Huntington County, Indiana - Biographical sketches (9 of 11 so headed), 1887

FREDERICK P. ARMSTRONG, a native of Duchess County, N. Y., and son of Ira and Mary A. Armstrong, was born on the 8th day of March, 1837. His ancestors were English people, a,nd came to America prior to the War of the Revolution, in which struggle his great-grandparents participated. His grandfather, on the father's side, served with distinction in the War of 1813. Ira Armstrong, the father of our subject, was born in New York, February 11, 1803. He was by trade a shoemaker, and in 1837, April 30, married Mary A. Johnston, a native of New Jersey, but at that time a resident of New York City. Mr. Armstrong worked at his trade at Poughkepsie, N. Y., until 1860, at which time he moved to Huntington County, Ind., and settled on land for which he had previously traded, on the Wabash River about six miles east of the City of Huntington. Here he worked at his trade and superintended the clearing of his farm, and in time became the possessor of quite a valuable property, accumulating suflacient land to furnish each of his children a good farm. He was an enterprising and public spirited man, was an Elector on the Free-Soil ticket in 1844, and later was appointed one of the Commissioners to assess damages for the right-of-way of the Wabash Railroad. He died September, 1859 . His wife survived him several years, dying on the 19th of March, 1864. Frederick P. Armstrong was reared in his native State until his fourteenth year, at which time he accompanied his parents to Huntington County, Ind., where, with the exception of the time spent in the army, he has since resided. He attended school for only a limited period, and at the age of eight began learning the shoemaker's trade, which he followed for about eighteen years. He then abandoned the bench for the plow, and has followed agricultural pursuits ever since, being at this time one of the leading farmers of Union Township. He entered the army September, 1864, joining Company D, Fifty-First Regiment, with which he served until honorably discharged, June, 1865. On leaving the army he returned home and has since that time devoted his attention exclusively to his farming interests, owning at the present time three good farms in Union Township. He has been an earnest supporter of the Republican party, but now believes in the principles of Prohibition, having always been a strong temperance man. He was married October, 1861, to Miss Angeline Herron, who was born in Stark County, Ohio, June 10, 1842, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Herron. The following are the names of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong, viz. : Anna, born January 38, 1863; Ira, born May 7, 1866; Elizabeth, born January 33, 1871, and Lucy, born September 13, 1874.

GEORGE BAILEY, the subject of this sketch, the eighth son of Jacob and Mary B. (Rubright) Bailey, was born in Trumbull, now Mahoning County, Ohio, on the 38th day of January, 1830. He was reared to manhood on his father's farm, received a limited education in such schools as the country afforded, and having early manifested a decided taste for mechanical pursuits, took up the carpenter's trade at the age of eighteen, and worked at the same at intervals until attaining his majority. He then began contracting and building, in which he met with encouraging success, working at the same in his own State until the spring of 1851. At that time he visited Huntington County, Ind., and the fall of t)ie following year purchased a tract of timber land in Wells County, to which he moved in the fall of 1853, being at that time an unmarried man. During the summer of 1854 he worked at his trade, and until his marriage lived with his brother. He moved to his land in 1854, went to work with a will, and in due time cleared a good farm, upon which he lived until 1866, when he abandoned agricultural pursuits and engaged in the mercantile business at the town of Markle. He was thus engaged until 1869, at which time he disposed of his mercantile business and for some time thereafter was interested in a patent right, which did not prove successful. Losing by the last venture, he again took up the carpenter's trade, which he followed with good sue- cess until 1873, when he purchased his present farm in Union Township, where he has since resided. His place is under a high state of cultivation, supplied with good buildings, and is one of the best farms in Union. Mr. Bailey is a public spirited citizen, alive to everything that pertains to the good of the township, and has the esteem and confidence of all who know him. He has been twice married, the first time, October 19, 1852, to Miss Nancy J. Hersey, of Zanesville, Ohio, daughter of William and Emily (Linn) Hersey. Mrs. Bailey was born September 30, 1835, and was the mother of ten children, five of whom are now living, viz.- George H., James M., Sarah R, wife of William Pasco, Lottie J., and Martha E. Mrs. Bailey died April 3, 1881. December 29, 1881, Mr. Bailey's second marriage was solemnized with Miss Lonna Mitten, daughter of James and Sarah (Price) Mitten, parents respectively of England and Ohio. Mrs. Bailey was born in the town of Warren, Huntington Co., Ind., July 7, 1849. Mr. Bailey is a Democrat in politics, and a worthy member of the Lutheran Church. Mrs. Bailey is a member of the Baptist Church.

