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 78
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 78
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Mr. Smith was born near the Village of Cherubusco in Whitley County, Indiana, February 20, 1857. Ilis parents were Henry and Catherine Elizabeth (Leppla) Smith, both natives of Bavaria, Ger- many. They were married in their native village in 1830 and in 1840 they came with three children on a sailing vessel to the United States. These children were Catherine, William and Henry. They established a home on a wild tract of land in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, but in 1856 moved to Whitley County, Indiana, where they again began the improvement and development of some new land. In 1886 the parents retired from the farm and moved to the Village of Cherubusco, where the father died three months later at the age of eighty-five. The mother passed away in 1891 at the age of eighty-eight. Both were active members of the Lutheran Church. Their oldest child, Catherine, married James Roach of Indiana, and both are long since deceased, having left a son and daughter who are now both married. The son William spent the last eight years of his life retired at Los Angeles, where he died in the summer of 1914, leaving a widow and children. Henry is still a farmer in Whitley County, Indiana, and has a family of children. Two other children were born to the parents while they lived in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, John and Phillip. John is married and lives in Cherubusco, Indiana, and has one daughter. Phillip is president of the First National Bank of Decatur, but lives at Rich- mond, Indiana, and is married and has a son and daughter. Adam J. Smith was the youngest of the family and he grew up on his father's farm in Whitley County, Indiana. Ile was educated in the local schools and also in the Valparaiso Normal and at the age of twenty-one began
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teaching. He worked at that occupation for several years in Whitley County before he entered the real field of business activity at Decatur.
On June 5, 1884, Mr. Smith married Miss Atwilda Fonner, a native of Adams County, born and reared at the farm home of her parents, John A. and Elizabeth (Pillars) Fonner. John A. Fonner was a pioneer of Adams County, was born in Pennsylvania, September 11, 1826, and came to this county with his parents in 1841. He spent part of his youth in Athens County, Ohio, and after coming to Adams County, Indiana, he attended a pioneer school held in a blacksmith shop at the Village of Monmouth. John A. Fonner married January 9, 1856, Elizabeth Pillars, who was born and reared in Adams County. Her father, Benjamin Pillars, was born in Pennsylvania in 1815 and her mother, Sarah A. (Rice) Pillars, was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, May 27, 1815. The Pillars family came to Adams County and settled in Root Township in 1839, making a home in the wilderness. Benjamin Pillars built a sawmill on what was known as Seventeen Mile Creek. One of the old Indian trails in this part of Indiana ran through the Pillars farm. Both the Pillars and Fonner families accumulated a large amount of property in Adams County, and Mrs. Smith was born on her father's old homestead February 12, 1862. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one child, Edith Fonner Smith, who was liberally educated in the local schools and also in music, and is now the wife of William P. Schrock. They have one son, William P. Schrock, Jr., born in May, 1917.
Among other interests Mr. Smith is a stockholder and director of the First National Bank of Decatur and had his chief emphasis not been placed upon the lumber industry he would be regarded as a highly successful farmer. He is owner of the old Fonner stock farm, and his land holdings amount to 500 acres of thoroughly improved land. He grows the finest of erops and has long had a reputation as a cattle breeder. His farm is equipped with every facility and building and every year sees some addition to the equipment. The stock farm was formerly conducted by the firm of Smith-Ulman for five years. At the end of that time Mr. Ulman bought lands of his own and Mr. W. F. Wilson became associated with Mr. Smith. They gave particular attention to the development of a splendid herd of thoroughbred Here- ford cattle, and this herd, developed from the Fairbanks stock of that strain, was one of the finest anywhere in America. At the end of five years Mr. Wilson retired from the partnership. The Hereford cattle raised on the Fonner stock farm always commanded the top prices of the fancy stock market. Two of the bulls sold for nearly $12,000. During the last two years Mr. Smith's partner and manager of the stock farm has been his son-in-law, William P. Schrock. Mr. Schrock is a thoroughly practical farmer and stockman and continues to main- tain the reputation of the Ilereford cattle raised on the farm.
Mr. Smith is a republican in politics, has served as a member of the city council of Decatur and for three years as a member of the school board. He is affiliated with Kekionga Lodge No. 65 of Knights of Pythias, and with his family is active in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Ile is a trustee of the church and for twenty years has been a teacher of the Sunday school.
