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 75
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 75
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ISADORE A. KALVER. A man of sterling worth and ability, ambitious and progressive, Isadore A. Kalver of Decatur is widely known in Adams County as a member of the Kalver-Noble Garage Company, which owns and operates a garage, and has the Adams County agency for the Ford cars. The company, which was formed in the fall of 1914, has a large and modernly equipped garage on West Madison Street, the fine two-story building being 128 feet by 44 feet, and most conveniently
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loeated. A full line of antomobile parts and equipments are kept on hand, and all kinds of repair work is promptly and skilfully done, the twelve workmen in the well furnished machine shop being amply quali- fied to attend to the wants of all patrons. Associated with Mr. Kalver as partners in the business, are two eminently useful men, Guy C. Noble, an expert machinist, who has been connected with the business for fourteen years, fonr of them being with this firm, and Luther D. Howard, an experienced business man, who has spent the greater part of his life in, or near Decatur. The company has also two outside salesmen, who are especially faithful to the best interests of the firm.
Mr. Kalver was born, in 1878, at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and was earefully reared and edneated. As a boy, he was taught the Hebrew language, and attended the public schools, his early education being subsequently advanced at a private school in Chicago and at a busi- ness college in Fort Wayne. Completing his studies, Mr. Kalver located in Decatur, and for sixteen years was successfully engaged in business as a dealer in wool, hides and furs. Since establishing his garage, he has met with characteristie suceess, his business being in a flourishing condition. Mr. Kalver has one brother, Jacob B. Kalver, who lived in Decatur five years, but is now engaged in the elothing business in Chi- eago. The brother is married, and has two children, Walton and Jerome.
Mr. Kalver married, in Chicago, Sarah Zinn, who was born, in 1879, in New York City, but was reared and edueated in Chicago. Her par- ents, like those of her husband, were born in Europe. She was the youngest daughter in a family consisting of seven sons and four dangh- ters, all of whom are married, nine of the children living in Chicago, while one son, the youngest, is in business in New York City. Mr. and Mrs. Kalver have two children, namely : Ray L., a freshman in the Indi- ana University at Bloomington ; and Robert, a pupil in the eighth grade of the publie school.
Mr. and Mrs. Kalver are active and valued members of Temple Agudath, Versiblom Congregation. Fraternally Mr. Kalver is a Mason, belonging to the local lodge and chapter, and is a charter member of Deeatur Lodge No. 993, Benevolent and Proteetive Order of Elks.
DICK TOWNSEND. Decatur is the home of one of the most widely known hotel men in the Middle West. Dick Townsend has been in the hotel business almost continuously sinee he was eighteen years of age. Some of his earliest experiences were gained in Decatur. He went from this city to some of the largest cities in the country and some of the finest hotels, and it is doubtful if any resident of Indiana knows more about the ins and outs and the technical and practical details of hotel management than Diek Townsend.
Mr. Townsend claims Adams County as his birthplace. Ile was born in Root Township in 1860, grew up in the county, attended St. Mary's parochial schools and also graduated from the eity high school at Decatur. His first employment was with the old Burt Hotel at Decatur, where he worked as a bell hop and as a bus driver. After a few years he was promoted to the management of this old time hostelry, and he was at its head for fifteen or twenty years and during that time greatly improved its facilities, added to its comforts and made it one of the leading houses for the entertainment of the traveling public in this section of the state. In the meantime for seven years the Randall House at Fort Wayne, owned by Perry A. Randall, enjoyed its greatest period of prosperity under Diek Townsend's management. Mr. Randall paid him a large salary for those days to manage this
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house. In 1897, leaving Fort Wayne, and selling his interests at De- catur, Mr. Townsend took the management during 1897-98 of the Grant Hotel at Minneapolis. The owner of this property was Tom Taggart, whose enterprise made West Baden one of the most famous resorts in America and who for years has been the democratic chieftain of Indi- ana. While at the Grant Mr. Townsend served the first buffet luncheon that was ever a formal part of a hotel service west of New York City. The service was carried out with great eclat and success, and was given for the special benefit and entertainment of democratic friends of Tom Taggart who were visiting Indianapolis from Chicago.
