USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > A history of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Indiana : a complete and concise account from the earliest times to the present, embracing reminiscences of the pioneers and biographical sketches of the men who have been leaders in commercial and other enterprises > Part 36
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It need scarcely be said here that Mr. Heilman was a self-made man. His mental capacities were exhibited in the broad sweep he took of business and the success he attained in matters of trade. Not to seem to be grasping round for fine phrases to apply to him, it may be added truthfully that he was eminently "faber suae fortunae," as the trite Latin phrase has it. His pathway to success is plain, and is worthy of being followed by young men setting out in a long business career. For one thing Mr. Heilman was an indefatigable worker and punctual in all things.
In 1848 he was married to Mary Jenner, who came from Germany to this country when she was nine years old. Nine children were born to them. George P. and William A. are prominent business men here at this time. From the organization of the St. John's Evangelical church in 1851, Mr. Heilman wns a consistent member.
His death occurred September 22, 1890, and it threw a pall over
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the city. His multitude of friends felt the loss as a sort of public calamity, and thus wound up the useful career of one of Evansville's best and most respected citizens.
JOHN A. REITZ.
One of the most enterprising and public-spirited men of Evansville was John August Reitz, and he is most deserving of the recognition given him by this memoir. He was born in Dorlar, Prussia, on the 17th day of December, 1815, and died in Evansville on the 13th day of May, 1891.
It is an evidence of his fearless and enterprising spirit that he was the first person to leave his own country, in Germany, and traverse the wide seas to the inviting New World. He bade his friends and his country adieu in 1836, and arrived in Evansville in December of the same year. From the time he left school, at which he received a fair and liberal German education, at the age of fifteen years, until he left his home for the United States, at the age of twenty-one, he super- vised his father's farm, which consisted of about 600 acres ; and he also superintended his father's distillery, his flouring mill and general store thereon. From seventy-five to eighty persons were employed to culti- vate the land and take care of the stock, which consisted of 100 to 125 horses, 150 to 200 head of cattle, and 500 to 600 sheep. When he came to America, he traveled to various sections, seeking a location wherein to cast his lot. When he began his career in Evansville, it was a river village. He had at the time but one gold piece of money in his pocket. Nothing daunted, however, but on the contrary with a firm determination to succeed, and plenty of energy and industry to back it, he began working for others in the manufacture of lumber, but was engaged mostly with Lloyd Olmstead, on Pigeon creek, on the Stringtown road, and with Judge Silas Stephens, on the bank of the Ohio river, at the foot of Chandler avenue, until he erected his first sawmill in 1845, against the advice of his best friends, who pre- dicted failure, because that was the bitter experience of all those who had engaged in this business preceding him. Notwithstanding the well-meant advice of his friends, his business prospered, and to-day the third sawmill stands upon the same site, at the month of Pigeon creek. The first mill was burned in 1855, ten years after its erection. The second was built in the same year of the loss of the first, and was torn away in 1873 for a third and more modern and improved mill; and
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now it is running at its full capacity, and has manufactured more hard- wood lumber for ten years-from 1883 to 1893-than any other one sawmill in the United States. It was operated when the elements per- mitted twenty-two hours out of twenty-four and six days of the week. Mr. Reitz continued in the sawmill business uninterrupted from 1845 until his death, and since then the business has been conducted by his sons, making, up to this time, fifty-two years of consecutive operation without any interruption-probably the longest business career of any firm in the state.
Mr. Reitz was a man of broad understanding and usefulness and possessed of a public spirit of enterprise and helpfulness, and there- fore his services were required in a public way. He was for many years a member of the board of the town of Lamasco, and president of its board of trustees, until its consolidation with the city of Evans- ville. Afterward for many years he was a member of the city council. He was a member of the board of directors of the Crescent City bank during its entire existence, and at times was vice president and presi- dent. He was a stockholder and director of the Evansville, Indian- apolis and Cleveland Railroad Company, then popularly known as the "Straight Line Railroad," and now as the Evansville and Indianapolis railroad, until its liquidation caused by the panic in 1857. In 1856 he, together with John A. Haney, purchased the foundry and machine shop then known as the "Eggleston Foundry," and continued its oper- ation until 1881, when he sold it. He was one of the organizers of the Evansville, Carmi and Paducah Railroad Company and its presi- dent until its consolidation with the St. Louis and Southeastern Rail- way, now a part of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad system, ex- tending from Evansville to St. Louis. He was one of the organizers and directors of the German National bank of this city, and for many years its vice president, and at the time of his death its president.
