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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of William H. COZINE 

Pages 366-367, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: BEADLES, COZINE, HERBERT, SHUMAN, STANBURY, OLMSTEAD, VANARSDALE, YARNELL] 

    
WILLIAM H. COZINE is known as one of the most skillful and intelligent machinists and blacksmiths in all Fulton County, and his business as such, which he is conducting in Lewistown, is extensive and lucrative. He is prominent in the public life of this municipality as a member of the City Council, and his active interest in its welfare and sagacious, well-trained mind make his aid invaluable as a civic official. 
    
January 4, 1841, was the date of the birth of our subject in Hendricks County, Ind. His great-grandfather, Garrett Cozine, was a native of Pennsylvania and was of early German ancestry. He was reared and married in Pennsylvania and removed from there to Kentucky. He became a pioneer of Mercer County, where he dwelt until 1835. Once more he became a pioneer, removing from thence to the wild of Hendricks County, Ind., where he bought land and improved a farm. He there died at the ripe old age of eighty-four years, his wife having died two years previously at the same age. Her maiden name was Shuman and she was born in Germany. 
    
Cornelius Cozine, the grandfather of our subject, was a farmer and spent his entire life in Kentucky. The maiden name of his wife was Jennie Vanarasdale, and she was also a native of Kentucky. Their son Garrett, father of our subject, was born in that State, near Harrisburg, in Mercer County. He emigrated from there to Indiana, and became an early settler of Hendricks County. He was accompanied thither by his wife and children, and they took up their abode on a tract of timber land, which he had leased. He cleared much of it, and lived on it until 1852. Again he became a pioneer and in that year started westward with his wife and five children, and came to Fulton County. On his arrival here he leased a farm for a time, and then bought one in Lewistown Township, which he developed into a fine piece of property and there death rounded out his busy life in 1888. His wife had preceded him in death, dying in 1872. Her maiden name was Susan R. Beadles. She was a daughter of John Beadles and a granddaughter of Niel Beadles. For her family history see sketch of N. Beadles. [page 621] 
    
William Cozine, of whom these lines are written, was one of thirteen children, and was a lad of ten years when he came to this county with his parents. He has a vivid remembrance of his early home in Hendricks County, and of the incidents of pioneer life there. There were no railroads in Indiana when he was a child and that section of the country where his people lived was sparsely settled. The nearest mill was at Indianapolis, twenty-six miles distant, and it was operated by a tread power. The highways of travel were rough and at times almost impassable, and a rude corduroy road extended most of the way from Hendricks County to Indianapolis. William attended school and assisted on his father's farm until he was eighteen years old, when he engaged with Joseph Yarnell as an apprentice to learn of him the trade of a blacksmith. He subsequently went into the low shops of Thomas Stanbury, and worked under his instruction a year and a half, his motive being to more thoroughly learn the trade of a machinist, for which he seemed to have a particular genius. He then opened a machine and blacksmith shop in Lewistown and with the exception of three years, has carried on business in this city continuously since that time. He is celebrated as a fine workman and he employs only the most skilled men and has built up an extensive trade. 
    
In 1862 Mr. Cozine was wedded to Ann Eliza Herbert. The estimable lady is a native of Lewistown and a daughter of James and Anna (Olmstead) Herbert. Harry, the first child of our subject and his wife, died when six years old. They have three children living: Charles H., Willard C., and Blanche. 
    
Mr. Cozine is classed among the best citizens of the city, both as regards his private life, which is irreproachable, and his civic capacity in which he has acted without stain. His fellow-citizens appreciating his worth, his sound business talent and genuine integrity have called him to take part in the management of municipal affairs and he is now serving his eighth year as a member of the City Council. He uses his political influence in favor of the Democratic party. Religiously, he and his wife, who are sincere Christian people, are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.