USA > Indiana > Blackford County > Biographical memoirs of Blackford County, Ind. : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography embellished with portraits of many well known residents of Blackford County, Indiana > Part 48
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duties of the position in all about seven years, during which time he became familiar with every detail of criminal practice, besides building up a large and lucrative business in other departments of the profession.
In 1894 Mr. Simmons moved to Hart- ford City and became a member of the well- known legal firm of Cantwell, Cantwell & Simmons and at once took high rank among the successful lawyers of the Blackford county bar. Ilis only political venture was in 1888, when his name was proposed in the joint Democratic convention of Wells and Huntington counties for the office of prose- cuting attorney, but he failed by a small ini- nority of having the number of votes neces- sary to a nomination.
Mr. Simmons was united in marriage, March 16, 1889, in Jay county, Indiana, to Miss Lucy E. Letts, daughter of William H. and Adaline (Hopkins) Letts, a union re- sulting in the birth of two children: Maude M. and Victor Hugo.
Mr. Simmons is well known as an indus- trious, painstaking and able lawyer, famil- iar with every phase of his profession, and his energy and ripe experience have won rec- ognition from leading attorneys wherever his legal business has called him. From the beginning of his professional career he has exhibited a high order of talent, especially in that he has always aimed to acquire a critical knowledge of the law, coupled with the abil- ity to present and successfully maintain be- fore court and jury the soundness of his opinions. Exceedingly careful in the prepa- ration of legal papers, methodical in the dis- position of business intrusted to him, ready in examination, eloquent and forceful as an advocate, reliable as a counselor, his distinc- tion as an eminent jurist has been honorably earned and he stands to-day easily the peer
of any member of a bar noted for its high order of talent. In the social and private walks of life no one bears a more enviable reputation for sterling worth. In short, Mr. Simmons is an honorable, upright citizen, belonging to the somewhat rare class that direct and control public sentiment without incurring the envy or ill will of those with whom they come in contact and leave the im- press of their strong personality indelibly stamped upon the community.
JOHN Q. CONRAD.
The subject of this biographical notice, a retired farmer, was born October 28, 1828, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and is the son of Daniel and Sarah (Custer) Con- rad. When twelve years old he was brought by his parents to Cass county, Indiana, s. here he grew to manhood on a farm. In 1868 he moved to Logansport, where he remained until 1876. In that year he removed to White county, where lie followed agricult- ural pursuits for two years, changing his residence at the expiration of that time to the county of Pulaski and making his home in Winamac until becoming, in 1894, a cit- izen of Hartford City. Upon his arrival in Blackford county Mr. Conrad purchased a farm a few miles from the city and resided upon the same a few months ; he then bought a lot on North High street and erected thereon a fine dwelling in which he is now living a life of retirement, having accumu- Jated a sufficiency of this world's goods to place himself and family in comfortable cir- cuinstances.
Mr. Conrad has always been a farmer and believes in the dignity and nobility of
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that most useful of all vocations. He is a gentleman of strict integrity, exemplary in his daily walk and conversation and al- ways sustained the reputation of an honora- ble, Jaw-abiding citizen wherever he has lived. On the 4th day of November, 1852, he was united in marriage to Susanna, daughter of John and Mary Ann ( Martin) Eurit, a union blessed with four children : Allen B., born October 26, 1853; Anna B., born April 27, 1860; Emma G., born No- vember 13, 1864, died March 15, 1866, and Elda M., born February 19, 1867, and de- parted this life on the 14th day of Septem- ber, 1884. The oldest son, Allen B., mar- ried Laura Williams and is the father of two children, namely: Tura T., wife of Julian Colby, of Battle Creek, Michigan, and War- ren D. Conrad. The oldest daughter, Anna B., is a lady of culture and refinement and is at this time teacher of history in the Hart- ford City schools.
Mr. Conrad has an interesting family history and traces his paternal ancestry back , through a number of generations to Ger- many. He has lived to see seyen genera- tions of his people. He was nine years of age when his great-grandfather died, and he has a g; t-granddaughter, Bertha M. Colby, two years of age. His great-great- grandfather, John Conrad, came from Ger- many to the United States prior to the war for independence and settled in Washington county, Pennsylvania, being one of the pio- neers of that part of the Keystone state. John Conrad had a son Henry who was a gallant soldier in the war of 1812, partici- pating, when but sixteen years of age, in the battle of Tippecanoe under General Rich- ard Crooks.
