Lake Maxinkuckee Its Intrigue History & Genealogy Culver, Marshall, Indiana

One Township's Yesterdays Chapter XXVII  



GARVER

FREDERICK GARVER, a native of Germany, came to the United States when a young man, and married in Washington County, Pennsylvania, SARAH S. SPEERE, daughter of Rev. HENRY SPEERE. There were twelve children of FREDERICK and SARAH GARVER.

The father emigrated west some time in the thirties and settled in Cass County, Michigan, thence in 1834 moved to Elkhart County, Indiana, where he entered a tract of government land. He was one of the pioneers of that region. He died in Elkhart County in 1852, and one year later his wife passed away.

One of the children, John S., born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, April 5, 1813, was, when but a child, taken by his parents to Indiana. The years of his youth were spent chiefly in Wayne and Crawford counties, Ohio, and in Cass County, Michigan. He subsequently lived in Elkhart County, Indiana, remaining there until 1854, when he came to Marshall County and settled in Union Township. Here he cleared and developed a fine farm from the woods. Being early obliged to assist his father on the farm, his educational advantages were of necessity quite limited, but long experience in life's relations gave him a sound practical knowledge such as books often fail to impart. He was married in 1837 in Elkhart County to MARY STUTZMAN, a native of Ohio. There were thirteen children born to this union. JOHN and MARY GARVER were members of the German Baptist Church. It is interesting to note that while still a young man, JOHN GARVER participated in the Black Hawk War, enlisting while a resident of Michigan. The Garver lands were on the Burr Oak Flats, a short distance south of the present Burr Oak community.