George M. Himelick

    In a review of the lives of the prominent an influential citizens of Grant County, George M. Himelick is certainly deserving of more than passing mention, for his well spent career, his ability, his loyalty to the duties of citizenship and his fidelity in private life have all gained him a place among the leading residents of the community. He is a member of an old and honored family, his grandfather, Joseph Himelick being born in Ohio in 1819, of German parentage. When sixteen years of age, Joseph Himelick removed from the Buckeye State to Franklin County, Indiana, where he was married to Miss Mary Curry, and there one son was born; nine months later they moved to Jennings County, Indiana, where the three daughter were born. later, during the early sixties, the grandparents and their children migrated to Madison County, Indiana, and settle don wooded land, which Mr. Himelick cleared and cultivated until his death in 1885. The grandmother, who celebrated her ninety-first birthday September 13, 1913, has ninety-two living descendants, five of whom are great-great-grandchildren. she still lives at Summitville, Madison County, and in view of her advanced year is in excellent health and in possession of her faculties. Mr. Himelick was a Democrat in politics, and in religious belief was connected with the Christian Church, of which the grandmother is still a member. They had these children: John, the father of George M. Himelick; Anna, the widow of William Carpenter, a farmer of Delaware County, Indiana, where she still resides with her family; Elizabeth, the wife of Robert Gallaway, a retired farmer of near Council Bluffs, Iowa, with a family; and Mary, the widow of John Styers, living with her mother at Summitville, Indiana.

    John Himelick, the father of George M. Himelick, was born December 25, 1840, and was reared and educated on the home farm, upon which he resided until his marriage to Mary Morris, who was born September 23, 1844. After the birth of their first two children, Mr. and Mrs. Himelick moved to Madison County, Indiana, but in 1874, changed their residence to Fairmount Township, Grant County, where the father spent the remaining active years of his life. He then retired to Mills Township, where his death occurred July 25, 1905. The mother still survives and makes her home at Summitville, where she is a faithful member of the Christian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Himelick were the parents of the following children:

  1. George M. is the subject of this review.

  2. Joseph, who married Ella Webster, and had three children, Elva, Virgil and Willis.

  3. Elizabeth, who married Ullysus Horner. Mrs. Horner had two children, Lillie and John; Mrs. Horner died January 6, 1894, and Ullysus Horner died in 1901.

  4.  Robert, a resident of River Falls, Wisconsin, is Superintendent of the State Normal School. He married Media Tyler, and has two children, Frances and Jesse.

  5. John W. is represented on another page of this work.

  6. Olive is the wife of Virgil Duling, a farmer of Fairmount Township, and has one daughter, Mary.

  7. Maude is the wife of William Moss of Marion, Indiana.

  8. Orville, engaged in the hardware business at Upland, married Nancy Ruley and has four children, Louise, John, Paul and an infant.

  9. Earl, a foreman in the shops at Jonesboro, married Dora Nelson, and has three children, Lucile, Raymond and Robert.

    George M. Himelick was born March 23, 1864, in Jennings County, Indiana, and received his education in the schools of Madison and Grant Counties. He was reared to habits of industry and integrity, and grew up an agriculturist, embarking upon his own career on a farm of 113 acres in Section 4, Jefferson Township. This land he has brought to a high state of cultivation, and has made numerous modern improvements, conveniences and accessories of the most modern nature. In addition he owns four eighty-acre tracts in Monroe, on which are located two sets of fine farm buildings. Mr. Himelick has devoted the greater part of his time and attention to the raising of all kinds of cereals, and has been exceptionally successful in this line, but also is greatly interested in breeding all kinds of livestock. His products meet with a ready sale and fancy prices in the markets, and he s known as a man strictly honorable in his business transactions. He owes his success to energy, industry and perseverance, and to an intelligent application of the most progressive methods  to his operations. He has always been a firm friend of education, morality and good citizenship, and has contributed his aid to the cause of temperance as a voter in the ranks of the Prohibition party. with is family he attends the New Light Christian Church.

    Mr. Himelick was married in Jefferson Township to Miss Lydia J. Wise, who was born, reared and educated in this township and is a daughter of Jacob Wise, a review of whose career will be found elsewhere in this volume. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Himelick:

  1. Ernest F., who married Lotus Atkinson, had a son born November 7, 1913, and is carrying on agricultural operations in Monroe Township, on one of his father's properties.

  2. Clarence, married to Marie Stephens, January 1, 1914.

  3. Bertha M.

  4. Orvin William

  5. Waldo R.

  6. Lemley

  7. Myrle

  8. Esther

  9. Ralph

  10. Olive Maud

  11. Ethel O.

    The last nine are all living at home with their parents; and Homer E., who died at the age of four months. The children have all been given good educational advantages, and are proving themselves credits to their family and to their community.

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

 

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