From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
GEORGE W. CHAMBERLAIN, contractor and builder and son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Johnson) Chamberlain, natives of New Jersey, was born in that state on the 13th day of June, 1822. He was reared in the state of his nativity until his fourteenth year, at which time (1836) he removed with his parents to Seneca County, Ohio, where one year later he began working at the carpenter’s trade. He soon acquired great proficiency in his chosen calling and worked at the same at different places until 1851, when he came to Peru, where he has since followed the trade with success and financial profit. He is at this time engaged in contracting and building principally in Peru and Miami County, and some of the most elegant residences and business houses in the city and adjacent country were erected under his personal supervision. Mr. Chamberlain is an intelligent mechanic, and, with his family, possesses in an eminent degree the respect and confidence of his
fellow citizens. His marriage with Miss Margaret Morrison, a native of the State of Pennsylvania, has been blessed with the birth of two children, viz.: George R. and Nellie Chamberlain.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
GEORGE R. CHAMBERLAIN, teller First National Bank, was born in Peru, Indiana, August 4, 1854, son of George W. and Margaret (Morrison) Chamberlain. He was educated in the city schools, which he attended until his sixteenth year, completing the High School course in 1870. He then engaged as clerk in the mercantile house of J.S. Hale, Peru, in which capacity he continued one year, severing his connection with the dry goods business at the end of that time and engaging February 17, 1872, as book-keeper in the First National Bank. In May, 1881, he was promoted teller, the duties of which responsible position he has since discharged in a manner eminently satisfactory to his employers. Mr. Chamberlain is an accomplished business man, enjoys the confidence and respect of all with whom he comes in contact, and has before him a future fraught with much promise. He is a member of the K. of P. order, and politically votes with the Republican party.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
DAVID CHARTERS (deceased) was a native of Lewiston, Pennsylvania, and son of William and Elizabeth (Comfort) Charters, parents natives of the same state. The family moved to Miami County, Indiana, in 1846 and settled on a farm two miles west of Peru, where the mother died in 1873 and the father in 1865. David Charters was born, January 24, 1821, was reared a farmer and followed agricultural pursuits all his life. He came to Miami County in 1846 and from that time until his death lived upon the beautiful home place west of Peru. He was a man of much more than ordinary intelligence as is, attested by the fact that he was several times chosen by the people of Miami to positions of trust, in all of which he acquitted himself with such commendable fidelity that no one was ever known to utter a breath of suspicion against his official record. During the war and for several years thereafter, he served as County Commissioner and in 1874 was elected to
represent Miami in the State Legislature. In his business transactions he was uniformly successful and as a farmer he stood among the first in the county. On the 24th day of October, 1852 he was married to Eliza Long, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Tingle) Long, of Delaware. Mrs. Charters was born in Eaton, Preble County, Ohio, and is the mother of nine children, seven of whom are living, to-wit: William, Juniata, Mifflin, Emmet, Margaret, Lafayette and Charles Charters. The deceased members of the family were Sarah and Catharine. Mr. Charters died on the 11th day of March, 1882. His widow and several of the children still reside upon the home place, which is one of the best improved farms in Peru Township.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
JOSEPH C. CLYMER, County Treasurer, was born in Jefferson Township, Miami County, March 15, 1847. His paternal ancestors were Pennsylvanians, his grandfather, Christian Clymer, emigrating from that State in an early day to Warren County, Ohio, where he lived until his removal to Miami County, about the year 1834. He, with his son Levi Clymer, father of the subject, settled near Mexico, Jefferson Township, and was among the earliest pioneers of that section. He was a farmer by occupation and died sometime in the latter part of the forties. Levi Clymer was born in Warren County, Ohio, January 15, 1811. He was a resident of Jefferson Township, this county, until the year 1848, at which time he removed to Clay Township, where he has since resided. He is one of Miami County’s representative farmers and a man widely and favorably known for his many sterling qualities. Subject’s mother, Elizabeth Clymer, was the daughter of Henry Kirby, one of the early and substantial citizens of Warren County, Ohio. She
