Skip to main content

Full text of "History of Cass County Indiana : From its earliest settlement to the present time : with biographical sketches and reference to biographies previously compiled"

See other formats


"     oC 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

Allen  County  Public  Library  Genealogy  Center 


http://www.archive.org/details/historyofcasscou02powe 


ALLEN  COUNTY  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Gc 

3  1833  02299  7552  977.201 

C27p 
V.2 
1137038 


HISTORY  OF 


CASS    COUNTY 


INDIANA 

From  its  Earliest  Settlement  to  the  Present  Time;  with  Bio- 
graphical Sketches  and  Reference  to  Biographies 
Previously  Compiled 


Edited  by 

DR.  JEHU  Z.  POWELL 
President  of  the  Cass  County,  Indiana,  Historical  Society 

advisoby  editors  : 
Hon.  William  T.  Wilson 
Hon.  Benjamin  F.  Louthain 
Pkof.  a.  H.  Douglass 


k 


VOLUME  II 


<777.  a^  / 


ILLUSTRATED 


THE  LEWIS  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

CHICAGO  AND  NEW  YORK 

1913 


1137033 


GEN.  JOHN  TIPTON 


History  of  Cass  County 


Gen.  John  Tipton.  It  is  an  acknowledged  fact  that  Gen.  John  Tip- 
ton was  the  most  influential  and  distinguished  pioneer  citizen  of  Cass 
county,  and  had  more  to  do  with  its  early  history  and  development  than 
any  other  one  man,  and  no  history  of  the  county  would  be  complete 
without  a  brief  sketch  of  him. 

The  Tipton  family  is  of  Irish  lineage.  Joshua  Tipton,  the  father  of 
this  sketch,  was  bom  in  Maryland  but  in  early  manhood  moved  to  Sevier 
county.  East  Tennessee,  where  he  married  Jeannette  Shields.  Joshua 
Tipton  was  an  Indian  fighter  and  was  killed  by  them  April  16,  1793, 
but  it  is  unwritten  history  that  his  assassination  was  instigated  by  the 
Seviers,  who  held  an  old-time  grudge  against  the  Tiptons. 

It  was  under  such,  conditions  and  surroundings  that  our  sub.ject  was 
born  August  14,  1786,  and  was  only  seven  years  of  age  at  his  father's 
death.  In  the  fall  of  1807,  he,  with  his  mother,  two  sisters  and  a  half 
brother,  moved  to  Brinley  's  Perry  on  the  Ohio  river,  in  Harrison  county, 
Indiana  territory.  He  was  the  main  support  of  the  family  and  one  of 
his  first  acts  was  to  purchase  a  home  for  his  mother,  consisting  of  fifty 
acres,  which  he  paid  for  by  splitting  rails  at  50  cents  a  hundred.  These 
early  experiences  laid  the  foundation  of  his  future  success  in  life.  His 
mother  died  in  1827  at  Seymour,  Indiana. 

In  1809  the  sheriff  of  Harrison  county  formed  a  company  of  mounted 
riflemen,  known  as  "Yellow  Jackets,"  from  the  color  of  their  uniforms, 
and  John  Tipton  became  an  active  member.  This  company,  under  the 
command  of  Capt.  Spier  Spencer,  saw  active  service  in  the  Indian  wars, 
terminating  at  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  November  7,  1811.  Spencer's 
company  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  and  the  commissioned  officers 
were  all  killed,  but  there  stood  the  brave  ensign,  John  Tiptop,  at  the 
head  of  the  remnant  of  the  company  when  General  Harrison  came  riding 
up  and  asked: 

"Where  is  the  captain  of  this  company?" 

To  which  John  Tipton  answered:*  "Dead,  sir." 

"Where  are  the  lieutenants'?" 

"Both  have  been  killed,  sir." 

"Where  is  the  ensign?" 

"I  am  here,"  answered  Tipton. 

"Take  command  of  your  company,"  said  Harrison,  "and  I  will  get 
relief  for  you  in  a  few  minutes." 

719 


720  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

General  Harrison  always  spoke  of  Ensigii  Tipton  as  the  coolest  and 
bravest  officer  in  his  command.  Subsequently  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  brigadier-general.  < 

At  the  tirst  election  held  under  the  state  constitution  he  was  elected 
sheriff  of  Harrison  county  and  was  sent  to  the  legislature  from  that 
county  in  1819-20,  and  was  chosen  as  one  of  the  committee  to  select  a 
site  for  the  location  of  the  state  capital,  and  this  committee,  on  June  7, 
1820,  selected  the  present  site  of  Indianapolis,  then  in  the  woods,  and 
on  January  6,  1821,  the  legislature  approved  the  action  of  the  com- 
mittee. In  August,  1821,  he  was  re-elected  to  the  legislature  and  the 
following  year  the  governpr  appointed  him  a  commissioner  to  locate 
the  boundary  line  between  Illinois  and  Indiana.  In  1823  he  was 
appointed  by  President  Monroe  general  agent  of  the  Pottawattamie  and 
Miami  Indians  on  the  upper  Wabash  and  at  once  moved  to  Ft.  Wayne, 
the  seat  of  the  agency,  and  he  performed  his  duties  with  credit  to  him- 
self and  the  government.  In  the  spring  of  1828,  at  his  suggestion,  the 
agency  was  moved  to  Logausport,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until 
his  death. 

In  1826  President  John  Quincy  Adams  appointed  him  a  commis- 
sioner on  the  part  of  the  United  States  to  treat  with  the  Indians  for 
cession  of  their  lands  and  his  familiarity  with  the  Indians  greatly  facili- 
tated the  opening  up  of  valuable  lands  in  this  section  of  the  country. 

In  1831  he  was  elected  United  States  senator  from  Indiana  to  fill  the 
vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death  of  Hon.  James  Noble  and  in  1832-33  was 
re-elected  for  a  full  term  of  six  years.  While  in  the  senate  he  was  the 
chairman  of  the  committee  on  Indian  affairs,  in  those  days  a  very  im- 
portant committee,  for  which  he  was  eminently  qualified.  He  recog- 
nized no  party  in  determining  his  line  of  duty,  always  acting  from 
motives  of  right  and  public  duty.  As  a  civilian  and  citizen  he  was  alike 
successful  in  directing  and  executing,  to  the  extent  of  his  power,  what- 
ever purpose  his  conscience  approved  or  his  judgment  dictated.  Having 
made  Logansport  his  home  in  the  spring  of  1828,  he  acquired  title  to 
the  land  upon  which  the  town  was  built  and,  with  Chauncey  Carter, 
made  the  original  plat  of  the  town  and  later  made  four  of  its  princi- 
pal additions.  He  was  awake  to  the  true  interests  of  the  town  and  gave 
a  lot  for  the  erection  of  the  first  school  and  public  building  ever  built 
in  Cass  county,  the  ' '  Old  Eel  River  Seminary, ' '  and  was  largely  instru- 
mental in  its  construction  in  1828-29.  He  also  donated  the  square  where 
the  present  Lincoln  school  building  stands.  Under  his  direction  the 
first  saw  and  grist  mills  in  the  county  were  erected  on  Eel  river,  east 
of  Sixth  street,  in  the  summer  of  1828.  In  short,  he  was  the  instigator 
and  moving  spirit,  that  gave  form,  and  imparted  energy,  to  every  enter- 
prise calculated  to  improve  society  and  stimulate  progress,  and  the  un- 
foldment  and  utilization  of  all  the  natural  advantages  with  which  Cass 
county  has  been  so  bountifully  supplied. 

In  1838  Governor  Wallace  directed  him  to  raise  a  company  of  sol- 
diers to  superintend  the  removal  of  the  last  of  the  Pottawattomie  Indians 
to  their  western  home  beyond  the  Mississippi,  which  he  promptly,  yet 
kindly,  did,  satisfactorily  to  all  parties. 

General  Tipton  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  having 
received  his  first  degree  in  Pisgah  Lodge  No.  5,  at  Corydon,  Indiana, 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  721 

in  1817,  and  later  was  grand  master  of  the  state.  He  was  instrumental 
in  the  organization  of  the  first  Masonic  lodge  in  Logansport,  Avhich  was 
named  in  his  honor,  ''Tipton  Lodge  No.  83,"  in  1828,  and  donated  the 
ground  for  a  building,  the  present  site  of  the  Masonic  temple. 

General  Tipton  was  of  medium  height,  rather  long  face  but  round 
head,  low  wrinkled  forehead,  sunken  gray  eyes,  stern  countenance,  large 
chest,  stiff,  sandy  hair,  standing  erect  from  his  forehead.  He  was  twice 
married.  His  first  wife  was  his  cousin,  IMiss  Jennie  Shields,  daughter 
of  John  Shields,  who  became  famous  in  the  Lewis  and  Clark  expedition. 
She  was  the  mother  of  two  children.  Spier  S.  Tipton,  who  became  a 
graduate  of  West  Point,  settled  in  Logansport,  raised  a-  company  and 
as  its  captain  fought  and  died  in  the  ^Mexican  war;  and  Matilda,  who 
died  while  at  school  in  her  eighteenth  year.  His  second  wife  was  Matilda 
Spencer,  daughter  of  his  old  commander  who  fell  in  the  battle  of  Tip- 
pecanoe. Three  children  were  born  to  this  last  marriage:  Harriet  B., 
who  married  Thomas  S.  Dunn  of  Logansport  and  died  in  the  West  in 
the  later  sixties,  leaving  descendants  in  California ;  John  Tipton,  who 
married  Nenah  Lamb,  was  a  captain  in  the  regular  army,  moved  to 
California,  where  he  died  many  years  ago ;  George  T.  Tipton,  who  was 
born  in  Corydon,  Indiana,  in  1825,  married  Sarah  M.  Purveyance  in 
Logansport,  and  followed  farming  near  the  city.  He  died  in  1873,  leav- 
ing five  children:  John,  Frank  M.,  Matilda,  and  Bessie  B.,  all  living 
in  Logansport,  and  Fannie,  who  married  W.  S.  Newhall  and  lives  in 
Cleveland,   Ohio. 

On  February  14,  1839,  Mrs.  Tipton  died  and  on  April  4,  following, 
the  general  died  after  a  brief  illness  caused  by  exposure  to  inclement 
weather  and  was  buried  on  Sunday,  April  7,  1839,  by  the  Masonic 
lodge,  which  he  had  organized.  He  was  buried  on  Spencer  square, 
where  the  Lutheran  church  now  stands,  later  was  removed  to  the  old 
cemetery  and  still  later  to  ]\It.  Hope  cemetery,  where  a  neat  marble 
shaft  about  six  feet  high  marks  the  last  resting  place  of  Cass  county's 
most  illustrious  pioneer. 

Hon.  David  D.  Ficki.e.  Probably  the  law  has  been  the  main  high- 
way by  which  more  men  of  merit  have  advanced  to  prominence  and  posi- 
tion in  the  United  States  than  any  other  road,  and  it  is  not  unusual 
therefore  to  find  among  the  leading  citizens  of  a  community  members 
of  the  legal  fraternity.  Among  those  citizens  of  Cass  county  whose 
connection  with  law  and  jurisprudence  have  led  them  to  eminence  in 
public  life  may  be  mentioned  the  Hon.  David  D.  Fickle,  mayor  of 
Logansport,  whose  high  attainments  as  a  legist  are  aiding  him  in  giving 
his  city  an  excellent  admmistration.  Mr.  Fickle  was  bom  Augiist  17, 
1853,  in  Jackson  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  the  seventh  in  order 
of  birth  of  the  nine  children  of  David  T.  and  Rebeca  (Engler)  Fickle, 
natives  of  Ohio,  of  German  descent. 

David  T.  Fickle,  who  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  came  to  Cass 
county  in  1844  and  settled  in  Jackson  township,  at  a  time  when  that 
section  was  still  in  a  primitive  condition.  He  lived  on  the  old  home- 
stead place  until  about  1883,  at  that  time  moving  to  Galveston,  and 
there  his  death  occurred  December  22,  1894,  being  followed  by  that  of 
his  widow  several  years  later.     Beyond  being  thoroughly  honest  and 


722  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

upright,  and  believing  in  and  acting  upon  the  principles  of  the  Golden 
Rule,  the  life  of  Mr.  Fickle  was  uneventful.  He  was  an  active  factor 
in  the  development  of  the  county  during  its  formative  period,  and  will 
be  remembered  as  one  of  its  honored  pioneers. 

Like  so  many  of  the  fanners'  sons  of  his  day  and  locality,  David 
D.  Fickle  divided  his  boyhood  between  work  on  the  home  farm  and 
attendance  in  the  jjublic  schools,  and  when  he  was  nineteen  years  of 
age  was  sent  to  the  high  school  at  Edinburg,  where  he  spent  two  years. 
In  the  fall  of  1875,  he  entered  Mount  Union  College,  in  eastern  Ohio, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  three  years  later  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Philosophy,  and  succeeding  this  taught  school  until  1882,  in 
the  meantime  sedulously  prosecuting  his  legal  studies.  On  March  17, 
1882,  he  left  the  law  offices  of  McConnell,  IMagee  &  ^IcConnell  and 
embarked  in  the  practice  of  law  in  Logansport,  but  in  June,  1883,  was 
elected  county  superintendent  of  schools,  to  the  duties  of  which  position 
he  devoted  the  following  six  years.  He  resumed  his  law  practice  in 
1889,  but  June  22,  1895,  was  appointed  receiver  for  the  Logansport 
Railway  Company,  and  for  about  seven  years  was  devoted  to  the  work 
of  that  office,  at  the  end  of  that  time  again  taking  up  the  practice  of 
law.  In  1909,  Mr.  Fickle  became  the  candidate  of  the  Democratic  party 
for  the  office  of  mayor,  to  which  he  was  subsequently  elected,  and  to 
the  manifold  duties  of  which  he  has  since  given  his  entire  attention. 
He  has  given  the  same  conscientious  service  to  this  executive  office  that 
has  been  characteristic  of  his  activities  in  his  private  interests,  and 
the  citizens  of  Logansport  have  had  no  cause  to  regret  of  their  choice. 
Mr.  Fickle  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O;  E.,  and  also  holds  membership 
in  the  college  fraternity  of  Delta  Tau  Delta. 

On  September  28,  1887,  occurred  the  union  of  Mr.  Fickle  and  Miss 
Carrie  Larway,  and  they  have  four  children :  Florence  Frances, 
Harold  L.,  Helen  J.  and  Robert  D.  The  family  attend  the  Episcopal 
church,  all  except  ^Ir.  Fickle  being  members  thereof. 

Hon.  Rufus  ]\Iagee.  Among  Cass  county's  native  sons,  few  have 
attained  to  greater  eminence  than  that  secured  by  Hon.  Rufus  Magee, 
whose  versatile  talents  brought  him  prominently  before  the  public  in 
various  fields  of  endeavor,  and  whose  long  and  active  career  was  given 
to  the  advancement  of  his  state  and  his  country  no  less  than  to  his  per- 
sonal benefit.  It  is  all  the  more  remarkable,  in  that  he  was  practically 
self-educated,  having  entered  upon  his  battle  with  life  when  a  lad  of  only 
nine  years,  and  his  subsequent  struggles  were  marked  with  steady  ad- 
vancement and  eventually  crowned  with  well-deserved  success.  At  this 
time,  living  in  quiet  retirement,  he  is  able  to  look  back  over  a  useful 
and  well-spent  life,  content  in  the  knowledge  that  his  eff^orts  have  not 
been  fruitless,  and  that  no  stain  or  blemish  mars  an  honorable  record 
of  accomplishment. 

Rufus  Magee  was  born  October  17,  1845,  in  Logansport,  Indiana. 
His  father.  Empire  A.  Magee,  was  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  and  of 
Covenanter  religion.  His  father,  Daniel  Magee,  was  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  Independence.  Empire  A.  Magee  was  a  millwright  by  trade,  and 
came  to  Logansport  in  that  capacity  in  1836,  here  erecting  the  forge 
at  what  was  known  as  Four-mile.  Locks,  in  Miami  township,  a  strue- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  723 

ture  built  of  what  (or  was)  known  as  "kidney  iron,"  Later  he  built 
the  Aubeenaubee  forge  in  Fulton  county,  on  the  Tippecanoe  river,  and 
then  went  to  Lockport,  in  Carroll  county,  and  operated  a  grist  mill,  on 
selling  which  he  moved  to  Montieello,  where  he  built  the  mills  of  the 
Monticello  Hydraulic  Sompany,  and  died  at  that  place  about  1873. 

Rufus  Magee  resided  with  his  parents  until  nine  years  of  age,  at 
which  time  he  accepted  a  position  as  printer's  "devil"  with  the  White 
County  Jeffersonian,  and  following  his  experience  with  that  newspaper 
engaged  in  printing  and  publishing.  It  was  largely  in  this  school  that 
Mr.  Magee  secured  his  education,  although  he  has  continued  a  student 
all  of  his  life,  and  has  never  lost  his  love  of  literary  work.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  was  connected  with  various  publications,  at  Indian- 
apolis, Logansport,  and  other  cities,  and  eventually,  in  December,  1868, 
purchased  the  Logansport  Pharos.  In  August,  1874,  he  established  a 
daily  in  connection  with  the  weekly  publication,  but  later  sold  both 
papers.  For  many  years  j\Ir.  Magee  was  known  as  one  of  Cass  county's 
most  prominent  and  influential  Democrats.  From  1872  to  1878  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Democratic  State  Central  Committee,  of  which  he  was 
secretary  for  two  years,  and  in  1882  was  elected  state  senator,  receiving 
the  re-election  in  1900,  and  serving  in  all  eight  years.  In  March,  1885, 
he  was  honored  by  the  appointment  to  the  position  of  United  States 
minister  to  Sweden  and  Norway,  by  President  Cleveland,  and  served  as 
such  four  years  and  three  months.  In  1896  he  was  a  member  of  the  State 
Central  Committee,  but  resigned  therefrom  because  of  the  silver  plank 
in  the  Democratic  platform.  On  his  return  from  abroad,  IMr.  ]\Iagee 
occupied  himself  in  the  practice  of  law,  but  in  1902  retired  from  activ- 
ities, and  since  that  time  has  devoted  himself  to  the  demands  of  his 
business  interests. 

In  1868  ]\Ir.  Magee  was  married  to  Miss  Jennie  Musselman,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  two  daughters. 

John  C.  Nelson.  The  legists  of  the  first  several  decades  of  the  life 
of  Logansport  have  passed  away.  Of  those  who  came  to  the  bar  during 
the  'sixties,  most  have  long  since  laid  down  their  briefs.  Some  survive 
in  retirement,  enjoying  the  ease  and  dignity  which  lives  of  intellectual 
activity  have  earned,  while  fewer  still  continue  to  participate  in  the 
struggles  which  the  competition  of  younger  and  more  vigorous  men  make 
more  severe  and  exacting.  Judge  John  C.  Nelson  is  one  of  the  oldest 
in  point  of  length  of  practice  at  the  Logansport  bar.  Since  the  spring 
of  1870,  now  more  than  forty-three  years,  he  has  been  in  active  practice, 
and  still  keeps  an  open  office. 

Judge  Nelson  was  born  February  27,  1841,  in  Adams  county,  Ohio, 
his  parents  being  natives  of  that  state,  while  his  grandparents,  on  his 
father's  side  English,  and  on  the  maternal  side  Scotch,  came  from  New 
Jersey  and  Virginia,  respectively.  His  home,  from  the  time  he  was 
six  years  of  age  until  he  was  twenty,  was  in  the  small  hamlet  of  Eckmans- 
ville,  where  he  attended  the  common  schools  and  what  was  then  known  as 
the  high  school  imtil  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age.  At  that  time  he  received 
a  certificate  qualifying  him  to  teach  in  the  public  schools  of  that  county, 
his  first  experience  as  an  educator  being  in  one  of  the  most  rural  parts 
of  the  county,  in  1857,  and  his  wages  being  $20.00  per  month.     He 


724  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

followed  the  profession  of  teacher  during  the  fall  and  winter  months, 
and  attended  a  seminary  during  the  summer  seasons  until  the  fall  of 
1861,  on  October  18  of  which  year  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company 
A,  Seventieth  Regiment,  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry.  Upon  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  company,  he  was  appointed  second  sergeant,  and  when  the 
regiment  was  completed  he  became  sergeant  major,  in  which  capacity 
he  served  until  December,  1861,  when  he  was  commissioned  second  lieu- 
tenant of  Company  G.  The  regiment,  during  the  winter,  rendezvoused 
at  Ripley,  Ohio,  and  in  February,  1862,  was  ordered  to  the  front  and  as- 
signed to  the  Second  Brigade  of  Sherman's  Division,  then  being  organ- 
ized at  Paducah,  Kentucky.  Upon  the  organization  of  the  brigade, 
Colonel  Buckland  commanding,  Mr.  Nelson  was  detailed  to  act  as  aid 
upon  his  staff. 

The  division  was  sent  up  the  Teimessee  river  on  transports  to  Pitts- 
burgh Lauding,  and  was  encamped  about  two  and  one-half  miles  from 
the  river,  the  right  of  the  regiment  being  near  Shiloh  church.  During 
the  battle  of  Shiloh,  Judge  Nelson  served  as  aid  on  the  colonel's  staff, 
and  on  the  second  day  of  the  battle  was  placed  in  command  of  his  com- 
pany, and  from  that  time  lantil  December,  1862,  did  duty  with  it,  tak- 
ing part  in  the  advance  on  Corinth,  Grant's  advance  towards  Vicksburg 
as  far  as  Oxford,  Mississippi,  and  the  subsequent  return  to  the  line  of  the 
Memphis  &  Charleston  Railroad,  the  regiment  then  being  stationed  at 
Grand  Junction.  During  the  month  of  March,  1863,  he  was  detailed  and 
served  as  ordnance  officer  on  the  staff  of  General  Denver,  commanding 
the  division  until  the  general  was  relieved  from  the  command  of  the 
division  by  Gen.  William  S.  Smith,  when  he  was  relieved  as  ordnance 
officer  and  detailed  as  aide  on  the  staff  of  General  Smith.  He  continued 
to  serve  in  that  capacity  until  the  summer  of  the  same  year,  when  he 
was  relieved  from  duty  at  division  headquarters  because  he  declined 
to  receive  and  receipt  for  old  ordnance  that  was  ordered  to  be  turned 
over  to  the  ordnance  officer,  assigning  for  his  reason  the  fact  that  he 
was  not  the  ordnance  officer  of  the  division.  Upon  reporting  to  Colonel 
Cockerel,  who  commanded  the  brigade,  he  was  immediately  detailed  as 
aide  on  his  staff',  and  served  in  that  capacity  until  January,  186-1,  when 
he  re-enlisted  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain  of  Company  C. 
While  on  Colonel  Cockerel's  staff,  he  was  a  member  of  the  Army  of 
Observation  during  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  and  after  the  surrender  was 
at  the  siege  of  Jackson,  ]\Iississippi.  Returning  from  Jackson,  the 
division  to  which  the  brigade  belonged  camped  on  the  banks  of  the 
Black  river,  in  Mississippi,  and  remained  there  until  October  of  that 
year,  when  it  was  sent,  under  Sherman,  with  the  other  divisions  of  his 
corps,  and  took  part  under  Grant  at  the  battle  of  ^Missionary  Ridge,  in 
November,  1863.  After  the  regiment  had  re-enlisted  and  Sherman's 
army  entered  upon  the  Atlanta  campaign.  Judge  Nelson  commanded 
Company  C,  of  the  Seventieth  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  taking  part  in 
all  the  battles  in  which  the  division  was  engaged,  among  which  were 
Resaca,  Dallas,  New  Hope  Church,  Kennesaw  Mountain,  the  battle  of 
Atlanta,  July  22nd,  aJid  the  battle  of  Ezra  Church,  July  27th,  in  the 
last-named  of  which  he  was  severely  wounded  while  on  the  skirmish 
line,  being  shot  through  the  body.  After  a  leave  of  absence  of  sixty  days, 
he  returned  to  his  regiment,  in  October,  1864,  and  was  shortly  afterward 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  725 

detailed  as  commissary  of  musters  of  the  Second  Division,  Fifteentli 
Army  Corps,  Gen.  W.  B.  Hazen,  commanding.  He  was  with  Sherman 
on  his  memorable  "March  to  the  Sea,"  and  with  the  division  at  the 
battle  of  Fort  jMcAUister.  On  the  march  from  Savannah  to  Goldsboro, 
and  at  the  battle  of  Bentonville,  and  then  moved  on  to  Raleigh,  where 
the  division  was  stationed  at  the  time  of  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Joseph  E. 
Johnston.  Judge  Nelson  also  participated  in  the  grand  review,  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  and  afterward  went  West  with  the  division,  to  Little 
Rock,  Arkansas,  where,  August  18,  1865,  he  was  mustered  out  of  the 
service. 

With  the  establishment  of  peace,  Judge  Nelson  exchanged  the  pon- 
derous enginery  of  war  for  the  implements  of  civil  life,  and,  recognizing 
the  need  of  further  education  attended  a  commercial  school  at  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  until  the  spring  of  1866.  He  then  spent  a  short  time  as  a  traveling 
salesman  for  a  boot  and  shoe  house,  and  in  July  of  the  same  year,  with 
a  friend  of  his,  came  to  Logansport,  and  in  August  opened  a  boot  and 
shoe  store.  This  business  was  conducted  successfully  until  1868,  when 
he  disposed  of  his  interests  to  his  partner,  and  entered  upon  the  study  of 
law  in  the  offices  of  ]\IcConnell  &  Winfield,  and  in  the  fall  and  winter 
of  1869-70  attended  the  Law  school,  at  Albany,  New  York.  Receiving 
his  diploma  in  the  spring  of  1870,  he  returned  to  Logansport  and  formed 
a  professional  partnership  with  Dudley  H.  Chase,  who,  in  1872,  was 
elected  judge  of  the  circuit  court  of  Cass  county.  In  that  year  iNIr.  Nel- 
son became  the  partner  of  Dyer  B.  McConnell,  a  connection  which  con- 
tinued until  'Sir.  Nelson  was  elected  .judge  of  the  superior  court  of  Cass 
county,  which  office  he  filled  during  the  existence  of  the  court.  In  1881 
he  returned  to  the  practice  of  law,  and  in  the  following  year  formed  a 
partnership  with  Quincy  A.  IMyers,  now  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of 
Indiana,  the  connection  continuing  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years,  or 
practically  until  Judge  Myers  was  elected  to  his  present  office. 

During  the  years  1881,  1882,  1883  and  1884,  Judge  Nelson  served 
as  city  attorney  of  Logansport,  was  mayor  of  the  city  in  1887  and  1888, 
and  in  1910  was  again  chosen  to  serve  as  city  attorney,  continuin?  as 
such  in  1911,  1912  and  1913.  Many  men  are  honored  for  their  ability 
to  confer  benefits, — for  the  wealth,  or  influence,  or  power  they  control. 
Judge  Nelson  is  reverenced  for  what  he  is.  A  hero  in  war ;  a  man  of 
kindly  spirit,  and  rectitude  and  fidelity  that  no  temptation  has  been  able 
to  swerve;  who  has  taken  office  only  that  he  might  serve;  he  has  drawn 
about  him  a  wide  circle  of  admiring  friends,  and  the  veneration  of  all 
who  know  him. 

Judge  Nelson  was  married  in  November,  1871,  to  Mary  C,  daughter 
of  James  Cheney,  whose  sketch  appears  elsewhere.  Their  children  are 
Alice  C,  (Mrs.  Carl  Keller)  Dr.  James  V.  Nelson,  Allen  E.  Nelson,  of 
Logansport,  and  Helen,  (Mrs.  R.  C.  Barnard)  and  Coleman  C.  Nel- 
son, of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Orlando  Powell  was  born  in  Wabash  county,  Indiana,  on  January 
17,  1845,  and  is  the  third  in  a  familv  of  four  children,  whose  parents 
were  Jacob  and  ]\Iartha  (Troutman)  Powell.  The  father  was  a  native 
of  Washington  county.  Pennsylvania,  and  of  Welsh  descent.  Orlando 
Powell  was  reared  on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  and  he  was  edu- 
cated in  the  district  schools,  such  learning  as  he  acquired  there  being 


726  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

supplemented  by  several  terms  in  the  Logansport  (Ind.)  high  school. 
In  the  summer  of  1862  he  joined  Company  K,  Ninety-ninth  Indiana 
Infantry,  with  Captain  George  AV.  Julian  in  command  of  his  company, 
and  he  served  faithfully  until  the  close  of  the  war.  His  regiment  partic- 
ipated in  all  the  important  engagements  in  the  Atlanta  campaign,  includ- 
ing Resaca,  Dallas,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Atlanta  and  Jonesboro,  and 
marched  with  Sherman  to  the  sea  and  up  through  the  Carolinas. 

Upon  his  return  from  the  war  he  was  successfully  engaged  in  school 
teaching  for  several  years,  later  turning  his  attention  to  farming.  He 
is  a  man  of  no  little  enterprise  and  energj%  and  he  today  owns  a  valua- 
ble farm  of  two  hundred  acres.  He  has  been  prominent  in  the  political 
life  of  his  community  and  has  held  the  office  of  township  trustee  for 
several  terms.  He  is  a  Republican  of  solid  conviction,  and  f recpently 
comes  to  the  aid  of  the  party  in  his  district  by  making  speeches  through- 
out the  county,  having  a  reputation  as  an  impromptu  speaker.  He  is  a 
member  of  th.e  G.  A.  R.,  and  with  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  in  their  home  community. 

On  October  2,  1871.  ]\Ir.  Powell  was  united  in  marriage  with  ]\Iiss 
Sarah  S.  McElheny,  daughter  of  Moses  and  Philene  (Treen)  JIcElheny. 
Five  children  have  been  born,  of  their  union,  concerning  whom  the  fol- 
lowing brief  mention  is  made :  Ada  F.,  born  Avigust  14,  1872.  died 
November  17,  1889;  Tacy  C,  born  Julv  31,  1874;  Dyer  J.,  born  Decem- 
ber 8,  1878;  Martha  P.,  bom  July  6.  1881;  and  Emma  B.,  born  ]\Iarch 
6,  1883.  The  four  last  named  are  married,  and  Orlando  Powell  has  iive 
grandchildren  at  this  writing. 

Warren  J.  Butler.  Prominent  among  those  officials  whose  seiwices 
have  added  to  Cass  county's  reputation  as  one  of  the  best-governed  sec- 
tions of  the  state,  Warren  J.  Butler,  sheriff,  is  entitled  to  more  than 
passing  mention.  Since  the  time  he  attained  to  man's  estate,  he  has  been 
almost  continuously  the  occupant  of  one  public  office  or  another,  and 
in  each  capacity  has  shown  himself  a  conscientious,  faithful  official,  effi- 
ciently discharging  the  duties  and  holding  tbem  in  the  light  of  sacred 
trusts.  His  career  has  been  marked  by  constant  industry  and  integrity 
since  earliest  youth,  and  his  present  high  position  has  come  as  a  result 
of  earnest  youth,  and  his  present  high  position  has  come  as  a  result  of 
earnest  effort  and  determination,  directed  along  Avell-defined  channels. 
Mr.  Butler  was  born  in  Fulton  county.  Indiana.  April  19,  1863,  and 
is  a  son  of  WilliaiW  T.  and  Catherine  (Phillips)  Butler. 

Mr.  Butler  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Liberty  township, 
Fulton  county,  and  divided  his  boyhood  between  work  of  an  agricultural 
nature  and  attendance  at  the  common  schools  of  his  locality.  It  was 
the  intention  of  his  parents  that  he  adopt  the  vocation  of  farmer,  but 
when  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  became  deputy  to  his  father, 
who  at  that  time  was  sheriff  of  Fulton  county.  Thus,  at  the  very  oiit- 
set  of  his  career,  he  received  an  introduction  to  the  duties  of  official 
life,  and  to  the  responsibilities  undertaken  by  those  who  enter  the 
public  arena.  Proving  an  able  and  trustworthy  assistant,  Mr.  Butler 
continued  as  deputy  under  succeeding  sheriffs  until  1894,  at  which  time, 
during  the  landslide  of  that  year,  he  found  himself,  with  others  of  the 
Democratic  faith,  without  office,  and  accordingly,  during  the  next  year, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  727 

he  acted  in  the  capacity  of  attendant  at  the  insane  asylum,  at  Indian- 
apolis, this  being  succeeded  by  two  years  in  the  same  capacity  in  the 
asylum  at  Toledo,  Ohio. 

On  June  17,  1896,  I\Ir.  Butler  was  married  to  Miss  Minnie  E.  I\Ie- 
Dowell,  whose  people  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Cass  county, 
and  soon  after  this  event  he  became  a  conductor  on  the  old  Logansport 
Railway  Company.  He  continued  in  the  service  of  this  road,  and  those 
that  succeeded  it,  for  the  following  fourteen  years,  and  was  known 
as  one  of  the  company 's  most  capable  and  trusted  employes,  and  a  great 
favorite  with  its  patrons.  Mr.  Butler,  however,  could  not  resist  the 
struggles  and  activities  of  public  life,  and  accordingly,  in  1909,  again 
entered  the  field  as  candidate  for  the  office  of  sheriff  of  Cass  county, 
being  returned  the  winner  in  the  election  that  followed,  and  taking 
office  in  1910.  He  was  again  elected  in  1911,  on  the  Democratic  ticket, 
and  continues  to  hold  office,  being  known  as  an  efficient  and  courageous 
officer,  with  an  excellent  record  in  office. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Butler  now  reside  in  a  comfortable  home  in  Logans- 
port,  in  which  city  their  two  children.  Ben  and  Irene,  are  attending 
school.  ]Mr.  Butler  has  interested  himself  to  some  extent  with  fraternal 
work,  and  is  exceedingly  popular  with  his  fellow  members  in  the  Red 
Men,  the  Eagles,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  ]\Iasons,  in  the  last- 
named  of  which  he  has  attained  to  the  Knights  Templar  degree. 

Ben.jamin  Banta.  The  vocation  of  farming,  as  now  practiced  by 
the  intelligent  and  practical  agriculturist,  is  as  difiPerent  from  the  farm- 
ing of  several  decades  ago  as  could  be  imagined.  The  day  of  the  work- 
hardened,  horny-handed  farmer  has  passed.  In  these  days  the  agricul- 
turist who  uses  scientific  methods  is  able  to  retire  in  time  to  spend  the 
remaining  yeare  of  his  life  in  the  enjo^nnent  of  a  well-earned  competence. 
Among  those  who  have  profited  by  new  methods  and  ideas,  Benjamin 
Banta,  of  Jefferson  township,  holds  a  prominent  place.  Although  now 
retired  from  active  pursuits,  Mr.  Banta  is  widely  known,  not  only  as 
one  whose  activities  contributed  materially  to  the  agricultural  impor- 
tance of  his  section,  but  as  a  veteran  of  the  great  Civil  war.  Mr.  Banta 
was  born  in  Jefferson  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  June  16,  1839,  and 
is  a  son  of  Beaufort  and  Elizabeth  (McNairy)  Banta,  natives  of  Bour- 
bon county,  Kentucky.  As  a  youth,  Beaufort  Banta  removed  to  Ohio, 
where  he  was  married,  and  in  1829  came  to  Indiana,  settling  in  Jeffer- 
son towTiship,  Cass  county,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of 'his  life  in 
tilling  the  soil.  He  and  his  ^xiie  had  four  sons,  of  whom  three  served 
as  soldiers  in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  war. 

Benjamin  Banta  was  reared  on  the  home  farm,  and  the  greater  part 
of  his  education  was  secured  in  the  school  of  experience  and  hard  work, 
although  he  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities  and  attended  the  district 
school  whenever  he  could  be  spared  from  home.  On  July  22,  1862,  he 
enlisted  in  Company  6.  Seventy-third  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer 
Infantry,  being  first  under  General  Buell,  and  later  in  the  AiTay  of  the 
Cumberland.  He  participated  in  a  number  of  engagements,  including 
Richmond  and  Perry\'ille,  but  February  3,  1863,  received  his  honorable 
discharge  on  account  of  disability  after  a  brave  and  faithful  service. 
On  his  return  home  from  the  war  he  was  appointed  enrolling  officer  in 


728  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

the  sub-distriet  131  of  Jefferson  township.  As  soon  as  he  had  sufficiently 
recuperated,  Mr.  Banta  resumed  work  on  the  home  farm  in  Jeffereon 
township,  where,  ]March  12,  1867,  he  was  married  to  Elvira  Wilson.  She 
was  born  in  Jefferson  township,  and  here  died  September  12,  1875,  having 
been  the  mother  of  three  sons,  two  who  died  in  infancy,  and  Everett, 
who  married  Pauline  Wimer,  and  died  January  12,  1911.  Mr.  Banta 
was  married  January  11,  1889,  to  Mrs.  Margaret  Herand,  who  was  born 
in  Boone  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  March  14,  1847,  and  was  first 
married  to  John  L.  Herand,  by  whom  she  had  one  son :  John  A.,  who  is 
single.  i\Irs.  Banta  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Jefferson 
township,  and  is  a  lady  of  much  culture  and  many  social  graces.  She  is 
a  well-known  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Pisgah,  and  a 
member  of  the  home  and  foreign  missionary  societies.  She  belongs  to 
the  Women's  Relief  Corps  No.  30,  Logansport,  Indiana,  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  of  which  she  has  been  president  of  the  Women's  Relief 
Corps  department,  and  has  held  numerous  other  offices,  being  national 
recruiting  aid,  and  a  delegate  to  the  national  convention  in  1912,  as 
well  as  holding  office  in  the  district  department.  She  also  holds  mem- 
bership in  the  Daughters  of  Liberty,  Loraine  Council  No.  10,  and  in 
the  Lady  j\Iaecabees  of  the  World,  being  especially  active  in  the  work  of 
the  latter  and  a  charter  member,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Home  IMaking 
Agricultural  Society. 

]\Ir.  Banta  is  a  member  of  Logansport  Post  No.  14,  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic,  and  is  the  recipient  of  a  pension  of  fifteen  doUai-s  per 
month.  In  political  matters  a  Republican,  he  has  held  numerous  minor 
offices,  but  has  not  l)een  a  politician  in  the  generally  accepted  meaning  of 
the  word.  Although  retired  from  active  farming,  he  still  owns  160  acres 
of  well-cultivated  land.  IMr.  and  ^Irs.  Banta  are  highly  esteemed  in 
their  comnuinity  as  people  whose  activities  are  at  all  times  promoting 
good  citizenship  and  the  spread  of  morality  and  religion. 

George  Ulebich.  Farming  has  drawn  out  the  best  efforts  of  some 
of  the  leading  men  of  Cass  county  and  developed  their  abilities,  and 
through  their  efforts  in  an  agriciiltural  line  they  have  become  well-to- 
do  and  prominent  in  their  communities.  One  of  the  substantial  farmer- 
citizens  of  Cass  county,  whose  intelligent  knowledge  of  the  soils  and 
the  most  profital)le  uses  to  which  particular  lands  may  be  devoted  has 
made  him  .justly  regarded  as  one  of  those  whose  activities  are  advanc- 
ing the  agricultural  importance  of  his  community,  is  George  Ulerich, 
of  Clay  township,  who  has  lived  in  Cass  county  for  nearly  a  half  a 
century.  Mr.  LTlerich  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania, 
November  18,  1853,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Caroline  (Fry)  LHerich. 

Henry  Ulerich,  who  was  a  farmer  by  vocation,  ])rought  his  family 
from  Lancaster  coimty,  Pennsylvania,  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  in  the 
spring  of  1866  and  settled  first  on  the  old  Andrew  Dritt  farm,  where 
he  remained  for  aliout  five  years,  then  moving  to  a  farm  near  Twelve 
]\Iile,  where  he  still  resides,  being  eighty-seven  years  of  age,  while  his 
wife  passed  away  some  years  ago. 

George  LTlerich  commenced  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  county,  and  was  thirteen  years  of  age  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  to  Cass  county.  Here  he  completed  his  schooling,  in  the  mean- 
time assisting  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm,  remaining  under 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  729 

the  parental  roof  until  he  had  reached  the  age  of  nineteen  years.  At  that 
time  he  started  to  work  for  George  M.  Smith,  as  a  farm  hand,  and  on 
leaving  his  employ  was  engaged  by  Sam  Ilarman,  with  whom  he  also 
remained  a  short  period,  succeeding  which  he  started  to  work  on  the 
farm  of  Joseph  Davidson.  In  February,  1885,  Mr.  Ulerich  was  married, 
and  at  that  time  began  operations  on  his  own  account  on  a  rented  farm 
of  twenty  acres,  belonging  to  John  I.  ]\IcDowell,  but  after  three  years 
removed  to  the  farm  of  his  former  employer,  Mr.  Davidson,  where  he 
continued  two  years.  Following  this  he  spent  five  years  on  the  farm  of 
Barnett  Brothers,  and  then  spent  one  year  on  a  farm  near  the  school- 
house,  but  eventually  came  to  his  present  property,  a  tract  of  153  acres 
which  his  wife  had  inherited.  Here  he  has  continued  to  reside  to  the 
present  time,  working  his  land  with  his  son,  who  lives  on  an  ad- 
Joining  property.  The  old  log  cabin  built  by  Mrs.  Ulerich 's  father  still 
stands  on  the  farm,  located  behind  the  modern  frame  farm  house  which 
was  built  by  Mr.  Ulerich,  in  addition  to  which  Mr.  E.  C.  Metsker  has 
erected  a  new  barn  and  made  numerous  other  improvements  on  the 
place.  He  has  engaged  in  diversified  farming,  raising  good  crops,  breed- 
ing cattle  and  finding  a  reacly  market  for  his  dairy  products.  An  able 
business  man,  his  success  has  been  due  to  his  strict  attention  to  the  de- 
tails of  his  vocation  and  an  inherent  ability  that  has  come  down  to  him 
through  a  long  line  of  agricultural  ancestors. 

Mr.  Ulerich  was  married  February  13,  1885,  to  Miss  Maggie  P. 
Metsker,  daughter  of  E.  C.  and  Louisa  C.  (McDowell)  Metsker,  who 
lived  in  Cass  county  for  many  yeai*s,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been 
born  two  children :  Hugh,  who  is  twenty-six  years  of  age ;  and  Harold, 
aged  seven  years.  Hugh,  who  assists  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  farm, 
also  received  a  commercial  course  in  the  commercial  college.  He  mar- 
ried Leta  Ingmire,  daughter  of  John  Ingmire.  Mr.  Ulerich  is  a  Demo- 
crat in  his  political  views,  but  has  not  cared  to  enter  the  political  arena, 
being  content  to  devote  his  entire  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  his  farm. 
His  business  integrity  and  honorable  dealing  have  gained  him  a  high 
reputation  among  the  people  of  Clay  township,  among  whom  he  num- 
bers many  sincere  friends. 

William  A.  Wells.  It  was  but  comparatively  a  few  years  ago  that 
most  men  ridiculed  the  idea  of  applying  science  to  agriculture,  but  sci- 
ence has  never  gone  backwards ;  it  has  always  been  progressive  in  nature. 
There  are  still  many  farmers  who  plant,  reap,  feed  their  cattle,  and  let 
their  implements  stand  out  in  the  sun  and  rain  in  the  careless,  thriftless 
old  way,  but  science  is  revolutionizing  the  farming  business  as  it  has 
revolutionized  almost  every  other  modern  business,  and  the  agriculturist 
who  would  attain  the  full  measure  of  success  must  keep  abreast  of  the 
trend  of  the  times,  and  bring  to  his  labors  every  help  which  modern  in- 
vention and  discovery  will  give  him.  Among  the  good,  practical  farm- 
ers of  Cass  county  who  have  realized  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  sci- 
entific, treatment  of  the  soil,  William  A.  Wells,  of  Clay  township,  is 
deserving  of  mention.  A  resident  of  Cass  county  for  nearly  a  half  a 
century,  he  has  attained  a  position  of  aftluence  through  intelligent  opera- 
tions and  in  the  meantime  has  so  directed  his  activities  as  to  l:)eneflt  his 
community.  He  was  born  at  Kewanna,  Fulton  county,  Indiana,  Febru- 
ary 14,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  Dudley  and  ^Nlary  (Davis)  Wells. 


730  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

The  father  of  Mr.  Wells  was  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  the  mother 
was  born  in  New  York;  they  were  married  in  Ftilton  county,  Indiana, 
and  came  to  Cass  county  in  1865.  Dudley  Wells  was  a  farmer  by  voca- 
tion, an  occupation  which  he  followed  throughout  his  active  career,  and 
his  death  occurred  in  Logansport,  November  24,  1906,  his  wife  having 
passed  away  September  2,  1903,  in  Kewanna,  Indiana. 

William  A.  Wells  commenced  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Kewanna,  and  was  nine  years  of  age  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to 
Cass  county,  here  completing  his  studies  in  the  district  schools  of  Clay 
township  while  assisting  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm.  He 
was  thoroughly  trained  in  all  the  details  pertaining  to  the  operation  of 
a  farm,  and  on  attaining  his  majority  started  to  work  on  his  own  ac- 
count. He  is  now  the  possessor  of  an  excellent  tract  of  land,  which  he 
devot«s  to  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  and  on  which  he  has  made 
numerous  improvements.  His  buildings  are  substantial  and  in  a  good 
state  of  repair,  his  cattle  are  sleek  and  well  fed,  and  the  excellent  crops 
produced  each  season  leave  no  doubt  as  to  his  ability  as  an  agriculturist. 
This  farm  is  one  of  the  old  land-marks  of  the  township,  and  on  it  stood 
the  first  schoolhouse  erected  within  the  township  limits. 

On  September  15,  1880,  Mr.  Wells  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Anna  Freshour,  daughter  of  George  Freshour,  who  came  to  Cass  county 
in  1835  among  the  earliest  pioneers.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wells  was  born 
one  son — Kirk,  who  resides  with  his  parents.  He  finished  the  public 
schools  and  the  city  high  school  at  Logansport,  and  then  took  a  full 
business  course.  The  son  is  a  high  Mason,  having  taken  both  the  Scot- 
tish and  Yorke  rite  of  masonry.  He  is  a  member  of  the  blue  lodge,  coun- 
cil and  chapter,  at  Logansport,  and  the  Shriners  at  Indianapolis.  He  is  a 
thirty-second  degree  INIason,  and  affiliates  with  Tipton  lodge,  No.  33, 
Logan  chapter  No.  2,  Logan  council  No.  11,  St.  John's  commandery 
No.  24,  Murat  Temple,  Indianapolis,  Indiana  Consistory  of  Indianapolis. 
Mr.  Wells,  Sr.,  has  interested  himself  in  fraternal  work  to  some  extent, 
and  is  a  popular  member  of  the  local  lodge  of  the  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
]\Iasons.  Although  not  a  politician  in  the  generally  accepted  meaning 
of  the  term,  he  has  ever  been  faithful  to  the  duties  of  citizenship,  and 
for  the  past  four  years  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  trus- 
tees of  Clay  township.  He  is  known  as  a  man  who  lives  up  to  his  word 
in  his  business  transactions,  who  is  true  in  his  friendships,  and  who,  hav- 
ing succeeded  himself,  is  willing  to  assist  others  to  success. 

GiLLis  McBean,  Sb.,  was  born  in  Scotland  in  1794  and  died  on  his 
farm  in  southeast  quarter,  section  20,  Clay  township,  in  1839,  and  lies 
at  rest  in  the  old  cemetery.  He  came  to  America  when  a  boy  and  engaged 
in  the  milling  business  on  the  ]\Iississinewa  river.  In  1827  he  moved 
to  Logansport  before  the  town  was  laid  out  or  even  named  and  acted 
as  Indian  agent  and  kept  a  hotel  in  a  double  hewed  log  cabin,  situated 
on  the  southwest  comer  of  Third  and  Market  streets.  The  legislature 
appointed  three  commissioners  to  organize  Cass  county  and  locate  its 
county  seat,  who  met  at  the  house  of  Gillis  McBean  in  the  summer'  of 
1829,  by  direction  of  the  legislature,  and  the  first  board  of  county  com- 
missioners met  at  Mr.  McBean 's  house  on  July  25,  1829,  and  appointed 
him  agent  for  the  county. 


^^^^^^^If 

^^B 

^Sl  ^^^^^1 

H^^^^^^^H 

^^^1^^^ 

m'"'%^   J^^m 

^^^^^HP^      >^  ^     ^^^^^1 

^^H 

H^^^B 

^^H 

^^^^^^^^Km,>, 

i^^^^H 

^^^^^mW 

^^1 

i^^l 

^^^^^^^H^B 

H^H 

GILLIS  JAMES  McBANE 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  731 

About  1832  he  bought  a  farm  and  moved  to  Clay  township,  where 
he  died  as  noted  above. 

Mr.  McBean  represented  Cass  county  in  the  state  legislature  in  1833. 
He  was  married  in  Corydon,  Indiana,  to  Elizabeth  Kintner.  From 
this  union  six  children  were  born,  to  wit:  Margaret,  Catherine,  Gillis 
James  and  Thomas,  twins ;  Peter  Todd  and  Frank,  all  of  whom  are  now 
dead  except  Frank,  now  living  at  Canon  City,  Oregon,  and  Gillis  J.,  who 
resides  at  Moscow,  Idaho. 

Gillis  James  McBane  (originally  McBean),  son  of  Gillis  McBean, 
Sr.,  was  the  first  white  child  born  within  the  original  town  plat  of 
Logansport,  December  30,  1829,  in  a  double  log  cabin,  then  situated  on 
the  southwest  comer  of  Third  and  Market  streets,  where  the  Kreutz- 
berger  building  now  stands.  When  a  child  he  moved  with  his  father 
on  what  is  known  as  the  Skelton  farm,  on  the  north  bank  of  Eel  river 
in  the  southeast  quarter  section  20,  Clay  township,  opposite  Spencer 
Park.  When  grown  he  worked  in  Coulson's,  Clem's  and  Vigus'  bakeries 
in  Logansport.  Later  lived  with  Mrs.  Sharts  on  a  farm  near  Anoka. 
At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company  G, 
Seventy-third  Indiana  Regiment.  Serving  three  years,  he  returned  to 
Anoka,  where  he  resided  on  a  farm  until  1882,  when  he  moved  to  Moscow, 
Idaho,  where  he  has  lived  ever  since,  engaged  in  carpentering  and  paint- 
ing. He  made  a  visit  to  Logansport  in  the  fall  of  1912,  and  is  still  hale 
and  hearty,  as  shown  by  his  picture  accompanying  this  sketch,  which  was 
taken  when  he  was  eighty-three  years  old.  Mr.  BcBane  was  never  mar- 
ried and  says  he  is  short  on  the  fair  sex,  although  his  mother  was  a 
woman  and  the  best  in  the  world. 

Mrs.  Jane  H.  White.  Among  the  residents  of  Clay  township  who 
l)ave  witnessed  the  wonderful  changes  that  have  taken  place  here  during 
the  past  half  a  century,  and  have  done  their  share  in  promoting  the 
growth  and  development  of  the  county,  one  of  the  best  known  is  Mrs. 
Jane  H.  White,  who  resides  with  her  family  in  a  comfortable  residence 
on  Logansport  Rural  Route  No.  4.  Mrs.  White  was  born  in  Adams  town- 
ship, Cass  county,  Indiana,  daughter  of 'Joel  H.  and  Mary  (Harvey) 
Davis. 

Joel  Hubbard  Davis  was  born  near  Albany,  New  York,  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent,  and  some  time  after  his  marriage  came  to  Indiana,  settling  in 
Adams  township,  where  he  purchased  a  farm.  Subsequently,  when  Mrs. 
White  was  one  year  old,  the  family  moved  to  Fulton  county,  Indiana, 
purchasing  a  farm.  The  father  died  April  13,  1880,  in  Cass  county, 
and  the  mother  died  November  5,  1879.  Mrs.  White  grew  to  womanhood 
in  Fulton  county,  and  was  there  married  January  6,  1861,  to  John 
Henry  White,  who  was  born  of  English  descent  in  Frederick  county, 
Virginia,  son  of  Batley  and  Hannah  (Haire)  White.  In  1843  the 
White  family  located  on  a  farm  in  Clay  township,  and  John  Henry 
Wliite  and  his  brother  Joseph  inherited  their  father's  estate,  the  former 
receiving  the  present  home  of  Mrs.  White,  where  he  resided  for  upwards 
of  fifty-two  years,  dying  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  He  was  one 
of  his  township's  well  known  and  substantial  citizens,  and  spent  his  life 
in  clearing,  cultivating  and  improving  his  land.    In  1886  he  was  elected 


732  ,  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

justice  of  the  peace  of  Clay  township,  a  position  in  which  he  served  for 
some  years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  "White  became  the  parents  of  one  son:  Horace  Mason, 
who  was  born  October  20,  1861,  on  the  present  homestead.  He  married 
Emma  Puterbaugh,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Hannah  Ida  (Bauchman) 
Puterbaugh.  Mr.  Puterbaugh  came  from  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  at  one 
time  was  the  leading  merchant  of  Logansport,  where  he  still  resides  at 
the  age  of  eighty-four  years,  one  of  the  oldest  living  early  settlers.  His 
wife  died  in  1904.  Horace  and  Emma  White  have  had  two  children, 
namely :  Edith  Abigail,  who  married  Roscoe  C.  Smith,  of  Indianapolis, 
and  has  one  child, — Newell  C.  Smith,  aged  eight  years;  and  Fred  Har- 
vey, who  married  Jessie  C.  Straw,  daughter  of  Andrew  Jackson  and 
Anna  Elsa  (Walker)  Straw,  the  former  of  whom  is  superintendent  of 
the  gardening  of  the  Longcliff  insane  asylum,  and  they  have  one  child 
who  is  ten  months  old. 

Mrs.  White,  her  son  Horace  M.  and  wife,  and  their  son  Fred  and  wife, 
and  the  latter 's  baby,  Esther,  all  live  in  the  comfortable  residence  on 
the  old  homestead.  This  tract,  a  property  of  110  acres,  has  been  greatly 
improved  by  Mr.  White,  who  has  done  much  clearing,  draining  and 
fencing,  and  it  is  now  considered  one  of  the  valuable  properties  of  the 
township.  Mr.  White  is  a  good,  practical  agriculturist,  who  takes  ad- 
vantage of  all  the  modern  improvements  and  appliances  in  his  work,  and 
has  risen  to  an  enviable  position  among  the  agriculturists  of  Clay  town- 
ship. Progressive  in  all  things,  in  1912  he  became  the  candidate  of  the 
so-called  Bull  Moose  party  for  the  office  of  representative  in  the  state 
legislature.  ^Irs.  Jane  H.  White  is  one  of  the  best  known  ladies  of  her 
locality,  her  kindness  of  heart  and  many  charities  having  gained  her 
many  warm  friendships.  Although  advanced  in  years,  her  faculties 
are  unimpaired,  and  she  recalls  with  unclouded  memory  many  of  the 
interesting  incidents  of  early  days  in  Cass  county.  The  members  of 
the  family  are  all  highly  esteemed  in  their  locality,  where  the  name 
has  always  stood  for  strict  integrity  and  probity  of  character. 

Lafayette  M.  Ball.  A  residence  in  Cass  county  that  has  covered 
nearly  seventy  years  entitles  Lafayette  Ball,  of  Logansport  Rural  Route 
No.  4,  to  more  than  passing  mention  as  one  of  Clay  township's  old  and 
honored  pioneer  citizens.  Coming  to  this  township  when  still  in  in- 
fancy, he  was  for  a  long  period  identified  with  the  agricultural  interests 
of  his  section,  and  although  he  has  now  retired  from  the  more  strenuous 
activities  of  life,  having  reached  a  position  when  he  feels  he  can  afford 
to  rest  from  his  labors,  he  still  takes  a  keen  interest  in  all  that  affects 
the  community  in  which  he  labored  for  so  long.  Mr.  Ball  was  born  in 
Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  July  24,  1843,  his  grandfather,  Iden 
Ball,  being  a  prominent  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends  in  the  Quaker 
settlement  in  that  county.  His  parents  came  to  Indiana  in  1844,  and 
first  settled  near  Twelve  Mile,  one-half  mile  east  of  Bethlehem  church, 
in  which  vicinity  Lafayette  Ball  was  reared  to  manhood.  During  the 
Civil  war  he  enlisted  in  the  Ninety-ninth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer 
Infantry,  which  was  mustered  into  the  LTnited  States  service  where  the 
Spry  building  now  stands,  on  Pearl  street,  Logansport,  and  with  this 
organization  served  two  years  and  ten  months,  leaving  the  service  with 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  733 

the  rank  of  corporal.  He  was  a  brave  and  faithful  soldier,  and  when  his 
military  career  was  ended  resumed  the  duties  of  peace,  which  he  has  per- 
formed in  the  same  able  and  faithful  manner. 

On  January  8,  1891,  ^Ir.  Ball  was  married  to  Eleanor  Johnson, 
daughter  of  Edward  and  ^latilda  (Archer)  Johnson.  Edward  Johnson 
was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  his  wife  of  Williamsburg,  Ohio,  and  they 
came  to  Cass  county  at  a  very  early  day,  Mr.  Johnson  first  engaging  in 
the  blacksmith  business,  which  he  gave  up  to  devote  his  entire  time  to 
agricultural  pui^suits.  This  latter  occupation  he  followed  throughout 
the  remainder  of  his  life,  and  passed  away  September  2,  1891,  in  which 
year  his  wife  also  died  on  August  28th.  Mrs.  Ball  is  a  lady  who  is  pos- 
sessed of  a  genial,  cordial  and  kind  nature,  and  has  ably  assisted  her 
husband  in  the  care  of  their  happy  and  pleasant  home.  Three  children 
were  born  to  Mr.  Ball  by  his  first  marriage,  namely:  Harry,  Linda 
and  Lillian,  the  latter  of  whom  is  now  deceased. 

At  the  time  of  the  marriage  of  ]\Ir.  Ball  and  his  present  wife  they 
settled  on  the  old  farm,  formerly  the  property  of  ^Ir.  Ball's  father,  and 
originally  a  tract  of  80  acres.  For  some  years  ]\Ir.  Ball  continued  opera- 
tions there.  Eventually  he  retired  from  active  pursuits,  however,  and 
sold  a  part  of  the  land,  he  now  owing  forty-seven  acres,  while  his  wife 
owns  twenty-two  and  28-100  acres,  and  the  greater  part  of  this  is  now 
being  operated  by  renters,  and  it  lies  in  section  8,  Clay  to^vnship.  The 
homestead  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ball  is  called  "The  Sunny  Side  Farm." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ball  are  members  of  the  ]\Iethodist  Episcopal  church, 
in  which  ^Ir.  Ball  holds  the  position  of  steward,  and  both  have  been  ac- 
tive in  religious  and  charitable  work.  He  is  a  popular  comrade  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  During  his  long  residence  in  this  sec- 
tion j\lr.  Bail  has  seen  many  changes  take  place,  and  has  done  his  share 
in  promoting  the  growth  and  development  of  his  community.  He  is 
honored  and  esteemed  by  those  who  have  made  his  acquaintance,  and 
has  a  wide  circle  of  sincere  friends.  The  pleasant  family  home  is  situ- 
ated on  Logansport  Rural  Route  No.  4. 

Raymond  C.  Taylor  was  born  in  Cayuga  county,  New  York,  on  Sep- 
tember 6.  1834,  and  died  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  on  the  11th  day  of  July, 
1909.  He  was  a  son  of  Smith  Taylor,  a  mechanic  and  farmer,  and  a 
grandson  of  Captain  Noah  Taylor,  who  won  his  title  in  fighting  for 
American  independence  with  the  colonies  during  the  Revolutionary 
war.  The  mother  of  Raymond  Taylor  was  Sylvia  Barnes,  and  he  was 
one  of  the  eight  children  she  bore  her  husband.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Captain  Thomas  Barnes,  also  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war 
period.  The  advantages  of  Raymond  Taylor  in  an  educational  way  were 
limited  indeed,  and  wlien  he  was  tAvelve  years  old  he  began  to  work  as  a 
stock  driver,  an  occupation  which  eventually  led  to  his  embarking  in 
the  butcher  business.  He  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  in  January, 
1864,  and  opened  a  meat  market  at  Broadway  and  Sixth  street,  later 
moving  his  establishment  to  No.  501  Broadway.  His  business  career  in 
Logansport  covered  a  period  of  thirty-four  years,  and  as  a  result  of 
creditable  business  methods  he  succeeded  in  putting  aside  a  competency. 
He  was  well  and  favorably  known  in  business  circles  in  Logansport  for 
many  years,  known  as  a  substantial  man  of  affaii*s,  scpiare  and  true  in 

Vol.  li— 2 


73-t  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

all  bis  business  relations,  and  indeed,  in  all  the  relations  of  life,  and 
valued  by  many  as  a  good  friend  and  neighbor. 

Mr.  Taylor  was  a  Democrat,  generally  speaking,  but  he  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  place  his  support  where  he  most  approved  of  the  candidate,  re- 
gardless of  party  affiliation.  He  was  a  Mason  of  the  old  school,  which 
may  be  interpreted  as  meaning  that  he  was  a  Mason  in  heart  as  well 
as  in  name.  He  had  conferred  upon  him  all  the  degrees  and  orders 
of  the  York  rite,  and  he,  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  were  members  of 
the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star. 

In  1853  Mr.  Taylor  married  Florilla  Miner,  and  three  children  were 
born  to  them,  of  whom  a  daughter,  Flora  M.,  and  a  son,  Jay  D.,  are  now 
living.  The  mother  of  these  children  died,  and  in  1865  Mr.  Taylor  mar- 
ried Florilla  A.  (Doty)  Taylor,  a  daughter  of  William  Doty  and  the 
widow  of  his  brother,  T.  Doty  Taylor. 

The  life  of  Raymond  C.  Taylor  was  practically  uneventful,  as  great 
events  are  considered,  but  his  career  as  a  man  in  Logansport  was  with- 
out blemish,  and  he  died  as  he  had  lived, — secure  in  the  high  esteem  of  a 
wide  circle  of  acquaintances  who  knew  him  as  a  man  and  a  citizen,  and 
valued  him  for  his  many  splendid  traits  of  heart  and  mind. 

Jay  D.  Taylor,  the  son  of  the  late  Raymond  C.  Taylor,  of  Logans- 
port,  Indiana,  was  born  at  Cayuga  county.  New  York,  on  July  27,  1860. 

When  Jay  Taylor  was  eleven  years  old  he  decided  to  come  west  and 
join  his  father,  and  he  accordingly  went  quietly  about  converting  his 
worldly  goods,  which  comprised  a  hog,  some  grain  and  other  farm  produce 
he  had  earned,  into  coin  of  the  realm,  and  this  accomplished,  he  started 
for  Logansport,  Indiana,  without  going  through  the  formality  of  asking 
advice  or  permission.  By  husbanding  his  slender  resources,  and  not 
being  too  fastidious  as  to  his  mode  of  travel,  the  boy  was  able  to  reach 
Logansport  without  undue  annoyance  in  a  financial  way,  and  when  he 
appeared  before  his  father  in  Logansport,  that  gentleman  forthwith  took 
charge  of  the  young  adventurer,  placing  him  in  school  where  he  con- 
tinued until  he  was  graduated  from  the  high  school.  He  was  then  six- 
teen years  old,  and  he  set  about  learning  the  jeweler's  trade  in  Logans- 
port. He  was  employed  variously  in  the  jewelry  business  -svith  W.  S. 
Orwin,  B.  Z.  Lewis,  H.  C.  Eversole,  and  D.  A.  Hawk.  In  1889  he  bought 
the  store  of  Z.  B.  Lewis,  located  on  Market  street,  but  four  months  later 
succeeded  to  the  business  of  another  of  the  men  by  whom  he  had  for- 
merly been  employed,  namely, — H.  C.  Eversole,  at  No.  309  Fourth  street. 
Since  then  he  has  continuously  carried  on  his  business  at  this  place,  en- 
•  joying  something  better  than  a  fair  degree  of  success.  In  addition  to 
the  general  jewelry  business,  he  carries  a  complete  line  of  optical  goods, 
and  that  he  may  intelligently  and  scientifically  serve  his  patrons,  he 
has  taken  special  instruction  of  Dr.  King,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  the  Chi- 
cago Ophthalmic  College  of  Chicago,  and  the  South  Bend  College  of 
Ophthalmics. 

Mr.  Taylor  is  a  Democrat,  a  Knight  Templar  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity, a  Knight  of  Pythias  and  a  Knight  of  the  Maccabees.  He  was 
married  on  February  19,  1890,  to  Miss  Loraine  Ridinger,  of  Logansport, 
and  one  son  has  been  born  to  them,— Raymond  Carl  Taylor,  named  in 
honor  of  his  paternal  grandfather,  and  who  is  employed  by  his  father. 


DUDLEY  n.  CHASE 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  735 

Hon.  Dudley  H.  Chase.  The  life  of  every  public  man  possesses  in- 
terest to  his  fellow  citizens,  partcularly  if  his  abilities  have  elevated  him 
to  honorable  office  in  which  he  has  displayed  honest  effort  and  fidelity 
in  the  performance  of  its  responsibilities.  Pre-eminently  is  this  true 
when  judicial  position  is  involved,  and  especially  is  interest  excited  when 
the  subject  is  so  well  known  and  honored  a  man  as  the  late  Hon.  Dudley 
H.  Chase,  whose  character  as  a  man,  whose  high  attainments  as  a  lawyer, 
whose  dignity  as  a  jurist,  and  whose  signal  services  in  both  military 
and  civil  life,  gained  him  a  place  among  Cass  county's  citizens  that  will 
long  be  difficult  to  fill.  Judge  Chase  was  born  in  the  city  in  which  he 
afterwards  gained  such  high  distinction  in  professional  circles,  Logans- 
port,  August  29,  1837,  and  Was  a  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Donald- 
son) Chase. 

Henry  Chase  was  born  at  Greenfield  Center,  Saratoga  county,  New 
York,  in  1800,  a  descendant  of  a  family  that  came  with  a  party  of  colon- 
ists from  Bristol,  England,  and  settled  in  the  region  of  Massachusetts 
during  the  early  history  of  the  American  Colonies.  In  1827  he  made  a 
visit  to  Delphi,  Indiana,  and  was  here  admitted  to  the  bar,  but  one 
year  later  moved  to  Adams  county,  Mississippi,  where  he  practiced  law 
for  four  years.  He  returned  to  Delphi  in  1832  and  from  that  place, 
one  year  later,  came  to  Logansport,  where  he  continued  to  carry  on  an 
extensive  practice.  He  was  judge  of  the  then  Eighth  Judicial  District 
in  1839,  having  been  appointed  to  that  office  to  complete  an  unexpired 
term,  but  in  1844  moved  to  New  York  City,  which  was  the  scene  of  his 
legal  activities  for  five  years.  From  the  latter  city  he  made  removal  to 
Sheboygan,  Wisconsin,  and  there  in  1854  passed  away,  a  victim  of  the 
great  cholera  plague  which  swept  the  Wisconsin  city  during  that  year. 

At  the  time  of  the  death  of  his  mother.  Judge  Dudley  H.  Chase 
made  his  home  with  an  uncle,  William  Chase,  in  Logansport,  and  here 
his  primary  education  was  secured.  In  1856  he  was  appointed  a  cadet 
at  West  Point  Military  Academy,  by  the  Hon.  Schuyler  Colfax,  but 
before  entering  actively  upon  his  studies  he  went  west,  and  bore  a 
conspicuous  part  in  the  Kansas  troubles  of  1856,  rendering  valiant  service 
as  a  member  of  Sharp's  Rifle  Company.  On  his  return  to  Logansport, 
he  again  took  up  his  law  studies,  entering  the  office  of  the  Hon.  D.  D. 
Pratt,  and  in  1858  was  graduated  from  the  Cincinnati  Law  School.  He 
at  once  began  practicing  in  Logansport,  in  partnership  with  his  former 
preceptor,  although  later  he  was  engaged  in  individual  practice,  and 
thus  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  found  him-.  As  early  as  1854,  IMr. 
Chase  had  become  captain  of  an  independent  local  military  company, 
known  as  the  "Logan  Grays,"  and  in  April,  1861,  this  organization  of- 
fered itself  for  service  in  defense  of  the  flag.  Judge  Chase  fully  equip- 
ping the  company  entirely  at  his  own  expense.  It  was  accepted  by  the 
recruiting  officers,  and  soon  became  Company  K,  Ninth  Regiment,  In- 
diana Volunteer  Infantry.  For  a  time  Judge  Chase  was  engaged  in 
recruiting  in  Maine,  taking  with  him  fifty-two  Indiana  volunteers,  and 
this  was  then  organized  into  Company  A,  Second  Battalion,  Seventeenth 
United  States  Infantry,  joining  the  Fifth  Army  Corps  in  front  of 
Fredericksburg,  immediately  after  the  engagement  at  that  point.  Sub- 
sequently Judge  Chase  participated  in  the  battles  of  Chancellorsville 
and  Gettysburg,  and  on  July  2,  1863,  was  seriously  wounded  in  the  hip 


736  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

by  a  shell.  He  was  then  employed  in  help  quelling  the  draft  riots  in 
New  York  City,  but  when  he  had  entirely  recuperated  from  his  injury, 
he  returned  to  the  field  and  took  part  in  engagements  at  Rappahannock 
and  Bristow  Station,  as  well  as  the  ]\Iine  Run  campaign.  Mr.  Chase 
was  forced  to  resign  his  commission  on  account  of  his  wounds,  and  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1864  left  the  service  with  an  enviable  record  for  bravery  and 
gallantry.  Returning  to  Logansport,  he  resumed  the  practice  of  his 
chosen  profession,  and  in  that  same  year  was  elected  prosecuting  at- 
torney, later  being  re-elected  in  1866  and  again  in  1868.  In  1872  he 
was  sent  to  the  bench  for  sis  years,  and  was  re-elected  in  1878,  but  in 
1884  declined  to  be  a  candidate.  However,  in  1896,  he  was  elected  judge 
of  the  Twenty-ninth  Judicial  Circuit,  and  as  such  was  serving  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  July  2,  1902.  As  a  lawyer.  Judge  Chase  ranked  among 
the  ablest  in  Indiana;  as  a  jurist  his  decisions  were  marked  by  such 
fairness  and  so  complete  a  knowledge  of  jurisprudence  that  compara- 
tively few  were  appealed  and  none  were  ever  reversed.  He  took  a  great 
interest  in  the  work  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  his  local  con- 
nection being  with  Logansport  Post  No.  14,  and  was  also  a  member  of 
the  Indiana  Commandery  of  the  Loyal  Legion.  He  belonged  to  the 
Odd  Fellows,  and  on  a  number  of  occasions  served  as  eminent  commander 
of  St.  John's  Commandery,  Knights  Templar,  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 
The  loss  of  such  a  man,  standing  for  honest  government  and  for  effi- 
ciency in  all  measures  pertaining  to  the  city's  welfare — of  a  man  who 
contributed  to  the  city's  upbuilding  during  his  entire  residence  here, 
and  who  entertained  and  illustrated  the  highest  ideal  of  good  citizen- 
ship, is  no  ordinary  loss.  Such  men  are  not  so  plentiful  that  their  passing 
away  is  a  matter  of  only  current  interest. 

On  October  28,  1859,  Judge  Chase  was  married  (first)  to  Maria 
Durett,  whose  father  was  one  of  the  founders  of  Logansport,  and  she 
died  April  12,  1877,  after  bearing  five  children,  namely :  William ;  Rob- 
ert, who  is  deceased;  John:  George  and  Mary.  On  December  7,  1880, 
Judge  Chase's  second  marriage  occurred,  when  he  was  united  with  Grace 
M.  Corey,  of  Saratoga  Springs,  New  York,  she  being  a  member  of  the 
Schuyler  family,  of  Colonial  fame.  To  this  marriage  there  were  born 
four  "children :  Charles  D.,  Ruth,  James  and  Louise. 

Charles  D.  Chase  is  the  only  male  representative  of  his  father's 
family  in  Logansport,  and  now  makes  his  home  with  his  mother  and  is 
engaged  in  the  undertaking  business.  He  was  born  September  27,  1882, 
was  educated  in  the  publie  schools,  and  graduated  from  the  ]\Iyers  School 
of  Embalming,  at  Columbus,  in  May,  1903.  He  is  a  member  of  Oriental 
lodge  No.  272,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Bridge  City  lodge  No.  305,  Knights  of 
Pythias;  Logan  lodge  No.  40,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and 
Logansport  lodge  No.  66,  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 
His  political  convictions  are  those  of  the  Republican  party,  and  his 
religious  connection  with  the  ^Market  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Edgar  F.  Metzger  was  born  in  Miama  county,  Indiana,  on  December 
23,  1872,  a  son  of  David  L.  ^kletzger,  who  came  to  Cass  county  in  about 
1885,  and  w^as  a  farmer  in  Clay  township.  He  is  now  a  resident  of  Indi- 
anapolis. He  is  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war.  Edgar  F.  Metzger  was 
reared  in  the  counties  of  Cass  and  ]\Iiami  and  received  his  education  in 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  737 

the  public  and  high  schools.  Until  he  was  eighteen  he  lived  on  a  farm, 
after  which  he  taught  in  the  country  schools  of  Cass  county  during  two 
terms,  and  then  began  his  newspaper  career  as  a  reporter  on  the  Logans- 
port  Reporter.  He  continued  with  the  Reporter  in  various  capacities 
until  1902,  when  he  acquired  an  interest  in  the  Journal,  with  which  he 
continued  to  be  associated  until  1907,  when  he  disposed  of  his  interest 
and  with  his  brother,  Harry  C,  founded  the  Logansport  Tribune.  In 
1912  the  Journal  and  the  Tribune  were  consolidated  and  Mr.  Metzger 
is  now  the  president  of  the  Journal-Tribune  Company. 

Mr.  Metzger  has  no  fraternal  affiliations  beyond  his  membership  in 
the  Elks.     He  is  married. 

John  W.  Barnes,  one  of  the  owners  and  editors  of  the  Logansport 
Phaios,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Muncie,  Indiana,  July  7,  1855.  His 
father,  William  Barnes,  was  a  contractor  and  builder  and  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania.  He  married  Evaline  Wachtell,  a  native  of  IMaryland,  at 
Muncie. 

It  was  in  the  schools  of  his  native  city  that  John  W.  Barnes  was 
primarily  educated.  When  nineteen  years  of  age  he  began  learning  the 
"ai-t  preservative"  on  the  Muncie  Democrat,  but  tw^o  years  later  became 
connected  with  the  Liberal  Bepublican,  a  paper  established  for  the  sup- 
port of  Horace  Greeley  for  the  presidency.  During  the  campaign  of 
1876  and  until  1878  he  was  employed  on  the  Democrat,  at  Anderson, 
but  in  the  latter  year  came  to  Logansport  and  began  work  on  the  Pharos. 
From  that  time  until  the  present,  a  period  of  thirty-five  years,  Mr. 
Barnes  has  been  identified  with  this  paper.  In  1881  he  purchased  a 
half-interest  in  the  Pharos,  and  with  Benjamin  F.  Louthain,  the  owner 
of  the  other  half,  has  since  controlled  the  destiny  of  the  oldest  estab- 
lished Democratic  newspaper  in  Cass  county. 

On  September  30,  1885,  ]\Ir.  Barnes  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Emma  Grable,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and  Hester  Grable,  residents  of 
Cass  county. 

Henry  James  IMcSheehy.  Among  the  men  who  have  brought  fame 
to  Logansport  as  a  center  of  journalistic  activity,  the  late  Henry  James 
INIcSheehy,  for  thirty-seven  years  editor  and_^  proprietor  of  the  Logans- 
port Weeldy  Chronicle,  held  a  position  of  prestige.  A  native  of  Ireland, 
having  been  born  in  Anniscaul,  County  Kerry,  January  28,  1852;  he  was 
brought  to  the  United  States  in  boyhood  by  his  parents,  and  here  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  the  city  of  New  Yoi'k,  and 
at  Lafayette,  Indiana,  graduating  from  the  high  school  of  the  latter 
place  with  the  highest  honors  in  a  class  of  sixty-eight  pupils.  On  leav- 
ing school  i\Ir.  ]\IcSheehy  became  purser  of  the  steamship  "The  City  of 
Richmond,"  running  from  New  York  to  Liverpool,  and  in  this  connec- 
tion became  marine  reporter  for  the  New  York  Herald,  which  started 
him  upon  his  journalistic  career.  In  those  days  pressboats  were  sent 
out  to  meet  all  incoming  ships  and  Mr.  McSheehy's  duty  consisted  in 
going  aboard  these  vessels  and  secure  stories  and  anecdotes  from  the 
passengers  and  crew. 

In  1875  Mr.  McSheehy  was  appointed  by  his  paper  to  accompany 
Col.  Robert  Ingersoll  on  his  lecture  tour  and  while  acting  in  this  serv- 


738  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

ice  he  came  to  Logansport,  and,  noting  the  possibilities  for  a  good  news- 
paper here,  immediately  wired  his  resignation  to  New  York  and  began 
plans  for  the  establishment  of  the  Chronicle.  This  paper  made  its 
initial  appearance  April  7,  1875,  and  has  continued  to  enjoy  a  full  meas- 
ure of  success  to  the  present  time.  Since  Mr.  McSheehy's  death,  which 
occurred  Februaiy  21,  1911,  in  Logansport,  the  Chronicle  has  been  pub- 
lished under  the  same  firm  name  by  his  son,  Harry  James  McSheehy, 
who  purchased  it  in  May,  1911.  He  had  the  distinction  of  being  the 
oldest  editor  and  proprietor  of  a  newspaper  in  Indiana  in  point  of  con- 
tinuous service  on  one  publication. 

Aside  from  his  vocation,  Mr.  McSheehy  took  his  keenest  pleasure  in 
fraternal  work,  and  became  very  prominent  therein.  He  was  the  author 
of  the  Elks'  ritual,  serving  as  chairman  of  the  ritual  committee  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Elks  for  two  years,  was  for  seven  years  exalted  ruler 
of  the  Logansport  Lodge  of  Elks  and  through  his  earnest  eiforts  secured 
for  the  lodge  the  magnificent  home  it  now  occupies;  was  president  of 
the  building  committee  of  the  Elks  and  served  on  the  building  commit- 
tees of  both  the  local  lodge  and  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows.  In 
Odd  Fellowship  he  was  past  grand  of  Logan  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  and 
when  entering  Grand  Lodge  was  raised  to  the  high  office  of  grand  patri- 
arch. He  was  widely  known  in  and  out  of  his  profession,  and  in  his 
death  Indiana  newspaperdom  lost  one  of  its  most  conspicuous  citizens. 

Mr.  McSheehy  married  Miss  Minnie  Maurer,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  three  sons:     Harry,  Lloyd  and  Harold. 

Charles  N.  Cook.  When  the  first  settlers  of  Cass  county  came  to 
this  locality  they  found  none  of  the  present  day  developments  which 
seem  so  essential  a  part  of  the  landscape.  All  the  land  was  wild,  some  in 
prairie,  other  parts  covered  with  dense  timber  and  a  portion  of  it  under 
water.  It  was  a  mighty  task  to  turn  the  virgin  sod,  to  fell  the  sturdy 
parent  trees  and  to  drain  the  pestilential  swamps  that  were  not  only  use- 
less, but  bred  various  diseases ;  yet  these  sturdy,  determined  old  pioneers 
were  equal  to  the  task,  and,  while  all  did  not  live  to  see  their  young  hopes 
materialized,  they  laid  a  sound  foundation  upon  which  the  present  re- 
markable structure  of  civilization  has  been  built,  and  to  them  is  due  the 
initial  credit.  One  of  the  families  to  whom  belongs  the  distinction  of 
having  commenced  this  great  work  is  that  bearing  the  name  of  Cook, 
a  worthy  representative  of  which  is  found  in  the  person  of  Charles  N. 
Cook,  veteran  of  the  Civil  war  and  a  substantial  farmer  of  Clay  town- 
ship. Mr.  Cook  belongs  to  an  old  and  honored  New  England  family, 
whose  Puritan  ancestors  emigrated  to  America  on  the  Mayflower.  He 
was  born  September  15,  1830,  in  Berkshire  county,  Williamstown,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  is  a  son  of  Noah  and  Lydia  B.  (Bardwell)  Cook. 

Charles  N.  Cook  received  the  advantages  of  a  common  school  educa- 
tion, and  his  spare  time  as  a  boy  was  spent  in  assisting  his  father,  who 
was  a  cobbler  by  trade  and  who  made  many  fine  pairs  of  shoes  for  the 
college  students  of  his  town.  On  attaining  his  majority,  young  Cook 
went  to  Marysville,  California,  where  he  entered  the  gardening  business, 
but  remained  there  only  about  one  and  one-half  years,  returning  to  his 
father 's  home  in  Massachusetts.  In  1856  Mr.  Cook  came  to  Logansport, 
Indiana,  and  soon  thereafter  settled  on  a  tract  of  land,  about  eleven 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  739 

acres  comprising  the  tract,  situated  west  of  the  city  limits.  This  land 
he  paid  fifty  dollars  per  acre  for,  and  upon  it  he  began  the  business  of 
gardening.  He  carried  on  that  industry  until  August  13,  1862,  when 
he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Ninety-ninth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer 
Infantry,  for  service  in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  war,  and  with 
this  organization  the  young  truck-gardener  and  soldier  continued  to 
participate  in  all  of  its  engagements  until  he  was  honorably  discharged 
as  an  invalid,  on  July  8,  1865,  at  Davis  Island,  N.  Y.  harbor.  A  brave, 
faithful  and  cheerful  soldier,  he  won  alike  the  respect  of  his  comrades 
and  the  esteem  of  his  officers,  and  when  he  had  completed  his  career  as 
a  soldier,  he  returned  to  Williamstown,  Mass.,  and  spent  the  summer 
under  the  treatment  of  a  physician  at  the  home  of  his  parents.  In  the 
fall  of  the  same  year,  having  recuperated  his  strength,  he  returned  to 
Logansport,  Ind.,  where  he  took  a  relapse  of  his  trouble  (the  camp 
diarrhoea)  and  becoming  so  depleted  in  strength  as  to  give  up  all  hopes 
of  recovery  to  health,  sold  his  little  home  west  of  the  city  and  at  the 
request  of  a  friend,  went  to  the  home  of  the  latter  in  Clay  township 
north  of  Logansport,  where  with  careful  nursing,  on  the  following 
February  was  so  restored  to  health  that  he  married  Miss  Margaret  Ball 
and  commenced  housekeeping  on  a  farm  in  Bethlehem  township  and 
followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer  as  his  health  would  permit. 

In  the  fall  of  1872,  Mr.  Cook  bought  a  small  farm  of  twenty  acres 
on  the  north  line  of  Clay  township  on  which  with  the  addition  of  an- 
other twenty  acres  adjoining  he  has  since  made  his  home.  He  is  now 
in  his  eighty-third  year  and  has  a  well-preserved  vitality  for  a  man  of 
his  age.  He  bought  an  old  log  cabin,  hauled  it  to  his  farm  with  the 
assistance  of  his  neighbors,  fitted  it  up  comfortably,  and  here  he  and 
his  young  wife  lived. 

The  woman  who  became  Mr.  Cook's  wife  and  faithful  helpmate 
through  life  was  prior  to  her  marriage  Miss  Margaret  Ball,  who  was 
born  in  "Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  INIay  5,  1841,  whence  she 
came  to  Indiana  with  her  parents  when  she  was  a  child  of  three  years. 
She  was  the  fifth  born  child  of  her  parents,  David  and  Maria  (Baker) 
Ball,  to  whom  were  born  seven  children,  and  of  which  number  four 
are  living  today,  Mrs.  Cook  being  the  eldest.  The  others  are  Lafayette, 
of  Clay  township;  Joseph,  of  Leiter's  Ford,  Indiana;  and  William  B., 
also  of  Clay  township. 

Wlien  Mrs.  Cook  came  to  Indiana  in  1844,  the  state  was  in  her  in- 
fancy. Miami  and  Pottawattomie  Indians  were  there  in  plenty  and  from 
her  childhood  on  Mrs.  Cook  experienced  much  in  the  new  and  untaught 
country  in  which  her  family  had  settled.  The  pioneering  days  of  In- 
diana are  thoroughly  familiar  to  her,  and  she  is  well  qualified  to  speak 
on  pioneer  conditions  of  Indiana  that  prevailed  here  half  a  century  ago. 
She  lived  through  the  period  when  the  forest  was  being  converted  into 
a  rough  field  for  cultivation;  saw  the  use  of  the  sickle,  the  scythe  and 
the  cradle  in  the  field  give  way  to  more  modern  methods  of  hai*vesting; 
saw  the  old-fashioned  fireplace,  still  dear  to  the  hearts  of  many  of  us, 
the  andirons,  the  spinning  wheel,  the  reel,  the  looms  for  weaving  the 
jeans  and  linseys,  all  pass  out  of  use  and  be  supplanted  by  the  inven- 
tions and  customs  of  a  later  day.  None  of  the  old  time  country  sports 
are  unfamiliar  to  her,  or  unforgotten.     The  quilting  bee  at  which  the 


740  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

women  of  the  neighborhood  congregated  to  make  merry  and  incidentally 
to  perform  an  unbelievable  quantity  of  real  work  knew  her  cheerful 
presence  on  many  happy  occasions,  and  she  was  a  witness  at  many  a 
barn  raising  or  log-rolling  contest.  In  her  childhood  days  she  attended 
the  little  log  cabin  school  in  her  community,  and  lived  through  the 
period  when  the  old  goose-quill  pen  was  dying  hard  in  the  last  days  of 
its  usefulness,  when  threatened  by  the  advent  of  a  more  facile  weapon. 
All  these,  and  many  other  changes  did  she  and  her  family  see  in  the 
days  of  their  early  life  in  Indiana,  and  she  recalls  with  mingled  pain  and 
pleasure  the  experiences  of  the  days  gone  by. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cook  are  the  parents  of  three  children, — a  son  and  two 
daughters.  David  William  is  a  resident  of  Clay  township ;  Anna  Bella 
is  the  wife  of  William  C.  Van  Buren  and  makes  her  home  in  Fairfield 
county,  Ohio,  where  they  are  engaged  in  the  business  of  agriculture ; 
they  have  three  sons  and  two  daughters;  and  Lydia  Ellen,  the  youngest 
of  the  three,  who  makes  her  home  with  her  parents  and  is  devoting  her- 
self to  them  in  their  declining  years.  She  is  a  young  woman  of  admirable 
character,  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  the  county,  and  well  ad- 
vanced in  music,  a  subject  in  which  she  is  qualified  to  teach.  She  is  a 
consistent  member  of  the  Bethel  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  an 
honored  member  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  of  that  church. 

]Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Cook  are  genuine  pioneers  of  Cass  county,  and  their 
citizenship  is  one  of  which  their  community  may  in  every  way  be 
proud.  They  have  a  host  of  good  friends  in  Clay  township  and  com- 
mand the  esteem  and  regard  of  all  who  share  in  their  acquaintance. 
No  shadow  of  dishonor  has  fallen  upon  the  good  name  of  the  family  in  all 
the  years  of  their  residence  in  the  Hoosier  state,  and  they  are  of  the 
people  whose  identity  with  the  state  has  been  one  of  its  fortuitous 
conditions. 

Hon.  Harry  ]\I.  Gardner.  Probably  in  no  profession  or  avenue  of 
business  do  men  become  so  widely  known  as  in  journalism,  not  always 
as  personalities,  but  as  influences,  their  printed  thoughts  reaching  thou- 
sands where  their  spoken  ones  could  be  heard  perhaps  by  only  a  score. 
Hence  the  responsibility  of  a  journalist  is  of  exceeding  weight,  and  his 
influence  as  a  molder  of  public  opinion  bears  directly  upon  the  welfare 
of  the  community  in  which  his  labors  are  centered.  Harry  M.  Gardner, 
city  editor  of  the  Daily  Reporter,  of  Logansport,  has  spent  his  entire 
career  in  newspaper  work,  and  has  been  connected  with  some  of  the 
leading  public  prints  of  the  West  and  Middlewest.  He  was  born  at 
Dunkirk,  New  York,  September  15,  1880,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and 
Mary  (Watson)  Gardner,  of  Scotch  and  Irish  ancestry,  respectively. 
The  Gardner  family's  advent  in  America  occurred  in  Colonial  days. 
William  Gardner  was  a  musician,  a  composer,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
a  soloist  with  several  of  the  largest  musical  organizations  of  this  country. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  now  deceased,  as  is  also  one  of  their  two 
children. 

Hari'y  ]\I.  Gardner  received  his  primary  educational  training  in  the 
schools  of  Dunkirk,  Avhere  he  was  reared,  and  subsequently  took  a  course 
at  the  University  of  Buffalo.  Shortly  after  this  he  began  his  newspaper 
career  as  a  circulator  at  Dunkirk,  and  as  a  "cub"  reporter  on   the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  741 

Evening  Observer.  Succeeding  this  he  was  connected  with  newspapers 
at  Denver,  Los  Angeles,  Butte,  Ogden,  Pocatello,  Fort  Worth,  El  Paso ; 
and  other  points  in  the  West,  in  a  reportorial  capacity,  and  in  February, 
1905,  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  which  he  has  since  made  his  home, 
although  twice  before,  for  short  periods,  he  had  worked  here.  He 
became  a  reporter  on  the  Daily  Reporter,  and  successive  promotions 
have  raised  hira  to  the  position  of  city  editor  of  this  publication. 

Mr.  C4ardner  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  views,  and  in  1913  repre- 
sented Cass  and  Fulton  counties  in  the  state  legisature.  He  belongs  to 
the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

Adelbert  M.  W'alker.  Cass  county,  it  has  often  been  fittingly  said, 
owes  her  greatest  and  best  wealth  to  her  farming  communities  and  to 
the  men  who  have  given  their  lives  to  the  cultivation  of  the  waste  places 
of  the  country,  building  up  thriving  communities  and  establishing 
happy  homes  in  these  districts  that  half  a  century  ago  were  practically 
untouched  by  man.  The  present  generation  of  Cass  county  farmers  are 
carrying  on  to  completion  the  worthy  Avork  begun  by  their  fathers 
before  them,  and  prominent  among  these  may  be  mentioned  Adelbert 
]\I.  AValker,  one  of  the  well  established  and  prosperous  farmers  of  Miami 
township.  As  such,  it  is  wholly  consistent  with  the  spirit  and  purpose 
of  this  work  that  some  mention,  though  necessarily  brief,  be  made  of 
him  and  his  work.  A  native  son  of  the  township  and  county  in  which 
he  now  resides,  he  was  born  here  on  August  19,  1872,  and  his  parents  are 
Eugene  A.  and  Minerva  (Thomas)  Walker.  The  father  resides  in  Clay 
township  and  enjoys  the  warm  regard  of  a  goodly  circle  of  old  time 
friends  and  acquaintances.  The  father  was  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army 
during  the  Civil  war,  giving  valiant  service  in  the  cause  of  the  North, 
and  is  a  member  of  G.  A.  R. 

Until  1898  Adelbert  M.  Walker  made  his  home  with  his  parents. 
As  a  boy  he  attended  the  district  schools,  and  ably  assisted  his  father 
with  the  care  of  the  home  place,  learning  under  the  able  instruction  of 
his  worthy  parent  much  concerning  farming  activities  that  he  has 
applied  in  his  own  enterprise.  He  married  in  1893,  but  continued  to 
remain  at  the  home  place  with  his  young  wife  until  1898,  when  he  ac- 
quired his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  and  ten  acres,  also  in  Miami 
township,  and  here  has  continued  to  reside.  He  has  a  fine  place,  well 
kept  and  carefully  cultivated,  and  has  proven  himself  a  farmer  of  no 
slight  capacity.  Since  he  came  into  the  possession  of  his  present  place 
he  has  built  another  dwelling  house,  more  suited  to  the  demands  of  his 
family,  and  as  a  result,  two  commodious  dwellings  now  grace  his  farm. 

Mr.  Walker  married  on  September  2,  1893,  Miss  Mary  Angle,  the 
daughter  of  Benjamin  Angle,  of  Virginia,  and  three  children  have  been 
born  to  them, — Marie,  Mildred  and  Alma.  Marie  received  her  diploma 
from  the  public  schools  in  the  class  of  1912,  and  is  taking  musical  in- 
struction ;  Mildred  is  in  the  seventh  grade ;  Alma  is  in  the  fifth  grade. 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church  and  IMrs.  Walker  is 
a  member  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  of  the  Baptist  church.  They  have 
a  worthy  share  in  the  activities  of  that  body.  Mr.  Walker  is  a  Repub- 
lican. They  have  lived  quietly  and  conservatively,  and  are  reckoned 
among  the  responsible  and  reliable  people  of  Miami  township,  where  the 


742  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

family  have  been  known  to  the  community  for  three  successive  genera- 
tions. 

Charles  Oglethorpe  Fenton.  Among  those  who  have  made  Cass 
county's  history,  it  is  fitting  to  record  the  name  of  Charles  Oglethorpe 
Fenton.  He  was  not  a  pioneer  of  the  county ;  he  was  not  one  of  its  old 
citizens.  His  brief  race  was  run  in  forty-nine  years,  twenty-seven  of 
which  were  spent  in  Logansport.  Arriving  here  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
two,  a  stranger  and  without  means,  the  advancement  he  made  is  worthy 
of  note  and  emulation.  How  did  he  succeed  to  the  title  of  brother,  friend 
and  counsellor?  Those  who  knew  him  best  would  tell  you  he  was  dili- 
gent ;  he  never  idled ;  he  was  prompt ;  he  met  his  obligations  the  day  they 
were  due,  not  the  day  after.  He  hated  gossip,  for,  he  would  say:  "What 
an  idle  waste  of  time  when  there  are  so  many  good  books  to  read ! "  It 
was  his  custom  to  carry  a  favorite  book  to  his  office,  hoping  to  find  some 
golden  minutes  of  leisure  during  the  stress  of  the  day  in  which  to  read. 

Charles  Oglethorpe  Fenton  was  of  Irish  descent,  the  great-grandson 
of  Samuel  and  Ann  (Shannon)  Fenton,  who  sailed  over  the  sea  from 
Old  Erin  early  in  the  eighteenth  century.  They  settled  in  Newville, 
Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  to  them  were  born  thirteen  chil- 
dren, "all  girls  but  eleven."  One  son,  David,  moved  to  Mantua,  Port- 
age county,  Ohio.  His  wife  was  Emily  Dunscomb  and  their  sons  were 
Green  and  Grove.  The  fomier  and  Louisa  Frost,  the  daughter  of 
Elvira  Kellogg  and  Jolui  Frost,  were  the  parents  of  eight  sons  and  one 
daughter,  the  fourth  son  being  C.  0.  Fenton.  He  was  bom  January 
31,  1863,  on  the  "old  John  Frost  homestead,"  in  Mantua,  where  his 
mother  had  been  born  thirty  years  before.  When  eleven  years  old  he 
left  the  parental  roof  to  make  his  own  way,  working  for  neighboring 
farmers  evenings,  Saturdays  and  vacations,  and  in  the  meantime  attend- 
ing school  at  Ravenna.  When  seventeen  years  old  he  taught  the  district 
school  at  home,  and  for  one  summer  he  worked  in  a  cheese  factory,  and 
while  yet  in  his  teens  he  engaged  with  the  Central  Publishing  house,  of 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  to  sell  books,  and  spent  eighteen  monthes  traveling  in 
West  Virginia,  Tennessee  and  Texas.  Returning  home,  he  again  taught 
school,  himself  attending  school  at  such  short  periods  as  he  could.  So 
it  is  that  we  find  him  June  14,  1883,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  graduating 
from  the  Northwestern  Ohio  Normal  school,  at  Ada,  and  it  was  to 
further  his  education  he  came  to  Logansport  in  April,  1885,  to  enter  the 
American  Normal  College,  then  situated  on  College  Hill,  north  of  the 
city.  In  the  winter  of  1885-6  he  taught  in  Pulaski  county  and  it  was 
there  that  he  met  Carrie  Belle  Tyler,  whom  he  married  May  25,  1887. 
To  this  union  one  daughter  was  born,  Sagie  Velle  Fenton,  August  17, 
1888.  Mrs.  Fenton  was  bom  in  VanBuren  township.  Clay  county,  In- 
diana, February  10,  1866,  the  youngest  of  the  four  children  of  Roxie 
VeUe  Usher  and  Sage  R.  Tyler.  Her  father  was  born  at  Cape  May, 
New  Jersey,  August  18,  1836.  His  father,  Nathaniel  Tyler,  was  of 
Scotch-Irish  extraction  and  his  mother,  Abigail  Scull,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land. On  the  maternal  side,  Mrs.  Fenton  traces  her  lineage  back  to  the 
year  1730,  when  Hezekiah  Usher,  who  kept  the  first  book  store  in  Bos- 
ton, married  Abigail  Cleveland.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Fenton  was  born 
August  21,  1839,  in  Madison  county,  New  York,  the  daughter  of  Isis 


1137038 


CHARLES  0.  FENTON 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  743 

Burdick  and  IMoses  Usher.  Wlien  five  years  old  she  came  to  Indiana 
with  her  parents  and  grandparents,  the  latter  being  Dr.  Nathaniel 
Usher  and  Lucy  Palmer,  of  West  Haddon,  Connecticut.  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Usher  were  the  parents  of  Judge  John  P.  Usher,  secretary  of  interior 
in  Abraham  Lincoln's  cabinet.  This  branch  of  the  Usher  family  re- 
moved to  the  state  of  Kansas. 

Mr.  Fenton  also  taught  school  at  the  Stone  and  Clymer  schools  in 
Clinton  township,  Cass  county.  At  the  time  of  his  marriage  he  had 
charge  of  the  commercial  department  of  the  American  Normal  College 
and  was  writing  editorials  and  reporting  for  the  Logansport  Times, 
receiving  for  his  newspaper  work  one  dollar  per  week.  On  May  28, 
1888,  he  bought  the  Logansport  Times,  then  owned  by  twenty  Prohibi- 
tion stockliolders.  His  first  vote  had  been  cast  for  James  G.  Blaine, 
although  he  was  born  of  a  line  of  Democrats.  In  November,  1888,  he 
voted  for  Clinton  B.  Fisk  and  a  straight  Prohibition  ticket,  which  ticket 
he  continued  to  support  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Through 
the  medium  of  the  Times,  local  though  it  was,  he  came  to  be  known  by 
the  party  leaders  throughout  the  nation.  The  sagacity,  tho  loyalty,  the 
persistency  of  this  fearless  editor  became  an  inspiration.  He  had  a 
distinct  literary  style,  writing  prose  full  of  fun  and  pathos  and  some 
verse,  humorous  for  the  most  part.  His  prose  writings  have  been  said  to 
be  something  after  the  style  of  Mark  Twain  and  some  of  his  verses  like 
those  of  Riley.  His  pen  was  his  power.  He  was  a  delegate  to  all  Pro- 
hibition state  and  national  conventions  and  at  the  last  national  conven- 
tion he  attended,  at  Atlantic  City,  in  July,  1912,  was  assistant  secretary. 

In  1900  Mr.  Fenton  added  to  his  newspaper  work  the  brokerage  busi- 
ness and  as  investment  broker  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  a  large  clientele 
and  was  pre-eminently  successful.  At  home  his  presence  gave  out  an 
atmosphere  of  cheerfulness.  It  was  his  custom  evenings  to  spend  much 
of  the  time  in  reading,  often  aloud.  He  liked  history,  biography  and 
travel  and  above  all  he  loved  the  poets,  Burns  being  his  favorite.  He 
knew  most  all  of  his  poetry  and  said,  from  the  moment  that  he  turned 
the  knob  on  his  office  door  on  FourtJi  street  to  the  moment  he  turned 
his  door-knob  at  home,  nine  squares  distant,  if  uninterrupted,  he  could 
and  often  did  repeat  the  whole  of  "Tam  O'Shanter. "  In  June,  1911. 
he  and  his  wife  attended  their  daughter's  graduation  at  Vassar  Col- 
lege and  sailed  from  New  York  to  spend  the  summer  in  the  British 
Isles,  in  Holland,  Belgium  and  France.  It  was  in 'the  land  of  Burns 
he  took  the  greatest  delight  and  day  after  day  followed  lovingly  in  the 
footsteps  of  the  plowman  poet.  Probably  his  best  literary  productions 
were  his  travel  letters  written  for  his  newspaper. 

Mr  Fenton  had  often  quoted:  "Let  me  die  in  the  harness,"  and  so 
it  was  in  the  prime  of  a  busy  life  that  he  was  compelled  to  retire  to  the 
Battle  Creek  Sanitarium,  Battle  Creek,  Michigan,  for  rest.  Even  here 
he  was  reading  the  "Life  of  Washington,"  by  his  favorite  American 
author,  Washington  Irving,  preparing  to  write  an  article  on  a  visit  to 
Mount  Vernon,  one  of  a  series  of  articles  descriptive  of  summer  vacation 
trip  to  Atlantic  City,  Washington,  Richmond  and  so  forth.  During 
the  six  weeks  spent  at  Battle  Creek  he  grew  steadily  weaker  and  weaker, 
and  there,  on  the  31st  of  October,  1912,  left  this  for  a  fuller  life.  It 
was  said  of  William  Morris  by  one  of  his  biographers  that  he  died  of 


744  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

being  William  Morris.     So  it  was  with  C.  0.  Fenton,  a  man  who  was 
engaged  in  so  many  and  so  varied  activities. 

John  C.  Rea.  In  the  annals  of  early  settlement  in  Cass  county,  one 
of  the  names  which  is  first  to  he  mentioned  is  that  of  John  R.  Rea,  whose 
son  is  now  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  Clay  township.  For  more 
than  eighty  years  this  name  has  had  a  place  in  the  history  of  Cass  county, 
and  has  alwaj^s  been  associated  with  solid  worth  and  an  industry  which 
brings  credit  to  the  possessor  and  helped  to  create  the  resources  and 
wealth  of  the  community. 

]\Ir.  John  C.  Rea,  the  son  of  the  old  settler,  was  born  in  the  village 
of  Clymers,  in  Cass  county,  on  the  nineteenth  of  May,  1864.  His  grand- 
father's name  was  Daniel  Rea.  His  parents  were  John  R.  and  Elizabeth 
Rea.  His  father,  who  was  first  a  resident  of  Connersville,  this  state,  in 
1832  came  to  Cass  county,  where  he  joined  with  the  earliest  settlers  of 
this  locality.  A  carpenter  by  trade,  he  was  a  very  useful  man  in  his 
community  at  Clymers,  and  many  of  the  old  houses  of  that  locality  were 
constructed  by  his  hand  and  according  to  his  plans. 

His  death  occurred  in  1884  at  a  venerable  age,  while  his  wife  passed 
away  in  1886,  and  both  are  buried  in  the  Clymers  cemetery. 

Mr.  John  C.  Rea  received  most  of  his  education  in' Clinton  township, 
and  also  for  two  years  enjoyed  the  advantage  of  college  training  at 
Logansport.  He  has  had  a  varied,  but  generally  progressive  career,  and 
since  attaining  manhood  has  been  advancing  every  year  to  a  better  posi- 
tion in  life  and  increased  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens.  For  about  three 
years,  he  was  engaged  in  teaching  school  in  Cass  county,  but  the  greater 
part  of  his  active  lifetime  has  been  devoted  to  farming.  His  present 
farm  was  formerly  owned  by  his  wife's  father.  The  estate  contains 
one  hundred  and  ten  acres,  and  Mr.  Rea  since  locating  here  has  made 
many  improvements  upon  it,  although  most  of  the  buildings  were  placed 
there  by  old  ]\Ir.  Swigart. 

On  April  25,  1888,  ]\Ir.  Rea  married  Miss  Anna  F.  Patterson,  a 
daughter  of  Simon  E.  and  Cicely  (Amos)  Patterson.  Mrs.  John  C.  Rea 
is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  was  born  April  29,  1866.  She 
was  reared  and  educated  in  her  native  county  and  is  a  lady  of  pleasing 
and  social  address,  ever  ready  to  fulfill  her  part  as  wife  and  mother. 
Her  cheerful  and  pleasant  home  is  ever  open  to  their  many  friends.  She 
traces  her  lineage  t6  the  "Emerald  Isle,"  as  her  early  progenitors  came 
from  the  "Land  of  the  Shamrock."  Mr.  Rea  is  of  Scotch  ancestry. 
Three  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rea,  and  all  are  living: 
Harry  Ralph,  now  a  student  in  the  Franklin  College,  fitting  himself  for 
the  ministry ;  Royden  K.  received  his  diploma  from  the  public  school 
in  the  class  of  1908,  and  has  finished  the  high  school  course  in  Logans- 
port;  Ruth  E.  received  her  diploma  in  the  class  of  1909,  and  has  taken 
one  year's  work  in  the  high  school  at  Logansport,  and  has  also  been  a 
student  in  instrumental  music.  All  three  of  the  children  are  members 
of  the  Baptist  church  and  Mrs.  Rea  is  a  member  of  the  ]\Iethodist  Epis- 
copal church.  Mr.  Rea  is  affiliated  with  Burroughs  Lodge,  No.  495, 
I.  0.  0.  F.  The  homestead  of  the  Rea  family  is  known  in  Clay  township 
as  "The  Cedars." 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  745 

Alexander  Milton  Buchanan,  ]\I.  D.  Of  the  pioneer  families  of 
Cass  county  probably  none  deserved  mention  and  permanent  records  in 
the  annals  of  this  vicinity  more  than  the  ikichanan  family,  which  be- 
came identified  with  Logansport  in  1839,  and  continued  prominent  in 
this  part  of  the  state  through  the  career  of  the  late  Dr.  Buchanan  up 
to  the  time  of  the  latter 's  death  on  November  29,  1905. 

Alexander  Milton  Buchanan  was  bom  at  Chamhersburg,  Pennsyl- 
vania, on  March  2-4,  1823,  and  belonged  to  a  Scotch-Irish  family,  which, 
had  been  settled  in  Pennsylvania  for  many  years.  The  parents  of  the 
late  Dr.  Buchanan  were  Rev.  James  and  Harriet  (Berryhill)  Buchanan, 
the  foriuer  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  latter  a  native  of  the 
capital  city  of  that  state.  They  moved  west  with  their  family  to 
Logansport,  Indiana,  in  1839,  where  Rev.  James  Buchanan  was  pastor 
of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  from  1840  to  1843.  He  had  jireviously 
been  minister  of  the  Presbj^terian  church  at  Greencastle,  Indiana.  Ilis 
death  occurred  in  Logansport  in  1843,  and  his  name  is  permanently 
identified  with  the  early  church  annals  of  this  city.  There  were  eight 
sons  and  two  daughters  in  the  family,  and  all  of  them  are  now  deceased. 
One  of  the  sons.  Dr.  Andrew  Buchanan,  was  educted  at  Princeton  Col- 
lege and  Philadelphia  Medical  College,  and  for  a  time  practiced  in  Cass 
county. 

The  late  Alexander  JM.  Buchanan  was  a  boy  when  the  family  came 
west  to  Cass  county,  and  the  years  he  spent  here  were  during  the  pioneer 
period.  Among  many  families,  education  at  that  time  was  not  con- 
sidered a  fundamental  matter,  bill  the  Reverend  James  Buchanan  wfts 
probably  in  advance  of  ordinary  public  opinion  in  that  respect,  and  no 
doubt  encouraged  his  sons  to  prepare  for  their  careers  with  the  best 
professional  ecjuipment  that  could  be  obtained.  Dr.  Alexander  ]M. 
Buchanan  therefore  began  his  studies  in  medicine  in  La  Porte,  Indiana, 
and  then  went  east  and  entered  the  Philadelphia  I\Iedical  College,  the 
oldest  and  one  of  the  best  known  institutions  of  medical  learning  of  the 
time.  After  graduating  he  began  practice  in  Illinois,  where  he  was 
first  married.  Later  he  moved  to  Cass  county,  and  spent  many  years 
of  practice  in  both  town  and  country.  He  really  represents  the  old- 
time  doctor  in  this  locality,  and  many  of  the  older  residents  now  living 
in  Cass  county  will  recall  his  kindly  character  and  personality  and  his 
helpful  and  sympathetic  attitude  to  all  who  were  in  distress.  He  con- 
tinued in  active  practice  up  to  1895,  at  which  time  he  retired  and  moved 
into  Logansport,  wiiere  his  death  occurred  in  1905.  He  lived  at  i\Ietea, 
this  covinty,  before  retiring.  He  w'as  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  His  first  marriage  occurred  at  Kankakee,  Illinois,  in  1851,  when 
Miss  Nichals  became  his  wife.  He  married  on  October  24,  1867,  in 
Logansport,  New  York,  INIiss  IMinnie  York,  a  daughter  of  Lewis  and 
Delia  (Babcock)  York,  who  lived  near  Canandaigua,  New  York.  One 
daughter,  I\Irs.  Bertha  L.  CoUett,  wife  of  W.  S.  CoUett,  an  engineer  of 
Logansport,  Indiana,  was  born  of  this  union. 

-JoPiN  A.  ViNEY,  of  tlie  firm  of  Cummings  &  Viney,  has  been  a  res- 
ident of  Logansport  for  the  past  forty-six  years,  and  for  the  four  years 
previous,  from  1861  to  1865,  he  was  a  resident  of  Columbus,  Indiana. 
He   was  born   on  March   11,    1856,   in   Greenbrier   county,    West   Vir- 


746  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

ginia,  aud  is  one  of  the  four  children  born  to  John  M.  and  Rachel 
(Lewis)  Viney,  two  of  the  four  yet  living. 

John  M.  Viney  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  was  originally 
descended  from  French  ancestry.  In  the  subsequent  history  of  the 
family  they  immigrated  to  the  British  Isles,  and  there  by  intermarriage 
became  the  possessors  of  English  and  Scotch-Irish  blood.  John  M. 
Viney  moved  to  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  in  1860,  and  resided  there 
^until  spring  in  1866,  when  he  came  to  Logansport.  Here  ill  health 
caused  him  to  relinquish  all  active  pursuits  for  the  remainder  of  his 
days,  and  he  died  in  1871.  His  widow  survived  him  six  years,  passing 
away  in  1887. 

John  A.  Viney  came  to  Logansport  with  his  parents  when  a  boy  of 
ten  years.  He  received  but  a  very  limited  education  in  the  district 
schools,  and  from  the  age  of  fifteen,  when  his  father  died,  was  compelled 
to  fight  the  battle  of  life  entirely  on  his  own  responsibility.  Until  he 
was  nineteen  years  old  he  worked  in  the  mills  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Wabash  river,  and  in  1875  he  began  learning  the  upholsterers  trade. 
He  duly  comialeted  his  apprenticeship  and  thereafter  worked  at  the 
trade  for  twenty-three  years,  being  associated  with  various  firms  in 
those  years. 

In  1899,  he  formed  his  present  partnership  with  Harvey  R.  Cum- 
mings,  under  the  firm  name  of  Cummings  and  Viney,  and  the  new  firm 
embarked  in  the  retail  furnitiire  and  upholstering  business  in  Logans- 
port. This  association  has  continued  from  then  until  the  present  time, 
and  as  both  partners  are  practical  and  experienced  men  in  their  busi- 
ness, they  have  enjoyed  their  full  share  of  the  local  trade,  and  are  ac- 
counted among  the  prosperous  business  men  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Viney  is  the  president  of  the  Logansport  Credit  Exchange  and 
a  director  in  the  Logansport  Commercial  Club.  In  1881,  he  became  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Apollo  lodge  No.  62,  in  which  he 
has  served  in  all  chairs,  and  is  yet  a  member  of  that  society.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees.  He  is  a  Democrat,  with 
regard  to  his  political  affiliations. 

On  December  24,  1877,  I\Ir.  Viney  married  lona  E.  Morgan  of  Logans- 
port. Mv.  and  IMrs.  Viney  are  members  of  the  Broadway  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  of  which  denomination  Mr.  Viney  has  been  a  member 
for  forty-four  years. 

Homer  Closson.  For  seventeen  years  Homer  Closson  has  been 
identified  with  the  drug  business  of  Logansport,  as  an  independent  man 
of  business,  previous  to  which  he  was  employed  in  the  city  for  nine 
years  in  the  same  line.  His  venture,  which  he  launched  in  1895,  has 
proven  to  be  a  thorough-going  success,  and  Mr.  Closson  is  rightly 
regarded  as  one  of  the  ablest  business  men  of  the  city  of  Logansport 
today. 

Born  near  Jackson,  ]\Iichigan,  on  September  22,  1871,  Homer  Closson 
is  the  son  of  Seymour  M.  and  Kate  (Smith)  Closson.  The  father  came 
to  Logansport  some  thirty-five  years  ago,  just  following  the  death  of 
his  wife,  and  some  years  after  he  located  in  Logansport,  Mr.  Closson 
married  Ella  IMcIntyre.  Both  are  living  in  Logansport.  Nine  children 
were  born  to  them,  seven  of  whom  are  yet  living. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  747 

Homer  Closson  was  a  small  child  when  his  mother  died,  and  until 
he  was  nine  years  of  age  he  lived  in  his  native  county,  making  his  home 
with  relatives  of  the  family,  and  in  1880  he  came  to  Logansport,  where 
he  joined  his  father  who  had  previously  settled  here  and  had  married, 
as  is  noted  ahove.  The  boy  attended  the  public  schools  of  Logansport 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  fifteen,  when  he  secured  employment  in  the 
drug  store  of  B.  P.  Keesling.  From  then  until  the  present  time  he  has 
been  identified  with  the  retail  drug  business,  either  in  the  capacity  of 
employe  or  employer.  For  nine  years  he  remained  with  Mr.  Keesling, 
and  in  1895  he  began  in  business  for  himself  in  the  place  which  he  now 
occupies,  his  independent  experience  thus  covering  a  period  of  seventeen 
years,  which  have  been  marked  by  a  generous  measure  of  success  and 
general  prosperity.  The  business  has  increased  along  conservative  lines, 
and  Mr.  Closson  has  one  of  the  most  complete  and  modern  establish- 
ments of  its  kind  in  the  city. 

On  December  1,  1897,  Mr.  Closson  was  united  in  marriage  with  ]\Iiss 
Alpha  Hilton,  of  Logansport,  daughter  of  William  Hilton,  an  old 
resident  of  this  city.  Five  children  have  been  born  to  them :  Ralph 
W.,  Gertrude  L.,  George  D.,  Frances  Jean  and  John  H.  Mrs.  Closson 
is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  of  Logansport  and  of  the  Order  of  the 
Eastern  Star. 

Marvin  M.  Minnick.  Among  the  popular  and  capable  officials  of 
Cass  county,  none  stands  higher  in  public  esteem  than  Marvin  M.  Min- 
nick, the  present  incumbent  of  the  county  treasurer's  office,  whose  serv- 
ices have  contributed  materially  to  the  public  welfare.  A  long  and 
careful  training,  followed  by  an  extended  period  spent  in  the  school- 
room, as  an  educator,  was  succeeded  by  much  experience  in  banking 
matters,  thus  fitting  him  thoroughly  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  office, 
the  conscientious  perforinance  of  which  has  thoroughly  established  him 
in  the  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens.  Mr.  Minnick  bears  the  added 
distinction  of  being  a  native  son  of  Cass  county,  having  been  born  in 
Tipton  township,  near  Walton,  December  21,  1867,  one  of  the  six  chil- 
dren, all  living,  born  to  Elias  and  Elizabeth  A.   (Lindesmith)  Minnick. 

Conrad  Moenich  (as  the  name  was  originally  spelled),  the  grand- 
father of  Marvin  M.  Minnick,  was  a  native  of  Hesse  Cassel,  Germany, 
whence  he  emigrated  to  the  LTnited  States  in  young  manhood,  set- 
tling in  Somerset  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  Elias  Minnick  was  born 
in  1843.  The  latter  was  reared  in  his  native  county,  educated  in  the 
public  schools,  and  taught  the  blacksmith  trade,  but  when  not  yet  nine- 
teen years  of  age  enlisted,  in  1861,  in  Company  K,  Ninth  Regiment, 
Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  as  a  private,  for  service  during  the  Civil 
war.  Enlisting  at  Laporte,  Indiana,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Army  of 
the  East,  with  which  he  fought  at  Cheat  Mountain.  Grafton  and  Green- 
brier. Subsequently  his  regiment  joined  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland, 
under  General  Rosecrans,  Mr.  Minnick 's  captain  being  Dyer  B  McCon- 
nell,  of  Logansport.  With  this  organization  he  fought  at  Corinth,  luka, 
iMurfreesboro  and  Pittsburg  Landing,  and  September  20,  1863,  at  the 
battle  of  Chickamauga,  he  v,'as  captured  by  the  enemy.  For  seven 
months  he  was  incarcerated  in  the  awful  stockade  at  Andersonville,  and 
later  he  was  transferred  to  Belle  Isle  and  Florence,  spending,  in  all. 


748  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

about  fifteen  mouths  iu  Coufederate  prisous.  He  was  fiually  released 
on  account  of  the  close  of  hostilities,  received  his  honorable  discharge, 
and  returned  to  the  vocations  of  peace.  Settling-  on  a  farm  in  Tipton 
township,  Cass  county,  i\Ir.  .Minnick  engaged  in  farming,  and  his  sub- 
sequent life  was  devoted  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil.  He  was  a  Democrat 
in  politics,  but,  although  often  solicited  to  allow  his  name  to  be  used 
as  a  candidate  for  public  office,  steadfastly  refused,  preferring  the  peace 
and  quietude  of  private  life  to  the  turmoil  of  the  public  arena.  He 
was  a  popular  comrade  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  his 
religious  belief  was  that  of  the  Christian  church,  in  the  faith  of  which 
he  died  April  14,  1892.  His  widow  still  survives  and  makes  her  home 
at  Walton,  Indiana. 

Marvin  M.  Minnick  was  reared  to  manhood  on  the  home  farm,  and  was 
given  good  educational  advantages,  attending  the  public  schools  and 
for  three  years  being  a  student  in  the  American  Normal  College.  He 
next  entered  Hall's  Business  College,  at  Logansport,  and  after  his 
graduation  therefrom  entered  upon  a  career  of  teaching  which  covered 
the  next  seventeen  years.  He  became  widely  and  popularly  known  as 
an  educator,  but  resigned  from  his  position  to  enter  commercial  life, 
attaching  himself  to  a  private  bank  at  Bunker  Hill,  Indiana,  and  later 
a  like  institution  at  Walton,  Indiana,  and  for  six  years  was  cashier  of 
these  institutions.  He  was  a  resident  of  the  latter  place,  in  1910,  when 
he  became  the  candidate  of  the  Democratic  party  for  the  office  of  county 
treasurer,  and  in  the  active  campaign  that  followed  Mr.  ]\Iinnick  was 
returned  the  winner,  greatly  aided,  no  doubt,  by  his  wide  acquaintance 
and  high  reputation  gained  during  his  days  as  a  teacher.  Mr.  Minnick 
gave  the  people  of  Cass  county  an  excellent  and  economical  administra- 
tion, and  in  1912  was  again  his  party's  choice  for  the  office  and  elected 
by  an  increased  ma.jority.  He  is  a  Knight  Templar  Mason,  and  also 
holds  membership  in  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows.  With  Mrs.  ^linnick,  he  attends  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  at  Walton,  Indiana. 

On  September  15,  1896,  ]\Ir.  IMinnick  was  married  to  ^liss  Lavina  H. 
Green,  of  AValton,  Indiana,  and  they  have  had  three  children:  Edgar 
E.,  who  is  deceased;   and  Dallas  D.  and  Dorothy  L. 

Arthur  E.  Dunn.  The  rapid  growth  of  the  automobile  interests  of 
the  country  in  recent  years  has  created  an  industry  which  has  given  a 
wide  field  of  opportunity  and  enterprise  to  many  of  the  young  men  of 
the  present  generation,  who  have  a  predilection  for  mechanics,  and 
Arthur  E.  Dunn,  of  Logansport,  Indiana,  is  one  of  those  who  have  made 
the  most  of  his  opportunities  along  these  lines.  Since  1908  he  has  been 
in  the  garage  business,  for  a  part  of  the  time  in  partnership  with  one 
Harry  Case,  but  since  1909  he  has  conducted  the  business  entirely  upon 
his  own  responsibility,  winning  a  reputation  for  efficiency  and  service 
in  the  work  that  has  brought  him  a  considerable  prominence  in  the  city. 

Arthur  E.  Dunn  was  born  on  April  14,  1882,  at  Cissna  Park,  Illinois, 
and  is  one  of  the  two  sons  of  Edward  A.  and  Lydia  L.  (Ashley)  Dunn. 
The  father  was  a  farmer  all  his  life.  He  came  to  Royal  Center,  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  in  1898,  and  continued  farming  there  until  1903.  when 
he  moved  to  Logansport,  and  there  he  died  in  October,  1908.     His  wife 


y  u 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  749 

passed  away  in  April  of  the  same  year,  so  their  two  sons,  Arthur  E.  and 
Herbert  A.,  were  bereft  of  both  parents  in  the  short  space  of  six  months. 

The  subject  attended  the  public  schools  of  Logansport  after  the 
removal  of  the  family  to  this  place,  and  in  1903  was  graduated  from  the 
city  high  school.  The  succeeding  three  years  were  spent  in  Lake  Forest 
University,  but  he  did  not  graduate  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  failing 
health  of  his  parents  made  it  seem  best  that  he  return  home  and  assist 
in  the  care  of  the  home  place.  After  the  death  of  his  parents,  in  1908, 
Mr.  Dunn  entered  into  a  partnership  with  Harry  Case,  previously  men- 
tioned, and  established  a  garage  at  320-22  Fifth  street,  in  Logansport. 
They  were  successful,  but  the  partnership  was  short  lived,  and  soon  Mr. 
Dunn  purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner  and  contini;ed  the  business 
at  the  original  location  until  1910,  when  he  moved  to  No.  617-623  Broad- 
way, his  present  location.  Here  he  maintains  one  of  the  modem  and 
up-to-date  garages  of  the  city,  the  property  being  his  own,  and  re- 
modeled and  arranged  on  its  purchase  to  meet  his  own  requirements  and 
ideas  of  general  service.  He  carries  on  a  general  garage  business,  in- 
cluding repairing  and  the  sale  of  auto  accessories,  and  is  building  up  a 
solid  and  substantial  trade  in  the  city. 

Mr.  Dunn  is  a  member  of  the  Country  Club  and  of  the  ]\Iethodist 
Episcopal  church.  He  is  married,  Coad  Herrington,  of  Pana,  Illinois, 
becoming  his  bride  on  June  11,  1908. 

William  W.  Haney.  Many  lives  have  entered  into  the  foundation 
of  the  state  of  Indiana,  and  none  of  them  more  worthy  to  be  considered 
in  a  history  of  pioneer  personalities  than  the  late  William  W.  Haney. 
Those  who  have  come  and  enjoyed  the  splendid  prosperity  of  the  later 
era,  however  important  their  own  contributions,  have  all  owed  a  great 
debt  to  the  pioneers  who  first  tested  the  capabilities  of  soil  and  climate, 
who  faced  the  hardship  of  existence  when  only  the  strong  and  the  brave 
could  remain,  and  who  laid  the  foundation  of  a  greater  civilization  and 
permanent  prosperity. 

The  career  of  the  late  ]\Ir.  Haney  was  not  typical  of  the  early  settlers 
in  the  Wabash  valley,  for  he  was  one  of  those  remarkable  men  with 
great  initiative  and  enterprise  whose  activities  lie  in  a  plane  above  that 
of  the  average  citizen.  He  was  a  leader  where  others  followed,  he 
founded  enterprises  upon  which  they  built  and  enjoyed  the  fruits  thereof, 
he  planned  and  supervised  the  execution  of  undei'takings  which  required 
the  services  of  hundreds  of  subordinates.  His  career  is  prominently 
associated  with  several  of  the  epochal  movements  of  early  Indiana  his- 
tory. The  late  Mr.  Haney  belonged  to  the  era  of  water  transportation 
in  northern  Indiana,  and  was  one  of  the  builders  of  the  old  Wabash 
canal,  which  was  the  chief  artery  of  commerce  during  the  thirties  and 
forties  and  the  indistinct  remains  of  which  may  be  seen  in  Cass  and 
adjoining  counties  to  the  present  day.  He  was  also  associated  with  the 
old  Indiana  State  Bank,  and  his  name  and  enterprise  are  linked  with 
many  of  the  notable  events  and  affairs  of  the  last  century. 

As  a  succinct  summary  of  this  notable  career  which  belongs  in  the 
annals  of  Cass  county,  nothing  better  has  been  written  than  the  follow- 
ing quotation  from  an  address  by  Judge  D.  P.  Baldwin,  delivered  at 
the  time  of  the  death  of  INIr.  Haney— "The  late  Mr.  Haney  was  a  remark- 


750  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

able  man  in  many  respects.  This,  is  proved  by  the  grand  fortune  he 
accumulated  in  this  little  city  where  money  is  scarce  and  riches  the  ex- 
ception. I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  Mr.  Haney  had  the  best  financial 
brain  of  any  man  that,  at  least  in  my  time,  ever  lived  in  Logansport.  At 
seventy -nine  years,  and  until  his  last  sickness  his  mind  was  as  clear  and 
quick  as  that  of  any  man  in  mid-life.  Mr.  Haney 's  honesty  was  very 
remarkable.  No  scandal  was  ever  connected  with  his  great  fortune. 
His  word  was  sacred;  he  took  no  undue  advantages;  he  was  a  remark- 
ably friendly  man;  he  was  as  kind  and  sociable  with  a  tramp  as  with 
a  millioniare.  He  did  not  know  what  pride  was  any  more  than  he  knew 
what  deceit  and  double-dealing  were.  He  was  always  clean-mouthed. 
No  one  ever  heard  him  retailing  scandal  or  speaking  unkindly.  Mr. 
Haney 's  great  wealth  brought  upon  him,  as  wealth  or  exceptional  suc- 
cess always  does,  a  great  weight  of  envy  or  raillery,  but  he  took  it  good 
humoredly.  No  one  ever  knew  him  to  get  angry  or  excited,  much  less, 
vindictive  or  sullen.  No  one  knew  better  of  good  and  ill  of  life  and 
humanity.  Mr.  Haney  did  not  pretend  to  be  anything  else  than  a 
business  man,  and  never  sought  office  or  promotion  of  any  kind.  He 
did  not  set  up  to  be  a  charitable  man  any  more  than  a  talented  man ;  and 
yet  his  kindly  voice,  friendly  ways,  and  unquestionable  honesty  gave  him 
a  happy  and  honored  old  age  and  made  him  a  general  favorite  with  all 
classes. ' ' 

William  W.  Haney  was  born  in  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania,  Decem- 
ber 25,  1809,  and  his  death  occurred  in  Logansport  April  20,  1889.  His 
parents  Joseph  and  Mary  (AVeaver)  Haney  were  people  of  small  means 
and  for  that  reason,  and  also  because  of  the  times  in  which  he  lived, 
were  unable  to  provide  their  son  with  any  education  except  that  of  the 
primitive  local  schools.  Though  not  a  well  educated  man  in  the  mod- 
ern sense  of  the  term,  Mr.  Haney  had  those  powers  of  keen  perception 
and  fine  memory,  and  so  excelled  in  his  judgment  of  men  and  his  prac- 
tical ability  in  affairs  that  he  was  never  at  disadvantage  in  his  competi- 
tion with  the  world  of  men.  His  boyhood  days  were  spent  on  the  farm 
where  his  most  useful  training  was  probably  in  the  acquirement  of  a 
sound  physique  and  a  practical  industry.  After  leaving  the  farm  he 
worked  in  a  hotel,  then  was  clerk  in  a  store,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen, 
without  capital,  began  his  independent  career.  He  joined  the  engineer- 
ing corps  engaged  in  the  construction  of  the  Delaware  division  of  the 
Pennsylvania  canal,  between  Easton  and  Bristol,  being  on  that  work 
for  a  year.  His  next  enterprise  was  boating  coal  along  the  river  and 
he  was  also  employed  in  a  hotel  at  Easton.  With  his  growing  ability 
he  was  next  made  superintendent  of  a  division  of  the  Pennsylvania 
canal,  and  continued  in  that  capacity  for  a  year,  after  which  he  returned 
to  his  former  enterprise  of  boating  coal.  For  another  two  years  he 
had  supervision  on  a  branch  of  the  Pennsylvania  canal,  and  then  took  a 
contract  for  the  construction  of  the  Delaware  and  Raritan  canal  feeder. 
After  completing  this  work  he  acted  as  superintendent  of  the  feeder. 

With  this  varied  experience  in  constructive  enterprise  and  general 
business,  Mr.  Haney  turned  his  attention  to  the  west.  By  steamboat, 
flatboat  and  pirogue  he  arrived  in  the  state  of  Indiana,  and  on  the  fourth 
of  July,  1835,  made  his  advent  into  the  frontier  village  of  Peru.  The 
Wabash  valley  throughout  this  region  was  then  almost  an  unbroken 


CoOUZ^U 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  751 

wilderness,  although  there  were  stirrings  of  the  great  activity  which  the 
plans  for  the  building  of  the  Wabash  canal  had  set  in  motion.  Soon 
after  reaching  Peru,  Mr.  Haney  took  charge  of  a  force  of  men  and  the 
construction  work  of  this  canal.  They  opened  a  stone  quarry  below 
Peru  for  the  contractor  of  the  Peru  dam,  and  a  little  later  he,  himself 
took  a  contract  for  the  construction  of  a  section  of  the  canal  at  Lewis^ 
burg.  Wlien  this  contract  was  finished  the  following  year  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  Alexander  Wilson  and  established  a  merchandising 
business  in  Lewisburg,  also  conducting  a  large  trade  with  the  Indian 
population  which  had  not  yet  been  removed  from  Indiana.  Three  years 
later  he  bought  his  partner 's  interest  in  the  store,  and  up  to  the  summer 
of  1851  was  engaged  in  business  at  Lewisburg  in  real  estate,  canal  script 
and  other  securities. 

The  late  Mr.  Haney  dated  his  residence  in  Logansport  from  the 
fifteenth  of  July,  1851.  In  this  city  he  established  a  general  store,  but 
soon  retired  from  the  mercantile  field.  His  business  from  that  time  until 
his  death  was  in  real  estate  and  as  a  private  banker.  During  several 
years  of  this  time  he  was  president  of  the  Logansport  branch  of  the 
old  Bank  of  the  State  of  Indiana.  During  the  intervals  of  his  business 
career  he  had  also  managed  to  acquire  a  substantial  knowledge  of  the 
law,  and  soon  after  locating  at  Logansport  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  al- 
though he  never  practiced  in  the  courts,  confining  his  business  in  this 
profession  to  a  limited  office  practice.  The  estimate  delivered  by  one  of 
his  friends  and  old  time  associates  upon  his  business  career  needs  no 
further  extension.  Whether  as  a  contractor,  merchant,  banker  or  real 
estate  man,  his  transactions  were  always  marked  by  a  high  sense  of 
honor  and  strictest  integrity,  and  notwithstanding  his  thoroughly  busi- 
ness character  and  high  regard  for  the  rigid  principles  of  business  pro- 
cedure, he  had  the  kindly  nature  and  the  genial  personality  which  made 
him  popular  among  a  great  body  of  the  citizenship.  At  the  time  of  his 
death,  the  late  Wm.  W.  Haney  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  richest  men 
in  the  state,  as  wealth  was  then  estimated,  his  estate  being  valued  at 
more  than  half  a  million  dollars. 

Wm.  W.  Haney  married,  December  13,  1836,  Miss  Louisiana  Fidler, 
who  survived  him  and  also  attained  to  a  good  old  age.  Of  two  chil- 
dren, the  daughter,  Maria  Emma,  is  now  deceased  and  the  only  survivor 
is  Mr.  William  E.  Haney  of  Logansport,  a  sketch  of  whose  career  fol- 
lows. In  the  affection  of  his  family  and  associates,  the  late  Mr.  Haney 
made  a  secure  place.  It  is  said  that  he  was  known  either  personally  or 
through  his  kindly  deeds  to  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  the  city  of 
Logansport.  He  was  a  member  and  a  liberal  supporter  of  the  Broad- 
way Methodist  church  in  this  city.  Among  the  names  of  the  older  citi- 
zenship in  Cass  county  none  deserves  higher  rank  or  more  permanent 
place  on  the  rolls  of  honor  and  sincere  admiration  than  the  late  William 
W.  Haney. 

William  E.  Haney.  The  son  of  the  late  William  W.  Haney  is  him- 
self deservedly  classed  among  the  old  settlers  of  Logansport,  by  reason 
of  a  residence  in  that  city  for  more  than  sixty  years.  William  E. 
Haney 's  career  has  been  one  of  exemplary  citizenship.  Like  many  other 
successful  men  of  hisi  day,  his  early  advantages  were  limited,  but  he 


752  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

had  all  the  qualities  of  native  ability  and  character  which  make  sure 
success.  At  this  time,  although  he  has  passed  the  age  when  most  men 
feel  fit  for  the  struggles  of  active  business,  he  still  ably  conducts  the 
management  of  his  extensive  interests,  and  is  a  man  of  large  and  bene- 
ficent influence  throughout  his  home  city  and  vicinity. 

William  E.  Haney,  a  son  of  William  W.  and  Louisiana  (Fidler) 
Haney  was  bom  at  Lewisburg,  Indiana,  December  28,  1837.  His  edu- 
cation was  confined  to  the  advantages  afforded  by  the  common  schools 
of  his  day,  very  limited  when  it  is  remembered  that  free  public  educa- 
tion had  not  yet  been  established  throughout  Indiana  during  the  boy- 
hood of  Mr.  Haney.  After  the  removal  of  the  family  to  Logansport  in 
1851,  he  had  some  further  schooling  and  in  better  schools.  In  1859 
associated  with  his  father,  he  started  in  the  pi'oduce  business,  but  after 
about  one  year  moved  to  a  farm  in  Eel  township,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  farming  for  about  twelve  years.  Returning  to  Logansport  at  the 
end  of  that  time,  he  was  for  six  months  a  boot  and  shoe  merchant,  but 
after  the  death  of  his  partner  sold  out,  and  then  for  some  years  con- 
ducted a  brokerage  business  on  a  small  scale.  He  was  also  during  this 
time  becoming  more  and  more  associated  with  his  father,  in  the  latter 's 
extended  business  enterprise.  Since  the  death  of  his  father  his  entire 
attention  has  been  taken  up  in  managing  the  affairs  of  the  estate,  and 
in  handling  real  estate  and  a  general  brokerage  business. 

William  E.  Haney  has  inherited  the  best  of  his  father's  sterling 
qualities  of  character  and  business  ability.  He  has  an  unassuming 
nature  which  throughout  the  many  years  of  his  active  business  career 
has  kept  him  in  the  quieter  channels  of  life,  and  he  has  never  aspired  to 
a  place  of  mark  in  public  affairs. 

On  April  5,  1859,  Mr.  Haney  married  Miss  Christina  Conrad,  daugh- 
ter of  William  Conrad,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Cass  county.  Mrs. 
Haney  died  in  the  spring  of  1871.  She  was  the  mother  of  eight  chil- 
dren, six  of  whom  died  in  infancy  and  early  childhood,  while  the  sur- 
vivors are  Carrie  E.  and  Jessie  M.,  the  latter  being  the  widow  of  INIiller 
Uhl.  Mr.  Haney  has  voted  the  Republican  ticket  throughout  nearly  all 
the  years  of  the  existence  of  that  great  party,  although  beyond  his  vote 
and  a  practical  interest  in  home  affairs  and  good  government  has  never 
participated  in  politics.  His  fraternal  association  is  Avith  the  Benevolent 
&  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

Harry  E.  Burkit.  Like  many  others  of  the  county  officials  of  Cass 
county,  Harry  E.  Burkit,  county  recorder,  was  bora  in  the  locality 
which  he  now  represents  and  has  passed  his  entire  career  within  its 
borders.  A  product  of  the  farm,  and  a  member  of  a  family  that  has  for 
generations  produced  tillers  of  the  soil,  he  has  also  held  up  the  family 
reputation  for  prominence  in  the  educational  field,  and  for  years  was 
known  as  one  of  Washington  township's  most  popular  and  efficient 
educators.  In  his  official  capacity  he  is  rendering  his  community  signal 
service,  and  his  work  has  served  to  extend  an  already  large  acquaintance 
and  to  gain  him  many  sincere  friends.  Mr.  Burkit  was  born  on  a  farm 
in  Washington  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  near  Walton,  October 
26,  1879,  and  is  a  son  of  William  H.  and  Sarah  B.  (Robinson)  Burkit. 
His  grandfather,  David  P.  Burkit,  founded  the  family  in  Cass  county, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  753 

whence  he  came  from  Pennsylvania.  He  is  of  Irish-Scotch  ancestry. 
William  H.  Bnrkit  was  horn  in  Cass  county,  and  here  divided  his  at- 
tention between  agricultural  pursuits  and  teaching  school,  having  passed 
nineteen  years  in  the  school  room  in  Cass  county.  His  wife,  also  a 
native  of  the  county,  taught  one  term  here,  and  four  of  their  six  chil- 
dren were  teaching  in  the  county  schools  at  the  same  time.  Mr.  Burkit 
passed  away  January  26,  1902,  and  was  buried  in  Mount  Hope  cemetery, 
Logansport,  while  his  widow  survives,  and  with  her  children  resides  on 
the  old  home  place. 

Harry  E.  Burkit  attended  the  district  schools  of  Cass  county,  and 
subsequently  spent  two  years  in  the  Marion  Normal  College,  and  four 
terms  in  the  graded  and  high  schools  at  "Walton.  Thus  ecjuipped,  in 
1900,  he  began  his  career  as  a  teacher  in  the  Long  school  in  Washington 
township,  and  during  the  three  succeeding  tenns  was  at  the  head  of  the 
district  school  which  he  had  attended  as  a  boy.  In  all,  he  taught  for 
seven  winter  terms,  in  the  meantime  spending  his  summers  in  the  work 
of  the  farm,  on  which  he  had  always  resided  until  coming  to  Logansport. 
Mr.  Burkit  entered  Democratic  politics  when  he  was  appointed  deputy 
county  recorder,  and  after  serving  four  years  in  that  office  was  elected, 
in  1911,  to  the  office  of  county  recorder,  entering  upon  the  duties  thereof 
January  1,  1912.  His  administration  has  been  marked  by  efficiency  and 
faithful  performance  of  duty,  and  the  citizens  of  Cass  county  have  had 
no  reason  to  regret  of  their  choice.  Mr.  Burkit  has  a  high  regard  for 
the  responsibilities  of  public  office,  and  is  doing  his  utmost  to  give  his 
community  clean,  able  service.  He  is  not  a  politician  in  the  generally 
accepted  use  of  the  term,  but  has  at  all  times  supported  Democratic 
policies  and  candidates,  and  is  known  as  one  of  the  wheel-horses  of  the 
party  in  his  section.  Mr.  Burkit  has  interested  himself  to  some  extent 
in  the  fraternal  work  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  in  which  he  has  attained 
to  the  uniformed  rank,  and  in  which  he  has  many  friends.  He  is  un- 
married. 

George  W.  Cann.  Probably  no  better  example  of  accomplishment 
in  spite  of  handicaps  and  misfortunes  could  be  found  than  the  career 
of  George  W.  Cann,  of  Logansport,  contractor  in  electric  supplies.  Left 
an  orphan  at  the  age  of  five  years,  his  boyhood  was  one  of  hard  and 
unceasing  struggles,  made  all  the  more  so  by  a  serious  injury,  the  loss 
of  the  left  arm  in  a  flouring  mill,  which  left  him  to  flght  against  still 
greater  odds.  That  he  has  risen  to  a  high  place  in  the  business  world, 
and  has  been  able  to  overcome  the  obstacles  placed  in  his  path,  speaks 
volumes  for  his  determination,  courage  and  ability,  and  his  business 
record  is  replete  with  earnest  endeavor  and  well-won  battles.  Mr.  Cann 
was  born  July  7,  1870,  at  Idaville,  White  county,  Indiana,  a  son  of 
George  W.  and  Mary  (Hastings)   Cann. 

George  W.  Cann  was  but  a  year  old  when  his  father  died.  He  was 
about  five  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  mother's  death,  and  for  one 
year  lived  with  an  uncle,  a  miller  at  Hoovers,  in  Cass  county,  in  whose 
mill  Mr.  Cann  met  with  an  accident  that  cost  his  left  arm.  Shortly 
thereafter  he  was  placed  in  the  Orphans  Home,  where  he  resided  until 
thirteen  years  of  age,  succeeding  which  he  spent  three  years  in  the  home 
of  Dr.  W.  H.  Thompson,  for  whom  he  acted  as  office  boy.    In  the  mean- 


754  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

time  he  had  acquired  a  good  common  school  education  and  managed 
to  secure  a  teacher's  certificate.  While  teaching  country  school  in  the 
winter  months,  he  attended  two  summer  terms  at  Ladoga  Normal  School, 
and  continued  teaching  four  years.  At  that  time  he  came  to  Logansport 
and  took  a  clerical  position  in  the  general  offices  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad,  where  he  was  so  employed  for  eight  years.  After  failing  to 
secure  the  nomination  for  the  office  of  city  clerk,  he  secured  a  position 
as  clerk  of  the  city  electric  light  department,  and  after  two  years  in 
this  connection,  resigned  his  position  and  established  himself  in  business 
at  No.  324  Broadway,  where  he  was  engaged  in  contracting  and  handling 
electrical  supplies  until  April,  1911.  At  that  time  he  came  to  his  present 
establishment,  a  modern,  well-equipped  building  at  Nos.  312-14  Broad- 
way. 

In  1906,  Mr.  Cann  received  his  nomination  on  the  Democratic  ticket 
for  clerk  of  the  courts  of  Cass  county,  and  as  such  served  four  years. 
He  is  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  in  religion,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles, 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  several  fraternal  insurance  bodies. 

On  September  20,  1903,  Mr.  Cann  was  married  to  Miss  Euphemia 
Farnsley,  of  Medaryville,  Indiana,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been 
born  three  children,  namely :  Marguerite  Ellen,  ]\Iildred  C.  and  Mary 
Josephine.  The  family  is  well  known  in  Logansport,  where  its  members 
have  numerous  appreciative  friends. 

William  H.  Reighter.  A  life  of  quiet  effectiveness,  marked  by  a 
record  of  many  duties  well  done  and  many  responsibilities  faithfully 
fulfilled,  was  that  of  the  late  William  Harrison  Reighter,  of  Cass  county. 
He  was  one  of  the  men  who  developed  and  made  Cass  county  what  it  is. 
He  was  never  in  the  conspicuous  activities  of  abnormal  events  of  the 
world,  but  in  the  round  of  commonplace  accomplishments  and  in  the 
faithful  and  intelligent  performance  of  every  task  that  was  allotted  to 
him  during  his  long  life,  he  left  a  record  which  may  well  be  envied  and 
admired  by  the  generations  that  follow  him. 

William  Harrison  Reighter  was  born  at  Carlisle,  Cumberland  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  his  death  occurred  at  his  farm  in  Carroll  county, 
April  8,  1893.  His  parents  were  George  and  Salome  (McFeely) 
Reighter.  His  father  was  a  farmer  and  spent  part  of  his  life 
at  Carlisle.  He  owns  large  tracts  of  land  in  Cumberland  county.  There 
were  two  other  sons  in  the  family,  named  John  ]McF.,  and  George  Wash- 
ington Reighter. 

The  late  Mr.  Reighter  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Cass  county. 
He  attained  a  very  meagre  education  by  private  schooling  and  by  a 
term  or  two  in  the  common  schools,  and  on  ^May  14,  1839,  he  arrived 
in  Cass  county.  His 'first  work  in  this  county  was  the  building  of  a  mill 
in  Jefferson  township,  and  he  subsequently  bought  eighty  acres  of  land 
in  Noble  township.  Throughout  his  career  he  Avas  one  of  the  substantial 
developers  of  the  agricultural  resources  of  this  county,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death  was  owner  of  an  estate  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land  in  Cass  and  Carroll  counties.  The  late  Mr.  Reighter  was  in 
politics  a  Democrat.     He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Presbyterian 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  755 

church,  though  during  his  active  lifetime  was  not  a  member  of  any 
church  organization.  Neither  did  he  have  membership  in  any  societies, 
but  as  a  citizen  was  always  public  spirited,  had  a  broad-minded  view  of 
government  both  national  and  local  and  was  always  ready  to  lend  his 
aid  in  the  promotion  of  any  enterprise  which  would  more  effectively 
express  the  ideals  of  good  government  and  a  better  community.  He 
was  a  great  student  both  of  men  and  books.  History  was  an  absorbing 
study  with  him,  and  few  among  his  contemporaries  were  better  informed 
on  the  larger  questions  and  topics  of  the  past  as  well  as  the  present. 
Personally  he  was  of  a  jovial  disposition  and  he  was  a  delightful 
companion.  He  bestowed  all  the  riches  of  a  noble  character  upon  his 
own  family  circle,  and  they  appreciated  his  many  kindnesses  and  noble 
qualities. 

Mr.  Reighter  first  married  Miss  Agnes  Houk,  and  the  three  children 
of  that  union  are  all  now  deceased.  On  December  7,  1854,  he  married 
Miss  Cassie  Graham,  who  was  born  near  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  and 
subsequently  moved  to  Ohio.  Her  father  was  Israel  Graham,  who  was 
a  native  of  Delaware,  and  who  came  to  Cass  county  at  an  early  day. 
There  are  two  children  by  the  second  marriage  of  I\Ir.  Reighter,  namely : 
Maggie,  who  is  the  wife  of  Samuel  A.  Michael ;  and  Harry  T.,  a  farmer 
on  the  old  Reighter  homestead  in  Cass  county.  Three  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  A.  Michael,  namely :  W.  H.  Lulah 
M.,  who  is  now  Mrs.  H.  D.  Smith ;  and  Ethj^  W.,  who  is  now  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam R.  Reel.  The  house  in  which  ]\Irs.  Michael  and  family  now  reside 
was  built  by  her  father  about  1855,  and  it  has  been  remodeled  several 
times,  though  in  its  associations  it  possesses  the  charms  and  memories 
of  one  of  the  oldest  homesteads  in  this  county.  Mrs.  IMichael  and  her 
brother  Harry  have  erected  a  beautiful  monument  to  their  father,  but 
even  in  more  enduring  manner  does  his  name  and  character  exist  in  the 
minds  and  affections  of  all  people  who  came  within  the  radius  of  his 
acquaintance  and  friendship  during  his  life. 

John  M.  Etnire  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  on  February  24, 
1865,  and  is  one  of  seven  children  born  to  Isaac  and  Cynthia  (Baldwin) 
Etnire,  of  which  number  six  are  now  living.  Isaac  Etnire  was  a  son 
of  Martin,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  who  came  to  Cass  county  in  pioneer 
times,  as  did  also  two  brothers,  John  and  Abraham. 

Martin  Etnire  settled  in  the  heart  of  the  woods  in  the  cabin  home 
which  he  built  with  his  own  hands,  and  there  gave  himself  up  to  the 
rearing  of  his  family  and  the  cultivation  of  his  wilderness  farm.  In 
later  life,  when  he  was  ready  to  retire  from  the  activities  of  the  farm, 
he  moved  to  Deer  Creek  township,  and  there  he  passed  the  closing  years 
of  his  life.  His  son,  Isaac,  the  father  of  the  subject,  was  reared  to  hard 
work  on  the  farm  and  v.as  early  inured  to  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life. 
He  only  secured  the  most  meagre  educational  advantages,  the  schools 
of  the  day  affording  but  slight  reward  for  attendance  thereupon,  and 
he  lived  all  his  days  in  Cass  county.  He  served  in  the  Civil  war,  or, 
more  correctly  speaking,  he  enlisted,  but  after  a  stay  of  some  time  in 
Indianapolis,  he  and  others  who  accompanied  him,  were  returned  to 
their  homes,  owing  to  some  technicality  which  existed.  He  was  a  Repub- 
lican, and  his  religious  leanings  were  toward  the  Baptist  denomination. 


756  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

His  wife  is  a  devout  member  of  that  church.  On  INIay  5,  1912,  this 
worthy  couple  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  anniversary,  and  they 
are  now  living  retired  in  Logansport. 

Cass  county  has  been  the  home  of  John  M.  Etnire  since  his  birth. 
He  attended  the  district  schools  in  his  boyhood,  and  when  he  was 
twenty-one  years  old  began  farming  on  his  own  responsibility,  that 
being  the  work  in  which  he  was  reared  in  his  father's  home.  He  con- 
tinued for  two  years,  but  in  October,  1887,  gave  up  the  life  and  came 
to  Logansport,  where  he  launched  a  retail  furniture  enterprise.  Success 
attended  his  etforts  from  the  beginning,  which  was  of  a  most  humble 
order,  and  thus  for  twenty-five  years  he  has  continued  in  that  field  of 
activity.  He  is  the  oldest  fui-niture  dealer,  in  point  of  continued  service 
in  the  business,  to  be  found  in  Logansport,  and  enjoys  an  excellent 
reputation  for  business  veracity  and  integrity. 

Mr.  Etnire  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  faith,  though  not  an  active 
politician,  and  he  is  fraternally  affiliated  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 
With  his  wife,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

On  Jiily  25,  1886,  Mr.  Etnire  was  united  in  marriage  with  Lottie 
Hogentogler,  and  two  children  have  been  born  to  them :  Ethel  M.,  now 
the  wife  of  Arthur  W.  Routh,  and  Cecil  L.  Etnire. 

Joseph  Taylor.  Among  the  men  whose  upright  lives,  sterling  char- 
acters and  high  business  abilities  have  added  to  Logansport 's  commercial 
and  social  prestige,  the  late  Joseph  Taylor  is  worthy  of  more  than 
passing  mention.  Coming  to  this  city  in  1870,  he  here  founded  the 
firm  of  Joseph  Taylor  &  Sons,  which  still  endures  and  is  one  of  the 
city's  leading  enterprises.  ]\Jr.  Taylor  was  born  in  Burlington  county, 
New  Jersey,  March  18,  1822,  and  was  a  son  of  John  and  Hester  Taylor. 
When  he  was  yet  a  boy  his  parents  removed  to  a  farm  near  Dayton, 
Ohio,  and  he  there  grew  to  manhood,  attending  the  district  schools, 
assisting  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm,  and  later  attending  the  public 
schools  of  Dayton.  Prior  to  attaining  his  majority,  he  began  clerking 
in  a  dry  goods  store  at  Dayton,  but  about  1845  moved  to  Greenville, 
Ohio,  and  embarked  in  business  upon  his  own  responsibility.  He  lived 
at  Greenville  many  years  and  became  closely  identified  with  the  welfare 
and  progress  of  the  community.  On  March  25,  1850,  Mr.  Taylor  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Josephine  C.  Dawes,  a  daughter  of  Elisha 
Dawes,  a  tanner,  and  a  man  well  known  throughout  that  section  of  the 
country,  and  with  him  there,  for  a  time,  Mr.  Taylor  was  associated  in 
business.  During  the  fall  of  1859,  he  moved  to  a  farm  near  ]Monticello, 
White  county,  Indiana,  but  in  1870  came  to  Logansport,  which  was  his 
home  throughout  the  balance  of  his  life. 

On  locating  in  this  city,  Mr.  Taylor  founded  the  Joseph  Taylor  & 
Sons  wholesale  saddlery  business,  which  yet  endures,  his  sons,  who  con- 
tinue the  business,  keeping  the  original  name  because  of  both  senti- 
mental and  business  reasons.  INIr.  Taylor  was  a  plain,  unassuming,  hard- 
M'orking  biisiness  man,  whose  word  was  at  all  times  as  good  as  his  bond 
and  whose  bond  was  always  good  for  wiiatever  he  contracted.  Upon 
first  coming  to  Logansport,  he  established  a  tannery  in  partnership 
with  his  father-in-law,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  on  Fifth  street. 
Later  on,  this  partnership  was  dissolved,  Mr.  Dawes  assuming  owner- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  757 

ship  of  the  tannery  and  Mr.  Taylor  the  store  which  they  operated  in 
connection  with  the  other  business.  Saddlery  and  hardware  was  a  later 
addition  to  the  regular  line. 

Mr.  Taylor  was  essentially  a  business  man,  and  took  little  interest 
in  the  struggles  of  the  political  arena  outside  as  to  how  they  affected 
his  adopted  community.  He  was  at  all  times  ready  to  lend  his  hearty 
support  and  co-operation  to  movements  which  his  judgment  assured  him 
would  benefit  Logansport  or  its  people,  and  no  enterprise  of  this  nature 
was  considered  completely  organized  until  his  name  was  secured.  For 
almost  his  entire  life,  Mr.  Taylor  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  his  membership  meant  something  more  than  a  mere  name, 
for  he  endeavored  at  all  times  to  live  and  act  the  life  of  a  Christian 
gentleman.  In  his  death,  which  occurred  February  8,  1887,  Logansport 
lost  one  of  its  citizens  to  whom  the  city  could  point  with  pride  as  repre- 
sentative of  its  best  activities,  and  he  was  sincerely  mourned,  not  only 
by  his  immediate  family  and  a  wide  circle  of  friends,  but  by  all  who  had 
his  acquaintance  and  knew  how  hard  his  place  would  be  to  fill  in  the 
life  of  the  city.  His  widow  survived  him  until  ]\Iay  2,  1892.  They  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children,  and  four  of  their  sons,  Zachary,  Dawes, 
Clark  and  Joseph,  are  now  conducting  the  business  founded  by  their 
father. 

John  M.  Johnston.  Under  our  present  system  of  government  no 
office  carries  with  it  greater  responsibility  than  that  of  postmaster.  The 
handling  of  the  mails  of  a  large  city  entails  the  possession  of  abilities 
of  a  high  order,  a  reputation  that  bears  not  the  slightest  stain  or 
blemish,  and  the  confidence  that  is  only  secured  by  the  conscientious 
performance  of  every  public  duty.  John  M.  Johnston  has  been  post- 
master of  Logansport  since  1906,  and  during  this  period  has  displayed 
strength,  force,  character  and  resolution,  qualities  necessary  to  the  best 
public  service.  He  has  worked  with  his  hands  and  trodden  the  familiar 
but  difficult  self-made  way  to  success,  and  throughout  his  career  has 
identified  himself  vitally  with  the  city's  interests.  Mr.  Johnston  was 
born  June  3,  1860,  in  Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  is  the  second 
son  of  Robert  F.  and  Sarah  A.  (Donaldson)  Johnston. 

Robert  F.  Johnston  was  born  in  Stark  county,  Ohio,  August  31,  1834, 
and  was  a  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (McDowell)  Johnston,  also  natives 
of  Stark  county.  The  family  moved  to  Wells  county,  Indiana,  when 
that  section  was  still  in  its  formative  state,  and  there  Robert  F.  Johns- 
ton grew  to  manhood  and  acquired  a  good  practical  education,  which 
was  subsequently  supplemented  by  years  of  close  observation  and  wide 
and  varied  reading.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  but  after  coming  to 
Logansport,  in  1863,  spent  a  number  of  years  in  the  butter  and  egg 
business,  and  then  became  a  traveling  salesman  for  wholesale  boot  and 
shoe  houses  of  Toledo  and  Chicago,  with  which  he  was  connected  for 
twenty-two  years.  In  this  he  was  more  successful  than  the  average 
traveling  man,  his  geniality,  unfailing  courtesy  and  good  business  qual- 
ifications being  the  principal  contributing  causes.  On  January  1,  1857, 
he  married  Sarah  A.  Donaldson,  a  native  of  Mercer  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  to  this  vinion  there  were  born  four  children,  namely :  Isaac 
S.,  John  M.,  Eben  E.  and  Robert  M.    Mr.  Johnston  was  a  member  of  the 


758  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Presbyterian  church,  was  widely  known  in  Masonry,  and  was  one  of  the 
most  stalwart  of  Republicans.  He  was  elected  trustee  of  Eel  township 
in  ]895,  and  served  as  such  until  his  death,  which  occurred  September 
26,  1898. 

John  M.  Johnston  was  but  three  years  of  age  when  brought  to 
Logansport  by  his  parents,  and  this  city  he  has  always  since  made  his 
home.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  and  for  nine  years  fol- 
lowing clerked  in  the  drug  store  of  Rodney  Strain.  At  that  time,  in 
partnership  with  Dr.  M.  A.  Jordan,  he  entered  business  on  his  own 
account,  purchasing  the  business  of  Mr.  Strain,  which  the  partners 
conducted  successfully  for  eight  years  and,  in  1897,  Mr.  Johnston  be- 
came district  agent  for  the  Mutual  Lfife  Insurance  Company,  a  position 
he  was  holding  at  the  time  of  his  appointment,  June  20,  1906,  to  the 
office  of  postmaster,  by  President  Roosevelt.  On  June  10,  1910,  he  re- 
ceived his  reappointment  from  President  Taft,  and  still  continues  to 
act  efficiently  in  this  office.  His  administration  of  the  affairs  of  this 
office  has  been  marked  by  a  distinct  advance  in  the  service.  Needed  re- 
forms have  been  made,  and  innovations  introduced,  and  the  people  of 
Logansport  may  congratulate  themselves  upon  his  appointment.  He 
has  always  been  a  stalwart  supporter  of  Republican  principles  and  for 
four  years  served  as  a  member  of  the  Republican  county  central  com- 
mittee. 

j\Ir.  Johnston  was  married  September  8,  1897,  to  Miss  Emma  Rosen- 
thal, and  they  have  had  four  daughters,  namely :  Esther ;  Gertrude ; 
Margaret,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years ;  and  Frances.  Mr.  Johns- 
ton is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  being  past  worthy  master 
of  Tipton  Lodge  No.  33.  He  also  holds  membership  in  the  Logansport 
Commercial  Club,  and  with  other  earnest  and  hard-working  men  has 
given  of  his  best  energies  in  promoting  progressive  anl  public-spirited 
movements. 

Samuel  E.  Hov^e.  In  the  death  of  Samuel  Edward  Howe,  which 
occurred  November  10,  1911,  Logansport  lost  ^  business  citizen  whose 
activities  had  for  many  years  had  a  direct  influence  upon  its  industrial 
importance.  A  poor  young  man  when  he  came  to  this  city,  his  prin- 
cipal capital  a  generous  amount  of  ambition  and  energy,  he  so  directed 
his  abilities  that  he  became  one  of  the  citj^'s  leading  manufacturers  and 
his  industry  became  an  integral  part  of  the  business  life  of  Logans- 
port. Mr.  Howe  was  born  October  8,  1842,  in  Dixmont,  in  the  state  of 
Maine,  and  was  a  son  of  Otis  Crosby  Howe,  who  was  of  English  descent. 

After  completing  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  state, 
Samuel  E.  Howe  secured  a  position  as  traveling  salesman  for  an  eastern 
concern,  and  in  this  capacity  made  his  advent  in  Logansport.  A  man 
of  keen  perception  and  farsightedness,  he  recognized  the  opportunity 
for  establishing  himself  in  business  in  this  city,  and  accordingly  started 
in  a  modest  way  to  manufacture  plow-handles.  In  the  meantime,  how- 
ever, he  continued  to  discharge  his  duties  as  traveling  salesman,  and 
did  so  until  his  own  business  had  grown  to  such  proportions  that  it 
needed  all  of  his  time  and  attention.  As  this  business  continued  to  ex- 
tend over  a  wider  and  wider  territory,  Mr.  Howe  embarked  in  other 
fields  of  endeavor,  eventually  becoming  interested  in  the  lumber  busi- 


CV,!^^ 


o~-t^-ir^_^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY    ■  759 

ness,  as  a  holder  of  timber  lands  in  the  South,  having  been  induced  to 
enter  this  line  on  account  of  the  growing  scarcity  of  lumber.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  his  holdings  were  vast  in  a  number  of  southern  states, 
and  since  his  demise  his  sons  have  handled  these  interests.  During 
the  war  he  served  on  the  side  of  the  Union,  a  member  of  the  navy  and 
a  steward  therein. 

On  November  3,  1870,  Mr.  Howe  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Catherine  Herrick,  at  Delta,  Ohio,  she  being  a  daughter  of  James  S. 
and  Martha  (Sharpstein)  Herrick.  Seven  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  as  follows :  Wilson  H.,  who  married  Eva  Maurson ;  May  E.,  who 
married  Dr.  Terflinger;  Abbie  C,  who  married  Dr.  C.  W.  Russell;  Otis 
C.  and  Laura  A.,  who  are  unmarried ;  John  C,  who  married  Jessie  Grant ; 
and  Samuel  E.,  who  married  Minnie  Martin.  Mrs.  Howe,  who  was  the 
youngest  of  a  very  large  family,  lost  her  parents  when  she  was  still  a 
child.  She  survives  her  husband  and  resides  in  her  modern  residence  in 
Logansport,  where  she  is  surrounded  by  a  wide  circle  of  sincere  friends. 
She  is  a  faithful  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  her  late  hus- 
band, while  not  a  member,  supported  all  religious  movements  gener- 
ously and  never  refused  any  just  request  for  financial  assistance,  for, 
having  succeeded  himself,  he  was  at  all  times  ready  to  help  those  who 
had  been  less  fortunate  than  he.  The  factory  that  he  first  erected  in 
company  with  his  partner,  J.  H.  Tucker,  and  which  was  the  scene  of  his 
early  success,  is  still  standing.  As  a  business  man  Mr.  Howe  was  very 
thorough  in  his  undertakings,  was  frank  and  open,  and  kind  to  his  em- 
ployes. He  was  a  man  of  strict  integrity,  and  was  broad-minded  and 
liberal  in  his  views.  He  contributed  in  a  philanthropic  way  to  all 
churches.  His  long  and  honorable  career  stands  without  stain  or 
blemish  to  mar  it,  and  in  his  death  Logansport  lost  one  whose  place  will 
be  hard  to  fill. 

Frank  Amoss  is  the  youngest  and  the  only  surviving  member  of  the 
family  of  his  parents,  and  he  was  bona  in  Noble  township,  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  on  May  22,  1877.  He  is  the  son  of  Jasper  W.  and  Sarah 
Stokes  (Cox)  Amoss,  both  now  deceased.  The  father  was  born  in  Point 
Pleasant,  "West  Virginia,  in  1840,  and  received  as  a  boy  in  his  native 
state  the  advantages  of  the  common  school.  He  married  in  1865,  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  three  children :  Matilda,  born  in  1866,  and 
died  in  1869 ;  John,  born  in  1868,  died  in  1893 ;  and  Frank,  the  subject 
of  this  brief  review. 

While  he  was  yet  an  infant,  Frank  Amoss  moved  to  Logansport  with 
his  parents,  and  there  he  lived  until  he  was  about  eight  years  of  age; 
his  mother  died  then,  and  he  went  back  to  the  country  to  make  his  home 
with  Joseph  H.  Cox,  his  maternal  uncle.  He  continued  to  make  his  home 
Avith  his  uncle  until  he  had  completed  his  high  school  studies  at  Logans- 
port. Soon  after  this  he  made  a  trip  to  Porto  Rico,  and  was  absent  in 
that  land  for  about  a  year,  investigating  the  opportunities  which  the 
country  offered  in  various  business  lines.  He  then  returned  to  Logans- 
port, where  he  became  deputy  county  treasurer  under  Owen  A.  Mc- 
Greevey,  in  which  post  he  continued  until  1907,  when  he  received  the 
appointment  of  assistant  postmaster,  and  is  still  the  incumbent  of  that 


760  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

position.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  undertaking  firm  of  Chas.  D. 
Chase  &  Co. 

]\Ir.  Amoss  is  a  Republican.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity, and  affiliates  with  its  various  bodies  as  follows:  The  Blue  Lodge, 
Tipton  No.  33;  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Logan;  the  Chapter,  No.  2,  R.  A.  M. ; 
Logansport  Council  No.  11,  R.  &  S.  M. ;  and  he  is  the  present  secretary 
of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  Lodge  No.  66. 

Mr.  xVmoss  v>'as  married  on  January  8,  1908,  to  Margaret  Estelle 
Martin,  of  Logansport,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  of  Logansport. 

MuRDOCK  &  Wise.  The  well-known  firm  of  Murdoek  &  AVise  opened 
their  men's  furnishing  store  at  No.  404  Broadway  on  October  20,  1902, 
with  William  0.  Murdoek  and  Claude  0.  Wise  comprising  the  firm. 
This  firm  has  continued  uninterruptedly  to  the  present  time  in  the  same 
spot  in  which  it  was  established  ten  years  ago.  The  partners,  young 
men  of  old  and  honored  families  of  Logansport,  began  their  business 
venture  with  practically  no  capital,  but  with  a  generous  fund  of  in- 
herited and  acquired  common  sense  and  business  wisdom.  They  have 
in  the  ensuing  years  met  each  and  every  obligation  as  it  became  due 
and  have  kept  their  names  commercially  clean,  their  integrity  being 
unmarred  by  any  business  shortcomings.  The  business  has  been  a  suc- 
cess from  the  start,  and  much  credit  is  due  these  young  men  for  the 
progress  which  has  been  theirs. 

James  H.  Wise  was  born  in  Canton,  Stark  county,  Ohio,  on  March 
18,  1846,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Isabel  (Gregory)  Wise,  the  former 
a  native  of  Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  latter  of  Stark 
county,  Ohio.  The  father  was  a  farmer  and  served  in  the  war  with 
Mexico.  In  1846,  the  family  moved  to  Allen  county,  Indiana,  and  ten 
years  later  moved  to  I\Ionmouth,  Illinois,  where  both  parents  died. 
Their  son,  James  H.  Wise,  was  reared  in  IMonmouth,  Illinois,  and  there 
received  a  common  school  education.  He  started  out  for  himself  in  the 
buying  and  butchering  of  stock,  and  for  two  years  he  was  occupied  in 
this  manner  on  the  plains  of  the  central  west,  including  the  states  of 
Kansas,  Nebraska,  Oklahoma,  Colorado,  Idaho,  Montana,  part  of  the 
time  being  engaged  as  a  cattle  herder,  making  two  trips  as  night  herder 
of  freight  trains  across  the  plains.  In  1868,  he  returned  to  ]\Ionmouth, 
Illinois,  and  resumed  butchering.  In  the  following  year  he  came  to 
Logansport,  temporarily,  and  on  January  21st  married  Margaret  Rugh, 
after  which  he  returned  to  Monmouth  and  there  continued  his  residence 
until  1872,  when  he  moved  permanently  to  Logansport,  which  has  since 
been  his  home.  For  forty  years  he  has  carried  on,  with  but  slight  devia- 
tions, the  trade  of  a  carpenter.  He  is  a  Republican  and  an  adherent 
of  Theodore  Roosevelt.  He  is  a  member  of  Orient  Lodge  No.  272,  A.  F. 
&  A.  M.,  and  Logan  Lodge  No.  40  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  in  the  latter  having  membership  in  the  Canton,  Encampment 
and  Rebekah  degrees.  He  is  a  past  brigadier  general  of  the  Patriarchs 
Militant.  Three  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wise:  Claude  0., 
of  the  firm  of  Murdoek  &  Wise ;  Maude,  the  wife  of  Norman  E.  Myers, 
and  Ira  A.  Wise. 

Claude  0.  Wise  was  born  in  IMonmouth,  Illinois,  on  June  6,  1872, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  761 

the  son  of  James  and  ^Margaret  (Rugh)  Wise,  of  whom  detailed  mention 
is  made  above.  He  came  to  Logansport  in  his  infancy  in  company  with 
his  parents,  and  there  was  reared  and  educated,  the  public  schools  of 
Logansport  supplying  his  education.  In  1888,  the  young  man  began 
clerking  in  the  store  of  Dewenter  &  Company,  dealers  in  haberdashery, 
and  for  fifteen  years  he  continued  to  be  in  their  employ,  during  which 
time  he  became  well  versed  in  methods  pertaining  to  the  successful 
manipulation  of  such  an  establishment.  When  he  severed  his  connection 
with  this  firm  it  was  to  form  a  partnership  with  William  O.  Murdock 
for  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  a  similar  business  venture,  and  the  store 
which  they  then  established  has  continued  up  to  the  present  time,  and 
he  en.joyed  a  pleasing  degree  of  success  and  popularity  in  the  city  where 
both  these  young  men  have  been  known  well  and  favorably  all  their 
lives.  Thus  ^Ir.  Wise  has  for  twenty-five  years  been  identified  with  the 
retail  men's  furnishing  liusiness  in  Logansport,  and  no  business  man 
in  the  city  today  is  better  known  or  has  a  better  standing  than  he. 

The  fraternal  relations  of  J\Ir.  Wise  are  maintained  in  the  Blue 
lodge,  chapter  and  council  of  the  Masonic  order,  the  Benevolent  and 
Protective  Order  of  Elks,  and  socially  he  is  a  member  of  the  Country 
Club,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  organizers.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Logansport  Commercial  Club,  and  is  a  Republican  in  politics. 

On  October  14,  1895,  ]\Ir.  Wise  was  united  in  marriage  with  ]\Iiss 
Charlotte  Shroyer,  the  daughter  of  Alexander  Shroyer,  one  of  the  old 
pioneer  merchants  of  Logansport.  They  have  one  son,  J.  Eugene  Wise. 
Mrs.  Wise  is  a  member  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Logansport. 

George  AV.  Richardson.  A  residence  of  something  like  forty-five 
years,  during  which  time  he  has  been  identified  with  industries  which 
have  materially  contributed  to  the  importance  of  his  community  as  an 
industrial  and  commercial  center,  entitle  George  W.  Richardson,  of 
Logansport,  to  a  position  among  the  representative  men  of  Cass  county. 
Although  at  the  present  time  he  has  retired  from  the  activities  of  life, 
and  is  now  living  quietly  in  his  comfortable  city  home,  he  still  takes  a 
keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  all  that  affects  his  locality  in  any  way, 
and  is  known  as  a  citizen  who  may  be  depended  upon  when  supporters 
are  sought  in  movements  of  a  progressive  nature.  I\Ir.  Richardson  is  a 
native  of  the  Old  Dominion  state,  born  in  Bedford  county,  Virginia, 
December  25,  1847,  a  son  of  Washington  and  Jane  (Payne)  Richardson. 

Mr.  Richardson  was  reared  in  his  native  county,  and  there  attended 
the  district  schools,  although  he  secured  only  a  limited  education,  as  it 
was  necessary  that  he  devote  the  greater  part  of  his  time  in  his  boyhood 
and  youth  to  helping  his  father  support  the  growing  family.  When  he 
was  twenty  years  of  age,  in  the  spring  of  1868,  he  came  to  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  and  with  the  exception  of  one  and  one-half  years  passed  in 
Daviess  countj^  this  state,  Cass  county  has  since  been  his  home.  On  first 
coming  to  this  locality,  Mr.  Richardson  was  successful  in  securing  work 
as  a  farm  laborer,  an  occupation  at  which  he  was  engaged  for  some  time, 
and  during  this  period  he  carefully  saved  his  wages,  being  industrioua 
and  thrifty  and  having  ever  in  mind  the  idea  of  one  day  owning  a  home 
of  his  own.  Eventually,  in  August,  1909,  Mr.  Richardson  felt  that  he 
had  earned  a  rest  from  his  ceaseless  labor,  and  with  his  wife  moved  to 


762  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Logansport,  where  they  have  since  continued  to  reside  in  their  com- 
fortable, modern  home.  In  political  matters  a  Republican,  he  has  taken 
an  interest  in  the  success  of  his  party,  was  at  one  time  known  as  one  of 
the  dependable  men  of  its  ranks  in  Miami  township,  and  there  served 
as  supervisor  for  some  time. 

On  November  10,  1870,  Mr.  Richardson  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Eunice  Montgomery,  of  near  New  Waverly,  Indiana,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  six  children,  as  follows:  Nellie  J.,  who  became 
the  wife  of  William  jMearns,  of  Cass  county ;  William  Alvah,  a  resident 
of  Portland,  Indiana;  Charles  E.,  who  makes  his  home  in  Logansport; 
Gertrude,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years;  Grace,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Elijah  Booth ;  and  Clyde,  who  is  a  resident  of  Keokuk,  Iowa. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richardson  are  consistent  and  liberal  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Mr.  Richardson  has  taken  some  interest 
in  fraternal  work,  and  has  many  friends  in  the  local  lodge  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity. 

Charles  E.  Richardson.  Presenting  as  it  does  an  excellent  example 
of  youthful  industry,  integrity  and  perseverance  conducting  to  well- 
earned  success,  the  career  of  Charles  E.  Richardson,  a  successful  Logans- 
port business  man,  is  worthy  of  emulation  by  those  who  are  seeking 
business  prestige  and  financial  independence.  When  Mr.  Richardson 
established  himself  in  business  in  Logansport,  he  had  little  capital  other 
than  that  which  had  been  supplied  him  by  nature,  but  this  enabled  him 
to  found  the  little  business  which  became  the  nucleus  for  his  present 
prosperous  enterprise.  He  has  been  the  architect  of  his  own  fortunes 
and  a  review  of  the  steps  by  which  he  has  attained  his  present  position 
may  not  be  inappropriate  in  a  work  which  shows  so  many  examples  of 
self-made  manhood.  JMr.  Richardson  was  born  in  Miami  township,  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  January  2,  1875,  and  is  a  son  of  George  W.  and  Eunice 
(Montgomery)  Richardson.  A  sketch  of  George  W.  Richardson  precedes 
this. 

Charles  E.  Richardson  attended  the  district  schools  and  remained 
at  home  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  entered 
the  ]\Iarion  Normal  school,  where  he  spent  one  year.  He  then  began 
teaching  school  in  ]\Iiami  and  Clay  townships  in  the  winter  months,  and 
during  this  time  furthered  his  own  studies  in  the  Indiana  State  Normal 
school  at  Terre  Haute.  Mr.  Richardson  was  so  engaged  at  the  time  of 
the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish-American  war,  and  April  26,  1898,  he  en- 
listed in  Company  M,  One  Hundred  and  Sixtieth  Regiment,  Indiana 
Volunteer  Infantry,  with  which  he  went  into  camp.  There  he  con- 
tracted typhoid  fever,  and  eventually  received  his  honorable  discharge, 
on  account  of  disability,  then  returning  to  his  home.  He  left  the  service 
as  sergeant,  February  24,  1899.  For  about  two  years  thereafter,  Mr. 
Richardson  was  employed  in  the  capacity  of  fireman  on  the  Pan  Handle 
Railroad,  succeeding  which  he  was  engaged  in  various  occupations  until 
July  1,  1908,  when  he  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  Logansport  Dye 
Works,  at  No.  218  Sixth  street.  Four  months  later  he  bought  the  rest 
of  the  business,  and  in  1909  he  became  the  owner  by  purchase  of  the 
building  in  which  the  enterprise  is  located.  Since  1908  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  dyeing  and  cleaning  after  the  French  method,  and  of  more 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  763 

recent  date  he  has  added  the  manufacture  of  soft,  stiff  and  Panama  hats 
to  his  original  business.  His  operations  have  proven  uniformly  prosper- 
ous, and  he  is  justly  rated  to  be  one  of  the  successful  business  men  of 
his  adopted  city. 

On  December  17,  1902,  Mr.  Eichardson  was  married  to  Miss  Blanche 
E.  Campbell,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  B.  F.  Campbell,  appropriate  mention 
of  whom  will  be  found  on  another  page  of  this  work.  One  son,  Robert 
C,  was  born  to  this  union,  December  25,  1904.  Mr.  Richardson  is  a 
Republican  in  his  political  views,  and  his  fraternal  affiliation  is  with  the 
Masons,  among  the  members  of  which  he  numbers  many  friends.  With 
Mrs.  Richardson,  he  belongs  to  the  Baptist  church,  in  the  work  of  which 
both  are  active,  while  he  serves  in  the  official  capacity  of  member  of  the 
board  of  trustees. 

George  "W.  Hoffmann.  Probably  there  is  no  more  exacting  voca- 
tion than  that  of  the  modern  pharmacist,  for,  next  to  the  physician 
(with  whom  he  must  co-operate),  the  druggist  is  the  one  upon  whom 
we  rely  in  sickness  and  accident.  A  man  of  thorough  training  and  ab- 
solute reliability,  he  must  be  also  a  master  of  several  occupations  beside 
his  own,  and,  to  make  a  success  of  his  enterprise,  must  be  capable  in 
business,  courteous  in  manner,  and  ready  to  serve  the  long  hours  that 
the  vocation  demands.  The  dean  of  the  drug  trade  in  Logansport, 
George  W.  Hoffmann  received  not  only  a  thorough  training  in  his  youth, 
but  has  had  the  additional  advantages  of  attendance  in  the  school  of 
practical  experience.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  Logansport  for  almost 
forty  years,  and  is  widely  known,  not  only  in  his  chosen  field  of  en- 
deavor, but  as  a  man  who  has  rendered  signal  services  to  his  city  in 
positions  of  public  trust.  Mr.  Hoffmann  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
July  31,  1852,  one  of  the  three  sons  born  to  the  marriage  of  George  Louis 
and  Katherine  (Kalb)  Hoffmann,  both  natives  of  Germany,  the  former 
of  Bavaria  and  the  latter  of  Hesse  Darmstadt.  In  1848,  George  Louis 
Hoft'mann  left  the  Fatherland  to  escape  the  compulsory  military  service 
of  his  native  land,  and  some  time  during  the  following  year  arrived  in, 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he  secured  employment  at  his  trade  of  mill- 
wright.   Both  he  and  his  wife  are  now  deceased. 

George  W.  Hoft'mann  was  reared  in  his  native  city,  acquiring  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  night  school.  When  he  was  sixteen 
years  of  age  he  embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own,  his  first  employment 
being  at  grinding  paint.  Succeeding  this,  for  three  years  he  was  em- 
ployed in  a  drug  store,  where  he  received  his  introduction  to  the  busi- 
ness, and  in  February,  1873,  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  here  be- 
coming a  clerk  in  the  dnag  store  of  G.  W.  Brown.  He  was  thus  engaged 
but  a  short  time  when  he  left  IMr.  Brown's  services  to  become  a  clerk 
for  the  drug  firm  of  Leonard,  Dale  &  Company,  which  was  succeeded 
by  E.  H.  Borgers  &  Company,  a  concern  with  which  Mr.  Hoffmann 
continued  until  March,  1877.  At  that  time  he  purchased  a  one-third 
interest  in  the  fiirni  of  Leonard  &  Company,  which  then  took  the  firm 
style  of  Leonard  &  Hoffmann,  and  this  association  continued  until 
November,  1877,  when  Mr.  Hoffmann  became  sole  proprietor.  In  1887, 
when  he  sold  out,  he  became  a  traveling  salesman  for  a  druggists' 
sundries  company  of  Detroit,  but  six  months  later  entered  the  railway 


764  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

mail  service,  in  which  he  also  spent  six  months.  He  had  for  some  time 
been  interested  in  Democratic  politics,  and  at  this  time  was  assistant 
county  recorder.  In  1884,  he  was  elected  to  the  city  council  of  Logans- 
port  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  but  after  one  and  one-half  years  resigned 
to  devote  all  of  his  attention  to  his  private  affairs.  He  was  then  in  charge 
of  the  establishment  of  Llilton  Cunningham,  but  ill  health  caused  his 
retirement  after  a  few  months.  He  has  not  been  identified  with  political 
matters,  having  devoted  himself  exclusively  to  his  pharmacy.  ]\Ir.  Hoff- 
mann has  spent  many  years  in  the  study  of  pharmacy,  chemistry  and 
the  most  exacting  science  of  filling  prescriptions.  He  has  conducted  his 
business  under  the  policy  that  from  self  preservation  he  must  attend  to 
his  customers  with  quality,  care  and  attention;  he  knows  conditions 
and  is  familiar  with  the  necessities  of  his  neighborhood,  supplying  them 
intelligently,  faithfully  and  with  not  only  professional  but  personal  at- 
tention. Among  his  associates  he  is  known  as  a  man  of  the  utmost 
reliability  and  strictest  integrity,  and  the  manner  in  which  he  has  ever 
conducted  his  transactions  has  been  such  as  to  gain  him  the  unqualified 
confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens.  In  his  religious  belief  INIr.  Hoffmann 
is  a  Universalist.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Woodmen 
of  the  World  and  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees. 

On  October  26,  1876,  Mr.  Hoffmann  was  married  to  Miss  Inez  E. 
Luther,  of  Logansport,  and  they  have  had  four  children,  of  whom  two 
are  living :  Wilhelmina,  who  maiTied  L.  H.  Wheeler ;  and  George  L., 
a  research  bacteriologist  in  the  employ  of  the  firm  of  Parke,  Davis  & 
Company,  of  Detroit. 

John  E.  Wallace.  Although  not  l)orn  in  Cass  countj^,  John  E. 
Wallace,  the  popular  and  efficient  county  auditor,  has  resided  within  its 
limits  since  his  second  year,  and  has  been  identified  with  the  official 
life  of  this  section  since  1908.  In  his  present  capacity  he  has  proved 
a  painstaking,  conscientious  and  courteous  public  servant,  and  the 
signal  services  he  has  rendered  his  community  stamp  him  as  one  of  Cass 
county's  public-spirited  citizens.  Mr.  Wallace  was  born  in  Chicago, 
Illinois,  August  7,  1877,  and  is  a  son  of  Mark  and  Mary  (Farrell)  Wal- 
lace. 

Mark  Wallace  was  born  in  County  Wexford,  Ireland,  December  5, 
1848,  a  son  of  John  and  Ellen  (IMahoney)  Wallace,  the  former  a  butcher 
by  trade.  Of  the  five  children  composing  the  Wallace  family,  Mark  is 
the  only  surviving  son  and  the  only  one  to  come  to  the  United  States. 
As  a  lad  of  fourteen  years  he  started  his  battle  with  life  as  a  farm  hand, 
and  although  he  was  able  to  secure  ample  emplojnnent  at  fair  wages, 
saw  ahead  of  him  only  a  future  filled  with  hard  labor  with  little  hope  of 
accumulating  a  competency,  and,  like  many  other  of  his  countrymen, 
turned  his  face  toward  the  New  World,  where,  as  he  had  l)een  assured 
by  friends  who  had  preceded  him  here,  there  was  ample  opportunity 
for  him  to  prove  his  abilities.  Accordingly,  he  left  Castle  Garden  in 
1869  and  made  his  way  directly  from  New  York  to  Logansport,  Indiana, 
where  he  arrived  with  less  than  a  dollar  in  his  pocket.  He  soon  secured 
employment  as  a  section  hand  on  a  railroad,  but  six  months  later  left 
that  position  to  become  a  wiper  in  the  round-house  of  the  Pan  Handle 
Railroad,  and  was  soon  promoted  to  the  blacksmith  shop,  where  he  acted 


tc.^^^  ^fi^^^d'^^.^-v' 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  765 

in  the  capacity  of  helper.  In  1872,  he  was  placed  on  an  engine  as  a 
fireman,  and  his  promotion  to  the  position  of  engineer  occurred  in  1876, 
when  he  was  given  a  switch  engine  in  the  Chicago  yard.  He  continued 
so  employed  until  1879,  when  he  went  out  on  the  road,  remaining  in  the 
freight  service  until  1893,  when  he  was  promoted  to  the  passenger  serv- 
ice, with  a  run  on  the  north  end  of  the  Chicago  division.  He  still  con- 
tinues in  the  service  of  this  road,  being  one  of  its  oldest  and  most  trusted 
employes.  He  has  been  prominent  in  the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive 
Engineers,  in  which  he  has  served  as  chief  engineer  and  as  first  assistant 
chief.  The  family  has  resided  in  Logansport  continuously  since  1879. 
In  November,  1874,  Mr.  Wallace  was  married,  in  Chicago,  to  Miss  ]\Iary 
Farrell,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  six  children,  namely :  Annie, 
John  E.,  William,  Thomas,  Mary  and  Charles. 

John  E.  Wallace  received  his  early  scholastic  training  in  the  public 
schools,  afterwards  entering  Hall's  Business  College,  where  he  com- 
pleted the  prescribed  course  in  the  special  branches  he  had  elected  to 
pursue.  When  sixteen  years  of  age,  he  started  out  for  himself  as  book- 
keeper for  the  firm  of  McCaffrey  &  Company,  of  Logansport,  with 
which  concern  he  was  connected  for  three  years,  then  entering  the 
master  mechanic's  office  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  as  time-keeper 
and  clerk.  In  1905,  he  left  the  employ  of  the  railroad  to  become  book- 
keeper for  Dr.  J.  B.  Lynas  &  Son,  and  was  thus  employed,  in  1908,  at 
the  time  of  his  appointment  to  the  position  of  deputy  in  the  office  of 
the  county  auditor  of  Cass  county,  George  W.  Cann.  In  1910,  he  became 
the  Democratic  party's  candidate  for  the  office  of  auditor,  and  was  sub- 
sequently elected  for  a  term  of  four  years,  succeeding  Mr.  Cann,  a  posi- 
tion which  he  has  since  filled  with  great  ability.  Under  ]\Ir.  Wallace's 
administration,  the  affairs  of  the  auditor's  office  have  been  in  excellent 
condition,  and  he  is  known  as  one  of  the  county's  most  popular  and 
obliging  officials.  His  long  and  varied  experience  has  thoroughly  fitted 
him  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  position,  and  his  work  has  been  an 
important  factor  in  advancing  the  best  interests  of  the  county.  He  is 
interested  in  fraternal  work,  belonging  to  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks  and  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  and  his  religious  connection 
is  with  the  Catholic  church. 

On  jMay  20,  1903,  Mr.  Wallace  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Nellie  ]\I.  Gallagher,  and  thej'  have  had  three  children :  Helen  M., 
Harry  M.  and  John  E.,  Jr. 

John  J.  Hildebeandt,  who  died  December  14,  1912,  occupied  a 
prominent  place  in  the  moral  and  commercial  history  of  Logansport,  a 
position  attained  through  his  own  unaided  efforts  and  by  sheer  force 
of  character.  Born  in  Iowa,  February  8,  1863,  he  was  one  in  a  family 
of  six  children,  but  one  now  living,  bom  to  August  J.  and  Katherine 
(Gable)  Hildebrandt,  the  former  a  native  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  Germany. 
When  five  years  old  he  was  brought  to  Logansport  by  his  parents  and 
he  was  here  reared  and  educated  in  the  parochial  and  public  schools. 
Being  of  an  independent  and  thoughtful  turn  of  mind,  he  forsook  the 
religion  of  his  parents,  joined  the  Presbyterian  church.  When  eight- 
een yeark  of  age  began  learning  the  plumber's  trade  at  fifty  cents  per 
day.  This  he  continued  for  some  time,  his  first  employment  being  on  the 
Vol  n— 4 


766  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

buildings  of  the  county  poor  farm.  When  twenty-seven  years  old  he 
embarked  in  the  business  for  himself,  his  shop  being  on  Pearl  street. 
He  was  industrious,  was  considered  an  excellent  workman,  and  as  time 
(passed  prospered.  An  ardent  disciple  of  Izaak  Walton,  he  often  found 
time  to  visit  lake  and  stream  and  at  odd  moments  in  his  shop  invented 
fishing  tackle  according  to  ideas  of  his  own.  These  efforts  at  first  be- 
came objects  of  ridicule  for  the  local  wiseacres,  but  as  Mr.  Hildebrandt 
invariably  returned  from  his  jaunts  with  a  well-filled  creel,  his  success 
aroused  interest.  Traveling  men  induced  him  to  make  tackle  for  them 
similar  to  his,  and  as  they  proved  successful  it  was  not  long  until  the 
manufacture  of  fishing  tackle  of  all  kinds  became  an  important  adjunct 
to  his  regular  business.  With  the  passing  of  time  this  enterprise  grew 
until  it  became  an  important  industi-y  of  Logansport  and  made  the 
founder  comparatively  wealthy.  Such,  in  brief,  is  the  history  of  one  of 
the  large  commercial  houses  of  Logansport.  Of  late  years  Mr.  Hilde- 
brandt had  retired  from  the  active  cares  of  life,  owing  to  failing  health, 
and  devoted  much  of  his  time  to  philanthropic  work.  He  was  a  man 
who  loved  home  and  humanity  in  general  and  was  ever  ready  to  extend 
a  helping  hand  to  those  less  fortunate  than  himself.  The  world  is  better 
because  of  his  having  lived  in  it. 

On  March  22,  1892,  Mr.  Hildebrandt  was  married  to  Miss  Katherine 
Markert,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  three  children:  Hiram  H., 
Ruth  K.  and  Lois  F.  He  was  the  first  president  of  the  Associated 
Charities  of  Logansport,  of  which  he  was  made  an  honorary  president 
for  life,  was  a  member  of  the  Humane  Society,  and  the  T.  P.  A.  and 
on  national  matters  was  a  Republican.  His  business  is  still  carried  on 
by  his  son,  Hiram  H.,  at  408  Fourth  street,  shipping  the  goods  all  over 
the  world,  including  Spain,  Scotland  and  England,  and  is  successful. 
Mr.  Hildebrandt  built  the  home  at  817  High  street  eight  years  ago  and 
where  his  widow  now  resides.  Mrs.  Hildebrandt  is  a  member  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  church  of  Logansport. 

Wn^iJAM  H.  Porter.  Hand  in  hand,  in  public  usefulness,  is  the 
druggist  associated  with  the  physician  and  this  mutual  dependence  is 
universally  acknowledged  as  a  condition  of  public  safety.  Healing 
remedies  are  older  than  doctors  and  as  far  back  as  one  may  delve  in 
ancient  lore,  he  may  find  mention  of  medicaments  for  some  of  the  ills 
that  have  always  afflicted  the  human  race.  At  times  the  discovery  of  a 
new  drug  of  surprising  properties,  cinchona,  for  example,  has  wrought 
wonderful  changes  and  has  been  even  a  factor  in  advancing  civilization. 
Out  of  the  hands  of  the  ignorant  and  superstitious,  the  lawful  adminis- 
tration of  drugs  has  long  since  passed,  and  the  term  druggist  or  phar- 
macist now  means  one  who,  after  a  protracted  period  of  study  and 
experiment,  covering  a  number  of  the  sciences,  has  passed  a  thorough 
and  satisfactory  examination  before  a  learned  scientific  body.  Into  his 
hands  there  is  practically  placed  life  and  death,  for  it  is  the  knowledge 
of  drugs  and  their  effects  that  must  guide  him  in  handling  the  most 
careful  of  physicians'  prescriptions.  Thus  it  is  no  unimportant  position 
that  a  druggist  holds  in  a  community,  and  his  standing  is  usually  of  the 
highest.  Among  the  leading  pharmacists  of  Cass  county  may  be  men- 
tioned AVilliam  H.  Porter,  of  Logansport,  whose  connection  with  this 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  767 

business  here  covers  a  period  of  upwards  of  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
During  this  time  he  has  firmly  established  himself  in  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  has  interested  himself  in  everything 
that  has  pertained  to  the  welfare  of  his  community.  Mr.  Porter  was 
born  November  12,  1865,  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  just  across  the 
line  from  Cass  county,  and  is  a  son  of  Oliver  H.  and  Rosanna  (Benner) 
Porter,  all  of  whose  four  children  are  still  living. 

William  Porter,  the  grandfather  of  William  H.  Porter,  was  a  native 
of  Fairfax  county,  Virginia,  and  came  to  Indiana  during  the  earliest 
history  of  the  state,  when  it  was  still  in  its  formation.  He  settled  first 
near  Connellsville,  in  Fayette  county,  where  he  farmed  after  the  prim- 
itive manner  of  those  days,  but  during  the  latter  'thirties  or  early 
'forties  moved  with  his  family  to  Cass  county  and  settled  in  Clinton 
township.  There  he  passed  away  when  still  in  the  prime  of  life.  Oliver 
H.  Porter  was  born  in  December,  1835,  in  Fayette  county,  Indiana,  but 
practically  passed  all  of  his  early  life  in  Cass  county.  Shortly  after 
his  marriage,  he  moved  across  the  line  into  Carroll  county,  and  there 
resided  for  some  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  in  1879  returning  to  Cass 
county,  where  he  continued  farming  until  his  death,  September  5,  1898. 
His  wife,  who  passed  away  November  13,  1888,  was  a  daughter  of 
Daniel  Benner,  who  came  to  Logansport  when  this  city  was  still  a  trad- 
ing post  and  when  the  Indians  were  as  numerous  as  were  the  whites. 

William  H.  Porter  was  reared  until  fourteen  years  of  age  in  Carroll 
county,  and  since  that  time  has  been  a  resident  of  Cass  county.  He  was 
trained  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  his  early  education  was  secured 
in  the  district  schools,  but  later  he  supplemented  this  with  attendance  in 
the  Logansport  public  and  high  schools.  He  received  his  introduction 
to  the  drug  business  in  1885,  at  which  time  he  began  clerking  in  the 
drug  store  of  B.  F.  Keesling,  with  whom  he  continued  four  years,  and 
then,  in  1889,  established  himself  in  business  as  the  proprietor  of  a 
pharmacy  of  his  o^\^Q.  During  the  twenty-four  years  that  Mr.  Porter 
has  been  engaged  in  business  in  Logansport,  he  has  gained  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  has  had  commercial  transactions.  His 
establishment  is  well  equipped,  and  a  large  stock  of  first-class  goods  is 
arranged  in  an  inviting  manner.  Mr.  Porter  possesses  business  abilities 
of  the  highest  character,  while  his  long  experience  has  made  him  thor- 
oughly conversant  with  every  detail  of  his  vocation.  Mr.  Porter  is  a 
thirty-second  degree  and  Knight  Templar  Mason  and  a  member  of  the 
Mystic  Shrine,  and  has  appreciated  to  the  full  the  benefits  of  Masonry. 

On  January  4,  1900,  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Porter  to  Miss 
Alice  Knowlton,  daughter  of  Charles  B.  Knowlton,  one  of  Cass  county's 
early  settlers. 

Churchili.  p.  Forgy.  The  Forgy  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  known 
to  American  life,  and  members  of  it  have  from  the  earliest  days  of  the 
British  colonies  been  identified  with  life  in  this  country,  in  various 
walks  of  life.  The  first  of  the  name  to  settle  on  American  shores  was 
John  Forgy,  who  held  an  office  with  the  British  government  in  Eng- 
land. He  deserted  his  office,  as  the  only  alternative  to  being  pressed  into 
service  in  the  army,  and  came  to  America,  where  he  settled  in  New  Jer- 
sey.    He  was  engaged  in  the  hotel  business  in  Trenton,  when  he  was 


768  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

apprehended  by  the  British  soldiery  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  and 
was  shot  by  order  of  the  government.  So  much  for  the  establishment  of 
the  house  of  Forgy  in  the  United  States. 

Churchill  P.  Forgy  was  born  in  Clark  county,  Ohio,  on  January 
27,  1835,  and  was  the  son  of  John  D.  and  Catherine  (Voorhees)  Forgy. 
John  D.  was  the  son  of  John,  who  in  turn  was  the  son  of  the  first  John 
Forgy,  who  lost  his  life  in  the  manner  mentioned  above.  John  D.  Forgy, 
fathei'  of  the  subject,  was  reared  in  Virginia,  the  mother  being  a  native 
of  New  Jersey,  where  she  was  reared.  As  a  boy,  the  subject  passed  some 
time  in  a  school  at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  then  came  to  Indianapolis  where  he 
worked  as  a  printer,  and  afterwards  came  to  Logansport.  It  was  at 
Logansport  that  his  father  had  settled  in  1836,  where  he  opened  up  a 
general  merchandise  store  and  continued  thus  in  business  until  1840, 
afterward  going  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  entering  the  employ  of  Churchill 
Phillips,  as  confidential  clerk.  He  was  with  them  for  a  year  or  more, 
then  moved  to  New  Carlisle,  Ohio,  where  he  bought  a  farm  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  town,  and  remained  there  until  death  claimed  him  in 
1844. 

After  some  years  passed  in  the  printing  business  in  Indianapolis, 
C.  P.  Forgy  finally  settled  in  New  Waverly,  in  Cass  county,  engaged  in 
the  general  merchandise  business,  and  took  charge  of  the  grain  eleva- 
tors. He  continued  to  be  thus  occupied  until  1902,  when  he  retired 
from  active  business  pursuits.  He  has  enjoyed  a  goodly  share  _  of 
prosperity  in  all  his  business  ventures,  and  is  well  equipped  to  enjoy 
the  remainder  of  his  life  free  from  business  cares  or  worries. 

C.  P.  Forgy,  it  may  be  said,  was  one  of  the  four  children  of  his 
parents.  He  had  one  sister,  Maria,  who  is  now  deceased;  Stern  W.  went 
to  the  war  as  a  captain  in  Gen.  John  A.  Logan's  army  and  died  from 
the  service  in  the  army.  The  third  son,  Dickinson  J.,  also  joined  the 
Union  army  in  southern  Illinois,  serving  through  the  war,  and  he  died 
in  New  Waverly  in  1909. 

On  December  14,  1859,  Mr.  Forgy  married  Louise  M.  Quick,  the 
daughter  of  C.  R.  Quick,  of  New  Waverly,  and  his  wife,  Lucinda  (Sloan) 
Quick.  ]\Ir.  Forgy  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  his 
fraternal  affiliations  are  with  the  Masonic  order,  in  which  he  held  the 
office  of  treasurer  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Odd  Fellows,  and  has  held  the  same  important  office  in  that  society. 

Mr.  Forgy 's  life  in  New  Waverly  has  been  one  of  the  most  beneficent 
order,  and  he  and  his  estimable  wife  have  a  host  of  good  friends  in  and 
about  the  community,  where  they  are  well  known  for  their  many  excel- 
lent qualities,  and  for  the  high  character  of  their  citizenship.  Mr. 
Forgy 's  identification  with  the  community  has  only  been  for  its  best 
good,  and  the  place  he  has  won  and  yet  retains  in  public  opinion  is  one 
that  might  well  be  envied. 

LouRY  L.  Quick,  M.  D.  The  state  of  Ohio  was  the  home  of  the 
Quick  family  from  the  time  of  its  locating  in  this  country  from  England 
some  generations  past  until  it  migrated  to  Indiana,  in  the  spring  of 
1856,  settling  in  Cass  county.  Since  that  time  this  county  has  been  well 
known  to  the  family,  and  the  people  of  this  district  have  long  been 
ministered  to  by  medical  men  of  two  generations  of  the  family.     A 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  769 

soldier  in  his  young  manhood,  then  a  doctor,  and  all  his  life  a  busy 
and  active  man,  Dr.  Quick  has  gained  a  wide  acquaintance  in  Cass 
county,  and  his  name  is  one  that  carries  with  it  the  esteem  and  high 
regard  of  all  who  know  the  kindly  and  genial  Doctor  in  his  professional 
capacity  or  in  any  of  the  relations  of  life. 

Dr.  Loury  L.  Quick  was  born  on  the  20th  day  of  December,  1846,  in 
Clark  county,  Ohio,  and  is  the  son  of  C.  R.  and  Lucinda  (Sloan)  Quick. 
The  paternal  grandfather  of  the  Doctor  was  William  Quick,  and  his 
maternal  grandfather  was  Robert  Sloan,  of  Dutch  descent.  In  1856 
the  Quick  family  came  from  Troy  county,  Ohio,  making  the  journey  dur- 
ing the  spring  which  witnessed  the  first  entry  of  the  Wabash  Railroad 
into  Cass  county.  They  settled  at  first  just  a  mile  south  of  New  Wav- 
erly,  and  remained  there  for  one  summer  the  father  being  occupied  as 
superintendent  of  the  store  of  a  Mr.  Forgy  of  that  place.  He  was  a 
physician  and  also  a  Methodist  Episcopal  preacher  and  engaged  in  prac- 
tice in  the  vicinity  of  his  home,  where  he  continued  until  his  death,  and 
it  is  worthy  of  note  in  this  connection  that  his  son,  the  immediate 
subject  of  this  review,  resumed  his  practice  where  the  elder  gentleman 
laid  it  down. 

Dr.  C.  R.  Quick  and  his  good  wife  were  the  parents  of  five  children, — 
two  sons  and  three  daughters.  Celia  married  J.  Dalzelle ;  Louise  mar- 
ried C.  P.  Forgy;  Raper  H.  married  Nora  Lumas;  and  Colonel  Ells- 
worth, who  was  named  thus  because  he  was  born  on  the  day  that  Colonel 
Ellsworth  was  shot,  married  Emma  Grimes.  Dr.  L.  L.  Quick  was  the 
third  born  in  that  family  of  five. 

When  he  was  but  a  mere  youth,  L.  L.  Quick  enlisted  for  service  in 
the  Civil  war  and  served  twenty-two  months  in  the  Sixteenth  Indiana 
Battery.  When  he  finished  his  militaiy  service  he  turned  his  attention 
to  the  study  of  medicine,  determined  to  follow  his  father  in  the  prac- 
tice of  that  honored  profession.  He  received  the  first  part  of  his  medical 
training  at  what  is  now  known  as  the  Chicago  ]\Iedical  College,  at 
Evanston,  Illinois,  and  later  spent  some  time  at  the  Indiana  Medical 
College.  He  then  returned  to  New  Waverly,  and  here  he  has  since  been 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine,  and  has  proved  himself  the  worthy 
successor  of  a  worthy  and  honored  father. 

Dr.  Quick  has  done  a  considerable  traveling  in  his  lifetime  and  is 
the  possessor  of  one  of  the  most  complete  collections  to  be  found  in  this 
section  of  the  state,  both  he  and  his  wife  having  an  unusual  interest  in 
things  of  the  nature  of  historical  relics. 

In  July,  1868,  Dr.  Quick  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary 
C.  Fox,  the  daughter  of  Josiah  Fox,  the  family  being  one  of  Maryland 
birth  and  ancestry.  One  child  has  been  born  to  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Quick, — 
Otto  L.,  who  is  now  forty-three  years  of  age,  and  who  married  Carrie 
Black.  The  son  Otto  is  a  train  despatcher,  and  has  held  his  present 
position  for  twenty-five  years,  being  in  the  employ  of  the  Santa  Fe 
Railroad. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Quick  are  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  he 
has  relations  with  a  number  of  fraternal  and  other  societies  among 
which  are  the  Masons.  He  is  a  member  of  Lodge  No.  484,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 
and  of  the  Scottish  Rite  body,  and  for  thirty-four  years  held  the  office 
of  secretary  of  his  lodge.     He  has  also  been  United  States  Pension  ex- 


770  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

amining  surgeon  since  1882.  The  Doctor  has  always  been  a  man  who 
had  a  high  regard  for  his  duties  as  a  citizen  and  New  Waverly  has 
profited  much  by  her  possession  of  him  as  a  member  of  society,  while 
his  family  has  added  its  full  quota  to  the  social  uplift  of  the  community. 

Frank  P.  Yeider.  Although  the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
review  has  lived  on  his  present  property  for  only  a  comparatively  short 
period,  he  has  made  his  name  well  known  among  the  citizens  of  his  locality 
through  the  exercise  of  enterprise,  industry  and  straightforward  deal- 
ings, characteristics  which  have  always  been  associated  with  the  family 
name.  Mr.  Yeider  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  in  Lancaster  county, 
in  the  Keystone  State,  September  17,  1851,  a  son  of  Emanuel  and  Nancy 
(Kirby)  Yeider.  His  maternal  grandfather,  Nicholas  Kirby,  fought 
bravely  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  was  one  of  the  party  of  noble  patriots 
who  defended  the  breastworks  when  the  British  forces  stormed  a  point 
on  the  Potomac  river.  Emanuel  Yeider  was  born  in  Lancaster  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  an  infant  of  six  months  when  his  father  met  his 
death.  He  grew  up  in  his  native  state,  and  in  1869  migrated  to  Indiana, 
settling  firet  in  Miami  township,  and  later  removing  to  a  farm  in  Clay 
township,  where  his  death  occurred,  January  2,  1892,  after  a  long  and 
honorable  career.    The  mother  died  April  26,  1884. 

Frank  P.  Yeider  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native 
state,  and  was  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  accompanied  his  parents 
to  Indiana.  He  continued  to  remain  under  the  parental  roof  until  his 
marriage,  in  1876,  to  Miss  Sabina  Adams,  who  died  November  14,  1880, 
leaving  one  son,  Charles  LeRoy,  who  was  born  in  1877.  Mr.  Yeider 's 
second  marriage  occurred  September  11,  1884,  when  he  was  united  with 
Miss  Mary  J.  Barr,  and  during  that  fall  they  settled  on  a  farm  near 
that  occupied  by  his  father.  During  the  next  February  they  removed 
to  a  farm  in  Adams  township,  and  there  continued  to  reside  until  1890, 
when  they  went  to  South  Bend,  Indiana,  Mr.  Yeider  having  accepted 
a  proposition  offered  by  the  Singer  Sewing  Machine  Company.  Sub- 
sequently they  located  in  Logansport,  where  they  continued  to  reside 
until  the  death  of  ]\Ir.  Yeider 's  mother-in-law,  at  which  time  they  settled 
in  Clay  township,  but  in  1896  he  disposed  of  his  interests  here  and  moved 
to  the  state  of  North  Dakota,  that  being  the  place  of  their  residence  for 
fourteen  years.  The  Hoosier  State  finally  claimed  them  as  its  own, 
however,  and  in  1910  they  returned  to  Clay  township,  where  they  have 
since  made  their  home.  The  present  Yeider  homestead,  a  tract  of  eighty 
acres,  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  its  size  in  the  township.  Intelligent 
treatment  of  the  soil,  hard  and  industrious  lalior  and  an  inherent  ability 
which  has  come  to  Mr.  Yeider  through  generations  of  farming  ancestors, 
have  brought  this  land  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  while  he  has  also 
shown  his  progressive  spirit  by  adopting  modern  methods  and  appliances. 
He  has  devoted  the  greater  part  of  his  time  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
and  is  not  a  politician  in  the  accepted  meaning  of  the  term,  but  his 
public  spirit  has  led  him  to  recognize  the  duties  of  citizenship,  and  he 
has  served  very  acceptably  in  the  office  of  supervisor  of  Clay  township. 
With  his  family  he  attends  the  Methodist  church. 

Charles  LeRoy  Yeider,  son  of  Frank  P.  Yeider,  married  ]\Iiss  Ethel 
Quick,    and    they   have   had   three   cliildren :     LeRoy   James    Franklin 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  771 

Yeider,  born  March  19,  1907 ;  Mary  Sabina  Ethel  Yeider,  born  June  18, 
1906 ;  Lois  Mae  Yeider,  born  July  8,  1909. 

Mrs.  Solomon  Jones.  No  history  of  Cass  county  would  be  complete 
that  did  not  give  an  account  of  its  women,  for  wliile  our  hearts  are 
stirred  by  the  thrilling  narratives  of  the  enterprise  and  deeds  of  the 
pioneers  in  trade,  in  manufactures,  in  the  professions  and  in  politics, 
ever  must  be  borne  in  mind  the  names  and  the  abundant  works  of  their 
companions  in  courage  and  in  toil.  Tlie  roll  of  these  noble  women  of 
the  earlier  days  does  not  contain  the  names  of  those  of  a  later  period 
who  clamor  for  equal  suffrage,  and  for  equal  opportunity  in  business 
and  the  professions,  however  just  may  be  the  claims  and  aspirations  of 
the  latter.  The  former  came  to  found  homes,  to  rear  children  who  should 
be  fit  to  carry  on  the  work  which  their  fathers  founded.  They  were 
and  are  domestic  women,  not  unmindful  of  the  duties  of  hospitality,  nor 
careless  of  the  claims  of  social  life,  and  it  has  ever  been  their  province 
to  bring  the  sweet  and  tender  influence  of  their  affections  to  soften  the 
lot  of  the  unfortunate  and  lowly. 

Residing  on  her  farm  in  Cass  township,  a  tract  which  was  settled  and 
cleared  by  her  late  husband,  is  one  of  the  best-known  ladies  of  her  com- 
munity, Mrs.  Solomon  Jones,  who  has  lived  in  this  county  all  of  her 
life.  She  is  a  daughter  of  John  E.  and  Mercy  (Rice)  Howes,  who  came 
from  New  York  state  to  Indiana  during  the  early  'thirties,  locating 
in  Logansport,  where  they  were  married  on  the  present  site  of  the  City 
High  school.  Mr.  Howes  became  county  treasurer  of  Cass  county  during 
the  'forties,  and  later  was  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Merriam,  Rice  & 
Howes.  The  subject  of  this  review  grew  up  in  Logansport,  receiving  her 
education  in  the  public  schools,  and  was  here  married  to  Solomon  Jones, 
whose  death  occurred  in  1905.  Mr.  Jones  was  originally  a  farmer, 
clearing  the  present  farm  of  Mrs.  Jones  in  Clay  township,  erecting  all 
the  fencing,  and  putting  up  all  the  buildings  with  the  exception  of  the 
milk  house.  He  subsequently  became  collector  of  revenues,  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  government,  and  on  completing  his  term  of  office,  entered 
the  money  loaning  bi;siness.  He  was  a  citizen  of  integrity  and  industry, 
a  hard  and  faithful  worker  all  of  his  life,  and  well  merited  the  respect 
and  esteem  in  which  he  was  universally  held. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  had  one  child,  John,  who  died  in  infancy.  Later 
they  adopted  a  daughter,  who  bore  their  name  until  her  marriage  to 
Dallas  C.  Burke.  They  have  had  two  children :  Helen  E.,  who  is  two 
years  old;  and  Desa  Elizabeth,  who  has  passed  her  first  year.  Mr. 
Burke  is  employed  as  an  operator  by  the  Wabash  Railroad,  in  which 
capacity  he  has  worked  for  the  past  seven  years,  and  also  conducts  a 
dairy  business  from  the  present  farm  of  Mrs.  Jones,  delivering  milk  to 
the  various  families  of  Logansport.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burke  and  Mrs.  Jones 
all  live  in  their  comfortable  residence,  which  is  situated  on  Logansport 
Rural  Route  No.  4,  and  where  their  numerous  friends  are  always  greeted 
with  old-fashioned  hospitality. 

James  "Whitworth.  The  agricultural  interests  of  Cass  county  are 
well  represented  by  a  class  of  hard-working,  efficiently  trained  and  thor- 
oughly experienced  men,  who  have  made  the  treatment  of  the  soil  a  life 


772  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

study  and  have  thus  been  able  to  successfully  cope  with  conditions  and  to 
maintain  the  high  standard  of  agricultural  supremacy  here.  Prominent 
in  this  class  stands  James  Whitworth,  who  for  two  years  has  resided 
on  a  well-cultivated  tract  of  thirty  acres,  located  in  Clay  township. 
Mr.  Whitworth  was  born  in  Alabama,  January  5,  1865,  and  is  a  son  of 
William  and  Mildred  (Bowes)  Whitworth,  farming  people  of  this 
county,  the  father  being  deceased. 

Mr.  Whitworth  received  his  educational  training  in  the  district  schools 
of  his  native  locality,  and  like  the  majority  of  farmers'  lads  of  his  day 
divided  his  boyhood  between  the  work  of  the  homestead  and  attendance 
at  school  in  the  winter  terms.  There  are  a  multitude  of  matters  upon 
which  a  good  farmer  should  be  informed,  and  in  these  he  was  thoroughly 
trained  by  his  father,  while  his  mother  reared  him  to  habits  of  honesty, 
sobriety  and  integrity.  He  continued  to  remain  under  the  parental  roof 
until  his  marriage,  at  which  time  he  embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own, 
and,  being  industrious  and  thrifty,  carefully  conserved  his  means  and 
was  soon  able  to  invest  in  land.  Since  that  time  he  has  devoted  his 
whole  time  and  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  and  as  a  result  of 
his  activities  has  risen  to  a  place  of  independence  among  the  agricultur- 
ists of  his  section.  In  1906,  Mr.  AVhitworth  purchased  his  present  tract, 
a  farm  of  thirty  acres  located  in  Clay  township.  He  has  made  numerous 
improvements,  having  a  comfortable  residence,  located  on  Logansport 
Eural  Free  Delivery  Route  No.  5,  and  appropriate  buildings  of  modern 
architecture  and  substantial  character.  His  property  is  well  fenced, 
his  live  stock  in  a  healthy  condition,  his  implements  and  appliances  of 
modern  manufacture,  and  the  entire  appearance  of  the  property  bespeaks 
the  presence  of  thrift  and  good  management.  Essentially  a  farmer, 
he  has  not  cared  for  the  struggles  incident  to  the  political  arena,  al- 
though he  takes  an  interest  in  mattere  that  affect  his  community,  and  has 
always  endeavored  to  give  his  support  to  good  men  and  measures. 

In  1885,  Mr.  Whitworth  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Maggie 
Hoover,  the  estimable  daughter  of  Leason  and  Rachael  Hoover,  the 
former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  while  the  latter  was  born  in  Ohio 
Both  of  'Mvs.  Whitworth 's  parents  were  married  twice.  They  were  long 
residents  of  Indiana,  and  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children: 
Amanda,  James  and  Elmer,  who  died  in  infancy;  Benjamin,  who  mar- 
ried jMinnie  Rhodes ;  Egbert,  who  married  INIabel  Montgomery ;  and 
Maggie,  who  married  Mr.  Whitworth.  Two  children  have  been  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitworth :  Golda,  born  in  1886,  who  became  the  wife 
of  Frank  Griffin,  of  Logansport;  and  Ruth,  born  in  1891,  who  married 
Glen  Rader,  is  also  a  resident  of  Logansport,  and  has  two  children, — 
Harry,  who  is  two  years  of  age,  and  Frank,  who  is  six  months  old.  The 
members  of  this  family  are  connected  with  the  Baptist  church,  and  are 
liberal  supporters  of  religious  and  charitable  movements. 

Elihu  S.  Rice,  whose  death  occurred  April  26,  1912,  was  one  of  the 
"Old  Guard"  of  Cass  county  pioneers.  His  loss  was  not  only  keenly 
felt  among  the  members  of  his  immediate  family,  but  by  his  associates 
in  business,  his  many  friends,  and  thousands  of  people  all  over  the  coun- 
try who  knew  him  only  as  the  author  of  some  of  the  most  beautiful 
sacred  music  written.     Born  at  Pavilion,  Genesee  county,  New  York, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  773 

February  2,  1827,  Mr.  Rice  was  a  son  of  Erastus  and  Lueretia  M.  (Howe) 
Rice.  The  father,  who  was  a  native  of  ^Massachusetts,  died  in  1833,  and 
six  years  later  Elihu  S.,  then  a  lad  of  twelve  years,  accompanied  his 
widowed  mother  and  brothers  and  sisters  to  Logansport,  which  city 
was  destined  to  be  his  home  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  In  1843 
he  became  a  clerk  for  Henry  Martin  &  Company,  but  in  the  following 
year  the  firm  discontinued  business,  and  in  1845  j\Ir.  Rice  became  con- 
nected with  the  firm  of  Pollard  &  Wilson.  In  1853  Col.  Philip  Pollard, 
the  senior  member  of  the  firm,  retired  therefrom,  which  was  then  reor- 
ganized as  Wilson,  Merriam  &  Company,  Mr.  Rice  being  admitted  to 
partnership.  Through  various  changes  of  this  firm  into  Merriam,  Rice 
&  Howes,  Merriam  &  Rice  and  Merriam,  Rice  &  Company,  Mr.  Rice 
remained  a  partner  of  John  C.  jMerriam,  being  associated  with  him  until 
Mr.  Merriam 's  death.  Afterwards  the  firm  of  E.  S.  Rice  &  Son  was 
formed,  with  his  son,  Frank  M.  Rice,  as  junior  partner  and  this  con- 
tinued until  1906,  when,  in  order  to  be  relieved  of  his  many  business 
burdens  and  responsibilities,  Mr.  Rice  sold  the  business,  although  it  is 
still  one  of  the  leading  establishments  of  Logansport,  and  is  known  as 
the  Rice  Hardware  Company. 

In  1905  Mr.  Rice  was  elected  president  of  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Logansport,  a  position  he  continuously  filled  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  For  many  years  he  was  manager  and  principal  owner  of  the 
Logansport  Gas  Light  &  Coke  Company,  taking  charge  of  its  affairs  when 
it  was  practically  a  failure  and  demonstrating  a  superior  business  abil- 
ity by  making  it  a  financial  success.  His  long  and  eventful  business 
career  was  characterized  by  fidelity  and  trustworthiness;  he  was  a  man 
of  charitable  impulses  and  his  many  good  deeds  will  make  a  long  list 
in  the  general  accounting  of  man's  work  during  his  earthly  pilgrimage. 
A  good  name  more  to  be  desired  than  riches  was  his.  He  lived  up- 
rightly, and  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  four  score  and  five  died  at  peace  with 
all  the  world.  He  was  a  life  long  member  of  the  Baptist  church  at 
Logansport,  which  he  enriched  by  substantial  benefactions.  AVhile  lay- 
ing no  claim  to  being  a  poet,  he  was,  nevertheless,  a  poet  in  the  truest 
sense.  The  world  of  song  was  enricned  Avhen  he  contributed  to  it 
"Shall  We  Meet  Beyond  the  River?"  and  "Come!  Let  Us  Sing  Unto 
the  Lord. "  As  a  singer,  his  voice  was  frequently  heard  in  the  house  of 
worship,  and  was  also  in  great  demand  during  presidential  campaigns. 
During  the  campaign  of  1856  he  was  a  member  of  the  famous  Rocky 
Mountain  Quartette. 

In  1854  Mr.  Rice  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jeannette  Mabon, 
and  she  passed  away  in  1895,  having  been  the  mother  of  two  children: 
Frank  J\I.,  and  Annie  A.,  the  latter  the  wife  of  George  C.  Taber,  of 
Logansport.  In  an  editorial,  under  date  of  April  26,  1912,  the  Logans- 
port Pharos  said: 

"The  death  of  Elihu  S.  Rice  removes  from  this  community  a  man 
who  was  worthy  of  the  title  of  exalted  citizen.  His  was  a  blameless  and 
a  useful  life.  In  every  sphere  of  human  activity,  he  acted  a  noble  part. 
As  a  citizen  he  responded  to  every  demand  made  upon  him  for  the  bet- 
terment of  social  conditions.  As  the  head  of  a  family  he  set  an  example 
worthy  to  be  followed.  As  a  business  man  his  career  was  characterized 
by  honorable  dealing.    As  a  philanthropist,  his  good  deeds  were  many 


774  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

and  his  favors  were  bestowed  without  ostentation.  He  came  to  Logans- 
port  seventy-three  years  ago  when  yet  a  boy  and  had  moved  among  us 
all  these  years.  In  his  intercourse  with  the  people  he  was  kindly,  shar- 
ing their  joys  and  with  their  sorrows  bearing  a  part.  He  walked  up- 
rightly, lived  cleanly  and  dies  respected  by  those  who  appreciate  true 
worth  in  man. ' ' 

Frank  M.  Kice  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  February  29,  1856. 
Educated  in  the  public  schools  and  Wabash  College,  on  completing  his 
schooling  he  became  a  clerk  in  his  father's  employ,  and  continued  with 
him  until  the  business  was  sold  in  1905.  In  1902  Mr.  Rice  organized 
the  Logansport  Basket  Works,  of  which  he  became  the  first  president 
and  treasurer,  and  continued  as  such  until  he  sold  his  interest  in  the 
business,  in  January,  1912.  He  has  large  business  and  realty  inter- 
ests, and  is  a  director  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Logansport.  He 
holds  membei-ship  in  the  Country  Club,  the  Commercial  Club  and  the 
County  Historical  Society,  and  has  manifested  his  interest  in  fraternal 
affairs  by  his  activities  in  the  ]\Iasonic  and  Elks  lodges.  His  political 
proclivities  are  those  of  the  Republican  party,  but  he  takes  only  a  good 
citizen's  part  in  public  affairs. 

On  November  19,  1884,  ]\Ir.  Rice  was  married  to  J\Iiss  Lottie  F.  Lar- 
son, of  Omaha,  Nebraska,  and  they  have  had  one  child:  Ollie  M.,  who 
married  Wendell  C.  Schmidt. 

John  M.  Carson.  Agricultural  production  is  the  basis  of  practically 
all  production  and  the  ordinary  laborer,  the  factory,  the  state  and  the 
nation  are  absolutely  dependent  thereupon,  the  result  being  that  agri- 
culture is  of  elemental  importance  in  the  life  of  a  person,  a  community 
and  a  nation.  Such  being  the  case,  the  development  of  the  agricultural 
regions  must  keep  pace  with  the  advancement  of  the  times,  and  the 
farmer  who  would  gain  his  full  measure  of  success  must  needs  take  ad- 
vantage of  every  aid  that  modem  invention  and  discovery  can  give.  One 
of  the  prosperous  agriculturists  of  Cass  county  who  has  realized  and 
benefitted  by  the  results  to  be  obtained  from  scientific  treatment  of  the 
soil,  is  John  M.  Carson,  of  Clay  township,  who  for  ten  years  has  been 
carrying  on  operations  on  his  present  place.  He  was  born  in  Jennings 
county,  Indiana,  December  5,  1855,  and  is  a  son  of  John  H.  and  Julia 
(IMcCammotf)  Carson,  and  grandson  of  William  Carson  and  Isaac 
McCammott,  the  family  being  of  Irish-Scotch  extraction. 

John  H.  Carson  was  born  in  Rutherford  county,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1818,  and  was  one  year  old  when  brought  to  Indiana  by  his  parents. 
Here  he  continued  to  follow  agricultural  pursuits  throughout  his  life, 
and  died  in  ]\Iarch,  1877,  one  of  his  community's  highly  esteemed  citi- 
zens. During  that  same  year,  John  M.  Carson,  who  had  been  reared 
and  educated  in  Jennings  county,  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and 
first  located  in  Noble  township,  where  he  spent  three  years,  subsequently 
remaining  in  Adams  for  two  years,  in  Eel  township  for  six  years,  and  in 
Bethlehem  township  thirteen  years,  and  then  came  to  Clay  township 
and  settled  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  resides.  Here  Llr.  Carson 
bought  eighty-two  acres  of  land,  on  which  he  erected  a  new  modem 
residence  which  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  in  this  part  of  the  county, 
and  also  made  numerous  other  improvements  which  have  added  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  775 

value  of  the  farm.  He  is  an  able  agriculturist,  aud  has  brought  to  his 
work  that  thorough  knowledge  of  the  details  of  his  vocation  which  only 
conies  from  years  of  experience.  His  operations  have  been  uniformly 
successful,  and  he  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of 
Clay  township.  He  has  never  cared  for  public  office,  preferring  to  de- 
vote his  entire  attention  to  his  farming  activities,  but  takes  an  interest 
in  all  matters  that  affect  his  community,  and  may  be  relied  upon  to  sup- 
port movements  for  good  government. 

Mr.  Carson  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Criss,  daughter  of  Lawrence 
W.  and  Barbara  (StoU)  Criss,  natives  of  Germany,  who  were  married  in 
Logansport,  Indiana,  and  the  foriner  of  whom  died  in  March,  1877. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carson  have  had  four  children,  namely:  Chester  Cecil, 
bom  January  15,  1886,  who  is  now  superintendent  of  schools  at  Cowan, 
Indiana;  Dottie,  born  August  30,  1894;  Evaline,  born  January  29, 
1896;  and  John  W.,  born  May  16,  1899.  The  family  is  identified  with 
the  Bethlehem  church.  Mr.  Carson  has  interested  himself  to  some  ex- 
tent in  fraternal  work,  belonging  to  Twelve  ]\Iill  lodge.  No.  713,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  in  which  he  has  passed  through  the  chairs, 
and  to  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state.  He  has  numerous  friends  in  this 
order,  and  is  widely  and  favorably  known  in  other  circles  of  activity 
in  Clay  township. 

David  W.  Cook.  The  agriculturists  of  Cass  county  are  as  a  class 
prosperous  and  contented,  living  independently  upon  the  fertile  fields, 
which  their  energy  has  fully  developed  to  the  present  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation. Agriculture  is  well  adapted  to  build  up  the  American  citizen- 
ship. It  not  only  awakens  interest  and  gives  purpose,  but  teaches  indus- 
try and  self  reliance.  There  is  no  other  occupation  that  opens  so  wide  a 
field  for  the  profitable  and  agreeable  combination  of  labor  with  culti- 
vated thought.  Of  the  many  well-to-do  citizens  of  Cass  county  who  are 
devoting  their  energies  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  David  W.  Cook  of 
Clay  township,  is  an  excellent  representative.  He  is  a  native  of  the 
county  of  Cass,  Indiana,  having  been  born  in  Bethlehem  township, 
April  7,  1867,  and  a  son  of  Charles  and  Margaret  (Ball)  Cook.  (For  the 
full  chronological  data  of  the  parents  of  Mr.  Cook  see  the  sketch  of 
Charles  Cook  elsewhere  in  this  work.) 

David  W.  Cook  was  reared  as  a  farmer's  lad  and  received  a  good 
practical  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  county.  He 
remained  with  his  parents  till  his  marriage,  and  his  first  residence 
was  on  the  McKnight  Williamson  farm,  in  Bethlehem  township,  thence 
to  the  Warren  Gazette  farm  in  1896,  and  in  1902,  he  located  on  his 
present  estate  of  sixty  acres,  on  which  his  residence  is  located,  and  he  has 
seventy-five  acres  adjoining  the  other  tract.  His  land  is  well  cultivated 
and  he  has  made  substantial  improvements  of  a  modern  character.  Mr. 
Cook  is  a  progressive  man  in  his  business  methods,  and  in  his  political 
belief  gives  his  allegiance  to  the  Progressive  party.  He  is  known  by  his 
neighbors  as  being  a  gentleman  of  honor  and  integrity,  and  he  and  his 
family  are  members  of  the  IMethodist  church. 

It  was  January  21,  1891,  that  Mr.  Cook  wedded  Miss  Bertha  Delo- 
plane,  a  daughter  of  William  and  Sarah  (Zinn)  Deloplane,  and  to  this 
union  five  children,  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  have  been  born,  and 


776  HISTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

all  are  living  except  the  son,  William  D.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  three 
years.  Everett  received  his  diploma  from  the  public  schools  of  Clay 
township  in  the  class  of  1910,  and  then  was  a  student  in  the  Logansport 
Business  College.  Frank  received  his  diploma  in  the  class  of  1911, 
and  he  also  attended  the  business  college.  Both  Marguerite  and  Sarah 
are  in  the  sixth  grade.  Mrs.  Cook  is  a  native  of  Butler  county,  Ohio, 
and  was  born  January  30,  1872.  Her  parents  were  prominent  citizens 
of  Cass  county,  but  both  are  now  deceased.  ^Irs.  Cook,  like  a  true  wife 
and  mother,  has  ably  filled  her  sphere  in  the  rearing  of  her  children  and 
the  care  of  her  home. 

Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  Cook  and  family  are  citizens  of  Cass  county,  who  are 
esteemed  for  their  high  moral,  1-eligious  and  social  standing  and  it  is 
with  pleasure  that  this  brief  review  is  presented  for  preservation  in  the 
History  of  Cass  County,  Indiana. 

Cassius  jM.  Clay  Swigart.  In  1842,  when  adventurous  settlers  from 
the  east,  many  from  Ohio,  were  beginning  to  seek  homes  in  Cass  county, 
Samuel  Swigart  and  wife  drove  their  two-horse  wagon,  with  the  family 
provisions  and  possessions,  all  the  way  from  the  old  Ohio  home  to  what 
was  then  practically  a  wilderness  in  this  section  of  Indiana.  They  were 
sturdy  people,  a  commingling  of  German  and  Scotch-Irish  blood  pro- 
ducing a  type  that  can  hardly  be  excelled,  and  all  their  courage  and  re- 
sourcefulness, their  strength  of  body  and  spirit,  were  demanded  by 
the  hard  pioneer  experiences  that  they  were  called  upon  to  bear  in  those 
early  days.  The  Swigart  name  has  ever  since  been  one  that  has  been 
known  and  highly  respected  in  Cass  county,  and  a  worthy  representative 
of  it  may  be  found  in  C.  ]M.  C.  Swigart,  who  is  one  of  Clay  township's 
well-informed  men  and  enterprising  agriculturists.  j\Ir.  Swigart  is  a 
son  of  Samuel  and  Jane  (IMcPherson)  Swigart,  whose  other  children 
were:  Frank,  who  married  Marguerite  Kline;  Jessie  M.,  who  married 
Alice  LaRose ;  Theodore  P.,  who  married  JMiss  Phoebe  McCoy ;  Adam  N., 
who  married  Tillie  ]\Iason ;  and  Sarah,  who  became  the  wife  of  Samuel 
Carr.  Seventy  years  ago,  when  Samuel  Swigart  first  came  to  Cass 
county,  Adamsboro  was  a  larger  town  than  Logansport,  and  in  that 
vicinity  he  built  his  first  little  log  cabin  home.  He  continued  to  be  en- 
gaged in  agricultural  pursuits  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  developed 
an  excellent  property  on  section  14,  Clay  township,  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  in  the  early  eighties,  was  one  of  his  township's  most  highly 
esteemed  citizens.  He  died  in  the  faith  of  high  morality  and  standard 
integrity.  His  wife,  who  passed  away  in  1892,  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church. 

Cassius  ]\I.  Clay  Swigart  was  educated  in  the  primitive  schools  of 
Cass  county,  in  the  Westville  Academy,  under  Professor  Laird,  and  two 
years  in  city  schools.  He  was  also  a  teacher  for  three  years  in  Cass 
county,  and  like  the  majority  of  farmers'  lads  of  his  day  and  locality, 
spent  the  summer  months  in  the  hard  work  of  the  homestead.  He  was 
born  February  14,  1849,  and  was  man-ied  December  27,  1872,  to  Miss 
Rosalie  E.  Thomas,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Wilson)  Thomas, 
and  she  had  two  sisters  and  one  brother,  namely:  Sarah  M.,  who  mar- 
ried Delbert  Walker,  and  died  in  1894 ;  Eugene  W.,  who  married  Minnie 
Conrad;  and  Alice  A.,  who  never  married. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  777 

When  Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  Swigart  married  they  moved  to  Portland,  Oregon, 
and  there  he  engaged  in  horticulture,  and  remained  there  three  years.  In 
1876  they  returned  to  Clay  township,  Cass  county,  and  here  Mr.  Swigart 
was  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  and  agriculture  for  twenty  years. 
Then  they  moved  to  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  and  he  was  a  farmer  there 
for  three  years,  and  his  farm  comprised  one  hundred  and  fifty-four 
acres,  thence  to  Clay  township  where  they  now  reside  on  a  splendid 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  equipped  with  good  buildings, 
and  whilst  in  Cass  county  he  has  pursued  horticulture  and  agriculture, 
and  has  been  reasonably  successful. 

Mrs.  Swigart  is  a  native  of  Miami  county,  Indiana,  and  was  born 
September  30,  1852.  Her  father,  John  Wesley  Thomas,  was  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  born  December  20,  1826,  and  died  in  1908.  He  was  a 
manufacturer  and  agriculturist  and  politically  formerly  a  Republican, 
then  a  Prohibitionist.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  both  are  interred  in  the  Bethel  cemetery.  Mrs.  Thomas  was 
born  in  Indiana,  March  5,  1831,  and  died  February  11,  1897.  Mrs. 
Swigart  was  reared  and  educated  in  her  native  county. 

To  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Swigart  were  born  six  children, 
three  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  living :  Mabel  Clare,  wife  of  Edward 
A.  Flory,  a  horticulturist  of  Miami  township,  was  born  in  Portland, 
Oregon,  and  they  have  three  sons.  Ernest  N.,  a  resident  of  Clay  town- 
ship, and  a  farmer,  married  Miss  Lucy  Angle,  a  native  of  Virginia,  and 
they  have  two  sons ;  he  is  a  Progressive  politically  and  the  family  belong 
to  the  Baptist  church.  Bemice  M.,  wife  of  William  E.  Packard,  a  resi- 
dent of  Miami  township  and  an  agriculturist,  also  assessor  of  the  town- 
ship, has  seven  children,  three  sons  and  four  daughters,  and  Ruth 
Clare,  the  little  granddaughter,  lives  with  her  grandparents.  Everett  P., 
a  resident  of  Clay  township  and  an  agriculturist,  was  engaged  in  rail- 
roading a  number  of  years.  He  wedded  Miss  Minnie  Jones,  and  they 
have  one  little  daughter.  Leona  Ruth  is  the  wife  of  Aaron  E.  Packard, 
a  resident  of  Clay  township  and  an  agriculturist.  James  G.  Blaine,  a 
resident  of  Nightingale,  Alberta,  Canada,  wedded  Miss  Hattie  Kline. 
He  was  engaged  in  railroad  work  for  years,  and  is  the  youngest  of  the 
family. 

The  homestead  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Swigart  is  known  as  "The  Eel  River 
Valley  Fruit  and  Stock  Farm"  and  Mr.  Swigart  was  the  first  man  who 
successfully  introduced  alfalfa  in  Cass  county,  Indiana.  He  has  devoted 
his  time  to  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  and  his  operations  have 
been  uniformly  successful  because  he  has  brought  to  his  work  that  intel- 
ligent and  conscientious  devotion  that  never  fails  to  be  rewarded  with 
satisfactory  results.  His  buildings  are  of  modern  design  and  substan- 
tial character,  his  land  is  well  fenced,  tiled  and  drained,  his  cattle  sleek 
and  well  fed,  and  the  entire  appearance  of  his  property  shows  the 
presence  of  able  management.  Modern  machinery  and  appliances  have 
played  no  small  part  in  assisting  Mr.  Swigart  in  his  march  to  a  position 
of  affluence,  for  he  has  ever  been  possessed  of  progressive  ideas,  and  in 
this  connection  it  may  be  stated  that  he  cast  his  fortunes  in  1912  with 
the  new  Progressive  political  party.  With  his  family  he  attends  the 
Christian  church. 


778  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Eugene  A.  Walker.  For  the  full  period  of  a  half  century,  Mr. 
Walker  has  known  old  Cass  county,  having  been  a  resident  within  the 
boundaries  of  this  political  division  of  the  state  since  1853.  He  is  a 
man  of  honored  and  respected  achievements,  and  owns  one  of  the  hand- 
some rural  homes  in  Clay  township. 

Eugene  A.  Walker  is  a  native  of  Genesee  county.  New  York,  and  was 
born  October  24,  1845.  He  was  the  oldest  of  four  children,  three  sons 
and  one  daughter,  in  the  family  of  Lyman  G.  and  Charlotte  S.  (Moon) 
Walker.  Only  ]\Ir.  Walker  and  his  brother  Charles  survive,  the  latter 
being  a  resident  of  Chicago,  being  married  and  having  a  family  of  one 
son,  and  is  a  Republican  in  politics. 

Lyman  6.  Walker,  the  father,  was  also  a  native  of  Genesee  county, 
New  York,  where  he  was  born  March  20,  1822,  and  he  died  December  27, 
1872.  By  trade  he  was  a  tanner  and  currier.  In  1850  he  went  to  Cali- 
fornia, by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  as  a  seeker  for  gold  and  spent 
two  years  on  the  gold  coast,  being  reasonably  successful,  and  then 
returning  to  his  old  home  in  New  York.  Before  making  this  adventure 
he  had  married  and  had  two  children.  Lyman  G.  Walker  traced  his 
lineage  back  to  Old  England,  and  the  family  history  in  America  goes 
to  a  widow  Walker  who  came  to  the  colonies  on  board  the  historic  May- 
flower, settling  in  the  New  England  states,  and  becoming  the  founder 
of  this  branch  of  the  Walkers.  Grandfather  Obediah  Walker  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war  and  died  January  30,  1832.  On  his 
monument  are  inscribed  these  words, — "A  Veteran  of  1776." 

It  was  in  the  fall  of  1853  that  Lyman  G.  Walker,  with  his  wife  and 
family  came  to  Cass  county.  The  journey  was  made  by  rail  as  far  as 
Cleveland,  whence  they  took  a  boat  to  Toledo  and  from  there  to  Logans- 
port  came  by  the  old  Wabash  canal.  After  remaining  until  the  follow- 
ing spring  in  Logansport,  the  father  brought  his  family  to  the  farm 
where  his  grandson  Adelbert  resided  in  Miami  township  on  the  banks 
of  the  Eel  river.  ]\Ir.  Walker  bought  other  land  and  added  to  his 
estate  until  the  time  of  his  death  he  had  a  hundred  and  forty  acres. 
He  made  practically  all  the  improvements,  since  when  he  moved  to  the 
farm  it  was  situated  in  the  wilderness.  He  was  an  early  enough  settler 
also  to  have  seen  many  deer  in  this  locality.  Lyman  G.  Walker  was 
originally  a  Whig  in  politics,  and  on  the  birth  of  the  Republican  party 
in  1856  he  cast  his  first  vote  for  Fremont.  He  was  a  friend  of  the  public 
schools  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Baptist  church, 
and  their  remains  now  rest  in  the  Miami  Baptist  cemetery  in  this  county. 
The  father  was  also  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 
The  mother  was  born  in  Genesee  county,  ]\Iarch  29,  1825,  and  her  death 
occurred  April  27,  1872.  She  was  reared  in  her  native  county,  and  as 
a  mother  she  was  devoted  to  the  interests  of  her  family,  and  set  her 
children  an  example  of  Christian  fortitude  and  the  best  virtues. 

Eugene  A.  Walker  was  a  boy  of  eight  years  when  the  family  accom- 
plished the  migration  to  Cass  county.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  and  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  Cass  county.  The  first  school  he  attended  in  this  county  was  in  a 
log  building,  and  the  children  sat  upon  split-puncheon  slabs,  supported 
by  wooden  pins  driven  into  holes  on  the  under  side.  Some  of  the  text 
books  which  he  recalls  as  having  used  when  a  boy  were  the  McGufi^ay 


HISTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  779 

readers  and  spellers.  Mr.  "Walker  was  nineteen  years  old  when  he 
started  out  for  himself,  and  his  first  enterprise  was  on  a  farm. 

He  has  been  twice  married.  In  1869  he  married  Miss  Minerva  C. 
Thomas,  and  two  children  were  born  to  this  marriage,  both  of  whom  are 
now  living.  Nettie,  a  graduate  of  the  Cass  county  public  schools,  and  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  is  the  wife  of  Harry  Kistler  of 
Indianapolis,  where  he  is  connected  with  the  Armour  Packing  Company 
and  is  very  prominent  in  the  Masonic  order,  having  been  honored  with 
the  thirty-second  degree  of  Scottish  Rites.  Adelbert  M.,  who  is  one  of 
the  young  and  progressive  farmers  of  Cass  county,  and  his  career  is 
sketched  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  The  mother  of  these  children  was 
born  in  Miami  county,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 
Her  death  occurred  in  1893.  On  November  11,  1895,  Mr.  Walker  mar- 
ried Miss  Harriet  Callahan,  who  was  born  in  Miami  county  and  reared 
and  educated  in  Cass  county.  Her  father  is  now  deceased  and  her 
mother  is  a  resident  of  Carroll  county,  Indiana. 

