USA > Indiana > A History of Indiana from its exploration to 1922 > Part 53
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W. Lee Smith. Among the younger members of the legal fra- ternity engaged in practice at Evansville, one who has made rapid strides in his calling within the space of a few years is W. Lee Smith, a member of the strong combination of McGinnis, Smith & Waller, with offices in the Citizens National Bank Building. Mr. Lee, who is one of the energetic and progressive practitioners of his city, is also a veteran of the World war. He was born at Sebree, Kentucky, May 9 1895, and received his early educational training in the public schools of that place, graduating from the high school with the class of 1912. He then entered the Univer- sity of Kentucky, from the law department of which institution he was graduated in 1916. July 5 of that year he located at Evans- ville, where he began the practice of his calling alone. He was
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making excellent progress in his calling when his career was inter- rupted by the entrance of the United States into the titanic strug- gle raging in Europe, and June 24, 1918, went to Camp Sherman, Ohio, where he started intensive training as a private. He subse- quently went to Camp Mills, New York, and then to Quebec, Can- ada, whence he sailed for overseas August 24, 1918. He remained with the Army of Occupation following the signing of the armis- tice, returning to this country and receiving his honorable dis- charge March 1, 1919. He again located at Evansville April I, 1919, and began practice alone, but in September of the same year formed a partnership with Richard Waller. In the following month Orville W. McGinnis became a member of the firm, which has since practiced under the style of McGinnis, Smith & Waller. Mr. Smith is a close student of his calling, and devotes much of his leisure time to investigation and research. He belongs to the vari- ous organizations of his profession, in which he has numerous friends. As a fraternalist he holds membership in the Masons, the B. P. O. Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the D. O. K. K. He also is a member of the American Legion and the Optimist Club, and his religious connection is with the Baptist church. He is un- married.
George W. Sonntag. Evidences abound at Evansville of the skill and good workmanship of George W. Sonntag, who for many years has been engaged in the roofing business. This is a special- ized line, requiring training and experience, and the fact that many of the prominent buildings of the city have been roofed by Mr. Sonntag is evidence of his mastery of his line of work. He is a native of Evansville, where the family is well known and highly respected, and was born February 4, 1871, a son of John H. and Ellen (Terrell) Sonntag. John H. Sonntag was born at Cincin- nati, Ohio, in 1835, and when twenty years of age came to Evans- ville and secured employment with his brother, George Sonntag, who was the proprietor of a hardware establishment. Later he be- came a traveling salesman for the Boetticher-Kellogg Hardware Company, whose representative he remained for many years. His death occurred in 1898, when he was sixty-three years of age. Mrs. Sonntag, who also came from Cincinnati, passed away in 1888, aged fifty-three years. They were the parents of five children: Marcus, who is deceased ; Edward F., Will L., John H. and George W. George W. Sonntag attended the public schools of Evansville, and when still a youth entered the employ of the roofing concern of Swormstedt & Sonntag, of whom the latter was his brother. He remained with this concern, familiarizing himself with every detail of the business, and in 1904 became the owner of the enterprise by purchase. At his establishment, Second Avenue and Ohio Street, Mr. Sonntag carries a full line of all kinds of roofing material, and employs a competent staff of skilled mechanics. He is equipped to handle any contract, large and small, and during his long connec- tion with the business has proven decisively that he is able to fur-
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nish work and material that will live up to all requirements. Mr. Sonntag bears an excellent reputation in business circles as a man of integrity. He is a member of Grace Presbyterian Church, and in politics votes the Republican ticket in national affairs, while remaining independent in local matters. February 4, 1903, Mr. Sonntag was united in marriage with Marie H. Gardner, of Evans- ville, daughter of Thomas Gardner, who was for some years engaged in the dry goods business at Evansville, and a granddaughter of Jo- seph Gardner, who was a pioneer of Vanderburgh county. To Mr. and Mrs. Sonntag there has been born one son : George.
