USA > Indiana > A History of Indiana from its exploration to 1922 > Part 61
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and Caroline (Anspach) Lowenstein of Evansville, where the father was long a distinguished figure in insurance circles. To Mr. and Mrs. Ichenhauser two children have been born: a son, Louis, and a daughter, now Mrs. H. S. Samplier of Cleveland, Ohio, who has two children, H. Louis and Jean.
John J. Davis. The detective of the author's fancy, who has roamed so long through countless pages of fiction, is a creature of romance, a wizard of deduction, a necromancer in the by-ways of crime. The real detective, outside of the novel or story book, is a practical, matter-of-fact man, who accomplishes results because of his training, his knowledge of the habits of criminals and his ability to set going the wheels of a huge organization of which the layman, as a rule, has not even the knowledge that it exists. In the larger cities of the country there are regularly established agencies for the detection of crime and the capture of criminals, which employ skilled operatives and are under the supervision of men who usually have had long training in their calling. Such an organization is the Davis-Houghland Detective Service Company, which is under the direction of John J. Davis and John L. Houghland, of whom a sketch of the latter's career will be found elsewhere in this work. John J. Davis was born at Evansville, June 6, 1866, and is a son of John and Hannah (Lawless) Davis, natives of Ireland, who came separately to the United States as young people and were married at Urbana, Ohio. From that city they came to Evansville, where they resided during the remainder of their lives. At the time of his arrival, some time in the '50s, John Davis secured employment as a teamster, and this work he followed for many years, being em- ployed by some of the large concerns of the city. He died at the age of eighty-four years, while Mrs. Davis passed away when seven- ty-five years of age. They were faithful members of the Catholic church, and the parents of six children, of whom John J. is the only one now living. John J. Davis received his education in the public and parochial schools of Evansville and when a young man learned the upholstering trade in the plant of the Armstrong Fur- niture Company. This vocation, however, did not appeal to the adventurous spirit of the youth, and at eighteen years of age he ob- tained a position as special policeman. When he was twenty-three years old he donned a patrolman's uniform as a member of the Ev- ansville Police Force, and several years afterward was promoted to sergeant. Later still he joined the city detective force, of which he was made chief under Hon. John W. Boehne, during his adminis- tration as mayor. In 1910 Mr. Davis left the force, and with John L. Houghland founded the Davis-Houghland Detective Service Company, which now maintains offices at No. 203 Furniture Build- ing. This enterprise has proven a huge success, and has been en- gaged in some of the largest and most important cases of recent years, including the famous Noffsinger murder case in Kentucky, in 1923. The company makes a specialty of the bigger cases and its operatives are men of nerve, intelligence and training, who are able
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to do high-class work in the solving of knotty problems. Mr. Da- vis has been a stanch Democrat, and in 1910 was elected sheriff of Vanderburgh county, being the first Democratic sheriff in eighteen years. He was re-elected in 1912 and served in all four years. He holds membership in the Knights of Columbus and the McDermit Club, and with his family belongs to the Catholic church. October 20, 1897, Mr. Davis was united in marriage with Miss Mary M. Peake, of Evansville, and to this union there have been born six children : John P., who met his death by drowning at the age of thirteen years; William J., Albert J., Mary M., Helen A. and John F.