The  first  land  which  Mr.  Walker  bought  was  eighty-four  acres  in 
Miami  township.  He  went  in  debt  to  the  extent  of  thirty-two  hundred 
dollars  when  he  obtained  this  place  in  1868,  and  by  hard  industry  and 
thrift  finally  paid  off  in  full.  All  the  improvements  on  the  land  were 
put  there  by  his  own  work  or  direction,  and  when  he  took  possession 
a  log  house  with  a  board  roof  was  about  the  only  improvement  that 
could  properly  be  named  as  such.  In  1910  IMr.  and  Mrs.  Walker  moved 
to  Clay  township,  where  they  now  reside  on  a  beautiful  little  country 
place  of  thirty-eight  acres  and  have  erected  for  their  residence  a  hand- 
some bungalow  which  is  excellently  finished  and  furnished,  and  is  mod- 
ern in  every  detail.  Outside  of  the  house  are  a  number  of  convenient, 
outbuildings  for  the  stock,  grain  and  machinery,  and  the  home  is  situ- 
ated about  sixty  rods  from  the  Vandalia  depot. 

Mr.  Walker  is  a  Civil  war  veteran,  and  one  of  the  youngest  in  Cass 
county.  He  enlisted  in  February,  1865,  when  about  nineteen  years  of  age 
in  Company  F  of  the  One  Himdred  and  Fifty-first  Indiana  Infantry, 
under  Captain  Davidson,  and  his  regiment  was  put  in  the  Army  of  the 
Tennessee.  He  served  until  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  in  Sep- 
tember, 1865.  In  politics  he  is  independent,  and  easts  his  franchise 
in  the  direction  in  which  he  thinks  it  will  accomplish  the  most  good. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walker  support  all  elevating  movements  and  policies  for 
the  moral  and  intellectual  welfare  of  their  county  and  township. 

John  C.  Barb.  The  annals  of  Cass  county  show  many  records  of  the 
lives  of  farmers  who  have  rounded  out  the  duties  connected  with  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  have  amassed  considerable  fortunes  gathered  from 
the  fertile  soil.  One  who  has  met  with  well-deserved  success  along  these 
lines  is  John  C.  Barr,  of  Noble  township,  who  has  resided  in  Cass 
county  all  of  his  life,  and  is  well  acquainted  with  soil  and  climatic  con- 
ditions here.  IMr.  Barr  has  made  farming  his  life  work,  and  through 
intelligent  management  of  his  affairs  has  won  his  way  to  affluence.  He 
was  born  in  Harrison  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  November  2,  1870, 
and  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Jane  (Goodwin)  Barr. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Barr  came  to  the  United  States  from  England 
in  1848,  locating  in  Cass  county.    In  1852,  in  company  with  his  brother- 


780  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

in-law,  Thomas  Goodwin,  also  a  resident  of  Cass  county,  he  left  home 
to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  gold  fields  of  California,  leaving  behind  him 
a  family  eonsistiug  of  his  wife  and  three  children:  Mary,  Thomas  and 
Jeremiah.  While  enroute  by  water,  Thomas  Goodwin  contracted  yellow 
fever,  from  which  he  died,  and  his  body  was  wrapped  in  a  sheet  and 
cast  overboard.  ^Ir.  Barr  continued  his  journey  and  on  reaching  his 
destination  began  life  by  staking  claims.  At  this  he  met  with  varying 
success,  and  after  enduring  the  hardships  incident  to  the  rough  life  of 
the  mining  camp  for  about  six  years,  returned  to  his  family  with  suffi- 
cient means  with  which  to  purchase  outright  six  acres  of  land.  Through 
his  thrift,  energy  and  perseverance,  assisted  by  his  good*  wife  and  his 
industrious  family,  he  was  able  to  add  to  this  land  from  time  to  time,  and 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  December  14,  1893,  he  left  an  estate  of  sixteen 
hundred  acres,  the  greater  part  of  which  was  under  cultivation,  this 
being  located  in  Harrison,  Boone  and  Noble  townships.  His  wife's  death 
followed  January  6,  1901. 

John  C.  Barr  received  the  greater  part  of  his  education  in  the  district 
schools,  although  he  completed  it  at  Royal  Center.  He  was  reared  to 
habits  of  industry  and  honesty,  and  was  taught  the  value  and  dignity 
of  hard  work,  and  thoroughly  trained  in  the  work  of  the  farm.  General 
farming  and  stock  raising  have  always  received  his  attention,  and  his 
success  has  come  as  a  result  of  commendable  industry  and  practical 
management  of  his  affairs  with  a  fixed  goal  ever  in  view. 

On  Februarj^  2'±,  1898,  ]\Ir.  Barr  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Daisy  Fisher,  the  oldest  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  Elizabeth  (Suter) 
Fisher,  of  Cass  copnty,  and  six  children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  all 
of  whom  are  living.  Harry  R.,  graduated  in  the  class  of  1912,  and  has 
taken  violin  instructions ;  Ray  W.,  is  in  the  eighth  grade,  also  has  taken 
guitar  music ;  Ruth,  in  the  fourth  grade,  will  take  piano  music ;  Nelson 
M.,  in  the  fifth  grade,  will  take  mandolin  lessons ;  Grace,  in  the  fifth 
grade,  will  take  piano  music,  and  Beatrice,  in  the  third  grade,  is  the 
youngest  child.  ^Irs.  Barr  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  born  May  22, 
1872,  and  she  is  the  thii-d  of  five  children,  three  sons  and  two  daughters, 
two  dead  and  three  are  living.  Her  mother  is  a  resident  of  Jefferson 
township,  and  the  father,  a  native  of  Virginia,  is  deceased.  Mrs.  Barr 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools.  Their  beautiful  home  is  known 
as  "Glendale' Farm." 

Like  his  father,  I\Ir.  Barr  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  has  always 
been  a  stanch  advocate  of  public  improvements.  With  his  family,  he 
is  a  regular  attendant  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  has  always  been  a 
cheerful  contributor  to  church  and  charitable  needs  when  called  upon. 
During  his  long  residence  here,  he  has  formed  a  wide  acquaintance,  in 
which  he  numbers  many  warm  friends.  He  is  known  as  a  good  and 
public-spirited  citizen  and  as  an  excellent  farmer,  and  has  done  his 
full  share  in  advancing  the  welfare  of  his  community. 

William  L.  McMillen.  The  farming  interests  of  Noble  township 
are  well  represented  by  a  group  of  practical,  intelligent  and  able  men, 
among  whom  William  L.  IMcMillen  takes  prominent  place.  Born  July 
9,  1871,  in  Noble  township,  Cass  county,  he  is  a  son  of  Lewis  and  Frances 
Jane  (McCauley)  McMillen. 


HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  781 

The  Mc]\Iillen  family  is  one  of  the  old  and  honored  ones  of  Cass 
county,  where  its  members  have  been  identified  with  the  development 
of  the  section  for  eighty-five  years.  His  grandparents,  George  and 
Susan  (McMillen)  McMillen,  became  residents  of  Cass  county  in  1828, 
entering  upon  life  in  the  west  in  true  pioneer  style.  The  grandfather 
was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  grandmother  of  Highland  county, 
Ohio.  Locating  on  a  farm  in  Noble  township,  Cass  county,  they  there 
reared  their  family  of  four  children :  Lewis,  Milton,  William  and  Elizai- 
beth  J.  They  experienced  many  of  the  hardships  and  difficulties  of 
pioneer  life  and  to  the  development  of  a  new  home  in  the  forest,  but 
as  the  years  passed  theirs  became  one  of  the  comfortable  homes  of  the 
community  and  their  labors  contributed  not  a  little  to  the  substantial 
development  of  their  section.  The  grandfather  took  a  prominent  part  in 
public  affairs  and  for  four  years  filled  the  office  of  trustee  of  Noble 
township,  giving  his  support  to  the  Republican  party.  He  died  in 
1849,  at  the  age  of  forty-four  years,  and  in  the  faith  of  the  Presbyterian 
church. 

Lewis  McMillen  was  born  March  2,  1832,  on  the  old  home  place  in 
Noble  township,  and  there  he  was  reared  to  habits  of  sobriety,  indus- 
try and  honesty,  and  taught  the  value  and  dignity  of  hard  work.  He 
was  married  October  2,  1861,  to  Frances  Jane  McCauley,  a  native  of 
Noble  township,  and  daughter  of  Elias  McCauley,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  three  children:  James  E.,  Minnie  and  William  L.  Mrs. 
McMillen  died  October  2^,  1886,  at  the  age  of  forty-four  years,  and 
many  friends  mourned  her  loss,  for  her  sterling  traits  of  character  had 
endeared  her  to  all  with  whom  she  came  in  contact.  Like  his  father, 
Mr.  McjMillen  was  a  Republican,  and  for  one  year  served  as  supervisor 
of  Noble  township.  He  belonged  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 
lent  his  aid  and  influence  to  all  movements  for  the  public  good.  His 
business  methods  were  honorable  and  straightforward,  and  his  close 
application,  continual  perseverance  and  unabating  energy  enabled  him 
to  work  his  way  steadily  upward  to  a  position  of  affluence.  He  was  a 
loyal  citizen,  faithful  in  his  friendships,  devoted  to  his  family,  and 
enjoyed  the  warm  regard  of  all  with  whom  he  came  into  contact. 

William  L.  i\Ic]\Iillen  received  his  early  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Noble  township,  and  his  vocation  has  always  been  that  of 
farming,  he  having  resided  on  his  present  property  since  1896.  On 
June  2,  1895,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Eva  May  Carney,  of  Winamac, 
Pulaski  county,  Indiana,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  three 
children,  namely:  LeRoy,  who  died  August  23,  1896,  aged  six  months; 
Naomi  and  Esther.  During  the  school  term  of  1892,  Mrs.  McMillen  was 
engaged  in  teaching  the  district  schools  of  Noble  township. 

Mr.  ]\IcMillen  has  always  given  his  support  to  Republican  principles 
and  candidates,  and  has  several  times  held  office,  being  assessor  in  1900 
and  trustee  in  1908.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  lodge  in 
Logansport,  and  with  the  members  of  his  family,  attends  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  He  has  the  reputation  in  his  community  of  being 
a  public-spirited  citizen,  always  ready  to  support  movements  tending 
to  advance  the  growth  and  development  of  his  community,  and  as  one 
who  is  a  liberal  contributor  to  church  and  charitable  enterprises. 


782  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Williamson  Wright  was  born  at  Lancaster,  Ohio,  on  the  18th  day 
of  May,  1814,  and  was  a  noied  fi^ire  m  Cass  county  m  his  day.  His 
father,  Rev.  Jolm  Wright,  was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, on  P"'ebruary  II,  1777.  He  was  prepared  for  college  at  Jeffer- 
son Academy,  Commonsburg,  Pennsylvania,  and  was  graduated  from 
Dickinson  College,  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  in  1788.  He  studied  theology 
under  an  uncle,  Dr.  James  Power,  a  pioneer  Presbyterian  minister  of 
western  Pennsylvania,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  in  October,  1802.  In 
1805  he  became  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  at  Lancaster, 
Ohio,  and  he  held  that  pastorate  for  thirty-one  consecutive  years.  In 
1836  he  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  with  the  expectation  of  passing 
the  remainder  of  his  days  here  in  retirement.  In  connection  with  his 
ministry  at  Lancaster,  Ohio,  he  had  worked  hard  in  organizing  other 
churches  in  a  large  circle,  and  this  strenuous  work  had  seriously  im- 
paired his  health.  His  two  sons,  John  and  Williamson  of  this  review, 
had  preceded  him  to  Logansport,  and  here  the  aged  father  settled  to 
enjoy  his  remaining  days.  Rev.  John  Wright  never  accepted  another 
pastorate,  although  he  organized  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Lo- 
gansport, and  was  the  first  pastor  of  this  church  as  well  as  others  in 
Cass  county,  having  an  especial  genius  for  that  phase  of  his  work.  For 
fifteen  years  he  was  at  the  head  of  the  Logansport  Presbytery  and  once 
was  moderator  of  the  Synod  of  Indiana.  He  died  on  August  31,  1854. 
His  wife  was  Jane  Weakley,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren :  John  and  Williamson,  both  lawyers  of  i^enown  in  Logansport,  axid 
Edward,  who  received  the  degree  of  D.  D.,  and  was,  as  his  father  be- 
fore him,  a  minister  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Williamson  AVright  was  reared  at  Lancaster,  Ohio,  and  was  gradu- 
ated at  Miami  University,  Oxford,  Ohio,  when  he  was  eighteen  years 
old.  He  read  law  and  when  he  was  twenty-one  was  admitted  to  the 
bar.  In  1835  he  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  and  he  almost  at  once  took 
rank  with  the  foremost  lawyers  of  this  section.  In  1840  he  was  elected 
state  senator,  and  in  1849  was  an  unsuccessful  candidate  for  Congress. 
It  was  largely  through  his  efforts,  and  that  of  his  brother,  that  Logans- 
port gained  its  first  railroad,  and  he  was  president  of  the  company  that 
built  the  road  between  Logansport  and  New  Castle.  He  acquired  owner- 
ship to  considerable  land  in  the  county,  but  at  the  time  of  his  death  had 
disposed  of  all  but  about  seventeen  hundred  acres. 

The  latter  years  of  ]\Ir.  Wright 's  life  were  devoted  almost  exclusively 
to  looking  after  his  large  landed  interests,  but  prior  to  that  he  was  in- 
terested to  a  considerable  extent  in  railroad  matters. 

Mr.  Wright  married  Eliza  Sering,  of  Madison,  Indiana,  who  died  in 
1847,  leaving  two  children, — John  and  Jennie,  both  now  deceased.  In 
1852  he  married  Kate  Swift,  the  daughter  of  Rev.  E.  P.  Swift,  D.  D.,  of 
Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  seven  chil- 
dren, of  whom  brief  mention  is  made  as  follows:  Mary,  the  eldest,  died 
when  four  years  old.  Kate  married  E.  P.  Tucker;  Williamson  Swift; 
Elizabeth  G.,  who  became  the  wife  of  W.  H.  Barnhart ;  Anne  Lucy,  the 
wife  of  C.  W.  Graves  of  Logansport,  of  whom  extended  mention  is  made 
in  other  pages  of  this  work ;  Etta  D.  and  Elisha  P.  S.,  who  is  dead. 

Williamson  Wright  died  on  the  28tli  day  of  March,  1896,  and  his 
widow  survived  him  less  than  a  year,  passing  away  on  February  5,  1897. 


C^isC    yi^ 


y 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  783 

Mr.  Wright  was  actively  identified  with  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  his 
benefactions,  while  large,  were  of  the  most  unostentatious  order.  He 
was  first  a  Whig,  and  then  a  Republican,  in  which  political  faith  he 
continued  all  his  life. 

Norman  Elmer  Myers.  The  whole  life  of  Norman  Elmer  Myers 
thus  far  has  been  passed  upon  the  farm  and  in  the  pursuit  of  that  indus- 
try. He  has  met  with  a  pleasing  success  in  his  work  and  is  accounted 
one  of  the  best  established  men  in  Noble  township,  which  has  been  his 
home  all  his  days.  He  was  born  in  Noble  township,  Cass  county,  on 
August  18,  1872,  and  is  the  son  of  Henry  S.  and  Mary  Ellen  (Tilton) 
Myers. 

Concerning  these  worthy  parents  it  may  be  said  that  the  father  came 
to  Indiana  from  New  Jersey,  where  he  was  born,  locating  in  Noble  town- 
ship in  the  year  1858.  After  a  residence  of  something  like  a  year  in 
this  place  he  went  west,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  he  returned 
to  the  state  and  enlisted  in  the  Fourteenth  Indiana  Battery.  He 
remained  with  his  regiment  through  thick  and  thin,  and  was  honorably 
discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war.  One  year  after  the  war  he  came  to 
Cass  county  once  more  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  section  3,  and  in 
1866  he  married  Mary  Ellen  Tilton,  the  daughter  of  Simeon  and  Sarah 
Tilton.  Two  sons  were  born  to  these  parents :  Frank  Tilton  ]\Iyers, 
born  on  i\Iarch  9,  1866,  in  Cass  county,  and  Norman  Elmer,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  review. 

Norman  Myers  was  educated  to  a  certain  degree  in  the  common  schools 
of  Noble  township,  and  all  his  life  with  the  exception  of  five  years  has 
been  passed  on  the  farm  which  he  now  occupies.  The  place  is  located 
in  section  9  of  Noble  township,  and  consists  of  one  hundred  and  thirty 
acres.  It  is  a  well  cared  for  place,  evidencing  in  every  way  the  thrift 
and  enterprise  which  mark  its  owner  and  have  made  him  one  of  the 
prosperous  men  of  the  town. 

On  December  5,  1900,  Mr.  Myers  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Maud  Wise,  the  only  daughter  of  James  and  Margaret  (Rue)  Wise. 
She  was  born  in  Cass  county  on  April  18,  1874,  and  here  has  passed  her 
life.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Myers:  Claud  E., 
born  September  7,  1901,  and  Mary  Margaret,  born  on  November  13, 
1905. 

Mr.  Myers  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  faith,  but  not  more  than 
ordinarily  active  in  affairs  of  that  nature,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Andrew  Burnetts  was  a  native  of  Highland  county,  Ohio,  bom 
there  in  1828,  and  was  a  son  of  Edward  Burnette,  who  was  a  farmer  in 
that  county,  and  a  descendant  of  French  ancestry.  The  advent  of  the 
Burnette  family  into  America  was  at  about  the  time  when  the  American 
colonies  gained  their  independence  from  the  mother  country,  and  they 
have  ever  since  been  worthy  and  substantial  citizens  of  the  new  re- 
public. Andrew  Burnette  passed  his  boyhood  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  such  education  as  came  his  way  was  gained  in  the  old-fash- 
ioned log  school  Avith  its  primitive  and  inefficient  methods  of  instruc- 
tion.    In  1847  he  married  Mary  J.  Horn  in  Ohio,  and  the  year  1850 


784  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

marked  the  advent  of  the  family  into  Cass  county,  when  he  and  his 
wife  settled  on  an  eighty  acre  farm  which  they  had  purchased,  for  which 
he  paid  the  sum  of  $300.  Here  he  built  a  log  cabin.  It  was  no  palatial 
affair;  indeed,  it  was  rude  and  unfinished,  with  its  stick  and  mud 
chimney,  its  one  room,  eighteen  feet  square,  and  a  door  and  a  window. 
But  here  they  settled  down  on  their  new  farm  and  set  in  bravely  to  the 
work  of  making  a  farm  out  of  a  piece  of  wild  land.  Andrew  Burnette 
and  his  family  lived  on  this  place  until  1864,  when  he  sold  it  and 
moved  to  a  farm  in  Noble  township,  Cass  county,  but  some  time  later 
moved  to  Clay  township.  Here  Mrs.  Burnette  died  on  February  12, 
1899.  The  death  of  the  wife  and  mother  broke  up  the  home  circle,  as  it 
does  too  often,  and  Mr.  Burnette  thereafter  made  his  home  with  his  mar- 
ried children  until  he  died  on  October  26,  1902.  Mrs.  Burnette  was  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  and  was  one  of  the  truly  estimable 
women  of  her  community,  where  she  was  held  in  the  secure  regard  of  all 
who  knew  her.  Andrew  Burnette  was  a  Whig,  later  a  Republican,  in 
which  political  faith  he  labored  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  a 
quiet,  unassuming  man,  of  kindly  disposition  and  a  most  admirable 
character,  and  known  in  his  community  as  a  good  neighbor  and  a 
genuine  friend,  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  a  wide  circle  of  acquaint- 
ances being  his.  Both  these  worthy  people  are  at  rest  in  Mount  Hope 
cemetery,  iu  Logansport.  They  were  the  parents  of  three  children, 
of  whom  brief  mention  is  here  made :  John  H.,  to  whom  a  separate 
sketch  is  devoted  in  other  pages  of  this  work ;  George  C. ;  and  Hannah, 
who  is  now  the  wife  of  Irvin  Funston,  her  husband  being  a  first  cousin 
of  General  Frederick  Funston,  of  Spanish-American  war  fame.  George 
C.  is  married,  also,  and  makes  his  home  in  East  St.  Louis. 

John  H.  Burnette  was  born  in  Highland  county,  Ohio,  on  February 
8,  1849,  and  is  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Mary  J.  (Horn)  Burnette,  also 
of  Highland  county,  Ohio,  of  whom  extended  mention  is  made  in  a 
separate  sketch  dedicated  to  Andrew  Burnette.  When  John  Burnette 
was  an  infant  in  arms  his  parents  came  to  Indiana,  settling  first  in 
Fulton  county  and  later  in  Cass  county,  in  both  of  which  places  they 
were  engaged  in  farming.  Thus  has  the  early  life,  as  well  as  the  sub- 
sequent practical  experience  of  John  H.  Burnette,  been  spent  in  the  work 
of  the  farm.  He  early  became  acquainted  with  the  various  processes 
which  go  to  make  up  the  building  up  of  a  profitable  farm  from  a  barren 
wilderness,  and  his  young  life  saw  many  of  the  privations  and  hard- 
ships incident  to  pioneer  life.  He  secured  such  schooling  as  the  schools 
of  his  immediate  vicinity  afforded,  and  so  well  did  he  improve  his  op- 
portunities in  that  way  that  in  the  winter  of  1869-70  and  1870-71  he 
taught  school  in  his  district.  On  April  3,  1873,  Mr.  Burnette  married 
Lizzie  J.  Thornton,  and  then  began  fanning,  first  in  Noble  township, 
where  he  remained  for  two  years,  and  then  in  Clay  township,  where  he 
was  busily  engaged  in.  the  pursuit  of  farm  life  from  1875  to  1908.  He 
was  always  a  successful  farmer,  and  those  years  brought  him  a  pleasing 
prosperity.  In  1908  he  moved  to  Logansport,  retiring  from  farm  life, 
and  here  he  has  since  resided. 

Mr.  Burnette  is  a  Republican  and  has  served  his  city  as  a  member 
of  the  city  council  for  eight  years,  as  well  as  filling  various  other  local 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  785 

positions  of  trust  in  the  city  which  he  has  made  his  home.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  order  and  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  with 
his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church. 

Mr.  Burnette  has  been  twice  married.  One  daughter  was  born  of 
his  first  marriage, — Nellie,  now  living  in  Colorado,  she  married  ]\Iathew 
C.  Warren,  of  Fort  Collins,  Colorado,  of  the  firm  of  Moody  &  Warren. 
The  wife  and  mother  died  on  February  12,  1904,  and  on  November  6, 
1906,  Mr.  Burnette  contracted  his  second  marriage,  when  Mrs.  Ida 
Wagner  of  Kewanna,  Indiana,  a  daughter  of  James  Murray,  and  the 
widow  of  Frank  Wagner,  a  prominent  Kewanna  lawyer,  became  his  wife. 
Mrs.  Burnette  had  four  children  by  her  first  marriage,  but  one  of  whom, 
Don  B.  Wagner,  is  now  living. 

George  McjMillen,  well  known  and  prosperous  in  farming  circles  in 
this  township,  has  demonstrated  in  a  most  telling  manner  his  fitness  for 
the  life  of  a  farmer.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm,  but  in  starting  out  in 
independent  life  he  decided  to  give  up  the  humdrum  existence  he  had 
so  long  known.  Accordingly  he  established  himself  in  the  implement 
business  in  Logansport,  but  it  is  significant  of  the  man  that  after  fourteen 
years  of  honest  endeavor  in  that  business,  he  gave  over  his  connection 
therewith  and  returned  gladly  to  the  farm,  where  he  has  since  continued 
in  peace  and  prosperity.  Born  on  November  10,  1855,  in  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  George  McMillen  is  the  son  of  Robert  and  Rosanna  (Harper) 
McMillen.  The  father  w^as  a  millwright  and  passed  his  life  in  that  work, 
death  claiming  him  on  July  7,  1890,  less  than  a  year  after  the  passing  of 
his  faithful  wife,  who  preceded  him  on  the  26th  of  October,  1889.  Both 
are  interred  in  Harper  cemetery  in  Noble  township.  The  name  McMillen 
is  of  Scotch-Irish  origin. 

George  McMillen,  their  son,  attended  the  district  schools  of  Noble 
township  and  later  finished  his  education  in  Smithson  College.  After  his 
college  career  he  turned  his  attention  to  farm  work  for  a  brief  time,  but 
in  1890  went  into  the  implement  business  in  Logansport,  as  has  been 
already  mentioned.  Eight  years  ago  the  call  of  the  farm  drew  him  back 
to  Noble  township,  and  he  has  here  continued  since  that  time,  enjoying 
a  pleasing  prosperity  in  his  chosen  vocation. 

On  IMarch  4,  1886,  ]Mr.  IMcMillen  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Rose  Kreis,  a  native  daughter  of  Cass  county,  and  the  child  of  Philip 
and  Caroline  (Scheir)  Kreis,  who  had  lived  for  many  years  within  the 
confines  of  the  county.  Three  children  were  born  to  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs. 
McMillen :  Chester  R.  attended  the  common  schools,  Logansport  high 
school  and  then  the  Logansport  Business  College,  and  is  now  employed 
by  the  Vandalia  Railroad  Company.  He  M'edded  Miss  Blanche  Hurd 
and  they  are  residents  of  Logansport.  Mabel  E.  received  a  common 
school  education  and  then  graduated  from  the  Logansport  high  school,  in 
class  of  1909,  and  was  a  successful  teacher  in  her  home  township  two 
terms.  She  wedded  Wm.  J.  Thornton,  a  resident  of  Logansport  and 
an  agent  for  automobiles.  Mrs.  Thornton  is  a  member  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Thornton  is  a  member  of  "The  Moose." 
Margaret  was  a  student  in  the  Logansport  high  school.  She  is  at 
home  with  her  father. 

Mrs.  MclMillen,  the  mother,  was  a  native  of  Cass  county,  reared  and 


786  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

educated  in  her  home  county,  and  was  during  her  life  a  devout  member 
of  the  Fi^'st  Presbyterian  church.  She  was  a  lady  noted  for  her  piety,  her 
love  of  home  and  her  children.  Her  death  occun-ed  in  February,  1909. 
All  her  married  life  she  had  been  an  able  factor  to  her  husband  in  the 
building  up  of  their  happy  home.  Her  remains  are  interred  in  Blount 
Hope  cemeter}',  where  a  beautiful  monument  stands  sacred  to  her 
memory. 

Mr.  McMillen's  pretty  little  farm  of  twenty-one  acres  lies  just  at  the 
north  city  limits  of  Logansport,  Indiana. 

Mr.  Mcj\Iillen  is  a  Republican,  but  not  especially  active  in  political 
matters.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Powell  Castle  Hall 
No.  62,  the  Foresters,  and  the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  all  in  Logansport, 
Indiana.  He  was  brought  up  by  his  parents  in  the  Presbyterian  faith, 
always  having  attended  the  church  of  that  denomination  in  Noble  town- 
ship, and  he  and  his  children  are  members  and  attendants  of  that  church 
today.  Mr.  ]Mc]\Iillen  enjoys  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  all  who  share 
in  his  acquaintance,  and  he  is  known  for  one  of  the  estimable  and  stable 
men  of  the  community,  his  life  in  Noble  township  being  one  that  indicates 
in  a  telling  manner  the  many  splendid  qualities  of  the  man. 

William  R.  Cogley.  The  appeal  of  the  soil  is  very  strong  to  some 
men,  who  return  to  farming  as  a  means  of  livelihood  after  years  spent 
in  other  pursuits,  believing  that  in  agricultural  work  may  be  attained 
the  greatest  measure  of  success  by  those  who  know  how  to  till  the  land. 
William  R.  Cogley,  a  successful  farmer  and  stock  raiser  of  Clay  township, 
was  for  years  engaged  in  railroad  work,  but  eventually  yielded  to  the 
inclination  that  had  guided  a  long  line  of  agricultural  forebears,  re- 
turned to  the  tilling  of  the  soil,  and  has  seen  no  reason  thus  far  to  regret 
of  his  action,  for  today  he  is  numliered  among  the  more  substantial  men 
of  his  locality  and  stands  high  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens.  Mr. 
Cogley  was  born  in  Dauphin  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  January  4,  1867, 
and  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  IMary  (Endersl  Cogley.  The  family  came 
to  Cass  county  in  1869,  and  Samuel  Cogley  is  still  a  resident  of  Noble 
township,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  business  of  agriculture  for 
the  past  forty-four  years.  ' 

William  R.  Cogley  was  given  the  educational  advantages  that  might 
be  secured  in  the  district  schools  of  his  day  and  locality,  and  he  was 
early  trained  to  farm  work,  which  he  followed  with  more  or  less  diligence 
until  he  had  reached  the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  At  that  time,  he  went 
to  Logansport,  and  in  that  city  was  graduated  from  Hall's  Commercial 
College.  Following  that  addition  to  his  education,  the  young  man  went 
to  Chicago,  and  for  eighteen  months  was  engaged  in  a  large  mercantile 
establishment.  He  then  returned  to  the  home  farm  and  for  two  years 
worked  for  his  father  on  the  home  place.  He  subsequently  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Pan  Handle  Railroad,  beginning  as  a  brakeman,  and 
by  faithful  attention  to  his  duty  becoming  engineer  with  the  same 
road.  He  was  for  fourteen  years  employed  in  railroad  work,  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time  retired  and  bought  a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  which 
he  is  now  occupying,  located  about  two  miles  from  the  city  limits,  in 
Clay  township.  Progressive  and  enterprising,  he  has  continued  to  add 
to  his  improvements  on  this  handsome  property,  erecting  a  windmill 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  787 

and  a  number  of  substantial  and  commodious  buildings,  and  by  good 
management  aiid  intelligent  working  of  the  soil  making  his  land  pay 
him  yearly  substantial  returns  for  the  labor  he  has  expended  upon  it. 
He  has  a  comfortable  residence,  fitted  with  modern  conveniences,  and 
situated  on  Logansport  Rural  Route  No.  4. 

On  September  20,  1893,  ]\Ir.  Cogley  was  united  in  marriage  to  ^liss 
:Miunie  M.  Linton,  the  daughter  of  George  A.  and  Alary  E.  (Emery) 
Linton,  both  of  English  lineage,  as  is  also  the  Cogley  family.  Airs. 
Cogley  is  a  native  daughter  of  Cass  county,  born  within  its  confines 
on  September  15,  1872,  and  she  is  one  of  the  eight  children  of  her 
parents,  of  which  number  five  are  yet  living. 

George  Linton  was  born  in  Logansport,  and  is  now  a  resident  of 
that  city,  where  he  has  long  been  known  as  a  plumber  and  stearafitter, 
and  where  he  is  one  of  the  popular  and  prominent  men  of  the  city. 
He  is  a  Alason  and  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  a  veteran 
of  the  Civil  war,  through  which  he  served  with  valor  and  distinction 
and  received  his  honorable  discharge  when  the  Union  no  longer  re- 
quired his  services. 

Airs.  Cogley  was  reared  in  Logansport,  and  there  received  her 
education.  To  her  and  her  husband  four  children  have  been  born, 
as  follows:  George  E.,  the  eldest,  finished  with  the  work  of  the  public 
schools  of  his  community  in  1910,  receiving  his  diploma  at  the  time, 
and  is  now  employed  as  a  machinist  in  the  Vandalia  shops  at  Logans- 
port ;  Lawrence  E.,  R.  Weldon,  and  Ruth  A.  are  attending  the  local 
schools,  and  are  members  of  the  eight,  seventh  and  fifth  grades, 
respectively,  it  being  the  aim  of  their  parents  to  fit  them  for  suitable 
positions  in  life  by  means  of  careful  educations. 

Air.  and  Airs.  Cogley  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
Air.  Cogley  is  not  affiliated  with  any  political  party,  but  he  manifests 
a  wholesome  interest  in  the  political  affairs  of  his  municipality,  and 
considers  it  his  privilege  to  vote  for  the  man  he  regards  as  best  fitted 
for  the  office  in  ciuestion,  irrespective  of  party  lines  or  prejudices. 
He  takes  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  all  mattei-s  affecting  the 
welfare  of  his  community  and  heartily  supports  all  movements  that 
his  better  judgment  tells  him  will  make  for  good  government  and  loyal 
citizenship.  Fraternally,  he  has  membership  in  Tipton  Lodge  No.  33 
of  Logansport,  in  the  Alasonic  order. 

Elliott  E.  AIcKaig.  The  younger  generation,  whose  day  has 
come  since  the  comforts  brought  by  easy  communication  have  been 
available,  marvel  at  the  fact  that  all  the  wealth,  prosperity  and  con- 
veniences have  been  wrought  and  brought  about  within  the  lifetime 
of  men  who  stand  among  lis  today.  That  men  now  living  in  Cass 
county  fought  here  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest  and  contended  with 
the  hardships  and  privations  of  pioneer  existence  on  these  smiling 
farms  and  on  the  sites  of  cities  where  the  roar  of  traffic  and  the  heavy 
tramp  of  the  iron  wheels  of  factories  have  so  lately  drowned  the  voices 
of  primeval  nature,  seems  incredible.  Every  year  the  hoary-headed 
band  that  led  the  van  of  civilization  grows  smaller,  yet  there  are  still 
many  who  heard  the  first  scream  of  the  brazen  voice  of  the  locomotive 
which  brought  to  Cass  county  wealth  and  prosperity,  and  in  this  class 


788  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

is  E.  E.  MeKaig,  an  honored  resident  of  Noble  township.  ]\Ir.  jMcKaig 
was  for  many  years  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  when  he 
was  ready  to  retire  took  the  ideal  method  of  doing  so.  He  retired, 
and  yet  he  did  not  retire.  He  turned  over  the  work  to  the  broad  shoul- 
ders of  his  stalwart  son,  and  at  the  same  time  was  in  close  touch  with 
the  life  of  the  farm  and  ready  to  pass  on  to  the  younger  man  the 
benefit  of  the  experience  he  had  accumulated. 

Elliott  E.  ]\IcKaig  was  born  in  Noble  township,  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  November  6,  1835,  the  fourth  son  in  a  family  of  nine  children 
bom  to  William  and  Elizabeth  (Westfall)  ]\IcKaig,  the  former  a 
native  of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Maryland.  His  father  was  born 
of  Irish  descent  in  1795,  came  to  this  county  about  1833,  and  located 
upon  a  farm  in  Noble  township,  where  he  died  in  1868.  i\Irs.  McKaig 
was  born  of  German  parentage  in  1799,  and  emigrated  with  her  parents 
to  Ohio,  where  her  marriage  occurred  to  ]\Ir.  McKaig,  whom  she  ac- 
companied to  Noble  township,  and  here  she  died  in  1874.  The  children 
in  this  family  were  as  follows :  Levi  Hart,  deceased,  and  buried  in 
Shiloh  cemetery;  Sarah  Elizabeth,  also  deceased,  and  buried  in  that 
cemetery ;  Martha  C. ;  John  F.,  who  died  in  Kansas  in  1904  and  is 
buried  there ;  James  F. ;  Watson  C,  who  died  in  California  in  1912, 
and  was  buried  there ;  Robert  N. ;  Uriah  F.,  deceased,  who  was  buried 
in  Shiloh  cemetery;  and  Elliott  E.  James  F.  of  this  family  died  when 
two  years  of  age. 

Elliott  E.  McKaig  belonged  to  that  class  from  which,  in  the  struggle 
in  which  man  pitted  himself  against  primeval  forest  and  aboriginal  in- 
habitant, the  strongest  types  of  manhood  and  womanhood  were 
evolved.  In  early  life  he  was  accustomed  to  the  hard  work  which 
develops  the  mind  and  hardens  the  body.  His  education  was  secured 
in  the  primitive  schools,  and  he  was  trained  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
which  continued  to  be  his  vocation  until  his  retirement  from  active 
life  some  years  ago.  He  had  ever  shown  a  commendable  public  spirit, 
and  was  known  as  a  man  Avho  always  contributed  liberally  to  move- 
ments calculated  to  benefit  his  community  in  any  way,  as  well  as  to 
enterprises  of  a  religious  or  charitable  nature. 

]\Ir.  McKaig  was  married  July  13,  1870,  to  Hattie  Richards,  who 
was  born  December  24,  1851,  in  Dauphin  county,  Pennsylvania.  She 
was  of  Dutch  descent,  and  was  the  second  daughter  of  William  F. 
and  Rebecca  (Park)  Richards,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Ten  children 
were  born  to  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  IMcKaig,  as  follows:  Enuna  B.,  bom  Sep- 
tember 15,  1871;  Gertie,  born  September  21,  1872,  died  September 
11,  1874;  Willie,  born  April  1,  1875,  who  lived  but  eleven  days;  Pearl, 
born  February  21,  1877,  died  September  4,  1877;  infant  twins,  born 
January  1,  1878,  one  of  whom  died  a  few  hours  later,  and  the  other 
when  eleven  days  old;  Mindella,  bom  October  5,  1880;  Beulah  R., 
born  November  3,  1882 ;  Robert  Neal,  born  September  10,  1888 ;  and 
Allen  Roy,  born  March  28,  1892.  On  October  31,  1893,  the  mother  of 
these  children  was  found  dead  in  bed,  having  peacefully  passed  away 
in  her  sleep. 

Robert  Neal  and  Allen  Roy  IMcKaig  attended  the  common  schools 
of  Noble  township,  and  later  supplemented  this  by  attendance  at  the 
high    school    and    commercial    college    in    Logansport.      About    1908, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  789 

Robert  N.  McKaig  left  the  farm  and  since  that  time  has  been  connected 
with  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  Allen  R.  has  continued  to  remain 
on  the  home  farm,  and  has  succeeded  his  father  in  the  work  of  the 
homestead,  where  he  is  carrying  on  general  farming  and  stock  raising 
operations.  He  is  a  Progressive,  and  inherited  his  sterling  character- 
istics of  honesty,  industry  and  integrity.  The  family  has  always  been 
connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Of  the  other  children,  Mindella  was  married  January  3,  1901,  to 
John  McCarnes,  and  four  children  have  been  born  to  this  union:  Ethel 
H.,  Wilber  E.,  Blanch  O.  and  Robert  R.,  of  whom  Wilber  E.,  died  in 
1905  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  months.  On  October  28,  1903,  Beulah 
R.  McKaig  was  united  in  marriage  with  Orla  B.  Miller,  who  died  in 
1904,  after  a  short  illness,  leaving  one  son,  Orla  E.  On  June  1,  1908, 
Mrs.  Miller  was  married  to  William  Pennock,  and  they  have  had  two 
children :     Helen  S.  and  Paul  Wesley. 

Elliott  E.  McKaig  had  a  long  and  useful  career,  his  activities  serving 
not  only  to  further  his  own  interests,  but  to  advance  those  of  his  com- 
munity as  well.  He  died  February  26,  1913,  and  he  is  interred  in  Shiloh 
cemetery.  In  the  evening  of  life,  surrounded  by  a  wide  circle  of  friends, 
and  possessing  the  unqualified  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  had  come 
in  contact,  he  furnished  an  excellent  example  of  the  rewards  that 
industry  brings  and  the  contentment  that  comes  only  after  a  life 
of  integrity  and  probity. 

Doctor  John  B.  Shultz.  A  life  of  kindly  capable  service  to  the 
community  and  to  hundreds  of  individuals,  came  to  a  close  on  December 
8,  1912,  with  the  death  of  Doctor  John  B.  Shultz  at  his  home  in  Logans- 
port.  The  best  work  of  the  physician  does  not  flaunt  itself  before  the 
public  gaze,  but  is  wrought  in  the  hearts  of  his  fellow-men.  The  spirit 
of  tender  and  knowing  love  for  his  fellowmen  has  ever  been  the  trait  of 
the  true  physician,  and  though  the  career  of  the  late  Dr.  Shultz  was  not 
conspicuous  for  those  public  honors  and  distinctions  which  mark  the 
accomplishments  of  men  in  political  and  other  spheres  of  human  activity, 
yet  he  left  his  mark  upon  Cass  county,  and  his  long  and  faithful  serv- 
ice, and  the  influence  which  he  exerted  over  men  and  families  deserves 
a  more  than  casual  tribute  in  this  history,  and  surely  all  will  agree  that 
none  of  the  past  generation  was  more  worthy  of  a  permanent  memorial 
than  Dr.  Shultz. 

John  B.  Shultz  was  born  in  the  adjoining  county  of  Carroll,  this 
state  September  22,  1839  and  was  past  seventy-three  years  of  age  when 
death  came  to  him.  His  parents  were  John  and  Elizabeth  (Dunbar) 
Shultz,  his  father  having  been  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1795  of  German 
parentage,  and  locating  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  in  1837  where  he 
was  one  of  the  early  settlers  and  where  he  died  in  1855. 

Dr.  Shultz  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  and  graduated  from 
the  Cincinnati  Medical  Eclectic  Institute  in  1860.  The  same  year  he 
located  in  Logansport,  where  he  practiced  in  partnership  with  Dr.  James 
A.  Taylor,  at  420  Fourth  street,  continuing  to  occupy  that  office  for  the 
long  period  of  forty  years ;  afterwards  he  moved  across  the  street  to  417 
Fourth  street,  and  was  there  when  he  breathed  his  last. 

Doctor  Shultz,  though  his  professional  duties  absorbed  his  energies, 


790  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

was  still  active  in  citizenship,  and  an  influential  Republican.  His 
part}'  honored  him  by  election  to  the  position  of  county  treasurer  in 
1870,  re-electing  him  in  1872,  and  in  1875  he  became  mayor  of  Logans- 
port,  serving  one  tenn  with  honor  and  credit  to  himself  and  with  benefit 
to  his  city.  Dr.  Shultz  on  July  29,  1883,  married  ]^Iiss  Anna  L.  Cooper, 
of  Kokomo,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Wm.  Cooper  also  of  Kokomo.  Her  sister 
is  the  wife  of  Senator  John  AY.  Kern.  By  this  marriage,  Dr.  Shultz 
had  four  children,  of  whom  only  one,  Edwin,  survives  and  he  is  now  a 
student  of  AVashiugton  and  Lee  University,  Yirginia. 

Dr.  Shultz  was  tall  of  stature  and  of  commanding  appearance,  al- 
though he  always  wore  a  smile  upon  his  countenance.  He  was  sociable 
m  his  nature,  affable  in  manner,  accomodating  to  all,  pleasant  and  in- 
spiring in  the  sick  room,  and  probably  was  the  most  popular  physician 
that  has  ever  lived  and  practiced  in  Cass  county.  Among  his  patients 
he  was  courteous,  considerate  and  agreeable,  never  engaging  in  argl^- 
ment  or  discussion  with  them,  yielding  to  their  whims  and  eccentricities, 
and  endeavoring  to  please  the  more  fastidious.  He  disliked  to  hurt  the 
feelings  of  any  one  and  hated  to  say  no  or  refuse  a  request  from  the  most 
humble,  and  would  often  yield  to  the  oi^inions  and  exactions  of  others, 
although  his  better  judgment  might  not  approve.  This  engaging  and 
agreeable  personality,  together  with  an  indisputable  ability  in  his  pro- 
fession was  the  cause  of  his  great  popularity  in  Cass  county.  During 
his  time  he  had  the  widest  acquaintance,  and  the  most  extensive  practice 
of  any  physician  within  the  bounds  of  this  county.  His  i^resence  in  the 
sick-room  was  so  comforting  that  patients  have  gone  so  far  as  to  state 
that  it  would  be  a  pleasure  to  die  under  his  care,  and  with  him  at  their 
side. 

The  late  Dr.  Shultz  was  not  an  erudite  man  nor  a  profound  student 
of  the  libraries  nor  laboratories  of  his  profession.  However,  he  was  a 
student  of  nature,  and  the  people,  human  nature,  and  human  ills  were 
his  study  and  the  world  his  school  throughout  his  life.  He  was  no 
theorist  and  never  argued  upon  technical  points.  He  was  preeminently 
practical,  and  when  asked  why  he  did  thi§  or  that  his  answer  would 
be,  "I  have  tried  it."  A  large  practical  experience  in  life  was  the 
laboratory  where  he  had  made  his  conclusive  tests,  and  from  which  he 
drew  the  experience  which  enabled  him  so  successfully  to  serve  his 
patients.  Dr.  Shultz  had  remarkable  powers  of  observation  and  intuition 
and  his  judgment  based  upon  these  faculties  were  usually  correct.  To- 
gether with  a  natural  ability,  he  possessed  a  large  fund  of  energy,  and 
throughout  his  life  was  an  untiring  worker.  In  many  ways  his  practice 
represented  the  best  of  the  old  time  country  doctors.  The  night  was 
never  too  dark,  the  storm  too  violent,  the  roads  too  muddy  for  him  to 
visit  a  patient,  whether  rich  or  poor,  and  the  ability  of  the  patient  to  pay 
was  never  a  subject  of  his  inquiry,  although  that  is  not  altogether  true 
of  some  of  the  modern  automobile  doctors.  His  rule  was  to  go  wherever 
called  and  ask  no  questions.  He  adopted  a  rule,  which  shows  his  charity 
in  speaking  of  his  brother  practitioners,  when  called  to  succeed  some 
other  practitioner  he  would  treat  the  case,  but  would  never  make  com- 
ment or  i-eflections  upon  the  previous  attendant.  This  was  his  regular 
rule  of  conduct  in  his  fraternal  relations,  and  he  expected  the  same  treat- 
ment from  his  associates. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  791 

As  a  practical  mau  Dr.  Shultz  occasionally  took  some  very  practical 
means  in  performing  the  exacting  duties  of  his  practice.  In  very  busy 
times  when  the  old  ague  was  prevalent  during  the  sixties,  and  when 
nearly  every  case  had  a  malarial  element,  it  is  said  that  he  would  do  up 
packages  of  medicine  for  his  patients  before  leaving  his  office,  and  then 
would  make  the  rounds  of  his  day's  duties,  examining  each  patient  hur- 
riedly, and  throw  down  a  package  of  medicine  prepared  in  his  office 
before  starting  out.  His  lilierality  was  extended  to  a  fault,  and  often 
his  sympathies  overcame  his  better  judgment.  His  sociabilities,  his 
desire  to  please,  his  difficulty  in  refusing  a  request,  made  him  an  easy 
mark  for  financial  sharks,  and  his  investments  in  mining  stocks,  realty 
and  other  speculative  properties  worsted  him  financially,  and  although 
he  realized  quite  a  fortune  from  his  large  practice,  yet  he  died  a  poor 
man.  However,  he  was  idolized  by  his  patients,  and  the  foregoing  state- 
ments regarding  his  character  and  career  are  by  no  means  overdrawn 
but  are  in  fact  a  subdued  expression  of  the  praise  and  tributes  accorded 
to  his  noble  nature,  both  during  and  after  his  life.  He  died  honored 
by  his  patients,  by  his  party  and  by  the  many  members  of  the  Broad- 
way Methodist  church,  with  which  he  had  been  associated  for  many 
years,  and  the  entire  community  in  which  he  had  lived  and  practiced 
for  nearly  fifty  three  years,  accorded  him  a  place  in  its  permanent  es- 
teem and  memory. 

Cyrus  Taber.  It  is  now  ninety  years  since  Cyrus  Taber  left  his  east- 
ern home  and  fared  forth  into  an  unknown  country  in  quest  of  fortune 
and  adventure,  for  it  was  practically  as  an  unknown  region  that  Indiana 
existed  in  the  year  1824.  He  it  was  who  established  the  name  of  the 
Taber  family  in  the  middle  west,  or  in  such  portion  of  it  as  is  represented 
by  the  state  of  Indiana,  and  men  of  his  name  have  from  that  day  to  this 
been  identified  with  the  best  interests  of  the  state,  wherever  they  have 
been  found  within  its  borders.  Agricultiire  has  claimed  a  goodly  share 
of  the  activities  of  these  men,  and  the  professions,  too,  have  not  been 
neglected  by  them,  while  the  business  of  merchandising  has  known 
the  touch  of  certain  of  the  family. 

Cyrus  Taber  was  born  at  Tiverton,  Rhode  Island,  on  January  19, 
1800.  In  1803  the  family  moved  to  western  New  York,  and  later  to 
Pennsylvania.  When  he  was  twenty-four  years  old  Cyrus  Taber  left 
the  parental  roof  and,  filled  with  the  zeal  and  ambition  of  the  young 
man  who  came  of  a  goodly  parentage,  he  started  west  to  carve  out 
his  fortune  from  the  fastnesses  of  the  Indiana  wilderness.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  he  did  not  suspect  the  magnitude  of  his  task,  but  it  is  char- 
acteristic of  the  men  of  his  family  that  he  did  not  flinch  for  a  moment 
from  the  hardships  he  saw  he  must  undergo  in  order  to  wrest  any  degree 
of  prosperity  from  the  primitive  country  he  had  invaded  so  cheerfully. 
First  locating  at  Fort  Wayne,  he  began  his  battle  with  the  wilderness, 
but  the  unhealthful  conditions  of  the  countiy  at  that  time  induced  an 
attack  of  fever  and  ague,  from  which  he  was  a  sufferer  for  fully  a  year, 
and  the  savings  of  $400  that  he  had  brought  with  him  as  a  working 
capital  were  utterly  exhausted  and  he  was  in  debt  to  the  amount  of 
thirty  dollars  before  he  found  himself  able  to  apply  himself  to  any 
manual   labor   again.      However,   upon   recuperating   from   his    illness, 


792  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

with  courage  undaunted  by  his  experience,  he  began  the  work  oi 
building  log  cabins  and  fences  for  the  Indians  and  was  thus  associated 
with  one  Reuben  Covert,  it  being  the  province  of  the  latter  to  drive  the 
oxen  and  haul  the  rails,  while  Mr.  Taber  did  the  cutting  and  splitting. 
At  the  end  of  a  year  he  found  that  he  had  saved  one  hundred  dollars, 
and  with  that  sum  he  purchased  his  first  eighty  acres  of  land.  This  he 
cleared  sufficiently  to  place  under  a  degree  of  cultivation,  and  applied 
himself  to  the  raising  of  corn.  He  saved  his  earnings  from  season  to 
season,  and  as  his  means  permitted,  purchased  additional  land. 

In  the  light  of  the  present  day  get-rich-c[uick  methods,  of  which  so 
much  is  seen  and  heard,  the  sweat  of  such  labor  and  the  privations 
endured  by  Mr.  Taber  in  getting  his  start  in  the  world  seem  almost 
incredible,  and  it  requires  a  considerable  flight  of  imagination  on  the 
part  of  the  man  of  the  world  of  our  times  to  realize  anything  of  what 
such  toil  meant.  Indeed,  the  idea  is  practically  beyond  the  compre- 
hension of  the  average  man,  despite  the  application  of  his  quality  of 
imagination. 

However  that  may  be,  the  facts  remain  as  stated  in  the  case  of  Cyrus 
Taber.  Because  of  the  splendid  industry  and  the  keen  business  sense 
of  the  man,  Mr.  Taber  was  in  1827  invited  into  a  business  partnership 
with  Allen  Hamilton,  and  the  firm  of  Hamilton  &  Taber  became  a  popu- 
lar one  in  mercantile  circles  of  Indiana.  Mr.  Taber  came  to  Logansport 
in  1828  to  take  charge  of  the  branch  business  of  the  firm  established 
here,  and  he  continued  in  mercantile  activities  here,  with  some  slight 
changes,  until  1840,  following  which  Mr.  Taber  continued  the  business 
alone  for  three  years,  and  in  1843  William  Chase  was  admitted  to  mem- 
bership in  the  firm.  In  1848  Mr.  Taber  retired  permanently  from  mer- 
cantile pursuits. 

When  Cass  county  was  organized,  Mr.  Taber  was  appointed  county 
treasurer  by  the  county  board  of  commissioners,  that  office  then  being 
an  appointive  one,  and  he  served  in  that  capacity  until  1830.  In  1845 
he  was  elected  to  the  state  legislature,  and  in  the  year  following  was 
elected  to  the  senate,  serving  in  that  body  during  the  years  1846,  7  and  8. 
He  was  first  a  Whig,  but  in  later  years  adopted  the  faith  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party. 

Active  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  his  community, 
Cyrus  Taber  was  ever  one  of  the  foremost  in  promoting  progressive 
movements,  and  it  was  largely  through  his  efforts  that  the  first  railroad 
was  induced  to  extend  its  lines  into  Cass  county — a  work  whose  good 
to  the  county  could  not  well  be  estimated. 

In  May,  1829,  Mr.  Taber  was  married  to  Miss  Deborah  Ann  Coles, 
of  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana,  and  eight  children  were  born  to  them :  Stephen 
C,  Paul,  Jesse  C,  Allen  H.,  William  S.,  Phoebe  A.,  Humphrey  and 
George.  Concerning  Stephen  C,  the  first  born  son,  further  mention 
will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work.  The  wife  and  mother  passed  away 
February  15,  1847,  at  Logansport,  and  Cyrus  Taber  died  on  April  13, 
1855,  in  Logansport,  still  young  in  years,  but  one  who  had  achieved  more 
for  the  good  of  his  community  and  county  in  his  lifetime  than  most  men 
are  permitted  to  accomplish  in  much  longer  earthly  careers. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  793 

Stephen  Coles  Taber.  Like  his  father  before  him,  Stephen  Coles 
Taber  lived  a  life  of  the  utmost  usefulness  and  activity  in  his  community, 
and  occupied  a  leading  place  in  Logansport  for  many  years.  He  was 
born  at  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana,  on  March  8,  1830,  and  was  the  eldest  son 
of  Cyrus  Taber,  the  pioneer  to  whom  is  dedicated  a  separate  memoir  in 
other  parts  of  this  work,  and  his  faithful  wife,  Deborah  Ann  Coles. 
When  a  baby  he  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  Logansport,  which  in 
those  early  days  was  not  more  than  a  cross  roads  place.  There  his 
father  was  engaged  in  the  merchandise  business,  and  Stephen  Taber 
was  reared  in  the  young  and  growing  town.  In  1849  he  was  graduated 
from  Wabash  College,  and  in  1852  he  finished  his  studies  in  the  law 
department  of  the  State  University,  following  which  he  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law.  For  many  years  he  practiced  before  the  Cass  county 
bar,  and  for  a  time  was  associated  in  a  professional  way  with  Senator 
D.  D.  Pratt.  The  latter  part  of  Mr.  Taber 's  life,  however,  was  devoted 
largely  to  looking  after  his  large  property  interests,  the  extent  of  which 
precluded  the  possibility  of  continuing  with  his  professional  labors. 

On  September  7,  1853,  Mr.  Taber  was  married  to  Charlotte  A. 
Walker,  who  died  on  January  8,  1892,  leaving  three  children:  George 
C,  Charles  E.  and  Lavina.  Mr.  Taber  passed  away  on  July  15,  1908, 
in  Logansport,  after  a  long  and  busy  life  in  this  county,  and  his  death 
was  felt  in  business  and  social  circles  throughout  the  community. 

William  B.  Schwalm.  One  of  the  flourishing  business  enterprises 
of  Logansport  is  that  conducted  by  William  B.  Schwalm,  and  which 
includes  the  handling  of  seeds,  hardware,  buggies,  harness,  paints,  oils 
and  general  farming  implements.  His  early  years  were  devoted  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  but  eventually  he  ceased  his  farming  operations 
and  turned  his  attention  to  the  mercantile  field,  with  a  large  measure 
of  success.  A  man  of  progressive  ideas,  he  has  identified  himself  with 
everything  that  pertains  to  the  welfare  of  his  community  or  its  people, 
striving  earnestly  to  promote  the  cause  of  advancement  and  good  citizen- 
ship. Mr.  Schwalm  was  born  October  8,  1868,  in  Tipton  township,  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  one  of  the  eight  children  of  Henry  J.  and  Helena 
(Haemel)  Schwalm. 

Henry  J.  Schwalm  was  born  August  20,  1828,  the  only  son  of  his 
parents.  He  was  reared  in  Hesse  Cassel,  Germany,  and  received  a  good 
practical  education.  In  1852,  with  his  widowed  mother,  he  emigrated 
to  America,  arriving  on  a  sailing  vessel  in  May  of  that  year.  After  his 
arrival,  he  worked  for  a  time  by  the  month  for  an  uncle,  who  was  a 
farmer  in  Tipton  township,  and  then  began  farming  for  himself.  He 
was  frugal,  honest  and  industrious,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  had 
accumulated  a  fair  amount  of  this  world's  goods.  In  starting  his  opera- 
tions, he  located  in  Washington  township  on  rented  property,  but  seven 
years  later  bought  a  farm  on  section  26,  Tipton  township,  in  1860,  and 
there  passed  the  rest  of  his  life.  He  was  married  IMay  21,  1857,  to  Miss 
Helena  Haemel,  who  was  also  a  native  of  Germany,  born  near  Hesse 
Cassel,  March  28,  1829,  the  oldest  daughter  of  Frederich  and  Elizabeth 
(Ellerman)  Haemel.  Eight  children  were  born  to  this  union,  namely: 
George  H.,  Sarah  E.,  Caroline  M.,  Eckhardt  A.,  Augustina  M.,  Louisa 
L.,  William  B.  and  Laura  E.,  all  of  whom  are  still  living.     In  religion. 


794  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

]Mr.  aud  ]\Ii-s.  Schwalni  were  Presbyterians,  and  their  upright  lives  were 
a  credit  to  the  land  of  their  adoption  aud  to  the  community  in  which 
they  resided.  Mr.  Sehwalm  was  a  Democrat,  served  three  terms  as 
township  assessor,  and  also  served  his  county  as  a  commissioner. 

William  B.  Sehwalm  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  and  secured  his 
education  in  the  district  schools.  After  attaining  his  majority,  he  con- 
tinued working-  on  the  home  farm  for  six  years,  and  when  twenty-seven 
years  old  started  farming  on  his  own  account,  purchasing  a  tract  of 
sixty  acres  in  Tipton  township,  to  which  he  subsequently  added  eighty 
acres  more.  This  property  he  later  sold  to  his  brothers,  and  in  1900 
came  to  Logansport,  where  he  embarked  in  the  implement  and  seed 
business.  His  venture  proved  a  decided  success,  and  to  the  original 
line  he  has  since  added  hardware,  buggies,  harness  and  stoves. 

j\Ir.  Sehwalm  was  a  Democrat  up  to  1912,  but  the  policies  of  the  old 
old  parties  not  suiting  him  and  believing  in  the  things  advocated  by 
Colonel  Roosevelt  and  the  Progressive  platform,  he  cast  his  fortunes  with 
the  young  organization  and  was  its  candidate  for  county  commissioner 
from  the  second  district.  Mr.  Sehwalm  is  a  strong  advocate  of  tem- 
perance measures,  not  alone  on  the  licpior  cjuestion,  but  on  temperate 
measures  of  all  kinds.  He  belongs  to  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  is 
a  ^Master  ]Mason  and  a  Knight  of  Pythias. 

On  June  5.  1895,  ]\Ir.  Sehwalm  was  married  to  Louise  E.  Ramer,  of 
Washington  township,  Cass  county,  and  they  have  two  children :  ^ler- 
ritt  R.  and  Ruth  C. 

Charles  W.  Graves  has  been  a  resident  of  Logansport  for  many 
years  and  has  been  identified  with  the  business  activities  of  this  city 
along  various  lines  through  all  the  years  of  his  residence.  Since  1896 
he  has  been  the  owner  and  proprietor  of  what  was  fonnerly  known  as 
the  Giffe  Book  aud  Music  Store,  and  in  this  enterprise  he  has  experienced 
a  worthy  success.  Born  in  Wayne  county,  Indiana,  October  -1,  1861, 
Mr.  Graves  is  the  son  of  George  ]M.  and  Judith  ]\[.  (Harwood)  Graves, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Massachusetts.  His  father  first  located  in 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  later  in  Richmond,  Indiana,  where  he  was  in 
business  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  enlisted  in  1861 
in  Company  F,  Thirty-sixth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  rising  to  the 
rank  of  captain,  and  serving  as  aeting  adjutant  on  the  staff  of  Colonel 
Gross.  In  the  battle  of  Chiekamauga  he  received  a  gun-shot  worind 
through  his  right  shoulder,  which  of  itself  was  not  necessarily  fatal,  but 
owing  to  his  enfeebled  condition,  due  to  a  recent  sickness,  he  was  unable 
to  withstand  the  shock  of  the  injury  and  died  some  days  later.  His 
body  was  brought  to  the  north  and  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  in  Rich- 
mond. His  widow  was  left  with  three  small  children,  the  only  daughter, 
Lillie,  being  now  Mrs.  John  A.  McCullough,  of  Logansport.  Indiana. 
At  the  time  of  the  death  of  the  father,  the  eldest  of  the  three  children 
was  about  six  years  old,  and  the  widow  reared  her  little  family  through 
many  hardships.     She  died  in  Logansport  in  November.  190-4. 

Charles  W.  Graves  received  his  education  in  the  common  and  high 
schools  of  Richmond.  When  he  was  about  sixteen  years  old  he  began 
clerking  in  a  grocery  store  in  his  home  town,  and  later  was  employed 
as  a  bookkeeper.    He  then  became  a  clerk  in  the  railroad  office  at  Rich- 


.^yr~f0U^^^^:y^^::^.a^y^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  795 

moiid,  his  older  brother,  George  C,  being'  chief  clerli  at  that  time,  in 
the  employ  of  the  Columbus,  Cincinnati  and  Indiana  Central  Railroad, 
which  later  became  the  Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati,  Chicago  and  St.  Louis 
Railway.  When  the  chief  of  the  office  moved  to  Logansport,  in  1881, 
he  ott'ered  i\Ir.  Graves  the  position  of  chief  clerk,  which  he  promptly 
accepted  and  accordingly  came  to  Logansport  to  fill  the  i:)Osition,  as- 
suming the  duties  of  his  new  office  in  January,  1882.  Since  that  time 
Logansport  has  been  his  home.  Two  years  later  Mr.  Graves  was  made 
chief  clerk  and  private  secretary  in  the  office  of  the  division  superin- 
tendent, which  he  retained  until  1894,  when  he  resigned  and  bought  an 
interest  in  the  Logansport  Journal,  of  which  he  became  business  man- 
ager. He  was  thus  associated  for  aliout  two  years,  when  he  bought  the 
Giffe  Book  &  Music  Store,  and  this  establishment  he  has  condue1;ed 
ever  since,  moving  to  his  present  quarters.  No.  417  Broadwaj^,  in  July, 
1908. 

In  1900  or  thereabouts,  Islr.  Graves  was  the  organizer  of  what  was 
known  as  the  Logansport  Co-operative  Association,  of  which  he  was 
elected  president.  This  was  brought  into  existence  to  correct  the  abuses 
that  had  grown  up  in  the  commercial  district  with  regard  to  premium 
giving,  trading  stamps,  prizes,  discounts,  etc.  Thousands  of  dollars 
were  lost  to  the  general  business  men  of  the  city,  and  many  of  the 
smaller  houses  were  forced  to  the  edge  of  bankruptcy  by  the  unfair 
methods  then  in  vogue.  The  Logansport  Co-operative  Association  had 
a  precarious  existence  at  the  start,  and  owing  to  the  faot  of  the  trouble 
being  so  firmly  entrenched  in  the  general  system,  only  the  steadfast 
courage  of  those  at  the  helm  enabled  them  to  finally  stamp  out  the  seeds 
of  the  scourge.  ]Mr.  Graves  Avas  also  active  in  the  organization  of  the 
Citizens'  Natural  Gas  Company,  of  which  he  was  elected  secretary. 
This  was  in  about  1891,  and  the  company  was  organized  to  check  abuses 
then  in  vogue  by  the  concerns  that  at  that  period  had  charge  of  the 
distribution  of  the  natural  gas.  He  has  also  been  identified  with  the 
various  commercial  clubs  and  movements  that  have  had  as  their  object 
the  betterment  of  conditions  existing  in  Logansport  and  the  surround- 
ing community,  and  has  in  all  these  A^arious  associations  done  most  ex- 
cellent and  praiseworthy  work  in  behalf  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Graves  is  a  Republican,  with  progressive  tendencies,  and  is  also 
an  active  worker  in  the  temperance  cause.  He  is  a  member  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  church,  of  which  he  has  been  an  official  for  years,  and  he 
is  now  elder  and  clerk  of  the  session.  He  is  also  identified  with  the 
work  of  the  Siinday  school,  and  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors 
of  the  Indiana  Sunday  School  Association. 

On  October  18,  1888,  ]\Ir.  Graves  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Anna  Lucy  AVright,  the  daughter  of  "Williamson  Wright,  a  pioneer  of 
Cass  county. 

Andrew  J.  Murdock.  In  ability  as  a  financier  and  in  general  busi- 
ness affairs,  Cass  county  had  no  stronger  character  or  one  better  known 
among  all  classes  than  the  late  Andrew  Jackson  Murdock,  for  many  years 
president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Logansport.  In  the  broader 
fields  of  citizenship,  as  well  as  in  business,  he  performed  a  large  scope 
of  useful  service  which  has  properly  identified  him  for  all  time  with. 


796  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

the  history  of  this  locality.  Mr.  Murdock  was  a  type  and  example  of 
one  who  succeeds  in  life,  though  his  youth  was  passed  in  comparative 
poverty,  and  with  only  such  advantages  as  he  could  procure  by  his  own 
labors  and  ambitions. 

The  late  Andrew  J.  Murdock  was  born  in  Livingston  county,  New 
York,  November  19,  1827.  The  first  eight  years  of  his  life  were  spent 
in  his  native  state,  and  he  then  accompanied  the  family  to  Michigan. 
Michigan,  during  the  thirties,  was  almost  on  the  frontier,  and  the  best 
settled  regions  were  but  a  field  for  hardships  and  privations  of  pioneer 
existence.  It  was  amid  such  scenes  and  with  such  limitations  in  advan- 
tages of  education  and  otherwise  that  Andrew  J.  IMurdock  was  reared. 
At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  and  from 
that  forward  depended  entirely  upon  his  own  exertions  for  his  advance- 
ment. 

In  1853,  Mr.  Murdock  became  a  resident  of  Logansport,  so  that  he 
had  identified  himself  with  this  city  at  an  early  period  in  its  growth, 
and  at  a  time  when  his  vigorous  enterprise  and  honorable  character  were 
important  elements  in  the  development  as  a  city  along  the  lines  which 
have  made  it  conspicuous  among  the  larger'  centers  in  northern  Indiana. 
A  year  after  his  arrival  in  this  city,  he  engaged  in  business  on  his  own 
account,  opening  a  store,  with  which  his  name  was  connected  for  twenty- 
four  years.  He  had  a  trade  which  few  other  merchants  in  the  city  and 
county  could  equal,  and  throughout  his  lifetime,  enjoyed  the  confidence 
and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  His  business  inter- 
ests gradually  extended,  by  investments  and  otherwise,  and  in  1865  he 
was  made  a  director  of  the  Logansport  National  Bank,  and  in  1878  was 
elected  its  president.  Five  years  later  this  bank  was  consolidated  with 
the  First  National  Bank,  of  which  Mr.  Murdock  was  chosen  president, 
and  this  position  he  filled  with  splendid  executive  ability  up  to  the  time 
of  his  death.  May  3,  1905.  In  the  field  of  practical  finance,  as  well  as 
in  his  judgment  of  men,  which  is  an  element  just  as  essential  to  the  suc- 
cess of  a  financier  as  his  more  technical  expertness  in  financial  opera- 
tions, Mr.  Murdock  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  strongest  representa- 
tives in  Cass  county.  Among  the  varied  interests  owned  by  Mr.  Mur- 
dock was  the  fine  tract  of  land,  consisting  of  more  than  three  hundred 
acres  lying  between  Logansport  and  the  park  on  either  side  of  the  Elec- 
tric railway. 

Though  a  man  whose  influence  in  business  and  civic  affairs  of  Logans- 
port, was  for  many  years  conspicuous,  ]\Ir.  Murdock  was  a  citizen  who 
was  never  in  the  public  eye,  as  the  general  sense  of  that  term  is  under- 
stood, and  modesty  was  his  chief  characteristic.  He  was  always  a  Re- 
publican in  good  standing,  and  supported  the  party  candidates  and  prin- 
ciples, though  never  seeking  office  for  himself.  His  contributions  and 
support  were  accorded  to  nearly  every  important  enterprise  of  public 
nature  in  Logansport  for  thirty  or  forty  years,  yet  his  name  appeared 
less  frequently  than  that  of  many  whose  active  support  was  less.  On 
Augiast  4,  1862,  Mr.  Murdock  was  married,  and  his  home  and  family 
always  represented  the  chief  sphere  of  his  leisure  activities.  He  wedded 
Maggie  C.  Chadwick,  of  Newark,  New  Jersey,  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Margaret  (Pickles)  Chadwick.    Their  three  children  are:    May,  wife  of 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  797 

Samuel  Patterson ;  Flora,  wife  of  Samuel  Emmet  Mulholland ;  Gertrude, 
wife  of  Edward  H.  Donovan.  Mr.  Murdock  attended  the  First  Presby- 
terian church,  being  a  prominent  contributor  thereto,  and  he  built  the 
Murdock  Hotel.  The  Murdock  home  was  one  of  the  social  centers  of 
Logansport,  and  the  family  have  always  been  among  the  most  representa- 
tive of  this  city. 

Moses  B.  Lairy.  In  the  roster  of  those  who  have  gained  prominence 
at  the  Cass  county  bench  and  bar,  are  to  be  found  many  eminent  names, 
none  of  which,  however,  have  stood  out  in  greater  relief  than  that  of 
the  Hon.  Moses  Barnett  Lairy,  Judge  of  the  Appellate  Court,  who  has 
gained  an  enviable  distinction  through  the  medium  of  his  great  ex- 
perience, his  great  good  sense,  his  stainless  integrity,  his  perfect  im- 
partiality, his  wide  discernment  and  his  abundant  learning.  A  worthy 
representative  of  a  family  that  for  years  has  been  identified  with  the 
commercial,  agricultural,  professional  and  public  interests  of  the  county, 
he  early  entered  upon  a  legal  career,  and  so  ably  has  he  directed  his 
activities  that  today  he  is  recognized  as  one  of  his  State's  leading 
jurists.  Judge  Lairy  was  born  in  Harrison  township,  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  August  13,  1859. 

Daniel  Lairy,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  Judge  Lairy,  was  born 
in  Ohio,  and  as  a  young  man  became  a  pioneer  to  Tippecanoe  county, 
Indiana,  settling  within  its  borders  when  that  section  was  almost  an 
unbroken  wilderness  and  there  spending  the  rest  of  his  life.  Thomas 
Lairy,  son  of  Daniel,  and  father  of  Judge  Lairy,  was  born  in  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  January  20,  1807.  As  early  as  1837  he  entered  land 
from  the  government  in  Harrison  township,  Cass  county,  but  did  not 
move  to  this  property  until  many  years  later.  He  had  accompanied  his 
parents  to  Tippecanoe  county  in  his  boyhood,  and  was  reared  to  man- 
hood among  pioneer  scenes,  receiving  his  early  training  in  the  hard 
work  of  plowing,  planting  and  cultivating  the  fields.  Subsequently, 
he  moved  to  LaFayette,  where  for  a  number  of  years  he  was  engaged 
in  carpentering.  ^Mr.  Lairy  was  married  (first)  to  Belinda  Miller,  who 
died  without  issue,  and  his  second  union  was  to  Mrs.  Eliza  (Barnett) 
Thornburgh,  daughter  of  Moses  Barnett,  a  pioneer  of  the  county. 
While  a  resident  of  LaFayette  i\Ir.  Lairy  belonged  to  the  militia,  and 
served  in  a  company  during  the  Black  Hawk  war.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Christian  church,  in  the  faith  of  which  he  died  January  11,  1877, 
his  widow  surviving  him  a  long  time  and  passing  away  May  14,  1892. 
They  had  two  children :    Moses  B.  and  John  S. 

Moses  Barnett  Lairy  was  reared  on  the  Cass  county  farm  which  his 
father  had  entered  from  the  government,  and  attended  the  district 
schools  of  Harrison  township  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age,  at 
that  time  being  compelled  to  give  up  his  studies  to  operate  the  home 
farm,  his  father  having  died.  Later  he  spent  one  term  in  the  Northern 
Indiana  Normal  School,  and  then  began  teaching  school  in  the  winter 
terms,  his  summers  being  spent  on  the  home  farm.  His  first  experience 
as  an  educator  was  at  Fletchers  Lake  sehoolhouse,  just  across  the  line 
in  Fulton  county,  and  in  all  taught  for  about  nine  years,  carefully 
saving   his   earnings  that   he    might   further   his   own   studies   in   the 


798  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Northern  Indiana  Normal  School.  During  the  last  years  of  his  school 
teaching  experience,  he  took  up  the  study  of  law  under  the  direction  of 
Judge  Dudley  H.  Case,  and  in  1888  entered  the  law  department  of 
the  University  of  Michigan,  where  he  was  graduated  with  the  class 
of  1889.  Succeeding  this,  in  September  of  the  same  year,  he  began 
practice  in  Logansport,  alone,  but  four  years  later  became  associated 
with  DeWitt  C.  Justice.  For  fourteen  years  he  also  maintained  a 
professional  partnership  with  M.  F.  Mahoney.  A  Democrat  in  politics 
and  an  active  worker  in  his  party's  interests,  as  his  abilities  became 
recognized  his  name  began  to  be  mentioned  for  judicial  honors,  and 
in  1894  he  was  made  his  party's  candidate  for  the  judgeship  of  the  Cass 
county  circuit  court.  Political  conditions  at  that  time,  however,  caused 
his  defeat  with  the  others  on  the  ticket.  On  April  1,  1905,  he  was 
appointed  by  Gov.  Matthews  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Judge  D. 
B.  IMcConnell,  resigned,  and  on  completing  his  term  of  twenty  months 
was  succeeded  by  Judge  D.  H.  Case.  His  election  to  the  Appellate 
bench  occurred  in  1910,  since  which  time  he  has  continued  to  faithfully 
and  capably  discharge  the  duties  of  his  high  office,  maintaining  the  dig- 
nity and  best  traditions  thereof  and  being  known  as  a  fair  and  impartial 
judge.  Fraternally,  he  is  connected  with  the  Masons  and  the  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

On  April  14,  1892,  Judge  Lairy  was  married  to  Miss  Mazetta  Rogers, 
daughter  of  Thomas  B.  Rogers,  of  Logansport,  she  having  been  for 
some  years  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  the  city.  They  attend  the 
First  Presbyterian  clnirch. 

Hon.  John  S.  Lairy.  Occupying  a  position  of  high  credit  and  dis- 
tinction among  the  leaders  of  the  legal  profession  in  Cass  county,  Hon. 
John  S.  Lairy,  judge  of  the  twenty-ninth  judicial  district,  has,  during 
a  long  and  useful  career,  exemplified  the  best  type  of  American  citizen- 
ship. As  a  lawyer,  he  early  took  a  foremost  position  among  the  practi- 
tioners of  the  Logansport  bar.  his  gifts  as  a  speaker  and  his  capacity 
for  close,  logical  reasoning  making  him  a  peculiarly  forceful  and  ef- 
fective advocate.  As  a  judge  he  has  made  a  record  that  holds  out  a 
stimulus  and  example  to  all  men  who  are  called  upon  to  bear  the  high 
responsibilities  of  a  place  iipon  the  bench.  The  souncl  judgment,  the 
well-balanced  judicial  mind ;  the  intellectual  honesty  and  freedom  from 
bias  which  are  required  in  a  judge — these  attributes  have  been  all  his 
and  have  enabled  him  not  only  to  give  opinions  which  are  widely  quoted, 
but  to  maintain  the  best  traditions  of  the  judicial  oifice.  Judge  Lairy 
was  born  in  Llarrison  township.  Cass  county,  Indiana,  September  7, 
1864,  and  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Eliza  (Barnett)   (Thornburgh)  Lairy. 

Judge  Lairy  belongs  to  an  old  and  honored  family  which  originated 
in  Ireland,  and  the  American  progenitor  of  which  came  to  this  country 
in  1727,  soldiers  of  the  name  fighting  in  the  Colonial  army  during  the 
War  of  the  Revolution.  Daniel  Lairy,  the  paternal  grandfather  of 
Judge  Lairy,  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  some  time  after  his  marriage  made 
removal  to  what  was  then  the  wilderness  of  Tippecanoe  county.  Indiana, 
the  rest  of  his  life  being  spent  in  clearing  and  cultivating  a  farm. 
Thomas  Lairy,  son  of  Daniel,  and  father  of  Judge  Lairy,   was  born 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  799 

January  20,  1807,  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  and  as  a  lad  was  taken  to 
Tippecanoe  county,  Indiana,  where  he  was  reared  amid  pioneer  scenes. 
Later,  he  moved  to  LaFayette,  where  he  was  engaged  in  carpentering, 
and  while  residing  in  that  locality,  pre-empted  land  from  the  Govern- 
ment in  Harrison  township,  Cass  county,  for  $1.25  an  acre,  although 
he  did  not  settle  thereon  until  during  the  fifties.  The  rest  of  his  life 
was  spent  in  farming,  and  his  death  occurred  January  11,  1877,  in  the 
faith  of  the  Christian  church,  of  which  he  was  a  life-long  member. 
While  a  resident  of  LaFayette,  he  was  a  member  of  the  state  militia, 
and  served  with  a  company  during  the  Blackhawk  war.  Mr.  Lairy 
married  (first)  Belinda  IMiller,  who  died  without  issue,  and  his  second 
union  was  with  JNIrs.  Eliza  (Barnett)  Thornburg,  daughter  of  Moses 
Barnett,  a  pioneer  of  Cass  county.  Mrs.  Lairy  passed  away  IMay  14, 
1892,  having  been  the  mother  of  two  sons:  Moses  Barnett,  judge  of  the 
appellate  court ;    and  John  S. 

John  S.  Lairy  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  and  secured  his  early 
education  in  the  common  schools  and  the  American  Normal  School,  at 
Logansport.  He  then  spent  several  years  in  teaching  school,  in  the 
meantime  devoting  himself  to  the  study  of  law,  and  in  1895  and  1896 
attended  the  law  school  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  at  Ann  Arbor, 
where  he  was  graduated  in  1896  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws. 
In  August  of  that  year  he  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  Logansport,  which  city  has  been  his  home  to  the  present  time.  Shortly 
after  beginning  practice.  Judge  Lairy  served  two  years  as  deputy  state's 
attorney,  his  services  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  this  office  bring- 
ing him  favorably  before  the  public.  In  1900  he  became  the  Democratic 
candidate  for  the  office  of  .judge  of  the  twenty-ninth  judicial  district, 
and  was  subsequently  elected,  taking  office  in  1902.  He  was  reelected 
in  1906,  and  in  1912  again  became  the  candidate  of  his  party  for  re- 
election. Judge  Lairy  has  shown  himself  a  worthy  member  of  the 
.Indiana  bench,  the  soundness  and  eciuity  of  his  decisions  having  never 
been  questioned.  A  hard  sti;dent  and  a  man  of  high  scholarship,  with 
a  well-poised  mind,  and  ever  ready  with  his  legal  knowledge,  his  opin- 
ions have  been  widely  quoted,  and  he  has  not  only  attained  a  position 
of  prominence  in  the  field  of  jurisprudence,  b^^t  his  business  and  per- 
sonal excellencies  have  made  him  a  leader  of  worth  and  sagacity.  He 
has  interested  himself  in  fraternal  work  to  some  extent,  being  a  memiier 
of  the  Elks,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose,  in 
all  of  which  he  has  numerous  warm  friends. 

On  July  17,  1912,  Judge  Lairy  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
lea  Campbell,  whose  home  was  in  Logansport. 

Ben.jamin  p.  Keesling  is  of  Indiana  nativity,  his  birth  occuiTing 
at  Mechanicsburg,  in  Henry  county,  on  February  18,  1850.  Mechanics- 
burg  might  well  have  been  named  Keesling,  for  here,  in  1828,  came 
Peter  Keesling,  with  George,  John,  Jacob  and  Daniel,  all  brothers,  and 
each  of  these  brothers  married  in  the  course  of  time,  and  each  reared 
a  large  family.  So  numerous  did  they  become  in  that  vicinity  that 
practically  .every  person  one  met  either  bore  the  name  of  Keesling,  or 
was  related  to  the  family  by  marriage.  Originally  the  family  came  to 
America  from  Germany  and  for  generations  lived  in  Virginia.    With  the 


800  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

spirit  of  the  pioneers,  members  of  the  family  moved  to  Ohio,  and  from 
there  moved  to  Indiana  and  settled  at  what  is  now  Mechanicsburg. 

John  Keesling,  the  grandfather  of  Benjamin  P.,  built  his  log  cabin 
in  the  woods  from  growing  timber  and  there  passed  some  time  in  gi'ub- 
bing,  clearing,  planting  and  harvesting,  the  regular  routine  of  the 
pioneer  farmer.  He  subsequently  built  a  farm  house.  One  of  his  sons, 
Peter  Keesling,  the  father  of  Benjamin  P.,  was  married  to  Margaret 
Loy,  who  become  the  mother  of  ten  children.  Peter  Keesling,  like  most 
of  the  others  of  his  name,  was  thrifty  and  industrious  and  possessed 
of  the  necessary  courage  to  fight  the  battle  of  life  to  a  successful  issue, 
even  under  the  adverse  conditions  of  those  primitive  days. 

Benjamin  P.  Keesling  was  born  in  Henry  county,  Pebruary  18,  1850. 
Growing  up  on  the  farm  he  learned  all  that  could  be  taught  him  of  farm 
life,  and  hard,  continuous  work  was  the  portion  of  his  youthful  days. 
After  attending  the  neighboring  schools  he  went  to  the  graded  schools 
at  New  Castle.  When  about  twenty  years  of  age  he  began  clerking  in 
a  general  store  at  the  latter  named  place,  but  in  April,  1874,  came  to 
Logansport  and  associated  himself  with  Dr.  John  Needham  in  the  drug 
trade.  A  few  years  later  he  bought  the  interest  of  Dr.  Needham  in  the 
business  and  continued  in  it  alone  until  1900,  when  the  property  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  The  ensuing  four  years  he  was  in  Boston  and  Pitts- 
burg, then  returned  to  Logansport  and  in  December,  1907,  bought  the 
Metzger  Brothers'  interest  in  the  Logansport  Daily  Journal.  With  his 
son,  Arthur  R.,  the  Logansport  Daily  and  Weekly  Journal  flourished 
until  October,  1912,  when  it  was  consolidated  with  the  Tribune,  and  is 
now  the  Journal-Tribune.  Under  the  new  arrangement,  Mr.  Keesling 
became  a  stockholder  and  is  the  present  secretary-treasurer  of  the  cor- 
poration. 

]\Ir.  Keesling  is  a  Republican,  and  in  1892  was  elected  treasurer  of 
Cass  county,  being  the  only  successful  nominee  on  his  ticket.  On  Pebru- 
ary 18,  1875,  ]\Ir.  Keesling  married  Anna  B.  McCune,  of  Middletown, 
Indiana,  and  one  son,  Arthur  R.,  was  born  to  them.  Mrs.  Keesling  is 
a  member  of  the  Llethodist  church. 

Jacob  Sellers.  Por  sixty  years  a  resident  of  Cass  county,  during 
fifty-five  of  which  he  has  made  his  home  in  Logansport,  Jacob  Sellers 
is  entitled  to  a  position  among  the  representative  men  of  his  city  not 
only  for  the  length  of  time  which  he  has  spent  within  its  borders,  but 
also  as  a  citizen  who  has  continuously  had  the  best  interests  of  his  com- 
munity at  heart.  Mr.  Sellers  has  devoted  the  greater  part  of  his  time 
to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  and  to  attention  to  his  duties  in  the  railroad 
shops,  but  he  has  never  been  so  engrossed  in  his  own  affairs  that  he  has 
not  found  time  to  lend  his  interest  and  support  to  those  movements 
which  he  believes  will  benefit  his  adopted  city  or  its  people.  Mr.  Sel- 
lers was  born  August  15,  1834,  in  Wittenburg,  Germany,  in  what  is 
widely  known  as  the  Black  Porest.  His  father,  Michael  Sellers,  was  a 
baker  by  trade  and  died  in  the  old  country,  his  widow,  who  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Katherine  Cook,  married  (second)  Gottlieb  Prick,  and 
the  family  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1847,  and  located  at  Buffalo, 
New  York,  where  they  lived  five  years.  In  the  spring  of  1853  the  family 
came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  located  four  miles  east  of  Logansport, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  801 

where  Mr.  Frick  found  employment  working  for  Thomas  Green,  who 
operated  a  large  forge  there,  and  succeeding  this  went  to  what  is  known 
as  the  "Indian  Reserve"  in  Washington  township.  They  moved  to 
Logansport  three  years  later,  and  here  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frick  passed 
away. 

Jacob  Sellers  was  thirteen  years  of  age  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  to  the  United  States,  and  his  education  was  confined  to  a  few 
terms  in  the  common  schools.  The  greater  part  of  his  life  has  been 
passed  in  farming  and  working  in  the  railroad  shops,  and  his  success 
has  been  due  to  well-applied  energy,  ambition  and  perseverance,  in 
connection  with  integrity  of  the  strictest  order.  While  so  doing  he  has 
gained  and  maintained  the  entire  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens,  who 
have  recognized  in  him  a  man  of  general  worth  and  probity  of  char- 
acter. Mr.  Sellers  was  married  June  20,  1867,  to  Miss  Fredericka  Adler, 
daughter  of  Christopher  Adler,  who  was  a  native  of  Austria  and  came  to 
the  United  States  in  1853.  Mr.  Adler  died  on  his  farm  near  Winamac, 
Indiana.  To  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Sellers  six  children  have  been  born,  as  fol- 
lows :  Carrie  C,  who  became  the  wife  of  Edward  Hanke ;  Edward  D., 
a  sketch  of  whose  life  will  be  found  in  another  part  of  this  work ;  Charles 
J. ;  Mamie,  who  married  Manuel  Connor  and  is  now  deceased ;  Frank 
F. ;  and  Emma  L.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Clarence  Ammons,  and  is  a 
resident  of  Logansport. 

Early  in  1865,  ]\Ir.  Sellers  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Union  army 
during  the  Civil  war,  becoming  a  member  of  Company  C,  One  Hundred 
Fifty-fifth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry.  Owing  to  the  war 
being  practically  over,  he  was  detailed  to  do  guard  duty  until  peace 
was  declared,  when  he  received  his  honorable  discharge  and  returned  to 
the  duties  of  private  citizenship. 

Edward  D.  Sellers.  Among  the  prosperous  establishments  of 
Logansport,  one  which  started  in  a  modest  manner  and  has  enjoyed  a 
rapid  and  continuous  growth  is  the  clothing  and  furnishing  business  of 
Helvie  &  Sellers,  composed  of  Samuel  S.  Helvie  and  Edward  D.  Sellers. 
The  junior  member  of  this  partnership  has  been  engaged  in  this  line 
of  endeavor  ever  since  boyhood,  and  has  brought  to  his  work  a  bound- 
less enthusiasm,  coupled  with  wide  experience,  natural  business  ability 
and  inherent  integrity  which  has  gained  him  the  confidence  of  his 
patrons  and  fellow-citizens.  Edward  D.  Sellers  is  a  native  of  Logans- 
port, and  was  born  July  4,  1871,  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Fredericka  (Adler) 
Sellers. 

Jacob  Sellers  was  born  August  15,  1834,  in  the  Black  Forest,  Witten- 
berg, Germany,  and  is  a  son  of  Michael  and  Katherine  (Cook)  Sellers, 
the  former  of  whom,  a  baker  by  trade,  died  in  Germany,  while  the  latter 
married  (second)  Gottlieb  Frick,  and  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
in  1847.  First  locating  at  Buffalo,  New  York,  the  family  spent  five  years 
in  that  city,  and  in  the  spring  of  1853  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana, 
and  settled  four  miles  east  of  Logansport,  where  Mr.  Frick  found  em- 
ployment with  Thomas  Green,  the  proprietor  of  a  forge.  Later,  they 
went  to  what  is  known  as  the  "Indian  Reserve,"  in  Washington  town- 
ship, but  three  years  later  moved  to  Logansport,  and  there  both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Frick  passed  away.    Jacob  Sellers  was  thirteen  years  of  age  when 


802  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

he  accompanied  his  parents  to  this  country,  and  his  education  was 
secured  in  the  common  schools,  in  which  he  passed  a  few  terms.  He 
has  passed  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  agricultural  pursuits  and  in 
working  in  the  railroad  shops,  and  has  been  unifonnly  successful  in 
his  ventures.  On  June  20,  1867,  he  was  married  to  ]Miss  Fredericka 
Adler,  daughter  of  Christopher  Adler,  who  was  a  native  of  Austria  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1853,  dying  on  a  farm  near  Winamac, 
Indiana.  Six  children  have  been  bom  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sellers :  Carrie 
C,  who  married  Edward  Hanke ;  Edward  D. ;  Charles  J.;  Mamie,  who 
married  IManuel  Connor  and  is  now  deceased;  Frank  F. ;  and  Emma 
L.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Clarence  Ammons,  and  lives  in  Logansport. 
The  father  of  these  children  fought  valiantly  in  the  Union  army  during 
the  Civil  war. 

Edward  D.  Sellers  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Logansport,  and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  yeai's  commenced  upon  his  business 
career  as  a  clerk  in  the  clothing  store  of  Harry  Frank,  with  whom  he 
remained  for  live  years.  Succeeding  this,  for  two  years  he  clerked  for 
Joseph  Grace,  and  in  1896,  in  partnership  Avith  Samuel  S.  Helvie,  he 
embarked  in  the  clothing  and  furnishings  Ijusiness  under  the  tirm  style 
of  Helvie  &  Sellers,  an  association  that  has  continued  to  the  present 
time.  The  firm  has  enjoyed  a  laealthy  gi'owth,  and  now  has  a  large 
trade,  embracing  some  of  the  best  business  in  Logansport.  Mr.  Sellers 
is  a  young  man  of  the  highest  business  integrity,  with  a  reputation  for 
straightforward  and  honorable  dealings.  He  has  been  industrious  and 
enterprising,  and  has  never  failed  to  take  advantage  of  modern  ideas 
and  methods.  In  politics  he  was  formerly  a  Republican,  but  since  1912 
has  been  allied  with  the  new  Progressive  party.  His  fraternal  connec- 
tion is  with  the  ]\Iasous. 

On  June  6,  1900,  Mr.  Sellers  was  married  to  IMiss  ]\Iattie  Gibbons, 
formerly  a  resident  of  Sheldon,  Illinois. 

William  B.  Enyart.  A  citizen  who  has  left  his  impress  on  the 
business  interests  of  Logansport,  and  whose  activities  entitle  him  to  rank 
with  the  solid,  substantial  men  of  the  city,  is  William  B.  Enyart,  for 
thirty-five  years  the  proprietor  of  a  bottling  establishment  here.  He 
belongs  to  that  class  of  business  men  who  have  found  time  from  their 
personal  operations  to  give  to  the  public  needs,  and  at  various  times 
has  been  elected  to  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility,  in  wliich  he  has 
proven  himself  able  and  conscientious.  Now,  at  an  age  when  most  men 
are  willing  to  turn  over  their  interests  to  men  of  the  younger  generation, 
he  still  conducts  the  management  of  his  entei"prise  with  unabated  activity 
and  energy,  giving  to  its  smallest  details  the  close  attention  that  has  been 
the  secret  of  its  success.  ]\Ir.  Enyart  has  spent  his  entire  career  within 
the  confines  of  Cass  county,  with  the  exception  of  the  time  when  he  was 
serving  as  a  soldier  in  the  Union  ranks,  during  the  Civil  war.  He  was 
born  in  Clay  township,  September  19,  18-15,  and  is  a  son  of  Israel  and 
Temperance  (Foy)  Enyart. 

Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Miller)  Enyart,  the  grandparents  of  William 
B.  Enyart.  came  to  Cass  county  in  1834,  settling  in  Clay  township, 
where  for  many  years  they  kept  a  tavern  known  to  all  the  old  settlers 
as  "Four-Mile  House."    The  grandfather,  who  died  in  December,  1845, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  803 

was  detailed  as  a  teamster  during  the  War  of  1812.  In  religious  belief 
he  was  an  old-fashioned  Methodist.  Israel  Enyart  was  born  in  Janu- 
ary, 1821,  and  was  reared  to  hard  work,  clearing,  grubbing  and  doing 
general  farm  labor,  and  the  limited  education  he  acquired  was  secured 
in  the  little  log  schoolhouse,  having  but  few  chances  during  his  entire 
life  to  receive  schooling.  He  lived  with  his  people  until  he  reached  man- 
hood, and  then  went  to  farming  on  Mill  Creek,  near  Kewanee.  Two 
years  later  he  bought  a  tract  of  land  on  section  21,  Clay  township,  where 
the  balance  of  his  career  was  spent.  During  his  later  life  he  joined  the 
church,  and  died  a  Christian.  His  chief  characteristics  were  honesty 
and  liberality,  and  whatever  he  possessed  was  always  ready  for  his 
neighbors'  use.  Mr.  Enyart  married  Temperance  Foy,  whose  people 
came  to  Cass  county  from  Virginia  in  1835,  and  to  this  union  there  were 
born  six  children :  William  B. ;  Mary  Elizabeth,  who  is  deceased ;  Hiram 
Wilson,  also  deceased ;  Sarah  A.,  who  is  now  INIrs.  Alexander  Davidson ; 
and  Laviua  and  Asbury  Newton,  who  are  both  deceased.  ]\Ir.  Enyart 
died  January  12, .  1892,  and  his  widow  followed  him  to  the  grave  in 
Augtist,  1896. 

William  B.  Enyart  was  reared  on  the  old  home  farm,  and  secured 
his  education  in  the  comnion  schools.  When  just  past  eighteen  years 
of  age,  November  2,  1863,  he  enlisted  in  Company'  H,  Seventy-third 
Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  viith  which  organization  he 
participated  in  numerous  engagements,  including  Athens,  Decatur,  Ala- 
bama, although  the  latter  part  of  his  military  career  was  spent  in 
doing  garrison  duty.  He  received  his  honorable  discharge,  after  a  brave 
and  faithful  service,  December  11,  1865,  and  returned  to  the  pursuits 
of  peace,  learning  the  plasterer 's  trade,  at  which  he  worked  for  fourteen 
years.  In  1884  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  bottling  business,  and 
this  he  has  carried  on  to  the  present  time,  having  built  up  an  excellent 
trade  through  the  exercise  of  native  integTity,  high  ability  and  honor- 
able dealing.  For  some  years  he  was  in  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Cham- 
bers, under  the  firm  style  of  Enyart  &  Chambers,  but  is  now  associated 
with  his  son.  Known  as  a  thoroughly  reliable  Inisiness  man,  whose 
operations  have  been  of  a  strictly  legitimate  nature,  he  has  gained  the 
confidence  and  respect  of  all  who  have  done  business  with  him.  He  has 
invested  in  realty  to  some  extent,  and  is  at  this  time  the  owner  of  some 
paying  property  in  Cass  county  as  well  as  city  real  estate  in  Logans- 
port.  iNIr.  Enyart  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  views,  and  in  1902 
was  a  member  of  the  common  council  from  the  Fourth  ward.  In  1904 
he  was  again  elected  to  that  office,  serving  in  all  four  years,  and  in 
1906  was  the  successful  nominee  of  his  party  for  the  office  of  county 
sheriff.  Two  years  later,  however,  he  was  defeated  for  re-election  with 
the  other  members  of  his  ticket.  He  is  a  popular  comrade  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  and  his  fraternal  connections  are  with  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles 
and  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose. 

On  March  10,  1873,  ]\Ir.  Enyart  was  married  to  Miss  Louisa  Tip- 
pett,  a  native  of  Cass  county,  Indiana,  who  died  some  years  later,  leav- 
ing four  children:  Charles  I\I.,  who  is  associated  in  business  with  his 
father;  Nora  S.,  who  married  Frank  Etnire;  Carrie  B.,  and  Frank  L. 


804  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Mr.  Enyart  was  married  (second)  February  11,  1886,  to  Kate  May,  a 
native  of  Pulaski  county,  Indiana. 

John  S.  Kline  is  a  pioneer  of  pioneers  in  the  state  of  Indiana,  where 
for  sixty-nine  years  he  has  made  his  home,  and  this  residence  is  the 
more  notable  when  it  is  known  that  he  is  living  today  in  the  identical 
spot  where  his  family  settled  when  they  migrated  from  Ohio  in  1844, 
bringing  him  as  a  boy  of  seven  years.  Few  men  in  any  part  of  the 
country  can  boast  a  continued  residence  of  almost  seventy  years  in  one 
spot,  or  indeed  in  one  single  community.  His  life  has  been  a  busy  and 
active  one,  and  he  has  taken  an  industrious  part  in  the  industry  of  the 
township,  which  has  long  been  and  still  is  that  of  farming. 

The  natal  day  of  John  Samuel  Kline  was  August  27,  1837,  and  his 
birth  occurred  at  Eaton,  Ohio,  where  the  family  had  long  lived.  He  was 
the  son  of  William  Kline,  who  served  as  a  soldier  throughout  the  "War  of 
1812,  and  who  after  settling  in  Miami  township,  devoted  his  remaining 
days  to  the  business  of  farming.  He  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-two,  and 
his  widow,  who  in  her  maiden  days  was  Isabel  Snodgrass,  died  at  Logans- 
port,  Avhen  she  was  ninety-three  years  old.  They  were  the  parents  of 
six  children,  concerning  whom  brief  mention  is  made  as  follows :  Jacob 
]\I.,  who  married  ]Miss  INIarietti  Baldwin ;  William  T.,  married  Miss 
Letitia  Sizor ;  JMary  became  the  wife  of  Peter  Heffley ;  ]\Iargaret  mar- 
ried Frank  Swigart ;  Henry  married  ]\Iiss  Ella  Leas ;  and  John  S.,  who 
is  the  immediate  subject  of  this  brief  sketch. 

In  1844  the  Kline  family  migrated  from  their  native  state,  making 
the  trip  into  Indiana  overland,  the  wagon  route  being  most  popular  in 
those  early  days,  and  eleven  days  were  consumed  in  the  journey,  which 
would  not  be  made  in  a  few  hours.  The  father  secured  land  in  ]\Iiami 
township,  and  they  settled  down  to  country  life,  occupying  a  little  log 
house  that  already  graced  their  home  farm.  Here  John  S.  Kline  was 
reared  and  educated.  With  the  passing  years  he  took  a  wife,  Mary 
Etnire,  the  daughter  of  Abraham  Etnire.  She  was  a  native  of  Canton, 
Ohio,  and  she  died  on  September  20,  1864.  The  present  Kline  residence 
was  begun  by  William  Kline,  the  father,  prior  to  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1855,  and  was  completed  by  John  S.  Mr.  Kline,  early  in  his 
career,  bought  eighty  acres  of  land,  to  which  he  has  added  from  time 
to  time  until  today  he  has  a  farm  comprising  one  hundred  and  thirty  and 
a  half  acres. 

Two  children  were  born  to  John  S.  and  Mary  Kline,  Joseph  Slaton 
and  Charles.  The  latter  died  in  1904,  but  the  other  son,  who  is  known 
as  Slate  Kline,  still  shares  the  home  place  with  his  father.  He  is  now 
fifty-one  years  of  age,  and  is  his  father's  business  partner.  Slate  Kline 
has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife,  who  was  Cora  Scott,  died  in 
1902,  and  he  later  married  Anna  AVilliams.  They  have  one  child, 
Victor  S.  Kline,  now  three  months  old.  To  the  marriage  of  Slate  Kline 
\Aith  Cora  Scott  were  born  three  children,  named  as  follows :  Hattie, 
now  the  wife  of  Blaine  Swigart,  and  living  near  Strathmore,  Canada, 
on  a  farm ;  Mary,  who  is  engaged  in  teaching  school ;  and  Charles  who 
has  finished  high  school  and  intends  to  take  up  farming.  The  other  son 
of  John  S.  Kline,  Charles  Kline,  who  died  in  1904,  left  one  son,  Kenneth, 
who  is  now  of  age  and  resides  with  his  mother  at  Los  Angeles,  California. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  805 

The  Kline  family  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church  and  their 
politics  are  those  of  the  Republican  party,  whose  stanch  adherents  they 
are  in  all  things.  They  are  among  the  best  known  and  most  estimable 
people  in  the  township,  and  enjoy  a  high  standing  in  the  community. 

Robert  M.  Elliott.  While  the  soil  of  Cass  county  is  very  fertile, 
water  plentiful  and  easily  obtained  and  weather  conditions  nearly  ideal, 
good  crops  cannot  be  raised  unless  the  land  is  properly  worked  and  sci- 
entifically conditioned,  and  the  high  standard  set  by  the  agriculturists 
of  the  county  is  therefore  of  great  credit  to  them.  Many  of  the  leading 
farmers  of  this  county  have  lived  here  all  of  their  lives,  thus  becoming 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  character  of  the  soil  and  climate,  and  in 
this  way  being  able  to  direct  their  operations  along  lines  that  will  insure 
success,  and  in  this  class  stands  Robert  M.  Elliott,  of  Clay  township,  the 
owner  of  110  acres  of  well  cultivated  land.  Mr.  Elliott  was  born  June 
18,  1864,  in  Cass  county,  and  is  a  son  of  Alfred  and  Emily  (Williamson) 
Elliott.  His  father,  a  native  of  Montgomery  county,  Indiana,  came  to 
Cass  county  in  1849,  and  here  erected  a  frame  house,  the  first  one  of  this 
character  to  be  built  in  the  county.  His  subsequent  life  was  devoted 
to  tilling  the  soil,  and  he  was  uniformly  successful  in  his  operations,  at 
the  time  of  his  death,  in  1900,  being  considered  one  of  the  substantial 
men  of  his  community.  His  widow  still  survives  him,  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-three years,  and  makes  her  home  on  the  old  farm.  They  were  the 
parents  of  six  sons  and  two  daughters. 

Robert  M.  Elliott  acquired  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of 
his  native  locality,  and  was  reared  to  the  work  of  the  home  farm,  his 
boyhood  being  divided  between  agricultural  work  in  the  summer  months 
and  attending  school  in  the  winter  terms.  Thus  he  acquired  a  good  edu- 
cation and  a  sturdy  body,  well  fitting  him  for  the  duties  he  was  to  be 
called  upon  to  discharge  in  later  life.  He  continued  to  remain  under 
the  parental  roof  until  1894,  in  which  year  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Eleanor  G.  McDowell,  a  daughter  of  John  McDowell,  who  brought  his 
family  to  Cass  county  from  Ohio. 

Mrs.  Robert  Elliott  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  Indiana,  born  Oc- 
tober 7,  1869,  and  a  daughter  of  John  and  Amanda  (Dritt)  McDowell. 
There  were  three  daughters  in  the  family — Mrs.  Elliott,  eldest ;  Adria, 
wife  of  James  Cassel,  a  resident  of  Logansport,  and  proprietor  of  The 
Star  Laundry,  has  three  children;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Wiley  Sharp, 
also  of  Logansport,  has  four  children.  John  McDowell  was  of  Scot- 
tish lineage  but  was  born  in  Stark  county,  Ohio.  He  served  as  a 
soldier  in  the  Rebellion  and  was  a  stanch  Republican  politically.  Mrs. 
McDowell  was  of  German  lineage  and  was  born  near  Lancaster,  Penn- 
sylvania. She  died  September  14,  1912.  Both  he  and  wife  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church.     He  died  April  27,  1889. 

At  the  time  of  his  marriage,  Mr.  Elliott  began  farming  on  a  tract 
of  sixty-five  acres,  located  in  Clay  township  which  was  the  property  of 
Mrs.  Elliott's  parents  and  subsequently  purchased  this,  and  some 
time  later  he  added  to  this  an  additional  tract  of  forty-five  acres,  and 
on  this  latter  property  erected  all  the  buildings.  He  also  owns  a  fine 
tract  of  land  in  Sanilac  county,  Michigan,  has  bank  stock  in  Logans- 
port,   and    other    good    securities.      In    addition    to    general    farming, 


806  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

he  has  been  engaged  in  dairying  to  some  extent,  and  his  opera- 
tions have  succeeded  because  of  his  untiring  industry,  his  tliorough 
knowledge  of  his  business,  and  the  intelligent  manner  in  which  he  has 
directed  all  of  his  actions.  He  is  a  thorough  believer  in  the  efficacy  of 
scientific  methods  and  uses  modem  machinery  and  appliances  in  his 
work.  Among  his  associates  Sir.  Elliott  is  known  as  a  man  of  the  highest 
business  integrity,  whose  success  has  been  gained  through  no  chicanery 
or  c(uestionable  methods.  He  has  for  some  years  been  a  member  of  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  in  which  he  has  numerous 
friends.  In  politics,  he  has  always  given  his  support  to  Democratic  pol- 
icies and  candidates,  and  from  1901  to  1901  served  very  acceptably  as 
a  member  of  the  board  of  coiinty  commissioners  of  Cass  county. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elliott  have  one  daughter :  Esther  E.,  who  is  living 
with  her  parents.  She  graduated  from  the  public  schools  in  the  class 
of  1910  and  attended  two  and  one-half  years  in  the  city  schools  of  Logans- 
port  and  has  also  taken  musical  instruction.  The  members  of  the  family 
are  affiliated  with  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Mrs.  Elliott  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Cass  county.  She 
has  nobly  filled  her  sphere  as  wife  and  mother  and  her  pretty  home  is 
her  haven.  The  beautiful  estate  of  Sir.  and  Sirs.  Elliott  lies  on  the 
highest  point  of  ground  in  northern  Cass  county  and  is  known  as  "The 
Summit  Lodge. ' ' 

John  SIcDowtell,  a  highly  respected  citizen  of  Clay  township,  died 
at  his  home  on  Saturday,  April  27,  1889.  He  had  suffered  for  years 
with  lung  trouble,  but  only  during  the  past  two  years  was  he  compelled 
to  quit  work.  He  contracted  a  deep  cold  while  serving  a  second  term 
on  the  petit  jury  which  hurried  his  end.  The  deceased  was  a  man  of 
good  character,  upright  in  all  his  dealings,  and  well  liked  by  all  who 
knew  him.  The  funeral  services  were  conducted  by  Rev.  Dr.  Putman 
and  the  remains  were  interred  at  Mt.  Hope  cemetery. 

Mr.  McDowell  was  born  in  Stark  county,  January  21,  1810,  and  was 
therefore  forty-nine  years  of  age.  His  father  moved  to  this  county 
while  John  was  yet  a  boy.  He  has  three  brothers  living:  Silas  Mc- 
Dowell, of  Noble  township ;  Butch  SIcDowell,  of  Silver  Lake,  and  Isaac 
SIcDowell,  of  Illinois.  He  has  also  three  sisters,  but  one  of  whom  is 
living,  Sirs.  C.  E.  Sletzger,  who  resides  in  Clay  township. 

Sir.  SlcDowell  was  married  to  Sliss  Amanda  Drift  in  Slarch,  1868. 
To  this  union  three  daughters  have  been  born,  who  with  their  mother 
survive  to  mourn  their  loss. 

Robert  Guthrie  was  born  on  April  2,  1850,  in  Cass  county,  Indiana, 
and  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  the  county  and  in 
the  Logansport  Seminary.  He  is  the  son  of  SVilliam  and  Margaret 
(Japp)   Guthrie. 

William  Guthrie  was  tlie  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Guthrie,  and 
was  born  in  the  city  of  Perth,  Perthshire,  Scotland,  in  the  year  1795. 
The  son  of  wealthy  parents,  he  was  graduated  from  the  University  of 
Edinliurgh,  and  soon  after,  on  the  demise  of  his  father,  finding  that  the 
law  of  i3rimogeniture  and  entail  was  against  him  and  stung  by  a  sense 
of  outraged  justice,  he  turned  his  back  on  the  home  of  his  youth  and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  807 

emigrated  to  the  United  States.  He  settled  in  Switzerland  county, 
Indiana,  in  about  the  year  1825,  and  here  he  engaged  in  general  farming. 

He  married  Margaret  Jajjp,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Agnes 
Japp,  who  was  born  in  the  year  1812  on  the  river  Doon,  in  Scotland. 
Orphaned  in  infancy,  she  emigrated  to  America  with  foster  parents  in 
the  year  1819,  and  with  them  settled  in  Switzerland  count3\  Here  she 
became  acquainted  with  William  Guthrie.  Their  acquaintance  ripened 
into  friendship  and  culminated  in  their  marriage  in  1828.  To  their 
union  thirteen  children  were  born. 

Mr.  Guthrie  continued  his  farming  operations  in  Switzerland  county 
until  1848,  when  with  his  wife  and  nine  children,  he  moved  to  Cass 
county,  settling  in  the  wilderness  along  the  shores  of  Rock  creek  seven 
miles  south  of  the  then  village  of  Logansport,  and  here  began  that 
Herculean  task  that  required  stout  hearts  and  willing  hands, — the  build- 
ing of  a  new  home  in  the  wilderness.  The  children  who  then  graced  the 
family  home  were  John,  William,  Agnes,  Thomas,  Jane,  Alexander,  Ann, 
Joseph  and  James,  having  previously  lost  their  son  Isaac  by  death,  and 
here,  surrounded  by  primeval  forests  and  confronted  with  all  the  hard- 
ships and  privations  incident  to  pioneer  life,  the  family  was  blessed 
with  three  more  children, — Elizabeth,  another  who  died  in  infancy 
unnamed,  and  Robert,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Here  in  this  new  home  William  Guthrie  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life, — a  life  largely  given  over  to  the  clearing  away  and  subduing  of  the 
forests,  and  devoted  to  the  best  interests,  the  upbuilding  and  the  onward 
march  of  civilization.  To  him  and  such  as  him  we  owe  our  gratitude. 
He  died  on  September  9,  1855.  In  1857  his  widow  married  again, 
Richard  Downham  becoming  her  husband,  and  they  continued  to  reside 
iipon  the  farm  until  1864,  when  she  accompanied  her  husband  to  the 
west,  but  returned  again  in  1873,  widowed  for  the  second  time  in  her 
life.  She  spent  her  declining  years  in  Cass  county,  dying  on  July  2, 
1880. 

Robert  Guthrie  upon  leaving  school  accepted  a  position  as  salesman 
in  his  brother's  clothing  house  in  Logansport,  but  in  the  following  year 
took  up  the  study  and  practice  of  law,  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
June,  1876.  Soon,  however,  he  gave  way  to  the  allurement  of  the 
wilds  and  embarked  in  the  lumber  business  in  which  he  continued  with 
varying  success  until  September  20,  1883,  when  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Laura  A.  Funston.  Five  children  were  born  to  this  union :  i\Iay  Anna, 
John  Roy,  Alta  Lola,  Edna  Elizabeth,  and  Jane  Nora.  I\Irs.  Guthrie 
was  born  on  January  28,  1860,  in  Clark  county.  Ohio,  and  was  the  only 
daughter  of  AVilliam  and  Rebecca  (Black)  Fimston.  She  moved  to  Cass 
county  with  her  parents  on  March  9,  1865,  and  the  family  settled  on  a 
fami  in  Noble  township.  She  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of 
Cass  county. 

Subsecpient  to  his  marriage,  Mr.  Guthrie  gave  up  the  lumber  busi- 
ness and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Harrison  township,  which  place  he  con- 
tinued to  operate  until  April,  1896,  when  he  located  in  Logansport  and 
engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business,  afterward  accepting 
a  position  with  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  in  whicli  capacity 
he  served  until  November  17.  1903,  when  he  moved  with  his  family  to  a 
farm  in  Noble  township.  Here  he  is  still  employed  in  the  peaceful  occu- 
pation of  farming,  trvick  gardening  and  horticulture. 


808  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

In  1908  the  ex-students  and  teachers  of  East  Sandridge  organized  a 
pioneer  school  reunion  association,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  Cass  county, 
and  Mr.  Guthrie  was  elected  president  of  that  organization.  His  address 
delivered  at  the  reunion  the  following  year  is  here  presented  in  full : 

Fellow  students:  When  I  look  into  your  faces  and  survey  these 
surroundings,  I  am  forcibly  reminded  of  those  beautiful  lines  which 
read  like  this :  ' '  How  dear  to  my  heart  are  the  scenes  of  my  childhood, 
when  fond  recollections  present  them  to  view."  We  are  brought  back 
here  today,  not  only  in  remembrance,  but  we  are  brought  face  to  face, 
as  it  were,  with  the  scenes  of  our  childhood.  Brought  back  once  more 
to  Sandridge;  back  to  this  old  familiar  school-house  playing  ground.  A 
place  made  sacred  by  memories  of  the  past.  For  here  it  was  you  spent 
so  many  of  your  childhood  days.  'Twas  here  you  skipped  and  played 
in  childish  glee,  and  here  again  you  toiled  o  'er  lessons  hard ;  then  played 
your  games  of  ball,  of  tag,  and  blindman's  buff.  'Twas  here  you 
planned  the  spelling  bee,  the  bob  sled  ride,  or  the  social  party  at  a 
patron 's  house.  And  now  to  think  you  're  here  again !  to  look  each  other 
in  the  face  and  grasp  each  other  by  the  hand.  No  wonder  recollections 
of  the  past  come  crowding  to  our  mind.  And  now  what  of  Sandridge? 
Sandridge  holds  a  warm  place  in  the  hearts  of  many.  Sandridge 
throughout  all  the  years  that  she  has  existed  as  a  place  of  learning  has 
maintained  a  reputation  for  being  one  of  the  very  best  common  schools 
in  all  this  broad  land.  And  the  reason  for  this  may  be  found  in  the 
fact  that  in  the  very  beginning  she  was  surrounded  by  a  loyal,  peace 
loving,  honest  and  honorable  constituency.  And  the  children  of  those 
sturdy  pioneers  who  came  here  to  receive  instructions  in  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  an  education  emulating  the  examples  set  by  their 
fathers,  though  none  have  risen  to  preeminence  among  men,  yet,  upon 
the  whole,  they  have  made  honored  and  respected  citizens.  Men  and 
women  who  have  gone  into  the  world  and  have  fought  and  are  still  fight- 
ing the  great  battles  of  life,  and  discharging  the  duties  of  citizenship  in  a 
way  that  has  been  a  credit  to  themselves,  a  credit  to  the  school  and  a 
credit  to  the  great  commonwealth  of  Indiana. 

And  now,  fellow  students  at  East  Sandridge,  I  am  glad  to  be  with 
you  here  today ;  for  I  see  among  you  those  who  have  passed  the  zenith  of 
their  lives,  who  years  ago,  as  boys  and  girls  while  the  flush  of  youth 
was  yet  upon  their  cheeks  and  the  fire  of  ambition  shone  in  their  eyes, 
roamed  these  woods  and  fields ;  who  coasted  down,  and  played  upon  this 
ridge  of  sand.  You  are  here  today,  fellow  students,  to  engage  in 
reminiscence  and  recreation ;  to  once  more  conuningle  your  voices  in 
commemoration  of  those  happy  days  gone  by ;  God  bless  you  all. 

An  original  poem  by  Mr.  Guthrie,  entitled  "Early  Recollections"  is 
here  presented  as  written: 

Somewhat  back  from  Roekcreek's  swampy,  muddy  banks, 

Midst  prickly  ash  and  wild  hawthorn. 

With  its  clapboard  roof  and  latch  string  door, 

Stood  the  old  log  cabin  where  I  was  bom. 

Its  broad  and  ample  fireplace 

Was  built  from  sticks  and  mud  and  clay 

And  round  its  cheerful  glowing  hearth 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  809 

"We  worked  and  played  and  sang  each  day. 
How  well  do  I  remember 
Those  awful  swamps  and  sloughs, 
For  when  we'd  walk  around  a  while 
Water  came  in  our  shoes. 
And  when  we'd  take  a  ramble 
At  the  surrounding  woods  to  peep 
Some  ancient  frog  behind  a  log 
Would  say  "Knee  deep,  knee  deep." 
Then  when  the  August  sun  shone  forth 
And  the  leaves  began  to  dry 
The  way  we  'd  have  the  ague  chills 
Was  enough  to  make  one  cry. 
My  father  settled  in  those  swamps. 
From  across  the  deep  blue  sea. 
But  how  he  lived  and  reared  us  kids 
Seems  passing  strange  to  me. 
^     But  he  was  wise  and  very  learned 
From  delving  into  lore. 
I've  often  thought  he  had  some  coin 
Brought  from  Scotland's  shore. 
However  that  may  be  he  loved  that  land 
Which  then  was  but  a  jest, 
But  now  it  don't  require  a  sage 
To  tell  that  it's  the  best. 
But  many  changes  have  taken  place 
Since  the  day  that  I  was  born; 
Where  once  was  naught  but  woods  and  swamps 
Grow  fields  of  ripening  corn. 

William  H.  Stoughton.  Probably  there  is  no  class  of  people  who 
so  quickly  grasp  anything  new  and  progressive  like  the  modern  farmer. 
Although  residing  away  from  the  hustle  and  the  bustle  of  the  city,  a 
considerable  distance  from  the  manufacturing  centers,  it  is  really  sur- 
prising to  note  how  familiar  the  agriculturist  is  with  improvements  that 
relate  to  his  vocation.  It  is  in  this  way,  and  in  this  way  only,  that  the 
farmer  of  today  is  able  to  attain  to  a  full  measure  of  success,  for  this 
success  comes  only  as  a  result  of  full  and  prosperous  crops,  which, 
in  turn,  come  only  from  treatment  of  the  land  by  modem  methods. 
Among  the  progressive  farmers  of  Cass  county,  who  have  recognized  the 
value  of  using  up-to-date  measures  in  their  work,  William  H.  Stoughton, 
of  Noble  township,  holds  a  prominent  position.  He  is  a  native  of  Cass 
county,  and  was  born  February  22,  1858,  a  son  of  Ira  and  Nancy 
(Mathews)  Stoughton. 

Ira  Stoughton  was  born  in  New  York,  and  was  married  October  17, 
1852,  to  Nancy  Mathews,  a  native  of  Indiana.  They  settled  down  on  a 
farm  in  Cass  county,  and  their  children  were  all  born  here,  as  follows 
Horace,  September  24,  1853;  Mary  E.,  January  8,  1856;  William  H. 
and  Elsie  J.,  June  18,  1873.  Horace  was  married  first  to  Martha  E 
Helvey,  deceased,  who  was  the  mother  of  four  children;  Arthur  G. 
Lutie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  six  years;  Leora,  who  married  in  Novem- 


810  HISTORY    OF    CASS  COUNTY 

ber,  1900,  Edward  Smith,  a  farmer  of  Roann,  Indiana,  who  has  one 
child. — Arthur  INI. ;  and  a  child  who  died  in  infanc5^  Mr.  Stoughton 
married  for  his  second  wife  OUie  Miller,  of  Ohio,  and  they  have  had  one 
child,  who  died  at  an  early  age.  Mary  E.  Stoughton  was  married  April 
7,  1880,  to  Allen  G.  Benton,  of  Cass  county.  Elsie  J.  Stoughton  was 
married  May  15,  1902,  to  Harry  A.  Jamison,  who  is  connected  with  the 
Vandalia  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  system. 

William  H.  Stoughton  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Xoble 
township,  and  his  entire  career  has  been  devoted  to  farming  and  stock 
raising.  On  ^larch  9,  1880.  he  was  married  to  Miss  Hattie  E.  IMichael, 
of  Cass  county,  daughter  of  Charles  and  Lucy  A.  (Bowyer)  ]Miehael, 
who  were  long  residents  of  Cass  county.  INIrs.  Stoughton  was  educated 
in  the  schools  of  this  county.  In  the  fall  of  1880,  ]\Ir.  and  ]\Irs.  Stough- 
ton went  West,  and  for  about  five  years  were  residents  of  Southern  Illi- 
nois. While  there,  October  30.  1884,  a  son,  Ira  Ray,  was  born  to  them. 
They  subsequently  lived  for  about  nine  years  in  Southwestern  Kansas, 
and  then  moved  on  to  Texas.  They  were  living  in  the  Lone  Star  State 
in  1900,  when  the  terrible  flood  caused  such  damage  to  the  city  of  Galves- 
ton, and  it  appears  as  though  only  a  dispensation  of  Providence  saved 
their  lives.  At  the  time  the  storm  began,  ]\Irs.  Stoughton  was  at  home 
with  her  son,  and  as  the  hurricane  increased  she  became  alarmed  and 
with  great  difficulty  managed  to  make  her  way  to  the  home  of  a  neigh- 
bor. They  had  not  yet  reached  their  refuge,  when  a  terrific  blast 
struck  the  little  home  which  they  had  just  left,  completely  demolishing 
it,  with  all  the  other  buildings  on  the  place,  easting  its  timbers  some 
thirty  rods  distant,  and  driving  great  beams  so  deep  in  the  ground  that 
later  they  could  not  lie  extracted  by  the  utmost  exertions  of  a  strong 
man.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  ^Mrs.  Stoughton  and  her  son  would 
have  been  killed  had  they  remained  in  their  own  home.  In  the  mean- 
time. ]\Ir.  Stoughton,  who  had  started  home  when  the  storm  began  to 
threaten  to  become  serious,  was  overtaken  by  the  terrific  hurricane  some 
seven  miles  from  home,  and  there  was  compelled  to  remain,  himself  suf- 
fering greatly,  as  well  as  being  in  an  agony  of  anxiety  as  to  the  welfare 
of  his  loved  ones,  whom  he  was  powerless  to  help. 

When  the  little  family  was  again  readjusted,  ]Mr.  Stoughton  gath- 
ered his  scattered  belongings  together  and  returned  to  Cass  county,  and 
here  his  son  continued  the  studies  started  in  Texas,  completing  them  in 
the  commercial  college  at  Logansport.  He  is  now  engaged  in  assisting 
his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm,  which  has  lieen  brought  to  a 
high  state  of  cultivation,  and  has  been  improved  with  good  buildings  and 
modern  appliances.  In  political  matters.  ]\Ir.  Stoughton  is  a  stalwart 
Prohibitionist,  although  his  only  interest  in  public  matters  is  that  taken 
by  every  good  citizen  and  voter.  With  his  family,  he  attends  the  Presby- 
terian  clnirch. 

William  Riley.  Classed  among  the  prominent  and  enterprising 
farmers  of  Washington  township  is  found  AVilliam  Riley,  another  of  the 
men  whose  success  in  life  has  been  gained  through  the  medium  of  their 
own  efforts.  From  boyhood.  Avhen  he  was  left  an  orphan,  ]Mr.  Riley's 
life  has  been  one  of  incessant  industry,  and  in  the  face  of  discouragrement 
and  misfortune,  he  has  slowly  but  surely  worked  his  way  up  the  ladder 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  811 

of  success,  and  his  efforts  have  been  rewarded  by  the  accumulation  of  a 
tine  farm  of  eig"hty-tive  acres,  lying  on  the  Riley  road,  about  seven  miles 
from  Logansport.  Mr.  Riley  was  born  June  15,  1851,  in  the  city  of 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  Andrew  and  Catherine  (Hoover)  Riley. 
His  father,  a  marble  cutter  by  trade,  came  to  Indiana  when  a  young  man 
and  took  up  land  in  Cass  county,  but  subsequently  entered  the  rail- 
road contracting  business,  and  in  that  line  was  engaged  at  the  time  of 
his  death.  .At  that  time  AVilliam  Riley  was  but  seven  years  of  age,  and 
during  the  next  three  years  he  lived  with  an  elder  brother.  The  latter, 
however,  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war, 
and  the  youth  was  left  alone  in  the  world.  After  drifting  around  for 
some  time,  seeking  a  home,  he  was  taken  in  charge  by  his  uncle,  on  whose 
farm  he  was  reared,  and  who  gave  him  the  advantages  of  a  country 
school  education.  Mr.  Riley  continued  to  reside  with  his  uncle  until 
he  was  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  in  the  meantime  carefully  saving 
his  earnings,  with  the  end  ever  in  view  of  one  day  being  a  property 
owner  himself.  His  ambition  was  realized,  in  1878,  when  he  became  the 
owner  of  his  present  property,  a  tract  of  eighty-five  acres  of  fine  land, 
which  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  From  time  to  time, 
as  his  finances  permitted  and  circiimstances  demanded,  ]\Ir.  Riley  added 
to  the  buildings  and  improvements  on  his  land,  thus  adding  to  the  value 
of  a  property  that  in  itself  was  of  much  worth.  He  has  devoted  himself 
to  general  farming,  and  has  also  been  successful  in  the  raising  of  live- 
stock. This  land  was  all  cleared  by  Mr.  Riley  from  its  virgin  state,  and 
its  present  condition  reflects  great  credit  upon  his  industry,  enterprise 
and  good  management.  The  multitudinous  duties  of  his  work  have  pre- 
cluded the  idea  of  his  entering  the  political  field  as  a  seeker  for  per- 
sonal preferment,  but  he  has  observed  the  duties  of  good  citizenship, 
and  has  given  of  his  time  and  means  in  supporting  movements  for  the 
public  welfare. 

On  October  8,  1882,  ]Mr.  Riley  was  united  in  marriage  with  j\Iiss 
Charlotte  Gotsehall,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  three  chil- 
dren, as  follows :  ^laiide,  who  married  Fred  Stackhouse,  a  Cass  county 
farmer,  and  has  one  child, — Ray;  Harvey,  who  is  single  and  lives  on 
the  home  farm,  which  he  is  assisting  his  father  to  cultivate ;  and  Katie, 
who  also  lives  with  her  parents.  The  family  belongs  to  the  United 
Brethren  church,  in  which  all  of  its  members  have  numerous  friends. 
The  life  of  j\Ir.  Riley  is  worthy  of  emulation  by  aspiring  youths  and 
teaches  the  lesson  that  integi-ity  and  industry  are  bound  to  bring  success. 

H.  Harvey  Gotshall.  Among  the  agriculturists  of  the  second 
generation  who  are  carrying  on  the  work  that  their  fathers  commenced 
in  the  development  of  Cass  county,  Harvey  Gotshall  is  entitled  to  promi- 
nent mention.  He  was  born  on  the  old  Gotshall  homestead  in  Washing- 
ton township,  December  16,  1866,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  ]\Iaria  J. 
(Rodrick)  Gotshall. 

Peter  Gotshall,  the  grandfather  of  Harvey  Gotshall,  was  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1837,  with  a  large  party  of  emigrants  seeking 
homes  in  what  was  then  the  far  West,  with  twenty-eight  teams  alto- 
gether, came  by  way  of  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  and  Richmond,  Indi- 
ana, with  the  intention  of  settling  in  Illinois.    On  the  way,  however,  Mr. 


812  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Gotshall  stopped  for  a  visit  in  Indiana,  and  was  so  attracted  by  the  com- 
munity that  he  rented  a  piece  of  land  eight  miles  south  of  Terre  Haute, 
on  which  he  remained  until  1845,  in  that  year  coming  to  Cass  county, 
and  settling  in  Noble  township.  Here  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life  in  agricultural  pursuits,  dying  in  1857,  when  fifty-seven  yedrs  of 
age.  He  married  Ann  Woodling,  who  survived  him  until  seventy-nine 
years  of  age,  and  they  had  a  family  of  seven  children :  John,  who  resided 
in  Kansas  City,  Missouri ;  Henry,  the  father  of  Harvey ;  Elizabeth, 
deceased;  Frank,  Jacob  and  Eliza,  who  were  residents  of  Noble  town- 
ship ;  and  Alva,  deceased. 

Henry  Gotshall  was  born  April  25,  1827,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
ten  years  of  age  when  his  parents  emigrated  to  Indiana.  His  early  edu- 
cation was  secured  in  the  primitive  subscription  schools,  and  it  was  not 
until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  that  he  secured  advantages  in  the 
first  free  school  taught  in  the  state.  The  entire  subsequent  period  of  his 
active  life  was  devoted  to  farming,  and  his  success  was  commensurate 
with  the  hard,  intelligent  and  persistent  labor  which  he  expended  upon 
his  work.  He  was  a  Whig  and  later  a  Republican  in  politics,  although 
only  a  voter,  and  with  his  family  attended  the  German  Baptist  church. 
Mr.  Gotshall  was  married  to  Mary  J.  Rodrick,  a  native  of  Maryland, 
who  came  as  a  child  to  Washington  township,  and  they  became  the  par- 
ents of  the  following  children :  Sarah,  who  died  leaving  five  children ; 
Alice,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years;  Charlotte,  who  married  Wil- 
William  Riley,  and  has  three  children ;  Hamlin  Franklin,  deceased,  who 
lived  on  a  portion  of  his  father's  land;  Amanda,  who  married  Charles 
Wilson,  of  Tipton  township,  and  had  two  children;  and  Harvey. 

Harvey  Gotshall  received  his  education  in  the  country  schools  of 
Washington  township,  which  he  attended  during  the  winter  terms,  his 
summers  being  devoted  to  the  work  of  the  home  place.  He  has  always 
devoted  himself  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  at  this  time  is  the  owner 
of  64  acres  of  good  land  in  Washington  township,  where  he  raises  large 
crops  and  breeds  valuable  live  stock.  Like  his  father,  he  is  known  as  a 
good,  practical  agriculturist,  and  one  Avho  takes  advantage  of  new  meth- 
ods and  modern  farming  machinery,  and  his  property  shows  the  pres- 
ence of  good  management. 

In  March,  1907,  Mr.  Gotshall  was  married  to  Miss  Hattie  Amen, 
daughter  of  David  and  Mary  (Hunter)  Amen,  and  they  have  one 
child  in  the  family,  Everett.  Mr.  Gotshall  has  never  sought  public 
office,  preferring  to  devote  his  entire  time  to  the  cultivation  of  his  land. 
He  is  a  public-spirited  citizen,  however,  and  lends  his  support  to  all  pro- 
gressive movements  in  the  way  of  education,  religion  and  good  citizen- 
ship. 

Willis  R.  Tousley.  Fifty  years  in  the  service  and  still  at  the  key, 
such  is  the  record  of  W.  R.  Tousley,  of  Anoka,  one  of  the  oldest  opera- 
tors of  the  Pittsburgh,  Chicago  &  St.  Louis  Railroad.  Railroading  in 
all  of  its  various  branches  attracts  young  men ;  there  is  something  about 
the  glamour  of  the  vocation  that  draws  youths  from  every  walk 
of  life.  It  is  also  true  that  commensurate  rewards  and  steady  employ- 
ment are  given  those  who  are  willing  to  work  hard,  to  place  their  com- 
pany's interests  before  their  own,  to  at  all  times  sacrifice  self  for  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  813 

service;  for  those  who  are  not  willing  to  do  so,  and  who  have  not  the 
necessary  ability,  the  great  railroad  systems  have  little  use.  The  rail- 
road man  is  a  soldier  no  less  than  he  who  fights  under  his  country's 
flag;  his  first  duty  is  to  obey  orders  absolutely.  It  will  thus  be  seen 
that  a  man  who  has  remained  in  the  service  for  one  of  the  large  trans- 
portation companies  for  a  period  covering  a  half  a  century  of  time,  must 
necessarily  be  possessed  of  the  qualities  of  intelligence,  integrity,  faith- 
fulness to  duty  and  keen  perception,  and  all  of  these  Mr.  Tousley  pos- 
sesses in  no  small  degree.  Althoiigh  he  has  reached  an  age  when  most 
men  are  willing  to  retire  from  active  labor,  and  is  the  owner  of  a  com- 
fortable home  which  the  years  of  constant  industry  have  secured  for 
him,  like  others  before  him  he  feels  himself  boiind  by  the  ties  of  loyalty 
to  his  company,  and  is  loath  to  leave  its  service. 

Mr.  Tousley  was  horn  February  19,  1848,  at  Clinton,  Michigan,  and 
is  a  son  of  Isaac  and  Julia  (Murdock)  Tousley.  His  father  came  from 
the  East,  in  young  manhood,  settling  first  in  Michigan,  and  later  in 
1851  coming  to  Logansport,  where  he  followed  merchandising  and  paint- 
ing as  a  contractor  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  and  his  wife  were 
the  parents  of  five  children,  as  follows :  Edwin ;  W.  R. ;  Henry ;  Charles, 
who  is  deceased ;  and  Fannie. 

W.  R.  Tousley  was  little  more  than  two  years  old  when  he  was 
brought  to  Logansport  by  his  parents,  and  here  he  received  his  first 
instruction  in  the  old  public  school  at  Tenth  and  ]\Iarket  streets.  Sub- 
sequently, he  attended  the  old  Stone  Seminary  and  the  high  school, 
but  when  his  father  died  he  was  compelled  to  seek  employment,  and 
accordingly  became  a  messenger  boy  in  the  service  of  the  Pittsburgh, 
Chicago  and  St.  Louis  Railroad,  with  which  he  has  been  connected  in 
one  capacity  or  another  to  the  present  time.  He  was  advanced  to  the 
position  of  agent  after  some  time,  his  evident  endeavor  to  properly 
perform  his  duties  attracting  the  attention  of  his  employers,  and  while 
thus  engaged  he  learned  telegraphy,  eventually  becoming  an  operator. 
It  was  in  that  capacity  that  Mr.  Tousley  came  to  this  junction,  one  of 
the  important  points  on  the  line,  where  he  still  continues  to  faithfully 
perform  his  duties,  one  of  his  company's  most  trusted  employes. 

Mr.  Tousley  was  married  twice,  first  to  IMiss  Alice  Jack '  and  one 
child  was  born,  Charles  E.  Mrs.  Tousley  died  and  Mr.  Tousley  wedded 
the  sister  to  his  first  wife,  Miss  Sarah  Jack,  and  four  children  graced 
this  union,  namely:  M.  C,  C.  A.,  Lillian,  and  C.  T.  Mr.  Tousley  is  a 
member  of  the  ]\Iasonic  lodge  of  Walton,  Indiana,  and  the  I.  O.  0.  F.  at 
Anoka,  Indiana,  and  in  both  orders  he  enjoys  the  true  friendship  and 
brotherhood  of  the  orders.  His  political  inclinations  are  in  sympathy 
with  the  Democratic  party,  although  he  has  never  cared  nor  sought  for 
public  office.  He  has  been  thrifty  and  industrious,  and  is  now  the  owner 
of  a  pleasant  home  in  Anoka,  as  well  as  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  in  Washington  township,  the  latter  of  which  is  being  oper- 
ated by  renters.  Mr.  Tousley  is  respected  and  esteemed  by  all  who  have 
his  acquaintance,  as  a  man  who  has  lived  an  upright  and  honorable  life, 
and  as  a  citizen  who  has  ever  held  the  best  interests  of  his  community 
at  heart. 


814  HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

James  Hobney.  No  longer  does  the  traveler  through  Cass  county 
view  neglected  farms  and  poor,  unremunerative  stock,  the  agriculturists 
of  this  section  today  being  men  of  experience  and  ability.  However,  it 
is  not  every  farm  that  shows  the  same  sleek  and  shining  cattle,  well 
nurtured  and  thoroughbred  in  appearance,  that  may  be  found  on  the 
handsome,  highly-cultivated  farm  belonging  to  James  Horney,  in  Noble 
township.  Mr.  Horney  is  a  native  of  Cass  county  and  has  passed  his 
entire  life  here,  being  thoroughly  familiar  with  soil  and  climatic  condi- 
tions, and  thus  able  to  manage  his  operations  satisfactorily.  He  was 
born  February  10,  1849,  and  is  a  son  of  James  and  Matilda  (Page) 
Horney. 

James  Horney,  Sr.,  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  October  18,  1804, 
and  his  wife,  a  native  of  Virginia,  was  born  March  6,  1816.  He  came 
to  Cass  county  in  1829,  and  in  1836  James  Horney,  Sr.,  was  sheriff 
of  the  county,  being  later  elected  associate  judge  with  Judges  Biddle 
and  "Wright.  For  a  number  of  years  he  held  the  office  of  township  trus- 
tee, and  during  the  drafting  period  of  the  Civil  war  was  chosen  by  a 
number  of  drafted  citizens  to  take  a  voluntary  contribution  of  $2,700 
to  Indianapolis  to  buy  up  substitutes  to  take  their  places.  This  he 
succeeded  in  doing  and  returning  home  within  twenty-four  hours.  He 
died  February  6,  1882,  on  his  farm,  after  a  life  given  in  large  part  to 
the  benefit  of  his  fellowmen,  and  one  which  left  a  distinct  impress  upon 
his  community.  His  widow  survived  him  some  years,  and  passed  away 
April  9,  1898. 

James  Horney,  Jr.,  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Noble 
township,  to  which  community  he  had  been  brought  with  two  older  chil- 
dren when  a  mere  child.  He  was  reared  to  farming  pursuits,  which  he 
has  followed  all  of  his  life,  and  in  connection  with  which  he  was  for 
some  years  an  extensive  buyer  of  timber  for  James  Van  Buskirk,  a 
dealer  of  Logansport.  Like  his  father,  Mr.  Horney  bears  an  enviable 
reputation  in  business  circles,  and  is  known  as  an  able  farmer  and  good 
citizen.  On  November  4,  1875,  Mr.  Horney  was  married  to  Miss  Nancy 
J.  Wilson,  daughter  of  John  and  Keziah  (Maple)  "Wilson,  and  one  of 
eleven  children.  About  1836  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Horney  came  to  Cass 
county  with  their  twx»  oldest  children,  locating  in  Lewisburg.  By  trade 
Mr.  "Wilson  was  a  blacksmith,  and  at  Lewis  he  established  himself  in 
business,  a  great  deal  of  his  trade,  being  with  the  Indians  in  sharpening 
arrowpoints,  etc.,  and  he  also  did  a  large  business  shoeing  horses  for  the 
boatmen  on  the  canal  that  ran  through  Logansport.  An  incident  worthy 
of  note,  in  that  it  shows  his  ability  and  good  workmanship,  relates  of  his 
shoeing  a  team  of  oxen  for  a  company  of  young  men  en  route  to  Cali- 
fornia, these  shoes  not  being  removed  until  the  party  reached  its  des- 
tination some  six  months  later.  During  the  Civil  war,  he  purchased  a 
farm  in  Miami  township,  and  there  he  resided  for  some  forty  years, 
dying  about  the  year  1901. 

Two  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Horney,  namely : 
Harry  D.,  born  August  23,  1878;  and  George  A.,  boni  July  4,  1884. 

Mrs.  Horney  was  born  in  Lewisburg,  Indiana,  August  5,  1850,  and 
there  reared  and  educated  in  the  common  schools.  She  is  a  devout 
member  of  the  Baptist  church.  Both  of  the  sons  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Horney 
are  living,  the  eldest  is  Hariy  D.,  born  August  23,  1878.     He  received 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  815 

his  diploma  from  the  common  schools  and  pursued  a  full  commercial 
course  at  Logansport.  He  has  been  an  accountant,  working  for  one 
firm  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  for  fifteen  years.  He  is  now  an 
agriculturist  and  a  resident  of  Braidentown,  Florida.  He  wedded  Miss 
Harriett  F.  Jordan,  and  she  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church.  He  is 
a  Republican.  George  A.,  born  July  4,  1884,  also  received  his  diploma 
one  of  the  highest  grades  in  the  county  at  that  time,  then  he  was  a 
student  in  the  Logansport  high  school  and  subsequently  took  a  commer- 
cial course,  at  the  Logansport  Commercial  College.  He  married  Miss 
Hazel  H.  De  Laroter  (whose  progenitors  were  French)  and  they  have 
one  little  son,  Richard  Albert,  aged  two  years.  George  is  a  carpenter  by 
trade.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Indiana  National  Guards,  and  his 
wife  has  embroidered  a  handsome  piece  of  embroidery — exhibiting  all 
the  officers'  and  guards'  names  in  beautiful  needlework.  Mrs.  Horney 
received  her  diploma  from  the  public  schools  and  was  one  of  eighty- 
one  who  passed  the  examinations,  and  one  of  the  number  was  a  great- 
granddaughter  of  the  old  Indian  Chief  Godfrey.  In  politics  Mr.  Horney 
was  a  Republican  until  recent  years,  but  now  believes  in  voting  rather 
for  the  man  than  the  party.  He  has  never  been  an  office  seeker  himself, 
having  been  content  to  confine  his  activities  to  the  cultivation  of  his 
land. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Horney  of  this  sketch  have  one  hundred  and 
twelve  acres  of  good  land  in  Noble  township.  They  passed  the  winter 
of  1912  in  Florida.  Their  comfortable  home  lies  on  the  Pleasant  Grove 
Pike,  two  miles  north  of  the  city,  and  is  known  as  "Forest  Home,"  the 
abode  of  hospitality. 

Harry  Fultz.  One  of  the  most  successful  farming  men  to  be  found 
in  this  section  of  Cass  county  may  be  designated  in  the  person  of  Harry 
Fultz,  who  has  a  fine  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Noble  township,  where  he 
is  regarded  among  the  most  prosperous  and  influential  of  the  citizens 
of  his  community. 

Harry  Fultz  was  born  in  Logansport,  on  July  26,  1871,  and  is  the  son 
of  Andrew  J.  and  Julia  Ann  (Boyer)  Fultz.  The  father  was  an  Ohioan, 
born  in  Stark  county,  where  his  people  had  long  lived,  and  the  mother 
came  from  Pennsylvania  in  1868,  settling  in  Edward  township.  Her 
people  were  of  German  descent.  Andrew  J.  and  Julia  Fultz  became  the 
parents  of  three  sons,  two  of  whom  died  young, — Charles  when  six 
years  of  age  and  Lawrence  in  infancy.  Harry  being  the  only  surviving 
child  of  his  parents. 

When  he  was  a  child,  the  parents  of  Harry  Fultz  moved  to  Peoria, 
Illinois,  and  from  there  located  in  Iowa.  They  later  moved  back  to 
Indiana,  settling  in  Noble  township,  and  here  Mr.  Fultz  lives  today  on 
the  farm  they  occupied  there  in  his  boyhood.  Concerning  the  father  of 
Mr.  Fultz,  it  may  be  said  that  he  was  born  in  Stark  county,  Ohio,  on 
August  31,  1844.  His  mother  died  in  1854,  when  he  was  but  ten  years 
old,  and  when  he  was  sixteen  having  been  accustomed  to  making  his 
own  way  for  some  years,  he  engaged  in  railroad  work, — -a  business  he 
followed  with  great  success  until  1898.  He  was  an  engineer  on  the  road 
for  twenty-eight  years  and  he  has  the  distinction  of  having  run  the 
first  coal  burning  engine  from  Logansport  to  Chicago  over  the  Chicago 


816  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

&  Great  Eastern  Railroad.  After  leaving  off  railroad  work,  Mr.  Fultz 
settled  on  a  farm  in  the  vicinity  of  Logansport,  and  there  lived  until  the 
time  of  his  death. 

It  was  the  occupation  of  the  father  in  his  capacity  as  a  railroad 
engineer  that  necessitated  the  several  changes  of  residence  that  Harry 
Fultz  experienced  as  a  boy.  These  changes,  however,  it  is  safe  to  say  did 
him  no  harm,  and  he  has  for  some  years  been  devoting  himself  to  the 
farm  work  with  an  intensity  and  fervor  that  have  won  him  success  and 
well-being  in  a  financial  way,  and  the  regard  and  esteem  of  all  who 
regard  with  favor  the  energetic  application  of  a  man's  best  qualities  in 
the  work  he  sets  himself  to  do. 

On  February  7,  1895,  Mr.  Fultz  married  Miss  Lena  Quade,  the 
daughter  of  Frank  L.  Quade  and  his  wife,  Louise  (Schwab)  Quade,  and 
they  have  three  children :  Burton,  born  June  15,  1896 ;  LeRoy,  born 
July  11,  1904;  and  Alice,  born  February  27,  1905. 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  Mr.  Fultz 
maintains  an  independent  attitude  in  his  political  activities. 

Charles  B.  E.  Young.  One  of  the  business  men  of  Logansport, 
whose  activities  have  covered  a  period  of  twenty-two  years,  and  whose 
energy,  sagacity  and  industry  have  enabled  him  to  build  up  a  large 
and  important  enterprise,  is  Charles  B.  E.  Young,  proprietor  of  a  har- 
ness store,  where  are  also  sold  carriages,  automobiles  and  their  accesso- 
ries. Mr.  Young  has  been  a  resident  of  Cass  county  since  his  second 
year,  was  reared  and  educated  here,  and  here  received  his  business 
training.  His  actions  at  all  times  have  entitled  him  to  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  his  fellow-men  and  as  a  public-spirited  citizen  he  has  rendered 
signal  service  to  his  community  in  assisting  to  a.  successful  conclusion 
many  movements  for  the  public  welfare.  Mr.  Young  was  born  in 
Franklin  county,  Indiana,  February  14,  1863,  and  is  a  son  of  Alexander 
and  Susan  (Teague)  Young. 

Alexander  Young  and  wife,  with  their  three  children,  Carrie,  Alta 
R.  (since  deceased),  and  Charles  B.  E.,  came  to  Cass  county  in  1865, 
locating  on  a  farm  nine  miles  east  of  Logansport,  on  Pipe  creek.  After 
their  arrival  here  another  son,  Albert,  was  born.  Alexander  Young 
was  a  farmer  all  of  his  life,  and  attained  a  reasonable  amount  of  suc- 
cess, but  passed  away  when  still  in  middle  life,  February  12,  1872.  His 
widow  still  survives  him,  as  do  also  three  of  their  children.  During  the 
Civil  war,  Mr.  Young  was  a  member  of  the  Indiana  Home  Guards  that 
repelled  the  attack  of  the  raiding  Confederate  general,  Morgan. 

Charles  B.  E.  Young  grew  up  on  the  family  farm  on  Pipe  Creek, 
his  boyhood  being  passed  in  assisting  his  father,  and  during  the  winter 
terms  he  acquired  his  education  in  the  country  district  and  public 
schools  of  Logansport.  Just  prior  to  attaining  his  majority,  he  became 
a  drug  clerk  in  Logansport,  continuing  in  that  business  for  seven  years. 
For  one  year  suceeding  this  he  traveled  for  a  wholesale  cigar  and  tea 
house  of  Indianapolis,  but  in  1891  decided  to  enter  business  on  his  own 
account,  and  accordingly,  on  August  1st  of  that  year,  purchased  the 
harness  shop  of  Charles  McNitt.  He  has  continued  to  be  the  proprietor 
of  this  establishment  to  the  present  time,  and  of  recent  years  has  added 
carriages  and  automobiles  and  their  accessories  to  his  stock.     His  busi- 


HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  817 

ness  has  enjoyed  a  steady  and  healthy  growth,  yielding  commensurate 
returns  for  the  labors  of  Mr.  Young  who  is  an  energetic,  though  well- 
balanced,  business  man.  In  national  affairs,  Mr.  Young  gives  his  polit- 
ical support  to  the  Republican  party,  but  in  local  matters  reserves  the 
right  to  vote  for  the  man  he  deems  best  fitted  for  the  office,  irrespective 
of  party  lines.  He  is  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  and  a  member  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  takes  much  interest  in  fraternal 
work,  and  is  popular  with  his  fellow  lodge  members. 

On  June  8,  1893,  Mr.  Young  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Sarah  F.  Place,  and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  three  children: 
Helen,  Clark  and  Frances.  Mrs.  Ybung  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  where  she  has  a  wide  circle  of  sincere  friends. 

John  T.  Flanegin.  Thirty-three  years  ago,  John  T.  Flanegin 
came  to  Logansport  and  opened  a  modest  stove  and  tinware  store,  tak- 
ing a  position  among  the  early  merchants  of  Market  street,  where  he  has 
since  continued  his  operations.  During  the  period  to  the  present  time 
he  has  enlarged  his  establishment  and  his  stock,  which  now  includes 
general  shelf  hardware,  and  today  he  is  known  as  one  of  the  substantial 
veteran  business  men  of  the  city.  Mr.  Flanegin  was  born  on  Raccoon 
creek,  in  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  July  11,  1847.  He  is  one 
of  two  children,  both  living,  born  to  John  and  Mary  (Johnston)  Flane- 
gin, who  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  descended  from  Irish  parent- 
age. In  the  old  country,  the  name  was  Flanekin,  but  for  some  unknown 
reason  the  name  here  has  been  spelled  in  its  present  style. 

John  T.  Flanegin  was  reared  in  southeastern  Ohio,  whence  his  par- 
ents removed  when  he  was  a  boy,  and  there  received  his  education  in 
the  public  schools.  When  fifteen  years  of  age  he  became  a  clerk  in  a 
general  store  at  Zanesvile,  Ohio,  and  subsequently  held  a  like  position 
in  a  store  at  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania.  For  some  years  following,  he 
was  engaged  in  working  out  at  various  occupations,  such  as  herding 
cattle,  clerking,  driving  drays  and  various  other  vocations,  but  upon  the 
sickness  and  subsequent  death  of  his  father  he  returned  to  the  Ohio 
town,  where  he  resided  until  1880.  That  year  saw  his  advent  in  Logans- 
port,  and  marked  the  beginning  of  his  successful  career  as  a  merchant. 
Having  had  some  experience  in  the  tinware  business,  he  opened  a  shop, 
and  also  installed  a  line  of  stoves,  and  to  this,  with  the  passing  of  years, 
he  added  general  shelf  hardware.  Coming  here  in  moderate  circum- 
stances, through  industry,  energy  and  an  intelligent  comprehension  of 
the  needs  of  his  locality,  he  has  built  up  a  business  that  has  gained  him 
a  position  of  prestige  among  his  fellow  merchants.  He  is  known  as 
strictly  reliable  in  all  his  dealings,  having  an  enviable  reputation  for 
integrity,  and  among  his  associates  is  recognized  as  a  shrewd  and  cap- 
able business  man,  possessed  of  foresight  and  acumen.  An  American 
first,  last  and  all  the  time,  he  endeavors  to  lend  his  influence  to  the 
cause  of  good  government  and  general  progress,  and  those  movements 
which  promise  the  advancement  of  his  community's  interests  are  sure 
to  find  in  him  a  loyal  supporter.  In  his  political  proclivities  he  is  a 
Democrat,  although  he  has  never  sought  personal  preferment  in  the 
public  arena.  Mr.  Flanegin  has  taken  some  interest  in  fraternal  mat- 
ters, being  a  member  of  the  Masons,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the 


818  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  in  all  of  which  he  is  popular 
with  his  fellow  members. 

On  January  6,  1875,  ]\Ir.  Flanegin  was  married  to  Miss  Alice  A. 
Moore,  of  Bloomington,  Illinois,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been 
born  three  children:  Blanch,  who  became  the  wife  of  C.  L.  Baker; 
Thomas  J.,  and  Lorin  A.  Mrs.  Flanegin  died  February  3,  1910,  in  the 
faith  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  Avhich  her  husband    is  a  member. 

George  A.  Linton  is  one  of  the  oldest  native-born  citizens  of 
Logansport,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  this  city  August  9,  1848,  on 
North  street,  in  the  second  house  east  of  the  present  site  of  the  Masonic 
Temple.  Samuel  B.  Linton,  his  father,  was  born  at  Chillieothe, 
Ohio,  and  was  a  carpenter  and  contractor,  coming  to  Logansport 
in  that  capacity  in  1825,  when  there  were  but  three  houses  in  the 
place.  He  did  not  remain  long  at  that  time,  but  moved  on  to  LaFayette, 
where  he  continued  to  reside  for  two  years,  but  in  1827  settled  perma- 
nently in  Logansport,  where  he  made  his  home  during  the  balance  of 
his  life.  He  here  worked  at  his  trade,  but  with  the  passing  of  time  the 
structures  erected  by  him  have  been  rebuilt.  In  addition  to  a  number 
of  residences  and  business  establishments,  he  built  two  canal  boats  to 
ply  on  the  Erie  canal  and  these  he  operated  from  shortly  after  the 
completion  of  the  canal  until  the  year  1840.  Joseph  Dale  was  associated 
with  him  in  the  building  of  one  of  these  boats.  Attracted  by  the  glow- 
ing reports  from  the  gold  fields  of  California,  Mr.  Linton  started  over- 
land for  that  locality  in  the  spring  of  1852  and  was  there  three  years, 
building  flumes  and  flatboats  on  Feather  river  and  at  Sacramento.  He 
returned  to  the  east  in  1855,  but  again  returned  to  California  in  1859, 
to  recuperate  his  failing  health,  going  by  boat  around  Cape  Horn,  a 
trip  that  lasted  six  mouths.  Seeing  the  futility  of  his  mission,  he  re- 
mained there  but  a  short  time,  returning  to  Logansport  and  dying  in 
July,  1860.  He  was  married  twice,  first  to  a  Lliss  Blaine,  a  cousin  of 
the  Hon.  James  G.  Blaine,  and  she  bore  him  seven  children,  none  of 
whom  are  now  living.  His  second  wife  was  Eliza  Dale,  daughter  of 
Christopher  Dale,  who  bore  him  two  children:  Thomas,  who  died  in 
infancy ;  and  George  A.  Mr.  Linton  was  a  man  rather  small  in  stature, 
weighing  about  150  pounds.  His  frequent  association  with  the  Indians 
enabled  him  to  speak  the  Pottawatomie  and  Miami  tongues.  Resolute 
and  firm,  he  never  embarked  on  any  undertaking  without  carrying  it 
into  execution.  In  his  later  life  he  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  died  in  that  faith.  He  was  a  AVhig  in  politics  and  later 
became  a  Republican,  and  served  Logansport  as  town  marshal  in  1857 
and  1858. 

George  A.  Linton  has  always  claimed  Logansport  as  his  home,  al- 
though he  has  not  lived  here  continuously.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  public  and  paid  schools  of  this  city.  On  February  4,  1862,  when 
not  yet  fourteen  years  of  age,  he  enlisted  in  the  field  service  in  the 
L^nion  army  and  was  assigned  to  duty  in  Knetucky,  under  General 
Nelson,  for  whom  he  w^as  moimted  orderly.  In  February,  1863,  he  was 
sent  back  to  procure  horses  and  while  there,  his  guardian,  Capt. 
Alexander  Hardy,  w^ho  had  been  made  such  while  young  Linton  was  at 
the  front,  secured  him  and  permitted  him  to  enlist  in  the  Twenty-fourth 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  819 

Indiana  Light  Artillery.  He  participated  in  the  pursuit  of  General 
Morgan,  who  had  made  raids  into  Indiana  and  Ohio,  and  from  here 
went  into  Eastern  Tennessee,  under  General  Bui'nside.  They  were 
penned  in  at  Knoxville  until  relieved  after  the  battle  of  Missionary 
Bidge,  and  from  Knoxville  (including  all  the  attendant  campaigns 
preceding  and  following  the  battle)  went  to  Charleston,  Tennessee,  in 
the  spring  of  1864.  There  the  command  was  merged  with  the  Second 
Brigade,  Twenty-third  Army  Corps,  under  General  Schofield,  and  entered 
the  Atlanta  campaign,  having  seen  the  first  engagement  at  Snake 
Creek  Gap,  Dalton,  and  the  continuous  fighting  until  July  21.  It  was 
at  the  battle  of  Kenesaw  Mountain  that  Capt.  Alexander  Hardy,  com- 
manding the  company  of  which  Mr.  Linton  was  a  member,  fired  the 
gun  loaded  with  a  spherical  shell  that  killed  General  Pope.  After  the 
fall  of  Atlanta,  Mr.  Linton  was  a  member  of  the  command  that  pursued 
General  Hood  north  and  participated  in  the  battles  of  Franklin  and 
Nashville.  Here  they  went  into  camp  at  Fort  Negley,  and  this,  with 
the  exception  of  some  guerilla  fighting,  completed  iMr.  Linton's  military 
career.  He  was  wounded  at  Leonore's  Station,  through  the  left  wrist 
and  arm,  and  was  discharged  August  3,  1865,  at  Indianapolis,  by  order 
of  the  War  Department. 

Returning  to  Logansport,  he  was  engaged  in  the  occupations  of 
peace  until  February,  1867,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  general  field  serv- 
ice of  the  Regular  Army  and  was  stationed  at  Vicksburg,  Mississippi, 
there  passing  safely  through  the  cholera  epidemic.  He  was  then  assigned 
to  the  Eleventh  United  States  Infantry  of  the  Fifth  Military  District, 
which  comprised  Mississippi,  Louisiana  and  Texas,  and  was  under  the 
command  of  Gen.  Joe  Reynolds,  at  San  Antonio,  Texas,  being  detailed 
to  the  Mounted  Police  whose  duty  it  was  to  quell  the  disturbances  of 
the  frontier  desperadoes,  the  Indians  and  the  offi-scourings  of  both 
armies,  and  in  general  to  see  that  law  and  order  were  maintained.  He 
was  finally  discharged  March  4,  1870.  He  returned  at  that  time  to 
Logansport  and  for  a  time  was  engaged  in  railroad  work,  but  in  1879 
embarked  in  the  pump  and  well  business,  in  which  he  continued  until 
1895.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  associated  with  Adam  Graf  in  the 
plumbing  and  heating  business.  A  thoroughly  reliable  and  capable 
business  man,  i\Ir.  Linton  has  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  associates,- 
and  his  judgment  is  always  consulted  on  questions  of  importance.  He 
is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  has  not  entered  actively  in  the  struggles 
of  the  public  arena,  for  his  whole  attention  has  been  given  to  his  busi- 
ness enterprises.  He  takes  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  the  welfare 
of  his  city  and  its  people,  however,  and  always  supports  measures  that 
make  for  good  government  and  good  citizenship.  He  is  a  valued  mem- 
ber of  the  local  lodge  of  IMasons  and  has  risen  to  the  Knight  Templar 
degree. 

On  June  11,  1870,  Mr.  Linton  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Emery, 
and  they  have  had  eight  children,  as  follows :  Horace  B. ;  Minnie,  who 
married  William  R.  Cogley ;  Gertrude,  who  married  M.  Mexicans ;  Mary 
E.,  who  became  the  wife  of  L.  E.  Slick ;  Elizabeth,  Alice  and  Carrie, 
who  are  deceased ;  and  Charles  A.  Mrs.  Linton  died  July  14,  1912,  in 
the  faith  of  the  IMethodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which  ]\Ir.  Linton  is  a 
consistent  member  and  liberal  supporter. 


820  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

John  Alber,  for  many  years  identified  with  the  crockery  business 
in  Logansport,  and  one  of  the  widely  known  and  prominent  business  men 
of  the  city,  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  on  September  11,  1852. 
He  is  the  son  of  Jacob  Alber,  who  was  a  native  of  Lichtenstein,  Austria, 
and  his  wife,  Sophia  Dierkson,  a  native  of  Bremen,  Germany. 

Jacob  Alber  learned  the  trade  of  a  housepainter  and  decorator  in  his 
native  land  and  in  Italy,  and  in  1848,  or  thereabouts,  he  emigrated  to 
the  United  States.  He  first  located  at  Wabash,  Indiana,  but  in  1849 
came  down  the  canal  to  Logansport,  where  he  began  working  at  his 
trade.  He  also  became  connected  with  the  trade  of  a  stone  mason,  and 
worked  for  a  time  as  a  bricklayer,  as  well  as  at  various  other  employ- 
ments of  a  kindred  nature.  In  1850  he  met  and  married  Sophia  Dierk- 
son. She  came  to  Baltimore  with  a  family  of  the  name  of  Albers,  and 
from  there  to  Indiana  with  the  family  of  James  G.  Cox,  who  settled  in 
Bethlehem  township,  in  Cass  county,  Indiana.  There  they  were  mar- 
ried, and  during  the  remainder  of  his  life  Jacob  Alber  worked  at  his 
trade  in  and  about  Logansport.  He  was  ever  a  hard-working  and  indus- 
trious man  and  in  later  life  was  reckoned  fairly  well-to-do.  He  was 
twice  married.  By  his  first  wife  he  became  the  father  of  two  children, — 
John  and  Philip,  the  latter  of  whom  died  at  the  age  of  two  years. 

The  father,  who  was  born  January  7,  1821,  died  July  24,  1891,  and 
the  mother,  born  on  May  15,  1813,  died  April  4,  1883. 

John  Alber  is  the  only  surviving  child  of  his  father.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  Logansport,  and  at  Notre  Dame  University, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1868.  His  first  employment  upon  leav- 
ing college  was  a  clerk  in  the  store  of  Mitchell,  Walker  &  Ranch,  boot 
and  shoe  dealers  of  Logansport,  and  he  remained  with  them  for  a  year. 
He  then  accepted  a  position  with  Morris  &  Snider,  as  a  clerk  in  their 
crockery  establishment,  then  as  traveling  salesman.  In  1880  he  severed 
his  connection  with  that  firm  and  began  traveling  for  Hollweg  &  Reese, 
wholesale  crockery  dealers  of  Indianapolis,  and  for  twenty-nine  years 
Mr.  Alber  remained  with  them  with  the  exception  of  a  two-year- 
period  when,  in  partnei^ship  with  W.  H.  Snider,  he  was  engaged  in  the 
wholesale  and  retail  crockery  business  in  Logansport.  When  that  asso- 
ciation was  suspended  Mr.  Alber  resumed  his  old  place  with  the  Indian- 
.apolis  house,  continuing  with  them  until  1909.  In  that  year  he  again 
embarked  in  the  wholesale  and  retail  crockery  business  in  Logansport, 
and  again  his  business  partner  was  W.  H.  Snider.  On  January  17,  1911, 
Mr.  Alber  bought  his  partner's  interest  in  the  business  and  has  since 
conducted  it  alone,  with  a  pleasing  degree  of  success. 

Mr.  Alber  is  a  Republican  in  his  politics.  He  is  a  Mason  of  the 
Scottish  Rite  branch,  and  a  member  of  the  Knights  Templar  -and  ]\Iurat 
Temple  of  the  Ancient  Arabic  Order  of  the  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine. 

On  April  14,  1879,  Mr.  Alber  married  aiiss  Betty  B.  Dawes,  daughter 
of  Elisha  Dawes,  and  they  have  one  daughter, — Aline  Sophia,  now  the 
wife  of  Joseph  T.  Graffis,  whose  home  is  at  Indianapolis.  Mrs.  Alber 
is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church. 

Henry  Tucker,  for  forty-seven  years  a  resident  of  Logansport,  is 
of  New  England  nativity,  his  birth  occurring  in  the  village  of  Norway, 
Maine,  on  INIarch  27,  1843.     His  paternal  grandfather  located  at  that 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  821 

place  in  the  year  1802  and  established  himself  in  the  harness  and  sad- 
dlery business,  and  upon  his  death  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Ben- 
jamin, and  a  son  of  the  latter  succeeded  him,  at  the  close  of  the  Civil 
war,  in  which  he  served  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Upon  his  death 
a  nephew  took  over  the  business,  and  he  continues  in  it  to  the  present 
time,  thus  making  four  generations  of  the  Tucker  family  in  a  direct  line 
to  have  conducted  the  harness  and  saddlery  business  in  Norway,  Maine. 

Benjamin  Tucker  was  the  father  of  Henry  Tucker.  He  was  born  at 
Norway,  Maine,  there  married  Sarah  Millett,  the  mother  of  Henry, 
and  passed  his  life  in  the  place  of  his  birth,  employed  in  the  business 
which  descended  to  him  on  the  death  of  his  father. 

Henry  Tucker  attended  the  district  schools  and  the  academy  in  his 
boyhood,  and  learned  the  harness  and  saddle-making  trade  under  his 
father.  While  he  was  yet  a  boy,  on  November  9,  1861,  he  enlisted  in 
Company  G,  Fourteenth  Maine  Volunteer  Infantry,  receiving  the  ap- 
pointment of  corporal  of  his  company.  In  1862  he  was  promoted  to 
sergeant  and  with  his  regiment  became  a  part  of  the  command  of  Gen. 
B.  F.  Butler,  on  the  expedition  to  Ship  Island,  Mississippi,  and  thence 
to  New  Orleans,  arriving  at  the  latter  place  the  day  Mumford  was 
hanged  by  order  of  General  Butler  for  pulling  down  the  American  flag 
from  the  city  hall.  By  reason  of  ill  health,  ]\Ir.  Tucker  received  an 
honorable  discharge  from  the  service  on  July  5,  1862,  and  for  some  time 
thereafter  was  unable  to  actively  engage  in  any  arduous  undertaking. 
On  May  1,  1864,  his  strength  renewed  by  his  continued  relaxation  from 
duty,  he  reenlisted  and  became  first  sergeant  of  Company  H,  Maine 
State  Guards,  stationed  at  Fort  McClary,  Portsmouth  Harbor.  He  re- 
ceived his  final  discharge  on  July  4,  1864. 

Mr.  Tucker  then  determined  that  his  education  was  not  sufficiently 
complete,  and  he  accordingly  took  a  course  of  study  in  the  Business  Col- 
lege of  Brj'^ant  &  Stratton,  at  Portland,  Maine,  after  which  he  set  out 
for  the  west  in  search  of  a  favorable  locality  in  which  to  engage  in  busi- 
ness. For  a  year  he  made  his  home  at  Elgin,  Illinois,  but  in  April, 
1866,  he  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  and  in  the  following  August  he 
bought  the  J.  W.  Fuller  harness  shop.  Here  for  a  period  of  nearly  forty 
years  Mr.  Tucker  was  engaged  in  the  business  at  that  stand,  and  in  the 
course  of  his  business  transactions  during  that  time  gained  an  acquaint- 
ance with  almost  every  man  in  Cass  county.  For  the  past  few  years, 
however,  Mr.  Tucker  has  been  occupied  with  the  undertaking  business, 
in  which  he  has  experienced  a  goodly  measure  of  success. 

In  the  quiet,  unobtrusive  way  which  characterizes  Mr.  Tucker,  he 
has  lived  so  as  to  leave  an  indelible  impress  for  good  upon  every  enter- 
prise with  which  he  has  been  identified.  He  is  a  Mason,  having  joined 
the  order  in  Maine  many  years  ago,  hut  is  now  a  member  of  Orient 
Lodge  No.  272  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  of  Logansport,  of  which  he  has  served  as 
worshipful  master.  He  is  also  a  member  of  Logan  Chapter  No.  2,  of 
Logansport,  the  Council  No.  11  of  Logansport  and  St.  John  Command- 
ery.  No.  24,  serving  as  eminent  commander  in  1881-82,  and  the  oldest 
in  point  of  membership  of  the  Scottish  Rite  in  the  county.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  Logansport  Post  No.  14  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

Mr.  Tucker  has  been  twice  married.  In  1871  he  married  Emma  Stal- 
naker,  who  died  about  one  year  later.    In  1876  he  married  Julia  Mer- 


822  ,       HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

riam,  daughter  of  J.  A.  Merriam,  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of 
Logansport,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  two  daughters, — Minnie  and 
Florence,  both  of  whom  are  married.  Minnie  is  the  wife  of  N.  W.  Blem- 
ming,  now  living  in  Fort  Scott,  Kansas,  and  Florence  is  married  to 
J.  Burt  Wintei-,  of  the  firm  of  Elias  Winter  &  Son,  who  was  born  and 
has  always  lived  in  Logansport. 

Isaac  Himmelbergee  was  one  of  the  noted  men  of  Cass  county  and 
was  always  a  credit  to  the  community  wherein  he  made  his  home.  He 
was  bom  August  13,  1840,  in  Berks  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  was  one 
of  seven  children  born  to  Charles  Himmelberger  and  his  wife,  Lavinia 
(Hain)  Himmelberger. 

Reared  at  Lancaster  as  a  boy,  Isaac  Himmelberger  received  not  more 
than  a  common  school  education.  When  he  was  eighteen  years  old  he 
moved  with  his  parents  to  Meyerstown,  Pennsylvania,  and  there  he  was 
later  associated  with  his  father  in  the  milling  business,  and  still  later 
with  an  uncle,  Levi  Hain,  in  the  grain  business.  From  Meyerstown  he 
came  to  Indiana  in  1865,  and  with  Levi  Hain,  Henry  Sherk  and  John 
Myers,  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  about  two  miles  north  of  the 
town  of  Walton,  in  Tipton  county.  Here  they  established  a  sawmill  in 
the  swamp,  acquired  a  tract  of  three  hundred  and  eighty  acres,  and  at 
once  began  to  convert  the  towering  timber  into  lumber.  When  the  work 
here  had  been  completed  and  the  supply  of  raw  material  been  exhausted, 
Mr.  Himmelberger  and  Perry  Kessling  leased  a  tract  of  land  near  On- 
ward, there  erected  a  mill,  and  began  the  work  of  sawing  as  they  had 
done  near  Walton.  Llr.  Himmelberger  then  came  to  Logansport  and  in 
partnership  with  a  Mr.  Dewey,  built  a  mill  and  established  a  general 
lumber  business,  buying  timber  throughout  the  entire  country  surround- 
ing them.  It  was  during  this  time,  in  1878,  that  he  became  the  candi- 
date of  the  Republican  party  for  the  office  of  sheriff  of  the  county,  and 
notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  nominal  Democratic  majority  in  the 
county  was  something  like  six  hundred,  Mr.  Himmeberger  was  elected. 
He  served  a  two  year  term  in  the  office  of  Sheriff,  and  it  was  during 
this  period  that  he  bought  out  his  partner's  interests  in  the  business. 
Soon  after  his  retirement  from  office  he  went  to  Buffington,  Missouri,  and 
there  started  a  sawmill,  moving  the  equipment  from  Logansport  to  the 
Missouri  town,  to  augment  the  equipment  of  the  mill  already  in  opera- 
tion there.  A  few  years  later  he  formed  a  partnership  with  John  Burris 
in  the  stave  business  at  Dexter,  Missouri,  in  connection  with  his  other 
business,  and  this  partnership  existed  but  a  comparatively  short  time, 
but  Mr.  Himmelberger  still  continued  the  lumber  business  at  Buffington, 
Missouri,  and  later  at  Morehouse,  Missouri,  a  place  of  which  he  was 
really  the  founder  and  builder.  His  son,  John,  was  associated  with  him 
at  these  two  latter  places.  At  IMorehouse  he  built  one  of  the  largest 
hardwood  lumber  plants  ever  known  in  the  southwest,  if  not,  indeed, 
in  the  entire  country.  They  acquired  approximately  100,000  acres  of 
land  and  at  times  employed  more  than  two  hundred  mill  hands.  Mr. 
Himmelberger,  while  yet  in  the  prime  of  life  and  while  the  future  yet 
held  glowing  promise  of  attainment,  was  suddenly  stricken  with  an 
illness  which  culminated  in  his  death  on  July  16,  1900. 

His  was  a  life  that  held  many  lessons.     He  began  his  independent 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  823 

career  without  other  means  than  his  own  courage  and  willing  hands. 
His  courage  never  faltered  in  all  the  years  of  his  activity,  and  repeatedly 
he  was  called  upon  to  overcome  obstacles  that  would  have  overwhelmed 
many  with  dismay,  and  would  have  been  the  sure  defeat  of  many  an- 
other. Through  all  the  years  he  steadily  pressed  forward,  achieving  a 
success  far  beyond  that  which  the  average  man  meets.  At  no  time  was 
the  honesty  and  fairness  of  his  dealings  ever  questioned.  With  him 
"whatever  was  worth  doing  at  all  was  worth  doing  well"  and  that  old 
axiom  he  held  up  for  the  constant  admonition  of  all  who  were  associated 
with  him  in  his  work.  He  died  as  he  had  lived, — an  honored  and  re- 
spected citizen,  and  his  untimely  death  was  deeply  mourned  by  all 
who  came  within  the  circle  of  his  acquaintance. 

In  1860  Mr.  Himmelberger  was  married  to  Catherine  Haak,  and 
seven  children  were  born  to  them,  four  of  whom  lived  to  reach  years  of 
maturity,  as  follows :  John,  who  is  now  engaged  in  conducting  the 
business  in  Missouri  which  was  founded  by  his  father;  Jane,  the  wife 
of  Samuel  Fisher;  Lillia,  the  wife  of  H.  J.  Crismond;  and  Nettie,  who 
married  W.  0.  Murdock,  and  is  now  deceased.  Mrs.  Himmelberger, 
who  still  lives  and  is  the  grandmother  of  twelve  children,  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  and  Sarah  (Bassler)  Haak,  who  were  natives  of  the  state 
of  Pennsylvania,  and  like  the  Himmelbergers,  people  of  German  ances- 
try. 

John  W.  Guard  was  born  in  Dixon,  Illinois,  on  March  1,  1863,  and 
is  one  of  the  five  children  of  John  L.  and  Anna  Mary  (Gable)  Guard, 
all  of  the  five  being  alive  today. 

John  L.  Guard,  the  father  of  the  subject,  was  a  minister  of  the  Eng- 
lish Lutheran  church,  an  occupation  which  he  followed  all  through  his 
busy  and  active  life.  He  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  descended  from 
German-Hessian  ancestry,  and  his  wife's  people  originally  came  from 
Bavaria.  Rev.  John  L.  Guard  died  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  on  Octo- 
ber 18,  1895,  and  his  wife  died  in  Peoria  county,  Illinois,  in  ]March,  1868. 

Carroll  county,  Indiana,  was  the  home  of  John  "W.  Guard  until  he 
was  fifteen.  Camden  was  the  town  where  he  was  reared,  and  he  lived  on 
a  farm  between  the  ages  of  fifteen  and  twenty-one.  He  received  his  pre- 
liminary education  in  the  common  schools  of  his  community,  further 
advantages  not  being  afforded  him.  In  1885  he  came  to  Logansport, 
Indiana,  and  there  engaged  in  the  draying  business,  which  appeared  to 
him  to  offer  a  chance  of  success.  He  handled  the  draying  contracts  for 
EUiott,  Stroyer  &  Company,  wholesale  grocers,  they  being  among  his 
largest  patrons,  and  after  he  gave  up  draying  he  was  for  three  years 
engaged  in  ranching  in  southwestern  Kansas,  after  which  he  returned 
to  Logansport,  in  1890,  and  for  sixteen  years  thereafter  was  employed 
as  a  clerk  in  the  retail  grocery  store  of  Lewis  Ray.  He  then  bought  an 
interest  in  the  Rice  Hardware  Company,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in 
that  business,  at  present  being  the  treasurer  of  the  corporation. 

Mr.  Guard  is  a  Republican,  and  his  fraternal  relations  are  with  the 
Masons,  in  which  he  is  a  member  of  Tipton  Lodge  No.  33,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 
He  is  a  member  of  St.  Luke's  English  Lutheran  chui'ch,  as  is  also  his 
wife,  who  was  Miss  Anna  Hildebrandt,  and  to  whom  he  was  married  on 
November  23,  1903. 


824  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Moses  R.  Frazee.  With  the  exception  of  a  four  years'  period  which 
he  spent  in  Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  Moses  R.  Frazee  has  been  a  resident 
of  Logansport  for  the  past  fifty-two  years.  He  was  born  on  August 
26,  1834,  in  Miami  county,  Ohio,  a  son  of  David  and  Mary  (Price) 
Frazee.  The  father  of  David  Frazee  came  to  America  from  the  Isle  of 
Jersey,  and  the  mother  was  a  native  of  Wales.  David  Frazee  was  a 
farmer  and  JMoses  R.  made  his  home  upon  the  farm  home  until  he  was 
about  fifteen  years  old.  He  helped  with  the  work  of  the  home  place  as 
a  boy  and  attended  the  old  fashioned  school  common  to  his  time,  finish- 
ing his  schooling  with  two  years  in  the  schools  of  Piqua.  After  this 
latter  experience  he  clerked  in  a  general  store  for  something  like  two 
years,  in  the  employ  of  I.  B.  Whipple.  He  then  went  to  Marion  and 
managed  a  store  which  Mr.  Whipple  owned  there,  and  some  fifteen 
months  later,  in  1857,  he  came  to  Logansport.  Here  Mr.  Frazee  em- 
barked in  a  general  dry  goods  business  on  his  own  responsibility.  His 
stock  in  the  early  days  consisted  of  boots,  shoes,  general  dry  goods,  prod- 
uce and  clothing.  He  sold  his  store  in  1866  and  went  to  Minneapolis, 
where  with  his  brother-in-law,  William  Murphy,  he  built  a  flouring  mill 
and  for  four  years  was  engaged  in  the  milling  business.  This  was  one  of 
the  old  stone  buhr  mills  and  had  a  capacity  of  three  hundred  barrels 
daily.  During  this  time  the  firm  of  Frazee  &  Murphy  had  sold  a  two- 
thirds  interest  in  the  business,  and  finally  disposed  of  the  remaining 
one-third  to  Charles  Pillsbury,  and  under  his  management  and  eventual 
control  the  mill  was  changed  over  to  the  patent  roller  process,  and  made 
millions  for  its  owners.  Mr.  Frazee  returned  to  Logansport  in  1870  and 
once  more  embarked  in  the  dry  goods  business,  in  which  he  has  been 
continuously  engaged  since  that  time,  and  he  is  the  oldest  merchant 
now  doing  business  in  this  city. 

On  August  21,  1864,  Mr.  Frazee  was  united  in  marriage  with  ]\Iiss 
Mary  Higgins,  a  daughter  of  Capt.  A.  M.  Higgins,  who  was  one  of  the 
early  and  well  known  men  of  the  county.  Three  children  were  bom  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frazee,  as  follows:  Helen,  who  died  in  infancy;  Jessie, 
who  lived  to  be  five  years  old;  and  Stuart  R.,  who  died  on  November  20, 
1912.     The  wife  and  mother  died  on  November  5,  1902. 

Mr.  Frazee  is  a  Republican  and  cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for 
John  C.  Fremont.  He  is  one  of  the  best  known  men  in  Logansport, 
esteemed  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  who  have  known 
him  for  many  years  as  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Logansport. 

WiLLARD  Elliott.  Among  the  old  and  honored  families  of  Cass 
county  whose  members  have  been  identified  with  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  their  section's  commercial,  industrial  and  agricultural  impor- 
tance, that  of  Elliott  is  among  the  best  known.  Its  members  have  for 
years  resided  in  Harrison  township,  where  the  history  of  the  family  has 
been  commensurate  with  that  of  the  community,  and  have  contributed 
in  no  small  degree  to  its  public  service.  A  worthy  representative  of  the 
name  is  found  in  Willard  Elliott,  of  Logansport,  assistant  clerk  at  the 
City  Light  Company,  and  a  man  who  has  represented  his  city  and  county 
in  various  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility.  Mr.  Elliott  was  born 
December  26,  1868,  in  Harrison  township,  and  is  a  son  of  Alfred  and 
Emily  (Williamson)  Elliott. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  825 

Joseph  Elliott,  the  grandfather  of  Willard  Elliott,  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  and  owned  a  tract  of  land  in  Harrison  township  which  had 
been  secured  from  the  government  by  one  Skinner,  who  erected  log  build- 
ings thereon.  When  Mr.  Elliott  secured  this  tract  of  eighty  acres,  the 
wolves  were  still  plentiful  in  the  community,  and  pioneer  conditions  of 
all  kinds  had  to  be  met  and  overcome,  but  he  was  of  a  sturdy  and  per- 
severing character  and  managed  to  make  a  good  home  for  his  family, 
replacing  the  log  buildings  with  more  modern  structures  of  frame  and 
making  various  other  improvements.  Alfred  Elliott  followed  in  his 
father's  footsteps  as  a  farmer,  and  was  also  engaged  for  some  years  as 
a  carpenter  contractor.     He  died  in  1902,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years. 

Willard  Elliott  secured  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Har- 
rison township,  and  grew  up  on  his  father's  farm,  it  being  his  father's 
intention  that  he  adopt  the  vocation  of  agriculturist.  As  a  young  man, 
however,  Mr.  Elliott  entered  the  field  of  politics,  becoming  deputy 
auditor  of  Cass  county,  a  position  which  he  held  for  several  years.  Sub- 
sequently he  became  receiver  for  the  Baldwin  banks,  and  after  three 
years  in  that  position  became  connected  with  the  City  Light  Company, 
where  he  now  acts  in  the  capacity  of  assistant  chief  clerk.  Here  he  has 
displayed  his  ability  in  numerous  ways,  his  services  having  been  of  a 
high  order. 

On  April  29,  1894,  Mr.  Elliott  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Mary  Burton,  who  was  born  in  Cass  county,  daughter  of  Levi  Burton, 
a  complete  review  of  whose  career  will  be  found  in  the  sketch  of  J.  J. 
Burton  in  another  part  of  this  work.  One  child  has  been  bom  to  this 
union :  May  Burton,  born  March  18,  1896.  Mr.  Elliott  has  interested 
himself  to  some  extent  in  fraternal  work,  being  a  valued  member  of  the 
local  lodges  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks.  They  attend  the  Christian  church,  where  they  have 
numerous  friends.  Mr.  Elliott  is  known  as  a  man  who  has  taken  a  lead- 
ing part  in  every  movement  that  has  had  for  its  object  the  betterment 
of  the  community,  and  his  long  and  honorable  career  has  been  marked 
by  constant  fidelity  to  duty  and  the  strictest  integrity  and  probity  of 
character. 

Jehu  T.  Elliott  has  long  occupied  a  place  of  prominence  in  the  com- 
mercial and  civic  life  of  Logansport,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in 
business  since  the  year  1871.  Many  and  varied  are  the  changes  which 
have  marked  the  growth  and  development  of  this  city,  but  every  suc- 
ceeding change  in  the  business  of  Mr.  Elliott  has  served  but  to  mark 
its  greater  advance  and  its  higher  status  in  the  business  interests  of  the 
city. 

Bom  in  Cambridge  City,  Indiana,  on  March  24,  1844,  Mr.  Elliott  is 
the  son  of  William  and  Eliza  (Branson)  Elliott.  His  early  school  priv- 
ileges were  but  meager,  owing  to  the  facilities  for  education  which  that 
period  provided,  and  he  was  but  twelve  years  old  when  he  set  about 
making  his  own  way  in  the  world.  From  then  until  the  present  time  he 
has  been  self-supporting,  and  it  is  small  wonder  that  success  and  pros- 
perity should  attend  the  efforts  of  a  man  who  as  a  lad  of  twelve  had  the 
courage  and  hardihood  to  shoulder  the  responsibility  of  his  own  future. 
His  first  independent  work  was  as  a  salesman  for  his  brother,  Dewitt  C. 


826  HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Elliott,  with  whom  he  remained  until  he  reached  his  majority,  and  in 
1865  he  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business  as  a  partner  with  Henry  and 
A.  E.  Shroyer,  under  the  firm  name  of  Shroyer,  Elliott  &  Company, 
but  some  little  time  later  they  disposed  of  their  business,  and  Mr.  Elliott 
purchased  the  grocery  store  which  his  brother  owned  in  Newcastle, 
Indiana.  There  he  continued  to  operate  until  1870,  when  he  went  to 
Chicago  and  secured  a  position  as  a  bookkeeper  in  a  packing  house. 
After  a  year  he  gave  up  his  work  and  came  to  Logansport,  where  he 
became  identified  with  the  wholesale  grocery  concern  of  Elliott,  Pogue 
&  Shroyer,  which  firm  was  later  changed  to  Elliott,  Shroyer  &  Company. 
In  1889  the  brother  of  the  subject  died,  he  being  a  member  of  the  firm, 
and  in  the  next  year  Mr.  Shroyer  withdrew,  leaving  the  firm  Elliott  & 
Company.  In  1896  Mr.  Elliott"sold  his  interest  to  William  M.  and  S.  J. 
Elliott.  His  next  business  move  was  to  engage  in  the  wholesale  grocery 
business  again,  the  firm  name  being  J.  T.  Elliott  &  Son.  Some  little  time 
later  Elliott  &  Company  and  J.  T.  Elliott  &  Son  consolidated  under  the 
firm  name  of  J.  T.  Elliott  Company,  and  in  1907  was  reorganized  under 
the  firm  name  of  the  Elliott  Grocei-y  Company  (Incorporated),  J.  T.  El- 
liot being  president  of  the  company.  That  firm  still  exists  and  is  one  of  the 
most  prosperous  and  well  known  institutions  in  the  business  directory  of 
the  city,  bearing  a  reputation  that  is  unassailable,  and  occupying  a  lead- 
ing place  in  the  community.  Since  the  reorganization  in  1907  Mr.  Elliott 
has  been  president  and  manager.  The  firm  conducts  a  wholesale  grocery 
business  and  furnishes  employment  to  twenty-five  people,  including  road 
salesmen.  Mr.  Elliott  has  been  in  his  present  quarters  since  1874,  and 
has  been  identified  with  the  wholesale  grocery  business  for  forty-one 
years,  a  record  of  which  he  may  well  be  proud. 

Mr.  Elliott  is  a  Eepublican,  and  has  ever  taken  an  active  and  inter- 
ested part  in  the  political  and  civic  life  of  his  city.  He  was  for  eighteen 
years  a  member  of  the  Logansport  school  board,  and  much  credit  is  due 
him  for  the  work  he  did  as  a  member  of  that  board  and  a  number  of 
beautiful  schoolhouses  were  built  during  his  term  of  office  as  evidence 
of  his  achievement.  He  has  long  been  a  member  of  the  Wholesale  Gro- 
cer 's  Association  of  Indiana  and  of  the  Traveling  Men 's  Protective  Asso- 
ciation. He  is  a  Mason  of  high  degree,  and  has  been  since  1866.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  board  of  directors  for  the  Masonic  Association  for  the 
construction  of  the  Masonic  Temple  of  Logansport,  which  gave  to  the 
city  a  magnificent  building  in  the  Temple.  Mr.  Elliott  was  president 
of  that  board,  and  much  of  his  enterprise,  energy,  loyalty  to  the  ordei*, 
and  general  public  spirit  is  manifested  in  the  splendid  structure  which 
resulted  from  the  efforts  of  the  society,  under  his  direction.  He  has  been 
for  years  also  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen,  as  well  as  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  in 
later  years.  He  was  a  director  of  the  latter  named  order  when  their 
magnificent  Temple  was  built  in  Logansport.  A  number  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  church  at  Broadway,  this  city,  Mr.  Elliott  has  been  its 
treasurer  for  thirty-five  years,  a  splendid  record  for  service,  surely. 

On  May  16,  1865,  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Elliott  and 
Miss  Caroline  Shroyer,  of  Newcastle,  Indiana.  Three  children  were  born 
to  them :  Harry  S. ;  Esther  E.,  the  wife  of  Harry  Uhl,  and  Arethusa, 
the  wife  of  Edward  B.  Bliss.    Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elliott  have  occupied  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  827 

same  residence  in  Logansport  for  the  past  thirty-eight  years,  and  have 
a  host  of  friends  in  the  city. 

John  R.  ^Iillman.  Among  the  enterprising  and  progressive  young 
farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  Cass  county  may  be  mentioned  John  R. 
Millman,  who  is  engaged  in  cultivating  his  father's  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  located  on  the  Millman  road,  about  four  and  one-half 
miles  southeast  of  Logansport.  Mr.  Millman  comes  of  a  long  line  of 
agriculturists,  and  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  the  work  of  cultivating 
the  soil.  Although  still  a  young  man  he  has  demonstrated  his  ability, 
and  his  enthusiasm  and  progressive  spirit  has  resulted  in  the  cultivation 
of  an  excellent  property.  John  R.  Millman  was  born  November  7,  1880, 
at  Remington,  Jasper  county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  Orville  M.  and 
Lizzie  (Benson)  Millman. 

Orville  M.  Millman  was  born  in  Putnam  county,  where  he  was  reared 
and  educated,  and  when  still  in  young  manhood,  in  1872,  migrated  to 
Jasper  county.  There  he  was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  until 
1895,  in  which  year  he  brought  his  family  to  Cass  county  and  settled 
first  north  of  and  then  in  Tipton  township.  He  is  still  engaged  in  active 
pursuits  and  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  fifty-eight  acres.  ^Ir.  ]\Iill- 
man  married  ]\Iiss  Lizzie  Benson,  of  Jasper  county,  Indiana,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  four  children,  namely  :  John  R. ;  Hattie,  who  lives 
with  her  parents  in  Tipton  township ;  Lawson  A.,  and  William  F.,  also 
at  home. 

John  R.  ]\lillman  secured  his  early  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  Jasper  county,  and  finished  it  in  the  country  schools  of  Cass  county, 
whence  he  accompanied  his  parents  when  fifteen  years  of  age.  He  has 
always  lived  at  home,  and  his  training  in  agricultural  matters  has  been 
most  thorough.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he  began  farming  on  his 
own  account,  and  being  the  oldest  of  his  parents'  children  was  put  in 
charge  of  the  home  farm  upon  attaining  his  majority.  He  has  shown 
skill,  good  judgment  and  thorough  knowledge  of  all  the  details  of  modern 
farming,  believes  in  the  use  of  modern  machinery  and  methods,  and  is 
considered  an  excellent  judge  of  stock.  Like  his  father,  he  has  always 
supported  the  principles  and  candidates  of  the  Republican  party,  but 
has  not  cared  to  identify  himself  with  public  life,  having  been  too  busy 
in  his  farming  operations.  He  has  found  time,  however,  to  lend  his 
support  to  those  movements  which  he  has  been  led  to  believe  will  benefit 
his  commimity  or  its  people,  and  has  also  been  identified  with  fraternal 
work  to  some  extent  as  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  Tipton,  Lodge 
Logan,  in  which  he  has  many  warm  friends,  as  he  has,  indeed,  in  the 
various  walks  of  life. 

On  December  18,  1907,  IMr.  Millman  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Edna  ^lartin,  who  was  born  in  Cass  county,  a  member  of  an  old 
and  honored  family  of  this  section,  and  a  daughter  of  William  P.  and 
Eliza  (Berry)  Martin,  farming  people.  ]\Ir.  and  ]\Irs.  Millman  have  one 
little  daughter,  Margaret  R.,  born  November  8,  1912.  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  ^lill- 
man  are  consistent  members  of  the  English  Lutheran  church.  Their  com- 
fortable home,  situated  on  the  Millman  road,  is  often  the  scene  of  pleas- 
ant social  gatherings,  as  both  the  young  people  are  popular  in  social 
circles  of  the  community. 


828  HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Jerome  McClain.  Among  the  citizens  of  Cass  county  who  devoted 
their  lives  to  the  development  of  the  agricultural  interests  of  this  sec- 
tion, one  who  will  be  remembered  by  the  older  generation  was  the  late 
Jerome  McClain,  who  for  many  years  cultivated  a  fine  tract  of  land  on 
the  jMcClain  road,  about  six  miles  south  of  Logansport.  Coming  to  this 
vicinity  in  young  manhood,  when  the  country  was  still  in  its  formative 
shape,  he  materially  aided  in  bringing  about  the  present  prosperous  con- 
ditions, and  will  be  remembered  as  a  man  of  the  highest  integrity  and 
probity  of  character.  Mr.  IMcClain  was  born  January  5,  1824,  in  Day- 
ton, Ohio,  in  a  house  on  McClain  street,  named  in  honor  of  the  family, 
and  as  a  youth  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter,  and  also  worked  at  har- 
ness making  and  blacksmithing.  He  was  still  a  young  man  when  he 
migrated  to  Cass  county,  and  here,  in  the  city  of  Logansport,  was  mar- 
ried. After  the  birth  of  his  oldest  child,  Frank  McClain,  he  returned 
to  Ohio  in  November,  1848,  and  for  ten  years  worked  at  his  trade  in 
Dayton,  but  in  November,  1858,  again  came  to  Cass  county,  this  time 
taking  up  land  and  clearing  a  space  for  a  log  cabin.  During  the  remain- 
der of  his  life,  ]\Ir.  jMcClaiu  was  engaged  in  tilling  the  soil,  and  became 
one  of  the  best  known  and  most  highly  esteemed  of  his  community 's  citi- 
zens. He  cleared  the  greater  part  of  a  valuable  eighty-acre  farm,  which 
is  still  in  the  possession  of  the  family,  and  on  which  he  erected  good 
buildings,  made  other  improvements  and  continued  to  carry  on  general 
farming  and  stock  raising.  In  his  death,  which  occurred  September  2, 
1911,  Cass  county  lost  a  good,  practical  agriculturist,  and  a  citizen  who 
always  had  the  best  interests  of  his  community  at  heart. 

Jerome  McClain  was  married  in  Logansport  to  ]\Iiss  Cazaline  Holly, 
a  member  of  an  old  Cass  county  family,  and  they  became  the  parents 
of  eight  children,  as  follows:  Benjamin  F.,  now  a  resident  of  Kokomo, 
Indiana,  who  is  married  and  has  nine  children ;  Pulaski,  who  is  still  operat- 
ing the  old  homestead;  Sarah  E. ;  Granville  M.,  who  also  resides  at 
Kokomo,  and  has  four  children ;  Dowell,  who  is  deceased ;  Mary  E. ; 
Margaret  C. ;  also  Doe  and  Noah,  deceased. 

Pulaski  McClain,  son  of  Jerome  McClain,  was  born  in  Dayton,  Aug- 
ust 8,  1853  and  his  sister,  Mary  E.,  who  lives  with  him  and  manages  the 
household  affairs,  was  born  on  the  old  home  place  on  .McClain  road.  His 
early  education  was  secured  in  the  Galveston  schools,  and  later  he 
attended  the  district  schools,  his  summer  months  always  being  spent  in 
the  work  of  the  home  place.  His  sister  secured  her  education  in  the 
West  school  in  Washington  township.  On  completing  his  education, 
Mr.  McClain  commenced  working  at  odd  occupations,  and  being  pos- 
sessed of  much  more  than  the  average  mechanical  ability,  has  had  little 
trouble  in  finding  plenty  of  employment,  in  addition  to  managing  the 
home  farm  of  eighty  acres.  He  is  known  as  one  of  the  enterprising 
men  of  his  community,  and  both  he  and  his  sister  have  many  warm 
friends  in  the  vicinity  of  their  home.  They  are  attendants  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  in  AVashington  township.  The  McClains  are  of  Scottish 
lineage,  and  the  original  spelling  of  the  name  was  McLean. 

John  ]\I.  LaRose.  In  the  earlier  history  of  this  country,  there  are 
many  accounts  of  the  trials  and  brave  sacrifices  of  those  who  are  num- 
bered among  the  pioneers  of  certain  districts.     The  tide  of  civilization 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  829 

was  then  ever  moving  westward,  and  as  soon  as  a  section  was  fairly  well 
developed,  there  would  always  be  some  venturesome  souls  eager  to 
press  still  further  towards  the  frontier,  making  new  boundary  lines 
for  the  outposts  of  civilization.  Without  these  the  United  States  would 
not  lie  from  ocean  to  ocean,  but  would  still  be  clustered  along  the  At- 
lantic seaboard ;  without  these  courageous  pioneers,  who  braved  the  sav- 
age Indian  and  wild  beast,  the  great  commonwealth  of  Indiana  would 
still  be  a  waste  of  prairie  and  timber  land,  and  where  is  now  heard 
the  cheerful  bustle  of  urban  existence,  the  prairie  chicken  and  wild 
turkey  would  wing  their  low  flight.  Among  the  families  that  are 
largely  responsible  for  the  Cass  county  of  today,  that  bearing  the  name 
of  LaRose  is  well  known,  and  a  worthy  representative  of  this  name  is 
found  in  the  person  of  John  M.  LaRose,  of  Clay  township,  the  owner 
of  a  part  of  the  old  LaRose  homestead.  He  was  born  on  the  property 
which  he  now  occupies,  April  25,  1854,  and  is  a  son  of  John  S.  and 
Lucre tia  (Chestnut)   LaRose,  natives  of  Ohio. 

The  ancestry  of  the  LaRose  family  can  be  traced  back  to  John  Lewis 
LaRose,  the  great-great-grandfather  of  John  M.  LaRose,  who  was  a 
native  of  Germany  and  came  to  America  in  1740,  locating  in  Lehigh 
county,  Pennsylvania,  where  the  Rev.  John  Jacob  LaRose,  the  great- 
grandfather of  John  M.,  was  born  and  reared.  He  was  a  tailor  by  trade, 
but  when  the  "War  of  the  Revolution  was  inaugurated  he  put  aside  all 
business  and  personal  consideration  to  aid  in  the  cause  of  independence. 
The  son  of  this  Revolutionary  soldier,  Philip  J.  LaRose,  was  bom  in 
Guilford  county,  North  Carolina,  and  was  there  married  to  Mary 
Shearer,  also  a  native  of  that  county.  In  1826  they  left  their  southern 
home  and  came  to  Wayne  county,  Indiana,  and  in  1834  made  removal 
to  Cass  county,  locating  on  an  eighty-acre  tract  of  land  in  Clay  town- 
ship. To  that  property  Mr.  LaRose  kept  adding  from  time  to  time  as 
his  financial  resources  increased  until  his  landed  possessions  aggregated 
over  700  acres.  His  was  a  busy  and  useful  life,  and  his  success  was  well 
merited.  He  died  March  28,  1871,  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-one 
years,  and  the  community  thereby  lost  one  of  its  honored  pioneer  set- 
tlers. He  and  his  wife  had  a  family  of  eight  children,  among  whom  was 
John  S.  LaRose.  The  latter,  following  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father, 
made  agricultural  pursuits  his  life  work,  and  became  one  of  the  success- 
ful and  greatly  esteemed  citizens  of  Clay  township.  He  married  Miss 
Lucretia  Chestnut,  and  theyhad  two  living  children:  John  Marion  and 
Annie  V. 

John  Marion  LaRose  attended  the  district  schools  of  the  vicinity  of 
his  home,  and  supplemented  this  by  three  years  of  attendance  in  the  city 
schools  of  Logansport.  On  completing  his  studies  he  at  once  settled 
down  to  agricultural  pursuits,  which  he  has  followed  with  uniform  suc- 
cess throughout  his  career.  He  now  has  210  acres  of  land,  all  in  a  high 
state  of  cultivation,  on  which  he  has  made  numerous  modern  improve- 
ments which  have  greatly  enhanced  the  value  of  the  property.  The 
family  residence,  which  succeeded  the  little  log  house  in  which  Mr.  La- 
Rose  was  born,  is  located  on  an  elevation  on  the  farm,  and  can  be  seen 
for  miles  in  every  direction.  Mr.  LaRose  is  known  as  a  good,  practical 
agriculturist,  and  as  one  whose  abilities  are  such  as  to  allow  him  to 
gain  a  full  measure  of  success  from  his  labors.     His  standing  as  a  citi- 

Vol.  II— 8 


830  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

zen  is  equally  high,  and  among  his  business  associates  he  is  known  as 
a  man  who  lives  up  to  all  of  his  obligations.  The  homestead  house  is 
known  as  "The  High  View  Stock  Farm,"  and  he  raises  the  "Mule 
Foot"  swine  which  is  registered. 

On  March  5,  1876,  Mr.  LaRose  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Nancy  Miranda  Brown,  who  was  bom  in  Cass  county,  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Elizabeth  J.  (Custer)  Brown,  for  years  a  prosperous  farmer  of 
this  locality.  To  this  union  there  has  come  one  child :  John  Brown,  born 
in  1895.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  LaRose  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  while  his  political  affiliation  is  with  the  Democratic  party. 

George  W.  Bubkhart.  A  resident  of  Cass  county  since  1866,  George 
"W.  Burkhart,  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  former  manufacturer  of  lumber, 
retired  farmer  and  public-spirited  citizen,  has  had  a  long  and  honorable 
career,  and  has  been  closely  identified  with  the  growth  and  development  of 
this  section.  His  life  furnishes  an  example  of  the  success  that  is  to  be 
gained  through  upright  living,  strict  integrity  and  constant  devotion  to 
the  principles  of  honorable  dealing  and  public-spirited  citzenship,  and 
among  the  people  of  his  community  he  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem, 
Mr.  Burkhart  was  born  September  17,  1846,  in  Center  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  is  a  son  of  John  G.  and  Susan  (Felmey)  Burkhart.  His 
father,  a  native  of  the  Fatherland,  came  to  the  United  States  when  about 
sixteen  years  of  age,  and  sv;bsequently  followed  the  trades  of  miller  and 
baker,  in  addition  to  carrying  on  agricultural  pursuits.  He  successively 
lived  in  Pennsylvania,  Ohio  (where  he  worked  at  his  trades  in  Bucyrus 
and  Sandusky),  Fulton  county,  Indiana,  and  finally  Cass  county,  where 
his  death  occurred  in  his  sixty-sixth  year,  some  time  during  the  Civil 
war.  A  thrifty  and  industrious  German,  he  accumulated  a  competency 
and  some  years  before  his  death  was  able  to  retire.  Mr.  Burkliart  mar- 
ried Susan  C.  Felmey,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  who  passed  away  at 
the  age  of  fifty-five  years,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  three  children : 
John  W.,  who  now  lives  in  Kent,  Wisconsin ;  George  W. ;  and  Cecelia, 
who  married  Thomas  Detmore,  and  had  three  children, — Oliver,  Lucinda 
and  Nora. 

George  W.  Burkhart  was  five  years  of  age  when  taken  to  Ohio  by 
his  parents,  and  there  he  was  reared  to  hard  work,  being  given  only 
three  months  schooling  in  all  his  life.  If  his  education  was  slight,  his 
opportunities  for  culture  of  a  genuine  sort  were  more  so,  but  one  cannot 
be  in  Mr.  Burkhart 's  presence  long  before  pealizing  that  he  is  a  man  of 
wide  knowledge  and  general  information,  close  observation  and  much 
reading  having  given  him  an  education  that  has  made  up  for  what  the 
earlier  years  lacked.  He  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources  at  the  age 
of  thirteen  years,  at  which  time  he  began  to  work  at  odd  jobs,  chopping 
wood  and  working  as  a  farm  hand,  in  fact  accepting  whatever  honorable 
employment  presented  itself.  In  1861  the  family  came  to  Fulton  county, 
Indiana,  where  young  Burkhart  worked  on  a  farm  for  about  one  year, 
and  in  1862  he  began  his  military  career  as  a  private  in  Company  A, 
Twenty-sixth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  Col.  John  6.  Clark 
commanding,  with  which  organization  he  served  faithfully  for  three 
years.  He  was  in  the  Thirteenth  and  Sixteenth  Army  Corps,  and  later 
connected  with  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  and  throughout  a  long  and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  831 

arduous  service  maiutained  the  reputation  of  a  cheerful,  brave  and 
faithful  soldier,  winning  alike  the  respect  of  his  comrades  and  superior 
officers.  Among  his  battles  were  Vicksburg,  Nashville,  Yazoo  Pass,  Prai- 
rie Grove,  Sterling  Plantation,  Mobile  Bay  and  Spanish  Fort,  and 
numerous  minor  engagements  and  skirmishes.  For  about  a  year  he 
also  participated  in  the  Missouri  troubles,  during  the  time  when  the 
notorious  Quantrell  and  his  gang  of  desperadoes  were  terrorizing  that 
state. 

On  the  completion  of  his  military  service,  Mr.  Burkhart  returned  to 
the  vocations  of  peace,  and  for  a  number  of  years  he  followed  lumber- 
ing and  engaged  in  the  manufacturing  and  sale  of  building  material, 
but  eventually  turned  his  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  still 
owns  forty  acres  of  land  south  of  Logansport  and  a  well-cultivated  prop- 
erty of  one  hundred  and  seventy  and  three-fourths  acres  on  the  Kokomo 
Road.  His  ventures  have  been  characterized  by  honest  dealing,  and 
although  he  is  now  retired  from  active  pursuits  he  still  holds  the  con- 
tidenee  of  a  wide  business  acquaintance.  For  a  number  of  years  Mr. 
Burkhart  was  actively  engaged  in  Democratic  politics,  especially  as  a 
"stump"  speaker,  but  in  1912  cast  his  fortunes  with  the  young  Pro- 
gressive party,  whose  candidate  he  became  for  joint  representative.  In 
the  years  of  1898  and  1899  he  was  representative  of  Cass  county,  Indi- 
ana, in  the  state  legislature.  In  a  number  of  township  offices  he  demon- 
strated his  ability  as  a  public  executive,  and  his  services  are  still  in 
demand  as  an  orator  at  various  gatherings,  celebrations  and  social 
events.  Probably  no  other  man  in  his  part  of  the  county  is  better  posted 
upon  the  history  of  the  country,  especially  as  to  its  presidents  and 
eminent  statesmen. 

On  April  11,  1872,  IMr.  Burkhart  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Rosetta  H.  Seybold,  daughter  of  John  G.  and  Ursula  (Munger)  Seybold, 
and  six  children  have  been  born  to  this  union :  John  Irvin,  who  married 
Pearl  Kay;  Harry  F.,  of  Fulton  county,  who  married  Susan  Weisner, 
and  has  two  children, — Zoe  and  Luretta ;  Joseph  A.,  who  married  Anna 
Leffert,  and  has  two  children, — George  and  Harry ;  Frank,  who  married 
Ethel  Kochel,  and  has  two  children, — Rosetta  and  Bernice;  Clarence, 
residing  in  Logansport ;  and  Geneva,  who  is  single  and  resides  with  her 
parents. 

Harry  C.  Jones.  On  the  Kokomo  road,  about  four  miles  from 
Logansport,  is  situated  the  finely  cultivated  eighty-acre  farm  of  Harry 
C.  Jones,  a  tract  which  has  been  in  the  family  since  1857,  and  on  which 
Mr.  Jones  was  born.  He  is  one  of  his  section's  enterprising  and  ener- 
getic agriculturists,  belonging  to  that  class  of  farmers  who  are  quick  to 
adopt  advanced  methods  and  progressive  ideas,  and  among  his  neigh- 
bors and  associates  is  recognized  as  a  man  who  at  all  times  is  ready  to 
aid  movements  tending  to  better  his  community.  Mr.  Jones  was  born 
on  his  present  property,  Ausust  10,  1855,  and  is  a  son  of  Josiah  and 
Emily  (Updegraff)  Jones.  His  father,  a  native  of  New  York,  spent  his 
early  years  in  the  Empire  State,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming,  and 
was  about  forty  years  old  when  he  migrated  to  Indiana.  Here  he  set- 
tled in  Cass  county  on  the  present  farm  of  Harry  C.  Jones,  then  a  wild 
tract  on  which  there  had  been  no  improvements  made.    He  spent  his  sub- 


832  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

sequent  years  in  clearing  and  cultivating  this  land,  and  died  with  a 
comfortable  competency  and  the  esteem  and  respect  of  those  with  whom 
he  had  come  into  contact.  Josiah  and  Emily  Jones  had  two  children : 
Harry  C. ;  and  Jennie,  now  Mrs.  John  M.  Burkit. 

Like  all  country  boys  of  his  day  and  locality,  Harry  C.  Jones  divided 
his  early  years  between  attendance  at  school  in  the  winter  terms  and 
working  on  the  farm  in  the  summer  months.  He  was  reared  to  habits 
of  industry  and  sobriety,  taught  to  realize  the  value  of  hard  work,  and 
thoroughly  trained  in  all  the  details  of  farm  labor.  In  the  meantime  his 
mind  was  being  trained  in  the  district  schools  and  the  old  stone  seminary 
in  Logansport,  after  leaving  which  he  continued  to  work  on  the  home 
place.  At  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  Mr.  Jones  inherited  one-half 
of  the  homestead,  and  after  a  few  years,  when  he  decided  to  make  a 
home  of  his  own  he  puchased  his  sister's  interest  in  the  property,  and 
since  that  time  has  been  its  proprietor.  At  that  time  Mr.  Jones  was  mar- 
ried to  ]\Iiss  Sarah  J.  Vernon,  March  25,  1875,  and  they  have  had  a 
family  of  nine  children,  as  follows:  William  H.,  who  married  Anna 
Ramer,  and  has  one  child, — Blanch  J. ;  Arthur  C,  who  married  Pearl 
Nichols,  and  has  one  chi^d, — Howard  N. ;  Josiah  P.,  who  married  Flora 
Barnes,  and  has  one  child, — Harry  E. ;  Frank  V.,  who  married  Elsie 
Bopp  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Dorothy ;  Charles  E.,  who  married  Ida 
Mosby,  and  has  one  child, — Ralph  V. ;  Thomas  E.,  who  married  Mae 
Condon ;  and  Quincy  A.,  who  wedded  Miss  Mildred  Dussard ;  Paul 
Revere  and  Carl  B.,  all  of  whom  reside  at  home  and  assist  their  father 
in  the  work  of  the  farm.  This  eighty-acre  tract  is  one  of  the  finest  of 
its  size  in  Washington  township.  Years  of  intelligent,  practical  and 
painstaking  cultivation  have  resulted  in  the  development  of  an  excellent 
property,  which  produces  large  crops  annually.  Mr.  Jones  is  a  Repub- 
lican in  his  political  views,  but  is  not  a  politician  in  the  generally  ac- 
cepted use  of  the  term,  although  in  1912  he  allowed  his  name  to  be  used 
as  a  nominee  for  the  office  of  commissioner.  His  fraternal  connection 
is  with  Lodge  No.  417,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  in  which  the 
family  is  well  represented,  six  of  Mr.  Jones'  sons  also  belonging  to  this 
order.  He  also  holds  membership  in  St.  Paul's  Evangelical  Lutheran 
church,  which  he  attends  constantly  and  supports  liberally.  The  home- 
stead of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  is  called  "The  Cedars"  and  is  the  abode  of 
hospitality. 

Charles  Quinct  Palmer.  Industry,  perseverance,  intelligence  and 
good  judgment  are  the  price  of  success  in  agricultural  work  in  these 
modern  days  of  farming,  when  the  hard,  unremitting  toil  of  former 
days  has  given  way  to  scientific  use  of  modern  machinery  and  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  proper  treatment  of  the  soil.  Cass  county  boasts  of  many 
skilled  farmei-s  who  treat  their  vocation  more  as  a  profession  than  as 
a  mere  occupation  and  take  a  justifiable  pride  in  their  accomplishments. 
In  this  class  may  be  mentioned  Charles  Quincy  Palmer,  of  Washington 
township,  the  well-tilled  tract  of  two  hundred  acres  owned  by  his  father 
and  himself  being  located  not  far  from  Logansport  and  who  is  also 
carrying  on  operations  on  his  father's  tract,  the  latter  being  retired  from 
active  life.  Mr.  Palmer  was  born  in  Washington  township,  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  May  28,  1874,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (IBest)  Palmer. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  833 

His  father  was  born  in  Irwin,  Ohio,  from  whence  he  came  to  Indiana 
during  young  manhood,  and  here  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  with 
well  deserved  success  until  his  retirement  several  years  ago.  There  were 
three  children  in  the  elder  Palmer 's  family,  namely :  Charles  Quincy ; 
George  H.,  who  makes  his  home  in  Logansport ;  and  Dr.  A.  L.,  a  well 
known  physician  of  Logansport,  who  is  acting  in  the  official  capacity  of 
coroner  of  that  city, 

Charles  Quincy  Palmer  was  given  the  advantages  of  a  good  educa- 
tion, attending  both  the  district  schools  of  Washington  township  and 
the  graded  schools  of  Logansport,  and  after  leaving  the  latter  resumed 
work  on  the  home  farm.  Subsequently,  he  learned  the  trade  of  horse- 
shoer,  which  he  followed  for  six  years  in  connection  with  his  agricul- 
tural operations,  but  eventually  gave  up  this  vocation  and  now  devotes 
his  entire  attention  to  tilling  the  soil.  The  two  hundred-acre  tract  has 
been  put  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  the  buildings  thereon  are  modern 
and  in  a  good  state  of  repair,  and  altogether  the  property  gives  eloquent 
testimony  to  Mr.  Palmer's  skill  as  a  farmer.  He  has  realized  and  taken 
advantage  of  the  use  of  modern  methods  in  his  operations,  and  may 
take  pride  in  the  fact  that  he  has  one  of  the  valuable  properties  of  his 
community.  Among  his  neighbors  he  is  known  as  a  man  of  the  strictest 
integrity  in  all  matters  of  a  business  nature,  and  one  who,  having  suc- 
ceeded himself,  is  at  all  times  ready  to  assist  others  to  a  like  success. 
Essentially  a  farmer,  he  has  taken  little  interest  in  politics,  but  move- 
ments which  have  for  their  object  the  betterment  of  his  community  may 
always  depend  upon  his  support  and  co-operation.  In  fraternal  matters, 
Mr.  Palmer  is  popular  with  the  members  of  the  local  lodge  of  the  Frater- 
nal Order  of  Eagles,  in  which  he  has  passed  through  all  the  chairs. 

On  March  21,  1900,  Mr.  Palmer  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Martina  Miller,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Sinunons)  Miller. 
They  have  no  children.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Palmer  attend  the  English  Luth- 
eran church,  in  the  work  of  which  Mrs.  Palmer  has  been  very  active,  and 
both  are  popular  in  the  social  circles  of  Logansport,  their  home  being  but 
three  miles  south  of  that  city. 

Newman  H.  Settles.  Since  earliest  history  the  vocation  of  tilling 
the  soil  has  been  numbered  among  the  most  honored  vocations.  A  lib- 
eral profession,  embracing  a  knowledge  of  the  physiology  of  the  earth 
and  the  products  that  grow  out  of  it,  it  requires  also  a  philosophy  of 
economics  that  understands  the  necessities  of  demand  and  supply  by 
which  these  products  are  kept  moving  over  the  face  of  the  earth.  Among 
the  good,  practical  agriculturists  of  Cass  county,  who  thoroughly  under- 
stand their  vocation,  and  are  securing  a  full  measure  of  success  through 
the  application  of  intelligent  treatment  of  the  soil,  none  stand  higher 
than  Newman  H.  Settles,  who  for  thirty-five  years  or  more  has  be'en 
cultivating  land  in  Noble  township.  Mr.  Settles  is  a  native  of  Ohio, 
born  March  10,  1846,  a  son  of  John  and  Julia  Settles,  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia and  New  York,  respectively.  Mr.  Settles'  parents  were  married 
in  Ohio,  and  from  that  state  came  to  Adams  county,  Indiana,  in  1859, 
and  thence  to  Cass  county,  first  locating  in  Harrison  township,  on  a 
farm  of  eight  acres.    There  the  father  erected  a  shop  and  followed  the 


834  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

cooper  trade  until  1872  when  he  moved  with  his  wife  to  Kansas  and  in 
that  state  died  in  1904,  Mrs.  Settles  having  passed  away  in  1882. 

Newman  H.  Settles  was  a  lad  of  thirteen  years  when  the  family 
came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  here  his  education  was  completed  in 
the  common  schools.  On  the  completion  of  his  studies  he  entered  busi- 
ness with  his  father,  from  whom  he  had  learned  the  trade  of  cooper, 
and  after  his  father  had  moved  to  the  West  he  continued  to  operate  the 
business  until  1877.  At  that  time  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Noble 
township  where  he  rented  a  larger  farm,  and  here,  through  tireless  in- 
dustry, constant  thrift  and  persevering  determination,  aided  by  a  keen 
intellect  and  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  land  values,  he  has  been 
able  to  accumulate  a  handsome  property  of  eighty  acres  in  section  12. 
In  1903,  in  which  year  Mr.  Settles  bought  this  farm,  it  was  in  poor  con- 
dition, due  to  mismanagement  on  the  part  of  the  former  owner,  but 
during  the  ten  years  that  it  has  been  in  Mr.  Settles'  possession,  he  has 
developed  it  into  one  of  the  valuable  tracts  of  his  township.  Modern 
buildings  have  been  erected,  innovations  have  been  introduced,  and 
scientific  treatment  of  the  soil  has  tended  to  increase  the  productive 
ability  of  the  property. 

On  October  28,  1864,  Mr.  Settles  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Craw- 
ford, who  was  born  in  Ohio,  September  15,  1852,  daughter  of  Robert 
and  Margaret  Crawford,  who  came  to  Cass  county  in  1854  and  settled 
on  a  farm  in  Boone  township.  Six  children  were  born  to  this  union : 
Julia,  Willard,  Margaret,  Jennie,  John  and  Franklin.  Julia  died  in 
1872,  at  the  age  of  eleven  months;  Willard  was  married  (first)  in  1896 
to  ^liss  Ida  Smith,  of  Cass  county,  and  had  two  children :  Eva  and 
Paul.  His  first  wife  died  in  1902,  and  in  1906  he  was  a  second  time 
married,  the  ceremony  taking  place  in  Detroit,  Michigan.  In  1904 
Jennie  Settles  was  married  to  William  Wright,  of  Logansport,  and  they 
have  two  children :  Dorothy,  born  in  1905 ;  and  Margaret,  born  in  1908. 
Margaret  Settles  was  married  in  1910  to  Charles  Lew,  an  engineer  on 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  On  December  25,  1909,  John  Settles  mar- 
ried Miss  Florence  Grable,  of  Cass  county,  and  on  September  17,  1912, 
Franklin  Settles  married  Miss  Anna  Holland,  also  of  Cass  county. 

Newman  II.  Settles  has  never  cared  for  public  office,  although  a 
supporter  of  good  government,  and  an  active  participant  in  progressive 
movements.  With  his  wife  and  children,  he  attends  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  - 

Henry  Rhoades.  It  has  been  given  to  some  to  help  develop  the 
country,  to  shape  their  surroundings  according  to  their  needs,  and  to 
bring  forth  tlie  present  high  degree  of  civilization.  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  became  the  home  of  many  a  sturdy  pioneer,  who  did  not  ask 
for  anything  more  than  raw  land  to  work  upon.  Bravely,  uncomplain- 
ingly, these  forerunners  of  civilization  went  to  work,  and  many  of  them 
still  survive  to  see  the  fruits  of  their  years  of  labor.  Among  these  is 
Henry  Rhoades,  himself  a  pioneer  and  a  member  of  an  old  and  influen- 
tial family  of  tne  Hoosier  state,  who  is  now  the  owner  of  eighty  acres 
of  fine  farming  land  about  five  miles  from  Logansport.  Mr.  Rhoades, 
who  has  the  added  distinction  of  being  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war  aod 
an  honor  to  those  who  wore  the  blue,  was  born  October  17,  1846,  in 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  835 

Pulaski  county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  Mike  and  Mary  (Niss)  Rhoades. 
His  father,  who  was  born  in  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  came  from  that 
city  to  Pulaski  county,  Indiana,  in  1848,  and  there  spent  the  rest  of 
his  life  in  cultivating  a  farm.  He  was  the  father  of  eight  children, 
namely :  William,  deceased ;  Daniel,  Henry,  Sarah,  deceased ;  Hattie, 
Kate  and  Angelina;  and  Silas,  deceased. 

Henry  Rhoades  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  received 
his  education  in  tlie  district  schools,  starting  to  work  out  on  neighbor- 
ing farms  when  he  was  only  twelve  years  of  age.  He  was  so  engaged 
when  the  Civil  war  broke  out,  and  with  other  youths  of  his  locality, 
went  to  Winamac,  Pulaski  county,  and  there  enlisted  in  the  Union 
army,  becoming  a  member  of  the  Eighty -seventh  Indiana  Volunteer 
Infantry.  His  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland, 
and  he  subsequently  participated  in  a  number  of  hard-fought  engage- 
ments and  took  part  in  the  famous  "March  to  the  Sea,"  under  Gen.  W. 
T.  Sherman.  After  completing  a  brave  and  honorable  service,  Mr. 
Rhoades  returned  to  Pulaski  county  and  to  agricultural  pursuits,  re- 
maining in  that  section  until  he  was  about  twenty-five  years  of  age, 
when  he  came  to  Cass  county.  Being  possessed  of  but  little  capital, 
commencing  at  the  lowest  round  of  the  ladder  of  life  he  worked  on 
shares  until  he  was  able  to  purchase  his  present  land,  which  he  has 
developed  into  one  of  the  best  tracts  of  its  size  in  Washington  township. 
General  farming  and  stock-raising  have  held  his  attention,  and  he  is 
known  as  an  able  agriculturist,  who  is  thoroughly  conversant  with  mod- 
ern ideas  and  methods,  and  whose  activities  have  served  to  contribute 
to  the  farming  importance  of  his  township. 

On  December  23,  1869,  Mr.  Rhoades  wedded  Miss  Florence  C.  Fink, 
daughter  of  Jacob  and  Mary  (Skillen)  Fink.  Her  parents  came  to  Cass 
county  from  Pennsylvania  in  an  early  day.  In  the  Fink  family  there 
were  three  children:  Florence,  Sarah  and  Eli,  and  all  of  the  children 
are  living. 

Six  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Rhoades :  Daniel 
W.,  who  married  Miss  Myrtle  Lucy  and  they  have  four  children: 
Orvilla,  Henry,  Lester  L.  and  Wayne;  Mary,  wife  of  Burton  Nether- 
cutt,  the  parents  of  six  children:  Orville,  May,  Henry,  Russell  Mosie, 
Bessie  and  Paul;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Herman  Leffert  and  they  have  five 
children:  Herbert,  Irene,  Arthur,  Mary  and  Wayne;  Lottie,  wife  of 
Oliver  Marshall,  who  have  four  children:  Florence,  Hazel,  Harold 
and  Opal ;  Walter,  who  married  Flossie  Reese  and  has  no  children ;  and 
Harvey,  who  wedded  Edna  Rush  and  has  one  child,  Helena. 

In  his  political  views,  Mr.  Rhoades  is  a  Democrat,  but  he  has  never 
sought  public  office,  preferring  to  give  his  entire  attention  to  his  farming 
operations.  With  his  wife  and  family,  they  attend  the  Lutheran  church, 
of  which  he  has  always  been  a  liberal  supporter.  Mr.  Rhoades  belongs  to 
that  class  of  men  who  appreciate  their  success  the  more  because  it  has 
been  self -gained,  and  because  it  has  come  through  honest  effort  and  by 
no  questionable  means,  aided  by  his  estimable  wife.  His  standing  as 
a  citizen  is  high,  and  during  his  long  residence  in  Cass  county  he  has 
gained  and  maintained  many  sincere  friendships.  His  good  wife  shares 
equally  well  the  friendship   and  good  wishes  of  their  many  friends. 


836  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Mrs.  Rhoades  lias  a  sunshiny  smile  and  a  royal  welcome  for  all  who  may 
enter  the  portals  of  their  pretty  home. 

Nelson  Warner  Cady,  j\I.  D.  In  a  career  of  thirty-five  years  as 
physician  and  surgeon  of  Cass  county,  Dr.  Cady  has  come  to  rank 
among  the  foremost  men  of  his  profession  in  this  county,  has  done  much 
good  service  both  as  a  doctor  and  as  a  citizen  for  the  welfare  of  his 
home  city,  and  is  well  known  for  his  ability  and  high  character  in  his 
profession  over  the  state. 

Nelson  Warner  Cady  was  born  October  3,  1850,  at  Indianapolis,  and 
belongs  to  an  old  family  of  Indiana,  and  its  members  have  been  distin- 
guished for  worthy  and  honorable  position  in  practical  affairs  and  social 
life.  The  parents  of  Dr.  Cady  were  Charles  Warner  Cady  and  Abigail 
Aikman  Kiersted.  The  father  was  born  at  Keene,  New  Hampshire,  in 
1810,  located  in  Indianapolis  about  IS-IO  as  the  first  general  fire  insur- 
ance agent  in  the  state,  and  died  in  that  city  in  1855.  The  mother  was 
born  at  Fort  Washington,  (now  Cincinnati,  Ohio),  in  1824,  and  died 
at  her  home  in  Indianapolis  in  1900.  She  was  a  type  of  Indiana's  noble 
women  during  the  last  century.  She  was  deeply  interested  in  the 
work  for  the  soldiers  during  the  Civil  war  and  made  and  presented  a 
regimental  banner  to  Lew  Wallace's  regiment  of  zouaves.  The  father, 
during  his  early  manhood,  learned  and  followed  the  trade  of  saddler, 
but  subsequently  took  up  fire  insurance  and  after  some  years  in  the 
business  had  the  distinction  of  establishing  the  first  fire  insurance  office 
in  the  state  of  Indianapolis.  Besides  Dr.  Cady,  the  other  children  of 
the  family  are  mentioned  as  follows:  Eudora  Dunn  Cady,  who  married 
Woodford  Tousey,  and  who  died  at  Indianapolis  in  1913  in  her 
seventieth  year;  Albermarle  Cady,  who  died  in  infancy;  Anna  Kiersted 
Cady,  born  in  1845,  and  died  in  1901,  first  married  W.  0.  Stone  and 
second  Dr.  Hammond  of  Indianapolis;  Ella  Wilder  Cady,  Avho  married 
John  Lawrie,  a  merchant ;  Jeremiah  Kiersted  Cady,  born  in  1855,  and 
married  Paget  Daniels,  is  now  an  architect  in  Chicago. 

Dr.  Cady  after  leaving  the  Indianapolis  high  school,  entered  Cornell 
university  at  Ithaca,  New  York,  where  he  was  graduated  Ph.  B.  in 
1874.  His  medical  education  was  acquired  in  the  Bellevue  Hospital 
Medical  College  of  New  York,  and  he  was  graduated  jM.  D.  in  1877. 
Many  years  ago  Dr.  Cady  acquired  the  art  of  stenography,  and  was 
among  the  first  young  men  in  Indianapolis  to  use  this  art  as  a  reporter 
on  the  Indianapolis  Journal,  and  he  has  practiced  more  or  less  through 
all  his  career,  being  now  a  contributor  to  newspapers  and  medical 
journals. 

Dr.  Cady  located  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  in  June,  1877,  and  has 
practiced  medicine  in  this  city  for  more  than  thirty-five  years.  With 
a  genius  for  mechanics,  as  well  as  for  the  subtler  arts  of  his  profession, 
Dr.  Cady  has  used  his  skill  in  inventing  a  number  of  fracture  splints  of 
a  new  design,  and  now  used  extensively  by  the  profession.  For  several 
years  he  held  a  position  on  the  Logansport  board  of  health,  and  has  been 
as  public-spirited  in  his  citizenship  as  in  his  profession. 

Dr.  Cady  for  many  years  supported  the  Republican  party,  but  his 
politics  now  is  of  the  Progressive  brand.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Cass 
County  and  Indiana  State  Medical  Society,  and  of  the  American  Medi- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  837 

cal  Association.  His  fraternal  affiliations  are  with  O'rient  Lodge  No. 
272  A.  P.  and  A.  M.,  Logan  Chapter  No.  2  R.  A.  M.  and  Logansport 
Council  No.  11  R.  and  S.  M. 

Dr.  Cady  was  married  August  22,  1883,  to  Miss  Jennie  M.  Miller,  of 
Waverly,  New  York,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  W.  and  Adaline  Parmenter 
Miller,  her  father  being  a  butcher  by  trade.  Dr.  Cady  and  wife  have 
the  following  children:  Margaret  Abigail  Cady,  born  August  20,  1864, 
died  February  5,  1886;  Eudora  Helena  Cady,  born  March  2,  1888,  liv- 
ing at  home  with  her  father;  and  Wallis  Albermarle  Cady,  born  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1888,  and  now  a  newspaper  reporter  at  Toledo,  Ohio.  The 
family  worship  with  the  Episcopal  church. 

Horace  Milton  Funk.  Among  the  progressive  and  enterprising 
agriculturists  of  Cass  county,  one  who  has  gained  success  through  the 
medium  of  his  own  efforts,  and  now  holds  an  enviable  position  among 
his  fellow-citizens,  is  Horace  M.  Funk,  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  well-cultivated  land  in  Clay  township.  Mr.  Funk  has 
been  an  agriculturist  all  of  his  life,  and  has  lived  at  various  places  in 
Indiana,  and  wherever  his  activities  have  been  located  he  has  gained 
the  friendship  and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact. 
He  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  bom  September  19,  1859,  a 
son  of  Joseph  G.  and  Mary  (Ward)  Funk,  and  a  grandson  of  George 
Funk. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Funk  came  to  Cass  county  in  1867,  Mrs.  Funk, 
his  grandmother,  being  the  owner  of  the  first  farm  on  which  they  settled 
and  this  property  Mr.  Funk  and  his  father  worked  on  shares.  For 
some  time  the  family  lived  in  a  frame  residence  in  Clay  township.  The 
farm  of  Mr.  Funk's  parents  is  now  one  of  the  valuable  properties  of  the 
township.  Joseph  G.  Funk  is  still  operating  this  land,  but  the  mother 
passed  to  her  final  rest  on  April  4,  1894. 

Horace  N.  Funk  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of 
Clay  township,  and  his  boyhood  and  youth  were  spent  in  assisting  his 
father,  and  in  learning  the  multitude  of  details  with  which  a  good 
farmer  must  be  conversant.  On  attaining  his  ma,jority  he  began  opera- 
tions on  his  own  account,  but  he  continued  under  the  parental  roof 
until  1889,  when  he  went  to  Miami  township,  and  there  carried  on 
operations  for  one  year.  Returning  to  Clay  township  in  1890,  he  con- 
tinued farming  there  until  the  following  year,  when  he  went  to  Peru, 
Indiana,  and  continued  to  live  there  until  removing  to  Adams  town- 
ship in  the  fall  of  1892.  He  spent  about  four  and  one-half  years  in 
that  vicinity,  and  then  purchased  another  property,  but  before  he  had 
settled  thereon  grasped  an  opportunity  to  sell  it  at  a  satisfactory 
advance,  and  then  came  to  his  present  farm,  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  in  Clay  township.  Here  he  has  made  a  number  of  valuable 
improvements,  having  a  handsome  residence  situated  on  Logansport 
Rural  Free  Delivery  Route  No.  5,  with  appropriate  barns  and  out- 
buildings. His  land  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  and  yields  bumper 
crops  in  return  for  the  intelligent  labors  which  Mr.  Funk  expends 
upon  it.  Through  honorable  dealing  and  strict  integrity  in  all  his  trans- 
actions, he  has  gained  a  reputation  for  honesty  and  straightforwardness, 
and  no  citizen  of  his  locality  stands  higher  in  public  esteem.     He  is  a 


838  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Republican  in  his  political  views,  and,  although  not  a  politician  in  the 
generally  accepted  meaning  of  the  term,  has  recognized  the  duties  of 
citizenship,  and  has  served  his  township  both  as  trustee  and  supervisor. 
With  his  family,  he  attends  the  Christian  church,  and  has  ever  been  a 
liberal  supporter  of  those  movements  which  go  to  make  for  morality, 
education  and  good  citizenship. 

Mr.  Funk  was  married  to  JVIiss  Mattie  G.  Scott,  February  6,  1889, 
daughter  of  Benjamin  D.  and  Belinda  (Carr)  Scott,  and  they  have  had 
three  children,  namely :  Ruth  A.,  who  became  the  wife  of  William 
English,  and  lives  in  Clay  township ;  Ward  S.,  eighteen  years  old,  and 
Eveleen  E.,  ten  years  of  age.  Ruth  and  Ward  both  received  their 
diplomas  from  the  public  schools,  and  the  daughter  Ruth  was  a  student 
one  year  in  the  high  school  and  Ward  has  finished  the  full  curriculum 
of  the  high  school.  Eveleen  is  in  the  sixth  grade.  Mrs.  Funk  was  a 
daughter  of  Benjamin  D.  and  Belinda  (Carr)  Scott.  Benjamin  Scott 
was  a  native  of  Cass  county,  born  in  1831,  and  he  died  in  1895,  aged 
about  64  years.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  also  an  agriculturist 
and  a  Republican  in  his  political  sentiment.  His  wife  was  a  member 
of  the  Christian  church.  Mrs.  Funk  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
and  the  American  Normal,  formerly  of  Logansport,  and  she  was  a  suc- 
cessful teacher  in  Clay  and  IMiami  townships. 

jMr.  Funk  is  an  honored  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  also  of 
the  IMaccabees.  The  comfortable  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Funk  is  known 
as  "The  Sunny  Lawn  Homestead,"  and  their  home  is  ever  open  to 
their  many  friends. 

James  Alvin  Higgins  is  well  known  among  the  farming  men  of 
Cass  county  as  one  of  the  most  successful  breeders  of  hogs  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Logansport.  He  has  devoted  his  entire  life  to  the  farm  and  its 
diversified  interests,  winning  prosperity  and  success  in  all  his  under- 
takings, and  his  position  is  one  of  no  little  prominence  in  the  city  and 
county  which  has  represented  his  home  and  the  center  of  his  activitiea 
all  his  life.  Born  on  the  6th  day  of  December,  1848,  in  Logansport, 
James  Alvin  Higgins  is  the  son  of  Alvin  McCaslin  and  Eliza  Jane 
(Reyburn)  Higgins. 

Alvin  M.  Higgins  was  a  man  of  eastern  birth  and  ancestry,  and 
he  came  to  Indiana  in  1834  from  Portland,  INIaine.  En  route  to 
Fort  Dearborn  (Chicago)  in  company  with  his  brother,  both  were 
stricken  with  a  dangerous  illness  at  Peru.  The  brothers  were  taken 
into  the  home  of  Col.  William  M.  Reyburn  and  there  were  cared  for 
by  those  kindly  and  gentle  people.  The  brother  died,  but  Alvin  Higgins 
was  nursed  into  convalescence  by  the  daughter  of  his  good  Samaritan 
host,  and  upon  his  ultimate  recovery  he  married  the  lady  who  had 
saved  his  life.  Alvin  and  Eliza  Higgins,  upon  the  happy  culmination 
of  their  romantic  acquaintance  and  courtship,  established  a  home  in 
Logansport,  and  here  JMr.  Higgins  took  up  the  trade  in  which  he  had 
been  trained  in  his  boyhood — that  of  a  tin  and  copper  smith.  He 
opened  a  small  shop,  which  was  later  supplemented  by  a  line  of  stoves 
and  hardware,  and  to  him  was  accorded  the  distinction  of  having  been 
the  first  man  to  introduce  the  heating  stove  into  Cass  county.  Mr. 
Higgins,  it  may  also  be  said,  was  the  first  man  in  Cass  county  to  own 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  839 

a  thoroughbred  Durham  bull,  and  it  was  about  the  year  1855  that  he 
made  the  purchase.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  recognize  the  importance 
of  introducing  blooded  stock  into  the  country,  and  with  a  Mr.  Buchanan, 
made  the  purchase.  The  transaction  was  one  fraught  with  considerable 
difficulty,  as  they  were  obliged  to  go  to  Kentucky  to  make  the  purchase 
— a  big  undertaking  in  those  early  days. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Higgins  were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  of  whom 
the  following  brief  facts  are  here  incorporated:  William  R.,  who  was 
educated  for  the  ministry.  He  began  preaching  in  1865  and  was 
called  out  of  Cass  county.     He  died  in  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  on  July 

4,  1895.  Emma  B.  died  on  the  8th  of  January,  1846 ;  Sarah  C.  died 
February  12,  1890;  Mary  C.  died  on  the  4th  of  November,  1902;  Eliza 
Jane  died  on  May  4,  1894;  James  A.,  of  this  review;  Ella  F.  died  on 
June  19,  1907 ;  Elizabeth  A.  died  on  January  8,  1902.  With  but  a 
single  exception,  the  deceased  membei's  of  this  family  lived  past  middle 
age,  Emma  B.  having  died  when  she  was  about  five  years  old.  The  wife 
and  mother  died  on  August  8,  1859,  and  Mr.  Higgins  died  on  March 

5,  1885.  Mr.  Higgins  was  a  captain  of  a  military  company,  organized 
in  Logansport  and  he  saw  active  service  on  various  occasions  when 
Indiana  troops  were  called  into  action,  in  the  troubles  incident  to  those 
early  days.  He  was  a  man  of  much  public  spirit  and  a  citizen  who 
never  shirked  his  duties  and  responsibilities  in  the  way  of  public  serv- 
ice. He  served  two  terms  as  city  councilman  and  one  term  as  probate 
judge.  He  was  county  treasurer  during  two  terms  of  office  and  was  a 
member  of  the  school  board  during  practically  all  of  his  life  in  Cass 
county.  In  all  of  these  offices  he  served  faithfully  and  well,  winning 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens  and  establishing  a  reputa- 
tion for  solid  worth  and  integrity  that  will  live  while  the  same  endures. 
He  was  a  member  of  Logansport  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  was  a 
charter  member  of  the  first  Odd  Fellows  lodge  in  Logansport,  and  had 
a  similar  experience  with  regard  to  a  lodge  known  as  the  Sons  of  Tem- 
perance. In  about  the  year  1858,  Mr.  Higgins  disposed  of  his  tinsmith 
and  hardware  business  and  engaged  in  the  lumber  industry,  making 
black  walnut  the  principal  item  to  which  he  devoted  his  operations. 
He  died  on  March  5,  1885,  after  an  illness  of  a  year  or  more,  and  his 
death  deprived  Logansport  and  Cass  county  of  one  of  the  most  worthy 
men  they  had  ever  known. 

James  Alvin  Higgins  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Logansport, 
finishing  his  education  with  the  high  school.  He  saw  himself  as  one  of 
the  successful  farmei-s  of  the  future  in  Cass  county,  and  early  in  life 
set  about  the  realization  of  his  young  ambition.  Thus  all  of  his  busi- 
ness life  has  been  devoted  to  farms  and  farming,  and  success  has  most 
generously  rewarded  his  efforts.  In  later  years  Mr.  Higgins  turned 
his  attention  to  hog  raising,  and  that  enterprise  has  taken  the  best  part 
of  his  time  since  then. 

On  the  22nd  of  January,  1873,  Mr.  Higgins  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Emma  Thornton,  the  eldest  daughter  of  Harvey  and  Catherine 
(Murray)  Thornton.  Mrs.  Higgins  was  born  in  Cass  county  and  was 
given  her  early  education  in  the  schools  of  Noble  township,  later  at- 
tending school  in  Cincinnati,  for  a  year,  and  completing  her  studies 


8iO  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

at  the  Presbyterian  Academy  in  Logansport — tiiat  institution  stand- 
ing in  the  relation  to  Logansport  as  the  high  school  of  today. 

Three  children  came  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Higgins,  as  follows:  Warren 
T.,  born  on  August  5,  1874;  Reybum  A.,  born  on  February  27,  1877; 
and  Mary  E.,  whose  natal  day  is  September  23,  1881.  All  three  are 
living.  The  second  son,  Reyburn,  married  Lillian  Stewart  Jones  on 
July  8,  1909,  and  he  is  engaged  in  educational  work  as  a  teacher  in  the 
schools  of  Louisville,  Kentucky.  Mary  is  also  a  teacher,  and  is  carry- 
ing on  her  work  in  the  schools  of  North  Vernon,  Indiana. 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  Mr. 
Higgins  was  carefully  reared  by  his  staunch  Presbyterian  parents,  and 
all  are  worthy  members  of  society,  filling  admirably  the  places  they 
have  made  for  themselves  in  their  various  communities. 

William  H.  Dbitt.  Cass  county,  it  will  not  be  denied,  owes  much 
of  its  present  day  prosperity  and  growth  to  the  pioneer  farmer  who 
came  in  and  opened  up  the  waste  places  of  the  county  more  than  a 
half  century  ago  and  set  on  foot  a  cycle  of  solid  improvement  that  has 
gone  on  from  then  until  now  and  is  still  in  progress.  In  1848  the 
father  of  William  Dritt  settled  on  the  identical  spot  now  occupied  by 
the  latter,  and  devoted  the  remainder  of  his  life  to  the  business  of  con- 
verting the  rugged  wilderness  into  a  series  of  blossoming  meadows. 
How  well  he  succeeded  in  his  work,  self-imposed,  though  it  was,  is  no 
secret  to  any  who  are  familiar  with  the  history  of  Noble  township,  and 
the  worthy  work  of  that  sturdy  pioneer  has  been  worthily  carried  on  by 
his  son,  who  is  the  subject  of  this  review. 

Born  February  24,  1865,  William  Dritt  is  the  son  of  Daniel  and 
Sarah  (Schilling)  Dritt.  They  had  seven  children,  but  only  two  are 
living.  Daniel  Dritt  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  of  German  parentage 
and  ancestry,  on  January  29,  1826,  and  was  the  son  of  Andrew  and 
Elizabeth  (Fishel)  Dritt.  He  died  on  July  9,  1881,  and  the  wife  and 
mother  died  June  18,  1898. 

William  Dritt  was  reared  on  the  home  farm,  and  upon  his  father's 
death  fell  heir  to  the  old  home  place,  where  he  has  since  carried  on  the 
work  of  the  farm.  He  was  married  on  February  16,  1888,  to  Miss  Ella 
Cornell. 

