A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 129

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels
Publication date: 1904
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1273

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and did that work many years in Louisville, Memphis, Vicksburg, New Orleans and New York. In later life he studied dentistry at Louis- ville, Kentucky, and in 1874, when his son Ed- ward was elected auditor of. LaPorte county, he came to Michigan City, Indiana, to take charge of the latter's practice here. He died in Michi- gan City, December 22, 1876. His wife was Miss Anna M. Jessup, whose parents migrated from New York at the breaking out of the Revo- lution, and settled in Canada.

Dr. Edward J. Church was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, August 26, 1835, and the various re- movals of his parents through Michigan, Indiana and Illinois were made during his childhood. His education did not begin until his seventh year, when his mother took him to Prescott, Canada, and placed him in a school there. While a boy he formed the determination to become a dentist, and carried out that resolve as soon as possible. He began his preparation under Dr. S. S. Blodgett, now deceased, of Ogdensburg, New York. At the age of twenty-five he came to Joliet, Illinois, and formed a partnership with Dr. A. C. Allen. He remained there only a short time, and in January, 1861, located in Michigan City, Indiana, where he practiced his profession until 1874, when, as mentioned above, he was elected auditor of LaPorte county and re- moved to the county seat. He was re-elected to the same office in 1878. On retiring from of- fice he attended lectures on dentistry in Indian- apolis, and remained there some time in prepara- tion for resuming practice. In 1883 he opened up his office in LaPorte, and has been one of the popular dentists of that city to the present time.

In 1863 Dr. Church was married in Michi- gan City to Miss Elizabeth R. Johnson. an adopted daughter of Mrs. George Ames, of that city. She was born at Port Elizabeth, South Africa, of English parentage, and by her mar- riage has become the mother of four children: Lillie, dying in infancy ; Henry Walker, division engineer of the Chicago Great Western Railway, with headquarters at St. Paul, Minnesota ; Lottie. the wife of George Hummell, southern manager for the American Cigar Company, living at Savannah, Georgia; and Anna Clarendon, at home.

While a resident of Michigan City Dr. Church was city clerk for several years, and has been a member of the board of education in Ia- Porte, where he has been valuable in promoting the interests of education. He is a prominent

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Mason, having attained to the thirty-second de- gree of the Scottish Rite. His life has always been actuated by honorable principles in his re- lations with his fellow men.

THOMAS H. BOYD. History to-day is not an account of war and conquest but of business activity and enterprise, and the men who stand highest in public regard are those who success- fully and honorably control important business interests. For eighteen years Mr. Boyd has been a well known druggist of LaPorte, and before engaging in business on his own account was connected with the same line of trade as an em- ploye. His long experience has made him well qualified, and his energy and straightforward dealing well entitle him to the liberal patronage accorded him.

A native son of Indiana, Thomas H. Boyd was born in Fort Wayne, in 1844, his parents being the Rev. George M. and Silas Ann (Kib- linger) Boyd. The family is of Scotch-Irish an- cestry, and representatives of the name removed from Pennsylvania to Indiana. Rev. Boyd was a native of Lewis county, Kentucky, and at the age of eighteen years entered the ministry of the Methodist church and preached continuously for fifty-four years. At an early age he came to In- diana, and was one of the distinguished pioneer ministers of this state. For many years he was a circuit rider, carrying the gospel into back- woods communities which in those days were far removed from intellectual centers. He preached in LaPorte county in 1836, and was one of the organizers of the northwest Indiana conference. He was also the first presiding elder of the Fort Wayne district, and later was presiding elder of the LaPorte district. A man of great power and influence, he left the impress of his indi- viduality upon the early moral development of the state, and in later years, when the state was more thickly settled, he was called to a' number of important ministerial charges, among them be- ing Fort Wayne, LaPorte, Lafayette, Terre Haute, Greencastle and South Bend, Indiana. He was a contributor to Methodist publications, and was a man of broad and varied usefulness. He served longer as a preacher than any other member of the Northwestern Indiana conference, and was superannuated for only one year before his death, and that by reason of losing his voice. He passed away at Valparaiso, in 1892, at the age of seventy-six years, ofter a continuous ministry of fifty-four years, during which time he accom- plished great good in behalf of the church. He

was revered throughout the community, and his memory is yet cherished by many who knew him and who profited by his teachings. His wife, who was born in Ohio, died when her son Thomas was but three years of age.

