USA > Indiana > A History of Indiana from its exploration to 1922 > Part 65
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
mer living, but the latter died in infancy. Mr. Roberts belongs to the Knights of Columbus and to the American Legion. He organ- ized at Evansville in 1921 the first unit of the new national guard, Battery F., One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Field Artillery, and now with rank of Major commands the Second Battalion of that regi- ment which is located in Southern Indiana. Both he and Mrs. Rob- erts are members of St. Benedict's Catholic Church of Evansville.
James D. Saunders. During a period of many years James D. Saunders has been before the people of Evansville in various offi- cial capacities and throughout his long public career has at all times shown himself reliable and conscientious in the discharge of his duties. The greater part of his official service has been as the incumbent of the office of city engineer, one that he has held at va- rious times on and off since 1880, and which he has occupied con- tinuously since 1914. Mr. Saunders was born at Bloomington, In- diana, December 4, 1853, and was a child of about six weeks when brought to Evansville by his parents, James D. and Mary (Sweeney) Saunders. His father, a civil engineer by profession, had been working on railroad construction at Bloomington and had been called to Evansville to carry on the same line of work. Here he carried through a number of large and important projects and was at the height of his career when his death occurred in 1880, when he was but fifty-one years of age. Mr. Saunders was prominent in the public life of the community, having acted as Vanderburgh county surveyor and Evansville city engineer for a number of years. He was a man of high standards and principles and well merited the respect in which he was held by those with whom he was associated in any of his activities. Mr. Saunders was a member of the Episcopal church, while his wife, who survived him until 1898 and was sixty-eight years old at the time of her de- mise, was a Catholic. They were the parents of ten children, of whom four sons and two daughters arrived at years of maturity. James D. Saunders, the youngest, attended the public schools of Evansville, as well as a private school, and when still a youth dis- played a pre-dilection for the engineering profession, in which, ac- cordingly, he was instructed. This profession and general contract- ing, with holding public offices, have constituted Mr. Saunders' ac- tivities during a career that has been one of marked achievement and success. During the construction of the Evansville and Prince- ton traction line he served as engineer, and was then surveyor for the Rockport traction. In 1876 he was elected county surveyor, an office which he held until 1880, and at the time of his father's death, in that year, he was appointed city engineer to complete the term of the elder man. By subsequent elections he held the office until 1887 and afterward from 1889 until 1891. In 1893 he was appointed a member of the board of public works, and served as such four years, at the end of which period he engaged in general cantracting and followed that business until 1906. He was then returned by ap- pointment to the office of city engineer under Mayor John W.
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Boehne, and occupied the office until 1910. In January, 1914 he was again appointed to the office, which he has continued to hold, and in which he has set an excellent record for fidelity and expert service. Mr. Saunders is interested in the history of his community and state and has been a member of the Southwestern Historical Association since its inception, belonging also to the Indiana State Historical Society. The family attends the Walnut Street Presby- terian Church. In 1887 Mr. Saunders was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth McQuigg, of Ironton, Ohio, and to this union there have been born four children: Wliliam M., Betty, James D., Jr., and Mary, the last named of whom died in infancy.