Cyrus Q. Speck, who is prominent among the younger genera- tion of business men who are assisting in making Evansville one of the most important manufacturing and distributing points in the Middle-West, has had an active career, and is now manager of the southern branch of the Bassick Company, of Bridgeport, Con- necticut, manufacturers of furniture casters. Mr. Speck is a native son of Evansville, and was born December 31, 1892, a son of Philip and Amelia (Schneider) Speck. The latter, the daughter of a har- ness maker, was born at Clarington, Ohio, and still survives at Evansville at the age of sixty-five years. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Speck was born in Germany, where he became involved in the revolution of the '40s, and like many other political refugees, was compelled to flee to the United States. After his arrival he located at Evansville, in what was then known as the Parker settle- ment, and began to follow his trade of blacksmith, although he later entered the brewing business, in which he was successful. During the Civil war he was a captain in the Home Guards, and his descendants still cherish the sword which he bore. He died in 1898 at the age of seventy-seven years. Philip Speck, the father of Cyrus Q., is a sixty-nine-year-old resident of Evansville, in which city he was born. His brothers and sisters are: Peter and Henry, who are residents of St. Louis; Fred, of Paducah, Ken- tucky ; and Elizabeth, the wife of William A. Koch, of Evansville. Philip Speck, while now practically retired from active life, retains the presidency of the Evansville Bed Company. He grew up in the Parker settlement and when his father moved to Evansville proper the youth found employment with "Old Man" Sonntag. Later he entered the grocery business, and subsequently, with A. Bromm and Mr. Henn, founded the Henn-Speck Company, well known in an earlier day, and up to four years ago, when Mr. Speck disposed of his holdings. In 1879 Mr. Speck married Amelia Schneider, and and they became the parents of the following children: Clifford, William, Edna, Alma, now Mrs. Donald Graham; Roy and Cyrus Q. Cyrus Q. Speck attended the public schools of Evansville and after his graduation from the high school, in 1910, entered the Uni- versity of Illinois, where he took a course in business administra- tion of three years. Returning to Evansville, he began working for the Indiana Bell Telephone Company, working his way to the position of assistant cashier. He resigned in 1914 and joined the
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Faultless Caster Company, for which concern he traveled on the road until 1921, resigning to become manager of the southern branch of the Bassick Company, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, manu- facturers of casters. He has established the fact of his business ability and his associates place great confidence in his judgment and foresight. He is a Mason and an Elk, and belongs to the Phi Delta Theta Greek letter fraternity of the University of Illinois, the Chamber of Commerce and the Evansville Country Club. In politics he is an independent voter, disregarding party lines. Sep- tember 7, 1922, Mr. Speck married Miss Dorothy Neemeyer, of Little Rock, Arkansas.
Olen C. Stephens, M. D., who is engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery at Evansville, where he came immediately after his discharge from army service, is a native of Lynnville, Warrick county, Indiana, and was born June 29, 1885, a son of Joseph W. and Katherine (Maxey) Stephens. Doctor Stephens is of Scotch and Hol- land Dutch extraction. His father was born May 19, 1842, at James- town, Kentucky, and became a pioneer farmer and school teacher in Warrick county, Indiana, where he passed his life in the pursuits of agriculture and the school room. He was a man of excellent character and of good education and was highly esteemed in his community. Mrs. Stephens was born in 1844, in Warrick county, and became the mother of these children : Dr. Olen C .; William, of Warrick City ; Thomas N .; Levi; Homer, of Warrick ; Alma, now Mrs. Schnapp, of Newburg, Indiana; and Mrs. Jasper Cox, of Evansville. Olen C. Stephens attended the schools of his native community, and after his graduation from the high school, in 1905, began a preparatory medical course at the Indiana State University. He then entered the medical department of the University of Louisville, from which he was grad- uated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, and became an interne at the Methodist Hospital at Indianapolis. He commenced practice in Gibson county, Indiana, where he was elected coroner, and continued to occupy this position and to maintain his professional labors there until the United States entered the World war in 1917. He then ap- plied for admission in the United States Medical Corps and was ac- cepted and given a first lieutenant's commission. He saw service until 1919, when he was honorably discharged and at once came to Evans- ville, where he has built up a large and lucrative general practice in medicine and surgery, his present offices being located in the Boehne Building. Doctor Stephens is a member of the various organizations of his calling, and is recognized by his professional associates as a man who observes the highest ethics of the calling. He is a Mason and belongs to the Lancet Club, the Service Club and the American Legion. May 19, 1921, Doctor Stephens was united in marriage with Charlotte Wheeler, a member of an old and prominent family of Evansville.
