USA > Indiana > Clark County > Baird's history of Clark County, Indiana > Part 6
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In public matters he has long been deeply interested and as a life long Republican and political worker his judicious counsel has tended greatly to the success of his party besides winning for himself the recognition which his services so well deserve. For a period of eight years he has held the office of Police Commissioner, to which he was first appointed by Governor Mount and later by Governors Durbin and Hanly successively and in recognition of . his political services he was appointed as City Comptroller, the duties of which responsible position he has since discharged in the able and businesslike manner characteristic of the man.
Mr. Schimpf has been secretary of the German Reformed church of Jeffersonville since 1878 and superintendent of the Sunday school during the greater part of the interim, besides being otherwise actively engaged in re- ligious and benevolent work.
Mr. Schimpf was married in the year 1873 to Alvina Roessler, of Louis- ville, who has borne him the following children, all living: Charles J. his father's business associate; A. Rudolph, manager of the Daily Star and Weekly Republican and one of the well known and successful newspaper men
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of Jeffersonville; Emma, wife of Prof. S. L. Scott, superintendent of the Clark county public schools : Alvin, chief draughtsman of the Cincinnati Car Con- pany : Alma, Mrs. Fred Gehle, of Cincinnati : John, Mildred, William, Thomas G. and Edith are still members of the home circle.
Mr. Schimpff has traveled quite extensively in both the old and new world, visiting nearly every country in Europe and many places of historic interest there besides seeing all parts of the United States and becoming ac- quainted with its phenomenal resources and wonderful progress. He is a very close student and a great reader and is well informed on many subjects.
THOMAS W. PERRY.
Among the native sons of Clark county who have gained honorable recog- nition in business circles and high standing in the service of the public is Thomas W. Perry, the present efficient and popular City Treasurer of Jef -. fersonville. Mr. Perry was born September 7. 1860, in Utica township, and is a scion of one of the early families of that part of the county, his grand- father. a native of Pennsylvania, settling there many years ago and taking an active and influential part in the material development of the country. Red- ford R. Perry. Thomas W.'s father, accompanied his parents to Clark county when a boy and spent the remainder of his life in Utica as an enterprising and prosperous business man, dying in that town in 1881, at the age of sixty-one years. Letitia Robinson, wife of Redford Perry, was born and reared in Beth- lehem township. Clark county, and, like her husband, was a descendant of one of the early settlers, her father, Rev. William Robinson, a native of Scot- land, and for many years a well known Presbyterian divine, moving to South- ern Indiana in pioneer times and locating a home in the township of Bethlehem. Mrs. Perry was a woman of beautiful character. a devoted wife and mother, and departed this life in the month of March. 1891, when seventy-four years of age.
Of the nine children born to Redford R. and Letitia Perry, two only are living, the subject of this review, who was the fifth in order of birth, and Samuel R., the youngest of the family, who is now engaged in the marble and granite business at Columbus, Indiana. Catherine R., who also grew to ma- turity, became the wife of Theodore Perry and was called from earth at the age of thirty-eight years. Gertrude lived to be twenty years old. The other five died in infancy.
Thomas W. Perry spent his early life in his native town of Utica and after obtaining a fair education in the public schools entered a school of phar- macy in Cincinnati, where in due time he completed the prescribed course and
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fitted himself for a business career. Beginning life for himself as a drug clerk when but seventeen years old, he soon acquired great proficiency in his chosen calling and by reason of his professional training, it was not long until he became manager of one of the largest and most successful pharmaceutical establishments in the city of Jeffersonville. After a three years' clerkship he engaged in the drug trade upon his own responsibility and during the ensuing twenty years built up a large and lucrative business in Jeffersonville.
Mr. Perry demonstrated marked ability as a business man and his suc- cess as such, together with his broad views and active influence in civic mat- ters, in due time brought him, prominently before the public with the result that he became a local leader of the Democratic party and one of the successful ., politicians of his city and county. Disposing of his business interests in 1900. he turned his attention to other matters until September, 1904. when he was elected City Treasurer of Jeffersonville, the duties of which responsible posi- tion he has since discharged in an eminently able and satisfactory manner. fully meeting the high expectations of his friends and justifying the wisdom of his choice. Personally, he commands the esteem of the people of the city. irrespective of political alignment, as a trusted official.
