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 40
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After the close of the war, destiny, moving him to still greater deeds, led him to the editorship of the Evansville Daily Journal, a position he filled with marked talent and power and grace from 1866 to 1869. In this latter year he was appointed postmaster of Evans- ville. President Grant commissioned him minister to Mexico in 1873, and while there he brought such rare diplomatic talent into use that he achieved wide fame as a skillful diplomat. By President Hayes he was sent to Russia in 1880 as minister. This difficult mission he per- formed with such orderliness and penetration that he came to be regarded as the one man who could accomplish great and difficult diplomatic ends. His friends watched his course with admiring inter- est and applauding words. His appointment as minister to Spain was
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made by President Arthur in 1883. It was a high compliment to him when President Cleveland, a man of adverse politics to Mr. Foster, sent him on a special mission to Spain in 1885. This difficult special service he performed quite satisfactorily. In 1886 he resumed the practice of his profession in Washington, D. C., but he was not per- mitted to remain long in private life. President Harrison commis- sioned him, in 1891, to negotiate treaties of reciprocity with Spain, Germany, San Domingo and other countries. These treaties were made possible by the Mckinley tariff measure, which provided for reciprocity treaties with those countries that desired better trade rela- tions with the United States. The difficulties growing out of the seal fishing in the Behring sea between the United States and Great Brit- ain for a time almost threatened the peace of the two nations, and to adjust the matter required the services of the most prudent men the nation afforded. Mr. Foster was designated as agent of the United States, June 1, 1892, to arbitrate the matter. Before President Cleve- land had retired from office in 1889, the trouble had been hanging undecided so long that the delay seemed but to aggravate it. But the knowledge and skill Mr. Foster carried into this serious national affair enabled him to bring the trouble to a happy termination for both countries. When James G. Blaine resigned as secretary of state under President Harrison, to become a candidate for the nomination on the republican ticket, against Mr. Harrison, Mr. Foster was appointed his successor. The appointment was made June 29, 1892. He resigned this high position February 23, 1893, to attend the Behring sea tri- bunal of arbitration, which was held is Paris. This tribunal excited the lively interest of all civilized nations. After its adjournment Mr. Foster made a tour of the world, in 1793-94, for rest and personal interests. In December, 1894, he. was invited by the emperor of China to assist in the peace negotiations of that country with Japan. The confidence reposed in his talent as a master diplomat by this great foreign potentate was an evidence of the renown he had previously won in settling strained difficulties between nations. Once more, in 1895, he resumed his residence in Washington City, but in March, 1897, President Mckinley appointed him as special envoy to Constantinople to secure from the Turkish sultan the payment of the claims preferred by the United States on account of the destruction of American mis- sionary property and ontrages to American missionaries committed during the uprising against the Armenians in 1895.
In summing up his character in a few pale words it is apparent that he is a man of fine sense of equity and peace, and that as a diplomat
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he is perhaps the greatest in the world to-day. He is a man of most liberal learning, and perfectly acquainted with the events transpiring in every nation on eartlı. His manly, moral character and his com- plete repose in the great Infinite have made him a man whose influ- ence is always for good. Socially he is an approachable man and happy in his domestic relations.
Evansville delights to count him one of her most eminent men, and to feel that his personal history is mingled with that of the nation which he has served so well ever since he first entered his country's service in 1861. His public course has brought glory and renown not only upon himself, but upon the people of this wonderful nation. That he has served in so many different capacities, and in all of them so well, has been a theme of frequent remark. The man, in his full stature, has been seen in all he has ever attempted and achieved. He has always been superior to every new and difficult duty he has attempted.
CHARLES S. WEEVER, M. D.