Andrew G. Sterm. In the field of candy manufacturing at Evansville, a concern which has maintained a high reputation for more than a quarter of a century is the Sterm, Stock & Walter Candy Com- pany. This concern is now under the sole proprietorship of one of its
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founders, Andrew G. Sterm, a business man who has made his own opportunities and has had the ability to carry his plans through to a successful conclusion. Mr. Sterm was born at Rockport, Indiana, June 11, 1865, and is a son of George and Margaret (Hitner) Sterm, natives of Germany. George Sterm was but seventeen years of age when he emigrated to the United States, and first located at New York City, going then to Cincinnati, and, finally, at the age of nineteen years, to Rockport, Indiana. There he founded a modest soap manufacturing business, shipping his product to Evansville, and in time built it up to sizable proportions, but his plant, which he had neglected to insure, was destroyed by fire and he lost everything that he possessed. Possessing a good education, he soon found employment as a schoolteacher at Spencer City, Indiana, where he remained for three years, after which he entered the railway mail service, a vocation which he followed for several years. In 1882 he came to Evansville, where he became iden- tified with the Southern Weighing and Inspection Bureau, and was connected with that organization until his death, in 1898, when he was sixty-six years of age. Mrs. Sterm survived him until 1917, being eighty-four years of age at the time of her demise. Andrew G. Sterm acquired a public school education, and when fourteen years of age came to Evansville, where he served an apprenticeship of three years to the harnessmaking business. He then spent one year as a journey- man, working at his trade, following which he started to work with the firm of Bromm, Henn & Company, for which concern he was city salesman for a time. He then returned to his trade for one year, but left it again to accept a position with A. W. Henn & Company, wholesale candy manufacturers, in the capacity of salesman. After twelve years on the road, Mr. Sterm decided to embark in business on his own account, and in 1897 founded the Sterm, Stock & Walter Company. Two years later he purchased the interests of Mr. Walter, and in 1921 became sole proprietor of the business when he assumed by purchase the interests of Mr. Stock. He carries on a wholesale business and has built up a splendid patronage, the product of his plant as 208 South First Street being considered of a superior quality and meeting a large and widespread demand. Mr. Sterm has an excellent reputation in business circles, built up by many years of honorable dealing and strict adherence to the letter of his contracts. He has several business connections, and in 1921 was one of the seven men who organized the Best Brick Company, a concern that has enjoyed phenomenal success and is now one of the important enterprises of Evansville. In politics he is a Republican. He is a charter member of the Travelers' Protective Asso- ciation. Mr. Sterm has been married twice, and by his first marriage is the father of one daughter: Pansy.
Eugene T. Stevens, vice president and manager of the Eugene Stevens Company, is one of the substantial men of Evansville who is devoting his energies and abilities to the real estate, mortgage and loan business with very gratifying results, and in this respect is rendering a valuable service to his home community of Evansville. He is a na-
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tive of Iowa as he was born at Council Bluffs, that state, in 1876, and was educated in his native city, through the high school courses. Go- ing into the newspaper business, he continued a resident of Council Bluffs until 1909, but in that year came to Evansville and became asso- ciated with the Mercantile Trust & Savings Bank as manager of the real estate, mortgage and loan department of that institution. In 1915 Mr. Stevens was one of the men responsible for the organization of the Citizens Trust & Savings Bank of Evansville, and he became manager of the real estate, mortgage and loan department of the new bank, and held it until 1919 when he organized his present company, of which he has since continued vice-president and manager. His long connection with the banking departments which handled the realty, mortgage and loan matters for the two large banks with which he was associated, has given him an insight into these problems and a knowledge of the best methods to pursue, and his business has been a success from the start, and his company is now controlling a fair percentage of the business for Evansville and Vandenburgh county.
