A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph counties, Ind., containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana, Part 143

Author:
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, A. W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1474

USA > Indiana > Randolph County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph counties, Ind., containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 143
USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph counties, Ind., containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 143

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

ON. NATHAN CADWALLADER, president of the Citizens' bank of Union City, Randolph county, Ind., was born in Warren county, Ohio, July 12, 1826. At the age of seven years he was brought to Indiana by his parents, Abner and Mary (Thomas) Cadwallader, natives, re- spectively, of Virginia and South Carolina. They settled in Greensfork township, Randolph county, entering eighty acres of land, on which Nathan was reared until nineteen or twenty years of age. In those days Richmond, Wayne county, was the nearest milling point. The family then came to Fountain City, and Abner

Cadwallader, father of Nathan, died when the latter was but fourteen years old. Being the only son, the business cares of the family de- volved on Nathan, who bought cattle and drove them to Cincinnati for about two years, each trip taking about ten days or two weeks. Having attended the seminary at Winchester for twelve weeks, he felt fully prepared to teach school, which he successfully did for two or three winters, learning, however, more than he taught. He next engaged as clerk for F. F. Needham, at Fountain City, in a general store for a year, and in the interval married Mrs. Elizabeth C. Mauzy, of Spartanburg, a daughter of David Manzy, a merchant. He soon afterward moved to that town and en- tered the employ of his father-in-law in a general way for twenty months. About this time Mrs. Mauzy died, and Mr. Cadwallader bounght out Mr. Mauzy's store, and for two or three years carried on the business on his own account. He then returned to Fountain City and bought out his old employer, Needham, and, until 1859, handled grain in connection with merchandising. In December, 1859, Mr. Cadwallader and Reiford Wiggs, of Darke county, Ohio, brought thence, united stocks of merchandise to Union City, formed a co-part- nership under the firm name of Cadwallader & Wiggs, and located on the Ohio side of the city, but in fifteen months moved to the Indi- ana side, building a frame store on Columbia street, and carried on trade until 1863; in 1864, Mr. Cadwallader united with Hon. Isaac P. Gray and Mr. Wiggs in the wholesale grocery trade in Cincinnati, but a year later Mr. Cad- wallader and Gray returned to Union City and opened the Citizen's bank. It was conducted as a private banking house until March, 1873, when it was incorporated under the laws of the state of Indiana, with an authorized capi- tal of $32,000, surplus $8,000. Its officers were Hon. N. Cadwallader, president; Hon.

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Isaac P. Gray, vice-president; Charles H. Cad- wallader, cashier; Geo. N. Edgar, assistant cashier, and M. N. Eastman, teller, with a board of directors composed of the following well known capitalists and business men: W. K. Cadwallader, Isaac P. Gray, E. M. Tansey and W. K. Smith, gentlemen of established reputation and recognized ability in the man- agement of their personal affairs, a sufficient guarantee of their fitness for the duties of the responsible positions which they so efficiently and acceptably filled.

In addition to their admirable business qualifications and financial ability, the man- agement and directory were thoroughly familiar with the various industrial and commercial enterprises of this city and state. The bank, in addition to the various branches of domestic banking, deposits, discounts, collections, etc., issued drafts on all the principal cities of Europe in sums to suit purchasers, devoting special attention to this branch of business. The charter of the bank having expired in March, 1893, the bank was reorganized with a capital stock of $60,000, with its charter ex- tended for a second twenty years. Messrs. Cadwallader & Edger are also the proprietors of the Red Key bank, and Mr. Cadwallader is the "Co." of the John W. Hill & Co. dry goods firm of Red Key and of the Clem Hard- ware company, of Richmond, Ind., and he is also largely interested in farming lands. In politics Mr. Cadwallader is a republican, and in 1876 was elected to represent his district in the state senate, which he did for four years. Fraternally, he is a Mason. Mr. Cadwallader was first married to Elizabeth Celinda Mauzy, and, secondly, in 1854, to Sarah Ann, daugh- ter of James Griffis, who represented Randolph county in the state legislature in 1846. To this happy union have been born three chil- daen, viz: Emma W., wife of Clement How- ard, of Richmond; Charles H., cashier of the

Citizens' bank, and Ida M., wife of Guy G. Crouse, of Union City.

