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Surnames: Cummings, Fisher, Houghtaling, Hart, Billiter
Classification: Biography
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From Biographical Memoirs of Huntington County, 1901, pages 340-343
Luther Cummings, a retired farmer and one of the oldest living settlers
of Huntington county, is a native of Indiana, born on the 13th day of
March, 1832, near Newcastle, Henry county. Paternally he is descended
from one of the old pioneer families of Guilford county, North Carolina,
where his father, Richard Cummings, was born in February, 1808. Left an
orphan when quite young and obliged to rely upon his own resources,
Richard Cummings met with many vicissitudes, but being the fortunate
possessor of a vigorous physique and an indomitable will he succeeded in
overcoming the many obstacles by which he was surrounded, and at the
early age of sixteen took to himself a wife and in due time was
successfully battling with the world as a farmer on rented land. After
following agricultural pursuits in his native state for a period of five
years, during which time he accumulated some property, he concluded to
try his fortune in what was then called the west,--Indiana. Accordingly,
at the age of twenty-one, he moved with his young family to Henry county,
where, from 1830 to about 1834, he made a livelihood by farming on
shares.
In 1835 he removed to Marion, Grant county, at that time but an
insignificant backwoods village, and for some time thereafter farmed as
he had formerly done, by taking a lease on land not far from the county
seat. In 1836 he entered a place of his own, selecting for his home a
piece of land in Polk township, Huntington county, to which he at once
removed. No improvement had been done on this land, and Mr. Cummings was
confronted with the herculean task of removing the dense forest growth, a
task before which the strongest hearted men of today would hesitate.
Addressing himself with a right hearty will to the work before him, he
soon had a field ready for cultivation, and in order to obtain the
necessaries of life worked at intervals in a neighboring saw-mill for
fairly good wages. Living at that time was comparatively cheap, as the
pioneers' wants were few and the forest abounding in bear, deer, wild
turkey and game of all kinds afforded the table an abundance of varied
fare in the way of meats, all easily obtainable, and in quantites (sic)
to suit the condition of the larder.
Mr. Cummings cleared a good farm, which, by reason of improvement and
increase of settlers near by, greatly increased in value. He disposed of
his place at a handsome profit in 1843, and invested the proceeds in
canal land in Huntington county, at two dollars per acre, a part of his
purchase consisting of an eighty-acre tract which was at that time the
Indian Reserve. He made a comfortable home, besides accumulating
considerable property, both personal and real, and at the age of
seventy-five, after a long a fairly successful struggle with life, calmly
closed his eyes in the sleep that knows no waking.
In many respects Richard Cummings was more than an ordinary man. He knew
no such word as fail and discouragement which proved the bane of not a
few pioneers in the early history of our state. He was strong armed,
strong willed, strong hearted, and, possessed of a courage which quailed
before no obstacle, however formidable, won success from what to many
would have proven certain defeat. He was a typical representative of the
old southern school, a self-made man in the true sense of the word; and
although a hard-handed son of the soil never once forgot the courtesy and
bearing which marks the true gentleman. A stanch Democrat, he early
became a local leader of his party in Huntington county, and as a member
of the Methodist church did much toward introducing that religious faith
among the early settlers of the new county. His wife, Delila Cummings,
also a native of North Carolina, was born in 1809, and departed this life
about the year 1863 or 1864. She was a true helpmeet to her husband,
bore well her part in the early struggle of home-making in the forest,
and contributed much to the success which afterward rewarded their united
efforts.
Richard and Delila Cummings were the parents of seven children, three of
whom died in infancy. The names of the others are Emily, wife of Simon
Fisher, who died, the mother of two children; Joseph departed this life
at the age of twenty-one; Clarissa married Stephen Houghtaling, and died
in 1900, aged seventy; and Luther, whose name introduces this article.
Luther Cummings was quite a small boy when brought by his parents to
Huntington county, and his has been the privilege of seeing the country
grow from an almost wilderness to its present proud position among the
most thriving counties of the state; when of sufficient age and strength
he was called upon to assist in the hard work of clearing the land, a
physical exertion which in due time developed a strength of muscle and
resoluteness of purpose which fitted him well for his own struggle in
subsequent years. His early educational advantages were quite meager,
being restricted to a two-months attendance during the winter seasons at
the indifferent subscription schools then prevalent, consequently he is
not learned in the knowledge of books; but in the rugged school of
experience his lessons have been many and profitable. He remained under
the parental roof until about twenty-six years of age, when he began life
for himself, choosing for his vocation that most ancient and honorable of
all callings--tilling the soil.
In 1860 Mr. Cummings purchased twenty-five acres of land in Huntington
township, and five years later found himself in possession of sufficient
means to buy the old homestead. In the meantime, 1862, he was the
Democratic candidate for sheriff of Huntington county, to which office he
was elected after an animated struggle and which he filled with
satisfaction to all concerned for a period of four years, having been
re-elected in 1864. Mr. Cummings discharged the duties incumbent upon
him as sheriff without fear or favor, and as an official was not only
faithful, but kind and obliging to all with whom the office brought him
into business contact. Upon his retirement the universal opinion
prevailed that the county had never before been served by a more
efficient, painstaking and impartial public servant.
At the expiration of his official term Mr. Cummings resumed the vocation
of agriculture, which he continued with success and financial profit
until 1885, when, by reason of a competency enabling him to pass his
remaining years in quiet, he abandoned active life and has since lived
retired in his beautiful and comfortable home in the city of Huntington.
In the year 1856 Mr. Cummings was united in marriage to Miss Maria Hart,
of Preble county, Ohio, who bore him three children: Charles E., who now
owns the old homestead; Lizzie, wife of Benjamin F. Billiter; and one
that died in infancy un-named. At the time of her marriage Mrs. Cummings
was a teacher in the public schools and was widely and favorably known
for her many admirable qualities of head and heart. She died January 22,
1887.
Ever since reaching years of maturity Mr. Cummings has been a potent
factor in the industrial, political and public affairs of Huntington
county. Springing from sterling ancestry, he inherits many of the
characteristics of a long line of manly, God-fearing progenitors, and his
life has been an open book, known and read by his fellow citizens, who
have found therein no tarnished pages. His controlling motive has been
to know and to do the right, and how well he has succeeded in this high
and laudable endeavor, a private life beyond reproach and an official
record untinged by a single questionable act sufficiently attest. In
addition to filling the office of sheriff, Mr. Cummings was for several
consecutive terms elected trustee of his township, in which office he
displayed signal ability in looking after the public interests. An
uncompromising Democrat, always alive to the interest of the party, he
has never been an offensive partisan, and it is a noteworthy fact that
many of his lifelong friends and most earnest supporters are found in the
opposition party. He belongs to Loon Creek Lodge, No. 332, Independent
Order of Odd Fellows of Andrews, and in religion is a Methodist. In
every relation of life his character stands out bold and free, and all
who know him pronounce Luther Cummings a representative, self-made man,
and one of Huntington county's most highly respected and exemplary
citizens.