Herbert O. Dieckman. Belonging to that class of workers whose practical education, quick perceptions and great capacity for painstaking labor have advanced them to positions of business prominence when they are still in the prime of life, Herbert O. Dieckman, while representing the vigorous and resourceful present of the Middle West, gives promise of participating in its more en- lightened future, more especially at Evansville, where he is en- gaged in a well-established and flourishing jewelry business. Mr. Dieckman was born May 6, 1877, in Peru, South America, and was five years of age when first brought to Evansville by his parents, Ernst and Marie (Cordys) Dieckman. His father, who was a min- ing engineer by profesion and an expert on ore, had been a great traveler during his earlier years, and had visited various countries all over the world. It was while he was following his profession in South America that his son, Herbert O., was born. After locating at Evansville, in 1882, Ernst Dieckman became identified with the John G. Neuman Commission House, where he was employed for about ten years. At the end of that time Mr. Neuman founded the Germania, a newspaper printed in the German language, and Mr. Dieckman, who was a man of education and of no mean literary gifts, became editor, a position which he retained until the time of his death, which occurred in 1905, when he was sixty-seven years of age. Mrs. Dieckman passed away in 1889, when her son was twelve years of age. Both were faithful members of St. John's Church. Herbert O. Dieckman enjoyed the advantages of a public school education only until he was thirteen years of age, at which time he began to learn the jeweler's trade, serving his apprentice- ship with the firm of Gumberts Brothers, early jewelers of this city and widely and popularly known in the trade. Mr. Dieckman remained with this concern for a period of twenty-two years, and after leaving their employ was for a short time connected with Isaac Gans, who conducted a business under the firm style of I. Gans Company. In 1920 Mr. Dieckman decided to embark upon a venture of his own, and accordingly opened his present establish- ment, located at Main and Illinois Streets, where he has built up a splendid patronage. Mr. Dieckman's experience in business lias established for him a reputation for ability, resource and unflagging industry. He is one of the captains of success who has piloted his
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own craft into a safe harbor, and in doing so has evolved the belief that hard work rarely injures anyone and that integrity always pays. He has several civic connections and has been a valued members of the local Central Turnverein for the past twenty years. April 23, 1904, Mr. Dieckman was united in marriage with Miss Anna Stephan, of Evansville, and to this union there has been born two children: one who died in infancy, and Herbert S., who was born at Evansville in 1908, and is now a member of the sophomore class at the Central High School. Mr. Dieckman and the members of his family belong to St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
Charles F. Diekmann, treasurer and general manager of the Crescent Stove Works, and one of the substantial and energetic business men of his community, was born at Evansville, September 29, 1880, a son of Charles Diekmann. His father, a native of Ger- many, was reared and educated in that country and at the age of nineteen years came to the United States and settled at Evansville, where he secured employment in the Roelker plant. After about five years he became the organizer of the Evansville Foundry As- sociation, now known as the Advance Stove Works, of which he continued as general manager and superintendent until his death in 1900. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, as was Mrs. Diekmann, who before her marriage was Miss Anna Grueber, a native of Germany, who had been brought to this country at the age of four years. Of their eight children, seven are now living. Charles F. Diekmann was educated at the Lutheran parochial school and the Spencerian Business College, and was first employed as a bookkeeper by the Globe Furniture Company. Later he joined the Advance Stove Works, with which he was connected until 1905 as a stockholder, and then, with Albert F. Karges, George Buente, Henry Rothemeyer, Fred Bockstege, H. C. Dietrich and A. Jutzi, organized the Crescent Stove Works, of which he has since been treasurer and general manager. Under his guidance this has become one of the important business enterprises of Evansville and its product is widely known and in constant demand. Mr. Diekmann is connected with several other concerns and is a direc- tor in the Globe-Bosse-World Furniture Company and in the West Side Bank. Always interested in civic affairs, he has taken an act- ive part in local politics, and at present is one of the constructive members of the City Council. With his family, he belongs to Trinity Lutheran Church. In 1911 Mr. Diekmann was united in marriage with Miss Minnie Richardt, of Evansville, and they are the parents of two children: Mary Louise, born in 1912; and Char- lotte, born in 1916. Mr. Diekmann holds membership in the Cham- ber of Commerce and the Evansville Country Club.
Edwin F. Diekmann. Since its organization in 1905, the Evans- ville concern operating as the Crescent Stove Works has had the benefit of the services of Edwin F. Diekmann, who now occupies the position of secretary. Mr. Diekmann was born at Evansville, July 21, 1887, a son of Charles and Anna (Grueber) Diekmann, na-
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tives of Germany, an outline of whose lives will be found in the sketch of Charles F. Diekmann, elsewhere in this work. Edwin F. Diekmann attended the parochial school of the Lutheran church, and subsequently pursued a course at the Columbian Commercial College, from which he was graduated in June, 1903. At that time he secured a position with the Bockstege Furniture Company, with which concern he was identified for one and one-half years, and then became bookkeeper for the Crescent Stove Works, which had been organized that year by Mr. Diekmann's elder brother, Charles F. Diekmann, and a number of business associates. Later he was made a traveling salesman, and for about seven years traveled on the road, and in 1918 became secretary of the company, a position which he still holds, although he still spends about three months of the year on the road in the interest of the company. Mr. Diekmann is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and has several civic con- nections. In 1912 he married Luella, daughter of Casper and Mary (Nobbe) Weber, of Evansville, and they became the parents of two sons: Edward Charles, born in 1913; and Gilmore Frederick, born in 1921.
