USA > Indiana > A History of Indiana from its exploration to 1922 > Part 52
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Knights of Columbus. Mr. Schu was united in marriage with Mary Behme, of Evansville, daughter of Frank and Elizabeth (Gauer) Behme, an old Vanderburgh county family, Mr. Behme having spent his active career in agricultural pursuits. Mr. and Mrs. Schu have a married son : Elmer C. He was born at Evansville, June 26, 1892, and married Louise Mccutcheon, of Evansville. They have two children: Elmer Harry, born August 13, 1916; and Mary Lou- ise, born February 26, 1920.
George T. Schultze. One of the veteran lumber men of Vander- burgh county, and of Indiana, is George T. Schultze, president of the George T. Schultze Lumber Company of Evansville. At the age of seventy-four years he is practically retired from active life, but main- tains a keen interest in the business which he created and which he built up to be one of the important industries of the city. Mr. Schultze was born August 7, 1849, a son of George and Frances Schultze, whom he accompanied to Evansville when a child of seven years. His father, a physician, was also the owner of a grocery store, the conduct of which was placed in the hands of his capable wife, his sons, George T. and John, who later met his death in Ingle's coal mine, and his daugh- ter, Mrs. Carrie Cooper, of Evansville, who showed marked business ability in carrying on a grocery. George T. Schultze received his ed- ucation in the public schools of Evansville, and when eleven years of age went to work in a cigar factory. He has never forgotten this trade and can still take his place at the bench. Mr. Schultze continued to work at the cigar-making business until he was sixteen years of age, and then went to work in a brick yard, where for two years he was em- ployed in moulding bricks. His introduction to his present line fol- lowed, and he began getting out saw logs, fence posts, cord wood and stave timber at Green River, which he brought to Evansville and sold to the stave factory. After a short time he returned to the brick yard, working for Semonin & Dixon, but again gave up this business, and was the first to start at Evansville in the making of staves and heads for barrels. His next venture was a sawmill on the river, and followed this with a cooperage business and the making of lumber of all kinds which was sold to the furniture factories of Evansville and other cities, even to London, England, where he secured a good market. In addi- tion he got out oak for car works. After the timber gave out at Green River, Mr. Schultze gave up sawmilling and started making dimension lumber for factories and planing mills. He purchased this timber land in many cases for $2 an acre, when one tree would reimburse him that much when cut. Eventually Mr. Schultze organized the George T. Schultze Lumber Company, of Evansville, of which he became presi- dent, a position which he still retains. Of more recent years he has not been as active as formerly in the actual operation of the business, but has continued as its active director, with all details of the business at his command. He still retains membership in the Manufacturers' As- sociation and the Chamber of Commerce. He has always been a Re- publican. February 22, 1874, Mr. Schultze was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Voelker, of New York, and to this union there was
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born one daughter, who is now Mrs. Lowry Bertelsen, a resident of Evansville.
