31 Aug 1916 - Men Who Did Things.
In 1858 (date must be wrong!) Rudolph Ellenbarger left his native state, Pennsylvania, and in a carriage drawn by two horses, brought his family to Wayne county, Indiana. For about three years he operated a saw mill on the old State road about forty rods north of the old mill site between Cambridge City and Germantown. After the closing of the State road the mill race was extended south to the National road where a flouring mill was erected, which in later years was destroyed by fire. About 1836 he purchased the farm near Locust Grove where he lived the remainder of his life. In 1848 he built a barn of brick and wood 51 feet by 90 feet on the Pennsylvania Dutch style, called a bank barn. It was perhaps at that time the largest in the State, and attracted much attention. It was built by John M. Wissler, who had in his employ a young man, Isiah Howard, who afterwards was the father of a large and influential family among whom we may note Mrs. Charles Bertsch, Joseph C. Howard, Mrs. Amos Lannard and Mrs. Horace D. Herr, now of Humboldt, Iowa. It was related that Mr. Ellenbarger was exceedingly anxious to have his barn completed before cold weather set in and young Howard in the meantime was engaged to be married to Miss Susan Berg, sister of Lieutenant D.N. Berg, of the Third Indiana Battery of the Civil war. Howard had to beg lustily to get off the job long enough to have the marital knot tied, and then resumed his work in a very few hours. Mr. Ellenbarger was one of the chief promoters of the Cambridge City, Simmon's creek and Muncie turnpike and was one of the directors and treasurer. He was the first to introduce in western Wayne county the cultivation of the locust tree for fence posts. He was very successful and planted about twenty acres in all, from which he sold many, besides supplying his own needs. As early as 1857 he purchased a Witt & Butler grain reaperwhich gathered the grain into a metal trough from which an operator, who sat on the machine ejected the sheaf with a revolving rake. This was a very heavy machine drawn by four to six horses. He raised perhaps the largest steers ever produced in the township, one weighing as much as 2,785 pounds. When this was slaughtered he distributed samples of the meat among his many friends. Early in the sixties he donated the ground now occupied by the Locust Grove church and cemetery, which he beautified by planting groups of locust trees around it, many of which are magnificent specimens. This is one of the prettiest spots in eastern Indiana, and is the burial place of Mr. Ellenbarger and his immediate family. Here, too, lie his brothers, who followed him to Indiana. Henry Ellenbarger came in 1833 and died December 2, 1891, Jacob, father of Amos Ellenbarger, of Mrs. Martha E. Wissler, and of Mrs. Joseph C. Howard. Joseph C. is the son of the late Isaiah Howard above mentioned. Daniel Ellenbarger, another brother, first settled in a log house that stodd about 80 rods west of the house in which Wm. Dill now lives. He next moved to his own farm in Henry county, now owned by his grandson, Prof. Ellenbarger, formerly principal of the Richmond high school, and now of the Picqua, Ohio, high school. Daniel Ellenbarger was killed October 18, 1848, at a barn raising on his own farm. Through his sons, John and Isaiah, and daughter Mrs. Benjamin S. Herr, he left a numerous progeny. Rudolph Ellenbarger was married to Fannie Herr December 16, 1823. She was the sister of Christian Herr, and therefore an aunt of Benjamin S. Herr and a great aunt of the writer of this article. Mr. Ellenbarger's philosophy of life is perhaps best understood from the Dutch proverbs which he frequently quoted to clinch points in his conversations. Of tainted money he would say: "Ein unebrilicher cent fresst sehe gerechte." (A dishonest penny will eat up ten honest ones.) Of fault finders: "Es is net der werth dess eb esel der anner lang-ohr beest." (It is not worth while for a mule to accuse another of being long eared.) "Besser in die muhl geh wie zum dokter." (Better to go to the mill than to the doctor.) His answer to a doubtful proposition was: "Es maag sei ower ich glaabs net." (So it may be, but I don't believe it.) If one was not on time: "Wer net kummt zu rechter zeit muss nemme was uwrig bleibt." (Who comes not on time must take what is left.) Of idle youths: "Yunge foullenzer, elte bettler." (Young idlers, old beggars.) B.F. Wissler.