Thomas H. Boyd was reared amid the chang- ing scenes induced by the system of Methodist itinerancy, and in his boyhood and youth lived at different times in Lafayette, Terre Haute, Greencastle, South Bend, Fort Wayne and in other places where his father acted as pastor of Methodist churches. In 1862, at the age of sev- enteen years, he enlisted at Terre Haute, in Troop E, Sixth Indiana Cavalry, for three years' service, and served with the Army of the West in Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. On the 29th of August, 1862, fourteen days after his en- listment, he participated in the battle of Rich- mond, Kentucky, where he was wounded and captured. He was held prisoner for four days, and was then paroled and sent to the parole camp at Terre Haute, where he remained until ex- changed. He then returned to the front and was engaged in the Atlanta campaign. From At- lanta he was sent back to Tennessee, where he participated in the hard-fought battle of Frank- lin, and later was in the engagements at Nash- ville and Pulaski, Tennessee, remaining in that part of the country until discharged at the close of his three years' term of service. He then re- turned to his home with a most creditable mili- tary record, having seen active and arduous ser- vice on many a battlefield.

In 1865 Mr. Boyd came to LaPorte, where he has made his home almost continuously since. He became a clerk in the well known old-time drug store of Dr. L. C. Rose & Company, and, having excellent tutelage, became a first-class pharmacist. For sixteen years he was with Dr. Rose, and then conducted a store of his own at Union Mills for four years, after which he re- turned to LaPorte and established his present business, which has had a continuous existence of over eighteen years. He is a very popular drug- gist, and on account of his excellent personal qualities, his honorable business methods and the fine line of goods carried, the Boyd drug store has a trade which perhaps no one else could equal.

In LaPorte county, in 1867, Mr. Boyd mar- ried Miss Jennie P. Allen, who was born and reared in this county, a daughter of James M. Allen, a well known and prominent pioneer. Two sons have been born of this union : Allen I .. , a prominent young business man, now man- ager of the Wilson Lumber Company, which

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was founded in 1854; and George Homer, who is in school in LaPorte. Fraternally Mr. Boyd is connected with the Grand Army of the Repub- lic, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of the Maccabees. He also belongs to the Business Men's Club, and is interested and active in support of all measures for the welfare and substantial improvement of the city. He holds membership in the First Methodist church, and is the president of its board of trustees. The city which has so long been his home is very dear to him, and he gives of his time and means for its advancement and progress along material, social, intellectual and moral lines.

ANDREW J. REHM, a prominent and in- fluential citizen of Clinton township, taking an active part in public affairs, is one of LaPorte county's native sons, his birth having occurred in New Durham township, on the 5th of April, 1865. His father, John Rehm, was born in Germany, February 14, 1833, and in early life came to the United States, in 1847, taking up his residence in this county, where he was married February 15, 1855, to Miss Mercy Ann Aker, who was born in Herkimer county, New York, December 12, 1830. Six children blessed this union, namely : Henry F., born July 19, 1856; Mary Elizabeth, who was born October 30, 1857, and died in May, 1887; Emma Catharine, who was born August 25, 1860, and died in 1889; Joseph William, born December 25, 1862; An- drew J .; and John Wesley, born March 22, 1868.

Andrew J. Rehm was reared in his native ·township, and acquired a good practical educa- tion in its district schools. After starting out in life for himself he was engaged in the hard- ware business for two years in Westville, and later turned his attention to the butchering busi- ness, which he followed for five years. Since then he has devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits, operating the farm where he now re- sides.

On the 20th of December, 1893, in Door Village, Mr. Rehm married Miss Martha Frances Phillips, who was born in Clinton township, January 29, 1867, a daughter of William Phillips of that township. They began their domestic life in Westville, where they resided until 1900, and then removed to their present farm.

