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 55
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H. F. Christian Miller, of Marion township, was born in Hanover, February 1, 1841. He was the son of John and Mattie Miller, who emigrated to America in 1854, and settled in Allen county, Marion township, on section II, having bought 100 acres of Judge Colman. Here he died a short time after his settlement, leaving four children: H. F. Christian, J. H. Harmon, Anna Maria and Anna Gesche, all of
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whom are living. Christian Miller left the parental abode in 1862 and clerked in a store for some time, then entering the lumber business, at which he was for some time engaged. He afterward began farming, his present occupation. August 16, 1884, he was married to Louisa Wedeking, and they have three children: Christian H. F., Louise C.S. C. and Annie Marie. Mr. Miller was employed during his commercial career in New York, Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, and became known as a very successful business man. He has his home upon a farm of seventy-five acres, handsomely improved. He is a democrat in politics. He and family are members of the Evangelical Lutheran church.
PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.
This region is traversed by both the St. Mary's and Little Wabash, and rivulets rising from springs close at hand, flow according as is the accidental arrangement of knoll and ravine, either to the sunny sands of the Mississippi delta or toward the icy shores of Labrador. Pleasant township was first settled in 1832, or about that year, by a Mr. Cooper and family, who made their home on the Godfrey trace or Bluffton road, at a place called "Green Camp," a favorite spot with Indians and emi- grants, on account of a refreshing spring in that vicinity. Some years prior to this settlement the Bluffton road and the older Indianapolis road had been surveyed through the township. In 1832, Horney Robinson, who had settled with his father, Thomas Robinson, in Wayne township in 1826, came to Pleasant township, and afterward became prominent in its history. The first white child born in this vicinity was his son War- ren, in November, 1834, and the first death was of his sister, Mrs. Mary Bay, who died in 1841. The first saw-mill was built by him, on the bank of Lost creek, from which it obtained the power, and for many years he operated it successfully, supplying lumber for many buildings in the city. Lumber was hauled from here as far as the Salamonie river in Huntington county. At the home of this same pioneer, the first religious meeting was held by Rev. Ball, in 1834. In 1834 came Edward Kennark, a native of Ireland, who entered land in sections 4 and 10, aided in the building of the Wabash railway, and died in 1872; eight of his sixteen children survive. William Bradbury also came in 1834, and he and Kennark put up the first hewn-log houses. William Watson settled in the spring, but did not remain many years; John Whetton made a permanent settlement in this year. In 1841 Andrew Miller and his sons Christian, Joseph, John and Andrew, of Alsace, were the first settlers on the Indian reserves, and the family is now prominent. Thomas Greer and family settled in 1842. He was one of the fourteen settlers who organized the township and held the first election at the home of Abraham Lutz. These voters were, besides Greer and Lutz, David Hill, Samuel Fogwell, Jacob Kinwell, John Nicodemus, Thomas Brad- bury, Edward Kennark, Cooper, Enos Mooney, Benjamin Swett, Hugh
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O'Hara, John Whetton and Horney Robinson. Jacob Smith, one of the oldest living settlers, born in Pennsylvania in 1814, came here in 1847 and became the first township trustee under the present system. After 1834 the fertile and inviting land received many occupants, and among the earliest of this period may be named Christian Miller, Nicholas Herber, Jacob Smith, George Woods, Andrew Orrin, John Orrin, Ethelbert Sutton, Alexander Stonebrook, Cornelius Ferrell, Henry Castile, Asa Linscott, Noah Linscott, William Henry, George Mercer, Henry Mercer, Nicholas Rice, Thomas Swank, Zaccheus Clark, Nathan Parker, Washington Parker, Wellington Parker, Thomas Parker, Henry Hall, Carroll Taylor and Jacob Kimmel. In October, 1869, Andrew J. Taylor divided a portion of his lands into town lots, and the name of Sheldon was given to the place, which is a station on the Fort Wayne, Muncie & Cincinnati railroad. In October of the year named, Mr. Taylor established his carriage factory, and adopted the plan of making all sales at auction. His enterprise prospered, and the establishment soon became a prosperous and considerable one. He also, beginning in 1871, conducted a saw-mill, to which he gave his personal attention until he suffered the loss of his left hand in that business. In 1871 an addi- tion to the town was platted by John N. Mowey and Willard S. Hickox. The population at the last census was 166.
