USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A twentieth century history of Delaware County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 16
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Mr. Lambert is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Knights of Pythias, and of the Red Men. As stated before, he is a Republican and active in all movements having a tendency to better the conditions of his city or county.
FRANK L. GAss, judge of the city court of Muncie was born in that place on the 22d of March, 1872, and, with the exception of two years spent in Missouri, has resided therein all his life. He spent twelve years
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in the acquiring of an education, which was preparatory to his collegiate courses, entering one of the city schools at the age of six years and graduating from the high school when eighteen years old. In the fall of 1890 he became a student in the Indiana State University, and after completing a scientific course commenced the study of law, graduating from the latter department in 1895, with the degree of Bachelor of Law.
Immediately after his admission to the bar Judge Gass commenced the practice of his profession in Muncie, but after five years of substan- tial success was induced to test the stories which came to him of the wealth being made in the lead and zinc mines of Missouri. In 1899-1900 he there- fore resided in Webb City, that state, and profitably conducted varions in- terests in the field mentioned; but on account of the failing health of his father he returned to Muncie to assist him in the buggy business. His pro- fessional standing and his upright and able character as a man were about to be recognized by the community at large in his decisive election as judge of the city court in 1905. Although Judge Gass is a Democrat and Muncie is normally a Republican city by about two thousand majority, he was honored by a majority of five hundred and sixty-five. His term of service does not expire until January 1, 1910, and as his record has already ma- terially advanced his legal and judicious name it is probable that greater public preferments are in store for him. The Judge is also one of the most prominent members of the Knights of Pythias in the state, and in October, 1907, was elected Grand Chancellor of the order for Indiana.
Judge Gass is of German parentage and ancestry, his father, Charles Gass, having emigrated from the fatherland to the United States in 1865, being then a youth of eighteen. The mother is of German extraction, but was born and raised in Hancock county, her maiden name being Schrieber.
In 1903 Judge Gass was married to Annie L. Burch, of Carterville, Missouri.
L. T. LOAR, M. D. In the practice of medicine, in Muncie, Dr. Loar has demonstrated the fact that he is well informed concerning the prin- ciples of the medical science and their correct application to the needs of suffering humanity, and has therefore been accorded a liberal patronage. His birth occurred in West Virginia on the 12th of October, 1860, a son of Harmon and Elizabeth (Workman) Loar, both also natives of that com- monwealth and descendants of prominent old southern families. They were married September 15, 1846. The father spent his entire life in the Pan- handle state, prominently identified with its agricultural interests, and he died at the old home place there September 27, 1892. His widow still re- sides there.
In the public schools of his native commonwealth of West Virginia Dr. Loar received his early literary training, and he was early inured to the duties of the fields. In 1878 he began farming for himself, and continued until 1884, when he engaged in the lumber business in Wayne county, West
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L.T. Loan. MD
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Virginia. Choosing the practice of medicine as his life occupation, in 1889 he entered upon a course of study in the Louisville Medical College, graduating therein in 1891, and immediately afterward he began practice in West Virginia. After four years of practice in his native common- wealth Dr. Loar located in Pickaway county, Ohio, where for two years he was actively engaged in the practice of medicine, and in 1898 he came to Muncie, Indiana, and opened an office. His professional career here has been attended with marked success, and his name is fast becoming a house- hold word in the homes of the community. He has always taken a deep interest in the political and public affairs of his locality, and votes with the Democratic party.
On November, 28, 1895, Dr. Loar was united in marriage to Clara B. Dickason, a native of Jackson, Ohio, born July 18, 1869, a daughter of Charles Dickason, also of the Buckeye state. They have become the parents of two children, Ruth H., born on the 20th of January, 1897, in Pickaway county, Ohio, and Laban Theodore, born February 27, 1903, in Muncie, Indiana. In his fraternal relations the Doctor is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Order of Red Men, and is also a consistent member of the Presbyterian church and of the Delaware Medical Society.
Do what conscience says is right, Do what reason says is best, Do with all your might and mind, Do your duty and be blessed.
