USA > Indiana > Washington County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 41
USA > Indiana > Harrison County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 41
USA > Indiana > Crawford County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 41
USA > Indiana > Clark County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 41
USA > Indiana > Scott County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 41
USA > Indiana > Floyd County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 41
USA > Indiana > Jennings County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 41
USA > Indiana > Jefferson County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 41
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ment was so enterprising and well directed that the value of the large estate was greatly enhanced. He was a careful but public spirited business man, always distinguished for his genial social traits, and had hosts of warm personal friends. He was mar- ried in 1864, to Miss Mary L. Thorp, of New Orleans, La. There were born to this marriage three children : Frank, Sher- man and Mary E. He died June 27, 1886. He was a member of the City Council from the Second Ward for two years. He was the son of Libbeus Frisbie and Martha Matthews. His father was a prominent and enterprising merchant and farmer of Mill- town, Crawford county, Ind., being one of the earliest settlers there. He was a na- tive of Connecticut. He was married at New Albany, Ind., in 1822, his wife being a native of New Jersey, but a resident of New Albany at the time of their marriage. They were honored in life for their many excellent traits, and sincerely mourned at their death. Both died at New Albany.
CAPT. RICHARD F. FULLER was born in Jeffersonville, Ind., February 3, 1832, being a son of Major Charles and Cathe- rine A. (Stewart) Fuller.
His father was a native of Boston, Mass., and came to Indiana as Major of the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment in 1811, and fought under Maj .- Gen. William Hen- ry Harrison in the battle at Tippecanoe, November 7, 1811. His mother, Cathe- rine Anstey Stewart, was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was reared in the family of Major-General Harrison, and was one of the wives of officers taken prisoners at the surrender of General Hull. Her death occurred in 1867. At the close of the War of 1812, Major Fuller and wife were ordered toPittsfield, Mass., and was commander there
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until the post was abandoned, whence they shortly after returned to Indiana, locating at Jeffersonville, where he died in 1839, leaving a wife and seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch, Capt. Richard F. Fuller, was the youngest.
His mother died in Jeffersonville in 1867. Her companions in captivity at Hull's sur- render were the wife of Captain Bacon and the wife of Lieut .- Col. Gooding.
Captain Fuller received his education in the public schools of Clark county, and at the age of 19 years commenced his career as a steamboat clerk on the Ohio and Missis- ippi rivers, which he continued for twenty- five years. During that period he was clerk on the steamers Alex Scott, T. C. Twitch- ell, E. H. Fairchild, in the Louisville and New Orleans trade, and captain of the steamers Luna, Ida Handy, Luminary and several others, thus making him one of the oldest of steamboatmen of the Falls Cities. Leaving the river he followed clerk- ing in New Albany and at Louisville, and book-keeping in both cities, having been Deputy Clerk of the city of New Albany, and book-keeper at the Merchants' National Bank of New Albany, New Albany Cotton Batting Factory, and filled other equally responsible positions.
Captain Fuller was married in March, 1862, to Miss Dealie E. Bulkeley, of Louis- ville, Ky., and five children have blessed the union. Richard L., foreman in the carding department of the Batting Works ; Clarence B., clerk in the Bank of Commerce, Louisville ; Vivian, assistant of his brother Richard L .; Jamie A. and Hannah B.
J. F. GEBHART was born in Maytown, Penn., December 6, 1831, and worked dur- ing boyhood in his father's weave shop. His parents, John R. and Susan Young
Gebhart, were natives of Pennsylvania. He had few opportunities for studying books, but improved what he had to the best ad- vantage. In early manhood he embarked in business, but, like many others, the in- vestment proved unfortunate, and he was left without money but plenty of debts. He also, fortunately for himself, his creditors, and a good many other people, had plenty of grit left.
Like many in similar situations who are resolved to retrieve misfortunes and achieve success, he turned his eyes to the great and growing West. He had strong arms, skilled hands, a trust in his God and the courage to dare to do. These were his capi- tal, and with these he started out in life. He now had two ambitions in life. In his first venture he had only future success to stimulate effort, now he had the incentive to win his way in life, and pay the debts left behind him in his old home. The task was not easy.