On his mother's side Mr. Conrad is con-
nected with two Families of national fame, to-wit: the Washingtons and Custers. Paul Custer came to America from England as early as 1735 and settled in Gloucester, Vir- ginia, when he married Martha Ball, a sis- ter of George Washington's mother. He died in 1783, leaving four sons, George, Nicholas, John and Jonathan. George mar- ried, first, Susannah Long and had six chil- dren: John, George, Sarah, David, Jacob and Hannah. Of this family the second. son. George, married Mary Wise and became the father of the following children, name y : John, Susannah, Hannah, Mary, Sarah (grandmother of Anna Conrad), George, Andrew, Elizabeth, Samuel and Wilham. The oldest of these children, John, married Nancy Kedges and died in Ohio; Susannal: married Henry Krider (grandfather of Rev. Krider, of Hartford City); Hannah became the wife of John Horn and died în Cass coun- ty, Indiana; Mary married David H. Conrad and also died in the county of Cass; Sar h married Daniel Conrad and had nine chil- dren, whose names are as follows: George WV., John Q., Susannah, David, Elizabeth, William T., James P., Mary M., and Mar- tin, the last named dying in infancy.
The following" is a brief resume of the children of Daniel and Sarah Conrad : George W. went to California a number of years ago and there married and in that state his body was laid to rest. John, as already stated, married Susannah Eurit. Susannah married John M. Smith and lives in the state of Nebraska. David married Catherine Smith and makes his home in Elwood, In- diana. Elizabeth became the wife of Richard Skinner and lives in Denver, Indiana. Wil- liam T. married Margaret Cornwell and re- sides at Logansport, Indiana. James P. mar-
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ried Mahala Smith, after whose death he en- tered into the marriage relation with Mattie Pierson, also deceased. His present home is in Wisconsin, and Mary M. is the wife of Thomas Wood, with her home in the city of Logansport.
The gallant General Custer, who distin- guished himself in the war of the Rebellion, and also in the Indian war in which he lost his life, was a descendant of the Custer fan- fly with which Mr. Conrad is connected.
JOHN LENNOX,
John Lennox, the efficient secretary of the Natural Gas Company, is a native of Delaware county, Indiana, where his birth occurred on the 7th day of July, 1862. H. parents, David and Elizabeth (Bales) Len- nox, were well-known and respected citi- zens of the county of Delaware, belonging to the sturdy agricultural class which gives character and permanency to a community.
John Lennox enjoyed such educational advantages as the common schools afforded and at the age of eighteen laid aside his books and, leaving the parental roof, began working for himself as a farm laborer. Meantime he had had two years' experience in a hotel in Cincinnati and the knowledge thus obtained he afterwards put into practice in a house for the entertainment of the trav- eling public kept for some time by himself and mother. Severing his connection with the hotel business Mr. Lennox subsequently made a tour of sight-seeing throughout the northwestern states, stopping for some time at Portage City, Wisconsin, and later visit- ing the pineries of that state and Michigan, during the progress of which trip he met
with many interesting and instructive ex- periences. Returning to the home farm in 1885, Mr. Lennox was united in marriage that year to Margaret, daughter of Patrick and Bridget (Gleeson) Ryan. In 1887 Mr. Lennox became interested 'i the natural gas business at Hartford City, accepting employ- ment with a company as layer of pipes, in which capacity he continued until disabled by a terrible accident in November of the same year. This unfortunate affair was the result of the gas becoming ignited by com- ing in contact with a fire built along the mains to keep them from freezing, the pipes from some cause becoming separated. Be- ing close to the fire when the ignition oc- curred. Mr. Lennox was frightfully burned, the result of which was close confinement to his home for the greater part of two years. When sufficiently recovered he was given a position in the office, and later, by reason of duties faithfully and efficiently performed, he became general manager of the company, which place he filled until March, 1895, when he was chosen secretary. This position he has since held and the ability he exhibits in the discharge of his official functions makes him one of the company's most trusty and reliable employees.
Mr. Lennox's clerical abilities are of a superior order, as the clean, methodical rec- ords of the company abundantly testify. He makes his employer's interests his own and his agreeable relations both with them and the public have paved the way to many mu- tual understandings, besides contributing much towards the enviable reputation the company now holds in the estimation of the people of the city.