Dr. Charles S. Weever was born in Noblesboro, county of Lincoln, state of Maine, November 20, 1809. His boyhood days were spent on his father's farm. He received a very thorough education in those eastern schools. On arriving at the age of mauhood he became en- gaged in mercantile business. At the age of twenty-five he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Tucker Trafton, eldest child of John and Nancy Trafton, to whom were born in all seven children, four boys and three girls. On account of the climate during the severe winters of that far eastern country, his physician advised his removal to a southern or a western clime. His wife having an uncle, Dr. William Trafton, residing and practicing medicine in Evansville, Indiana, at that time, decided him to make this his future home. Accordingly in 1837 he started for Evansville, arriving here in August of that year, bringing a stock of dry goods with him. The hard times of 1837 to 1840 were just beginning, so he found there was not any sale for the goods here, as the people did not have money to purchase with. The goods were boxed up and shipped to Quincy, Illinois, and sold for cash, but by the time the money reached Evansville, there was not a dollar of it good, being on what was then called wild-cat banks, which had succumbed to the prevailing hard times. After verifying the fact that the money was utterly worthless, Dr. Weever poked it through one of the ventilation holes in the foundation of the old brick Epis- 26
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copaliau church, occupying the site. of the beautiful stone edifice reared in its stead, St. Paul's church. Thus ended the mercantile career of Charles S. Weever. In a strange, new country, financially nothing left, with a wife and two children on his hands, a man of most excellent habits, a good education, his yankee industry and economy had to be summoned to the front, so he began teaching school and studying medicine with Dr. William Trafton at the same time. Some few of the pupils attending his school are still living, among whom I now think of Mr. David J. Mackey, his sister, Mary Gilbert, and Mr. William W. Tileston. During the winter of 1842-3, he attended medical lectures at Louisville, Kentucky, and during the succeeding winter of 1843-4, took his second course at the Jefferson medical col- lege at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he graduated in the spring of 1844. Returning to Evansville he was taken into partnership by Dr. William Trafton, his former preceptor, which partnership contin- ued up to the death of Dr. Trafton, which occurred October 17, 1847, on Sunday, about 4 o'clock p. m. From the latter part of October, 1847, to October, 1850, Dr. Weever continued in the practice in Evansville by himself. During the winter of 1849-50 he filled the chair as professor of anatomy, to which he had been elected in the first medical college ever formed in Evansville. In the summer of 1850 his horse, which he was driving to a buggy, ran away with him down Main street, throwing him out, producing severe concussion of the brain, from which he did not recover in time to fill his chair in anatomy that winter, consequently he resigned and Dr. William H. Byford, then practicing medicine at Mt. Vernon, Indiana, was chosen to fill his place. In the fall of 1850 Drs. Byford and Weever exchanged places,] Dr. Byford moving to Evansville and Dr. Weever taking his place at Mt. Vernon, Indiana, where he prac- ticed continuously until his death, which occurred April 21, 1861, from double pneumonia. Being an extreme eastern man Dr. Weever's anti-slavery feelings were very strong, as evidenced by the following quotation of an extract from a Fourth of July oration he was called on to deliver at Evansville July 4, 1845 :
"Oh ! slavery, most cruel, rank and foul, Repugnant to the freedom of our soil, Where liberty should always hold her seat, To burst the chains which bind the captive's feet. No matter in what language spoke his doom, Nor what the colored shades his skin assume, Whether an India's or an Africa's sun Ilis skin's fine network into blackness burn,
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In what disastrous battle was his lot, To blast his hopes of freedom, matters not, Whoe'er should touch our sacred soil should feel A new sensation o'er his bosom steal, His soul majestic, freely move abroad, And know himself, the image of his God."
JOHN B. WEEVER, M. D.
Dr. John B. Weever, second child of Charles S. and Mary T. Weever, was born in the town of Hallowell, Kenebeck county, Maine, September 25, 1836. His father moved to Evansville in 1837, arriv- ing here in August of that year, when the subject of this sketch was only eleven months old. When of proper age, he attended the schools of the then village of Evansville. At the age of fourteen his father removed to Mt. Vernon, Ind., where John B. entered the academy at that place, graduating at eighteen years of age. In 1854 he began the study of medicine with his father, attending his first course of lec- tures during the winter of 1855-56 at the Jefferson medical college in Philadelphia, where his father had graduated, and his son graduated in the spring of 1897. In the spring of 1856 he returned to Mt. Ver- non, and continued his medical studies till the spring of 1857, when he again returned to Philadelphia, entering the office of Professor Samuel D. Gross, from whom his father had procured the privilege of an office student. Spending the entire year, from the spring of 1857 to the spring of 1858 in Philadelphia, he took in the summer course of 1857 and the winter conrse of 1857-58, graduating from the Jefferson med- ical college in the spring of 1858. He returned to Mt. Vernon in 1858, and began the practice of his chosen profession with his father in the town where he had been reared from the age of fourteen. The part- nership continued between father and son till the death of the father, which occurred April 21, 1861. From that time until May, 1886, he continued the practice by himself in that locality, reaching the top round of the professional ladder, of his immediate surroundings, a task not easily accomplished under such circumstances, for "a prophet is not without honor," etc.
