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 51
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Alexander H. Anderson was born in Wood county, Ohio, May 25, 1844. His father, James McC. Anderson, was born in Butler county, Penn., September 3, 1819, and was married July 22, 1841, in Ohio, to Lucinda Hockemberg, a native of Pennsylvania. To their marriage were born five sons and four daughters. The father's death occurred December 28, 1882, in Paulding county, Ohio, where the mother still resides. Alexander H. was born and reared on a farm, and educated in the country schools. When only eighteen years old he enlisted, in August, 1862, as a private in Company I, One Hundredth Ohio volun- teer infantry. He participated in the siege of Knoxville, Tenn., Resaca, Ga., and at Allatoona, Ga., he lost his left arm, in consequence of which disability he was discharged June, 1864. He then returned to his home in Ohio and was there married September 19, 1865, to Hannah Parker, who was born in Fort Wayne, February 11, 1844. In 1870 he located at Monroeville, Ind., where has since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, holding a membership at Monroeville. He belongs to the G. A. R., William H. Link post, No. 301, of Monroeville.
Charles J. Breman, a merchant of Monroeville, was born in Sweden, July 22, 1843. He was reared and educated on a farm in his native country, where he learned the shoemaker's trade. Emigrating to America in 1871, he subsequently took up his trade at Decatur, Ind., and afterward located at Coldwater, Ohio, and there in 1875, he was united in marriage with Bernardina Hantaman, a native of Germany. Of their five children only one, Charles G., survives. In 1883 Mr. Breman located at Monroeville, and embarked in general merchandise in which he has prospered, doing an annual business of about $6,000. He and family are members of the Roman Catholic church at Monroe-
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ville. Mr. Breman came to the United States a very poor man, but by means of his industry and sterling character he has become a prosperous and well respected citizen.
John D. Alligear, editor of the Monroeville Breeze, was born in Danville, Penn., July 24, 1854. His father was born in Jersey City, N. J., and his inother at Danville, Penn., and are both living. Grandmother Alligear is also living, aged ninety-eight years. Mr. Alligear was mar- ried to Melinda Wass, February 7, 1874, and they have two children: Dovie M., born January 26, 1876, and William R., September 3, 1880. Mr. Alligear came with his parents to Allen county in July, 1855. He began to shift for himself at the age of twelve. Starting out as a boot- black, he became carriage-boy for Hugh McCulloch. Subsequently, he was a canal boy, and finally began to learn the trade of a printer in 1869, working during the day at the case, and selling papers in the morning and evening, and sleeping during the night under the depot seats. He passed through all the privations incidental to a youth of poverty. Gaining the esteem and confidence of his employers, he became foreman of the Gazette for several years, and then managed the Mon- roeville Democrat for Mr. Foster. He took charge of the Monroeville Breeze in January, 1884, and has made it prosperous.
Chichester Holder, attorney at law, was born in Marshall county, Ind., December 21, 1845. His father, Absalom P. Holder, born in Sullivan county, Ind., was married in La Porte county, to Mary Blivin, a native of New York. They had six children, who were reared on the farm, the father being a farmer by occupation. The fifth child, Chichester, attended school in the country until the civil war broke out, when, notwithstanding youthfulness, he volunteered, July 26, 1862, as a private in Company D, Eighty-seventh Indiana infantry. Among some of the engagements in which he participated were: Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Resaca, Buzzard Roost, siege of Atlanta. He was in the march to the sea, and at the fall of Savannah, marched through the Carolinas to Richmond, Va., and thence to Washington, D. C., where he was discharged as an uncommissioned officer June 10, 1865. Re- turning to his home in Fulton county, in the fall of 1865 he engaged in carpentering and subsequently entered the employ of the P., Ft. W. & C. railroad as a carpenter and later was given charge of a corps of civil engineers in the employ of that company. Meanwhile he took up the study of law, and became, in 1878, a member of the La Grange county bar, under Judge William A. Woods, now on the federal bench, and of the Noble county bar, and in Rome City opened a law office. He has also been admitted to practice in DeKalb and Allen counties. In the spring of 1888 he located at Monroeville, where he has since enjoyed a lucrative practice. He visited England several years ago on a business trip in the interest of the Sarah Jane West (nee Spriggs) estate. He is a self-made man, without early advantages, but from early youth the study and practice of law was uppermost in his mind. In politics, like his father, he is a staunch republican.
