USA > Indiana > Washington County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 43
USA > Indiana > Harrison County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 43
USA > Indiana > Crawford County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 43
USA > Indiana > Clark County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 43
USA > Indiana > Scott County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 43
USA > Indiana > Floyd County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 43
USA > Indiana > Jennings County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 43
USA > Indiana > Jefferson County > Biographical and historical souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott, and Washington, Indiana > Part 43
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She died at New Albany in September, 1884.
FRED MAETSCHKE, one of the young progressive business men of New Albany, was born in the northern part of Germany in 1861, and is the son of Gottlieb and Charlotte (Holmn) Maetschke, natives of Germany. Fred, the subject of this sketch, received a limited education, and came to America in 1881. He located in New York and followed tailoring. After a time he went to New Jersey, where he followed the same business, and in 1883 came to New Albany. Here he continued the same busi- ness, and in 1888 formed a partnership with H. G. Harmeling, and is now doing a prosperous business. He is a member of the German Evangelical Church, and is Democratic in politics.
MORRIS McDONALD, SR., was born at Centerville, Ohio, November 10, 1836. His parents were John S. and Nancy McDon- ald, and he comes from a lineage noted in the legal and financial history of the coun- try.
His father was a native of Pennsylvania, a man thoroughly read in the law, and eminent in his life as a commercial man, banker and manufacturer.
His first banking experience was as an officer of the New Albany Branch of the old State Bank, of Indiana, and at the ex- piration of its charter and the chartering of the Bank of the State of Indiana, he was elected president of this bank serving in that capacity during its existence.
He was one of the incorporators of the First National Bank of New Albany, and was connected with that institution till his death. He also was the president and manager of the New Albany Savings Bank
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during its entire existence. He was largely engaged in pork-packing during the fifties and up to about 1865; was a stockholder in the New Albany Glass Works for several years, and for ten years a stockholder in the New Albany Rail Mill.
From 1850 to 1854 he was extensively engaged in milling and the grain and flour trade.
He died in 1877, honored and mourned by the community in which so many years of his useful and active life had been passed, leaving the impression of his business energy and public spirit upon the city whose material interests he did so much to promote.
The mother of Mr. Morris McDonald is descended from a historic American family.
She is the daughter of Nathaniel Mc- Lean, an eminent citizen of Ohio, and the niece of the late Judge John McLean, of the Supreme Court of the United States, a noted Whig politician in his day, but so thoroughly an anti-slavery man that he was nominated by the Free Soil party as a can- didate for the Presidency.
She is a woman of strong individuality of character, and prominent in the moral and philanthropic enterprises of the M. E. Church, of which she is a devoted member. Descending from such a lineage, and inher- iting the indomitable business qualities of both parents, it is not remarkable that the subject of this brief sketch, Mr. Morris McDonald, has risen to a position of busi- ness and political eminence and leadership.
Possessing an independent spirit, he commenced the active pursuits of life when only a boy.
His education was received in the public schools of New Albany. He entered As- bury University, at Greencastle, Ind., but the tediousness of a college course was little suited to the inclinations of one whose
ambition was to enter the commercial and financial world and grasp the enterprises that opened before him.
He therefore remained but a short time at college, and, returning to his home in New Albany, soon entered into the pork- packing business with his father, and there- in laid the foundation of his fortune. He soon became a large stockholder in the Bank of the State of Indiana, transferring his holdings to the First National Bank of New Albany on its organization, and be- coming one of its directors. He was a large stockholder in the New Albany Rail Mill for ten years, and during that period the superintendent and business manager of this extensive manufactory. Selling his holdings in this mill he engaged in the pork, flour and grain trade, and for some time operated flour mills. He was also at one time a large stockholder in the New Albany Glass Works, finally purchasing the entire property, which he soon after sold. For all his business enterprises he brought such commercial aptitude and thorough push that they proved prosperous.
Mr. McDonald was for a number of years prominent in political life-a leader in his party, the Republican-and could have had high official position, had he not always declined to become a candidate for office. In 1884 he represented his party as a delegate for the State at large to the National Convention at Chicago.
He was the original proprietor of and platted the beautiful suburban addition to New Albany, Silver Grove.
He was among the chief promoters of the building of the New Albany & St. Louis Air-Line Railroad, and for many years a director in the company.
He was the originator of the legislation and the organizer of the Indiana company that secured the erection of the elegant
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steel cantilever bridge over the Ohio river between New Albany and Louisville, and but for his efforts, sagacity and indefatiga- ble labors this fine structure would not to- day span the Ohio. He organized the com- pany that built the Cannelton & Tell City Railroad, and was its president during its construction.