SUTTON & HELLER. This is one of the most successful law firms of Adams County, and is also in fact one of the oldest firms, the present associates being in a sense inheritors and successors of the law business developed and sustained through so many years by the late Judge David Studabaker, John T. France and Judge Daniel D. Heller. The firm of IIeller. Sutton & Heller was organized in March, 1910, and continued
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until January 2, 1917, when, on account of the death of Judge Daniel D. Heller, the firm name was changed to "Sutton & Heller." This firm has a large general practice, and are also attorneys for the Chicago & Erie Railroad Company and represent the Old Adams County Bank and other corporations and interests.
Jesse C. Sutton, senior member of this firm, was born at Lincoln, Logan County, Illinois, in 1875. When he was three years of age he was brought to Geneva, Indiana, by his parents, Winfield and Louisa (Mur- ray) Sutton. ITis parents lived at Geneva, for many years, and his father conducted a blacksmith shop in that town. Winfield Sutton's father John W. Sutton, was also a blacksmith, and spent many years in Illinois and Indiana, and died when quite old at Delphi in this state. Jesse C. Sutton grew up in the atmosphere of a blacksmith shop and learned the trade, spending three years at it. and became a skilled mechanic. The last year of his trade he took up the study of law and later he pursued his readings and studies under Clark J. Lutz and Schafer Peterson, and also with John T. France and James T. Merryman. In 1897 he was admitted to the bar and subsequently became clerk to Judge James T. Merryman, and after two years was admitted to a partnership with that honored lawyer and jurist. When Judge Merryman was ele- vated to the Bench in 1906 Mr. Sutton succeeded to his office and practice and in'1910 formed the partnership of Heller, Sutton & Heller as above .moted .. ..
Mr. Sutton is a republican and has been active in a local way, but has never sought office. He is affiliated with Decatur Lodge No. 573 of the Masonic order. In Wells County, Indiana, Mr. Sutton married Isabel Garnet White, who was born in that county and reared and educated there. They have a fine family of young people growing up in their home. The oldest, Winfield A., aged nineteen, graduated from Decatur High School in 1916 and is now a student of chemical engineering at Pur- due University. The younger children are : Murray R., aged seventeen, a junior in the high school ; Mary, who died at the age of two years ; Harry White, aged thirteen and in the seventh grade ; Jesse Carey, Jr., aged five and Riehard Yule, aged three. Mrs. Sutton is a member of the Shakes- peare and Research clubs respectively in Decatur. The family are mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church.
Henry B. Heller. the other member of the firm was born at Decatur in 1875. a son of the late Judge Daniel D. and Anna J. (Corbus) Heller.
Henry B. Heller was educated at Decatur and after leaving high school became a law student in the office of Mann & Beatty. Mr. Mann is now in practice at Muncie, Indiana, and Mr. Beatty died in Decatur, in 1913. After two years with this firm Mr. Heller entered the Indiana Law School at Indianapolis, from which he graduated in 1897. He was admitted to practice in the local courts in September, 1897, and after association with several lawyers and firms he formed a partnership with his father on March 1. 1902. His father had only recently left the bench as circuit court judge. The firm was known as D. D. Heller & Son, and continued until 1910 when it was changed to admit Mr. Sutton, at which time the title became Heller. Sutton & Heller. As such the partnership continued until the death of Judge Heller on January 2, 1917. Both Mr. Heller and Mr. Sutton have been admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State of Indiana and in the Federal courts. and as individ- nals and as members of the firm they have handled a large volume of important litigation.
From 1907 to 1911 Mr. Heller was prosecuting attorney of Adams County. He has also served as town attorney for the Town of Geneva, and is now serving his fifth year as county attorney. He has served as
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secretary of the Decatur Public Library for the past ten years; he has been actively interested in the welfare of the democratic party, and for several years last past he has served as chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee, having served as such during the campaigns of 1914 and 1916. Mr. Heller was married at Decatur, Indiana, to Miss Pearl A. Butcher of Centerburgh, Ohio. She was born and educated in that section of Ohio, attended high school there, and later graduated from the business department of the Tri-State Normal at Angola, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Heller have two children : Robert H. who has just entered the public schools and David B. who is five years old. Mr. and Mrs. Heller are members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of this city, and Mrs. Heller is active in the Enterpean Club and is also a mem- ber of the Eastern Star.
PRIVATE LIBRARY OF
GEO. J . 'BOLET.
BLUF . . .. IND.
PLEASE RETURN PROMPTER.
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