USA > Indiana > Grant County > Biographical memoirs of Grant County, Indiana : to which is appended a comprehensive compendium of national biography with portraits of many national characters and well-known residents of Grant County, Indiana. > Part 54
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Mr. Street is a stalwart Republican and served as treasurer of Franklin township for two years. He is a devout member of the Church of Christ.
JAMES WILLIAM ANTHONY.
The present efficient trustee of the town ship of Pleasant, and one of the progressive citizens of Grant county, is James W. An- thony, whose worth as an official is recog-
nized on every hand, the educational inter- ests of the township, especially, having been most carefully furthered during the incum- bency of the office by him. He was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, on the 27th of April, 1847, and, since the age of six, has resided in Grant county. His parents were William and Clarinda ( Stackhouse) Anthony. The father died when James was but a lad of six, after which event the mother brought her two children-James and Elizabeth-to the home of her father, James Stackhouse, who then lived in this county. She had been a pupil of her hus- band, who had become quite well-known as a teacher in Grant county, especially in Cen- tre township, where her home was. After their marriage they had returned to the east, where his untimely death left her in rather straightened circumstances, though he had, while here, secured a tract of land to which she later removed. She finally became the wife of Samuel Baxter, and passed the re- mainder of her life on the farm, dying in 1894 at the age of seventy. Her latter com- panion-Baxter-has since removed to Ok- lahoma, where he still resides. The daughter, Elizabeth, is now the wife of William Stelts. of Upland. Two children were also born to the second marriage-Harry, now on the old homestead, and Arminda, wife of Charles Dawson, of Converse.
James W. Anthony remained with his mother and stepfather till, reaching the age of seventeen, he enlisted in the last call for troops to quell the Rebellion, going out as a recruit in the Seventeenth Indiana Bat- tery, and reaching the command at Harper's Ferry in March, 1864. This battery did most effective service, being often in the hottest of the many battles fought under General
J. W. ANTHONY.
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Sheridan. It was drawn up in line of bat- tle when Sheridan arrived after making the ever famous ride to Winchester. At Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek the battery was in the fiercest of the fighting. At the latter place it lost nine men and twenty horses, besides some of its men being taken prisoners, and some of the guns being aban- doned. The remainder of his service was in the Shenondoah, that most unfortunate of all beautiful valleys of Virginia, and received his discharge in July, 1865.
The spirit of adventure being aroused within him, he decided to see more of the world and went to the western country. He secured a position with a party of gov- ernment surveyors and the season was spent in the survey of what is now Oklahoma, the incidents of the survey being spiced with several encounters with the Indians, who were not fully over the tastes for blood that had been whetted by their recent experiences in the war. For four months the party was beyond the pale of civilization, each manı being a law unto himself; and the first house seen for months-but a small one-room cabin -excited the utmost delight. Being rather satisfied with that kind of existence, he be gan to feel differently about the imagined beauties of the wild country and soon came home, resuming the hum-drum existence of an average farmer.
Reaching the age of twenty-five, Mr. An- thony married Miss Mary J., the daughter of Jefferson and Emeranda (Hamilton) Pugh, a native of Pleasant township, and who was three years his junior. After some five or six years of renting, Mrs. Anthony inherit- ed eighty acres of the four hundred that con- stituted her father's estate. The tract had
but about thirty acres cleared, which he has kept constantly extending until the entire place is now under cultivation. It is under- laid with upwards of one thousand six hun- dred rods of tile, thus bringing it into a high state of fertility, and upon which some of the heaviest crops of the neighborhood are produced. The present house was erected in 1876, and the whole makes one of the most desirable rural homes in the township.
From the fruits of his labor, he has been enabled to purchase a second farm of sixty acres in the vicinity, and upon this he is making extensive and up-to-date, improve- ments, having just completed one of the best barns of the vicinity.
The Anthony family consists of Bert, Emma, Elsie and Velma, the first being a popular teacher of the township for several terms. He is a graduate of the Marion Nor- mal College of the class of 1899, and the success that has attended his teachings indi- cates a high order of technical skill coupled with that good judgment and common sense so needed in the teacher. Emma was also educated at the same institution and is now teaching the second term in the Sweetser schools. The two younger are still in the home school.
