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ELI MILLER, Mishawaka, Ind. At an early day seven brothers of the name of Miller came from Germany and settled in the eastern part of the United States, and of one of these our subject is a lineal descendant. Adam Miller, Sr., the grandfather of our subject, was a descendant of one of these early settlers, and was born in Pennsylvania in 1784. He went to Ohio when a young man, where he married Sarah Prior, and settled near the city of Columbus. He was the father of thirteen children, viz.: Sarah, Mary, John P., Anthony, Samuel W., David D., Margaret, Adam, Elizabeth, Jacob E., Robert D. (who died young), Eliza W. and Henry S. Six of these are still living, aged from sixty-three to eighty-eight years. The first four sons entered the ministry. In 1830 Mr. Miller came to St. Joseph county, Ind., and settled on Beardsley's Prairie, in Harris township, near the Michigan line, part of his farm being in that State. Here he made a fine farm, which he sold many years after, and removed to Mishawaka, where he resided a few years, and then settled on a farm in Elkhart county, where he spent the remainder of his days. He was well educated and was a minister in the Baptist Church, being one of the old pioneer preachers who traveled about and preached in the houses of the settlers for many miles around, and was widely known and highly esteemed. Adam Miller, Jr., his son, was the father of our subject. He was born in Ohio, January 8, 1818, and received the common education of those pioneer days. He was reared a farmer and came with his parents to this county in 1830, and December 2,1838, married Mercy A. Mead, daughter of Eli B. and Hannah (Snyder) Mead. Eli B. Mead was born in New York, December 1, 1790, and was the son of John Mead, a member of an old colonial family of German descent. John Mead enlisted at the age of fifteen years as a soldier in the Revolutionary war, serving through that struggle. In an early day he left New York, and settled in Dearborn county, Ind., and in 1834 he removed to Penn township, St. Joseph county, where he remained till his death. Eli B. Mead moved with his family from Dearborn county about a year later, and settled in the same township. He was married in the State of New York, and was the father of four children, as follows: John M., Mercy A., Betsey and Catharine. By occupation he was a farmer. He died in Penn township at the age of seventy-eight years. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and an honorable and respected citizen. His wife died a few years later, in the ninetieth year of her age. After his marriage Adam Miller, Jr., settled in Harris township on a part of the old homestead, afterward moving several times, but principally residing in Penn township. His longest residence was on a farm five miles southeast of Mishawaka, where he lived from 1853 to 1886. He was a substantial farmer and possessed 300 acres of land. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were the parents of eight children, as follows: Cyrus, who died at the age of three months; Eli; Andrew S., who died at the age of thirteen; Hannah; Lee O.; Julius and Julia, twins, the latter of whom died at the age of three years, and Lorenzo, who died in early manhood at the age of twenty-three years. Of these, Hannah married Alonzo Smyser, and had one child, Harry L., who is a stockman on a cattle ranch in Nebraska. Mrs. Smyser is now married to W. P. Fisher, a prominent decorator in Chicago. Dr. Lee O. Miller is a prominent dentist of Three Rivers, Mich. He married Clara S. Throp, and has one child, Jasper. He is a member of the Christian Church, and Republican in politics. He is successful in his business, and has been a member of the city council of Three Rivers for some years. He is prominent in musical circles of that city. He is identified with the K. O. T. M., K P., Masonic and Good Templar organizations. Of the latter he was Grand counselor of his State last year, and now stands at the head of that order in Michigan as grand chief templar. Julius is a farmer on Rolling Prairie, La Porte county, Ind. He married Millie Ruth, and has two children, Edna and Lloyd. He is a man of decided convictions, a zealous member of the Christian Church, a strong temperance man and a member of the Prohibition party. Lorenzo was a farmer, and married Sadie Zeller, and had one child, Ira J. He was a graduate of the normal school at Valparaiso, Ind., a member of the Christian Church, and a young man of fine character. Both Mr. and Mrs. Miller were members of the Christian Church, in which Mr. Miller was an elder for some years. Politically he was a Democrat until the Fremont campaign, when he joined the Republican party, and voted its ticket till 1884, when he identified himself with the Prohibition party at its organization in Indiana. He was a strong temperance man, and ever took an active interest in the cause. He was progressive, a man of decided views, and noted for his high character. He enjoyed the confidence and respect of the people. He moved to Mishawaka in 1885, where he died September 27, 1892, at nearly the age of seventy-four years.

