USA > Indiana > Courts and lawyers of Indiana, Volume III > Part 36
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OTTO EUGENE GRANT.
Otto Eugene Grant, of Albion, was born in Whitley county, Indiana, November 24, 1876. He is one of two children born to Judson D. and Catherine (Mowrey) Grant. He finished the common and high school of Columbia City, and then entered Indiana University. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1902, and the Bachelor of Laws degree in 1908. He was admitted to the bar in 1903, and practiced at Columbia City until the beginning of 1908. He then took his degree at the law school
LUCIUS C. EMBREE.
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of Indiana University, and located at Albion, where he has since practiced. From 1904 to 1906 he was deputy prosecutor of Whitley county. He has served on the school board, both at Columbia City and at Albion and has served as county attorney of Noble county for the past seven years. The present law firm of Grant & Foote was established in January, 1910. He is a member of the Noble County Bar Association, a Methodist, and a Mason. He married Maude Widup, and they have two children, Mary C. and Otto E.
SAMUEL P. OYLER.
Samuel P. Oyler was born at Hawkhurst, Sussex county, England, August 26, 1819. He went to Rochester, New York, in 1834, and in 1840 moved to Tippecanoe county, Indiana. While farming he studied theology and preached for the Universalist church for eight years. In 1850 he moved to Franklin and entered the law office of Gilderoy Hicks. He was admitted to the bar the following year and in 1852 and 1854 was elected prosecuting attorney in his district. During the war Oyler served as captain, major and lieutenant-colonel. After his return he was twice elected to the state Senate by the Republicans. In 1868 he was appointed Judge of the Sixteenth judicial circuit and served until 1871. In 1892 he was elected mayor of Franklin. He died at Franklin. September 6, 1898.
BENTON J. BLOOM.
Benton J. Bloom, of Columbia City, was born on a farm in Whitley county, Indiana, October 29, 1879. He is one of eight children born to William and Elizabeth (Diday) Bloom. He was educated in the common schools of Whitley county and Indiana University. He was graduated from the latter in 1907. In 1908 he was admitted to the bar and opened an office in Columbia City. He was mayor of that city from 1910 to 1914. and has been county attorney since 1915. He is a member of the Masonic order, an Elk, a Phi Delta Phi, and is a Democratic in politics. He mar- ried Marie A. Meyers, of Whitley county, and they are the parents of one child, Benton W. The family home is at 209 East Jackson.
GEORGE H. KOONS.
George H. Koons, of Muncie, was born on a farm in Blue River town- ship, Henry county, Indiana, April 2, 1848. He is the eldest of seven children born to Peter and Catharine (Rinard) Koons. He spent his boy- hood on the farm receiving an elementary education in the neighborhood schools. His later education was in New Castle Academy and Indiana University, graduating from the law department in 1871. He was a mem- ber of the Phi Kappa Phi fraternity. For a time he was superintendent of schools at Middletown. He read law in the office of Brown & Polk, of New Castle, and also with Jehu T. Elliott and began practice at Middle- town. In 1874 he moved to Muncie where he has since practiced. In 1892,
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he was elected judge. Judge Koons was always uncompromisingly for cleanness in politics. He never accepted passes from railroad companies, and was against anything that savored of political dishonesty. Since 1898, he has continued the practice. He is a member of the Delaware County, the Indiana State Bar Association, and of the American Bar Association; a Unitarian and a Progressive, and was a candidate on the Progressive ticket for Appellate judge in 1914.
On September 6, 1871, George H. Koons married Josinah V. Hickman. They had four children: Mary Maud (deceased) ; Clarissa K., Rebecca E. and George Hickman, associated with his father in the practice of law, the firm name being Koons & Koons. Mrs. Koons was a woman of ster- ling character, cultured and refined, a most exemplary and devoted wife and mother, and possessed marked literary ability. Her poems enrich the literature of Indiana. She died on November 27, 1913.
MARTIN H. SPANGLER.
Martin H. Spangler, of Albion, was born on a farm in Ohio, Decem- ยท ber 29, 1878. He is one of twelve children born to Levi F. and Iva A. (Smith) Spangler. He received his education in the common and high schools of Deshler, Ohio, and also attended a Lutheran college and Val- paraiso University. He graduated from the scientific and law courses of the latter institution in 1907. The same year he was admitted to the bar and opened an office in' Albion, Indiana. He served two terms as prose- cutor of the Thirty-third judicial district, from 1911 to 1915. He was city attorney of Albion for six years and pauper attorney from 1909 to 1910. The present partnership with Virgil Nobles was formed in 1912. He is a member of the Odd Fellows and the Encampment, and is a blue lodge Mason; a member of the Noble County Bar Association; secretary of the Democratic central committee of Noble county.