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Noah Clem, above mentioned as one of the conspicuous early set- tlers of Monroe township, was born in Shenandoah county, Va., Sep- tember 27, IS09, son of David and Catharine (Walters) Clem, natives of that county, but of German parentage. The latter had six sons and seven daughters. Noah remained with his parents in Shenandoah county until he was married in 1832, to Mary M. Ridenour. In the fall of 1833 the young couple settled in Champaign county, Ohio, and in March, 1840, they made their home in Monroe township, and began clearing away the forest and here for fifty years he has contributed to the advancement of the county. He is an old line democrat and has taken an active part in politics. By his wife, who died September 27, 1886, he had eleven children.
John D. Stephenson was born in Center county, Penn., November 29, 1816. His parents, Thomas and Eleanora (Dayhause) Stephenson, were American-born, the father being of Irish, and the mother of Ger- man, descent. To them were born thirteen children. John D. was reared and educated on a farm in his native county, and at the age of twenty-one years started out for himself, going to Seneca county, Ohio. There he was married in 1841 to Mary Dornan, who was born in Col- umbiana county, Ohio, November 6, 1822, daughter of James and Sarah (Starkey) Dornan. The father was born in Ohio, of Irish descent; the mother was born in Virginia. They had eight children, of whom Mary is the second. Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Stephen- son emigrated by wagon to Allen county, Ind., and in 1841 they settled on what is now known as the Ridge road in Monroe township. Mr. Stephenson had just before his marriage (in the fall of 1840) visited the place of settlement, had constructed a log cabin in the woods and sown four acres of wheat. The nearest neighbor on the east was one mile away; at the west, eight miles. The Sandusky Indians were numerous and daily hundreds of them might be seen scouting and hunting through the forest. The Ridge road was the only public highway approaching Fort Wayne from Ohio, and the residence of Mr. Stephenson was a stopping place until the building of the railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Ste- phenson kept a hotel, accommodating hundreds of travelers. On one occasion over 100 wagons were camped with them. This was a station on the stage line. By energy and perseverance Mr. Stephenson became a very prosperous and highly respected citizen, leaving at death an estate of 840 acres. In politics he was a democrat, and though not a member of any church, was friendly to church and school, and was a liberal and enterprising citizen. To Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson were born the follow- ing children: James T., John M., Eliza J., Joseph E. (deceased), Theo- dore L., Alpheus L. and Mary O. Mr. Stephenson died July 12, 1882. Mrs. Stephenson still survives and resides on the old homestead.
John Sheehan, one of the old settlers of Allen county, was born in Wayne township, Columbiana county, Ohio, June 9, 1824, and is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Hutchison) Sheehan. The father was born in Lancaster county, and the mother in Monongahela county, Penn.
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Daniel was a son of William Sheehan, a native of Ireland, who emi- grated to the United States. Daniel and Elizabeth Sheehan had five sons and six daughters. With their then living children they removed to Indiana, and in 1845 settled in Allen county, near the site of Monroe- ville on what is known as the Ridge road, and here the father died in 1876, at the age of seventy-five years; and the mother died in 1878 at the age of seventy-five. With wagons the family drove to their place of settlement, pitched tents, and in the woods built a log hut for a habitation. In this manner was established the home of the family, then consisting of the father and mother and eight children. Of the eleven children, two had died in Ohio, and one, a daughter, now living at New Haven, had married. The father was a hardy pioneer, a sturdy farmer, an esteemed citizen and loved father. He was a zealous member of the Presbyterian church as was also his faithful wife, and they reared their family in the church. John Sheehan was reared on a farm, and received a fair education for his day. He has devoted his life to agriculture in which he has made a practical success. He began a poor man, and under adverse circumstances, but now owns a fertile and well-improved farm of forty acres, in Monroe township. In 1851 he was married to Melissa, daughter of Elias and Anna Shaffer, early set- tlers of Allen county, and they have had five children: George (de- ceased), Sarah Jane (deceased), James Monroe (deceased), Louisa, Caroline and Anna. In 1865 the mother of these children was called away in death, and in 1866 Mr. Sheehan married Rebecca, daughter of John and Rebecca Cline, by whom he had seven children, three of whom survive, Eva, Edith Edna and Armina. Their mother died in 1888. Mr. Sheehan is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and has lived a good and industrious life. He has held several positions of trust and for a number of years has acted as justice of the peace.
