BOTTORFF, Dean M.
DEAN M. BOTTORFF. One of the solid businessmen of Columbus, Dean M. Bottorff, owner of the Implement & Seed Business corner Fourth and Jackson streets, has won his present high standing, both commercially and personally, through his own efforts, and represents the best element in the city. He was born in Jackson County, Indiana, April 30, 1879, a son of Miles Frank and Ella Jane Bottorff, natives of Jackson and Lawrence counties Indiana, respectively; and grandson of Jacob Bottorff, a native of Clark County, Indiana. Jacob Bottorff was a son of John Bottorff, the great-grandfather of Dean M. Bottorff. One in a family of fourteen children, Dean M. Bottorff early made his plans with reference to his future, and while attending the district schools and assisting on the farm, resolved to further educate himself. In order to earn the money to do so, when twenty years old he began teaching in Jackson County, and attended the Central Normal School. He remained in the educational field until 1903, in which year he came to Columbus, and for three years clerked in a store dealing in implements and seeds, during which time he learned the business. Therefore, when in 1906 he established a similar business of his own, he was able to make it a success, and he has since continued in this line. Mr. Bottorff was married to Miss Gertrude Eckelman, of Bartholomew County, a daughter of Fred Eckelman, an educator and township trustee. Mr. and Mrs. Bottorff have three children: Robert, Wilfred and Mary. Active in local affairs, Mr. Bottorff is vice president of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Kiwanis Club, of which he was one of the organizers. He is a member of the Indiana Implement Dealers Association, of which he is an ex-president and a director. For four years he was a member of the County Council, 1916 to 1919, inclusive, and is now city councilman. During the World war he was very active in patriotic undertakings, and was captain of Liberty Loan committees in all of the drives, was one of the zealous workers in behalf of the Red Cross, and for two years was president of the Bartholomew County Tuberculosis Association, and is now a director of the Columbus Chapter, American Red Cross. Another direction in which his public spirit and benevolent character are turned is the board of charities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, of which he is a member. Since 1924 he has been a director of the First National Bank of Columbus. It is a source of deep pride to Mr. Bottorff that he belongs to one of the old and honorable families of the country, and anything relative to it is interesting to him. In 1929 a reunion was held of this family, and the account of it, together with certain facts of historical value, compiled by Thomas E. Bottorff, of Milroy, Indiana, so fully expresses his own ideas that it is attached herewith. July 21, 1929, the first reunion in the history of the Bottorff family was held on the farm, which was once owned by John Bottorff and lies two miles southwest of Charlestown. Clark County, Indiana. On the south side of this grove where the kindred assembled to pay a tribute of respect to their ancestors is a mausoleum, built of stone and surrounded by a wall of the same material, 30 by 50 feet, and 2 ½ feet high. It is a novel structure, the result of an idea noble and enduring, a jewel in a setting of rugged simplicity, and in keeping with the times when the want of means and skill hampered the finer expressions of the soul; but we cherish it all the more in its rudeness for its spiritual import, solemnizing the thought that: The soul confined and away from home, Rests and expatiates in a Life to come. It is a shrine that speaks in solemn tones the short and simple annals’ of perseverance and devotion to his family, to his country and his God amid the perils and hardships of early days. It is a fitting place to strengthen the ties in the flesh, to refresh the memory of struggles of long ago, to gain new hope and inspiration, and ‘Learn to labor and to wait. The old home which he built of stone in 1837 is still in a good state of preservation and is occupied by one of his descendants. It was built over a running spring to insure a plentiful supply of water in the event of an Indian attack. There my father went as a boy; and I still have some faint recollections of his visits and boyish sports. I heard him say that Uncle John had twenty-four children, and the family consumed a barrel of flour each week. My early life was so closely linked up with the pioneer homes that I can easily reconstruct them in imagination. The old log cabin, with its huge back log, stick chimney, one small window, and latchstring at the door is as vivid to me as the most important event of yesterday, for in such a home I was born. We had no cook stove until I was ten years old. It was then quite common to see mothers smoking a pipe. We thought it not strange to hear such expressions as cate-cornered for diagonal, furnith for opposite, grabbed the wrong pig by the ear for a wrong idea, stir your stumps for hurry, and the like. Yet it was in such homes that a great many of heroes were reared and went forth to battle and die to save the Union in 1861-65. So that the memory and traditions which cluster about the old home we saw at the reunion make an inspiring and unforgettable scene to the Bottorff relatives who are scattered far and wide over our beloved country. To the more thoughtful it is not a place of mere idle curiosity, but it has a poetic setting and a refining influence that cannot be measured. When we are in doubt and oppressed with cares that weigh us down, and hope is dying, we can turn with profit to these footprints on the sands of time, take courage, and feel a. conquering force rise in our souls.