ALFRED W. REYNOLDS.
Alfred W. Reynolds was born in Perry county, Ohio, September 16, 1839. He left home and settled at Monticello, Indiana. He attended Wabash (Indiana) and Monmouth (Illinois) Colleges and studied law with Senator David Turpie at Monticello, Indiana. In 18SS he was elected Judge of the Thirty-ninth judicial circuit, composed of White and Carroll counties, and served one term.
JAMES T. JOHNSTON.
James T. Johnston was born near Cloverdale, Indiana, January 19, 1839. He was planning to enter Asbury University, but his father was killed in an accident and, as the oldest of eight children, he went to work on the farm. He read law at home and in 1860 entered politics. While serving in the county treasurer's office he attended the law school at Asbury University. From 1862 to 1865 he served in the Civil War. He then resumed his legal studies, read with Williamson & Daggy, of Green-
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castle, Indiana, and was admitted to the bar the following year. He moved to Rockville, Indiana, and practiced with Thomas N. Rice. In 1866 Johnston was elected prosecuting attorney for Parke, Vigo and Sullivan counties; in 1868, representative from Parke county, and in 1874 senator from Parke and Vermillion counties. He was elected to Congress in 1884 from the Eighth district and was re-elected in 1886.
JOSIAH FARRAR.
Josiah Farrar was born in Jefferson county, New York, September 25, 1826. He came to Peru, Indiana, in 1846, where he taught school and helped clear a farm. In 1849-1850 he returned to New York and read law with Lee & Farrar at Rochester. In 1851 he entered the office of H. J. Shirk, of Peru. He served as captain and colonel in the Ninety-ninth Indiana Regiment in the Civil War.
WILLARD NEW.
Willard New, of Indianapolis, was born at Vernon, Indiana, December 4, 1862, the son of Jeptha Dudley and Sallie (Butler) New. Jeptha Dud- ley New was born in Vernon, Jennings county, Indiana, November 28, 1830. He was descended from Revolutionary stock, his grandfather, Jethro New, having served in the War of Independence. Jeptha D. New was born at Vernon, Indiana, a son of Hickman and Smyra New, Novem- ber 28, 1830. He was educated at Vernon and Bethany College, West Vir- ginia. He studied law in the office of Horatio C. Newcom, of Indianapolis, and Lucius Bingham, of Vernon, Indiana. He first practiced law in part- nership with Thomas W. Woolen, at Franklin, Indiana, returning to Ver- non in the spring of 1857, where he practiced law until he was elected prosecuting attorney in 1862, serving as such until the fall of 1864 when he was elected common pleas judge, and served one term of four years. He was elected to Congress in 1872, 1874 and 1878. He took high rank in Congress and served on many of the most important committees. After the presidential election of 1876 he was one of the committee sent by Congress to Louisiana to investigate the election there. He acted as chair- man of that committee and not only prepared the report but was chosen to present and support the same on the floor of Congress. He was elected circuit judge and served one term when he was appointed to the Appellate bench in 1891. In June, 1892, he was nominated by the Democratic state convention as a candidate for Supreme judge, but died on July 11, 1892, prior to the election. He was a man of good habits, fine ability and un- tiring energy. He was married to Sallie Butler on April 5, 1857, with whom he happily lived until his death.
After attending school at Vernon, Willard New entered Indlana Uni- versity at Bloomington, Indiana. After leaving college he studied law in his father's office. In 1883 he was admitted to the bar. continuing in active practice until the death of his father, July 9, 1892, when he was appointed by Governor Chase to serve out the unexpired term of his
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father as judge of the Appellate court. He was elected Circuit judge of the Sixth judicial circuit on November 7, 1894, serving two terms of six years each. Afterward he and his brother, Burt New, practiced law together at North Vernon until April, 1911, when he moved to Indianapolis, and formed a partnership with Bernard Korbly, with offices in the Indiana Trust Building.
In November, 1911, Judge New was married to Laura Steffens, of Indianapolis. He is a member of both the Indiana State and Indianapolis Bar Associations.
MAHLON E. BASH.
Mahlon Earl Bash, Judge of the Probate court of Marion county, was born in this county on October 14, 1880. His parents were William E. and Nancy Jane (Emery) Bash, to whom were born three children. The father is engaged in the real estate business. Mahlon E. Bash was educated in the public schools of Indianapolis, and when he had finished his high school course, he entered Indiana University, from which he graduated in 1905 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. After graduation, he began the practice of his profession at Indianapolis, where he enjoyed a good clientage up to November 3, 1914. At that time he was elected Probate Judge of Marion county, and still holds that position. Judge Bash mar- ried Oneida Kingen, of Indianapolis, and they have their home in Irvington. Mr. Bash is a thirty-second-degree Mason, a Shriner, a member of the Indianapolis and Indiana State Bar Associations, and of the Methodist Episcopal church.