SIDNEY A. JEWETT, deceased, was born in the state of New York June 16, 1833. His father, Jeremiah Jewett, was also a native of the Empire State, but he came to Muncie when his son Sidney was a little lad of five years, or in 1838. He was a burner of lime, and followed that occupation for many years, being a pioneer of that once important industry in Muncie. His death occurred in this city at the advanced age of eighty-four years.
Sidney A. Jewett was reared and received his educational training in Muncie, and this city was the place of his residence during the remainder of his life. During the early years of his life he burned lime with his father, and when the Civil war was inaugurated he tendered his services in defense of the Union by enlisting in Company B, Sixty-ninth Indiana Infantry. He served three years in the army and took part in every battle and engagement in which his regiment was engaged. Returning home after the close of hostilities, he was for several years thereafter variously employed, and during the fifteen years preceding his death was the proficient superintendent of the Beech Grove Cemetery, of Muncie. His death occurred on the 3d of February, 1904.
In the year of 1857 Mr. Jewett married Miss Sarah Conn, who survives - him and yet resides in Muncie. She was born in Delaware county, Indiana, October 30, 1840, and her father, Mr. Simon Conn, was one of the early
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pioneers of the county, not only as a settler but also as the operator of a wagon freight line between Muncie and Cincinnati. Unto the union of Sidney A. and Sarah Jewett were born the following children: Ida, now Mrs. Fred Watson ; Charles E., deceased ; William M., deceased; Fred E., of whom further mention will be found below; and Nellie, unmarried and living with her mother. Mrs. Jewett is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is a highly esteemed lady. Her life has been one of kind- ness and fidelity to home, church and neighbor, and she is loved and hon- ored by all who have the pleasure of hier acquaintance. Her husband was a member of the Universalist church, was possessed of moral and praise- worthy habits, and many were his warm and faithful friends. He was a kind and loving husband and father, always ready to do all within his power to add to the comfort and happiness of his family. He was a mem- ber of Williams Post No. 78, Department of Indiana, G. A. R., and also of the Senior Order of United American Mechanics.
Fred E. Jewett is the efficient superintendent of the Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Company, a position he has held for more than fifteen years, or since his graduation from the Muncie High school. He is the only son of the lately deceased Sidney Jewett, and is also a native son of Muncie, born July 15, 1874, and was reared in the city of his birth. In 1901 he married Miss LaRhue Dungan. Mr. Jewett is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of the Odd Fellows fraternity and is a Master Mason. In politics he supports the men and measures of the Republican party.
GEORGE F. MCCULLOCH. With the history of Muncie during its rapid progress after the discovery of natural gas, while a town was growing into a metropolitan center, no one individual is more closely identified than George F. McCulloch. His name is connected with the first efforts to in- crease the manufacturing interests. With the organization of the Enter- prise Company in 1892, he at once became an important factor in the success of that movement, which undoubtedly was the solid foundation for the permanent future welfare of the city. He was secretary of its soliciting committee, and his enthusiasm and downright hard work for the cause brought the subscriptions to an amount where the company became a posi- tive influence in promoting the manufacturing growth of the city. When the city became tired of its antiquated street-car service, Mr. McCulloch took a leading part in the promotion of a company to give the city electric service, and after he had built a system within the city he became foremost in the more recent undertaking to connect Muncie with other towns by inter- urban. He was treasurer of the original Union Traction Company, and was its general manager before the present incumbent, A. W. Brady. To many people Mr. McCulloch is perhaps best known because of his donation to the city (in May, 1901) of the tract of land now called McCulloch Park, which is destined to be a source of lasting benefit and value to the present
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and future generations of Muncie citizens. As an illustration of Mr. McCul- loch's business energy, we may mention what is told on other pages that he was the founder of the Muncie Star Publishing Company, and one of the principal promoters of the newspaper syndicate that now publishes papers in two other cities, and that within five years' time brought the circulation of the Star up to nearly thirty thousand, eclipsing all other papers in the local field. Mr. McCulloch was a member of the Whiteley Land Com- pany, which, during the early nineties, promoted the sale of the Whiteley subdivision and established the suburb of Whiteley.