Eli Miller, son of the above, and the subject of the present sketch, was born March 8, 1841, on his grandfather Miller's farm in Harris township, and has passed all of his life thus far as a resident of St. Joseph county, where he is now an honored citizen. He first was taught in the common schools, and then attended the Collegiate Institute in New Carlisle, in said county, following this with a partial course at the N. W. Christian University, now Butler University, at Indianapolis. This was supplemented by a course at Eastman's National Business College, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and one year at Eureka College, in Illinois. During a part of this period, and for several years later, he taught in the common schools of the county, and in the New Carlisle public school for two years, as one of the principal teachers. He made farming a business exclusively till he commenced teaching, and has thus spent the time of several vacations since. Since he ceased teaching he has followed the occupation of painting and paper hanging through the summer season, and the winter seasons he has devoted to music classes and chorus work, and temperance work. In 1869 Mr. Miller joined the order of Good Templars, and at once began to take an active interest in its success. He has held nearly all the offices in the subordinate lodge, and for many terms that of the presiding officer. For several years he presided over the Degree Temple, and has been the district chief templar of his district since the adoption of the district lodge system three years ago. He holds commissions from the order's highest officials, and has often been a delegate to his grand lodge. He is now fi1ling the office of grand counselor for the fourth term, which is the second position in rank, and has filled the highest office in the grand lodge of his State, that of grand chief templar, for six successive terms. Mr. Miller has four times been a delegate to the Right Worthy Grand Lodge of Good Templars, in which capacity he has visited Chicago, Richmond, Va., and Toronto, Canada. In 1891 Mr. Miller visited Edinburgh, Scotland, as a delegate, at which session delegates were present from nearly all the civilized nations of the earth. It was a meeting of great importance to the temperance cause, as the order is much the largest temperance organization in the world, the most widely spread, and these delegates were among the leading workers of these nations, met in God's name to counsel together and plan more wisely for the future. In 1882 Mr. Miller began to devote much more of his time to temperance work. For some time he was an executive member of the Grand Temperance Council and S. C. T. U. of Indiana. Since of age he had been a Republican in politics, and was a delegate to the party's State convention in 1884, but the action of that convention against the constitutional amendment and temperance questions caused him, with numerous others, to leave the convention and party. He assisted in the organization of the Prohibition party at Indianapolis in 1884, and was nominated for auditor of State on its first ticket, and ever since has been prominently identified with that party. He has been nominated for county office also, and in 1892 was nominated as one of the Prohibition candidates for Presidential elector in his State. He is the leader of a Prohibition glee club of South Bend, which has done efficient service in the north part of the State. He travels extensively as a temperance worker and lecturer for the order, and has devoted many years of his life to the temperance work, and is firm in the belief that the good cause will ultimately triumph. He is a member of the Christian Church, an honorable man of well-known integrity of character and high moral principles, and his life-long residence in St. Joseph county, his tireless and arduous labors in the great cause, render his influence for good in the State certain and effective, for here he is best known and stands deservedly high in the estimation of the people.

�Pictorial and Biographical Memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties, Indiana
Together with Biographies of Many Prominent Men of Northern Indiana and the Whole State, Both Living and Dead�
Goodspeed Brothers Publishers, Chicago
1893
John Morris Co. Printers and Binders

BENJAMIN F. PRICE, undertaker of South Bend, Ind. There is probably no business in which the march of progress has made such wonderful advancement during the past fifty years as that of undertaking, for from a mere trade it has become a dignified profession, and it exacts from its followers not only a thorough business training, but a scientific knowledge of a high character. One of the leading establishments of South Bend, Ind., is that owned and conducted by Benjamin F. Price, who has a comfortably and decorously furnished house, in which he carries a full line of caskets and coffins of elegant design, though not necessarily expensive, and general funeral furnishings. All work is executed in the most expeditious manner, and everything is done that human hands can do to lessen the distress and alleviate the anxiety of relatives, while Mr. Price is at all times moderate in his charges. The business was established in 1832 by Benjamin F. Price, Sr., undertaker and cabinet maker, who was born in Union county, Penn., in October, 1807, where his boyhood days were spent in laboring on his father's farm. He was apprenticed to the cabinet maker's trade under a man named Roberts, and while a resident of his native State he followed that occupation, in which he acquired remarkable skill. He was married in his own county to Lucinda Welch and in 1832 came with her and his eldest child, Charles W., to St. Joseph county, Ind., the entire distance to South Bend being made in a one-horse wagon. Mr. Price commenced at once to work at his trade and in connection with furniture also conducted an undertaking business, being the first one to open such an establishment in the county. He continued this business until the town was large enough to support an exclusive undertaking establishment, when he began devoting his attention to this business alone and continued it until his death in October, 1887, since which time the business has been ably conducted by his son and namesake Benjamin F. Price, Jr., who for more than twenty years had been associated in business with his father. Mr. Price was one of the pioneer business men of South Bend and naturally contributed much toward its advancement and development. He was one of the first trustees of the town, was a member of the board of health, and at the time of his death at the advanced age of eighty-one years, he was a director of the South Bend National Bank. He was an active member of the I. O. O. F., and at the time the building for that society was erected, he was appointed superintendent of construction. It was erected by a stock company of members of the order and Mr. Price was among them. The lodge has since come into possession of the building. Mrs. Price was called from this life in 1859, after having become the mother of seven children: Charles W., John B., Mary E. and Edward deceased, and Clara E., Sarah H. and Benjamin F. living. During the Civil war Charles W. enlisted as captain of Company C, Seventy-third Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in 1861, and served two years. He was wounded in one of the engagements in which his company participated and returned home on furlough. After recovering he rejoined his company at Indianapolis where he was killed in 1863 by a large timber falling upon him, the company at that time doing guard duty. Benjamin F. Price, Jr., was born in South Bend December 12, 1850, and in that town was reared and educated and has continued to reside. He entered the employ of his father when young, and may be said to have grown up in the business. He thoroughly understands every detail, and at the demise of his father was eminently capable of taking upon his own shoulders the duties of the business. His is the leading, oldest and most popular concern of the city, and the reputation of the house for honesty and upright dealing has remained untarnished during the long term of years that the business has been established. Mr. Price is one of the popular business men of the town and has hosts of friends. He was twice married, his first wife was Miss Georgia Walterhouse, a native of South Bend, and a daughter of Jesse and Elizabeth (Holland) Walterhouse, natives of the State of New York. Two interesting and promising children, Jessie E. and Mary E. were born to them. Mr. Price was again married on January 9, 1884, to Miss Maggie Fagan, of St. Joseph, Mich. Mr. Price, like his estimable father before him, is a member of the I. O. O. F., also belongs to the Maccabees and is a Republican politic ally, the measures of which he at all times supports, as did also his father.

