A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 138

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

USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana > Part 138

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HISTORY OF LAPORTE COUNTY.

been the pastor continuously to the present time. His church now numbers five hundred and thirty families. Rev. Hoch is independent in his po- litical affiliations.

THOMAS CONLON, the owner and opera- tor of a fine farm in sections 14 and 23 in Clin- ton township, has been a resident of LaPorte county for over fifty years, and his name is in- seperably connected with its agricultural inter- ests. His thoroughly American spirit and great energy have enabled him to mount from a lowly position to one of affluence, and his leading char- acteristics in business affairs are a fine sense of order and complete system and the habit of giv- ing careful attention to details, without which succes in any undertaking is never an assured fact.

Michael and Mary (Glancy) Conlon, his par- ents, were natives of county Roscommon, Ire- land, the former born in 1822 and the latter in 1825. In 1853 the family emigrated to America, coming at once to La Porte county, Indiana, where these worthy people spent their remaining days, Michael Conlon passing away in Clinton town- ship in 1894, and his wife in 1896. He followed railroading during most of his residence in America.

The following children were born to Michael and Mary Conlon : Elizabeth, born in Ireland in 1845, is now the wife of Thomas Garwood, a farmer' of Clinton township, LaPorte county ; Thomas; Jane, born in Ireland in 1849, is now the wife of David Hannon, a farmer of New Durham township; Michael, who was born on the ocean while his parents were coming to Amer- ica in 1853, died in Clinton township in 1886; Bernard, born in LaPorte county in 1856; Fran- ces, born in LaPorte county in 1858, married Patrick Conry, a resident of Scipio township ; and Mary, who was born in this county in 1860 and died in 1882.

Thomas Conlon was born in county Ros- common, Ireland, July 9, 1847, and as he was but six years old when he came to La- Porte county, most of his education was received in the local schools. On start- ing out in life for himself he worked on a farm at twenty-five cents a day, and later at seven dollars per month. He continued this wage work until 1873, when he commenced farming for himself upon rented land. In 1880, in part- nership with his brother Bernard, he bought one hundred and forty acres, but sold it the same year, and subsequently bought the two hundred

and twenty acres in Clinton township where he now lives. He has steadily prospered in his op- erations, and now owns three hundred and eighty acres, one of the finest farms in the locality. In 1903 he remodeled his beautiful residence, which is furnace-heated and furinshed tastefully and with the comforts of which made country life ideal. He also has the very best of farm build- ings, and it all stands as a glowing testimonial of the thrift, enterprise and good business judg- ment which have made him a prosperous man from the poor youth who started out to work for others many years ago.

As a principal factor in this successful out- come of life's labors Mr. Conlon does not fail to include his estimable wife, who stood by him in all his efforts and has been the needed comple- ment by which his life and work were perfected. June 17, 1880, he was married in Clinton town- ship to Miss Marguerite Condon, who was born in that township, September 5, 1851, a daughter of David and Catherine (Regan) Condon, three of whose children are living besides Mrs. Con- lon, namely: Nellie, the wife of George Bergen, an engineer on the Rock Island Railroad and a resident of Blue Island, Illinois; Nora, the wife of John Dalton, a prosperous farmer of Seward county, Nebraska, and they have five children : David W., a farmer of Clinton township. Mrs. Conlon was confirmed in the Catholic church, and was educated in the common schools and at St. Rose Academy in LaPorte.

Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Conlon : Agnes D., born June 15, 1884, is fit- ting herself for a teacher, having spent two years in St. Rose Academy, and perfected herself in instrumental music; May K., born January 10, 1886, has attended St. Rose Academy for one year and is now taking special work in the high school at Union Mills ; and Charles S., born April 17, 1887, is in the eighth grade in school. The family are communicants of the Catholic church of the Precious Blood at Wanatah, and Mrs. Conlon is a member of the sodality. Mr. Con- lon is identified with the Democratic party, and, so far as his extensive business interests allow, takes part in public affairs.