Mrs.  Dritt  is  a  native  of  INIiami  county,  Indiana,  born  February  28, 
1869,  and  the  eldest  of  two  daughters  born  to  Jeremiah  and  IMaria 
(Moose)  Cornell:  Mrs.  Dritt  and  her  sister  Clara,  wife  of  Albert 
Chandler,  a  decorator,  of  Peru,  Indiana.  Mr.  Cornell  was  a  native  of 
Indiana,  and  was  an  agriculturist.  He  was  educated  only  in  the 
common  schools,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war  and  received  his 
honorable  discharge.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  ]\Irs.  Cornell  was  also  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  her 
parents  were  natives  of  New  York.  Mrs.  Dritt  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools.  She  is  a  lady  of  excellent  judgment  and  has  well  performed 
her  part  in  the  building  up  the  home  and  in  the  rearing  of  her  children. 
She  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  also  an  honored  member 
of  the  Progressive  Club  in  Logansport,  a  club  devoted  to  literature, 
art  and  music. 

The  following  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dritt:     Ethel 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  841 

S.  received  her  diploma  from  the  public  schools  in  1904  and  graduated 
from  the  Logansport  high  school  in  1909,  and  she  has  taken  musical 
instructions.  She  wedded  Elmer  Young,  resident  of  Logansport,  and 
a  salesman.  Florence  P.  received  her  diploma  from  the  public  schools 
in  1906,  and  then  attended  the  Lincoln  Seminary  of  Logansport,  and 
has  also  taken  music.  She  married  J.  Jay  McCormick,  a  resident  of 
Logansport,  and  he  is  engaged  in  the  elevator  business.  Harry 
J.  received  his  diploma  from  the  public  schools  in  1908,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  graduating  class  in  Logansport  high  school  in 
1913.  He  is  associated  with  his  father  on  the  farm.  Madge  grad- 
uated from  the  public  schools  in  1908,  and  the  Logansport  high 
school  at  the  early  age  of  seventeen  in  the  class  of  1912.  She  is 
a  vocalist  of  more  than  ordinary  merit.  It  is  noticed  in  this  sketch 
that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dritt  have  given  their  children  the  best  of  advan- 
tages in  acquiring  good  educations,  fitting  them  for  the  higher  walks 
of  life.  The  homestead  of  the  Dritts  is  known  as  "Glen  Dale  Farm," 
and  their  many  friends  will  always  find  a  cordial  welcome  there. 
The  farm  comprises  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  many  of  its 
present  day  improvements  in  the  way  of  buildings,  etc.,  may  be  credited 
to  the  present  occupant  of  the  place. 

Mr.  Dritt  is  one  of  the  leaders  of  thought  and  opinion  in  his  com- 
munity, and  attends  the  Presbyterian  church,  his  life  has  been  one 
entirely  consistent  with  his  profession  of  faith.  He  is  a  Republican, 
and  has  pronounced  political  views,  though  he  is  not  more  active  in 
the  field  of  politics  than  good  citizenship  demands  of  him.  He  and 
his  family  maintain  a  high  place  in  the  esteem  and  regard  of  their 
many  friends  in  and  about  Noble  township,  where  they  are  known  for 
their  many  excellent  traits  of  heart  and  mind,  and  where  they  are 
regarded  as  the  best  of  neighbors. 

William  Pubcell  Pow^ell,  deceased,  was  born  on  February  25, 
1828,  in  Ohio,  the  son  of  Benjamin  and  Sarah  (Carroll)  Powell.  He 
came  with  his  parents  from  Jefferson  county,  Ohio,  the  place  of  his 
birth,  to  Indiana,  in  1835,  and  they  located  in  Cass  county,  settling  on 
a  wild  tract  of  land  in  Harrison  township,  of  which  they  hoped  to  make 
a  farm  for  themselves.  Here  they  builded  a  cabin  home  and  set  about 
clearing  up  the  wilderness  and  improving  the  place  as  best  they  might. 
They  were  pioneers  in  the  truest  sense,  and  the  first  election  ever  held 
in  his  community  was  held  in  the  old  Powell  home. 

Here  was  William  Purcell  Powell  reared,  and  here  in  early  life  he 
married  Harriet  Smith,  who  died  without  issue.  His  second  wife  was 
Mrs.  Delilah  Isabell  Gressinger,  a  daughter  of  James  and  ]\Iary  Ann 
(Carrier)  Spaeey,  and  the  widow  of  Adam  Gressinger.  Mr.  Powell  was 
one  of  the  old  fashioned  men  who  held  as  one  of  the  tenets  of  his  faith 
that  honesty  was  one  of  the  cardinal  virtues — a  belief  still  in  good 
repute  to  some  extent,  but  not  held  so  commonly  perhaps  as  in  those 
early  times.  He  was  extremely  temperate  in  his  habits,  and  this,  no 
doubt,  led  to  his  retaining  his  mental  faculties  unimpaired  to  the  end 
of  his  days.  He  was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  always  keenly  alive  to  the 
progress  of  the  times,  but  never  sought  public  office.  He  was  a 
Universalist  in  his  religious  belief  and  during  his  later  years  derived 


842  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

much  simple  and  wholesome  pleasure  from  the  study  of  the  Scriptures. 
He  was  a  man  of  much  courage  and  unlimited  faith  in  the  future,  an 
example  of  which  is  given  in  the  fact  that  he  began  his  married  life 
with  a  cash  capital  of  tifty  cents.  His  first  home  was  no  sooner  com- 
pleted than  it  was  destroyed  by  fire,  but  it  Avas  characteristic  of  the 
man  that  adversity  of  that  order  was  insufficient  to  keep  him  down.  He 
at  once  rebuilt  his  home,  and  with  the  passing  of  time,  he  prospered, 
not  by  waiting  on  fortune,  but  by  the  hardest  kind  of  work,  economy  and 
the  application  of  excellent  business  judgment  in  his  every-day  affairs. 
A  noteworthy  trait  in  him  was  his  sturdy  honesty  and  his  high  general 
character.  He  was  a  kindly  man  in  his  disposition,  temperate  in  all 
things,  charitable  and  generous  in  his  benefactions  for  the  public  good. 
He  died  as  he  lived,  an  honored  and  respected  citizen,  death  coming  to 
him  on  October  5,  1876. 

J.  E.  Hertsell  still  retains  and  operates  the  fine  old  place  that 
his  grandfather  came  into  possession  of  when  he  first  came  to  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  more  than  half  a  century  ago,  although  he  no  longer 
makes  his  home  on  the  place,  having  a  fine  home  of  his  own  acquired 
in  Clay  township,  where  he  carries  on  the  business  of  farming  on  an 
extensive  scale,  and  along  the  most  approved  modern  methods. 

Born  in  Miami  township,  Cass  county,  on  October  21,  1885,  J.  E. 
Hertsell  is  the  son  of  Jesse  and  Jennie  (Bird)  Hertsell.  The  father  was 
the  son  of  another,  Jesse  Hertsell,  and  the  mother  was  the  daughter  of 
one  Eli  Bird,  people  of  English  descent.  The  family  located  in  IMiami 
township  when  Jesse  Hertsell  was  a  youth,  and  he  passed  his  life  on 
the  farm  his  father  purchased,  and  upon  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
February,  1912,  the  old  home  came  into  the  possession  of  the  son. 

J.  E.  Hertsell  received  such  education  as  the  schools  of  Miami  town- 
ship afforded,  and  early  in  life  began  to  devote  himself  to  the  work  of 
the  farm.  He  has  been  successful  in  his  operations  along  these  lines 
and  has  acquired  a  fine  place  of  his  own  in  recent  years,  located  in  Clay 
township,  and  there  he  makes  his  home.  In  1909  I\Ir.  Hertsell  married 
Ruth  Mannen,  the  daughter  of  Henry  IMannen,  and  two  children  have 
been  born  to  them:  Reta,  who  died  when  six  months  old  in  1910,  and 
Helen  Esther,  who  is  now  fifteen  months  old. 

M.  Hertsell  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and 
take  an  active  share  in  the  works  of  that  body,  while  Mr.  Hertsell  has 
membership  in  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  They  occupy  a  secure  place  in 
the  esteem  of  their  many  acquaintances  in  Clay  township,  as  well  as  in 
Miami  township,  and  enjoy  the  friendship  of  many  who  know  them  for 
their  many  excellent  qualities  of  character. 

Jesse  Martin.  For  many  years  the  citizen  whose  name  heads  this 
short  review  was  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  Washington  town- 
ship, and  his  entire  career  was  one  of  industry,  integrity  and  honorable 
dealing.  Although  not  a  native  of  Cass  county,  he  came  to  this  section 
at  an  early  date,  and  his  activities  were  such  as  to  gain  him  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens,  not  alone  in  business  matters,  but  in 
the  political  arena  and  in  the  work  of  the  church.  Mr.  Martin  was 
born  May  4,  1834,  in  Somerset  county,  Pennsylvania,  a  son  of  Peter  and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  843 

Rebecca  (Long)  Martin.  He  died  February  11,  1909,  and  his  wife  died 
September  8,  1908. 

Peter  Martin,  on  first  coming  to  Cass  county,  purchased  land  on 
section  27,  Washington  township,  but  in  1848  removed  to  section  22, 
where  the  rest  of  his  life  was  spent.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents 
of  eight  children,  all  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  reared  in  Cass  county,  as 
follows:  Francis,  Simon,  Jesse,  Herman,  Caroline,  Catherine,  Manassas 
and  Matilda.     All  are  now  deceased. 

Jesse  Martin  commenced  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  state,  where  he  resided  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  and 
after  coming  to  Indiana,  completed  his  schooling  in  a  private  institu- 
tion of  Logansport.  For  several  years  thereafter,  he  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  teaching  school  during  the  winter  months,  while  he  farmed 
in  summers,  but  eventually  gave  up  the  educator's  profession  in  order 
to  give  his  entire  time  to  farming  and  stock  raising,  in  which  he  be- 
came very  successful.  He  took  a  keen  interest  in  the  affairs  of  his 
community,  was  well  and  favorably  known  among  the  leading  business 
men  of  his  township,  and  for  upwards  of  half  a  century  was  identified 
with  the  work  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  he  acted  as  elder. 
He  had  a  family  of  eight  children,  of  whom  seven  are  living :  Emeline, 
deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  John  Wendling;  Edwin  F.,  who  married 
Edna  Crane,  and  had  five  children ;  Stanley,  deceased ;  Esther,  Joseph, 
Rachel  and  Jesse ;  Roland,  who  married  Lina  Schwalm,  and  had  six  chil- 
dren— Earl,  Ethel,  Eunice,  Helen,  Ruby  and  Lois;  Albert,  who  married 
Julietta  McCreary;  Irvin,  who  married  Emma  Foreman;  John  P.; 
Manassas,  who  married  Laura  Schwalm,  and  has  one  son — Roy;  and 
Frank,  single,  who  lives  on  the  old  homestead  of  120  acres. 

John  P.  jMartin,  son  of  Jesse  Martin,  was  born  on  the  old  home- 
stead farm,  October  18,  1868,  and  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Cass  county,  in  the  meantime  assisting  his  father  in  the  work 
of  the  home  farm  from  the  time  that  he  was  old  enough  to  grasp  the 
plow  handles.  At  the  age  of  twenty  years,  he  began  farming  on  his 
own  account,  purchasing  eighty  acres  of  land  from  his  father,  on  which 
he  has  made  numerous  improvements,  including  modern,  substantial 
buildings.  He  has  always  been  a  leader  in  Republican  politics,  and  for 
a  time  lived  in  Indianapolis  while  serving  as  a  member  of  the  clerical 
force  of  the  state  senate.  Like  his  father,  he  has  been  a  member  of  the 
'  Presbyterian  church.  During  his  long  career  in  Cass  county  he  has 
ever  possessed  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens,  and  in  a 
work  of  this  kind  deserves  honorable  mention. 

William  H.  Sharp.  The  career  of  William  H.  Sharp,  one  of  the 
foremost  of  Washington  township's  representative  agriculturists,  il- 
lustrates strikingly  the  opportunities  that  are  open  to  young  men  of 
foresight,  good  judgment  and  business  ability,  for  solely  through  the 
medium  of  his  own  efforts  and  good  business  talents  he  has  steadily 
advanced  until  he  is  now  one  of  the  most  substantial  of  his  community 's 
citizens.  Since  early  manhood  he  has  engaged  in  buying,  cultivating 
and  selling  farming  land,  and  his  operations  have  carried  him  all  over 
Cass  county,  where  he  is  known  as  a  man  of  the  highest  integrity.  At 
this  time  he  is  operating  a  tract  of  sixty  acres,  located  on  the  Kokomo 


844  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

road,  about  five  miles  from  Logansport.  Mr.  Sharp  was  born  August 
3,  1860,  in  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  Samuel  M.  and 
Isabel  (Bailey)  Sharp. 

Samuel  M.  Sharp  was  born  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  November  11,  1837. 
The  family  is  of  Scotch-Irish  extraction,  and  was  founded  in  the  United 
States  by  Abraham  Sharp,  the  great-grandfather  of  William  H.  Sharp, 
a  native  of  Erin  and  a  carpenter  and  millwright  by  trade.  On  first 
coming  to  America,  Abraham  Sharp  settled  in  Maryland,  and  while 
working  at  his  trade  there  made  a  tool  chest,  which  many  years  later 
was  in  the  possession  of  J.  S.  P.  Marshall,  a  resident  of  Missouri,  who 
was  also  in  possession  of  many  interesting  facts  regarding  this  old  and 
honored  family.  Mr.  Sharp  became  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Franklin 
county,  Ohio,  and  at  a  point  three  and  one-half  miles  southeast  of 
Columbus  cleared  a  tract  of  land  and  made  a  comfortable  frontier  home. 
In  that  county  he  married  a  IMiss  Howard,  who  lived  to  the  remark- 
able old  age  of  one  hundred  and  two  years,  eleven  months  and  seven 
days,  passing  away  in  Illinois  where  Mr.  Sharp  had  entered  a  quarter 
section  of  land,  on  the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Peoria.  The  chil- 
dren of  this  union  were :  William,  the  grandfather  of  William  H. ; 
Elizabeth,  who  was  married  in  Ohio  to  John  Reader;  George,  who 
married  Susan  Cramer ;  Nancy ;  Rachel,  who  married  Andrew  Shanklin ; 
and  Nathaniel,  who  married  ]\Iary  Gregg. 

William  Sharp  was  born  May  12,  1806,  and  was  married  to  Miss 
Mary  Teegardin,  who  was  born  July  17,  1812,  in  Pickaway  county, 
Ohio,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Brobst)  Teegardin,  and  she  died 
March  21,  1880.  The  first  two  persons  of  the  name  of  Teegardin  to 
come  to  this  country  were  George  Teegardin,  the  father  of  John,  Bar- 
bara, Anna  (Graul),  Aaron  and  Mary,  the  grandmother  of  William  H. 
Sharp ;  and  William,  the  father  of  Peter,  Abraham  and  others.  George 
and  William  Teegardin  came  to  Ohio  in  1811,  settling  on  land  near 
Ashville  which  their  father,  Aaron,  from  Westmoreland  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, had  entered;  the  latter,  two  years  later,  located  there  with 
his  sons.  His  children  were  George,  William,  Jacob,  Daniel,  a  daugh- 
ter who  married  Mr.  Lauffer,  Solomon,  and  Ann,  who  first  married  a 
man  named  Kanouse  and  afterwards  a  man  named  Fippen.  George 
married  a  Miss  Brobst,  daughter  of  Jacob  Brobst.  The  Teegardins  have 
been  generally  members  of  the  Lutheran  church.  John  Teegardin  be- 
came a  pioneer  farmer  in  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  and  during  the  War 
of  1812  fought  valiantly  in  the  ranks  of  the  American  army. 

William  Sharp,  after  his  marriage,  settled  on  a  farm  in  his  native 
county,  and  was  successfully  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  there 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  the  prime  of  his  life,  at  the  age  of 
thirty-seven  years,  June  30,  1845.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  was  a  man  whose  many  excellent  traits  of  char- 
acter won  the  confidence  and  respect  of  all'  with  whom  he  was  in  any 
way  associated.  His  children  were  Nancy,  Peter,  Samuel,  Samuel  M., 
Aaron  T.  and  Margaret. 

Samuel  I\I.  Sharp,  father  of  William  H.  Sharp,  was  given  but  meagre 
educational  advantages  in  his  youth,  as  his  father  died  when  he  was 
eight  years  of  age,  and  he  was  compelled  to  early  begin  his  battle  with 
life.     He  was  reared  by  his  mother  and  guardian,  the  latter  his  uncle, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  845 

Aaron  Teegardiii,  a  farmer  of  Pickaway  county,  in  whose  household 
he  remained  until  he  was  twenty  years  of  age.  He  was  married  in 
Pickaway  county  to  JMiss  Isabel  Bailey,  who  was  born  in  IMadison  town- 
ship, that  county,  daughter  of  Reason  W.  and  Annie  (Hoymen)  Bailey, 
and  granddaughter  of  William  and  Phoebe  (Wells)  Bailey.  Her  father, 
a  native  of  Maryland,  and  a  carpenter  by  trade  (although  he  spent  the 
greater  part  of  lus  life  in  agricultural  pursuits)  moved  from  Maryland 
to  Ohio  and  subsequently  to  Indiana,  locating  in  Clay  township,  jMiami 
county,  where  he  died  in  1873,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  He  was 
an  industrious  man,  honest  and  upriglit  in  every  way,  and  was  a  worthy 
member  of  the  Lutheran  church.  His  children  were  as  follows :  Eliza 
A.,  Mary,  Mahala,  Isabel,  Jama,  Solomon  L.,  Joseph  L.,  Louis  B.,  Phoebe 
and  Ellis. 

After  his  marriage  Samuel  ^1.  Siiarp  settled  on  a  farm  in  Pickaway 
county,  and  made  that  place  his  home  until  1873,  when  he  moved  to 
Miami  county,  Indiana,  arriving  there  on  the  4th  of  March.  He 
began  life  without  any  capital  whatever,  but  by  industry  and  good 
judgment,  and  with  the  assistance  of  his  loyal  and  loving  wife,  he . 
accumulated  a  competency.  On  locating  in  Miami  county,  he  pur- 
chased 100  acres  of  land,  to  the  value  of  which  he  added  greatly  by 
honest,  well-directed  toil.  Both  Mr.  Sharp  and  his  wife  were  actively 
identitied  with  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  aided  ma- 
terially in  the  erection  of  the  first  house  of  worship  in  their  neighbor- 
hood and  were  always  prominent  in  church  work,  Mr.  Sharp  being  class 
leader  in  the  local  church  of  his  vicinity.  His  political  inclinations 
made  him  a  Democrat,  and  fraternally  he  was  connected  with  the 
Masons.  The  following  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharp : 
Mary  M.,  William  H.,  Eliza  ^I.,  Jennie  D.,  Annie  M.,  Maggie  ]\I.,  George 
L.,  Myrtle  A.,  Leon  C,  Edmund  G.,  Ruby  N.,  and  two  who  died  in 
infancy. 

William  H.  Sharp  was  about  twelve  years  of  age  when  he  accompa- 
nied the  family  from  Ohio  to  ]\Iiami  county,  Indiana,  and  during  his 
entire  school  period  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  farm.  In 
young  manhood,  his  first  real  business  venture  was  the  clearing  of  a 
heavily  timbered  tract  of  100  acres  of  land,  the  timber  from  which  he 
sold,  thus  making  for  himself  a  considerable  capital  with  which  to  start 
operations.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  he  went  to  Wabash  county 
and  worked  on  a  farm  for  three  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  first 
came  to  Cass  county,  here  spending  the  next  five  .years.  He  next  pur- 
chased a  team  and  began  farming  on  shares  on  a  tract  of  sixty  acres, 
but  after  a  short  time  returned  to  ]\Iiami  county.  There  he  was  engaged 
in  cultivating  a  rented  farm  for  a  short  period,  but  eventually  came 
back  to  Cass  county  and  bought  ninety  acres  of  land,  which  he  farmed 
for  eight  yeai-s,  finally  selling  that  to  purchase  his  present  property,  ilr. 
Sharp  has  been  uniformly  successful  in  all  of  his  business  ventures, 
because  of  the  exercise  of  shrewdness  and  excellent  business  acumen.  He 
is  an  able  .judge  of  land  values,  is  known  as  an  efBcient  farmer,  and 
among  all  who  have  had  business  dealings  with  him  is  held  in  the  highest 
respect. 

On  March  3,  1892,  Mr.  Sharp  was  married  to  Miss  Carrie  W.  Bu- 
chanan, daughter  of  James  and  Mary   (Buchanan)    Buchanan.     They 


846  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

have  no  children.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Sharp  is  connected  with  the  Masons, 
Tipton  Lodge  No.  33,  and  he  and  Mrs.  Sharp  are  attendants  of  the 
Lutheran  church.  He  has  Democratic  proclivities,  and,  while  not  a 
politician  in  the  generally  accepted  meaning  of  the  term,  has  served 
efficiently  as  a  member  of  the  election  board.  The  pretty  homestead  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharp  is  known  as  ' '  The  Cedars. ' ' 

John  L.  Warner.  Cass  county  is  largely  agricultural  but  its  thriv- 
ing towns,  its  numerous  industrial  enterprises,  its  schools  and  its 
churches  prove  that  a  vigorous  life  underlies  every  activity,  although 
here,  as  in  every  section  of  the  world,  dependence  is  necessarily  placed 
on  the  products  of  the  land  and  the  labor  of  those  who  develop  it.  No 
matter  how  men  may  toil  or  how  much  they  may  achieve  in  any  direc- 
tion, they  must  be  fed,  and  it  is  the  farmer,  in  the  background,  who 
turns  the  wheels,  who  fights  the  battles,  and  who  provides  for  the  sur- 
vival typified  in  "the  passing  of  the  torch."  Happily  there  are  in 
Cass  county  contented  owners  of  land  who  intelligently  and  willingly 
carry  on  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  agriculture  and,  although  they  do  not 
seek  svich  a  term  of  approbation,  are,  nevertheless,  benefactors  of  man- 
kind. They  are  often  men  of  wide  information  on  many  subjects,  usually 
are  men  qualified  for  offices  of  public  service,  for  the  proper  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil  and  a  realization  of  its  utmost  yield  require  knowledge 
on  many  subjects.  Among  the  representative  citizens  of  Cass  county  who 
have  devoted  their  energies  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil,  none  are  held  in 
higher  esteem  than  John  L.  Warner,  of  Clay  township,  a  man  who 
has  impressed  himself  upon  the  community  not  only  as  an  agriculturist 
but  as  a  public-spirited  citizen  whose  services  in  official  office  have  aided 
materially  in  his  locality's  effort  towards  good  government. 

Mr.  Warner  was  born  January  22,  1867,  in  Clay  township,  Cass 
eoiuity,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  Fielding  G.  and  Florence  (Maurice) 
Warner,  and  a  grandson  of  David  Warner.  His  father  was  of  French 
and  Welsh  descent  and  was  born  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  November  4,  1837, 
and  died  December  27,  1907,  in  Clay  township,  while  his  mother,  who 
was  born  in  France  and  came  to  this  country  when  she  was  nine  years 
of  age,  still  survives  and  makes  her  home  with  Mr.  Warner's  brother, 
Samuel,  who  lives  on  the  farm  adjoining  that  of  John  L.  Warner.  Mr. 
Warner 's  parents  had  six  children,  as  follows :  David,  who  died  when 
aged  one  year;  Alice,  who  married  Will  Smith  and  died  when  thirty- 
four  years  of  age;  Emma,  who  was  eight  years  old  at  the  time  of  her 
death ;  Florence,  who  died  at  the  age  of  six  years ;  John  L. ;  and  Samuel, 
who  married  Blanche  Powell,  and  has  one  child :  Florence,  who  was  born 
December  3,  1907. 

John  L.  Warner  attended  the  district  schools  of  Clay  township  and 
is  a  graduate  of  Hall's  Business  College  in  Logansport,  Indiana.  He 
was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  in  which  he  has  been  engaged  all 
of  his  life.  His  present  farm,  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-two 
acres,  is  one  of  the  finest  in  this  part  of  the  county,  and  during  the  twenty 
years  he  has  resided  here  he  has  brought  his  land  to  a  high  state  of  culti- 
vation. New  and  modern  structures  have  been  erected  by  Mr.  Warner, 
and  his  entire  property  testifies  eloquently  to  his  able  management  and 


-y-^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  847 

good  judgment.  Progressive  in  all  matters,  in  1912  he  allied  himself 
with  the  so-called  Bull  Moose  party,  and  at  the  present  time  is  efficiently 
serving  as  a  member  of  the  county  council.  He  has  also  served  as  trus- 
tee of  Clay  township  and  has  always  brought  to  his  official  services  the 
same  conscientious  devotion  to  duty  that  has  made  him  so  successful 
in  his  business  affairs.  His  brother,  Samuel  Warner,  is  the  present  as- 
sessor of  Bethlehem  township.  With  his  family,  Mr.  Warner  attends 
the  Christian  church. 

On  December  20,  1888,  Mr.  Warner  was  married  to  Miss  Minnie 
Alma  Shilling.  One  child  was  born  to  this  union :  Florence  Ruth,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  five  months. 

Mrs.  AVarner  is  a  native  of  Clay  township,  Cass  county,  and  was  born 
May  12,  1865,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Maurer)  Shilling, 
and  her  parents  were  natives  of  Ohio,  of  German  lineage,  and  both  are 
deceased. 

Mrs.  Warner  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and  the  city 
schools  of  Logansport.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Bethel  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  and  a  member  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  in  the  Spring 
Creek  Christian  church. 

Mr.  Warner  is  a  member  and  deacon  in  the  Spring  Creek  Christian 
church.  They  are  people  who  enjoy  life  in  their  beautiful  country  seat, 
known  as  "Summit  Lodge,"  and  they  have  a  five-passenger  Hupmobile 
touring  car.  They  are  citizens  who  stand  high  in  the  social  world  of 
Cass  county. 

Adelbert  L.  Hoover.  The  name  of  Hoover  has  long  been  promi- 
nently associated  with  the  agricultural  history  of  Cass  county,  where 
for  years  members  of  the  family  have  contributed  materially  to  the 
growth  and  development  of  what  is  now  one  of  the  most  prosperous 
sections  of  Indiana.  They  have  also  enrolled  among  those  who  have 
promoted  movements  for  the  advancement  of  education,  morality  and 
good  citizenship,  fairly  earning  the  right  to  be  classed  with  their  com- 
munity's representative  men.  Adelbert  L.  Hoover,  a  well-known  mem- 
ber of  this  old  and  honored  family,  is  maintaining  the  high  standard  set 
by  his  forebears,  and  is  one  of  the  agriculturists  of  AVashington  town- 
ship who  take  a  pride  in  developing  their  land  through  the  use  of 
modern  methods  and  appliances.  He  was  born  August  22,  1871,  in 
Richland  county,  Wisconsin,  and  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Laura  (Yates) 
Hoover,  the  former  of  whom  brought  the  family  to  Cass  county  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago  and  is  still  living  on  his  farm.  There 
were  four  children  in  the  family :  Mrs.  ^lary  Berryman,  William, 
Jacob  and  Adelbert  L. 

The  early  education  of  Adelbert  L.  Hoover  was  secured  in  the  public 
schools  of  AVisconsin,  and  his  tuition  was  completed  in  the  institutions 
of  Cass  county,  whence  he  had  come  when  he  was  about  fifteen  years 
of  age.  During  his  early  youth,  in  his  struggles  to  secure  a  property  of 
his  own,  he  met  with  the  usual  difficulties  that  bar  the  path  of  a  youth 
who  without  capital  or  influential  friends  is  seeking  a  competence  and 
independent  position,  but  each  experience  added  to  his  fund  of  knowl- 
edge and  prepared  him  to  better  face  the  next  obstacle.  Industry  and 
perseverance  finally  triumphed,  and  at  this  time  he  is  the  owner  of  a 


848  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

handsome  property  of  100  acres,  which  produces  large  crops,  and  on 
which  he  has  made  manj-  valuable  improvements.  He  devotes  his  whole 
time  to  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  in  both  of  which  lines  he 
has  met  with  uniform  success,  and  among  his  neighbors  and  associates 
he  is  known  as  a  good,  practical  farmer  and  an  excellent  judge  of  live 
stock. 

On  JMay  2,  1901,  INIr.  Hoover  was  united  in  marriage  in  Cass  county 
with  ]\Iiss  Margaret  Alma  ilartin,  daughter  of  Herman  and  Margaret 
(Blozier)  JMartin  of  this  county.  They  have  had  no  children.  ]Mi*s. 
Hoover  is  a  member  of  the  Union  Presbyterian  church  of  Washington 
township  and  has  taken  an  active  part  in  work  of  a  religious  and 
charitable  nature.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Hoover  is  popular  with  the  members 
of  the  local  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  No.  314  of 
Wallen,  while  his  political  connection  is  with  the  Democratic  party,  in  the 
activities  of  which  he  has  taken  a  leading  part  in  his  section,  although 
he  has  n^ver  cared  for  nor  sought  piiblic  office.  Air.  Hoover's  life  has 
been  a  busy  and  a  useful  one,  his  business  methods  have  ever  been 
unmarred  by  stain  or  blemish,  and  at  all  times  he  has  been  true  to  the 
obligations  and  duties  that  have  rested  vipon  him.  As  a  man  who  has 
the  best  interests  of  his  community  at  heart  he  enjoys  widespread 
esteem,  and  his  acquaintance  is  large  and  his  friendships  numerous. 
I\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Hoover's  homestead  is  known  as  "Cottage  House"  and  is 
one  of  the  pretty  properties  of  the  county. 

James  Vernon.  Cass  county  is  the  home  of  some  excellent  citizens 
who  have  employed  themselves  in  tilling  the  soil.  j\Iany  of  these  have 
spent  their  entire  lives  on  the  property  which  they  are  now  cultivating, 
and  in  this  class  stands  James  Vernon,  of  Washington  township,  who 
owns  forty  acres  and  farms  about  eighty  acres  on  the  township  road.  A 
member  of  a  family  which  has  been  connected  with  agricultural  affairs 
for  a  number  of  generations,  his  whole  training  has  been  along  this 
line,  and  as  a  result  he  has  made  a  success  of  his  operations,  and  is  justly 
considered  one  of  his  community's  most  skilled  agriculturists.  ]\Ir. 
Vernon  was  born  in  the  old  home,  which  still  stands  on  his  present  farm, 
August  12,  1850,  and  is  a  son  of  Pickering  and  Elizabeth  (Burkit) 
Vernon.  His  father,  a  native  of  Greenville,  Darke  county,  Ohio,  came 
to  Indiana  in  young  manhood,  and  purchased  land  from  the  government 
in  Cass  county  for  $1.50  per  acre,  here  spending  the  remainder  of  his 
life  as  a  farmer,  and  dying  advanced  in  years  with  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  the  people  of  his  community.  He  married  Elizabeth  Burkit,  a 
member  of  an  old  and  honored  Cass  county  family,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  as  follows:  William,  who  is  deceased;  Ensley, 
John,  James,  Jane,  Thomas  and  IMargaret,  who  are  deceased ;  Mary, 
and  Daniel,  who  is  deceased.  Both  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Vernon  were  deeply 
religious  people  and  reared  their  children  to  honest.  God-fearing  lives. 

James  Vernon  was  given  only  ordinary  educational  advantages 
during  his  youth,  hut  close  observation  and  much  reading  and  discus- 
sion of  timely  subjects  have  made  him  an  exceedingly  well-informed 
man.  With  his  father  and  brothers,  he  spent  his  youtliful  days  in  clear- 
ing, grubbing  and  general  farm  labor,  and  when  he  reached  the  age 
of  twenty-four  years  embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own.     For  some 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  849 

years  he  rented  land  from  his  father,  working  faithfully  and  indns- 
trionsly  and  earefully  saving  his  earnings  until  sueh  time  as  he  was 
able  to  invest  in  property,  his  first  small  purchase  forming  the  nucleus 
for  his  present  farm.  ]\Ir.  Vernon  is  one  of  the  most  progressive  of 
farmers,  and  is  always  ready  to  adopt  new  methods  and  to  experiment 
with  new  inventions.  As  a  re.sult.  his  land  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion, and  is  considered  one  of  the  most  valuable  farms  of  its  size  in  this 
part  of  the  township.  Although  general  farming  has  occupied  the 
greater  part  of  his  attention,  he  has  also  devoted  himself  to  some  extent  in 
raising  stock,  his  .success  in  this  line  having  been  commensurate  with 
the  labor  he  has  expended  upon  it.  Mr.  Vernon  has  never  cared  to  enter 
public  life,  his  ambitions  being  satisfied  in  his  farm  and  his  home,  but 
he  is  known  as  a  public-spirited  citizen,  and  any  measure  which  com- 
mends itself  to  his  judgment  as  one  which  promises  to  be  of  benefit  to  the 
community  can  depend  upon  his  hearty  support.  He  holds  member- 
ship in  the  Christian  church,  which  he  attends  consistently  and  sup- 
ports liberally. 

Mr.  Vernon  was  married  September  25,  1873,  to  Miss  Mahala 
F.  West,  daughter  of  Paynter  and  Catherine  (Myers)  West,  and  to 
this  union  there  were  born  two  children,  namely :  Rose,  deceased,  who 
was  the  wife  of  Alva  Knapp,  a  Cass  county  farmer,  and  had  one 
child,  Ellis,  who  is  also  deceased ;  and  Blanch,  who  married  Emmett 
Small,  and  had  two  children — John  and  Zelma  Olive;  On  September 
7,  1909,  Mr.  Vernon  was  married  to  IMrs.  Katie  (Eberley)  Honicker, 
and  three  children  have  been  born  to  them — Frank,  Walter  and  Car- 
rie. The  pretty  homestead  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Vernon  is  known  as 
"Park  Lawn." 

RoLLTN  T.  Martin.  It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  agriculturists  of 
any  section  who  have  the  best  farms  are  those  who  take  the  most  pride 
in  the  prosperity  of  their  community  and  the  most  active  part  in  the 
upbuilding  and  development  of  the  section  in  which  they  reside.  This 
holds  true  in  Cass  county  as  elsewhere,  and  one  of  these  representative 
farmer-citizens  is  Rollin  T.  Martin,  who  has  always  been  in  the  lead- 
ing ranks  of  any  movement  likely  to  prove  of  benefit  to  his  locality. 
INIr.  Martin  has  spent  his  entire  career  in  this  part  of  the  state,  and  is 
thoroughly  acciuainted  with  soil  and  climatic  conditions,  as  well  as 
with  the  most  minute  detail  of  the  vocation  of  farming.  He  was  born 
IMay  9,  1862,  on  the  old  JMartin  homestead  in  Washington  township, 
Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  Jesse  and  Christina  (Miimmey) 
Martin.  Jesse  Martin  was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  in  Cass 
county,  and  a  full  sketch  of  his  career  will  be  found  in  another  part  of 
this  work. 

Rollin  T.  Martin  was  reared  in  his  native  township,  securing  his 
education  in  the  district  schools,  which  he  attended  only  when  the 
weather  was  such  that  farm  work  conld  not  be  done.  He  continued  to 
assist  his  father  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  at  which 
time  he  began  fanning  on  his  own  account.  Later  he  bought  his 
present  property  from  his  father,  and  this  tract  of  eighty  acres,  situated 
on  the  Walton  road  has  continued  to  be  his  home  until  the  present  time. 
Mr.  Martin  is  an  able  agriculturist  and  an  excellent  judge  of  live  stock. 


850  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

He  has  made  numerous  valuable  improvements  on  his  land,  which  is 
equipped  with  a  comfortable  home,  a  commodious  barn,  and  outbuild- 
ings for  the  shelter  of  his  stock,  grain  and  implements,  all  substantial 
in  character  and  of  an  attractive  architectural  design.  Modern  meth- 
ods and  improved  machinery  are  used  exclusively,  and  the  excellent 
crops  that  are  raised  justify  the  procedure. 

On  May  14,  1885,  Mr.  jMartin  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Caroline  M.  Schwalm,  of  Cass  county,  a  member  of  an  old  and  honored 
family  of  this  section,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  six  chil- 
dren, namely:  Earl  G.,  who  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Logans- 
port,  and  now  resides  at  home  assisting  his  father  in  the  management 
of  the  farm;  Ethel  L.,  who  also  resides  with  her  parents;  Eunice  P.  and 
Helen  M.,  who  are  teachers  in  the  public  schools  of  Cass  county ;  Ruby 
G.,  who  is  attending  the  Walton  high  school;  and  Lois  E.,  a  graded 
school  pupil.  The  family  is  connected  with  the  Presbyterian  church, 
of  which  Jesse  IMartin  was  a  charter  member,  while  Rollin  T.  is  now 
acting  in  the  capacity  of  deacon.  Mr.  Martin  bears  the  reputation  of 
being  a  man  who  has  always  attended  strictly  to  his  own  business,  and 
has  not  been  desirous  of  entering  public  atfairs.  However,  he  takes  an 
interest  in  all  that  affects  his  community,  and  his  hearty  co-operation 
and  support  are  given  to  those  measures  which  he  feels  will  be  of  benefit 
to  his  community.  The  Martin  farm  is  noted  for  its  Short-horn  cattle, 
which  bring  top-notch  prices  in  the  markets.  The  homestead  of  ]\Ir.  and 
Mrs.  Martin  is  known  as  "Maple  Lawn  Farm,"  and  is  the  abode  of 
hospitality. 

Manasseh  M.  ]\L\rtin.  One  of  the  old  and  honored  families  of  Cass 
county  is  that  of  Martin,  whose  members  have  been  identified  with  Ihe 
agricultural  interests  of  this  section  for  many  years,  and  whose  activi- 
ties have  served  in  material  manner  to  promote  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  community  and  its  interests.  Styles  and  methods  of  farm- 
irfg  have  changed  during  the  past  half  a  century,  but  the  family  con- 
tributes to  the  new  school  of  practical,  scientific  farming  just  as  it  did 
to  the  old  style.  A  worthy  representative  of  the  name  is  found  in 
Manasseh  M.  Martin,  of  Washington  township,  who  is  cultivating  an 
excellent  tract  of  sixty  acres,  located  on  the  Walton  road,  about  nine 
miles  southeast  of  Logansport.  Mr.  Martin  has  been  a  life-long  resi- 
dent of  this  section,  and  years  of  experience  have  given  him  a  practical 
knowledge  of  conditions  in  this  vicinity,  where  he  is  known  as  an  in- 
dustrious agriculturist  and  exemplary  citizen.  He  was  born  on  the  old 
Martin  homestead,  located  in  Washington  township,  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  January  11,  1871,  and  is  a  son  of  Jesse  and  Christina 
(Mummey)  Martin.  Jesse  Martin  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  leading 
farmers  of  his  part  of  the  county.  A  complete  review  of  his  life  and 
labors  will  be  found  on  another  page  of  this  work. 

Manasseh  M.  Martin  secured  his  education  in  the  same  manner  as 
most  farmers'  sons  of  his  day,  being  a  student  in  the  district  schools 
when  he  could  be  spared  from  the  work  of  the  home  farm,  principally 
during  the  winter  months.  He  was  thus  fitted  mentally  while  secur- 
ing a  strong  constitution  and  a  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  his 
chosen  vocation,  for  even  in  his  youth  he  had  decided  to  follow  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  851 

footsteps  of  his  forefathers  and  to  continue  a  tiller  of  the  soil.  He  re- 
mained on  the  old  homestead,  assisting  his  father  until  he  reached  his 
majority,  at  which  time  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  started  to  make 
his  own  way  in  the  world.  Not  long  thereafter  he  located  on  his  pres- 
ent property,  which  then  had  but  few  improvements  and  was  far  from 
being  fully  productive.  With  youthful  energy  he  settled  down  to 
develop  his  land,  determined  that  he  would  one  day  be  the  owner  of 
one  of  the  best  farms  of  its  size  in  the  township.  That  he  has  suc- 
ceeded in  his  efforts,  is  shown  by  the  general  appearance  of  the  prop- 
erty, every  detail  of  which  gives  evidence  of  a  wise  and  capable  manage- 
ment. General  farming  has  been  given  the  greater  part  of  his  atten- 
tion, although  he  has  also  devoted  some  time  to  the  raising  of  stock, 
and  is  known  as  a.  good  .judge  of  cattle  and  horses.  Like  other  success- 
ful men  of  his  locality,  he  has  realized  that  one  of  the  surest  ways  to 
advance  one's  private  interests  is  to  advance  the  interest  of  the  com- 
munity, and  has  acted  acordingly,  lending  his  hearty  support  to  every 
movement  that  is  calculated  to  advance  public  progress.  He  has  been 
identified  with  Republican  politics  for  some  time,  and  was  chairman  of 
the  precinct  committee  although  his  identification  with  public  life  has 
been  rather  as  a  director  than  as  an  active  participant  in  search  of 
honors.    With  his  family,  he  attends  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Mr.  ]\Iartin  was  married  May  14,  1895,  to  Laura  B.  Schwalm,  the 
estimable  daughter  of  Henry  and  Helena  (Haemal)  Schwalm,  a  sketch 
of  whose  careers  will  be  found  in  anotlier  part  of  this  work  under  the 
caption  of  George  Schwalm.  Mr.  and  I\Irs.  ^lartin  have  had  one  son : 
Roy  E.,  who  graduated  from  the  public  schools  in  the  class  of  1911,  and 
who  is  a  practical  agriculturist,  being  associated  with  his  parents.  Mrs. 
Martin  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  born  September  16,  1871,  and  edu- 
cated in  the  common  schools.  She  has  been  treasurer  of  the  Missionary 
Society  for  ten  years  and  is  in  the  office  yet.  She  has  been  one  of  the 
efficient  Sunday  school  teachers  for  twenty-two  years — of  girls — and 
some  of  these  girls  are  now  married.  Mrs.  Martin  and  her  class  put  in 
two  stained  or  art  glass  windows  in  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Wash- 
ington township.  She  has  been  one  of  the  most  active  ladies  in  the 
county  in  all  work  pertaining  to  the  advancement  of  her  home  com- 
munity. She  has  been  an  able  factor  in  the  establishment  of  her  beau- 
tiful home  known  as  "Shady  Nook."  She  is  a  member  of  the  Home 
Makers'  Club  of  Cass  county,  which  was  organized  February,  1913. 

WiLLARD  E.  Shanteau,  proprietor  of  the  Twin  Beeches  Farm,  a 
tract  in  AVashington  township  that  has  been  developed  from  its  virgin 
state  to  its  present  excellence  by  its  owner,  was  born  ]\Iarch  28,  1870, 
in  a  house  at  the  corner  of  Twelfth  and  Broadway,  Logansport, 
Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  Sylvester  and  Lydia  (Rogers)   Shanteau. 

Sylvester  Shanteau  was  born  near  the  city  of  Toledo,  in  Lucas 
county,  Ohio,  where  as  a  lad  he  drove  horses  on  the  canal.  Subse- 
quently, he  worked  his  way  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  where  he  learned 
the  trade  of  blacksmith,  an  occupation  which  he  followed  during  the 
remainder  of  his  life  in  Cass  county  in  connection  with  farming.  He 
became  one  of  his  community's  best  known  citizens,  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death  was  in  comfortable  circumstances,  and  had  a  wide  circle  of 


852  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

warm  friends.  ^Ir.  Shanteau  married  ]\Iiss  Lydia  Rogers,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  seven  children,  namely :  Willard  E. ;  ]\Iarcus : 
Frank,  who  resides  in  Logansport ;  Charles,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio ;  and 
three  who  died  young. 

Willard  E.  Shanteau  was  still  a  lad  when  brought  to  Washington 
township  by  his  father,  and  here  he  secured  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  during  such  time  as  he  could  be  spared  from  the  work  of  the 
farm.  He  was  an  ambitious,  industrious  lad,  making  the  most  of  his 
opportunities  and  thoroughly  training  himself  in  every  detail  of  farm 
work,  and  by  the  time  he  was  twenty  years  of  age  was  able  to  make 
his  first  payment  on  his  present  farm,  a  tract  of  forty  acres  of  land. 
This  property  was  in  rather  poor  condition,  but  ]\Ir.  Shanteau 's  intelli- 
gent treatment  of  the  soil,  his  untiring  perseverance  and  his  patient  in- 
dustry ha^'e  worked  wonders,  and  the  land  is  now  considered  one  of 
the  valuable  tracts  of  the  township.  General  farming  and  stock  rais- 
ing have  received  his  attention,  and  his  ventures  have  proved  success- 
fill  liecause  of  his  close  application  to  his  work.  He  has  not  entered 
public  life,  and  cares  but  little  for  politics  except  as  a  voter,  but  has 
interested  himself  to  some  extent  in  fraternal  work,  and  is  a  popular 
member  of  the  local  lodge  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  at 
Walton. 

M.  Shanteau  was  married  November  25,  1890,  to  Miss  Fannie  L. 
Jenness,  daughter  of  Perry  and  ^Margaret  (Walters)  Jenness,  residents 
of  Logansport,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  three  children, 
two  sons  and  one  daughter:  Owen,  now  eighteen  years  of  age  and 
who  resides  with  his  parents,  assists  in  the  cultivation  of  the  home 
farm,  and  spends  the  winter  terms  in  teaching  school  in  Washington 
township.  The  members  of  the  family  are  affiliated  with  the  Christian 
church,  in  which  all  have  many  warm  friends. 

John  J.  Hummel.  Some  of  Cass  county's  best  agriculturists  are 
men  who  originally  engaged  in  other  pursuits,  but  who,  coming  of 
families  whose  members  had  for  generations  been  tillers  of  the  soil, 
eventually  found  the  call  of  the  land  too  strong,  and  returned  to  the 
occupation  of  their  forefathers,  finding  therein  the  medium  in  which 
they  have  worked  their  way  to  success  and  independence.  In  this 
category  is  found  John  J.  Hummel,  who  is  carrying  on  operations  on 
a  well-cultivated  tract  of  188  acres,  situated  on  the  Hummel  road, 
about  six  and  one-half  miles  from  Logansport.  ]\Ir.  Hummel  is  one  of 
his  section's  good,  practical  farmers,  and  his  large  crops  testify  to  his 
ability  to  cultivate  his  property  under  the  most  modern  methods.  He 
was  born  on  the  old  Hummel  place,  in  Washington  township,  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  September  3,  1871,  and  is  a  son  of  George  A.  and 
Elizabeth  (Deitz)  Hummel.  His  father,  a  native  of  Hummelstown, 
Dauphin  county,  Pennsylvania,  came  to  ]Madison  county,  Indiana,  in 
1862,  as  a  young  man,  but  after  a  short  stay  there  made  removal  to 
Cass  county,  and  here  he  was  engaged  in  farming  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  in  August,  1908.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  five 
children,  namely :  Anna,  who  is  deceased :  John  J.,  of  this  review ; 
William  G.,  living  on  the  old  home  place;  ]\Irs.  Minnie  E.  Cripe;  and 
Mayme  M.,  who  also  lives  on  the  Hummel  homestead. 


'^"a^. 

r" 

- 

■  1^-^ 

^ 

Z^ 

•'    —- 

-V-j" 

-^/^ 

.>^,/^ 

'XT''  7  J 

"'•'-^    /vl 

r; 

HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  853 

John  J.  Hummel  secured  his  education  in  the  district  schools  in 
the  vicinity  of  his  father's  farm,  in  the  meantime  l)eing  trained  to  the 
occupation  of  agriculturist.  He  also  devoted  himself  to  learning  the 
carpenter's  trade,  became  a  skilled  mechanic,  and  for  some  years  was 
SQ  engaged,  erecting  many  houses,  barns  and  other  structures  in  this 
section.  In  1892,  ^Ir.  Hummel  returned  to  farming,  purchasing  his 
present  property,  then  a  poorly  cultivated  tract  which  boasted  of  but 
minor  improvements  and  was  considered  of  only  nominal  value. 
Twenty  years  of  intelligent  treatment  has  worked  wonders  with  this 
soil,  and  JMr.  Hummel  may  now  lay  claim  to  being  the  owner  of  one  of 
the  handsome  properties  of  his  county.  He  is  always  quick  to  take 
advantage  of  new  innovations,  realizing  that  modern  methods  bring 
better  results  than  the  hit-or-miss  operations  of  former  years,  and  the 
appearance  of  his  fai-m  testifies  mutely,  but  elociuently,  to  the  pres- 
ence of  good  management.  His  stock  are  sleek  and  well  fed,  and  Mr. 
Hummel  bears  the  re])utation  among  his  neighbors  as  being  an  excellent 
judge  of  cattle. 

In  ]\Iarch,  1897,  ]\Ir.  Hummel  was  united  in  marriage  with  ]\Iiss 
Nora  B.  Shanks,  daughter  of  Henry  and  ]Mary  (Blue)  Shanks,  and  to 
this  union  there  have  been  born  two  children:  Forest  J.,  who  is  now 
in  his  third  year  of  high  school,  a  member  of  class  1914 ;  and  Ide  Lorea. 
who  is  attending  the  Young  America  school  in  the  seventh  grade. 
Mr.  Hummel  has  interested  himself  to  some  extent  in  fraternal  work, 
and  is  a  popular  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  No.  477,  and 
Moose  loclge.  His  religious  belief  is  that  of  the  Lutheran  church  and 
Mrs.  Hummel's  of  the  Baptist. 

Reuben  George  Ball.  Among  the  pioneer  families  of  Cass  county 
whose  long  connection  with  the  agricultural  interests  have  made  their 
names  well  known  in  this  section  of  the  state,  none  have  attained  greater 
prestige,  perhaps,  than  that  of  Ball.  Coming  to  the  then  wilderness 
of  Indiana  at  an  early  day,  representatives  of  this  name  bore  their  full 
share  in  the  early  development  of  the  locality,  and  their  descendants 
have  ably  carriecl  on  the  work  which  they  started.  Located  in  Clay 
township,  on  Rural  Free  Delivery  Route  No.  5,  is  the  handsome  property 
belonging  to  William  B.  Ball,  a  tract  that  is  now  being  intelligently 
operated  by  i\Ir.  Ball's  son.  Reuben  G.  Ball,  a  yoimg  man  of  industry 
and  enterprise  who  has  inherited  the  sterling  traits  of  character  which 
have  gained  the  bearers  of  the  name  the  esteem  and  respect  of  their  fel- 
low-citizens in  years  past.  Reuben  G.  Ball  was  born  August  28.  1886, 
on  the  old  Ball  homestead,  which  he  now  operates,  and  is  a  son  of  Wil- 
liam B.  and  Jennie  (Coons)  Ball.  The  family  was  founded  in  Cass 
county  by  his  grandfather,  David  Ball,  who  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania,  October  2,  1811,  and  came  to  Indiana  in  young  manhood. 
Here  William  B.  Ball  was  born  in  a  little  log  house,  the  original  pioneer 
home  of  the  family,  and  grew^  to  manhood  in  the  woods,  being  trained  to 
agricultural  pursuits.  He  still  survives  and  is  one  of  his  township's 
leading  citizens.  William  B.  Ball  was  married  (tirst)  to  Jennie  Coons, 
the  daughter  of  George  Coons,  also  an  early  settler,  and  she  died  on 
November  11,  1892.  In  1905,  IMr.  Ball  married  (second)  Mrs.  Etta 
(Graiiel)  Metzger,  the  widow  of  Dave  IMetzger. 


854  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Reuben  G.  Ball  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Clay 
township,  and  was  reared  to  the  woi'k  of  the  farm.  As  a  young  man 
he  also  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter,  which  he  followed  for  five  years, 
and  spent  another  year  in  the  west,  working  in  INIontana.  On  his  re- 
turn, he  resumed  farming,  and  on  the  day  following  his  marriage  located 
on  the  present  property,  which  he  has  since  been  conducting  for  his 
father.  This  tract  consists  of  100  acres,  and  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tioji,  the  land  being  fertile,  with  an  abundant  water  supply,  and  sup- 
plied with  all  modern  appliances  and  improvements.  A  fine  set  of 
buildings  enhance  the  value  of  this  farm,  the  residence,  built  in  1898, 
and  the  barn,  erected  in  1900.  having  been  put  up  by  ^Ir.  Ball  and  his 
father.  j\Ir.  Ball  is  a  man  of  progressive  ideas,  and  has  demonstrated 
that  he  is  fully  capable  of  obtaining  a  full  measure  of  success  from  his 
operations. 

On  ilarch  6,  1912.  Mr.  Ball  was  married  to  INIiss  Agnes  B.  Wilson, 
who  was  born  in  Benton  county,  Indiana,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Jane 
(Henderson)  Wilson,  natives  of  Scotland.  Mr.  and  JMrs.  Ball  are  the 
parents  of  one  little  daughter,  Catharine  Irene,  born  January  16,  1913. 
Mr.  and  I\Irs.  Ball  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  have  been 
active  in  its  work.  In  his  political  views  Mr.  Ball  is  a  Republican,  but 
so  far  he-  has  found  no  time  to  devote  other  than  a  good  citizen 's  interest 
in  matters  of  a  public  nature.  However,  his  support  and  cooperation 
are  given  to  movements  calculated  to  be  of  a  beneficial  nature  to  his 
community  or  its  people.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Eel  River  Lodge,  I.  0. 
O.  F.,  corner  of  Fifth  and  North  streets,  Logansport.  A  young  man  of 
pleasing  personality,  he  has  a  wide  acquaintance  in  Clay  township,  and 
is  bighly  regarded  by  a  wide  circle  of  personal  friends.  The  homestead 
of  Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Reuben  Ball  is  known  in  Clay  township  as  "The 
Pleasant  View  Stock  Farm." 

Hakry  N.  Little.  Some  of  the  most  enterprising  agriculturists  of 
Cass  county  belong  to  the  younger  generation  who  bring  to  their  work 
the  enthusiasm  and  ambition  of  youth,  while  they  profit  by  the  expe- 
riences of  those  who  have  preceded  them.  A  large  proportion  of  the 
farmers  of  this  class  come  of  old  agricultural  families,  whose  members 
have  for  generations  been  tillers  of  the  soil,  and  thus  they  contribute 
to  their  labors  a  natural  inclination  that  is  helpful  in  solving  the  many 
problems  that  arise  to  try  the  abilities  of  the  agriculturist.  Harry  Lit- 
tle, an  energetic  and  successful  young  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  may  be 
said  to  belong  to  this  class.  For  about  five  years  he  has  been  operating 
his  father's  property,  a  tract  of  172  acres  of  well-cultivated  land,  lo- 
cated about  two  miles  northwest  of  Onward,  and  the  satisfactory  results 
he  is  securing  from  his  labor  stamps  him  as  one  of  his  section's  able 
young  farmers.  ]\Ir.  Little  was  born  on  the  old  Little  homestead,  in 
Miami  county,  Indiana,  March  17,  1886,  and  is  a  son  of  Lewis  and, Alice 
(Sullivan)  Little.  His  father,  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  Miami 
county,  has  been  engaged  in  tilling  the  soil, all  his  life,  and  is  still  en- 
gaged in  extensive  farming  and  stock  raising  operations  there.  He  and 
his  wife  have  had  five  children,  namely:  Susan,  who  became  the  wife  of 
John  Williams ;  ]\Iinnie,  who  married  Arthur  ]\Iays ;  Laura,  who  is  the 
wife  of  Homer  Reed;  Charles  and  Harry. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  855 

Harry  Little  was  reared  on  his  father's  homestead  place  in  Miami 
county,  and  there  commenced  his  schooling  which  was  finished  after  he 
came  to  Cass  county.  He  was  thoroughly  trained  in  the  multitude  of 
duties  with  which  the  modern  agriculturist  must  be  familiar  to  obtain  a 
full  measure  of  success,  and  continued  to  work  in  association  with  his 
father  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-two  years.  At  that  time,  having 
demonstrated  his  ability,  he  was  placed  by  bis  father  in  the  management 
of  the  farm  on  which  he  is  now  carrying  on  operations,  and  which,  in 
the  short  space  of  five  years,  he  has  made  one  of  the  finest  in  his  part  of 
Tipton  township.  The  greater  part  of  his  attention  has  been  given  to 
general  farming,  although  stock  raising  has  also  come  in  for  a  share  of 
his  activities,  and  in  all  departments  of  farm  work  he  has  shown  him- 
self possessed  of  ability,  good  judgment  and  farsightedness.  Numerous 
improvements  on  this  land  have  been  made  under  his  supervision,  and 
substantial  buildings  have  been  erected,  the  latest  being  a  modern  home, 
equipped  with  all  comforts  and  conveniences,  substantial  in  character, 
and  of  architectural  beauty. 

On  August  26,  1908,  INIr.  Little  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Olive  E.  Mays,  the  daughter  of  Edward  and  Florence  (Mackey)  Mays, 
of  Cass  county,  and  to  this  union  there  has  been  born  two  sons,  Gordon 
M.  and  Nelson  L.  With  his  wife,  Mr.  Little  attends  the  Christian 
church,  in  the  work  of  which  they  have  been  active,  and  in  which  they 
have  numerous  friends.  He  has  not  taken  other  than  a  good  citizen's 
interest  in  matters  of  a  political  nature. 

Charles  B.  Wilson.  Belonging  to  a  family  which  has  resided  in 
Cass  county  for  more  than  eighty  years  and  has  taken  an  impoi'tant 
part  in  the  advancement  and  development  of  the  agricultural  interests 
of  the  county,  Charles  B.  Wilson,  of  Tipton  township,  holds  prestige 
as  a  worthy  representative  of  his  section's  best  farming  citizenship.  He 
is  now  the  owner  of  176  acres  of  excellent  land,  in  addition  to  cultivat- 
ing which  he  is  serving  capably  as  a  member  of  the  township  board  of 
trustees.  Mr.  Wilson  was  born  in  a  log  cabin  located  just  across  the 
road  from  his  present  farm,  on  the  IMarion  road,  about  seven  miles  from 
Logansport,  and  is  a  son  of  Andrew  and  Eleanor  D.   (Tucker)  Wilson. 

Andrew  Wilson  was  born  in  Virginia,  April  7.  1812,  and  when  six 
months  old  was  taken  by  his  parents  to  Greenbrier  county,  in  that  state, 
where  he  was  reared  to  manhood.  About  the  year  1829  he  left  the  Old 
Dominion,  journeyed  overland  by  team,  and  settled  near  New  AVaverly, 
and  in  1839  came  to  Tipton  township  and  took  up  a  government  claim. 
Here  he  purchased  two  hundred  and  ten  acres  of  land  at  a  dollar  and  a 
quarter  per  acre,  built  a  little  log  cabin,  and  at  once  began  the  difficult 
task  of  developing  a  farm  from  the  heavily  timbered  land.  As  the  years 
passed  he  continued  to  add  to  the  improvements  of  his  property,  and 
when  he  died,  December  22,  1892,  he  was  one  of  the  substantial  men 
of  his  community.  He  was  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren  church, 
and  in  his  political  affiliations  was  a  Republican.  On  November  10, 
1842,  he  was  married  to  ]\liss  Eleanor  D.  Tucker,  who  was  born  in  Clark 
county,  Ohio,  daughter  of  James  and  Charlotte  (Dunn)  Tucker.  To 
this  union  there  were  born  the  following  children :  William  H.,  bom 
December  4,  1843,  and  now  deceased;  Harry  G.,  born  in  1845,  a  resident 


856  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

of  Chicago ;  Mareellus  T.,  born  in  1847,  a  resident  of  Tipton  township ; 
Alice,  born  December  26,  1848,  who  married  A.  J.  Sharts;  Carrie,  bom 
May  4,  1851,  a  resident  of  Los  Angeles,  California;  Linnie  J.,  born  Au- 
gust 8,  1853,  who  married  Andrew  Shirley ;  JMary  Louise,  born  June  22, 
1855,  deceased;  James  A.,  born  October  5,  1857,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Jennie,  born  February  24,  1859,  who  married  J.  M.  Stucky,  and  is  now 
deceased;  Charles  B. ;  Martha  E.,  born  November  1,  1863,  who  married 
Thos.  East ;  and  Laura,  born  October  12,  1868,  who  married  Grant  Hug- 
hell,  resident  of  Madison  county. 

Charles  B.  Wilson  divided  his  boyhood  days  between  work  on  the 
home  farm  and  attendance  at  the  old  AVilson  school,  and  he  subsequently 
was  a  student  in  Logansport  for  one  year.  On  reaching  his  majority  he 
engaged  in  farming  on  his  own  account,  and  as  the  years  passed  gradu- 
ally bought  more  and  more  of  the  old  homestead,  finally  purchasing  the 
interests  of  the  other  heirs  to  his  father's  estate.  He  now  has  a  well- 
cultivated  property  of  176  acres,  and  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  his' 
township's  most  substantial  citizens.  He  uses  the  most  approved  mod- 
ern methods  in  his  work,  takes  a  pride  in  being  able  to  advance  his  in- 
terests by  the  use  of  the  latest  invented  machinery,  and  a  consequence 
has  attained  a  full  measure  of  success.  He  is  known  as  a  man  of  public 
spii'it,  who  has  the  welfare  of  his  community  at  heart,  and  his  neighbors 
and  associates  cheerfully  testify  to  his  integrity  in  matters  of  a  business 
nature. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  married  to  IMiss  Amanda  Catherine  Gottschall  Janu- 
ary 1.  1884.  Mrs.  Wilson  was  liorn  in  Cass  county,  Indiana,  August  25, 
1863,  the  fifth  in  a  family  of  six  children,  two  sons  and  four  daughters, 
born  to  Henry  and  ]\Iaria  Jane  (Roderick)  Gottschall.  Both  of  her  par- 
ents are  deceased.  ]\Irs.  Wilson  was  reared  and  educated  in  her  native 
county  and  is  a  lady  of  pleasing  address,  sociable,  and  has  a  kind  word 
for  all.  The  eldest  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson's  children  is  Chester  H.,  who 
received  his  diploma  from  the  public  schools,  class  of  1912,  and  put  in 
one  year  at  high  school  work  at  Onward,  Ind.  Byron  A.  received  his 
diploma  from  the  public  schools  at  the  age  of  thirteen  and  spent  one 
year  in  high  school.  Clara  Louise  is  in  the  seventh  grade  and  has  also 
taken  music.  IMr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson  are  giving  their  children  good  prac- 
tical educations.  ]\Ir.  AVilson  is  a  trustee  of  Tipton  township  and  was 
elected  to  that  office  in  1908  for  four  years,  but  his  term  is  extended  and 
will  end  in  1914.  ]\lr.  and  ]\Irs.  Wilson  are  consistent  members  of  the 
ITnited  Brethren  church,  and  he  is  affiliated  fraternally  with  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  Anoka,  Indiana.  Their  homestead 
is  known  as  Maple  Grove  Stock  Farm. 

Adelbert  C.  Powyer.  One  of  the  best  known  families  of  Cass  county 
and  of  the  most  hiahlv  esteemed  ones,  is  represented  worthilv  by  Adel- 
bert C.  Bowyer,  a  well  k"0wn  farmer  in  the  vicinity  of  New  AA'averly.  in 
this  county.  A  sketch  of  the  family  is  presented  elsewhere  in  this  work 
in  the  bioeraphy  of  John  Bowyer.  the  paternal  grandfather  of  the  sub- 
ject, and  for  details  of  the  father  of  Adelbert  Bowyer,  the  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  the  life  of  John  M.  Bowyer  mentioned  above.  It  suffices  to  say 
at  this  iunctiire  that  Adelbert  C.  Bowyer  is  the  son  of  Allen  W.  and 
Elizabeth   (William)   Bowyer,  and  the  grandson  of  Lewis  ]\I.  Bowyer, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  857 

pioneers  of  this  section  of  the  state  and  esteemed  throughout  their  long 
and  useful  lives  as  only  honest  and  worthy  men  are  honored. 

Adelbert  C.  Bowyer  was  born  in  ]\liami  township  in  this  county,  on 
February  7,  1866.  As  a  boy  he  attended  the  school  at  Walton  and  the 
Cross  Roads,  after  which  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  farm  and  its 
care,  early  learning  much  of  the  practical  side  of  farming  as  a  result  of 
his  association  with  his  father  in  the  home  work.  At  the  age  of  twenty 
tlie  young  man  had  rented  a  tract  of  farm  land  from  his  paternal  grand- 
father, who  assisted  him  greatly  liy  the  advice  and  instructions  he  was 
so  well  qualified  to  offer.  The  lessons  he  had  early  learned  in  industry 
and  general  good  management  soon  enal)led  him  to  purchase  land  in  the 
vicinity  of  AValton,  where  he  lived  for  some  years,  eventually  buying  his 
present  farm  near  Lewisburg.  The  place  is  a  well  managed  one  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  acres  lying  on  Pipe  creek,  and  is  well  known  for  one 
of  the  most  thrifty  and  productive  places  in  the  community.  Prosperity 
and  contentment  are  attributes  of  the  Bowyer  home  that  are  readily 
discernible  to  the  most  casual  observer  and  the  family  is  one  that  enjoys 
the  friendship  and  high  regard  of  all  who  share  in  their  acquaintance. 

Mr.  Bowyer  in  young  manhood  married  Miss  IMary  C.  Fidler,  Feb- 
ruary 27,  1887,  and  to  them  have  been  born  two  children,  Clifford  A., 
their  first  born,  married  Luella  Flannigan,  and  AVayne  W.,  is  the 
younger  child. 

Fraternally  IMr.  Bowyer  is  affiliated  with  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men,  Kokomo,  Howard  county,  and  he  and  his  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  New  Light  Christian  church.  He  gives  all  due  attention  to 
the  duties  of  citizenship,  and  has  a  share  in  all  the  works  of  civic  im- 
provement carried  on  in  his  town  and  county.  The  homestead  of  j\Ir. 
and  ^Irs.  Bowyer  is  known  as  ' '  Pine  Lodge. ' ' 

Oscar  Wilson.  Among  the  members  of  that  class  of  self-made  men 
of  whom  Cass  county  has  reason  to  be  proud,  men  who,  unaided,  have 
fought  the  battles  of  life  without  capital  or  influential  friends,  and  have 
worked  their  way  to  the  top  through  the  sheer  force  of  their  own  abil- 
it}^  and  industry,  Oscar  AVilson,  now  a  farmer  of  Tipton  townshii?,  takes 
prominent  place.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  this  part  of  Indiana  all  of 
his  life,  and  has  accumulated  a  haiidsome  property  of  200  acres,  located 
on  the  banks  of  the  AVabash  river,  near  Lewisburg.  Mr.  Wilson  was 
born  April  7,  1856,  near  Peru,  in  Peru  township,  Miami  county,  In- 
diana, and  is  a  son  of  Absalom  and  Magdalena  (Fisher)  AVilson.  The 
parents  of  Mr.  AA^'ilson  both  came  from  Clarksburg,  West  Virginia,  not 
long  after  their  marriage,  settling  in  Miami  county,  where  they  passed 
the  remainder  of  their  lives  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  They  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children,  namely:  Oscar,  Thomas  J.,  George  F., 
Omer,  Absalom,  Olive,  IMargaret  A.,  Ella  and  Noah. 

Oscar  Wilson  received  his  educational  training  in  an  old  log  school 
house  in  the  vicinity  of  his  native  home,  which  he  attended  during  the 
short  winter  terms,  the  whole  period  of  his  lioyhood  lieing  devoted  dur- 
ing the  spring,  summer  and  fall  months  to  work  on  his  father's  farm. 
For  some  years  after  attaining  his  majority  he  rented  land  from  his 
father,  liut  subsequently  acquired  enough  means  to  purchase  a  property 


858  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

on  Big  Indian  creek,  in  Pnlaski  connty,  where  he  managed  to  bring  160 
acres  of  land  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  although  when  he  first 
located  thereon  it  had  been  in  its  virgin  condition,  without  improvement 
of  any  kind.  There  he  continued  to  reside  until  1895,  in  which  year  he 
came  to  his  present  location,  here  purchasing  100  acres,  to  which  he  has 
added  from  time  to  time,  now  having  200  acres  of  some  of  the  best  land 
to  be  found  in  this  part  of  Cass  county.  He  has  carried  on  general 
farming  and  stock  raising,  and  has  made  improvements  of  a  substantial 
and  valuable  nature,  the  general  appearance  of  his  land  testifying  to  his 
ability  as  an  agriculturist  and  business  man.  Among  his  neighbors  and 
associates,  ]\Ir.  Wilson  bears  a  high  reputation  for  integi'ity  and  probity 
.  of  character,  and  he  is  generally  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wilson  reside  in  their  modern,  eight-room  residence,  recently 
erected  by  Mr.  Wilson,  and  equipped  with  all  modern  conveniences  and 
comforts.  Here  they  entertain  their  numerous  friends  with  old- 
fashioned  hospitality. 

On  February  22,  1881,  ]\Ir.  Wilson  was  married  to  Miss  Julia  C.  Sco- 
vel,  daughter  of  Harmon  and  Cornelia  (Huested)  Scovel.  Her  father, 
a  native  of  Germany,  emigrated  to  the  United  States  when  nineteen 
years  of  age,  locating  first  in  New  York,  and  later  at  Fort  Wayne,  In- 
diana, and  finally  settled  on  a  farm  in  Allen  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wil- 
son have  had  five  children :  Elma  M.  and  Zelma  C,  twins,  the  former  of 
whom  is  deceased,  while  the  latter  resides  with  her  parents ;  Carrie,  who 
is  deceased ;  Nola  L.,  residing  at  home,  and  Harmon,  who  is  a  student  at 
Defiance,  Ohio.  Mr.  Wilson  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  No.  52,  of  Peru,  Indiana,  among  the  members  of  which 
he  numbers  many  sincere  friends.  His  religious  affiliation  is  with  the 
Christian  church,  of  which  for  years  he  has  been  a  consistent  member 
and  liberal  supporter.  He  has  been  a  lifelong  adherent  of  Democratic 
policies  and  candidates.  His  career  has  been  a  long  and  honorable  one, 
and  now  he  may  look  back  over  a  life  that  has  been  not  alone  of  benefit 
to  himself  but  to  his  fellowmen,  content  in  the  knowledge  that  no  stain 
or  blemish  mars  an  honorable  record. 

George  P.  Sharts.  Among  the  Qld  and  honored  residents  of  Cass 
county  who  are  devoting  their  activities  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil, 
George  P.  Sharts,  of  Tipton  township,  holds  prominent  place.  Mr. 
Sharts  has  been  a  resident  of  Tipton  township  since  1849,  and  has  borne 
no  small  part  in  the  development  of  this  section  from  a  practical  wilder- 
ness, into  one  of  the  most  productive  sections  of  Indiana,  and  bears  a 
high  reputation  among  the  people  of  his  vicinity,  who  know  him  as  an 
industrious  agricultiirist  and  a  citizen  who  has  always  had  the  best  in- 
terests of  his  community  at  heart.  His  present  sixty-acre  farm  is  lo- 
cated on  the  Galveston  road,  about  ten  miles  from  Logansport.  Mr. 
Sharts  was  born  November  9,  1839,  near  Germantown,  in  ]\Iontgomery 
county,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  George  and  Frances  (Bear)  Sharts.  His 
parents  were  born  in  the  vicinity  of  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  from 
whence  they  moved  to  Frederick  county,  that  state,  and  later  removed 
to  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  where  they  resided  for  some  years.  In 
1849  they  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  settling  first  on  the  farm  now 
occupied  by  N.  B.  Richinson,  and  lived  in  a  little  log  house  for  some 


HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  859 

years,  until  this  shelter  was  replaced  by  a  dwelling  of  more  modern 
character  and  architecture.  A  large  portion  of  this  land  was  covered 
with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber,  which  was  cleared  by  Mr.  Sharts  and 
his  sons,  and  there  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  his  death  occur- 
ring in  1853,  when  he  was  fifty-three  years  of  age,  and  that  of  his  wife 
in  1875,  when  she  was  seventy-two  years  old.  They  became  wealthy  and 
substantial  people  of  their  section,  although  the  elder  Sharts  did  not 
live  to  see  his  labors  bear  their  full  share  of  fruit.  George  P.  and 
Frances  (Bear)  Sharts  became  the  parents  of  the  following  children: 
Mary  M.,  Rose  Ann  and  Elizabeth,  who  are  all  deceased ;  Mrs.  Cather- 
ine Hahn ;  Mrs.  Jane  P.  Phillips ;  Abraham  and  John,  who  are  both  de- 
ceased; George  P.;  William  O.,  who  is  deceased;  Abijah  J.,  who  is  en- 
gaged in  farming  in  Tipton  township,  and  Caroline  Lucas,  who  is  de- 
ceased. 

George  P.  Sharts  was  only  sixteen  years  of  age  when  his  father  died, 
and,  being  the  eldest  of  the  sons  he  was  'Called  upon  to  bear  the  brunt  of 
the  farm  work  as  soon  as  he  was  old  enough  to  do  so.  His  educational 
advantages  were  somewhat  limited,  but  he  made  the  most  of  his  oppor- 
tunities, and  being  an  intelligent  and  observing  youth  soon  acquired  a 
good  schooling.  On  leaving  the  parental  roof,  he  started  working  out 
among  the  agriculturists  of  his  locality,  thriftily  saving-  his  earnings 
with  the  end  in  view  of  becoming  the  owner  of  land  of  his  own,  and  this 
ambition  has  been  accomplished,  for  his  present  land  is  now  one  of  the 
best  properties  of  its  size  in  this  part  of  the  township.  He  is  engaged 
in  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  and  the  success  that  has  rewarded 
his  efforts  may  be  taken  as  an  indication  of  his  ability  in  his  chosen 
line  of  endeavor.  ]\Ir.  Sharts  is  a  member  of  the  local  lodge  of  the  ]\Ia- 
sonie  fraternity  at  New  Waverly.  No.  484,  and  his  religious  connection 
is  with  the  Christian  church,  which  he  attends  consistently  and  sup- 
ports liberally. 

On  February  13,  1861,  Mr.  Sharts  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Maria  Surface,  who  was  born  July  21,  1843,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Adam 
Surface.  She  was  born  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  and  .joined  the  United 
Brethren  church  when  she  was  fifteen  years  of  age,  continuing  to  be  a 
faithful  member  thereof  until  her  death,  December  19,  1885.  Mr.  and 
INIrs.  Sharts  had  two  children :  George  A.,  born  August  20,  1876,  who 
lived  only  six  months;  and  Elnora  M.,  who  married  Fremont  Haynes, 
is  a  resident  of  Tipton  township.  The  home  of  ]\Ir.  Sharts  is  known  as 
"The  Sunset  View  Farm." 

John  A.  Rush.  To  the  uninitiated  in  farm  lore,  no  especial  credit 
attaches  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  man  who  begins  his  farming  ac- 
tivities as  a  renter,  dependent  upon  the  extent  of  his  crop  for  the  means 
to  reserve  to  himself  the  privilege  of  harvesting  another  crop  in  the  fol- 
lowing year;  but  to  one  who  has  seen  something  of  the  trials  of  the  rent- 
ing farmer,  or  better  yet,  has  experienced  in  some  measure  the  hard- 
ships that  follow  thick  and  fast  through  some  seasons,  the  success  that  a 
renter  finally  evolves  stands  out,  brave  and  staunch.  John  A.  Rush  is 
one  of  these  men  who  command  the  admiration  and  esteem  of  every 
honest  man  who  has  witnessed  something  of  his  rise  in  agriculture  in 
the  past  forty  years.  He  is  known  today  for  one  of  the  ablest  and  most 


860  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

successful  farmers  and  stock  raisers  in  the  county,  and  his  place  is  sit- 
uated in  the  fine  farming  neighborhood  south  of  the  Wabash  river,  near 
the  mouth  of  Hart  creek  in  Tipton  township.  A  native  of  the  county, 
here  reared,  he  has  been  identified  practically  all  his  life  with  the  indus- 
try  of  agi'iculture  and  its  associated  business  of  stock  raising,  and  from 
his  slender  start  as  a  renter,  he  has  accumulated  a  very  substantial  and 
productive  property,  while  in  his  capacity  as  a  citizen  and  a  member  of 
the  social  community,  is  one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed  men  in  Tipton 
township. 

Mr.  Rush  was  born  on  the  old  Lendall  Smith  farm,  near  Onward,  in 
Tipton  township,  on  IMarch  11,  1857.  His  parents  were  John  and  Eliza- 
beth (Colvin)  Rush,  and  the  father  was  a  native  of  the  state  of  Penn- 
sylvania, whence  he  came  to  Indiana  as  a  boy  with  his  parents,  and  it 
may  be  mentioned  here,  that  they  were  the  first  of  the  name  of  Rush  to 
locate  in  Cass  county,  which  has  ever  since  known  the  business  and  so- 
cial influence  of  the  family.  The  ten  children  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
Rush  were  named  as  follows,  and  nearly  all  of  them  are  living  today  in 
places  of  usefulness  in  various  parts  of  this  county :  Silas,  the  eldest,  is 
now  deceased;  Mary;  William;  John  A.,  of  this  review;  Frank;  ^lilton ; 
Ira  ;  Willard  ;  Charles  and  ]\Iay. 

As  a  boy  John  A.  Rush  attended  the  common  schools  of  Miami 
county,  and  there  he  received  a  practical  schooling  that  well  equipped 
him  for  the  career  he  has  since  followed.  While  a  school  boy  he  was 
being  trained  thorougbly  in  the  duties  of  the  farm,  building  up  a  sound 
physical  constitution  that  has  stood  him  in  excellent  stead  all  through 
his  rugged  life  in  the  farming  industry.  At  the  age  of  twenty-three 
he  began  independent  farming  as  a  renter,  and  from  his  good  manage- 
ment and  the  profits  of  his  lalior,  was  in  later  years  able  to  purchase  his 
present  estate.  In  early  life  he  wedded  Emma  J.  Grimes,  the  davighter 
of  John  and  Nancy  (Gard)  Grimes,  and  to  them  have  been  born  three 
children,  as  follows:  ^linnie  B.,  the  eldest,  is  the  wife  of  Harry  Griffith; 
they  have  thr'ee  children — Dorsey,  Esther  and  Thelma ;  Edna  May,  the 
second  child  of  the  Rush  home,  is  the  wife  of  Harry  Rhodes,  and  their 
one  child  is  named  Helen;  Walter  E.,  the  third  and  youngest  child,  is 
yet  a  school  boy,  and  gives  promise  of  a  life  of  usefulness  in  maturity. 

Mr.  Rush  and  his  family  are  active  members  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  are  prominent  in  the  social  affairs  of  the  community.  During  his 
residence  in  Tipton  township,  ]\Ir.  Rush  has  taken  an  active  and  whole- 
some interest  in  civic  affairs,  and  any  improvements  calculated  to  bet- 
ter conditions  in  his  community  never  fail  of  his  generous  support. 

John  T.  Decker.  Too  nuich  cannot  be  said  in  praise  of  the  worthy 
influence  emanating  from  the  life  of  a  man  who  devotes  his  entire  life 
to  the  development  of  a  given  section  of  the  country,  and  who  continues 
in  that  M'ork  despite  the  discouragements  and  misfortunes  that  may 
attend  his  efforts.  It  may  be  said  that  the  man  who  devotes  his  life  to 
the  wresting  of  prosperity  from  the  soil  is  lienefited  as  much  ihere])y 
as  is  his  community,  and  some  trutli  is  found  in  that  counter-claim,  l)ut 
the  fact  remains  that  it  is  thuswise  that  prosperity  comes  to  any  com- 
munity, and  so  it  must  continue  to  be  attained.  Among  the  well  estab- 
lished farming  men  of  Cass  county  who  have  given  years  of  toil  to  the 


^-^"^^  ,'^>^: 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  861 

uplniilding  of  his  particular  pai't  of  the  town  may  he  mentioned  John 
T.  Decker,  who  is  a  native  son  of  the  county,  born  within  its  confines 
on  April  10,  1862,  and  thus  has  better  than  half  a  century  of  identifica- 
tion with  the  county  to  his  credit.  His  parents,  Moses  and  Sarah 
(McHenry)  Decker,  came  from  Ohio  in  their  younger  days,  here  settling 
and  passing  their  remaining  days.  The  Decker  family  is  one  of  New 
Jersey  ancestry  and  associations,  and  is  of  German  and  Irish  blood. 
IMoses  and  Sarah  (McHenry)  Decker  were  the  son  and  daughter  or 
John  Decker  and  John  ]\IcHenry,  and  they  were  married  in  Cass  county, 
where  they  settled  down  on  a  farm  and  here  reared  their  family.  The 
father  built  with  his  own  hands  the  log  cabin  in  which  his  children 
were  born,  and  there  he  lived  in  quiet  and  contentment  until  death 
claimed  him  in  1897. 

John  T.  Decker,  the  jMiami  township  farmer  whose  name  heads  this 
review,  lived  on  the  old  home  place  until  December,  1911,  when  he 
moved  to  his  present  tine  place  of  two  hundred  acres.  He  was  married 
November  15,  1881,  to  Miss  Esther  A.  Scott.  ]\Irs.  Decker  is  a  native 
of  Fulton  county  and  was  born  December  10,  1861,  and  educated  in  the 
common  schools.  Both  her  parents  are  deceased.  She  is  a  lady  who  has 
the  universal  respect  of  all  w-ho  know  her,  as  she  is  a  woman  of  pleasing 
and  agreeable  pei^sonality,  and  has  always  aided  her  husband  in  counsel 
and  advice.  Her  pretty  and  comfortable  home  is  her  paradise.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Decker  one  son  was  born,  Claude,  who  was  taken  by  death 
when  he  was  a  promising  young  man  of  twenty-four  years.  He  was 
provided  with  many  noble  attributes  of  character  and  loved  by  all. 
Since  deprived  of  the  aid  and  companionship  of  his  one  son,  Mr.  Decker 
has  continued  to  care  for  his  farm  without  the  help  of  any,  and  he  has 
one  of  the  most  attractive  and  productive  places  in  the  township.  He 
is  regarded  as  one  of  the  prosperous  and  competent  farming  men  of  the 
vicinity,  and  his  standing  among  his  fellow-men  is  one  of  the  highest 
order,  and  of  which  he  is  in  every  way  worthy.  With  his  good  wife, 
he  attends  the  Christian  church,  and  he  is  a  Republican  in  his  political 
faith.  He  has  served  his  township  on  occasions  as  supervisor,  giving 
praiseworthy  service  on  those  occasions,  and  he  is  known  for  one  of  the 
capable  and  consistent  citizens  of  the  township. 

John  M.  Bowyer.  A  resident  of  Cass  county  for  more  than  seventy 
years,  and  of  Tipton  township  for  a  period  exceeding  forty-five  years, 
John  M.  Bowyer  is  entitled  to  mention  as  one  of  the  old  and  honored 
citizens  of  his  section,  and  as  such  is  deserving  of  mention  in  a  work  of 
this  nature.  IMr.  Bowyer  has  devoted  his  whole  life  to  the  cultivation 
of  the  soil  in  Cass  county,  and  has  witnessed  and  participated  in  the 
wonderful  changes  that  have  transformed  what  was  once  a  wilderness  of 
timber  and  brush  into  one  of  the  most  productive  agricultural  sections 
of  Indiana.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  ninety  acres  of  fine  farming  land 
on  the  Anoka  river,  about  ten  miles  southeast  of  Logansport.  Mr.  Bow- 
yer was  born  April  24,  1841,  in  Miami  township,  Cass  county,  and  is  a 
son  of  Lewis  and  Malinda  (Wilson)  Bowyer.  His  father,  a  native  of 
Germany,  came  to  the  Ignited  States  in  young  manhood,  and  first  set- 
tled in  Pennsylvania,  from  which  state  he  came  to  Indiana  at  an  early 


862  ,    HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

day,  locating  in  Cass  county,  where  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  passed 
in  farming  and  stock  raising.  He  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of 
fourteen  children,  of  whom  only  two  survive  at  this  time :  John  M.  and 
Sylvester. 

John  M.  Bowyer  began  to  receive  instruction  in  agricultural  work 
when  he  was  still  a  small  boy,  and  long  before  he  had  passed  his  early 
'teens  was  able  to  do  his  full  share  in  the  work  of  the  home  place.  In  the 
meantime  he  was  securing  his  literary  training  in  the  district  school  of 
his  neighborhood,  which  he  attended  during  the  short  winter  terms.  He 
grew  to  manhood  in  Miami  township,  and  with  his  father  laid  out  a  part 
of  Lewisburg  from  the  home  property,  there  continuing  to  reside  until 
reaching  majority.  At  that  time  he  begau  to  carry  on  operations  on 
his  own  account,  and  was  so  engaged  at  the  time  of  his  marriage,  No- 
vember 30,  1865,  to  Miss  Mary  S.  DeLawter.  She  was  a  daughter  of 
Ezra  and  Sophia  (Heck)  DeLawter,  wlio  were  born  in  Frederick  county, 
Maryland,  the  former  in  1818  and  the  latter  in  1817,  and  who  went  to 
Ohio  as  young  people  with  their  parents,  being  married  in  the  Buckeye 
state.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  DeLawter  had  four  children,  namely:  Mary  S., 
who  married  Mr.  Bowyer;  Sarah  E.,  who  married  a  Mr.  Esquire  Fenton; 
Jacob  W.,  who  makes  his  home  near  the  Bowyer  place;  and  Rebecca, 
who  married  Mr.  M.  T.  Wilson.  Dr.  DeLawter  became  an  early  settler  of 
Cass  county,  and  here  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  agricultural 
pursuits.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bowyer  have  had  eleven  children,  as  follows: 
Charles  Lewis,  who  married  Maggie  Layton,  and  has  eleven  children; 
Ella  E.,  who  is  deceased;  Horace,  who  married  Minnie  Helver,  who  died 
leaving  three  children:  Milfred,  Maria  and  Ocal;  Edward;  Effie  Mae, 
who  is  deceased ;  Alvin,  who  married  Rosa  Timmons,  and  has  six  chil- 
dren; Elmer  E.,  who  is  deceased;  Carrie,  who  married  Clyde  Smith,  and 
has  one  child:  Josephine;  Marshall,  deceased,  who  married  Mattie  Rob- 
inson and  has  one  child :  Susan ;  lona,  who  married  Seward  Sullivan  and 
has  three  children :  Helen,  Cleo  and  Carl ;  and  Owen,  who  married  Ruth 
Wilson.    Mrs.  Bowyer  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

Shortly  after  his  marriage,  in  1866,  Mr.  Bowyer  came  with  his  vdfe 
to  Tipton  township,  which  has  since  been  his  home.  His  ninety-acre 
farm  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  gives  eloquent  evidence  of  the 
presence  of  good  management  and  untiring  industry,  and  is  considered 
one  of  the  valuable  tracts  of  the  township.  j\Ir.  Bowyer  has  been  a  life- 
long Republican,  but  has  not  entered  public  life,  having  been  content  to 
devote  his  activities  to  his  farm.  He  is  one  of  his  township's  highly  es- 
teemed citizens  and  has  gathered  about  him  a  Avide  circle  of  sincere 
friends. 

Aaron  Floby.  The  farming  industry  has  received  long  and  careful 
attention  from  men  of  the  name  of  Flory  in  Cass  county,  and  horticul- 
ture has  come  in  for  its  full  share  of  the  attention  of  Aaron  Flory,  the 
immediate  subject  of  this  review,  and  his  father,  David  Flory.  The 
winter  banana-apple  was  produced  by  these  gentleman  after  years  of 
experimenting  and  discouragements  and  the  science  of  horticulture  is 
directly  indebted  to  them  for  this  addition  to  the  fruit  bearing  trees  of 
the  country. 

Aaron  Flory  was  born  on  the  5th  of  September,  1866,  on  the  old 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  863 

homestead  farm  in  Miami  township  that  his  father  has  settled  some  years 
prior  to  his  birth.  In  the  log'  cabin  bnilt  by  the  fatlier  on  the  place  all 
but  three  of  the  children  of  David  and  Sarah  (Heffley)  Flory  were  born. 
David  Flory  was  the  son  of  Henry  Flory,  a  native  of  Dart  county,  Ohio, 
and  it  was  in  about  1843  that  the  father  of  the  subject  came  from  that 
place  to  Cass  county.  He  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Richardson,  died  in  about  1844,  leaving  him  two  chil- 
dren, William  and  Henry.  He  later  married  Sarah  Heffley,  and  she  bore 
him  ten  children.  They  may  be  mentioned  as  follows:  Frank,  who 
married  Grace  Adams ;  James,  who  married  Lizzie  Adams,  a  sister  of 
Grace ;  Samuel,  who  died  in  infancy ;  ]\Iary,  who  became  the  wife  of  Dr. 
J.  C.  White ;  Isabelle,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty -one ;  Florence,  died 
Avhen  she  was  twenty-two  years  old ;  David,  who  married  Marguerite 
Kelley ;  Charles,  who  married  Ottie  McCauley ;  Edward,  who  married 
Mabel  Swigart ;  and  Aaron,  the  subject  of  this  brief  record. 

David  Flory  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  and  he  devoted  his  winters  to 
that  work,  while  he  gave  himself  to  his  farming  and  horticultural 
research  work  in  the  summer  seasons.  He  was  a  devoted  student  of 
horticulture,  and  with  his  son  succeeded  in  producing  the  famous  win- 
ter banana-apple,  as  mentioned  in  a  previous  paragraph.  During  his 
later  years  he  discontinued  his  work  as  a  cooper,  and  confined  his  at- 
tention to  the  farm  thereafter. 

Aaron  Flory  has  by  skilfull  work  and  careful  attention  to  business 
come  to  be  the  owner  of  a  nice  place  in  Miami  township  of  eighty  acres 
and  ninety  acres  in  Clay  township,  both  places  being  in  a  fine  state  of 
improvement,  and  in  appearance  indicating  something  of  the  care  and 
labor  that  their  owner  has  expended  upon  them.  Mr.  Flory  is  recog- 
nized among  the  substantial  farming  men  of  the  community,  where  he 
enjoys  the  friendship  and  esteem  of  the  best  people.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Christian  church,  with  his  family,  and  is  a  Democrat.  His  fraternal 
relations  are  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

On  August  19,  1892,  Mr.  Flory  was  married  and  he  and  his  wife 
became  the  parents  of  three  children:  Evan  L.,  bom  May  28,  1892; 
Wilmer  B.,  bom  December  23,  1895 ;  and  Marselles  N.,  born  May  18, 
1902. 

Schuyler  Flory.  Another  of  the  younger  generation  of  Cass 
county  farming  men  who  have  ably  demonstrated  their  fitness  to  carry 
on  the  worthy  work  inaugurated  by  their  fathers  in  the  taming  of  the 
wilderness  sections  and  the  settling  of  the  waste  places  is  Schuyler  Flory, 
who  has  passed  all  the  years  of  his  life  on  the  farm  he  now  occupies. 
He  was  born  there  on  April  20,  1886,  and  his  parents,  who  reside  in 
Logansport,  Indiana,  and  operate  the  farm  in  partnership  with  their 
son,  Schuyler  Flory  of  this  review,  are  David  M.  and  Marguerite  (Kelly) 
Flory.  The  father  is  a  son  of  another  David  M.  Flory,  and  the  mother 
is  a  daughter  of  Nelson  Kelly. 

Schuyler  Flory  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  com- 
munity, and  received  an  excellent  training  in  farm  lore  at  the  hands 
of  his  father,  who  has  long  been  known  for  one  of  the  most  practical 
and  successful  farmers  and  horticulturists  in  the  township  of  Miami.  The 
farm,  w^hich  comprises  seventy-four  acres,  is  operated  on  shares  by  father 


864  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

and  son,  and  the  arrangement  has  continued  to  prove  itself  a  most  satis- 
factory one.  The  principal  business  of  the  place  is  the  cultivation  of 
small  fruits,  in  which  they  have  experienced  a  pleasing  success  and  gained 
considerable  prominence  as  producers  of  that  variety  of  fruit. 

The  Flory  farm,  as  it  stands  today,  represents  many  hours  and 
weeks  of  unremitting  toil  on  the  part  of  the  father  and  sou  and  to  the 
former  must  be  given  the  credit  for  having  erected  every  building  that 
stands  on  the  farm  today.  The  place  is  well  kept,  wisely  cultivated  and 
is  a  source  of  pleasure  and  profit  to  its  owners,  to  whom  it  is  endeared 
through  long  years  of  constant  association.  The  family  are  members  of 
the  United  Brethren  church,  and  ]Mr.  Flory  and  his  son  are  adherents 
to  the  faith  of  the  Democratic  party,  though  not  active  beyond  the  de- 
mands of  good  citizenship. 

John  S.  Crockett.  It  is  difficult  for  those  of  the  present  generation 
to  realize  the  numerous  difficulties  and  hardships  with  which  the  pioneers 
of  Cass  county  were  forced  to  contend.  First  were  those  of  getting  here 
from  homes  far  distant.  ]Many  of  these  earl.y  residents  endured  weeks 
of  wearisome  travel,  literally  passing  through  fire  and  flood  to  reach  their 
destination.  Then,  after  a  habitation  was  secured,  it  often  was  a  very 
meager  protection  against  the  elements  and  wild  beasts.  Subsequently 
came  the  clearing  and  subduing  of  the  virgin  soil,  and  the  cost  of  the  first 
plowing  was  often  three  times  the  cost  of  the  land  if  purchased  from  the 
government.  Other  difficulties  were  appearing,  but  through  them  all 
these  stvirdy,  courageous,  self-reliant  men  battled  bravely  and  steadfastly, 
valiant  soldiers  in  the  strife  of  peace.  Without  them,  this  section  would 
still  be  the  haunt  of  the  wild  beast;  the  prosperous,  luxuriant  farming 
land  would  not  know  the  plow.  Among  the  citizens  who  have  assisted 
materially  in  the  growth  and  development  of  Cass  county,  none  stands  in 
higher  regard  than  John  S.  Crockett,  of  "Washington  township.  This 
veneral)le  citizen  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  tract  of  land  one  mile  east  of  the 
Kokomo  road,  about  seven  miles  south  of  Logansport,  of  which  he  has 
himself  cleared  every  acre  of  the  eighty.  Mr.  Crockett  was  born  April 
19,  1837,  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  six  miles  from  his  present  home, 
and  is  a  son  of  William  and  ^Mary  Ann  (Stanley)  Crockett,  natives  of 
Ohio  and  Kentucky  respectively.  William  Crockett  moved  to  Carroll 
count.y  in  young  manhood,  and  he  and  his  wife  were  the  first  couple  to 
be  married  in  Washington  township,  that  county,  the  ceremony  being 
performed  in  1835.  John  S.  was  the  oldest  of  their  ten  children,  also 
the  oldest  living  descendant  of  either  the  Crockett  or  Stanley  families. 

John  S.  Crockett  is  a  self-made  man  in  all  that  the  term  implies. 
His  education  was  secured  in  the  little  time  that  could  be  spared  from  his 
duties  on  the  home  farm,  for  like  other  farmers'  sons  of  his  day  and 
locality,  and  especially  the  older  sons,  he  was  expected  to  be  his  father's 
assistant,  and  to  share  with  him  the  hard  work  pertaining  to  the  subduing 
of  a  practical  wilderness,  ilr.  Crockett  came  to  his  present  farm  in 
18-48,  embarking  upon  his  career  with  but  little  capital,  his  early  home 
being  a  little  log  cabin.  By  degrees  he  managed  to  clear  and  cultivate  his 
land,  gradually  adding  improvements  as  his  means  would  permit.  He 
has  continued  to  reside  on  this  property,  and  although  he  has  reached 
an  age  when  most  men  are  content  to  transfer  their  duties  to  younger 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  865 

shoulders  he  is  still  actively  engaged  in  the  management  of  his  affairs, 
unimpaired  in  faculties  or  energies.  Mr.  Crockett  is  not  a  politician, 
Init  the  confidence  in  which  he  is  held  by  his  fellow-citizens  has  resulted 
in  his  election  to  a  number  of  township  offices,  in  which  he  has  shown 
himself  capable  and  conscientious.  He  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  pillars 
of  the  Universalist  church. 

Mr.  Crockett  was  married  in  1859  to  Miss  Mary  J.  Circle,  of  Ohio, 
who  is  now  deceased,  and  they  had  a  family  of  eight  children,  namely: 
Frank  H.,  Clara  C,  Leroy  i\I.,  Ella  J.,  Mattie,  Rebecca,  Charles  and 
Mary  Elizabeth,  the  last-named  deceased.  The  family  further  consists 
of  twenty-six  grandchildren  and  five  great-grandchildren. 

Thomas  L.  East.  About  seven  miles  from  Logansport,  on  the  Anoka 
road,  is  situated  the  farm  of  Thomas  L.  Bast,  a  tract  of  seventy-seven 
and  one-half  acres  of  well-cultivated  land  that  represents  the  result  of 
a  life  of  industry  and  well-applied  energy.  IMr.  East  embarked  upon  his 
career  with  but  a  meager  capital  of  cash,  nor  was  he  possessed  of  influen- 
tial friends  who  could  start  him  on  the  road  to  independence  and  posi- 
tion, but  his  possessions  as  expressed  in  ambition,  determination  and 
perseverance  were  large,  and  today  he  finds  himself  one  of  the  success- 
ful farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  his  township,  with  a  full  appreciation  of 
his  success  because  it  has  been  self  gained.  He  is  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
born  September  15,  1857,  in  Garrard  county,  a  son  of  James  and  Eliza- 
beth (Land)  East.  His  father  was  born  in  the  same  county,  where  the 
grandfather,  also  named  James  East,  founded  the  family  at  an  early 
day.  The  father  grew  to  manhood  in  the  Blue  Grass  state,  and  there 
engaged  in  agricultural  piirsuits,  in  which  he  continued  to  be  engaged 
throughout  his  life,  meeting  with  a  fair  measure  of  success.  He  and  his 
wife  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  of  whom  five  grew  to  maturity : 
Thomas  L.,  Calvin,  Owen,  Daniel  and  Sallie,  all  born  and  reared  in 
Garrard  county. 

On  completing  his  education  in  the  district  schools,  which  he  at- 
tended during  the  winter  terms  while  working  on  the  home  farm  in  the 
summer  months,  Thomas  L.  East  came  to  Indiana  to  live  with  an  uncle, 
Owen  Land,  who  was  the  owner  of  an  extensive  farm  in  Brown  county. 
There  he  grew  to  manhood,  and  on  leaving  his  uncle's  home  came  to 
Cass  county  and  began  working  as  a  farm  hand.  He  was  industrious  and 
ambitious,  and  carefully  saved  his  earnings,  having  determined  to  become 
the  owner  of  a  farm  of  his  own,  and  eventvially  he  was  able  to  make  his 
first  payment  on  his  present  farm  in  Tipton  township,  this  section  having 
been  his  home  ever  since.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  seventy-seven  and 
one-half  acres,  all  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  on  which  many  fine 
improvements  are  to  be  found.  The  buildings  are  of  substantial  char- 
acter, including  a  modern  residence,  good  barns  and  appropriate  out- 
buildings, and  the  entire  appearance  of  the  property  bespeaks  the  thrift 
and  good  management  of  its  owner.  Essentially  an  agriculturist.  Mr. 
East  has  not  entered  the  political  arena,  nor  has  he  identified  himself 
with  organizations  of  a  social  or  fraternal  nature,  but  has  applied  himself 
assiduously  to  the  work  which  he  chose  in  his  youth  as  the  medium 
through  which  to  attain  success.     LTe  has  succeeded  in  a  monetary  way, 


866  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

and  has  also  gained  the  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens  and  the  warm  re- 
gard of  a  wide  circle  of  friends. 

On  April  6,  1880,  ]\Ir.  East  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  Wilson,  who 
was  born  in  Cass  county,  a  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Eleanor  D.  (Tucker) 
Wilson.  Her  father,  a  native  of  Virginia,  came  to  Tipton  township  in 
1839  and  took  up  government  land,  on  which  he  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life,  passing  away  December  22,  1892,  one  of  the  substantial  men 
of  his  community.  His  wife  was  a  native  of  Clark  county,  Ohio,  and 
they  had  children  as  follows:  William  H.,  Harry  G.,  Marcellus  T., 
Alice,  Carrie,  Linnie  J.,  Maiy  L.,  James  A.,  Jennie,  Charles  B.,  Martha 
and  Laura.  IMr.  and  Mrs.  East  have  had  two  children:  Calvin  and 
Edith,  both  residing  at  home  with  their  parents.  Edith  graduated  in  the 
public  schools  and  then  from  the  commercial  course  in  Marion,  Indiana. 
She  is  a  member  of  the  North  Baptist  church.  Calvin  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  and  at  home.  The  homestead  of  Mr.  and  ]\Irs. 
East  is  called  "Cedar  Lawn." 

Clarence  A.  Archey.  At  an  early  period  of  our  American  history, 
representatives  of  the  Archey  family  located  in  the  Old  Dominion. 
Energy,  honesty  and  industry  have  been  some  of  the  marked  character- 
istics of  the  family,  and  the  elemental  strength  of  character  in  Clarence 
Archey,  of  Tipton  township,  shows  that  these  qualities  are  predominant 
in  his  nature.  Mr.  Archey  is  one  of  Cass  county 's  examples  of  self-made 
manhood,  for  he  has  been  self-supporting  since  his  twelfth  year,  and  at 
this  time  is  known  as  one  of  his  township's  enterprising  and  progres- 
sive young  farmers,  and  one  who  is  rapidly  forging  his  way  to  the  front. 
Mr.  Archey  was  born  in  Shelby  county,  Indiana,  August  12,  1874,  and 
is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Belle  (Lacy)  Archey.  His  grandparents,  Peter 
and  Abbey  Archey,  were  F.  F.  V.'s  in  the  Old  Dominion,  from  which 
state  they  migrated  to  Shelby  county  at  an  early  day,  and  there  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  lives  in  the  peaceful  occupation  of  farming. 
Thomas  Archey  was  born  in  Breckenridge  county,  Virginia,  and  was  a 
small  lad  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  in  their  migration  to  the 
Hoosier  state.  He  was  reared  in  Shelby  county,  became  a  farmer  on 
reaching  his  majority,  and  passed  the  entire  period  of  his  active  career 
in  tilling  the  soil.  For  some  years  he  has  been  living  a  retired  life,  and 
now  makes  his  home  in  Lafayette,  Indiana,  his  wife  having  passed  away 
many  years  ago. 

Clarence  Archey  was  the  only  child  born  to  his  parents  and  lost 
his  mother  when  he  was  but  ten  months  old.  When  about  two  years  of 
age  he  was  taken  to  Tippecanoe  county,  and  there  spent  his  boyhood  in 
farm  work,  attending  school  during  the  short  periods  when  he  could  be 
spared  from  the  work  of  the  farm.  His  opportunities  for  an  education 
were  not  great,  but  he  was  an  ambitious  and  intelligent  youth  and  made 
the  most  of  his  chances,  thus  securing  a  somewhat  better  schooling  than 
many  who  were  given  greater  benefits.  He  was  only  twelve  years  of 
age  when  he  embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own,  but  had  been  thor- 
oughly trained  in  all  the  subjects  with  which  a  good  farmer  and  stock 
raiser  must  be  conversant,  and  his  subsequent  rise  has  been  steady  and 
continuous.  At  the  present  time  he  is  renting  the  old  Louthian  farm, 
where  he  carries  on  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  in  addition  to 


c^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  867 

which  he  devotes  some  time  to  working  on  shares.  His  private  interests 
have  al>vays  demanded  his  entire  time  and  attention,  and  through 
careful  management,  sound  judgment  and  unflagging  industry  he  has 
been  able  to  overcome  many  obstacles  and  discouragements  and  to  gain 
a  place  for  himself  in  the  esteem  and  respect  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

On  August  27,  1902,  Mr.  Archey  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Edna  Layman,  the  estimable  daughter  of  Benjamin  Layman,  and  to 
this  iinion  there  have  been  born  four  children :  Robert  L.,  who  is  at- 
tending school ;  Madeline  M.,  residing  at  home ;  and  Mildred  and  Thomas, 
who  are  deceased.  Mr.  Archey  holds  membership  in  the  local  lodge  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at  Anoka,  Indiana,  in  which  he 
has  many  warm  friends.  With  his  wife,  he  attends  the  Seven  Mile 
United  Brethren  church,  where  he  acts  in  the  capacity  of  superintendent 
of  the  Sunday  school. 

Rev.  Charles  E.  McCoy.  The  ministry  of  the  Christian  church  has 
held  the  chief  interest  and  activity  of  Charles  E.  McCoy  for  the  past 
fifteen  years,  but  he  has  of  late  found  time  to  give  some  little  attention 
to  the  business  of  farming,  and  at  the  present  time  he  is  busily  occupied 
in  the  work  of  building  on  his  farm.  He  has  been  pastor  of  a  number 
of  churches,  among  them  pulpits  at  Independence,  Kokomo  and  Win- 
amac,  and  lastly  he  was  located  at  New  "VVaverly,  where  in  addition  to 
his  duties  as  pastor  he  had  charge  of  the  postoffice.  His  life  has  been 
a  busy  one  from  his.  earliest  time,  and  he  has  proven  his  worth  as  a 
live  citizen  in  whatever  community  he  has  lived  since  he  reached  man's 
estate. 

Born  on  April  7,  1874,  in  Monroe  township,  Howard  county,  this 
state,  Charles  E.  McCoy  is  the  son  of  Sampson  and  Jane  (Vernon) 
McCoy.  Sampson  McCoy  was  born  in  the  state  of  Ohio,  and  his  father 
was  a  native  of  the  state  of  Maine,  coming  from  that  state  to  Ohio,  and 
his  son  drifting  into  Indiana  in  young  manhood.  The  McCoy  family 
is  one  of  pure  Irish  ancestry,  the  first  American  ancestors  having  come 
to  these  shores  from  Ireland  at  an  early  date.  Sampson  and  Jane 
(Vernon)  McCoy  became  the  parents  of  thirteen  sons  and  daughters, 
the  most  of  whom  lived  to  assume  places  of  responsibility  in  their  various 
communities. 

Up  to  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  Charles  McCoy  lived  on  the 
home  farm,  and  from  then  until  he  had  reached  the  quarter  century  mark 
he  was  employed  variously  in  the  community.  At  that  age  he  married, 
and  he  established  his  first  independent  home  in  Winamac,  Indiana, 
where  he  took  charge  of  the  church  of  the  Christian  denomination,  and 
discharged  the  duties  of  a  pastor  with  all  satisfaction.  He  then  moved 
to  Howard  county,  where  he  was  occupied  in  the  ministry  for  a  few 
years,  when  he  moved  to  Kokomo,  Indiana,  and  once  more  resuming  the 
pastorate  of  the  Winamac  church.  From  there  he  moved  to  Miami 
township,  in  Cass  county,  and  took  charge  of  the  Christian  church  at 
New  Waverly,  at  which  point  he  has  also  been  occupied  as  postmaster. 
In  later  years  he  has  done  some  farming,  as  well  as  his  ministry. 

Rev.  McCoy's  primary  educational  training  was  begun  in  the  public 
schools.  Then  he  entered  the  New  London,  Indiana,  high  school  and 
spent  two  and  a  half  years  there,  after  which  he  entered  the  Frankfort, 


868  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Indiana,  high  school,  and  thei'e  finished  the  third  year  of  the  high  school 
work.  Next  he  took  the  full  normal  course  of  instructions,  and  then 
entered  the  theological  department  of  the  DePauw  University  in  1894, 
and  completed  part  of  the  course  there.  Then  he  entered  and  com- 
pleted the  full  four-year  course  in  the  Northwestern  Indiana  Chris- 
tian Conference,  and  has  been  chairman  of  the  educational  executive 
board  and  is  the  present  incumbent.  Rev.  INIeCoy  is  a  man  who  is  well 
qualified  for  the  profession  or  calling  of  the  ministry,  since  he  is  a 
logical  and  cultured  gentleman  of  pleasing  j^ersonality,  and  has  been 
an  able  factor  in  tlie  aJfairs  of  his  home  township.  He  is  ever  ready  to 
lend  his  aid  to  all  measures  for  the  advancement  and  elevation  of  the 
moral,  spiritual  and  intellectual  development  of  his  county  and  state. 

Rev.  Mr.  McCoy  is  a  member  of  the  ^Masonic  order  at  New  Waverly, 
Indiana,  and  has  been  a  trustee  of  ]\Iiami  township  for  the  past  four 
years. 

On  July  23,  1899,  Rev.  Mr.  McCoy  was  iinited  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Blanche  Griffith,  the  daughter  of  Tatman  and  Irene  (Adams)  Griffith, 
the  father  of  Dutch  ancestiy,  born  in  Jennings  county,  and  the  liiother 
was  born  in  Cass  county,  Indiana.  Four  children  have  been  born  to  ilr. 
and  ^Irs.  ^IcCov :  Ursela  Irene,  born  April  22,  1901 ;  Leland  D.,  born 
February  13,  1902;  Paul  G.,  Iiorn  February  27,  1904;  and  Chelsa  E., 
born  February  5,  1907.  Politically  Rev.  ■NlcCoy  was  a  Republican,  but 
now  gives  his  allegiance  to  the  Progressive  party. 

Franz  S.  IMartin.  The  pioneers  of  this  great  middle  west  were 
those  who  blazed  the  way  to  civilization,  and  made  the  wilderness  to 
bloom  and  blossom  like  the  rose.  Mr.  Martin,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  w'as  the  founder  of  a  family  of  most  worthy  descendants 
who  have  aided  very  materially  in  building  up  the  great  common- 
wealth of  Cass  county,  Indiana.  He  was  a  direct  descendant  of  the  Ger- 
man, as  his  grandfather,  Peter  jMartin,  emigrated  to  America  in  1780, 
and  settled  in  Pennsylvania,  near  Philadelphia. 

Mr.  Franz  S.  Martin  was  born  October  22,  1830,  and  died  April  30. 
1907,  in  Somerset  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  educated  in  the  primi- 
tive schools  of  that  state  and  was  more  than  an  ordinary  mathematician. 
He  was  mostly  self  educated  and  was  a  teacher.  He  with  his  parents  in 
1S49  came  to  Cass  county  and  the  trip  from  the  Keystone  state  over- 
land was  made  in  one  of  the  old  fashioned  wagons,  crossing  swollen 
streams  and  over  mountains,  and  finally  reached  Cass  county.  The  fam- 
ily settled  on  section  27,  in  AA'ashington  township,  and  the  first  habi- 
tation they  lived  in  was  a  log  cabin  with  a  puncheon  floor  and  after- 
wards the  largest  frame  house  in  the  township. 

]Mr.  JMartin  wedded  ]Miss  Caroline  Sine  November  29,  1853,  and 
eleven  children,  three  sons  and  eight  daughters,  were  born,  and  all  are 
living  but  one.  Charles  H.  married  and  is  a  resident  of  Logansport ;  he 
was  an  agriculturist,  and  is  a  Democrat  politically.  IMary  H.,  widow  of 
Rev.  Amos  Jones,  is  a  resident  of  Zion  City,  Illinois;  Rev.  Jones  was  a 
Presbyterian.  Herman  E.  is  represented  elsewhere  in  this  work.  Re- 
becca is  the  wife  of  Dr.  ]\I.  J.  LaRose,  a  resident  of  Zion  City,  Illinois, 
and  a  health  officer.  Harriet  is  a  resident  of  Zion  City,  Illinois.  George 
"W.  is  a  resident  of  IMemphis,  Tennessee,  employed  in  the  lumber  interests ; 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  869 

he  married  Miss  Anna  Gregg.  Ellen  V.  is  a  resident  of  Zion  City,  Illi- 
nois; she  was  educated  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  and  at  Hanover  Col- 
lege in  Indiana,  and  was  a  successful  teacher  for  fifteen  or  eighteen 
years  in  Cass  county,  Indiana.  Lucy  D.  is  the  wife  of  Rev.  IMahlon 
Krauss,  a  resident  of  Richmond,  Indiana,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Carrie  V.  is  the  wife  of  Cyrus  B.  Carleton,  a  resi- 
dent of  Rochester,  Indiana,  and  a  dealer  in  grain.  Elsie  J.  is  the  wife  of 
Dr.  F.  jM.  Kistler,  a  resident  of  Royal  Center,  Indiana,  and  a  practicing 
ohysician. 

Mrs.  Martin  was  born  in  ^Maryland  January  8,  183-1,  and  died  May 
8,  1910.  She  was  but  a  child  when  her  parents  left  ^Maryland  for  Penn- 
sylvania, and  there  they  resided  for  years  and  from  Pennsylvania  the 
Sine  family  came  to  Cass  county  overland  liy  wagon.  She  was  educated 
]n  the  common  schools  and  was  a  devout  Christian  of  the  Presbyterian 
faith.  She  was  a  mother  and  friend  to  the  poor  and  needy  and  the 
hungry  never  went  from  her  door  in  need. 

When  ]Mr.  Martin  was  about  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  went  to  Iowa 
and  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  but  sold  it  and 
came  to  Cass  county  and  here  he  remained  during  his  life  and  was  a  suc- 
cessful man  and  accumulated  five  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres,  all  in 
AVashington  township,  so  it  is  readily  seen  that  he  had  been  a  man  who 
had  been  careful  and  had  taught  his  children  the  lessons  of  economy 
and  integrity.  Politically  he  was  a  Jaeksonian  Democrat  and  he  ad- 
hered to  those  principles  till  late  in  life  and  then  advocated  the  Prohi- 
bition principles.  Officially  he  was  assessor  of  Washington  township 
eight  years.  He  was  a  man  who  was  appealed  to  by  the  citizens  to  take 
an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  community  and  in  the  adjusting  of 
estates.  He  was  ofttimes  selected  as  delegate  to  the  county  and  state 
conventions  at  various  times.  In  1876  he  attended  the  Centennial  at 
Philadelphia  and  the  scenes  of  his  childhood.  Religiously  he  was  an  ar- 
dent si;pporter  of  the  Presbyterian  doctrines,  and  was  one  of  the  char- 
ter members  of  the  Union  Presbyterian  church  of  Washington  township, 
which  is  now,  in  1913,  one  of  the  most  prosperous  religious  societies  in 
Cass  county.  He  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  official  board  and  was 
elder  of  the  church  a  number  of  years,  and  was  one  of  the  leading  fac- 
tors in  the  Sunday  school,  being  superintendent. 

It  was  in  March,  1887.  when  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  ^Martin  vacated  the  old 
homestead  on  the  farm  and  located  at  1408  North  street,  Logansport,  but 
he  had  several  properties  in  the  city.  Both  i\Ir.  and  ]Mrs.  Franz  S.  ]Mar- 
tin  were  citizens  of  Cass  county  who  as  shining  lights  to  the  younger 
generation  show  that  honesty  of  character  as  well  as  true  integrity 
present  to  a  finished  earthly  existence.  They  were  well  known  for  their 
deeds  of  benevolence  and  good  will,  and  no  needy  one  would  have  left 
their  hospitable  door  empty  handed.  Both  are  interred  in  ]\It.  Hope 
cemetery,  where  beautiful  stones  stand  sacred  to  their  memory. 

William  Keiser.  Practical  scientific  farming  has  taken  the  place 
of  the  old  hit-or-miss  style,  and  as  a  result  land  that  at  one  time  could 
be  purchased  for  almost  nothing,  is  today  worth  hundreds  of  dollars 
an  acre.  Much  of  this  has  been  brought  about  by  the  use  of  improved 
machinery  and  the  application  of  scientific  methods,  as  well  as  by  gen- 


870  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

eral  progress  and  the  increase  in  population.  One  of  the  practical  farm- 
ers of  Tipton  township,  whose  activities  have  been  of  such  a  nature  as 
to  firmly  establish  him  in  a  position  among  the  representative  men  of  his 
community,  is  William  Keiser,  the  owner  of  ninety-two  acres  of  land 
located  on  the  Keiser  road.  Mr.  Keiser  has  been  an  eye-witness  to  and 
an  active  participant  in  the  wonderful  change  that  has  transformed  this 
part  of  Cass  county  from  a  practical  wilderness  into  a  veritable  flower 
garden.  Mr.  Keiser  was  born  on  the  old  Hilderbrandt  farm  in  Tipton 
toAvnship,  Cass  county,  August  15,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  Eekhart  and 
Anna  Catharina  (Dorn)  Keiser,  natives  of  Germany.  Eekhart  Keiser 
was  an  industrious,  hard-working  citizen,  but  in  his  native  land  lacked 
the  opportunities  to  achieve  success.  Accordingly,  when  about  forty 
years  of  age,  he  gathered  his  little  family  together  and  brought  them  to 
the  United  States,  settling  in  Cass  county,  Indiana.  He  had  only  a  small 
capital,  and  was  entirely  lacking  in  influential  friends,  and  consequently 
his  progress  was  slow.  Faithful  labor  and  commendable  perseverance, 
however,  paved  the  way  to  success,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he 
was  the  owner  of  a  snug  little  farm,  on  which  he  raised  good  crops.  He 
and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  four  children,  namely :  Martha,  who 
is  deceased ;  Henrietta ;  Minnie,  the  widow  of  Harvey  Sehuman,  now  liv- 
ing in  Walton ;  and  William. 

William  Keiser 's  boyhood  was  spent  in  his  little  log  cabin  home,  on 
his  father's  farm,  and  in  the  district  schools.  The  greater  part  of  his 
education  was  secured  in  the  school  of  hard  work,  as  he  was  his  father's 
only  son  and  it  was  necessary  that  he  give  all  of  his  time  possible  to 
the  work  of  the  fields.  Thus  he  was  reared  to  habits  of  industry,  fru- 
gality and  thrift,  and  given  a  thorough  training  in  all  the  details  of  farm 
work.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  Mr.  Keiser  commenced  farming 
on  shares,  and  a  short  time  thereafter  he  had  accumulated  enough  capi- 
tal to  warrant  his  embarking  in  business  on  his  own  account.  He  there- 
fore purchased  a  small  tract  of  land,  to  which  he  has  since  added  from 
time  to  time,  and  now  has  ninety-two  acres,  all  in  a  state  of  cultivation. 
He  is  known  among  his  neighbors  as  a  man  of  integrity,  who  can  be 
depended  upon  to  support  movements  that  make  for  progress  and  de- 
velopment. An  excellent  farmer,  he  is  also  a  good  judge  of  livestock, 
as  his  herd  of  sleek,  well-fed  animals  proves.  He  has  made  a  number 
of  modern  improvements  to  his  place,  and  the  most  approved  methods 
find  in  him  a  willing  disciple. 

On  November  11,  1885,  Mr.  Keiser  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Lucinda  Smith,  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Mary  (Burkit)  Smith,  of 
an  old  family  of  Cass  county,  and  three  children  have  been  born  to  this 
union,  namely :  Roswell  IMelroy,  Charles  G.,  and  William  L.  Roswell 
M.  received  his  diploma  in  1905  at  the  public  schools  and  from  the  Wal- 
ton high  school  in  1909,  and  he  spent  four  summers  in  the  Valparaiso 
University,  and  he  also  taught  two  years  in  the  common  schools  and  two 
years  in  the  former  high  school.  He  is  a  Democrat  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Charles  C.  received  his  diploma  from  the 
common  schools  in  1907,  and  graduated  i-n  Walton  high  school  in  1911. 
He  is  a  student  at  Winona,  Indiana,  and  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  William  Leslie  received  his  diploma  from  the  common  schools 
in  1908,  and  graduated  in  Walton  high  school  in  1912.    He  is  a  member 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  871 

of  the  Presbyterian  church.  With  their  family,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kaiser 
consistently  attend  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Keiser  is  a  Democrat 
and  is  a  member  of  the  I.  0.  0.  F.,  No.  314,  and  the  M.  W.  of  A.,  No. 
7244,  in  Walton,  Indiana. 

Harvey  O.  Bird.  The  younger  farming  men  of  Cass  county  have 
wrought  worthily  and  well  in  carrying  forward  the  splendid  work  of  de- 
velopment that  was  put  in  motion  by  their  fathers  and  grandsires  in 
years  gone  by,  and  it  will  hardly  be  denied  that  the  greater  part  of  the 
real  prosperity  of  the  county  and  the  wealth  of  the  communities  have 
resulted  from  the  application  and  energy  of  these  sturdy  farmers  and 
honest  and  admirable  citizens.  Among  the  more  prosperous  and  com- 
fortably situated  agriculturists  of  Cass  county,  of  whom  there  are  indeed 
many,  H.  0.  Bird  of  Walton  is  one  who  is  deserving  of  especial  men- 
tion in  this  historical  and  biographical  work  dealing  with  the  county  of 
Cass  in  Indiana.  He  was  born  in  Deer  Creek  township,  this  county,  on 
February  27,  1887,  and  is  the  son  of  J.  W.  and  Essie  (Rhinehart)  Bird, 
of  whom  the  former  is  now  deceased.  J.  W.  Bird  was  bom  in  Ohio, 
where  he  devoted  himself  to  farming  and  was  very  prominent  in  the 
community  that  represented  his  home  for  years  before  he  identified 
himself  with  the  fortunes  of  Cass  county.  He  was  the  father  of  seven 
living  children,  named  as  follows :  Francis  A. ;  Harriet,  who  married 
a  Mr.  Walter  Barnes;  Benjamin  F. ;  Harvey  0.,  of  this  review;  Charles 
R. ;  Eva  J.,  and  Ruby. 

Harvey  0.  Bird  in  boyhood  attended  the  Crockett  school  in  his  com- 
munity, and  during  his  vacation  seasons  applied  himself  diligently  to 
the  work  of  the  home  farm,  as  was  required  of  him.  He  was  nineteen 
years  of  age  when  on  February  22,  1906,  he  married  Ercie  Banks,  the 
daughter  of  Harry  and  Lorinda  (Riish)  Banks,  and  one  son,  Clark  Bird, 
has  been  born  to  them. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bird  are  members  of  the  Christian  church  and  have  an 
active  part  in  the  work  of  the  church  in  its  various  departments.  Po- 
litically Mr.  Bird  is  identified  vdth  the  Republican  party,  and  takes 
the  interest  of  a  good  citizen  in  all  affairs  of  a  political  and  civic  nature 
in  his  community,  where  he  has  a  prominent  place  of  which  he  is  well 
deserving. 

Louis  Kaufman.  Located  on  the  township  line  between  Washington 
and  Tipton  townships  is  situated  the  ninety-acre  farm  belonging  to 
Louis  Kaufman,  a  veteran  agriculturist  of  Cass  county,  whose  residence 
here  covers  a  period  of  almost  a  half  a  century.  His  energies  have  always 
been  devoted  to  his  farming  interests,  and  he  is  known  as  an  honorable, 
upright  business  man,  whose  sterling  worth  has  gained  him  high  regard. 
Mr.  Kaufman  was  born  at  Dayton,  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  April  27, 
1858,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Anna  (Wiegand)  Kaufman.  His  father, 
a  native  of  Germany,  left  the  Fatherland  in  young  manhood,  and  settled 
in  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  where  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits, 
as  he  did  also  in  Darke  county,  where  he  subsequently  moved.  About  the 
year  1865  he  came  to  Washington  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  here 
continuing  to  follow  farming  until  his  death.  He  was  a  successful  busi- 
ness man  of  his  day  and  locality ,_  took  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest 


872  HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY 

ill  the  needs  of  his  to^vuship.  and  succeeded  in  winning  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  those  about  him.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  five 
children :     George,  Elizabeth.  Martha,  Louis  and  Catharine. 

Louis  Kaufman  secured  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  ]Mont- 
gomery  and  Darke  counties.  Ohio,  mostly  in  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and 
during  the  summer  months  worked  on  his  father's  farm,  assisting  him 
materially  in  his  work  and  gaining  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  multi- 
tudinous subjects  on  which  a  good  fanner  should  be  informed.  He  was 
about  six  years  of  age  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Washington 
township,  and  continued  to  remain  under  the  parental  roof  until  his 
marriage,  when  he  embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own.  He  had  been  a 
thrifty  and  industrious  youth,  and  had  carefully  saved  his  earnings,  so 
that  he  was  able  to  make  a  payment  on  a  farm  in  Washington  township 
of  seventy-five  acres.  This  he  sold  and  purchased  his  present  farm, 
which  is  situated  aliout  nine  miles  southeast  of  Logansport,  on  the  Wash- 
ington-Tipton township  line.  Here  he  settled  down  to  clear  and  cultivate 
the  soil,  each  year  seeing  further  advancement  made,  until  he  now  has 
the  full  ninety  acres,  except  eight  acres  of  timber,  under  the  plow.  He 
carries  on  general  farming  and  also  devotes  some  attention  to  stock  rais- 
ing, and  his  success  has  been  such  as  to  make  him  one  of  the  sulistantial 
men  of  his  community.  He  has  erected  commodious  buildings,  with  mod- 
ern conveniences,  for  in  this  matter,  as  well  as  in  others,  he  believes  in 
the  use  of  up-to-date  methods  and  ideas.  His  machinery  is  of  the  latest 
and  most  highly  improved  manufacture  and  his  entire  property  is  a 
model  of  neatness  and  order. 

October  10,  1896,  Mr.  Kaufman  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Anna  Lebert,  who  is  deceased.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Augustina 
Schwalm,  September  7,  1898,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been 
born  two  children :  Wilbur  and  Helena,  and  both  are  in  the  eighth, 
grade  in  the  public  school,  and  both  are  taking  music.  With  his 
family,  he  is  connected  with  the  Presbyterian  church,  where  he  has 
been  liberal  in  his  support  of  religious  and  charitable  movements.  He  is 
independent  in  politics,  casting  his  vote  for  the  man  best  fitted  for  the 
party.  He  has  also  stanchly  supported  measures  which  he  has  felt  will 
advance  his  community,  taking  a  keen  interest  in  those  things  which  vi- 
tally affect  it.  Thus  he  has  become  a  potential  force  in  his  locality,  where 
he  is  looked  to  for  counsel,  advice  and  leadership.  The  pretty  home- 
stead of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kaufman  is  known  as  "Hill  A^iew  Farm." 

Oscar  B.  Ferguson.  Upwards  of  half  a  century  ago  the  father  of 
Oscar  B.  Ferguson  settled  in  Cass  county,  and  at  a  time  when  the  most 
primitive  conditions  existed  throughout  this  region,  set  himself  to  the 
herculean  task  of  hewing  a  farm  and  a  home  out  of  the  pristine  wilder- 
ness that  prevailed.  Only  those  who  have  seen  something  of  the  hard- 
ships of  such  an  undertaking  are  capable  of  making  any  adequate 
estimate  of  the  courage,  energy  and  perseverance  that  these  sturdy  peo- 
ple brought  to  bear  in  the  taming  of  the  wilderness  and  in  tlie  eventual 
evolving  of  a  home  from  the  conditions  then  existing.  When  Oscar 
Ferguson  came  into  possession  of  the  place  it  had  passed  beyond  the 
stage  of  storm  and  stress  peculiar  to  the  early  years,  but  he  has  done  his 
full  duty  in  carrying  it  forward  to  its  present  state  of  cultivation  and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  873 

giving  it  the  appearance  of  fruitfulness  and  prosperity  that  it  now 
wears.  The  place  comprises  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  on  the  bound- 
ary line  pike  and  its  owner  is  properly  regarded  as  one  of  the  pros- 
perous and  successful  men  of  the  community. 

Born  in  Adams  township,  in  Cass  county,  Indiana,  December  13, 
1865,  Mr.  Ferguson  is  the  son  of  James  P.  and  jMariah  V.  (Dillman) 
Ferg-uson.  They  were  farming  people  of  Adams  township,  where  they 
passed  their  lives  for  the  most  part,  and  became  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren, as  follows:  Oscar  B.,  of  this  review;  Luman  N.,  now  deceased; 
Henry  D.;  Sylvia  M. ;  Cora  D.  and  Maud  E.  The  father,  James  P.  Fer- 
guson, was  the  son  of  Richard  and  Phoebe  Ferguson.  The  thickly  tim- 
bered district  in  which  he  settled  in  his  yomig  manhood  has,  as  intimated 
above,  since  that  time  given  place  to  fertile  hills  and  valleys,  and  during 
the  years  when  the  transformation  was  being  slowly  wrought,  he  reared 
the  goodly  family  just  mentioned. 

Oscar  B.  Ferguson  as  a  boy  attended  the  Thomas  school  near  his 
home,  and  later,  through  the  wisdom  of  his  father,  Avho  recognized  the 
studious  qualities  which  his  son  evidenced,  he  was  permitted  to  attend 
Logansport  Seminary  and  the  Central  Normal  at  Danville,  Indiana,  so 
that  he  secured  educational  advantages  in  advance  of  what  the  average 
youth  of  his  day  received.  He  married  Miss  Arria  R.  Bowyer,  the 
daughter  of  Charles  6.  and  Isabelle  (Craighead)  Bowyer,  but  no  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  them.  In  the  goodness  of  their  hearts,  however, 
they  took  a  little  girl,  Mary  M.  Enyart,  to  rear  and  educate,  and  it  can 
be  truthfully  asserted  that  little  Mary  will  have  a  home  of  sweet  influ- 
ence and  religious  training,  as  well  as  high  moral  teaching.  Mrs.  Fer- 
guson's father,  Charles  Graules  Granville  Bowyer,  was  a  descendant 
of  the  well  known  Bowyer  family  of  Virginia,  and  he  was  born  in  1837 
and  died  on  the  18th  day  of  February,  1912.  She  was  one  of  the  seven 
children  of  her  parents,  the  others  being:  Mary  D.,  Mavilla  B.,  and 
Vesta  J.,  all  deceased;  May  B.,  AVillard  N.,  and  Ellis.  The  surviving 
children  are  all  filling  places  of  usefulness  in  the  various  spheres  to 
which  they  have  been  called. 

Mr.  Ferguson  is  prominent  in  his  membership  in  the  ]\Iasonic  fra- 
ternity at  Walton  Lodge  No.  423,  and  in  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Powell 
Lodge  No.  62,  Logansport,  Indiana.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Order 
of  the  Eastern  Star  as  is  his  wife,  and  both  are  popular  and  prominent 
in  social  circles  of  their  community,  where  they  are  held  in  the  highest 
esteem  and  regard  by  all  who  share  in  their  acquaintance.  Mr.  Fer- 
guson has  always  taken  a  wholesale  interest  in  civic  activities  in  the 
community,  and  in  politics  has  voted  with  the  Republican  party,  but 
has  never  been  an  office  seeker  at  any  time  in  his  life,  content  with  the 
duties  of  citizenship,  but  averse  to  the  responsibilities  of  official  life. 
The  beautiful  estate  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ferguson  is  known  as  "Locust 
Lawn,"  and  it  is  the  abode  of  hospitality  and  good  cheer.  They  are 
citizens  who  take  great  interest  in  church  work  and  are  members  of  the 
Disciples  of  Christ  church  at  Walton,  Indiana.  They  take  great  interest 
in  the  Sunday  school  also. 

Oliver  J.  Pierson.  Cass  county's  history  has  been  developed  by  the 
men  who  first  settled  here,  and  more  pages  are  constantly  being  added 


874  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

by,  those  whose  lives  are  now  being  enacted.  The  agricultural  sec- 
tions of  this  county  are  extensive,  in  fact  it  may  be  called  a  farming 
county,  so  that  a  large  number  of  its  residents  are  engaged  in  tilling 
the  soil  and  raising  stock,  with  benefit  to  themselves  and  profit  to  their 
communities.  An  excellent  example  of  the  progressive,  up-to-date  Cass 
county  farmer  is  found  in  the  person  of  Oliver  J.  Pierson,  of  Wash- 
ington township,  the  owner  of  forty-two  and  one-half  acres  of  land, 
which  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  Although  not  a 
native  of  Cass  county,  Mr.  Pierson  can  lay  claim  to  being  an  "old  set- 
tler," as  he  was  but  one  year  old  when  brought  to  this  section.  Here 
he  has  continued  to  be  identified  with  agricultural  matters  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  in  the  meanwhile  establishing  himself  fii'mly  in  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens  by  upright  living  and  honorable  deal- 
ing. Mr.  Pierson  was  born  September  25,  1867,  in  White  county,  In- 
diana, and  is  a  son  of  Matthew  H.  and  Mary  A.  ( Jenness)  Pierson. 

Matthew  H.  Pierson  was  born  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  from  whence 
he  migrated  in  young  manhood  to  White  county,  Indiana,  in  which  local- 
ity he  was  married  and  had  one  child.  He  subsequently  came  to  Cass 
county,  in  1868,  and  here  was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  during 
the  remainder  of  his  active  career,  fairly  winning  the  regard  of  his 
neighbors  and  accumulating  a  competency.  He  and  his  wife  became  the 
parents  of  six  children :  Oliver  J. ;  Mrs.  Carrie  Small ;  Mrs.  Gertrude 
Ramer;  Emma,  the  wife  of  Adelbert  Planigan,  who  had  one  child, — 
Estella  D.,  who  is  living  with  Mr.  Pierson;  Mae,  who  married  Benjamin 
F.  Crockett,  and  has  two  children, — Gilbert  P.  and  Herbert  P. ;  and  Mrs. 
Maud  Toney. 

Oliver  J.  Pierson  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  secured 
his  education  in  the  common  schools.  His  entire  life  has  been  spent  in 
farming,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years  he  became  the  possessor, 
through  purchase,  of  his  present  land.  He  has  brought  his  property  to 
a  high  state  of  cultivation  through  the  use  of  modern  methods,  and  in 
addition  to  producing  large  crops  devotes  some  attention  to  the  raising 
of  valuable  livestock.  He  has  made  a  study  of  soil  conditions,  rotation 
of  crops,  and  kindred  subjects  necessary  to  scientific  treatment  of  his 
land,  and  as  a  result  is  known  as  one  of  his  township's  foremost  agri- 
culturists. In  addition  to  his  Cass  county  property  he  is  the  owner  of 
valuable  holdings  in  the  state  of  Texas. 

On  August  30,  1892,  Mr.  Pierson  was  married  to  Miss  Effle  E.  Mar- 
tin, daughter  of  John  T.  and  Caroline  (Martin)  Martin,  and  to  this 
union  there  has  been  born  one  son:  Donald  M.  Mr.  Pierson 's  fraternal 
connection  is  with  the  local  lodge  of  the  INIodern  Woodmen  of  America, 
Camp  7244,  at  Walton,  Indiana,  in  which  he  was  venerable  counsel  and 
in  which  he  numbers  many  friends.  With  his  family,  he  attends  the 
Presbyterian  church. 

Samuel  W.  Ullery,  who  was  long  connected  with  the  business  in- 
terests of  Logansport,  where  he  was  known  for  one  of  the  most  reliable 
and  enterprising  merchants  of  the  city,  was  born  at  Covington,  Ohio, 
on  Januai-y  17,  1813,  and  was  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  (Fager) 
Ullery,  both  of  German  descent. 

Jacob  Ullery  was  bom  in  Maryland  and  there  reared,  moving  to 


^L/un^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  875 

Ohio  in  young  manhood  and  there  passing  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
He  was  a  farmer  ctnd  it  was  in  the  many  details  of  farm  life  that 
Samuel  W.  UUery  passed  his  younger  days.  He  attended  the  district 
schools,  securing  in  his  somewhat  intermittent  period  of  study,  a  limited 
education,  but  that  handicap  was  insufficient  to  deter  him  from  his 
purpose,  which  was  to  succeed  in  some  established  business.  His  busi- 
ness career  he  began  as  a  hardware  merchant  in  his  native  town,  but  in 
1848  moved  to  Greenville,  Ohio,  where  he  conducted  a  similar  business 
until  1866.  Three  years  later  he  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  and 
under  the  iirm  name  of  S.  W.  UUery  &  Company,  with  William  M. 
Wilson  as  his  partner,  he  embarked  in  the  hardware  business  again. 
In  1886,  I\Ir.  Wilson  withdrew  from  the  firm,  upon  which  G.  L.  Ullery, 
a  son  of  the  head  of  the  firm,  became  a  partner  under  the  firm  title  of 
S.  W.  Ullery  &  Son,  a  name  that  endures  to  the  present  time,  although 
both  father  and  son  are  now  deceased. 

Samuel  Ullery  w^as  a  prosperous  man,  although  his  prosperity  was 
never  of  a  spasmodic  order.  He  made  constant,  steady  progress  in  the 
business  world,  his  achievements  being  ever  wrought  through  the  appli- 
cation of  his  powers  of  keen  discernment  and  practical  business  sense, 
together  wdth  the  abundant  energy  which  characterized  his  life.  In  the 
early  years  of  its  life,  the  business  was  conducted  in  a  retail  way,  but 
gradually  developed  into  a  wholesale  establishment,  though  still  con- 
tinuing its  retail  trade. 

]\Ir.  Ullery  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  a  director  of  the  State 
National  Bank  of  Logansport,  and  also  for  a  time  was  vice-president  of 
the  bank.  Upon  the  reorganization  of  the  National  Bank  of  Logansport, 
lie  became  one  of  its  stockholders. 

In  all  his  many  business  relations  and  dealings,  jNIr.  Ullery 's  reputa- 
tion as  an  honorable,  straightforward  business  man  was  never  ques- 
tioned. As  a  private  citizen  he  commanded  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  his  fellow  men.  He  was  a  Republican  in  politics,  although  never  an 
aspirant  for  public  office. 

In  1849,  he  married  Sarah  Kessler,  and  for  thirty-six  years  there 
continued  a  most  ideal  marriage  relation,  broken  by  the  death  of  Mrs. 
UUeiy.  They  were  the  parents  of  two  children :  G.  Lincoln,  who  died 
June  20,  1901,  and  Juniata,  the  only  survivor  of  the  family,  and  the 
wife  of  George  P.  Bliss,  the  present  manager  of  the  firm  of  S.  W.  Ullery 
&  Son,  of  whom  extended  mention  is  made  in  other  pages  of  this  work. 
Mr.  Ullery  died  on  June  1,  1899. 

George  P.  Bliss.  Since  1897,  George  P.  Bliss  has  been  connected 
in  an  important  capacity  with  the  hardware  business  of  S.  W.  Ullery 
&  Son,  and  in  recent  years  became  manager  of  the  company,  ^vhieh 
position  he  now  holds.  Born  at  Bluffton,  Wells  county,  Indiana,  on 
May  5,  1852,  he  is  the  son  of  Jeoffry  Bliss,  Avho  was  engaged  in  the  busi- 
ness of  making  fanning  mills  during  the  early  part  of  his  business  life, 
and  later  was  identified  with  mercantile  pursuits,  at  Bluffton,  where 
he  passed  away. 

George  P.  Bliss  remained  at  home  until  he  was  about  fifteen  years 
old,  and  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  native  community.  He  also 
assisted  his  father  in  the  making  and  painting  of  the  fanning  mills,  and 


876  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

later  secured  work  as  a  clerk  in  a  local  store.  For  some  time  he  worked 
iij  the  private  bank  of  John  Studebaker  &  Company,  and  still  later,  he 
was  for  a  number  of  years  employed  as  a  bookkeeper.  In  the  following 
years  he  was  variously  engaged  in  a  number  of  places,  fourteen  years 
being  passed  in  a  flouring  mill  at  Toledo,  and  something  like  five  years 
in  Cleveland.  When  the  Clover  Leaf  Railroad  was  yet  a  narrow  gauged 
track  to  St.  Louis,  j\Ir.  Bliss  was  engaged  as  paymaster  of  the  road  for 
about  four  years,  after  which  he  served  for  a  matter  of  two  years  as 
cashier  of  a  bank  at  INIarkle,  Indiana. 

In  1897,  Mr.  Bliss  came  to  Logansport  in  the  capacity  of  clerk  and 
bookkeeper  in  the  wholesale  and  retail  hardware  concern  of  S.  W.  Ullery 
&  Son,  and  ever  since  has  been  identified  with  the  firm.  Upon  the 
death  of  the  junior  Mr.  Ullery,  Mr.  Bliss  became  manager  of  the  estab- 
lishment, and  he  is  yet  serving  in  that  important  position. 

On  November  18,  1896,  j\Ir.  Bliss  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Juanita  Ullery,  and  they  have  one  son,  Harold  P.  Bliss.  Mr.  Bliss  is  a 
member  of  the  Country  Club  and  the  Logansport  Commercial  Club,  and 
is  a  director  of  the  latter  organization.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  with 
his  wife  attends  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Logansport,  of  which 
she  is  a  member. 

Herman  E.  Martin.  Among  the  enterprising  agriculturists  of  Cass 
county  who  have  been  progressive  in  inaugurating  improvements  on  their 
properties,  and  have  shown  their  ability  and  progressiveness  by  taking 
advantage  of  modern  inventions  to  increase  their  capability  and  decrease 
the  cost  of  production,  Herman  E.  Martin,  of  Washington  township, 
holds  a  place  in  the  foremost  ranks.  Coming  of  an  agricultural  family, 
which  for  years  have  contriljuted  its  members  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil, 
he  has  made  a  place  for  himself  among  the  substantial  men  of  his 
community,  and  his  finely  cultivated  tract  of  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
eight  acres,  located  on  the  Ramer  and  IMartin  road,  about  nine  miles 
from  Logansport,  elociuently  testifies  to  his  ability  as  a  farmer. 

Mr.  Martin  was  born  on  the  farm  which  he  now  occupies,  March  14, 
1859,  and  is  a  son  of  Franz  and  Caroline  (Sine)  Martin.  Like  most  of 
the  farmers'  sons  of  his  community,  Mr.  Martin  secured  his  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools  during  the  winter  months,  his  summers  being 
devoted  to  helping  his  father  in  the  cultivation  of  the  homestead,  a 
part  of  which  he  assisted  in  clearing.  On  attaining  his  majoritj^,  he 
worked  on  the  farm  at  home,  and  also  woi-ked  at  the  carpenter's  trade, 
which  he  had  picked  up  in  his  youth,  and  thus  earned  the  means  to 
invest  in  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  in  Tipton  township.  On  this  land  he 
labored  industrioiisly  and  A^dth  a  fair  amount  of  success  for  a  period  of 
eleven  years,  carefuly  saving  his  earnings.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he 
disposed  of  his  Tipton  township  laud,  and  bought  his  father's  old  home- 
stead, which  he  has  continued  to  operate  to  the  present  time.  Mr.  Martin 
is  a  self-made  man  in  the  truest  and  best  sense  of  the  word.  Giving  his 
closest  attention  to  the  smallest  details  of  his  work,  at  all  times  being 
willing  to  experiment  with  new  innovations,  and  constantly  seeking 
methods  which  would  advance  his  interests,  he  has  been  able  to  add 
materially  to  his  property,  and  to  make  it  one  of  the  most  valuable  of 
its  size  in  this  part  of  the  county.     General  farming  has  received  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  877 

greater  part  of  his  attention,  and  he  has  also  spent  some  time  in  raising 
stock,  and.  his  crops  have  been  large  and  prosperous,  while  his  cattle 
bring  top-notch  prices  in  the  markets.  While  he  has  at  all  times  seized 
every  opportunity  to  advance  his  interests,  he  has  always  done  so  in  an 
honorable  manner,  never  taking  an  unfair  advantage  of  others,  and 
for  this  reason  has  won  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow- 
citizens. 

Mr.  Martin  was  elected  trustee  of  Washington  township  in  1900,  and 
served  four  years  in  that  important  office.  At  the  present  time  he  is 
chairman  of  the  county  council.  The  members  of  the  Cass  county  coun- 
cil at  the  present  time  are  Messrs.  Herman  E.  Martin,  John  Warner, 
Alva  Crook,  Dr.  Z.  U.  Loop,  Daniel  Woodhouse,  William  Farrell  and 
Allen  Snyder.  Mr.  Martin  is  also  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of 
the  Presbyterian  church. 

Mr.  Martin  was  married  December  25,  1882,  to  Miss  Melissa  Stough, 
a  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Maria  (Carman)  Stough  of  Cass  county. 
To  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin,  the  following  children  were 
bom:  Edith  Myrle,  who  married  Rev.  Alexander  E.  Cameron,  and  re- 
sides in  Morning  Sun,  Iowa,  where  he  is  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  Mr.  Cameron  was  educated  in  the  University  of  Chicago,  while 
his  wife  was  graduated  from  the  public  schools  at  the  age  of  fourteen, 
and  spent  one  year  in  the  Logansport  high  school  and  later  was  a  student 
at  the  Marion  Normal  College.  For  two  terms  she  was  a  successful 
teacher  in  her  own  county  before  her  marriage.  She  and  her  husband 
are  the  parents  of  three  children:  Colin  E.,  Frances  M.,  and  Paul  P. 
Ralph  Emerson,  second  of  the  family,  received  his  diploma  from  the 
public  schools  and  was  a  student  in  the  Marion  Normal.  He  died  Febru- 
ary 19,  1907.  A  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  he  was  a  young 
man  of  model  habits  and  character,  and  was  greatly  beloved  by  all. 
Chester  Monfort,  third,  finished  the  public  schools,  and  is  now  a  pi-actieal 
farmer  associated  with  his  father.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
t^iurch,  and  cast  his  first  ballot  for  William  J.  Bryan.  Hazel  Eunice, 
the  fourth,  married  Evan  G.  Marquardt,  of  Toledo,  Ohio,  where  he  is 
a  hardware  merchant.  They  have  a  little  daughter  named  Carolyn. 
Mrs.  Marquardt  after  attending  the  public  schools  spent  two  years  in 
the  Oberlin  IMusical  Conservatory  as  a  student  of  both  instrumental  and 
vocal,  and  is  an  accomplished  young  woman,  highly  capable  of  presid- 
ing over  her  home  and  has  active  membership  in  the  Presbyterian  church. 
Inez  Helen,  who  attended  the  public  schools  and  graduated  from  the 
Logansport  high  school,  was  a  student  in  the  Eastern  College  of  Music 
at  Manassas,  Virginia,  and  is  now  engaged  in  teaching  music,  and  is 
likewise  a  member  of  the  Presbyterain  faith.  Armeda  Marie  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  the  public  schools,  and  is  proficient  in  music,  being  also  a  member 
of  the  same  church  as  her  parents.  Homer  Carlton,  after  leaving  the 
public  schools  spent  two  years  in  the  Logansport  high  school  and  is  now 
taking  a  course  from  the  Scranton  School  of  Correspondence ;  Raymond 
Stough  is  a  student  of  the  eighth  grade,  and  Doris  Esther,  the  youngest 
of  the  family,  is  in  the  sixth  grade  of  the  public  schools.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Martin  have  made  it  their  ambition  to  give  their  children  the  best  of 
educational  advantages,  and  have  thus  fitted  them  for  the  higher  places 
of  usefulness  in  the  world. 


878  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Mrs.  Martin  was  born  in  Cass  county,  September  21,  1859,  the  third 
in  a  family  of  six  children,  three  sons  and  three  daughters,  and  five  of 
the  Stough  family  are  living  in  1913.  The  father,  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
sprang  from  good  old  German  stock,  and  when  a  young  man  came  west 
to  the  state  of  Indiana,  where  he  was  married.  By  vocation  he  was  a 
brick  and  stone  mason,  and  had  the  distinction  of  erecting  the  first 
Lutheran  church  in  Walton,  Indiana.  In  this  connection  it  should  be 
stated  that  Mr.  Martin's  father  erected  the  first  Presbyterian  church  in 
Washington  township.  Mr.  Stough  was  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  was 
the  first  superintendent  of  the  Lutheran  Sunday  school  in  Walton,  and 
was  known  throughout  that  community  as  one  of  the  best  vocalists  and  a 
great  lover  of  music.  Mrs.  Stough,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Martin,  was  bom 
in  Pennsylvania,  and  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-four,  while  her  husband 
passed  away  when  seventy-seven  years  old.  Mrs.  Martin  was  educated 
in  the  common  schools  and  with  a  fine  endowment  of  character,  a  pleas- 
ing personality,  she  has  ably  filled  her  part  of  wife  and  mother  to  this 
happy  Cass  county  home.  She  is  a  devout  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin's  hospitable  home,  which  is  always  open 
to  welcome  many  friends,  is  known  as  "Pine  Lawn." 

John  H.  Persinger.  The  real  history  of  the  Civil  war  is  written 
deepest  on  the  hearts  of  those  who  participated  in  that  mighty  conflict. 
The  sacrifices  of  the  volunteers  did  not  cease  when  peace  was  declared, 
for  none  of  them  came  out  of  the  war  as  they  had  entered  it.  Those  who 
were  fortunate  enough  to  escape  bullet,  shell  and  imprisonment,  were 
for  years  troubled  by  the  seeds  of  disease,  while  shattered  nerves  will 
be  the  mementos  of  others  as  long  as  life  lasts.  The  brave,  gallant,  dash- 
ing and  laughing  youths  who  left  their  homes  to  fight  for  the  flag  of  their 
country,  returned  to  those  homes,  when  they  did  return,  saddened,  sor- 
rowed men,  old  in  experience  if  not  in  years.  The  country  owes  a  debt 
of  gratitude  to  the  ' '  boys  in  blue ' '  which  it  can  never  repay,  and  for  this 
reason  the  veterans  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  still  inspire 
respect  and  veneration  even  after  the  passage  of  more  than  a  half  cen- 
tury of  years.  Cass  county  sent  its'  full  quota  of  brave,  hard-fighting 
men  to  the  front  when  secession  reared  its  gory  head,  and  among  these 
none  had  a  more  honorable  record  than  John  H.  Persinger,  whose  ser- 
vice covered  more  than  four  years.  Mr.  Persinger  is  now  a  resident  of 
Tipton  township,  where  he  is  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and 
throughout  his  life  has  performed  the  duties  of  peace  in  the  same  able, 
cheerful  and  faithful  manner  that  characterized  his  actions  when  serv- 
ing in  the  ranks  under  the  "Stars  and  Stripes." 

John  H.  Persinger  was  born  October  2,  1835,  in  Warren  county, 
Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  Eli  and  Sophia  (Blinn)  Persinger.  His  father,  a 
native  of  Virginia,  removed  to  Ohio  in  young  manhood,  and  about  the 
year  1850  brought  his  family  to  Indiana,  the  remainder  of  his  life 
being  passed  in  agricultural  pursuits  in  Cass  county,  where  both  he  and 
his  wife  passed  away.  They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children : 
Christopher,  who  is  deceased ;  John  H. ;  Mary  Ann  and  Julia  Ann,  who 
are  now  deceased ;  Harrison  and  Amanda.  John  H.  Persinger  received 
his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  state,  where  he  was 
reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  taught  the  dignity  and  value  of  hard 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  879 

labor.  He  was  still  engaged  in  assisting  his  father  when  the  War  of 
the  Rebellion  broke  out  in  all  of  its  fury,  and  with  youthful  patriotism 
he  at  once  offered  his  services  to  the  Union  army.  They  were  accepted 
and  he  was  enrolled  vipon  the  list  of  privates  of  the  Forty-sixth  Regiment, 
Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  Captain  Thomas.  This  hard-fighting  regi- 
ment was  detailed  to  the  Army  of  the  West,  and  participated  in  some  of 
the  bloodiest  engagements  of  the  war,  at  all  times  acquitting  itself  with 
the  utmost  gallantry.  Mr.  Persinger  continued  to  take  part  in  all  the 
movements  of  this  regiment  for  four  years,  and  after  a  service  marked 
by  bravery  in  action  and  duty  well  performed,  he  received  his  honorable 
discharge  and  returned  to  his  home  from  Louisville,  Kentucky.  He  at 
once  resumed  farming,  and  at  the  time  of  his  marriage  came  to  Tipton 
township,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home,  now  being  the  owner  of 
some  valuable  property.  He  carries  on  general  farming  and  stock  rais- 
ing, has  wisely  invested  his  means,  and  is  considered  one  of  his  locality 's 
substantial  men.  He  receives  a  pension  from  a  grateful  government. 
Mr.  Persinger  is  popular  with  the  comrades  of  the  local  Gr-and  Army 
post,  and  has  numerous  friends  in  business  and  social  life. 

In  1868,  ]\Ir.  Persinger  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  Mil- 
ler, who  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  they  have  had  three  chil- 
dren: Mitchell,  Ira  and  Mrs.  Bessie  Berk.  Mr.  Persinger  is  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

William  Smith.  Located  in  "Hilltop,"  Washington  township, 
about  six  miles  south  of  Logansport,  is  the  eighty-acre  farm  of  William 
Smith,  a  tract  that  compares  favorably  with  any  of  its  size  in  this  part 
of  Cass  county.  From  his  boyhood  Mr.  Smith  has  been  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits,  and  the  position  he  has  gained  among  the  success- 
ful farmers  and  stock  breeders  of  his  locality  has  come  through  consci- 
entious labor  and  intelligent  management  of  his  affairs.  Born  January 
31,  1844,  near  Hamilton,  Butler  county,  Ohio,  Mr.  Smith  is  the  son  of 
Samuel  and  Elizabeth    (Schafer)    Smith. 

Samuel  Smith  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  was  a  young  man  when 
he  left  his  native  state  and  journeyed  to  Ohio.  He  did  not  remain  in 
the  Buckeye  state  for  long,  however,  but  pushed  on  to  Indiana,  and 
here  settled  at  once  in  Tipton  township,  Cass  county,  having  made  the 
journey  by  way  of  wagon.  He  became  successful  in  his  operations,  was 
a  large  land  owner,  and  in  his  death  Tipton  township  lost  one  of  its 
best  citizens.  He  married  Elizabeth  Schafer,  and  they  became  the  par- 
ents of  eleven  children,  as  follows:  William,  David,  John,  Elizabeth, 
Sarah,  Samuel,  George,  Mary,  Daniel,  Alta  and  Caroline. 

William  Smith  was  a  lad  of  nine  years  when  he  accompanied  his  par- 
ents to  Tipton  township,  and  completed  his  education  in  the  log  school- 
house  of  his  locality,  in  the  meantime  assisting  his  father  in  the  work 
of  the  home  farm.  He  was  married  first  to  Miss  Sarah  Long,  a  sister 
of  Simon  Long,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work,  and 
she  died  after  becoming  the  mother  of  four  children :  Marvin,  who  mar- 
ried first  Anna  Showtax,  and  they  had  three  children, — Marie,  Gladys 
and  Irene;  he  married  a  second  time  and  had  four  children, — Adah, 
Leffie.  Evelyn  and  Charles.  William  B.  married  Ruby  Easton,  and  had 
two  children, — Fern  and  Hazel.     Walter  married  Ellen  McMillen,  and 


880  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

had  two  children, — Sarah  and  Josephine.  William  Smith  was  married 
October  8,  1902,  to  llrs.  Mary  H.  (Beeler)  Atherton,  the  widow  of 
August  Atherton,  by  whom  she  had  eight  children:  Ida,  Albert, 
Gertrude,  Daniel,  Walter,  Cora,  Willie,  deceased,  and  Elmer.  Mrs. 
Smith  is  the  daughter  of  Daniel  B.  and  Margaret  (Schafer)  Beeler.  Mr. 
Beeler  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  removed  to  Darke  county,  Ohio, 
in  young  manhood,  becoming  one  of  the  successful  farmers  and  stockmen 
of  that  locality,  where  the  rest  of  his  life  was  spent.  He  was  the  father 
of  six  children :  William,  Joseph,  Lizzie,  Mary,  George,  and  Samuel. 
After  his  marriage,  JMr.  Smith  settled  on  his  present  farm  in  Wash- 
ington township,  which  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He 
is  thoroughly  conversant  with  crop  and  climatic  conditions,  understands 
crop  rotation  and  other  scientific  methods  of  gaining  the  best  results  from 
his  land,  and  is  a  believer  in  the  use  of  modern  farming  machinery.  He 
supports  movements  tending  towards  progress  and  is  always  found 
among  those  who  are  advancing  their  community  by  promoting  its 
interests.  He  has  always  been  a  man  of  temperate  habits,  and  indicates 
his  inclinations  by  supporting  the  candidates  and  principles  of  the  Prohi- 
bition party.  His  religious  faith  is  that  of  the  Christian  Science  church, 
and  he  is  a  man  who  has  good  reason  to  be  a  devotee  to  the  Christian 
Science  and  its  great  miraculous  healing  of  body  and  mind.  The  Sci- 
entists are  to  erect  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  costly  church  edifices  in 
the  city  on  the  corner  of  Ninth  and  North  streets,  Logansport. 

Charles  O.  Roush.  In  eveiy  community  there  may  be  found  among 
its  citizenship  men  who  direct  their  lives  in  harmony  with  the  old  rule 
known  as  that  of  the  "Three  P's — Push,  Pluck  and  Perseverance." 
Given  to  any  town  one  or  more  men  of  that  stamp,  a  fair  degree  of  pros- 
perity must  inevitably  characterize  that  place,  for  they  invariably  stand 
for  prosperity  and  advancement,  whatever  may  be  the  nature  of  the 
community  wherein  they  are  found.  C.  0.  Roush  is  undeniably  one  of 
these  plucky  and  persevering  men.  His  farm,  one  of  the  fine  places 
of  the  township  of  Tipton,  is  in  section  seventeen,  and  its  eighty  acres 
is  intersected  at  one  corner  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  Its  owner, 
one  of  the  j'oung  and  successful  agricultural  men  of  Cass  county,  began 
his  career  in  that  uncertain  and  ofttimes  unsatisfactory  status  of  the 
renter,  has  risen  above  many  unpropitious  conditions,  and  is  today  one 
of  the  most  capable  and  prosperous  farming  men  in  the  county,  as  has 
already  been  said. 

C.  0.  Roush  was  born  on  June  23,  1882,  and  is  a  son  of  Christopher 
and  Martha  (Long)  Roush.  The  father,  who  was  born  in  Wabash 
county,  was  for  many  years  a  farmer  in  Benton,  and  after  a  successful 
career,  is  now  living  retired  from  active  business.  His  four  children 
were:     Charles,  Mary,  Tammie  and  Burdette. 

Charles  O.  Roush  attended  the  Green  school  in  Jasper  county,  this 
being  one  of  the  largest  schools  in  the  county.  His  schooling  was  inter- 
spersed with  vacation  periods  of  active  work  on  the  home  farm,  and 
throughout  his  boyhood  days  he  was  carefully  instructed  in  the  duties 
and  responsibilities  of  farm  life,  so  that  when  he  had  finished  his  school 
work,  he  was  well  equipped  to  take  his  place  as  an  intelligent  and  prac- 
tical farmer.    The  lessons  learned  under  the  able  tutelage  of  his  father 


HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  881 

have  stood  him  in  excellent  stead  in  the  years  of  his  independent  farm- 
ing career,  and  have  gone  far  toward  establishing  his  present  success. 
•  For  seven  years  after  he  began  his  work  on  his  own  responsibility  Mr. 
Roush  was  a  renter,  and  from  his  savings  in  that  length  of  time  he  was 
able  to  purchase  the  George  Enyart  farm,  which  is  his  present  home. 
The  improvements  in  evidence  on  this  farm  today  are  all  of  first-class 
order,  the  dwellings  and  outbuildings,  fences  and  well-kept  fields,  all 
offering  indisputable  testimony  to  the  thrift,  energy  and  good  man- 
agement of  this  young  husbandman. 

Mr.  Roush  was  married  on  November  26,  1902,  to  Miss  Cynthia 
Julian,  a  daughter  of  Elias  and  Harriet  (Dresbach)  Julian.  The  father 
of  Mrs.  Roush  was  a  farmer,  originally  from  Sheldon,  Illinois,  and  he 
was  the  father  of  eight  children,  as  follows :  Milton,  Milo,  Guy,  Lucien, 
Cynthia,  Amanda,  Nancy  and  Ruth.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roush  have  been 
born  two  daughters,  Lillian  and  Harriet,  both  of  whom  are  attending 
school  in  the  home  community.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church. 

Charles  E.  James.  Agricultural  methods  have  changed  very 
materially  during  the  past'  decade  or  two,  and  now  that  even  the  chief 
executive  of  the  nation  is  taking  a  deep  interest  in  progression  among 
the  farmers,  there  is  every  reason  to  suppose  that  still  further  advance 
"will  be  made  along  all  lines.  Interurban  service,  telephones,  automo- 
biles, and  the  consequent  bettering  of  the  roads  on  account  of  the 
latter,  have  brought  the  farmers  much  closer  together,  and  as  vs^ell  have 
placed  them  in  close  touch  with  the  centers  of  activity,  and  the  man 
who  today  devotes  himself  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  is  more  inde- 
pendent than  any  other  worker  in  the  world.  Among  the  progressive 
and  enterprising  farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  Cass  county,  one  who 
has  recognized  the  value  of  modern  methods  and  innovations  and  has 
profited  accordingly  is  Charles  E.  James,  whose  well-cultivated  tract 
of  land  is  located  in  Noble  township.  Mr.  James  is  a  native  of  this 
township  and  was  born  October  13,  1881,  a  son  of  John  and  Nancy 
J.  (James)  James,  who  came  to  Cass  county,  locating  on  the  farm  on 
section  2,  where  Mrs.  James  is  still  making  her  home.  John  James 
was  an  agriculturist  throughout  his  life,  was  a  loyal  and  public-spir- 
ited citizen,  and  in  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1906,  his  community 
lost  one  of  its  best  and  most  highly  esteemed  men. 

The  early  education  of  Charles  E.  James  was  secured  in  the  district 
schools  of  Noble  township,  and  in  boyhood  he  was  accustomed  to  the 
hard  work  which  develops  the  mind  and  hardens  the  body.  Spending 
his  time  in  assisting  his  father  on  the  home  farm,  he  was  thoroughly 
trained  in  all  the  details  of  agricultural  work,  and  this  he  chose  as  his 
life  vocation,  nor  has  he  had  any  desire  to  follow  any  other  line  of 
endeavor.  He  has  been  unifornaly  successful  in  his  operations  because 
of  hard,  industrious  labor,  intelligently  directed  along  well-defined 
lines,  and  the  soil  of  his  land  has  responded  gratefully  for  the  work 
expended  upon  it,  yielding  him  large  and  profitable  crops.  Mr.  James 
has  realized  the  value  of  modem  machinery  and  scientific  methods, 
and  is  an  advocate  of  progress  along  all  lines,  not  only  in  his  owti  work, 
but  in  movements  making  for  the  public  welfare.     Such  movements 


882  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

have  always  had  his  hearty  support  and  co-operation.  He  has  never 
had  any  desire  for  public  office,  being  essentially  a  farmer,  and  has 
never,  therefore,  entered  the  public  arena,  although  a  stanch  advocate 
of  good  government. 

On  August  7,  1901,  Mr.  James  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Nora  Lontz,  who  was  born  March  1,  1882,  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana, 
daughter  of  William  A.  and  Sarah  Lontz.  The  latter  died  in  Decem- 
ber, 1885.  Mr.  Lontz  served  one  term  as  county  assessor  of  Cass 
county,  his  term  ending  in  1902,  and  shortly  thereafter  he  left  for  the 
West,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  have 
had  one  child:  Clarence  E.,  who  was  born  April  14,  1903.  Both  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  James  are  widely  and  favorably  known  in  Noble  township 
and  are  recognized  as  representatives  of  Cass  county's  best  people. 

James  M.  Deniston.  Among  the  citizens  of  Cass  county  who  are 
adding  to  the  commercial  importance  of  their  section  by  their  activi- 
ties in  the  business  field,  James  M.  Deniston,  of  Onward,  holds  a  fore- 
most place.  A  product  of  the  farm,  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
he  belongs  to  that  class  of  men  whose  versatile  talents  allow  them  to 
meet  with  success  in  more  than  one  line  of  endeavor,  and  has  proven 
himself  as  able  a  business  man  as  he  was  a  fanner.  He  is  now  the 
proprietor  of  a  general  store  at  Onward,  where  he  handles  a  large 
trade  in  merchandise  and  farming  implements,  his  customers  being 
drawn  from  a  "v\ade  contiguous  territory.  Mr.  Deniston  was  born  De- 
cember 25,  1862,  in  ]\Iiami  county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  Thomas 
B.  and  Elizabeth  (Wilkinson)  Deniston.  His  father,  a  miller  by  trade, 
came  to  Miami  county,  Indiana,  from  Ohio,  and  here  spent  the  rest 
of  his  life  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He  and  his  wife  had  six  cluldren : 
Eva,  Clara,  who  is  deceased;  James  M.,  Belle,  deceased;  Charles  and 
William.     The  mother  of  these  children  died  in  1873. 

James  M.  Deniston  attended  the  district  schools  of  Miami,  but  the 
greater  part  of  his  education  was  secured  in  the  schools  of  hard  work 
and  experience.  An  energetic,  industrious  youth,  he  spent  his  early 
years  in  faithful  labor,  carefully  saving  his  earnings  with  the  idea  ever 
in  view  of  becoming  the  owner  of  a  property  of  his  own.  His  per- 
severance and  industry  were  rewarded  by  the  accumulation  of  a  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  located  in  Pulaski  county,  Indiana, 
on  which  he  carried  on  operations  for  a  number  of  years,  but  in  1892 
he  decided  to  enter  upon  a  commercial  career,  and  accordingly  traded 
ninety  acres  of  land  for  his  present  store.  Here,  by  good  judgment, 
honorable  dealing,  and  attention  to  minor  details  as  well  as  large  ones, 
he  has  succeeded  in  building  up  a  large  trade,  carrying  a  full  line  of 
articles  demanded  by  the  people  of  his  community  and  an  up-to-date 
stock  of  farming  implements.  He  is  known  as  a  man  of  the  strictest 
integrity,  and  possesses  the  full  confidence  of  all  who  have  had  deal- 
ings with  him.  In  addition  to  attending  to  the  affairs  of  his  store,  he 
also  carries  on  agricultural  operations  in  Cass  county. 

Mr.  Deniston  was  married  in  1882  to  Miss  Rebecca  Leffel,  and  to 
this  union  there  were  born  four  children,  namely:  William,  a  resi- 
dent of  Logansport  and  bookkeeper  in  the  First  National  Bank.  He 
graduated  from  the  public  schools,  and  then  took  the  teacher's  course 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  883 

of  the  Marion  Normal,  of  Marion,  Indiana,  and  taught  two  terms.  He 
also  graduated  from  the  Logansport  business  college.  He  wedded 
Miss  Anna  Leffel,  and  they  are  members  of  the  Christian  church,  and 
he  is  a  Mason.  Herman  C.,  graduated  from  the  public  schools  and  is 
an  agriculturist  in  Pulaski  county,  Indiana.  He  wedded  Miss  Alice 
Kelsey,  and  they  have  two  children,  Herbert  and  Mildred.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  United  Brethren  church  and  a  Mason,  and  his  wife  is 
a  member  of  the  Progressive  Brethren.  Minnie  is  the  wife  of  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  a  resident  of  Adams  township,  and  they  have  one  son,  Lloyd. 
He  is  an  agriculturist  and  a  Mason.  ]Mabel,  the  youngest,  is  at  home 
and  in  the  sixth  grade  of  the  public  schools.  Mrs.  Deniston  is  a 
native  of  Cass  eountj^,  Indiana,  and  was  reared  and  educated  in  her 
home  county.  She  and  her  husband  are  consistent  members  of  the 
United  Brethren  church,  located  at  Twelve  Mile,  Adams  township, 
Cass  county.  Mr.  Deniston  has  interested  himself  to  some  extent  in 
fraternal  work,  and  is  affiliated  with  the  local  lodge  of  the  ^Masonic  order 
at  Twelve  JVIile.  All  matters  pei-taining  to  the  betterment  of  his  com- 
munity or  its  people  find  in  him  a  hearty  supporter,  while  among  his 
associates  he  is  known  as  a  man  who,  having  succeeded  himself,  is  always 
ready  to  help  others  to  succeed. 

Albert  O.  Brandt.  Noble  township  is  the  home  of  some  excellent 
citizens  who  have  employed  themselves  in  tilling  the  soil.  Many  of  them 
have  spent  their  entire  lives  on  the  farm  and  have  known  no  other  oc- 
cupation, and  in  this  class  stands  Albert  O.  Brandt,  who  for  the  past 
thirty  years  has  been  engaged  in  cultivating  his  present  tract  of  land. 
Mr.  Brandt  was  born  in  Noble  township,  June  21,  18.59,  and  is  a  son 
of  Charles  A.  and  Rosanna  (Adair)  Brandt.  He  has  a  full  genealogical 
tree,  and  traces  his  lineage  back  to  1760,  as  his  progenitors  came  from 
Germany. 

Charles  A.  Brandt  Avas  born  in  Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  December  14, 
1828,  and  is  a  pioneer  of  Noble  township.  He  is  the  oldest  son  born  to 
John  and  Hannah  (Coulson)  Brandt.  His  father  immigrated  to  Indiana 
in  18.37,  from  Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  with  his  wife  and  three  children, 
having  been  persuaded  to  come  l^y  David  B.  Coulson  and  Jacob  Bimes- 
dorfer,  brothers-in-law,  who  were  at  that  time  residing  here.  Charles 
A.  Brandt  was  but  nine  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the  immigration, 
and  when  he  was  seventeen  years  old  he  was  apprenticed  to  E.  B. 
"Williams,  of  Logansport,  with  whom  he  remained  one  year,  learning 
the  trade  of  wagon  maker.  He  continued  working  at  his  trade  in 
Logansport  and  LaFayette  until  1850,  when  he  started  for  Oregon, 
but  on  account  of  illness  he  did  not  proceed  farther  than  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, being  compelled  to  return  home  from  that  point.  Again,  in  the 
following  spring,  he  started  on  another  trip,  with  Oregon  again  as  his 
destination.  Leaving  Logansport,  ]\Iareh  18,  1851,  by  ox-team,  in  com- 
panj'  with  two  other  young  men,  he  journeyed  to  St.  Joseph,  ^Missouri, 
where  he  joined  a  company  then  en  route  for  his  point  of  destination. 
On  September  27th  of  the  same  year  the  party  reached  Oregon  City, 
and  shortly  thereafter  ]\Ir.  Brandt  journeyed  to  California  and  there 
engaged  in  mining.  Some  months  later  he  returned  to  Oregon  and  en- 
gaged in  the  packing  business,  in  conveying  provisions  from  there  to  the 


884  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

mines  in  California  by  pack  mules.  In  this  line  he  was  quite  successful, 
and  continued  in  the  business  until  June,  1854,  when  he  decided  to 
return  to  Indiana,  although  the  return  journey  was  filled  with  diffi- 
culties as  regarded  methods  of  travel.  Leaving  San  Francisco,  June  1, 
1854,  on  the  steamship  Yankee  Blade,  he  traveled  to  Panama,  went 
thence  by  foot  to  Cruces,  on  the  Chagres  river,  and  then  by  railroad  to 
Aspinwall,  a  distance  of  twenty  miles,  for  which  he  had  to  pay  $12.50 
in  gold.  He  then  again  boarded  a  steamship,  and  landed  at  New  York 
City,  June  22d.  He  left  New  York  on  the  following  day,  going  by  rail 
to  Buffalo,  where  he  laid  over  one  day,  and  then  continued  by  rail  as 
far  as  South  Bend,  Indiana,  arriving  in  Logansport  June  27th  on  a 
stage-coach.  He  has  resided  in  Cass  county  since  that  date.  In  1855, 
he  located  on  a  farm  in  section  20,  Noble  township,  and  in  1864  he 
purchased  and  removed  to  a  farm  on  section  21,  in  the  same  township, 
where  he  resided  until  1889.  At  that  time  he  made  removal  to  his 
present  farm  in  the  same  township.  In  1857,  with  his  father  and 
brother,  he  built  a  grist-mill  on  what  is  known  as  Cottonwood  creek,  and 
was  here  engaged  in  milling  until  1860.  In  the  spring  of  1860,  Mr. 
Brandt  made  a  trip  to  Pike's  Peak,  Colorado,  but  returned  in  the  fall 
of  the  same  year,  and  in  the  fall  of  1866  went  to  Kansas,  and  returned 
one  year  later,  these  trips  being  more  of  a  prospective  nature  than  with 
any  idea  of  permanently  locating  there. 

On  March  30,  1855,  Mr.  Brandt  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Eosanna  Adair,  who  was  born  August  5,  1834,  in  Noble  township,  the 
daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Anna  (McMillen)  Adair,  of  Ohio  and  Penn- 
sylvania, respectively.  Two  children  were  born  to  this  union :  James 
M.,  born  October  28,  1857,  and  died  the  following  day;  and  Albert  0. 
On  March  30,  1905,  the  golden  wedding  anniversary  of  this  honored 
couple  was  celebrated,  an  added  interest  at  the  time  being  the  wedding 
of  their  granddaughter,  Nellie  R.,  the  daughter  of  Albert  0.  Brandt. 
After  a  long  and  useful  life,  Mrs.  Brandt  passed  away  June  5,  1909. 
Mr.  Brandt's  political  faith  is  that  of  the  Republican  party,  with  which 
he  has  been  connected  since  its  formation,  prior  to  that  time  having 
been  a  AVhig.  With  his  family,  he  attends  the  Shiloh  Christian  church. 
Mr.  Brandt  takes  a  deep  interest  in  biographical  and  genealogical  mat- 
ters, having  in  his  possession  much  information  in  regard  to  Cass 
county  and  its  early  history  and  being  a  pleasing  and  entertaining  con- 
versationalist. He  has  ever  been  honest  and  straightforward  in  his 
dealings,  and  his  reputation  is  that  of  an  excellent  neighbor,  a  true 
friend,  a  capable  business  man,  and  a  loyal  citizen. 

Albert  0.  Braaidt  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  and 
the  county  normal  school,  and  has  always  been  engaged  in  farming. 
He  has  lived  on  his  present  property  since  November  8,  1883,  and  is 
now  engaged  in  farming  his  own  land  and  working  with  his  father,  and 
like  him  is  known  as  a  man  of  good  habits,  loyal  to  his  township's  in- 
terests, and  a  capable  man  of  business.  On  September  12,  1880,  he  was 
joined  in  marriage  with  Miss  Annie  B.  Grable,  daughter  of  Joram  and 
Lucy  Anna  (Carson)  Grable,  of  Adams  township,  Cass  county.  Mrs. 
Brandt  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  Indiana,  born  August  31,  1858,  and 
is  the  fifth  in  a  family  of  six  children,  one  son  and  five  daughters,  but 
there  are  only  two  children  of  the  Grable  family  living,  Mrs.  Brandt 


HISTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  885 

and  her  sister,  Samantlia,  wife  of  Isaac  "Watts,  residents  of  Pulaski 
county,  Indiana. 

Mrs.  Brandt  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and  also  received 
a  normal  ti^aiuing  for  the  profession  of  teacher.  She  taught  five  years 
in  Cass  county.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Shiloh  Christian  church  and  of 
the  L.  A.  S.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  a  well 
educated  gentleman,  and  followed  the  profession  of  teacher  both  in 
Pennsylvania  and  Indiana,  but  most  of  his  life  was  spent  as  an  agri- 
culturist. He  was  a  Republican,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

To  the  union  of  ilr.  and  I\Irs.  Brandt  there  have  been  born  two 
children :  Olive  A.,  born  July  10,  1881,  who  died  September  1,  1881 ; 
and  Nellie  R.,  bom  September  21,  1886,  who  was  married  March  30, 
1905,  to  Oliver  0.  Leach,  an  agriculturist,  who  resides  near  her  parents. 
On  this  last-named  occasion,  the  house  was  decorated  in  white  and  gold, 
and  three  guests  were  present  who  had  attended  the  wedding  of  Mrs. 
Leach's  grandparents,  fifty  years  before.  ]\Irs.  Leach  received  a  good 
education,  receiving  her  diploma  from  the  public  schools  in  1899, 
and  in  1900  entered  the  Logansport  high  school,  and  spent  two  years 
there  as  a  student.  She  is  a  musician  of  merit,  and  taught  music  in  her 
•  home  township.  Both  she  and  her  husband  are  members  of  the  Shiloh 
Christian  church. 

Mr.  Brandt  has  always  been  a  faithful  member  of  the  Shiloh  Chris- 
tian church,  which  he  attends  regularly,  and  is  an  official  worker  in  the 
township  and  county  Sunday  school  association,  in  connection  with 
his  church.  In  politics  he  has  always  been  a  stanch  Republican,  but  has 
never  cared  for  public  office,  preferring  to  devote  all  of  his  time  and 
attention  to  his  farming  operations.  His  fraternal  connection  is  with 
Royal  Center  Lodge  No.  585,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  in  which  he 
has  many  warm  friends,  as  he  has,  indeed,  in  all  circles  of  his  com- 
munity.    The  homestead  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brandt  is  known  as  "Blake- 


Majrion  E.  Reed.  Among  the  public-spirited  men  of  Cass  county 
who  are  filling  official  positions  with  marked  ability  and  conscientious 
devotion  to  duty,  none  stands  higher  in  general  esteem -than  ]\Iarion  E. 
Reed,  postmaster  at  Onward,  a  capacity  in  which  he  has  acted  for  more 
than  six  years.  In  choosing  the  men  who  handle  the  United  States 
mail,  the  government  is  careful  in  securing  only  those  individuals  who 
have  proven  their  worth  in  business,  their  loyalty  as  citizens  and  their 
general  fitness  for  public  office  as  displayed  in  their  past  careers.  I\Ir. 
Reed  has  not  only  met  all  of  these  qualifications,  but  by  his  courteous 
and  obliging  manner  has  won  the  friendship  of  all  who  have  had  occa- 
sion to  come  in  contact  with  him  in  his  official  capacity.  He  is  a  native 
of  Cass  county,  and  was  born  on  the  Reed  homestead,  about  one  and 
one-half  miles  east  of  Onward,  November  4,  1869,  a  son  of  George  M. 
and  Martha  J.  (Smith)  Reed.  Mr.  Reed's  mother's  people  were  natives 
of  Pennsylvania,  from  whence  they  migrated  to  Ohio  and  later  to  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  where  they  were  engaged  in  tilling  the  soil.  George 
M.  Reed  was  born  in  Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania,  a  son  of  John 


886  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

and  Jane  (Brandt)  Reed,  and  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  Cass 
county  as  a  lad,  the  family  settling  on  government  land,  which  Greorge 
M.  assisted  in  clearing  from  its  native  state.  He  is  remembered  as  one 
of  the  very  early  settlers  of  Cass  county  and  as  an  able  agriculturist  and 
sterling  citizen.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  seven  children, 
namely:  Marvin,  who  is  deceased;  and  Marion  E.,  Yirgie,  Estella,  Ed- 
ward, Homer  and  Otho. 

Marion  E.  Reed  first  attended  what  was  known  as  the  Cross  Roads 
school  and  later  the  Kinsey  school,  and  finished  his  education  in  Onward. 
He  was  reared  to  the  occupation  of  farming  and  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  of  age,  at  which  time  he 
embarked  in  agricultural  pursuits  on  his  own  account,  being  engaged 
therein  for  about  ten  years.  He  then  turned  his  attention  to  mercantile 
pursuits,  in  which  he  was  engaged  until  recently,  and  in  which  he 
met  with  the  same  success  that  had  rewarded  his  agricultural  efforts. 
He  has  recently  sold  his  business,  and  now  resides  quietly  on  his  valu- 
able town  property,  devoting  his  attention  to  looking  after  his  realty 
interests.  Mr.  Reed  has  been  a  lifelong  supporter  of  Republican  poli- 
cies and  candidates,  and  on  January  8,  1907,  received  the  appointment 
of  postmaster  of  Onward  from  President  Roosevelt,  a  position  which 
he  has  held  to  the  present  time. 

On  Marcli  27,  1895,  ]\Ir.  Reed  was  married  to  Miss  Lovina  Wessinger, 
who  was  born  in  Miami  county,  Indiana,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Mar- 
garet (Blubaker)  Wessinger,  and  they  have  had  two  children:  Roscoe  E., 
who  is  dead,  and  Janice,  who  is  attending  school  in  Onv/ard  in  the  third 
grade.  Mr.  Reed  holds  membership  in  the  Ancient  Order  of  Gleaners 
lodge,  located  in  Walton.  With  his  family,  he  attends  the  Christian 
church,  in  the  work  of  which  he  has  always  lieen  active.  The  family 
name  has  always  stood  for  reliability  and  good  citizenship,  and  Mr. 
Reed  is  ably  maintaining  the  high  standard  set  by  his  forebears. 

Levpis  B.  W.UjTErs.  The  town  of  Onward,  Indiana,  is  situated  in 
the  center  of  a  great  grain  belt,  and  one  of  the  chief  industries  of  the 
locality  is  the  handling  of  the  products  of  the  agriculturists  of  the 
section.  A  prosperous  and  gi'owing  enterprise  of  Onward  is  the  gi'ain 
elevator  of  N.  E.  AYalkei*  &  Company,  the  superintendent  of  which, 
Lewis  B.  Walters,  has  risen  to  his  present  business  through  well-applied 
energy  and  inherent  business  ability.  Mr.  Walters  has  been  identified 
with  the  grain  business  for  nine  years,  and  for  four  years  of  this 
time  has  been  a  resident  of  Onward,  where  he  is  known  as  a  citizen 
who  takes  an  interest  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  his 
community.  He  is  a  native  of  the  Hoosier  state,  having  been  born  in 
Clinton  county,  near  Frankfort,  March  24,  1876,  a  son  of  Samuel 
and  Amanda  (Finney)  Walters. 

Samuel  Waltere  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  came  to  Indiana  ^rith 
his  parents  when  still  a  babe,  the  family  settling  in  Clinton  county, 
where  Mr.  Walters  was  reared  and  educated.  He  became  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits,  and  was  working  on  a  farm  when  the  Civil  war 
broke  out,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Eighty-ninth  Regiment,  Indiana  Yol- 
unteer  Infantry,  for  three  years.  In  his  first  large  battle,  at  Mumfords- 
ville,   Kentucky,   he  was   captured   by   the   Confederates,   but   was  ex- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  887 

changed  and  sent  home  on  a  three  months'  furlough  to  recuperate  from 
a  serious  illness  contracted  in  a  southern  prison.  On  rejoining  his 
regiment,  he  served  under  General  Smith,  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
so  continuing  until  receiving  his  honorable  discharge  at  the  close  of 
his  service.  He  was  a  faithful  and  gallant  soldier,  and  when  his 
military  term  had  expired  returned  to  the  occupations  of  peace,  and 
throughout  the  remainder  of  his  active  career  devoted  himself  to  the 
tilling  of  the  soil. 

Lewis  Walters  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his 
neighborhood  and  the  public  schools  of  Clinton,  after  which  he  became 
engaged  in  farming.  In  1904  he  entered  the  grain  business  and  was 
on  the  road  for  one  year.  In  1909  he  came  to  Onward  and  became 
associated  with  the  firm  of  N.  E.  Walker  &  Company,  where  he  has 
since  remained.  Faithful  devotion  to  his  duties  and  earnest  appli- 
cation in  behalf  of  his  company's  interests  gained  him  rapid  promotion, 
and  at  this  time  he  holds  the  position  of  general  superintendent  of  the 
Onward  elevator.  He  is  widely  known  in  the  grain  trade,  and  has 
won  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  shrewd,  capable  man  of  business. 

On  September  6,  1899,  j\Ir.  Walters  was  married  to  Miss  Effie  Newlin, 
daughter  of  Alfred  G.  and  Ella  (Mote)  Newlin,  and  they  have  the 
following  children :  Lawrence  A.,  in  the  seventh  grade  of  the  public 
schools ;  Samuel  A.,  in  the  fifth  grade  ;  and  Bernice  and  Gertrude.  Mrs. 
Walters  was  born  in  Iroquois  county,  Illinois,  March  7,  1880,  the  fourth 
in  a  family  of  ten  children — six  sons  and  four  daughters — and  three 
are  living  at  present.  Her  mother  is  living  in  Clinton  county,  Indiana. 
Mr.  Walters  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  No. 
455,  at  Onward,  in  which  he  has  numerous  friends.  He  has  been  a  life- 
long adherent  of  Republican  principles  and  has  served  his  township  as 
a  member  of  the  election  board.  With  his  wife  and  children,  he  attends 
the  Christian  church  at  Onward. 

John  H.  Minnick.  Among  the  successful  agriculturists  of  Cass 
county  who  have  devoted  their  lives  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil,  and  who 
now  have  large,  well-cultivated  properties  to  show  for  their  years  of 
labor,  John  H.  Minnick  holds  a  prominent  place.  He  has  spent  his 
entire  career  within  the  borders  pf  the  county,  and  his  life,  from  earli- 
est boyhood,  has  been  one  of  industry  and  energy.  Today  he  is  the 
owner  of  a  handsome  tract  of  ninety -one  acres,  located  on  the  Thomas 
road,  which,  through  intelligent  handling,  he  has  made  one  of  the 
valuable  tracts  of  his  locality.  Mr.  Minnick  was  born  in  Tipton  town- 
ship, Cass  county,  Indiana,  July  5,  1855,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and 
Mary  (Bechdol)  Minnick.  His  father,  a  native  of  Somerset  county, 
Pennsylvania,  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  Cass  county  in  boyhood, 
and  here  he  took  up  agricultural  pui'suits,  in  which  he  was  successfully 
engaged  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Heniy  and  ]\Iary  Minnick 
became  the  parents  of  eight  children,  of  whom  six  survive  at  this 
time:  Daniel,  William,  Charles,  Joshua,  Charlotte,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Mr.  Fred  Gibson,  of  Tipton  township ;  and  John  H. 

The  early  education  of  John  H.  Minnick  was  secured  in  the  old 
Flynn  school  in  Tipton  township,  which  he  attended  during  the  short 
winter  terms,  his  summers  being  devoted  to  the  hard  and  unremitting 


888  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

work  of  the  home  farm.  An  industrious  and  energetic  youth,  he  was 
ambitious  to  thoroughly  learn  every  detail  of  farm  work,  in  which  he 
was  trained  by  his  father,  while  by  his  mother  he  was  taught  to  be 
honest  and  upright  in  his  dealings.  Thus  growing  to  manhood,  he 
continued  to  work  with  his  parents,  and  to  remain  on  the  homestead 
until  his  marriage,  when  he  established  a  home  of  his  own  and  embarked 
upon  a.  career,  following  the  training  of  his  youth  and  engaging  in 
agricultural  pursuits.  Selecting  his  present  property  on  the  Thomas 
road,  he  settled  down  to  improve  and  cultivate  it,  and  to  make  it  one 
of  the  valuable  tracts  of  the  township,  and  in  this  he  has  been  suc- 
cessful, as  a  visit  to  his  well-tilled  fields  will  demonstrate.  His  build- 
ings are  substantial  and  of  a  modern  style  of  architecture,  and  the 
general  air  of  prosperity  that  pervades  the  whole  place  shows  that 
Mr.  Minniek  made  no  mistake  in  his  choice  of  a  vocation. 

October  3,  1873,  Mr.  Minniek  was  united  in  marriage  with  MisS 
Lillis  Doud,  and  to  this  union  there  were  born  four  children,  namely: 
Merlon,  who  is  deceased ;  Jennie,  who  married  Wm.  Ramer ;  Clarence, 
who  is  deceased;  and  Alvin,  who  resides  at  home  and  assists  his  father. 
The  last  named,  Alvin,  finished  the  public  schools  and  then  took  a 
business  course  at  the  Miami  Business  College.  The  following  para- 
graph is  taken  from  one  of  the  Walton  papers : 

"Lillis  Minniek  was  born  near  Chili,  Miami  county,  Indiana,  April 
10,  1853,  and  died  at  her  home  near  Walton,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  June 
10,  1907,  aged  fifty-four  years  and  two  months.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Lorenzo  and  Lydia  Dond.  On  October  30,  1873,  she  was  united  in 
marriage  to  John  H.  Minniek.  To  this  union  were  born  four  children, 
three  sons  and  one  daughter.  A  husband,  one  son,  one  daughter,  three 
sisters,  two  brothers,  two  grandchildren  and  a  host  of  friends  are  left 
to  mourn  her  departure,  two  sons,  three  brothers,  two  sisters,  father 
and  mother  having  gone  on  before.  She  was  converted  and  united 
with  the  M.  E.  church  at  Chili  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  but  later  united 
with  the  Christian  church  near  her  home,  of  which  church  she  remained 
a  faithful  member  until  called  to  go  to  her  Heavenly  Father.  She  ex- 
pressed a  desire  to  live,  yet  she  was  willing  to  go.  There  has  departed 
from  our  midst  a  devoted  wife,  a  faithful,  sacrificing  mother,  a  sincere 
friend,  beloved  by  all.  The  funeral  services  were  held  in  the  Christian 
church  northwest  of  Walton,  Jvine  13,  1907,  at  10  a.  m.,  conducted 
by  Rev.  W.  M.  Amos  in  the  presence  of  many  sympathizing  friends, 
and  interment  was  made  in  the  Walton  cemetery.  'We  cannot  say  and 
we  will  not  say  that  she  is  dead,  she  is  just  away.  With  a  loving  smile 
and  a  wave  of  the  hand  she  has  wandered  into  an  unknown  land,  and 
left  us  dreaming;  how  very  fair  it  needs  must  be,  since  she  lingers 
there.  And  you,  0  you,  who  will  often  yearn  for  the  old-time  step 
and  the  glad  return,  think  of  her  just  the  same,  we  say,  she  is  not  dead, 
but  just  away.'  "  Friends. 

On  April  27,  1909,  Mr.  Minniek  was  married  to  Mrs.  Edna  (Pat- 
ton)  Swafford,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Berry)  Patton. 
Mrs.  Minniek  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  born  January  4,  1874,  and  she  is 
the  younger  of  two  children,  both  living.  She  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  and  at  the  Walton  high  school.  She  wedded  Archibald 
Swafford  and  six  children  were  bom  and  only  two  are  living:  Gettis  0., 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  889 

who  graduated  iu  the  common  schools  and  is  a  resident  of  Tipton, 
engaged  with  the  Pennsylvania  system;  and  Harry  B.,  in  the  fourth 
grade.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Minniek  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
in  the  congregation  of  which  they  have  many  friends.  He  has  taken  a 
prominent  part  in  township  affairs,  not  particularly  as  an  incumbent 
of  public  office,  but  as  a  man  who  is  ever  ready  to  give  his  time  and 
means  to  promoting  movements  for  the  public  welfare.  He  is  held  in 
high  esteem  by  his  fellow-townsmen,  and  may  be  justly  named  one  of 
the  representative  men  of  his  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Minniek 's  beau- 
tifiil  estate  is  known  as  "Pleasant  View  Lawn." 

William  P.  Burkit.  One  of  the  representative  farmers  of  Wash- 
ington township,  who  has  been  an  eye-witness  of  the  marvelous  growth 
and  development  of  Cass  county  during  the  past  four  decades,  and  who 
has  contributed  materially  to  that  development,  is  William  P.  Burkit, 
township  trustee  and  a  man  who  has  always  been  devoted  to  the  best 
interests  of  his  community.  During  a  long  and  honorable  career,  he  has 
given  his  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  and  at  tliis  time  is 
the  owner  of  a  well-cultivated  tract  of  380  acres  of  some  of  the  best 
land  in  Washington  township,  situated  about  nine  miles  southeast  of 
Logansport.  Mr.  Burkit  was  born  February  21,  1866,  in  an  old  log 
cabin  in  Washington  townsliip,  Cass  county,  which  had  been  built  by 
his  father,  Alvin  Burkit.  The  latter  was  a  native  of  Jefferson  township, 
Cass  county,  where  he  received  his  education  and  was  reared  to  man- 
hood, beginning  his  operations  as  a  farmer  when  still  a  youth.  A  self- 
made  man  in  the  truest  sense  of  the  word,  he  was  honored  and  respected 
by  his  neighbors  as  an  energetic,  industrious  farmer,  and  reared  a  family 
that  was  a  credit  to  the  community.  At  about  the  age  of  eight  years 
Alvin  Burkit  came  to  Washington  township,  and  during  the  remainder 
of  his  lifetime  cleared  the  greater  part  of  the  farm  that  is  now  the 
home  of  William  P.  Burkit.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  Small,  also  of 
Washington  towmship,  and  they  had  a  family  of  six  children,  of  whom 
but  two  now  survive:  William  P.  and  Charles  A.,  the  latter  now  resid- 
ing in  the  city  of  Logansport.  The  mother,  now  aged  seventy-two  years, 
is  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Logansport,  Indiana. 

William  P.  Burkit  passed  his  boyhood  much  as  other  farmers'  sons 
of  his  day  and  locality.  His  early  education  was  secured  in  the  district 
schools,  which  he  attended  during  the  short  winter  terms,  the  summers 
being  spent  in  assisting  his  father  in  clearing  the  home  farm.  He  had 
reached  his  twenty-sixth  year  before  he  embarked  in  farming  on  his 
own  account,  at  that  time  renting  a  small  property  from  his  father. 
An  industrious,  sober  and  thrifty  youth,  he  was  soon  able  to  purchase 
a  small  tract  of  land,  and  to  this  he  has  added  from  time  to  time,  until 
he  now  has  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  his  part  of  the  county,  380  acres 
in  area,  all  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  In  addition  to  his  home 
property,  he  owns  two  other  valuable  farms,  and  is  justly  considered  one 
of  his  township's  most  substantial  citizens.  The  homestead  farm  pre- 
sents a  strikingly  different  appearance  than  it  did  during  Mr.  Burkit 's 
boyhood.  The  little  log  cabin  that  was  his  birthplace  has  been  replaced 
by  a  modern  residence,  erected  by  Mr.  Bui'kit,  and  numerous  other 
changes  and  improvements  have  been  made,  the  entire  property  giving 


890  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

evidence  of  the  presence  of  able  management.  A  Democrat  in  politics, 
in  1908  Mr.  Burkit  became  his  party's  candidate  for  township  trustee 
of  Washington  township,  and  in  the  election  that  followed  he  was 
returned  to  the  office  by  a  handsome  majority.  He  has  since  continued 
to  discharge  its  duties,  laboring  faithfully  in  behalf  of  the  best  interests 
of  his  community  and  its  people. 

On  'June  17,  1891,  Mr.  Burkit  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Matilda  Zollman,  who  died  August  29,  1895,  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Martha  (Bell)  Zollman.  One  child  was  born  to  this  union — Virginia  A. 
— who  is  now  the  wife  of  Chester  Buschbaum.  Mrs.  Burkit  was  a  de- 
voted member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  was  actively  interested  in 
church  and  charitable  affairs,  and  was  widely  known  and  greatly  be- 
loved. 

George  H.  Schwalm.  To  its  enterprising  and  progressive  agricul- 
tural class,  Cass  county  owes  its  marvelous  development  during  the 
past  several  decades,  a  development  that  has  transformed  what  was 
once  almost  a  valueless  waste  to  a  center  of  agricultural,  commercial 
and  educational  activity.  A  great  many  of  the  pioneers  of  this  section 
have  passed  to  their  final  reward,  but  their  sons  and  grandsons  are 
continuing  their  work,  and  just  as  sturdy,  self-reliant  and  industrious 
a  class  of  men  may  be  found  here  today  as  those  who  braved  the  dangers 
of  an  unknown  region  during  the  county's  formative  period.  A  family 
that  has  contributed  of  its  members  to  work  of  this  development  is  that 
bearing  the  name  of  Schwalm,  a  worthy  representative  of  which  is 
found  in  George  Schwalm,  whose  postoffice  address  is  Logansport  Rural 
Route  No.  3,  and  who  is  cultivating  his  own  property  of  100  acres  and 
the  homestead,  which  consists  of  eighty  acres,  in  section  26.  Mr. 
Schwalm  was  born  March  2,  1858,  in  Washington  township,  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Helena  (Haemel)  Schwalm. 

Henry  Schwalm  was  born  in  Germany,  August  20,  1828,  and  was 
educated  in  the  Fatherland,  from  whence  he  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1852  and  began  working  for  his  iincle,  Henry  Schwalm.  Subse- 
quently, he  took  a  lease  to  clear  forty-five  acres  of  land  in  Washington 
township,  and  from  that  time  continued  to  carry  on  agricultural  opera- 
tions on  his  own  account,  becoming  the  owner  of  the  old  SehwaJm  home- 
stead. On  May  21,  1857,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Helena  Haemel,  daugh- 
ter of  Frederick  and  Elizabeth  (Ellerman)  Haemel,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  eight  children,  as  follows :  George ;  Sarah  E.,  who  married 
Mr.  D.  P.  Hurd ;  IMrs.  Caroline  M.  ]\Iartin ;  Eckert  A. ;  Mrs.  Augustina 
M.  Kaufman;  Louisa  L.,  who  is  single  and  resides  with  Mr.  and  INIrs. 
Kaufman;  William  B.,  a  resident  of  Logansport;  and  Mrs.  Laura  E. 
Martin.  All  the  members  of  this  family,  except  Mrs.  Hurd,  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  take  an  active  part  in  church  work. 

George  Schwalm  received  his  education  in  the  Flynn  public  school 
in  Tipton  township,  and  as  the  eldest  son  of  his  parents  spent  his  boy- 
hood and  early  youth  in  assisting  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home 
place.  When  he  was  twenty  years  of  age,  he  began  teaching  school, 
carefully  saving  his  earnings  and  investing  them  in  farming  land,  and 
when  he  had  accumulated  a  small  capital  he  gave  up  the  vocation  of 
educator  and  returned  to  farm  work.     He  has  since  been  engaged  in 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  891 

tilling  the  soil  and  in  raising  stock  and  has  met  with  uniform  success 
in  all  of  his  ventures. 

On  September  21,  1882,  Mr.  Sehwalm  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Laura  E.  Martin,  daughter  of  Simon  and  Eliza  (Shuman)  Martin, 
and  she  died,  leaving  four  children:  Grace,  Edna  M.,  Florence  I.  and 
Edith  R.,  all  living  at  home.  Mr.  Sehwalm  was  married  to 
Miss  Orpha  C.  Bechdol,  and  they  have  two  children :  Mary  H.  and 
Elma  C.  ]\Irs.  Sehwalm  is  the  ninth  in  a  family  of  twelve  children, 
three  sons  and  nine  daughters,  born  to  Elias  and  Mary  J.  (Stough) 
Bechdol,  and  there  are  seven  living.  Both  parents  are  deceased  and 
both  were  members  of  the  Lutheran  clnirch.  The  Sehwalm  family  is 
connected  with  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Sehwalm  has  not  cared 
for  the  activities  attendant  upon  public  life,  but  willingly  lends  his  sup- 
port to  progressive  movements,  and  on  a  number  of  occasions  has  shown 
that  he  has  the  welfare  of  his  section  thoroughly  at  heart.  The  pretty 
estate  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sehwalm  is  known  as  ' '  Eutopia. ' ' 

William  H.  Snyder.  Many  of  Cass  county's  leading  agriculturists 
are  carrying  on  operations  on  the  fai-ms  on  which  they  were  born,  and 
which  were  taken  up  by  their  fathers  from  the  government  and  devel- 
oped from  their  virgin  state.  Having  spent  their  entire  lives  on  these 
properties,  their  owners  are  thoroughly  conversant  with  climatic  con- 
ditions and  the  needs  of  the  soil,  and  are  thus  able  to  secure  a  full  meas- 
ure of  success  from  their  labors.  In  this  class  stands  William  H. 
Snyder,  of  Tipton  township,  an  agriculturist  of  long  standing,  and  a 
citizen  who  has  at  all  times  held  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow- 
townsmen.  In  his  early  years  ]Mr.  Snyder  was  engaged  in  other  lines 
of  endeavor,  but  eventually  returned  to  the  old  homestead,  content  that 
his  abilities  fitted  him  best  for  the  occupation  of  his  forefathers.  Mr. 
Snyder  was  born  on  the  old  Snyder  homestead  in  Tipton  township, 
located  about  one  mile  west  of  Onward,  at  the  junction  of  the  Thomas 
and  Snyder  road,  July  1,  1857,  a  son  of  Levi  and  Madeline  (Rothen- 
berger)  Snyder.  His  father,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  left  that  state 
as  a  young  man  and  came  to  Clinton  county,  Indiana,  from  whence  he 
enlisted  in  the  United  States  army  for  service  during  the  Mexican  war. 
After  the  close  of  that  stiniggle,  he  came  to  Cass  county,  and  here  took 
up  land,  cleared  a  farm  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  farming, 
his  death  occurring  in  1900,  at  an  advanced  age.  He  and  his  wife  were 
the  parents  of  three  children :  William  H.,  ]\Iaiy  E.  and  Mrs.  Martha 
J.  Shank. 

William  H.  Snyder  was  given  excellent  educational  advantages, 
attending  the  district  schools  near  his  home  in  Tipton  township,  and 
completing  his  studies  imder  Professor  Neff,  at  the  normal  school.  Dur- 
ing this  entire  period,  he  had  spent  his  spare  time  in  assisting  his  father 
on  the  home  farm,  being  thoroughly  trained  in  the  vocation  of  farming. 
When  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  left  the  parental  roof  and 
engaged  in  school  teaching  for  a  period,  but  subsequently  served  an 
apprenticeship  to'  the  carpenter  trade,  which  he  also  followed  for  some 
time.  Eventually,  however,  he  again  tiirned  his  attention  to  the  tilling 
of  the  soil,  and  in  1900  bought  the  interests  of  the  other  heirs  to  his 
father's  land,  of  which  he  is  now  the  sole  owner.     He  has  eighty  acres 


892  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

of  land,  all  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  and  his  able  management  of 
the  property  is  evidenced  by  its  general  air  of  prosperity  and  the  large 
crops  raised  thereon.  He  believes  in  the  use  of  modern  machinery  and 
methods,  has  made  a  thorough  study  of  crop  rotation  and  other  meas- 
ures which  have  so  advanced  agriculture  during  the  past  several 
decades,  and  his  property  compares  favorably  with  any  of  its  size  in 
the  township.  Mr.  Snyder  is  essentially  a  farmer  and  has  not  cared 
for  public  life,  taking  only  a  good  citizen's  interest  in  mattera  of  a 
political  nature.  His  fraternal  connection  is  with  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees,  and  in  religious  matters  he  affiliates  with  the  German 
Reformed  church,  while  his  wife  belongs  to  the  United  Brethren  faith 
and  daughter  to  the  Methodist. 

Mr.  Snyder  was  married  to  Miss  Rachael  M.  Surface  May  1,  1884, 
and  they  have  had  three  children:  Leotine  B.,  deceased,  who  married 
W.  H.  Haas  and  died  without  issue;  Edgar  F.,  who  resides  at  home; 
and  William  R.  Mrs.  Snyder  was  born  June  17,  1865,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  common  schools.  Both  of  her  parents  are  deceased.  Edgar 
received  his  diploma  from  the  common  schools  and  was  a  student  in  the 
Marion  Normal  College.  He  was  superintendent  of  the  high  school 
one  year,  and  is  again  superintendent  for  1913-14.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  B.  P.  0.  E.  and  deputy  county  treasurer  of  Cass  county.  Wil- 
liam R.  received  a  public  school  diploma  and  graduated  from  the  county 
high  school  in  Onward  and  was  a  teacher  in  Cass  county  but  is  now 
messenger  at  Logansport  State  Bank.    He  is  a  member  of  the  Red  Men. 

John  W.  Kendall  is  another  of  the  progressive  farming  men  who 
have  added  not  a  little  to  the  development  and  prosperity  of  Cass  county 
and  Noble  township  as  a  result  of  his  up-to-date  and  modern  methods  of 
operation.  He  was  born  on  August  26,  1855,  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana, 
and  came  to  Cass  county  in  1883.  He  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Maria 
(Graves)  Kendall,  the  father  having  been  a  Civil  war  veteran.  He  en- 
listed in  an  Iowa  regiment  and  saw  much  of  the  hardships  of  actual  war. 
It  was  during  his  service  that  he  contracted  an  affection  of  the  lungs 
that  resulted  in  his  death  in  1908.  The  mother  is  still  living  in  Cass 
county. 

When  John  W.  Kendall  came  to  Cass  county,  a  young  man  of  twenty- 
three  or  thereabout,  he  settled  on  Avhat  was  then  known,  and  is  yet  called 
the  Tabor  farm,  in  Washington  township.  There  he  began  the  business 
of  general  farming,  an  occupation  in  which  he  has  ever  been  successful 
and  prosperous.  In  1894  he  branched  out  in  the  diary  business,  and  in 
1905  he  came  to  Noble  township,  here  settling  on  the  farm  he  now  oc- 
cupies on  what  is  called  College  Hill.  Here  he  has  enjoyed  a  pleasing 
degree  of  success  in  his  general  farming  and  dairying.  The  farm,  which 
comprises  eighty  acres,  has  under  Mr.  Kendall's  care  reached  a  splendid 
state  of  improvement  and  cultivation,  and  is  known  to  be  one  of  the  best 
kept  places  in  the  township,  while  the  place  boasts  one  of  the  most  com- 
plete and  perfect  silos  in  the  state  of  Indiana,  the  same  being  built  on  a 
twenty-four  inch  foundation,  four  bricks  deep,  and  is  thirty  feet  high, — 
one  of  the  most  valuable  adjuncts  in  connection  with  the  operation  of  his 
dairy  farm. 

On  January  2,  1881,  Mr.  Kendall  married  Miss  Henrietta  Wright, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  893 

and  to  them  were  born  seven  children,  named  as  follows :  Pearl,  Gertrude, 
John  Ellis,  Harry  N.,  Jesse,  Hattie  and  Ethel.  Harry  N.  died  in  1897 
at  the  age  of  four  years,  and  Ethel  was  taken  by  death  in  the  same  year, 
at  the  tender  age  of  two  years.  In  August,  1912,  the  eldest  daughter, 
Pearl,  married  Charles  Emmery,  a  manufacturer  of  mineral  waters  and 
pop  in  Logansport.  Gertrude  married  George  Case,  in  1906,  and  they 
conduct  "The  Island  View  Hotel"  in  Logansport,  Indiana. 

i\Ir.  Kendall  has  always  been  an  adherent  of  the  Republican  party, 
though  not  particularly  active  in  the  ranks,  and  his  fraternal  relations 
are  represented  by  his  membership  in  the  Redraen  and  the  Tribe  of  Ben 
Hur.  The  family  attends  the  Universalist  church.  A  man  of  much 
public  spirit  and  enterprise,  Mr.  Kendall  has  always  been  a  strong 
cooperator  in  every  movement  of  a  public  nature  that  has  for  its  ulti- 
mate object  the  betterment  of  the  community  and  may  always  be  de- 
pended upon  to  give  generously  of  his  means  and  his  support  in  any 
worthy  cause  promulgated  for  the  good  of  his  fellows. 

JION.  Dyer  B.  McConnell,  for  many  years  one  of  the  prominent 
legists  of  Cass  county,  was  born  in  Highland  county,  Illinois,  on  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1835.  He  is  one  of  the  ten  children  born  to  Dr.  James  B. 
and  Sarah  Dean  (Stewart)  McConnell,  five  of  that  number  now  living. 

James  B.  McConnell  was  a  physician  and  came  to  Cass  county  in 
1848,  locating  in  Royal  Centre,  where  he  practically  passed  the  re- 
mainder of  his  professional  life.  He  died  at  the  home  of  his  father, 
Samuel  C.  McConnell,  a  farmer  of  Harrison  township.  Samuel  C. 
McConnell  came  from  Ohio  to  Cass  county  in  1839  and  followed  farm- 
ing in  Harrison  township.  He  was  a  native  of  South  Carolina  and  of 
Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  but  his  southern  nativity  did  not  prevent  him 
from  being  a  strong  abolitionist  and  a  member  of  the  first  anti-slavery 
organization  in  the  county.  The  McConnell  family  came  to  America 
in  Colonial  days,  religious  prosecution  in  their  own  country  causing 
their  emigration. 

Dyer  B.  McConnell  received  his  scholastic  training  of  earlier  xesrs 
at  Russelville,  Brown  county,  Ohio.  He  came  to  Cass  county  in  1852 
and  finished  his  education  with  a  four  months '  term  in  a  private  school, 
conducted  by  JMessrs.  Glenn  and  Rogers,  graduates  of  Miami  Univer- 
sity in  Logansport.  He  was  reared  in  the  expectation  that  he  would 
embrace  the  medical  profession,  but  for  seven  years  he  taught  school 
in  Indiana  and  Illinois  and  subsequently  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  lumber  in  Harrison  township.  On  August  27,  1861,  ]\Ir.  McConnell 
enlisted  in  Company  K,  Ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry  as  a  private. 
He  went  first  to  West  Virginia  and  served  three  months  on  scouting 
duty  on  Cheat  ^Mountain.  In  January,  1862,  he  camped  with  his  com- 
mand at  Felterman  and  at  this  .  time,  January  29,  1862,  was  elected 
second  lieutenant  of  his  company.  On  April  12th  following  he  was 
made  first  lieutenant,  upon  the  death  of  Lieutenant  Joseph  S.  Turner. 
Close  upon  this  promotion  followed  his  election  to  the  post  of  captain 
on  August  21,  1862.  He  continued  in  the  service  until  October  29,  1864, 
when  he  resigned  owing  to  ill  health,  but  he  was  not  mustered  out  until 
November  9,  1864.  His  military  service  from  April,  1862,  was  join- 
ing the  command  of  Don  Carlos  Buel  at  Nashville,  Tennessee.     They 


894  HISTOET  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

moved  in  the  direction  of  Pittsburg  Landing  in  March  and  reached 
there  on  the  evening  of  the  first  day  of  the  light.  At  that  time  he  was 
acting  quartermaster  of  his  regiment.  By  special  request  he  was  re- 
lieved of  his  duties  as  quartermaster  that  he  might  participate  in  the 
second  day's  tight,  and  he  was  in  command  of  Company  K  after  the 
wounding  of  Fii-st  Lieutenant  Turner,  who  commanded  the  company, 
the  captain  acting  as  major  of  the  regiment.  During  this  engagement 
the  Ninth  Regiment  lost  more  men  in  killed  and  wounded  than  any 
other  regiment  in  that  action.  The  Century  Company,  in  their  pictorial 
histoi-y  of  the  war,  paid  a  high  tribute  to  the  efficiency  and  bravery  of 
the  Ninth  on  tlie  second  day  of  that  fight.  Succeeding  this  engage- 
ment, he  was  in  the  Corinth  campaign,  then  was  on  the  campaign 
through  Mississippi  to  Florence,  Alabama,  thence  north  into  Tennessee. 
Mr.  McConnell's  history  from  this  on  was  the  history  of  the  Ninth 
Regiment.  He  participated  in  the  battles  of  Greenbriar  and  Buffalo 
Mountain,  the  second  day  of  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  all  the  engagements 
of  Corinth,  Perryville,  Kentucky,  Stone  river  (two  days'  fight)  Chick- 
amauga,  Lookout  Mountain,  Mission  Ridge,  Resaea,  Peach  Tree  Creek, 
Kenesaw  Mountain,  Buzzard's  Roost,  Dallas,  New  Hope  Church,  Jones- 
boro,  Lovejoy  Station,  and  the  reduction  of  Atlanta.  Mr.  McConnell 
was  then  sent  in  pursuit  of  Hood  to  Dalton,  Summerville  and 
Galeville,  and  at  this  latter  point  separated  from  General  Sherman's 
command.  After  various  other  engagements  and  campaigns,  he  went 
to  Pulaski,  Tennessee,  where  he  resigned  from  the  service. 

Returning  to  Logansport,  Mr.  McConnell  took  up  the  study  of  law 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1865.  Soon  thereafter  he  was  appointed 
by  Governor  Morton  prosecuting  attorney  for  the  common  pleas  court. 
He  continued  in  active  practice  until  elected  judge  of  the  Twenty-ninth 
Judicial  Circuit  in  November,  1888.  He  served  the  unexpired  term 
caused  by  the  resignation  of  Judge  Maurice  Winfield,  and  in  1890  com- 
menced serving  his  own  term  of  six  years.  He  resigned  in  1895,  then 
continued  in  practice  until  1904,  when  he  became  referee  in  bankruptcy, 
his  private  practice  being  reduced  considerably  by  his  service  in  that 
office. 

On  February  4,  1864,  Judge  McConnell  was  married  to  Hattie  Gib- 
son, who  died  on  December  19,  1910.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight 
children,  the  following  being  those  who  yet  live :  Edgar  Boyd ;  May ; 
Elizabeth;  Helen,  the  wife  of  George  Ross;  and  Grace.  Judge  Mc- 
Connell is  a  progressive  Republican  in  his  politics  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

Since  1910  Judge  McConnell  has  been  practically  retired  from  active 
business  pursuits. 

Stewart  T.  JMcConnell,  for  over  half  a  century  a  lawyer  in  the 
active  practice  of  his  profession  at  Logansport.  and  the  present  senior 
member  of  the  firm  of  McConnell,  Jenkines,  Jenkines  &  Stewart,  is 
a  son  of  Dr.  James  B.  ]\IcConnell,  who  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana, 
in  1848,  and  lived  for  many  years  at  Royal  Centre.  Appropriate 
record  is  made  of  the  life  of  Dr.  McConnell  in  connection  with  the 
biography  of  Judge  Dyer  B.  ]\IcConnell,  immediately  preceding  this. 

Stewart  T.  McConnell  was  born  in  Highland  county,  Ohio,  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  895 

village  of  Greenfield.  October  16,  1836,  and  his  boyhood  days  were 
passed  in  attending  the  neighboring  school  and  assisting  an  uncle,  with 
whom  he  lived,  in  farming.  Before  attaining  his  majority  he  attended 
a  scientific  and  classical  school  for  four  years,  paying  his  way  with 
the  proceeds  derived  from  his  own  labor.  He  came  to  Cass  county 
in  1859,  and  taught  school  for  a  number  of  terms.  Influenced  by  the 
advice  of  Judge  Horace  P.  Biddle,  he  decided  to  become  a  lawyer  and 
while  teaching  school  he  became  a  student  of  Hon.  D.  D.  Pratt  and 
Judge  D.  P.  Baldwin.  In  December,  1861,  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  and  very  shortly  thereafter  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
For  a  period  of  more  than  fifty  years  Mr.  ]\IcConnell  has  occupied  a 
conspicuous  place  in  the  legal  history  of  Cass  county,  and  in  most  of 
the  important  litigation  covering  this  period,  his  name  is  to  be  found 
as  counsel.  As  counsellor  or  trial  lawyer  he  has  few  equals  in  the 
state,  which  is  famous  for  great  lawyers.  AVhile  aggressive,  he  is  in- 
variably courteous  and  thus  commands  the  respect  of  his  fellow  mem- 
bers of  the  bar.  His  knowledge  of  the  law  is  profound  and  a  legal 
position  once  assumed  immediately  commands  the  instant  attention  of 
court  and  jury. 

Contrary  to  the  usual  custom  of  lawyers,  Mr.  McConnell  has  never 
sought  political  honors,  although  at  one  time  he  was  the  nominee  of 
both  political  parties  for  the  office  of  common  pleas  prosecutor  and 
served  as  such  one  term.  He  has  always  manifested  a  deep  and  prac- 
tical interest  in  education,  temperance  and  religion,  and  to  all  matters 
pertaining  to  the  public  weal  his  support  is  enthusiastically  given. 

On  April  3,  1860,  he  married  I\Iiss  Louisa  Gibson,  and  to  them 
were  born  four  children.  ]\Irs.  McConnell  died  in  the  spring  of  1884, 
and  in  November  of  the  follawing  year  he  married  Eloise  Landis  Stuart. 

Few  men  in  Cass  county  stand  higher  in  public  confidence  and  esteem 
than  does  Stewart  T.  McConnell. 

Dr.  Arthur  N.  Baker.  Among  the  professional  men  of  Logansport 
who  have  gained  success  in  their  chosen  fields  of  endeavor.  Dr.  Arthur 
N.  Baker  has  firmly  established  himself  in  a  position  of  prestige  in  the 
practice  of  optometry.  He  has  been  a  resident  of,  the  city  practically 
all  of  his  life,  and  is  a  native  of  the  Hoosier  state,  having  been  born  at 
Culver,  Marshall  county,  February  19,  1869,  a  son  of  Dr.  Ira  J.  and 
Eliza  A.  (Duddleston)  Baker,  of  Wyandotte  county,  Ohio.  Dr.  Ira  J. 
Baker  was  a  physician  and  came  to  Logansport  about  1877,  this  city  still 
being  his  home  and  that  of  his  wife.  During  the  Civil  war  he  served 
in  the  Union  army  as  a  member  of  the  signal  corps. 

Arthur  N.  Baker  attended  the  public  and  high  schools  of  Logans- 
port, succeeding  which  for  several  years  he  was  a  teacher  in  the  Cass 
and  Fulton  county  schools.  He  then  became  a  student  in  the  Chicago 
Opthalmic  College  and  Hospital,  where  he  was  graduated  June  1,  1895, 
and  subsequently  took  a  post-graduate  course  at  the  Northern  Illinois 
College  of  Opthalmology  and  Otolog>%  where  he  was  granted  a  diploma 
in  May,  1899.  In  June,  1895,  Dr.  Baker  established  himself  in  the 
optical  business  in  Logansport,  and  here  he  has  continued  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  from  a  small  and  modest  beginning  having  built  a  substantial 
business  along  optical  lines  exclusively.     Here  he  has  his  own  instru- 


896  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

ments  for  grinding  lenses  and  for  the  prosecution  of  the  various  other 
operations  of  his  chosen  vocation,  and  by  his  skill  has  gained  a  position 
in  the  confidence  of  the  people  and  a  reputation  in  optical  circles.  Upon 
the  passage  of  the  law  in  1907  creating  a  state  board  of  five  members, 
appointed  by  the  governor,  of  Registration  and  Examination  in 
Optometry,  Dr.  Baker  was  chosen  one  of  its  members,  and  he  has  since 
continued  to  be  a  member  of  that  board.  He  is  a  Democrat  in  polities, 
and  his  fraternal  connections  are  with  the  Masons,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

In  April,  1894,  Dr.  Baker  was  married  to  IMiss  Lillie  Condon,  and 
they  have  been  the  parents  of  one  daughter,  namely:  Helen  IMaurine. 

Harry  Fidlee.  In  the  annals  of  Cass  county  are  found  numerous 
instances  of  youths  who  have  risen  to  affluence  and  prestige  in  social 
and  business  life,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  any  cases  can  be  discovered  that 
parallel  the  career  of  Harry  Fidler,  of  Logansport,  whose  phenomenal 
advancement  has  brought  him,  within  the  comparatively  short  period 
of  two  decades,  from  selling  newspapers  and  blacking  shoes  to  the  man- 
agement of  one  of  the  city's  leading  business  establishments.  Mr. 
Fidler  is  still  a  young  man,  but  his  accomplishments  have  been  great, 
and  a  sketch  of  his  remarkable  career  should  prove  of  a  beneficial  and 
encouraging  nature  to  those  who  have  become  discouraged  because  of 
the  apparently  insurmountable  obstacles  placed  in  their  path. 

Harry  Fidler  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  September  25,  1881, 
and  is  one  of  the  two  surviving  children  of  a  family  of  six  born  to 
August  W.  and  Lydia  J.  (Powell)  Fidler.  His  opportunities  for  secur- 
ing an  education  in  his  youth  were  extremely  limited,  and  when  he  was 
only  ten  years  of  age  he  went  out  upon  the  streets  of  Logansport,  selling 
daily  papers,  and  carrying  his  little  boot-blacking  kit.  The  bright,  cheery 
and  ambitious  youth  soon  applied  for  and  secured  the  position  of  errand 
boy  for  the  jewelry  establishment  of  Charles  Church,  and  on  leaving 
that  occupation  was  employed  as  an  assistant  in  the  office  of  Dr.  J.  H. 
Shultz.  This  proved  the  turning  point  of  Mr.  Fidler 's  career,  for  Dr. 
Shultz  so  impressed  upon  him  the  importance  of  securing  an  education 
that  he  began  to  attend  the  public  schools  whenever  he  could  be  spared 
from  his  duties  and  also  undertook  a  course  of  private  instruction. 
Later,  having  tasted  of  knowledge,  he  thirsted  for  more,  and  attended 
the  Logansport  Business  College,  where  he  made  an  excellent  record  in 
his  studies.  For  a  short  time  succeeding  this  he  was  employed  in  the 
drug  store  of  W.  H.  Porter,  and  in  May,  1900,  he  became  office  assistant 
for  Seth  M.  Velsey,  where  his  services  were  so  satisfactory  that  within 
the  short  space  of  three  months  he  was  given  entire  charge  of  one  branch 
of  the  business,  and  in  1903  was  given  full  management  of  the  office. 
At  the  time  of  the  deaths  of  his  father  and  IMr.  Velsey,  which  took 
place  about  the  same  time,  the  settlement  of  both  estates  fell  upon  the 
shoulders  of  the  youth  and  both  were  settled  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  all  concerned.  By  express  stipulation  in  the  will  of  Mr.  Velsey,  Mr. 
Fidler  was  given  absolute  charge  of  the  settlement  of  the  Velsey  estate, 
one  of  the  largest  in  Cass  county,  and  within  twenty-two  months  this 
had  been  accomplished.  Since  that  time  IMr.  Fidler  has  succeeded  to 
the  business  founded  by  IMr.  Velsey,  and  has  given  his  attention  to  its 
management  to  the  present  time. 


HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  897 

Mr.  Fidler  was  instrumental  in  raising  funds  for  the  erection  of 
the  Protestant  and  Catholic  mausoleums  at  Mount  Hope  cemetery.  He 
is  a  thirty-second  degree  Scottish  Rite  and  Knight  Templar  York  Rite 
Mason,  a  member  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  a  Knight  of  Pythias  and  a 
member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  For  ten  years 
he  has  been  an  officer  of  rank  in  Logan  Company  No.  26,  Uniformed 
Rank,  Knights  of  Pythias,  of  which,  for  the  past  eight  years,  he  has 
been  captain.  He  has  been  an  unswerving  Republican  all  of  his  life. 
Although  his  duties  in  a  business  waj'  have  been  such  as  to  preclude  the 
idea  of  his  entering  actively  in  the  struggles  of  the  political  arena,  he 
takes  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  all  matters  that  affect  his  com- 
munity or  its  citizens,  and  has  stanchly  supported  measures  making  for 
education,  morality  and  good  government.  He  has  the  utmost  con- 
fidence of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  into  contact  in  a  business  or  social 
way,  and  his  friends  in  Logansport  are  legion. 

On  November  8,  1911,  Mr.  Fidler  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Fay  Lucy,  of  Logansport. 

John  G.  Keip.  Since  his  seventeenth  year,  John  G.  Keip,  of  Logans- 
port, one  of  this  city 's  leading  business  citizens,  has  been  the  architect  of 
his  own  fortunes,  and  his  long  and  interesting  career  is  a  striking  example 
of  the  fact  that  true  success  is  the  result  obtained  by  steadfast  integrity, 
constant  industry  and  unremitting  perseverance.  Mr.  Keip  came  to 
Logansport,  September  1,  1894,  and  within  his  recollection  the  city  has 
grown  and  developed  from  a  rude,  undeveloped  community  into  a  muni- 
cipality noted  as  a  center  of  education,  culture  and  commercial  activity, 
its  public  improvements  have  been  fostered  and  forwarded,  and  many 
of  its  handsomest  business  structures  have  been  erected.  As  resident 
manager  of  one  of  Logansport 's  principal  enterprises,  the  Columbia 
Brewing  Company,  Mr.  Keip  holds  a  position  of  unquestioned  prestige 
in  business  life  and  his  public  spirit  has  led  him  to  identify  himself 
with  all  movements  calculated  to  benefit  the  city  and  its  people. 

John  G.  Keip  was  born  in  the  city  of  Toledo,  Ohio,  November  8,  1857, 
a  son  of  Joseph  and  Katherine  (Rees)  Keip,  natives  of  Germany,  both 
of  whom  are  now  deceased.  His  father  was  a  painter  and  decorator 
at  Toledo,  where  his  death  occurred  in  1871.  Receiving  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  public  schools  of  Toledo,  Mr.  Keip  supplemented  this  by 
attendance  at  Canisius  College,  Buffalo,  New  York,  where  he  was  grad- 
uated in  1875,  and  for  a  number  of  years  succeeding  worked  in  various 
clerical  capacities.  In  1880  he  made  removal  to  Chicago,  where  he 
became  a  clerk  in  a  wholesale  clothing  establishment,  then  becoming 
the  traveling  representative  of  a  Chicago  wholesale  house  in  Kansas,  a 
position  which  he  held  for  four  years.  At  this  time  he  became  interested 
in  politics,  and  for  a  time  was  employed  in  the  water  and  police  depart- 
ments in  Chicago,  following  which  he  accepted  a  position  in  the 
Department  of  Internal  Revenue.  It  was  while  acting  in  the  capacity 
of  revenue  officer  that  he  received  his  initiation  into  the  distilling  and 
br-ewing  business,  the  details  of  which  he  thoroughly  mastered.  In 
1900  the  Columbia  Brewing  Company  went  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver, 
and  ]\Ir.  Keip  was  appointed  to  close  up  its  affairs.  When  the  estate 
had  been  settled,  he  accepted  the  position  of  manager  of  the  new  con- 


898  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

cern,  and  since  that  time  he  has  acquired  a  proprietary  interest  in  ilie 
business,  has  continued  steadily  with  it,  and  is  its  present  resident 
manager.  As  the  directing  head  of  this  large  enterprise,  Mr.  Keip  has 
displayed  marked  ability,  and  his  reputation  among  his  associates  is 
that  of  a  well-balanced  man  of  business,  capable  of  handling  large  issues 
and  thoroughly  the  master  of  every  detail  of  the  company's  operations. 
His  business  interests  have  been  so  large  and  important  that  in  late 
years  he  has  given  but  little  attention  to  political  matters,  but  at  all  times 
has  displayed  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  movements  concerning 
his  city's  welfare.  He  has  been  identified  with  fraternal  work  to  some 
extent  and  at  this  time  is  a  member  of  the  Elks,  the  Moose,  the  Eagles 
and  the  Travelers  Protective  Association. 

While  still  a  resident  of  Chicago,  November  19,  188-1,  Mr.  Keip  was 
united  in  marriage  with  ^liss  Etta  Provost,  and  they  became  the  par- 
ents of  three  children,  all  of  whom  are  deceased.  ]Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keip 
also  adopted  three  children,  one  of  whom  died,  one  returned  to  its  par- 
ents, and  one.  Bertha  Henrietta,  is  now  living  with  Mr.  Keip.  ]\lrs. 
Keip  passed  away  ^larch  15,  1912,  as  the  result  of  injuries  sustained  in 
an  automobile  accident  some  two  years  previously,  ilr.  Keip  was  mar- 
ried to  Annie  M.  Clark,  of  Michigan  City,  Indiana,  on  November  5,  1912. 

William  T.  Wilson.  Among  those  who  are  members  of  the  Cass 
county  bar  may  be  found  many  native  sons  of  this  section ;  men  belong- 
ing to  old  and  honored  families,  members  of  which  have  been  promi- 
nently connected  with  commercial,  professional  and  public  life  for 
many  years.  It  is  in  this  class  that  William  T.  Wilson  holds  prestige, 
for  he  has  not  only  gained  a  high  reputation  in  his  chosen  profession, 
as  well  as  along  business  lines,  but  is  a  son  of  one  of  Logansport  's  early 
merchants,  the  late  Thomas  H.  Wilson. 

Thomas  H.  Wilson  was  born  ]\lay  31,  1818,  near  the  village  of  Denton, 
Caroline  county,  Maryland,  a  son  of  John  and  Sarah  (Hopkins)  Wilson, 
both  of  English  descent.  The  sixth  of  a  family  of  ten  children,  he  passed 
his  early  years  on  a  farm,  and  at  the  age  of  eleven  years,  at  the  time  of 
the  death  of  his  father,  he  went  to  live  with  an  uncle,  Thomas  Hopkins, 
who  was  his  guardian,  and  in  whose  store  and  mill  he  worked  for  some 
time.  In  1834  he  became  a  clerk  in  a  store  at  Camden,  Delaware,  and 
in  1837,  when  this  firm  was  dissolved,  came  with,  one  of  his  employers, 
Daniel  Atwell,  to  Logansport,  Indiana.  Here,  in  1840,  he  became  one 
of  the  principals  in  the  mercantile  establishment  of  Pollard  &  Wilson, 
which  concern,  in  1843,  built  a  grain  warehouse  on  the  Wabash  &  Erie 
Canal.  Mr.  Wilson,  through  his  extensive  mercantile,  commission  and 
forwarding  interests,  became  widely  and  favorably  known  throughout 
this  part  of  the  state.  About  1853,  owing  to  changes,  the  firm  became 
Wilson,  ]\Ien-iam  &  Company,  although  the  firm  of  Pollard  &  Wilson 
continued  to  do  business  until  the  death  of  the  senior  partner  in  1856. 
Failing  health,  caused  by  close  attention  to  his  duties  as  executor  of 
the  estate  of  ilr.  Pollard,  led  to  Mr.  Wilson's  resignation  from  the  firm, 
but  he  continued  in  the  produce  trade  until  1875.  In  May,  1865,  he 
became  president  of  the  Logansport  National  Bank,  and  served  as  such 
until  his  death,  December  27,  1877.  He  was  originally  a  Whig  in  his 
political  views,  but  when  the  organization  of  the  Republican  party  was 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  899 

brought  about,  he  cast  his  fortunes  with  the  new  movement.  He  was 
reared,  religiously,  in  the  faith  of  the  Friends,  or  Quakers,  but  all 
religious  denominations  benefitted  by  his  liberality,  and  no  charitable 
movement  with  a  worthy  cause  ever  appealed  to  him  in  vain.  In  his 
death  the  poor,  needy  and  afflicted  lost  a  true  friend,  who  had  never 
forgotten  them.  Mr.  Wilson  was  thrice  married,  his  first  union  occurring 
in  1842,  when  he  married  America  Weirick.  She  died  three  years  later, 
and  in  1849,  Mr.  Wilson  married  Mary  A.  I.  Dexter,  who  passed  away 
in  1854.  His  third  marriage  took  place  in  1856,  when  he  was  united 
with  Elizabeth  E.  Hopkins,  who  survived  him  irutil  1898.  Mr.  Wilson 
had  four  sons:     William  T.,  Ellwood  G.,  Thomas  H.  and  John  Charles. 

William  T.  Wilson  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  in  1854,  and  his 
early  education  was  secured  in  the  public  schools.  Subsequently,  he 
entered  Princeton  University,  New  Jersey,  from  which  institution  he 
was  graduated  in  1874,  and  in  the  following  year  commenced  reading 
law  in  the  office  of  the  Hon.  D.  D.  Pratt,  of  Logansport,  being  admitted 
to  the  bar  during  the  same  year.  He  immediately  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  and  has  gained  an  enviable  reputation  among 
his  associates  and  in  the  confidence  of  the  people  of  his  community. 
His  practice  has  been  of  a  general  character,  and  he  is  known  as  a 
thoroughly  learned  and  sound  lawyer,  a  logical  and  convincing  reasoner 
and  a  persuasive  and  successful  advocate.  He  is  a  Republican  in  poli- 
tics, although  of  the  kind  that  seeks  the  establishment  of  the  right  prin- 
ciples of  government  rather  than  the  acquisition  of  the  honors  of  office 
or  the  spoils  of  partisanship.  Since  1877,  the  year  in  which  his  father 
died,  he  has  been  officially  connected  with  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Logansport,  of  which  he  has  been  a  director  for  a  quarter  of  a  century, 
and  various  other  positions  of  prominence  have  been  capably  filled  by 
him.    With  Mrs.  Wilson,  he  attends  the  Presbyterian  church. 

In  1880  Mr.  Wilson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Martha  L. 
McCarty,  daughter  of  Joseph  P.  McCarty,  of  Logansport.  Their  four 
children  are :  Thomas  H.,  associated  with  his  father  in  the  practice 
of  law;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Mr.  Frank  H.  Worthington,  of  the  Vandalia 
Railroad,  residing  at  Terre  Haute;  Joseph  and  Dorothy  Dexter,  living 
at  home. 

Simon  Long.  It  has  been  stated,  and  truthfully,  that  agriculture 
offers  blessings  in  the  greatest  plenty,  but  does  not  allow  us  to  take  them 
in  idleness.  True  there  are  those  who  are  content  to  travel  along  the 
rut  of  mediocrity,  taking  from  their  land  a  bare  living,  but  the  full 
measure  of  success  in  farming  only  comes  to  those  who  are  willing  to 
work  hard  and  faithfully,  to  observe  changed  conditions  and  practices, 
and  to  constantly  remember  that  the  only  true  success  in  life  is  that 
gained  through  the  practice  of  honorable  dealing.  In  this  connection  it 
is  not  inappropriate  to  briefly  sketch  the  career  of  Simon  Long,  a  self- 
made  man  of  Cass  county,  whose  long  and  honorable  career  has  been 
crowned  with  well-deserved  success  secured  through  the  medium  of  his 
own  efforts.  Mr.  Long  was  born  September  10,  1845,  in  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Elizabeth  Long.  His  father,  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  came  to  Indiana  in  young  manhood,  and  here 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  agricultural  pursuits.     He  and  his 


900  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

wife  were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  namely:  Eliza,  who  is  deceased; 
Mrs.  Catherine  Beal;  Sarah,  Angelina,  William,  Aaron  and  Samuel,  all 
of  whom  are  deceased;  Simon;  and  Joseph,  also  deceased. 

Simon  Long  received  rather  limited  educational  advantages  in  his 
youth,  the  death  of  his  father  making  it  necessary  that  he  early  start 
out  in  life  for  himself,  but  in  his  later  years  he  has  accumulated  a  wide 
fund  of  information,  and  is  known  as  a  man  of  good  educational  attain- 
ments. When  he  was  still  a  small  lad  he  went  to  live  at  the  home  of  an 
elder  brother,  and  at  fifteen  years  of  age  began  to  gain  experience  in 
the  world  by  working  out  on  neighboring  farms.  His  salary  was  small 
and  his  hours  long,  but  the  youth  was  industrious  and  persevering,  and 
carefully  saved  his  earnings,  and  thus,  by  the  time  he  had  reached  the 
age  of  thirty  years,  he  was  able  to  purchase  the  farm  on  which  he  now 
resides.  This  land  was  almost  entirely  uncultivated  and  what  improve- 
ments had  been  made  upon  it  w^ere  of  a  primitive  nature,  but  the  industry 
and  integrity  with  which  Mr.  Long  took  up  his  work  soon  changed  con- 
ditions, and  as  the  years  have  passed  the  land  has  become  productive 
and  the  buildings  modern  and  substantial.  He  now  has  eighty  acres  in 
a  high  state  of  cultivation,  it  being  located  near  the  Marion  road,  five 
miles  from  Logausport.  Mr.  Long  is  justly  considered  one  of  the  able 
agriculturists  of  this  part  of  the  county,  and  as  a  citizen  he  is  known  to 
be  progressive  and  public-spirited.  During  his  long  residence  here  he 
has  formed  a  wide  acquaintance,  in  which  he  numbers  many  sincere 
friends. 

On  March  28,  1871,  Mr.  Long  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  ]\Iary 
Anna  Leedy,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Jane  (Nelson)  Leedy,  one  of  the 
old  and  prominent  families  of  Cass  county,  and  she  died  in  1909,  and  was 
laid  to  rest  in  Mount  Hope  cemetery.  Eight  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  namely:  Charles,  who  married  ^lyrtle  Shuey,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren, Benton  and  Norma ;  Jasper,  who  married  Dot  Stover,  and  has 
four  children,  Mae,  Glenn,  Homer  and  Donald;  Wilda,  who  married 
August  Snyder,  and  has  three  children,  Dorothy,  Wayne  and  Verda; 
Angeline,  who  married  Homer  Cragen;  Joseph,  who  married  (first) 
Freda  Snyder,  and  (second)  Mrs.  Emma  Cohan  Henshaw;  Ruby,  who 
man-ied  Carl  Wilson;  and  Jennie  and  Albina,  who  are  deceased.  With 
his  family,  i\Ir.  Long  is  a  member  of  the  English  Lutheran  church,  which 
he  attends  consistently  and  supports  liberally. 

Michael  L.  Fansler.  Probably  no  family  has  contributed  more 
materially  to  the  professional  prestige  of  Loganspoi"t  than  that  of 
Fansler,  members  of  which  have  attained  eminence  in  law  and  medicine 
and  have  rendered  signal  services  in  public  office.  Among  the  worthy 
representatives  of  the  name  may  be  mentioned  the  late  ]\I.  D.  Fansler, 
and  Michael  L.  Fansler,  father  and  son,  whose  records  have  been  asso- 
ciated intimately  with  the  history  of  Cass  county. 

M.  D.  Fansler  was  born  June  25,  1857,  in  Wyandotte  county,  Ohio, 
his  parents  being  Dr.  David  N.  and  Mary  D.  (Caldwell)  Fansler.  The 
family  is  of  a  mixed  ancestry,  being  Irish-Scotch  on  the  mother's  side 
and  German-French  paternally.  Dr.  David  Fansler  was  an  early  physi- 
cian of  Logansport,  but  in  his  later  years  removed  to  Marion,  Indiana, 
where  his  death  occurred.    M.  D.  Fansler  received  his  early  education  in 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  901 

a  minor  capacity  iu  a  printing  office,  and  was  practically  self-educated, 
yet  he  became  one  of  the  leading  flgiu-es  at  the  Cass  county  bar.  Coming 
to  Logansport.  in  1879,  he  became  prosecuting  attorney  in  1884  and 
held  that  office  until  1888,  following  which  he  returned  to  private  prac- 
tice, in  which  he  was  engaged  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  May  2,  1896. 
Mr.  Fansler  was  admittedly  one  of  the  finest  orators  that  ever  practiced 
before  the  Cass  county  bar.  Of  fine  taste  and  great  erudition,  his  read- 
ing covered  a  wide  range,  both  in  the  line  of  his  profession  and  in  the 
broader  field  of  polite  literature.  He  loved  books  and  was  a  dis- 
criminating critic,  and  possessed  the  happy  faculty  of  being  able  to  store 
up  the  useful  and  essential  things  in  his  mind,  which  was  a  perfect 
treasure  house  of  knowledge.  In  his  death  Cass  county  lost  not  only 
one  of  its  most  able  legists,  but  a  citizen  who  in  every  walk  of  life  was 
honored — esteemed  not  for  what  he  had  but  for  what  he  was.  On  May 
4,  1881,  Mr.  Fansler  was  united  in  marriage  with  jMiss  Johanna  (Nannie) 
Mulcahy,  whose  father,  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  to  Indiana  in  1870  and 
until  his  death  was  an  employe  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  Four 
children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Fansler,  of  whom  three  are  stiU 
living. 

Michael  E.  Fansler  was  born  iu  Logansport,  Indiana,  July  4,  1883, 
and  has  never  known  any  other  home  than  this  city.  He  received  his 
preliminary  educational  training  in  the  public  schools,  and  in  1901 
entered  Notre  Dame  Univei'sity,  from  which  noted  institution  he  was 
graduated  in  1905,  receiving  the  degree  of  LL.  B.  He  at  once  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Logansi^ort,  where  he  now  has 
a  large  and  representative  clientele.  In  1906,  Mr.  Fansler  formed  a 
professional  partnership  with  George  C.  Custer,  with  whom  he  con- 
tinued four  years,  Mr.  Custer  being  prosecuting  attorney  during  this 
time  and  Mr.  Fansler  assisting  him  in  the  proseeiition  of  criminal  cases. 
In  1910  ^Ir.  Fansler  succeeded  ^Ir.  Custer  in  that  office,  and  this  was 
followed  by  his  re-election  in  1912.  During  these  two  terms,  ]\Ir. 
Fansler  has  demonstrated  his  ability  as  a  lawyer  and  his  entire  fitness 
for  public  office.  He  holds  the  duties  of  his  office  in  high  regard,  and 
has  brought  to  his  work  the  enthusiasm  and  conscientious  attention  to 
detail  that  made  him  so  successful  in  his  private  practice.  He  has  inher- 
ited much  of  his  father's  oratorical  ability,  has  a  wide  and  comprehensive 
knowledge  of  law  and  .iurispr^^dence,  and  during  his  career  has  been 
connected  with  many  notable  criminal  trials.  In  his  political  views  he 
is  a  Democrat  and  he  has  at  all  times  been  a  stanch  adherent  of  the 
principles  and  candidates  of  his  party.  ]\Ir.  Fansler 's  religious  viewg 
are  those  of  the  Catholic  church. 

