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 145

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 145
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 145

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).

Disposing of his interest in said company and retiring therefrom in the spring of 1893, Mr. Jones, in partnership with his nephew, Charles C. Negley, under the firm name of Thomas Jones & Co., purchased the large saw mills in Union City, Ohio side, which they have since operated, the same having a daily capacity of 10,000 feet of lumber, in addition to which machinery has been supplied for the manufacture of shafts, rimpoles, spokes and other carriage stock. In his various business enterprises Mr. Jones has met with signal suc- cess, and he may be taken as a notable ex- ample of the successful self-made man. Be- ginning life upon his own responsibility, with but a meager amount of worldly wealth, the

sum total of which, at the time of his marriage, consisted of a horse, saddle and bridle and forty dollars in money, he has succeeded in overcoming the many obstacles by which his pathway was beset, and is now in the enjoy- ment of a comfortable competence, the result of his individual efforts and well directed busi- ness thrift.

Mr. Jones has been active in behalf of the interests of Union City as a member of the common council, in which body he was the means of promoting much important municipal legislation. He has been prominently identi- fied with the Odd Fellows fraternity for seven- teen years, and has passed all the chairs of the subordinate lodge, and also belongs to the encampment. He assisted in erecting the present lodge building of Union City and for some time served as trustee of the same. He is also a member of the Pythian fraternity, and ever since attaining his legal majority has ex- ercised the elective franchise in behalf of the republican party. His religious belief is repre- sented by the Christian or Disciple church, of which he has been a member the greater part of his life. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have no chil- dren of their own, but their household has not been without the presence and blessings of loved one. A brother of Mrs. Negley dying at their own house left to their affectionate care three children, the mother also having gone to the better land; and the guard and guide of these objects of their love, thus providentially left to their watch and care, was for years the delight of their hearts. These children, Laura, Josephine and Charles, still survive to repay with love the fullness of filial affection lavished upon them. The father of Mr. Jones died in 1891, and one full brother, John Jones, still lives on the old homestead in Delaware county. Mr. Jones and his family have gained the esteem of the entire community, and de- serve it.

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B EV. FRANCIS A. KING, the pious and eloquent pastor of the Roman Catholic church at Union City, was born at Delphi, Ind., in 1861, and is a son of Henry and Catherine (Berry) King. The father was a native of New York, was a farmer, settled at Delphi when twenty-one years of age, and was killed by a runaway team; the mother was of Irish birth and came to America when a child. Francis A. received his preparato- ry education at Delphi, and at the age of fifteen was sent to St. Mary's seminary, Cincinnati, for three years; he next attended St. Francis' seminary at Milwaukee, Wis., for seven years, finishing there a philosophical and theological course. In 1885 he was ordained priest by Archbishop Heiss, of Milwaukee, and for a time was first assistant at Fort Wayne, Ind., and was next parish priest at Covington, Ind., for five years. In June, 1890, he was sent to Union City to build a new church, and inside of three years he succeeded in erecting an edi- fice, at a cost of $25,000, in the Gothic style of architecture, with a seating capacity of 600, and a membership of 120 families or more.

The Catholic church at Union City was begun in 1854; Rev. Sheon, of Sidney, was pastor one year. Rev. Hemsteger, from Piqua, came in 1855. Rev. Clane came next and established a chapel on the farm of Mr. Weiss, two miles from town. Rev. Hem- steger came again and stayed four years. Rev. Shelhammer, from Greenville, then came, re- maining until 1862. Rev. McMahon was next, till 1865. During his pastorship a church was built on Plum, north of Oak, frame, and about 1870; a large bell was added; Rev. Lamour was pastor from 1867 to 1870; Rev. Van Swadler, 1870 to 1871; Rev. Noll, 1871 to 1875. Rev. Quinlin succeeded, who was pastor until 1890, when he was succeeded by Rev. Father King. The congregation is thriving and prosperous, with a property of four lots, a church, a par-

sonage, nunnery and schoolhouse; as also a cemetery, out of town, two miles north on the Salem pike. St. Mary's school is taught by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, and has an at- tendance of 100 pupils. A flourishing day school has been maintained for many years by the Catholics, which has been for a considera- ble time, and is now, free to all comers, through the munificence of Peter Kuntz, Esq., lumber dealer in Union City and a member of the Catholic congregation. Father King has endeared himself to his flock by his uniform urbanity, his benevolence, his fatherly care and meek demeanor, as well as by the sound logic or his sermons, his persuasive eloquence, and his unaffected piety.

