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Abraham “Abe” Elder

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Abraham “Abe” Elder

Birth	:	11 Aug 1834 Seneca County, Ohio, USA
Death	:	Jul 1919 Columbia City, Whitley County, Indiana, USA
Burial	:	West Prairie View Cemetery, Paullina, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate	:	42.9688988, -95.7039032
Plot	:	2-27-5
Description	:	Not many men now living in Whitley county date their arrival so far back in the pioneer period as the well known retired farmer, popularly known as "Abe" Elder. His life has been a busy one and so much a part and parcel of Troy township that his name is indissolubly linked with its early settlement and subsequent development. The family records show that the emigrant ancestor was John Elder, a Scotch-Irishman, who crossed the ocean to take part in the Revolutionary war, serving to the end, when he came from Pennsylvania and settled in Ohio. He was recognized... Read More	Not many men now living in Whitley county date their arrival so far back in the pioneer period as the well known retired farmer, popularly known as "Abe" Elder. His life has been a busy one and so much a part and parcel of Troy township that his name is indissolubly linked with its early settlement and subsequent development. The family records show that the emigrant ancestor was John Elder, a Scotch-Irishman, who crossed the ocean to take part in the Revolutionary war, serving to the end, when he came from Pennsylvania and settled in Ohio. He was recognized not only as a brave soldier but a cultured old-school gentleman, and one who stood high in Masonry, having attained the thirty-second degree. With the Revolutionary soldier was a son named after the great hero of the war and the first President of the Republic, George Washington Elder. He married Sarah Rine, sister of Joel Rine, mentioned below as an early settler of Troy township. In 1838 he came to Whitley county, and bought one hundred and sixty acres of wooded land, and began the task of his life to convert this wilderness into a habitable home. Samuel Hartsough, a brother-in-law of George W. Elder, who arrived in 1836, and Joel Rine, who came in 1837, were his nearest neighbors, the former three miles east and the latter one mile west of the Elder farm, and who, with himself, were the first to locate in that part of Troy township. He at first built a small log cabin in which they lived until he could secure more help to erect a pretentious hewed-log house, which was subsequently replaced by a frame house in which George W. Elder died in 1857, his wife surviving him only a few years. Of their ten children, eight reached maturity and but two are living in 1907. Of these is Samuel Elder, who left Whitley county thirty years ago and now is a resident of Perry county, Arkansas. Abraham Elder, the only survivor of the old stock now living in Whitley county, was born in Seneca county, Ohio, August 11, 1834, and hence was but four years old when his father came to Indiana. On November 29, 1855, he married Mary Ann, daughter of Henry Harpster, of Troy township. The latter had come to enter his land as early as 1833, but did not settle on it for some years thereafter. Mrs. Elder's mother had died when she was young and she made her home with her maternal grandmother in Medina county, Ohio. At the age of fourteen she joined her father in Whitley county, and was his housekeeper until her own marriage at eighteen, after which her father lived with her. In 1865 Abraham Elder began to buy land, his first purchase being part of the tract settled by his uncle, Joel Rine, and the remainder was secured by Henry Harpster. In this way Abraham Elder became by purchase the owner of two hundred and ten acres of land and his wife has one hundred and thirty-five acres, being her father's homestead. This united tract of three hundred and forty-five acres was long managed by Mr. Elder, who cleared and greatly improved the greater part of it, making it a valuable farm. What was known as the "Elder Ditch," which led to endless controversy, was finally put through by him, but not without a long and costly litigation with owners of land below Kosciusko county. The completion of the ditch enabled him by thorough drainage to put many acres into cultivation, which previously were of little value. He also did much tile draining, amounting in all to about five hundred rods. In 1875 he built a fine residence, and through many other improvements made it one of the banner farms of Troy township. In 1895 he rented his farm to retire from active business, and took up his residence in Columbia City, where he has invested in several pieces of property, some having been sold on the monthly payment plan. Mr. Elder is a Democrat and was long connected actively with party affairs, often being a delegate to conventions, and holding offices of trust, being justice of the peace for four years. For four years also he was trustee of Troy township, and made his administration notable for public improvement. He built the first steel bridge in the township, which was soon followed by others of this pattern, and he inaugurated the system of gravel roads, which have proved of inestimable benefit to the township. Mr. and Mrs. Elder have two children, of whom Henry, the eldest, died in infancy. Delbert married Winona Noble, and has three children, Ralph, Esther and Teddy. He is the manager of his mother's farm in Troy township. Mr. Elder's religious views are in harmony with the teaching of the Presbyterian faith, while Mrs. Elder's affiliation has been with the Methodists. Source: Pages 672-674 - "History of Whitley County, Indiana" by S.P. Kaler and R.H. Maring,

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Abraham “Abe” Elder's memorial?
Abraham “Abe” Elder's memorial is located at: West Prairie View Cemetery, Paullina, O'Brien County, USA.
When did Abraham “Abe” Elder death?
Abraham “Abe” Elder death on Jul 1919 in Columbia City, Whitley County, Indiana, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Abraham “Abe” Elder's memorial?
Latitude: 42.9688988
Longitude: -95.7039032

Family Members:

Parent

Spouse

Mary Ann Harpster Elder

(1837 - 1918)

Siblings

Eliza Elder Noble

(1846 - 1883)

Children

Delbert S. Elder

(1869 - 1934)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. West Prairie View Cemetery
Paullina, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9688988, -95.7039032

2. Prairie View Cemetery
Paullina, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9688988, -95.7022018

3. Saint John Cemetery
Germantown, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9566994, -95.7799988

4. Friends Cemetery
Mapleside, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0022000, -95.6225000

5. Liberty Cemetery
Calumet, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9241982, -95.5932999

6. Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery
Granville, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9813995, -95.8716965

7. Pleasant Hill Cemetery
Primghar, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0980988, -95.6374969

8. Saint Anthonys Catholic Calvary Cemetery
Primghar, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0981930, -95.6373780

9. Liberty Cemetery
Meriden, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8368988, -95.6361008

10. Calvary Cemetery
Sutherland, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9686012, -95.4858017

11. Waterman Cemetery
Sutherland, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9664001, -95.4847031

12. Doyle Cemetery
Highland Township, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0619011, -95.5243988

13. Hospers Memorial Cemetery
Hospers, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0694008, -95.8846970

14. Marcus-Amherst Cemetery
Marcus, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8161011, -95.8007965

15. Holy Name Cemetery
Marcus, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8163986, -95.8032990

16. Saint Anthonys Cemetery
Hospers, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0668983, -95.9036026

17. Cedar Cemetery
Larrabee, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8361015, -95.5346985

18. Covey Church Cemetery
Hartley, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0682000, -95.4875000

19. Meriden Cemetery
Meriden, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 42.7868996, -95.6425018

20. Hospers Cemetery
Hospers, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0732994, -95.9197006

21. Center Township Cemetery
O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 43.1150000, -95.5355000

22. Steuck Cemetery
Center Township, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 43.1208500, -95.5440000

23. Cherokee County Pioneer Cemetery
Spring Township, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8502998, -95.4906006

24. Fred Feldman Grave
Waterman Township, O'Brien County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9178590, -95.4433340