William F. Schwentker, a dealer in musical instruments, at 720 Mary Street, Evansville, has been engaged in this line of enterprise ever since starting on his career and has made a success out of his activities through the possession and application of inherent ability, un- failing courtesy and untiring industry. For twenty-six years he has been selling pianos to the people of Evansville, and it is a matter of pride with him that without exception his patrons have been satisfied. Mr. Schwentker was born at Henderson, Kentucky, June 28, 1869, and is a son of Christian L. and Louisa (Weil) Schwentker. His father, a native of Germany, learned the trade of broom-making in his youth, and was still a young man when he came to the United States and set- tled at Henderson, Kentucky, after a year spent at New York City. He was a resident of Henderson during the Civil war, and in 1863 en- listed in the Union army, with which he served gallantly until peace was declared. On his return from military service, he engaged in agri- cultural pursuits in the vicinity of Henderson, and in 1867, at Gol- conda, Illinois, was united in marriage with Louisa Weil, who had been born in Germany and was brought to the United States when sixteen . years of age. In 1871 Mr. and Mrs. Schwentker came to Evansville with the only child they had then, William F., who was a little over one year old. Later there was born another child, Laura, now Mrs. Arthur J. Willem, who was born at Evansville. Christian L. Schwent- ker embarked in the meat business on Third Street, between Main and Sycamore, but in 1886 moved to 720 Mary Street, at Columbia Street, the present site of his son's piano business, and there continued until his retirement from business affairs in 1898. Mr. Schwentker, who was born August 10, 1836, died in December, 1909, while Mrs. Schwentker, who was born February 9, 1840, passed away March 26, 1921. They were deeply religious people and strong and active members of the Fourth Street Methodist Episcopal Church, which they joined soon after their arrival at Evansville. William F. Schwentker received his education in the public schools, after leaving which he entered his fa- ther's store and started to learn the meat business. He had been born, however, with a love and talent for music and in order to gratify his ambitions and to engage in work that was congenial and at the same time remunerative, accepted a position as Evansville agent for Steger & Son, the well-known Chicago manufacturers of high grade pianos. Mr. Schwentker has now been selling pianos at Evansville for more than a quarter of a century and is widely and favorably known in musical and music trade circles. He has devoted himself uninterrupt- edly to his business affairs and his home and has not sought public nor political honors, although fully appreciative of the responsibilities of good citizenship. As a voter he gives his support to the candidates of the Republican party. February 18, 1892, Mr. Schwentker married Anna C., daughter of John Ortmeyer, and a member of an old and highly respected family of Evansville, and to this union there has been born one son: James M., who is associated with his father in business.
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Charles W. Seeley. The art of printing, invented by Guten- berg, developed by Benjamin Franklin and brought to perfection by modern masters of the craft is highly exemplified by the skill and ingenuity of the craftsmen employed in the plant of the Rosenthal- Seeley Printing Company, of Evansville. Charles W. Seeley, secre- tary and treasurer of the firm, is a practical printer who learned his trade at the case and whose experience has covered every phase of the printing business. He was born July 23, 1871, at Covington, Kentucky, and is a son of Edgar Deacon and Missouri Jane (Walker) Seeley. Mr. Seeley's great-grandfather on his mother's side, Thomas Fall, was the proprietor of a paper mill at Lee, Massachusetts, and in that town was born Mr. Seeley's maternal grandmother. His maternal grand- father, Benjamin Walker, was a native of Ayrshire, Scotland. George Seeley, the paternal grandfather of Charles W., was born in England, and came to the United States in young manhood. Edgar Deacon Seeley was born at Horsehead, New York, March 21, 1847, and when about twenty years of age moved to Covington, Kentucky, where he met and married Missouri Jane Walker, who was born at St. Louis, Missouri, January 20, 1851. Mr. Seeley was a shoemaker by trade and followed that vocation until elected constable of Covington, a position which he held for a number of years. Later he moved to Youngstown, Ohio, where he embarked in the mercantile business, and resided there until his death in 1917. Mrs. Seeley still survives and is a resident of Youngstown. Charles W. Seeley received a common school education at Covington, where he secured his introduction to the printing busi- ness in the printing shop of a newspaper at the age of fourteen years. When fifteen years of age he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was employed in a job shop, but when seventeen years of age returned to Covington, where his father had purchased a press and type and Charles W. Seeley and his brother established a small printing busi- ness, known as Seeley Brothers. This venture not proving a great success, Mr. Seeley went to Kansas City, where he worked for one year, returning to Covington, going then again to Cincinnati, and finally locating at Akron, Ohio, where he worked for the Werner Works one year. His next location was Nashville, Tennessee, where he spent a year with the Brandon Printing Company, then coming to Evansville in 1901, to become foreman and superintendent of the Crescent En- graving and Printing Company. He spent several years in the employ of this concern and then became foreman of the composing room of the Speed Printing and Publishing Company. Some time later he started the business of the Speed Printing Company, in the McCurdy Building, and at the time of Mr. Weil's death, Mr. Seeley and a fellow employe, Henry Rosenthal, bought out the business, which they re- named the Rosenthal-Seeley Printing Company, of which Mr. Rosen- thal is now president and Mr. Seeley secretary and treasurer. The business has enjoyed a healthy and consistent growth and occupies a leading place among the enterprises of Evansville. Mr. Seeley has been secretary of the Kiwanis Club since its organization in 1918. He is president of the Forum of the Chamber of Commerce, of which he
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was elected a director in 1923. Fraternally, he is a York Rite Mason and member of the Mystic Shrine. His political views make him a Republican. April 7, 1897, Mr. Seeley married Miss Nina Irene La- chanter, a French Canadian by birth, and they have had two children : Cathryn Walker; and William Arthur, the latter of whom was born November 29, 1902, and died October 14, 1918.
