Bartholomew County IN Archives Biographies.....Hodler, Samuel 1844 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 26, 2007, 11:32 pm Author: B. F. Bowen (1904) SAMUEL HODLER. Among the honored veterans of the Civil war and the successful and enterprising agriculturists of Columbus township, Bartholomew county, is Samuel Hodler. He is a native son of Pennsylvania, his birth having occurred in the city of Pittsburg, on the 3d of May, 1844. His father, David Hodler, was born in Berne, Switzerland, in the year 1803 and remained a resident of his native country until about twenty-one years of age, when he severed the ties which bound him to his old home and crossed the Atlantic to America, taking up his abode in Pennsylvania. There he followed the carpenter's trade for a number of years or until 1852, when he emigrated westward to Indiana, settling in Ohio township, Bartholomew county. Here he built a log cabin in the midst of the forest. Deer and lesser wild game was to be had in the locality and there were many evidences of frontier life to be seen. Mr. Hodler not only carried on carpentering, but also followed cabinet-making and farming. His life was a busy and useful one and he became the owner of a valuable tract of land of one hundred and twenty acres in Ohio township. His farm was well improved and was an indication of the enterprise and thrift which were his dominant characteristics. He had nothing when he came to America and without the assistance of influential friends he worked his way upward, proving that success may be accomplished when one has the will to dare and to do. While residing in Pennsylvania he was united in marriage to Miss Mary M. Shoup, who was born in that state in 1818 and who accompanied him to Indiana, where her death occurred in 1860. Mr. Hodler had passed the seventy-fifth milestone on life's journey when he was called to his final rest in the year 1895. Unto this worthy couple were born eight children: David, who followed the carpenter's trade and is now deceased: Jacob, who was living in New Mexico when last heard from; Fred, who makes his home in Columbus, Indiana; Samuel, of this review; Anna, who is the widow of a Mr. Whitmeyer, a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio; Mary and Eliza, both deceased; and Catherine, who is the widow of Charles Kisling and resides in Petersville, Bartholomew county, Indiana. Samuel Hodler spent the first eight years of his life in the state of his nativity and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Indiana, where he has since remained. He assisted his father through the period of his early boyhood and as opportunity afforded he pursued his education in the public schools. He was about seventeen years of age when, in 1861, he enlisted for service in the Union army. He had watched with interest the progress of events in the south and he resolved to strike a blow in defense of the Union if the southern states attempted to secede. Accordingly he enlisted in Columbus, Indiana, in the first year of the war, becoming a member of the Thirty-third Indiana Infantry, which left the city of Indianapolis for Louisville, Kentucky, proceeding thence to Wild Cat, Kentucky, where the regiment participated in battle. In 1862 the Thirty-third Indiana was in the engagement at Cumberland Gap, Kentucky, arid through the Kentucky campaign, returning then to Ohio and thence proceeded to the city of Cincinnati. Later they were ordered to Danville, Kentucky, to Louisville and to Nashville, Tennessee, participating in the conflict at the last named place. Here the regiment was captured and with the others of the command Mr. Hodler was imprisoned for twelve days, at the end of which time they secured their release. The Thirty-third Indiana was then ordered to Franklin, Tennessee, and during the succeeding winter engaged in guarding the railroads. In 1864 they started with Sherman on the celebrated march to the sea, which was triumphant, showing that the strength of the Confederacy was almost exhausted and that the end of the war was near, for the troops had been drawn from the interior to guard the borders of the south. After the sea had been reached Mr. Hodler with his command proceeded northward. through South Carolina and North Carolina, taking part in the various engagements which marked the progress of the army, and later he went to Washington, where he participated in the Grand Review, the President watching the victorious regiments as one after another they march by the reviewing stand. The Thirty-third Indiana was then sent to Louisville, Kentucky, and was honorably discharged in July, 1865. For four years Mr. Hodler was with the army and returned to his home with a most creditable military record. He was only twenty-one years of age when he again reached Indiana, but he had seen long years of hard warfare and had had experiences such as few men undergo, demonstrating his fidelity to his country on many a southern battlefield. In the year 1870 Mr. Hodler was united in marriage to Miss Mary Olmstead, a daughter of Alonzo and Mary (Gaines) Olmstead. The father, a native of Vermont, left that state during his early childhood and settled in Bartholomew county, Indiana, where he engaged in farming. He is mentioned on another page of this work. In 1895 Mr. Hodler was called upon to mourn the loss of his first wife, with whom he had traveled life's journey for a quarter of a century. On the 21st of December, 1898^ he was again married, his second union being with Miss Emma Stillabower, a daughter of Valentine Stillabower. Her father was a native of Germany. The second wife died in February, 1902, and April 14, 1903, he married Mrs. Caroline Merriman, who is the daughter of Michael and Sarah Roup. Unto Mr. Hodler's first marriage was born one daughter, Annie Laurie, whose birth occurred in this county in 1875, and who is now the wife of Walter Duffy, a clerk in a store in Columbus, Indiana. Mr. Hodler is now the owner of seventy-five acres of land in Columbus township, of which sixty-five acres is under cultivation. He has greatly improved his property and carries on mixed farming, not only cultivating the cereals best adapted to the soil and climate, but also raising shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. He has likewise planted a good orchard upon his place, has built good fences and everything about the farm is kept in excellent repair and indicates his careful supervision. He has lived here since 1898 and now has one of the best farms of the community. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he enjoys the respect and good will of his brethren of the society. He is also a member of Isham Keith Post, No. 14, Grand Army of the Republic. As a public spirited citizen he has always been interested in whatever has pertained to public progress and improvement and has given his support to many measures for the general good, but his chief attention has been devoted to his business affairs and thus he has been enabled to provide a comfortable living for his family. He is, however, as loyal to his duties of citizenship as he was during the dark days of the Civil war, when he followed the nation's starry banner upon the battlefields of the south. Additional Comments: Extracted from BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY INDIANA INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA ILLUSTRATED 1904 B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/bartholomew/bios/hodler804gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 7.8 Kb