He was largely engaged in buying and selling real estate on his own account, and also with the late Willard Carpenter-buying a large number of lots at different times and selling them off to laborers and mechanies seeking a home, on long time and easy payments, often furnishing them means to erect a home on the lot, giving them such time as they wanted and needed to repay him. And in all these trans- actions, it is to be said to his credit, he never sold one out to indemnify himself.
Hle was a member of the board of trustees of Evans hall, and was one of the board of erection, and president of the board of trustees of said hall for many years. In 1862 he was elected to the state senate
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from Vanderburgh and Posey counties, as a democrat. In that stir- ring war-time it was no small political victory and no little evidence of popularity to be elected to the senate as a democrat.
In 1887 Mr. Reitz purchased ground and erected thereon the "Home of the Aged " for the Little Sisters of the Poor. It is a beautiful structure, situated on the Newburgh road. At this home are received and maintained during their natural lives the homeless aged-a most worthy purpose as all must see. No distinction is made, it must be said further, in regard to sex, color, nationality or religious creed- Jew or gentile. He was a member of the first board of trustees that erected Trinity Catholic church on Third street in 1848, and was a continuous member of that board until within a few years of his death. In 1889 he erected the Sacred Heart church in Independence, on the west side of Pigeon creek, and presented it to the congregation as a house of worship for their sole use and benefit.
While firm in his own convictions of right and wroug, he was most charitably disposed toward others who differed from him. In truth he was liberal and thoroughly American in his attitude toward all other organizations and churches, and extended to them the same toleration he expected in return. He contributed to every church in the city regardless of faith, and was well-known for his liberality.
During his entire business career he was never in debt, never owed a dollar on his own account, that he did not have the cash on hand with which to pay. No prospective profit or business venture would induce him to contract a debt or obligation that he could not pay on demand.
He was a man of great energy and activity, and his powerful will force carried him through many embarrassments and intricacies. It is almost superfluous to add that he possessed great public spirit, and encouraged everything that looked to the general welfare. His dis- tinct characteristic was his great executive ability, and he was therefore a man of few words His business activity and deep comprehension of commercial affairs are manifest in the success of every enterprise he took hold of.
He was ever ready to help any one in need and render assistance to the destressed. Often when his judgment would tell him he was aid- ing at his own cost, both mentally and pecuniarily, he followed the dictates of his sympathies and his sense of benevolence and gave to those appealing for help.
In this city in 1839 he and Miss Gertrude Frisse were married. She servived him only a few years. He was domestic in his
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tastes, and never happier than when at home surrounded by his family. The names of his children, in the order in which they were born, are as giveu here: Francis J. Reitz, Julia, (Mrs. John A. Haney), Mary, (Mrs. Herman Fendrich), John A. Jr., Miss Christine, Miss Josephine, Miss Wilhelmine, Miss Matilda, Edward C. and Miss Louise. All are living except the last two.
John A. Reitz, the father of this family, always enjoyed good health until his last illness. He was always a consistent and practical mem- ber of the Roman Catholic church, both in faith and works. When the race of life was completed for him, when the goal had been won, he passed to his final rest with the easy and trustful conscience of one retiring to sleep.
FREDERICK LAUENSTEIN.
A history of Evansville and Vanderburgh county would not be complete without biographical sketches of the newspaper publishers, who have done so much to build up the city and help make history. The German press is particularly worthy of good words. Ever since its establishment it has been a power in bringing to the city some of those who are now its very best people, so that at present the German ele- ment forms considerably over half of the total population. This proves conclusively that the German press has done its full duty in giving information about Evansville to the Fatherland.