Frank W. Sieffert. During the career of Frank W. Sieffert he has been variously engaged in flourishing enterprises, and since entering upon his independent career has made steady advance- ment in several lines of endeavor. At present he is a member of the brokerage firm of Manning & Sieffert, handling electrical mer- chandise, with headquarters at New York City, and is also inter- ested extensively in property values in Evansville and vicinity as a dealer in real estate. Mr. Sieffert was born at Newburg, Warrick county, Indiana, June 23, 1882, and is a son of Louis and Cassie (Busch) Sieffert, and a grandson of Dr. Aloysius Sieffert, who practiced medicine at Haubstadt, Indiana, for a number of years. Louis Sieffert was born April 23, 1849, near Jasper, Dubois county, Indiana, and was a child when he went to Haubstadt with his father. Later he resided at Vincennes and later at Celestine, Indi- ana, eventually opening a mercantile business at St. John, War- rick county, this state, where he also served as justice of the peace. His next location was Newburg, Indiana, where he engaged in the hotel and livery business, under the style of National Hotel, and while residing there was married. In 1884, when his son Frank W. was two years of age, Mr. Sieffert located at Evansville and opened the Warrick House, at No. 400 South Third Street. This he con- ducted for two years before disposing of his interests therein to enter the mercantile business on Lincoln Avenue near Governor Street. After some years of more or less successful operation, he disposed of his holdings and returned to the Heddrich House on High Street and Third Avenue, operating this hostelry for about ten years. He lived in retirement, then, for a short time, but his energetic nature would not allow him to remain idle and he even- tually returned to the hotel business as proprietor of the Wel- lington Hotel, at Seventh and Main Streets. When he sold this property he again retired, ostensibly, but continued to be inter- ested in real estate deals until the close of his life, which occurred November 27, 1918. A Democrat in politics, he was an active worker in the ranks of his party, and at one time was a candidate for county assessor in Vanderburgh county. He and his worthy wife, who survives him at the age of sixty-six years, were the parents of six children : Frank W., Busch, Raymond, Mrs. Charles E. Davis, Mrs. George E. Brown and Miss Genevieve. Frank W. Sieffert attended the public and parochial schools and the Car- penter Street school, and commenced his career as a clerk in the drug store of Henry A. Tepe, 139 Third Avenue. He was later identified with George Tepe, at Third and Division, in the drug business, and is a registered pharmacist in Illinois, Indiana and
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Colorado. Mr. Sieffert became the proprietor of an establishment of his own, at Fifth and Walnut Street, but after one year consoli- dated this business with that of a Mr. Shively and adopted the firm style of Shively & Sieffert, operating an establishment at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Walnut Street for five years. At that time Mr. Sieffert's health failed, and, being thoroughly in- formed as to every angle of the business, had no trouble in secur- ing a position as traveling salesman through Colorado for a St. Louis wholesale drug house. After a short time he resigned and accepted a position with H. E. Bucklen & Company, of Chicago, as traveling representative in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. During the six years that he was thus engaged he made such a success of his efforts that he was called back to Chicago and made general sales manager for this company, for the United States, a post which he retained for seven years. He enjoyed the full con- fidence and friendship of Mr. Bucklen, with whom he was asso- ciated constantly, and when the company decided to drop out of the field, full powers for the sale of same were placed in the hands of Mr. Sieffert, who closed negotiations in a deal involving a pur- chase price of $1,750,000. At that time Mr. Sieffert's brother was operating an electrical store at Evansville and he returned here and became associated with him. After a number of years the partner- ship was dissolved and Frank W. Sieffert engaged in the broker- age business as Manning & Sieffert, selling electrical merchandise, with headquarters at New York City and branch offices at Evans- ville and Chicago. While this concern has been in operation only for a comparatively short time, its success is assured, and it is recognized as one of the notable enterprises of the country. Mr. Sieffert is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club, the Turners, the McDermott Club and the Knights of Colum- bus, and his religious connection is with Sacred Heart Catholic Church. In politics he is a Democrat. January 7, 1905, Mr. Sief- fert married Caroline, daughter of Gottfried and Barbara (Schaef- fer) Stocker, of Evansville, a member of an old and honored family of the city. To this union there have been born three children : Harriet, Eleanor and Frank W., Jr.
