USA > Indiana > Shelby County > Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana, Vol. 2 > Part 41
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Although a Republican and a zealous supporter of his party. Mr. Bowman is not a politician, and he has little taste for public affairs, preferring the quiet life of a contented and prosperous tiller of the soil to any official honors. within the power of his fellow citizens to confer. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic Post, at Shelbyville, and with his wife hokls mem- bership with the Methodist Protestant church.
HENRY OLTMAN.
The family of this name is of Dutch origin, but has had representatives in the West for several generations, the emigrant ancestor coming from Io !- land during the carlier half of the nineteenth century, settled at Cincinnati and died there during the cholera scourge which swept the Ohio river cities in 1840. Of his four children Dereik Oltman is the only living member of the family, and he is a resident of Shelby county. John, another of his sons, lived for awhile at North Bend, near Cincinnati, but Inter came to Shelby county, Indiana, and became a citizen of Jackson township. He married Eliza- beth, daughter of George and Barbara Lambert, originally of Pennsylvania. but later settlers of Butler county. Ohio, from whence they came to Shelby county and located in Jackson township. There were five children in the fam- ily, three sons and two daughters. Mrs. Oitman being the second child. The founder of this family in America was a German, who came over at an early day and settled in the Keystone state. Some of the Lamberts were noted for their longevity. The grandfather of Mrs. John Oltman was nearly ninety- nine years old at his death, and his wife reached the age of ninety. The pa- ternal grandfather of John Oltman lived to the age of ninety-three years. John Oltman died when sixty-three years old. and his wife passed away at their home in Jackson township in the seventy-sixth year of her age. They' had three children, George. a resident of Flat Rock : Melissa, widow of Henry Barlow. has two children and lives in Shelbyville.
Henry Oltman, the other son, was born in a log cabin, in Jackson town- ship. Shelby county, Indiana. April 16, 1855. After he grew up he learned the carpenter's trade in his father's shop, and subsequently engaged in the saw-mill business with different firms at various times. By degrees he suc- ceeded in establishing himself as one of the reliable citizens, and became so
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popular that lic began to be talked of for office by his fellow Democrats In 1888 he secured the nomination as candidate for County Commissioner. was easily elected, and served three years to the entire satisfaction of his constitu- ents. On the basis of the popularity obtained by his administration of this office he was given the nomination for County Auditor. in 1898, was elected by the usual majority of his party, and served four years and four months most acceptably, and retired with the good will of the people. In 1903. im- mediately after leaving the auditor's office. Mr. Oltman was offered and ac- cepted an important position with the Thornton-Levey Printing Company, of Indianapolis, with whom he has since continued. He is constantly on the road, looking after the trade relating to printers' supplies, and dealing chietly with county officials. His territory embraces the entire state of Indiana, and. as it is work that requires good judgment, strict integrity and watchful energy. Mr. Oltman is handsomely compensated. His fraternal relations are with the Knights of Pythias Lodge. No. 42, at Edinburg. the Knights of Fidelity, and Ben Hur. No. 77. He is also a member of the Travelers' Protective . As- sociation.
December 17. 1882. Mr. Ohman was married ir Bartholomew county, to Belle Hayworth, by whom he has had four children: Ebert C .. the eldest. married Daisy Williams, and is an engineer in Spiegel's furniture factory. of Shelbyville: Howard works in Campbell's furniture factory. Shelbyville : Braden H. is at school, and Marie, the youngest. died in early life. Mr. Olt- man was reared in the Lutheran: faith and his wife is a Methodist.
PETER G. KAMP.