Walter J. Schlensker. An example of progressive spirit and en- ergetic handling of ones opportunities leading to business success is found in the career of Walter J. Schlensker, of Evansville. Mr. Schlensker is still a young man, but has so directed his activities that he has already made a place for himself in business circles, as a member of the automobile firm of Schlensker Brothers, and the sole owner and manager of the Commercial Letter Shop. He was born on a farm in Vanderburgh County, December 5, 1894, and is a son of August and Caroline (Karges) Schlensker, and a grandson of Fred Schlensker, one of the pioneers of Vanderburgh county, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. August Schlensker, a native of this county, adopted the vocation of his father in young manhood and has been a farmer all of his life, now being one of the well-to-do men of Scott township, where he owns valuable and well- improved property. He and his wife are active members of the Lutheran church and the parents of two sons and one daughter. Mrs. Schlensker is a sister of Albert F. Karges, one of the leading business men of Evansville. Walter J. Schlensker attended the public schools of his native county and subsequently pursued a correspondence school course. In 1916, when less than twenty-two years of age, he became the main factor in the organization of the automobile firm of Schlensker Brothers, with offices at 1705 to 17II First Avenue, his associates in this business being his brother, A. F. Schlensker, and his cousins, J. A. and T. W. Schlensker. This venture has proven an excellent success and rapidly assuming large proportions. In June, 1920, Mr. Schlensker conceived the idea of and founded the Commercial Letter Shop, at Fourth and Sycamore Streets, which was something of an innovation at Evans- ville and proved an almost immediate winner. He is exceedingly active in business and civic circles, and holds membership in the Kiwanis Club, Chamber of Commerce, Evansville Association of Credit Men, Mail Advertising Service Association and the Dealers Automobile Club. Mr. Schlensker was reared in the faith of the 'Lutheran church, of which he has been a member all his life, and also belongs to the Walther League, a local society of which he is now President. He has many friends in Evansville, who are watch- ing his successful career with much gratification.
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Norman A. Shane. The career of Norman A. Shane, while it has been much shorter than numerous others to be found in this work, has been one in which worthy effort has resulted in well-merited success. He is still a young man, as years are counted, but has made the most of the opportunities which have come his way, and as a result occupies a recognized position in business circles of Ev- ansville as president of the Southern Sweat Pad Company. Mr. Shane was born at Chicago, Illinois, April 1, 1896, and is a son of Harry and Celia (Alpiner) Shane. His father, a native of Germany, was brought to the United States when he was three years of age, the family first settling at Keokuk, Iowa. He was still a young man when he went to Chicago, where he met and married Miss Al- piner, a native of that city, and there made his home until his death in 1904. Mrs. Shane survives him, as do three sons, but Norman A. is the only one living at Evansville. Norman A. Shane attended the common schools of Chicago, and was graduated from high school at the age of eighteen years. In 1914 he secured a position with the Boston Store, one of Chicago's great department enter- prises, with which he continued until October, 1917, when he en- listed as a buck private in the infantry of the United States Army for service during the World war, and emerged from that struggle with the rank of first lieutenant. During his service he participat- ed in several of the notable engagements of the war, including Grand Pre, in the Argonne sector, where he was wounded. On re- reiving his honorable discharge from the service, with a splendid war record, he returned to Chicago, where he was given his old po- sition at the Boston Store. This he held until 1920, when he came to Evansville to take over the ownership and management of the Southern Sweat Pad Company at the Belt Railroad near the Lin- coln Cotton Mills. Mr. Shane has made a success of this venture, which he has developed and expanded and is now doing about three times as much business as was being done under the former management. This is an old-established concern of Evansville, having been founded about a quarter of a century ago, but is now enjoying its greatest popularity and prosperity. Mr. Shane has brought to the company personal enthusiasm and new ideas, and his modern methods have been greatly beneficial. In June, 1920, Mr. Shane was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Ichenhaus- er, of Evansville, and to this union there has been born one son : Norman A., Jr. Mr. Shane is fraternally affiliated with the Masons and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He also holds membership in the American Legion, the Rotary Club, the Service Club, the 1206 Club, the Credit Men's Association, the Chamber of Commerce and the Evansville Manufacturers' Association. With Mrs. Shane he belongs to the Washington Avenue Temple. In politics he is a supporter of Republican principles. Since his ar- rival at Evansville, he has given his support to all movements for the public welfare.
