| Notes |
- James E. Egbert was born in Preble County, Ohio, March 2, 1825, and was left fatherless when but three years of age, early in life assisting in the support of his widowed mother and two sisters. When but twelve years of age he induced his mother to remove to St. Joseph County, Indiana, which they did in 1837 and established their home on Terre Coupe Prairie, their first dwelling being a little log cabin which stood under the tall pines just northwest of the H. B. Ranstead residence, and which Mr. Egbert in after life often pointed out to his friends as the place where he began as a farmer's lad. On this little farm and at that early age he assumed not only the responsibilities of his own family, but also reared to years of maturity the son and daughter of a loved sister. As a boy, he was passionately fond of music, and often after ending a hard day's work, the neighbors' children would gather in and make the old cabin ring with their melodies, while during the long winters he would walk miles to a social gathering and think it but fun. After five years of hard work on this farm and just as he could see the first darkness of adversity passing away, he lost his best friend, his mother, she being laid to rest in the Hamilton cemetery. Among the neighboring children was one young lady whom he had long loved, as only such a boy could love, and on the 4th of March, 1846, Mr. Egbert claimed as his bride, Miss Delilah Druliner, to whom he was always a kind, true and loving husband. A year after their marriage he purchased the farm on which he spent the remainder of his life, but which was then covered with a thick growth of underbrush. His willing hands, however, soon placed the land under an excellent state of cultivation and brought prosperity and increasing worldly goods.
When but eighteen years of age, Mr. Egbert united with the Hamilton church, under the pastorate of Rev. Hoffman, and after removing to "The Hill" he would always hurry through the Sunday morning "chores", hitch to the lumber wagon and take a load of neighbors to Hamilton during the church session, often urging the young men to accompany him instead of playing cards all day as was their common practice. In 1858 the subject of building a church in New Carlisle was agitated, and Mr. Egbert was one of its prime movers, not only giving liberally of his means but assisted in the erection of the building. He was a member of the class organized in 1853 when this was Byron Circuit, while other members of his class were his wife, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Pidge, Josiah Pidge, Jacob Hopkins, Mr. and Mrs. James S. White and Eliza White. He was also a firm believer in temperance and took an active part in the work.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Egbert, Leroy, who died in infancy; Lyman C., whose name introduces this review; and Arrilla A. The daughter received her education in the New Carlisle high school, and became the wife of Guy C. Carpenter, who was formerly a commercial traveler, and they have one daughter, Grace M., the wife of Charles Holloway, who is connected with a large wholesale fruit firm. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter reside in a beautiful brick residence just east of the village, with thirty-two acres of land adjoining, the house being known as the Oak Hill Stock Farm, and in addition they also have eighty acres adjoining. Mr. Carpenter gives his political support to the Republican party. James E. Egbert passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Guy Carpenter, at Greytown, Ohio, where he had been visiting in his final days. The services were held at the Methodist Episcopal Church, Revs. Grimes and Elder Beck officiating, and S. D. Pidge sang "Weep not for me when I am gone", a song so dearly beloved to Mr. Egbert and which he requested rendered when he was laid to rest. The remains were brought to Hamilton to be laid beside the mother whom he had so loved and revered when a boy and whose memory he had ever cherished in his later years. He was a man whom to know was to honor, love and respect, and while he never sought or received a world wide fame, he passed from earth with the regard of all who knew him.
Mrs. Egbert is still living, one of the brave pioneer mothers whose beautiful presence is ever welcome in all the homes of Olive township. She was born in Warren County, Ohio, October 23, 1826, a daughter of Gamaliel and Abigail (Wills) Druliner, in whose family were six children, and the five now living are: Delilah, who became the wife of Mr. Egbert; Syntipe, the wife of Elwood Moore, who was a merchant of Perker, South Dakota; Hannah, the widow of Abram N. Deacon and a resident of South Bend, Indiana; John, a carpenter and joiner by trade and a resident of Sandwich, Illinois; and David L., a commercial traveler of Chicago, Illinois.
Mrs. Egbert was only a maiden of four years when she became a resident of St. Joseph County, so that over three-quarters of a century it had remained her home. During that time she had witnessed its wonderful development, the introduction of the railroads, the telegraph, the telephone, the sewing machine, the reaper, etc. She received her education in a primitive log building, sixteen by twenty feet, heated by the fireplace, and she had used the old-fashioned goose Quill pen fashioned by the master, which were sold for two shillings a dozen. The text books were the New Testament and the Webster's blue back speller. The writing desk was a hewed puncheon resting against the wall, while the schools were maintained by subscriptions from parents of the children, who in turn would board the teacher. In that early day their market place was Michigan City, twenty-two miles away, and their grinding was done at Niles, Michigan. Mrs. Egbert can also recall to mind the days of the sickling of the grain with the primitive sickle, then the cradle and finally the reaper and the excitement which its introduction produced. The popular amusement for the young people then were the spelling bee, the log rollings and the singing schools, and their first place of worship which she recalls was the home of Uncle John Wills, another of those brave and honored pioneers who has passed to his final rest, which was in the vicinity of Boot Jack, well known by the LaPorte and St. Joseph counties citizens, while their church building was at Hamilton in Olive Township. This was erected in 1841. She can also well remember when the site of New Carlisle was covered with thickets of hazel brush, and here it may be stated that the place received its name from Richard Carlisle, but was afterward changed from Carlisle to New Carlisle that it might not conflict with a town of the same name in Ohio.
In was in the year 1847 that Mr. and Mrs. Egbert took up their abode in this now prosperous city, their first little home being located on the present site of their present beautiful dwelling, where she resides with her son, Lyman C. In this modern home are many relics of "ye olden time", one being an old bureau that was brought in a wagon from Ohio and is possibly a century old, while she also has several of the double coverlets woven by her mother. Many has been the day when she spun the yarn to knit the stockings for her family, and she has yet as a souvenir the little spinning wheel that she and her mother used. She is one of those dear old pioneer mothers whose presence is ever a solace and comfort, and her beautiful life in her declining years is but a reflection of her kind nature and love for her family and friends, and this review of both Mr. and Mrs. Egbert will be treasured and held sacred by their children long after both have passed away. Mrs. Egbert is now almost eighty-one years of age, and although her sun is fast setting beyond the western horizon of life her good deeds and loving admonitions will long remain as a blessed benediction.
Census Place: New Carlisle, St. Joseph, Indiana
Source: FHL Film 1254308 National Archives Film T9-0308 Page 261D
Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
James EGBERT Self M M W 55 OH
Occ: Farmer Fa: NJ Mo: NJ
Delilah EGBERT Wife F M W 54 OH
Occ: Keeps House Fa: OH Mo: OH
Arvilla CARPENTER Dau F M W 28 IN
Occ: At Home Fa: OH Mo: OH
Grace M. CARPENTER GDau F S W 4 IN
Fa: NY Mo: IN
John CLARK Other M S W 25 IN
Occ: Farm Labor Fa: OH Mo: OH
From: History of St. Joseph County -- Pages 896 - 899
James E. Egbert
Lyman C. Egbert
(father & son)
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1825 - 1887 (62 years)
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