HENRY WEIS, Mishawaka, Ind. The subject of this notice is one of the prominent farmers of Penn township. He is the son of Christian Weis, a prominent pioneer and honored citizen of Penn township, who was born in Switzerland in 1803, received a common-school education and was reared to agricultural life. He came to America when a young man, first settled in Stark county, Ohio, and married there, his wife being Annie Heim, daughter of Christian Heim. To Mr. and Mrs. Christian Weis were born ten children, all of whom lived to be grown. Mr. Weis remained in Stark county some years, subsequently removing to Marshall county, Ind., where he cleared up a farm and was one of the pioneers. In 1846 he came to St. Joseph county and settled one mile west of Mishawaka, where our subject now lives. Here he bought eighty acres of land, cleared it up, sold it and moved to the farm now occupied by William Weis, where he became the owner of 200 acres of fine farming land. A small portion of this was already cleared when he came to it; the remainder he cleared. The names of his children were: Christian, Annie, Ullery, Elizabeth, Peter, John, Henry, Mary, Joseph and William. Mr. Weis was a prominent member of the Evangelical Church and held the offices of trustee, steward and class leader. He was one of the founders of this church in, Penn township and assisted to build the church in his neighborhood. Politically he was a stanch Democrat. He was a hard working, industrious man, much respected by all, and brought up a fine family of children, all of them doing well. He was well known as one who bad materially assisted in the development of St. Joseph county and belonged to those who are a credit to their native country and to their adopted one. Henry Weis, our subject, was born February 27, 1846, in Marshall county, near Bremen, on a farm, and was brought up among the pioneers, receiving only the education which was to be obtained in the log school-house of the neighborhood. He was but an infant when he was brought by his parents to Penn township, learned early to work and did his duty at his home on the farm until he was twenty-seven years of age. On November 10, 1875, he married Eliza Beyler, born February 13, 1849, a daughter of George and Rebecca (Lehr) Beyler. Mr. Beyler came from Alsace when a young man and married in Stark county, Ohio. By trade he was a shoemaker. He moved to Marshall county, Ind., becoming one of the first settlers at Bremen, locating there in 1839. His children were: Samuel, who died in infancy; Eliza, who died at the age of three years; Catherine, who passed away at the age of four years; Jacob; Mary A., who died when forty-five years old; Eliza; John; and Sarah, who died at the age of thirty-three. Mr. and Mrs. Beyler were members of the Evangelical Church, he being one of the founders of the Church at Bremen, and filling all of the offices of prominence in that body. He was a hard-working, industrious man, and at his death he left a handsome property, among which was some valuable timber land. He died at Bremen, at the age of seventy years, a man of honorable character and a pioneer citizen. Henry Weis and wife, after marriage, settled on a part of the old homestead, where they have lived ever since. In 1882 Mr. Weis built a substantial brick house and has good improvements. He has, by industry and thrift, accumulated property until he owns two hundred acres of land and thirty-eight acres of timber land in Madison township. To Mr. and Mrs. Weis have been born eight children, as follows: Mary A., born October 15,1876; George J., born September 26, 1878; Alva M., born July 13, 1881; Clement, born October 14, 1882; John O., born November 16, 1884; Henry E., born November 15, 1886; Bertha R., born January 30, 1890, and Elmer E., born October, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Weis are members of the Evangelical Church and Mr. Weis has assisted materially in the support of the church, takes an active interest in having good schools in his community and has served as school director. In politics he is a Republican. The Weis children have descended on both sides from the best of pioneer stock and have a right to take an honest pride in the sterling qualities of their ancestors.