The Hartford City Gas Company was organized in November, 1886, with the fol- lowing well-known business men as officers
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and directors, to-wit: J. HI. Dowell, presi- dent; Isaiah Courtright, vice-president ; IT. M. Campbell, secretary; H. B. Smith, treas. urer; and W. B. Cooley, A. Waiter, S. R. Patterson, William Carroll and B. M. Boyd, members of the board. The enterprise has met all the requirements expected of it by giving excellent services and its manage- ment by first-class business men is a guar- antee of future efficiency.
JOHN W. BRICKLEY.
The subject of this biography traces his paternal ancestry back to the colonial period, at which time the family was well repre- sented in Pennsylvania, having been among the early comers to that state. John Brick- ley, his grandfather, left Pennsylvania prior to the year 1795, emigrating to Ohio, where he married a Miss Flick and reared a family of eight children, viz: John, Peter, George, Andrew, Levi, Susan, Catherine and David. Of these the oldest son, John, who was born in 1800, married Elizabeth Woodward and became the father of the following children : Andrew, Leonard, John W., William, Al- bert, Jehu, Elias and Joshua, all dead but the last named and John W., whose name appears at the head of this article.
John W. Brickley was born November 26, 1841, in Mahoning county, Ohio, and there, at the age of sixteen, he entered upon an apprenticeship to learn the trade of har- nessmaking at which he served for a period of two years. After becoming proficient in his chosen calling he began working at the same in his native county and two years later, about 1859, came to Indiana, locating in Ft. Wayne, where he was employed for a
limited period. Subsequently he walked from that city to Montpelier, thence, in 1861, came to Hartford City, where he worked at his trade two years, removing at the end of that time to Portland.
While a resident of the last named place Mr. Brickley entered the army, enlisting in November, 1864, in Company C, Fortieth Indiana Volunteers, with which he served until discharged on the 15th of November following, in the meantime taking part in the Tennessee campaign and participating in several battles and minor engagements. among the more noted of which were Spring TIill, Franklin and Nashville. After receiv- ing his discharge he returned to Indiana and began working at the carpenter's trade, which, by the way, he had followed several years prior to entering the army, and con- tinued the same at Hartford City until ac- cepting a position with a large stove fac- tory at the same place. After operating the factory some years he was induced to take charge of the Cooley Grain Elevator and to this he has devoted his time and attention since 1882, a long and successful period of service.
Mr. Bricklev was married April 21, 1867, to Mrs. Esther Brickley, daughter of Henry and Esther (Wagner) Kirschner, a union blessed with the birth of one child, Chester I., whose birth occurred in the month of December, 1869. Chester mar- ried Miss Ellie Hughes and is the father of two children, Paul J. and Verda.
Mr. Brickley is a member of the Jacob Stahl Post, G. A. R., and delights in meet- ing his old comrades and relating the stir- ring scenes of war times. He is a gentle- man of pleasant demeanor, easily approach- able, and while not an aspirant for public honors or official favors, he has done much
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in a quiet way to promote the good of the city where so many years of his life have been passed. Ile occupies a commendable standing among his fellow citizens and has a large circle of friends who have learned to esteem him for his industry and many manly qualities.
SAMUEL WILLIAM TURNER.
The gentleman whose name introduces this sketch is a survivor of the great army of patriots who, when the dark clouds of re- bellion hovered over the land, left home and friends behind and animated by a zeal for the old flag fearlessly went to the front and fought long and bravely in defense of the na- tional union. Mr. Turner is one of Indiana's loyal sons, born upon her soil and reared to manhood within her boundaries, and has never by word or deed done anything to bring dishonor to the name. He is a native of Putnam county, born in the city of Green- castle, December 9, 1841, and is the son of Benjamin and Nancy A. (Tuggle) Tur- ner.