J ACOB J. KLUMPP, of Union City, Ran- dolph county, Ind., was born in Wurtemburg, Germany, July 19, 1831, the son of George and Fredericka (Rohr) Klumpp. He attended school from six to fourteen years of age, was apprenticed to a carpenter for three years, and worked as a journeyman for seven years, and then, in 1854, came to America, worked a while at Pitts- burg and Allegheny City, and in the fall of the same year came to Union City, Ind., and for two years was engaged in contracting for and erecting dwellings, some of which are still standing. He does not remember that there was at that time a brick building in the town. The population numbered about 300, and the woods reached to Oak street, just north of which street he got out timber for his buildings. In 1857 he entered the employ of the old "Bee Line" railroad company, work- ing for a year as a commmon hand, and was then made foreman of a gang that built bridges and depots from Union City to Indi- anapolis. Eighteen years ago he was made

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supervisor of bridges and buildings, and now has charge of the construction of all buildings on the road from Indianapolis to Galion, Ohio, the department employing from ten to forty men. For thirty-five years he has had supervision in some form. For the past eight years he has had the oversight of 203 miles, with 466 bridges and culverts, 406 miles of fencing, 640 crossings and cattle guards, thirty-six passenger depots, and seven freight depots. To inspect bridges he travels on a handcar, and has traveled many thousand miles. His main office is at Union City, and he has one foreman in the bridge and two in the fence department, and one clerk or store- keeper. One bridge is destroyed by fire on an average, annually.

Mr. Klumpp was married in August, 1855, to Miss Caroline Stern, a native of Germany, and to this union have been born seven children, viz: Minnie, wife of Fred S. Selby, druggist, of Indianapolis; George, married to Minerva Spannagle, foreman in the bridge department of the " Big 4;" Mary, who died at thirty- three years of age; Caroline, Emma and Effie, at home; and Charles, a bookkeeper at Detroit, Mich. Mr. Klumpp is a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge and encampment; is also a mem- ber of the Lutheran church, and in politics is a republican. He has always maintained a reputation for the strictest honesty and integ- rity. Mrs. Klumpp died April 24, 1886, and her remains rest in the Union City cemetery. She, also, was a Lutheran.

APT. ALEX. A. KNAPP was born at Wooster, Ohio, in 1836. When quite young his parents located at Mansfield, Ohio, where he learned the trade of tinner and plumber. After work- ing as a journeyman at his trade in various

places, he went to Fort Recovery, Ohio, in 1857, and carried on the tinning and stove business for Mr. R. G. Blake, afterward Judge Blake, of Celina, Ohio, until 1858, when Mr. Blake admitted him as a partner in the busi- ness. In 1859 he bought Mr. Blake's interest in the business, then moved to Celina, Ohio, continuing in the stove and tinning business until the firing upon Ft. Sumter, in April, 1861, when he enlisted under Capt. W. D. Stone, in the Seventeenth Ohio volunteer infantry, and served as first sergeant of com- pany I, of that regiment, for over three months, under Mcclellan and Rosecrans in that part of old Virginia, now known as West Virginia. He returned to Fort Recovery in August, 1861, and in October of the same year was commissioned as second lieutenant to en- list volunteers for three years or during the war. He raised a company inside of thirty days, and was assigned to the Fortieth regi- ment Ohio volunteers, Col. J. Cranor, then at camp Chase, Ohio, and on the muster in of said company, was commissioned captain of company K. The regiment left camp Chase, Ohio, in December, 1861, and became a part of Col. Garfield's expedition, to whom was assigned the task of driving the rebel Gen. Humphrey Marshall's army out of that part of eastern Kentucky, known as the Big Sandy Valley, where Capt. Knapp participated in the battles of Middle Creek, January 9, 1862, and Pound Gap, March 10, 1862, having command of 100 picked men in each engagement. At the latter place Gen. Garfield captured all the munitions and stores the rebels had, and de- stroyed the same, thus gaining Garfield his commission as brigadier general and winning his first laurels as a military commander.

The Fortieth Ohio volunteers constituted the army of occupation of the Big Sandy valley, until the rebels under Bragg advanced into Kentucky and attempted to capture Cincinnati

ALEX. Α. ΚΝΑΡΡ.

MRS. ALEX A. KNAPP.

