Center Township (part 2 of 2)

Michael Weber was born in Germany, July 2, 1S39. He is the son of Jacob and Catherine (Hoomel) Weber, the former of whom was born in Germanj', August 3, 1812, and the latter about iSoi. In 1S52, the family, which consisted of the parents and four children : Nicholas, Michael, Mary and Catherine, landed at New Orleans, and reached Evansville June 7. In August of the same year, his father settled in Center township. Here they chopped cord-wood out of all the available timber, made rails, and prepared thirty acres for agriculture. In the spring of 1856 they bought fifty-two acres of land, where Michael now resides. They afterward bought eighty acres more of woodland. This land is now all cleared, e.xcept about four acres, and the Webers did the greater portion of the work themselves. Michael's mother died October 3, 1861, but his father still Hves at Evansville. Michael Weber and Miss Mary Schmidt were married December 10, 1867. She was born in Pennsylvania September 18, 1850, the daughter of Michael and Christina Schmidt. Her parents removed from Pennsylvania about 1855, and settled in Center township, where they still reside. Mr. Weber has been frequently called upon to act as administrator in settling various estates, and he has given entire satisfaction in this regard. He and wife are tiie parents of five children : Jacob, Michael, John, Mary and Michael. The tirst named Michael was killed by a horse when only one year, three months and three days old. In 18S1 Mr. Weber's health failed, and he took a trip to Germany, where he remained three months, but after he returned he suffered a relapse, and then took a trip to Alabama and Florida. He and family are members of the Evangelical Lutheran church. He has been a member of Crescent Lodge, No. 122, I. O. O. F., for about thirteen years.

Benj.\min S. Young, ex-count)' commissioner, was born December 18, 1830, in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, England. He is the .son of William and x\nn (Briggs) Young, natives of England, who came to America about 1835. They landed at New Orleans, and at Vanderburg county, in the spring of 1836, first settling on the Kratzville road in this township, thence moving to the Blue Grass flats. From there they came to the farm where Benjamin now resides, and the father purchased jointly with his brother, eighty acres of land from Ephriam Hall, paying $200 for what is now w'orth $60 an acre. William Young died a year or two later, from the kick of a horse. In a few years Mrs. Younff married William Skeels. Mr. Skeels took a trip to California, accompanied by Benjamin, where he remained some five or six years. On his return, the family removed to the eastern part of Center township. At the breaking out of the war, Mr. Skeels enlisted in the sixty-fifth regiment, Indiana volunte