JAMES H. GAGE is the son of Abram and Julia A. (Holley) Gage, who were natives respectively of Pennsylvania and New York and parents of five children. Abram Gage was one of the early pioneers of Springfield Township, this
county, where the subject was born February 10, 1839. He received the common school advantages, and at the age of twenty began working for $10 per month; afterward farmed on shares until 1863, at which time he invested in
fifty-six acres of unimproved land in this township. By persevering labor he has acquired a farm well cultivated, consisting of 139 acres, and has become one of the valued citizens. October 1, 1863, he was married to Martha
Foster, who was born in Ashland County, Ohio, November 13, 1847. Her parents, John H. and Mary (Weible) Foster, were natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Gage have united with the Evangelical denomination. He is a
Republican. They have seven children - John A., George A., Mary E., William W., Martha A., Sarah R. and Harvey S.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
WILLIAM GARDNER is a native of Ontario County, N.Y., and the only child of John and Betsey (Billings) Gardner. The former was born in Pennsylvania, was a member of the Quaker Society and a fisherman by occupation, casting
his nets along the Atlantic coast. He died in 1826, and his wife, who was a native of New York, died in Michigan in 1855. William Gardner was born October 27, 1825, received a common education, and at the age of seventeen
learned the cooper's trade, that he has followed most of the time since. About one-half the coopering in this county was done by him. In 1846, he moved to Centerville, St. Joseph's Co., Mich., pursuing his trade there until
he came to this township and located in 1856. In 1859, he removed to Ontario, where Mrs. Sarah Gardner died March 27, 1860. She was born in New York August 11, 1827, and was one of five children born to Elihu and Adeline
(Utter) Cross, natives also of New York. She was married to Mr. Gardner February 15, 1849, and bore him three children - Eugene W., Charles F. and Adeline. Mr. Gardner was married to his present wife - Mrs. Adelaide Meek -
December 23, 1860. She was one of ten in the family of Simon and Mary (Gore) Cookingham, and was born January 15, 1830, in Dutchess County, N.Y. Her father was born in the same place and her mother was a native of New London,
Conn. Mr. and Mrs. Gardner belong to the Congressional Church. He is a Democrat and an enterprising farmer and mechanic. Mrs. Gardner had one child by her first marriage, viz., Charles W. Meek.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
CURTIS HARDING was born in Pennsylvania September 4, 1798, and, when small, moved, with his parents, to the State of New York, where he was married, in Wayne County, to Miss Amy Cowan. In 1835, they emigrated to this township,
entered and settled on the farm where Mrs. Harding is now living. By the assistance of his sons, Curtis Harding cleared the land and made many improvements. He died at his home February 10, 1864. He belonged to the Regular
Baptist Church, of which Mrs. Harding is a member. They had seven children born to them, four of whom are yet living. Three sons - William, Daniel and Bishop - live with their mother and manage the homestead farm, which includes
139 acres of good land. They are all unmarried and are among the oldest citizens of the township, well known and respected. William Harding is a native of Ontario county, N.Y., and Daniel Harding was born in this township on the
15th of May, 1840.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
WILLIAM C. HEALEY is one of eight children, now living, born to William and Jane (Hubbard) Healey, natives of England. William Healey and family emigrated to the United States in 1852, and came to Indiana and bought land in Lima
Township, which he sold in 1861 and moved to Johnson Township, this county, where he purchased a farm and yet resides. William C. Healey was born in Lima Township, this county, June 13, 1852, received a common education and remained
with his parents until sixteen, when he engaged in working out by the month. After five years, he returned and spent one year at home, then bought fifty acres in Johnson Township, that he exchanged in 1880, for his present farm. He
married Cordelia Hossinger in 1874, November 17, and they have four children - Adrian C., Almon R., Cora B. and an infant. Mrs. Healey is a native of this county, born May 3, 1856, and the daughter of Anthony and Mary M. (Groh) Hossinger,
natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Germany and parents of seven children. Mr. and Mrs. Healey are members of the Lutheran Church. He is a Republican and one of the prosperous young farmers of Bloomfield Township.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
EBENEZER HILL is a native of Rensselaer County, N.Y., as were also his parents, Aaron and Pamelia (Winston) Hill. In May, 1809, Aaron Hill removed to Monroe County, N.Y.; thence in 1840 to this county. In 1867, he moved to Iowa, where
Mrs. Hill died October 20, 1868, and Aaron Hill February 5, 1870. The latter was a soldier in the war of 1812. Ebenezer Hill was born February 25, 1809, and spent his youth onthe home farm and boating on the New York & Erie Canal. In
1842, he went to Oakland County, Mich., where he was engaged in farming about ten years; then came to this county, purchased and lived on a farm in Johnson Township until 1876, when he located in this township. Mr. Hill served actively as a