Alvin Eades. The career of Alvin Eades is an expression of practical and diversified activity, and in its range has invaded the realms of several lines of business, all of which have profited by the breadth and conscientiousness which are distinctive features of his work and character. He started upon his independent life with the advantages of good birth and carreful home training, and with these as a foundation has builded a strong structure of business success. Mr. Eades was born at Central City, Kentucky, December I, 1884, and received his education in the public schools of his na- tive place. As a youth he applied himself to learning the baker's trade, and when he was only twenty-one years of age embarked in that business as the junior partner of the firm of Walden & Eades, at Howell, Indiana, his partner being. W. L. Walden. This asso- ciation continued for a period of about eleven years, or until Jan- uary 1, 1916, when Mr. Eades purchased Mr. Walden's interest in the business, of which he remained as sole proprietor until the es- tablishment was destroyed by fire, in 1917. In that year Mr. Eades disposed of his holdings at Howell and came to Evansville, where he bought out the Julius Rastatter bakery, at 900 to 908 Fulton Avenue, which he has since conducted under his own name. Mr. Eades is now enjoying a splendid patronage, and the quality of his product has created a wide demand, both at Evansville and in the surrounding community. As his business has grown, Mr. Eades has extended his interests to include other lines of activity. He is a director in the Lamasco Building and Loan Asociation, the Inter- State Finance Corporation, and the Lincoln Savings Bank and Lin- coln Mortgage Company, in each of which he has large holdings. Aside from his baking business, however, his chief interest is cen- tered in the purchase, exchange and sale of real estate. He owns his pleasant residence, at No. 1103 Lincoln Avenue, as well as his
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place of business and considerable other city property, and has en- gineered some important real estate transactions. He is shrewd and far-sighted, has a thorough knowledge of city and town land values and is well posted as to the resources and advantages at tlie disposal of people contemplating settlement or change of location at Evansville and vicinity. Mr. Eades belongs to the Kiwanis Club and the Shrine Boosters Club; belongs to Reed Lodge No. 216, F. & A. M., and is a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine. With his family, he belongs to the Central Methodist Episcopal Church. June 5, 1918, Mr. Eades was united in marriage with Miss Helen Ball, of Terre Haute, Indiana, and to this union there have been born three children: Margaret Elaine, Helen Virginia and Alvin J., of whom the two latter are twins.
John M. Edson. Educated for a professional career, which he was forced to forego because of ill health in his youth, John M. Ed- son, for twenty-five years a conductor on the traction railroad at Evansville, has found success and contentment in other lines, and in addition to being popular with the many people whom he has met in connection with his position, has become well known as a dealer in real estate. Mr. Edson was born in Posey county, Indi- ana, November 28, 1868, and is a son of Judge William P. Edson. His grandfather, Eben D. Edson, was a pioneer of Posey county, where he followed the law for many years, and on the maternal side he is a grandson of one of the stockholders of the Erie Canal. Judge William P. Edson was born in New York and was a child when brought by his parents to Posey county, Indiana, where he became one of his community's most prominent and successful law- yers. After serving as county clerk in Posey county, he was ap- pointed by Governor Baker to the Probate bench of Posey, Van- derburgh and Gibson counties and was nominated twice for a place on the Supreme bench of Indiana, meeting with defeat by small margins. A member of the Episcopal faith, he was one of the builders of Mount Vernon Church, and died in that faith in 1895. Judge Edson married Ruphenie Lockwood, who was born in June, 1842, at Evansville, a daughter of John M. Lockwood, one of the pioneers of the city. Mr. Lockwood came to this section at a very early day, entering land from the Government, and throughout his career was a large dealer in real estate. 'Later he opened the first notion store at Evansville, was the founder of the first National Bank of Mount Vernon, and was a heavy stockholder in several banks of Evansville. At his death, in 1908, at the age of ninety- four years, his estate approximated $400,000. He was an ardent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as is his daughter, Mrs. Edson, who survives at Mount Vernon, at the age of eighty-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Edson had five children, of whom John M. and two sisters are living. John M. Edson attended the public schools of Mount Vernon, following which he spent four years at Asbury University, two years in taking a preparatory course and a like period in pursuing a course in liberal arts. He then entered