L. C. CHANEY, the gentleman whose biographical sketch is herewith presented, was born in Putnam County, Ohio, January 19, 1847. On the father's side he is descended from the Scotch, his grandfather, Thomas J. Chaney, having been born in Scotland. Thomas Chaney left his native country in an early day, immigrating to the United States and settling in Ohio. He came to Huntington County, Ind., when the country was new and located in Jackson Township, having been one of the early pioneers of that section. He raised a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters, and died a number of years ago at an advanced age. William C. Chaney, father of subject, was born January 17, 1820, and grew to manhood in Putnam County, Ohio. He married in early life Catherine McOee, and in 1847, with his wife and three children, moved to Huntington County, and settled in Jackson Township, a short distance south of the town of Eoanoke, where he cleared a good farm. He served in the late war as member of Company C, Thirty-Fourth Indiana Infantry, enlisting in 1861 for the three years' service, having earned the reputation of a brave and gallant soldier. He died March 14, 1864. Mrs. Chaney died April 13, 1860. L. C. Chaney was but a child when his parents moved to Huntington County, and from that time until the present he has been one of its most estimable citizens. He was raised on a farm in Jackson Township, and after his mother's death was bound out tb one William Jones, with whom he lived until his nineteenth year, attending the common schools at intervals in the meantime. He subsequently worked as a farm laborer, and by industry and economy, succeeded in saving enough out of his hard earnings to purchase, in 1872, fifty-three acres of his present farm. He now owns eighty acres of good land, and is in the enjoyment of a comfortable home, the result of his own untiring industry. He married

May 12, 1873, Mary E., daughter of Artis and ISTancy (Branstrater) Campbell, parents natives respectively of New Jersey and Ohio. Mrs. Chaney was born in Union Township, July 14, 1852, and is the mother of two children, Effie E., born May 22, 1873, and Otis C, born July 6, 1882. Mr. Chaney is a Democrat in politics, and an active member of the Masonic order.

E. DUMBAULD, a successful farmer and stock raiser, is a native of Perry County, Ohio, and the eldest of a family of ten children (six sons and four daughters), born to Samuel and Salomia Dumbauld. The father was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, of German-Irish parentage. He was by occupation a farmer and distiller, both of which vocations he followed in his native State. In 1836, he moved to Perry County, Ohio, where in 1838, he married Salomia Wimer. September, 1854, he moved to Huntington County, Indiana, and settled on a piece of land which he had previously purchased and upon which he lived until his death, in 1870. He served as Trustee of Union Township several terms, and was a man of prominence in the community where he resided. Mrs. Dumbauld was born in Perry County, Ohio, March 4, 1832, and is still living, having reached the ripe old age of sixty-five years. E. Dumbauld was born December 5, 1839, and was but a youth when the family moved to this township. He enjoyed the advantages of a common school education, and on attaining his majority began life for himself, choosing for his vocation agriculture which he has since followed with the most gratifying success. April 13, 1863, he was united in marriage with Miss Rebecca Crist, of Perry County, Ohio, daughter of Philip and C. (Ream) Crist. This union has been blessed with the birth of three children, viz.: William H., born November 25, 1863; Philip M., born August 33, 1867, and James M., born April 25, 1875. Mr. Dumbauld, after his marriage, rented a farm in this township, and the following year purchased forty acres of forest land upon which he made his first improvements. He subsequently located upon his present place where in addition to farming he has given a great deal of attention to stock raising, being at this time one of the most successful hog raisers in the county. He is a man of intelligence, fully alive to all the interests of the public and for thirteen years held the oflfice of Township Trustee. He has stock in all the leading enterprises of the county and takes an active interest in all that tends to the internal improvement of the country. He and wife are members of the Lutheran Church.

