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 42
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Samuel Dailey, of Cedar Creek township, is a native of Seneca county, Ohio, born October 9, 1831, son of William T. and Sarah Dailey. The father emigrated from Ohio in 1848, and settled in this township
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August 26, 1848. He then bought the farm where his son now lives and settled on it April 1, 1849. It was then wholly wood-land. Samuel Dailey came to Indiana with his parents and remained with them until their death. His education was received in Ohio in the pioneer log school-houses. In 1858 he was married to Mary McCroy, born July 20, 1835, and they have had eight children, of whom seven are now living: William M., Dora, Frank, Charles, Sarah, Nevada and Absalom. Mr. Dailey has gained his present comfortable surroundings, a valuable farm of 100 acres and handsome buildings, by industrious habits and natural abilities, that cause him to be regarded as one of the township's leading citizens.
Martin L. Moudy, proprietor of the Urbana mills at Hursh postoffice, is one of the early settlers of Allen county. He was born in Ashland county, Ohio, November 2, 1843, son of John W. and Catharine (Mar- shall) Moudy, with whom he came to Allen county when about five years of age. The family first settled in Perry township where he grew to manhood and received a pioneer education. At his majority he went to Cedarville and engaged in coopering and handling staves, at which he continued about eleven years, when the sickness of his father compelled him to return to the farm and take charge for two years. He then came to Urbana in 1879, and engaged in milling, at which he has con- tinued. In 1865 he was married to Martha E. Opdyke, born October 28, 1843, and they have had seven children, of whom Melvin, Sylvia, Elnora and Isa Belle, are living. Mrs. Moudy is a member of the Lutheran church, and he belongs to the I. O. O. F. lodge, No. 321, at Maysville, of which he served one term as recording secretary. They and their family are highly respected.
Jacob Sauder, a prosperous farmer of Cedar Creek township, is a native of Ohio, born May 7, 1828, to Henry and Elizabeth (Schrock) Sauder, natives of Pennsylvania. He was raised in his native state and received a common school education. He remained until twenty-three years old on the home farm and naturally adopted farming as his voca- tion, but since coming to Indiana he has taken up cabinet making and masonry, never serving an apprenticeship, but does very good work, and ' is naturally handy with most tools, making the wood work for his farm- ing implements. In 1848 he settled in Cedar Creek township, where he now lives. He came to Indiana a poor man, but by industry, at one time had 320 acres, and now owns 181 acres of good land, well improved. In 1852 he was married to Elizabeth Troyer, who was born in 1830, and died in 1861. By her he had five children, four of whom are living: Levi, Jonas, Elizabeth and Jacob. In 1861 he was married to Mary Eicher, by whom he had five children, four living: Mary, Lydia, Samuel and Henry. This lady, who was born in 1843, died in 1870, and in 1871 he married Mrs. Sophronia Yerks, who gave to him two children, of whom one is living, Sylvia. This last wife died in 1884.
William W. Trease, of Cedar Creek township, is a native of Ash- land county, Ohio, born August 20, 1843. He came with his parents,
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Henry and Elizabeth (Clayton) Trease, to Indiana when six or seven years of age, and grew to manhood on the old homestead, receiving a common school education. In 1864 he was married to Samantha, daughter of Henry Spitler, and this union was blessed with one child, Allie, wife of Andrew Metcalf; Mrs. Trease was born January 6, 1847. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been steward about fifteen years. He settled on the farm where he now lives, then entirely wooded, in 1866. Early morn then found him with ax and maul in hand, and the "dewy eves" he and wife spent in burning brush. With her assistance and good management, they have done well and now own an excellent farm of eighty acres with good house and barn. He and family have many warm friends.
George W. Trease, of Cedar Creek township, is a native of Penn- sylvania, born September 2, 1822. With his parents, Jacob and Eliza- beth Trease, he emigrated to Ohio when about seven years of age. There he grew to manhood and received a limited education, the schools being few and poorly taught, and work plenty. At the age of twenty- one years he began work for himself as a day laborer. In 1846 he was married to Rosanna McFee, born in 1826, who gave him eight children, six of whom are living: Jane, Arminda, John, Alice, Eliza and Dayton. This lady, who was born in 1826, joined with hin the Methodist Episcopal church, and she was a consistent and devoted member and earnest worker therein until her death in IS75. In 1879, he was married to Margaret Aldign, a member of the Catholic church, born about 1843. In 1853 he emigrated from Ohio to Indiana, and settled on the farm of 128 acres where he now lives, which was partly cleared and had a log cabin and log stable. He wonderfully improved this property, and has continued to add to the same from time to time, until now he owns 352 acres of valuable land. He has lived a life of honorable industry, abstained from all questionable speculation, and is highly respected.
