Other surnames mentioned: Waley , Bennett , Carter , Flesher , Fraze , Gilbert , Harford , Homer , Johnson , Meranda , Ross , Silvers , Smith , Thornburg , Ullman
Adam Wesley FLESHER, one of Jefferson township's well known and substantial farmers and landowners, residing on rural mail route No. 2 out of Ridgeville, is a native son of Jay county, a member of one of the pioneer families here, and has lived in this county all his life. Mr. FLESHER was born on a farm in Jefferson township on February 16, 1857, and is a son of John and Lydia ( BENNETT ) FLESHER, who were then living on a farm in the vicinity of where Powers Station came to be established when the railroad came through. John FLESHER was born in Warren county, Ohio, and was but two years of age when his parents, Adam and Elizabeth (HARFORD ) FLESHER, left their home there and with their two small children, John and Granville, came to Indiana and located on a tract oi land in what later came to be organized as Jefferson township, Jay county. That was in 1835, the year before Jay county attained a separate civic identity, and the country in which the FLESHER's settled
then was practically a woodland wilderness. Adam FLESHER, who was a Virginian by birth entered from, the Government a tract of 240 acres in Jefferson township and created there an excellent farm, his home being in section 21. He and his wife spent the remainder of their lives there. They had five children who grew to maturity, those besides John having been Granville, who took over the old home place, and three daughters, Mrs. Susanna JOHNSON, Mrs. Eliza GILBERT and Mrs. Elizabeth MERANDA. John FLESHER was but a babe when his parent settled in the then wilderness of Jefferson township and he grew to manhood on the home farm there, presently coming to be the owner of forty-seven acres of the home place. This he added to by the purchase of adjoining land until he became the owner of a well developed farm of 182 acres and was accounted one of the substantial citizens of that part of the county. On that farm he spent his last days. John FLESHER was twice married.
By his first wife, Lydia BENNETT. he had six children, of whom but two are now living, the subject of this sketch and his sister Mary. Following the death of the mother of these children John FLESHER married Malinda ULLMAN and to this union four children were born, three of whom, Ellas, John and Florence, are living. Reared on the home farm in Jefferson township, Adam Wesley FLESHER received his schooling in the neighborhood schools, completing the same in the Powers school, and remained at home, assisting in the labors of the farm, until his marriage at the age of twenty-one, after which he began farming on his own account, renting a farm of 120 acres in Jefferson township. On this place he made his home for twenty years and then he bought an "eighty" north of Powers. Ten years later he bought a tract of 200 acres in that same township, the place on which he is now living, and now has 280 acres in that township and an excellent farm plant. Mr. FLESHER is a Democrat
and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office. On February 21, 1878, Adam W. FLESHER was united in marriage to Mary J. THORNBURG, who was born in the neighboring county of Randolph, a daughter of Isaac and Eliza THORNBURG, and to this union nine children have been born, all of whom are living save Grover and Arlie. the latter of whom married Julia HOMER and left three children, Majesca, Miriam and Zenobia. The other children of this family are as follows : Jesse, who married Elsie SMITH; Nora, who married William ROSS; Rollie, who married Don WHALEY and has two children, Nova and Grover; Arnold, who is unmarried and living at home; Gail, who married Louis FRAZE and has one child, Kenneth; Bessie, who married Monte CARTER and has four children, John Wesley, Roman L., Robert and Ardath; and Flossie, who married Elva SILVERS and has three children, Marie, Fern and Royce.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Grissell , Dounley , Fields , Lewis , Lupton , Scott , Somers , Starbuck , Whitacre , Woodruff
Arthur A. GRISELL, one of the best known and most substantial farmers and land owners of Jay county, now living practically retired on his well-kept farm in Penn township, is a member of one of the real pioneer families of this county, his grandfather, Samuel GRISELL, who was of Alsatian descent and Colonial stock, having settled here as early as 1804, while the territory now included in Jay county was still a part of Randolph county. When Samuel GRISELL came here from Columbiana county, Ohio with his family there were but three other white families living in what is now Penn township, this county. He erected the first mill in the township, at the point which afterward became the townsite of Pennville, old Camden, and was in many ways regarded as one of the most influential factors in the development of the new country. Samuel GRISELL was born on August 22, 1790, and was thus in his vigorous prime when he came to this county in 1834. In Columbiana county,
