USA > Indiana > A History of Indiana from its exploration to 1922 > Part 64
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
having made trips to California, Texas and Florida, and visiting the Canal Zone in 1911 when the canal was being built. In 1894 Mr. Miller resolved to devote himself to operations in realty. His methods of procedure were, at the time, novel, but they have proved successful beyond what might have been conceived at the outset. His plan has been to purchase and improve property, on which he has built homes for people in moderate circumstances, which the latter might purchase by payment in installments. Mr. Miller is president of the Contractors' Association. He has made his own way in the world and is now one of the largest tax-payers of Ev- ansville, and, as he is a great believer in land investments in the city, his property is principally in real estate. He is treasurer and a director in the Evansville Structural Supply Company and treas- urer and a director in the Security Saving and Loan Association. He and his family are members of the Presbyterian church and in politics he is a Republican, but not an aspirant for public office. November 23, 1893, Mr. Miller married Miss Mary Miller (who was not related), a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Schaefer) Miller, natives of Germany and early settlers of Evansville. Mr. Miller crossed the plains to California during the "Days of '49" and was successful in his search for gold, but returned to Evans- ville, where he spent the balance of his life, and died in 1905, aged seventy-two years. Mrs. Miller, who was active in the work of St. John's Church, passed away in 1887, aged forty-three years. Mr. and Mrs. George L. Miller are the parents of two sons: Sylves- ter L., born in 1894, a graduate of the public schools and Lock- vear's Business College, who is associated with his father in busi- ness, married Miss Corba Cox, of Petersburg, Indiana, and has one daughter, Mary Lou; and Elder L., born in 1896, a graduate from the same schools, and also associated with his father in business, who married Esther Schuler and has one son, Elder L., Jr.
Ernest C. Nagle. Included among the enterprising and pro- gressive business men of Evansville, one who has the credit of hav- ing made his own way to a position of substantiality in the business world is Ernest C. Nagle, one of the proprietors of the Nagle Lunch Rooms. He has been a resident of this city since 1917, and during this period has shown the possession not only of business ability, but of public spirit and a willingness to assume his share of the responsibility of assisting in the city's advancement. Mr. Nagle was born at Grayville, Illinois, November 29, 1889, and acquired his educational training by attendance at the public schools of his na- tive place. His business experience started at Indianapolis, where, in partnership with his brother, Louis G. Nagle, he ventured into the field of lunch room operation in 1912. Their initial venture proving successful, the brothers were encouraged to enlarge their field, and within a few years they were the proprietors of two rooms at Indianapolis, as well as one at Terre Haute and two at Evansville. Believing that they would be called for service in the World war, the brothers disposed of their holdings at Indianapolis
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in 1917, in which year they came to Evansville, which has since been their home and the scene of their success. Louis G. Nagle is managing the room at 213 South Second Street, while Ernest C. Nagle has charge of the room at 800 Main Street, both being very popular establishments. Ernest C. Nagle is a thirty-second degree Mason and Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He also holds membership in the Kiwanis Club and the Chamber of Commerce. In 1914 he was united in marriage with Miss Lillian 'Lucile Miller, of Cincin- nati, Ohio, and they have three children, namely: Charles, Ernest Richard and Mary Jean. The family home is at Boonville, Indiana, and is a hospitable one, where their friends are always welcome.
