"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

I.H. ALEXANDER, of Rochester, was born in Cass County, Ind., Sept. 2, 1836. He was reared to the duties of the farm in that and Fulton County. Henry Alexander, his father, was born at Stone River, Tenn., Nov. 10, 1806. He went to Kentucky when a boy and on to Ohio and was married in that state in Medina County to Mary Hall, whose father, Amos Hall was born in North Carolina, and died in Ohio. Henry Alexander was a son of Amos Alexander, a New Light preacher, who was born in Virginia, emigrated to Tennessee, thence to Kentucky and died in this state in 1846, aged sixty years. Henry Alexander left Cass County, Ind., early in the 40’s and went to Cedar County, Mo., expecting to make that state his future home, but it was too new, Indians were too numerous and sickness and other ills combined drove him back to Indiana again in six years. He came into Rochester just as the old court house was being finished. May 18, 1856, he subject of this sketch married in Fulton County Daniel Carr’s daughter, Rebecca, from Jay County, Ind., but originally from Coshocton County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Alexander’s children are Mrs. Ida Southard, Susan B., married A. Thallman; Hilda, deceased, married David Smith, and left one child, Gladys. In 1864 Mr. Alexander enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Forty-second Indiana volunteers. Capt. Jim Thompson was his captain. He was mustered into service at Indianapolis and was sent to Nashville and caught Hood there. His regiment remained in that post till the surrender of Lee, when it was mustered out and was discharged at Indianapolis July 14, 1865. Mr. Alexander returned to this county and farmed three years. He then went to Tyner City and was engaged in the hotel business for seven years. Twenty-one years ago he engaged in the retail liquor business in Rochester. He has prospered and has invested some of his surplus in Fulton County real estate. He owns a farm of 117 acres, a comfortable home in Rochester, and a brick business block on the south side of the square in Rochester. He is a republican in politics.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

ROBERT ANDERSON, of Newcastle township, is one of the leading farmers of the county and was born in Wayne County, Ohio, Feb. 8, 1834. He came to Indiana in 1841, with his father, William Anderson, who made his settlement in the unbroken forests of Kosciusko County. In that neighborhood young Robert was reared and trained in the habits of industry. The country subscription school gave him his education and the pure, open air his robust physique. His father died about 1856 and he undertook, in a measure, the care of his widowed mother. He married at the age of twenty-two years, wedding Elphina, daughter of Jesse Bird, who was born in North Carolina, first settled in Wayne County, Ind., and some years later in Kosciusko County. Mrs. Anderson died in 1878, leaving a son, George Anderson, who resides on his father’s farm, and has a family. His first wife was Mary A. Miller. At her death she left one child, Hulda. George’s present wife was Mary Giek, whose three children are Burl, Nora and Robert. Robert Anderson reared one other child, viz., Delpha, wife of Alex H. Scritchfield, of Marshall County. She was the daughter of William Anderson. Our subject’s father was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, was married in Wayne County, Ind., to Mary Wood, who died in 1875, being the mother of the following children: Rachel, Robinson, deceased; Andrew, living in Texas, William, deceased; Francis, residing in Mentone; Robert, Abner, in Marshall County; Mary Roop, deceased; Ira, deceased, and Elizabeth, deceased, married to N.A.W. Norris. Robert Anderson came to Fulton County in 1866 with but $600. He bought eighty acres, which were partly but poorly opened up, made a small payment on it and went several hundred dollars in debt for the balance. He has paid out on this indebtedness, bought another eighty acres, drained, cleared and otherwise improved the whole, out of the products of the farm. Mr. Anderson is a democrat.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