BENTON ELI GATES.
Benton Eli Gates, of Columbia City, was born in Hancock county, Ohio, December 1, 1863. He is one of four children born to John T. and Sarah J. (Eckert) Gates, natives of Ohio. He remained in Ohio until his parents came to Whitley county, Indiana, in 1872. He had the ad- vantage of the district schools and of the Columbia City schools. His higher education was received at Findlay, Ohio, and at Methodist College, Fort Wayne, Indiana. At the age of eighteen he began teaching, which vocation he followed until 1885, when he entered the law office of Haymond & Royse, of Warsaw, Indiana. He was admitted to the bar in June, 1888. The following April he formed a partnership with John C. Wigent, which lasted until 1894. In 1895 he became associated with Judge James S. Collins, with whom he practiced until the death of Judge Collins, in 1898. In January, 1904, the present firm of Gates & Whiteleather was formed. Mr. Gates served as deputy prosecutor from 1890 to 1892. He was county attorney for eight years. He is president of the Farmers' Loan and Trust Company and Lawill bank, is connected with other local banks, and is a Republican. He was chairman of the Republican central committee for eight years.
Mr. Gates was elected as a delegate to the Republican national con-
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vention in 1916, to represent the Twelfth district of Indiana at said con- vention. On April 18, 18SS, Mr. Gates was married to Alice C. Fesler, a daughter of a Methodist minister. They are the parents of four children, John Elmer, Ralph Fesler, George Scott and Benton Earl.
WILLIAM WALTER ORR.
William Walter Orr, a veteran member of the bar of the Delaware Circuit court and for many years an active practitioner at Muncie, a vet- eran of the Civil War and former county attorney of Delaware county, Is a native of Indiana, born in the county in which he has always made his home, October 18, 1846, son of Col. Samuel and Jane E. (Moore) Orr, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Greene county, Ohio. Col. Samuel Orr was commander of the Eighty-fourth Regiment, Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, during the Civil War. William W. Orr attended the district schools of Liberty township, Delaware county, and when sixteen years old, in 1864, enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Indiana and served until the close of the war. Upon the completion of his mill- tary service he took up the study of law in the office of Judge Walter March at Muncie and was admitted to the bar in 1872, and entered upon the practice of his profession in Muncie. For years he was the junior member of the firm of Mellette & Orr, but since 1904 has had as a partner his son, Harry H. Orr, the firm practicing under the name of Orr & Orr. Mr. Orr is a Republican and for some time served as county attorney of Delaware county. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. On May 27, 1875, Mr. Orr married Mary L. Helm, of Muncie, and he and his wife have three children living, Harry H., Mrs. Margaret Burt and Charles W.
ALBERT D. THOMAS.
Albert D. Thomas was born at Williamsport, Warren county, Indiana, January 17, 1841. He worked on the farm graduated from Wabash Col- lege in 1864 and received his law degree at the University of Michigan in 1866. In the following year he located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, to begin the practice of law. In 1872 he was elected Judge of the court of Common Pleas and in 1873, Judge of the Twenty-second judicial circuit.
HARRY HELM ORR.
Harry Helm Orr, junior member of the law firm of Orr & Orr, asso- ciated with his father, a veteran lawyer of that city, in the practice of law at Muncie since 1904, is a native of Indiana, born at Muncie on De- cember 14, 1881, son of William W. and Mary L. (Helm) Orr and grand- son of Col. Samuel Orr, of the Eighty-fourth Indiana. Upon completing the course in the Muncie public schools he entered Indiana University in January, 1899, and was graduated from that institution in 1903. with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then studied law at Indiana University
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and at the Indiana Law School at Indianapolis and received his degree of Bachelor of Laws from the latter institution in 1904, in which year he became a partner of his father in the practice of law at Muncie and has since been thus engaged. Mr. Orr is counsel for the Western Reserve Life Insurance Company of Muncie and for the Mid-West Mortgage and Bond Company. He is a member of the Delaware County Bar Association; is a Mason and is affiliated with the Phi Gamma Delta and the Phi Delta Phi fraternities. He is a member of the Delaware Country Club and he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. In 1906 Mr. Orr mar- ried Harrye Branham, of Evansville, and to this union two children have been born.
