Other surnames mentioned: Nixon , Steed , Ullom
Charles NIXON, one of Jefferson township's well known farmers and landowners and proprietor of an excellent farm on rural mail route No. 5 out of Portland, is a member of one of the pioneer families of Jay county, his grandfather, John NIXON, having been one of the original land entrants in Jefferson township, where he established his home upon coming over here from Ohio not long after this county was organized. John NIXON and his wife, the pioneers, were the parents of twelve children, four of whom are still living, and the NIXON connection hereabouts is a considerable one. One of these children, William NIXON, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on that pioneer farm and there grew to manhood. He married Emretta ULLOM and then began farming on his own account, establishing his home on a twenty-acre tract he had bought in his home township. He made a good farm there and as his affairs prospered added to his holdings until he became the owner
of 200 acres of land. He and his wife were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Albert NIXON, and a sister, Lurena. Charles NIXON was born on the NIXON home farm in Jefferson township on December 13, 1872, and there grew to manhood, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools. From the days of his boyhood he was a valued assistant in the labors of developing the home farm and after his marriage at the age of twentytive years established his home there and has ever since resided on that place, now the owner of ninety acres of excellent land which he has improved in up-to-date fashion. In addition to this tract Mr. NIXON owns another tract of twenty-seven and one-half acres and also farms a tract of twenty-seven and one-half acres owned by his wife in that neighborhood and is doing well in his operations. It was on September 4, 1898, that Charles NIXON was united in marriage to Cora STEED, who also is a member
of one of the old families of Jay county, a daughter of John and Elizabeth STEED, and to this union two children have been born, Fay and Ney. The NIXON's have a pleasant home and take an interested part in the community's social activities. Mr. NIXON is a Democrat and is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Ridgeville.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Reynolds , Whaley , Reynolds , Williams
Chester P. REYNOLDS, a former soldier of the United States army, with a record of service in the Philippines, and a well known farmer and landowner of Jay county, residing on a well kept farm in Jefferson township, was born in this county and is the last born of the seven children born to George F. and Eliza (WILLIAMS) REYNOLDS. Of these seven children three are still living, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, William M. and Jesse W. REYNOLDS. George F. REYNOLDS, who is now living retired at Redkey, was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, and was there reared. In 1869 he came to Jay county and began farming on a rented farm in Jefferson township. Not long afterward he bought a "forty" in Richland township and in time increased his holding there to seventy-five acres. On this farm he made his home until his retirement and removal to Redkey, where he is now living. The deceased members of this family were Charles, Franklin, Cora and one daughter who
died in infancy. Chester F. REYNOLDS was born on the home farm in Richland township and there grew to manhood, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools. He remained at home, assisting his father in the labors of the home farm until the time of the Spanish-American war, when he enlisted in the United States volunteer army for service in the Philippines and was sent to Ft. Snelling, Minnesota for initial training. He was attached to the 45th United States Infantry and after two months at Ft. Snelling was sent to the Presidio, California, and a month later sailed with his command for the Philippines, where he served for seventeen months, or until the return of the 45th to the United States. Mr. REYNOLDS was mustered out in 1901 and then returned to the home farm in Richland township, this county, and resumed his place on the farm, remaining there until after his marriage three years later, when he bought an "eighty" in that township and there established
his home. Four years later he moved with his family to the farm of 160 acres owned by his wife in Jefferson township, where the family now resides, and has since made his home there. Mr. REYNOLDS continues his possession of the eighty-acre tract in Richland township and is carrying on his farming operations in up-to-date fashion. He and his family have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2. out of Redkey, Mr. and Mrs. REYNOLDS are members of the United Brethren church at Redkey and are Republicans. It was on December 31, 1904, that Chester F. REYNOLDS was united in marriage to Laura B. LACEY, who also was born in Jay county, daughter of Fernando and Nancy Ann (WHALEY) LACEY, further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume, and to this union three children have been born, Nilah, Anna and Evelyn, all of whom are at home.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Mitchell, Edington, Freeman