JOSEPH F. AULT -- The industrial interests of Rochester are well represented by this gentleman, a well known architect and mechanic, who has been prominently connected with building in this city, evidences of his work being seen in many of the substantial structures of Rochester. Mr. Ault is of Hoosier nativity, his birth having occurred in Huntington County, March 31, 1858. The Ault family had its origin in Saxony, and the original American ancestor landed at New York and settled near that city, for Philip Ault, the great- grandfather of our subject, was born in Manhattan. Removing to Pennsylvania he located at Valley Forge, where he was living during the memorable winter that the American army under Gen. Washington suffered untold hardships there. His son, Frederick Ault, was born at Valley Forge in 1800 and in 1812 the family emigrated to Belmont County, Ohio, where Frederick learned the trades of milling and distilling, and also followed the occupation of farming. The father of our subject, Henry Ault, who for a number of years has been a resident of Rochester, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1826, and learned the trades of carpenter and millwright. In 1854 he removed to Huntington County, Ind., and enlisted at Indianapolis, with the boys in clue of Company H, Forty-seventh Indiana infantry, which regiment was attached to the army of the Potomac. After thirteen months of active service he was discharged from field duty on account of disability, and transferred to the hospital service, acting as hospital steward at Camp Wyckliffe, Ky. By order of the division surgeon he was given charge of hospital No. 2, at Louisville, Ky., and later was placed in charge of the convalescent corps, returning home with some of “the boys”. Henry Ault was married in 1849, to Susanna Freck, a native of Fairfield County, Ohio, and a daughter of Joseph Freck, a farmer of German descent. Their children are Eva, wife of Wm. J. Bailey, of Leiters Ford, Fulton County; Mary H., wife of George H. Adams, of Rochester; Joseph F., and Lilla, wife of G.F. Barcus, of Rochester. After leaving the public schools of Rochester, Joseph F. Ault attended the State Normal at Terre Haute, and subsequently engaged in teaching for a few years. On abandoning that profession, he learned the business of wood working with his father in the latter’s shop and mill. For six months our subject was an employee in the shops of the Wabash railroad company at Peru, Ind., and later was superintendent of the construction of depots on the Erie road from Monterey to West Point. He has also erected at different points some stations for the Standard Oil company, and for some years he was acknowledged as one of the leading contractors of Rochester, erecting buildings for J.B. Fieser, O.P. Dillon, Cary Rapp, J.M. Kern and others. He is now devoting his time to shop work and architecture, superintending the operation of a planing mill, which he erected in 1881. He is a broad-gauged, practical business man, whose straightforward dealings have gained him the confidence of all with whom he has come in contact and won him a liberal share of the public patronage. Mr. Ault gives his political support to the republican party. For two years he acceptably served as town clerk, and is now serving his third year as a member of the Rochester school board. During his incumbency, the board has erected a $20,000 school building, and liberal apportionment has been made, largely through his efforts, for furnishings and apparatus. He is deeply interested in the cause of public education and all measures calculated to advance the schools of Rochester receive his support. Mr. Ault is a man of domestic tastes, whose interests center in his family. He was married March 25, 1884, in Huntington, Ind., to Joanna M. Flora, and they now have four interesting children - Fred H., a lad of ten years; Edith M., seven years; Joseph O., aged four; and an infant, Willie.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

JOHN AYDELOTT, Liberty township, was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1816. His father, John Aydelott, was born in Delaware. His early life was spent in the coasting trade on the Atlantic ocean, winding up his twenty-two year’s service as a ship captain. In 1807 he settled in Hamilton County, Ohio, and died in his last home, Montgomery County, 1831, at sixty years of age. Our subject’s paternal grandfather, John Aydelott, was born in France. He settled in Delaware on coming to America. The mother of our subject was Mary, a daughter of William Lockwood. Her children were Nancy, Lavina, Benjamin, Jacob and Thomas, all deceased; Sarah, widow of William Chambers; Elizabeth, deceased; Rebecca, deceased; and John. The last mentioned was sent to school only a few months during his boyhood. He began life as a teamster in Montgomery County, Ohio, and made his first money in that way. He was married Jan. 9, 1840, to Sarah, a daughter of Morris Harris, from New Jersey. This venerable couple have reared two orphaned children, viz.: Eva Shafer, now Mrs. Jacob W. Warner, of Miami County, and William H. Bryant, who married Sarah M. Aydelott and lives in Kansas. “Uncle John” Aydelott came to Fulton County in October, 1848m, and settled in the dense wood on his present farm. He has it cleared up and beautified, and although eighty years of age, can turn his hand to any kind of heavy work. He was found May 5, 1896, digging a drain through the side of his farm. He has been a strong, healthy man, and few have been the days that he has not attended to the usual duties of the farmer.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

