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Surnames: Vollmar, Felton & Settlemyre
Classification: Biography
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/gh.2ADI/5235
Message Board Post:
"History of Huntington County, Indiana"1914 By Frank S. Bash pg. 559-60
Jacob Vollmar. When in the fall of 1910 the citizens of the second district of Huntington
county elected Jacob Vollmar as a member of the county board of commissioners, their
choice fell upon a man whose long and prosperous identification with the county and whose
success in private affairs thoroughly entitled him to the esteem and confidence of his
fellow citizens, and his work in the important office of commissioner has more than
justified their choice. Mr. Vollmar came to his present office fully qualified to handle
its affairs, and has brought to his work the business sagacity so necessary in directing
the fiscal matters of a prosperous, growing community.
Jacob Vollmar was born on a farm in section four in Dallas township, of Huntington county,
October 1, 1864. His parents were Peter and Wilhelmina (Felton) Vollmar. Both parents were
born and reared and educated in Germany and each came to the United States with his and
her respective parents. The Vollmar family landed in New York March, 1854. The Feltons
arrived at New Orleans in April of the same year, came by boat up the Mississippi to St.
Louis, later located in Will Co., Illinois, where after the death of the father the
widowed mother took her children to Huntington county. The Vollmars first located in
Starke county, Ohio, and in 1860, settled in Huntington county, where the two young
people, Peter and Wilhelmina, first met and were soon afterwards married. To their union
were born twelve children, seven boys and five girls, namely; Jacob, Peter, Mary, Minnie,
John, Daniel, Carrie, Sarah, Louis, Christian, Elizabeth, and Carl. The last named lives
in Michigan, but all t!
he others have their homes in Indiana.
Jacob Vollmar was reared in Dallas township, grew up in the wholesome environment of the
country, and until he was fourteen years of age attended the local schools, being trained
both in the German and English languages. As a boy he became familiar with the duties of
the farm, and early adopted that as his permanent vocation. At the age of twenty-one his
father employed him at regular wages, and in that way he lived at home until he was
twenty-five.
On August 15, 1889, occurred the marriage of Jacob Vollmar and Stella N. Settlemyre, of
Jackson township. She was born and reared in Jackson township, and like her husband had a
district schooling. After their marriage they lived on a Jackson township farm for about
four years, and then Mr. Vollmar bought his present place of one hundred and twenty acres
in sections twenty-five and twenty-six in Union township. There for more than twenty years
he has prosperously combined the work of general farming and stock raising, and as a
representative of the thrifty and hardy German element in Huntington county has succeeded
much above the ordinary.
To his marriage have been born five children, as follows; Lena, a graduate of the Markle
high school, and the wife of Daniel Heaston; Julia, a graduate of the Markle high school,
and specially talented in music, in which she has been well trained and is now engaged in
teaching that art; Alma, a graduate of the country schools, and now a student in the
Markle high school; Bertha, also in the Markle high school; and Russell J., who was born
in 1902, and now attends the common schools. All the family are members of the Methodist
Episcopal church at Markle, of which Mr. Vollmar is a trustee. Fraternally he is
affiliated with Markle Lodge, No. 423, Knights of Pythias, and his political allegiance
has always been given to the Democracy. Mr. Vollmar has not only served in his present
office of county commissioner, but was at one time honored with election as member of the
township advisory board.