Mr. Anthony is one of the invincible Democrats of the county, ever having held ardent allegiance to the principles of Jeffer- son and Madison. He has been found in the party councils, generally being a delegate to all the gatherings of the sachems of the party. He was chosen trustee of his town- ship some nine years since and has been twice re-elected. While all the public busi- ness has been carefully attended to during this time, he has made a special effort to ad-
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vance the educational interests of the com- munity, being keenly alive to the importance of good schools in shaping the lives of the youth. Those who are in position to speak intelligently, say that no township in the county has better schools or more enthu- siastic teachers than Pleasant, and that much of the efficiency is due to the untiring inter- est and careful management of the trustee. He not only secures the best teachers to be had, but also endeavors to give the teachers the proper accommodations with which to do their work. He has erected three school- houses, in each case working from plans drawn by the most competent architects, due attention being given to the seating, lighting, ventilating and to the beauty of design, believing that better work will re- sult when the students are surrounded by those attentions to detail that will tend to cultivate the artistic and the æsthetic as well as the practical. He keeps in constant touch with the school-room work, the result of his attention being shown in the evenness and thoroughness of the work done. The depth of the general interest has been more marked than heretofore, there being nine- teen graduates from the common grades in 1900.
Realizing that gas might be found in his vicinity he became interested in sinking the first wells of the section, thus proving be- yond a doubt the existence of that fluid in ample quantities to supply the neighborhood. Mt. Olive M. P. church stands near the home and in this his wife and family are commu- nicants and workers.
Mr. Anthony is liberally supplied with those qualities of head and heart that endear him to the many friends made during an honorable and consistent career.
REV. CON. L. SHUGART.
Through his span of fifty-one years Con. L. Shugart has been a resident of Grant county, having been born on the | arental homestead where he now lives, in Franklin township, on the 19th of June, 1849, is a son of Henry Shugart, who is well remem- bered as one of the worthiest pioneers.
. Con. L. Shugart received his prelimi- nary education in the common schools of his district, thus forming a good founda- tion for higher studies, to which he added a term in the college at Ann Arbor, Michi- gan,one of the best equipped schools in the northern states, but being of a speculative and active disposition he left school at the age of twenty-one, and did as many before him, "went west" to seek his fortune, go- ing down into the Indian territory, where he cast his lot with the cattlemen, buying and selling cattle, where he remained for one year. But something akin to sickness, that of a longing to see "The Old Folks at Home," gained possession of his thoughts and he returned to his place of nativity, where he has since remained with the ex- ception of two years, 1879 and 1880, when he was again seized with a desire of ob- taining riches and he this time tried his luck in the wilds of New Mexico, prospecting and mining, and not finding just what he was looking for, again returned to his old home in Grant county. While he did not reap as rich a reward as he wished, in a financial way, still he ever had in store many "wild west" stories with which to entertain his friends, and felt that he was doubly re- paid for his trip to the land where the cac- tus and "greasers" were more plentiful than , gold.
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In 1872 Mr. Shugart was joined in wed- lock with Miss Annie Eshelman, a daughter of Peter Eshelman and born December II, 1851, and this union was blessed with one son and three daughters, who were named in the order of birth as follows: Arthur, who is now a farmer; Alice, deceased ; Nannie and Florence. The parents took great pride in their children, and well they might, as they were obedient and appreci- ated the parental love and interest which the devoted parents bestowed upon them.
Mr. Shugart was a successful farmer, as the neat and well-kept premises gave evi- dence. He followed along the line of agri- culture together with that of buying and selling stock until 1895, since which time he has embarked quite extensively in mar- ket gardening. In this he has been very successful and really finds it more profita- ble than "prospecting." He has under culti- vation thirty acres in various garden vege- tables, priding himeslf upon being able to furnish the markets with the earliest vege- tables and in consequence commanding a handsome price for same; but not alone in garden marketing does he excel, as he has six acres of berries (three acres of straw- berries and the same number of acres plant- ed in raspberries), all of which are of the best varieties, and under the careful and watchful care of Mr. Shugart they attain the highest degree of excellency. Many a dainty dish in our city homes are furnished from this fruit garden and many a childish heart is made glad by his generosity. With the high grade of both fruit and vegetables he has ever a ready market for all his prod- ucts.