Warren Robinson, a native resident of Pleasant township, was born November 30, 1834. His father, Horney Robinson, one of the pioneers of Allen county, was born in Fayette county, Ohio, June 22, 1806, the son of Thomas Robinson, a native of Ohio, whose father was one of the pioneers of that state, and a soldier of the war of 1812. Horney Robinson came to Allen county as early as 1826, when the county was a wilderness and Fort Wayne only a fort and Indian trading post. He first settled in Wayne township, where he entered sixty acres of land, and lived until about 1832, when he entered about 126 acres then in Aboit, but since attached to Pleasant township, where he resided the rest of his life. He was one of the best known early citizens, and was a successful farmer. He was married in about 1829 to Catherine Fres- hour, a native of Pennsylvania, born about 1816, the daughter of George Freshour, a native of Pennsylvania, and a pioneer of Allen county. The parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, Horney Rob- inson being one of the pioneer Methodists of Allen county. He was instrumental in laying the foundation for the growth of the church in the county. His home was the stopping place for all itinerant preachers and his hospitality was unbounded. The mother died February 27, 1864, and the father on July 22, 1887. To them thirteen children were born, only five of whom survive: Sarah J., wife of Milton F. Ward, of near Topeka, Kan .; Warren; William, a farmer of Lafayette township; Frank, a Methodist minister, now farming in Huntington county; Saman- tha, wife of Dr. Moffett, of Lafayette, Ind. Warren Robinson attended the country schools and finished his education in the Methodist Episcopal college at Fort Wayne. After teaching school about six years, he
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turned his attention about 1861, to stock buying and farming, in which he has met with success. He was married in October, 1865, to Sarah J. Fields, who was born in Wells county, Ind., in 1845, daughter of Mor- gan Fields, a pioneer of that county. She was a member of the Evan- gelical Lutheran church; she died in December, 1872, leaving two sons, one deceased. Frank S., born November 27, 1869, lives with his father. Mr. Robinson was married in February, 1877, to Martha J. Wilson, born in Huntington county in 1853. They have one daughter, Ressie. Mr. Robinson has met with success as the result of his industry and enterprise, and has 200 acres of land, 115 of which are of the old home- stead. On an eighty-five-acre tract on the line between Pleasant and Wayne townships, he has a good frame residence and one of the largest barns in the township. In politics he is a republican. He is thrifty, energetic and enterprising, and is respected and esteemed by his fellow citizens.
James Cunnison, a well-known farmer of Pleasant township, was born December 17, 1840, in Wayne township, the son of Robert Cun- nison, who was born at Dundee, Scotland, in 1799, and coming to America, and to Allen county in 1833, settled in Wayne township. He was one of the pioneers of the township, coming here when Fort Wayne was an Indian village, and the country was little more than a wilderness. His death occurred in 1843. His wife, Margaret Ramsey, was born in Scotland, June 22, 1799. There they were married and their first child, Isabelle, was born on the ocean. She died at the age of four years, and was buried in a graveyard on the site of Brinsley's feed yard in Fort Wayne. The mother is still living, and is the widow of John Whetton, sr., who died in February, 1861. Robert and Margaret Cunnison had three children: Isabelle (deceased), Robert, who was born in IS35, and was killed on July 8, 1880, in a well, leaving a widow and six chil- dren, the youngest of whom, now deceased, was born while the father's funeral was in progress; and James. The latter was three years of age when his mother married John Whetton, and removed to Pleasant town- ship, to the farm now owned by himself. He was married in January, 1866, to Mary, daughter of William Dalman. He was born in Derby- shire, England, June 24, IS15, and came to Allen county in 1832. His wife was Rebecca Osborn, who was born in Ohio. Mr. Cunnison has five children: Alex, born June 25, 1867; Margaret Isabelle, wife of Levi E. Koons, of Marion, born March 13, 1870; Will, born August 5, 1871; Frank, born September 18, 1876, and James, born November 30, 1882. Mr. Cunnison has always been an active and prominent citizen of his township. He has met with success in life, and has acquired a competency. His farm is one of the finest in his vicinity, embracing 2261/2 acres. He also owns two lots and three dwellings on Smith street in Fort Wayne. The old family residence was destroyed by fire in May 27, 1886, and he at once erected a handsome two-story brick on the site of the old home. He also has a good barn and other buildings.
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He is a member of Summit City lodge, No. 170, F. & A. M .; and Mrs. Cunnison is a member of the Methodist church.