PHILIP B. BOONE is a retired farmer now residing in the city of South Bend, in the enjoyment of a comfortable competency acquired in earlier years by industry and good management, and the society of numerous friends, whom his correct mode of living has gathered about him. He is a product of Wayne county, Ind., for there he first saw the light of day on the 27th of May, 1822, his parents being Ovid and Ruth (Baltimore) Boone, the former a native of the Blue Grass State and the latter of Ohio. Ovid Boone was born in the vicinity of Lexington, his parents being honest tillers of the soil. He removed to Wayne county, Ind., with his parents, and there he was married and became a successful agriculturist. After many years he settled in Madison county, Ind., where his death occurred about the year 1835. He had a brother who was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was killed at the battle of Lexington. Ky. To Ovid Boone and his wife the following children were born: Perry, Philip B., Charlotte, Mary M., James W. and Susan. After the death of the husband and father, his widow was married to John Maguire to whom she presented three children: Joseph, Malinda and Morris. The mother of these children was called from this life about the 1st of July, 1862. When Philip B. Boone was about seven years of age he went to Madison county, Ind., with his parents, where he grew up on a farm, receiving the advantages of the country schools near his rural home. Owing to the early death of his father he learned to depend upon himself when a mere lad, and at the age of sixteen years began to work for himself on a farm, for with that calling he was thoroughly familiar. Since 1844: he has been a resident of St. Joseph county, and upon taking up his residence in German township, he purchased 110 acres of land and at once began to prepare it for cultivation. He tilled this land successfully for many years and showed himself to be a man of sound views in every thing connected with farming, and all his efforts were prospered. About the, year 1881 he retired from active business pursuits and took up his residence in South Bend, where he is still residing, surrounded by numerous warm personal friends. He was married in German township Novem�ber 30, 1846, to Miss Susan Miller, who was born in Wayne county, Ind., January 11, 1829, and soon after their marriage they settled on the above mentioned farm, which at that time was solely improved by a little log cabin. As their circumstances improved this gave way to a better habitation, and upon leaving the farm they were very comfortably situated. On that farm they reared the following children: James A., Daniel W., Alwilda E., Elizabeth A., Schuyler C., William T. and David E. While a resident of German township Mr. Boone served in the capacity of justice of the peace for four years and township trustee three years. In politics he has ever been a staunch Republican and has always labored for the good of that party. He is a member of that worthy society, the I. O. O. F., and he and his wife are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Boone is a daughter of David and Sarah (Hardman) Miller, natives respectively of Virginia and Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were married in Wayne county, Ind., and in 1831 came to St. Joseph county settling in German township, of which they were among the very first settlers. He became the owner of 160 acres of land on Portage Prairie and underwent the hardships and privations attendant upon pioneer life. The Indians were numerous at that time and in the anticipation of trouble with them a fort was erected on the Miller homestead, which stood for several years afterward as a monument to hostilities experienced by the pioneer settlers of the county from the red man. Mr. Miller died in the fall of 1843, a fact universally regretted, and his widow was called from life on the 5th of June, 1849. They were upright and respected people and useful and progressive citizens - a blessing to the new county in which they settled.

EDWIN C. LAIDLAW, Mishawaka, Ind. One of the substantial farmers of Penn township, is the gentleman of whom this sketch is written. His father, John Laidlaw, was one of the pioneers of St. Joseph county, born January 5, 1812, at Blains�ley, near Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a son of John Laidlaw, Sr., who came to America in 1818 and settled at Edwards, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., where he engaged in farming. By trade he was a stonemason, and in his native country did an extensive business. He married Susan Smith and became the father of thirteen children, the record of whom is as follows: The eldest died unmarried; Thomas married Eliza Blood, and they were the parents of five children (he became a farmer of St. Lawrence county, N. Y.); Alexander came to Indiana from New York and died at the home of his brother John, unmarried; Isabel married James Noble, and they had a large family of ten children, and resided in St. Lawrence county, N. Y.; John, father of subject; David married Jane Newton, had a family of three children and resides in St. Lawrence country, N. Y.; Mary married Austin Clark, had a family of five children, and they reside at Russell, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y.; Martha married Mr. Green, has two children and resides in Minnesota; Franklin married Miss F. Buck, has three children and resides in Iowa; William; Ann, who married and resides in Canton, N. Y., and Edward. John Laidlaw, our subject's father, remained in St. Lawrence county N. Y., and Canada until he was twenty-one years of age, but in 1836 he came to St. Joseph county, Ind., and purchased a quarter section of land in Madison township, which he afterward sold. He had the advantages of a common-school education, and when a young man of eighteen or nineteen engaged in logging in Canada for two years, then came to Indiana and entered his land in St. Joseph county. He then worked on the mill race on the north side of Mishawaka, and also assisted in getting out iron ore for the Mishawaka Iron Furnace. Following this occupation, in company with Elias Cook, he contracted to burn charcoal for the iron company, and bought eighty acres of land where his present farm now is, and this was covered with heavy timber. Here he erected a log cabin near the present homestead and partly cleared his eighty acres, and by thrift and hard work was enabled to buy more land, so continuing until he was the owner of 500 acres in one body and 120 in another. The Indians had not yet left the country when Mr. Laidlaw settled on his land; wild game abounded, wolves were numerous and neighbors were few and far between. Among them were Elias Cook, the Eutzlers, Hollingsheads and Hezekiah Dixon. The chief employment in this section of the country was chopping and clearing away the timber and burning charcoal, and the smoke from the coal pits of the settlers