Louis G. Nagle. Widely known in his community of Evans- ville because of his constant contact with the general public, Louis G. Nagle, one of the proprietors of the Nagle Lunch Rooms, is also a man who has taken a keen interest in the affairs of his adopted city since his arrival in 1917 and has proved himself a constructive and public-spirited citizen of modern tendencies in addition to be- ing an energetic and thorough-going business man. He was born at Grayville, Illinois, December 6, 1887, and there received his ed- ucation in the graded and high schools. From his native city he went to Indianapolis, where, with his brother, Ernest C., a sketch of whose career appears elsewhere in this work, he embarked in the lunch room business. This venture proved a successful one and the brothers found themselves soon in the possession of two es- tablishments at Indianapolis, one at Terre Haute and two at Ev- ansville, the last-named having been opened in 1915. When the United States entered the World war, both brothers were within the draft age, and, expecting to be called for service, disposed of their establishments at Indianapolis and centered their activities at Evansville and Terre Haute. They were not called upon for serv- ice, however, but have maintained their Evansville and Terre Haute establishments and have kept their residence in Evansville. Louis G. Nagle manages the establishment at 213 South Second Street, and Ernest C. Nagle the room at 800 Main Street. Louis G. Nagle is much interested in Evansville and is a liberal contributor to all public enterprises. During the World war he spent three or four nights each week at the Evansville Red Cross Canton, and also . transported the soldiers from train to train and housed them over night free of charge. Soldiers were always welcome at the Nagle Lunch Rooms, and any man in uniform was always fed for twenty- five cents, regardless of the amount they ate. Mr. Nagle belongs to the Masonic order and is a Knight Templar Mason and member of the Mystic Shrine, in addition to holding membership in the Be- nevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Press Club, the Country Club, Olympic Club and the Rotary Club. His love of athletic sports is shown by his membership in the Casting Club and the Gun Club. Mr. Nagle is unmarried.
Charles Newman, one of the old and honored residents of Ev- ansville and vice-president of the H. G. Newman Plumbing Com-
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
pany, has been prominent in business and public affairs of the city for many years. He was born at Evansville, March 9, 1848, a son of Jonathan and Easter (Gilbert) Newman, natives of England. Jonathan Newman was born September 28, 1814, and was married in his native land to Miss Gilbert, who was given the name of Easter because of having been born on Easter Sunday, March 29, 1818. They came to the United States in 1837, during the winter of which year they remained at Utica, New York, and in 1838 lo- cated at Evansville. A carpenter by trade, Mr. Newman engaged in contracting until 1873, at which time he embarked in the pork packing business, in which he continued until his death, June 22, 1887. Mr. Newman took an active interest in civic affairs, and for some years was a member of the City Council. He and his wife were faithful members of the Episcopal church and the parents of six children : William H., deceased; Sarah ; Jonathan B .; Charles ; George W .; and Samuel, deceased. Charles Newman secured a public school education at Evansville and was variously employed until 1882, when he became clerk of the City Waterworks Board. He held this position until 1887, and then identified himself with business ventures until 1899, when there was organized the H. G. Newman Plumbing Company, of which he became vice-president, the other officials being: E. H. Meyer, president ; Harry G. New- man, secretary and general manager ; and Newton W. Newman, as- sistant manager. Charles Newman has been a member of the Knights of Pythias for thirty-nine years. He has several other connections of a social and civic character and maintains a keen interest in movements which affect the welfare of his native city. December 31, 1872, Mr. Newman married Emma Wing, who was born in England, March I, 1850, and came to Evansville in 1865 with her parents, John and Susan (Dawson) Wing, both of whom are now deceased. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Newman : Ruth, who married James Fraser and has two children, Evelyn and James; Harry G., manager and secretary of the H. G. Newman Plumbing Company and a director and stockholder in the American Trust Company, who married Brent Buchanan and has one son, Newton W., assistant manager of the H. G. Newman Plumbing Company ; and Susan, the wife of Fred W. Davis, of Ev- ansville, assistant manager of the Laib Company, who has one daughter, Emma Jane.
