USA > Indiana > Clark County > Baird's history of Clark County, Indiana > Part 20
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ing," and seldom is one found who has not acquired a competency. Such is the noble lineage of a family which includes a number of representatives in Clark county, well worthy of the name.
Dr. John Loomis, chief patriarch and "head of the house" in Indiana, was born at Russell, Massachusetts, May 18, 1820. He is a graduate of both the eclectic and the homeopathic schools, and the oldest practicing physician in Clark county. Though over eighty-nine years old he is still engaged in his profession at Jeffersonville, where he has practiced since 1861. He was married October 17, 1843, to Clarissa Robinson, who was born in Pembroke, New Hampshire, in 1819, and died in Jeffersonville, Indiana. March 22, 1897, and is buried in Westfield, Massachusetts. He has reared an unusually inter- esting family, who have well sustained the proud escutcheon of the Loomises. John C. Loomis, the eldest son, was born at Westfield, Massachusetts, Janu- ary 25, 1845, and came west with his parents in 1861. He attended high school in his native place, worked in railroad positions for two years, during which time he was conductor on the steam road between Jeffersonville and New Albany, and on the line to Indianapolis. Resigning this, in spite of the earnest requests of the management to remain, he went into the drug business in 1876 at Chestnut and Watt streets in Jeffersonville. Two years later he bought its site across the street from the first location and on that corner he still continues business. In 1906 he erected a fine new building which he now occupies, and enjoys the distinction of having the oldest continuing drug business and probably the oldest continuing mercantile business of any kind in the city. He is a graduate pharmacist and an analytical chemist of distinction. Twenty years ago he was appointed inspector of oils at the United States quartermaster's depot and now inspects everything there in the chemical line, which in an establishment of this kind are of great variety. In July, 1895, he married Mattie J., daughter of B. A. Johnson and wife, of Jeffersonville. He is a member of the Masonic lodge, of the Knights of Pythias, United Order of the Golden Cross, and elder in the Presbyterian church. His sister, Clara J. Loomis, conducts a private school in Jeffersonville and was one of the founders of the Jeffersonville Hospital, as well as the Old Ladies' Home. Jacob Loomis, the doctor's second son, is interested in the steel works at Wheeling, West Virginia; Herbert is associated with his brother in the drug business. Alice, the second daughter, is housekeeper for her father, elder sis- ter and brother Herbert, who are still under the parental roof. Arthur Loomis, the youngest son and twin brother of Alice, is one of the best architects in Kentucky. In the line of his profession he designed the Todd building, the first sky-scraper in Louisville. He also designed the public library building and the beautiful new bank building at the corner of Spring and Court streets in Jeffersonville. The latter is the finest business building in the county. Kirke H., who died in 1878, in Westfield, Massachusetts, was a graduate of
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Eastman Business College, at Poughkeepsie, New York, and became conductor on the Pennsylvania and later Louisville & Nashville Railroad. At the time of his death he was on his way to Canada to attend the annual meeting of the railway order of the United States and Canada, of which he was vice- president. Christia R., another daughter, married Homer Bush, and died in Westfield, Massachusetts.
BURDET CLIFTON PILE.
The lineage of the family of this name is ancient and honorable. The : men on both sides served their country well both in war and peace and where- ever found were among the sturdy citizens of their respective communities. We first hear of Dr. Richard Pile, who lived in Virginia when she was a colony of Great Britain. His son and namesake was apprenticed to the sad- dler's trade but ran away to join the patriot army in the war of the Revolu- tion. He served for a time in the Eighth Virginia Regiment under General Jonathan Clark, and this body of troops rendered valiant service at the storm- ing of Stony Point. He was also with Washington as sergeant at Valley Forge. After the war he settled in Kentucky, where he married Rebecca Clif- ton, of the vicinity of Bardstown. Sometime before 1798 he moved to Spring- ville, near Charlestown, but later he removed to Jeffersonville. His wife was a famous cook and prepared the dinner for the surveyors who platted the town. One of his sisters married Evan, brother of Isaac Shelly, the first Governor of Kentucky. Another sister married an ancestor of Gen. Jefferson C. Davis, of Civil war fame. Richard Pile died in 1816, and about 1820 his widow married Thomas Morgan, of Jeffersonville, by whom she had one daughter, Elizabeth, who subsequently became the wife of Samuel Athey, and removed with him to Missouri. Richard and Rebecca (Clifton) Pile had four children : Marston Green Clark, Burdet Clifton, Mary and Margaret. The elder brother was the first white child born in Clark county, his native place being what was then called Fort Finney, but afterward Fort Steuben. Mary, the elder sister, married Moody Dustin, and Margaret became the wife of Thomas Powell, a native of New Jersey, who moved to Jeffersonville and made his home there until his death.
