USA > Indiana > Lake County > Encyclopedia of genealogy and biography of Lake County, Indiana, with a compendium of history 1834-1904 > Part 25
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Dr. Spear was born in Cobourg, Ontario, Canada, January 23, 1868, and is of Scotch lineage. His paternal grandfather. Thomas Spear, was a native of Scotland and thence emigrated to Canada, where he followed the carpenter's trade. He was twice married and by the first union had one son. William, who reached mature years, while the three other children died in their teens. For his second wife he chose Miss McComb, and they had one daughter who died in childhood. William Spear, a native of Ontario, Canada, learned and followed the wagon-builder's trade in early manhood and after- ward turned his attention to farming. He, too, was twice married, first wedding Miss Sarah Davidson, by whom he had four children, of whom three are now living, namely: Thomas, of Cobourg, Canada: William K., also of Cobourg; and David, of Pipestone, Manitoba. Their daughter, Elizabeth, is deceased. After the death of his first wife William Spear married Miss Margaret Brown, also a native of Ontario, and they became the parents of nine children, three sons and six daughters, of whom eight are now living, as follows: Jamies. of Cobourg: Annie, also of Cobourg; Agnes, of Virden, Manitoba: Dr. Robert Spear; Andrew, of Cobourg : Margaret, of Rochester, New York; Christina, of Cobourg; a:id Isabell, of Wilton, North Dakota. Jennie died at the age of twenty-one years. The father of this family passed away at Cobourg. Canada, in 1901, at the age of seventy-five years, and is still survived by his widow, who is a devoted Chris- tian woman, holding membership in the Presbyterian church, to which her husband also belonged. She was a daughter of Robert Brown, a native of Scotland, who crossing the Atlantic took up his abode in Canada, where he followed the occupation of farming. He married a Miss Miller, and they
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reared a large family of nine children. His death occurred when he was about eighty years of age.
Dr. Robert Spear spent his boyhood days in the usual manner of farmer lads, remaining under the parental roof near Cobourg. In the summer months he assisted in the work of the fields and in the winter seasons attended the district school. Later he continued his education in the collegiate insti- tute at Cobourg, and subsequently entered Queen's University at Kingston. In order to prepare for the practice of medicine he became a student in the Trinity Medical College, of Toronto, from which institution he was grad- uated with the class of 1897. He then began practice in East Chicago. estab- lishing his home in this city on the Ist of May of that year. Here he has remained continuously since, and his skill and ability are indicated by the patronage which is accorded him. He has always been a close and earnest student of his profession and his efforts are beneficially put forth for the alleviation of human suffering.
On the 6th of October. 1897. Dr. Spear was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Cook, a daughter of John and Martha ( Sykes) Cook. Two children have been born of this union, Wilfred Garnet and Helen Gladys. Dr. and Mrs. Spear are Presbyterians in their religious faith, and in politics he is somewhat independent. In May, 1904. he was elected to represent the First ward in the City Council of the city of East Chicago. His professional con- nection is with the Lake County Medical Society, the Kankakee Valley Medical Society, the Indiana State Medical Association and the American Medical Association. He resides at No. 4530 Forsyth street, where he erected a good home in 1901.
GEORGE M. EDER.
George MI. Eder, cigar manufacturer at 205 South Hohman street, Ham- mond, has been a successful business man in Lake county for a number of years, having learned his trade when a boy and having begun the manu- facture of cigars in Crown Point about thirty years ago. There is a large and steady demand for all the goods that he can produce, and his output has gained him quite a reputation. Before coming to Hammond he held a number of important local offices, and his public-spirited interest in general affairs and his loyalty to home. city and state mark him out as a representative
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citizen as lie is also a man of highest integrity and sterling personal worth.
Mr. Eder was born in Landau, Bavaria, Germany. April 22, 1855. His paternal grandfather, Martin Eder, was a farmer and died in Germany when an old man. By his wife. Mary Eder, he had seven sons and one daughter. Mr. Eder's maternal grandfather died in Germany during middle life, and his wife. Theressa Huber, lived to the great age of ninety-six years, they having been the parents of only one child. the mother of Mr. Eder.
