USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume I > Part 28
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August R. Schnitker, a prominent manufacturer of New Haven, was born in Prussia, March 8, 1847. With his parents, Christian and Charlotte (Diederich) Schnitker, he came to America, in the eighth year
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of his age, 1854. The family came directly to Allen county, and settled on a farm in Jefferson township, where the mother died about two years later. Soon afterward the father with three children, August, Charles and Caroline, removed to New Haven, where, in 1858, he was married to Wilhelmina Reiling, who is still living. The father died in 1862. Charles and Caroline have since died, so that Mr. Schnitker's nearest relative, aside from his children, is a half-brother, Christian Schnitker of Fort Wayne. During his early manhood Mr. Schnitker was em- ployed for several years in a stave factory in New Haven. In 1864 he began the trade of a harness maker, and served as an apprentice three years, the last two in Fort Wayne. In 1866 he started a harness shop in New Haven and has conducted a shop there ever since. In October, ISSI, he became one of the founders of the New Haven handle factory in partnership with F. H. Bueter. They afterward took as a partner Mr. Jobst Fischer, and about two years later Mr. Schnitker and Mr. Fischer purchased the interest of Mr. Bueter and formed the firm of Schnitker & Fischer. Mr. Schnitker was married January 1, 1871, to Hannah W. Linnemann, a native of Prussia, born November 27, 1847. She is the daughter of Frederick and Louise Linnemann, with whom she came to America when a little girl. They first located in New York, but soon afterward removed to New Haven. Mr. and Mrs. Schnitker have had eight children: William F., Charles F., Emma W., Amelia, Henry (deceased), Frederick and two others who died in infancy. Mr. Schnitker and wife are members of the German Lutheran church. In politics he is a democrat. He has served as treasurer of the town of New Haven two years, being elected in ISSo, and re-elected in ISSI. Mr. Schnitker began business for himself with no means of his own whatever, and his present good circumstances speak very creditably of his energy and good management.
Jobst Fischer, the well known handle manufacturer of New Haven, was born in Bavaria, July 19, 1840, son of John E. and Catharine B. (Mer- kel) Fischer, with whom he came to America when he was between seven and eight years old. The family located in Onondago county, N. Y., where in early life he labored some on a farm, and during six to eight years at railroading. Before leaving Onondago county, N. Y., he also worked two or three years at coopering. In 1862 he accompanied his parents to Allen county, settled in Jefferson township; worked two years on the farm, and then came to the town of New Haven, which has been his home with the exception of nine months, ever since. For ten years after locating there he conducted a butcher shop. In 1875 he helped to re-build the Maumee Valley Flouring Mills, at New Haven, as the part- ner of Joseph Brudi and Gustav Gothe. He retained an interest in that property about two years after which Mr. Fischer formed a partner- ship with Franklin Hargrave, in the tile business, and he devoted his at- tention to it about two years. He then resumed butchering. Two or three years later he purchased a one-third interest in the New Haven handle factory, the other two-thirds being owned by A. R. Schnitker
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and F. H. Bueter. Subsequently, the interest of Mr. Bueter was pur- chased by the other two, who have since operated under the name of Schnelker & Fischer. Mr. Fischer was married December 18, 1866, to Margaret Wagner, a native of Fort Wayne, daughter of .George and Anna Brigitte Wagner, and they have three children: John A. G., Ernst C. J., and Anna C. B. The parents are members of the German Lutheran church. Mr. Fischer is a democrat in politics. He has served three years as a member of the town board of New Haven. Mrs. Fischer's parents, George and Anna Brigitte (Wolf) Wagner, natives of Germany, were married there, and in 1844 immigrated and settled at Fort Wayne. There the father died in 1850. The mother now resides at New Haven, a venerable lady, aged seventy-one.