On the 23d day of December, 1862, he was united in marriage with Miss Emma J. Slocumb, at Carmi, Ill. Seven children were born to them, six boys and one girl. Four children, three boys and the girl, were lost iu infancy, leaving the family at present composed of father, mother and three boys, all grown,
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After having practiced twenty-eight years in Mt. Vernon, he removed to Evansville, in May, 1886, where he has been engaged in the practice of his profession until the present time. During his prac- tice, both at Mt. Vernon and Evansville, he has held the highest office in the county medical societies, is a member of the state medical society of the American medical association, and is one of the consult- ing staff of physicians of St. Mary's hospital of Evansville, and lec- turer on nursing in obstetrical cases to the classes in training at St. Mary's hospital.
CHRISTIAN KRATZ.
The subject of this biography was born in Ranschenberg Kuhr- hessen, Germany, September 5, 1823. His parents were John and Elizabeth Kratz, and they lived the life of peasants or farmers. By some means John became involved, and to extricate himself from the difficulty he sold his farm and with his family came to America. They landed at Baltimore in September, 1834, the father having only one dollar in his pocket. They traveled, however, over the national turn- pike to Pittsburg, where the father and his two sons went into a foundry until their removal to Evansville in 1837. In German town- ship, Vanderburgh county, John Kratz entered a quarter section of land, at the government price of $1.25 an acre. In two years this industrious family had much of this heavily timbered land in a good condition of cultivation.
Christian Kratz, in 1838, began work on the Wabash and Erie canal, which was then in process of construction. By carefulness and strict economy he had saved out of his earnings, up to 1847, the song sum of five hundred dollars. He had flat-boated to New Orleans and worked in a foundry at Louisville, and followed many other pursuits. A year before he had married the sister of William Heilman, and he now proposed to his brother-in-law to engage in the foundry business. This was one of his most successful undertakings. When he and Mr. Heilman dissolved partnership in 1864, he received $100,000 for his interest in the foundry and machine-shop, which had grown from an humble beginning to such magnificent proportions.
After he and Mr. Heilman discontinued their business relations, he established the Southern machine works, on the square opposite where he and Mr. Heilman had carried on their work so successfully. His trade grew to such dimensions that he was obliged to enlarge his foundry in 1870. It was then among the largest in this section of the
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country. His activity in business continued almost up to his death, which occurred June 26, 1884, just a year before the death of his brother-in-law, Hon. William Heilman.
He was a man of splendid physique, and a practical machinist. He was plain and unassuming, kind to the needy, hospitable to a remark- able degree, and a man of good, clear and honest motives. His cease- less industry and his large ideas of business gained for him a sufficiency of this world's goods. Three of his sons, John W., William and Charles T., succeeded him in the business, and the other, George Kratz, began business for himself. They are succeeding in the busi- ness they have always been connected with, because their gentlemanly qualities deserve success.
GEORGE LINXWEILER.
George Linxweiler, the progenitor of the large and well known family of that name, was one of the first Germans to emigrate to this part of the great west. He landed on Indiana territory opposite the mouth of Green river, in March, 1806, and for a time lived on the well known J. B. Stinson farm in Perry township. He came to the Whet- stone settlement in 1811, and there founded his home. Industrious, economical and honorable, he at once gained the respect of the settlers, and through a long life of usefulness, he maintained a high position in popular esteem. His sons, William, Christ, Isaac, and their de- scendants, have been conspicuous in the work of developing the township and county. George Linxweiler, grandfather of Isaac W. Linxweiler, was born in the town of Two Bridges, Germany, April, 1768. He attended school in his native country between the age of six and fourteen, receiving there a good common school educa- tion. He then served an apprenticeship of three years, learning the miller's trade. He immigrated to the United States, landing in New York in 1785, going from there to Pennsylvania. Miss Catherine, Stull became his wife in 1790. She was a native of the same place in Germany, and was born June 5, 1767. After coming to New York in 1785, she worked three years in the city to pay her passage to America. They probably resided in Pennsylvania for several years after their marriage, removing to Vanderburgh county previous to 1809. George Linxweiler died February 22, 1857, and his wife followed early in November, the following year.