Mr. Eder's parents were John B. and Theressa ( Huber) Eder, both natives of Germany. His father was a laborer in the fatherland, and later served for twelve years in the Bavarian army. He came to America in 1855. locating in Chicago, where he followed various pursuits. He was burned out at the Chicago fire in 1871, and in 1873 moved to Crown Point. Indiana, where he died February 3. 1877, aged sixty-nine years. His wife survived him and died at the age of eighty-two. They were both Catholics. There were three sons and one daughter in their family, and the two now living are Joseph, of Crown Point, and George M .. of Hammond.
Mr. George M. Eder was in infancy when his parents crossed the ocean to America. He was reared in Chicago, where he attended the public and parochial schools and learned the cigarmaker's trade, and lived there until 1873, when he accompanied the rest of the family to Crown Point. He engaged in the manufacture of cigars at the county seat until his election. in 1890, to the office of county clerk, which position he occupied for two terms, or eight years. In May, 1903. he moved to Hammond and resumed the manufacture of cigars. He owns his nice home at 205 South Hohman street, where is also located his factory. Mr. Eder is a stockholder in the Commercial Bank of Crown Point. and for five years was vice-president of the bank.
Alr. Eder was town clerk and treasurer of Crown Point for six years. and was twice elected township trustee. resigning that office after three years in order to accept the county clerkship. He has fraternal affiliations with the Catholic Order of Foresters and the Independent Order of Foresters. He and his wife are members of the Catholic church.
September 24. 1878. Mr. Eder married Miss Frances M. Scherer. a daughter of Peter and Catherine (Young) Scherer. There are seven chil- dren of this union, George J., Edward J., Clarence M .. Louis G .. Rose M ..
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Daniel and Florence. George J. is in the employ of the American Express Company: Edward J. is a lawyer in Hammond: Clarence M. clerks in a grocery store in East Chicago: Louis G. is attending college in Chicago; and the other three are in the public schools of Hammond.
CLARENCE C. SMITH.
Clarence C. Smith is a member of the firm of Smith & Clapper Brothers, liverymen at East Chicago, Indiana, and was born in Mason, Michigan, on the 5th of October, 1863. His paternal grandfather was a native of New York and was a farmer by occupation, but aside from that little is known concerning the ancestry of the house in the paternal line. Gideon Smith, the father of C. C. Smith, was born in the Empire state and became a boot and shoe maker. He followed that occupation in the east for a time and then abandoned it and removed to the middle west, locating in Michigan about 1862. He took up his abode at Mason, that state, where he remained until 1864. when he came to Lake county. Indiana, and settled one mile west of Deep River postoffice, where he purchased what was known as the Ed Chase farm There he carried on agricultural pursuits and also worked at his trade to some extent. He lived a life of untiring activity and industry, and whatever success he achieved was due solely to his own labors. He married Mrs. Anna L. Hanna, nec Marble, who was the widow of Thomas Hanna and a daughter of Simeon Marble, who was born in Vermont, which was also her birthplace. Mr. Marble followed the occupation of farming in New England and on emigrating westward about 1858 he located a mile and a half west of Deep River postoffice. where he purchased what was known as the Booth farm. There he carried on the work of tilling the soil throughout his remaining days, and his death occurred when he was seventy- five years of age. He was married five times, his first union being with a Miss Imes. He had but three children, all born by his first wife: Ann L .. who became Mrs. Smith: Horace Marble, who is living at Crown Point and Wheatfield, Indiana ; and one that has now departed this life. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gideon Smith were members of the Methodist church and lived earnest, consistent Christian lives. Her death occurred in Hobart. Indiana. about 1880. when she was thirty-nine years of age, and Mr. Gideon Smith passed away in December. 1902. in East Chicago, at the age of eighty-two
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years. Mr. and Mrs. Gideon Smith were the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters, of whom five are now living: Eva, the wife of Henry Hanson, of Chicago; Clarence C., who is living in East Chicago; Flora, the wife of George Green, also of East Chicago: Simeon, who makes his home in Hammond, Indiana: and Alice, the wife of S. G. Carley, of Hammond.