departed this life at her home in Clay Township, in the year 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Clymer, were the parents of nine children, four of whom are living, Joseph C., being the youngest son of the family. He was reared on his father’s farm in Clay Township, acquired in the common schools a practical education and subsequently attended the Peru High School and the Valparaiso Normal College. He began life as a farmer and followed agricultural pursuits until 1881, at which time he accepted the position of Deputy County Treasurer, under E. Humrickhouse, and continued in that capacity for a period of four years. In the meantime, 1884, he was nominated by the Democratic party as a candidate for that office, and at the ensuing election received a large majority of the county vote, a fact which attested his great popularity with the people. He having discharged the duties of the responsible trust in a manner highly satisfactory to all he was in 1886 re-elected and is now
entering upon his second term. Mr. Clymer is an intelligent, thoroughly well posted business man, and his career has been a marked success. He was married January 21, 1885, to Miss Emma, daughter of Isaac and Maria Miller, of Miami County.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
JUDGE ALBERT COLE (deceased) was born May 13, 1790, at Berlin Connecticut. He was the son of Stephen and Lucy (Deming) Cole. His father was a farmer and died in 1801. Albert, then eleven years old, went to live with his oldest brother, who was also a farmer, and until the age of fifteen attended the district schools during the winters. He spent the interval between fifteen and twenty in learning tanning and shoe-making at Meriden, Connecticut. Illness obliging him to give up his trade, he engaged one year in selling notions through the country. In 1812, he decided to go to Mississippi, where he had an older brother living. He having reached his destination he remained one year, a part of the time assisting his brother in a saw mill - on account of sickness, which he could not throw off, he purchased a pony at New Orleans and started North by land - three being at that time only one steamer on the Western Waters. After a long and tedious journey, during
which he passed through the possessions of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations, he reached a white settlement near Columbia, Tennessee, where, owing to a severe illness, he was obliged to remain four weeks. In the fall of 1813, he reached Cincinnati, Ohio, and remained there until the following spring. In the meantime news came that peace had been declared between the United States and Great Britain. After leaving Cincinnati Mr. Cole returned to Connecticut. There in September, 1814, he married Mary Galpin, and started for the west. He purchased a farm of eighty acres in Zanesville, Ohio, where as a farmer, tanner and shoemaker, he remained until 1833. That year by means of a four horse wagon - probable among the first seen in that section, he transferred his family first to Goshen, Indiana, and afterwards, July, 1834, to Peru, in the same State. Miami County had then been recently organized and Peru selected as the County Seat. Considerable enterprise had, however, been manifested in
the construction of the Wabash and Erie canal, the laying out of town lots, etc. Soon after going to Peru Mr. Cole formed a partnership with Mr. D.R. Bearss, carried on a general mercantile business for one year and erected a store house. At the end of that time the firm dissolved. Mr. Cole taking his share of the goods to Lewisburg on the canal where he put up some log buildings, and sold goods for another year. He then returned to Peru and was engaged in mercantile pursuits for about six years, after which in 1848 he was elected postmaster, which office he held till 1851 and then retired to a farm which he purchased in an early day just north of the city. After the death of his wife who had been a faithful companion for forty years, he returned to Peru, having disposed of his farm, and invested his capital in city property. Judge Cole was a Whig during the existence of that party and after the dissolution identified himself in the Republican party, voting the
latter ticket until his death. He was elected Judge at the August election in 1840, when the circuit was composed of a President judge, elected by the Legislature and two associate judges, from each county, chosen by the people. He was United States Commissioner under President Harrison, for distribution of Surplus Revenue. In 1857 he married Mrs. McCleary, of Zanesville, Ohio. Judge Cole had six children by his first wife, namely: Emma A., now Mrs. D.R. Bearss, Alphonso A., deceased, Lucy, wife of Lewis D. Adkison, Mary L., the late Mrs. James T. Miller, James O., and Ellen, wife of H.G. Fetter. Mr. Cole died November, 1878.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
