COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY Of Henry County Indiana B.F. Bowen 1920 Page 344, 345 Surnames in this biography are: Hoover, Misner, Schock, Swafford, Covault, Clensman, Gephart, ISAIAH HOOVER Prominent among the successful farmers of Liberty Township is Isaiah Hoover, whose family name has long been intimately associated with the history of Henry County. Paternally he is of German descent, but does not know when his ancestors left the Fatherland, though it is supposed to have been at a very early period in the history of Pennsylvania, where they originally settled. Joshua Hoover, the subject's father, was a native of the above state. He left his father's home at the age of seventeen, going to Ohio, where he grew to maturity and where, when a young man, he married Miss Catherine Misner, a native of Rockingham County, Virginia. Shortly after his marriage Joshua Hoover moved to Henry County, Indiana, and purchased one hundred and forty-four acres of wild land, from which in due time, by the hardest kind of toil, he developed a fine farm. Adding to his original purchase as the years went by, he finally became one of the prosperous men of his township and county, accumulating a large estate, estimated at his death to be worth over twelve thousand dollars. He was a fine businessman, made money easily and everything to which he turned his hand appeared to prosper. For a number of years he was a leading member of the German Baptist church in this county and as such did much to counteract many of the prevailing evils of the times. In politics he was a Republican, but took no very active interest in party affairs further than to maintain the soundness of his convictions and vote his principles. In every relation of life he was a good man and true and his death, which occurred on the 29th of March. 1876, was greatly deplored in the neighborhood where so much of his life had been passed. Mrs. Hoover survived her husband until 1889, when she, too, was called from earth to the, rest prepared for the people of God, of whom she was assuredly one. Joshua and Catherine Hoover were the parents of a large family, namely: Margaret Ranken, Elizabeth, Silas, David, John, Joshua, Susan, Catherine, Moses, Mary and Isaiah. Isaiah Hoover is one of Henry County's native sons, born in Liberty Township on the 9th day of May. 1848. He was reared on the home place to agricultural pursuits, attended the public schools during his youthful years and grew up to the full Stature of well developed manhood with a practical knowledge of honest labor in all its phases on the farm. On attaining his majority he started into the world to make his own way and chose for a companion on the journey Miss Mary V. Schock, to whom he was joined in matrimony on the 21st day of June 1868. Mrs. Hoover was born in Wayne County, Indiana, August 25, 1843, and is the daughter of Jacob and Lavina (Swafford) Schock, the father a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and the mother of North Carolina. During, the eighteen years following his marriage Mr. Hoover lived on his father's farm and it was not until 1886 that he purchased and moved to the beautiful place in Liberty Township, which he now owns and cultivates. He began life at the bottom of the ladder, but by well-directed thrift and energy born of a determination to succeed gradually overcame the obstacles in his pathway and in due time found himself the possessor of sufficient means to buy the attractive home which is now his. He has been a progressive farmer and from a small beginning has risen step by step until his original place of eighty acres has been increased to three hundred and thirty acres, worth at a very conservative estimation at least twenty thousand dollars, in addition to which he owns other valuable personal property. Every penny of this comfortable fortune has been honestly earned by the subject and the methods employed in its accumulation were ever of the mast honorable character. Mr. Hoover is what is termed in business circles a self-made man and his rise to affluence is the result of his own well-directed labor, studious disposition and the ability to take advantage of circumstances. His record has never been tarnished by an act of dishonesty in any of his transactions and his life has been one of true usefulness to his fellow men. A Republican in his political views, he has never taken a very active part in public affairs, but keeps himself well posted relative to the issues between the great parties and upon questions affecting national and state legislation. In religion he is and long has been a humble and devout member of the German Baptist church, his wife and family also belonging to the same communion. Socially, Mr. Hoover is one of the most genial and companionable of men, always optimistic in his views and inclined to look upon the sunny instead of the dark side of life. He possesses the happy faculty of making warm personal friends and when once formed these friendships are permanent. He is a favorite in his neighborhood, the life of social gatherings and his popularity is only bounded by the lines beyond which he is not known. Eight children constitute the family of Mr. and Mrs. Hoover: Joshua E., born March 16, 1869, married Rose Covault; David F, was born April 3, 1872, and chose for his wife Miss Lena Clensman; Edward M., born August 30, 1875, married Lena Gephart, and lives in this Township; Jacob C., whose birth occurred January 24, 1877, is one of the well-educated young men of Liberty Township; he was graduated from both common and high school and for some time thereafter attended college where he made a creditable record as a student; he is a single man and lives with his father; Daniel M., also unmarried and at home, was born January 29, 1879; Sarah C. was born September 29, 1880; Isaiah 0, first saw the light of day on the 10th of August 1882, and Lewis H. dates his birth from the 28th day of December, 1884. The sons and daughters are all well educated and popular with a large circle of friends in the community where they live. Source: COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY Of Henry County Indiana B.F. Bowen 1920 > </HTML>