Clarence C. Smith was reared in the usual manner of farmer lads, partly spending his boyhood days on the old homestead place west of Deep River. As soon as old enough to handle the plow he took his place in the fields and assisted in their cultivation from the time of carly spring planting until crops were harvested in the late autumn. His education was acquired in the district schools, which he attended mostly through the winter months. When he was quite young his parents removed to Jasper county, where he remained until he was nine years of age, when he returned to Lake county and lived with his grandfather until he started out upon an independent business career. He was first employed as a farm-hand by the month and continued thus to serve until twenty-one years of age. At that time he took up the study of telegraphy, and in 1885 entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, working as telegraph operator until 1888. In that year he came to East Chicago as assistant station agent. and in March, 1889. he was appointed agent at Hammond, Indiana. On the 27th of January, 1891. he was appointed agent at East Chicago and served in that capacity until the 29th of December, 1903, when he resigned in order to engage in business for himself. He then joined the Clapper Brothers in forming the present firm of Smith & Clapper Brothers, liverymen, of East Chicago. They have a well equipped barn and do a good business, which is constantly increasing. Mr. Smith is also agent for the East Chicago Company. a real estate firm which is developing one of the good sections of the city, and he also owns three valuable properties there. his home being located at 4414 Magoun avenue. In March, 1904, Mr. Smith was appointed agent for the United States Express Company at East Chicago.
On the 21st of May, 1893. Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Maude Holmes, a daughter of Milton D. and Helen (Turner) Holmes. Four children have been born of this union : Leonard C. (deceased ). Beulah. Irene and Rolland. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith hold membership in the Con-
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gregational church and take an active part in its work and contribute liber- ally to its support. He is now serving as a member of the board of church trustees. He is also deeply interested in the cause of education and is serving his second term as treasurer of the city school board. Politically he is a Republican, and is a progressive and public-spirited man and takes an active and helpful interest in every movement that he believes will contribute to the general progress and improvement.
CHARLES C. BOTHWELL.
Charles C. Bothwell, stock farmer, buyer and shipper. of Section 5. Ross township, has spent his life of successful effort in Lake county, and is numbered among the highly esteemed and prosperous citizens of the county. He has given the best in him to his life work, which occounts for the results he has gained, but he has also performed his share of public duties and responsibilities as a friend and neighbor and a citizen of the community.
Mr. Bothwell was born in Ross township. Lake county, June 11, 1852, being a son of John A. and Nancy (Dutton ) Bothwell. the former a native of Vermont and the latter of New York. His father came to Lake county in 1839. thus being one of the earliest settlers, and located first in St. John's township, later in Ross township, and for about five years lived in Porter county, after which he returned to Lake county and lived here till his death, at the advanced and venerable age of eighty-three years. He followed farm- ing all his life. He and his wife are both buried in Ross township. They were the parents of eight children, of whom Charles was the third.
Mr. C. C. Bothwell was reared in Ross township with the exception of the five years spent in Porter county, and he finished the education begun in the common schools at the Crown Point high school. As soon as his school days were ended he engaged in farming and the buying and shipping of cattle, which he has made the chief lines of his pursuit ever since. He has a farm of two hundred and eighty-three acres with excellent improvements. and besides the large crops of hay and grain. he keeps and feeds a large number of cattle and hogs. He also carries on a considerable dairy business.