J OHN T, CHENOWETH, ex-county commissioner of Randolph county, Ind., was born in Maryland in 1826, and is the son of William and Keturah (Murray) Chenoweth. William Chenoweth located in Darke county, Ohio, in 1838, rent- ed land for two years, and in 1840 came to Indiana, purchased land near Arba, Greens- fork township, Randolph county, and here John T. attended subscription school-the first in the township and built by his father and a few neighbors. John T. started life for himself near Spartanburg by clearing up a farm in the woods, resided there until 1867, and then moved to Wayne township, and for three or four years was engaged in merchan- dising at Bartonia. He next purchased a farm in the west part of Wayne township, which he still owns, and in 1885 settled in Union City. In politics Mr. Chenoweth was first a whig, but became a republican on the formation of that party, and has been active in its ranks ever since. He has served as township as- sessor both in Greensfork and Wayne, and in 1890 was elected county commissioner, a po- sition he held until November, 1893.

In 1847 Mr. Chenoweth married Rhoda J. Parker, who died in 1850, leaving one son, Samuel J., now in business in Union City. In 1852, Mr. Chenoweth took for his second wife Hester Ramsey, who, in 1856, was also called away, leaving one daughter, Clara, who died in early womanhood. In 1859 Mr. Chen- oweth selected his third partner-Emily S. Lawrence-who has borne him one daughter and three sons, viz: Elnora, wife of Harry Row, a farmer of Wayne township; William L., farming the old homestead; John F., a

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student, and George Edwin, also at college. William Chenoweth, father of John T., was born in Baltimore county, Md., in 1802, was there married, and came west, as already re- lated, to improve the prospects of his children, thirteen of whom grew nearly to manhood and womanhood, and of whom three were in the late war and of these one was killed. The father was very successful as a farmer, and died in Greensfork township in 1876, a Baptist and a republican. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Keturah B. Murray, was born in Carroll county, Md., January 26, 1806, was married March 22, 1825, and died May 26, 1893. She was originally a Metho- dist in her religious affiliations, but later be- came a member of the Disciples' church, in the faith of which she was called to her final home. She left living eight of her thirteen children, forty-eight grandchildren and sixty- nine great-grandchildren, a total of 125 de- scendants. There was found in her chamber, after her death, a well worn Testament, which she was known to have read through twenty- three times in the last seventeen years of her life.

J AMES S. COTTOM, deceased son of John H. and Rebecca Cottom, was born January 11, 1825, in New Paris, Ohio, and was the youngest member of his father's family, one of the most highly respected families of Randolph county, of whom mention has elsewhere been made.

John H. Cottom was born June 4, 1788, at Snow Hill, Md. His father moved to Ken- tucky when he was a lad of eight or ten years. John H. Cottom married in Kentucky, and moved to New Paris, Ohio, in 1812. They had four children, viz .: David J., Thomas F., John W., and James Samuel. John H. Cottom came to Winchester in 1843. He moved to Illinois

with his son David in 1856. He returned to Ohio, and died near Cincinnati, at the home of his son, John Wesley, in 1875, aged eighty- seven years. He married Rebecca Jameson, of Bourbon county, Ky., who was born Octo- ber 22, 1787, and died in 1864, at the resi- dence of her son, James S., aged seventy- seven years. James S. Cottom acquired a good English education in the common schools of his native county, and, in 1843, came to Winchester, Ind., with his brothers. For a brief period he was engaged as clerk in the dry goods house of his elder brothers at Win- chester, beginning here his training for a mer- cantile life. Leaving the store, he returned to his native town, and for awhile attended school there. In 1845, he wedded Miss Edith Jane Mitchell, daughter of William Mitchell, of New Paris, Ohio. In the year 1846, he embarked in the dry goods business at Will- iamsburg, Ind., and was thus engaged until 1849, when he removed to Winchester, Ind. In 1851 he relinquished mercantile pursuits and embarked in the sale of lightning rods. For a few months he met with flattering suc- cess, but in the pursuit of this occupation a misfortune befell him which changed the tenor of his life, and reduced him from a vigorous man to an invalid. While "rodding" the house of Col. Young at Anderson, Ind., he fell from a ladder to the ground, 'a dis- tance of twenty-seven feet. The fall pro- duced complete paralysis of the lower limbs, and from that hour he never walked. Three weeks after the occurrence he was placed upon a litter and carried to his home by men on foot. His wagon, with eight men, was sent from Winchester to meet him, and in relays of four at a time these friends conveyed him to his family, assisted by many others who vol- unteered their services along the route. He lay with but little hope of life, and no expect- ation of ever regaining his power of locomo-

Jours Resfy !

A. S. Cotton

MRS. J. S. COTTOM.