PROFESSOR HENRY C. NOE, who has devoted much of his life to educational work and is now principal of the commercial department in the LaPorte high school, was born in Jones- ville, Michigan, November 9, 1839. His father, Jacob Noe, was a native of Germany, born in 1809, near the French border. The family came

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originally from Switzerland, and one branch of it was German and another French, Professor Noe being descended from the former. Jacob Noe's birthplace was in a region made historic by the Napoleonic wars, and he related many interesting incidents connected with those wars and other historic events of his native country. His eldest brother was a soldier in Napoleon's army and participated in the battle of Leipsic. In his native country Jacob Noe learned the miller's trade, and upon coming to America in 1827 worked at his trade in Rochester, New York, where he continued to live until 1835, when he emigrated to Jonesville, Michigan. There he decided to turn his attention to farm- ing, and 'accordingly took up a tract of land, which he cultivated and improved, meeting with excellent success in his new undertaking. He continued to carry on agricultural pursuits dur- ing the greater part of his life, and spent his remaining days in Michigan, passing away in 1880. In early manhood he married Clarissa Drake, who was born in New England and came of an old Puritan family. Direct descendants of her ancestors still live on the old farm in Con- necticut, which they secured on entering that colony with Roger Williams, having crossed the Atlantic with him from England. Mrs. Noe passed away in 1896, being more than eighty years of age at the time of her death.

Amid the environments of farm life Profes- sor Noe spent his youth, and his early educational privileges were supplemented by a course in the Jonesville high school, from which he was gradu- ated. He was also graduated from Hillsdale College, of Hillsdale, Michigan, with the class of 1860, this being the first class to complete the classical course in that institution. After his graduation he engaged in teaching school, and in the latter part of the war of the rebellion he was for two years in the naval service, in the quartermaster's department on the steamer J. B. Adams, on the lower Mississippi. Following the close of hostilities he entered the railway service, and after learning telegraphy was rapidly pro- moted until he became train dispatcher for the Lake Shore Railroad. He was holding that position in Chicago when the great fire of 1871 occurred, at which time the division headquarters were removed to LaPorte, and Mr. Noe remained as train dispatcher for six years. He afterward served for nine years in the same capacity on the southern Kansas division of the Santa Fe Railroad, at Ottawa and Chanute, following which he returned to LaPorte and for about six

years conducted a business college here. He was then offered a good position in the LaPorte pub- lis schools, with which he has since been con- nected. He is principal of the commercial de- partment of the high school, and also superin- tendent of penmanship for the entire public school system of the city. Under his direction the commercial department has made rapid and satisfactory advance, the course of instruction being thorough and accurate, thus well qualify- ing the students for the work of the business world.

Professor Noe ranks very high in Masonic circles. It is said that he is more familiar and has a more practical working knowledge of Free- masonry than any other member in this part of the state, and he is considered such an authority that he is always called upon to assist in cere- monial work and on other occasions where actual knowledge is required. He has taken all his degrees from the third to the Knight Templar in LaPorte, having been raised in the blue lodge in 1876, while in 1880 he became connected with Chivalric Masonry. His duties in connection with the fraternity are quite important, for he is secretary for all the lodges in LaPorte, in- cluding the blue lodge, chapter, council and com- mandery.

Professor Noe was married in Rome City, Indiana, to Miss Mary Dixon, a native of England, and they now have six children : Mrs. Mary Fitzpatrick; Clara; Carroll, who is train dispatcher at St. Paul; and Fannie, Georgia and Zayda, at home. The children have been pro- vided with excellent educational privileges, and the youngest daughter is now a student in the Michigan University at Ann Arbor. The family occupy a very enviable position in social circles, where true worth and intelligence are received as the passports into good society, the hospitality of the best homes of LaPorte being freely accorded them.

JOHN D. STONER is one of the most pro- gressive and successful farmers of Westville, where he owns and operates a valuable and well improved farm of five hundred and twenty acres. His possessions have all been acquired through his own efforts, and as the result of his endeavor he has won a place among the substantial citizens of his adopted county.