After his experience at the Grand in Indianapolis, Mr. Townsend returned to Decatur and again assumed the management of the Burt Hotel, being with it until it burned down in 1906. He was then with the National Hotel of Peoria, Illinois, until that structure was destroyed by fire in 1911. This fire caused a personal loss to Mr. Townsend of $46,000, and was the worst disaster he has ever had in his entire busi- ness experience. The following year he spent at Kansas City operat- ing the Stockyards Hotel. He then managed the Oliver Hotel at South Bend, Indiana, for a few months had charge of the Ebbitts House at Washington, D. C., was manager of the Palmer House at Paducah, Kentucky, and until June, 1917, was head of the Great Northern Hotel at Chicago. At that date he retired at least temporarily from the hotel business, and came back to his old town and his old friends at Decatur.
Mr. Townsend's grandfather, Rufus Townsend, who was born in New York State, one of a family of fourteen brothers, was for many years engaged in business as a hop grower in Albany County, New York. He died at Rensselaerville in that state at the age of ninety-four. His son Eli Townsend, father of Dick Townsend, was one of three children and was born in Albany County. Quite early in life he went into the show business as an actor, and spent many years traveling about over the country. While on the road he met and married Lea Katie Burt, a native of New York State. In her day she was one of the best known stage dancers of the country. After their marriage they continued on the stage for a number of years. Eli Townsend died at his father's home in Albany County, New York, in 1866. His widow survived him more than half a century, passing away at Fort Smith, Arkansas, in March, 1917, when about eighty years of age. She died at the home of her daughter. Mrs. Maggie Jeffries. Her father, Chester Burt, is well remembered by Adams County people. He was born in Chenango County, New York, and for many years was on the road as a show- man. Late in life he came to Decatur, Illinois, and became proprietor of the hotel which bore his name until it was burned on Christmas Eve, December 24. 1906, while his son-in-law Mr. Townsend was in charge. Chester Burt died during the early '70s. He was born about 1800. At Decatur he became one of the organizers of the Masonic Lodge, and was also known as a stanch democratie voter.
Dick Townsend first married Jessie L. Allison. By that marriage he had one son, Burt Allison Townsend, who was born at Decatur about thirty years ago. He finished his education in the Howe Military School, and held the rank of lieutenant and captain. At one time he was clerk in the Claypool Hotel at Indianapolis, and for a number of years has followed the example of his father and has been active in hotel work. Burt A. Townsend married Ruth Parsons, daughter of a well known physician of Chicago now deceased. They have two young children : Diek Allison, three years old. and Burt Parsons, born in 1916.
Mr. Diek Townsend married for his present wife Iantha C. Gregory. Vol. II-33
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She was born at Decatur in 1872 and is a graduate of the Decatur High School, after which for several years she was a clerk in the old Adams County Bank. Her parents were A. C. and Lucy (Burt) Gregory, na- tive of New York State, but they married at Decatur, where her father for a number of years was a painter and house decorator. Her parents died in this city when about sixty-eight years of age. Her father was a republican and a Thirty-second degree Mason.
Mr. Townsend is a charter member of the Masonic Lodge of Decatur, is affiliated with the local Royal Arch Chapter, with the Fort Wayne Commandery of Knights Templar and with the Indianapolis Con- sistory of the Scottish Rite.
SIMON GILLIOM. A resident of Berne in Adams County for thirty years, Simon Gilliom has been one of the leading lumber merchants there for about twenty-one years, and is now manager, secretary and treasurer of the Gilliom Lumber Company. This business was incor- porated in 1903 with a capital stock of $20,000, and is one of the larg- est and most complete organizations for furnishing building material and supplies in the entire county. The president of the company is Amos Reusser, and the vice president is John Winteregg. It is a large and successful enterprise, and has been built up steadily through a long period of years largely through the exertions and business judgment of Mr. Gilliom. They have a trade practically all over Adams County.
Mr. Gilliom was born in Wayne County, Ohio, July 2, 1861, but is of the sturdy mountaineer Swiss stock, and inherits from his forefa- thers the principles of liberty and the spirit of enterprise which are characteristic of that country and its people. For many generations back the Gillioms have been devout and faithful members of the Men- nonite Church. His great-grandfather was Adam Gilliom and his grandfather was Christian Gilliom, both of whom spent all their lives in Switzerland. Christian was born in 1800 and died in 1826.