Henry Bacon, an early settler in Cedar Creek township, is now one of the representative farmers of Allen county. He was born in New Jersey, April 8, 1815, son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Shiner) Bacon. The father was of English, the mother of German, descent, and' were descendants of revolutionary heroes. When Henry was about nine years old, his father died, and having lost his mother about one year previous, he was alone in the world at a tender age. He never had the advantage of much schooling, but worked on the farm until about nine- teen years of age, when he went to sea, coasting at first from Philadel- phia to New York and South Carolina. He continued at this about twelve years. About the year 1839 he sent money to his brother who came west to enter land, and in 1850 he removed to Indiana and settled on the farm where he now lives. In 1852 he built a hewn-log house which was at the time one of the best dwellings in the neighborhood. Here he lived alone until October 3, 1853, when he was married to Nancy, daughter of James and Mary (Scott) Scott. Her father was a soldier in the war of 1812 and served through the war. He was
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followed for three days by an Indian, who sought to kill him, and when he failed declared that his intended victim was not to be killed by a bullet. They had three children: Laura, born 1854, died 1872; an infant deceased, and John S., born March 22, 1860. Mrs. Bacon was born July 18, 1820, received a good education and became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Her first experience in Allen county was in helping her husband in clearing, burning brush, and such pioneer work, although she had been raised at Liberty, Union county, and was wholly unused to the toil and hardships she willingly shared with her husband. Starting without money ahead, very little furniture, and living mostly on corn bread and pork, they succeeded well and now own 133 acres of valuable land, with handsome buildings.
Henry W. Beams is a native of Pennsylvania, born September 30, 1846. His father, John Beams, emigrated to Ohio in 1849, after reaching his majority, married his wife, Barbara, and in the spring of 1850 removed to Indiana and settled in Cedar Creek township on the farm where his son now lives. He bought eighty acres of new land in February, and brought his family in May, 1850, to the log cabin he had built. He came to Indiana a poor man, but his industry and honesty won him prosperity and the esteem of his neighbors. At the time of his death, November, 1864, he owned 120 acres of well-improved land. He was a member of the Lutheran church. Two of his sons served in the war of the rebellion. One, George, who enlisted in Company A, One Hundreth regiment, contracted disease in the service and died at Memphis, Tenn. John W. served in Company E, Fifty-sixth regiment. Henry W. Beams came with his parents to Indiana when little over three years of age. He received a common school education. February 3, 1870, he was united in marriage with Anna E. George, born September 25, 1847, who died January 18, 1877, leaving one child, Amedia E. November 4, 1877, Mr. Beams was married to Rebecca A., daughter of Abraham and Jane Johnson, pioneer settlers of DeKalb. This union was blessed with two children : Franklin L. and George H. Mrs. Beams was born December 15, 1847. She is a member of the Lutheran church, of which her husband has been deacon twelve years. In connection with farming, he has for nine years been a partner in a furniture and undertaking business, dry goods, etc. He occupies eighty acres of the old homestead farm in Cedar Creek township, and is one of the leading citizens.
Samuel Zimmerman, of Cedar Creek township, is a native of Penn- sylvania, born April 4, 1840. His parents, Andrew and Rachel (Roop) Zimmerman, were both natives of Pennsylvania. The father died when Samuel was about four years of age. In 1846, his mother and family removed to Vanwert county, Ohio, and in, IS50, to Perry township, Allen county; in 1854, to Kosciusko county, then to Missouri, where they remained one year, and then to Bremer county, Iowa. He remained there until December, 1859, when he left his family and returned to Allen county, Ind. On August 2, 1862, he enlisted in Company C, Eighty-eighth
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Indiana regiment, and served until June 7, 1865, being mustered out at Washington city. He was with Sherman in his march to the sea. He did gallant service and received an honorable discharge at Indianapolis. On December 14, 1865, he was married to Emeline Hollopeter, who was born April 6, 1845, and of their five children three are living: Charles M., Harris H. and Avery R. Mrs. Zimmerman became a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church when a small girl, and was a devoted member until her death, March 23, 1880. On April 3, 1883, he married Mrs. Emily Spuller, widow of Joseph Spuller of Adams county. She was born December 17, 1844. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He served as assessor of his town- ship four years, having been elected, though a republican, in the banner democratic township outside of Wayne. He is a member of the F. & A. M. lodge, No. 224, and a comrade of Bass post, G. A. R., of Fort Wayne. He has a good farm of over seventy-five acres, well improved with good buildings. He is one of the leading citizens of his township.