“‘The stranger at my fireside cannot see
The things I see, nor hear the things I hear;
He but perceives what is, while unto me
All that has been is possible and clear.’

“The estimated number of descendants at the reunion was 250, though it was not known by many at a distance that such a meeting was in contemplation. Relatives were present from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi, Illinois, Indianapolis, Columbus, Franklin, Lexington, and the native county of Clark. The writer went from his home in Milroy, Indiana, to Columbus and accompanied to the historic farm his oldest son, Donald C. Bottorff, wife and two children, Dean .M. Bottorff and children, Walter E. Simmon and wife, Mrs. Virgil Seal, William E. Hertel and wife, and Mrs. Pearl Summit and daughter. Indisposition of a child deprived Mrs. Dean M. Bottorff of a full share in the pleasant trip and the engulfing associations. At noon a basket dinner was spread on a long table in the comfortable shade, and all partook of a royal feast that would have brought delight to the heart of a king. The overflow of kindness, the cordial greetings, the good things to eat, and the marked decorum combined to show that the Bottorffs are not wanting in refinement and all that makes life worth living. It is not going too far to say that there is nothing in appearance, manner or speech to distinguish them from other intelligent, respectable people. Each member of that company was busy in shaking hands, getting acquainted, and exchanging reminiscences. A more democratic meeting could not be conceived. A spirit of equality pervaded the atmosphere. No haughty look appeared, no ill chosen words were spoken, and vanity was absent. In fact, not a jar or discord arose to mar or disturb the happy meeting, and everyone seemed anxious to meet again, where we can freely talk of family affairs without fear of criticism, and refresh our memories of those whom ‘we loved and lost awhile;’ ‘for, if we love those whom we lose, we can never lose those whom we love.’ The blessings of friendship come only to those who are friendly and willing to impart to others the best that is in them. The giver must go wholeheartedly with the gift, or it becomes a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. It is thus by opening our hearts to others that we grow in esteem and bring to ourselves the rich fruits of association. By our fruits we are known. It was good to be there, and the pleasure of that occasion makes us all look forward with bright anticipations to a larger and better reunion on the third Sunday in July, 1930. ‘Time is a scentless flower, with gaudy crown of gold, But friendship is a breathing rose with sweets in every fold.’ Martin Bottorff, the progenitor of our family, came to America in pursuit of civil and religious freedom rather than for worldly honor and profit. He was of German descent. This is good stock, none better, none braver, and none truer. In it we have an inheritance of courage, of manliness, of love of liberty, and of undying principle. The offspring of strong, moral ancestors lead in the battle of life and always will. The pioneers were strong-hearted, God-fearing, resolute men, and never turned their backs to a friend or an enemy. They imparted an intense patriotism to public sentiment. Though they struggled with privations on the frontier, they placed a high valuation on education both of the head and heart. Peopled, as was our state, it was inevitable that it should grow in wisdom, strength and wealth. The poverty of the frontier was no poverty. It was but the beginning of wealth and had the boundless possibilities of the future always open before it. Hardships are God’s errands to teach us self-reliance, sympathy, and the value of duty well done. No sensible man feels ashamed in looking back to early struggles with adverse circumstances, and no man feels a worthier pride than when, he has conquered the obstacles to his progress. No one of noble mould desires to be looked upon as having occupied a menial position, as having been repressed by a feeling of inferiority, or as having suffered the evils of poverty until relief was found in the hand of charity. Pioneer life presented no hardships which family love and family energy did not overcome and subjected the people to no privations, which they did not cheerfully accept. It left no memories save those, which were recalled with delight and transmitted with profit and with pride. These stern and valiant men who blazed the way for civilization in America made it impossible for any man to stand beneath our flag without being free and remaining free. Henry and Sophia Bottorff, with their six sons and three daughters, migrated from Pennsylvania to Clark County, Indiana, about 1800. That family multiplied so fast in the new country that it is said to have had 500 voters in 1844. This may seem to be an extravagant statement, yet I record it as given me at the reunion by good authority. Our ancestors, let me repeat, were Germans who were mighty men and men of renown and very prolific. They were the only people in the ancient world to love and respect motherhood, as God intended it should be, and exalt it far above slavery or concubinage. The Germans are a people with some imperfections, which we loathed in the World war, but this redeeming quality to sanctify the home covers a