Young men who are inclined to complain because they have to work of because they cannot get work and take a discouraging view of life generally. will find a stimulus in reading the story of Peter G. Kamp. In a hard struggle for over forty years, in various occupations and many states. he has kept up his courage, faced all difficulties manfully, achieved success in all his under- takings and has much to show as the result of his labors. He was born at Colesburg. Hardin county. Kentucky. August 10. 1852, his parents being William H. and Ellen ( Johnson) Kamp. The family was large. his father died when he was young, and the problem of supporting the widowed mother and children was not a small one. They owned a farm near Colesburg, and there Peter remained until 1865. when the family removed to Louisville. He was educated at St. Patrick's and St. John's parochial schools in Louisville. and his first work of importance was for the B. F. Avery Plow Manufacturing Company. He retained this position about a year, during which time. after
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working all day, he worked every night until ten o'clock, taking out castings for two moulders and preparing sand for the next day's work, for which he received one dollar each night extra. He then attended St. Xavier Institute. after which he accepted a position with the American White Lead Company. and remained with them over eleven years. After the first year he became superintendent. but in 1883 was forced to give up the place on account of ill health. In September of that year he went to Colorado and engaged in min- ing, roughing it for a time, but was also in the hotel business at Georgetown and Denver and drove the United States mail in a fifty-mile run over the mountains, over the Continental Divide, from Georgetown to Hot Sulphur Springs and Grand Lake. In 1886 be returned to Louisville, spent a year in looking after the improvement of his properties at Bardstown. and finally came back to the Kentucky metropolis to take the assistant superintendency of the Public Grain Elevator and managership of the Falls City Distilling Company. He came to Shelbyville October 1. 1889. and took charge of the gas plant for some of the same people, known as the Southern Indiana Gas Company. He helped install the plant, and during the twenty years of its existence has acted as manager. He still owns the old homestead in Hardin county, Kentucky, also two other farms in different parts of the state, making about four hundred acres in all, besides property at Dallas, Texas, being both dwellings and business houses, and at Georgetown. Colorado, he owns mining property. He owns the old home formerly occupied by Vice-President Thomas A. Hendricks, in which he resides, and about twenty-five other pieces of property in Shelbyville.
December 12. 1900, he was married to Sarah Daniel Ray, daughter of the late Martin M. Ray, and a member of one of the most prominent families in the county. They have one son, Girard Ray Kamp, born April 15, 1905. Jir. Kamp is a member of the Catholic church, in which he is trustee. He also belongs to the Knights of Columbus and the Elks. He talks entertainingly but modestly of his early struggles, especially of war days, when his widowed mother and children were compelled to leave their home on account of the de- struction wrought to the property by a Union army at the beginning of the war and later by negro soldiers stationed thereon. Everything was destroyed by these soldiers but the land. They occupied their premises all during the war and built a fort in the front yard. Being the oldest boy of the large family of children, Mr. Kamp was compelled to hustle hard to keep things going. After working all day in the factories he attended school at the South- ern Business College until ten o'clock in the evening. Until of age he gave his regular earnings to his mother, but what he made for extra time he saved. and this, after he became a man. proved to be quite a neat sum. All of it. however, he gave his mother. He was exceedingly generous to his near rela- tives and when part of an estate fell to him by inheritance he turned it over to
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others of the family who needed it more. Everything he has is due to his own labor and saving since he went out into the world. years ago, to fight its battles unaided. Mr. Kamp is a fine business man and is highly respected for his own integrity, his courteous bearing and his uniform kindness. He was one of the organizers and is now a director in the company owning the Shelly Democrat. Ile is still very active in business affairs and in the management of the gas company's affairs in Shelbyville. In politics he is a Democrat and takes an active part in the local ticket.
JOHN BLESSING.
