Biography of Robert M. Engle
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Biography of Robert M. Engle
From "Biographical Memoirs of Wells County Indiana," Logansport, IN, B. F. Bown, 1903, pp. 206-208.
Robert M. Engle.
It is an axiom demonstrated by all human experiences that industry is the key to prosperity. Success comes not the man who idly waits for fortune's smiles but to the faithful toiler who works with cheerful celerity and sleepless vigilance and takes advantage of every circumstance calculated to advance his interests. Such a man is Robert M. Engle, a well known and highly respected citizen of Nottingham township who within a comparatively few years has worked his way from a humble station in life to a proud position among the leading farmers of his community, besides winning for himself a name which all who know him hold the highest esteem. Mr. Engle is a native of Wells County, Indiana and has spent all of his life within its borders. He was born September 7, 1864, in the township of Nottingham, and is the son of Isaac and Ann (Hopkins) Engle, who were among the substantial residents of this part of the county. When a mere lad, he was taught the necessity of honest toil as the only legitimate means of obtaining a livelihood, consequently he grew up to the full stature of manhood imbued with the idea that idleness, if not a crime, is, to say the least, is anything but honorable. When old enough to work to advantage he took his place by the side of his father in the fields and nobly did his part in running the farm and supporting the family. The district school in the neighborhood afforded him the means of acquiring a good practical education and he attended the same of winter seasons until his twentieth year, making the most of every opportunity to add to his intellectual discipline. He remained at home as his father's assistant several years after reaching manhood's estate and it was not until his twenty-eighth year that he severed home ties and set up a domestic establishment of his own. Meantime, on the 13th of March, 1886, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Rosetta McClain, of Nottingham township, daughter of William and Emma (Fisher) McClain, and from that time until 1892 continued to work at home, getting little more than a living for himself and wife from his labor. In return for his filial devotion to his father in the latter year assisted Robert to buy a farm of eighty acres, contributing one thousand dollars towards the price, a sum of which the son had much more than earned while managing the homestead and looking after his parents interests. Only a part of the place was in cultivation when the subject took possession, but he has since cleared and otherwise improved the land until all but ten acres is susceptible to tillage. Mr. Engle is a man of industrious habits and the result of his systematic labors is apparent in the fine condition to which he has brought his farm in the last ten years. He has put in many rods of tiling, to the great improvement of the soil, built fine fences, besides erecting a comfortable dwelling to replace the house destroyed by fire shortly after he moved to the farm. By reason of the discovery of oil in this part of the community and the subsequent development of the industry, Mr. Engle's place has greatly increased in value, there being five wells on his land, from which he receives an income of over six hundred dollars per year. At the present time he does little on the farm besides superintending the work, now devoting the greater part of his attention to pumping oil, which business he has followed more or less during six years past. He also takes pride in the raising of fine live stock, a department of husbandry which he assumed considerable magnitude in Wells County and which promises to become more important with each succeeding year.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Engle originally consisted of four children, whose names are Howard, Esther, Edna and Harvey, the first two deceased. In his political views, Mr. Engle votes with the Republican party and during campaign years take an active interest in working for its success. He is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodge meeting at the village of Petroleum. The qualities which have made Mr. Engle one of the successful farmers and stock-raisers of his township have also brought him the good will and esteem of his fellow citizens, for his career from the beginning has been one of well directed energy, strong determination and honorable dealing. Endowed by nature with good mental powers and possessing the energy to direct his facilities into proper channels he has become a man of resourceful capacity as the able management of his private affairs and rapid advancement in material things abundantly demonstrates. Socially he is a most agreeable gentleman, always genial and pleasant in manner, a loyal friend, an excellent neighbor and as a citizen ranking with the best of his compeers. He has never been missed by political aspirations to the neglect of his business interests and has no ambition to gratify in the way of public distinction, wishing only to be known and recognized as a common man in the domain of private citizenship.
[poster is not related to this family and has no further information]
Robert M. Engle.
It is an axiom demonstrated by all human experiences that industry is the key to prosperity. Success comes not the man who idly waits for fortune's smiles but to the faithful toiler who works with cheerful celerity and sleepless vigilance and takes advantage of every circumstance calculated to advance his interests. Such a man is Robert M. Engle, a well known and highly respected citizen of Nottingham township who within a comparatively few years has worked his way from a humble station in life to a proud position among the leading farmers of his community, besides winning for himself a name which all who know him hold the highest esteem. Mr. Engle is a native of Wells County, Indiana and has spent all of his life within its borders. He was born September 7, 1864, in the township of Nottingham, and is the son of Isaac and Ann (Hopkins) Engle, who were among the substantial residents of this part of the county. When a mere lad, he was taught the necessity of honest toil as the only legitimate means of obtaining a livelihood, consequently he grew up to the full stature of manhood imbued with the idea that idleness, if not a crime, is, to say the least, is anything but honorable. When old enough to work to advantage he took his place by the side of his father in the fields and nobly did his part in running the farm and supporting the family. The district school in the neighborhood afforded him the means of acquiring a good practical education and he attended the same of winter seasons until his twentieth year, making the most of every opportunity to add to his intellectual discipline. He remained at home as his father's assistant several years after reaching manhood's estate and it was not until his twenty-eighth year that he severed home ties and set up a domestic establishment of his own. Meantime, on the 13th of March, 1886, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Rosetta McClain, of Nottingham township, daughter of William and Emma (Fisher) McClain, and from that time until 1892 continued to work at home, getting little more than a living for himself and wife from his labor. In return for his filial devotion to his father in the latter year assisted Robert to buy a farm of eighty acres, contributing one thousand dollars towards the price, a sum of which the son had much more than earned while managing the homestead and looking after his parents interests. Only a part of the place was in cultivation when the subject took possession, but he has since cleared and otherwise improved the land until all but ten acres is susceptible to tillage. Mr. Engle is a man of industrious habits and the result of his systematic labors is apparent in the fine condition to which he has brought his farm in the last ten years. He has put in many rods of tiling, to the great improvement of the soil, built fine fences, besides erecting a comfortable dwelling to replace the house destroyed by fire shortly after he moved to the farm. By reason of the discovery of oil in this part of the community and the subsequent development of the industry, Mr. Engle's place has greatly increased in value, there being five wells on his land, from which he receives an income of over six hundred dollars per year. At the present time he does little on the farm besides superintending the work, now devoting the greater part of his attention to pumping oil, which business he has followed more or less during six years past. He also takes pride in the raising of fine live stock, a department of husbandry which he assumed considerable magnitude in Wells County and which promises to become more important with each succeeding year.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Engle originally consisted of four children, whose names are Howard, Esther, Edna and Harvey, the first two deceased. In his political views, Mr. Engle votes with the Republican party and during campaign years take an active interest in working for its success. He is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodge meeting at the village of Petroleum. The qualities which have made Mr. Engle one of the successful farmers and stock-raisers of his township have also brought him the good will and esteem of his fellow citizens, for his career from the beginning has been one of well directed energy, strong determination and honorable dealing. Endowed by nature with good mental powers and possessing the energy to direct his facilities into proper channels he has become a man of resourceful capacity as the able management of his private affairs and rapid advancement in material things abundantly demonstrates. Socially he is a most agreeable gentleman, always genial and pleasant in manner, a loyal friend, an excellent neighbor and as a citizen ranking with the best of his compeers. He has never been missed by political aspirations to the neglect of his business interests and has no ambition to gratify in the way of public distinction, wishing only to be known and recognized as a common man in the domain of private citizenship.
[poster is not related to this family and has no further information]