Cyrus Odell MITCHELL, former mayor of the city of Portland, vice president and general manager of the Portland Silo Company and formerly and for years principal of the Portland high school, one of the best known educators hereabout, is a native Hoosier and has been a resident of the state all of his life. Mr. MITCHELL was born on a farm in Clinton county, Indiana, August 26, 1874, and is the son of Thomas J. and Amanda (EDGINGTON) MITCHELL. the latter of whom was born in Adams county, Ohio, November 18, 1840, who later became residents of Eaton, in Delaware county, this state, Thomas J. MITCHELL was born in Clark county, Ohio, April 22, 1837, and was but a lad when he moved with his parents to Delaware county, Indiana, where he received his schooling and grew to manhood. He was a Civil war veteran, having been a member of the 36th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. After the war he moved with his family to Clinton county, Indiana, later to Cass county, from
there to Carroll county, thence to Eaton, Delaware county, where his last days were spent. Losing his first marriage mate by death, he married again and from this latter union were born ten children, of whom five are still living, the subject of this sketch, Samuel, Wilson R., George S., Ottie D., and Hannah E. Cyrus O. MITCHELL was four years of age when his parents moved from Clinton county to the village of Young America, in Cass county. For nine years he was a resident of this latter county and there got his early schooling, which was supplemented by further schooling in. the public schools of Carroll county and later at Eaton where he completed the work of the common schools, procured a license to teach, and at the age of nineteen taught his first school, a six months rural school, for which he received in compensation therefor $1.75 a day. In 1895 he entered the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, which he attended through vacations and two
whole years, earning his board most of the time by waiting table, completing his Bachelor of Science degree in 1896-97 and his Master of Arts degree in 1899-1900. Later he entered the University of Indiana, where, after two summer terms and one whole year's work, he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the department of philosophy and psychology. This was granted in 1903. Later during summer vacations he attended the University of Chicago, doing work m English for his Master's degree, which he never completed. In the meanwhile Mr. MITCHELL had been teaching in the public schools of Delaware county, spending five years in the rural schools and one year in the schools of Eaton. From 1903 to 1905 he was superintendent of the schools at Colfax, Ind., going from there to the high school at Frankfort (1905-1907), where he was instructor of Latin and mathematics. In 1907 he was called to take charge of the high school at Portland, where in addition to his
duties as principal he did his full share of teaching as instructor of English, German. Latin and mathematics. During this latter period of service Mr. MITCHELL began to take special interest in the general civic and industrial life of the community with which he had cast his lot, and In 1913 was made manager of the Portland Silo Company, with which concern he has ever since been identified. In politics Mr. MITCHELL is a Republican and having become well and favorably known in his community was elected mayor of the city in the fall of 1916, which office he exercised for four years, beginning on January 7, 1917, and concluding on January 2, 1922. His administration is referred to as having been noted for its cleanness, its honesty in handling the affairs of the city, its ability to save money for the city on a peacetime tax levy while meeting a wartime budget, its many public improvements, such as the building of improved streets, the construction of a modern
light and power plant, and the sewering of the Miller branch, to say nothing o! ! f minor improvements such as the purchase of a modern fire truck for the fire department, metering the water service of the city, the installation of an efficient street lighting system, and the purchase of modern machinery and equipment for keeping the streets clean and in repair. The same considerate attention given the physical welfare of the city also marked the attention given the moral welfare of the city through holding police court and the activity of a vigilant police. Mr. MITCHELL is a Royal Arch Mason, a charter member of Portland council, U. D. R. & S. M., a Kiwanian, and is affiliated with the Universalist church of Muncie, Ind., and the Methodist Episcopal church Portland. On September 9, 1901, Cyrus Odell MITCHELL was united in marriage to Dottie D. FREEMAN, daughter of William and Catharine FREEMAN, of Eaton, Ind., to which union there have been three children born,
one son dying in infancy, another son Freeman Odell, born on November 9, 1911, dying on June 5, ! ! 1921, and one daughter, Catharine Amanda, born on March 20, 1910. The Mitchell's have a pleasant home at Portland and take an interested part in the community's general (note - end of bio cut off)