Abraham Brandeberry was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, July 15, 1816. His father Conrad, was born in Germany, a son of Conrad Bran- deberry, who in an early day emigrated from Germany and settled in Carroll county, Ohio. Conrad married Susanna Cameron, a native of Scotland, daughter of Alexander Cameron, who in an early day, settled in Carroll county. This marriage resulted in the birth of the follow- ing children: Samuel, John, Jesse, Conrad, Mary Ann, Abraham, Elizabeth and Alexander, of whom only Abraham survives. The father was a farmer by occupation, and soon after his marriage he settled in Columbiana county, Ohio. The mother's death occurred in Carroll county, Ohio, and subsequently the father removed to Iowa, where he died. Abraham Brandeberry's life has been devoted to farming. When his mother died, he was not more than ten years old, but he remained with his father till he was twenty, and at his father's second marriage, he started out in life for himself. In IS41, he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of George and Anna Mary ( Harse ) Eagey, both natives of Pennsylvania and of German parentage. Mrs. Brandeberry was born in Washington county, Penn., May 7, 1820. Her marriage has resulted
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in the birth of George W. and Amelia A. In 1849 Mr. Brandeberry and family came by wagon to Allen county and settled in Madison township, where they continued till 1861, when they located in Monroe- ville. He and wife are life-long members of the Methodist church.
Their son George W. Brandeberry was born in Carroll county, Ohio, January 30, 1844; coming to Allen county when a child, he was reared and educated on the farm, receiving a fair common school educa- tion. He has followed farming more or less, and at present, is engaged in farming, together with the manufacture of drain tile. In early life he clerked in Monroeville, where his home has continuously been. In the spring of 1884, he became the republican candidate for trustee of Mon- roe township, and notwithstanding a heavy democratic majority, was elected by a substantial majority, and served one term. March 21, 1872, he wedded Lida A., daughter of John P. and Julia ( Wells) Nash. She was born in Starke county, Ohio, April 28, 1847. Their only child is Nora R., born May 29, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Brandeberry are leading spirits of their community, and enjoy a high social standing. She and daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Brandeberry, though not a member, is a warm friend.
James Reuille was born in France, March 25, 1845; and is a son of Joseph and Frances Reuille. The parents were born, reared, and mar- ried in France, and emigrated to Allen county, where the father has since followed farming for an occupation. James was born and reared on a farm. Though but a youth when the civil war broke out, in June, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company C, Seventy-fourth Indiana volunteer infantry. His first engagement was at Mumfordsville, Ky. He participated in the battle of Chickamauga and others, was with Sherman on the march to the sea, and remained in the service until the close of the war, being mustered out June 16, 1865. Returning to Allen county, he was married December 3, 1865, to Mary Louya, a native of New York, whose parents were born in France, and settled early in this country. To this union there have been born seven children. Mr. and Mrs. Reuille are members of the Roman Catholic church at Monroeville, where they have resided since 1885, prior to which date Mr. Reuille was engaged in agricultural pursuits. Mr. Reuille is an energetic and progressive citizen.
Ephraim B. Ridenour was born in Monroe township, Allen county, Ind., November 14, 1858, one of twelve children of Lewis and Esther (Brenneman) Ridenour, of German descent. The father was born in Shenandoah county, Va., July 22, 1822, son of Adam and Mary Made- line (Munch) Ridenour. Lewis was reared and educated on a farm in his native county. In 1848 he wedded Esther, daughter of Christian and Anna (Shenk) Brenneman. She was born in Rockingham county, Va., May 11, 1822. Their children are: Anna E. (deceased), Adam P., Lydia M. (deceased), Ephriam B., Catherine and Sarah. In the spring of 1851, the parents removed from Virginia to Indiana, and settled on section 33, Monroe township, Allen county. Here the father's death
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occurred November 20, 1879. The mother still resides on the old home- stead. The father was a hardy pioneer, energetic and persevering, an esteemed citizen and a faithful friend. Ephraim B. Ridenour, the only offspring of this old settler who resides in this county, is a farmer of Monroe township. In 1884 he wedded Catharine, the daughter of John J. and Anna (Cronin) Hayes, early settlers of Allen county. They have had two children, one of whom, Evaline G., survives.