Burdet Clifton Pile, who enjoyed the pioneer honor of being Clark coun- ty's second white child, was born at Jeffersonville, Indiana, March 10, 1805. Early in life he became a brick manufacturer and later conducted a pottery at Port Fulton. About 1855 he became a partner in the firm of Maybury, Pile & Company, proprietors of a hardware store, but several years later he pur- chased the senior partner's interest and substituted his son-in-law, J. J. Con- way. He disposed of his mercantile interests in 1871, and two years later
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became Mayor of Jeffersonville, succeeding in that office, Levi Sparks, later brother-in-law to his daughter, Fannie Belle Sparks. Previous to his two years as Mayor Mr. Pile had served a number of terms in the city council and - was trustee of the Wall Street Methodist church. He was director in the Ft. Wayne & Southern Railway Company, which projected a line through Clark county and built part of the road bed near Charlestown. In many ways Bur- det Clifton Pile was a remarkable man. His early education was limited by lack of good schools, but he made up for this in after life by reading and observation. He was a close student of the Bible, had a retentive memory and could quote many fine passages from the good book. His vocabulary was extraordinary, his command of language never at fault and these qualifica- tions made him an orator of ability. Above all he was a man of sterling character who earned and held the respect and high esteem of all who knew him. He was an active and enthusiastic member of the Masonic Order for many years and from time to time occupied all the official stations in the Blue Lodge and Chapter. He died March 17, 1885. January 29, 1834, Mr. Pile married Mary Ann Cunningham, the ceremony being performed by the minister, who was afterwards well known as Bishop Ames. Mrs. Pile was a daughter of David Cunningham and her birth occurred in Ontario county, New York, March 18, 1812. Her father's removal here was due to the fact that he was a sub-contractor in building the Louisville and Portland canal. He had five sons, all of whom were engaged with him on this import- ant line of transportation. His wife was Anna, daughter of Peter Jennison, a Revolutionary soldier who responded to the Lexington alarm call. Her grandfather, Amos Singletary, served for eight years as a representative in the Great and General Court of Massachusetts. Robert Cunningham, a brother of Mrs. Pile, was in the battle of the Alamo under David Crockett, and his name appears among the other heroes on the monument erected in the state capital grounds at Austin, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Pile had ten children. Maria T., the eldest, married Oliver N. Thomas, and her only daughter, Ida T., is now the widow of John H. Hause, who died in Jeffersonville about 1902. Mrs. Thomas having lost her husband by death, contracted a second marriage with William H. Buckley, a man of remarkable vitality, who at the age of eighty-eight is a foreman at the Howard Shipyards. Mary Ann, the second daughter of Mr. Pile, married Joseph Conway and after his death removed to St. Louis. They had eleven children, of whom three daughters and one son reside in Jeffersonville. Lucinda A., third daughter of Mr. Pile, married A. S. Gilbert, of Massachu- setts. She and her son, Clifton S., are residents of Jeffersonville. Rebecca Virginia Pile, the fourth daughter, married Valentine Rose and died in Louis- ville. Sarah Eliza Pile, the fifth daughter, married Capt. George W. Kings- bury, of the United States Army, and both died at Clifton Springs, New York, there being one surviving child, who resides in Philadelphia. Rufus Moody
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Pile, the eldest son, has been quite successful in the railway world, and is now assistant general passenger agent of the Pennsylvania systems, with head- quarters at Philadelphia. William Clifton Pile, the second son, married Lizzie Barringer, and resides at St. Louis. Charles Burdet Pile, the third son, married Mary Durham, and lives at Wichita, Kansas. Fannie Belle, the youngest of the family, married Nathan Sparks, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume.
NATHAN SPARKS.
The gentleman whose name appears above is the representative of an old and well known family, members of which have been prominent in the martial affairs of this country since the days of the Revolution, and the present rep- resentative, Nathan Sparks, is eminently worthy to bear such a name. He has lived in Clark county for nearly three score years and his mind links the forma- tive era with that of latter day progress in which he has taken a conspicuous part.