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tion. Indeed, his physicians, with one excep- tion, pronounced his injuries fatal, and for six months his life trembled in the balance. But after the lapse of a year he became satisfied that death was not immediately imminent, and was filled with a desire to again take his place in the world as an active business man. First, he engaged in the sale of medicines and mu- sical instruments, then in the sale of agricul- tural implements and stoves, and subsequently in the sale of sewing machines, at which he was successfully engaged, in connection with the fire insurance agency. After his misfor- tune, he occupied various public offices. He served as township clerk for more than two years, as justice of the peace for four years, as recorder of Randolph county for four years, and was also a notary public. In early life he developed remarkable musical talents, which he cultivated until he attained more than an ordinary degree of perfection and skill. In 1853, two years after the oc- currence of his misfortune, he called and man- aged a musical convention at Indianapolis, at which the leading brass bands of the state joined in competition for first and second prizes. The enterprise proved a great success, both in a financial and musical sense, and the appreciation of the entertainment led the at- tending citizens to tender a vote of thanks and a complimentary benefit to the energetic manager. He was reared under Methodist in- fluences, and although not formally identified with any religious denomination, he retained the warmth of moral and religious feeling that characterized his boyhood, and at heart was a believer in the doctrines of the Chris- tian religion. His early political training was with the whig party, and he cast his first vote for Zachary Taylor in the presidential cam- paign of 1848. He was strongly anti-slavery in sentiment, and drifted naturally from the whig to the republican party, with which he

always continued to act. He was an earnest temperance man. For more than thirty years his wheel-chair and cheerful face had been familiar sights to the citizens of this county, and his career during this period illustrates anew the force of this injunction:

" Never give up ! It is wiser and better Always to hope, than once to despair."

In his business affairs, and in all his transac- tions with his fellow-men, he was governed by a high sense of honor, and for the probity of his life, and the kind and gentle charac- teristics of his nature, he possessed the good will and affection of all who knew him. His wife was a noble Christian lady, and was a ministering angel to him in the period of his affliction. Their wedded life was blessed by two children, one of whom is de- ceased. The surviving daughter, Rosa, is the widow of the late Robert S. Fisher, who served long and faithfully as cashier of the Com- mercial bank, of Union City.

James S. Cottom died September 20, 1886, at Union City, Ind., at the home of his daugh- ter, Mrs. Fisher. He continued in business until within a few weeks before his death. His wife, since his demise, has made her home with her daughter.

S TEPHEN E. COWDERY, secretary and treasurer of the R. H. Horn Pro- duce company of Union City, Ran- dolph county, Ind., is a son of Dr. Diah B. and Martha (Christy) Cowdery, and was born in Meigs county, Ohio, March 6, 1849, but was reared in Vinton county, Ohio, until fifteen years of age, when he came to Union City, Ind., with his parents. Dr. Diah B. Cowdery was born and reared in Chester, Meigs county, Ohio, and practiced dentistry in Meigs and Vinton counties, Ohio, and from

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1867 until his death, in 1885, at the age of sixty years, in Union City. He had an exten- sive practice in this city and also taught sev- eral young men the profession. He had also, for a time, been a merchant at Hampden, Ohio, and engaged in the mercantile business in Union City, in April, 1865, having bought out Coffin & Clark, dry goods merchants, and closed the invoicing of the stock the day that President Lincoln met his untimely fate.

Stephen E. Cowdery began his business life in his father's dry goods store in 1865, where he remained two years, when the doctor returned to his profession. In 1867 Stephen E. entered the employ of Avery, Peirce & Co., in the produce business in Union City, re- mained with them a year, and in the summer of 1868 went to Cincinnati as bookkeeper in a wholesale produce and fruit house; remained with them until 1871, when he returned to Union City and entered the wholesale grocery of E. Starbuck & Co., as bookkeeper, remained with them until 1876, and then became book- keeper for the produce firm of Turpin & Har- ris until 1880, when he formed a partnership with William Harris, in the same business in Goshen, Ind., carried it on until 1889; then sold his interest and again returned to Union City and re-engaged with Turpin & Harris, was their bookkeeper until 1890, when the firm was merged into the R. H. Horn Produce company, of which he was manager of the Union City point until 1891, when he was elected secretary and treasurer of the company, which controlled plants at Marion, Kokomo, Peru, Bluffton, Portland, and ten other minor points in Ohio and Indiana, under direct in- structions from the Union City establishment.

Stephen E. Cowdery was married in 1869 to Miss Eva C. Burt, and to this union have been born six children, viz: Clarence B., Ettie M., Gertrude, Daisy, William S., and Maud. The mother of Mr. Cowdery died in

1867, and of the immediate members of the original family there now survive only Stephen E., and two sisters. In politics Mr. Cowdery is an ardent republican.