Regulator in this and Noble County. In Michigan, he was Township Treasurer two years, and has twice been elected Justice of the Peace. He was first married, January 8, 1827, to Hannah M. Barber, a native of New York. They had nine children -
Andrew J.; Phoebe E., now Mrs. Barber; Benjamin B.; Mary M., now Mrs. Hall; Melvin E.; Joseph D.; John C.; Sarah J., now Mrs. Welch, and Julia A., now Mrs. Brown. Mrs. Hill's death occurred April 6, 1875; her parents were Benjamin and Hannah
(Morse) Barber, natives respectively of New York and Massachusetts. Mr. Hill's second and present wife was born in New York February 28, 1820; her maiden name was Almira Crandell, and the subject is her fourth husband. They were married in
August, 1877; she was married first to Newell Hill, a native of New York, and by him has left one child, Edwin W. By her second marriage, to Stephen Harris, a native of Ohio, she had a daughter, Augusta, now Mrs. Maxwell. Her third husband was
Ephraim Jenning, a native of New York.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
JACOB HOAGLAND, Jr., the son of JAcob and Elizabeth (Veghte) Hoagland, was born in Steuben County, N.Y., August 20, 1817. His parents had twelve children, and were both natives of Somerset County, N.J., the form born in 1773, and the latter in
1778. The subject was married February 16, 1836, to Sarah Sherman, and, in April of the same year, came West to Michigan and Indiana with his father. They bought 200 acres of land in this township, on a portion of which the subject now resides,
and durint the summer were engaged in clearing and bringing settlers here, the tide of immigration haveing set in from Detroit. In August, they went back to New York, returning with their families the same fall, coming by steamer from Buffalo to
Detroit, thence overland to their home in this township, where the two families lived together. Jacob Hoagland, Sr., died in 1848, and Mrs. Hoagland in 1858; both belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church. Jacob Hoagland, Jr., was the first mail
contractor in the county, startin in 1851, the first line of stages from Sturgis, Mich., to La Grange, and also carrying mail between these two points. He afterward sold out and bought a half-interest in the Sturgis & Fort Wayne Stage Line, running
as far as Kendallville, and traveling over the old Fort Wayne & Lima road. Mr. Hoagland was the first Constable elected in this township, and served several years as Vice President of the La Grange County Agricultural Society; he owns a fine farm
of 160 acres, and himself and wife are parents of eight children, four living - Charles E., Plympton A., Elizabeth P. (now Mrs. Price), and Rhoda R. Mrs. Hoagland was born April 11, 1817,in Oneida County, N.Y.; her parents were Enoch and Rhoda (Douglass,
Grant) Sherman, natives of Rhode Island and Scotland respectively.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
HEZEKIAH HOARD is the eldest of tem in the family of Hezekiah and Lodema (Babcock) Hoard; natives of New York. The elder Hoard was a soldier in the war of 1812; he moved to Geauga COunty, Ohio, in 1832, thence to this county in the fall of 1835, where he
died at the home of the subject in December, 1869, his wife having died three years before at the same place. The subject was born in Stephenstown, N.Y., March 14, 1807; he removed to Geauga County, Ohio, where he bought a farm, sold it in 1835, and came to
Lima Township, this county, where he farmed on shares until 1838, when he came to this township and invested in eighty acres of unimproved land; he yet lives on this farm, having added sixty acres more and largely improved it. Mr. Hoard was married January
1, 1832, to Rhoda Ingram, a native of New York; she died November 9, 1838. Of two children born to them, one (Myron) is yet living. February 28, 1841, Mr. Hoard was married to Miss Ann Wilcox, who was born December 19, 1814, and is one of four children born
to William and Nancy (Cain) Wilcox, natives of Connecticut. Mr. and Mrs. Hoard are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and have had six children, three of whom are living - Mary, now Mrs. Randolph; William and George.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
ISAAC HOGMIRE is the son of Samuel and Catherine (Raum) Hogmire, natives of Washington County, Md., in which place Isaac was born on the 5th of April, 1812. He was educated at the common schools, and at the age of eighteen learned carpentering, ehich occupation
he has since been engaged in, although not exclusively. He went to Richland County, Ohio, in 1837, and the following year, on the 12th of October, was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Ernsberger. They came to this county in 1853, where he bought and improved
80 acres of land in this township, removing in 1879 to his present improved farm of 120 acres. Mr. Hogmire continued to work at his trade after coming here, and has worked on some of the best buildings in the county. The first warehouse in the town of La Grange
was built by him, and he assisted also in building the first storeroom there. Mrs. Hogmire is one of eleven children in the family of Michael and Phoebe (Poffenbarger) Ernsberger, and is of the same nativity as her husband, born April 6, 1815. They have had born
to them six children; one died in infancy, and Henry in this thrity-fifth year, April 27, 1881; the others are all living - Mary A., now Mrs. Frank Rife; Martin; Sarah C., now Mrs. Carp, and Samuel.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