He is a man of great kindliness of heart and a generous helper of the poor. He is withal very urbane and genial in man- ners and a man to whom his friends are strongly attached.
He was married in 1859 to Miss Sallie Singer, two sons and a daughter blessing the union. The eldest son, John S., a prominent and thorough business man, is an enterprising and successful grain dealer ; the youngest son, Morris, is the paymaster of the Louisville, Evansville & St. Louis Railroad, 21 years of age and among the rapidly rising young railroad men of the country.
WILLIAM H. McKAY, general insur- ance agent, was born in Bullitt county, Ky., July 6, 1847. At the age of five years his parents removed to Missouri, where he was reared. After attending the common schools of Missouri he became a student of Eastman's Business College, of New York, from which he graduated in August, 1866. He engaged in the insurance business, and in 1872 took up his residence in New Albany, Ind., where he entered upon the insurance business with Dr. M. C. Brown- ing, under the firm name of Browning & McKay.
His partner, Dr. Browning, was lost on the steamer, Pat Rogers, Angust 4, 1874; but the style of the firm remained un- changed until February, 1877, when he purchased, and has ever since conducted, the entire business, the largest of its kind
in the city, representing twenty fire com- panies, in addition to his being general agent for the Union Central Life and also agent for the Standard Accident Com- panies.
Mr. Mckay was united in marriage in 1869, to Miss Mary Wilson, of Macon City, Mo., a daughter, Bonnie, blessing the union.
Mr. MeKay takes an active interest in all moral and religious enterprises, is a deacon in the Third Presbyterian Church, and a well known Sunday-school worker.
He is vice-president of two prosperous building and loan associations, and has taken a good deal of interest in real estate in the city, having erected two elegant resi-" dences-one on East Oak street and one on Ekin avenue.
He is a son of Col. D. C. MeKay, a re- tired capitalist, now residing in Kansas.
CHARLES McKENNA, a native of Ire- land, was born in 1822, and came to the United States in 1849, locating at New Albany. He was an expert stone mason before he left his native land, and, on ar- riving at his adopted home, at once en- gaged in work at his trade.
He is a man of great energy and force of character, and these traits have been prom- inent through his life, although he is very quiet disposition. It may be said of him, however, that no more genial or more upright citizen lives in New Albany. By his industry and high sense of honor and integrity, lie is possessed of a competency of this world's wealth.
He was for many year a street and build- ing contractor, and the work he did upon streets is to-day the best evidence of his honesty and expertness as a workman.
In 1869 he was elected on the Demo-
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cratic ticket Street Commissioner of New Albany, serving four years, leaving the of- fice with the respect as well as the regret of all the citizens.
In 1882 he was Market Master, serving faithfully and satisfactorily. He was mar- ried in 1848, in Ireland, to Miss Mary Bra- dy, a native of that country. They have no children. He is a member of the Catholic Church.
SAMUEL C. McNEFF, born January 14, 1833, in Morgan county, Ind., was reared in and attended the publie schools of that county until 16 years old, when he went to Iowa and spent one year.
In 1852, he came to New Albany, Ind., his present residence, and learned the trade of carpenter with Charles Sackett, forming a partnership with Mr. Sackett in 1864, the firm name being MeNeff & Co., the partnership continuing 18 years. Dur- ing these years the firm erected the mag- nificent court house at New Albany ; 1865, two large business houses for G. C. Can- non, on Pearl street ; the splendid busi- ness block of Jacob Goodbub, Pearl street, the Windsor Hotel building, and many others of equal note, style and beauty. The firm dissolved in 1880.
Mr. McNeff carried on business alone for two years. In 1883 he formed a partnership with Christian Wolf, under the firm name of McNeff & Wolf.
In August, 1886, he and William Houpt, under the firm name of MeNeff & Houpt, commenced the manufacture of Patent Clamp Brick, a process by which brick are made much harder and burn more even than by any other, and this business is still carried on.
In 1856 he was married to Miss Sarah E. Littell, of Clark county, Ind. Two children of the marriage survive: James
W., who married Miss Mary Smithwick, of New Albany, and Lazette C., the wife of Orry F. Laduc, of Louisville, Ky.
Mr. MeNeff has been an Odd Fellow since 1856 and a member of the Christian Church since 1863.