RICHARD H. COLE, of the Miami Sentinel and one of the proprietors of the Cole Block, was born in this city, Nov. 26, 1853; son of Hon. Alphonso and Sarah J. (Henton) Cole, and is of English extraction. His father was born near Oberlin, Ohio, December 25, 1818. He came to Miami County in 1834. By occupation he was a lawyer and one of the early members of the Miami County Bar. In 1847 and ‘48, and in 1849 and ‘50, he represented this county in the Indiana Legislature. He was one of the early prominent men of this county. His death occurred August 4, 1862. Our subject is the elder of two living children. After graduating at the Peru High School, he was a student for two years at the University of Illinois, located at Champaign. In 1876 he was elected Surveyor of Miami County, and in 1881 was elected City Engineer of Peru. In 1879 he purchased a half interest in the Miami County Sentinel, and with which he is now connected. In
politics he is a Democrat and is a member of the K. of P. fraternity of this city. He was married November 15, 1882, to Miss Belle M. Talbot, of this city, born March 15, 1860. Mr. Cole is a representative of one of the early families of this county.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
HARVEY COMER, gunsmith, was born in Allen County, Indiana, May 30, 1846 and is the fifth child of James and Sarah E. (Somers) Comer, natives of Virginia. James Comer moved to Indiana in an early day and settled in Allen County prior to the founding of the City of Ft. Wayne. He was a cooper by trade but after moving to Indiana engaged in farming which he carried on until his death in 1875. Mrs. Comer is still living on the home place in Allen County having reached a ripe old age. Harvey Comer was raised on a farm, enjoyed such educational advantages as were afforded by the common schools and at the age of nineteen began life for himself in the employ of the I.P. & C. rail road company at Peru. He worked in the shops here until 1873 at which time he took up his present trade, that of gunsmith and after following the same for some time in Peru, went to Terre Haute. He soon returned to Peru, where, since 1874, he has been actively engaged
at his vocation, and is now in the enjoyment of a very prosperous business. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. and National Union Orders and is in every respect an honorable and trustworthy citizen. On the 15th day of April, 1877, he was united in marriage with Miss Emma Marshall, daughter of John Marshall, of Peru.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
GODLOVE CONRADT, native of Wurtemburg, Germany, and son of Henry and Catherine Conradt, was born on the 10th day of July, 1834. When four years of age he was brought by his parents to the United States, and from 1840 until 1845 lived in Springfield, Columbiana County, Ohio. The family moved to Miami County, Indiana, the latter year, and settled in Peru, where the father for a number of years carried on a successful tannery business. The parents both departed this life in the year 1870. Godlove Conradt received in the common schools a practical education, and at an early age learned the tanning trade, which he followed until his twentieth year. He then engaged in the mercantile business, opening a leather and shoe-findings store in Peru, which he carried on in connection with the tannery, operating the latter with encouraging success until 1884. In addition to his private enterprises, Mr. Conradt has at different times been called to fill positions of trust, the first of which was that of Township Clerk,
to which he was elected in 1860. He was subsequently chosen a member of the City School Board, the duties of which position he discharged in a manner highly satisfactory to all concerned for a period of nine years. In his business ventures Mr. Conradt has been successful, and at this time, in addition to other property, owns a valuable tract of 200 acres of land in Deer Creek township. On the 27th day of December, 1857, he married Miss Mary Smith, daughter of Christopher Smith, of Germany, a marriage blessed with the birth of four children, three of whom, Matilda, Fred and Albert, are living. Mr. Conradt is liberal in his political views in State and National affairs, voting the principals of the Democratic party, and in local matters voting for the man best qualified for the position. Mrs. Conradt is a member of the Lutheran Church of Peru.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
JONATHAN D. COX, was born in Butler County, Ohio, December 9, 1818, being the third son of David J. and Rosina (Bake) Cox, native of Monmouth County, New Jersey. The father of Mr. Cox emigrated to Ohio, and in 1826 came to Decatur County, Indiana. He was born in 1792 and died in 1837. The mother of Mr. Cox died in 1836. The subject of this biography, received a common school education. He came to Miami County in 1837, and for some years worked on a farm and later clerked in a store. In 1840 he, in partnership with Richard Miller, started a general store at Pawpaw. He continued this business for four years and then engaged in farming. February 2, 1842, he married the daughter of Richard Miller, who died in 1848. By that marriage were born two children, Wm. H. and Alphonso C. Mr. Cox was married again February 12, 1850 to Miss Caroline, daughter of Col. William M. Reyburn, (deceased), who was one of the pioneers of Miami County. They have two children, viz.: Charles R. and Horace G.