On  June  30,  1909,  jMr.  Fansler  was  married  to  Katherine  Hall, 
formerly  of  Peni,  Indiana. 

Abraham  L.  Jones.  To  the  realty  dealers  of  this  section,  Cass 
county  owes  much  for  its  growth  and  development  during  the  past  sev- 
eral decades.  Those  who  are  expert  in  land  values,  who  have  the  peculiar 
ability  necessary  to  encourage  settlement  from  outside  communities, 
and  whose  activities  serve  to  promote  the  erection  of  structures  which 
add  to  tlie  commercial  and  industrial  prestige  of  their  community,  form 
the  medium  through  which  Cass  county,  and  notably  the  city  of  Logans- 


902  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

port,  have  gained  their  present  high  place  as  centers  of  all  lines  of 
business  activity.  Among  this  class  of  citizens  stands  Abraham  L. 
Jones,  of  Logansport,  who  in  comparatively  a  short  space  of  time  has 
risen  from  a  humble  farmer's  youth,  working  for  a  meagre  stipend,  to 
the  position  where  his  operations  involve  several  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  dollars  annually.  Mr.  Jones  is  a  native  son  of  Indiana,  born  in 
Madison  county,  August  24,  1864.  When  six  years  of  age  he  came  to 
Cass  county  with  his  parents,  Richard  T.  and  Drusilla  (Nighbarger) 
Jones,  who  located  on  a  farm  in  Clay  township.  During  the  next  four 
years  Richard  T.  Jones  was  engaged  in  operating  a  rented  farm,  but 
then  moved  across  the  line  into  Fulton  county,  there  purchased  land  and 
continued  to  be  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  during  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  He  died  in  1900,  and  on  the  same  day  that  he  was  laid  to 
rest  his  widow  passed  away.  They  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children, 
of  whom  four  sons  and  five  daughters  survive,  and  of  these  three  reside 
in  Cass  county. 

Abraham  L.  Jones  resided  with  his  parents  until  his  eighteenth  year, 
in  the  meantime  attending  the  district  schools  and  assisting  his  father 
in  the  work  of  the  home  farm.  The  spring  before  his  eighteenth  birth- 
day, he  secured  employment  on  a  neighboring  farm,  and  until  twenty- 
five  years  of  age  was  thus  engaged,  then  turning  his  attention  to  rail- 
roading, as  a  fireman  in  the  employ  of  the  Peiuisylvania  Railroad. 
Fourteen  months  later  he  began  braking  on  a  freight  train  on  the 
Vandalia  road,  in  the  service  of  which  he  continued  for  nearly  one  year, 
and  then  started  to  work  at  the  carpenter's  trade,  which  he  had  picked 
up  in  his  youth.  During  this  time,  Mr.  Jones  had  saved  his  earnings 
industriously  and  thriftily,  and  when  an  opportunity  presented  itself 
he  invested  in  several  Logansport  building  lots,  on  which  he  erected 
houses.  This  was  his  introduction  into  the  real  estate  business,  and 
as  time  passed  he  continued  to  follow  the  same  system,  building  up  an 
excellent  business  from, a  humble  nucleus.  Financial  depression  came 
on,  however,  property  values  declined,  and  I\Ir.  Jones  retired  from  the 
real  estate  field  for  a  time  to  engage  in  the  grocerv  and  meat  market 
business,  a  venture  which  occupied  his  attention  for  a  year  or  more.  He 
then  again  returned  to  the  real  estate  field,  conditions  having  become 
more  settled,  and  he  now  does  a  business  that  averages  approximately 
$200,000  annually.  ^len  there  may  be  who  have  risen  as  rapidly  in 
the  business  world  as  Mr.  Jones,  but  none  has  done  so  more  steadily 
or  surely  through  legitimate  means  and  the  medium  of  their  o"qti 
efforts.  While  he  has  always  been  ready  to  grasp  any  opportunity  that 
presents  itself,  he  has  also  respected  the  rights  of  others,  and  has  not 
taken  a  questionable  advantage  of  his  associates  or  business  competitors. 
In  political  matters  he  is  a  Republican,  but  his  inclinations  have  led 
him  to  support  the  more  progressive  branch  of  the  party.  His  religious 
faith  is  that  of  the  Christian  Science  church. 

On  June  29,  1890,  j\Ir.  Jones  was  marri^ed  to  Miss  Ida  J.  Kinnaman, 
daughter  of  Nathan  K.  Kinnaman,  and  they  have  two  daughters.  Fay 
and  Margery. 

George  B.  Fobgy,  investment  banker  and  broker  of  Logansport, 
Indiana,  was  bom  at  New  Carlisle,  Ohio,  on  September  13,  1851,  and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  903 

is  the  son  of  John  A.  and  Polly  (Brown)  Forgy.  He  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Cass  county  since  he  was  a  child  of  three  years,  and  his  identi- 
fication with  Logansport  dates  back  to  the  year  1879,  in  which  year  he 
established  himself  in  his  present  business.  His  success  has  been  one 
worthy  of  the  name,  consistent  with  the  energy  and  enterprise  which  he 
has  invested  in  his  operations,  and  he  is  well  known  and  esteemed  most 
highly  in  all  circles  in  Logansport,  whether  of  a  business  or  a  social 
nature. 

The  father  of  Mr.  Forgy,  John  A.  Forgy,  was  also  born  near  New 
Carlisle,  Ohio,  and  there  he  was  reared  and  in  young  manhood  married 
Mary  Brown,  who  died  leaving  three  children.  He  then  married  liis 
second  wife,  who  was  a  sister  of  his  deceased  wife,  and  she  bore  him  one 
son,  George  B.,  of  this  brief  review.  She,  too,  was  called  by  death,  and 
in  later  years  he  married  Catherine  Forgj',  the  widow  of  a  cousin, 
and  she  accompanied  him  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  in  1853,  and  settled 
on  a  farm  in  JMiami  township.  Mr.  Forgy  subsequently  laid  out  the 
town  of  New  Waverly,  and  he  was  identified  wath  various  activities  dur- 
ing his  life.  He  farmed,  but  did  not  confine  his  attention  to  that  work. 
He  was  for  a  time  engaged  in  the  merchandise  business  at  Waverly, 
operated  a  saw  mill  for  a  season  and  sold  lumber,  being  generally 
known  for  one  of  the  most  invetei^ate  traders,  withal  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful, that  lived  in  Cass  county  in  his  time.  He  was  a  prominent  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  a  fine,  manly  character,  regarded  as 
one  of  the  most  congenial  and  approachable  men  in  the  county.  He 
manifested  the  most  unbounded  faith  in  his  fellow  man,  and  was  always 
found  ready  and  willing  to  aid  with  counsel  and  more  substantial  aid  in 
the  form  of  finances,  any  worthy  cause  that  was  brought  to  his  attention. 
This  trait  redounded  to  his  great  financial  disadvantage  in  his  later 
years,  and  he  died  a  comparatively  poor  man,  as  far  as  this  world's 
goods  is  regarded,  but  rich  in  the  love  and  gratitude  of  the  many  who 
had  occasion  to  know  his  generous  kindly  heart  and  his  open-handed 
benefactions. 

George  B.  Forgy,  the  only  child  of  his  second  marriage,  came  with 
his  parents  to  Cass  county  when  he  was  a  small  child.  He  was  reared 
at  New  Waverly,  the  town  which  his  father  virtually  made,  and  received 
in  that  place  a  common  school  education.  When  he  was  about  eighteen 
years  old  he  started  out  for  himself,  and  his  first  work  was  that  of  a 
fruit  tree  salesman  for  John  Wampler,  an  old  Dunkard  nurseryman 
of  the  vicinity  of  Dayton,  Ohio.  His  next  venture  was  as  a  clerk  in  a 
dry  goods  store  at  Peru,  Indiana,  and  soon  after  was  placed  in  charge 
of  the  collections  in  four  states  for  the  Howe  Sewing  Machine  Company, 
the  headciuarters  of  which  large  concern  was  then  located  in  Peru.  He 
was  associated  thus  for  something  like  five  years,  when,  in  company 
with  E.  W.  Shirk,  he  organized  the  Tipton  County  Bank,  the  two 
being  equal  owners  in  the  firm.  They  continued  at  Tipton  for  three 
years,  and  in  1879  Mr.  Forgy  came  to  Logansport  and  established  him- 
self in  his  present  business,  that  of  an  investment  banker  and  broker. 
He  has  continued  successfully  up  to  the  present  time,  and  is  rightly 
regarded  as  one  of  the  solid  and  substantial  financial  men  of  the  city 
and  county.    ^Ir.  Forgy  is  a  Mason  and  his  political  affiliations  are  with 


904  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

the  Republican  party,  but  he  is  not  especially  active  in  the  interests 
of  the  party,  being  more  attentive  to  his  own  affairs  than  any  others. 

In  1876  Mr.  Forgy  was  united  in  marriage  with  INIiss  Alice 
0.  Crowell,  of  Peru,  and  one  son  has  been  born  to  them — Ben  C,  who 
is  now  engaged  in  operating  a  farm  in  Boone  township,  Cass  county. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Forgy  attend  the  Presbyterian  church,  but  neither 
of  them  are  members  of  that  or  any  religious  organization. 

Silas  McDowell  was  one  of  the  well  known  farmers  of  Cass  county, 
ajid  as  such  is  deserving  of  more  than  passing  mention.  He  was  born 
in  the  state  of  Ohio,  Starke  county,  on  September  8,  1840,  a  son  of  John 
A.  McDowell  who  came  to  America  in  the  later  '50 's  and  farmed  on 
the  Michigan  road  in  Clay  township  until  his  death.  Silas  McDowell 
was  favored  with  but  little  education  in  his  youth,  and  his  whole  life 
was  one  of  hard  and  unremitting  toil.  He  was  yet  in  his  teens  when 
he  came  to  Cass  county  with  his  parents,  and  being  the  eldest  of  seven 
children,  all  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  much  of  the  burden  of  the 
work  of  the  old  farm  fell  upon  his  young  shoulders.  He  made  his  home 
with  his  parents  until  he  married,  after  which  for  about  two  years 
he  rented  and  operated  land  belonging  to  his  father.  AVhen  he  was 
sufficiently  prosperous  to  warrant  the  venture,  he  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  unimproved  land  in  Noble  township,  on  which  he  caused  to 
be  erected  a  small  fiA'e-room  house.  In  this  he  settled  with  his  little 
family  and  began  the  strenuous  work  of  cleaning  up  his  potential  farm. 
As  his  means  increased  from  year  to  year,  he  finally  added  an  additional 
eighty  acres  in  Noble  township  and  then  seventy-tive  acres  in  Clay  town- 
ship, which  gradually  brought  him  generous  returns.  Beyond  the  fact 
of  his  hard  work  and  clean,  wholesome  life,  his  life  was  as  that  of  the 
average  man,  and  his  career  uneventful.  His  industry  and  his  splendid 
practical  business  sense  made  it  possible  for  him  to  accumulate  a  con- 
siderable property,  a  fact  which  enabled  him  to  extend  material  aid 
to  each  of  his  children  when  they  started  out  in  life  for  themselves. 

A  Republican  in  politics,  he  was  in  no  sense  a  politician  or  a  seeker 
for  official  preferment  at  any  time,  his  life  being  all  too  busy  in  the  care 
and  maintenance  of  his  family  and  his  property.  ■  It  is  doubtful  if  he 
possessed  a  stronger  characteristic  than  that  of  his  rugged  honesty  and 
his  intense  distaste  of  anything  that  savored  of  trickery.  He  was  a 
generous  man  and  contributed  liberally  of  his  means  to  the  support  of 
all  worthy  objects  that  came  to  his  notice,  and  was  a  valued  member 
of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church,  to  which  he  gave  generously 
all  his  life. 

Mr.  IMcDowell  married  Catherine  Drift  and  eight  children  were 
born  to  them,  as  follows:  Andrew,  who  was  accidentally  killed  at  the 
age  of  twenty-three ;  Horace  B.,  who  married  Martha  Wadkins  and 
lives  at  Akron,  Indiana;  Willard  N.,  married  Lucy  Sweeney  and  now 
lives  in  Logansport;  Jennie  E.,  the  wife  of  Theodore  Sharp,  of  near 
Saginaw,  Michigan;  Minnie  E.,  who  married  "Warren  J.  Butler,  present 
sheriff  of  Cass  county;  Harry  D.,  appropriate  mention  of  whom  follows 
this  sketch;  Charles  E.,  who  married  Cecil  Powers  and  resides  in 
Logansport ;  and  Sarah,  who  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  McDowell  died  on 
March  26,  1896,  and  his  widow  survived  him  until  September  4,  1906. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  905 

Harrt  D.  McDowell  was  born  on  his  father's  farm  in  Noble  town- 
ship, on  the  14th  of  December,  1870,  and  there  was  reared.  He  is  the  son 
of  Silas  McDowell  and  Catherine  Dritt,  his  wife,  and  is  one  of  the  eight 
children  of  these  parents.  Further  mention  is  unnecessary  with  regard 
to  the  family,  as  a  full  sketch  is  dedicated  to  the  father  just  preceding 
this. 

The  district  schools  of  his  native  township  supplied  the  early  educa- 
tion of  Harry  D.  McDowell,  after  which  he  took  a  thorough  course  at 
Hall's  Business  College.  Between  the  years  of  1895  and  1908  the 
young  man  farmed  on  his  own  responsibility,  occupying  a  part  of  his 
father's  generous  estate,  but  in  1908,  having  purchased  the  James  Reed 
hardware  and  implement  store  in  Logansport,  in  association  with  his 
brother,  Charles  E.,  he  gave  up  his  farming,  and  moved  to  the  city, 
where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  Charles  E.  McDowell  had  moved 
to  Logansport  some  time  prior  to  this  and  established  himself  in  the 
meat  market  business,  Harry  D.  being  his  partner  in  the  venture,  which 
proved  a  successful  one.  The  two  brothers  have  continued  in  partner- 
ship up  to  the  present  time,  and  are  now  the  owners  of  a  considerable 
valuable  land,  a  meat  market  and  a  hardware  and  implement  business, 
and  are  reckoned  among  the  capable  and  prosperous  business  men  of 
Logansport. 

Harry  D.  McDowell  was  married  on  April  29,  1896,  to  Miss  Sarah 
J.  Dalzell  and  to  their  union  seven  children  have  been  born,  named  as 
follows:  Frederick,  Blanche,  Doris,  Gladys,  Harry,  George  and  John. 
Mr.  McDowell  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  adherence,  and  his  wife 
is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Carlton  A.  Price,  well  known  in  Logansport  and  surrounding  dis- 
trict in  the  monument  business,  was  born  in  White  county,  Indiana,  on 
January  26,  1873,  and  is  the  son  of  William  H.  and  Mahala  (Shull) 
Price,  and  a  grandson  of  Aaron  and  Mary  (Hancock)  Price.  The  fam- 
ily is  one  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  which  made  its  early  advent  into 
this  country  in  Colonial  days. 

Aaron  Price  and  his  wife  came  to  what  is  now  Logansport  in  1827. 
At  that  time  but  one  log  cabin  marked  the  site  of  the  future  city,  and 
the  surrounding  country  was  in  a  state  of  wildness  such  as  to  make 
true  courage  one's  most  valuable  asset  in  attempting  to  establish  a  home 
in  the  region.  Mr.  Price  located  on  a  tract  of  land  near  Lockport  in 
Carroll  county,  later  moving  to  the  vicinity  of  Idaville,  where  he  lived 
retired  until  his  death  in  1882.  He  was  a  great  hunter,  and  enjoyed 
to  the  utmost  the  pursuit  of  the  wild  game  that  inhabited  the  country 
in  his  early  days  in  Indiana.  He  worked  on  the  old  canal  at  times,  but 
the  best  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  farming,  in  which  he  experienced 
much  of  success  and  prosperity.  Seven  children  came  to  their  home, 
and  of  that  number  William  H.  Price  was  the  fourth  born. 

William  H.  Price  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and  has  always 
followed  the  business  in  which  he  was  there  trained.  In  1891:  he  moved 
to  near  Camden,  in  Carroll  county,  and  three  years  later  moved  to 
North  Dakota,  where  he  now  resides.  He  and  his  wife  became  the  par- 
ents of  ten  children,  seven  of  whom  are  yet  living. 

Carlton  A.  Price  is  the  third  born  child  and  the  second  oldest  liv- 


906  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

ing  child  of  his  parents.  He  passed  his  youthful  days  on  the  old  home 
place  and  as  a  boy  attended  the  neighboring  district  school,  in  conuuon 
with  the  other  youths  of  his  community.  He  was  just  past  his  majority 
when  he  set  out  for  himself  and  began  an  independent  farming  career, 
but  in  1902  he  gave  up  that  plan  and  came  to  Logansport,  where  he  set 
about  learning  the  trade  of  a  granite  cutter.  He  liked  the  work,  became 
a  skillful  workman,  and  in  five  yeare  from  the  time  he  identified  him- 
self with  the  business  as  an  apprentice,  he  bought  the  marble  shop  of 
Henry  L.  Foust,  and  has  since  been  successfully  engaged  in  the  monu- 
ment business  in  Logansport.  His  business  relations  and  activities  are 
not  confined  alone  to  this  city,  but  reach  out  to  other  cities  and  towns 
in  the  coimty  and  adjoining  states,  in  which  he  is  coming  to  be  well 
known  in  his  line  of  enterprise. 

]\Ir.  Price  is  a  Democrat,  independent  in  his  views,  and  holds  mem- 
bership in  the  Woodmen  of  the  World.  On  Noveriiber  12,  1902,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Eva  IMcManus  of  Washington  township,  and 
they  are  the  parents  of  two  children, — Forrest  and  Kathleen. 

William  S.  Richardson  was  born  in  Logansport,  Cass  county,  Indiana, 
on  April  25,  1838.  When  he  was  one  year  old  his  parents  moved  to 
what  is  now  a  part  of  the  city  of  Logansport,  and  here  he  lived  con- 
tinuously from  that  time,  covering  a  period  of  seventy-five  years.  In 
those  years  he  lived  an  active  and  helpful  life  in  the  community,  and 
conducted  a  business  in  carpentering  from  early  manhood  until  recent 
years,  when  he  retired  from  the  cares  of  active  industrial  life. 

The  early  opportunities  of  Mr.  Richardson  for  the  securing  of  an 
adequate  education  were  extremely  limited,  and  such  learning  as  he 
possesses  was  acquired  in  the  practical  school  of  experience.  He  learned 
the  carpenter  trade  under  the  instruction  of  his  father,  who  was  also 
engaged  in  that  trade  during  his  life-time,  and  on  December  1,  1861,  was 
sworn  into  the  United  States  service  as  a  member  of  Company  B,  of  the 
Forty-sixth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry.  He  was  made  quartermaster 
sergeant  early  in  his  military  service  and  upon  the  resignation  of  the 
quartermaster  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant.  With  his 
regiment  he  participated  in  all  the  Engagements  and  movements  of  his 
command,  the  detailed  history  of  which  is  to  be  found  in  the  article 
devoted  to  the  Forty-sixth  Regiment  in  other  pages  of  this  work,  and  he 
was  discharged  from  the  service  on  September  11,  1865. 

After  the  close  of  the  war,  Mr.  Richardson  returned  to  Logansport 
and  there  resumed  the  work  of  his  trade,  and  in  that  work  he  con- 
tinued steadily  until  in  more  recent  years,  when  he  gradually  withdrew 
from  business  life  and  was  afterwards  practically  retired  from  the 
building  industry  and  the  cares  of  business  life. 

On  August  17,  1865,  when  he  was  home  from  the  war  on  a  furlough, 
the  young  lieutenant  was  united  in  marriage  with  Susan  Flory,  the 
daughter  of  Emmanuel  Flory,  an  old  settler  of  the  county.  She  was 
born  in  Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  March,  1840.  They  be- 
came the  parents  of  one  child,  .who  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Richardson  was  made  a  Master  Mason  on  December  11,  1865, 
and  was  also  a  member  of  the  6.  A.  R.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Broad- 
way ^Methodist  Episcopal  church,  as  is  also  his  wife,  and  for  thirty- 
five  years  he  sung  in  the  Methodist  choir,  as  well  as  being  a  member  of 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  907 

the  G.  A.  R.  quartet  for  some  years.     The  death  of  this  honored  old 
citizen  occurred  on  the  12th  of  February,  1913. 

Franklin  Henry  Wipperman  was  born  on  December  15,  1861,  at 
Angels  Camp,  Calaveras  county,  California,  and  is  the  son  of  Henry 
and  Matilda  (Ossenbeck)  Wipperman,  both  German  people.  Henry 
Wipperman  was  born  in  Germany  on  February  23,  1832,  and  came  to 
America  when  but  a  few  months  old  in  company  with  his  parents.  They 
settled  in  Indiana  in  September,  1837,  making  Clinton  township  their 
home,  and  there  Henry  Wipperman  received  the  meager  training 
afforded  by  the  log-cabin  schools  of  that  primitive  period.  In  1852 
he  went  to  California,  prior  to  which  time  he  had  learned  the  car- 
penter's trade,  and  he  remained  in  California  until  1866,  when  he 
returned  to  Cass  county  and  there  remained  until  his  death,  which 
took  place  on  February  7,  1904.  He  was  a  man  who  enjoyed  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens  at  all  times,  and  at  one  time  in 
the  eighties  he  held  the  office  of  county  commissioner.  He  married 
Matilda  Ossenbeck  on  February  14,  1861.  She  was  born  in  Cass  county, 
the  daughter  of  German  born  parents,  her  birth  occurring  on  Septem- 
ber 21,  1837,  on  the  farm  which  remained  her  home  during  her  young 
life.  While  yet  in  her  teens  she  went  to  California  in  the  expectation 
of  bettering  her  health,  and  there  she  completed  her  education  in 
Stockton,  where  she  met  and  married  her  husband.  She  returned  to 
Indiana  with  her  husband  in  1866,  and  in  July  of  the  following  year 
death  claimed  her. 

Franklin  Henry  Wipperman  was  the  eldest  of  the  two  children 
born  to  these  parents,  his  brother  dying  at  the  age  of  two  months, 
shortly  following  the  death  of  their  young  mother.  The  common  schools 
of  his  native  community  afforded  Franklin  Wipperman  his  early  edu- 
cation, and  in  1885  he  was  graduated  from  the  Logansport  high  school. 
He  passed  his  early  days  on  the  home  farm  in  Washington  township, 
in  Cass  county,  and  continued  there  until  he  was  about  twenty-nine 
years  of  age,  or  until  December  1,  1890,  when  he  removed  to  the  city 
of  Logansport  and  engaged  in  the  abstract  business,  buying  a  part 
interest  in  the  old  John  F.  Dodd's  office  and  later  becoming  full  owner. 
In  1902  ]Mr.  AA^ipperman  was  induced  to  become  secretary  and  treas- 
urer, in  the  new  Logansport  Loan  &  Trust  Company,  just  organized 
at  that  time,  and  he  has  remained  in  that  office  up  to  the  present 
writing. 

.  Mr.  Wipperman  has  devoted  himself  assiduously  to  business  and  has 
given  no  attention  to  public  affairs  of  an  official  nature  and  has  never 
been  an  office  holder.  He  was  reared  a  Democrat,  but  broke  away  from 
the  party  in  the  famous  money  campaign  of  1896,  since  which  time  he 
has  voted  for  Republican  candidates  for  president  until  1912,  when 
he  was  drawn  into  the  Progressive  party.  In  local  affairs,  his  sup- 
port is  given  to  the  individual  whom  he  regards  as  being  best  fitted  to 
the  office,  it  being  his  firm  opinion  that  party  prejudices  have  no  place 
in  local  governments. 

On  June  18,  1890,  Mr.  Wipperman  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Clara  M.  Bazin,  daughter  of  Josiah  and  Matilda  Bazin,  of  Logansport, 
Indiana.    Mr.  Bazin  was  an  old  time  and  faithful  employe  of  the  Penn- 


908  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

sylvania  Railroad  until  he  was  pensioned  by  that  road,  and  eaine  to 
Logansport  from  Grig-gsville,  Illinois,  in  1872.  Two  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wipperinan :  Frederic  Bazin,  born  January 
6,  1892,  and  Walter  Kendall,  born  January  21,  1898.  The  elder  son 
is  a  graduate  of  Cornell  University  and  Walter  Kendall  has  recently 
completed  the  local  high  school  course,  both  being  yet  pursuing  their 
education  in  the  higher  bi-anches. 

Air.  Wipperman  is  a  member  of  the  Apollo  Lodge,  Knights*  of 
Pythias,  since  1886,  and  of  the  Uniform  Rank  of  the  same  order  since 
1888.  He  was  a  member  of  Ebenezer  Lutheran  church  in  Clinton  town- 
ship since  he  was  fifteen  years  old  until  the  year  1888,  when  he  trans- 
ferred his  membership  to  St.  Luke's  Lutheran  church  in  Logansport, 
and  he  has  held  various  official  positions  in  the  church  and  synod  of  this 
denomination  in  the  years  that  he  has  been  associated  with  it  as  a 
member. 

Joseph  Ensminger  Cbain  was  born  in  Montgomery  county,  Indiana, 
January  2,  1844,  and  is  one  of  the  five  sons  and  three  daughters  born 
to  James  Harvey  and  Elizabeth  (Ensminger)  Crain,  of  which  family 
three  sons  and  two  daughters  are  living  today. 

James  H.  Grain  was  born  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  on  August  27,  1809, 
and  when  ten  years  of  age  moved  with  the  family  to  Montgomery  county, 
Indiana,  and  was  there  reared  on  the  home  farm.  He  received  a  com- 
mon school  education,  after  which  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade, 
thereafter  following  that  business  for  something  like  fifteen  years  after 
he  became  of  age.  His  father,  Elihu  Grain,  was  a  brick  mason  by  trade, 
and  he  it  was  who  built  the  first  brick  building  in  the  city  of  Cincin- 
nati. James  H.  Crain  with  his  wife  and  two  children  came  to  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  in  1845,  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Washington  town- 
ship, three  miles  south  of  Logansport.  He  followed  farming  during  the 
remainder  of  his  life  and  died  on  February  22,  1897.  Although  a  man 
of  but  limited  schooling,  he  was  exceptionally  well  informed.  He 
realized  the  importance  of  an  education  and  lost  no  opportunity  to  sup- 
ply his  early  lack  in  that  respect.  By  a  course  of  self-imposed  study 
and  systematic  reading,  he  acquired  an  excellent  practical  education 
and  was  known  as  one  of  the  best  informed  men  of  his  day  in  Cass 
county.  In  his  religious  views  Mr.  Crain  was  a  Baptist,  and  was  one 
of  the  charter  members  of  the  Second  Baptist  church  in  Logansport. 
His  wife  was  bom  at  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania,  February  28,  1822, 
and  died  on  September  9,  1902.  She  was  reared  a  Presbyterian  and 
later  in  life  embraced  the  Baptist  faith. 

Joseph  E.  Grain  has  never  considered  any  place  but  Cass  county  as 
his  home.  He  was  brought  up  on  the  old  home  farm  in  Washington 
township,  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  under  the  tutelage  of 
his  father,  who  looked  to  the  education  of  his  children  in  the  common 
school  branches  and  industrial  pursuits.  His  real  start  in  life  was 
probably  at  the  time  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Civil  war.  Three  times 
did  he  endeavor  to  enter  the  service  before  he  was  finally  accepted,  being 
once  rejected  for  being  under  age,  and  once  owing  to  rheumatic  trou- 
bles from  which  he  suffered.  On  January  28,  1865,  he  was  enrolled  as 
a  member  of  Company  F,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Indiana  Volun- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  909 

teer  Infantry,  and  was  discharged  on  September  19,  1865.  His  military- 
activity  consisted  largely  of  doing  guard  and  picket  duty  at  Nashville 
and  TuUahoma,  Tennessee.  He  had  the  rank  of  corporal  at  the 
time  of  being  mustered  out  of  the  service.  For  two  years  after  the 
close  of  the  war  Mr.  Grain  was  occupied  in  farming,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1867  he  moved  to  Logansport,  where  for  seventeen  years  he  was  employed 
in  carpentering.  Since  then  he  has  devoted  himself -exclusively  to  archi- 
tecture, the  last  ten  years  of  his  life  as  a  carpenter  being  devoted 
to  the  especial  study  of  that  subject.  He  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  capable  architects  in  Logansport  today,  and  among  the  build- 
ings which  he  has  erected  and  designed  are  the  ]\Iasonic  Temple,  the 
Market  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  the  Elliott  building,  the 
Crawford  building,  the  IMcCaffrey  building,  the  Windfall  M.  E.  church, 
the  Frankfort  Protestant  Methodist  church,  the  Kimmel  M.  E.  church, 
and  scores  of  other  churches,  private  residences  and  commercial  build- 
ings in  and  about  Logansport.  Two  residence  buildings  designed  by 
Mr.  Crain  are  especially  deserving  of  mention:  these  are  the  Himmel- 
burger  residence  and  the  residence  of  J.  W.  Rogers. 

Mr.  Crain  is  a  Progressive  Republican  in  his  politics,  and  he  has 
taken  an  active  part  in  the  political  life  of  the  country  and  his  city. 
In  1894  he  was  elected  county  commissioner,  serving  one  term  of  three 
years,  and  in  1904  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  county  council, 
serving  three  years  in  that  body.  He  is  a  man  who  has  ever  performed 
his  full  share  in  the  good  works  that  have  been  carried  on  in  his  com- 
munity, both  in  a  civic  way  and  in  his  private  capacity.  He  has  long 
been  a  member  of  the  JMarket  Street  Slethodist  Episcopal  church, — 
forty-three  years  having  passed  since  he  first  became  thus  identified, 
and  for  thirty-five  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees 
of  that  church.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  is  Past 
Worshipful  Master  of  Tipton  Lodge,  No.  33,  Ancient  Free  &  Accepted 
Masons.  He  is  also  a  member  of,  and  past  commander  of  Logansport 
Post,  No.  14,  G.  A.  R.,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  famous  Logansport 
Grand  Army  Quartet,  organized  in  1878.  In  further  reference  to  his 
musical  prowess,  it  may  be  mentioned  here  that  for  thirty-two  con- 
secutive years  Mr.  Crain  was  the  leader  of  his  church  choir. 

On  October  19,  1865,  Mr.  Crain  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Sarah  Elnor  Updegraff,  of  Washington  township,  Cass  county,  and  seven 
children  were  born  to  them,  of  whom  brief  mention  is  here  made  as 
follows:  Edna  M.,  who  married  Edwin  F.  Martin,  is  a  resident  of  this 
county ;  Schuyler  Colfax  married  Hattie  Weymer,  who  is  now  deceased, 
and  he  is  engaged  in  contracting  in  Portland,  Oregon ;  Barton  Keep 
married  Elizabeth  Pherson,  and  is  now  engaged  in  the  Round  Oak 
stove  business,  and  lives  at  Dowagiac,  Michigan;  Rodney  James,  who 
married  Eva  Cline,  is  a  railroad  engineer,  and  makes  his  home  in 
Logansport;  Harriet  Ann  is  the  wife  of  George  Shank  of  Grand 
Rapids,  Michigan;  Charlotte  Belle  is  in  Portland,  Oregon,  and  is 
engaged  in  keeping  house  for  her  brother,  Schuyler  Colfax;  Horace 
Ensminger,  who  married  Elsie  Landerholm,  is  engaged  in  commercial 
pursuits  in  Portland,  Oregon. 

Vol  n— 13 


910  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

George  A.  Custer.  Among-  the  men  whose  high  attainments  have 
brought  prestige  to  the  Cass  county  bar,  none  are  more  deserving  of 
mention  in  a  work  of  this  kind  than  George  A.  Custer,  of  Logansport, 
whose  well-disciplined  intellect,  admirable  self-control,  great  ability  and 
many  years  of  industrious  application  to  all  branches  of  professional 
practice  have  rendered  him  a  bright  ornament  to  a  bar  which  boasts 
of  many  men  of  great  intellect  and  wide  range  of  knowledge  in  the 
field  of  jurisprudence.  Having  taken  a  prominent  part  in  a  number 
of  noted  trials  during  the  past  fifteen  years,  both  in  private  practice 
and  as  a  city  official,  he  has  been  always  cautious,  always  honorable, 
always  fair,  and  the  infiuence  of  his  example  has  had  much  to  do  with 
giving  the  Cass  county  bar  its  enviable  reputation  of  being  one  of  the 
most  honorable  in  the  state.  Mr.  Custer  has  the  added  distinction  of 
being  a  native  of  Cass  county,  as  liis  birth  occurred  in  Clay  township, 
AugvTst  11,  1873,  one  of  the  two  living  children  of  a  family  of  three  born 
to  George  D.  and  Katlierine  (]\lorehart)  Custer.  His  father,  a  native  of 
Fairfield,  Ohio,  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  about  1870,  and  began 
farming  in  Clay  township.  Here  he  was  married  and  continued  to 
reside  until  the  opening  of  the  Rosebud  Reservation,  in  Gregory  county, 
South  Dakota,  when  he  journeyed  to  that  section  and  purchased  a  relin- 
quishment of  a  claim.  Subsequently,  he  was  followed  by  his  daughter, 
who  also  bought  a  relinquishment,  and  they  are  now  residing  in  Tripp 
county.  Mr.  Custer  has  always  been  prominent  in  Democratic  politics 
wherever  he  has  resided,  but  has  not  aspired  to  public  office.  His  wife 
passed  away  in  1879.  Her  father,  Adam  ^lorehart,  with  his  wife  and 
family,,  came  to  Cass  county  from  Pennsylvania  by  ox-team  at  a  very 
early  period  in  the  history  of  the  county,  and  here  spent  the  rest  of  his 
life  in  agricultural  pursuits  in  Clay  township. 

George  A.  Custer  lived  on  the  home  farm  until  eight  years  of  age, 
at  which  time  he  removed  with  his  father  to  Marion,  Indiana.  There 
he  continued  a  public  school  education  that  was  begun  in  Clay  town- 
ship, and  this  was  concluded  in  Logansport.  Subsequently,  after  read- 
ing law  for  one  year  in  the  office  of  Judge  John  C.  Nelson,  of  this  city, 
he  became  a  student  in  the  State  University  at  Bloomiugton,  and  was 
graduated  therefrom  June  16,  1897.  He  at  once  came  to  Logansport  and 
began  practice  with  Charles  E.  Yarlott,  under  the  firm  style  of  Custer 
&  Yarlott,  and  was  later  associated  with  W.  C.  Dunn,  of  Chicago, 
Illinois,  under  the  firm  style  of  Custer  &  Dunn,  succeeding  which  he  was 
in  individual  practice  for  a  short  time.  In  1906  he  was  the  Democratic 
nominee  for  the  office  of  prosecuting  attorney  and  in  the  election  that 
followed  was  easily  elected,  leading  his  ticket  with  a  majority  of  536 
votes.  In  1908  he  again  became  his  party's  candidate,  and  this  time 
was  elected  by  the  still  further  increased  majority  of  970  votes,  the 
largest  majority  ever  given  a  candidate  in  Cass  county.  During  this 
latter  term,  Mr.  Custer  was  appointed  by  Governor  Marshall  to  prose- 
cute in  the  case  of  "State  of  Indiana  ex.  rel  George  A.  Custer,  prosecut- 
ing attorney,  within  and  for  the  Twenty-ninth  Judicial  Circuit  of  the 
State  of  Indiana,  vs.  the  Chesapeake  &  Ohio  Railway  Company  of 
Indiana,  et  al. "  This  was  a  case  where  it  was  charged  the  defendants 
were  making  an  attempt  to  unload  about  $40,000,000  watered  stock 
upon  the  public,  attracted  widespread  attention,  was  considered  to  be 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  911 

of  great  importance  as  setting  precedents,  and  ended  in  a  victory  for 
the  state  as  represented  by  Mr.  Custer.  At  the  time  of  his  first  election, 
Mr.  Custer  had  formed  a  partnership  with  Michael  L.  Fansler,  who 
became  his  deputy,  and  this  continued  four  years,  but  since  the  expira- 
tion of  JMr.  Custer 's  second  term  of  office,  he  has  been  engaged  in  individ- 
ual practice.  As  a  lawyer,  conducting  cases  from  the  original  con- 
sultation, through  their  preparations  in  his  office  and  contlicts  at  the 
bar,  to  the  final  engrossment  after  the  last  decree  of  the  last  tribunal, 
Mr.  Custer  is  systematic,  patient,  vigorous  and  powerful.  He  is  an 
associate  most  valuable,  an  antagonist  most  worthy.  On  February  10, 
1911,  while  in  Washington,  D.  C,  on  business,  he  took  the  examina- 
tion and  was  admitted  to  practice  before  the  Department  of  the  Inte- 
rior, of  which  the  patent  office  is  a  branch.  His  registered  number  is 
9934,  and  he  is  the  only  lawyer  in  Cass  county  to  be  so  registered.  ]\Ir. 
Custer  has  also  contributed  special  articles  on  legal  subjects,  which 
have  been  widely  quoted,  to  legal  journals  all  over  the  country,  includ- 
ing such  a  well-known  authority  as  Hawkins'  Legal  Counsellor  and 
Form  Book.  Fraternally,  he  is  connected  with  the  IMasons  and  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

On  November  12,  1903,  Mr.  Custer  was  married  to  Miss  Julia  Mc- 
Reynolds,  of  Kokomo,  Indiana. 

Benjamin  F.  Long.  To  properly  interpret  the  law  in  all  its  com- 
plexities and  unerringly  apply  its  provisions  to  establish  human  rights 
and  defeat  injustice,  demands  such  a  comprehensive  knowledge  not  only 
of  books  but  of  life  itself  that  he  who  reaches  a  high  plane  in  this  pro- 
fession must  command  more  than  negative  consideration  in  the  minds 
of  his  fellow  men.  It  is  told  in  both  history  and  romance  that  a  kind 
of  law  is  upheld  among  savages,  but  when  explained  it  resolves  itself 
into  the  old  axiom  that  "might  makes  right,"  and  in  modern,  civilized 
life  it  becomes  the  task  of  the  exponent  of  the  law  to  overcome  this  only 
too  prevalent  idea.  Hence,  on  a  solid  educational  foundation,  must  be 
built  up  a  thorough  knowledge  of  what  law  means  to  the  present  day 
man  and  how  it  can  be  applied  to  circumvent  evil,  protect  the  helpless 
and  bring  happiness  and  safety  to  the  deserving.  Among  the  legal 
practitioners  of  the  Cass  county  bar  whose  activities  have  brought  them 
prominently  before  the  public,  none  stands  in  higher  esteem  than 
Benjamin  F.  Long,  of  the  firm  of  Long,  Yarlott  &  Souder,  of  Logans- 
port.  A  native  of  Cass  county,  he  has  spent  his  entire  life  within  its 
limits,  and  belongs  to  a  family  that  has  been  well  known  here  for  more 
than  three-quarters  of  a  century.  Mr.  Long  was  born  in  Washington 
township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  January  31,  1872,  a  son  of  AVilliam  and 
Joanna  (Penny)  Long.  His  grandfather,  William  Long,  Sr.,  was  a 
native  of  Somerset  county,  Pennsylvania,  from  whence  he  moved  to 
Indiana  with  his  family  in  1843  and  located  on  the  old  home  place  in 
Washington  township,  where  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  in  agricultural 
pursuits.  He  was  widely  known  as  IMajor  Long,  that  title  having  been 
acquired  while  he  was  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania  State  ]\Iilitia. 
William  Long  was  the  eldest  child  of  IMajor  Long,  and,  like  his  father, 
spent  his  life  in  farming.     He  died  October  5,  1893,  in  the  faith  of  the 


912  HISTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

English  Lutheran  church,  while  his  widow  followed  him  to  the  grave 
Deeemher  12,  1902. 

Benjamin  P.  Long  was  reared  on  the  home  farm,  and  during  his 
boyhood  attended  the  district  schools.  In  1891  he  graduated  from  the 
Logansport  high  school,  and  during  the  succeeding  two  winters  taught 
the  district  school  which  he  had  attended  as  a  lad,  in  the  meantime 
assisting  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  farm  during  the  summer  months. 
In  1893  he  entered  the  state  university  at  Bloomington,  but  after  two 
years  was  compelled  to  leave  the  university  on  account  of  lack  of 
funds,  as  he  had  been  paying  his  own  way  through  college.  With  a 
commendable  spirit  of  determination,  he  returned  to  Logansport  and 
secured  a  position  as  teacher  of  history  in  the  high  school,  there  continu- 
ing from  1895  to  1899,  and  in  the  latter  year  reentered  the  state  uni- 
versity, where  he  completed  the  prescribed  course  in  literature  and 
received  the  degrees  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  and  Bachelor  of  Laws.  Return- 
ing again  to  Logansport,  he  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession, 
and  shortly  thereafter  was  selected  associate  professor  in  the  law  depart- 
ment of  the  state  university,  a  position  which  he  continued  to  hold  for 
one  year.  He  then  resigned  his  chair  and  came  again  to  Logansport, 
where  he  has  since  continued  in  a  lucrative  practice.  From  1903  to 
1906,  I\Ir.  Long  served  as  deputy  prosecutor,  being  a  partner  of  the 
prosecuting  attorney,  George  AV.  Walters,  under  the  fimi  style  of 
Walters  &  Long,  from  Jamiary  1,  1903,  to  January  1,  1908.  Since 
the  latter  date"  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Long,  Yarlott  & 
Souder,  and  has  been  very  successful  in  obtaining  a  representative 
clientele.  He  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  learned,  thorough  and  reliable 
attorneys,  and  among  his  confreres  is  respected  as  a  legist  who  respects 
and  recognizes  the  unwritten  ethics  of  the  profession.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Republican,  but  has  taken  no  very  active  part  in  public  matters. 
With  his  wife,  he  attends  the  English  Lutheran  church. 

Mr.  Long  was  married  September  10,  1902,  to  Miss  Lucy  Nichols, 
of  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  and  they  have  one  son :     Benjamin. 

Charles  H.  Stuart.  Among  the  families  of  Cass  county  which  can 
claim  residence  here  of  three-quarters  of  a  century  or  more,  that  bear- 
ing the  name  of  Stuart  holds  prominent  place.  In  its  ranks  have  been 
found  eminent  professional  men,  soldiers,  merchants  and  financiers,  lead- 
ers in  public  and  civic  life  and  prominent  figures  in  social  activities. 
One  of  the  representatives  of  this  name,  who  is  well  known  to  the  legal 
profession  of  Cass  county,  is  Charles  H.  Stuart,  United  States  com- 
missioner at  Logansport,  and  an  attorney  of  deserved  reputation. 

Hon.  William  Z.  Stuart,  the  Cass  county  progenitor  of  the  branch 
of  the  family  to  which  Charles  H.  Stuart  belongs,  was  an  early  attorney 
of  Cass  county,  whither  he  came  early  in  1836.  He  was  admitted  to 
practice  at  Logansport,  February  20,  1837,  and  soon  attained  rank 
among  the  legists  of  the  state,  many  of  whose  names  subsequently 
became  widely  renowned.  Of  necessity,  his  practice  covered  all  branches 
in  the  early  days,  but  during  his  later  years  he  gained  reputation 
as  a  railroad  lawyer  and  for  a  long  period  was  chief  attorney  for  the 
Wabash  Railway  Company.  Beginning  in  1843,  he  served  one  year  as 
state's  attorney,  and  from  1853  to  1857  he  was  judge  of  the  state  supreme 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  913 

court.  He  married  (first)  Minerva  Potter,  who  died,  leaving  three 
children:  Venitia,  Selden  P.  and  Francis  H.  Later,  Judge  Stuart 
contracted  a  second  marriage. 

Selden  P.  Stuart,  son  of  Hon.  William  Z.  Stuart,  and  father  of 
Charles  H.  Stuart,  was  born  September  16,  1842,  at  Logansport,  Indiana, 
and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  great  Civil  war  was  a  student  in  the  prepara- 
tory school.  On  December  26,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Ninety- 
ninth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  subsequently  being  promoted  to  first 
sergeant,  and  to  second  lieutenant  of  his  company.  May  1,  1865,  and 
received  his  honorable  discharge  June  5,  1865.  For  the  most  part  he 
was  actively  connected  with  all  the  movements  of  his  company  until 
the  close  of  the  war,  the  one  exception  being  when  he  was  detailed  as 
acting  aide-de-camp  to  General  Oliver,  brigade  commander.  He  married 
Eloise  Landes,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  two  children,  one  who 
died  in  infancy  and  Charles  H.  Mr.  Stuart  died  in  November,  1881, 
while  his  widow  still  survives  him  and  is  now  the  wife  of  Stewart  T. 
McConnell,  an  attorney  of  Logansport. 

Charles  H.  Stuart  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  May  7,  1878, 
and  here  prosecuted  his  preliminary  studies  in  public  and  private 
schools.  Subsequently  he  became  a  student  in  the  Culver  Military  Acad- 
emy, Culver,  Indiana,  and  then  entered  Lawrenceville  Academy,  New 
Jersey,  after  graduation  from  which,  in  September,  1896,  he  started 
upon  his  collegiate  course  in  Princeton  University.  He  was  graduated 
therefrom  in  1900,  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  and  returned  to 
Logansport,  where  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  September  of  the  same 
year.  Shortly  thereafter,  however,  he  went  to  Chicago,  Illinois,  where 
he  acted  in  the  capacity  of  clerk  in  the  First  National  Bank  for  two 
years,  being  connected  with  the  legal  department.  During  this  time  he 
also  attended  the  legal  department  of  Lake  F<3rest  University,  and  in 
1902  he  returned  to  Logansport  and  entered  upon  the  active  practice 
of  his  profession.  Mr.  Stuart  has  succeeded  in  building  up  an  excellent 
professional  business  of  a  representative  character,  and  is  recognized 
by  his  confreres  as  a  legist  who  respects  the  unwritten  ethics  of  the 
profession.  Well  versed  in  the  principles  of  law  and  jurisprudence, 
he  has  been  a  constant  and  assiduous  student,  and  the  success  that  has 
come  to  him  in  his  chosen  field  of  endeavor  has  been  an  appreciation  of 
his  high  abilities.  During  the  past  eight  years,  Mr.  Stuart  has  served 
as  United  States  commissioner  at  Logansport.  In  1912  he  cast  his 
fortunes  with  the  new  Progressive  party,  and  at  that  time  became  its 
candidate  for  the  office  of  judge  of  the  circuit  court  of  Cass  county.  As 
a  citizen  he  stands  high  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellows,  being  known  as  a 
man  of  progressive  spirit  and  one  who  is  at  all  times  ready  to  contribute 
of  his  time  or  means  to  any  worthy  cause  promising  the  welfare  of 
Logansport  or  its  people.  He  has  been  interested  in  historical  work, 
and  at  this  time  is  secretary  of  the  Cass  County  Historical  Society. 

On  June  17,  1903,  Mr.  Stuart  was  married  to  Miss  Marie  Watson 
Rogers,  of  Cass  county. 

David  C.  Arthur  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1899  and  he  has  been 
engaged  in  practice  continuously  since  that  time,  his  activities  being 
conducted  in  Logansport,  both  as  an  independent  practitioner  and  as  a 


914  HISTOEY   OF    CASS  COUNTY 

partner  in  the  firm  of  Fickle  &  Arthur.  Mr.  Arthur  was  bom  in  Darke 
county,  Ohio,  on  February  25,  1862,  and  is  one  of  the  family  of  ten 
children  born  to  his  parents,  Abner  and  Mary  (Bowman)  Arthur,  of 
which  number  eight  are  yet  living. 

Abner  Arthur  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  in  1867  he  removed 
to  Randolph  county,  Indiana,  where  he  and  his  good  wife  yet  live. 
David  C.  Arthur  was  reared  in  Randolph  county,  and  received  his 
elementary  education  in  the  district  schools  of  the  home  community. 
For  a  time  he  attended  the  National  Normal  University  at  Lebanon, 
Ohio,  also  attending  the  state  university  at  Bloomington,  Indiana,  for 
two  terms.  This  schooling  was  secured  through  the  strictest  economy 
and  the  most  strenuous  effort,  for  the  young  man  found  it  necessary 
to  earn  his  own  wa}^  He  worked  on  the  farm,  taught  school,  made 
brick  and  tile,  did  janitor  work,  in  fact,  did  anything  he  might  find  at 
which  he  found  it  possible  to  turn  an  honest  penny  in  his  efforts  to 
secure  an  education.  After  he  left  Bloomington,  he  engaged  in  teach- 
ing, and  it  was  while  thus  engaged  that  he  came  to  Logansport  in  1894 
as  principal  of  the  high  school.  He  was  thus  employed  for  five  years 
in  this  city,  and  while  here  he  took  up  the  study  of  the  law  in  the  offices 
of  Kistler  &  Kistler.  In  1899  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  at  OTice 
began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Logansport.  He  continued  in 
independent  practice  for  a  time,  then  entered  into  a  partnership  with 
John  M.  Asliby,  which  association  endured  for  two  years.  Since  1909 
he  has  been  the  partner  of  Hon.  D.  D.  Fickle,  doing  business  under  the 
firm  name  of  Fickle  &  Arthur. 

Mr.  Arthur  is  a  Democrat  in  his  politics.  In  1910  he  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  city  school  board,  of  which  he  is  secretary,  and  his  early 
educational  work  has  especially  qualified  him  for  the  duties  of  that 
position.  Mr.  Arthur  has  been  identified  with  many  of  the  secret, 
benevolent  and  fraternal  organizations  of  the  city,  and  is  popular  and 
prominent  in  whatever  circles  he  is  found.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  in  which  he  has  for  many  years  been  an  elder, 
and  his  wife  also  holds  membership  in  that  cluirch. 

On  Christmas  day,  in  1894,  Mr.  Arthur  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Ellen  Jameson,  of  Lebanon,  Ohio,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  two 
children,  Mary  and  Robert. 

Sylvester  S.  Cragun.  Of  the  many  valuable  farms  found  in  Cass 
county,  one  of  the  most  valuable  is  that  known  as  Hill  Top  farm,  which 
is  devoted  to  stock  raising  and  is  located  on  the  Hill  Top  road.  Here  its 
owner,  Sylvester  S.  Cragun,  is  breeding  a  superior  line  of  Percheron 
horses  and  other  valuable  stock,  and  his  activities  have  made  him  well 
known  among  the  successful  men  of  his  community.  ]\Ir.  Cragun  belongs 
to  an  old  and  honorable  family,  and  was  born  in  Clinton  township,  Cass 
county,  May  20,  1852,  a  son  of  Zachariah  and  Elizabeth  N.  (Shideler) 
Cragun.  The  family  was  founded  in  America  by  Patrick  Cragun,  who 
came  from  Dublin,  Ireland,  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  took 
part  in  the  struggles  of  tlie  American  colonists  that  resulted  in  the 
winning  of  independence.  Patrick  Cragun  was  the  father  of  several 
children,  among  them  Joshua  Cragun,  the  grandfather  of  Sylvester  S. 

Zachariah  Cragun  was  born  in  1824,  in  Clinton  county,  Indiana,  on 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  915 

his  father's  farm,  and  was  nineteen  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  Cass 
county.  He  had  been  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  working  on  the 
farm  during  all  of  his  school  period,  and  until  he  was  married,  was 
employed  as  a  farm  hand.  Sulisequently  he  became  the  owner  of  a 
tract  of  his  own,  and  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  passed  in  tilling  the 
soil.  His  wife  was  born  near  Eaton,  Preble  county,  Ohio,  and  was  a 
small  girl  when  she  came  to  Cass  county  with  her  parents,  who  became 
prominent  farming  people  of  Clinton  township. 

Sylvester  S.  Cragun  was  born  in  a  little  log  cabin  on  the  old 
Cragun  homestead,  as  were  his  two  sisters,  Dora,  who  became  the  wife 
of  Andrew  Y.  Shanklin,  and  Ellen,  who  is  now  deceased.  He  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  day,  and  was  an  able  assistant 
to  his  father  in  the  clearing  of  the  home  place,  on  which  he  remained 
until  reaching  his  twenty-fourth  year.  At  that  time  he  left  the  parental 
roof  and  embarked  upon  enterprises  of  his  own,  eventually  accumulating 
enough  capital  to  purchase  his  present  tract,  Hill  Top  farm,  a  property 
of  eighty  acres,  which  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
He  feeds  his  farm  products  to  his  stock,  and  has  been  unquestionably 
successful  in  his  breeding  operations.  He  is  recognized  as  an  excellent 
judge  of  livestock,  and  his  advice  is  often  sought  by  the  stockmen  of 
his  community.  In  business  affairs  he  has  ever  proved  reliable  and 
trustworthy,  and  his  reputation  is  that  of  a  man  of  integrity  in  busi- 
ness matters  and  public-spirit  in  affairs  affecting  his  township.  With 
the  birth  of  the  so-called  Bull  ]\Ioose  party,  in  1912,  he  was  one  of  the 
first  men  in  the  United  States  to  be  nominated  as  a  candidate  on  that 
ticket,  making  a  veiy  creditalile  campaign  for  the  office  of  commissioner 
of  Cass  county.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Anoka  Lodge,  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  No.  630,  and  Logansport  Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons  Tipton  Lodge  at.  Logansport. 

On  ]\Iarch  29,  1877,  JMr.  Cragun  was  married  to  ]\Iiss  Candace  S. 
Marshall,  daughter  of  John  and  ^Margaret  (Kendall)  Marshall,  the 
former  of  whom  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1804  and  came  to  Carroll 
county,  Indiana,  in  1834.  ^Ir.  and  Mrs.  Marshall  had  eleven  children, 
of  whom  five  are  still  living:  George  K.,  Susana,  Sarah,  Candace  S., 
and  James  J.  Mr.  and  ]Mrs.  Cragun  have  had  foiir  children :  Harry  31. 
and  Ruth,  who  are  both  deceased ;  Homer  J.,  who  finished  the  public 
schools  and  spent  two  years  in  high  school,  married  Angeline  Long,  and 
is  engaged  in  farming;  and  31iss  iMargaret,  a  graduate  of  the  Cass 
county  schools,  class  of  1909,  also  spent  two  years  in  the  Logansport 
high  school  and  then  attended  commercial  college. 

IMrs.  Cragun  was  born  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  October  23,  1856, 
the  youngest  in  her  father's  family.  She  received  a  good  common 
school  education  and  in  her  life's  work  she  has  ably  performed  her  part 
as  wife  and  mother  in  the  building  up  of  their  beautiful  home  and 
rearing  her  children.  She  is  an  honored  member  of  the  Jewel  Rebecca 
Lodge  of  the  city  of  Logansport.  3Ir.  and  ]Mrs.  Cragun  and  children 
are  eligible  to  become  members  of  the  Sons  and  Daughters  of  the 
Revolution.  Their  homestead,  ' '  Ingleside, "  is  a  beautiful  estate,  located 
live  miles  from  the  city  of  Logansport,  Indiana. 


916  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUJ^TY 

James  D.  McNitt.  A  name  that  has  become  widely  known  in 
business  and  financial  circles  of  Logansport  during  the  past  decade  is 
that  of  James  D.  McNitt,  president  of  the  Logansport  Loan  and  Trust 
Company,  and  a  citizen  who  has  shown  himself  possessed  of  all  the 
essential  qualities  of  a  useful  and  successful  business  man.  Quick  to 
perceive,  ready  to  act,  he  meets  minor  business  questions  with  great 
ease,  while,  careful  to  act  rightly,  larger  matters  are  the  subject  of  full 
consideration.  His  operations  in  the  feeding,  buying  and  shipping  of 
stock  have  been  extensive,  and  in  every  line  of  business  activity  he  is 
known  as  one  whose  commercial  ideals  are  of  the  strictest  nature.  Mr. 
McNitt  has  been  a  resident  of  Indiana  since  he  was  six  months  of  age, 
coming  here  from  Juniata  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  bom 
July  3,  1845.  His  parents,  James  G.  and  Jane  (Naginey)  McNitt,  were 
also  bom  in  this  country,  but  were  of  Scotch  ancestry.  James  Gr. 
McNitt,  his  father,  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  by  wagon  in  1845, 
the  trip  consuming  six  weeks,  and  located  on  Crooked  creek,  in  Jeffer- 
son township,  where  he  was  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death  in  1847. 
His  widow  survived  him  nine  years,  her  death  being  brought  about  by 
fighting  a  prairie  fire.  Thus  the  six  children  were  left  to  shift  for 
themselves,  and  all  are  now  deceased  with  the  exception  of  James  D. 

James  D.  McNitt  was  the  youngest  of  his  parents'  children,'  and 
his  boyhood  was  divided  between  attendance  at  the  district  school  and 
work  on  the  farm.  Later  he  took  a  course  of  one  term  in  the  Old 
Seminary,  at  Logansport,  and  thus  equipped,  taught  district  school. 
After  three  terms,  however,  he  decided  his  abilities  could  be  directed 
to  better  advantage  in  a  different  field  of  endeavor,  and  accordingly  he 
turned  his  attention  to  farming  and  stock  raising.  About  the  year 
1873,  Mr.  McNitt  ceased  active  agricultural  pursuits  and  came  to 
Logansport,  where  he  embarked  in  the  wholesale  and  retail  grocery 
business  with  a  partner,  under  the  firm  style  of  Uhl  &  McNitt,  a  connec- 
tion that  continued  profitably  for  eleven  years,  the  buying  of  wool 
being  an  important  factor  in  the  conduct  of  the  business.  However, 
the  constant  confinement  and  excessive  labor  connected  with  his  duties, 
told  heavily  upon  Mr.  IMcNitt's  strength,  his  health  began  to  fail,  and 
he  was  finally  compelled  to  sell  his  mercantile  interests.  He  again  took 
up  stock  buying,  feeding  and  shipping,  and  to  this  he  has  given  the 
greater  part  of  his  attention  ever  since,  with  marked  success.  In 
1902,  Mr.  McNitt  assisted  in  the  founding  of  the  Logansport  Loan  and 
Trust  Company,  and  on  the  completion  of  the  organization,  he  was 
elected  its  president,  a  position  in  which  he  has  served  to  the  present 
time.  Honorable  and  honest  in  his  affairs,  courteous  and  easily 
approached,  considerate  and  broad  in  his  judgment  of  general  busi- 
ness conditions  and  tendencies,  and  a  most  certain  and  intuitive  judge 
of  the  character  of  men,  Mr.  McNitt  deserves  and  receives  the  full 
esteem  and  regard  of  his  associates,  and  is  justly  judged  one  of  the 
community's  foremost  men  of  business. 

In  December,  1872,  ]\Ir.  McNitt  was  married  to  Miss  IMary  Ellen 
Tlhl,  daughter  of  Joseph  lUil,  and  seven  children  were  born  to  this 
union:  Caroline  N.,  Mary  Ethel,  deceased,  S.  Miriam,  Robert  J., 
Willard  C,  Helen  U.  and  Esther  U.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McNitt  have  given 
their  children  excellent  educational  advantages,  sending  them  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  917 

best  colleges  and  universities  in  the  country  and  fitting  them  for  what- 
ever positions  in  life  they  may  he  called  upon  to  fill.  He  was  president 
of  the  city  schools  of  Logansport  nine  years.  The  family  are  consistent 
members  of  the  Broadway  Presbyterian  church,  Logansport.  ]\Ir.  Mc- 
Nitt  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  has  never  aspired  to  public  office, 
preferring  to  give  his  entire  time  and  attention  to  his  business  affairs. 
He  is  always  ready,  however,  to  support  movements  for  the  welfare  of 
Logansport  or  its  people,  and  to  co-operate  in  advancing  education, 
morality  and  good  citizenship. 

George  Washington  Bishop.  A  career  of  more  than  half  a  century 
of  time,  during  which  he  has  risen  from  obscurity  and  a  humble  position 
in  life,  to  an  acknowledged  position  among  the  foremost  business  citi- 
zens of  his  community,  proves  the  right  of  George  Washington  Bishop 
to  the  title  of  representative  man  of  Walton.  In  this  long  period  he 
has  been  identified  with  various  interests,  commercial,  industrial,  agri- 
cultural and  financial,  in  all  of  which  he  has  left  the  impress  of  his 
remarkable  business  capacity,  his  great  quickness  of  perception  and 
his  wonderfully  systematic  mind.  Although  now  retired  from  business 
activities,  having  reached  an  age  when  he  feels  himself  entitled  to  a 
rest  from  the  worries  and  struggles  of  former  years,  he  still  exerts  a 
distinct  influence  in  the  life  of  the  city,  with  whose  history  his  own  has 
been  almost  commensurate.  Mr.  Bishop  was  born  September  18,  1836, 
at  Tiffin,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  David  and  Eliza  (Douden)  Bishop. 
His  father,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  went  to  Kentucky  in  young  man- 
hood, and  later  made  his  home  for  some  time  at  Cincinnati,  with  Gov. 
R.  M.  Bishop's  father  who  is  a  second  cousin  of  George  W.  Bishop, 
succeeding  which  he  moved  to  Tiffin,  Ohio,  and  there  passed  away  at 
a  ripe  old  age.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  twelve  children, 
all  of  whom  reached  years  of  maturity :  Mrs.  Ellen  Huffman,  John  T., 
Mrs.  Mary  Lightner-Darling,  Mrs.  Julia  Betts,  Eliza,  W.  H.,  Alvira 
Booker,  Mrs.  Lovina  Flynn,  Catherine  Shafer  and  Ida  Baumgardner, 
all  of  whom  are  deceased;  George  Washington  and  Laura  Penrose. 

George  W.  Bishop  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  he  was 
fourteen  years  of  age,  working  with  his  father,  who  was  a  carpenter, 
and  learning  the  trades  of  carpenter  and  bricklayer.  In  1852  he  first 
came  to  Walton,  Indiana,  walking  about  two  hundred  miles  to  Lewis- 
burg,  as  the  railroads  had  not  reached  this  point  and  the  canal  was 
frozen  over.  He  then  returned  to  Tiffin,  but  in  October,  1854,  again 
came  to  Walton  and  for  a  time  worked  at  his  trades.  Soon,  however, 
he  recognized  the  opportunity  for  entering  the  mercantile  field,  and, 
returning  to  Tiffin,  Ohio,  invested  his  modest  capital  in  a  little  stock  of 
general  merchandise,  which  he  brought  back  to  AValton.  The  business 
thus  started  became  one  of  the  large  enterprises  of  the  town,  Mr.  Bishop 's 
intelligent  management,  tireless  industry  and  sound  business  sense  serv- 
ing to  constantly  widen  its  scope  and  extend  the  range  of  its  operations. 
For  twenty  years  he  was  also  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  excelsior, 
and  then  turned  the  store  over  to  his  sons.  His  next  venture  was  the 
buying  of  the  Bank  of  Walton,  which  he  sold  four  years  later  and  retired 
from  active  life.  Mr.  Bishop  is  the  owner  of  three  handsome  farms, 
one  being  the  Bishop  home  place,  on  the  Walton  and  Bunker  Hill  road, 


918  HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY 

a  tr^et  of  sixty-five  acres  north  of  Walton,  a  part  of  which  is  in  the 
city  limits;  another  is  the  old  Harrison  McVeecly  farm  on  the  township 
line  road,  a  tract  of  160  acres  about  two  and  one-half  miles  northwest 
of  Walton;  and  the  third  tract,  of  117  acres  is  located  in  Jackson  town- 
ship, about  two  miles  southeast  of  AValton. 

Mr.  Bishop  was  married  April  25,  1860,  to  Miss  Sarah  Corbley, 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  five  children:  Ida  and  Alonzo, 
who  are  deceased ;  Myrtle,  the  wife  of  Aaron  ]\IcKee,  who  has  two  chil- 
dren,— Harold  and  Keith ;  Claude,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere 
in  this  volume;  and  George  Walter.  Mr.  Bishop  was  married  again, 
April  2,  1891,  to  Mrs.  Vora  (Watson)  Sumption,  widow  of  David  Ward 
Sumption,  a  full  review  of  whose  career  will  be  found  on  another  page 
of  this  work,  and  to  this  union  there  has  been  born  one  son:  Richard 
Edgar,  a  graduate  of  Walton  High  school,  who  spent  two  years  in  Wabash 
University  and  is  now  at  Purdue  University.  Mr.  and  I\Irs.  Bishop 
attend  the  Lutheran  church,  and  have  interested  themselves  in  its  work. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  she  was 
a  Rebekah.  The  high  rewards  that  are  attainable  in  fortune,  character 
and  infiuence  through  a  life  of  industry  and  probity,  guided  and  regu- 
lated by  a  sense  of  Christian  obligation,  are  illustrated  in  ^h\  Bishop's 
career.  With  no  extraordinary  endowment  of  faculty,  unaided  by 
inheritance  or  friendly  support,  he  was  content  to  enter  into  the  life 
which  a  rising  community  offered  in  a  humble  station,  and  to  follow 
up  the  opportunities  that  opened  before  him  with  steadiness  and  indus- 
try, gaining,  step  by  step,  the  rare  fruits  of  well  directed  enterprise. 
Today  he  finds  himself  in  the  possession  of  a  handsome  competency  and 
the  friendship  of  his  fellow  men.  and  the  head  of  a  family  which  refieets 
credit  upon  the  wise  and  guiding  hand  that  has  trained  its  harmonious 
members  to  lives  of  usefulness  and  honor. 

David  Ward  Sumption.  Although  a  resident  of  Walton  for  only 
a  comparatively  short  period,  the  late  David  Ward  Sumption  will 
be  remembered  by  many  of  the  older  citizens  here  because  of  his  con- 
nection with  the  manufacturing  interests  of  the  city,  as  well  as 
one  of  the  pioneer  "Knights  of  the  Key"  whose  occupation  called  them 
to  various  parts  of  the  state.  Mr.  Sumption  was  born  in  1857,  at  St. 
Joe,  Indiana,  and  was  a  son  of  Robert  and  Barilla  (Ward)  Sumption, 
the  former  of  whom  was  for  a  number  of  years  an  inn-keeper  and  hard- 
ware merchant  at  Ridgeville,  Randolph  county,  Indiana.  There  were 
four  children  in  the  family :  ]\Irs.  Josephine  Tyrrel,  who  now  resides 
at  Santiago,  California ;  Albert,  who  is  traveling  auditor  for  the  Union 
Pacific  railroad,  with  headquarters  at  Carney,  Nebraska ;  David  Ward ; 
and  William,  who  is  deceased. 

David  Ward  Sumption  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Jay 
county,  Indiana,  and  learned  the  trade  of  telegrapher  at  Union  C'ity, 
subsequently  becoming  railroad  agent  at  Ridgeville.  Later  he  spent 
a  short  time  at  Elwood,  after  which  he  returned  to  Ridgeville,  where 
for  a  few  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  hardware  business,  but  again  took 
up  his  vocation  as  a  telegraph  operator,  and  as  such  came  to  Walton 
in  1873,  here  continuing  as  agent  for  five  years.  He  then  turned  his 
attention  to  the  manufacturing  business,  which  he  followed  until  his 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  919 

removal  to  ^ladison,  Nebraska,  and  his  death  occurred  in  ]\Iadison 
county,  Nebraska,  April  15,  1881.  After  his  death,  his  widow  took  up 
his  work,  tmt  gave  up  that  occupation  to  engage  in  school  teaching,  an 
occupation  which  she  followed  until  her  second  marriage,  to  George 
W.  Bishop,  of  Walton. 

Mr.  Sumption  was  married  to  Miss  Vora  Watson,  October  27,  1870, 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  three  children,  as  follows:  G-ertrude, 
a  graduate  of  the  State  Normal  school,  at  Terre  Haute,  and  for  some 
time  a  school  teacher,  married  Sanford  Bell,  and  had  three  children, — 
Portia,  Geneva  and  Josephine,  and  the  family  home  is  now  located  at 
Denver,  Colorado;  Homer,  now  residing  in  San  Diego,  California,  who 
married  Amelia  Walters,  of  Sheridan,  Wyoming,  and  has  one  child, — 
Vora;  and  Josephine,  director  of  music  in  the  Denver  (Colo.)  College, 
and  organist  in  Trinity  Llethodist  Episcopal  church,  who  married  F. 
M.  White,  of  Noblesville,  Indiana.  J^I^.  Sumption  was  a  member  of  the 
Universalist  church,  and  was  a  man  of  integrity  and  probity  of  char- 
acter. He  was  always  interested  in  fraternal  work,  and  was  popular 
with  the  members  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
Knights  of  Honor.  Those  who  knew  him  will  remember  him  as  a  man 
who  was  always  ready  to  assist  others,  who  never  knowingly  made  an 
enemy,  and  who  never  lost  a  friend  except  through  death. 

Joseph  T.  McNary  has  been  actively  identitied  with  the  growth  and 
development  of  Cass  county  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
Born  in  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  Seistember  26,  1850,  he  is  a  son  of 
James  and  Harriett  (Thompson)  ]\IcNary,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania.  His  scholastic  training  was  ob- 
tained in  the  schools  of  Bloomfield,  Ohio,  and  Union  College,  from 
which  latter  institution  he  received  his  diploma  in  1864.  He  tirst  came 
to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  in  1865,  but  the  ensuing  two  years  he  passed 
in  Tipton  county,  teaching  school  and  studying  law,  upon  which  he  had 
settled  for  his  professional  career. 

In  1868  Mv.  McNary  continued  his  legal  studies  under  0.  P.  Blake 
of  Peru,  Indiana,  and  in  coiniection  with  legal  pursuits,  was  engaged 
in  handling  real  estate  at  Peru  until  1870.  Since  the  latter  date  he  has 
resided  in  Logansport.  It  would  seem  that  real  estate  dealings  are 
especially  to  his  liking,  for  he  has  never  ceased  to  be  more  or  less 
engaged  in  transactions  along  that  line,  and  for  the  past  ten  years  prac- 
tically his  entire  attention  has  been  devoted  to  the  real  estate  and  loan 
business.  For  a  number  of  years  John  R.  IMcNary,  his  brother,  was 
associated  with  him. 

Actively  identified  with  the  Republican  party  since  early  manhood, 
Mr.  McNary  was  firet  elected  to  the  city  council  of  Logansport  in  1881, 
and  by  continued  reelection,  served  some  sixteen  years  in  that  office, 
during  which  time  some  of  the  most  important  laws  on  the  city  govern- 
ment were  enacted.  It  was  also  during  this  time,  and  largely  through 
the  instrumentality  of  j\Ir.  IMcNary  that  the  first  traction  line  of  the 
city  was  built  and  since  that  time,  he  has  been  closely  identified  with 
the  construction  of  all  the  other  lines.  The  purchase  of  Spencer  Park 
by  the  Street  Railway  was  another  important  measure  in  which  Mr. 
McNary  bore  a  conspicuous  and  worthy  part.     The  deal  was  engin- 


920  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

eered  entirely  by  Mr.  McNary,  and  the  gift  to  the  city  by  the  Street 
Eailway  Company  of  eighteen  acres  was  through  his  influence.  It 
was  dedicated  and  named  McNary  Park  and  afterwards  called  Spencer 
Park.  He  was  closely  identified  also  with  the  locating  of  Riverside 
Park.  He  assisted  in  the  reorganization  of  the  State  National  Bank 
after  its  failui'e  and  for  many  years  has  been  a  part  of  almost  all  impor- 
tant public  events  in  Logansport.  The  Northern  Indiana  Hospital  for 
the  Insane  became  a  Logansport  institution  largely  by  reason  of  his 
personal  efforts,  and  many  another  movement  has  felt  his  influence  in 
a  direction  that  would  be  of  the  greatest  possible  benefit  to  his  home 
city. 

Mr.  McNary  has  achieved  success  in  life  wholly  through  his  own 
efforts.  He  came  to  Logansport  with  scarcely  a  dollar  to  his  name,  but 
success  in  his  case  came  only  after  years  of  tireless  energy  and  industry. 
Of  late  years  he  has  devoted  a  considerable  time  to  travel,  and  there 
is  not  a  state,  territory  or  important  or  interesting  city  in  the  Union 
that  he  has  not  visited.  He  has  made  one  trip  abroad,  and  is  planning 
to  continue  his  travels  as  opportunity  affords. 

Mr.  McNary  was  united  in  marriage  on  October  7,  1875,  to  Miss 
Belle  Thompson,  of  Wabash  county,  Indiana,  and  their  beautiful  home 
in  Logansport  is  a  most  ideally  happy  one. 

Otto  Fike.  The  citizens  of  Walton,  Indiana,  need  no  introduction 
to  Otto  Fike,  the  popular  general  blacksmith,  who  has  built  up  a  thriv- 
ing business  through  excellent  workmanship,  general  reliability  and 
courteous  treatment  of  customers.  His  career  from  boyhood  has  been 
one  of  steady  industry  and  persistent  endeavor,  and  is  worthy  of  emula- 
tion by  the  aspiring  youths  of  today,  teaching  an  example  of  upright 
living  and  well-directed  effort.  ]\Ir.  Fike  is  worthy  in  every  waj^  of  the 
respect  in  which  he  is  held,  and  among  his  many  acquaintances  he  can 
count  many  friends. 

Otto  Fike  is  a  native  son  of  Indiana,  having  been  born  in  IMiami 
county,  August  26,  1883,  and  is  a  son  of  David  and  Lavina  (Dickson) 
Fike.  His  father  was  born  near  Mexico,  Indiana,  from  whence  he  went 
to  Bunker  Hill,  Indiana,  and  there  carried  on  his  business  of  black- 
smith and  general  mechanic.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  two 
children :  Edward,  who  is  an  automobile  trimmer ;  and  Otto.  The  early 
education  of  Otto  Fike  was  secured  in  the  district  schools  of  Miami 
county,  but  later,  when  his  parents  moved  to  Logansport,  he  went  to 
the  public  schools,  there  finishing  his  training.  He  was  a  resident  of 
Logansport  for  eighteen  years,  and  there,  in  Joseph  Emy's  shop  he 
began  to  learn  the  trade  of  blacksmith.  When  he  had  thoroughly  mas- 
tered all  the  details  of  this  vocation,  he  came  to  Walton,  where  he  has 
since  continued  to  carry  on  a  profitable  business.  Mr.  Fike  is  alert  and 
shrewd  in  business  dealings,  but  his  career  has  been  free  from  trans- 
actions otherwise  than  those  of  a  legitimate  character.  He  is  an  excel- 
lent mechanic,  and  his  trade  is  attracted  from  a  wide  contiguous  terri- 
tory. Public  life  has  held  out  no  inducements  to  him.  He  has  been 
too  busy  making  a  place  for  himself  among  the  business  men  of  Walton 
to  think  of  political  preferment.  His  home  and  his  business  have  always 
been  of  the  greatest  value  to  him.    However,  he  has  not  been  unmindful 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  921 

of  the  duties  of  citizenship,  as  is  demonstrated  on  every  occasion  when 
movements  for  the  welfare  of  the  community  are  promoted,  for  in  him 
they  tind  an  intelligent,  energetic  and  reliable  supporter. 

In  March  7,  1906,  was  solemnized  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Fike  with 
Mrs.  Sarah  (Brooher)  Laird,  who  had  two  children  by  a  former  mar- 
riage: Juanita  and  Violet.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fike  have  had  one  son: 
David  Edward.  The  family  belongs  to  the  Lutheran  church,  and  is 
liberal  in  its  support  of  religion  and  charity.  Both  J\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Fike 
have  a  wide  acquaintance  and  their  friends  are  legion. 

Edw^ard  F.  Small.  A  complete  account  of  the  little  business  and 
agricultural  community  at  Walton  and  vicinity  could  not  be  comprised, 
with  reference  to  the  affairs  and  activities  of  the  last  half  century, 
without  mention  of  the  firm  known  as  Small  Brothers,  comprising  W. 
L.,  Ed.  F.,  and  Otho  A.  Small,  three  brothers  who  for  many  years  have 
been  influential  factors  in  the  business  enterprise  of  this  part  of  Cass 
county. 

Mr.  Edward  F.  Small,  the  second  of  these  enterprising  brothers,  was 
born  on  the  old  Small  homestead  in  Washington  township,  Cass  county, 
on  the  twenty-third  of  March,  1867,  his  parents,  Andrew  Jackson  and 
Mary  (Ijams)  Small.  One  in  a  family  of  seven  children  Edward  F. 
Small  obtained  his  education  in  the  common  schools,  and  a  principal 
part  of  his  early  training  consisted  in  the  work  and  experiences  of  the 
home  farm.  It  was  after  attaining  to  manhood  and  some  independent 
venturing  of  his  own  that  he  founded  the  association  with  his  two  broth- 
ers for  engaging  in  the  grain  business.  The  firm  of  Small  Brothers, 
starting  from  this  point  in  business  affairs,  enlarged  the  scope  of  their 
operations,  and  through  their  individual  application  to  business,  they 
extended  and  built  up  a  business  which  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
successful  of  the  kind  in  Cass  county.  It  has  had  a  substantial  and 
steady  growth,  always  being  expanded  on  the  solid  basis  of  capital  and 
prospect  of  assured  returns. 

Mr.  Edward  F.  Small  was  married  November  18,  1903  to  Miss 
Flora  E.  Flanagan,  a  daughter  of  Charles  and  Jennie  (Waite)  Flana- 
gan. Mr.  and  INIrs.  Small  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  named  Inez 
and  Herbert.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  No.  314  at  Walton,  and  also  the  Masons  Lodge,  No. 
423  and  he  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Christian  church. 

Washington  L.  Small.  Among  the  really  useful  men  of  a  commun- 
ity are  found  those  in  whom  their  fellow  citizens  can  rely  in  affairs  of 
public  importance ;  to  whom  they  can  come  for  assistance  in  seasons  of 
financial  distress;  men  who  have  won  this  confidence  by  the  wisdom  of 
their  own  investments  and  by  the  honorable  lives  they  have  led  on  every 
field  of  effort  and  as  neighbors  and  friends.  Very  often,  in  prosperous 
towns,  these  men  are  retired  farmers,  frequently  they  are  bankers.  Such 
a  man  is  W.  L.  Small,  president  of  the  Cass  County  State  Bank,  of  Wal- 
ton, an  energetic  business  man,  well  qualified  to  conduct  the  affairs  of 
of  a  financial  institution,  whose  material  success  has  been  alike  benefi- 
cial to  himself  and  to  the  place  in  which  he  has  labored.  Mr.  Small 
was  bom  on  a  farm  in  Washington  township,  about  nine  miles  from 


922  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Logansport,  Indiana,  September  20,  1847,  and  is  a  son  of  Andrew  Jack- 
son and  Mary  (Ijams)  Small.  The  eldest  of  his  parents'  seven  children, 
his  education  was  secured  in  common  schools,  which  he  attended  when 
he  could  spare  the  time  from  the  duties  of  the  home  farm.  He  was 
thrifty  anil  industrious  as  a  youth,  carefully  saving  his  earnings  with 
the  idea  ever  in  view  of  embarking  upon  a  career  of  his  own,  and 
eventually,  with  his  two  bi-others,  Ed.  F.  and  Otho  A.  Small,  entered 
the  grain  business.  Instead  of  hiring  their  work  done  by  others,  the 
three  brothers  performed  their  own  labor,  each  striving  earnestly  for 
the  success  of  their  enterprise.  This  method  soon  began  to  show  results, 
and  as  time  went  on  and  their  capital  permitted  they  added  to  their 
holdings  and  equipment,  and  were  successful  in  building  up  one  of  the 
important  industries  of  this  section.  During  this  time  W.  L.  Small 
had  continued  to  be  engaged  in  farming,  and  at  this  writing  is  the 
owner  of  an  excellent  tract  of  170  acres,  with  modern  buildings  and 
valuable  improvements.  In  1911,  Air.  Small  became  a  stockholder  in 
the  Cass  County  State  Bank,  and  soon  thereafter  he  was  elected  to  the 
presidency  of  this  institution.  That  his  choice  displayed  good  judg- 
ment on  the  part  of  the  directors  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  since  he  has 
been  shaping  the  policies  of  the  institution  the  business  has  developed 
an  increase  of  tifty  per  cent.  His  personality  had  much  to  do  with 
instilling  confidence  in  the  depositors,  while  among  his  associates  he 
is  recognized  as  a  shrewd,  careful  and  farsighted  citizen,  and  a  man 
of  the  strictest  integrity  and  probity  of  character. 

]Mr.  Small  w'as  married  to  Mary  E.  Spohn,  January  6,  1881,  and  to  this 
union  there  has  been  born  four  children,  namely :  Frank,  who  is  single 
and  engaged  in  managing  his  father's  farm;  Emmet,  who  married 
Blanch  Vernon,  daughter  of  James  Vernon,  and  has  two  children, — Zelma 
and  John ;  Claude ;  and  Nora,  who  married  Peter  Erny.  The  family  is 
connected  with  the  Christian  church.  Mr.  Small  is  not  a  politician,  nor 
has  he  sought  political  preferment,  but  he  is  at  all  times  ready  and 
anxious  to  do  his  full  duty  as  a  citizen,  and  no  movement  of  importance 
is  considered  complete  until  his  name  is  enlisted  in  the  ranks.  Like 
other  successful  business  men  here,  he  takes  a  pride  in  the  aecomplisli- 
ments  of  his  city,  in  that  he  has  assisted  in  making  these  accomialishments 
possible. 

Otho  A.  Small.  The  average  Cass  county  farmer,  of  an  industrious 
and  energetic  nature,  is  generally  loath  to  retire  from  the  work  in  which 
he  has  spent  the  best  years  of  his  life  and  acquired  a  competence,  but 
when  he  does  turn  over  his  interests  to  other  hands  and  moves  to  the 
near-by  town  or  village,  he  becomes  one  of  his  new  community's  good 
citizens,  investing  his  capital  in  its  industries  and  adding  his  support 
to  its  progressive  movements,  thus  being  a  welcome  addition  to  the 
section's  population.  Among  the  retired  farmers  now  living  in  Walton, 
is  Otho  A.  Small,  who  is  probably  better  known  as  "Bert"  Small,  and 
who  for  years  was  engaged  in  carrying  on  agricultural  operations  in 
this  vicinity.  Mr.  Small  has  resided  in  Cass  county  all  of  his  life,  having 
been  born  on  the  old  Small  homestead  place  in  Washington  township, 
June  5,  1869,  and  is  a  son  of  Andrew  Jackson  and  Mary  (I.jams)  Small. 

Mr.  Small  comes  of  an  agricultural  family,  and  in  his  youth  he  was 


MR.  AND  :\IRS.  J.  CHARLES  THOMAS  AND  FAMILY 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  923 

trained  to  agricultural  work  and  to  habits  of  industry,  sobriety  and 
honorable  living.  As  a  youth  he  secured  such  advantages  as  were  to 
be  obtained  in  the  district  schools  of  his  community,  and  he  continued 
to  assist  his  father  in  conducting  the  home  place  until  he  was  nineteen 
years  of  age.  At  the  age  oi  nineteen  years  he  and  his  brother,  Edward 
F.  Small,  rented  small  pieces  of  lancl,  on  which  they  managed  to  get 
a  start  in  life,  after  they  had  refused  to  be  disheartened  by  a  number 
of  hard  knocks.  Working  industriously  on  their  own  property  and  in 
the  meantime  assisting  their  father  in  cultivating  his  land,  the  boys 
secured  a  little  capital,  and  eventxially  realized  their  ambition  of  enter- 
ing the  grain  business,  in  coiniection  with  which  they  bought  and  sold 
stock.  Later,  the  three  brothers,  Edward  F.,  Otho  A.  and  W.  L.,  built 
an  elevator  at  Walton,  and  this  was  developed  into  one  of  the  leading 
business  enterprises  of  the  place.  ' '  Bert ' '  Small  is  known  as  a  business 
man  who  has  ever  borne  a  high  reputation  beca^^se  of  honorable  trans- 
actions. He  alwaj's  devoted  himself  strictly  to  legitimate  lines,  and 
the  business  which  he  assisted  in  developing  will  stand  as  a  monument 
to  his  ability.  He  is  now  living  in  quiet  retirement,  in  the  enjoyment 
of  the  fruits  of  his  early  labors.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that 
he  has  dropped  entirely  out  of  the  life  of  the  community,  for  he  still 
interests  himself  in  its  movements,  and,  as  spectator,  takes  a  keen  and 
intelligent  interest  in  the  battles  of  the  political  arena.  He  belongs  to 
the  Odd  Fellows,  in  which  he  has  a  number  of  warm  friends,  and  is  a 
deacon  and  trustee  of  the  Christian  church. 

On  February  3,  1897,  Mr.  Small  was  united  in  marriage  to  J\Iiss 
Carrie  Jane  Pierson,  daughter  of  JIatthew  and  Mary  Jeanette  Pierson, 
and  they  have  had  one  son :  Orel  R.,  fourteen  years  of  age,  a  bright, 
intelligent  lad,  who  is  attending  the  Walton  public  schools  and  will 
enter  the  Walton  high  school.  In  1908  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Small  erected 
their  pretty  modern  residence  in  Walton,  Indiana. 

J.  Charles  Thomas.  "When  agriculture  flourishes,"  observes 
Xenophon,  the  Greek  historian  and  philosopher,  "all  other  pursuits  are 
in  full  vigor;  but  when  the  ground  is  forced  to  lie  ])arren,  other  occupa- 
tions are  almost  stopped."  This  statement  is  as  true  in  these  modern 
times  as  when  it  was  written  many  centuries  ago.  To  the  farm  each 
country  must  look  for  its  sustenance,  and  it  is  therefore  of  such  vital 
importance  that  those  in  whose  charge  have  been  placed  the  agricultural 
interests  of  any  community  must  be  men  of  ability  in  their  vocation,  able 
to  produce  their  full  share  of  the  necessities  without  which  other  in- 
dustries are  sorely  handicapped.  Among  the  agriculturists  who  have 
raised  the  agricultural  imi^ortance  of  Cass  county  to  such  a  high  stand- 
ard as  that  it  now  enjoys,  is  found  J.  Charles  Thomas,  of  Clay  town- 
ship, who  was  born  May  23,  1857,  a  son  of  William  and  Porter  and 
Margaret  (Stafford)   Thomas. 

William  Porter  Thomas  was  the  son  of  Giles  Wheeler  Thomas,  who 
was  born  near  Baltimore,  Maryland,  on  October  31,  1794,  five  years 
prior  to  the  death  of  General  Washington.  He  learned  the  trade  of  a 
tanner  in  Blacksburg,  Virginia,  under  the  instruction  of  Harmon 
Sifford,  and  migrated  to  what  was  then  known  as  Champaign  county, 
Ohio,  now  called  Clark  county,  and  there  he  wedded  Agnes  Black,  a 


924  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

daughter  of  William  Black.  She  was  bom  on  April  28,  1798,  and  died 
on  October  4,  1851.  In  later  years  Giles  Thomas  married  a  second  time, 
Mrs.  Julia  (Stafford)  Funston,  connected  by  marriage  with  the  famous 
Funston  family  of  which  Gen.  Frederick  Funston,  of  the  United  States 
Regular  Army  and  of  Philippine  war  fame,  is  a  member,  becoming  his 
wife.  She  was  born  on  September  10,  1804,  and  died  in  September, 
1881.  Giles  Thomas  died  on  Januaiy  6,  1870.  His  son,  "William  Porter 
Thomas,  the  fatlier  of  J.  Charles  Thomas  of  this  brief  review,  married 
Miss  ^Margaret  Stafford,  a  daughter  of  Ralph  (native  of  Ireland)  and 
Catherine  (Saylor)  Stafford,  and  to  them  were  born  a  goodly  family  of 
ten  children,  seven  growing  to  manhood  and  womanhood,  and  six  are 
living  at  this  time.  They  are  named  as  follows :  Giles  Stafford  and 
George  Wheeler,  twins,  of  whom  Giles  S.,  who  is  a  resident  of  Geneva, 
Nebraska,  was  married  to  Sadie  Wheeler  and  is  a  retired  agriculturist  and 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war. 

George  W.,  who  lives  in  Peru,  Indiana,  married  Grizzle  Black,  and. 
is  a  retired  farmer.  He  was  also  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war.  The 
brothers  were  members  of  Company  K,  Ninety-ninth  Regiment, 
Indiana  Volunteers.  Martha  Virginia  married  Uriah  W.  Oblinger  and 
both  died  in  Nebraska.  Uriah  W.  Oblinger  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil 
war,  a  member  of  Fifty-seventh  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteers.  Ellen 
Annette  is  the  wife  of  D.  S.  Bailey  of  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  a  contractor 
and  builder.  Samuel  Greene,  a  farmer  of  Middletown,  Indiana,  mar- 
ried Sarah  Pawabaker.  William  Rowen,  a  farmer  of  Tipton  township, 
married  Lorretta  Miller  and  J.  Charles  Thomas  of  this  review. 

J.  Charles  Thomas  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of 
Tipton  township,  and  there  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  remain- 
ing on  the  home  farm  and  assisting  his  father  with  the  home  duties  until 
his  marriage,  when  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  engaged  in  farming  on 
his  own  responsibility.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  a  fine  tract  of  sixty-eight 
acres  of  well  cultivated  land,  on  which  he  has  brought  about  numerous 
improvements,  including  the  erection  of  a  number  of  substantial  build- 
ings. He  has  devoted  his  life  to  the  business  of  general  farming  and 
the  success  he  has  attained  has  been  the  result  of  his  own  industry, 
perseverance  and  faithful  labor.  Mr.  Thomas  was  for  many  years  a 
supporter  of  the  principles  and  doctrines  of  Republicanism,  but  of  re- 
cent years  has  transferred  his  allegiance  to  the  Prohibition  party.  He 
has  interested  himself  in  fraternal  work,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Wood- 
men of  the  World,  and  of  Tipton  lodge.  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons.  Mr.  Thomas  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
church. 

On  January  17,  1886,  Mr.  Thomas  married  Miss  Jeannette  Beal, 
daughter  of  John  D.  and  Catherine  (Long)  Beal,  the  latter  a  daughter 
of  William  Long.  Mr.  Beal  came  to  the  United  States  from  France 
about  the  year  1830,  at  that  time  the  family  name  being  rendered 
D'Beel,  since  then  the  present  form  coming  into  popular  usage. 
His  wife  came  from  Pennsylvania  in  1840  and  their  marriage  occurred 
in  Cass  county,  Indiana,  in  1859.  They  settled  in  Washington  town- 
ship, where  Mr.  Beal  was  engaged  in  the  business  of  farming  until  his 
retirement  from  active  farm  life,  since  when  they  have  been  living  at 
No.  25  Market  street,  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  where  their  golden  wed- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  925 

ding  anniversary  was  celebrated  in  1909.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  D.  Beal 
had  eight  children,  as  follows :  Joseph  A.,  who  married  IMollie  Thorn- 
ton ;  John  Henry,  who  married  Libbie  Herr ;  Jeannette,  Mrs.  Thomas ; 
William  V.,  who  married  Effie  Carney ;  James  Adrian,  who  married 
Julia  Grover;  and  three  others,  who  are  deceased. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  Charles  Thomas  are  the  parents  of  four  daughters, 
namely:  IMabel  Annette,  the  wife  of  Everett  Hubler,  to  whom  one 
daughter  has  been  born — Vere  Catherine  by  name.  Mrs.  Hubler  was 
graduated  from  the  public  schools  of  her  native  community  and  was  a 
student  in  the  IMarion  normal,  after  which  she  was  engaged  as  a  teacher 
in  Cass  county.  Her  husband  is  one  of  the  more  successful  farming 
men  of  Allen  county,  Indiana.  Ethel  Ursula  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  and  she  has  since  specialized  in  instrumental  music,  in  which  she 
is  quite  successful.  Eulalia  Marie  is  also  proficient  in  musical  ability ; 
and  Margaret  Catherine,  the  youngest  of  the  four,  is  yet  a  student  in 
the  public  schools,  and  will  graduate  with  the  class  of  1914. 

i\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  have  given  to  their  daughters  the  advantage 
of  the  best  education  available,  and  their  school  instruction  has  been 
amply  supplemented  by  the  most  admirable  home  and  church  training 
— a  phase  of  education  which  is  all  too  often  neglected  in  American 
homes,  but  which  is  the  basis  of  all  genuine  training  and  the  founda- 
tion of  the  happiest  homes.  With  the  exception  of  the  eldest,  the 
daughters  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 

j\Ir.  Thomas  and  his  estimable  wife,  who  has  long  been  his  able 
counselor  in  all  the  affairs  of  life,  are  citizens  who  are  held  in  high  re- 
gard by  all  who  know  them.  Tlieir  cozy  homestead  known  as  "Rose 
Lawn,"  is  one  where  genuine  hospitality  abounds. 

Both  parents  come  of  families  that  gave  worthy  service  to  the  flags 
of  their  respective  countries,  and  it  is  of  such  blood  that  the  best 
citizenship  must  inevitably  spring.  The  paternal  grandfather  of  ]\Irs. 
Thomas,  John  D.  D'Beal,  was  a  native  of  Prance  and  a  soldier  under 
Napoleon  Bonaparte,  with  whom  he  was  serving  at  the  time  of  the 
famous  retreat  from  Moscow,  while  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr. 
Thomas  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  through  which  connec- 
tion members  of  the  family  today  are  eligible  to  membership  in  the 
society  of  the  Sons  and  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  a  dis- 
tinction dear  to  the  hearts  of  all  patriotic  Americans  today,  and  one 
which  is  a  true  patent  of  American  nobility. 

Henry  Franklin  Small.  There  has  been  no  period  in  recorded 
history  when  the  earing  for  the  dead  has  not  been  a  feature  of  even 
savage  life,  and  the  ceremonies  have  been  of  a  character  that  has  been 
marked  by  the  measure  of  civilization.  Study  habits  and  customs  of 
every  nation  and  it  will  be  found  that  a  reverence  has  been  paid  to  the 
dead,  oftentimes  such  as  was  not  given  to  the  living,  and  even  the  most 
brutal  savage  tribes  in  the  deepest  wilderness,  even  those  who  still 
make  human  sacrifices  as  a  part  of  religious  rites,  can  point  to  their 
stone  crypts,  their  burning  temples,  their  funeral  barks  or  their  tree- 
top  burials.  There  never  has  been,  however,  a  time  when  the  proper, 
dignified,  sanitary  conduct  of  funeral  obsequies  and  disposal  of  the 
remains  of  those  whose  life  work  has  ended  has  been  so  complete  as 


926  HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY 

• 
at  present.  Funeral  directors  and  undertakers  of  tlie  present  day  in 
America  are  no  longer  mere  mechanics  but,  on  the  other  hand,  are  care- 
fully trained  in  this  profession  and  often  are  graduates  of  more  than 
one  college.  ^Methods  of  body  preservation  which  formerly  were  consid- 
ered lost  arts  are  well  known  now  and  have  been  vastly  improved  upon. 
Henry  Franklin  Small,  whose  tact,  dignity  and  kindly  sympathy  have 
made  him  a  comforting  figure  in  tbe  homes  where  death  has  visited, 
is  the  proprietor  of  a  modern  undertaking  and  embalming  establish- 
ment at  AValton,  Indiana.  He  was  born  July  16,_  1848,  in  Washington 
township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  near  the  present  home  of  W.  L.  Small, 
and  is  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Nancy   (Overleese)   Small. 

The  grandfather  of  ^Ir.  Small  was  a  native  of  Germany,  and  in 
young  mauhood  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  settling  in  ]\Iaryland, 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Daniel  Small  was  born  in 
Maryland,  and  there  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth,  but  when  still  a 
young  man  migrated  to  Indiana,  and  for  a  short  time  resided  near 
Crooked  Creek.  Subseciuently,  he  came  to  Cass  county  and  took  up 
government  land,  making  the  first  settlement  in  Washington  township. 
There  he  and  his  wife  spent  the  remaining  years  of  their  lives,  devot- 
ing themselves  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  as  follows:  Harriet,  Susanna,  Andrew  Jackson  and  jMargaret, 
who  are  all  deceased :  John ;  Elizabeth  and  Alexander,  who  are  both 
deceased;  Mrs.  Sarah  Burget,  a  widow  living  in  Logansport ;  and  Henry 
Franklin. 

Henry  Franklin  Small  was  reared  on  the  old  homestead,  where  he 
worked  during  the  greater  part  of  his  school  period.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-five  years  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  came  to  Walton,  where 
he  took  up  the  trade  of  carpenter,  and  gradually  drifted  into  contract- 
ing. During  the  next  twenty  years  he  followed  this  line  of  endeavor, 
and  many  of  the  structures  erected  1\v  him  still  stand,  their  excellent 
state  of  preservation  testifying  to  good  workmanship  and  honest  mate- 
rial. At  the  end  of  that  period,  ]Mr.  Small  took  up  the  undertaking 
trade,  and  first  attended  the  Indianapolis  School  of  Undertaking,  from 
which,  he  received  his  diploma,  succeeding  which  he  took  the  Barnes 
course  in  Chicago  and  received  his  certificate.  He  immediately  returned 
to  Walton,  and  here  he  has  continued  in  this  liusiness  to  the  present 
time,  now  being  the  proprietor  of  a  well  equipped  establishment,  fur- 
nished with  every  device  for  the  proper  handling  of  the  dead  and  with 
every  comfort  for  the  bereaved.  His  reputation  is  that  of  a  man  of 
unquestioned  integrity  and  probity  of  character,  and  well  merits  the 
high  respect  and  esteem  in  which  he  is  universally  held. 

Mr.  Small  was  married  (first)  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Younglove,  and 
after  her  death  married  her  sister,  Hattie  Younglove,  they  being  daugh- 
ters of  Charles  and  Elizabeth  (Hoyt)  Younglove.  ^Ir.  Small  has  inter- 
ested himself  in  fraternal  work,  and  is  a  member  of  the  ^Masons,  the 
Odd  Fellows,  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star  and  the  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur. 

Henry  A.  Crockett.  Although  he  has  reached  an  age  when  most 
men  begin  to  think  of  laying  aside  the  cares  and  duties  of  active  busi- 
ness strife,  Henry  A.  Crockett,  of  Washington  township,  still  continues 
in  the  management  of  his  affairs,  and  each  day  attends  to  his  various 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  927 

duties,  thus  satisfying  an  energetic  nature  that  from  his  boyhood  has 
caused  his  life  to  be  one  of  constant  industry.  A  member  of  an  agricul- 
tural family,  which  has  for  generations  contributed  its  full  quota  of 
men  to  the  farming  vocation,  he  has  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  his 
forefathers  and  has  devoted  his  entire  career  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil. 
JMr.  Henry  Crockett  has  passed  almost  his  whole  life  within  the  borders 
of  Cass  county,  has  here  achieved  a  success,  and  today  ranks  with  the 
foremost  of  his  community's  valued  citizens.  He  was  born  September 
13,  1849,  in  Deer  Creek  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son 
of  Asher  and  Susannah  (Plank)  Crockett.  His  father,  a  farmer,  was 
born  near  Greenville,  Ohio,  from  whence  he  came  to  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  in  young  manhood,  and  here  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
There  were  six  children  in  the  elder  Crockett 's  family,  namely :  Henry, 
Jane,  Elizabeth,  Sarah,  James  and  Alice,  the  latter  deceased. 

Henry  A.  Crockett  was  reared  in  Cass  county,  where  he  secured  his 
early  education  in  the  district  schools,  but  when  still  a  lad  the  family 
moved  to  Miami  county,  and  there  he  completed  his  studies.  He  event- 
ually returned  to  Cass  county,  and  settled  on  his  present  farm,  an 
excellent  tract  of  eighty  acres  which  is  located  on  the  Crockett  and 
Richeson  road.  ]Mr.  Crockett  has  continued  to  devote  his  attention  to 
the  tilling  of  the  soil,  and  his  property  is  one  of  the  valuable  ones  of 
the  township.  As  the  years  have  passed  and  his  leisure  and  capital 
would  permit,  i\Ir.  Crockett  has  made  numerous  improvements  in  the 
shape  of  substantial  buildings  and  draining  and  tiling.  His  ventures 
have  proved  uniformly  successful,  and  through  the  use  of  good  judg- 
ment, natural  ability  and  constant  industry,  he  has  accumulated  a  com- 
petence, gained  a  position  of  importance  among  his  fellows,  and  reared 
his  family  in  comfort.  Mr.  Crockett  is  essentially  a  farmer,  but  has 
not  ignored  the  duties  of  citizenship,  and  at  this  time  is  acting  capably 
in  the  capacity  of  .iustice  of  the  peace. 

On  January  15,  1876,  in  Cass  county,  Mr.  Crockett  was  united  in 
marriage  with  ]\Iiss  Catherine  Knight,  of  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  to 
this  union  there  have  been  born  eight  children :  Carrie,  who  lives  with 
her  parents;  Benjamin  Franklin  (Frank),  who  is  engaged  in  farming 
in  Tipton  township,  married  Mae  Pierson,  and  has  two  children, — Gil- 
bert and  Herbert ;  Harvey,  who  married  Ethel  Hymon,  and  is  the  father 
of  one  child, — Opal;  Laura  and  David,  who  are  residing  at  home; 
Mae,  who  married  Daniel  Brunner,  and  has  three  children, — Wilmer, 
Florence  and  Velma ;  Chester,  who  married  Hannah  Pippinger,  has  one 
little  son,  Clifford  Keith ;  and  June,  who  lives  with  her  parents.  The 
members  of  this  family  attend  the  Christian  church,  where  they  all 
have  numerous  friends.  Judge  Crockett  belongs  to  the  class  through 
whom  communities  prosper,  for  with  others  he  has  been  an  agitator 
for  the  advancement  of  progress.  During  his  long  and  honorable  career, 
he  has  formed  a  wide  acquaintance,  and  no  citizen  stands  in  higher 
esteem  in  his  community.  The  beautiful  estate  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Crockett 
is  known  as  "Highland  Crest." 

Christian  F.  Wendling.  That  the  farmer  is  the  backbone  of  the 
nation  is  a  trite  saying,  but  nevertheless  a  true  one,  and  no  circum- 
stances or  conditions  might  arise  that  would  ever  lessen  the  importance 


928  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

of  the  agricultural  industry  to  the  country  at  large  or  decrease  the 
prominence  of  the  active  and  successful  farmer  in  the  scale  of  values 
prevailing  today  throughout  the  broad  land.  Many  successful  and 
ambitious  farmers  are  to  be  found  in  Cass  county,  and  the  late  Chris- 
tian F.  Wendling  occupied  a  high  place  in  the  agricultural  class  in  the 
county.  Following  in  the  steps  of  his  worthy  father,  Mr.  Wendling 
came  to  be  one  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers  in  Walton  or,  indeed, 
in  the  county,  and  as  such  is  properly  accorded  a  place  in  an  historical 
and  biographical  work  of  this  nature. 

Born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  October  8,  1858,  Christian  F.  Wendling 
was  the  son  of  Michael  and  Mary  (Schmitt)  Wendling,  Mr.  Wendling 
was  a  native  born  German  and  Mrs.  Mary  Smith  Wendling  was  a  native 
of  France.  Michael  Wendling  was  credited  with  being  one  of  the  most 
skillful  farmers  in  Cass  county,  and  it  is  therefore  but  fitting  that  more 
than  a  merely  cursory  mention  be  made  of  him  in  this  sketch  dedicated 
to  his  son.  He  was  born  in  Alsace,  then  a  part  of  France,  but  now  within 
the  border  of  Germany,  and  was  the  son  of  John  and  Margaret  (Schini) 
Wendling.  He  was  fifteen  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  America,  in 
company  with  his  parents,  who  immigrated  hither  in  1845.  Up  to  that 
time  he  had  received  excellent  educational  advantages,  being  versed 
both  in  French  and  German  in  his  native  schools.  The  family  first 
located  on  a  farm  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  and  there  the  parents  of 
Michael  Wendling  passed  their  remaining  days,  the  father  being  seventy- 
two  years  of  age  when  he  died.  He  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife 
having  died  in  Germany,  and  his  second  wife  having  been  the  mother 
of  Michael,  who  was  one  of  the  three  children  of  the  second  marriage, 
the  others  being  Christian  and  Catherine. 

In  1863  Michael  Wendling  came  to  Indiana,  and  in  this  state  located 
in  section  34,  Washington  township,  Cass  county,  which  place  there- 
after represented  his  home  and  the  scene  of  his  farming  activities  until 
the  day  of  his  death.  He  was  a  successful  farmer,  carrying  on  his 
affairs  priadently  and  scientifically,  and  while  the  tract  of  land  he  first 
selected  in  Cass  county  was  not  the  most  promising  then  to  be  found 
within  its  borders,  he  proved  that  all  land  is  good  land  if  properly 
treated,  and  his  place  came  to  be  one  of  the  richest  and  most  productive 
in  the  county. 

On  Januaiy  10,  1854,  Michael  Wendling  married  Miss  Mary  M. 
Schmitt,  a  daughter  of  George  and  Barbara  (Mochel)  Schmitt,  both 
natives  of  France,  where  Mrs.  Wendling  was  born  on  the  3d  of  July, 
1830.  She  same  to  America  in  1848,  alone,  and  settled  in  Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania.  Seven  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wendling, 
as  follows:  John  H.,  born  in  1855  and  married  to  Emmeline  Martin, 
they  living  in  Cass  county  and  are  well  and  favorably  known  here; 
George  W.  is  a  civil  engineer;  Christian  F.  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
William  D.,  a  Cass  county  farmer,  is  now  deceased;  Charles  C. ;  Jacob 
S.,  deceased  and  Eli  E.  Mr.  Wendling  was  a  stanch  Democrat,  and 
was  all  his  life  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church.  He  died  on  the  14th 
of  November,  1904. 

Christian  P.  Wendling  was  bom  on  the  8th  day  of  October,  1858. 
He  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Cass  county,  where 
he  was  reared  from  the  age  of  five  years,  the  family  removal  from  But- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  929 

ler  county  to  Cass  county  taking  place  at  that  time.  He  was  well 
disciplined  in  farm  work  in  his  youth,  and  was  identified  with  the 
home  place  until  the  age  of  thirty-two,  when,  in  1887,  he  married  and 
established  a  home  of  his  own.  His  wife  was  Miss  Laura  B.  Walker, 
the  daughter  of  T.  H.  and  Maggie  (Bennett)  Walker,  and  their  mar- 
riage took  place  on  the  lith  of  April,  1887.  Four  children  were  born 
to  them:  George  C,  Jesse  E.,  Grace  B.  and  Alonzo  E.  George  C. 
received  his  diploma  from  the  Walton  high  school,  class  of  1910,  graduat- 
ing with  honors,  and  is  now  in  his  third  year  at  Purdue  University, 
studying  civil  engineering.  Jesse  E.  completed  the  eighth  grade.  He 
married  Miss  Laura  Preiser,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  IMargaret 
Wilodene,  born  March  4,  1913.  Grace  B.  received  her  diploma  in 
1906.  Alonzo  E.  received  his  diploma  with  the  class  of  1911,  and 
entered  the  Walton  high  school. 

Mrs.  Wendling  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  born  May  31,  1872,  and 
was  educated  in  the  Walton  public  school.  Her  parents  are  both  living 
in  Kokomo,  Indiana,  and  her  father  was  formerly  engaged  in  mer- 
chandising. In  earlier  years  he  was  a  teacher,  and  he  was  educated  in 
Ohio. 

Mr.  Wendling  became  the  owner  of  a  fertile  and  productive  farm 
of  eighty  acres,  situated  about  a  half  mile  from  the  town  of  Walton, 
where  his  family  united  with  him  in  making  a  comfortable  and  happy 
home.  He  demonstrated  beyond  all  question  his  skill  as  a  farmer,  and 
the  early  training  he  received  at  the  hands  of  his  father  was  to  him  a 
boon  in  his  independent  career,  although  he  was  never  content  to  con- 
tinue in  the  industry  without  progressing  in  the  scientific  knowledge 
pertaining  thereto.  He  took  a  hearty  interest  in  the  civic  and  political 
affairs  of  the  community  and  was  one  of  the  best  known  men  in  his  dis- 
trict, wherein  he  was  long  and  favorably  before  the  people.  Pratenially 
he  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  lodge  No.  423  at  Walton;  of 
the  Maccabees,  Tent  No.  103;  and  of  Ben  Hur  Lodge,  Tribe  No.  233, 
and  was  a  charter  member  and  a  deacon  of  the  Lutheran  church  of  Wal- 
ton, his  family  also  sharing  in  his  religious  faith.  Mr.  Wendling  occu- 
pied a  place  of  respect  and  esteem  in  the  town  and  county,  and  his  death, 
on  the  9th  of  February,  1913,  was  mourned  by  a  large  circle  of  friends. 
He  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Odd  Fellows  cemetery. 

Cassius  M.  Ide,  successful  and  prosperous  in  the  business  of  diver- 
sified farming,  in  which  he  has  been  occupied  in  Cass  county  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  was  born  on  April  13,  1856,  in  Howard  county,  Indiana, 
and  came  to  Cass  county  in  1872.  He  is  the  son  of  Reuben  P.  and 
Sarah  (Gifford)  Ide,  and  he  was  a  small  child  when  his  father  died  in 
Howard  county,  Indiana.  The  mother  married  a  second  time,  and  he 
was  one  of  the  three  children  of  her  first  marriage.  When  they  came 
to  Cass  county  in  1872  the  family  comprised  the  mother  and  her  three 
children.  Bedford  B.  Ide,  the  brother  of  the  subject,  still  lives  in  Cass 
county,  and  for  a  long  period  has  held  a  responsible  position  with  the 
Pan  Handle  Railroad.  The  sister  married  Alexander  Copland  and  is  a 
resident  of  Logansport. 

Cassius  M.  Ide  received  the  rudiments  of  an  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Howard  county,  his  schooling  continuing  up  to  the  age 


980  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

of  twelve  years,  after  which  he  took  upon  himself  the  business  of  find- 
ing a  living.  His  first  independent  venture  was  in  the  draying  line  in 
Logansport,  and  he  continued  to  be  connected  with  the  work  there  for 
five  years.  For  three  years  thereafter  he  was  interested  in  an  active  way 
in  the  livery  business  in  the  same  city,  and  by  that  time  he  felt  he  was 
ready  to  settle  down  to  farm  life.  With  his  wife  he  came  to  the  farm 
inherited  by  Mrs.  Ide,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in 
section  16,  Noble  township,  where  he  has  since  continued  to  be  occupied 
with  a  general  or  diversified  farming  business.  He  has  experienced  an 
agreeable  amount  of  success  in  his  work,  and  is  accounted  one  of  the 
prosperous  and  progressive  farmers  of  the  township. 

On  October  31,  1883,  j\Ir.  Ide  was  married  to  IMiss  Jane  Braith- 
waite,  who  was  born  in  Cass  county,  June  2,  1860,  the  daughter  of 
James  and  Peggy  (Eglin)  Braithwaite,  who  came  to  these  parts  from 
Yorkshire,  England,  their  native  land,  in  1844  and  1848,  respectively. 
They  were  married  in  Cass  county,  June  28,  1851,  and  in  the  following 
year,  1852,  moved  to  Kosciusko  county,  Indiana,  where  they  continued 
to  reside  for  four  years.  Then  they  returned  to  Noble  township,  Cass 
county,  and  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres,  which  location  was  their 
home  until  the  death  of  ]Mr.  Braithwaite,  July  10,  1882,  when  he  had 
reached  the  age  of  seventy-one  years.  A  few  years  after  locating  in 
Noble  township  he  purchased  two  other  farms  in  the  same  township ; 
one  of  160  acres  and  one  of  80  acres.  ]\Irs.  Braithwaite  is  living  and 
is  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Logansport.  She  was  eighty-two  years  of  age 
January  12,  1913.  Mr.  and  Airs.  Ide  became  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren :  Nolo  Fay,  born  October  10,  1884,  graduated  from  the  public 
schools  and  spent  three  and  a  half  years  in  the  Logansport  high  school. 
She  wedded  Carl  Hardy,  an  agriculturist,  and  they  have  a  tittle  daughter, 
Peggy  Feni,  born  July  4,  1903.  James  Reuben,  born  August  27,  1886, 
received  his  diploma  from  the  public  schools  and  spent  two  years  in 
high  school,  after  which  he  pursued  a  commercial  course  in  Logansport. 
He  was  census  enumerator  of  Noble  township  in  1910,  and  is  at  present 
serving  his  fifth  term  as  financial  secretary  of  the  Cass  County  Detec- 
tive Association.  He  is  now  with  his  parents  on  the  farm.  His  frater- 
nal relations  include  membership  in  the  Odd  Fellows  order  at  Logans- 
port, of  which  he  was  financial  secretary  two  years  and  is  now  its  per- 
manent secretary.  He  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party  and  is  a 
meml)er  of  the  Christian  church.  ]\lary  Juanita,  born  November  7,  1888, 
graduated  from  the  common  schools  and  in  the  Logansport  high  school, 
class  of  1908,  and  wedded  John  Webber,  February  10,  1909.  He  is  an 
agriculturist.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webber  are  members  of  the  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian  church,  and  they  are  residents  of  Harrison  town- 
ship. Jane  Braithwaite,  their  daughter,  was  born  March  31,  1913. 
Clay  Braithwaite,  born  September  27,  1897,  the  .youngest  of  the  children 
of  Mr.  and  j\Irs.  Ide,  graduated  from  the  common  schools  and  is  now 
a  student  in  the  Logansport  high  school.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church. 

]\Ir.  Ide  is  a  Republican  and  has  always  lent  his  support  to  the  fur- 
therance of  that  party,  and  his  fraternal  relations  are  represented  by 
his  membership  in  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Eel  River 
Lodge,  No.  417,  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  both  of  Logansport.     He 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  931 

was  one  of  the  promotors  in  the  erection  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Temple  iu 
Logansport,  a  building  which  is  a  credit  to  the  city.  He  is  a  stock- 
holder therein,  and  for  twelve  years  has  been  one  of  the  building's 
trustees.  It  is  also  a  fact  worthy  of  mention  that  in  the  engraving  of 
the  old  seminary  on  Thirteenth  street,  which  was  replaced  in  1874,  to 
be  seen  in  the  prospectus  which  preceded  this  publication,  Cassius  ^l. 
Ide  may  be  seen  at  the  base  of  the  belfry  of  the  seminary,  with  arm 
outstretched  and  viewing  the  scene  below.  He  and  his  family  have 
always  attended  the  Christian  chui'ch.  Their  homestead  in  Noble  town- 
ship is  named  after  the  old  Braithwaite  homestead  in  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land, "Greenat. " 

Frederick  M.  Markert,  remembered  by  many  of  the  oldest 
settlers  as  one  of  the  early  coopers  in  Logansport,  was  a 
native  of  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  his  birth  occurring  on  March  31, 
1822.  He  was  reared  in  his  native  country,  received  but  a  limited  edu- 
cation, and  after  serving  seven  years  in  the  German  army  he  enlisted 
again  and  served  an  additional  period.  He  learned  fruit  gardening 
after  his  military  service  was  concluded,  his  principal  attention  being 
given  to  the  culture  of  the  grape.  It  was  about  1846  when  he  emigrated 
to  the  United  States,  and  after  landing  at  Castle  Garden,  New  York, 
he  went  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  there  worked  at  the  cooper's  trade  for 
two  years.  In  1848  he  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  via  Lake  Erie,  to 
Toledo,  and  from  there  by  the  Erie  canal.  Until  1850  he  worked  in  the 
old  Cecil  tlouring  mill  cooperage  shop,  located  on  the  south  bank  of 
Eel  river  at  the  intersection  of  Sixth  street.  In  1851,  in  association  with 
Gotlieb  Schaefer  and  Charles  Luy,  he  embarked  in  the  brewing  business 
on  the  north  side  of  Columbia  street,  between  Sixth  and  Mary  streets, 
but  three  years  later  disposed  of  his  interests  in  that  enterprise  and 
once  more  engaged  in  the  cooperage  business,  his  location  being  on  Pleas- 
ant Hill.  For  manv  years  he  continued  in  this  business,  retiring  in 
1886.    He  died  on  April  3,  1901. 

In  1854  Mr.  Markert  married  Fredericka  Rombold,  who  was  also 
a  native  of  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  and  eight  children  were  in  time 
born  to  them,  concerning  whom  brief  mention  is  made  as  follows :  Fred 
C,  died  on  Ma}'  17,  1911 ;  Charles  F.,  is  a  resident  of  Logansport ; 
George  H.,  who  married  Dora  Schaefer,  lives  in  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois; 
William,  died  when  twelve  years  of  age ;  Katherine,  is  the  wife  of  John 
J.  Hildebrandt,  of  Logansport ;  Christine,  married  Dr.  J.  Z.  Powell,  of 
Logansport;  Andrew,  died  in  infancy,  and  John  D.,  who  married  Agnes 
Morgan,  now  lives  at  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Markert  was  a  member  of  no  religious  organization,  but  to  a 
certain  extent  held  to  the  belief  of  the  Swedenborgians ;  in  his  political 
faith  he  was  a  Democrat.  Mi*s.  IMarkert  died  on  October  5,  1897,  a 
member  of  the  Evangelical  church. 

Charles  F.  Markert  is  a  son  of  Frederick  M.  and  Fredericka 
(Rombold)  Markert,  natives  of  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  of  whom  de- 
tailed mention  is  made  in  an  article  dedicated  to  the  father  in  other 
pages  of  this  work.  Charles  F.  was  born  on  the  place  where  he  now 
resides,  Pleasant  Hill,  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  his  birth  occurring  on 


932  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

October  11,  1858,  and  this  city  has  always  been  his  home.  A  common 
school  education  was  granted  to  him,  after  which  he  started  out  for 
himself,  being  eighteen  years  old  at  that  time.  He  learned  the  cooper's 
trade  with  his  father,  and  later  learned  the  trade  of  a  marble  polisher 
with  C.  B.  Sanderson,  but  he  did  not  adhere  to  either  of  those  occupa- 
tions for  any  length  of  time.  In  1881  he  turned  his  attention  to  garden- 
ing, and  he  has  since  continued  in  that  work  without  interruption,  and 
his  efforts  have  resulted  in  a  most  favorable  manner.  He  was  the  first 
gardener  in  Cass  county  to  undertake  hot  house  gardening,  and  in  that 
work  he  enjoyed  a  pleasing  success  and  prosperity. 

His  marriage  with  Miss  Catherine  Newman,  a  daughter  of  John 
Newman,  a  well  known  farmer  of  Harrison  township,  was  solemnized 
on  November  12,  1891,  and  four  children  have  been  born  to  them — 
George  L.,  Esther  F.  H.,  Ellen  L.  and  Mary  A.  Mr.  Markert  is  a  Dem- 
ocrat and  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Evangelical  Association. 

Nathaniel  Tilton,  a  well  known  general  agriculturist  of  Noble 
township,  has  been  an  important  factor  in  farming  circles  of  Cass 
county,  and  his  popularity  is  well  deserved,  as  in  him  are  embraced 
the  characteristics  of  an  unbending  integrity,  unabated  energy  and  an 
industry  that  never  flags.  He  has  been  interested  in  all  that  affects  his 
community,  and  has  especially  identified  himself  with  movements  mak- 
ing for  the  advancement  of  religion,  education  and  morality.  Mr. 
Tilton  was  bom  October  25,  1854,  on  a  farm  in  section  1,  Noble  town- 
ship, Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  John  Tilton. 

John  Tilton  came  to  Indiana  from  Ohio  with  his  wife  and  eight 
children,  locating  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Nathaniel  Tilton,  where 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  was  also 
associated  with  other  earnest  and  hard-working  citizens  in  advancing 
his  community's  interests.  After  coming  to  Cass  county  he  and  his 
wife  had  two  other  children:  Maria  Ann,  who  was  married  in  1877  to 
George  Fergus,  and  still  resides  in  Cass  county;  and  Nathaniel. 

Nathaniel  Tilton  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of 
Clay  township,  and  was  reared  to  the  vocation  of  farmer,  which  he  has 
followed  all  of  his  life.  He  is  progressive  in  his  methods  and  ideas,  and 
each  year  finds  his  property  fui'ther  improved  with  good  buildings  and 
other  features.  His  land  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  his  crops  are 
always  large  and  bring  top  notch  prices  in  the  markets,  and  the  appear- 
ance of  his  farm  testifies  eloquently  to  the  presence  of  able  manage- 
ment. He  has  always  been  a  strong  advocate  of  public  improvements, 
ever  being  among  the  first  to  declare  himself  in  favor  of  what  he  thinks 
will  benefit  his  community  or  its  people.  Although  not  a  politician  in 
the  generally  accepted  meaning  of  the  word,  he  served  for  two  terms 
as  supervisor  of  district  No.  1,  Noble  township. 

On  April  12,  1877,  IMr.  Tilton  was  married  (first)  to  Miss  Henrietta 
Roberts,  a  native  of  Fulton  county,  Indiana,  and  to  this  union  there 
was  born  one  son,  William  I.,  November  30,  1881.  While  this  child  was 
still  in  its  infancy,  its  mother  died  very  suddenly,  in  February,  1882. 
During  the  following  year,  Mr.  Tilton  married  (second)  Miss  Eva  A. 
Ulerick,  who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  October  30,  1857,  and  whose 
parents,  Henry  and  Caroline    (Fry)    Ulerick,    came    to    Cass    county, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  933 

Indiana,  from  the  Keystone  state  in  1864.  Mrs.  Tilton  came  with  her 
parents  to  Cass  county,  where  she  was  a  little  maiden  of  eight  years  and 
here  she  was  reared  and  educated.  Her  father  was  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  but  of  German  lineage,  as  his  mother  came  from 
Germany.  He  was  a  butcher  by  occupation  and  was  a  self-made  man, 
and  is  now  a  resident  of  Cass  county.  He  is  a  Democrat  politically  and 
is  a  member  of  the  United  Brethern  church  and  his  wife  was  a  member 
of  the  German  Baptist.     Mrs.  Ulerick  died  November  20,  1889. 

Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Tilton  have  had  two  children,  namely :  Henry  A.,  born 
March  14,  1884;  and  Chauncey  E.,  born  January  2,  1889.  Henry  A. 
graduated  from  the  common  schools,  and  then  took  a  full  commercial 
course  at  the  Logansport  Business  College,  and  he  paid  his  way  par-- 
tially  by  raising  melons.  The  first  year  he  cleared  $150  by  this  industry. 
At  the  present  time  he  is  connected  with  the  R.  T.  Crane  Iron  and 
Steel  Company  of  Chicago,  and  is  located  at  Lima,  Ohio,  where  he  has 
charge  of  the  business  in  that  locality.  He  is  one  of  the  stable  young 
men  that  Cass  county,  Indiana,  claims,  and  is  strictly  a  self-made 
man.  He  married  Miss  Bessie  Vernon  and  they  have  one  little  son, 
Vernon,  aged  five  years.  Henry  Tilton  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Christian  church  and  were  converted  under  the  preaching  of  Rev. 
"Billy"  Sunday.     He  is  a  Republican  and   a  member   of   the  K.  of  P. 

Chauncey  E.  is  one  of  the  successful  young  farmers  of  Noble  town- 
ship and  he  and  wife  have  a  model  little  home  near  his  parents'  home.  He 
is  a  young  man  of  good  practical  education,  and  is  associated  with  his 
father  on  the  estate.  He  wedded  i\Iiss  IMyra  Yund,  and  one  little  son, 
Leslie  Kenneth,  graces  this  marriage.  Chauncey  is  a  Republican  and 
he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Tilton  may  be  proud  of  the  honorable  lives  of  their 
children,  who  are  a  credit  to  their  aged  parents. 

Mrs.  Tilton  is  a  lady  of  most  genial  manners,  sociable  and  cordial, 
and  a  model  housekeeper,  and  she  and  her  worthy  husband  are  citizens 
who  are  held  high  in  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  people  of  Noble  county. 

Their  pretty  homestead  is    known    as  "The  Upper  Valley  Farm." 

Both  the  Tilton  and  Ulerick  families  have  been  close  attendants  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and  their  members  are  widely  known  in 
religious  circles.  Mr.  Tilton  succeeded  his  father  as  elder  in  the  church, 
a  position  he  has  held  since  the  elder  man's  death.  During  his  long 
residence  in  Noble  township,  Mr.  Tilton  has  formed  a  wide 
acquaintance,  in  which  he  numbers  many  warm  friends,  while  every- 
where he  is  known  as  a  man  of  the  highest  business  integrity  and  moral 
probity. 

Elmer  Dallas  Snyder,  M.  D.  Having  risen  to  influence  and  obtained 
recognition  through  solid  merit,  founded  upon  good  natured  abilities, 
ripened  by  liberal  scholastic  training  and  matured  by  thorough  scien- 
tific study  and  long,  continuous  and  assiduous  practice,  Dr.  Elmer 
Dallas  Snyder,  of  Onward,  Indiana,  is  known  as  one  of  the  leading 
medical  practitioners  of  Cass  county.  He  belongs  to  that  class  of  pro- 
fessional men  who  value  their  success  the  more  because  it  has  been 
gained  through  their  own  individual  effort,  rather  than  through  outside 
influence  and  assistance,  and  during  the  fifteen  years  that  Onward  has 


934  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

been  his  field  of  endeavor  has  impressed  himself  favorably  upon  his 
fellow-townsmen  by  the  interest  he  has  manifested  in  the  welfare  of  his 
community.  Dr.  Snyder  was  born  on  his  father's  farm,  located  one 
mile  west  of  Onward,  in  Cass  county,  December  1,  1865,  and  is  a  son 
of  David  and  Maria  (Waite)   Snyder. 

The  Snyder  family  originated  in  Germany,  from  whence  the  great- 
grandfather of  Dr.  Snyder  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  settling  in 
Berks  county,  Pennsylvania.  From  that  section  the  grandparents  of 
Dr.  Snyder,  Henry  and  jMary  (Martz)  Snyder,  came  to  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  with  their  eleven  children,  who  were  named  as  follows :  Simon, 
Levi,  Elizabeth,  Henry,  William,  Sarah,  John,  David,  Kate,  Mary  and 
Leah ;  of  whom  David  and  J\Iary  are  still  living.  Henry  and 
Mary  (^lartz)  Snyder  both  passed  away  in  Cass  county,  where  they  had 
been  engaged  in  agricultural  pvirsuits.  David  Snyder  was  born  in 
Carroll  county,  Indiana,  and  accompanied  the  family  to  Cass  county 
more  than  a  half  a  century  ago.  Like  his  father,  he  was  a  farmer,  and 
was  so  engaged  iintil  his  retirement,  when  he  and  his  wife  moved  to 
the  state  of  Washington,  their  present  home.  They  had  five  children: 
Dr.  Elmer  D.,  Mrs.  Dora  Smith,  Alonzo  D.,  ]\Irs.  Cora  IMavs  and  ]\Irs. 
Nora  Bell. 

Dr.  Elmer  Dallas  Snyder  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits  and 
spent  his  boyhood  in  assisting  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm, 
but  it  became  his  early  intention  to  enter  upon  a  professional  career. 
The  necessary  funds  for  an  education  along  medical  lines  were  lacking, 
but  he  did  not  allow  this  to  stand  in  his  way,  for  he  had  inherited 
much  of  his  father's  ability  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world.  His 
early  schooling  was  secured  in  his  native  locality,  and  subsequently 
he  attended  the  schools  of  Logansport,  following  which  he  took  up  the 
vocation  of  educator,  thus  earning  the  means  with  which  to  gain  his 
cherished  medical  training,  which  was  secured  in  the  Louisville  Medical 
College.  Following  his  graduation  from  that  institution,  in  1893,  he 
began  practice  at  Kewanna,  Fulton  county,  later  moved  to  Burr  Oak, 
Marshall  county,  and  finally  settled  in  Onward,  his  home  locality,  where 
he  is  now  firmly  established  in  a  representative  practice. 

Dr.  Snyder  was  married  first  to  Miss  Ettie  M.  Apt  (no  issue), 
and  on  IMarch  15,  1907,  he  married  Mary  Catherine  Eckert,  daughter 
cf  John  and  Leah  (Eckhart)  Eckert,  members  of  a  prominent 
family  of  Carroll  county.  Dr.  and  INIrs.  Snyder  are  members  of  the 
]\Iethodist  Episcopal  church,  and  in  addition  to  the  various  medical 
organizations  he  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees.  Although 
not  a  politician,  having  preferred  to  give  his  entire  attention  to  his 
professional  work,  Dr.  Snyder  has  not  been  insensible  to  the  duties  of 
citizenship,  and  for  a  period  served  capably  and  faithfully  in  the  capac- 
ity of  county  coroner. 

Samuel  S.  Helvie.  Among  the  better  known  and  more  prosperous 
business  men  of  Logansport,  Samuel  S.  Helvie  holds  a  leading  place, 
and  in  his  capacity  as  such  is  eminently  deserving  of  some  mention, 
however  brief  it  may  be,  in  a  historical  and  biographical  work  of  the 
nature  of  which  this  publication  partakes.  Mr.  Helvie  has  experienced 
a  gradual  rise  in  life  in  a  financial  and  business  way,  and  from  a  farm 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  935 

home  in  Tipton  township,  has  come  into  his  present  important  place  in 
the  business  life  of  Logansport. 

Born  in  Tipton  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  on  November  30, 
1852,  Samuel  S.  Helvie  is  one  of  a  family  of  thirteen  children  born  to 
Samuel  M.  and  Anna  (Ulery)  Helvie,  eight  of  that  goodly  number 
being  alive  today.  The  father  was  a  Virginian  by  birth  and  when  a 
boy  moved  with  his  parents  to  Miami  county,  Ohio,  where  he  later  mar- 
ried Anna  Ulery,  the  daughter  of  a  well  known  Kentucky  family.  He 
received  in  his  boyhood  but  little  education  out  of  books,  and  was  early 
inured  to  the  hard  work  of  the  farm,  on  which  he  lived  until  his  mar- 
riage. In  April,  1849,  wdth  his  wife  and  ten  children,  he  came  to  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  the  journey  being  made  from  Virginia  to  this  county 
in  a  wagon,  drawn  by  horses,  the  popular  method  of  travel  in  those 
early  days.  They  settled  in  Tipton  township  ou  a  slightly  improved 
farm,  owned  by  W.  W.  Haney,  and  here  Mr.  Helvie  continued  to  be 
engaged  in  farming  activities  until  his  death,  April  14,  1878.  The 
■ftddow  survived  him  until  September  26,  1896.  Both  these  worthy  people 
were  members  of  the  United  Brethren  church.  Mr.  Helvie  was  a  life- 
long Republican,  but  was  never  an  aspirant  for  political  office  or  favor. 
His  life  was  a  (j[uiet  and  uneventful  one,  and  he  lived  among  his  acquaint- 
ances in  Tipton  township,  esteemed  and  respected  in  the  highest  man- 
ner. He  was  honest  as  the  day,  to  employ  a  term  often  used  in  speak- 
ing of  him  by  those  who  knew  him  best,  and  was  a  good  friend  and 
neighbor,  ever  ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  those  less  fortunate  than 
himself.  He  was  a  man  particularly  fond  of  hunting,  and  was  known 
to  be  one  of  the  best  marksmen  in  Cass  count3^ 

Samuel  S.  Helvie  was  the  youngest  of  the  children  of  his  parents, 
and  he  was  born  after  the  family  removal  to  Tipton  township.  There 
he  was  reared  and  educated,  and  being  the  family  Benjamin,  remained 
at  home  until  he  was  seventeen,  contrary  to  the  custom  of  other  mem- 
bers of  the  family.  When  he  was  seventeen  he  set  about  learning  teleg- 
raphy at  Anoka,  and  after  he  had  mastered  the  key,  he  was  stationed 
at  Anoka  Junction  as  night  operator,  a  place  he  continued  to  hold  for 
almost  seventeen  years.  In  1886  he  began  operating  the  flouring  mill 
at  the  falls  of  Pipe  creek,  his  father-in-law,  John  Costenborder,  having 
been  the  original  builder  of  the  mill.  He  continued  to  be  the  active 
operator  of  the  plant  until  the  fall  of  1890,  when  he  gave  up  his  per- 
sonal connection  with  it  and  employed  a  miller  to  handle  the  place  for 
him,  upon  which  basis  it  was  then  operated  for  the  ensuing  three  years. 

From  early  manhood  Mr.  Helvie  had  taken  active  interest  in  politics 
as  a  Democrat,  and  in  1890  he  was  the  nominee  of  his  party  for  the  office 
of  county  auditor,  to  which  office  he  was  elected  by  a  majority  of  two 
hundred  and  seventj'-two.  He  served  a  term  of  four  years,  when,  in 
accordance  with  the  prevailing  I'ule,  he  retired  from  office,  after  a  period 
of  service  marked  by  the  greatest  efficiency  and  general  satisfaction  to 
all  concerned.  Upon  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office,  Mr.  Helvie 
accepted  a  position  as  clerk  in  a  clothing  store  in  Logansport,  in  the 
employ  of  Joseph  G.  Grace.  Two  years  later,  on  November  26,  1896, 
Mr.  Helvie,  in  association  with  Edward  D.  Sellers,  succeeded  to  the 
business  under  the  firm  name  of  Helvie  &  Sellers,  and  they  have  since 
that  time  become  firmly  established  in  the  commercial  world  of  Logans- 


936  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

port.     Their  business  is  a  prosperous  one,  and  both  partners  hold  envi- 
able positions  in  the  community. 

On  October  30,  1874,  Mr.  Helvie  was  united  in  marriage  with  Elvira 
Costenborder,  and  to  them  nine  children  have  been  born:  Lewis  E., 
Walter  M.,  Gertrude  M.,  Ora  E.,  Harry  A.,  Etta,  Bertha,  Marie  and 
Ocle.  Mr.  Helvie  is  a  Mason  of  the  Kjiights  Templar  degree,  and  Mrs. 
Helvie  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church  of  Logansport,  where  the 
family  attend. 

Daniel  W.  Clary.  The  Clary  family  in  Cass  county  dates  back  to 
the  period  before  the  removal  of  the  Indians  from  this  part  of  the  state, 
and  the  different  members  have  witnessed  all  the  transformations  in 
conditions  from  the  time  of  the  first  settlement  down  to  the  twentieth 
century  era.  Daniel  W.  Clary  has  long  been  a  prominent  farmer  and 
citizen  of  Harrison  township,  which  is  his  native  home,  and  has  acquired 
a  position  of  influence  in  this  township. 

Daniel  W.  Clary  was  born  in  Harrison  township,  August  14,  1864. 
His  parents  were  Isaac  N.  and  Rebecca  (Remley)  Clary.  The  paternal 
grandfather  was  John  Clary,  and  the  maternal  grandfather  was  Daniel 
Remley.  The  father  of  Daniel  W.  Clary  came  to  Cass  county  at  a  very 
early  date.  When  his  father  first  started  out  for  himself  he  bought 
a  place  of  about  310  acres,  on  which  he  put  up  a  rail  pen  and  slept 
on  a  rail  bed  for  some  time.  In  this  rough  abode  he  lived,  though  with 
some  improvements  in  conditions,  until  his  marriage,  at  which  time  he 
erected  a  log  cabin  home,  and  thereafter  lived  in  increasing  comforts 
until  his  death.  His  marriage  occurred  in  1843.  He  was  a  resident  of 
the  county  at  the  time  the  Indians  were  removed  to  their  western  homes, 
and  he  took  some  part  in  assisting  in  this  removal.  He  spent  many  years 
of  an  active  and  prosperous  life  in  the  county,  and  in  1893  moved  from 
the  farm  which  he  had  first  settled  to  the  place  now  occupied  by  his 
son.  In  1863  he  had  bought  the  present  homestead  there,  and  occupied 
it  for  the  following  year.  All  the  substantial  buildings  were  erected  by 
the  father,  though  Mr.  Daniel  W.  Clary  has  himself,  during  his  pro- 
prietorship, instituted  a  great  many  improvements  and  has  continued 
to  keep  the  farm  apace  with  modern  progress  in  agricultural  conditions. 

Daniel  W.  Clary  was  married  on  the  twenty-third  of  November, 
1887,  to  Miss  Martha  E.  Conn,  a  daughter  of  David  and  Sarah  (Herbert) 
Conn.  David  Conn  was  a  soldier  in  the  Seventy-ninth  Indiana  during 
the  last  two  years  of  the  Civil  war,  and  his  death  occurred  on  April 
17,  1886.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clary  are  the  parents  of  three  children,  their 
names  being:  Berlin  A.,  born  October  17,  1888,  received  a  common 
school  education ;  David  Earl,  born  January  3,  1902,  in  the  sixth  grade, 
and  Lillie  Ellen,  born  August  28,  1907.  All  the  children  live  at  home. 
The  family  are  members  of  the  Zion  M.  E.  church,  and  Mrs.  Clary  is  a 
member  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  in  the  church.  Mr.  Clary  is  a  Dem- 
ocrat in  politics  and  one  of  the  influential  citizens  of  this  community. 

George  H.  Lynas.  The  life  work  of  the  late  Dr.  J.  B.  Lynas,  of 
Logansport,  Indiana,  whose  death  occurred  January  28,  1901,  was  the 
founding  and  developing  of  a  business  that  has  become  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal industries  of  the  city  and  is  of  national  reputation.     Entering 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  937 

upon  the  manufacture  of  proprietary  medicines  in  a  small  way,  only 
as  an  accommodation  for  his  numerous  patients,  in  the  alleviation  of 
whose  ills  he  had  spent  many  years,  he  found  that  instead  of  retiring 
from  active  life,  as  he  had  planned,  he  was  but  entering  upon  a  still 
more  strenuous  career,  and  one  which  was  to  make  his  name  known  all 
over  the  country.  The  business,  thus  started  in  a  humble  way,  has 
grown  and  developed,  until  its  agencies  are  found  from  coast  to  coast, 
and  its  products,  which  first  included  only  certain  medicines  of  the 
doctor's  own  compiling,  now  cover  a  wide  range  of  household  neces- 
sities. 

Dr.  J.  B.  Lynas  was  born  in  Dearborn  county,  Indiana,  February  14, 
1835.  In  1862  Dr.  Lynas  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Reed,  who  was 
born  in  Wisconsin  and  who  died  in  Logansport,  January  18,  1911. 
George  H.  Lynas,  son  of  Dr.  Lynas,  and  the  present  directing  head  of 
the  great  enterprise  that  bears  his  name,  was  born  in  Logansport,  Janu- 
ary 10,  1874,  educated  in  the  public  schools,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
years  entered  his  father's  business,  with  which  he  has  been  connected 
to  the  present  time.  His  administration  of  its  policies  has  served  to 
advance  the  business  in  no  small  way,  at  the  same  time  following  his 
father's  strict  rule  of  honorable  and  upright  dealings  with  the  thou- 
sands of  agents  working  for  him.  He  was  married  October  31,  1905, 
to  Miss  Ethel  Hanawalt,  of  Logansport.  Dr.  J.  B.  Lynas  received  his 
preliminary  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Henry  county,  whence 
he  had  been  taken  by  his  father  when  five  years  of  age,  and  after  spend- 
ing some  time  in  the  study  of  medicine  received  his  diploma  from  the 
Eclectic  Medical  School,  Indianapolis,  in  1874.  At  that  time  he  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Logansport,  and  during  the  years 
that  followed  built  up  a  wide  and  representative  clientele  throughout 
Cass  county.  It  was  the  desire  of  Dr.  Lynas,  however,  to  retire  from 
active  practice,  but  at  the  same  time  to  meet  the  wishes  of  his  patients, 
and  accordingly  he  started  to  manufacture  remedies  at  his  home,  these 
being  compiled  from  old  and  well-proven  remedies  which  he  had  used 
in  his  practice  and  which  he  had  found  successful  in  the  relief  and  cure 
of  many  diseases.  At  the  start  he  little  foresaw  the  extent  that  this 
business  was  destined  to  grow  to,  but  it  was  not  long  before  the  merit 
of  his  goods  caused  the  demand  to  exceed  the  supply  that  could  be 
manufactured  in  the  limits  of  the  doctor's  home,  and,  accordingly,  in 
1884,  he  established  a  laboratory  at  No.  409  Fourth  street.  During  this 
time  the  business  began  to  extend  outside  of  the  limits  of  Cass  county, 
and  when  it  began  to  reach  out  into  other  states  the  firm  purchased 
and  moved  to  No.  210  Sixth  street.  Dr.  Lynas  was  the  dominating 
factor  of  this  great  organization  until  his  death,  and  his  wise  adminis- 
tration of  its  affairs  made  him  one  of  Logansport 's  best  known  business 
citizens,  but  even  after  his  demise  the  business  continued  to  grow,  and 
in  1904  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  Dr.  J.  B.  Lynas  &  Son, 
with  a  capital  stock  of  $100,000.  In  1906  it  was  found  necessary  to 
again  seek  larger  quarters,  and  accordingly  they  purchased  and  located 
in  the  present  factory  and  laboratory,  at  Nos.  517  and  519  Market 
street.  Here  Dr.  J.  B.  Lynas  &  Son  have  a  well  equipped  building, 
fitted  with  the  latest  improvements  and  appurtenances,  the  utmost  care 
being  taken  to  preserve  sanitary  conditions.    The  products  now  include. 


938  HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

in  addition  to  the  well  known  J.  B.  L.  medicines,  all  kinds  of  spices, 
teas,  sachet  powders,  fruit  colors,  toilet  articles,  toilet  soap,  extracts, 
perfumes,  stock  preparations  and  miscellaneous  articles.  The  J.  B.  L. 
trademark  is  a  guarantee  of  absolute  purity  and  excellence,  and  the 
agents  of  the  company  located  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  are 
instructed  at  all  times  to  replace  any  article  that  is  not  satisfactorj^, 
thus,  without  tiaring  newspaper  advertisements  the  confidence  of  all 
users  of  these  J.  B.  L.  products  are  gained.  It  is  this  policy  of  giving 
customers  the  benefit  of  honorable  and  upright  dealing  that  has  had 
all  to  do  with  the  phenomenal  success  of  the  enterprise.  The  first  offi- 
cers of  the  incorporated  company  were  George  H.  Lynas,  president, 
and  Sarah  E.  Lynas,  vice-president  and  treasurer.  At  this  time  George 
H.  Lynas  retains  the  presidency,  while  Dr.  J.  F.  Noland  is  treasurer, 
and  R.  C.  Overmeyer  is  secretary.  April  1,  1913,  there  was  between 
fourteen  and  fifteen  hundred  people  working  for  J.  B.  Lynas  &  Son. 
They  are  located  in  nearly  every  state  in  the  union.  At  the  above  date 
they  were  employing  additional  workers  at  the  rate  of  about  sixty  per 
month.  To  take  care  of  this  fast  increasing  business,  many  traveling 
representatives,  as  well  as  a  large  office  force,  are  required. 

Robert  F.  Frushour.  One  of  the  citizens  of  Cass  county  who 
began  their  career  in  primitive  and  often  times  log  cabin  homes,  to 
labor  with  courage  and  industry  to  develop  a  wilderness  of  forest  into 
a  broad  landscape  of  farms,  and  have  subsequently  reaped  the  rewards 
of  such  diligence  in  ample  material  prosperity,  is  ]\Ir.  Robert  Frushour 
of  Harrison  township,  whose  postoffice  address  is  Logansport.  This 
family  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  Cass  county,  and  two  generations  have 
assisted  in  the  progress  of  this  county. 

Robert  F.  Frushour  was  born  in  Bethlehem  township,  Cass  county, 
October  16,  1856.  His  parents  were  George  V.  and  Charlotte  (Rowan) 
Frushour.  Both  grandfather  and  father  came  to  that  county  at  a 
very  early  date  from  Virginia,  where  they  bought  a  great  deal  of  land, 
most  of  it  from  the  government,  and  set  to  work  with  characteristic 
industry  to  develop  homes  out  of  the  forest.  The  only  roads  in  the 
country  at  that  time  were  the  rough  trails  blazed  through  the  woods, 
and  the  pioneer  scenes  and  difficulties,  which  are  described  on  other 
pages  of  this  history,  were,  almost  without  exception,  experienced  by 
the  Frushour  family  during  its  career  here.  The  brothers  and  sisters 
of  Mr.  Robert  F.  Frushour  were  as  follows:  Harmon  T.,  whose  first 
wife  was  Harriet  Orwin  and  his  second  wife  was  Anna  Turner,  both 
himself,  as  also  his  wives,  now  being  deceased ;  George,  Jr.,  who  married 
Lucy  Thompson;  William  V..  who  married  Etta  Gundrum;  Anna,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Arthur  Wells,  and  Ida,  Avho  was  the  wife  of  Ira 
Maudlin. 

On  February  18,  1880,  Mr.  Frushour  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Brown. 
Her  parents  were  Isaac  and  Elizabeth  (Custer)  Brown.  One  of  her 
grandfathers  was  also  named  Simpson.  Various  members  of  her  family 
became  early  residents  of  Cass  county,  having  located  here  during  the 
decade  of  the  early  forties.  Tlie  brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Frushour 
were  as  follows:  George,  who  married  Effie  Schilling;  Albert,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  forty-two;  Samuel,  who  married  Anna  Newberry;  Jay, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  939 

who  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-one  years,  laumarried ;  Nancy,  who  married 
John  M.  LaRose.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Frushour  died  in  1872,  and  her 
mother  passed  away  in  1884. 

j\Ir.  Frushour  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children : 
Delia,  born  August  18,  1881,  is  now  the  wife  of  John  Spencer;  Olive, 
born  May  27,  1883,  married  Lora  Early,  and  Lottie,  born  July  24,  1888, 
married  Harley  ^loore.  Industry  and  thrifty  management  have  been 
characteristic  of  I\Ir.  Frushour 's  career  throughout  his  many  years  of 
activity  as  a  farmer.  He  has  been  the  owner  of  three  different  farms 
in  this  immediate  section  of  the  county,  and  has  improved  them  all 
with  excellent  buildings,  and  other  facilities  for  high-class  agriculture. 
At  the  present  time,  he  is  just  completing  the  building  and  general  im- 
provement of  his  third  farm.  Much  of  the  land  has  been  cleared  by 
his  own  labor,  or  under  his  immediate  supervision,  and  he  is  a  farmer 
who  has  never  relaxed  his  attention  to  business,  and  keeps  all  his  inter- 
ests to  the  highest  point  of  efficiency.  He  still  works  untiringly,  and 
his  prosperity  is  well  deserved  and  earned.  He  and  his  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  church.  His  pretty  home  is  known  as  "Forest 
Glenn,"  located  about  five  miles  from  the  city  of  Logansport.  ^ 

Ben.jamin  F.  Yantis.  Seventy-seven  years  ago  the  family  of  Ben- 
jamin F.  Yantis  made  their  way  by  ox  team  and  by  boat  from  their  home 
in  Spencer  county,  Kentucky,  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  from  then 
until  the  present  writing,  Cass  county  has  been  the  home  of  this  represen- 
tative family,  and  has  known  the  activities  and  influence  of  its  members. 
The  subject,  Benjamin  F.  Yantis,  was  born  in  Spencer  county,  Ken- 
tucky, on  February  2,  1831,  and  was  thus  a  young  lad  when  the  migra- 
tion of  the  family  changed  his  home  to  Cass  county.  He  is  the  son  of 
Aaron  and  Martha  (Cockran)  Yantis.  The  father,  Aaron  Yantis,  came 
from  Germany  with  his  brother  George  in  the  year  1760  and  settled  in 
Kentucky.  The  mother  of  the  subject  was  of  Scotch  parentage.  With 
the  arrival  of  the  family  in  Logansport  from  their  Kentucky  home,  they 
settled  there,  remaining  for  two  years,  and  then  taking  up  their  residence 
on  a  farm  at  the  place  where  the  street  car  line  now  ends,  within  fifty 
yards  of  the  city  limits.  It  was  in  the  spring  of  1841  that  they  removed 
to  the  George  H.  Harland  farm  in  Bethlehem  township  for  six  years 
and  then  to  the  present  farm,  or  the  one  that  is  now  owned  and  occupied 
by  Benjamin  F.  Yantis. 

Benjamin  F.  Yantis  was  one  of  the  eight  children  of  his  parents.  One 
brother,  John,  secured  some  prominence  in  engineering  as  the  result 
of  much  work  on  the  Wabash  &  Erie  canal  in  Indiana.  The  Yantis  resi- 
dence was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1906  and  since  that  time  Mr.  Yantis  has 
replaced  the  old  brick  residence  with  a  new  and  handsome  brick  house, 
one  of  the  finest  to  be  found  in  the  township.  The  place  boasts  many 
improvements,  all  of  which  have  been  installed  by  the  owner  and 
proprietor. 

Mr.  Yantis  has  taken  his  place  in  the  activities  of  the  township  in  a 
public  way,  and  one  time  served  as  township  treasurer.  He  was  drainage 
commissioner  of  the  county  for  six  years  and  served  as  trustee  of  the 
township  for  nine  years,  giving  the  most  efficient  service  on  all  those 
positions,  and  proving  his  merit  and  calibre  as  a  citizen. 


940  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

On  September  13,  1855,  Benjamin  F.  Yantis  married  Mary  J.  Hill, 
the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Esther  (Jenkins)  Hill.  Eight  children 
were  born  to  Joseph  and  Esther  (Jenkins)  Hill,  concerning  whom  brief 
mention  is  made  as  follows:  William  married  Sarah  Horn;  Stephen  J. 
married  Hannah  Conrad;  Elizabeth  A.  married  Isaac  W.  Wilson;  Mary 
J.  married  B.  F.  Yantis ;  Martha  A.  married  Jackson  L.  Thompson ; 
Orlando  married  Savina  Garber;  Hannah  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years; 
and  Israel  J.  married  Martha  Gordon. 

Mrs.  Yantis  is  a  native  of  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  born 
May  21,  1831,  and  she  was  reared  in  her  native  state.  Her  father  was  a 
farmer  and  lawyer  in  Pennsylvania  and  Indiana.  He  was  a  Republican, 
and  he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  al- 
though she  was  reared  as  a  Quaker.  Both  of  Mrs.  Yantis'  parents  are 
dead.  The  mother  died  in  Fulton  county,  Indiana,  June  21,  1873,  and 
the  father  died  in  Bethlehem  township,  May  12,  1876.  Father  Hill  was 
a  splendid  scholar,  a  fine  penman  and  could  write  the  German  text.  To 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yantis  were  born  eight  children,  four  sons 
and  four  daughters;  five  are  living,  as  follows:  Mary  E.,  wife  of  Charles 
J.  Moss,  resident  of  Chicago  and  engaged  in  mercantile  business;  they 
have  three  children,  two  sons  and  one  daughter.  They  are  members  of 
the  Episcopal  church.  Elvira  A.  is  the  wife  of  Sumner  .E.  Buck,  a  farmer 
in  Bethlehem  township.  They  have  four  children,  one  son  and  three 
daughters,  and  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Ruth 
A.  resides  at  home  with  her  parents.  She  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  and  then  took  the  Logansport  teachers'  course  and  musical  in- 
struction in  Chicago,  both  vocal  and  instrumental.  She  is  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  Joseph  A.  is  a  farmer  in  Bethlehem  township. 
He  married  Miss  Frances  Calvert.  They  are  members  of  the  Baptist 
church  and  he  is  a  deacon  therein  and  a  Republican  in  politics.  Lyman 
A.  is  a  farmer  in  Bethlehem  township.  He  wedded  Miss  Maude  Evans, 
and  they  have  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  The  name  Yantis  is  of 
German  extraction  and  was  formerly  "Yandes. "  Two  brothers  came 
from  Germany  during  the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  war  and  were 
soldiers  in  the  war. 

Mr.  Yantis,  though  now  in  the  eighty-third  year  of  his  life,  is  active 
and  strong,  and  is  enjoying  these  later  years  of  quietude  and  plenty  in 
the  home  he  has  so  long  cherished  and  cared  for.  He  is  a  prominent 
man  in  his  community,  and  has  all  his  life  enjoyed  the  esteem  of  all  who 
have  shared  in  his  acquaintance.  The  estate  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yantis  is 
known  as  "Highland  Place." 

Noah  L.  Bess  has  had  a  successful  agricultural  career,  covering  a 
number  of  years,  and  as  one  of  the  skilled  farmers  and  stockmen  of 
Washington  township  is  deserving  of  personal  mention  in  connection 
with  biographical  sketches  of  other  representative  men  of  this  locality. 
Mr.  Bess  is  a  native  of  jMissouri,  having  been  born  in  Bollinger  county, 
April  2-1,  1868,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Malinda  (Shell)  Bess,  the  latter 
of  whom  lives  with  her  children.  John  Bess  made  removal  to  Illinois 
about  1875,  settling  in  McLean  county,  where  he  became  a  leading 
farmer  and  land  owner,  and  where  the  rest  of  his  life  was  spent.     He 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  941 

and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  of  whom  three  are  now 
living :    Noah  L. ;  Jefferson  Monroe  and  Siebert  I. 

Noah  L.  Bess  was  about  seven  years  of  age  when  he  was  taken  by 
his  father  to  IMeLean  county,  Illinois,  and  in  that  locality  he  secured 
his  education  in  the  public  schools.  Reared  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
he  has  followed  the  vocation  of  farming  throughout  his  active  years, 
and  about  1900  came  to  Cass  county  and  settled  on  his  present  farm 
in  Washington  township,  a  tract  consisting  of  124  acres  of  well- 
cultivated  land.  Here  he  has  made  numerous  improvements,  erecting 
handsome  buildings,  thoroughly  ditching,  draining  and  tiling  the  land, 
and  keeping  his  implements  in  the  finest  condition.  That  he  is  an  able 
manager  is  testified  by  the  general  prosperous  appearance  of  the  farm, 
and  he  has  demonstrated  his  ability  as  a  stock  grower  by  breeding  some 
of  the  best  stock  to  be  found  in  his  section.  He  is  essentially  a  farmer, 
and  has  not  cared  for  public  life,  his  private  affairs  having  left  him  no 
time  to  take  an  active  part  in  politics  aside  from  casting  an  intelligent 
ballot  in  the  support  of  the  principles  which  he  believes  will  best  se- 
cure the  welfare  of  the  nation.  He  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  busiest, 
most  energetic  and  enterprising  men  of  Washington  township,  and  his* 
methods  in  his  business  dealings  have  firmly  established  him  in  the 
respect  and  confidence  with  all  who  have  come  into  contact  with  him. 
His  fraternal  connection  is  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  of 
Forest,  Illinois,  and  he  is  popular  among  the  members  of  the  local  lodge 
of  that  order. 

Mr.  Bess  was  married  in  Bollinger  county,  Missouri,  to  Miss  Ellen 
Perkins,  October  9,  1888,  a  member  of  an  old  and  honored  family  of 
that  county,  and  to  this  union  there  has  been  born  one  son,  Grover  I., 
who  was  born  in  ]\IcLean  county  twenty-three  years  ago.  He  was 
educated  in  that  locality  and  has  been  reared  to  an  agricultural  career, 
now  being  his  father's  aid  in  the  management  of  the  home  farm.  In 
November,  1910,  Grover  I.  Bess  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Lena  J.  Furst,  who  also  belongs  to  an  old  Illinois  family,  and  they  have 
one  daughter,  Jessie  j\Iay.  All  of  the  members  of  this  family  belong  to 
the  Union  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Bess  has  a  No.  17  Buiek,  five- 
passenger  touring  car  and  he  and  family  can  take  many  hours  of 
pleasure  and  recreation.  Their  beautiful  homestead  is  known  as 
' '  Englewood. ' ' 

John  A.  Frushour.  The  leading  hardware  establishment  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Lucerne,  in  Harrison  township,  is  that  conducted  by  John  A. 
Frushour.  Mr.  Frushour  took  charge  of  this  business  some  years  ago, 
and  by  his  ability  as  a  merchant  has  succeeded  in  more  than  doubling 
his  trade,  and  now  has  an  enterprise  which  is  probably  second  to  none 
of  its  class  in  northern  Cass  county. 

John  A.  Frushour  was  born  in  Harrison  township  on  the  tenth  of 
January,  1861.  The  family  have  been  residents  in  this  county  for  more 
than  seventy  years,  and  have  always  been  industrious  citizens,  and 
highly  respected  for  their  personal  character.  The  name  Frushour,  how- 
ever, is  of  Belgian  lineage.  Mr.  Frushour 's  gi'andfather  was  named 
Mathias,  while  his  father  was  the  late  John  W.  Frushour.  The  maiden 
name  of  the  mother  was  Cecelia  Bierd.     The  late  John  W.  Frushour,  the 


942  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

father,  was  twice  married.  The  nine  children  by  his  first  wife  were  as 
follows :  Michael  W.,  Samuel  J.,  James  E.,  John  A.,  Francis  X.,  Eleanor 
E.,  George  M.,  Edward  W.,  and  Sarah  J.  His  second  wife  bore  the 
maiden  name  of  Amanda  M.  Boyle,  and  she  was  the  mother  of  four  chil- 
dren, namely:  Mary  R.,  Joseph  E.,  Rose  and  Margaret.  The  father  of 
the  Lucerne  merchant,  came  to  Cass  county  about  1840,  his  original  home 
having  been  in  Morgan  county,  Virginia.  He  was  accompanied  by  his 
father,  and  their  first  settlement  was  in  Noble  township,  on  what  is  known 
as  the  old  Tipit  farm.  He  resided  at  different  places  in  Noble  township, 
and  finally  moved  into  Harrison  township,  which  was  his  home  until  his 
death,  at  an  advanced  age  in  1911.     His  first  wife  passed  away  in  1871. 

John  A.  Frushour  married  October  22,  1892,  Miss  Mary  A.  Hoynes, 
a  daughter  of  James  and  Margaret  (Glenn)  Hoynes.  Seven  children 
were  born  of  their  marriage,  six  of  whom  are  living  and  one  deceased, 
namely :  John  Leo,  born  January  15,  1894,  and  died  February  14,  1911 ; 
James  A.,  Ruth,  Austin  G.,  Margaret  E.,  Edward  H.,  Mary  C. 

Mr.  Frushour  was  reared  in  his  native  vicinity  where  he  attained 
such  schooling  as  afforded  him  a  practical  preparation  for  life,  and 
remained  at  home  working  on  the  farm  and  other  occupations,  until  the 
time  he  was  thirty-one  years  of  age.  During  his  youth  he  had  acquired 
the  trade  of  a  carpenter,  and  when  he  began  life  on  his  own  account,  it 
was  as  a  carpenter  contractor,  a  business  which  he  followed  for  about 
twenty  yeare,  with  considerable  success.  It  was  on  retiring  from  that 
occupation  that  he  entered  the  hardware  business  at  Lucerne,  where  he 
has  since  been  a  prosperous  merchant.  He  bought  out  the  present  estab- 
lishment, and  as  already  noted,  has  more  than  doubled  the  business  in 
the  years  in  which  he  has  been  engaged  in  same.  His  family  attend 
the  Catholic  church,  St.  Elizabeth's,  in  Harrison  township. 

LuYE  J.  Claby.  Both  industry  and  enterprise  are  required  in  the 
development  of  a  first  class  farm  from  land  which  is  in  practically  its 
native  state.  Mr.  Clary,  of  Harrison  township,  has  been  characterized 
by  these  two  qualities,  and  though  still  a  young  man  he  has  succeeded 
beyond  the  ordinary,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  most  substantial  men 
of  his  vicinity. 

Mr.  Clary  was  born  in  Harrison  township,  September  22,  1877.  His 
grandfather  and  his  father  were  both  named  Isaac.  His  mother's  maiden 
name  was  Susan  Julian,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  Julian.  Mr.  Clary  had 
three  brothers  and  three  sisters,  whose  names  are  as  follows:  William; 
Arthur,  who  married  Blanche  Morrison ;  Harvey,  who  married  Mollie 
Tucker;  Ida,  who  married  Ervin  Hull;  Nellie,  who  married  Roy  Wol- 
ford;  and  Fern,  who  married  George  Bell. 

On  the  eighteenth  of  February,  1906,  Mr.  Clary  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Daisy  Wolford,  a  granddaughter  of  Abraham  and 
daughter  of  Phillip  Wolford.  Her  father  was  one  of  the  old  settlers 
of  Cass  county  and  the  name  Wolford  is  well  known  in  this  vicinity. 
The  brothers  and  the  one  sister  of  Mrs.  Clary  are  as  follows :  IMary, 
who  was  the  wife  of  Bert  Herd ;  George,  who  married  Cora  Clary ;  Owen, 
married  Hazel  Deck;  and  Rowell,  at  home  in  Harrison  township.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Clary  are  the  parents  of  one  daughter,  Esther,  who  was  born 
November  17,  1906.     After  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clary  lived 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  943 

for  some  time  in  Fulton  county,  where  they  were  farmers  for  four  years 
and  in  that  time  did  a  great  deal  to  establish  a  firm  foundation  for  their 
subsequent  prosperity.  Mr.  Clary  had  forty  acres  in  that  vicinity  and 
during  his  residence  there  rebuilt  the  house,  put  in  a  cellar  and  also 
constructed  a  silo  and  many  other  minor  improvements  about  the  estate. 
From  there  he  and  his  wife  moved  to  the  present  farm  in  Harrison  town- 
ship, Cass  county,  where  he  owns  eighty  acres  in  the  homestead,  besides 
^ty-one  and  one-half  acres  situated  about  half  a  mile  from  here.  The  land, 
when  he  took  hold  of  it,  had  no  improvements,  and  he  has  built  a  good 
house  and  put  the  entire  place  in  condition  for  profitable  agriculture. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clary  are  members  of  the  Christian  church,  and  in  polities 
he  is  independent.  The  pretty  homestead  of  Mr.  and  I\Irs.  Clary  is  known 
as  "The  Sunny  Side  Farm." 

Richard  Winn.  Among  the  foreign  born  citizens  of  Cass  county 
who  have  contributed  their  full  quota  to  the  best  development  and 
advancement  of  this  district,  the  name  of  Richard  Winn  stands  well  to 
the  forefront,  and  it  is  wholly  consistent  with  the  spirit  and  letter  of  a 
work  of  this  order  that  more  or  less  extended  mention  be  made  of  his 
life  and  deeds  on  the  pages  of  this  historical  and  biogi-aphical  record. 
Richard  Winn  has  for  many  years  figured  prominently  in  the  agi'icultural 
activities  of  Harrison  township,  this  county,  and  of  late  years  has  con- 
cerned himself  to  a  large  extent  with  mercantile  lines,  although  his  inter- 
est has  not  been  of  an  active  nature.  He  has  served  in  numerous  public 
offices  of  prominence  and  has  been  prominent  in  church  work  for  many 
years.  He  is  now  practically  retired  from  all  business  activities,  and 
his  winters  are  spent  in  the  warmth  and  sunshine  of  Florida. 

Born  in  Yorkshire,  England,  on  August  3,  1836,  Richard  Winn  is 
the  son  of  Richard  and  Alice  (Batty)  AVinn,  and  the  grandson  of  William 
Winn,  a  farmer  in  England.  Richard  and  Alice  Winn  were  the  parents 
of  a  goodly  family  of  eight  children,  named  in  the  order  of  their  birth 
as  follows:  William,  Richard,  Edmund,  Thomas,  Agnes,  Isabelle  M., 
Thomas  B.  and  Leonard  W. 

In  Harrison  township  Richard  AVinn,  Sr.,  with  his  family,  settled 
down  in  the  resumption  of  farm  life,  further  devoting  himself  to  the 
business  of  cattle  raising,  in  which  he  achieved  a  worthy  success,  his 
operations  being  more  than  usually  extensive.  He  found  that  his  entire 
time  was  absorbed  by  his  own  affairs,  and  thus  never  saw  the  day  when 
he  felt  free  to  dip  into  political  or  municipal  affairs.  He  was  sixty-nine 
years  old  when  he  diecl  in  August,  1875,  honored  and  esteemed  by  all 
who  knew  him. 

Richard  Winn,  Jr.,  was  twenty-four  years  old  when  he  married  and 
settled  down  on  the  home  farm,  on  which  he  lived  and  prospered  for 
many  successful  years.  His  farm,  comprising  five  hundred  acres,  was 
one  of  the  finest  in  the  county,  and  yielded  abundantly  to  his  skilful 
manipulation.  He  later  interested  himself  in  the  grain  business  at 
Lucerne,  securing  a  half  interest  in  a  grain  elevator  at  that  place,  and 
continued  to  be  thus -identified  for  many  years,  also  becoming  connected 
with  certain  other  mercantile  enterprises,  all  of  which  brought  him 
bountiful  returns,  although  his  interest  was  always  that  of  the  silent 
partner,  he  never  having  connected  himself  actively  with  their  operation. 


944  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Success  always  attended  his  efforts,  and  his  identification  with  a  business 
venture  ever  seemed  sufficient  to  insure  its  practical  success. 

On  August  23, 1860,  Mr.  Winn  married  Miss  Isabelle  Herd,  the  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Agnes  (Stainton)  Herd,  who,  like  the  Winns,  were  also 
natives  of  England,  Yorkshire  being  their  ancestral  home.  Mrs.  Winn 
was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Agnes  (Stainton)  Herd,  and  there  were 
nine  children  in  their  family,  five  sons  and  four  daughters,  and  there  are 
five  living :  Mrs.  Richard  Winn ;  Thomas,  a  retired  resident  of  Gas  City, 
Indiana,  and  married ;  William,  a  retired  resident  of  city  of  Logansport ; 
George,  an  agriculturist  of  Harrison  township ;  and  Elizabeth,  widow  of 
Peter  Castle,  a  resident  of  Logansport,  Indiana. 

The  children  of  Richard  and  Isabelle  (Herd)  Winn  are  named 
as  follows :  Agnes,  the  eldest,  married  Edward  Morrison,  and  they  have 
two  children,  Blanch  and  Mary.  John  was  accidentally  killed  some 
three  years  ago ;  he  had  married  Mavy  J.  Hall,  who  with  their  four  chil- 
dren yet  survive  him,  they  being  named,  Maurice,  Paul,  Chester  and 
Harold,  last  deceased;  Mary  Ellen,  the  third  born  child  of  her  parents, 
married  James  Stevens  and  they  have  four  children,  JMyrle,  Ethel, 
James  IMonroe,  and  Florence ;  Alice  died  at  the  age  of  five  years ; 
Thomas  died  when  three  years  old ;  Charles  Emmett  married  Edith 
Myers,  and  they  have  five  children.  Earl,  Dott,  Mildred,  Victor,  and 
Irene;  Harry  married  Violet  McCoy,  and  they  had  two  children,  Wiley 
and  Ruth,  deceased ;  James  married  Catherine  Wyand,  and  tfieir  only 
child  died  in  infancy.  Florence,  wife  of  W.  A.  Brown,  has  eight  chil- 
dren, Ralph,  George,  Carl,  Mabel,  Elmer,  Russell,  Harold  and  Horace. 
Edna,  the  youngest  born  of  the  family,  is  married  to  Ervan  S.  Grove. 

Mr.  AVinn  has  been  more  or  less  prominent  in  municipal  affairs  dur- 
ing his  career,  and  has  held  a  number  of  important  offices  in  the  service 
of  his  town  and  county.  He  served  two  terms  as  county  commissioner, 
was  trustee  of  his  township  for  a  number  of  terms  and  has  held  other 
similiar  offices.  He  has  long  been  active  in  the  Zion  church  and  is  at 
present,  and  has  been  for  some  years,  one  of  its  trustees.  It  is  some 
years  since  Mr.  Winn  has  been  active  in  business,  having  retired  to  enjoy 
the  fruits  of  his  labors  extending  through  several  decades  of  useful  and 
valuable  citizenship.  He  has  long  enjoyed  the  high  esteem  and  regard 
of  his  fellow  townspeople,  and  is  known  for  one  of  the  most  valuable 
men  of  the  community,  and  an  example  of  a  high  order  of  citizenship 
which  the  present  and  coming  generations  can  not  do  better  than  to 
emulate. 

WiLLARD  Winn.  The  president  of  the  Bank  at  Lucerne,  also  the 
owner  of  a  Harrison  township  farm  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres, 
is  one  of  the  native  sons  of  this  township,  and  represents  a  family,  which 
has  been  identified  with  the  development  of  this  part  of  Cass  county  for 
more  than  sixty-five  years.  The  Winn  family  came  here  when  most  of 
the  country  was  in  the  wilderness,  before  any  railroads  were  built,  and  by 
their  own  labors  they  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  the  substantial 
development  and  improvement  of  this  part  of  Indiana. 

Willard  Winn  was  born  in  Harrison  township  on  March  2,  1866.  His 
father,  William  Winu,  was  for  many  years  a  well  known  citizen  of  the 
township,  and  passed  away  in  1908.     The  mother,  whose  maiden  name 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  945 

was  Susan  Michael,  was  a  daughter  of  Peter  Michael,  whose  original 
home  was  in  Virginia,  from  which  state  the  Michael  family  came  to 
Indiana.  Richard  Winn,  the  grandfather  of  Willard  was  a  native  of 
England,  and  in  1847  came  to  America  and  settled  his  family  on  a  farm 
in  Harrison  township,  Cass  county.  The  place  had  already  undergone 
considerable  improvement,  since  it  had  a  three  room  brick  house,  which 
at  the  time  was  considered  one  of  the  most  substantial  residences  in  this 
section,  but  nearly  all  of  the  land  was  covered  with  dense  timber,  and  it 
was  many  years  before  the  arduous  labor  of  the  members  of  the  family 
succeeded  in  getting  all  of  the  land  ready  for  cultivation.  It  was  in 
that  old  brick  homestead  and  on  that  farm  that  William  Winn,  the 
father,  was  reared,  and  after  attaining  his  majority  he  started  out  for 
himself,  and  during  his  long  lifetime  won  a  commendable  degree  of 
prosperity. 

Willard  Winn  had  three  brothers,  whose  names  were  Albert,  Edmond 
and  Gilbert.  In  November,  1886,  Mr.  Willard  Winn  married  Miss  Peggy 
Burton,  a  daughter  of  Levi  and  Ann  (Eglin)  Burton.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Winn  are  well  known  in  social  circles  of  Harrison  township,  and  possess 
a  very  attractive  and  beautiful  homestead.  The  two  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  land,  comprising  the  farm  are  among  the  best  in  the  township. 
Mr.  Winn  began  his  career  by  attending  the  district  schools,  and  with 
the  advantages  of  only  such  an  education  and  largely  upon  his  own 
resources,  he  has  acquired  a  position  where  his  influence  counts  for  much 
in  this  part  of  Cass  county.  He  is  a  breeder  of  fine  registered  stock, 
such  as  The  Short  Horn  Cattle,  Shropshire  Sheep  and  blooded  Barred 
Plymouth  Rock  chickens,  and  he  is  also  a  producer  of  "The  Winn's 
Improved  Reid's  Yellow  Dent  Seed  Corn."  The  estate  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Winn  is  known  as  "The  Indian  Creek  Stock  Farm,"  located  about  ten 
miles  from  city. 

Jacob  W.  Clary.  Beginning  life  in  a  log  cabin  in  Harrison  town- 
ship and  reared  amid  conditions  which  might  truly  be  called  of  pioneer 
character,  Mr.  Jacob  Clary  has  now  for  more  than  forty  years  been  one 
of  the  prospering  farmers  of  this  county,  and  has  acquired  many  evi- 
dences of  his  thrift  and  business  ability,  as  also  the  thorough  esteem  and 
respect  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

Jacob  W.  Clary,  who  was  a  son  of  Isaac  N.  and  Rebecca  (Remley) 
Clary,  concerning  whom  further  details  appear  in  other  biographies  in 
this  work,  was  born  in  Harrison  township,  Cass  county,  December  14, 
1848.  At  the  time  of  his  birth,  the  family  habitation  was  a  log  house 
and  he  was  old  enough  to  witness  some  of  the  first  trains  which  ran  over 
the  first  railroad  in  this  county,  and  has  been  a  witness  of  nearly  every 
other  subsequent  development  of  importance  in  this  part  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Clary  was  married  on  the  fourteenth  of  November,  1869.  to  Miss 
Eliza  Rush,  a  daughter  of  David  and  Lavina  (Julian)  Rush.  Mrs. 
Clary,  after  more  than  thirty  years  of  happy  married  life,  passed  away 
on  March  29,  1901.  She  was  born  December  14,  1853,  and  was  forty- 
seven  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her  death.  Her  remains  now  rest  in 
Harrison  township.  The  ten  children  of  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Clary  were  named 
as  follows :  Lonzo,  who  married  Nellie  Wilson ;  William,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  two  years ;  John,  who  married  Anna  Conn ;  Minnie,  who  married 


946  HISTORY   OF    CASS  COUNTY 

Bert  Helkert ;  Rene,  who  married  James  Lamostros ;  Charles,  who  mar- 
ried Cora  Thomas;  Bertha,  who  married  John  Cummins;  Cora,  who 
married  George  Wolford ;  Hanford,  who  married  Jessie  Day ;  and  LeRoy 
who  is  unmarried  and  resides  at  home.  Mr.  Clary  moved  to  his  farm  in 
Harrison  township,  near  Lucerne,  in  1872.  It  was  then  unimproved 
with  buildings,  and  everything  in  this  nature  has  been  the  result  of  his 
own  labors  and  management.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  two  hundred  acres, 
some  of  the  best  land  in  the  northern  part  of  Cass  county,  and  his  busi- 
ness-like methods  of  cultivation  have  resulted  in  a  substantial  prosperity 
for  himself  and  family.  The  first  house  on  his  farm  was  a  small  two- 
room  structure,  situated  in  the  woods,  and  it  was  in  that  little  cabin  that 
he  and  his  wife  resided  for  six  years,  and  some  of  the  children  already 
mentioned  were  born  in  this  place.  His  father  had  given  him  eighty  acres 
at  the  beginning  of  his  career  and  it  was  from  this  nucleus^  that  he  built 
up  his  present  estate,  consisting  of  almost  three  times  as  much  in  quantity 
and  many  times  more  in  value  than  what  he  started  with.  Mr.  Clary 
also  owns  several  houses  in  the  town  of  Lucerne.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Presbyatrian  church,  and  fraternally  is  affiliated  with  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  in  Lucerne.  In  politics  he  is  now  a  Democrat. 
I\Ir.  Clary  married  February  20,  1913,  Mrs.  Mabel  Mummert,  and  they 
reside  in  the  village  of  Lucerne,  Indiana. 

Joshua  Tucker.  For  a  period  of  about  forty  years,  Mr.  Joshua 
Tucker  has  been  one  of  the  progressive  farmers  of  Harrison  township. 
He  has  spent  practically  all  of  his  life  in  this  vicinity,  which  is  the  loca- 
tion of  the  original  settlement  of  this  family  in  this  county  more  than 
eighty  years  ago.  No  name  is  better  known  in  that  part  of  Cass  county 
than  Tucker,  and  few  have  with  such  credit  to  themselves  and  value 
to  the  community  carried  on  their  burden  and  life  work  during  all 
these  years  of  residence. 

Joshua  Tucker  was  born  on  a  farm  just  a  mile  north  of  his  present 
homestead  in  Harrison  township,  on  the  thirty -first  of  ]\Iarch,  1850.  His 
father's  name  was  Abraham  and  that  of  his  grandfather  Michner.  The 
maiden  name  of  his  mother  was  Margaret  Witters,  who  was  a  daughter 
of  David  Witters.  The  grandfather  came  from  Lafayette  to  Cass  county 
about  1832,  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  who  secured  his  land  from 
the  government.  He  cleared  up  a  large  tract,  and  his  descendants  still 
possess  a  considerable  part  of  the  land  which  he  obtained  direct  from 
the  government.  The  grandfather  is  buried  in  Noble  township,  and  the 
father  rests  in  Zion  cemetery  at  Harrison  township. 

On  September  28,  1873,  Joshua  Tucker  married  Miss  Barbara  Bailey, 
a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Catherine  (Mogle)  Bailey.  The  children  in  the 
family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tucker  are  as  follows:  Harry  A.  born  July  7, 
1874 ;  William  W.  born  September  24,  1876 ;  Charles  M.  born  December 
28.  1879 ;  Walter  J.  born  July  12,  1883 ;  Arthur  T.  born  November  20, 
1888 ;  Elmer  R.  born  May  17,  1893,  and  Russell  L.  born  April  25,  1896. 

Soon  after  their  marriage,  in  1873,  Mr.  Tucker  and  his  wife  moved  to 
their  present  farm,  where  he  is  the  owner  of  ninety-two  and  a  half  acres. 
This  place,  when  he  first  took  possession  nearly  forty  years  ago,  was  very 
little  improved,  and  had  poor  buildings,  and  was  not  yet  developed  to  a 
point  of  highly  profitable  cultivation.     Since  then  Mr.  Tucker  has  not 


-^ 


'-^ 


^/5 


7^^c^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  947 

only  developed  the  land  and  the  possibilities  of  the  soil  as  a  means  of 
producing  wealth,  but  has  also  made  many  improvements  which  increase 
the  comforts  of  the  place  as  a  home,  and  now  enjoys  one  of  the  best  rural 
homes  in  the  northern  part  of  Cass  county.  During  his  youth  in  this 
county,  Mr.  Tucker  had  to  walk  a  mile  to  school,  and  the  term  lasted  for 
only  about  four  and  a  half  months  out  of  the  year.  He  thus  came  to 
know  many  of  the  deficiencies  and  difficulties  of  life  in  the  early  years 
of  this  county,  and  is  in  a  position  to  realize  and  to  appreciate  the  modern 
advantages.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and 
in  politics  he  is  a  Progressive.  He  is  also  affiliated  with  the  Knights  of 
the  Maccabees. 

Captain  Daniel  H.  Mull,  one  of  the  most  highly  respected  citizens 
of  Logansport,  died  at  his  home  in  this  city  on  January  12,  1903.  After 
earning  his  rank  and  title  by  gallant  service  in  the  Civil  war,  he  was  for 
nearly  forty  years  identified  with  the  commercial  life  of  Logansport,  and 
his  loss  was  not  only  a  personal  one,  but  also  left  a  gap  to  be  filled  in 
the  business  world.  Of  a  genial  and  generous  disposition,  he  made 
friends  wherever  he  was,  and  his  undoubted  ability  and  capacity  for 
hard  work  made  him  a  valuable  man  in  the  world  of  business  and  in 
the  civic  community.  His  father,  Daniel  Mull,  was  a  German  and  his 
mother.  Miss  Anna  Sites,  of  Irish  descent,  both  of  North  Carolina;  soon 
after  their  marriage  they  settled  in  Indiana.  The  late  Captain  Mull 
was  born  December  27,  1821,  at  Spencer,  Owen  county,  Indiana,  being 
in  his  eighty-third  year  when  death  came  to  him.  His  trade  was  cabinet- 
maker, and  carpenter,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  he  helped  to 
build  the  original  Methodist  church  on  Eighth  and  Broadway  in  Logans- 
port. In  the  family  were  two  other  sons  and  three  sisters,  and  John 
Mull  of  Spencer,  Indiana,  was  the  last  to  pass  away  of  that  generation 
of  the  family. 

Daniel  Hart  Mull  obtained  a  common  school  education  in  Owen 
county,  and  was  a  young  man  when  he  came  to  Cass  county,  being  un- 
accompanied by  any  other  members  of  the  family  but  had  a  sister  (i\Irs. 
Richard  Hensley)  living  here,  with  whom  he  made  his  home  until  his 
marriage.  He  enlisted  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  and  rose  to  the 
rank  of  captain  of  Company  H  in  the  Seventy-Third  Indiana  Infantry. 

He  was  taken  prisoner  May  3,  1863,  and  twenty-three  months  of  his 
military  experience  were  passed  in  Libby  Prison.  On  the  close  of  the 
war  he  engaged  in  the  retail  shoe  business,  and  for  many  years  was  a 
leading  member  of  the  firm  of  D.  H.  Mull  &  Company,  and  also  of  the 
firm  of  J.  B.  Winters  &  Company.  The  late  Captain  Mull  was  a  stanch 
Republican  in  polities,  but  never  occupied  official  position.  His  fraternal 
affiliations  were  with  Tipton  Lodge  of  the  Masonic  order,  and  with  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

On  ]\Iay  28,  1846,  Captain  Mull  married  Sarah  Simpson  Jones,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  Jones,  who  at  one  time  served  as  sheriff  of  Cass  county. 
Mrs.  Mull  died  on  July  30,  1904.  Of  their  five  daughters,  two  survive, 
namely:  Mrs.  Anna  R.  Clark  of  Indianapolis  and  Miss  Fannie  Mull  of 
this  city.  The  attractive  homestead  at  801  North  street  in  Logansport 
was  built  by  Captain  Mull  more  than  sixty  years  ago  and  is  a  landmark 
in  the  residence  district  and  the  center  of  many  kindly  memories  and 


948  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

associations  for  the  family.  Captain  Mull  and  family  in  early  years 
worshiped  at  the  Methodist  church,  and  his  body  now  rests  in  ]\It.  Hope 
Cemetery. 

Dr.  John  J.  Burton.  A  career  of  honorable  and  useful  activity, 
largely  devoted  to  the  service  of  his  fellow-men,  has  been  that  of  Dr. 
John  J.  Burton,  in  Harrison  township.  Dr.  Burton  is  now  one  of  the 
oldest  physicians  in  point  of  years  of  practice  in  his  section  of  Cass 
county,  and  he  is  one  of  the  best  examples  of  that  ideal  type  of  the 
countrj^  doctor. 

Dr.  John  J.  Burton  was  born  in  Harrison  township  on  the  twenty- 
third  of  March,  1850.  The  family  have  been  residents  in  this  section  since 
pioneer  days,  and  as  farmers  and  public  spirited  citizens,  have  always 
done  their  part  in  the  community.  The  doctor's  parents  were  John  and 
Susan  (Sagaser)  Burton,  the  latter  a  daughter  of  Henry  Sagaser.  Dr. 
Burton's  father  was  born  in  1816,  and  died  in  1868,  while  his  mother 
was  born  in  1815,  and  died  in  1876.  The  father  was  a  native  of  York- 
shire, England,  and  was  about  two  years  of  age  when  his  family  crossed 
the  ocean,  and  settled  in  northern  Indiana.  The  doctor's  mother  was  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  and  the  five  daughters  and  three  sons  who  com- 
prised the  family  of  which  the  doctor  is  a  member  were  named  as  follows : 
Sarah  Jane,  who  married  John  ]\Iorphet ;  Amanda,  who  married  Peter 
Montgomery;  Elizabeth  and  Emma,  who  died  in  infancy;  Elizabeth,  who 
married  Richard  Brown ;  Leonard  R.,  whose  first  wife  was  Emma  Baker, 
and  whose  second  wife  was  Lena  Batty ;  John  J.,  the  doctor,  whose  mar- 
riage is  mentioned  in  the  following  paragraph;  and  William  L.,  whose 
first  wife  was  Priscilla  Murry,  and  who  married  second,  Jane  Conn. 

Dr.  John  J.  Burton,  when  a  boy,  attended  the  district  schools  near  the 
farm  on  which  he  was  raised.  Subsequently  he  studied  in  the  high 
school  at  Logansport,  and  when  his  ambition  has  been  set  upon  the  study 
of  medicine,  and  the  privileges  afforded  him  for  preparation,  he  entered 
a  medical  college  at  Cincinnati,  where  he  continued  his  studies  until 
graduation,  with  his  medical  degree  May  9,  1876.  On  returning  from 
college,  he  began  his  practice  in  the  vicinity  of  his  old  home,  and  has 
built  up  his  patronage  in  the  vicinity  of  people  who  have  known  him  all 
his  life,  and  who  thoroughly  esteem  him  for  his  ability  and  integrity  of 
character.  There  is  now  only  one  physician  practicing  in  this  county, 
who  was  here  at  the  time  he  began  his  practice.  Dr.  Burton  has  never 
held  any  office,  though  he  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  his  family  are 
membei-s  of  the  Christian  church.  He  was  married  June  21,  1877,  to 
Miss  Mary  B.  Lumbirt,  a  daughter  of  Hiram  and  Maria  (Anderson) 
Lumbirt.    The  doctor  and  wife  have  no  children. 

Rev.  Joseph  Todd.  For  many  years  a  minister  in  the  service  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  but  since  1904  engaged  in  the  merchandise  business 
in  a  general  way,  Rev.  Joseph  Todd  has  seen  life  from  the  viewpoint  of 
the  clergyman  and  the  business  man,  and  in  these  widely  separated  fields 
of  activity  has  met  with  experiences  that  have  rounded  out  his  mentality 
and  his  entire  nature  in  a  most  inclusive  manner.  As  postmaster  for 
nine  years  in  Lucerne,  appointed  by  President  Roosevelt,  he  has  seen 
something  of  service  in  the  civil  service  department,  and  his  fraternal 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  949 

relations  in  the  popular  organizations  of  the  country  have  given  him  an 
acquaintance  with  men  that  he  would  never  acquire,  either  in  his  churchly 
or  business  relations  with  fellows. 

Joseph  Todd  was  born  in  Home  county,  Ohio,  on  June  23,  1861,  and 
is  the  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Moorehead)  Todd.  The  father  was  the 
son  of  another  William  Todd,  and  the  mother  was  the  daughter  of  James 
Moorehead.  The  father  of  the  subject  was  a  farmer  in  Home  county, 
who  died  in  1889,  but  the  mother  yet  lives.  As  a  boy,  Joseph  Todd  had 
the  advantages  of  the  schools  of  the  community  wherein  he  made  his 
home,  which  schooling  was  later  supplemented  by  four  years'  study 
in  college  in  Wooster  University  in  Ohio.  He  succeeded  in  preparing 
himself  for  the  ministry,  and  served  in  his  ministerial  capacity  in  his 
native  state,  also  in  White  county,  Indiana.  He  preached  three  years  in 
the  Presbyterian  church  in  Lucerne,  that  service  completing  fourteen 
years  of  work  in  his  ministerial  capacity.  In  1904  he  returned  to  Lucerne, 
and  since  has  here  been  engaged  in  the  general  merchandise  business, 
in  which  he  has  realized  a  substantial  success.  He  has  served  as  post- 
master of  the  place  for  nine  years,  but  beyond  that  has  held  no  other 
office  of  a  public  nature. 

Fraternally  ]\Ir.  Todd  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellow 
societies,  and  has  considerable  prominence  in  both  orders. 

On  September  29,  1893,  Mr.  Todd  married  Miss  Cora  Baker,  the 
daughter  of  William  P.  Baker  and  his  wife,  who  was  Lydia  Needham  in 
her  maiden  days.  Six  children  were  born  to  them:  Orville  W.  was 
born  on  December  31,  1896 ;  Mildred  A.,  born  June  13,  1898 ;  Louis  I., 
born  July  22,  1900 ;  Forrest  E.  and  Edna  Fay,  twins,  were  born  on  Octo- 
ber 27,  1907 ;  and  Thelma  M.  The  family  has  made  its  home 
in  Cass  county  since  April  1,  1892,  moving  hence  from  White  county, 
this  state,  and  prior  to  that  time  had  resided  in  the  state  of  Ohio,  where 
Mr.  Todd  and  his  wife  were  born.  Both  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Todd  were  the 
children  of  fathers  who  fought  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union,  the 
senior  Todd  having  served  throughout  the  war  in  the  One  Hundred  and 
Sixty-sixth  Ohio  Infantry,  while  Mr.  Baker  served  in  the  Eighty-seventh 
Indiana. 

No  family  in  Lticerne  enjoys  a  wider  circle  of  friends  than  does  the 
Todd  house,  and  they  are  accounted  among  the  more  substantial  people 
of  the  community. 

Clayton  C.  Campbell,  ^L  D.  Perhaps  it  is  true  that  each  individual 
is  born  with  oiae  natural  gift,  but  not  every  one  seeks  to  discover  it,  or, 
finding  it,  has  the  opportunity  to  nurture  or  develop  it.  History  and 
biography  prove,  however,  that  many  of  the  most  brilliant  professional 
men  of  our  land  have  felt  this  natural  bent  from  youth — in  the  direction 
of  law,  medicine,  the  church  or  literature,  and,  with  enthusiasm,  con- 
trolled by  circumstances,  have  sought  advancement  along  this  line.  Not 
so  many,  perhaps,  have  reached  the  cherished  goal  in  their  most  recep- 
tive years,  some,  indeed  not  until  middle  life,  but  here  and  there  are 
found  those  who,  at  the  open  door  of  manhood,  find  also  the  door  open 
to  their  chosen  field  of  effort.  Respectful  attention,  in  this  connection, 
is  called  to  Dr.  Clayton  C.  Campbell,  of  Walton,  Indiana,  whose  persist- 
ent devotion  to  the  self-imposed  duties  of  his  profession  have  gained  him 


950  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

a  position  among  the  medical  practitioners  of  his  section  that  might  be 
envied  by  many  men  a  number  of  years  his  senior.  Dr.  Campbell  was 
born  August  14,  1879,  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  Rome  and 
Jennie  (Disher)  Campbell.  There  were  four  children  in  the  family: 
Clayton  C. ;  Mrs.  Isa  Lairy ;  Mrs.  Ethel  McNeely ;  and  Leonard,  who  is 
a  civil  engineer  of  Cambridge,  Ohio. 

Clayton  C.  Campbell  received  his  early  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  Eldorado,  Ohio,  and  was  still  a  lad  when  his  father  died,  at 
which  time  the  little  family  moved  to  Indianapolis,  the  courageous  mother 
making  it  possible  to  keep  her  children  about  her  by  establishing  herself 
in  business  as  a  milliner.  In  that  city  young  Campbell  accepted  odd  jobs 
at  whatever  honorable  employment  presented  itself,  carefully  saving  his 
money  in  the  meanwhile,  as  he  already  had  intentions  of  entering,  if 
possible,  upon  a  professional  career.  Finally  he  was  able  to  enter  the 
drug  business,  and  after  seven  years  spent  therein  had  enough  capital 
to  pay  for  his  first  year's  tuition  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons, Indianapolis,  following  which  he  took  special  courses  on  diseases 
of  the  eye  with  Dr.  G.  S.  Row,  of  Indianapolis.  He  entered  medical 
college  in  1900  and  graduated  therefrom  in  1904.  He  was  president  of 
the  college  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  and  was  interested  in 
all  branches  of  its  work,  and  when  he  entered  the  Deaconess  Hospital 
was  the  first  man  of  his  college  to  become  connected  with  that  hospital. 
Thus  thoroughly  prepared,  Dr.  Campbell  entered  upon  the  practice  of 
his  profession  in  Indianapolis,  but  one  year  later  went  to  Harrodsburg, 
Monroe  county,  and  after  two  years  in  that  town  came  to  Walton,  which 
has  since  been  his  field  of  endeavor.  He  is  now  in  the  enjoyment  of  a 
large  and  representative  practice,  and  his  success  in  a  number  of  com- 
plicated cases  has  served  to  establish  him  firmly  in  the  confidence-  of  the 
people  of  his  community. 

In  1904  Dr.  Campbell  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  I.  Garvin,  of  Cam- 
bridge, Ohio,  and  to  this  union  there  were  born  three  children :  Clayton 
C,  Jr. ;  Elizabeth,  who  died  when  three  years  of  age ;  and  Flora  A.  Dr. 
Campbell  is  prominent  fraternally.  He  is  a  past  master  of  the  Masonic 
Lodge  No.  723,  Walton,  and  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the 
I.  0.  0.  F.,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  the  Red  Men.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  County  District  and  State  Medical  Societies. 
The  family  has  always  been  prominent  in  the  work  of  the  Lutheran 
church,  in  which  Dr.  Campbell  is  serving  as  deacon.  He  has  been  act- 
ively interested  in  everything  pertaining  to  the  upbuilding  of  Walton. 

Ambrose  Elliott.  A  family  which  has  been  represented  in  Harri- 
son township  and  Cass  county  for  the  greater  period  of  its  history  is 
that  of  Elliott,  represented  by  Mr.  Ambrose  Elliott  of  Harrison  town- 
ship, where  he  is  one  of  the  most  prosperous  and  progressive  farmers. 

Ambrose  Elliott  was  born  in  Montgomery  county,  Indiana,  February 
9,  1840.  His  parents  were  Joseph  and  Martha  (Lincoln)  Elliott.  Both 
of  them  came  to  Cass  county  at  an  early  date.  The  father,  who  was  of 
English  descent,  was  for  many  years  a  substantial  citizen  and  gave  his 
family  the  best  advantages  procurable  at  the  time,  and  under  the  con- 
ditions of  life  as  it  was  then  lived  in  this  section  of  Indiana.  Mr. 
Ambrose  Elliott  was  married,  after  growing  into  manhood  in  this  county, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  951 

to  Miss  Agnes  Winn,  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Alice  (Battie)  Winn, 
After  their  marriage  IMr.  and  Mrs.  Elliott  located  upon  a  farm  in  Har- 
rison townsliip  which  contained  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  acres,  and 
which  had  been  bought  by  his  father.  About  forty  acres  of  this  land 
was  cleared  and  a  large  part  of  the  labor,  during  his  early  years  as  a 
farmer,  was  spent  in  clearing  off  the  land  and  increasing  the  quality  of 
cultivable  soil.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elliott  became  the  parents  of  five  children 
whose  names  are  as  follows:  Harvey,  born  December  6,  1867,  married 
Susie  Lovett,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  two  children,  Floyd  and 
Earl;  Ida,  the  second  child,  born  March  16,  1871,  became  the  wife  of 
Isaac  Wilson  and  was  the  mother  of  four  children,  Ethel,  Edna,  and 
Roy  still  living,  while  Harvey  died  at  the  age  of  two  years;  Wilbert, 
born  December  4,  1874,  married  Myrtle  McCaughy,  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  two  children,  Lottie  and  Margaret ;  Elmer,  born  September 
10,  1877,  married,  for  his  first  wife.  Viva  Mahaffy,  and  for  his  second 
wife,  Grace  Burkell ;  Albert,  the  youngest  of  the  family,  was  born  March 
30,  1880,  and  married  Effie  Brown,  by  whom  he  has  two  children,  Forrest 
and  Maud.  For  several  years  now,  Mr.  Elliott  has  lived  retired,  his 
earlier  career  having  been  prosperous  to  a  high  degree  and  giving  him 
a  competence  with  which  he  can  enjoy  his  remaining  years  in  leisure. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  membership  in  the  Methodist  church, 

Benjamin  Franklin  Stuart.  Though  now  a  resident  of  Carroll 
county,  Mr.  Stuart  had  all  his  early  associations  with  Cass  county,  and 
his  family  were  identified  with  this  county  from  1856.  He  has  had  an 
active  career,  and  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  in  old  Cass. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Stuart  was  born  in  Floyd  county,  Indiana,  July 
26,  1852,  and  is  of  Scotch  descent  on  his  father's  side,  and  English  on  his 
mother's.  Robert  F.  Stuart,  his  father,  was  born  near  Natchez,  Missis- 
sippi, in  1818.  When  thirteen  years  old  he  came  to  Floyd  county,  Indiana. 
He  married  Susan  Atkins,  who  was  born  in  Floyd  county  in  1830, 
Neither  of  the  parents  had  many  advantages  in  the  way  of  schooling,  but 
were  practical  and  substantial  people,  and  did  well  for  their  family. 
They  came  to  Cass  county  in  1856,  locating  two  and  a  half  miles  west 
of  Royal  Center,  in  Boone  township.  While  the  father  lived  on  a  farm,  he 
spent  most  of  the  time  working  at  the  cooper's  trade.  He  was  the 
first  man  to  operate  a  cooper  shop  in  Royal  Center  and  shipped  the  first 
load  of  barrels  from  that  place  to  Chicago.  In  politics  he  was  a  Whig, 
an  Abolitionist  and  Republican.  He  voted  and  supported  the  Repub- 
lican ticket  from  1856  till  the  time  of  his  death.  He  never  held  any 
office  and  exercised  his  influence  on  civic  affairs  as  a  private  citizen. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  his  death  occurred 
on  his  farm  in  1875.  Benjamin  F.  Stuart  had  five  brothers  and  two 
half-sisters  and  one  half-brother,  namely :  Carolina,  born  in  1845 ;  Maria, 
born  in  1847;  Stephen  G.,  in  1849;  Thomas  J.,  in  1854;  Robert  A.,  in 
1858 ;  John  M.,  born  in  1860  and  died  in  1875 ;  Warren  E.,  bom  in  1863 ; 
Charles  H.,  born  in  1867,  and  died  in  the  same  year. 

Benjamin  Franklin  Stuart,  as  a  boy,  attended  school  at  the  Burr  Oak 
schoolhouse  in  Boone  township,  and  the  Herman  school  in  Jefferson 
township.  Later  he  was  in  the  graded  school  at  Burnettsville,  and  the 
State  Normal  school.     For  forty  years  Mr.  Stuart  has  been  interested 


952  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

in  and  connected  with  tlie  pnblic  school  system,  as  student,  teacher,  and 
as  patron.  He  was  four  years  old  when  the  family  came  to  Cass  county, 
and  many  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  Boone  and  Jetferson  townships, 
but  at  the  present  time  he  has  his  home  on  a  fann  in  Carroll  county. 
For  eight  terms  he  taught  country  school,  and  is  still  remembered  by 
many  of  his  old  pupils.  Later  he  took  up  farming  as  a  regular  occupa- 
tion, and  has  done  quite  a  business  as  a  dealer  in  live  stock  and  as  an 
auctioneer.  His  only  noteworthy  connection  with  public  affairs  to  be 
mentioned  was  as  trustee  for  the  Seceder  Cemetery  Association,  and 
outside  of  this  has  been  content  to  exert  his  influence  outside  the  medium 
of  any  public  office.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  has  been  an  admirer  of 
the  careers  and  personalities  of  Blaine,  Harrison  and  Taft. 

On  June  2,  1880,  Mr.  Stuart  married  Miss  Mary  I.  Love  at  Idaville, 
the  minister  performing  the  ceremony  having  been  Rev.  Gilbert  Small. 
Mrs.  Stuart's  parents  were  William  and  Deborah  Love,  who  were  sub- 
stantial farming  people,  and  for  fifty-eight  years  lived  on  one  farm, 
located  two  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Burnettsville.  The  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stuart  are  mentioned  as  follows :  Lucretia,  born  in  August, 
1881,  and  died  February,  1893;  William,  born  May,  1883,  died  July, 
1883 ;  Robert  F.,  born  June,  1884,  now  a  student  at  Purdue  University ; 
Pearl  A.,  born  June  18,  1887,  a  graduate  in  music,  and  formerly  a  teacher 
of  that  art,  and  now  the  wife  of  Larry  Guthrie,  a  farmer  in  Carroll 
county;  Mary  Love,  born  October,  1891,  a  former  student  of  the  State 
Normal  school,  and  now  engaged  in  teaching;  John  M.,  born  August  18, 
1894,  now  in  the  fourth  year  in  the  Burnettsville  high  school;  Mason 
W.,  bom  September,  1896,  and  in  the  third  year  in  the  Burnettsville 
high  school. 

Mr.  Stuart  and  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  faith.  Wliat 
Mr.  Stuart  regards  as  the  best  remembered  and  most  eventful  day  in 
his  life,  contains  incidents  which  are  of  interest  beyond  their  individual 
associations  with  his  own  career.  He  looks  back  to  a  day  in  the  early 
history  of  Logansport,  in  the  month  of  October,  1860,  a  day  of  great 
festivity,  when  Cassius  M.  Clay  was  the  principal  orator  of  the  occasion. 
Young  Stuart  was  then  eight  years  old,  just  at  the  time  when  impres- 
sions are  deepest,  and  the  memory  will  persist  throughout  life.  He  then 
saw  for  the  first  time  the  flag  of  the  country,  and  heard  the  fife  and 
drum  and  the  "wide-awakes"  marching  to  the  music.  He  also  heard 
the  roar  of  cannons  for  the  first  time.  Then  it  was  that  he  looked  upon 
the  dashing  waters  of  the  Wabash  and  the  Eel  rivers,  and  viewed  the 
long  covered  bridges  which  existed  at  that  time.  He  saw  a  grist  mill — 
the  forest  mill,  and  marveled  at  the  canal  and  its  boats,  and  the  old 
aqueduct  and  escaping  waters.  All  those  things  were  Hvonderful  to  the 
boy  of  eight  years,  and  all  of  them  are  pictures  of  a  past-time  in  Logans- 
port  and  recall  some  of  the  institutions  which  were  once  an  intimate  part 
of  life  and  activity  in  this  county. 

Claude  C.  Bishop.  A  representative  of  one  of  the  old  families  of 
Cass  county  which  since  early  days  has  been  prominently  connected 
with  the  commercial  development  and  substantial  progress  of  this  sec- 
tion of  the  state,  Claude  C.  Bishop  is  now  worthily  sustaining  the  high 
reputation  of  the  family  by  his  honorable  connection  with  the  mer- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  953 

can  tile  interests  of  Logansport.  He  was  born  at  Walton,  Cass  county, 
June  13,  1869,  a  son  of  George  W.  and  Sarah  (Corbly)  Bishop.  His 
father,  a  native  of  Tiffin,  Ohio,  is  a  carpenter  by  trade,  but  for  the 
greater  part  of  his  active  career  has  been  engaged  in  mercantile  pur- 
suits, and  at  this  time  is  residing  at  Walton,  Indiana,  where  he  is  widely 
and  favorably  known  among  business  men. 

Claude  C.  Bishop  was  reared  at  Walton,  and  primarily  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  that  place.  Subsequently  this  was  supplemented 
by  attendance  at  the  National  Normal  School,  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  at  the 
age  of  nineteen  years,  and  in  1890  he  was  graduated  from  the  scientific 
course  of  that  institution.  From  this  date  for  three  years  he  and  his 
brother,  George  W.  Bishop,  Jr.,  conducted  a  store  at  Walton,  which  had 
been  founded  by  their  father,  but  in  1893  he  decided  to  take  up  the 
study  of  law,  and  accordingly  entered  the  legal  department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan,  at  Ann  Arbor.  He  was  graduated  therefrom  in 
1895,  and  immediately  thereafter  came  to  Logansport  and  established 
himself  in  practice,  but  in  1897  returned  to  Walton  and  again  took  up 
merchandising.  In  1906  he  again  came  to  Logansport,  and  with  his 
brother  bought  the  elevator  formerly  belonging  to  the  Johnson  Elevator 
Company.  This  the  brothers  conducted  until  May,  1911,  when  George 
W.  Bishop,  Jr.,  retired  from  the  firm,  and  Mr.  C.  C.  Bishop  has  since 
been  the  sole  proprietor.  In  addition  to  running  this  elevator  in  a 
successful  manner,  Mr.  Bishop  has  dealt  in  coal,  flour,  feed  and  tiling. 
By  his  honorable  and  upright  business  methods,  he  has  gained  and  main- 
tained an  enviable  reputation,  and  among  his  business  associates  he  is 
regarded  as  a  shrewd,  far-sighted  man,  whose  judgment  may  be  relied 
upon  in  matters  of  importance.  In  politics  a  Republican,  he  has  been 
active  in  the  support  of  his  party's  principles  and  candidates,  and  in 
1912  was  the  candidate  for  the  office  of  representative  to  the  State  Legis- 
lature. Fraternally,  Mr.  Bishop  is  connected  with  the  Masonic  order 
and  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  His  career  has  proven 
that  true  success  in  life  may  be  attained  through  the  medium  of  personal 
effort  and  consecutive  industry,  and  that  the  road  to  success  is  open  to 
all  young  men  who  have  the  courage  to  tread  its  pathway,  keeping  ever 
in  mind  the  rights  of  others. 

On  April  7,  1892,  Mr.  Bishop  was  married  in  Walton,  Indiana,  to 
Miss  Lulu  Minnick,  of  that  city,  daughter  of  Justus  Minnick.  Three 
children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  namely :  Ralph  H.,  John  H.  and 
Helen  M.  Both  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Bishop  have  many  friends  in  Logansport, 
and  are  well  known  in  social  circles. 

]\IosES  L.  Plitmmer.  Practically  all  his  life  a  resident  of  Cass 
county,  Moses  L.  Plummer  gave  the  active  yeare  of  his  career  to  the 
farming  industry  in  this  section  of  the  state,  and  it  may  be  said  in  all 
sincerity  and  truth  that  few  men  in  Cass  county  held  a  higher  place  in 
public  confidence  and  esteem  than  did  I\Ir.  Plummer  when  he  died.  His 
life  was  characterized  by  the  highest  integrity  and  usefulness,  and  it  is 
to  such  men  as  he  that  the  splendid  reputation  which  the  county  bears 
for  stability,  progressiveness  and  prosperity,  is  in  a  great  measure  due. 

When  the  late  Moses  L.  Plummer  was  a  lad  of  eight  years  his  parents 
came  to  Cass  county  and  settled  in  its  fertile  farming  district.     Here 


954  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

he  was  reared,  and  here  he  lived  continuously  until  death  called  him 
January  1,  1871. 

Born  on  August  2,  1825,  in  Fayette  county,  Indiana,  he  was  the  son 
of  John  and  Nancy  (Ladd)  Plummer.  The  father  was  born  on  the  6th 
day  of  September,  1772,  in  North  Carolina.  In  1800  he  located  in  Vir- 
ginia, moving  thence  to  Georgia,  where  he  was  married  in  June,  1810. 
In  the  following  year  he  came  to  Ohio,  and  in  1814  moved  into  Fayette 
county,  Indiana,  remaining  there  busy  in  the  farming  industry  until 
the  year  1833,  when  he  came  to  Cass  county.  Here  he  purchased  a 
goodly  farm,  secured  his  patent  rights  from  the  government,  the  place 
being  situated  in  section  16,  in  Clay  township,  and  kno\vn  down  to  the 
present  day  as  the  old  Plummer  homestead  in  Cass  county.  He  died  at 
his  home  there  on  July  4,  1855,  when  he  had  reached  the  fine  old  age 
of  eighty-three  years,  and  his  widow  followed  him  on  July  7,  1859.  They 
were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  as  follows:  Noble,  Mary  A.,  Thomas, 
Elihu,  Elizabeth,  John,  Nancy  and  IMoses,  the  latter  named  being  the 
subject  of  this  review. 

As  has  already  been  mentioned,  Moses  Plummer  was  a  boy  of  eight 
when  he  first  saw  Cass  county.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
and  gave  the  usual  amount  of  his  time  to  the  work  of  the  farm  home 
that  the  average  country  youth  contributed  to  such  employment.  When 
he  discontinued  school  the  young  man  remained  at  home  and  gave  dili- 
gent and  faithfv;l  service  at  the  family  homestead,  and  when  he  mar- 
ried on  December  22,  1884,  he  left  home  and  rented  a  place,  it  being 
his  intention  to  establish  an  independent  home.  He  was  very  successful 
in  his  farming  enteiprise,  and  though  he  rented  for  the  first  few  years, 
he  eventually  secured  a  place  of  his  own  and  gained  a  position  of  prom- 
inence and  undeniable  influence  in  the  county  as  a  farmer  of  means 
and  intelligence. 

Mr.  Plummer  married  Miss  Catherine  Yohea,  December  22,  1854, 
the  daughter  of  Henry  and  Lydia  (Ault)  Yohea,  who  came  from  Wash- 
ington county,  Pennsylvania,  many  years  ago  and  located  in  Ohio.  They 
later  moved  to  Fulton  coiuity,  where  ]\Irs.  Plummer  was  reared.  Six 
children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  i\Irs.  Plummer.  The  eldest,  Elihu,  mar- 
ried Caroline  Sullivan,  and  they  have  two  children — Charles  W.  and 
George  A.  Plummer ;  Emma  is  married  to  William  O.  Thomas,  and 
they  have  three  children  living  and  one  dead — Alvan  M.,  Bessie  and 
Owen,  and  Otho  ]\I.,  deceased;  ]\Iary  married  George  J.  Nichols,  who  is 
now  deceased,  and  they  have  one  living  son — Kedar  J. ;  John  L.  lives 
at  home  on  the  old  homestead;  and  Etta,  the  next  to  youngest  of  the 
family,  shares  the  old  home  with  him,  John  having  been  born  on  the  old 
Plummer  place.  The  family  received  their  schooling  in  the  schools  at 
Onward,  and  are  living  lives  of  usefulness  in  the  communities  where 
they  are  established  in  homes  of  their  own,  all  bearing  the  same  high 
reputation  that  characterized  the  life  of  their  deceased  father  in  the 
many  years  that  he  passed  in  Cass  county  as  an  active  participant  in  the 
industrial  affairs  of  the  district. 

Mrs.  Plummer  and  her  children  have  two  old  parcliment  deeds,  one 
executed  Jime  25,  1841,  and  signed  by  President  John  Tyler,  the  other 
dated  April  1,  1848,  and  signed  by  President  James  K.  Polk.  This 
makes  the  third  deed  of  the  kind  found  in  Cass  county,  and  are  valu- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  955 

able  heirlooms  in  the  Plummer  family.  The  son  John  has  his  great- 
grandfather's will,  dated  October  26,  1805,  and  in  the  deed  he  willed 
three  negroes,  valued  as  follows:  one  at  $2,500,  one  $2,000  and  one  at 
$1,800.     This  deed  was  executed  in  Florida. 

The  Plummer  family  each  year  has  a  family  reunion  and  herewith 
is  presented  a  protrait  of  the  reunion  of  the  family  at  Spencer  Park,  Lo- 
gansport,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  in  1912.  The  pretty  homestead  is 
known  as  "Wood  Lawn"  in  Tipton  township. 

Philip  Voorhees  first  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  in  1889,  here 
identifying  himself  with  the  lumber  industry  of  the  place.  Since  that 
time  he  has  made  continued  progress  in  his  business,  and  has 
added  a  planing  mill,  in  addition  to  which  he  has  engaged  in  the  handling 
of  hardware,  cement  and  lime.  His  success  has  been  of  a  solid  growth, 
each  year  marked  by  a  significant  advance  in  his  fortunes,  and  he  is 
today  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  the  city.  Born  in  Coshocton 
county,  Ohio,  on  April  16,  1857,  Philip  Voorhees  is  the  son  of  Stephen 
and  Eliza  Ann  (Heishman)  Voorhees. 

Stephen  Voorhees  moved  from  Coshocton,  Ohio,  with  his  family  to 
Carroll  county,  Indiana,  locating  southwest  of  Delphi,  and  there  en- 
gaged in  farming.  He  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  and  in  the  winter  he  occu- 
pied himself  in  that  manner,  giving  up  his  summers  to  active  farming. 
The  first  winter  that  Mr.  Voorhees  was  in  that  community  he  worked 
in  the  woods,  hauling  his  cordwood  to  Delphi,  where  he  disposed  of  it. 
The  following  summer  he  rented  a  field  and  planted  ten  acres  of  it  to 
corn.  In  the  autumn,  while  he  was  engaged  in  making  barrels,  before  he 
thought  the  corn  ready  for  the  harvest,  the  owner-  of  the  field  appeared 
on  the  scene,  harvested  the  ten  acres  of  corn,  husked  it  and  made  off, 
thus  beating  Mr.  Voorhees  out  of  his  season's  work.  This  experience, 
however,  was  not  sufficient  to  daunt  the  courage  of  the  man,  and  he 
located  a  farm,  which  he  operated  in  summers  and  applied  himself 
to  coopering  in  the  winter  seasons.  He  passed  the  remainder  of  his 
life  in  Carroll  county,  and  carried  on  his  daily  work  until  the  infirmities 
attendant  upon  advancing  age  made  it  impossible  to  longer  keep  up  his 
activities.  Although  he  was  a  renter  for  a  number  of  years,  good  man- 
agement and  economy  made  it  possible  in  time  for  him  to  secure  a  farm 
of  his  own,  and  when  he  died  he  left  a  competency  to  his  widow.  He 
died  in  1903,  aged  seventy-three,  and  she  survived  him  until  1909,  and 
was  eighty-two  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her  passing.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  IMethodist  Episcopal  church  and  was  a  devout  and  much 
loved  woman.  These  parents  had  a  family  of  fifteen  children.  The  first 
born  and  the  last  two  died  in  infancy,  six  sons  and  six  daughters  yet 
surviving. 

When  Philip  Voorhees  was  two  years  old  he  came  with  his  parents 
«  from  Ohio  to  Carroll  county,  Indiana.  He  was  the  youngest  of  the 
family  at  that  time.  As  a  boy  at  home  he  shared  in  the  work  of  the  farm, 
early  learned  something  of  the  cooper's  trade,  and  when  he  was  nine 
years  old  made  a  creditable  barrel,  much  to  the  pride  of  his  father.  He 
attended  the  district  schools  and  remained  in  the  home  until  he  reached 
man 's  estate.  When  he  was  seventeen  years  old  he  began  working  at  the 
carpenter's  trade  and  he  continued  in  that  work  until  1889,  when  he  en- 


956  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

gaged  in  the  saw  mill  and  lumber  business  at  Flora,  Carroll  county, 
Indiana.  In  1897  he  came  to  Logansport  and  straightway  identified  him- 
self with  the  lumber  business.  He  operated  saw  and  planing  mills  for 
some  time,  and  was  afterwards  at  Flora,  and  eventually  worked  into  the 
handling  of  hardware,  cement,  lime  and  builders'  supplies.  He  is  also 
interested  in  a  cream  separator  factory  at  Lebanon,  Indiana,  known  as 
the  "Dairy  Queen  Separator  Company,"  and  he  is  the  president  of  the 
company,  which  was  organized  in  1911.  He  is  the  owner  of  several  hun- 
dred acres  in  Dakota,  in  Jefferson  county,  Indiana,  and  in  Lafayette 
county,  Arkansas.  He  is  now  engaged  in  those  various  lines  of  enter- 
prise, and  is  enjoying  a  pleasing  success  in  the  business  world  of  Logans- 
port.  One  son,  Arthur  V.,  has  a  one-fourth  interest  in  the  business  with 
Mr.  Voorhees. 

On  March  27,  1885,  Mr.  Voorhees  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Flora  Baer,  of  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  and  Arthur  W.,  previously  men- 
tioned, is  their  only  living  child,  one  other  having  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Voorhees  are  members  of  the  Christian  church,  and  Mr. 
Voorhees  supports  the  platform  of  the  Prohibitionist  party.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Order  of  Ben  Hur. 

Benjamin  F.  Louthain.  More  than  thirty-tive  years  ago  Benjamin 
F.  Louthain  first  attached  himself  to  the  Logansport  Pharos,  and  since 
1877  he  has  been  the  chief  editorial  writer  on  its  staff.  That  he  has 
borne  an  emphatic  part  in  the  moulding  of  sentiment  in  Cass  county 
along  lines  of  public  interest  and  civic  development  is  undeniably  true, 
and  it  is  a  truth  patent  to  all  that  the  influence  of  such  a  man  as  he  has 
ever  proven  himself  to  be  could  only  be  for  the  best  good  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  his  opinions  and  utterances  hold  sway. 

A  native  son  of  Cass  county,  Benjamin  F.  Louthain  was  born  on  the 
farm  of  his  father,  a  short  distance  from  the  then  village  of  Logansport, 
in  the  year  1847.  His  parents,  William  Preston  and  Elizabeth  (McGrew) 
Louthain,  were  pioneers  of  the  AVabash  valley,  and  their  son  was  reared 
in  pronounced  primitive  fashion,  as  might  be  expected  in  consideration 
of  the  period  and  station  of  the  family.  It  is  significant  of  the  boy  that 
he  was  always  a  student,  and  his  tastes  in  that  line  were  early  demon- 
strated by  his  buying  a  Uliited  States  history  with  the  first  money  he 
ever  earned.  Diligent  effort  made  it  possible  for  him  to  enter  the  high 
school  at  Logansport  when  he  was  seventeen,  and  it  was  but  a  short  time 
from  then  that  he  began  work  as  a  teacher.  He  was  soon  made  principal 
of  the  school  in  Walton,  Indiana,  in  which  position  he  was  especially 
successful.  It  was  in  about  1875  that  he  began  to  take  a  lively  interest 
in  the  activities  of  the  Democratic  party,  and  in  that  year  he  was  ap- 
•  pointed  deputy  sheriff  of  Cass  county,  in  which  position  he  acquitted 
himself  in  a  most  creditable  manner.  He  was  particularly  active  in  the 
campaigns  of  his  party  in  the  year  of  1882,  1884,  1892,  1894  and  1896,  in 
those  years  serving  as  chairman  of  the  Democratic  county  central  com- 
mittee, and  has  since  held  the  same  position  in  the  party.  In  1890  he 
served  as  a  member  of  the  Democratic  state  central  committee,  and  his 
public  services  also  include  membership  on  the  board  of  trustees  of  the 
State  normal  school  at  Terre  Haute. 

The  Logansport  Pharos  has  long  been  recognized  as  the  able  exponent 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  957 

of  the  principles  of  the  Democratic  party,  and  it  has  in  Mr.  Louthain  one 
of  its  stanehest  advocates. 

Mr.  Louthain  has  always  given  a  deal  of  thought  to  the  public  school 
system  of  education,  and  has  been  the  friend  of  advanced  methods  and 
more  efficient  service  throughout.  He  has  given  valuable  service  to  the 
city  as  a  member  of  the  school  board,  and  for  four  years  was  postmaster 
of  the  city. 

On  May  4,  1881,  Mr.  Louthain  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mrs. 
Matilda  M.  Emslie,  of  Logansport. 

George  W.  Walters.  Displaying  energy  and  resource,  and  measur- 
ing up  to  the  standards  and  requirements  of  his  profession,  George  W. 
Walters,  of  Logansport,  has  attained  to  an  enviable  place  at  the  Cass 
county  bar,  and  is  well  deserving  of  mention  among  those  who  have 
added  to  his  adopted  city's  professional  prestige.  Losing  his  mother 
when  he  was  an  infant,  his  life  from  earliest  boyhood  has  been  passed 
practically  among  strangers,  but  his  commendable  perseverance  has  won 
him  recognition  as  an  attorney,  and  his  admirable  personal  qualities  of 
character  have  drawn  about  him  a  wide  circle  of  appreciative  friends. 
Mr.  Walters  was  born  in  Boone  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  July  19, 
1862,  and  is  the  one  survivor  of  the  two  children  born  to  Jacob  and 
Emily  (Washburn)  AValters.  His  father,  in  early  life  a  farmer,  and  later 
justice  of  the  peace  in  Boone  township,  is  now  deceased,  while  his  mother, 
as  before  stated,  died  when  he  was  an  infant. 

George  W.  Walters  was  reared  in  the  village  of  Royal  Centre,  where 
he  secured  his  education  during  the  winter  terms,  while  his  summers 
were  spent  in  working  at  whatever  honorable  employment  presented 
itself.  Ambitious  and  industrious,  he  seized  every  opportunity  that  came 
within  his  reach  to  gain  an  education,  and  when  only  sixteen  years  of  age 
had  qualified  to  teach  school,  in  which  vocation  he  continued  for  eight 
years,  at  intervals.  For  four  years  he  was  superintendent  of  the  Royal 
Centre  schools,  but  in  1883  gave  up  teaching  to  enter  the  National  Normal 
University,  of  Lebanon,  Ohio,  being  graduated  from  the  scientific  course 
thereof  in  1884.  Four  years  later,  Mr.  Walters  came  to  Logansport  and 
took  up  the  study  of  law  in  the  offices  of  McConnell  &  LlcConnell,  and  in 
the  following  year  became  an  employe  of  the  United  States  government 
at  Washington,  D.  C,  as  a  special  agent  of  the  labor  department.  In 
1893  he  returned  to  Logansport  and  entered  upon  the  active  practice  of 
his  profession,  which  he  has  continued  to  follow  to  the  present  time. 
In  1903  and  again  in  1905  he  was  elected  prosecuting  attorney  of  the 
twenty-ninth  judicial  district,  serving,  in  all,  four  years,  and  during  this 
time  displayed  high  abilities  as  a  public  executive.  Mr.  Walters  has 
accomplished  the  task  of  the  translation  of  the  aspiring  boy  to  the  full- 
fledged  lawyer  with  an  acknowledged  position  at  the  bar.  His  early 
years  were  a  period  of  struggle,  of  privation,  of  incessant  labor  with 
head  and  hands,  but  never  with  lessening  of  purpose,  rather  with  eye 
firmly  fixed  on  the  goal,  each  obstruction  in  the  way  an  incentive  to  in- 
creased endeavor  and  greater  energy.  Such  a  career  should  carry  its 
own  lesson,  and  prove  inspiring  to  the  youth  of  today  who  consider 
themselves  handicapped  by  lack  of  funds  and  influential  friends.  For- 
merly a  Republican,  Mr.  Walters  in  1912  transferred  his  allegiance  to 


958  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

the  new  progressive  movement  that  resulted  in  the  birth  of  the  so-called 
"Bull  Moose"  party.  His  fraternal  connections  are  with  the  Masons, 
the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  the  Knights  of 
Pythias. 

In  1886  Mr.  Walters  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Lillian  Barron, 
and  they  have  two  daughters:  Edna  and  ]\Iildred.  They  attend  the 
Broadway  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  in  which  they  have  many  sincere 
friends. 

Dr.  Adelbert  Lee  Palmer  in  the  nine  years  of  his  identification 
with  the  medical  profession  in  Logansport  has  come  to  be  one  of  the 
best  knowTi  and  most  successful  practitioners  in  the  city  or  county. 
His  advance  has  been  constant  and  his  rise  in  the  public  favor  has  seen 
a  healthy  growth  since  he  established  himself  in  practice  in  Logansport 
after  he  received  his  M.  D.  degree  from  Rush  Medical  College  at  Chi- 
cago, and  once  more  has  it  been  demonstrated  that  a  man  need  not  cut 
himself  off  from  his  native  community  in  order  to  experience  success  in 
his  chosen  field  of  activity,  the  old  aphorism  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing. 

Born  in  Washington  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  on  September 
27,  1878,  Dr.  Palmer  is  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Best)  Palmer.  John 
Palmer  is  a  native  Ohioan,  born  near  Ironton,  that  state,  of  Scotch-Irish 
ancestry.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  first  came  to  Cass  county  in  1852  in  com- 
pany with  his  parents,  settling  on  a  farm  in  Clinton  township,  but  after 
a  short  time  the  family  moved  to  Logansport,  thence  to  Washington 
township,  where  he  has  since  resided,  thirty-five  years  representing  the 
time  he  has  spent  on  the  place  he  made  his  own  in  that  locality.  In  1870 
he  married  Mary  Best,  whose  people  were  Pennsylvanians,  and  they  be- 
came the  parents  of  three  sons,  Charles  Quincy,  George  Harrison  and 
Adelbert  Lee.  The  mother  died  on  July  20,  1910.  Mr.  Palmer  has 
served  in  varied  local  positions  of  trust  in  this  community,  and  is  known 
as  a  strong  Democrat  in  his  political  faith,  while  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity. 

Dr.  A.  L.  Palmer  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  located  three  miles 
south  of  Logansport,  on  the  Kokomo  pike,  and  thus  his  acquaintance  with 
the  city  has  dated  from  his  earliest  boyhood.  He  attended  the  district 
schools  in  boyhood,  later  the  schools  in  Logansport,  and  in  September, 
1897,  he  entered  the  State  University  of  JMichigan  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  preliminary  instructions  in  the  study  of  medicine.  He  remained 
there  until  June,  1898,  then  matriculated  at  Rush  Medical  College  in 
Chicago,  and  in  1903  was  duly  graduated  from  that  institution  with  the 
degree  of  M.  D.  The  newly  fledged  doctor  straightway  turned  to  his 
home  community  and  there  established  himself  in  medical  practice,  and 
so  well  has  he  succeeded  that  he  has  never  considered  a  removal  to  other 
fields,  being  well  content  to  exercise  his  skill  in  the  city  which  has  known 
him  all  his  life,  and  which  has  not  been  slow  in  recognizing  his  talent. 

In  1905-6  Dr.  Palmer  was  secretary  of  the  city  board  of  health,  and 
in  the  latter  part  of  1909  and  in  1910  was  county  coroner  of  Cass  county, 
being  appointed  to  fill  an  unexpired  term.  In  both  these  offices  he  dis- 
charged the  duties  intrusted  to  him  admirably  and  to  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  all  concerned.    In  1910  he  was  elected  to  succeed  himself  in 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  959 

the  office  of  coroner,  his  re-election  following  in  1912.  Dr.  Palmer  is 
a  Democrat  in  polities,  and  his  fraternal  relations  are  centered  in  the 
Masonic  order,  in  which  he  has  membership  in  the  Knights  Templar  and 
the  Ancient  Arabic  Order  of  the  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  Cass  county  and  Indiana  state  medical  societies  and 
the  American  Medical  Association. 

On  June  28,  1906,  Dr.  Palmer  married  Miss  Daisy  Grace,  daughter 
of  "William  Grace,  of  Logansport. 

John  P.  Hetherington,  M.  D.,  has  been  established  in  practice  in 
Logansport  since  1890,  and  has  found  a  sure  place  in  the  esteem  of  the 
community  at  large  in  the  passing  years,  as  well  as  winning  a  high  posi- 
tion in  the  ranks  of  the  medical  profession  in  this  section  of  the  state. 
Born  in  Cicero,  Indiana,  on  February  15,  1869,  Dr.  Hetherington  is  the 
son  of  Dr.  Augustus  and  Catherine  (Teter)  Hetherington. 

The  Hetheringtons  spring  from  one  of  the  old  Scottish  clans  known 
to  history  in  Scotland  from  the  Middle  Ages.  The  American  ancestors  of 
the  doctor  came  to  America  in  the  late  half  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
settling  in  New  York.  The  father,  Augustus  S.  Hetherington,  was  a 
native  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  and  he  died  in  Hamilton  county,  this  state, 
when  his  son,  John  P.,  was  scarcely  more  than  an  infant.  The  widowed 
mother  later  wedded  Dr.  D.  L.  Overholder,  of  Logansport.  Dr.  Hether- 
ington died  in  1872,  when  he  was  but  forty-two  years  of  age. 

Until  he  was  five  years  old,  Cicero  represented  the  home  of  John  P. 
Hetherington,  after  which  he  went  to  Logansport,  where  he  remained 
until  he  was  about  fifteen.  He  was  a  student  in  the  schools  of  the  city 
during  those  years.  In  1887  he  began  reading  medicine  under  the  ad- 
vice and  instruction  of  Dr.  Melntyre  at  Unadilla,  Nebraska,  and  in  the 
following  year  matriculated  in  the  Eclectic  Medical  Institute  in  Cin- 
cinnati, from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1890,  with  the  highest  honors 
in  his  class.  Almost  immediately  the  young  doctor  established  himself  in 
practice  in  Logansport,  in  association  with  Dr.  J.  B.  Shultz,  with  whom 
he  continued  for  the  long  period  of  twenty-one  yeara.  Since  then  he  has 
conducted  an  independent  private  practice. 

Dr.  Hetherington  is  local  surgeon  for  the  railroads  and  the  inter- 
urban  roads  at  Logansport,  and  he  has  the  distinction  of  being  one  of  the 
first  doctors  in  this  community  to  introduce  the  X-ray  into  his  profes- 
sional work,  and  probably  the  first  to  own  a  heavy  X-ray  machine. 
•  "While  engaged  in  general  practice,  he  has  given  especial  attention  to 
surgery  and  has  won  a  considerable  local  prominence  in  that  branch  of 
his  work.  He  is  a  member  of  the  American  Medical  Association,  the 
county  and  state  medical  societies,  and  also  a  member  of  the  "Wabash  & 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  Surgical  Association.  In  a  fraternal  way  he  is 
affiliated  with  the  Masonic  order,  being  a  Knight  Templar  of  St.  John's 
Commandery,  and  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Broadway  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In  the  line  of 
public  service  Dr.  Hetherington  has  done  good  work  as  county  coroner 
of  Cass  county,  as  well  as  serving  on  the  city  council  at  one  time. 

Dr.  Hetherington  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Mary 
Lux,  who  was  a  past  grand  matron  of  the  Eastern  Star  of  Indiana.  She 
died  in  April,  1910.  The  doctor  later  married  Mrs.  Bertha  Miller,  of 
Muncie,  Indiana. 


960  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Michael  F.  Mahoney.  Undoubtedly  while  some  men  achieve  success 
along  certain  lines  and  in  certain  professions,  there  are  those  who  are 
born  to  them,  their  natural  leanings  and  marked  talents  pointing  unmis- 
takably to  the  career  in  which  they  subsequently  achieve  distinction. 
With  some  the  call  of  the  church  cannot  be  disobeyed;  to  others  the 
science  of  healing  appeals;  the  business  mart  or  the  political  arena  en- 
gages many,  while  there  are  still  others  who  early  see  in  their  visions  of 
the  future  their  achieving  in  the  law  and  the  summit  of  their  ambition. 
To  respond  to  this  call,  to  bend  every  energy  in  this  direction,  to  broaden 
and  deepen  every  possible  highway  of  knowledge  and  to  finally  enter 
upon  this  chosen  career  and  find  its  rewards  woi'th  while — that  has  been 
the  happy  experience  of  Michael  F.  Mahoney,  one  of  the  leading  attorneys 
of  the  Logansport  bar.  Mr.  Mahoney  was  born  at  Delphi,  Indiana,  De- 
cember 18,  1863,  one  of  the  eight  children,  six  now  living,  of  ]\Iichael  and 
Katherine  (Ryan)  Mahoney.  His  parents  were  natives  of  County  Lim- 
erick and  County  Cork,  Ireland,  respectively,  and  each  came  with  their 
parents  to  the  United  States,  locating  at  Delphi,  Indiana,  where  they 
were  married.  For  twenty-seven  years  Mr.  Mahoney,  Sr.,  was  in  the 
employ  of  A.  T.  Bowen,  the  old-time  banker  of  that  place.  In  1867  the 
family  moved  to  Washington  township,  Carroll  county,  and  there  Michael 
Mahoney  was  reared. 

Until  he  was  eighteen  yeai-s  of  age,  ]\Ir.  Mahoney  divided  his  time  be- 
tween work  on  the  home  farm  and  attendance  in  the  country  schools.  In 
1884  and  1885  he  attended  the  State  University  at  Bloomington,  and  in 
1886  and  1887  Georgetown  College,  Washington,  D.  C.  He  then  came  to 
Logansport,  and  in  April,  1887,  entered  the  law  office  of  Michael  D. 
Fansler,  then  prosecuting  attorney.  He  practiced  in  the  justice  and  city 
courts  until  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  by  examination,  and  immediately 
thereafter  became  Mr.  Fansler 's  assistant.  In  1888  he  became  assistant 
to  John  W.  McGreevy,  prosecuting  attorney,  and  served  as  such  four 
years.  In  1892  he  became  his  preceptor's  partner,  the  firm  being  known 
as  Fansler  &  Mahoney,  which  continued  uninterruptedly  until  Mr. 
Fansler 's  death  in  May,  1895.  In  November  of  that  year  Moses  B. 
Lairy,  present  appellate  judge,  retired  from  the  circuit  bench,  and  with 
him,  under  the  firm  style  of  Lairy  &  IMahoney,  Mr.  Mahoney  continued 
in  practice  until  January  1,  1911.  By  a  singular  coincidence  Judge  M. 
B.  Lairy  was  elected  appellate  judge,  defeating  Judge  J.  M.  Rabb,  who 
had  served  on  the  appellate  bench  for  four  yeai's,  and  Judge  Rabb,  on 
June  1,  1911,  became  Mr.  IMahoney 's  partner,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Rabb  &  Mahoney,  which  has  since  continued.  During  the  session  of  the 
legislature  of  1889,  Mr.  IMahoney  was  committee  clerk  in  the  house  of 
representatives ;  in  1894  he  was  countv  attorney,  and  also  held  that  office 
in  1896,  1897,  1898  and  1899 ;  in  1908  and  1909  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Logansport  school  board.  In  political  matters  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  in 
1888  was  secretary  of  the  Democratic  county  central  committee.  Ever 
since  being  admitted  to  the  bar,  by  reason  of  his  legal  associations,  Mr. 
Mahoney  has  been  connected  with  nearly  all  of  the  noted  criminal  cases 
in  the  judicial  circuit.  He  is  a  Roman  Catholic  in  religion,  and  belongs 
to  the  Sigma  Chi  college  fraternity. 

On  June  20,  1894,  ]\Ir.  Mahoney  was  married  to  Katherine  Farrell, 
and  they  have  two  children,  Madeline  and  Raymond. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  961 

David  Payson  Hurd.  Although  he  has  been  the  owner  of  his  pres- 
ent farm  on  the  Walton  and  Bunker  Hill  road  for  only  seven  years,  D. 
P.  Hurd  is  one  of  the  old  residents  of  this  part  of  Cass  county,  whence 
he  came  as  a  lad  of  seven  years.  His  subsequent  career  covers  a  period 
spent  in  the  grain  business  and  in  extensive  agricultural  operations,  and 
at  this  time  he  is  the  owner  of  an  eighty-acre  tract  two  miles  west  of 
"Walton.  In  all  of  his  operations,  ]\Ir.  Hurd  has  been  uniformly  success- 
ful, and  he  has  not  only  been  fortunate  in  a  material  way,  but  has  suc- 
ceeded also  in  firmly  establishing  himself  in  the  good  graces  of  all  with 
whom  he  has  had  transactions.  Mr.  Hurd  is  a  native  of  the  Prairie 
state,  born  April  12,  1861,  at  Lawn  Ridge,  Marshall  county,  Illinois. 
His  father,  a  native  of  Nashua,  New  Hampshire,  migrated  to  Illinois  in 
young  manhood,  and  was  there  married  and  settled  down  to  agricultural 
pursuits.  In  1868  he  came  to  Walton,  Indiana,  and  embarked  in  the 
sawmill  business,  in  whieli  he  continued  throughout  the  remainder  of 
his  life.  He  also  did  an  excellent  business  in  handling  grain,  and  was 
known  as  one  of  Walton's  substantial  business  citizens.  He  and  his 
wife  were  the  parents  of  six  children:  Walter,  deceased,  D.  P.,  Ma- 
tilda, Willard,  Lyra  and  Frank. 

D.  P.  Hurd  was  a  boy  of  seven  years  when  he  accompanied  his  par- 
ents to  Walton,  and  there  he  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools. 
In  the  meantime,  he  had  assisted  in  the  work  of  his  father's  mill,  gaining 
experience  that  had  proved  very  valuable  to  him  in  subsequent  years. 
He  was  ambitious  and  industrious,  and  when  he  had  thoroughly  mastered 
all  the  details  of  the  grain  business,  he  embarked  therein  on  his  own 
account  and  soon  built  up  a  thriving  trade.  Eventually,  however,  Mr. 
Hurd  decided  to  enter  agricultural  pursuits,  and  accordingly,  in  1906, 
he  purchased  his  present  handsome  property,  a  tract  of  eighty  acres 
which  he  has  brought  into  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  is  progress- 
ive himself,  and  believes  in  progressive  measures,  which  he  has  applied 
to  his  work  with  a  large  measure  of  success.  Experience  has  shown  him 
that  modern  ideas  and  methods  obtain  far  better  results  than  the  old  hit 
and  miss  style,  and  he  uses  the  latest  improved  machinery  in  his  work. 
His  buildings  are  large  and  substantial  and  the  entire  place  speaks  of 
the  presence  of  able  and  thrifty  management.         , 

On  April  13,  1882,  Mr.  Hurd  was  married  to  ]\Iiss  Mary  C.  Bowyer, 
who  died  not  long  thereafter.  On  November  26,  1885,  Mr.  Hurd  was 
married  (second)  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Schwalm,  and  they  became  the  par- 
ents of  the  following  children :  Lyra  IM.,  Jessie  H.,  Henry  N.,  George 
^I.,  David  O.  and  ]\Iabel.  Lyra  M.  received  her  diploma  in  public 
schools  and  spent  two  years  in  the  high  school  at  Logansport.  She  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-three.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church 
and  was  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school,  a  member  of  the  Ladies'  Aid 
and  Literary  club.  She  is  interred  in  the  Walton  cemetery,  where  a 
beautiful  stone  marks  her  grave.  Jessie  H.  received  her  diploma  in  the 
public  schools  and  she  graduated  from  the  Walton  high  school  in  1908. 
She  spent  one  term  in  Valparaiso  LTniversity  and  one  term  in  Earlham 
College.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church.  Henry  N.  received 
his  diploma  from  the  public  schools  and  graduated  from  the  Walton 
high  school  in  the  class  of  1912.  He  is  at  home  and  an  agriculturist. 
George  M.  received  his- diploma  from  the  public  schools  and  also  gi'adu- 


962  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

ated  from  the  Walton  high  school,  class  of  1913.  He  is  at  present  at 
Winona  College.  David  0.  finished  the  public  schools  and  received  his 
diploma.  Mabel  died  August  14,  1909.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hurd's  children 
have  all  received  the  benefits  of  good  education,  fitting  them  for  the 
higher  walks  of  life.  INIrs.  Hurd  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  born  April  9, 
1859,  and  was  educated  in  the  common  schools.  She  is  a  model  house- 
keeper and  her  home  is  her  paradise.  She  is  secretary  of  the  Ladies' 
Aid  Society.  With  his  family,  Mr.  Hurd  attends  the  Evangelical  Lu- 
theran church.  He  has  found  no  time  to  enter  polities  as  a  seeker  after 
personal  preferment,  but  in  him  good  government  and  good  citizenship 
have  always  found  a  stanch  friend  and  supporter,  as  do  movements 
tending  to  advance  the  cause  of  education,  morality  and  general  progress. 

I.  N.  Crawford.  A  Resident  of  Logansport  since  1869,  I.  N.  Crawford 
has  had  a  career  crowded  with  varied  experiences,  marked  by  ventures 
of  extent  and  importance,  characterized  at  all  times  by  the  strictest  in- 
tegrity and  adherence  to  honorable  business  methods,  and  stamped  with 
the  approval  of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  into  contact.  A  pioneer  of 
Indiana  in  various  lines  of  business  activity,  he  has  identified  himself 
with  diversified  enterprise,  in  all  of  which  he  has  met  with  uniform 
success,  and  today  he  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  foremost  of  his 
city's  commercial  geniuses.  Mr.  Crawford  was  born  February  17,  1843, 
at  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  a  member  of  the  family  of  five  sons  and  one 
daughter,  all  living,  born  to  James  and  Ann  Jane  (Creighton)  Crawford, 
farming  people  of  the  vicinity  of  Pittsburgh. 