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Charles L. SANDERS, a well known building contractor at Portland, is a native son of the old Buckeye state, hut has been a resident of Indiana and of Portland for the past forty years and more. He was born in Clermont county, Ohio, September 24, 1864, son of John W. and Harriet B. (THOMPSON) SANDERS, both of whom were born in that same county, members of pioneer families there, and who many years ago became residents of Portland. John W. SANDERS early turned his attention to the building trades and was thus engaged when the Civil war broke out. He enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and served with an Ohio regiment until the close of the war, after which he returned to his home in Clermont county and there became a building contractor. In 1871 he came to Indiana with his family and located at Marion, [Grant Co.]but two tears later moved to Hartford City, [Blackford Co.]where he remained for about six years, at the end of which time,
in 1879, he located at Portland, where he became a building contractor and thus continued engaged during the remainder of his active life, in that time doing a great deal of building hereabout. John W. SANDERS and wife were the parents of six children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Emma, Alfred, Elmer, Frank and Fred. Charles L. SANDERS was about seven years of age when he came to Indiana with his parents in 1871 and he received his schooling at Marion and Hartford City, attending the high school in the latter city. As a young man he became skilled as a bricklayer. This was after he moved to Portland in 1879 and he presently became there engaged as a building contractor, a line he ever since has followed and thus has for years been recognized as one of the leading contractors in the building line in this section of the state, much of the construction work hereabout during the past forty years bearing the marks of his skill. Mr. SANDERS is a
Republican and is a member of the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. In 1891 Charles L. SANDERS was united In marriage to Jennie HOOVER, who was born in Delaware county, this state, and to this union has been born one child, a son, Meredith SANDERS, who married Freda SKINNER, who was born in this county, daughter of Milton SKINNER, of Portland. Meredith SANDERS enlisted for service in the radio division of the United States navy during the World war and after a period of training at the Great Lakes station was sent to France, where he was engaged on the construction of aerial towers, with the rank of master mechanic, and so served until finally mustered out at the close of the war.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Schwartz , Hudson , Lare , Rowls
Charles B. Schwartz a well known farmer and stockman of Greene township and proprietor of a well kept farm on rural mail route No. 1 out of Portland, was born on a farm in Jefferson township, this county, April II, 1875, and is a son of Charles B. and Ann (ROWLS) SCHWARTZ, both of whom were born and reared in Germany, the former in Baden and the latter in Hanover. Charles B. SCHWARTZ was born on April 13, 1832, and in 1854, he then being twenty-two years of age, came to America and proceeded on out into Indiana, locating in Hamilton county, where for a time he followed his trade as a tailor and where in 1855 he married Ann ROWLS, who was born on September 14, 1843, and who was but a child when she came to this country with her parents. Not long after his marriage Charles B. SCHWARTZ came to Jay county and bought a farm of forty acres in Madison township, where he established his home. Not long afterward, however, he sold this place and bought a tract of
sixty acres in Jefferson township, to which he later added until he had 183 acres there and one of the best farm plants In that part of the county. Mr. SCHWARTZ was living in this county at the time of the breaking out of the Civil war and he enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and went to the front with one of the Indiana regiments. Upon the completion of his military" service he returned to his farm and the remainder of his life was spent in agricultural pursuits. He and his wife were the parents of seven, children, as is set out elsewhere in this volume, together with further details regarding the SCHWARTZ family in this county. Of these children, six are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Mrs. Caroline HUDSON, and four brothers, John H., Charles, Dr. William D. and Oliver F. SCHWARTZ. Reared on the home farm in Jefferson township, George S. SCHWARTZ received his schooling in the local schools and early began
to teach school, a vocation he followed for three years, meanwhile continuing his labors on the farm. He married at the age of twenty-six and not long afterward went to South Dakota with a view to establishing his permanent home in that state. Not finding conditions there to his liking he moved up into North Dakota two years later and bought a tract of land on which for ten years he was engaged in raising sheep and cattle, feeding out annually about 300 sheep and 200 head of cattle. In 1916 Mr. SCHWARTZ returned to Jay county. He bought a tract of sixty-five acres in Greene township, the place on which he is now living, and has since resided there, he and his family being very comfortably and very pleasantly situated. Mr. SCHWARTZ is a Democrat and gives a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs. It was on June 15, 1901, that George S. SCHWARTZ was united in marriage to Sadie LARE, who also was born in this county, daughter of Charles and Eliza J.