Mr. Stoner was born in Shelby county, Ohio, on the 16th of October, 1830, and is a son of John and Catharine (Kniff) Stoner, both natives of Pennsylvania, the former born in 1806, the lat-

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'ter in 1809. At an early day they removed to Shelby county, Ohio, and they became the par- ents of nine children, namely : Daniel; David, deceased ; Mary, who wedded Jackson Cane, of Shelby county, Ohio, and is now deceased; John D .; Lucinda, deceased ; Catharine, who married John Clawson and died in Noble county ; Samuel, Joseph and Sarah Jane, also deceased.

In the state of his nativity John D. Stoner was reared and educated in much the usual man- ner of boys of his day, and he continued to make his home there until 1852, when he came to La- Porte county, Indiana. Two years later he was married in Clinton township, February 23, 1854, to Miss Martha E. Snavley, who was born in Montgomery county, Virginia, on the 27th of January, 1830. Mrs. Stoner's grandfather, John Snavley, came from Germany during the Revo- lutionary war, and was hostler for one of the generals of the continental forces. Mrs. Stoner's mother's brother, William Eahart, was also in the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Stoner has spun and woven cloth from the wheel, and Mr. Stoner has swung the old four-fingered cradle from morn till night, and is also acquainted with the still earlier sickle for harvesting grain. He has also used the crude implements for braking and scutching the flax ready to spin into thread for cloth. When he first became acquainted with LaPorte county there was only one railroad through it, while there are now many trunk and branch lines passing through in every direction.

For about four years after his arrival in this county Mr. Stoner was engaged in farming upon rented land. His first purchase of land, eighty acres, was made in Clinton township about 1857, and it was only partially improved and had no dwelling house. He has since prospered, being able to add to his property from time to time until he now has five hundred and twenty acres of rich and arable land under a high state of cul- tivation. His success in life is due entirely to his own industry, enterprise and good manage- ment and he well deserves the prosperity that has come to him, for he is upright and honorable in all his dealings. He is a Jackson Democrat, and cast his first vote for James K. Polk.

LOUIS SCHUMM, SR. The business inter- ests of a man's life form the most important chap- ter in his history, and when his efforts are di- rected along legitimate lines and result in the attainment of success he is certainly worthy of distinction. Such a career is of value to the community with which the man is associated,

adding to the sum total of commercial or indus- trial activity, whereon depends the progress and prosperity of every town and city. For thirty- five years Louis Schumm, Sr., has been engaged in the manufacture of sash and doors in La- porte, and was one of the founders of the enter- prise now conducted under the name of the La- Porte Sash & Door Company, and of which he is the treasurer and manager.

A native of Ohio, Mr. Schumm was born in Van Wert county, in 1840, a son of George and Maria (Pflueger) Schumm, both of whom were natives of Germany. The father, who was born in Wurtemberg, emigrated to the United States in 1833, settling first in Holmes county, Ohio, whence he removed to Van Wert county in 1838. There he died in 1871, after having devoted his active life to farm work. His wife also passed away on the old homestead in Van Wert county, her death occurring in the spring of 1903.

Upon his father's farm Louis Schumm was reared, and lived there until twenty-two years of age. In 1863 he came to LaPorte. Here with August Backhaus as a partner he engaged in the furniture business, and in 1868 they established the sash and door factory which is now con- ducted under the name of the LaPorte Sash & Door Company. For thirty-five years Mr. Schumm has been actively connected with the conduct of this enterprise, and its expansion and profitable conduct is largely due to his labors and capable management. For thirty-six years he was in partnership with Mr. Backhaus, the rela- tion proving mutually pleasant and profitable. In 1873 their plant was destroyed by fire, causing a total loss, and thus was swept away Mr. Schumm's entire savings for nine years. Such an event would have utterly discouraged many a man of less resolute spirit, but with character- istic energy and determination he set to work to retrieve his lost possession, and was soon once more even with the world, and as the years have advanced he has gained a place among the sub- stantial manufacturers of the city. In 1900 the business was incorporated under the name of the LaPorte Sash & Door Company, Mr. Backhaus then retiring while E. F. Michael became the president and Mr. Schumm treasurer and mana- ger. Since then the plant has been largely in- creased and the output is proportionately great. This is now one of the extensive industries of. the city, furnishing employment to many work- men and placing much money in circulation, so that it is of direct benefit to the general prosper- ity as well as to the individual stockholders. Mr.