After looking about for a location he se- lected New Albany on account of its favor- able location. There was no other induce- ment, for he was, indeed, a stranger in a strange land. The prospect was gloomy, but there was firm faith in the future. Work came as it always will to him who seeks it. There were drawbacks and dis- appointments. Work was sometimes very slack and the employment not at all times agreeable, but he was on the road he had started to find, and he determined to travel it. On the smooth places he would make all the speed possible, and the rough ones he would jump over, stumble over, any way to get over, but he kept going, and he is still going, and the road keeps getting smoother. But long ago he reached the goal of one ambition. He paid off every dollar of debt and interest he left behind in Pennsylvania. Mr. Gebhart has also
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accumulated a handsome property in New Albany, lives in and owns one of the many handsome residences in this city of beauti- ful homes.
Here, perhaps, this notice might end, but the steps along which Mr. Gebhart strode to success, are matters of special interest to his friends, and of general in- terest to the citizens of New Albany. The example of his course is also valuable to the young.
Mr. Gebhart's first effort in New Albany was to start a woolen mill. This he ac- complished in a small way, during the year 1861, with Mr. John T. Creed as a partner. The latter soon, however, with- drew to embark in other business. Mr. Gebhart continued, determined to stick to the tree he had planted, and succeeded in maintaining and enlarging the mill so that to-day it is the largest woolen and cotton mill combined west of the Allegheny moun- tains, and which New Albany can be, and is, justly proud of.
Mr. Gebhart did not stop with the wool- en and cotton mills, but he turned his attention to other enterprises that now beautify and adorn the city, as well as add to its material prosperity. Next to the woolen and cotton mills stand the New Al- bany water works as a testimony to his public spirit. He was among the first to agitate the building of the works, and his pen contributed numerous articles on the subject to the columns of the Ledger, ad- vocating their building. It required a great deal of tact, energy and ability to put the works through, but they were built, and have no superior in the United States, and to J. F. Gebhart belongs the honor.
His next idea was a hosiery mill, and this was materialized by the building on Ekin avenue, by W. A. Hedden & Co., of the largest and finest mill of the kind in the West.
Besides other and minor enterprises Mr. Gebhart was one of the first citizens of New Albany who joined as a stockholder and director in the building of that grand structure, the Kentucky and Indiana bridge, and lastly, so far, but not least, in the building of the Eastern Railway, of which he is a director and vice president.
And all this by a man who came among us less than a generation ago, poor and unknown, and who by his own genius for improvement, his stability of purpose, has risen to the honorable position in the business world he now occupies.
GEORGE H. GODFREY was born in Genesee county, town of Stafford, N. Y., September 16, 1839, andis a son of Alonzo and Harriet (Waternam) Godfrey, natives of N. Y. George was but 12 years of age when his parents removed to Michigan. He re- ceived a good practical education, and to his other qualifications was added telegraphy.
At the age of 21 he came to Indiana as a telegraph operator, and in 1861, on the 8th of July, he came to New Albany as manager of the Western Union telegraph office. In 1862 he joined the telegraph corps, and was three months with Gen. Negley's corps in Tennessee, when he re- turned to New Albany and has remained manager of the Western Union telegraph office of that city. He has always been in telegraph business. He is a prominent member of the Knights of Honor and Knights and Ladies of Honor, and has held all the offices in the lodge. In 1886 be was elected grand protector of the Knights and Ladies of Honor of the State, and re- elected in 1887, and in 1888 he was elected supreme representative to the Su- preme Lodge for four years, which meets every two years.
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He is also a member of the Odd Fellows. He was married December 24, 1862, to Miss Emma L. Johnson, daughter of James Johnson, Esq., deceased, of New Albany, Ind. They have three children: Harry, Mrs. Jennie Mathers and Mrs. Carrie Stein- hauer.
JOSIAH GWIN was born in Lanesville, Harrison county, Ind., January 28, 1834. When but eight years he came to New Albany with his father's family. His edu- cation was limited to the common schools, and in 1850, when but 17 years of age, he left school and took work with a party of surveyors on the railroad from Lafayette to Michigan City, now a part of the "Monon Road." His father died in 1852, was sheriff at the time, and Josiah went to clerk for Martin H. Ruter. Phineas M. Kent was appointed postmaster by Presi- dent Pierce, and Mr. Gwin was selected as his clerk.
In the fall of 1856 he began his career as a newspaper man, by accepting the city editorship of the New Albany Ledger, which he continued until 1860, when he was elected County Recorder. This office he held by successive elections until 1869. In July, 1871, he founded the Daily Standard, a paper soon after consolidated with the Ledger, and Mr. Gwin continued as editor until 1881, when he sold his interest and retired; but soon entered the journalistic field again, and founded the Public Press, which paper he still conducts. He will also establish a daily newspaper at New Albany within a few weeks.