I.  N.  Crawford  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits  and  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  locality  in  a  log  schoolhouse  with  punch- 
eons floor  and  with  the  cracks  filled  with  mud.  These  same  cracks 
afi'orded  the  scholars  much  pleasure  in  kicking  out  the  mud  to  get 
fresh  air.  Mr.  Crawford  believed  that  further  west  better  opportunities 
were  furnished  for  ambitious  and  energetic  young  men,  and  accordingly 
when  twenty-five  years  of  age  he  left  home.  For  some  time  he  traveled 
through  the  middle  West,  visiting  St.  Paul,  Chicago  and  other  points, 
but  eventually  decided  to  cast  his  fortunes  with  the  growing  town  of 
Logansport,  and  in  1869  embarked  in  a  lumber  business  at  Fifth  and 
North  streets.  Three  years  later  he  disposed  of  his  interests  to  his 
brother,  and  started  buying  and  shipping  lumber,  being  the  first  here 
to  ship  poplar  to  Boston.  In  1873  he  bought  an  interest  in  a  hardware 
store,  and  was  associated  with  T.  J.  Immel  for  two  years,  but  in  1875 
bought  I\Ir.  Inimel's  interest  and  ever  since  that  date  has  been  the  sole 
owner  of  this  establishment,  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  state.  Not  long 
thereafter  ]\Ir.  Crawford  secured  a  half  interest  in  a  stone  quarry  at 
Alton,  Illinois,  and  for  three  years  divided-  his  time  between  Alton  and 
Logansport,  but  eventually  traded  his  interest  in  the  quarry  for  a  steam- 
boat, with  which  he  carried  salt,  cotton  and  provisions  to  the  Cherokee, 
Choctaw  and  Creek  Indians,  having  previously  effected  a  contract  with 
these  tribes  for  that  purpose.  About  the  year  1886  he  embarked  in  saw- 
milling  on  the  St.  John's  river,  in  Florida,  becoming  the  pioneer  in  ship- 
ping cypress  shingles  to  the  East,  fiirnished  lumber  for  the  Ponce  de 
Leon,  Csnomica  and  Alcazar  hotels,  and  for  five  years  shipped  on  the 
high  seas,  his  product  going  to  the  Bermudas  and  eastern  port  cities  of 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  963 

the  United  States.  The  mill  burned  about  1891,  and  after  a  few  years 
spent  in  retirement,  recuperating  from  his  strenuous  labors,  Mr.  Craw- 
ford started  a  sawmilling  business  at  Dixon,  Kentucky.  There  he  con- 
tinued for  some  five  or  six  years,  and  while  located  at  that  point  secured 
the  contract  for  the  building  of  the  Bourbon  county  (Ky.)  court- 
house, a  deal  that  concerned  some  $250,000,  and  which  he  successfully 
completed.  After  a  few  years  Mr.  Crawford  turned  his  attention  to 
farming  at  West  Baden,  in  Orange  county,  Indiana,  but  in  September, 
1912,  disposed  of  this  land.  During  all  of  this  time  Mr.  Crawford  had 
continued  to  conduct  the  hardware  store  in  Logansport.  For  about 
fifteen  years  he  has  been  a  stockholder  and  director  in  the  City  National 
Bank,  of  which  he  is  vice  president,  and  at  this  time  acting  president. 
Mr.  Crawford  is  a  man  of  sound  judgment,  and  not  only  can  plan 
brilliant  business  enterprises,  but  has  the  business  ability  to  carry  them 
into  successful  operation.  His  career  has  been  governed  by  the  strictest 
regard  to  the  ethics  of  commercial  life  and  his  reputation  is  unassailable. 
In  addition  to  the  activities'  before  mentioned  Mr.  Crawford  is  the  pos- 
sessor of  an  excellent  military  record,  being  a  veteran  of  the  war  between 
the  states.  He  enlisted  in  1862  for  nine  months'  service  in  Company  H, 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-third  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, with  which  organization  he  participated  in  numerous  engage- 
ments, including  Second  Bull  Run,  South  Mountain,  Antietam,  Freder- 
icksburg and  Chaneellorsville.  He  was  never  absent  or  sick  a  day,  and 
received  his  honorable  discharge  at  Harrisburg  in  1863  by  reason  of  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  service.  He  is  a  valued  comrade  of  the  Grand 
Array  of  the  Republic.  In  political  matters  he  is  a  Republican,  but  has 
not  cared  for  public  life. 

In  1869  Mr.  Crawford  was  married  to  Miss  Isabel  J.  Ross,  of  Alle- 
gheny, Pennsylvania.  They  are  members  of  Broadway  Presbyterian 
church. 

Although  past  seventy  years  of  age  Mr.  Crawford  claims  that  he  can 
throw  more  dirt  off  of  his  feet  on  the  store  floor  than  many  of  the  young 
American  boys  of  the  present  generation. 

Joseph  S.  Craig,  who  died  in  Logansport  on  March  28,  1910,  was 
a  man  of  more  than  usual  force  of  character.  He  was  bom  in  Green- 
ville, Darke  county,  Ohio,  on  January  19,  1830,  and  was  a  son  of 
James  and  Matilda  (Quinn)  Craig.  By  the  time  he  was  eight  years  of 
age  both  his  parents  had  been  claimed  by  death  and  he  was  reared  to  early 
manhood  by  an  uncle,  J.  C.  Quinn.  When  he  was  sixteen  years  old  he 
began  life 's  battle  upon  his  own  responsibility,  and  in  June,  1849,  went 
to  Huntington,  Indiana,  where  he  married  Emily  Johnson.  He  moved 
to  LaGro,  Wabash  county,  where  his  three  children  were  born,  and  where 
Mrs.  Craig  died  in  1862.  In  the  following  year,  1863,  he  moved  to 
Wabash,  where  he  served  as  deputy  sheriff  for  the  county  until  his  en- 
listment in  Company  G,  Seventeenth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry.  He 
subsequently  helped  to  recruit  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirtieth  Indiana 
Volunteer  Infantry  and  mounted  to  the  rank  of  captain.  After  being 
honorably  discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  engaged  in  merchant 
tailoring  at  Wabash  until  1872,  when  he  came  to  Logansport,  and  this 
city  ever  afterwards  was  his  home.    Here  he  conducted  a  merchant  tailor- 


964  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

ing  establishment  successfully  and  profitably.  He  was  a  man  whose 
sterling  character  commended  him  to  his  fellow  men  at  all  times,  and  held 
the  esteem  and  confidence  of  all  who  knew  him.  He  joined  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows in  1856  and  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge 
of  Logansport,  and  a  Methodist  in  religion.  In  1866  he  remarried,  his 
second  wife  being  Minerva  Pickering. 

William  D.  Craig  is  the  only  living  child  of  his  parents,  Joseph  S. 
and  Emily  (Johnson)  Craig.  He  was  born  at  LaGro,  Indiana,  Septem- 
ber 4,  1856,  and  was  reared  at  Wabash,  where  he  acquired  his  early 
education  in  the  public  schools.  He  came  to  Logansport  in  1872,  and 
having  worked  for  his  father  in  the  merchant  tailoring  business,  he 
became  a  partner  in  the  business,  under  the  firm  name  of  J.  S. 
Craig  &  Son. 

In  1889  Mr.  Craig  disposed  of  his  interest  in  the  business  and  em- 
barked in  the  manufacture  of  overalls  under  the  name  of  the  Thomas 
Manufacturing  Company,  and  in  a  short  time  he  became  the  sole  owner 
of  the  business.  He  continued  in  the  manufacturing  of  overalls  until 
1907,  since  which  time  he  has  devoted  his  entire  time  to  the  manufacture 
and  jobbing  of  juvenile  suits.  It  is  probable  that  not  more  than  a  few 
people  in  Logansport  realize  that  the  business  conducted  by  Mr.  Craig 
in  this  line  is  one  of  the  largest  manufacturing  establishments  of  the 
city.  He  is  also  running  d  branch  factory  in  Tipton,  Indiana,  started  in 
May,  1913.  He  employs  as  many  as  one  hundred  people,  mostly  girls, 
and  does  an  annual  business  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  his 
product  being  marketed  in  almost  every  state  in  the  Union. 

Mr.  Craig  is  a  Republican,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Benevolent  and 
Protective  Order  of  Elks,  the  T.  P.  A.,  and  the  Country  Club.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  Deutsch  Verein. 

In  April,  1888,  Mr.  Craig  married  Miss  Frances  M.  Place,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Virginia  D.  Craig. 

John  E.  B^vbnes.  During  a  period  covering  more  than  a  half  cen- 
tury, John  E.  Barnes,  of  Logansport,  has  been  engaged  in  contracting 
and  building  in  Cass  county,  where  his  activities  have  left  a  distinct 
impress  upon  the  community  and  contributed  materially  to  its  progress 
and  development.  A  self-made  man  in  the  broadest  meaning  of  the  title, 
his  advancement  has  been  steady  and  continuous,  and  today  he  holds  an 
enviable  position  among  the  business  men  of  this  flourishing  Indiana  city. 
Mr.  Barnes  came  to  Cass  county  in  November,  1854,  with  his  parents, 
the  family  locating  in' Logansport.  His  father,  Thomas  Barnes,  was  a 
native  of  England,  where  he  married  Ann  Beame,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  twelve  children,  all  with  the  exception  of  one  being  born  in 
Great  Britain,  and  six  of  whom  still  survive.  Thomas  Barnes  was  a  stone- 
mason by  trade,  and  followed  that  vocation  and  contracting  throughout 
his  career.  For  one  year  after  coming  to  this  country  he  resided  in 
Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  his  death  occurred  in  Logansport  about  the 
year  1864. 

John  E.  Barnes  was  born  in  England,  September  8,  1841,  and  was 
thirteen  years  of  age  when  his  people  came  to  Logansport.  He  received 
only  a  limited  schooling  in  his  youth,  and  the  ample  education  which  he 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  965 

now  possesses  was  obtained  in  the  school  of  experience.  Even  before 
he  had  attained  his  majority,  he  began  his  career  as  a  contractor,  and 
this  occupation,  in  a  large  extent,  he  has  followed  throughout  life.  He 
was  for  eleven  years  in  partnership  with  John  Medland,  under  the  firm 
style  of  Medland  &  Barnes,  which  firm,  among  other  structures,  erected 
the  Cass  county  courthouse,  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  and  a  number 
of  business  blocks  and  school  buildings.  Since  closing  his  partnership 
with  Mr.  Medland,  Mr.  Barnes  has  had  his  sons  associated  with  him,  and 
they  have  erected  the  Logansport  public  library,  the  Logansport  high 
scliool  and  a  number  of  the  buildings  of  the  Culver  Military  Academy, 
and  also  rebuilt  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Barnes'  buildings  are 
monuments  to  his  skill  and  reliable  workmanship,  and  he  has  always 
been  known  as  a  man  of  the  highest  integrity,  who  has  at  all  times  lived 
strictly  up  to  the  letter  of  his  contracts.  A  Republican  in  his  political 
proclivities,  he  has  served  efficiently  as  a  member  of  the  city  council,  and 
as  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  waterworks. 

In  1864  Mr.  Barnes  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  J.  Bates,  and  they 
have  been  the  parents  of  eight  children,  of  whom  the  following  six  still 
survive:  Clara  A.,  who  married  George  W.  Funk;  Charles  H.,  W.  W. 
Curry,  James  I.,  and  Benjamin  F.  and  George  W.,  twins.  The  family 
is  connected  with  the  Universalist  church.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Barnes  is 
connected  with  the  Masons  and  Odd  Fellows,  is  president  of  the  Odd 
Fellows'  Hall  Association,  and  holds  the  position  of  secretary  of  the 
Odd  Fellows'  Hall  trustees.  He  is  also  president  of  the  Home  for  the 
Friendless,  a  position  to  which  he  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  occa- 
sioned by  the  death  of  former  President  Rice.  Since  the  winter  of  1854 
Mr.  Barnes  has  not  only  been  an  eye-witness  to  the  development  of  Cass 
county,  but  has  done  his  part  in  bringing  about  the  changes  which  have 
contributed  to  its  present  prosperous  condition.  As  one  of  its  leading 
and  public-spirited  citizens  he  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem,  and  his  many 
friends  testify  readily  to  his  personal  character  and  great  popularity. 

James  I.  Barnes.  No  record  of  the  successful  business  men  of  Cass 
county  would  be  complete  did  it  not  contain  a  sketch  of  the  career  of 
James  I.  Barnes,  whose  work  in  the  construction  of  many  of  Logans- 
port's  most  substantial  buildings  has  been  of  a  character  to  leave  its 
impress  on  the  city  for  many  years  to  come.  A  native  of  this  city, 
educated  in  its  public  schools  and  reared  in  the  business  in  which  he 
has  gained  such  high  reputation,  he  early  displayed  a  certain  progress- 
iveness,  a  marked  intuitiveness  and  a  prophetic  shrewdness  that  prom- 
ised a  subsequent  distinction  in  his  chosen  field  of  endeavor,  a  promise 
that  has  been  amply  fulfilled.  James  I.  Barnes  was  born  January  5. 
1872  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  John  E.  Barnes.  On  com- 
pleting his  public  school  education,  he  at  once  associated  himself  in 
business  with  his  father,  whose  partner  he  was  until  the  elder  man's 
retirement.  That  his  work  has  been  of  an  extensive  and  substantia] 
character  is  evidenced  by  the  list  of  large  enterprises  with  which  he  has 
been  connected,  among  his  contracts  being  the  following:  The  Haney 
residence,  the  AVestern  Motor  AVorks  building,  Rauth  packing  house, 
English  Lutheran  church,  Strecker  bakery  building,  IMaiben  laundry 
building.  Elks  temple.  Odd  Fellows  building,  Aldine  fiats,  all  in  Logans- 


966  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

port ;  Royal  Center  high  school  building,  James  Taylor  building  and 
electric  light  plant,  at  Royal  Center,  Ind. ;  the  Goodman  and  Harleeker 
buildings  at  Monticello,  Ind. ;  high  school  and  bank  building  at  Attica ; 
mess  hall  for  the  military  academy  at  Culver ;  a  church  building  at  Cen- 
tralia,  Illinois ;  township  high  school  building  at  Kinmundy,  Illinois ; 
high  school  buildings  at  Pennville.  Shelbyville  and  New  Salem,  Indiana; 
ward  school  building  at  Alliance,  Ohio ;  high  school  buildings  at  ^lilt'ord 
and  Sidney,  Ohio ;  Carnegie  Library  at  Gary,  Indiana,  and  high  school 
at  Pawnee,  Illinois.  All  of  this  work  has  been  accomplished  during  the 
past  five  years,  in  addition  to  which  ]\Ir.  Barnes  has  laid  stone  and 
gravel  roads  in  Cass  county,  Indiana,  to  the  extent  of  twenty-five  miles. 
In  August,  1899,  ]\Ir.  Barnes  was  married  to  Miss  Emily  C.  Engle- 
brecht,  of  Logansport,  Indiana,  and  they  have  had  six  daughters:  Dor- 
othy Lucile,  Emily  Aldine,  Doris  Eleanor,  Marjorie  May,  Clara  Louise 
and  Elizabeth  Jane.  The  last-named,  who  was  the  second  in  order  of 
birth,  is  deceased.  ]\Irs.  Barnes  is  a  member  of  the  German  Lutheran 
church,  and  is  well  known  in  religious  work  and  social  circles.  Mr. 
Barnes  belongs  to  the  Masons,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Elks.  He 
is  a  Republican  in  his  political  views,  but  has  taken  only  a  good  citizen's 
interest  in  public  mattei-s,  and,  to  use  his  own  language,  has  never 
aspired,  and  never  will,  to  public  preferment.  Essentially  a  business 
man,  he  has  devoted  his  entire  attention  to  his  large  interests,  his  ambi- 
tions being  satisfied  by  the  prestige  he  has  gained  among  the  men  to 
whom  Logansport  is  indebted  for  its  commercial  importance. 

John  Hermann,  M.  D.,  who  died  August  8,  1889,  was  one  of  the 
strongest  characters  in  the  medical  history  of  Cass  county;  a  man 
of  unusual  force  of  character,  one  whose  career  and  achievement  in 
his  field  of  endeavor  if  fully  chronicled  would  alone  fill  the  pages  of  a 
reasonably  large  volume  of  intensely  interesting  material.  He  was 
born  in  the  Kingdom  of  Wurtemburg,  Germany,  August  27,  1834. 
His  father  occupied  a  prominent  place  in  the  political  history  of 
the  Fatherland,  having  served  as  commissioner  of  public  domain,  an  office 
that  entailed  the  keeping  of  the  king's  forest.  As  a  boy,  Dr.  Hermann 
attended  the  primary  educational  institutions,  subsequently  being  gradu- 
ated from  the  Polytechnic  school  at  Stuttgart.  He  then  entered  the  Uni- 
versity of  Tubingen,  from  which  he  received  his  medical  diploma,  suc- 
ceeding which  he  received  the  appointment  of  physician  in  the  Orthopedic 
hospital  at  Coustatt,  where  he  remained  two  years.  With  many  of  his 
countrymen  he  became  embroiled  in  the  revolutionary  movement  for 
free  suffrage  and  home  rule,  which,  proving  a  failure,  he  was  obliged  to 
flee  his  native  land,  and  in  1864  came  to  America  and  for  a  time  prac- 
ticed his  profession  at  Buffalo,  New  York.  While  there,  he  met  and 
married  Miss  Angeline  deVillers,  the  daughter  of  a  French  army  sur- 
geon. Unfortunately,  he  here  lost  the  greater  part  of  his  means  through 
unsuccessful  investments,  and  largely  because  of  this  he  determined  to 
start  anew  in  another  locality. 

Locating  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  Dr.  Hermann  succeeded  in  getting  fairly 
started  and  had  a  home  prepared,  but  while  he  was  going  to  meet  his 
family,  who  had  remaiuecl  behind  in  Buffalo  while  he  was  establishing  a 
residence  for  them,  his  property  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  he  was  once 
more  practically  without  means.     Nothing  daunted,  with  his  family  he 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  967 

started  for  the  East  in  1867,  but  owing  to  the  illness  of  his  daughter  he 
stopped  off  at  Logansport,  Indiana.  While  at  the  hotel,  where  he  was 
compelled  to  remain  a  few  days,  it  was  learned  that  he  was  a  physician, 
and  he  was  importuned  by  the  German  residents  to  remain.  His  success 
in  several  complicated  cases  won  him  early  recognition,  and  he  soon  had 
more  calls  than  he  could  attend  to  alone.  Thus  encouraged  to  remain,  for 
nineteen  years  he  was  associated  in  successful  practice  here  with  Dr. 
William  H.  Bell.  Dr.  Hermann  was  a  superior  diagnostician  and  a  phy- 
sician of  unusual  ability.  Large  in  stature,  jovial  in  nature,  he  radiated 
cheer  in  the  sick  room  or  wherever  he  went.  His  wide  experience  in  this 
country  and  abroad,  his  extensive  acquaintance  with  notable  men,  his 
education  and  profound  knowledge  along  special  lines,  all  made  him  an 
ideal  companion  and  one  whom  it  was  a  pleasure  to  know.  Dr.  Hermann 
was  a  notable  example  of  the  professional  success  and  social  prestige  to 
be  gained  by  foreign-born  citizens,  and  his  career  may  prove  encouraging 
to  those  who  are  struggling  to  overcome  obstacles  in  their  endeavor  to 
reach  a  position  of  independence.  Dr.  Hermann  and  his  wife  had  four 
children,  Arthur  J. ;  Jennie,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Francis  M.  Bozer ;  Francis 
J.,  and  William. 

Dr.  Francis  Joseph  Hermann,  the  second  son  of  Dr.  John  Hermann, 
was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  July  4,  1875,  completed  his  literary 
education  at  Canisius  College,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1893,  and 
received  his  early  medical  training  under  the  preceptorship  of  his  father. 
In  1894  and  1895  he  attended  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago,  and  the 
succeeding  two  years  was  a  student  at  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College, 
New  York,  which  granted  him  a  diploma  in  1897.  In  this  same  year  he 
began  practicing  in  the  office  he  now  occupies,  and  here  he  has  since  con- 
tinued. As  a  physician  and  a  citizen.  Dr.  Hermann  is  an  able  successor 
to  his  distinguished  father,  and  well  merits  the  universal  esteem  in  which 
he  is  held.  On  June  26,  1907,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Honora  I.  McHale,  of  Logansport. 

William  H.  Ramer.  Among  the  citizens  of  Cass  county  who  are 
rendering  their  community  signal  services  in  public  office  may  be  men- 
tioned William  H.  Ramer,  of  Washington  township,  who  in  the  capacity 
of  assessor  has  given  the  voters  of  his  community  no  reason  to  regret 
their  choice.  Essentially  an  agriculturist,  reared  in  the  atmosphere  and 
to  the  work  of  the  farm,  he  has  proven  himself  an  efficient,  painstaking 
and  courteous  public  official,  and  has  added  to  the  friendships  that  long 
years  of  honorable  dealing  had  previously  gained  for  him.  I\Ir.  Ramer 
has  spent  his  entire  life  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives,  a  well-culti- 
vated tract  of  120  acres,  located  on  the  Ramer  road,  about  nine  miles 
southeast  from  Logansport.  Here  he  was  born  February  4,  1870,  in  the 
old  home,  a  son  of  Justus  and  Georgina  (Ritter)  Ramer. 

Henry  Ramer,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  William  H.,  was  a  native 
of  Germany,  and  in  his  youth  came  to  the  United  States,  locating  first 
in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  carried  on  farming  until  1841.  In  that  year 
he  made  removal  with  his  family  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  where  his 
subsequent  years  were  spent,  and  where  he  died  honored  and  respected 
b}"  all.  Justus  Ramer,  his  son,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  was  a  lad 
when  he  accompanied  his  father  to  Cass  county.  Like  him,  he  devoted 
his  attention  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil,  meeting  with  success  in  his  ven- 


968  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

tures  aud  gaining  the  respect  of  his  fellow-citizens.  He  married  Geor- 
gina  Ritter,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  six  children,  namely:  Wil- 
liam H.,  Mrs.  Louisa  Schwalm;  George,  a  resident  of  Chicago,  Illinois; 
i\Irs.  Emma  Jenness ;  and  John  and  Myrle,  of  Washington  township. 

The  education  of  William  H.  Ramer  was  secured  in  the  district 
schools  of  Washington  township,  which  he  attended  during  the  winter 
months,  and,  being  the  eldest  of  his  parents'  children,  when  his  father 
died  the  management  of  the  home  place  and  the  care  of  the  family  de- 
volved upon  him,  although  at  that  time  he  was  but  eighteen  years  of 
age.  Thoi'oughly  trained  in  farm  work,  industrious,  persevering  and 
ambitious,  he  was  able  to  take  up  the  work  of  the  home  place  where  his 
father  had  left  it  and  his  subsequent  success  has  resulted  from  constant 
and  industrious  labor,  well  directed.  He  has  a  tract  of  120  acres,  on 
which  he  raises  excellent  crops,  and  here  he  has  made  numerous  im- 
provements of  a  modern  character.  His  buildings  are  substantial,  his 
stock  sleek  and  well-fed,  and  his  farming  implements  of  the  most  mod- 
ern manufacture,  and  the  entire  appearance  of  the  property  gives  elo- 
quent evidence  that  he  is  a  practical  and  scientific  agriculturist. 

On  June  3,  1896,  i\Ir.  Ramer  was  married  to  Miss  Jennie  ^Nlinnick,  a 
daughter  of  John  H.  and  Lillis  (Doud)  Minnick,  of  Washington  town- 
ship; and  two  children  have  been  born  to  this  union:  Blanche  M.,  who 
is  a  high  school  student ;  and  Edgar  M.,  who  is  in  the  seventh  grade 
school.  Mr.  Ramer  has  taken  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  political 
affairs,  and  in  1908  was  elected  assessor  of  AVashington  township,  a 
position  which  he  continues  to  fill  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  con- 
cerned. He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  0.  F.,  Walton  lodge.  No.  31-i,  and 
he  is  a  past  grand.  With  ]\Irs.  Ramer,  he  attends  the  Presbyterian 
church,  in  the  work  of  which  all  the  members  of  the  family  are  very 
active.  The  beautiful  estate  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ramer  is  known  as  "Wal- 
nut Dell  Stock  Farm." 

Jasper  Newton  Nefp,  M.  D.  Belonging  to  a  family  that  has  made 
Cass  county  its  home  for  upwards  of  three-quarters  of  a  century,  and 
members  of  wiiich  have,  during  this  time,  been  identified  with  the  various 
occupations,  professions  and  industries  to  which  this  section  of  Indiana 
owes  its  importance.  Dr.  Jasper  Newton  Neff,  of  Logansport,  prominent 
physician  and  extensive  land  owner,  holds  a  position  of  prestige  in  the 
business  and  professional  life  of  his  locality.  He  has  been  a  resident 
of  Logansport  since  the  fall  of  1895,  and  while  his  large  landed  in- 
terests and  the  duties  of  his  vocation  have  demanded  the  greater  share 
of  his  attention,  he  has  not  been  unmindful  of  the  duties  of  citizenship, 
his  public-spirit  having  been  manifested  on  various  occasions  when  the 
welfare  of  the  city  or  its  people  has  been  at  stake.  Dr.  Neff  was  born 
on  his  father's  farm  in  Deer  Creek  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  Jan- 
uary 2,  1852,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Henrietta  (Berry)  Neff,  natives 
of  Ohio.  His  father  was  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Polly  (Sink)  Neff,  who 
came  to  Cass  county  from  the  Buckeye  State  in  1838,  and  during  the 
rest  of  their  lives  lived  in  Deer  Creek  township.  They  became  the  parents 
of  six  children,  namely:  Jacob,  Allen,  Josiah,  Frank,  Alexander  and 
Mary,  all  of  whom  are  deceased.  Jacob  Neff  was  still  a  lad  when  he 
accompanied  his  parents  to  Deer  Creek  township,  and  there  he  grew  up 
and  was  married  to  Henrietta  Henderson  Berry,  daughter  of  Henderson 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  969 

Berry.  Following  their  marriage  they  located  on  a  farm  in  Deer  Creek 
township,  there  spending  the  rest  of  their  useful  lives  in  the  tilling  of  the 
soil.  They  became  the  parents  of  four  sons,  all  of  whom  were  well  edu- 
cated and  fitted  for  whatever  positions  they  were  called  upon  to  fill,  and 
all  have  reached  honorable  places  in  life,  Joseph  H.  being  a  leading  mem- 
ber of  the  bar  of  Logansport,  Indiana;  Dr.  Jasper  N.,  the  well-known 
Logansport  physician;  Francis  M.,  being  a  musician  of  distinguished 
ability,  residing  here  in  Logansport,  and  Dr.  Jacob  L.,  having  reached 
a  recognized  position  aixfong  the  medical  practitioners  of  Logansport, 
Indiana. 

Until  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age  Jasper  N.  Neff  worked  as  a  farm 
hand  in  Cass  county,  during  which  time  he  attended  the  neighborhood 
school.  Subsequently  he  spent  one  year  in  the  Lebanon  (Ohio)  Normal 
school,  and  was  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  passed  the  required  exami- 
nation necessary  to  secure  a  teacher's  certificate.  At  that  time  he  was 
placed  in  charge  of  a  school  in  Deer  Creek  township,  and  during  the  next 
three  years  he  divided  his  time  between  teaching  this  school  and  attend- 
ing the  normal.  While  here  he  decided  to  enter  the  profession  of  medi- 
cine, and  accordingly  gave  special  attention  to  the  study  of  anatomy, 
physiology  and  chemistry,  and  in  1876  graduated  with  honors  at  the 
College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  Indianapolis,  where  he  received  his 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  At  this  institution  the  late  Dr.  Robert  N. 
Todd,  president  of  the  college,  acted  as  his  preceptor,  and  in  addition 
to  his  kind  encouragement  and  assistance,  gave  him  his  personal  attention 
during  a  severe  spell  of  sickness,  for  which  Dr.  Neff  will  ever  hold  his 
memory  in  grateful  remembrance.  After  his  graduation  Dr.  Neff  estab- 
lished himself  in  practice  in  Walton,  Indiana,  where  he  continued  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  large  and  representative  clientele  during  the  next  twenty 
years.  During  this  time  he  had  been  a  heavy  investor  in  farming  prop- 
erty, and  through  intelligent  transactions  and  shrewd  foresight  his 
holdings  had  become  so  large  and  required  so  much  attention,  that  it  was 
his  intention  to  retire  from  active  practice,  and  with  this  end  in  view 
came  to  Logansport.  He  has  not  been  permitted,  however,  to  leave  the 
ranks  of  active  practitioners,  although  he  now  confines  himself  to  office 
practice  and  consultation.  He  is  widely  known  in  professional  and  busi- 
ness activities  of  Logansport,  and  with  his  family  enjoys  the  friendship  of 
a  wide  circle  of  congenial  friends,  his  home  being  a  center  of  social  re- 
finement. 

In  1891,  Dr.  Neff  was  married  to  Miss  Lavina  Flynn,  who  died  in 
1894,  and  in  the  following  year  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Flora  Bennett, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Elwood  Trueblood,  for  many  years  one  of  Howard 
county's  most  prominent  and  highly  respected  citizens. 

Dr.  John  H.  Barnfield  was  born  in  Jersey  Shore,  Lycoming  county, 
Pennsylvania,  July  2,  1864,  and  is  the  son  of  William  Nelson  Barnfield, 
a  Pennsylvania  lumberman.  Dr.  Barnfield  was  reared  in  his  native 
town,  and  after  completing  the  course  prescribed  by  the  village  schools 
became  a  student  at  Millersville  state  normal  school.  He  then  took  up 
the  study  of  medicine  under  Dr.  J.  F.  LIcClure,  of  Watertown,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  in  1883  entered  Jefferson  Medical  College,  from  which 
he  was  duly  graduated  in  1886. 


970  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Dr.  Barnfield  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Irvona,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  while  there  was  surgeon  for  the  Witmer  Land  and  Coal 
Company.  He  remained  in  that  place  for  three  years,  then  became  medi- 
cal examiner  in  the  relief  department  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railway 
Company,  serving  in  that  capacity  for  four  and  a  half  years.  In  June, 
1894,  he  came  to  Logansport,  and  established  himself  in  the  general  prac- 
tice of  medicine,  and  this  city  has  represented  the  scene  of  his  professional 
activities  since  that  time.  In  1905  Dr.  Barnfield  took  a  post-graduate 
course  in  the  Chicago  Polyclinic,  thus  further  fortifying  himself  in  the 
knowledge  of  his  profession. 

Dr.  Barnfield  is  a  Democrat  in  his  politics.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Logansport  Commercial  Club,  in  which  he  is  chairman  of  the  executive 
committee.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Cass  county  and  state  medical  socie- 
ties, and  of  the  American  Medical  Association. 

Dr.  Barnfield  was  married  in  1894  to  Miss  Mae  S.  Schlater,  of  Rich- 
mond, Indiana. 

Ira  Blackburn.  A  native  citizen  of  Cass  county,  whose  worth  and 
character  are  material  factors  in  the  recent  progress  of  this  community, 
is  Ira  Blackburn,  whose  rural  home  is  situated  in  Harrison  township,  an 
old  place  which  has  been  in  the  family  for  many  years.  Three  genera- 
tions of  the  Blackburn  family  have  been  identified  with  Cass  county,  and 
they  have  always  been  known  as  thrifty  citizens,  and  worthy  members  of 
the  community.    In  ancestry  they  are  of  English  and  French  descent. 

Ira  Blackburn  was  born  in  Harrison  township,  Cass  county,  January 
26,  1874.  His  grandfather  was  James  Blackburn,  and  his  father  was 
David  Blackburn.  The  latter,  who  is  now  a  retired  resident  of  Harrison 
township,  married  Susan  Batty,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Batty.  David 
Blackburn,  the  father,  was  also  born  in  Cass  county,  and  his  father,  the 
grandfather  of  Ira,  put  up  the  first  building  that  stood  on  the  farm  now 
occupied  by  the  grandson.  This  was  in  the  pioneer  days,  when  practically 
all  the  country  was  new,  and  the  Blackburn  family  found  their  land  in 
its  virgin  state,  and  have  made  practically  all  the  improvements  that  have 
appeared  thereon  during  the  succeeding  years. 

Ira  Blackburn  was  reared  in  his  native  locality,  attending  the  country 
schools,  and  on  attaining  manhood  became  a  partner  with  his  father  in 
the  management  of  the  home  farm.  He  and  his  father  now  conduct  the 
homestead  together,  and  make  a  very  profitable  business  out  of  its  culti- 
vation. Mr.  Ira  Blackburn  is  owner  of  forty  acres  of  "his  own,  situated 
opposite  the  old  homestead.  On  June  1,  1898,  he  married  Miss  Mattie  A. 
Herd,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Emma  (Burton)  Herd.  The  three  chil- 
dren born  to  their  union  are :  Blanche,  born  May  22,  1901 ;  June,  born 
June  24,  1904,  and  Mae,  born  June  2,  1911. 

Jesse  W.  Neff.  One  of  the  representative  farming  men  of  Bethle- 
hem township  who  is  worthy  of  mention  in  this  biographical  and  historical 
work  by  reason  of  his  accomplishments  as  a  tiller  of  the  soil  and  one  of 
the  world's  workers,  is  Jesse  W.  Neff,  a  resident  of  this  township  since 
July,  1889.  He  was  born  on  May  15,  1852,  in  Darke  county,  Ohio,  and 
is  the  son  of  Alfred  J.  and  Nancy  (Wilson)   Neff.     His  paternal  and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  971 

maternal  grandparents  were  Wilson  Neff  and  James  Wilson,  and  his 
father's  people  were  of  German  ancestry. 

Alfred  J.  and  Nancy  (Wilson)  Neff  became  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  four  of  whom  are  now  deceased.  John  V.  died  in  infancy; 
Frank  P.  died  in  1871 ;  Laura  died  in  1879 ;  Ira  W.  died  in  1879  also. 
James  L.,  Emma  and  Jesse  W.  yet  survive. 

Jesse  W.  Neff  came  to  Cass  county  on  July  15,  1889,  from  Miami 
coujaty,  where  he  had  previously  been  located.  He  settled  on  a  small 
farm  and  devoted  his  time  to  the  improvement  of  that  place  and  to  the 
acquiring  of  more  land.  Today  he  and  his  wife  have  a  fine  place  of  one 
hundred  and  forty  acres  in  an  excellent  state  of  cultivation,  with  com- 
fortable buildings  of  every  description,  all  new  and  modern,  and  the  work 
of  their  own  hands. 

On  June  27,  1888,  Mr.  Neff  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Keren 
Harter,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  E.  (Kreider)  Harter.  She  was 
born  in  Miami  county,  Indiana,  December  16,  1860,  and  there  reared. 
Four  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Neff,  as  follows:  Ruth, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  three  years;  Leon  H.,  born  June  27,  1892;  Paul 
v.,  born  October  22, 1894 ;  Jessie,  born  November  23, 1896,  and  Wayne  B., 
born  November  17,  1902. 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  Mr.  Neff  is 
prominent  in  the  local  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
which  he  joined  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  and  has  been  faithful 
and  true,  and  in  which  he  has  held  many  offices.  He  is  a  Democrat 
and  a  leading  citizen  of  his  community.  In  1910  Mr.  Neff 's  father  died, 
but  his  widowed  mother  still  lives  on  the  old  home  place  in  Miami  county, 
where  they  located  a  number  of  years  ago. 

Lemuel  Povpell,  a  pioneer  farmer  of  Bethlehem  township,  was  born 
in  Jefferson  county,  Ohio,  on  October  24,  1834.  He  came  to  Cass  county 
with  his  parents,  Jo»siah  and  Margaret  (Mugg)  Powell,  when  he  was  two 
years  old,  and  has  resided  continuously  in  the  county  since  that  early 
date.  At  that  time  Bethlehem  township  was  a  wilderness,  with  a  cabin 
in  a  small  clearing  here  and  there,  and  with  no  schools  or  churches  in  the 
community.  Mr.  Powell  has  borne  a  worthy  part  in  the  development  of 
the  township  and  making  of  it  what  it  is  today,  and  is  by  reason  of  that 
fact  deserving  of  an  honorable  mention  in  the  pages  of  this  history. 

Mr.  Powell  was  educated  in  the  old  log  school  house  of  his  boyhood 
days,  and  acquired  a  fair  education  for  his  time.  He  is  a  quiet,  unas- 
suming man  of  the  strictest  honesty  and  probity,  and  no  man  in  the 
county  bears  a  better  reputation  for  uprightness  of  character  and  genuine 
moral  worth  than  does  Mr.  Powell.  Although  he  is  small  in  stature,  he 
makes  up  for  this  in  the  excess  of  mental  and  physical  energy  he  has 
ever  displayed,  and  which  have  redounded  to  the  good  of  the  community 
which  has  represented  his  home  so  many  years.  With  his  wife  he  owns 
two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  fine  land,  all  lying  in  Bethlehem  town- 


Mr.  Powell  was  married  on  February  7,  1864,  to  Sarah  A.  Roberts, 
who  died  on  November  15,  1866,  leaving  one  son,  Choral  G.,  born  May 
13,  1865.  This  son  is  now  married,  his  marriage  to  Laura  W.  Douglass 
occurring  on  December  7,  1892,  and  they  have  a  family  of  seven  children. 


972  ,  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

On  December  5,  1872,  Lemuel  Powell  married  a  second  time,  when  Mary- 
Martha  Gray  became  his  wife.  Three  children  were  born  to  this  latter 
union,  as  follows:  John  V.,  lx)rn  on  September  5,  1874;  Warren,  born 
April  17,  1876,  died  July  10,  1892,  being  drowned  accidentally;  and 
Edna,  born  October  12,  1880.  John  V.  and  Edna  are  still  under  the 
parental  roof,  and  there  care  for  their  aged  parents  and  the  entire  family 
are  highly  esteemed  in  Bethlehem  township — the  elder  ones  as  worthy 
citizens  who  have  helped  to  reclaim  the  district  fi'om  a  state  of  wilderness 
which  existed  when  the  white  man  made  his  first  appearance  in  these 
parts  in  the  early  thirties,  and  the  younger  ones  as  worthy  successors  of 
their  parents,  who  may  be  expected  to  do  well  their  part  in  the  further 
development  of  their  native  country.  Mrs.  Powell  is  a  native  of  Jefferson 
township,  Cass  county,  where  she  was  bom  July  9,  1839.  She  is  the 
youngest  of  six  children  and  the  only  daughter  born  to  James  and 
Catharine  (Duncan)  Gray,  and  is  the  only  sui'vivor  of  the  family.  She 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  the  neighborhood,  and  several 
terms  walked  two  miles  to  attend  the  log  cabin  school,  so  well  known 
at  that  time  in  that  section  of  the  county.  Mrs.  Powell  was  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Mr.  Powell  is  a  Republican  politically  and  cast  his  first  presidential 
vote  for  John  Fremont,  the  first  Republican  candidate,  and  has  voted 
for  each  Republican  candidate  since.  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Powell  have  two  of 
the  old  parchment  deeds  executed  March  30,  1837,  that  bear  the  signa- 
ture of  President  Van  Buren. 

Levi  B.  Horn.  The  business  of  farming  has  occupied  the  best  years 
of  the  life  of  Levi  B.  Horn  thus  far,  and  he  is  known  for  one  of  the  suc- 
cessful and  well-to-do  agricultural  men  of  the  township  of  Bethlehem, 
where  many  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Cass  county  may  be  found  devoting 
their  energies  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and  enjoying  to  the  fullest  their 
free  communion  with  Dame  Nature  in  the  pursuit  of  their  calling.  Levi 
B.  Horn,  unlike  many  of  his  neighbors,  is  not  a  native  resident  of  the 
county,  nor  of  the  state.  He  was  born  in  Washington  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, on  September  12,  1851,  and  is  the  son  of  Thaddeus  and  Lina 
(Burson)  Horn,  his  paternal  grandfather  being  George  Horn.  The 
Horns  are  of  German  ancestry,  while  the  Bursons  are  of  Scotch  descent. 

Mr.  Thaddeus  Horn  did  not  receive  any  but  the  most  meager  common 
or  district  school  education,  but  the  business  of  life  has  kept  his  wits 
shai*i3  and  his  mind  has  been  one  ever  open  to  impressions  and  to  expan- 
sion, so  that  his  lack  of  schooling  has  been  in  a  large  measure  overcome. 
In  1852  Mr.  Thaddeus  Horn  came  to  Bethlehem  township  and  purchased 
the  old  John  White  farm  from  Joseph  Sellers,  and  for  a  few  years  he 
lived  on  the  place  and  gave  diligent  attention  to  its  cultivation.  He  later 
sold  the  farm  to  a  Methodist  minister  of  the  name  of  Terrill,  and  he  him- 
self became  identified,  in  a  way,  with  sawmill  work,  where  he  continued 
for  a  year.  He  then  turned  back  to  farming,  and  bought  the  Noah  Martin 
farm,  another  well-known  place  in  Bethlehem  township,  and  the  Henry 
Barnett  place.  He  later  added  to  this  by  repeated  purchases  until  today 
Levi  Horn,  his  son,  has  a  fine  place  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres. 
When  Thaddeus  Horn  came  into  possession  of  the  farm  it  was  covered 
with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber,  the  most  of  which  has  given  place  to  clean 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  973 

and  smooth  fields  that  are  under  the  careful  cultivation  of  their  owner. 
Levi  Horn  saw  to  most  of  the  building  work  that  has  been  carried  on  at 
the  place,  and  has  a  number  of  commodious  buildings  of  all  descriptions. 
On  the  whole,  -his  enterprise  has  yielded  a  satisfactory  income,  and  he 
has  a  home  of  which  any  man  in  the  community  might  well  be  proud.  In 
addition  to  his  farming  interests  he  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank. 

On  April  2,  1874,  Mr.  Horn  married  Fannie,  the  daughter  of  Aaron 
and  Jane  (Cuthberson)  Tilton.  Nine  children  have  been  born  to  them, 
of  which  number  three  are  now  deceased.  Those  who  live  are  named  as 
follows:  Mary  A.,  the  wife  of  William  Lemmon;  Bertha  E.,  the  wife 
of  R.  J.  Johnson;  Franklin  Y.,  married  to  Amy  Dreutzer;  Ada  wedded 
Kirk  AVells;  Flora  and  Burson.  The  deceased  children  were  named 
Amy,  Carrie  and  Fannie. 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  Mr. 
Horn  has  been  an  elder  for  forty  years.  His  position  in  the  community 
is  wholly  consistent  with  his  place  in  the  church,  and  he  is  known  as  one 
of  the  most  estimable  and  honorable  men  in  the  township.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  belonging  to  Orient  Lodge  No. 
272.  The  daughters.  Bertha,  Ada  and  Flora,  are  members  of  the  Eastern 
Star.  The  present  beautiful  homestead  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Horn  is  known 
as  "The  Aberdeen  Stock  Farm,"  as  Mr.  Horn  is  a  breeder  of  the  reg- 
istered Aberdeen  cattle,  which  are  known  by  cattle  breeders  throughout 
the  United  States. 

Abiah  J.  Sharts.  In  naming  the  representative  farmers  of  Cass 
county,  any  work  would  be  incomplete  that  did  not  give  a  sketch  of 
the  career  of  Abiah  J.  Sharts,  of  Tipton  towTiship,  located  on  a  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  on  the  Anoka  road,  about  one-half  mile 
east  of  Anoka.  Mr.  Sharts  was  born  October  24,  1845,  in  Montgomery 
county,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  George  P.  and  Frances  (Bear)  Sharts. 
His  parents  were  natives  of  Maryland,  born  in  the  vicinity  of  Hagers- 
town,  from  whence  they  moved  to  Frederick  county,  ^laiyland,  and 
later  to  Montgomery  county,  Ohio.  In  1849  they  came  to  Tipton  town- 
ship, Cass  county,  Indiana,  settling  first  on  the  farm  now  occupied  by 
N.  B.  Richinson,  and  lived  in  a  little  log  house  until  this  primitive  dwell- 
ing was  replaced  by  one  more  modern  in  character.  A  great  deal  of 
the  land  was  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber,  which  was  cleared 
by  Mr.  Sharts  and  his  sons,  and  here  he  continued  to  reside  during  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  his  death  occurring  in  1853,  when  he  was  fifty- 
two  years  of  age,  while  his  wife  passed  away  in  1875,  being  seventy-two 
years  old.  From  a  small  beginning  they  became  wealthy  citizens  of 
their  community,  while  their  standing  among  their  neighbors  was  that 
of  honest,  God-fearing  people  who  always  endeavored  to  live  up  to  the 
dictates  of  their  conscience.  They  were  the  parents  of  the  following 
children :  Mary  M.  and  Rose  Arm,  who  are  deceased ;  Elizabeth,  also 
deceased ;  Mrs.  Cathei'ine  Hahn ;  Mrs.  Jane  P.  Phillips,  who  died  Jan- 
uary 7,  1913 ;  Abraham  and  John,  who  are  both  deceased ;  George  P., 
an  agriculturist  of  Tipton  township ;  William  0.,  who  is  deceased ;  A. 
J.  and  Carolina  Lucas,  deceased. 

Abiah  J.  Sharts  received  his  education  in  the  old  Wilson  district 


974  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

school,  a  log  building  which  was  standing  until  within  recent  years, 
although  it  had  not  been  used  for  a  long  period.  He  was  only  eight 
years  of  age  when  his  father  died,  and  this  necessarily  cut  his  schooling 
off  before  it  was  completed,  as  his  services  were  needed  to  help  in  the 
work  of  the  homestead.  He  was  so  engaged  when  the  Civil  war  broke 
over  the  country,  and  when  not  yet  eighteen  years  old,  in  June,  1863, 
enlisted  for  service  in  the  Union  army,  as  a  private  of  Company  F, 
One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry, 
Capt.  Sangford  C.  Thomas,  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  He  was  mus- 
tered in  at  Indianapolis,  and  from  there  went  with  his  command  to 
Lafayette,  Indiana,  and  later  to  Detroit,  Michigan,  where  he  was  in 
camp  until  sent  to  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Later  he  was  transferred  to  Camp 
Nelson,  Kentucky,  subsequently  participating  in  the  battle  of  Knox- 
ville.  During  the  greater  part  of  his  services  he  was  under  General 
Bumside,  doing  guard  duty  at  Cumberland  Gap,  Greenville,  and  Taze- 
well, Tennessee.  He  served  until  March,  1864:,  when  he  was  mustered 
out  of  the  service  at  Lafayette,  Indiana,  and  returned  to  the  pursuits 
of  peace.  On  returning  home,  he  once  more  took  charge  of  the  farm, 
which  he  operated  until  1879,  and  then  removed  to  his  present  prop- 
erty, a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  he  has  brought  to 
a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  improved  with  substantial  buildings 
and  other  modem  improvements.  He  is  known  as  an  excellent  agricul- 
turist, with  a  thorough  knowledge  of  all  the  details  of  his  vocation, 
and  as  a  business  man  whose  word  is  as  good  as  his  bond.  He  belongs 
to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at  Anoka,  Indiana,  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  has  many  friends  in  l)oth. 
With  his  family,  he  attends  the  United  Brethren  church,  where  for 
years  he  has  been  a  lilieral  suppoi-ter  of  its  movements. 

On  October  10,  1867,  Mr.  Sharts  was  married  to  JMiss  Ellen  Alice 
Wilson,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  six  children:  Harry 
who  is  deceased;  Benjamin  F.,  graduated  from  the  common  schools 
and  is  at  present  cashier  of  the  City  State  Bank  of  Logansport,  In- 
diana. He  taught  two  terms  of  school  in  Tipton  and  one  in  Washington 
township.  He  belongs  to  the  Masons,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  He  married  Pearl  jMcManus  and 
has  two  children,  Victor  and  Robert.  Elmer  E.,  graduated  from  the 
common  schools  and  spent  one  term  in  Logansport  Business  College. 
He  married  for  his  first  wife  IMamie  Richinson,  and  had  one  child, 
Truman;  he  married  a  second  time  and  by  this  marriage  has  two  chil- 
dren :  Thomas  and  Alice.  Blanche  M.,  graduated  from  the  public 
schools  and  from  the  business  college  and  is  a  finished  stenographer. 
She  is  the  wife  of  George  D.  DeYoe,  and  they  are  residents  of  Chicago. 
Walter,  deceased.  Charles,  a  resident  of  Tipton  township  and  one 
of  the  young  progressive  farmers,  was  born  on  the  farm  on  which  his 
father  originally  came  on  many  years  ago,  and  has  here  resided  all 
of  his  life.  He  is  now  the  manager  of  his  father's  property,  and  is 
known  as  one  of  Tipton  township's  good,  practical  young  agriculturists. 
He  resides  in  a  modern  residence  erected  by  his  father.  He  gi-aduated 
from  the  public  schools  and  spent  one  year  in  high  school.  He  wedded 
Miss  Edith  Mason,  and  they  have  two  little  children,  Paul  and  Margaret. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharts  may  well  be  proud  of  their  children,  as  they  all  hold 
high  places  in  the  esteem  of  the  people  who  know  them. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  975 

Mrs.  Sharts  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  Indiana,  born  December  26, 
1848,  and  she  is  the  fourth  in  a  family  of  twelve  children,  five  sons 
and  seven  daughters,  born  to  Andrew  and  Eleanor  (Tucker)  Wilson, 
and  there  are  five  of  the  children  of  the  Wilson  family  still  living, 
and  all  are  residents  of  Indiana,  except  Mrs.  Carrie  Stukey,  of  Los 
Angeles,  California,  and  Harry  CI.  Wilson,  a  resident  of  Chicago. 
Mrs.  Sharts  was  reared  and  educated  in  her  native  county.  She  has 
worthily  filled  her  place  as  wife  and  mother  in  the  building  up  of  their 
beautiful  home  in  Tipton  township  which  is  known  as  "Forest  Glen 
Home,"  and  it  is  the  abode  of  hospitality.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharts  have 
a  fine  Great  Western  five-passenger  touring  car,  and  they  enjoy  life. 

John  W.  Redd.  Continued  hard  work  and  persistent  effort  have  won 
for  John  W.  Redd  a  degree  of  prosperity  he  might  never  otherwise  have 
attained,  and  he  has  to  thank  his  own  sturdy  energy  for  his  present  suc- 
cess, rather  than  any  outside  agency.  He  was  born  on  April  7,  1835,  at 
Battle  Ground,  Indiana,  and  is  the  son  of  William  and  Martha  (Shigley) 
Redd,  the  people  of  the  latter  being  of  German  descent.  The  father  was 
a  son  of  Joseph  Redd,  a  native  Pennsylvanian,  and  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington county,  that  state.  He  was  yet  very  young  when  he  left  his  native 
state  and  moved  to  the  Pan  Handle  in  Virginia,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
operating  of  a  distillery,  going  thence  to  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  and  from 
there  to  Tippecanoe,  Indiana.  Bethlehem  township,  in  Cass  county,  saw 
him  next,  and  it  was  in  the  year  1838  that  he  arrived  here  and  settled 
down  on  a  farm. 

Thus  it  was  that  William  Redd  came  to  be  reared  in  Bethlehem  town- 
ship, and  here  he  has  passed  practically  all  his  life.  He  was  reared  amid 
the  quiet  country  scenes  peculiar  to  the  time,  attended  the  country 
schools  at  intervals,  and  was  well  taught  in  the  business  of  farming.  In 
due  time  he  chose  a  wife,  who  in  her  maiden  days  was  Mary  Ann 
McCarthy,  the  daughter  of  Berryman  McCarthy,  who  in  his  young  man- 
hood was  shot  and  killed  while  on  his  way  to  the  house  of  a  friend,  being 
mistaken  for  a  deer  by  a  careless  hunter,  John  Rush  by  name.  The 
mother  of  Mrs.  Redd  in  her  maiden  days  was  Phqebe  Marsh,  and  she  and 
her  family  were  residents  of  Fulton  county.  Four  children  have  been 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Redd,  as  follows :  William  B.,  the  eldest,  married 
Lou  Burrows;  Phoebe  E.,  married  Charles  White;  Ida  F.,  married  R.  E. 
Merritt,  and  Joseph  A.,  married  Dollie  Livingston. 

Mr.  Redd  has  lived  on  his  present  farm  since  1862,  and  with  the  pass- 
ing years  many  goodly  improvements  have  found  place  upon  the  prem- 
ises, so  that  he  farm  is  one  of  the  finest  in  Bethlehem  township  today. 
He  has  not  always  been  a  landed  proprietor,  as  one  might  say,  and  the 
first  forty-five  acres  of  land  he  acquired  caused  him  much  hardship  and 
many  hours  of  honest  toil.  But  to  toil  he  has  never  been  a  stranger,  and 
work  is  no  hardship  to  one  of  his  energetic  and  wholesome  nature,  so  that 
with  the  years  that  have  gone,  he  has  been  able  to  add  bit  by  bit  to  his 
place  until  it  is  now  represented  by  two  hundred  and  eighteen  acres  of 
well  cultivated  lands.     The  first  thirteen  years  of  his  residence  here  was 


976  HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY 

marked  by  his  occupancy  of  the  log  cabin  home  that  stood  upon  the  place 
when  it  came  into  his  possession,  and  which  has  later  given  place  to  the 
present  commodious  dwelling. 

Mr.  Redd  is  a  Methodist  and  politically  he  is  of  the  Progressive  party. 
He  has  taken  a  lively  interest  in  the  political  activities  of  his  community, 
and  is  known  for  a  man  of  excellent  qualities  of  citizenship. 

Anderson  B.  Stanton  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  from 
Indianapolis,  in  187-1,  thus  having  lived  here  for  thirty-nine  years.  He 
was  bom  in  Shelby  county,  Indiana,  on  December  13,  18-43,  and  was 
the  son  of  Eli  and  Eunice  (Barnard)  Stanton.  Eli  Stanton  followed 
farming  through  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He  was  a  pioneer  of 
Shelby  county,  having  located  there  when  the  district  was  practically 
all  dense  woods.  He  was  a  Quaker,  reared  in  that  rugged  and  simple 
faith  by  his  parents,  and  his  life  exemplified  in  every  way  the  train- 
ing he  had  received  in  the  faith.  His  faithful  wife  died  in  ^larch, 
1850,  and  he  later  married  Elizabeth  Gardner,  a  cousin  of  his  first  wife. 
She,  like  his  earlier  helpmate,  was  a  Quaker.  Three  children  were  born 
of  this  second  marriage.  In  1864  he  sold  his  place  and  returned  to 
Union  county,  Indiana,  where  he  had  lived  previous  to  his  Shelby  county 
experience,  and  there  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life,  death  claim- 
ing him  in  1895. 

Anderson  B.  Stanton,  the  immediate  sul)ject  of  this  somewhat  brief 
review,  was  reared  in  a  Quaker  home  and  under  the  strict  influences 
which  characterize  a  home  in  which  that  sturdy  old  religion  predomi- 
nates. Plenty  of  hard  work  was  jTi-ovided  for  him  in  the  work  of  the 
farm,  and  three  months  schooling  in  each  year  constituted  his  educational 
privileges.  When  he  had  attained  his  majority,  he  still  continued  on 
the  home  place  with  his  father.  When  he  was  twenty-three  years  old  he 
found  himself  in  debt  to  the  amount  of  forty  dollars,  and  he  left  home 
and  hired  out  as  a  farm  hand,  in  order  to  secure  the  money  to  pay 
his  obligations.  He  soon  found  work  more  remunerative  and  also 
more  suited  to  him,  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  employed  by  the 
Singer  Manufacturing  Company  as  general  agent  in  Indiana  and 
Illinois.  In  the  latter  part  of  187-4  he  opened  a  music  store  in  Logans- 
port,  and  since  that  time  he  has  continued  to  make  his  home  in  this  city. 
He  continued  in  the  music  store  until  the  year  1877,  when  he  sold  the 
place,  and  has  since  been  engaged  in  farming  and  in  handling  stock. 
He  owns  a  fine  farm  of  four  hundred  and  three  acres  in  Washington 
township,  which  he  oversees,  and  is  known  as  one  of  the  most  successful 
men  in  an  agricultural  way  in  the  county — a  fact  no  doubt  due  in  large 
measure  to  his  thorough  early  training  in  farming  in  his  boyhood  home. 

Mr.  Stanton  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  since  he  was  twenty-eight  years  old.  He  was  married  on 
November  25,  1875,  to  Priseilla  A.  Justice,  and  they  are  the  parents 
of  three  children,  as  follows :  Nellie,  the  wife  of  George  Kistler :  James 
J.,  a  practicing  physician  of  Logansport,  of  whom  more  extended  men- 
tion is  made  elsewhere  in  this  work;  and  Elizabeth  Cady  Stanton. 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  977 

Dr.  James  J.  Stanton  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  on  July 
9,  1880,  a  sou  of  Anderson  B.  and  Priscilla  A.  (Justice)  Stanton,  and 
the  grandson  of  Eli  and  Eunice  (Barnard)  Stanton,  concerning  these 
ancestors  appropriate  mention  being  made  in  the  sketch  devoted  to 
Anderson  B.  Stanton,  in  other  pages  of  this  work,  so  that  further  details 
with  regard  to  the  parentage  of  Dr.  Stanton  are  superfluous  at  this 
juncture. 

Dr.  Stanton  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  to  a  large  extent,  and 
he  was  an  attendant  of  the  schools  of  Logansport  during  the  winter 
seasons.  In  1899  and  1900  he  was  a  student  at  Hiram  College,  in  Hiram, 
Ohio,  and  in  September,  1901,  entered  Jefferson  ]\Iedical  College,  at 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  from  which  he  was  duly  graduated  on 
June  2,  1905.  For  one  year  following  his  graduation  he  was  occupied 
as  house  physician  at  McKeesport  (Pa.)  hospital,  and  on  September  1, 
1906  the  young  doctor  opened  an  office  in  Logansport.  He  has  since 
continued  here  in  active  practice.  He  conducts  a  general  practice,  with 
special  attention  to  surgery,  and  in  the  years  that  he  has  been  identified 
with  the  professional  life  of  Logansport,  he  has  acquired  a  pleasing 
reputation  for  efficiency  and  progressiveness  which  makes  his  future 
success  a  well  assured  fact. 

Dr.  Stanton  is  a  member  of  the  county  and  state  medical  societies, 
and  fraternally  is  affiliated  with  the  Masonic  order  and  the  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  He  also  retains  membership  in  the  Nu 
Sigma  Nu,  his  college  fraternity. 

The  doctor  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jean  ^Murray,  of  Logans- 
port, on  June  22,  1910. 

Job  Smith.  It  requires  very  few  words  to  tell  of  hopeful  pioneers 
settling  in  a  forest  and  with  energy  attacking  the  subjugation  of  the 
land  and  developing  cultivated  and  productive  farms  thereby,  but  this 
outline  is  but  a  superficial  covering  for  some  of  the  most  trying  expe- 
riences through  which  men  and  women  have  bi'avely  and  triumphantly 
passed  and  which  deserve  to  be  remembered.  The  first  log  cabin  of  the 
Smith  family  in  Indiana,  was  biiilt  in  1836,  in  Bethlehem  township, 
Cass  county,  after  a  space  had  been  cleared,  by  William  R.  Smith,  on 
his  timbered  tract  of  240  acres,  to  which  he  and  his  wife  had  come  after 
weeks  of  tedious  travel  from  an  eastern  state.  In  all  probability  it  was 
but  poor  protection  at  first  against  the  elements  and  possibly  the  Indians 
and  wild  creatures  of  the  forest,  but  its  comforts  were  increased  as 
time  went  on,  family  life  developed  and  expanded,  and  within  its  walls 
were  born  and  reared  the  three  children  of  the  family.  The  Smiths 
were  pioneers  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  the  ancestiy  belonging  to 
Scotland,  and  as  typical  of  that  land  their  sturdy  independence  and 
moral  qualities  made  them  leaders  and  organizers  of  the  stable  institu- 
tions and  promoters  of  good  government  in  the  section  which  they 
had  selected  as  their  home.  Among  the  worthy  representatives  of  this 
family  is  found  Job  Smith,  of  Bethlehem  to\vnship,  who  for  many  years 
was  engaged  in  farming  here,  and  who  still  resides  in  this  township. 
Mr.  Smith  was  born  October  28,  1841,  in  a  log  cabin  on  the  farm  which 
he  now  owns,  and  is  a  son  of  "William  R.  and  Amanda  F.  (Simpson) 
Smith,  and  a  grandson  of  Job  Smith  and  James  Simpson.     His  parents 


978  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

were  natives  of  New  Jersey,  and  were  married  in  Ohio,  in  which  state 
the.y  lived  for  about  twelve  years,  and  then,  in  1836,  made  their  entrance 
into  Indiana.  They  continued  to  be  residents  of  Cass  county  until  their 
deaths,  and  were  numbered  among  their  township's  substantial  and 
highly  respected  people.  They  had  four  children,  namely :  Job ;  James, 
who  married  Amanda  Campbell ;  Raehael,  who  married  Joseph  Champ ; 
and  Hannah,  who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years. 

Job  Smith  received  only  meager  educational  advantages  in  his  youth, 
the  district  school  being  two  miles  from  his  home  and  the  school  term 
lasting  only  three  months  in  the  winter,  but  he  was  an  intelligent  and 
ambitious  youth,  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities,  and  managed  to 
gain  a  good  education.  On  completing  his  studies,  he  was  engaged  in 
teaching  for  two  years,  and  then  turned  his  attention  to  farming,  which 
occupied  his  attention  throughout  the  balance  of  his  active  career.  He 
is  now  the  owner  of  133  acres  of  well-cultivated  land,  on  which  he 
erected  all  of  the  present  substantial  buildings,  and  this  is  known  as 
one  of  the  valuable  properties  of  his  township.  For  the  past  eight 
years  he  has  lived  a  retired  life,  having  been  afflicted  with  blindness.  He 
"has  been  a  life-long  member  of  Spring  Creek  Christian  church,  of  which 
he  was  deacon  for  many  years.  ]Mr.  Smith  is  highly  regarded  in  his 
locality,  being  known  as  a  kind  neighlior,  an  honorable  business  man, 
and  one  who  has  always  been  true  to  his  friendships. 

On  January  16,  1868,  Mr.  Smith  was  married  in  ]\Iiami  county, 
Indiana,  to  i\Iiss  Emmeline  Code,  daughter  of  Powell  and  Lydia 
(Carlisle)  Code,  the  former  of  whom  died  in  1878  and  the  latter  in 
Februarj",  190-1.  j\Irs.  Smith's  parents  came  to  Indiana  from  New 
York  state,  and  settled  in  iliami  county  at  a  very  early  date,  first 
erecting  a  log  cabin,  and  later  replacing  it  with  a  more  modern  struc- 
ture. They  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  -as  follows :  Christopher, 
who  married  Sallie  IMurden ;  John,  who  married  Caroline  Charles ;  Ira, 
who  remained  single  and  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-nine  years;  Angeline, 
who  married  James  Hallock ;  Josephine,  who  married  Henry  Lewis ;  and 
Emmeline.  Mr.  and  Mra.  Smith  have  had  the  following  children :  Omar 
T.,  born  February  8,  1869,  who  married  Daisy  Lawrence:  Nora  E..  born 
February  8,  1872 ;  Ego,  born  January  14,  1875 ;  I\Iilo  J.,  born  February 
19,  1877;  Laurie,  born  ]March  17,  1880,  who  married  Edith  White;  and 
Elmer,  born  August  31,  1884,  who  died  in  Julv,  1908;  and  Berniee  B., 
November  7,  1886. 

George'  W.  Conrad.  ]\Iany  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  Ca.ss 
county  are  residing  on  the  farms  on  which  they  were  born,  and  which, 
in  their  youth,  they  helped  to  clear  from  the  Aargin  growth  of  timber. 
Life-long  experience  has  given  them  a  thorough  knowledge  of  soil  and 
climatic  conditions,  and  this  has  aided,  them  materially  in  gaining  the 
position  of  prestige  that  they  now  hold.  In  this  c^ass  stands  George  "W. 
Conrad,  of  Bethlehem  township,  experienced  farmer  and  well-informed 
citizen,  whose  entire  career  has  been  spent  ^^^thin  the  limits  of  Cass 
county,  where  he  has  gained  and  maintained  the  esteem  of  his  fellow- 
citizens  through  strict  integrity  and  honorable  dealings.  Mr.  Conrad 
was  bom  on  his  present  property,  a  part  of  the  old  Conrad  homestead, 
February  8,  1867,  and  is  a  son  of  Stephen  G.  and  Margaret   (Cowel) 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY     •  979 

Conrad.  His  grandfather,  David  H.  Conrad,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
of  German  descent,  and  came  to  Indiana  in  1840,  locating  in  Cass 
county,  where  he  continued  to  be  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  up  the 
time  of  his  death.  Stephen  G.  Conrad  was  born  in  Washington  county, 
Pennsj'lvania,  and  was  a  young  man  when  he  accompanied  his  parents 
to  Indiana,  here  assisting  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Union 
army  as  a  member  of  Company  F,  Indiana  Volunteer  Cavalry.  On  his 
return  from  the  war,  he  resumed  his  agricultural  operations,  in  which  he 
was  employed  during  the  remainder  of  his  active  career. 

George  W.  Conrad  received  a  district  school  education,  and  was 
reared  to  the  occupation  of  agriculturist,  which  has  been  his  vocation 
throughout  life.  In  his  boyhood  and  youth  he  worked  so  faithfully  for 
his  father,  that  on  attaining  his  majority  he  was  given  eighty-five  acres 
of  land,  and  to  this  he  has  continued  to  add  from  time  to  time,  as  his 
finances  have  permitted,  until  now  he  is  the  owner  of  210  acres.  The 
present  buildings  were  all  erected  by  Mr.  Conrad  and  his  father,  but 
have  been  greatly  improved  during  the  son's  residence  here,  and  the 
land,  heavily  wooded  at  one  time,  is  now  all  under  the  plow  and  yields 
abundant  crops.  Mr.  Conrad  has  kept  abreast  of  the  times,  and  takes 
advantage  of  all  the  improvements  and  inventions  which  have  been 
brought  about  by  invention  and  discovery.  He  has  not  entered  politics 
except  as  a  voter  for  Democratic  principles  and  policies,  1nit  has  never 
failed  to  support  movements  for  good  government,  and  those  measures 
which  affect  his  to\\aiship  or  its  people  have  always  had  his  intelligent 
attention.  With  his  family,  he  attends  the  jMethodist  church,  where  for 
some  years  he  has  held  an  official  position. 

On  September  6,  1890,  Mr.  Conrad  was  married  to  Miss  Dora  ]\I. 
Bray,  of  Fulton  countv,  Indiana,  and  thev  have  had  six  children,  as 
follows:  Russell  L.,  Harry  N.,  Thelma  B.,' Ethel  G.,  Edith  M.  and  Ida 
Pearl.  The  members  of  the  family  are  highly  esteemed  in  the  community 
where  the  name  has  stood  for  integrity  and  probity  for  nearly  three- 
quarters  of  a  century.  The  pretty  homestead  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Conrad 
is  known  as  "Walnut  Glenn  Homestead." 

Ira  B.  Maudlin  is  one  of  the  well  established  and  prosperous  farming 
men  of  Bethlehem  township,  where  he  has  made  his  home  for  many 
years — practically  since  his  infancy,  for  the  old  home  of  his  parents  is 
located  in  this  township,  where  they  located  in  1864.  Farming  life  has 
always  been  his  portion,  and  in  it  he  has  demonstrated  a  measure  of 
ability  and  capability  sufficient  to  win  him  a  place  among  the  more 
prominent  men  of  his  community. 

Born  in  Kewanee,  Fulton  county,  this  state,  Ira  B.  IMaudlin  is  the 
son  of  Benjamin  and  Abigail  (Woolf)  Maudlin,  who  were  the  son  and 
daughter  of  Edwin  Maudlin  and  Jonas  Woolf.  They  came  to  Bethlehem 
township  in  1864  and  here  the  father  ended  his  days,  death  claiming 
him  in  1898.  The  mother  yet  lives,  and  is  a  member  of  the  household 
of  her  son,  Ira  B.  of  this  review,  and  has  reached  the  age  of  eighty-two 
years.  The  old  homestead  of  the  Maudlin  family  is  located  one  mile 
south  of  Fletcher's  lake  in  this- township,  where  the  father  first  acquired 
the  o'RTiership  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  and  built  a 


980  '     HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

log  house  for  the  shelter  of  his  young  family.  The  land  was  covered 
with  a  dense  growth  of  timber,  which  the  passing  years  saw  give  place 
to  rolling  fields  that  enriched  their  owner  in  a  comfortable  degree.  The 
old  log  house  still  stands  there,  as  a  monument  to  the  industry  of  its 
builder.  Four  children  were  born  to  these  parents — two  sons  and  two 
daughters.  Amos,  the  eldest  son,  was  twice  married,  first  to  Irene 
Beattie,  and  later  to  a  ]Mrs.  Rosa  Landis.  Marguerite  married  George 
HoUenback ;  and  Hannah  died  about  1880. 

Up  to  the  age  of  twenty-seven  years  Ira  B.  Maudlin  remained  at 
home,  and  performed  his  share  of  the  work  of  the  home  place.  As  a 
boy  he  received  certain  advantages  of  schooling,  somewhat  limited  it  is 
true,  but  as  good  as  the  average  country  youth  of  his  day  received,  and 
he  has  made  good  use  of  such  learning  as  he  did  accjuire  in  those  early 
days.  He  was  born  on  January  29,  1863,  just  prior  to  the  time  when 
his  parents  moved  to  their  Bethlehem  township  farm,  so  that  his  earliest 
recollections  begin  with  that  old  place.  INIay  29,  1889,  'Sir.  Maudlin  was 
married,  and  he  settled  then  on  his  first  independently  operated  farm. 
This  was  a  place  of  seventy-five  acres,  and  adjoined  his  father's  place. 
It  boasted  a  small  frame  house,  which  he  improved  from  time  to  time 
and  built  on  as  occasion  made  necessary,  and  is  today  a  fine  old  farm 
house.  He  added  to  his  land  holdings  until  he  had  a  total  acreage  of 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  acres,  and  there  he  remained  until  1911,  when 
he  removed  to  his  present  fine  place  of  one  hundred  and  five  acres.  The 
farm  is  under  an  excellent  state  of  cultivation,  has  fine  new  buildings, 
and  is  in  every  way  suited  to  the  convenience  and  wishes  of  the  family. 
May  29,  1889,  Mr.  ^Maudlin  married  ]\Iiss  Ida  Frushour,  the  daughter  of 
George  and  Charlotte  (Rowan)  Frushour,  and  they  have  one  son,  George 
B.,  who  was  born  on  November  19,  1890.  He  received  his  diploma  from 
the  public  schools  in  1906  and  then  entered  the  Media  High  School  of 
Bethlehem  township  for  two  years.  In  1908  he  entered  the  literary  and 
commercial  department  of  the  Marion  Normal  at  Marion,  Indiana,  for 
one  term  and  then  was  a  student  in  the  Logansport  High  School.  He 
is  a  practical  agriculturist  and  assists  his  father  on  the  estate.  Mrs. 
Maudlin  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  born  IMay  23,  1862,  and  reared  and 
educated  in  her  native  county.  Mr.  JMaudlin  erected  a  lovely  home  in 
1911,  which  is  heated  by  furnace,  has  acetylene  light  and  is  finished  in 
hardwood.     The  homestead  is  known  as  "Oak  Lawn." 

Mr.  Maudlin  has  long  been  a  prominent  man  in  his  township,  and 
has  been  identified  with  much  of  its  public  life.  He  was  a  trustee  of 
his  township  from  1904  to  1908,  and  gave  excellent  service  in  that  office. 
He  ajid  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at 
Fletcher's  Lake,  and  he  has  long  been  a  trustee  and  a  steward  of  the 
church. 

David  N.  Jameson  has  been  a  resident  of  Cass  county  since  1853,  in 
which  year  he  migrated  from  his  native  state,  Ohio,  and  settled  in  Clay 
township.  He  was  a  boy  of  twelve  at  that  time,  and  since  then  he  has 
been  identified  with  the  history  of  this  part  of  the  county,  in  a  more 
or  less  prominent  and  significant  manner.  Though  he  began  his 
independent  career  without  other  assets  than  his  native   ability   and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  981 

determination,  he  is  today  well  established  in  a  worldly  way,  and  is  one 
of  the  comfortably  situated  farming  men  of  Bethlehem  township. 

Born  in  Ashland  county,  Ohio,  on  March  27,  1841,  David  N.  Jameson 
is  the  son  of  John  and  ^linerva  (Niekols)  Jameson.  The  father,  John 
Jameson,  was  the  son  of  Albertus  Jameson,  and  the  family  was  long 
identified  with  the  history  of  Ohio  in  the  years  of  her  earliest  gi'o\\1;h 
and  development.  The  mother  of  the  subject  was  bom  in  Ashland 
county,  Ohio,  and  she  died  when  her  son,  David,  was  a  small  boy.  The 
father  died  in  IMareh,  1857.  He  came  to  Cass  county  in  1853,  bringing 
his  family  with  him,  and  settling  in  Clay  township,  and  there  he  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life. 

John  Jameson  was  married  three  times  and  by  his  marriage  to  ]Miss 
Minerva  Niekols  there  were  three  children  born,  but  David  N.,  the  siib- 
ject,  is  the  only  child  living  of  the  three  different  marriages,  and  he 
was  the  oldest  of  the  three  born. 

When  David  N.  Jameson  was  fifteen  years  old  he  went  to  live  with 
an  older  brother,  and  he  remained  there  for  five  years,  or  until  the  out- 
break of  the  Rebellion.  With  the  first  intimation  of  war,  he  enlisted  in 
the  army  and  served  until  1863,  Avhen  he  was  honorably  discharged. 
Three  months  of  his  time  he  was  with  the  Ninth  Indiana,  the  remainder 
of  his  period  of  service  being  spent  in  the  Twenty-ninth  Indiana  Regi- 
ment. Following  his  return  from  the  war  April  16,  1863,  Mr.  Jameson 
married  Mary  E.  Metsker,  the  daughter  of  David  and  Margaret  (Edgar) 
Metsker,  who  with  his  wife  died  in  the  year  1849.  After  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  Jameson,  he  settled  in  Cass  county  on  his  present  farm,  and 
here  he  has  since  resided,  carrying  on  an  active  agricultural  business 
in  the  community,  and  his  seventy-five  acres  of  fine  land  is  regarded 
as  among  the  best  in  the  county.  The  place,  as  it  stands  today,  repre- 
sents years  of  the  most  arduous  toil,  with  much  of  disappointment,  as 
well  as  much  of  prosperity  and  happiness  as  the  reward  of  his  efforts. 
He  built  primitive  log  cabin  buildings  on  the  place  where  he  first  took 
possession,  and  with  the  passing  of  time  the  farm  took  on  a  pros- 
perous and  well-kept  appearance  that  spoke  well  for  the  industry  and 
effort  of  its  owner. 

Two  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jameson.  The  eldest, 
Samuel  Edgar,  died  in  1892,  when  he  was  thirty  years  of  age.  The 
other,  John  W.,  married  Gertrude  Fergus,  and  they  have  seven  chil- 
dren, named  as  follows:  Edith,  Charles,  Glenn,  George,  John  L.,  Frank 
and  Louise.  All  this  fine  little  family  are  living,  and  their  gi'and- 
parents  find  much  pleasure  in  the  contemplation  of  their  growth  and 
development.  Mrs.  Jameson  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  born  September 
21,  1842,  and  she  was  the  eldest  of  four  children,  one  son  and  three  daugh- 
ters born  to  David  and  Margaret  (Edgar)  Metsker,  but  is  the  only  sur- 
vivor of  that  family.  She  was  educated  in  the  common  schools.  Mr. 
Jameson  has  been  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school  for  twenty  years,  also 
superintendent. 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  Mr. 
Jameson  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  The  pretty 
homestead  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jameson  is  known  as  "The  Sunny  Crest 
Grange. ' ' 


982  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

James  Cheney.  Among  the  notable  men  whose  careers  were  in  large 
part  spent  in  Cass  county,  and  the  county  claims  for  the  honor  and  dis- 
tinction of  its  citizenship,  the  late  James  Cheney'  was  one  of  the  most 
successful  as  a  banker  and  business  man.  He  came  to  Cass  county  before 
the  war  and  was  for  many' years  identitied  with  financial  affairs  of  such 
importance  that  he  had  more  than  local  prominence,  and  was  a  well 
known  figure  in  the  banking  circles  of  New  York  city.  His  death 
occurred  at  Fort  AVayne,  Indiana,  December  13,  1903,  and  his  remains 
now  rest  in  the  Logansport  cemetery. 

James  Cheney  was  born  in  Sutton,  Vermont,  December  15.  1817, 
and  was  of  English  and  New  England  stock.  His  parents  were  Roswell 
and  Abigail  (Willard)  Cheney.  His  mother  was  a  relative  of  Frances 
E.  AVillard.  The  father  was  a  contractor  in  Vermont  and  after  finish- 
ing his  common  school  education,  James  Cheney  went  into  the  same  busi- 
ness and  assisted  his  father  for  a  numlier  of  years.  He  left  New  Eng- 
land when  a  young  man  and  in  1840  located  in  Toledo,  Ohio,  and  in 
1856  came  to  Cass  county. 

The  late  James  Cheney  organized  at  Logansport  one  of  the  branches 
of  the  old  Indiana  State  Bank,  and  served  as  cashier  of  the  local  institu- 
tion. From  that  time  until  his  death  he  was  closely  identified  witli 
the  larger  interests  of  financial  and  business  affairs.  In  1859  he  engaged 
with  ]\Ir.  Uhl  in  the  milling  business  and  subsequently  was  in  the  real 
estate  business.  He  removed  from  Cass  county  in  1871  to  New  York 
city,  where  he  was  known  as  a  banker  and  in  the  stock  and  bond  business. 
He  held  a  seat  for  a  number  of  years  on  the  New  York  Stock  Exchange 
and  was  connected  with  the  National  City  Bank  and  with  the  Farmer's 
Loan  and  Trust  Company.  A  fact  of  his  business  career  which  is 
specially  noteworthy  is  that  he  was  one  of  the  organizers  and  builders 
of  the  first  Atlantic  cables  during  the  decade  of  the  fifties. 

The  late  jNIr.  Cheney  was  affiliated  with  the  ilasonie  order,  and  his 
church  was  the  Presbyterian.  On  :\Iay  1,  18-1:2,  he  married  IMiss  Nancy 
B.  Evans,  of  Defiance  county,  Ohio,  where  she  was  the  first  white  child 
born.  Her  father  was  Pierce  Evans.  The  children  of  the  late  James 
Cheney  and  wife,  three  daughters  and  one  son,  are  mentioned  as  follows : 
]\Irs.  Alice  Knight  of  Fort  Wayne ;  ^Mrs.  Helen  Kimberly,  of  Wisconsin ; 
Mrs.  Mary  C.  Nelson  in  Logansport ;  and  Willard  Roswell  Cheney  of 
California. 

Henry  S.  jMurdock,  of  Cass  county,  has  had  a  more  varied  career 
than  usually  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  average  man.  If  the  story  of  his  life 
was  properly  written,  it  alone  would  make  an  interesting  volume  of 
reading.  Mr.  Murdock  was  born  December  10,  1835,  at  Clinton.  Michi- 
gan, and  is  the  only  survivor  of  a  family  of  six  children  born  to 
Tilson  and  Fannie  (Blossom)  Murdock,  who  were  natives  of  Vermont, 
and  of  Scotch  ancestry.  The  father  was  a  farmer,  but  for  the  most  part, 
worked  at  carpentering.  He  moved  to  Clinton,  Michigan,  at  a  time  when 
the  country  was  in  a  most  primitive  condition,  and  there  passed  the 
remainder  of  his  days. 

The  boyhood  of  Henry  S.  Murdock  was  passed  in  a  manner  not 
unusual  in'  those  days,  and  in  the  course  of  his  early  years  acquired  the 
rudiments  of  an  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  com- 
munity.    When  old  enough  to  begin  to  work,  he  secured  a  place  clerk- 


fc  -" 


^^^<2:<^c<_^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  983 

ing  in  a  general  store  at  Clinton,  and  was  there  employed  for  several 
years.  His  mother  and  married  sisters  having  removed  to  Logansport 
in  the  intervening  years,  Mr.  Murdock  in  1853  came  to  this  city,  the 
canal  furnishing  his  mode  of  travel  from  Toledo.  Here  he  began 
clerking  in  the  store  of  Thomas  Stevenson,  his  brother-in-law,  a  general 
stock  of  goods  being  on  hand  at  this  jjlace,  including  linsey-woolsey, 
delaine,  calico,  ginghams  and  all  the  required  dry  goods  staples  com- 
mon to  the  times,  as  well  as  complete  lines  in  other  branches.  About  the 
year  1856  he  began  clerking  for  his  brother.  Andrew  J.  Murdock.  who 
had  embarked  in  a  merchandise  business  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  street 
and  Broadway,  but  in  1860,  in  partnership  with  Joseph  ]\IcGaughey, 
he  began  in  the  general  dry  goods  business  for  himself.  When  he  left 
for  the  war  a  brother-in-law,  Jacob  H.  Hicks,  took  his  place  in  the 
firm,  with  the  understanding  that  on  Murdock 's  return  he  was  to  pay 
simple  interest  on  invoice.  This  arrangement  was  scrupulously  carried 
out.  In  August,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  the  Seventy-third  Regiment  Indiana 
Infantrj'  and  the  rendezvous  was  at  South  Bend.  He  was  made 
orderly  sergeant.  They  left  there  August,  1862,  and  went  to  Kentucky. 
For  a  time  his  command  was  stationed  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  but 
the  first  real  engagement  in  which  he  participated  was  the  battle  of 
Stone  river.  Following  this  he  became  a  part  of  Colonel  Straight's  com- 
mand, which  steamed  down  the  Cumberland  river  to  the  Ohio  river, 
thence  to  Padueah,  where  the  brigade  was  provisioned,  and  from  there 
to  Eastport,  ]\Iississippi,  via  the  Tennessee  river.  Here  the  command 
disembarked  and  were  deployed  as  cavalry  to  resist  the  rebel  general, 
Forrest,  who  was  threatening  to  break  through.  The  history  of  the 
capture,  imprisonment  and  escape  of  Colonel  Straight  has  been  told  in 
history  and  story.  !Mr.  ^Murdock  was  captured  May  3,  1863 ;  he  was 
incarcerated  first  in  Libby  prison,  where  he  was  relieved  of  all  his  valu- 
ables and  where  he  remained  for  one  year.  He  was  then  confined  in 
another  prison  across  the  river  for  a  short  time,  after  which  he  was 
taken  to  Macon,  Georgia,  and  from  there  to  Charleston,  South  Caro- 
lina. At  this  place  he  was  in  three  different  prisons,  and  at  one  time 
was  exposed  to  the  fire  of  Federal  gunboats  at  ]\Iorris  Island  three  miles 
distant.  From  Charleston  he  was  taken  to  an  open  camp  at  Columbia, 
and  while  here  succeeded  in  making  good  his  escape  in  December,  1864. 
By  traveling  at  night  and  "laying  up"  in  the  daytime,  getting  food 
from  negroes  and  directions  from  the  few  loyal  men  he  encoiintered, 
he  succeeded  in  getting  two  hundred  miles  near  the  Union  lines,  but 
was  finally  recaptured  near  Pickens,  Xorth  Carolina  courthouse,  taken 
back  to  Columbia  Camp — then  taken  to  Wilmington,  North  Carolina, 
where  he  was  exchanged  in  March,  1865.  After  a  brief  visit  home,  he 
rejoined  his  command  in  Northern  Alabama,  but  the  war  by  this  time 
was  virtually  at  end,  and  until  his  final  discharge  in  July,  1865,  with 
the  rank  of  First  Lieutenant,  he  was  employed  at  guard  duty. 

Following  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Murdock  resumed  merchandising 
in  Logansport,  with  his  brother,  Andrew  J.,  as  a  partner,  thus  continuing 
for  nineteen  years.  Andrew  J.  Murdock  then  became  president  of  the 
First  National  Bank,  and  Henry  S.  Murdock  continued  in  the  merchan- 
dise business  until  1900,  since  when  his  time  and  attention  have  been 
occupied  in  looking  after  his  private  property  interests. 


984  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Such,  in  brief,  is  the  career  of  Henry  S.  Murdock.  Much  could  be 
said  of  intense  interest  to  embellish  these  plain  statements,  but  lack  of 
space  prevents. 

In  1868  Mr.  ]\Iurdock  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Woods,  who  died 
in  1870,  leaving  one  son,  Harry  W.  IMurdock,  of  Lockport,  New  York.  In 
1874  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  Mr.  Murdock  married  Theodosia  Owens,  who 
died  in  1900,  leaving  four  sons:  William  0.,  Karl  F.,  Charles  E.  and 
J.  Fred. 

Mr.  IMurdock  is  a  Republican  and  although  one  of  the  party's 
staunch  followers  he  has  never  sought  office.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

James  McTaggert  was  born  in  County  Tyrone,  Ireland,  August  15, 
1824,  and  was  one  in  a  family  of  five  sons  and  three  daughters  born  to 
John  and  Rose  (McGovern)  McTaggert.  The  father,  John  McTaggert, 
was  a  teacher,  land  agent  and  collector,  and  his  children  received  rather 
better  than  average  educational  advantages.  James  McTaggert  passed 
his  youthful  days  at  home  and  while  a  young  man  he  spent  a  year  in 
Scotland,  working  at  whatever  honest  employment  he  might  turn  his  hand 
to,  and  returning  to  his  home  in  Ireland  in  1847.  The  unhappy  con- 
ditions existing  then  in  Ireland  caused  him  to  turn  to  America  as  a  place 
where  he  might  prosper  better  than  in  his  native  land,  and  the  winter 
of  1847  found  him  aboard  a  sailing  vessel  bound  for  New  York,  and  after 
a  journey  of  seven  weeks  he  landed  in  America.  It  chanced  that  aboard 
the  vessel  were  some  of  his  Irish  acquaintances  who  were  bound  for 
Logansport,  Indiana,  and  they  induced  him  to  accompany  them  to  that 
point,  a  decision  he  was  not  slow  in  arriving  at,  as  he  had  set  sail  with 
no  objective  point  in  mind,  other  than  that  he  intended  to  come  to 
America.  They  made  the  trip  from  New  York  by  Hudson  river  to 
Albany,  thence  by  canal  to  Buffalo,  by  lake  to  Toledo,  and  from  that 
place  down  the  Erie  canal  to  Logansport.  The  spring  of  1848  found 
the  little  party  from  Ireland  arriving  at  Logansport,  and  during  a  part 
of  the  summer  ensuing  j\Ir.  JMcTaggert  was  occupied  at  farm  work,  receiv- 
ing a  stipend  of  fifty  cents  per  day.  He  found  employment  for  a  time 
in  helping  to  build  the  old  seminary,  after  which  he  became  a  canal  boat 
captain.  He  was  industrious  and  ambitious,  and  he  frugally  saved  every 
possible  penny  from  his  earnings  until  he  was  able  to  buy  a  horse  and 
cart.  With  this  capital  he  began  doing  contract  work,  the  excavating  of 
cellars  and  basements  being  his  line  of  work.  From  that  he  branched 
out  into  street  contracting,  and  from  time  to  time  added  new  ventures 
to  his  enterprise.  Mr.  McTaggert  built  the  macadam  work  on  Fourth 
street  between  Market  and  Broadway,  and  this  was  the  first  macadamized 
street  in  Logansport.  Among  other  contract  jobs  which  he  handled,  was 
the  building  of  a  section  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  In  1856  Mr. 
McTaggert  gave  up  contracting  and  turned  his  attention  to  the  grocery 
business,  locating  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  street  and  Broadway.  He 
owned  the  property  where  his  store  was  located  and  here  he  continued  in 
a  thriving  grocery  business  until  1871,  when  he  sold  the  store,  and  in 
1872  engaged  in  the  retail  clothing  business  on  Market  street.  In  1882 
he  retired  from  active  business  pursuits,  and  he  died  on  April  28,  1886. 

It  is  a  significant  fact  that,   despite  his  early  hardships  and   the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  985 

slenderness  of  his  resources  when  he  set  sail  for  America,  Mr.  McTaggert 
was  able  to  build  up  a  business,  in  various  lines,  that  permitted  him  to  be 
accounted  a  fairly  wealthy  man  when  he  died.  Every  success  he  met  with 
in  his  business  career  came  as  the  direct  result  of  his  well  placed  ett'orts 
and  the  sturdy  determination  with  which  he  went  about  every  business 
project  he  took  in  hand.  He  was  always  a  hard  working  man,  and  he  had 
the  advantage  of  knowing  the* value  of  a  dollar  to  the  last  penny.  His 
means,  as  they  were  accumulated  with  the  passing  years,  were  carefully 
and  wisely  invested,  and  he  died  in  comfortable,  if  not  indeed,  affluent  cir- 
cumstances. After  he  had  become  established  in  business  here,  Mr. 
McTaggert  saved  money  with  which  to  bring  his  parents  and  others  of 
the  family  from  Ireland,  and  in  Fe))ruary,  1851,  he  married  Sarah  Dona- 
hoe,  a  daughter  of  James  and  Rose  Donahoe,  of  County  Tyrone,  Ireland. 
They  became  the  parents  of  eight  children,  three  of  which  number  died 
in  infancy.  The  remaining  five  were :  Catharine  A.,  the  wife  of  James 
McGourty ;  Sarah  C,  now  Mrs.  John  McGreery ;  Rose ;  John  Joseph,  who 
died  when  twenty-eight  years  of  age;  Mary  J.,  the  wife  of  Richard 
IMcGreevy.  The  mother  died  on  June  20,  1908.  She,  like  her  husband, 
was  a  devout  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  all  her  life. 

Mr.  McTaggert  was  a  Democrat  in  his  political  convictions,  and  served 
in  the  city  council  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  good  of  the  city. 
in  1868  he  was  the  nominee  of  his  party  for  the  office  of  county  treasurer, 
but  was  defeated  by  Dr.  Schultz  by  the  narrow  margin  of  86  votes. 
Though  not  an  office  holder  to  any  extent,  he  was  a  citizen  of  sterling 
worth,  always  interested  in  the  good  of  the  community,  and  liearing  his 
full  share  of  the  civic  burdens. 

Finis  E.  Fouts.  For  the  past  eighteen  years,  Finis  E.  Fonts  has  been 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising  operations  on  his  present  farm,  a 
well  cultivated  tract  located  on  the  Kokomo  road,  in  Deer  Creek  town- 
ship. During  this  period  he  has  established  a  reputation  for  integrity  and 
honorable  dealing,  and  is  now  accounted  a  worthy  representative  of  one 
of  the  honored  pioneer  families  of  Cass  county  that  have  been  identified 
with  the  progress  and  development  of  this  section  of  the  State  since  an 
early  epoch  in  Indiana's  history.  ]\Ir.  Fouts  was  born  on  his  father's 
farm  in  Cass  county,  November  21,  1866,  and  is  a  son  of  Solomon  and 
Margaret  (Bridge)  Fonts.  His  father,  who,  with  Mr.  Neflf,  shared  the 
distinction  of  being  the  first  two  white  children  born  in  Montgomery 
county,  Indiana,  came  to  Cass  county  in  1834,  and  here  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  life,  accumulating  a  handsome  competency  and  attaining  a  high 
position  in  the  esteem  and  regard  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

Finis  E.  Fouts  was  given  the  advantages  of  a  good  education,  first 
attending  the  old  Runaway  school  in  Deer  Creek  township,  later  going  to 
the  district  schools  in  Carroll  county,  and  finally,  in  1894,  entering  Pur- 
due University,  where  he  took  a  course  in  agriculture  and  mechanical 
engineering.  In  the  meantime,  he  had  spent  his  vacations  in  working 
upon  the  home  farm,  thus  getting  practical  experience  in  the  vocation 
which  he  intended  to  make  his  life  work,  and  eventually,  well  equipped, 
embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own.  Mr.  Fouts  came  to  his  present 
property  in  1895,  and  here  he  has  met  with  unqualified  success.  His  land, 
brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  yields  him  a  golden  tribute  in 


986'  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

return  for  the  labor  and  care  he  bestows  upon  it.  All  of  the  machinery 
and  buildings  on  the  place  are  of  the  most  modern  construction,  and 
indicate  the  owner  to  be  a  most  progressive  and  enterprising  farmer; 
and  such  is  the  reputation  he  bears  throughout  the  community.  In  addi- 
tion to  general  farming,  he  also  carries  on  stock  raising,  and  his  business 
is  so  carefully  and  systematically  managed  that  he  has  won  a  high  degree 
of  prosperity,  and  at  the  same  time  has  gained  and  retained  the  respect 
and  confldeuce  of  those  with  whom  he  has  had  business  transactions.  He 
takes  a  pardonable  degree  of  pride  in  what  he  has  accomplished,  in  that  it 
has  been  won  through  his  own  unaided  efforts. 

On  October  29,  1891,  ]Mr.  Fouts  was  married  first  to  Miss  Nellie 
M.  Pottenger,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Hannah  (Safer)  Pottenger,  and 
to  this  union  there  were  born  five  children,  namely:  Glenn  P.,  Elda, 
Marvin,  Rufus  and  Laura.  His  second  marriage  took  place  July  6,  1911, 
when  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Louanna  (Kitchell)  Shanks,  daughter  of 
Daniel  Kitchell  and  widow  of  the  late  Frank  H.  Shanks,  and  this  union 
has  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  one  daughter:  Margaret.  By  her  first 
marriage,  Mrs.  Fouts  had  three  children:  Carol  E.,  Ellen  C.  and  Frank 
J.  IMr.  and  Mrs.  Fouts  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  have 
been  liberal  in  their  support  of  religious  and  charitable  movements. 

George  Davis  was  among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Cass  county.  His 
parents  were  Virginians  and  were  of  Welsh  ancestry.  He  married  Kath- 
erine  Miller  and  settled  at  Richmond,  Indiana,  at  a  time  when  the  Indians 
were  more  numerous  than  the  whites.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
although  he  followed  farming  for  the  most  part  throughout  his  life.  In 
the  late  fall  of  1831,  together  with  his  family,  he  came  to  Cass  county,  a 
pair  of  cows  hitched  to  his  wagon  being  the  means  of  transportation,  the 
cows  doing  double  duty  in  that  they  provided  food  for  the  children,  as 
well  as  taking  the  place  of  horses  or  oxen.  Upon  their  arrival  at  Eel 
river,  they  were  compelled  to  have  the  cows  shod  in  order  that  they  might 
cross  upon  the  ice.  They  located  on  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  on  section  19,  in  Jefferson  township,  half  of  w'hich  was  pre-empted 
from  the  government,  and  here  they  began  clearing,  grubbing  and  farm- 
ing. Mr.  Davis  also  worked  at  his  trade,  and  many  of  the  log  cabins 
and  old  fashioned  log  barns  were  designed  and  built  by  him. 

]\Ir.  Davis  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  and  served  in  all  of  Gen- 
eral Harrison's  campaigns.  His  father,  Joseph  Davis,  assisted  the 
Colonies  in  their  struggle  for  independence  and  he  was  a  participant  in 
some  of  the  great  battles  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  To  George  Davis 
and  his  wife  six  sons  and  three  daughters  were  born,  three  of  the  sons 
serving  in  the  war  with  Mexico.  George  Davis  was  in  many  ways  a 
unique  character.  He  abhorred  the  liciuor  traffic  and  many  times  had 
difficulty  in  getting  his  crops  harvested  because  of  his  unwilling-ness  to 
provide  whiskey  for  the  farm  "hands."  He  was  a  member  of  the  ilefho- 
dist  Episcopal  church  at  Burnettsville,  which  he  helped  to  organize,  and 
of  which  he  was  an  official  for  years.    He  died  in  1840. 

Richard  Pedrick  Davis  was  the  youngest  of  the  sons  of  George  Davis. 
He  was  born  at  Richmond,  Indiana,  in  1828,  came  with  his  parents  to 
Cass  county  when  he  was  six  years  old  and  as  a  boy  assisted  with  the 
work   of   tile   home    farm.      His   chief   characteristic    was   his   untiring 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  987 

energy.  He  once  worked  for  two  weeks  to  get  enough  money  to  buy  an 
axe.  His  opportunities  for  education  was  extremely  limited,  but  being 
a  keen  observer  and  possessed  of  an  unusual  fund  of  good,  practical  sense, 
he  was  able  in  later  years  to  supply  in  a  measure  the  training  which 
his  early  years  lacked.  Along  in  the  early  history  of  the  Burnettsville 
Normal  School  he  attended  that  institution  for  three  years,  after  which 
he  taught  school  for  several  terms.  His  remuneration  at  one  school  was 
$25  for  a  three  months '  term,  and  he  was  compelled  to  chop  his  own  wood, 
act  as  janitor,  and  "board  around"  as  well.  He  was  one  of  the  best  men 
that  ever  lived  in  Cass  county,  and  for  forty  years  was  an  elder  in  the 
Christian  church.  He  served  four  years  as  justice  of  the  peace,  was 
deeply  religious,  and  an  outspoken  advocate  of  the  cause  of  temperance, 
and  was  an  ardent  Democrat. 

In  partnership  with  his  brother,  David,  Eichard  P.  Davis  operated 
the  first  threshing  machine  ever  brought  to  Cass  county. 

To  his  marriage  with  Jane  Hildebrand,  which  occurred  in,  1850,  nine 
children  were  born,  six  of  that  number  growing  to  maturity  and  being 
named  as  follows :  Sarah  Ellen,  Lucy  Ann,  George  B.,  Mary  Jane,  and 
Fred  and  Frank,  twins.  Mr.  Davis  died  in  April,  1906,  and  his  widow 
survived  him  until  May,  1911. 

The  eldest  son  of  Richard  P.  Davis  is  George  B.,  born  July  14,  1857. 
He  completed  his  schooling  in  Burnettsville  Academy,  and  since  1875 
he  has  been  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools.  For  the  past  ten  years  he 
has  been  principal  of  the  Franklin  school,  in  Logansport.  He  married 
Minnie  Cullen  in  1881,  and  Fannie,  John  C,  Mary  E.  and  Dr.  Charles 
S.  are  their  children.  i\Ir.  Davis  is  present  chainnan  of  the  Democratic 
County  Central  Committee. 

Frank  Davis,  present  commissioner  of  Cass  county,  was  born  on 
March  6,  1864,  and  is  the  twin  brother  of  Fred  Davis,  the  youngest  chil- 
dren of  Richard  P.  Davis.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  years  he  and  Fred 
started  farming  on  shares,  continuing  to  be  thus  occupied  for  six  years, 
after  which  Frank  Davis  bought  out  his  brother's  interest  and  continued 
alone.'  In  1892  he  bought  sixty  acres  of  land,  later  adding  forty-eight 
acres  thereto,  and  in  addition,  he  and  Fred,  by  purchase,  now  hold  the 
old  homestead  place  in  partnership.  In  1908  he  was  elected  county 
commissioner  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  re-elected  in  1910,  and  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1911,  moved  to  Logansport,  where  he  now  resides.  On  January 
9,  1889,  he  married  Emma  Byers,  and  they  have  two  children :  Jessie  M. 
and  Jefferson  Grover  Cleveland.  The  latter  married  Mamie  Strosser, 
and  they  have  one  daughter,  Maxine.  They  live  on  the  old  place,  thus 
making  the  fifth  generation  to  have  resided  on  this  homestead. 

Mr.  Davis  is  a  Democrat,  and  Odd  Fellow,  and  an  exceptionally  able 
county  official. 

George  I.  Wolf.  This  prominent  farmer  and  highly  respected 
citizen  of  Deer  Creek  township  may  be  counted  among  the  pioneers 
of  Cass  county,  since  he  has  faithfully  done  his  share  in  the  development 
of  his  section  of  the  state,  both  materially  and  intellectually.  Such  men 
constitute  the  mainstay  of  a  commonwealth,  and  it  becomes  the  duty  of 
the  biographer  to  encourage  the  formation  of  a  character  that  builds  up 
the  best  interests  of  the  state.     Mr.  Wolf  is  a  self-made  man,  having 


988  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

gained  his  present  position  through  individual  industry,  and  the  salient 
features  of  his  career  go  to  show  that  he  has  ever  displayed  an  enterpris- 
ing, energetic  nature,  even  from  boyhood.  Born  in  Preble  county, 
Ohio,  in  1834,  he  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Barbara  (Hiser)  Wolf.  His 
father,  a  native  of  Frederick  county,  Maryland,  migrated  to  Preble 
county,  Ohio,  in  young  manhood,  and  after  some  years  there,  came  to 
Carroll  county,  Indiana,  in  1836.  There  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life  in  agricultural  pursuits,  dying  advanced  in  years,  with  the  full 
respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellowmen  and  having  accumulated  a  com- 
fortable competency. 

George  I.  Wolf  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  Carroll  county,  where  he 
secured  his  education  in  the  district  schools,  in  the  meantime  gaining 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  farming  by  assisting  his  father  in  the  work  of 
the  homestead  place.  He  early  learned  the  dignity  and  value  of  labor, 
being  taught  to  be  industrious  and  honest,  and  his  success  in  after  life 
was  due  in  large  part  to  the  benefits  accruing  from  this  early  training. 
He  continued  to  remain  under  the  parental  roof  until  he  had  reached 
his  majority,  at  which  time  he  started  upon  a  career  of  his  own,  first 
on  rented  property  and  later  on  a  farm  for  which  he  went  into  debt.  He 
subsequently  cleared  off  his  indebtedness,  sold  his  land  and  came  to 
Cass  county,  where  he  purchased  the  farm  on  which  he  is  now  carrying 
on  operations,  a  tract  of  eighty-three  acres,  located  in  Deer  Creek  town- 
ship, not  far  from  Young  America.  His  modern  home  is  located  on 
Galveston  Rural  Free  Delivery  Route  No.  13,  and  he  also  has  commodi- 
ous barns  and  appropriate  outbuildings,  of  handsome  architecture  and 
siibstantial  character.  His  land  has  all  been  brought  to  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  and  yields  abundant  harvests,  while  his  ventures  in  stock 
raising  have  met  with  an  equal  measure  of  success. 

In  1859  Mr.  Wolf  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Tolen,  who  also 
survives,  and  they  celebrated  their  Golden  Wedding  anniversary  in  1909, 
at  which  were  present  their  children  and  grandchildren,  as  well  as 
many  of  their  friends,  who  recalled  pioneer  days  in  Cass  county  and 
wished  the  aged  couple  many  more  years  of  happy  life.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wolf  have  been  the  parents  of  seven  children :  Mary,  who  became  the 
wife  of  W.  L.  Burrows;  Sarah,  who  married  Wm.  Henry;  Eva,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Abraham  Smith ;  Ladosky,  wife  of  Mr.  Michael ; 
Anna,  wife  of  David  McClusky ;  Carrie,  at  home,  and  Charles.  Charles, 
who  is  married,  resides  on  the  old  homestead,  and  is  his  father's  manager, 
having  gradually  taken  over  the  elder  man's  duties.  He  is  maintaining 
the  family  reputation  for  integrity  and  industry,  and  is  known  as  one 
of  his  section's  good  practical  farmers.  The  family  is  connected  with 
the  German  Baptist  church. 

Dr.  C.  L.  Thomas.  Thirty  years  of  devotion  to  his  profession  is 
the  record  of  C.  L.  Thomas,  M.  D.,  a  veteran  physician  of  Washington 
township — thirty  years  of  his  life  given  to  the  calling  which  he  chose 
as  his  life  work  in  young  manhood ;  a  third  of  a  century  of  time  spent 
in  the  alleviation  of  the  ills  of  mankind.  Such  is  indeed  a  faithful 
service,  a  record  of  which  no  man  might  be  ashamed.  Always  giving 
of  his  best  energies,  always  faithful  to  his  trust,  never  sparing  himself 
in  the  accomplishment  of  his  tasks,  his  life  has  surely  been  a  useful  one. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  989 

and  he  may  now  look  back  over  the  years  that  have  passed  with  a  sense 
of  duty  well  done  and  take  a  pardonable  pride  in  a  work  that  has  served 
to  assist  humanity,  as  well  as  to  add  to  the  professional  prestige  of  his 
adopted  community.  Dr.  Thomas  was  born  October  25,  1846,  in  Car- 
roll county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Catherine  (Johnson) 
Thomas.  His  father,  a  native  of  Virginia,  accompanied  his  parents  to 
Indiana  in  boyhood,  and  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  given  to  farming 
and  the  millwright  business,  dying  in  advanced  age,  with  the  entire 
respect  and  esteem  of  the  people  of  his  community.  He  and  his  wife 
were  the  parents  of  eight  children. 

Dr.  C.  L.  Thomas  prosecuted  his  preliminary  studies  in  the  country 
schools  near  Asbury  church,  and  was  reared  to  the  occupation  of  farm- 
ing. The  young  man,  however,  had  decided  upon  a  professional  career, 
and  accordingly  took  the  examination  and  certified  as  a  teacher  in  the 
public  schools.  At  this  time,  however,  the  Civil  war  came  on,  and 
young  Thomas,  fired  with  patriotism,  joined  a  regiment  of  Indiana 
volunteers,  and  fought  bravely  in  defense  of  the  country's  flag.  On 
the  completion  of  his  military  career,  he  resumed  teaching  in  the  dis- 
trict schools  and  was  so  engaged  until  he  entered  upon  his  medical 
studies.  He  spent  some  time  in  preparation  at  Battle  Ground,  Tippe- 
canoe county,  Indiana,  and  in  1879  received  his  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Medicine  at  Indianapolis,  subsequently  spending  some  time  in  practice 
at  Burlington,  Carroll  county,  and  eventually  coming  to  Logansport. 
Here  he  has  continued  to  the  present  time,  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  large 
and  representative  practice,  which  is  not  confined  to  his  immediate 
community,  but  is  drawn  from  all  over  this  part  of  the  county.  A 
deep  thinker  and  consistent  student,  he  has  ever  devoted  himself  to 
research  and  study,  and  has  taken  a  special  course  in  Bellevue  Hos- 
pital, New  York  City.  His  sympathetic  nature  and  kind  and  gentle 
personality  have  assisted  him  greatly  in  his  work,  and  have  made  the 
aged  physician  one  of  the  most  beloved  of  his  profession  in  Cass  county. 
He  has  taken  a  keen  interest  in  the  work  of  the  various  medical  organiza- 
tions, and  at  this  time  is  president  of  the  Cass  County  Medical  Society, 
in  addition  to  acting  as  a  member  of  the  pension  board.  The  Doctor 
specializes  on  medical  and  surgical  diseases  and  treatment  of  the  eye 
and  his  practice  is  not  confined  to  Cass  county  but  to  all  the  adjoining 
country. 

Dr.  Thomas  was  married  in  1876,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Cheney,  of  Clin- 
ton county,  Indiana,  and  they  have  had  one  son:  Willard,  who  mar- 
ried Miss  Jessie  Wilson,  and  has  two  children:  Marie  and  Charles. 
The  family  is  highly  esteemed  in  this  vicinity  and  its  members  number 
many  warm  friends  in  Logansport,  near  which  city  their  home  is 
situated. 

Fred  G.  Drompp  is  a  native  son  of  Logansport,  Indiana,  born  in 
the  city  on  December  28,  1869,  and  is  the  son  of  Gottleib  F.  and  Sophia 
(Arnold)   Drompp,  both  natives  of  Wittenberg,  Germany. 

Gottlieb  Drompp  was  reared  and  educated  in  his  native  land,  and 
there  he  married.  He  came  to  America  in  young  manhood,  and 
after  a  year  spent  in  Chicago,  came  to  Logansport,  the  time  of 
his  ari'ival  hei-e  being  in  the  '50 's.     Here  he  learned  the  cooper's  trade, 

Vol.     II— IS 


990  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

a  business  which  claimed  his  attention  through  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  He  was  a  member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church  and  reared 
his  family  in  that  faith.  He  died  on  December  29,  1891,  his  widow 
surviving  him  until  February  22,  1894.  They  were  the  parents  of 
twelve  children,  six  of  whom  are  yet  living. 

Fred  G.  Drompp  has  always  made  his  home  in  Logansport.  He 
was  educated  in  the  German  Lutheran  parochial  school,  and  when  he 
was  fourteen  he  became  a  bundle  boy  in  the  old  Keller-Troutman  & 
Company  dry  goods  store.  He  remained  with  this  firm  until  it  ceased  to 
exist,  working  his  way  up  from  bundle  boy  to  a  clerkship.  He  was 
later  employed  in  the  store  of  George  W.  Seybold  &  Brother  until 
July  12,  1900,  when  he,  associated  with  Henry  Kammerer  and 
Ferdinand  Graas,  under  the  firm  name  of  the  Stewart  Dry  Goods  Com- 
pany, embarked  in  the  dry  goods  business  in  Logansport.  Their  begin- 
ning was  a  humble  one,  and  they  occupied  a  room  at  No.  31.5  Fourth 
street.  The  firm  was  duly  incorporated,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $1.5,000, 
"Sir.  Drompp  being  president,  Mr.  Graas,  secretary,  and  i\Ir.  Kammerer, 
treasurer.  This  firm  has  ever  since  continued  without  change  in  its  per- 
sonnel, and  the  business  has  prospered  with  the  passing  years.  In  1903 
an  additional  room  \\a.s  requisitioned  for  the  growing  demands  of  their 
patronage,  and  the  firm  employs  about  twenty-four  people,  aside  from 
the  mend^ers  of  the  firm.  They  carry  a  complete  stock  of  dry  goods, 
ladies'  ready-to-wear  goods,  carpets,  rugs,  curtains  and  linoleums — and 
is  one  of  the  leading  houses  in  its  line  in  the  city.  Mr.  Drompp  is  also 
a  director  of  the  City  National  Bank. 

Mr.  Drompp  is  a  Democrat,  but  not  an  active  politican.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church  and  is  treasurer  and  trustee 
of  that  body. 

On  June  18,  1895,  IMr.  Drompp  was  married  to  Miss  Lena  E.  Grabs 
of  Union  City,  Indiana,  and  they  have  two  children:  Esther  A.,  attend- 
ing high  school,  and  Frederick  G.,  who  attends  the  German  Lutheran 
parochial  school. 

LeRoy  F.  Bird.  Many  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  Cass  county 
are  carrying  on  operations  on  farms  upon  which  they  were  born  and 
where  they  have  spent  their  entire  lives,  and  this  may  be  given  as  one 
of  the  reasons  for  their  success.  Having  passed  their  entire  careers 
here,  they  are  thoroughly  conversant  with  climatic  conditions  and  the 
needs  of  the  soil,  and  as  a  result  they  can  bring  to  their  work  an 
intelligent  knowledge  of  what  methods  wnll  bring  the  best  results.  In 
this  class  stands  LeRoy  F.  Bird,  the  owner  of  170  acres  of  fine  land  sit- 
uated in  Deer  Creek  township,  section  5,  an  enterprising  agriculturist 
and  public-spirited  citizen.  ]\Ir.  Bird  belongs  to  that  class  of  men  who 
have  not  been  content  with  what  has  been  accomplished  by  their  fathers, 
but  have  continued  to  improve  their  properties  and  to  contribute  to  the 
general  prosperity  of  the  community.  He  w^as  bom  on  his  present 
farm,  December  13,  1857,  and  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  F.  and  Harriet 
(Small)  Bird.  His  father,  a  native  of  Decatur  county,  Indiana,  en- 
gaged in  agricultural  pursuits  early  in  life,  and  continued  to  be  so 
engaged  throughout  a  long  and  useful  career.  He  w^as  known  as  a 
practical  farmer  and  shrewd  business  man,  and  won  the  respect  and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  991 

esteem  of  his  fellow-townsmen  by  his  inte^ity  and  honorable  dealing. 
Benjamin  F.  and  Harriet  Bird  were  the  parents  of  three  children, 
namely :  William,  deceased,  formerly  a  farmer  of  Cass  county,  who 
married  Estella  Rhinehart,  and  had  seven  children,  Adelbert,  Hattie, 
Benjamin,  Otis,  Eva,  Charles  and  Ruby;  A.  F.,  who  makes  his  home  in 
Walton ;  and  LeRoy  F.  ^ 

LeRoy  F.  Bird  secured  his  early  educational  training  in  the  old 
Deacon  district  school  in  this  township,  after  leaving  which  he  attended 
the  Walton  public  schools  for  some  time.  In  the  meanwhile  he  spent 
the  summer  seasons  on  the  homestead,  assisting  his  father  in  his  work, 
and  learning  to  cultivate  the  soil  and  raise  stock.  Ambitious  and  enter- 
prising, he  applied  himself  assiduously  to  his  tasks,  gaining  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  his  chosen  vocation  and  carefully  saving  his  earnings. 
He  has  never  left  the  old  homestead,  and  still  carries  on  operations  there,  ' 
having-  met  with  a  full  measure  of  success.  His  crops  are  large  and 
find  a  ready  market,  and  he  is  known  as  a  good  judge  of  cattle,  his  herds 
being  sleek  and  well  fed. 

Mr.  Bird  has  never  married.  He  is  a  popular  member  of  the  local 
lodges  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Universalist  church,  of 
which  his  parents  were  life-long  members.  Public  life  has  never  at- 
tracted him,  and  the  only  interest  he  has  taken  in  political  matters  is 
that  of  any  good  citizen  who  has  the  welfare  of  his  community  at  heart. 
His  many  friends  testify  to  his  general  worth  as  a  neighbor  and  a  man. 

William  R.  Deacon.  Although  now  living  retired  from  active 
pursuits,  the  greater  part  of  his  time  being  devoted  to  looking  after  his 
farm,  William  R.  Deacon  still  takes  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest  in 
matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  Cass  county,  where  he  has  resided 
for  nearly  half  a  century.  A  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  had 
completed  his  service  to  his  country,  he  returned  to  his  Indiana  home, 
and  here  for  a  long  period  was  connected  with  the  painting  and  decorat- 
ing business.  A  brief  sketch  of  his  career  will  show  that  he  has  ever 
lived  an  industrious  and  energetic  life.  Mr.  Deacon  was  born  April 
4,  1841,  in  Liberty,  Union  county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  W.  C.  and 
Sarah  (Dawson)  Deacon.  His  father,  a  native  of  Lexington,  Virginia, 
was  about  thirty  years  of  age  when  he  walked  to  Liberty,  Indiana, 
and  there  he  followed  the  trade  of  painter,  which  he  had  learned  in 
his  native  state,  continuing  in  Liberty  from  1832  to  1864,  in  which 
year  he  came  to  Deer  Creek  township,  Cass  county.  He  continued  to 
spend  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  this  section  and  died  with  a  comfort- 
able competence  and  with  the  esteem  and  respect  of  those  who  knew 
him.  He  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of  six  cliildren,-  namely: 
William  B. ;  George;  Mary  E.;  Martin,  and  Lucy  A.,  who  are  deceased; 
Alice  J.  and  Annie. 

'  William  R.  Deacon  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Liberty,  Indiana, 
and  as  a  youth  was  engaged  in  assisting  his  father,  thus  learning  the 
trade  of  painter  and  decorator.  He  was  so  engaged  at  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  war,  when  he  went  to  Richmond,  Indiana,  and  enlisted  in 
the  First  Battalion,  Fifteenth  United  States  Infantry,  under  General 
Buell.    On  the  completion  of  a  brave  and  gallant  service,  he  came  to  Cass 


992  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY    . 

county  and  joined  his  parents,  and  here  for  a  time  was  employed  in  a 
sawmill  in  Deer  Creek  township.  Succeeding  this  he  began  to  work  at 
the  trade  of  decorator,  and  was  so  engaged  during  the  remainder  of  his 
period  of  activity.  An  excellent  workman,  thoroughly  reliable  in  his 
transactions,  he  soon  secured  a  large  business,  and  built  up  a  reputation 
for  responsibility  and  honesty^ 

On  May  11,  1865,  Mr.  Deacon  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Sarah  J.  Zeek,  the  estimable  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Catherine  (Robin- 
son) Zeek,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  five  children:  Albertus 
and  Lucy,  who  are  both  deceased ;  Minnie,  at  home ;  Edna,  who  is  the 
wife  of  John  Jackson;  and  George  Franklin,  who  married  Minnie 
Sprinkle,  and  has  one  child,  Geraldine.  With  his  family,  Mr.  Deacon 
attends  the  Methodist  church.  His  daughter,  Miss  Minnie  Deacon, 
belongs  to  the  Rebekahs.  Mr.  Deacon  has  formed  a  wide  acquaintance 
during  his  long  residence  in  Cass  county,  and  in  it  he  numbers  many 
warm  friends,  drawn  about  him  by  his  many  excellencies  of  mind  and 
heart. 

LoRA  Wilson.  An  example  of  well  directed  industry  conducing  to 
success  is  found  in  the  cai'eer  of  Lora  Wilson,  of  Deer  Creek  township, 
an  enterprising  and  progressive  agriculturist  who  has  won  financial 
independence  and  a  position  of  prestige  through  the  medium  of  his  own 
efforts.  Some  twenty  years  ago  he  began  his  farming  operations  as  a 
renter  of  land,  and  his  progress  has  been  steady  and  continuous,  until 
today  he  is  the  owner  of  a  well-cultivated  tract  of  eighty  acres,  and  is 
classed  among  his  township's  successful  farmers  and  stock  raisers.  Mr. 
Wilson  was  born  on  the  old  Wilson  farm  in  Deer  Creek  township,  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  March  28,  1874,  and  is  a  son  of  George  Washington 
and  Catherine    (Beamer)    Wilson. 

George  Washington  Wilson  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Union  county, 
Indiana,  near  the  village  of  Liberty,  on  May  11,  1843,  and  when  he 
was  twelve  years  of  age  accompanied  his  father  to  Cass  county,  In- 
diana. His  educational  advantages  were  meager,  as  his  services  were 
needed  in  cultivating  and  improving  the  home  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  wild  land,  on  which,  when  the  family  first  settled 
thereon,  not  one  furrow  had  ever  been  turned. 

Upon  the  death  of  his  father  in  1871,  Mr.  Wilson  took  charge  of 
the  homestead,  which  he  continued  to  operate  during  the  period  of 
his  activity,  and  in  addition,  accumulated  a  tract  of  seventy-eight 
acres  on  section  20,  in  Deer  Creek  township.  He  placed  both  tracts 
under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  made  most  of  the  improvements  on 
them,  and  continued  to  carry  on  general  farming  and  stock  raising 
for  many  years,  attaining  financial  success  and  the  confidence  of  all 
with  whom  he  had  transactions.  He  was  a  Republican  in  politics,  and 
his  religious  affiliations  were  with  the  Christian  church.  On  January 
29,  1873,  George  W.  Wilson  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  Beamer, 
and  to  them  were  born  six  children,  as  follows:  Hairy,  now  a  farmer 
of  Deer  Creek  township;  Lora,  of  this  review;  Stella;  Carl;  William 
A.  and  Almi  I.,  the  last  two  named  now  being  deceased.  George  Wash- 
ington Wilson  was  a  Republican  and  a  lifelong  member  of  the  Chris- 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  993 

tian  church.  He  was  born  on  May  11,  1843,  and  died  on  March  30,  1911, 
and  his  wife  was  born  September  1,  1845,  in  Virginia  and  is  living. 

Lora  Wilson  was  early  trained  to  the  duties  of  farming,  spending 
the  summer  months  in  assisting  his  father  on  the  home  place,  while 
the  winter  seasons  were  passed  in  attendance  at  the  district  schools  of 
his  native  township.  He  received  the  equal  of  a  grade  school  education 
of  the  present  day,  after  which  he  had  some  training  in  the  Normal 
schools  of  various  nearby  cities,  and  his  education  was  terminated  by 
a  year  in  the  agricultural  department  of  Purdue  University.  When  he 
was  eighteen  years  old  he  began  teaching  school,  and  for  the  ensuing 
tive  years  he  gave  himself  to  that  work,  spending  the  summers  either 
in  school,  in  the  pursuit  of  further  knowledge,  or  helping  with  the 
work  of  the  home  farm,  which  he  so  well  knew  how  to  carry  on.  Mr. 
Wilson  was  twenty-one  years  old  when  he  began  to  farm  independently, 
renting  the  farm  of  his  father  as  a  beginning  and  operating  the  place 
on  shares  for  something  like  ten  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  had 
so  prospered  that  he  was  able  to  purchase  an  eighty  acre  tract  for  him- 
self, and  his  attention  since  then  has  been  devoted  to  the  cultivating 
and  improving  of  this  place.  It  may  well  be  assumed  that  Mr.  Wilson 
has  made  many  improvements  along  modern  lines  in  the  conduct  of  his 
farm,  and  the  erection  of  commodious  and  substantial  buildings  is  not 
the  least  feature  along  the  line  of  such  improvement.  His  stock  in  its 
appearance  indicates  his  thorough  knowledge  as  a  breeder,  and  modern 
machinery  of  all  kinds  betrays  the  progressive  spirit  of  the  man  in  his 
farming  capacity. 

Mr.  Wilson  has  maintained  the  family  reputation  for  honesty  and 
integrity  in  business  affairs,  and  his  pleasant  personality  has  gained 
him  a  wide  circle  of  sincere  friends.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  but  has  no  other  associations  that  would 
detract  from  his  attention  to  his  fami  and  his  home. 

On  March  22,  1905,  Mr.  Wilson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Grace  Idel  Billiard,  of  Carroll  county,  Indiana.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  Lewis  and  Susan  Amanda  (Debolt)  Billiard.  Lewis  Billiard  was 
a  farmer  of  Carroll  county,  and  served  as  a  soldier  during  the  Civil 
war.  Mrs.  Wilson  received  her  education  in  the  grade  and  high  schools 
of  her  native  community,  and  takes  her  place  among  the  most  estimable 
and  highly  regarded  women  of  the  township,  where  she  has  a  host  of 
good  friends.  Three  interesting  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wilson,  Florence,  George  and  Lucille,  all  of  whom  were  born 
on  the  farm  near  Young  America,  where  the  family  home  is  maintained. 
The  eldest  was  born  on  September  9,  1906 ;  the  second  on  November 
19,  1909,  and  the  third  born  claims  July  7,  1912,  as  her  natal  day. 

John  W.  Cost  was  born  at  Fairfield,  Green  county,  Ohio,  July 
24,  1844,  his  parents  being  Henry  Joseph  and  Anna  (Steele)  Cost. 
He  was  of  a  family  of  four  children,  three  sons  and  one  daughter,  all  of 
whom  are  deceased  except  John  W.  Mr.  Cost  was  six  years  of  age  when 
the  family  made  removal  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  there  the  mother  passed 
away  February  8,  1858,  following  which  they  removed  to  Logansport, 
Indiana.  In  his  early  boyhood,  Mr.  Cost  attended  school  at  the  old 
seminary,  and  when  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age  began  an  apprentice- 


994  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

ship  with  George  W.  Brown,  in  the  drug  trade.     He  was  so  engaged  in 

1863,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Regiment, 
Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  in  the  six  months'  service,  and  March  1, 

1864,  his  time  expired  and  he  was  mustered  out  of  the  service.  During 
the  following  week  he  re-enlisted  in  the  Seventy-third  Regiment,  In- 
diana Volunteer  Infantry,  remaining  therewith  until  February  1, 
1866,  and  during  these  enlistments  participated  in  a  number  of  import- 
ant engagements,  among  them  being:  Stone  River,  Murfreesboro,  Ten- 
nessee ;  Decatur  and  Athens,  Alabama ;  and  Franklin  and  Nashville, 
Tennessee.  In  addition  there  were  a  number  of  minor  engagements  and 
skinuishes,  in  all  of  which  he  took  an  active  part.  At  the  close  of  his 
services,  he  returned  to  school  in  the  old  seminary  for  one  year,  and 
then  resumed  his  training  in  the  drug  business,  this  time  with  Henry 
Bringhurst.  During  the  following  five  years  he  engaged  in  the  drug 
business  with  Rodney  Strain,  and  at  the  end  of  this  time  embarked  in 
business  on  his  own  account,  in  the  old  J\lagee  Block,  in  what  is  now 
known  as  the  George  Hoffman  store  location,  on  Fourth  street.  Suc- 
ceeding this,  Mr.  Cost  moved  to  the  Thomas  Bringhurst  room  on  Broad- 
way, now  occupied  by  Hall  Smith's  jewelry  establishment,  and  in 
1883  he  came  to  Young  America,  where  for  thirty  years  he  has  been 
considered  one  of  the  town's  leading  business  men. 

On  October  11,  1876,  Mr.  Cost  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Amanda  Stapleton,  the  eldest  daughter  of  J.  J.  Stapleton,  and  to  this 
union  there  have  been  lx)rn  two  children:  Joseph  Albert  and  Clara 
Alice.  Joseph  Albert  Cost  is  now  timekeeper  for  the  Kokomo  factory 
of  the  Pittsburgh  Plate  Glass  Company ;  Alice  Cost  became  the  wife  of 
W.  E.  Kirkpatriek,  of  Young  America.  Mrs.  Amanda  Jane  (Staple- 
ton)  Cost  was  born  in  Bethlehem  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  March 
4,  1855,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  this  county  all  of  her  life. 

The  foregoing  is  a  brief  review  of  the  salient  points  in  the  career 
of  one  of  Young  America's  ablest  and  most  highly  esteemed  business 
men,  a  veteran  in  the  drug  trade,  and  a  citizen  who  has  ever  been 
devoted  to  the  best  interests  of  his  adopted  community.  During  the 
thirty  years  that  he  has  been  the  proprietor  of  an  establishment  here, 
he  has' ever  held  a  reputation  for  the  strictest  integrity  and  business 
honor,  and  each  year  has  seen  the  extension  of  his  wide  circle  of  friends. 
He  is  a  popular  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  with  his  family, 
attends  the  Christian  church. 

John  W.  Sprinkle.  Among  the  progressive  and  enterprising  agri- 
culturists of  Cass  county,  one  who  has  gained  financial  independence 
and  business  prestige  through  the  medium  of  his  own  efforts  is  John 
W.  Sprinkle,  of  Deer  Creek  township.  Embarking'  upon  a  career  of 
his  own  when  he  was  a  young  man,  without  financial  assistance  or 
influential  friends,  he  so  well  directed  his  efforts  that  today  he  is  the 
owner  of  a  handsome  property  of  160  acres  of  land,  on  the  Walton 
road,  in  addition  to  having  other  valuable  interests.  Mr.  Sprinkle  was 
born  on  what  is  known  as  the  old  Sprinkle  home  place,  near  Sprinkle 
Chapel,  in  Cass  county,  Indiana,  February  13,  1862,  and  is  a  son  of 
John  and  Margaret  (Roach)  Sprinkle.  His  father,  a  native  of  Rock- 
bridge county,  Virginia,  was  a  machinist  by  trade,  but  after  coming  to 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  995 

Cass  county,  in  young  manhood,  followed  farming  and  stock  raising,  and 
also  operated  a  sawmill  and  threshing  machine.  He  and  his  wife  were 
the  parents  of  eight  children,  as  follows:  Ellen,  who  became  the  wife 
of  a  Mr.  Orr;  Wilson;  William,  who  is  deceased;  Elizabeth,  deceased, 
who  was  the  wife  of  a  Mr.  McDonald ;  Hannah,  who  married  a  Mr.  Brit- 
ton  ;  John  W. ;  George ;  and  LeRoy. 

John  W.  Sprinkle  began  his  education  in  the  old  Logan  school  and 
subsequently  became  a  student  in  the  Babb  school,  where  he  completed 
his  training.  On  finishing  his  studies,  he  took  up  the  trade  of  machinist, 
under  the  preeeptorship  of  his  father,  and  subsequently  worked  in  the 
sawmill  and  with  the  threshing  machine,  traveling  all  over  this  and 
surrounding  counties,  but  when  the  land  became  partly  cleared,  he 
turned  his  attention  to  farming.  On  reaching  his  majority,  he  embarked 
upon  a  career  of  his  own,  and  through  industry,  energy  and  perseverance 
has  gained  an  enviable  position  among  the  agi'iculturists  of  his  section 
of  the  county.  Starting  in  a  modest  manner,  as  the  years  passed  and 
his  finances  would  permit,  he  added  to  his  land,  to  his  stock  and  to  his 
improvements,  and  now  has  a  tract  of  160  acres  that  is  well  cultivated 
and  fitted  with  modern  buildings.  He  believes  in  the  use  of  modern 
machinery  and  scientific  methods,  and  the  success  which  has  rewarded 
his  efforts  marks  him  as  one  of  the  substantial  men  of  his  community. 
He  is  also  the  owner  of  320  acres  of  government  land  in  South  Dakota, 
located  near  Redfield.  A  man  of  the  highest  integrity,  his  business 
dealings  have  always  been  of  a  strictly  legitimate  nature,  and  his  methods 
have  gained  him  an  enviable  reputation  and  a  wide  circle  of  friends. 

Mr.  Sprinkle  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  wife,  Eva  Crawford, 
dying  without  issue.  His  second  marriage  was  to  Miss  Lillie  Ruth,  of 
Cass  county,  a  member  of  a  prominent  farming  family,  and  to  this  union 
there  have  been  born  five  children,  as  follows :  Clifford,  who  married 
Pearl  Plank,  and  has  three  children,  Pauline,  Luella  and  Ellsworth ; 
Addie,  the  wife  of  James  Kay,  who  has  one  daughter.  Prances;  and 
Gracie,  Edith  and  Gladys,  all  of.  whom  reside  with  their  parents.  The 
family  is  connected  with  the  ]\Iethodist  Episcopal  church,  in  the  sup- 
port of  which  they  have  always  been  liberal.  Mr.  Sprinkle  holds  mem- 
bership in  the  local  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

Samuel  Hursh.  A  substantial  representative  of  the  agricultural 
interests  of  Deer  Creek  township  is  found  in  the  person  of  Samuel 
Hursh,  the  owner  of  160  acres  of  excellent  farming  land,  located  about 
one  and  one-half  miles  east  of  the  village  of  Young  America.  Although 
a  resident  of  Cass  county  only  since  1903,  he  has  become  widely  aud 
favorably  known  among  the  citizens  of  his  locality,  and  his  ability 
and  integrity  have  been  recognized  by  his  election  to  official  position, 
in  which  he  has  served  efficiently  and  conscientiously.  Mr.  Hursh  is  a 
native  of  the  Hoosier  State,  and  was  born  March  26,  1863,  in  Carroll 
county,  a  son  of  Martin  V.  and  Sarah  E.  (Quinn)  Hursh.  His  father, 
a  native  of  Butler  county,  Ohio,  came  with  his  parents  to  Indiana  in 
boyhood,  settling  in  Carroll  county  in  1842.  There  he  continued  to  be 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  during  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
accumulating  a  comfortable  competency  and  being  highly  esteemed  as 
a  neighbor  and  citizen.     He  and  his  wife  are  both  deceased,  and  are 


996  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

buried  in  the  cemetery  at  Flora,  Indiana.  They  were  the  parents  of 
six  children,  namely :  Samuel,  Ada,  Minnie,  Mollie,  Fannie  and  Ambrose. 
Martin  V.  Hursh  was  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows. 

Samuel  Hursh  attended  the  Carroll  county  schools,  and  was  reared 
to  the  vocation  of  farming,  an  occupation  in  which  his  ancestors  had 
been  engaged  for  generations.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  he  left 
the  parental  roof  and  embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own  in  Howard 
county,  Indiana,  where  he  continued  operations  until  1903,  which  year 
saw  his  advent  in  Cass  county.  Settling  in  Deer  Creek  township, 
Mr.  Hursh  began  to  cultivate  and  improve  his  160-acre  farm,  and 
his  substantial  buildings  in  good  repair  and  his  well-tilled  fields  give 
eloquent  evidence  of  his  thrift  and  enterprise.  This  property,  known 
as  the  old  Harness  farm,  is  being  devoted  to  general  farming  and  stock 
raising,  in  both  of  which  lines  Mr.  Hursh  has  attained  a  full  measure  of 
success.  Through  the  careful  direction  of  his  business  interests  and  by 
indefatigable  industry,  he  has  acquired  a  handsome  property  and  at  the 
same  time  has  so  conformed  to  the  ethics  of  business  life  that  he  has 
the  unqualified  confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  has  had  trade  transactions. 

In  August,  1894,  Mr.  Hursh  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Alice 
Harness,  the  estimable  daughter  of  Jackson  and  Louise  (Fisher) 
Harness,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  three  children:  Obie, 
who  is  engaged  in  farming  in  Deer  Creek  township,  married  Miss  Laura 
Snider,  and  has  two  children,  Robert  and  John;  lea,  residing  with  her 
parents,  a  graduate  of  the  local  schools ;  and  Oca,  also  living  at  home, 
who  is  still  a  pupil  in  the  schools  of  the  township.  Mr.  Hursh  is  a 
popular  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  as  was 
his  father,  and  takes  a  great  cleal  of  interest  in  its  work.  His  political 
belief  is  that  of  the  Democratic  party,  and  at  the  present  time  he  is 
serving  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Deer  Creek  township, 
where  he  is  laboring  faithfully  in  behalf  of  the  best  interests  of  his 
community  and  its  people.  With  his  family,  he  attends  the  Christian 
chiirch. 

John  L.  ^Maurice  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  in  1862,  and  with 
the  exception  of  about  four  years  has  ever  since  made  this  city  his 
home.  He  is  a  native  of  Departemant  des  Voge,  Canton  de  St.  Die, 
France,  his  birth  occurred  on  June  13,  1841,  and  in  1852,  when  he  was 
eleven  years  old,  he  came  with  his  parents,  Nicholas  and  Margarte 
(Markuere)  Maurice,  to  America. 

Nicholas  Maurice  located  on  a  small  tract  of  laud  near  Dayton, 
Ohio,  after  coming  to  this  country  and  engaged  in  the  business  of 
agriculture,  in  which  he  continued  until  his  death. 

All  the  education  John  L.  ]\Iaurice  ever  received  was  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  county  and  a  winter  in  the  schools  of  Dayton.  When 
he  was  twelve  years  of  age  he  started  out  on  his  own  responsibility 
and  his  first  employment  was  as  a  farm  laborer,  and  for  his  services 
he  received  four  dollars  a  month  and  his  keep.  He  continued  work- 
ing as  a  farm  laborer,  with  gradually  increasing  wages,  until  he  grew 
older,  and  in  1861  he  went  to  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  where  for  a  year 
he  was  employed  as  a  clerk  in  an  ice  cream  parlor.     The  next  year  he 


Qf:^.c^, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  997 

came  to  Logansport  and  for  a  year  thereafter  he  worked  in  the  black- 
smith shop  of  John  Jackson.  On  July  9,  1863,  he  enlisted  in  the 
IMississippi  I\Iarine  Brigade  and  at  first  was  a  member  of  Company  D 
Cavalry,  which  later  becam.e  Company  K  Infantry.  The  duty  of  the 
command  to  which  Mr.  Maurice  belonged  was  to  patrol  the  IMississippi 
river  and  disperse  bands  of  guerrillas.  His  militarj^  career  was  one  of 
continual  activity,  and  while  he  participated  in  no  general  engagement, 
he  was  continually  exposed  to  attacks  from  the  rebels.  His  command 
took  part  in  the  Red  River  expedition  under  General  Banks,  and  he 
was  finally  honorably  discharged  from  the  service  with  the  rank  of 
corporal,  his  discharge  taking  efi'ect  on  January  21,  1865.  His  original 
company  comprised  one  hundred  and  four  men,  and  of  this  number  only 
sixteen  were  left  at  the  close  of  the  war.  Succeeding  the  return  of  peace 
to  the  land,  ]\Ir.  Maurice  returned  to  Logansport,  soon  thereafter  going 
to  Dayton,  Ohio,  gardening  about  two  years,  and  at  the  butcher  busi- 
ness one  year.  He  then  returned  to  Logansport  again  and  established 
a  meat  market  at  the  coi^ner  of  North  and  Sixth  streets.  For  a  period  of 
thirty-eight  years  he  conducted  a  market  at  this  corner,  and  he  still  owns 
the  corner  where  the  shop  stood,  althoiigh  he  retired  from  active  busi- 
ness in  1910.  He  was  at  that  time  the  oldest  living  butcher  in  Logans- 
port. It  is  a  fact  that  when  he  first  began  his  meat  market  he  had 
to  borrow  the  money  to  buy  a  horse,  and  when  he  first  opened  his  doors 
his  capital  was  so  limited  that  he  could  only  buy  one  beef  at  a  time. 
He  has  prospered  in  the  most  unmistakable  manner,  and  bore  the 
reputation  of  being  an  excellent  butcher,  a  careful  buyer,  a  good  sales- 
man, always  courteous  and  square  in  all  his  dealings  with  his  patrons, 
and  enjoyed  during  his  entire  career  the  patronage  of  many  who  first 
frequented  his  little  shop  with  its  modest  siipplies.  Mr.  Maurice  is 
a  man  of  excellent  habits  of  life,  temperate  and  saving,  and  these  quali- 
ties have  made  possible  the  accumulation  of  his  present  property. 

Mr.  JMaurice  has  been  twice  married.  He  has  two  sons  by  his  first 
marriage — David  W.  and  Charles  L.  In  1893  he  "was  married  to  Mrs. 
Indiana  Connolly,  the  daughter  of  James  S.  Wilson,  an  old  pioneer  of 
Logansport,  and  the  widow  of  Robert  J.  Connolly.  IMrs.  IMaurice  has 
one  son  by  her  first  marriage — Wilson  J.  Connolly.  She  is  a  member  of 
the  Second  Presbyterian  church. 

Mr.  Maurice  is  a  Republican  and  is  a  member  of  the  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

James  S.  Wilson.  An  old  and  distinguished  citizen  of  Logansport 
in  Cass  county  was  James  S.  Wilson,  who  came  to  Logansport  on  a  canal 
boat,  became  identified  with  the  local  milling  industry,  and  for  many 
years  was  one  of  the  leading  manufacturers  of  the  city.  James  S.  Wilson 
was  bom  at  Elizabethtown,  in  Allegheny  county,  Pennsylvania,  October 
9,  1823,  was  of  staunch  American  stock,  and  a  son  of  Andrew  and  Eliz- 
ai)eth  (Shooley)  Wilson,  natives  respectively  of  Pennsylvania  and  Eng- 
land. Until  he  was  twelve  years  old  he  received  an  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  his  native  town,  and  his  first  practical  experience  was 
as  a  clerk  in  a  drug  store.  This  he  followed  for  three  years,  and  it  led 
him  to  take  up  the  study  of  medicine,  but  he  soon  abandoned  his  inten- 
tion of  becoming  a  physician  and  instead  went  West  and  found  a  position 


998  HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

as  steward  on  a  packet  boat  plying  along  the  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal  in 
the  freight  trade  between  Logansport  and  Toledo.  In  this  way  he  visited 
Logansport,  and  practically  became  a  permanent  resident  in  1845.  For 
several  years  he  was  connected  with  the  'canal  transportation,  and  in 
1850  left  that  and  accepted  a  clerkship  with  William  Beach  &  Co.  in  the 
Forest  Mills,  an  illnstration  of  which  old  mills  will  be  found  on  other 
pages  of  this  history.  Seven  years  later,  having  a  thorough  experience 
in  all  departments  of  the  mill,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Cecil  & 
Co.,  and  subsequently  became  proprietor  of  the  Logansport  mills.  He 
was  a  prosperous  miller  and  local  manufacturer  until  1890,  at  which 
time  he  sold  out  the  water  power  and  mills  to  the  city  of  Logansport, 
which  converted  it  to  the  use  of  municipal  power  and  lighting  purposes. 

On  May  21,  1844,  Mr.  Wilson  married  Delilah  Creding,  of  Akron, 
Ohio.  To  their  marriage  were  born  two  children:  Indiana,  first 
married  Robert  Connolly,  and  after  his  death  became  the  wife  of  John 
L.  Maurice,  and  now  lives  in  Logansport ;  Virginia  became  the  wife  of 
G.  W.  Stevens,  who  is  president  of  the  C.  &  0.  Railway,  with  residence 
at  Richmond,  A^irginia.  James  S.  Wilson  was  a  Republican  in  politics, 
and  was  affiliated  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and 
the  Elks  of  Richmond,  Virginia. 

James  G.  Johnson.  After  spending  many  years  in  mercantile  lines 
in  Young  America,  J.  G.  Johnson  is  now  living  retired  from  active 
pursuits,  the  greater  part  of  his  time  and  attention  being  given  to 
looking  after  his  realty  interests.  A  worthy  representative  of  an  old 
and  honored  family,  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Indiana  since  infancy, 
and  his  entire  career  has  been  one  of  industry  and  energy  conducing 
to  well-merited  success.  J.  G.  Johnson  was  born  September  27,  1838, 
near  Cincinnati,  in  Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  William 
and  Sarah  (Godfrey)  Johnson.  His  father,  born  and  reared  in  Ham- 
ilton county,  received  excellent  educational  advantages,  became  a 
physician,  and  after  some  years  of  practice  came  to  Spencer  county, 
Indiana,  in  1838,  and  here  lived  for  several  years;  then  came  to  Young 
America,  Cass  county,  where  he  practiced  medicine.  Thence  he  moved 
to  Durham,  Missouri,  where  he  died.  He  became  a  well-known  mem- 
ber of  the  Indiana  medical  profession,  accumulated  a  comfortable  com- 
petency, and  when  he  died  left  a  wide  circle  of  friends  to  mourn  him. 
He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  tive  children,  namely:  William, 
Martha,  Robert,  Eliza  Ann  and  J.  G.,  all  dead  but  the  last  named. 

J.  G.  Johnson  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Spencer  county, 
and  his  boyhood  was  spent  much  the  same  as  that  of  any  other  country 
•physician's  son.  He  was  eighteen  years  of  age  at  the  time  he  first 
came  to  Cass  county,  at  that  time  locating  in  Deer  Creek  township, 
where  for  some  time  he  worked  as  a  farm  hand.  Subsequently  he 
became  apprenticed  to  the  trade  of  mason,  and  after  thoroughly  master- 
ing its  details  followed  that  occupation  for  some  time,  eventually,  how- 
ever, turning  his  attention  to  mercantile  pursuits.  Mr.  Johnson  became 
one  of  the  pioneers  in  his  chosen  line  in  Young  America,  and  for  years 
was  a  leading  business  man  of  this  town.  Always  trustworthy  and 
reliable,  he  built  up  a  business  that  covered  the  entire  contiguoiis 
territory,   and,   while   he   was  shrewd   and   farsighted   in   his  business 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  999 

operations,  his  transactions  were  ever  of  a  legitimate  nature,  and  not 
only  did  he  establish  himself  in  the  confidence  of  his  business  associates 
through  the  force  of  his  integrity,  but  also  gained  the  friendship  and 
esteem  of  his  customers  by  a  pleasant,  genial  and  obliging  personality. 
He  continued  to  enjoy  a  steady  and  well-balanced  trade  until  several 
years  ago,  when,  feeling  that  he  had  earned  a  rest  from  his  years  of  labor, 
he  retired.  He  still  retains  an  active  and  intelligent  interest,  however, 
in  all  that  affects  his  community,  giving  the  support  of  his  influence, 
his  time  and  his  means  to  promoting  its  welfare.  Although  nearing 
his  seventy-fifth  year,  his  faculties  are  unimpaired,  his  memory  is  excel- 
lent, and  he  recalls  in  a  pleasing  conversational  manner  many  incidents 
and  experiences  of  early  days  in  Young  America.  Everywhere  he  has 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens.  ]\Ir.  Johnson  holds  prestige 
in  the  Masonic  fraternity  as  the  first  man  in  Young  America  to  receive 
his  IMasonic  emblem.  With  his  family,  he  attends  the  Christian  church. 
On  July  19,  1862_,  Mr.  Johnson  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  P. 
Burrows,  and  they  had  three  children:  William  H.,  Sarah  J.  and  John. 
All  these  children  died  before  the  mother.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a  Prohibi- 
tionist, but  is  not  an  office  seeker. 

A.  A.  Segraves.  One  of  the  native  sons  of  Indiana  who  has  conferred 
honor  and  dig-nity  upon  the  state  of  his  birth  is  A.  A.  Segraves,  general 
farmer  and  stock  raiser  of  Deer  Creek  township,  who  owns  and  operates 
a  handsome  tract  of  180  acres  on  the  Kokomo  road.  Reared  to  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  he  has  made  this  his  life  vocation,  and  his  success  has 
come  as  a  result  of  persistent  industry,  unfailing  energy  and  integrity 
in  business  matters  that  have  won  him  the  confidence  of  his  associates. 
Mr.  Segraves  was  born  January  2,  1859,  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana, 
and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Plank)  Segraves. 

Elam  and  Martha  (]\Ioore)  Segraves,  the  paternal  grandparents  of 
A.  A.  Segraves,  were  natives  of  the  Old  Dominion,  from  which  state  they 
migrated  to  Ohio  as  pioneers,  settling  near  Eaton.  There  their  son, 
William,  was  born  and  reared,  taking  up  the  occupations  of  farmer 
and  carpenter  and  subsequently  coming  to  Carroll  county.  During  the 
Civil  war,  William  Segi'aves  enlisted  in  the  Seventy-second  Regiment, 
Mounted  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  he  starved  to  death  with 
others  at  Andersonville  prison.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of 
three  children,  namely:  A.  A.;  James  H.,  who  died  unmarried,  March 
2,  1885 ;  and  Martha,  who  became  the  wife  of  William  Johnson  and 
has  three  children. 

A.  A.  Segraves  was  a  boy  when  brought  to  Deer  Creek  township, 
and  here  he  secured  his  educational  training  in  the  district  schools, 
finishing  his  course  in  the  Swamp  school.  In  the  meantime  he  had 
spent  the  summer  months  in  working  upon  the  home  farm,  thoroughly 
assimilating  all  the  details  of  agricultural  work,  and  continued  to  remain 
under  the  parental  roof  until  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age,  at 
which  time  he  embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own.  He  began  his 
operations  by  renting  land  from  John  Hendrickson,  but  subsequently 
became  his  stepfather's  partner,  and  since  then  his  rise  has  lieen  steady 
and  continuous.  His  present  farm  of  180  acres,  on  the  Kokomo  road, 
has  been  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  improved  with  good 


1000  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

buildings,  and  is  known  as  one  of  the  valuable  tracts  of  the  township. 
Mr.  Segraves  has  other  business  interests  and  in  numerous  ways  con- 
tributes materially  to  the  importance  of  his  community  as  a  center  of 
business  activity. 

On  May  8,  1884,  Mr.  Segraves  was  married  to  Miss  Clara  Crockett, 
a  daughter  of  John  Crockett,  a  sketch  of  whose  life  appears  in  another 
part  of  this  work.  Five  children  have  been  born  to  them :  William 
E.,  an  enterprising  young  agriculturist  who  is  managing  his  father's 
interests,  married  Lola  Bowman,  and  has  two  children,  Irena  and 
Geneva,  also  Mary,  deceased ;  Earl,  of  Saskatchewan,  Canada,  manager 
of  his  father's  half-section  of  rich  farming  land,  who  married  Mabel 
Noakes  and  has  three  children,  Anal,  Harold  and  a  baby  daughter, 
and  ]Mary  Mabel,  Ruth  and  Lenna,  all  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mr. 
Segraves  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  with  his  sons  holds 
membership  in  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Mrs.  Segraves 
being  a  member  of  the  Rebekahs.  The  family's  religious  affiliation  is 
with  the  Uuiversalist  church.  Mr.  Segraves  has  proved  himself  in  all 
the  relations  of  life  an  earnest,  honest,  upright  man,  and  a  citizen  of 
whom  any  community  might  be  justly  proud. 

Allen  Snyder.  Cass  is  essentially  an  agrieiiltural  county.  It  has 
its  factories,  its  mills  and  its  business  houses,  and  the  professions  are, 
of  course,  well  represented,  but  the  chief  industries  here  have  been 
those  of  farming  and  stock  raising,  and  along  these  lines  the  leading 
citizens  have  attained  their  positions  of  prestige.  Among  the  men 
who  have  devoted  their  lives  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil,  and  through  their 
operations  have  added  to  the  general  prosperity  and  welfare  of  the 
community,  Allen  Snyder  takes  prominent  place.  He  is  the  owner  of 
two  farms,  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  and  forty  acres,  respectively,  and 
has  also  been  active  in  public  affairs,  being  at  present  a  member  of  the 
common  council  of  Logansport.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  this  section 
all  of  his  life,  ha\dng  been  born  in  the  old  house  now  standing  on  his 
present  farm  in  September,  1863,  a  son  of  "William  and  Catherine 
(Senseman)  Snyder.  William  Snyder  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  as  a  young  man,  taking 
up  land  in  the  vicinity  of  Galveston,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of 
fourteen  children,  as  follows :  Samuel ;  John,  who  is  deceased ;  Wil- 
liam;  Charles;  Allen,  of  this  review;  Justina,  who  is  deceased;  Eliza- 
beth ;  Mary ;  Jennie ;  Martha  ;  ]\Iinnie ;  Frank ;  Sarah  and  Henrietta. 

Allen  Snyder  firet  attended  the  Runaway  school  and  later  the  Pep- 
permint and  Washington  schools,  in  Washington  township,  and  during 
his  entire  school  period  worked  on  the  home  farm,  assisting  his  father 
and  brothers  in  clearing,  cultivating,  plowing  and  harvesting,  and  in 
the  thousand  and  one  tasks  that  occupy  the  busy  farmer's  attention. 
William  Snyder  had  a  large  farm  and  there  was  plenty  for  each  of  the 
sons  to  do,  but  their  educations  were  not  neglected,  nor  was  their 
moral  training  forgotten,  the  good  mother  rearing  them  to  habits  of 
industry,  honesty  and  thrift.  On  attaining  his  majority,  Allen  Snyder 
embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own  on  a  part  of  his  father's  farm,  and 
as  the  years  passed  he  added  to  his  holdings  and  continued  to  put  up 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  1001 

new  buildings  and  make  other  improvements  until  his  farms  are  con- 
sidered some  of  the  most  valuable  in  the  township.  Although  he  does 
not  engage  as  actively  in  the  farm  labor  as  in  former  years,  Mr.  Snyder 
still  superintends  the  operations,  and  is  known  as  a  practical  farmer 
and  excellent  judge  of  cattle,  of  which  he  has  large  herds. 

On  March  5,  1887,  Mr.  Snyder  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Anna  Eckerle,  daughter  of  Leopold  and  Nancy  (Mallory)  Eckerle,  who 
came  to  Cass  county  from  Ohio,  and  here  took  up  land  at  an  early  date. 
There  were  eight  children  in  the  Eckerle  family :  Frank ;  Charles ;  Anna, 
who  married  Mr.  Snyder ;  Alice  and  ^Martha,  who  are  deceased ;  Wil- 
liam; Rose  and  I\Iary.  Mr.  Eckerle,  a  retired  mechanic,  still  survives 
and  makes  his  home  at  Flora,  Indiana.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snyder  have 
had  five  children :  Eddie  L.,  w^ho  has  charge  of  the  home  place,  where 
he  resides,  married  Myrtle  Bone;  Howard,  who  married  Mary  Lam- 
bert ;  RoUie ;  Marvin  and  Vera.  Mr.  Snyder  has  taken  a  keen  interest 
in  public  matters,  and  was  recently  elected  a  member  of  the  common 
council  of  Galveston,  where  he  has  rendered  efficient  and  conscientious 
service.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  of  Young  America 
and  of  the  Democratic  party.  He  has  a  widespread  reputation  for 
integrity  and  honorable  dealing,  and  his  friends  are  only  limited  to 
the  number  of  his  acquaintances. 

Andrew  J.  Gray,  M.  D.,  physician  and  surgeon  at  Young  America, 
Indiana,  is  one  of  the  eminent  professional  men  of  this  part  of  Cass 
county,  and  his  activities  as  doctor,  civic  official  and  public-spirited 
citizen  have  marked  him  as  a  representative  of  the  best  type  of  progres- 
sive American  citizenship,  and  gained  him  the  esteem  and  confidence 
of  his  fellow  townsmen  and  the  sincere  regard  of  a  \ride  circle  of  per- 
sonal friends.  Since  locating  in  Young  America,  in  1890,  Dr.  Gray 
has  identified  himself  with  various  movements  for  the  public  welfare, 
his  connection  with  which  has  caused  his  election  to  positions  of  honor 
and  trust,  and  in  his  discharge  of  the  duties  of  which  he  has  displayed 
the  same  faithfulness  and  conscientiousness  that  have  marked  his  pro- 
fessional career.  Dr.  Gray  was  born  October  1,  1854,  in  Jackson  town- 
ship, Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Harriet  (Culver) 
Gray. 

John  Gray  was  born  in  Juniata  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
reared  to  agricultural  pursuits.  On  leaving  the  Keystone  state,  he  went 
to  Butler  county,  Ohio,  but  remained  there  only  a  short  time,  subse- 
quently coming  to  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  where  his  father  had  taken 
up  land.  Mr.  Gray  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  here  in  agricultural 
pursuits,  and  died  with  a  comfortable  competence  and  with  the  full 
esteem  and  respect  of  his  numerous  friends.  He  and  his  wife  were  the 
parents  of  four  children,  namely :  Jacob,  James,  Joseph  and  Andrew 
J.,  of  whom  James  is  deceased. 

Andrew  J.  Gray  received  his  early  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  Jackson  township,  and  during  the  summer  months  assisted  his  father 
in  the  work  of  the  farm.  Follo^^•ing  this  he  took  a  finishing  course  at 
Walton,  and  then  prepared  for  a  collegiate  course  by  attendance  in  the 
preparatory  school  at  Valparaiso.  Succeeding  this,  he  entered  the 
Indiana  Medical  University,  at  Indianapolis,  where  he  was  graduated 


1002  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  in  1897,  and  immediately  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  North  Grove,  Miami  county, 
Indiana,  where  he  continued  for  ten  years.  In  1890,  Dr.  Gray  came 
to  Young  America,  where  lie  has  since  become  the  possessor  of  a  large 
and  representative  professional  business.  He  has  been  a  close  student 
and  is  the  possessor  of  a  valuable  medical  library,  the  perusal  of  which 
occupies  whatever  time  he  can  spare  from  his  professional  duties.  He 
has  a  well-appointed  office,  equipped  with  the  most  highly  improved 
ec]uipment  of  the  profession  and  everything  that  will  in  any  way  add 
to  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  his  patients.  He  belongs  to  the  Cass 
County  and  Indiana  State  IMedical  Societies  and  the  American  Medical 
Association,  in  the  work  of  which  he  takes  great  interest,  and  his  fra- 
ternal connections  include  membership  in  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

On  November  10,  1891,  Dr.  Gray  was  married  to  IMrs.  Kate  P.  Ham- 
ilton, the  widow  of  Joseph  Hamilton,  of  Kokomo,  Indiana,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Joseph  P.,  who  is  engaged  in  teaching  school  in  Cass 
county.  For  four  years  Dr.  Gray  served  efficiently  in  the  office  of 
trustee  of  schools,  and  during  his  administration  the  present  Young 
America  high  school  was  erected.  At  the  present  time  he  is  a  member 
of  the  board  of  Cass  county  commissioners,  and  is  giving  his  best 
services  in  behalf  of  the  community  in  which  he  has  resided  for  so 
many  years. 

Claude  Beck.  It  is  almost  entirely  upon  the  standing  of  its  busi- 
ness men  and  leading  citizens,  upon  their  reliability,  integrity,  enter- 
prise and  public  spirit,  that  the  standing  of  any  community  rests  That 
locality  is  indeed  fortunate  when  it  can  boast  of  a  number  of  self-made 
men,  for,  while  they  have  been  advancing  their  own  interests,  they  have 
at  the  same  time  been  forwarding  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  their 
community,  and,  having  succeeded  themselves,  are  almost  invariably 
ready  to  assist  others  to  success,  thus  materially  contributing  to  the 
public  welfare.  Among  the  citizens  who  have  been  the  architects  of 
their  own  fortunes,  and  who  have  builded  wisely  and  well,  none  stands 
higher  in  general  esteem  than  Claude  Beck,  of  Deer  Creek  township. 
Losing  his  father  before  his  birth,  his  life  from  earliest  boyhood  has  been 
one  of  incessant  activity,  and  today  he  is  the  owner  of  a  finely  cultivated 
tract  of  more  than  two  hundred  acres  of  land.  Mr.  Beck  was  born 
August  18,  1872,  near  the  ^^llage  of  Liberty,  Union  county,  Indiana,  and 
is  a  son  of  Alvin  and  Cynthia  T.  (Showalter)  Beck.  His  father,  also  a 
native  of  Union  county,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  died  when  still 
in  the  prime  of  life,  leaving  Jiis  wife  with  five  small  children,  George  E., 
Edwin  A..  Bruce  and  Garry,  who  are  now  deceased,  and  Claude. 

The  educational  advantages  of  Claude  Beck  were  somewhat  limited, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  it  was  early  necessary  for  him  to  become  self- 
supporting,  but  he  attended  the  schools  of  Young  America,  made  the 
most  of  his  opportunities,  and,  being  ambitious  and  industrious,  man- 
aged to  acquire  a  much  better  education  than  many  who  had  much  better 
chances.  When  still  an  infant  he  was  brought  by  his  mother  to  Cass 
county,  and  here  when  still  a  lad  he  began  his  career  as  an  agriculturist. 
When  yet  in  his  teens  he  started  operations  on  a  tract  of  rented  land 


FRANK  V.  GUTHRIE 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1003 

in  Deer  Creek  township,  and  as  tlie  years  passed  invested  his  earnings 
in  property  nntil  at  the  present  time  he  has,  as  before  stated,  two  hun- 
dred acres.  Here  he  has  made  numerous  improvements,  his  buildings 
being'  large  and  substantial  and  of  modern  architecture,  and  liis  ma- 
chinery being  of  the  latest  manufacture  and  in  the  best  of  repair.  The 
greater  part  of  his  attention  has  been  given  to  general  farming,  but  he 
has  also  experimented  in  stock  raising  with  a  full  measure  of  success.  In 
business  affairs  Mr.  Beck  is  a  man  of  keen  discrimination  and  sound  .judg- 
ment, of  energy  and  perseverance,  and  the  prosperity  which  has  at- 
tended his  efforts  is  the  merited  reward  of  his  own  faithful  labor. 

In  May,  1892,  Mr.  Beck  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Roach,  and 
they  have  had  a  family  of  eight  children :  Maude,  who  is  deceased ; 
Ethel  E.,  who  became  the  wife  of  Carl  S.  Zook  and  resides  on  her  father's 
farm ;  Ruby  S.,  Tonawanda,  Virgil,  Alvin,  Bruce  and  Victor.  The  chil- 
dren have  all  been  given  good  chances  for  an  education,  and  fitted  for  the 
positions  in  life  which  they  may  be  called  upon  to  till.  Mr.  Beck  is  a 
popular  member  of  the  local  lodges  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

Frank  V.  Guthrie.  It  not  infrequently  occurs  that  the  men  in  a 
family  will  display  an  inclination  to  follow  the  same  business  or  voca- 
tion, and  this  is  especially  true  in  the  professional  occupations.  Where 
the  son  has  inherited  the  father's  predilection  and  ability,  it  is  but 
natural  that  his  bent  should  be  along  the  same  line,  and  Cass  county 
furnishes  a  number  of  instances  of  one  profession  being  passed  down 
from  one  to  the  succeeding  generation.  An  example  of  this  kind  is  found 
in  Frank  V.  Guthrie,  the  capable  county  attorney  of  Cass  county, 
whose  career  before  the  bar  is  but  a  continuation  of  the  success  gained 
by  his  father  in  the  practice  of  law.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  Mr. 
Guthrie's  high  position  can  be  accredited  as  much  to  his  hard,  faith- 
ful work,  as  to  any  qualities  of  a  hereditary  character,  for  his  has  been 
an  active  and  industrious  career,  filled  with  earnest,  painstaking 
endeavor  directed  along  well-defined  lines.  He  is  a  native  of  Cass 
county,  having  been  born  in  AVashington  township,  August  19,  1865, 
and  is  one  of  six  children,  five  sons  of  whom  are  now  living,  born  to 
Alexander  and  ]\lary    (Brosier)    Guthrie. 

Alexander  Guthrie  was  born  in  Switzerland  county.  Indiana,  and 
was  ten  years  of  age  Avhen  he  accompanied  his  father,  "William  Guthrie, 
to  Cass  county.  Here  he  was  reared  on  his  fathei-'s  farm,  early  in  life 
became  a  school  teacher,  and  eventually  took  up  the  study  of  law,  a 
profession  which  he  followed  for  about  thirteen  years  from  1870.  His 
death  occurred  in  1906,  and  he  is  survived  by  his  widow. 

Frank  V.  Guthrie  attended  the  public  and  high  schools  of  Logans- 
port,  graduating  from  the  latter  in  1886,  and  follo^ving  this  began  the 
study  of  his  chosen  profession  under  the  preceptorship  of  his  father. 
Subsequently  he  entered  the  offi.ee  of  DeWitt  C.  Justice,  although 
prior  to  this  time  he  had  been  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  an  office 
in  which  he  served  four  years.  In  1892,  IMr.  Guthrie  took  the  examina- 
tion and  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  since  that  year  has  continued 
in  constant  practice  in  Logansport.     He  was  associated  with  his  former 


1004  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

preceptor  in  a  professional  partnership  until  Mr.  Justice's  death,  and 
since  that  time  has  practiced  alone.  He  was  not  long  in  securing  recogni- 
tion as  a  lawyer  of  high  attainments,  and  soon  acquired  a  large  and 
representative  i^ractice.  His  activities  in  Democratic  politics  won  him 
the  chairmanship  of  the  Democratic  Central  Committee  of  Cass  county 
in  1906,  and  as  such  he  served  until  January,  1912.  In  the  meantime, 
on  January  1,  1909,  he  w^as  the  successful  nominee  of  his  party  for  the 
ofifice  of  county  attorney,  a  position  in  which  he  has  served  with  the 
greatest  ability  to  the  present  time.  Mr.  Guthrie  has  been  connected 
with  much  of  the  important  litigation  of  recent  years  in  Cass  county, 
and  has  acquitted  himself  in  an  able  manner  in  all  the  cases  with 
which  he  has  been  connected.  Among  his  associates  at  the  bar  he  is 
recognized  as  a  valuable  associate  and  as  an  antagonist  to  be  feared. 
His  religious  connection  is  with  Eel  River  English  Lutheran  cliurch, 
while  fraternally  he  belongs  to  the  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  No.  417,  and 
Lodge  No.  66  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

On  June  25,  1890,  Mr.  Guthrie  was  married  to  ]\Iiss  Catherine  Miller, 
of  Logansport,  who  was  bom  and  reared  here,  and  to  this  union  there 
have  been  born  two  sons,  namely:    Earl  F.  and  Asa  B. 

BiVBT  SwAPFORD.  The  life  history  of  the  gentleman  whose  name 
heads  this  brief  review  has  been  commensurate  with  that  of  Cass  county, 
where  he  has  made  his  home  since  1866.  It  is  difficult  for  the  enter- 
prising and  energetic  farmer,  after  spending  long  years  of  earnest  toil 
in  cultivating  a  property,  to  retire  from  active  pureuits  and  turn  his 
property  over  to  younger  hands,  but  when  he  eventually  arrives  at  the 
conclusion  that  he  has  reached  an  age  when  he  is  entitled  to  rest  from 
his  labors,  he  generally  removes  to  a  nearby  city  or  village,  and  there 
becomes  a  welcome  addition  to  its  population  as  a  man  whose  long  ex- 
perience makes  him  valuable  in  forwarding  his  community's  interests. 
This  remark  is  in  no  sense  inappropriate  to  Mr.  SwafEord,  who  is  now 
living  a  life  of  retirement  in  Lincoln,  whence  he  removed  when  he  turned 
over  the  management  of  his  160-acre  farm  to  his  sons. 

Bart  Swafford  was  born  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  on  the  22d  day 
of  May,  1845,  a  son  of  Archibald  Swafford.  His  parents  were  farming 
people  of  Preble  county,  where  they  spent  their  lives,  both  now  being 
deceased.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  namely:  William, 
Bart,  John,  Emmett,  Reese,  James,  Mary  and  Ella.  Bart  Swafford 
received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his  day  and  locality,  and 
was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits  on  his  father's  farm.  He  was 
thrifty  and  industrious  in  his  youth,  carefully  saving  his  earnings  with 
the  view  of  becoming  a  property  owner  himself,  and  in  1866  was  able 
to  realize  his  ambition  when  he  came  to  Deer  Creek  township  and  pur- 
chased his  present  land.  Each  year  he  added  to  his  property  and  made 
improvements  thereon,  until  it  became  one  of  the  valuable  tracts  of  the 
township.  He  erected  a  modern  home,  substantial  barns  and  good  out- 
buildings, and  was  successful  in  the  raising  of  good  stock  and  abundant 
crops.  At  the  time  of  his  retirement  he  moved  to  Lincoln,  where  he  has 
since  resided,  and  has  taken  a  keen  interest  in  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  his  adopted  place.  He  has  not  entered  public  life,  having  no 
desire  for  public  office,  but  has  done  a  good  citizen's  part  in  promoting 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1005 

the  welfare  of  his  community  and  its  people,  and  has  never  been  back- 
ward in  supporting  those  movements  which  he  has  believed  would  work 
out  for  the  ultimate  good  of  all  concerned. 

Mr.  Swafford  was  married  to  Miss  Melinda  Toney,  and  they  reared  a 
family  of  seven  children,  namely :  Reese,  John,  Archibald,  Beverly,  Em- 
mett,  Dennis,  who  is  now  deceased,  and  Mrs.  Roxie  Maryland. 

Beverly  and  Emmett  Swafiford,  sons  of  Bart  Swafford,  are  the  owners 
of  a  sixty-acre  farm  just  across  the  road  from  the  homestead,  and  also 
rent  the  latter  place  from  their  father.  Both  were  educated  under  the 
veteran  Cass  county  teacher,  John  Babb,  working  On  the  farm  during 
their  school  period  and  continuing  to  be  tillers  of  the  soil  after  attain- 
ing their  majorit}'.  They  have  been  successful  in  farming  and  stock 
raising  operations,  and  have  maintained  the  family  reputation  for  in- 
dustry and  integrity. 

AViLLi.vM  O.  Burrows.  One  who  has  considered  the  pursuits  of  pri- 
vate life  as  abundantl}^  worthy  of  his  best  efforts,  and  who  has  concen- 
trated his  interests,  energies  and  attention  upon  his  home  county,  la- 
bored persistently  for  its  advancement  and  growth,  and  at  the  same 
time  has  promoted  his  private  interests  so  that  he  holds  a  place  of 
prestige  among  his  fellow  citizens,  is  Wiliam  0.  Burrows,  of  Deer  Creek 
township,  the  owner  of  145  acres  of  excellent  farming  land. 

The  subject  always  closest  to  Mr.  Burrows'  heart  has  been  agricul- 
ture, and  he  has  not  only  gained  an  enviable  position  in  his  chosen  call- 
ing, but  has  marked  his  career  by  a  memorable  showing  forth  of  the 
utmost  fidelity  to  principle  and  to  the  highest  standard  of  human  con- 
duct. He  was  born  on  the  old  Burrows  homestead,  owned  by  his  brother, 
John  E.  Burrows,  in  Deer  Creek  township,  Cass  county,  December  21, 
1855,  and  is  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Custenborder)  Burrows.  His 
father,  a  native  of  Greene  county,  Ohio,  came  to  this  township  as  a  j'oung 
man,  and  during  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  engaged  in  the  cultivation 
of  the  soil,  becoming  one  of  his  community's  substantial  and  influential 
citizens.  He  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of  six  children,  namely : 
Sarah,  who  became  the  wife  of  Peter  Pierson;  Priseilla,  who  married 
David  Studebaker;  Mary  C,  Amanda,  widow  of  Chauncey  C.  Mummert; 
William  O.  and  John  E. 

AVilliam  O.  Burrows  commenced  his  education  in  the  old  Thomas 
school  and  passed  all  of  his  school  days  in  the  country.  His  boyhood 
was  spent  much  the  same  as  other  farmers'  youths  of  his  day  and  locality, 
there  always  being  plenty  of  work  on  the  homestead  to  keep  his  hands 
busy  and  his  mind  occupied.  In  the  meantime  he  was  securing  experi- 
ence of  a  practical  nature  that  was  of  gi'eat  value  to  him  during  the 
years  that  followed.  He  was  always  industrious  and  ambitious,  and  on 
attaining  his  majority  embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own,  first  renting 
land  and  later  going  into  debt  for  his  present  property.  He  was  able 
after  some  years  of  labor  to  clear  his  land  from  its  incumbrance,  and 
from  that  time  his  rise  has  been  steady  and  continued.  He  is  engaged 
in  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  in  both  of  which  lines  he  has  met 
with  a  full  measure  of  success,  and  his  land  is  constantly  increasing  in 
value.  As  a  farmer  Mr.  Burrows  is  inclined  toward  modern  methods 
and  ideas.     In  his  everj^-day  citizenship  he  displays  the  same  enterprise 


1006  HISTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

and  practices  the  same  creed.  He  has  enriched  his  community  and  added 
to  its  importance  by  developing  a  choice  property,  and  for  this  reason, 
if  for  no  other,  deserves  a  place  among  Deer  Creek  township's  represen- 
tative men. 

On  December  31,  1879,  Mr.  Burrows  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  J. 
Blue,  daughter  of  Uriah  and  Mary  (Cohen)  Blue,  and  they  have  had  the 
following  children :  Grace ;  Delbert,  who  married  Grace  Seward  and  has 
four  sons — Harold,  Robert,  Arthur  and  Richard;  Elmer,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  iifteen  years;  and  Margaret,  who  is  attending  school.  Uriah 
Blue  was  born  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  and  there  spent  many  years 
on  a  farm,  but  eventually  came  to  Cass  county.  He  and  his  wife  were 
the  parents  of  four  children:  Eliza  J.,  who  married  Mr.  Burrows;  Ella 
M.,  JMary  Ann  and  Oretta.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burrows  are  prominent  mem- 
bers of  the  German  Baptist  church. 

John  R.  Babb.  There  is  no  vocation  in  which  man  can  engage  that 
is  more  highly  honored  than  that  of  the  teacher.  Placed  under  his  care 
are  the  plastic  minds  of  youth,  eager  for  knowledge,  easily  impressed, 
and  the  responsibility  resting  on  the  shoulders  of  the  educator  is  a 
heavy  one.  Each  year  the  standard  of  education  has  been  placed  higher, 
and  he  who  would  keep  abreast  of  his  calling  must  constantly  study, 
even  as  those  under  him  study.  For  forty  years  John  Babb  has  been 
engaged  in  teaching  in  the  public  schools  of  Cass  county,  and  during 
this  time  he  has  made  a  name  for  himself  in  his  profession,  has  been 
also  a  successful  agriculturist,  and  as  a  citizen  has  gained  the  respect 
and  good  will  of  all  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact.  He  is  now  the 
owner  of  a  farm  of  forty  acres,  on  which  he  still  resides,  located  on  Lin- 
coln rural  free  delivery  route  No.  15,  in  Deer  Creek  township,  although 
he  has  retired  from  active  agricultural  pursuits.  jNIr.  Babb  is  a  native 
of  Ohio,  born  near  Greenville,  in  Darke  county,  August  31,  1850,  a  son 
of  William  H.  and  Maiy  C.  (Anderson)  Babb.  His  father  brought  the 
family  to  Cass  county  when  John  Babb  was  still  a  lad,  settling  on  a 
farm  in  Deer  Creek  township,  where  he  continued  to  be  engaged  in  till- 
ing the  soil  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  met  with  a  reasonable 
amount  of  success,  and  was  known  as  one  of  his  section's  industrious 
men  and  practical  farmers,  and  as  a  citizen  who  ever  had  the  welfare  of 
his  community  at  heart.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  ten  chil- 
dren, of  whom  five  grew  to  maturity,  namely :  John,  James  N.,  David  B., 
Reese  M.  and  Ulysses  S.,  who  is  deceased. 

John  Babb  commenced  his  educational  training  in  the  old  Salem 
school,  originally  a  log  church,  following  which  he  attended  the  public 
schools  of  Valparaiso  and  a  preparatory  school  at  Lebanon,  Ohio.  Thus 
equipped  he  secured  his  teacher's  license  and  at  once  entered  upon  his 
pedagogic  work,  in  which  he  has  since  become  known  all  over  Cass 
county.  In  the  meantime  he  has  followed  farming  to  some  extent,  de- 
voting himself  to  his  calling  in  the  winter  months,  and  spending  his 
summers  in  cultivating  his  fields,  although  he  retired  from  the  latter 
occupation  some  years  since.  Mr.  Babb  is  known  as  an  ideal  educator, 
who  has  the  much-desired  quality  of  being  able  to  impart  to  his  students 
his  own  extensive  knowledge.  Many  of  his  pupils  have  gone  out  into 
the  world  and  made  names  for  themselves  in  various  lines  of  endeavor, 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  .        1007 

and  have  frequently  given  credit  to  their  preceptor  for  his  wise  and  valu- 
able teachings  that  stai-ted  them  off  well  prepared  for  the  serious  business 
of  life. 

Mr.  Babb  was  married  in  1877  to  Miss  Indiana  Toney,  who  died, 
leaving  two  children:  Claude  D.,  who  married  Florence  Kelly,  and  has 
three  children — Omer,  Elwin  and  Wilma ;  and  Clyde,  who  married 
Laura  Daggert,  and  has  two  children — Hilda  and  Robert. 

Mr.  Babb  belongs  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  has  been 
liberal  in  his  support  of  religious  and  charitable  movements.  He  has 
not  entered  public  life,  having  had  no  desire  for  personal  preferment, 
but  has  not  been  unmindful  of  the  duties  of  citizenship,  and  has  done 
all  in  his  power  to  further  the  interests  of  his  community  and  to  aid 
in  securing  good  government.  His  long  connection  with  educational 
matters  has  made  him  widely  known,  and  everywhere  he  is  esteemed  as 
a  man  whose  long  life  has  done  much  to  better  his  locality  and  those 
about  him. 

James  Alexander  Nelson.  An  excellent  illustration  of  the  rewards 
to  be  gained  through  a  life  of  industry,  energy  and  probity,  is  to  be 
found  in  the  career  of  James  Alexander  Nelson,  of  Deer  Creek  township, 
now  the  owner  of  403  acres  of  valuable  land,  whose  success  has  been 
attributable  to  individual  worth.  A  resident  of  Cass  county  since  boy- 
hood, he  has  been  closely  identified  with  the  growth  and  development  of 
this  section,  and  has  done  his  full  share  in  bringing  about  the  wonderful 
changes  that  have  marked  Cass  county's  history  during  the  past  several 
decades.  James  Alexander  Nelson  was  born  September  25,  1851,  in 
Union  county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Nancy  (Allen)  Nelson. 
His  father,  also  a  native  of  that  county,  spent  his  life  in  tilling  the  soil, 
and  became  one  of  his  commtinity's  prominent  and  substantial  citizens. 
There  were  four  sons  in  the  family :  John,  William,  Jacob,  who  is  now 
deceased,  and  James  A. 

The  early  education  of  James  A.  Nelson  was  secured  in  the  schools 
of  Lybrook,  Union  county,  and  he  was  still  a  lad  when  he  was  brought 
to  Cass  county,  here  completing  his  studies  in  the  common  schools.  He 
was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  remained  with  his  mother  until 
he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  at  which  time  he  embarked  on  a  career 
of  his  own,  taking  up  a  tract  of  land  in  Deer  Creek  township.  As  the 
years  have  passed  and  his  finances  have  permitted,  he  has  added  to  his 
land  from  time  to  time,  and  now  has  about  403  acres,  over  200  acres  of 
which  have  been  cleared  by  himself. 

He  carries  on  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  using  the  most  ap- 
proved methods,  and  has  taken  advantage  of  modern  machinery  in  cul- 
tivating his  land.  Progressive  along  all  lines,  he  has  recognized  that  the 
successful  farmer  best  helps  himself  who  helps  the  community,  and 
accordingly  has  done  all  in  his  power  to  advance  the  interests  of  Deer 
Creek  township.  His  reputation  in  business  circles  has  ever  been  that 
of  a  man  of  integrity  and  honorable  principles  and  he  justly  merits  the 
high  esteem  in  which  he  is  universally  held. 

Mr.  Nelson  was  married  to  Miss  Ella  Barnhart,  and  they  have  been 
the  parents  of  six  children,  namely:  Roy,  who  married  Esther  Peters, 
and  has  one  daughter — Geneva  I. ;  Bertha,  who  married  a  Mr.  Babb, 


1008        .  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

and  has  two  children — James  and  Esther;  Edna,  single  and  residing  at 
home  with  her  parents,  and  Everett  and  Emmett,  who  are  attending 
school.  The  oldest  child.  May,  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  With  his 
wife  and  children  Mr.  Nelson  attends  the  New  Light  church.  He  is  a 
Democrat  politically. 

Martin  Van  Buren  Burrows.  Among  the  residents  of  Deer  Creek 
township  who  are  successfully  carrying  on  the  work  of  breeding  and 
dealing  in  live  stock  and  developing  the  fields  according  to  modern 
methods  of  farming,  is  numbered  Martin  Van  Buren  Burrows,  whose 
home  is  on  Galveston  rural  free  delivery  route  No.  13.  Here  he  has  a 
farm  of  seventy-one  acres,  on  which  he  has  carried  on  operations  for 
many  years,  during  which  he  has  gained  a  widespread  reputation  for 
integrity,  probity  and  good  citizenship.  He  was  born  November  15, 
1837,  in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Mary 
(Stottler)  Burrows.  His  father,  a  native  of  Maryland,  migrated  west 
to  Ohio  in  young  manhood,  settling  in  Greene  county,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  farming  until  he  brought  the  family  to  Cass  county  in  1865. 
In  addition  to  carrying  on  farming  he  followed  the  trade  of  blacksmith 
for  a  long  period,  and  accumulated  a  large  tract  of  land.  He  became 
widely  known  in  his  part  of  the  county  and  was  accounted  one  of  Deer 
Creek  township's  best  citizens.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of 
three  children,  namely:  Martin  Van  Buren,  William  Jackson  and  Mrs. 
Mary  Founda,  both  of  whom  are  now  deceased. 

After  completing  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Greene 
county,  Ohio,  Martin  V.  Burrows  started  upon  his  career  as  an  agricul- 
turist. His  early  training  was  secured  in  his  native  county,  for,  being 
his  father 's  youngest  son,  he  was  put  to  work  in  the  fields  almost  as  soon 
as  he  was  large  enough  to  grasp  the  plow-handles.  Reared  carefully,  by 
Christian  parents,  he  was  taught  the  value  of  industry  and  honesty, 
being  trained  under  the  teachings  that  success  in  life  was  only  to  be 
obtained  through  the  medium  of  constant  application  and  tireless  per- 
severance. 

Mr.  Burrows  was  about  twenty-eight  years  of  age  when  he  accom- 
panied his  parents  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  here  his  first  farm  con- 
sisted of  rented  land.  It  was  not  long,  however,  until  he  purchased  a 
property  of  his  own,  although  it  was  some  time  before  he  had  it  entirely 
clear  of  indebtedness.  Laboring  faithfully  and  intelligently  along  well- 
defined  lines,  as  the  years  passed  he  was  able  to  make  improvements  on 
his  land,  to  add  thereto  from  time  to  time,  and  as  his  means  would 
permit  to  erect  substantial  buildings  to  take  the  place  of  those  originally 
built.  His  labors  have  borne  fruit,  and  today  he  finds  himself  in  pos- 
session of  a  handsome  property  which  compares  favorably  with  any  of 
its  size  in  the  towTiship.  He  always  has  been  known  for  his  integi'ity  in 
matters  of  business,  is  accounted  a  good  neighbor,  and  his  numerous 
friends  testify  to  his  general  popularity. 

On  June  16,  1859,  Mr.  Burrows  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Mary  Campbell,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Braun)  Campbell. 
The  Campbells  were  from  Indiana,  while  the  Braun  family  migrated  to 
this  state  from  Pennsylvania.  Six  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mi-s. 
Burrows,  as  follows :    Anna,  who  passed  away  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years ; 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1009 

Warren  L.,  who  married  a  Miss  Wolf,  and  has  two  children — Otis  W.  and 
Etta  M. ;  Frank,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Cripe,  who  has  four  children — Lee 
and  Mae,  twins,  Fern  and  Geneva;  Albert,  who  married  (first)  Ella 
Yernon,  by  whom  he  had  one  child — Blanch,  and  married  (second) 
Elsie  Hart,  and  has  two  children — Grace  and  Ross;  Mary,  the  wife  of 
Ira  Smith,  who  has  two  children — Edna  and  Earl,  and  Walter,  who 
married  Mattie  Bruner.  Mr.  and  i\Irs.  Burrows  belong  to  the  Dunkard 
church. 

Otha  a.  Davis.  Residing  in  a  pleasant  home  on  his  120-acre  farm, 
located  on  Walton  route  16,  about  ten  miles  south  of  Logansport,  Otha 
A.  Davis  is  numbered  among  his  community's  successful  agriculturists. 
A  tSvau  of  strong  individuality  and  indubitable  probity,  he  has  gained 
position  through  the  exercise  of  industry  and  perseverance,  and  has  at 
the  same  time  promoted  the  general  welfare  while  enhancing  individual 
prosperity.  Today  he  ranks  among  the  most  progressive  and  enter- 
prising agriculturists  of  Deer  Creek  township  and  has  gained  a  position 
of  distinctive  prominence  bj^  reason  of  his  superior  ability,  close  appli- 
cation and  sound  judgment.  He  has  also  maintained  a  lively  interest 
in  the  industrial  and  popular  activities  of  the  community  and  has  con- 
tributed materially  to  the  general  progress  and  upbuilding. 

Otha  A.  Davis  was  born  August  3,  1869,  in  Washington  township, 
Cass  county,  Indiana,  on  the  old  Anthauer  farm,  and  is  a  son  of  N.  M. 
and  Mary  (Deacon)  Davis.  His  father  came  from  near  Eaton,  Preble 
county,  Ohio,  to  Cass  county,  and  here  continued  to  be  engaged  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  accumulating  a  com- 
rortable  competency  in  worldly  goods  and  gaining  and  retaining  the  re- 
spect and  esteem  of  his  business  associates  and  neighbors. 

He  and  his  wife  had  a  family  of  four  children,  as  follows :  Elmer 
E.,  a  farmer  of  Deer  Creek  township;  Otha  A.,  of  this  review;  Eliza- 
beth, who  is  deceased ;  and  John  W.,  who  is  engaged  in  business  in 
Chicago,  Illinois. 

The  educational  training  of  Otha  A.  Davis  was  secured  in  Deer 
Creek  township,  where  he  attended  Deacon  School  District  No.  2 
during  the  winter  months,  while  in  the  sununers  he  assisted  his  father 
in  plowing,  cultivating,  planting  and  harvesting,  and  in  the  multi- 
tudinous duties  that  form  a  part  of  the  life  of  the  busy  Indiana  farmer. 
When  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  began  farming  on  his  own 
account,  first  renting  small  tracts  of  land,  later  increasing  his  tracts, 
and  eventually  buying  from  his  earnings  a  property  of  his  own.  This 
he  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  disposed  of  at  a  profit,  and 
at  that  time  bought  his  present  farm,  a  tract  of  120  acres,  which  he  is 
devoting  to  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  in  both  of  which  lines 
he  has  met  with  success.  The  general  appearance  of  his  farm  at  once 
stamps  the  owner  as  a  man  of  intelligence  and  good  management  as 
well  as  one  of  untiring  energy,  the  buildings  being  substantially  built 
and  of  modern  architecture,  the  fields  being  well  laid  out  and  neatly 
fenced,  and  the  cattle  healthy,  sleek  and  w^ell  fed.  He  takes  an  inter- 
est in  political  matters,  especially  those  of  a  local  nature,  but  merely 
as  an  onlooker,  having  never  had  any  aspirations  for  public  office.  He 
has  been  interested  to  some  extent  in  fraternal  work,  being  a  valued 


1010  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

member  of  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of  Pytliias,  being  senior  warden  in  the 
last  named  and  popular  in  all,  while  Mrs.  Davis  belongs  to  the  Daugh- 
ters of  Eebekah. 

On  December  26,  1888,  Mr.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Luella  Jane  Crockett,  daughter  of  John  Crockett,  a  review  of  whose 
career  will  be  found  on  another  page  of  this  work.  Seven  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis,  namely:  One  who  died  in  infancy; 
Enunett,  a  Logansport  business  man,  who  married  Esther  Hyman ; 
Homer  E.,  who  assists  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm ;  and 
Janet,  Lowell,  Wilmer  and  Joseph,  all  residing  with  their  parents. 
The  family  attends  the  Universalist  church,  and  its  members  have  ever 
been  liberal  in  their  support  of  religious  and  charitable  movements. 

Thomas  McElheny.  A  native  son  of  Logansport,  widely  known  and 
highly  regarded  by  all  classes,  Thomas  LIcElheny,  clerk  of  the  court  of 
Cass  county,  has  spent  his  entire  career  in  this  city,  and  has  won  recog- 
nition in  business  and  public  life  through  the  medium  of  his  own  efforts 
and  abilities.  Since  the  time  when  he  completed  his  schooling,  as  a  small 
lad,  he  has  made  his  own  way  in  the  world,  directing  his  ambitious  activ- 
ities along  well-defined  paths  and  characterizing  his  operations  with  a 
high  regard  for  the  rights  of  others  and  an  earnest  desire  to  assist  his 
city  and  its  people  that  has  won  him  friends  everywhere.  Thomas 
McElheny,  or  "Tom,"  as  he  is  more  familiarly  known,  was  born  in 
Logansport,  Indiana,  October  20,  1878,  a  son  of  Robert  and  Ida 
(Mason)    McElheny. 

The  IMcElheny  family  was  founded  in  the  United  States  by  the 
great-grandfather  of  our  suliject.  who  came  to  this  country  from  Ire- 
land. The  grandfather,  Thomas  R.  IMcElheny,  was  born  in  Dayton, 
Ohio,  from  whence  he  came  to  Cass  coianty,  Indiana,  in  pioneer  days, 
locating  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  where,  with  his  son,  Robert,  he  was 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business  for  many  years.  Contrary  to  what 
might  be  expected  from  their  nationality  the  members  of  this  family 
were  Protestants.  Robert  IMcElheny  was  a  member  of  Company  B, 
Forty-sixth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  serving  one  year 
during  the  Civil  war,  after  the  close  of  which  he  returned  to  the  pur- 
suits of  peace,  spending  the  rest  of  his  life  in  merchandising,  and  pass- 
ing away  February  29,  1898.  His  widow  survives,  living  in  Logansport, 
and  has  been  the  mother  of  nine  children,  Thomas,  the  fourth  in  order 
of  birth,  being  one  of  three  siirvivors. 

Tom  McElheny  was  reared  to  manhood  and  has  always  resided  in 
Logansport.  His  education  was  secured  in  the  common  schools,  and 
w^hen  still  a  small  lad  he  began  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world, 
accepting  whatever  honorable  occupations  presented  themselves.  Being 
of  a  thrifty  and  industrious  nature,  he  carefully  saved  his  earnings, 
and  Avhen  twenty-four  years  of  age  established  himself  in  a  general 
insurance  bi;siness.  Four  years  later  he  added  a  real  estate  depart- 
ment to  his  enterprise,  and  in  both  lines  he  has  met  with  well-desei*ved 
success.  The  companies  represented  by  Mr.  McElheny  &  Company 
organized  in  1902,  are  as  follows:  Home  Insurance  Company,  In- 
surance  Company  of  North   America,   North   British   and   Mercantile, 


HISTOEY    OF    CASS  COUNTY  1011 

Fireman's  Fund,  Fire  Association,  Franklin,  Royal,  Standard  Fire, 
Globe  Indemnity,  Ocean  Accident  Guaranty  Corporation,  New  York 
Plate  Glass,  Hartford  Steam  Boiler,  "international  Live  Stock, 
Standard  Accident,  National  Surety  Company,  National  Life  of  Vermont. 

While  he  has  supported  the  Republican  party  as  a  rule  in  national  af- 
fairs, he  has  been  broad-minded  enough  to  criticise  what  he  deems 
wrong  in  his  party's  policies,  and  probably  could  be  better  termed  an 
independent  Republican.  In  1910  he  entered  the  public  arena  as  a 
candidate  for  the  office  of  clerk  of  the  Cass  county  court,  was  elected 
by  a  handsome  majority,  and  has  continued  to  capably  fill  tbat  office 
to  the  present  time.  Mr.  ]\IcElheny  has  been  prominent  fraternally  as 
a  member  of  the  Masons,  in  which  he  holds  membership  in  the  Blue 
Lodge,  Chapter  and  Council.  He  is  also  a  Scottish  Rite  ^lason  and  a 
Shriner,  a  member  of  IMurat  Temple,  Indianapolis.  He  holds  member- 
ship also  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  Benevolent  Protective  Order 
of  Elks.     With  his  family  he  attends  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

On  June  7,  1904,  Mr.  McElheny  was  married  to  JMiss  ^label  Pitman, 
of  LaFayette,  Indiana,  and  they  have  three  sons:  Tom,  Jr.,  Joseph  and 
Richard. 

Edgar  D.  Robinson.  From  the  Old  Dominion  state  have  come  many 
of  Cass  county's  best  agriculturists,  men  reared  to  the  soil  wlio  have 
brought  with  them  many  of  the  sterling,  sturdy  traits  of  their  fore- 
fathers. In  this  class  stands  Edgar  D.  Robinson,  of  Deer  Creek  town- 
ship, who  migrated  to  Indiana  in  young  manhood  with  no  capital  save 
a  laudable  ambition,  an  energetic  spirit  and  a  persistent  nature,  which, 
however,  constituted  a  sufBcient  foundation  upon  which  to  erect  a 
structure  of  siiccess.  Today,  Mr.  Robinson  is  the  owner  of  eighty  acres 
of  excellent  land,  and  has  a  recognized  place  among  the  substantial 
men  of  his  community.  He  was  bom  in  Virginia  on  the  3d  of  May, 
1865,  and  is  a  son  of  Alexander  and  Caroline  ( Gather)  Robinson, 
natives  of  that  state,  where  they  spent  their  entire  lives  in  farming, 
and  both  have  now  passed  away  and  are  buried  in  their  beloved  Virginia. 

Edgar  D.  Robinson  received  his  educational  training  in  the  schools 
of  his  native  vicinity,  and  from  earliest  boyhood  was  trained  by  his 
father  in  the  duties  of  the  farm.  He  continued  to  assist  his  father 
until  he  was  twepty-two  years  old,  at  which  time  he  left  the  parental 
roof  and  came  to  Cass  county,  which  has  since  been  the  scene  of  his 
labors.  On  his  advent  here,  he  first  located  at  Walton,  where  he  secured 
employment  Avorking  on  the  farm  of  the  Wendlings,  situated  near  that 
place.  He  was  thrifty,  industrious  and  enterprising,  carefully  saving 
his  earnings,  and  was  eventually  able  to  secure  his  present  property, 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres.  This  land  had  but  few  improvements  when  Mr. 
Robinson  became  its  owner,  but  since  that  time  it  has  been  converted 
into  one  of  the  most  valuable  tracts  of  its  size  in  the  township.  As 
time  has  passed  and  his  resources  have  permitted,  he  has  added  to  his 
buildings  and  equipment,  making  necessarv  improvements  in  a  modern 
way  and  keeping  his  implements  and  buildings  in  the  best  of  repair. 
Although  the  greater  part  of  his  attention  has  been  given  to  general 
farming,  he  has  also  met  with  some  success  as  a.  stock  raiser,  his  sleek, 
well-fed  herds  of  cattle  giving  evidence  of  his  ability  in  this  line.     In 


1012  HISTORY  PF  CASS  COUNTY 

business  matters  he  has  always  displayed  the  strictest  integrity,  thus 
winning  and  retaining  the  eontidence  and  respect  of  those  with  whom 
he  has  had  transactions. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ursula  DeHaven, 
and  to  this  union  there  has  been  born  one  child:  Clarence,  ilrs. 
Robinson  is  a  consistent  member  of  Salem  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  they  are  liberal  in  their  support  of  church  and  charity.  He  has 
shoAvn  some  interest  in  fraternal  matters,  being  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  order,  but  aside  from  this  has  given  his  entire  attention  to 
his  farm  and  his  honie,  which  have  satisfied  his  ambitions.  He  has  not 
eared  for  public  life,  and  is  no  politician,  taking  merely  a  good  citizen's 
interest  in  matters  that  affect  his  community.  It  is  such  men  that  form 
the  bone  and  sinew  of  any  section,  and  to  them  must  be  given  the  credit 
for  the  great  advance  enjoyed  by  Cass  county  along  agricultural  lines. 

John  Hynes.  The  pioneers  of  Cass  county  have  done  their  work, 
and  the  result  of  their  efforts  is  shown  today  in  the  magnificently  de- 
veloped farms,  the  flourishing  towns  and  cities,  the  splendidly  kept  roads 
and  the  perfectly  equipped  schools.  All  this  was  not  brought  about  in 
a  day,  but  is  the  resiilt  of  years  of  unceasing  endeavor,  coupled  with 
constant  faith  in  the  locality  and  appreciation  of  its  possibilities.  One 
of  the  representative  farmers  of  this  locality,  who  belongs  to  an  old  and 
honored  family,  and  who  has  himself  been  identified  with  the  agricul- 
tural history  of  his  part  of  the  county,  is  John  Hynes,  the  owner  of  318 
acres  of  well  cultivated  land  in  section  11,  Clinton  township.  Mr.  Hynes 
was  born  on  the  farm  which  he  now  occupies,  August  18,  1849,  and  is  a 
son  of  John  and  Nancy  ( Coble )  Hynes. 

John  Hynes,  the  elder,  was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, in  December,  1811,  and  in  1828  came  to  Cass  county  and  entered 
land.  Returning  to  IMontgomery  county,  Ohio,  he  was  married  to  Nancy 
Coble,  who  was  born  near  Dayton,  Ohio,  in  December,  1811,  and  in  1832 
they  returned  to  Cass  county,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their 
lives  in  agricultural  pursuits,  Mr.  Hynes  dying  in  1890  and  his  wife  in 
1881.  They  were  the  parents  of  fourteen  children,  of  whom  four  are 
living  at  this  date:  Nancy  J.,  who  is  the  widow  of  Hugh  Fitzer;  i\Iar- 
garet,  who  is  the  widow  of  W.  K.  Canada ;  Ella,  the  wife  of  William  H. 
Tyner,  and  John,  of  this  review. 

John  Hynes  was  reared  on  the  homestead  place,  and  attended  the 
district  schools  during  the  winter  terms  vmtil  he  was  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  in  the  meantime  spending  his  summer  months  on  the  farm.  He 
was  first  married  to  Miss  Ella  Parks,  who  died  without  issue,  as  did  also 
his  second  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Alice  Hilderbrand.  His 
third  wife  was  Ella  Loesh.  On  November  19,  1885,  Mr.  Hynes  was  mar- 
ried (fourth)  to  Jennie  Gasaway,  who  was  born  in  Clinton  township 
and  educated  in  the  district  schools  here,  and  they  became  the  parents 
of  two  children :  Alda,  who  resides  at  home,  was  given  an  excellent  edu- 
cation in  music  and  is  now  a  teacher ;  and  Rachel,  also  single  and  at  home, 
a  graduate  of  the  district  and  high  schools  and  Purdue  University,  in 
which  institution  she  took  the  short  course. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hynes  and  their  children  are  members  of  the  Christian 
church  at  Pleasant  Hill,  where  Mr.  Hynes  is  acting  as  an  elder.    He  is 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1013 

a  member  of  Burrows  Lodge  No.  495,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  and  of  the  Grand 
Lodge,  and  is  past  grand  therein ;  and  of  Logansport  Lodge  of  the  Tribe 
of  Ben  Hur.  He  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  views,  served  as  assessor 
of  Cass  county  for  four  years,  and  at  this  time  is  superintendent  of  the 
Hynes  &  Porter  gravel  road. 

Mr.  Hynes  has  devoted  his  entire  life  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and 
at  this  time  is  the  owner  of  318  acres  of  good  land.  Farming,  as  con- 
ducted today,  is  an  enterprise  requiring  close  calculation  and  scientific 
management,  a  technical  trade  full  of  demands  for  exact  information 
and  the  deft  touch,  and  to  win  the  full  measure  of  success  the  modern 
farmer  must  be  a  man  of  sobriety,  industry  and  energetic  nature.  A 
glance  at  Mr.  Hynes'  well-regulated  property  will  assure  the  visitor  that 
he  is  possessed  of  all  of  these  faculties,  while  his  sleek  cattle,  well-fed 
hogs  and  standard  bred  horses  testify  to  his  ability  as  a  stockman.  Per- 
sonally he  is  a  man  of  pleasing  address,  and  his  many  admirable  quali- 
ties of  mind  and  heart  have  won  him  hosts  of  friends  and  admirers.  He 
has  invested  his  means  judiciously  and  intelligently,  and  is  a  stockholder 
in  the  Farmers  and  iMerehants  Bank  at  Logansport. 

Hon.  Willard  C.  Fitzer.  The  unusual  and  versatile  talents  that 
go  to  make  for  success  in  diversified  fields  of  endeavor  are  seldom  pos- 
sessed in  full  degree  by  any  one  individual,  but  in  the  case  of  the  Hon. 
Willard  C.  Fitzer,  of  Clinton  township,  it  would  seem  that  nature  had 
been  prodigal  in  her  gifts.  The  brilliant  professional  man  seldom  proves 
the  successful  agriculturist,  or  vice  versa,  and  while  it  is  not  unusual  for 
either  to  become  the  influential  legislator,  it  is  not  so  frequent  that  one 
man  combines  all  the  qualities  of  the  three.  ]\Ir.  Fitzer  is  an  excellent 
example  of  an  exception  to  this  rule,  as  he  has  proven  his  ability  and 
has  made  a  distinct  success  of  his  farming  operations,  and  in  the  legis- 
lative halls  is  a  recognized  power.  He  is  a  native  son  of  Cass  county, 
having  been  born  in  Clinton  township,  a  son  of  Hugh  and  Nancy  J. 
(Haynes)  Fitzer. 

Hugh  Fitzer  was  born  in  the  state  of  Ohio,  and  as  a  young  man,  in 
1831,  migrated  to  Indiana,  settling  on  the  farm  in  Clinton  township  on 
which  his  son  Willard  C.  now  resides.  He  became  a  large  owner  of 
land,  one  of  his  community's  public-spirited  citizens,  and  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1906,  was  sincerely  mourned  by  a  wide  circle  of 
friends.  Although  a  modest  and  unassuming  man,  who  never  allowed 
his  name  to  be  used  in  connection  with  public  office,  he  took  a  keen  and 
intelligent  interest  in  politics,  and  always  worked  energetically  in  the 
interests  of  the  Democratic  party.  With  his  wife,  he  attended  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  everywhere  was  known  as  an  honest, 
industrious  and  law-abiding  citizen.  Mr.  Fitzer  was  married  in  Clinton 
township  to  Nancy  J.  Haynes,  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  two  children:    Hon.  Willard  C.  and  Harry  J. 

Willard  C.  Fitzer  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  in  boyhood 
entered  the  district  schools  of  Clinton  township,  which  he  continued  to 
attend  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age.  At  that  time  he  took  up  his 
studies  in  the  preparatory  department  of  Purdue  University,  and  one 
year  later  entered  upon  a  regular  course  of  four  years  in  that  institu- 
tion, being  graduated  therefrom  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Sciences, 


1014  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

in  1890.  At  that  time  he  hecame  a  student  in  the  law  department  of  the 
University  of  ]\Iichigan,  where  he  received  the  degTee  of  LL.B.  in  1893, 
and  ahnost  immediately  thereafter  opened  a  law  office  in  Logansport, 
which  was  the  scene  of  his  professional  endeavors  during  the  next  ten 
years.  During  this  time  he  acted  in  the  capacity  of  prosecuting  attorney 
.of  the  twenty-ninth  judicial  circuit  of  Cass  county,  to  which  office  he 
was  elected  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  having  inherited  his  father's  po- 
litical proclivities.  Subsequently  he  was  sent  as  a  representative  to  the 
sixty-seventh  general  assembly  from  Cass  county,  his  services  in  which 
were  given  their  appreciation  when  he  received  the  re-election  in  the 
sixty-eighth  general  assembly,  of  which  he  is  now  a  member. 

Mr.  Fitzer  returned  to  the  Clinton  township  farm  in  1904,  and  since 
that  time  has  given  the  greater  part  of  his  attention  to  the  raising  of 
pure-bred  Angus  cattle  and  high  grade  sheep  and  hogs.  A  capal)le, 
practical  farmer  and  stockman,  taking  advantage  of  modern  ideas  and 
methods,  his  success  has  been  due  to  intelligent  effort,  directed  along 
well-defined  lines  and  at  all  times  characterized  by  the  highest  degree  of 
integrity.  The  home  farm,  a  tract  of  620  acres,  has  been  brought  to  a 
high  state  of  cultivation,  and  its  entire  appearance  denotes  the  presence 
of  able  management,  thrift  and  industry.  Although  his  farming  opera- 
tions and  the  duties  of  his  public  office  leave  Mr.  Fitzer  little  time  for 
outside  affairs,  he  has  not  been  insensible  to  the  social  amenities,  and 
is  popular  with  the  members  of  Tipton  Lodge  No.  33,  A.  F.  &  A  M. ; 
Bridge  City  Lodge  No.  305,  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  B.  P.  0.  E.  Lodge 
No.  66. 

Jerome  Justice.  Many  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  Cass  county 
have  spent  their  entire  lives  within  its  limits,  a  number  having  been 
born  on  the  land  which  they  are  now  cultivating.  In  this  class  is  Jerome 
Justice,  a  farmer  of  section  11,  Clinton  township,  who  was  born  on  the 
farm  he  is  now  cultivating,  January  4,  1856,  a  son  of  James  M.  and 
Mary  (Shortridge)  Justice. 

The  Justice  family  is  one  of  the  old  and  honored  ones  of  the  county, 
and  can  be  traced  back  to  the  year  1610,  when  Mr.  Justice's  forefathers 
were  driven  out  of  Ireland,  taking  refuge  in  Holland,  from  which  country 
the  progenitor  of  the  family  in  this  country  came  in  1743.  Six  brothers 
of  the  name  were  living  in  the  Ameincan  colonies  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
Revolutionary  war,  all  enlisted  in  the  colonial  army,  and  three  died 
while  Avearing  the  uniform,  one  of  the  others,  the  great-grandfather  of 
Jerome  Justice,  being  with  General  Washington  during  the  memorable 
winter  at  Valley  Forge,  and  afterward  living  to  the  remarkable  age  of 
one  hundred  and  four  years.  The  grandfather  of  Jerome  Justice,  John 
Justice,  was  a  Pennsylvania  school  teacher,  and  married  Rosa  Hood,  a 
native  of  Ireland,  their  children  being :  Joseph,  who  was  a  paymaster  in 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion;  John, 
who  was  an  auctioneer  and  peddler  in  Cass  county  prior  to  the  advent  of 
railroads  here ;  Frank,  a  clerk  and  trader ;  William,  who  passed  his  life 
in  Winchester,  Kentucky;  Clarissa,  who  became  the  wife  of  Benjamin 
Porter;  Rosie,  who  married  William  Porter,  a  pioneer  of  Cass  county  of 
1832;  and  James  M. 

James  M.  Justice,  the  father  of  Jerome  Justice,  was  born  in  Lan- 


HISTORY  .OP  CASS  COUNTY  1015 

caster  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1809,  and  upon  coming  west  in  early 
manhood  located  in  Fayette  county,  where  he  was  married  (first)  to 
Malinda  Porter,  daughter  of  William  Porter.  Soon  thereafter  they 
made  removal  to  Cass  county,  and  October  8,  1837,  became  residents  of 
Clinton  township,  their  home  being-  located  three  miles  west  of  what  is 
Clymer  station.  Mr.  Justice  entered  a  quarter  section  of  land  from  the 
government,  developed  a  fine  farm,  and  made  his  home  thereon  for 
fifty-six  years.  He  was  a  very  successful  farmer,  managing  his  interests 
with  that  ability,  foresight  and  energy  that  seldom  fail  to  bring  the  de- 
sired financial  returns.  In  addition  to  his  agricultural  pursuits  he  also 
practiced  veterinary  surgery.  In  his  political  views  he  was  a  stalwart 
Republican  and  on  that  ticket  was  several  times  elected  to  the  office  of 
township  trustee.  He  belonged  to  the  Christian  church,  was  a  man  of 
exemplary  habits,  and  his  many  excellencies  of  character  won  him  the 
regard  of  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  In  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred July  17,  1894,  his  community  lost  one  of  its  best  citizens.  Mr. 
Justice's  first  wife  died,  leaving  seven  children,  as  follows:  Elizabeth, 
the  waf e  of  Warren  Millard,  of  Carroll  county,  Indiana ;  Rosanna,  de- 
ceased, who  was  the  wife  of  Isaac  N.  Myers;  William;  Joseph,  who  is 
deceased ;  James,  who  belonged  to  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth 
Regiment,  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  during  the  Civil  war,  rising  to 
the  rank  of  brigade  quartermaster ;  Clara,  the  wife  of  A.  C.  Chapman, 
of  Sacramento,  California ;  and  Caroline,  who  became  the  wife  of  Robert 
Houston.  Mr.  Justice  was  married  (second)  to  Mary  Shortridge,  who 
was  born  in  Fayette  county,  Indiana,  and  they  became  the  parents  of 
seven  eliildren,  of  whom  five  are  living:  Jerome;  Lorinda,  the  wife  of 
William  Shaffer,  of  Carroll  county,  Indiana;  Frank,  a  contractor  living 
in  Logansport;  Parker,  a  veterinary  surgeon  of  Winnipeg,  Canada;  and 
Millory,  a  retired  farmer  of  Burroughs,  Carroll  county,  Indiana. 

Jerome  Justice  w^as  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits  on  the  home  farm, 
and  as  a  youth  was  given  excellent  educational  advantages,  attending 
the  district  schools,  the  seminary  at  Logansport,  the  Ladoga  Normal 
School  and  the  Danville  Normal  School,  and  eventually  was  given  a 
teacher's  certificate,  of  which,  however,  he  never  made  use.  On  com- 
pleting his  education  he  made  a  trip  to  California,  where  he  remained 
for  two  years,  at  the  end  of  that  time  returning  to  Cass  county,  where 
he  took  up  farming  on  the  homestead.  He  now  owns  118  acres,  of 
which  eighty  were  originally  included  in  the  property  settled  and  cleared 
by  his  father,  and  the  entire  tract  is  now  in  an  excellent  state  of  culti- 
vation, producing  large  crops  and  giving  ample  evidence  of  Mr.  Justice's 
ability  as  an  agriculturist.  In  addition  to  farming  he  carries  on  stock 
raising  and  his  ventures  have  proved  successful,  because  he  has  applied 
himself  to  his  work,  has  given  his  personal  attention  to  each  detail 
thereof,  and  has  used  intelligent,  practical  and  modern  methods,  equip- 
ment and  machinery. 

In  1889  Mr.  Justice  was  married  to  Miss  Belle  Martin,  who  waa 
born  and  reared  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  and  there  educated  in 
the  district  schools,  and  she  died  March  29,  1890,  having  been  the  mother 
of  one  child,  Martin  E.,  a  graduate  of  the  Winona  schools,  of  Indiana 
College  and  the  University  of  Illinois,  who  is  now  engaged  in  farming 
in    Carroll    county.     Mr.    Justice    was    married    November    16,    1892, 


1016  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

to  Miss  Jennie  Myers,  who  was  born  in  Miami  county,  Indiana, 
and  tliere  reared  and  educated.  One  daughter,  Ethel  B.,  was  bom  to  this 
union,  December  31,  1895.  She  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of 
Clinton  township,  and  has  also  been  given  a  musical  education  in  Lo- 
gansport,  being  a  young  lady  of  no  small  talent. 

In  political  matters  Mr.  Justice  is  a  Republican,  although  in  the  cam- 
paign of  1912  he  was  disposed  to  incline  towards  the  young  Progressive 
party.  During  his  long  residence  here  he  has  gained  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance, among  which  he  numbers  many  friends.  He  has  been  reliable  and 
straightforward  in  all  his  dealings,  and  his  neighbors  and  numerous 
acquaintances  are  invariably  unstinted  in  their  commendation  of  his 
methods. 

Charles  B.  Chambers.  Undoubtedly  travel  and  experience  are 
helpful  in  the  successful  pursuit  of  any  calling,  for  in  this  way  the  mind 
is  broadened,  new  ideas  are  introduced  and  strange  methods  are  given  a 
trial,  thus  adding  to  the  traveler's  stock  of  information  and  widening 
his  scope.  Few  of  the  citizens  of  Clinton  township  have  enjoyed  better 
advantages  along  this  line  than  has  Charles  B.  Chambers,  who  is  engaged 
in  farming  and  stock  raising  on  section  10,  and  whose  career  is  of  in- 
terest because  it  has  been  marked  by  constant  endeavor  along  well-defined 
lines,  showing  the  success  that  may  be  gained  by  a  poor  boy  whose  only 
capital  in  early  life  is  pluck  and  energy.  IMr.  Chambers  was  born  on  a 
farm  in  Clinton  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  March  1,  1859,  and  is 
a  son  of  Thomas  and  Christiana  Chambers,  the  former  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky and  the  latter  of  Germany.  His  parents  came  to  Cass  county  as 
young  people,  were  here  married,  and  spent  the  rest  of  their  lives  in 
farming.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  children,  namely :  Richard, 
Charles  B.,  Samuel  L.  and  V.  P. 

Charles  B.  Chambers  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Clinton 
township,  and  was  attending  the  district  schools  at  the  time  of  his 
father's  death.  Although  he  was  but  fourteen  years  of  age  he  was  com- 
pelled to  give  up  his  studies  and  start  to  work  to  assist  in  the  support 
of  the  family,  his  first  employment  being  at  wood  chopping.  Later  he 
started  to  work  on  neighboring  farms,  and  continued  to  be  so  engaged 
until  his  marriage,  in  1879,  when  he  became  engaged  in  operations  on  his 
own  account.  Thrifty,  industrious  and  energetic,  as  the  years  passed  he 
added  to  his  land  from  time  to  time,  in  the  meantime  carrying  on  general 
farming  and  stock  raising.  In  this  connection  he  has  traveled  through- 
out the  southwest,  observing  the  methods  of  breeding  stock  in  various 
sections  of  the  country  and  taking  advantage  of  any  innovations  with 
which  he  was  formerly  not  familiar.  He  has  a  fine  home  on  his  farm  of 
171  acres. 

In  1879  Mr.  Chambers  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Neff,  also  a  native 
of  Clinton  township,  a  daughter  of  Washington  Nef¥,  an  agriculturist  of 
this  part  of  the  county,  and  they  had  three  children :  Charles  B.,  Jr., 
who  was  educated  in  the  common,  high  and  commercial  schools;  Bessie, 
the  wife  of  Ira  Cree,  of  Logansport,  and  a  graduate  of  the  common  and 
high  schools  and  a  private  school  of  Tjogansport ;  and  Russell,  who  is 
taking  a  post-graduate  course  in  the  Logansport  high  school.  The  wife 
and  mother  died  May  16,  1913. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1017 

Mr.  Chambers  has  interested  himself  in  fraternal  work  to  some  extent, 
being  a  member  of  Eel  River  Lodge  No.  417,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  at  Logansport. 
In  his  political  affiliations  he  was  a  Republican  until  1912,  in  which  year 
he  east  his  vote  with  the  new  Progressive  party.  He  has  shown  a  deep 
interest  in  the  cause  of  education,  and  all  that  tends  towards  the  advance- 
ment of  the  moral,  physical  or  material  welfare  of  his  community.  He 
has  done  much  to  bring  about  desirable  results  and,  as  such  men  are  all 
too  few  in  any  communitj^,  is  esteemed  and  respected  accordingly  by  all 
who  know  him. 

Asa  J.  Shideler.  Among  the  enterprising  and  progressive  agricul- 
turists of  Cass  county  who  have  spent  their  entire  lives  on  the  farms 
which  they  now  occupy,  Asa  J.  Shideler,  of  Clinton  township,  holds 
a  prominent  place.  Born  and  reared  in  Clinton  township,  from  earliest 
youth  he  has  been  trained  to  a  knowledge  of  soil  and  climatic  condi- 
tions here,  and  the  result  has  been  the  development  of  a  property  which 
produces  abundant  crops  and  gratefully  repays  its  owner  for  the  toil 
he  has  expended  upon  it.  Mr.  Shideler  was  born  on  his  present  farm, 
the  old  Shideler  homestead,  March  10,  1867,  and  is  a  son  of  Abraham  and 
Elizabeth   (Mummey)   Shideler. 

George  Shideler,  the  grandfather  of  Asa  J.  Shideler,  was  born  in 
Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1793,  went  to  Laneester  county 
in  young  manhood,  and  later  to  Preble  coiinty,  Ohio,  and  as  early  as 
1832  came  to  Cass  county,  settling  among  the  pioneers  of  Clinton  town- 
ship on  a  farm  which  he  had  purchased  while  on  a  visit  some  four 
years  before.  His  subsequent  years  were  spent  in  clearing,  cultivating 
and  developing  this  land,  and  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life  gave 
his  entire  attention  to  agricultural  pursuits,  his  only  outside  connection 
being  that  which  he  maintained  with  the  Dunkard  church,  of  which  he 
was  a  faithful  member.  His  death  occurred  at  the  home  of  his  son, 
Abraham,  in  1875,  and  his  wife  followed  him  to  the  grave  in  1881.  Mrs. 
Shideler  had  been  Miss  Elizabeth  Neff,  a  native  of  "Washington  county, 
Pennsylvania,  and  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Neff,  a  farmer  of  the  Key- 
stone state.  She  and  her  husband  had  the  following  children :  Lavina, 
who  was  the  wife  of  Martin  IMiller :  Mary,  who  was  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Dillard ;  Catherine,  who  married  Jacob  Neff ;  Naomi,  who  married  Adam 
Yost ;  Jonathan ;  Jacob ;  Elizabeth,  the  widow  of  Zachariah  Cragun,  of 
Clinton  township ;  and  Abraham  and  Isaac,  twins,  the  latter  a  retired 
clothing  merchant  of  Logansport.  Of  these  children,  Elizabeth  and 
Isaac  are  the  only  survivors. 

Abraham  Shideler,  son  of  George  and  father  of  Asa  J.  Shideler,  was 
born  on  the  Shideler  homestead  in  Clinton  towoiship,  Jidy  22,  1835,  and 
there  spent  his  entire  life,  his  death  occurring  in  May,  1910.  His 
parents  trained  him  to  habits  of  honesty,  industry  and  thrift,  and  he 
was  early  taught  to  respect  the  dignity  and  value  of  hard  work.  While 
assisting  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  homestead,  he  attended  the  dis- 
trict log  sehoolhouse  of  his  vicinity  during  the  winter  terms,  this  train- 
ing being  supplemented  in  his  after  life  by  close  obser\'ation,  much  read- 
ing and  years  of  practical  experience.  He  made  farming  his  life  work, 
and  his  unquestioned  success  was  'ample  evidence  of  his  intelligent  and 
well  directed  efforts.     Politically  a  Republican,  he  was  widely  known 


1018  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

in  public  life  from  a  period  shortly  after  he  attained  his  majority,  when 
he  was  elected  township  assessor,  a  position  to  which  he  was  re-elected  in 
later  years.  In  November,  1894,  he  was  called  to  the  office  of  county 
commissioner,  in  which,  he  served  until  December,  1897,  and  during  the 
last  year  was  chairman  of  the  hoard,  the  ilarket  street  bridge  in  Logans- 
port  being  but  one  of  the  many  improvements  brought  about  through 
the  energy  and  influence  of  Mr.  Shideler  and  his  fellow-commissioners. 
He  was  fraternally  connected  with  the  Masons,  in  which  he  had  reached 
the  degree  of  master,  and  his  religious  faith  was  that  of  the  Christian 
church. 

On  April  14,  1859,  Mr.  Shideler  w^as  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Mummey,  daughter  of  John  and  Barbara  (Libenguth)  ^Nlummey,  the 
former  a  representative  of  a  Pennsylvania  family  of  German  origin, 
and  to  this  union  there  were  born  three  children :  Amelia,  the  wife  of 
Herman  Homburg,  living  at  No.  209  Burlington  avenue,  Logansport ; 
Elmer  G.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  five  months;  and 
Asa  J. 

Asa  J.  Shideler  was  reared  on  the  home  farm,  and  secured  his  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools,  which  he  attended  until  he  was  about  eighteen 
years  of  age.  At  tliat  time  he  began  to  give  his  entire  attention  to 
farming,  which  has  been  his  occupation  to  the  present,  and  now  resides 
on  the  old  Shideler  homestead  of  160  acres,  in  addition  to  whfeh  he 
has  a  property  of  132  acres  in  Clinton  township.  A  man  of  congenial 
and  affable  manners,  he  has  gained  the  esteem  of  his  neighbors  and 
business  associates,  and  in  his  wide  acquaintance  numbers  numerous 
warm  friends.  As  an  agriculturist  he  is  recognized  as  a  man  who  is 
thoroughly  conversant  with  all  the  details  of  his  business,  and  as  a 
citizen  he  has  demonstrated  his  public  spirit  whenever  movements  for 
the  betterment  of  his  connuunity  have  been  in  need  of  his  support.  He 
is  a  popular  member  of  Tipton  Lodge  No.  33,  A.  F.  &  A.  ]M.,  and  his 
family  is  prominently  connected  socially.  Mr.  Shideler  has  taken  an 
active  interest  in  politics,  and  at  one  time  served  on  the  Clinton  town- 
ship Republican  Central  Committee',  but  in  1912  cast  his  fortunes  with 
the  new  Progressive  party,  the  principles  of  which  he  ardently  sup- 
ports. 

On  November  25,  1896,  Mr.  Shideler  was  united  in  marriage  with 
I\Iiss  Florence  Tyner,  who  was  born,  reared  and  educated  in  Clinton 
township,  daughter  of  William  and  Ella  (Hynes)  Tyner.  Two  sons  have 
been  born  to  this  union:  William  Abraham,  bom  December  1,  1897,  a 
student  in  the  district  schools ;  and  Elmer  G.,  born  April  25,  1899,  also 
a  district  school  pupil. 

]\Iatthew  Moroney.  Celtic  blood  flows  in  the  veins  of  Matthew 
Moroney  in  generous  measure.  Indeed,  his  paternal  and  maternal  ances- 
try were  of  Irish  birth  and  breeding,  and  his  parents  were  born  and, 
reared  in  County  Clare,  in  Ireland,  whence  they  came  to  America 's  shores 
in  1850.  It  may  be  said  concerning  these  worthy  people  that  they  came 
to  America  in  their  early  wedded  life,  the  year  being  1850,  and  from 
New  Orleans,  where  they  landed,  their  journey  to  Indiana,  where  they 
eventually  settled,  covered  a  period  of  about  five  years.  They  first 
stopped  at  Memphis,  Tennessee,  going  from  there  to  Cincinnati,  where 


^caz/i:i:^=l4lc 


a 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1019 

the  father  was  employed  variously.  At  Hagerstown,  Indiana,  he  stopped 
with  his  little  family  for  some  time,  then  came  on  to  Cass  county,  Indiana, 
where,  in  1855,  he  settled  on  a  farm  some  thi'ee  and  a  half  miles  from 
Lucerne,  the  place  being  now  owned  and  occupied  by  John  Hall.  Four 
years  he  spent  there,  then  moved  to  the  farm  that  is  owned  today  by  his 
son,  the  subject  of  this  review. 

The  father  was  Matthew,  son  of  Matthew  Moroney,  and  the  mother 
was  Marguerite  Manix,  both  of  fine  old  County  Clare  families,  where 
they  were  born  and  bred.  When  they  settled  on  the  farm  which  is  now 
the  home  of  the  subject,  he  was  yet  unborn.  The  place  was  more  a 
wilderness  than  a  farm,  and  the  building  that  might  be  termed  a  dwelling 
was  a  one  room  log  cabin.  The  head  of  the  little  family  straightway 
secured  the  aid  of  a  carpenter  to  make  a  suitable  addition  to  the  home, 
and  while  the  work  of  building  was  being  carried  on  Matthew  Moroney 
was  born,  on  November  8,  1860.  The  carpenter  who  was  employed  upon 
the  new  home,  built  a  cradle  for  the  new  comer,  which,  though  crude 
a,nd  rough  as  it  doubtless  was,  held  him  as  close  and  warm  as  any  much 
more  elegant  shelter  could  possibly  have  done.  The  father  later  built  the 
barn,  which  still  stands  on  the  old  place,  although  it  has  in  recent  years 
been  moved  from  its  original  location.  At  that  early  time,  little  if  any 
clearing  had  been  done  on  the  place,  hardly  worthy  as  yet  to  be  called  a 
farm,  but  ^Mr.  Moroney  gave  himself  unreservedly  to  the  task  of  cleaning 
up  the  land  and  making  a  pi'oductive  farm  from  it.  He  succeeded  most 
admirably,  and  when  he  died  in  1876  left  a  fine  place  to  liis  son, 
Matthew  of  this  review.  He  was  fifty-six  years  of  age  at  that  time,  and 
his  widow  survived  him  for  twenty  years,  passing  away  in  1896  when 
she  was  seventy-seven  years  old.  She,  it  may  be  said,  had  been  twice 
married.  Her  first  marriage,  also  contracted  in  Ireland,  culminated  in 
widowhood,  when  she  was  left  with  tliree  children,  named  as  follows: 
Nancy  Burke,  who  later  married  Patrick  Kearney ;  Mary,  the  wife  of 
David  Campbell ;  and  John  Burke,  who  is  unmarried.  By  her  second 
marriage  she  had  three  children, — Matthew,  ^Marguerite  and  Katherine. 
Marguerite  married  William  ]\Iurphy,  and  is  now  deceased ;  Katherine 
married  John  Carroll,  and  is  also  dead. 

Upon  the  death  of  the  father,  Matthew  Moroney  continued  on  with 
the  home  farm,  and  finally  came  into  its  ownership.  He  has  made 
worthy  progress  in  the  farming  industry  and  has  carried  to  completion 
the  work  that  his  father  began  many  years  ago,  winning  the  right  to  be 
regarded  as  one  of  the  substantial  and  progressive  farming  men  of  the 
community. 

On  November  9,  1881,  Mr.  Moroney  married  Mary  Backus,  the 
daughter  of  Richard  and  Rose  (Fitzsimmons)  Backus.  For  one  quar- 
ter of  a  century  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moroney  traveled  life's  journey — 
but  in  the  year  1906,  she  passed  away.  Mrs.  Moroney  was  an 
affectionate  and  loving  wife  and  mother,  and  a  friend  to  all.  She 
was  a  lady  who  commanded  the  univei-sal  respect  and  friendship  of 
all  with  whom  she  came  in  contact.  She  had  faithfully  reared  her 
children  in  religious  teachings,  and  her  daily  life  was  a  lesson  to  her 
children.  She  was  ever  ready  to  counsel  and  advise  her  husband  in 
life's  battle,   and  when  she  passed   "to  that  bourne   from  whence  no 


1020  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

traveler  returns,"  the  golden  circlet  in  the  home  was  severed.  She 
was  a  devotee  to  the  Catholic  faith  and  was  ever  loyal  to  her  church, 
which  was  the  Saint  Eliza1)eth  Roman  Catholic  church  in  Harrison 
township,  where  her  husband  and  children  are  also  members.  She 
passed  away  loved  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  her,  leaving  her  hus- 
band and  nine  children,  named  as  follows :  Alice,  born  August  25, 
1882;  Katharine,  born  January  21,  1884;  William,  born  October  3, 
1886 ;  Matthew  M.,  Ijorn  March  29,  1889 ;  Rose,  born  on  September  19, 
1890;  Charles,  born  December  28,  1892;  Nellie,  born  August  21,  1898; 
]\Iary,  born  February  25,  1901 ;  and  Richard,  born  September  18,  1902. 

Mr.  Rloroney  has  taken  his  place  among  his  townsmen  as  one  of  the 
wide-awake  men  of  the  community,  and  has  been  called  to  serve  as 
trustee  of  Harrison  township  for  one  term,  as  well  as  in  the  higher 
office  of  county  treasurer  of  Cass  county,  in  which  official  position  he 
acted  with  all  etHciency  for  two  terms,  the  quality  of  his  service  being 
one  that  fully  justified  the  people  in  returning  him  to  the  office,  and 
which  marked  him  as  a  capable  and  praiseworthy  citizen  "and  public 
official.  He  is  a  Democrat,  stanch  and  firm  in  his  political  convictions, 
and  his  religioiis  affiliations  are  with  Saint  Elizabeth's  Roman  Catholic 
church,  of  Harrison  township. 

Mr.  Moroney  is  also  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  0.  E.  lodge,  No.  66,  and 
the  Knights  of  Columbus,  No.  561,  located  at  Logansport,  Indiana. 
The  pretty  homestead  of  Mr.  Moroney  is  known  as  ''Forest  Lodge." 

Frederick  AA^.  Seybold.  It  is  due  to  the  efPoi'ts  of  the  energetic, 
progressive  and  intelligent  farmers  that  agricultural  conditions  in  Cass 
county  are  now  in  such  a  healthy  condition.  Intelligent  working  of  the 
soil,  recognition  of  the  value  of  crop  rotation,  and  the  use  of  modern 
machinery  have  improved  conditions  wonderfully  during  the  past  sev- 
eral decades,  and  one  of  those  who  have  assisted  in  the  advancement  of 
the  county,  and  especiallj^  in  Clinton  township,  while  at  the  same  time 
he  has  furthered  his  own  interests,  is  Frederick  AY.  Seybold,  the  owner 
of  a  valuable  tract  of  210  acres,  located  in  Clinton  township.  Mr. 
Seybold  has  carried  on  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  and  his 
ventures  have  proved  uniformly  successful,  because  of  the  intelligence 
and  energy  he  has  In-ought  to  his  work.  He  was  born  in  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  near  Logansport.  June  15,  1876,  and  is  a  son  of  Frederick  and 
Mary  A.  (Wolfe)  Seybold,  the  former  now  a  resident  of  Logansport, 
while  the  latter  is  deceased. 

Frederick  Seybold  was  born  near  Dayton,  Ohio,  January  26,  1832, 
and  is  a  son  of  John  G.  and  Jacobenia  (Fulmer)  Seybold,  both  natives 
of  Germany.  They  were  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  as  follows: 
John  G.,  Frederick,  Henry,  Jacob,  William  P.,  Mary  A.,  Elizabeth, 
Catherine,  Jacobenia,  Margaret,  Christ  and  David.  The  grandfather 
of  Frederick  W.  Seybold  remained  in  the  Fatherland  until  his  fourteenth 
year,  at  which  time,  in  order  to  escape  being  forced  into  the  army  of 
Napoleon,  he  ran  away  from  home  and  made  his  way  to  England.  He 
had  not  yet  reached  his  majority,  in  1814,  when  he  managed  to  secure 
passage  to  Montreal,  Canada,  which  city  was  the  home  of  a  Avealthy 
uncle,  engaged  in  the  wholesale  clothing  business,  for  whom  he  was 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1021 

an  errand  boy  for  two  years,  receiving  for  his  services  his  board  and 
clothing.  The  year  1816  saw  his  advent  in  the  United  States,  where, 
at  New  York  City,  he  learned  the  baker's  trade,  an  occupation  which 
he  followed  in  the  metropolis  and  other  cities  for  several  years,  his 
next  migration  being  to  North  Carolina,  where  he  spent  the  year  1820. 
In  1821  he  returned  to  New  York  and  married  Jaeobenia  Fulmer,  and 
in  the  following  year  came  west  in  a  one-horse  wagon  and  settled  on  a 
farm  near  Springsboro.  AVarren  county,  Ohio.  In  addition  to  farming, 
Mr.  Seybold  also  worked  on  the  Ohio  canal  and  accepted  wliatever 
honorable  employment  presented  itself,  and  by  the  year  1832  was  able 
to  purchase  sixty  acres  of  land  in  ^Montgomery  county,  near  Dayton, 
Ohio,  to  which  he  later  added  forty  acres  more,  and  there  passed  the 
remaining  years  of  his  life,  passing  away  in  1865.  His  widow  sur- 
vived him  some  years  and  was  ninety-two  at  the  time  of  her  death, 
which  occurred  in  Ohio. 

Frederick  Seybold,  the  son  of  the  progenitor,  and  father  of  Frederick 
W.  Seybold,  was  born  and  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  ^Montgomery 
county,  Ohio,  and  in  his  youth  attended  school  in  a  log  schoolhouse  near 
his  home.  When  twenty-eight  years  of  age,  in  1859,  he  made  his  way 
to  Indiana  and  purchased  108  acres  of  land,  near  the  corporate  limits 
of  Logansport,  in  Cass  county,  and  to  this  he  added  from  time  to  time 
until  he  was  the  o\\Tier  of  more  than  five  hundred  acres  of  some  of 
the  best  land  in  the  county.  His  success  in  life  has  been  due  to  his 
own  efforts,  as  he  started  out  in  life  with  little  capital  save  his  own 
energy,  ambition  and  ability,  and  won  his  way  to  the  front  solely  through 
his  own  industry  and  intelligent  management.  On  January  13,  1859, 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Wolfe,  who  was  born  in  Montgomery 
county,  Ohio,  daughter  of  Jacob  Wolfe,  and  to  this  union  there  were 
born  seven  children,  of  whom  three  survive :  Lydia,  the  wife  of  Alva 
JMyers,  of  Logansport.  Indiana ;  Alfred,  who  married  Eva  Guthrie 
and  lives  in  Logansport ;  and  Frederick  W.  Frederick  Seybold  is  now 
retired  and  lives  in  his  comfortable  home  in  Logansport.  He  has 
always  been  a  stalwart  Democrat,  and  takes  an  intelligent  interest  in 
public  matters,  having  been  elected  to  a  number  of  township  offices  dui- 
ing  his  active  years. 

Frederick  W.  Seybold  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  which  was 
situated  near  the  corporate  limits  of  Logansport,  and  attended  the 
public  schools  of  that  city,  also  spending  two  years  in  the  high  school. 
On  completing  his  education,  he  at  once  entered  upon  his  career  as  a 
general  farmer  and  stockman,  and  has  given  the  greater  part  of  his 
attention  to  the  latter  branch,  buying,  shipping  and  feeding  cattle,  hogs 
and  colts,  and  finding  a  ready  market  for  his  stock  in  the  various  large 
points.  From  time  to  time  he  has  added  to  his  land,  now  having  240 
acres  of  excellent  property,  and  as  the  years  have  passed  has  added 
to  his  buildings  and  equipment.  His  present  residence,  erected  at  a 
cost  of  $9,000,  contains  fourteen  rooms,  with  seven  rooms  in  the  base- 
ment, and  is  fitted  with  every  modern  comfort  and  convenience.  Like 
his  father,  he  is  an  adherent  of  Democratic  principles,  and  takes  a  keen 
interest  in  public  matters,  albeit  more  as  a  spectator  than  as  an  office 
seeker.  His  fraternal  connection  is  with  Lodge  No.  323,  of  the  Fra- 
ternal Order  of  Eagles,  of  which  he  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees. 
Vol.  n— 20 


1022  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

On  December  14,  1898,  Mr.  Seybold  was  married  to  Miss  Maude 
Gotchall,  who  was  born  in  Noble  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  July 
13,  1876,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  two  children :  Haxel, 
born  September  4,  1899;  and  Madge,  bom  February  20,  1900,  both 
students  in  the  district  schools. 

Clarence  Bruce  Reed.  Agricultural  conditions  in  Cass  county 
have  changed  to  such  an  extent  during  the  past  several  decades  that  the 
enterprising  farmer  has  been  compelled  to  a  large  degree  to  alter  his 
methods  of  treating  the  soil,  if  he  is  ambitious  to  keep  up  with  the  march 
of  progress  and  attain  a  full  measure  of  success ;  otherwise  he  falls  into 
the  rut  of  mediocrity'  and  must  be  content  to  follow,  not  to  lead,  in  the 
]-anks  of  his  vocation.  New  scientific  discoveries  have  been  made,  power- 
ful machinery  has  been  invented,  new  innovations  have  been  introduced, 
all  calling  for  close  and  constant  attention  on  the  part  of  the  man  of  prog- 
ress, and  Cass  county  can  boast  of  its  full  quota  of  men  who  have  been 
ftuick  to  recognize  the  advantages  of  the  new  school  of  farming.  Among 
them  may  be  mentioned  Clarence  B.  Reed,  of  section  5,  Clinton  township, 
whose  120-acre  tract  bears  mute  but  eloquent  evidence  of  the  pres- 
ence of  able  and  intelligent  management.  Mr.  Reed  has  spent  his  entire 
life  in  his  present  locality,  having  been  born  in  Clinton  township,  June 
8,  1858,  a  son  of  William  and  Catherine  (Sehuey)  Reed. 

William  Reed  was  a  native  of  Erin,  and  was  brought  to  this  country 
by  his  parents  when  a  lad  of  ten  years,  the  family  settling  in  Indiana  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  state.  There  he  was  reared,  and  in  young 
manhood  came  to  Cass  county,  where  he  was  married  to  Catherine 
Sehuey,  who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and  was  brought  to  Indiana 
in  girlhood.  After  their  union,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reed  settled  on  the  farm 
now  occupied  by  Clarence  Bruce  Reed,  here  spending  the  remainder 
of  their  lives.  The  father  passed  away  in  1884  and  the  mother  in  1887, 
and  they  were  the  parents  of  a  family  of  eight  children,  four  being 
alive  today,  as  follows:  Clarence  Bruce,  Robert  R.,  Thomas  L.,  and 
Emma  G.,  the  last  named  being  the  widow  of  Fred  J.  Neville. 

Clarence  B.  Reed  was  reared  on  the  farm  that  he  now  owns  and 
received  his  education  in  the  district  schools,  which  he  attended  until  he 
was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  received  a  careful  training  in  every 
detail  of  farm  work,  and  on  attaining  his  majority  began  farming  and 
stock  raising  on  his  own  account,  in  which  he  has  since  engaged,  gaining 
unqualified  success.  Mr.  Reed  is  now  the  owner  of  120  acres  of  the  old 
homestead,  on  which  he  has  made  numerous  improvements,  including 
modern  buildings,  tiling,  draining,  ditching,  etc.  He  takes  a  pride  in 
being  able  to  increase  the  productive  power  of  his  property  and  to 
decrease  the  cost  of  production,  thus  placing  himself  among  the  men 
to  whose  efforts  the  cause  of  progress  owes  so  much.  In  political  mat- 
ters he  is  a  Republican,  but  he  has  only  interested  himself  in  politics 
as  a  voter,  never  having  had  a  desire  for  the  struggles  of  the  public 
arena.  In  fraternal  circles  he  is  a  member  of  the  Elks,  of  Logansport, 
and  a  popular  member  of  Lodge  No.  323,  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  of 
which  he  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees,  and  his 
wife  is  well  knowTi  among  the  Ladies  of  the  Maccabees,  Lodge  No.  86, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1023 

of  Logansport.     She  is  also  a  property  owner,  having  110  acres  of  well- 
developed  land  in  section  15,  Clinton  township. 

On  January  1,  1890,  IMr.  Reed  was  married  in  Clinton  township 
to  Miss  Rosabelle  Rhorer,  also  a  native  of  this  township,  born  December 
11,  1862.  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Jane  (Justice)  Rhorer,  farming  people 
of  Cass  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reed  have  been  the  parents  of  one  child, 
Gail,  who  died  in  infancy. 

William  J.  Grant.  A  striking  example  of  the  success  to  be  attained 
through  the  medium  of  well-applied  industry,  intelligent  effort  and 
a  life  of  integrity  and  probity,  is  found  in  the  career  of  William  J. 
Grant-,  of  Clinton  township,  who  has  retired  from  active  pursuits  after 
many  years  spent  in  tilling  the  soil.  Ijeft  an  orphan  at  a  tender  age, 
his  boyhood  was  filled  with  hard  work,  of  the  most  unceasing  char- 
acter, and  the  succeeding  years  were  ones  in  which  many  obstacles 
were  met  and  overcome,  but  he  ever  kept  his  face  toward  his  cherished 
goal,  with  the  result  that  today  he  is  in  possession  of  a  handsome  com- 
petency and  holds  an  undisputed  position  among  the  citizens  of  his 
locality.  Mr.  Grant  was  bom  in  Canada,  April  6,  1851,  and  is  a  son 
of  George  and  Hannah  Grant. 

Mr.  Grant  was  ten  j-ears  of  age  when  he  came  to  the  United  States 
with  a  party  of  immigrants  who  located  in  White  county,  Indiana,  and 
there  he  was  reared  to  manhood.  His  educational  advantages  were 
decidedly  limited,  but  he  was  a  keen  and  intelligent  youth  and  made 
the  most  of  his  opportunities,  which  supplemented  by  years  of  observa- 
tion and  study  have  given  a  wide  fund  of  general  information.  He 
began  working  on  a  farm  in  White  county  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years, 
and  on  November  11,  1874,  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Davis,  who 
was  born  in  White  county,  March  18,  1859,  a  daughter  of  Noah  and 
Mary  (Steele)  Davis,  the  former  a  native  of  Connersville,  Fayette 
county,  Indiana,  and  the  latter  of  White  county.  Mr.  Davis  located 
in  Wliite  county  when  a  lad,  when  that  section  was  covered  with  a 
dense  woods,  and  there  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  in  farming.  On 
August  1,  1879,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grant  came  to  Cass  county,  locating 
first  for  about  one  year  in  Logansport,  where  he  was  engaged  in  work- 
ing by  the  day.  Succeeding  this  he  also  worked  at  day  laboring  in 
Clinton  township  for  some  time,  but  subsequently  started  operations 
on  his  own  account  on  a  rented  farm,  on  which  he  continued  to  reside 
until  1897,  and  at  that  time  purchased  what  is  now  known  at  Maple 
Ridge  Farm,  his  present  property,  a  tract  of  seventy-six  acres.  Here 
he  made  numeroiis  improvements,  his  buildings  including  a  beautiful 
country  home,  in  which  he  and  his  wife  are  now  living  retired,  enjoying 
the  fruits  of  their  early  labors.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grant  have  had  three 
children,  namely:  Ira  J.,  who  married  Jennie  Beal,  of  Remington, 
Indiana,  where  they  now  reside ;  Asa  E.,  a  farmer  of  Tipton  township, 
who  married  Bessie  Thomas;  and  Alice  M.,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife 
of  Ira  Bonta. 

The  members  of  the  Grant  family  are  affiliated  with  the  Church  of 
God,  and  Mr.  Grant's  fraternal  connection  is  with  Eel  River  Lodge  No. 
417,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  has  Democratic  inclina- 
tions in  political  matters,  and  while  he  has  never  been  an  office  seeker, 


1024  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

has  served  in  the  capacity  of  townsliip  supervisor.  Mr.  Grant  deservedly 
bears  the  honored  title  of  self-made  man.  Everywhere  and  at  all  times 
he  remembers  that  he  has  worked  hard  and  faithfully,  but  the  struggles 
of  earlier  years  are  forgotten  in  the  peace  and  contentment  that  a  life  of 
industry  brings,  and  now,  in  his  latter  years  he  may  look  back  over  an 
honorable  career,  unblemished  by  the  stain  of  questionable  dealing. 