multitude of sins; for such we are informed by the Scriptures, is the power of love. The man who is true to his home is true to himself, and true in every sphere of life. Uncle John was the oldest child of these parents, and his offspring seem to have adhered more closely to the soil of Hoosier than those of his brothers and sisters. Jacob was the third child, from whom I descended, and was born in 1785, four years before the beginning of our national government. He moved to Iowa some time in the eighteen fifties, and later to Nebraska, where he died at the age of ninety. Some of his children also went west. I was fortunate to locate a granddaughter at Sioux City, Iowa. It is a rather striking fact that though grand father’s life and mine ran parallel for about sixteen years; yet taken together, our lives cover 144 years of the greatest progress in history. While I was publicly tracing the third branch of our family tree at the reunion, a flood of tender memories swept into my mind, and 1 was almost overcome with emotion. At one time I paused to regain self-control. I found but five of his grandchildren on the ground, including myself: John Switzer, of Lexington, Indiana; James Bottorff, of Xenia, Ohio; Mrs. Nevada Carr, of Charlestown; and a Mrs. Hess, of the same town. The great-grandchildren present were: Benjamin H. Bottorff, of Xenia, Ohio; Marion and Miss Ruth Carr, of Charlestown; and Dean C. Bottorff, of Columbus, Indiana. I believe Mrs. Pearl C. Holcomb, of Gunnison, Mississippi, is a great-granddaughter. The great great-grandchildren present were an infant son of Marion Carr, and the two children of Dean C. Bottorff. Mr. Switzer, who is past ninety, was the oldest person in attendance. He is feeble, yet his mind is clear and strong. He is a good example of the longevity of our family. His age and physical condition are remarkable, when we consider the dangers and great hardships he experienced as one of Sherman’s ‘dare devils.’ Such was the name given to the soldiers by Sherman before the Atlanta campaign and made a part of that triumph. Mr. Switzer volunteered in the Sixty-sixth Indiana Regiment; May 6, 1864, he started with Sherman’s army from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and there was almost constantly fighting for 100 days. More than fifteen years ago I went over that route and wondered how the Union army was able to drive a brave and stubborn foe from the many strongholds in 150 miles of mountainous country. From Atlanta he marched to the sea, thence to Goldsboro, North Carolina, where General Johnston surrendered his army April 26, 1865, thus ending the war. Then he marched to Washington, District of Columbia, for the Grand Review of the armies of Grant and Sherman, having, as Sherman declared, marched 2,000 miles through an enemy’s country. His eyes sparkled with glee as I held his hand at the reunion, and talked with him of his part in that marvelous achievement to save the Union. “Before we left the cherished soil last Sunday, a permanent organization was effected, and a collection taken to defray the expenses of a larger reunion next year. The owner of the farm was present and gladly consented that the same ground could be used for the intended gathering. Miss Nora Bottorff, of Charlestown, was made president; Dean M. Bottorff, of Columbus, vice president; James Bottorff, of Jeffersonville, corresponding secretary; and a Mr. Kiger, treasurer. Someone whose name I did not learn was chosen historian. “By marriage the Bottorff blood has been crossed and re-crossed by that of many good families, and the population has thereby been strengthened in its physical and moral nature. This obedience to the wise provisions of natural law is a material factor in the reproduction of a virile race, able to withstand for length of days the constant strain on the physical organism, for old age resolves itself into the survival of the fittest. Many of our family have lived to eighty or ninety, and a few to one hundred years. America has been the melting pot for the best strains of the white race, and in this way it has made noble contributions to the growth and stability of a great people whose power and influence are slowly deepening the thought and broadening the vision of all nations in favor of universal peace and progress. To have shared in this wonderful transformation which took definite shape in the Declaration of Independence, freed the thirteen original states of English dominion, established the Constitution and a beneficent government, destroyed the divine right of kings, emancipated the slaves, and gave all men and women an equal opportunity to rise in the scale of being, is a God-given privilege for which we, in common with our fellow countrymen, should be proud and grateful. What a long toilsome, sorrowful journey from the landing of the Pilgrims to the present day. Many, many new graves have opened in the road of life, and the gaps have been wonderful in enriching and refining the soul and in drawing it nearer the Fountain of All Good. “Not one of the Bottorffs has linked his name to enduring fame, but let us not be discouraged, for the danger is greatest to those who climb the highest. Self-denial and steady plodding rather than the delusion of mad adventure is a worthy family trait that gives best promise of success, so well illustrated In the fable