in that community as quiet and respected farming people. Curtis Cook died when nearly ninety years of age. He was a whig in polities and was noted for his devotion to high standards of Christian condnet. Hle and his wife had three sons and one daughter : Henry M., William and Whitney, and Rosetta, all of whom grew up, married, had children, and attained advaneed age.
Henry M. Cook, father of Elmore J., was born in Orleans County, New York, October 7, 1809. He grew up in that seetion and married there Sabina Elmore, also a native of Orleans County, and nine years her husband's junior. After their marriage they settled on a farmi adjoining the old Cook place. Five children were born to them: Ida L., the oldest, was born in 1855, and her first husband was Moore Noyse. Mr. Noyse was a very estimable man. His death oeeurred suddenly, from a stroke of lightning. At the time he and his brother-in-law Frank Conner were walking along protecting themselves from the deseending rain at Paw Paw, Michigan, and both were instantly killed by the light- ning. Ida L. Noyse subsequently married Lawrence Wines and their present home is at Maywood. Chieago. For twenty-one years Mr. Wines has been an employe of the Chieago postoffice. Mrs. Wines has a dangh- ter by her first husband, Beulah, now wife of George Coyle of Chicago. The second in the family is Elmore J. Carrie S., the third, is the wife of Frank Conner, above mentioned, and by him she had a son Frank, Jr. She married for her second husband Fred Williams, and they became the parents of two children, Mabel and Martha. Both Mr. and Mrs. Williams are now deceased. Mabel, the fourth in the family, is the wife of Newton Shennefield, a farmer near Batavia, Branch County, Michigan. James Eyar, who lives at Jackson, Michigan, has been three times married and has one child, Huber, by his first wife who was Delsie Dubendorf of Coldwater, Michigan.
Elmore J. Cook grew up and spent his early life chiefly in and around Paw Paw. Michigan. Ile married in that eity Miss Alice Tippy, who was born in Westerville, Delaware County, Ohio, July 6, 1854. At the age of five years her family moved to Illinois and a year later went
846
ADAMS AND WELLS COUNTIES
to Kosciusko County, Indiana, where she grew up and lived until she was grown, when she moved to Paw Paw, Michigan, to the home of a sister, Mrs. Mary Oaks, who lived near Hartford, Michigan. Mrs. Cook is a daughter of Elias and Celesta (Lane) Tippy, both natives of Ohio and of Pennsylvania parents. They were married in Ohio, moved to Illinois, and spent their last years in Kosciusko County, Indiana, where her mother died at the age of sixty-one and her father when past seventy. Mrs. Cook was one of ten children, five sons and five daughters. One son and five daughters are still living. all married and all have children.
To Mr. and Mrs. Cook were born eight children. A typhoid epidemic took away three of their children about the same time, Bertha B., Grace and Weldon. Bertha was a young woman of about eighteen when she died. Lena, the oldest of the living children, is the wife of Lawrence Strickler, a successful farmer in section 36 of Washington Township. They have two children, Lester aged seven and Mildred aged four. The next in age to Lena was Florence, who died when fifteen years old. Henry M. is now owner of a good farm in section 36 of Washington Township. He married Ona Durbin of Monroe Township and they have four children, Glenn aged seven, Gale aged five, Esther, born in March, 1916, and Alice, born in February, 1918. Nola married Frank Haggard, a Washington Township farmer, and they have a son Harold now eight years old. Beulah, the youngest of the children, is the wife of Rev. Den- nie M. Lyons of Portland, Indiana. Rev. Mr. Lyons is a preacher in the Church of God, and for the past seven years has been engaged in Evangelical work. Mr. and Mrs. Lyons have one child, Doris Lavon, born March 25, 1917.
In 1879 Mr. and Mrs. Elmore J. Cook moved from Michigan to Kos- ciusko County, Indiana, and in 1882 came to Adams County. They had little capital, but had a splendid equipment of ambition, energy, thrift, and other virtues that have enabled them to succeed. They located on eighty acres of land in section 36 of Washington Township. Most of this land was then covered with brush and timber and its clearing has heen an achievement of which Mr. Cook may well feel proud. He has kept the property in a high state of cultivation and has added much to the value of the farm by substantial building improvements. He has a good house, a number of farm buildings including a hip-roofed barn, 36 by 58 feet. This home is endeared to Mr. and Mrs. Cook by many associations, it was the home of their children as they grew up, and besides their own relatives they are surrounded today by a host of good friends who think nothing and speak nothing but good of these worthy people. Mr. and Mrs. Cook are active members of the Church of God. He is a republican in politics and is a member of the Township Com- mittee. He and his son have 160 acres.
DANIEL A. RUMPLE. Fortunate is the man who can make his husi- ness his hobby for he combines business with pleasure all the time, profits himself and others, and is very likely to grow old gracefully and with honor.