Socially, Mr. Rehm is an honored member of the Knights of Pythias lodge of Westville, No. 309, and politically. is identified with the Democ- racy, voting first for Cleveland. On his party

ticket he was elected trustee of Clinton town- ship in 1900, and is still filling that office in a creditable and acceptable manner. He has ever taken a commendable interest in public affairs, and does all in his power to promote the general welfare.

CHARLES H. VORHES. To attain per- fection in his chosen field of labor has ever been the goal before Charles H. Vorhes, and this laud- able ambition has been the key to his success, making him well qualified to hold the numerous responsible positions which he has filled in con- nection with extensive carriage manufactories throughout the country. He is now the super- intendent with the LaPorte Carriage Company, and is a leading representative of industrial in- terests in this city.

Charles H. Vorhes was born in Oakland county, Michigan, near Detroit, in 1852, a son of Frederick C. and Susan (Matthews) Vorhes. His paternal grandfather was William Vorhes, who died in 1886. The father was born in Dans- ville, New York, in 1825, and was of Holland Dutch ancestry. When eleven years of age he came to the west with his parents, who settled near Detroit, which was little but a fort and a trading post. Frederick C. Vorhes learned the blacksmith's trade and was a very fine mechanic. He had three brothers who learned the wood- worker's trade, the mechanical tendency in the family being strongly developed. In later life he ceased to follow his trade and became a farmer in Oakland county. His last days were spent in the home of his son Charles in LaPorte, where he died August 10, 1902. His wife, who was born in Oakland county, is still living, her home being with Mr. Vorhes in LaPorte. She is a representative of a prominent pioneer family of Michigan, her brother, Colonel Matthews, being especially eminent. He was colonel of the Fifth Michigan Infantry in the Civil war; was post- master of Pontiac, Michigan, for a number of vears ; was sheriff of Oakland county ; and was United States marshal for the southern district of Michigan for two terms.

In the public schools Charles H. Vorhes mas- tered the common branches of learning, and later served an apprenticeship under his uncle. James Vorhes, a blacksmith and carriage-maker at Rochester, Michigan. From the beginning he was ambitious to succeed, realizing that there is always room at the top even if the lower walks of a business seem crowded. He resolved to earn for himself a good position in the industrial

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world, and with this worthy determination as a foundation for advancement he diligently ap- plied himself to the. mastery of his duties and labors. After completing his apprenticeship he conducted a shop of his own in Rochester for about five years, beginning in 1871, and then carrying out a desire to gain a more thorough knowledge of carriage-making, he went to De- troit, where he was employed in a carriage factory for two years. He then entered the Studebaker works at South Bend, Indiana, where he worked for a few months and then decided to go east, where he entered the employ of Brown & Pray, carriage manufacturers at Thirty-ninth and Broadway, New York, and subsequently he went to New Haven, Connecticut, where he was in the employ of Henry Killam Company, and Holcomb Brothers & Company, manufacturers of fine carriages. In 1883 he went to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to accept the position of foreman in the carriage works of Glesenkamp & Sons, remaining there until 1886, when he returned to New Haven to accept the appointment of super- intendent of the Holcomb factory. During all this time he had been earning his promotion through earnest labor and skill, constant study and application increasing his efficiency, which won the recognition of those active in the busi- ness of carriage manufacturing. He became an expert mechanical draftsman, studying under professional draftsmen, and his artistic sense en- abled him to become highly successful in orig- inating and making drawings for new designs of carriages. He remained as superintendent in the Holcomb factory until 1891, and in March of that year, upon resigning his position there, he was presented by the body-makers under his charge, with a pair of fine marine glassess and an engrossed testimonial of their high regard for him.

