Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana (Gc 977.201 W46bi)
MARTIN HECKLEY
The present solid prosperity enjoyed in this country may be attributed
largely to her pioneers. In the days of her maidenhood, when the only welcome
tendered a stranger was a wilderness, those who settled here had little to
encourage them in their enormous undertaking. But the sturdy settlers came
not only with the determination to succeed, but to succeed honestly, and
worked persistently until, late in life, they became prosperous and honorable
citizens of their locality.
Martin Heckley, who is one of Jefferson township's prominent and prosperous
farmers, born in Wurtemburg, Germany, September 15, 1836. He was the son of
martin and Mary (Beck) Heckley, poor but respected German citizens. As a boy
he attended the schools of Germany and, while his education was not polished,
yet it was sufficient to enable him to make his way in the world without much
difficulty. When he was seventeen years old he was apprenticed as a
ropemaker, at which trade he worked until he came to America, in 1855, at the
age of nineteen.
He came directly to Jefferson township and for some time made his home with
his uncle, Mathias Beck. At the time of his arrival in Wells county he was
indebted to his uncle to the amount of seventy dollars, which had been sent
him for the purpose of defraying the expense of his passage to America, and
being of an energetic disposition he immediately went to work to repay this
money. He worked fourteen months for his uncle in order to discharge his
indebtedness and when freed from this load he hired himself out to a farmer
for a period of five years, recieving one hundred and twenty-five dollars per
year as a remuneration. During that time he managed to save five hundred and
twenty-five dollars and, after sending twenty-five dollars to his people in
Germany, he bought eighty acres of woodland, his present homestead, which he
proceeded at once to clear and improve.
In 1861 Mr. hecklet was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Moyer and took her
immediately to the new home in the woods. This house was later remodeled and
is the present home of the family. he is now the possessor of three hundred
and sixty-five acres of as fine land as the county affords, it is being
dividing into six farms estimated to be worth about twenty thousand dollars.
In March, 1889, his first wife died and he was again married. September 16,
1891, to Mrs. Eugenia McDowell, who was born in Bluffton, Indiana, in April,
1858. his first wife bore him seven children; Malinda, wife of Dan Miller;
Mary, wife of Jacob Shoe; John married Clara Kleineigh; Sam, the husband of
Zoe Judd; Rosa, wife of Charles Isnogle; Martin, Jr., married Agnes Hunt; and
Frank, whose wife was Catherine Judd.
Mr. and Mrs. Heckley are both highly respected church members, he being a
member of the Presbyterian faith, while the wife is enrolled with the United
Brethren. they are active and enthusiastic church workers and are depended
upon by their fellow workers in all church affairs. Mrs. Heckley is also a
member of the Order of eastern Star, in which institution she is quite
prominent. Mr. heckley has all his life voted the democratic ticket. The
Heckleys are well respected citizens of Wells county, where they ahve a host
of acquaintances, and their influence, which has been felt by friends and
strangers alike, can be said to be uplifting.
Mr. Heckley's home is pleasantly situated four and one-half miles east of
Ossian and its doors are ever open in genial hospitality to rich and poor
alike, Mr. Heckley never forgetting the days of his own struggles and
privations when the kind words and welcome of others were highly appreciated.