was to be seen in every direction, as all were preparing charcoal for the smelting pits of Mishawaka. Mr. Laidlaw married Sally, daughter or Benjamin Shaw, a farmer of Kosciusko county. To Mr. and Mrs. Laidlaw were born twelve children, viz.: Susan, who married John Dixon, of Mishawaka; Benjamin, who died in infancy; Lydia, who married Robert Martin; Edwin C., our subject, who married Harrieta Pulling; Alexander, who married Elizabeth Burroughs; Silas, who was killed at the age of seventeen years; Caroline S., who married William Herrick; Jane, who married John Holliday; Mary, who married William Harling; Ella, Emma and John W. Mr. Laidlaw was a man of medium size, but very strong and was never sick a day in his life until his last sickness. He was a hard-working, honest, pioneer citizen. Both Mr. and Mrs. Laidlaw were members of the Christian Church in which he held the office of deacon. Politically he was a stanch Republican, formerly an old line Whig. He lived to the age of seventy-two years and died in 1883, respected by the pioneers as an honest and upright man and had many friends. He brought up a family of children who became good citizens. In 1870 he removed to Mishawaka, where he passed the last years of his life. Always public-spirited he was always the friend of the public schools. During the war he was a stanch Union man and assisted liberally with his means to fill the quota of his township. At his death he had no debts and throughout his life he made it a principle never to have a mortgage upon any of his property. Mrs. Laidlaw's parents were born in Massachusetts, moved to Ohio at an early day and subsequently to Indiana, where they both died and lie buried in the Eutztus burying ground in Penn township. The grandfather was in the Revolutionary war and aided in establishing our national independence. He moved to near Marietta, Ohio, and there died and is there buried. Mr. Laidlaw owned one of the best farms in Penn township, upon which he erected fine farm buildings, and here he was content, never accepting office although often solicited to do so. He was very fond of hunting and killed many deer in his time, as well as other kinds of game. Two different winters the Indians camped upon Mr. Laidlaw's farm for the purpose of hunting, and he joined them in hunting coon. Edwin C. Laidlaw, son of the above prominent subject, was born on his fathers farm in Penn township, and has passed all of his days on the old homestead which has now been owned by the family for sixty-one years. He received a common-school education and was a pupil at the old pioneer log school-house until he was sixteen years of age. This did not satisfy him, for, after his services as a soldier were over, he attended the Northern Indiana College at South Bend and also Eastman's National Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He was reared to farm life, but at the age of twenty-one enlisted at Mishawaka as a private soldier in the service of the United States and was mustered in May 27, 1864, in Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry; served nine months and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis, Ind., on account of the expiration of his term of enlistment. This service was principally guarding the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, which was defended by means of block houses, and the fighting was seven skirmishes with the bushwhackers, a very dangerous kind of fighting. He was sick with chronic diarrhea at the hospital at Tullahoma, Tenn., for one month. Although he re-joined his company, he never totally regained his health. After his services as a soldier, he returned home and resumed farming and managed the place after his father moved into Mishawaka. He married, January 25, 1876, Henrietta Pulling, born March 20, 1851, daughter of Charles K. and Mary A. (Neiler) Pulling. Mr. Pulling was of English stock and was born May 15, 1811, in Monmouth county, N. J., the family having been an old colonial one. The members of the old family yet remaining, are, Charlotte, aged seventy-five years, residing at Bordentown, N. J.; and Rebecca, aged ninety-one years, at Trenton, N. J. The family is a long-lived one. Mr. Pulling married in Philadelphia in 1836; his wife's family was an old American one, of Dutch and Welsh descent and belonged to the society of Quakers. In 1851 Mr. Pulling moved to St. Joseph county, Ind., and bought a farm of 120 acres of land now occupied by the Studebaker residence and grounds, at South Bend, called Sunny Side. Mr. Pulling sold his farm and bought one on Harris Prairie and then sold that one and bought one three miles east of Mishawaka, but finally retired from farming and removed to Mishawaka, where he lost his wife. He was at the time of his death a resident of South Bend, and was seventy-four years of age. To Mr. and Mrs. Pulling were born nine children, as follows: Emeline; George; John; Ellen; Anna; Charlotte, died at the age of eighteen years; Henrietta; Catherine; and Catherine deceased at the age of eleven years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pulling were members of the Baptist Church. Politically he is a Republican and gave two sons, John and George, to the late war. The parents of Mr. Pulling were Samuel and Charlotte Pulling, natives of New Jersey. Mr. Pulling was a substantial farmer and an honest and respected citizen. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Laidlaw settled on the old homestead where they still live, and to them have been born three children: Abbie, born April 7, 1881; Mabel, born May 2, 1883, died January 15, 1886, and Chester E., born January 17, 1887. Socially Mr. Laidlaw is a member of I. O. O. F., also G. A. R, Houghton Post, of Mishawaka, and has held the office of senior vice-commander. Politically he is a stanch Republican. He is a public-spirited man, has held the office of school director and has taken a deep interest in the schools of the community. He is a practical farmer, been a hard worker and has followed threshing for thirteen years. He is one of the foremost promoters of fine stock in his neighborhood, has a fine herd of Durham short horn cattle and Jersey cows and has always been foremost in breeding heavy draft horses, Clydesdales, shires and hackneys. He is also an extensive breeder of Shrop�shire Down sheep and of Poland China hogs. He manages the estate left by his father, which is yet undivided, besides eighty acres of his own land, and is one of the most efficient and practical farmers in Penn township. He stands deservedly high both as a man and a citizen. There is no other Laidlaw family in America of which this family has any knowledge that ever came to America. When John Laidlaw, father of our subject, started to visit the lady who subsequently became his wife, he used to take his gun and walk through dense woods to her father's house at Wolf Lake, in Kosciusko county, some sixty miles away, the trip consuming two days.