Mr. Frederick Lauenstein, the proprietor and publisher of the Demokrat, which has been since its establishment the leading German paper here, is the subject of this sketch. He is now one of the old citizens, having resided here for thirty-one years. He was born in Hanover, Germany, September 10, 1844. After attending the leading schools in his native country, where he secured a good education, he came to the United States in 1866. His first stopping place was Cin- cinnati, Ohio, where he resided for only a few months, after which he came direct to Evansville, and went to work for the Demokrat. He remained in its employ as a traveler for one year, and on March 16th, 1867, he and his brother, Dr. Charles Lauenstein, purchased the paper.
In April, 1869, Mr. Frederick Lauenstein bought the Evansville Courier and conducted it in connection with the Demokrat, thus own- ing two papers, both daily, one German and one English. By econo- my and enterprise they rapily placed the Courier on a paving basis, but in 1872, having received a good offer for it they sold it to Mr. S. D. Terry and devoted their combined abilities to the publication of the
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Demokrat. In 1872 Dr. Charles Lauenstein sold his interest in the Demokrat to his brother, Frederick, and returned to Germany, where he remained for three years, after which time he returned and bought back his interest. In 1879 he died, and Mr. Frederick Lauenstein has since owned and controlled the paper with the exception of one year when Messrs. H. Schiller and H. Dietermann had an interest. This was from 1883 to 1884. Mr. Lanenstein is descended from the best of old German stock traced back to 1550, when the Lauensteins were merchants of Peine, Hanover.
Mr. Frederick Lauenstein's father was Wilhelm Lauenstein, who lived on a plantation in Griessen, Hanover, after a term of service as a lieutenant in the Hanoveriau army. He was a volunteer and fought at Waterloo in 1815. He lived happily on the plantation, married a wife, who was a native of Helpensen, in the same province, and raised a family of nine children, six boys and three girls. The mother died at the age of 66 and the father at that of 71. Young Frederick attended the schools of his native province until he was 21 years old, when he came to America, as has been stated in the first part of this article. Mr. Lauenstein has held the very best position as a citizen every since his arrival in Evansville. In 1871 he married Miss Con- stance Schiller and has had four children, two daughters and one son still living. He ran for state senator on the democratic ticket in 1892 and was defeated by only 40 votes. He was a delegate in 1884 from the first district of Indiana to the National democratic convention at Chicago, that nominated Mr. Cleveland. He has just been appointed a member of the board of education of this city, by Mayor Akin, and is particularly qualified to hold this position with credit to himself and benefit to the interests of the schools.
In 1878 he purchased a handsome residence in Washington avenne where he still resides, having added improvements from year 'to year as required by his increasing family. His son is now finishing his education at the Indiana state university. The Demokrat has never wavered from the true democratic faith and has always been a power in politics in Evansville. Its circulation aud influence have been greatly increased during the last few years, so that at this time (1897) it is second to none in the state of Indiana. All of this is due to the excellent judgment, untiring industry and great ability of Mr. Frederick Laucnstein. In 1892 he purchased the present location of the Demokrat, a handsome and substantial building at 403 Main street. His personal appearance is very fine, being large and well proportioned, over six feet in height, dignified, agreeable, hospitable
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and benevolent, and with all, the most successful newspaper publisher in Evansville.
THE BABCOCK FAMILY.
Oliver Babcock and Anna Hearth, his wife, lived in Utica, N. Y., and to them were born eight children, four sons and four daughters. The sons were Edward, Charles, Elisha Spurr and Henry O. The daughters were Emily, Elizabeth, Ann and Mary. Elisha Spurr, Charles, Henry O., Emily, (Mrs. Peter Sharpe) and Elizabeth, (Mrs. John Hoff) were long residents of Evansville, and well known. Ed- ward lived in Troy, N. Y., and Anna, (Mrs. C. H. Edgar) dwelt at Easton, Pa. The only one of this family of brothers and sisters now living is Mary, and her home is in Detroit, Mich. Her husband's name is William H. Edgar, of Detroit. They resided in Evansville at one time, and then Mr. Edgar was in partnership with the Bah- cock Brothers. Elisha Spurr Babcock, Sr., was born at Utica, N. Y., August 10, 1815. In early life he located at Troy, N. Y., and sub- sequently in New York city. He came to Evansville in 1837, and entered into business with Charles and Henry O. Babcock, under the firm name of Babcock Brothers. They carried on the grocery business, coupled with hardware and saddlery. Elisha Spurr managed the grocery department, and when the firm dissolved he retained this department for his share of the business, and continued it for a number of years. In time, however, he met with reverses, and he retired from business for about two years. Then he entered the grain and commission business with his oldest son, Oliver. He con- tinued this business up to the time of his departure for California.