Franz Engelsmann. Evansville counts upon its roll of departed benefactors none who left behind more substantial evidence of association with its affairs than the late Franz Engelsmann. As sculptor, public-spirited citizen and friend he came and went among the people of the city from the time of his arrival in 1914 until his death in 1921, and there remains in his wake an impression of prac- tical and artistic usefulness, of genuine dependable character, due in part to his honorable ancestry, but more directly traceable to his untiring zeal and ready recognition of opportunity. Mr. Engels- mann was born May 5, 1858, at New York City, and was four years of age when he was taken to Germany by his parents. There he received his literary education and also studied sculpture, for which he had shown a decided talent in his youth. His teachers were
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Frans Engeloma
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several of the famous masters of Munich and Karlsruhe, under whom his genius was developed to its full power. At the age of twenty-six years he returned to the United States and took up his residence at New York City, where he began to practice his art. His work received ready recognition and he was soon engaged on large commissions in various parts of the country. From New York City he went to Boston and then to Chicago, at which latter place he made his home, although traveling all over the United States. A beautiful example of his art is found in the sculptured figures to be found on and in the court house at Evansville, to which city he had moved in 1914 and where his death occurred De- cember 23, 1921. Mr. Engelsmann had few connections aside from his art and his home. He was a Protestant in his religious faith. In 1899 he was united in marriage with Miss Louise Bennighof, who was born at Evansville, daughter of Henry V. and Elizabeth (Schlamp) Bennighof, natives of Germany. Mr. Bennighof was born September 10, 1833, and at the age of nineteen years came to the United States, landing at New Orleans, whence he made his way to Evansville. He was married in this city and became the father of nine children, of whom three are living at this time. Mr. Bennighof was a man of industry and ambition. He had worked for three years in a wholesale wine house in Paris in order to get the means to come to the United States, and upon his arrival at Evansville at once embarked in the grocery business. After sev- eral years he turned his attention to the wholesale liquor business, with which he was identified for many years, and for forty-three years was also identified with the People's Savings Bank, of which he was president at the time of his death, which occurred February 24, 1916. He was likewise president of the Crown Pottery Com- pany, and a man whose judgment and advice were frequently sought by those who realized the value of ability that could raise a man from humble beginnings to affluence and prominence ; yet de- spite his numerous interests he found time to engage in other pur- suits, his chief recreation and pleasure being found in reading. In 1871 Mr. Bennighof built a handsome residence at No. 1510 Fulton avenue, when there were only three houses in that neighborhood, and this home is now occupied by Mrs. Engelsmann and her daugh- ters and her brother, William H. Bennighof. He took an interest in public affairs and served as a member of the City Council for several years during his early life, and he and Mrs. Bennighof were faithful members of St. John's Church, in the faith of which the latter died September 10, 1896. To Mr. and Mrs. Engelsmann there were born three children: Louisa, who attended the Chicago pub- lic schools, and graduated from Ferry Hall Girls' School, Lake Forest, Illinois, the Evansville High School and Evansville Col- lege; Katherine, who attended the Chicago public schools and graduated from Evansville High School; and Franz, Jr., who died in infancy. In 1922 Mrs. Engelsmann and her two daughters took an extended trip to Europe, where they visited France, Germany,
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Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium and England, and saw many of the battlefields of the great World war and numerous other his- toric points of interest.