Mr. Bothwell is one of the influential Republicans of his township. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was married, October 26. 1884, to Miss Anettie Stone, who was born in Elkhart. Indiana. Sep-
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tember 16, 1857. They have had five children: Cora; Walter; Charles Benjamin; Lillie May; and Lottic, who died in infancy. Mrs. Bothwell was reared and educated in Elkhart, Indiana, and she was educated in the common schools and then a course in the Elkhart high school, after which she obtained her teacher's certificate, having attended the Valparaiso Normal and taken the teachers' course. She taught five terms in Lake and Porter counties. Her father was a native of Vermont and was reared as an agriculturist. He was well educated. He was a Republican in politics. He died at the age of seventy-five years in Elkhart. Mother Stone was reared in Vermont and she died in Elkhart county, aged about forty years. There are four of the Stone family yet living : Benjamin Stone, a resident of Elkhart county; Amanda, widow of Richard Berritt, of Hartline, Wash- ington ; Hubert Stone, a resident of Elkhart; and Mrs. Bothwell. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Bothwell have received good educational training. Cora received her diploma in the class of 1903, and she was a student at the Valparaiso Normal School. She has taken music and also elocution. Walter is in the fourth grade, Benjamin is in the eighth grade of the public schools. He is a gifted penman and he is taking up the art of photography. He also takes music. Lillie May is in the sixth grade, and has taken music.
JACOB RIMBACH.
Jacob Rimbach, a prominent retired citizen of Hammond residing at 78 West Sibley street, has been a resident in the vicinity of Hammond for a longer period perhaps than any other present inhabitant of the city. In fact, when he first came here, a half century ago, no town was here, and the name and the town did not come into existence until nearly a quarter of a century later. He has lived a lite of industry. good business management and foresight, and high and noble integrity, and is esteemed at the present not only because lie is one of the largest property owners of the city, but also because of his own personal worth and character and for the part he has played in advancing the progress and welfare of his adopted city. What he has accumulated in the way of worldly wealth has been done so by diligence and sagacity in investment, and he deserves the credit of having achieved his own success and of being a self-made man.
Mr. Rimbach was born in the province of Eisenach, Germany, December
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Jacob Rimbach
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3, 1832. being one of two sons and the only one now living born to Christopher and Elizabeth ( Hassar) Rimbach. His mother's father lived and died in Germany, and his history is lost in consequence of his having died when his children were small. Christopher Rimbach's parents were Jacob and Chris- tina Rimbach, both of whom died in Germany, and they had one son and two daughters. Christopher Rimbach was a shoemaker by trade, and died in Germany about 1835. His wife survived him till 1893, and was about seventy-two years old at the time of her death. They were Lutherans. She was married a second time. her husband being Frederick Schroeder, and their two daughters are now both deceased.
Mr. Jacob Rimbach was reared in the land of his forefathers, receiving a common school education. He had a farm training, and knew the value of honest endeavor long before he came to this country. In 1854 he accom- panied his mother to America and settled on the present site of Hammond, before the town had been started. He and his brother Frederick began work on the Michigan Central Railroad, which road had been built through the county only three years before. Two years later he was made foreman of a section, and continued in the employ of that company for twenty-four years, filling the position of foreman for twenty-two. After leaving the service of the railroad he started the M. M. Towle lumber yard in Hammond, being its manager for two years. He owned ten acres of land within the present confines of Hammond, and when he quit the lumber business he devoted his time to flower gardening. He divided his land into town lots and gradually sold them off. and also built a number of cottages on them. He now owns, in addition to his good home at 78 West Sibley street, a block of business buildings, including the Lion Store building, and also about fifteen tenant cottages. He is now living retired in the main, being occupied only by the oversight of his extensive property interests.
In 1858 Mr. Rimbach married Miss Mary Hillman, and they have four daughters : Emma, who married Morris Champaign, and has two daughters, May and Emma ; Henrietta, who married Fred Champaign, and has two children, Myrtle and Fred; Francisca, who married Frank Hanson, and has two children. Jacob and May; and Louise, who wedded Otto Marback, and has a daughter, Anna. Mrs. Rimbach's parents, August and Christina (Feidel) Hillman, were natives of Germany and came to America in Decem-
18
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ber, 1854, settling at New Buffalo. Michigan. Her father followed various occupations. He died in Chicago in January, 1898, at the age of eighty-four years. followed in death a week later by his wife, at the age of eighty-one. They were both Lutherans in religion. They were the parents of four chil- dren : Mrs. Mary Rimbach ; Caroline, deceased, who was the wife of Andrew Burman; Sophia, the wife of Adolph Foin, of Los Angeles, California; and August, of Hammond.