He married Agnes Southerland Davidson, a native of Scotland, in May, 1844. She was a very estimable lady. The result of this union was eight children, as follows : Oliver, Louisa, Elisha Spurr, Jr., William D., Edgar, Frank, Amelia and John. Elisha Spurr, Jr., and William D. are the only survivors of their children. Oliver married Mary Gibson Hodge, a native of Kentucky, in 1872, and left two children at his death, namely, Agnes Southerland and Mary Dixon Babcock, both now residing with their mother at Los Angeles, Cal. Elisha Spurr Babcock, Jr., married Isabella Graham, a native of Cin- cinnati, Ohio. They have two children surviving-Arnold and Gra- ham Babcock. Both of these sons are married, but have no children. Both assist their father in his vast business, and have also large inde- dendent interests of their own. William B. Babcock married Harriet
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McIntyre in 1893, but has no issue. His residence is at Los Angeles. He is a physician of large practice, making a specialty of the eye and ear.
Elisha Spurr Babcock, Sr., closed up his business in Evansville, and moved to San Diego, Cal., in 1887, where he assisted in the vast business of the Coronado Beach company. His son, E. S. Babcock, Jr., is president and chief stock-holder in this enterprise. The father died of senile gangrene in 1890. Elisha Spurr Babcock, Jr, is one of the most remarkable business men of his day. It would require a volume to record the many enterprises he has carried to a successful completion. After graduating from the high school of Evansville, he entered the service of the E. & T. H. railroad company, commencing as a freight clerk at the Evansville depot, and working himself up to the position of general freight agent of the road. He left the railroad service to engage in developing the Bell telephone company, which controlled a large territory, extending from Evansville to New Orleans, having at the same time the sole ownership of the Eugene ice company, with some five large houses and a number of agencies, and being a partner in the firm of E. S. Babcock & Son. Since the death of Oliver Babcock, his success marked him a man of distinctive mental character, a man of vast resources in large commercial transac- tions. In 1885 he commenced to close out all these industries with a view of retiring from business. Regaining his health, he began a year later to embark in the large enterprises in California that have since made him known far and wide. He and three associates, in 1885, purchased the property known as Coronado Beach, a tract of over 4,000 acres opposite San Diego, being the peninsula that makes the bay of San Diego. They organized the Coronado Beach company, of which Mr. Babcock has always been president and active manager. They laid out the city of Coronado, sold $2,750,000 worth of property during the boom, built the grand hotel, Del Coronado at a cost of $1,600,000-a building that is without a peer on this continent. They also built the water works for both Coronado and San Diego, the street railway lines, a railroad twenty-two miles long around the bay of San Diego, an electric light plant, a shipyard and many other enter- prises. At the close of the boom Mr. Babcock bought out most of the other stock-holders. John D. Spreckles and A. B. Spreckles, sons of the sugar king, Claus Spreckles, bought the balance of the stock. These three men became the sole owners of the enterprises developed by Mr. Babcock. Since then he has entered on his wider career, which has made him one of the leading representative men of the Pacific
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slope. All the great works, looking to the development of San Diego county, Cal., are under his guidance. He is now engaged in the com- prehensive development of the water supplies of the San Diego bay region. To show up briefly the result of his work since 1886, we may enumerate the following enterprises, which he has given or developed in the city of San Diego: Its water works, street railway system, electric light plant, a railroad twenty-two miles long and many other public institutions.
The Grand Hotel del Coronado is a thing of his creation, as is also the city of Coronado, with its tree-lined avenues and many beautiful parks, filled with the flowers of the tropics, its electric railway and railroad around the bay, its electric lights and ferry, its pure water and drainage. He has, besides his great interests in the Coronado Beach company, many investments outside. To his energy, grit and perseverence is due all the great projects of which he is at present master. All the great schemes conceived by him have been carried to completion, and success has crowned his efforts in all undertakings, whether of public or private interest. He is in full vigor of body and intellect, and evidently has a long career before him.
