John W. Mangas

As printed in 1914

JOHN W. MANGAS.

One of the careful agriculturists and respected citizens of Randolph county, is John W. Mangas, a m.an whose history furnishes a splendid example of what may be accomplished through determined purpose, laudable ambition and well directed efforts. Starting out in life a poor boy, he has steadily worked his way upward, winning success in his chosen field of endeavor and gaining the public confidence, which he has retained through careful "hewing to the line" in all the relations which he has sustained to his fellow men. He seems to have inherited some of the winning traits of his sterling father, one of the early settlers of this county, the name Alangas having been well known here for many decades, and it is a name of which any community might well be proud to include in its list of citizens.

Mr. Mangas was born in Jackson township, Randolph county, April 22, 1862. He is a grandson of Jacob Mangas, who was born in York county, Pennsylvania,. November 25, 1800. On October 25, 1825, Mr. Mangas married Elizabeth Hoke, sister of Seth Hoke, of Union City, Indiana, and lived with her happily and peacefully until his death in Jackson township, August 8, 1883 when lacking two months and a half of his fifty-eighth birthday. His family consisted of eleven children, ten sons and one daughter, two of whom died in infancy, twins; eight sons and one daughter survive. Jacob Mangas moved from Pennsylvania to Richland county, Ohio, in 1832 and from there to Jackson township, Randolph county, Indiana in 1837, when this region was a vast wilderness, with but few white settlers and no modern conveniences. He was endowed with habits of frugality and industry, integrity and economy, so he succeeded in becoming an influential and substantial citizen. When he came to this county he possessed a fortune which the young men of today might well envy, an iron constitution, a steady nerve, a solid muscle, a brave heart, an honest purpose, an unswerving will, and a faithful, loving, working wife. He had but fifty dollars in money, one horse and a one-horse wagon into which he packed all his earthly goods, and his wife and babies and came overland from his home in the East. Here he and his industrious wife fought forest, wild beasts, inconvenience and hardships until a large measure of success crowned their efforts. They began with forty acres in the woods, atid added to this until they possessed two hundred acres, and then divided and sub-divided with their children until they lived to see each child in possession of a home and in good circumstances and themselves a sufficiency for all probable needs while sojourning here. He joined the Christian church at Lisbon, October 1, 1870, his wife having joined the same September 29, 1868. They lived a quiet life and set a good example for correct Christian conduct before the world and their family. They lived to see all of their children and companions, and nearly all their grandchildren who were old enough in the Christian church with them. The following are the children: Emanuel, born in 1827, died in 1899; rs. Sarah Smiley, born in 1829, died in ±910; Casper, born in 1831; John, born in 1833; Jacob, Jr., born in 1836, died in 1901; Eli, born in 1839; Abraham, born in 1840; Absalom, born in 1843; Samuel, born in 1848; David and Saloma, twins died in infancy. At the time of Jacob Mangas' death there were thirty-five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and with his own children made a total of forty-nine. During his last illness he bore his suffering with great fortitude, never complaining.

Eli Manga was the first born of the immediate generation in Randolph county, his birth occurring May 12, 1839. Here he grew to manhood and first married Jemima Smith in the early sixties and to them these children were born: John W., the immediate subject of this sketch; Hannah Samantha died in 1864 when about nine months old; Mary Elizabeth died in 1865 and was also about nine months old; William O., born June 3, 1866, married Minnie Coby of this county, and they live on a farm here; Rufus S., born in October, 1868, who married Cora Brewer, is engaged in farming and they have one daughter; Jason died in infancy; Cora B., born October, 1876, died in 1893; Dora died in 1894; Carrie married a Mr. Brooks and died March 7, 1904; Clinton F., born June 30, 1888, married Ida Whitesell, and they have one child, Carl born in March, 1912. The second marriage of Eli Mangas was to Ann Hawkins.

