Valley of the upper Maumee River
with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Published 1889 by Brant & Fuller; Vol 1

In the southwest corner of St. Joseph township is the homestead of
Joseph W. Challenger, now deceased, who was one of the worthiest
citizens of the township. Joseph W. Challenger was born in Twerton,
near Bath, England, January 17, 1823, and came to America with his
parents when a mere child, and settled in Massachusetts. Leaving
home at the age of ten years on account of ill-treatment at the hands of
his father he was thrown upon the world, practically an orphan, and
deprived of all educational advantages.

By his own efforts, however,
he became well educated in practical matters. Becoming a machinist
he was presently a master of his trade and for a considerable time served
as a locomotive engineer. He invested his savings in thirty acres of
land one and a half miles from the court-house on the Maumee avenue
road, and cleared this and built upon it a good house and barn, making
it a productive and pleasant place. He was married January 8, 1856,
to Margaret A. Willower, and to this union two cliildren were born :
Frank C. and Edward D. Appreciating the value of the advantages of
which he was deprived, he gave his sons a good education, both attend-
ing the Fort Wayne commercial college. This worthy gentleman passed
away April 16, 1888.

The eldest son, Frank C. Challenger, was born
December 3, 1856, at Lima, Ohio. He was raised in Fort Wayne,
where he received a good education. June 15, 1880, he was married to
Adelia Tilbury, daughter of Jarius and Eliza Tilbury. She was born
in Fort Wayne, January 22, 1859. She and her husband are members
of the Methodist Episcopal church. Their home is at the old farm, and
they own besides that place three houses and lots and one vacant lot in
the city.

Edward D. Challenger, the second son of Joseph W., was
born at Zanesville, Ohio, October 14, i860. Coming to Indiana when
a mere child, he grew up at Fort Wayne and there received a good
education, including two years at the commercial college. February 18,
1882, he accepted a position as bookkeeper in the boiler shops of the
Pennsylvania railroad company, which he has retained until the present,
giving satisfaction to the company, and faithfuly remaining at his post
during all this period, except four days during the last illness of his
father. He was married July 10, 1883, to Edith Hutson, daughter of
James and Sarah Hutson, and they have one child, Maude, born June 6,
1885. He is an energetic young man, and highly esteemed.