Charles W. Pierce

As printed in 1914

CHARLES W. PIERCE.

The chief characteristics of Charles W. Pierce, one of the best-known business men of Union City, Randolph county, are keenness of perception, an unflagging energy, honesty of purpose and motive and every-day common sense, which have enabled him not only to advance-his own interests, but also largely contribute to the moral and material advancement of the locality. He worked his way from a modest beginning, having started on his career, "a youth to fortune and to fame unknown," and step by step has risen to a position of no mean importance, by his individual efforts, which have been practically unaided, which fact renders him the more worthy of the praise that is freely accorded him by his fellow-men, his life having been one of unceasing industry and perseverance, and the honorable and systematic methods he has ever employed are commended to others,, if they court the goddess. Success.

Mr. Pierce was born in New York City January 12, 1835. He is a son of Levi Pierce and wife, and a descendant of Capt. Michael Pierce, who emigrated to America about the year 1645, locating in Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1656, removing the following year to Scituate, where he lived until he met an untimely death, in 1662. He was born in England in 1615, was twice married, his last wife being Mrs. Anna James, of Hingham, later of Scituate. She was killed by the Indians Sunday, March 26, 1676. The following Avere the Captain's children: Persis, Benjamin, John, Ephraim, Eliza, Deborah, Anna, Abijah, Ruth and Abigail. The present Pierce family, so numerous throughout the United States, is directly descended from the above-named children.

Levi Pierce, father of our subject, was born in Rehoboth, Bristol county, Massachusetts, and was brought up on his father's farm. When nineteen years of age he became dissatisfied with farm life and started for the city of Providence, Rhode Island, much against the wishes of his father. There he soon mastered the trade of a mason and in a short time became a contractor and builder, erecting the first factory near Providence. Later he engaged in the livery business; selling that out, he next started in the manufacture of clothing", which grew to large proportions, and he became a wealthy man, and owned two schooners which he loaded with clothing and shipped to the South. Soon afterwards he went west, taking with him his son, Franklin F. During their absence the family moved to Bufifalo, New York, making the trip on a canal boat. Soon after the family had settled in their new home, news came to them, in the year 1838, that the father was dead. As Franklin F. never returned it was supposed that he, too, was dead. Mr. Pierce was a man of fine personal appearance, kind-hearted and generous, fond of his family and was an excellent provided, and he gave his children every advantage possible. He was born June 8, 1797. On March 9, 1818, he married Betsey S. Wheeler, who was born in 1800, and died February 23, 1881. His death is supposed to have occurred in, 1838. The following children were born to them: Charles W., of this sketch; Levi L., born November 18, 1830, married Ellen E. Wright-; Elizabeth S., born March 22, 1822, married in Buffalo, New York, December 16, 1840, to Cortland Philip Livingston Butler, who was born March 8, 1813. Levi Pierce was a son of Isaac Pierce, born September 12, 1763, who married on October 7, 1782, Anna Fitch, a daughter of Capt. Amos Fitch, of Swansea, who was born March 1, 1763, and died November 15, 1809, and is buried in the Pierce cemetery in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. He was married a second time, November 1, 1810, by Elder Preserve Pierce, to Polly Brown, who was born August 21, 1789, and who died March 10, 1838. His third wife was Elizabeth Carpenter. Isaac Pierce resided at Rehoboth, Massachusetts, where his death occurred November 26, 1849. The following were his children: Hannah Hiram W., Lyman, Nancy, Isaac, Mahala, Angia, Levi, Mary A. Waterman, Betsey, Poly, Jeremiah B., Delana, Laura A., Sophronia, Cyrus and Holiness, eighteen in all.

Isaac Pierce, son of Nathan Pierce, was born in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, in 1763, and always resided in that town and within four miles of the place of his birth. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war for a short time, when but sixteen years of age, at the time the British were in Newport. After his marriage he lived a short'-time with his grandfather, Michael Pierce, at the end of a year returning to his father's farm, where he passed the remainder of his days. He reared a large family in comfort, being a man of industry, and kept out of debt. When he was a boy there was not a vehicle in the town of Rehoboth — everybody rode on horseback. There were a few heavy, clumsy ox-carts, built after the English pattern. He often went to church with an ox-team and wagon. He was a man of good sound sense and judgment. When eighteen years of age he joined his father's church, but at the age of twenty-five he was excommunicated from the society, because he went twice to hear a Universalist preacher.