Gustav Adolph Foellinger, a prominent young druggist of New Haven, was born at Fort Wayne, August 23, 1855. He is the son of Jacob Foellinger, one of the pioneers of the Maumee valley, a history of whom appears elsewhere in this work. His boyhood was spent in Fort Wayne, where he attended the German Lutheran parochial schools until he was thirteen years of age, then he entered Eyser institute, a college at St. Louis, Mo., where he pursued his studies three years, obtaining in addition to Latin, French, botany and mathematics, a good knowledge of pharmacy. Returning home he soon afterward obtained a situation as clerk in a drug store at Kendallville, Ind., and held it six months. In April, 1872, he accepted a clerkship with Meyer Bros., of Fort Wayne, and continued with them three and one-half years. From 1875 to 1878, owing to ill health, he remained at the home of his father, assisting him at times in the boot and shoe business. In 1878, for the benefit of his health he went to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where for three years he held a position with the drug firm of Fischer & Co., Mr. Fischer being his brother-in-law. At the end of the second year in Santa Fe, he returned to Fort Wayne, and on July 22, IS80, was united in marriage to Sophia, daughter of Henry Roemermann. Mrs. Foell- inger was born at Fort Wayne, October 8, 1857. She accompanied her husband to Santa Fe, and in 1881, both returned to Fort Wayne, where in November, he engaged in the drug business. He conducted a store six months, and then for two years and a half held a position with Meyer Bros. In the spring of 1885 he opened business at New Haven, where he has since been engaged. His marriage has resulted in the birth of three children: Adelaide, Emma and Cornelia. Mr. Foellinger and wife are members of the German Lutheran church. He has served as treasurer of New Haven, one term.
Allen M. Hartzell, a leading young citizen of New Haven, son of the late Levi Hartzell, was born on the old Hartzell homestead, about one mile southwest of New Haven, August 25, 1856. He received his early education in the public schools of New Haven, and at the age of fourteen secured a teacher's license, and during the winter of 1870-71 taught a term of school in Adams township. In 1871 he attended the Fort Wayne Methodist college. In 1872-3 he attended college at
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Oberlin, Ohio, and during the winter of 1873-4 completed a commercial course in the A. D. Wilt Commercial college of Dayton. In 1876 he entered upon the study of law at Fort Wayne, with Robert Stratton, now of Minneapolis. He was admitted to the bar about a year later, and for four years thereafter he was engaged at both the study and practice of law with Mr. Stratton. His legal efforts were rewarded with unusual success; however, though very much devoted to the pro- fession, owing to ill-health he abandoned the practice. In September, 1881, he engaged in milling at New Haven, he and his brother Elias having purchased the New Haven flouring mills. The property was destroyed by fire January 6, 1882, and it has not since been rebuilt. In 1882 Mr. Hartzell turned his attention to. farming and at the same time, he, in partnership with his younger brother, Warren, established a dairy on the old homestead and they did a very successful business for five years, marketing the products in Fort Wayne. They discontinued this in the spring of 1887, and, in connection with a large agricultural busi- ness, they have since given attention to the breeding of fine horses. Mr. Hartzell was married December 28, 1881, to Emma, daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah E. (De Long) Fitch. Her father formerly resided in Huntertown, where he died January 1, 1877. Her mother still lives at that place. Mrs. Hartzell was born in Huntertown February 1, 1861. Mr. Hartzell is a member of the I. O. O. F., and in politics he is an ardent republican. In the fall of 1886 he received the nomination of his party for the state legislature. He made a number of speeches throughout the county, acquitting himself with much credit, and by a strong canvass succeeded in reducing the democratic majority from 2,500 to 900. Mr. Hartzell is a young man of high moral worth and social standing.
Henry Tilbury (deceased), one of the earliest settlers of Adams township, was born October 2, 1801, son of Jacob and Barbara Tilbury. He was married in Lancaster county, Penn., about 1821, to Hannah Miller, who was born in that county February 22, 1804, the daughter of Daniel Miller. In 1826 they emigrated to Allen county and settled on a tract of land one mile east of Fort Wayne, which city then contained but three buildings besides the old fort. In 1827 Mr. Tilbury removed to another tract he had bought in the Bourie reserve, three miles east of Fort Wayne, where he farmed until his death, August 15, 1854; there his widow still resides, now a venerable lady, aged eighty-five years. She has lived on the same farm sixty-two years. She became the mother of fifteen children, as follows: George, born October 25, 1823, died August 15, 1838; Samuel, born February 25, 1825; Mary, born May 27, 1826, died aged about thirty-five; Amanda, born March 25, 1829, died in August, 1853; Allen, born September 9, 1832, died December 8, 1837; Nahum, born June 22, 1834, served in the Thirtieth Indiana regiment, was discharged on account of injuries received at Stone River, and later served as first lieutenant of Company B, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Indiana until close of war; Jarius, born July 30, 1836, who