UY G. CROUSE, of the firm of Cadwallader & Crouse, dealers and shippers of fine horses, was born in Mechanicstown, Frederick county, Md., October 25, 1850. At the early age of eleven years Mr. Crouse shipped on board a man of war, or training ship, where for three years he filled the various positions as- signed to him, reaching finally by meritorious conduct the position of messenger to Admiral Quackenbush. During the period of his sea- faring life he visited the various countries bordering on the south seas, including South America, Australia, China and the East In- dies. After his return from the sea, Mr .. Crouse's parents were residents of Gettysburg, Pa., at the time of the great battle in 1863, and Mr. Crouse's love of adventure lead him to follow the Union army and followed its fortunes as errand boy until Lee's surrender at Appomattox. From 1866 to 1874 he was employed in riding and training running horses for Gov. Bowie of Maryland. During this period of eight years he carried the colors of his employer on many of the noted eastern tracks, having won successful mounts on such all-around winners as Legatee, Ram-de-Dam, Fusilade and others. From the runner Mr. Crouse changed his allegiance to the trotter and joined his fortunes and became business manager for that renowned driver, John Splan, of Cleveland, O. From 1874 to 1879 he visit- ed all the principal race courses, assisted in training and driving in all the principal events of that period, spending his winters in Califor- nia. He then began dealing in saddle horses,

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shipping his purchases from Kentucky to all the principal cities. For promotion of these interests he established a riding school at Pittsburg, Pa., which he conducted with suc- cess for two years.

In 1883 he met Mr. Charles H. Cadwal- lader at Lexington, Ky., and here formed the present partnership with him under the firm name of Cadwallader & Crouse at Union City, and for the last ten years they have con- ducted extensive business in buying and prepar- ing fine coach and cob teams, saddlers and hun- ters, which they have disposed of at long prices in all the large cities of the United States. They number among their appreciative cus- tomers such noted capitalists and horse fanciers as the millionare Phil Armor, Potter Palmer and Mr. Hempstead Washburne of Chicago, and the Vanderbilts of New York city. In addi- tion to his other interests, Mr. Clouse is the owner of Fairview farm dairy, which consists of fifty-three acres of beautiful undulating pasture lands adjacent to Union City. The farm is fully equipped with commodious barns and sheds, all supplied with pure and healthful water, which is carried by pipes to every portion. The dairy is stocked with a fine herd of full blood Jerseys and Holstien-Fries- ian cows, which are fed with the most approved kinds of food for the production of the most highly nutritious aud healthful milk, which finds a ready sale, and is supplied to about two-thirds of all the milk consumers in Union City. Mr. Crouse was married to Miss Ida M. Cadwallader, daughter of the Hon. Nathan Caldwallader of Union City in 1886. They have one child, viz: Nathan Hugh, now five years of age. In politics he is a democrat. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and Knights of Pythias. Mr. Crouse is one of the successful dealers in horses in this country, and the secret of his success is in the perfect knowledge he has acquired of the noble animal.

S H. DUNN, general merchant of Union City, Randolph county, Ind., was born in Miami county, Ohio, and lived in the village of Fletcher until sixteen years of age, when he came to Union City and became a clerk in the general store of R. B. McKee & Co., with whom he re- mained five years, and then entered the em- ploy of R. Kirshbaum as a salesman, acting in that capacity from about 1870 until 1883, when he became a partner with Mr. Kirsh- baum, and held that relation until a joint stock company was formed in 1891, under the title of the R. Kirshbaum Co., with a capital of $50,000 paid up, since which time Mr. Dunn has been the efficient manager. In its retail department this concern employs thirty- five persons, and handles vast quantities of dry goods, furnishing goods, clothing, hats, caps, boots and shoes, and does an extensive business in merchant tailoring. It occupies a fine corner brick bullding, three stories high, 42x90 feet, erected in 1873. The concern, with the name of Mr. Kirshbaum at the head, has been doing business for nearly thirty years, but at no time has it been in a more thriving condition or its volume of trade as it has been since coming under the general management of S. H. Dunn. In politics Mr. Dunn is a republican. He also is a member of the school board of Union City, and is a one of its best business men.