The daily enthusiasm and the work to which Daniel A. Rumple de- votes his time and energies is operating a farm in Jefferson Township of Adams County, the specialty of which is the breeding and raising of the big type Poland China hogs. Experts are pretty well agreed that 110 finer examples of the big type Poland Chinas are found anywhere than those constituting the Rumple herd. The head of his herd is Rumple's Wonder 101809, an animal which by its size and character- istics and breeding record has attracted attention from swine men all over the country.
847
ADAMS AND WELLS COUNTIES
Mr. Rumple's farm and the home of his industry is in Jefferson Township, 51/2 miles east and 21% miles north of Geneva and the same respective distances east and south of Berne. The Rumples are an old and prominent family of Jefferson Township and Mr. Rumple was born on a farm adjoining his home place July 25, 1889, a son of J. H. and Louisa (Kelley) Rumple. Both parents are still living. Daniel spent his boyhood days on the farm, was educated in the district schools dur- ing the winter, and at the age of twenty did his first work as a teacher. He taught three terms in Jefferson Township. After his marriage he went to farming and has made a success largely through concentrating upon his specialty. Mrs. Rumple is a loyal assistant and advisor in his business and is largely responsible for another specialty of the Rumple farm, the breeding of high class Brown Leghorn chickens. Mr. Rumple holds annual sales of his hogs and these sales are attended by swine men from all this part of the country and there is keen competition among them for the animals offered for sale. Mr. Rumple is also a stockholder in the Berne Grain & Hay Company, is a stockholder in the Pure Serum Plant at Thorntown, Indiana, is a stockholder in the National Poland China Association of Winchester, Indiana, and is a member of the Evangelical Association and is teacher and treasurer of its Sunday school.
In 1898 Mr. Rumple married Miss Emma Booher, who was born in Jefferson Township and was educated here in the common schools. They have one daughter, Mayme A., born in March, 1899.
JOB L. YANEY of Jefferson Township, Adams County, has contributed services to that community not only as a farmer and business man but also in public affairs, and is honored at the present time with the duties and responsibilities of the office of township trustee.
Mr. Yaney was born in Mercer County, Ohio, four miles from Celina on August 1, 1863, son of Daniel and Julia (Burd) Yaney. His parents were both natives of Pennsylvania, where they grew up, and after some years of residence in Ohio came to Adams County, Indiana, in 1882, aud here spent the rest of their days and passed away with the honor and esteem of a large community. Of their children the following are still living : I. F. Yaney of Kirkland Township of Adams County ; Mary E., wife of William Herron; Job L .; and Julia, living at Springfield, Ohio, widow of Jonathan Champer.
John L. Yaney grew to manhood in Mercer County, Ohio, had a district school education, and was about nineteen years old when the family came to Adams County. He afterwards attended the Portland Normal School and while farming during the greater part of the year taught ten terms of school in Jefferson Township.
June 20, 1886, Mr. Yaney married Miss Rebecca Buckmaster. She was born in Jefferson Township June 16, 1868, daughter of David and Sarah (Hutchinson) Buckmaster. IIer father was a native of Holmes and her mother of Wayne County, Ohio, and both had been married previously. Mrs. Yaney has four brothers and sisters: W. V. Buck- master, former trustee of Jefferson Township ; Luella ; Jesse A., a teacher in Jefferson Township ; and Amos D., cashier of the Lynn Grove Bank.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Yaney located on a farm in Jef- ferson Township, and that has been their home ever since. They have eighty acres of land well cultivated and improved and devoted to gen- eral farming and stock raising. For some seven or eight years Mr. Yaney was associated with D. A. Rumple and Jesse A. Bnekmaster as contractors in the local oil fields, and this firm drilled some eight or nine wells on the Yaney place.
848
ADAMS AND WELLS COUNTIES
Eleven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Yaney, eight of whom are still living : Floyd, who is married and lives in Wabash Township; Luella, wife of G. C. Runkel; Jesse L., who is married and lives at Fort Wayne; Alta, wife of Ralph Smitley; Hattie and Hazel, twins, both at home; Edna and Merrill P., also members of the home circle. The family belong to the Church of the Brethren at Bethel Church. Mr. Yaney is an active democrat and prior to his election as township trustee was for three years township assessor.
ISAAC TEEPLE. It is doubtful if any one citizen supplies more of the general business activities of the community of Geneva than Isaac Teeple. Mr. Teeple is primarily a farmer, is also an extensive dealer in livestock, and has numerous other connections due to his long and successful residence and citizenship in this community.