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in the fall of 1862. Capt. Knapp for a while commanded the Union forces at Paintsville, Ky., until Bragg's invasion in 1862, when the Fortieth Ohio fell back to the Ohio river at Catlettsburg, and participated in all the move- ments of the Union forces between that point and South Point, Ohio, including an expedi- tion up the Kanawha valley. After the rebels were driven back to Virginia, the Fortieth Ohio was again assigned to the occupation of the Big Sandy valley, where they remained until early in 1863, when they were ordered to Smithland, Ky., and thence moved up Cum- berland river to Nashville, Tenn., where they were assigned to Gen. Whittaker's brigade of the reserve corps, of the army of the Cumber- land, then in camp at Franklin, Tenn. The regiment fought the first battle of Franklin, June, 1863, from thence marched on Tribune; thence, with the army on the advance from what was known as the "Murfreesboro line," participating in the battles of Shelbyville Tullahoma and all the skirmishes and battles of the campaign, capturing Chattanooga, and ending with the three days' battle of Chicka- mauga, September 18, 19 and 20, where, late in the afternoon of the third day's fight, on the center, September 20, 1863, Capt. Knapp was wounded by the horse of Capt. Allen, of Gen. Whittaker's staff, falling upon him. He re- covered sufficiently to resume command of what was left of his company by the 25th of Sep- tember, and was assigned to the support of two guns of Capt. Ayleshire's Eighteenth Ohio battery, on Moccasin Point, opposite Lookout Mountain, and the holding of Brown's Ferry at the foot of Lookout Mountain, to prevent the crossing of the rebels below Chattanooga. Owing to scarcity of rations and supplies dur- ing the siege of Chattanooga, he, with all other wounded, was given a sick furlough late in October, and did not return again until early in December, 1863, being only in one engage-

ment thereafter-Buzzard's Roost, Ga., Feb- ruary 22, 1864. He was honorably discharged in March, 1864, for injuries received at the battle of Chickamauga.

The captain resided at Ft. Recovery until 1865, when he removed to Union City. Ind., where he formed a co-partnership with Col. Cranor, and conducted the hardware business several years, under the style and firm of Cranor & Knapp. After selling his interest in the hardware business to Col. Cranor, in 1867, he again went to Ft. Recovery, but, owing to very poor health, he entered into no active business until 1870, in March of which year, after selling out his holdings at Ft. Recovery he again removed to Union City, where he has resided continuously since. Shortly after his return here he engaged in the walnut log business, shipping the same to eastern ports and to Europe. A year later he engaged in business at Red Key, Ind., and for a number of years, first by himself and afterwards with William Sniff, now of Piqua, O., and conducted the merchant lumber business, under the style of Knapp & Sniff.

In 1871 Capt. Knapp became a member of the city council that constructed the Union City water works, and was appointed by that body superintendent of construction, in which capacity he dug the first water well, built the power house, put in the pumps, laid the water mains, etc. On completion of the works he was appointed superintendent in charge of the same, in which capacity he continued for six or seven years. It is his proudest boast, that, during all the years of his supervision of the water works, at every call for water, for fires, every hydrant, pump, and valve was found in perfect working order, without a second's de- lay, and during that time not a dollar's worth of property was lost by fire, that could be saved by the works, when in their most effi- cient working condition. In January, 1873,

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Capt. Knapp engaged in the plumbing busi- ness, and later in the same year, in the sewer pipe and terra cotta goods trade, ever offered in this section of country, and gradually added other lines to his business, thereby laying the foundation for the present establishment known as "The Knapp Supply Co." which was incorporated with a capital of $25,000 in 1889. In 1890, owning to very poor health, he sold his holdings in said company, in which he has no interest whatever at the pres- ent time. Remaining out of business two years, he established and became manager of the business now conducted under the firm name and style of "Alex Knapp & Co.," who are dealers in and jobbers of iron and lead pipe, as well as plumbers, gas and steam fit- ters, supplies, also mill supplies, natural gas goods, rubber hose, belting, sewer pipe, fire brick, fire clay, terra cotta goods, Portland and common cements, plaster paris, etc., at Union City, Ind., with a branch house at Dunkirk, Ind., of which J. L. Slough, Jr. is manager.