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served in Company D, Thirtieth Indiana regiment three years, was in several battles and was once taken prisoner but was soon paroled, now lives on the old homestead in Adams township; Anthony Wayne, born April 27, 1838, is a locomotive engineer on the G. R. & I. railroad, and resides at Kalamazoo, Mich .; Nathan, born February 2, 1840, farmer, lives in St. Joseph township; Marquis, born July 22, 1841, also served in Company D, Thirtieth Indiana regiment with his brother, is a farmer, and resides in Milan township; Harriet, born April 7, 1843, died May 30, 1870; Jasper, born July 22, 1845, served in Company B, One Hun- dred and Twenty-ninth Indiana regiment, under Capt. James Harper, from November 13, 1863, to the close of the war. His regiment joined Sherman's army at Blue Springs, Tenn., and participated with it in the Atlanta campaign, battles of Franklin and Nashville, after which the regiment was ordered to Washington, D. C., then to Wilmington, Fort Fisher and Newbern, N. C .; was at Raleigh when the rebel general, Joseph Johnston, surrendered to Gen. Sherman. The regiment was afterward stationed at Charlotte, N. C., where he was discharged Au- gust 29, 1865. He is a farmer, and resides on the old homestead. Melinda, born February 9, 1846, died February 9, 1846; Henry, born April 10, 1849, died August 26, 1851; Major General Winfield Scott, born January 26, 1852, is a cabinet-maker and resides in Fort Wayne. Henry Tilbury, in early days, also acted as mail carrier to some extent, and as guard when the Indians were paid. He was a member of the Universalist church, to which his widow also adheres.
Henry Linker, a successful farmer of Adams township, was born on the farm he now occupies, April 9, 1840. His parents, Englehardt and Anna Elizabeth (Weisheit) Linker, were born, reared and married in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and emigated to America in 1833. After stopping in Detroit a few months, they came by wagon, to Allen county, and for about three weeks lived in the old fort. After that they located on an eighty-acre tract of land in section 17, Adams township, which the husband had entered from the government. Here he and wife spent the rest of their lives, he dying on the 27th of June, 1845, and she on July 24th, 1874. She, however, was married after her first husband's death, to Frederick Weirs, who died June 1I, 1858. Henry Linker has spent his life on the old homestead, giving his whole atten- tion to farming. He now owns the homestead, and as a farmer is suc- cessful. He was married December 21, 1865, to Caroline Gurgens, who was born in Hanover, Germany, August 4, 1842, daughter of Henry F. and Wilhelmina (Bohde) Gurgens, with whom she came to Allen county in June, 1848. The parents located in St. Joseph town- ship, where they still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Linker have had ten chil- dren: Anna Elizabeth, Henry Englehardt, Caroline Dora Elizabeth, Louis John August, Frederick William Ernst, Dora Louisa Christina, Louisa Mary Catharine, Mary Sophia Anna, Wilhelmina Augusta Mary and Frederick William Christian, all living except the fifth, a twin brother to Dora Louisa Christina, who died aged six weeks. Parents
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and children are members of the German Lutheran church. In politics Mr. Linker is a democrat.
Henry Weisheit, of Adams township, was born November 1, 1843. His parents, Peter and Anna Catharine (Trier) Weisheit, were born, reared and married in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. They emigrated to America in 1832, and on reaching this country came to Detroit and there lived one year; then coming to Allen county and locating on a 160-acre tract of wood-land in section 17, Adams township, which the father of Henry had purchased as canal land. There the father and mother resided until their decease, the former dying April 8, 1877, and the lat- ter November 13, 1887. On his farm of 120 acres, Henry Weisheit was born, and there has resided ever since, busily occupied as a farmer. Mr. Weisheit was married November 12, 1868, to Mary Schleinbacker, a native of Adams township, born November 10, 1851. Her parents, George and Mary Schleinbacker, were natives of Germany and were married in America. The mother of Mrs. Weisheit was her father's second wife, and after her death he was again married. Mr. Weisheit and wife have had nine children: Margaret, Henry, Hannah, Christian, Mary, Martha, Frederick, Louisa and Herman, all living except Mar- garet, who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Weisheit are members of the German Lutheran church; in politics, he is a republican. He is an indus- trious farmer and an honorable man.