No name has been more familiar in Shelby county for forty years than that of Blessing: it has appeared in connection with the county's most im- portant enterprises, with its banking institutions, its mercantile affairs, its industrial organizations, and every enterprise leading to development and progress. The founder of this family. originally a Virginian, removed to Maryland in early manhood and settled in the historic county of Frederick. He married Mary Ann Kesseling, a native of that county, and by this union there was a son named after his father. John Blessing. His birth occurred March 3. 1828, and when only nine years old he was deprived of his father's protec- tion by death. Thus thrown upon his own resources he was compelled at this tender age to struggle for a livelihood. His boyhood was spent upon a farm and his first work was in doing the chores and other drudgery, which usually fall to the lot of farm boys. In 1847 he sought to better his fortunes by re- moving west, and eventually landed in Montgomery county, Ohio. . In Feb- ruary of the following year he enlisted as a private in Company D. Eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and with his command joined the United States army then engaged in the invasion of Mexico. After a service of six months he was sent to Jefferson Barracks at St. Louis, Missouri, and there given an honorable discharge. Returning to Ohio he engaged in growing toacco. in Montgomery county, but in 1853 we find him in charge of a canal boat plying between Cincinnati and Toledo. In 1857 he embarked in the dis- tilling business at Little York, which occupied his attention until 1863, when he made his final change of location by coming to Indiana. Establishing him- self at Shelbyville. as a distiller, he continued this line for three years and then abandoned it to enter into the hardware business. This he conducted from 1867 to 1869, and during the succeeding year erected a lasting monument to his name by building Blessing's Opera House, for many years the leading place of amusement and convention hall of the city. His interests accumulated with his business success, and during the rest of his life we find Mr. Blessing
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connected actively with much vital concern to Shelbyville. In 1865 he was made a director in the First National Bank, in 1803 he was elected vice-presi dent and was continuously one of the moving spirits of that popular financial institution. He was a leading spirit in the organization of the Shelby County Fair Association and instrumental in placing it on a working basis, which eventually made it one of the most successful of all the state's agricultural ex- positions. For several years he served as president of the company and gave much of his time to its affairs. Another of the useful projects promoted by Mr. Blessing was the laying out of Forest Hill cemetery, of which he served as director and superintendent until his own remains were deposited in one of its vaults, his death having occurred August 6. 1907. at the age of seventy- five years. As president and director of the Gordon Orphans' Home. Mr. Bles- sing used his fine business judgment in making that great charity a success in every particular. Thus for more than forty years he was one of Shelbyville's most useful citizens, and sincere sorrow was felt in all parts of the county at the announcement of his death. Fraternally he was an Odd Fellow for many years, and he was an active Republican.
Mr. Blessing was twice married. first in 1857 to Martha J. Otey, of Mont- gomery county, Ohio, who died in 1875. after becoming the mother of four children, of whom the three survivors are: Emma R .. Jennie and Gertrude. Mr. Blessing's second marriage was to Mary Linville, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, with whom he lived in unmarred happiness during the twenty years before his death. Mrs. Blessing is universally esteemed. and it is often remarked of this good woman that "none know her but to love her. none name her but to praise."
PROF. CHARLES H. STIRLING.
Of high professional attainments and holding worthy prestige among the leading men of his calling in Indiana, the gentleman whose name appears above fills a large place in educational circles and in official capacity has done much to advance the interests of popular instruction in Shelby county, and make the schools under his immediate supervision among the best in the state. Prof. Charles H. Stirling, superintendent of the public schools of Morris- town, is a native of Shelby county and a son of Robert D. and Martha (Thacher ) Stirling, the former born in Canada, the latter in Indiana.
Robert D. Stirling became a citizen of the United States when a young man and later testified his loyalty to his adopted country by four years' mili- tary service during the great rebellion. Enlisting in Company K. of the One Hundredth Indiana Infantry, at the beginning of the war. he took part in a
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number of campaigns and battles including the siege and fall of Vicksburg. the various engagements which led to the reduction of Atlanta, after which he accompanied his command to Columbus, South Carolina, thence to Wash- ington. D. C., where he participated in the Grand Review, which marked the closing of one of the most sanguinary struggles of which history makes rec- ord. In addition to an honorable career in the ranks, he attained the position of topographical engineer, in which capacity he also rendered valuable ser- vice, and added to his reputation as a brave and gallant soldier. Mr. Stirling became a resident of Shelby county in 1854. and it was here he married Mar- tha Thacher, who bore him seven children, of whom four are living, namely : Charles H., of this review : Adah, who married Perry Davidson, of Fullerton. California : Mary, wife of John MeGanghey, of Marion county, Indiana, and Gertrude, now Mrs. . A. J. Smock, of Acton, this state. Those deceased were : Frances, who died in infancy; Maggie, whose death occurred at the age of eighteen, and Bertha, who died when four years old. The mother departed this life in Marion county in the year 1897, the father at Morristown, on the Ioth day of September. 1907.