William Linxweiler, father of Isaac, was born in this county Feb- ruary 12, 1809. He was the third white child and the first male white
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HISTORY OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IND.
child born in the county. He was the youngest of thirteen children. One of his older brothers was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was wounded during that war. William Linxweiler was a farmer, his father having been the first man to locate a number of farms in differ- ent parts of the county. He was married February 10, 1833, to Jane Clinton, who was born in Warren, Ohio, January 10, 1815. She was the daughter of Jonathan and Lettia McAlree Clinton, both natives of Ireland, who came from that country to Ohio and settled in Trum- ble county. From there they came to this county, in 1831. Mrs. Clinton died August 24, 1874, aged eighty-seven. Seven children were born to William and Jane Linxweiler, as follows : Henderson, born March 12, 1835, died January 22, 1839; John D., born Jnly 11, 1837; Margaret D., born September 10, 1839; George H., born Jan- uary 21, 1842, died September 5, 1858; Mary J., born May 25, 1845; Isaac W., born September 14, 1847; Benjamin L., born October 7, 1849, died January 8, 1867. William Linxweiler died February 10, 1882, and his wife March 13, 1888. In 1833 he settled on the farm, where his son now resides.
Isaac Linxweiler was born and reared on this farm, and was edu- cated in the schools of this township. He has devoted his entire life to farming, and now owns sixty-two acres of land, a part from the old homestead, nearly all of which is under cultivation. He was married October 31, 1872, to Miss Cidney W. Hanson, who was born in Ohio January 20, 1852. She was the daughter of William and Joanna Hanson, both natives of Ohio, who came to this county in 1865. They went to housekeeping on the farm where they still reside. Eight children were born to them, one of whom died. Emma E., born July 25, 1874; Daisy L., born June 28, 1876, died October 9, 1876; Charles, born June 13, 1880; William H., born July 5, 1881; Laura B., born July 17, 1883; Jane J., born April 28, 1885; Isaac L., born Angust 11, 1887. Mr. Linxweiler is a republican in polities. He is a member of Vanderburgh lodge No. 34, A. O. U. W. He is an honest, industrious man, and represents one of the oldest families in the county.
JACOB STRAUB.
John Jacob Straub, (which is the baptismal name of the subject of this sketch), was born in Kireh Brombach, Hesse Darmstadt, Ger- many, on the 1st of January, 1808. He came to this country with his two younger brothers, John H. and Frederick. They arrived
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after a pleasant voyage of five weeks in a sailing vessel, (quick passage for that time.) He landed at Baltimore, Md., July 4th, 1831, with but a few dollars left in his pocket. Finding no immediate employ- ment, they started for Pittsburg, walking all the way and stopping over night with farmers, all of whom received them kindly. At Pitts- burg, Jacob Straub, a finisher by profession, obtained work in a machine shop. The next year, 1832, cholera appeared in a very bad form, especially at Wheeling, where his youngest brother, Fred. had remained. He took passage immediately on a steamer to bring Fred. to Pittsburg. He arrived at Wheeling in safety, but was compelled to wait over. a month before a steamer landed to take them back. They were very fortunate and escaped this dread disease.
In June, 1834, at the age of twenty-six years, he married in Pitts- burg, taking to wife Miss Regina Woerther, of Woerth, Bavaria, who was four years his junior. The same year they removed to Cincinnati. At that time, 1834, Cincinnati had only 35,000 inhabitants. He lived there and at Newport, Ky., just across the river, for twenty-one years, working in the foundries of Powers, David Griffey, Harkness and Niles as a finisher. He, with his family, escaped the cholera epidemic in Cincinnati in 1849, while his brother-in-law and many of his friends died after but a few hours' illness. In 1855 he removed to this city, where he had previously, in 1840, bought some real estate. The Wabash canal at that time had created a speculative demand for real estate. It did not, however, prove as good an investment as was at first anticipated.
