A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 97

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 97

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HISTORY OF .LAPORTE COUNTY.

foreman of the shops in which the boilers are to LaPorte, where the father spent his remaining manufactured. He has now served in this posi- days, his death occurring in 1881. In early man -. hood he had wedded Miss Sarah Hull, who was born in Stanfordville, New York, and died in LaPorte in 1880. tion for fifteen years, and his connection with the company covers almost a quarter of a century, a fact which is unmistakable proof of his excellent workmanship and reliability.

· In 1877 Mr. Merrill was married to Miss Isabelle Rheutan, and they have two living chil- dren : William Merrill and Mrs. May Fox. Mr. Merrill is very prominent in the Odd Fellows society. He has held all the chairs in the sub- ordinate lodge, encampment and Patriarch Mili-" tant, is a past grand and at the present writing is captain of the Patriarch Militant. The beneficent teachings and tenets of the order find exemplifi- cation in his life, and make him well worthy the friendship and favor of his brethren. In politics he is an earnest Republican.

HENRY H. YOUNG. The fitting reward of an active, useful and honorable business career is a period of rest in which to enjoy the results of former toil and the things which add to the com- fort and pleasure of living. This has been vouch- safed to Henry H. Young, who for many years was a leading and prosperous merchant of La- Porte, but who since 1892, has lived retired amid pleasant surroundings made possible by his own labors. His business record was such as any man might be proud to possess, for not only did he manifest energy and enterprise in his mer- cantile life, but also closely adhered to principles which in every country and clime command re- spect and beget confidence.

The Young family is of English origin and was founded in America at an early period in the colonization of this country, representatives of the name locating in New York. Lawrence Young, the father of Henry H. Young, was born in' Esopus, opposite Poughkeepsie, New York, and when a young man he went to New York city, where he engaged in merchandising. In 1846 he returned to Poughkeepsie, that state, re- maining a resident of the east until 1855, when he removed to Aurora, Kane county, Illinois. There his sons embarked in mercantile business, while he turned his attention to farming, being engaged in agricultural pursuits for eight years. On the expiration of that period the family re- moved to Chicago, where Lawrence Young re- tired from business life, to spend his remaining days in retirement and in the enjoyment of the competence which he had acquired. His sons, however, engaged in merchandising, as dealers . in dry-goods. In the fall of 1879 the family came

' Henry H. Young is a native of New York city, where his birth occurred in 1837. He acquired his education in its public schools and received his business training in the east. When he was nine years of age he accompanied his parents on their removel to Poughkeepsie, where he re- mained until seventeen years of age, and after the removal of the family to Aurora and in Chi- cago he joined his brother Charles Young in the conduct of a dry-goods store, under the name of Young Brothers. They carried on this business with success for ten years, coming thence to La- Porte. Here they established the Young Brothers general dry-goods store in the Teegarden Hotel block, carrying a large and well selected line of goods, which they sold at a price fair alike to merchant and customer. Their business methods were strictly honorable, and in their work they were systematic and progressive. Their store continued to be one of the leading mercantile establishments of LaPorte until 1892, when they sold out and retired from business. Since that time Henry H. Young has devoted his attention to looking after his real estate interests in La- Porte, having in previous years made judicious investments which make him one of the well-to- do men of the city, his property returning to him good income. Mr. Young's brother Charles with whom he was so long and harmoniously asso- ciated in business, departed this life in 1895.

Henry Young is a birthright member of the Society of Friends. In his political views he is a stanch Republican, but has never sought or de- sired office as a reward for party fealty. He is a broad-minded man, public-spirited and enter- prising, and has been a co-operant factor in manay measures for the benefit of his fellowmen, both in LaPorte and in other communities where he has lived and labored to goodly ends.

MATHIAS R. FORNEY. More than half a century has passed since Mathias R. Forney became a resident of LaPorte, and few men are so familiar with its early history and the events which shaped its destiny as is Mr. Forney. He was actively identified with its improvement as a contractor and builder, and along lines which did not return to him personal profit, he labored for the progress, improvement and prosperity of La- Porte. He is now living retired here, one of the

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venerable and honored pioneer settlers whose name deserves a prominent place on the pages of the country's history.