Eugene E. Nolan. Prominent among the young and energetic business men who are contributing materially to the business ad- vancement of Evansville, is Eugene E. Nolan, vice-president of the Bennighof-Nolan Company, wholesale and retail dealers in automo- biles. A lifelong resident of Evansville, Mr. Nolan has imbibed the real spirit of the growing and thriving city, and it has been his fortune to grow and develop even as the city has expanded and ad- vanced. Mr. Nolan was born at Evansville, December 2, 1895, and is a son of John J. Nolan. His paternal grandparents were William J. and Anne (Roche) Nolan, natives of Ireland who emigrated to
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the United States in 1855 and located at Evansville, where William J. Nolan secured employment at his trade of stone-cutting. At the outbreak of the War between the States, he enlisted in Company I, Sixty-sixth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was wounded at the battle of Perryville, and died at Corinth, Mississippi, Novem- ber I, 1863, being buried in an unknown grave. He had reached the age of forty-one years and was the father of six children: Eu- gene, who served as a Union soldier in the Civil war and died in 1877; William J., who moved to Paris, Tennessee, in 1885 and died there in 1813; John J .; Mrs. Sarah F. Garrity, Mrs. Mary Halpin and Mrs. Anna Roche. The mother of these children, who was born in 1823, died in February, 1894. John J. Nolan, the father of Eugene E., was born at Evansville, August 31, 1859, and attended the public schools, but left high school to take a position as mes- senger boy with the Western Union Telegraph Company. He later became a telegraph operator and for fourteen years followed that vocation, during a large part of the time as an Associated Press operator with the Western Union. From 1888 to 1890 he served a term in the State Legislature, and in 1891 was made presi- dent and general manager of the People's Electric Light and Power Company, at Evansville, and served in that capacity until 1901, when the property was sold. In the meantime, in 1893, under ap- pointment of President Cleveland, he had served as postmaster of Evansville. In 1901 he embarked in the coal business, which he followed until 1906, when he was appointed city comptroller by Mayor John Boehne and acted in that capacity three years. He was also mayor of the city for one year, and in 1910 became general manager of the Public Service Company. Still later he became vice-president and a director of the Merchants Bank, in which po- sition he served until again appointed postmaster, April 1, 1914. During the World war, while president of the Chamber of Com- merce, Mr. Nolan was chairman of the Liberty Loan drives and or- ganizer and chairman of the American Red Cross at Evansville. He belongs to the Rotary Club and the B. P. O. Elks, of which he was exalted ruler in 1905. October 18, 1887, he married Miss Val- lie Fitzwilliam, of St. Louis, and they have two sons: Val, an at- torney of Evansville, and a lieutenant of artillery during the World war, who married and has two children; and Eugene E. No- lan. The last named son attended the public schools of Evans- ville and after two years at high school pursued a course at St. Mary's College, St. Mary's, Kansas. In 1910 he received his introduction to the automobile business, and in 1913 became asso- ciated with the Bennighof-Nolan Company, of which he is now vice-president. In September, 1918, Mr. Nolan enlisted in the United States army and was sent to Camp Taylor for training, but was discharged January 6, 1919, without seeing active service. He then returned to Evansville and has since applied himself to his businesss responsibilities. He belongs to the Knights of Colum- bus, the Evansville Country Club, the Chamber of Commerce and
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the American Legion, and like his father is interested in civic af- fairs and supports progressive movements. October 31, 1916, Mr. Nolan married Kathryn Braun, of Evansville, and they are the parents of one son : John Patrick, who was born March 1, 1920.
James L. Nugent, vice-president and treasurer of the Bedford- Nugent Company, of Evansville, dealers in sand and gravel, is a native of Evansville and a member of one of the old and honored families of this city. He was born May 5, 1887, and is a son of James and Louisa D. (Grimm) Nugent, and a grandson of James and Katharine Nugent, natives of Tipperary, Ireland. The grand- parents were married in their native country and shortly there- after immigrated to the United States and located at Evansville at an early day. Here they passed the remainder of their lives. The maternal grandfather of Mr. Nugent, Jacob Grimm, was born in Germany and was an early resident of this city, where he married a Miss Dausmann, and where both passed away. James Nugent, father of James L., was born September 5, 1855, and received his education in the public schools, supplemented by a course at the Lockyear Business College. He early adopted the business of con- tracting and was first a member of the firm of Nugent Brothers, later being identified with the Indiana Contracting Company, then Bedford, Weikel & Nugent and finally with the Bedford-Nugent Company. Mr. Nugent was one of the substantial and reliable men of his community and in his death, which occurred December 26, 1917, Evansville lost a public-spirited and valued citizen. He was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and his religious connection was with the Asumption Church. Mrs. Nu- gent, who was born at Evansville in 1855, and died December 29, 1920, was a member of Walnut Presbyterian church. The only child of his parents, James L. Nugent attended the public schools, including the high school, following which he pursued a course at the James Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois. In 1907 he be- came associated with the Bedford-Nugent Company, and since that time has advanced to the position of vice-president and treasurer. Mr. Nugent has been an important factor in the growth and devel- opment of this concern, which is now one of the large contracting enterprises of the city, dealing heavily in sand and gravel, materials which it has furnished for some of the large structures of Evans- ville, as well as for the building of roads, etc. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and has a number of civic and business connections. January 17, 1913, Mr. Nugent mar- ried Miss Bettie M. Hartmetz, eldest daughter of Charles F. and Anna (Mingst) Hartmetz, and they are the parents of two chil- dren : James L., Jr., born June 13, 1918; and Anna Louisa, born February 19, 1921.