JOHN C. GUTHRIE, farmer and stock raiser, is a native of Warren County, Ohio, born March 3, 1829. His paternal ancestors were natives of Ireland, his grandfather emigrated from "that country to America, prior to the War of the Revolution in which struggle he took an active part, serving in the American Army for a period of seven years. William Guthrie, our subject's father, was born near the City of Baltimore, Md., in 1789. He subsequently moved to Virginia, and in 1811 to Warren County, Ohio, where he engaged in farming and where for some years he lived the life of a pioneer. He served in the War of 1812, and shortly after leaving the army, married Miss Mary Cowgill, who was born in Virginia about the year 1795. Mr. Guthrie was a man of sterling qualities, highly esteemed by all who knew him, and died the year 1875. His wife preceded him to the grave, departing this life in 1870. They were the parents of five sons, John C, being the youngest member of the family. The subject grew to : anhood in his native county, and until the age of seventeen, worked on the home farm, obtaining a limited education in the meantime by attending the country schools, the nearest school house being two miles distant from the father's residence. In his eighteenth year he was apprenticed to learn the cabinet maker's trade, and after becoming proficient in the same, worked in different States for a period of nine years, abandoning it at the end of that time and engaging in agricultural pursuits in his native county. He remained in Ohio until the fall of 1864, at which time he disposed of his interests there and purchased the farm upon which he now lives, in Union Township, Huntington Co., Ind., moving to the same in October of the above year. He found a place only partially improved, but by persevering industry, he has since made it one of the best farms in the township, his buildings and other improvements comparing favorably with those of any other place in the community. His has been a very active and industrious life, throughout which his actions and conduct have been such as to win the confidence and respect of his fellow men. He is liberal in his political views, independent in local affairs, but voting the Democratic ticket in national elections. April 21, 1851, he married Martha Hunter, a native of Warren County, Ohio, where she was born April 26, 1834. Her parents were Thomas and Phosbe (Lallar) Hunter, the former born in Kentucky in the year 1798, and the latter in Warren County, Ohio, July, 1806. Their respective deaths occurred in 1875 and 1850, both having been active members of the Christian Church, and very religious people. Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie are the parents of the following children, viz.: Annis, Harold, Arabella, wife of Finley Anson, Dennis (deceased), Frank, Mary, wife of Melville McPherson, Olive, Clemmie, Lucy, Grace, and infant (deceased), unnamed.

JESSE R. HAISEY was born in Richland (now Morrow) County, Ohio, April 22, 1828, son of Jacob and Phoebe Haney, of York County, Penn. The father was born March 8, 1802, his ancestors coming to the United States from Switzerland m an earlv day. He married in 1824, Miss Phoebe Rowbaugh, and the same year emigrated to Ohio and engaged in farming. He subsequently purchased a tract of forest land, from which he redeemed a good home, and upon which he spent the remainder ot his life, dying in the year ]873. Mrs. Haney was born November 17, 1802, and is still living, making her home at this time with her youngest daughter, in Barry County, Mich. Jesse R. Haney is the third of a family of ten children. He was raised on a farm, enjoyed the advantages of a common school education, and at the age of twenty-one entered upon an apprenticeship to learn the carpenter's trade, which he abandoned in a short time and engaged in farming. In the fall of 1853 he came to Huntington County, Ind., and purchased forty acres of land in Union Township, upon which he experienced many of the hardships as well as many of the pleasures of pioneer life. He subsequently added to his original purchase, and at this time owns a farm of 130 acres under a good state of cultivation. He is a substantial citizen and enjoys the confidence and respect of a large circle of friends and acquaintances in Union and other townships. He was married March 34, 1850, to Miss Catherine, daughter of Daniel and Catherine (Risurick) Feighner, of Franklin County, Penn. Mrs. Haney was born August 14, 1828, and at the age of three years was taken to Ohio, where she lived until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Haney are the parents of ten children, six of whom are now living, viz.: Edward, born December 8, 1850; Phoebe A., born December 31, 1854; Maggie, born January 2, 1860; William M., born July 4, 1864; Joseph A., born February 7, 1866, and Jacob, born October 13, 1870. The deceased members of the family were John O., Charley, and two that died in infancy, unnamed.

WILLIAM R. MARDENIS, merchant, was born in Urbana, Champaign Co., Ohio, November 20, 1839, and is the son of Christian N. and Elizabeth Mardenis. The father was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in the year 1814, and when quite young was bound out to an uncle with whom he lived until nearly grown. Being dissatisfied with his treatment and possessed of a desire to better his condition he ran away from his uncle's family and going to Ohio, secured employment at the City of Columbus, as stage driver, which he continued several years. He subsequently moved to Mercer County, Ohio, and began in farming, and was thus engaged until the time of his death. He was united in marriage at Colmubus, Ohio, to Elizabeth Donovan, who was born in Sussex County, Del., in 1822. To this marriage were born six children, three sons and three daughters, the subject of this sketch being the oldest of the family. Mrs. Mardenis, after her husband's death, naarried Thomas H. Sutton, by whom she had three children. She died in the year 1862. William R. Mardenis was reared on a farm and early contributed his share toward the support of the family. After his mother's second marriage he began life upon his own responsibility, first as a hotel clerk and later as a clerk in a general store, in both of which capacities he won the confidence and esteem of his employers. September 27, 1860, he married

Miss Mary E. Harper, daughter of John M. and Elsie A. Harper of Ohio. Mrs. Mardenis was born in Mercer County, Ohio, November 30, 184^. Immediately after his marriage Mr. Mardenis engaged m agricultural pursuits which he continued in Mercer County, until 1863, at which time he abandoned the farm and opened a general store in the Town of Mercer. He followed the mercantile business with fair success for a short time, and in 1870, moved to Huntington County, Ind., and settled on a tract of wood land in Union Township. He cleared a nice little farm, but his health finally failing, he was obliged to abandon hard manual labor and engage in some lighter and more congenial employment. Accordingly he erected a small building on the C. & A. R. R, and was appointed railroad agent at the place then known as Miner's Switch, now Mardenis, of which town he was proprietor. He subsequently added a stock of goods and by repeated efforts succeeded in securing a postoffice of which he was postmaster until April, 1887. In his business venture Mr. Mardenis has been quite successful, being at this time in the enjoyment of a large and constantly increasing trade. He is a Eepubhcan in politics, and with his wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. and Mrs. Mardenis are the parents of three children, whose names are as follows: Clellen E., Elsie J., and Clara E.