Mr. Teeple was born in St. Mary's Township of Adams County, In- diana, on May 7, 1855. His birthplace was where the village of Revere now stands. He is a son of James B. and Mary (Smith) Teeple, both natives of Ohio, his father of Franklin County and his mother of Fair- field County. His father was one of the successful agriculturists of Adams County from early manhood and married here Miss Mary Smith, who had come to the county at the age of two years. Isaac Teeple's maternal grandfather, Zachariah Smith, was the first elected sheriff of Adams County. He was born in Ohio in 1809 and in 1835 came with his wife and family to Adams County, Indiana, settling in St. Mary's Township. Upon the organization of the county he was elected sheriff and served two terms and made a splendid record as an officer. It was his unpleasant duty to escort the first convict sentenced in the county to prison. He also filled the office of assessor three terms, and was nar- rowly defeated as a candidate for the legislature. He helped lay out the county seat of Wells County. Zachariah .Smith was drowned in the St. Mary's River on July 7, 1844, while endeavoring to cross that stream on an unselfish mission in behalf of a sick person.
Isaac Teeple was reared on the old farm in St. Mary's Township and derived his early advantages from the district schools. At the age of twenty-one he married Miss Rachel S. Moser of Van Wert County, Ohio. After their marriage they lived in St. Mary's Township four years and then moved to Jefferson Township. At the present time Mr. Teeple owns 290 acres of highly improved and valuable land in both Wabash and Jefferson townships.
He was one of the organizers of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank at Geneva and has been vice president since the organization. He is especially well known over this part of the state for his business as a livestock dealer and buys, sells and ships large numbers of hogs, sheep and cattle from the primary points of production to the markets. Po- litically Mr. Teeple is a republican. Ilis wife is an active member of the Christian Church. They have a family of seven children: David HI., Lola G., James L., Joseph, Ray, Fay and Paul.
JOHN TONNER. A well-known' and prominent citizen of Adams County, John Tonner, has been actively and profitably engaged in gen- eral agriculture in French Township for many years, during which time he has contributed his full share towards advancing the interests of his community, for fully nine years having served acceptably as township assessor. He was born in the township where he now lives, February 7, 1865, of pure Swiss ancestry.
Ilis father, the late Jacob A. Tonner, was born, bred and married in Switzerland. About 1840 he came with his family to the United
849
ADAMS AND WELLS COUNTIES
States, and after living for a short time in Ohio located in Adams County, Indiana. Buying land in French Township, he redeemed a farm from its original wildness, and was there successfully engaged in farm- ing for nearly half a century. He married, in Switzerland, Elizabeth Adams, and of the eight children born of their union six are living, as follows: Jacob, living in Wells County, this state; Joseph, of French Township, Adams County ; Isaac, of Wells County; Mary, single, living with her brother, John; John, of this sketch; and Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Baumgartner.
Brought up on the homestead, John Tonner attended the district school during his days of boyhood and youth, and remained beneath the parental roof-tree until thirty-five years of age, receiving regular wages for his labor after attaining his majority. After his marriage, he began housekeeping with his bride on the farm which he now owns and occupies, and which now, owing entirely to the sound judgment and persistent energy with which he has devoted himself to its care, is well cultivated, and a valuable piece of property.
Mr. Tonner married, in March, 1895, Mary Lobsiger, a native of Switzerland. She came with her parents to this country as a child of two years, and was reared and educated in Adams County, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Tonner have two children, namely: Clyven A., born October 3, 1896; and Irene M., born August 9, 1901. Mr. Tonner, the present assessor of French Township, is actively identified with the democratic party, and in its ranks no truer or more faithful supporter of its principles can be found. In 1918 he was in the campaign for township trustee of French Township without opposition on the demo- cratie ticket. For many years he has been appraiser for the county for the German Fire Insurance Company of French Township. Both he and his wife are members of the Reformed Church at Vera Cruz.
WILLIAM LAMMERT was born in Adams County more than sixty years ago, and to get the exact time when the people of this name first be- came identified with Northeastern Indiana it would be necessary to go back fully three-quarters of a century. Few families have lived longer and have borne themselves with better reputation for diligence, effective work as farmers and good citizenship than the Lammerts in Adams County.
Mr. William Lammert was born in Preble Township of Adams County November 3, 1857, a son of William and Elizabeth Lammert. The parents were both born in Germany, came to this country in 1842, and a few years later invaded the wilderness of Adams County and secured a tract of eighty acres of completely new land, covered with woods and without any improvements worthy of the name. William Lammert, Sr., had a big task before him in felling the trees, digging np the stumps, getting the virgin soil under the plow, draining the low spots and otherwise developing a farm, but he did a man's part and both success and esteem came to him as one of the good and true men of the county. He and his wife lived long and industrious and useful years and both passed away in 1893, the father in the summer and the mother in the fall. William Lammert, Sr., paid $500 for his first eighty acres of land in Adams County. That same land today at a most con- servative value would be worth at least ten times as much.