Leaving New Haven Mr. Vorhes returned to the west and accepted the position of superin- tendent with C. R. & J. C. Wilson and in 1892 went with the Michigan Buggy Company at Kal- amazoo. His skill and judgment were such that he was selected by that company to design and prepare its exhibits of carriages for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. He was with that company for nearly four years, a portion of which was spent upon the road in charge of their southern sales. In 1896 he came to LaPorte to take the superintendency of the works of the LaPorte Carriage Company, which position he has since filled. Beside having charge of the entire construction departments,

the designs and drawings are all made under his direction, his broad experience in both lines well qualify him for the very important position which he is now so creditably filling. He is working in the most harmonious relations with the management and also with the employes, and the result is that the works of the LaPorte Car- riage Company constitute an ideal industrial establishment. The carriages made here are ev- erywhere recognized as being of the highest es- tablished grade. Mr. Vorhes has always worked on the theory that carriage building is an art, and that there is room for the really proficient workman. He began at the bench, steadily ad- vanced upward, and in some of the largest car- riage factories of the country has been recognized as an expert, his broad experience and skill mak- ing his services extremely valuable.

Mr. Vorhes had five children: Mrs. Maud Rusch, Anna, Frank, Freeda and Bernice. He finds his chief source of recreation and pleasure in driving, and owns some fine specimens of driv- ing horses. In social life he is genial and com- panionable, and even in his business relations these qualities are manifest as far as is com- patiable with system, care and accuracy in the conduct of the establishment with which he is connected.

PHINEAS O. SMALL, who for two terms served as sheriff of LaPorte county and is now living in the city of LaPorte, was born in Clinton township, this county, May 25, 1858. His father, Phineas Small, Sr., was one of the pioneer settlers of this part of the state, locating here at an early day when the work of improve- ment and progress had scarcely been begun. Other of the pioneers were Jonathan Osborn, Gideon Long, Benjamin T. Bryant, John Rey- nolds, James Haskill, David Robertson and John Clark. Phineas Small, Sr., was born in Con- necticut in the year 1807, and emigrating west- ward in 1834 he took up a claim on section 17, Clinton township, LaPorte county, which was then a part of New Durham, now Clinton, town- ship. He turned the first furrows upon his land and began the development of a farm, which in course of time became a well cultivated and highly improved property. Thereon he spent his remaining days and reared his family of eight children. It was upon this farm that the subject of this sketch was born, and the property has never been out of possession of the family, being now owned by Phineas O. Small. The The father bore his part in the work of early

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progress and improvement here, and the family shared in the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life. As the years passed he prospered, and he died in comfortable circumstances upon the old family homestead, July 28, 1887, when eighty years of age. In early manhood he wedded Miss Mary Penney, a native of Ohio, and she survived him for a number of years, passing away November 8, 1900.

In the usual manner of farmer lads Phineas O. Small was reared. He attended the district schools. After attaining his majority he con- tinued to reside upon the old homestead and car- ried on agricultural pursuits until 1894, when he was nominated and elected on the Republican ticket to the office of sheriff, in which he served for two years. On the expiration of that time he returned to the farm, but in 1900 was again nominated and was one of the few Republicans elected in the county that year. At the end of his second term he once more retired from office with the confidence and good will of the public, and, deciding to remain in LaPorte, he turned his attention to the livery business, forming a partnership with Mr. Wells under the firm name of Small & Wells.

In 1893 occurred the marriage of Mr. Small and Miss Louise Shultz, of Michigan City. He is a prominent secret society man and belongs to the Masonic fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of the Maccabees.

CHARLES F. WELLS, of Wellsboro, Indi- ana, is now living a retired life in the enjoy- ment of a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves by reason of his industrious ef- forts of former years. Accomplishment and progress ever imply labor, energy and diligence, and it was those qualities which enabled Mr. Wells to rise from the ranks of the many and stand among the successful few.

Mr. Wells was born November 9, 1839, on the old family homestead in Noble township, where Wellsboro now stands, and he is a worthy . representative of an old and honored family which was founded in the new world in 1634 by two brothers, who came from England with a shipload of people and joined the colony that located at West Hartford, Connecticut. One was a bachelor, but the other was a married man. The latter was a very prominent and influential man in his community and was appointed the first lieutenant governor of Connecticut by the King of England and later became the second

governor of the colony. To this same family belonged Gideon Wells, who was secretary of the navy under President Lincoln, and Mr. Wells is a second cousin of Henry Wells, of the Wells- Fargo Express Company. The latter's father was twice married, having four children by the first union, of whom Henry was one, and sixteen by the second, making a family of twenty.