Mr. Forney was born in the historic city of Chambersburg, in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in July, 1824. He was the eighth son of Jacob Forney, who was also an eighth son in the grand- father's family. Jacob Forney was born in Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, followed the occu- pation of a farmer and died in early manhood, before the birth of his son Mathias. His wife who bore the maiden name of Catherine Richards was also a native of the Keystone state. John W. Forney, an uncle of Mathias R. Forney, be- came a prominent figure in Philadelphia and at one time served as secterary of the United States senate. His son, Edward Forney, is now a well known publisher.

Since thirteen years of age Mathias R. For- ney has been dependent upon his own exertions, the widowhood of his mother making it neces- sary that he begin the battle of life early. He was variously employed until eighteen years of age, when he left home and started for what was then the far west. Reaching Wooster, Ohio, he became apprenticed to a brickmason and there mastered the trade. He then made his way to Michigan, where he met his brother, Henry For- ney, with whom he continued his journey, arriv- ing in Plymouth, Indiana, in the fall of 1844. After assisting his brother to get started in busi- ness there, Mathias Forney decided to resume his westward travels, his destination being Chicago, but the precarious state of his finances made it impossible for him to journey beyond LaPorte, as he had but two dollars when he reached this place. Seemingly trivial incidents often shape the destinies of man. Forced to remain in La- Porte, Mr. Forney was so well pleased with the little town that he decided to remain. In getting a start here he received valuable assistance from Harvey Truesdell, a pioneer, whom he has ever held in grateful remembrance. Mr. Forney be- gan work at his trade, and for many years was a prominent brick mason and contractor of this city. Indeed he had assisted in the construction of one-half of the buildings in this city at the time of his withdrawal from the contracting business. In 1873 he purchased a farm a few miles north of town and established there a brick-yard, which he suc- cessfully operated for over twenty years. He still owns the farm and also has some valuable town property, having placed his surplus earn- ings in the safest of all investments, real estate.

He is now retired from active life, or rather from further business cares, for he is still actively interested in the city, its welfare and advance- ment.

Mr. Forney was united in marriage to Miss Flora T. Hammond, a native of Genesee county, New York, and they now have one daughter, Mrs. Katharine H. Dickey. Mr. Forney is one of the oldest members of the Masonic fraternity here, belonging to blue lodge, chapter, council and commandery, and he has ever exemplified in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft and squared his conduct by its teachings. He served for three years as a trustee of the municipal waterworks, and as a private citizen has done much valuable service for LaPorte. He is con- sidered one of the best authorities on dates and events connected with the early history of the city and county, and is often consulted concern- ing such matters. He can relate many interesting incidents concerning the early days here, his mind bearing the impress of the historic annals of pio- neer times. In his business career he prospered, winning the success which is ever accorded effi- cient workmanship, energy and sound business judgment, and now he is the possessor of a com- petence for the evening of life.

BENJAMIN W. HOLLENBECK, M. D. The medical profession has made rapid advance in the last half century, indeed, its progress seems almost marvelous when we compare the present methods of practice with those of fifty years ago. Mr. Hollenbeck, who for a quarter of a century has been identified with the medical fraternity, has kept abreast with its progress and improve- ment, and is to-day one of the capable physicians of LaPorte county, enjoying a large patronage. He was born in Geauga county, Ohio, on the 19th of June, 1849, and was the elder of two sons whose parents were Horace and Hannah C. ( Wells) Hollenbeck. His brother, P. G. Hollen- beck, is a resident of Center township, LaPorte county, where he successfully follows farming.

His father was born in Geauga county, Ohio, in 1824 and died in 1879. He traced his ancestry back to Holland, whence two brothers of the name came to the new world at an early period in the colonization of this country. The original Dutch form of the name was "Hollenbach," but recent generations have anglicized it in its present form. In 1852 Horace Hollenbeck removed to . the west and purchased two hundred and forty acres of land in what was then Springfield town- ship, but is now Center township, LaPorte coun-

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ty. It was wild and unimproved, but his labors soon wrought a transformation in its appearance and he continued to remain upon the old home- stead until his death. His early political allegi- ance was given to the Whig party, and upon the organization of the Republican party he joined its ranks and became an ardent advocate of its principles. He was especially strongly opposed to slavery and did everything in his power to advance abolition ideas. His character was up- right, his life in harmony with his profession, and he was a man of gentle manner and kindly disposition and also manifested unfaltering in- tegrity. His wife, likewise a native of Geauga county, Ohio, was born January 17, 1823, and yet resides upon the old homestead. She is an adherent of the Episcopalian faith.