John Griffith was born in Washington county, Penn., April 30, 1835. His parents, Daniel and Jane (Morris) Griffith, were born in Wales, and married in Pennsylvania, and had two children: John and Mary A. In 1839 the mother died in Pennsylvania, and subsequently the father became a soldier in the Mexican war, and later, during the California gold fever, went there where it is supposed he died. At the death of the mother, John and his sister were taken by their maternal grandparents in Portage county, Ohio. John received a fair common school educa- tion, and in early life taught school for several years in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana. He first came to Indiana in 1859. He taught his last school in 1866-67. In 1862 he was united in marriage with Mar- villa, daughter of Thomas and Susannah Jones. She was born in Har- rison county, Ohio, March 21, 1838. This marriage resulted in the birth of the following children: Morris, Addie, William and Thomas. In 1864 Mr. Griffith enlisted in Company H, Ninety-first Indiana volun- teers, and on December 3, 1864, was transferred to Company F, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Indiana volunteer infantry, and was dis- charged August 31, 1865, at Greensboro, N. C., by reason of the close of war. In February, 1865, on account of ill health, he was lodged in the hospital at Washington, D. C., whence he was transferred to Indian- apolis in the following June. Since his return to Allen county he has been engaged in farming. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and G. A. R., William H. Link post, No. 301. .
Thomas Jones, father of Mrs. Griffith, was an early settler in the Maumee valley. He was born in Maryland, August 1, 1814, son of William and Catharine (Appleton) Jones, natives of Maryland. The father was of Welsh, and the mother of Dutch, descent. They had twelve children, of whom Thomas was the third. April 12, 1836, he wedded Susannah Edwards, who was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, June 6, 1820, daughter of John and Charlotte (Trumbo) Edwards. Her father was born in Baltimore of Scotch descent, and her mother was born near Pittsburgh, Penn., daughter of John Trumbo, of German origin, an early settler of western Pennsylvania. Thomas and Susannah Jones had eleven children, of whom the following survive: Marvilla, Rebecca E., Charlotte, Jasper W., Thomas S., Alice and Seymour H. Soon after their marriage they came to Indiana, and in October, 1841, settled on section 9, of Monroe township, in the woods. They came by wagon, requiring fourteen days to make the trip from Harrison county, Ohio. Mr. Jones was a poor man, who by hard toil, soon began to grow prosperous. He was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran
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church. He was a man of reserved habits, thorough, progressive and enterprising. He was an useful citizen, a faithful friend and kind and loved father. He died May 5, 1874, leaving his faithful wife who still survives and resides on the old homestead.
Charles Whittern, one of the oldest citizens of Monroe township, was born in Awling, Gloucestershire, England, April 4, 1814. His par- ents, George and Anna (Herbert) Whittern, were born and married in Gloucestershire, and had nine children. The father was a gardener and nurseryman, and Charles was early trained in this vocation. His advan- tages for gaining an education in youth were poor. He remained under the parental roof until he reached the age of eighteen years, when he started out for himself, and had various employments up to 1839; when he emigrated to America. In January, 1835, he wedded Isabella L. Beauchamp, a native of Gloucestershire. This marriage resulted in the birth of eleven children, of whom two survive. The mother was called away in death in September, 1848. Mr. Whittern and family set sail at Liverpool, purposing to land at New York, but unfortunately the ves- sel was wrecked off the coast of Long Island. Here they remained until the fall of 1841, when they removed to the vicinity of Cleveland, Ohio. In the spring of 1859, he settled near Monroeville, on a tract of land where he still resides. January 20, 1850, he married Lavinia (Nel- son) McBride, who was born near Dublin, Ireland. Her father was of Scotch, and her mother of English, origin. She emigrated to America with her mother and brothers, and by her marriage became the mother of six children, of whom but two survive. Mr. Whittern settled on for- est land near Monroeville, and has spent a long life devoted to farming, contributing much toward the improvement of the country. He owns a large tract of land in the county, and it is in good cultivation. He is a self-made man, has become prosperous, and by integrity and fidelity has gained a high position in the esteem of his fellow townsmen. He has been friendly to churches, and is of the Episcopalian faith. In politics, he has since the organization of the party, been a republican.