Little can be said of his early educational advantages as they were exceedingly limited, his attendance at school ending at his twelfth year. From that age until the breaking out of the war his principal employment was farm labor, a part of the time in the service of others and a part for himself on land leased for the purpose. Mr. Turner was one of the first to respond to his country's call in the hour of its greatest peril, enlisting in Company I, Twenty-seventh Indiana Volun- teer Infantry, in 1861, and serving with the same until transferred, one year later, to the regular army. His first active service was in the Virginia campaign during the progress
of which he participated in the bloody battles of Balls Bluff, Winchester, through the Shenandoah Valley and all the engage- ments connected therewith, Cedar Mountain and the great fight at Antietam, one of the most noted and sanguinary battles of the war. His experience thus far was as a volunteer and after his transfer to the regulars he par- ticipated with his command in nearly all of the pitched battles, minor engagements and raids which marked the Army of Virginia until the close of the war. To follow in de- tail Mr. Turner in his various experiences in the numerous trying circumstances in which he was placed and the many struggles through which he passed, would far transcend the limits of a personal sketch; indeed, if properly noted and regularly chronicled they would fill a fair sized volume with most in- teresting and thrilling reading. A hasty glance at his period of service as a regular would include the names of Fredericksburg, Kelly's Ford, the decisive and world-re- nowned battle of Gettysburg, Chancellors- ville, Cold Harbor, the Wilderness, Peters- burg and numerous and almost daily bloody battles leading to the surrender of General Lee's forces at Appomattox, of which his- toric event Mr. Turner was an eye witness. Mr. Turner was several times wounded, but not seriously, and during his long and active period of service he lost about two months by sickness, with measles and other disabili- ties. After the surrender at Appomattox he returned with his command to the national capital where he remained during the sum- mer, going the following autumn to Wil- let's Point, Long Island, about twelve miles from New York City. In March, 1866, he became a member of a newly organized com- pany of engineers, with headquarters at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, where with
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others he was sent to drill new recruits. After continuing in that capacity until Feb- ruary, 1867, he was honorably discharged, immediately following which he returned to his home in Greencastle, and at once again resumed the peaceful pursuits of civil life.
Soon after his return Mr. Turner took up the trade of painting, graining and paper- hanging, in which he acquired great effi- ciency, and to this he has since mainly de- voted his time and attention. He continued . to do business in his native town until 1878 at which time he came to Hartford City where he has since carried on his trade with success and financial profit. He now owns two residence properties in Hartford City.
Mr. Turner was married, May 5, 1865, to Anna M. Harris, daughter of Paul and Jane ( Williams) Harris. To Mr. and Mrs. Turner have been born six children, namely : Maggie L., wife of Samuel Huggins; Myr- tle married Eli Shields; Edward married Etta Bugh; Nora, Hazel and Williamn, de- ceased in infancy. Mr. Turner and family are members of the Methodist church of Hartford City and he belongs to the Jacob Stahl Post, G. A. R. His record as a brave and gallant soldier is one of which any man might be justly proud, and the patriotism dis- played on many bloody battle fields has by no means dinmed with advancing years. In civil life he measures his conduct by the high- est standard of right and during a residence of twenty-two years in Hartford City he has sustained the reputation of an honorable, up- right Christian gentleman.
CHARLES W. BOWMAN.
Charles W. Bowman, deceased, whose name opens this biographical notice, was a gallant ex-soldier of the Civil war. He was
born upon his father's farm May 20, 1847, and was a son of Levi and Elizabeth ( Stout ) Bowman. At the breaking out of the war he was attending school ; at the age of seven- teen he and two of his companions ran away from school and joined Company 1. One Hundred and Thirtieth Indiana Infantry. Ile participated in sixteen battles and was at the siege of Atlanta and with Sherman in his march to the sea, then on to Washington and participated in the grand review. On the expiration of his term of service he re- turned to his home and engaged in farming in Licking township, where he remained till 1872, when he removed to Harrison town- ship and purchased a farm of eighty acres, and at his death it was one of the best im- proved farms in the township. He was'mar- ried, on April 1, 1872, to Mrs. Nancy Bow- man, the widow of his brother, John A. Bowman, and a daughter of Theopilus and Susannah Morris. Mr. Morris was one of . the early pioneers of Harrison township, set- tling there in 1849. John A. Bowman was also a soldier of the Civil war, having joined Company I, Thirty-fourth Indiana Infantry, on October 29, 1862, and served under Gen- eral Grant. At the expiration of his first term he re-enlisted and served until the close of the war, making in all a term of four years' service. John A. Bowman was born April 23, 1842, and his death occurred on May 4, 1877. By her marriage with John A. Bowman, Mrs. Bowman had one child, Dora, the wife of John H. Groos, of Licking township.