Rev. Nathan Pierce was a son of Michael Pierce, born February 21, 1 71 6, married on October 6, 1736, Lydia Martin, who was born July 17, 1718, and she died December 21, 1798. She was a daughter of Ephraim Alartin and was a remarkably smart woman. His death occurred April 14, 1793. She was from Barrington, Rhode Island, was noted for her learning and personal attractiveness, and she gave her husband much assistance in his work as a Baptist minister, he having preached for forty years in one church. He was succeeded by his son, Rev. Preserve Pierce, who also preached in the same pulpit for a period of forty years, a remarkable record for father and son, which, perhaps, is not paralleled throughout the country. The church is still known as the Pierce meeting-house. The following children were born to Nathan Pierce and wife: Freelove, Nathan, Jr., Benjamin, Pardon, Mary, Martin, Judah, Hezekiah, Peleg, Preserve, Isaac, Chloe, Lydia, David and Joseph. Michael Pierce, mentioned above, was born April 24, 1692, married Judith Ellis, a daughter of Judge Ellis, and she was born in 1686, died October 6, 1744. His death occurred October 18, 1786, at the age of ninety-four years. He resided at Warwick, Rhode Island;" Swansea and Rehoboth, Massachusetts. His children were Ephraim, Wheeler, Nathan, Mary, Judith, Michael, Job, Caleb and Joshua. Michael Pierce was a son of Ephraim, the third, who was born in 1674, married Mary Law, and they lived at Rehoboth and Swansea, Massachusetts. Their children were Michael, David, Elizabeth, Mary, Clothier and Ephraim.

Ephraim Pierce, Jr., was the son of Ephraim, St., who married Hannah Holbrook. He moved to Warwick, Rhode Island, from Weymouth, Massachusetts, where his first child was born, and according to the town records was called Isricum. On May 3, 1681, he was made a freeman of the colony from Providence. His will was dated July 18, 1718, and was proved in Warwick, September 2,, 1719. His death occurred September 14, 1719, and his wife died the same year. Ephraim Pierce, the first, was a son of Capt. Michael Pierce, mentioned at the outset of this article.

Charles W. Pierce, the immediate subject of this sketch, received a practical education in the public schools, and when a boy he started out in the business world. He came to Union City, Indiana, in 1865 and bought a farm and soon had a good foothold. In 1875 he began in the grain and elevator business at Union City, which is still operated, having attained very large 'proportions, gradually growing from a small beginning. The company was first incorporated in 1899, and again in 1905. Today the Pierce Elevator Company is one of the best known in northern Indiana. Mr. Pierce is also owner of one thousand acres of valuable and productive farming land, all in the vicinity of Union City, the farthest being only seven miles away. He manager all these farms himself, visiting them several times each week. He owns one-third interest in the Pierce Elevator Company. He deserves a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished, starting with nothing and is now one of the substantial and influential citizens of Randolph county.

Charles W. Pierce is independent in politics, and he has been a member of the INIethodist Episcopal church for a period of fifty years. He was married, first, to Emma Haddock, whose death occurred March 12, 1874. To this union the following children were born: Mary C, who married William R. Craven, of Dayton, Ohio, he being vice-president and general manager of the Dayton Savings and Trust Company, where an extensive business is carried on and more than fifteen clerks are employed. Mrs. Craven received her education in the common schools and in DePauw University. They have one child, Dorothy Craven, now about seventeen years of age. Clarence Stewart Pierce was born in Randolph county, December 9, 1870, married Bertha Prior in March, 1894. She is a step-daughter of Charles Prior. She finished her education in the college at Oxford, Ohio. Their children are Charles Stewart Pierce, Jr., born February 6, 1895, was graduated from the high school and passed his first year at Ann Arbor, in the

University of Michigan. Alary Almeda Pierce was born July 18, 1897, is now in high school.

Clarence S. Pierce was elected mayor of Union City in 1898 and was elected to the legislature of Indiana from Randolph county, in 1912, serving in the session of 1913 where he made his influence felt for the general good c-f his locality and the entire state and won the hearty approval of hi constituents, proving himself to be a faithful and conscientious and able public servant. He was appointed a member of the school board in Union City in 1910 and elected a member of the same in 1913 for a term of three years. He has done much for the improvement of local schools. He is a graduate of the high school of Union City, later studying at DePauw University. He has held business connection with his father since 1890 and is now the able and energetic president of the Pierce Elevator Company, which includes two branch elevators in other localities, all doing a large and growing business.

Frank Wright Pierce resides in the East. This son was legally adopted by Levi L. Pierce, a brother of Charles W. Pierce, when an infant.

The second wife of Charles AA Pierce was Anna J. Fisher, who was born near Richmond, Indiana, in 1837. [Mr. Pierce died a few weeks after this sketch was written.]

As printed in Past and present of Randolph County, Indiana : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.