CAPT. CHARLES T. MATTHEWS is a native of New Albany, Ind., and was born February 28, 1848. He is a son of Joshua and Eliza (Reed) Matthews,-the former was from Boston, Mass., and settled here before subject was born. He was a shoe. manufacturer, and died in 1877. Charles T., the subject of this sketch, received his education in the public schools. When 11 years old he commenced work as a team- ster, which he followed until he was 15 years.
He then entered the army and was made a messenger in the quartermaster's depart- ment under Capt. Crane, remaining with him two years. He then came home and entered the fire department, in which he served four years, when he resigned for the purpose of learning the trade of heater at New Albany Forge. This he followed until the panic of 1873, when he went into the glass works for about three years, then into the fire department again, and was ap- pointed captain in 1878, and served under four different chiefs. He was elected chief in 1885, and has been elected each succes- sive year since.
He was married in 1874 to Miss Mary Hermey, of Clark county, a daughter of John and Margaret (Reed) Hermey. They have one child, Harry. Capt. Matthews is a K. of P. and K. of L. and in politics is a Democrat.
JOHN S. MARSH, born in New Albany, Ind., September 1, 1844; educated in the
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public schools of his native city, and at the age of 19 enlisted in the Ninth Indiana Infantry in the three months' service, under the first call of President Lincoln for 75,000 men.
He served his term, and returned home and took a position at $1.25 per day as a laborer in his father's rolling mill, which stood on the site of the present Ohio Falls Iron Works, and for twenty-six years has continued at the same place, though the small mill of his father has given place to the immense works now occupying its site. In all these years he never lost two weeks from work at any one time.
February 22, 1877, he was appointed manager of the Ohio Falls Iron Works, which position he now holds.
He married Miss Martha Summers, of Utica, Ind., in 1863, who died in 1875, leav- ing two children, James and Lillie; Lillie is the wife of Joseph Brinley, of Leadville, Colo. He married again in 1877 to Miss Clara Kepler, and by this marrige has three children-Oliver H., Lena W. and Bertie B.
He has filled all the chairs in the I. O. O. F., and is a member of the Grand Lodge of that Order. He is also a member of the K. of P. and the G. A. R. and of the M. E. Church.
He is the son of Samuel S. and Mary Ann Stevenson Marsh. His father has been connected with steamboat smithery, castings and rolling mills all his life, and is a native of New Albany and one of its sub- stantial citizens.
ROBERT N. MORRIS was born Novem- ber 18, 1858, in New Albany, Ind., and is a son of William D. and Eliza A. (Cutshaw) Morris, the latter a native of Salem, Ind., and the former a native of Virginia, and
who came to Indiana with his parents, and settled near Greenville in the early history of the State. He was a produce merchant, and also did considerable wholesale busi- ness. He died June 28, 1882, aged 62 years.
Robert N. Morris, the subject of this sketch, was raised in New Albany and edu- cated in the public schools. Pursuing his studies under competent teachers, he mastered the common branches and acquired a good practical education that has been of great benefit to him in his active business life. He was elected city clerk in 1883, and re-elected in 1885.
He became a candidate for auditor in 1886 and, illustrative of his popularity, was elected by 1,187 majority against Demo- cratie nominee. He is a prominent Mason and senior warden of his lodge; belongs also to the Odd Fellows and to the Knights Pythias.
WILLIAM MURPHY (deceased) was born January 9, 1809, in Hampshire county, Va., and was a son of John and Sally (Miller) Murphy, the former a native of "Auld Ireland," and the latter of Vir- ginia. Her grandfather, Henry Miller, came to this country with William Penn, and at one time owned a farm on which the city of Philadelphia now stands.