Abraham Gilliom, father of the Berne merchant, was born about 1830, came to America as a child with his widowed mother. They crossed the ocean on a sailing vessel, and about 1840 located in Wayne County, Ohio. In that county he married Miss Anna Hostetter, who was born in Berne, Switzerland, about ninety years ago. She was quite young when she came to America with her parents and this fam- ily also located in Wayne County, Ohio.
When Simon Gilliom was about eight years of age his parents moved to Hickory County, Missouri, and his father died there a few years later. All the children were born in Wayne County, Ohio. Chris- tian lived near Berne, Indiana, and is married and had a family. Peter is a retired farmer at Berne and is also head of a family. Abraham, Jr., lives in Cass County, Missouri, and has sons and daugh- ters. Elizabeth is the wife of Peter Raber, a Missouri farmer, and they have children. Sarah married Samuel Soldner of Berne, Indiana, and they are now surrounded by sons and daughters. Simon is the next in age. Daniel is a piano tuner.
Simon Gilliom after his father's death began to earn his own way in the world and has really been dependent upon his own exertions since he was twelve years old. He made the best possible use of such ad- vantages in school as he could secure, and as the previous record shows his success in business has been out of the ordinary.
At Berne, Indiana, Mr. Gilliom married Mary A. Reusser. She was born in this village and has spent most of her life here. Her people are also of Swiss stock, and came to the United States many years ago.
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Her parents married at Berne. and spent aetive lives there, were faith- ful workers in the Mennonite Chureh, and died in advanced years. Mr. and Mrs. Gilliom are the parents of eight children. Milton E., born in 1885, was educated in the local schools, and by his marriage to Alice Rineker has a son Max V., born in November, 1917; Austin, who is twenty-seven years of age, is assisting his father in the lumber busi- ness, and is a young unmarried man, having completed his education in the local schools; Adina is a graduate of the Berne High School and is still at home; Martin H. is also a graduate of the local high school ; Metta is now eighteen years old; and the three younger children, all in school. are Walter, aged seventeen; Clinton A., aged fourteen; and Leo E., aged twelve. All the family except the oldest child are active members of the Mennonite Church at Berne.
AMBROS F. SHOAF. A long period of active years in the cultivation of the soil has brought Ambros F. Shoaf a fortunate degree of pros- perity, so that by no means an old man he might be elassified as re- tired, has, as a matter of fact, retired from the aetive eares and re- sponsibilities of farming and is now enjoying a comfortable eity home in Decatur at 731 Mercer Avenue.
Mr. Shoaf left his farm on December 1, 1917, to take up his resi- dence in the city. IIe came to Decatur from Washington Township, where he still owns a well improved farm of nearly eighty acres in section 24. This land is all in eultivation except six acres in timber. He has been owner of this place for the past six years and prior to that had owned a good farm in section 26 of the same township, having bought it in 1900. He went to Washington Township from a farm in the western part of Kirkland Township of Adams County, where he had lived from boyhood.
Mr. Shoaf was born in Hoeking County, Ohio, January 1, 1860, and was brought to Adams County in 1867 by his parents, John and Mary (Hutchinson) Shoaf. His father, a native of Germany, came to this country when a young man and married in Hocking County. His wife was born in Pennsylvania of Pennsylvania parentage. After their marriage they settled on a farm in Hoeking County, and all their children were born there. A brief record of these children is as fol- lows: Joseph, a successful farmer living six miles west of Deeatur, who bas never married; Ellen, who died after her marriage to Samuel Henderson, whose home is now in Kansas, and of her three sons the only one now living is Charles; Ambros F., who was the third in age; William, who lives with his brother Joseph in Kirkland Township and has a family of five sons and four daughters.
John Shoaf died not long after he came to Adams County, at the age of sixty-eight. His widow passed away at the home of her son William twenty-five years later, aged seventy-five. Both were devout Christians, members of different ehurehes.