For one thing among many, Mr. Babcock never sought public office, and lived free from such an infection. His private and corpo- rate interests are so large that he has hardly a moment he can call his own. If he wishes to rest, he must leave home and conceal his where- abouts, as early and late at his business offices and in his private room, he is sought after at all hours by parties wishing his help or his infor- mation. In the bay region roundabout San Diego his name is a house- hold word. You cannot walk the streets or enter a public convey- ance without hearing his name and his projects discussed. He is very reticent about his business and private affairs, and it would be very hard to make an estimate of the amount of his fortune. The Coronado Beach company has a capital of $3,000,000, and he and John D. Spreckles and A. B. Spreckles are the sole owners. Though this is the largest business matter he is engaged in, it is, however, but one of the many. It is not his fortune so much as his great ability in opening up new sources of wealth to himself and the consequent devel- opment of the country that has made him so well known.
The residences of the living members of the family of E. S. Bab- cock, Sr., are as follows: Mrs. E. S. Babcock, Sr., Mrs. Oliver Babcock and her two daughters, Agnes and Mary, Dr. W. D. Babcock and wife-all residents of Los Angeles; E. S. Babcock, Jr., and wife and Graham Babcock, his son and wife, at the Hotel del Coronado,
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Coronado, Cal .; Arnold Babcock, his other son, and wife, also have residence at Coronado and a ranch at Julian, Cal.
Charles Babcock, who for many years was a leading business man of this city, died July 22, 1894, at the advanced age of eighty-two years. He was born December 10, 1812, in Utica, New York. He resided in Troy in the same state until he was twenty-two years old, and then he went south to Mobile, Alabama. For three years he was in business there. In 1839, with the first upward move of Evans- ville he came here, and began an active business career, which he continued the rest of his life. He was a member of the firm of Bab- cock Brothers, having three separate stores or departments-wholesale groceries, wholesale hardware and wholesale queensware. They were the first importers of the latter class of goods in this city.
On December 15, 1842, he was united in marriage to Miss Amelia Hopkins, who with seven children survive him.
Shortly after his arrival here in 1839, he was called upon to draw up papers to be placed in the corner-stone of old St. Paul's Episcopal church ; and when the new structure of this denomination replaced the old one, a similar request was made of him, and again he cheer- fully complied with the pleasing duty. He was vestryman and treas- urer of this church for over thirty-five years, and a liberal contributor to all of its needs during his long lifetime.
Henry Oliver Babcock was born July 20, 1822. His grandfather was a Revolutionary officer, and his mother traced her ancestors back to the Mayflower. His father was a legislator of New York at one time. And Henry Oliver himself was the youngest of eight children. His parents died before he was nine years old. He was graduated from Brown's university at the age of eighteen, and soon after he went south, spent two years in New Orleans, and then started in busi- ness in San Antonio, or near there. Not long afterwards the settle- ment was burned by the Indians. Losing all his goods in this calam- ity, he joined the Texas volunteers, was taken prisoner, but after long and tedious marching he managed to escape. Soon after the war was over he returned to New Orleans, and accepted the position of bookkeeper in one of the largest firms in the city. In 1845 he came . to Evansville and entered into partnership with his brothers Charles and Elisha, in the wholesale grocery, hardware and queensware busi- ness. Many of their goods were imported. The business was a con- tinued success, and in 1858 it was divided, each brother taking a 24
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different department. Henry took the hardware store, which he gradually changed into the seed and agricultural implement business.
Mr. Babcock was devoted to his business and his family, and was always deeply interested in the affairs of the city and nation. He was married June 8, 1848, to Mary E. Howser. His home was the center in which his love and devotion made perpetual sunshine. His life was full of charity, and his broad views of humanity led him to help others without boasting. He died September 10, 1879, leaving a wife and six children. The names of his children living at the time of Mr. Babcock's death were. Henry Howser Babcock, Mary Kate Veatch, Lucy Alice Walker, Morgan Babcock, Howard Leigh Babcock and Guilford Carlisle Babcock.
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