William Murphy, the subject, was reared on a farm; when very young removed with his parents to Shenandoah county. Here he was taken by Garrett Seymour, a large planter and slave owner. He worked for him until he was 15 years of age, when he became overseer and drover-it being his business to take all the surplus cattle raised on Seymour's plantation to New York and dispose of them. He followed this until he was 24 years of age, when he married Miss Eliza Sills, of his native county of Hampshire. The result of this
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union was six children, two of whom are living : Sarah married Mr. Martin and after- ward Mr. Tyler, and lives in Harrison county ; Hattie married John M. Utz, and lives in New Albany. His wife died about 1849, and in 1850 he was married to Miss Catherine Weaver, of Floyd county. The result of this marriage was ten children, of whom seven are now living, as follows : William H., Isaac, Amanda, Archie G., Mattie, Kate and James R. Those dead . are Franklin, Charles and Jane. Previous to his second marriage lie removed to Floyd county, and settled on Isaac Park's land near Edwardsville. His neighbors collected and erected a home to shelter his family, which they completed in one day. In after life he was often heard to say that those were the happiest days of his life spent in that little log house. He remained there seven years and then removed to the farm of William Sloan, and then to the farm now owned by Charles Duncan. He met with reverses here, sickness, failure of crops, etc., which embarassed him finan- cially. He sold corn at twelve and a half cents per bushel, oats at seven cents, eggs three cents per dozen, and paid thirty-five cents a pound for coffee, calico fifty cents per yard. He followed teaming for a while, hauling, principally for Benjamin Baker, produce to Louisville, passing down the Knobs before the Pike was made. He then moved to New Albany, where he lived some twenty years. He worked in the shipyard of John Evans, and worked in boiler shed for Harper, who discharged him because he would vote for Henry Clay, in 1844, in- stead of James K. Polk for President. He followed different kinds of business until 1864, when he bought a farm in George- town township, on Indiana creek, to which he devoted his entire attention until his death March 28, 1886, at the age of 77
years. He and wife joined the M. E. Church in 1867, and for nineteen years lived a most exemplary and consistent Christian life.
Archie Murphy was born in Floyd county, December 4, 1859 ; was reared on a farm, educated in common schools until 17, when he entered Marengo Academy, in Crawford county, taking a regular course. He then commenced teaching, and has taught every winter since; he also took a business course in New Albany Com- mercial College in 1880. He is one of the most successful teachers in Floyd county.
James R. Murphy was born December 3, 1867. He was brought up on a farm, educated in the common schools, spent two years at Hartville school and one term at Marengo Academy, and also took a busi- ness course in New Albany Commercial School. He also teaches in the public schools. The Murphy boys, as they are called, are industrious young men, and own 250 acres of fine land.
GEORGE A. NEWHOUSE, SR., was born in Germany in 1841, and came with his parents to America in 1851, locating at New Albany, where he was educated in the public and private schools.
He learned the trade of machinist in the shops of the Louisville, New Albany & Chi- cago Railroad, with which company he has been for thirty-three years, filling the posi- tion of general foreman for many years, resigning it in the autumn of 1888. He is regarded as one among the best machinist in Indiana.
He is a Past Master Mason and treasurer of New Albany Lodge, No. 39; a Past Grand in the Odd Fellows, and a Past High Priest in the Encampment of the same order; a member of the Knights of
*
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Pythias; a member of the German M. E. Church, and treasurer of its Board of Trustees, and has been superintendent of its Sunday-school for many years. He is also Recording Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Y. M. C. A.
In 1860 he was married to Mary E. Edler, of Wheeling, W. Va., and seven children have been born to them: Ade- laide, wife of Wm. A. Laufer, of Louisville ; John F., who married Louisa Hartman, of New Albany, and is master mechanic of the Louisville Southern Railroad and the K. & I. Bridge Company; Louisa J., wife of Henry L. Graf, agricultural dealer, New Albany ; Florence A .; George A., clerk for Henry L. Graf; Charles H., learning the trade of machinist ; Edward A., and Flor- ence.
George A. Newhouse, Sr., is the son of Frederick L. and Adelaide (Huneke) New- house, both natives of Germany. His father died at New Albany in 1880, aged 71; his mother died at New Albany in 1871, aged 61. He has one sister, Mary, wife of Charles Goodbub, New Albany, Ind.
DR. ELIJAH NEWLAND is a represen- tative of an old family. His ancestors came to America with William Penn, in 1682, the good old Quaker who settled Pennsylvania. Samuel Newland, Governor of the Bank of England a century or more ago.
Dr. Newland was born in Burke county, N. C., June 20, 1807, and is a son of Benjamin Newland, a native of York county, Pa., who was born in 1763, and who was a sol- dier in the Revolutionary war. When but sixteen years of age, he stood his draft, drew a lucky number, shouldered his mus- ket, which he carried until the close of the war. He was one of the guards of Lord
Cornwallis, after his surrender at York- town.
He was reared a Quaker, and after go- ing into the Revolutionary army he was disowned by his people. He did not re- turn home after the war was over, but sub- sequently married Miss Catherine Tate, a native of Pennsylvania.
She was a daughter of Robert Tate, who said he was "neither Robert Tate, bond- man, nor Robert Tate, Yoeman, but Rob- ert Tate, Gentleman."