Mr. Shugart not only looks after the physical nature of mankind, but devotes a
large portion of his time to church work, having been pastor of the Quaker or Friends church for the past ten years, where he has clone noble work, and with his kindly spirit and helping hand he has assisted many, though he believed in not letting his right hand know what his left one did.
On August 27, 1899, Mr. Shugart was saddened by the death of his beloved com- panion, who was ever ready to assist in all his life work. This to him was the only trial of his life, but placing his faith in Him "who doeth all things well," he was given strength to bear his cross. For a number of years prior to the loss of his beloved help- mate Mr. Shugart devoted four months of each year to evangelistic work, traveling over several states and doing much for the betterment of his fellow man, one thousand having united with the church under his leadership.
In politics Mr. Shugart is a stanch Re- publican, and, though not an office-seeker, is deeply interested in his party work and is always ready to aid in the betterment of the cause which he so earnestly supports.
In concluding this biographical review of so worthy a gentleman we find it is befit- ting to say he has well earned the respect and esteem in which he is held by all who know him, and his own personal merits have greatly augmented the esteem in which he is universally held.
DR. ABNER D. KIMBALL.
Abner D. Kimball, M. D., chief surgeon for the National Military Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, at Marion, Indiana, is
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a native of Coshocton county, Ohio; was born January 24, 1839, and is a son of Moses and Louisa (Powell) Kimball, the former also a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, and the latter born near Richmond, Virginia.
By way of preface, it may be mentioned that the Kimball family originated in Eng- land, and that two brothers bearing the sur- name came to America early in the eight- eenth century and probably settled in New Hampshire or Connecticut, and tradition has it that all who bear the name in the United States, or indeed on the western continent, are descendants from these two colonizers.
The parents of Mrs. Louisa ( Powell) Kimball were from near London, England, and on settling in Virginia became exten- sive slaveholders for some years, but even- tually disposed of their human chattels and removed to Coshocton county, Ohio, and there passed the remainder of their lives.
Moses Kimball removed his family from the Buckeye state in 1850 to Miami county, Indiana, and thence to Wilson county, Kan- sas, in 1872, and there the father passed away in 1886. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Kimball were nine in number and the sons named as follows: Abner D., whose name opens this sketch ; Henry, an extensive oil producer in Wilson county, Kansas; Thomas C., a practicing physician in Ma- rion, Indiana: Millard, a farmer in Wilson county, Kansas: Charles, proprietor of a large farm and oil wells in the same coun- ty; and Frank, the youngest of the family, also lives in Wilson county, Kansas. Of the daughters Henrietta was next to Dr. Thomas C. in order of birth, became the wife of Lewis Sommers, and died in 1868
in Converse, Indiana. Nancy, next younger than Henrietta, is now Mrs. Newton Tan- quary, of Kansas. Mr. Tanquary owns a large farm on Fall river, near Nebraska; Harriet is the wife of James E. Flinn, of Marion.
Dr. Abner D. Kimball passed the early days of his life on the home farm, acquired his elementary education in the common schools of Miami and Grant counties, Indi- ana, later attended the high school of Ma- rion, but in fact was more self-educated than taught by others, and in the spring of 1857 began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. Frazier, then of Converse.
He attended his first course of medical lectures at Rush Medical College at Chica- go, Illinois, in the winter of 1858 and 1859, his second course in 1859-60, was gradu- ated in the spring of the latter year and be- gan practice at Converse, Indiana, where he remained until his enlistment, in the fall of 1862, when he was mustered into the ser- vice as first assistant surgeon of the Forty- eighth Indiana Infantry, and later served as acting assistant surgeon of the Ninety- ninth. Immediately after being mustered in, however, the Doctor was attacked with typhoid fever, which prevented his entering upon active duty for some months. The Doctor served under General Sherman, was with him on the famous "march to the sea" and through the Carolinas and "on to Rich- mond," and after the fall of the Confeder- ate capital was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, July 20, 1865.
After the close of the war Dr. Kimball resumed practice at Converse, where he re- mained until 1884, when he removed to Ma- rion. Here, May 20, 1890, he was appoint- ed chief surgeon of the Marion branch of
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the National Military Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, a position he has since filled to the great satisfaction of the offi- cials as well as of the inmates of the Home itself. Though not desirous of practice out- side of his official work, the Doctor has a great many warm friends among the promi- nent families of Marion and elsewhere, who have so much confidence in his skill that they will be treated by no other physician. The Doctor has always taken great interest in surgical operations, and, not satisfied with his experience in this line while in the army, he took a full course at Bellevue Hospital College in New York in 1868-69, and spe- cial instruction under the noted surgeon, Dr. Frank Hamilton, and to-day Dr. Kim- ball is recognized as one of the most capa- ble advisors in complicated surgical cases in Indiana.