Nathan Sparks was born in Daviess county, Indiana. He came to Jef- fersonville in 1850, where he has since resided. He is the son of Levi and Mary B. (Godwin) Sparks, both in Queen Ann's county, Maryland. They came overland to Daviess county, Indiana, about 1835, settling among the pioneers there. Soon after Nathan Sparks came to Jeffersonville, his sister, Mary Jane, and other members of the family also came for the purpose of at- tending the Jeffersonville schools, but, like the others, she remained to make her home here. About 1877 Mary Jane Sparks was married to Capt. James M. Phillips, of Jeffersonville, who was at that time stationed at Columbus, Indiana. Captain Phillips died in Texas in February, 1895, while superin- tendent of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad. He was a native of Clark county, and he had already made his mark in the railroad world before going to Texas. Mrs. Phillips died in Jeffersonville July 17, 1897.
Nathan Sparks is one of six brothers, namely : George W., Levi, Joseph, Thomas, Nathan and James A. Of these Thomas, Nathan and Levi came to Jeffersonville. George W. lived at Wilmington, Delaware, until his death. Joseph lived in Clinton county, Indiana, and James A. lives in Daviess county, this state. Levi came to Jeffersonville in 1836 and followed mercantile pursuits. He was postmaster of Jeffersonville under President Franklin Pierce, and in the early seventies he was mayor of this city. For a period of twenty-one years he was connected with the city government, having been a rock-ribbed Demo- crat all his life. He took an active part in securing the government depot for Jeffersonville and he received well deserved credit for the part he took in the work. He died in 1875. Thomas Sparks came to Jeffersonville in 1847 to
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attend school, after which he remained. He always engaged in the mercantile business. He was a member of the City Council for eight years. He was also nominated by his party as candidate for Mayor of Jeffersonville.
Nathan Sparks came here in 1850, as already indicated, and he has since followed mercantile pursuits for the most part. He was long a member of the City Council and was United States Inspector at the government depot for four years under Cleveland and for two years under Harrison. He was a member of the School Board, part of the time as secretary and the balance of the time as president.
He was united in marriage October 21, 1879, to Fannie Belle Pile, daughter of Burdet Clifton and Mary Ann (Cunningham) Pile.
Mrs. Sparks is descended from soldiers of the American Revolution, both through her mother and her father, and she has good reason to be proud of her parentage. A sketch of her father, Burdet Clifton Pile, appears in this volume. Mr. Pile was Mayor of Jeffersonville, having succeeded Mrs. Sparks' brother-in-law, Levi Sparks.
Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Sparks have lived in Jeffersonville continuously since their marriage. Three children have been born to them, the first having died in infancy ; the second, Levi Clifton, married Mary Josephine Burke, and they are the parents of one child, Mary Lee. The third child of Mr. and Mrs. Sparks is Janibelle.
Mrs. Sparks is a prominent member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. For seven years she was a teacher in the public schools at Jef- fersonville and has always manifested a deep interest in promoting the wel- fare of the schools.
The Sparks residence in Jeffersonville is a homelike, cozy and well fur- nished one, where friends of the family often gather and where hospitality always reigns.
WILLACY JOSEPH SCHWANINGER.
Up-to-date and thoroughly reliable, Mr. Willacy J. Schwaninger has proved to the community his fitness for his chosen vocation-a pharmacist, and a call at his drug store at 458 Spring street, in Jeffersonville, will soon con- vince one of that fact. He has one of the best equipped and thoroughly stocked establishments in the city and is enjoying a flattering patronage.
Mr. Schwaninger was born in this city on the 7th of November, 1871, being the son of the late Judge Schwaninger, who filled the office of City Judge in Jeffersonville for many years, and was also Mayor of the city for one term. Judge Schwaninger was a native of Switzerland, came to Charleston
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in this county in early manhood, where he was married in this city to Sarah Ann Carwardine, who was a native of England. She is still living and enjoy- ing the ripening years of her life with a reasonable share of health and vigor. Six children were born to this union, namely: Aniena R., wife of Lewis Girdler, of Jeffersonville; Willacy J., of this review; Mary Agnes, wife of Emil Keil, of New Albany, where he is engaged as a wholesale merchant ; Edith H. married Walter E. Mccullough, a farmer of this vicinity ; Charles A., a druggist, being a former partner in business with our subject ; and Jacob J., an employe on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and husband of Louisa Mahaffy.