Capt. Knapp is a royal arch Mason, a member of the G. A. R. and of the Indiana commandery, Military Order of the Loyal Le- gion. He was married in 1869 at Ft. Recov- ery, Ohio, to Miss Mary P. McDaniel, whose parents were pioneers of Mercer county. The lady died in 1883, and, in 1888, he married Miss Emma T. Slough, of Delaware, Ohio. The captain is of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, his ancestors on his father's side being colonists with William Penn. His father John N. Knapp and his mother Hannah Spang, are both from Berks county, Pa. They migrated to Wayne county, Ohio, in 1833, when the present town of Wooster was only a hamlet. His father died in Mansfield, Ohio, in 1846, his mother is still living at the advanced age of upwards of eighty-three years. Mrs. Knapp is also Pennsylvania Dutch by descent;

her father, James L. Slough, Sr., is a native of Berks county and her mother, Christina Smith, of Schuylkill county, Pa., having re- moved to Ohio in 1849, and settled in the town of Delaware, in that state.

a PHRAIM H. BOWEN. senior mem- ber of the Bowen Manufacturing com- pany, and son of Squire Bowen, was born in Randolph county, near Spar- tansburg, Ind., December 13, 1835. He was raised on the farm which his grandfather en- tered in 1814, when he came from Dayton, Ohio. He was engaged in clearing and culti- vating his father's farm, and attended the log cabin school house of that period, until nine- teen years of age, when he left the farm and engaged with his brother James in a general store for three years. He next took a trip to Texas, where he remained about two years, and then returned to Spartanburg, where, with a capital of $333, again embarked in business, which he carried on successfully until 1863. In that year he came to Union City, and bought a stock of dry goods of ex-Gov. Gray and Nathan Cadwallader, and continued in merchandising here for three years, when he sold out and became traveling salesman for a clothing and piece goods house at Cincinnati for one year. He then established himself in the wholesale and retail hardware business, in which he continued two years, the partner of Mr. Cadwallader, and five years the partner of Mr. Coddington. Subsequently he engaged in the manufacture of flax tow for bagging purposes. He then united with the Witham Bros. and others, in the Witham & Bowen Lumber company, with a capital stock of $150,000, and was for nine years its president and superintendent, during which time the company achieved a notable success, building

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up a large business with branch factory at' East Saginaw, Mich., and sales-yards at Rich- mond, and Hartford City, Ind. Mr. Bowen, on retiring from the lumber company, estab- lished a factory for the manufacture of egg cases, in the western part of the city, and con- tinued until the Veneer mill and dry house system was removed to Anderson, Ind., in 1893, and at which point Mr. Bowen became an incorporator of the Anderson Keg & Pack- age company, which manufactures kegs for the American Wire Nail works. The buildings at this point were fitted for the manufacture of carriages and buggies, in 1893, and the Bowen Carriage Manufacturing company was organ- ized, and the output for 1893 aggregated 2, 500 vehicles. The plant, when running at full ca- pacity, will employ seventy-five hands. It is conveniently located for shipping purposes, having a side track to the factory from both the Big Four and the Pan-Handle systems. Mr. Bowen was married at Spartanburg, Ind., in 1861, to Miss Rachel Cadwallader, a sister of Hon. Nathan Cadwallader, and of this marriage there are two sons; Frank H., and Crate D.

Frank H. Bowen, junior member of the Bowen Carriage Manufacturing company and son of Ephriam H. and Rachel (Cadwallader) Bowen, was born at Spartanburg, Ind., Octo- ber 9, 1862. He received a liberal educa- tional training in the Union City high schools, until graduation, at Butler university, after two years, and at the State university at Bloomington after one year. On his return from college, Mr. Bowen accepted the posi- tion of secretary and book-keeper for the Witham & Bowen Lumber company, which he competently filled for about ten years. He assisted in organizing the Bowen Manufactur- ing company in 1890, and has since been its secretary and treasurer. He is also secretary of the Bowen Carriage Manufacturing com-

pany, organized in 1892, and is president of the Anderson Keg and Package company, or- ganized in 1893. Mr. Bowen is an active and progressive republican. He was elected mayor of Union City by a larger majority than any predecessor had received in recent years and served in that capacity during the years of 1888 and 1889, and as delegate to the state convention in 1892. Mr. Bowen was married in April, 1883, to Miss Ida, daughter of Will- iam Branham, and of this marriage there are three children, namely: Ada, Winnette and Pierce. He is a member of the Knights of Phythias, and is a past chancelor of that body. He is also a member of the Turpen lodge, F. & A. M. Mr. Bowen is one the Union City's most popular young business men, and by his energy and enterprise has contributed his full share to the upbuilding of its manufacturing interests.