While this summary comprises what are probably the best known of Mr. McCulloch's achievements, it is by no means all, and many of his undertakings are noted at their proper place in the general history of the county. His business connections have also been with the Indiana Bridge Company, the Nelson Glass Company, the Muncie Natural Gas Com- pany, and many other large enterprises.
Thirty years ago Mr. McCulloch was only known to the people of town and county as a young man occupying the position of deputy county clerk, ambitious, energetic and politically popular, but had not yet achieved re- markable success. Born in Lancaster, Ohio, September 25, 1855, a son of Dr. James McCulloch, who, from 1856 to 1877, was a well known phy- sician of Muncie, George F. had attended graded and high school in Muncie, and then became a clerk for some of the merchants, among them the Casady Queensware Company; also delivered groceries for William Stewart, carried the mail and handled baggage, and, in fact, did the things closest to him, and did them so well that he was early marked as a young man of enterprise. In the early days of photography he learned that business in connection with Lon M. Neely, but abandoned that oc- cupation in 1872 to become deputy county clerk under G. W. Greene, and was retained in that office during the term of A. L. Kerwood. In the meantime he had studied law and been admitted to the bar, and in 1881 he formed a law partnership with the late John McMahan. His active prac- tice was interrupted within two years, and the partnership dissolved on account of his election in 1882 to the office of county clerk. He was re- elected in 1886, and left the office at the close of his term to enter actively into the busy scenes that characterized the development of Muncie during the early nineties. Mr. McCulloch married in September, 1883, Cora, the daughter of the well-known Muncie merchant and business man, Arthur Patterson. Mrs. McCulloch at her death left one daughter, Martha.
Mr. McCulloch's mother, who, before her marriage, was Miss Caroline J. Foulke, daughter of Dr. George D. Foulke, was a woman of remarkable character and talents, and during the last thirty years of her life was the principal leader in the various movements to advance the moral, aesthetic and educational standards of the city. Her life and character were, it is believed by those who knew her best, at the very foundation of her pres- ent culture of Muncie. A deserved tribute to her work as a charter mem-
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ber of the Muncie Woman's Club has been paid by a friend in connection with the history of that club, but not only in the worthy movements under- taken by this club, but in many others she was an enthusiastic and devoted worker and an inspiring leader for many years. In order to perpetuate the influence of her noble character and leave a permanent tribute to her de- voted work it is the purpose of her son, Mr. McCulloch, to build a memorial chapel as the home of the Episcopal church of Muncie (see history of the church). Mrs. McCulloch died May 14, 1904.
CHARLES MABERRY KIMBROUGH. The name of Charles M. Kimbrough stands conspicuously forth on the pages of Indiana's political and industrial history. The nation is greatest which produces the greatest and most manly men, as these must constitute the essentially greatest nation. Pur- suing each his personal good by exalted means they wrought on lines of the greatest good. Thus it is that the safety of our republic depends not so much upon the methods and measures as upon that manhood from whose deep sources all that is precious and permanent in life must at last proceed.
We are led to the foregoing reflections in reviewing, even in a cursory way, the salient points which mark the career of him whose name appears above. He has not alone attained prestige in the pursuit of his extensive business interests, but has been conspicuously identified with many interests which have subserved the material prosperity of Indiana, has proved a valuable factor in the legislative and political councils of his state, and has been in constant sympathy and touch with the work of Christianity that stands as an earnest of effective and zealous personal labor. As one of the representative men of Delaware county Senator Kimbrough deserves consideration in this compilation.
