Biographical memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, embracing a comprehensive compendium of local biography--memoirs of representative men and women of the county ... and special articles prepared by Hon. Hugh Dougherty, Evan T. Chalfant, P.A. Allen, Mrs. D.T. Smith, Hon. Joseph S. Dailey, George E. Fulton, M.D., and Thomas Sturgis, D.D.S.

Preface

T N PLACING the Biographical Memoirs of ^Vells County before tlie citi.en. j the pubhsher can conscientiously claim that he has carried out in full every promise made in the prospectus. He points with pride to the elegance of the bmding of the ^■olume, and to the beauty of its typography, to the supenonty of the paper on ^yhich the ^york is printed, and to the truthfulness depicted by its portraits and the high class of art in ^yhich they are finisl,ed. E^■ery biographical sketch has been submitted for correction and approval to the person for ^yhom it was written, and therefore any error of fact if there be an)-, is due solely to the person for whom the sketch was prepared.

The sex-eral special articles frdm the pens of well known citizens of the county cannot fail but be of unusual interest, the writers touching upon those phases of the county's history with which they are most familiar. The pubhsher would here ayail himself of the opportunity to thank the citizens of Wdh county for the uniform kindness with ^vhich they haye regarded this undertaking, and for their many services rendered in assisting in the gaining of necessary information. Confident that our efforts to please will fulh- mee't \yith the approlxation of the public. \ye are. Respectfully.

INDEX-PART I,

Historical Resume 1°

Industrial Progress of Wells County, by Hon. Hugh Dougherty ^2

Agricultural Progress in Wells County, by Evan T. Chalfant 43

Public Education, by P. A. Allen 49

Literature and Its Progress, by Mrs. D. T. Smith 62

The Bench and Bar, by Hon. Joseph S. Dailey 70

Medical History of Wells County, by George E. Fulton, M. D 78

Dentistry, bv Thomas Sturgis, D. D. S 86

INDEX-PART II.