JOHN W. SCHINDLER.
John W. Schindler was born at Mishawaka, Indiana. November 7, 1SS4, one of three children born to his parents, John J. and Christine ( Fierstos) Schindler, the former an insurance agent, and he has lived there all his life. Upon completing the course in the parochial school he entered Canisius College, Buffalo, New York. He then entered Notre Dame Uni- versity and was graduated from the law department, with the degree of Doctor of Laws, in 1909. He was at once admitted to the bar and began practice in his home town, where he ever since has been located. From January, 1911, up to and including April, 1915, he served as deputy prose- cuting attorney, under Prosecutor Montgomery. He is a Democrat and is a member of the Knights of Columbus and of the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks. He is largely interested, in association with his brother, A. J. Schindler, in the real-estate and loan business at Mishawaka. Mr. and Mrs. Schindler, the latter of whom, before her marriage, was Ola Buchheit, daughter of Jacob Buchheit, of Mishawaka, are members of the Catholic church. They have two children, Mary C. and Louise.
JOHN G. REIDELBACH.
Hon. John G. Reidelbach, senior member of the law firm of Reidelbach Brothers at Winamac and state senator from the counties of Pulaski and Starke, is a native of Ohio, born at Tiffin, August 19, 1872, son of Donat and Barbara (Reitger) Reidelbach, the former a native of Germany, who were the parents of seven children, all of whom are still living. He sup- plemented his high school education by a course in the Valparaiso Univer- sity and the Indiana State Normal School and for fifteen years thereafter was engaged in teaching school in Pulaski county. In the meantime he began studying law in the office of H. A. Steis at Winamac and in 1904 was admitted to the bar, since which time he has been practicing his profes- sion at Winamac, having been associated in partnership with his younger brother, Louis A. Reidelbach, in practice since 1909. For four years John G. Reidelbach served as deputy prosecuting attorney for the judicial cir- cuit comprised in the counties of Pulaski and Starke and in 1914 was elected state senator from that senatorial district on the Democratic ticket.
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Senator Reidelbach is a member of the Pulaski County Bar Association, a member of the Knights of Columbus, of the Modern Woodmen of America, of the Improved Order of Red Men and he and his family are members of the Catholic church. He married Anna Higgins, daughter of John Higgins, and to this union four children have been born.
Louis A. Reidelbach, junior member of the firm of Reidelbach Broth- ers, was graduated from Valparaiso and was admitted to the bar in No- vember, 1908. In January, 1909, he formed a partnership for the practice of the law with his brother, the Hon. John G. Reidelbach, and has since then been thus engaged at Winamac. In 1906 Louis A. Reidelbach was united in marriage to Mary A. Fitzgerald. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church.
FRANKLIN A. EMRICK.
Franklin A. Emerick, of Fort Wayne, was born on a farm in Allen county, Indiana, January 30, 1873. He is one of the nine children born to John P. and Catherine (McFillen) Emrick, farmers of Allen county. He received his elementary education in the public schools of his home and then entered the University of Michigan, from which he graduated. He was admitted to the bar in 1899 and at once joined his brother, Emmett V. Emrick, in the law office at Fort Wayne. He has since been in active practice. He served as deraty prosecutor under his brother for four years, and in 1912 he was elected prosecutor .. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a Knight Templar, a Shriner, an Elk, an Eagle, a Moose, an Odd Fellow and a Democrat in politics. He married Mary E. Hile, and they are the parents of two children, Franklin A. and Mary Catherine. The family are Methodists, and have their home on Lawton avenue. Fort Wayne, Indiana.
FRANCIS M. TRISSAL.
Francis M. Trissal, of the firm of Darrow, Rowley & Trissal, Laporte, Indiana, was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, September 30, 1847, son of Joseph and Phoebe (McGriff) Trissal, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. Joseph Trissal was a pioneer school teacher of this state, coming to Indiana about 1850. Francis M. Trissal was educated in the common`schools of Indiana and under the tutorship of his father. His first legal training came from four years' service as deputy county clerk of Hamilton and Howard counties, Indiana. He then read law in the office of Gen. David Moss, at Noblesville, Indiana, with whom he was associated for seven years, two years as a student and five years as his partner. In 1873 he was appointed prosecuting attorney of Hamilton and Madison counties by Gov. Thomas A. Hendricks. In 1SS8 he located at St Paul, Minnesota, where he was engaged in practice for three years In 1891 he moved to Chicago, where he began practice, but soon afterward In that same year he was admitted to the Illinois bar and in 1913 was ad- mitted to practice in the Supreme court of the state of Indiana. In 1913
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gave up general practice to become the general counsel for the Southern Indiana Railroad, Southern Missouri Railroad, Illinois Southern Railroad, Bedford Quarries Company, and other large industrial properties of the late John R. Walsh. He was thus engaged for a period of twelve years, handling all important litigation affecting these varied enterprises. Re- signing as general counsel of Mr Walsh's interests, he did not result active practice again until May 1, 1916, when he formed his present professional connection as a member of the firm of Darrow, Rowley & Trissal, of La- porte. Mr. Trissal was married October 7, 1869, at Noblesville, Indiana, to Harriet D. Ross, daughter of Joseph W. Ross, of Noblesville. One son, Julius Ross Trissal, of Chicago, is chief clerk for the superintendent of the Adams Express Company, of that city. Fraternally, Mr. Trissal is a member of Noblesville Lodge No. 57, Free and Accepted Masons, his mem- bership dating from 1869. Politically, he is a Democrat. He still maintains his residence in Chicago, where he has resided for twenty-five years.