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Louis Schumm

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Schumm is also one of the stockholders in the J. Street Milling Company, of which his former partner, Mr. Backhaus, is the president.

In LaPorte Mr. Schumm wedded Miss Mina Domke, and they have two children, Louis and Rosa. In the city the family are well known, and because of their many excellent traits of heart and mind have become endeared to many friends. They hold membership in the German Lutheran church, contribute generously to its support, and Mr. Schumm is now its treasurer and one of its trustees. For nineteen years he has been in pub- lic life as an official of the city, serving for ten years as a member of the city council from the fifth ward and for nine years as a trustee of the city waterworks. In office and as a private citi- zen, he has ever been a co-operant factor in movements for the general good, and LaPorte has profited by his labors in her behalf and hon- ors him as one of her leading business men and valued citizens.

OLIVER B. BAILEY, who is one of the oldest of LaPorte county's residents, and has had an honorable and successful career as business man and public-spirited citizen, is of good Welsh stock, and his great-grandfathers on both sides came from Wales and fought in the Revolution- ary war. Ziba and Sophronia (Peck) Bailey, his parents, were both born in New York state, and came to LaPorte county in 1835. The former was a carpented, and assisted in constructing the first frame building in LaPorte county. During the latter years of his life he was a farmer, and he died on the banks of the Little Kankakee river, on his farm, at the age of eighty-four years. His wife died in early life. They were the parents of five children.

Oliver B. Bailey was the second child and was born in Tompkins county, New York, October 5, 1833, so that he was but two years old when he came to LaPorte county. His youth was passed for the most part on the farm, and he attended the schools of LaPorte county, the old schoolhouse standing on the road between La- Porte and Kingsbury. He remained at home with his father until after his marriage, in 1855, when he rented a farm near Rolling Prairie of Samuel Webster, where he carried on agricul- tural pursuits for two and a half years. For the following two and a half years he was en- gaged in the sawmill business near Michigan City, and then moved to Pleasant township and farmed for three years. For the following fif- teen years Mr. Bailey made his residence in Por-

ter county, where he was engaged in farming and was an influential citizen until 1888, when he located permanently in Wanatah. He began business as a dealer in hay, and has since gone into the grain trade, in which two lines he has prospered. He has the tact and sagacity of the true business man, and his business has steadily increased from the beginning. He now has as partners his son Stephen and Clark Bunnell, the latter at one time superintendent of the high school. The firm is known as Bailey, Bun- nell & Company. They are now building a fine elevator at Lacrosse, Indiana, and their opera- tions are constantly seeking new fields.

Mr. Bailey was married in 1855 to Miss Sarah Martin, who came to LaPorte county when a small child. They have had six sons, four of whom are living, and three besides the one men- tioned, Ziba, Frank and Arthur, are farmers in Starke county, Indiana. Mr. Bailey has been a life-long Democrat and has taken an active part in public affairs. For twelve years he was jus- tice of the peace in Porter county, and during that time qualified for the office but once. Only one case that came under his jurisdiction was appealed and reversed. Most of his life has been spent in LaPorte county, and in this fertile and happy spot of the world he has performed his share of life's duties and made his name an ob- ject of honor and esteem among his fellow citi- zens.

CHARLES F. PLANETT. A desirable ad- dition to the industrial interests of LaPorte is the plant of the Planett Manufacturing Company, which has recently been established here. At its head stands the subject of this biography, a man of marked enterprise, of business capacity and energy. He not only follows methods that have been pursued by others, but branches out into new and original lines of labor, and his sound judgment has made his efforts effective. Already the business of the Planett Manufactur- ing Company at LaPorte has become prosperous, and it is a leading enterprise of the city.