ANTHONY A. WEBER, a prominent citizen and Trustee of Union township, is a native of Huntington County, Ind., and the oldest of a family of three children born to Michael and Barbara (Huffman) Weber. Michael Weber was born in Germany, and before immigrating to the United States married Mary Ealter, by whom he had eight children. He came to America in 1840, and making his way to Huntington County, Ind., settled in Clear Creek Township, where he engaged in farming and where he still resides in the enjoyment of a comfortable competence the fruits of his persevering industry. His first wife died about the year 1847 or '48, and he subsequently married Barbara Huffman who is still living. Mr. Weber is a man of local prominence, served as Trustee of Clear Creek in an early day and is deservedly classed among the representative citizens of that township. Anthony A. Weber was born in Clear Creek Township on the 21st day of January, 1853. He grew to manhood on the farm and early learned those lessons of industry and thrift which characterize the successful business man. He enjoyed the advantages of a good common school education, and by diligent application to his various studies was sufficiently advanced at the age of twenty to obtain a teacher's license. For eight successive winters he taught in the common schools of the county, seven terms in his own township, employing his vacations working on the farm. The summer of 1877 he sold agricultural implements for P. P. Baker, of Huntington, and in 1879 purchased forty acres of his present farm in Union Township, to which he subsequently added another forty,, owning at this time a fine farm of eighty acres, the greater part of which is under a high state of cultivation. April, 1886, he was elected Trustee of Union Township, the duties of which position he is still discharging, having proved himself a capable and painstaking oflBcial. He is an earnest supporter of the Democratic party, and one of Union's most estimable citizens. Miss Mary C. Bucher, of Clear Creek Township, daughter of Samuel and Eliza (Johnson) Bucher, became his wife March 20, 1879. Mrs. Weber was born August 6, 1859, and is the mother of three children, viz.: Lilly M., born April as, 1880; William M., born June 28, 1882, and Grace G.,born June 18, 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Weber are members of the Lutheran Church.

JOHN S. YOUNG, the subject of this biography, is a native of Warren County, Ohio, and the elder of two children born to John and Sarah Young, natives respectively of New Jersey, and Ohio, the father born near the city of Camden in the year 1800, and the mother in the vicinity of Cincinnati, October 15, 1808. John Young grew to manhood in his native State, and in early life learned the carpenter's trade. Shorly after his first marriage he emigrated to Warren County, Ohio, and settled in the woods near the Little Miami River, where for a number of years he experienced all the hardships and privations of pioneer life. Here his wife died in 1834, leaving three children, one son and two daughters. April 1836, he married his second wife who is still living, making her home at this time with her son, the subject of this sketch. Mr. Young was a man of great energy and industry, well respected by all who knew him; he died in the year 1842. John S. Young was born March 20, 1837. He was but five years old when his father died, accordingly, was early in life obliged to rely in a great measure upon his own resources, begining active work on the farm at the age of nine. A little later he took charge of the home place, and from the age of sixteen has looked after his mother's interest, proving himself a son of which any mother might feel justly proud. In the fall of 1864, he sold the farm, and coming to Huntington County, Indiana, purchased eighty acres of his present place, in Union Township, to which he moved the following spring. He has added to his place at different times, and now owns one hundred and twenty-five acres of well improved land, the fruit of his own industry. He has been a hard working man, begining life's battle with but a limited capital; has succeeded in accumulating a handsome competence, his farm and improvements being among the best in the township. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and a Democrat in politics, though not a partisan in the sense of seeking official preferment. November 25, 1863, was solemnized his marriage with Miss Elvie Ward, of Warren County, Ohio, daughter of James and Ellena Ward, natives of Virginia and Ohio, respectively. Mrs. Young was born March

10, 1844, and died October 31, 1885; she was the mother of the following children, to wit: Ida B..born March 12,1864; James E., born January 19,1866; John G., born March 18, 1871; William H., born March 13, 1873, and Sarah E., born June 35, 1878. Mr. Young married his present wife, Frances Smith, on the 13th day of January, 1887. She is the daughter of Jacob Smith, and was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, July 9, 1840.