Hon. Conrad Trier, an honored pioneer of Adams township, was born in Germany, August 6, 18II, the son of Henry Trier. He was reared in his native country, and in 1832 came to America, landing at Philadelphia, July 5. His father came over the same year. The first work Conrad did in this country was in Allegheny City, Penn., where he was employed in a hotel and livery barn eighteen months. In I834, he came to Allen county and settled on land in Adams township, which he entered from the government. He has lived on the same farm a period of fifty-five years. His first house was a little log-cabin, the logs for which he carried on his back. For three years after he settled on his land he was also employed during a part of the time on the canal. He was married January 1, 1837, to Catharine Trier, also a native of Germany, but in no way related to him. She came to America with her parents in 1836. This marriage resulted in the birth of twelve children: Henry, John, Elizabeth, Sophia, Christian, William, Catharine, Peter, Paul, Herman, Martin and Martha, of whom Christian, William and Catharine are dead. Mrs. Trier died in February, 1879. She was a member of the German Lutheran church, and her surviving husband . and children are members of the same church. Mr. Trier has served one term as a member of the Indiana legislature and two terms as trus- tee of Adams township. The Maumee valley has no more worthy citizen. When Mr. Trier came to America, he not only possessed noth- ing, but was in debt $99, cost of passage of himself, his father and his three brothers, which was paid by his uncle. He worked hard, pros- pered and became one of the wealthy farmers of Allen county, owning
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at one time 640 acres of land, which, however, he has since given to his children.
Herman Trier, son of the above, was born on the old homestead, October 10, 1851, upon which he has always lived, and has been occu- pied in farming. He was married November 7, 1878, to Anna Eliza- beth, daughter of Valentine and Anna Lapp, born in St. Joseph township, August 22, 1859. They have the following children: Conrad V., Henry J., Theodore, Herman H. J. and Frieda, of whom Theodore and Frieda survive.
Elisha W. Green, a worthy and revered pioneer of Adams township, who resides one-half mile southeast of New Haven, was born in Claren- don township, Rutland co., Vt., July 29, 1815. He is the son of Wal- ter and Lovina (Colvin) Green, respectively natives of Vermont and Rhode Island. His father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was the son of Peleg Green, a native of Rhode Island, who was a soldier in the war of the revolution. Peleg Green was a cooper, and it is related of him that when a lad attending school, it was a part of his daily work to whittle out a quart of wooden pegs, to be used to plug the worm holes in the barrel staves. He removed from Rhode Island to Vermont, where he lived to the age of more than ninety years. For forty years prior to his death he was totally blind. The mother of Mr. Green was the daughter of Philip Colvin, also a native of Rhode Island. He and his wife spent their last years in Luzerne county, Penn., both liv- ing beyond ninety years of age. Both the paternal and maternal ances- tors of Mr. Green were noted for longevity. Elisha W. was reared to manhood on the old homestead in Rutland county, Vt. He worked upon the farm in summer and attended an old-fashioned district school during three months of each winter, until he reached the age of eighteen. May 16, 1836, he set out for Allen county, a married sister being at that time a resident of Adams township, and reached this county June 20, and remained until the following fall, making his home with his sister and laboring at ten dollars per month. Before leaving he took the money thus earned and entered 120 acres of land in Adams township, it being the last entry made in the township. In September, IS36, he went to Chautauqua county, N. Y., where he remained eighteen months. In March, 1838, he set out upon a lumber raft, in Conewango creek, and drifted down into the Alleghany river, thence into the Ohio, and down that stream to Cincinnati, being in the employ, while on the trip, of Pope & Cowan, Chautauqua county lumbermen. From Cincinnati he walked across the country to Fort Wayne, 150 miles in three days. Soon afterward he sold the tract of land which he had entered, and bought another just east of the site of New Haven, a town which at that time was not in existence. This land is still in his possession ; his home farm which lies just south of it has been occupied by him since 1843. He has devoted himself to farming and has been very successful; he owns 150 acres, his wife has eighty acres, and they jointly own 200 more, all first-class land. Mr. and Mrs. Green have given
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liberally to worthy enterprises, and have provided comfortably for their children. Mr. Green formerly gave considerable attention to lumbering, and for sixteen years he was the owner of a threshing outfit. His first marriage was in the fall of 1841, to Lucy Ludington, who died about a year later, leaving one child, Lucy B., now the wife of Dr. R. S. Knode, formerly a prominent physician of Fort Wayne, but now of Omaha, Neb. December 13, 1844, Mr. Green was married to Julia A. Doyle, who was born near Crestline, Ohio, May 6, 1822. Her parents, John and Jane (Maxwell) Doyle, both natives of Pennsylvania, were married in Jefferson county, of that state, and in an early day located in Richland county, Ohio. Mr. Green and his present wife have had seven children: Willis, born March 13, 1846, served as a volunteer soldier in Company B, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Indiana regiment, and was killed December 16, 1864, in the battle of Nashville; Silas, born May 6, 1848, married to Lucretia Johnson, by whom he has two children, Charles and Minnie; is a farmer in Adams township; Lavina J., born June 6, 1850, married to Edgar S. McDonald by whom she had three children: Iva, who resides with her father, at Sioux Falls, Dakota, Willie Hayes, and an infant son who died in infancy - Mrs. McDonald died June 23, 1883; Annetta, born February 25, 1853, died March II, 1853; Julia Catharine, born March 17, 1854, married to Franklin Grover, a farmer of Jefferson township; William J., born July 31, 1857, died January 10, 1860; and Foster M., born April 25, 1861, died December 30, 1873. Mr. Green is a member of Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges, and in politics is a staunch republican and a strong temperance man. He served as trustee of Adams township one term and discharged the duties of the office honorably. For a great many years he and wife have been devoted members of the Methodist Protestant church.