Mr. Straub obtained work as a finisher at Kratz and Heilman's, and in 1858 he bought ont A. Waldkirch's hardware stock, (Haueisen's old stand), where he carried on the business with his son, Fred. P. During this time he continued working in the foundry, while his son, Fred., and another younger son, Louis, managed the store. In 1859 he took his oldest son, Frederick, into partnership, changing the firm name from Jacob Straub to Jacob Straub & Son. In 1868 he sold his share in the business to his sons, Frederick aud Louis, and the firm name was again changed to Fred. P. Straub & Co. In 1878 another son, Henry, was admitted into the partnership. In 1884 Louis Straub withdrew and started into business for himself. Henry Straub did likewise in 1890. All three brothers are now in the hardware busi- ness, each for himself.
Jacob Straub was a self-made man, and during his life none of his children ever demanded from him any pecuniary aid, but mutually assisted each other cheerfully. Jacob Straub died iu March, 1884,
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and two months later his good, estimable wife also passed away. Had they lived until June, the same year, they would have celebrated their golden wedding. The descendants living in 1896 are five children : Fred. P., J. Louis and Henry E. Straub, Mrs. Jacob Weintz and Mrs. H. Stoermer; also thirteen grand children and seven great grand children.
Jacob Straub was a hard working, good, temperate and honest man, and never in his life did he have any debts that he did not pay promptly. Although somewhat high tempered, he was generous, humane and tender-hearted. He set a good example during his long life for his children to follow. Politically he was a democrat until 1856, when he gave his support to the republican party and voted for John C. Fremont for president. At that time the republican party was new. Mr. Straub continued with this party during the remainder of his life. He was a member of the German Protestant St. John's church. His religious views were broad and liberal.
JOHN RHEINLANDER.
The subject of this biography is John Rheinlander, who is now president of the Savings bank. Colonel Rheinlander entered the service of his country in its hour of peril as Captain of company B, and was promoted to the rank of major April 30, 1862, and again to that of lieutenant-colonel October 18, 1862. The military achieve- ments of Colonel Rheinlander form a brilliant chapter in his history. When war was declared against Mexico, he enlisted as a private in company E, second Kentucky infantry, and went through the cam- paign under Taylor. By a detail of volunteers he was attached to the first Kentucky infantry, and was in the battle of Monterey. With his regiment he participated in the decisive battle at Buena Vista, and in that terrible engagement lost both of his commanding officers, Colonel McKee and Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Clay. In the war of 1861 Colonel Rheinlander again performed a gallant part. At Fort Donaldson, on the first day of the battle, he and Captain Saltzman were sent forward by Colonel Veatch to act as skirmishers. They advanced upon the enemy's works and, taking position on a hill pro- tected the body of the regiment from the enemy's rifle-pits and silenced a six-pounder field piece which was brought to bear on its flank. On the third day of the battle Captain Rheinlander's company was the first to scale the wall and enter the enemy's works, but, as
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they had no flag, the second Iowa men were the first to set up a banner. At Shiloh Captain Rheinlander's company was continually kept skirmishing from the beginning of the first day's battle until about the time when General Prentiss was captured. By the close proximity of his company to General Prentiss, Captain Rheinlander afforded some five or six hundred meu an opportunity to escape, and had he known who they were he could have saved from capture the entire command of Prentiss.
He participated in the seige of Corinth, having been promoted to the rank of major for gallantry and efficient service. Soon thereafter he rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. At Hatchies' . Run, with four companies of the twenty-fifth Indiana, Colonel Rheinlander charged the enemy, drove them back, engaged them in line, and finally completely routed them. There he was seriously wounded in the right thigh and for some time was not able to be with his com- mand. Returning, he led his command on the way to Atlanta, and took a conspicuous part in the battles of that illustrious campaign. It was only when he became so disabled that he could not mount a horse that he resigned on account of his disability. His military career, bright and honorable in all its details, was ended by the acceptance of his resignation August 18, 1864.
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