JAMES A. COLLINS.
James A. Collins, Judge of the Criminal court of Marion county, was born at Arlington, Massachusetts, October 12, 1870, and is a son of Joseph and Jane (Le Velle) Collins. He attended the public schools and the Washington Grammar School of Cambridge, but his schooling was inter- rupted by the death of his father. In 1895, he came to Indianapolis and entered the law office of Griffith & Potts, being admitted to the bar the same year. He graduated from the Indianapolis Law School in 1904, and then practiced as a member of the firm of Averill & Collins until 1909, when he was elected Police Judge of Indianapolis. In 1914 he was elected Judge of the Criminal court of Marion county, in which position he is still serving. He was secretary of the Indianapolis Bar Association. He is a thirty-second-degree Mason, a Shriner, a member of the Episcopal church, and a Republican in politics. In 1895 he married Lillie T. Knapp, of Lyons, New York, and the two children, John, a student at Purdne Univer- sity, and a daughter, a graduate of the Technical high school of Indian- apolis. --
ROBERT E. THOMPSON.
Robert E. Thompson, junior member of the law firm of Horner & Thompson, at Winamac, is a native of Indiana, born at Versailles, Febru- ary 2, 1884, son of Judge Francis M. and Malinda M. (Harper) Thompson, who were the parents of five children. Judge Francis M. Thompson, who retired from the bench of the Sixth judicial circuit, comprising the counties of Jennings, Ripley and Scott, in 1912, was an aspirant for Appellate bench honors in 1916. Upon completing the course in the Versailles high school, Robert E. Thompson entered Indiana University, from which he was graduated in 1906. In that same year he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of his profession, later taking a post-graduate course at the University of Michigan, from which he was graduated in
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1909. He thereafter was engaged for some time in the practice of law at Gary, Indiana, moving thence to Winamac, where on July 12, 1912, he formed a partnership with Ralph E. Horner, under the firm name of Hor- ner & Thompson, which continues. Mr. Thompson is a member of the Pulaski County Bar Association, a Mason, an Elk and a Republican and he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Thompson married Orthena E. Meyer and to that union two children have been born, Robert M. and William R.
GEORGE WASHINGTON CROMER.
George W. Cromer, of Muncie, was born on a farm in Madison county, May 13, 1856. He is a son of Josiah and Mary (Shultz) Cromer, the former a native of Maryland, the latter of Indiana. He received his early education in Salem township, where his parents settled on a farm. He later attended Wittenburg College, Springfield, Ohio, and in 1882 graduated from Indiana University. For a few years he edited the Muncie Times. In 1886 he began the practice of law and was elected prosecutor (1886) of the Forty-sixth circuit. In 1888 he was re-elected. In 1892, he was chairman of the Republican county committee and district committeeman. In 1894, he was elected mayor of Muncie; in 1898 he was elected to Con- gress and re-elected in 1900, 1902 and 1904. In 1907 he again took up the practice of law at Muncie, Indiana.
THOMAS F. DAVIDSON.
Thomas F. Davidson was born in Covington, Indiana, February 17, 1839. He learned the milling trade and also farmed, but in the evenings read law books borrowed of Lew Wallace. When he started to practice he used part of the office of Recorder S. F. Miller. Gradually he acquired a practice and in 1870 was elected Judge of the circuit of Warren, Foun- tain, Montgomery, Boone and Clinton counties, and was re-elected in 1876. In 1882 he resumed the practice of law in Covington and became associated with H. C. Yount and later with J. E. Baker. He removed to Crawfords- ville in 1886 and practiced with F. M. Dice and later with Jere West. He died on May 19, 1892.
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