LEWIS BAILEY, the son of William and Mahala Bailey, and the brother of William J., elsewhere mentioned, was born in Aubbeenaubbee township, Fulton county, on the farm now owned by his father. He remained with his father until he was past twenty-two years of age. He was married Oct. 31, 1877, to Amanda Tracy, the daughter of S.S. and Caroline Tracy. To this marriage were born three children, viz.: Estella, Pink V., and Clark. Mr. Bailey practically began life with nothing, but by hard labor has been quite successful and now owns a comfortable home and 100 acres of land. He has always been a staunch democrat. He and his wife are both members of the M.E. church. In 1893 he was appointed to serve the unexpired term of John Marbaugh, township trustee, and faithfully performed his duties for three years thereafter. Mr. Bailey has always been industrious and perservering. He has made a success in farming by reason of being a hard worker and by being frugal and strictly honest in all his affairs of business. He enjoys the confidence of a wide circle of acquaintances and is one of the county’s representative citizens.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

S.P. BAILEY, of Rochester, devotes his entire attention to cabinet and planing mill business and is one of the self-made hustlers of the young crowd. He has been associated with Jonas Myers in the management of their mill for years past and is enumerated among the reliable men in his calling. He was born in Hardin County, Ohio, Feb. 2, 1858. He had the advantages of a village school training prior to the graded schools of Rochester, to which town he was brought in 1873 by his father, L.S. Bailey. Stella Bailey began business after he became of age, in the employ of his present associate. He was drawn into this line of work naturally, his father having been a lumber man at some time in his career. He is a democrat in politics, and was made the candidate of his party for town marshall, and although the town was republican he was elected by 112 majority. He is a K. of P., a Red Man, and a K.O.T.M., a member of the fire company and of the Citizen’s band. Mr. Bailey’s father was born in Hardin County, Ohio, sixty-two years ago. He was recently marshal of Rochester and was a soldier in the Union army during the civil war, and has followed farming during a portion of his residence in Fulton County. S.P. Bailey married in Rochester, March 24, 1888, wedding Essie, daughter of Jonas Myers, a prominent and esteemed citizen of Fulton County. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bailey the following children have been born: Martha, Margaret Moycah and an infant daughter.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

WILLIAM J. BAILEY, the son of William Bailey, was born in Aubbeenaubbee township, Fulton County, Dec. 8, 1852. His father was born in Kentucky, October 8, 1816, and lived there until he was sixteen years of age, at which age his parents and self moved to Putnam County, Ind. After having lived there for some time they moved to Delphi, in Carrol County, Ind. From here he started out in life for himself and after roaming around for some time finally came to Fulton County, Ind., and lived with his parents, they having moved thither. However his parents stayed here but a short time until they returned to Delphi, where they took up their permanent abode. The son remaining in Fulton County. He was married Oct. 19, 1840, to Mahala Knight. This union was blessed with seven children, viz.: Mary Jane, deceased; Asa, deceased; Amelia, Emiline, deceased; Elizabeth, William J. and Lewis. The mother died Sept. 4, 1882. The father still lives on the old homestead. He was married a second time to Emaline Kirkendall July 20, 1885. To this union were born two children - Anna and Charles. The father has helped all his children and still owns forty acres of land. William J. remained with his parents until he was twenty-four years of age. He was married Dec. 29, 1875, to Eve Ault. He had just $40 and his wife $60 at the time they were married. With this they purchased a team of horses, which died before the summer was over. Not becoming discouraged with this, they commenced again, the wife to teaching school and the husband began working on his father’s farm. The wife has always had bad health. They have raised their brother’s children, having none of their own. Through all these misfortunes they have been very prosperous, and now own a beautiful home and one hundred acres of valuable land, He has always been a staunch democrat. He and his wife are members of the M.E. church. In 1880 he was elected townhip assessor and served his term of four years as a successful officer.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