Dr. Hollenbeck was but three years of age when brought by his parents to LaPorte county, and in the usual manner of farmer lads he was reared, assisting in the work of the fields through the summer months, while in the winter seasons he pursued his studies in the public schools. In 1864 he entered the LaPorte Academy, of which Professor T. L. Adams was principal. He com- pleted his literary course of study there, and about that time formed the determination to be- come a member of the medical profession. Ac- cordingly he entered the office of Dr. George M. Dakin, a well known physician and surgeon of LaPorte, under whose direction he read medicine for about three years. In the fall of 1874 he matriculated in the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, where he pursued a full course and was graduated with the class of 1876.

Almost immediately thereafter Dr. Hollen- beck entered upon the practice of medicine at New Carlisle, Indiana, where he remained from May, 1876, until September, 1880. He then re- moved to Westville, Indiana, and became the suc- cessor of Dr. Charles P. Cathcart, who had been located here for six years. Dr. Hollenbeck soon became thoroughly established in the pro- fession, winning the confidence of the peo- ple of Westville and vicinity through his excellent methods of practice, his close fidel- ity to the ethics of the profession and his genial, cordial manner, which inspired con- fidence. He soon showed himself worthy of the trust imposed in him, and he has been an important factor in professional circles here, do- ing much to alleviate human suffering. His prac- tice extends into Porter county and much terri- tory adjacent to Westville, and he compounds

his own remedies and medicines, having a private laboratory.

Dr. Hollenbeck was married to Miss Louise M. Davidson on the 29th of July, 1874. She is a daughter of Niles and Caroline (Bliss) David- son. Her father was born in New York in 1821 and is still living on the old family homestead in Springfield township, LaPorte county, being now an octogenarian. He came from the land of "hills and heather" and was a carpenter and joiner by trade. In his business life he met with a fair degree of success. Religiously he has long been a free-thinker, and in politics is a Democrat. His wife, who was a native of Barry county, Michigan, was born in 1827 and died in 1881. Her girlhood days were spent in her native state and throughout the greater part of her life she' was a member of the Methodist church. By her marriage she became the mother of twelve children, of whom ten are living, four being residents of Indiana, three of Illinois, one of Oklahoma, one of Michigan and one whose resi- dence is not known.

Mrs. Hollenbeck was born January 30, 1852,! in Cass county, Michigan, and was a little child. of three years when she came to Indiana, where the greater part of her life has been spent. Her. early education was received in the district. schools, and she displayed such aptitude in her studies that she received a teacher's certificate when only sixteen years of age. She afterward entered the LaPorte Normal School under the supervision of Professor William Phelon. For one year she engaged in teaching in LaPorte ere continuing her own studies. After leaving the normal she followed the profession of teaching for eight years in LaPorte county, and during one year of that time she was a teacher in the city schools of LaPorte. Her educational work was extremely successful, for she had the ability to impart clearly and concisely to others the knowledge that she acquired. She is a lady of pleasing personality, and presides in a most gracious and pleasing manner over her hospitable home.

In addition to a large general practice Dr. Hollenbeck is also examining physician for the New York and the Equitable Life Insurance companies. He has likewise been surgeon for the' Wabash Railroad Company since 1893, and- formerly filled the same position in connection with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company. Fraternally he is a member of Westville Lodge No. 192, F. & A. M., and was its master for three

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consecutive years. He also belongs to LaPorte Chapter No. 15, R. A. M. and LaPorte Council No. 32, R. & S. M., while he and his wife are members of the Westville Chapter No. 133, of the Order of the Eastern Star. Mrs. Hollen- beck was past matron. The Doctor is now com- mander of the Knights of the Maccabees tent at Westville, and his wife was the president of the Ladies Library of Westville. The library asso- ciation has done much for the town, and its work, with which Mrs. Hollenbeck is associated, is the pride of all intelligent citizens here. The asso- ciation was founded over a quarter of a century ago, and there are now more than one thousand volumes of choice splendid literature in the library. Both the Doctor and his wife are ad- herents of the Unitarian faith, and in social circles they occupy a very enviable position, en- joying the warm regard of many friends.