Abbott. A. S 423

Abbott, Daniel W 501

Abbott. William H 502

Abshire. Lewis C 25S

Alberson. Charles 240

Alberson, Philip B 240

Allen. Hamon 592

Allen. P. A 425

Allen. Robert 592

Alspach, Daniel 200

Alspach, John A 311

Archbold. T. W 4S8

Archbold. William G 491

Arnold. Adam 361

Arnold. William C 547

Awkerman, Joseph 350

Awkerman. Joseph. Sr 350

Baker, John 165

Batson, Nathaniel 152

Batson. S. J 152

Beavans. James IGO

Beavans, John W 160

Beberstein. Ferdinand 320

Beck, John M 344

Bevingrton. O. B ISO

Bevington. R. A 180

Bickel, Simon B 504

Bierie, Christian 316

Bierie. Bli C 315

Bloxsom, James 24S

Bloxsom, William 248

Blue, C. L., M. D 50S

Blue, Hon. M. C 581

Bock, C. C. M 149

Bock, J. W 149

Booher. John 266

Botts. E. H., M. D 558

Bower. Joel 259

Bower. Henry 286

Bower, Simon 259

Bowman, William E 348

Brickley, George 158

Brickley. Peter 158

Brineman, C, S 236

Brineman, John 23G

Brineman, Malachi 237

Brown, Mrs. Sarah E 593

Buck, John M 334

Buckner, Capt. Philip 567

Burns, Joseph 572

Campbell, Samuel 589

Caps, George L 305

Caps, George W 304

Carrysot, Adolphus 415

Chalfant, Evan L 490

Clark, Mrs. Frances 223

Clark, I. K 154

Clark, John 1 381

Clark, Matthew J 154

Clark, Robert 559

Clark. Rufus B 380

Clark. Sargeant 380

Cloud. Thomas C 117

Colbert, William 184

Cotton, George W 190

Cotton, Samuel G 190

Crites, Jesse 511

Crites, John 511

Dailey, Hon. Joseph S 96

Davis, Edwin R 518

Dawson, John 225

Deam, John C 486

Deam, John H 500

Deam. Lewis E 500

DeHaven. L. L 181

DeHaven, Walter B 182

Derr, Capt. E. E 460

Dettinger, John G 358

Dettmer, John D 480

Ditzler, John R 506

Donaldson, Robert 147

Donaldson, W. A 146

Dougherty, Hon. Hugh 89

Dulinsky, George 261

Dulinsky, William 261

Dunwiddie, William 345

Durr, John Henry 433

Dyson, Charles E 275

Dyson, George 296

Earl, George W 593

Ehret, William 493

Eichhorn, David 187

Eichhorn, Philip 187

Elick, Jonas 587

Elick, William 552

Elzey, Abner S 402

Engle, Robert M 206

Engle, William L 340

Falk, Joseph 453

Fatscher, Jacob 464

Feeser, John G 136

Feeser. Josiah 136

Fisher, Daniel 549

Fleming. Aaron 128

Ford, Charles H 179

Ford. Thomas 179

French. Amos 201

French. John G 201

Fry. Joel 421

Fulton, Hon. George E 104

Fulton, J. C, M. D 427

Punk, C. B 221

Funk. John B 366

Funk, Samuel D 221

Garton, Henry J 420

Garton, Marion 418

Gavin, George M 530

Gavin, J. B 384

Gavin, R, F 326

Gehrett, Amos 219

Gehrett, Mrs. Elizabeth 143

Gehrett, Henry S 144

Gesler, Lewis 441

INDEX— PART II.

Clock, John 471

Goodyear, J. W 376

Green, James 254

Green, P. S 254

Haflich, Andrew J 551

Haflich, Eli 588

Haflich, Samuel A 586

Haiflich, Isaac 443

Haiflich, William 442

Hamilton, Augustus W 562

Hatfield, Adam 130

Hatfield, Adam, Jr 131

Hatfield, Hiram 131

Hatfield, Isaac N., M. D 138

Hatfield, James C 130

Hatfield, John 130

Heckley. Martin 494

Hedges, Elijah 571

Hedges. Robert M 571

Helm, George 381

Henline, Joseph H 400

Hogg, John H 454

Holcomb, J. H., M. D 438

Hoopengarner. George 514

Hower. B. F 424

Hower. John Y 580

Hudson Family 218

Hudson, Wilson 216

Huffman. David C, M, D.. . . 419

Huffman, George W 230

Huffman, Henry 192

Huffman, Levi 192

Hunsicker, Henry H 120

Hurst, Samuel 282

Hurst, Thaddeus S 282

Huyette, Prof. Arthur R 370

Huyette, Joseph R 370

Hyde, John S 168

Irwin, Robert C 544

Johns, Henry E 277

Johnson. Abraham W 519

Johnson, Jonas 441

Johnson, Lewis M 51S

Johnson, Noah 556

Jones, John 515

Kain, B, F 595

Keefer, James H 352

Keller, David 143

Kemp, Joel 386

Kilander. Perry 197

Kilander, R. A 144

Kimble, George W 156

Kimble, Uzal 157

Kizer, Martin 285

Kizer, Martin, Sr 285

Kleinknight, William F 495

Knott, James 185

Knott, Samuel C 185

Krehl, Frederick 204

Krehl. Jacob F 204

Kreigh. Samuel M 470

Krewson. John S 466

Kunkel. Calvin 412

Kunkel. Michael 413

Kunkel. William A 326

Lancaster, Harvey B 456

Lancaster, Louis G 312

Lancaster, Nathan 313

Lassiter, H. H 557

Leavengood, Silas G 547

Lechner, George W 474

Lee, Jonathan R 176

Lee, William 176

Leist, George 521

Lesh, Jacob 445

Lipkey, William 368

Lobsiger, John 365

Lockwood, James E 227

Long, Michael 336

Lounsbury, Smith 141

Lounsbury, Sylvester 140

McAfee, Jacob 444

McAfee. John 437

McBride, James L., M. D 560

McBride. William W 583

McCollister, Henry C 33?