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Dr. Kimball is a member and was presi- dent of the Grant County Medical Society ; is a member of the Indiana State Medical Society, and is also a member of the Asso- ciation of United States Army Surgeons. Fraternally he is a Knight Templar Mason, and a member of the Loyal Legion.
The marriage of Dr. Kimball took place in Wabash county, Illinois, in October, 1865, when he wedded Miss Henrietta Hanpt, a native of that county and a daughter of Aaron Hanpt, a prominent farmer. To the Doctor and wife have been born four chil- dren, in the following order: Maud, who died in infancy ; Clyde, Nellie and Edwin, who still survive. The family worship at the Presbyterian church, and in politics the Doctor has been a life-long Democrat, al- though he supported the last two Republi- can candidates for the presidency of the United States. Locally the Doctor has held
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several official positions, such as member of the board of education and of the city coun- cil of Converse, Miami county.
WASHINGTON E. LOWE.
Washington E. Lowe, clerk of the water works board at Marion, Grant county, Indi- ana, was born in Springfield, Robertson county, Tennessee, June 22, 1872, a son of William B. and Susan ( Payne) Lowe, na- tives, respectively, of Tennessee and North Carolina.
The Lowe family is of English origin, and for many generations many of its mem- bers were among the most prominent and influential citizens of the south. The pater- nal grandfather of Washington E. was an attorney of acknowledged ability and re- nown in Tennessee, and his son, William B., was also reared to the profession. The lat- ter was also prominent in Masonic circles, having attained the thirty-second degree.
William B. Lowe officiated as chancery court clerk of Robertson county for about twenty years, when impaired health necessi- tated his removal to a milder clime, and he therefore made a trip to Florida, but on his way homeward, after partial recovery, died at Jessup, Georgia. His widow is now a resident of Nashville, Tennessee. William B. Lowe served in the war of the Rebellion in a Confederate regiment from Tennessee, and sustained wounds which were beyond question the ultimate cause of his death. Mrs. Susan (Payne) Lowe has had some experience in public life, as she was for two terms of four years each state librarian of Tennessee.
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To Mr. and Mrs. William B. Lowe were born eight children, namely: James P., a traveling salesman for a Chicago firm; George, who is employed by the United States government as a telegraph operator in the Phillippine islands; William B., resi- dent buyer at Nashville for L. Jones & Com- pany, the largest mercantile firm in the south; Washington E., whose name opens this biographical review; Mrs. T. J. Hyde, Jr., residing at Clifton Forge, Virginia; Robert, Rosa and Mrs. Robert A. Bennett live in Nashville. The unmarried members of the family are at the maternal home.
Washington E. Lowe was educated prin- cipally at private schools in Nashville, Ten- nessee, and at Goodman's Business College, and for a number of years served as an ac- countant in the latter institution. In No- vember, 1891, Mr. Lowe came to Marion, Indiana, to visit a sister then residing here, and not long afterward received the appoint- ment of deputy county clerk and officiated in this capacity four years. Marion having now become his permanent abiding place. Mr. Lowe, on reilnquishing his position as : deputy clerk, was appointed assistant man- ager of a telephone plant, and while thus engaged was selecetd to fill his present office as clerk of the water works board.
June 23, 1897, Washington E. Lowe married, in Marion, Miss Ethel D. Adding- ton, a native of the city and a daughter of Wilson and Mary A. Addington, of a high- ly respected Grant county family. One son, Meridith Bowling, has graced this union, and is naturally the sunbeam that brightens the small household, or at least adds to it by the luster of his presence.
Mr. Lowe is prominently associated with several social and fraternal orders, being the
present secretary of Kedar Kahn Temple, No. 71, D. O. K. K .; secretary of Section No. 3225, Endowment Rank, K. of P .; re- corder of Marion Company, No. 25, Uni- form Rank, and master of finance of Grant Lodge, No. 103, K. of P. He and his wife are members of the First Christian church of Marion, and in social circles are both highly esteemed.