JOSEPH C. ULLERY is one of the wide-awake and progressive tillers of the soil of Green township, St. Joseph Co., Ind., of which he has been one of the public-spirited residents for many years. He was born in Miami county, Ohio, January 22, 1842, to George A. Ullery and wife, natives of Prussia, who came to this country in 1828, and after a five years' residence in Pennsylvania, removed by wagon to Miami county, Ohio, where he purchased a farm on which he made his home until his death, at the extreme old age of ninety-four years. He was a soldier in Napoleon Bonaparte's army, and distinguished himself in a number of severe engagements, in one of which he was captured by the English, who gave him his choice of remaining in prison or joining the English army, and he prudently chose the latter. He was brought to this country as a member of the British army, and was a participant in three engagements in Maine. At the end of four years he was taken back to England, and there discharged from the service. He immediately returned to Prussia, and from there came to the United States to seek a home for himself and family, and eventually passed from life in Ohio as above stated. His wife, whose maiden name was Marie C. Wittig, was also born in Prussia, and bore her husband eleven children, of whom the immediate subject of this sketch was the youngest. He came from Ohio to St. Joseph county, Ind., in 1859, located in the vicinity of South Bend, and there engaged in farming. September 7, 1862, he was married to Miss Mary I. Robertson, daughter of Daniel D. and Esther Robertson, and on the farm on which he now resides he settled immediately after his marriage, and there resided for six years. He then went to Iowa, and after living in that State for about six years, returned to the vicinity of South Bend, and there has since been content to make his home. His farm is carefully looked after and is devoted, not only to raising the usual cereals, but to stockraising also, a specialty being made of Chester White swine. He served in the Union army from September, 1864, to May 10, 1865, in the Fifty-third Indiana Regiment, and during that time was on detailed service. He was justice of the peace a number of years in Green township, was township clerk all the time he was in Iowa, and is a member of the board of directors of the Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan Agricultural Association. He has one daughter, Myrtle A., who was born in Iowa February 4, 1871. At the early age of fifteen years she began school teaching, and is now one of the most successful educators of St. Joseph county. Mr. Ullery is a member of the G. A. R., and belongs to the co-operative association known as the Union Threshing Company, which has been in successful operation for sixteen years. Daniel D. Robertson was born in Warren county, Ohio, September 10, 1815, and in 1824 moved to Indiana and located in Wayne county with his father, where be was engaged in farming and harness making until 1836, at which time St. Joseph county, Ind., became his home, and here he resided, in Green township, until his death, on September 7, 1891, at the age of seventy-six years. His wife was a daughter of John Bishop, and was born in Wayne county, Ind., January 31, 1832, and died September 11, 1891, her husband having passed away on the 7th, only three days before. They were buried together September 12, in the Sumption Prairie Cemetery, Green township, St. Joseph Co., Ind.