Jacob H. Kimmel, a prominent farmer of Pleasant township, was born on his present farm, nine miles southwest of Fort Wayne, March 25, 1843. His father, Jacob Kimmel, a pioneer of the township, was a native of York county, Penn. He came to Allen county in the fall of 1841, and purchasing 126 acres in Pleasant township, there followed farming the rest of his life. His wife, Jane Newhouse, was born in Virginia in 1807, and died January 27, 1869. The father died Septem- ber 21, 1873, aged seventy-six years and seven months. They had nine children, eight of whom are living. Five reside in Allen county, one in Wells county, one in Washington Territory and one in Kansas. Jacob Kimmel, the father, was a thrifty and honest man, well-known and well liked, and during his life met with success, accumulating considerable means, he owning 386 acres of land, which he divided among his chil- dren as they became of age. He was a member of the Lutheran church, and in politics was a republican. His son, Jacob, is the young- est of the children. He secured a good, practical education and remained on the home farm, taking care of his father in his old age. At his death he became owner of the farm of 126 acres, which he has since increased to 215 acres. In 1876 he erected a large square-roof stable, which is an ornament to the farm, and in July, ISSI, built his two-story brick residence, at a cost of $2,300, one of the finest in the township. In 1883 he erected a large barn, which was destroyed by lightning, May 12, 1886, and in 1887 he erected another large barn. His farm, with its improvements, is one of the finest in the township. Mr. Kimmel was married in August, 1869, to Ellen Buskirk, who was born in Allen county, in 1849, daughter of Daniel Buskirk, an early settler. She died in October, 1870, and he was married in May, 1874, to Louisa Fischer, of Fort Wayne, who was born in New York city, in 1849, daughter of Anthony Fischer, a citizen of Fort Wayne. Their children are: Eda, born in 1875, and Thomas H., born in 1883. Mrs. Kimmel is a member of the Lutheran church at Five Points. Mr. Kimmel is a republican in politics and he is a member of Summit City. lodge, F. & A. M.
William Dalman, one of Pleasant township's leading men, was born in the township, March 25, 1847. His father Edwin Dalman, was born in England, December 20, 1819, son of John and Hannah Dalman, who in 1833, with part of their family of ten children, emigrated to America, and arrived at Fort Wayne in June. They settled in southern Wayne township, on the Little river, and their home was then the only one between the Indian reservation and the Wabash river. They constructed a rude log cabin and began clearing away the forests, and farming, which was the occupation of John Dalman until his death sixteen years later. He left five children in this country: William, Thomas, Edwin, Frederick and Salina. Edwin a prominent man in his time, was married in 1842 to Mary, daughter of John and Jane McNair, natives of Ireland,
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who settled in Allen county in 1837. Edwin Dalman died in January, 1864, but his widow is still living at Fort Wayne. To this marriage four sons were born: John, Thomas, William and Charles. John is now a citizen of Pleasant township, of which he has served as trustee nine years, and he has held the position of county treasurer two terms. William Dalman is a farmer by occupation, and was born and reared on the farm and received his education in the pioneer log school- house. In 1870 he was married to Isabel, daughter of William and Susan (Simpson) Beck, early settlers of the county. She was born in this county in November, 1849. To this marriage eight children were born, of whom three are living, Effie, Charles and Naomi. Mr. Dalman started out in life for himself soon after marriage, and settled on the farm in Pleasant township which he has since occupied. He has a fine farm of eighty-six acres and as a farmer is practical and success- ful. In politics he is a strong democrat. He was elected trustee of his township in 1886, and is now serving his second term to the entire satisfaction of the people. On his second election he for the first time in the history of the township, had no opposition. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
William S. Robison, one of the early residents of Pleasant township, is of a family distinguished among the pioneers. His grandfather, of Scotch descent, was born upon the ocean coming to America. He mar- ried Elizabeth Spudy, also of Scotch origin. Their son, James Robison, was born in Mifflin county, Penn., in 1792. In early manhood he learned the carpenter's trade, and while a resident of Mifflin county, married Rebecca Jacobs, who was of English and Irish descent. In 1832 he went to farming in Pennsylvania, and two years later emigrated to Ohio, where he remained until 1866, when he became a resident of Allen county. His wife died in 1872, and he passed away in 1875. They were zealous members of the Presbyterian church. Their children are as follows: Mary (deceased), John A. . (deceased), Samuel E., William S., Elizabeth (deceased), Sarah, Catherine, James S., David A., George W., Thomas Calvin, Franklin (deceased), Hiram (deceased), Anna E., (deceased). William S. Robison was born in Mifflin county, Penn., December 4, 1821, was reared on the farm, and received a fair common school education. In 1845 he came to Allen county, and settled in Pleasant township, where he has since resided. On first settling, he secured from Hon. F. P. Randall a license to teach and taught there- after fifteen quarters, teaching and farming alternately. Subsequently, he suspended teaching and since his entire time has been devoted to farming. In the fall of 1846 he wedded Nancy, daughter of Jacob Kimmel, an early settler of this county. The marriage resulted in the birth of the following children: James B., Desdemona J., Harriet E., Theodosia R., Mary E. (deceased), William M. C., Jacob C. and Viola. Their mother, who was born in Starke county, Ohio, in 1828, died in February, 1864. In 1865 Mr. Robison married Mrs. Harriet Robbnei Greenameyer, who was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, in 1828. Mr.
