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Historical records matching Solomon Sechrist
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About Solomon Sechrist
SOLOMON SECHRIST. Paternally the subject of this review is descended from French ancestry and maternally traces his family history back to the mountains and valleys of Switzerland. In an early day his great-grandfather left the vine-clad hills of beautiful France and with other of his countrymen, came to America and settled in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. There he reared a family and lived the life of a farmer. Among his descendants was a grandson, David Sechrist, whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania. When a young man David went to Stark County, Ohio, where he purchased a farm and became a successful tiller of the soil. He married Miss Catherine Wens, whose ancestors came to the United States about the same time that the Sechrists located in Pennsylvania, and settled in Ohio. They were Swiss and, like many people from the old world, were lured to this country by the prospect of obtaining lands, which was an impossible thing to do in their native country by reason of the high price of real estate and its entailment to the wealthy and the nobility. David Sechrist remained in Ohio until 1842, in October of which year he disposed of his interests there and moved to Marshall County, Indiana, where he purchased eighty acres of land. He also bought the same number of acres just across the line in the county of Kosciusko, and in due time cleared and developed a good farm on which himself and wife spent remainder of their days. He made many substantial improvements on his place and became a noted farmer and prominent citizen. Public-spirited and progressive, he took a leading part in the material development of the country and for many years was a local politician of the old Whig school, afterwards transferring his allegiance to the Republican Party. He and wife were also zealous church workers and the wholesome influence which they exerted in the community was largely instrumental in elevating the morals of their neighbors and friends and leading many into God's visible kingdom. Eight sons and two daughters were born to David and Catherine Sechrist, namely: Jacob, Laura, Isaiah, Solomon, David, Samuel, George, Mary, Jeremiah and John. Solomon Sechrist's birth occurred in Stark County, Ohio, October 22, 1833, and he was a lad of nine years old when the family moved to northern Indiana. Like all boys in a new and undeveloped country, he was early put to work on the farm, and the healthful exercise of such active labor induced strong physical vigor, productive of health, strength and long life. At the early age of fifteen he left home and began working for himself as a farm laborer at monthly wages, receiving for his services a mere pittance compared with remuneration such as young men of the present day are paid.. Mr. Sechrist continued to labor by the month until 1853, on April 5th of which year he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Hepler, who was born in Stark County, Ohio, in the year 1835. Mrs. Sechrist's parents were natives of Pennsylvania, but when young migrated to Ohio, thence, in 1838, to Kosciusko county, Indiana. Her father entered land in Scott Township and became one of the most progressive farmers of his community, accumulating land and other property valued at over ten thousand dollars. Mr. and Mrs. Sechrist began housekeeping on a forty-acre tract of land in Marshall County, which Mr. Sechrist had formerly purchased from the government. They continued to live there until their house and all of it’s contents were destroyed by fire, a loss which embarrassed them considerably. After this catastrophe Mr. Sechrist sold his place and bought eighty acres in Kosciusko County, in addition to the cultivation of which he also started a general store, which proved a paying enterprise. After making some money he again disposed of his possessions and went to Iowa, a most unfortunate move, as he encountered many discouraging obstacles in that state and failed to make any of his undertakings succeed. After spending the greater part of his money in several unfortunate enterprises Mr. Sechrist, in 1867, returned to Indiana and invested the residue of his means in forty acres of land in Kosciusko County. He did not retain this place very long, but sold it at the first favorable opportunity and purchased the same number of acres in Etna Township, on which he has since resided. He now has a beautiful and well improved farm, the greater part under cultivation, and by industry and thrift has recovered from his former reverses and is now well situated as far as material things are concerned. Mr. Sechrist began life's struggle alone and unaided, and despite his many ups and downs triumphed over adverse circumstances and earned not only a comfortable and attractive home, but also a position of honor in the community such as few attain. His intelligence and practical wisdom long ago attracted the attention of the public and at different times he has been honored with local offices, among which were those of school director, supervisor and justice of the peace. In the last named office he earned an enviable reputation on account of his fair and impartial rulings and the soundness of his judgments, many important cases having been tried in his court. But few appeals were ever taken from his decisions, and as long as he held the office litigants were perfectly satisfied to have their matters adjusted by him, and generally the wisdom of his decisions was upheld. Politically Mr. Sechrist has always affiliated with the Democratic Party. He cast his first presidential ballot for James Buchanan and since that time has seldom missed an election, although he is by no means an active party worker. He is a charter member of Bremen Lodge, I. O. O. F. and with his wife belongs to the Christian Church. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Sechrist consists of five sons and three daughters, whose names are as follows: Isaac, George, Flo, Martha, Mary, David, Catherine, Ella. Elmer, Frank and Samantha, of whom Elmer and Frank are twins.
As a man and citizen Mr. Sechrist is highly esteemed in his township and few occupy as conspicuous a place in the confidence of the public. He is a man of the people and a representative of the best type of American citizenship. He refuses to be cast down by any adverse circumstance and, taking an optimistic view of life, has made his presence felt for good wherever his lot has been cast. He has always been interested in every enterprise for the general welfare of the community and liberally supports every movement calculated to benefit his fellow men along the line of moral reform. Courteous and kind to all, broad-minded in his views of men and affairs, and firm in his convictions, it is a compliment worthily bestowed to speak of Solomon Sechrist as an honorable and upright Christian gentleman. Charlotte Slater transcriber
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Solomon Sechrist's Timeline
| 1833 |
October 22, 1833
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Stark County, Ohio, United States
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| 1858 |
December 16, 1858
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Marshall, Parke County, Indiana, United States
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| 1860 |
May 18, 1860
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Marshall County, Indiana, United States
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| 1862 |
1862
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| 1864 |
May 2, 1864
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Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States
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| 1866 |
January 1, 1866
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Marshall County, Indiana, United States
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| 1868 |
June 6, 1868
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Kosciusko, Indiana, United States
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| 1869 |
March 6, 1869
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Franklin Twp., Summit, Ohio, United States
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| 1870 |
September 9, 1870
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Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States
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