HIRAM JACOBS, the son of Andrew and Sarah (Wing) Jacobs, was born in Ohio March 4, 1824. When thirteen years old, he came to this county, where he lived with a brother-in-law, from who he received $100 for his services until he became of age. He then bought forty
acres of unimproved land, has since made other purchases, and now owns a fine farm of 130 acres. October 18, 1854, he was married in La Grange to Miss Martha M. Connelly, the daughter of Thomas and Sevilla (Groves) Connelly, who were natives respectively of Maryland
and Virginia, and came to this county in 1835, where they afterward died. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs settled on their present farm in December, 1854; they have one child, a daughter, Grace. Mrs. Jacobs united with the Methodist Episcopal Church when a little girl, and is yet
a member. In addition to agriculture, Mr. Jacobs, since 1875, has devoted considerable attention to stock-raising, and ships large quantities. He feeds annually about one hundred head of sheep, fifteen to twenty head of cattle, and thirty to forty hogs.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
WILLIAM JACOBS is a Canadian by birth, and one of eight in the family of Andrew and Sarah (Wing) Jacobs, the former a native of New Hampshire and the latter of Pittsfield, Mass. Andrew Jacobs was a pioneer of Lucas County, Ohio, settling in 1817 in what is now part
of Toledo. The Indians became very troublesome, and on this account he removed to Canada in the spring of 1819, and William was born August 5 of that year. In 1820, they returned to Lucas County, and there Mrs. Sarah Jacobs died August 5, 1834. In 1836, Mr. Jacobs
came to this township, where he resided with his duaghter, Mrs. Orphelia Mattoon until his deth, which occurred in 1838. The subject, after he was fourteen, resided with his uncle, William Sibley, who was also a pioneer of Lucas County, Ohio, until the latter's death in
1836. In the fall of that year, Mr. Jacobs came to this county, but returned again to Toledo, where he worked by the month, until he located in this township in 1840, when he purchased forty acres of his present farm. November 23, 1840, Mr. Jacobs was married to Charlotte
M. Wing, who was born in Northampton County, Penn., June 28, 1820, and is the daughter of Thomas and Elinor (Hardy) Wing, of Massachusetts, and parents of thirteen children. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs have no children of their own, but have reared two, and partially reared two
others. Mr. Jacobs, besides his farm of 140 acres, owns property in La Grange.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
ISRAEL MARKS, son of John and Mary Marks, was born June 7, 1839, in Stark County, Ohio. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania, and they removed to Stark County, Ohio, where John Marks died. After this sad occurrence, Mrs. Mary Marks came to Indiana, in which State she
subsequently died. Israel Marks was reared and educated in Ohio, principally in Wyandot County, and came to Indiana when twenty years of age. He was married in this county, August 24, 1860, to Miss Amanda E. Sigler, a native of Ohio, and the daughter of Peter and Nancy
Sigler. Her parents, natives of Maryland, are now residents of this county. Mr. Marks purchased sixty-five acres of his present farm in 1865; he now owns 112 1/2 acres, and most of the improvements he has made himself. The buildings are good, and the chief products of the
farm are wheat and corn. Mr. and Mrs. Marks have a family of four children - William W., Ira M., Emanuel E. and Mary E.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
SAMUEL MC CALLY was born August 3, 1827, in a house situated on the line dividing Clark and Madison Counties, Ohio, and is one of eleven children born to Nicholas and Nancy (Judy) McCally, natives respectively of Virginia and Kentucky. Nicholas McCally served in the war of 1812,
first in the cavalry, in Green Clay's Brigade under Gen. Hull, and was one the army surrendered to the British. He afterward re-enlisted under Gen. Harrison, and was wounded in an engagement with the Indians. He died in Logan County, Ohio, in October, 1850. Samuel McCally
received a common education, and at the age of eighteen went to work on a farm in Clark County, Ohio, where he remained three years, then for the same length of time was engaged in driving cattle to New York. In 1851, he purchased the old homestead in Logan County, Ohio, and in
1854 ame to this township and bought the farm of 180 acres, where he now lives. He married Mary A. Nichelson, February 15, 1849. She was born January 3, 1828, in Clark County, Ohio, and died at her home in this township April 26, 1856. Her parents were John and Roxy (Hammond)
Nichelson, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of New York. To this union were born four children, John N., Almond, Andrew and Elias G.; the latter was killed Mary 10, 1865. Mr. McCally was married to his present wife, Elizabeth J. Richards, July 3, 1856. She is the
daughter of Joseph and Rachel (Davidson) Richards, and was born in Clark County, Ohio, November 23, 1827. The have five children - Charles A., Sarah H. (now Mrs. Rogers), Grace A., Manley and Roxy J. Mr. McCally is a stanch Republican, and prominent farmer of the township.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
CHRISTIAN MILLER, when a boy of six, moved to Morrow County, Ohio, with his parents, Andrew and Mary M. (Zimmerman) Miller, both natives of Harford County, Md., where the subject was born March 10, 1825; his father's birth occurred August 17, 1800, and his mother's October 5, 1804.