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the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, from the law department of which institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1891. He commenced practice, but shortly thereafter his health failed and he was forced to spend some time in Florida. On his re- covery he returned to Mount Vernon, where he made his home un- til the death of his father, at that time coming to Evansville, where he has since resided and where, as noted, he has been successful as a realtor. For a quarter of a century he has been identified, prin- cipally as a conductor, with the traction railroad, and is one of the most popular and efficient employes of the road. Like his father, he is a Mason, and various other connections have added to his ac- quaintance. December 25, 1891, Mr. Edson married Grace Welch, who was born at Evansville, in 1873, a daughter of Dr. Walter D. Welch, one of the pioneer school teachers of Evansville, who later adopted the medical profession and practiced successfully at Mount Vernon for many years, dying in 1916, at the age of sixty-three years. To Mr. and Mrs. Edson there have been born the following children : Jennie, a graduate of Mount Vernon High School, who attended the Indiana State Normal School and the Detroit (Mich- igan) Normal School, subsequently becoming supervisor of music in the schools of Ventura, California, where she married Oscar Frost, superintendent of warehouses for the Natural Refining Com- pany of Evansville, and has three children: Robert Marion, and John William, and William, a graduate of the Mount Vernon High School, who left Purdue University, where he was pursuing a course in electrical engineering, during his junior year, to enlist for service during the World war. He was sent to Fort Benjamin Harrison, where he underwent intensive training at the officers' training camp, and received a commission as first lieutenant of artillery. He then went to Camp Taylor, where he acted as an in- structor, and then went overseas and spent seven months abroad in active service. On his return to the United States, and his subse- quent honorable discharge, he became superintendent of the elec- trical light and water plant at Tell City, but in the fall re-entered Purdue University, where he completed his course. He then joined the General Electric Company at Chicago, following which he be- came electrical expert with the Public Service Commission of In- dianapolis, and finally joined the Westinghouse Company, with which concern he holds a responsible position. William Edson married Miss Fern Golden, formerly a teacher in the schools of Indianapolis, and they have one daughter: Lloyd.
Wilbur Erskine. Wilbur Erskine was born January 8, 1863, at McCutchanville, Vanderburgh county, Indiana, and is widely and favorably known in the business circles of Evansville and particu- larly in the milling business with which he has been identified since 1878. Mr. Erskine is the son of Levi and Sarah L. (Benjamin) Ers- kine, the former born at McCutchanville in 1833 and the latter a native of Evansville. William Erskine, the great-grandfather of Wilbur Erskine, with his son John, the grandfather, located at
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McCutchanville in 1818, and there spent the remaining years of their lives. John Erskine married Miss Harriet Igleheart, daugh- ter of Levi Igleheart, Sr., and they became the parents of eight chil- dren, all of whom were given good educational advantages, being sent to Asbury University (now DePauw) at Greencastle, Indiana. Wilbur Erskine received his education in the public schools of his native locality and commenced his connection with the milling business at the age of fifteen years, when he began buy- ing wheat for his uncles, the Igleheart Brothers, at the community known as Erskine Station. In 1881 he entered the employ of this concern in the capacity of bookkeeper, a position which he retained for sixteen years, and in 1897 was the main factor in the organiza- tion of the corporation known as the Akin-Erskine Milling Com- pany, which purchased the mill formerly owned by the Evansville Milling Company on Main Street. This was the home of the com- pany until 1906 when the mill was destroyed by fire, immediately following which the present plant at 1501 Illinois Street was erect- ed. This has a capacity of 2500 barrels daily and is one of the larg- est mills in the state. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum and the Evansville Country Club and treasurer of the Evansville Col- lege. He votes the Republican ticket, although not a politician. His religious faith is that of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church. November 26, 1884, Mr. Erskine was united in marriage with Mary E., daughter of William M. and Mary S. (Davis) Akin, of Evansville, and to this union there have been born three children: Wilbur N., whose death occurred in 1919, when he was thirty-two years of age, leaving a widow who was formerly Miss Alice Lowe, of Evansville; Charles A., who has been prominent in public af- fairs and served at State Senator from 1919 to 1920, who married Miss Lucille Abuschon, of St. Louis, to whom was born one daugh- ter, Barbara Mary ; and Mary Louise, the wife of Frederick Renner Cook, son of Charles W. Cook and Emily (Renner) Cook, of Evans- ville, Indiana.