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Robison as a farmer has achieved perhaps more than ordinary success. In politics he has ever been an active democrat. He and wife during their lives were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. James B. Robi- son, eldest son of the above, was born March 3, 1848, in Pleasant town- hip. He was reared on a farm and received his education in the country schools. At twenty-two years of age he married and settled down in life as a renter on a farm. May 5, 1870, he wedded Mercy Rice, daughter of Jesse and Mary (Chalker) Rice. Mrs. Robison was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, April 23, 1851. They have one child, Eva. Mr. Robison has devoted his life to farming and stock raising. After his marriage he remained a renter for four years, and then he purchased a tract of land, and by energy and perseverance has come into possession of a well improved farm of ninety-two 'acres. In politics he is a democrat. He was elected township trustee, in Pleasant township, in 1882, and was re-elected in 1884. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. As a citizen Mr. Robison is progressive, and as a farmer he is a representative one. He has been a warm friend to schools, churches and public improvements.
William M. Dåfforn, of Pleasant township, was born in Warwick- shire, England, May 12, 1840. His parents, William and Mary (Nichols) Dafforn, were born in England and emigrated when he was fifteen years old. They settled in Allen county in 1855. Mr. Dafforn is one of twelve children. In his native country he learned the baker's trade, and at Sutton, gained a good common school education. At the age of twenty-one years, he became a soldier in the United States ser- vice, enlisting April 18, 1861, as a private in Company C, Ninth Indiana volunteer infantry. , July 1, 1862, he became a private in Company C, of the Fifteenth Indiana. Among some of the engagements in which he took part were: Greenbrier, Va., Marshall's Store, Va., Stone River, Missionary Ridge. At Stone River he was wounded, and because of disability he would have been sent to the hospital, but instead he went into the commissary department. He was discharged at the expiration ·of term of service, June 25, 1864. He returned to Allen county, where he has since remained, following farming for an occupation. In 1866 he was united in marriage with Eliza, daughter of Elijah and Juliana Ake, early settlers of Pleasant township. Mrs. Dafforn was born in Allen county, December 7, 1848. They have six children : Mary, Samuel, William, James, Delbert and Jennie. When Mr. Dafforn started out in life he had no ·capital whatever. He is now prosperous and owns a well improved .farm of eighty acres.
LAFAYETTE TOWNSHI P.
The remote position of this region with relation to the city and the routes of immigration caused it to be settled much later than other por- tions of the county of Allen. In the extreme northeast section, Samuel Fogwell, an immigrant from Ohio, settled in 1839, and began a life of
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industry which he spent on that place. A little later, Frank Morrison and David Overly made their homes in the vicinity, and in 1843, Anthony Krumme moved here from Pleasant township. In 1844 Will- iam Jobs came here from Marion township, and in 1845, James Wilson, whose son Isaac A., born May 30, 1846, was the first born in the set- tlement. Others in 1845 were Isaac Alter, Isaac Hatfield, John Akers, Christian Foley, and John Foley, settled. In 1846 Walter Kress settled, and in 1847 Henry S. Keeley. In 1842 the road known as the lower Huntington road was surveyed through the township, but it was not passable for several years. In 1846 the first township election was held at the house of William Jobs, and Isaac Hatfield was elected jus- tice; William Jobs, constable; Isaac Alter, clerk; James E. Wilson, treas- urer, and Samuel Fogwell, James Wilson and John Akers, trustees. The first school-house of the township was the Coverdale, built in 1848, and Eli Ward was the first teacher. The Allen county addition to the village of Zanesville, which lies partly in Wells county, was platted on Henry Sinks' land in February, 1854. In 1849, Henry Sinks erected the first saw-mill, with steam power, and in 1852 he became the first merchant of the settlement. In 1875, a steam grist-mill was built by Conrad Knight. In 1880 Zanesville had a population, in Allen county of ninety-three, in Wells of 135.
