William Doyle

    Residents of Van Buren Township are wont to speak with pride -and with good reason -of their fine farms and individual homesteads and of the particular facilities and improvements that are distinctive of this locality as one of the civil divisions of Grant County. Their enumeration of the many things which make life in this township better and bigger, either ends or begins with reference to the magnificent central high school, the finishing place for every boy and girl in the township, from whose doors they go out, better equipped than any of their parents at the end of school days. The township built and furnished this notable hall of learning, but more individual credit for the achievement belongs to William Doyle than any other citizen. Mr. Doyle has the reputation of being the best trustee, the township has ever had, and on the basis of his actual accomplishment while in office, there are probably none who would begrudge him that high honor.

    William Doyle is one of the substantial men of Van Buren Township who have devoted their careers chiefly to agriculture. He is the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of fine land situated in sections thirty-four, thirty-five and thirty-three, but his residence is in the village of Van Buren. Mr. Doyle was born March 15, 1847, in the township where he now resides, and has seen this part of Grant County emerge from a wilderness to a popular and most prosperous community. His parents were Samuel and Mary A. (McCluskey) Doyle. The paternal grandparents were Mathew and Mary (McMahon) Doyle, who were natives of Ireland, and settled in the State of Ohio in 1814. They had first lived in Pennsylvania and were married in Philadelphia. Samuel Doyle, the father was born where is now the city limits of Philadelphia, January 10, 1805, and his death occurred in Grant County, September 4, 1870. He was a small boy when the family moved to Ohio, and he grew up in Guernsey County, where in 1838, he married Miss Mary McCluskey, who was born at Harpers Ferry, Maryland, September 2, 1811. In 1840 the parents moved into Indiana, and became residents of Van Buren Township, where they remained until their death, their home being on Section Thirty-four. Samuel Doyle's older brother Michael, was a Van Buren Township settler in June, 1838. The Doyle family has accordingly been identified with this county from the first decade of local history. They came when the country was sparsely settled, when there were no roads, and when the settlers cut their trails through the forests. Samuel Doyle entered a quarter section of wild land, proved his industry and eventually became possessor of six hundred acres, all of which he subsequently divided among his children. He was identified with the official affairs of the county, and was especially prominent in introducing improvements in stock and was well known as a breeder of horses. During the war he sold many horses to the government. The four children of Samuel Doyle and wife were Mary Ann Lease, of Van Buren; Thomas B., of Van Buren; William; and Michael on the old home place.

    William Doyle, as a boy was a pupil in the old school in District number eight. He recalls some of his early teachers. They were Enoch E. Camblin and George W. Camblin, the latter now being a resident of Nebraska; also Robert D. Fornshell, a former Justice of the Peace of Grant county; and James Phillips of Washington Township. Enoch Camblin the first mentioned is one of the oldest residents of Van Buren, being now eighty-seven years of age and a member of the octogenarian club of Grant county. When William Doyle was twenty-one years of age, his father gave him a share of the crops, and he took an interest in the management of the farm until his father's death. He then obtained a share of the land by inheritance, and he and his brother Michael bought out the other heirs, and became owner of three hundred and twenty acres. They farmed this in partnership for five years, at the end of which time they divided the property, William taking the south half. In 1875 he bought twenty acres more, and in 1891 bought forty-seven and a half acres from his brother Thomas,  later bought eighty acres from his nephew and with another purchase of twenty-two acres, brought his total of land up to two hundred and eighty acres. He oversees his fine farm estate with the aid of his youngest son. That he is one of the large crop producers in Grant county, may be seen from the following record of his crops in 1912: twenty-five hundred bushels of corn; fifteen hundred bushels of oats; and thirty tons of hay. During the present season of 1913, Mr. Doyle planted fifty acres to corn, sixteen acres to oats, and thirty-two acres to wheat. Each year he send from one hundred to one hundred and fifty hogs to market, and keeps twelve heads of horses to work his place. He has a nice apple orchard of four acres, and some small fruits on the farm. The season of 1911 his orchard yielded eight hundred bushels of apples. He takes much interest in the growing of fruit, and is using his influence to make Grant county a fruit growing center. He sprays his trees and cultivates them, and his care is repaid with generous fruitage. The Doyle home is in the village of Van Buren, located on Main street, and is a nice eleven room house with all the modern improvements. Mr. Doyle moved to the town in 1900. On his farm he has another good ten room house, which replaced a residence burned down in 1882. He also has a large barn and excellent outbuildings, and everything owned by Mr. Doyle shows progressive management and adequate care.

    Mr. Doyle is one of the sterling Democrats of Grant County. In 1894 he was elected to the office of Township Assessor, and held that position for six years. In 1900 he was elected Trustee, serving until 1904. In 1908 he was again elected, and is now holding over until 1915. Thus he has had the official supervision of the erection of what is regarded as the finest high school building in a rural community in northern Indiana. The Van Buren school was put up at a cost of fifty-thousand dollars. As Trustee, Mr. Doyle visited several cities, and finally decided upon a modern eleven room building, which is complete in every respect. It ahs wide halls, hardwood finish and tiles floors, and the building throughout is supplied with every convenience and comfort, and all the facilities for first-class work.

    For the past thirty years Mr. Doyle has been affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His church is the Christian. In 1870 he married Miss Sarah J. Hayes a daughter of William Hayes of Grant County. Six children were born to their marriage, and four are now living:

1. Mary, who is the wife of Henry C. Ferguson of Van Buren Township.

2. Albert N., is a member of the State Board of Accountants and resides in Marion.

3. Ida M. is deceased.

4. Deborah Weimer, is deceased.

5. Violet Y. Easton, lives in Barlettsville, Oklahoma.

6. Lavanner C., is on the house farm.

Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914.