Biography of Theodore Rempis, pages 889/890/891/892/893.  
History of DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, 
Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.



Among the farmers of DeKalb county, Indiana, who believe in 
following twentieth-century methods is Theodore Rempis, of 
the vicinity of Smithfield township. He comes of a splendid 
family, one that has always been strong for right living 
and industrial habits, for education and morality, and for 
all that contributes to the welfare of the commonwealth. 
Such people are welcomed in any community, for they are 
empire builders and as such have pushed the frontier of 
civilizations ever westward and onward, leaving the green, 
wide-reaching wilderness and the far-stretching plains 
populous with contented people and beautiful with green 
fields;  they have constituted that sterling horde which 
caused the great Bishop Whipple to write the memorable 
line, “Westward the course of empire takes its way.”   
Theodore Rempis was born on May 9, 1861, on section 32, 
Smithfield township, DeKalb county, Indiana, the son of 
Charles Lewis and Elizabeth (Middleton) Rempis. The father 
was a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, born March 21, 1830, 
and at an early day emigrated with his parents, Louis and 
Louisa (Berg) Rempis, to America, locating first at 
Massillon, Ohio.  In 1853 they came to DeKalb county, 
purchasing a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in 
Smithfield township, where the father built a log house and 
barn, clearing forty acres of the place, and through his 
strenuous efforts lost his health. His death occurred in 
December, 1859. His wife survived him several years.  While 
the family was residing at Massillon, Ohio, in 1851, the 
subject’s father went to California in order to endeavor to 
improve his financial situation among the gold mines. He 
made the arduous trip by way of the isthmus of Panama, 
reaching the gold fields on the Uba and Feather rivers, 
where he spent three and a half years, working a part of 
the time near Portland, Oregon. He helped to make the first 
brick used in the city, He was successful on this trip and 
with the money thus earned came back to DeKalb county in 
1854 and purchased a farm. On May 15, 1856, he married 
Elizabeth, the daughter of William Middleton, one of the 
pioneer residents of Waterloo, who served in the Civil war 
as a member of Company K, Forty-fourth Regiment Indiana 
Volunteer Infantry. There were born three children: William 
Henry, who lives in Los Angeles, California; Franklin 
Lewis, who married Martha Frager on March 8, 1882, and died 
on December 16, 1899, leaving one child, Ruth. His wife 
died on October 7, 1883. The daughter, Ruth, eventually 
married Charles Haines, a farmer in Grant township, this 
county, having two children, Edward and Carl; Theodore A., 
was the third child born to these parents. In1856 Charles 
Rempis became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, 
but in 1860 transferred his membership to the United 
brethren, to which faith he remained a faithful adherent 
during the rest of his life. He helped to prepare the 
timbers and build the church of the United Brethren, the 
first house erected for public worship in Waterloo and 
which for a number of years was the only building for that 
special purpose in that town. He retired from active farm 
work in 1895 and thereafter made his home with his son, the 
subject of this sketch, who now lives on the farm developed 
by his father.  Later Charles Rempis took up his residence 
in Waterloo, and in 1907 went to live with his 
granddaughter, Mrs. Ruth Haines, in Grant township, where 
his death occurred on November 9, 1910. His brother, Henry 
Rempis, born October 11, 1838, lived at Massillon, Ohio; 
but in 1853 his family moved from that city to the old farm 
in Smithfield township,  DeKalb county, coming by wary of 
the Ohio canal to Cleveland, across the lake to Toledo, and 
by the Wabash canal to Fort Wayne, thence overland to 
DeKalb county. Here his father bought one hundred and 
twenty acres only forty of which was cleared. At that time 
Henry Rempis was only fifteen years of age, and he took his 
part in the arduous labor connected with the clearing and 
improvement of this land, and because of the death of his 
father and his older brother, William, and the marriage of 
his brother, Charles, it became necessary for him to 
practically shoulder the duties of maintaining the family 
home. This prevented his enlistment in the Union cause in 
the Civil war, as he earnestly wished to do.  Being 
compelled to remain at home, he bought the interest of the 
heirs, took up the real work of the farm, and, being a 
mechanical turn of mind, he was enabled to make many 
permanent and substantial improvements on the place,  and 
by honest labor and strenuous efforts he achieved a 
splendid success as an agriculturist. In the face of severe 
reverses by fire and other losses, he accomplished many 
valuable improvements by careful management and honest 
methods on the farm,  including building a commodious 
farmhouse into which the family moved in 1875, later 
erecting a large bank barn in place of the one destroyed by 
fire. In this new home the mother died in 1877. In 1888 the 
subject’s foster son, Charles Olcott, was drowned, and on 
August 12, 1898, his daughter, Lena Amelia, met a like 
fate.  In March, 1906, Mr. Rempis resigned the active work 
of the farm and moved to Waterloo, where he resided until 
his death, which occurred on January 11, 1908. He never 
identified himself with any church, but was a faithful 
attendant and supporter of the United Brethren church, to 
which the other members of the family belonged. He also 
attended the Christian church at Cedar Lake, Smithfield 
township. On November 5, 1871, he married Mr. Sophia French 
Olcott, and to them were born three children, Laura Luella, 
Lena Amelia and Mrs. Olive Matilda Willis.  The subject of 
this sketch received his education in the common schools in 
Smithfield township, and worked on the home farm as soon as 
old enough. After his marriage, in 1887, he came to the 
home farm and lived there about one and a half years and 
then moved to the J. E. Thomson farm, the girlhood home of 
his wife, where he lived for six years. On account of his 
father’s illness he then moved back to the home farm which 
he rented, and in the year 1907 bought the farm from his 
father, the place comprising one hundred and sixty acres. 