Harry  E.  Amoss.  The  owner  of  a  well-cultivated  farm  of  fifty-six 
acres,  Harry  E.  Amoss  is  now  sei'ving  as  trustee  of  Clinton  township, 
and  is  one  of  the  leading  and  influential  citizens  of  Cass  county.  Mr. 
Amoss  has  always  been  a  farmer,  having  been  reared  to  those  pursuits 
and  adopted  them  as  a  vocation  when  he  embarked  upon  a  business 
career  of  his  own,  and  the  success  which  has  rewarded  his  efforts  is 
but  the  result  of  the  understanding  of  his  o\^ti  capabilities  and  the  selec- 
tion of  a  business  to  which  he  was  especially  suited.  Mr.  Amoss  was 
born  on  a  farm  in  Clinton  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  November 
8,  1862,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Mary  A.  (Rea)  Amoss. 

The  grandparents  of  jMr.  Amoss,  Jolm  and  Matilda  (Cohen)  Amoss, 
were  early  settlers  of  Clinton  township,  and  the  Cohens  were  large 
landholdei's  in  this  vicinity.  AVilliam  Amoss  was  born  in  Virginia 
(now  West  Virginia),  and  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  as  a  single  man. 
Here  he  was  married  to  Mai-y  A.  Rea,  whose  people  were  from  Virginia, 
and  whose  members  had  contributed  to  the  soldiers  from  their  state 
that  fought  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  Mr.  Amoss  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  and  continued  to  be  so  engaged  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  August  16,  1912.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of 
six  children,  of  whom  four  still  survive,  namely :  Addie,  single,  who 
lives  on  a  part  of  the  old  homestead  place ;  Walter,  who  is  a  miner  and 
resides  in  AVyoming ;  Arthur,  who  lives  on  the  old  home  farm ;  and 
Harry  E. 

Harry  E.  Amoss  was  educated  in  the  pu])lic  schools  of  Clinton 
township,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  began  to  give  his  whole  atten- 
tion to  farming.  He  continued  under  the  parental  roof,  assisting  his 
father  and  brothers,  until  his  marriage.  November  12,  1890,  to  Miss 
Lizzie  Sherman,  who  was  born  in  Clinton  township,  Cass  county,  Feb- 
ruary 29,  1864,  and  educated  in  the  public  schools  here.  One  child  has 
come  to  this  union :  Rea,  born  October  20,  1891,  who  is  a  graduate  of 
the  township  schools  and  of  the  Logansport  high  school,  and  is  now 
assisting  his  father  to  cultivate  the  home  farm.  I\Ir.  Amoss  is 
accounted  one  of  the  practical  and  progressive  agriculturists  of  the 
community.  He  uses  the  latest  improved  machinery  in  the  development 
of  his  farm,  studies  the  best  methods  for  producing  the  various  cereals 
adapted  to  this  climate,  practices  rotation  of  crops,  and  above  all  brings 
to  his  work  that  unflagging  industiy  which  spells  for  the  greatest  degree 
of  success.  His  life  has  been  one  of  well-directed  effort,  and  with  his 
success  has  come  that  content  that  is  known  only  by  those  whose  con- 
sciences are  clear  of  any  questionable  methods,  and  who  have  been  the 
architects  of  their  owa  fortunes. 

Fraternally,  Mr.  Amoss  is  connected  with  the  Independent  Order 
of  Red  Men,  and  I.  0.  0.  F.  in  w'hich  he  has  held  high  office.  His 
political  belief  is  that  of  the  Republican  party,  and  on  that  ticket  was 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1025 

elected  to  the  office  of  trustee  of  Clinton  township,  a  position  which  he 
still  fills  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  his 
fellow-citizens.  He  has  given  to  his  official  duties  the  same  faithful 
services  that  have  characterized  his  private  affairs,  and  has  aided  all 
movements  for  the  public  good,  being  a  member  of  the  building  com- 
mittee of  the  high  school  at  Clymers.  Faithful  in  his  friendships,  he 
enjoys  the  warm  regard  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  into 
contact. 

WiLLARD  Briggs.  Two  miles  west  of  Clymer,  in  Clinton  township, 
Cass  county,  is  situated  the  well-cultivated  eighty-acre  farm  belonging 
to  Willard  Briggs,  former  trustee  of  Clinton  township,  and  a  citizen 
who  has  spent  his  entire  career  within  the  limits  of  the  county.  I\Ir. 
Briggs  has  devoted  all  of  his  active  years  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil, 
and  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  one  who  is  better  versed  in  agricultural 
conditions  in  this  part  of  the  county,  while  his  standing  as  a  public- 
spirited  citizen  is  equally  high.  Mr.  Briggs  was  born  in  Clinton  town- 
ship, Cass  county,  Indiana,  March  19,  1867,  and  is  a  son  of  Duncan  L. 
and  Sarah  J.    (Gerton)    Briggs. 

Duncan  L.  Briggs  was  born  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  was  an 
infant  of  two  years  when  taken  by  his  parents  to  Ohio.  There  he  em- 
barked upon  his  own  career  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  as  a  boatman  on 
the  Erie  Canal  and  Lake  Erie,  following  this  kind  of  employment  until 
he  had  reached  his  thirty-third  year.  When  he  was  thirty-four  years  of 
age,  j\Ir.  Briggs  was  married,  and  at  that  time  turned  his  attention 
to  agricultural  pursuits,  in  which  he  was  engaged  in  Cass  county  during 
the  remainder  of  his  life,  his  death  occurring  January  20,  1912,  and 
that  of  his  wdfe  December  25,  1910.  They  were  the  parents  of  two 
children :  Willard ;  and  Elizabeth,  the  latter  of  whom,  now  deceased, 
was  the  wife  of  John  Patterson. 

Like  other  farmers'  sons  of  his  day  and  locality,  Willard  Briggs 
gave  part  of  his  boyhood  to  the  work  of  the  home  farm.  During  the 
wdnter  terms  he  adcled  to  his  fund  of  literary  knowledge,  but  the  sum- 
mers were  all  devoted  to  following  the  plow  or  other  farm  labor,  and 
he  thus  built  up  his  constitution  and  became  thoroughly  familiar  with 
every  detail  of  farm  work.  Mr.  Briggs  was  given  better  advantages 
than  many  of  his  youthful  companions,  however,  for  a  time  being  a 
student  at  the  old  college  at  Logansport,  as  well  as  at  the  Danville 
normal  school,  and  when  he  had  completed  his  education  was  well 
fitted  to  fill  whatever  position  he  might  be  called  upon  to  occupy.  He 
chose  farming  as  his  life  w^ork,  and  has  had  no  reason  to  regret  his 
selection,  for  through  industry,  perseverance  and  intelligent  effort, 
he  has  gained  a  competence  and  made  a  place  for  himself  among  the 
substantial  men  of  his  community.  At  this  time  he  is  farming  eighty 
acres  of  highly  cultivated  land,  located  two  miles  west  of  Clymers,  on 
which  may  be  found  all  the  improvements  and  conveniences  which  mark 
the  home  of  the  progressive  and  enterprising  farmer  of  today. 

On  September  2,  1891,  Mr.  Briggs  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Laura  Patterson,  and  of  their  children,  three  survive,  namely:  IMabel, 
a  graduate  of  the  Logansport  high  school,  who  is  now  engaged  in  teach- 
ing school ;  Clarence,  who  is  in  his  second  year  in  the  Logansport  high 


1026  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

school;  and  Harold,  a  student  in  the  district  schools.  Mr.  Briggs  is  a 
popular  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Apollo  Lodge  No.  62,  of 
Logansport,  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  His  political  belief 
is  that  of  the  new  Progressive  party. 

Oliver  Reed.  Clinton  township  shows  some  of  the  best  regulated 
farms  in  Cass  county,  made  so  by  the  thrift,  industry  and  energetic 
labor  of  their  owners,  who  have  realized  the  advantages  of  using  modern 
machinery  and  methods  in  their  farm  work.  One  of  the  valuable  prop- 
erties of  this  township  is  the  farm  of  Oliver  Reed,  a  tract  of  160  acres 
lying  in  sections  32  and  33,  which  has  been  cultivated  into  a  state  of  high 
fertility  through  Mr.  Reed's  knowledge  of  agricultural  work  and  his 
willingness  to  adopt  modern  methods  and  appliances  to  take  the  place 
of  the  cruder  implements  and  hit-or-miss  manner  of  farming  of  former 
years.  Mr.  Reed  is  a  native  of  Clinton  township,  and  was  bom  August 
12,  1849,  a  son  of  Michael  and  Sarah  (Tittle)  Reed.  His  father  was 
born  at  Reading,  Pennsylvania,  in  1820,  and  his  mother  near  Dayton, 
Ohio,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  of  whom  six  are 
living  at  this  time :  William  D.,  a  farmer  of  Cass  county ;  Oliver,  of 
this  review ;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  John  D.  Tyner,  of  Logansport ;  Clara  M., 
who  is  single  and  lives  in  Logansport ;  Dr.  John  H.,  a  well-known 
physician  of  that  city,  and  Jacob  A.,  who  also  resides  in  Logansport. 

Oliver  Reed  was  reared  in  Clinton  township,  and  as  a  youth  entered 
the  district  schools,  which  he  attended  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of 
age.  At  that  time  he  entered  the  Logansport  high  school,  and  for 
three  years  continued  his  studies  therein  during  the  winter  months, 
while  his  summers  were  devoted  to  farm  work.  On  completing  his 
education,  Mr.  Reed  chose  farming  as  his  life  occupation,  and  after  his 
marriage,  in  1875,  rented  his  father's  farm,  which  he  continued  to 
operate  for  twelve  years,  then  purchasing  his  present  property.  He 
has  added  to  his  Original  purchase  from  time  to  time,  making  improve- 
ments as  his  finances  and  inclinations  allowed,  and  his  160-acre  tract 
is  now  one  of  the  best  in  the  township,  highly  cultivated,  well  drained 
and  tiled  and  improved  with  excellent  buildings,  substantial  in  character 
and  of  a  handsome  architectural  style.  Politically,  Mr.  Reed  is  a 
Democrat,  but  he  has  never  taken  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  public 
matters,  beyond  the  manner  in  which  they  affect  his  township.  He 
is  superintendent  of  the  Logansport  and  Western  Turnpike,  a  position 
which  he  has  held  for  some  years,  and  in  w^hich  he  has  served  wth 
fidelity.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  English  Lutheran  church, 
and  both  are  public-spirited  and  deeply  interested  in  all  that  promises 
to  be  of  benefit  to  the  community  in  which  they  are  such  important 
factors.  In  addition  to  his  farming  operations,  which  are  extensive, 
Mr.  Reed  devotes  a  great  deal  of  attention  to  raising  graded  stock,  and 
his  cattle  find  a  ready  market  at  the  large  shipping  points. 

On  April  22,  1875,  Mr.  Reed  was  married  to  I\Iiss  IMary  Whalon,  of 
Germantown,  Ohio,  who  was  born  and  reared  there,  and  educated  in 
the  common  and  normal  schools,  and  for  some  years  was  engaged  in 
teaching  in  Ohio.  Five  children  have  been  born  to  this  union :  Ethel 
M.,  educated  in  the  district  and  high  schools,  single,  and  living  with  her 
parents;  Charles  E.,  a  graduate  of  the  State  University  at  Bloomington, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1027 

Indiana,  class  of  1912,  where  he  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts, 
and  now  a  student  in  the  Chicago  Scientific  School,  under  the  super- 
vision of  Dr.  Taylor;  and  Homer  L.,  a  graduate  of  the  Logansport 
high  school,  and  now  a  student  in  Purdue  University.  Two  children 
are  dead,  Omer  Leroy,  who  died  aged.  12  years,  and  Oliver  0.,  who  died 
in  infancy. 

John  W.  Clary.  In  the  vicinity  of  Lucerne,  in  Harrison  township, 
there  is  probably  no  more  productive  an  estate  nor  more  attractive  rural 
home  than  that  occupied  by  John  W.  Clary  and  family.  Mr.  Clary  rep- 
resents one  of  the  old  families  of  Cass  county,  and  was  himself  born  in 
a  log  cabin,  and  was  a  product  of  the  early  conditions  in  this  county. 
He  lived  here  when  much  of  the  land  was  covered  by  forest,  and  before 
any  of  the  modern  facilities  had  been  instituted.  A  railroad  came  when 
he  was  grown  and  married,  and  since  that  time  every  decade  has  wit- 
nessed a  remarkable  improvement  in  all  conditions  and  facilities  of 
industry  and  living. 

John  W.  Clary  was  born  in  district  number  one,  Harrison  town- 
ship, in  a  log  house  on  the  seventh  of  September,  1844.  His  father 
was  Isaac  Clary,  and  the  early  honors  of  the  family  in  this  county  are 
given  more  detail  on  other  pages  of  this  history.  On  February  1, 
1871,  John  W.  Clary  was  united  in  marriage,  in  Fulton  county,  with 
Miss  Lavina  Marsh,  a  daughter  of  David  and  Anna  (Hall)  Marsh. 
Mrs.  Clary's  father  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  then  he  came  to  Fulton 
county,  Indiana.  The  family  was  founded  here  by  her  grandfather, 
who  was  a  soldier  in  the  "War  of  1812,  and  later  had  come  to  Indiana 
from  Ohio.  He  bought  land  at  $1.25  an  acre  and  did  much  for  the 
early  development  of  the  country.  Mrs.  Clary's  father  died  about 
1889.  Mrs.  Clary  has  two  parchment  deeds  in  her  possession  dated  June 
30,  1837,  and  executed  during  the  administration  of  President  Van 
Buren. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clary  are  the  parents  of  seven  children,  whose  names 
follow :  Cora  Elsie,  the  wife  of  Isaac  Emery ;  Jane  Frances,  who  mar- 
ried Walter  Ingram ;  David  Newton,  >vho  died  at  the  age  of  twelve 
years ;  William  H.,  born  April  14,  1880 ;  Edith,  born  September  6, 
1890;  Delia  May,  who  died  at  the  agie  of  two  years  and  five  months, 
and  Verdie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  months. 

In  1886,  Mr.  Clary  moved  to  his  present  farm  in  Harrison  town- 
ship. A  small  frame  house  was  the  habitation  which  he  and  his  family 
occupied,  and  several  years  later  he  was  enabled  with  the  fruits  of 
his  labor  and  management  to  erect  a  comfortable  home  and  other  l)uild- 
ings,  which  give  this  estate  the  appearance  of  being  one  of  the  best 
homes  in  Cass  county.  When  he  first  took  possession,  all  the  land  was 
cleared  but  forty  acres,  and  since  then  he  has  succeeded  in  clearing  up 
nearly  all  of  the  estate,  so  that  his  farm  of  two  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  is  all  suitable  for  cultivation  and  for  the  profits  of  agriculture. 
From  1872  to  1876,  Mr.  Clary  was  a  resident  of  Fulton  county,  this 
state,  and  during  that  time  served  as  supervisor  of  his  township  for 
about  six  years.  He  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church. 

"Erceldene  Lodge,"   the  beautiful  country  seat  of  Mr.   and  Mrs. 


1028  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

John  W.  Clary,  was  erected  in  1911.  It  is  one  of  the  most  modern 
country  residences  in  Cass  county,  built  of  brick,  with  wide  concrete 
verandas,  and  finished  in  hard  woods  in  the  most  artistic  manner,  beau- 
tifully and  comfortably  furnished,  and  lighted  from  cellar  to  garret  with 
a  modern  acetylene  plant.  It  is  so  large  and  well  arranged  that  the 
host  and  hostess  can  entertain  a  large  coterie  of  friends  and  it  is  well 
known  as  the  abode  of  cordiality  and  friendly  greeting. 

Mrs.  Clary  is  a  gracious  hostess  and  it  is  a  pleasure  to  know  her,  she 
being  of  a  most  pleasing  personality  and  entertaining-  her  friends  with  a 
royal  welcome. 

Samuel  H.  Smith.  From  poor  and  obscure  boyhood  to  a  position 
of  prominence  among  the  agriculturists  of  his  section  and  the  owner- 
ship of  two  fine  farms,  the  career  of  Samuel  H.  Smith,  of  Clinton  town- 
ship, has  been  replete  with  triumph  over  obstacles,  pluck,  determina- 
tion and  industrious  effort,  all  conducing  to  well-earned  success.  Mr. 
Smith  was  born  in  Newton  county,  Indiana,  February  24,  1870,  and  is 
a  son  of  James  H.  and  Rebecca  E.  (McClain)  Smith. 

James  H.  Smith  was  born  and  reared  in  Clinton  township,  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  but  as  a  young  man  went  to  Iroquois,  Iroquois  county, 
Illinois,  and  subsequently  to  Gardner,  Grundy  county,  Illinois,  being 
engaged  in  merchandising'  and  spending  in  all  about  ten  years  in  the 
Prairie  State.  At  the  end  of  that  period  he  returned  to  Indiana,  and 
his  .last  years  were  spent  on  the  homestead,  where  his  death  occurred. 
During  the  Civil  war  he  fought  for  three  years  and  four  months  in  the 
ranks  of  the  Union  army,  as  a  member  of  Company  D,  Forty-sixth  Regi- 
ment, Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of 
Champion  Hill.  In  his  later  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic.  INIr.  Smith  married  Rebecca  E.  McClain,  who 
was  born  in  Indiana,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Joseph  ]\IcClain,  a  physician, 
who  came  from  Virginia.  Three  sons  and  three  daughters  were  born 
to  this  union,  Samuel  H.  being  the  only  child  now  living  in  Cass  county. 

The  boyhood  of  Samuel  H.  Smith  was  passed  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  his  education  was  limited  to  a  short  attendance  at  the  district 
school  of  his  locality,  and  whatever  he  could  pick  up  himself.  Being 
a  keen  observer,  however,  and  a  man  of  miich  native  intelligence,  he 
has  gained  a  wide  and  comprehensive  knowledge  of  general  subjects 
and  is  known  as  an  exceedingly  well  informed  man.  At  the  age  of 
fourteen  years  he  began  to  take  an  active  part  in  farming,  and  through 
industry,  energy  and  thrift  has  accumulated  101^4  acres  in  Clinton 
township,  as  well  as  a  tract  of  192  acres  lying  north  of  Logansport. 
He  has  always  engaged  in  general  farming,  in  addition  to  which  he 
has  carried  on  extensive  dairying  and  for  some  years  has  been  known 
as  a  breeder  of  registered  cattle.  The  same  industry  and  energetic 
spirit  that  characterized  his  young  manhood  have  marked  his  sub- 
sequent career,  and  he  is  known  as  one  of  his  community's  most  pro- 
gressive agriculturists,  one  who  is  ready  at  all  times  to  adopt  modern 
methods,  and  with  the  ability  to  make  the  most  of  them.  The  old 
Smith  homestead,  on  which  he  resides  with  his  family,  has  been  con- 
verted into  one  of  the  most  valuable  farms  in  Clinton  towaiship,  through 
intelligent  treatment  of  the  soil  and  the  installing  of  numerous  improve- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1029 

ments,  and  the  buildings  thereon  are  of  substantial  character  and 
architectural  beauty.  Mr.  Smith's  political  belief  is  that  of  the  Repub- 
lican party,  although  he  has  not  interested  himself  to  any  great  extent 
in  public  matters,  while  his  fraternal  connection  is  with  the  Independent 
Order  of  Foresters.  With  his  wife  and  children,  he  attends  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church. 

On  September  5,  1894,  Mr.  Smith  was  married  at  Anderson,  Indiana, 
to  ]Miss  Rose  Snell,  who  was  born  September  16,  1867,  at  Anderson. 
Mrs.  Smith  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  and  the  death  of  her 
parents  made  it  necessary  that  she  become  self-supporting,  she  being 
a  clerk  in  a  general  store  at  Anderson  for  several  years.  She  and  her 
husband  have  two  children :  Reba,  seventeen  years  of  age,  who  has  been 
educated  in  the  common  and  high  schools ;  and  Jesse,  who  is  now  attend- 
ing the  country  schools  and  assisting  his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home 
farm. 

James  W.  Little.  One  of  the  old  and  honored  residents  of  Clinton 
township,  Cass  county,  who  has  spent  more  than  seventy-three  years  ip 
this  section  and  is  still  connected  actively  with  agricultural  pursuits, 
although  he  has  reached  an  age  when  most  men  would  consider  that  they 
had  earned  a  rest,  is  James  W.  Little,  the  owner  of  300  acres  of  land, 
a  model,  progressive  citizen,  able  agriculturist  and  revered  veteran  of 
the  Civil  war.  j\Ir.  Little  was  born  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  resides, 
July  7,  1840,  and  is  a  son  of  Alexander  and  Ann  (Bowen)  Little. 

Alexander  Little  was  born  in  August,  1802,  in  County  Armagh,  Ire- 
land, from  whence  he  came  to  the  United  States  as  a  young  man,  and 
first  settled  in  Franklin  county,  Pennsylvania.  In  183-4  he  came  over- 
land to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  entered  land  on  which  he  erected  a 
small  log  cabin,  but  after  several  years  returned  to  Pennsylvania  and 
married  Ann  Bowen,  of  Franklin  county.  After  their  marriage,  in  May, 
1838,  they  started  for  the  new  land  in  the  wilds  of  Indiana,  making  the 
entire  journey  of  640  miles  in  a  wagon,  the  trip  consuming  some  six 
weeks,  and  finally  reached  their  destination  and  began  their  life  in  the 
little  log  cabin  home  in  the  woods  along  the  Wabash  river.  There  Alex- 
ander Little  passed  away  in  November,  1864,  an  honest,  reliable,  straight- 
forward man,  whose  life  was  one  of  unceasing  industry  and  persistent 
effort.  While  a  resident  of  Pennsylvania  he  served  as  captain  in  a  mili- 
tary organization  known  as  the  Dragoons.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  his  father  was  an  elder  in  that  faith  in 
Franklin  county  for  upwards  of  twenty  years.  Alexander  and  Ann 
(Bowen)  Little  became  the  parents  of  twelve  children,  of  whom  sis  grew 
to  maturity,  and  four  are  still  living  today,  namely :  James  W. ;  Amanda, 
the  wife  of  Dr.  Sterrett,  of  California ;  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Samuel  Milli- 
gan,  of  Waveland,  Indiana,  and  Mrs.  Anna  Stoutmeyer,  of  Onargo, 
Illinois. 

James  AV.  Little  was  reared  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives,  and 
received  his  education  in  the  common  schools,  eventually  securing  a 
teacher's  license  and  becoming  an  educator  in  the  district  schools.  He 
was  thus  engaged  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  and  in  May,  1862, 
enlisted  in  Company  B,  Fifty-fifth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer  In- 
fantry.    After  some  six  months  of  service  Mr.  Little  received  his  hon- 


1030  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

orable  discharge,  on  account  of  wounds  sustained  during  the  battle  of 
Richmond,  and  at'  this  time  he  is  receiving  a  pension  from  a  grateful 
government.  Mr.  Little  was  kuown  as  a  brave,  cheerful  and  faithful 
soldier,  one  who  gave  the  best  of  himself  to  the  discharge  of  his  duty, 
and  to  whom  orders  were  as  a  sacred  trust.  He  left  the  service  with  an 
excellent  record  and  returned  to  the  duties  of  peace,  again  becoming  a 
district  school  teacher. 

In  1866  Mr.  Little  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Barnes,  who  was  born  in 
Carroll  county,  Indiana,  December  17,  1844,  and  educated  in  the  district 
schools.  Five  children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  of  whom  one  died 
in  infancy,  the  others  being:  Flora,  single  and  residing  at  home  with 
her  parents;  Dr.  John  A.,  who  is  enjoying  an  excellent  medical  practice 
in  Logansport ;  Emma  J.,  the  wife  of  J.  R.  Colter,  of  Washington,  Iowa, 
and  Samuel  H.,  who  is  single,  resides  at  home  and  assists  his  father  in 
the  work  of  the  homestead  place. 

The  members  of  the  Little  family  are  identified  with  the  Associate 
Presbyterian  church,  in  which  Mr.  Little  is  one  of  the  elders.  He  is  a 
strictly  temperate  man,  having  never  used  tobacco  or  spirituous  liquors, 
and  has  been  enthusiastic  in  his  support  of  all  movements  tending  to  ad- 
vance religion,  education,  morality  and  good  citizenship.  His  farm  of 
296  acres  has  been  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation  through  in- 
telligent treatment  of  the  soil,  and  is  considered  one  of  the  valuable 
tracts  of  this  section.  For  many  years  Mr.  Little  was  an  adherent  of 
Republican  policies  and  principles,  but  in  the  campaign  of  1912  his  pro- 
gressive ideas  caused  him  to  cast  his  fortunes  with  the  young  so-called 
Bull  Moose  party. 

John  A.  Little,  M.  D.  This  most  accomplished  gentleman,  learned 
in  his  profession,  a  versatile  devotee  of  science,  a  public-spirited  citizen, 
as  well  as  active  and  energetic  in  the  business  life  of  Logansport,  has 
been  in  practice  in  this  city  for  fifteen  years,  and  has  attained  to  an 
eminent  place  among  medical  practitioners.  Like  many  of  the  success- 
ful professional  men  of  the  city.  Dr.  Little  is  a  product  of  the  farm,  hav- 
ing been  born  on  his  father's  estate  in  Clinton  township,  Cass  country, 
Indiana,  November  5,  1868,  a  son  of  James  W.  and  Mary  (Barnes) 
Little,  and  grandson  of  Alexander  and  Anna  (Bowen)  Little. 

Alexander  Little  was  born  in  County  Armagh,  Ireland.  He  remained 
in  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia  until  1834,  in  which  year  he  immi- 
grated to  the  newly-developed  region  of  Indiana,  where  he  pre-empted 
160  acres  of  government  land  in  Clinton  township,  Cass  county.  This 
land  has  continued  in  the  family  possession  to  the  present  time,  and  is 
now  part  of  the  home  of  James  W.  Little,  who  has  spent  his  life  in 
agricultural  pursuits. 

John  A.  Little  was  reared  on  the  old  home  place,  and  his  early 
educational  training  was  secured  in  the  district  schools.  Subsequently, 
he  took  a  high  school  course  in  Logansport,  from  which  he  was  grad- 
uated in  May,  1889,  Avith  all  the  honors  of  his  class,  and  during  the 
winters  of  1889  and  1890  followed  the  vocation  of  educator,  teaching 
the  Fox  Den  school  in  Jefferson  township.  In  the  fall  of  1890  Dr. 
Little  entered  Wabash  College,  to  further  his  education,  and  was  grad- 
uated therefrom  in  1894,  with,  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Sciences. 
Later,  in  1902,  this  same  institution,  for  his  subsequent  efficient  work, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1031 

conferred  upon  him  the  honorary  degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  Dr.  Little 
took  up  the  study  of  medicine  in  1895,  when  he  became  a  student  in 
Eush  Medical  College,  where  he  graduated  in  ^lay,  1898,  as  president 
of  his  class  in  that  noted  institution.  He  immediately  entered  upon 
the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Logansport,  and  now  has  a  large  and 
representative  clientele,  which  has  gradually  been  obtained  through 
the  recognition  of  his  high  abilities.  Regarded  as  a  master  of  his  pro- 
fession, he  has  not  been  content  with  the  knowledge  which  his  early  study 
gave  him,  but  has  kept  his  eyes  open  to  the  progress  of  the  science 
and  has  adopted  every  improvement  that  the  years  have  brought.  He 
has  specialized  in  preventive  measures,  antiseptics,  and  similar  branches, 
in  which  he  is  known  as  an  authority.  He  confines  himself  exclusively 
to  his  practice,  and  has  taken  none  other  than  a  good  citizen's  interest 
in  public  matters,  belongs  only  to  the  medical  organizations,  and  has 
not  mixed  in  politics.  , 

On  June  4,  1902,  Dr.  Little  was  married  to  Miss  Blanche  Mitchell, 
of  Pasadena,  California,  and  they  have  had  four  children,  namely :  Hen- 
rietta, Robert,  Mary  and  Ruth.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Little  are  members  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Logansport,  and  are  well  known  in 
social  circles  of  the  city. 

William  A.  Klepinger.  Among  the  pioneer  families  of  Cass  county 
whose  members  have  contributed  materially  to  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  agricultural  importance  of  this  section,  none  is  better  known 
that  that  of  Klepinger,  the  history  of  which  has  been  commensurate  with 
that  of  Clinton  township  during  the  past  eighty  years.  A  representative 
of  this  old  and  honored  family  is  found  in  William  A.  Klepinger,  farmer 
and  stock  raiser,  whose  entire  life  has  been  spent  here,  and  who  now 
occupies  a  foremost  position  among  the  successful  agriculturists  of  his 
part  of  the  county.  Mr.  Klepinger  was  born  on  a  farm  in  the  southwest 
part  of  Clinton  township,  January  4,  1858,  and  is  a  son  of  Michael  P. 
and  Eleanor  (Lesh)  Klepinger. 

Henry  and  Mary  (Miller)  Klepinger,  the  grandparents  of  William 
A.  Klepinger,  were  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  came  to  Cass  county  in 
1833,  entering  land  from  the  government  in  Clinton  township,  where 
they  located  in  the  woods,  built  a  little  log  cabin,  and  there  spent  the 
rest  of  their  lives  in  developing  a  home  for  their  family.  They  were 
the  parents  of  ten  children,  of  whom  six  are  still  living:  Michael  P., 
James,  William,  Eliza,  Susan  and  Elizabeth.  Michael  P.  Klepinger  was 
one  year  old  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Cass  county,  .having 
been  born  near  Dayton,  Ohio,  May  27,  1832.  His  youth  was  spent  in 
assisting  his  father  to  clear  the  farm  from  the  wilderness,  and  in  Sep- 
tember, 1852,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Eleanor  Lesh,  they  settling  down 
to  work  on  the  old  homestead,  where  they  continued  operations  until 
their  retirement  from  active  life  in  1909.  Since  that  year  they  have 
lived  at  Burrows,  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  where  they  have  a  comfort- 
able home  and  numerous  warm  friends.  Six  children  were  born  to 
them,  of  whom  five  are  still  living:  Eliza  J.,  who  married  John  P. 
Friend ;  William  A. ;  Caroline,  who  married  W.  F.  West ;  George,  who 
married  Bessie  Crockett,  and  Dennis,  who  married  Sadie  Bbbets.  The 
members  of  the  family  are  connected  with  the  Christian  church,  in  the 
work  of  which  Mr.  Klepinger  was  active  for  a  number  of  years. 


1032  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

William  A.  Klepinger  was  reared  on  the  old  homestead  place  in 
Clinton  township,  and  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools,  this 
being  supplemented  by  attendance  in  the  public  schools  of  Burrows.  At 
the  age  of  twenty-two  years  he  began  to  give  his  entire  time  to  farming 
and  stock  raising,  continuing  on  rented  property  until  he  w^as  thirty- 
four  years  of  age  and  industriously  saving  his  earnings  with  the  end  ever 
in  view  of  becoming  the  owner  of  a  property  of  his  own.  On  May  20, 
1893,  Mr.  Klepinger  was  married  to  Miss  Minnie  Shafer,  who  was  born 
in  Clinton  township,  and  educated  in  the  district  schools.  Mrs.  Klepinger 
lost  her  parents  in  young  womanhood,  and  from  their  estate  received 
thirty  acres  of  Clinton  towTiship  land,  which  formed  the  nucleus  for  the 
present  handsome  Klepinger  farm  of  202  acres  adjoining  Clymers. 
This  property  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  Mr.  Klepinger  being 
an  efficient  farmer,  with  a  thorough  knowledge  of  soil  and  climatic 
conditions,  and  various  modern  improvements  have  been  made,  including 
a  substantial  residence  and  other  buildings.  In  addition  to  his  farming 
operations,  Mr.  Klepinger  has  always  operated  a  threshing  machine  out- 
fit, and  has  invested  in  160  acres  of  land  in  the  Saskatchewan  country, 
Canada. 

Mr.  Klepinger  is  a  cjuiet,  unassuming  man,  and  has  not  interested 
himself  actively  in  public  matters,  although  he  votes  the  Democratic 
ticket,  and  supports  all  movements  which  he  believes  will  make  for  good 
government.  Through  straightforward  dealing  and  an  earnest  desire 
to  assist  his  fellow-men  in  their  struggle  toward  success,  he  has  gained 
many  warm  friends  and  no  man  stands  higher  in  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  his  fellow-men.  Mr.  and  IMrs.  Klepinger  have  two  children :  Ruth, 
eighteen  years  of  age,  and  Josephine,  sixteen  years  old,  both  at  home, 
who  have  been  given  excellent  educational  advantages  and  fitted  for 
whatever  positions  they  may  be  called  upon  to  till  in  life. 

George  W.  Seawright,  who  is  one  of  the  more  prominent  agricul- 
tural men  of  Jefferson  township,  w^as  born  in  the  same  community  where 
he  now  lives,  on  September  19,  1855,  and  here  has  passed  his  life  up  to 
the  present  time.  He  is  the  son  of  William  and  Emaline  (Van  Atta) 
Seawright. 

William  Seawright  came  from  Pennsylvania  in  the  thirties,  in  com- 
pany with  his  parents,  and  they  settled  in  Jefferson  township  in  the  early 
pioneer  days  and  identified  themselves  with  the  primitive  life  that  ob- 
tained in  that  early  day.  They  built  a  grist  mill  at  Crooked  Creek  and 
this  mill  was  operated  by  the  grandfather  of  the  subject  for  a  goodly 
term  of  years,  with  profit  to  himself  and  great  convenience  to  his  neigh- 
bors. Emaline  Van  Atta,  the  wife  of  William  Seawright,  came  to  In- 
diana from  New  Jersey,  her  native  state,  settling  with  her  parents  in 
Jefferson  township,  when  she  was  yet  a  young  girl.  She  was  here 
reared,  and  here  she  married  her  husband,  who  died  in  1877,  leaving  her 
with  three  children  to  mourn  his  departure.  Of  the  three,  George  Wil- 
liam, the  subject,  was  the  eldest ;  Louis  is  a  resident  of  Jefferson  town- 
ship, and  Harry  is  prominent  in  the  railroad  mail  service. 

George  William  Seawright  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and 
alternated  his  studies  with  work  on  the  home  farm.  He  remained  on  the 
home  place  until  he  attained  his  majority,  when  he  launched  out  inde- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1033 

pendently,  giving  liis  energies  to  farming,  in  which  pursuit  he  had  been 
well  trained,  and  in  which  he  has  since  realized  a  wholesome  and  agree- 
able success.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  eighty-six  acres 
of  splendid  farm  land  in  Jefferson  township,  which  he  operates  according 
to  the  most  approved  modern  methods,  and  which  yields  him  a  comfort- 
able income  from  season  to  season.  Two  hundred  acres  of  this  tract  is 
bottom  land. 

On  November  23,  1892,  Mr.  Seawright  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Carrie  C.  Fitzer,  the  daughter  of  John  Fitzer,  of  Clinton  township. 
Three  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  I\Irs.  Seawright :  Ada,  a  grad- 
uate of  Logansport  high  school  and  Winona  Normal,  and  now  teaching 
in  Jefferson  township ;  Fred,  still  in  the  high  school,  and  Charles,  who 
is  attending  the  district  schools  as  yet. 

Mr.  Seawright  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Lodge  No.  417,  Logansport,  Indiana,  and  he  is  politically  aligned 
with  the  Republican  party,  in  whose  activities  he  takes  an  intelligent  in- 
terest as  a  citizen.  Mr.  Seawright  is  a  member  of  an  old  and  highly 
esteemed  family  in  this  community,  and  he  has  merited  and  continued 
to  share  in  the  regard  which  his  name  has  ever  claimed  in  Cass  county. 

Theodore  F.  Pierce,  who  is  engaged  in  agricultural  operations  in 
section  20,  Jefferson  township,  is  not  a  native  of  Indiana,  but  has  lived 
here  since  his  fourth  year,  and  the  entire  period  of  his  activity  has  been 
passed  here.  He  belongs  to  that  class  of  men  who  have  been  the  archi- 
tects of  their  own  fortunes,  his  success  being  a  direct  result  of  a  life  of 
industry,  energy  and  honorable  dealing.  Mr.  Pierce  was  born  in  Rich- 
land county,  Ohio,  February  27,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  Aaron  K.  and 
Margaret  (Harsh)  Pierce.  His  father,  a  native  of  Richland  county, 
Ohio,  married  there  IMargaret  Harsh,  who  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  they  came  to  Indiana  in  1860.  Locating  in  Fulton  county,  near 
the  town  of  Fulton,  Mrs.  Pierce  spent  the  remainder  of  her  life  on 
a  farm,  while  her  husband  died  in  Richland  county. 

Theodore  F.  Pierce  commenced  his  education  in  the  district  schools 
of  Fulton  county,  and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years  went  to  live  with 
an  uncle  in  Boone  county,  ^lissouri,  whence  he  traveled  by  wagon. 
There  he  completed  his  studies  during  the  winter  months,  and  in  the 
summers  worked  on  his  uncle's  farm,  thus  continuing  for  six  year's. 
By  1874,  through  hard  and  industrious  labor,  he  had  accumulated 
enough  to  start  on  his  own  account,  and,  accordingly,  returned  to 
Indiana  by  wagon,  accompanied  by  his  mother  and  brother,  and  located 
in  Jefferson  towaiship,  Cass  county,  on  a  tract  of  land  on  section  19. 
There  he  resided  for  nine  years,  following  which  he  purchased  a  farm 
north  of  Lake  Cic-'ott  consisting  of  110  acres.  Seven  years  later  he 
disposed  of  this  property  and  bought  the  land  which  he  now  owns,  174 
acres  located  in  sections  19  and  20.  For  some  years.  ]Mr.  Pierce  carried 
on  diversified  farming,  but  at  this  time  he  is  devoting  the  greater  part 
of  his  attention  to  buying,  feeding  and  shipping  livestock  of  all  kinds. 
Mr.  Pierce  is  known  as  an  excellent  biisiness  man,  and  has  identified 
himself  with  various  enterjjrises.  He  is  now  a  stockholder  and  director 
of  the  Burnettsville  State  Bank,  which  was  organized  in  1907,  with  a 
capital  of  $30,000,  and  the  following  officers:     William  Thomas,  presi- 


1034  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

dent;  Ernest  Thomas,  vice-president;  J.  C.  Duffy,  cashier;  and  Fred 
Duffy,  assistant  cashier.  In  his  political  views,  he  is  a  Democrat,  and 
for  eight  years  has  been  a  member  of  the  township  advisory  board. 
With  his  family,  Mr.  Pierce  attends  the  Biirnettsville  Baptist'  church, 
where  he  is  a  deacon,  trustee,  and  for  eighteen  years  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  school.  Upright  and  reliable  in  all  his  dealings,  he  has 
gained  and  maintained  numerous  friendships,  and  is  recognized  as  a 
moral  influence  in  his  home  neighborhood. 

Mr.  Pierce  was  married  in  1879  to  Miss  Junatta  Martin,  daughter 
of  William  ]\Iartin,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  two  children: 
Russell  D.,  a  graduate  of  the  Burnettsville  high  school;  and  JMatina, 
who  is  attending  that  institution.  A  man  of  wide  and  varied  interests, 
Mr.  Pierce's  time  has  been  pretty  fully  occupied,  but  not  so  much  so 
that  he  has  not  found  time  to  assist  in  every  movement  calling  for  the 
betterment  of  his  community  and  its  people. 

Robert  A.  Stuart.  Stability  of  character  and  purpose  and  a  high 
order  of  citizenship  are  traits  which  are  found  with  a  pleasing  degree  of 
freriuency  in  the  men  who  give  their  lives  to  the  pursuit  of  the  treasures 
of  the  soil — a  fact  which  may  be  accounted  for  by  reason  of  their  close 
and  continued  touch  with  Mother  Nature  in  their  every-day  life. 
Whatever  may  be  the  possible  solution,  the  fact  yet  remains,  and  in 
Robert  A.  Stuart,  all  his  life  a  resident  of  Cass  county  and  a  farmer, 
a  splendid  example  is  found  of  the  open-minded  and  open-handed  man 
who  has  lived  his  life  in  the  quiet  places  and  toiled  out  in  the  open  during 
the  greater  part  of  his  days. 

Born  in  Boone  township.  Cass  county,  on  March  3,  1858,  IMr.  Stuart 
is  the  son  of  R.  F.  and  Susan  (Atkins)  Stuart.  The  father  was  a  native 
of  Mississippi  who  came  to  New  Albany.  Indiana,  in  about  the  year 
1831.  He  was  a  cooper  by  trade.  There  he  married  and  settled  down 
to  farm  life,  some  five  years  later  coming  to  Cass  county.  He  located  in 
Boone  township,  there  remaining  until  1864,  when  he  migrated  to  Jef- 
ferson township,  and  there  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was 
the  father  of  nine  children,  seven  of  that  number  being  alive  at  this  writ- 
ing.    Both  parents  died  in  Jefferson  township. 

Robert  A.  Stuart  Avas  reared  in  Jeffereon  township  and  here  received 
his  schooling.  In  due  course  of  time,  he  married  and  settled  on  a  farm 
in  this  township,  and  success  has  attended  his  efforts  all  along  the  line. 
In  section  28  of  this  to^^^lship  he  owns  a  fertile  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  which  has  yielded  most  abimdantly  under  his  encouraging 
hand.  He  has  maintained  the  most  friendly  relations  with  Prosperity 
and  is  regarded  today  as  one  of  the  independent  farming  men  of  the 
township. 

In  1896  :\rr.  Stuart  married  jMiss  Bertha  D.  Eltzroth.  the  daughter  of 
Obidiah  Flt-'voth.  and  to  subiect  and  wife  four  children  have  been  born. 
The  eldest.  Cloyd.  is  sixteen  years  old  ;  Ralph  and  Rov.  twins,  are  nine 
years  of  age,  and  the  youngest  born  of  the  four  is  Maude,  now  four 
yeai-s  old. 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  they 
take  an  active  part  in  its  various  departments  of  service,  and  Mr.  Stuart 
is  a  Republican.     He  is  a  man  wdio  has  acquired  much,  of  learning  that 


PlISTORY  OF  CASS  COUxNTY  1035 

never  came  through  schools  or  books.  A  student  of  human  nature,  he 
finds  something  interesting  in  every  chance  acquaintance,  and  it  is  safe  to 
say  that  this  habit  of  observation  has  been  of  no  small  benefit  to  him  in  his 
regular  business  life.  He  is  an  interesting  conversationalist,  and  has 
read  much  and  observed  more.-  He  is  known  for  a  man  of  honor  and 
integrity,  whose  word  is  as  sacred  as  his  bond,  and  his  position  in  his 
community  is  one  which  eloquently  bespeaks  his  many  worthy  qualities. 
A  man  of  kindly  disposition  and  modest  and  unassuming  demeanor,  he 
has  the  most  amazing  capacity  for  attending  to  his  own  affairs,  but  is 
always  ready  to  lend  a  willing  ear  to  the  man  who  is  beset  with  difficul- 
ties, and  a  helping  hand  to  tide  him  over  the  rough  places.  His  friends 
in  Jefferson  towaiship  are  only  limited  by  his  acquaintance,  and  he  is 
one  of  the  most  valued  citizens  of  his  community. 

"Wendell  Miller,  deceased,  was  one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Logans- 
port,  having  come  to  this  city  from  Pennsylvania  in  1862.  He  was  born 
in  Altoona,  that  state,  on  November  21,  1840,  and  was  there  reared  and 
instructed  in  the  trade  of  blacksmithing,  which  he  followed  for  some 
years  in  Pittsburg.  After  coming  to  Logansport  he  followed  his  trade 
for  a  time,  and  held  important  positions  at  the  old  Knowlton  &  Dolan 
foundry  and  in  other  industrial  concerns  of  the  city.  Illness  compelled 
him  to  relinquish  his  work  in  the  seventies,  and  he  then  moved  to  a  farm 
in  Washington  township,  where  he  passed  his  remaining  days,  death 
claiming  him  on  April  22,  1908. 

Always  an  industrious  and  thrifty  soul,  Wendell  Miller  was  able  to 
accumulate  a  goodly  share  of  this  world 's  goods.  He  was  able  to  provide 
liberally  for  his  family,  which  was  a  large  one,  and  he  was  known  to  be 
one  of  the  honorable  and  upright  men  of  his  community.  Neighborly 
and  kindly  disposed  toward  all,  he  enjoyed  to  the  utmost  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances.  He  was  particularly 
abstemious,  never  being  addicted  to  the  use  of  liquor  or  tobacco  in  any 
form,  and  his  conversation  was  of  the  cleanest  and  most  wholesome  order 
at  all  times,  profanity  of  any  kind  being  entirely  foreign  to  his  nature 
or  habits. 

On  October  15,  1868,  Mr.  Miller  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Caroline  Grunsmeyer,  and  to  them  twelve  children  were  born,  of  which 
goodly  number  ten  were  reared  to  years  of  maturity.  Those  yet  living 
are :  Dr.  G.  D.,  to  whom  a  sketch  is  devoted  in  other  pages  of  this  work; 
Edward  H.,  Frank  C,  William  A.,  Nora  N.  and  Cora  B.,  twins ;  Mrs. 
Mary  ]\Iinneman,  of  Jefferson  township,  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Lehman,  of 
Dayton,  Ohio.  IMrs.  Miller,  who  yet  survives  her  husband,  is  living  on  the 
old  home  place  in  Washington  township. 

Dr.  George  D.  Miller.  Of  the  parentage  of  George'D.  Miller,  M.  D., 
further  details  need  not  be  given  here  than  to  say  that  he  is  the  son  of 
Wendell  and  Caroline  (Grunsmeyer)  Miller,  one  time  residents  of  Penn- 
sylvania, later  of  Indiana,  the  father  being  now  deceased.  Concerning 
that  worthy  gentleman  a  sketch  is  dedicated  on  other  pages  of  this  work, 
which  render  further  statements  unnecessary  at  this  point. 

Dr.  George  D.  Miller  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  on  August  7, 
1873,  and  was  reared  on  the  old  home  farm.     He  attended  the  district 


1036  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

schools  as  a  boy,  and  in  1893-4-5  he  was  busily  engaged  in  taking  prep- 
aratory course  in  the  Manual  Training  High  School  of  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri. In  the  fall  of  1896  he  matriculated  at  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  in  Indianapolis,  from  which  he  was  duly  graduated  on 
April  -1,  1901,  receiving  his  medical  degree  at  that  time.  Dr.  Miller 
began  the  active  practice  of  his  profession  in  Logansport,  on  April  24, 
1901,  and  he  has  ever  since  continued  to  exercise  his  professional  skill 
and  ability  in  the  town  of  his  nativity,  where  he  has  gained  and  retained 
the  respect  of  the  medical  fraternity  and  of  the  people  alike.  Dr.  Miller 
has  been  secretary  of  the  Cass  County  Medical  Society  since  1902,  and  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Indiana  State  Medical  Society  and  the  American 
Medical  Association. 

Dr.  Miller  is  a  Democrat  and  has  served  four  years  as  coroner  of  Cass 
county,  from  1906  to  1910  inclusive,  an  office  in  which  he  acquitted  him- 
self with  credit.  He  is  identified  with  numerous  fraternal  organizations, 
prominent  among  which  is  the  Masonic  order.  He  has  attained  member- 
ship in  various  bodies  of  that  order,  including  the  Knights  Templar,  the 
Scottish  Rite,  and  the  Mystic  Shrine. 

On  September  5,  1897,  Dr.  Miller  was  united  in  marriage  with  Maggie 
M.  Robinson.  They  have  adopted  a  daughter,  Dorothy  J.,  but  have  no 
other  children. 

AViLLiAM  J.  Gibson.  Among  the  old  and  honored  residents  of  Jeffer- 
son township  none  is  held  in  higher  esteem  than  William  J.  Gibson, 
former  township  trustee,  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  and  able  farmer  and 
stockman.  A  brave  defender  of  his  flag,  performing  the  duties  of  life 
whether  in  war  or  peace,  he  has  been  a  factor  in  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  Cass  county  as  a  center  of  education,  morality  and  good  citizen- 
ship. Mr.  Gibson  was  born  July  22,  1841,  in  White  county,  Indiana, 
and  is  a  son  of  R.  P.  and  Sarah  (Tarn)  Gibson.  The  former  was  born  in 
Tennessee  and  the  latter  in  Pennsylvania,  and  both  came  in  youth  to 
White  county,  Indiana,  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives 
on  a  farm  in  Jackson  township. 

William  J.  Gibson  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  in  Jackson  town- 
ship, and  as  a  youth  entered  the  district  schools,  which  he  was  attending 
at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war.  He  enlisted  from  Deer  Creek  township, 
Cass  county,  in  1864,  in  Company  B,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-second 
Regiment,  Indiana  A^olunteer  Infantry,  and  served  for  nearly  a  year,  or 
until  the  closing  of  the  war,  when  he  returned  to  Cass  county,  was  mus- 
tered out  of  the  service,  and  given  his  honorable  discharge.  On  the 
close  of  his  military  career,  Mr.  Gibson  resumed  farming  on  the  home 
place,  and  was  so  engaged  up  to  the  time  of  his  marriage,  March  29, 
1866,  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Fry,  who  was  born  near  Dayton,  Ohio,  September 
5,  1842,  daughter  of  Ephraim  Fry.  Mr.  Fry  was  born  in  Maryland  and 
his  wife  in  Virginia,  and  were  married  in  Ohio,  from  which  state  they 
came  to  Indiana  in  1842,  locating  in  Carroll  county.  Subsequently  they 
moved  to  Cass  county,  and,  there  both  died. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gibson  there  were  born  eleven  children,  nine  of 
whom  are  living,  and  except  the  oldest  child  all  are  married,  and  all 
living  in  Cass  county.  IMrs.  Gilison  is  a  member  of  the  new  Dunkard 
church  at  Loekport,  Indiana.    Mr.  Gibson  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1037 

views,  and  from  1869  to  1873  was  trustee  of  Jefferson  township,  his 
service  lasting  four  years  and  two  months.  He  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  wheel-horses  of  his  party  in  this  section,  and  has  numerous  influen- 
tial friends  in  political  life.  Mr.  Gibson,  by  reason  of  his  services  during 
the  Civil  war,  receives  a  pension  from  the  government.  Ever  since  his 
marriage  he  has  been  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  on  his  present 
property,  where  he  has  accumulated  280  acres,  a  part  of  which  is  in 
Jefferson  township,  Cass  county,  and  a  part  in  Jackson  township, 
"White  county.  His  land  is  well  cultivated,  his  improvements  of  a 
modern  character  and  his  residence,  barn  and  outbuildings  are  substan- 
tially built  and  in  good  repair,  and  the  whole  appearance  of  the  property 
gives  evidence  of  the  presence  of  thrift,  industry  and  able  management. 
In  addition  to  general  farming,  he  has  carried  on  stock  raising,  and  his 
ventures  have  been  uniformly  successful  because  they  have  been  directed 
along  well-defined  lines  and  pushed  with  energy  and  perseverance.  Mr. 
Gibson  takes  a  keen  interest  in  all  matters  that  affect  his  community,  and 
as  a  consequence  is  known  as  a  good  and  public-spirited  citizen. 

William  Banta.  In  writing  of  the  agricultural  men  of  Cass  county 
who  have  made  distinctive  progress  in  their  particular  line  of  industry, 
it  is  peculiarly  fitting  that  mention  be  made  of  William  Banta,  one 
of  the  well-to-do  farmers  of  Jefferson  township,  now  retired  from  the 
activities  of  farm  life.  A  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  in  which  he  fought 
with  characteristic  fervor  and  gallantry,  Mr.  Banta  may  well  be  said 
to  have  done  well  his  part  on  the  stage  of  life  thus  far.  He  has  con- 
tributed in  no  small  measure  to  the  growth  and  development  of  his  na- 
tive township  along  industrial  lines,  and  has  assumed  his  full  share  of 
the  civic  burdens  in  the  community.  He  is  undeniably  entitled  to  his 
well-earned  rest  and  recreation  in  his  present  capacity  of  retired  farmer. 

Born  in  Jefferson  township,  Mr.  Banta  has  been  one  who  realized  that 
far  off  hills  were  not  always  greenest,  and  he  has  remained  in  his  native 
town  and  township,  content  to  realize  upon  the  opportunities  that  dis- 
trict offered  him.  He  was  born  on  the  farm  which  he  owns  today  on 
New  Year's  Day,  1846,  and  is  the  son  of  Beauford  and  Elizabeth  (McNay) 
Banta.  He  was  the  youngest  of  the  children  of  his  parents,  and  he  re- 
mained on  the  old  home  place  long  after  the  other  members  had  gone  out 
into  the  world  to  make  homes  of  their  own  and  take  up  the  burdens  of 
independent  life.  The  common  schools  of  his  native  community  afforded 
him  such  book  learning  as  he  received,  and  his  schooling  was  terminated 
at  the  age  of  eighteen  by  his  enlistment  in  Company  K,  of  the  Ninth 
Indiana  Volunteers.  He  was  in  General  Howard's  army  and  was  with 
Sherman  at  Atlanta.  At  Lovejoy  station  he  was  wounded  for  the  second 
time,  but  recovered  and  rejoined  his  regiment  both  times.  He  was  dis- 
charged in  Texas  on  September  28,  1865,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  where- 
upon he  returned  to  his  Indiana  home  again  and  took  up  the  more  quiet 
activities  of  farm  life. 

^  In  the  course  of  time  he  began  farming  on  his  own  responsibility, 
and  his  labors  were  from  the  beginning  rewarded  with  a  reasonable  de- 
gree of  success.  Years  of  sturdy  effort  in  his  own  fields  have  brought 
him  a  place  of  independence  and  importance  in  his  community  and  he 
is  known  today  for  one  of  the  financially  independent  men  of  his  section. 


1038  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

He  is  the  owner  of  fanii  land  in  Cass  county  aggregating  three  hundred 
and  fifty-three  acres,  in  two  farms,  with  other  holdings  in  and  about 
the  county,  so  that  his  retirement  from  active  business  came  as  the  nat- 
ural result  of  his  well-spent  labors. 

On  March  28,  1872,  Mr.  Banta  married  Maggie  D.  Zinn,  the  daughter 
of  John  Zinn,  a  native  Pennsylvanian  who  came  to  Indiana  in  1854.  He 
settled  in  Carroll  county  and  there  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
Mrs.  Banta  was  born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  on  September  8,  1847,  and 
was  reared  in  Carroll  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Banta  have  two  sons: 
Charles  and  Ira  E.  The  first  named  was  born  on  May  13,  1873.  He 
has  been  married  and  widowed,  and  is  now  engaged  in  running  the  old 
farm  which  was  his  birthplace  and  the  birthplace  of  his  father  as  well. 
Ira  E.,  the  second  son,  was  born  on  May  20,  1881.  He  has  been  married, 
but  like  his  brother,  he  is  also  a  widower.  He  lives  on  a  farm  in  Clay 
township,  and  is  successfully  engaged  in  carrying  on  the  work  for  which 
he  is  so  well  fitted  by  nature  and  training. 

Mr.  Banta,  as  might  be  expected,  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic  and  affiliates  with  Logansport  Post  No.  14.  He  has  always 
been  a  Republican,  but  in  1912  he  cut  loose  from  the  old  party  and 
voted  the  Progressive  ticket.  He  has  taken  a  leading  place  among  the 
citizenship  of  Jefferson  township  and  has  lived  a  life  of  the  utmost 
beneficence  from  every  standpoint.  He  and  his  wife  are  known  and 
appreciated  throughout  the  community  for  good  friends,  pleasant  neigh- 
bors and  thoroughly  reliable  and  honorable  citizens. 

Jettha  M.  Martin.  The  life  history  of  Jettha  M.  Martin  is  closely 
identified  with  that  of  Jeft'erson  township,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in 
agricultural  pursuits  for  many  years.  His  life  has  been  one  of  untiring 
activity,  and  has  been  crowned  by  a  degree  of  success  reserved  for  com- 
paratively a  few.  He  is  of  the  highest  type  of  agriculturists,  and  none 
more  than  he  deserves  a  fitting  recognition  among  the  men  whose  labors 
and  abilities  have  achieved  results  that  are  most  enviable  and  com- 
mendable. Mr.  Martin  was  born  November  1,  1861,  in  White  county, 
Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Malinda  Jane  (York)  Martin. 

William  jMartin  was  born  August  22,  1831,  in  the  city  of  Belfast, 
County  Down,  Ireland,  and  came  to  the  United  States  with  an  aunt  and 
uncle,  landing  in  New  York  City  December  5,  1839,  and  going  thence  to 
Philadelphia.  He  remained  in  that  city  until  1843,  at  which  time  he 
went  with  Jesse  MeClure  to  East  Waterford,  Juniata  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, there  w:orking  at  the  blacksmith  trade  for  some  time.  Commenc- 
ing work  February  18,  1844,  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1848,  when  he 
returned  to  Pennsylvania  and  remained  for  one  year  at  Pine,  then 
going  to  Juniata  county,  where  he  stayed  until  1850.  In  that  year  Mr. 
Martin  came  to  Indiana,  settling  first  in  the  city  of  Madison,  later  going 
to  Tippecanoe  county,  thence  to  Delhi  and  on  to  Logansport,  and  then 
settling  at  Camden,  Carroll  county,  where  he  remained  until  the  spring 
of  1853.  At  that  time  Mr.  Martin  located  in  White  county,  working 
there  until  the  spring  of  1854,  when  he  went  to  Iowa,  and  following  this 
was  at  various  places  in  the  West,  but  finally  returned  to  Burnettsville, 
White  county,  Indiana.  On  November  11,  1858,  he  was  married  to 
Malinda  Jane  York,  and  they  resided  in  Burnettsville  until  1867,  on 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  1039 

April  15th  of  which  year  Mr.  Martin  purchased  a  farm  on  Lake  Cicott, 
in  Jefferson  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  where  they  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  their  lives.  Mr.  Martin  was  a  liberal  supporter  of  religious 
bodies,  and  was  known  as  a  kind  friend  and  exemplary  citizen.  His 
political  faith  was  that  of  the  Democratic  party,  although  he  was  never 
an  office-seeker.  He  was  the  father  of  seven  children,  of  whom  five  are 
alive  at  this  time :  Jennie,  who  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Pierce ;  Jettha  M. ; 
Henry,  who  makes  his  home  in  Montana;  Flora,  the  widow  of  Harry 
Spence;  and  Earl,  living  in  Kansas. 

Jettha  M.  Martin  was  about  five  years  of  age  when  he  accompanied 
his  parents  to  Jefferson  township,  and  here  he  attended  the  district 
schools  until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age.  He  then  began  farming 
on  the  old  homestead,  and  at  the  death  of  his  parents  he  purchased 
this  tract,  where  he  now  has  one  hundred  acres  in  a  high  state  of 
cultivation.  This  land,  located  on  section  27,  is  devoted  to  general 
farming  and  stockraising,  and  the  fine  crops  raised  as  well  as  the 
appearance  of  the  stock  proves  Mr.  Martin's  unquestioned  title  of  able 
agriculturist.  Politically  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  at  this  time  is  efficiently 
serving  in  the  capacity  of  Jefferson  township  trustee.  His  religious 
belief  is  that  of  the  Baptist  church,  while  fraternally  he  is  connected 
with  Logansport  Lodge,  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur. 

On  June  15,  1882,  i\Ir.  Martin  was  married  to  Martha  J.  Byers,  who 
was  born  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  July  2,  1862,  and  there  educated 
in  the  public  schools.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  this  union :  Fred 
B.,  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Logansport,  married  Lizzie 
Burkett,  of  Burnettsville,  and  has  one  son — Clyde,  aged  four  years ;  and 
Elsie  C,  born  September  27,  1894,  a  graduate  of  the  public  schools,  who 
is  now  attending  Burnettsville  high  school.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  also 
reared  an  orphan,  Pearl  Young,  from  the  time  she  was  five  years  of 
age  until  her  marriage  to  Ross  Prescott,  since  which  time  she  has 
resided  in  Logansport. 

William  R.  Gray.  All  his  life  William  R.  Gray  has  passed  thus  far 
in  the  vicinity  of  his  present  residence  in  Jefferson  to\vnship,  and  his 
record  has  been  one  sufficient  to  win  for  him  the  high  regard  and  straight- 
forward friendship  of  all  who  have  shared  in  his  acquaintance  during 
those  years.  Born  in  Jefferson  township,  Cass  county,  on  a  farm  about  a 
mile  distant  from  his  present  home,  Mr.  Gray  claims  November  14,  1873, 
as  the  date  of  his  nativity,  and  he  is  the  son  of  James  A.  and  Rebecca 
W.  (Rogers)  Gray. 

James  A.  Gray,  also  a  native  of  Jefferson  township,  was  born  here 
on  September  28,  1836,  and  was  the  son  of  Alex  and  Elizabeth  (Blight) 
Gray,  both  of  whom  were  Pennsylvanians  by  birth,  and  pioneer  settlers 
of  Jefferson  township,  arriving  here  in  about  the  year  1836.  Both 
finished  their  lives  in  this  township  and  here  were  well  known  and  highly 
respected  by  all  who  knew  them.  They  were  true  pioneers,  and  lived 
in  primitive  fashion,  rearing  their  children  in  simplicity  and  honesty, 
and  training  them  well  in  the  simple  but  vital  things  of  life.  Their  son, 
the  father  of  the  subject,  settled  in  Jefferson  township  and  there  died.  , 
He  married  Rebecca  W.  Rogers  and  they  became  the  parents  of  two 
children — Harrison  L.,  a  farmer  who  lives  in  this  township  about  a 


1040  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

mile  from  the  home  of  his  brother;  Milton  R.,  who  is  the  immediate 
subject  of  this  review. 

Milton  R.  Gray  was  reared  on  the  old  farm  in  Jefferson  towaiship 
and  in  connection  with  the  work  of  the  home  place,  he  received  such 
rudimentary  education  as  the  schools  of  his  native  community  afforded, 
He  continued  in  attendance  at  the  district  schools  until  he  was  twenty 
years  old,  after  which  he  gave  his  exclusive  attention  to  farming,  a  busi- 
ness in  which  he  has  since  continued  with  a  pleasing  degi'ee  of  success 
and  prosperity.  Today  Mr.  Gray  owns  a  farm  of  some  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  in  section  14,  this  township,  and  general  farming  and 
stock  raising  occupy  his  attention.  He  gives  close  and  careful  study  to 
the  subjects  which  occupy  him,  and  his  diligence  has  been  rewarded 
accordingly. 

On  September  5,  1904,  Mr.  Gray  took  upon  himself  the  responsibility 
of  a  wife  and  was  then  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Goldie  M.  Mickel. 
the  daughter  of  Jonas  and  Sarah  Mickel.  She  was  born  in  Pulaski 
county,  Indiana,  on  the  4th  of  September,  1883,  and  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  her  native  community.  Two  sons  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Gray:  Ormus,  born  September  29,  1905,  and  Leo  E.,  born  ]\Iarch 
27,  1911. 

Mr.  Gray  and  his  good  wife  are  members  of  the  Pisgah  Presbyterian 
church  of  Jefferson  township,  and  Mr.  Gray  is  fraternally  affiliated  with 
the  Eel  River  Lodge,  No.  417,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 
Politically,  he  gives  his  allegiance  to  the  Democratic  party,  but  has  not 
been  active  beyond  the  demands  of  good  citizenship. 

Andrew^  Thompson.  Among  the  many  well  kno^vn  and  estimable 
men  of  Boone  township  it  is  safe  to  say  that  none  have  a  wider 
acquaintance  or  a  better  standing  in  the  township  than  has  Andrew 
Thompson,  a  native  of  this  community,  where  he  was  born  on  January 
15,  1861.  He  is  now  the  owner  and  operator  of  a  fine  farm  in  section  21, 
Boone  township,  and  is  enjoying  a  pleasing  degree  of  prosperity  in  his 
chosen  vocation.  He  is  the  son  of  Kendall  E.  and  Naomi  (Thompson) 
Thompson,  concerning  whom  the  following  brief  facts  are  here  set  forth : 

Kendall  Thompson  was  born  in  Sussex  county,  Delaware,  as  was  also 
his  good  wife.  When  they  were  children  their  parents,  with  a  party  of 
other  homeseekers,  left  their  Delaware  associations  and  connections  and 
sought  the  wilds  of  Indiana  where  they  established  homes  and  took 
prominent  parts  in  the  development  of  Cass  county.  Jefferson  and  Boone 
townships  received  the  majority  of  them,  and  here,  taking  up  government 
land  according  to  the  Homestead  act,  they  became  land  owmers  and  home 
builders.  The  parents  of  Kendall  Thompson  secured  land  with  the  others, 
settling  in  Boone  towmship.  At  that  time  Kendall  Thompson  was  a  child 
of  seven  years.  He  was  reared  in  the  primitive  home  of  his  parents, 
became  inured  to  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life  and  the  rugged  work  of 
the  farm,  and  in  his  j'oung  manhood  married  Naomi  Thompson,  who  had 
migrated  from  Delaware  witli  her  parents  in  like  manner  as  he  had  done. 
To  them  were  born  seven  children,  of  which  number  five  are  still  living. 
They  are  named  as  follows :  Emma,  the  wife  of  Phelix  Kistler,  of  Cass 
county ;  Joseph,  a  resident  of  Logansport ;  Andrew,  the  subject  of  this 
review;  Martha,  the  vsafe  of  Rich  B.  King,  of  White  county,  Indiana; 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1041 

Carrie  E.,  who  married  Charles  Kistler,  and  lives  in  this  county;  Jane 
and  Nettie  are  deceased. 

Andrew  Thompson  was  reared  in  his  father 's  household  and  aided  him 
in  the  work  of  the  farm.  He  owned  a  place  of  two  hundred  and  forty- 
two  acres  in  Cass  county,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  White 
county,  and  his  total  holdings  required  a  deal  of  attention  and  care,  so 
that  the  assistance  of  his  son  Andrew  was  of  great  value  to  him.  Such 
advantages  as  the  common  schools  of  the  comnninity  offered,  Andrew 
Thompson  embraced,  and  he  finished  with  the  elementary  and  graded 
schools  of  Burr  Oak,  after  which  he  turned  to  the  farm  again. 

When  Mr.  Thompson  married  in  1886,  he  became  the  owner  of  a  fine 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  sections  20  and  21,  and  he  has 
carried  on  a  general  or  diversified  farming  business  independently  since 
that  time,  experiencing  a  pleasing  measure  of  success  in  his  operations, 
as  becoming  to  one  who  was  so  well  versed  in  matters  of  agriculture  in 
the  service  of  his  father. 

On  March  4,  1886,  was  solemnized  the  marriage  of  Andrew  Thompson 
with  Emma  Reed,  of  White  county.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Charles  Reed, 
who  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  who  came  to  Canada  in  his  young 
manhood,  thence  to  Ohio  and  later  to  Wliite  county,  Indiana.  He  was  a 
cooper  by  trade  and  has  long  been  occupied  in  that  work.  He  married 
Susanna  Glazek,  whose  parents  died  while  she  was  yet  very  young.  Mrs. 
Thompson  was  born  in  White  county,  and  there  reared.  Six  children 
have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson,  one  son  and  five  daughters, 
brief  mention  of  them  being  made  as  follows :  Nora  Pearl  is  the  wife 
of  Fred  Tickfer,  of  Logansport;  she  was  bom  in  November,  1886,  and 
attended  school  at  Royal  Center  and  ]\Iarion.  Fred  E.,  bom  August 
4,  1888,  married  Opha  Bird.  Iva,  born  September  15,  1893,  is  at  home 
with  her  parents.  Bertha,  born  November  17,  1895,  also  at  home,  is 
attending  the  high  school  of  Royal  Center.  May  Thompson,  bom  -July  6, 
1898,  is  also  in  school.  Fern,  born  July  29,  1900,  and  the  youngest  of  the 
six,  is  attending  school  in  Burr  Oak. 

Mr.  Thompson  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  proclivities,  but  not 
more  than  ordinarily  active.  He  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  substantial 
citizens  of  the  community,  and  enjoys  a  wide  circle  of  friends  in  the 
county. 

William  Hollis,  long  and  prominently  kno^vn  in  Boone  township, 
Cass  county,  Indiana,  as  one  of  the  well-to-do  farming  men  of  the  com- 
munity, is  a  native  son  of  the  township  and  county  he  now  calls  his 
home,  and  has  passed  his  life  within  the  confines  of  the  county.  He 
was  born  on  May  10,  1869,  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Gid- 
dings)  Hollis. 

Joseph  Hollis  was  bom  in  Wesbadge,  Lincolnshire,  England,  and 
came  to  America  when  he  was  in  his  early  manhood.  He  came  almost 
directly  to  Cass  county,  and  secured  work  at  whatever  he  could  lay  his 
hands  to  that  offered  honest  employment  until  he  became  sufficiently 
forehanded  to  buy  a  farm.  He  then  married  and  settled  do^^Ti  to  farm 
life,  in  which  he  continued  as  long  as  he  lived.  His  wife,  Elizabeth  Gid- 
dings,  came  to  Cass  county  -ndth  a  party  of  friends  when  she  was  in  her 
young  womanhood,   soon   after  which  she   met  Joseph   Hollis.     Their 


1042  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

acquaintance  terminated  in  their  marriage  and  to  them  thirteen  children 
were  born,  of  which  goodly  number  ten  are  yet  living.  They  are  here 
named  as  follows:  Robert  G.,  living  in  this  township;  Mary,  married 
Saul  JMathewson,  and  lives  in  Jefferson  township ;  Joseph,  also  a  resident 
here;  John,  living  in  Royal  Center;  Lizzie,  the  wife  of  George  Wesley, 
of  New  Plymouth;  Jane,  married  Thomas  Wesley,  of  this  community; 
William,  of  this  review ;  James,  living  in  Mississippi ;  Thomas,  living  in 
this  vicinity ;  and  Frank,  a  resident  of  Rlinneapolis,  ^Minnesota. 

William  Hollis  remained  in  the  parental  home  until  he  married  in 
1896,  after  which  he  established  an  independent  rooftree  and  became  a 
farmer  on  his  own  initiative.  After  his  marriage  he  settled  in  Monon, 
in  White  county,  where  he  continued  for  four  years,  later  moving 
about  from  time  to  time  until  he  located  in  his  present  place  in  Boone 
townsliip,  which  he  had  occupied  in  previous  years.  He  has  a  farm  of 
forty  acres,  which  under  his  careful  supervision  yields  abundantly,  and 
he  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  successful  farmers  in  the  township. 

On  October  26,  1896,  Mr.  Hollis  married  Dora  Kerns,  the  daughter  of 
Edward  and  Annie  (Kerns)  Kerns,  both  of  Virginia  parentage  and 
birtli.  Five  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kerns,  of  which  three 
are  now  living:  Ada,  the  wife  of  Thomas  Baity,  of  Royal  Center;  Otha 
Allen  Kerns,  of  Harrison  township,  and  Dora,  the  wife  of  the  subject. 
One  child  was  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hollis,  Lucy  Esther,  at  home  with  her 
parents. 

James  W.  Stewart,  M.  D.,  of  Logansport,  Indiana,  is  a  native  of  Car- 
roll county,  Indiana,  born  on  the  Cass  county  line  on  May  27,  1857,  and 
has  made  his  home  in  Cass  county  practically  all  his  life.  He  is  a  son  of 
James  Stewart  and  his  wife,  Elizabeth  Cook,  Pennsylvanians  by  birth, 
who  were  the  parents  of  five  children,  and  who  moved  from  their  native 
state  to  Indiana  in  1850  and  located  on  a  farm.  The  father  was  a  farmer 
all  his  life,  and  died  in  Carroll  county  in  1867.  Two  children  were  born 
to  these  parents  after  their  location  in  Carroll  county,  the  subject  and 
one  other,  who  ^vas  the  youngest  of  the  five.     . 

Dr.  Stewart  was  reared  after  the  manner  of  the  average  country 
youth  of  his  day  and  age,  and  he  was  early  initiated  into  an  intimate 
knowledge  of  the  many  tasks  incident  to  £arm  life,  while  he  attended 
the  district  schools  with  tolerable  regularity,  eventually  completing  the 
course  of  study  in  the  Delphi  schools  at  the  age  of  seventeen.  In  June, 
1875,  he  entered  the  Louisville  Medical  College,  at  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
and  in  1876  he  was  graduated  from  that  institution,  after  which  he 
entered  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  at  Indianapolis,  which 
granted  him  his  addendum  degree  in  1877.  Following  this  he  served  a 
year  as  interne  at  the  city  hospital  in  Indianapolis,  completing  his  term 
in  1878,  when  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  a  splendid  record  for  the 
country  youth. 

Dr.  Stewart  located  at  Burrows,  Indiana,  and  was  for  six  years 
engaged  in  practice  at  that  point,  whereupon  he  moved  to  Rockfield  and 
there  practiced  for  ten  years.  In  1894-5  he  took  a  post  graduate  course 
at  the  New  York  Polyclinic,  and  in  1895  he  came  to  Logansport,  which 
he  has  since  made  his  home  and  the  center  of  his  professional  activities. 
Until  of  late  Dr.  Stewart  has  been  engaged  in  general  pi'actice,  but  giving 


JAMES  W.   STEWART 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1043 

especial  attention  to  surgerJ^  His  specialty  now  is  internal  medicine  and 
surgery,  and  his  ever  growing  office  practice  practically  precludes  any 
outside  practice.  He  has  taken  a  number  of  special  courses  on  internal 
medicine  and  surgery  at  London,  Edinburgh,  Vienna,  Berlin  and  Berne, 
and  is  considered  an  authority  on  that  subject. 

Dr.  Stewart  is  a  ]\Iason  and  a  member  of  the  Country  Club.  His  chief 
recreation  is  golf  and  chess,  at  both  of  which  he  is  something  of  an  expert. 

Samuel  P.  Hoffman.  In  looking  for  a  prosperous  and  progressive 
farmer  who  adheres  largely  to  scientific  methods  in  his  operations,  one 
might  "go  farther  and  fare  worse,"  as  the  old  saying  has  it,  than  the 
place  of  Samuel  P.  Hoffman.  Farm  life  has  ever  been  an  attractive  one 
to  him,  and  he  has  made  distinctive  and  praiseworthy  progress  in  his 
agricultural  activities  with  the  passing  years.  His  son,  Ferdinand  L., 
who  assists  him  in  the  operation  of  the  home  farm,  took  a  course  in 
scientific  farming  at  Purclue  University,  and  is  the  alile  assistant  of  the 
subject.  Mr.  Hoffman  was  born  in  Pulaski  county,  Indiana,  on  ]\Iarch 
26,  1863,  and  is  the  son  of  Charles  and  Susan  (Hoffman)  Hoffman.  The 
father  was  a  native  German,  born  in  that  country  in  1812,  who  came 
with  his  parents  to  America  in  1824  and  located  in  Seneca  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  was  reared  to  young  manhood.  He  came  to  Indiana  while  yet 
young  in  years,  in  about  1840,  and  in  Fulton  county  he  married  a  ]\Iiss 
Cox,  and  by  that  union  had  two  children :  Wm.  H.  Hoffman  and  ^lary, 
the  wife  of  Lewis  Strahlem,  of  Logansport,  Indiana.  The  wife  and 
mother  died  amd  in  later  years  Mr.  Hoffman  married  for  his  second  \viie 
Susan  Smith.  Five  children  were  born  of  this  latter  marriage :  Isabella, 
now  deceased ;  Sarah,  the  \yite  of  Eli  Fink  of  Logansport,  Indiana,  where 
he  is  employed  as  a  passenger  conductor  on  the  Pan  Handle  Railroad. 

Samuel  P.  Hoffman  was  six  years  old  when  he  came  to  Cass  county  to 
live.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  up  to  the  age  of  twenty 
years,  after  which  he  took  up  farming  as  his  life  work,  to  which  he  has 
ever  since  adhered,  and  in  which  he  has  attained  a  pleasing  prosperity. 
He  has  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  three  miles  southwest  of  Royal  Center,  his 
place  being  one  of  the  best  drained  and  improved  farms  in  the  to\\Tiship. 
He  has  for  some  years  specialized  in  thoroughbred  Norman  horses,  and 
is  generally  admitted  to  be  one  of  the  wide-awake  farmers  in  the  township. 

Mr.  Hoffman  married  Alice  Berkshire,  the  daughter  of  William  Berk- 
shire of  Boone  township,  on  December  12,  1882.  She  was  reared  in  Boone 
township  and  received  her  education  in  the  common  schools.  Two 
children  were  born  to  them :  Ferdinand  L.  and  Manford  B.  Hoffman.  The 
eldest  son,  who  is  unmarried,  is  engaged  in  farming  with  his  father,  and 
as  was  previously  mentioned,  has  made  a  scientific  study  of  agriculture. 
He  is  one  of  the  most  capable  young  farming  men  of  his  day  in  this 
township,  and  it  is  expected  that  he  Avill  make  a  signal  success  of  the 
business  of  farming  should  he  continue  in  it.  IManford  B.  Hoffman, 
deceased  January  30,  1913,  was  educated  in  the  common  and  high  schools 
of  his  native  community,  and  was  married  to  Pearl  S.  Schlegelnilch. 

Mr.  Hoffman  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church,  as  are  also  the 
members  of  his  family,  and  he  has  served  in  that  body  as  elder  and  trus- 
tee, and  has  been  for  some  time  chorister  in  the  church,  as  well  as  taking 
an  active  part  in  the  Sunday  school.    His  politics  are  those  of  an  uncom- 


1044  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

promising  Prohibitionist.  He  has  never  been  active  in  the  political  affairs 
of  the  town,  but  has  ever  performed  well  his  part  as  a  citizen  of  genuine 
worth  in  the  community  which  has  so  long  been  his  home  and  the  center 
of  his  activities. 

Ira  a.  Kistler.  As  cashier  of  the  Citizens  State  Bank  of  Royal 
Center,  Ira  A.  Kistler  occupies  a  position  of  prominence  in  Royal  Center, 
one  to  which  he  is  well  entitled  by  reason  of  his  native  ability  and 
accomplishments.  A  native  son  of  Cass  county,  he  has  not  felt  it  neces- 
sary to  fare  forth  into  the  unknown  world  to  achieve  a  measure  of  suc- 
cess, but  has  realized  his  business  success  in  the  identical  township  in 
which  he  was  born. 

Ira  A.  Kistler  was  born  in  Boone  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  on 
Christmas  Day,  in  1876,  and  is  the  son  of  Martin  L.  and  Sarah  (Fultz) 
Kistler.  The  father,  who  still  lives,  was  born  in  Boone  township  and  at 
present  lives  at  Bass,  Indiana.  The  mother  was  a  native  of  Findlay 
county,  Ohio.  They  became  the  parents  of  nine  children,  seven  of  that 
number  being  yet  alive  in  the  year  1912. 

Of  the  seven  living  children  of  his  parents,  Ira  A.  Kistler  is  the 
second  oldest.  He  was  bom  and  reared  on  the  farm  which  represented 
the  family  home  in  Boone  township,  and  received  his  education  in  the  dis- 
trict schools,  after  which  he  taught  in  the  rural  districts  of  Pulaski 
county,  Indiana,  for  five  years.  In  November,  1901,  he  married  Adria  J. 
Fultz,  a  daughter  of  Boone  township  who  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Royal  Center.  Two  children  were  bom  to  them :  Dowania, 
bom  in  1903,  and  Dox'tha,  who  was  born  in  1908. 

In  November,  1911,  Mr.  Kistler  was  appointed  cashier  of  the  Citizens 
State  Bank,  a  position  which  he  has  since  continued  to  occupy,  with  all 
of  satisfaction  to  the  bank  and  its  patrons.  The  bank  was  incorporated 
under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Indiana  on  the  date  above  mentioned, 
with  a  capital  stock  of  $25,000,  and  its  official  personnel  is  as  follows: 
A.  Ross  Beckley,  president ;  J.  J.  Schmidt,  vice  president ;  J.  A.  Kistler, 
cashier.  The  directors  of  the  bank  are  George  S.  Kistler,  A.  M.  Dell, 
A.  Ross  Beckley,  Beecher  House,  Ira  A.  Kistler,  E.  D.  Baughman,  J.  J. 
Schmidt. 

Mr.  Kistler  is  an  adherent  of  the  Progressive  party,  and  is  at  present 
trustee  of  Boone  towoiship.  He  holds  a  high  place  in  the  regard  of  his 
fellow  citizens,  and  is  a  man  of  many  fine  traits  of  character  which 
have  contributed  in  a  great  measure  to  his  establishment  in  popular 
confidence  and  esteem.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  little  farm  of  eighty- 
two  acres  in  section  25  in  Boone  township,  which  he  farms  indirectly, 
and  has  other  property  interests  in  the  community.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  is  the  present  chancellor 
of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  Lodge  No.  462,  of  which  he  is  also  a  member. 
Mrs.  Kistler  is  a  member  of  Grace  Evangelical  church,  as  are  also  her 
children. 

Thomas  J.  Kistler.  The  name  of  Kistler  is  one  that  has  been 
accorded  an  honored  place  upon  the  rolls  of  the  pioneer  history  of 
Cass  county  since  1835,  and  many  of  that  name  have  given  praiseworthy 
service  in  the  development  and  upbuilding  of  the  county  in  the  years 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1045 

that  have  passed.  It  is  safe  to  say,  however,  that  none  has  occupied  a 
higher  place  in  the  county  or  has  been  more  gi'eatly  esteemed  than  is 
Thomas  J.  Kistler,  the  subject  of  this  brief  review.  Born  in  Boone  town- 
ship, Cass  county,  Indiana,  on  the  thirtieth  day  of  June,  in  1863,  he  is 
the  son  of  Jonas  and  Amelia  (Simmons)  Kistler,  both  now  deceased. 

Concemino:  the  parentage  and  family  of  Mr.  Kistler  it  may  be  said 
that  the  father  came  into  the  state  when  he  was  a  lad  of  ten  years,  and 
there  passed  the  remainder  of  his  long  and  useful  life.  He  was  born  in 
Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  on  the  9th  day  of  September,  1825,  and  was  the 
son  of  Jacob  and  Catherine  (Mishamoor)  Kistler,  natives  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. Jacob  Kistler,  like  his  worthy  father  before  him,  was  a  miller  by 
trade,  and  he  migrated  from  Ohio  to  Indiana  in  1835,  locating  on  a  farm 
in  Cass  county,  Indiana.  There  Jonas  Kistler  spent  the  years  of  his 
youth  from  the  age  of  ten  to  twenty-one,  and  when  he  set  out  in  inde- 
pendent life  for  himself  he  still  continued  in  that  business,  one  which 
occupied  him  all  his  days  and  in  which,  he  achieved  signal  success  and 
prosperity.  He  was  ever  the  advocate  of  progress  and  advancement  in 
the  county  and  actively  participated  in  the  development  and  promotion 
of  the  district  which  has  evejitually  made  Cass  county  on  a  par  with 
the  older  coimties  of  the  state.  Four  times  did  Jonas  Kistler  venture 
onto  the  sea  of  matrimony.  He  married  Lydia  Kistler,  a  native  of  Boone 
towTiship,  on  the  16th  of  January,  1847,  and  she  died  on  April  1,  1857, 
leaving  four  children:  George  N.,  Lewis,  Sarah  M.,  another  who  died  in 
infancy.  On  August  10,  1857,  Mr.  Kistler  married  Amy  Simmons,  and 
to  them  seven  children  were  born:  Andrew  J.,  Jacob,  Thomas  J.,  Eliza- 
beth, "William  H.,  Cordelia  A.  and  James.  The  wife  and  mother  died  on 
April  27,  1873.  On  October  1,  1873,  Mr.  Kistler  married  Ann  E.  Sim- 
mons, who  died  on  March  9,  1877.  On  September  20th  of  that  year.  Mr. 
Kistler  married  Mary  Kistler,  whose  death  occurred  on  January  9.  1898. 
Mr.  Kistler  died  in  1902,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years.  Of  the  mar- 
riage of  Amy,  or  Amelia,  Simmons  and  Mr.  Kistler,  four  children  are  yet 
living:  Thomas  J.,  Jacob,  William  H.  and  Cordelia,  the  wife  of  William 
H.  Walters. 

Thomas  J.  Kistler  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  to  the  age  of  thirteen 
years,  and  divided  his  time  between  the  duties  incident  to  farm  life  and 
the  country  school  which  his  io\Ta  afforded.  When  he  was  thirteen  he  left 
home  and  went  to  work  on  a  nearby  farm,  where  he  earned  his  board  and 
clothes  and  attended  school  in  the  winter  seasons  in  exchange  for  what 
he  could  do  about  the  place.  He  remained  thus  until  he  was  seventeen, 
when  he  launched  out  in  farming  for  himself.  He  continued  the  life  of 
a  farmer  until  he  married  on  May  7,  1900.  Carrie  D.  Kistler  (not  related) 
becoming  his  bride.  She  was  born  and  reared  in  Boone  township,  and 
is  one  of  the  most  esteemed  women  of  the  community. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Kistler  engaged  in  the  hardware  business,  and 
he  is  the  owner  of  the  hardware  stock  on  Chicago  street,  in  Royal  Center, 
there  carrying  on  a  general  hardw^are  business.  He  has  experienced  a 
pleasing  measure  of  success  in  the  business  and  enjoys  a  comprehensive 
trade  throughout  the  township. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kistler  are  earnest  members  of  the  Baptist  church  in 
Royal  Center,  and  he  is  a  trustee  of  the  church.  His  political  affiliations 
are  with  the  Prohibition  party,  whose  firm  adherent  he  has  long  been. 


1046  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

He  is  one  of  the  stable  and  dependable  citizens  of  the  town  and  township, 
and  enjoys  the  respect  and  esteem  of  a  wide  circle  of  friends  in  the 
communitj'  where  he  has  spent  all  his  life  thus  far.  Affable  and  friendly, 
he  is  more  than  ordinarily  popular,  and  his  upright  and  .honorable 
character  has  secured  him  a  place  in  the  public  mind  which  is  in  every 
way  worthy  of  him  and  his  always  estimable  family. 

William  D.  Lutes.  Farm  life  and  merchandising  constituted  the 
business  of  William  D.  Lutes  for  a  good  many  years,  until  in  1903,  when 
he  was  appointed  postmaster  at  Royal  Center,  an  office  which  he  has  con- 
tinued to  fill  in  a  manner  most  satisfactory  to  all  concerned.  His  whole 
life  has  been  spent  in  Cass  county,  and  no  more  loyal  citizen  will  be 
found  within  its  borders  than  he. 

Born  in  Fulton  county,  Ohio,  on  October  7,  1837,  Mr.  Lutes  is  the 
son  of  Henry  and  ]\Iary  (Donut)  Lutes.  The  father  and  mother  were 
both  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  and  they  came  as  children  to  Wayne  county, 
Ohio,  where  they  grew  to  years  of  maturity,  and  it  was  there  they  were 
married.  Soon  after  their  marriage  they  settled  in  Williams  county, 
Ohio,  later  moving  to  Fulton  county,  where  they  established  their  home 
in  German  township  and  lived  there  for  twenty-three  years.  Late  in  life 
they  moved  to  Kosciu.sko  county,  Indiana,  where  they  passed  their  remain- 
ing days.  Henry  and  ^lary  Lutes  reared  a  family  of  four  children,  three 
of  whom  were  living  in  1912.  William  D.,  the  eldest,  is  the  sub.jeet  of  this 
review ;  Eliza  J.  is  deceased ;  M.  W.  is  engaged  in  farming  in  Kosciusko 
county,  Indiana,  and  Ellen  is  the  wife  of  Simon  Wheltstone,  of  Kosciusko 
county,  Indiana. 

William  D.  Lutes  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  Fulton  county,  Ohio,  the 
home  of  his  parents  at  that  time,  and  there  he  attended  the  district 
schools.  He  later  became  a  student  in  the  high  school  of  West  Unity, 
after  which  he  engaged  in  teaching  and  continued  to  be  occupied  with 
that  most  laudable  branch  of  public  service  for  four  years  thereafter. 
On  April  14,  1859,  the  young  man  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Mary  Peddcoard,  of  Fulton  county,  Ohio,  where  she  had  been  bom  and 
reared,  her  natal  day  being  December  22,  1841.  They  came  to  Indiana 
in  April,  the  same  week  in  which  their  marriage  was  celebrated,  and 
established  their  new  home  in  the  state  which  has  since  been  the  scene 
of  their  activities.  They  first  located  in  Harrison  township,  some  six 
miles  west  of  Warsaw,  and  there  they  bought  land  and  began  to  farm. 
For  six  years  they  remained  on  that  place,  after  which  they  sold  out  and 
moved  to  Atwood,  Indiana.  Avhere  for  ten  years  Mr.  Lutes  was  engaged  in 
the  merchandise  business  with  more  or  less  success.  He  then  sold  his 
stock  of  goods  and  returned  to  the  farm,  locating  in  Boone  township 
and  continuing  for  four  yeare.  In  1879  he  moved  to  Royal  Center, 
and  in  1896  he  gave  up  his  farming  activities  for  a  second  time  and 
turned  his  attention  to  the  boot  and  shoe  business.  He  was  successful 
and  prosperous  in  that  business  and  continued  in  it  until  1903,  which 
year  marked  his  appointment  to  the  position  of  postmaster  at  Royal 
Centre.  His  work  in  this  respect  has  been  all  that  could  be  desired, 
and  the  department  has  been  well  kept  up  under  his  regime.  He  is 
assisted  in  the  work  of  the  office  by  his  daughter.  Lida. 

Six  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lutes,  concerning  whom 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1047 

mention  is  made  as  follows:  JoJin  W.  is  engaged  in  the  merchandise 
business  at  Logansport,  Indiana.  J.  0.  is  a  farmer,  and  is  located  in 
Wisconsin.  Lillian  is  married  to  Charles  Fry,  of  Star  City,  Indiana. 
N.  F.  is  also  engaged  in  farming  in  Wisconsin ;  Lida,  as  mentioned  above, 
is  assistant  postmaster  at  Royal  Center.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the  com- 
mercial department  at  Valparaiso,  Indiana.  William  H.  is  assistant 
cashier  of  the  Thomas  State  Bank  of  Royal  Center. 

The  Lutes  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  Mr.  Lutes  is  a  trustee  of  that  body.  His  fraternal  affiliations  are 
with  the  Masons,  and  he  is  a  member  of  Royal  Center  Lodge  No.  585, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  which  he  is  past  master.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Lodge  No.  694,  at  North  Jud- 
son,  Indiana.  Politically,  he  gives  his  support  to  the  cause  of  Republi- 
canism, and  he  has  always  been  active  in  the  ranks  of  the  party  in  his 
district. 

Mr.  Lutes  has  acquired  a  considerable  property  in  and  about  Royal 
Center  and  Hammond,  Indiana,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  well-to- 
do  men  of  this  community.  He  en.joys  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  in  his  home  town,  and  his 
acquaintance  extends  well  through  the  county  as  well,  whei'e  his  many 
excellent  traits  of  mind  and  character  are  appreciated  and  acknowledged. 

W.  J.  Goodrich  conducts  a  lumber,  tile  and  cement  business  in  Royal 
Center,  in  which  place  he  was  born  on  April  3,  1876.  He  is  the  son  of 
Hiland  E.  and  Mary  Jane  (Vickers)  Goodrich.  The  father  was  born 
near  Washington,  Ohio,  in  the  vicinity  of  Columbus,  on  a  farm,  and 
was  there  reared.  The  mother  was  born  in  Maryland,  near  Harper's 
Ferry,  and  is  the  daughter  of  English  parents,  -who  came  from  Mary- 
land to  Indiana,  bringing  their  daughter  with  them.  They  made  the 
trip  by  canal,  and  settled  on  a  farm  near  Star  City.  In  this  community 
Hiland  and  Mary  Jane  (Vickers)  Goodrich  were  married,  and  they 
spent  their  lives  within  the  county.  They  became  the  parents  of  six 
children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living.  The  names  of  the  six,  in  the 
order  of  their  birth,  with  brief  comments  concerning  them,  are  as  fol- 
lows: Alice  0.,  the  wife  of  J.  J.  Schmidt,  living  in  Royal  Center; 
Hiram  E.,  in  Boone  township ;  W.  J.,  the  sub.iect  of  this  brief  review; 
Alba,  who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years ;  Dudley,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  twenty-one ;  and  George,  who  died  when  twenty-seven  years  old. 

W.  J.  Goodrich  received  a  common  school  education,  finishing  with 
the  Park  high  school,  after  which  he  took  a  course  in  a  business  college 
in  Logansport,  Indiana.  After  finishing  his  business  training  he  went 
to  Florida,  remaining  there  for  six  months,  after  which  he  returned 
home  and  remained  on  the  faimi  until  the  death  of  his  father  two  years 
later,  in  1899.  He  still  continued  to  make  his  home  at  the  old  place, 
remaining  with  his  mother  until  she  died  in  1909,  aged  seventy-seven 
years,  secure  in  the  regard  and  esteem  of  all  who  knew  her. 

On  Febriiary  14,  1910,  W.  J..  Goodrich  was  married  to  IMiss  Anna  H. 
Frimel,  the  daughter  of  Frank  Frimel,  of  Jefferson  township,  in  Cass 
county,  and  to  them  one  child  has  been  bom :  Wilma  Jane  Goodrich. 

Mr.  Goodrich  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Lodge  No.  62, 
and  he  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  faith.    He  is  president  of  the  town 


1048  HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY 

council,  aud  takes  an  important  part  in  all  the  activities  of  the  com- 
munity which  tend  to  its  growth  and  advancement. 

He  owns  sixty-two  and  a  half  acres  of  land  in  Boone  township  and 
has  twenty  acres  in  Royal  Center,  in  what  is  known  as  the  Goodrich 
addition.  His  activities  in  the  lumber,  tile  and  cement  business  are 
carried  on  quietly  and  steadily,  and  constitute  one  of  the  leading  in- 
dustries in  Royal  Center. 

Andrew  J.  Conn,  well  known  in  Royal  Center,  Indiana,  as  a  farmer 
and  in  the  operation  of  a  buggy  and  harness  business,  was  born  in 
Boone  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  on  June  19,  1862,  and  in  the 
vicinity  of  his  present  home  has  passed  his  life  thus  far.  He  is  the  son 
of  George  and  Helen  (Hendee)  Conn,  the  father  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, from  which  state  he  migrated  to  Indiana  in  its  early  manhood. 
The  mother  was  a  native  Canadian  and  came  from  that  country  with 
her  pai'ents.  George  Conn  was  in  some  respects  a  pioneer  of  Cass 
county,  and  he  it  was  who  ran  the  first  sawmill  in  Boone  township, 
which  he  operated  with  oxen.  He  died  when  the  subject  was  a  lad 
of  three  years.  He  had  been  three  times  married,  and  was  the  father 
of  thirteen  children,  ten  of  them  being  the  children  of  Helen  Hendee, 
the  mother  of  the  subject.  Seven  of  the  number  are  living  today,  and 
they  are  here  named  as  follows :  Jess,  living  in  Rushville,  Indiana  ;  Law- 
rence, of  Boone  township;  Reuben,  in  Long  Beach,  California;  Eunice, 
the  wife  of  William  Batty,  living  in  Pulaski  county ;  George,  a  retired 
farmer  of  Royal  Center;  Andrew  J.,  of  this  review;  and  Hannah,  the 
widow  of  William  Kramer,  of  Royal  Center. 

Andrew  J.  Conn  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  remained  at 
home  until  he  married.  He  was  twenty  years  old  when  he  took  upon 
himself  the  responsibility  of  a  home  and  family  and  on  January  4, 

1882,  he  married  Anna  C.  Humes,  the  daughter  of  William  and 

Humes.  For  three  years  he  remained  on  a  farm  and  then  gave  up  agri- 
cultural life  to  engage  in  the  mercantile  business  in  Royal  Center, 
where  he  continued  for  twenty-five  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  he 
retired  from  active  business,  sold  out  and  invested  in  farming  property 
in  and  about  Royal  Center.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  goodly  portion  of 
town  property,  and  has  five  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land,  with  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  lying  about  a  half  mile  south  of  Lucerne. 
He  also  has  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Van  Buren  township,  in 
Pulaski  county,  and  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  near  Winnemac,  also 
in  Pulaski  county.  These  properties  are  the  fruits  of  his  quarter  century 
of  unceasing  toil  and  they  have  been  acquired,  not  in  a  day  nor  a  year, 
but  little  by  little,  each  passing  year  adding  something  to  his  accumu- 
lations. What  he  has  done  has  been  accomplished  without  aid  from 
any  source  whatsoever,  only  his  native  industry  and  business  wisdom 
contributing  to  his  ultimate  success. 

Mr.  Conn  is  the  father  of  eight  children,  of  whom  mention  is  made 
briefly  as  follows :  Mabel,  the  wife  of  Verne  Seward,  of  Royal 
Center;  Alice,  living  in  Logansport,  Indiana;  Maggie,  the  wife  of 
Clarence  Fultz,  of  Boone  township ;  Jesse,  a  railroad  man.  living  in 
Loganspoi't;  Andrew  J.,  Jr.,  at  home;  Forest,  a  baker  in  Royal  Center; 
and  Marr,  living  at  home. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1049 

Mr.  Conn  is  a  memlier  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
Lodge  Xo.  66,  "and  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  No.  462,  Royal  Center. 
He  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  faith,  but  is  not  more  active  than  the 
demands  of  good  citizenship  require.  He  occupies  a  position  of  promi- 
nence and  popularity  in  his  native  community,  where  he  has  long  been 
known  for  his  sterling  character  and  many  splendid  traits  that  have 
contributed  so  much  to  the  prosperity  of  the  town  and  township  of  which 
he  has  long  been  a  resident. 

Melvin  Tucker.  Since  the  year  1845  the  Tucker  family  has  been 
residents  of  Cass  county.  During  this  period  of  nearly  eighty  years, 
the  members  of  three  generations  have  contributed  their  industry  and 
their  character  to  the  material  development  and  the  civic  welfare  of  this 
section  of  Indiana.  The  family  have  been  chiefly  identified  with  agi'icul- 
ture,  and  it  was  on  the  land  that  they  have  depended  for  their  material 
prosperity. 

Mr.  Melvin  Tucker,  who  represents  the  third  generation  in  the  county, 
is  present  trustee  of  Harrison  township,  and  has  spent  practically  all  of 
his  life  in  his  present  home  vicinity.  He  began  his  career  without  any 
capital  to  speak  of,  and  through  his  own  good  management  has  acquired 
a  prominent  position  in  Harrison  township. 

^Melvin  Tucker  was  boni  in  Harrison  township,  Cass  county,  June 
10,  1862.  His  father  was  named  Abraham,  and  his  grandfather  was 
Michner  Tucker.  The  maiden  name  of  his  mother  was  Margaret  Witters, 
a  daughter  of  David  AVitters.  The  grandfather,  with  his  son  Abraham, 
and  other  members  of  the  family,  came  to  Cass  county  in  1855.  His  first 
settlement  was  on  what  is  known  as  the  Jacob  Yantice  farai.  Land  was 
to  be  had  then  from  the  public  domain,  by  paying  the  government  price 
of  about  $1.00  per  acre,  and  the  grandfather  acquired  a  lafge  amount  of 
land  either  from  the  government  or  private  purchase.  Through  his  own 
industiy  and  that  which  he  hired,  he  was  instrumental  in  clearing  up  a 
large  tract  and  putting  it  in  condition  for  agriculture.  Abraham  Tucker, 
the  father,  spent  all  of  his  life  as  a  farmer,  in  this  county,  and  died  in 
September  4,  1903,  after  nearly  seventy  years  of  residence  in  Cass  county. 
The  mother  passed  away  in  October,  1895,  and  both  parents  now  rest  in 
Zion  cemetery  of  Harrison  township. 

Melvin  Tucker  was  reared  in  Harrison  township,  where  he  attended 
the  public  schools,  and  there  by  practical  experience  he  prepared  him- 
self for  an  active  career  as  a  farmer.  On  the  twenty-second  of  March, 
1887,  he  married  Miss  Anna  Backus,  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Rose 
(Fitzsimmons)  Backus.  Her  father  died  about  1874  and  her  mother  in 
1892.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tucker  are  the  parents  of  one  child,  MoUie,  who  was 
born  November  26,  1888,  and  who  is  the  wife  of  Harvey  Clary.  In  1889, 
soon  after  their  marriage,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tucker  moved  to  the  farm  which 
they  still  occupy.  They  found  the  land  with  practically  no  improve- 
ments, and  a  number  of  years  in  their  early  married  life  were  devoted 
to  the  hard  industry  which  makes  successful  farming.  There  were  no 
buildings  on  the  plaec  when  they  came  to  it,  and  the  present  equipment 
of  home,  barns,  fences  and  drain  field,  and  all  other  facilities  are  the 
result  of  the  good  management  and  effective  work  of  Mr.  Tucker,  who 


1050  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

has  always  been  loyally  aided  by  his  wife.  Their  homestead  consists  of 
one  hundred  and  forty-one  acres. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tucker,  coming  from  one  of  the  pioneer  families,  have 
in  their  possession  three  of  the  old  parchment  deeds  which  were  executed 
under  the  hands  of  President  ^lartin  Van  Buren  and  they  bear  the  fol- 
lowing dates :  March  30,  1837 ;  April  10,  1837 ;  April  10,  1837,  and  these 
old  souvenirs  are  valuable  heirlooms  in  their  home. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Tucker  is  affiliated  with  Royal  Center  Lodge,  No. 
585,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  has  passed  through  all  the  chairs  of  Lucerne 
Lodge,  No.  680,  I.  0.  0.  F.  His  fellow  citizens  have  honored  him  with 
the  office  of  council  trustee,  a  place  of  responsibility,  which  he  is  filling 
with  characteristic  ability  and  efficiency. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tucker's  beautiful  estate  is  called  "Broad  Lands 
Grange"  and  lies  fronting  the  south,  and  this  home  is  ever  open  to  their 
many  friends. 

William  H.  Feltis.  Among  the  well  known,  prosperous  and  highly 
esteemed  citizens  and  farming  men  of  Boone  township,  none  enjoys 
a  more  pleasing  status  in  the  eyes  of  the  community  than  does  William 
H.  Feltis,  a  native  Ohioan,  but  a  resident  of  Cass  county,  Indiana,  since 
1884.  Mr.  Feltis  was  born  in  Crawford  county,  Ohio,  on  January  13, 
1860,  and  is  the  son  of  Edward  and  Eliza  (Cassady)  Feltis. 

Edward  Feltis  was  born  in  AVexford  county,  Ireland,  and  was  the 
son  of  William  Feltis,  a  native  Scot,  who  settled  in  Ireland.  Edward 
Feltis  came  to  the  United  States  and  located  in  Crawford  county,  Ohio, 
and  from  there  he  moved  to  Wyandot  county,  where  he  passed  his  re- 
maining days,  death  claiming  him  in  1872.  He  married  Eliza  Cassady 
in  Crawford  county,  Ohio,  and  she  died  at  the  home  place  in  Wyandot 
county  on  December  8,  1903.  Six  children  were  born  to  the  worthy 
people  mentioned  above,  five  of  that  number  yet  living.  They  are: 
William  H.,  of  this  review;  John  J.,  of  Wyandot  county,  Ohio;  Nettie, 
the  wife  of  Lewis  Aluncie;  Jennie,  who  married  John  Williams;  and 
Cora,  the  wife  of  Joseph  Eckelbery. 

William  H.  Feltis  was  reared  on  the  Crawford  county  farm  and  edu- 
cated in  the  district  schools,  in  which  he  continued  until  he  was  eigh- 
teen years  of  age,  or  thereabouts.  He  then  worked  on  the  farm  by  the 
month,  and  in  1884  he  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  where  he  again 
secured  work  as  a  farm  hand.  In  1885  he  went  to  Benton  county, 
Indiana,  there  working  at  farm  work  for  the  space  of  four  years,  his 
identification  with  that  county  covering  a  period  of  something  like 
fifteen  years.  On  June  1,  1901,  Mr.  Feltis  moved  to  the  farm  which  he 
now  occupies,  and  he  has  a  farm  of  one  himdred  and  forty  acres,  devot- 
ing himself  to  general  farming  and  stock  raising. 

On  March  25,  1891,  Mr.  Feltis  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Sarah  A.  Goble,  who  was  born  in  Hancock  county,  Indiana,  on  April 
21,  1869.  She  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  her  native 
county  and  came  to  Jasper  county,  Indiana,  in  company  with  her 
parents  in  1884.  She  is  the  daughter  of  F.  M.  and  Emily  (Winslow) 
Goble,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  Henry  county,  Indiana.,  on 
December  6,  1833,  and  died  in  August,  1910.  The  mother  died  on 
September  7,   1905.      She   was   born  in   North    Carolina  in   1842   and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1051 

came  to  Indiana  when  she  was  a  girl,  locating  in  Henry  county.  She 
was  married  in  RaysvilJe  county,  Indiana,  soon  after  which  her  hus- 
band enlisted  in  the  Twenty-second  Indiana  Light  Artillery  and  served 
to  the  close  of  the  war.  Pie  was  a  member  of  the  G.  A.  R.  Mrs.  Feltis 
was  one  of  the  eight  children  of  her  parents,  the  others  being :  Martha ; 
Flora,  the  wife  of  AVilliam  Hammond,  of  North  Dakota ;  Mary,  who  mar- 
ried John  Thornton;  Tina,  the  wife  of  John  Blaze;  Edward;  Albert; 
Louie,  the  wife  of  Oscar  Hurley,  of  North  Dakota. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Feltis  became  the  parents  of  seven  children,  as  fol- 
lows: Murle  M.,  born  July  10,  1893,  a  graduate  of  the  common  schools; 
Gladys  M.,  born  July  13,  1895 ;  Leona  M.,  born  on  March  7,  1897 ;  George 
D.,  born  on  January  1,  1899 ;  William  H.,  born  April  11,  1900 ;  Jerry  0., 
born  October  3,  1903,  and  Junie  A.,  born  on  June  16,  1905. 

Mr.  Feltis  is  progressive  in  his  political  tendencies  and  is  one  of 
the  leading  citizens  of  his  town  and  township.  His  family  is  one  that 
is  highly  esteemed  in  the  community  it  claims  as  its  home,  and^all  are 
giving  promise  of  filling  useful  places  in  society  as  they  come  into  the 
duties  of  life. 

Samuel  A.  Williamson.  Royal  Center  has  numbered  among  her 
citizenship  more  than  a  few  wealthy  retired  farmers  who  have  settled 
down  to  enjoy  the  remainder  of  their  lives,  content  with  what  they 
have  been  able  to  accumulate  in  the  earlier  part  of  their  careers. 
Among  such  wise  and  happy  men  may  be  mentioned  Samuel  A.  William- 
son, one  of  the  well-to-do  men  of  Boone  township,  in  which  he  made 
his  home  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  born  in  Boone  township  on 
September  28,  1858,  and  is  the  son  of  Moses  T.  and  Mary  J.  (Callahan) 
Williamson. 

Concerning  the  father  of  the  sub.3ect,  it  may  be  said  at  this  point 
that  Moses  T.  Williamson  was  born  in  the  vicinity  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  in 
the  year  1816,  and  came  with  his  father,  Samuel  Williamson,  into 
Carroll  county,  Indiana,  in  1829,  and  there  his  parents  passed  their 
remaining  days.  Moses  T.  lived  with  them  until  he  had  reached  man's 
estate,  and  in  1840  he  determined  to  start  out  upon  an  independent 
career.  He  accordingly  entered  a  piece  of  land  from  the  government, 
with  his  brother  taking  up  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  This  bit  of 
government  land  formed  the  nucleus  of  a  much  larger  holding  in  later 
years,  and  at  one  time  he  owned  more  than  a  section  of  land  in  Cass 
and  White  counties,  all  but  eighty  acres  lying  in  Boone  township.  He 
passed  his  life  on  his  farm,  and  was  one  of  the  well  known  men  of  the 
county.  He  was  a  stanch  Republican,  always  up  and  doing  in  the 
interests  of  the  party,  and  took  a  prominent  part  in  its  activities  all  his 
life.  Five  children  were  born  to  these  parents,  all  of  whom  still  survive, 
and  concerning  whom  the  following  brief  mention  is  made:  Joseph  E. 
is  engaged  in  farming  in  Idaho ;  Elizabeth  A.  is  the  wife  of  John  P. 
Troutman,  of  Logansport,  Indiana;  James  E.  is  engaged  in  teaching 
in  California;  and  William  Andrew,  a  Kansas  farmer.  Samuel  A.,  the 
subject  of  this  review^  is  the  youngest  of  the  five. 

The  common  schools  of  Boone  township  gave  to  Samuel  A.  William- 
son such  education  as  he  received,  and  he  remained  at  home  with  his 
father  until  he  had  reached  man's  estate.     He  tried  his  skill  at  school 


1052  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

teaching  and  was  thus  engaged  during  one  term  in  Miami  township 
and  one  in  Boone,  but  he  found  farm  life  more  pleasing  to  him  and 
gave  up  teaching,  returning  to  the  farm  with  his  father.  On  April 
5,  1888,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Rosella  J.  Hughes,  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Mary  E.  Hughes.  The  young  man  erected  a  dwelling  house 
on  the  farm  of  his  father,  and  there  he  and  his  family  lived  until  five 
years  ago,  when  he  moved  into  town,  since  when  they  have  made  their 
home  in  Royal  Center.  Mrs.  Williamson  was  born  in  Jefferson  town- 
ship, near  Lake  Cicott,  and  her  parents  were  natives  of  Ohio  and  Penn- 
sylvania. They  were  farming  people  and  gave  their  lives  to  that 
industry.  The  father  died  some  years  ago.  They  were  the  parents  of 
six  children,  of  which  number  five  are  now  living,  as  follows :  Josephine, 
Ella,  Mrs.  Williamson,  John  Schuyler,  who  lives  with  his  widowed 
mother;  Etta,  who  died  single,  and  William. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williamson  were  born  six  children,  four  of  whom 
are  yet  living:  Arthur  C.  is  at  home  on  the  farm;  Grace  E.  is  dead,  as 
is  also  Edna  M. ;  Iva  L.  is  the  wife  of  J.  Marcus  Bliss,  of  Logansport, 
Indiana;  William  M.  is  in  the  high  school;  and  Ruth  0.,  a  student  in 
the  common  schools  of  the  home  community.  Edna  M.  married  Lloyd 
P.  Plotner,  of  Royal  Center,  and  they  had  one  child,  Grace  C,  who  makes 
her  home  with  the  subject,  Mrs.  Williamson.  Mrs.  Plotner  died  Novem- 
ber 30,  1907. 

Mr.  Williamson  is  the  owner  of  some  especially  valuable  farming 
property  in  the  township,  aggregating  about  three  hundred  acres,  as 
well  as  considerable  other  property  in  Royal  Center.  He  took  the 
census  report  of  1910  for  Royal  Center  and  for  the  twelve  northeast 
sections  of  Boone  township.  j\Ir.  Williamson  is  a  Republican  in  his 
political  faith,  and  his  churchly  affiliations  are  with  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  in  which  he  is  a  trustee,  and  of  which  his  wife  is  also 
a  member,  as  well  as  others  of  his  family. 

John  W.  Cline,  well  known  among  the  residents  of  Boone  township, 
in  Cass  county,  was  born  in  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  on  September  30, 
1860,  and  is  the  son  of  Joshua  and  Matilda  (Glick)  Cline.  When  John 
W.  Cline  was  six  yeai-s  old  his  father  died,  and  his  mother  married  a 
second  time,  in  September,  1875.  Conditions  in  the  home  were  not  the 
most  favorable  to  the  young  lad  after  the  advent  of  a  second  father, 
and  he  was  but  little  more  than  seven  when  he  began  to  make  his  own 
way,  working  for  his  board  and  clothes.  He  went  to  school  some,  but 
his  education  was  of  a  most  meager  character,  and  when  he  was  seven- 
teen years  old  he  began  to  draw  wages,  after  which  he  continued  to  work 
on  a  farm  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  old.  When  he  was  twenty- 
seven,  in  1887,  Mr.  Cline  married  Laura  A.  Boyer,  of  Fairfield  county, 
Ohio.  They  lived  in  Ohio  for  a  year  after  their  marriage,  then  came  to 
Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  some  little  time  later  Mr.  Cline  made  the 
purchase  of  an  eighty-acre  farm.  He  went  in  debt  for  the  place,  but 
with  the  help  of  his  faithful  wife  they  were  soon  able  to  clear  away 
the  indebtedness,  and  they  eventually  made  a  fine  place  of  the  farm. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cline  have  one  son,  George  W.,  born  on  November  12, 
1892.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  Royal  Center  high  school.  They  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Royal  Center,  and  Mr.  Cline 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1053 

is  a  member  of  Royal  Center  Lodge  No.  585,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  which  he 
is  past  master.  He  is  also  a  member  of  j\Iyrtle  Lodge  No.  567,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  which  he  is  master,  past  grand,  and 
a  member  of  the  grand  lodge.  He  is  a  Prohibitionist  in  his  political 
faith,  but  has  never  been  an  ofifice  holder.  General  farming  and  stock 
raising  occupy  his  attention  for  the  most  part,  and  he  is  regarded  as 
one  of  the  most  wholesome  and  substantial  citizens  in  his  community. 

William  H.  Bingaman.  The  business  interests  of  Royal  Center  have 
in  a  number  of  ways  felt  the  influence  and  activity  of  William  H. 
Bingaman  in  recent  years,  and  he  is  today  regarded  as  one  of  the 
successful  men  of  the  towoi,  wherein  he  has  conducted  a  hardware  busi- 
ness since  1890.  It  is  true,  he  established  himself  in  his  present  connec- 
tion in  a  time  when  he  possessed  neither  money  nor  a  great  deal  of  credit, 
but  his  careful  methods,  progressive  ideas  and  general  steadfastness  of 
chai'acter  have  placed  him  in  a  position  where  he  today  can  command 
an  ample  supply  of  both  those  commodities. 

A  native  son  of  Boone  towTiship,  Cass  county,  William  H.  Binga- 
man was  born  in  December,  1860,  and  his  parents  were  Jacob  and  Emily 
(Kistler)  Bingaman.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Carroll  county,  In- 
diana, and  the  mother  was  born  and  reared  and  passed  her  life  in  Boone 
township.  When  Jacob  Bingaman  was  a  boy  he  came  to  Cass  county, 
and  here  he  grew  to  young  manhood  and  married.  He  was  ever  a 
quiet  and  home  loving  man,  but  one  who  never  shirked  his  civic  duty, 
and  he  served  Boone  township  as  trustee  for  three  terms,  giving  praise- 
worthy service  in  that  ofifice  as  long  as  he  was  associated  with  it.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  derived  a  deal 
of  quiet  pleasure  from  his  identification  with  the  lodge  and  his  associa- 
tion with  his  fellows  as  a  result  of  his  membership.  He  died  on  July 
4,  1910,  his  good  wife  having  preceded  him  some  time  before.  They  were 
the  parents  of  two  children,  John  ]M.  and  William  H.,  the  subject  of  this 
brief  review.  The  former  died  on  April  30,  1912,  in  the  state  of  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  had  made  his  home  for  the  past  twenty  years.  He 
married  and  had  a  family. 

William  H.  Bingaman  was  reared  to  farm  life  on  the  home  place  in 
Boone  township,  and  when  arriving  at  school  age,  he  was  sent  to  the 
district  school,  and  later  to  the  schools  of  Royal  Center.  He  continued 
in  attendance  there  until  he  was  about  seventeen  years  of  age,  after 
which  he  gave  his  attention  to  the  work  of  his  father's  farm.  He  was 
twenty-one  when  he  decided  to  leave  home,  and  he  accordingly  became 
a  clerk  in  a  general  store  in  Royal  Center,  where  he  was  employed  for 
two  years.  He  then  returned  to  the  farm  and  was  thus  occupied  until 
he  engaged  in  business  here  in  1890.  He  was  entirely  without  capital, 
but  he  managed  to  place  a  small  stock  of  goods  and  by  the  most  careful 
and  shrewd  manipulation  of  his  stock  and  the  proceeds  from  the  busi- 
ness for  a  few  seasons,  he  was  soon  able  to  branch  out  considerably. 
Today  he  carries  a  complete  stock  of  hardware,  stoves  and  implements 
and  enjoys  a  most  gratifying  patronage  from  all  parts  of  the  township. 
He  erected  his  present  place  of  business  in  1911,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$10,000.     He  is  a  member  of  the  directorate  of  the  Royal  Center  State 


1054  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Bank  as  well  as  of  the  local  electric  light  plant,  of  the  latter  of  which 
he  is  secretary,  and  is  likewise  interested  in  a  telling  manner  in  other 
industrial  and  financial  concerns  in  and  about  the  town. 

Mr.  Bingaman  is  inclined  to  the  progressive  view  in  politics,  and  took 
the  side  of  the  new  party  in  the  campaign  of  1912.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Baptist  church  of  Royal  Center,  with  his  \rife,  and  he  also  has  mem- 
bership in  the  Masonic  Lodge  No.  585,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  Lodge  No. 
462,  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  in  the  latter  of  which 
he  holds  the  office  of  past  grand. 

In  1889  Mr.  Bingaman  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ida  Wash- 
burn, who  died  without  issue  in  1906.  He  married  Nora  Lawhead  in 
May,  1908. 

William  O.  Bliss  holds  a  prominent  place  among  the  prosperous 
farmers  and  stockmen  of  Boone  township,  and  enjoys  in  generous  meas- 
ure the  esteem  and  confidence  of  a  wide  circle  of  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances. He  occupies  today  the  farm  on  which  he  was  born  on  the  26th 
day  of  August,  1853,  and  which  was  then  the  property  of  his  parents, 
Horace  N.  and  Sarah  (Drift)  Bliss. 

Concerning  the  parentage  of  the.  subject,  it  may  be  said  that  Horace 
N.  Bliss  was  a  Pennsylvanian  by  birth  and  ancestry,  as  was  also  his 
wife.  They  w^ere  married  in  their  native  state  and  came  to  Indiana  in 
their  young  days,  being  rightfully  regarded  as  among  the  pioneer  citi- 
zens of  the  state  and  of  Cass  county.  Mr.  Bliss  was  a  man  who  long 
occupied  a  foremost  place  in  his  community.  He  was  a  capable  and 
energetic  farmer  and  succeeded  beyond  the  status  of  the  average  farmer 
of  his  day,  and  his  activities  extended  to  civic  and  public  life  as  well. 
He  served  Cass  county  as  its  county  clerk  for  eight  consecutive  years, 
and  was  for  four  years  the  incumbent  of  the  office  of  county  recorder. 
Both  those  offices  he  filled  with  credit  to  himself  and  the  county,  and 
his  services  were  of  an  order  eminently  satisfactory  to  his  constituency. 
He  continued  to  conduct  his  farm  in  conjunction  with  his  official  duties, 
and  was  all  his  life  one  of  the  busiest  men  in  his  township.  He  was  a 
Democrat  and  was  ever  active  in  the  ranks  of  that  party.  He  died  in 
about  1887,  the  father  of  five  children,  two  of  w^hom  are  yet  living, 
Andrew  D.,  concerning  whom  specific  mention  is  made  in  other  pages 
of  this  work,  and  William  O.  Bliss,  the  subject  of  this  necessarily  brief 
review. 

William  0.  Bliss  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  and  educated  in  the 
public  schools.  He  was  w'ell  trained  in  the  work  of  the  farm  and  early 
learned  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  a  careful  management  of  a 
choice  farm.  In  consequence  of  this  knowledge  he  elected  to  follow  in 
the  footsteps  of  his  father  when  choosing  a  vocation  and  he  may  be 
found  today  busily  engaged  in  carrying  on  the  work  of  the  fine  old  farm 
upon  which  he  was  born  sixty  years  ago.  His  holdings  in  Boone  town- 
ship aggregate  six  hundred  and  fifty-three  acres,  and  general  farming 
and  stock  raising  constitute  his  industry. 

Mr.  Bliss,  like  his  father,  is  a  Democrat,  active,  in  a  measure,  in  the 
work  of  the  party  in  his  district,  but  not  an  office  holder.  He  has  never 
married. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1055 

Orville  ]\I.  McCombs,  prominent  in  Royal  Center  as  a  merchant, 
contractor  and  lumber  dealer,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  place  all  his 
life,  and  was  here  born,  reared  and  educated.  He  has  been  a  school 
teacher,  drug  clerk,  merchandise  clerk,  and  was  for  four  years  with 
the  Sweet  Brothers  in  their  elevator  business.  Altogether  his  business 
career  has  been  a  varied  one.  The  past  eighteen  years  of  his  life  have 
been  devoted  to  the  lumber  business  with  contracting  and  merchandis- 
ing, and  he  has  acquired  a  leading  place  in  the  ranks  of  the  business 
men  of  this  city.  He  has  acquired  an  interest  in  many  of  the  leading 
industries  and  financial  concerns  in  and  about  Royal  Center,  and  is 
properly  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  the  community. 

Born  near  Royal  Center  on  a  farm  on  JMarch  25,  1873,  Orville  M. 
McCombs  is  the  son  of  Albert  and  Mary  (Mason)  McCombs.  The  father 
was  born  in  Royal  Center  on  August  6,  1844,  and  was  a  son  of  John 
McCombs,  who  came  here  from  Pennsylvania,  his  native  state,  soon  after 
his  marriage,  and  here  entered  land  from  the  government,  the  town  of 
Royal  Center  standing  on  the  land  he  so  acquired.  The  patent  to  his 
land  bore  the  signature  of  John  Tyler,  then  president  of  the  United 
States,  and  he  engaged  in  farming  here  when  Cass  county  was  in  a  most 
primitive  state,  indeed.  A  pioneer,  every  inch  of  him,  Jolm  McCombs 
lived  and  died  on  the  land  he  seciired  as  the  right  of  a  United  States 
citizen,  and  he  saw  the  outlining  and  early  development  of  what  was 
destined  to  become  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  prominent  counties 
in  the  great  state  of  Indiana.  He  passed  the  best  years  of  his  life  here 
and  death  claimed  him  when  he  had  reached  an  advanced  age,  after 
a  life  of  the  utmost  usefulness  in  his  necessarily  circumscribed  sphere 
of  activity. 

Albert  McCombs,  his  son,  and  the  father  of  the  subject,  was  reared 
on  this  old  farm,  and  here  he  attended  the  schools  of  the  day.  When 
he  reached  manhood,  he  married  Mary  ]\Iason  and  settled  in  Boone  town- 
ship, where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Two  children  were 
born  to  Albert  and  Mary  McCombs:  Emma,  the  widow  of  "W.  R.  Thomp- 
son, of  Royal  Center,  and  Orville  M.,  the  subject  of  this  review. 

As  a  boy  in  Royal  Center,  Orville  M.  McCombs  attended  the  schools 
of  his  native  town,  and  later  was  privileged  to  attend  the  Danville  (Ind.) 
Normal  School.  He  taught  one  term  of  school  in  Boone  township,  after 
which  he  secured  employment  in  a  drug  store,  and  later  took  a  clerk- 
ship in  a  general  store.  He  remained  something  like  a  year  in  the 
latter  position,  after  Avhich  he  took  service  with  Sweet  Brothers  in  the 
elevator  business.  This  work  won  him  a  most  extended  acquaintance 
in  the  four  years  of  his  connection  ^^'ith  Sweet  Brothers,  and  he  then 
started  up  in  the  lumber  business.  It  is  eighteen  years  since  Mr. 
McCombs  set  out  to  run  a  business  of  his  o^vn,  but  the  passing  years  have 
proved  the  wisdom  of  his  venture.  He  has  increased  his  interests  from 
time  to  time,  adding  other  branches,  and  he  now  has  a  general  store  in 
Royal  Center,  and  conducts  a  contracting  business  in  connection  with  his 
lumber  operations.  He  is  a  stockholder  and  a  member  of  the  directorate 
of  the  Royal  Center  State  Bank  and  is  a  director  of  the  Royal  Center 
Electric  Light  Company,  Inc. 

Mr.  McCombs  has  not  withdrawn  himself  from  public  service,  but 
has  ever  shovni  himself  willing  to  bear  his  full  share  in  the  village 


1056  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

.  government.  He  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  village  school  board 
and  of  the  village  council,  and  has  been  president  of  both  bodies,  at  all 
times  proving  himself  a  capable  and  wise  official  and  executive.  He  is 
president  of  the  village  school  board  at  this  time.  Fraternally  Mr. 
McCombs  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees, 
and  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  with  membership  at 
Logansport.    He  is  a  Progressive  in  his  political  faith  and  activities. 

In  1891,  Mr.  McCombs  was  united  in  marriage  with  ]\Iiss  Ella  Pher- 
son,  a  native  daughter  of  Cass  county,  where  she  was  reared  and 
educated.  Four  children  have  been  bom  to  them :  Howard,  now  nine- 
teen years  old,  and  a  graduate  of  the  high  school;  Vivian,  aged  six- 
teen, a  student  in  the  high  school;  Thelma,  twelve  years  old,  attending 
the  public  schools,  and  John  A.,  two  months  old  at  this  time  (Decem- 
ber. 1912). 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church  of  Royal  Center  and 
Mrs.  McCombs  is  actively  identified  wdth  the  work  of  its  various 
departments. 

Mr.  McCombs  enjoys  the  respect  and  confidence  of  a  wade  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances  in  and  about  Cass  county,  where  he  is  promi- 
nently knowTi  in  a  business  and  social  way.  His  genial  and  kindly 
nature  has  brought  him  innumerable  friends,  as  have  the  other  sterling 
qualities  of  his  nature,  and  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  valuable  citizens 
of  the  community. 

Haery  Charles  Johnson,  M.  D.  Among  the  medical  practitioners 
of  Cass  county  who  have  won  financial  success  and  professional  prestige 
are  found  many  who  are  practicing  in  the  place  of  their  birth,  and  in 
this  class  stands  Dr.  Harry  Charles  Johnson,  whose  home  has  always  been 
in  his  present  field  of  endeavor,  the  city  of  Logansport.  Dr.  Johnson  was 
born  August  18,  1880,  in  this  city,  and  is  a  son  of  Samuel  F.  Johnson 
who,  in  point  of  continuous  service,  is  probably  the  oldest  railroad 
employe  in  Logansport,  and  the  present  trainmaster  of  the  Pennsylvania 
lines  at  this  place. 

Samuel  F.  Johnson  was  born  at  Richmond,  Indiana,  August  20,  1857, 
a  son  of  Hon.  Calvin  R.  Johnson,  a  prominent  journalist  of  Indiana 
who  was  identified  with  the  press  of  Richmond  for  nearly  a  half  a 
century.  The  latter  was  born  near  North  Vernon,  Indiana,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1823,  and  it  was  largely  in  the  printing  office  that  he  received  Ms 
training  and  equipped  himself  for  life's  duties.  His  early  work  as  a 
printer  was  in  Indianapolis,  from  whence  he  went  to  Richmond,  and  in 
the  latter  city  published  its  first  newspaper,  known  as  the  Broad-ax  of 
Freedom.  In  addition  to  being  connected  with  nearly  every  newspaper 
of  importance  published  in  Richmond,  he  served  through  the  Civil  war 
as  lieutenant  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fourth  Indiana  Volunteer 
Infantry,  and  for  many  years  was  prominent  in  Republican  politics. 
He  married  Miss  Sarah  Lewis,  a  daughter  of  one  of  the  prominent  mer- 
chants of  Richmond,  whose  ancestors  were  Virginians,  and  who  was  a 
devoted  and  well  known  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  of  Wayne 
county.  Seven  children  were  born  to  Dr.  Johnson's  grandparents,  Sam- 
uel F.  being  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1057 

Samuel  F.  Johnson  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  native  place,  and 
there  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  taught  the  dignity 
and  value  of  hard  labor.  When  he  was  but  a  lad  of  ten  years  he  showed 
his  self-reliance  and  industry  by  earning  money  as  an  office  boy  for 
Dr.  Mclntyre  of  Eichmond,  and  when  he  was  fourteen  entered  upon  his 
railroad  career.  He  continued  as  a  brakeman  on  a  freight  train  from 
his  fourteenth  to  his  eighteenth  year,  was  then  made  freight  conductor, 
a  position  which  he  held  until  he  was  twenty-four,  and  was  then  made 
conductor  of  a  passenger  train.  In  1872  he  located  in  Logansport  as  his 
home,  and  in  November,  1892,  he  was  made  assistant  trainmaster  at 
Logansport,  from  which  position  he  was  called  to  that  of  trainmaster  in 
1903.  On  April  2,  1877,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mattie 
Kendall,  and  they  have  two  children :  Harry  and  Eva. 

Harry  Charles  Johnson  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Logans- 
port, and  graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1900.  When  still  a  student 
in  the  latter  institution,  he  commenced  his  medical  studies  under  the 
preceptorship  of  Dr.  E.  M.  Hatch.  In  1900  he  matriculated  at  Hahne- 
mann Medical  College,  Chicago,  from  which,  after  a  course  of  four  years, 
he  was  graduated  in  1904.  Succeeding  this,  he  at  once  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  his  native  city,  and  here  he  has  since  con- 
tinued, having  gained  a  large  and  representative  clientele.  He  is  known 
as  an  able  physician,  and  his  success  in  a  number  of  complicated  cases 
has  served  to  establish  him  firmly  in  the  confidence  of  his  patients  and 
the  respect  of  his  confreres. 

On  June  6,  1905,  Dr.  Johnson  was  married  to  Miss  Grace  A.  Green, 
and  they  have  one  child :  Grace  Alice. 

Andrew  D.  Bliss  has  achieved  considerable  distinction  as  a  progres- 
sive and  successful  farmer  in  Boone  township,  which  has  represented  his 
home  since  his  young  boyhood,  sixty-three  years  representing  his  actual 
residence  in  this  place.  He  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania, 
on  April  21,  1847,  and  is  the  son  of  Horace  M.  and  Sarah  (Dritt)  Bliss. 

Horace  M.  Bliss  was  born  in  Ma.ssachusetts,  in  jMareh,  1808,  and  went 
to  Penn.sylvania  when  he  was  a  youth  of  eighteen  years.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  schools  of  Massachusetts  and  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  at  Lycoming  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  prac- 
ticed law  at  the  county  seat  for  several  years.  He  married  Sarah  Barn- 
field,  and  two  sons  were  born  to  them,  Edward  and  Simon,  deceased. 
Subsequently  he  married  Sarah  Dritt,  a  native  of  Lancaster  county,  that 
state,  and  they  came  to  Indiana  in  1849-,  locating  in  Boone  township 
in  September  of  that  year.  Here  Horace  Bliss  became  an  extensive  land 
owner  and  farmer  and  was  well  known  as  one  of  the  most  successful 
men  of  his  day  in  Cass  county.  He  was  a  Democrat  of  strong  convic- 
tions and  he  served  his  party  in  varied  ways  in  the  county.  He  was 
county  clerk  of  Cass  county  for  eight  years  and  recorder  of  the  county 
for  half  that  length  of  time,  and  he  carried  on  his  farm  work  in  conjunc- 
tion with  his  official  duties.  When  he  finally  retired  from  public  life, 
he  devoted  himself  entirely  to  farming  activities. 

Mr.  Bliss  died  in  188.3  and  his  wife  preceded  him  in  1880.  They 
were  the  parents  of  three  children — Andrew  D.,  John  M.  and  William 
O.  Bliss.     John  M.  Bliss  was  reared  on  the  farm,  in  common  with  his 


1058  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

brothers,  and  educated  in  the  public  schools.  He  married  Minnie  Potter 
in  Logansport.  He  served  Cass  county  for  four  years  as  clerk,  and  died 
in  1903.  Concerning  William  0.,  detailed  mention  is  made  in  another 
article  devoted  to  him  in  this  work. 

Andrew  D.  Bliss  was  reared  on  the  old  home  farm,  and  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  the  community,  as  well  as  receiving  some  training 
in  a  private  school.  He  turned  his  attention  to  farming  when  he  settled 
do^\^l  to  establish  a  home  of  his  own  and  has  gained  a  pleasing  promi- 
nence in  that  field  of  activity,  as  have  other  members  of  his  family  in 
Boone  township. 

In  1874  Mr.  Bliss  married  Lucinda  Berkshire,  the  daughter  of 
Solomon  Berkshire.  She  was  reared  in  Boone  township,  in  which  she 
was  born  in  June,  1853,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools.  They 
have  eight  children,  concerning  whom  brief  mention  is  here  made: 
Horace  M.  is  living  in  the  West ;  Sarah  is  the  wife  of  Clarence  Julian ; 
Jennie  married  Bert  Anderson ;  William  is  unmarried ;  Rebecca  married 
Jesse  C.  Julian ;  Lucinda  is  the  wife  of  Howard  Clapp ;  Alice  is  a 
teacher  in  the  public  schools;  and  John  M.  is  a  fireman  on  the  Pan- 
handle railroad. 

]Mr.  Bliss  is  a  member  of  Royal  Center  Lodge  No.  585  A.  F.  &  xV.  M., 
and  is  a  Democrat  in  his  politics,  like  all  his  family.  He  has  been 
active  in  the  work  of  the  party  in  Cass  county,  and  in  years  gone  by 
when  his  father  was  active  as  a  county  official,  he  served  as  his  father's 
deputy  in  the  office  of  county  clerk. 

Mr.  Bliss  and  his  family  enjoy  the  hearty  friendship  of  a  large 
circle  of  people  in  Boone  township  who  have  known  them  all  their  days, 
and  they  are  everywhere  regarded  as  among  the  leading  citizens  of 
the  community. 

AViLLMONT  L.  Fernald.  While  Mr.  Fernald  has  been  a  resident  of 
Logansport  for  the  last  thirty-eight  years,  and  among  this  city's  most 
enterprising  and  substantial  citizens,  his  business  interests  have  been  so 
extensive  and  widespread  as  to  entitle  him  to  claim  identity  with  the 
great  Middle  West.  During  this  time  he  has  been  connected  with  the 
lumber  interests  of  several  states,  and  for  thirty  years  one  of  the  most 
extensive  manufacturers  and  largest  dealers  in  hardwood  lumber  among 
the  many  enterprising  men  whose  vigor  and  energy  have  made  that  one 
of  the  leading  industries  of  this  section.  His  career  adds  another  to 
the  many  illustrations  which  Logansport  has  furnished,  of  the  grand 
results  which  are  attained  by  intelligence,  tact  and  perseverance,  when 
applied  to  the  building  up  of  a  great  business  under  the  favoring  condi- 
tions which  have,  for  nearly  half  a  century,  attended  all  the  city 's  enter- 
prises. It  is  true  that  during  this  period  unusual  business  opportunities 
have  opened  to  business  men,  but  they  have  only  yielded  the  meed  of 
great  success  to  those  who  have  had  the  sagacity  to  perceive  them  and 
the  boldness  to  pu.sh  them  to  their  best  results. 

Willmont  L.  Fernald  comes  of  good  old  New  England  ancestry,  and 
was  born  in  Penobscot  county,  Maine,  October  21,  1855,  there  being 
reared  to  manhood  and  receiving,  in  most  part,  his  education.  At  the 
age  of  nineteen  years,  he  began  life  on  his  owti  account  as  a  farm  hand, 
receiving  for  his  services  a  salary  of  sixteen  dollars  per  month.     In 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1059 

1875  he  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  and  secured  employment  with  the 
old  lumber  firm  of  Tucker  &  Howe,  the  junior  member  of  which  was  his 
uncle,  Samuel  B.  Howe,  and  here,  also,  he  completed  his  schooling.  For 
a  period  of  about  eight  years  he  worked  for  Tucker  &  Howe,  and  since 
that  time  has  been  engaged  in  business  on  his  own  account.  Both  of 
the  original  members  of  this  old  and  honored  concern  have  passed  to 
their  reward,  but  the  business  continues  to  be  carried  on  by  Mr.  Fernald 
and  the  Messrs.  W.  H.  and  0.  D.  Howe,  under  the  corporate  name  of 
the  Howe  Lumber  Company.  The  firm's  establishment  at  Wabash, 
Phillips  county,  Arkansas,  is  in  charge  of  W.  II.  and  0.  D.  Howe,  while 
Mr.  Fernald  takes  care  of  the  Logansport  end  of  the  business,  which  is 
the  buying  of  hardwood  timber  lands  and  the  manufacture  of  band- 
sawed  hardwood  lumber,  plow  and  wagon  stock  and  railroad  material. 
Although  one  of  the  quiet  and  unassuming  business  men  of  Logansport, 
Mr.  Fernald  is  also  one  of  its  most  influential  citizens.  Amidst  his  active 
business  life  he  has  found  time  and  manifested  an  inclination  to  perform 
all  the  duties  of  good  citizenship,  is  alive  to  all  the  demands  which  the 
exigencies  of  a  great  and  growing  city  cast  upon  its  leading  men,  is 
broad-minded  and  intelligent  on  the  questions  that  interest  the  public, 
and  appreciative  of  all  the  interests  that  affect  the  community,  yet  he 
has  not  sought  personal  preferment  nor  entered  actively  into  the  con- 
tests of  the  political  arena.  However,  he  is  not  indifferent  to  the  amen- 
ities of  social  life,  and  also  takes  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  the  work 
of  the  Cass  County  Historical  Society,  of  which  he  is  a  valued  member. 
In  1882,  Mr.  Fernald  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  F.  Hoover,  whose 
people  were  among  the  first  of  the  pioneers  of  Cass  county,  and  appro- 
priate mention  of  whom  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

DuGAL  Campbell  was  the  second  of  the  family  to  settle  in  Logans- 
port, Indiana,  and  his  association  with  this  city  began  as  long  ago  as 
the  year  1848,  when  in  May  he  came  here  from  Stark  county,  Ohio,  via 
wagon  train  and  canal.  He  bought  land  and  made  a  home  for  his  family, 
but  his  life  in  this  community  was  all  too  short,  death  claiming  him 
within  three  years  after  he  settled  in  Logansport.  Mr.  Campbell  was 
born  on  June  10,  1803,  in  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  there 
is  something  of  Scotch  blood  in  the  ancestry  of  the  man,  as  the  name 
plainly  evidences.  He  was  a  young  man  when  he  migrated  with  his 
parents  and  others  of  the  family  to  Stark  county,  Ohio,  at  a  time  when 
it  was  virtually  an  unbroken  wilderness.  Here  the  pioneer  spirit  was 
strongly  manifested  in  this  man  and  in  others  of  his  immediate  family, 
and  like  many  another  of  his  day,  he  experienced  all  the  hardships  of 
the  pathfinder,  or  the  homemaker  in  a  wilderness.  He  married  Mariah 
Carr,  a  girl  of  German-Irish  parentage,  and  wdth  this  companion  settled 
on  a  woodland  tract,  their  home  a  tiny  log  cabin,  furnished  in  the 
most  meager  style,  with  the  barest  necessities.  A  puncheon  floor  was 
a  feature  of  the  little  home,  but  as  Mr.  Campbell  had  learned  the  trade 
of  a  carpenter  and  cabinet  maker,  he  was  able  with  the  passing  of  time 
to  greatly  enhance  their  condition  by  the  work  of  his  hands.  He  gave 
much  of  his  time,  however,  to  the  cleaning  up  of  their  potential  farm, 
and  as  time  passed  his  unremitting  toil  began  to  give  shape  and  semblance 
to  their  home,  and  a  fine  farm  was  eventually  evolved  out  of  the  forest. 


1060  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

His  family  grew  with  the  passing  years,  and  the  parents,  ever  remem- 
bering the  benefits  that  schools  could  give,  concluded  that  it  might  be 
better  to  move  to  a  district  where  there  would  be  greater  advantages  for 
the  children.  Thus  it  was  that  in  1848  Dugal  Campbell  sold  the  place 
where  he  had  passed  so  many  years,  and  where  he  had  experienced  so 
much  of  the  joys  and  vicissitudes  of  life.  He  secured  the  then  phenom- 
enal price  of  $40  an  acre  for  his  land,  and  moved  to  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  where  he  had  a  brother-in-law  living  and  on  May  20,  1848, 
he  found  himself  in  Logansport,  Indiana.  He  found  suitable  land  in 
Clay  township  and  there  bought  one  hundred  and  ninety  acres,  paying 
twenty  to  twenty-five  dollars  the  acre  for  the  land,  and  settled  down  to 
enjoy  the  benefits  that  might  be  derived  from  life  in  the  newer  commu- 
nity. Three  years  later,  however,  he  died  at  his  home,  his  widow  sur- 
viving him  for  eleven  years,  her  death  occiirring  in  1863.  Nine  chil- 
dren were  born  to  these  parents,  of  which  goodly  number  only  two 
are  living  today.  One,  a  daughter,  makes  her  home  in  Franklin,  Indiana, 
and  the  son,  Hon.  Benjamin  Franklin  Campbell,  who  has  gained  some- 
thing of  distinction  in  Cass  county,  and  of  whom  extended  mention  is 
made  in  another  sketch  appearing  in  this  biographical  and  historical 
work. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Friends  church,  and 
his  entire  life  and  experience  was  in  accord  Avith  the  kindly  Christian 
spirit  of  that  sect.  His  wife  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  was  ecjually  faithful  and  consistent,  in  her  everyday  life. 
They  were  worthy  and  honorable  citizens,  esteemed  of  all  who  knew 
them,  and  beloved  of  many  for  their  splendid  character  and  the  mani- 
fold qualities  of  generosity  and  kindliness  which  illumined  their  plain 
and  homely  lives.  Their  children  were  named:  William  C;  John  T. ; 
Eva  ;  Margaret  A. ;  Benjamin  F. ;  Harriet ;  Amanda  J. ;  Rachel ;  ]\Iary  and 
Robert  C.    As  mentioned  previously,  all  but  two  of  these  are  deceased. 

Hon.  Benjamin  Franklin  Campbell,  a  man  who  has  gained  much 
of  prominence  and  position  in  Cass  county  in  the  field  of  polities,  as 
well  as  in  the  more  prosaic  industry  of  farming,  was  born  in  Stark 
county,  Ohio,  on  ^March  4,  1835.  He  is  the  son  of  Dugal  and  Mariah. 
(Carr)  Campbell,  of  whom  detailed  mention  is  made  in  another  article 
devoted  to  them,  to  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work,  thus  obviating  the 
necessity  for  further  details  'in  regard  to  the  immediate  family  of  the 
subject. 

When  B.  F.  Campbell  was  a  boy  of  thirteen  years  the  family  moved 
from  Stark  county,  Ohio,  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  here  Mr.  Camp- 
bell has  made  his  home  continuously  since  that  time.  He  was  reared 
amid  scenes  of  rural  life,  both  in  his  earlier  home  in  Ohio  and  in  Clay 
township,  Cass  county,  and  received  the  somewhat  limited  educational 
advantages  of  the  district  schools  of  his  day  and  age.  Though  his  train- 
ing was  thus  not  of  great  scope,  it  is  a  significant  fact  that  Mr.  Campbell 
was  able  to  supplement  such  schooling  as  he  did  receive  in  a  large 
measure  by  careful  reading  of  his  o\\ai  choosing,  so  that  he  has  ever  been 
regarded  as  a  man  of  no  little  learning,  and  one  whose  information 
covers  a  wide  field,  a  broad  general  knowledge  being  his.  He  devoted 
himself  to  farm  work  and  remained  at  home,  and  when  his  father  and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1061 

mother  passed  away,  he  continued  on  the  old  home  place,  there  bring- 
ing his  bride  when  he  married  in  1861.  For  forty-eight  years  Mr. 
Campbell  made  the  old  farm  his  home,  his  removal  to  Logansport  coming 
in  1896,  at  a  time  when  his  political  prominence  made  it  imi^erative  that 
he  give  up  his  rural  life  and  make  a  home  in  the  city. 

Although  today  Mr.  Campbell  is  prosperous,  and  has  been  for  many 
years,  it  must  be  remembered  that  he  bore  his  share  of  early  privations 
and  the  burdens  that  the  death  of  his  father  and  elder  brother  placed 
upon  him  when  he  was  yet  a  lad.  The  family  was  not  a  small  one,  num- 
bering nine  children,  and  when  Dugal  Campl)ell  died,  Benjamin  F. 
was  but  seventeen  years  of  age.  Thus  as  the  eldest  son  of  the  household, 
responsibility  of  no  small  prder  fell  upon  his  young  shoulders. 

In  1878  the  influence  and  strength  of  Mr.  Campbell  as  a  man  among 
his  fellow  men  began  to  be  recognized,  and  he  was  elected  representative 
from  his  district  to  the  state  legislature,  and  while  there  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  on  elections  and  canals.  He  introduced  three  bills 
into  the  assembly;  one  for  the  relief  of  one  Mrs.  Lyon,  from  the  bond 
of  a  defaulting  trustee ;  one  for  the  relief  of  the  town  council  of  Walton, 
to  legalize  its  acts ;  and  one  for  the  abolishment  of  the  superior  court 
of  Cass  county.  The  two  first  mentioned  passed  through.  In  1896 
Mr.  Campbell  moved  to  Logansport,  and  in  the  following  year  he  was 
appointed  by  the  governor  of  Indiana  to  represent  the  eleventh  con- 
gressional district  in  the  National  Road  Parliament  held  at  Nashville, 
Tennessee.  In  1898  he  was  president  of  the  Farmers'  Institute,  held 
at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  he  has  ever  been  a  leader  in  all  movements 
tending  toward  the  advance  of  agriculture  and  its  methods.  All  public 
enterprises  of  a  worthy  nature  have  foimd  in  him  a  generous  support, 
and  he  has  left  his  mark  upon  many  a  movement  and  industry  that  has 
had  its  inception  in  Cass  county  in  the  past  quarter  century.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell was  president  of  the  County  Agricultural  Society,  and  he  assisted 
in  the  organization  of  the  Citizens  Coal  Company  of  Logansport,  of 
which  concern  he  was  the  first  president.  He  was  a  director  of  the 
Board  of  Charities  for  two  years,  and  did  excellent  work  in  that  connec- 
tion. He  is  a  man  of  strong  religious  tendencies,  reared  in  the  atmos- 
phere of  a  Quaker  home,  but  in  recent  years  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church.  He  has  served  as  president  of  the  County  Sunday  School  Union, 
and  has  been  actively  identified  with  the  work  of  the  church  in  other  ways. 

On  January  7,  1861,  "Sir.  Campbell  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Margaret,  the  daughter  of  ^\^illiam  South.  Mrs.  Campbell  passed  away 
in  1895,  leaving  two  children — Robert  Atwood  and  Blanche  Edith,  now 
Mrs.  Charles  Richardson.  Three  years  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  Mr. 
Campbell  married  ]\Iary  E.  Kimbrough.  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Brower 
and  the  widow  of  James  M.  Kimbrough.  Mr.  Campbell  is  fraternally 
associated  wdth  the  Masonic  order,  in  which  he  takes  a  hearty  concern, 
and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Cass  County  Historical  Society. 

John  A.  Newby  has  been  a  resident  of  Logansport  for  the  past  forty- 
three  years,  thirty-five  years  of  which  have  been  passed  in  the  florist 
business.  He  is  a  native  of  Yorkshire,  England,  and  when  eighteen 
years  old  came  to  the  United  States,  bringing  with  him  his  mother  and 
grandfather.    He  began  working  for  Judge  Whiteside  in  his  greenhouse. 


1062  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

having  learned  horticulture  with  some  degree  of  thoroughness  as  a  boy  in 
his  native  laud,  but  "did  not  continue  in  the  business  more  than  a  short 
time  with  Judge  Whiteside,  chiefly  because  the  demands  of  the  trade  in 
Logansport  did  not  warrant  such  continuance.  He  engaged  in  railroad 
work,  in  which  he  continued  for  some  time,  but  in  1877  he  saw  an 
opening  for  a  florist  in  Logansport,  and  began  an  independent  business, 
though  necessarily  in  a  small  waJ^  His  first  greenhouse  was  10x50 
feet  in  size,  but  as  time  passed  and  liis  trade  steadily  increased,  his 
capacity  gradually  assumed  more  generous  proportions  so  that  today  he 
has  about  30,000  square  feet  of  glass  covering.  The  old  brick  heaters 
have  been  replaced  by  modern  methods  of  heating,  and  new  systems 
have  been  introduced  throughout,  while  new;  varieties  of  flowers  and 
foliage  have  been  constantly  added,  until  today  Mr.  Newby  has  one  of 
the  most  modern  and  up-to-date  establishments  of  its  kind  in  Cass 
county.  His  business  has  now  outgrown  the  bounds  of  Logansport,  and 
he  supplies  neighboring  cities  and  towns  as  well.  His  business  methods 
have  ever  been  of  that  high  order  which  has  won  him  the  confidence  and 
good  will  of  his  wide  and  rapidly  growing  patronage,  and  he  is  accounted 
one  of  the  substantial  and  dependable  business  men  of  the  city  and 
county. 

Charles  H.  Maiben.  Twenty-one  years  ago  Charles  H.  Maiben 
invested  all  Ms  available  capital,  consisting  of  one  hundred  dollars,  in 
a  hand  laundry  business  in  Logansport.  Today  he  leads  in  the  laundry 
industiy  of  the  city.  The  modest  equipment  and  quarters  which  were 
his  when  he  launched  out  in  the  business  world  upon  his  own  resources 
have  with  the  passing  years  doubled,  trebled  and  quadrupled  them- 
selves many  times,  and  as  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  Logans- 
port and  a  man  who  has  built  up  an  immense  industrial  enterprise  with 
the  slender  means  at  his  command,  he  is  manifestly  entitled  to  a  place  in 
this  historical  and  biographical  work;  for  it  is  the  biogi-aphies  of  such 
men  as  he  which  ever  has  and  ever  will  go  to  make  up  the  history  of  a 
given  city,  or  county,  or  commonwealth.  Born  in  Logansport,  Indiana, 
on  January  14,  1864,  Charles  H.  Maiben  is  the  son  of  John  T.  and 
Margaret  (Johnson)  Maiben,  and  of  the  father  it  is  fitting  that  more 
than  a  cursory  mention  be  made  in  this  biography  of  his  son,  who  has 
attained  so  prominent  a  position  in  the  city  of  his  birth. 

John  T.  Maiben  was  of  Irish  birth  and  parentage,  born  in  County 
Sligo,  Ireland,  in  1822.  He  was  there  reared  and  educated,  and  in  his 
boyhood  learned  the  trade  of  a  cabinet  maker.  He  was  twenty-two 
years  of  age  when  he  came  to  America,  and  after  arriving  in  New  York 
he  remained  in  that  city  for  some  years,  finding  ample  employment  at 
his  trade,  and  becoming  a  full-fledged  citizen  of  the  United  States.  In 
New  York  he  met  and  married  IMargaret  Johnson,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  early  fifties  that  he  came  to  Indiana.  He  located  in  Logansport 
straightway,  the  city  then  being  in  its  infancy,  and  here  he  began 
working  at  his  trade  for  one  of  the  early  undertakers  of  the  county, 
Mr.  Manley  by  name.  In  those  days  caskets  were  made  entirely  by  hand, 
and  while  Mr.  Maiben  was  in  the  service  of  Mr.  Manley  his  entire  time 
was  spent  in  casket  making.  He  was  subsequently  employed  in  a  similar 
capacity  by  other  representative  dealers  in  furniture  and  undertaking 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1063 

supplies,  and  continued  in  varied  branches  of  the  cabinet  maker's  trade 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1902.  Mr.  iMaiben  was  one  of  the 
quiet,  industrious  men,  who  seldom  make  a  great  show  of  accomplish- 
ment, but  are  continually  achieving-.  He  devoted  his  time  chieMy  to 
his  own  affairs,  and  as  a  result  retained  to  the  last  the  unfailing  con- 
fidence and  esteem  of  all  who  shared  in  his  acqiiaintance.  He,  was  an 
Episcopalian,  reared  in  that  faith  in  his  native  land,  and  politically 
he  was  a  radical  Democrat.  It  is  significant,  however,  that  with  the 
passing  j^ears  as  he  became  broadened  and  softened  by  years  of  contact 
with  the  world,  he  became  much  more  liberal  in  his  views.  He  was  for 
years  a  member  of  the  old  west  side  lire  department,  which  is  yet  green 
in  the  memory  of  old  Logansport  settlers.  I\Ir.  Maiben  was  an  enthu- 
siastic Odd  Fellow  and  was  ever  an  enthusiastic  worker  in  the  order. 
He  was  generous  and  charitable,  and  his  benevolences  Avere  many, 
although  performed  in  the  quiet  manner  which  characterized  the  every- 
day life  of  the  man.  ]Mr.  and  Mrs.  IMaiben  were  the  parents  of  eleven 
children.  Of  this  number  three  died  in  infancy,  while  the  family  were 
yet  residents  of  New  York  City.  Six  died  in  Logansport  and  four  grew 
to  maturity.  Two  sons,  Charles  H.  of  this  review,  and  AYalter,  both 
make  their  homes  in  Logansport.  The  wife  and  mother  died  in  1898, 
mourned  by  all  who  knew  her. 

Charles  H.  Maiben  has  always  regarded  Logansport  as  his  home, 
and  indeed,  practically  all  his  life  has  been  spent  in  the  city  of  his 
birth.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  the  city  and  for  a  short 
time  clerked  in  the  store  of  AViler  &  ^Yise  in  the  days  when  that  well- 
established  firm  was  conducted  by  the  original  founders  of  the  house, 
of  whom  extended  mention  is  made  in  other  pages  of  this  work.  He 
was  also  employed  as  a  clerk  with  Marshall  Field  &  Company  of  Chicago, 
but  did  not  long  continue  in  that  connection.  In  1889,  or  thereabouts,  Mr. 
Maiben  embarked  in  the  fish  and  oyster  business  on  Market  street,  but 
only  remained  in  that  business  about  a  year.  He  entered  the  laundry 
business  on  Third  street  in  the  year  1892,  and  this  venture  represented 
the  investment  which  has  resulted  in  his  present  successful  position  in 
the  business  world  of  Logansport. 

The  initial  investment  on  the  part  of  Mr.  IMaiben  represented  an 
outlay  of  one  hundred  dollars,  or  all  his  worldly  goods,  and  he  began  by 
operating  a  small  hand  laundry.  For  six  months  he  continued  with  his 
hand  laundry,  when  he  had  prospered  sufficiently  to  make  po.ssible  a 
little  expansion.  He  accordingly  built  a  wooden  structure  at  the  back  of 
where  his  present  establishment  is  located,  and  here  he  changed  from 
the  hand  system  to  the  steam  process.  He  secured  an  old  steam  boiler 
and  advertised  his  place  as  a  steam  laundry,  and  the  work  went  merrily 
on.  The  growth  of  this  now  mammoth  plant  has  not  been  of  a  spasmodic 
order,  but  has  continued  sanely  and  surely,  every  year  marking  a 
growth  that  warranted  new  expenditures,  more  modern  equipment  and 
expansion  in  all  departments,  and  practically  every  two  years  since  he 
began  in  biisiness  has  Mr.  IMaiben  felt  it  necessary  to  bring  about  radi- 
cal improvements  in  his  equipment  and  enlarge  his  capacity  in  accord- 
ance. In  the  summer  of  1911  he  began  the  erection  of  an  entirely  new 
plant  at  his  present  place,  116-118  Cicott  street,  and  on  January  1, 
1912,  moved  into  the  finest  electric  process  laundry  to  be  found  in  the 


1064  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

country,  in  point  of  completeness,  modern  appliances  and  facilities  for 
the  performing  of  all  classes  of  work  of  this  nature.  The  building  is 
a  single  story  and  basement  brick  structure,  70x165  feet,  and  is  equipped 
with  a  complete  line  of  modern  laundry  machinery,  operated  by  electric 
power  with  nineteen  motors,  of  capacities  ranging  from  one  and  a  half 
to  ten  horse  power.  He  has  added  a  modern  and  complete  dry  clean- 
ing, pressing  department,  also  a  shoe  repair  department,  and  the  plant, 
in  all  its  departments,  gives  employment  to  about  fifty  persons.  All 
this,  from  an  investment  of  one  hundred  dollars,  twenty-one  years  ago. 
The  same  alertness  and  progressiveness  which  have  marked  the  business 
activities  of  Mr.  Maiben  in  this  project  have  characterized  his  life  as  a 
citizen,  and  he  has  earned  a  reputation  for  civic  pride  and  public- 
spiritedness  that  is  well  merited  and  highly  indicative  of  the  many 
splendid  traits  which  are  inherent  within  him. 

]Mr.  Maiben  is  an  Independent  Democrat  in  his  political  faith,  and 
fraternally  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Benevolent  and 
Protective  Order  of  Elks,  and  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  in  all  of 
which  he  is  active  and  prominent.  He  was  married  in  1904  to  Miss  Mary 
Shuman,  and  they  have  two  children — Bessie  and  Thomas  Maiben. 

Marion  E.  Callendeb.  It  is  not  always  the  men  of  a  community 
who  make  the  greatest  noise  and  who  take  the  most  prominent  places 
who  contribute  the  most  to  the  solid  growth  and  advancement  of  that 
community.  Rather  it  is  an  indisputalile  fact  that  some  of  the  quiet, 
steady-going  and  persistent  men  have  left  more  indelible  marks  upon 
their  home  towns  than  the  most  showy  and  prominent  individuals,  and 
Marion  E.  Callender,  farmer  and  citizen,  is  entitled  to  consideration  in 
this  work  because  of  his  membership  in  this  class  of  reliables. 

Marion  E.  Callender  was  born  in  Clay  township,  Cass  county,  on 
July  26,  1853,  and  is  a  son  of  Collins  and  Elvira  (Sisco)  Callender,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Ohio,  and  of  German  and  English  ancestry, 
respectively.  The  death  of  ]\Iarion  Callender 's  father  when  he  was  yet 
a  mere  boy,  caused  the  subject  to  early  begin  to  make  his  own  way 
in  the  world,  and  from  the  age  of  nine  years  he  was  without  the  guid- 
ing hand  of  a  father,  beginning  as  it  were,  at  the  bottom  of  the  ladder  of 
life,  Collins  Callender  having  passed  away  in  1862.  It  may  thus  be 
assumed  that  the  boy  secured  the  most  limited  sort  of  an  education. 
His  early  life  was  spent  in  farm  work,  and  when  he  married  in  1878, 
he  and  his  estimable  wife  settled  down  to  farming  on  their  own  respon- 
sibility, continuing  ever  since  in  that  worthy  industry',  and  experiencing 
a  pleasurable  degree  of  success.  His  first  place  was  a  fifty-acre  farm, 
which  possessed  a  small  three-room  dwelling  house.  This  little  place 
sheltered  the  family  for  six  years,  when  the  home  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
Mr.  Callender  then  moved  with  his  family  to  a  rented  place  some  two 
miles  distant,  and  for  nineteen  years  they  lived  there,  the  farm  being 
one  known  as  the  Joseph  Chestnut  place.  From  there  they  moved  to 
their  present  place  in  Bethlehem  township — a  fine  improved  farm  of 
eighty  acres,  which  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Callender  have  acquired  the  owner- 
ship of.  In  addition  to  this  well  developed  place,  they  also  have  another 
farm  of  forty  acres  located  two  and  one-half  miles  distant  from  the 
home  place.     Since  the  Callender  family  took  possession  of  their  present 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1065 

home,  the  place  has  taken  on  a  decidedly  home-like  appearance,  and 
shows  the  results  of  much  well-placed  labor.  The  house  has  been  prac- 
tically re-built,  and  in  many  ways  shows  the  enterprising  nature  of  the 
family.  General  fanning  occupies  the  attention  of  ^Ir.  Callender  and 
he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  capable  and  successful  farmers  in  Cass 
county,  where  he  has  been  well  and  favorably  known  all  his  life. 

The  principles  of  ]\Ir.  Callender  have  always  been  of  the  most  stable 
order,  and  they  find  expression  in  his  every-day  life,  not  being  reserved 
for  special  occasions.  He  has  always  been  a  Republican  and  voted  the 
ticket  consistently,  until  recent  years,  when  he  began  to  show  a  growing 
tendency  to  favor  the  platform  of  the  Prohibition  party — the  subject  of 
prohibition  being  one  in  which  he  has  long  held  a  hearty  interest. 

It  was  on  September  22,  1878,  that  ]\Ir.  Callender  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Miss  Mary  J.  Conrad,  the  daughter  of  John  S.  and 
Artelia  R.  (Conrad)  Conrad.  Mrs.  Conrad  was  a  pioneer  of  pioneers 
in  this  part  of  Indiana,  having  settled  here  in  about  1837,  her  family 
being  an  old  North  Carolina  one  and  having  come  direct  from  that  state 
to  Indiana.  She  was  a  daughter  of  John  and  Susan  (Atwood)  Conrad. 
Mrs.  Callender  was  born  in  Cass  county  on  July  16,  1858.  She  received 
a  good  education  considering  her  time  and  place,  and  in  the  schools  of 
Logansport  finished  her  educational  training.  The  following  children 
have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Callender :  Myrtle  A.,  the  wife  of  George 
F.  Hopkins,  resident  of  Adams  township,  an  agriculturist  and  they 
have  six  children:  Russell  G.,  Gertrude  L.,  Marion  D.,  Josephine  F., 
Mary  Jane  and  Edith  E.  Mrs.  Hopkins  was  educated  in  the  town- 
ship schools  and  she  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church.  Frederick  S., 
a  resident  of  Chicago,  and  is  a  civil  engineer  for  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee 
&  St.  Paul  Railroad,  and  at  present  is  engaged  in  Montana.  He  wedded 
Miss  Edith  Long.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
He  received  a  good  common  school  education  and  spent  two  years  in  the 
Logansport  high  school  and  was  a  student  at  the  ^Marion  Normal  and 
taught  one  year  in  Bethlehem  township  and  the  ^Metropolitan  Business 
College,  and  then  took  a  full  course  in  civil  engineering.  Han'iett  A., 
the  wife  of  George  C.  Kingery,  a  resident  of  Logansport,  and  connected 
with  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company.  Mrs.  Kingery  was  educated 
in  the  schools  of  her  home  county.  They  have  one  little  daughter, 
Crystal  M.  Mrs.  Kingery  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church. 
Bertha  E.  is  the  wife  of  Earl  E.  Ingonire,  a  resident  of  Clay  township 
and  an  agriculturist.  Mrs.  Ingonire  spent  one  year  in  high  school 
besides  attending  the  public  schools  and  both  she  and  husband  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church.  Frank  jM.  is  a  pharmacist  in  Kokomo, 
Indiana.  He  took  a  preparatory  course  at  the  Tri-State  Normal 
at  Angola,  Indiana,  and  is  succeeding  in  his  chosen  vocation. 
Catharine  F.  completed  the  eighth  grade  of  the  public  schools  and  has 
also  taken  instrumental  music  and  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church. 
John  M.  .received  his  diploma  from  the  public  schools  in  the  class  of 
1909  and  then  graduated  from  the  Meta  high  school  in  1913,  and  he  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Christian  church.  Donald  G.  received  his  diploma 
from  the  common  schools  in  1911  and  has  been  a  student  in  the  Meta 
high  school  two  years.    He  is  the  youngest  child. 

As  it  is  noticed  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Callender  have  given  their  children  the 


1066  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

benefits  of  good  educations  as  well  as  God-like  teachings  in  the  home. 
Mrs.  Callender,  the  wife  and  mother,  was  reared  in  Cass  county  and  is 
a  lady  of  more  than  ordinary  merit  and  one  possessed  of  social  facul- 
ties that  give  her  a  cordial  welcome  to  all.  She  is  one  of  the  active 
members  of  the  Christian  church  and  is  now  vice-president  of  the  Ladies' 
Aid  Society  and  was  its  president  four  years.  She  is  also  president  of 
"The  Spring  Creek  Cemetery  Association,"  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
cemeteries  in  the  county  and  this  was  perfected  by  the  tireless  work  and 
care  exerted  by  Mrs.  Callender.  She  has  a  Masonic  apron  that  is  now 
over  a  century  old  and  it  was  worn  by  her  maternal  grandfather,  John 
Conrad,  and  the  Callenders  have  one  of  the  old  parchment  deeds  executed 
under  the  hand  of  President  John  Tyler,  and  is  one  of  the  valuable 
heirlooms  in  the  family.  The  beautiful  farmstead  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Callender  is  known  as  "Aldine  Lodge,"  and  it  is  one  of  the  pleasant 
and  happy  homes  of  the  county. 

The  Callenders  enjoy  the  hearty  goodwill  of  all  who  have  known 
them,  and  a  large  circle  of  friends  in  and  about  the  township  and  county 
hold  them  in  the  highest  esteem. 

Julius  F.  Lienemann.  The  title  of  Julius  F.  Lienemann  to  promi- 
nent position  on  the  roster  of  Cass  county's  progressive  and  successful 
men  rests  with  his  long  residence,  his  connection  with  large  business 
affairs  and  his  identification  with  public  life.  As  a  citizen  he  has  done 
his  full  share  in  promoting  his  community's  welfare;  his  business  has 
added  to  Logansport  's  commercial  prestige ;  while  his  signal  public 
services  have  won  him  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens  in  no 
small  degree.  Mr.  Lienemann  has  been  a  resident  of  Logansport  since 
1865.  His  parents,  Edmund  and  Katerina  (Wurstner)  Lienemann, 
were  natives  of  Baden  and  Wurttemburg,  Germany,  respectively,  and 
his  father  was  a  tailor  by  trade.  Edmund  Lienemann  came  to  the 
United  States  in  1852  and  first  settled  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  then  removing 
to  Delphos,  Ohio,  where  he  was  married.  After  coming  to  Logansport, 
in  1865,  he  took  up  his  trade,  and  here  continued  to  spend  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  passing  away  November  3,  1906,  while  his  wife  died  Sep- 
tember 4,  1895.  Mr.  Lienemann  was  originally  a  Republican,  and  cast 
his  first  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  continuing  to  support  that  party's 
principles  and  candidates  until  the  administration  of  Grover  Cleveland, 
when  he  voted  the  Democratic  ticket.  He  was  a  Roman  Catholic  in  his 
i^eligious  belief.  He  was  unusually  well  read  in  literature,  especially 
in  American  and  European  history,  and  was  an  ardent  admirer  of 
the  writings  of  Schiller.  A  representative  of  the  best  class  of  German- 
Americans,  honest,  indiistrious  and  frugal,  his  word  was  known  to  be 
as  good  as  his  bond,  and  his  death  lost  to  his  conmiunity  one  of  its 
leading  citizens. 

Julius  F.  Lienemann  was  born  at  Delphos,  Ohio,  April  29,  1856,  and 
came  with  his  parents  to  Logansport,  when  he  was  nine  years  old.  He 
secured  his  education  in  the  public  and  parochial  schools  and  at  Hall's 
Business  College,  and  learned  the  trade  of  tailor  with  his  father.  In 
1879  he  established  himself  in  business  as  the  proprietor  of  a  tailoring 
enterprise,  and  with  the  exception  of  four  years  has  since  continued  in 
that  vocation.    A  Democrat  in  his  political  views,  in  1898  he  was  elected 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1067 

clerk  of  the  courts  of  Cass  county,  taking  office  two  years  later  and 
serving  in  the  position  for  four  years.  In  1910  he  was  elected  to  the 
board  of  county  commissioners,  a  position  which  he  still  occupies.  Mr. 
Lienemann  has  proven  himself  a  faithful,  conscientious  and  abl&  county 
official,  his  long  business  experience  being  brought  into  play  in  dis- 
charging his  duties.  He  is  known  as  absolutely  trustworthy,  and  is 
esteemed  by  his  associates  and  has  the  full  confidence  of  the  people  at 
large.  He  has  been  the  architect  of  his  own  fortunes  in  the  business 
field,  and  the  establishment  that  now  bears  his  name  is  well  worthy  a 
place  among  the  business  houses  of  a  growing  and  flourishing  city  like 
Logansport. 

On  October  7,  1879,  Mr.  Lienemann  was  married  to  Magdalene 
Hoover,  and  they  have  had  five  children,  namely:  Gertrude,  who 
married  Ben  Porter,  of  Logansport;  Oscar,  who  died  in  1906,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-three  years;  Eva,  who  married  Andrew  Angemeier;  and 
Hugo  J.  and  Marie,  who  live  with  their  parents. 

Dr.  John  William  B.vllard  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  best 
known  physicians  who  ever  practiced  medicine  in  Cass  county.  He  was 
a  native  Indianian,  his  birth  occurring  in  Carroll  county  on  February 
28,  1855,  and  he  was  the  son  of  Anson  and  Mary  J.  (Hombeck)  Ballard. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  and  was  of  French 
descent,  while  the  mother,  whom  he  married  in  Fountain  county,  Ohio, 
was  also  a  native  of  that  state  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent.  Anson 
Ballard  was  a  leading  citizen  of  his  community  in  his  day,  and  held 
many  positions  of  public  trust  in  his  county. 

After  attending  the  common  schools  of  his  native  community,  John 
W.  Ballard,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  entered  Purdue  LTniversity, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1876.  In  order  to  secure  tlie  neces- 
sary means  to  prosecute  his  studies  in  medicine,  having  already  decided 
upon  his  life  work,  the  young  man  taught  school  for  several  terms,  at 
the  same  time  reading  medicine  under  the  direction  of  Drs.  Smith  and 
Beck,  at  Delphi.  In  1877  he  matriculated  in  the  Medical  College  of 
Ohio,  from  which  institution  he  received  his  degree  two  years  later. 
For  a  short  time  thereafter  the  young  doctor  practiced  in  Lockport, 
Carroll  county,  and  in  1881  he  located  in  Logansport.  In  the  course  of- 
time  his  practice  began  to  assume  pleasing  proportions,  and  there  were 
comparatively  few  localities  in  Cass  county  that  were  not  frequently 
visited  by  him  in  his  professional  capacity.  At  all  hours  of  the  day  and 
night,  in  sunshine  and  shower,  midst  the  biting  blasts  of  -wintry  wind, 
contending  wdth  bad  roads  and  worse  weather.  Dr.  Ballard's  was  a 
familiar  face  to  be  encountered.  His  memory  is  revered  by  many  because 
of  his  work  among  them,  and  he  will  long  be  recalled  among  the  men  who 
lived  'lives  of  unselfish  devotion  to  their  work  and  to  their  people. 

Dr.  Ballard  served  as  county  coroner  for  three  terms.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  order,  Tipton  Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  also 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  of  the  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur. 
On  November  4,  1876,  Dr.  Ballard  was  married  to  Ellen  Milroy,  of 
Delphi,  Indiana,  and  four  children  were  born  to  them:  Samuel  Milroy, 
a  mining  engineer ;  Bruce  Milroy,  who  died  in  infancy ;  Charles  A., 
mentioned  below;  and  John  "W.,  attending  the  University  of  Southern 


1068  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

California.  Dr.  Ballard  died  on  September  9,  1911,  and  his  work  is 
being  ably  carried  on  by  his  sou,  Dr.  Charles  A.  Ballard. 

Dr.  Charles  A.  Ballard  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  on  Sep- 
tember 12,  1882,  and  was  here  reared  and  received  his  early  education. 
He  graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1903,  after  which  he  entered 
the  State  University  at  Bloomington,  Indiana,  attending  there  for  two 
years  and  giving  special  attention  to  the  studies  pei'taining  to  physiology, 
anatomy  and  chemistry.  In  1905  he  entered  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons  at  Chicago,  and  was  graduated  therefrom  with  the  degree 
of  M.  D.  in  1907.  Following  his  graduation  he  served  some  six  montljs 
as  interne  in  the  Illinois  State  Insane  Asylum  at  Elgin,  after  which  he 
came  to  Logansport,  and  here  he  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  active 
practice  of  his  profession.  He  was  associated  with  his  father  until 
the  death  of  the  latter,  and  since  then  has  conducted  practice  alone. 
He  is  a  general  jiractitioner  and  a  prominent  physician.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Democrat,  and  in  the  line  of  his  profession  he  is  affiliated  with 
the  American  Medical  Association  and  with  the  County  and  State 
Medical  Societies. 

Dr.  Ballard  was  married  on  June  15,  1909,  to  Miss  Nina  Douglas,  a 
teacher  in  the  high  school  of  Logansport.  One  son  has  been  born  to 
them,  Charles  Douglas  Ballard. 

John  H.  Rohrer.  One  of  the  particularly  substantial  and  pros- 
perous farmers  of  Bethlehem  and  Clay  townships  is  John  Rohrer,  who 
owns  valuable  farming  property  in  both  these  townships,  and  is  known 
in  both  as  a  man  of  splendid  capabilities  in  an  agricultural  way,  with, 
excellent  business  faculties  as  well.  The  Rohrer  family  is  one  of  Swiss 
and  German  ancestry,  and  is  one  that  has  long  been  identified  with  the 
agricultui"al  activities  of  the  state  in  various  sections. 

John  Rohrer  was  born  in  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  on  December  26,  1844, 
and  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Maria  (Kampf)  Rohrer;  the  father  was  a 
son  of  John  Rohrer  and  the  mother  daughter  of  Anthony  Kampf,  both  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania.  The  subject  came  to  Cass  county  in  1851  in  com- 
pany with  his  parents,  and  they  settled  first  in  Clay  township,  where  they 
spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  The  mother  died  in  1853  and  the 
father  survived  until  1906.  They  were  the  parents  of  two  children, 
namely :  John,  whose  name  initiates  this  review,  and  Simon,  who  married 
Edith  Conger,  and  lives  in  BufPalo,  New  York.  In  1854  Joseph  Rohrer 
married  Susan  M.  Tweed,  born  in  1834,  and  died  in  1912.  Of  this  union 
were  born  two  children — Lee,  who  died  in  infancy,  and  Ella,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  fourteen  years.  It  was  in  1902  that  Mr.  Rohrer  moved  to 
his  present  farm  in  Bethlehem  township,  from  the  old  farmstead  in 
Clay  to^\^lship  on  which  he  had  been  reared.  The  log  house  that  his 
father  first  occupied  when  he  moved  there  years  before  had  been  replaced 
five  years  later  with  a  concrete  dwelling  and  other  suitable  buildings. 
John  H.  Rohrer  remodelled  his  present  residence  in  the  most  approved 
fashion  when  he  came  into  possession,  and  the  farm  has  taken  on  an 
appearance  of  fruitfulness  and  cultivation  that  is  well  in  accordance 
with  the  activities  and  policy  of  the  owner.  In  addition  to  this  fine 
place  of  two  hundred  acres,  he  has  a  farm  adjoining  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Clay  township  that  is  equally  prepossessing  in  appear- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1069 

anee,  and  his  farm  holdings  in  the  aggregate  mark  him  as  one  of 
the  successful  and  substantial  agricultural  men  of  the  county. 

It  is  a  fact  that  aside  from  his  meritorious  career  as  a  farmer,  Mr. 
Rohrer  has  also  had  a  brief  career  as  a  preacher,  having  served  for 
seven  years  in  the  ministry  of  the  Christian  church.  He  also 
gave  three  years  to  the  teaching  profession  and  in  1863,  when  in  the 
first  years  of  his  young  manhood,  he  served  eight  months  in  the  Civil 
war  with  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Indiana  Regiment.  He  is 
a  college  man,  his  higher  education  having  been  gained  at  Alliance, 
Ohio,  and  at  Indianapolis,  where  he  attended  some  of  the  best  colleges, 
and  he  was  prior  to  that  a  graduate  of  the  Westville  high  school,  in 
Westville,  Laporte  county,  Indiana. 

On  October  12,  1880,  Mr.  Rohrer  married  Cecelia  M.  Williamson, 
bom  October  1,  1850,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  A.  and  Temperance 
(Conrad)  Williamson,  people  of  Scotch-Irish  and  German  ancestry, 
respectively.  They  were  married  in  Bethlehem  township,  and  much 
of  their  wedded  life  has  been  spent  here  and  in  Clay  township.  They 
have  one  child,  Clark  Rohrer,  born  on  August  3,  1881.  The  son  was 
married  on  May  1,  1912,  to  Miss  Grace  Horney,  born  December  7,  1889, 
the  daughter  of  George  and  Lucy  Horney  of  Bethlehem  township,  and 
they  make  their  home  in  Bethlehem  township,  where  Mr.  Rohrer  is 
engaged  in  the  agricultural  industry,  in  which  he  received  an  excellent 
training  at  the  hands  of  his  father,  and  in  which  he  is  making  splendid 
progress,  having  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most  progressive 
and  successful  young  farming  men  of  the  community. 

The  Rohrers  are  among  the  most  successful  and  prominent  people 
in  the  township  where  they  have  long. resided,  and  they  enjoy  to  the 
fullest  extent  the  hearty  regard  that  is  accorded  to  them  by  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  w^ho  hold  them  in  high  esteem 
because  of  their  many  pleasing  qualities  of  heart  and  mind.  They 
are  citizens  of  the  highest  order,  and  have  a  g'enuine  and  wholesome 
interest  in  all  that  leads  up  to  a  betterment  of  social  and  business 
conditions  of  their  district. 

William  Searight  was  born  in  Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania,  on 
June  17,  1819,  and  was  a  son  of  Alexander  and  Elizabeth  (Lobaugh) 
Searight.  The  Searight  family  is  one  descended  from  William  Searight, 
who  came  from  Londonderry,  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  in  the  year  1740, 
or  thereabouts,  and  settled  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania.  Alex- 
ander Searight  was  born  on  December  29,  1776,  and  he  married  Eliza- 
beth Lobaugh  November  15,  1804.  In  1838,  in  "Conestoga"  wagons,  he 
drove  across  the  country  to  Indiana  and  settled  in  the  dense  woods  of 
Jefferson  township,  in  Cass  county.  There  he  built  a  two  room  log  cabin, 
into  which  the  little  family  moved,  and  there  began  the  work  of  cleaning 
up  their  farm.  In  later  years  Mr.  Searight  erected  a  sawmill  on  Crooked 
Creek,  their  mill  being  one  of  the  first  in  that  locality.  It  provided  lum- 
ber for  the  building  of  the  frame  houses  built  in  their  community  for 
years,  and  was  a  source  of  considerable  profit  to  its  owTier.  On  February 
12,  1848,  Alexander  Searight  died.  Prior  to  his  death  the  family  built 
a  flouring  mill  on  Crooked  Creek,  which  became  famous  for  the  grinding 
of  grain  throughout  a  wide  area  of  the  new  country.     The  mill  was 

Vol.  1—23 


1070  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

burned  in  later  years,  its  destruction  supposedly  being  of  incendiary 
origin,  and  this  misfortune  crippled  the  financial  resources  of  the  Sea- 
right  family.  Alexander  Searight  and  his  wife  were  the^parents  of  nine 
children,  William  of  this  review,  being  the  seventh  born  of  that  num- 
ber. After  the  burning  of  the  mill,  William  Searight  and  a  brother, 
Alexander,  went  via  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  lo  California  in  1849.  There 
he  was  engaged  in  teaming  and  freighting  goods  to  the  mines,  this  busi- 
ness resulting  in  a  profit  of  a  nice  order,  until  in  1852  when  he  returned 
to  the  states,  making  the  return  trip  via  the  Overland-Southern-New 
Orleans  route.  He  was  engaged  in  farming  and  lumbering  until  1864, 
then  removed  to  a  farm,  where  he  died  on  September  25,  1877.  Mr. 
Searight  was  married  on  April  6,  1854,  to  Emily  Vanatta,  a  native  of 
Warren  county,  New  Jersey,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren, as  follows :    George  W. ;  William  L. ;  and  Harry  A. 

Harry  A.  Searight  was  born  in  Cass  county,  on  September  21,  1860, 
and  is  the  son  of  William  and  Emeline  (Vanatta)  Searight.  Concern- 
ing the  former,  appropriate  mention  is  made  in  the  preceding  article 
dedicated  to  William  Searight,  so  that  further  details  as  to  the  family 
and  ancestry  of  the  subject  are  not  required  here. 

Harry  A.  Searight  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  and 
Logansport  high  school,  and  began  teaching  in  the  rural  districts  when 
he  was  nineteen.  He  continued  his  work  in  this  line  for  eleven  years. 
In  1889  he  became  superintendent  of  the  schools  of  Cass  county,  serving 
one  term  of  two  years  in  that  office.  He  entered  the  government  rail- 
way mail  service  in  1891,  in  which  line  of  work  he  has  ever  since 
continued. 

On  December  24,  1889,  Mr.  Searight  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Disa  Gorden,  daughter  of  William  M.  Gorden,  one  of  the  early  set- 
tlers and  well  known  men  of  Cass  countj',  and  to  their  marriage  four 
children  were  born,  as  follows :  William  H. ;  Grace  G. ;  Anna  M. ;  and 
Margaret  E. 

Mr.  Searight  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
church  of  Logansport. 

John  Dodt.  One  of  the  prosperous  and  progressive  business  men 
of  his  community  is  John  Dodt,  who  was  for  years  engaged  in  business 
in  Lucerne.  On  March  1,  1913,  he  changed  location  to  Hamlet,  Indiana, 
to  engage  in  the  implement  and  garage  business.  He  has  made  good 
in  the  business  and  is  the  owner  of  a  nice  farm  in  Jefferson  township, 
in  addition  to  his  valuable  property  in  Lucerne.  He  is  a  man  who  has 
proven  his  worth  to  the  community  as  a  citizen  in  no  uncertain  terms, 
and  it  is  the  men  of  his  stamp  and  order  who  have  done  much  to 
further  the  best  interests  of  their  communities,  wherever  they  have 
been  found. 

John  Dodt  was  born  in  Cass  county,  in  1861,  the  26th  of  April 
being  his  natal  day,  and  is  the  son  of  Henry  and  Katherine  Dodt.  He 
was  one  of  the  eight  children  of  his  parents,  the  others  being  as  follows: 
Henry,  William,  Charles,  Frederick,  Daniel  and  Andrew.  He  was 
reared  on  the  home  farm  and  when  he  reached  years  of  young  man- 
hood engaged  in  business  in  the  grocery  line  in  Lucerne,  in  which  he 


:^     -^'»^^^r» 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1071 

continued  with  a  due  measure  of  prosperity  until  ten  years  ago.  That 
period  marked  the  change  in  his  business  from  a  grocer  to  a  dealer  in 
farming  machinery  and  implements.  With  the  passing  years  Mr.  Dodt 
acquired  some  property  in  Lucerne,  as  well  as  a  tine  farm  of  seventy- 
five  acres  in  Jefferson  township,  which  yields  him  a  nice  income 
annually.  Mr.  Dodt  has  given  valuable  service  in  public  offices  in  his 
towTi,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  advisory  board  of  the  Harrison 
township,  and  is  now  serving  his  second  term  in  that  office.  He  served 
as  supervisor  of  -roads  for  something  like  eight  years,  or  two  terms, 
and  has  also  been  justice  of  the  peace.  A  Democrat,  he  tates  an  intelli- 
gent and  interested  part  in  the  activities  of  the  party  in  his  district,  and 
is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  his  parents  also  were 
members. 

On  February  18,  1886,  Mr.  Dodt  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Carrie  Johnson,  and  they  have  a  family  of  seven  children :  Charles, 
the  eldest,  was  born  on  December  6,  1886 ;  he  is  married  to  Miss  Lillie 
Ream,  the  daughter  of  William  Ream.  Their  marriage  was  celebrated 
on  April  15,  1908.  Bertha  is  married  to  Fred  Erwin.  Harry  married 
Miss  Bertha  ^Meyers.  Florence  married  Clark  Stevens.  The  "three  young- 
est children,  ]Mary,  Elsie  and  Alice  are  unmarried,  and  share  the  pa- 
rental home. 

The  Dodt  family  is  one  that  has  long  enjoyed  the  friendship  and 
high  regard  of  the  best  people  of  the  community  which  has  represented 
their  home  for  so  many  years,  and  they  are  in  every  detail  worthy  of 
the  high  place  they  occupy  in  popular  confidence  and  esteem. 


Mks.  Etta  Frushour  was  the  wife  of  the  late  William  Frushour, 
a  man  who  was  all  his  life  a  resident  of  this  township,  and  who 
passed  his  life  on  the  farm  on  which  he  was  born,  and  where  his 
death  occurred,  and  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Bethlehem  town- 
ship. His  widow  occupied  that  place,  and  like  him,  was  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  estimable  and  honorable  of  people.  She  maintained  her  high 
place  in  popular  confidence  and  esteem,  and  was  prominent  in  every  good 
W'Ork  that  found  expression  in  her  community. 

Born  in  ^Missouri,  April  25,  1859,  Mrs.  Frushour  was  the  daughter  of 
Paul  and  Ellen  (Long)  Gundrum.  Paul  Gundrum  was  a  native 
Indianian,  who  came  from  Winnimac,  Indiana,  in  1869,  and  settled  in 
Cass  county,  where  Mrs.  Frushour,  his  daughter,  was  reared.  He  died 
on  March  2,  1912,  after  having  passed  a  life  devoted  to  farming  and 
kindred  activities.  They  were  .people  of  German  ancestry  and  descent. 
The  mother  died  on  the  8th  day  of  April,  1912,  surviving  her  honored 
husband  by  but  a  very  brief  period,  as  will  be  seen.  Etta  Frushour 
was  their  only  child. 

In  her  young  maidenhood  Mrs.  Frushour  married  William  Frushour, 
the  date  of  their  marriage  being  October  21,  1880.  He  was  a  son  of  old 
pioneers  of  Cass  county,  and  he  was  bora  on  the  farm  where  he  passed 
his  life  and  died,  and  where  his  widow  also  died.  His  father  came 
here  in  a  most  primitive  period  and  located  a  farm,  putting  up  a  rude 
log  house  and  settling  down  to  farm  life  in  a  new  and  untaught  country. 
Heavy  timber  growths  covered  the  land  at  that  time,  and  this  was  gradu- 


1072  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

ally  cleared  away  and  the  farm  came  to  take  on  an  aspect  of  homelike- 
ness  that  has  been  only  intensified  with  the  passing  years.  Indians 
were  not  strangers  to  the  settlers  of  that  time,  and  trying  times  were 
experienced  by  the  sturdy  family  who  settled  in  the  wilderness.  The 
farm  as  it  originally  stood  comprised  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
land,  but  the  pioneer  father  and  his  sturdy  sons  continued  to  add  to  their 
holdings  by  purchase,  until  at  the  time  of  the  death  of  William  Frushour, 
the  home  place  aggregated  some  eight  hundred  acres  of  the  most  arable 
land  in  Cass  county.  Building  work  has  been  kept  up  on  the  place  from 
year  to  year,  and  the  dwelling  and  other  buildings  are  of  the  most 
modern  and  approved  type  in  all  that  makes  for  comfort  and  convenience. 

William  and  Etta  Frushour  had  three  children.  The  eldest  of  these, 
Essie,  married  Edward  Johnson,  and  they  had  two  children, — Russell, 
born  April  22,  1902,  and  Mary  Hazel,  born  August  6,  1906.  For  her 
second  husband  Essie  wedded  Francis  M.  Bolton,  September  25,  1912. 
Mr.  Bolton  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  Indiana,  bona  July  6,  1873, 
and  educated  in  the  common  schools.  He  is  an  agriculturist  and  belongs 
to  the  Gleaners.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bolton  reside  in  Bethlehem  township. 
Frank  was  the  second  child  of  his  parents.  He  was  born  in  1884,  and 
died  on  January  17,  1912.  Cecil,  born  in  1895,  died  on  November 
12,  1912. 

Mrs.  Frushour  and  her  family  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  Bethlehem  township  for  many  years  and  she  maintained  an 
active  position  in  the  various  departments  of  the  activities  of  that  body. 
She  was  a  woman  of  the  most  excellent  traits  of  mind  and  heart,  and  was 
a  leader  in  thought  and  action  in  her  community,  where  her  accomplish- 
ments gained  her  an  enviable  position  in  the  esteem  of  her  many 
friends  and  acquaintances. 

Mr.  Frushour  passed  away  at  his  home  on  December  7,  1909,  at  the 
age  of  fifty-fiv^e  years,  and  his  death  is  still  felt  in  a  community  that 
had  known  him  intimately  all  his  life  and  which  recognized  his  many 
splendid  qualities  and  his  worthy  and  consistent  life.  ^Irs.  Frushour 
departed  this  life  January  19,  1913,  and  she  was  interred  in  jMount  Hope 
cemetery,  Logansport,  Indiana. 

John  J.  Helms.  One  of  the  well  improved  and  prosperous  farms  in 
this  state  in  northeastern  Cass  county  near  Hoover  is  that  o\^Tied  by 
John  J.  Helms,  who  has  been  identified  with  this  part  of  Cass  county  for 
the  past  quarter  of  a  century,  and  who  has  acquired  a  liberal  share  of 
material  goods,  and  at  the  same  time  has  won  a  place  of  high  esteem  in 
the  community.  Both  he  and  his  wife  represent  old  Indiana  families, 
and  Mrs.  Helms'  people  were  pioneers  of  Cass  county. 

John  J.  Helms  was  born  in  Hamilton  county,  Indiana,  December 
30,  1857.  His  parents  were  Calvin  Fletcher  and  Priseilla  (Woods) 
Helms.  There  are  two  brothers  of  John  J.  Helms,  namely:  William  J. 
who  married  Lydia  Wiseman ;  and  Elworth,  who  married  Claire  Lanb. 
All  the  family  were  born  and  reared  in  Indiana  and  its  members  have 
lived  in  the  state  practically  from  the  pioneer  time. 

On  the  ninth  of  January,  1888,  Mr.  Helms  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Miss  Sarah  Crook.  Mrs.  Helms  is  a  native  of  Cass  county,  and 
her  parents  were  Patrick  and  Nancy  (Stevens)  Crook.    Her  father  died 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1073 

in  March,  1885,  while  her  mother  is  still  living  and  resides  at  her  home. 
Her  father  had  come  to  Cass  county  from  Wayne  county,  settling  in 
Clay  township,  and  later  moving  to  his  permanent  home  farm,  where  he 
bought  one  hundred  sixty  acres.  At  the  time  of  his  settlement,  the  land 
was  covered  with  woods  and  it  required  all  of  the  labor  of  a  pioneer  to 
clear  it  off  for  cultivation.  There  were  no  railroads,  and  the  only  means 
of  travel  was  by  wagon  or  horseback,  and  in  making  the  trip  from  Wayne 
county  they  were  on  the  road  for  one  week.  The  Crook  family  has  been 
well  known  for  many  years  in  Cass  county,  and  Mrs.  Helms  has  six 
brothers  and  one  sister,  whose  names  are  as  follows :  Charles,  who  died 
in  1896;  William,  who  married  a  Miss  Eliza  Young;  Margaret,  who 
died  in  1862 ;  Jacob  wedded  Elizabeth  Young ;  Ashford ;  James,  who  died 
in  1888,  and  Williard,  who  married  Mary  Rush. 

Mr.  John  J.  Helms  came  to  Cass  county  in  1888,  settling  upon  the 
farm  which  he  still  occupies.  The  place  at  that  time  was  improved 
with  a  small  frame  house,  and  barn,  and  with  his  subsequent  thrift  and 
prosperity  he  has  remodeled  both  of  them  and  not  only  made  them 
modern,  but  representative  of  the  thorough  business-like  conditions  which 
are  maintained  all  over  the  estate.  He  is  the  owaier  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty-five  acres  and  cultivates  it  practically  all  himself.  He  and 
his  wife  have  labored  together  to  effect  a  comfortable  prosperity  and 
to  create  a  good  home  for  their  children,  and  their  work  has  been 
entirely  successful.  ]\Ir.  Helms  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church,  and 
in  politics  is  a  Republican.  He  and  his  wife  are  the  parents  of  five 
children :  Herman  Clifford,  born  November  4,  1889 ;  David  Ross,  born 
July  18,  1891;  Ruth,  born  September  6,  1892;  Laura,  born  June  15, 
1895 ;  Anna,  born  September  29,  1899.  The  son  Herman  married  Lola 
Leffel,  and  the  daughter  Ruth  married  Hubert  Moss. 

George  L.  Beecher.  Of  Cass  county  farmer  citizens,  who  began 
their  careers  with  practically  nothing,  and  have  used  a  splendid  industry 
to  make  a  modern  hom.estead  out  of  the  wilderness  of  brush,  and  against 
all  the  obstacles  of  nature,  one  of  the  best  examples  lives  in  Adams 
township,  Mr.  George  L.  Beecher.  Mr.  Beecher 's  address  is  R.  F.  D. 
12  miles  No.  21.  It  is  at  that  point  on  the  rural  free  delivery  route  that 
his  present  homestead,  with  all  its  excellent  improvements,  is  located. 
Some  twenty-three  years  ago  Mr.  Beecher  took  this  place  when  it  was 
covered  with  woods  and  brush,  and  much  of  the  land  was  under  water 
during  the  seasonal  part  of  the  year,  and  his  first  home  was  a  log  cabin, 
which  existed  there  at  the  time  of  his  removal.  All  these  things  have 
given  way  to  a  modern  system  of  cultivation,  and  he  is  now  one  of  the 
most  progressive  and  prosperous  farmers  of  Adams  township. 

George  L.  Beecher  was  born  in  Pen;  township,  Miami  county,  In- 
diana, September  22,  1862.  His  parents  were  AVilliam  V.  and  Jiilia  A. 
(Beecher)  Beecher.  The  family  were  originally  from  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  name  of  the  paternal  grandfather  was  Benjamin  Beecher,  and  of 
the  maternal  grandfather  AVilliam  Beecher.  The  father,  during  his 
early  life,  moved  from  his  native  state  to  Ohio,  locating  first  near 
Columbus,  where  he  was  married,  and  where  he  lived  for  about  four 
years  and  was  engaged  in  his  trade  as  carpenter.     Later  he  moved  to 


1074  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Indianapolis,  where  he  followed  the  same  occupation,  and  then  came  to 
Pern  township  in  Miami  county,  Indiana.  This  last  removal  occurred 
in  1860,  and  in  Miami  county  he  became  a  settler  upon  a  farm,  which 
was  his  home  until  1871.  At  that  date  he  bought  a  home  in  Jefferson 
township,  of  the  same  county,  and  there  continued  his  quiet  occupations 
of  a  farmer  and  substantial  citizen,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  the  twentj'-third  of  September,  1900. 

George  L.  Beecher  remained  at  home  ^^ntil  he  was  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  and  in  the  meantime  had  acquired  a  fair  education  in  the  district 
schools,  and  by  the  Avork  and  responsibilities  of  the  home  farm  had 
developed  good  physical  powers  and  a  knowledge  of  the  business  of 
farming.  Beginning  for  himself,  without  any  capital,  he  first  rented  a 
farm  in  Adams  towTiship  of  Cass  county,  but  a  year  later  returned  to 
Miami  county  where  he  lived  as  a  renter  for  five  years.  After  this  he 
came  to  the  homestead  which  he  still  occupies.  It  was  eighty  acres  of 
land,  but  of  this  quantity  only  twenty-five  aeres  could  be  worked,  since 
all  the  rest  was  covered  with  brush  and  timber  and  water,  and  it  was 
by  dint  of  hard  labor  and  close  and  thrifty  management  that  he  cleared 
up  the  land  and  tiled  it  until  now  the  entire  farm  is  productive  and 
cultivatable.  Besides  the  lack  of  other  improvements,  the  farm  had 
only  a  log  house,  and  a  rough  barn,  and  these  two  have  long  since  yielded 
to  a  comfortable  and  attractive  residence,  and  first  class  improvements 
in  barns  and  outbuildings. 

Mr.  Beecher  was  married  March  2,  1884,  to  Miss  Sarah  E.  Fisher. 
Their  five  children,  Avith  dates  of  birth  as  follow:  Clinton  E.  bom  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1885;  Lyman  E.,  bom  December  13,  1886;  Wreathe  Fern, 
born  December  29,  1886;  Walter  V.,  born  November  19,  1895;  and 
Truman,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Clinton  E.  received  a  common  school  education  and  one  term  in 
the  Twelve-Mile  high  school  and  two  terms  in  Marine  Normal.  He 
wedded  Miss  Gi'ace  H.  Condon,  second  child  of  Merrill  Condon  and 
Mary  Elrine.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beecher  are  members  of  the  Brethren  church. 
He  is  a  Republican,  a  resident  of  Fulton,  Indiana,  and  a  carpenter. 
Lyman  E.  also  received  a  common  school  education  and  is  a  resident  of 
Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  employed  in  a  department  store.  He  married 
Lorina  Jamica.  Wreathe  Fern  is  the  wife  of  Rev.  Charles  W.  Ronk, 
of  Bridgewater,  Virginia,  a  finely  educated  man.  They  have  one  little 
daiaghter,  Mildred  Christine.  Truman  died  aged  15  months.  Walter 
v.,  the  youngest,  graduated  from  the  public  schools  in  the  class  of  1910 
and  did  two  years  high  school  work  in  Twelve-Mile  school  and  is  a  great 
lover  of  mathematics. 

Mrs.  George  L.  Beecher  is  a  native  of  Miami  county,  Indiana,  born 
July  9,  1858,  and  she  is  the  fifth  born  in  a  family  of  nine  children,  five 
sons  and  four  daughters  bom  to  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  (Rush)  Fisher. 
Six  of  the  children  are  residents  of  Indiana  and  two  brothere,  Abram 
and  Isiah  are  residents  of  INlichigan.  Mrs.  Beecher 's  father  was  of  Ger- 
man lineage  and  the  name  "Fisher"  was  originally  spelled  "Fischer"  in 
the  German. 

The  Beechers  have  a  five-passenger  touring  car  of  the  Ford  make  and 
their  estate  is  called  ' '  The  Crescent  Stock  Farm. ' ' 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1075 

C.  T.  KiNZiE.  The  last  sixty  years  have  brought  many  and  marked 
changes  to  what  is  now  Cass  count3^  Half  a  century  or  more  ago  there 
were  large  areas  of  land,  extending  for  miles  in  unbroken  forest,  a 
few  settlements  having  been  made  along  the  streams,  but  practically 
all  that  part  now  included  in  Adams  township  could  he  secured  for 
homesteads  from  the  government  by  those  in  search  of  permanent  homes, 
by  the  payment  of  a  very  small  amount  of  money.  It  was  at  a  time 
when  people  spoke  of  a  dollar  as  made  up  of  one  hundred  cents,  and 
dollars  were  scarce  with  the  pioneering  class,  and  when  Abraham  Kinzie 
paid  for  a  claim  of  160  acres  of  virgin  land,  his  capital  was  about 
exhausted,  although  this  land,  now  worth  hundreds  of  dollars,  was 
secured  for  thirteen  dollars  an  acre.  The  Kinzies  came  to  Indiana  from 
Virginia,  a  vigorous,  enterprising  family,  members  of  which  have  ever 
since  been  identified  with  the  development  of  Cass  county.  C.  T.  Kinzie, 
who  may  almost  call  himself  a  native  of  Cass  county,  having  been 
brought  to  this  section  in  his  infancy  and  spent  sixty-one  years  here, 
is  one  of  the  respected  citizens  and  prosperous  agriculturists  of  Adams 
township,  his  276  acres  of  fine  land  representing  two  separate  farms. 
He  was  born  January  1,  1852,  in  Franklin  county,  Virginia,  and  is  a 
son  of  Abraham  and  Charlotte  (Shawalton)  Kinzie,  and  a  grandson 
of  Abram  Kinzie  and  George  Shawatter. 

C.  T.  Kinzie  was  brought  as  an  infant  to  Indiana,  the  trip  from 
Virginia,  made  by  wagon,  taking  six  weeks.  The  family  first  settled 
on  the  old  Tabor  farm,  a  tract  of  160  acres,  where  a  two-room  log  house 
and  small  log  barn  were  built,  and  this  land  was  subsequently  cleared 
by  the  father  and  his  sons,  and  is  now  the  property  of  Mr.  Kinzie 's 
brother.  Here  Mr.  Kinzie  Avas  reared  to  manhood,  his  education  being 
secured  in  the  primitive  schools  of  his  day  and  locality,  and  he  was 
thoroughly  trained  in  the  rudiments  of  farming  and  taught  to  respect 
the  honor  and  dignity  of  hard  labor,  thrift  and  industry.  After  his 
marriage,  he  settled  on  the  John  LefPel  farm,  where  he  resided  for  fifteen 
years,  working  this  land  in  conjunction  with  his  brother  and  building 
good  structures  on  his  half  of  the  property.  Later  he  traded  his  land 
for  144  acres  in  Adams  township,  on  which  there  was  a  log  house  and 
barn,  and  there  spent  six  years,  greatly  improving  this  farm.  In  the 
meantime  he  secured  two  hundred  acres  in  Miami  township,  south  of 
the  river,  and  also  his  present  farm  in  Adams  township,  a  tract  of 
thirty-three  acres,  which  he  has  continued  to  cultivate  to  the  present 
time,  and  on  which  he  now  resides.  He  is  an  able  agriculturist,  taking 
advantage  of  all  the  aids  that  invention,  discovery  and  science  have  made, 
and  his  success  has  been  commensurate  Avith  his  hard  and  faithful  labor. 

In  1872  Mr.  Kinzie  Avas  married  first  at  New  "Waverly.  Indiana,  by 
Dr.  Quick,  to  Miss  Mary  Moore,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  as  folloAvs:  Ida.  AA'ho  married  Amos  Eller;  Lottie,  Avho  became 
the  wife  of  William  Kinger ;  Noah,  Avho  married  Clara  Moss ;  Elsie,  who 
married  Charles  Angle ;  Laura.  Avho  married  Ray  Movtz ;  Maggie,  Avho 
married  Harry  Miller ;  Marian,  who  married  Elva  Wagner ;  Martha, 
who  married  Irvin  Angle ;  and  Teresa.  AA'ho  became  the  wife  of  Emmett 
Buskirk.  His  first  AA-ife  died  in  1897,  and  he  was  married  second  to 
Miss  Lillie  Harris.  His  third  union  occurred  in  1902,  when  he  was 
married  to  Mrs.  Fannie  (Altiee)  Dillon,  and  she  died  in  March.  1909, 


1076  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

having  been  the  mother  of  three  children ;  Claudine,  who  was  born  in 
March,  1903 ;  Cecil  Abraham,  born  in  October,  1904 ;  and  Sarah,  born 
in  October,  1907.  Mr.  Kinzie  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  old  Dunkard 
church,  and  he  is  a  Republican  in  politics. 

WiLLARD  AuLT.  The  title  of  Willard  Ault  to  a  position  among  the 
representative  men  of  Cass  county  lies  not  only  in  the  fact  that  he  has 
resided  here  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  but  also  as  one  who 
has  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  the  growth  and  development  of 
his  section.  Mr.  Ault's  present  handsome  farm  in  Adams  township 
was  but  a  worthless  stretch  of  timbered  ground,  devoid  of  any  improve- 
ments save  several  primitive  log  buildings,  and  the  property  bore  little 
resemblance  to  the  present  Maplehurst  Farm,  which,  with  its  stately 
structures,  its  well-kept  fields  and  its  herds  of  sleek  cattle,  presents  an 
air  of  prosperity  that  at  once  assures  the  visitor  of  Mr.  Ault's  ability 
as  an  agricialturist.  He  was  born  March  11,  1866,  in  Miami  county, 
Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Price)  Ault,  and  a  grand- 
son of  Frederick  Ault  and  Charles  Price.  Mr.  Ault's  father  died  in 
1883,  while  his  mother  still  survives  and  lives  in  Adams  township. 

Willard  Ault  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his 
native  locality,  and  in  1885  located  on  his  mother's  farm  in  Adams 
township,  on  the  Cass  county-Miami  county  line.  There  he  continued  to 
be  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  for  five  years,  and  in  1890  came 
to  his  present  farm,  a  tract  of  one  hundred  acres,  on  which  stood  a 
little  log  stable  and  a  shack  which  passed  for  a  house.  Here  Mr.  Aiilt 
settled  down  to  clear  his  land,  and  soon  replaced  the  primitive  buildings 
with  others  of  a  more  substantial  character.  As  the  years  passed,  he 
put  more  and  more  of  his  land  under  cultivation,  and  his  equipment 
and  improvements  increased  as  his  finances  would  permit.  Maplehurst 
Farm  is  now  one  of  the  valuable  properties  of  Adams  township,  made 
such  through  hard  and  intelligent  work,  and  in  addition  Mr.  Ault  owns 
thirty-five  acres  located  one  mile  east  of  his  home,  which  is  a  beautiful 
location.  Although  he  has  been  busily  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits, 
Mr.  Ault  has  found  time  for  other  activities,  following  contracting  with 
a  large  measure  of  success,  and  being  the  builder  of  all  of  his  own 
buildings  as  well  as  those  of  a  number  of  his  neighbors.  He  is  recognized 
as  a  business  man  in  whose  word  the  highest  confidence  may  be  placed, 
and  his  integrity  and  honorable  dealing  have  attracted  to  him  a  wide 
circle  of  friends.  While  a  resident  of  ]\Iiami  county,  prior  to  coming 
to  Cass  county,  he  taught  school  for  fourteen  years,  and  became  a  well 
known  and  popular  edvicator.  Although  not  an  aspirant  for  public 
preferment,  Mr.  Ault  takes  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  political 
matters,  and  has  always  given  his  hearty  support  to  the  policies  and 
candidates  of  the  Democratic  party.  His  religious  affiliation  is  with 
the  Christian  church. 

On  March  28,  1890,  Mr.  Ault  was  married  in  Howard  county,  Indiana, 
to  Miss  Kathryn  Morrison,  daughter  of  Enoch  and  Sydney  (Snyder) 
Morrison,  farming  people  of  Howard  county,  and  to  this  union  there 
have  been  born  two  children:  Ina  M.,  born  November  16,  1891,  who 
resides  on  the  home  farm;  and  Elizabeth,  born  ]\Iarch  23,  1893,  who 
married  Dwight  M.  Kime.     Probably  no  family  in  Adams  township  is 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1077 

better  known  or  more  highly  esteemed,  and  the  name  has  always  stood 
for  business  integrity,  public  spirit  and  good  citizenship. 

William  Carson.  The  general  citizenship  of  Adams  township  is 
made  up  of  people  of  sterling  character,  good  morals  and  a  pleasant 
friendliness  which  fine  schools  and  many  church  privileges  encourage. 
Many  of  the  substantial  families  have  been  known  here  for  years  and 
the  present  heads  of  some  of  them  are  not  only  residents  but  also  natives 
of  Indiana.  They  are  largely  agriculturists  and  their  well-cultivated 
fields  and  herds  of  sleek  cattle  and  healthy  looking  stock  proclaim  that 
many  of  them  lead  particularly  pleasant  and  profitable  lives  amid  pros- 
perous surroundings.  William  Carson,  whose  valuable  farm  of  eighty 
acres  lies  in  a  very  desirable  section  of  Adams  township,  has  not,  how- 
ever, always  been  a  farmer,  for  three  long  years  and  three  months  of 
his  early  manhood  were  given  to  the  service  of  his  country  when  se- 
cession raised  its  gory  head  during  the  dark  days  of  the  Civil  war.  Mr. 
Carson  is  a  native  of  the  Hoosier  state,  having  been  bom  in  Jennings 
county,  September  10,  1841,  and  a  son  of  John  and  Julia  (IMcCammott) 
Carson.  His  paternal  grandfather,  William  Carson,  died  January  12, 
1841.  Mr.  Carson's  father  was  born  Janv^ary  12,  1818,  and  his  mother 
July  17,  1818,  and  they  came  from  Rutherford  county.  North  Carolina, 
at  a  very  early  day,  locating  in  Jennings  county,  where  they  spent  the 
remainder  of  their  lives  in  agricultural  pursuits. 

William  Carson  was  reared  in  Jennings  county,  and  there  received 
his  education  in  the  public  schools.  He  was  engaged  in  work  on  his 
father's  farm,  when  the  Civil  war  broke  across  the  country,  calling  all 
classes  and  conditions  of  men  to  the  defense  of  the  flag.  ]\Ir.  Carson,  with 
youthful  patriotism,  offered  his  services  and  was  accepted  as  a  member 
of  the  Sixth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry.  Perhaps  it  was 
the  military  blood  of  his  ancestors  stirring  within  him,  for  his  grand- 
father and  great-grandfather  had  both  been  valiant  soldiers  in  the 
American  army  during  the  Revolutionary  war  and  the  War  of  1812-14. 
At  any  rate  he  made  a  brave  and  faithful  soldier,  and  during  the  three 
years  and  three  months  in  which  he  fought  under  the  Stars  and  Stripes, 
he  gained  commendation  for  his  bravery  and  respect  for  the  cheerful 
manner  in  which  he  performed  every  duty  assigned  to  him.  When  he 
had  completed  his  long  and  arduous  service  and  had  received  his 
honorable  discharge,  he  returned  to  the  quiet  occupations  of  peace, 
which  he  resumed  with,  added  zest  and  self-reliance.  Not  long  there- 
after he  made  his  advent  in  Cass  county,  settling  first  in  Noble  to^\^l- 
ship,  where  he  spent  three  yeare,  and  then  coming  to  Adams  township, 
where  he  rented  land  from  Paul  Taber  for  some  years.  Finally  he 
purchased  his  present  tract  of  eighty  acres,  on  which  he  has  since  made 
his  home.  At  the  time  he  purchased  it  there  was  considerable  timber 
still  on  the  property,  the  building's  were  of  a  mediocre  order  and  the 
land  was  without  fencing.  The  timber  has  been  cleared  away,  the  farm 
thoroughly  and  neatly  fenced,  and  the  old  buildings  replaced  with  new 
ones  of  architectural  beauty  and  substantial  character.  This  woi'k  has 
consumed  years,  but  the  present  value  of  the  farm  repays  in  full  the 
labor  expended  upon  it.  Mr.  Carson  is  known  as  an  excellent  farmer, 
thoroughly  conversant  with  every  detail  of  his  vocation.     He  has  not 


1078  HISTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

devoted  his  entire  attention,  however,  to  agricultural  matters,  as  he  has 
been  identified  with  the  Twelve-Mile  State  Bank  since  its  organization 
in  1911  as  a  director,  and  holds  a  like  position  with  the  Twelve-Mile 
Telephone  Company,  an  enterprise  which  has  been  successful  since  its 
organization  in  1903.  Among  his  associates,  Mr.  Carson  is  known  as 
a  shrewd,  far-sighted  man  of  business,  whose  word  is  as  good  as  his 
deed.  His  religious  connection  is  with  the  United  Brethren  church, 
to  the  movements  of  which  he  has  been  a  liberal  contributor.  In  politics 
a  Kepubliean,  he  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of 
his  township  for  six  years.  Mr.  Carson  has  been  interested  to  some  extent 
in  fraternal  work,  and  since  1867  has  been  a  member  of  the  Masons. 

On  January  12,  1870,  ]\Ir.  Carson  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Hicks,  daughter  of  James  Hicks,  and  to  this  union  there  were  born 
five  children,  as  follows :  Joseph  A.,  born  July  4,  1871 ;  Frederick,  born 
July  26,  1875;  Jessie,  born  October  17,  1879;  and  two  who  died  in 
infancy.  Mr.  Ca^rson  was  married  (second)  February  23,  1888,  to  Miss 
Lorinda  Leffel,  daughter  of  William  and  Catherine  (Haney)  Leffel,  of 
Cass  county,  and  they  have  one  daughter — Inez,  born  March  1,  1889, 
who  married  Hugh  Skinner  and  lives  in  Adams  township. 

Mr.  Carson  has  one  of  the  old  parchment  deeds,  which  is  a  valuable 
heirloom  in  the  home.  This  is  the  eighth  deed  found  in  the  county  and 
bears  the  signature  of  President  Van  Buren.  His  great-grandfather 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war  and  this  gives  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carson 
and  children  place  in  the  Sons  and  Daughters  of  the  Revolution. 

Mrs.  Carson  was  born  in  Cass  county,  November  17,  1857.  Both 
her  parents  are  deceased.  She  was  reared  and  educated  in  Cass  county 
and  she  is  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren  church.  Mrs.  Carson  is  of 
German  and  Mr.  Carson  of  Irish  descent. 

Daniel  R.  Carson,  general  farmer,  who  owns  seventy-two  acres  of 
some  of  the  best  land  lying  in  Adams  township,  has  been  a  resident  of 
Cass  county  for  a  number  of  years  and  is  identified  with  all  that  goes 
to  make  up  its  best  citizenship.  He  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Jennings 
county,  Indiana,  May  4,  1857,  coming  from  ancestry  largely  agricul- 
tural in  its  vocation  but  not  lacking  in  patriotism  when  called  on,  for 
both  his  grandfather  and  great-grandfather  took  part  in  the  War  of 
1812  and  Revolutionary  war,  while  his  brother,  William  Carson,  served 
gallantly  in  the  Union  ranks  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  His 
paternal  grandfather,  William  Carson,  of  Rutherford  county.  North 
Carolina,  died  January  12,  1841.  His  parents  were  John  and  Julia 
(McCammott)  Carson,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  January  12,  1818, 
and  the  latter  July  17,  1818.  From  Rutherford  county,  the  family  came 
to  Jennings  county,  Indiana,  and  here  the  parents  of  Mr.  Carson  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  lives  in  agricultural  pursuits. 

D.  R.  Carson  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Jennings 
county,  but  as  a  young  man  came  to  Cass  county  and  first  located  on 
the  Taber  section  in  Adams  township.  His  first  dwelling  was  a  house 
made  of  rough  boards,  in  which  four  of  his  children  were  born.  Mr. 
Carson  continued  to  rent  on  the  Taber  section  for  a  period  of  fifteen 
years,  and  then  purchased  his  present  tract  of  seventy-two  acres,  in 
1903.    Here  he  erected  almost  all  of  the  buildings,  put  up  new  fencing, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1079 

graded  and  drained  the  land,  and  made  numerous  other  improve- 
ments, all  of  which  have  served  to  enhance  its  value.  He  is  an  able 
agriculturist,  bringing  to  his  work  the  knowledge  gained  during  many 
years  of  experience  in  his  vocation.  His  standing  among  the  citizens  of 
his  community  is  high,  and  his  transactions  have  always  been  marked 
by  strict  integrity.  Mr.  Carson  is  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  in 
which  lie  has  many  friends,  and  his  political  faith  is  that  of  the  Prohibi- 
tion party.  With  his  family,  he  attends  the  United  Brethren  church,  of 
which  he  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees. 

On  January  13,  1881,  Mr.  Carson  Avas  married  to  Miss  Lucy 
McCassline,  daughter  of  George  McCassline,  and  to  this  union  there  have 
been  bom  six  children,  as  follows :  John  McCassline ;  Fred  D. ;  Doris, 
who  married  Walter  McCjiiire ;  Everett ;  Ovie ;  and  Ernest,  the  eldest, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years. 

George  H.  Shirey.  The  quality  of  a  man's  usefulness  in  his  com- 
mimity  is  in  no  wise  impaired  by  the  fact  that  he  leads  a  quiet  and  unpre- 
tentious life,  is  seldom  seen  in  public  places  and  takes  little  part  in  the 
political  activities  of  his  district.  If  he  goes  on  in  a  straightforward 
manly  and  enterprising  way,  giving  his  best  energies  to  the  work  before 
him  and  performing  his  share  in  matters  of  civic  responsibility,  he  proves 
the  quality  of  his  citizenship  as  forcibly  as  does  the  most  prominent  indi- 
vidual. George  Shirey  is  one  of  those  plain  and  unpretentious  char- 
acters who  find  their  chief  interest  in  their  own  private  affairs,  and  he 
has  made  his  home  in  this  to\ATiship  and  community  for  the  past  eight 
years,  in  which  time  he  has  added  his  full  quota  to  the  products  of  the 
township  as  the  seasons  come  and  go. 

Bom  in  Roanoke  county,  Virginia,  on  June  3,  1851,  George  Shirey 
is  the  son  of  John  and  Leannah  (Miller)  Shirey,  who  died  in  1885  and 
1882,  respectively.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  children, — those 
besides  the  subject  being  William  R.,  Walter  G.  and  Emma  (deceased). 

Mr.  Shirey  came  to  Bethlehem  township  in  1895,  and  eight  years  ago 
acquired  his  present  farm,  which  is  a  representative  place  of  one  hun- 
dred acres,  handled  by  himself,  without  any  other  help.  He  is  pros- 
perous and  comfortable,  and  plays  the  part  of  a  good  citizen  in  the 
varied  activities  of  communal  life  in  his  own  unassuming  and  quiet 
manner.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  as  is  also  his  wife, 
and  his  politics  are  those  of  a  Republican. 

Mr.  Shirey  wedded  Miss  Addie  L.  Montgomery,  September  12,  1883. 
She  was  born  in  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania,  July  26,  1854,  the  second 
child  in  a  family  of  eight  children,  one  son  and  seven  daughters,  born  to 
James  H.  and  Mary  E.  (Brindle)  Montgomery,  and  five  of  the  children 
are  living.  Father  Montgomery  was  a  well  educated  gentleman  and  was 
a  school  teacher  by  profession.  He  was  one  of  the  valiant  men  who 
went  from  the  old  Keystone  State  of  Pennsylvania  in  defense  of  the 
Union,  and  served  his  country  nobly  and  received  his  honorable  dis- 
charge. Politically  he  was  a  Democrat.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  tlie  Methodist  Protestant  church.  Mr.  Montgomery  died 
September  3,  1912,  and  his  wife  died  August  31,  1889. 

Mrs.  Shirey  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and  she  has  nobly 
performed  her  part  in  counsel  and  advice  with  her  husband.     Mr.  and 


1080  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

I\Irs.  Shirey  have  a  beautiful  home  situated  near  the  Michigan  pike  and 
it  is  known  as  "Council  Crest."  Mrs.  Shirey 's  brother,  Strock  ^lont- 
gomery,  makes  his  home  with  them.  Mr.  Shirey  is  a  gentleman  who 
dearly  loves  good  driving  horses,  and  has  been  the  owner  of  many.  They 
have  a  fine  five  passenger  touring  car  and  take  great  comfort  in  life. 
They  made  a  pleasure  visit  to  the  Pacific  coast  recently.  Besides  their 
fine  property  in  Bethlehem  township  they  have  240  acres  in  Gray  county, 
Kansas. 

L.  C.  Miller,  M.  D.  There  is  no  profession  to  which  men  devqte 
themselves  more  dignified  in  its  ethics  or  more  reasonably  helpful  to  the 
world  than  that  of  medicine.  Similar  claims  are  made  by  the  church  and 
by  the  law,  but  they,  while  essentially  true  enough,  are  based  on  other 
foundations.  The  healing  art  demancls  of  its  real  followers  that  natural 
reverence  for  the  dignity  of  the  human  body  that  commands  the  exer- 
cise of  all  the  skill  that  years  of  study  and  training  have  brought  to 
them;  to  cure  its  ills,  even  when  they  well  know  their  services  will 
receive  no  monetary  reward.  Where  or  when  does  a  real  physician 
refuse  to  give  help,  and.  to  what  other  body  of  men  does  the  world  owe 
so  much  ?  Its  scientific  discoveries  have  not  only  eased  the  bed  of  former 
torture,  but  have  found  the  cure  for  almost  every  bodily  affliction.  Justly 
is  this  noble  profession  in  the  fore-front.  Methods  may  differ,  systenis 
may  not  be  quite  alike,  and  personality  counts  for  much,  but  the  aim  and 
principle  remain  the  same.  Among  the  members  of  the  medical  pro- 
fession well  kno^\^l  in  Cass  county  is  Dr.  L.  C.  Miller,  whose  skill  and 
faithfulness,  together  with  his  determined  hopefulness  and  cheerfulness, 
have  made  his  presence  valued  in  many  households  during  the  last 
eighteen  years,  which  period  has  covered  his  residence  at  Twelve-Mile. 
Dr.  Miller  was  born  at  Alliance,  Ohio,  March  24,  1869,  and  is  a  son  of 
Levi  and  Alma  (Lazarus)  ^Miller,  grandson  of  Samuel  Miller  and  George 
Lazarus,  and  great-grandson  of  John  Craig. 

Dr.  Miller  was  reared  at  North  Benton,  Ohio,  at  the  home  of  an 
aunt  on  h\s  mother's  side,  Anna  Lazarus,  who  gave  him  excellent  edu- 
cational advantages.  On  determining  upon  a  medical  career,  the  young 
man  went  to  Ann  Arbor,  ^Michigan,  and  entered  the  University  of  ]\Iich- 
igan,  where  he  was  graduated  from  the  medical  department  and 
received  his  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  In  1895  Dr.  Miller  came  to 
Twelve-Mile,  and  purchased  the  practice  of  Dr.  Harding,  who  is  now 
located  at  North  Manchester,  Indiana.  Here  he  has  remained  ever 
since,  his  practice  being  a  large  and  lucrative  one  and  extending  out 
into  Adams  township  for  a  number  of  miles.  He  keeps  fully  abreast 
of  the  new  discoveries  and  inventions  by  subscription  to  a  number  of 
the  leading  medical  periodicals,  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  work 
of  the  various  medical  organizations  of  which  he  is  a  member.  It  is  not 
alone  as  a  physician,  however,  that  Dr.  Miller  is  well  known,  for  he 
has  identified  himself  with  every  movement  that  has  affected  his  com- 
munity, and  is  at  this  time  connected  with  several  of  the  leading  lousi- 
ness enterprises  of  this  place.  In  1911,  when  the  Twelve-Mile  State 
Bank  was  organized,  he  was  chosen  president,  a  position  he  has  held  to 
the  present  time,  wisely  directing  the  institution's  policies  and  popu- 
larizing its  coffers.    A  new,  one-story  bank  building  has  been  completed, 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1081 

furnishing  a  handsome  home  for  this  enterprise.  In  1903  the  Tvvelve- 
*Mile  Telephone  Company  was  organized,  and  sinlce  that  time  !Dr. 
Miller  has  acted  in  the  capacity  of  secretary.  He  is  recognized  by  his 
associates  as  a  shrewd,  forceful  man  of  business,  with  high  ideals  and 
possessed  of  the  strictest  integrity.  His  connection  with  any  enterprise 
is  a  warranty  of  its  legitimacy,  and  he  firmly  holds  the  confidence  of  the 
people  among  whom  he  has  lived  for  so  long.  He  has  taken  an  inter- 
est in  fraternal  work,  belonging  to  the  IModern  Woodmen  of  America,  the 
Masons  and  the  Odd  Fellows,  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  treasurer 
of  his  lodge  in  the  latter  order.  With  his  family,  he  attends  the  Twelve- 
Mile  United  Brethren  church. 

Dr.  Miller  was  married  in  1897  at  Deedsville,  Indiana,  to  ]\Iiss  Mary 
J.  Snider,  daughter  of  Solomon  Snider,  and  they  have  three  children, 
as  follows :  Galen,  born  April  28,  1898 ;  Alma,  born  June  23,  1905 ;  and 
Donald,  born  August  29,  1907. 

William  H.  Dillman.  One  of  the  oldest  families  of  Cass  county 
is  represented  by  A¥illiam  H.  Dillman  of  Adams  township,  whose  post- 
office  address  is  Hoover  No.  20.  The  Dillman  family  have  been  residents 
in  this  vicinity  on  the  present  farm  just  mentioned  since  1840,  a  year 
which  was  not  removed  from  the  period  of  first  settlement,  and  at  which 
time  the  present  Dillman  farm,  as  well  as  nearly  all  the  rest  of  the  coun- 
try was  almost  in  a  condition  of  primitive  wilderness.  The  present 
proprietor  of  the  well  improved  and  profitably  managed  place,  was  a 
mere  child  when  the  family  came  to  this  location.  The  various  mem- 
bers of  the  family  have  been  well  known,  have  been  industrious  workers, 
and  substantial  citizens,  and  have  borne  the  responsibilities  of  their 
relations  with  man  and  God  in  a  way  that  is  deserving  of  a  permanent 
place  in  the  record  of  Cass  county. 

W.  H.  Dillman  was  born  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  on  the  ninth  of 
October,  1839,  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  (Aukerman)  Dillman. 
The  maternal  grandfather  was  John  Aukerman.  Daniel  Dillman,  the 
father,  was  born  in  1804,  and  was  a  Virginian,  from  which  state,  when 
quite  young  he  came  to  Ohio  and  was  married  there,  and  several  years 
later  in  1840  moved  to  the  present  homestead  in  Cass  county.  His 
death  occurred  here  in  1875,  and  his  remains  now  rest  on  the  home  farm 
in  Adams  township.  At  one  time  he  served  as  trustee  of  the  to\vnship, 
and  was  also  a  justice  of  the  peace.  The  wife  of  this  venerable  pioneer 
was  born  in  1808  and  died  March  21,  1859. 

W.  H.  Dillman  was  the  fifth  in  a  family  of  eleven  children.  The 
others  being  as  follows:  Mary;  John  H.,  born  February  19,  1832; 
Aaron  A.,  born  October  5,  1834,  and  died  April  16,  1837;  Elizabeth 
C,  born  July  16,  1837;  Maria  V.,  born  June  15,  1841 ;  Solomon  F.,  born 
February  20,  1843 ;  Eliza  L.,  born  April  26,  1845 ;  Lovina  E.,  born  May 
20.  1847 ;  Isabelle  H.,  born  August  7,  1849 ;  Margaret  A.,  born  June  6, 
1852. 

Beared  in  Cass  county,  where  he  received  his  education  from  such 
schools  as  existed  during  his  youth,  and  growing  to  manhood  Mr.  Dillman 
assumed  the  responsibilities  of  farm  life.  He  and  his  brother  conducted 
the  farm  for  some  years,  until  they  finally  divided  the  farm,  and  he  has 


1082  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUxNTY 

ever  since  beeu  proprietor  and  manager  of  this  estate,  which  has  been  in 
the  famil}'  possession  almost  since  the  earliest  period  of  settlement.  At 
the  time  his  father  came  here,  the  entire  tract  of  land  was  covered  by 
woods  and  a  small  log  house  was  the  first  habitation  for  the  family. 
Father  and  sons  worked  together  to  clear  up  the  land,  and  in  time  it 
became  a  very  productive  homestead,  which  it  still  remains.  The  father, 
during  his  life  time,  built  a  very  fine  barn,  and  it  is  still  standing,  but 
Mr.  Dillman  has  erected  the  present  home. 

Mr.  W.  H.  Dillman  was  married  April  21,  1895,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Teel,  a  daughter  of  Joel  H.  and  Elizabeth  (Kenzie)  Teel.  Her  people 
came  to  Indiana  from  Virginia.  Her  father  died  when  she  was  quite 
young,  and  her  mother  brought  the  family  to  Cass  county.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Dillman  became  the  parents  of  three  children,  namely:  Gale 
JMarie,  born  October  14,  1896 ;  Carl  Teel,  born  January  16,  1899 ;  Daniel 
R.,  born  June  6,  1901. 

The  pretty  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dillman  is  known  as  "Pine  Lodge." 

George  W.  McCoy.  As  a  merchant,  George  W.  McCoy  is  one  of  the 
enterprising  men  in  the  little  town  of  Galveston,  the  metropolis  of 
Jackson  township.  Mr.  McCoy  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  has  spent  all 
his  life  in  this  state,  received  only  a  district  school  education,  as  prepara- 
tion for  a  practical  career,  but  has  used  such  energy  and  thorough  busi- 
ness ability  in  his  endeavors,  that  he  has  for  a  number  of  years  been 
marked  asone  of  the  successful  and  prosperous  men  of  his  community. 

George  W.  McCoy  was  born  in  Ripley  county,  Indiana,  October  21, 
1870.  He  is  a  son  of  Robert  W.  and  Lutetia  (Scothorn)  McCoy.  The 
father  passed  away  in  1906,  and  the  mother  in  1884.  jMr.  McCoy 
received  his  early  schooling  in  Ripley  county,  though  only  in  the  dis- 
trict schools.  He  was  reared  in  the  intiuences  of  a  good  home,  and  his 
parents  were  both  people  who  gave  him  all  the  advantages  they  could 
aiiford.  His  father,  during  the  war,  had  served  as  a  homeguard,  though 
never  going  to  the  front  for  service. 

In  February,  1896,  Mr.  McCoy  married  Miss  Laura  B.  Harness,  a 
daughter  of  A.  J.  and  Jane  (Rosberry)  Harness.  Mrs.  McCoy  is  a 
native  of  Cass  county,  and  her  father's  people  were  among  the  oldest 
settlers.  Her  great-grandfather,  George  W.  Harness  had  come  here 
during  the  pioneer  period,  and  he  lived  to  the  very  unusual  age  of  108 
years.  The  four  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ]McCoy  are  as  follows :  Ivan 
R.,  born  October  23,  1897;  Russell  Morton,  born  October  15,  1899; 
Robert  Loran,  born  November  6,  1901,  and  Frederick  Damon,  born 
October  5,  1905 ;  all  the  children  reside  at  home. 

Mr.  McCoy  has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  I\Ieth- 
odist  church  in  his  locality,  and  his  fellow  citizens  have  also  shown 
their  confidence  in  his  judgment  and  capacity  by  choosing  him  to  the 
school  board.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  Galveston,  since  1900.  Previous 
to  that  time  he  had  followed  farming  to  some  extent,  and  in  1900  entered 
upon  his  mercantile  career.  He  established  a  business  here  in  partner- 
ship, but  after  its  existence  for  about  a  year,  his  partner  died,  and  he 
then  bought  out  the  other  interest,  and  has  since  conducted  a  very 
flourishing  grocery  business.    In  politics,  Mr.  McCoy  is  a  Republican. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1083 

WiLLARD  Burrows.  Three  generations  of  the  house  of  Burrows  have 
lived  on  the  old  farm  that  came  to  be  the  property  of  the  grand- 
father of  Willard  Burrows  of  this  review  many  years  ago  in  Deer  Creek 
township,  and  which  was  then  a  virgin  wilderness.  The  axe  of  the 
pioneer  had  not  as  yet  penetrated  the  dense  forest  region,  and  the 
man  who  first  settled  on  the  farm  that  is  today  one  of  the  fine  productive 
tracts  of  the  fertile  Cass  county,  proved  his  hardihood  and  courage  in 
no  uncertain  terms  when  he  fared  forth  on  his  home  seeking  expedition 
and  located  in  a  wilderness.  But  those  were  the  dominant  character- 
istics of  our  ancestors,  and  it  was  qualities  of  that  order  that  made 
possible  the  race  that  has  brought  forth  so  much  in  the  w^ay  of  achieve- 
ment in  the  present  generation. 

Willard  Burrows  was  born  in  Deer  Creek  township  on  March  4, 
1883,  and  is  the  son  of  John  T.  and  Susan  A.  (Lenon)  Burrows,  the 
father  being  the  son  of  Joseph  Burrows,  who  established  the  family  in 
Indiana.  He  was  a  native  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  and  soon  after  his 
maiTiage  came  to  Cass  comity,  where  he  settled  on  the  farm,  men- 
tioned above,  and  which  is  now  owned  by  the  father  of  the  subject. 
There  the  old  pioneer  passed  his  life,  leaving  the  place  to  his  son  when 
he  passed  on.  He  brought  about  many  improvements  of  no  mean  order, 
and  the  buildings  which  stand  there  today  are  those  that  he  erected 
in  the  years  of  his  activity  upon  the  place. 

Logansport,  in  those  early  days,  was  a  mere  trading  post,  and  the 
wildest  and  most  primitive  conditions  prevailed  on  every  hand.  The 
old  pioneer  came  to  be  the  owner  of  some  five  hundred  acres  of  land, 
and  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  prosperous  men  of  his  day.  John  E. 
Burrows  was  reared  there  and  since  the  passing  of  his  father,  retains 
the  old  homestead,  and  carried  on  the  work  of  the  place  in  a  worthy 
manner,  up  to  1905,  since  when  he  conducts  a  drayage  business  with 
good  success. 

Willard  Burrows  is  one  of  the  two  children  of  his  parents,  the  other 
being  Mabel,  who  married  Herbert  A.  Keller.  In  recent  years  Mr. 
Burrows  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  at  Galveston  and  has  enjoyed 
a  pleasing  measure  of  success  in  that  industry.  He  is  one  of  the 
prominent  and  popular  men  of  Galveston,  and  takes  an  active  part  in 
the  best  social  and  civic  activities  of  the  place.  He  has  long  been  a 
member  of  the  United  Brethren  church,  in  which  he  is  a  trustee,  and 
treasurer  of  the  church  as  well.  He  is  a  Mason,  affiliating  with  the  East- 
ern Star  and  Galveston  Lodge  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  No.  244,  as  well  as  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Amity  Lodge  No.  262.  Politically,  he  is  a  Prohi- 
bitionist and  is  enthusiastic  on  the  subject  of  prohibition. 

In  1905  Mr.  Burrows  married  Miss  Katherine  E.  Novinger,  the 
daughter  of  John  H.  and  Adeline  (Storer)  Novinger.  Mrs.  Burrows 
was  one  of  the  three  daughters  of  her  parents,  the  others  being  Lura 
and  Delia,  the  latter  of  whom  married  Joseph  Kroeger.  One  child  has 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burrows,  Thelma  May,  who  died  in  infancy. 

Charles  F.  Thomas.  Galveston,  in  Cass  county,  Indiana,  has 
known  the  business  activities  of  Charles  F.  Thomas  and  others  of  his 
family  since  1865,  and  the  years  that  have  passed  have  witnessed  his 
progress  in  merchandise  and  other  lines  in  a  most  pleasing  degree.     He 


1084  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

was  born  in  Afton,  Minnesota,  on  February  2,  1856,  and  is  the  sou  of 
Meredith  H.  and  Harriet  A.  (Knowlton)  Thomas.  The  mother  was  the 
daughter  of  Artemas  B.  Knowlton,  and  the  father  a  son  of  H.  L.  Thomas. 
Meredith  Thomas  came  to  Indiana  with  his  father's  family  in  1850.  He 
was  a  leader  in  church  circles  and  was  treasurer  of  the  local  Baptist 
church  for  ten  years  and  clerk  of  the  church  for  a  similar  period.  He 
served  two  years  in  the  city  council  and  was  in  many  other  ways  active  in 
the  best  interests  of  the  place.  He  was  engaged  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness in  Logansport,  Indiana,  from  1850  to  1854,  after  which  he  returned 
to  Minnesota,  and  came  to  Cass  county  again  in  1865  when  he  engaged 
in  the  general  merchandise  business  with  his  brother-in-law,  M.  B. 
Knowlton.  This  partnership  endured  for  a  few  years,  after  which  the 
father  of  the  subject  continued  alone  until  1875.  The  senior  Thomas 
also  established  the  grain  elevator  in  Galveston,  and  continued  in  its 
operation  until  1895,  when  he  established  the  bank  at  this  place,  con- 
tinuing to  be  identified  with  it  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  took 
place  in  1899. 

Charles  F.  Thomas  received  his  early  education  in  the  schools  of 
Galveston,  and  during  the  years  when  his  father  was  occupied  in  the 
merchandise  business  in  this  place,  he  assisted  him  in  the  work  of  the 
establishment,  there  learning  much  in  the  way  of  operating  and  man- 
aging such  a  business  which  he  put  to  good  use  in  later  years  on  his 
own  responsibility.  He  at  one  time,  with  his  brother,  operated  a  gen- 
eral merchandise  store  in  Galveston,  but  by  mutual  consent  they  dis- 
solved partnership,  and  he  started  a  store  across  the  street  from  his 
brother.  This  he  conducted  until  the  place  was  destroyed  by  fire,  since 
which  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business,  in  which 
he  is  conducting  a  nice  business  at  the  present  writing. 

In  1880  Mr.  Thomas  was  married  to  Miss  Laura  L.  Armstrong,  the 
daughter  of  Charles  Laban  and  Elizabeth  (Lease)  Armstrong,  and 
they  have  six  children,  namely:  Harry  B.,  wlio  is  married  to  Maude 
Sharp;  Nellie  B.,  the  wife  of  Charles  Stewart;  Sarah,  married  to  Elbert 
E.  Day;  Bernard  C,  who  married  Mamie  Cooper;  Meredith  H.,  single; 
Daniel  H.,  also  single. 

Mr.  Thomas  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  in  which  he  is  active 
and  prominent,  as  well  as  others  of  his  family,  and  a  progressive  Repub- 
lican in  his  politics.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the 
]\Iodern  Woodmen,  and  is  active  and  interested  in  the  work  of  the 
societies,  as  well  as  in  all  work  pertaining  to  the  general  welfare. 

William  B.  Lake.  It  has  been  well  said  that  history  treats  of  those 
men  who  have  been  foremost  in  the  political  and  military  activities  of  a 
nation,  while  biogi-aphy  goes  further,  and  deals  with  the  individuals 
who  have  devoted  their  lives  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and  the  quiet  growth 
and  development  of  the  nation  along  those  lines.  This  being  the  fact,  it 
is  most  fitting  and  proper  that  a  man  like  William  B.  Lake,  who  is  the 
subject  of  this  necessarily  brief  review,  and  one  of  the  well  known 
farmers  of  the  county,  should  find  place  within  the  pages  of  this  work. 

William  B.  Lake  was  born  on  the  13th  of  November,  1842,  and  is  the 
son  of  Isaac  and  Laura  (Viny)  Lake.  The  father  came  from  New 
Jersey  in  young  manhood,  settling  in  Marion  county,  this  state,  later 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1085 

settling  in  Carroll  county,  where  he  passed  away  in  1871.  He  was  the 
father  of  nine  children,  of  which  number  William  B.  was  the  sixth  born. 

William  B.  Lake  was  bom  in  Carroll  county,  on  the  old  homestead  of 
his  father,  and  in  the  common  schools  of  that  community  he  received  his 
early  education.  In  1879  he  came  to  Cass  county,  here  acquiring  his 
present  farm,  and  he  has  continued  to  live  in  the  vicinity  of  Galveston 
through  the  ensuing  years.  In  1867,  on  the  3d  day  of  October,  he 
married  Lydia  Jane  Wright,  the  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Susanna  (Cline) 
Wright,  and  six  children  have  been  born  to  them,  three  of  whom  are 
deceased.  The  others  are  Laura  B.,  who  married  Val  Cunningham,  and 
has  three  children — Ellis,  Everett  and  Otis;  Lenora,  married  to  Walter 
Robinson,  has  two  children — Truman  and  Raymond ;  and  Clarence,  who 
married  Dora  Tilley,  has  three  children — Russell,  deceased,  Glenn  and 
Elsie  Imogene.  The  first,  third  and  fourth  born  of  the  children  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lake  are  dead,   they  being  Estella,   Luella  and   Clara. 

Mr.  Lake  has  lived  a  life  of  usefulness  in  the  state  and  nation,  and  as 
a  soldier  in  the  Forty-sixth  Indiana  Infantry  did  his  full  share  to 
preserve  the  integrity  of  the  Union  in  the  years  of  1861-65.  He  gave 
gallant  service  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  in  General  Sherman's 
army,  and  saw  much  of  the  most  strenuous  fighting  of  the  whole  con- 
flict. When  the  war  was  ended,  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  farm 
once  more,  and  has  continued  in  that  industry  without  interruption  since 
that  memorable  time.  He  is  known  for  one  of  the  sturdy  and  stable 
citizens  of  his  community,  bearing  a  most  excellent  reputation  wherever 
he  is  known,  and  with  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  of 
Galveston.  They  have  been  residents  of  Cass  county  for  thirty-three 
years. 

Noah  Sullivan,  the  present  trustee  of  Adams  township  is  one  of 
the  respected  and  substantial  men  of  Cass  county,  who  have  spent  their 
lives  in  farming,  and  who,  in  addition  to  acquiring  a  good  stock  of  the 
substantial  things  of  life,  and  in  providing  well  for  their  families,  have 
also  given  public  service  to  the  community  in  which  they  reside,  and 
have  borne  well  the  responsibility  of  citizenship. 