Michael Klopfenstein is a native of Germany, born March 22, 1824, son of John and Catharine ( Amstutz) Klopfenstein. He received a good German education, and in 1841 emigrated to America. Settling in Ohio, he remained seven years, and then removed to Indiana and worked as a laborer in Adams county nearly two years. He then set- tled in Cedar Creek township, first buying 160 acres all in the woods, to which he added from year to year until at one time he owned 485 acres. In 1851 he married Lydia Sauder, by whom he had nine chil- dren: Jacob, Eli, Michael, Emanuel, Joseph, Mary, Jeremiah, David and Lydia. This lady, who was born January 14, 1831, died June II, 1875. She was a member of the Amish church. In 1877 he married Mrs. Rebecca (Conrad) Schlatter. By hard work and good manage- ment he has done well'in life, and has lived to help all his children to nice farms and to see them comfortably situated. He is one of Cedar Creek's township's best citizens and is well liked and respected. In connection with farming he has been running a saw-mill with his sons since 1876. Mr. Klopfenstein and wife are both members of the Amish church.
James McCrory, an old settler of Cedar Creek township, was born in Ohio, July 13, IS07. When a child he went with his parents, David and Mary (Howey) McCrory, to Pennsylvania, where he grew to man- hood and received a common school education. At the age of fifteen he was apprenticed as a blacksmith, which he followed until 1852, when he came to Indiana and settled in Cedar Creek township on the farm where he now lives. In 1828 he was married to Ellen Eichelberger. Of their nine children, six are living: Mary, George, Samuel, William, Frank and Garlerd. The mother, who was born in 1809, died in I873. February 2, 1877, he was married to Mrs. Caroline Shannon, born in 1840, daughter of Andrew and Rachel (Roop) Zimmerman. To this union was born Leonard M. Mrs. McCrory is a member of the Catholic
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church. Mr. McCrory holds the title to 320 acres of valuable land in Cedar Creek township, also lots 15, 16, 17, 29 and 2 in Leo. When he settled in Allen county his farm was all in the woods except about twenty-eight acres. He is one of the highly respected farmers of the county, and has served his township as trustee for twelve years in succession.
John Dever, one of the pioneers of Cedar Creek township, is a native of Ohio, born May 31, 1824. His father, David Dever, was a native of Virginia, who served about two years in the late rebellion, in the Mis- souri state militia, and died at Georgetown, Mo., May 27, 1862. His wife's maiden name was Nancy Shonkweiler. Their son John, grew in his native state to manhood, and received a common school edu- cation. He was a wagon-maker, and worked at that trade a number of years in Ohio, in connection with farming. In 1848, he was married to Ellen Dailey, who was born in 1825, lived a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and died in 1875. They had seven children of whom but two are now living: Martha, wife of O. W. Maxfield, and David D. In 1876 he was married to Clara Dailey, by whom he has one child, Florence. Mrs. Dever is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church. He has served as trustee of Cedar Creek township two years, and built three frame school-houses during his administration. He was elected on the republican ticket, though the township gives a dem- ocratic majority of 100. He made a second race in 1886, and reduced the adverse majority considerably. Mr. Dever came from his native state in 1852, and settled at Hamilton, now known as Leo postoffice, and worked at his trade two years. He then opened a general store, whichi he continued ten years. Then selling his store, in partnership with A. H. Bittinger and E. L. Knight, he had a boat built at Roanoke, which was the first regular boat that ran upon the St. Joseph river; at this he con- tinued about two years, when he resumed his trade and pursued it at Leo about nine years, when he became one of the proprietors of the Leo flouring-mill, which has been his business since that time. He is one of Cedar Creek township's leading citizens.