LARE, and to this union two children have been born, Lena and William D. The SCHWARTZ have a pleasant home and take an interested part in the general social activities of the community ill which they live. When Mr. SCHWARTZ moved to North Dakota he bought a half section of land and later increased this holding until he became the owner of 1,000 acres of land. in that state, which he still retains, renting the same, besides which he controls an adjacent tract of 1,500 acres by lease, which gives him a ranch of 2,500 acres for his extensive live stock operations.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Hiatt , Lorton , Ray , Reed , Schmuck , Smith , Spahr
Charles Smith SPAHR, one of the best known and most substantial farmers and landowners of Jay county, now living retired on his well kept place in Greene township, rural mail route No. 1 out of Dunkirk, was born on that place, a member of one of the real pioneer families of that section, and has lived there all his life. Mr. SPAHR was born on March 30, 1855, and is a son of James and Elizabeth (SMITH) SPAHR, both of whom were born in Greene county, Ohio, their respective families having been among the old families of that section of Ohio, and were married there. A few days after their marriage James SPAHR and his bride, followed by the best wishes of their kinsfolk and friends back in Ohio, put what essential household belongings they could get into a covered wagon and started on their journey west into Indiana, James SPAHR having previously entered from the Government a tract of a half section of land in Greene township, this county. They came in with
their ox team over the old Quaker trace and upon their arrival at the point in the woods which was to he their future home erected a temporary shelter and settled down to "housekeeping." With the assistance of ready and willing neighbors to help at the "raising" it was not long until their log cabin was erected and then began the real job of home making and farm making. James SPAHR cleared the greater part of that half section and in due time had a good farm there. He and his wife reared their family on the place and were from the first accounted among the most useful and influential of the pioneers of that section, helpful in all ways m establishing proper social and economic conditions in the formative period of that now prosperous and progressive community. and on that place they spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of eight children, six of whom are now living, the subject of this sketch having four sisters, Isabella. Phoebe,
Lavina and Emma. and a brother, J. Finley SPAHR. Reared on the pioneer farm on which he was born, Charles Smith SPAHR received his schooling in the somewhat primitive schools which were developing along with the community and from the days of his boyhood was a helpful agent in the labors of developing the home farm, where he always has made his home. After his father's death he and his brother Findley, managed the place for some time on a mutually agreeable basis and then bought the interests of the other heirs, since which time Charles Smith SPAHR has been permanently established there. Since then numerous improvements have been made on the place, the farm plant being well equipped, all the present building's having been erected under this ownership. In addition to his general farming, Mr. SPAHR long gave considerable attention to the raising of live stock and did well. He owns 223 acres but since 1913 has been practically retired from active farm work,
though continuing to keep a supervisory eye on things. In 1881 Charles SMITH SPAHR was united in marriage to .Alice SCHMUCK, daughter of Capt. John and Alta. (REED) SCHMUCK, of this county, and to this union three children have been born, namely; James Orville SPAHR, who married Oma HIATT and has two children, Eldon and Ruth; Harley Morton SPAHR, who married Cleo LORTON and has four children, Kenneth, Keith, Kline and Mary Alice; and Russell Elsworth SPAHR, who married Ocie RAY and has three children, Elmer, Clyde and Ruth. Mr. and Mrs. SPAHR are members of the Center United Brethern church and he has for many years been an office bearer in the church, having held at one time and another pretty much all the offices pertaining to the government of the congregation. He is a Republican and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, but has not been an office seeker. Mrs. SPAHR was born in Bearcreek township, this county, and received
her schooling there. Her parents had ten children, seven of whom now are living, those besides Mrs. SPAHR being Henry, Emily, Bianca, Morton, Elmer and Charles SCHMUCK.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Straus , Berger , Brinkerhoff , Imel , Long
Clinton P. STRAUSS, one of the well known and substantial farmers and landowners of Jay county and proprietor of an excellent farm in Pike township, where he resides, besides lands in Wayne township, has been a resident of this county since he was a year old and has worked himself up to a position of independence by merit of his own sturdy efforts. Mr. STRAUSS was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, April 26, 1867, son and only child of Jonathan and Mary (BERGER) STRAUSS, and was but a year old when he came to Jay county with his widowed mother, who accompanied her father Peter BERGER and family to this county in 1868, the family settling in Pike township, where Peter BERGER had bought a quarter section of land, and there establishing their home. On this farm of his grandfather, Clinton P. STRAUSS grew to manhood. He received his schooling in the neighboring schools and from the days of his boyhood was a helpful factor in the labors of developing the farm.