As a Democrat Mr. Perry takes a keen interest in the success of his party and in the general trend of national, state and local political events. His in- tegrity of purpose is firmly established and his devotion to the public weal has been conspicuously demonstrated during his services thus far in one of the people's most important trusts. He was a member of the City Council from May, 1894, to May, 1898, and while in that body participated actively in all its deliberations, besides serving on a number of the leading committees and bringing about much important municipal legislation. For two years he was a member of the City School Board, resigning the latter position in 1904 to accept the treasureship. Fraternally he is identified with a number of secret and benevolent orders, belonging to Clark Lodge, No. 40, Free and Accepted Masons, Horeb Chapter. Royal Arch Masons, Jeffersonville Commandery, Knights Templar and Valley Lodge, No. 57. Knights of Pythias at Utica.
Mr. Perry's domestic experience dates from December. 1882. when he was united in marriage with Rosabel Bennett, a native of Clark county and daughter of S. J. Bennett, an enterprising farmer and respected citizen of Prather township. the union resulting in the birth of three children : Ethel MI .. now Mrs. Samuel Barrett, of San Diego, California: Irwin R. and ITalbert. The mother of these children dying April 10, 1890. Mr. Perry on June 29th of the following year contracted a matrimonial alliance with Cora A. Swartz. .of Utica, a daughter, Letitia, being the only child of this marriage. Mrs. Perry passed to her reward July 10. 1907. The third marriage of Mr. Perry occurred December 29, 1908, to Mrs. Nellie Field, daughter of Charles S. Ferguson, of Jeffersonville.
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In his religious views Mr. Perry subscribes to the Presbyterian creed and with his wife worships with the church of that denomination in Jeffersonville. Both are well known in the best social circles of the city.
JEFFERSON D. GOYNE.
The family of this name are of old Virginia origin, and members of it have been long settled in the historic county of Henrico. As this locality ad- joins Richmond it suffered much during the Civil war by the marching and countermarching of the contending armies. The old plantation that sup- ported generations of Goynes is still in the possession of descendants, being owned undivided by two brothers, Joseph Goyne, who was of Scotch-Irish an- cestry, married Martha Vaughn, of German descent, and several children were born to them, the only survivors being Allen, now in the West, and Jeffer- son D. The latter was born near Richmond, Virginia, May 15. 1866, and his mother died at his birth. Three years later he lost his father by death. but was provided with a home by John W. Barnhill, at Owensboro. Ken- tucky, with whom he lived until the completion of his majority. He was edu- cated by his uncle Barnhill in the public and private schools of Kentucky and later was apprenticed to learn the trade of a machinist. As a journeyman he secured employment at the works of the American Car & Foundry Company in Jeffersonville, and remained there eight years in the tool dressing and saw filing departments. Subsequently he embarked in the mercantile business, but suffered a loss of some six thousand dollars as the result of fire that destroyed his entire stock of goods. After this disaster he returned to his old home farm in Henrico county, but eventually returned to Indiana to start life over again. He was Town Clerk of Port Fulton for over six years and in 1906 was elected Justice of the Peace for Jeffersonville township. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Modern Woodmen of America. His political affiliations have always been with the Democratic party and his religious connections with the Methodists.
In 1890 Mr. Goyne married Alice Eliza White, a resident of Port Ful- ton, but a native of New Albany. She is a daughter of William H. White. a well known citizen of Port Fulton, and graduated at the Jeffersonville high school.
Mr. and Mrs. Goyne have two sons and two daughters, Arminta, the eldest, was born April 25, 1892; Catherine, March 3, 1895; Erol Jefferson, April 5, 1899, and William C., March 15, 1904. Mr. Goyne is popular both as a citizen and an official. In all the positions he has held, whether political, clerical, judicial or business, he has so discharged his duties as to gain the
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reputation of being a conscientious, square-dealing man. In politics he is a good mixer and he has many friends among all classes of people who respect him for his upright life. He has the old Virginia cordiality of greeting and inherited from his ancestors a love of home and the hospitality that goes so far in making home life enjoyable.