Manson Reichert. Many visitors to Evansville comment upon the excellent condition of the city's streets and alleys, something that is sure to catch the attention of the observant stranger in any city. Credit for such desirable conditions usually is given to the
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city officials during whose administrations this work was done, the general run of people overlooking the very obvious fact that had the contractor not carried through his work in a capable and workmanlike manner the streets would not stand the test of time. It is in this connection that there is brought forward the name of Louis Reichert, who laid many of the streets of Evansville, and whose name is perpetuated in the Louis Reichert Construction Company, of which the president and general manager is Manson Reichert. Manson Reichert was born April 11, 1893, a son of Louis and Luella (Hubbard) Reichert, natives of Vanderburgh county. Construction work naturally runs in the Reichert family, as Nich- olas Reichert, the grandfather of Manson, was one of the early contractors of Vanderburgh county and did much work in the way of construction at and about Evansville. Louis Reichert was born January 1, 1865, and during the early years of his life worked on a farm. About the year 1888 he located at Evansville, where he se- cured employment with the Ahlering Sawmill, and, being thrifty and ambitious, saved his earnings, bought a team and began to haul lumber. As his capital was small, his operations were necessa- rily of a modest character, but he managed to save a little money and looked forward eagerly to the future. Thinking that he saw an opportunity for profit at this time, he loaned his money to the Ahlering Lumber Company, and when that concern went bank- rupt and out of business, he lost his all. Mr. Reichert was then variously employed for a time, and gradually drifted into construc- tion work. Until 1907 he continued in a small way, but in that year began to extend his work to include street and road building. Dur- ing the administration of Mayor Bosse he put down ninety-eight streets at Evansville, which have proven to be of the best character and by their longevity and substantial character have testified to Mr. Reichert's ability and the honesty with which he fulfilled his contracts. He operated as Louis Reichert until his death, which oc- curred when he was fifty-four years old, December 16, 1919. Mrs. Reichert survives him as a resident of Evansville. They were the parents of five children : Manson, Miss Luella ; Mrs. Margaret Rit- ter and Mrs. Christine Bergman, all of Evansville; and Mrs. Maud Black, of Los Angeles, California. Manson Reichert attended the Campbell school at Evansville for his primary educational training, following which he pursued a course at Lockyear's Business Col- lege. When sixteen years of age he started to work for his father, with whom he remained until the elder man's death, after which the business was established as the Louis Reichert Construction Company, of which Manson Reichert is president and general man- ager. The business is being conducted along the same lines that made it successful in former years, and Mr. Reichert is displaying many of the qualities which made his father esteemed and well re- garded in business matters. In politics he is a Democrat, but has not sought political honors. He is a member of the Jefferson Pres- byterian Church. June 17, 1917, Mr. Reichert was united in mar-
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riage with Mabel, daughter of Emil and Martha (Bauer) Kautz- man, of Evansville, the former of whom conducted the Central Hotel for some years. Mr. and Mrs. Reichert are the parents of one daughter : Maybelle.