William C. Howey, the present trustee of Cedar Creek township, was born in Ashland county, Ohio, August 15, 1844. When nine years old, he came with his parents, William and Mary J. (Reed) Howey, and settled in Cedar Creek township, where he has since remained. He grew to manhood on the farm and received a common school education. He is a carpenter and painter by trade, which he worked at until elected trustee. March 28, 1880, he was married to Laura A. Nettelhorst, and they have two children: Ray and Maud. Mrs. Howey was born June 12, 1858, and she was raised in the Catholic church. In 1882 Mr. Howey was elected constable and served two years. In 1886 he was elected trustee of his township by a majority of eighty-nine, and was re-nominated in 1888, and elected by a majority of over 225, an increase which is a rare testimonial to the creditable manner in which he had discharged his duties. He built a two-story brick school-house at Cedarville, at a cost
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of $2,292.13, a proof to his constituents of his ability as an economist, and many of his friends are urging his name for commissioner of Allen county. Mr. Howey, himself, has never sought office. He is one of the worthy, self-made men, and a natural leader among men. Mr. Howey is preparing to build two more brick school-houses, in districts No. 2 and No. 6.
John Lochner was born in Germany, April IS, 1821, son of Peter and Elizabeth (Pelerof) Lochner. He received a common school edu- cation in Germany and remained in his native country until 1853, when he emigrated and settled in Cedar Creek township. Being a poor man, he was compelled to work by the day at first for his living, and wages at that time being very low, he worked many a day in the broiling sun for 50 cents, and thought he was well paid. He accumulated enough to purchase eighty acres of land. His greatest ambition on coming to America was to own twenty acres of land, thinking that he would then be well fixed for life, but he now owns 160 acres of fine land in Cedar Creek township, with excellent buildings. He was a weaver by trade, which he followed in the old country altogether, and on coming here had to learn farming, but under the instruction of Bernard Barwe he soon learned and became a shrewd and competent agriculturist. He has not only succeeded as a farmer, but has made a worthy name for himself with his neighbors. In 1855 he was united in marriage with Margaret Hamm, born in 1838. This union was blessed with four chil- dren: Rebecca, Jacob, Mary and Martha. He is a member of the Lutheran church, and his wife of the New Amish church.
Adam Hamm, of Cedar Creek township, is a native of Alsace. He was born near Strasburg, March 3, 1834, the eldest of four children of Adam and Margaret Hamm. He was educated in the French and Ger- man schools, and has since acquired a sufficient knowledge of the English language to both read and speak it readily. In 1854, during the excite- ment incident to the Crimean war, he left his native country, sailed for America and settled in Allen county, where he has since resided. He was followed in 1855 by the family, who also settled here. He first bought sixty acres of unimproved land, forty of which he cleared and upon it erected a log cabin. This property he sold and bought 160 acres covered by woods which by unremitting industry were soon con- verted into fields of grain. In later years he erected on this farm an elegant frame residence and a commodious barn. In 1882 he purchased a farm near Leo, where he built a two-story brick residence, and this place he exchanged in 1888 for the farm upon which he now lives, which in fertility is unsurpassed. August 28, 1859, he was married to Rebecca Depew, by whom he had seven children: George W., Margaret Delilah, Joseph E., Mary E., Caroline, Martha E., Samantha B., six now living. Mr. Hamm has been a friend to churches and schools and has given his children a good common school education. He and wife hold to the Apostolic Christian belief. The substantial improvements
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which he has made on the different farms which he has occupied are unmistakable evidence of his industry and public spirit.
John Amstutz, a successful farmer of Cedar Creek township, was born in France, February 16, 1836, and grew to manhood in his native state, where he served an apprenticeship as a machinist. On September 18, 1856, he sailed for America, his business being to bring $900 in gold to some of his relatives, which he did after a voyage of twenty-six days. He first stopped at Fort Wayne for two weeks, and then settled in Cedar Creek township, where he began working at the carpenter's trade. He followed this several years, working as many as twenty-six hands at one time. In 1859 he purchased, where he now lives, eighty acres, and has added to it until he now has 240 acres in Allen county and eighty in DeKalb. October 22, 1859, he was married to Mary Schwartz, who was born in 1837, and died in February, 1879, leaving eight children: Mary, Martha, Lydia, Leah, Eli, Emma, John and Hannah. Mrs. Am- stutz was a member of the New Amish church. Mr. Amstutz came to this country a poor man but has done exceedingly well, has one of the best improved farms in the township, and is one of the best citizens. Besides farming successfully, he is a natural-born mechanic, and has been making brick for nineteen years, and during the last two years has conducted a tile factory.