Ohio, he had married Anna WHITACRE, who was born in Virginia on July 29, 1793, a daughter of Joseph and Jane (SCOTT) WHITACRE, and she was an able helpmate to him in the labors attendant upon the establishment of a new home in the wilderness. Samuel GRISELL died in this county on August 8, 1864, and his widow survived until October 12, 1869. They were married on July 8, 1813, and were the parents of twelve children, so that the GRISELL connection in the present generation is a no inconsiderable one. Of these children, Albert GRISELL, former treasurer of Jay county and father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, July 10, 1831, and was thus three years of age when he came with his parents to the then wilderness in this part of Indiana. As he grew up he did his share of development work and became one of the leading citizens of the county, serving in 1876-78 as treasurer of the county and in other ways contributing to the public
service. On July 3, 1853, Albert GRISELL married Rachel Ann STARBUCK, who was born in Logan county, Ohio, February 23, 1835, and who was a daughter of Joseph and Grace ( LUPTON ) STARBUCK. She came to Jay county when nine years of age with the family of her maternal grandfather, Solomon LUPTON, and was reared here and when eighteen years of age married Albert GRISELL. To that union were born seven children, of whom three are now living, the subject of this sketch and his two sisters, Grace and Mrs. Mary H. WOODRUFF. Arthur A. GRISELL was born on the old home farm in Penn township on March 18, 1859, and was reared there. He was about seventeen years of age when his father was elected county treasurer and moved with his family to Portland, and he thus completed his schooling in the Portland public schools. He married when twenty-two years of age, and for two or three years thereafter lived on a rented farm, but in 1884 he bought the place on which he is now
living in Penn township and has ever since resided there, gradually increasing his acreage until he has acquired an excellent farm of 120 acres, on which he has two sets of buildings, all the improvements on the place having been made by himself. Of late years Mr. GRISELL has been living practically retired from the active labors of the farm, but continues to maintain his home on the place which has so long been endeared to him by ties of intimate association. He and his family are very comfortably situated and have ever taken an active and interested part in the community's general social activities. The GRISELL's are Republicans and are members of the Methodist church, of which Mr. GRISELL is one of the trustees. Mr. GRISELL is past chancellor commander of the Pennville lodge of the Knights of Pythias. It was in 1881 that Arthur A. GRISELL was united in marriage to Mary SOMERS, who also was born in this county, daughter of Aaron L.. and Margaret L. (FIELDS)
SOMERS, and to this union two sons have been born, Elbert Lynn GRISELL, who married Emily DOUNLEY and has two children, Lynn, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and now a captain in the regular army, and Don; and Edward R. GRISELL, traveling auditor for the John Hancock Life Insurance Company for the southern Indiana district, who married Greta LEWIS and has one child, a son, Ted Lewis.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Collier , Crissler , Lafollette , Smith , Stephen , Ziegler
Adam E. LaFOLLETTE, one of Greene township's well known farmers and landowners, proprietor of a well kept farm on rural mail route No. 1 out of Portland, was born in that township, a member of one of the pioneer families of Jay county, and has lived there all his life. Mr. LaFOLLETTE was born on March 18, 1873, and is a son of Ebenezer and Ellen (ZEIGLER) LaFOLLETTE, both of whom were members of pioneer families in this county. The late Ebenezer LaFOLLETTE was born in Wayne township, this county, a son of William and Nancy (COLLIER) LaFOLLETTE, who had two other children. Ebenezer LaFOLLETTE was reared in Wayne township and from the days of his boyhood was devoted to farming. After his marriage he made his home on a tract of thirty-seven and one-half acres owned by his wife in Greene township and remained there until his retirement from the farm and removal to Redkey. Some years later he moved to Dunkirk and in this latter city spent his last days, his death
occurring in February, 1919. He and his wife were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Emma, and a brother, William LaFOLLETTE. Reared on the home farm in Greene township, Adam E. LaFOLLETTE received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and as a young man assisted his father in the cultivation of the farm. He married when twenty-three years of age and continued to make his home on the home place, his father retiring from the farm about that time. In 1901 Mr. LaFOLLETTE bought the home tract of thirty-seven and one-half acres and since then has increased his holdings until now he owns an excellent farm of 146- « acres, which he has improved in admirable fashion and has a well equipped farm plant. Mr. and Mrs. LaFOLLETTE are members of the Christian church at Redkey and are Democrats. It was on October 26, 1895, that Adam E. LaFOLLETTE was united in marriage to Ruth STEPHEN, who also was born in this county, a daughter
of Alexander and Elizabeth (CRISSLER) STEPHEN, of Jefferson township, and to this union two children have been born, a son and a daughter, Leon and Constance, the latter of whom married J. A. SMITH and has two children, Jane Margaret and Ruth Ann. Mr. Smith is helping in the operation of the LaFOLLETTE farm. Leon LaFOLLETTE is unmarried and continues to make his home on the farm, associated with his father in the management of the same.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Charles , Doriot , Smith , Stultz , Walter