JOSEPH ULERY, deceased, was one of the first settlers of Clay township, and owed his nativity to Huntingdon, Penn., where he was born about the year 1779, to Stephen Ulery and wife. The paternal grandfather was a German by birth, and during the very early history of this country came thither and took up his residence in Pennsylvania at a period when the Indians were quite troublesome. Stephen Ulery was born in Pennsylvania in 1751, and throughout life followed the occupation of farming in that State, his death occurring in 1836, at the age of eighty-five years and five months. He reared a family of three sons and three daughters. Joseph, like his worthy father before him, was reared to a farm life, and upon starting out to fight the battle of life for himself, it was but natural that he should choose that as his life's calling. He was married about 1803, to Miss Catherine Cripe, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1782, to John Cripe, who was one of the early settlers of Montgomery county, Ohio, where he lived until his death. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Ulery resulted in the birth of thirteen children: Samuel, Susie, Betsy, Stephen, John, Joseph, Jacob, Mary, Hannah, Catherine, Barbara, David and Esther. In 1807 Mr. Ulery, with his family, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Montgomery county, Ohio, where he had entered 166 acres of land the year before, and on this land he erected a log cabin and at once began the arduous work of clearing. Four years later he settled on another woodland farm nearer the town of Dayton, where he remained until the fall of 1836, when he removed to St. Joseph county, Ind., for the purpose of procuring more land, as he had a large family and desired to provide for them properly. The family arrived in Clay township September 18, 1836, being twelve days on the road, and settled on land where St. Mary's Academy now stands, in the vicinity of which Mr. Ulery had entered nearly one thousand acres about 1831. There had been no improvements whatever made at the time of their settlement, and they at once began to erect a log house, 16x20 feet. In this they lived until the spring of 1838, when they settled on Palmer's Prairie on which Mr. Ulery eventually died in 1869, being over ninety years of age. His wife died several years earlier, when seventy-three years old. Stephen Ulery, son of Joseph, was born in Huntingdon county, Penn., April 12, 1806, and was but one year old when his parents removed to Montgomery county, Ohio, where his first knowledge of the "world of books" was acquired in the old-time subscription schools, but when quite young he was apprenticed to the woolen manufacturer's trade, at which he continued to work for four years. At the end of that time he had become sufficiently well versed in the business to assume its management, and he successfully conducted the business for ten years. He was married in April, 1827, to Elizabeth Olinger, a native of Maryland, and four children were born of this union: Daniel; Mary, deceased; Christiana and Susan. At the time he removed to St. Joseph county, Ind., his father sold the woolen mill of which Stephen had charge and which he operated for one third of the product, and since coming to Indiana he has devoted his entire time and attention to farming. He first entered 160 acres of land, but had deeded a portion of the same to his children, although he has retained a good farm for himself. Although he has attained to the advanced age of eighty-six years, he has an excellent memory and is quite active. His wife was called from life July 5, 1881, both being members of the German Baptist Church. Politically, he has always been a Republican. Joseph Ulery, son of Joseph and Catherine (Cripe) Ulery, was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, October 15, 1809, and the occupation of farming has always received his attention. He was married in his native county June 10, 1831, to Mary Olinger, a native of Pennsylvania, who, when young, was taken by her parents to Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Ulery four children were given: Catherine; Mary; Joseph and Sarah A., deceased. Mr. Ulery came with his people to this section in 1836, and still resides on the farm on which he first located. Although the land was wholly unimproved, he at once erected a log cabin and began clearing his land of timber and brushwood, and although this was slow work, he was eventually successful, and in time his 160 acres of land was one of the best improved places in the township. At the present time his home farm consists of ninety-seven acres, of which twenty acres are timber land. He is a worthy and active member of the German Baptist Church, and politically a Republican. Although he is quite advanced in years, he is still quite active, and during the fifty-six years that he has resided in Clay township has been considered one of her foremost citizens. He was left a widower in December, 1887, and is now living retired from the active duties of life.

LOUIS DeCOUDRES is a successful farmer and a dealer in thoroughbred horses in the Vicinity of North Liberty, Ind. He is a native of Newark, N. J., where he was born May 21, 1833, to Thomas and Mary (Fox) DeCoudres, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Rhinebeck, on the Hudson River in New York. The paternal grandfather came from France, bringing with him a large family, and after residing in New Jersey for some time returned to his native land, where a large fortune was awaiting him, and this was the last, the family in America ever heard of him. When a boy Thomas DeCoudres was bound out to learn the tinner's trade, at which he worked for seven years, then began working at his trade on his own account and also engaged in the manufacture of stoves in Newark, N. J. About 1834 he removed to Tompkins county, N. Y., where he carried on his business in connection with farming until his death in 1856, his widow surviving him until 1878. Mr. DeCoudres was twice married and by his first wife became the father of three children, all of whom are deceased, and to his second union seven children were born, of whom two survive: Louis, and William F., of McLean, N. Y., where he resides on the old homestead. Thomas DeCoudres and his wife, Mary, were persons of great energy and force of character. They regarded the proper rearing of their children a most sacred duty. Especially did they impress on their minds the necessity of being honest in every thing. "Be careful what you promise, but keep your promises at all hazards" was a favorite maxim oft repeated. They were prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and were held in great esteem by Bishop James, who never failed to visit them when presiding over a conference held near their home. In the State of New York, Louis DeCoudres was reared, and in the schools of that commonwealth he obtained a fair education, being first an