GEORGE W. FINLEY.
Mr. Finley enjoys the distinction of being, with a single exception, the oldest photographer in the state of Indiana, having spent fifty consecutive years in his profession and achieved honorable distinction as an artist of merit and skill.
George W. Finley is a Southern man, hailing from Patrick county, Vir- ginia, where his birth occurred on the 14th of November, 1831. His parents, George H. and Sallie (Penn) Finley, natives of the same county and state. were of Irish descent and representatives of old and highly esteemed families that figured auspiciously in the affairs of their respective places of residence. their antecedents migrating to this country at a very early period and becom- ing quite well known in the pioneer history of the above county. George H. Finley, a farmer by occupation, spent the greater part of his life in his na- tive commonwealth and died when his son. George W., was in his seventh year ; his wife survived him a number of years, departing this life in the town of Bainbridge. Ross county. Ohio, when but two days of the ninetieth anniver- sary of her birth. When fifteen years of age George W. Finley accompanied the family to New Petersburg, Ohio, and shortly after his arrival followed the bent of his early and cherished inclinations by entering a gallery to learn the art of photography.
After acquiring sufficient knowledge and skill to make the business a success Mr. Finley worked at different places until 1863, when he organized a company of carpenters for service in the Civil war, and spent the ensuing year in the employ of the government, devoting the greater part of the time to the construction of hospitals, quarter-master's buildings and other carpen- try work at Camp Nelson. Kentucky. At the expiration of his period of ser- vice in 1864 he came to Indiana, but within a short time went to Danville. Kentucky, thence to Louisville, in 1865, where he followed his profession until his removal to Charlestown. Clark county, Indiana, two years later.
Mr. Finley in August, 1867. opened a gallery at Charlestown and con- ducted a very successful business until 870, when he disposed of his establish- ment and sought a larger and more promising field for the exercise of his artistic skill, in the city of Jeffersonville, where he has since resided. the mean- while building up a large and lucrative patronage.
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During the fifty years which he has devoted to his profession he has been untiring in his efforts to keep in touch with the latest results of scientific re- search and prove himself an artist in the modern sense of the term. In com- mon with the majority of men he has encountered discouragements and met with reverses of fortune, but in the main His career has been characterized by a series of advancements.
Mr. Finley has been twice married, the first time on December 15, 1863. to Kate Dawson. of Cincinnati, who bore him four children, two of whom are deceased, those surviving being Harry W. and Grace Young, both re- · siding in Louisville. His second marriage, which was solemnized with Kate Hunter, of Canada, is without issue. Mr. and Mrs. Finley are highly es- teemed among their neighbors and acquaintances and have many warm friends in the city and move in an eminently respectable social circle. They belong to the Presbyterian church, take an active part in all lines of religious and charitable work under the auspices of the local congregation with which iden- tified and strive to make their daily lives correspond with the faith which they profess. Since the year 1864 Mr. Finley has been a member of the Masonic fraternity, but by reason of a partial deafness has recently been demitted, al- though still an enthusiastic believer in the truths of the order and a great ad- mirer of the principles and precepts upon which it is based. In politics he is firm in his adherence to the Republican party, but has never sought office or aspired to any kind of public honors.
WENDELL BROWN.
Mr. Brown is an American by adoption, only, being a native of Germany. born on the roth day of October, 1849. in Baden, grew to manhood and re- ceived his education in that kingdom, but in 1872 decided to try his fortune in the great republic beyond the sca. where he was satisfied better opportunities could be found than in the land of his birth. In the meantime his brothers, Ludwig and Rudolph, had found homes and employment in the United States and it was largely upon their solicitations that he was induced to bid farewell to the Fatherland and carve out a new career under new conditions in a country where the accident of birth cut little figure and the means of obtaining a com- petency were open to all.