In their family were three boys and eight girls. Christian Miller, at the age of twenty-one, traveled West on a prospecting tour, returning to Ohio in the fall, where he was married in Richland County, on the 13th of April, 1848, to Miss Juliann Sowers. They went to Jefferson
Township, Noble County, in 1850, where they lived four years on a farm. Mr. Miller during that time cleared sixty acres of land. He then sold out and came to this township and bought thrity-two acres that now lie in the southwestern part of La Grange, also eighty acres in Clay
Township, all of which he subsequently sold. In 1858, he purchased a stock of dry goods and groceries in La Grange, and sold the same the next year, when he engaged in the lumber business; in 1861, erected a saw-mill, operated it until 1870, when he bought a farm of 136 acres in
this township, where he is residing, having increased his farm to 364 acres. For about two years he ran a saw-mill on his place, when the supply of water failed and it was abandoned. Mr. Miller, from 1854 to 1862 was an Odd Fellow, when the war broke the lodge up, and was an active
Regulator. Mr. and Mrs. Miller belong to the Lutheran Church, and have a family of five children, viz.: Mary C. (now Mrs. Peters), Catharine E. (now Mrs. Deavenbaugh), Henry A., Anna and John C. Mrs. Miller is a native of Center County, Penn., born October 16, 1827, the daughter of
Henry and Mary A.C. (Miller) Sowers, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and parents of nine children.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
WILLIAM R. WINICK is a native of Stark County, Ohio, where his birth occurred October 24, 1837. His parents, John and Nancy (Poland) Minick, were natives of Pennsylvania, the former born in 1818 and the latter in 1812; they had a family of nine children. John Minick went to Ohio in
the prime of early youth, and for several years followed his trade, that of a carder and fuller, at Canton, and subsequently at Akron. He was married in Ohio, and in 1851 went to Allen County, Ind., where his death occurred in 1856. His widow was afterward married to David Perky and
moved to DeKalb County, Ind., where she died in 1878. William Minick, from fourteen until twenty-two years of age, worked out by the month, and in 1859 came to this township, where he managed a farm one year on shares. November 6, 1860, he voted for Abraham Lincoln, and was married the
same day to Hannah L. Cain, who was born in Johnson Township, this county, November 1, 1842, and is one of eight in the family of Simeon and Ann (Oliver) Cain, the former of whom was born in New York Novembe 1, 1808, and the latter in Clark County, Ohio, October 6, 1813. In 1861, Mr. Minick
bought a farm in Williams County, Ohio, and in 1868 traded the same for one in Defiance County, Ohio, where he resided until he located on this present farm in this township in 1874. He owns 120 acres, and in connection with farming is engaged in selling agricultural implements. He is a
Republican, and a member of the Meridian Sun Lodge, No. 76, A., F. & A.M. He joined the Masonic Order at Edgerton, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Minick have four children, William W., a school teacher, Anna M., Frank A. and Charles A. Three of the subject's brothers served in the late war, John L.