Charles W. Bowman, the subject of this review, was one of the progressive and en- terprising men of Blackford county. He was always alive to all matters of public in- terest and stood ready to forward all im- provements of a public and private nature
Charles H. Bouwar.
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calculated to benefit the community in which he lived. In his political views Mr. Bow- man was a Republican and while he was not what could be called a politician he always took a deep interest in the success of his party. In his religious affiliations he adhered to the United Brethren church, of which he was a consistent member. He was a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F. and Hartford Post. G. A. R. He died November 30, 1893, and in his death Blackford county lost one of her esteemed and respected citizens and his wife a kind and faithful husband.
GEORGE K. MOFFITT.
The subject of this biography is descend- ed paternally from Scotch ancestry and on the mother's side is of German lineage. His father, William Moffitt, resided for a num- ber of years in Cheshire, Massachusetts, where the subject of this sketch was born. He married Louisa Kaltenbach, whose grandparents came from Prussia and set. tled in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, where they were married. The Kalten- bachs for many years were workers in glass and followed the trade in the old country and after coming to the United States. By occupation William Moffitt was a glass blower.
George K. Moffitt was born December 1, 1854, in the city of Chesire, Massachu- setts, but when an infant was taken by his parents to Baltimore, in the schools of which city he received his educational training. While still a lad he became a student of the Baltimore College, which he attended two years, and at the age of about fifteen he cn- tered upon an apprenticeship to learn glass
cutting, in which he early became quite pro- ficient. He remained with the Baker Broth- ers' Window Glass Works, of Baltimore, for a period of six years and then accepted a po- sition with the United States government as mail carrier in that city, in which capacity he continued about two years. Severing his connection with the postoffice department, Mr. Moffitt went to Zanesville, Ohio, where for eleven years he worked at his trade for the Kearns-Gorsuch Window Glass Com- pany, and upon the closing of their factory in 1891 he came to Blackford county and engaged in the cutting of glass, and for the last five years has filled the position as fore- inan for the Hartford City Glass Company. In February, 1808, he engaged as cutter for the Tones Glass Company, of this city. Sub- sequently he accepted a similar position as foreman of the cutting room with the Amer- ican Window Glass Company, which place lie now holds.
Mr. Moffitt was married August 24, 188 .. to Miss Catharine LeCompt, daugh- ter of Lloyd and Emily (Dorsan) LeCompt, whose death. occu red on the 29th day of July, 1892. Subsequently, December 24. 1895, he entered into the marriage relation with Mrs. Emma Lowisa (Minehart). daughter of Jeremiah and Anna Mary (Fra- zer ) Minehart, a union blessed with the birth of two children : Anna Lowisa, born March 31, 1898, and Helen, whose birth occurred on the 25th of April, 1900.
Mr. Moffitt is a member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has filled important . official stations, and he also belongs to the benevolent order of Modern Woodmen of America. He is an expert at his trade, fa- miliar with every detail of the glass business and has the unbounded confidence of the large company by which he is emploved. As
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a citizen he is popular with all classes and. considering his youthful environment and the obstacles he succeeded in overcoming, all must agree that he is pre-eminently a self- made man and as such is entitled to the con- fidence and esteem of the people with whom he cor in contact. His influence since be- comin, president of Hartford City has been most salutary and he is looked upon as one . of the safe and substantial men of the place.
PHILIP KLEEFISCH.
Prominent among the leading German- American citizens of Indiana is Philip Klee- fisch, who for a number of years has been an honored resident and successful business man of Hartford City. He was born Janu- ary 17, 1835, in the town of Niederempt, Prussia, the son of Johannis and Margaret Anegate (Esser) Kleefisch, both parents na- tives of Germany.
The elder Kleefisch: was by ocupation a silk weaver, but bv reason of the loss of his eyesight he was afterwards compelled to re- sort to common labor for a livelihood. Born in a province of Germany then under the dominion of France, Johannis Kleefisch espoused the French cause during the Na- poleonic wars and had many thrilling ex- periences during the progress of the great struggle that settled the destiny of Europe. He was at one time detached as messenger to carry important dispatches from the com- manding general to subordinates and while acting in this capacity had in his possession not a few times the safety and success of the entire French forces. Becoming weary of military service and finding legitimate means of escape therefrom impossible he fin- ally matured plans for deserting which he
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