Charles Merkel, a prosperous farmer of Cedar Creek township, was born in Prussia, July 21, 1818, son of Frederick and Lena (Braun) Merkel. He received a good education in his native country, and served an apprenticeship at the shoemaker's trade. At the age of twenty-two years he was drafted for the Crimean war and served six years in the Russian army as a good and loyal soldier, during four years being a sergeant. In 1852 he emigrated to America and first settled at Leistville, Ohio, where he worked at his trade about five years. In 1864 he was married to Mary Fres, who was born in 1824, and they had two children: Ida, wife of Hiram Page, and Huldah, who died in 1886. While in Ohio, during Morgan's raid through that state, he was called out with the militia of Ohio. Later he removed to Indiana and set- tled on a farm in Springfield township, where he lived until 1875, when he removed to Cedar Creek township and occupied his present property which he has greatly improved, and he has one of the neatest farms in the township, comprising eighty acres of good farming land. He is one of the reliable citizens and is well liked and respected. He and wife are members of the Lutheran church.
Conrad H. Viberg, a prominent farmer of Cedar Creek township, is a native of Germany, born March 6, 1808. He emigrated to America in 1831, and first settled in Fairfield county, Ohio. Six years later he removed to Williams county, Ohio, where he remained about three years; after living in Huntington, Ind., from 1842 until 1857, he removed to Allen county and settled on the farm where he now lives. His first visit to Fort Wayne was in 1840, when all west of the court-
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house was woods. He came to America without money, and in a strange land his lot was a trying one, but he has succeeded well and at one time owned 372 acres of farming land in Cedar Creek township. In 1833 he was married to Angeline Struckmann. Of their nine children four are living: Sophia, Arseles, George and Sarah. George is the present sheriff of Allen county. Sarah is the wife of Samuel McCrory, and has three children: Calvin, Clyde and Roy. Mrs. Viberg, who was born in 1810, died after a useful life, in 1885. She, with her husband, was a member of the New Lutheran church. Mr. Viberg, while in Huntington county, served as township trustee two years. He has always been one of the prominent citizens of Allen county since his residence here, and is universally respected.
Jacob Stevick, a native of Pennsylvania, was born in Cumberland county, November 7, 1824, son of Jacob and Sarah Stevick. There he grew up and received his education, and in 1859 he came to Indiana and settled where he now lives. In 1846 he was united in marriage to Hannah Snoke, who died April 25, 1853, at the age of twenty-seven, leaving two children: Mary and Jemima. In 1854 he was married to Catharine North, by whom he had two children, one, Lavinia, now liv- ing, but this wife died in 1863, aged twenty-eight years. In 1865 he was married to Elizabeth North. Their two children are deceased. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Seven years after settling where he now lives he removed to Newville, Wells county, and engaged in conducting a flouring-mill for five years, and was afterward for seven years in the same business at Wolf Lake, Noble county. Since then he has remained upon his fertile and well improved tarm of eighty acres in Cedar Creek township.
William J. McNabb is a native of DeKalb county, Ind., born July 4, 1846. His father, William McNabb, a native of Pennsylvania, removed to Ohio when about sixteen years of age, and began work as a mason and continued until he got money enough to enter 160 acres of land. In 1835 he visited Indiana and entered 160 acres in DeKalb county and in 1836 brought his wife Mary and children and settled. After clearing 100 acres he sold out and in 1859 he came to Allen county and bought 120 acres and cleared the most of this. Here he remained until his death in 1876. He served as county commissioner while in De Kalb county, also as justice of the peace about eight years. He was a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. He came to Indiana with only $5 in money. En route one of his oxen dying he had to yoke up one of his cows to finish the journey. He had the pleasure on one occasio by ambushing behind a tree, to kill one of the bears which infested the woods, with his ax. William J. McNabb was raised in DeKalb county until thirteen years of age, and has since then resided in Cedar Cree k township. He received his education in the pioneer log school-hou e. In 1866 he was married to Catharine Hursch, born in December, 1846, and they have nine children: John, Christ, Harmon, Maude, Gilbert,
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