William Lammert, Jr., grew up in Preble Township, had the environ- ment of the home farm for his scenes of youthful play and training and was educated in the public schools. He has one sister living, Mrs. Earnest Schlickman, and a half-sister, Mrs. William Hilgeman. Those deceased are Henry IIildebrand and Lizzie Ilildebrand.
850
ADAMS AND WELLS COUNTIES
William Lammert lived on the home farm in Preble Township where all his children were born till he sold it and purchased a 120-acre farm 11. miles northeast of Berne. Here he farmed for seven years and then sold this place and purchased what was known as the John Bogner farm containing 165 acres, 100 acres being river bottom land along the St. Mary River. After living on this for two years he traded it for the farm h" now owns and which was all cleared and improved. After closing this deal Mr. Lammert retired from active life and turned the farm over to his two sons who now run it. Mr. Lammert owns a house in Decatur and here he now lives as a retired farmer. He is sixty-three years old and in good health. He married Elizabeth Scherry and they became the parents of six children, Otto, Bertha, Rhoda, Hulda, Anthony and Albert, all living.
Mrs. Lammert's parents also came from Germany and were pioneers of Preble Township, where her father bought forty acres from the Government and later sixty acres more. Both families have always been members of the Reformed Church, and Mr. and Mrs. Lammert give their active support to that denomination. Mr. Lammert is a democratic voter.
CHARLES B. POLING was brought to Adams County when a mere child, has lived here all his adult career, and has made a good record as a former teacher, as a practical farmer and business man. His name stands equally high as a citizen who supports and can be depended upon for those movements and enterprises which reflect public good.
He was born in Hocking County, Ohio, April 9, 1862, a son of Abel G. and Sarah J. (Moffit) Poling. His father was a native of Hocking County and his mother of Pennsylvania. After their marriage in Ohio they lived on a farm in Hocking County until 1866, when they brought their family to Adams County and first located in Washington Township. Later they bought eighty acres in Kirkland Township and that was their home during the rest of their active years. The father finally retired to Decatur where he died in October, 1901. His wife passed away March 3, 1891. Abel Poling was prominently identified with the Washington Methodist Episcopal Church, serving it as class leader, trustee, and superintendent of the Sunday school. Politically he was a republican. He had seven children, and five are still living: Arminda E., wife of William Russell of Fort Wayne; Miss Maggie; Charles B .; Robert W. and John W., twins, the former of Decatur and the latter of Dunkirk, Indiana; and the son Levi died December 5, 1917.
Charles B. Poling was old enough to have a few conscious recollec- tions of the removal of the family from Ohio to Adams County. He grew up at the home of his father, attended the district schools, and was trained for a teacher in the county normal school. While living at home he taught school for eleven years.
On March 27, 1886. Mr. Poling married Ida K. Parish. She is a native of Adams County and was born on the farm where she now re- sides April 6, 1865. She also had a public school education and at- tended the county normal, and for about three terms was a teacher. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Poling rented land for a year, then bought a farm near their present place, and from it came to the old Parish farm where they now reside. This is located on Rural Route No. 5, 416 miles southwest of Decatur. The Poling farm consists of 10124 acres and is one of the highly productive places of that community. Mr. Poling has had much success in the breeding of registered hogs and sheep. They are the parents of three children: Rolland G., at home ; Mary N., a graduate of the Decatur High School and also at home; and D. Merle, who went from the Decatur High School into the Angola
851
ADAMS AND WELLS COUNTIES
Normal School and has been successful as a teacher. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Mr. Poling is a trustee and class leader. He belongs to the Adams County Detective Associa- tion and is a republican in politics.
HERMAN W. SELLEMEYER. All the years of his life Adams County has been the home of Herman W. Sellemeyer, and those have been years of achievement in the material sense and also in the acquisition of the riches of community esteem paid him for his worthy life and the influence he has exerted for good.
The Sellemeyer home is one of the good farms of Adams County, lo- cated 212 miles south of Decatur. Mr. Sellemeyer was born at the home of his parents in Preble Township, July 14, 1859. He is a son of Ernest and Christina (Oeting) Sellemeyer. His parents were natives of Ger- many and came with their respective families to the United States and were married in Preble Township of Adams County. The father and mother then settled on a farm in that township, buying land that was covered with heavy woods and brush and their labors transformed it into productive fields. They spent the rest of their days in that locality. They were active members of the German Reformed Church and for a number of years he was superintendent of the Sunday school. In politics he was a democrat. Of the six children five are still living: Louisa, wife of Fred Reppert ; William, a farmer on the old homestead in Preble Township; Fred, who lives in Decatur; Herman W .; and August, of Decatur.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.