Ambros F. Shoaf grew up and received his edueation in Washing- ton Township. November 27, 1886, he married Miss Rosa Snyder. She was born in Van Wert County, Ohio, in 1868. Her parents, Jacob and Jane Snyder, were also natives of Ohio and spent their lives on a farm near Wiltshire, where they died in middle life. Their daughter, Mrs. Shoaf, was one of a large family, and three of the sons and three of the daughters are still living. Mrs. Shoaf died November 17, 1900, having been married nearly fourteen years. She was the mother of four children: Lola G. is the wife of Gilbert Striekler, a well known miller at Decatur. They have three children, Clarence, Robert and Paul. the two older now nearly through the common schools. Ada M.,
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the second child, married Floyd Shink, a farmer in Monroe Township, and they have two daughters, Dorothy and Helen. Floyd M. is un- married and operates his father's farm. Roy O. is employed by his uncle, Mr. Striekler, in the Bremerkamp grist mill.
On November 18, 1906, Mr. Shoaf married for his present wife Mrs. Samantha (Andrews) Cassel. By her first husband, Webster Cassel, she has one son, Harry, born December 12, 1886. This son now lives at Plymouth, Indiana, and married Edna Rosenbauch, their only child being deceased.
Mrs. Shoaf was born in Adams County, Indiana, September 2, 1862, and was reared and educated here. Her parents, Jeremiah and Jane (Bertsinger) Andrews, were natives of Ohio but were married in Adams County and spent their active careers as farmers. Her father died here October 4, 1904, at the age of sixty-four and his widow is still surviving with her children at the age of seventy-seven. The Andrews family are all Methodists, and Mrs. Shoaf is active in her church. Her father was a republican and Mr. Shoaf is affiliated with the democratic party.
OTTO REPPERT has been a factor in business circles at Decatur for a number of years and has developed a general machine and repair industry, with his shop located on North Eleventh Street. Mr. Reppert is an all around machinist, competent and capable in working out almost any problem that is presented to him and has laid the foundation of a business that is sure to grow and prosper under his capable manage- ment.
He built his present shops in July, 1913. They are equipped with electric motor power and have all the appliances required for his work in general repairing. Before he built his present plant he was for sev- eral years operating the Van Camp shops. He learned his trade by his own efforts and is a practical foundryman of thorough experience.
Mr. Reppert was born in Preble Township of Adams County July 16, 1873. He was reared and educated at his home in the country and remained there until he came to Decatur about fifteen years ago.
His father, Peter Reppert, was born at sea while his parents were coming to this country on a sailing vessel. That was in the year 1843. In the same year his parents, Frederick and Anna (Kaufman) Rep- pert, arrived in Preble Township of Adams County, establishing their first home in the woods. They cleared a space for their log cabin and subsequently burned in their big fireplace many of the trunks of the trees thus cut down. Frederick Reppert was one of the most indus- trious of the early settlers in that township and in the course of time had 180 acres cleared and in cultivation and eventually gave each of his four sons eighty acres. Frederick Reppert died in Adams County in 1893. He was born in 1800. He survived his wife a num- ber of years. They were active members of the German Reformed Church. Their children were named Jacob, Fred, Dorothy, Peter and Christ, and of these Fred and Dorothy are still living. All of them grew up and had families.
Peter Reppert married in Preble Township Lizetta Berneke. She was born in Preble Township. Her father, William Berneke, was a native of Germany and coming to Preble Township in an early day im- proved a farm and lived there until his death. He and his wife were active members of the Reformed Church. William Berneke was an all around mechanic and Mr. Otto Reppert probably owes some of his ability in this line to this maternal grandfather. Peter Reppert and wife after their marriage took up farming on the old homestead, and
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they lived suceessful and honored lives there until he passed away in 1888. His widow survived him about fifteen years. They were active members of the Reformed Church and Peter was a democratic voter. Their children were: Simon, who died at the age of twenty-one; Otto; and Martin, who lives at Preble and by his marriage to Martha Krutz- man of that township has one son, Milton.
Mr. Otto Reppert married in his native township Susie Borne. She was born in that locality of Adams County April 22, 1873, and received a good education in the local schools as she was growing to womanhood. Iler parents, Jacob and Mary E. (Scherry) Borne, were both born in one of the Rhine provinees of Germany, but they spent most of the years of their active lives as well-to-do farmers in Preble Township. Her father died at the age of seventy-two and her mother at seventy- four. They were Reformed Church people and as a family were democrats. Mr. and Mrs. Reppert are members of the German Re- formed Church, and he too follows the political principles of his fore- fathers.