Noah  Sullivan  was  born  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  February,  1854,  in 
Miami  county,  this  state.  His  parents  were  Phillip  and  Rosanna 
(Long)  Sullivan.  He  was  reared  in  Miami  county,  where  he  attended 
the  schools,  and  at  an  early  age  took  up  the  practical  work  of  farming, 
which  he  has  followed  practically  all  of  his  life.  On  the  sixteenth  of 
August,  1878,  he  married  Miss  Melissa  Parks.  Her  father  was  Joseph 
Parks,  a  resident  of  Miami  county.  The  six  children  of  ]Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sullivan  are  as  follows:     Milo,  Grover,  Mary,  Ruth,  Nellie,  and  Enid. 

Mr.  Sullivan  and  his  family  came  to  Cass  county  in  1900  from  Miami 
county,  and  bought  eighty  acres  of  his  present  homestead  in  Adams 
township,  and  near  the  Twelve-Mile  postoffice.  Since  the  first  purchase 
he  has  added  twenty  acres  to  his  estate,  and  it  is  on  this  little  home- 
stead of  twenty  acres  that  he  makes  his  present  home.  His  son,  Milo, 
lives  on  and  is  active  manager  of  the  eighty-acre  faimi.  Michael  married 
Miss  Cora  Black,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  one  child,  Mabel,  age  five 
years.  The  family  are  members  of  the  United  Brethren  church,  and  in 
polities  Mr.  Sullivan  is  a  Democrat.     As  a  man  who  had  given  many 


1086  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

years  of  his  life  to  farming,  and  who  had  always  borne  a  high  reputa- 
tion for  integrity  in  the  community,  he  was  honored  by  his  fellow 
citizens  in  Adams  township  with  the  office  of  trustee,  the  duties  of  which 
he  has  been  efficiently  performing  since  his  election. 

Emerson  Kitchel.  Cass  county  is  rich  in  her  farming  industry  and 
in  her  innumerable  sturdy  and  stanch  young  men  who  are  devoting 
their  energies  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil  and  to  the  development  and 
continued  cultivation  of  one  of  the  most  fertile  spots  upon  the  globe. 
Not  the  least  of  these  men  is  Emerson  Kitchel,  the  owner  of  a  fine  little 
farm  of  recent  acquiring,  and  the  manager  of  another  which  is  the 
property  of  his  father.  Emerson  Kitchel  was  born  in  1871  in  Deer  Creek 
township,  on  the  old  Kitchel  homestead,  and  is  the  son  of  Daniel  and 
Ellen  (Babb)  Kitchel.  The  father  came  from  Union  county,  Indiana, 
in  his  young  manhood,  and  practically  all  his  life  has  been  devoted  to 
farming  activities;  He  is  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  having  fought  in 
the  Eighth  Indiana  Infantry.  He  reared  a  family  of  ten  children,  as 
follows:  Emerson,  Lauana,  Jacob,  Harriet,  Alvin,  Nellie,  Everett, 
Edgar,  Charles  and  Nettie.  This  family  were  schooled  in  Young 
America,  Cass  county,  and  all  attended  the  schools  of  Terre  Haute. 
Everett  is  a  student  of  Purdue  University,  and  Charles  and  Nettie 
attended  college  in  Marion.  Five  of  the  children  taught  school  in  Cass 
county,  and  gave  excellent  service  in  an  educational  way  while  they 
were  thus  employed. 

Emerson  Kitchel  worked  on  the  home  farm  between  school  periods 
and  finished  in  the  Young  America  high  school.  He  later  taught  school 
and  saved  enough  money  from  his  earnings  to  buy  his  present  farm, 
which  he  has  been  most  successful  in  operating.  General  farming  and 
stock  raising  claim  his  attention,  and  in  addition  to  his  own  place  he 
rents  the  farm  of  his  father  near  Walton,  which  he  operates  in  con- 
junction with  his  o\\Ti  place. 

Mr.  Kitchel  bears  a  most  excellent  reputation  in  the  community  and 
enjoys  the  high  regard  of  all  who  know  him.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Sons  of  Veterans,  and  he  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church. 

On  March  15,  1900,  Mr.  Kitchel  man-ied  Miss  Nellie  Bell,  the  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Susan  (Knock)  Bell,  and  she  was  a  teacher  in  Galves- 
ton for  twelve  years.  Mr.  Bell  came  to  Cass  county  with  his  parents, 
and  there  has  continued  to  make  his  home  to  the  present  time,  although 
he  is  now  retired  from  active  business  and  is  leading  a  quiet  life  of 
rural  content  at  his  home  in  Galveston.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bell  had  three 
children,  those  in  addition  to  Mrs.  Kitchel  being  Elizabeth,  now  Mrs. 
Davis,  and  Harvey,  who  lives  in  Galveston.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kitchel  have 
four  children — Mary,  Pauline,  Frances  and  Edwin.  The  three  first 
named  are  attending  school  in  Galveston. 

D.  C.  Barnett,  M.  D.  One  of  the  oldest  and  best  known  physicians 
of  southern  Cass  county,  Dr.  Barnett  has  practiced  his  profession  for 
upwards  of  half  a  century,  and  has  rendered  an  aggregate  of  service  to 
humanity  which  could  not  be  described  in  any  fitting  maimer  repre- 
sented as  it  deserves.    Dr.  Barnett  represents  one  of  the  old  families  of 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1087 

Cass  county,  aud  is  himself  one  of  the  oldest  living  native  born  resi- 
dents. 

D.  C.  Barnett  was  born  in  Georgetown,  Cass  county,  February  14, 
1839,  a  son  of  Joshua  aud  Jane  (Voorhees)  Barnett.  Joshua  Barnett 
came  to  Indiana  from  Ohio,  and  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  in  Cass 
county,  having  located  here  before  the  wilderness  was  cleared  up,  and  he 
himself  contributed  no  unimportant  share  to  the  labors  of  the  pioneers. 

Dr.  Barnett  received  his  early  education  in  Howard  county,  and 
in  the  city  of  Kokomo.  He  read  medicine  at  New  London  in  Howard 
county,  and  first  began  practice  at  Young  America,  in  Cass  county. 
When  he  was  twenty-three  years  of  age  he  went  into  the  army  as  a 
member  of  Company  D  of  the  Eighty-ninth  Indiana  Infantry,  under 
Captain  John  E.  Williams  of  Kokomo.  He  was  at. the  front  for  two 
years,  and  was  wounded  in  the  battle  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Louisiana,  and 
at  the  engagement  of  Sabine  Crossroads  he  was  captured  and  kept  a 
prisoner  of  war  for  sixty-five  days.  Then  being  paroled  he  came  home 
in  July,  1864,  and  was  mustered  out  of  service  in  December  following. 

Dr.  Barnett  was  married  in  1861  to  Miss  Virginia  Stewart,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Edward  and  Elizabeth  (Williamson)  Stewart.  The  six  children 
born  of  their  marriage  are  as  follows :  Mrs.  Carrie  Duncan,  who  is  the 
mother  of  six  children;  Frank,  who  married  Margaret  Vance,  and  who 
has  seven  children;  Lola,  who  is  married  and  has  one  child  named 
Olive;  Harry,  who  married  Nora  Garr,  and  has  two  children  named 
Pauline  and  Rosaline;  Fred,  who  married  Elizabeth  Williams,  and  has 
four  children  named  Thelma,  Earl,  Vera  and  Areline;  Edward,  who 
married  Dora  Alexander  and  has  two  children.  The  doctor  is  affiliated 
with  the  Grand  Army  post,  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church. 

Charles  S.  Sakig  is  one  of  the  prominent  and  prosperous  young 
farmers  of  Cass  county,  of  which  he  has  been  a  resident  for  a  number 
of  years.  He  was  born  in  1856  in  Berks  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  is 
the  son  of  Daniel  and  Katherin  (Sassaman)  Sarig,  of  German  ancestry. 
The  parents  were  born  in  Berks  county,  and  was  there  reared,  being 
one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  the  district,  in  which  he  was  widely 
known  as  a  prosperous  fai-mer.  He  reared  a  family  of  eight  children, 
named  as  follows :  Charles,  of  this  review ;  Ellen ;  Sarah ;  Emma ; 
Salena;  Ellis;  Wilson;  and  Albert.  The  father  died  in  1909,  aud  the 
mother  is  still  a  resident  of  the  old  Pennsylvania  home  in  Berks  county. 

As  a  boy,  Charles  Sarig  attended  the  public  schools  and  did  his  full 
share  of  the  work  of  the  farm,  in  connection  with  his  school  work.  He 
learned  the  carpenter's  trade  in  his  native  community,  and  when  he 
was  in  early  manhood  left  his  country  home  and  came  to  Indiana.  He 
had  an  uncle  living  in  Kokomo,  and  he  settled  there,  for  two  years  giv- 
ing his  time  to  carpentering.  He  later  turned  his  attention  to  farming, 
and  acquired  a  fruitful  farm  of  «ighty-six  acres  in  Jackson  towTiship, 
about  three  and  a  half  miles  from  Galveston.  Here  he  has  continued 
to  farm  in  the  most  approved  fashion,  and  is  rapidly  coming  to  be  known 
as  one  of  the  successful  farming  men  of  the  county. 

On  February  24,  1887,  Mr.  Sarig  married  Miss  Adie  Bell  Winters, 


1088  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

and  they  have  three  children:     J.  D.,  Harry  E.  and  Minnie  B.     The 
eldest  son  is  married  to  Lela  Timnions,  and  they  live  in  Walton,  Indiana. 
Mr.  Sarig  afifiliates  with  the  Democratic  party  and  is  a  member  of 
the  advisory  board  of  the  township. 

James  A.  Henry.  Long  years  of  active  and  successful  farming  in 
Cass  county  have  won  for  James  A.  Henry  a  reputation  for  efficiency, 
skill  and  far-sightedness  in  his  work  that  extends  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  county  and  established  him  in  all  fixity  in  the  ranks 
of  the  leading  agricultural  men  of  the  district.  He  has  demonstrated 
most  unequivocally  his  prowess  as  a  tiller  of  the  soil,  and  his  achieve- 
ments in  the  stock-raising  industry  have  been  no  less  praiseworthy. 
Diversified  farming  finds  its  ultimate  success  in  Cass  county,  and  none 
has  done  more  to  establish  the  fame  of  the  county  along  those  lines 
than  has  Mr.  Henry.  As  the  owner  and  manager  of  a  fine  farm  of 
some  two  hundred  acres  near  Galveston,  his  name  stands  for  much  that 
is  praiseworthy  in  agricultural  circles,  and  it  is  eminently  fitting  that 
some  mention,  however  brief  it  must  be,  shall  be  made  of  him  and  his 
accomplishments  in  a  work  of  the  nature  of  which  this  publication 
partakes. 

James  A.  Henry  was  born  on  the  11th  of  December,  1842,  in  Carroll 
county,  in  Burlington,  Indiana,  and  is  the  son  of  William  and  Jane 
(Guinn)  Henry.  The  father  came  from  Pennsylvania,  of  the  vicinity  of 
Harrisburg,  in  his  early  manhood  and  settled  in  Indiana.  He  was 
reared  to  the  trade  of  a  cabinet  maker,  although  boi-n  on  a  Pennsylvania 
farm,  and  when  he  came  to  Indiana  he  forsook  the  cabinet  maker's  art 
and  turned  his  attention  to  farm  life,  for  which  he  possessed  a  natural 
fondness,  and  in  which  he  had  received  a  judicious  training  in  his 
boyhood  at  home.  He  amply  demonstrated  the  wisdom  of  his  choice, 
gaining  a  prominent  place  in  farming  circles,  and  ending  his  days  in 
the  occupation  of  a  farmer.  He  and  his  wife  reared  three  children: 
Samuel  A.,  Malinda  Jane,  and  James  A.  Henry,  whose  name  initiates 
this  brief  review. 

James  A.  Henry  settled  in  Cass  county  in  his  young  manhood,  and 
here  he  acquired  a  tract  of  farming  land,  settling  down  in  a  home  of  his 
own  after  his  marriage  with  Miss  Jane  H.  Millman.  Eleven  children 
were  born  to  them,  ten  living,  named  as  follows :  Elisha,  Alma,  Lily, 
Maud,  Ruth,  Myra,  Bernice,  William  R.,  Paul  J.,  and  Clinton  B.,  all 
of  whom  are  today  living  lives  of  usefulness  in  the  various  communities 
in  which  they  have  settled  with  the  coming  of  years  of  maturity  and 
responsibility. 

Mr.  Henry,  natiirally  enough,  has  in  his  time  experienced  certain 
of  the  hardships  of  the  agricultural  man,  but  he  has,  in  the  main, 
prospered  agreeably,  and  is  today  regarded  as  one  of  the  well  estab- 
lished and  wholly  successful  men  of  his  community.  He  is  still  active 
and  prominent  in  the  farming  industry,  diversified  agriculture  and  stock 
raising  claiming  his  interests. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Henrj^  has  membership  in  the  Masonic  order  and 
in  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  the  churchly  relations 
of  him  and  his  family  are  with  the  Baptist  church  of  Galveston. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1089 

John  F.  Stanley.  Another  of  the  sons  of  pioneers  who  have  given 
their  lives  to  the  upbuilding  and  development  of  Cass  county,  is  John 
F.  Stanley,  a  resident  of  this  community  from  his  birth,  and  the  son 
of  a  man  who  was  born  in  Galveston,  his  father  having  pioneered  to 
these  parts  in  the  days  before  county  lines  existed,  and  when  farming 
was  at  its  earliest  state  of  development.  The  old  Stanley  farm  is  one  that 
stands  for  much  in  the  way  of  growth  and  development  in  this  commu- 
nity today,  three  generations  of  its  men  having  derived  their  sustenance 
from  its  broad  acres  and  built  it  up  to  its  present  state  of  agricultural 
perfection.  John  F.  Stanley,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch,  all 
too  brief  to  do  justice  to  the  family,  was  born  on  the  old  Stanley  farm, 
on  November  16,  1879,  and  he  is  a  son  of  William  F.  and  Sarah  (Emery) 
Stanley,   the   former  of  whom  was   also   born   in    Galveston,    Indiana. 

John  F.  Stanley  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Galveston, 
and  early  turned  his  attention  to  practical  farming,  with  the  intention 
and  expectation  of  giving  his  life  to  that  work,  in  which  he  had  been 
thoroughly  grounded  by  his  father,  a  successful  and  well  known  farmer 
of  the  community.  ]\Ir.  Stanley  is  now  the  owTier  of  a  fine  farm  of 
about  two  hundred  acres,  his  place  being  one  of  the  most  productive 
among  the  better  farms  of  Jackson  township. 

Mr.  Stanley  has  shown  himself  to  have  profited  well  by  the  training 
he  received  in  his  youth,  and  he  has  supplemented  that  training  by 
actual  experience  gained  from  his  own  activities,  so  that  he  is  today 
reckoned  among  the  most  capable  farming  men  of  the  township. 

Mr.  Stanley,  it  may  be  said  here,  is  the  sixth  child  of  his  parents, 
and  the  youngest  as  well,  the  others  being :  Jesse ;  Emma ;  George, 
a  resident  of  Galveston ;  Pearl,  a  well  known  and  successful  school 
school  teacher,  and  Dolly. 

On  Christmas  day,  in  1903,  Mr.  Stanley  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Eva  Stafford,  and  they  have  had  three  children.  "William  H.,  the  first 
born,  is  dead,  as  is  also  Burl  F.,  who  died  at  the  tender  age  of  two  years ; 
Wilber  Floyd,  the  youngest  of  the  trio,  remains  to  brighten  the  home 
of  his  parents.  Mrs.  Stanley  is  a  daughter  of  Henry  Stafford,  a  native 
and  resident  of  Lincoln,  in  Cass  county.  The  Stanley  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  church  of  Galveston,  and  participate  actively  in  the 
good  works  of  that  body.  They  are  people  who  enjoy  the  genuine  friend- 
ship of  a  host  of  good  people  in  their  community,  and  none  are  better 
deserving  of  that  regard  than  are  they. 

James  S.  Mc Williams.  In  a  community  where  farming  has  reached 
a  point  where  it  is  conducted  along  scientific  lines  and  is  the  principal 
business  of  the  residents,  interest  must  inevitably  attach  itself  to  the 
activities  and  accomplishments  of  any  one  of  the  devotees  of  that 
enterprise.  James  S.  McWilliams,  who  is  especially  prominent  among 
the  farming  men  of  Jackson  township,  is  one  who  is  especially  worthy 
of  mention  in  this  historical  and  biographical  work.  His  fine  farm  of 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  is  one  of  the  show  places  of  the  eommi;nity 
and  manifests  in  the  most  telling  manner  the  character  and  calibre  of 
the  man.  Mr.  McWilliams  was  bom  in  1844  in  Decatur  county,  Indiana, 
and  is  the  son  of  Robert  and  Sarah  (Graves)  McWilliams.  They  were 
natives  of   Bartholemew   county,   Kentucky,   and   came   to    Galveston, 


1090  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Indiana,  in  the  early  fifties,  where  they  made  their  home  during  the 
remainder  of  their  lives.  They  were  the  parents  of  two  children — 
James,  of  this  review,  and  iMary,  who  is  now  deceased. 

When  he  was  a  young  lad  James  S.  McWilliams  came  from  his  native 
community  with  his  parents  and  settled  on  the  farm  that  is  today  the 
property  of  the  subject.  Mr.  McWilliams  attended  the  common  schools 
of  the  community,  there  gathering  the  rudiments  of  an  education,  to 
which  he  has  supplemented  in  an  admirable  manner  with  the  passing 
years  through  reading  and  observation,  so  that  his  education  compares 
favorably  with  that  of  men  vrho  had  greater  advantages  in  youth.  He 
remained  at  home  until  he  was  twenty-two,  then  started  out  for  him- 
self, and  he  has  been  successful  and  prosperous  in  all  his  undertakings. 
Mr.  McWilliams  was  not  lacking  in  a  thorough  training  in  the  agricul- 
tural business,  for  his  father  was  a  man  who  farmed  intensively  and  did 
not  slight  the  education  of  his  son  in  the  lessons  that  he  had  learned 
through  years  of  experience.  In  1869  Mr.  ftlcWilliams  married  Martha 
Logan  and  they  have  reared  three  children,  named  as  follows :  Minnie, 
the  wife  of  Robert  Hyatt,  who  is  the  mother  of  one  child — Russell  Hyatt ; 
Mary  E.,  who  is  the  wife  of  William  R.  Hyatt,  and  they  have  one  son, 
Clarence  C. ;  and  George  E.,  who  married  Grace  Hoover,  and  is  the  father 
of  two  children — Everett  H.  and  Marie  Helen. 

In  due  time  Mr.  McWilliams  succeeded  to  the  old  home  place,  and 
here  he  has  since  enjoyed  a  high  degree  of  prosperity  and  a  generous 
measure  of  content  and  happiness.  He  is  undeniably  one  of  the  well 
established  men  of  the  township,  in  a  material  way  as  well  as  in  the 
sincere  esteem  of  his  fellow  men.  They  are  members  of  the  Baptist 
church,  and  his  fraternal  relations  are  with  the  Masonic  order,  of  which 
he  has  long  been  a  member.  The  entire  family  is  one  that  has  earned 
and  retained  the  high  regard  and  confidence  of  all  with  whom  its  individ- 
ual members  have  come  into  contact,  and  in  their  respective  homes  and 
communities  are  securely  established  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  their 
fellows. 

Edman  a.  Leppel.  Instances  are  not  lacking  in  Cass  county  of 
men  who,  born  to  the  soil,  have  spent  some  years  in  other  pursuits  only 
to  find  the  call  of  the  land  too  strong  to  resist  and  have  therefore 
returned  to  the  occupation  of  their  forefathers.  In  this  category  stands 
Edman  A.  Leffel,  of  Bethlehem  township,  who  for  the  past  seventeen 
years  has  lived  on  his  present  property,  a  well-cultivated  tract  of  190 
acres,  which  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  and  which 
has  been  in  the  possession  of  the  Leffel  family  for  many  years.  He  was 
bom  in  the  town  of  Bethlehem,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  April  27,  1863, 
and  is  a  son  of  Arthur  and  Nancy  (Tilton)  Leffel. 

The  educational  training  of  Mr.  Leffel  was  secured  in  the  public 
schools  of  Bethlehem,  following  which  he  went  to  Logansport,  and  for 
some  years  was  engaged  in  various  occupations,  but  eventually  in  1896 
returned  to  the  homestead  in  Bethlehem  township,  where  he  has  since 
carried  on  general  farming.  He  has  made  numerous  improvements  on 
this  property,  has  a  handsome,  modern  residence  situated  on  Twelve- 
Mile  Rural  Free  Delivery  Route  No.  21,  and  is  considered  one  of  his 
community's  enterprising  and  progressive  citizens,  and  one  who  is  at 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1091 

,  all  times  ready  to  adopt  new  ideas  and  methods.  He  believes  in  the 
use  of  modern  machinery  in  his  work,  has  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
rudiments  of  his  vocation,  and  is  an  acknowledged  judge  of  livestock. 
Essentially  a  farmer,  he  has  never  cared  to  enter  public  life,  but  has 
been  content  to  follow  the  peaceful  occupation  of  tilling  the  soil,  but 
can  be  depended  upon  to  support  all  measures  that  promote  good 
government  or  make  for  the  betterment  of  his  community. 

On  October  13,  1886,  Mr.  Leffel  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Mollie  Krider,  and  they  had  four  children,  namely :  Teresa  and  Roy, 
mentioned  below;  Zola,  who  died  at. the  age  of  fourteen  months;  and 
Floyd,  who  died  when  thirteen  months  of  age.  The  daughter,  Teresa, 
is  the  wife  of  Russell  Conrad  and  resides  in  Bethlehem  township,  where 
he  is  an  agriculturist.  Mrs.  Conrad  received  her  diploma  from  the 
public  schools  in  the  class  of  1898  and  spent  one  year  in  the  Twelve- 
Mile  high  school.  She  attended  musical  institutions  in  Logansport  and 
has  taught  instrumental  music  for  two  years.  She  is  a  member  of 
the  Bethlehem  M.  E.  church  and  a  member  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society. 
The  son,  Roy,  has  completed  the  public  school  course  in  the  class  of 
1913,  and  is  at  home  with  his  father. 

Mrs.  Leffel,  daughter  of  Isaiah  W.  and  Martha  T.  Krider,  was 
born  in  Fulton  county,  Indiana,  September  26,  1864.  She  removed 
with  her  father's  family  to  Cass  county  when  four  year  sold,  where 
she  lived  continuously  until  her  death,  excepting  three  years  spent 
in  Logansport.  She  was  educated  in  the  country  schools  and  at  the 
old  Fort  Wayne  College  and  De  Pauw  University.  She  was  married  to 
Edman  A.  Leffel  October  13,  1886.  For  three  years  she  fought  a 
courageous  battle  with  disease  but  the  grim  monster  at  last  was  con- 
queror and  at  8:15  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  October  28,  1907,  her 
redeemed  spirit  left  the  emaciated  body  and  went  home  to  heaven. 

Mr.  Leffel  and  his  son  reside  in  their  beautiful  home,  which  is 
known  as  ' '  The  Pines. ' '  Mr.  Leffel  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order  at 
Twelve  Mile,  Lodge  No.  673.  He  attends  the  Methodist  church,  as  did 
also  his  wife,  and  he  is  ^  liberal  contributor  to  religious  and  charitable 
movements. 

Robert  C.  Hyatt  is  one  of  the  well  known  farmers  of  Galveston, 
Indiana,  where  he  has  lived  practically  all  his  life.  He  is  the  son  of 
William  Henry  and  Mary  J.  (Jackson)  Hyatt,  concerning  whom  fiir- 
ther  mention  is  made  in  the  sketch  of  William  R.  Hyatt,  the  brother 
of  the  subject  of  this  review. 

The  district  schools  of  Galveston  and  vicinity  furnished  practically 
all  the  schooling  that  Robert  Hyatt  received.  He  alternated  his  school 
attendance  with  the  regular  work  of  the  farm  as  a  boy,  and  so  well  did 
he  utilize  his  opportunities  for  study  that  he  was  able  to  teach  in  the 
country  schools  of  Howard  and  Cass  counties.  He  gave  up  the  work 
to  devote  his  entire  time  to  farming  and  has  since  then  been  making 
splendid  progress  in  that  line  of  industry.  His  farm  is  a  fertile  and  well 
developed  place  of  some  eighty  acres,  and  yields  him,  under  his  careful 
management,  a  bountiful  income.  It  is  located  on  the  Graves  road, 
about  a  mile  north  of  Galveston,  and  is  one  of  the  well-kept  places  of  the 
township. 


1092  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Mr.  Hyatt  is  still  a  yomig  man,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Ripley 
county,  Indiana,  on  January  23,  1870,  and  his  accomplishments  thus  far 
are  well  worthy  of  him.  He  was  postmaster  in  Galveston  for  six  years, 
in  which  office  he  gave  the  most  efficient  service  to  the  patrons  of  the 
department.  In  his  farming  he  gives  the  preference  to  stock  raising, 
in  which  he  has  been  very  successful. 

Mr.  Hyatt  ,was  married  on  Christmas  day,  1895,  to  Minnie  Mc- 
Williams,  and  they  have  one  child — William  Russell.  The  political 
affiliations  of  Mr.  Hyatt  are  with  the  Republican  party,  and  fraternally 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  also  a  member  of  Galves- 
ton Lodge  No.  244,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
United  Brethren  church. 

Pliny  A.  Graves  occupies  one  of  the  fine  farms  of  Cass  county, 
situated  some  two  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Galveston  on  what  is  known 
as  the  Graves  road,  and  comprising  one  hundred  and  thirteen  and  a  half 
acres  of  the  most  fertile  and  productive  soil  in  the  county.  He  has  lived 
all  his  life  in  this  community,  his  birth  having  taken  place  on  his 
father's  farm  about  a  half  mile  distant  from  his  present  property.  He 
was  born  on  the  12tli  day  of  November,  1870,  and  is  the  son  of  James  F. 
and  Rebecca  (Stanley)  Graves.  The  father  was  born  in  Decatur  county, 
on  the  3d  of  July,  1837,  and  came  to  Cass  county  with  his  parents  in 
1849,  and  in  1856  located  on  the  land  where  his  son,  Pliny  A.,  now 
lives.  He  later  bought  a  farm  of  his  own  and  married,  establishing  a 
home  there,  and  he  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of  four  children, 
of  which  number  the  two  eldest — Charles  and  Lenora — are  deceased. 

Pliny  A.  Graves,  the  youngest  child  of  his  parents,  attended  the 
Graves  school,  so  called,  and  later  finished  his  schooling  at  Galveston.  He 
worked  on  the  farm  with  his  father  between  schools  seasons,  continuing 
at  home  until  he  married  in  1896,  on  the  26th  of  February.  He  married 
Eva,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Almena  (Misener)  Lutz,  who  came  from 
Pennsylvania,  and  were  of  Dutchi  ancestry.  The  father  was  a  mere  boy 
when  he  came  from  his  native  state  to  Indiana,  and  here  passed  the 
greater  part  of  his  life,  devoted  to  farming.  He  was  born  on  January 
7,  1827,  and  died  in  1903.  Mr.  Lvitz  came  to  Cass  county  in  1856,  took 
up  forty  acres  of  government  land  and  set  about  clearing  it.  In  1859 
he  moved  on  his  own  farm.  To  this  worthy  pioneer  is  accorded  the 
credit  for  making  one  of  the  first  roads  ever  built  in  this  township. 
He  built  a  cabin  in  the  forest  for  his  family,  performing  all  the  work 
himself,  and  lived  a  life  of  usefulness  in  Cass  county  until  the  day  of  his 
death.  He  was  the  father  of  eight  children,  as  follows :  Lucinda ;  Mary 
E.;  Elizabeth;  Frank  J.;  Stephen  A.;  Valla,  deceased;  William  C;  Eva 
M. ;  and  Minnie. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Graves  have  three  children,  of  whom  brief  mention  is 
here  made.  Nina,  the  eldest,  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years,  and  is 
buried  at  Galveston ;  she  was  born  on  Februarv  17,  1897 ;  Carmen,  born 
August  9,  1905 ;  and  Josie  R.,  born  March  14,  1907. 

Mrs.  Graves  is  a  member  of  the  IMethodist  Episcopal  church,  in 
which  she  is  especially  prominent  and  active  in  all  departments  of  its 
work. 

Mr.  Graves  is  knowTi  for  one  of  the  substantial  men  of  the  community. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1093 

and  is  most  successful  as  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  enjoying  the  friend- 
ship of  a  wide  circle  of  acquaintances  in  and  about  Galveston,  and 
occupying  a  secure  place  in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  community 
at  large,  in  which  he  was  born  and  reared. 

William  E.  Countryman  for  a  number  of  years  past  has  successfully 
engaged  in  raising  the  general  crops  of  the  locality  and  in  producing  a 
number  of  cattle  and  other  live  stock.  His  record  in  business  and  in 
citizenship  has  been  marked  with  a  most  solid  integrity,  and  honorable 
in  his  dealings  and  esteemed  among  his  fellow  citizens,  he  is  one  of  the 
foremost  men  of  Jackson  township. 

William  E.  Countryman  was  born  on  the  homestead  farm  in  Jackson 
township,  section  13,  on  November  9,  1860,  the  son  of  Isaiah  and  Sarah 
(CruU)  Countryman.  His  father  came  from  Highland  county,  Ohio, 
being  eighteen  years  of  age  when  he  located  in  Jackson  township.  The 
four  children  in  the  parents '  family  were  named  Lucetta,  now  deceased ; 
John  A.,  William  E.  and  Jennie  Gore. 

The  schooling  with  which  Mr.  Countryman  was  prepared  from  first 
to  last  was  received  in  the  Cass  county  schools,  after  which  he  took  up 
the  work  of  the  farm  and  was  his  father's  assistant  for  some  years.  Since 
then  he  has  acquired  proprietorship  of  the  old  J.  T.  Howard  farm,  sec- 
tion 9,  Jackson  township,  and  is  now  conducting  it  successfully  for  the 
raising  of  stock. 

Mr.  Countryman  was  married  June  26,  1861,  to  Miss  Sarah  Haward, 
a  daughter  of  J.  T.  and  Elizabeth  (Bickell)  Haward.  Her  father  came 
to  Indiana  from  Clarke  county,  Ohio,  where  he  was  born  and  reared. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Countryman  are  the  parents  of  two  children:  Maud  is 
a  graduate  of  the  grade  and  high  schools  and  has  been  a  successful 
teacher;  she  now  resides  at  home;  Claude  H.  is  also  through  school 
and  is  still  with  the  home  people.  Mr.  Countryman  is  affiliated  with 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  is  a  member  of  the  Universalist  church. 

David  A.  Aman,  one  of  the  best  kno^vn  farming  men  in  Cass  county, 
in  which  he  has  lived  for  the  past  sixty  years,  was  bom  in  Ohio,  in 
December,  1847,  and  is  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Elizabeth  (Myers) 
Aman.  The  father,  Andrew  Aman,  came  from  Germany  with  his  wife, 
where  both  were  born  and  reared,  and  settling  in  Ohio,  they  reared  a 
family  of  eight  children,  all  of  whom  are  now  deceased  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  two  youngest  born,  John  and  David  of  this  review.  The 
others  were  named:  Jacob,  IMiehael,  William,  George,  Andrew  and 
Mary  E. 

When  David  Aman  was  ahout  four  years  old  the  family  migrated  to 
Logansport,  Indiana,  and  there  they  made  their  home.  The  father 
rented  land  in  Washington  township  and  occupied  himself  with  farming 
for  the  remainder  of  his  life.  David  Aman  attended  school  when  he 
might,  but  the  greater  part  of  his  time  and  energies  were  devoted  to 
the  farm  during  his  boyhood  days,  and  when  he  reached  man's  estate 
he  took  up  farming  upon  his  own  responsibility.  When  he  married  he 
acquired  a  farm  of  some  ninety  acres,  upon  which  he  lived  during  the 
years  in  which  he  was  rearing  his  family,  and  when  his  five  children 


1094  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

had  reached  years  of  maturity  he  sold  that  place  aud  divided  the  pro- 
ceeds among  them.  Later  he  bought  his  present  ninety  acres  upon  which 
he  is  spending  the  closing  years  of  his  life.  He  has  all  liis  life  been 
accustomed  to  toil  and  haS'  lived  a  quiet,  wholesome  life,  but  one  that 
has  been  characterized  by  an  influence  for  good  that  is  always  to  be 
found  in  the  unpretentious  activities  of  a  man  of  his  stamp. 

In  1871,  April  11th,  Mr.  Aman  uiflrried  ]\Iary  E.  Hunter,  and  to 
them  five  children  have  been  born.  Rose,  the  eldest,  died  as  the  wife 
of  Frajik  Kerry,  leaving  one  child,  Olliver  Kerry.  Hattie  married 
Walter  McKibben,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  two  children,  Ethel 
and  Everett ;  she  at  present  time  is  the  wife  of  Harvey  Gotschall.  Ella, 
the  third  born  child  of  David  Aman  and  his  wife,  married  Edgar  Phil- 
lip, and  they  had  two  children,  Edith  and  Russell.  Alvin  W.  married 
Grace  Sperry,  and  they  have  four  children.  Bessie  is  the  fifth  born 
child  of  the  Aman  family,  and  is  the  wife  of  Harvey  Snyder. 

John  Galbreath  is  one  of  the  old  established  farming  men  of  Gal- 
veston, where  he  has  lived  for  twenty-eight  years.  He  is  the  owner  of  a 
well  cared  for  and  productive  farm  of  eighty  acres  which  has  repre- 
sented his  home  here  for  many  years,  and  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
substantial  farmers  of  the  township. 

Bom  on  December  11.  1834,  in  Darke  county,  Ohio,  Mr.  Galbreath 
is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Eliza  (Bricker)  Galbreath.  The  father  came  to 
Indiana  from  Ohio,  his  native  state,  in  1839  and  settled  in  the  vicinity 
of  Wai-saw,  bringing  with  him  his  family.  He  reared  ten  children  in 
his  home,  the  first  in  order  of  birth  being  John,  the  sub.ject  of  this 
review :  the  others  are :  Martin,  Charlotte,  Nancy,  Jane,  William,  Frank, 
Samuel,  Lafayette  and  Byron. 

John  Galbreath  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  attended  the  country 
schools  in  his  boyhood.  While  yet  in  his  teens  he  was  occupied  for  some 
time  in  teaching,  in  the  district  schools  of  his  county,  but  when  he  was 
thirty-four  he  married  and  returned  to  farm  life.  He  married  Annie 
Wagner,  who  was  born  on  March  15,  1840,  near  Bellefontaine,  Ohio, 
where  she  lived  until  her  marriage.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Isaac  and 
Nancy  (Firestone)  Wagner,  the  father  a  native  of  Xenia,  Ohio,  and  the 
mother  of  an  old  Virginia  family.  Isaac  Wagner  passed  his  life  in 
Bellefontaine  as  a  farmer. 

Four  children  were  born  to  John  Galbreath  and  his  wife,  of  whom 
the  following  mention  is  made:  Fay,  the  first  born,  married  Philip 
Noel,  and  they  have  two  children,  Claude  and  Vivian.  Ida  is  unmar- 
ried, and  is  engaged  as  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Columbia 
City.  Ada  is  the  wife  of  Louis  Graham,  and  to  them  four  children  have 
been  born:  Victor  L.,  Wahnita.  Helena  and  Ruth.  Minnie,  the  fourth 
born  and  youngest  of  the  family,  is  the  wife  of  John  Burrows,  now 
deceased. 

Mr.  Galbreath  has  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  for  many 
years,  and  affiliates  with  the  TTnivei*salist  church.  He  is  a  man  of  the 
most  estimable  character  and  one  who  has  won  and  held  the  confidence 
and  high  regard  of  all  who  have  come  to  know  him  in  the  years  which 
he  has  passed  in  Jackson  township  as  a  citizen  and  farmer. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1,095 

William  A.  Patterson,  who  has  gained  some  prominence  as  se  farmer 
and  stock-raiser  in  Jackson  township,  was  born  on  the  old  Patterson 
homestead  in  Jackson  township,  Cass  county,  on  the  23d  of  February, 
1849,  and  is  the  son  of  James  and  Catherine  (Sprinkle)  Patterson. 
The  father,  James  Pattei'son,  came  from  Pennsylvania  to  Kentucky,  in 
1841,  and  later  made  his  way  to  Cass  county,  where  he  passed  his  remain- 
ing days.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  reared  a  family  of  six  children,  as  fol- 
lows :  Mrs.  Amanda  Weaver ;  William  A.  of  this  review ;  Elmyra,  now 
deceased ;  Benjamin,  also  dead ;  Mrs.  Louisa  Steward,  who  has  three 
children,  Sadie,  Oney  and  ]\Iary;  and  (jeorge  W.,  who  married  ]\Iary 
CruU  lives  in  Galveston,  and  they  have  six  children,  as  follows :  Frank ; 
Reed;  John;  Pearl;  Myrl  and  Burr. 

William  Patterson  worked  on  the  home  farm  during  these  years  in 
which  he  attended  the  country  schools,  and  when  he  was  eighteen  years 
of  age  he  conmienced  to  "shift  for  himself,"  as  the  old  familiar  saying 
has  it.  He  was  without  capital  at  that  time,  and  as  he  resolved  to 
farm,  he  rented  a  place,  which  served  him  well  until  he  was  able  to 
purchase  a  place  of  his  own.  He  now  has  a  fine  place  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  the  most  fertile  land  in  Cass  county,  as  well  as 
another  place  of  some  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  equally  desirable 
land.  He  has  pi'ospered  with  the  passing  years,  and  is  regarded  as  being 
a  wise  and  skillful  farmer. 

In  1875  he  married  Miss  Juniatta  Van  Buskirk,  the  daughter  of 
Elisha  and  Martha  (James)  Van  Buskirk.  Six  children  have  been  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patterson :  Harry,  the  eldest,  is  deceased ;  Benjamin : 
Sarah,  the  wife  of  B.  F.  Conwell ;  Anna,  married  William  Stine ;  Grace, 
living  at  home;  and  Charles  O.,  who  married  Miss  Edith  Shope,  and  has 
three  children,  Edgar,  Felraa  and  Elma.  The  Pattersons  have  no 
church  affiliations,  being  rather  inclined  to  the  attitude  of  free  thought, 
and  subscribing  to  no  set  religious  belief.  They  are  highly  esteemed 
among  the  best  citizens  of  the  community,  and  are  in  every  way  worthy 
of  the  position  they  hold. 

George  W.  Seybold,  directing  head  of  the  great  mercantile  estab- 
lishment of  Seybold  Dry  Goods  Company,  has  been  connected  with 
the  dry  goods  business  in  Logansport  for  more  than  forty  years.  Com- 
mencing in  the  humblest  position,  he  mastered  its  many  details,  and 
continued  in  the  business  until  he  attained  at  length  a  commanding 
position  among  the  enterprising  dealers  in  Logansport,  and  has  been  able 
to  hold  it  amid  the  strong  competition  which  increasing  capital  and 
trade  has  brought  to  the  city.  His  success  has  been  due  alone  to  his 
energetic  character  and  business  capacity,  for  he  began  life  without 
pecuniary  assistance  or  the  aid  of  family  or  other  favoring  influences. 
Mr.  Seybold  was  born  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  April  30,  1850,  and  is  a  son 
of  John  G.  and  Ursula  (Munger)  Seybold,  and  a  grandson  of  John  G. 
and  Jacobenia  (Fulmer)  Seybold. 

John  G.  Seybold,  the  father,  was  bom  September  11,  1824,  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  Ohio,  near  the  city  of  Dayton,  and  was  there  reared  to 
manhood.  Early  in  life  he  turned  his  attention  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits, and  this  has  been  his  vocation  throughout  life,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  four  years  when  he  was  engaged  in  the  brewing  business  in 


1096  HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Dayton.  lie  was  married  July  19,  1849,  to  Ursula  Unger,  and  in  1864, 
with  his  family,  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  locating  on  what  is 
known  as  the  Seybold  farm,  south  of  Logansport.  There  he  owns  300 
acres  of  iinely  improved  land,  and  no  citizen  in  his  section 
stands  higher  in  general  esteem.  Mr.  Seybold  has  always  ardently  sup- 
ported Republican  principles.  His  wife  was  born  in  Germany,  and  as 
a  young  woman  accompanied  her  parents  to  the  United  States,  the 
family  settling  in  Ohio,  where  she  met  and  married  Mr.  Seybold. 
Eleven  children  were  born  to  this  union,  namely:  George  W.,  Sarah 
J.,  Rosetta,  J.  Byron,  Mary  A.,  Joseph  A.,  Henry  Sylvester,  Charles. 
Oscar  M.,  Ira  and  Clara. 

George  W.  Seybold  was  one  year  old  when  his  parents  removed  to 
Darke  county,  Ohio,  and  when  fourteen  years  of  age  was  brought  to 
Cass  county,  Indiana.  Here  he  spent  several  months  in  the  district 
schools  to  complete  his  education,  and  also  attended  Hall's  Business 
College,  after  graduating  from  which  he  returned  to  the  home  farm  in 
Washington  township,  there  assisting  his  father  until  he  was  twenty- 
two  years  of  age.  At  that  time  he  became  a  clerk  in  the  store  of  Jacob 
Wiler,  at  a  salary  of  $3.50  per  week,  and,  as  his  boai-d  was  $4.50  per 
week,  he  was  compelled  to  use  a  part  of  his  scanty  savings  while  learn- 
ing the  business.  Coming  to  the  store  a  country  boy,  unsophisticated 
and  unleai'ned,  with  a  knowledge  of  naught  but  hard  work  and  close 
attention  to  business,  he  was  derided  by  his  fellow-workers  for  his 
countrified  ways,  and  laughed  at  for  the  hard  work  he  made  of  every- 
thing. The  youth  was  possessed  of  good  common  sense,  however,  passed 
these  criticisms  by  for  what  they  were  worth,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
first  year  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  vindication  of  his  labor,  for 
his  wages  by  that  time  had  grown  to  $50.00  per  month.  He  continvied 
four  and  one-half  years  with  Mr.  Wiler,  and  then  went  to  LaFayette 
as  manager  of  the  branch  store  of  Wise  &  Wiler,  where  he  remained 
seven  months,  then  returning  to  Logansport  to  enter  business  on  his 
own  account.  With  a  carefully  saved  capital  of  $900,  the  country  youth 
of  but  five  years  before  managed  to  secure  $4,000  w^orth  of  goods  on 
credit,  and  with  this  established  himself  in  business  as  the  proprietor 
of  a  dry  goods  store  in  November,  1877,  at  No.  313  Market  street.  Dur- 
ing the  seven  years  that  he  remained  there  he  entered  so  deeply  into 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  people  that  his  little  place  of  busi- 
ness became  one  of  the  most  popular  in  the  city.  In  1884  he  admitted 
one  of  his  brothers,  J.  Abner  Seybold,  to  a  working  partnership,  and 
in  that  year  the  business  was  removed  to  317-319-321  Market  street, 
where  it  has  continued  ever  since.  This  has  become  the  most  impor- 
tant store  of  its  kind  in  Logansport,  and  one  of  the  leading  ones  in 
northern  Indiana.  It  is  operated  as  a  department  store,  occupying  three 
stories  and  a  basement,  the  latter  as  a  storeroom,  this  department 
feature  having  been  inaugurated  in  1897.  About  the  year  1888  Oscar 
M.  Seybold,  another  brother,  was  admitted  to  partnership,  and  he  con- 
tinued to  be  connected  with  the  firm  until  his  death,  June  6,  1911.  A 
stock  valued  anywhere  from  $30,000  to  $100,000,  in  dry  goods,  carpets, 
house  furnishings,  etc.,  is  carried,  and  a  business  of  approximately 
$225,000  is  done  annually.  In  January,  1904,  the  business  was  incor- 
porated under  the  style  of  Seybold  Dry  Goods  Company  with  a  capital 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1097 

stock  of  $60,000.  Mr.  Seybold  has  never  known  the  time,  from  when 
he  first  entered  business,  that  he  has  not  been  able  to  meet  his  obliga- 
tions as  they  have  matured,  and  never  has  his  credit  been  questioned. 
The  rules  that  have  spelled  for  success  in  his  ease  have  been  hard  work, 
intelligently  directed,  good  native  business  qualifications  and  the 
mastering  and  constant  attention  to  the  many  details  of  his  business.  It 
is  but  natural  that  this  business,  being  of  his  own  creation,  should 
enlist  the  greater  part  of  his  attention,  but  a  man  of  such  abilities  can- 
not escape  being  drawn  into  other  large  enterprises,  and  it  has  been 
so  in  Mr.  Seybold 's  ease.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Logans- 
port  State  Bank,  and  on  its  establishment,  in  iMay,  1893,  was  chosen  its 
president,  a  capacity  in  which  he  acted  for  four  years,  when  he  retired 
to  accept  the  vice  presidency,  as  other  business  interests  would  not 
permit  him  to  give  his  attention  to  the  office.  He  directed  its 
policies  in  such  an  able  manner  that  he  popularized  its  coffers,  won 
the  confidence  of  the  banking  public,  and  made  the  institution  one  of 
the  foremost  in  northern  Indiana.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  fraternity  and  in  politics  may  be  said  to  be  a  Republican  with 
progressive  tendencies. 

Mr.  Seybold  was  married  August  30,  1882,  to  Miss  Alice  R.  Whit- 
more,  of  Logansport. 

Henry  Sylvester  Seybold  was  born  in  Darke  county,  Ohio,  son  of 
John  G.  and  Ursula  (Unger)  Seybold,  August  23,  1862.  He  accom- 
panied his  parents  to  Cass  county  in  1864,  and  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm,  securing  his  education  in  the  district  schools  and  Hall's  Business 
College.  When  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  started  helping  his  father 
on  the  farm  for  wages,  but  after  six  years,  in  1891,  became  a  clerk 
in  his  brother's  store  in  Logansport,  and  in  1904  was  admitted  to 
partnership  in  the  business,  "vvith  which  he  has  since  been  connected. 
He  was  married  June  26,  1895,  to  Miss  Nellie  Bevan,  and  they  had  two 
children :    Theresa,  who  died  aged  two  and  one-half  years,  and  Howard. 

Frank  R.  Morrison.  One  of  the  best  known  and  most  popular  men 
in  Galveston  is  Frank  R.  IMorrison,  postmaster  here  for  the  past  eight 
years,  and  actively  engaged  in  the  painting  business.  His  genial  and 
wholesouled  nature  has  won  him  innumerable  friends  in  the  years  of 
his  residence  here,  and  his  position  in  the  community  is  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  order.  He  is  a  native  son  of  the  state  of  Wisconsin,  bom  in 
Richland  Center,  Richland  county,  that  state,  on  the  28th  of  July,  1872, 
and  is  a  son  of  F.  M.  and  Maria  (Hoskins)  Morrison,  the  former  of 
whom  was  born  in  Darke  county,  Ohio.  They  have  reared  a  fine  family 
of  four  children,  namely :  Mrs.  Aura  Shelley ;  Frank  R.  of  this  review ; 
Mrs.  Anna  McKibbin ;  and  Mrs.  Mabel  Armstrong. 

Frank  R.  Morrison  in  his  boyhood  and  youth  attended  the  common, 
schools  of  his  native  community,  after  which  he  was  employed  as  a  clerk 
in  a  store  for  some  years.  When  he  was  about  twenty-two  years  old 
the  calm  and  quiet  of  his  country  existence  began  to  pall  upon  the  man, 
young  and  vigorous  and  full  of  fire  and  life,  and  he  went  to  the  western 
states,  spending  something  like  two  years  in  the  strenuous  life  of  the 
ranchman,  after  which  he  returned  to  Galveston,  where  he  had  become 
established  prior  to  his  departure  for  western  adventures,  and  here  he 


1098  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

became  engaged  in  the  painting  business.  Trying  it  out  as  a  venture, 
Mr.  ]\Iorrison  found  the  enterprise  a  lucrative  one,  and  he  continued 
to  conduct  a  thriving  trade  in  the  work.  Mr.  Morrison  was  appointed 
postmaster  at  Galveston,  receiving  his  appointment  under  President 
Roosevelt,  and  he  is  still  in  charge  of  that  office,  the  duties  of  which 
he  has  discharged  in  the  most  painstaking  and  efficient  manner,  and 
winning  the  confidence  of  all  who  know  him  in  his  official  capacity. 

On  May  30,  1900,  Mr.  Morrison  married  Miss  Gertrude  Doran  and 
they  have  one  son,  Harry.  ]\Ir.  Morrison  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  while  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  ^Methodist  church. 
The  family  is  one  that  is  both  popular  and  prominent  in  local  social 
circles,  and  their  home  is  a  center  of  hospitality  in  Galveston. 

John  Martin.  Any  history  of  Cass  county  w^ould  indeed  be  incom- 
plete that  did  not  make  mention  of  John  Martin,  who  has  passed  the 
eighty-fourth  milestone  on  life's  .journey,  and  who  for  many  years  was 
identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  Deer  Creek  township.  Mr. 
Martin's  career  has  ever  been  one  in  which  business  activity  has  been 
blended  with  unbending  honor  and  unflinching  integrity,  and  success 
has  come  to  him  as  the  result  not  only  of  indefatigable  industry,  but 
also  of  honorable  and  straightforward  dealing.  His  career  is  one  worthy 
of  emulation  by  aspiring  youths  who  would  reach  positions  of  independ- 
ence in  a  material  way  and  .justly  command  the  respect  of  their  fellow 
men.  Although  now  living  retired  from  active  pursuits,  enjoying  the 
fruits  of  his  years  of  labor,  ~Sh\  Martin  still  displays  a  lively  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  his  community  and  contributes  in  no  small  manner  to  the 
advancement  of  Deer  Creek  township. 

John  Martin  was  born  June  13,  1828.  in  Butler  county,  Ohio, 
near  Hamilton,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  ]\Iargaret  (Ward)  Martin. 
His  father,  a  farmer  by  vocation,  brought  the  family  to  Carroll  county, 
Indiana,  there  being  ten  children,  of  whom  John  is  the  only  survivor. 
John  Martin  secured  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Carroll 
county,  and  assisted  his  father  until  the  latter 's  death,  at  which  time 
he  embarked  upon  a  career  of  his  own.  He  came  to  Cass  county  in 
1844,  settling  in  Deer  Creek  township,  where  he  bought  a  small  tract 
of  land,  and  to  this  he  added  from  time  to  time  until  he  was  the  o^\•ner 
of  150  acres.  This  he  continued  to  operate  until  his  retirement,  in  1906, 
since  which  time  he  has  lived  in  his  comfortable  residence  at  Galveston. 
Mr.  Martin  was  successful  in  his  general  farming  and  stock  raising 
operations,  and  his  success  was  gained  through  no  questionable  methods. 
On  the  contrary,  he  was  known  as  a  man  who  would  never  take  advantage 
of  another's  needs,  but,  having  succeeded  himself,  was  ever  ready  to 
lend  to  others  an  assisting  hand.  Highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him, 
the  uniform  regard  in  which  he  is  held  is  a  tribute  to  an  upright  life. 
For  years  he  has  been  a  valued  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and 
is  connected  religiously  ^\ith  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  the  move- 
ments of  which  he  has  always  liberally  supported. 

On  September  30,  1850,  ilr.  IMartin  w^as  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Mary  Campbell,  daughter  of  James  and  Martha  (Bryant)  Camp- 
bell.    One  child  has  been  bom  to  this  union :     Lamartine,  residing  on 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1099 

the  old  homestead,  which  he  manages;  he  married  Mary  Smith,  and 
has  one  son :  Bruce.  The  latter  married  Elizabeth  Emrick,  and  has 
two  children,  Emerson  and  Esther. 

H.  B.  Seaward.  One  of  the  leading  industries  of  Cass  county  is  that 
pertaining  to  the  handling  of  grain,  and  the  town  of  Galveston,  situated 
in  the  midst  of  a  great  agricultural  community,  and  possessed  of  admir- 
able transportation  facilities,  is  an  important  point  in  the  activities 
being  carried  on  in  this  line.  Here  is  situated  the  Galveston  Grain  Com- 
pany, an  enterprise  which  has  shown  a  steady  and  continuous  growth 
during  the  past  several  years,  the  general  manager  of  which,  H.  B. 
Seaward,  is  numbered  among  the  energetic  and  progressive  young  busi- 
ness men  of  his  part  of  the  county.  Mr.  Seaward  has  risen  to  his  present 
position  of  prestige  through  the  medium  of  his  own  ability  and  per- 
severing effort,  as  he  started  his  career  at  the  bottom  of  the  ladder 
without  influential  friends  or  capital,  and  has  gained  success  by  steady 
application  along  well-directed  lines. 

H.  B.  Seaward  was  born  March  6,  1882,  in  Howard  county,  Indiana, 
and  is  a  son  of  C.  F.  and  Dora  A.  (Hansell)  Seaward.  His  father,  an 
agriculturist  by  vocation,  carried  on  operations  for  many  years  in 
Howard  county,  where  he  attained  a  fair  measure  of  success.  He  had 
five  children:  H.  B.,  E.  B.,  R.  P.,  Madella  and  Mildred.  H.  B.  Sea- 
ward was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  vicinity,  and  dur- 
ing the  summer  months  in  his  boyhood  assisted  his  father  in  the  various 
duties  of  the  homestead,  it  being  his  parents'  intention  that  he  should 
follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father  and  take  up  agricultural  work. 
The  young  man  had  different  ideas,  however,  believing  that  he  could 
better  make  use  of  his  abilities  in  other  lines  than  tilling  the  soil,  and 
when  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  secured 
a  position  with  the  Kokomo,  ]\Iarion  &  AA^estern  Street  Car  and  Electric 
Light  Company.  In  this  capacity,  however,  he  remained  only  a  short 
time,  subsequently  turning  his  attention  to  the  grain  business.  He  has 
had  no  reason  to  regret  his  choice,  for  within  a  few  short  years  he  has 
risen  to  the  management  of  a  flourishing  enterprise,  which  carries  on  a 
trade  that  covers  a  wide  contiguous  territory  in  Cass  county,  and  the 
business  of  which  is  steadily  increasing  under  his  efficient  direction. 
He  is  able,  alert,  shrewd  and  possessed  of  much  acumen,  but  his  transac- 
tions have  been  carried  on  in  such  a  manner  that  his  integi'ity  has  been 
unquestioned,  and  among  his  associates  he  has  gained  wide  confidence 
and  respect.  He  has  been  too  busy  with  the  management  of  his  personal 
affairs  to  think  of  entering  the  political  arena  as  a  seeker  after  public 
preferment,  but  has  not  been  indifferent  to  the  duties  of  citizenship,  and 
has  at  all  times  shoAvn  an  active  interest  in  all  matters  that  pertain  to 
the  welfare  of  his  adopted  community,  and  has  endeavored  to  assist  in 
forwarding  good  government  and  good  citizenship.  His  fraternal  con- 
nection is  with  the  local  lodge  of  Masons,  in  which  he  numbers  numerous 
friends.  AVith  his  wife.  Mr.  Seaward  attends  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 

On  March  21,  1901,  Mr.  Seaward  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
,Minnie  R.  Morris,  daiighter  of  Thomas  and  Sarah  Morris,  and  to  this 
union  there  has  been  born  one  child :  Esther. 


1100  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Frank  H.  Thomas.  As  proprietor  of  the  largest  general  merchandise 
store  in  Galveston,  Mr.  Thomas  has  a  place  of  recognized  leadership  in 
this  section  of  Cass  county,  and  by  his  own  career  has  maintained  and 
increased  the  high  prestige  belonging  to  the  Thomas  family  in  Cass 
county  since  the  earliest  time.  He  is  representative  of  the  third  genera- 
tion of  the  Thomases  in  that  part  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Frank  H.  Thomas  was  born  in  the  city  of  Logansport,  April  15, 
1853.  He  is  a  son  of  Meredith  H.  and  Harriet  A.  (Knowlton)  Thomas. 
The  history  of  the  Thomas  family  in  Indiana  begins  with  Minor  Thomas, 
who  was  a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  of  Welsh  origin.  In  1819,  with  his 
wife,  he  migrated  to  Indiana  and  settled  in  Fayette  county,  where  he 
was  especially  well  known  as  a  Baptist  minister,  though  he  also  owned 
a  farm.  It  was  on  this  pioneer  homestead  in  Fayette  county,  that  his 
son  Plewitt  L.  Thomas,  grandfather  of  the  Galveston  merchant,  was 
reared.  Hewitt  L.  Thomas  was  born  in  New  York  state  April  27,  1805. 
During  his  youth  he  managed  to  get  some  college  training  and  followed 
teaching  and  farming  for  a  number  of  years.  In  1836  he  came  from 
Fayette  county  to  Clinton  township  in  Cass  county,  where  he  made  his 
home  until  1853,  at  which  time  he  moved  to  Noble  township  in  this 
county.  From  1855  to  1865  he  was  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  and 
as  a  merchant  in  the  state  of  Minnesota,  and  then  returned  to  Cass 
county  and  was  a  resident  of  Galveston  for  many  years.  He  was  iii 
the  insurance  business  during  most  of  the  time  and  was  prominent  in 
local  affairs.  He  married  in  1826  Charlotte  Helm,  who  was  born  in 
Kentucky  August  26,  1808,  and  was  of  Scotch  and  English  descent.  Her 
father  had  been  a  soldier  under  General  Harrison  during  the  war  of 
1812,  and  had  been  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Kentiacky  who  had  to 
contend  against  the  difficulties  of  nature  and  against  the  hostilities  of 
the  Indian  tribes.  Hewitt  L.  Thomas,  who  with  his  wife,  was  a  devoted 
member  of  the  Baptist  church,  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  that  church 
at  Galveston  and  served  as  its  sexton  for  twenty -two  years.  A  Repub- 
lican in  politics,  he  served  as  justice  of  the  peace,  and  for  ten  years  was 
associate  judge,  was  a  township  trustee,  and  during  his  residence  in 
Minnesota  was  state  senator.  He  was  president  of  the  first  agricultural 
society  organized  in  Cass  county,  and  had  numerous  places  of  trust  and 
responsibility  thrust  upon  him  during  his  long  and  influential  career. 
His  death  occurred  October  23,  1895.  His  wife  survived  until  July  3,. 
1898,  passing  away  at  the  age  of  ninety  years.  They  were  the  parents 
of  three  sons,  Meredith  H.,  Minor  T.,  and  William  H.  The  second  son 
became  a  distinguished  officer  of  the  Civil  war,  joining  the  Union  army 
in  Minnesota,  being  chosen  second  lieutenant,  and  then  advanced  to 
first  lieutenant,  serving  on  the  frontier  during  the  Indian  troubles  in 
the  Northwest ;  and  after  his  troops  were  transferred  to  the  main  scene 
of  conflict,  he  was  promoted  to  colonel  of  the  Eighth  Minnesota.  In 
the  latter  part  of  the  war  he  commanded  an  expedition  into  the  far 
Northwest  among  the  Indians  of  the  upper  Missouri,  but  returned  south 
in  time  to  accompany  General  Sherman  on  his  march  through  the  Caro- 
linas.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  commissioned  a  brigadier-general. 
The  other  son,  William  H.  Thomas,  was  also  a  captain  in  the  Union  army, 
and  subsequently  for  many  years  a  prominent  physician  in  Indianapolis. 

Meredith  H.  Thomas,  father  of  the  Galveston  business  man,  was  born 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1101 

in  Fayette  county,  Indiana,  November  20.  1826,  and  was  reared  in  Cass 
county.  He  began  his  career  in  1845  in  a  general  store  at  Logansport, 
])ut  in  1855  accomiaanied  the  family  to  jMinnesota,  where  he  became 
identified  with  lumbering  and  merchandising.  In  1865,  on  his  return 
to  Cass  county,  he  located  at  Galveston,  where  he  had  a  general  mer- 
chandise store  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  On  January  14,  1896,  he 
also  established  the  Galveston  Bank,  an  institution  which  has  an  impor- 
tant part  in  the  commercial  history  of  this  town.  A  large  grain  elevator 
was  erected  by  him  in  1879.  His  career  was  of  the  kind  which  is  not 
only  successful  from  a  private  point  of  view,  but  adds  to  the  general 
prosperity  of  the  community.  During  the  Civil  war  he  had  offered  his 
services,  but  on  account  of  physical  disability  they  were  re.jected.  In_ 
politics  he  was  a  Whig,  then  a  Republican,  and  for  some  years  prior 
to  his  death  was  a  Prohibitionist.  He  was  also  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Baptist  church  of  Galveston,  and  from  the  beginning  had  served 
as  deacon.  His  death  occurred  at  his  home  in  Galveston,  July  24,  1898. 
He  was  married  October  16,  1851,  to  Harriet  A.  Knowlton.  Their  five 
children  were  as  follows:  Frank  H. ;  Charles  F.  and  Daniel  W.,  twins, 
born  February  28,  1856;  Claudia  B.,  born  May  13,  1866;  and  Mary  B., 
born  September  10,  1869. 

Mr.  Frank  PI.  Thomas  was  about  two  years  old  when  the  family 
moved  to  Minnesota,  and  he  was  brought  up  on  the  Northwest  frontier, 
where  he  attained  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools.  After  the 
return  of  the  family  to  Cass  county  he  continued  his  education  in  the 
Logansport  high  school,  and  in  1874  was  taken  into  partnership  by  his 
father.  The  other  sons  were  subsequently  admitted  to  the  firm  and  the 
firm  of  M.  H.  Thomas  &  Son  continued  until  July,  1882,  at  which  time 
the  partnership  was  dissolved  and  Frank  H.  and  Charles  F.  remained 
as  proprietors  of  the  general  store.  In  1898  Mr.  Frank  H.  Thomas 
bought  out  his  brother's  interest,  and  has  since  been  sole  proprietor. 
He  has  three  floors  devoted  to  a  general  merchandise  stock,  which  com- 
prises every  commodity  used  by  the  people  of  this  vicinity.  He  has 
employed  first-class  methods  of  merchandising,  and  has  always  been 
known,  as  have  other  members  of  this  family,  for  a  sterling  integrity 
and  relialiility  which  has  enabled  them  to  command  a  large  business  year 
after  year.  After  his  father's  death,  Mr.  Thomas  served  as  president 
of  the  Galveston  Bank,  up  to  the  time  it  was  sold  to  the  First  State 
Bank,  an  institution  of  which  Dr.  Z.  U.  Loop  is  president,  and  H.  Z. 
Carey,  cashier. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  married  September  8,  1875,  to  j\Iiss  Virginia 
Forrest,  Avho  was  born  in  Logansport,  December  11,  1855,  a  daughter 
of  John  M.  and  Rebecca  (Longstreth)  Forrest.  Her  father  came  to 
Cass  county  in  1849  by  way  of  canal,  and  was  for  many  years  head  ixdller 
in  the  old  Wilson  mill  at  Logansport.  ^Ir.  Thomas  and  wife  are  the 
parents  of  one  child,  Elsie  INI.,  who  was  born  September  3,  1878,  and  who 
is  the  wife  of  H.  H.  Miller,  M.  D.  Dr.  Miller  and  wife  have  one  son, 
Forrest  Thomas  Miller.  jMr.  Thomas  is  one  of  the  charter  members  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge  in  Galveston,  and  he  and  his  wife  are 
active  members  of  the  Baptist  church.  He  has  served  as  township  trus- 
tee, has  been  president  of  school  board  of  Galveston  since  the  incorpora- 

Vol.    n— 25 


1102  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

tion  of  the  town,  and  is  one  of  the  most  public-spirited  and  influential 
citizens  of  this  county. 

Henderson  Fickle.  One  of  the  oldest  families  in  southeastern  Cass 
county  is  represented  by  Mr.  Henderson  Fickle,  who  is  himself  a  native 
son  of  the  county  and  has  for  many  years  been  well  known  as  a  sub- 
stantial farmer  and  as  a  public-spirited  citizen,  who  has  given  his  service 
in  the  office  of  county  commissioner  and  has  assisted  in  every  movement 
for  the  general  improvement  and  upbuilding  of  this  community. 

J\Ir.  Fickle  is  now  retired  from  the  active  life  of  agriculture,  but 
owns  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Jackson  township.  He  was  born  in  Jack- 
son township,  Cass  county  June  3,  1849,  and  was  a  son  of  David  T.  and 
Rebecca  (Engler)  Fickle.  David  Fickle  came  from  Marion  county, 
Ohio,  when  a  young  man,  and  in  company  with  his  father,  Daniel  Fickle. 
Daniel  Fickle,  the  grandfather,  was  the  founder  of  the  Fickle  settlement 
in  Jackson  township  of  Cass  county.  David  Fickle  was  the  father  of 
nine  children,  whose  names  are  as  follows:  Amanda,  Mannington,  Jane, 
Emeline,  Wilson,  Henderson,  David,  Arminta,  and  Nora. 

Mr.  Henderson  Fickle  was  a  scholar  in  the  first  public  school  at 
Galveston  and  he  finished  his  education  in  the  new  academy  of  that 
town.  During  his  early  youth  he  worked  on  the  farm  and  farming  has 
been  his  occupation  throughout  his  career.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
seven  he  began  his  independent  career  as  a  renter  and  finally  accumu- 
lated enough,  as  a  result  of  his  industry  and  good  management,  to  buy 
a  small  tract  of  land  in  this  township.  From  that  time  he  has  progressed 
in  prosperity  and  has  always  enjoyed  a  secure  position  in  this  com- 
munity. The  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens  was  well  shown  when 
they  elected  him  to  the  office  of  County  Commissioner,  and  he  has  held 
several  other  minor  positions  indicative  of  their  trust  in  his  ability. 

In  1876  Mr.  Fickle  married  Mary  A.  Kelly.  The  six  children  born 
to  their  marriage  are  as  follows :  Jesse,  now  deceased ;  Fannie,  who 
married  Charles  Haynes,  now  deceased,  and  has  one  child  Margaret ; 
Charles,  who  resides  on  his  father's  farm;  Elizabeth,  who  married  David 
Davis,  and  has  one  child  Helen ;  Lola,  the  wife  of  Walter  King,  and  the 
mother  of  two  children  Harry  and  Bernard ;  and  Marie,  who  is  single. 
Mr.  Fickle  and  family  are  members  of  the  Catholic  church,  and  he  is 
affiliated  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus. 

Harry  Gray.  Another  of  the  young  men  of  Galveston,  Indiana,  who 
have  made  good  in  the  farming  industry  in  this  section  is  Harry  Gray, 
whose  fine  place  of  something  like  two  hundred  acres  is  known  as  the 
Joseph  Gray  home  farm.  It  is  situated  in  the  northeast  quarter  of  sec- 
tion twenty-five,  in  range  two  east,  and  is  known  for  one  of  the  finest 
places  of  the  township.  Mr.  Gray  was  born  on  May  2,  1878,  on  his 
present  farm,  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary  A.  (Neely)  Gray,  the 
father  a  native  of  Butler  county,  Ohio,  and  the  mother  a  native  of 
Juniata  county,  Pennsylvania. 

Joseph  Gray  was  born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  on  December  20, 
1830,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  in  1831. 
His  parents  were  James  and  Ruth   (Merritt)   Gray,  and  James  Gray's 


QmiS^I^ 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  1103 

father,  James,  was  the  tirst  of  the  name  to  leave  Ireland  and  come  to 
America. 

Harry  Gray  attended  the  common  schools  of  his  native  community, 
later  entering-  Indiana  university,  and  he  was  graduated  from  that  insti- 
tution in  1902,  in  the  literary  department.  Thereafter  he  taught  school 
and  for  one  year  was  principal  at  Lucerne,  Indiana. 

He  was  married  on  December  30,  1903,  to  Miss  Cora  Herd,  the 
daughter  of  William  and  ^Martha  (Callahan)  Herd.  William  Herd 
was  an  Englishman,  and  was  occupied  in  farming  in  Harrison  township. 
Mi^.  Gray  was  educated  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  high  school  and  Marion 
(Ind.)  Normal,  finishing  in  Indiana  University.  After  the  death  of  his 
father,  Mr.  Gray  made  his  home  on  the  old  home  farm  for  a  time,  but 
has  since  given  up  the  place,  renting  it,  since  the  death  of  his  wife, 
which  occurred  August  12,  1912,  she  being  struck  by  lightning.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Gray  have  two  children :  Jeanette  and  Virginia. 

Mr.  Gray  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  citizens  of  Gal- 
veston, and  a  man  who  has  considerable  pride  in  his  community,  being 
public  spirited  in  a  high  degree,  and  always  willing  to  aid  in  any  cause 
promoted  in  the  public  welfare. 

W.  E.  Lybrook,  M.  D.  Few  citizens  of  Young  America,  Indiana, 
can  lay  claim  to  greater  prestige  either  in  length  of  residence,  or  posi- 
tion attained  in  professional,  business  or  social  lines,  than  Dr.  W.  E. 
Lybrook,  who  for  thirty-five  years  has  been  numbered  among  the  lead- 
ing medical  practitioners  of  Cass  county.  His  high  attainments  and 
acknowledged  ability  have  brought  him  before  the  public  in  various 
positions  of  responsibility  and  trust,  in  all  of  which  he  has  given  evi- 
dence of  a  profound  respect  for  the  duties  of  citizenship,  while  his  per- 
sonal character  is  such  that  he  has  gained  a. wide  popularity.  Dr. 
Lybrook  is  a  native  of  the  Hoosier  state,  born  in  Union  county,  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1850,  a  son  of  Daniel  and  Magdalene  Lybrook,  natives  of  Ohio, 
of  German  lineage.  In  1854  they  removed  to  Cass  county,  locating  on 
a  farm,  where  Dr.  Lybrook  spent  his  boyhood  days,  frequently  assist- 
ing in  the  cultivation  of  the  fields  and  in  other  labor  connected  with 
the  planting  and  harvesting  of  crops.  His  early  education,  acquired 
in  the  common  schools,  was  siipplemented  by  a  course  in  the  National 
Normal  School,  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  which  he  attended  two  years,  succeed- 
ing which  he  began  teaching  school  in  Cass  and  adjoining  counties  in 
Indiana.  After  following  that  profession  with  a  large  measure  of 
success  for  some  time,  Dr.  Lybrook  entered  upon  the  study  of  his 
chosen  profession,  that  of  medicine,  which  from  early  manhood  he  had 
decided  upon  as  his  life  work.  Accordingly,  in  1874,  he  entered  the 
office  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Powell,  of  Rockfield,  who  became  his  preceptor,  and 
under  whose  direction  he  studied  for  two  years.  On  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  matriculated  in  the  Kentucky  School  of  Medicine,  at 
Louisville,  where  he  was  gradiiated  in  1879,  with  the  salutatory  honors  of 
the  class,  and  his  oration  was  such  a  masterly  effort  that  the  class  ren- 
dered him  a  vote  of  thanks  therefor. 

On  his  return  to  Young  America,  Dr.  Lybrook  began  the  practice 
of  his  profession  in  the  vicinity  of  his  old  home,  and  his  success  in  a 
number  of  complicated  ea.ses  soon  won  the  young  physician  recognition 


1104  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

and  professional  business,  and  as  the  years  have  passed  his  practice  has 
enjoyed  a  steady  increase,  until  he  is  now  rated  among  the  leading 
physicians  of  his  part  of  the  county.  He  subscribes  to  the  leading  medi- 
cal journals  of  the  day,  keeping  fully  abreast  of  the  various  advance- 
ments and  discoveries  of  his  profession,  and  also  takes  a  keen  and  intelli- 
gent interest  in  the  work  of  the  various  medical  organizations.  A  Dem- 
ocrat in  his  political  views,  he  has  taken  a  prominent  part  in  public 
life.  In  August,  1883,  he  was  appointed  township  trustee  by  the 
county  commissioners  to  fill  a  vacancy  caused  by  the  resignation  of 
Thomas  Henry,  and  at  the  close  of  that  term  was  elected  to  the  office, 
the  duties  of  which  he  discharged  with  signal  ability  and  promptness. 
He  took  particular  interest  in  the  improvement  of  the  public  highways 
in  his  township,  and  was  instrumental  in  extending  the  length  of  the 
school  term  from  four  and  one-half  to  eight  months.  He  was  elected 
to  the  trustee's  office  again  in  1886,  and  served  for  four  years.  Dr. 
Lybrook  has  been  interested  in  fraternal  work  to  some  extent,  and  is  a 
member  of  Young  America  Lodge  No.  534,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Logans- 
port  Chapter,  R.  A.  M. 

On  March  19,  1878,  Dr.  Lybrook  was  united  in  marriage  with  Addie 
F.  Hewitt,  who  was  born  in  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  September  15, 
1861,  daughter  of  Elias  and  Elizabeth  A.  Hewitt,  and  to  this  union 
there  w'ere  born  seven  children:  Ross  E.,  Mary  E.,  Bessie  M.,  Rolland 
v.,  Daniel  E.,  Bird  and  John  C. 

It  is  not  every  son  of  an  industrious  father  who  may  gain  success 
in  the  same  field  of  endeavor  which  the  elder  man  graces,  but  it  would 
appear  that  such  has  been  the  case  with  Dr.  Daniel  E.  Lybrook,  son  of 
Dr.  W.  E.  Lybrook.  Born  December  25,  1884,  in  Young  America, 
Indiana,  he  here  received  his  early  instruction  in  the  common  schools, 
subsequently  attending  the  high  school,  where  he  was  graduated.  In 
1908,  he  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  from  the  Indiana 
University,  following  which  he  entered  upon  a  medical  course  in  the 
Indiana  School  of  Medicine,  at  Indianapolis,  where  he  received  his 
degree  in  1910.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  a  successful  prac- 
tice at  Young  America  with  his  father,  and  is  making  rapid  strides  in 
his  chosen  profession. 

Dr.  Lybrook  was  married  September  27,  1910,  to  Miss  Matilda  Brown, 
of  Marion,  Indiana,  daughter  of  William  and  Matilda  (Peterson)  Brown, 
and  to  this  union  there  has  been  born  one  child :  Elizabeth.  Like  his 
father,  Dr.  Lybrook  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fratei'nity,  where  he 
has  numerous  friends.  He  is  respected  by  his  professional  brethren,  is 
popular  in  social  circles  and  highly  regarded  as  a  public-spirited  citizen 
who  takes  a  great  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  community  and  its  people. 

Robert  H.  Ross,  M.  D.,  of  Galveston,  Indiana,  was  born  in  Rocking- 
ham county,  Virginia,  and  is  the  son  of  David  and  Eliza  (Whitsell) 
Ross,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  Virginia  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
ancestry.  He  was  a  United  Brethren  minister  and  moved  to  Indiana 
in  1861,  continuing  in  the  ministry  iip  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He 
was  a  presiding  elder  in  the  church  and  was  a  trustee  of  Westfield 
College  in  Illinois,  his  declining  years  being  passed  in  Westfield,  where 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1105 

he  died  on  July  8,  1879.  His  faithful  wife  died  in  Edgar  county,  Illi- 
nois, some  time  previous.  These  worthy  people  were  the  parents  of 
eleven  children,  of  whom  the  following  brief  mention  is  made :  Rev. 
Samuel  H.,  a  minister  of  the  United  Brethren  church,  now  deceased; 
Dr.  John  H.,  a  prominent  physician  of  Kokomo,  Indiana;  William  H., 
who  also  became  a  physician  and  is  now  deceased ;  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of 
William  Devore;  David  H.,  graduate  of  Westtield  College,  one  time 
teacher  and  now  in  the  commercial  business  at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana ; 
George  H. ;  Sally,  who  married  John  Woods  of  Westfield,  now  deceased; 
Dr.  Robert  H.,  of  this  review,  and  Peter.  After  the  death  of  the  mother 
of  these  children,  Mr.  Ross  married  again,  and  two  daughters  were  born 
to  him,  Ella  and  Ida,  both  married. 

Robert  H.  Ross  passed  his  boyhood  days  upon  the  home  farm  and  in 
attendance  at  the  schools  of  his  native  community.  When  he  was 
seventeen  years  old  he  attended  Westfield  College  in  Illinois,  whither 
the  family  had  removed  in  recent  years.  He  then  commenced  the  stud,y 
of  medicine,  in  which  his  brother  John  had  already  engaged  in  the 
practice  of,  and  under  the  tutelage  of  Dr.  John  Ross  the  subject  received 
excellent  training  in  his  chosen  work.  In  1877  he  matriculated  in  the 
Indiana  IMedical  College  at  Indianapolis,  which  in  the  following  year 
became  the  medical  department  of  Butler  University,  and  two  years 
after,  in  1879,  he  was  graduated  and  settled  at  Bennett's  Switch,  where 
he  engaged  in  practice.  He  was  located  at  that  point  for  six  years, 
during  which  time  he  played  an  important  part  in  the  varied  life  of 
the  community.  He  was  identified  with  the  only  drug  business  in  the 
community  and  filled  the  office  of  notary  public  at  the  same  time,  so  that 
his  services  were  in  demand  from  many  angles  of  life's  activities.  In 
1887  he  went  to  Clinton  county,  remaining  two  years  and  then  locating 
in  Cassville,  where  he  continued  until  1908,  with  the  exception  of  a 
three-year  period  when  he  was  engaged  at  Kokomo  as  surgeon  with  the 
Plate  Glass  Company  at  that  place.  Since  1908  Galveston  has  been  the 
headquarters  of  Dr.  Ross,  and  he  is  accorded  the  highest  regard  in 
his  professional  capacity  and  as  a  citizen  in  this  community. 

Dr.  Ross  is  a  member  of  the  County,  State  and  American  Medical 
societies,  and  maintains  a  number  of  memberships  in  fraternal  societies 
as  well.  In  addition  to  his  professional  interests.  Dr.  Ross  is  the  owner 
of  a  fine  farm  in  the  county,  which  has  claimed  a  goodly  share  of  his 
attention  in  recent  years,  and  marke/1  him  as  a  man  of  some  versatility. 

In  1879  Dr.  Ross  married  Miss  Josie  I.  Shafer,  the  daughter  of  an 
old  and  honored  family  of  Indiana.  Her  father,  who  was  John  A. 
Shafer,  a  native  of  Indiana,  was  for  many  years  a  prominent  merchant 
of  Cassville,  filling  the  office  of  postmaster  for  years,  as  well 
as  other  positions  of  public  trust.  Mrs.  Ross  was  one  of  the  five  chil- 
dren of  her  parents. 

Three  children  were  born  to  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Ross,  one  of  whom  died 
in  infancy.     The  others  are  Dottie  and  Lulu. 

In  1908  Dr.  Ross  was  married  a  second  time,  when  Mary  Campbell, 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Rebecca  (Spencer)  Campbell  became  his  wife. 
No  children  were  born  of  this  latter  union.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Ross  are  mem- 
bers of  the  United  Brethren  church. 


1106  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Edwin  A.  Rutenbeb  has  achieved  distinction  in  the  designing  and 
manufacturing  of  the  first  four-cylinder  gasoline  engine  produced  in 
America,  and  the  "Rutenber"  motor  has  a  world-wide  reputation.  Born 
at  Sadorus,  Illinois,  on  August  10,  1876,  Mr.  Rutenber  is  remotely 
descended  from  German  ancestry.  He  is  the  youngest  of  five  children 
born  to  Darwin  and  Zelia  A.  Rutenber,  all  of  whom  are  living.  The 
father  was  a  carriage  maker  by  trade. 

In  boyhood  Edwin  A.  Rutenber  of  this  review  attended  the  public 
schools  and  college. 

He  learned  carpentering  from  his  grandfather  and  carriage  making 
from  his  father,  and  it  is  beyond  question  that  he  inherited  a  taste  for 
mechanics  from  both.  He  made  a  study  of  mechanics,  learning  the 
machinist  trade  thoroughly,  and  in  1892  or  thereabouts,  invented  a 
single  cylinder  motor.  This  but  fathered  an  ambition  within  him  to 
devise  a  four  cylinder  motor  of  commercial  value,  and  for  a  number  of 
years  he  worked  with  that  object  in  view.  In  1898  he  produced  his 
first  four  cylinder  gasoline  motor,  also  the  first  to  be  manufactured  in 
the  United  States,  and  the  fame  of  the  design  spread  to  foreign  parts 
as  well  as  throughout  his  native  land. 

In  June,  1902,  the  Rutenber  IManufacturing  Company  was  moved 
from  Chicago  to  Logansport,  and  from  that  time  Mr.  Rutenber  has  been 
a  resident  of  the  latter  city.  The  name  of  his  company  was  later 
changed  to  the  Western  Motor  Company,  but  since  July,  1912,  it  has 
been  the  Rutenber  Motor  Company.  At  the  last  mentioned  date,  Mr. 
Rutenber  disposed  of  his  holdings  in  the  corporation,  since  which  time 
he  has  devoted  his  energies  to  the  manufacture  of  electric  appliances 
in  connection  with  his  other  activities. 

Since  becoming  a  resident  of  Logansport,  Mr.  Rutenber  has  become 
identified  with  its  commercial  success,  and  has  taken  a  leading  part 
in  the  industrial  activities  of  the  city. 

On  October  3,  1900,  Mr.  Rutenber  was  married  to  ]\Iiss  Edna  L. 
Rolley,  of  IMorris,  Illinois,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  three  children: 
Garnet  M.,  Ellwood  R.  and  Bradley  A.  Rutenber.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ruten- 
ber are  members  of  the  Broadway  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Frank  Day.  It  is  sometimes  interesting  to  note  the  aptitude  with 
which  men  untrained  in  a  specific  line  of  enterprise  will  turn  their 
attentions  thereto  and  evolve  a  brilliant  success  from  conditions  that 
the  more  experienced  man  would  regard  as  offering  only  defeat  to  the 
novice.  Frank  Day,  a  telling  example  of  this  fact,  operates  one  of  the 
finest  farms  on  the  Marion  and  Delph  pike,  which  is  owned  by  his 
mother,  and  in  its  management  has  proven  himself  to  be  a  farmer  of  no 
mean  ability.  He  was  not  reared  to  farm  life,  but  turned  his  attention 
to  that  work  after  the  death  of  his  father,  and  his  success  has  been  of  a 
particularly  high  order,  such  as  to  place  him  in  the  front  rank  with  the 
able  agricultural  men  of  the  district. 

Born  on  September  10,  1884,  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  Mr.  Day  is  the 
son  of  Nicholas  and  Catherine  (Keel)  Day.  The  father  came  from 
Germany,  his  native  land,  when  a  young  man,  and  his  parents  never  left 
that  country,  but  ended  their  days  in  the  region  where  they  were  born 
and  bred.     Settling  in  Logansport,  Mr.  Day  engaged  in  the  saloon  and 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1107 

barber  sliop  business,  and  in  the  latter  enterprise  he  was  sufficiently- 
prosperous  to  make  possible  his  investment  in  farming  property  in 
Jackson  township,  the  property  which  his  son  now  operates  so  success- 
fully. While  the  senior  Day  beg-aii  in  Logansport  a  poor  man,  dependent 
upon  his  daily  earnings,  he  had  reached  a  comfortable  state  of  independ- 
ence before  he  passed  to  his  reward,  and  with  a  goodly  accumulation  of 
this  world's  goods,  was  known  for  one  of  the  successful  men  of^the  city. 
He  died  in  July,  1909,  and  is  buried  in  Logansport. 

The  schools  of  Logansport  contributed  to  Frank  Day  such  education 
as  he  received,  and  when  his  father  died,  soon  after  engaging  in  farming 
activities,  Mr.  Day  took  up  the  management  of  the  farm  which  had 
become  the  family  home,  and  has  since  continued  in  that  work,  with  a 
degree  of  success  that  has  already  been  intimated  in  an  opening  para- 
graph. Mr.  Day  has  gone  into  the  work  in  a  whole-souled  and  energetic 
manner,  and  has  been  quick  to  see  and  appropriate  new  ideas  in  the 
matter  of  up-to-date  and  scientitic  farming. 

In  1906  I\Ir.  Day  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Frances  Emery, 
the  daughter  of  George  and  IMary  (Davidson)  Emery.  Three  children 
have  been  born  to  them,  as  follows:  Walter,  Josephine  and  Mary  Cath- 
erine. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Day  are  members  of  St.  Joseph's  Catholic  church 
in  Logansport,  and  Mr.  Day  is  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  principles  of  the 
Democratic  party.  The  family  is  one  that  has  the  most  excellent  stand- 
ing in  social  and  other  circles  of  the  community,  and  their  roster  of 
friends  is  coincident  with  that  of  their  acquaintances. 

Dr.  J.  Frank  Cornell.  The  duties  of  a  physician  in  the  small  town 
and  its  outlying  districts  are  seldom  anything  short  of  the  most  ardu- 
ous, and  entail  upon  the  part  of  the  practitioner  a  generous  fund  of 
sympathy,  courage  and  energv,  as  well  as  their  indispensable  fellow, 
skill. 

Dr.  Cornell  is  a  native  son  of  Cass  county,  born  in  Deer  Creek  town- 
ship on  February  9,  1870,  and  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  D.  and  Sarah  (Bun- 
nell) Cornell.  Benjamin  Cornell  was  born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio, 
and  he  came  to  Cass  county  in  1847.  He  was  one  of  the  old  time  school 
teachers,  and  it  is  possible  that  Dr.  Cornell  drew  something  of  his 
aptitude  for  his  present  educational  work  from  the  fact  of  his  father 
having  been  interested  in  the  same  work  years  gone  by.  The  senior 
Cornell  was  one  of  the  old  time  school  masters,  and  like  others  of  his 
day  and  age,  he  interspersed  his  teaching  seasons  with  other  seasons 
devoted  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil,  in  both  of  which  branches  of  activity 
he  enjoyed  a  success  commensurate  with  the  most  prosperous  of  his 
day.     He  died  in  1907  and  the  wife  and  mother  passed  away  in  1901. 

J.  Frank  Cornell  attended  the  district  schools  of  District  No.  1,  so 
called,  and  then  attended  the  Normal  school  at  Logansport  for  a  time, 
after  which  he  spent  a.  terra  and  a  half  at  Valparaiso.  Indiana.  He 
later  attended  and  graduated  in  scientific  course  in  the  IMarion  Normal 
at  Marion,  Indiana,  and  was  graduated  from  the  medical  department  of 
the  University  of  Illinois  at  Chicago  in  1902.  Dr.  Cornell  established 
himself  for  practice  in  Galveston,  where  he  has  been  actively  engasred 
since  1902,  and  where  he  has  experienced  a  pleasing  degree  of  success 
in  his  chosen  field  of  activity.    His  work  in  the  educational  field  has  been 


1108  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

all  that  could  be  desired,  and  has  borue  fruit  in  the  school  system  of 
the  county  that  amply  justified  the  choice  of  the  people,  as  he  was  twice 
elected  county  superintendent  of  schools  and  serving  as  a  member  of 
school  board  of  Galveston,  of  which  he  is  acting  secretary. 

Dr.  Cornell  was  united  in  marriage  in  1900  to  ]\Iiss  Lena  ^Yilliams, 
the  daughter  of  George  and  Hannah  J.  Williams.  They  have  three 
children^:  Sarah  E.,  George  B.  and  Wendell.  The  two  tirst  named  are 
attending  school  in  Galveston. 

Beyond  his  membership  in  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Dr.  Cornell  has 
no  fraternal  affiliations.  He  has  never  outgrown  his  fondness  for  farm 
life,  and  now,  in  the  days  of  his  professional  activity,  he  still  finds  time 
to  look  after  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  acres  of  which  he  is  the  owner 
in  Deer  Creek  township,  and  which  thrives  most  abundantly  under  his 
direction.  The  Doctor  and  his  wife  are  prominent  socially,  and  num- 
ber as  their  stanch  friends  all  with  whom  they  have  acquaintance  in 
and  about  the  township. 

William  R.  Darland,  a  native  son  of  Cass  county,  Indiana,  wherein 
he  has  always  lived  and  carried  on  his  various  business  affairs,  was  born 
on  the  15th  day  of  June,  1863.  and  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth 
(Clark)  Darland.  Of  these  worthy  parents,  for  many  years  prominent 
among  the  best  citizenship  of  Cass  county,  it  is  eminentlj^  fitting  thar, 
more  than  mere  cursory  mention  be  made,  but  a  dearth  of  information 
regarding  them  and  their  lives  makes  expansion  impossible  at  this 
juncture.  It  may  be  said,  however,  that  Samuel  Darland  was  born 
in  Ohio,  in  the  year  1825.  In  his  young  manhood  he  moved  to  Indiana 
from  his  home  state,  and  settled  in  Clinton  county,  his  removal  to  Cass 
county  taking  place  in  1854.  Here  he  had  purchased  land  from  the 
government  as  early  as  1849  anticipating  his  later  residence  in  the 
county,  and  in  1854  the  family  moved  to  this  new  and  untried  district, 
cleared  a  bit  of  space  in  the  heart  of  the  woods  and  built  a  log  cabin 
home.  The  land  he  settled  on  then  came  to  be  with  the  passing  years, 
and  because  of  his  untiring  labors  upon  it,  a  valuable  and  fruitful  spot, 
which  maintained  him  and  his  family  comfortably  all  his  life.  He  had 
the  true  pioneer  instinct,  and  was  a  leader  in  every  project  calculated 
to  redound  to  the  good  of  his  community.  Ever  a  public-spirited  and 
aggressive  character,  he  helped  to  lay  out  the  township  roacls,  organize 
the  school  districts  and  to  build  proper  schoolhouses  in  his  township,  so 
that  his  whole  life  was  fraught  with  good  and  permanent  works  in  the 
best  interests  of  his  adopted  county.  He  died  in  the  year  1880,  December 
22d,  having  given  a  quarter  of  a  century  of  his  life  to  Cass  county  in  his 
capacity  of  citizen,  in  which  capacity  the  highest  (jualities  of  his 
nature  were  brought  to  bear  upon  the  growth  and  development  of  his 
community  and  the  county.  He  was  the  father  of  five  children :  Martha 
A.,  David,  John  A.,  William  R..  of  this  review,  and  Albert. 

William  R.  Darland  attended  the  district  schools  of  his  community 
as  a  boy  and  spent  his  summers  in  the  work  of  the  farm,  in  which  he 
gained  much  proficiency  under  the  able  instruction  of  his  energetic 
father.  He  remained  at  home  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-one, 
when  he  married  and  established  a  home  of  his  own.  He  gave  his  time 
and  attention  at  first  to  farming  and  enjoyed  a  pleasing  success,  but 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1109 

he  did  not  continue  to  confine  himself  to  that  industry.  In  later  years 
he  took  up  the  tile  industry,  and  today  he  is  the  sole  proprietor  of  the 
Darland  Tile  Factory,  the  only  plant  of  its  kind  in  the  county.  The 
plant  is  complete  in  all  its  details  and  has  a  capacity  sufficient  to  meet 
the  demands  of  the  farming  interests  of  the  community.  Mr.  Darland 
owns  and  continues  to  operate  his  very  attractive  and  fertile  little  farm 
of  sixty  acres,  where  his  home  is  maintained,  and  which  is  located  a 
mile  from  the  home  of  his  hoyhood. 

]\Ir.  Darland  has  been  t\\ice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Clare  Wine- 
garden,  who  died,  leaving  two  children.  Frank  and  Elizabeth.  The 
former  married  an  Ohio  girl  and  lives  at  Struthers,  Ohio.  They  became 
the  parents  of  three  children :  Frances,  Leo  and  Clara.  Elizahe'h  became 
the  wife  of  George  Shedron  and  they  have  three  children  also :  Robert, 
Bond  and  IMilford.  The  second  wife  of  Mr.  Darland  was  Jennie  Kant- 
ner,  and  five  children  have  been  born  to  them:  Willard  A.,  Edward  B., 
Albert  A.,  Alta  L.,  and  Orene,  deceased. 

The  family  attend  the  ]\Iethodist  Episcopal  church,  and  are  among 
the  most  highly  esteemed  people  of  Lincoln,  where  they  have  made  their 
home  for  so  many  years. 

William  R.'  Hyatt.  To  have  been  prominently  identified  with  the 
carrying  on  of  the  development  of  any  given  section  of  the  countrv  is 
an  honor  to  which  any  might  aspire  with  credit,  and  to  have  a  hand  in 
the  bringing  about  of  a  high  standard  of  prosperity  in  one's  own  com- 
munity is  an  achievement  indeed,  and  one  that  marks  a  man  among  his 
fellows,  wherever  found.  William  R.  Hyatt  has  been  an  indefatigable 
worker  in  Jackson  township,  where  he  has  carried  on  farming  operations 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  a  fair  and  honest  share  of  the  credit  for  the 
growth  and  development  of  the  town  is  his  meed. 

William  R.  Hyatt  was  born  in  Decatur  county,  Indiana,  on  November 
2,  1872,  and  he  is  the  son  of  William  Henry  and  Mary  J.  (Jackson) 
Hyatt.  The  father  came  from  Ripley  county,  Indiana,  and  located  i:i 
Irvin  township,  Howard  county,  just  across  the  line,  there  establishing 
a  home.  He  married  in  early  life,  and  a  goodly  family  of  nine  children 
were  reared  under  the  care  of  himself  and  his  •«afe.  Eight  of  that 
number  are  yet  living,  and  .the  names  of  the  children  are  as  follows : 
Flora,  who  married  a  Mr.  Caldwell;  Ora,  deceased;  Robert,  a  resident 
of  Jackson;  Newton,  living  in  Galveston;  William  R.,  of  this  review; 
]\Irs.  Maud  Hauser ;  Lola  Leona,  the  wife  of  a  Mr.  Nutter ;  Gertrude, 
who  married  Walter  Stout,  a  farmer  near  Connersville,  Indiana ;  and 
Mrs.  Pearl  Harrison. 

William  R.  Hyatt  was  reared  on  the  home  farm,  and  his  training 
was  much  on  the  order  of  the  youth  of  his  community,  eonsistino-  of 
the  usual  district  school  advantages,  and  an  excellent  home  training. 
His  schooling  came  to  him  in  the  seasons  when  farm  work  was  not 
flourishing,  and  did  not  permit  of  any  great  regularity.  He  was 
twenty-two  years  old  when  he  left  home  and  established  an  independent 
domicile,  following  his  marriage  on  August  5.  1904,  to  Miss  Mary  Mc- 
Williams,  the  daughter  of  James  and  ]Mai*tha  (Logan)  McWilliams. 
One  child  has  been  born  to  them,  Clarence  Clermont  Hyatt. 

Mr.  Hyatt  has  acquired  a  fine  farm  of  his  own  of  one  hundred  and 


1110  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

sixty  acres  near  the  town  of  Lincoln,  and  is  accounted  one  of  the  finan- 
cially indepeiulent  men  of  the  community  wherein  he  resides.  He  has 
carried  on  his  own  farming  operations  with  the  same  vigor  and  vim  that 
characterized  his  long  connection  with  his  father's  home  place,  and  his 
farm  shows  all  the  evidences  of  thrift  and  capitalized  energy. 

Socially,  Mr.  Hyatt  and  his  family  are  prominent  and  popular,  and 
they  are  members  of  the  United  Brethren  church  of  Galveston,  Indiana. 
Mr.  Hyatt  is  fraternally  identified  by  his  relations  with  the  Masonic 
order,  Lodge  No.  244  of  Galveston,  and  of  Amity  Lodge  No.  362,  Knighls 
of  Pythias  of  Galveston. 

George  W.  Burket.  Some  fifty  years  or  more  ago,  thousands  of  men 
and  boys  marched  away  from  comfortable  homes  and  loved  ones  to  ofi:'er 
up  their  lives  on  the  altar  of  patriotism.  Some  dyed  that  altar  with 
their  life  blood  and  never  returned ;  others  came  back,  but  have  borne 
through  the  succeeding  years  the  indelible  imprint  made  by  a  soldier's 
hardships.  Those  who  did  return  found  hard  conditions  awaiting  them. 
After  years  of  strenuous  endeavor,  when  each  minute  might  be  their  last, 
when  a  nation's  life  hung  upon  their  bravery  and  endurance,  it  was 
extremely  difficult  for  them  to  resume  the  ordinary  occupations  of  life, 
to  take  up  the  prosaic  duties  of  peace,  and  again  to  seftle  down  in  the 
rut  of  every-day  existence.  Yet  thousands  did  this  very  thing,  and 
developed  into  magnificent  men,  sound  of  principle,  possessed  of  high 
moral  courage  as  well  as  physical,  and  with  the  valuable  discipline  that 
army  training  gives  have  rounded  out  useful  lives  and  have  fought  the 
battles  of  peace  in  the  same  courageous  manner  that  marked  their  strug- 
gles during  the  dark  days  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  Cass  county 
sent  its  full  quota  of  volunteers  to  the  front  in  1861,  and  among  these 
was  George  W.  Burket,  who  served  for  more  than  four  years  in  the 
•Union  ranks  and  who  has  spent  many  years  in  farming  on  the  Walton 
road,  where  he  is  the  owner  of  120  acres  of  land.  Mr.  Burket  is  a  nativ<» 
of  Cass  county,  having  been  born  on  a  farm  in  Jefferson  township, 
November  28,  1841,  a  son  of  James  and  Barbara  (Small)  Burket.  His 
grandfather,  Solomon  Burket,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Cass 
county,  where  he  was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  for  a  long  period, 
as  was  also  James  Burket,  who  had  come  to  Jeft'erson  township  as  a  lad. 

George  W.  Burket  was  educated  in  the  district  schools,  and  divided 
his  boyhood  days  between  secAiring  his  education  and  assisting  his  father 
in  the  duties  of  the  home  farm.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  with 
other  patriotic  and  adventurous  youths  of  his  neighborhood,  he  enlisted 
in  the  Fifteenth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  Company  G, 
under  Cil.  D.  D.  Wagner.  AVith  this  organization  he  served  three  years 
and  twenty-five  days,  then  re-enlisting  in  the  Sixteenth  Regiment, 
Indiana  Mounted  Volunteer  Infantry,  but  after  seven  months  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Thirteenth  Indiana  Volunteer  Cavalry,  with  which  he 
completed  his  military  career,  being  honorably  discharged  after  a  service 
covering  four  years  and  twenty-eight  days.  He  was  a  brave  and  gallant 
soldier,  earning  the  admiration  of  his  comrades  and  the  respect  of  his 
officers,  and  participated  in  numerous  hard-fought  engagements.  On 
his  return  to  civil  life,  he  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and  one  year 
later  moved  to  Deer  Creek  township,  where  he  has  since  accumulated  a 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  im 

farm  of  120  acres,  located  ou  the  Walton  road.  Here  he  is  still  engaged 
in  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  having  met  Avith  a  full  measure  of 
success  in  all  his  operations.  His  land  is  well  improved  and  furnished 
with  good  buildings,  and  he  is  known  as  a  good  practical  farmer  and  an 
excellent  judge  of  cattle  and  horses.  Essentially  a  farmer,  he  has  not 
cared  for  public  life,  but  has  not  been  indifferent  to  the  duties  of  citizen- 
ship, and  every  call  made  upon  him  in  behalf  of  public-spirited  move- 
ments, has  met  with  a  prompt  and  hearty  response.  He  is  a  valued 
comrade  of  Dan  Pratt  Post,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  in  which  he 
has  many  friends. 

Mr.  Burket  was  married  first  to  Elizabeth  Boucher,  who  died  with- 
out issue.  His  second  marriage  was  to  Margaret  M.  Bowlan.  They 
have  no  children. 

Charles  Daggett.  Forty  years  have  elapsed  since  Charles  Daggett 
came  with  his  parents  from  their  old  home  in  Ohio,  where  the  Dag- 
getts  had  long  been  established,  and  settled  in  Cass  county  with  them, 
and  his  home  has  been  here  located  ever  since.  They  were  worthy  and 
ambitious  people,  and  the  labor  they  expended  in  the  cultivation  of  a 
farm  in  their  community  brought  forth  abundant  fruit  and  prospered 
them  beyond  the  lot  of  the  average  farming  family.  To  their  son  they 
unconsciously  bequeathed  the  same  spirit  of  progress  and  the  will  to 
accomplish  that  was  theirs,  and  he  has  experienced  in  his  own  life  a 
degree  of  success  most  pleasing  to  behold. 

Charles  Daggett  was  born  on  September  27,  1857,  and  is  the  son 
of  Freeman  and  Carolina  (Fickel)  Daggett,  who  migrated  to  Indiana 
from  Ohio  in  1872.  Charles  Daggett  was  then  fifteen  years  of  age,  and 
he  was  the  third  child  in  a  family  of  seven  born  to  his  parents,  the  others 
being  Daniel,  Ladoska,  Clinton,  Anna,  Hattie  and  George,  the  two  last 
named  being  now  deceased. 

As  a  youth  in  his  new  home  Charles  Daggett  attended  the  Rode- 
baugh  school,  in  which  he  finished  what  must  be  called  his  education. 
Up  to  the  time  when  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  he  gave 
the  greater  part  of  his  time  to  the  performance  of  the  regular  duties 
of  the  farm.  He  then  rented  the  old  home  place  and  continued  to 
operate  it  on  his  own  initiative  and  responsibility,  giving  something 
like  thr^e  years  to  the  work,  after  which  he  came  to  his  present  place, 
known  throughout  these  parts  as  the  old  Samuel  Parks  farm.  Here  he 
has  carried  on  a  thriving  business  in  farming  and  stock  raising,  and  is, 
ranked  among  the  leading  operatoi-s  of  the  district.  His  success  has 
been  one  well  worthy  of  the  name,  and  entirely  justified  by  his  activities 
and  energies  as  applied  to  the  care  and  conduct  of  his  place.  It  is  a 
well  improved  and  well  kept  place,  reflecting  on  every  side  the  character 
and  calilire  of  the  owner  and  operator,  and  Mv.  Daggett  may  be  justly 
proud  of  his  success  in  his  chosen  field  of  activity. 

Mr.  Daggett  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Callie 
Fickel,  and  in  1884  he  married  Lillie  Chadwell,  the  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam and  Fannie  (Layhue)  Chadwell.  The  ceremony  took  place  on  the 
29th  day  of  December  in  that  year,  and  to  them  have  been  born  four 
children :  Gertrude,  first  born,  is  the  wife  of  Irvin  Kern ;  Freeman,  the 
second  born  of  the  five  is  deceased ;  Laura  married  Clyde  Babb  and  they 


1112  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

have  two  children,  Hilda  and  Robert;   Clarence,  the  youngest  of  the 
family,  was  born  on  the  farm  on  February  5,  1892. 

]\Ir.  Daggett  is  a  Democrat  in  his  politics,  and  though  an  admirable 
citizen,  is  not  especially  active  in  the  work  of  his  party.  He  has  always 
upheld  his  share  in  the  burden  of  civic  responsibility  in  the  community, 
and  realizes  full  well  the  duties  of  citizenship. 

Lawrence  L.  ]\IcDonald.  As  manager  of  the  Indiana  Lumber 
Company  at  Galveston,  Indiana,  Lawrence  L.  McDonald  occupies  a 
position  of  prominence  in  his  community,  of  which  he  has  been  a  resident 
for  twenty-four  years.  He  began  with  the  Indiana  Lumber  Company 
in  his  early  manhood,  and  has  worked  his  way  from  a  humble  position 
with  the  company  to  his  present  advanced  place.  Mr.  IMcDonald  was 
born  on  the  6th  day  of  April,  1876,  in  Darke  county,  Ohio,  near  Green- 
ville, and  is  the  son  of  Aaron  and  Sevilla  (Geeting)  McDonald. 

Aaron  McDonald  was  born  in  Darke  county,  in  the  vicinity  of  Green- 
ville, and  there  he  was  reared  and  passed  his  life  until  he  came  to  In- 
diana in  1879,  bringing  his  family  with  him.  He  took  up  his  residence 
in  Howard  county  on  a  farm,  and  he  and  his  wife  still  make  their  home 
on  that  place,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  county.  Ten  children 
were  born  to  IMr.  and  Mrs.  McDonald,  named  as  follows:  Joseph,  Law- 
rence, the  sub.ieet  of  this  review ;  Charles,  now  deceased ;  Essie,  Lahmaii, 
Anna,  Ira,  Edith,  Earl,  and  Mark. 

The  common  schools  of  Cla.A*  township  afforded  such  ediication  as 
Lawrence  L.  McDonald  received,  his  attendance  being  at  the  IMacedonia 
school,  and  during  his  vacations  he  worked  on  the  farm  at  home.  He 
continued  with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old,  and  then 
started  out  for  himself,  determined  upon  an  independent  career.  He  at 
first  worked  on  a  farm  by  the  month,  receiving  a  monthly  wage  of 
eighteen  dollars,  and  for  a  time  he  was  engaged  in  carpenter  work, 
which  he  thought  of  learning.  He  gave  up  the  work,  however,  to  take 
a  position  with  the  Indiana  Lumber  Company.  He  began  in  a  humble 
way.  but  he  advanced  rapidly,  and  soon  had  worked  l\imself  up  to  the 
position  of  manager,  which  he  still  retains.  He  is  a  stockholder  in  the 
company  as  well  as  its  manager. 

On  June  18,  1907,  ]\Ir.  ]\IcDonald  married  Miss  Minnie  Persinger,  and 
they  have  one  child,  Frank  McDonald. 

]Mr.  ^McDonald  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  United 
Brethren  church. 

Everett  R.  Gore.  A  genuine  talent  for  the  agricultural  industry 
is  one  that  may  not  l)e  despised  in  summing  up  the  various  qiialities 
that  go  to  make  for  valuable  and  useful  citizenship,  and  especially  is 
this  true  in  Cass  countv  where  the  fairest  wealth  of  the  district  lies  in 
her  bountiful  farming  lands.  Those  men  who  have  applied  themselves 
to  the  work  of  developing  the  splendid  natural  resources  of  the  county 
and  converting  it  into  the  wonderfully  productive  region  it  is  today 
have  done  as  much  for  their  country  as  have  those  in  higher  places  and 
wielding  a  wider  influence.  They  have  done  what  they  could,  and  of 
none  is  more  required.     Everett  R.  Gore  is  one  who  has  amply  earned 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1113 

the  distinction  of  coming  into  this  class  of  men  by  his  achievement  in 
the  farming  line,  and  he  is  today  the  owner  of  one  of  the  fine  show 
places  of  his  community,  though  it  may  be  said  that  when  he  married 
and  began  life  independently  he  established  himself  on  a  rented  farm. 
He  has  been  devoted  to  the  work  of  the  farm  all  his  life,  and  is  a  practi- 
cal, far-sighted  and  successful  farmer. 

Everett  R.  Gore  was  born  in  Shelby  county  January  15,  1860,  and 
he  is  the  son  of  James  Wesley  and  Martha  (Bradley)  Gore.  The  father 
came  from  Virginia,  his  native  state,  to  Wayne  county,  Indiana,  and 
later  removed  to  Cass  county,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  He  devoted  his  yeai's  to  farming  and  was  fairly  successful  in  the 
work,  and  was  one  who  was  prominent  in  his  community  all  his  days. 
To  him  and  his  wife  three  children  were  born,  namely:  Mary  J.,  who 
married  a  Mr.  Grusmeyer ;  Willard,  living  in  Lincoln ;  and  Everett  R., 
whose  name  heads  this  necessarily  brief  review. 

Everett  R.  Gore  came  up  through  boyhood  years  as  an  attendant 
upon  the  schools  of  Shelby  and  during  his  vacation  seasons  worked  on 
the  home  farm.  He  later  applied  himself  to  the  trade  of  a  carpenter 
for  some  time,  but  the  work  was  not  entirely  congenial  to  him,  and  when 
he  married  in  1891  he  reverted  to  farming  and  farm  life  once  more, 
for  which  he  had  a  natural  talent  and  a  genuine  liking,  the  qualities, 
undeniably,  that  have  made  him  successful  in  his  enterprise.  Being 
without  capital,  ]\Ir.  Gore  rented  a  place  from  his  father-in-law,  which 
he  operated  until  he  had  prospered  sufficiently  to  purchase  one  of  his 
own.  Mr.  Gore  married  Jennie  Countryman,  the  daughter  of  Isaiah 
and  Sarah  (Crull)  Countryman,  and  three  children  have  been  born 
to  them :  Ina,  the  eldest,  being  a  student  in  the  local  high  school,  and 
Elma  and  Pansy  attending  grade  school. 

The  family  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  assume  their 
just  share  of  the  duties  and  responsibilities  attendant  upon  the  work 
of  that  body.  They  are  popular  in  their  home  community  and  number 
their  friends  in  generous  measure.  Mr.  Gore  is  a  man  who  lives  quietly, 
taking  no  undue  interest  in  affairs  of  a  political  nature,  but  giving  his 
support  to  the  Democratic  party.  Though  he  has  considerable  influence 
among  his  fellows,  he  is  not  one  who  has  ever  been  an  office  seeker. 

Dick  Alpord  Zehring  is  the  son  of  an  old  and  honored  Indiana  fam- 
ily, and  a  most  interesting  history  attaches  to  the  name.  In  this  connec- 
tion it  is  impossible  to  more  than  briefly  cite  a  few  facts  relating  to  the 
ancestry  of  the  subject,  lack  of  space  making  a  detailed  statement  impos- 
sible. Mr.  Zehri^ng  was  born  on  the  12th  day  of  November,  1873,  and 
is  the  son  of  William  I.  and  Lydia  (Mcllwain)  Zehring.  Beginning 
with  the  first  of  the  name  of  whom  a  record  has  been  established. 
Christian  Zehring,  the  great-great-grandfather  of  the  subject,  was  born 
in  Lebanon  county,  Pennsylvania,  of  Dutch  origin  as  the  name  and 
the  location  would  indicate.  He  was  the  son  of  a  pioneer  farmer  and 
blacksmith  of  that  county.  He  married  Mary  Ranch,  who  was  like 
himself  a  native  of  Lebanon  county,  and  there  he  continued  to  live,  fol- 
lowing the  calling  of  a  blacksmith,  in  which  trade  he  had  been  trained 
by  his  worthy  parent.  Christian  and  Mary  Zehring  reared  a  goodly 
family  of  twelve  children,  named  as  follows :     Henry,  John,  Catherine, 


1114  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Christian,  Philip,  AVilliam,  Beruard,  David,  Peter,  Susan,  Mary  and 
Martha.  Three  others  died  in  infancy.  He  moved  to  Oliio  in  the  year 
1818.  and  settled  in  Warren  county  where  he  became  the  owner  of  a 
tine  farm  and  there  passed  his  remaining  days,  living-  to  reach  the  age 
of  seventy.  He  was  a  man  of  splendid  character,  and  was  a  power  for 
good  in  his  community  to  the  day  of  his  death.  Of  his  family,  William, 
born  in  Lebanon  county,  Pennsylvania,  engaged  in  agriculture  in  Dau- 
phin county,  that  state,  and  was  thus  occupied  for  some  little  time. 
He  married  Elizabeth  Garst,  and  soon  after  that  event,  in  1818,  moved 
to  Ohio  and  settled  on  fifty  acres  of  land  in  Butler  county,  near  the  town 
of  ]Middletown.  He  passed  his  remaining  daj's  in  Ohio,  and  was  one 
of  the  well  known  men  of  his  time.  His  children  were  John,  William, 
Christian,  Lydia  and  Barbara.  He  died  in  September,  1872,  and  his 
widow  survived   him  until   1885. 

William  Zehring,  his  second  born  son,  the  father  of  William  I.  Zehr- 
ing  and  the  grandfather  of  Dick  Alford  Zehring  of  this  review,  was  born 
in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  on  May  3,  ]821.  He  received  a  common  school 
education  and  was  early  instructed  in  the  art  of  farming,  a  business  which 
occupied  his  attention  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  married  Susan 
Feagler,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Susanna  (Cullers)  Feagler,  and  she 
was  one  of  their  seven  children.  After  his  marriage  Mr.  Zehring  set- 
tled on  his  father's  farm  in  Montgomery  county,  and  in  later  years 
moved  to  Preble  county,  Ohio,  where  he  continued  until  1857  when 
he  made  his  way  to  Indiana,  locating  in  Deer  Creek  township,  Miami 
county,  and  this  state  has  since  then  been  the  home  of  him  and  his 
family.  He  purchased  a  quarter  section  of  land,  fifty  acres  of  which 
were  under  cultivation,  the  remainder  being  covered  with  a  thick  timber 
growth.  He  improved  this  place  and  added  to  it  until  he  finally  owned 
two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  the  township,' besides  an  additional 
hundred  acres  in  Cass  county.  ]\Ir.  Zehring  was  a  man  who  always 
occupied  a  high  place  in  public  esteem,  wherever  he  found  himself. 
He  was  a  Democrat  and  stood  high  in  the  party.  Eight  times  he  was 
elected  township  trustee,  and  he  was  county  commissioner  for  six 
years.  In  1856-7  he  was  a  member  of  the  state  legislature ;  for  two  terms 
he  was  road  conunissioner  of  his  township  and  was  on  one  occasion  asses- 
sor of  his  town.  He  was  chosen  as  administrator  for  various  estates, 
tifteen  in  all,  and  was  appointed  guardian  for  the  children  of  two  differ- 
ent families.  JMr.  Zehring  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  died  in 
February,  1865,  leaving  six  children:  Josiah,  William  I.,  the  father  of 
the  subject ;  Benjamin  F.,  John,  Edgar  A.  and  Elizabeth.  She  was  a 
devoted  member  of  the  Lutheran  church  from  her  earliest  girlhood 
and  a  woman  of  the  most  exemplary  character.  On  March  16,  1869, 
Mr.  Zehring  married  ]\Irs.  Lucinda  (Burtner)  Wilson,  a  widow,  and 
their  remaining  years  were  passed  in  delightful  companionship. 

William  I.  Zehring  was  reared  in  Miami  county,  in  Deer  Creek  town- 
ship, and  there  attended  school  in  his  boyhood  days.  He  was  trained 
to  farm  life  and  in  his  young  manhood  became  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm 
in  his  native  town.  He  early  married,  Lydia  Mcllwain  becoming  his 
bride,  and  they  passed  their  lives  in  the  quiet  of  their  country  home, 
where  they  reared  their  family  and  gave  them  such  education  as  their 
means  and  the  schools  of  the  county  afforded. 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  1115 

Dick  Alford  Zehring,  the  second  child  of  his  parents  and  a  repre- 
sentative of  the  fifth  generation  of  Zehrings  since  the  time  of  Christian 
of  that  name,  of  Pennsylvania  birth,  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  Deer 
Creek  township.  He  attended  the  schools  of  Galveston,  and  when  his 
education  was  finished  he  gave  his  attention  to  teaching,  and  was  occu- 
pied in  that  worthy  work  in  both  Cass  and  Howard  counties  for  a  number 
of  years.  Ten  years  ago  Mr.  Zehring  decided  to  take  up  farm  life, 
in  which  his  family  had  been  successful  and  prosperous  for  a  number 
of  generations,  and  for  which  he  was  fitted  by  ability  and  inclination, 
and  he  now  has  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  acres  about  eight  miles  north 
of  Kokomo,  Indiana.  • 

Mr.  Zehring  was  married  on  August  2,  1902.  to  Mabel  Gray  Camp- 
bell, the  daughter  of  George  Wilson  and  Agnes  (Tyner)  Campbell.  Two 
children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Zehring:  Margaret  Janice, 
born  December  7,  1909 ;  Ruby  Marcella,  born  February  25,  1913.  Mr. 
Zehring  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  has  been  through 
all  chairs  in  the  order.  The  family  are  members  of  the  ^Methodist 
church,  and  are  active  in  the  benevolent  and  other  work  of  that  body. 

Benjamin  B.  Richards.  For  more  than  thirty  years  a  member  of 
the  bar,  JMr.  Richards  has  had  a  busy  and  influential  career  in  Howard 
and  Cass  counties,  and  for  the  last  twenty-five  years  has  been  located 
in  practice  at  Galveston.  Mr.  Richards  stands  high  in  local  citizenship, 
and  is  one  of  the  men  whose  influence  is  counted  as  important  in  the 
promotion  of  any  local  public  enterprise.  ' 

Benjamin  B.  Richards  was  born  in  Ripley  county,  Indiana,  September 
13,  1817,  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Eliza  (Marquis)  Richards.  Benjamin 
Richards'  father  had  a  somewhat  remarkable  career.  He  was  born 
January  1,  1798,  in  Bourbon  county,  Kentucky,  and  when  fourteen  years 
of  age  enlisted  with  the  Kentucky  Volunteers  in  the  regiment  under 
Captain  Crogan  for  service  in  the  War  of  1812.  His  company  marched 
the  entire  distance  from  the  Ohio  river  to  Detroit,  where  he  and  his 
comrades  with  other  parts  of  the  army  fought  for  the  American  cause 
until  the  war  closed.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  Kentucky  and  at 
the  age  of  twenty-five  moved  to  Madison,  Indiana,  on  the  Ohio  river. 
During  his  residence  there  he  was  a  brick  manufacturer,  and  he  had 
the  distinction  of  building  the  first  railway  station  in  Indiana,  at  Madi- 
son, for  the  old  railroad  which  began  at  Madison  and  which  was  the  first 
piece  of  railway  construction  in  this  state.  He  and  his  wife  were  the 
parents  of  seven  children,  named  as  follows:  Angeline,  deceased; 
David,  Anna,  Olive,  deceased;  Samuel,  deceased;  Benjamin  B.  and 
Morris,  deceased. 

Benjamin  B.  Richards  at  the  age  of  five  years  accompanied  his 
parents  to  Decatur  county,  where  he  was  reared  to  manhood  on  a  farm. 
In  1865  he  entered  Hartsville  University  in  Bartholomew  county,  where 
he  took  a  three  years  collegiate  course.  In  the  autumn  of  1867  he  began 
teaching  school  in  Howard  county,  and  was  connected  with  school  work 
there  for  five  years.  Then  for  two  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  harness 
business  at  New  London,  and  for  eight  years  manufactured  harness  at 
Russiaville.  In  1881  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  after  having  carried  on 
his  studies  in  leisure  intervals  for  several  years,  and  after  beginning 


1116  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

practice,  for  several  years  he  also  edited  the  RussiaviUe  Observer.  In 
1887  he  removed  to  Kokomo,  and  then  in  the  fall  of  1888  came  to  Gal- 
veston, where  he  has  since  had  his  office  for  general  law  practice,  and 
has  also  done  considerable  business  in  the  settlement  of  estates.  Mr. 
Richards  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  has  served  as  a  justice  of  the 
peace.  Fraternally  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  his  church  is  the  Methodist. 
He  was  married  on  May  10,  1870,  to  ]\Iiss  Rebecca  Gossett,  who  belonged 
to  a  Howard  county  family.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  Ollie 
and  John  0.  Ollie  is  the  wife  of  W.  A.  King,  and  has  two  children 
Walter,  and  Lena,  the  latter  being  the  wife  of  Chester  Purdy,  and  the 
mother  of  one  child,  Benjamin  R.  Purdy.  Walter  King  married  Lulu, 
daughter  of  Henderson  Fiekes  and  is  assistant  trainmaster  in  the 
Penusjdvania  office  at  Richmond,  Indiana.  John  0.  married  Emma 
Goldsberry,  and  they  have  one  child  Rebecca. 

James  jMooke  Buchanan.  When  James  IMoore  Buchanan  tii-st  located 
in  Bethlehem  township  there  were  not  more  than  ten  acres  of  cleared 
land  on  the  farm.  He  came  to  Cass  county  with  his  family  from  Blair 
county,  Pennsylvania,  to  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  in  1838,  and  after 
spending  one  season  there  with  his  family  moved  on  to  Cass  county, 
where  the  Buchanan  famih^  has  ever  since  been  represented.  They 
arrived  in  Cass  county  on  April  5,  1839,  stopping  on  their  first  night  in 
the  county  at  a  tavern  located  on  the  present  site  of  Heppe's  soap 
factory,  then  moving  to  Bethlehem  township.  The  house  the  family 
occupied  here  was  a  mere  cabin,  built  of  round  logs  covered  with  a  four- 
foot  clapboard  roof  held  down  by  two  poles  laid  longitudinally  across  it. 
A  cabin  adjoining  it  was  connected  by  a  covered  hallway,  and  in  later 
years  another  cabin  was  built  fronting  the  hallway.  The  fireplace  in 
each  cabin  was  of  mud  and  stick  construction.  In  one  of  these  cabins 
James  Buchanan  and  his  family  lived,  and  in  the  other  was  found 
shelter  for  his  hired  help.  The  family  consisted  of  the  father  and 
mother,  and  one  son,  James,  also  the  grandfather,  James  Buchanan  by 
name,  and  two  unmarried  sons  of  the  elder  Buchanan,  Blair  and  AVil- 
liam  by  name.  Blair  Buchanan  married  Sarah  Houck  and  they  lived 
on  his  farm  in  Jefferson  township  until  his  death  on  October  7,  1878. 
He  was  a  man  of  note  in  his  day  and  served  as  county  commissioner 
of  Cass  county  for  several  terms.  William  never  married.  He  enlisted 
in  the  Mexican  war  and  died  in  the  service  of  his  country  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande  river  on  September  20,  1846. 

James  Buchanan  was  born  in  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  on  May  4, 
1784.  He  married  Pleasant  IMoore,  who  died  on  May  16,  1833,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  four  sons  and  two  daughters.  He  later  married 
Mary  Wilson,  who  died  at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  on  September  13, 
1838,  without  issue.  He  was  a  farmer  and  in  Pennsylvania  operated 
a  line  of  stage  coaches  and  a  store  and  hotel,  and  during  the  War  of 
1812  he  and  a  brother  made  guns  for  the  American  government, 
carrying  on  the  work  in  Maryland.  He  died  on  June  14,  1860.  His 
son,  James  Moore  Buchanan,  who  pioneered  into  Cass  county  in  1838, 
was  born  on  Novemljer  14,  1810.  He  early  gained  prominence  in.  his 
community,  and  for  seventeen  years  he  was  the  postmaster  at  Metea. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1117 

On  May  2,  1837,  he  married  Mary  A.  D.  Gourley,  who  was  born  on  Feo- 
ruary  28.  1814,  in  Gettysburg,  Pennsylvania.  They  became  the  parents 
of  five  children,  who  grew  to  maturity :  James,  Samuel  M.,  Martha 
Jane,  who  died  young;  Geoi'ge  W.,  John  G.  and  Edwin  Boyd.  The 
father,  James  Moore  Buchanan,  died  on  March  23,  1897,  and  his  widow 
survived  his  passing  just  a  month,  her  death  occurring  on  April  27, 
of  the  same  year.  They  were  Presbyterians,  and  of  Scotch  ancestry, 
as  the  name  plainly  indicates. 

James  Buchanan,  the  son  of  James  Moore  and  Mary  A.  D.  (Gour- 
ley) Buchanan,  was  born  in  what  is  now  Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  on 
October  3,  1838,  and  in  the  year  following  he  was  brought  to  Cass 
county  where  he  was  reared  and  has  spent  his  life  thus  far.  The  pre- 
ceding article  gives  complete  details  concerning  the  early  family  history 
of  the  Buchanan  family,  and  the  life  of  the  parents  of  the  subject,  so 
that  further  mention  of  those  worthy  people  is  unnecessary  at  this 
juncture. 

Such  education  as  James  Buchanan  received  up  to  the  age  of  ten 
years  was  given  him  b.y  his  mother,  and  it  was  about  that  time  that  his 
father  and  certain  of  the  neighbors  united  in  building  the  log  school- 
house  known  as  the  Harmony  school.  Here  the  subject  attended  for  some 
three  or  four  terms,  later  having  one  term  at  the  Logansport  high 
school. 

On  December  11,  1862,  he  married  Mary  C.  Buchanan,  a  second 
cousin,  and  following  this  event  they  took  up  farm  life  in  Bethlehem 
township,  on  the  farm  which  is  to  this  day  called  the  Simon  Farm. 
Here  the  property  was  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  above  the  level  of 
Logansport,  but  it  was  flat  and  unprovided  with  a  drainage  outlet,  but 
by  persistent  effort  on  the  part  of  ]\Ir.  Buchanan  the  land  was  eventually 
drained,  but  not  until  numerous  law  suits  had  been  brought.  Today 
this  land  is  recognized  as  among  the  most  valuable  in  Cass  county.  To 
his  original  tract  Mr.  Buchanan  added  from  time  to  time ;  once  he  owned 
three  hundred  and  thirty-three  acres  there,  but  today  has  only  two 
hundred  and  thirteen  acres.  In  October,  1903,  he  moved  to  Logansport 
and  has  since  lived  a  retired  life. 

As  previously  mentioned,  Mr.  Buchanan,  in  1862,  married  Mary  C. 
Buchanan,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  Blair  and  Mary  McKillip  Buchanan, 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  seven  children,  named  as  follows: 
Martha  Pleasant,  is  now  the  wife  of  William  Randall,  of  Ambia.  Indiana ; 
Thomas  Blair,  died  when  one  year  old ;  Clarissa  Williams,  married  Wil- 
liam Sharpe,  of  Wellington  township,  Cass  county;  Edward  Bowman, 
married  Hattie  Brown,  and  is  a  farmer  of  Fulton  county,  Indiana ; 
George  Chester,  married  Edna  Peter,  and  they  live  at  Burnett's  Creek, 
Indiana;  James  Judson,  married  Frances  Davis,  and  lives  at  Burnett's 
Creek,  Indiana ;  and  Rea,  married  Lura  Aline  Reed,  and  is  a  practicing 
physician  at  Lincoln,  Nebraska. 

Mr.  Buchanan  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  faith,  and  in  1882  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  board  of  county  commissioners.  He  was 
reelected  to  the  office,  and  has  served  seven  years  in  all  in  that  capacity. 
He  also  served  one  full  term  as  a  member  of  the  county  council,  and 
served  by  appointment  one  unexpired  term  in  the  same  office. 


1118  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buchanan  were  members  of  the  Bethlehem  Presbyterian 
church  for  forty  years,  but  are  now  members  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
church  of  Logansport,  and  are  active  and  prominent  in  the  work  of 
that  body. 

Allen  Price.  Too  many  men  who  give  their  earlier  years  to  the 
toil  and  struggle  incident  to  the  acquiring  of  a  competency  find  it 
impossible,  after  they  have  reached  the  goal  of  their  ambition,  to  settle 
down  and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  labors.  Allen  Price  is  not  one  of 
these.  Hard  work  and  close  application  to  the  business  in  hand  have 
marked  his  career  from  its  inception,  but  he  has  reached  the  place  in 
life  where  he  finds  it  possible  to  leave  off  the  cares  of  business,  and,  with 
his  family,  he  is  now  enjoying  to  the  uttermost  the  results  of  his  leaner 
years  of  toil.  As  a  successful  farmer  and  drover,  he  has  long  been 
prominent  in  Jefit'erson  township,  but  the  greatest  and  the  best  part  of 
his  popularity  is  the  result  of  his  sterling  character  and  his  kindly  and 
genial  disposition,  which  will  always  win  friends  for  him,  in  whatever 
•station  in  life  he  may  find  himself. 

A  native  of  the  Keystone  state,  Allen  Price  was  born  in  Bucks 
county,  on  September  2,  18-17,  and  is  the  son  of  Smith  and  Harreetta 
(Opp)  Price.  These  worthy  people  were  born,  reared  and  educated  in 
their  native  state,  Pennsylvania,  and  there  they  met  and  married  and 
settled  down  to  quiet  rural  life,  ending  their  days  in  the  county  in  which 
they  were  born.  They  were  the  parents  of  three  children,  Allen  Price 
being  the  only  survivor.  A  brother  of  the  subject,  v  was  a  veteran 
of  the  Civil  war,  Valentine  by  name,  died  in  the  '.tlountain  Branch 
(Tenn.)  Home  for  Soldiers,  in  1912,  and  a  sister  died  at  the  age  of 
three  years.  ^ 

Allen  Price  was  reared  to  manhood  in  his  native  state.  He  came  to 
Cass  county  in  1872.  He  was  twenty-five  years  old  then,  hut  unmar- 
ried, and  had  devoted  himself  to  the  care  of  his  parents  in  the  old  home 
until  that  time.  His  only  possession  was  cash  to  the  amount  of  .$150. 
He  set  himself  to  learn  the  miller's  trade  when  a  boy  and  was  employed 
for  about  nine  years  at  the  Banta  Mills.  One  year  after  his  advent  into 
Cass  county  he  married  Sarah  E.  Barr.  and  she  was  reared  in  Cass 
county  and  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  her  native  township. 
They  have  one  child,  Etta,  who  became  the  wife  of  S.  C.  Waters  of  Jeffer- 
son township. 

ilrs.  Price  was  born  in  Jefferson  township  July  13, 1851,  a  daughter  of 
William  and  Sarah  (Gray)  Barr.  The  mother  was  from  Pittsburgh 
and  the  father  was  born  in  Scotland  in  1800.  He  came  to  Cass  county 
in  1840.  He  was  a  devout  Christian  and  a  very  prominent  old  settler  of 
the  county.    He  died  March  3,  1867. 

Mr.  Price,  with  the  passing  years,  turned  his  attention  to  farming 
and  gave  up  the  milling  business.  He  acquired  some  fine  farming 
property,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-three  acres 
of  the  most  prodi;ctive  farm  land  in  Jeft'erson  township,  where  he  makes 
his  home.  He  did  not  confine  himself  to  farming  alone,  but  added  sheep 
and  cattle  raising  to  his  operations,  but  specialized  particularly  in  sheep, 
and  that  branch  of  his  activities  yielded  him  a  bigger  cash  return  than 
all  his  other  departments.     He  has  always  kept  a  quantity  of  high  bred 


> 

O 

d 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1119 

sheep  on  his  place,  and,  in  addition,  made  a  practice  of  going  up  into 
the  lower  peninsula  of  Michigan  during  the  winter  months  and  buying 
up  droves  of  sheep,  which  he  would  send  to  his  farm,  feed  for  a  time  and 
dispose  of  them  at  a  nice  pi'ofit.  His  operations  have  made  it  possible 
for  him  to  accumulate  a  competency  sufficient  to  permit  him  to  retire 
from  active  business  and  enjoy  his  home  and  the  remaining  years  of  his 
life,  without  thought  for  the  morrow,  and  his  home,  which  is  one  of  the 
finest  in  the  township,  is  the  center  of  many  pleasant  social  events. 

Mr.  Price  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Center  Presbyterian 
church,  which  was  erected  on  a  portion  of  his  farm,  and  he  is  most 
liberal  in  its  continued  support.  Not  only  is  he  generous  in  the  way  of 
church  matters,  but  he  may  be  depended  upon  to  give  liberally  to  any 
cause  or  movement  that  has  for  its  purpose  the  ultimate  good  of  his 
community.  His  politics  are  those  of  the  Progressive  party,  and  he  has 
served  his  township  diiring  two  terms  as  trustee.  It  is  safe  to  say  that 
there  are  few  people,  if  any,  who  enjoy  to  a  greater  extent  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  their  fellow  citizens  than  do  Mr.  Price  and  his  good 
wife  in  the  community  which  has  so  long  represented  their  home,  and 
where  they  have  been  known  all  their  lives. 

Harvey  A.  Spencer,  well  known  in  Logansport  as  the  proprietor  of 
the  Spencer  Transfer  &  Storage  Company  was  born  in  Harrison  town- 
ship, on  March  4,  1882.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm,  but  his  boyhood 
was  for  the  most  part  spent  with  his  grandfather,  S.  M.  Cogley,  his 
mother  having  died  when  he  was  a  boy  of  about  eight  years.  He  attended 
the  district  schools  of  Noble  township,  in  which  his  grandfather  had  his 
home,  and  received  a  diploma  from  the  school  in  the  common  branches. 
He  thereafter  attended  the  Logansport  high  school  for  one  year,  which 
was  followed  by  a  course  in  the  Logansport  Business  College.  For  a 
number  of  months  after  he  finished  his  schooling  and  started  out  for 
himself  he  was  variously  employed  in  Logansport,  and  managed  to 
save  from  his  earnings  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  which  he  invested 
in  a  span  of  bronchos.  He  bought  a  wagon  on  his  good  name,  and  there- 
upon started  out  in  the  draying  business,  doing  teaming  and  general 
hauling.  His  first  year  did  not  show  a  profit,  but  as  he  had  not  lost 
money  he  was  emboldened  to  continue,  and  decided  that  by  increasing 
his  capacity  by  another  teaming  outfit  he  would  do  better.  He  accord- 
ingly did  so,  and  the  wisdom  of  his  plan  was  soon  apparent.  Since  that 
time  the  young  man  has  added  a  teaming  outfit  to  his  equipmment  each 
year.  As  a  natural  outgrowth  of  the  draying  business-,  he  gradually 
drifted  into  the  storage  business  and  since  1907  this  has  been  one  of 
the  principal  features  of  the  business.  Mr.  Spencer  now  has  18,600 
feet  of  floor  space,  covering  three  floors,  and  the  business  furnishes 
steady  employment  to  twelve  men. 

Mr.  Spencer  began  his  business  career  in  Logansport  without  a 
dollar,  and  the  present  establishment  and  business  of  which  he  is  now  the 
head  is  the  direct  result  of  his  applied  business  sense  and  all  around 
efficient  business  methods.  The  Spencer  Transfer  &  Storage  Company 
does  an  annual  business  of  about  $30,000,  and  is  constantl.y  increasing 
and  making  necessary  further  expansion  on  the  part  of  its  management. 

Mr.    Spencer  is   a  Republican  of  progressive   tendencies   and  is   a 


1120  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

member   of   the    Commercial    Club   of   Logansport.      He   is   a   Pythian 
Knight,  but  beyond  that  has  no  fraternal  affiliations. 

On  March  23,  1910,  Mr.  Spencer  married  Miss  Martha  L.  Camp- 
bell and  they  have  one  daughter,  Amy  Louise  Spencer. 

William  A.  Holloway,  M.  D.  A  resident  of  Logansport  since  1893, 
during  which  time  he  has  achieved  marked  success  in  the  practice  of  his 
profession.  Dr.  William  A.  Holloway  holds  prestige  among  the  medical 
men  of  his  adopted  city,  and  is  fully  entitled  to  the  eontidence  and 
respect  that  are  his.  He  was  born  in  Boone  county,  Indiana,  Septem- 
ber 23,  1870,  and  is  a  son  of  Park  and  Mary  (Dukes)  Holloway. 

Dr.  Holloway  was  a  small  lad  \^'hen  he  was  taken  by  his  parents  to 
Clinton  county,  Indiana,  and  there  he  grew  to  manhood  on  his  father's 
farm.  After  going  to  the  usual  district  schools  in  boyhood,  he  com- 
menced attendance  at  the  state  university,  at  Bloomington,  for  two 
years,  succeeding  which  he  taught  school  for  one  year.  Dr.  Holloway 
read  medicine  under  the  preeeptorship  of  Dr.  Joseph  D.  Parker,  of 
Colfax,  and  in  1889  entered  Miami  ]\Iedieal  College,  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
where  he  continued  his  studies  two  years,  then  becoming  a  student  in 
Bellevue  Hospital  IMedieal  College,  New  York,  from  which  noted 
institution  he  was  graduated  in  the  spring  of  1893,  receiving  there- 
from his  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  Since  that  time  he  has  been 
continuously  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Logansport. 
In  1889,  he  took  a  post-graduate  course  at  the  New  York  Post-Graduate 
Medical  School  and  Hospital,  and  in  1912,  attended  a  similar  course 
at  the  New  York  Polyclinic  Medical  School  and  Hospital. 

Dr.  Holloway  is  a  member  of  the  Cass  County  ]\Iedical  Society,  the 
Indiana  State  Medical  Society  and  the  American  Medical  Association. 
A  student,  he  has  advanced  in  his  profession  along  with  the  progress 
made  in  the  science  of  medicine  and  surgery,  subscribing  to  the  lead- 
ing journals  of  his  profession,  and  being  greatly  interested  in  various 
lecture  courses.  He  is  a  thirty-second  degree  Scottish  Rite  and  Knight 
Templar  York  Rite  j\Iason,  a  Phythian  Knight,  a  member  of  Mystic 
Shrine,  and  a  member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 
Like  other  prominent  and  public-spirted  citizens,  he  has  given  his 
interested  attention,  and  when  opportunity  has  offered  his  support 
and  co-operation,  to  those  movements  which  have  to  do  with  the  welfare 
of  his  community,  and  in  all  walks  of  life  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem. 

On  Decemlier  27,  1893.  Dr.  Holloway  was  married  to  Miss  IMyrtle 
Ticen.  of  Clinton  county,  Indiana.  Mrs.  Holloway  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

S.  G.  Thomas.  One  of  Cass  county's  native  sons  who  has  attained 
well-merited  success  in  the  vocations  of  farming  and  stock  raising,  and 
who  is  now  a  highly  esteemed  resident  of  Tipton  township,  is  S.  G. 
Thomas,  the  owner  of  160  acres  of  good  land  located  on  the  Lewisburg 
road,  about  twelve  miles  from  Logansport.  The  family  has  been  iden- 
tified with  agriculture  in  Cass  county  for  more  than  three-quarters  of 
a  century,  and  has  furnished  Tipton  township  with  some  of  its  best 
citizenship,  men  who  have  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  material  growth 
and  development  of  their  community,  and  as  a  worthy  representative  of 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1121 

the  name  Mr.  Thomas  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  fellow-townsmen. 
He  was  born  January  16,  1850,  on  the  Lewis  Little  farm  in  Tipton  town- 
ship, and  is  a  son  of  W.  P.  and  ^largaret  (Stafford)   Thomas. 

W.  P.  Thomas  was  the  first  white  child  born  at  New  Carlisle,  Clark 
county,  Ohio,  and  was  there  educated  and  reared  to  the  occupation  of 
a  farmer.  In  young  manhood  he  migrated  to  Cass  county,  in  1838.  But 
after  remaining  here  about  a  year  he  returned  to  his  native  state  and 
was  there  married.  Shortly  thereafter  he  returned  to  Cass  county  with 
his  bride,  and  they  continued  to  spend  the  remainder  of  their  lives  in 
clearing  the  land,  cultivating  the  soil  and  making  a  home  for  their  chil- 
dren, of  whom  there  were  seven  in  the  family :  Giles  S.,  who  now  resides 
in  Nebraska  and  is  engaged  in  farming;  George  W.,  a  resident  of  Miami 
county,  Indiana ;  Martha,  who  is  deceased ;  S.  G ;  W.  R.,  who  lives  on 
his  well-kept  farm  in  Tipton  township ;  J.  C,  who  is  the  owner  of  a  farm 
in  Ciay  township,  Cass  county,  and  Nettie,  who  married  D.  S.  Bailey 
and  resides  in  ]\Iinneapolis,  Minnesota. 

S.  G.  Thomas  received  his  early  education  in  the  old  Crossroads  school 
in  Tipton  township,  and  like  other  farmers'  sons  of  his  day  divided  his 
boyhood  between  the  farm  and  the  schoolhouse,  attending  the  latter 
during  the  short  winter  terms.  He  continued  to  work  with  his  father 
until  he  reached  his  majority,  at  which  time  he  determined  to  test  the 
accuracy  of  the  reports  concerning  the  great  opportunities  offered  in 
the  state  of  Nebraska  for  ambitious  young  men.  Accordingly  he  jour- 
neyed to  that  state,  but  after  a  short  period  returned  to  Indiana  and 
took  up  land  in  the  vicinity  of  his  birth-place,  where  he  has  continued 
to  reside  to  the  present  time,  with  the  exception  of  the  seven  years  in 
which  he  lived  in  Logansport.  Since  his  return  he  has  devoted  himself 
to  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  with  what  degree  of  success  may 
be  gathered  from  a  visit  to  his  well-cultivated  farm,  with  its  substantial 
buildings,  neat  fences,  well-fed  cattle  and  general  air  of  prosperity.  A 
firm  believer  in  scientific  methods  and  modern  ideas,  he  uses  the  latest 
machinery  and  tills  his  soil  in  the  most  approved  manner,  constantly 
keeping  abreast  of  the  times  in  his  vocation  and  being  at  all  times  ready 
to  experiment  with  new  ideas.  He  has  not  cared  for  public  life,  nor 
has  he  been  affiliated  with  fraternal  societies,  his  farm  and  his  home 
satisfying  all  of  his  ambitions. 

In  1878  ]\Ir.  Thomas  was  married  to  ]\Iiss  Sarah  Panabaker,  and  to 
this  union  there  have  been  born  two  children,  namely :  Owen,  who  mar- 
ried Frances  ]\Iiller,  of  Pittsburg,  who  have  one  son,  Samuel  G. ;  and 
Jennie,  who  is  the  wife  of  Charles  A.  Wright.  With  his  family  Mr. 
Thomas  is  a  faithful  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

John  Myers  was  among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Cass  county,  Indiana, 
the  date  of  his  location  in  Clinton  township  being  in  1833.  He  was  born 
in  Franklin  county,  Virginia,  on  September  3,  1808,  and  was  descended 
from  Dutch  Huguenot  ancestry.  His  father  was  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812  and  his  grandfather  served  in  the  American  Revolution  and  was 
under  General  Washington  at  the  defeat  of  Braddoek.  In  1814  his 
parents  moved  to  Montgomery  county,  Ohio,  and  until  he  was  nineteen 
years  old  he  worked  on  the  home  farm.  He  learned  the  blacksimth's 
trade,  at  which  he  worked  five  years.    In  1830,  in  Preble  county,  Ohio, 


1122  HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

he  married  Ann  Swisher,  and  upon  his  arrival  here  in  1833  he  bought 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  heavily  timbered  land  which  he  at  once 
began  to  clear  and  improve.  He  participated  in  all  the  hardships  and 
privations  incident  to  pioneer  life,  and  died  in  Loganspert  on  Sep- 
tember 7,  1890.  He  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of  four  children: 
Isaac  N.,  Henry  C,  Mary  A.  and  Alfred  B.  The  wife  and  mother  died 
on  February  26,  1877. 

Isaac  Neff  Myers,  the  oldest  son  of  John  and  Ann  Myers,  was  born 
in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  his  birth  occurring  on  September  10,  1831.  He 
was  but  two  years  old  when  he  was  brought  to  Cass  county  by  his  parents, 
and  his  early  life  was  passed  after  the  manner  of  the  farmers'  boj's  of 
those  days,  in  clearing,  grubbing,  planting  and  harvesting,  and,  to  a 
limited  extent,  attending  school  in  the  old  log  school  house  which  was 
an  adjunct  to  practically  every  country  neighborhood  in  his  day.  His 
life  was  an  uneventful  one.  He  followed  farming  and  stock  raising  as 
his  chief  employment  and  for  about  fifteen  years  operated  a  sawmill 
somewhat  extensively,  furnishing  the  Wabash  and  the  present  Penn- 
sylvania railroads  with  the  heavy  timbers  entering  into  the  construction 
of  these  lines  in  this  vicinity.  Upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war 
he  recruited  a  company  for  the  Forty-sixth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry, 
of  which  he  was  elected  captain.  Eleven  employes  of  his  farm  having 
enlisted,  Mr.  IMyers  did  not  himself  go  to  the  front,  but  took  upon  him- 
self, at  their  request  and  his  promise,  the  maintenance  of  the  families  of 
those  of  his  employes,  five  in  number,  who  did,  which  promise  he  faith- 
fully kept.  He  was  first  a  Whig  in  politics  and  later  a  Republican,  and 
he  was  twice  the  nominee  of  his  party  for  the  office  of  county  sheriff, 
but  was  defeated  because  of  the  strongly  Democratic  tendency  of  the 
county  at  the  times.  On  December  ■!,  1851,  he  married  Rosanna  Justice, 
second  daughter  of  James  Justice,  a  pioneer'  of  Clinton  township.  They 
became  the  parents  of  five  children,  three  of  whom  survive.  I\Ir.  JNIyers 
died  on  June  2,  1905,  preceded  b}'  his  wife  on  I\Iay  5,  1898. 

Quincy  Alden  Myers,  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  state  of 
Indiana,  is  the  eldest  son  of  Isaac  N.  and  Rosanna  (Justice)  Myers. 
He  was  born  on  September  1,  1853,  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Hugh 
Fitzer  farm,  in  Clinton  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  was  reared 
to  manhood  in  that  township.  His  early  education  was  in  the  neighbor- 
ing district  schools.  He  prepared  for  college  at  the  old  Presbyterian 
Academy,  in  Logansport,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1870,  after 
which  he  entered  Northwestern  Christian  University,  now  Butler  Col- 
lege, at  Indianapolis.  Owing  to  failing  health  he  was  compelled  to 
relinquish  active  school  work  after  a  year  of  attendance  there,  but  con- 
tinued his  studies  under  a  tutor  and  was  enrolled  as  a  pupil  at  Smith- 
son's  College,  in  Logansport.  In  1873  he  matriculated  at  Dartmouth 
College,  New  Hampshire,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  degi-ee 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  June,  1875.  Following  this  he  read  law  at 
Logansport,  under  the  direction  of  DeWitt  C.  Justice  and  Judge  IMau- 
rice  Winfield,  and  in  September,  1876,  entered  Albany  Law  School, 
Union  University,  at  Albany,  New  York.  In  June,  1877,  he  received  his 
diploma,  graduating  as  valedictorian  of  his  class.  After  his  graduation 
he  returned  to  Logansport,  and  was  associated  with  Judge  Winfield,  his 
former  preceptor,  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  until  the  election  of 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1123 

his  partner  to  the  circuit  court  bench  in  1882.  He  then  formed  a  part- 
nership with  Judge  John  C.  Nelson,  which  continued  until  1903,  when 
Charles  E.  Yarlott  became  a  member  of  the  firm.  The  retirement  of 
Judge  Nelson  in  1906  brought  about  the  firm  of  flyers  &  Yarlott,  which 
continued  without  interruption  until  January  1,  1909.  In  1908  I\Ir. 
Myers  was  elected  to  the  Indiana  state  supreme  bench,  and  he  has  since 
filled  the  duties  of  that  high  office. 

Judge  Myers  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  a  Knight  Templar  Mason, 
a  member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  a  Methodist 
in  his  religion.  He  is  a  trustee  of  De  Pauw  University,  has  been  city 
attorney  of  Logansport.  county  attorney  of  Cass  county  and  was  for 
thirteen  years  a  trustee  of  the  city  schools  of  Logansport. 

On  March  3,  1886,  ]\Iiss  Jessie  D.  Cornelius,  eldest  daughter  of  the 
late  Edward  G.  Cornelius,  a  leading  merchant  of  Indianapolis,  liecame 
the  wife  of  Judge  Myers,  and  to  them  have  lieen  born  two  daughters: 
I\Ielissa,  now  the  wife  of  Joel  Whitaker,  a  leading  physician  of  Raleigh, 
North  Carolina,  and  ]\Iarie  Rosanna,  who  died  on  November  6,  1910,  when 
in  the  twenty-first  3'ear  of  her  life.  Mrs.  ]Myers  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  an  active  and  efficient  member  of  the  board  of 
managers  of  the  orphans'  homes  of  Logansport  and  Indianapolis,  and 
of  the  Home  for  Aged  AVomen  in  the  latter  city. 

H.  H.  IMiLLEK,  M.  D.  A  graduate  from  medical  college  in  1897,  Dr. 
Miller  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Gal- 
veston, in  Jackson  township.  He  is  one  of  the  young  and  vigorous 
doctors  of  the  county  and.  being  a  product  of  the  modern  school,  his 
methods  have  made  a  very  successful  record  and  he  is  prominent  socially 
in  his  home  community.  Dr.  ]\Iiller  was  born  in  Brooksburg,  Indiana, 
November  -l,  1871,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Augusta  (Johnston) 
Miller.  The  father  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  whence  he  came  to 
Indiana  as  a  young  man  and  has  for  many  years  engaged  in  farming  in 
this  state.  His  early  education  was  received  hi  Pennsylvania.  The  old 
farm  where  the  father  lived  and  died  is  now  the  home  of  the  mother  and 
some  of  her  children.  There  were  eight  children  altogether  in  the 
father's  family,  and  the  six  who  are  living  now  are  named  as  follows : 
Evan  C,  Charles  A.,  Sarah  E.,  Ella,  Harry  E.  and  Dr.  Harley  H. 

Dr.  ^liller  was  an  attendant  at  the  common  schools  near  his  liome 
vicinity,  and  was  engaged  in  farm  work  at  the  intervals  of  his  schooling. 
Before  beginning  his  studies  for  his  profession  he  taught  school,  and 
from  this  and  other  sources  he  earned  practically  all  the  money  with 
which  he  prepared  himself  for  his  profession.  He  was  a  student  of  the 
State  Normal  College  at  Terre  Haute  and  afterwards  entered  the  Louis- 
ville Medical  College,  where  he  earned  his  way  and  was  graduated  with 
the  degree  of  M.  1).  in  1897.  His  practice  is  principally  in  general  med- 
icine, but  he  has  a  recognized  skill  in  surgery.  Dr.  Miller  is  a  member 
of  the  Cass  county  and  the  Indiana  State  ^Medical  societies,  and  in  social 
circles  in  Galveston  he  and  his  wife  play  a  very  prominent  part.  He 
was  married  July  3,  1892,  to  ^liss  Elsie  M.  Thomas,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  one  child,  Forrest  Thomas.  The  doctor  and  his  wife  are 
members  of  the  Baptist  cliurch  and  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 


1124  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

"William  Errol  Packard.  One  of  the  younger  generation  of  enter- 
prising Cass  county  farmers,  Mr.  Packard  was  bom  and  reared  in  this 
county,  and  with  a  sulistantial  training  in  l)otb  the  practical  details  of 
his  vocation  and  with  school  advantages  appropriate  for  his  career,  he 
has  already  gained  recognition  as  one  of  the  prosperous  and  prominent 
young  men  in  the  rural  activities  of  this  county. 

William  Errol  Packard  was  born  on  the  old  D.  K.  Smith  farm  in 
Cass  county  on  the  seventeenth  of  February  1878.  He  is  a  son  of  Frank 
P.  and  Marietta  (Snyder)  Packard.  His  father,  whose  life  is  sketched 
on  other  pages  of  this  work,  is  one»of  the  best  known  citizens  of  Tipton 
township.  The  Packard  family  was  established  in  this  part  of  Indiana 
by  the  grandfather,  and  Frank  P.  Packard  was  boni  and  reared  in 
J\liami  county,  where  he  was  trained  to  the  occupation  of  farmer,  and 
since  attaining  manhood  has  passed  practically  all  his  career  on  farms 
in  Cass  county.  He  is  now  a  retired  resident  of  Onward.  He  has  also 
taken  an  active  part  in  public  affairs  of  his  township  and  county,  and  is 
one  of  the  thoroughly  esteemed  men  of  this  vicinity. 

]\Ir.  W.  E.  Packard  now  farms  and  owns  eighty  acres  of  fine  land  in 
Tipton  to^^'nship,  and  has  improved  his  place  and  brought  it  up  to  the 
highest  standard  of  agricultural  efficiency.  He  was  reared  in  Cass 
county,  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools,  and  throughout 
the  time  that  he  was  a  student,  he  was  also  acquiring  practical  experience 
on  the  home  farm.  He  is  a  young  man  who  has  given  his  full  attention  to 
his  business  and  has  formed  no  marriage  relations. 

He  began  farming  for  himself  in  1896,  and  in  1905  he  bought  the 
farm  he  now  owns  and  lives  on. 

George  W.  AVeyand.  Success,  in  no  uncertain  degree,  has  attended 
the  efforts  of  George  W.  Weyand,  the  untoward  circumstances  of  his 
early  manhood  and  his  lack  of  worldly  advantages  notwithstanding. 
He  established  himself  in  the  farming  business  in  the  vicinity  of  Royal 
Center  after  the  close  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  through  which  he 
had  served  valiantly  from  first  to  last,  and  there  he  continued  until 
1900,  since  which  time  he  has  been  retired  from  active  business  life. 
Born  in  Boone  township,  Cass  county.  Indiana,  January  31,  1844,  Mr. 
Weyand,  who  has  ever  been  a  resident  of  his  native  town,  is  the  son  of 
Daniel  and  Eliza  (Beckley)  Weyand,  concerning  whom  the  following 
brief  data  are  here  incorporated : 

Daniel  Weyand  was  a  native  of  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania,  as  was 
also  his  wife.  They  came  to  Indiana  in  1836  and  settled  quietly  in 
Boone  township,  where  the  father  of  the  family  secured  a  farm  and  set 
about  the  business  of  farming.  In  that  early  day  Indians  infested  the 
country,  and  he  carried  on  his  work  at  the  risk  of  his  life,  subjected  to 
the  many  annoyances  of  the  tribes  that  were  more  or  less  hostile  to 
the  white  invaders  of  their  territory.  Daniel  Weyand  served  as  the 
first  postmaster  of  Royal  Center.  He  was  a  stanch  and  true  Democrat 
and  was  ever  active  in  the  ranks  of  the  party.  He  served  his  township 
as  trustee  for  years,  and  was  long  a  prominent  man  in  the  town  and 
county.  He  and  his  faithful  wife  became  the  parents  of  a  family  of 
seven  sons,  of  which  number  two  sui-vive  at  this  time :     Enoch,  now  a 


'SLc.^fe,^^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1125 

resident  of  the  state  of  Missouri,  aiid  the  subject.  The  father  died  in 
March,  1896. 

George  W.  Weyand  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  and  attended  the 
public  schools.  He  was  yet  a  boy  in  his  teens,  busy  with  his  books, 
when  the  call  to  arms  in  '61  put  an  end  to  liis  quiet  humdrum  life  on 
the  farm  and  in  school,  and  he  enlisted  on  November  23,  1863,  in 
Company  F,  Twentieth  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry.  He,  with  his 
regiment,  became  a  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  with  Generals 
Grant,  Hancock  and  Meade  in  command,  and  he  served  until  the  close 
of  the  war.  He  saw  much  of  active  service,  and  participated  in  the 
Battle  of  the  "Wilderness,  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor,  Appomattox  and 
others  of  eriual  importance.  The  war  at  an  end,  George  Weyand  re- 
turned to  Royal  Center  and  there  took  up  the  business  of  farming. 
He  came  to  be  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  the  township  and  when 
he  retired  from  active  farm  life  in  1900  was  known  for  one  of  the  well- 
to-do  men  of  the  community.  He  owns  today  one  of  the  finest  homes  in 
Royal  Center,  with  other  property  in  the  township,  and  is  a  stockholder 
in  the  local  electric  light  plant. 

Fraternally  Mr.  AVeyand  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  in  which  he  is  treasurer  of  the  order  and  past  grand 
master.  He  is  a  Democrat  and  has  always  been  active  in  the  ranks  of 
the  party.  As  trustee  of  Boone  township  for  sis  years,  he  gave  most 
praiseworthy  and  valuable  service  to  the  township,  and  he  has  been  a 
member  of  the  local  school  board  since  1905,  and  is  secretary  of  the 
board  at  present.  He  and  his  good  wife  are  earnest  members  of  the 
Christian  church  in  Royal  Center. 

In  December,  1866,  ]\Ir.  Weyand  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Mina  Kramer,  who  was  born  and  reared  in  the  state  of  Ohio.  She 
came  to  Indiana  in  1864,  when  she  was  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  and 
there  met  and  married  her  husband.  Of  the  five  children  born  to  them, 
two  are  now  living: — Morris  A.,  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Weyand  & 
House,  and  Addie,  the  wife  of  James  M.  Winn  of  Harrison  township, 
Cass  county,  Indiana. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weyand  occupy  a  secure  place  in  the  regard  of  the 
best  people  of  Royal  Center  and  vicinity,  and  as  honorable,  upright  and 
earnest  people  are  peculiarly  deserving  of  the  position  they  hold. 

John  E.  Sheetz,  a  prominent  farmer  in  Jefferson  township,  and  long 
a  resident  of  Cass  county,  was  born  in  Dolphin  county,  Pennsylvania,  on 
March  6,  1864,  and  is  the  son  of  Josiah  and  Salome  (Lankert)  Sheetz. 

Josiah  Sheetz  was  the  son  of  William  and  Barbara  (Zimmering) 
Sheetz,  both  born  and  reared  in  Pennsylvania.  The  father,  William, 
w^as  orphaned  when  yet  a  small  boy,  and  he  stayed  at  home  with  his 
widowed  mother  and  helped  her  in  paying  for  a  farm.  When  he  was  of 
age  he  married  and  later  bought  the  farm  from  the  heirs  of  his  mother. 
On  that  farm  William  and  Barbara  Sheetz  spent  the  rest  of  their  lives, 
and  there  reared  their  family.  He  died  in  June,  1906.  Josiah  and  Salome 
Sheetz  lived  on  a  farm  which  their  parents  gave  them  when  they  married. 
He  was  one  of  the  eleven  children  of  AVilliam  and  Barbara,  and  to  each  of 
their  sons  they  gave  a  farm.  All  their  lives  were  spent  in  Dolphin 
county,  Pennsylvania,  the  mother  dying  there  in  May,  1885. 


1126  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

John  E.  Sheetz  came  to  Indiana  in  December,  1884,  when  he  was 
twenty  years  of  age.  He  came  directly  to  Cass  county,  and  began  work 
at  the  trade  of  a  carpenter  in  Cass  county,  in  which  he  expected  to  con- 
tinue, but  when  he  arrived  at  Logansport  he  change  his  mind  and  turned 
his  attention  to  farming.  For  four  years  he  worked  on  the  farm  for 
wages,  but  he  married  about  then,  and  his  new  responsibilities  gave  him 
an  incentive  to  greater  accomplishments,  so  that  he  found  himself  soon 
the  owner  of  a  forty  acre  farm.  In  later  years,  when  his  prosperity  on 
the  farm  made  possible  another  venture,  he  ))ought  some  property  at 
Ford 's  Crossing  and  established  a  store  there.  He  remained  in  business 
at  that  stand  for  seven  years,  and  during  that  time  was  post  master  and 
station  agent  at  the  place.  He  sold  out  after  seven  years  and  l)ought  a 
farm  in  Jefferson  township.  He  started  to  Inxild  a  house  on  the  place, 
but  before  it  was  completed  sold  the  place  and  bought  his  present  home. 
He  has  a  tract  of  forty  acres  at  his  present  location,  with  other  holdings 
sufficient  to  make  fifty-eight  acres  in  all. 

On  March  6,  1889,  was  solemnized  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Sheetz  to 
Jennie  Cotner,  the  daughter  of  Fasten  and  IMary  Jane  (Rector)  Cotner. 
Fasten  Cotner  was  the  son  of  Elia  Cotner,  who  came  to  Indiana  from 
North  Carolina,  and  his  wife  was  a  daughter  of  the  Logansport  family  of 
that  name.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sheetz  are  members  of  the  Christian  church 
at  Crooked  Creek,  and  he  is  fraternally  associated  with  tlie  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at  Royal  Center,  in  which  he  is  Past  Grand  Master, 
and  has  passed  through  all  chairs  in  the  order.  Both  are  members  of 
Purity  Lodge  No.  127  at  Logansport.  Mr.  Sheetz  is  a  Democrat,  and  has 
been  a  member  oi  the  advisory  board  of  the  party  for  four  years 

Charles  E.  Toney.  Here  is  another  of  the  enterprising  and  pro- 
gressive young  farmers  of  Cass  county,  Indiana,  whose  rise  in  the 
world  has  been  brought  about  through  personal  effort  and  whose  career 
is  illustrative  of  the  success  to  be  gained  through  the  application  of  well- 
directed  industry  combined  with  strict  integrity  in  all  business  matters. 
From  early  boyhood  JMr.  Toney 's  life  has  been  tilled  with  persevering 
effort  and  laudable  ambition,  and  that  his  labors  have  borne  fruit  is 
testified  by  his  present  farm,  a  well-cultivated  tract  in  Deer  Creek  town- 
ship, which,  under  his  skillful  management  is  yearly  growing  more 
valuable.  ]Mr.  Toney  has  the  added  prestige  of  being  a  native  son  of 
Cass  county,  having  been  born  on  his  present  farm  October  28,  1879,  a 
son  of  William  S.  and  Mary  (INIoss)  Toney.  His  father,  a  native  of 
Union  county,  Ohio,  came  with  his  parents  to  Cass  county  when  a  young 
man  of  twenty-two  years,  and  subsequently  went  into  debt  for  his  farm, 
which  was  then  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  timber  and  was  entirely 
devoid  of  improvements.  Settling  down  in  a  little  log  cabin,  he  started 
the  clearing  of  the  land  from  the  wilderness,  and  as  the  years  passed 
added  improvements  as  his  finances  would  permit  until  he  owned  one 
of  the  best  farms  of  his  locality.  He  continued  to  engage  in  agricultural 
pursuits  throughout  the  remainder  of  his  life,  along  with  work  in  the 
ministry  and  heading  a  Mutual  Insurance  Company.  He  was  a  well 
known  and  highly  esteemed  citizen  of  his  community.  He  and  his  wife 
became  the  parents  of  six  children,  namely :     Frank  H.  and  Elma  0. ; 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  1127 

May,  who  married  a  Mr.  Dutchess ;  Charles  E. ;  Sylvia,  who  became  the 
wife  of  a  Mr.  Bowman,  and  Wilbur  E. 

Charles  E.  Toney  received  his  education  under  the  preceptorshiij  of 
John  R.  Babb,  at  the  Babb  school,  sul)sequently  attending  the  Young 
America  High  school  and  an  institution  at  North  Manchester,  Indiana, 
where  he  completed  his  studies.  During  this  time  he  had  been  assisting 
his  father  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm  and  receiving  training  and 
practical  experience  that  has  aided  him  greatly  in  his  later  life.  On  at- 
taining his  majority,  he  began  working  for  wages,  which  were  carefully 
saved,  and  eventually,  when  he  was  twenty-seven  years  old,  he  purchased 
his  present  farm  of  eighty-four  acres,  in  addition  to  which  he  rents  other 
land,  and  now  operates  in  all  314  acres.  He  has  devoted  his  attention  to 
the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  raising  diversified  crops,  and  has  also  had  a 
full  measure  of  success  in  his  stock  raising  activities.  He  has  added 
materially  to  the  improvements  on  his  land  and  the  general  appearance 
of  his  property  denotes  the  presence  of  able  management  and  thrift. 
Among  his  neighbors  he  bears  the  reputation  of  being  an  industrious, 
hard-working  farmer,  who  is  rapidly  gaining  a  place  of  independence  in 
his  chosen  calling. 

On  January  18,  1904,  Mr.  Toney  was  married  to  IMiss  Maud  Pierson, 
daughter  of  M.  H.  and  Mary  ( Jeaness)  Pierson,  and  to  this  union  there 
have  been  born  children  as  follows:  Clarence  0.,  Geraldine  V.  and  Ernest 
W.      Mr.  Toney  is  a  member  of  the  German  Baptist  church. 

Benjamin  F.  Crocicett.  The  visitor  to  Cass  county,  viewing  for  the 
first  time  its  well  regulated  farms,  fertile  fields  of  fiowing  grain,  herds  of 
sleek,  well  fed  cattle,  modem  residences  and  other  buildings,  finds  it  hard 
to  realize  that  only  a  comparatively  few  years  ago  this  section  was  practi- 
cally a  wilderness,  its  land  largely  covered  by  timber  for  a  large  part,  and 
its  excellent  resources  entirely  wasted.  Yet  such  is  the  case,  and  the 
present  prosperous  condition  of  the  county  has  only  been  attained 
through  the  untiring  labor  and  persistent  endeavor  of  men  of  energy 
and  perseverance,  whose  lives  have  been  devoted  to  the  development  of  the 
interests  of  this  part  of  the  state.  Probably  no  other  family  within  its 
limits  has  contributed  in  greater  degree  to  the  material  welfare  of  Cass 
county  than  that  of  Crockett,  members  of  which  have  here  tilled  the 
soil  for  years.  Among  those  l)earing  that  name,  a  worthy  representative 
of  the  younger  generation  is  found  in  Benjamin  F.  Crockett,  of  Tipton 
township,  who  is  conducting  the  eighty  acre  farm  belonging  to  his  father- 
in-law,  Matthew  H.  Pierson.  Mr.  Crockett  was  born  August  2,  1878, 
in  Miami  county,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  and  Catherine  (Knight) 
Crockett. 

Henry  Crockett  was  born  September  13,  1849,  in  Deer  Creek  town- 
ship, Cass  county,  Indiana,  a  son  of  Asher  and  Susannah  (Plank) 
Crockett.  Asher  Crockett  was  a  farmer  and  was  born  near  Greenville, 
Ohio,  whence  he  migrated  to  Miami  coimty  in  1831,  and  to  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  in  1840,  and  in  the  latter  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Asher 
Crockett  was  the  father  of  five  children :  Henry,  Jane,  Eliza,  Sarah  and 
James. 

Heniy  Crockett  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Cass 
county  and  Miami  county,  and  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  agricultural 


1128  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

pursuits,  now  being  the  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  land  on  the  Crockett  and 
Richeson  road.  He  is  known  prominently  among  his  fellow  citizens,  and 
is  serving  in  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace.  With  his  family,  he  be- 
longs to  the  Christian  church.  He  was  married  January  15,  1876,  to 
]Miss  Catherine  Knight,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  eight 
children,  namely :  Carrie,  who  lives  with  her  parents ;  Ben.jamin  F.,  of 
this  review ;  Harvey,  who  married  Ethel  Hymon,  and  has  one  child. 
Opal ;  David  and  Laura,  residing  at  home ;  ]\Iae,  who  married  Daniel 
Brunner  aad  has  three  children:  Wilmer,  Flovence  and  Velma  ;  Chester, 
who  married  Hannah  Pippinger,  and  June,  who  lives  with  her  parents. 

Boijamin  F.  Crockett  was  reared  in  Cass  county,  dividing  his  time 
between  attendance  at  the  district  schools  and  work  on  his  father's  farm 
until  fifteen  years  old  and  then  worked  on  other  farms  until  his  marriage, 
and  since  that  time  has  been  carrying  on  operations  on  the  farm  of  his 
father-in-law.  He  has  won  success,  not  only  in  material  manner,  but  in 
gaining  the  coulidence  and  friendship  of  the  people  of  his  community. 
Mr.  Crockett  was  married  in  1904  to  ^iliss  Mae  Fierson,  a  daughter  of 
INIatthew  H.  and  ]\lary  Jenness  Pierson,  whose  sketch  will  be  found  in 
another  part  of  this  work.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  this  union, 
namely :    Gilbert  Pierson  and  Herbert  Landon. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Crockett  is  connected  with  the  ^lodern  "Woodmen  of 
America.  With  his  family  he  attends  the  Rock  Creek  Valley  Christian 
church. 

Carl  S.  Wise.  The  firm  of  Wiler  &  Wise  was  established  in  Logan- 
sport  in  1878,  by  Joseph  AViler  and  Sol.  Wise,  the  fathers  of  the  present 
members  of  the  firm.  The  business  was  organized  in  1867  by  Jacob 
Wiler  &  Joseph  Wiler.  The  style  of  the  firm  was  changed  in  1878  to 
Wiler  &  AVise  and  in  1906  to  Wiler  &  AVise,  Inc.  The  business  has  been 
continued  uninterriipted  by  the  family  to  the  present  time.  Of  these 
gentlemen,  both  now  deceased,  it  may  be  said  that  Joseph  AViler  came 
from  Germany,  his  native  land,  in  1867,  and  was  for  a  time  associated 
with  his  brother,  Jacob  in  the  dry  goods  business  on  Alarket  st.  Follow- 
ing the  accidental  death  of  the  brother,  Joseph  AViler  in  1878  associated 
himself  in  business  with  Sol  AA^ise.  Sol  AVise  was  not  only  of  German 
parentage,  but  was  born  in  Laudau,  Germany  and  came  to  America  in 
1860.  He  returned  to  Germany  in  1862,  where  he  was  married  on  Sep- 
tember 10,  1862,  to  Aliss  Caroline  Wiler.  He  came  to  Logansport  from 
Toledo,  Ohio.  The  firm  was  known  as  Wiler  &  AA^ise,  and  it  is  of  interest 
to  know  that  these  names  were  originally  spelled  ' '  AVeiler ' '  and  ' '  Weise, ' ' 
but  that  the  almost  invariable  failure  of  Americans  to  give  the  words 
the  proper  pronunciation  resulted  in  each  of  them  dropping  the  super- 
fluous letter  "e"  from  the  names,  the  present  form  being  the  result. 

Wiler  &  AVise  began  business  at  233  Fourth  Street,  and  after  nearly 
a  quarter  of  a  century  of  established  trade  at  that  point,  they  moved  to 
No.  409-11  Broadway,  and  finally  to  their  present  location  at  412-414 
Broadway. 

Joseph  AA^iler  was  undeniably  the  foremost  merchant  of  his  time  in 
Logansport.  He  was  a  man  of  superior  business  ability  and  he  radiated 
hearty  good  fellowship  wherever  he  was  seen,  so  that  to  be  numbered 
among  his  friends  was  an  unqualified  pleasure.     The  present  business 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1129 

men  of  Logansport  reraeml)er  him  with  feelings  of  the  kindliest  affection 
and  respect.  He  died  on  November  24,  1906.  His  long  time  partner 
Sol  Wise,  was  no  less  a  credit  to  the  community  where  he  so  long  resided. 
He  was  a  man  more  retiring  in  his  relations  with  the  public  than  was 
Mr.  Wiler,  but  his  indomital)le  energy,  sterling  integrity  and  keen  busi- 
ness sagacity  had  much  to  do  with  making  the  tirm  name  synonymous 
with  probity  and  success.     He  died  September  28.  1897. 

Following  the  death  of  these  gentlemen,  the  firm  was  incorporated  as 
Wiler  &  Wise,  Inc.,  the  principal  stockholdei's  being  the  sons  of  the 
founders.  Carl  S.  Wise  is  the  president,  Victor  S.  Wise  is  vice  president 
and  treasurer,  and  Carl  J.  Wiler  is  secretary.  These  men  are  carrying 
on  the  business  established  many  years  ago  by  their  worthy  fathers  in  a 
manner  that  is  wholly  creditable  to  them  as  the  sons  of  such  fathers. 

Carl  Solomon  Wise  was  Ijorn  in  Lafayette,  Indiana,  Noveml)er  1, 
1869,  a  son  of  Solomon  and  Caroline  (Wiler)  Wise.  Besides  Carl  53.  there 
were  two  brothers,  Victor  and  Louis,  who  died  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
August  14,  1885;  also  two  sisters.  Bertha  and  Amelia.  Carl  S.  Wise  has 
been  a  resident  of  Cass  county  and  Logansport  since  September,  1878. 
His  education  was  aec|uired  in  the  local  schools  of  Logansport,  and  also 
at  Toledo,  Ohio.  At  an  early  date  he  became  familiar  with  the  business 
conducted  by  his  father,  and  is  one  of  the  leading  merchants  of  the 
present  city  of  Logansport.  ]\Ir.  Wise  is  president  of  the  Logansport 
Commercial  Club,  is  a  trustee  of  the  Home  for  the  Friendless,  lielongs  to 
the  state  executive  committee  for  the  Business  Form  of  Government,  is 
on  the  executive  committee  of  the  State  Board  of  Charity,  and  among 
other  business  interests  is  treasurer  of  the  Logansport  Heating  Company. 
In  politics  he  is  a  progressive. 

Mr.  Wise  married  Corunna  M.  Stettiner  at  Toledo,  Ohio,  March  6, 
1901.  Her  father  w'as  Samuel  Stettiner,  a  wholesaler  in  Toledo.  To 
their  marriage  has  been  born  one  son.  Jack  S.  Wise,  on  February  12, 
1907.  Fraternally  Mr.  Wise  is  affiliated  with  the  ]\Iasonic  Order  and 
with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

Dennis  Uhl.  One  of  the  old  and  honored  residents  of  Logansport, 
whose  identification  with  the  business  interests  of  Cass  county  extends 
over  a  period  of  more  than  half  a  century,  is  Dennis  \]\i\,  proprietor  of 
one  of  this  section's  best  known  milling  enterprises.  Born  in  Allegheny 
county,  i\Iaryland,  i\Iarch  26,  1840,  he  is  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Naomi 
(Iienhai"t)  Uhl,  the  latter  of  whom  died  when  he  was  a  small  child,  and 
his  father  subsequently  remarried  and  in  18-51  brought  his  family  West, 
locating  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Jesse  ]\Iartin  farm  in  Washington 
township,  Cass  township,  Indiana. 

The  Uhl  family  originally  emigrated  to  America  from  Holland,  set- 
tling on  ^Manhattan  Island,  then  known  as  New  Amsterdam.  When  the 
Duke  of  York  changed  the  name  of  the  Island  to  New  York  and  drove 
many  of  the  early  settlers  away  by  his  heartless  persecution,  the  Uhl 
family  located  along  the  Hudson  river,  and  members  thereof  subse- 
quently went  to  Pennsylvania  and  ]\Iaryland.  It  was  in  Somerset 
county,  Pennsylvania,  near  the  ^Maryland  line  and  adjoining  the  city  of 
Wellersburg,  that  Joseph  Uhl,  the  father  of  Dennis,  was  born  and  where 


1130  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

he  married  his  first  wife.  Noami  Lenhart  was  a  daughter  of  a  seaman, 
and  of  Seotch  ancestry',  who  was  supposed  to  have  been  lost  at  sea,  while 
her  mother  died  in  giving  her  hirth,  the  latter  being  of  German  ancestry. 
Naomi  was  reared  in  the  family  of  early  settlers  of  Pennsylvania,  where 
she  met  and  married  I\Ir.  TThl,  they  having  four  children.  After  her 
death,  Mr.  TThl  married  Caroline  IMiller,  in  Clarion  county,  Pennsylvania, 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  eight  children.  Joseph  Uhl  was  a  mill- 
wright by  trade,  and  sawed  the  timber  in  the  place  known  as  the  "Shades 
of  Death,"  where  Gen.  Washington  had  assumed  charge  of  the  Colonial 
army,  this  timber  being  used  in  the  construction  of  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio 
Railroad.  After  coming  to  Cass  coi;nty.  he  worked  at  farming  for  a 
season  in  Washington  township,  and  then,  in  1852,  biiilt  an  overshot  water 
wheel  Hour  mill  on  ^linnow  Creek,  about  four  miles  southeast  of  Logans- 
port.  This  mill  has  long  since  been  razed.  Mr.  Uhl  continued  to  follow 
his  trade,  operating  a  mill,  trading  in  land  and  building  business  blocks 
and  other  structures  in  Logansport  and  elsewhere  until  his  death  in 
1892.  He  was  a  Democrat  in  politics  all  of  his  life  and  for  a  term  of 
years  acted  in  the  capacity  of  county  commissioner. 

Dennis  Uhl  was  eleven  years  of  age  when  brought  to  Cass  county,  and 
his  education  was  secured  in  a  log  school  house  during  winters  until  he 
was  thirteen  years  of  age,  this  comprising  his  entire  schooling.  His 
j'outh  and  early  manhood  were  passed  in  assisting  to  operate  his  father's 
mill  on  ]\Iinuow  Creek,  and  wlien  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  rented  the 
mill  there  and  began  operating  it  on  his  own  responsibility,  his  father 
having  built  the  mill  in  Logansport  during  the  previous  year.  He  was 
there  eighteen  months,  following  which  he  became  a  partner  in  the 
Logansport  mill,  under  the  firm  name  of  IThl,  Cheney  &  Company,  and 
his  connection  with  this  mill  has  continued  to  the  present  time.  In  1866 
he  became  a  third-owner  in  the  enterprise,  and  after  his  father's  death 
he  became  the  sole  owner.  His  partnership  with  his  father  covered  a 
period  of  thirty-eight  years,  and  about  1900  the  mill  was  incorporated, 
the  stock  being  all  owned  by  "Sir.  Uhl  and  his  immediate  family.  Mr. 
L^hl  is  a  Democrat  in  polities,  and  for  seven  years  served  as  county  com- 
missioner of  Cass  county.  He  also,  for  fifteen  years,  was  a  member  of  the 
county  board  of  ecjualization :  was  for  ten  years  a  trustee  of  the  State 
Insane  Asylum  at  Logansport,  and  for  a  term  of  years  was  one  of  the 
three  members  of  the  water  works  committee  of  the  city  of  Logansport, 
and  during  this  time  erected  the  present  water  works  and  installed  the 
system. 

In  1864  Mr.  Uhl  was  married  to  ]\Iiss  Sophia  Jane  Croll,  of  Cass 
county,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  ten  children:  William 
C. ;  Walter  J.;  Naomi,  who  died  when  two  years  of  age;  Catherine,  who 
died  in  1872;  Clara,  who  married  Joseph  Herman;  Chas.  Harry  Uhl 
associated  with  him  in  the  mill;  Florence;  Geneva;  Leonora,  who  married 
Delbert  Plynn ;  and  one  child  who  died  in  infancy.  The  family  attend 
divine  worship  at  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Uhl  is  a  valued  member 
of  the  Masons  and  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  He  has 
lived  a  long  and  useful  life,  and  can  look  back  over  an  honorable  career, 
secure  and  content  in  the  knowledge  that  no  stain  or  blemish  mars  his 
record. 


61M^^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1131 

Frank  B.  Wilkinson  is  a  comparatively  recent  resident  of  Logans- 
port,  but  notwithstanding  this  he  has  figured  prominently  during  the  past 
decade  in  the  commercial  development  of  the  city.  He  was  born  in  Bel- 
mont county,  Ohio,  on  the  28th  day  of  May,  1856,  and  Avas  one  of  the 
family  of  ten  children  born  to  William  AVilkinson  and  ^lary  Ann  Leck- 
liter.  Until  he  was  twenty-six  years  of  age  Frank  B.  "Wilkinson  lived  on 
the  home  farm.  He  received  his  preliminary  education  in  the  district 
schools,  his  later  training  being  represented  by  one  term  at  the  famous 
normal  school  at  Lebanon.  Ohio.  For  a  time  thereafter  he  taught  school, 
and  three  years  later  completed  a  course  in  the  Chicago  School  of 
Pharmacy,  after  which  he  engaged  in  mercantile  activities  and  for  a 
number  of  years  was  thus  occupied  at  Belmont,  Ohio,  of  which  town  he 
was  postmaster  as  well  as  the  leading  druggist.  He  became  secretary 
and  treasurer  in  1891  of  the  Indiana  "Window  Glass  Company  at  Pendle- 
ton, Indiana,  and  of  the  Bell  Window  Glass  Company  at  Fairmount, 
Indiana,  both  corporations  being  controlled  by  one  concern.  Upon  the 
absorption  of  both  firms  by  the  window  glass  trust  in  1889  ]\Ir.  Wilkin- 
son, in  the  following  year,  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  and  purchased 
a  one-half  interest  in  and  served  as  secretaiy  and  treasurer  of  the  Logans- 
port  Foundry  Company,  and  this  city  has  since  represented  his  home. 
In  1904  the  consolidation  of  the  Logansport  Foundry  Company  and  the 
Rutenber  ^Manufacturing  Company  created  the  Western  Motor  Company. 
]\Ir.  Wilkinson  became  president  of  this  corporation  in  1906,  and  served 
in  that  office  until  1912,  since  which  time  he  has  not  been  actively  engaged 
in  any  particular  line  of  enterprise.  He  is  a  stockholder  and  a  director 
in  the  Logansport  Loan  and  Trust  Company  and  of  the  City  National 
Bank,  and  is  the  second  vice  president  of  the  first  named  institution, 
also  a  stockholder  and  director  in  the  American  ^Mortgage  and  Guarantee 
Company  of  Indianapolis. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Wilkinson  has  been  actively  identified  with  the 
"Methodist  Episcopal  church  as  a  member,  and  has  been  superintendent 
of  the  Sunday  school  in  Logansport  with  excellent  results.  In  many 
ways  he  has  been  closely  identified  with  the  growth  of  the  moral,  social 
and  commercial  welfare  of  the  city,  and  is  justly  accounted  one  of  its 
most  valued  citizens. 

Mr.  Wilkinson  married  Miss  Julia  E.  Lewis,  of  La  INIira,  Ohio,  and 
two  children  have  been  born  to  them:  Charles  H.  and  Grace  Anna,  the 
latter  of  whom  is  now  the  wife  of  Allen  E.  Nelson,  of  Logansport. 

James  L.  Allison,  M.  D.,  a  well  known  physician  and  surgeon  of 
Cass  county,  with  residence  in  Royal  Center,  Indiana,  has  been  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession  since  1891.  He  came  to  Royal  Center 
in  June,  1910,  and  in  the  two  and  a  half  years  that  have  elapsed  since  then 
has  built  up  a  pleasing  practice  in  and  about  the  village.  He  is  the 
descendant  of  an  old  and  highly  esteemed  family,  and  was  born  in  ]\Iadi- 
son,  Wisconsin,  on  September  17,  1862,  the  son  of  Rev.  Daniel  P.  and 
Mary  L.   (Pitzer)  Allison. 

Reverend  Allison  was  prominent  in  the  ministry  of  the  Christian 
church  in  his  day,  and  was  a  man  of  excellent  educational  attainments. 
He  also  was  prominent  in  polities,  and  was  active  in  the  political  circles 
of  the  state  of  Wisconsin,  where  he  held  a  number  of  important  offices 


1132  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

in  Dayne  county.  He  was  born  in  the  Old  Dominion  state  and  educated 
in  her  schools,  and  his  wife  was  an  easterner,  born  in  the  Empire  state. 
After  their  marriage  they  went  to  Wisconsin,  where  Reverend  Allison's 
work  called  him,  and  he  occupied  a  pulpit  in  the  Christian  church  of 
Madison,  Wisconsin,  for  several  years.  It  was  in  Madison  that  the 
subject  was  born. 

James  L.  Allison  was  brought  to  the  Hoosier  state  at  an  early  age, 
and  he  received  the  advantages  of  the  public  schools  until  he  finished  the 
high  school,  then  entered  Wabash  College  in  Indiana,  where  he  took  a 
literary  course,  preparatory  to  a  course  in  medicine,  upon  which  he  was 
already  resolved.  He  later  entered  the  School  of  Homeopathy,  from 
which  he  was  duly  graduated,  his  course  including  a  year  and  a  half  as 
house  physician  in  St.  Luke's  Hospital  at  Chicago.  Dr.  Allison  was  a 
close  student  in  his  college  days,  and  he  has  never  rid  himself  of  the 
habit  of  study,  but  has  kept  closely  in  touch  with  the  advance  of  science 
as  it  affected  his  profession.  He  has  been  engaged  in  practice  in  Indiana 
for  twenty-one  years,  having  commenced  in  1891.  He  was  physician 
and  surgeon  at  the  Harrell  Hospital,  Noblesville,  Indiana. 

Dr.  Allison  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  and  of  the  Red  IMen. 

In  1881  Dr.  Allison  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Viola  Jarrett 
of  Tippecanoe,  Indiana,  a  lady  of  refinement  and  splendid  characteris- 
tics. She  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Indiana,  where  she  was 
reared.  Dr.  and  IMrs.  Allison  have  two  interesting  daughters,  Pearl,  a 
graduate  of  the  Monticello  high  school,  and  now  the  wife  of  Merton 
Hinsley,  of  Fulton  county,  Indiana,  and  Ruby,  who  is  unmarried.  Mrs. 
Allison  is  a  devoted  memlier  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  is 
an  earnest  worker  in  its  various  departments  of  activity. 

Anthony  Grusenmeyer  is  a  native  of  Alsace,  France,  now  Alsace, 
G-ermany,  since  the  Franco-Prussian  war  of  1870.  He  was  born  on 
May  27,  1832,  and  is  the  son  of  Valentine  and  Katherine  (Schwartz- 
man)  Grusenmeyer.  The  father,  who  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade,  died 
on  February  3,  1850.  Ten  children  were  born  to  these  parents,  only 
two  of  which  number  are  now  living,  Anthony  of  Logansport  and 
Mrs.  Magdalena  Leppert  of  Dayton,  Ohio.  One  son,  Joseph,  came 
to  the  United  States  in  1835  and  was  occupied  in  blacksmith- 
ing  in  Buffalo,  New  York.  He  came  to  Indiana  in  1852  and  located 
in  Logansport.  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  Two  others 
of  the  children,  Michael  and  Katherine,  came  to  America  in  1846,  locating 
at  Dayton,  Ohio.  In  August,  1850,  following  the  death  of  the  father 
Michael  returned  to  Alsace  and  brought  the  remainder  of  the  family  to 
America.  They  left  their  home  in  Alsace  on  the  26th  day  of  August,  1850, 
by  wagon  for  Havre,  from  where  they  embarked  on  the  Arcadia,  a  sailing 
vessel,  bound  for  the  United  States,  their  port  lieing  New  Orleans.  After 
a  voyage  of  four  weeks,  a  storm  arose  and  damaged  the  vessel  to  such  an 
extent  that  they  were  compelled  to  put  into  St.  Thomas,  West  Indies,  for 
repairs.  They  landed  at  St.  Thomas  on  the  26th  day  of  October,  1850, 
and  was  ready  again  for  sailing  on  the  6th  of  December,  1850,  and 
resumed  their  journey  to  New  Orleans  where  they  arrived  on  the  23rd 
of  December,  and  left  New  Orleans  December  25,  by  steamer  for  Cinein- 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  1133 

nati,  Ohio,  where  they  landed  on  January  6,  1851,  their  departure  from 
Havre  having  taken  place  on  September  13th  previous.  From  Cincinnati 
the  mother  at  once  moved  to  the  vicinity  of  t)ayton,  where  they  arrived 
on  the  9th  of  January,  1851,  and  buying  fourteen  acres  of  land,  expected 
to  go  into  the  gardening  business.  She  died  on  September  9,  1851,  less 
than  a  year  after  her  arrival  in  this  country. 

Anthony  Grusenmeyer  received  a  good  common  school  education  in 
his  native  land,  and  after  coming  to  America  he  lived  at  Dayton  until 
]\Iarch,  1853,  when  he  made  his  waj'  to  Logansport,  Cass  county,  Indiana, 
by  stage,  the  prevailing  mode  of  travel  in  that  time.  He  set  about  learn- 
ing the  blacksmith  trade  at  once  with  his  brother  in  Logansport,  and  he 
served  an  apprenticeship  of  two  years  with  him,  then  worked  for  him 
six  years  as  a  wage  earner.  In  that  time  he  accumulated  sufficient  means 
to  enable  him  to  go  into  the  business  for  himself,  and  he  continued  in 
the  blacksmith  business  here  for  thirty-two  years,  that  period  including 
the  time  he  spent  while  learning  the  trade,  ancl  in  the  service  of  his 
brother.  During  the  passing  years  he  perfected  his  knowledge  of  the 
English  language,  and  acquired  a  wide  acciuaintance  in  the  county.  He 
became  a  Democrat,  and  in  1884  he  was  nominated  for  the  office  of  county 
treasurer,  and  elected.  He  served  one  term  of  two  years,  and  suc- 
ceeded himself  in  the  office,  his  total  service  covering  a  period  of  four 
years.  He  also  served  one  term  in  the  City  council  of  Logansport,  from 
1872  to  1874.  Some  two  or  three  years  after  the  expiration  of  his  second 
term  as  county  treasurer  Mr.  Grusenmeyer  embarked  in  the  grocery  bus- 
iness, in  company  with  his  son,  Charles  X.,  who  is  now  deceased.  Upon 
the  death  of  Charles,  another  son,  Frederick  M.,  by  name,  became  inter- 
ested in  the  business,  and  Frederick  M.  and  his  son,  Anthony,  are  still 
engaged  in  the  business  here.  Mr.  Grusenmeyer  retired  from  the  bus- 
iness in  1900,  since  which  time  he  has  given  his  attention  to  his  private 
interests. 

On  February  24,  1857,  Mr.  Grusenmeyer  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Elizabeth  Schakome,  of  Logansport,  Rev.  Father  Wm.  Doyle  offi- 
ciating, and  nine  children  were  bom  to  them :  Mary  C,  the  wife  of 
William  Bronson  of  Detroit ;  George  F.,  now  deceased ;  Frederick  M.,  in 
business  in  Logansport;  Chai'les  X.,  deceased;  Leonore  C,  also  deceased; 
Elizabeth  J.,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Graf,  of  Logansport;  Joseph  V.,  Emanuel 
A.,  and  William  H.,  all  deceased. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grusenmeyer  are  members  of  the  St.  Joseph's  Roman 
Catholic  church,  and  are  enjoying  the  very  best  of  health. 

Frederick  Guy  Neel.  Among  the  younger  men  who  have  chosen 
educational  work  as  their  vocation  in  Cass  county,  Indiana,  Frederick 
Guy  Neel  is  making  rapid  progress  and  it  is  expected  that  he  will  be 
heard  from  at  no  far  distant  date  in  his  particular  field  of  endeavor. 
In  these  days  of  materialism  it  is  particularly  pleasing  to  find  a  yoiuig 
man  with  an  inclination  for  the  duties  of  the  educator,  and  who  realizes 
the  importance  of  his  vocation  and  the  possibilities  for  wholesome  good 
that  it  holds  out. 

Born  in  White  county,  Indiana,  on  August  14,  1886,  Prof.  Frederick 
Guy  Neel  is  the  son  of  James  H.  and  Susan  (Cromer)  Neel.  The 
father  was  born  in  the  vicinity  of  IdaviUe,  in  White  county,  on  Oc- 


1134  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

tober  12,  1855,  and  the  mother,  also  a  native  of  that  county,  was  born 
on  November  27,  1864.  Both  received  somewhat  limited  educations 
in  the  district  schools  of  their  immediate  vicinities  and  the  father 
early  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  and  when  he  reached  man's  estate, 
gave  himself  to  the  contracting  and  building  business.  He  came  to 
be  a  resident  of  Royal  Center,  in  Cass  county,  in  1911,  there  engaging 
in  that  business,  and  he  is  still  so  occupied.  Both  of  these  worthy 
people  are  devout  members  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church,  and 
they  are  highly  esteemed  and  respected  in  the  town  which  represents 
their  home.  Six  children  were  born  to  them,  Frederick  G.  being  the 
eldest  of  that  number,  and  the  others  being  Elizabeth  G.,  Mamie  B., 
Vance,  Reed  and  Lucile. 

Frederick  G.  Neel  received  his  preliminary  educational  training  in 
the  public  schools  of  Idaville,  Indiana,  and  he  was  later  graduated  from 
the  high  school  of  IMonticello,  Indiana,  that  event  taking  place  in 
1905.  He  then  gave  his  attention  to  teaching  and  for  two  and  a  half 
years  he  taught  school  in  White  county.  It  was  thus  that  he  earned 
the  money  which  secured  to  him  the  best  part  of  his  college  education. 
He  was  graduated  from  the  scientific  department  of  the  university  at 
Valparaiso,  Indiana,  and  was  a  student  for  some  time  at  the  University 
of  Indiana  at  Bloomington.  In  January,  1908,  he  accepted  a  position 
as  teacher  in  the  sch9ols  of  Royal  Center,  and  so  well  did  he  succeed 
in  his  work  that  in  1911  he  was  elected  to  the  superintendeney  of  the 
schools,  which  position  he  now  holds.  He  is  making  rapid  advancement 
in  his  work,  and  has  placed  the  work  of  the  schools  of  Royal  Center  on 
a  par  with  that  of  the  schools  of  much  larger  places. 

On  June  19,  1909,  Mr.  Neel  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Lottie  G.  Vernon  a  native  of  White  county,  where  she  was  reared  and 
.educated.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  them :  James  Robert,  aged 
three  years,  and  Wilma  Vivian,  now  one  year  old. 

Mr.  Neel  is  a  member  of  the  A.  F.  &  A.  ]\I.  and  affiliates  with  Royal 
Center  Lodge  No.  585.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  earnest  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Royal  Center,  and  he  is  one  of  the 
trustees  of  that  body,  as  well  as  having  served  as  superintendent  of  its 
Sunday  school. 

Oliver  H.  Binns.  The  Casparis  Stone  Company  has  found  in  Oliver 
H.  Binns  from  its  earliest  inception  an  able  and  efficient  manager  and 
general  superintendent,  and  in  giving  a  summary  of  the  life  of  Mr. 
Binns,  it  is  entirely  in  keeping  with  the  genei-al  fitness  of  things  that 
the  history  of  the  Casparis  Stone  Company  be  outlined  more  or  less 
briefly.  This  flourishing  concern  was  organized  in  1892  with  a  capital- 
ization of  $100,000,  imder  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  and  the  stock 
was  subscribed  for  by  Ohio  people,  in  the  main.  The  primary  object 
of  the  company  was  to  quarry  limestone,  the  demand  being  from  man- 
ufactviring  centers  for  blast  furnace  purposes.  The  company  originally 
purchased  three  hundred  and  sixty-eight  acres  of  land  in  Noble  township, 
Cass  county,  since  which  time  it  has  added  five  hundred  acres  to  its 
holdings.  The  work  was  begun  soon  after  incorporation,  and  a  plant 
was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $50,000,  Oliver  H.  Binns,  the  subject  of 
this  review,  being  appointed  superintendent  in  charge  of  the  erection 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1135 

of  the  plant,  and  upon  its  completion  he  became  general  superintendent. 
The  firm  found  no  difficulty  in  securing.a  market  for  its  product,  and 
they  experienced  a  steady  increase  in  sales  from  the  outset.  In  1897 
the  capital  stock  was  increased  to  $500,000,  and  has  so  continued  up  to 
the  present  time.  The  present  output  aggregates  one  million  tons  per 
annum  and  the  principal  markets  are  South  Chicago,  Indiana  Harbor 
and  Gary.  Aside  from  these  points,  their  product  goes  largely  into  road 
construction  throughout  northern  Indiana.  The  plant  employs  an  aver- 
age of  two  hundred  and  fifty  men,  and  is  run  at  capacity  the  year 
around.  Since  the  erection  of  the  original  plant,  a  practically  new  one 
was  built  in  1902  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  one,  which  was  no  longer 
adequate  to  the  demands  of  the  constantly  growing  business. 

Oliver  H.  Binns,  the  capable  superintendent  in  charge  of  this  splen- 
did enterprise,  was  born  in  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  in  1860.  When  he 
was  twelve  years  old  he  moved  to  Columbus  with  his  family  and  was 
there  reared  and  educated  in  the  public  schools.  His  graduation  from 
the  high  school  of  that  city  took  place  when  he  was  seventeen  years  old, 
soon  after  which  he  entered  the  employ  of  a  railroad  contractor,  and  for 
two  years  he  continued  to  be  thus  occupied,  learning  much  of  mechan- 
ical and  constructive  work  that  destined  to  be  of  great  value  to  him  in 
later  years.  His  employers  gradually  drifted  into  the  stone  business, 
and  Mr.  Binns  continued  with  them,  coming  to  Logansport  in  1892, 
which  city  has  ever  since  represented  his  home  and  the  scene  of  his  busi- 
ness activities. 

In  1894  IMr.  Binns  married,  and  he  maintains  a  home  in  Logansport, 
although  his  work  at  the  quarries  keeps  him  there  a  goodly  part  of 
the  time.  Mr.  Binns  is  a  director  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Logans- 
port, and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  substantial  business  men  of  the 
city.  He  is  a  Republican,  but  not  active  as  an  office  holder  or  seeker, 
and  he  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  0.  E. 

Major  "W.  H.  Snider.  Now  living  retired  in  Logansport,  after  a  long 
and  successful  career  as  a  merchant  of  this  city.  Major  Snider  is  a  native 
of  Indiana.  He  was  living  in  Ohio  when  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  broke 
out,  and  was  one  of  the  honored  and  valiant  soldiers  from  that  state 
during  the  struggle,  but  for  more  than  forty-five  years  has  been  iden- 
tified with  Cass  county,  Indiana. 

AVilliam  H.  Snider  was  born  at  Centreville,  in  Wayne  county,  In- 
diana, and  is  of  good  old  American  stock.  His  parents  were  Frederick 
V.  and  Mary  (Smith)  Snider,  his  father  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the 
mother  of  Ohio.  The  father  was  a  cabinet  maker  by  trade  and  died  in 
Centreville.  Besides  Major  Snider  there  was  one  son  and  two  daugh- 
ters in  the  family. 

In  Wayne  county.  Major  Snider  spent  his  boyhood  and  completed 
his  education  in  the  Whitewater  seminary  at  Centreville.  He  was  a  boy 
when  the  war  came  on,  and  in  July,  1862,  enlisted  in  the  Ninety-fourth 
Regiment  of  Ohio  Volunteers.  He  was  promoted  to  lieutenant  of  Com- 
pany F,  and  in  February,  1863,  became  captain.  In  January,  1865, 
he  was  made  major  of  his  regiment.  His  military  record  includes  active 
participation  in  campaigns  and  battles  from  the  early  months  of  the 
war  until  its  close,  and  the  more  important  are  mentioned  as  follows: 


1136  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Battle  of  Perryville,  Kentucky ;  Stone  River  and  Murf reesboro,  Tennes- 
see ;  the  campaign  after  Chickamauga,  leading  up  to  the  siege  of  Atlanta, 
in  which  he  fought  at  Resaca  and  Peaehtree,  in  Georgia;  at  Jonesboro, 
Georgia,  and  the  various  engagements  about  Atlanta;  he  was  with  Gen- 
eral Sherman  on  his  march  from  Atlanta  to  the  sea,  participating  in  all 
the  engagements  of  that  campaign ;  then  was  in  the  Sherman  campaign 
from  Savannah  north  to  the  Carolinas,  to  Richmond,  Virginia.  He  was 
mustered  out  with  his  regiment  at  Washington,  D.  C,  after  the  war  had 
closed. 

With  this  rank  and  experience  as  a  soldier  Major  Snider  returned 
home,  and  in  May,  1867,  arrived  in  Cass  county,  having  been  a  resident 
of  Logansport  ever  since.  From  1867  until  1910  he  was  engaged  in  the 
crockery  business  at  Loganspoi-t.  Major  Snider  in  November,  1871, 
married  Miss  Mary  Jerolaman,  a  daughter  of  George  M.  and  Mary 
Jerolaman.  j\Iajor  Snider  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and 
has  taken  an  active  part  in  social  and  civic  affairs.  He  is  a  Knight  Tem- 
plar Mason,  is  a  member  of  the  Loyal  Legion  military  organization,  com- 
prising the  officers  of  the  late  war;  the  Tuesday  Night  Club  and  the 
Deutscher  Verein. 

William  Hepfley.  Although  making  his  home  in  the  city  of  Logans- 
port,  William  Heffley  is  reckoned  among  the  successful  farming  men 
of  this  region.  He  owns  a  fine  farm  of  about  eighty  acres  in  Miami 
township,  where  he  was  reared  and  educated,  and  this  place  is  now 
operated  by  a  man  who  is  hired  by  Mr.  Heffley  for  that  express  purpose. 

Born  in  Cass  county  on  January  1,  1864,  William  Heffley  is  the  son 
of  Simon  P.  and  Mary  E.  (Kline)  Heffley,  who  came  to  Indiana  in  their 
young  lives,  settling  in  Montgomery  county  first,  and  later  coming  to 
Cass  county.  The  father  settled  on  a  farm  in  Miami  township,  and  there 
reared  his  family  and  ended  his  days.  It  was  a  wild  and  untouched  bit 
of  land,  heavily  wooded  and  utterly  unfit  for  the  production  of  a  crop 
until  a  vast  amount  of  toil  had  been  expended  upon  it,  but  the  sturdy 
countryman  brought  out  of  it  a  productive  little  farm — one  that  sus- 
tained him  in  his  later  years  and  now  adds  considerably  to  the  income 
of  his  son.  Since  William  Heffley  came  into  ownership  of  the  place, 
he  has  added  something  to  it  in  improvement  as  well  as  in  acreage,  and 
the  place  of  seventy  acres  is  more  expansive  now  by  some  twenty  acres. 
He  has  improved  the  building  in  many  ways,  and  made  of  it  a  prosper- 
ous and  well  kept  place. 

Mr.  Heffley  owns  a  fine  residence  in  Logansi^ort,  which  he  built  him- 
self, as  well  as  having  erected  the  buildings  on  his  farm.  He  attends 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  politically  he  gives  his  aid  to  the 
Republican  party. 

On  November  25,  1908,  Mr.  Heffley  was  married  to  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Potthoff  Miller,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Fredericka  (Eberlein)  Pott- 
hoff,  who  were  early  settlers  in  Cass  county. 

Charles  A.  Enyart.  Charles  A.  Enyart  has  for  the  past  twenty-five 
years  been  continuously  engaged  in  carrying  mail  in  Logansport,  in 
which  city  he  was  born,  reared  and  passed  his  days  thus  far.    He  is  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1137 

son  of  Pearson  and  Martha  J.  (Gearhart)  Enyart,  and  the  grandson  of 
Benjamin  and  Sarah  Enyart. 

Pearson  Enyart  was  born  in  Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  on  December 
28,  1828,  and  when  he  was  six  years  old  accompanied  his  parents  to 
Cass  county.  In  those  early  days  the  region  was  infested  with  Indians 
and  wild  animals,  and  the  lives  of  the  sturdy  pioneer  settlers  were  much 
harassed  by  the  unwelcome  attentions  of  these  older  inhalntants  of  the 
country.  Pearson  Enyart  was  reared  in  a  log  cabin  on  the  old  place  in 
Clay  township,  and  his  boyhood  days  were  passed  for  the  most  part  in 
the  strenuous  toil  of  grubbing  and  clearing  up  the  wilderness  farm  and 
^assisting  in  the  cultivation  of  such  crops  as  were  practicable  under  the 
conditions.  In  j^oung  manhood  he  married  Martha  Gearhart  and  soon 
thereafter  moved  to  Logansport,  where  he  began  working  at  the  trade 
of  a  plasterer  and  mason.  Thus  he  continued  until  1893,  when  he  moved 
to  Medford,  state  of  Oregon,  and  there  he  now  resides.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  a  four-year  period,  from  1872  to  1876,  when  he  lived  in  Indian- 
apolis, he  has  made  his  home  in  Logansport  after  he  married  and  settled 
there,  and  much  of  the  work  in  his  line  which  has  been  done  in  the  city 
is  the  work  of  his  hands.  jMr.  Enyart  is  a  Republican,  stanch  and 
true,  and  his  religious  belief  is  that  of  a  Methodist,  as  is  that  of  his 
wife.  They  became  the  parents  of  two  children — Charles  A.  and  Jesse 
E.  Enyart. 

Of  the  immediate  family  Charles  A.  Enyart  is  the  only  one  now 
making  Logansport  his  home,  and  he  was  born  and  reared  here,  and 
regards  the  city  as  his  real  home.  In  his  boyhood  Mr.  Enyart  worked 
with  his  father  a  considerable  time,  and  for  some  years  worked  with  his 
cousin  in  the  bottling  business.  It  was  in  1888  that  he  first  entered  the 
employ  of  the  government  as  a  substitute  letter  carrier,  and  he  was  thus 
employed  for  three  years.  He  was  then  regularly  appointed  and  for  the 
past  twenty-one  years  has  been  engaged  in  the  government  service  as 
a  mail  carrier. 

Mr.  Enyart  has  lived  quietly  and  has  been  able  to  save  considerable 
from  his  salary,  which  has  been  carefully  invested,  so  that  he  is  now 
the  owner  of  a  nice  home,  new  and  of  his  own  designing.  ]Mr.  Enyart 
is  a  Mason  of  the  Knight  Templar  degree  and  also  a  Knight  of  Pythias. 
He  is  a  Republican  in  his  politics. 

On  May  10,  1882,  Mr.  Enyart  was  married  to  Miss  Carrie  C.  Fiddler, 
the  daughter  of  Frederick  and  Margaret  (Hager)  Fiddler.  The  Fiddler 
family  is  of  German  ancestry,  the  name  at  one  time  being  rendered 
"Fieddler. "  One  daughter  has  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Enyart — 
Ethel  B.  The  family  are  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  their 
religious  faith,  and  ]\Irs.  Enyart  and  daughter  are  active  and  enthusias- 
tic members  of  the  Eastern  Star. 

Waterman  G.  Sweet.  The  great  state  of  Ohio  has  contributed  many 
of  her  sons  to  the  growth  and  development  of  her  sister  state,  Indiana, 
and  Cass  county  owes  much  to  the  new  life  and  blood  that  has  become  a 
part  of  her  through  migration  from  Ohio.  Many  of  the  leading  men, 
farmers,  merchants,  mechanics,  followers  of  the  professions,  etc.,  who 
have  made  names  for  themselves  in  all  these  varied  fields  of  activity  in 
Cass  county,  have  had  their  origin  in  Ohio  and  there  received  their 


1138  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

early  training.  One  of  these  is  Waterman  G.  Sweet,  born  and  reared 
in  Lorain  county,  Ohio. 

The  natal  day  of  Waterman  G.  Sweet  was  May  12,  1858,  and  he  is 
the  son  of  Colvin  and  Brieena  (Chadwick)  Sweet.  The  father  was  a 
New  Yorker  by  birth,  born  there  in  about  1812,  and  came  to  Ohio  when 
a  boy.  He  received  the  best  part  of  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his 
native  state,  and  after  reaching  man's  estate  he  married  in  Ohio,  and 
there  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  a  farmer  and  gave  his 
life  to  that  business.  Eight  children  were  born  into  this  home,  and  of 
that  number  four  are  living  at  this  writing  (1912).  Brieena  Sweet  is 
unmarried ;  Mary  M.  is  the  wife  of  Clement  B.  Snow ;  Waterman  G.  of 
this  review;  and  Charles  D.,  who  lives  on  the  old  home  place  in  Ohio. 
The  four  who  are  now  deceased  are :  Theodore  P.,  Luther  A.,  William 
E.  and  Calvin  M. 

Waterman  G.  Sweet  was  reared  in  Lorain  county,  Ohio,  and  as  a 
boy  of  eighteen  years  he  migrated  in  1876  to  Indiana,  and  located  in 
Cass  county.  He  was  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  Royal  Center,  and  continued 
to  be  connected  with  mercantile  work  for  something  like  twenty  years. 
He  saved  some  of  his  earnings  regularly,  and  in  1896  he  embarked  in 
business  upon  his  own  responsibility,  entering  into  a  general  merchan- 
dise business,  with  grain  and  live  stock  dealings  as  a  side  line.  He  has 
experienced  a  pleasing  degree  of  success  in  all  departments  of  his 
business,  his  long  mercantile  experience  as  an  employee  giving  him  a 
thorough  education  in  mercantile  principles,  and  his  own  natural  ability 
making  it  possible  for  him  to  succeed  as  a  dealer  in  grain  and  live  stock. 
He  has  gradually  assumed  other  business  relations,  and  is  a  director  and 
stockholder  in  the  State  Bank  of  Royal  Center,  and  the  president  of 
the  Royal  Center  Light  Company. 

In  June,  1888,  Mr.  Sweet  was  married  to  Miss  Laura  E.  Thomas,  the 
daughter  of  Dr.  James  Thomas.  Two  sons  have  been  born  to  them : — 
Theodore  T.,  who  is  now  a  student  in  the  Wabash  College,  and  Garold 
G.,  a  graduate  of  the  Royal  Center  high  school  and  also  a  student  at 
Wabash  College.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Baptist  church.  Mr. 
Sweet  is  a  Republican,  and  takes  an  active  part  in  the  workings  of  that 
party  in  his  district. 

A  man  of  few  words,  but  ever  up  and  doing,  Mr.  Sweet,  in  the  twenty 
years  of  his  clerkship  in  Royal  Center,  established  a  reputation  for 
veracity,  faithfulness  and  general  business  integrity  that  made  it  possible 
for  him  to  step  into  a  new  business  of  his  own  establishing  without 
passing  through  a  preliminary  try-out  period  in  the  community.  So 
well  had  he  become  known  as  a  business  man  who  was  in  every  way 
reliable,  that  his  success  was  made  when  he  embarked  in  business  on  his 
own  initiative.  He  stands  high  in  the  regard  of  all  who  know  him,  and 
he  has  proven  himself  to  be  worthy  in  all  the  relations  of  life. 

John  L.  Leonard  was  born  at  New  Castle,  Henry  county,  Indiana, 
on  October  14,  1857,  and  was  one  of  the  six  children  of  Zephaniah 
and  Elizabeth  (Rogers)  Leonard,  two  of  that  number  now  being  de- 
ceased. Both  families  are  of  American  birth  and  ancestry,  dating 
back  for  several  generations  in  the  history  of  America.     The  father  of 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY         .  1139 

Zephaniah  Leonard  moved  to  Henry  county  when  that  locality  was  yet 
in  a  most  primitive  condition,  and  there  he  battled  with  the  unpierced 
forests,  brought  his  family  up  after  the  manner  of  those  pioneer  times, 
and  reared  them  in  the  knowledge  of  good,  hard  work  and  its  many 
benefits,  and  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Methodist  church.  He  settled  on  the 
Blue  River  valley  bottom  and  there,  through  his  hard  work  and  incessant 
economy,  prospered  beyond  the  average  man  of  his  time.  As  his  chil- 
dren grew  up  and  married,  he  gave  to  each  an  eighty-acre  farm.  Zepha- 
niah Leonard,  his  son,  lived  in  Henry  county,  Indiana,  practically  all  his 
life.  In  1877  he  and  his  family  moved  to  Logansport  and  there  he  eon- 
ducted  a  garden  on  Orphan's  Hill  for  some  years.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  are  now  dead. 

John  L.  Leonard  was  twenty  years  old  when  he  came  to  Cass  county. 
He  had  been  reared  on  the  home  farm,  and  in  the  district  school  acquired 
what  education  he  possessed.  After  coming  to  Logansport  he  spent  two 
years  in  the  employ  of  Sanderson  &  May  in  the  marble  business,  then 
clerked  for  a  year  for  Michael  McCaffrey  in  his  grocery  store.  His  next 
position  was  with  the  Adams  Express  Company,  and  for  almost  eleven 
years  he  was  employed  as  a  messenger  on  the  Panhandle  Railroad.  It 
was  in  1890  that  he  established  the  grocery  store  in  Logansport  which 
has  proved  so  successful  to  him.  He  began  in  a  small  way  in  one  room 
at  his  present  location,  and  by  close  and  careful  attention  to  the  wants 
and  requirements  of  the  public,  as  well  as  the  application  of  safe  and 
sane  business  methods,  he  has  prospered  through  the  passing  years,  and 
his  is  now  one  of  the  largest  retail  groceries  in  Logansport. 

Mr.  Leonard  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  views,  but  he  has  never 
aspired  for  office,  preferring  to  devote  his  entire  attention  to  his  personal 
business.  He  was  once  nominated,  without  his  consent,  for  the  office  of 
councilman,  but  much  to  his  satisfaction  was  defeated,  although  without 
any  effort  on  his  part  he  reduced  the  usual  Democratic  majority  from  a 
nominal  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  about  forty.  Mr.  Leonard  has  no  fra- 
ternal affiliations  beyond  his  membership  in  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

On  ]\Iay  25,  1885,  ]\Ir.  Leonard  was  married  to  Miss  Dora  Busjahn, 
and  they  have  one  son,  Russell  Leonard.  The  family  are  members  of  the 
German  Lutheran  church. 

Christ  Baber.  A  native  of  Ohio  and  a  member  of  a  family  well 
known  in  the  Buckeye  state,  Christ  Baber  came  to  Cass  county  some 
twenty  years  ago,  and  since  has  been  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
He  belongs  to  that  class  of  successful  men  who  prize  their  success  the 
more  because  it  has  been  self-gained,  for  since  attaining  his  ma.jority 
he  has  been  the  architect  of  his  own  fortunes,  and  the  position  he  now 
holds  warrants  him  in  taking  a  pardonable  degree  of  pride  in  the  title 
of  self-made  man.  At  this  time  he  is  the  owner  of  an  excellent  farm  of 
285  acres,  in  the  accumulation  of  which  his  dealings  with  his  fellow 
men  have  always  been  of  an  honorable  nature,  thus  winning  him  the 
respect  and  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  is  acquainted.  Christ  Baber 
was  born  February  20,  1864,  in  Fayette  county,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of 
James  and  Elizabeth  (Hanawalt)  Baber.  The  family  first  came  to 
Indiana  during  the  early  'fifties,  Mr.  Baber 's  father  following  farming 


1140  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

here,  but  later  went  to  Illinois,  from  whence  they  returned  to  London, 
Ohio,  and  there  a  number  of  people  of  the  same  name  are  to  be  found 
today.  There  were  ten  children  in  the  Baber  family :  John,  William, 
Christ,  George,  Alfred,  Andrew,  Eliza,  Melissa,  Ella  and  Alice. 

During  his  school  days  in  Ohio  Christ  Baber  assisted  his  father  in 
the  work  of  the  home  farm,  and  on  attaining  his  majority  embarked 
upon  a  career  of  his  own.  Sober,  thrifty  and  industrious,  he  carefully 
saved  his  earnings,  purchased  a  team,  and  eventually  became  the  owner 
of  land  in  Ohio,  which  he  disposed  of  at  a  profit  when  he  left,  in  1894, 
to  come  to  Cass  county.  Here  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land,  to  which 
he  has  added  from  time  to  time,  and  he  now  has  285  acres  of  fertile 
soil,  which  he  devotes  .to  general  farming  and  stock  raising.  His  opera- 
tions have  proved  uniformly  successful,  and  each  year  finds  new  improve- 
ments on  the  place,  his  buildings  being  of  modern  architecture  and  sub- 
stantial character,  and  modem  conveniences  and  comforts  have  been 
installed.  He  uses  the  latest  machinery  and  methods,  practicing  seientifie 
farming,  and  is  recognized  as  an  excellent  .judge  of  live  stock. 

In  1887,  near  Danville,  Illinois,  Mr.  Baber  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah 
Pyllington,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  eight  children,  as 

follows :  AVilliam,  who  married Woodniff,  has  two  children, 

Orville  and  James  E.,  and  is  engaged  in  farming:  Bert,  who  is  single 
and  resides  with  his  parents ;  Carrie,  who  married  Wilsie  Earner  and 
has  three  children — ]\Iarie,  IMayne  and  Janice ;  Edward,  who  married 
Nellie  Brown ;  Bud,  who  married  Emma  Sheets  and  has  two  children — 
Leonard  and  Milburn ;  Frank,  who  married  Elsie  Crane ;  Stella,  who 
became  the  wife  of  John  ]\Iaynes ;  and  Effie,  who  married  Len  Shaft 
and  has  one  daughter,  Josephine.  ]\Ir.  Baber  has  not  mixed  in  politics, 
his  time  having  been  entirely  engaged  with  his  farm  work.  Neverthe- 
less, he  has  not  been  indifferent  to  the  duties  of  citizenship,  and  has 
staunchly  supported  these  men  and  movements  which  he  has  believed 
desirable  for  the  community.  During  his  long  residence  here  he  has 
formed  a  wide  acquaintance,  in  which  he  numbers  numerous  friends. 

Jacob  W.  DeLawter.  Farming  is  a  business  that  has  always  paid 
well  in  Cass  county,  and  people  have  been  attracted  to  this  locality 
from  other  parts  of  the  country  because  of  the  fertile  soil  and  excellent 
climatic  conditions.  One  of  the  older  agriculturists  of  the  country,  who 
was  brought  here  in  babyhood  by  his  parents,  is  Jacob  W.  DeLawter, 
a  prosperous  citizen  and  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  land  located  on  the 
Seven-]\Iile  road,  about  nine  miles  from  Logansport,  in  Tipton  township. 
Mr.  DeLawter  was  born  December  14,  1850,  near  Eaton,  in  Preble 
county,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  Ezra  and  Sophia  (Heck)  DeLawter.  His 
father,  also  a  native  of  Ohio,  came  to  Cass  county  in  1853,  and  here  spent 
the  balance  of  his  career  in  agricultural  pursuits,  becoming  one  of  his 
community's  substantial  and  highly  esteemed  citizens. 

Jacob  W.  DeLawter  was  only  three  years  of  age  when  he  was 
brought  to  Cass  county  by  his  parents,  and  here  he  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  country  schools,  in  the  meantime  being  reared  to  agricultural 
work  and  trained  to  habits  of  honesty,  integrity  and  industry.  When 
he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  decided  to  engage  in  farming  on  his 


HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1141 

own  account,  and  accordingly  settled  on  a  tract  of  forty  acres,  for  which 
he  went  into  debt.  During  the  first  few  years  he  encountered  many 
obstacles  and  discouragements,  but  continued  ambitious  and  persevering, 
and  his  unflagging  industry  and  determination  soon  brought  him  to  a 
position  where  he  was  able  to  make  a  number  of  improvements  and  to 
add  to  his  original  purchase.  He  now  has  eighty  acres  of  well  cultivated 
land,  which  he  devotes  to  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  and  has 
earned  the  right  to  be  numbered  among  his  town 's  substantial  men. 

On  April  9,  1872,  Mr.  DeLawter  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Indiana  McDonough,  daughter  of  Enoch  and  Sarah  (Cathire)  McDon- 
ough.  Her  father,  a  farmer,  died  when  still  a  young  man,  and  she 
was  brought  to  Cass  county  when  seven  years  old  by  her  mother,  being 
accompanied  also  by  her  brother,  Hugh,  who  is  now  a  resident  of  ^Marion, 
Indiana.  Mrs.  DeLawter  was  reared  in  Cass  county,  and  here  attended 
the  country  schools.  She  and  her  husband  have  been  the  parents  of 
five  children,  as  follows:  Jesse  B.,  an  agriculturist  of  Cass  county,  who 
married  Jeanette  Cherry  and  has  two  children — Jesse,  Jr.,  and  Nellie; 
Perry  Franklin,  also  of  Cass  county,  who  married  Catherine  Casky  and 
has  two  children — Florence  and  Esther;  Sadie  S.,  who  is  the  wife  of 
Charles  Black  and  has  one  child — Pauline ;  Agnes,  who  married  J.  C. 
Hahn,  and  has  three  children — Dorothy,  Alice  and  William;  and  Nellie, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Little. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  DeLa\^i:er  and  their  children  are  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  in  the  work  of  Avhich  they  have  always  taken  an  active 
interest.  Mr.  DeLawter  has  not  cared  for  public  preferment,  but  is 
ready  at  all  times  to  support  good  government,  and  shows  himself 
especially  active  when  the  welfare  of  his  community  is  at  stake. 

John  James  Gugle.  A  thorough  and  comprehensive  knowledge  of 
the  multitude  of  sub.iects  upon  which  a  good  farmer  must  be  informed 
in  order  to  meet  with  a  full  measure  of  success  in  his  vocation,  an  ener- 
getic and  enterprising  nature,  and  an  inherent  business  ability  that  is 
his  heritage  from  a  line  of  thrifty,  industrious  German  ancestors,  have 
made  John  James  Gugle  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  Tipton  township, 
where  he  is  now  the  owner  of  160  acres  of  well  cultivated  land  on  the 
Peru  road,  about  one  mile  west  of  Lewisburg.  Although  not  a  native 
of  Cass  county,  Mr.  Gugle  has  lived  here  since  boyhood,  was  reared  on 
a  Cass  county  farm  and  educated  in  the  district  schools,  and  his  entire 
business  activities  have  been  carried  on  within  its  borders.  He  was  born 
September  17,  1851,  in  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Mary  Ann 
(Essick)   Gugle. 

Jacob  Gugle  was  born  in  Germany,  and  as  a  young  man  left  the 
Fatherland  for  the  United  States,  settling  first  on  the  lower  Sandusky, 
in  Ohio.  From  that  section  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  IMexican 
war,  some  time  after  the  close  of  which  he  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana, 
where  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  spent  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He 
and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  of  whom  five  are  still 
living :  Christina,  who  married  a  Mr.  Rush ;  Katie,  who  became  the  wife 
of  a  ]\Ir.  Lutmon ;  Louisa.  Sarah  and  John  James. 

Like  most  of  the  farmers '  sons  of  his  day  and  locality,  John  J.  Gugle 
divided  his  boyhood  between  work  on  the  homestead   in  the  summer 


1142  .    HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

months  and  attendance  at  the  district  schools  during  the  short  winter 
terms.  He  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  in  which  his  entire  life 
has  been  passed,  and  his  home  training  was  such  as  to  make  him  thrifty, 
industrious  and  honest.  At  this  time  his  handsome  farm,  a  tract  of 
160  acres,  shows  the  presence  of  good  management,  being  well  cultivated, 
neatly  fenced,  drained  and  graded,  and  improved  with  buildings  of 
modern  architecture  and  substantial  character.  Mr.  Gugle  devotes  the 
greater  part  of  his  time  to  general  farming,  although  he  has  also  success- 
fully experimented  in  cattle  raising.  Among  his  neighbors  and  business 
associates  he  bears  a  high  reputation  for  integrity  and  honorable  dealing, 
and  as  a  citizen  he  has  at  all  times  been  ready  to  contribute  of  his  means 
and  time  to  the  advancements  made  in  his  comnmnity. 

On  March  25,  1877,  Mr.  Gugle  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary 
Smith,  the  estimable  daughter  of  Michael  and  Rachael  (Collier)  Smith. 
Michael  Smith  was  about  forty  years  of  age  when  he  migrated  from  his 
home  in  Dalton  county,  Pennsylvania,  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  and  here 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Clinton  township,  on  which  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life.  Mr.  and  IMrs.  Smith  had  three  children :  Catherine  and  John, 
who  are  both  deceased ;  and  IMary,  who  married  Mr.  Gugle.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Gugle  have  been  the  parents  of  three  children — Fannie,  who  became 
the  wife  of  John  Baines  Harley,  and  Gertrude.  With  his  family,  Mr. 
Gugle  attends  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Frederick  H.  Klinsick,  well  known  and  successful  as  a  boot  and 
shoe  merchant  in  Logansport,  is  a  native  born  citizen  of  this  place,  born 
here  on  March  1,  1866,  and  the  son  of  Henry  and  Minnie  (Alfield) 
Klinsick.  The  father  was  a  native  born  German,  and  he  emigrated 
from  his  native  land  to  America  in  the  year  1844,  four  years  later 
establishing  himself  in  the  blacksmith  business  in  Logansport — a  trade 
which  he  had  learned  in  his  youth  at  home.  He  followed  that  business 
practically  all  his  life  and  ended  his  days  in  Logansport,  death  claim- 
ing him  in  1873. 

As  a  boy  Frederick  H.  Klinsick  attended  the  German  Lutheran 
parochial  schools  and  the  public  schools  of  Logansport,  after  which  he 
took  a  commercial  course  in  Hall's  Business  College.  He  was  a  mere 
youth  when  he  set  out  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world,  being  but  four- 
teen years  of  age,  and  he  began  as  a  clerk  in  the  store  of  Murdock, 
Vigus  &  Co.,  beginning  with  that  well-known  firm  on  June  1,  1881,  and 
continuing  with  them  without  a  break  until  February  2,  1892.  It 
was  then  that  he  branched  out  in  an  independent  business,  and  entered 
a  partnership  with  one  Charles  Stevenson,  under  the  business  appellation 
of  Stevenson  &  Klinsick.  They  opened  a  boot  and  shoe  store  at  No.  403 
Broadway,  and  their  venture  proved  a  prosperous  and  successful  one, 
so  that  they  made  very  material  progress  in  the  business  life  of  the  com- 
munity. On  July  1,  1901,  Mr.  Klinsick  saw  fit  to  take  over  the  interest 
of  his  partner  in  the  business,  and  since  that  time  he  has  been  the  sole 
proprietor  of  the  establishment,  which  is  today  one  of  the  leading  places 
of  its  kind  in  the  city.  With  the  passing  years  Mr.  Klinsick  has  won 
an  excellent  reputation  for  business  integrity  and  clean  and  wholesome 
methods,  and  is  rightly  regarded  as  one  of  the  staple  and  dependable 
business  men  of  the  city.     His  enterprise  represents  a  steady  and  con- 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1143 

servative  growth,  the  business  being  founded  upon  the  most  praiseworthy 
principles,  and  its  able  proprietor  has  in  every  way  proved  up  his  claim 
to  the  title  of  business  man. 

Mr.  Klinsick  is  a  member  of  a  number  of  fraternal  organizations, 
among  which  are  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  the 
Knights  of  Pythias.  He  is  a  Democrat  ordinarily,  but  is  one  who  is 
inclined  to  assume  an  independent  attitude  when  matters  of  a  political 
nature  are  under  consideration. 

On  September  22,  1903,  Mr.  Klinsick  married  Miss  Emma  H.  Elliott, 
daughter  of  "William  H.  Elliott,  of  Logansport. 

James  Delaplane.  One  of  the  handsome  farming  properties  of 
Cass  county  is  that  known  as  Sunny  Dale  Farm,  a  tract  of  112  acres, 
located  on  the  Cass-Carroll  county  line,  about  ten  miles  south  of  Logans- 
port,  the  owner  of  which,  James  Delaplane,  is  one  of  his  locality 's  prac- 
tical agriculturists  and  sterling  citizens.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  Cass 
county  for  upwards  of  thirty-eight  years,  and  although  he"  is  now  retired 
from  active  pursuits,  his  sons  looking  after  the  farm,  he  still  takes  a  keen 
interest  iu  the  welfare  of  his  community,  demonstrating  his  public 
spirit  on  every  possible  occasion.  Mr.  Delaplane  was  born  July  17,  1856, 
in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Sarah  E.  (Zinn) 
Delaplane,  and  a  grandson  of  James  Delaplane,  who  was  born  in  Mary- 
land and  emigrated  therefrom  to  Ohio,  where  "William  Delaplane  was 
born.  The  latter  was  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser  for  many  years,  and 
during  the  Civil  war  did  a  large  business  in  the  latter  capacity  with  the 
government  in  supplying  meat  for  the  Union  troops.  In  1875  he  brought 
his  family  to  Cass  county,  where  he  took  up  a  farm,  and  here  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  seven  chil- 
dren, of  whom  five  survive :  Mary,  who  married  a  JMr.  Yeider ;  Margaret, 
who  became  the  wife  of  a  Mr.  Coons ;  Bertha  L.,  who  married  Mr.  Cook; 
John,  who  resides  in  Carroll  county,  and  James. 

James  Delaplane  commenced  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of 
Butler  county,  Ohio,  which  he  attended  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of 
age,  and  at  that  time  entered  the  normal  school  at  Valparaiso  and  took 
a  short  course  there.  On  the  completion  of  his  studies  he  turned  his 
attention  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  in  which  vocation  he  had  been 
reared,  and  in  which  he  continued  to  the  time  of  his  retirement,  since 
which  he  has  lived  quietly,  merely  superintending  operations  on  the 
home  property.  This  tract,  a  part  of  which  lies  beyond  the  line  in  Car- 
roll county,  has  been  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  Its  build- 
ings are  large  and  substantial  and  its  improvements  modern  and  valuable, 
and  to  the  visitor  there  is  at  once  given  the  impression  of  the  presence  of 
thrift,  ability  and  industry.  Mr.  Delaplane  had  led  an  active  and  useful 
life,  and  the  success  which  has  rewarded  his  efforts  is  but  the  result  of 
well-applied  energy.  His  business  dealings  have  given  him  a  widespread 
reputation  for  integrity  and  honorable  methods  and  his  public  spirit 
has  given  him  high  place  as  a  representative  citizen. 

On  March  24,  1886,  Mr.  Delaplane  was  married  to  Miss  Belle  Borges. 
daughter  of  Ferdinand  and  Mary  (Kerlin)  Borges.  Her  father,  a  native 
of  Germany,  was  educated  in  that  country,  and  emigrated  in  young  man- 
hood to  the  United  States,  subsequently  serving  in  an  Indiana  cavalry 


1144  HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

regiment  during  the  Civil  war.  After  the  close  of  that  struggle  he 
located  in  Logansport,  and  there  for  many  years  was  engaged  in  the 
drug  business.  J\lr.  and  Mrs.  Delaplane  have  had  a  family  of  three 
children :  William,  a  graduate  of  the  agricultural  department  of  Purdue 
University,  Lafayette,  who  resides  at  home  and  assists  his  brother  in 
conducting  the  home  farm;  Worth  L.,  who  is  a  graduate  of  the  public 
schools  of  Young  America,  assisting  his  brother;  and  Robert,  also  at 
home,  a  student  in  the  gi'aded  schools. 

Homer  Lytle,  who  has  all  his  life  been  a  resident  of  Boone  township, 
and  an  occupant  of  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  is  one  of  the  many 
prosperous  and  highly  esteemed  farming  men  in  this  community.  He 
has  lived  a  worthy  representative  of  that  fine  old  family  which  has  been 
identified  with  this  township  since  the  year  1845,  when  his  father, 
William  Lytle,  was  born  here,  and  which  made  for  itself  a  good  name 
and  an  enduring  reputation  in  Cass  county. 

William  Lytle,  the  father  of  Homer  Lytle  of  this  review,  was  born 
in  Boone  township,  on  May  4,  1845,  and  was  the  son  of  David  and  Mary 
(Burton)  Lytle,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  became  an 
early  settler  of  Boone  township  in  Cass  county,  where  he  lived  until  his 
death.  He  married  into  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  highly  esteemed 
families  of  Boone  township,  from  which  Mary  Burton,  his  wife,  came, 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  four  sons :  George,  John,  Joseph,  Wil- 
liam.   John  Lytle  is  still  living  at  this  writing. 

William  Lytle  married  Amelia  Dye  on  April  5,  1863.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  Cornelius  and  Catherine  (Copic)  Dye,  who  came  to  Indiana 
from  Ohio.  Amelia  (Dye)  Lytle  was  born  on  March  17,  1850,  and 
when  she  was  seven  years  old  her  mother  died,  so  that  she  was  from 
that  time  on  reared  in  the  home  of  John  F.  and  Rebecca  Fultz.  William 
and  Amelia  Lytle  became  the  parents  of  ten  children,  of  which  number 
nine  are  yet  living.  Concerning  them  the  following  brief  men- 
tion is  made  at  this  juncture :  Edward  is  a  resident  of  Royal  Center ; 
Florence  is  the  wife  of  James  Fuller;  Anna  married  George  Schlegen- 
mitch;  Stephen  is  a  farmer  in  Tippecanoe  county,  Indiana;  Effie  mar- 
ried AVarren  Harvey,  of  Logansport,  Indiana;  Gertrude  is  the  wife  of 
W.  P.  Wray,  of  Logansport ;  Homer,  the  subject  of  this  review ;  Fred  is 
a  resident  of  Anderson,  Indiana;  Gilbert,  of  Boone  township,  with  his 
mother. 

]\Irs.  Lytle  is  a  member  of  the  Evangelical  church  of  Royal  Center, 
and  is  active  and  prominent  in  the  work  of  the  various  departments  of 
that  body,  with  which  she  has  long  been  identified  in  a  praiseworthy 
manner.  She  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  forty- 
three  acres  of  land  in  Boone  township,  upon  which  she  is  living  at  the 
present  time,  the  same  being  operated  by  her  sons,  Homer  and  Gilbert. 

Homer  Lytle  is  a  member  of  Royal  Center  Lodge  No.  462,  Knights 
of  Pythias,  and  he  is  a  stanch  Democrat  in  his  political  adherence.  Gil- 
bert Lytle  is  a  member  of  Royal  Center  Lodge  No.  585,  A.  F.  &  A.  M., 
and  has  served  one  year  as  senior  deacon  of  the  lodge.  Both  brothers 
are  prominent  and  popular  in  the  community  which  has  long  represented 
their  home,  and  have  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  all  who  know  them. 


WILLIAM  LYTLE 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1145 

Bruce  B.  Butz.  Without  any  but  the  meagrest  education,  without 
business  training,  business  influence  or  financial  backing,  Bruce  E.  Butz 
has  arisen  above  the  material  difficulties  that  l)eset  the  path  of  the  young 
ventured  into  commercial  and  manufacturing  waters  and  established 
himself  safely  and  soundly  upon  the  rock  of  success.  Today  the  lumber 
business  he  managed  and  helped  establish  in  AValton,  known  as  the  Wal- 
ton Lumber  Company,  is  one  of  the  prosperovis  and  rapidlj"  advancing 
young  business  concerns  of  the  county,  and  its  proprietor  is  part  owner 
and  manager  of  the  establishment.  His  career  has  not  been  without  its 
ups  and  downs,  but  such  has  been  the  courage  and  integrity  of  the  man 
that  he  has  been  able  to  reach  his  present  place  of  security  despite  the 
difficulties  he  has  encountered. 

Bruce  E.  Butz  was  born  on  December  15,  1884,  in  Deer  Creek  town- 
ship, Cass  county,  on  the  old  Snider  farm,  near  Young  America.  He 
is  the  son  of  Charles  H.  L.  and  Jennie  (Snider)  Butz,  the  father  a 
native  of  AUentowTi,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  mother  of  Deer  Creek 
township,  where  she  was  born  and  reared,  the  daughter  of  pioneer 
parents  of  this  section.  Charles  H.  Butz  came  from  his  native  state  to 
Indiana  in  1876  and  here,  after  his  marriage,  engaged  in  agriculture  and 
like  pursuits.  They  reared  a  family  of  five  children,  named  as  follows : 
Harry  W. ;  Ora  E.,  who  is  the  manager  of  the  Indiana  Business  College 
in  Logansport,  Kokomo  and  IMarion,  Indiana ;  Bruce  E.,  of  this  brief 
review ;  Anne,  the  wife  of  Howard  Bone,  and  Frank,  who  married 
Ressie  Rife. 

Bruce  Butz  as  a  boy  in  his  native  community  attended  school  in 
District  No.  4  of  Deer  Creek  township.  He  finished  his  education  in  Dis- 
trict No.  5,  and  then  gave  his  entire  attention  to  the  work  of  the  home 
farm  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty  years.  At  that  age  he  started 
working  for  the  Galveston  Lumber  Company  and  as  an  employe  of  that 
concern  he  learned  the  lumber  business  in  all  its  varied  details.  In  1906 
he  came  to  AValton  and  took  management  of  the  Walton  Lumber  Com- 
pany, of  which  he  is  the  head,  and  he  has  since  conducted  a  successful 
lumber  business  in  this  place.  He  is  the  only  man  in  Walton  who  has  a 
financial  interest  in  the  firm,  the  capital  stock  of  the  corporation  being 
subscribed  by  outsiders. 

On  Christmas  day,  1907,  Mr.  Butz  married  Audrey  Murphy,  a 
daughter  of  Charles  and  Maggie  (Ault)  jNIurphy,  and  they  have  two 
children:  Charles  D.  and  Creston  B.  Butz. 

]\Ir.  Butz  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Alasonic 
fraternity,  and  his  churchly  relations  are  with  the  United  Brethren  at 
Galveston.  He  is  active  in  the  work  of  the  church  and  prominent  in  all 
its  concerns,  as  is  also  his  wife.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Butz  are  highly  esteemed 
in  Galveston  and  enjoy  the  friendship  of  the  best  people  of  the  com- 
munity. 

Jared  B.  Rice.  Cass  county  is  admirably  located  for  the  successful 
prosecution  of  farming,  for  the  soil  is  exceedingly  fertile,  the  climatic 
conditions  almost  ideal,  and  transportation  facilities  unsurpassed.  How- 
ever, although  the  agriculturist  here  has  these  advantages,  he  cannot 
compete  successfully  with  others  unless  he  carries  on  his  operations 
according  to  modern  ideas,  and  uses  improved  machinery  in  his  work. 


1146  HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY 

That  the  majority  of  the  farmers  are  progressive  is  proven  by  the  number 
of  finely  developed  farms  to  be  found  all  over  the  county,  a  fact  that 
has  very  materially  raised  the  standard  of  excellence  here  and  placed 
Cass  among  the  leaders  in  agriculture  in  Indiana.  One  of  the  men  who 
has  assisted  in  bringing  about  this  desirable  condition  is  Jared  B.  Rice, 
of  section  17,  Clinton  township,  who,  alone  and  unaided,  has  brought  his 
present  farm  of  eighty  acres  to  a  state  of  high  cultivation,  although  when 
he  first  settled  here,  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  this  land  was  entirely 
covered  with  heavy  timber. 

Jared  B.  Rice  was  born  in  Washington  township,  Carroll  county, 
Indiana,  July  30,  1862,  and  is  a  son  of  Solomon  and  Hannah  A.  (Pitt- 
man)  Rice,  the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  latter  of  In- 
diana. Solomon  Rice  came  to  Indiana  in  young  manhood,  and  settled  • 
in  Carroll  county,  from  whence  he  enlisted,  in  February,  1863,  in  Com- 
pany K,  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-eighth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer 
Infantry,  for  service  in  the  Civil  war.  He  had  a  long  and  honorable 
service,  receiving  his  discharge  in  September,  1865,  when  he  returned  to 
agricultural  pursuits,  in  which  he  was  engaged  until  his  retirement,  and 
is  now  a  resident  of  Logansport.  He  and  his  wife  had  nine  children, 
of  whom  eight  are  now  living;  William  II.,  who  is  married  and  a  resident 
of  Logansport;  Jared  B. ;  Martha  A.  who  is  deceased;  John  C,  mar- 
ried, rural  carrier  R.  F.  D.  No.  33,  Clymers;  Emma,  who  is  the  wife 
of  Harry  Yost,  of  Logansport ;  George  E.,  married,  a  farmer  of  Clinton 
ton  townshij) ;  Solomon,  Jr.,  a  resident  of  Clymers,  Indiana;  Anna,  the 
wife  of  Hiram  Isaacs,  of  Clymers;  and  LeRoy  E.,  who  is  carrying  on 
operations  on  the  old  homestead  place. 

Jared  B.  Rice  was  reared  on  the  homestead  farm  in  Clinton  township 
and  attended  the  district  schools  until  he  was  about  seventeen  years  of 
age,  at  which  time  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account,  although  he 
continued  to  live  under  the  parental  roof.  In  December,  1887,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Yeakley,  who  was  born  in  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  two  children :  Julia, 
born  in  March,  1889,  a  graduate  of  the  Logansport  Commercial  College 
and  now  bookkeeper  for  H.  G.  Reed,  at  Clymers,  Indiana;  and  Agnes, 
born  September  18,  1893,  a  graduate  of  the  Logansport  high  schools,  who 
makes  her  home  with  her  parents.  A  pleasant,  outspoken  man,  true  to 
his  word,  and  with  the  courage  of  his  convictions,  he  has  thoroughly 
established  himself  in  the  confidence  of  his  neighbors  and  associates,  and 
his  title  of  "self-made  man"  has  been  won  by  perfectly  legitimate  meth- 
ods. His  farm  of  eighty  acres  is  well  cultivated,  bears  heavy  crops  and 
shows,  in  its  prosperous  appearance,  the  presence  of  able  and  thrifty 
management.  While  the  greater  part  of  his  time  is  given  to  general 
farming,  he  has  also  devoted  considerable  attention  to  the  breeding  of 
stock,  and  his  pure  Duroc  hogs  have  attracted  attention  at  a  number  of 
live  stock  fairs. 

Walter  A.  House.  Much  of  the  wealth  of  Cass  county  lies  in  her 
splendid  farming  districts,  represented  by  innumerable  well-kept  and 
bountifully  productive  estates  that  had  their  inception,  insofar  as 
present-day  conditions  extend,  in  the  labor  and  initiative  of  those  hardy 
pioneers  who  sought  out  this  region  many  decades  ago.     How  well  they 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1147 

wrought  and  how  successful  thej'  were  is  a  story  that  may  only  be 
touched  upon  in  passing  here,  but  that  they  built  up  sturdy  foundations 
on  which  their  numerous  progeny  might  rear  the  fair  structure  of  pros- 
perity is  a  fact  that  is  obvious  to  all.  Today  the  prosperous  and  thriving 
farms,  conducted  along  both  general  and  specific  lines  of  agriculture, 
constitute  a  happy  feature  of  Cass  county,  and  the  men  who  are  carry- 
ing forward  the  work  then  begun  are  worthy  successors  of  their  worthy 
ancestors.  Walter  A.  House,  owner  and  manager  of  the  Plain  View 
Stock  Farm,  is  a  striking  example  of  men  of  this  type. 

