Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, 1903. pp. 229-230.

JOSEPH ROSE.

Among the prominent business men of Bluffton, Wells County, Indiana, but who started in meager circumstances, is Joseph Rose, who was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1852, and is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Gordon) Rose, also natives of the Keystone state. Samuel Rose was a railroad contractor in his early business career, but later became a merchant, in which calling he both made and lost money.

To Samuel and Gordon [sic] (Rose) have been born nine children and of these Joseph is the fifth in order of birth. As the father found it necessary to utilize the services of the son in his business of contracting, the education of the latter was somewhat neglected in youth. The father paid the son wages from the time the latter was fifteen years old until twenty-two and their mutual labor was always of a harmonious nature. After ceasing to work for his father, Joseph entered a general store in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, in which he was employed as a salaried man for six years, but in the meantime, December 25, 1879, he married Miss Sarah A. Stoever, of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Hunsicker) Stoever. Sarah A. was born February 23, 1854, on a farm in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, and received her education in the common schools of her native township.

March 21, 1881, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rose came to Wells County, Indiana, Mr. Rose being then possessor of about two hundred dollars. He found employment in the grocery store owned by Joseph Valentine, with whom he continued about one year, then entered the employ of Jacob Brown, with whom he remained four years; he was next employed by John A. Bowman for a year and a half, and next by Albert Shepherd for a period of similar duration. All this time Mr. Rose employed his small capital in speculating in town lots and in this line made money rapidly. In 1892 he also purchased two farms, comprising one hundred and seventy-nine acres west of Bluffton, and later disposed of them at a profit that was satisfactory. In 1892 Mr. Rose erected his present brick building, twenty-four by one hundred and forty feet, on Main street, at a cost of about twelve thousand dollars, the lower or ground floor of which is occupied as salesrooms while the upper floors are arranged as living rooms.

The residence of Mr. Rose, erected in 1900 at the corner of Washington and Marion streets, at a cost of nearly eight thousand dollars, is one of the finest dwellings in Bluffton, contains nine rooms and is heated by furnace. The fortune of Mr. Rose is now estimated at thirty thousand dollars, which he, aided by his amiable helpmate, has realized through personal efforts, shrewd speculative tact and the judicious manner in which he has made his investments.

Fraternally Mr. Rose is a member of Lodge No. 114, I. O. O. F., at Bluffton, and Mrs. Rose is a member of the Rebekah Lodge No. 87, of the same order, in which he has passed all the chairs and in April, 1898, represented her subordinate in the grand lodge; she is also an active member of the Woman's Relief Corps, of which she was once the president and in which she has filled all the minor chairs. Being a lady of culture and fine literary taste, Mrs. Rose is also a member of the Shakespearian Reading Club of Bluffton.

In politics Mr. Rose is a Republican in national matters, but in town and county affairs he exercises his own judgment in casting his vote, generally selecting the most competent candidate for the office to be filled regardless of party affinities, he being himself a broad minded and public spirited citizen and fully competent to judge of the needs of the community and of the manner in which they should be supplied. He is honest in all his dealings and his bare word is as reliable as would be any document to which he might affix his signature.