WILLIAM L. ANDREW is the owner of ex- tensive farm lands in LaPorte county and makes his home in the city of LaPorte, where his birth occurred in the year 1842. His parents were James and Abigail Andrew. The Andrew family is prominent in the county when judged from the standpoint of early settlement, of wealth, the suc- cess, of its different members, the work they have done in promoting the commercial and agricul- tural interests of the county, and the distin- guished service rendered the profession of law in public life and in the army. The three leading members of the family now living in LaPorte are Captain A. P. Andrew, of the firm of A. P. Andrew, Jr., & Son, banker ; Judge William P. Andrew, now living retired in his ninety-fourth year, who is remarkable by having won dis- tinction in three professions, the law, the ministry and as a practicing physician ; and William L. Andrew, who is an extensive owner and operator of valuable farming lands in LaPorte county.

James Andrew, the father of William L. Andrew, was born in Burlington, Hamilton coun- ty, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati. With his brother, Captain Abraham Piatt Andrew, he came to LaPorte county in 1831, having purchased at the government land sales on the site of this city, in October, of that year, many acres of land known as the ."Michigan road lands," in LaPorte county. They were the founders of the city, as- sociated with John Walker, Walter Wilson and Hiram Todd. They brought with them a steam engine and erected a sawmill in which boards were sawed for the first house in the town.

equally prominent and helpful in the aid which they rendered to their country in the Civil war. The records of LaPorte county give the follow- ing: John W. Andrew, first lieutenant of Com- pany E, Twentieth Indiana Infantry, was killed in battle before Richmond, Virginia, June 30. 1862; Abraham C. Andrew, second lieutenant of Company I, Eighty-seventh Indiana Infantry, was killed at the battle of Chickamauga, Sep- tember 20, 1863; William W. Andrew was cap- tain of the Twenty-first Indiana Battery; Abram P. Andrew became a second lieutenant of the Twenty-first Indiana Battery, was promoted to first lieutenant, and on October 28, 1864, to the captaincy.

Soon after the arrival here the Andrew broth- ers were joined by their father, James Andrew, Sr., and their brothers, Dr. J. P. Andrew and L. C. Andrew. Later, in 1837, another brother, William P. arrived, and he is the only one of the brothers now living. In 1840 Captain A. P. Andrew was appointed cashier of the Michigan City branch of the State Bank of Indiana and removed to that place. He made large purchases of land, which rapidly increased in value, and after making a trip to California in 1852 he re- turned to LaPorte. In 1869 he established the Andrew Bank of LaPorte, which still remains as one of the solid financial institutions of this city, and of which his son, Captain A. P. Andrew. is now the owner. This bank is now conducted under the firm name of A. P. Andrew, Jr., & Son. Captain Andrew, the founder of the bank, died in LaPorte in 1887. He was one of the presi- dential electors in 1836 and voted for William Henry Harrison.

James Andrew, the' father of William L. Andrew, became a wealthy man with large real estate and financial interests. He died in La- Porte, in 1895, at the very advanced age of ninety-six years. His wife, who was born in Burlington, Ohio, died in 1842, eight days after the birth of William L. Andrew. The latter has always lived in LaPorte, but his material inter- ests are all in farms, he owning nearly one thou- sand acres of land in LaPorte county, the opera- tion and improvement of which he personally oversees. He has one son, Henry James Andrew.