attendant of the public schools and later one term at Cazenovia Seminary. Although brought up on the farm he engaged in clerking for a few years after starting out to make his own way in the world, then decided to seek his fortune farther westward and in the summer of 1855 went to within seven miles of Chicago (which is now almost in the heart of the city) but not liking the looks of the straggling little town at that time, he and his brother, instead, purchased a large tract of land on Kankakee Marsh, three miles north of North Liberty. In the winter of 1856 Mr. DeCoudres located in Greene township, St. Joseph county. In February he returned to New York and was there married to Miss Martha A. Smith, daughter of George F. and Mary Smith. Her mother's maiden name was Laning. She was a sister to Dr. Richard, Revs. Gideon and Ralph, Benjamin, Esq., and Elias Laning; also of Mrs. David Colgrove, an of Tompkins county, N. Y. Martha had two children, one of which died in infancy, the other, Flora E., is now the wife of Samuel N. Finch. He returned with his young wife to Indiana, but was left a widower in 1863, with a little daughter to care for, Flora E., who is now the wife of Samuel N. Finch. On April 21, 1864, Mr. DeCoudres took for his second wife Sarah C. Reece, a native of Indiana, whose parents were early settlers of Liberty township and whose mother is still living. This union has resulted in the birth of four children: William S., who married Miss Susie Clem; Albert (deceased); Addie and Fred. Since 1866 Mr. DeCoudres has resided on his present farm, which is one of the best improved places, in the way of buildings of all descriptions, in the county. He has 263 acres in the home place and considerable land elsewhere in the county, all of which is managed in an intelligent and profitable manner. He was assessor of Greene and Liberty townships; he is an influential citizen and his name is known far and near as a successful stockman. He is a great lover of fine horses, and has some magnificent animals on his place, among which are eminently worthy of mention, a handsome Cleveland Bay horse from England; two Clydesdales from Scotland; two fine Canadian horses; a Hambletonian from Elector by Electioneer; all of which are registered animals, and many others. Mr. DeCoudres has been remarkably successful as a stockraiser and is considered a judge of good horse flesh. He is a Republican politically, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. DeCoudres bas been connected with many public enterprises which related to the interests of the farmer. He assisted in organizing the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company and has been one of the directors ever since the company was organized. Through his efforts the Northern Indiana Detective Agency was instituted. For years he has earnestly agitated the subject of good public highways. Being a man of superior judgment, his advice is often solicited by his friends and neighbors. His maternal grandfather (Fox) was a sea captain and at one time his vessel was captured by the French. This vessel was valued at $60,000, and with other American vessels that were taken, were paid for by the French Government to the United States. It required a special act of Congress to enable the Government to repay those vessel owners for the losses sustained. For some reason it was many years before such an act was passed. The owners of the vessels died and their heirs experienced great difficulty in establishing the validity of their claims. Some of the claimants, among them the Fox heirs, became discouraged and ceased to prosecute their claims and finally lost them through lack of evidence to establish their identity as heirs. David W. Reece, father of Mrs. DeCoudres, was a pioneer of liberty township and upon his arrival here in 1840, made a clearing four miles from Lakeville, and on this land moved his family two years later. He was born in Tennessee and first moved his family to Fayette county, Ind., thence to St. Joseph county. Of seven children born to himself and wife, six are still living: Mary R., wife of Mr. Heaton, of Rossville, Vermilion Co., Ill.; Sarah C., wife of Louis DeCoudres; William W., of Vermilion county, Ill.; Thomas J., a hardware merchant of Walkerton, Ind.; Dr. James N., a successful physician of North Liberty; Martha, wife of John Whitinger of this county; and Eliza (deceased). David W. Reece was born in Grainger county, Tenn., December 22, 1811, and died at his residence one mile south of North Liberty April 18, 1889, in his seventy-eighth year. His grandfather, Thomas Reece, was of English descent, but was born and reared in North Carolina, a member of the Quaker Church. He was born about 1779. When quite young the family emigrated to East Tennessee and there he eventually joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1819, as there was no Quaker Church in the vicinity. His death occurred in Alabama in 1849. His mother, Mary Glasgow, was of Welsh descent, born in Virginia in 1783, her father's family being likewise early residents of East Tennessee, where she became acquainted with and married Thomas Reece in 1804. To their union five sons and three daughters were given, David W. being the third born. The mother was called from life in Alabama in 1853. David W. Reece became a resident of Fayette county, Ind., at the age of twenty-one years, and although he followed teaching dur�ing the winter months he worked at various occupations during the summers until he succeeded in accumulating a little money. While in Fayette county he met and married Nancy M., daughter of Gen. Jeremiah A. Wilson, one of the old settlers of that county, their marriage vows being taken April 26, 1838. In October, 1842, they moved to St. Joseph county, Ind., where Mr. Reece entered a quarter section of land four miles west of Lakeville and began the arduous task of clearing his land. After many years of incessant toil and hardships peculiar to the early settler, he disposed of his property and purchased 160 acres one mile south of North Liberty, where he resided until his death, leaving a widow and six children. He was a man of unusual firmness and decision of character, and, guided by a keen sense of right, he was slow to form a conclusion, but when formed it was as immovable as the rock�ribbed hills that surrounded his birthplace. He labored to elevate public opinion to a high plane of thought and rejoiced to see the advancement of education, morality and religion. Unselfish in his motives, to him the church and schoolhouse were more desirable than a bank account, and his loftiest ambition was to be on the right side of every great social, moral, political and religious question. He often remarked that he wished to so order his life that the world might be the better for his having lived in it. He was a warm personal friend and admirer of Schuyler Colfax and regarded him as one of God's noblemen.

Deb Murray