JAMES MONROE GWIN was born in New Albany, Ind., October 22, 1837. He was educated in the public and high schools of the city. During the administration of
President Buchanan, from 1857 till 1861, he was assistant postmaster of New Albany under his cousin, F. M. Gwin. During the first year of the war he was in employ of the late Hon. W. C. DePauw, supplying feed for the Government. In 1862 he engaged in the livery, sale and feed business with his father, and in 1867 they added the under- taking business, under the firm name of Merker & Gwin, and he is still engaged in this consolidated business, with one of the the most extensive plants in the city. He is a man of business energy and his popu- larity has won him a very profitable busi- ness. He was married in 1860 to Miss Julia Merryman, of Floyd county, Ind., who died in 1872, leaving no children. He was again married in 1875 to Miss Carrie C. Warren, of New York. Two children, Newland and Edith, have been born of this marriage. He is a son of Berry Gwin, one of the old and well known citizens of New Albany.
LOUIS HAMMERSMITH was born in Germany November 28, 1852, and came to America with his parents in 1852, and locat- ed at New Albany, Ind., where he enjoyed the advantages of the public schools until he was fifteen years old. He then commenced driving a wagon for his father, Charles Hammersmith, which he continued to do for six years, attending to his father's busi- ness for two years after his death, which occurred Sept. 8, 1875, his father running five wagons at the time of his death. In 1880 he purchased the wagons and sixteen horses of the heirs in the estate, and has followed teaming, chiefly between New Al- bany and Louisville, ever since, now em- ploying forty head of horses in the busi- ness. He is a splendid illustration of a thorough-going self-made, pushing business man. He is a member of the Masonic
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fraternity and the I. O. O. F. He was married April 29, 1879, to Miss Minnie Shoaf, of New Albany. They have three children : Louis, Eva and Charles. Mr. and Mrs. Hammersmith are members of the German Evangelical Church.
ELDER MARTIN V. HANGER was born in Floyd county, Ind., December 28, 1825, and is a son of Frederick and Mar- garet (Cook) Hanger; the former was a native of Augusta county, Va., and died here in 1872, at the age of 75 years; the latter was born in Hesse-Darmstadt. Her parents came to this country soon after the Revolutionary war, and, like many others, in order to get to Free America, sold them- selves for a certain length of time, to pay their passage to this country. They saved their money until their servitude was at an end, that they might have something to begin the world with. Frederick Hanger used to boast that he had six uncles who came to this country from Switzerland in colonial times, all of whom served in the Revolutionary war. Martin V., the sub- ject of this sketch, is essentially a self- made man. His education has been at- tained through his own exertions, and by dint of hard work. His boyhood was spent on the farm and working in a cooper shop. He attended the schools of the county. These were quite inferior to the common schools of to-day. They were paid for by general subscription, according to the number of pupils each patron sent to school. Mr. Hanger was educated in these schools. At the age of 15 an objection was raised to his attending school, because he gave the teacher so much trouble, and he was taken away ; but he did not discon- tinue his studies-he kept them up at home, and by the time he was 20, he was
qualified to teach. His spare money was spent for books, and he became a good English scholar. He taught about four years in Floyd county, and in 1857 he moved to Harrison county, and in 1863 was elected school trustee of Posey township, and re- elected, serving two terms, after which he was chosen county commissioner for one term. He then removed back to Floyd county, where he has since resided. He owns 329 acres of fine land, which he has in a fine state of cultivation and well stocked. His land is situated in both Floyd and Harrison counties ; he resides on that lying in Floyd county, and in sight of his birthplace. Recently he has erected a fine residence, which he designed himself, and which has some peculiarities. Each room is finished in a different style-one in white walnut, one in black walnut, one in wild cherry; while the hall has a specimen of every kind of wood common in this section. The design of the house was obtained by Mr. Hanger from a picture frame he has, which contains 103 kinds of wood, much of which is historical. For instance, one piece was water oak, from the old brig Constitution, another from the charter oak, etc.
Mr. Hanger was married in October, 1847, to Miss Sarah Blunk. They have never had any children; but have raised four boys and one girl, and educated them. Mr. Hanger is a prominent Mason, and a zealous Christian and minister of the Gospel. For thirty years he has been a minister of the Christian Church.