S IMEON BRANHAM was born in Scott county, Ky., in 1806. His mother died in 1813; his father mar- ried again and removed to Jefferson county, Ind., in 1815 (sixty-nine years ago), and to Bartholomew county, Ind., 1820, after the public lands there had been surveyed, but before they had been offered for sale. Mr. Branham, the elder, died soon afterward (in 1822). The subject of our sketch was then a lad of sixteen years, one out of fifteen children, ten by the first wife and five by the second. Mr. Branham says: "My father was very poor, and his death left his widow utterly des- titute. I assisted her to her brother's, forty miles distant, and then struck out into the world, to fight the battles of life, a poor, friendless orphan. As I was going along through the woods on that journey of kindness and affec- tion to assist my widowed and desolate step- mother, I looked out upon my future career,

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and reflected: 'Here I am, a poor, helpless orphan boy! What I become, I must, by God's help, achieve for myself. I cannot afford to drink spirits, nor use tobacco, for such an expense will keep me poor, and I can never rise. By the grace of God, I will never use either.' And I never have. By His strength I have been enabled to keep sacred the solemn vow that in my lonely and help- less orphanhood, in that dreary forest path, I made." Simeon Branham moved to Jennings county, Ind., 1831; to Johnson county, Ind , 1849; and to Union City, August 23, 1853, where his death took place in 1888. He mar- ried Jemima Chambers about 1835. They had six children, five living still.

He was a carpenter and wagon maker; sold goods for twelve years; followed railroad- ing and track-laying for four years. At Union City he kept an eating house and hotel, also a boot and shoe store and a drug store. He built the Branham house in 1855, and opened hotel in 1856. Mr. Branham was an ardent republican, and an active member of the Disci- ple church, having been a trustee from the beginning. He was town trustee and also school trustee of Union City. When he was a youth he followed wagoning, wood chopping, etc. He has chopped cord wood at twenty- five cents a cord, and boarded himself.

The reputation, success and esteem attained by Mr. Branham was an affecting example of what, in this blessed country of ours, a poor, friendless orphan lad may achieve by the Di- vine blessing upon his faithful and persevering labors.

Jemima Chambers Branham was born in the territory of Indiana, in that portion which has since became-Jefferson county, on the 10th day of October, 1811. Her parents were James and Mary Chambers, who were both natives of North Carolina, but came to the territory of Indiana a short time prior to their

marriage, probably in 1807. When she was ten years old, her father died, and eight months later, her mother died, leaving her and five other children with limited means and to the uncertainty of pioneer life. She was raised on a farm, without educational advan- tages, and subjected to the necessity of earning her own living. She was married to Simeon Branham at Vernon, in Jennings county, in 18-, to whom she was a helpmate and coun- selor in all the events of a long, active and useful life. It is a noteworthy fact, as seen by their biographies, that both her husband and herself were poor orphan children-she, at the age of ten, and he at about sixteen years. Mrs. Branham died in 1886.

RANK L. BRANHAM, eldest son of William Branham, is a well known and highly respected citizen of Union City. He was born December 18, 1864, in the popular Branham house, located at the southwest corner of Broadway and Pearl street. He attended school till he was sixteen years old when he accepted a position as news- boy on the Bee Line railroad. He remained in this business four years and is remembered as being energetic and successful. In March, 1885, he was married to Miss Nellie, daughter of Geo. Gregory, of Union City. The first year of their married life was spent in Arca- num, Ohio, where Mr. Branham was the pro- prietor of a restaurant. At the end of the year, he accepted an offer from his father to return to Union City and take charge of the Branham restaurant. He soon purchased his father's interest and became sole owner, prov- ing himself a very successful manager. He sold the same to his brother, A. L. Branham, in April, 1893, and then, aided by his father, he purchased new furniture and fixtures for the old Branham house, consisting of sixty-five

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rooms, forty of which are for guests. The Branham house as it stands to-day, with its beautiful and complete furnishing of modern improvements is a model of beauty and a home of comfort.

This house was established in 1855 by Simeon Branham, the grandfather of the present manager, and an interesting fact con- cerning it is, that it has been under the man- agement of some member of the Branham family continuously with the exception of nine years when it was managed by W. V. Turpen and H. H. Elliott. Mr. Branham, besides be- ing a well known and highly esteemed citizen, is also a member of the Knights of Pythias, in which order he has passed all of the chairs.

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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 145

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