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
Virgil M. Shively. Several vocations have occupied the atten- tion and activities of Virgil M. Shively during an energetic and prosperous career, and that he is posessed of versatility is shown in the fact that in each of his vocations he has given a good account of himself. For some years he was identified with the drug business and later followed agriculture, finally adopting his present busi- ness, that of insurance, in connection with which he is now district manager at Evansville for the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. Mr. Shively was born in Daviess county, Kentucky, April 13, 1875, and as a youth attended the public schools while be- ing reared on his father's farm. Subsequently he pursued a com- mercial course at Valparaiso (Indiana) University, and later grad- uated in pharmacy from the same institution. Locating at Evans- ville January 28, 1898, he engaged in the drug business, which he followed with success until 1907, then going back to Daviess county, where he engaged in agricultural operations. He continued to follow farming until 1918 and then returned to Evansville and be- came identified with the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, with which concern he has since been connected. He now occupies the position of district manager, with offices in the Citi- zens Bank Building. Mr. Shively has increased the business of his company materially during the past four years, and each year has been included in the Field Club, which organization is composed of those among the company's agents and managers who have se- cured a quarter of a million dollars annually of new business, per- sonal production. On August 15 and 16 his company held their regular Field Club Convention at Montreal, Canada, in which he participated, and in which he was elected vice-president for 1924, which convention will be held at Los Angeles, California. Mr. Shively possesses personality, energy, persistence and a compre- hensive knowledge of the business, and is able to show the benefits of indemnity in a forceful and logical manner without the use of long and tiresome statistics. Mr. Shively holds membership in the Chamber of Commerce, and as a fraternalist belongs to the Knights of Columbus. With his family, he belongs to the Catholic church. He takes an interest in public affairs, and while a resident of Ken- tucky served as a member of the board of supervisors and as post- master at West Louisville. April 23, 1911, Mr. Shively was united in marriage with Miss May C. Drury, of Union county, Kentucky, and to them there have been born three daughters: Madelyn, Ha- zel and Jean.
A. Chapin Spahn. Business interests of much importance are represented by A. Chapin Spahn in his capacities of general man- ager of the Bernardin Real Estate Company and vice-president and general manager of the Bernardin Bottle Cap Company. While he has been a resident of this city for comparatively only a short time, he has established himself in the esteem and confidence of his asso- ciates and has formed a number of substantial connections. Mr. Spahn was born at Buffalo, New York, June 27, 1881, and attended
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
the graded and high schools of his native place. His education was completed by a course in engineering at Cornell University, and upon his graduation from that institution he served an apprentice- ship with the Snow Steam Pump Works of Bison City, subsequently becoming consulting engineer in the manufacture of automobile small tools, machine tools, separators, office furniture and small hardware. Next he became identified with the Cutler Desk Com- pany, in the capacity of general manager, and as such, in February, 1917, came from Buffalo and throughout the period of the World war supervised the manufacture of wooden parts to be used in the building of airplanes by the Curtiss Airplane Company. June 26, 1922, Mr. Spahn located at Evansville to assume charge of the work of enlargement of the company. Since that time he has formed other connections, as noted above. His realty interests are large and his manufacturing connection is an important one, making his place in business circles one of prominence. Mr. Spahn is a Mason of high standing, belonging to Triune Lodge No. 782, A. F. & A. M., of Poughkeepsie, New York; Poughkeepsie Chapter No. 172, R. A. M .; Poughkeepsie Commandery No. 43, K. T .; and Ismailia Tem- ple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He also holds membership in the Evansville Country Club. February 3, 1910, Mr. Spahn married Miss Adele Louise Eastman, of Hudson, New York, and to this union there has come one son: John Robert, born at Syracuse, New York, No- vember 14, 1911. In addition to being one of the energetic and alert business men of his native city, Mr. Spahn is a progressive and public-spirited citizen, and is much interested in all that affects the welfare of his adopted community.