M.A. BAKER, county attorney, and for the past decade a conspicuous figure at the bar of Fulton County, was born near the city of Albany, N.Y., at the town of West Berne, Feb 28, 1856. His education was acquired in the Nassau grammer school and Starkey seminary and lastly at Hobart college at Geneva, N.Y., completing a course at each of these institutions. He engaged in the profession of teaching at fifteen, as a means of securing the funds necessary to carry him through college. He was nineteen years old when he graduated from Hobart college. He chose the profession of law for his life work, and began reading on the subject with his brother, Albert Baker, at Sharon Springs, N.Y. He was well prepared for his license at the end of his three year’s reading, and was admitted to practice before the general term of the New York supreme court. He practiced for a brief period with his old tutor before removing to Cobleskill. There he was elected police judge on the democratic ticket and served from 1877 to 1883. He was also clerk of the board of supervisors for six years in the same county. In 1884 Mr. Baker cast his fortunes with the people of Rochester. He formed a partnership with Julius Rowley, and was so associated for nine years. Mr. Baker’s ability and popularity brought him face to face with the democratic nomination for district attorney, which was thought to go surely to the democrats, slipped away from them and Mr. Baker accepted defeat quietly, bowing always to the people’s will. He has just been appointed by the republican board of county commissioners, county attorney for 18986, a compliment to his wisdom as an advisor and counselor. Mr. Baker’s father was David Baker, who married Elizabeth Durfee. The former was born near Albany, N.Y., in 1812. He was a farmer and stock-buyer and prominent local democrat. His death occurred in 1866. His father and the grandsire of our subject was Benjamin Baker, who came from England. He was a Federal colonel, during the war of 1812, and died at Sag Harbor. He married a Miss Crosby of English descent, and reared nine children, Benjamin Baker, of Westview, Ohio, being the only surviving one. Our subject’s maternal grandfather was David Durfee, a farmer, who came from Ireland and located at Quaker Street, Schenectady County, N.Y. His wife was Mary White. Four of their ten children are still living, Stephen Durfee, Quaker Street, N.Y.; Maria, Cambridge, N.Y.; Abram, Cambridge, N.Y.; and David, Jr., Esperence, N.Y. Our subject married at Cobleskill, N.Y., March 29, 1884, to Miss Marie, daughter of Hon. William H. Young, deceased, a prominent lawyer and ex-member of congress elect, and eight years district attorney for the district in which Cobleskill is situated. His wife was Amelia Angle, who died in Rochester. Mr. Baker belongs to the encampment in Odd Fellowship, is a K. of P., and a Knight of the Maccabees.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

GEORGE P. BARCUS, of the firm of Barcus & Elliott, of Rochester, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, Oct. 8, 1859. His father is Henry Barcus, a retired resident of Rochester. He was born in the municipality of Hanover, Germany, seventy-five years ago, or on Sept. 14, 1821. He left the fatherland when young, and came to Indiana. He married in Marshall County, this state, Mary Quigg, whose father, ________ Quigg, was born in ____________, and went from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and later located in Marshall County. Henry A. Barcus came to Rochester, in 1863, and engaged in farming in this (Rochester) township. His children are: Retta, wife of Henry Neiswanger, of Ft. Wayne, Ind.; John, Rochester; J.Q., Indianapolis; George F., W.C., Chicago; Rosie B., wife of G.W. Wagner, of Fulton County; Arthur J., Rochester; Ira O., Chicago. George F. Barcus secured his education in the district schools. He found it necessary at a very early age to begin earning a subsistence for himself. He began learning the plasterer’s trade in his teens, with A.F. Bowers.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