Addison F. STULTZ, one of Jay county's well known and substantial farmers, stockmen and landowners, proprietor of an excellent farm in Greene township, situated on rural mail route No. 1 out of Pennville, has been a resident of this county since he was seventeen years of age and has done well his part helping in the work of development that has been carried on here during the past three decades and more. Mr. STULTZ was born on a farm in Wood county, Ohio, November 27, 1871, and is a son of Charles and Catherine ( WALTER ) STULTZ, the latter of whom was born in Hancock county in that same state. Charles STULTZ, who was a veteran of the Civil war, was born in Pennsylvania but when he was five years of age his parents moved from that state to Hancock county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood and was married. Shortly after his marriage he moved to Wood county, Ohio, where he bought a farm and established his home, remaining there until 1888 when he disposed of his
interests in Ohio and came to Indiana, buying a tract of 244 acres in Greene township, this county. He drained and cleared that place, erected new buildings and otherwise improved it, and as his affairs prospered added to his land holdings until he became the owner of 324 acres in Greene and Penn townships. Charles STULTZ and his wife were the parents of five children, four of whom are now living, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, George F. and Joseph C. STULTZ, and a sister, Anna. As noted above, Addison F. STULTZ was seventeen years of age when he came to Jay county with his parents in 1888 and he at once took an active part in the labors of improving and developing the home place in Greene township. After his marriage he lived on a rented farm for two years and then bought a tract of forty-five acres from his father and started in "on his own." Mr. STULTZ's operations prospered and he is now the owner of an excellent farm of 284 acres, in the
operation of which he is assisted by his sons, who since their marriage continue to live on the place, which has three sets of buildings and is admirably improved in accordance with modern methods. Since 1918 Mr. STULTZ and his sons have been giving particular attention to the breeding of pure bred Shorthorn cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs and are doing well along that line, feeding out about two carloads of hogs a year. Mr. STULTZ is a Democrat and a Freemason, is a past noble grand of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is a member of the local grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, of which he formerly was a lecturer. In 1895 Addison F. STULTZ was united in marriage to Rosa DORIOT and to this union three children have been born, two sons, Charles and Irwin, and a daughter, Esther, the latter of whom is at home with her parents. Charles STULTZ married Fern DUGAN and has two children, Harold Francis and Wilbur Glenier. Irwin STULTZ married
Majestia SMITH. Mrs. STULTZ was born in Putnam county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Emil and Louise ( CHARLES ) DORIOT, the latter of whom also was born in Ohio. Emil DORIOT was born in France. When he was two years of age his parents came to America and located in New York State, where they remained until he was about ten years of age, when they moved to Putnam county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood and was married, and where he established his home, becoming a substantial farmer and stockman. He and his wife were the parents of fourteen children, of whom eight are living, those besides Mrs. STULTZ being Lorena, Ida, Theo, Otto, Herdam, Lulu and Carrie. The STULTZ's have a pleasant home and have ever taken an interested part in the general social activities of the community in which they live.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Rarick , Cline , Evans , Thrash
Andrew J. THRASH, one of the well known and substantial farmers and landowners of Jefferson township, was born in that township, a member of one of the pioneer families of Jay county, and has lived there all his life. Mr. THRASH was born on February 13, 1867, and is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (RARICK) THRASH, both of whom were members of pioneer families in this county. Isaac THRASH was born in Sullivan county, Pennsylvania, and was but three years of age when he came to Jay county with his parents, Jonathan THRASH and wife, in 1840, the family settling on a tract of eighty acres in Jefferson township, which Jonathan THRASH had entered from the Government prior to his removal here. On that tract Jonathan THRASH established his home and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, helpful pioneers of that community. It was there that Isaac THRASH grew to manhood. Upon beginning operations on his own account he started in on a farm of eighty acres