Mr. Schwaninger received his early education in the public schools of this city and made a good record as a student. In order to prepare himself for his vocation, he attended the Louisville School of Pharmacy, and graduated from that institution with honors in 1890. He has been in business for him- self for the last six years, devoting his entire time to the sale of proprietary medicines, drugs, and the filling of physicians' prescriptions, etc. He has the confidence of the public and the medical profession of the city, and stands high among the leading business men of his community.
In 1892 Mr. Schwaninger was married to Martha Leeper, who was born in Jeffersonville, being the daughter of Capt. James Leeper, deceased, and Mary (Phillips) Leeper. Two children have graced this union, Jeanne, Vance and Joseph L., aged fourteen and seven years, respectively. The former is now a sophomore in the Jeffersonville high school.
Mr. Schwaninger has made it his business to participate in the social and political activities of the community. He is a member of the Jeffersonville Lodge No. 362, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is past exalted ruler of the same. He warmly supplements the activities of this organization and is held in high esteem by his fellow members. His political affiliations have always been with the Republican party, and he is at the present time treasurer of the Clark County Republican Central Committee. In 1904, he was secretary of this organization. He also gives a share of his time and means to the discharging of the religious duties devolving upon him as a mem- ber of the St. Paul's Episcopal church, being one of the Board of Vestrymen.
JOHN JOSEPH CASEY.
In a beautiful and comfortably furnished home on the banks of the Ohio overlooking the head of the Falls, will be found an interesting man to talk to. He belongs to the class of inventors, the men who, perhaps, have done more to advance the industrial interests of the United States than any others. Especial- ly is this true of those who have invented something of use in the mechanical arts inventions that accelerate business, increase work and make life better.
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They are seldom rewarded as they ought to be, the benefits of their work usually going to others, who have the capital to manufacture them and promote their sale. The public, however, gets the benefit and it is to the inventors chiefly that the great republic owes its marvelous advance in wealth and power and glory. When in 1850 Michael and Mary (Nolan) Casey left their home at Galway, Ireland, for the land of promise across the sea, they brought along a baby who was destined to fill a useful role and make a name for him- self in the country to which they were sailing. John Joseph Casey, the child in question, had been born at Galway in 1849 and was less than a year old when his parents reached the shores of America. They located at Troy, New York, and it was in the schools of that city that the Irish lad got his first taste of education. When nine years of age his parents removed to Louisville, Kentucky, and here John Joseph continued his studies In the public schools and one taught by the Christian Brothers. He was not destined, however, to continue long at his books as the exigencies of the case compelled him to seek a means of livelihood at the early age of thirteen. His first employment was with the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company as a car-builder's apprentice and at the age of twenty he left home to take work at Huntsville. Alabama, with the Memphis & Charleston as car-builder, remaining one year and during that time acting as assistant foreman, going to Chattanooga, he · took service with the Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad as gang foreman, from which he was speedily promoted to the general foremanship and before the end of the year had reached the important post of master car-builder. · The following year Mr. Casey returned to Huntsville as general car- inspector for the Memphis & Charleston Railway, but in 1873 left this to accept the position of master car-builder for the St. Louis & Southeastern, now a part of the Louisville & Nashville System, with headquarters at Earlington. In 1874 he returned to the Memphis & Charleston road as general foreman of bridges and buildings and in 1878 was promoted master car-builder of the same line at Memphis, Tennessee. In 1882 he accepted a similar position with the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas Railroad, with headquarters at Vicksburg, Mississippi, but resigned in 1887 and took service as superintend- ent with the Missouri Car & Foundry Company at St. Louis, Missouri. In 1878 he resigned this place also to become superintendent of motive power for the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas at Vicksburg, and remained there until the road was absorbed by the Illinois Central, when he was transferred to Chicago as assistant superintendent of machinery of that system. In Decem- ber, 1895, he resigned to accept the superintendency of the Haskell & Barker Car Company at Michigan City, Indiana, where he remained until July 1, 1905. and a few weeks later came to Southern Indiana to accept employment as superintendent of the Jeffersonville plant of the American Car & Foundry . Company. He has retained this position and made his home at Jeffersonville up to the present time.