Charles F. Planett is of German birth and possesses the sterling characteristics of his race. He was born in Rhenish Bavaria, in 1864. and comes of French ancestry in both the paternal and maternal lines. His father, Frederick Planett, was also a native of Rhenish Bavaria, and, becoming a civil engineer, built several rail- roads in his native country. He afterward be- came an architect and had charge of the public works in the city in which Charles F. Planett

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was born and in which the former remained until called to his final rest. His wife survived him for some time, and in later years came to Amer- ica to live with her son Charles, who was then a resident of Chicago.

In his native town Charles F. Planett ac- quired a good education, which was supple- mented by technical and practical training in the occupation which he adopted as his life work. He is thoroughly posted in the line of building and architectural decorating, serving an ap- prenticeship of two years in Germany and two years in Paris. He was in the latter city during the Paris exposition in 1878, which gave him unusual opportunities of becoming a finished decorator. His training was very thorough, and his efficiency continually increased until he be- came an expert in his line.

In 1882 Mr. Planett emigrated to the United States, locating first in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he worked for about eight months. He then went to Indianapolis, where he remained for a year, removing thence to Chicago. In the lat- ter city his ability at once attracted attention, and up to the time he went into business for him- self he won constant promotions in the different factories where he worked. After the first three months he was made foreman of a factory, and from that time on his responsibilities were con- stantly increased. In 1899 he established a fac- tory on the west side of Chicago for the purpose of manufacturing picture frames, moldings, in- terior woodwork and interior decorations and finishings. From the beginning he met with suc- cess, and the capacity of his plant had to be con- tinually increased in order that the output might equal the demand. The Planett Manufacturing Company was organized and the business con- ducted on an extensive scale.

In February, 1903, arrangements were made to remove the factory from Chicago to LaPorte, and a site was selected east of the town at the junction of the Lake Shore and Lake Erie & Western railroads. Here they constructed a large and substantial brick building, three hun- dred and two by two hundred and fifty feet, which, with the accompanying buildings, occu- pies two acres of ground. Besides this they have three additional acres on which is located the lumber yard. The plant was completed and ready for operation by the 15th of April, and al- ready they are cutting up half a million feet of lumber per month and employ about one hun- dred and fifty workmen, their pay roll amount-

ing to twelve hundred dollars per week, while their lumber bill reach the sum of two thousand dollars per week. They manufacture everything in the line of mouldings for interior finishings, picture frames, etc., and their business is con- tinually increasing, while already their shipments go to many states in the Union. Mr. Planett has new, original and modern ideas concerning the business, and in the building of the new LaPorte works he instituted several innovations that have no counterpart in similar factories in the country. The business is considered by the LaPorte peo- ple a splendid addition to the city's industrial interests, and they are proud of the new concern. The company maintains a large warehouse and salesroom and office at 113-115 Michigan avenue, Chicago, from which a large business is trans- acted. The officers of the company are : Charles F. Planett, president ; Otto L. Dell, treasurer : and Charles Abraham, secretary and manager of the Chicago office. Mr. Planett is a very suc- cessful and energetic man. In Chicago he was instrumental in organizing the Picture Frame & Moulding Manufacturers' Association of the United States and was elected its vice president.

In that city Mr. Planett was married in 1885, to Miss Martha Krampitz, a native of Germany. They now have one son, Charles P. Planett. The family home is on Michigan avenue in La- Porte, and already they have gained many friends during their brief residence in this city. A man of energy, enterprise and reliability, such as Mr. Planett is known to be, is a valuable addition to any community, and LaPorte is fortunate in that he has allied his interests with hers.

HARVEY H. MARTIN, M. D., a practic- ing physician and surgeon of LaPorte, is a rep- resentative of one of the pioneer families of La- Porte county, and its representatives outnumber those of almost any other family of the county. From New Jersey came the Martin brothers- Abram, William, Isaac, Jacob, John, Paul and Sherwood E .- in 1834. They located in Galena township, which was then a wilderness and had received its first settlers less than a year before. Six of the original brothers are dead, the only surviving representative of this generation being "Uncle Sherwood Martin," who is now eighty- seven years of age and still owns some of the original Martin land. His wife, who came with him into the western wilds two thirds of a cen- tury ago, is still living, and together they are rounding out an extraordinary career of useful-

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A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 138

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