This farm he improved in many respects, building a number 
of substantial buildings, cleared up a good portion of the 
farm, drained it, and other wise putting it in excellent 
condition for successful agriculture, so that it is now one 
of the leading and most productive of the township. He has 
been very progressive in his farming methods, using up-to-
date ideas and slighting no opportunity to advance the 
condition of the place.  On October 19, 1887, Mr. Rempis 
married Elva Lillie Thomson, the daughter of Joel E. and 
Maria Jane (McBride) Thomson, and to them there were two 
children, Clarence V. and Lester L.   They also, on July 
25,1902, adopted a girl, Thelma Mays, from the Indianapolis 
Orphan Asylum. The eldest child, Clarence married Ruby 
Parnell and now lives on the home place, following the 
pursuit of agriculture.  Joel E. Thomson was born at 
Shalersville, Portage county, Ohio, on November 30, 1824, 
spending his early days in that place. He came to DeKalb 
county in the early days, settling on the well-known 
Thomson farm, Smithfield township, which, by hard work on 
the part of both himself and his wife, was developed into 
one of the best farms of the county, it being characterized 
by modern improvements in every respect. On November 30, 
1845, he married Maria J. McBride, the daughter of Richard 
and Samanthe (Smith) McBride. One December 25, 1899, he 
fell and broke his leg, from which accident he was crippled 
for the remainder of his life; but he bore his affliction 
with patience and without complaint. His crippled 
condition, together with poor health and declining years, 
forced him to break up their home life and in 1902 he went 
to live with his daughter, Elva Lillie, with whom he 
afterward resides. He became a member of the Church of 
Christ at Shalersville, Ohio, when nineteen years of age, 
and through his efforts the Church of Christ at Cedar Lake, 
Smithfield township, was organized, he and his wife being 
charter members. Of this society he served efficiently as 
elder until his death, which occurred near Waterloo, June 
12, 1903. Politically, he was a staunch Republican, taking 
a deep interest in local public affairs. He was the father 
of seven children, one of whom died in infancy, the others 
being: Cilicia A., deceased; Almira A., deceased; Francis 
Edwin; Ida Alice; Charles Sterling and Elva Lillie. Of 
these, Ida became the wife of Ameron P. Benjamin, a farmer, 
now deceased, and she lives near Cedar Lake, Smithfield 
township. She became the mother of nine children, one of 
whom died in infancy, and the others being, Orlie, Clayton, 
Marion, Jennie, Irma, Russell, Mary and Austin. Francis 
Edwin, who is a farmer in Smithfield township, married 
Laura A. Farrington, and they had six children, Carleton, 
Guy, Frank, Jay, Anna and Benjamin. Charles, who lives at 
Ashley, Indiana, married Elizabeth Parnell. Mrs. Rempis’ 
mother, Maria Jane Thomson, was born at Revenna, Portage 
county, Ohio, July 26, 1824, and in company with her 
husband made the long and tiresome journey to DeKalb county 
in 1847, the trip being made by team to Cleveland, thence 
by boat to Toledo, canal boat to Fort Wayne, and the team 
to DeKalb county. Her father was a member of the Christian 
church, was trustee of his township one term, and also 
justice of the peace and road supervisor. He was a farmer, 
but also had learned the trades of butcher, carpenter, 
cabinetmaker, undertaker and shoemaker, following these 
several trades at times together with his vocation of 
farming.  He assisted in building all of the early school 
houses, barns and bridges, and had exceptional talents in 
mechanical lines. He also made cheese for the market for 
fifteen years, having thirty to forty cows on the farm for 
this purpose. Fraternally, in early years he was a member 
of the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows. He was a 
staunch member of the Christian church and performed a 
great deal of charitable work which never reached public 
attention, giving generously, also, to all worthy church 
and public enterprise. Because of his upright life, 
generous disposition and genial nature he was beloved by 
the entire community and enjoyed universal esteem. Mrs. 
Rempis’ maternal grandfather, Richard McBride, was born 
December 25, 1792, at Carlisle, Cumberland county, 
Pennsylvania, and came to DeKalb county with his wife, 
Samanthe (Smith) McBride, whom he married on May 15, 1823, 
the location in this county being 1850. Here they bought a 
farm of forty-eight acres, of which he cleared about forty 
acres and put the same in good condition. In the war of 
1812 he was a member of the Home Guards,  and by the laws 
of the state became a voter at the age of twenty years for 
this service.  In 1821 he moved to Revenna, Ohio, and to 
Indiana in 1849. He was an active member of the Democratic 
party until 1863, when the Democratic Legislature refused 
to vote appropriations to feed and clothe the Indiana Union 
soldiers, and thereafter he allied himself with the 
Republican party. During the year 1863 he went to live with 
his daughter, Maria J. Thomson, because of physical 
disability, and remained in her home until his death which 
occurred on January 3, 1879. His wife had died in December, 
1876, and they are both buried at Cedar Lake, Smithfield 
township. They were the parents of six children: Maria J., 
John, David, Lucy, Mary Emma and Sterling, of which number 
Maria J. in the only survivor.  Mrs. McBride was a faithful 
and earnest member of the Christian church, and performed 
much effectual work for that organization in early days in 
this locality. David McBride, son of Richard McBride, was a 
member of Company I, Fifty-fourth Regiment Indiana 
Volunteer Infantry. He did in the  service and was buried 
at Mound City. His brother-in-law went to Mound City, had 
the grave opened and brought him back and buried him at 
Cedar Lake, Indiana.

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com