JAMES G. HARRISON was born at Xenia, Ohio, September 29, 1834, and came with his parents to New Albany, Ind., in 1839. His father, George H. Harrison, was a native of Harrisonburg, Va., born in
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February, 1809, died at New Albany in 1854. He graduated from Augusta Col- lege, Ky., was a teacher of rare ability, and came to New Albany to take charge of a Methodist Seminary that had been lo- cated here by the Indiana Conference of the Methodist Church. The greater part of his life was devoted to teaching, though he served as Postmaster under the admin- istrations of Taylor and Fillmore-1849- 1853. His wife, Sarah P. Grover, was a na- tive of Greene county, Ohio, born in 1810, and died at New Albany in 1873, aged 63 years.
James G. Harrison, son of this worthy couple, was educated in the schools of New Albany, graduating from its high school. During his father's four years' term as Post- master he was his deputy. At the conclu- sion of his postoffice service, he entered the office of Dr. William Cooper, for the pur- pose of studying medicine, but, his father dying a year later, he had to give up his studies. He then was elected Recorder of Floyd county as the Republican nominee, serving a term of four years. In 1862 he was appointed Deputy Postmaster by Hon. John M. Wilson, where he served one year, and was then appointed Assistant Revenue Assessor for the New Albany Division by Assessor Thomas C. Slaughter, serving un- til that office was abolished. He was then appointed Deputy United States Clerk and United States Commissioner for the Federal Court of New Albany, still hold- ing both these offices. He is also a trustee of the city schools and secretary of the board, a trustee of the DePauw College for Young Women, a member and officer of the I. O. O. F., a member and officer of the Wesley M. E. Church, and has for fifteen years been engaged in the insurance busi- ness.
On the 24th of May, 1856, he was mar-
ried to Miss Hester A. Hart, daughter of late ex-mayor William Hart, of New Albany. He has three children-George W., James B. and Walter G.
DAVID HEDDEN was born September 5, 1802, in Newark, N. J., and is a son of Stephen and Sallie (Peck) Hedden, natives of that State. The former came to Indi- ana and settled in Floyd county in 1829, near Greenville, where he bought 300 acres of land, on which he farmed. Being a blacksmith, he moved to New Albany after some years spent in farming. The latter, Sallie Peck Hedden, was a daughter of Judge Peck, of New Jersey, a man of con- siderable prominence. David Hedden, the subject of this sketch, was brought up in New Jersey, and educated in the common schools. He came to Floyd county in 1820, a year before his father moved out, being then but eighteen years of age, and commenced clerking in a store, which he continued for a year, when he entered into partnership with Elias Ayers in the same business.
The partnership continued until 1842, when Ayers died, and he continued alone in the business three years longer, when his health having failed he retired from active business. He bought a mill, how- ever, but in a short time it was burned. He bought another and took charge of it, and continued to operate it until 1856. He then built a $10,000 residence and re- tired from active business altogether.
He was married in 1840 to Elizabeth Wood, a daughter of Rev. Joseph Wood, of Brown county, N. Y., and Betsy (White) Wood, of Stanford, Conn. They have seven children, viz: Theodosia, William A., pro- prietor of Hosier Mills; Francis, Sarah S. (Baird), Walter David, in brick business ;
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Anna W. (Green), Grace and Ella Hardy. Mr. Hedden is a member of the Presbyter. ian Church and a Republican.
CHARLES HEGEWALD, born in Sax- ony, September 18, 1832, came to Amer- ica in 1853, and in 1854 made his home in New Albany. He served a seven years' apprenticeship in his native country as a machinist, and for some time worked as a journeyman in that country to secure the means to come to the United States.
On his arrival in New Albany he went to work in the machine shops of the Louis- ville, New Albany & Chicago Railroad, where he remained until a strike was in- augurated, when he took a place in the Union Foundry, remaining there until it failed in 1856; when for two years he held a place in the American Foundry, going thence to the machine shops of Lent, South & Shipman, where he remained until the war broke ont. He then returned to the American Foundry as foreman.
In 1873 he entered into a copartnership with the late W. C. DePauw, in the foundry and machine business, at his present loca- tion, the firm continuing until 1878, when Mr. N. T. DePauw purchased his father's interest and continues a member of the firm, which is the most enterprising and has the largest business of any establish- ment of its kind in New Albany.
