Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, 1903. pp. 350-352.

JOSEPH AWKERMAN.

One of the bravest ex-soldiers of the Civil war and now a respected resident of Liberty Center, Wells County, Indiana, is Joseph Awkerman, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, October 1, 1839. His father, also named Joseph, was a native of Berne, Switzerland, came to America when still quite young, and married at a proper age Miss Mary Osenbaugh, a native of Northampton county, Pennsylvania. He was called away, however, when but twenty-eight years of age, leaving Joseph, the subject proper of this sketch, then but three months old, to the care of his mother, who died when the son was only three and a half years of age.

Joseph Awkerman, Sr., at the death of his mother was placed in the care of a so-called guardian, who never even furnished the child with a pair of shoes nor clothing enough to cover him decently. The case was so aggravated a one that the boy was persuaded to run away from his guardian by a friend who had secured a home for him, where his services were rewarded with good board and clothes and five dollars in cash per year, that is, the equivalent of five American dollars. He was an industrious and faithful lad, always found plenty of work to do, and as he grew older his pay was increased proportionately. The last year he worked in Switzerland he received twelve dollars per month, but the next year, when he demanded thirteen dollars, his demand was refused. About this time he was informed that there was a party being made up for migration to America and he decided to join it. In 1817 he landed in New York, but for some reason he and his fellow passengers were reshipped on the same vessel to Philadelphia, where he was landed with no funds whatever. A kind stranger, becoming aware of the fact, furnished the young Switzer with four dollars and with this sum the latter paid his passage to Pittsburg, near which city he secured work on a farm, and remained thereon for two years. From Pennsylvania Mr. Awkerman removed to Ohio and for a while worked on a farm in Columbiana county, and later in a grist-mill for the same employer. He had made up his mind to come further west, when a proposition was made to him to clear up a fifteen-acre tract, a certain quantity of land to be given him as pay for his labor. But he heard that land could be had from the government further west at a much lower figure, and he accordingly gathered together all his available means and went to Wayne county, Ohio, where he entered eighty acres in the forest. There Mr. Awkerman built a cabin in which he lived alone four years, and then, about 1827, married Mary Osenbaugh, a daughter of Henry Osenbaugh, of Pennsylvania.

Mary Osenbaugh was but fourteen years of age when her parents came from the east and first located in Fairfield county, Ohio, whence they removed to Wayne county, Ohio, where Henry Osenbaugh and wife passed the remainder of their days. After marriage Joseph and Mary (Osenbaugh) Awkerman settled on the farm he had entered, and there had eleven children born to them, namely: A daughter, who died in infancy; Sarah, who died when seven years old; Elizabeth, who died at three; Catherine, widow of David Shreiner, of Medina county, Ohio; Susanna, deceased wife of William H. Funk, of Bluffton, Indiana; John, of Medina county, Ohio; Anna, deceased; Joseph, whose name opens this biography; Lovina, deceased; Rachael, wife of Levi Cross, of Michigan; and Henry, who has his residence also in Medina county, Ohio. Joseph Awkerman, the father of the above enumerated children, passed away November 23, 1863, and the mother November 15, 1877.

Joseph Awkerman, of this sketch, attended the district schools in Wayne county, Ohio, until twenty-one years of age and then worked at carpentering until the summer of 1862, when he enlisted, August 9, in Company E, One Hundred and Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he served three years. He never had a part in any very severe battle, but participated in many lively skirmishes and was in one siege of four days' duration. He was honorably mustered out June 30, 1865, and Mr. Awkerman stoutly maintains that his company never was conquered until it reached Todd's Barrack, at Columbus, Ohio, where it was completely routed by bed bugs and compelled to sleep in the yard.

When Mr. Awkerman reached his home, he found that his father had passed away, and his mother was just preparing for harvesting. Joseph therefore passed the remainder of the season in working for her and her neighbors, and the next year worked at his trade all summer. In the spring of 1867 he came to Liberty township, Wells County, Indiana, and in just two years and four days after arriving here purchased the farm of eighty acres on which he now lives and for which he paid nine hundred dollars, of which amount three hundred dollars was in cash; for the balance, he gave three notes, of two hundred dollars respectively, at twelve, twenty-four and thirty-six months, two of which notes he paid promptly when due, but the third he was thirty-three dollars short just at the time, but made it all right in a few days. After purchasing his farm, Mr. Awkerman continued to work at his trade in summer and in a saw-mill and at other kind of labor in winter, and thus was able to earn the means with which to pay for his farm, continuing to work in the same manner for ten years.

Mr. Awkerman was united in marriage, February 1, 1877, at St. Mary's, Ohio, with Miss Cynthia B. Bireley, who was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, April 8, 1837, a daughter of Lewis and Marv Bireley, the former of whom was born in Maryland, and the latter in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. Cynthia B., the daughter of this respected and honored couple, was but seven years of age when taken to Ohio by her parents, who settled in Miami county, where she grew to maturity. There were five children in the Bireley family, born in the following order; Elnora, now deceased; Rebecca; William, deceased; Susan, deceased, and Cynthia B., now Mrs. Awkerman. At his marriage, Mr. Awkerman began housekeeping in a log cabin, eighteen by twenty-four feet in dimension on the ground floor, with two rooms upstairs. They had made some bed clothing, on "the sly," and Mrs. Awkerman brought the bed, the chairs, a rocker, a cupboard, a table and several other little articles of household furniture. Mr. Awkerman had no team at that time, but in the following November bought two horses and a wagon and began farming, relinquishing carpenter work as much as possible. Two or three years after marriage, on one occasion, Mr. Awkerman found himself to be rather hard pressed for cash, but was told by his wife that it was absolutely necessary to have flour. The young husband was somewhat nonplussed, but put a bold face on and went to Poneta and secured some flour from John Penrod on credit, this being the only time in his life that he was really "hard up."

Mr. Awkerman continued farming until 1884, when he succumbed to ill health contracted in the army and was unable to do any work until the middle of October following. Up to this attack of sickness every thing on the farm had worked auspiciously, but he was compelled to rent his farm and retire to Poneto. His residence in the town had a continuance of three years, but in the second year of this period he secured, in recognition of his military service, a pension of sixteen dollars per month and back pay for eighteen months, and this sum put him out of debt, nor does he owe any man a dollar. In 1887 Mr. Awkerman returned to his farm, over which he still keeps supervision, but rents out the arable portion to John Wineland. The farm is improved with a handsome dwelling, a good barn, and one thousand one hundred and fifty rods of tiling, and with the exception of seven acres is all cleared off and under cultivation.

Mr. Awkerman is a member of the Dunkard church and Mrs. Awkerman is a member of the Methodist Protestant, and of the former he is a member of the building committee and a trustee. In politics Mr. Awkerman is a Republican, but was reared a Democrat, and the change was brought by the first slave he ever saw and who preached Democracy out of him. Mr. and Mrs. Awkerman are among the most respected of the residents of Liberty Center, and for his present elevated position Mr. Awkerman does not hesitate to award to his faithful helpmate a full share of praise and credit.