Theodore A. Rechtin, who has attained to a position of promi- nence in the commercial life of Evansville through his long identi- fication with the lumber industry, was born in this city on October 6, 1864, the son of John Theodore and Lucia B. (Keller) Rechtin, the former of whom was born January 20, 1825, and the latter on August 31, 1836. Both the father and mother are now deceased, having passed away in 1902 and in November, 1908, respectively. John Theodore Rechtin was born in Hanover, Germany, and when he was twenty-four years old came to Evansville to Brother Ber- nard, the first Catholic school teacher in the city. Here he began working for Caleb Sanders in the portable and grist mill business, earning $4.00 a month. For about three years he continued with Sanders, walking to Evansville from the country every Sunday to attend Trinity church, and when he left his employer was head sawyer. His next employment was as sawyer for John Reitz. & Sons, and he then went into partnership with Adam Helfrich in 1864 under the firm name of Helfrich & Rechtin, an association which continued until 1883. In the latter year he went into busi- ness by himself as John Theodore Rechtin, operating a planing mill at the present location of the business, a site which was once occu- pied by the Evansville Building Company, a concern taken over by Helfrich & Rechtin in 1872. John Theodore Rechtin was most suc- cessful in business, continuing actively therein until 1896. To him and his wife the following children were born: Theodore A., the subject of this biography ; Henry, a sawmill and timber man who died in November, 1917; Aloyisius W., now in business with Theo- dore A .; Joseph, deceased; Philomina; Barbara; Mary; Lucy, now Mrs. George Meyer, of Cincinnati, Ohio; and Annie, now Mrs. Michael Haas, of Evansville. Theodore E. Rechtin was educated in Trinity school on Third street, later attended "Dad" Knight's school on Chandler avenue, following which he took a course in the Rank & Wright Business College. In 1879 he started to work in the Helfrich and Rechtin saw mill, and when this firm dissolved in 1883 he engaged with his father in the planing mill, and when his father retired the son took over the business, which became known as Theodore E. Rechtin in 1896. That he has been a success in his chosen field is attested by the material prosperity which has come to him through his business, and no small part of his success is due to the assistants that he has had the foresight to employ. Notable among these are A. W. Rechtin, superintendent ; Clarence Witting and Carl Grimmeissen, gentlemen who have been with Mr. Rechtin for many years, and upon them he places many of the burdens of managing the extensive lumber business of the company. But it is to Mrs. Rechtin, in whose death on May 17, 1922, the city of Ev- ansville lost one of its finest women and most ardent church work-
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ers, and Mr. Rechtin sustained a grievous personal loss, that he owes most of his inspiration toward high achievement. He was united in marriage on October 25, 1887, to Catherine M. Tisserand, the daughter of John B. and Adeline (Semonin) Tisserand, both natives of France. The father was born in 1820, and in 1840 came to this country, locating in Henderson, Kentucky, where he went into the mercantile business. Later he had stores in various parts of the country, often buying them for an investment and holding them for an advantageous sale. Mrs. Tisserand died in 1875, and was survived by her husband until October 6, 1900. To them four children were born, two of whom died in infancy, the others having been John S., now with The Davis & Deitrich Plow Company at Evansville, and Mrs. Rechtin. To Mr. and Mrs. Rechtin one child, a daughter named Lucia Adeline, was born. In addition to his lum- ber interests he is a director in the North Side Bank, a director in the Ideal Creamery Company and is president of the North Side Savings & Loan Association. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and politically gives his support to the Democratic party. Although he has never been a candidate for public office he has always taken a constructive part in civic affairs and is known as a supporter of community welfare work.
Louis L. Roberts, junior member of the law firm of Veneman, Welborn & Roberts, is one of the younger attorneys of Evansville. He was born at Carlisle, Sullivan county, Indiana, in 1891, and re- ceived his preliminary educational training in his native city. Sub- sequently he was a student at Assumption Parochial School, Evans- ville High School, and Culver Military Academy, prior to his ma- triculation at Wabash College. In 1912 he was graduated from the last-named institution with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. At col- lege he was a member of Phi Delta Theta, Tau Kappa Alpha (ora- torical) and Phi Beta Kappa (scholarship). For two years after leaving college he was engaged in teaching school, and he won the first Knight of Columbus scholarship at the Catholic University of America, Washington City, in 1914. Entering the University as the first student from Indiana, he took his degree of Master of Arts in one year, but continued his graduate studies until 1916, when he became an instructor in American Constitutional history at the university, which position he held until April, 1917. With the entry of this country into the World war Mr. Roberts entered the first officers' training camp at Fort Myer, and was commissioned an of- ficer in the field artillery, and assigned to the Three Hundred and Fifteenth Field Artillery, Eightieth Division, at Camp Lee, Vir- ginia. In May, 1918, he went overseas with his division and served with the rank of captain until February, 1919, when he was honor- ably discharged. In March, 1919, he came to Evansville, and en- tered the law office of Veneman & Welborn, and in November of that year was taken into the firm. In 1920 Mr. Roberts was mar- ried to Miss Pauline Molony, of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and they have had two children born to them: Carolyn and Pauline, the for-
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