in Pike township, but not long afterward, in 1862, disposed, of his interests in this county and went to Canada with a view to becoming a settler there. A year later, however, finding that things in Canada were not what they had promised to be, he returned to Jay county and bought an eighty acre farm in Jefferson township. Here he established his home and spent the remainder of his life, becoming one of the substantial farmers of that neighborhood and the owner of a well improved farm of 289 acres. He and his wife were the parents of four children, all of whom are living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Susan and Maria, and a brother, Jonathan THRASH. Reared on the home farm In Jefferson township, Andrew J. THRASH received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and continued farming in association with his father until he was fifty-two years of age. Upon his father's death he inherited 109 acres of the home place, to which he since
has added by purchase an adjoining tract of thirty acres and thus now has a farm of 139 acres, which he has improved in admirable fashion, having one of the best equipped farm plants in that community. Mr. THRASH is a Democrat and is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Ridgeville. On June 7, 1890, Andrew J. THRASH was united in marriage to Esther CLINE, who also was born in this county, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter. Hazel, who married Alva EVANS, who makes his home on the THRASH farm, an assistant to Mr. THRASH in the operations of the same, and has two children, Ralph and Chester. The THRASH's have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2 out of Redkey and have ever taken their part in promoting the general social and cultural activities of the community in which they live.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Borden , Cleaver , Haffner , Hartley , Shanks , Woodward
Charles F. HARTLEY, one of Jackson township's well known and progressive farmers and landowners, was born in that township and has resided there the greater part of his life, the exception being a period during the '80s and '90s when he resided in Michigan. Mr. HARTLEY is a member of one of the pioneer families of Jay county, the HARTLEY's having been represented here since, the year 1845. He was born on January 12, 1862, and is a son of Enoch B. and Lydia H. ( SHANKS ) HARTLEY, the latter of whom was a sister of Gen. John P. C. SHANKS, the story of whose interesting career is told elsewhere in this work, together with further details concerning the SHANKS family, which was one of the first families in this section. The late Enoch B. HARTLEY, a veteran of the Civil war, was born in Warren county, Ohio, and was seventeen years of age when he came with his parents, Samuel and Deborah ( BORDEN ) HARTLEY, of whom further and fitting mention is made elsewhere in
this volume, to Jay county in 1845, the family locating in Jackson township. In 1855 Enoch B. HARTLEY, who was the eldest of the eight children born to his parents, married Lydia H. SHANKS, daughter of Michael and Martha B. ( CLEAVER ) SHANKS, and established his home at Pennville, then Camden. He presently moved from here to Minnesota, but about a year later returned to Jay county and located on a forty-acre farm in Jackson township, where he was living when the Civil war broke out. In February, 1865, he enlisted his services as a soldier of the Union and was commissioned first lieutenant of Company G of the 153d regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he served in the Army of the Cumberland until mustered out in the following September, the war then being over. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. HARTLEY returned home and resumed farming and black smithing, vocations he followed the remainder of his life, increasing his holdings until
he was the owner of an excellent farm of 240 acres. He died on December 29, 1901. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, eight of whom are living, those besides the subject of this sketch being Ida, Mary, William, Alice, Louisa C., Martha Lulu. Ernest and Arthur, the two last named of whom served as soldiers during the time of the Spanish-American war. Reared on the home farm in Jackson township, Charles F. HARTLEY received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and remained at home until 1887 when he went to Michigan and took up farming in that state, where he presently married and established his home on an eighty-acre farm he had bought there. For seventeen years Mr. HARTLEY remained in Michigan and then, following the death of his father, he returned to Jay county and established his home on an "eighty" of the old home place, which he inherited and where he is now living, he and his family being very comfortably situated. It was in February,
1894, that Charles F. HARTLEY was united in marriage to Anna WOODWARD, who was born at Grand Rapids, Mich., and to this union seven children have been born, five of whom are living, Ruth, Esther, Agnes, Harold and Enoch, those deceased having been Mildred and Lawrence. Agnes HARTLEY married Howard HAFFNER, of this county, and has one child, a daughter, Mildred Maryanna. The HARTLEY's have a pleasant home and have ever taken an interested part in the social activities of the community in which they live. Mr. HARTLEY is a member of West Grove grange, No. 117, Patrons of Husbandry, and takes an active interest in grange affairs. In his political views he is "independent."