Charles H. Stirling was born near London. Shelby county. April 16. 1866, and spent his early life in that village and the town of Acton. After completing the public school course and graduating from the Acton high school, he entered the Central Normal College at Danville, where he prose- cuted his studies until finishing the scientific course and receiving. in 1902. the degree of Bachelor of Science, following which he did a year's work in the State Normal School at Terre Haute, and later spent the same length of time at the Indiana State University. Meanwhile, in 1890. he began teaching in the district schools, which he continued during the eight years ensuing, and while thus engaged passed successively through the various grades to that of high school principal, meeting with marked success as an instructor and dis- ciplinarian and earning an honorable place among the leading educators of his part of the state. After a year's service as principal of the Fountaintown schools, he resigned the position in 1903 to accept the superintendency of the schools of Morristown, which responsible place he still worthily holds.
Professor Stirling spared no pains in preparing himself for the noble work in which he is engaged and thus far his career has been eminently cred- itable. As a teacher he is earnest and enthusiastic, clear and explicit in im- parting instruction and thorough in all he undertakes. As a superintendent he possesses executive ability of a high order. Since taking charge at Mor- ristown the standard of the schools has been advanced until they now com- pare favorably with those of any other town in the state.
He is a Republican and an active party worker, but has never aspired to leadership nor sought office, nevertheless he was elected. in 1906. Town Treasurer, the duties of which he still discharges with entire satisfaction to
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the municipality. In addition to his other interests. Professor Stirling owns a half interest in a general store at New Palestine, Hancock county, which does a very successful business, but he does not permit this to interfere with his professional duties.
The domestic chapter in the life of Professor Stirling bears the date of December, 1889, at which time he was married to Maggie Wilson, who was born in February. 1867. in Marion conmy, Indiana. Mrs. Stirling was reared and educated in her native county and is a lady of varied culture. Mr. and Mrs. Stirling are the parents of two children, Robert W .. born March, 1891. and Amy D., whose birth occurred February, 1894. both students of the high school.
Fraternally Professor Stirling is a Mason, belonging to Morristown Lodge. No. 193. and he is also identified with the Pythian Order, holding membership with lodge No. 385. at Acton. Religiously he subscribes to the Methodist Episcopal church, being an active worker in the church at Morris- town and a teacher of the young men's class in the Sunday school. Mrs. Stirling is a Methodist. also, and interested in all the good work under the auspices of the above congregation.
HARRY C. SORDEN.
Proprietor of one of the leading livery barns of Shelbyville, and a husi- ness man of honorable repute is Harry C. Sorden, a native of Shelby county. and a son of M. T. and Clara Sorden, both parents born in the Hoosier state. Isaac Sorden, the subject's grandfather, who was of English descent, came to Shelbyville a number of years ago and here reared his family, among his chil- dren being the above mentioned M. T. Sorden, whose birth occurred on the present site of the subject's place of business. December 26. 1843. Clara Clark, who became the wife of M. T. Sorden, was born in 1853. in Dearborn county, where her father. James Clark. a native of Rhode Island and of Eng- lish lineage, settled many years ago and took an active part in the develop- ment and subsequent history of the community. Mr. Sorden is one of a fan- ily of nine children, four of whom are living, namely: Harry C., Anna .\ .. Maud and Fred.
Harry C. Sorden was born March 10. 1879. in Shelbyville, and received a good education in the graded schools of the city, graduating from the high school with the class of 1897. He later entered Purdue University. where he spent one year. On leaving the above institution he became associated with his father in the livery business, and has since devoted his attention to the same, making the establishment with which he is connected the largest and
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most popular of the kind in the city. Mr. Sorden, since engaging in his pres- ent business. has spared neither pains nor expense to make his establishment worthy of the patronage of the public, the barn being a fine brick structure on Harrison street, sixty feet front by one hundred thirty feet deep, with brick floors and thoroughly equipped with the latest improvements and con- veniences, and fully up-to-date in its every appointment. The building is ad- mirably adapted to the purposes for which intended, having stalls for one hun- dred horses and ample room for all the vehicles required. the structure with its various improvements, equipment and thorough protection from fire, being the largest and most complete of the kind in southern Indiana, and comparing favorably with similar establishments in the more populous centers of the state.