WcCullick, H. C "378

McCullick, Lot 327

McDowell, William 360

McFarren, George F 332

McFarren, Harry 333

Mann, Henry A 166

Mann, Michael 166

Markley, John 383

Markley, Mrs. Jacob B 517

Markley, Jonathan J 447

Markley. William D 383

Mast, Abraham 498

Mast, Uriah 497

Matlack, David T 537

Matlack, William 537

Merriman, Alfred T 542

Metts, A. H., M. D 463

Metts, John 1., M. D 467

Meyer, Albert 575

Meyer, David 577

Meyer, Jonas 336

Meyer, Peter 375

Meyer. Peter 575

Miller. Andrew J 446

Miller. Charles M 398

Miller, Henry 232

Miller, Jacob 399

Miller, John A 505

Miller, Michael 232

Minnich, Jacob 125

Minnlch, John 125

Minniear, Joseph 528

Minniear, Lewis A 528

! Mock, Daniel 106

Mock, Emsley 106

Mock, Hon. Levi 105

Moore, Cornelius 535

Moore, Joseph B 534

! Morris, John Pickett 568

Morris, Thomas B., M. D 567

Mosure, Frank W 328

Mosure, Jonathan 328

Moiinsey, James P 539

Myers, Ludwig 484

Neff, Hercules H 510

Neff, John N 522

Neher, John 299

Neher, Samuel 299

Neher, Samuel 1 293

Nelson, James 163

Nelson. Solomon B 162

Nevius, George R 487

Niriter, George 481

Niriter, John 481

Nutter, Levi 310

Nutter, Louis A 310

Ochsenrider, David 314

Ochsenrider, Elias 314

Oppenheim, Albert 578

Oppenheim, Sigmund 578

Ormsby, Albert 553

Palmer, Samuel H 174

Park, Matthew J 452

Paxson, Mahlon 1 403

Perdue. James 118

Perdue, James, Sr 119

Poling. Silas 540

Popejoy. Lawson 550

Pouless, William 178

Prillaman, Lewis 103

Ralstian, William 329

INDEX— PART II.