FERGUSON A. PEOPLES is member of a very enterprising business firm of Decatur, Peoples & Gerke, his partner being Henry Gerke. They have developed a large business as dealers in shoes at 142 North Second Street. They have a fine business home 20 by 80 feet, and carry a complete line of footwear suitable for all demands and tastes. These young men came to Decatur and established their present business January 7, 1910. They bought the stock of the old veteran shoe mer- chant Mr. Tague and for the first two years were in business on the west side of Second Street, and then moved to their present well equipped store.
Both Mr. Peoples and his partner were horn in Root Township of Adams County. Mr. Peoples was born October 25, 1878, and Mr. Gerke on December 14, 1877. Both grew up on farms, were educated in the distriet schools, and though trained to farming pursuits they have dis- played exceptional business ability since removing to the county seat.
Mr. Henry Gerke is a son of the late William Gerke, who was born in Hanover, Germany, and eame with his parents to America in 1836. The Gerke family arrived at Decatur in Adams County, Indiana, in February. 1837, and soon afterward moved to their home in Root Town- ship. Their first home was a small log eabin containing only one room, used for sleeping quarters, while the family practieally lived out of doors during the first summer. A better home was provided in a hewed log house, which the family occupied until 1854, when that was replaced by a large and commodious frame residenee. William Gerke was three years old when brought to Adams County, and for many years gave his time and efforts to the cultivation of the soil on his farm in Root Township. He died there at the age of sixty-four. In 1862 he married Louisa Johnson, who was born in Allen County. Indiana, in 1840, and is still living, at the age of seventy-seven, in Fort Wayne. William Gerke and wife had a family of ten children. The Gerke family en- countered all the trials and hardships incident to pioneering in Adams County and many incidents of that early time as experienced by the family have been told as part of Adams County history. William Gerke and his family were all active members of the Lutheran Church and in politics the Gerkes have supplied numerous democratic voters in the county.
Ferguson A. Peoples is a grandson of William and Mary ( Ritten- house) Peoples, both natives of Pennsylvania. They married in their native state, and at an early day came to Root Township of Adams
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County. A few years after they came to Adams County William Peo- ples was engaged in digging a well. While working at the bottom of the excavation he was overcome by those noxious gases known familiarly as "damps" and thus his career was ended at the age of thirty-six. He left a widow with small children. His wife bravely struggled to make both ends meet and she succeeded in bringing her children to maturity and all of them lived to be quite old. Two of them are still living, John R. and Mrs. Agnes Cline, the latter of Decatur.
. John R. Peoples, father of the Decatur merchant, was born in Root Township seventy-six years ago, and was reared by his brave mother, whose struggles and sacrifices in his behalf he amply repaid in later years and tenderly eared for her until her death at the age of eighty- three. She always attended the United Brethren Church. John R. Peoples grew up as a farmer and made that his life long business, and he is now living retired at Ayr, North Dakota, making his home with his son Samuel and his daughters Maggie and Susie. John R. Peoples married in Root Township Sarah J. Aber. She was born in that town- ship in 1836, and the Abers were also among the pioneers who were in Adams County at the time of its organization. Sarah Peoples died on the old farm where she was born and which she and her husband owned and cultivated for many years. Her death oeeurred in 1907. Both were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and John R. Peoples has always been a sturdy democrat. They had a family of four sons and four daughters. One daughter, Eva. died unmarried at the age of thirty-five. The three children still living in Adams County are John A., Mrs. Edna Brown and Ferguson A. One other son, Alonzo, lives in Texas.
Ferguson A. Peoples was married in Root Township to Miss Ella M. Magley. She was born in that townhsip thirty-one years ago and was well educated in the publie schools. Mr. and Mrs. Peoples are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Knight of Pythias and Mrs. Peoples has filled all the chairs in the Pythian Sisters. Mr. Peoples had a prominent part three years ago in organizing the Deeatur Band, and he fills his part in that organization with the alto horn.
REV. WILLIAM JACKSON MYERS, PH. D. To grow old gracefully. and to retain the habits and tastes which make old age congenial, is a rare achievement. It is an achievement which has been attained to per- fection by Mr. and Mrs. William J. Myers of Decatur, who have spent more than half a eentury of married companionship, and are among the oldest and most respected people of Adams County.
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