of the tortoise and the hare. Each member of the family, I believe, has in his on way done his full share of the world’s work that has been so essential to reach the present position in state and national affairs. Twenty-five years ago it would have been impossible for so many distant relatives to attend the reunion and return to their homes so quickly, with comfort and ease. A number left their homes early in the morning, drove many miles, reached the grove before noon, remained until the crowd dispersed, and were again at home the same day. Let us never forget that we owe much to our forefathers for their valor, foresight and endurance. The trip was full of unspeakable joy, because we felt the ties of blood pulling us back to the land, once made vocal by the songs of our fathers and mothers who toiled, suffered and died that we might inherit the glorious promise which they saw blossoming in a wilderness. “It was a beautiful day. Man and nature with a smile and eloquence of beauty were acting in concert to make the occasion one of delight, never to be forgotten. The sun was pouring his bounties of heat and light over hills and valleys, which were rejoicing and returning, praise for his goodness and tender care. The birds were glad, a gentle breeze whispered peace and welcome and brought us balmy odors from fields and meadows, and the flowers along the highway paid obeisance as we passed and cast their fragrance as incense to the memory of our beloved dead. The trees that had long stood in their majestic strength had been rocked and lashed, as we, by the storms, and that had been companions of our forebears and were yearning to fold us in their arms, were happy that these children to sit at their feet, share their affections, pay homage to those that gave them being, and learn of ‘old and far-off things and battles long ago. The cup of joy was running over; the remembrance of the privations and dangers which our ancestors endured to change a wilderness into beautiful state with growing towns, prospers farms, and contented homes, with numerous churches and educational institutions, with splendid highways extending in all directions and lined with fast moving touring cars, is a stirring thought that should move our hearts to deeper affection, nobler impulses and higher aspirations. We are each a separate and distinct universe of thought, feeling and will, as boundless as creation, and in part comprehending the infinite. The smiles and pleasure, beaming from each heart in the grove, were an indication that each one had been invited by the other to walk hand in hand in a new and unselfish realm of hope and friendship. The ties of kinship brought us a keen realization that much beauty in life is waiting to be released if we arc willing to open the prison doors of our minds. The variegated scene of the landscape presented a picture whose sheer beauty held us breathless and intoxicated our poetic nature. Silence was everywhere eloquent beyond expression. This teaching of nature, even the unlettered may comprehend in its fullness. No scientist needed to point out the hidden philosophy. Only the beaming eye is required to read the grandeur and see nature pleading her cause. We hear the voices of the spheres saying ‘the Hand that made us is divine.’ Our life currents had been divergent, but here they merged into one, as we realized more than ever that we are drifting on the same swift tide to the same haven in which our fathers are anchored. We experienced strange, happy tumults at the reunion, and in attempting to value the rich gifts of our fathers and mothers we see the essence of their deep, unselfish love depreciated itself and exalted its object. “When we reflect on what it cost in treasure and blood to bestow these unmerited blessings with the guarantees of protection in the exercise of our rights, gratitude to God and to those out of whose loins we came should have no bounds. As time furrows the brow, and the body withers and grows wan with age, we dwell more and more on the past, and it becomes more beautiful and romantic. The soul at its best seeks to resolve everything into truth and beauty and rejects error and all forms of evil in our intimate nature we are all-poetic and delight in the melody of song. Music harmonizes the disturbing elements of the mind and soothes the whole physical man. The greatest empire is self-government, and to the one with self-mastery, indignation and passion are only storms on the surface, which soon pass away, and the great deep moved steadily on to its destined end. While we are struggling for a comfortable living and respectability, these associations will be helpful in building up that great kingdom of eternal values—faith, hope and charity—honor, truth and justice. These values serve as a polestar on ‘life’s solemn main’ to guide us safely through all the tempests that beset us. We mourn, but not without hope, when ties in the flesh are broken, which time has made strong, love has made tender, and suffering has made sacred. “At such a time, Heaven knows we should not be ashamed of our tears, which are rain on the blinding dust of years, overlaying our hard hearts. To us who believe that Jesus brought life and immortality to light, these reunions are but a foretaste of that greater reunion, when that which drew out from the boundless deep turns again home.”