SAMUEL J. BARGER, a representative farmer and citizen of Union township, Fulton County, Ind., was born in Seneca County, Ohio, Aug. 27, 1848. He is a son of Andrew and Mary (Horner) Brger. The father was born in Columbia County, Pa., Jan. 26, 1816. He died in Fulton County, Ind., Jan. 25, 1878. The Bargers descend from Pennsylvania Dutch. Andrew Barger's parents settled in Seneca County, Ohio, and in that county Andrew married Mary Horner, who was born in Brush Valley, Pa., Sept. 14, 1828. She is a daughter of Joseph and Hannah (Cousor) Horner, of Pennsylvania Dutch descent. After the marriage of Andrew and Mary Barger, they lived for six years in Seneca County, Ohio, and then in 1854 came to Indiana, and settled in Aubbeenaubbee township, Fulton County. Here the father's death occurred. The mother is now living, making her home with her children that live in the county. The children born unto the marriage of Andrew and Mary Barger are: Samuel J., Elizabeth, two children that died in childhood, John W. Barger, George F. and Mary. The father was a plain, humbel and hardworking father. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm and remained there till twenty-one years. He atted the district schools. At the age of twenty-one he went to Rochester, where he attended school for one year. Then he spent one year in school at Valparaiso. Then began teaching and taught district schools for twelve winters thereafter, farming in the summer. He werved as trustee of Aubbeenaubbee township for three years and resigned the office when he moved onto his present farm in Union township in 1879. He was married April 26, 1877, to Miss Emma F., daughter of William and Electa Cook. She was born and reared in Union township. She bore him four children viz.: Stella May, Earl Guy, Eletta Glen and William A. The mother of these children died Oct. 31, 1887. March 13, 1895, Mr. Barger married a second iwfe, Mrs. Adella Hordin, nee Loyd. She was born in Union township. MR. Barger owns 160 acres where he lives and also ten acres of timbered land elsewhere. He is a democrat in politics and has served as trutee of Union township one term. He and family are members of the M.E. church. He is a member of the I.O.O.F., and is a representative citizen.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896

SAMUEL A. BARKDOLL is a semi-pioneer to Fulton County, and has performed well his part in the upbuilding of Rochester and patriotically fulfills his whole duty as a citizen. He is a Keystoner by nativity, coming into existence in Adams County, Pa., Nov. 18, 1834. His parents were Samuel Barkdoll and Margaret Harboe. The former died at thirty-five in 1837, and the latter in 1884 at seventy-six. The living children are Nancy, wife of David Stephey, of Fulton County; Samuel A., Margaret, wife of Christ Hoover, of Rochester. Mr. Barkdoll's mother moved to Franklin County, Pa., soon after her husband's death, and it was in the common schools of that county that young Samuel obtained his meager education. He lived with his guardian from twelve to sixteen, at which age he grew weary of his treatment and ran away. He found work on a brick-yard wheeling mud at twenty-five cents a day. Got out at 4 o'clock in the morning and worked correspondingly late at night. At eighteen he engaged himself to an old German named Widmyer. He finished his trade of cabinet maker with him in three years, and was in a mood to go west, buthad not the funds. So he worked in the harvest field twenty-six days to secure the necessary cash and soon after set out for Indiana. He landed in Rochester the fall of 1856, and worked with his brother-in-law several years, increasing his original capital from seven dollars to a comfortable surplus about a good subsistence. In 1863 he enlisted in the government service as bridge carpenter, and the year following joined Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Indiana volunteers, Capt. Shields, Col. Wilson. He afterward recruited enough men to entitle him to a second lieutenant's commission. The company was mustered in at LaPorte, was ordered to Washington, thence to Virginia, back to Salisbury, Md., and there did guard duty to the end of the war. Mr. Barkdoll was mustered out at Dover, Del., and returned hom in August, 1865. Dec. 28, 1858, Mr. Barkdoll married Aletha Smith, who died in 1867, leaving two living children - Schuyler C., married Alice Fleyman, and Margaret. In October, 1868, Mr. Barkdoll married Susan J. Stradley, daughter of James Stradley, deceased, from Dover, Del. Their children are: Nora, died 1895; John, died at Colorado Springs in 1893; Elsie, George, Bessie and James. Mrs. Barkdoll died in September, 1892. Mr. Barkdoll is an I.O.O.F., a K. of H., and belongs to McClung post, G.A.R. He is now operating the giant planing mill which he built in 1872. He is a republican in politics, is a genial, sociable gentleman and an esteemed townsman.

"Pictorial History of America, The Fulton County Edition" by Elia Peattie - published in 1896