George Lopshire, who settled in Lafayette in 1852, is a son of George and Elizabeth (Bender) Lopshire, who came from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1821, and in 1835 moved to Fort Wayne, where the father built a house on south Broadway, and helped clear the brush from that street. Six of the children of these pioneers are living. John and Eliz- abeth (Ringer) Denis also settled in 1852 and seventeen children were born to them, of whom thirteen survive. A prominent citizen, not so long a resident of the township, is Adam D. Hill, son of David and Sarah (Fogwell) Hill, who settled in Aboit township in 1837.
Andrew Bowersock, a prominent and well-to-do farmer of Lafayette township, was born April 18th, 1848, in Monroe county, Ohio. Coming to Indiana in 1851, he settled in Lafayette township where he has in since resided. After living with his step-father, William Lahmon, for nine years, he started out for himself, and after buying and selling two farms of forty acres, he purchased the farm on which he now resides. This originally contained sixty acres but now embraces 192 acres of the best land in the township. Mr. Bowersock was educated in the common schools of this township. He was married on September 26th, 1872, to Mary F. Lopshire, who died February 13th, 1874, of consump- tion. He was again married, December 3, 1874, to Melinda A. Canon. They are the parents of three children: Rilla C., Bertha B., Charles R. Mr. Bowersock was elected trustee of Lafayette township in the spring of 1884 and was re-elected with a large majority in 1886. He is regarded by many as the best trustee the township has ever had. In politics he has been a life-long democrat, faithfully supporting all the nominees of his party, and at the urgent request of members of his
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party he has now entered the field as a competitor for the office of county recorder, with strong probabilities in his favor of being the successful one. Mr. and Mrs. Bowersock are active members of the Lutheran church.
George W. Mills, a prominent farmer of Lafayette township, was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, March 15, 1828. His father, James Mills, a native of New Jersey, left there at the age of nineteen, and came to Ohio. He was married at Taylorsville, to Eliza Wright, and then moved to Coshocton. They had nine children, eight sons and one daughter, of whom all are living but one son; they are as follows: George W., Robert B., of Oregon; Warren L., of Kansas; Daniel, of Illinois; William B., of Illinois; John C., of Illinois; James G., a farmer of Dakota, and Eliza K., wife of Josiah Bays, of Missouri. James Mills died in Morgan county, Ohio, March, IS45, and the mother died in Ossian, Ind., at the age of sixty-seven, in 1876. George W. Mills came to Indiana in 1848, after his father's death, and brought with him his mother and the children, who depended upon him until arriving of age. He settled in Lafayette township and built a cabin where the Coverdale school-house now stands. He entered forty acres of his present farm in 1849, the deed being signed by Zachary Taylor. He has added to his farm until now it consists of 104 acres of good land. He was married in 1848 to Margaret, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Ryan) Hill. They have had eleven children, eight of whom are liv- ing: Robert B., John, Elizabeth, Joseph C., Matilda, Ella, Grant and Jane. Mr. Mills was elected justice of the peace in the spring of 1880 and served four years, filling the office very creditably. In politics he is a republican. He is a member of the Christian church and has been active in church affairs for several years. He was a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Indiana volunteer infantry, Com- pany D, which went into active service in 1864, and was honorably dis- charged in the fall of 1864. Mr. Mills is a man of honesty and integrity and is well respected by his neighbors and fellow citizens. He is a member of McGinnis post, No. 167, G. A. R., of Roanoke, Ind.
George B. Lawrence, a substantial farmer of Lafayette township, resides on section 10 in the Zeke reserve, about ten and one-half miles southwest from Fort Wayne. He was born in Wayne county, Ohio, May 1, 1835. His parents, Jacob and Margaret (Johnson) Lawrence, natives of Wayne county, were among the early settlers of Lafayette township. The father purchased and settled upon 160 acres about 1848, and farmed there until his death in 1879, at the age of seventy years. The death of his wife occurred two years previous in her sixty-eighth year. Of their nine children, six of whom survive, George B. was the eldest. In 1863 he came to Allen county and located on a farm of 163 acres in Lafayette township, which he purchased in 1857 from John M. Kinnan and George W. Robison; the land was then entirely unim- proved. Mr. Lawrence has since added ninety-one acres to the original farın, and he also owns an interest in a fine farm of 140 acres in Wayne
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