Philip Euler. The name of Philip Euler will bring to the memo- ries of some of the older citizens of Evansville the recollection of an unassuming, kindly man who for some years prior to his death in 188I had been engaged in the insurance business. That he did not attain great wealth or high public position was probably due to the fact that his life was cut short when he was just entering its most promising years, for he possessed the ability to carry through big undertakings to a successful climax. Mr. Euler was born in 1837, in Germany, where he was educated to the age of twelve years, and at that time came to the United States with his parents who set- tled at Evansville. Reared in this city, the youth was variously employed until entering the insurance business, with which he was connected until his death in 1881. He was a man of sound integrity and high principles, and well merited the respect and esteem in which he was universally held. He was a member of St. John's Church. In 1860, Mr. Euler was united in marriage with Miss
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Susanna Elles, who was born at Evansville, September 26, 1841, a daughter of August and Margaret (Schmidt) Elles, natives of Ger- many. Mr. and Mrs. Elles were married in their native land, and shortly thereafter, in 1838, emigrated to the United States and took up their residence at Evansville, where Mr. Elles embarked in the grocery business at Third and Locust Streets. He spent several years in this line and then disposed of his establishment and pur- chased the Canal Mills, which he renamed the Elles Mills, and which he conducted during the remainder of his life in the manu- facture of flour. The product of his mills was popular and enjoyed a wide sale at Evansville and in the surrounding community. He was also prominent in civic and political affairs, and served in the City Council several terms, and though a stalwart Democrat, he had many warm friends in both parties. He was a good business man and a good citizen and enjoyed the respect and good will of the people of his locality. He and his wife were faithful members of St. John's church, of which he was a charter member and in which he was a deacon at the time the church was built. Of their chil- dren, six in number, Mrs. Euler is the eldest and the only one now living. To. Mr. and Mrs. Euler there were born six children: Helen, who died as the wife of the late Louis Kramer, of Evans- ville, leaving three children: Frank, Louis and Edward; Frank, deceased, who married Lyda Spencer, also deceased, and left two daughters who have been reared by their grandmather, Mrs. Euler ; Marie, the wife of William Kreyling, of the Paper and Woodware Company, with two children, Susanna and Kurt, and Eva L., the other daughter of Frank Euler; Philip J., a resident of Washington Avenue, Evansville, who was elected treasurer of Vanderburgh county in 1898, married Sadie Ludwig, now deceased, and left two children, Elise, the wife of Rudolph Meyer, and Philip Henry, who is associated with Mr. Meyer in the drug business at Evansville ; Teckla, the wife of Frank Henry, formerly of Louisville, but now a resident of Washington Avenue, Evansville, who have two chil- dren, Tessa, the wife of Thomas Merritt, and Elise, the wife of William Conrad, of Washington, D. C .; August, a locomotive en- gineer, who met his death in a railroad accident at the age of twenty-two years; and Herman, unmarried, who is engaged in the real estate business at Terre Haute, Indiana. Mrs. Euler has seven great-grandchildren, one of whom, Helen Cramer, is now attending high school. Mrs. Euler, who resides at No. 813 Wash- ington Avenue, Evansville, is one of the most highly respected women of her community, where she has formed numerous friend- ships during her long residence. The Euler family settled in Ev- ansville in 1849, and now represent four generations of Philip Eu- ler. The family home was established at III South Sixth Street, where it was maintained many years.
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