Henry Strickler. Ever since the year 1890 the bakery located at 811 South Eighth Street, Evansville, has been operated under the - name of Henry Strickler, but it has been only since 1901 that the pro- prietor has devoted his entire time to this enterprise. At its start it was a very modest venture, conducted on a humble scale, but through industry, enterprise and fair dealing has been built up into a worth- while business and one that has its recognized place in the commercial life of the community. Mr. Strickler was born in Germany, August 15, 1867, and is a son of Jacob and Mary Strickler. His parents, worthy, Christian people, spent their entire lives in their native land, where they reared their children to lives of thrift and honesty. In Germany Henry Strickler received a common school education, and on grad- uation was apprenticed to the trade of baker, which he mastered thor- oughly and which he followed for some years as a journeyman. He also served the customary three years as a soldier in the German army, and when twenty-three years of age came to the United States and set- tled at Evansville. Here he secured employment with the Fred Miller Baking Company, one of the old-established enterprises of the city, where Mr. Strickler's industry and ability soon gained him a foreman- ship. Being ambitious and enterprising, it was Mr. Strickler's aim and goal to be some day at the head of a business of his own, and in Feb- ruary, 1895, he founded a small retail bakery business in his home at 811 South Eighth Street. He did not possess much capital, and his start was therefore small, but he worked faithfully at the big plant and in the meantime invested his earnings in the little business of his own, which in time was conducted by Mrs. Strickler while her husband was away at his employment. Thus as the years passed the modest busi- ness grew in size, importance and friendships until in September, 1901, when Mr. Strickler decided that it had assumed proportions that would warrant him resigning his position as foreman at the plant, in order to give all of his attention to his own business management. He now has a splendid patronage, built up on the sound foundation of honest deal-
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ing and fair representation, although superiority of quality has also played a large part in his attainment of success. He bears an excellent reputation in business circles, and his principles of citizenship are those of a man of broad mind and enlightened views, who supports all worthy movements for the civic welfare. As a voter Mr. Strickler maintains an independent stand, casting his ballot for the man and not the party. In 1892 Mr. Strickler was united in marriage with Miss Mary Hof- mann, who was born in Germany and was brought to the United States as a child of four years, the family settling at Evansville, where she was reared and received a public school education. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Strickler: Marie, residing with her par- ents ; Annie, who is the wife of George LaMon, of Evansville ; and Wil- ma and Henry P., at home.
Huber Stringfield. In the field of the selling of life insurance there are requisites for success that are absolutely necessary in few other lines of business activity. The successful life insurance salesman is one who has not only possessed certain attributes for a foundation but who has developed his highly specialized business by training and the assimilation of much data concerning the business. Of the men who have made a success of their line, one who has become well known as the representative of the Union Central Life Insurance Company at Evansville is Huber Stringfield. This company was organized in 1867, with headquarters at Cincinnati, Ohio, and is now represented in every. state in the Union, handling only life insurance. Since 1880 it has had its general agent at Evansville, where for the last six years the average annual amount of business done has been approximately $350,000.00. Mr. Stringfield, whose offices are located at 109 Main Street, was born at Bloomington, Illinois, July 22, 1871, and is a son of Thomas Clark and Martha Elizabeth Stringfield. His father, a preacher of the Meth- odist Episcopal faith, spent a number of years in Texas, in Illinois, and in Missouri. Owing to the frequent moves of the family, as the Rev- erend Stringfield answered his various calls, Huber Stringfield received the greater part of his educational training under his father's tuition although he also attended high school for a time while the family had their home in the West. From the start of his career he has had a liking for salesmanship, and has followed several lines in this connection. His start was in advertising specialties of his own de- signing, the first being advertising bulletin boards and later various other specialties. He later became salesman in Indiana and Michigan for The Osborne Calendar Company, of New York City, which he con- tinued until 1908, at which time he organized and incorporated a sales company for the selling of the products of The Dr. J. B. Lynas & Sons Company, of Logansport, Indiana. In 1915, he became attracted to the insurance business and realized its possibilities. His first real train- ing in this field was in Indianapolis under William E. Neal, state manager for the Union Central Life Insurance Company in Indiana, and for two years traveled through this state as a special agent. In 1916 Mr. Stringfield was appointed general agent for Vanderburgh county and has continued in this capacity to the present time. As is
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necessary in his business Mr. Stringfield is energetic in action and per- severing in character, logical and forceful in the presentation of his sell- ing arguments, being likewise a good judge of human nature and a man of attractive personality. He has increased his company's business materially since settling in Evansville and in addition has formed nu- merous firm and lasting friendships. He has a number of civic and social connections, and in politics is a Republican of the Rooseveltian type, while his religious faith is that of the Christian Science church. In 1900 Mr. Stringfield was united in marriage with Miss Alice M. Gable, of Mulberry, Indiana, whose death occurred April 8, 1908. In 1911 Mr. Stringfield was united with the present Mrs. Stringfield, who was formerly Miss Lydia Schoepfle, of Birmingham, Ohio.