FRANK J. COOK, of the firm of Darrow & Cook, abstract and real estate men of LaPorte, is the son of Eli and Almeda (Davis) Cook. Eli Cook was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1820, but passed most of his life at Hamilton, Ohio, where

The members of the Andrew family were he was a prominent grain merchant until about

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twenty years ago. He had extensive business affairs during the Civil war, and in the course of that conflict his business judgment was so much respected that he was commissioned by the government to buy grain for army supplies, which purchases were made on a large scale. In 1880 his sons moved to Pontiac, Livingston county, Illinois. His death occurred June 21, 1885, at Hamilton, Ohio. Almeda (Davis) Cook, who was born in Warren county, Ohio, and married Eli Cook at Hamilton, was the daughter of Jo- seph and Hester (Ward) Davis, both natives of Virginia and pioneers to the state of Ohio. Mrs. Cook survives her husband, and lives with her son, George C. Cook, at LaCrosse, LaPorte coun- ty, Indiana. She is a woman of fine character, a member of the Methodist church, and her in- fluence is widely felt for the good of her com- munity.

Frank J. Cook was born at Hamilton, Ohio, April 16, 1868. He received most of his educa- tion in the public schools of Pontiac, Illinois. While still a boy he went to Denver, Colorado, where he was a student in the Denver University for three years, after which he was abstract clerk in the recorder's office at Denver, altogether pass- ing the years from 1883 to 1892 in that city. He then returned to Pontiac, and for the sake of his health worked for a year on a farm near that city. In February, 1894, he re-entered the ab- stract business with John J. Pitts, at Blooming- ton, Illinois, remaining with him till 1896, when he returned to Pontiac for a short time, and then went into the abstract business with Virgil John- son at Pontiac, Illinois, under the firm name of the Livingston County Abstract Company. Mr. Cook, however, soon sold out his interest to his partner in order to accept a position with Henry Capen & Sons at Bloomington, in the capacity of examiner of titles and abstracts in their loan department. . One year later he was offered a still better position as deputy circuit clerk of Liv- ingston county at Pontiac, and this he accepted in 1898 and held for three years. In 1902 Mr. Cook came to LaPorte and, in partnership with Mayor Lemuel Darrow, bought the abstract rec- ords and books of LaPorte county ; these are a very valuable set of documents comprising as they do the only complete title records of the county. The firm carry on a general business in this line and in real estate operations, and have plenty of patronage. Mr. Cook has made a study for years of land titles and abstracts, and is an expert in that line, having held several positions of great responsibility.

In 1901 Mr. Cook, his brothers, and a number of prominent capitalists of Pontiac and other Illi- nois towns, became interested in the reclamation of the marsh lands along the Kankakee river, in the southern part of LaPorte and adjoin- ing counties, and since that time three land com- panies, representing Pontiac interests, have been organized and have purchased large tracts of these swamp lands, amounting to about fifty thousand acres. Mr. Cook is a stockholder in the Tuesburg Land Company, which purchased five thousand acres in October, 1902. He is also secretary of the Kankakee Reclamation Company, formed for the purpose of cleaning and straight- ening the Kankakee river from the mouth of Place ditch, in section 24, Hanna township, to the Porter county line. More detailed mention is made concerning these enterprises in the sec- tion of general history of this work.

Mr. Cook was married in Denver in 1891 to Miss Mary H. Hutchinson, who had formerly lived in Pontiac, and also in Iowa. They have three children, Emma Lucile, Warren Finley and George Hobart. Mr. Cook is a Republican in politics, and is a prominent member of the First Methodist church of LaPorte.

George C. Cook, the brother of Frank J. Cook, and the manager of the LaCrosse Land Company at LaCrosse, LaPorte county, was born in Ham- ilton county, Ohio, in December, 1861, and was educated in that place. After moving to Liv- ingston county, Illinois, he took up farming and was thus engaged until he assumed control of the development work carried on by the LaCrosse Land Company. Since taking up his residence in LaCrosse he has also been instrumental in other lines, especially the educational and re- ligious interests, and it was largely through his efforts that the splendid new schoolhouse was built. He is superintendent of the Methodist Sunday-school. He married Miss Katharine Hutchinson, and they have three children, Elsie, Erma and Marie.

WILLIAM J. FEALLOCK. On the roll of enterprising merchants in Michigan City appears the name of this gentleman, who is now engaged in dealing in shoes here. He is one of the native sons of the city, his birth having occurred here on the 18th day of February, 1864. His paternal grandfather was a native of Germany and on crossing the Atlantic established his home in Michigan City, where he died at an advanced age. While in his native land he served in the regular army. To him and his wife were born

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A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Laporte County Indiana, Part 97

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