Born  in  Cass  county,  Indiana,  on  the  24th  day  of  January,  1872, 
Walter  A.  House  is  the  son  of  Simeon  A.  and  Elizabeth  (Adams)  House. 
The  father  was  a  native  of  Preble  county,  Ohio,  whence  he  came  to 
Indiana  when  he  was  a  young  man  of  twenty-five  and  settled  in  Jackson 
township.  Here  he  married  a  native  daughter  of  Cass  county,  Elizabeth 
Adams,  as  has  been  mentioned,  and  to  them  were  bom  seven  children, 
named  as  follows :  Jessie  B.,  Walter  A.,  Nola,  Luther,  Orba,  Pear  and 
Ernest. 

Walter  A.  House  attended  the  common  schools  of  his  native  com- 
munity as  a  boy  and  finished  his  education  at  Schyenne  school,  there 
receiving  educational  advantages  somewhat  better  than  those  accorded 
to  the  average  country  youth  of  his  district.  He  was  well  trained  in 
the  work  of  the  farm  as  a  boy  at  home,  it  is  ijeedless  to  say,  and  up  to 
the  time  when  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  remained  on  the  home 
place  as  the  principal  assistant  of  his  father.  In  1894  he  married  Nellie 
Eckley  and  established  a  home  of  his  own.  She  was  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Amanda  Eckley,  and  to  them  four  children  have  been  born : 
Earl,  Edna,  Cressa  and  Alta. 

Plain  View  Stock  Farm,  comprising  one  hundred  acres  of  the  finest 
land  in  the  county ;  came  to  Mr.  House  through  his  own  well  applied 
energies,  and  his  success  today  represents  the  sturdy  labors  of  his 
earlier  years.  The  place  is  located  four  miles  due  north  of  Galveston, 
and  is  one  of  the  fine  and  showy  places  of  the  township. 

The  House  family  are  members  of  the  United  Brethren  church,  and 
Mr.  House  further  manifests  interest  in  affairs  of  this  nature  by  acting 
as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school,  in  which  he  has  done  excellent 
work  among  the  young  of  his  community.  He  has  prospered  specifically 
in  his  stock-farming;  always  keeping  in  view  that  the  best  is  none  too 
good,  buying  and  raising  pure  bred  stock  whenever  circumstances  will 
permit,  and  he  is  freely  regarded  in  the  township  as  one  of  the  most 
intelligent  and  successful  stockmen  in  the  community.  Not  only  as  a 
source  of  profit  but  to  maintain  the  fertility  of  the  farm. 

Henry  N.  Miller  was  born  in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  ]\Iarch  30,  1842, 
and  is  a  son  of  John  E.  and  Catherine  (Minnick)  Miller.  His  father, 
a  native  of  Franklin  county,  Pennsylvania,  migrated  to  Ohio  in  young 
manhood,  and  later,  in  1844,  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  He  became 
one  of  the  prominent  agriculturists  of  his  day  and  locality,  was  success- 
ful in  his  operations,  wielded  a  wide  influence  among  his  fellow-townsmen 
in  matters  of  general  importance,  and  at  his  death  left  a  wide  circle  of 
friends  to  mourn  his  loss.     He  and  his  wife  became  the  parents  of  ten 


1148  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

children,  of  whom  six  still  survive,  as  follows :  Elizabeth,  who  married 
a  j\Ir.  Neff ;  Henry  N. ;  Eliza,  who  married  a  Mr.  Britton ;  Caroline, 
who  married  a  Mr.  Toney ;  Jane,  who  became  the  wife  of  a  Mr.  Wilson ; 
and  Harriet,  who  married  Dr.  Delzell. 

Henry  N.  ]\Iiller  grew  to  manhood  in  Deer  Creek  township,  his  educa- 
tion being  secured  by  attendance  during  the  winter  terms  in  the  old 
]\Iiller  school.  During  the  summer  months  he  assisted  his  father  in 
plowing,  in  clearing  and  in  grubbing,  and  in  the  various  other  employ- 
ments incidental  to  the  planting  and  gathering  of  crops.  He  was  about 
twenty-one  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  and  at  that 
time  he  took  over  the  home  farm  and  assumed  the  responsibility  of  caring 
for  the  family. 

In  1866  Mr.  Miller  was  married  to  Miss  Alice  Higgle,  who  died 
leaving  live  children ;  John,  William,  Oscar,  Belle,  who  married  a  Mr.  De 
Haven,  and  Harry.  In  1886  Mr.  Miller  was  married  again,  when 
occurred  his  union  with  Josie  E.  Baughman,  daughter  of  Oliver  E.  and 
Matilda  (Nabors)  Baughman,  of  Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  who  migrated 
to  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  and  became  prominent  farming  people.  Four 
children  were  born  to  this  union ;  Leah,  who  married  a  Lybrook ;  Carl, 
who  resides  at  home,  and  Ruth  and  Arthur,  deceased. 

Edgar  C.  Cripe.  Among  the  younger  generation  of  agriculturists  of 
Cass  county,  one  who  has  spent  his  entire  life  within  its  limits  is  Edgar 
C.  Cripe,  of  Deer  Creek  township,  who  is  ably  managing  operations  on 
his  father's  farm  of  eighty  acres.  Mr.  Cripe  was  born  on  this  farm  No- 
vember 11,  1889,  and  is  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Sarah  (Smith)  Cripe.  His 
father,  a  native  of  Clinton  county,  Indiana,  was  only  eighteen  years  of 
age  when  he  came  to  Cass  county,  and  here  he  has  since  resided,  now 
being  retired  from  active  pursuits.  He  has  been  closely  identified  with 
the  agricultural  interests  of  the  county  and  has,  as  well,  gained  a  posi- 
tion of  confidence  in  the  regard  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  and  his  wife 
have  had  five  children :  Lyna,  who  married  a  Mr.  Burroughs ;  Effie,  who 
became  the  wife  of  a  Mr.  Wolf;  Eunice,  who  married  a  Mr.  Hoover; 
Frank  and  Edgar  C. 

Edgar  C.  Cripe  was  given  good  educational  advantages,  attending 
first  the  common  schools  of  Deer  Creek  township,  later  the  Young  America 
high  school,  and  finally  the  institution  at  Manchester,  Indiana,  where  he 
passed  one  year.  During  all  of  this  period  he  was  engaged  in  assisting 
his  father  in  the  work  connected  with  the  home  farm,  was  reared  to 
habits  of  industry  and  integrity,  and  thoroughly  trained  in  the  duties 
with  which  every  good  farmer  should  be  conversant.  At  the  time  of  his 
marriage  he  took  over  the  management  of  the  home  place,  which  he  has 
since  conducted  for  his  father.  The  excellence  of  his  early  training  has 
been  shown  by  the  able  manner  in  which  he  has  carried  on  the  business 
of  the  farm,  his  land  yielding  large  and  abundant  crops  and  his  cattle 
being  sleek  and  healthy  and  bringing  top-notch  prices  in  the  markets. 
His  entire  attention  has  been  devoted  to  his  farm  and  his  home,  and  he 
has  found  time  for  neither  politics  nor  fraternal  work.  Among  his 
associates  he  is  known  as  an  industrious,  enterprising  young  farmer, 
possessed  of  progressive  ideas  and  the  ability  to  carry  them  out.  He 
has  many  friends  who  have  followed  with  gratified  approval  his  rise  in  the 
agricultural  world. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1149 

In  1908  Mr.  Cripe  was  united  in  marriage  with.  Miss  Nellie  Turn- 
paugh,  and  they  have  had  two  children:  Robert  and  Keith. 

John  Wissinger,  whose  connection  with  a  combination  of  business 
enterprises  has  made  him  one  of  the  leading  and  substantial  men  of 
Onward,  Indiana,  owes  his  success  in  life  to  hard  work  intelligently  di- 
rected, to  inherent  ability  of  a  versatile  nature,  and  to  a  perseverance 
that  has  kept  him  steadily  at  whatever  task  he  has  found  himself  until 
it  has  been  ended  in  successful  accomplishment.  He  has  been  farmer, 
sawmill  operator,  lumberman,  eider  manufacturer  and  threshing  ma- 
chine owner  in  turn,  bringing  to  each  venture  an  enthuisasm  and  pro- 
gressive spirit  that  would  admit  of  no  defeat,  and  in  the  midst  of  these 
multitudinous  activities  has  always  found  time  to  give  to  the  promotion 
of  his  community's  welfare.  Mr.  "Wissinger  is  a  Hoosier  by  birth,  hav- 
ing been  born  May  7,  1858,  in  Washington  township,  Miami  county, 
and  is  a  son  of  Isaac  and  Mary  (Straup)  Wissinger.  His  father,  a 
native  of  Ohio,  grew  up  near  the  city  of  Dayton,  from  whence  he  came 
to  Indiana  in  young  manhood,  settling  in  Miami  county,  where  he  con- 
tinued to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  life  on  a  farm  which  he  had  pur- 
chased in  Washington  township.  He  and  his  wife  became  the  parents 
of  four  children,  as  follows :  William ;  John ;  Elizabeth,  who  married 
Mr.  Cripe ;  and  Sarah,  who  married  Mr.  Metzgar. 

John  Wissinger  grew  to  manhood  on  the  old  home  place  in  Miami 
county,  and  there  attended  the  country  schools  of  Washington  town- 
ship, in  the  meantime  being  reared  to  agi-iculturai  pursuits  and  to 
habits  of  industry,  sobriety  and  honesty.  He  continued  to  assist  his 
father  until  he  reached  man's  estate,  at  which  time  he  began  renting 
land,  thus  being  able  to  accumulate  enough  means  to  purchase  his  first 
property,  which  he  still  owns.  On  this  land  he  earned  the  capital  with, 
which  he  bought  his  present  valuable  town  property,  and  after  some 
years  spent  in  farming  he.  entered  the  sawmill  business,  which  he  has 
built  up  to  large  proportions,  his  trade  extending  throughout  the  sur- 
rounding country.  Later,  Mr.  Wissinger  became  the  proprietor  of  a 
cider  business,  and  at  this  time  he  is  distributing  the  famous  Wissinger 
cider  to  the  wholesale  trade  throughout  Indiana.  In  addition  to  these 
enterprises,  he  has  operated  a  threshing  outfit  for  the  past  twenty-two 
yeare,  traveling  all  over  Cass  county.  From  the  foregoing  it  may  be 
seen  that  Mr.  Wissinger  is  a  man  of  progressive  spirit,  commendable 
industry  and  unflagging  energy.  In  his  various  and  varied  enterprises 
he  has  ever  been  known  as  a  man  of  the  highest  integrity,  and  his  trans- 
actions have  always  been  of  a  strictly  legitimate  nature.  He  has  cared 
little  for  politics,  and  has  never  sought  public  preferment  on  his  own 
account,  although  he  has  been  a  staunch  supporter  of  good  government 
and  takes  a  pride  in  furthering  the  interests  of  his  adopted  locality. 

Mr.  Wissinger  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sophia  Tillett, 
daughter  of  Michael  and  Susanna  (Smith)  Tillett,  and  to  this  union 
there  have  been  born  seven  children,  as  follows:  Susanna,  who  is 
married  and  has  three  children — Paul,  Bernie  and  Margaret;  Charles, 
who  married  Laura  Rose,  and  has  five  children — Donald,  Bady,  Nancy, 
Lawrence  and  Lester;  Millie,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Harley 
Linderman;  Pliny,  the  wife  of  L.  Kesling,  who  has  one  child — Walter; 


1150  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Bessie,  who  married  a  Mr.  Bird,  and  has  one  child — Marie ;  and  Lloyd 
and  Sylvia,  who  are  attending  school.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wissinger  are 
members  of  the  Baptist  church,  in  the  work  of  which  they  have  been 
commendably  active. 

Charles  D.  Carpenter,  M.  D.  Probably  there  is  no  learned  pro- 
fession that  demands  so  much  of  its  members  as  that  of  medicine.  The 
conscientious  physician  of  today  has  little  rest,  as  when  he  is  not  min- 
istering to  the  sick  he  must  spend  a  great  deal  of  time  in  study  along 
the  lines  of  his  profession  in  order  to  keep  in  touch  with  the  discoveries 
that  are  constantly  being  made.  The  physician  in  general  practice  has 
to  give  more  of  himself  in  his  work  than  those  who  confine  themselves 
to  specialties  or  to  office  consultation,  as  regardless  of  personal  inclina- 
tion he  must  fare  forth  at  all  times  and  in  all  degrees  of  weather  to 
answer  the  calls  of  those  dependent  upon  him.  Cass  county  knows  of 
many  of  these  self-sacrificing  men,  who  regard  their  work  as  a  sacred 
duty,  and  none  enjoys  a  larger  amount  of  good  will  in  his  community 
than  Dr.  Charles  D.  Carpenter,  of  Walton. 

Doctor  Carpenter  comes  of  a  line  of  physicians.  His  grandfather, 
Eber  Carpenter,  JM.  D.,  was  an  old  New  England  physician,  and  his 
father,  Dr.  George  H.  Carpenter,  was  also  engaged  in  practice  for  many 
years.  The  latter  was  born  in  1820,  at  Alstead,  Cheshire  county,  New 
Hampshire,  and  there  received  his  common  school  education,  reading 
medicine  in  the  office  of  his  father.  In  1842  he  came  to  Athens,  Ohio, 
the  journey  from  Buffalo,  New  York,  being  made  by  stage  coach,  as  the 
railroads  had  not  yet  extended  their  lines  that  far  west.  During  the 
Civil  war  he  enlisted  in  the  Ninety-first  Regiment,  Ohio  Volunteer 
Infantry,  of  which  he  was  for  a  time  surgeon,  but  failing  health  caused 
his  retirement  from  the  service.  For  some  years  he  practiced  in  Boston 
and  other  large  cities,  but  eventually  was  forced  into  permanent  retire- 
ment. Doctor  Carpenter  married  Miss  Mary  Welch,  daughter  of  Judge 
John  Welch  of  Athens,  Ohio.  Judge  Welch  at  one  time  was  chief  justice 
of  Ohio  and  was  thirteen  years  on  the  Supreme  bench  and  a  member  of 
Congress  from  the  fifteenth  district.  Two  children  were  born  to  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Carpenter:  Charles  D.,  and  Helen  B.,  a  graduate  of  the  New  York 
College,  who  is  now  living  in  Seattle,  Washington. 

Charles  D.  Carpenter  attended  the  common  schools  of  Athens,  Ohio, 
following  which  he  spent  some  time  in  Keene,  New  Hampshire,  and  on 
his  return  took  his  first  course  in  medicine  in  Cleveland.  His  medical 
studies  were  completed  in  the  Ohio  Medical  College,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  on  March  1,  1872,  and  at  that  time  he  became  his  father's 
associate  in  practice.  In  1877  he  became  a  member  of  the  first  board 
of  the  Columbus  Hospital  for  the  Insane,  but  resigned  from  that  posi- 
tion to  return  to  private  practice.  Doctor  Carpenter  has  been  an  ex- 
tensive traveler.  His  first  location  was  Marysville,  Ohio,  but  several 
years  later  he  went  to  Chicago  and  engaged  in  practice  there.  Subse- 
quently he  moved  to  Belvidere,  Boone  county,  Illinois,  and  later  to 
Carthage,  Missouri.  Since  1899  Doctor  Carpenter  has  been  in  continuous 
practice  at  Walton,  where  he  has  secured  a  large  and  lucrative  pro- 
fessional business.  Wherever  he  has  been  located  he  has  gained  uni- 
versal esteem  and  has  steadily  won  friends  by  his  reliability  and  warm 


HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1151 

sympathy.  Unsolicited,  he  has  received  many  testimonials  to  his  skill 
and  kindly  interest  in  his  patients.  He  is  a  close  student,  an  able 
physician,  and  a  steady-handed  surgeon.  The  services  of  such  a  man 
are  a  valuable  boon  to  any  community  and  the  people  of  Walton  man- 
ifest their  appreciation  of  the  service  rendered  by  Doctor  Carpenter  in 
choosing  their  community  as  the  field  of  his  labor. 

In  1882  Doctor  Carpenter  was  married  to  Miss  Rena  Vlereborne,  of 
Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  a  member  of  an  old  and  prominent  family. 
Two  children  were  born  to  this  union:  Rosalie,  who  married  C.  C. 
Bumgarner,  and  Dorriss,  a  graduate  of  the  Walton  high  school,  who  is 
now  in  her  freshman  year  at  the  University  of  Indiana. 

Doctor  Carpenter  is  fraternally  connected  with  Lodge  No.  423,  of  the 
Masonic  order,  of  which  he  has  served  as  master,  and  Walton  Lodge 
I.  0.  0.  F.,  and  Logansport  Lodge  No.  66,  B.  P.  0.  E.  For  four  years 
he  was  chairman  of  the  pension  board  at  Belvidere,  Illinois.  He  has 
identified  himself  with  all  movements  that  have  made  for  progress,  and 
has  done  his  share  as  a  citizen  in  promoting  good  government. 

Leandeb  McFadden.  With  supreme  faith  in  the  future  of  Walton, 
with  the  ability  to  profit  by  present  conditions  and  with  the  desire  to 
aid  others  to  do  so,  Leander  McFadden,  proprietor  of  the  Walton  ele- 
vator, is  one  of  his  city's  representative  business  men,  and  through  pre- 
cept and  example  has  encouraged  the  advancement  of  good  citizenship. 
A  self-made  man,  who  appreciates  the  value  and  dignity  of  hard  labor, 
in  that  it  was  the  medium  through  which  he  attained  independence  and 
position,  Mr.  McFadden  has  steadily  forged  upward,  his  activities  being 
of  benefit  not  only  to  himself  but  to  his  community  as  well.  Mr.  McFad- 
den was  born  in  Ashland  county,  Ohio,  and  is  a  son  of  Alfred  and  Eliza- 
beth (Richards)  McFadden.  His  father,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  spent 
his  early  life  in  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  but  later  made  removal  to  Ashland 
county,  where  he  established  the  McFadden  home,  and  there  spent  the 
rest  of  his  life  in  tilling  the  soil.  He  was  the  father  of  five  children,  as 
follows:  Diana,  who  married  a  Mr.  Simmons;  Franklin  P.  and  Oliver, 
living  in  Cass  county;  Leander;  and  Essie,  who  married  a  Mr.  Rickett. 

Leander  McFadden  spent  his  boyhood  much  the  same  as  other  far- 
mers' lads  of  his  day  and  locality,  pursuing  his  studies  during  the  win- 
ter months  and  devoting  his  summers  to  assisting  his  father  in  the  work 
of  the  home  farm.  On  reaching  manhood,  he  began  farming  with  his 
father  on  shares,  and  then  for  five  years  rented  his  father's  farm  of  115 
acres.  At  the  end  of  this  time  he  became  interested  in  the  lumber  busi- 
ness at  Twelve  Mile,  Cass  county,  in  company  with  his  brother,  Frank- 
lin P.  McFadden,  an  association  that  proved  eminently  satisfactory. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  was  in  business  in  Allen  county,  Indiana,  and 
still  retains  a  half  interest  therein.  For  the  past  eight  years  Mr.  ^Ic- 
Fadden  has  devoted  his  attention  to  the  grain  business,  and  in  1910 
came  to  Walton  and  purchased  his  present  elevator.  Through  the 
exercise  of  good  judgment,  natural  ability  and  constant  industry,  he 
has  made  a  success  of  his  numerous  ventures,  and  is  today  .justly  con- 
sidered one  of  his  adopted  city's  reliable  business  citizens.  He  has 
never  taken  more  than  a  passing  interest  in  matters  of  a  political  nature, 
preferring  to  confine  his  energies  to  the  field  of  business  rather  than  to 
the  public  arena.    Movements  tending  to  advance  the  community  or  its 


1152  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

people  have  always  found  him  heartily  in  sympathy,  however,  and  he  is 
never  too  busy  to  lend  his  aid  to  enterprises  of  this  nature. 

Mr.  McFadden  was  married  in  1893,  to  Miss  Estella  Markel,  daugh- 
ter of  Jacob  Markel,  and  they  have  had  five  children,  namely :  Walter, 
Osa,  Fleece,  Lucille  and  Pearl,  all  of  whom  are  attending  school  in 
Walton.  Fraternally  Mr.  McFadden  has  identified  himself  with  the 
work  of  the  Masons  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  in  which 
he  numbers  many  warm  friends.  With  the  members  of  his  family,  he  is 
an  attendant  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Charles  Stewart  Albertson,  M.  D.  It  was  Robert  Louis  Steven- 
son who  made  the  assertion  that  when  posterity  came  to  study  the  pres- 
ent age  it  would  find  that  its  noblest  figure  was  the  doctor.  The  physi- 
cian's role,  whether  in  city  or  country,  in  the  sickroom,  on  the  lonely 
road  or  the  deserted  street,  calls  for  a  high  order  of  courage  as  well  as 
high  ideals  of  service  to  mankind.  Here  is  found  the  spirit  which  has 
made  the  advance  of  modern  science  resemble  the  advance  of  a  new 
religion.  There  has  been  the  same  devotion  to  an  ideal,  the  same  aban- 
don of  self,  and  the  only  reward  held  out  has  been  the  welfare  of  gen- 
erations yet  unborn.  It  is  for  these  reasons  that  the  profession  is  held 
in  such  high  esteem ;  that  its  devotees  are  ranked  among  the  leading  men 
of  every  community.  Among  the  medical  men  of  Cass  county  who  have 
reached  high  positions  as  practitioners,  Charles  Stewart  Albertson, 
M.  D.,  of  Walton,  is  known  as  a  man  who  has  responded  to  every  duty 
imposed  upon  him  by  the  ethics  of  his  calling.  Although  still  a  young 
man,  his  abilities  have  gained  him  a  place  in  the  confidence  of  the  men 
of  his  vocation  in  his  adopted  locality,  as  well  as  of  a  wide  and  repre- 
sentative clientele.  Doctor  Albertson  was  born  in  1881,  in  Walton, 
Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  E.  F.  Albertson,  a  minister  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  faith,  belonging  to  the  Eastern  Conference.  He  was  sent  to 
this  section  by  his  church,  and  for  many  years  labored  faithfully  in  the 
service  of  his  Master. 

The  oldest  of  a  family  of  five  children.  Doctor  Albertson  early  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  Walton,  but  as  his  father's  vocation  called 
him  to  various  points,  the  family  stakes  were  not  driven  in  one  place 
for  very  long.  Following  his  removal  from  Walton,  the  doctor  lived 
for  different  periods  at  Bunker  Hill,  Goshen,  Ligonier  and  Columbia 
City,  Indiana,  Buffalo,  New  York,  and  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana,  and  in 
the  latter  place  graduated  from  the  high  school.  At  that  time  he  took 
up  his  medical  studies,  entering  Jefferson  Medical  College,  Philadel- 
phia, and  later  entered  Indiana  Medical  College,  at  Indianapolis,  from 
which  institution  he  received  his  degree.  Succeeding  this,  he  entered 
upon  the  practice  of  surgery  in  Fort  Wayne,  as  assistant  to  Dr.  McBeth, 
and  after  a  short  period  he  went  to  South  Wliitley,  Indiana,  where  he 
continued  in  practice  for  five  years.  In  Walton  his  years  of  diligent 
study  and  critical  and  careful  observation  have  borne  fruit  in  the  shape 
of  recognition.  His  knowledge  of  his  profession  is  broad  and  compre- 
hensive, and  he  is  quick  to  grasp  the  principles  of  every  advancement  or 
innovation  which  comes  to  his  notice.  For  two  years  he  has  acted  in  the 
capacity  of  secretary  of  the  Cass  county  board  of  health,  where  his  abili- 
ties were  made  manifest  in  numerous  ways.     Keeping  full  abreast  of 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1153 

the  times  by  his  subscription  to  the  leading  medical  journals,  he  also 
takes  an  interest  in  the  work  of  the  leading  organizations  of  the  pro- 
fession, and  is  a  valued  member  of  the  Cass  County  Medical  Society,  the 
Indiana  State  Medical  Society  and  the  American  Medical  Association. 
He  also  holds  membership  in  the  Masons,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and 
the  Modern  "Woodmen  of  America,  in  all  of  which  he  numbers  many 
friends.  , 

In  November,  1907,  Dr.  Albertson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Maud  Robbins,  of  South  Whitley,  Indiana.     They  have  had  no  children. 

J.  E.  Heinmiller.  For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Heinmiller  has  been 
identified  with  the  little  town  of  Young  America.  He  has  the  only 
undertaking  establishment  in  this  vicinity,  and  as  a  business  man  of 
fine  principles  and  thorough  ability,  he  enjoys  a  large  patronage  and 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

Mr.  Heinmiller  was  born  in  Ervin  township,  Howard  county,  Indi- 
ana, November  11,  1862.  His  parents  were  John  and  Susannah  (Cupp) 
Heinmiller.  The  father  was  born  in  Germany  and  came  to  America 
with  his  parents,  his  father  being  also  named  John,  and  from  New  York 
City  moved  to  Pennsylvania  where  the  grandfather  was  for  many  years 
a  farmer.  John  Heinmiller,  the  father,  was  a  young  man  when  he  came 
west  to  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  and  a  few  years  later  bought  land  and 
was  actively  engaged  as  a  farmer  there  for  many  years.  There  were 
seven  children  in  the  family  of  the  parents,  namely :  William,  John  D., 
George  W.,  Moses,  J.  E.,  Anna,  deceased;  Luther,  deceased,  and  Rettie. 

J.  E.  Heinmiller  during  his  boyhood  lived  on  a  farm  in  Howard 
county,  and  attended  the  common  schools  in  that  vicinity.  At  the  age 
of  twenty-one  he  began  his  independent  career,  and  with  some  help 
from  his  father  was  able  to  fit  himself  for  the  undertaking  business. 
He  studied  in  the  Barnes  College  of  Embalming  at  Chicago,  and  on 
graduating  from  that  institution  came  to  Cass  county  and  established 
himself  in  business  in  the  little  town  of  Young  America. 

Mr.  Heinmiller  was  married  in  1889  to  Miss  Lilly  Williams,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  Williams.  One  child  was  born  to  their  marriage,  but  is  now 
deceased.  Fraternally  Mr.  Heinmiller  is  affiliated  with  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  the  Masonic  order,  and  belongs  to  the  United  Brethren 
church. 

Frank  Harness.  Many  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  Cass  county 
are  specializing  in  the  raising  of  cattle,  finding  that  in  this  branch  of 
agricultural  work  they  were  able  to  achieve  a  greater  measure  of  success 
than  if  their  energies  were  devoted  to  diversified  farming.  Frank  Har- 
ness, one  of  the  enterprising  young  farmers  of  Deer  Creek  township, 
who  owns  fifty-five  acres  of  good  land  and  oversees  400  acres  belonging 
to  the  Harness  estate,  is  engaged  in  raising  Hereford  cattle,  and  since 
his  eighteenth  year  has  been  an  acknowledged  judge  of  livestock.  Mr. 
Harness  was  born  in  Howard  county,  Indiana,  just  across  the  road  from 
his  present  property,  in  1881,  and  is  a  son  of  G.  W.  and  Lucinda 
(Lowry)  Harness. 

The  education  of  Mr.  Harness  was  secured  in  the  public  schools 
of  Cass  county,  whence  he  was  brought  as  a  lad,  and  during  his  entire 


1154  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

school  period  was  engaged  in  assisting  his  father  on  the  homestead 
place.  An  energetic,  ambitious  youth,  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he 
entered  the  cattle  business,  and  the  success  which  has  rewarded  his 
efforts  is  ample  proof  of  his  ability  in  his  chosen  line.  His  standard 
bred  Hereford  cattle  have  always  brought  top-notch  prices  in  the  mar- 
kets and  have  made  a  creditable  showing  wherever  exhibited.  His 
entire  time  is  devoted  to  his  farm  and  his  home,  and  he  has  found  no 
leisure  to  engage  in  politics,  his  only  interest  in  public  matters  being 
that  taken  by  every  good  citizen.  In  business  circles  he  is  known  as  a 
shrewd  competitor,  but  one  who  has  never  stooped  to  use  other  than 
legitimate  methods,  and  as  a  result  he  has  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
his  associates.  He  has  shown  some  interest  in  Masonic  work,  and  has 
numerous  friends  in  the  local  lodge  of  this  fraternal  order,  as  he  has  in 
business  and  social  circles. 

In  1902  Mr.  Harness  was  united  in  marriage  with  Dora  Swafford, 
daughter  of  William  and  Jane  (Hinkle)  Swafford,  and  to  this  union 
there  have  been  born  two  children:    Herbert  and  George  W. 

Benjamin  F.  Sharts.  Cass  county  has  no  more  honored  family  than 
that  bearing  the  name  of  Sharts,  members  of  which  have  been  identified 
with  the  agricultural,  commercial,  financial  and  military  history  of 
this  section  for  approximately  sixty-five  years.  Among  those  who  are 
entitled  to  consideration  as  worthy  representatives  of  the  name  are 
Abiah  J.  and  Benjamin  F.  Sharts,  father  and  son,  the  former  a  Civil 
war  veteran  and  highly  respected  farmer  of  Tipton  township,  and  the 
latter  president  of  the  Fenton  Investment  Company.  Both  have  identi- 
fied themselves  vitally  with  the  best  interests  of  Cass  county,  where  they 
have  been  known  as  useful  and  public-spirited  citizens. 

The  Sharts  family  originated  in  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  from  whence 
George  P.  and  Frances  (Bear)  Sharts  removed  to  Preble  county,  Ohio, 
at  an  early  day.  Settling  near  Germantown,  George  P.  Sharts  erected  a 
grist  mill  and  carried  on  operations  for  several  years,  but  in  1848  came 
to  Cass  county  and  settled  on  what  is  known  as  the  N.  B.  Richeson  farm, 
the  family  home  during  the  first  few  years  (or  until  it  was  replaced  by 
a  frame  house)  being  a  log  cabin.  There  George  P.  Sharts  died  in  1853, 
at  the  age  of  fifty-two  years,  while  his  wife  survived  him  until  1875,  and 
was  seventy -two  years  old  at  the  time  of  her  demise.  They  had  a  family 
of  eleven  children,  namely:  Mary  M.,  Rose  Ann,  Elizabeth,  Catherine, 
Abraham,  John,  Eliza  J.,  George  P.,  William  O.,  Abiah  J.  and  Caroline. 

Abiah  J.  Sharts  was  born  October  24,  1845,  in  Preble  county,  Ohio, 
and  passed  his  boyhood  days  on  the  home  farm  in  Cass  county,  whence 
the  family  had  come  when  he  was  four  years  of  age,  and  where  he  secured 
his  education  in  a  log  cabin  school.  When  he  was  but  fifteen  years  of 
age  he  started  out  to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world,  and  early  took 
charge  of  the  home  farm,  which  he  operated  until  1879,  at  that  time 
moving  to  his  own  farm,  which  joins  the  other  on  the  south.  In  June, 
1863,  he  became  a  member  of  Company  P,  116th  Regiment,  Indiana  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  and  w^as  mustered  into  the  service  at  Indianapolis, 
subseqi:tently  participating  in  a  number  of  engagements  during  the  Civil 
war,  including  Knoxville,  although  the  greater  part  of  his  military 
service  was  passed  in  doing  guard  duty  at  Cumberland  Gap,  Greenville 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  1155 

and  Tazewell,  Tennessee.  He  received  his  honorable  discharge  at  Lafay- 
ette, Indiana,  in  March,  1864,  after  a  brave  and  faithful  service,  and 
once  more  returned  to  the  duties  of  peace.  In  1867  he  was  married  to 
Ellen  Alice  Wilson,  daughter  of  Andrew  Wilson,  one  of  Cass  county's 
old  pioneers,  and  they  have  had  six  children,  namely:  Harry,  who  is 
deceased ;  Benjamin  F. ;  Elmer ;  Walter,  who  is  deceased ;  Blanche  and 
Charles.  Mr.  Sharts  still  lives  on  the  old  home  farm  on  section  11, 
Tipton  township,  a  tract  of  15-4  acres  of  well-cultivated  land.  Although 
advanced  in  years,  he  still  is  engaged  actively  in  the  work  of  tilling  the 
soil,  and  also  takes  a  keen  interest  in  Republican  politics.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and 
attends  the  Seven-Mile  United  Brethren  church,  of  which  Mrs.  Sharts 
is  a  member. 

Benjamin  F.  Sharts  was  born  on  the  old  home  place,  December  12, 
1871,  and  was  reared  after  the  manner  of  the  farmers'  sons  of  his  day, 
attending  the  district  schools  during  the  winter  mouths  and  spending  his 
summers  on  the  home  place.  During  the  fall  of  1888  he  went  t^  Topeka, 
Kansas,  where  a  relative  was  living,  and  while  there  attended  the  high 
school  for  three  years,  each  year  carrying  off  the  honors  of  his  class. 
When  he  was  twenty  years  old  he  returned  to  Indiana  and  began  teach- 
ing at  his  old  home  school  in  Tipton  township,  where  he  remained  one 
year,  subsequently  spending  one  year  at  the  Boyer  school,  one  mile  east 
of  Walton,  and  two  years  in  the  Woodling  school  in  Washington  town- 
ship. During  the  summer  of  1895  he  gave  up  the  educator's  profession 
to  accept  a  position  in  the  county  treasurer's  office.  One  year  later,  in 
May,  1896,  he  entered  the  Logansport  State  Bank  in  the  capacity  of 
messenger  and  bookkeeper,  and  there  his  faithful  discharge  of  his  duties, 
his  constant  attention  to  business  and  his  general  native  ability  won 
him  advancement  to  the  position  of  teller.  In  May,  1906,  he  became 
cashier  of  this  institution,  one  of  the  most  solid  and  substantial  in  north- 
em  Indiana,  and  he  continued  to  hold  the  same  office  until  recently. 
During  the  early  months  of  1913  Mr.  Sharts  received  a  proposition  to 
take  over  the  management  of  their  extensive  mortgage,  loan  and  invest- 
ment business,  fostered  and  created  by  the  late  C.  0.  Fenton  (whose 
sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume).  After  due  consideration  he 
accepted  same  and  resigned  his  position  as  cashier  of  the  Logansport 
State  Bank,  to  take  effect  June  1,  1913.  He  is  at  present  president  and 
manager  of  Fenton  Investment  Company,  218  Fourth  street.  Mr. 
Sharts'  rise  has  been  rapid  and  continuous,  but  it  has  been  deserved,  and 
no  element  of  chance  has  had  anything  to  do  with  his  promotion.  Rather 
it  has  come  through  a  steadfast  determination  to  succeed,  an  ambition 
before  which  all  obstacles  have  been  swept  aside. 

On  October  3,  1900,  Mr.  Sharts  was  married  to  Miss  Pearl  McManus, 
and  they  have  had  two  children:  Victor  Benjamin  and  Robert  Wilson. 
In  politics  Mr.  Sharts  is  a  Republican.  He  has  been  prominently  con- 
nected with  fraternal  matters,  being  a  member  of  Tipton  Lodge  No.  33, 
F.  &  A.  M. ;  Logan  Chapter,  R.  A.  M. ;  Logan  Council  No.  11,  R.  &  S.  M., 
and  St.  John  Commandery  No.  24,  K.  T.,  all  of  Logansport,  and  in  1907 
served  as  eminent  commander  of  the  latter.  He  also  holds  membership 
in  the  Cass  County  Historical  Society,  and  is  its  present  treasurer. 


1156  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Edward  E.  Miller.  The  success  which  Edward  E.  Miller  has  at- 
tained is  due  to  his  enterprise,  strong  determination  and  business  ability, 
and  he  is  now  classed  with  the  representative  farmers  of  Deer  Creek 
township,  where  he  owns  and  operates  a  farm  of  sixty-two  acres.  Be- 
longing to  the  modern  school  of  agriculture,  Mr.  Miller  carries  on  his 
operations  according  to  the  most  approved  methods,  thereby  achieving 
enviable  results;  personally,  that  his  life  has  been  honorable  and 
straightforward  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  among  his  stanchest  friends 
are  many  who  have  known  him  from  boyhood.  Mr.  Miller  is  a  native  of 
the  Hoosier  State,  a  son  of  Isaac  and  Sarah  J.  (Ewing)  Miller.  His 
father,  who  was  formerly  a  farmer  of  Fayette  county,  Indiana,  migrated 
to  Cass  county  in  1868,  and  here  continued  to  carry  on  agricultural 
pursuits  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  becoming  a  substantial  farmer 
and  well  known  citizen.  The  mother  of  Edward  E.  Miller  was  born 
and  reared  on  the  farm  on  which  he  is  now  operating,  but  as  a  young 
woman  moved  to  Fayette  county  with  her  parents,  and  there  met  and 
married  Isaac  Miller,  with  whom  she  returned  to  Cass  county.  She  also 
is  deceased.  She  and  her  husband  became  the  parents  of  two  sons: 
Alvin,  who  died  when  he  was  ten  years  of  age;  and  Edward  E. 

The  boyhood  of  Edward  E.  Miller  was  filled  with  hard  work,  as 
being  the  only  son  left  to  his  parents,  he  was  relied  upon  as  his  father's 
assistant  in  the  work  of  the  farm.  Clearing,  grubbing,  plowing,  plant- 
ing, harvesting,  and  the  thousand  and  one  other  duties  that  fall  to  the 
farmer's  lot,  all  had  a  place  in  the  youth  of  our  subject.  It  is  not  to 
be  supposed  that  he  had  much  time  for  his  studies,  but  they  were  not 
neglected,  and  being  an  ambitious  and  enterprising  youth,  and  quick  to 
learn,  he  made  the  most  of  his  opportunities  and  gained  as  good  an  edu- 
cation as  many  who  had  far  better  chances.  His  first  schoolroom  was  in 
the  old  Hubler  school  in  Deer  Creek  township,  but  he  completed  his 
studies  in  Young  America,  following  which  he  turned  his  whole  atten- 
tion to  his  farm  work.  On  attaining  his  majority,  he  embarked  upon  a 
career  of  his  own,  and  so  faithfully  has  he  labored  that  his  sixty-two- 
acre  tract  is  now  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  its  size  in  the  township.  A 
friend  of  progress  along  all  lines,  Mr.  Miller  has  introduced  modern 
methods,  ideas  and  machinery  into  his  work  and  his  well-tilled  fields 
yield  him  a  golden  harvest  for  the  work  expended  upon  them,  while  the 
fine  condition  of  his  stock  shows  what  may  be  accomplished  along  that 
line  by  the  man  of  ability,  industry  and  perseverance.  He  has  had  no 
reason  to  regi-et,  his  choice  of  callings,  for  in  addition  to  having  won 
material  success,  he  has  also  gained  and  retained  the  esteem  and  respect 
of  his  fellow  citizens  and  the  warm  regard  of  a  wide  circle  of  personal 
friends. 

In  1896  Mr.  Miller  was  unite  din  marriage  with  Miss  Nellie  Beamer, 
daughter  of  John  and  JMargaret  (Bell)  Beamer,  the  former  a  retired 
merchant  of  Walton.  They  have  no  children.  Mr.  Miller  has  been 
prominent  in  fraternal  matters  as  a  member  of  Young  America  Lodge 
No.  346,  in  which  he  has  passed  all  the  chairs.  He  holds  the  office  of 
past  chancellor  of  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  has  represented  his  lodge  in 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  state,  at  Indianapolis. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1157 

Obmus  L.  Harrington.  As  a  professioanl  photographer  Mr.  Har- 
rington has  a  reputation  not  only  through  Cass  county,  but  is  one  of  the 
ablest  men  in  his  work  in  the  state  of  Indiana.  In  the  photographic 
competition  he  won  the  state  honors  in  1906,  1907  and  1908,  and  won 
the  state  honors  in  Illinois  in  1912. 

Ormus  L.  Harrington  was  born  July  2,  1868,  in  East  Alburgh,  Ver- 
mont, and  is  of  an  old  American  family.  His  parents  were  Hardy  War- 
ner and  Anne  Stuart  (Thompson)  Harrington.  His  father  was  a 
native  of  Alburgh  Springs,  Vermont,  and  the  mother  of  South  Hero, 
Vermont.     The  father  is  now  living  retired  in  Wilmette,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Harrington  received  his  early  education  at  Burlington,  Vermont, 
and  has  lived  in  Cass  county,  since  1889,  his  home  since  that  date  hav- 
ing been  in  Logansport.  He  learned  his  business  as  a  photographer  at 
Albany,  New  York,  and  his  studio  in  Logansport  has  for  many  years 
been  recognized  as  the  place  where  could  be  obtained  the  most  artistic 
and  satisfying  work  in  Logansport  and  Cass  county. 

At  Butler,  Indiana,  August  11,  1892,  Mr.  Harrington  married  Mae 
Eobinson,  a  daughter  of  John  James  and  Louie  Elizabeth  (Callaway) 
Robinson,  well  known  farming  people  of  Cass  county.  Mrs.  Harring- 
ton is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church  of  Logansport.  Fraternally 
Mr.  Harrington  affiliates  with  the  J\Iasonie  order,  being  a  Knight  Temp- 
lar, and  also  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Benevolent  and  Pro- 
tective Order  of  Elks,  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters. 

T.  Edward  Minnick.  A  brother  of  the  present  county  treasurer 
of  Cass  county  and  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  Tipton  township,  Ed- 
ward Minnick  is  a  life  long  resident  of  Cass  county,  and  belongs  to 
that  substantial  and  honored  family  which  has  been  resident  here  since 
the  close  of  the  Civil  war. 

Mr.  Minnick 's  grandfather  was  Conrad  Moenich,  according  to  the 
German  spelling  of  the  name,  and  was  born  in  Hesse-Cassel,  Germany, 
whence  he  came  to  the  United  States  during  young  manhood  and  settled 
in  Pennsylvania.  It  was  in  Pennsylvania  that  Elias  Minnick,  the 
father  of  Edward,  was  born  in  1843.  Educated  in  Pennsylvania  and 
acquiring  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age  when 
the  Civil  war  came  on,  and  he  enlisted  in  Company  K  of  the  Ninth  In- 
diana Infantry,  his  enlistment  having  been  made  at  La  Porte,  Indiana. 
He  went  through  the  war  as  a  member  of  the  eastern  army,  and  subse- 
quently of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  and  fought  at  Corinth,  luka, 
Murfreesboro  and  Pittsburg  Landing,  at  the  battle  of  Chiekamagua 
where  he  was  captured  and  for  several  months  incarcerated  at  Ander- 
sonville,  and  finally  released  from  this  Confederate  prison  to  receive 
his  honorable  discharge  from  the  army.  After  the  war  Elias  Minnick 
settled  in  Tipton  township  of  Cass  county,  and  the  remainder  of  his 
life  was  devoted  to  the  quiet  pursuits  of  agriculture.  He  was  a  Demo- 
crat in  politics,  but  never  entered  public  life,  and  he  held  no  desire  for 
an  official  position.  For  many  years  he  was  one  of  the  popular  mem- 
bers of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  his  church  was  the  Chris- 
tian, in  which  faith  he  died  on  April  14,  1892.  His  widow  still  survives 
and  makes  her  home  at  "Walton.  Before  her  marriage  she  was  Miss 
Elizabeth  A.  Lindesmith. 


1158  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

A  son  of  Elias  and  Elizabeth  Minnick,  Edward  Minnick  was  born 
on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  and  which  had  been  the  homestead  of 
his  father,  on  the  eighteenth  day  of  July,  1869.  He  attended  the  local 
schools  and  was  reared  in  this  neighborhood,  where  after  the  period  of 
boyhood  he  took  up  the  sterner  responsibilities  of  life  as  a  farmer.  His 
present  estate  consists  of  about  eight  acres  of  land,  and  is  located  some 
ten  miles  southeast  of  Logansport.  His  friends  and  associates  have 
known  him  from  boyhood,  and  in  this  one  community  he  has  led  a  life 
of  quiet  prosperity  and  substantial  wealth,  entitled  to  the  high  esteem  of 
all  who  know  him. 

]\Ir.  Minnick  married  Miss  Effie  Wingrave  on  February  28,  1894,  a 
daughter  of  Frederick  and  Mary  (Staggs)  Wingrave.  They  are  the 
parents  of  two  children :  Lyle  Edward  and  Maude  Merrill.  The  former 
is  a  member  of  the  high  school  class  of  1914  and  the  latter,  who  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1913,  has  taken  up  the  advanced  study  of 
music.  Mrs.  Minnick  was  born  in  Cass  county  on  October  30,  1873,  and 
there  was  educated,  fitting  herself  for  the  vocation  of  a  school  teacher 
and  winning  her  teacher's  certificate,  although  she  never  applied  her- 
self to  the  work.    The  family  attend  the  Methodist  church. 

Marcus  M.  Morrow.  Among  the  farmers  of  Cass  county  whose 
intelligent  treatment  of  the  soil  has  added  materially  to  the  agricultural 
prestige  of  this  section  stands  M.  M.  Morrow,  the  owner  of  an  eighty- 
acre  farm  in  Adams  township.  Belonging  to  the  new  school  of  farming 
men,  who  have  proven  that  modern  methods  and  machinery  and  scien- 
tific measures  obtain  far  better  results  than  the  old  hit-or-miss  style, 
he  is  gaining  a  full  measure  of  success  from  his  labors,  and  as  a  citizen 
he  is  known  as  one  who  has  the  welfare  of  his  community  closely  at 
heart.  Mr.  Morrow  is  a  native  son  of  Cass  county,  and  was  born  on  a 
farm  in  Bethlehem  township,  on  January  18,  1874,  a  son  of  Abner  and 
Marguerite  (Teel)  Morrow. 

Abner  Morrow  was  likewise  born  in  Indiana,  and  during  the  Civil 
war  he  enlisted  in  an  Indiana  regiment  of  volunteers,  fighting  bravely 
through  the  war  in  the  defense  of  the  Union.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he 
again  took  up  his  vocation  of  agriculturist,  and  he  was  so  engaged  dur- 
ing the  remainder  of  his  active  career.  He  was  one  of  the  highly  re- 
spected citizens  of  his  community,  and  one  who  took  an  abiding  inter- 
est in  the  success  and  activities  of  the  Republican  party  all  his  days. 
He  was  a  faithful  member  and  a  liberal  supporter  of  the  Baptist  church. 
His  wife  passed  away  in  1904. 

M.  M.  Morrow  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Beth- 
lehem township,  and  was  reared  to  agricultural  pursuits  and  taught  in 
his  home  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  a  life  of  industry  and  integ- 
rity. On  attaining  his  majority,  he  secured  eighty  acres  of  land  from 
his  father  in  Adams  township,  purchasing  a  part  of  the  tract,  and  this 
he  has  continued  to  cultivate  up  to  the  present  time,  his  success  being  in 
every  way  commensurate  with  the  extent  of  his  labors.  He  has  placed 
thereon  all  of  its  many  improvements  with  the  exception  of  the  resi- 
dence, and  he  has  a  comfortable  home,  fitted  with  modern  conveniences, 
and  located  on  Hoover  rural  free  delivery  route  No.  20.  Mr.  Morrow 
has  never  entered  the  political  arena  as  an  aspirant  for  public  office,  but 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1159 

displayed  his  public  spirit  on  various  oecasious  when  he  has  stanchly 
supported  movements  for  the  advancement  of  good  government  in  his 
community.  He  was  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party  until  the  cam- 
paign of  1912,  when  he  cast  his  lot  in  with  the  newly  organized  Pro- 
gressive party.  H«  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  where 
both  he  and  his  wife  have  numerous  friends. 

On  November  4,  1894,  Mr.  Morrow  was  married  to  Miss  Jennie 
Fisher,  and  they  have  since  made  their  home  on  the  pretty  homestead 
place  which  is  theirs,  and  which  as  familiarly  known  as  "Old  Reliable 
Stock  Farm." 

William  Henry  Harbison  Tucker.  This  venerable  man,  now  in 
the  seventy-eighth  year  of  his  age,  who  with  firm  step  and  unclouded 
mind  still  walks  the  streets  and  attends  to  his  daily  routine  of  affairs, 
has,  during  his  long  and  useful  life  in  Cass  county,  witnessed  almost 
its  entire  development  and  borne  a  share  in  the  starting  course  of  its 
progress.  Although  he  is  now  retired  from  active  business,  and  lives 
quietly  on  his  neatly-cultivated  tract  of  twenty-one  acres,  located  just 
off  the  Logansport  aud  Marion  pike,  about  four  miles  southeast  of 
Logansport,  he  still  manifests  a  keen  and  intelligent  interest  in  all  that 
affects  the  welfare  of  his  native  county,  and  is  widely  and  favorably 
known  as  a  man  of  progress  and  public  spirit.  William  Henry  Harrison 
Tucker  was  bom  November  9,  1835,  in  Clay  township  Cass  county,  In- 
diana, and  is  a  son  of  James  and  Charlotte  (Pursell)  Tucker.  His 
father,  a  native  of  Virginia,  moved  to  Ohio  in  young  manhood,  and 
from  that  state  came  to  Cass  county  in  1829,  here  spending  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He  and  his  wife  had 
seven  children,  namely:  John  P.,  Harvey,  Eleanor,  Mary,  Benjamin, 
Moses  and  William  Henry  Harrison.  The  last  named  is  the  only  mem- 
ber of  this  family  now  living. 

William  H.  H.  Tucker  passed  his  boyhood  and  youth  as  was  cus- 
tomary with  farmers'  sons  of  his  day  and  locality,  dividing-  his  time 
between  attendance  at  the  district  schools  in  the  short  winter  terms, 
while  assisting  his  father  in  clearing,  grubbing  and  general  farm  work 
in  the  summer  months.  When  he  was  but  twenty-one  years  of  age  the 
management  of  the  estate  of  his  father  devolved  upon  him,  but  so  thor- 
ough had  been  his  training  and  of  such  a  high  character  was  his  ambi- 
tion and  ability  that  he  was  able  to  uninterruptedly  continue  the  work 
that  had  been  started  by  his  father.  As  the  years  passed,  he  added  to 
his  acreage  and  made  numerous  improvements  on  the  property,  develop- 
ing one  of  the  handsome  farms  of  his  section,  but  when  advancing  years 
came  on  he  was  ready  to  turn  over  the  heavy  duties  of  management  to 
younger  hands  and  to  retire  to  the  peaceful  quietude  of  his  comfort- 
able home.  Mr.  Tucker  was  known  as  an  excellent  farmer  and  good 
judge  of  stock,  and  was  uniformly  successful  in  all  of  his  ventures. 

On  October  6,  1859,  Mr.  Tucker  was  married  to  Mary  E.  Grimes, 
who  was  born  September  21,  1843,  near  Liberty,  Union  county,  Indiana, 
daughter  of  George  W.  and  Mary  (Snyder)  Grimes.  George  W.  Grimes 
was  born  and  educated  in  Tennessee,  near  Greenville,  and  shortly 
after  his  marriage  came  to  Union  county,  Indiana.  In  1856  he  came  to 
Cass  county,  and  here  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  in  agricultural  pursuits. 


1160  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grimes  were  the  parents  of  ten  children:  William  and 
Sarah  J.,  who  are  deceased;  Nancy  A.,  widow  of  Peter  Bird,  who  has 
three  children — Monroe,  George  A.  and  ]\Iary  Ellmore ;  John  W.  and 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Martin,  both  deceased;  Mary  E.,  who  married  Mr. 
Tucker;  George  R.,  deceased;  James  P.,  a  resident  of  Crawfordsville, 
Indiana ;  Mrs.  Eliza  J.  Evans,  of  Linden,  Indiana ;  and  Thomas  B.,  of 
LaFayette,  Indiana.  Six  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Tucker,  as  follows:  Mary  C,  who  married  David  Lichty,  both  being 
deceased;  Nettie  S.,  deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of  Joseph  Whinuery, 
and  had  one  child — Naomi  S.,  now  the  wife  of  George  Vanstenburg; 
Sherman  L.,  who  married  Anna  Fidler  and  has  two  children — LeRoy 
and  Mabel;  the  Rev.  James  G.,  a  Methodist  Episcopal  minister,  who 
married  Ota  Corlis,  and  has  one  child — John  C. ;  William  Albert,  who 
married  Estella  Bellman,  and  has  two  children — Verna  Mae  and  Albert 
B. ;  and  Ernest,  who  married  Amy  Snell,  who  died  without  issue. 

Mr.  Tucker  was  for  many  years  active  in  Republican  politics  and 
was  frequently  elected  to  public  offices  of  trust  and  responsibility,  large 
majorities  giving  evidence  of  his  widespread  popularity.  In  1912  he 
east  his  fortunes  with  the  young  Progressive  party,  the  policies  and  can- 
didates of  which  have  since  received  his  support.  With  his  family,  he 
attends  the  United  Brethren  church. 

M.  H.  Huffman.  As  the  efficient  and  successful  manager  of  the 
Stutesman  farm,  one  of  the  fine  places  of  the  county,  lying  in  section  27 
and  section  28  of  Tipton  township,  M.  H.  Huffman  carries  on  the  re- 
sponsible duties  of  a  farmer,  and  is  one  of  the  best  known  men  thus 
occupied  in  Cass  county.  Like  many  another  successful  and  prosperous 
man,  he  began  his  business  career  with  a  period  of  school  teaching,  but 
for  the  past  fifteen  years  he  has  been  identified  with  the  rural  industry 
and  interests  of  Cass  county,  and  while  the  county  lost  a  capable  and 
conscientious  educator,  it  gained  one  of  its  most  able  agricultural  men 
instead.  A  man  of  the  highest  integi'ity,  his  record  in  all  departments 
of  life  has  been  an  honorable  one  and  in  every  way  well  up  to  standard. 
Men  of  his  stamp  have  ever  constituted  much  of  the  bone  and  sinew  of 
the  country,  and  wherever  found  will  be  accorded  the  esteem  which  they 
so  well  deserve. 

M.  H.  Huffman  was  born  on  July  26,  1874,  in  Hamilton  county, 
Indiana,  and  is  the  son  of  A.  J.  and  Martha  (Boyer)  Huffman.  The 
father  was  formerly  a  resident  of  Madison  county,  Indiana,  and  his 
occupation  during  his  active  career  was  that  of  farming.  He  never 
resided  in  Cass  county,  but  ended  his  days  in  Hamilton  county.  He  was 
a  Union  soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  seeing  much  service  throughout,  and 
making  a  valiant  record  first  in  the  Indiana  Infantry,  the  Thirty-ninth, 
and  later  in  the  Eight  Indiana  Cavalry.  His  service  continued  through- 
out the  war,  and  he  arose  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant  in  his  cavalry 
troop,  winning  distinction  for  valor  in  the  field  on  a  number  of  occa- 
sions. The  five  children  of  the  family  who  are  now  living  are  as  fol- 
lows:   Linnie,  Albert,  John,  M.  H.,  and  Dollie. 

Mr.  Huffman  attended  the  common  schools  of  his  native  community, 
after  which  he  took  a  preparatoiy  course  at  Mount  Morris,  Illinois,  he- 
coming  well  equipped  for  the  duties  of  a  teacher  in  that  place.     His 


£  .C^    ?  j^v  ^ 


ti£>^^e.A^^  ^^f^'i^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1161 

career  in  the  educational  field  continued  for  three  years,  one  year  of 
that  time  finding  him  employed  in  Cass  county,  but  he  abandoned  the 
vocation  wherein  he  had  already  made  a  successful  record  and  turned 
his  attention  to  farming. 

In  1897  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Carrie  Stutesman,  a 
daughter  of  Albertus  and  Mary  Jane  (Peterbaugh)  Stutesman,  and 
six  children  have  been  born  of  their  union :  Leland  B. ;  Esther  J. ; 
Lawrence;  Ralph;  Russell  and  John  Paul.  Mr.  Hufifman  and  his  fam- 
ily are  communicants  and  supporters  of  the  Church  of  the  Brethren 
at  Pipe  Creek,  and  are  prominent  in  other  circles  in  their  community. 

George  Strecker,  who  died  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  on  September 
16,  1902,  was  a  native  of  Wittenburg,  Germany,  bom  there 
on  March  22,  1840.  As  a  boy  in  Germany  he  attended  the 
German  Lutheran  Parochial  schools,  and  there  also  learned  the  trade 
of  a  baker.  He  was  sixteen  years  old  when  he  emigrated  to  America, 
even  at  that  early  age  being  impressed  with  the  ideas  that  he  would 
here  find  better  opportunities  for  material  advancement  than  would  be 
his  in  the  Fatherland.  He  had  an  uncle  living  in  Crawfordsville,  In- 
diana, and  that  circumstance  caused  him  to  make  Indiana  his  objective 
point  when  he  arrived  in  New  York.  For  six  years  he  made  Crawfords- 
ville his  home,  there  working  at  his  trade  and  becoming  acquainted  with 
business  methods  in  America,  and  in  1862  he  returned  to  Germany, 
returning  to  the  United  States  at  the  end  of  a  year.  This  time  he  located 
in  Jackson,  Michigan,  and  for  two  years  he  worked  at  his  trade  in  that 
city.  In  1865  he  came  to  Logansport,  Indiana,  working  here  for  Mr. 
Coulson  for  one  year. 

During  all  these  years  of  work  he  had  saved  carefully  from  his 
weekly  stipend,  and  when  he  was  about  twenty-six  or  twenty-seven  he 
concluded  that  he  had  saved  sufficient  to  warrant  him  in  establishing  a 
home  of  his  own.  In  his  boyhood  home  he  had  been  reared  in  the 
neighborhood  which  also  held  the  family  of  Wilhelm  Schue,  and  in  this 
family  was  a  comely  daughter,  Rosina,  who  had  been  the  sweetheart  of 
the  boy  before  he  left  home.  In  1866  she  came  to  America  and  on 
October  16th  of  that  year  she  met  and  married  George  Strecker  at 
Buffalo,  New  York.  They  came  at  once  to  Logansport,  and  in  Novem- 
ber, 1866,  they  boug'ht  a  bakery  shop  at  No.  324  Fourth  street.  The 
building  at  that  time  was  not  more  than  a  dilapidated  old  store  build- 
ing, and  Mr.  Strecker  tore  down  the  old  structure,  rearing  a  new  one 
in  its  place,  for  doing  which  he  received  eight  years'  rent  free  from 
the  owner  of  the  property.  Above  the  shop  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Strecker  made 
their  home.  In  December,  1868,  he  sold  out  his  interest  and  in  the 
spring  of  1869  bought  a  bakery  at  Fourth  street  and  Broadway,  and 
there  they  conducted  a  thriving  business  for  two  years.  He  then  sold 
again  and  bought  the  property  at  Fourth  and  Market  streets,  on  which 
he  erected  a  fine  new  building,  which  stands  today  as  originally  reared 
by  him.  Here  for  a  period  of  eight  years  Mr.  Strecker  conducted  a 
bakery,  after  which  he  sold  the  shop,  but  retained  the  ownership  of 
the  building,  and  with  his  wife  and  children  returned  to  Germany,  with 
the  possible  thought  of  making  that  their  future  home.  The  call  of 
America  proved  too  strong  for  them  however,  and  at  the  end  of  a  year 


1162  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

and  a  half  the  family  returned  to  Logansport,  and  once  more  resumed 
the  bakery  bvisiness  at  the  old  place  at  Fourth  and  Market  streets. 
Later  Mr.  Strecker  built  another  store  at  Twelfth  and  Spear  streets, 
.where  they  conducted  a  splendid  business  for  seventeen  years,  the  family 
occupying  an  apartment  over  the  shop. 

In  1895  Mr.  Strecker  established  his  sons  in  business  and  retired  from 
active  participation  in  the  work  himself,  but  he  continued,  however,  to 
take  a  keen  interest  in  business,  and  when  he  felt  so  inclined  would  enter 
into  the  work  with  all  the  vim  and  energy  of  his  early  days.  His  resi- 
dence in  Logansport  was  continuous  with  the  single  exception  of  a  three 
year  period  which  the  family  spent  in  Andrews,  Indiana,  where  they 
were  engaged  in  the  hotel  business,  this  break  occurring  in  the  early  part 
of  their  residence  at  Twelfth  and  Spear  streets. 

The  splendid  success  which  Mr.  Strecker  achieved  in  his  business  is 
especially  worthy  of  commendation,  and  is  a  fit  example  for  the  youth 
of  America,  many  of  whom  accomplish  less  with  greater  advantages  and 
facilities  at  hand  in  early  yguth  than  Mr.  Strecker  possessed.  A  boy 
of  sixteen  in  a  strange  land,  unable  to  speak  the  language,  and  without 
a  penny  at  his  command,  he  made  rapid  strides  in  the  business  field,  and 
when  he  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-two  he  was  possessed  of  considerable 
wealth  and  a  thriving  business,  which  his  sons  are  carrying  on  at  the 
present  time.  Energy,  determination  and  a  characteristic  German 
thriftiness  all  entered  into  the  making  of  his  splendid  prosperity,  and  he 
was  known  to  be  one  of  the  shrewdest  investors  to  be  found  in  the  com- 
munity. While  he  had  the  reputation  of  being  what  is  called  a  "close 
figurer"  in  business  dealings,  .yet  he  was  known  to  be  kind  and  charitable 
at  heart,  and  no  worthy  cause  ever  lacked  his  support.  His  chiefest 
characteristics  were  honesty,  industry  and  unostentatious  charity.  He 
was  a  German  Lutheran  in  his  religion  and  a  Republican  with  regard 
to  his  political  faith.     He  died  on  September  16,  1902. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Strecker  had  seven  children,  as  follows :  Henry, 
who  died  in  infancy ;  George,  now  in  business  in  Logansport ;  Rose, 
now  ]\Irs.  Edward  Battenberg,  of  Bloomington,  Illinois ;  Charles,  whose 
home  is  in  Logansport ;  Amelia,  married  to  William  Schroeder,  and 
who  died  January  6,  1909 ;  Kathrin  and  Daisy.  Mrs.  Strecker,  the 
widowed  mother,  still  lives  in  Logansport,  and  enjoys  the  friendship  of 
a  large  circle  of  the  best  people  of  the  city.  She  is  a  German  Lutheran 
and  a  member  of  that  church. 

George  Strecker,  Jr.,  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  on 
November  12,  1868,  and  was  here  reared  and  educated  in  the  public 
schools.  He  is  the  son  of  George  and  Rosina  (Schue)  Strecker,  both 
native  born  Germans,  of  whom  more  extended  mention  is  made  in 
another  sketch  dedicated  to  the  late  George  Strecker,  to  be  found  in 
other  pages  of  this  historical  and  biographical  work.  Further  detail 
with  regard  to  the  parentage  and  ancestry  of  the  subject  are  there- 
fore not  deemed  requisite  in  this  connection,  and  the  account  is  carried 
forward  with  a  direct  relation  of  his  life  thus  far  in  a  brief  and  concise 
manner. 

When  he  had  completed  the  curriculum  of  the  public  schools  of 
Logansport,  George  Strecker,  Jr.,  attended  Hall's  Business  College  for 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1163 

a  term.  He  subsequently  learned  the  baker's  trade  with  his  father,  and 
when  that  worthy  gentleman  retired,  the  son  succeeded  him  in  the 
old  established  business.  In  the  course  of  time  Mr.  Strecker  sold  out 
and  re-established  himself  in  business  on  various  occasions,  until  in 
the  year  1894,  when  he  permanently  located  in  business  at  No.  8  Front 
street.  Here  he  opened  a  bake  shop  with  one  oven,  and  while  the  capac- 
ity of  the  shop  was  small,  by  judicious  management  of  the  shop,  and 
carrying  on  both  a  wholesale  and  retail  business,  his  trade  reached  a 
point  in  1895  that  made  necessary  the  securing  of  more  spacious  quar- 
ters. Then  he  located  at  No.  508  Broadway,  operating  one  oven  to 
September,  1902,  when  he  moved  to  No.  520-22  Broadway,  built  by  his 
father  and  there  his  retail  establishment  has  since  been  located.  In 
order  to  successfully  meet  the  constant  increase  in  his  trade,  a  large 
brick  bakery  was  built  at  the  corner  of  Canal  and  McKeen  streets,  90x 
165  feet.  This  plant  operates  three  ovens  and  has  seven  wagons  in  con- 
stant use,  supplying  not  only  Logansport,  but  the  surrounding  towns 
for  miles  around.  Twenty-five  hands  are  required  in  the  operation  of 
the  bakery  in  all  its  departments,  and  it  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
stable  industries  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Strecker  is  a  prominent  member  of  various  fraternal  orders  in 
Logansport,  among  them  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  He  is  an  adherent  of  the  new  Progressive, 
or  Bull  Moose  faction,  in  politics,  and  takes  an  active  part  in  the  polit- 
ical activities  of  the  city. 

On  November  26,  1896,  Mr.  Strecker  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Leona  Hoffman,  the  daughter  of  George  Hoffman,  of  Logansport,  and 
three  children  have  been  born  to  them ;  Harry  Strecker,  deceased ;  Paul 
Strecker  and  George  Strecker  III. 

Merritt  W.  Burley.  Probably  there  is  no  better  known  family 
within  the  limits  of  Cass  county  than  that  of  Burley,  whose  members 
have  been  identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  this  section  for 
'  more  than  eighty-five  years,  as  well  as  with  other  matters  which  have 
added  to  the  importance  of  the  community.  A  worthy  representative 
of  this  name  is  found  in  ]\Ierritt  W.  Burley,  of  section  27,  Jefferson 
township,  who  has  contributed  his  share  to  the  material  welfare  of  the 
county  and  is  widely  known  as  an  able  farmer  and  stock  raiser.  Mr. 
Burley  was  born  December  8,  1860,  in  Burley 's  Hollow,  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  Joseph  A.  and  Hattie  (Burkett)  Burley. 

John  Burley,  the  great-grandfather  of  Merritt  W.  Burley,  was  a 
resident  of  Virginia,  where  he  followed  the  occupation  of  a  boatman 
on  the  Ohio  and  Shenandoah  rivers,  near  to  Harpers  Ferry,  and 
while  in  pursuit  of  his  vocation  he  met  his  death  by  accidental  drown- 
ing near  the  Ferry.  He  married  Margaret  Harper,  who  was  sole  heir 
to  Harper's  Ferry,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  three  sons,  one 
of  them  being  Thornton  Burley,  the  grandfather  of  Merritt  W.  Bur- 
ley. Margaret  (Harper)  Burley  was  thrice  married.  Her  second 
husband  was  named  Simes  and  her  third  husband  was  of  the  name  of 
Downs. 

Thornton  Burley  was  very  young  when  he  was  apprenticed  or 
bound  out  to  a  harness  maker  in  Ohio,  and  there  he  learned  the  har- 


1164  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

ness  making  trade.  He  was  young  when  he  married  Polly  Connors 
in  that  state,  and  in  1827  they  came  to  Indiana,  locating  in  what  is 
known  to  this  day  as  Burley's  Hollow,  where  Mr.  Burley  continued  to 
reside  until  his  death,  which  took  place  at  the  remark&blel  age  of 
ninety-eight.  He  was  the  father  of  seven  children  by  his  first  mar- 
riage: Edgar,  Thornton,  Joseph  A.,  William,  Marsliall,  Mary  and 
Jane  A.  Burley.  His  second  wife  was  Nancy  Rohen,  and  she  bore  him 
one  child,  Ella  Burley. 

Joesph  A.  Burley  was  born  in  Ohio,  and  he  was  two  years  old 
when  he  was  brought  to  Cass  county  by  his  family.  Here  he  grew  to 
manhood,  was  twice  married,  and  made  his  home  for  twenty-five  or 
thirty  years,  when  he  moved  to  White  county  and  lived  there  until  the 
death  of  his  second  wife,  at  which  time  he  returned  to  Cass  county 
and  here  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  the  father  of  one 
child  by  his  first  wife,  who  was  Hattie  Burkett,  and  that  child  was 
Merritt  W.  Burley  of  this  review.  His  second  wife  was  Emma  Swine- 
hart  and  to  them  six  children  were  boi'n,  as  follows :  Charles  E.,  Harry, 
Joseph  S.,  Harvey  C,  Jennie  and  Eben  W.  Burley. 

Merritt  W.  Burley  was  a  small  child  when  taken  to  Logansport 
and  there  he  secured  the  advantages  offered  by  the  public  and  high 
schools.  Succeeding  this,  he  took  a  course  in  Hull's  Business  College, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  bookkeeping  and  for  some  years 
thereafter  was  connected  with  various  establishments  in  that  capacity. 
About  twenty  years  ago,  however,  Mr.  Bxirley  returned  to  the  soil  and 
has  since  met  with  marked  success  in  his  farming  and  stock  raising 
operations. 

His  well  developed  land,  situated  on  section  27,  has  been  made  valu- 
able by  the  introduction  of  numerous  improvements,  including  a  mod- 
ern home,  a  substantial  barn,  and  other  attractive  outbuildings. 
Modern  methods  have  always  found  favor  in  his  eyes.  He  employs 
the  latest  machinery  and  finds  that  his  high-powered  automobile  is 
adapted  not  only  to  pleasure  trips,  but  is  also  a  great  help  in  his- busi- 
ness. His  fair  and  honorable  dealings  have  won  him  many  friend- 
ships, and  the  esteem  and  confidence  in  which  he  is  held  everywhere  is 
ample  evidence  of  his  integi-ity. 

On  March  21,  1892,  Mr.  Burley  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Iva  Binney,  a  daughter  of  Levi  Binney,  a  well  known  citizen  of  Cass 
county.  They  have  no  children.  Until  the  campaign  of  1912  Mr. 
Burley  supported  Republican  candidates  and  principles,  but  at  that 
time  transferred  his  allegiance  to  the  new  Progressive  party. 

George  0.  Hubler.  One  of  the  old  and  honored  families  of  Cass 
county  is  that  of  Hubler,  which  f<ir  many  years  has  been  identified  with 
the  agricultural  interests  of  Deer  Creek  township.  Among  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  younger  generation  of  this  name,  one  who  is  worthily 
maintaining  the  family  reputation  for  industry  and  progress  is  George 
G.  Hubler,  who  is  managing  his  father's  farm  of  120  acres,  located  on 
the  Pound  stone  road,  not  far  from  Young  America.  Mr.  Hubler 's 
success  as  an  agriculturist  may  be  accredited  to  his  energy  and  in- 
dustrious habits,  and  to  the  fact  that  he  is  thoroughly  conversant  with 
conditions  in  this  locality,  having  been  a  resident  of  the  township  all  of 


HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY  1165 

his  life.  He  was  born  on  this  farm,  June  19,  1880,  and  is  a  son  of 
William  and  Nellie  (Risher)  Hubler.  His  father,  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, left  the  Keystone  State  as  a  young  man  and  migrated  to  Cass 
county,  where  he  is  now  living  a  somewhat  retired  life.  He  has  been 
successful  in  his  business  operations  and  is  accounted  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial men  of  his  community.  Mr.  Hubler  was  married  in  Cass 
county  to  Nellie  Risher,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  they  have  been  the  par- 
ents of  eight  children,  of  whom  four  survive,  namely :  Charles  0., 
Mrs.  Cora  Frier,  George  C.  and  Mrs.  Ethel  McClosky. 

George  C.  Hubler  began  his  training  as  an  agriculturist  as  soon  as 
he  was  able  to  do  his  share  of  the  homestead  chores,  and  was  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  all  the  duties  of  the  farmer  by  his  father.  He  con- 
tinued to  work  during  his  school  period,  his  education  being  secured 
in  Young  America,  and  when  he  had  completed  his  studies  gave  all  of 
his  attention  to  the  home  place.  On  attaining  his  majority,  the  man- 
agement of  the  farm  was  turned  over  to  him,  and  he  has  justified  the 
confidence  reposed  in  his  ability  by  bringing  the  land  to  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  making  numerous  improvements,  and  achieving  a  full 
measure  of  success  along  all  lines  of  agricultural  work.  He  carries 
on  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  doing  some  dairying  and  raising 
diversified  crops.  He  brings  to  his  work  a  thorough  and  practical  knowl- 
edge of  the  needs  of  the  soil,  and  relies  upon  modern  scientific  methods 
rather  than  upon  the  hit-or-miss  style  of  former  days.  Sober  and 
industrious,  he  has  gained  a  wide  friendship  among  his  fellow-citizens, 
and  everywhere  is  known  as  one  in  whom  the  agricultural  interests 
of  the  community  have  an  excellent  representative. 

On  March  12,  1907,  Mr.  Hubler  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Grace  Ulerich,  daughter  of  John  B.  and  Sarah  (Keever)  Ulerich, 
who  came  from  Lancaster  county,  Ohio,  to  Cass  county  at  an  early 
day.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ulerich  had  seven  children,  namely :  Joseph, 
George,  Edward,  Grace,  Andrew,  Mary  and  Amanda.  The  union  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hubler  has  been  blessed  lay  the  birth  of  three  interesting 
children :  William,  Ruth  and  Edward.  Mr.  Hubler  is  a  popular  mem- 
ber of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  of  the  local  lodge  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  With  his  wife  he  at- 
tends the  United  Brethren  church.  They  have  many  friends  in  social 
circles  of  Young  America,  and  their  comfortable  home  is  a  center  of 
refinement  and  hospitality. 

Arthur  S.  Boyer.  The  contracting  and  building  business  in  Cass 
county  has  found  in  Arthur  S.  Boyer  one  of  its  most  successful  adherents 
and  operators,  and  for  the  past  ten  years  he  has  been  identified  with  that 
field  of  activity  in  a  most  striking  manner.  His  operations  have  long 
since  extended  beyond  the  confines  of  Cass  county,  and  he  employs 
an  average  force  of  twenty  men  in  carrying  forward  the  work  of  his 
contracts.  He  is  one  of  the  substantial  business  men  of  Logansport 
and  the  county,  and  it  is  such  as  he  who  have  been  most  effective  in 
the  development  of  this  section  of  the  state  to  its  present  splendid  con- 
dition. Born  in  the  town  of  Walton,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  on  March 
19,  1875,  Arthur  S.  Boyer  is  one  of  the  three  children  born  to  George 
W.  and  Mary  E.   (Masters)   Boyer. 


1166  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Concerning  the  parentage  of  the  subject,  it  may  be  said  here  that 
George  W.  Boyer  is  one  of  the  oldest  native  born  citizens  of  Cass 
county,  Indiana,  his  birth  having  occurred  at  Walton  on  January  12, 
1848.  He  is  the  son  of  Peter  Boyer,  a  native  of  the  state  of  Virginia, 
who  came  to  Cass  county  in  1840,  and  here  followed  farming  for  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  In  1847  that  worthy  gentleman  married  INIary 
Small,  who  was  a  native  product  of  Ohio  and  came  with  her  parents 
to  this  county  in  1842.  Four  sons  and  three  daughters  were  born  to 
Peter  and  Mary  Boyer,  and  of  that  number  but  three  are  living  today. 
George  W.  Boyer  was  one  of  these,  and  he  passed  his  youth  and  early 
manhood  with  his  parents.  During  those  years  he  received  the  educa- 
tional benefits  conferred  by  the  early  schools  of  that  time.  He  learned 
the  carpenter's  trade,  and  has,  for  the  most* part,  followed  that  work 
ever  since.  To  his  marriage  with  ]\Iary  E.  Masters,  daughter  of  James 
W.  and  Martha  J.  Masters,  solemnized  on  March  20,  1873,  three  chil- 
dren have  been  born:  Arthur  S.,  the  subject  of  this  brief  review,  born 
March  19,  1875 ;  Annie  R.,  now  Mrs.  Shaver,  of  Walton,  Indiana,  born 
on  December  6,  1879;  and  Lanford  P.,  born  July  12,  1882,  a  carpenter 
at  Logansport. 

Mr.  Boyer  is  a  Methodist  in  his  religious  belief,  a  Prohibitionist  in 
politics,  and  socially  is  a  member  of  the  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 

Arthur  S.  Boyer  was  reared  in  Tipton  township,  and  there  received 
his  early  education  in  the  district  schools.  He  began  to  learn  the 
carpenter's  trade  when  he  was  sixteen  years  old  under  the  able  in- 
struction of  his  father,  and  continued  with  him  for  two  years,  when 
the  family  moved  to  Logansport.  There  IMr.  Boyer  finished  learning 
his  trade  with  the  Thompson  Lumber  Company  and  in  1902  established 
himself  in  business  as  a  carpenter  contractor.  Mr.  Boyer  has  since 
continued  successfully  in  the  business,  which  he  has  conducted  on  an 
increasing  scale,  and  today  his  operations  extend  far  beyond  the  limita- 
tions of  Cass  county.  He  employs  a  force  of  some  twenty  men  and  his 
annual  business  aggregates  some  $40,000. 

On  March  20,  1895,  ]Mr.  Boyer  was  united  in  marriage  with  Sarah  E. 
Congdon,  of  Logansport,  and  they  have  one  son,  Clarence  A.  Boyer. 
Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Boyer  are  members  of  the  Wheatland  Avenue  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  and  he  is  fraternally  affiliated  with  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Masons.  He  was  twice  senior  warden, 
three  times  worthy  master  and  seven  years  secretary  of  Tipton  Lodge 
No.  33,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  has  long  enjoyed  the  confidence  and  es- 
teem of  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  in  and  about  Logans- 
port, where  he  is  known  for  one  of  the  sound  and  reliable  business 
men  of  the  city  and  a  citizen  of  distinctive  order  and  merit. 

Hon.  Marcus  W.  Collett  who  served  four  years  as  a  distinguished 
member  of  the  Indiana  state  senate,  and  is  president  of  the  Farmers 
and  Llerchants  State  Bank  of  Logansport,  may  justly  be  num- 
bered with  the  representative  men  of  Cass  county.  For  a  number 
of  years  agricultural  industries  claimed  a  large  part  of  his  atten- 
tion and  business  enterprises  were  financed  and  carried  on  through 
his  well-applied  energy,  his  whole  life  having  been  one  of  activity  and 
of  both  public  and  private  usefulness  and  accomplishment.     Largely 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1167 

it  has  been  a  peaceful  one  but  his  courage  and  patriotism  were  tested 
before  his  boyhood  was  over,  and  warfare  and  danger  surrounded  him 
during  the  closing  years  of  the  Civil  war,  in  which  he  proudly  wore  a 
uniform  of  Union  blue  and  did  it  credit.  Mr.  CoUett  was  born  in 
Miami  county,  Indiana,  February  6,  1847,  one  of  the  four  children 
(of  whom  three  are  still  living)  of  William  and  Susanna  (Color)  Col- 
lett.  The  mother  died  in  1855,  and  the  father  afterwards  married 
Mary  Brower,  by  whom  he  became  the  parent  of  four  children,  all  of 
whom  are  living.  William  Collett  passed  away  in  1881,  and  was  fol- 
lowed to  the  grave  by  his  widow  in  1912.  He  was  a  farmer  by  vocation, 
an  occupation  which  he  followed  throughout  life,  was  a  Republican  in 
his  political  views,  and  a  German  Baptist,  or  "Dunkard,"  by  religion. 
He  started  life  with  no  means,  but  by  hard  and  industrious  labor,  con- 
stant thrift  and  well  directed  energy,  accumulated  a  fair  competency. 

Marcus  W.  Collett  passed  his  youthful  days  on  the  home  farm  in 
Miami  county,  attending  the  district  schools  of  that  locality.  He  was 
but  seventeen  years  of  age  when  he  enlisted,  November  1,  1864,  in  the 
First  Indiana  Light  Artillery,  Capt.  Lawrence  Jacoby  commanding,  his 
command  being  in  the  Sixteenth  Army  Corps.  This  organization  par- 
ticipated in  the  bombardment  of  old  Spanish  Fort,  in  Mobile  Bay,  and 
was  with  General  Banks  on  the  Red  river  expedition.  Mr.  Collett  served 
bravely  and  faithfully,  and  after  receiving  his  honorable  discharge, 
at  Indianapolis,  August  22,  1865,  returned  to  Miami  county  and  at 
once  began  farming  on  his  own  account  on  his  father's  farm,  receiving 
as  his  share  one-third  of  all  the  produce  he  raised.  He  was  thus  en- 
gaged for  three  years,  but  on  February  25,  1869,  was  married  to  Sarah 
A.  Stroud,  and  following  this  he  began  farming  on  eighty  acres  of  land 
in  Miami  county.  Two  years  later  he  moved  to  the  town  of  Mexico,  in 
Miami  county,  and  embarked  in  the  hardware  business,  at  which  he 
continued  about  eight  years,  and  in  1881  removed  to  Cass  county,  lo- 
cating on  320  acres  of  land  in  Bethlehem  township,  which  he  had  pur- 
chased sortie  time  previously.  Here,  with  the  exception  of  the  years 
1895  and  1896,  when  he  was  living  in  Logansport,  he  farmed  and  raised 
stock  until  1902,  at  which  time  he  sold  out  and  moved  to  Logansport, 
which  city  has  since  been  his  home.  Mr.  Collett  is  a  Republican  in 
politics,  and  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  coi;ncils  of  his 
party.  While  living  in  Bethlehem  township,  he  served  four  years  as 
township  trustee.  In  1894  he  was  the  nominee  of  his  party  for  state 
senator,  and  was  elected  in  the  following  fall.  He  served  one  full 
term  of  four  years  and  introduced  two  bills  which  became  laws.  For 
many  years  he  was  identified  as  a  stockholder  in  the  Farmers  and  Mar- 
chants  State  Bank  of  Logansport.  He  early  became  a  director  in  the 
same  and  in  1910  was  elected  its  president,  a  position  he  has  since  oc- 
cupied. He  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  banks  at  Twelve  Mile,  Walton, 
Royal  Centre  and  Galveston,  and  in  all  of  these  institutions  figured 
actively  in  their  organization.  Mr.  Collett  is  a  director  at  the  present 
time  in  the  Twelve  Mile  bank.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  state 
board  of  trustees  of  the  Indiana  State  Soldiers  Home  at  LaFayette  for 
the  past  four  years  and  was  reappointed  February  25th,  1913,  by  Gov- 
ernor Balston  for  four  years  more.     His  fraternal  connections  are  with 


1168  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

the  Masons  and  the  Elks,  and  he  is  also'  a  valued  comrade  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic. 

David  Flory,  a  native  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  came  to  Cass  county, 
Indiana,  in  1841,  and  for  a  time  thereafter  made  his  home  witli 
his  brother,  Emanuel  Flory,  who  had  preceded  him  hither  and  was 
then  living  in  Clay  township.  He  was  born  on  November  23,  1820,  and 
was  thus  twenty-one  years  old  when  he  came  to  Cass  county.  It  is  as- 
sumed that  the  Flory  family  is  one  of  French  ancestry,  their  advent 
into  this  country  having  been  in  colonial  days,  and  members  of  the 
family  participated  in  the  War  of  Independence.  He  received  but  a 
meager  education  in  his  youth,  and  the  death  of  his  parents  when  he 
was  still  young,  caused  him  to  be  reared  by  relatives.  In  the  year  fol- 
lowing his  arrival  in  Cass  county,  on  July  17,  1842,  he  married  Hester 
Richason,  and  started  work  at  the  trade  of  a  cooper  soon  after,  at  a 
place  now  known  as  Adamsboro.  Hester  Richason  Flory  bore  him  two 
children,  William,  who  became  a  physician,  and  is  now  deceased ;  and 
Henry,  a  blacksmith,  now  living  retired  at  IMinneapolis,  ^Minnesota.  The 
wife  and  mother  died  when  her  youngest  born  was  five  days  old  and  on 
February  11,  1849,  ]\Ir.  Flory  married  Sarah  Heffley.  Soon  after  his 
second  man-iage  he  moved  to  a  farm  in  Miami  township,  a  place  com- 
prising one  hundred  and  sixty-five  acres  of  practically  unimproved  land. 
He  built  a  double  log  cabin,  which  he  later  replaced  with  a  more  modern 
and  commodious  building,  and  there  he  made  his  home  during  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  He  worked  at  his  trade  at  intervals,  and  gave  a 
portion  of  his  time  to  the  clearing  and  improving  of  his  place,  and 
eventually  a  fine  farm  resulted  from  his  efforts. 

Mr.  Flory  was  a  member  of  the  Dunkard  church,  now  known  as  the 
Brethren,  his  membership  covering  a  period  of  seventy  years.  Although 
he  had  but  slight  educational  advantages  in  his  youth,  he  was  a  great 
reader  and  in  this  way  became  unusually  well  informed  for  one  of  his 
time.  During  his  later  years  he  gave  considerable  attention  to  fruit 
growing,  and  he  was  the  originator  of  the  famous  winter  banana-apple. 
He  and  his  second  wife  reared  a  family  of  six  sons  and  three  daughters, 
as  follows :  Francis,  now  living  at  Geneva,  Nebraska  ;  James,  a  resident 
of  McPherson,  Kansas;  David  M.,  of  whom  extended  mention  is  made 
in  an  article  following  this;  Charles  A.,  Aaron  Edward,  both  of  Cass 
county ;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  C.  Waite,  is  now  deceased ;  Margaret ; 
Isabelle;  and  Florence,  the  two  latter  being  now  deceased.  Mr.  Flory 
died  on  December  14,  1910,  and  was  preceded  by  his  wife  on  October 
5,  1909. 

David  M.  Flory  is  a  native  son  of  Cass  county,  born  on  the  home 
farm  on  November  10,  1861,  and  is  the  son  of  David  and  Sarah  (Heffley) 
Flory.  Of  David  Flory  a  detailed  account  will  be  found  preceding  this 
article,  so  that  further  mention  of  the  family  and  ancestry  of  the  subject 
is  not  called  for  at  this  point. 

A  common  school  education  was  all  that  David  M.  Flory  received, 
and  he  remained  on  the  home  farm  until  he  was  eighteen  years  old, 
when  he  started  out  on  his  own  responsibility.  He  engaged  in  farming 
at  first,  but  for  the  past  twenty  years  the  best  part  of  his;  time  has  been 


tj^' 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1169 

devoted  to  horticulture.  For  nearly  fifteen  years  of  that  time  he  has 
also  been  engaged  in  handling  fencing,  red  cedar  posts,  windmills  and 
a  patent  heater  of  his  own  invention.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  farm  of 
eighty-seven  and  a  half  acres  in  Cass  county,  but  for  the  past  two 
years  he  has  made  his  home  in  Logansport. 

Mr.  Flory  is  a  Democrat  and  a  member  of  the  Brethren  church, 
formerly  known  as  the  Dunkards,  in  which  faith  he  was  reared  by  his 
parents. 

On  February  28,  1885,  he  married  Margaret  Kelly,  daughter  of 
Nelson  Kelly,  of  Cass  county,  and  to  them  have  been  born  five  chil- 
dren, as  follows :  Schuyler  M. ;  Harry  Byron,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  fifteen  months ;  Jasper  R. ;  Orville  M. ;  and  Ursula  M. 

William  Murden.  The  man  who  buys  land  today  in  Cass  county 
has  no  conception  of  the  obstacles  which  confronted  the  pioneers  who 
began  developing  this  property.  Now  fertile  fields  yield  banner  crops ; 
the  ground  once  covered  with  mighty  forest  trees  smiles  beneath  modern 
cultivation,  and  where  worthless  swamps  gathered  green  slime  and 
sent  forth  pestilential  fevers  the  rich  soil  eagerly  responds  to  the  hand 
of  the  farmer.  All  this  was  not  attained  without  endless  hard  work 
through  all  seasons.  When  summer's  crops  did  not  require  attention, 
fences  were  in  need  of  building  or  repairing,  new  buildings  were  to 
be  erected  and  numerous  other  improvements  were  constantly  requir- 
ing the  farmer's  labors.  No  man  who  has  brought  success  out  of  his 
years  of  endeavor  ever  attained  it  unless  he  was  ready  and  willing  to 
make  any  kind  of  a  sacrifice  of  inclination  and  strength  to  bring  it  about. 
One  of  the  men  who  has  been  the  architect  of  his  own  fortunes  and  has 
brought  his  present  handsome  farm  from  a  state  of  wilderness  to  one 
of  high  cultivation  is  William  Murden,  of  Adams  township,  farmer, 
public-spirited  citizen  and  veteran  of  the  Civil  war.  Mr.  Murden  was 
born  in  Miami  county,  Indiana,  May  25,  1841,  and  is  a  son  of  Imri 
and  Rebecca  (Woolpert)  Murden,  the  former  of  whom  died  in  1900  and 
the  latter  in  1904. 

Mr.  Murden  attended  the  schools  of  Miami  county,  and  was  reared 
on  the  farm  of  his  father,  whom  he  remembers  telling  of  the  Indians 
with  whom  he  played  in  boyhood  when  the  family  first  moved  to  that 
county.  Reared  to  agricultural  pursuits,  Mr.  Murden  was  so  engaged 
at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war,  and,  with  other  youths  of  his  vicinity, 
he  hastened  to  offer  his  services  to  his  country,  enlisting  in  th'e  One 
Hundred  and  Thirty-fourth  Regiment,  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry. 
With  this  organization  he  served  his  full  term  of  four  months,  and 
would  have  re-enlisted  but  was  compelled  to  remain  at  home  on  account 
of  the  ill  health  of  his  father  at  that  time.  In  1871  Mr.  Murden  first 
came  to  Cass  county,  settling  in  a  log  house  near  Hoover,  in  Adams 
township,  bvit  subsequently  removed  to  Miami  for  a  short  period,  and 
then  again  came  to  Adams  township  and  located  on  his  present  tract. 
This  farm  was  covered  with  heavy  timber,  and  the  only  improvements 
which  had  been  made  were  several  small  log  buildings  which  were  nearly 
worthless.  With  determination  and  industry,  Mr.  Murden  at  once  set 
to  work  to  clear  his  land,  a  task  that  took  many  years  in  the  completing, 
but  which  he  finally  accomplished.    As  the  years  passed,  and  his  finances 


1170  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

permitted,  he  erected  modern  buildings  for  the  shelter  of  his  stock  and 
the  housing  of  his  grain  and  implements,  and  a  comfortable  residence 
was  also  built.  The  land  is  highly  cultivated,  and  the  farm  now  embraces 
137  acres  of  some  of  the  most  valuable  soil  in  Adams  township.  Mr. 
Murden  is  an  able  agriculturist,  farming  his  land  along  scientilic  lines 
and  taking  advantage  of  all  the  aids  which  have  been  brought  about  by 
invention  and  discovery.  He  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  views,  but 
has  not  aspired  to  public  office,  being  content  to  devote  himself  to  the 
cultivation  of  his  land.  With  his  family,  he  attends  the  Methodist 
church,  and  is  known  as  a  man  of  high  business  ideals  and  probity  of 
character. 

While  still  a  resident  of  Miami  county,  Mr.  Murden  was  married 
December  27,  1864,  to  Miss  Sarah  Jane  Willson,  daughter  of  Joseph 
R.  Willson.  Three  sons  have  been  born  to  this  union :  Mahlon,  born 
June  13,  1866;  Joseph  R.,  born  July  13,  1873;  and  Truman  G.,  born 
November  10,  1879.  ^Mahlon  married  Florence  Sylvana  Funk,  daughter 
of  Joseph  6.  Funk,  and  they  have  had  four  children:  Harry  F.,  born 
June  10,  1890;  Iva  Louise  and  Ida  Grace,  twins,  born  October  31,  1891, 
the  latter  of  whom  died  in  1892;  and  Jennie  E.,  born  July  10,  1897. 
Joseph  R.  is  a  resident  of  Cass  county.  He  wedded  Myrtie  Irene  Wood- 
house,  and  has  four  children — Marion  M.,  Lyman  R.,  Mabel  Fern  and 
Ralph  Orion.  Truman  G.  Murden  married  Edith  Irene  Barnhart, 
daughter  of  George  Barnhart,  and  they  have  one  son,  Homer  Clare, 
born  October  19,  1903.  J\Irs.  Murden  is  a  native  of  Miami  oountj^, 
Indiana,  bom  Angiist  17,  1846,  and  reared  and  educated  in  her  home 
county.  Both  her  parents  are  deceased.  The  present  estate  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Murden  is  called  ' '  The  ]\Iaples. ' ' 

Albert  H.  Douglass.  It  is  in  connection  with  the  cause  of  education 
that  Albert  H.  Douglass  is  entitled  to  a  leading  place  among  the  men 
whose  services  have  made  them  benefactors  of  Cass  county.  Entering 
upon  his  career  as  an  educator  when  still  a  lad,  in  1891  he  was  appointed 
superintendent  of  public  schools  of  Logansport,  and  has  continued  to 
faithfully  give  his  time,  his  thought  and  his  work  to  the  cause 
which  enlisted  the  earliest  sympathies  of  his  boyhood  and  the  ma- 
tured interest  of  his  later  life.  Few  men  have  given  better  service  to 
their  city;  none  ai'e  more  widely  or  favorably  known.  Mr.  Douglass  was 
born  on  the  family  farm  in  Clay  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  April 
23,  1858,  the  only  child  of  Joseph  and  Harriet  (Pugh)  Douglass.  His 
father,  who  was  an  agriculturist  all  of  his  life,  died  in  1891,  having 
been  twice  married,  his  tirst  wife  being  a  Miss  Keith,  by  whom  he  had 
live  children,  of  whom  three  are  living.  The  second  Mrs.  Douglass  sur- 
vived her  husband  ten  years. 

Like  many  youths  of  his  day  and  locality,  Albert  H.  Douglass  di- 
vided his  boyhood  between  the  farm  and  the  school  room,  attending 
the  district  institutions  during  the  winter  terms  and  assisting  his  father 
to  till  the  soil  during  the  summer  months.  Of  an  ambitious  and  in- 
dustrious nature,  he  applied  himself  closely  to  his  studies,  and  at  the 
age  of  seventeen  years,  in  1875,  graduated  from  the  Logansport  high 
school.  At  this  time  he  entered  upon  the  career  in  which  he  has  won 
such  high  honors.     His  first  term  as  a  school  teacher  was  taught  in 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1171 

Eock  county,  Wisconsin,  in  a  country  school,  and  for  the  seven  terms 
that  followed  he  had  charge  of  country  schools  in  Cass  county,  In- 
diana. Succeeding  this,  he  was  advanced  to  the  principalship  of  the 
"Walton  (Indiana)  schools,  and  then  spent  two  years  as  principal  of 
the  McKinley  school  in  Logansport  and  one  year  as  principal  of  the 
Franklin  school.  During  the  next  three  years  he  was  principal  of  the 
Logansport  high  school,  and  in  1891  became  superintendent  of  the 
schools  of  Logansport,  a  position  he  has  dignified  to  the  present  lime. 
'My.  Douglass  possesses  in  high  degree  that  very  desirable  ability  of  be- 
ing able  to  impart  his  own  deep  knowledge  to  others,  without  which  no 
educator  is  ever  really  successful.  During  his  administration  numerous 
innovations  have  been  made  that  have  considerably  raised  the  standard 
of  excellence  in  the  Logansport  institutions,  and  modern  methods  and 
ideas  have  served  to  place  the  system  here  on  a  high  plane.  He  has  made 
himself  a  general  favorite  with  pupils  and  teachers  alike,  who  not  only 
respect  and  esteem  him  for  his  many  scholarly  attainments,  but  have 
been  drawn  to  him  because  of  the  manner  in  which  he  has  been  able 
to  advise  and  assist  them  in  various  ways.  His  career  has  been  one 
worthy  of  emulation  by  those  entering' upon  an  educational  life  and 
illustrates  forcibly  the  high  honors  to  be  gained  through  constant  prac- 
tice of  industry  and  probity. 

Mr.  Douglass  was  married  May  10,  1881,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Barnett, 
and  they  have  had  three  children,  namely:  Bessie  S.,  who  is  now  de- 
ceased ;  Nina  M.,  now  Mrs.  C.  A.  Ballard,  of  Logansport ;  and  Albert  E. 

James  G.  Gish.  An  excellent  farm  of  120  acres,  in  Deer  Creek  town- 
ship, pays  tribute  to  the  care  and  labor  of  James  G.  Gish,  who  has 
been  one  of  his  locality's  leading  representatives  of  agricultural  in- 
terests for  some  years.  Numbered  among  those  who  have  aided  their 
community  while  aiding  themselves,  whatever  success  he  has  achieved 
is  attributable  entirely  to  his  own  efiforts  and  his  life  of  industry  has 
been  followed  by  a  goodly  share  of  prosperity.  Essentially  a  farmer, 
he  has  not  cared  for  other  interests  than  those  which  center  around  his 
property  and  his  home,  content  to  gain  a  reputation  in  the  peaceful 
pursuits  of  the  soil,  free  from  the  strife  of  politics  and  the  busy  mart 
of  trade  and  commerce.  Mr.  Gish  is  a  native  of  the  Hoosier  State,  and 
was  born  July  7,  1860,  in  Carroll  county,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth 
(Garst)  Gish.  The  family  was  founded  in  Cass  county  by  Mr.  Gish's 
father,  who  had  come  from  Virginia  to  Carroll  county,  with  the  grand- 
father of  James  G.  Gish,  Abraham  Gish  and  his  wife.  Abraham  Gish 
entered  land  from  the  United  States  government  at  an  early  day,  and 
the  remainder  of  his  life  was  spent  in  Carroll  county,  where  both  he 
and  his  wife  died.  Following  in  the  footsteps  of  his  parent,  Henry  Gish 
early  became  a  tiller  of  the  soil,  and  for  years  was  prominent  in  agri- 
cultural circles  of  Carroll  county,  and  there  both  parents  died.  They 
had  a  family  of  five  children,  as  follows :  Hester,  who  is  now  deceased ; 
Catherine;  Jeremiah,  who  is  deceased;  Mary;  and  James  G. 

James  G.  Gish  received  his  early  education  in  the  old  Blue  school- 
house  in  Carroll  county,  and  after  coming  to  Cass  county  continued 
to  attend  the  district  schools  during  the  winter  months,  while  helping 
his  father  in  the  summers.    He  was  reared  to  habits  of  industry  and  in- 


1172  HISTORY  OP  CASS  COUNTY 

tegrity  and  taught  to  work  hard  and  realize  the  value  of  money,  and  by 
the  time  he  had  reached  his  majority  he  was  thoroughly  trained  in  all 
branches  of  farm  work.  He  early  learned  to  make  a  study  of  soil 
and  clim.atie  conditions,  and  a  knowledge  of  crop  rotation  was  also 
included  in  his  curriculum.  On  coming  to  manhood,  he  began  operations 
on  his  own  account  on  80  acres  of  land  which  he  purchased,  from  which 
he  cleared  the  incmubrance  by  faithful  and  persistent  labor,  well  ap- 
plied along  well-detined  lines.  He  has  continued  to  add  to  the  improve- 
ments and  buildings  on  his  property,  and  has  met  with  a  full  measure 
of  success  both  in  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  being  now  ac- 
counted one  of  Deer  Creek's  substantial  men.  He  has  every  modem 
improvement  for  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  his  buildings  are  large  and 
substantial,  and  everything  about  the  property  gives  evidence  of  his 
skill  and  good  management.  Mr.  Gish  has  always  labored  faithfully  in 
behalf  of  his  community  and  its  people,  and  holds  a  high  place  in  the 
esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  into  contact. 

]\Ir.  Gish  was  married  to  ]\Iiss  Emma  Wills,  and  to  them  there  have 
been  born  two  children:  Bruce,  who  married  IMaud  Kay,  and  has  four 
children — Ruth,  Owen,  Gertrude  and  Grace ;  and  Grace,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Harry  Miller,  and  has  one  child,  Wilbur.  With  his  wife  and 
children,  Mr.  Gish  attends  the  United  Brethren  church,  of  which  he 
is  a  liberal  supporter. 

Stephen  B.  Boyer.  A  more  notable  illustration  of  the  exercise  of 
American  energy,  ability,  integrity  and  superior  skill  would  be  hard 
to  find  than  that  exhibited  by  the  firm  of  Obenchain  &  Boyer,  which 
controls  one  of  the  leading  enterprises  of  Logansport,  and  which  has 
achieved  a  wide-spread  reputation,  and  by  its  able  management,  and 
steady  development,  has  secured  at  Logansport  the  undoubted  suprem- 
acy as  regards  the  manufacture  of  a  superior  grade  of  chemical  fire  en- 
gines and  automatic  boiler  cleaners.  One  of  the  proprietors  of  this 
concern,  Stephen  B.  Boyer,  belongs  to  that  class  of  men  who  have  risen 
to  prominence  through  the  exercise  of  native  ability,  and  not  through 
outside  assistance  or  influence.  A  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  he  came 
to  Logansport,  at  the  close  of  that  struggle,  poor  in  purse,  but  rich  in 
ambition  and  ideas,  and  in  the  years  that  have  followed  has  not  only 
gained  a  position  of  signal  prominence  in  the  commercial  world,  but 
has  contributed  materially  to  the  welfare  of  his  adopted  city,  both  as 
a  manufacturer  and  as  the  incumbent  of  important  office.  Mr.  Boyer 
w^as  born  at  New  Bloomfield,  Perry  county,  Pennsylvania,  December 
7,  1842,  and  is  a  son  of  William  D.  and  Mariah  (Fritz)  Boyer.  His 
parents,  natives  of  Germany,  and  on  the  paternal  side  with  an  ad- 
mixture of  French,  had  nine  children,  of  whom  one  son  and  one  daughter 
still  survive.  Stephen  Boyer,  the  paternal  grandfather,  was  a  minister 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Little  York,  Pennsylvania.  William  D. 
Boyer  was  a  soldier,  and  fought  through  the  Indian  wars,  in  Florida. 

Before  he  had  reached  the  age  of  twelve  yeai-s,  Stephen  B.  Boyer 
had  learned  to  set  type  in  the  office  with  his  father,  foreman  of  the 
Perry  County  Freeman,  a  Whig  newspaper,  and  thus  added  to  the  few 
years  of  education  he  had  secured  in  the  New  Bloomfield  schools.  In 
1854  the  death  of  his  father  broke  up  the  family  and  Stephen  B.  Boyer 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1173 

went  to  his  uucle's  farm  in  the  same  county,  and  with  the  exception  of 
one  or  two  terms  while  here,  this  completed  his  scholastic  training. 
When  about  fifteen  years  of  age  he  began  driving  a  mule  team  on  the 
Pennsylvania  Canal,  after  which  he  accepted  a  position  as  a  clerk  in  a 
grocery  store  at  Duncannon,  on  the  Pennsylvania  Railway,  fifteen  miles 
from  Harrisburg.  He  was  thus  employed  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
war,  and,  fired  with  the  patriotism  of  youth  and  with  the  ideas  that 
had  been  instilled  in  him  while  he  was  working  in  the  office  with  his 
fatheP,  he  enlisted,  November  10,  1861,  in  the  Ninth  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry,  Company  A,  which  rendezvoused  at  Harrisburg.  This  regi- 
ment was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  and  went  into  camp 
on  the  farm  of  Jesse  D.  Bright,  in  Indiana,  this  gentleman  having 
been  previously  expelled  from  the  United  States  senate  for  treasonable 
utterances.  The  command  was  ordered  to  Munfordville,  .Kentucky,  on 
the  Green  river,  and  subsequently  marched  to  Nashville,  Tennessee,  in 
the  meantime  being  employed  to  a  considerable  extent  in  scouting.  After 
spending  a  short  time  in  camp  at  Springfield,  the  regiment  fell  back  at 
the  invasion  of  Bragg,  and  was  in  camp  at  Crab  Orchard  when  the 
battle  of  Richmond,  Kentucky,  was  fought.  On  that  same  day  they 
were  ordered  to  Richmond,  but  arrived  after  the  retreat  of  the  Federal 
forces,  and  became  their  rear  guard  as  far  as  Louisville.  Upon  the 
reorganization,  in  1862,  with  Gen.  Buell  in  command,  the  army  moved 
against  Bragg  and  contested  the  battle  of  Perryville,  the  cavalry  then 
following  Bragg 's  retreat  entirely  out  of  Kentucky.  By  a  special  re- 
quest of  the  Kentucky  Legislature,  the  Ninth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  was 
asked  to  remain  in  Kentucky  and  there  they  continued  throughout  the 
balance  of  the  year,  1862,  doing  cavalry  and  scout  work.  The  battle 
of  Stone  river  approaching,  the  Ninth  Cavalry  was  consolidated  with 
other  commands  and  sent  to  destroy  bridges  on  the  railroad  near  Knox- 
ville,  to  prevent  reinforcements  being  thrown  to  Bragg 's  relief,  and 
this  mission  was  successfully  completed,  being  known  officially  as  Car- 
ter's Raid.  Returning,  after  twenty-seven  days,  to  camp  at  Nicholas- 
ville,  Kentucky,  the  regiment  then  went  to  Nashville,  and  on  to  Prank- 
lin,  where  they  occupied  the  extreme  right  of  Rosecrans'  army,  taking 
part  in  the  campaig-ns  of  middle  Tennessee,  Chattanooga,  the  Grant 
campaigns  around  Chattanooga  to  Knoxville  and  with  Sherman  to  At- 
lanta and  to  the  sea  and  through  the  Carolinas  to  the  end  of  the  war. 

Returning  to  the  occupations  of  peace,  ]\lr.  Boyer  taiight  school  in 
Pennsylvania  for  a  short  time,  and  in  the  spring  of  1865  entered  a  com- 
mercial school  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  found  himself  at  the  close  of 
the  Civil  war.  Believing  that  the  west  was  the  place  for  young  men 
having  nothing  but  the  desire  to  do,  Mr.  Boyer  came  in  June,  1865,  to 
Logansport,  Indiana,  and  this  city  has  been  his  home  ever  since.  He 
first  took  a  position  as  bookkeeper  with  C.  B.  Knowlton  and  con- 
tinued as  bookkeeper  and  superintendent  for  Knowlton  &  Dykeman 
and  Knowlton  &  Dolan  up  to  1882.  In  1881,  in  connection  with  John 
S.  Obenchain,  he  erected  the  Logan  Flouring  Mills,  which  they  operated 
some  twenty  years.  This  mill  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1901  and  the 
business  was  closed  out.  About  1888  the  firm  of  Obenchain  &  Boyer 
was  organized,  for  the  manufacture  of  an  automatic  boiler  cleaner  and 
in  1898  they  commenced  the  manufacture  of  chemical  fire  engines,  this 


1174  HISTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

business  and  the  mill  being  operated  at  the  same  time.  In  January, 
1902,  a  new  building  was  erected  on  the  site  of  the  burned  mill,  and  the 
business  was  continued  with  the  exception  of  the  flouring  mill.  Since 
the  death  of  Mr.  Obenchain,  in  1909,  Mr.  Boyer  has  continued  the  busi- 
ness as  surviving  partner.  This  enterprise  has  a  large  trade  all  over 
Indiana  and  the  surrounding  states,  and  under  Mr.  Boyer 's  manage- 
ment is  constantly  adding  to  its  prestige.  Not  only  in  business  life  has 
Mr.  Boyer  left  the  impress  of  his  influence  upon  that  city,  but  also  in 
public  life,  and  during  the  sixteen  years  he  served  as  a  member  of  the 
city  council  and  three  years  which  he  was  police  commissioner,  he  dis- 
played the  highest  executive  ability.  During  his  service  in  the  com- 
mon council  many  measures  of  a  public  interest  were  secured.  Among 
these  was  the  building  of  the  Electric  Light  Plant.  This  plant  was 
erected  by  a  special  committee  of  which  IMr.  Boyer  was  chairman  and 
the  plant  was  enlarged  and  extended  under  his  management  as  chair- 
man of  the  electric  light  committee.  This  plant  is  a  financial  success. 
The  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal  running  through  the  city  was  purchased 
and  Erie  avenue  built  which  is  now  one  of  the  great  thoroughfares  of  the 
city.  The  natural  gas  situation  was  fought  out  and  settled  in  favor 
of  the  city  and  the  Interurban  policy  of  the  city  was  settled  after 
passing  through  a  situation  bordering  on  civil  war.  Mr.  Boyer  has 
been  a  Republican  in  his  political  views  but  joined  the  progressive 
movement  of  1912.  He  is  a  valued  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic,  and  with  his  wife  attends  the  Fii-st  Presbyterian  church  of 
which  he  has  been  elder  for  years. 

On  September  12,  1872,  Mr.  Boyer  was  married  to  Miss  Josephine 
Goodwin,  and  they  have  three  children :  Alexander  B.,  Mary  J.,  and 
Helen  T. 

Howard  H.  York,  chief  engineer  of  the  Northern  Indiana  Hospital 
for  the  Insane,  at  Logansport,  has  been  connected  with  this  institution 
for  many  years,  and  during  his  long  and  honorable  residence  in  the 
city  has  firmly  established  himself  as  one  of  its  representative  citizens. 
Mr.  York  is  a  native  of  the  Hoosier  state,  having  been  born  in  Hendricks 
county,  June  11,  1849,  a  son  of  Aquilla  and  Rebecca  M.  (Barker)  York. 
His  father,  a  native  of  Alamance  county,  North  Carolina,  was  born  March 
4,  1818,  and  came  to  Indiana  in  1834,  locating  in  Hendricks  county, 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  farming,  and  passed  away  in 
September,  1876.  He  was  married  in  Hendricks  county  to  Miss  Rebecca 
M.  Barker,  also  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  who  died  in  1866,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  nine  children,  of  whom  six  are  now  living :  John 
M.,  of  Indianapolis,  Indiana;  Charles,  a  resident  of  California;  Austin, 
living  in  Washington ;  Ellen,  a  resident  of  Indianapolis ;  Nettie,  of 
Pekin,  Illinois;  and  Howard  H. 

Howard  H.  York  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Hendricks 
county,  following  which  he  entered  Asbury  University  (now  DePauw), 
receiving  excellent  advantages  for  his  day  and  locality.  He  secured  a 
teacher's  license,  which,  however,  he  never  made  use  of,  as  his  tiine 
was  devoted  to  the  work  of  the  home  farm  until  he  reached  the  age  of 
twenty-three  years.  At  that  time  he  left  the  parental  roof  and  came 
to  Indianapolis,  and  during  the  next  ten  years  acted  in  the  capacity  of 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1175 

fireman  and  assistant  engineer  in  the  Central  Indiana  Hospital  for 
the  Insane,  then  becoming  chief  engineer  of  the  Northern  Indiana  Hos- 
pital for  Insane.  He  has  continued  to  be  connected  with  this  institu- 
tion to  the  present  time,  during  which  he  has  been  in  the  active  dis- 
charge of  his  duties  with  the  exception  of  ten  months,  when  he  was 
superintendent  of  the  construction  of  the  Hospital  for  the  Insane  at 
Evansville,  Indiana.  He  has  made  his  home  in  Logan-sport  since  1888, 
has  made  many  friends,  and  is  known  as  a  man  who  regards  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties  as  a  sacred  trust.  He  and  his  wife  are  popular 
members  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  and  Mr.  York  is  also  well 
known  in  Masonry,  having  attained  to  the  R.  and  S.  M.  degree.  In 
political  matters,  his  inclinations  have  led  him  to  support  the  principles 
and  candidates  of  the  Democratic  party,  to  which  the  members  of  both 
his  and  his  wife's  families  have  always  given  their  aid.  These  families 
have  been  well  represented  in  military  life,  Mr.  York  having  seven 
uncles  who  served  as  soldiers  during  the  Civil  war,  while  Mrs.  York's 
stepfather  and  one  brother  also  participated  in  that  struggle. 

On  November  8,  1882,  Mr.  York  was  ma;rried  to  Miss  IMary  J.  Dent, 
who  was  born  in  Knightstown,  Indiana,  April  8,  1847,  and  educated  in 
the  common  schools  there.  To  this  union  there  has  been  born  one  son : 
George  D.,  born  Aug-ust  27,  1886,  in  Indianapolis,  Indiana.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Logansport,  and  after  his  graduation 
from  the  high  school  became  connected  with  the  Northern  Indiana  Hos- 
pital for  the  Insane,  where  he  is  now  acting  in  the  capacity  of  assistant 
engineer. 

DeWitt  Doran.  In  the  life  of  DeWitt  Doran,  of  Adams  town- 
ship, there  is  presented  a  lesson  for  the  youth  of  any  land;  something 
to  be  found  in  it  of  a  nature  encouraging  to  the  young  aspirant  who, 
without  friends  or  fortunes,  is  struggling  to  overcome  obstacles  in  his 
efforts  to  acquire  a  comfortable  competence,  if  not  absolute  wealth. 
Some  twenty-seven  years  ago,  Mr.  Doran  came  to  Adams  township  with 
a  capital  of  fifty  dollars  in  money,  poor  but  ambitious,  unknown  but 
determined.  Today  he  is  the  proprietor  of  the  noted  Old  Virginia 
Stock  Farm,  a  tract  of  300  acres,  and  is  known  throughout  his  part  of 
Cass  county.  Probably  no  better  example  of  what  may  be  accomplished 
through  a  life  of  industry,  perseverance  and  strict  integrity  could  be 
found,  and  a  brief  review  of  the  height  by  which  he  has  risen  to  his 
present  position  will  no  doubt  prove  interesting  to  those  who  are  ad- 
mirers of  self-made  manhood. 

Mr.  Doran  is  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion  state,  and  was  born 
January  22,  1864,  a  son  of  Liza  Aim  Doran.  His  parents  were  in 
humble  circumstances  and  he  was  only  able  to  attend  school  several 
months  out  of  each  year,  as  his  services  were  needed  in  assisting  in 
the  support  of  the  family,  but  he  was  an  alert,  intelligent  and  am- 
bitious lad,  and  made  good  i;se  of  his  opportunities,  gaining  thereby 
a  good  rudimentary  education.  Moreover,  he  was  reared  to  habits  of 
industry,  economy  and  thrift,  and  thoroughly  trained  in  all  the  details 
of  farm  work.  When  he  first  came  to  Cass  county,  in  November,  1886, 
his  cash  capital  was  represented  by  the  sum  of  fifty  dollars  but  his  stock 
of  ambition,   energy   and  determination  was  beyond   estimation.     His 


1176  HISTOKY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

limited  pecuniary  circumstances  forced  him  to  rent  the  poorest  farm 
on  the  Taber  Seven  Sections,  but  his  success  on  this  property  soon  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  Mr.  Taber,  the  owner,  who  subsequently  rented 
him  the  best  property  he  had,  and  there  he  continued  to  carry  on  oper- 
ations for  sixteen  years.  His  success  was  commensurate  with  his  faith- 
ful labor,  and  in  1902  he  was  able  to  purchase  his  present  property,  a 
finely-cultivated  tract  of  300  acres,  which  he  named  the  Old  Virginia 
Stock  Farm,  in  honor  of  his  birth  state.  He  has  cleared  this  land,  has 
erected  substantial  buildings,  and  now  devotes  the  greater  part  of  his 
attention  to  the  raising  of  thoroughbred  stock,  for  which  he  finds  a 
ready  and  lucrative  market.  From  earliest  boyhood,  his  life  has  been 
one  of  continuous  and  well-directed  industry,  and  his  success  is  all 
the  more  satisfactory  in  that  it  has  been  self-gained,  without  outside 
assistance.  Mr.  Doran  has  been  too  busily  occupied  with  his  private 
affairs  to  engage  in  political  matters  and  when  he  votes  he  recognizes 
no  party  lines,  believing  in  voting  for  the  man  whom  he  deems  best 
fitted  for  the  office  rather  than  the  organization  which  he  represents. 
With  his  family,  he  is  a  consistent  member  of  Hoover  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church. 

In  1884,  Mr.  Doran  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Frances  Pur- 
due, the  estimable  daughter  of  Daniel  Purdue,  and  they  have  had  ten 
children,  namely:  Mark,  Ora,  James,  j\Iyrtle,  Bertha,  Minnie  Belle, 
Arlo,  Hugh,  Katie  and  "Wayne.  The  children  have  all  been  given  good 
educational  advantages,  and  have  been  reared  to  fit  any  position  in 
life  which  they  may  be  called  upon  to  occupy. 

William  M.  Smith  has  been  a  resident  of  Logansport  for  the  past 
thirty  years,  and  in  that  time  has  seen  many  changes  in  and  about  the 
city.  He  was  born  on  August  23,  1849,  in  a  log  cabin  near  Kewanee, 
in  Pulaski  county,  Indiana,  and  is  the  son  of  David  and  Elizabeth  (Mitch- 
ell) Smith. 

David  Smith  was  a  native  of  Southern  Indiana,  and  a  farmer  and 
blacksmith  by  trade.  When  a  young  man,  in  the  early  forties,  he  came 
to  what  is  now  Pulaski  county,  and  there  built  a  log  cabin,  after 
which  he  returned  to  his  old  home,  married  his  youthful  sweetheart, 
Elizabeth  Mitchell,  native  of  Kentucky,  and  brought  her  with  him  to 
the  cabin  in  Pulaski  county.  Here  he  worked  with  a  will  at  his  trade 
when  he  could  spare  the  time  from  his  regualr  farm  work,  and  under  the 
most  adverse  conditions,  succeeded  in  clearing  up  his  farm.  He  and  his 
wdfe  passed  through  all  the  hardships  and  privations  incident  to  pioneer 
life  in  those  early  days, — conditions  which  the  present  generation  can 
have  but  the  faintest  conception  of.  They  became  the  parents  of  seven 
children, — two  only  of  the  number  now'  are  living.  The  life  of  Mr. 
Smith  was  a  quiet  and  uneventful  one,  barring  the  happenings  incident 
to  the  formative  period  of  the  covmty,  and  he  died  on  April  18.  1880,  his 
wddow  surviving  him  until  1896. 

William  M.  Smith  was  the  oldest  of  his  parents'  children  and  much 
of  the  hard  work  in  the  carrying  on  of  the  regular  farm  work  early  fell 
upon  his  shoulders.  He  attended  the  country  school  in  the  winter 
seasons,  and  remained  in  the  home  until  he  had  passed  his  twenty-first 
birthday.     He  rented  land  in  Pulaski  county  which  he  farmed  inde- 


JU.T^ 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1177 

peudently  until  the  fall  of  1880,  when  he  came  to  Logansport.  He 
secured  work  in  a  stave  factory  at  which  he  continued  for  a  time,  but 
later  went  into  the  teaming  ])usiness,  still  later  engaging  in  the  feed 
business.  Subsequent  to  his  experience  in  that  respect  he  once  more  took 
up  teaming,  and  for  a  considerable  time  after  that  was  in  the  employ  of 
various  grocery  concerns  in  the  city.  In  August,  1902,  he  bought  a 
lease  and  the  building  which  stands  on  his  present  property,  and  at 
once  opened  up  a  general  coal  and  fuel  business.  In  1911  he  built  his 
present  building,  and  it  is  needless  to  add,  he  has  prospered  most  agree- 
ably in  the  business.  He  has  added  cement  to  his  stock,  and  cement 
blocks,  in  which  he  is  now  extensively  and  profitably  engaged  in  manu- 
facturing. He  handles  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  car  loads  of 
coal  annually  and  al)out  four  thousand  barrels  of  cement,  and  the  busi- 
ness is  on  the  steady  advance. 

]\Ir.  Smith  is  a  Republican,  a  member  of  the  Order  of  Ben  Hur,  and 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  was  married  on  March  16,  1871, 
to  ^liss  ^Margaret  E.  Woods,  of  Cass  county,  and  they  are  the  parents 
of  three  children:  Hugh,  a  druggist  of  Logansport;  Jesse,  who  died 
in  infancy,  and  Asa  E.,  in  the  drug  and  jewelry  business  with  his 
brother  in  Logansport. 

ZuiNGLESS  U.  Loop,  M.  D.  Industry  and  intellect  have  never  been 
incompatible.  There  is  more  wisdom,  and  will  be  more  benefit,  in  com- 
bining them  than  scholars  like  to  believe  or  than  the  ordinary  people 
of  the  world  imagine.  Life  has  time  enough  for  both,  and  its  happi- 
ness will  be  increased  by  the  union.  To  this  combination  add  these 
other  important  qvialities — enterprise  and  energy,  business  tact  and 
public-spirit — and  the  sum  total  is  the  make-up  of  that  class  of  men  in 
which  Dr.  Zuingless  Loop,  of  Galveston,  stands  in  prominent  relief. 
Dr.  Loop  has  long  been  a  leading  factor  in  the  life  of  Galveston.  He  is 
known  as  one  of  the  prominent  physicians  of  his  part  of  the  county, 
has  wide  and  varied  interests  in  the  business  world,  is  the  owner  of 
a  valuable  farming  property,  and  in  public  and  social  affairs  holds 
recognized  prestige.  He  was  born  July  9,  1851,  in  the  village  of  Deer 
Creek,  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  about  twelve  miles  from  Galveston, 
and  is  a  son  of  James  C.  and  Sarah  (Wertz)  Loop.  His  father,  a  native 
of  Clearmont  county,  Ohio,  Avas  educated  in  the  common  schools,  read 
medicine,  and  subsequently  became  a  country  physician,  following  his 
profession  in  conjunction  with  farming  operations  on  his  property  in 
Deer  Creek  township,  near  the  Abraham  Smith  farm.  He  and  his  wife 
had  five  children,  namely:  William  M.,  deceased,  who  married  Laura 
Hyman,  and  had  two  children,  Luna  and  AYade,  and  Luna  married 
Frank  Brown,  auditor  of  Carroll  county ;  Zuingless :  Kate ;  Charles  C. ; 
and  Pearl.  The  mother  of  these  children  still  survives,  and  although 
now  in  her  eighty-fourth  year,  is  hale  and  hearty  and  in  full  possession 
of  her  faculties. 

Zuingless  Loop  received  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  Jackson  township,  and  was  reared  in  Galveston,  where  he  worked 
until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age.  He  read  medicine  with  his  brother, 
Dr.  W.  M.  Loop,  who  was  at  that  time  practicing  in  Deer  Creek,  Carroll 
county,    Indiana.      He    entered    a    drug    store    in    Galveston    and    by 


1178  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

economy  managed  to  save  enough  money  to  enter  college.  He  entered 
Louisville  (Ky.)  M&dical  College,  where  he  received  his  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Medicine  in  1882.  He  at  once  located  at  Galveston,  where 
he  has  since  been  engaged  in  practice  with  the  exception  of  the  time 
he  spent  in  taking  post-graduate  courses  at  Chicago  and  New  York. 
In  1875  Dr.  Loop  entered  the  drug  business  and  has  been  con- 
tinuously engaged  in  the  business  up  to  April,  1912,  and  at  the 
same  time  he  was  practicing  medicine.  He  has  built  up  a  large  and 
representative  practice,  which  covers  Galveston  and  the  contiguous  terri- 
tory, is  widely  known  in  his  profession  as  a  man  of  the  highest  ability, 
and  has  the  full  confidence  of  his  patients.  He  belongs  to  the  Cass 
County  and  Indiana  State  ^ledical  Societies  and  the  American  ]\Iedical 
Association,  in  the  work  of  which  he  takes  great  interest,  and  keeps  him- 
self thoroughly  abreast  of  the  advances  and  discoveries  of  his  profession 
by  subscription  to  the  leading  medical  periodicals  of  the  day.  His 
fraternal  connections  are  with  the  Knights  of  P\i:hias,  in  which  he  has 
passed  all  the  chairs,  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  With 
his  family,  he  attends  the  IMethodist  Episcopal  church.  Dr.  Loop  has 
various  financial,  business  and  realty  interests,  and  is  the  owner  of  a 
valuable  eighty-acre  farm,  located  on  the  county  line  in  Jackson  town- 
ship, to  which  he  devotes  a  good  deal  of  his  attention.  He  is  president 
of  the  First  State  Bank  of  Galveston,  organized  June  7,  1913,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  county  council  of  Cass  county  for  three  years. 

In  September,  1875,  Dr.  Loop  was  married  first  to  Mary  E. 
Atchley,  who  died  a  short  time  thereafter  without  issue.  In  1882  he 
formed  his  second  union  with  ]\Iiss  Laura  Darragh  Wilson.  She  died 
in  1900,  leaving  three  children :  Clarence,  who  married  Pearl  Cook ; 
Glen  R.,  who  is  employed  at  Kokomo,  Indiana,  l)ut  makes  his  home 
with  his  parents;  and  Florence  died  in  infancy.  Dr.  Loop  married  for 
his  third  wife  Miss  Ella  Metealf.  He  has  been  loyal  and  active  in  his 
support  of  all  measures  that  have  promised  to  benefit  his  community, 
and  for  a  period  served  as  town  treasurer. 

Dr.  jMilton  B.  Stew'art  has  been  a  practicing  physician  at  Logans- 
port  for  the  past  sixteen  years,  and  has  taken  front  rank  among  the 
members  of  his  profession  in  Cass  county.  He  was  born  March  14, 
1873,  at  Vij'gil,  Kansas,  and  his  youth  was  passed  in  attending 
the  schools  where  his  father,  a  pastor  of  the  IMethodist  Episcopal 
church,  happened  to  be  stationed.  When  six  years  old  the  father 
was  transferred  to  the  North  Indiana  conference,  and  while  living 
at  Columbia  City,  he  was  graduated  from  the  high  school.  In 
1890,  when  but  sixteen  years  old,  he  began  teaching  in  the  public 
schools  with  the  ultimate  object  of  making  that  his  permanent  work  in 
life.  Through  the  influence  of  Dr.  Barnhill,  of  South  Whitely,  he  was 
induced  to  alter  his  plans  and  take  up  the  study  of  medicine.  He 
matriculated  at  the  Cleveland  iledical  College,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  with  the  spring  class  of  1897.  He  at  once 
located  in  Logansport,  which  has  ever  since  been  his  home,  and  where 
his  skill  as  a  practitioner  is  evidenced  by  a  large  and  increasing  pat- 
ronage. 

Dr.  Stewart  was  married  on  April  24,  1901,  to  Miss  Alice  H.  Lari- 
mer.    He  is  a  member  of  the  ]\Iethodist  church,  and  one  of  the  greatest 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1179 

pleasures  he  has  is  his  association  with  this  body,  with  which  he  became 
connected  at  the  age  of  nine  years,  since  when  he  has  endeavored  at  all 
times  to  live  the  life  of  a  Christian  gentleman.  His  citizenship  is  of  a 
high  order,  his  unostentatious  benefactions  being  freely  bestowed  where, 
in  his  judgment,  the  most  good  will  follow.  Dr.  Stewart  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  order,  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose,  the  I.  0.  R.  M.,  and  other 
fraternal  and  benevolent  organizations  of  a  similar  nature. 

John  E.  Sutton.  In  preparing  such  a  historical  and  biographical 
work  as  this  publication  is  intended  to  be,  it  is  as  essential  that  specific 
mention  be  made  of  those  who  have  been  identified  with  the  best  in- 
terests of  a  given  eommunitj'  and  have  finished  their  earthly  labors  as 
of  those  who  are  yet  active  in  their  chosen  spheres  of  labor.  It  is 
therefore  consistent  with  the  spirit  of  this  work  that  somewhat  extended 
place  be  given  to  the  life  of  the  late  John  E.  Sutton,  who  for  eleven 
years  gave  the  best  that  was  in  him  to  the  publication  of  a  wholesome, 
honest  and  capable  newspaper  in  the  city  of  Logansport.  In  his  ca- 
pacity as  proprietor  and  business  manager  of  the  Daily  and  Weekly 
Reporter,  one  of  the  most  efficient  journals  that  Cass  county  has  ever 
known,  he  made  a  lasting  imprint  upon  the  minds  of  his  readers  and 
upon  the  entire  county  in  effect,  and  his  influence  is  yet  alive  in  the 
community  which  knows  him  no  more.  He  was  born  on  October  21,  1863, 
and  died  on  the  6th  of  January,  1900. 

John  E.  Sutton,  who  claimed  Fulton  county,  Indiana,  as  his  native 
place,  was  the  son  of  Andrew  J.  and  Barbara  (Horn)  Sutton.  The 
father  was  born  in  Fayette  county,  Ohio,  and  the  mother  in  Washing- 
ton county,  Pennsylvania.  '  For  some  years  they  were  residents  of 
Logansport,  but  their  residence  in  Cass  county  covered  a  much  longer 
period.  Andrew  Sutton  was  a  son  of  Ferdinand  and  Mary  (Shellen- 
berger)  Sutton,  natives  of  West  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  and  were 
of  Scotch  and  German  ancestry.  Andrew  Sutton  was  young  in  years 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Clark  county,  Ohio,  and  there  he 
received  his  education,  which  was  complete  enough  to  permit  him  to 
engage  in  teaching  at  the  age  of  nineteen.  His  pedagogic  work  found 
him  employed  in  the  counties  of  Miami,  Cass  and  Fulton,  in  Indiana, 
having  taken  up  a  residence  in  this  state  in  1844.  For  twenty  winters 
he  gave  himself  to  educational  work,  and  he  was  known  to  be  one  of  the 
most  successful  teachers  of  his  day,  his  services  always  being  in  de- 
mand from  season  to  season. 

In  1870  Mr.  Sutton  gave  up  his  teaching  activities  and  turned  his 
attention  to  the  business  of  merchandise  in  Logansport,  to  which  he  added 
operations  in  real  estate.  He  was  a  man  who  gave  considerable  at- 
tention to  the  duties  of  public  life,  and  served  in  varied  capacities  in 
the  years  of  his  residence  here.  In  1882  he  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Commissioners  of  Cass  county,  serving  a  three  year  term  in 
a  most  capable  and  efficient  manner.  In  the  latter  nineties  Mr.  Sutton, 
then  well  advanced  in  years,  retired  from  active  business  in  a  large 
measure.  He  was  for  many  years  an  active  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  he  was  a  life-long  Democrat.     He  married  Barbara  Horn 


1180  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

in  May,  1850,  and  five  children  came  to  them.  It  is  to  their  son,  John 
E.,  that  this  sketch  is  dedicated. 

In  Fulton  county,  Indiana,  John  E.  Sutton  was  reared  in  the  wise 
and  loving  care  of  his  devoted  parents.  His  father  gave  to  the  boy 
especial  attention  in  an  educational  way,  and  he  grew  to  manhood  well 
fortified  in  his  studies,  which  had,  since  he  was  six  years  old,  been  pnr- 
sued  in  the  city  of  Logansport.  He  was  graduated  from  the  high  school 
of  this  city  in  1882,  and  then  gave  some  little  attention  to  school- 
teaching  in  which  work  his  father  had  for  many  years  previous  been 
occupied,  but  he  soon  changed  his  activities  to  other  fields.  Journalism 
attracted  him  strangely,  and  he  entered  the  office  of  the  Logansport 
Pharos,  where  he  served  for  three  years  as  city  editor  of  that  paper. 
He  was  ambitious,  and,  discontented  with  such  experience  as  he  might 
gain  in  that  position,  he  gave  up  his  work  in  Logansport  and  went  west, 
finding  employment  readily  with  any  of  the  metropolitan  dailies  he 
chanced  upon  from  Indianapolis  to  San  Francisco.  In  Los  Angeles  he 
became  the  jjublisher  of  the  Real  Estate  Reporter,  a  paper,  which  though 
short  lived,  had  a  most  prosperous  career  and  a  phenomenal  circulation. 
The  southern  California  Bubble  of  1886  went  the  way  of  all  such, 
and  the  Reporter  shared  in  the  general  collapse  of  inflated  values  that 
had  prevailed  in  that  region.  Two  years  of  experience  in  independent 
journalism  served  to  convince  Mr.  Sutton  of  his  ability,  and  returning 
to  Logansport,  he  founded  the  Reporter,  although  contrary  to  the  ad- 
vice of  the  wiseacres  who  predicted  failure  for  any  such  project. 
Nothing  daunted,  however,  ]\Ir.  Sutton  went  ahead  with  his  plans  and 
it  is  significant  of  his  perspicacity  and  general  good  judgment  that  the 
paper  proved  a  distinct  success,  from  every  possible  vieAv  point.  The 
first  issue  of  the  paper  bore  the  date  of  October  1,  1889,  and  from  then 
until  the  time  of  his  passing,  it  maintained  a  high  standard  of  excellence 
in  the  county,  owning  a  popularity  second  to  none  in  the  field.  It  is 
a  fact  worthy  of  record  here  that  Mr.  Sutton  also  founded  and  pub- 
lished papers  in  other  parts  of  the  state,  among  them  the  Galveston  Sun, 
and  another  of  his  Logansport  enterprises  was  the  Advance,  which  also 
proved  a  successful  venture.  Mr.  Sutton  assumed  an  Independent  at- 
titude in  politics,  and  his  papers  ever  refiected  that  attitude,  being  con- 
ducted entirely  upon  neutral  lines. 

While  Mr.  Sutton  was  a  resident  of  Los  Angeles,  he  met  and  married 
Miss  May  Stanley,  the  ceremony  being  solemnized  in  that  city  in  Jan- 
uary,  1887.     Two  children.  Psyche  and  Lindley,  were  born  to  them. 

Mr.  Sutton  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  as  is  also  his 
widow  and  children  who  survive  him.  They  maintain  a  high  place  in 
the  best  circles  in  Logansport  and  enjoy  the  esteem  and  friendship  of 
a  select  circle  which  %ndens  with  the  passing  years. 

John  D.  Beal,  now  living  retired  in  Logansport  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-six  yeai-s,  was  born  on  February  20,  1828,  in  Alsace- 
Loraine,  then  a  part  of  France,  but  now  a  province  of  Germany. 
In  the  old  country  the  family  name  was  De  Biehl,  but  after  the  removal 
to  America  the  name  was  simplified  and  Anglicized  into  its  pres- 
ent form.     John  De  Biehl  was  the  name  of  the  father  of  the  subject 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1181 

of  this  review,  and  his  career  was  a  notable  one.  He  was  one  of  the 
famous  soldiers  who  fought  under  Napoleon  at  the  battle  of  Austerlitz, 
participated  in  the  Russian  campaign  against  Moscow  and  in  its  disas- 
trous retreat,  and  was  with  Grouchy  at  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  He  was 
born  in  1787,  married  Elizabeth  Coler  who  was  born  in  1801,  and  in  the 
year  1830  emigrated  to  the  United  States.  For  the  ensuing  ten  years  he 
was  employed  in  a  distillery  at  New^  Lancaster,  Ohio,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1840  he  and  his  family  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  making  the 
journey  in  a  wagon,  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen.  The  first  winter  the  fam- 
ily lived  in  a  cabin  on  the  present  site  of  the  Heppe  Soap  Factory, 
and  the  following  spring  he  moved  into  a  log  house  on  a  farm  in  Wash- 
ington township,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  died 
in  1879,  and  his  wife  having  preceded  him  four  years. 

After  coming  to  Cass  county,  Mr.  Beal,  as  he  came  to  be  known  in 
this  country,  made  two  trips  back  to  his  old  home  in  Ohio  to  collect  sale 
notes,  both  trips  to  and  from  being  made  on  foot.  He  and  his  wife 
became  the  parents  of  five  children,  of  which  number  John  D.  Beal, 
whose  name  heads  this  review,  was  the  only  son,  and  is  the  sole  survivor 
of  the  five.  He  was  two  years  old  when  the  family  migrated  to  America, 
and  twelve  when  they  came  to  Cass  county  to  live.  His  early  years  were 
passed  in  attending  the  neighboring  schools  in  the  intervals  when  his 
services  were  not  in  requisition  in  the  work  of  the  home  farm,  in  which 
he  early  became  proficient,  his  knowledge  embracing  all  the  various 
branches  of  agricultural  life  incidental  to  making  a  farm  in  a  new 
country.  He  followed  farming  and  farm  life  until  1896,  when  he  moved 
to  Logansport,  where  the  evening  of  his  life  is  now  being  passed  in  quiet 
and  peace. 

On  October  29,  1859,  John  D.  Beal  married  Katherene  Long,  whose 
people  were  also  early  settlers  of  Cass  county,  and  to  them  were 
born  eight  children.  Three  of  that  number  died  in  infancy,  the  others 
being :  Joseph  A. ;  John  H. ;  Jeannette ;  William ;  and  J.  Adrian.  The 
mother  yet  lives,  at  a  ripe  old  age,  and  is  a  devout  member  of  the 
English  Lutheran  church. 

J.  Adrian  Beal,  the  youngest  of  the  children  of  John  D.  and  Kath- 
erene (Long)  Beal,  was  born  on  the  home  farm  in  Washington  town- 
ship, this  county,  on  December  12,  1869,  and  was  there  reared  to  man- 
hood. He  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  on  attaining  his 
majority  worked  two  .years  at  railroading,  and  the  next  two  years  at 
farming.  He  came  to  Logansport  in  1896,  and  from  then  until  1900  was 
deputy  county  surveyor.  He  was  then  elected  to  the  office  of  county 
surveyor,  and  was  re-elected  to  this  office  two  years  later.  The  succeed- 
ing two  years  he  was  employed  by  the  county  at  bridge  building  and 
road  work,  but  the  fall  of  1906  he  was  again  elected  county  surveyor. 

On  January  1,  1909,  Mr.  Beal  formed  a  partnership  with  Harry 
M.  Bell,  under  the  firm  name  of  Beal  and  Bell,  and  they  have  since 
been  engaged  in  the  work  of  engineering  and  contracting.  Between 
the  years  of  1906  and  1912  he  was  also  in  partnership  with  his  brother, 
William  V.,  under  the  name  of  Beal  Brothers  Coal  Company. 

Mr.  Beal  is  a  Democrat.  He  is  high  in  Masonic  circles,  being  a  mem- 
ber  of  its  various  bodies,  including  the  Knights  Templar,  the  Scottish 

Vol.  n— 3  0 


1182  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Rite  and  the  Shrine ;  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protec- 
tive Order  of  Elks  and  the  T.  P.  A. 

On  September  28,  1905,  Mr.  Beal  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Julia  B.  Grover,  daughter  of  General  John  B.  Grover,  a  veteran  of  both 
the  Mexican  and  Civil  wars.  Mrs.  Beal  is  also  a  granddaughter  of  the 
fii-st  mayor  of  Logansport. 

August  Grube.  The  A.  Grube  Company,  of  which  August  Grube 
is  the  leading  spirit,  was  established  in  Logansport  in  1910,  its  business 
being  the  handling  of  ladies'  and  childrens'  ready-to-wear  goods,  ex- 
clusively. The  firm  is  located  at  No.  427-29  Broadway.  Its  manager, 
Mr.  Grube  came  to  Logansport  from  Terre  Haute,  where  he  had  been 
employed  as  the  buyer  and  manager  of  the  ready-to-wear  department 
of  a  large  establishment  in  that  city,  and  he  readily  saw  the  splendid 
possibilities  for  such  a  concern  in  Logansport.  An  exclusive  garment 
shop,  catering  solely  to  the  Avants  of  women  and  children,  was  a  new 
departure  for  Logansport,  and  the  success  of  Mr.  Grube 's  venture  here 
has  been  most  gratifying.  The  corporation  was  here  organized  with  a 
capital  of  $5,000,  fully  paid,  in  which  Mr.  Grube  is  the  half  owner. 
The  first  year  the  young  concern  did  more  than  $60,000  in  business, 
largely  the  result  of  a  carefully  planned  advertising  campaign.  Since 
that  time  the  business  has  had  a  healthy  increase  annually,  and  the 
establishment  is  now  regarded  as  one  of  the  standard  business  houses 
of  the  city. 

August  Grube  was  born  in  Danville,  Illinois,  on  September  6,  1876, 
and  is  of  German  parentage.  He  was  taken  out  of  school  when  he  was 
eleven  years  old  and  since  that  time  has  made  his  own  way  in  the  world, 
with  a  success  which  is  well  worthy  of  the  name.  His  entire  life  has 
been  passed  in  mercantile  lines,  and  he  has  learned  the  business  from 
the  ground  up.  He  had  charge  of  the  silk  department  in  which  he  was 
employed  when  he  was  twenty  years  of  age,  and  is  conceded  to  be  one 
of  the  best  versed  men  in  his  line  of  business  to  be  found  anywhere  in 
the  country.  Mr.  Grube  maintains  his  home  in  Logansport,  and  his 
present  expectation  is  that  Logansport  will  be  his  home  for  many  years 
to  come. 

In  1896  he  married  Miss  Alice  Johnson,  of  Danville,  Illinois,  his 
native  town  as  well,  and  nine  children  have  been  born  to  them,  of  which 
number  eight  are  now  living. 

Bernard  A.  Kroeger,  senior  member  of  the  undertaking  firm  of 
Kroeger  &  Winquist,  in  which  business  he  has  been  long  and  success- 
fully engaged  in  Logansport,  was  born  at  Cloppenburg,  Germany,  on 
May  30,  1856,  and  is  a  son  of  Anthony  and  Elizabeth  (Hochhertz) 
Kroeger.  He  was  reared  to  man's  estate  in  his  native  country,  and 
until  he  was  seventeen  years  old  attended  the  parochial  schools.  In 
1873  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  German  government  in  the  post  office 
and  telegraph  department,  and  was  thus  engaged  until  he  was  twenty- 
two  years  of  age.  In  August,  1878,  Mr.  Kroeger  immigrated  to  the 
United  States,  and  for  one  year  succeeding  his  arrival  he  was  a  student 
at  St.  Francis'  Seminary,  at  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  where  he  bettered 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1183 

his  already  fair  education  and  made  rapid  strides  toward  the  mastery 
of  the  English  language. 

When  he  had  finished  his  schooling  in  ]\Iilwaukee,  Mr.  Kroeger 
located  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  where  he  secured  employment  as  book- 
keeper for  the  firms  of  W.  T.  S.  Manley  &  Sons,  undertakers,  and 
Manly  &  Smith,  furniture  manufacturers.  He  continued  thus  until 
1882  when  he  associated  himself  with  R.  AV.  Weaver,  who  had  succeeded 
]\Ianly  &  Son,  and  the  firni  of  AVeaver  &  Kroeger  was  then  established. 
In  1884,  Rodney  Strain  bought  out  the  interest  of  Mr.  Weaver  and  the 
firm  thereupon  became  Kroeger  &  Strain,  until  the  death  of  j\Ir.  Strain 
in  1910.  Subsecfuent  to  that  event,  the  firm  of  Kroeger  &  Winquist 
came  into  existence,  and  the  concern  today  occupies  a  leading  place 
among  the  stable  business  institiitions  of  Logansport.  The  continued 
connection  of  I\Ir.  Kroeger  with  the  firm  during  the  past  three  decades, 
despite  many  changes,  has  won  for  it  a  reputation  for  integrity  and  fair 
dealing  that  has  made  it  one  of  the  respected  business  houses  of  the  city. 

Although  of  foreign  birth,  Mr.  Kroeger  is  an  American  citizen  in  all 
that  the  term  implies.  He  is  one  of  the  progressive  and  enterprising 
men  of  this  city,  and  enjoys  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all  who  come 
in  contact  with  him  in  his  business  life. 

Mr.  Kroeger  is  a  Roman  Catholic  in  religion,  as  have  been  his  an- 
cestors for  many  generations.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Co- 
lumbus, the  Catholic  Benevolent  Legion,  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks,  and  his  politics  are  those  of  a  Democrat.  To  his  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Veronica  Hoffman,  of  Logansport,  on  October  2-5,  1887, 
six  children  have  been  born,  as  follows:  Bernard  A.,  Jr.;  Florence  J., 
married  Jos.  C.  Kienly  of  Logansport ;  Marie,  Edith,  George  and  Francis. 

Joseph  Martin  Elliott,  generally  known  in  Logansport  as  Mark 
Elliott,  was  born  on  the  old  Elliott  farm  in  Harrison  township, 
on  January  13,  1853,  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Martha  (Lin- 
coln) Elliott,  who  came  to  Cass  county  from  Tippecanoe  county, 
Indiana,  at  about  1850.  The  Elliott  family  is  of  Irish  extraction,  the 
father  of  the  subject  having  been  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1801,  the 
son  of  an  Irishman.  In  an  early  day  Joseph  Elliott  came  to  the 
north  and  settled  in  Drake  county,  Ohio,  where  occurred  his  marriage 
to  Martha  Lincoln,  the  mother  of  the  subject.  The  father  died  in  Har- 
rison township,  Cass  county,  in  1855,  his  widow  surviving  him  for 
some  years.  A  goodly  family  of  twelve  children  were  reared  by  them, 
and  of  this  number  Joseph  Martin  Elliott  was  the  youngest.  Five  of 
that  number  are  living  today.  After  the  death  of  her  husband,  Mrs. 
Elliott  married  one  Alexander  Elliott,  a  cousin  of  her  first  husband, 
and  one  child  was  born  to  them,  who  is  now  dead. 

"Mark"  Elliott  was  reared  on  the  old  home  place  in  Harrison 
township,  and  such  education  as  he  acquired  was  gained  through  the 
medium  of  the  district  school  of  the  neighborhood.  He  began  to  shift 
for  himself,  as  the  old  familiar  saying  goes,  when  he  was  sixteen  years 
old,  working  out  as  a  farm  hand,  and  when  he  was  seventeen  he  set 
about  learning  the  trade  of  a  horseshoer.  For  thirty-three  years  there- 
after he  followed  that  work  in  Logansport,  and  in  1904  he  embarked  in 
the  livery  business,  in  which  he  has  since  continued  with  pleasing  sue- 


1184  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

cess.  He  was  known  for  years  as  the  leading  blacksmith  of  the  city,  and 
had  a  reputation  for  honest  work  and  dependability  that  has  followed 
him  in  his  newer  venture. 

Mr.  Elliott  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  in  1896  was  the  nominee 
of  his  party  for  the  office  of  county  sheriff.  At  the  previous  election 
the  Democratic  state  ticket  had  a  majority  of  four  hundred  and  fifty- 
nine  votes,  but  in  this  election  Mr.  Elliott  met  defeat  by  but  seventy- 
eight  votes.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  in  the  Uniform  Rank,  and  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters. 

On  March  14,  1877,  Mr.  Elliott  married  Miss  Priscilla  Castel,  and 
to  them  four  children  have  been  born,  named  as  follows :  Blanche,  now 
the  wife  of  Dr.  John  Bradfield;  Harry  B.,  George  M.  and  Earl,  who 
died  in  infancy. 

John  S.  Smith,  M.  D.  For  thirty  years  Dr.  Smith  has  quietly  per- 
formed his  round  of  professional  services  and  duties  at  Galveston  and 
vicinity,  and  is  not  only  one  of  the  oldest,  but  one  of  the  most  highly 
esteemed  practitioners  in  Cass  county.  A  physician  cannot  live  and 
practice  his  calling  for  thirty  years  in  one  locality  without  possessing 
a  faithful  character  and  a  certain  high  ability  and  skill  in  his  profession 
which  have  contributed  to  make  the  splendid  type  of  family  physicians 
which  is  known  both  in  literature  and  in  actual  life. 

Dr.  John  S.  Smith  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Jefferson  county,  Indiana, 
March  24,  1855.  His  parents  were  James  and  Catherine  (Overturf) 
Smith.  The  mother  was  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Overturf,  who  was  a  farmer 
and  a  substantial  citizen  of  his  locality.  James  Smith,  the  father,  came 
from  Woodford  county,  Kentucky,  to  Indiana.  He  was  a  man  of 
versatile  accomplishments  and  for  twenty-five  years  during  his  residence 
in  Jefferson  county,  Indiana,  he  was  a  farmer,  school  teacher  and  sur- 
veyor. He  was  captain  of  Company  A,  Ninth  Indiana  Cavalry,  and 
was  the  first  man  to  chase  John  Morgan  when  he  was  on  his  raid  through 
Indiana.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  named  as 
follows:  Elizabeth  (I\rerrill)  ;  William,  who  married  Olive  O'Neil,  and 
is  now  deceased,  his  four  children  being:  Nora,  Luther,  Homer  and 
James;  Sylvanis  G. ;  Mary  E.  Hillis;  Dr.  John;  James  H. 

Dr.  John  S.  Smith  attended  the  common  schools  of  Jefferson  county, 
Indiana,  and  during  his  early  youth  worked  on  the  farm,  and  became 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  industrioiis  life  of  the  Indiana  agricul- 
turist. He  took  up  the  reading  of  medicine  under  Dr.  S.  B.  Lewis,  who 
had  been  an  army  surgeon  and  continued  his  education  in  the  Ohio 
Medical  College,  where  he  was  graduated  in  March,  1882.  Since  that 
time  he  has  been  engaged  in  practice  at  Galveston,  and  has  built  up  a 
large  patronage,  a  great  many  people  refusing  to  depend  upon  any 
other  professional  service  in  time  of  sickness  than  that  of  Dr.  Smith. 

On  December  27,  1885,  he  married  Miss  Anna  E.  Jump.  They  are 
the  parents  of  three  children,  now  deceased,  their  names  having  been 
Chauncey,  Lillian  and  Ernest.  Fraternally  the  doctor  is  a  member  of 
Masonic  Order,  both  York  and  Scottish  Rite  degrees ;  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men ;  of  the  Eagles,  and  Sons  of  Veterans.  He  has  served 
on  the  pension  board  and  as  township  supervisor,  and  in  various  ways 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1185 

has  given  his  services  in  public  affairs  as  well  as  in  the  circle  of  people 
who  are  among  his  patients,  and  who  esteem  him  for  his  professional 
ability  and  as  a  citizen  and  man. 

John  W.  Kistler  has  occupied  a  leading  place  in  the  business  activi- 
ties of  Royal  Center,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  for  many  years.  He  is  a 
native  son  of  the  county,  born  in  Boone  township,  on  October  8,  1862, 
and  is  a  son  of  Amos  and  Anna  E.  (Schlegelmilch)  Kistler. 

Amos  Kistler  was  born  in  Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  and  came  to  In- 
diana as  a  boy,  while  his  wife  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  of 
German  ancestry,  her  father  having  been  born  in  Germany,  coming 
to  the  United  States  in  his  youth.  When  Amos  Kistler  settled  in  In- 
diana his  first  position  was  with  a  corps  of  engineers  who  were  engaged 
in  the  survey  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  through  Royal  Center.  In 
later  years  the  young  man  located  permanently  in  the  village,  which 
he  continued  to  make  his  residence  until  death  claimed  him  in  1909. 
He  was  a  man  of  many  excellent  qualities,  and  an  upright  and  hon- 
orable citizen  of  Cass  county.  Ten  children  were  born  to  Amos  and 
Anna  Kistler,  of  which  number  eight  are  now  living.  They  are :  Martha, 
who  married  D.  B.  Artrum ;  George  L.,  a  resident  of  English  Lake,  In- 
diana; John  W.,  the  sub.ject  of  this  review;  Lena  C,  the  wife  of  J.  M. 
Verman;  Cara  D.,  who  married  Thomas  J.  Kistler;  Laura,  the  wife  of 
JVI.  E.  Fisher,  of  Florida ;  August  C,  unmarried  and  a  resident  of  War- 
saw, Indiana;  Mabel,  the  wife  of  John  A  Hardesty;  Effie  and  Jennie 
are  deceased. 

John  W.  Kistler  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  west  of  Royal  Center, 
and  in  the  schools  of  the  village  received  his  early  education.  He  began 
farming  early  in  life,  at  first  on  the  home  place  and  later  on  his  own 
responsibility,  his  marriage  in  1884  being  the  occasion  for  his  launching 
out  in  independent  agricultural  activities.  His  wife,  who  was  Miss 
Sarah  E.  Holmes,  was  born  in  Boone  township  on  ]\Iay  30,  1862,  and 
there  reared  and  educated.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Jackson  and  Mary 
(Corbet)  Holmes,  old  residents  of  Boone  township.  The  marriage  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kistler  was  celebrated  on  November  16,  1884,  and  one 
son  has  been  born  to  them — Elden  J.,  who  was  reared  in  his  native 
community  and  finished  his  education  in  the  Marion  Normal  School, 
and  is  now  a  member  of  the  firm  of  John  W.  Kistler  &  Son.  He  mar- 
ried Catheryn  Anderson  and  they  are  the  parents  of  two  children, — Eliza 
A.,  born  in  1909  and  May  R.,  born  in  1912. 

Mrs.  Kistler  is  a  devout  member  of  the  Baptist  church  and  a  faithful 
worker  in  the  various  departments  of  its  activities.  Mr.  Kistler  is  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  also  F.  &  A.  M.  He  is  a  Re- 
publican and  has  held  several  township  offices  of  more  or  less  respon- 
sibility and  is  now  a  member  of  the  village  council.  He  is  a  man  of  the 
highest  integrity  and  honor  and  occupies  a  worthy  place  in  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens  in  and  about  Royal  Center. 

Braden  F.  Harper.  On  the  line  of  Cass  and  Carroll  counties,  in 
Clinton  township,  is  located  the  beautiful  country  home  of  Braden  F. 


1186  HISTOEY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Harper,  a  citizen  whose  activities  have  had  a  distinct  bearing  upon  the 
development  of  his  section.  The  work  he  has  done  and  the  success  he 
has  gained  may  be  taken  as  examples  of  what  has  been  accomplished  by 
men  of  his  character,  the  sturdy  agricultural  citizenship  that  Cass  county 
owes  its  prestige  to.  Mr.  Harper  is  a  native  of  the  Old  Dominion  State, 
born  in  Loudoun  county,  Virginia,  October  31,  1857,  a  son  of  Jonathan 
and  Mary  J.  (Woodard)  Harper.  On  his  paternal  side  he  is  descended 
from  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  on  his  maternal  side  from  residents  of 
England,  although  his  parents  were  born,  reared  and  married  in  Vir- 
ginia. Jonathan  and  Mary  J.  Harper  came  to  Cass  county,  Indiana,  in 
1871,  after  a  short  stay  in  Fulton  county,  and  here  spent  the  remainder 
of  their  lives,  honest.  God-fearing  people  who  well  merited  the  high 
esteem  in  which  they  were  universally  held.  They  were  the  parents  of 
eleven  children,  of  whom  four  are  now  living:  James  W.,  a  farmer  of 
Carroll  county,  Indiana ;  Nancy  J.,  the  widow  of  Benjamin  Bear,  now 
living  in  Logansport ;  Robert  R.,  who  resides  in  Carroll  county ;  and 
Braden  F. 

Braden  F.  Harper  was  fourteen  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  Cass 
county,  and  here  completed  the  education  he  had  commenced  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  state.  Like  other  farmers'  sous  of  his  day  and 
locality,  he  divided  his  boyhood  and  youth  between  the  district  schools 
and  the  work  of  the  home  farm,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  had 
completed  his  education,  and  then  turned  his  attention  to  agricultural 
pursuits.  He  continued  to  work  for  his  father  until  he  attained  his 
majority,  when  he  began  working  by  the  day,  and  when  twenty-four 
years  of  age  was  married.  He  carried  on  farming  operations  for  J.  M. 
Justice  for  six  years  and  for  William  Walker  five  years,  and  during  this 
time,  by  careful  management  saved  enough  to  invest  in  his  present 
farm,  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  which  was  then  covered  with  heavy  timber. 
On  this  he  built  a  hewed  log  house,  16x24  feet,  in  which  the  young 
couple  settled  down  to  housekeeping,  while  j\Ir.  Harper  started  to  clear 
the  land,  a  task  that  took  years  of  steady,  persistent  labor.  During  the 
years  that  followed,  ]\Ir.  Harper  encountered  all  the  obstacles  that  are 
incident  to  the  development  of  virgin  soil,  but  his  labors  have  borne 
fruit,  and  he  may  now  point  with  a  pardonable  degree  of  pride  to  one 
of  the  finest  farms  of  its  size  in  Clinton  township.  The  little  log  cabin 
home  has  been  replaced  by  a  modern  residence,  barns  and  outbuildings 
of  appropriate  size  and  substantial  character  have  been  erected,  and  the 
land  is  now  worth  $200  an  acre.  He  is  known  as  one  of  his  township's 
substantial  citizens,  an  excellent  farmer,  and  an  acknowledged  judge 
of  standard-bred  stock  and  high-grade  horses,  his  specialty  being  the 
draft. 

On  February  17,  1881,  IVIr.  Harper  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Melissa  Dale,  of  Carroll  county,  Indiana,  and  they  have  had  four 
children:  June  M. ;  Estella:  Clara  B.,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Ross 
Cree;  and  Julia  F.  The  familj^  is  identified  with  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  at  Clymers,  and  Mr.  Harper's  fraternal  connection  is  with 
Burrows  Lodge  No.  485,  I.  0.  0.  F.  With  other  men  of  advanced 
ideas,  in  1912  he  allied  himself  with  the  Progressive  party,  and  its 
principles  have  since  received  his  hearty  support. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY      .  1187 

Albert  R.  Beckley,  president  of  the  Citizens'  State  Savings  Bank, 
farmer  and  stock  buyer  of  Royal  Center,  is  one  of  tlie  more  prosperous 
and  widely  known  farming  men  of  the  township.  He  is  a  native  of 
Cass  county,  born  in  Boone  township,  on  October  25,  1862,  and  is  the 
son  of  George  Ward  and  Margaret  (Walters)  Beckley. 

George  Beckley  was  also  a  native  of  Boone  township,  this  county, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  children  born  in  this  section  of  the  country.  He 
was  the  son  of  David  and  Lucinda  (Wooley)  Beckley,  natives  of  Penn- 
sylvania, who  came  from  the  old  Keystone  state  to  Ohio  and  settled  at 
Caldonia.  There  David  Beckley  was  engaged  in  wagon  making,  which 
was  the  trade  he  had  learned  in  his  youth,  but  they  only  remained  in 
Ohio  a  comparatively  short  time,  coming  on  to  Indiana,  where  the  head 
of  the  family  took  up  a  claim,  his  land  being  that  which  is  occupied  by 
Royal  Center  today.  At  one  time  this  pioneer  settler  owned  about  half 
a  section  of  rich  Indiana  land.  Here  George  W.  Beckley  was  born  and 
reared,  and  when  he  had  reached  young  manliood  he  taught  school  for 
some  time  during  the  winter  seasons,  and  farmed  in  summer.  It  was 
while  he  was  teaching  school  that  he  married  Margaret  Walters.  She 
was  born  in  Virginia  and  came  to  Indiana  with  her  parents,  who  were  of 
German  and  Irish  descent.  Eventually  George  Beckley  bought  a  farm 
and  settled  upon  it,  there  making  his  home  until  the  end  of  his  days,  his 
death  occurring  in  1912.  The  wife  and  mother  yet  lives,  and  makes  her 
home  with  her  son,  Albert  R.,  in  Royal  Center.  To  these  parents  were 
born  five  children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living.  They  are :  Albert  R., 
the  subject  of  this  review;  Ira  B.,  also  of  Royal  Center;  Edward  L.,  liv- 
ing in  Boone  township;  Anna  E.,  the  wife  of  R.  C.  Roach,  of  Waterville, 
Ohio ;  George  W.,  Jr.,  living  in  San  Diego,  California,  where  he  has 
property  interests.  , 

Up  to  the  time  of  his  marriage  Albert  R.  Beckley  lived  in  his  par- 
ents' home  and  shared  in  the  work  of  the  farm.  He  received  a  common 
school  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  community,  but  beyond  that 
his  educational  privileges  did  not  extend.  On  November  23,  1888,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Dollie  Woods,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Martha  J.  Woods,  people  of  Indiana  birth,  and  to  them  one  child  has 
been  born :  Dottie  L.,  now  the  wife  of  C.  G.  Beach,  of  Fargo,  North 
Dakota. 

Mr.  Beckley  is  busily  occupied  with  the  care  of  his  fine  farm  of  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  and  with  his  other  interests  in  Royal  Center. 
His  politics  are  those  of  the  Prohibition  party,  and  he  is  a  member  of 
various  fraternal  orders,  among  which  are  the  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Lodge 
No.  585  at  Royal  Center;  the  Knights  of  Pythias;  the  order  of  the 
Eastern  Star,  and  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees.  He  and  his  wife  enjoy 
the  good  will  and  confidence  of  a  large  number  of  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances who  have  known  them  with  more  or  less  of  intimacy  for  many 
years. 

William  C.  Thomas.  Practically  the  whole  of  the  active  business 
career  of  William  C.  Thomas  has  been  devoted  to  financial  affairs,  and 
no  man  in  Cass  county  has  been  more  prominently  identified  with  the 
leading  banking  concerns  of  the  county  than  has  he.  Mr.  Thomas  is  a 
native  of  the  state  of  Indiana,  born  at  Royal  Center,  on  the  20th  day  of 


1188  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

February,  1863,  and  is  one  of  the  four  children  of  his  parents,  James 
and  Elizabeth  (Little)  Thomas. 

Dr.  James  Thomas  was  one  of  the  pioneer  physicians  and  surgeons 
of  Cass  county,  and  to  this  honored  gentleman  a  sketch  is  dedicated  on 
other  pages  of  this  work,  so  that  further  detail  concerning  him  and 
his  family  history  is  not  necessary  at  this  juncture. 

William  C.  Thomas  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Royal  Centre,  and  his 
preliminary  educational  training  was  secured  in  the  public  schools  of 
that  place.  In  1883  he  entered  Wabash  College  from  which  he  was  grad- 
uated in  1887  with  the  degree  of  B.  S.,  and  following  his  graduation  he 
was  occupied  for  a  year  in  the  settling  of  his  father's  estate.  In  1889, 
private  matters  having  been  disposed  of,  he  found  himself  free  to  engage 
in  business  enterprise,  and  he  helped  to  organize  the  Royal  Center 
bank,  of  which  the  late  D.  P.  Baldwin  was  president,  and  Mr.  Thomas 
was  cashier.  In  1891  Ernest  B.  Thomas,  a  brother  of  William  C,  bought 
out  the  interest  of  Mr.  Baldwin,  upon  which  he  became  cashier  and 
Mr.  William  Thomas  was  elevated  to  the  position  of  president.  The 
bank  continued  as  a  private  institution  until  1902,  when  it  was  incor- 
porated as  the  Royal  Center  State  Bank,  and  Mr.  Thomas  has  con- 
tinued in  the  presidency,  with  his  brother  Ernest  as  cashier  up  to  the 
present  time.  The  Royal  Center  State  Bank  is  today  the  second  oldest 
bank  in  Cass  county,  and  has  a  splendid  reputation  for  stability  and 
clean,  wholesome  methods  of  operation.  In  August,  1907,  Mr.  Thomas 
organized  the  vState  Bank  of  Burnettsville,  and  he  is  and  has  been  its 
only  president  thus  far.  This  bank  also  is  one  of  the  growing  and 
solid  fiscal  institutions  of  the  county,  its  management  being  on  a  par 
with  that  of  the  Royal  Center  State  Bank. 

In  1893  Mr.  Thomas  moved  to  Logansporf  and  assisted  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Logansport  State  Bank,  of  which  he  became  the  cashier, 
and  in  which  capacity  he  served  continuously  for  some  fifteen  years. 
He  resigned  the  position  owing  to  a  state  of  ill  health,  and  for  two  years 
did  practically  no  business,  except  that  which  absolute  necessity  forced 
him  to  attend  to.  On  February  23,  1911,  Mr.  Thomas  was  appointed 
state  bank  examiner,  his  territory  comprising  fifteen  counties  in  North- 
east Indiana,  and  covering  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  banks  and 
trust  companies. 

Mr.  Thomas  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  faith,  but  has  never  been 
an  aspirant  for  official  preferment  or  favor.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Sigma  Chi  college  fraternityl  and  the  Indiana  Democratic  Club  at 
Indianapolis. 

In  1889  Mr.  Thomas  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nettie  Min- 
Ihorn  of  Royal  Center,  who  died  in  1901,  leaving  three  children :  Wal- 
ter, Paul  and  William.  In  1903  Mr.  Thomas  married  IMiss  Estelle 
Keiser,  of  Indianapolis.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
and  enjoys  the  friendship  of  a  wide  circle  of  the  best  people  of  Logans- 
port,  as  does  also  her  husband. 

Beaufort  Banta  is  undeniably  one  of  the  most  successful  farming 
men  in  Jeiferson  township,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in  agriculture  and 
horticulture  since  1892,  but  not  continuously  on  present  farm.  He  has 
a  fine  place  of  one  hundred  acres,  and  there  engages  in  general  farming 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1189 

and  stock  raising,  giving  a  generous  bit  of  time  to  fruit  culture,  liis 
orchard  of  more  than  three  hundred  trees  being  one  of  tlie  features  of 
his  well  kept  and  productive  farm. 

Mr.  Banta  was  born  in  Cass  county  in  1866,  and  is  the  son  of  John 
and  Sarah  Banta.  In  his  childhood  he  suffered  the  loss  of  his  hearing  as 
the  result  of  brain  fever  when  he  was  but  five  years  of  age,  and  his  wife, 
whom  he  married  in  1891,  suffered  a  like  misfortune  when  eight  years 
old,  through  an  attack  of  measles  to  which  she  was  subject  at  that 
age.  She  was  Addie  M.  Hayden,  a  native  of  Elkhart  county,  Indiana, 
and  her  marriage  with  Mr.  Banta  has  been  blessed  with  four  children, 
all  of  whom  have  perfect  hearing.  Neither  Mr.  nor  Mrs.  Banta  experi- 
enced any  detriment  to  their  vocal  organs  in  the  illnesses  which  robbed 
them  of  their  sense  of  hearing. 

Since  his  marriage  Mr.  Banta  has  been  devoted  to  farm  life,  and  his 
success  has  been  one  that  is  well  worthy  of  the  name,  and  places  him 
well  up  in  the  ranks  of  the  prominent  farming  men  of  his  township. 
Mr.  Banta  is  a  Republican,  or  has  been  all  his  life,  until  in  the  election 
of  1912  when  he  voted  the  Progressive  ticket. 

Mr.  Banta  and  his  wife  were  educated  in  the  schools  of  Indianapolis, 
Mrs.  Banta  being  a  graduate.  Mrs.  Banta  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal 
church  and  holds  her  membership  in  Indianapolis.  As  previously  men- 
tioned, they  have  four  children,  their  names  and  the  dates  of  their  birth 
being  as  follows:  Robert,  born  September  25,  1894;  Lorena,  born 
October  28,  1896;  Bertha,  born  on  July  27,  1903;  and  Thelma,  whose 
natal  day  was  September  16,  1906. 

The  farm  home  of  the  family  is  in  Section  16,  some  ten  miles  distant 
from  Logansport,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  places  in  the  township.  Mr. 
Banta  has  some  fine  stock  on  his  place,  and  gives  careful  attention  to 
matters  of  breeding  and  selection,  his  success  being  of  a  most  pleasing 
nature.  His  fruitful  fields,  his  productive  flocks  and  his  fine  orchard  of 
more  than  three  hundred  bearing  trees,  all  unite  to  further  his  pros- 
perity and  give  him  place  among  the  leading  agriculturists  in  the  town- 
ship, and  the  family  is  one  which  holds  secure  position  in  popular  esteem. 

Walter  Ervin  Ballard.  The  advent  of  the  automobile  has  created 
a  profession  altogether  imknown  only  several  decades  ago.  Its  members 
have  not  learned  their  art  in  school  or  from  books,  but  in  the  workshop, 
in  daily  contact  with  the  work  they  have  had  to  do.  They  have  had 
no  precedents  to  guide  them,  but  have  worked  out  the  problem  which 
their  employment  brought  in  the  school  of  experience.  In  this  school 
was  educated  Walter  Ervin  Ballard,  of  Walton,  proprietor  of  the 
only  automobile  garage  in  Cass  county  outside  of  the  city  of  Logans- 
port.  A  machinist  by  trade,  he  early  recognized  the  growing-  importance 
of  the  automobile,  and  had  the  courage  to  attach  himself  to  this  new  vo- 
cation, and  the  ability  to  make  a  success  of  his  operations.  Although 
still  a  young  man,  he  has  attained  a  degree  of  success  that  places  him 
with  the  substantial  business  men  of  his  locality,  where  he  has  forced 
his  abilities  to  be  recognized.  Mr.  Ballard  was  born  April  23,  1883,  in 
Walton,  Indiana,  and  is  a  son  of  N.  A.  and  Luella  (Noel)  Ballard.  His 
father,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  was  born  in  South  Carolina,  and  came 
to  Cass  county  when  still  a  lad,  his  education  being  completed  in  the 


1190  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

public  schools  of  Walton.  He  and  liis  wife  were  the  parents  of  three 
children,  namely :  Walter  Ervin ;  Leorus ;  and  Hazel,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Ernest  Neblung,  and  has  had  one  child — Noel. 

Walter  Ervin  Ballard  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools, 
and  was  brought  up  on  the  home  farm,  but  early  gave  evidence  of  me- 
chanical ability  that  presaged  success  in  other  fields  than  that  of  agri- 
culture. With  commendable  foresight  he  developed  this  inclination, 
accepting  whatever  honorable  employment  he  could  find  in  the  machine 
shops  of  Kokomo  until  he  was  able  to  enter  business  on  his  own  account, 
when  he  started  to  work  as  a  machinist.  After  about  two  years,  how- 
ever, he  opened  a  garage,  which,  as  before  stated,  is  the  only  one  in 
Cass  county,  outside  of  Logansport.  He  has  attended  strictly  to  busi- 
ness, and  the  result  has  been  the  development  of  an  excellent  business 
and  the  gaining  of  a  position  of  independence.  He  is  known  to  be 
thoroughly  reliable,  a  master  of  his  trade  and  conversant  with  all  its 
details,  and  as  a  man  who  has  won  confidence  and  public  esteem  by  the 
honorable  manner  in  which  he  has  conducted  his  operations.  He  has 
been  too  busily  engaged  in  his  business  to  give  much  thought  to  public 
matters,  but  can  be  relied  upon  to  assist  in  any  way  when  progressive 
movements  are  inaugurated. 

On  January  28,  1911,  Mf.  Ballard  was  united  in -marriage  with  Miss 
Josephine  Sullivan,  of  Keene,  New  Hampshire,  and  to  this  union  there 
has  been  born  one  son  and  daughter,  Nerious  Daniel  and  Mary  Alice. 
Mr.  Ballard  is  a  consistent  member  of  the  Universalist  church.  INlrs. 
Ballard  is  a  Roman  Catholic. 

William  C.  Routh  was  born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  on  March  31, 
1854,  and  is  one  of  a  family  of  four  children  born  to  William  Isaac  and 
Emily  (Cook)  Routh.  Of  these  children  two  are  living  today.  The 
parents  were  natives  of  England,  where  the  father  was  reared,  and 
there  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  tanner.  He  came  to  America  when  a 
young  man  and  in  the  thirties  established  a  bakery  on  Fourth  street 
in  Logansport,  Indiana,  in  conjunction  with  John  Cook,  also  a  native 
of  England,  and  who  afterwards  became  his  father-in-law.  The  bakery 
thus  established  was  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  first,  to  be  opened  in 
Logansport,  which  was  at  that  early  date  scarcely  more  than  a  trading 
post.  In  time  Mr.  Routh  sold  his  interest  in  the  shop  and  started  up  in 
tavern  keeping  about  two  squares  east  of  the  Sackett's  bridge.  At  that 
time  the  only  possible  means  by  which  the  point  might  be  reached  was 
by  ferrying  across  the  Wabash  river.  ]\Ir.  Routh  finally  gave  up  his 
inn-keeping  venture  and  engaged  in  the  buying-  and  butchering  of  beef 
and  in  the  sale  of  the  product.  In  1853,  or  thereabouts,  he  moved  to  a 
farm  which  he  had  purchased,  located  some  two  miles  east  of  the  city,  in 
Washington  township,  and  there  he  made  his  home  for  about  sixteen 
years.  His  next  move  took  him  back  to  Logansport,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1871  he  started  a  meat  market  on  Twelfth  street,  near  Spear  street.  He 
continued  to  do  business  at  that  stand  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1877. 

Mr.  Routh  was  a  man  of  conservative  habits,  inclined  to  be  averse 
to  branching  out  aggressively  in  business,  but  it  was  characteristic  of  the 
man  that  when  he  once  embarked  on  a  mission  or  venture,  he  clung 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1191 

tenaciously  to  the  plans  on  which  he  had  originally  settled,  admitting  of 
no  difficixlties  in  the  carrying  out  of  his  design.  The  establishing  of  the 
meat  market  business  on  Twelfth  street  was  the  real  beginning  of  what 
has  become  the  pork  packing  industry  of  William  C.  Routh  &  Company. 

William  C.  Routh  has  always  made  his  home  in  Logansport.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools,  and  when  old  enough,  began  to  assist 
his  father  in  his  various  business  undertakings,  after  the  death  of  whom 
the  son  continued  the  retail  meat  market  business.  In  about  1879  jMr. 
Routh  arranged  for  more  suitable  accommodations  for  the  business  at 
No.  503-5  Twelfth  street,  and  here,  in  connection  with  his  retail  business, 
he  began  the  business  of  packing  in  a  small  way.  This  little  venture  was 
the  entering  wedge  of  the  real  packing  industry  which  has  since  been 
evolved  from  that  modest  beginning.  From  the  start,  the  industry  grew 
apace,  and  while  it  was  originally  confined  to  winter  packing,  after  tive 
years,  Mr.  Routh  built  a  refrigerating  plant,  which  enabled  him  to  con- 
tinue the  year  around.  In  1889  his  refrigerator  plant  and  another  of 
the  principal  buildings  were  destroyed  by  fire.  He  immediately  rebuilt 
on  the  south  side  of  the  city  and  continued  there  until  1898,  when  he 
erected  the  buildings  at  his  present  location,  his  actual  outlay  at  that 
time  amounting  to  approximately  $30,000.  Since  that  time  ]\Ir.  Routh 
has  added  other  buildings  and  machinery  to  the  extent  of  about  $70,000. 
The  present  capacity  of  the  plant  is  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  three 
hundred  hogs  per  day,  and  the  plant  is  run  at  its  capacity.  The  main 
building  has  a  floor  space  of  13,225  square  feet,  and  the  entire  basement 
and  about  one-half  of  the  first  floor  space  is  used  for  refrigeration  pur- 
poses. The  second  floor  is  used  for  refrigeration  and  sausage  room,  and 
the  firm  gives  employment  to  about  eighty  people.  The  firm  of  William 
C.  Routh  &  Company  was  incorporated  in  January,  1905,  with  a  capi- 
talization of  $110,000,  and  in  December,  1908,  the  capital  was  increased 
to  $200,000.  The  first  officers  of  the  firm  were :  William  C.  Routh,  presi- 
dent ;  Lilliam  W.  Chase,  secretary ;  and  W.  A.  Routh,  treasurer.  The 
present  officers  are :  William  C.  Routh,  president ;  A.  C.  Routh,  vice- 
president;  Albert  Cassube,  secretary,  and  W.  A.  Routh,  treasurer.  The 
aggregate  business  done  by  the  firm  in  the  year  1912  was  about 
$1,000,000. 

Mr.  Routh  is  a  Republican,  and  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

On  October  24,  1877,  Mr.  Routh  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Sarah  Taylor,  and  to  this  union  seven  children  have  been  born,  as  fol- 
lows :  Edwin  Wallace ;  Etta,  now  Mrs.  Charles  S.  Tucker ;  Almon  C. ; 
William  Arthur ;  Emily  Cordelia,  the  wife  of  Guy  Manaugh ;  John  H. 
and  Harry  B.  Of  the  sons,  Almon  C,  William  Arthur  and  John  H. 
are  associated  with  their  father  in  the  business,  and  are  accounted 
among  the  most  progressive  among  the  younger  business  men  of  the 
city. 

William  H.  Walter.  William  H.  Walter  is  one  of  the  well  known 
builders  and  contractors  of  Cass  county,  and  is  located  in  Royal  Cen- 
ter, where  he  has  carried  on  his  work  since  1880.  IMuch  of  the  principal 
building  work  of  this  place  has  passed  through  his  hands,  as  well  as  that 
of  other  towns  in  the  vicinity.     He  is  a  native  of  the  county,  born  in 


1192  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Harrison  township,  on  the  17th  of  January,  1861,  and  is  the  son  of 
Jesse  and  Margaret  (Caloway)  Walter.  The  father  was  born  in  Ohio, 
while  the  mother  was  a  native  of  the  state  of  Delaware.  They  met  and 
married  in  Indiana,  both  having  located  in  Cass  county,  and  there  they 
passed  the  remainder  of  their  days,  the  father  having  passed  away  in 
1905  and  the  mother  in  1877. 

William  H.  Walter  was  the  tifth  born  of  the  twelve  children  who 
came  to  his  parents.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  of  his  father  and  was 
educated  primarily  in  the  district  schools,  later  attending  the  high 
school  of  Logansport,  Indiana,  and  finishing  the  curriculum  of  that 
school.  Locating  in  Royal  Center  in  1888,  since  which  time  he  has 
devoted  himself  to  the  contracting  and  building  business. 

Since  Mr.  Walter  has  been  identified  with  the  building  activities  of 
this  community,  he  has  reared  many  of  the  principal  buildings  that  grace 
the  town  today,  and  he  may  be  said  to  have  experienced  a  most  gratify- 
ing success  in  his  work. 

On  November  22,  1888,  Mr.  Walter  was  united  in  marriage  mth 
Miss  Cordelia  A.  Kistler,  a  daughter  of  Jonas  and  Amy  Kistler,  and  a 
sister  of  Thomas  J.  Kistler,  Sr.,  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  finest  and 
most  highly  esteemed  old  families  in  Cass  county.  She  was  born  and 
reared  in  Boone  township  and  received  her  education  in  the  public 
schools.  Five  children  have  been  born  to  them :  Durword  G.,  who  is 
married  to  Etha  Chapman;  Edna  F.,  the  wife  of  Bruce  Chapman; 
J.  William,  seven  years  of  age;  Oliver  E.,  four  years  old,  and  Ned  R., 
now  at  the  age  of  one  year.  The  family  are  members  of  the  First 
Christian  church  at  Royal  Center,  and  Mr.  Walter  is  a  member  of  Royal 
Center  Lodge  No.  585,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  and  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows.  He  is  also  a  valued  member  of  the  Royal  Center  Commer- 
cial Club,  in  which  he  takes  an  active  part.  He  is  Progressive  in  his 
politics,  and  bears  his  full  share  of  the  burden  of  civic  responsibility 
as  do  all  open-minded  and  generously  disposed  citizens. 

Peter  Michael.  One  of  the  pioneers  of  Cass  county,  who  did  a 
Avorthy  part  in  the  development  of  the  material  resources  of  the  county, 
and  who  established  his  family  now  well  known  in  this  and  other  sec- 
tions of  the  middle  west,  was  Peter  Michael,  who  for  nearly  sixty  years 
was  a  resident  of  Harrison  township,  and  who  during  his  life  there  wit- 
nessed practically  every  phase  of  development  from  the  clearing  of  the 
original  wilderness  down  to  the  time  of  railroads  and  electric  facilities. 

Peter  ]Michael  who  was  of  mingled  German  and  Scotch  ancestors,  was 
born  in  Virginia,  but  now  West  Virginia,  January  15,  1811.  His  death 
occurred  March  5,  1893.  His  father  was  a  farmer  in  Morgan  county, 
West  Virginia,  and  the  family  belonged  to  that  sterling  class  of  Scotch- 
Irish  people  who  gave  character  to  the  entire  life  of  mountain  district  of 
Virginia,  and  other  middle  eastern  states.  The  other  children  in  the 
family,  brothers  and  sisters  of  Peter  were :  Samuel,  Andrew,  and  Wil- 
liam, and  Mrs.  Harriet  Burk,  Mrs.  Martha  Caw,  and  Mrs.  Nellie  Bruner. 
Peter  Michael  was  reared  in  West  Virginia,  had  the  education  of  the  old 
field  schools,  was  trained  to  habits  of  industry  and  to  the  strict  religious 
life  that  prevailed  in  that  section  of  the  country  during  the  early  part  of 
the  nineteenth  century.    In  the  fall  of  1835  he  accomplished  the  journey 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1193 

westward  by  river  and  canal  and  wagon  road  to  Cass  county,  Indiana, 
settling  in  Harrison  township  on  the  farm,  which  continued  to  be  his 
home  until  his  death,  nearly  sixty  years  later.  He  was  a  farmer,  was  a 
man  of  thrift  and  good  management,  and  provided  well  for  his  large 
family,  and  his  later  years  were  spent  in  comfortable  circumstances.  He 
was  a  Democrat  in  politics  until  the  Civil  war,  and  after  that  a  Republi- 
can. He  served  as  a  trustee  of  his  township,  and  was  always  held  in  the 
highest  esteem  in  his  community.  In  religion  he  was  non-sectarian 
with  a  preference  for  the  Episcopal  church. 

Peter  Michael  married  Christina  Frushour,  daughter  of  Solomon 
Frushour,  a  farmer  of  West  Virginia.  She  was  born  in  West  Virginia, 
and  their  marriage  occurred  April  17,  1834.  They  were  married  tifty- 
nine  years.  Mrs.  Peter  Michael  died  December  22,  1907.  The  children 
of  Peter  Michael  and  wife  with  dates  of  birth,  and  present  residence  are 
as  follows :  William  Uriah,  born  in  Ohio,  January  31,  1835,  and  now  a 
resident  of  Harrison  township  ;  Susan  Winn,  born  April  5,  1837,  and  died 
April  12,  1893 ;  Albert  P.,  born  July  27,  1838,  and  a  resident  of  Logans- 
port  ;  Harriet  Beard,  born  December  25,  1839,  living  in  Chillicothe,  Mis- 
souri; Ellen  McKee,  born  July  25,  1841,  and  living  at  Kahoka,  Missouri; 
Mary  Thomas,  born  March  18,  1843,  living  at  LaFountaine,  Indiana; 
George  W.,  born  March  14,  1845,  living  in  Campbell,  Missouri ;  Lydia  J., 
born  November  4,  1846,  died  June  11,  1855;  Celia  E.,  born  October  1, 
1848,  died  October  8,  1848 ;  Samuel  A.,  born  December  25,  1849,  a  resi- 
dent of  Logansport ;  Martha  Curl,  born  October  3,  1851,  living  at  Bloom- 
field,  Iowa;  Margaret  A.,  born  June  1,  1853,  died  September  1,  1853; 
Emily  Puterbaugh,  born  October  5,  1855.  All  the  children  were  born  in 
Harrison  township  of  Cass  county,  except  the  first. 

Dr.  Geokge  M.  Jerolaman.  Among  the  doctors  of  the  old  time 
there  were  men  of  rare  human  greatness — strong  but  tender,  brusque 
but  true,  with  a  devotion  to  duty  that  bestead  them  through  all  storms 
and  stress.  The  past  generation  knew  such  men  in  Cass  county,  and 
among  them  esteemed  none  more  highly  both  for  his  professional  and 
for  his  vigorous  citizenship  and  personal  character  than  Dr.  George  M. 
Jerolaman,  who  was  not  only  one  of  the  very  first  physicians  in  Northern 
Indiana,  but  also  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Logansport. 

George  M.  Jerolaman  was  born  in  Bedminster  township  of  New 
Jersey,  May  10,  1811,  and  was  a  son  of  Nicholas  and  Elizabeth  (Jessup) 
Jerolaman,  the  mother  being  a  French  girl.  The  father  spent  practically 
all  his  career  in  New  York  City,  and  finally  retired  and  died  at  Neshanic, 
New  Jersey.  Besides  Doctor  Jerolaman  there  were  five  sons  and  three 
daughters,  none  of  whom  ever  came  west  to  live. 

Dr.  George  M.  Jerolaman  was  reared  in  the  east,  and  is  a  student  of 
Union  College  of  Schenectady,  New  York.  While  he  was  gi-owing  to 
manhood  there  were  few  regular  medical  schools  in  the  county,  and  the 
majority  of  medical  students  pursued  their  studies  under  the  direction 
of  a  preceptor.  Doctor  Jerolaman  studied  medicine  under  a  particularly 
fine  authority.  Doctor  Schermerhorn  of  New  York  City.  In  1832  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one  Doctor  Jerolaman  went  west,  traversing  the  new  and 
sparsely  settled  states  of  Ohio  and  Indiana,  and  from  Fort  Wayne 
came  down  the  Wabash  river  in  a  row  boat  to  Logansport.     In  the 


1194  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

boat  he  had  a  small  stock  of  drugs,  it  being  his  intention  to  practice  in 
Logansport.  The  boat  capsized,  and  all  his  medicines  were  left  in  the 
bottom  of  the  river.  As  there  were  no  drug  stores,  in  the  modern  sense 
of  the  term,  it  was  a  necessity  that  the  doctor  should  combine  the  skill 
and  ability  of  the  pharmacist,  and  practically  every  pioneer  physician 
compounded  his  own  medicines,  and  in  the  saddle  bags  which  he  carried 
in  his  weary  rounds  of  the  country  always  had  a  liberal  stock  of  medi- 
cines of  all  kinds  and  for  all  cases.  Doctor  Jerolaman,  after  coming  to 
Cass  county,  practiced  as  a  physician  until  his  health  failed,  and  he 
sought  recuperation  in  New  Orleans.  When  his  health  was  restored  he 
returned  to  Logansport,  and  formed  a  partnership  with  Doctor  Lytle  in 
the  drug  business.  In  1838  Doctor  Jerolaman  was  appointed  attending 
physician  to  the  Pottawatomie  Indians,  who  were  still  dwelling  on  their 
reservations  in  Indiana,  but  who  soon  afterwards  were  compelled  to 
leave  their  villages  on  Yellow  river,  Tippecanoe,  and  Eel  rivers,  and 
take  their  long  journey  to  the  west.  For  a  number  of  years  Doctor 
Jerolaman  made  his  home  on  a  farm  three  and  a  half  miles  west  of 
Logansport  on  the  Wabash  river.  In  1853  he  moved  back  from  the 
farm,  building  the  brick  house  on  the  northeast  corner  of  IMarket  and 
Tenth  streets,  which  has  long  stood  as  a  land  mark  of  the  city.  During 
the  latter  years  of  hisi  life  he  gave  practically  all  his  attention  to  farm- 
ing and  to  dealing  in  farms  and  livestock. 

Doctor  Jerolaman  in  politics  supported  the  Democratic  party.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  faith,  and  was  affiliated  with  the 
Tipton  lodge  of  Masons.  In  1840  he  married  Margaret  Weakley  of  Syra- 
cuse, New  York.  She  died  in  1845.  In  1847  occurred  his  marriage 
with  Mary  Rush,  a  daughter  of  Judge  James  Rush  of  Ohio,  who  came 
to  Cass  county  and  settled  on  a  farm  two  miles  east  of  Adamsborough 
on  the  bank  of  Eel  river.  The  five  daughters  of  Doctor  Jerolaman  are 
mentioned  as  follows :  Isabella  married  Egbert  Phelps  and  lives  in 
Joliet ;  Elizabeth  became  the  wife  of  John  W.  Layne  of  Joplin,  Missouri ; 
Mary  is  the  wife  of  Maj.  W.  H.  Snider  of  Logansport;  Martha  married 
Thomas  Forman,  deceased;  and  Harriet  died  in  childhood. 

Dr.  Greorge  M.  Jerolaman  died  March  4,  1883,  after  a  short  illness 
and  is  buried  in  IMount  Hope  cemetery.  During  his  long  career  in  Cass 
county,  his  fellow  citizens  esteemed  him  as  a  man  of  energy  and  varied 
activity,  his  fine  sense  of  humor  and  for  his  unselfish  devotion  to  his 
community.     He  was  a  good  friend  and  a  frank  enemy. 

Ira  a.  Smith.  A  representative  of  the  progressive  element  among 
farmers  in  southern  Cass  county,  Ira  A.  Smith  is  one  of  Deer  Creek  town- 
shiij's  prospering  farmers.  He  is  the  owner  of  sixty  acres  of  land,  and 
since  making  his  home  there  has  brought  his  estate  into  a  high  condition 
of  productivity,  and  has  made  a  comfortable  home  and  one  which  reflects 
credit  upon  his  own  enterprise  and  upon  the  neighborhood  of  which  he 
is  a  member. 

Ira  A.  Smith  was  born  on  the  Smith  farm,  just  west  of  his  present 
residence,  on  October  9,  1873.  His  parents  were  Artemus  and  Mary 
(Logan)  Smith.  He  was  reared  on  the  old  homestead  and  while  attend- 
ing the  district  schools  of  this  neighborhood  was  also  becoming  versed  in 
the  varied  duties  and  responsibilities  of  farm  life.     He  belongs  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1195 

j'ounger  generation  among  Cass  county  farmers,  and  has  succeeded  to  a 
gratifying  degree.  Mr.  Smith  established  his  own  home  on  the  fifteenth 
of  September,  1897,  when  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Burrous.  They 
are  the  parents  of  two  children,  Edna  Alice  and  Earl  Van  Buren.  i\Ir. 
Smith  has  no  fraternal  affiliations  but  is  an  active  member  of  the  Church 
of  the  Brethren.     In  politics  he  is  conservative. 

Frederick  N.  Boerger  is  undeniably  one  of  the  most  prominent  men 
in  Indianapolis,  where  he  has  for  years  occupied  positions  of  trust  in  the 
administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  city,  and  where  he  is  esteemed  of  all 
who  know  him  for  his  many  admirable  traits  of  heart  and  mind. 

Born  in  Logansport,  Indiana,  on  August  4, 1856,  Frederick  N.  Boerger 
is  the  son  of  Frederick  August  and  Margaret  (Eberts),  both  native  Ger- 
mans. The  father  was  born  in  Hanover,  his  birth  occurring  on  November 
4,  1854,  and  he  came  to  America  with  his  parents  in  1852,  making  his 
way  directly  to  Logansport,  where  his  half-brother,  Henry  Miller,  a 
tailor,  had  previously  located.  For  a  time  after  he  came  to  Logansport, 
Frederick  August  Boerger  worked  on  a  farm,  but  later  set  about  learning 
the  trade  of  a  wagon  maker.  He  also  found  employment  at  the  stone 
quarry  at  Kenneth, — the  first  quarry  that  produced  stone  that  entered 
into  the  construction  of  the  stone  building  which  stands  today  directly 
north  of  the  alley  in  the  same  block  with  the  Masonic  Temple.  This 
building  was  occupied  as  a  residence  by  Henry  Miller,  the  half-brother 
of  Mr.  Boerger,  and  the  stone  was  conveyed  to  Indianapolis  by  canal  boat. 
After  completing  the  learning  of  his  trade,  Mr.  Boerger  continued  in 
wagon  making  until  his  death.  He  married  Margaret  Eberts  in  Logans- 
port in  1855.  Her  parents  had  died  in  Germany,  and  she  came  to  America 
in  company  with  an  uncle  and  aunt,  and  when  she  first  arrived  made 
her  home  at  Roanoke,  near  Fort  Wayne,  on  the  old  canal.  She  was 
born  on  January  13,  1834,  at  Worms,  province  of  Hesse,  Germany. 
She  remained  but  a  short  time  at  Roanoke  before  coming  to  Logans- 
port and  for  sixty  years  this  city  has  represented  her  home.  Twelve 
children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boerger,  six  of  whom  are  yet  living. 
Of  this  number  Frederick  N.,  Charles  H.,  Minnie,  William  H.,  John  and 
George  W.,  all  reside  in  Logansport.  The  father  was  a  Democrat  and 
served  about  five  years  in  the  City  Council.  He  was  a  member  of  St. 
James  Lutheran  church.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  character  and  habits, 
highly  industrious  and  a  man  who  lived  a  clean,  wholesome  and  straight- 
forward life.  He  had  a  healthy  dread  of  debt,  and  avoided  undue  liabil- 
ities at  all  costs.    He  died  on  January  16,  1896. 

Frederick  N.  Boerger  is  the  oldest  of  the  twelve  children  of  his 
parents.  He  was  educated  in  the  parochial  and  public  schools  of  Logans- 
port and  at  Hall's  Business  College,  and  when  he  finished  school 
learned  the  wagon  maker's  trade  wdth  his  father,  and  continued  with 
him  in  the  work  until  1884.  From  then  until  1892  he  was  in  charge  of 
the  wood  shops  for  Holbruner  and  Uhl,  carriage  makers,  but  in  1892, 
the  failing  health  of  his  father  induced  him  to  give  up  his  work  in  that 
connection  and  take  charge  of  his  father's  shops,  in  which  he  continued 
until  1902.  In  that  year  he  was  elected  city  treasurer,  and  two  years 
later  was  his  own  successor  in  the  office.  In  the  autumn  of  1906  he 
became  an  assistant  in  the  office  of  the  county  treasurer,  and  continued 


1196  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

thus  until  January  1,  1910,  when  he  was  appointed  by  the  mayor  as  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Public  Works,  and  as  such  is  present  street 
commissioner  of  the  city.  He  has  served  faithfully  and  honorably  in 
every  office  he  has  filled  thus  far,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  ablest 
officials  the  city  has  known.  Mr.  Boerger  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  is  a 
member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church,  in  which  he  was  a  deacon 
and  trustee  for  twenty-one  years. 

On  October  22,  1885,  Mr.  Boerger  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Minnie  Hauenstien,  and  three  children  have  been  born  to  them :  William, 
who  died  in  1902,  aged  twelve  years;  Emma,  who  died  in  infancy,  and 
Edward,  who  was  born  in  1900. 

Andrew  J.  Zanger  has  been  engaged  in  business  in  Logansport 
since  1897,  and  has  enjoyed  a  pleasing  prosperity  in  the  passing  year. 
He  came  from  Kewanee  to  this  city,  although  he  was  born  in  Fulton 
county,  Indiana,  on  September  30,  1873.  He  is  the  son  of  Matthew 
Zanger,  who  was  a  native  of  Germany,  and  there  reared  to  maturity. 

Matthew  Zanger  married  Lena  Moser  in  his  native  land  and  came 
to  America  soon  after.  He  came  to  Indiana  soon  after  his  arrival  upon 
American  shores,  and  located  in  Fulton  county,  where  he  followed  farm- 
ing until  death  claimed  him,  in  September,  1887,  his  faithful  wife  hav- 
ing preceded  him  in  1883.  They  were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children, 
Andrew  J.  of  this  review  being  the  twelfth  in  order  of  birth. 

Andrew  J.  Zanger  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  in  Fulton  county  and 
educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  home  community.  He  was  nine- 
teen years  old  when  he  came  to  Logansport  and  began  learning  the 
trade  of  a  baker.  He  worked  at  that  business  here  and  in  Winamac, 
Indianapolis,  Fort  Wayne,  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  numerous  other 
places,  but  in  March,  1897,  he  established  himself  in  business  at  No. 
8  Front  street,  in  Logansport,  opening  a  modern  bakery.  It  was  there 
that  Mr.  Zanger  got  his  start  in  business.  He  remained  there  until 
in  May,  1905,  Avhen  he  moved  to  his  present  quarters  and  built  his 
present  establishment.  He  has  i^rospered,  but  his  success  has  not  been 
the  result  of  chance,  but  rather  through  his  hard  work,  economy,  in- 
dustry and  excellent  business  judgment.  He  employs  from  twelve  to 
fourteen  people  constantly,  and  is  constantly  adding  to  and  improv- 
ing his  place  of  business.  In  the  spring  of  1912  he  doubled  his  capacity. 
The  trade  which  Mr.  Zanger  has  established  is  not  confined  exclusively  to 
Logansport,  but  he  supplies  many  of  the  surrounding  towns  as  well, 
his  products  having  a  reputation  for  wholesomeness  and  general  ex- 
cellence that  makes  them  particularly  desirable. 

Mr.  Zanger  is  a  Democrat,  and  in  1908  was  elected  a  member'  of 
the  City  Council  at  large  for  a  term  of  four  years.  He  is  a  citizen  of 
a  high  order,  and  one  who  has  always  consistently  borne  his  full  share  of 
the  civic  burden  in  Logansport,  where  he  enjoys  the  esteem  and  confi- 
dence of  all  who  know  him. 

On  November  19,  1901,  Mr.  Zanger  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Lizzie  Rech,  of  Washington  township,  Cass  county,  and  they  are 
the  parents  of  four  daughters:  Agnes  E.,  Mary  M.,  Gertrude  M.  and 
Dorothy  C.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Zanger  are  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1197 

Sidney  A.  VzVughn  whose  name  is  so  closely  interwoven  with  the 
lumber  industry  of  Cass  county,  was  born  in  Niagara  county,  New  York, 
on  June  29,  1842,  a  son  of  Artemas  and  Eleanor  (Hines)  Vaughn.  His 
early  life  was  passed  on  his  father's  farm  in  Niagara  county  and  in  at- 
tending the  district  schools,  and  in  1861  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the 
Seventh  New  York  Cavalry  for  three  years.  By  an  order  of  the  War 
Department,  in  1862,  the  cavalry  arm  of  the  service  was  reduced  and 
the  Seventh  Cavalry,  with  others,  was  disbanded.  Mr.  Vaughn  re-en- 
listed in  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty-ninth  New  York  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, which  in  1863,  became  the  Eighth  New  York  Heavy  Artillery, 
which  M'as  recruited  to  its  maximum  of  eighteen  hundred  men.  While 
on  the  Peninsular  Campaign,  ]\Ir.  Vaughn  applied  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment for  permission  to  appear  before  the  Carey  Board  and  take  the 
examination  for  a  commission.  This  was  granted,  a  creditable  exam- 
ination was  passed,  and  he  was  commissioned  a  First  Lieutenant  by 
President  Lincoln.  He  was  then  ordered  to  Kentucky  to  help  recruit 
a  command  which  became  the  Twelfth  United  States  Heavy  Artillery. 
With  this  he  continued  during  the  remainder  of  the  war,  and  was  honor- 
ably discharged  at  its  close  after  having  served  a  total  of  four  years  and 
four  months.  Succeeding  this  service,  for  a  year  he  was  in  charge  of 
the  retail  department  of  the  packing  house  of  A.  E.  Kent  &  Company, 
Chicago,  and  then  came  to  Indiana,  in  search  of  a  permanent  location 
in  a  business  way.  With  A.  E.  Richardson  he  bought  a  sawmill  and  a 
quantity  of  poplar  logs  located  a  short  distance  northeast  of  Lincoln, 
in  Jackson  township,  Cass  county,  and  after  converting  these  logs  into 
lumber,  moved  to  Lincoln.  In  partnership  with  J.  E.  Parker,  he  then 
bought  thirteen  hundred  acres  of  the  best  timber  land  in  Jackson  town- 
ship, one  and  a  half  miles  north  and  west  of  Lincoln,  and  here  they 
installed  a  saw  mill  and  converted  the  timber  into  merchantable  lumber. 
Mr.  Vaughn  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  largest  shippers  of  black 
walnut  in  this  locality.  The  firm  of  Vaughn  &  Parker  bought  the  old 
Johnson  residence  property  on  Fourth  street,  opposite  the  Fourth  Na- 
tional Bank,  in  Logansport,  which  old  building  they  razed  and  on  the 
site  they  erected  what  is  known  as  the  Vaughn  &  Parker  block,  in  this 
building  was  entered  the  first  plate  glass  in  Logansport.  Mr.  Vaughn 
has  been  an  active  figure  in  the  commercial  and  political  history  of  Cass 
county  for  nearly  half  a  century,  and  has  borne  his  full  share  of  the  civic 
burden  and  in  the  development  and  upbuilding  of  the  city  along  the  lines 
of  its  best  good.  He  was  a  Republican  in  politics  until  1896,  when,  owing 
to  the  financial  plank  in  the  platform  of  the  party  in  that  year,  he  went 
over  to  the  Democratic  faction,  and  has  since  affiliated  with  that  party. 
He  has  served  three  terms  in  the  city  council  of  Logansport,  one  term 
as  police  commissioner,  by  appointment  of  Governor  ]\Iatthews,  and  one 
term  as  mayor  of  the  city,  in  all  of  which  offices  he  acquitted  himself 
with  the  utmost  credit,  his  services  resulting  in  much  good  to  the 
common  good  of  the  city.  He  is  a  Mason  of  the  Knight  Templar  de- 
gree, and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks. 

In  1880  Mr.  Vaughn  was  married  to  Miss  Lilla  W.  Rice,  the  daughter 
of  W.  H.  Rice,  of  Indianapolis,  the  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Ma- 
sohie   Advocate.     To  their   marriage   three   children   have   been   born : 


1198  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

Lillian  Ethel,  now  Mrs.  W.  H.  IMoi'dhurst,  of  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana; 
Sidney  R.  and  Regina.  I\Irs.  Vaughn  died  July  14,  1911.  Excellent 
educational  advantages  have  been  afforded  the  children  of  Mr.  Vaughn, 
for  while  he  lacked  similar  privileges  in  his  own  youth,  he  has  never 
been  one  to  gainsay  the  benefits  that  accrue  from  such  advantages,  and 
he  determined  that  his  children  should  not  be  handicapped  as  he  was 
in  that  respect.  All  three  of  his  children  have  completed  the  curriculum 
of  the  Logansport  schools,  and  Lillian  is  a  graduate  of  the  Chicago  Uni- 
versity, while  Sidney  has  his  degree  from  Purdue  University. 

Mrs.  Sarah  Ellen  Tyson.  It  has  already  been  said  that  many  a 
man  who  entered  upon  an  unsettled,  undeveloped  section  lived  to  be 
that  section's  most  prominent  man  and  largest  capitalist,  and  this  as- 
sertion found  confirmation  in  the  life  of  John  Hoover,  who  was  the 
father  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Ellen  Tyson,  who  is  one  of  Cass  county's  best 
known  and  most  esteemed  residents.  Ohio  was  the  original  home  of 
the  Hoovers  and  eighty-five  years  ago  John  Hoover  and  his  father, 
Jacob  Hoover,  left  Wayne  county  for  what  was  then  the  border  of  civil- 
ization, the  wilds  of  Indiana.  Owing  to  their  method  of  transportation 
their  progress  was  slow,  but  after  a  journey  of  twenty-one  days  they 
reached  their  destination,  Adams  township,  Cass  county.  They  had 
money  with  which  to  invest  in  land  and  the  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Tyson, 
Jacob  Hoover,  secured  six  hundred  acres,  the  purchase  price  being  but 
a  fraction  of  a  dollar  per  acre.  Concerning  him,  it  should  be  said  that 
he  was  born  in  Germany,  and  that  early  in  life  he  settled  in  Preble 
county,  Ohio.  His  son,  John  Hoover,  was  born  in  Preble  countj%  Ohio, 
on  November  8,  1808,  and  in  his  twentieth  year  he  married  Rachel 
Maudlin,  who  was  born  December  16,  1811,  and  was  a  native  of  North 
Carolina,  but  who  was  residing  with  her  parents  in  Wayne  county  at 
the  time  of  her  marriage  March,  1829.  ]\Ir.  Hoover  moved  to  Adams 
township,  Cass  county  with  his  young  wife,  and  there  he  purchased 
300  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  settled  and  lived  for  thirty-eight 
years.  His  father,  Jacob  Hoover,  had  already  become  the  owner  of  a 
large  estate  in  the  county,  and  these  men  were  pioneers  in  the  truest 
sense  of  the  word.  Where  they  led,  others  soon  followed,  and  as  the 
value  of  this  land  became  noised  about,  travel  in  the  county  so  increased 
that  a  railroad  was  projected.  John  Hoover  o^vned  so  large  a  body  of 
land  that  negotiations  had  to  be  opened  up  with  him  and  a  part  of 
his  property  became  railroad  land  about  1870,  the  new  station  that 
quickly  developed  being  named  Hoover  in  his  honor.  It  may  well  be 
believed  that  Mr.  Hoover  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  new  town,  and, 
eagerly  watched  the  laying  of  the  rails  and  the  other  construction  work 
preparatory  to  the  passing  over  of  the  first  train  of  cars,  which  seemed 
to  him  the  last  advance  of  civilization.  No  doubt  his  life  was  somewhat 
prolonged  by  the  hope  of  witnessing  the  arrival  of  the  train  that  would 
assure  the  prosperous  future  of  his  namesake  town,  but  his  ardent  wish 
was  not  gratified,  his  death  occurring  November  28,  1872,  only  a  few 
days  before  the  road  was  in  running  order. 

'  John  Hoover,  became  an  extensive  farmer,  cleared  his  land  and  made 
it  productive,  and  lived  to  see  many  changes  take  place.     He  related 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1199 

frequently  to  his  ehildr'eu  how  small  a  village  Logansport  was  when 
he  first  came  to  this  section  and  the  fact  that  he  dug  the  first  cellar 
in  that  place.  He  was  the  father  of  the  following  children:  Martha 
Ann,  who  married  Sebastian  ]Moore>  and  both  are  deceased,  1866 ;  Mary 
Jane,  who  married  Augustus  Moore,  a  brother  of  Sebastian;  Noah  B., 
who  married  Frances  Obenchain,  both  deceased ;  Sarah  Ellen ;  who  mar- 
ried Thornton  Tyson;  John  M.,  who  married  Parthena  Wilson  and 
after  her  death  married  Nancy  Boyar,  nee  Williams;  Leah  B.,  who 
became  the  wife  of  E.  B.  Forgy;  Hannah  Maria,  who  married  William 
Dennison;  Riley  C,  who  married  Irene  Wilson,  both  deceased;  George 
■who  died  in  infancy ;  and  Emma  Frances,  who  married  William  Fernald. 
Thornton  Tyson  was  a  son  of  Thorton  F.  and  Mary  Ann  (Teeter) 
Tyson,  both  of  Virginia.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army 
during  the  Civil  war,  after  which  he  lived  on  the  farm  that  Mrs.  Tyson 
now  lives  on,  known  as  the  Tyson  homestead  and  devoted  himself  to 
agi'icultural  pursuits  until  the  time  of  his  death,  December  22,  1905. 
]\Irs.  Tyson,  as  stated,  is  still  living  on  the  well  cultivated  tract  of  two 
hundred  acres  of  land,  not  far  distant  from  Hoover,  in  Adams  town- 
shii:),  the  town  named  for  her  honored  father.  Mrs.  Tyson  is  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  which  she  has  liberally  supported  for 
many  years,  and  she  is  widely  known  for  her  religious  and  charitable 
M^ork.  She  and  her  husband  became  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren :  Morton  V.,  born  in  1865,  who  married  Rebecca  Moss,  and  has  one 
son,  Orvil  and  lives  in  North  Dakota;  Cora  Jane,  born  in  1869,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Simon  Fisher  and  has  four  children,  Florence, 
Fernald,  Simon,  and  Earl,  and  lives  in  Rock  Rapids,  Iowa;  Ora  E., 
born  1867,  married  James  H.  Fisher,  and  has  one  daughter,  Ina  C. 
and  lives  in  Peru,  Indiana ;  John  R.,  born  1872,  is  deceased ;  N.  Franklin, 
born  1874,  now  living  at  home,  and  married  to  Clara  Hammon  of  Adams 
township,  and  the  father  of  Martha  Ellen,  deceased,  Cecil,  Byron, 
Harold,  Clifford,  Rachel  and  James. 

GeorgS  and  William  Clymer,  pioneers  of  Clinton  township,  w^ere 
natives  of  Ohio,  but  came  to  this  township  when  the  Indian  and  wild 
beast  held  possession  of  the  forests  which  then  covered  its  present  fer- 
tile fields.  This  was  in  the  years  1834-5.  They  were  both  active  in 
the  development  of  the  township,  and  took  a  leading  part  in  all  its  enter- 
prises. George  Clymer  built  one  of  the  first  water  power  mills  on 
Keeps  creek,  and  later  a  steam  sawmill  at  Clymers,  and  that  town 
receives  its  name  from  him.  This  mill  was  later  operated  by  his  brother, 
William,  and  his  son,  David  H.  Clymer.  The  latter  also  became  one  of 
the  leading  spirits  in  Clinton  township  and  was  township  trustee. 
George  Clymer  bought  the  Biddle  Island  in  Logansport  and  lived  there 
for  a  time  and  in  the  latter  'sixties  moved  to  Minnesota,  where  he  died 
some  years  thereafter.  William  Clymer  was  married  to  Martha  McKaig. 
She  died  at  Clymers  in  1873,  and  he  died  at  the  same  place  in  1881. 
One  daughter,  Ruth,  became  the  wife  of  Robert  R.  Reed,  Sr.,  but  is 
now  dead.  Another  daughter,  Mary,  married  George  Shideler,  the  first 
white  child  born  in  Clinton  township.  Her  husband  is  dead  but  she  is 
now  living  in  Logansport,  over  eighty  years  of  age.  The  son,  David  H. 
Clymer,  born  in  Ohio,  1828,  married  Margaret  Conner,  of  Clinton  town- 


1200  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

ship,  1850,  and  raised  quite  a  family  of  children.  He  died  in  Logans- 
port  in  1901,  and  is  buried  in  St.  John's  churchyard  near  the  place  of 
his  activities  and  the  home  he  loved  so  well. 

John  R.  Chilcott,  a  pioneer  of  Jefferson  township,  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania, 1788,  came  to  Cass  county  in  1840,  and  settled  on  the  northwest 
quarter  of  section  13,  Jefferson  township,  where  he  continued  to  reside 
until  his  death  in  1875,  and  sleeps  his  last  sleep  in  the  Fry  cemetery. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  a  Pennsylvania  regiment  in  the  War  of  1812  and  for 
many  years  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  a  prominent  farmer  of  Jefferson 
towTiship.  He  was  imited  in  marriage  to  Margaret  Miller  in  Erie  county, 
New  York.  She  bore  him  six  children :  Mrs.  Caroline  Watts,  now  living 
on  the  home  farm;  John,  who  died  in  1900;  Benjamin  died  in  1908; 
Henry,  now  living  in  Harrison  township ;  Columbus,  dying  in  1844,  and 
Amos  Chilcott.  The  four  sons  served  their  country  honorably  as  Union 
soldiers  during  the  Civil  war. 

Amos  Chilcott,  now  eighty-two  years  old,  has  a  wonderful  vivid 
memory  and  the  writer  is  indebted  to  him  for  many  historical  facts  con- 
tained herein.  Mary  Jane  Banta,  daughter  of  Beaufort  Banta,  became 
his  wife  in  1854,  and  they  have  seven  children,  33  grandchildren  living, 
12  dead  and  20  great  grandchildren. 

Richard  Pryor  was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  1810 ;  came  to  Logansport 
in  1835  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  hats;  appointed  collector  of 
revenue  by  the  county  commissioner  in  1838 ;  in  1840  was  the  nominee 
of  the  Whig  party  for  county  treasurer  and  soon  after  erected  the  first 
two-story  stone  building  in  Logansport.  This  was  a  landmark  for  many 
years  and  stood  on  the  south  side  of  the  street  at  what  is  now  known  as 
No.  417  Market  street.  Here  he  engaged  in  the  hardware  business.  He 
resided  in  Jefferson  township,  however,  in  section  14,  on  a  farm  now 
owned  by  his  son  Horace.  Mr.  Pryor  was  an  earnest  Presbyterian  and 
was  largely  instrumental  in  organizing  the  congregation  and  erecting 
Pisgah  church,  in  which  he  was  an  elder.  He  was  thrice  married  and  had 
several  children.  One  son,  Horace  Pryor,  now  a  respected  citizen  of 
Jefferson  township,  and  D.  E.  Pryor,  a  brave  soldier  of  the  Seventy-third 
Indiana  Regiment  and  for  many  years  a  prominent  druggist  at  516 
Broadway,  who  died  in  1900.  Mrs.  James  W.  Shim  and  Mrs.  S.  B.  Pratt 
were  daughters.  Mr.  Pryor  died  in  Logansport  in  1889,  having  been  an 
active  and  influential  member  of  society  for  over  half  a  century. 

John  Cotner,  second  son  of  Eli  and  Nackey  (Mullennix)  Cotner,  was 
born  in  Ohio  in  1818.  He  was  one  of  a  family  of  thirteen  children.  His 
grandparents,  Daniel  and  ]\Iary  (Coble)  Cotner,  of  German  descent  and 
natives  of  North  Carolina,  came  to  Ohio  in  1815.  Eli  Cotner,  the  father 
of  our  subject,  came  with  his  family  to  Cass  county  in  1831,  where 
John  aided  his  father  to  clear  his  farm  in  Noble  township. 

John  Cotner  was  united  in  marriage  to  Eliza  Walters,  November  3, 
1841,  who  was  born  in  Michigan  in  1822.  To  this  union  was  born  ten 
children,  to-wit:  Elmira,  AVilliam,  Eli,  Easton,  Sarah,  Anna,  Levi, 
Albert,  James  and  an  infant.    The  nine  former  grew  to  adult  life. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1201 

Mv:  Cotner  settled  in  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  18,  moving 
into  a  hewed.log  house  on  Christmas  Day,  1841.  The  house  was  after- 
wards covered  with  siding  and  otherwise  modernized.  This  house  they 
occupied  until  their  death,  he  dying  in  1868  and  the  widow  in  1908, 
sixty-seven  years  after  she  moved  into  it  as  a  bride. 

Mr.  Cotner  was  an  industrious,  hardworking  farmer,  and  an  admirer 
of  fine  horses,  which  he  always  drove.  When  this  couple  first  moved 
into  this  cabin  it  was  surrounded  by  dense  forests.  Wild  turkeys  roosted 
in  the  boughs  of  the  nearby  trees  and  in  the  early  mornings  herds  of 
deer  could  be  seen  browsing  near  their  cabin  door,  and  many  a  deer  Mr. 
Cotner  has  shot  from  a  crack  between  the  logs  of  his  forest  home. 

Richard  Ferguson.  A  pioneer  of  Adams  township  was  born  in  West 
Virginia,  of  Scotch-Irish  parentage.  His  education  was  limited  to  a  few 
terms  in  the  log  schoolhouse  of  his  native  state  where  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Phebe  Payne  and  soon  after  embarked  on  a  small  flat  boat, 
came  down  the  Ohio  river  and  up  the  Wabash  to  Logansport  where,  after 
many  trials  and  hardships  he  landed  in  the  summer  of  1833  and  erected 
a  cabin  near  where  St.  Joseph's  hospital  now  stands.  About  1836  or 
1837  he  moved  to  Adams  township,  locating  on  the  northwest  quarter  of 
section  32,  where  he  purchased  and  improved  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the 
township  and  for  fifty  years  was  regarded  as  the  most  respected  and 
influential  farmer  of  the  township.  A  short  time  before  his  death  he 
moved  to  Miami  township,  south  of  New  Waverly,  where  he  died  in  1884, 
after  a  long  and  useful  life. 

The  following  children  were  born  to  Richard  Ferguson  and  wife: 
Mary,  Sarah,  Elizabeth  Ann,  Richard  W.,  James  P.  and  Sebastian  C. 
Ferguson  and  four  children  who  died  in  infancy.  Of  this  number  all 
are  now  dead  except  Sebastian  C,  who  was  born  July  22,  1841,  in  Adams 
township,  attended  the  log  schoolhouse  without  windows  and  was  raised  a 
farmer's  boy.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  in  1861  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany G,  Fifty-first  Indiana,  and  served  nearly  four  years.  After  the 
war  he  engaged  in  farming  in  Miami  township  until  1868  when  he  moved 
to  Logansport  and  engaged  in  contract  carpenter  work  and  in  1906 
retired  and  moved  to  Chicago.  He  was  married  in  1865  to  Eliza  Dillman 
of  Adams  township,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  Dillman,  and  they  have  two 
sons  and  one  daughter,  all  living. 

Richard  Ferguson  had  a  brother,  John  Ferguson,  who  was  a  pioneer 
settler  in  the  northern  part  of  Bethlehem  township,  where  he  resided,  an 
honored  citizen  for  many  years,  but  about  1874  moved  to  Wisconsin,  where 
he  died. 

John  D.  Ferguson  is  a  son  of  John  Ferguson  and  was  born  in  Bethle- 
hem township  about  1846 ;  reared  on  the  farm,  educated  in  the  district 
school  and  in  the  sixties  moved  to  Logansport,  engaged  in  the  bakery 
business,  later  in  the  clothing  business,  then  real  estate,  and  thus  arose 
from  an  obscure  country  boy  to  be  one  of  the  leading  business  men  and 
capitalists  of  our  city. 

Thomas  Skinner,  Sr.,  a  pioneer  of  Adffms  township  and  a  most 
exemplary  citizen,  was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1795.  Parmelia  Cox, 
his  wife,  was  born  in  Tennessee,  in  1800.     They  came  to  Cass  county 


1202  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

in  1837,  locating  in  Adams  township,  where  he  became  one  of  the  most 
influential  citizens  of  the  county  and  was  a  leader  in  all  things  that  had 
a  tendency  to  a  better  and  a  higher  life.  He  was  not  an  office  seeker  and 
only  filled  minor  township  offices,  but  he  held  the  highest  official  position 
in  his  church,  the  Twelve  Mile  Christian,  which  he  was  instrumental  in 
establishing.  He  died  in  1883,  respected  and  mourned  by  all  and  lies  at 
rest  near  the  church  he  loved  so  well,  his  wife  having  preceded  him  seven- 
teen years.  They  were  blessed  with  five  sons:  John  C,  Daniel,  Ira,  Rich- 
ard and  Thomas  H.  Skinner.  Ira  served  his  country  in  the  Twentieth 
Indiana  Infantry,  during  the  Civil  war;  John  C,  Richard  and  Daniel 
died  in  Cass  county  years  ago  leaving  families  and  Thomas  H.  is  at  this 
writing,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  influential  men  in  Adams  township, 
and  his  large  and  respected  family  as  well  as  all  his  neighbors  can  only 
speak  words  of  praise  for  his  beneficent  acts. 

Henry  Logan  Thomas  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Adams  town- 
ship, locating  on  section  29  in  the  year  1831  or  1832.  He  was  a  sturdy 
character  and  one  of  the  most  influential  and  best  known  citizens  of  the 
township.  He  was  a  quiet,  unostentatious  man,  a  worker  rather  than  an 
expounder  of  good  deeds.  He  was  a  devout  Christian  and  the  first  relig- 
ious meeting  in  Adams  township  was  held  at  his  cabin,  soon  after  it  was 
erected  in  the  midst  of  the  forest.  He  was  reliable,  faithful  and  upright 
in  all  his  dealings  and  his  influence  for  all  that  is  true  and  noble  has  left 
a  lasting  impression  on  the  community  where  he  spent  the  active  years  of 
his  life.  Mr.  Thomas,  son  of  George  and  Nancy  (Logan)  Thomas,  who 
were  natives  of  Ireland,  was  born  in  Virginia,  1805,  moved  with  his 
parents  to  Ohio,  where  he  married  Nancy  Williams  and  soon  after  moved 
to  Cass  county,  where  he  raised  an  old  time  family  of  eleven  children  of 
whom  Elizabeth,  Esther,  William,  Nathaniel  and  Bruce  are  now  living  in 
Kansas  and  Edgar  resides  near  the  old  home  in  Adams  township.  Henry 
Logan  Thomas  died  on  his  original  homestead  in  Adams  township,  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1873,  beloved  and  respected  by  all. 

Berry  Family.  While  the  early  history  of  the  Berry  family  is  in- 
volved in  some  obscurity  yet  it  is  known  to  be  of  German  origin  and  that 
its  progenitor  came  from  Heidelberg,  Bavaria,  about  1765  and  settled  in 
eastern  Pennsylvania.  This  was  Peter  Berry,  a  man  of  influence  in  the 
community.  He  served  as  lieutenant  in  the  Revolutionary  war  under 
Washington's  immediate  command  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  cap- 
tain. He  died  in  Lebanon  county,  Pennsylvania,  prior  to  1796,  leaving  a 
wife,  Margaret,  six  sons  and  four  daughters,  one  son  dying  in  youth. 
These  children  were  all  married  and  left  progeny,  some  in  Pennsylvania, 
others  in  the  west.  Among  the  latter  was  Peter  Berry,  the  second  sou,  who 
was  born  in  1787,  married  Elizabeth  Lutz,  daughter  of  a  German  physi- 
cian, who  was  also  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  Peter  Berry  moved  to  Cincin- 
nati about  1815  and  opened  a  shop  for  the  manufacture  of  edged  tools.  He 
made  the  boiler  for  the  first  steamboat  that  plied  the  waters  of  the  Ohio 
river.  He  moved  to  Butler  county,  Ohio,  for  a  time  and  came  to  Logans- 
port  in  1829,  where  he  resi'ded  one  year,  then  located  on  a  farm  in  Miami 
township  between  Waverly  and  Hooverville,  where  he  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  life,  departing  this  life  in  1872  or  1873. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1203 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  children  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth 
Berry :  Henry,  Catharine,  who  married  David  Miller,  an  early  settler  of 
Miami  township ;  Peter  C,  Samuel,  Elizabeth  and  John  H. 

John  H.  Berry,  the  second  sou  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Lutz)  Berry, 
was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1812  and  moved  with  his  parents  to  Cass 
county  in  1829  and  spent  the  rest  of  his  life  on  a  farm  in  Miami  town- 
ship, where  he  died  in  1872.  In  1838  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Har- 
riet Reed,  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Nancy  (Cox)  Reed,  who  were 
pioneers  in  Miami  township.  Mrs.  Berry  died  in  1872  and  some  years 
thereafter  Mr.  Berry  contracted  a  marriage  with  Mrs.  Ellen  Conner  (nee 
Sackett)  who  survived  him  and  is  now  (1913)  living  in  Richmond,  In-' 
diana.  He  died  in  Miami  township  in  1879.  John  H.  and  Harriet  Berry 
were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  namely :  Israel  J.,  Peter  A.,  Edwin 
R.,  James  K.  P.,  Maria,  Graham  N.,  Wilson  R.,  Eliza  D.,  Elizabeth,  John 
M.,  Harvey  H.,  Harriet  and  Martha,  six  of  whom  are  now  living  (1913). 

Israel  J.,  teacher,  farmer  and  horticulturist,  was  bom  in  Miami  town- 
ship in  1839.  He  taught  school  for  a  third  of  a  century  and  is  now  retired 
and  lives  at  Adamsboro,  this  county.  He  married  Miss  Emmeline  Spen- 
cer, 1866,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Keeran)  Spencer,  a  native  of 
Ohio,  born  there  in  1841.  To  this  union  were  born  four  children,  viz : 
John,  now  residing  near  Marion,  Indiana ;  Clementine,  now  Mrs.  Howard 
Helm ;  Katharine,  now  ]\Irs.  Charles  E.  Douglas,  both  living  in  Clay 
township,  and  Bertha,  died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Berry  is  a  devout  Baptist 
and  a  Democrat  in  politics,  although  liberal  in  his  views. 

Peter  A.  Berry,  teacher,  lawyer  and  fruit  grower,  was  born  in  1842 
and  died  in  1895.  He  was  educated  in  Logansport's  high  school  and 
Wabash  College,  studied  law  with  the  late  Judge  D.  H.  Chase,  and  at- 
tended the  law  department  of  Michigan  University.  He  practiced  for  a 
time,  but  the  profession  not  being  to  his  taste,  he  relinquished  it  and 
returned  to  teaching  and  educational  work.  He  served  three  terms  as 
superintendent  of  the  county  schools. 

For  some  years  prior  to  his  demise  he  retired  to  his  farm  in  Miami 
township  and  engaged  chiefly  in  horticulture.  Mr.  Berry  was  manned 
in  1868  to  Miss  Nancy  Jane  Crockett ;  she,  dying  in  1889,  left  four  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  are  dead  except  Emma,  who  is  the  wife  of  Lewis  C. 
Brown. 

Edwin  R.  Berry,  born  1844 ;  died  1865. 

James  K.  P.  Berry,  farmer  and  teacher,  born  1846 ;  married  Miss 
Sarah  Spencer,  by  whom  he  had  four  children.  He  died  in  1882  and  his 
widow  is  now  Mrs.  Nelson  Scott,  of  Clay  township. 

Graham  Newell  Berry,  teacher  and  writer  of  local  history  and  biog- 
raphy, was  bom  in  1848 ;  taught  twenty-four  years  in  the  puljlic  schools, 
sixteen  years  of  which  was  principal  of  the  different  schools  of  Logans- 
port.  He  has  assisted  in  writing  the  history  of  scores  of  county  and  state 
histories  and  is  a  contributor  to  a  number  of  magazines.  He  was  mar- 
ried June  20,  1876,  to  Miss  Elvira,  daughter  of  John  S.  and  Prudence 
(Harris)  Winters,  who  was  born  at  Wabash,  Indiana,  January  7,  1854. 
They  have  had  six  children,  none  of  whom  is  living. 

Wilson  Reed  Berry,  artist  and  draftsman,  born  1851.  Has  illus- 
trated numerous  books,  magazines,  etc.,  besides  achieving  more  than  a 
local  reputation  as  a  painter  in  oil  and  water  colors.     He  was  married 


1204  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

January  31,  1878,  to  Miss  Emma  Conner,  daughter  of  Calvin  and  Ellen 
(Sackett)  Conner,  the  union  resulting  in  the  following  children :  Murillo, 
Percival  (deceased),  Virgil,  Robin  A.  and  Inez  Lillian. 

Mr.  BeiTy  is  now  the  owner  and  occupant  of  the  old  Biddle  home  on 
the  island  in  Logansport  and  since  the  recent  flood  thinks  we  have  a  wet 
town. 

Eliza  D.  Berry,  born  1853 ;  died  1895  ;  unmarried. 

Elizabeth  Berry,  born  1856 ;  married  Wm.  Obenchain  and  has  had 
seven  children,  only  four  of  whom  are  living.    They  reside  in  Logansport. 

John  Meek  Berry,  herdsman,  was  born  1858,  is  married  and  lives  on. 
a  sheep  ranch  in  Kansas. 

Harvey  Heath  Berry,  born  1861 ;  died  in  1873. 

Harriet  Berry,  bom  1863 ;  died  in  1880. 

Martha  J.  Berry,  born  1868 ;  married  Joseph  Stewart  and  is  the 
mother  of  five  children.     They  now  reside  in  Marion,  Indiana. 

Col.  Wm.  L.  Brown,  a  veteran  of  two  wars,  was  bom  in  Ohio, 
November  19,  1817,  and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  Virginia, 
in  1862.  He  came  to  Logansport  in  the  early  forties ;  was  a  brave  soldier 
in  the  Mexican  war;  united  in  marriage  to  Elizabeth  Purveyance  in 
Logansport,  June  27,  1849,  from  which  union  six  children  were  born: 
Eleanor  H.,  Frederick  L.,  Daisy,  James  A.,  Charles  H.  and  William  I., 
the  latter  still  an  honored  resident  of  our  city.  On  the  breaking  out 
of  the  Civil  war  he  raised  a  regiment,  the  Twentieth  Indiana,  and 
became  its  colonel,  which  he  gallantly  commanded  and  fell  while  bravely 
battling  for  his  country.  Colonel  Brown  was  an  energetic  man  and  a 
leader  in  civil  and  business  affairs  of  Logansport  and  was  interested  in 
banking  and  other  business  interests.  He  bought  and  improved  the  old 
Fitch  farm  at  Kenneth,  west  of  town,  where  he  lived  for  some  time. 

He  had  three  brothers,  all  Presbyterian  ministers  who  occupied  the 
pulpit  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Logansport  at  different  times 
during  their  ministerial  labors.  They  were  the  Revs.  James  C.  Brown, 
Frederick  T.  and  Hugh  A.  Brown. 

Colonel  Brown's  widow  was  postmaster  at  Logansport  from  1866  to 
1870. 

Noah  S.  La  Rose,  son  of  Philip  J.  and  Anna  Maria  (Sherer)  La  Rose, 
who  were  natives  of  North  Carolina,  was  bom  in  Ohio  in  1817 ;  came 
with  his  parents  to  Cass  county  in  1834,  where  his  father  lived  until 
his  death  in  1871.  Our  subject  had  two  brothers,  John  S.  and  Joshua 
S.,  and  one  sister,  all  of  whom  were  honored  residents  of  Cass  county 
but  are  now  dead.  Mr.  La  Rose  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
the  county  and  at  Hanover  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1862. 
From  1834  to  1850  Mr.  La  Rose  made  his  home  with  his  father  on  the 
farm.  In  the  latter  year  he  came  to  Logansport,  where  he  resided  until 
his  death  in  1886.  He  is  interred  in  the  Bethel  cemetery  in  Clay  town- 
ship. He  served  as  county  clerk  from  1856  to  1864,  and  again  from 
1872  to  1876.  In  1868  he  was  the  candidate  of  his  party  (Democratic) 
for  clerk  of  the  supreme  covirt  but  was  defeated  with  the  entire  ticket. 

Noah  La  Rose  was  a  tall,  slender  man  with  a  kind  and  gentle  face, 
sociable  in  his  manners,  and  made  friends  of  everyone  with  whom  he 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1205 

came  in  contact.  He  was  never  married  and  was  not  a  member  of  any 
order,  hence  his  energies  were  largely  expended  in  the  aid  of  others.  He 
affiliated  with  the  Evangelical  Reformed  church,  was  charitably  inclined, 
and  materially  assisted  all  enterprises  for  the  betterment  of  the  race. 
He  was  a  public-spirited  man  and  laid  out  several  additions  to  the  city 
of  Logansport,  and  he  was  a  familiar  and  well-known  figure  on  the 
streets  of  Logansport  for  over  a  third  of  a  century. 

Robert  R.  Reed,  Sr.,  son  of  Robert  and  Mary  (Megwood)  Reed,  was 
born  in  Fayette  county,  Indiana,  November  7,  1824.  His  parents  were  born 
and  married  in  Ireland  and  came  to  America  with  their  four  children, 
namely:  James,  William,  Jane  and  Mary  Ann,  in  1817  and  settled  in 
Fayette  county,  Indiana.  His  father  was  a  weaever  by  trade  and  died 
in  Fayette  county  August  7,  1824,  and  his  son  James  died  there  in  1825. 
The  widowed  mother  moved  to  Clinton  township,  Cass  county,  with  her 
children,  William,  Thomas,  Mary  Ann  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
October  13,  1834,  and  occupied  a  log  cabin  in  the  midst  of  the  primeval 
forest  which  they  helped  to  clear  and  develop  the  country  where  they 
all  lived  and  died  except  Robert  R.  He  was  educated  in  the  old  log 
schoolhouse  on  the  Hewitt  L.  Thomas  farm ;  later  lie  taught  school  and 
in  1850  moved  to  Logansport  and  engaged  in  the  grain  business  with 
Pollard  &  Wilson.  Was  appointed  county  treasurer  November  30,  1879, 
in  place  of  W.  T.  S.  Manly,  deceased;  ran  for  treasurer  on  Republican 
ticket  but  was  beaten  by  Thos.  Pierce.  Was  united  in  marriage  to  IMiss 
Ruth  Clymer,  daughter  of  David  Clymer,  of  Clinton  township  on  June 
19,  1853.  Mrs.  Reed  died  in  1893,  leaving  our  aged  yet  honored  subject 
alone  in  the  world.  Mr.  Reed  served  several  terms  in  the  city  council 
in  the  seventies  and  for  a  man  of  his  age,  being  now  past  eighty-eight, 
has  a  remarkably  vivid  memory  and  the  writer  is  indebted  to  him  for 
much  historical  data  found  herein. 

Hon.  John  W.  Wright,  son  of  Rev.  John  Wright,  is  a  native  of  Lan- 
caster, Ohio,  where  he  was  born  October,  1811.  He  graduated  from  the 
Ohio  University  in  1832 ;  read  law  for  one  year  and  in  1833  located  in 
Logansport  and  began  the  practice  of  law.  In  1835  his  brother,  William- 
son Wright,  came  west  and  entered  into  a  partnership  with  him.  He  was 
prosecuting  attorney  and  in  1840  was  elected  president  judge  of  the 
eighth  judicial  circuit  and  served  for  six  years,  when  he  retired  to  his 
farm,  four  miles  north  of  Logansport  on  the  Michigan  road  and  was  the 
chief  actor  in  building  the  old  plank  road  from  Logansport  to  Fulton 
about  1853.  He  was  instrumental  in  building  the  Wabash  Railroad 
through  Logansport  and  presided  over  the  first  meeting  held  in  the  court- 
house, composed  of  men  from  Ft.  Wayne,  Lafayette  and  New  York,  for 
the  purpose  of  organization  of  the  company.  About  the  same  time  his 
brother,  Williamson  Wright,  was  active  in  promoting  the  construction  of 
the  Pan  Handle  Railroad  into  Logansport  and  John  W.  Wright  took 
the  contract  for  the  building  of  that  road  between  Newcastle  and  Logans- 
port and  the  first  locomotive  engine  ever  seen  in  Logansport  was  brought 
by  him  on  the  old  canal,  and  hauled  across  the  Wabash  bridge  onto  the 
railroad.  During  the  run  of  the  free  banking  system  in  the  fifties  he 
operated  a  bank  in  Logansport  and  one  at  Rochester,  but  the  death  of 


1206  HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY 

that  system  shut  them  up.  In  1852  he  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city. 
In  1858  he  was  elected  to  Congress  but  refused  to  take  his  seat,  because 
of  his  interest  in  making  Kansas  a  free  state,  whither  he  moved  and 
was  a  member  of  the  constitutional  convention  of  that  state  and  later 
a  member  of  the  legislature  and  became  the  speaker  of  the  house.  About 
1861-62  he  returned  to  Logansport  and  built  a  residence  on  the  east  side 
of  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  now  occupied  as  a  parsonage.  In  the 
sixties  he  was  appointed  to  an  Indian  agency  in  the  West  and  later  took 
up  his  residence  in  Washington,  where  he  died,  1889,  and  on  October  12 
of  that  year,  the  bar  of  Logansport,  at  a  meeting  presided  over  by  Judge 
D.  B.  McConnell,  passed  most  complimentarj^  resolutions  on  the  distin- 
guished services  of  Judge  Wright  and  especially  his  work  in  the  cause  of 
freedom  and  opposition  to  slavery  and  the  organization  of  the  Free  Soil 
party  in  Cass  county. 

Col.  JoRDxUsr  Vigus  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  where  he  was  born 
September  17,  1792.  In  1810  he  went  to  Lexington,  Kentucky,  and 
clerked  in  his  brother's  store.  He  sei*ved  with  distinction  in  the  First 
Kentucky  Regiment  during  the  War  of  1812.  In  1828  he  located  in 
Logansport  and  aided  in  the  laying  out  and  naming  the  town  with  Gen- 
eral Tipton,  Chauncey  Carter,  John  B.  Durett  and  Gillis  McBean.  Was 
appointed  by  Governor  Ray  a  commissioner  of  the  Wabash  and  Erie  canal 
in  1832-33  and  went  to  Ft.  Wayne  on  February  22,  1832,  to  commemorate 
the  commencement  of  construction  of  the  canal  and  after  delivering  a 
brief  address  commenced  the  work  by  digging  the  first  spadefull  of 
earth  amid  great  rejoicing.  Logansport  was  incorporated  as  a  city  by 
act  of  legislature,  February  17,  1838,  and  the  following  May  Colonel 
Vigus  was  elected  its  first  mayor.  He  afterwards  served  two  terms  as 
postmaster,  1840,  and,  again,  1848.  He  was  of  medium  height,  stout 
build,  with  dark  hair  and  dark  eyes.  He  died  September  20,  1860, 
leaving  a  wife  and  several  children.  His  remains  are  interred  in  the  old 
cemetery  on  Ninth  street. 

Dr.  Jehu  Z.  Powell,  son  of  Jacob  and  Martha  A.  (Troutman)  Pow- 
ell, was  born  in  Bethlehem  township,  Cass  county,  Indiana,  August  13, 
1848.  He  was  educated  in  the  Logansport  high  school  and  Presbyterian 
Academy  and  graduated  from  the  literary  department  of  the  University 
of  Michigan  in  1871  and  from  the  medical  department  in  1874.  In  the 
same  spring  he  took  a  post-graduate  course  at  the  Long  Island  Hospital 
Medical  College,  New  York,  and  at  once  opened  an  office  in  Logansport, 
where  he  has  been  in  active  practice  ever  since.  In  1892  and  again  in 
1902  he  took  a  practitioner's  course  in  the  Post-Graduate  Medical  School 
of  Chicago. 

The  doctor  has  never  sought  office,  being  content  to  follow  his  chosen 
profession,  but  believes  every  citizen  owes  a  duty  to  the  public  and 
was  induced  to  serve  as  member  of  the  city  council  for  four  years  and 
was  a  presidential  elector  in  1896  and  postmaster  at  Logansport  from 
1898  to  1902. 

In  politics  the  doctor  has  always  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Republi- 
can party  and  has  acted  as  the  chairman  of  the  Cass  County  Republican 
committee,  1892  to  1896. 


HISTORY  OF  CASS  COUNTY  1207 

He  has  always  been  an  earnest  temperance  advocate  and  has  filled 
various  offices  in  the  local  and  grand  lodge  of  tlie  Independent  Order, 
of  Good  Templars,  the  only  order  to  which  he  ever  belonged,  but  is 
active  in  promoting  temperance  and  moral  reform. 

The  doctor  is  a  close  student  and  spends  his  leisure  time  in  reading 
solid  literature  and  writing  along  various  temperance,  moral  and  his- 
torical lines.  He  has  been  thrice  married :  First  marriage  to  Mary  J. 
Leffel,  September  22,  1874,  daughter  of  Arthur  Leffel  of  Bethlehem 
township,  by  whom  he  had  one  son,  Dwight  C.  Powell,  born  in  Logans- 
port,  March  28,  1876 ;  was  educated  in  the  city  high  school  and  the 
University  of  Michigan  and  graduated  from  Bellevue  Medical  College 
in  1899;  appointed  surgeon  in  the  United  States  army  and  served  two 
years  in  the  Philippine  Islands;  resigned  from  the  service  and  not  lik- 
ing private  practice,  relinquished  his  profession  and  engaged  in  mer- 
cantile pursuits  and  is  now  located  in  Los  Angeles,  California.  He  was 
married  June  25,  1908,  to  Miss  Mildred  Addlesberger,  of  Springfield, 
Illinois,  and  thev  have  one  daughter,  Marv  Louise,  born  September  9, 
1909. 

Mrs.  Powell  died  May  17,  1877,  and  on  May  1,  1881,  he  was  again 
united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Louisa  F.  Ewing  nee  Harris,  whose  first 
husband  died  while  serving  as  postmaster  of  this  city  and  she  succeeded 
him  as  postmistress  in  1874.  She  died  in  1899,  death  resulting  from  a 
fall  through  a  cellar  door.  He  was  again  married  to  Miss  Christine  A. 
Markert  of  Logansport,  May  1,  1901,  and  they  are  blessed  with  one 
son,  Weldon,  bom  January  4,  1903. 

He  is  liberal  in  his  religious  views  but  was  raised  a  Quaker  and 
believes  in  plain,  practical  religion.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Cass  County 
Medical  Society  and  was  its  secretary  for  nearly  twenty-five  years,  also 
member  of  the  Indiana  State  Medical  Society  and  the  American  Med- 
ical Association. 

In  1903  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  International  Medical  Congress  at 
Madrid,  Spain,  and  visited  the  hospitals  in  all  the  European  capitals 
in  preparation  for  his  duties  as  chief  surgeon  in  charge  of  the  hospital 
at  the  National  Military  Home  at  Johnson  City,  Tennessee,  which  posi- 
tion he  fiUed.  But  tiring  of  the  confinement  and  military  discipline,  he 
resigned  after  four  months  service  in  that  capacity.  He  then  returned 
to  Logansport  to  his  old  home,  which  he  had  never  relinquished,  nor 
lost  his  citizenship  in  the  county  that  gave  him  birth,  where  he  is  still 
actively  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  chosen  profession.  ^ 


HECKMAN 

BINDERY  INC. 

.^^^  FEB    89 

N.  MANCHESTER, 
INDIANA  46962