The building covers a half square of ground on Water street, between Pearl and Bank, and the firm, of which Mr. Hegewald is the energetic superintendent and business manager, employs from 75 to 200 men, according to the demands of trade upon them, and does a business of about $200,000 per year, manufacturing marine and stationary engines, all kinds of steam- boat and mill machinery and supplies,
brass and iron castings and other ma- chinery.
Mr. Hegewald is one of the self-made, successful and public-spirited men of New Albany. He takes a deep interest in all enterprises that promise to advance the material interests of New Albany, and lias done much to help the prosperity of that city.
He served one term as a member of the City Council, declining a re-election. He is in all regards a valuable and excellent citizen.
He was married in New Albany, in 1855, to Miss Catherine Meyer, and they have four children : Emma, John F. C., Ar- thur and Edwin ; John F. C. being a grad- uate of the West Point Military Academy and a resident of Louisville. Arthur and Edwin are employed in the foundry and machine shops with their father.
CHRISTOPHER HEIMBERGER, born in Germany, January 17, 1833, emigrated to the United States in 1852, settling in Ohio, where he learned the business of photography, and having an artistic apti- tude for the business soon rose to high dis- tinction as an artist and now holds rank amongst the best photographers in the . country.
He took up his residence in New Albany in 1859, where he speedily built up a large business, his gallery being one of the most attractive in the State both in construction and the artistic gems it contains. Mr. Heim- berger was the first of American photo- graphers to discover and apply the superior Plate Glass Light, which is applied in his gallery. As the result of the superiority of his appliances and pictures he is now fill- ing orders for citizens of, not only Indi- ana, but of Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois and
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Missouri. Few American photographers may hope to reach such perfection in ar- tistic results and liberal patronage.
In 1859, at Cincinnati, O., Mr. Heimber- ger was married to Miss Margaret Berst, daughter of Jacob Berst, native of Ger- many, who came to America in 1847 and located in Harrison county, where he died in 1885, at the age of 72. His daughter Mar- garet was reared by her uncle, John Nockle, a prominent butcher and grocer of Cincin- nati, where her marriage took place. The children born of the happy union are: Adam, Sadie and Bena, all married.
Adam Heimberger, the son, is a partner in photography with his father, and, like him, a born artist.
Christopher Heimberger is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Ancient Order of Workmen, and an active member of the German Evangelical church, his en- tire family being members of this church. He is a self-made man, and no man has done more by his art to illustrate and per- petuate the magnificient scenery of the Central Ohio Valley.
GEORGE HELFRICH, SR., a native of Europe, was born July 20, 1831, and came to the United States in July, 1848, locating at New Albany, Ind. He learned the trade of a house carpenter and builder in the old country, and engaged at his trade on locating at New Albany, carrying it on until 1853. He then accepted a po- sition in the L., N. A. & C. Railroad shops, working there until 1868, when he took charge, as superintendent, of the car depart- ment, remaining in this position until 1880. In 1881 he engaged in the planing- mill and lumber business at the corner of East Fifth and Oak streets, New Albany, on a lot covering 180 by 130 feet. Besides
his large planing-mill business, he is a dealer in all kinds of building and con- struction lumber, shingles, lath, doors, sash and blinds. By his liberal enterprise he has built up a very large trade, which he has fairly won by his integrity. He was married May 2, 1853, to Miss Margaret Ellmancer, of Harrison county, Ind., and has six living children-George, Charles, Edward, William, August and Emma. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has passed all the chairs (the offices) of that order. He is also a member of the Knights of Honor.
EDWARD G. HENRY, a native of Switzerland county, Ind., was born April 16, 1850. His father, David Henry, was a native of Ireland, and a lawyer by pro- fession and a successful farmer, and emi- grated to Indiana in the pioneer period of the State. His mother, Caroline Stapp, was a native of Kentucky.
Reared in Switzerland county, he at- tended the public schools of the county during his boyhood, fitting himself for Han- over College, from which he graduated in 1870.
He then entered the law school of Indiana University, from which Institution he graduated in 1872. The same year he took up his residence at New Albany, and entered upon the practice of law, and has, by his abilities as a counselor and advo- cate, built up a very lucrative practice, standing high at the bar as a practicing at- torney.
In 1888 Mr. Henry was nominated unanimously by the Democratic party of Floyd county for Representative in the State Legislature, to which office he was elected by a large majority.
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