Biography of John C. Feagler, pages 509/510/511. History of DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914. John C. Feagler It is a good sign when a county like DeKalb can boast of so many of her enterprising farmers and business men who are native sons, for it indicates that here are to be found all the opportunities necessary to insure success in the material affairs of life and that her native sons, unlike so many from various sections, have found it to their advantage to remain at home. They have been wise in doing this, for nature has offered the husbandman unusual advantages here and advantages here and seldom fails to reward the honest worker with gratifying results, and when the tillers of the soil are prosperous all lines of business flourish. John C. Feagler was born in Richland township DeKalb county, Indiana, on the 16th of February, 1840, and is a son of Joshua and Frances (Clemer) Feagler. Joshua Feagler was born in March 23, 1814, at Hagerstown, Maryland, and was the son of John and Elizabeth (Cullers) Feagler. These parents, when their son Joshua was but four years old, settled in the wilds of Ohio, about twelve miles west of Dayton, and there the lad was reared to manhood. In 1834 Joshua Feagler married Frances Clemer, who was born in Virginia in 1812, being the daughter of John Clemer. Joshua Feagler and his brother-in-law, Jacob Wyrick, came west in the spring of 1836, expecting to enter land in Wabash county, Indiana. They came down the Wabash and Erie canal to Ft. Wayne, where they stopped over night, and were induced by Wesley Parke to come to DeKalb county. Here they each entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, about three miles northwest of Auburn, and then returned to their Ohio homes. In the following autumn they moved their families here, arriving here on the last day of September. Mr. Wyrick had built a cabin, in which both families lived until Mr. Feagler had built his home. Here Mr. Feagler resolutely applied himself to the improvement of this financial condition, and under the circumstances then exiting it may be certain that he found but little time for relaxing or recreation. For a time he was compelled to work for others, their nearest neighbor was two and a half miles south and the only roads were Indian trails, the dusky red men being frequently seen here for five or six years after the new settlers had established their homes here. There Joshua Feagler spent the rest of his days, dying at the age of sixty years. He was survived a number of years by his widow, who died on March 4, 1897, in the eighty-fifth year of her age. Until 1856 Mr. Feagler voted the Democratic ticket, but from that time on he was an ardent supporter of the Republican party. John C. Feagler remained on the home farm until he was twenty-two years of age, having received a good practical education in the public schools of his home neighborhood. He then learned the carpenter’s trade and after his marriage, in 1869, he located at Feagler’s Corners, where for two years he worked at his trade. He then engaged in farming for a year south of Auburn, but again returned to the carpenter trade at Feagler’s Corners. On May 6, 1874, he moved to Auburn and engaged in carpentering and contracting which, occupied his attention until 1890, when he inherited one-sixth of three hundred and twenty acres. Later he bought, in addition, a third of the tract, thus making him possessor of one hundred and sixty acres, to which he later added thirty-one acres. Applying himself persistently and indefatigably to the operation of this farm, he met with well deserved success and as he was prospered from time to time he added other land to his original trace, being at this time the owner of five hundred and sixty-eight and a half acres of as good land as can be found in this locality. Mr. Feagler is deservedly proud of the fact that, aside from what came to him by inheritance, he has gained all this by his own efforts and sound management. When asked how he accounted for his success, he replied, “The whole family pulls together; my wife is a good helper, and the two boys, too.” Mr. Feagler follows general farming, and, by properly rotating his crops and the judicious use of commercial fertilizer, he has so maintained the fertility of the soil as to keep up the average yield of the farm to a degree not generally found. His land is well tiled and in the handling of it Mr. Feagler shows that he thoroughly understands his work. For instance, he refuses to plow the soil when it is wet, and in many other ways he shows that he has given thoughtful and intelligent attention to the details of farming which often escape the attention of otherwise intelligent agriculturists. On January 23, 1869, John C. Feagler was married to Mary Ann Shull, who was born in what was then Butler township, now a part of Keyser township, about four miles south of Auburn. She is the daughter of Jacob and Susanna (Cooper ) Shull, natives of Stark county, Ohio. Jacob Shull was a son of Henry Shull, who was born in 1782 in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. The latter was the son of John Peter Shull, who was born in the Black Forest, Germany, on April 7, 1738. He came to America about 1750, settling in Schuylkill county, where he followed the trade of millwright. Henry Shull moved to Stark county, Ohio, in 1866 and there entered a section of land, and also established and operated a saw mill. His family name was originally and up to that time spelled Scholl, but when he entered his land the clerk spelled the name Shull, in which form it has been used ever since. Mr. Shull also ran a tavern there for many years. His farm, located eight miles east of Canton, is still in the family. Susanna Cooper, who became the wife of Jacob Shull, was born in Stark county, Ohio, on April 10, 1823, her marriage to Jacob Shull occurring in 1841. Immediately afterwards they came to DeKalb county, Indiana, where Mr. Shull had been in 1835 and entered eight eighties of land for his father. The following year he had been here and cleared some land near Butler, the bulk of he land entered being southwest of Auburn on the old Fr. Wayne road. When, in 1841, he brought his wife here they located on a portion of his land, where Mrs. Feagler was born and reared. To Mr. and Mrs. Feagler have been born five children, of whom two are deceased, namely: and infant son, who died on January 23, 1871, when but two days old. Wilson, born July 13, 1872, graduated from the Auburn high school in 1891. He was a member of Company K, Third Regiment Indiana National Guard, and in 1898, during the Spanish-American war, he belonged to Company K, One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under the command of Colonel Studebader. In 1900 he and his brother Lester made a trip to Europe, visiting England, Scotland, France, Germany and Holland, and spending some time at the world’s fair in Paris. On April 2, 1810, he went to California, and then on to the Hawaiian islands. There he at first worked on a sugar plantation, but is now a sub- inspector in the United States civil service, inspecting the dredging of Pearl harbor and later the erection of government buildings. Lillie May, born August 30, 1875, died on December 18,1878. Lester, born February 10, 1879, graduated for the Auburn high school in 1895, and, as related above, traveled with his brother in Europe. On January 3, 1900, he enlisted in Company K, Third Regiment Indiana National Guard, in which he was promoted from time to time until, on March 18, 1909, he was commissioned captain for three years. He is now engaged in farming with his father. Clara, born March 29, 1886, graduated in 1904 from the Auburn high school, and on November 5, 1906, became the wife of Frank M. Brandon. Politically, John C. Feagler is a Republican and a man who fully appreciates his franchise privileges, but he is too busy a man to take a very active part in public affairs. However, in everything affecting the welfare of the community he is interested and supports all movements for material, educational, social or moral advancement of his fellows. Personally, he is genial and unassuming and has many warm friends in the community where he has resides for so many years. Submitted by: Arlene Goodwin Auburn, Indiana Agoodwin@ctlnet.com