J AMES J. EAGY, township trustee of Wayne township, Randolph county, Ind., with residence at Union City, was born at Sidney, Ohio, November 24, 1846. His father, Samuel Eagy, is a na- tive of Pennsylvania, who located in Ohio when a young man, and there married Abigail Bush. He became the father of nine chil-

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dren, of whom five grew to maturity, viz .: James J .; George, who served in the Eighty- ninth Indiana volunteer infantry, but is now deceased; John and Samuel, who were in the Fortieth Ohio volunteer infantry. There is also another son by another marriage-Will- iam M., who served in the Ninety-first Indiana volunteer infantry.

James J. Eagy was but two and a half years of age when brought to Indiana by his parents, who in 1849 settled on a farm in Jay county. On this homestead James J. was reared until his enlistment, November 20, 1863, in company B, Eleventh Indiana cavalry, he being at the time four days under seventeen years of age. He was on detached duty until the fall of 1864, when he was sent on the cam- paign in pursuit of Gen. Hood in Tennessee, in which he took part in the sanguinary battles of Franklin and Nashville, beside in numerous skirmishes connected with that unfortunate confederate general's disastrous retreat.

After Lee's surrender, Mr. Eagy and his comrades were sent to Cow Creek, Kan., were mustered out at Leavenworth, September 19, 1865, and were finally discharged at Indian- apolis. On his return home he worked out by the month, and attended the district school in winter for two years. In the fall of 1867, he went to Ridgeville, began teaching that winter, and, with the exception of three winters, taught until 1890-still pursuing his studies and working at farm labor during vaca- tions. In politics Mr. Eagy is a republican, and in 1890 was elected trustee of Wayne township. He has also acted successfully as pension agent. He is a member of the G. A. R. and the I. O. O. F., having passed all the chairs in the latter fraternity. He is regarded as being strictly upright in his every trans- action and as being a useful and valuable citizen, well suited to assist in building up the interests of the community.

INFIELD SCOTT ENSIGN, son of Chauncey Decatur and Catherine (Ink) Ensign, was born in Mt. Gilead, Ohio, September 19, 1850. His boyhood days were spent in Mt. Gilead, where he attended school. His spare mo- ments were employed in learning the printer's trade. Many a time, when other boys were playing or poisoning their minds by the con- taminating influences in a loafer's den, this lad would be found in the printing office of the Mt. Gilead Sentinel, standing on a chair be- fore the case, handling the stick and type like an expert. He worked in this office till he was twenty years of age, when he was mar- ried. Going to Fredericktown, Ohio, in Au- gust, 1870, he purchased the Independent (now Free Press), which he edited very suc- cessfully for three years. After selling out he returned to his old home and spent another year with the Mt. Gilead Sentinel. In 1874 he began to work in the composing room of the Cleveland Herald. He was soon promoted, becoming a proof reader and society reporter. He was further advanced as his industry and ability became known till he was made assist- ant foreman in the office, at a salary of $45 per week. Mr. Ensign was connected with the Herald for three years, when, on account of failing health, he resigned. Improving in health, he purchased the Cardington Inde- pendent, which he edited for five years. In October, 1882, he came to Union City and bought the Union City News.

In February, 1883, the News was com- bined with the Union City Eagle, which Mr. S. R. Bell (the other partner in the new firm of Ensign & Bell) had purchased. This partnership lasted till 1887, when Mr. Bell sold his interest and Mr. Ensign became sole owner. The paper is a weekly, six column quarto, and has never ceased to increase in quality and patronage. The weekly was

W. S. ENSIGN.

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complemented in March, 1891, by a daily edition. This had great promise, and the plucky, energetic editor is now realizing his most sanguine expectations. In speaking rel- ative to this paper "The Ridgeville News" say: "A paper with original ideas coupled with fearless expression is always admirable. Such a paper is the Union City Eagle. The Eagle is an old, yet well preserved bird, whose screech at times is astoundingly shrill. Brother Ensign pushes a very trenchant quill, and gets himself into a peck of trouble at times because of it. His paper assumes a metropolitan air, and maintains the assumption very creditably. Whether this is best, considering the territory covered, can best be answered when the ex- periment is complete. One thing certain, Brother Ensign isn't to be scared at the bristle end of a subject, but takes hold with a fear- less cut-and-slash air and either ably scores a point or frightens his adversary to death. In this stern and relentless advocacy, the Eagle is sometimes right and sometimes wrong. The Eagle, however, sports, at all times, a strong individuality, which makes it a desirable and influential journal. It enjoys a heavy circu- lation and occupies a prominence seldom accorded the country press."

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A portrait and biographical record of Delaware and Randolph counties, Ind., containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana, Part 143

Author: Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Chicago, A. W. Bowen & Co. Number of Pages: 1474

Author:
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Chicago, A. W. Bowen & Co.
Number of Pages: 1474