Rapp, Frederick 483

Reeves, Dennis 284

Reeves, John H 284

Rex, John 461

Rinear, Charles 354

Rinear, John W 354

Risley, Franl<lin P 288

Roberts, Nathan 373

Roberts, Robert 373

Roe, Arthur F 491

Roe, Charles E 591

Roe, Ezekiel 477

Roe, Jeremiah 509

Roe, John F 565

Rogers, Philo 102

Rolli, Gottlieb 372

Rose, Joseph 229

Rupright, W. H 457

Saunders, C. B., M. D 213

Saunders, George L 397

Saunders, J. E., M. D 213

Schaffter, Henry 189

Schott, G. B 342

Schott, Peter 318 j

Schwob, Amos 208 j

Schwob, John 208 j

Schwartz, Levi 499

Scott, Nathan Macy 264

Scott, Stanton 264

Seaman, Jonathan 554

Settlemeyer, James M 564

Sheets, John 440

Sheets, William 440

Shepherd, Harrison 524

Shepherd, John S 270

Shepherd, S. E 524

Shoemaker, W. K 521

Shorts, Nicholas W 478

Shumaker, W. A 253

Sills, Daniel 363

Sixbey, Charles C 112

Sixbey, Col. John 112

Slusher, Josiah 238

Smith, Benjamin P 523

Smith, Jacob J 531

Smuts, Jacob 563

Snow, Giffon 301

Snow, G. H 294

Snow, Henry 294

Snyder, Lewis F 475

Sours, A. W 245

Sours, Samuel 245

Spaulding, Levi 290

Spaulding, Stephen 290

Speheger, Abraham 211

Springer, John M 485

Sprowl, John W 533

Stafford, John 198

Stafford, Nelson E 198

Stahl, Joseph 364

Stegkamper, Henry 169

Stogdill, Christ 516

Studabaker, A. T 272

Studabaker, D. D 570

Studabaker, Hugh D 430

Studabaker, John 99

Studabaker, William 272

Sturgis, John E 435

Swaim. David H 122

Swaim, William T. T 122

Taylor, Theodore 322

Taylor, Theodore, Sr 322

Taylor, William H 587

Taylor, William P 472

Templin, Sanford H 242

Templin, Terry 242

Terhune, Albert E 308

Terhune, Edward 303

Terhune, Henry. Sr 303

Terhune, William 292

Tharp, A. B 194

Tharp, Isaac M 194

Todd, Jacob 388

Todd, Jacob J 388

Todd, Nelson K 134

Turner, George 183

Turner, James 183

Ullman, J. A 173

Unrue, George 251

Unrue. Joseph 251

Vitz, Rev. Peter 280

Walbert, Hon. M. W 115

Walker, John A 513

Walters, Cyrus 455

AVasson, James 409

Wasson, Thomas M 406

Watson, John M 324

Watson, Mark 324

Wells, Bunyon J 224

Wheeler, Thomas 256

Wheeler, Thomas W 256

Williams, Amos R 297

Wiley, Capt. Benjamin F.... 171

Wiley. William 171

Wilkin, William 450

Williams, Edgar C 306

Williams, John 268

Williams, J. S 297

Williams, J. W 263

Williams, 0. R 263

Williams, Thomas 268

Williams, Thomas 306

Wisner, John 234

Woodward, W. A 459

INTRODUCTORY.

"Progress — man's distinctive mark alone. Not God's and not the beasts,. God is; they are: Man partly is and partly hopes to be."

— Browning.

Out of the depths of his mature wisdom Carlyle wrote : "History is the essence of innumerable biographies." Further than this what propriety can there be for advancing reasons for the compilation of such a work as the one at hand? Wells county. Indiana, has sustained within its confines men who ha^^e been prominent in the history of the state and nation from the early territorial epoch. The annals teem with the records of strong and noble manhood and gracious womanhood, and, as Sumner said, "The true grandeur of nations is in those qualities which constitute the true greatness of the individual." The final causes which shape the fortunes of individual men and the destinies of states are often the same. They are usually remote and obscure : their influence wholly unexpected until declared by results. When they inspire men to the exercise of courage, self-denial, enterprise and industry, and call into play the higher moral elements ; lead men to risk all upon conviction, faith.— such causes lead to the planting of great states, great nations, great peoples. That nation is greatest which produces the greatest and most manly men, and the intrinsic safety depends not so much upon methods and measures as upon that true manhood from whose deep sources all that is precious and permanent in life must at last proceed. Such results may not consciouslv be contemplated by the individuals instrumental in the production of a great nation. Pursuing each his personal good by exalted means, they work this out as a logical result. They have wrought along the lines of the greatest good.

Ceaselessly to and fro flies the deft shuttle that weaves the web of human destiny, and into the vast mosaic fabric enter- the individuality, the efifort, the accomplishment of each man, be his station that most lowly or one of majesty, pomp and power. Within the textile folds may be traced the line of

14 INTRODUCTORY.

each individnalit)', be it the one that lends the beautiful sheen of honest worth and honest endeavor, or one that, dark and zigzag, finds its \va_y through warp and woof, marring the composite l)eauty by its Ijlackened threads, ever in evidence of a shadowed and unprolific life. Into the great aggregate each individuality is merged, and yet the essence of each is never lost, be the angle of its influence witle-spreading and grateful or narrow and baneful. In his efforts he who essays biography finds much, of profit and much of alluring fascination when he would follow out, in even a cursory way, the tracings of a life history, seeking to find the keynote of each respective personality. These eflforts and their resulting transmission can not fail of \-alue in an objective way, for in each case may the lesson of life be conned, "line upon line: j^recept upon precept."