In due time Mr. Brown rejoined his brothers who had located in Jeffer- sonville. Indiana, and it was not long until he secured employment at the ship yard at Port Fulton, where he was obliged to work at the hardest of manual labor to obtain a livelihood. About seven years after his arrival he was united in marriage to Mary Letzler, who is also of German birth. and from that time
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until 1892 devoted all his energies to manual toil with the result that his earn- ings, barely sufficed for the support of himself and growing family.
In the latter year Mr. Brown engaged in the liquor business at Port Ful- ton, and since that time has conducted a very decent, orderly establishment. and met with encouraging success. His patronage consists very largely of the employees of the ship yard and coal boatman, and his place has the reputation of being one of the most quiet and law abiding resorts of the kind in the city, being conducted in an eminently respectable manner, nothing of a disorderly nature being permitted on the premises.
It is worthy of note that Mr. Brown did not embark on his present busi- . ness from choice, but rather from necessity, as he found it almost impossible to provide for the needs of his family at the poorly paid labor which he fol- lowed so long and which had he not abandoned in time would ultimately have undermined his health and physical strength, and reduced himself and those dependent upon him to dire poverty. As a means of bettering his condition he finally opened the place of which he is still proprietor.
Mr. Brown has so conducted himself as to gain the esteem of the public. He takes an active interest in municipal affairs and for about ten years repre- sented his ward in the Common Council in which capacity he labored zealous- ly for the city and proved an able and faithful servant of the people. In politics he is a Democrat. but not a partisan, and with the exception of the above office has never held nor aspired to public position. He owns a sub- stantial home which is enlivened by the presence of his wife and four children. namely : Emma, Andrew, Harry and Clara.
In matters religious Mr. Brown and family adhere to the Catholic faith and belong to the German speaking church of that denomination in Jefferson- ville. Among their many friends and acquaintances they bear an honorable name.
CHARLES A. SCHWANINGER.
Progressive in the broadest sense of the term, Charles A. Schwaninger. proprietor of the large drug and pharmaceutical establishment at 528 Spring street. Jeffersonville, Indiana, which bears his name, is a native of this city, and! dates his birth from September 27, 1878. His father, the late Abraham Schwa- ninger. for many years one of the distinguished citizens of Clark county. held several important official positions in Jeffersonville, having served as Mayor of the city, and at the time of his death, October 16. 1906, was Judge of the Municipal Court, in both of which he acquitted himself with signal honor. As the name implies the Schwaninger family is of German origin, although Charles A.'s paternal
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ancestors lived for many generations in the Republic of Switzerland, of which country the above Abraham was a native. 3 He was brought to the United States when quite young, and grew to maturity in Jeffersonville, where as a young man, he married Sarah A. Carwardine, whose birth occurred in England, but who, like her husband, spent nearly all her life in the city in which both became residents in childhood. Mrs. Schwaninger, who is still living at a good old age, is a woman of beautiful character and many sterling qualities of head and heart not a few of which have been reproduced in her . children. Aneina, the oldest of the family, is the wife of Lewis Gridler, su- perintendent of the Belknap Cement Company. of Louisville; Williacy J .. the second in order of birth, was formerly the business associate of Charles A., but is now proprietor of a drug house of his own in Jeffersonville, and doing a very successful business. Agnes, now Mrs. Emil Kiel, lives in the city of New Albany, where her husband is engaged in the tobacco trade: Edith married Walter E. Mccullough and resides on a farm in Jefferson township, the next in order of birth is Charles Abraham, of this review, after whom comes Jacob, an employe of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, with headquarters in Jef- fersonville. all but Charles A., being married and all doing well at their re- spective vocations.