In the village of Clarksville, Clinton county, Ohio, on the 5th of No- vember, 1847, there was born to Ira and Clara H. (Howland) Kimbrough, also natives of Clinton county, a son to whom was given the name of Charles Maberry. After completing his education in the public schools the lad followed agricultural pursuits for a time, but his tastes and inclina- tions were toward mechanics and he accordingly learned the trades of a blacksmith and machinist. When he had reached the age of twenty-six years he entered the mercantile business in Connersville, Indiana, but seeking a larger field for his endeavors he came to Muncie in 1876 and opened the first exclusive book and paper store in this city. In 1887, how- ever, he retired from that business in order to become the manager of the Indiana Bridge Company, which had been established one year previously, and after two years as manager he was elected the president and general manager of the corporation, which, under his able management, has grown to larger proportions. During the first year the output of the manufactory was seven hundred thousand pounds of finished metal, but in the present year it will exceed ten thousand tons. It is needless to say that in this
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gradual rise Mr. Kimbrough has brought to bear his rare executive ability, his mature judgment and indomitable energy and enterprise in shaping the affairs of the company and gaining for it the object for which it is striving.
In his political adherency Mr. Kimbrough has ever been arrayed in support of the Republican party and in its principles, and it was in but natural sequence that he should become an active worker in the cause and one of the leaders in political work. From 1882 to 1883 he served as a member of the city council ; from 1883 to 1884 as a member of the school board; in November, 1890, was elected clerk of the circuit court; and was appointed by Governor Durbin, in 1902. a member of the board of control of the state prison. In 1904 he was elected to the state senate from Dela- ware county, where he represented his constituency in a manly and straight- forward manner, and his success in that high official position affords the best evidence of his capabilities as a leader. Previous to this time he had served as a delegate to the convention which nominated Mckinley and Roosevelt. In 1895 he was appointed by Governor Hanley as delegate to the Peace Conference in New York; in September, 1896, was appointed by Governor Hanley to the Prison Congress in Albany, New York; and in December, 1896, was appointed by the governor to the Des Moines con- vention, which was called to advocate the election of United States senators by popular vote, and he is now one of the five commissioners on that subject. As a strong opponent of capital punishment he has been heard in the press and on the platform, and in the senate he was a strong factor in its opposition. He is distinctively a man of broad human sympathy, clearly defined principles and high intellectuality, and these have so entered into his make-up as to render hini a natural leader and a director of opinion.
In 1870 Mr. Kimbroughi was united in marriage to Margaret A. Curry, a daughter of James and Mary Curry, old residents of Clinton county, Ohio. Out of this union were born three sons : Hal C., Frank H. and James L. The eldest, Hal C., is president of the Kimbrough Hardware Company ; Frank H. is vice-president of the Indiana Bridge Company, and James L. is treasurer of the Indiana Bridge Company. Senator Kimbrough has mem- bership relations with the Masonic fraternity, connected with the chapter and commandery, and his services in the Civil war, as a member of Com- pany I, Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, entitles him to membership in Williams Post, No. 78, G. A. R. During the long period of forty . years he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Energetic, patriotic, with high ideals and a strong advocate of purity in public as well as private life, his example is well worthy of emulation.
MARK POWERS. Few men in Delaware county are more widely known or have attained greater prominence in its business circles than Mark Pow- ers, the president of the Gaston Banking Company. He was one of the organizers of this prominent industrial concern, which had its inception on the 15th of May, 1902, and to him belongs the honor of being its first presi- 9
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dent. He is also the president and treasurer of the Gaston Canning Com- pany, a director and stockholder of the Merchants' Bank at Muncie, is in- terested in the Powers & Company hardware business at Gaston, and is also interested in a hardware firm in Muncie known as Powers & Thompson. His faithful service in public life, as well as his personal worth, make the following history of general interest not only to the readers of the present day but also to future historians of this section.