Benj. Newland, the father of Dr. New- land, left Pennsylvania shortly after his marriage and went to Virginia, and later to North Carolina, from whence he removed to Salem, Ind., in 1825, when Gen John DePauw, Saml. Milroy, Alexander Little and Christopher Harrison (the latter the first Lieutenant-Governor of Indiana), were all prominent in politics.
Dr. Newland, the subject of this sketch, attended school at Salem, at the Seminary of the famous John I. Morrison. He read medicine with his brother, Dr. Rob- ert C. Newland, beginning his studies in 1828, attended lectures in 1829-30 at old Transylvania University at Lex- ington, Ky., when it was in the zenith of its glory, and the most famous institu- tion of learning west of the Alleghanies.
He graduated in 1830, and in April of that year began the practice of his chosen profession at Salem, his old home,-first with his brother until the latter removed to Arkansas in 1836, and after that alone.
He had a large and lucrative practice, extending over six counties. This he kept up about twenty-three years in Washing- ton, performing nearly all the surgical op- erations in that county. There was a United States three per cent fund agent, to be appointed by the County Board as manager of that per cent fund, and he was
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appointed manager. In 1843 he collected the taxes of the county, and in the Presi- dential election of 1844, he was on the Polk electoral ticket.
In 1852 he was elected State Treasurer, running 2,500 ahead of the ticket, and in 1854 he was nominated by the Democratic State Convention, by acclamation, for re- election, but the Know Nothing craze de- feated him. He could have claimed the office on a teclmicality, as the Know Noth- ing candidate was voted for under two or three different given names, but he waved the right.
In 1866 he was elected to the Legisla- ture from Floyd county, having removed to New Albany in 1857. The Democrats were in the minority but he was an influential representative and was elected without dif- ficulty. When he removed to New Albany, Alexander Burnett, ex-Lieut.Gov. Hon. M.C. Kerr, Jno. B. Windstanley and A. P. Will- ard were prominent in politics.
In 1853 he quit the practice of medicine, as he thought he had done his share of hard work and would surrender the field to younger men. They would not let him retire from practice while at Salem, and for that reason was elected Treasurer of State and removed to Indianapolis.
He was married in 1832 to Miss Amanda Lyon, a sister of Dawson Lyon, Esq., de- ceased, of Salem. She died July 6, 1833.
He was married again to Martha Mc- Pheeters, of Washington county. She died July 1, 1838. And he again married, in 1841, Margaret M. Talbot, of Madison, Ind. He has no children living; a daugh- ter of his own was the second wife of Wash- ington C. DePauw. Newland T. and Charles W. DePauw are his only grand- children.
He was cashier of the Bank of Salem, at New Albany, for four years, from 1857
to 1861, when, owing to ill health, he went out "hunting and fishing."
He owns twenty-eight acres of land in Floyd county, 1,000 acres in Lawrence county, 630 acres in Washington county. He has been a member of the Episcopal Church for over twenty years.
In 1841 he joined the Methodist Church, and for twenty-five years was a consistent member, when he joined the Episcopal Church. He is a prominent Mason and a Knight Templar. He is a strong Prohi- bitionist, and believes in a national law abolishing the liquor traffic.
FRANCIS NORTON, born October 30, 1846, at Bordentown, N. J. When a child his parents removed to Troy, N. Y. Here he attended school till 14 years old, when he entered a rolling mill and learned the trade of roll turner. In 1864 he went to Montreal, Canada, to assist in the erection of a rolling mill, remaining three years. In 1868 he went to Newburg, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, and engaged as roll a turner, and was the the first man at Cleveland to make a Bessemer steel wire rod, which proved very successful ; but very great im- provements have since been made in the Cleveland mill, it having grown into the largest Bessemer steel wire works in Amer- ica. In the fall of 1869, he located at New Albany, Ind., and engaged as roll turner at the Ohio Falls Iron Works, where he still remains, adding to his other position that of attending the guide-rolling department. In 1884 he was an alternate delegate to the National Republican Convention at Chicago, and is at present a member of the Floyd County Republican Central Commit- tee. He is a member of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers, and also a Mason, Odd Fellow, and Knight
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of Honor. From 1863 till 1866 he was a partner with his brother-in-law, Geo. E. Beard, in the agricultural implement and seed business. He was married in 1885 to Mrs. Hattie Maur, of Chicago, Ill., but has no children. He is the son of Joseph Norton, a native of Bloomfield, England, who came to the United States when he was but ten years old, and was reared in New Jersey. The father is a rolling mill man, and has built a number of large and costly rolling mills in the United States and Canada. He is still living, hale and hearty, at the age of 64 years, at New Albany, Ind.
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