Although reared and educated in the south, Washington E. Lowe is a stanch Re- publican in politics, and is at present secre- tary of the Center township Republican cen- tral committee, and is committeeman from the Fifth precinct of Marion. He is recog- nized as a leader among the younger Repub- lican voters of Grant county, and is very ar- dlent and enthusiastic in his support of the principles of his party and of all its meas- ures.
LOUIS C. SCHULZ.
Louis C. Schulz, manager for the In- dianapolis Brewing Company, with head- quarters at Marion, is a son of Charles and Dena (Varwig) Schulz.
Charles Schulz was born and reared in Saxony, Germany, has spent his life in the grocery business, and now conducts a whole- sale and retail establishment at Cincinnati, Ohio.
Louis C. Schulz was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 11, 1867. He attended the public schools, and subsequently attended the business college of Cincinnati, where he took two courses and was graduated with honors in 1884. He accepted a position in the counting room of the Moerline Brewing Company and fulfilled its duties two years.
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He was then associated with his father in the grocery business until 1896, when he accepted his present position. The brewing company he represents turns out one million barrels of beer annually. In 1887 Mr. Schulz was married to Miss Rosa, daughter of George Bauer, who conducts a large coop- erage business in Cincinnati. Mr. and Mrs. Schulz have three children: Louisa, Edna and Edward. The parents are members of the German Episcopal church, and have a large circle of friends.
The Marion branch of the Indianapolis Brewing Company, of which Mr. Schulz is manager, handles about three thousand bar- rels of beer a year. Mr. Schulz owns resi- dence property in West Cincinnati, where he has many friends and acquaintances.
ALVAH ELLSWORTH GIBSON.
Alvah Ellsworth Gibson, manager of the Morning News, daily, and Grant County News, weekly, is a son of George W. Gib- son and was born in Marion July 27, 1868. He obtained his education in the schools of Marion, being graduated from the high school in the class of 1886.
During his school vacations he worked as compositor in the printing office of the Daily Democrat and also served as reporter, and after leaving school remained with said paper one year. He then accepted a posi- tion with the Baker Randolph Engraving Company, of Indianapolis, which he held two years; then returned to Marion and for three years, 1892-3-4, was city editor of the Daily Leader.
In 1895 he accepted a position as proof reader in the Government Printing Office at
Washington, District of Columbia, and two and one-half years later became circulating manager of the Daily Times of that city.
When the Spanish war came on he en- listed in the First battalion of First District of Columbia, and with this battalion was de- ailed from Camp Alger, Virginia, as guard for the president at Washington, District of Columbia. While serving as a soldier he also did camp work for the New York Jour- nal. After he was mustered out of service he worked on the Baltimore Herald and later on the Indianapolis Press, whence, on February 17, 1900, he returned to Marion to become manager of the Bulletin, and Au- gust 1, 1900, accepted his present position.
The Morning News was founded in No- vember, 1894, by a co-operative company, composed of printers, and in 1895 passed into the hands of Pearcy Carroll, who found- ed the Grant County News. He was stic- ceeded by Messrs. C. H. Bandy and Robert E. Mansfield, the latter selling his interest to David Baker in 1899.
August 1, 1900, all the papers of Marion, with the exception of the Daily Leader, passed into the control of the Chronicle Publishing Company; the Evening Bulletin was consolidated with the Morning News and Mr. Gibson made manager.
Mr. Gibson was married in October, 1892, to Mabel D. Eyestone, daughter of Asbury Eyestone, ex-sheriff of Grant county. They have two children, Frances and Ruth.
WILLIAM HAYWOOD BOBBITT,M. D.
William Haywood Bobbitt, M. D., an eminent physician and surgeon of Marion, Grant county, Indiana, with his office at 618
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South Washington street, and residence at corner of Third and Garfield streets, is a native of Raleigh. North Carolina, and was born October 24. 1860.
He was graduated from Trinity College June 13, 1877, being then but seventeen years of age. For two years following graduation he was engaged in the drug busi- ness in Raleigh, and while in the drug store studied medicine under a private tutor. Thus prepared, he entered the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons at Baltimore, from which institution he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine. March 1, 1881, Dr. Bobbitt then returned to Raleigh, where he was in active practice sixteen consecutive years.
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