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Though a very busy man, Mr. Casey found some time to devote to his in- ventions. One of these was a truck bolster that is now probably in use under more than two hundred thousand cars. It is known as the Pries & Casey bolster. Mr. Casey was also interested in another invention called the Williamson- Casey brake-beam, now used on hundreds of thousands of cars, besides many cther useful inventions that are used on cars. He is recognized in the rail- road world as a man of a high order of ability, with a genius for practical things.
He is of commanding presence and highly esteemed as an able and up- right man, and in a remarkable degree the architect of his own fortunes. He is a member of the Elks in Michigan City, Knights of Columbus at New Albany and the St. Augustine Catholic church of Jeffersonville.
On November 5, 1873, Mr. Casey married Mary Agnes Rebman, of Huntsville, Alabama, and six children, four daughters and two sons, have been born to them. The latter are dead, and only three daughters survive.
WILLIAM SWEENEY.
By dint of sheer industry, and the faithful performance of the duties that devolved upon him, William Sweeney deservedly stands high in the estimation of the firm by which he has been employed for a number of years in the capac- ity of a salesman.
His youthful days were spent upon the farm, and although it was the hope of his father that the boy would follow in liis footsteps and become an agriculturist, the lad entertained no such intentions, being filled with an an- bition to enter upon a business life, but no opportunity to realize this desire offered. until he had reached the years of maturity, and he labored on the farm of his grandfather up to the time that he reached the sixteenth year of his age and then secured a position on the lime kilns at Utica.
Mr. Sweeney was born at Utica, Clark county, in 1861, his parents being James and Sarah Jane (Hobson) Sweeney, while his grandfather, with whom he spent much time, was Jacob Hobson.
\Villiam Sweeney has been married twice, his first wife being Martha Canter, of Utica, to whom he was wedded in 1884. Four children were the fruits of this alliance, as follows: Charles Oscar, Nellie, Arthur and Wil- ham Earl. Nellie is the wife of Guy Daily, and they reside at the present time near Jeffersonville, while Charles wedded Agnes Elliott, daughter of William Elliott, of Jeffersonville. The death of Mrs. William Sweeney occurred December 22, 1804, immediately after the birth of her son, William Earl. Mr. Sweeney chose a second wife in March, 1897, when he espoused
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Cora Howard, daughter of Thomas Jefferson Howard, generally known to his friends as "Jeff" Howard. He was a brother of Ex-Congressman Jonas Howard, a sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. Sweeney has two daughters by adoption, Roberta Sweeney and May Howard Sweeney, both of whom live with their foster-parents.
Mr. Sweeney is a man of religious convictions, being a member of the Christian church of this city. He belongs to the Jeffersonville Lodge, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Daughters of Rebekah. Besides this he is a Modern Woodman.
He has been in the employ of J. B. Speed & Company, Louisville, for many years, having commenced with this firm when he was thirty-three years of age. During the year 1892 his employers transferred him to their warehouse, Louisville, Kentucky, where he fills the position of salesman.
The domestic life of Mr. Sweeney is all that could be desired. The family live in a large house, comfortably and tastily furnished, and are highly respected by their neighbors. Both Mr. and Mrs. Sweeney are socially inclined, and have many warm friends in Jeffersonville and immediate vicinity.
J. HENRY MEIBOOM.
When Gregory H. Meiboom was united in marriage with Caroline Fuehrer there was a union between representatives of two of the most distinctive and progressive nationalities in the history of the world. The former was a native of Emden Ost Friesland, a province of Holland, and his wife was of German nativity, but came to America when a child of eight years. J. Henry Meiboom, their son, was born at Ironton, Ohio, January 27, 1872, and two years later was brought to Jeffersonville by his father, who received a call to the pastor- ate of the Evangelical Reformed church, of which he was a well known minister. Besides the usual course in the public schools of the city, Mr. Meiboom attended college at Franklin, Wisconsin, and soon after finishing his studies obtained employment at the Reformatory at Jeffersonville. Two years later he became instructor in shorthand and typewriting at the Graham Business College in Louisville, from which he went into the quartermaster's depot at Jeffersonville to take a position which he held until June 30, 1898. This was the year that witnessed the opening of the war between Spain and the United States, and the event appealed to the patriotism of young Meiboom. He was not without military experience, as he had been a member of Com- pany G, of the Indiana National Guard, while employed at the Reformatory and took part in quelling the rioters in the strike of the miners of the block- coal district. Promptly after the declaration of war he enlisted in Company
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