SAMUEL FRYE, an old and highly esteemed pioneer of Cass County, is a native of Franklin County, Penn., where he was born October 2, 1824. His father, Samuel Frye, was also a native of Franklin County, Penn., and was born May 1, 1797. He was a son of Andrew Frye, who was a native of Virginia, and emigrated from thence to Maryland, and from there to Franklin County, Penn., in a very early day. He was twice married, and raised to men and women a family of eight children. Samuel, the father of our subject, was married in Franklin County, Penn., May 25, 1820 to Elizabeth Frederick, who was born in Franklin County, Penn., October 31, 1798. In about the year 1833 Mr. Samuel Frye, Sr., moved from Franklin County, Penn. to Bedford County, Penn., and from thence, in 1844, to Cass County, Ind. and settled upon land in Section 29, Boone Township, which he improved, and on which he resided until death. They were the parents of ten children, viz: Jacob F., John A., Samuel, Daniel, William M., Caleb, Rachel, Jerome, Rebecca E. and Emanuel F. Samuel, our subject, came with his parents to this county in 1844, and has since resided. He was married in Jefferson Township, this county, September 10, 1851, to Sarah, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Gray) Benson. She is a native of Pennsylvania, where she was born June 9, 1833. About one year after our subject's marriage, he settled upon the farm on which he now resides, which he has improved from the wild, and upon which he has since lived. He owns at present 179 acres of land, which are well improved and under a high state of cultivation. He has had born to him three children, viz: Mary H (deceased), Alexander and Elizabeth.

From "History of Cass County, Indiana," Thomas Helm, 1886.

Data Entry Volunteer: Ginette VandenOever



SAMUEL FRYE, one of the highly respected pioneer farmers of Cass County, Indiana, still maintains his residence upon the farm which he entered as a government land many years ago, when he came to Indiana a young man. This homestead is located three miles from Royal Center, in Boone township, and is one of the best farms in the locality. A resume of Mr. Frye's life is herewith presented.

Samuel Frye was ushered into life on the 2d day of October, 1824, in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Frederick) Frye, both natives of that place, he being the third in order of birth in a family of ten children.

Andrew Frye, the grandfather of our subject, was a Virginian by birth. He left the Old Dominion at an early day and established his home in Pennsylvania, where he reared a large family, several of his sons being participants in the war of 1812.

On his father's Pennsylvania farm Samuel Frye was born and reared, remaining there until he was twenty-two. At that time his parents emigrated to Cass County, Indiana, and he accompanied them, the date of their settlement here being in June, 1844. Young Frye selected a location in Boone Township and here entered one hundred and sixty acres of government land, paying for it at the rate of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, and here he has rounded out more than half a century of his life. All the building and improvements upon the farm have been placed here by him. A fair degree of prosperity has attended him throughout these years, and now in his advanced age he is comfortably situated to enjoy life.

Mrs. Frye was formerly Miss Sarah H. Benson and is a native of Pennsylvania, born near Pittsburg. Her parents were John and Elizabeth (Gray) Benson, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Indiana and settled in Cass County about the year 1834, being among the original settlers of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Frye have had three children, viz.: Mary, deceased; Alexander, married and settled in life; and Lizzie, at home.

In his political views Mr. Frye is stanchly arrayed with the Republican party, of which he has been a supporter since its organization.

From "Biographical and Genealogical History of Cass, Miami, Howard and Tipton Counties, Indiana," Lewis, 1898.

Data Entry Volunteer: Ginette VandenOever



DAVID W. STUDEBAKER, farmer, Section 20, Township 15, Range 22, P. O. Edgerton, Johnson County. Mr. Studebaker was born in Miami County, Ohio, in 1819. Moved in 1839 to Delaware County, Ind., and from there to Logansport, Cass Co., Ind. in 1847. In May, 1860, he came to Kansas and settled on his present farm of 260 acres in Richland. During the late war he served eighteen months in the Kansas Miltia in defense of the State. He was married in Indiana, March 20, 1845, to Miss Hannah M, daughter of Peter Baisinger. Mrs. Studebaker was born in Clark County, Ohio. They have eight children, five boys and three girls-Rebecca is the wife of Milton Redenbaugh, Thomas J., Nathan, Henry, Mary C., William G., Halsey H. and Martha.

From William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas First published in 1883 by A. T. Andreas, Chicago, IL. Miami County --
Data Entry Volunteer: Dusti



Dr. George L Hoffmann, Sr., Ph. D.

George L. Hoffmann was born November 1, 1887 to George William Hoffmann, a druggist in Logansport, Indiana and his wife, Inez Eudora Luther. His older sister, Grace Wilhelmina, preceded his entrance into the small family by three years. Having a scientist for a father was a great influence, and the younger George assisted his father in his pharmacy on Fourth Street for many years growing up. Not one to keep his nose solely in books, however, he excelled in sports, going on to serve as captain for the Logansport High School basketball team while an active member of the school's Red and Black magazine staff and the national treasurer for the Phi Sigma Chi fraternity.

After graduating from high school in 1906, he left his hometown to attend Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. While pursuing a degree in general science, George become a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity and continued to compete in a variety of athletic events. In March of 1911, as captain of the college's track team, he won the 60-yard sprint with the world's best time of 6.25 seconds at the intercollegiate conference track meet held at Evanston, Ill. He was later awarded the Stanley Coulter Cup on May 6, 1911 for a 10-second flat time for the 100-yard dash, a trophy still treasured by his descendents today. Combining those achievements with a top time of 22 seconds for the 220 yards, he set the local and national track world to speculating as to his participation in the upcoming 1912 Olympics.