Levi Hartzell, deceased, formerly one of the most substantial men of Adams township, was born in Miami county, Ohio, March 3, 1813. He was the son of Philip and Elizabeth (Miller) Hartzell, the former a native of Kentucky, and the latter of Miami county, Ohio. In early manhood he learned the miller's trade. He was married in Miami county, February 25, 1842, to Mary Souders, who was born December 31, 1820, the daughter of John and Sarah (Grubb) Souders, both na- tives of Lancaster county, Penn. Her father accompanied his parents to Miami county in a very early day, and her mother moved to that county with her mother and brother at the same time. They had a family of six daughters and four sous, of whom Mrs. Hartzell was the oldest. A short time after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hartzell came to Adams township and located in section 14, on land Mr. Hartzell had purchased five or six years before. He had been a resident of Adams township from the time he bought the land until his marriage. When he and his wife settled on the farm it contained but eighty acres, only three of which were cleared. Mr. Hartzell set about improving his land, and his labors were rewarded with prosperity, and adjoining lands were purchased until finally he owned a fine farm of 390 acres, supplied with
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a large barn, handsome brick residence and other substantial improve- ments. He also owned two other farms in Adams township, containing 140 acres each, and at one time he was one of the proprietors of the Mau- mee Valley Mills at New Haven, which property he helped to erect. Mr. and Mrs. Hartzell had nine children: Joshua, Elias, Susan, Sarah J., John R., Philip, Allen M., Warren S. and Lucy, all of whom are living except Philip and Lucy. Joshua and Elias served in the war of the rebellion nearly three years, under Capt. James Harper. In politics Mr. Hartzell was a republican, taking a very active part, and was an in- fluential worker. He served as assessor of Adams township six years, and as trustee one term. Mr. Hartzell died January 30, 1871. He was an honorable, upright man, and he led a life of industry and honor. Mrs. Hartzell still occupies the old homestead from which she has given a good part to her children. She is an estimable lady; and is highly respected.
Lyman Noble, of Adams township, is a native of Dutchess county, N. Y., born September 4, 1833, the son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Noble. His mother died when he was but eleven days old. Four years later, his father and step-mother removed to Allen county, and settled in Adams township in 1837. With the exception of two years in Wayne township, Mr. Noble has been a successful farmer of Adams township ever since. He was married December 17, 1857, to Hannah Ann Lil- lie, who was born within the present limits of Fort Wayne, September 13, 1835, the daughter of Samuel and Emily (Philley) Lillie. Mr. and Mrs. Noble have had seven children: Charles N., Edward D., Lillie C., Emily H., Flora M., John M. and one other that died unnamed. The parents are devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and both are very active temperance workers. Mrs. Noble is vice-president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, of Fort Wayne. Her parents at one time occupied the old fort as their home, and one of her sisters was born there, and very appropriately, she was named Indiana. Mrs. Noble is the only living member of the Lillie family, her father, mother, sisters and brothers all having died. She takes a very active part in church work and gives encouragement to all things which have for their object the public good. In politics Mr. Noble is a republican. The father of Mr. Noble was a soldier in the war of 1812, and his grand- father was a soldier in the revolution, messing during the war with Gen. Washington. Mr. Noble is distantly related to ex-Gov. Noah Noble.
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