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II
Other surnames mentioned: Losch , Heister
CHARLES F. LOSCH, deceased, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, November 24, 1833, a son of Charles and Julia Losch, who came to the United States when Charles was three years of age and made their home in Darke County, Ohio, and in 1841 moved to Jay County, Indiana, and settled in Pike Township, where they both died. Of their eight children, but five are living -Abraham and Joseph in Pike Township, and Elizabeth, Catherine and John in Illinois. Charles F. Losch was reared on a farm and became one of Pike Township's leading agriculturists. September 1, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, Thirty-sixth Indiana Infantry, and after serving faithfully nine months was honorably discharged on account of sickness. November 4, 1863,Mr. Losch was married to Miss Melinda E. Heister, who was born in Boundary, Indiana, February 26, 1843, a daughter of Daniel Heister, a pioneer of Jay County. The spring following their marriage they went to housekeeping on the farm where the
family still live. At that time they owned 120 acres, eighty acres being a present to Mrs. Losch from her father. Thirty acres had been cleared and a small house had been built, and from this beginning they by industry made a good home, adding to their estate eighty acres, and at the time of Mr. Losch's death 100 acres were under cultivation. Five children are still living under the home roof -Daniel J., Mary E., John H., Charles E. and Louisa A. A daughter, Alice, died aged two years, and two children died in infancy. Mr. Losch died May 30, 1879. His life was a worthy and honorable one, and his name is worthy of mention with others who were influential in making Jay County one of the best in the State. He was consistent member of the German Reformed church, and in politics he was identified with the Republican party.
Submitted by: Peggy Karol
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL RECORD OF JAY AND BLACKFORD COUNTIES, INDIANA The Lewis Publishing Company, 1887 - Page 381
Other surnames mentioned: Baker , Conroy , Dwenger , Eberle , Fleisch , Gigandet , Lasher , Marr , Maujay , Paquet , Renter , Streuder , Travis , Trost , Vurpillat
Rev. Charles W. MARR. The parishes under the ministration of the Rev. Father MARR include the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Portland, St. Mary's at Dunkirk and St. Patrick's at Redkey, the pastor maintaining his residence at Dunkirk, having a very comfortable parish house adjacent to the church. Historically, the first mass celebrated at Portland was under the ministration of Rev. Joseph DWENGER, later bishop of Ft. Wayne, who visited the few Irish Catholic families in that neighborhood and at stated intervals preached in the old court house which then was open to the services of all faiths. In 1873 the Rev. Paul RENTER came down on horseback from St. Mary's Home near New Corydon and celebrated mass once a month on a week day in the home of F. V. GIGANDET, northwest of Portland. On April 3, 1875, Father RENTER called a meeting of all the Catholics of Portland and vicinity, consisting then of about seven families, and at this meeting it was
determined to erect a church. Upon notice of this intention there was a generous response in the community, quite a number of non-Catholics being included in the list of contributors to the church fund, and in a short time $600 was secured. A lot was bought on East Walnut street for $25 and in 1876 a frame structure, 28x40 feet, was built under the direction of the Rev. George FLEISCH at a cost of $1,185, and from that time until 1888 services were conducted in that church on two Sundays of every month by the Sanguinist Fathers from Ft. Recovery and from St. Mary's Home. In 1888 two additional lots were bought by the Rev. Joachim BAKER, on one of which stood a cottage which thereafter was used as the priest's residence. In 1906, under the direction of the Rev. L. A. EBERLE, the church was remodeled by the addition of 28x32 feet to the nave and a new sacristy 15x15 feet, this giving- the church a seating capacity of about two hundred. In 1903 Father
PAQUET had the priest's house remodeled, a kitchen, bath room and pantry being added. As noted above, this parish was served by Fathers of the Most Precious Blood until 1888, when in July of this year the Rev. Joachim BAKER was installed as the first resident pastor. He served until October, 1891, and was succeeded by the Rev. Anthony J. STRUEDER, who served until in October, 1894, and was succeeded by the Rev. Constantine MAUJAY, whose term of service covered six years, or until in October, 1900, when he was succeeded by the Rev. J. P. LASHER. On July 1, 1901, Father LASHER was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas M. CONROY, who served for just one year and was followed by the Rev. L. R. PAQUET, who remained until in February, 1904. In March of 1904 the Rev. Paulinus TROST entered the field, but he did not remain long, being succeeded in the following July by the Rev. Lawrence A. EBERLE, who served until July 25, 1907, when he was succeeded by the Rev. T. J.
TRAVES, who remained for ten years, or until in July, 1917, when he was transferred to St. Mary's at Anderson, Ind., and was succeeded by the Rev. F. N. VURPILLAT who in August of the following year, 1918, was succeeded by Rev. Charles W. MARR, the present rector. Under the direction of Father MARR numerous improvements have been made in the church edifice, which has been somewhat remodeled along more modern lines and new pews installed at a cost of $1,300. There are about thirty families in the parish, numbering about 200 souls. The church is out of debt and all departments of its work are reported flourishing.
Submitted by: Eloine Chesnut
Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II