Mrs. Cox died in 1856. Mr. Cox was married again in 1859 to Miss Jennie Thornberg, a native of Wayne County, Indiana. By this union they have one child, Jessie B. Mr. Cox removed to Peru in 1856. In 1857 he engaged in the stove, tinware and lumber business. This business he continued one year and then again engaged in the agricultural pursuits which he continued until 1885, when he retired from active life. In 1867 he was appointed Assessor for Miami County of Internal Revenue. In 1868 he was elected to represent Miami County in the General Assembly of Indiana. He was re-elected to the same office in 1870. He is a Democrat and a member of the Masonic fraternity.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
HON. JABEZ T. COX. The gentleman whose biographical sketch is herewith presented, was born in Clinton County, Ohio, January 27, 1846. His parents, Aaron and Mary (Skeggs) Cox, were natives respectively of Ohio and Kentucky, the father of English-Welsh, and the mother of German lineage. Jabez T. Cox, in early life attended the common schools and subsequently entered the Westfield Academy, an educational institution under charge of the Society of Friends at Westfield, Ind., in which he pursued his literary studies for a period of four years. Having early decided upon the legal profession as his life work, he, in 1865 entered the law office of the late Hon. N.R. Overman, of Tipton, Indiana, under whose instructions he continued until his admission to the bar, a little later, and with whom he formed a partnership in the practice which lasted from 1867 till 1869. In the latter year he abandoned the law for a time and entered the field of journalism as editor
of the Frankfort Crescent, of which paper he was proprietor until 1871, when he returned to Tipton and again took up the legal profession with his former partner, Judge Overman. From 1871, till 1875 he practiced with marked success in the courts of Tipton and adjoining counties, but in the latter year owing to his wife’s ill health disposed of his interests in Indiana and removed to Hutchinson, Kansas. In that state he soon acquired more than a local reputation, as is attested by the fact that in 1878 he was nominated on the Democratic state ticket for the office of Attorney General. Although defeated at the ensuing election, the Democratic party in Kansas being in a hopeless minority, yet, when the vote was canvassed it was found that he had run 3, 500 ahead of his ticket. Owing to continued ill health of his wife he shortly afterward left Kansas and went to Colorado where he remained until 1883 when he returned to Indiana and located in Peru, where he has since been actively engaged in the
practice of his profession. In politics Mr. Cox has always been a pronounced Democrat, believing earnestly in his political convictions. In 1886 he received the nomination for Representative to the Lower House of the State Legislature and after a brilliant canvass defeated his competitor by a very decided majority. Mr. Cox’s legal career presents a series of continual successes and his acknowledged familiarity with the principles of law, and thoroughly independent cast of his mind make him a safe and trusted counselor. He has a military as well as professional career, entering the service of his country in 1864 as private in Company B, 136th Indiana Infantry, and serving with the same until honorably discharged at the close of the war. He is prominently identified with the G.A.R. and the Odd Fellows fraternities. He married his first wife, Miss Jennie Price, of Tipton, Indiana, in 1867. She died in Colorado in the spring of 1882. Two children were
born to the marriage, viz.: Edward E. and Inez. His second marriage was solemnized in the year 1884 with Miss Lizzie Meinhardt, of Peru, who has borne him one child, Carl M. Cox.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township
GEORGE A. CROWELL, retired business man and prominent citizen of Peru, is a native of Jefferson county, Virginia, born there June 25, 1820, the son of Samuel and Mary (Link) Crowell, natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia, respectively, and of English-Scotch and Irish-German ancestry. His early school experience embraced the studies appertaining to the educational course presented by the usages of those days in Sandusky County, Ohio, to which he moved with his parents when but seven years of age. He was raised to agricultural pursuits and remained with his parents on the farm until after attaining his majority, when he began life for himself as a clerk in a mercantile house in the town of Fremont, Ohio. He continued in the capacity of salesman at the above place until 1843 and in 1845, came to Peru, Indiana, to take charge of a stock of goods for Sanford E. Main, in whose employ he remained for a period of about one and a half years. From the time of
severing his connection with Mr. Main, up to 1850, he clerked for different parties, but in the latter year effected a co-partnership in the general mercantile business with William Smith, which lasted until 1855. He purchased his partner’s stock that year and conducted a successful business until 1876, at which date he retired from active life, having by diligent and judicious management accumulated a handsome competence in the meantime. In addition to his large business interests, Mr. Crowell always took an active part in all the enterprises for the city’s welfare and was several times elected its treasurer, the duties of which position he discharged in an eminently satisfactory manner. He was largely instrumental in inaugurating the street improvements of Peru, in which he encountered much opposition, and also brought the first plate glass store front to the city, besides introducing a number of other modern improvements. He took an active interest in the internal improvement of the country, and
to him, more than to any other man, is due the credit of securing and building up of the present efficient turnpike system of Miami County. At this time he is Superintendent of the following roads, to-wit: Peru and Mexico, Peru and Santa Fe, and Peru and Mississinewa Turnpikes, and their present superior condition is largely owing to his careful and judicious management. In the year 1869 he was appointed special Indian agent for the Miamis of Indiana and the Eel River bands of Miamis, and discharged the duties of the same until 1876. Mr. Crowell was married in May 1851, to Mary A. Steele, daughter of Joseph S. Steele, one of the pioneers of Miami County. Mrs. Crowell was born in the State of Ohio, and is still living. Of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Crowell, but one, Alice O., is living at this time. The following are names of the children, deceased, to-wit: Mary C., George G. and Byron F. Throughout a long and active life, during which he passed
through many vicissitudes, Mr. Crowell’s ruling elements have been industry and honesty, qualities which have made themselves apparent to all with whom he has been associated in a business capacity or otherwise. And now in the sixty-seventh year of his age, he is still an energetic, wide awake citizen, is possession of all his faculties and enjoying the full confidence and respect of all his friends and acquaintances.
From History of Miami County, Published in 1887 by Brant and Fuller in Chicago - Peru Township