Abe Strouse. Prominent among the citizens of Evansville who have been engaged in business here for more than half a century is Abe Strouse, the proprietor of a flourishing clothing business at 203-5 Main Street. A business man who has had to travel the hard self-made road to success, his long years of business struggle and final attainment of success have not blunted his sensibilities, and Evansville has few men who are more kindly and charitable. Mr. Strouse is one of six brothers, always known as the Strouse broth- ers, and was born February 18, 1848, in Germany. There he re- ceived a public school education and at the age of seventeen years came to the United States to locate with relatives who had preceded him to this country. For a time he made his home at New York whence he removed to Georgetown, near Washington, D. C., and after one year at the latter place traveled west to Peru, Illinois, where he became manager of the store conducted at that place by his brothers. After securing this experience, in 1870 Mr. Strouse came to Evansville, where he opened a little salesroom on the pres- ent site of the National City Bank. Encouraged by the immediate success which attended his efforts, in the latter part of the same year he rented a small room of one story, 25x80 feet, at 203-5 Main Street. As his business grew with the passing years, he found it necessary to add a second floor, then a small room on the rear with
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an outlet on Second Street and finally the store on the side, for- merly occupied by W. E. French & Company. The business which has been built up through the efforts of himself and his sons, is one of the largest and most complete enterprises of its kind in the city, and enjoys the patronage of Evansville's best citizens. Mr. Strouse, at times, has been asked by his fellow-citizens to represent them in positions of public trust and responsibility, and in addition to holding appointive offices has been a member of the school board for the past nine years and formerly served on the county council as a contemporary of Samuel Vickery. In his political views he is a Republican. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the B. P. O. Elks and the Masons, and much of his philanthropic and benevolent work is done as a member of the Associated Charities. January 6, 1875, Mr. Strouse was united in marriage with Miss Madoline Roser, of Evansville, daughter of Samuel and Elise (Klotz) Roser, the former of whom was an old-time merchant of Evansville. To Mr. and Mrs. Strouse there have been born three sons : Mose A., Bernard R. and Isaac A., who are now conducting the business, the father having retired in 1919. The sons are all thorough, up-to-date business men, and are conducting the enter- prise along the same progressive lines as that of their father.
Carl B. Thayer. Coming into personal daily contact with many of his fellow-citizens, the general agent of an express company nat- urally becomes widely known and his personality and general char- acteristics are matters of knowledge to the general public. There- fore when an individual holding such a position is held in high es- teem and respect by the people of his locality it would seem to in- dicate his possession of excellent qualities. In this connection it may be mentioned that such is the place held in the esteem of his fellow-citizens by Carl B. Thayer, general agent of the American Railway Express Company at Evansville, and a man who has been identified with this line of work throughout his career. Mr. Thayer was born in the state of Georgia, June 25, 1874, and there passed his boyhood and secured his education. He attended the public schools and graduated from the high school at Calhoun, a town sit- uated about eighty miles north of Atlanta, and when eighteen years of age embarked in the express business. From that time to the present he has followed this line at various points in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Indiana. His first position of real import- ance came to him when he was placed in charge of the lines running between Nashville, Tennessee, and Jacksonville, Florida, and dur- ing the World war he was located at Chattanooga, Tennessee, with the American Railway Express Company. In 1919 he was trans- ferred to Evansville, where he has since been in charge of the com- pany's affairs as general agent, with offices at No. 119 Main Street. Mr. Thayer is personally popular, as before indicated, and is a man who has always taken the best of care of himself, for while he is nearly fifty years of age he has the appearance of one fifteen years his junior. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Or-
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der of Elks, the Evansville Chamber of Commerce and the Trans- portation Club of Evansville and his religious connection is with the First Christian Church. In November, 1908, Mr. Thayer mar- ried Miss Edith Rootz, a native of Kentucky, and they occupy a pleasant home at No. 12 Madison Avenue.