Theodore H. Wells, the father of Charles F. Wells, was born in 1801, in West Hartford, Connecticut, and at an early day came to Indiana, where he made his home throughout the re- mainder of his life, dying in LaPorte county, in 1842. By occupation he was a farmer. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Jane A. Weed, was born in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1806, and died in 1863. This worthy couple were the parents of twelve children, of whom extended mention is made in the sketch of Theodore H. Wells, on another page of this volume.

During his minority the life of Charles F. Wells was rather an uneventful one, his time being passed upon the home farm and in the schoolroom. He received a good practical edu- cation at Union Mills and LaPorte, and laid aside his text books in 1859, to assume the more arduous duties of business life. He and his brother Theodore bought the old homestead, con- sisting of two hundred and seventy-six acres, from the other heirs, and in twelve years they had it all paid for with the crops they had raised upon the place. In 1871 the property was divided but when Mr. Wells went west he left his portion in care of his brother. Going to Colorado, he worked in the silver mines and dealt in mining property for twenty years, and was gone ten years before making his first visit home. In 1874 his brother platted the town of Wellsboro upon Charles' farm, and when the latter arrived home in 1883 he found three railroads crossing his land, these being the Grand Trunk, Baltimore & Ohio and the Pere Marquette. In 1893 Mr. Wells left Colorado and has since practically lived retired upon his farm in Noble township, this county, where his early life was passed. He is held in the highest esteem by all who know him, and those who have known him from boyhood are numbered among his warmest friends.

JOHN AND EDWARD JULIUS LONN. In this age of colossal enterprise and marked in- tellectual energy the prominent and successful men are those whose abilities, persistence and courage lead them into larger undertakings and

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to assume the responsibilities and labors of lead- ers in their respective vocations. The extensive business interests of LaPorte place these gentle- men among the leaders in industrial circles, and they have achieved that success which is the logical result of enterprise, systematic effort, resolute purpose and straightforward methods. There are no other qualities absolutely essential to development, and upon the ladder of his own building John Lonn has climbed to prominence and prosperity.

John Lonn, the senior member of the firm, was born in Jonkoping, Sweden, in 1835, and in 1860, when twenty-three years of age, he came to the United States, making his way at once to LaPorte, Indiana. Ere leaving the land of his birth he had learned the tanner's trade, and on his arrival in this city secured the position of su- perintendent in the old Eliel tannery, while later he operated for two years his own tannery. After selling his tannery Mr. Lonn embarked in the wholesale hide, fur and wool business on his own account, and in 1871 founded the Lonn store at 921 Main street, where it has remained con- tinuously for over thirty years. The wholesale manufacturing business was inaugurated in 1883, this being a direct outgrowth of the retail store, and a few years later, in . 1889, the Lonn block, a substantial brick structure covering half a block on Main street, was erected, in which the retail store is located. The business is conducted under the firm name of John Lonn & Sons, the officers of the company being as follows: John Lonn, president ; Charles Lonn, vice president ; J. William Lonn, treasurer; and Edward Julius Lonn, secretary. This is one of LaPorte's most important industries, and they manufacture har- ness for the wholesale trade, their output being from twelve to fifteen thousand sets a year.

Besides being a "captain of industry," John Lonn has also contributed largely to the religious growth of the city, having been one of the few Swedish residents who succeeded in establishing the Swedish Lutheran church of this city in 1860, when a few faithful followers banded together to guarantee the expenses of maintaining a min- ister, and he has served as treasurer of the or- ganization for thirty-one years and has been one of its most liberal supporters. It will also be remembered that he was prominent among those who made the payment for the church's pipe organ, and in numerous ways has proved him- self a stanch friends and earnest supporter of the organization. In his political affiliations Mr. Lonn is a zealous Republican, active in the work

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A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 129

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1273

Author: Rev. E. D. Daniels
Publication date: 1904
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1273