Something about the Indiana man which enhances his value as a competitor is that he has shown ability to repeat on the same day and he was never headed in any of his races last year. Thus early Hoffmann has started to put himself in trim for the Olympic team, the chief portion of his time being devoted to smoothing off his style and learning to get the most out of his stride. Long before the warm weather arrives he expects to be doing a couple of yards better than "even time" for the 100 yards. Although the Western tryouts would be nearer to the Purdue man, it is said that he prefers the tryouts for the East at Boston, as he is of the opinion that it will be much easier to qualify there than anywhere else. It has been reported around Lafayette that Hoffman has been invited to be a member of the team by the American Olympic committee, but that is improbable, as it is understood that the men who will make the team this time will have to figure in the tryouts to Stockholm. Past records will avail nothing, especially as heretofore men have been selected for teams on their reputation and they failed sadly when they went against the cracks from other lands.

from an undated and unidentified newspaper article clipping entitled WESTERN RUNNER MAY SEEK OLYMPIC HONOR, George Hoffman seems to Be Athlete Who Can Do Century Run Best.

Since the family has never heard of any Olympic exploits, it appears he did not compete in the 1912 games. His years at Purdue were certainly busy, as in addition to the previously mentioned activities, he was also a founder and charter member of Iron Key. He graduated with a bachelors of science degree in 1911, but remained at Purdue for a year as an instructor in its science department, as well has furthering his own education at the same time. His scientific achievements of his college years also earned him membership in Sigma Xi, an honor society for science and engineering founded in 1886. Membership is by invitation only.

His first non-academic position was with the Board of Health of Chicago, where he quickly rose up through the ranks. After that it was on to Detroit where he signed a five-year contract to head research for the Parke Davis Company. It was during that period that he put aside funds to return to academics, this time at the famous University of Berne in Switzerland. Hoffmann participated in intensive study under the noted Professor Wilhelm Kolle, and in 1914-15 he assisted Kolle as an instructor in the investigation of infectious diseases. After only a few months of study at Berne, he was appointed an assistant professor of bacteriology. The only North American student at the university, he obtained a Ph.D. there in 1915, graduating cum laude. His work with Kolle continued for over 15 years, as he chose Hoffmann to write the section on hay fever in Das Handbuch der Pathogenen Mikro-Organismen in 1927. He won wide recognition over the years for his treatment of hay fever and asthma by the pollen antigen method as a result of such study.

Upon his return to the United States, Hoffmann was employed by the Mulford Chemical Company of Philadelphia, assisted the famous surgeon Dr. Charles Murphy of Chicago as head of his laboratories, and then worked at the sanitarium hospitals in Hot Springs, Arkansas. After being rejected for military service in 1917, he returned to Mulford for a while before joining the Western Pennsylvania Hospital of Pittsburgh, where he attended such rich men as R. B. Mellon. His time at West Penn also brought him into the acquaintance of a recent Vassar College graduate from Harrisburg, Miss Dorothy Catherine Hurlock. In 1921 the new bacteriologist came to Pittsburgh to interview for the position of his research assistant. Not only was she hired for the job, but went on to become his wife on October 6, 1923.

His professional focus varied, as he, either alone or in partnership with others, authored many scientific publications or papers. Their diverse topics are reflected in a few of the titles: Studies on the Virus of Hog Cholera of 1913, The Role of Carbohydrates in the Treatment of Toxemias of Early Pregnancy of 1920, and even Chronic Equine Arthritis of 1935. The latter was the result of his collaboration with veterinarian Dr. Cassius Way of New York City. The research was successful, as he was the originator of the serum treatment of arthritis in race horses, a solution perfected after 10 years of intensive research with Way and another New York scientist, Dr. Reginald Burbank.

In 1923 Hoffmann established his own laboratory in the Jenkins Arcade Building in Pittsburgh. He was honored with memberships in many scientific organizations, among them were: the Indiana Academy of Science, the Society of Experimental Biology, the Society of American Bacteriologist, the Society of Parasitology, the American Chemical Society, and the Royal Institute of Public Health of London, England. He was also the only member without a medical degree to belong to the Society for the study of Arthritis.

George L and Dorothy Hoffmann had two sons. George L Hoffmann, Jr., was born on May 15, 1926, and William Hurlock Hoffmann on February 23, 1929, both in Pittsburgh.

On July 16, 1936, while returning to their home from a business trip to Buffalo, N.Y., an allegedly drunk driver struck their automobile near Angola, N.Y. Dr. Hoffmann died at the scene. His interest in science lived on in his sons. George, Jr., went on to graduate from Yale University Medical School and become a very successful and respected surgeon with many honors including his election to the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons. William was an Honors graduate of Yale in engineering and a member of Sigma Xi and Tau Beta Pi. Both sons followed in their father's footsteps by also publishing many scientific papers and articles. At present he is survived by son William, four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Click here for photos.

Submitted by granddaughter Kathryn Hoffmann McCorkle
SOURCES: Articles of several newspapers, whose names and dates are not discernable, family interviews and collections, and scientific publications.

Deb Murray