Mr. Sorden keeps a high grade of roadsters, and his vehicles of all kinds are strictly first class, and guaranteed to satisfy the most critical and exacting. The horses receive the best of care and attention from attendants selected with especial reference to their experince and efficiency. each department being complete in its every detail and in charge of men who have devoted many years to the business.
Mr. Sorden, on November 11, 1903, was happily married to Eugenia R .. daughter of F. M. and Eugenia D. (Ray) Cory, of Shelbyville, the father for many years a well known furniture dealer of the city, but now residing in Petoskey, Michigan, where he is engaged in the amusement business. Mr -. Cory's father was Martin M. Ray, a prominent man during the early history of Shelbyville, and later a leading member of the bar. He contributed much to the material growth of the city in the way of improvements, among which is the Ray Hotel, and he was also identified with various other local enter- prises, becoming in due tine one of the county's wealthy and influential citi- zens.
Mr. Sorden's fraternal relations include membership with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and in religion he is a Methodist, his wife being a member of the Presbyterian church.
CAPT. HENRY M. ENDSLEY.
As one of the county's oklest citizens, a U'nion soldier of distinction, an ex-legislator and man of affairs for half a century, Capt. Henry M. Endsley enjoys peculiar claims for consideration. He was born in Wayne county. Indiana, March 27, 1822, his parents being Peter and Polly ( Wright ) Ends- ley. Peter Endsley was a native of Scotland and after growing up saw some military service. After he had married and had three children he came to America, located awhile in South Carolina and then came to Wayne county,
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Indiana. In 1823 he emigrated to Shelby county. entered land in Marion township and farmed it until the death of himself and wife. During the War of 1812 he served as a soldier under Gen. William Henry Harrison. Henry M. Endsley was an infant in arms when his parents removed from Wayne to Shelby county. He grew up on the farm and in 1846, at the breaking out of the Mexican war, he enlisted in Company H. Third Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, as a private, but was later promoted to the rank of first sergeant. He served under Generals Taylor. Wood and Lane, and was at the battle of Buena Vista. Being honorably discharged at New Orleans in 1847 he returned to Shelby county and was engaged in farming until the Civil war. On August 8. 1862. he enlisted in Company F. Seventieth Regi- ment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, a command which he had himself recruited and of which he was elected captain. The regiment was assigned to the de- partment of the Cumberland. and was in every battle from Nashville to At- lanta. At the latter place he was sent back to report to General Sherman. but upon arrival at Nashville reported to General Thomas. He went to Chattanooga with eleven other officers to organize a camp and, upon arriving, he being the ranking officer, he took charge of the provisional division of nine hundred men. Later he was ordered back to Nashville, and took part in the battle at that city in the winter of 1864-65, under the command of Gen- eral Thomas. Captain Endsley received two wounds, both slight, one in the left arm and the other from a spent ball. which grazed the right side of his neck and collar-bone. However, he never left his duties, and did not see the inside of a hospital during his service. Returning to Indianapolis on a leave of absence, Captain Endsley remained in that city for a short time and then went to New York City, where he boarded a vessel bound down the coast and joined Sherman. at Newberry, North Carolina. He accompanied the army on to Washington, took part in the Grand Review, received an honor- able discharge and returned to his Indiana home to face the problems of peace. Until 1852 Captain Endsley affiliated with the Democratic party, was a mem- ber of the "Know-nothings" for two years, but in 1854 he joined the ranks of the young Republican party then beginning to obtain a foot-hold in the northern states. He had the great honor of being a delegate to the first Re- publican National Convention, held at Jackson. Michigan, in 1855. In 1877 he was elected Joint Representative in the Legislature from the counties of Shelby and MMarion. Though the district at that time had a normal Demo- cratic majority of one thousand. Captain Endsley carried it by one thousand eight hundred. Being a strong advocate of temperance at that time. he was appointed chairman of the temperance committee, and made a useful member during the session. Until Jerry O'Dell Post. Grand Army of the Republic. at Fairland became extinct. he acted as its commander. but later became a member of the Dumont Post at Shelbyville, in which he proved one of the
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