Albert E. Swope, assessor of Vanderburgh county, and one of the progressive agriculturalists of this section, is one of the most repre- sentative citizens, and a native of the county in which he has always lived, and which he has so capably served in several public capacities. He was born in Vanderburgh county, December 16, 1870, son of Albert A. and Sarah A. (Hornby) Swope, both natives of Vanderburgh county, and grandson of James Asbury Swope, one of the first settlers of the county. James A. Swope came to Vanderburgh county from Pennsylvania, bought a farm in the wilderness, cleared it, and on it he continued to live until his death, which occurred when his children were still small, and he left four sons and one daughter, and his widow, Mrs. Jane Swope, to survive him. She outlived her husband for many years, and died when she was over eighty years of age. Albert A. Swope was a carpenter by trade, but later on in life became a farmer, and he too, cleared up a farm which was located, as was that of his father, in Center township. For four years he served in the Union army as a member of Company F, Twenty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and only two members of this company are now living, they being Capt. William Leich and William Warren. During his military service he was in a number of engagements, and during one of them was wounded in the calf of the left leg. Following his return to pri- vate life he was elected a member of the county board of commissioners and served on it for six years, being elected on the Republican ticket. He also was a justice of the peace for a long period. During all of his mature years he was very active in politics and a leader of the local Republican party. Fraternally he belonged to the Masonic order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and to the Grand Army of the Re- public. The death of this most excellent and representative man oc- curred in 1904, but his wife died in 1873. Albert E. Swope attended the public schools of McCutchanville in Center township, and then in 1886 became a student of Wabash College, where he remained for two years. During the administration of President Harrison he was one of the employes of the Evansville postoffice, but with the change of administration moved to his farm in Center township, where he still resides. This fine farm comprises 140 acres of valuable land, a portion of which was taken from the old homestead. For some years Mr. Swope has been known as a very successful breeder of Poland-China
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swine and Jersey cattle. Very active in politics as a Republican, he has been on the advisory board in every capacity, and has been a frequent delegate to county and state conventions. At the time of the death of John H. Hanning, Mr. Swope was appointed as county assessor to fill the vacancy, and in 1922 was elected to the office for a term of four years. He belongs to the Woodmen of the World and the Lions Club. In 1889 Mr. Swope was married to Katie M. Young, daughter of Ben- jamin Young, a pioneer of Vanderburgh county, and for some years assistant superintendent of free delivery out of the Evansville post- office. He worked up to that position in the postoffice from his initial one of delivery boy. At one time he was also chairman of the Farmers Institute, and he was recognized as a very substantial citizen. Mr. and Mrs. Swope became the parents of the following children: Mary A., who is the wife of Robert D. Henry, has three sons, Hugh, Robert and Donald; Ralph H., who married Margaret Whitehead, has two sons, Dwight and LeRoy ; Clara E., who is the wife of Ivan France, has one daughter, Mr. France served during the entire period this country was at war, and for more than one-half of the time was overseas ; Laura H., who is the wife of J. H. McCutchan, has two children, Harold and Mar- jorie, Mr. McCutchan was a first lieutenant during the World war, served for over one year and was mustered out at Lafayette, Indiana ; Kathryn S .; Alice E .; and Anna Isabel,
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