Mr. Powers was born in Elizabethtown ( named in honor of his grand- mother, Elizabeth Wilson), Delaware county, Indiana, June 4, 1845, his par- ents being Uriah and Sylvania ( Wilson) Powers. The father was born in West Virginia, but during the early '30's he came with his father, John Powers, to Indiana, where he entered eighty acres of land in Grant county, while later on he opened a store in Wheeling. He also built the Elizabeth Mills in Elizabethtown, and continued their conduct up to the time of his death, which occurred in Marion, Grant county, Indiana, in 1860, when he had attained the age of sixty-five years. In Elizabethtown, Delaware county, Mr. Powers married Sylvania Wilson, who was born in Ohio, and died in 1856 at the age of forty-five years. Their union was blessed by the birth of eight children, but only two of the number are now living, Mark and George, the last-named a resident of Washington township, Delaware county.
During his boyhood days Mark Powers was deprived by death of his father, and he then went to live with his uncle, John Powers, in Henry county, Indiana, remaining with him for about four years. His district school education was supplemented by an attendance of two terms in the school of Muncie and one term in the Jonesboro select school. In 1864 he offered his services to the Union cause in the Civil war as a member of Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment of Indiana Volun- teers, for one hundred days. In the spring of 1865, having served his term in the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth, he reenlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Forty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Regiment, for one year. His services continued until the close of the conflict, and returning to his home, he resumed his farming operations in Washington township, also buying and shipping stock to Buffalo and Pittsburg. In 1890 he was elected to the office of treasurer of Delaware county, taking the oath of office on the 10th ยท of August following, and he was reelected to that position in 1892. He also served eight years as a trustee of Washington township. He was true and faithful to every trust reposed in him, so that his loyalty is above question, being manifest in days of peace as well as in times of war.
In February, 1867, Mr. Powers married Mary M. Ferguson, who was born in Washington township, Delaware county, in 1849, the only child of Isaac and Susan (Lewis) Ferguson. The father made the overland jour- ney to California in 1849, spending about one year in the Golden state, and his death occurred in St. Louis, Missouri, on the return journey home. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Powers, but two of the num-
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ber died in infancy, and George died in September, 1897, aged twenty-seven years and one month, and at the time of his death he was deputy treas- urer of Delaware county. The six now living are Bert, Webb, Susan S., Paul, Bruce and John.
WASHINGTON MAYNARD. Among those who assisted in transforming Delaware county from a wilderness to its present high state of development is numbered the Maynard family, who established their home within its. borders in a very early day in its history. When but a little lad Washington Maynard assisted his father in the clearing and cultivation of his farm, in the meantime attending the public schools near his home during the winter months when his services were not needed at home. When he had reached the age of twenty-one years he began farming for himself, purchasing forty acres of land, on which had been erected a little log cabin, built with a mud and stick chimney. As liis means permitted Mr. Maynard bought more land, and in 1872 built him a hewed log house. Farming continued as his occu- pation until 1890, when he left the farm, and since that time he has been engaged in the practice of law in Gaston. His success in a professional way affords the best evidence of his capabilities in this line. He is distinctively a man of high intellectuality and clearly defined principles, and these attri- butes have naturally led him into associations aside from his professional and business life.
Mr. Maynard was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, June 21, 1837, but his educational training was received in the schools of Washington town- ship in Delaware county. He is a son of Benjamin and Letha ( Tracy) May- nard, both of whom were born in Virginia, but the deaths of these honored Delaware county pioneers occurred in Washington township, the father when he had reached the age of seventy-five years and four months and the mother at the age of sixty-five years. They were married in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and became the parents of seven children, four of whom are now living, namely: Nancy, Washington, Emily and James R., the last- named a resident of Washington township.
Benjamin Maynard, the father, followed agricultural pursuits in Ohio until his removal to Delaware county, Indiana, in 1841, making the journey hitler with team and wagon and locating in Washington township, three miles northwest of where Gaston now stands, where he first purchased forty acres of timber land in the dense wilderness. Building him a little log cabin, twenty by twenty-four feet in size, he took up his abode therein and began the work of clearing his land. After clearing a few acres, however, he sold that property and bought another tract in the wilderness, consisting of eighty acres. He succeeded in clearing and placing his land under an excellent cultivation, and was numbered among the prominent agriculturists of the township, as well as one of its earliest and most honored pioneer resi -. dents. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and voted with the Whig party.
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