For several years after leaving his grandfather's farm he worked as a farm .hand in the neighborhood and then bought a tract of fifteen acres, which he cleared and sold to advantage and then bought a "forty," which he proceeded to cultivate. He married when twenty-six years of age, and established his home on this "forty," a part of the place on which he is still living, and as his affairs prospered gradually added to his land holdings until now he Is the owner of a fine farm of 340 acres in Pike township and another farm of eighty acres in Wayne township, and is doing well in his operations, long having been recognized as one of the leading farmers in that neighborhood. It was in January, 1894, that Clinton P. STRAUSS was united in marriage to Mary LONG, who was born in this county, and to this union two children have been born, a son, Clarence, and a daughter. Gay, the latter of whom married Weldon IMEL, a Wayne township farmer, and has two children, a
daughter, Margaret, and a son, Robert. Clarence STRAUSS married Mary BRINKERHOFF and is assisting his father in carrying on the operations of the home farm. The STRAUSS's are members of the Reformed church at Salamonia and Mr. STRAUSS is a Freemason, an Odd Fellow and a Modern Woodman. The family has a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 6 out of Portland and has ever taken an interested part in the general social activities of the community. Mrs. STRAUSS was born in Madison township and is a daughter of John S. and Armenia LONG, the former of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of the pioneer families here, and has long been engaged in farming in Madison township, where he still resides.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Darby , Flesher , Ford , Frank , Rathbun
Daniel V. FLESHER, one of Pike township's well known farmers and landowners and proprietor of an excellent farm on rural mail route No. 12 out of Portland, has been a resident of Jay county all his life. Mr. FLESHER was born on a farm in Jefferson township, this county, August 21, 1861, and is a son of Israel and Angeline ( RATHBUN ) FLESHER, whose last days were spent at Redkey. Israel FLESHER was born in Virginia and was but six months of age when his father, Joseph FLESHER, came to Indiana with his family and settled on a quarter section of land he had entered from the Government in Jefferson township, this county, becoming one of the substantial pioneers of that part of the county. On that pioneer farm Israel FLESHER grew to manhood, and there started farming on his own account. Three years later he went to Missouri with a view to settling in that state, but within less than a year returned to Jay county and bought a farm of 219 acres in the southeast
corner of Greene township, where he established his home and where he remained until his retirement about the year 1898 and removal to Redkey, where his last days were spent, his death occurring there on June 8, 1913. He and his wife were the parents of five children, all of whom are living save one, Jasper, the others , besides the subject of this sketch , being Diantha, George and Arzia. Reared on the home farm in Greene township, Daniel V. FLESHER received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and remained on the home farm until his marriage at the age of twenty-seven, after which for five years he was engaged in farming on his father-in-law's place, the Darby farm, in Pike township. He then bought a tract of seventy- seven acres in that township and has since been farming the same, meanwhile having increased his holdings until he has a well kept farm of 192 acres, a part of which lies over the line in Greene township. Mr. FLESHER is a Democrat.
It was on November 25, 1888, that Daniel V. FLESHER was united in marriage to Flora DARBY, of this county, and to this union six children have been born, all of whom are living save one, Merritt, the others being Clynas C., Bessie D., Carl, Kenneth and Keith, the two latter of whom are unmarried. Clynas C. FLESHER married Edith FRANK, of this county, and has two children, Robert and Virginia. Bessie FLESHER married J. O. PIERCE, of Bluff Point, and has two children, Marian and Mary L. Carl FLESHER married Mildred FORD, of Ridgeville, Ind.[Randolph Co.], and has three children, Lowell, Mary and William R. Mrs. Flora FLESHER was born in Pike township, this county, and is a daughter of Silas and Laura L. DARBY,, the former of whom was born in Clinton county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood, later coming over into Indiana and settling in Jay county, where he bought a considerable tract of land and established his home, here spending the remainder of his life,
one of the substantial farmers of Pike township.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II