Charles A. Schwaninger was reared and educated in his native city and while still a young man formulated his plans for the future by deciding to be- come a pharmacist. To fit himself for this important and responsible profes- sion he entered in due time the Louisville School of Pharmacy, where he earned a creditable record as a close and critical student and from which he was grad- uated in the year 1898, standing among the first in his class. Previous to taking his professional course, however, he obtained a practical knowledge of the business by entering in 1895 the employ of Hawes and Perry, the leading druggists of the city, and after receiving his degree he became a partner of the latter gentleman. Mr. Hawes, retiring from the concern in 1898. Before the expiration of the following year. W. J. and Charles A. Schwaninger purchased Mr. Perry's interest and under the firm name of Schwaninger Brothers con- ducted the business with success and profit during the ensuing five years, at the end of which time the subject bought the entire stock and became sole pro- prietor which relation he has since sustained and in which he has built up the trade until his establishment is now the largest and one of the most extensively patronized of the kind in the city with a reputation in business circles much more than local.
Since taking sole charge of the business September 1. 1907. Mr. Schwan- inger has made commendable progress and the enterprise in which he is en- gaged has rapidly grown in magnitude. Being well fitted by careful profes- sional training for his chosen calling and possessing business ability of a high order, his career thus far has been one of activity and steady advancement.
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He carries a complete line of all goods essential to the make-up of a first class drug store, which are displayed to the best advantage in a room one hun- dred twenty by twenty-four feet in area and equipped with all the necessary appliances required by an up-to-date establishment. In addition to this large and well arranged apartment is a basement fifty by twenty-four feet in which are kept a full and complete stock of paints, oils and other goods, including a fine line of liquors for medicinal purposes and the legitimate trade, the build- ing throughout being complete in all of its parts and admirably adapted for the purpose to which it is devoted. Mr. Schwaninger handles only first class goods and caters to a trade which will not be satisfied with any other kind. hence his customers include the best people of the community.
He holds membership with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is also actively identified with the Apollo Athletic Club of Jeffersonville. Politically he is a Republican, but not a partisan and religiously subscribes to the Protestant Episcopal faith. be- longing to St. Paul's church, to the support of which he is a liberal contributor. He bears an enviabe reputation in all circles.
GEORGE H. HOLZBOG.
The manufacture of wagons, carriages and other vehicles has long been among the leading industrial interests of Jeffersonville, and the largest enter- prise of this kind at the present time is that operated under the firm name of George H. Holzbog & Brother, which has added much to the city's reputa- tion as an important business center. The business was estabished in 1854 by George J. Holzbog, and has been in continuous operation ever since, either by himself or members of his family, having grown from a modest beginning to its present leading position among the industries of the place, affording at this time employment for fifty skilled mechanics every working day of the year. and doing an annual business of not less than three hundred thousand dollars. George J. Holzbog. a native of Germany, immigrated to the United States in the early fifties and located at Louisville, Kentucky, thence. after a brief resi- dence, removed to Jeffersonville, Indiana, and in the year above indicated estab- lished the business which still bears his name and which he conducted with marked success until succeeded by his sons some years later. He was a fine mechanic, a successful business man and stood high as a public spirited citizen, doing much to advance the indus- trial interests of Jeffersonville and lending his influence to all worthy enterprise for the general welfare. He reared a family of four chil- dren and died in this city, leaving to his sons not only a well established
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business, but an honored name, which they regard as a priceless heritage. Sophia, the oldest of the family. married W. F. Seibert, a contractor, and lives in Jeffersonville: George H., whose name introduces this sketch, being the sec- ond in order of birth: Alfred M .. the second son, is secretary of the Todd Manufacturing Company, of New Albany ; Henry J., is the junior member of the present firm of Holzbog & Brother, one child dying in infancy.
George H. Holzbog was born in Jeffersonville, Indiana, on the 15th day of January, 1862. received his educational discipline in the city schools and at an early age entered his father's manufacturing establishment where, in due time, he mastered the principles of the trade and became a skillful workman. Inheriting a taste for mechanical pursuits and reared under the tutilage of a master of his craft. it is not strange that young Holzbog made rapid progress in the trade to which his energies devoted and become familiar with the busi- ness matters, for which he also manifested a decided inclinaton while still a mere lad. After acquiring proficiency as a mechanic he took up the work of wagon and carriage making with his father, and continued in the latter's em- ploy until given an interest in the business after which the plant was operated for some years. under the name of Holzbog & Son, and as already stated. forged rapidly to the front among the city's important industrial interests.
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