Alfred E. Small. Probably no one factor has contributed in greater degree to the business prestige and development of Evans- ville than the activities connected with the furniture industry. These include the manufacture of furniture, dealing therein and wholesaling, and a special feature of the business is the handling of the selling rights, as conducted by the partnership of Small & Schelosky, of which firm Alfred E. Small is the senior partner. Mr. Small was born in Warrick county, Indiana, September 1, 1882, and is a son of Matthew and Martha (McCoy) Small, both de- ceased. Matthew Small was born in Warrick county, but for the most part spent his life in Spencer county, where he was engaged in agricultural operations, and where his death occurred in 1904. He was a veteran of the Civil war, through which he fought as a Union soldier and was a man who had the respect and esteem of of the people of his community. He married Martha McCoy, daughter of Captain McCoy, who was born in 1849 and died in 1918. When Alfred E. Small was two years of age his parents moved to Spencer county, and there he was educated at the public school at Gentryville. He left school at the age of fifteen years, and two years later gave up farm work and accompanied his moth- er to Evansville, where he secured employment with Vickery Brothers, grocers, at $3 per week. Six months later he gave up his position and started to work for the Lahr-Bacon Company, dry goods merchants, with which concern he remained for several years, later being identified with The Andres Company. In 1909 Mr. Small became connected with the furniture business. At this time the various furniture manufacturing companies of Evansville felt themselves in need of salesmen to represent the various lines and the companies themselves, and Mr. Small was vested with this responsibility, it being a commission proposition. Realizing the possibilities connected with such a position, Mr. Small took it and elaborated upon it, carrying on campaigns for the purpose of displaying the outputs of the furniture factories and selling them to the retailers. Later this business was changed somewhat, when the partnership of Small & Schelosky was formed in 1915, this firm taking over the exclusive selling rights and putting salesmen on the road. In 1917 the firm extended its activities by taking on a line of floor coverings, linoleums, rugs, etc., and this has also proven a great success. The Gilbert Furniture Company of Evans- ville is another project of Mr. Small, who is vice president of the company, as he is also of the Universal Furniture Company. He has gained a position high in the esteem of his associates in busi- ness circles of Evansville, by reason of his undoubted ability, en- ergy and integrity. He is a member of the Chamber of Congress and the Rotary Club, is fraternally affiliated with the B. P. O. Elks, and in politics is a Republican. He has been a lifelong Metho-
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dist, his grandfather having been a minister of that faith. June 16, 1906, Mr. Small was united in marriage with Frances, daughter of Adam Weikel, a well contractor of Evansville. They have no children.
Walter A. Smith. Among the public officials of Vanderburgh county, one who has proven true to the trust reposed in him and who has gained the general confidence of the community is Walter A. Smith, of Evansville, county treasurer. Mr. Smith was identi- fied with railroad matters for many years prior to entering public life, and has a wide acquaintance in railroad circles. He was born at Evansville, December 3, 1872, a son of Jones H. and Naomi (Bunker) Smith, natives of England. The parents were married in the country of their birth and in 1871 came to the United States, settling at Evansville, where they still reside, Mrs. Smith being seventy-six years of age. Mr. Smith, who was a moulder by trade, followed that vocation for many years, but is now living in retire- ment, although he is still very active for his eighty-two years. He is the oldest Mason in Evansville, and he and Mrs. Smith are mem- bers of the Episcopal church. Of their eight children, six are liv- ing. Walter A. Smith received his education in the public schools of Evansville, and when still a youth started to work in the freight office of a railroad: From the time he was fifteen years of age until he was thirty-one years old he occupied various positions connected with the freight departments of railroads, and occupied one position for twelve consecutive years. Eventually he became purchasing agent for the Hercules Corporation, with headquarters at Evansville for nine years, and held this post until assuming the duties of the county treasurership of Vanderburgh county, Janu- ary 1, 1920. Mr. Smith, as before noted, has made a splendid offi- cial and since his incumbency the affairs of his office have been running smoothly and without any kind of a hitch. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and as a fraternalist he holds membership in the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. His religious connection is with the Presbyterian church. Mr. Smith married Miss Cora Belle Hewitt, of Indianapolis, and to this union there has come one son : Walter Allen, Jr., born July 2, 1915.
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