JOHN
H. KOLB has been identified with the interests of Tippecanoe Township since
1859, and is classed among the representative citizens. He is a native
of Indiana, born in Rush County, August 13, 1833, a son of WILLIAM and
KEZIAH (RICH) KOLB. The father was a native of Georgia, and when he was
eight years old his father, RICHARD KOLB, removed with his family to Indiana.
The family settled in Franklin County, and later removed to Fayette County,
where WILLIAM KOLB was reared and married, his wife having been born near
Chillicothe, Ohio. After marriage WILLIAM KOLB entered eighty acres of
land in Rush County, Indiana, on which he lived until 1853. He then removed
to Benton County, where he still resides at the age of eighty-two years.
His wife, the mother of our subject, is now seventy-nine years of age.
They have journeyed down life’s pathway together for a period of fifty-nine
years, and in 1878 they celebrated their golden wedding. They have nine
children—MRS. MARY JANE CHEAK, JONATHAN (a physician), JOHN H., MRS. MAHALA
BENEDICT, JASPER, PHOEBE, RICHARD, WILLIAM D. and ALBERT.
JOHN H. KOLB, the subject
of this sketch, resided under the home roof until twenty-seven years of
age. He was married March 20, 1859, to MISS MARGARET CHRIST, a native of
Tippecanoe County, and a daughter of BENJAMIN and LORETTA (MARSTELLER)
CHRIST, who settled in this county in 1824. Four children were born to
this union, of whom only two are living, named WILBER and WALTER. Two are
deceased—MRS. LUELLA GRAVES, who died at the age of twenty-six years, and
Benjamin aged six years. MRS. GRAVES left at her death two children—HALLIE,
who lives with a sister of MR. KOLB, and EVA, the younger, who is the pet
of her grandfather’s home. MRS. KOLB died December 24, 1860, and February
27, 1871, MR. KOLB was again married to MISS JEMIMA DEATH, who was born
and reared in Fountain County, Indiana, a daughter of JOHN and ROSANNA
(WALKER) DEATH. Two children have been born to this marriage, named JOHN
E. and CHESTER. In 1860 MR. KOLB made his first land purchase in Tippecanoe
Township, consisting of forty acres. He has since added to his original
purchase until he now has 150 acres of Tippecanoe County’s best soil. His
farm is well improved, being underlaid with about 900 rods of tiling, and
his residence and farm buildings are among the best in the township. MR.
KOLB began teaching school at the age of nineteen years, and for about
thirteen years was engaged much of the time in that profession. He has
been a member of the Christian church since twenty years old, and in 1858
he was licensed to preach, since which time he has done much for the cause
of his Master. Possessing a genial and cordial disposition he has made
many friends, and is esteemed by the entire community.
Biographical Record and Portrait Album of Tippecanoe County, Indiana,
pg. 664
Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1888
Biography Index
© 2001 Tippecanoe Co., Indiana Biographies
Project
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