Eli Mangas had no educational advantages when a boy, but by the assistance of his good wife and by close home reading he became a well informed man. When nineteen years old he and his brother took a contract to cut one hundred cords of wood, for forty-five cents per cord, and he spent much time in the woods in his early life, getting out timber for many different purposes and making baskets. Immediately after his marriage he moved to his father's forty acre farm, which he cleared, and there set out an orchard.

and later bought the place, and added another forty to it. He bought the old homestead in 1870 and at once commenced to remodel the same, built fences, a fine farm and other outbuildings. He also bought a tract of land in 1882 (the Catholic cemetery tract of seven and one-half acres), just south of the old home place. On this land is a valuable gravel pit. He put buildings on same in 1883 and moved thereto the following year and there he still resides. He was one of the first to agitate, help organize and lay out the Lisbon cemetery and he was one of the first trustees of the same and is now serving as trustee. At the start there was no money but now there is three thousand dollars on interest. The success of the proposition has been due very largely to Mr. Mangas. He has been appointed inspector of highways and is performing his duties very acceptably. He united with the Disciple church December 14, 1860, and has been an elder in the same for forty-three years. Since 1884 he has voted the Prohibition ticket, being one of the first to espouse the cause of temperance in this neighborhood.

John W. Magnas, of this sketch grew to manhood on the home farm and received his education in the common schools, and when only eighteen years old he commenced earning his own living, in different ways, and by industry and shrewdness he has accumulated a fine property, consisting of one hundred and eighty acres of choice, well improved and productive land, on which stand a substantial residence and good outbuildings. He carries on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale. When a young man he did a good deal of contracting, such as ditching and wood cutting and other things and in this way got a good start. In January, 1890 he bought a tile factory which he operated successfully four years. In June, 1884 he took the first public contract in ditch work which he finished in a few months. In 1 89 1 he took a contract to build the sewer for Union City school building, also one square on North Plum street. His next contract was in 1895 when he excavated the cellar for the Kuntz building and in 1904 he finished the north end of Plum street. In 1905 he managed a gang of hands for another contractor. In 1906 he excavated the cellar for the Ross Carriage works, built East Carter street and built a square of High street, and in 1907 he commenced stone road contract work, building the Carson road in avne and Jackson townships, also the Cox road in the latter township. In 1908 he built the Alexander road and the I. J. Hill road in Greenville township. In 1909 he built the Evans road in Green township, and in 191 1 built the Gittenger road in Jackson township. In 191 2 he built the D. Warn road in Jackson township, and in 19 13 constructed the Thornburg road in Wayne and

Greensfork townships and the Alexander road in Wayne and Jackson townships in 1 9 14. He has been most successful as a road contractor, being the best known man in this field of endeavor in the county, and no small part of his competency has been secured in this manner. All the while he was conducting his tile factory and his farm, being thus a very busy man with his three departments of labor, but a good manager, energetic and persistent man of affairs, he made a great success of all and is one of the men of wealth of his section of the county. He has always been regarded as being in the progressive list, and he is public-spirited, doing his full share of promoting any movement that has for its object the public good. He was one of the organizers of the Union Loan & Trust Company of 'Union City and one of its directors and stockholders.

John W. Mangas was married March 8, 1885 to Wilda Gittenger, who was born in Darke county, Ohio, June 4, 1865. She received a good education and is a lady of many praiseworthy traits. She is a daughter of William P Gittenger, who died in October, 1911 at the advanced age of eighty-two years. He followed farming during his active years, and came to Randolph county when his daughter, Mrs. Mangas was young. His wife was known in her maidenhood as Catherine Berkheimer, who died February 12, 1900 at the age of sixty-five years. Mrs. Mangas has four sisters and one brother, namely: Louisa, who married Haskell Rush; Malinda who married Dr. E. L. Welbourn; Minnie, a twin of Mrs. Mangas, married Daniel Lindley; Benjamin Gittenger married Mary Reynolds; Dora married Carl Thornburg. Ruby M. Brooks, niece of Mr. Mangas, was born December 22, 1902, a daughter of Augustus and Carrie Brooks. Carrie Brooks was the only living sister of Mr. Mangas. Her death occurred March 7, 1904, and Mr. and Mrs. langes have cared for little Ruby ever since as their own child.

The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mangas: Nova who married Harry L. Powers, has one child, [name withheld], born September 20, 1909; Mrs. Powers was born December 23, 1885, was educated in the schools of Jackson township, from which she was graduated; she and her husband reside in Way'ne township on a farm. Jesse G. Mangas, second child of our subject, was born December 25, 1887, was educated in Jackson and Wayne townships, lives at home and is operating his father's farm. Clarence B. Mangas, the youngest child, was born November 18, 1895, lives at home and is a graduate of Union City high school, class of 1914.

Mr. and Mrs. Mangas are pleasant people to meet, hospitable, genial and neighborly and they have a wide circle of friends throughout the county.

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.