John M. Tryon was born in Wayne county, Ohio, August 17, 1840, a son of John and Lydia (Sadler) Tryon, he a native of New York, she of Canada. These parents were married in New York, and had eleven sons and two daughters. They were early settlers of Wayne county, Ohio, where they died. John M. was born and reared on a farm, and received a common school education and attended the Ohio Wes- leyan university four months. August II, IS62, he enlisted as a private in Company H, Sixteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, under the command of Captain A. S. McClure. He was with General Sherman in the first attack on Vicksburg, Miss., and at Chickasaw Bayou received a gun- shot wound in the left hip. Here he was taken prisoner and placed in the Confederate hospital at Vicksburg. Subsequently, he was lodged at Jackson, then in Libby prison, and later was transferred to Rich- mond, Va., and here was exchanged May 30, 1863. He was then placed into the Union military hospital at Annapolis, where he remained
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until September 23, 1863, when he was discharged by reason of disa- bility, as a non-commissioned officer. He returned to Ohio, and in the fall of 1864 settled at Monroeville, soon securing a position with the P., F. W. & C. railway company, in whose employ he has since remained. Since 1865 he has been station agent at Dixon, Ohio, where he now resides. September 22, 1864, he wedded Margaret Lawrence, by whom he had three children, all now deceased. The mother also after twenty-four years as his faithful companion, died September, 1888. Mr. Tryon was once a poor man with many obstacles before him to surmount, and much of his success was due to his worthy wife, who was much loved and respected by all who knew her. Mr. Tryon, throughout life, has been a staunch republican. On one occasion he received the republican nomination as candidate for county treasurer of Van Wert county, Ohio. He had a substantial democratic majority against him which he reduced to nineteen votes, which may well be cited as evidence of his popularity. He is a Knight Templar, and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
MADISON TOWNSHIP.
The rich, heavily timbered region now known by this name was not attacked by the pioneers until 1836. In that year one Browning erected a cabin on section 30, and spent his time in hunting, but soon departed. In the fall John Edwards entered a quarter of section 26, and Andrew Meek a quarter of section 36. Both were from Carroll county, Ohio, where they returned and did not live upon their land here until 1837. Johtt Eagy, who had a family at Monmouth, Ind., began the work of clearing for Mr. Meek, and in 1838 brought his family and settled on a forty-acre tract he entered in 1836. Until 1839 the fam- ilies of these three men were the only inhabitants of the township. In the fall of the latter year they were joined by Charles Peckham and family, also from Carroll county, who contributed many of the first settlers here, John Myers and Jesse Todd, Adam Robinson, and in the northern parts, David Patrick, William Hill, M. Holmes, William Run- nolds, and Dawson, Tate and Clear. In this year George Eagy put up the first hewn-log house. In the spring of the following year the set- tlers held their first election and Andrew Meek, Milton Holmes and Jesse Myers were elected trustees; Martin W. Kemp, clerk ; John Myers, treasurer; Adam Robinson, justice; Elias Hobbs, constable. Justice Robinson officiated at the marriage in the same year of Jesse Myers to Polly Meek. In 1840, there came Jacob Marquardt, a worthy man, a native of Prussia, where he married Ann E. Carpenberger. They immigrated about 1826, and lived successively in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio, until 1840, when they came from Springfield, Ohio, to section II, Madison township. He died in 1852, and his wife, in 1887. They left seven children: Louisa, Lena, Adam, Maria, Philip, Jacob and Margaret. Jabez Shaffer and family settled in 1841. This pioneer was
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born in Frederick county, Md., May 25, 1793, son of Andrew and Elizabeth Shaffer. Andrew Shaffer's father emigrated from Germany before the revolution, during which struggle the father sympathized with the British so strongly that he disowned his son Andrew, who fought under Gen. Wayne. The latter became a carpenter at Fredericksburg, and married Elizabeth Chambers. They settled near Canton, Ohio, and raised a family of seven children. Jabez was married in 1820, to Susannah McPherson, by whom he had the following children: Amasa, Elizabeth, John, Sarah, William, James, Jabez, Mary Ann, Lydia, Catherine, Albert and Ellen. In 1839 he visited Allen county, entered 160 acres and traded his Ohio farm for 640 acres in Madison township, and settled in 1841. He died November 7, 1849, and his wife died Novem- ber 10, 1883. Their son John Shaffer, served six years as county com- missioner. In 1841 the first road was located, though in a somewhat irregular manner; theretofore the settlers were compelled to take a cir- cuitous route through the woods to Monmouth, to reach mill or market.
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