Albert L. Feighner
Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Feighner
"Electra-Lea Farm" Washington Township
Home of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Feighner and Family
While Electra-Lea farm in Washington Township is one of the best know farmsteads in Grant County -interurban transportation from the door and modern in all its appointments -the Feighner family residing there are not strangers, the present occupant being the third of the Feighners to live there. Albert L. Feighner is the only son of Adam J. and Martha (White) Feighner, and the homestead has been in the Feighner family by purchase and inheritance since acquired by his great-grandfather, John Adam Feighner, in 1854 from John King, who entered the land on March 15, 1837, and connected with the abstract of title held by Mr. Feighner is the original land patent granted by President Martin Van Buren.
Electra-Lea was the firs farm home in grant County to be lighted by electricity, the current being supplied from the M. B. & E. trolley line passing the house. Mr. Feighner is a machinist and mechanic enough to handle the current, shifting the wires and attaching power himself, and the silo and mows are filled with power, invisible and yet unfailing, and there is "no night there" in the sense of thick darkness. the bar at Electra-Lea has switch boards the same as the house, and milking early or late is no hardship, there being a drop light in each stall, and when the wind does not blow the water is supplied in the tanks from the same subtle agency -the electric current. Mr. Feighner is prepared to do all his own grinding, and when feed is necessary he has only to "touch the button." Electric current is used in "buzzing" wood, and the problem of power is well solved at Electra-Lea.
When the lighting system was installed it was extended to the home of Adam J. Feighner, and the two farm homes lacked nothing in the way of modern conveniences possible to any family in town. There were gas and oil there much longer than in some farm houses, and nothing would have tempted either family to quit the country. For years there has been a private telephone connection, and each house is connected with the Marion exchange, and with the daily mail the world was at their door -why leave the country? While A. L. Feighner is the third Feighner to own this land, there was no electricity and therefore no Electra-La prior to his living there. He has been interested in perpetuating some family lore, and since his grandfather, John Adam Feighner, came from Germany a translation was necessary in order to understand an old covenant or contract made by some of his ancestors and which had always been treasured by him. This covenant bears date of January 1, 1787, and was entered into by John "Faegner" of Lehigh Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, with John Moyer, of Whitehall Township, and it was duly witnessed that Mr. Moyer agreed to teach Mr. Faegner the weaver's trade in two years, for which he was to receive two pairs of wool socks, one suit of underclothes, a silk muffler, one broadcloth overcoat at three dollars per yard, a cap and two wool over shirts. In return Mr. Faegner was to be a dutiful servant, not to do anything wrong to his master -be perfectly honest in business toward his master, and not to go to any amusement or entertainments unless permitted by his master. He was to live a consistent, upright life, etc., and both signed the original agreement written in the German. This ancient document shows the evolution of the family name now written Feighner.
The family of John Adam Feighner came direct from Pennsylvania and knew the hardships incident to pioneer life in Indiana. There were five sons and five daughters in the family: Jacob, Animary, Harriet, John, Elizabeth, Adam J. (father of Albert L.), William, Sarah, Julia and Daniel, but only Daniel, living in Montana, and Julia, living in Ohio, survive Adam J. Feighner, who died at the family homestead, which he had acquired by purchasing all the shares, February 20, 1910. At the age of 73 years, 3 months and 10 days, Mrs. Feighner, with a niece, Miss Fanny White, continues to reside there. Mrs. Feighner was one of nine children in a Madison County family, her sisters being Sarah, Elizabeth and Rachel, and her brothers, Hiram, Henry, Samuel, John and Mace White. Some of them afterward lived in Grant County, and while her husband lived they had a large circle of friends, who still show every courtesy to her. She preferred living on at the old homestead where she had always been so busy and acquired a competency. She was a woman who enjoyed the daily newspapers, and she kept in touch with the whole world until she became an invalid a few months ago.
Albert L. Feighner married Miss Laura E. Lobdell, January 16, 1889, and for twenty-five years they have worked together, and their pleasant surroundings bespeak their industry. Mrs. Feighner is one of five children born to Aaron T. and Catherine (McDaniel) Lobdell, of Washington. (See Golden Wedding list in history). A sister, Mrs. Emma Bradford, and a brother, Francis M. Lobdell are deceased, and Mrs. Josephine Creviston (see H. C. Creviston) and John T. Lobdell are well known residents of this community. Two daughters were born to Mr. and Mrs. Feighner: Georgia Olive, wife of Claude R. Maple, and Edith Violet, wife of Clarence D. Erlewine. They also have one granddaughter, Wilma Catherine Maple, and they have lost one grandson, Raymond Feighner Erlewine. When Electra-Lea changes ownership again, even though by inheritance, it will go out of the Feighner family name, as there is no son to perpetuate it. "Faegner" in German became Feighner in English, and since A. L. Feighner is still a young man the name will not soon be forgotten in the annals of the community.
While Mr. and Mrs. Feighner were educated in the common schools, their daughters had high school advantages, the interurban car passing their door, and there is no advantage in town not available to the family at Electra-Lea. While the Feighner automobile is seen on Marion streets in summer, the family use the electric cars for lectures, sermons or the theater in the evening. They can see the car from their window in time to hail it at the Feigner stop in front of the house, and many matches are burned at that point -a light always a safe signal in the darkness. Electra-Lea has all modern equipments, and it is never necessary to call a machinist to adjust slight difficulties. While the old log house, weather-boarded up and down, still stands in the group of farm buildings, and does service on butchering day and for storage, and while John Adam Feighner, who built it, operated a tannery and supplied many shoemakers with leather in pioneer days, at the same time clearing the land, dairy farming has been the source of income there recently.
A. L. Feighner was among the first Grant County farmers to install the telephone, and nothing is ever offered on the market that is not sold before it is brought to town. The silo at Electra-Lea has long ago paid for itself and there is a manure saving plant not equaled anywhere else in Grant County. The manure spreader comes into a shed surrounding a shaft where all roughness reaches the cattle, and it is there loaded from both the horse and dairy barns, and there is no waste, as all fertility reaches the field with out rain falling on it. Mr. and Mrs. Feigner both understand the requirements of the successful farmer, and they make the most of their opportunities -convenience to market -and nothing is wasted at Electra-Lea. Mr. Feighner is conservative. HE is a member of the township council, and is always alert to the interests of the community. They are members of the First Christian Church, and are as frequently in their pew as if they lived in town. When Adam J. Feighner lived he was recognized as a man of his word, and the son has the same high moral conception of things. While he is proud of his father's citizenship, he has pride also in his war record, Company K, Fortieth Indiana Private Infantry. He received his discharge at Nashville in 1865, when all the soldiers returned to their homes and every day pursuits. Two of his neighbors, G. W. Coon and Henry Callentine, were with him in the army, and they survive him. Their friendship continued to the end.
Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914