in Company A, Forty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry; he died at Indianapolis in 1864; George W. in Company A, Thirty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and Joseph S. in Company A, Twenty-first Indian Heavy Artillery. The two last named are residents of Muskegon, Mich.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
BENJAMIN S. MITCHELL, a native of Westmoreland COunty, Penn., born December 22, 1811, is one of eleven in the family of Hugh and Phoebe (McClure) Mitchell. The parents were natives of Trenton, N.J., and Chester County, Penn., respectively, and Hugh Mitchell was Quartermaster in the Revolutionary
war, also a commissioned officer in the New Jersey militia during the whiskey rebellion there; his father, Randall Mitchell, was a wealthy merchant of Trenton. High Mitchell, when a young man, went to Westmoreland County, Penn., where he clerked, taught school and was married; subsequently
removing to Ashland County, Ohio, where he died at this home of his son Benjamin, October 4, 1834; his wife died on the 11th of the succeeding April. The subject, at the age of twelve, began working out by the month, and at seventeen rented land in Ashland County, Ohio, and moved to Huron County,
Ohio, where he kept hotel six and a half years, next engaging in the drover business, then in mercantile pursuits, continuing the latter six years at Fitchville, Huron Co., Ohio. IN 1861, he bought his farm in this township where he is living. He belongs to , and was a charter member of Floral
Lodge, No. 160, A.,F. & A.M.., at Fitchville, Ohio, and is also a member of Huron Chapter, No. 7, R.A.M. His wife is a member of the M.E. Church, and is the daughter of Frederick and Martha (Angel) Draggoo, who had thirteen children, and were natives respectively of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Mr. Draggoo was a soldier in the war of 1812; his daughter Eleanor was born May 26, 1815, in Mercer County, Penn., and was married to Benjamin Mitchell January 3, 1833. They have had six children, two of whom are living - Martha, now Mrs. Samuel E. Beans, and Dora M., now Mrs. William Biddle.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
ISAAC B. NEWELL is a native of Easton, Washington County, N.Y. His parents were John and Joanna (Reynolds) Newell; the former was born in Old Hadley, Conn., in 1762 and the latter in New York, Washington County, in 1772. They had twelve children, all of whom grew to maturity. Isaac Newell was
born July 14, 1803, married January 4, 1829, and came to Bloomfield Township in 1840, where he has since lived on the 140-acre farm that he has cleared and improved. Shortly after coming here he had a narrow escape from wolves, and himself and wife were once attacked by a panther and chased into
their cabin. Mr. Newell was an active Regulator, and owns a horse that will be twenty-seven years old in May, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Newell have four children - Sabrina P., Harriet T., now Mrs. Thurstin; Charity V., now Mrs. Reed, and Anna M., now Mrs. Bunn. Mrs. Lucretia Newell was born in Pine Plains,
Dutchess Co., N.Y., May 27, 1805 and was married to the subject in Conquest, Cayuga Co., N.Y. Her parents, Jacob and Charity (Pulver) Vandewater, were born in New York. Her ancesotrs were among the first Dutch settlers in that State, and she has in her possession a chest brought by them from Holland.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township
HARVEY OLMSTEAD was born December 7, 1811, near Lundy's Lane, Canada, and worked for some time on his father's farms in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and five years onthe New York & Erie Canal. In 1833, he came to Springfield Township, this county, where he built a cabin on a tract of Government land in
Brushy Prairie, and worked at splitting rails until he had saved $50, when he entered the forty acres of land upon which he was already located. He now owns 320 acres in that township, and a farm of 100 acres in this township which he bought in 1874, and upon which he has since lived. Mr. Olmstead
is one of the oldest settlers in the county, and took an active part in the Regulator movement. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Venater) Olmstead, the former born in Vermont in 1786, and the latter in 1788 in Pennsylvania, where they were married. In 1807, Jacob Olmstead went to Canada, and served
in the war of 1812, first as a British soldier, but subsequently deserted and entered the United States Army. After the war, he settled with his family in New York, but subsequently resided in the States of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Iowa, finally returning to this county, where he
died in April, 1869. Mr. Harvey Olmstead has been left a widower four times. His first wife, to whom he was married April 17, 1834, was Sarah Gage, a native of New York, born February 4, 1813, and daughter of Abraham and Polly (Biengton) Gage, of Vermont. She died July 11, 1841, and of four children born to
them, one only is living - Elijah. March 2, 1842, Mr. Olmstead was married to Mrs. Mary (Gage) Anderson, a native of Rutland, Vt., born February 25, 1815, and the daughter of Isaac and Perly (Howard) Gage, of Vermont. They had four children, two of whom are living - Mary, now Mrs. Samuel Cline, and Frank B.
Mrs. Mary Olmstead died August 19, 1852. His third wife was Elizabeth Burrell. They were married in 1853, and she died in 1865, leaving four children - Albert A., Clara A., now Mrs. Jennings; Elizabeth C., now Mrs. Routsong, and Jacob A. Mr. Olmstead's last marriage took place March 6, 1866, to Lydia C.
McNulty, who died January 21, 1882, having borne her husband two sons - Charles H. and George.
Source: "1882 History LaGrange County, Indiana" by F.A.Battey & Co.., - Bloomfield Township