Whether the elements of success in life are innate attributes of the individual or whether they are quickened by a process of circumstantial development it is impossible to clearly determine. Yet the study of a successful life is none the less profitable and interesting by reason of the existence of this same uncertainty. So much in excess of those of successes are the records of failures and semi-failures, that one is constrained to attempt an analysis in either case and to determine the method of causation in an approximate way. The march of improvement and progress is accelerated day by day, and each successive moment seems to demand of men a Iiroader intelligence and a greater discernment than did the preceding. Successful men must be live men in this glorious twentieth century, and the lessons of biography may be far reaching to an extent not superficially evident. A man's reputation is the property of the world. The laws of nature have forbidden isolation. Every human being either submits to the controlling influence of others or, as a master, wields a power for good or evil on the masses of mankind. There can lie no impropriety in justly scanning the acts of any man as they aiifect his public, social and business relations. If he be honest and successful m his chosen field of endeavor, investigation will brighten his fame and point the path along which others may follow with like success. Xot alone are thcise worthy of biographic honors who have moved along the loftier planes of action, but to an equal extent are those deserving who are of the rank and file of the world's workers, for they are not less the conservators of public prosperity and material advancement.

INTRODUCTORY

Longfellow wrote, "We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done." If this golden sentence of the New England bard were uniformly appreciated, many a man who is now looking down with haughty stare upon the noble toilers on land and sea. sneering at the omission of the aspirate, the cut of his neighbor's coat or the humbleness of his dwelling, would be voluntarily doing penance in sackcloth and ashes, at the end of which he would handle a spade or. with pen in hand, burn the 'midnight oil in his study, in the effort to widen the bounds of liberty or to accelerate the material and spiritual progress of his race. The humble and lowly often stand representative of the truest nobility of character, the deepest patriotism and the most exalted purpose, and through all the gradations of life recognition should be had of the true values, and then should full appreciation be manifested.

Tn this compilation, which touches upon the lives and deeds of those who ha\-e been the founders and builders of Wells count)-, the editorial staff, as well as the publishers, have fully realized the magnitude of the work set before them. Within these pages will be found a brief resume of the generic history of the county, together with \aluable and interesting articles by special contributors who are numbered among the representative citizens of the countv. but the more specific province of the work is that of biography, and in the collation of the material for the same there has been a constant aim to use a wise discrimination in regard to the selection of subjects and yet to exclude none worthy of representation withm its pages. Those who have been prominent factors in the public, social and industrial affairs of the county in the past have been accorded due recognition in so far as it has been possible to secure the requisite data. Names worthy of perpetuation have in several instances been omitted, either on account of the apathetic interest of those concerned or the inability to secure the information demanded. Vet. in both the contemporary narrative and in the meuKjirs of those who ha\-e passed on to "that undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns," it is believed that there has been such utilization of material as to more than fulfill all stipulations and promises made at the inception of the enterprise.

In the compilation recourse has been had to divers authorities, including various histories and historical collections, and implying an almost endless array of papers and docu'ments, public, private, social and ecclesiastical. That

INTRODUCTORY.

so much matter could be gathered from so many original sources and then sifted and assimilated for the production of a single work without incurring a modicum of errors and inaccuracies, would be too much to expect of any corps of writers, no matter how able they might be as statisticians or skilled as compilers of such works. It is, nevertheless, believed that there will be found no inaccuracies of so serious a nature as to impair the historical value of the volume, and it is further believed that the results will supply the demand which called forth the efforts of the publishers and the editorial corps.

To other and specific works has been left the task of touching in detail and with due expansiveness the generic history of the county, for the assigned function of this compilation is aside from this and is definite in its scope, so that an exhaustive recapitulation would be incompatible and, in view of the prescribed limitations, impossible. However, the incidental references made to those who have been the important actors in the public and ci\-ic history of this favored section of the great commonwealth of Indiana will serve to indicate the generic phases and will shadow forth much to those who can •'read between the lines." In conclusion we can not do better than to quote another of Carlyle's terse aphorisms:- "There is no heroic poem in the world but is at bottom a bioghaphy, — the life of man."