Henry B. Walton. In adding the name of Henry B. Walton to its citizenship in 1905, the city of Evansville was to profit by the services of an individual who possessed both the ability and ambi- tion to make himself a factor of large business usefulness. Since his arrival he has been identified with the printing business, and as secretary and treasurer of the Burkert-Walton Company, occupies a position of prominence among the progressive citizens of the com- munity. Mr. Walton was born in Henderson county, Kentucky, October 5, 1876, and there received his early education in the pub- lic schools. He was graduated from the high school at Corydon, Kentucky, when but sixteen years of age, and following that at- tended the Kentucky State College, at Lexington. Mr. Walton sup- plemented this training by a course in a business college at Rock- ford, Illinois, and with this equipment returned to Kentucky to enter upon his business career. At the time of his return, however, in 1898, he was appointed postmaster of Corydon, and for seven years the responsibilities of that position occupied his time and at- tention. It was not, therefore, until 1905 that he entered upon his business activities, in that year locating at Evansville, where he identified himself with the Keller Printing and Publishing Com- pany, one of the old-established firms of the city. Mr. Walton ap- plied himself faithfully to learning every particular of the business and to familiarizing himself with all details, not only mechanical, but executive, so that when the opportunity presented itself he was ready to take advantage of it. This occurred in July, 1920, when, in partnership with W. G. Burkert, he bought out the Herbert Journal Printing Company, the name of which was changed to the Burkert-Walton Company. When the new company took posses- sion the capital was at once increased to $60,000, and the concern is now doing all manner of first-class work in printing, engraving and binding. The equipment of the plant, which is located at Nos. 5 and 7 South Third Street, is of modern character, and the com- pany at this time has on its books some of the leading firms and most prominent business men of Evansville. Mr. Walton is one of the energetic and progressive men of his community and an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Evansville Manu- facturers' Association. As a fraternalist he holds membership in Reed Lodge No. 316, F. & A. M .; Evansville Chapter, R. A. M .; and Lavalette Commandery No. 12, K. T., of the Masonic order; and Evansville Lodge No 116, B. P. O. Elks, of which he is exalted ruler. His religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church. January 1, 1900, Mr. Walton was united in marriage with Miss Helen Fowler, a native of Henderson county, Kentucky, and to this union there have been born a son and a daughter: Kathryn, a
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graduate of Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, Kentucky; and Charles Fuhrer, a sophomore at the Central High School, both re- siding with their parents.
Ed J. Weintz. Of the men who have contributed to the up- building of Evansville as a business and manufacturing center of Southern Indiana, one who has done his share is Ed J. Weintz, a member of the company operating under the name of- Weintz Brothers Machine Shop. Mr. Weintz has been identified with this concern since the outset of his career and is well and favorably known in business circles. Mr. Weintz was born at Evansville, March 18, 1881, and is a son of Jacob Weintz. He acquired his ed- ucation in the public schools of his native city, and was seventeen years of age at the time of his graduation from the high school, as a member of the class of 1898. Two years later he became identi- fied with the Weintz Brothers Machine Shop, and eventually was admitted to partnership with his half-brothers, William and Henry P. Weintz, whom he has assisted in the building up of a large and important enterprise. Mr. Weintz is a man of ability and high principles and has formed a number of business connections at Evansville that have proved profitable. He is a Republican in his political sympathies and allegiance, and a citizen who has con- structive views in regard to civic matters. With his family he be- longs to the Walnut Street Presbyterian Church. February 22, 1905, Mr. Weintz was united in marriage with Beatrice, daughter of B. F. Persons, of Evansville, and they have become the parents of one son, Byron Persons Weintz, who was born February 5, 1909, and is now in high school.
Henry P. Weintz. Having passed his entire career at Evans- ville, and always being associated with the same concern, Henry P. Weintz has become one of the well-known business men of his city, and as a member of the company operating as Weintz Broth- ers Machine Shop, occupies a prominent position in manufacturing circles. His career has been that of a stable, reliable business citi- zen, who has won success no more by his continued industry than by the following out of a policy of honorable dealing. Mr. Weintz was born in a house on Clark Street, Evansville, January 8, 1858, and is a son of Jacob Weintz, a sketch of whose career will be found elsewhere in this work, where is also given a sketch of the Weintz Brothers Machine Shop, formerly the Heilman Machine Works. He acquired his education in the public schools, and when seven- teen years of age entered the Heilman Machine Works, then op- erated by William Heilman, and where his father was employed as superintendent. There he learned the trade of pattern-making, which he followed for a number of years, eventually becoming a partner in the firm. May 10, 1881, Mr. Weintz married Kate, daughter of Jacob and Katherine (Mehn) Selzer, who came to Ev- ansville in 1850. Jacob Seltzer was an active churchman and was one of those who assisted in the building of St. John's Church. Mr. and Mrs. Weintz had one son: Walter William, who is now de-
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