Mr. and Mrs. Rimbach are members of the Lutheran church. At the time of the Civil war he paid fourteen hundred dollars for a substitute in the army. He is a stanch Republican in politics, and is a member of the county council.
HENRY SCHRAGE.
Honored and respected by all, there is no resident of Whiting who occu- pies a more enviable position in public regard than does Henry Schrage. the president of the Whiting Bank and one of the early settlers of Lake county. His position of influence is not due alone to his success, but is the result of the honorable, straightforward business policy he has ever followed, his entire career being such as will bear the closest investigation and scrutiny. More- over, he is an active factor in public life and one whose influence has been exerted toward general progress, reform and improvement.
Mr. Schrage is a native of Germany, his birth having occurred in Auhgen, Hessen, on the 21st of January, 1844. The first ten years of his life were spent in the fatherland, and he then came to America with his parents, Chris and Fredericka Schrage, who on crossing the Atlantic took up their abode in Chicago, whence they removed to Lake county in October, 1854. The subject of this review was reared where the town of Whiting now stands. He attended the public schools of Chicago and remained at home until about twenty years of age, when in response to the call of his adopted country he enlisted in 1863 as a member of Company K. Thirteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, as a private. He thus served until the close of the war and did active duty with his regiment, which was assigned to the Seventeenth Army Corps under the command of General Sherman. When hostilities had ceased and his aid was no longer needed to defend the Union, the preservation of which was an established fact, he received an honorable discharge, in July, 1865.
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Mr. Schrage then returned to Whiting and entered the railroad service as a section hand. being thus employed until 1868. The following year he engaged in business on his own account. opening a small general store, which he continued to conduct with fair success until about 1890. He then retired from active business and enjoyed a brief period of rest, but in 1895 he opened the Whiting Bank, a private banking institution. He also owns the East Chicago Bank, which he purchased in 1902, and he is therefore well known in financial circles in Lake county. These institutions have become recognized as strong financial concerns, and he is now conducting a large and prosperous banking business. He is at the same time a representative of that class of American citizens who, while promoting individual success also advance the general welfare and prosperity. As his financial resources have increased he has made judicious investments in real estate, and he now owns much property in Whiting, in East Chicago, Hammond, South Chicago and in the city of Chicago. He has been identified in large measure with the upbuilding of Lake county, few men having contributed in greater degree to the substantial progress and upbuilding of his section of the state, in which he has spent the greater part of his life.
Mr. Schrage was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Wustenfelt, who was born in the province of Hessen, Germany. This marriage was cele- brated in 1868, and has been blessed with six children: Harry C .. who is cashier of the Whiting Bank : Mary, the wife of August Tresen ; William C .. who is cashier of the East Chicago Bank : Herman : Sophia C., at home : and Walter E .. who is employed in the bank in Whiting. The family is well known in that city and its members are prominent in local circles there. In the front rank of the columns which have advanced civilization and improve- ment in this portion of Lake county stands Mr. Schrage, and has been among those who have led the way to the substantial development and progress of Whiting. being particularly active in the growth of the city, in which he still makes his home. His memory goes back to the time when this was an undeveloped region. but when the town was founded he had the business foresight to recognize possibilities here and to utilize them for the benefit of the public as well as his individual interests. As a business man he has been conspicuous among his associates not only for his success, but for his probity. fairness and honorable methods. In everything he has been eminently prac-
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tical. and this has been manifested not only in his business undertakings, but also in social and private life.
JOHN E. LUTHER.
John E. Luther, who has been a resident of Lake county since seven years of age and has a wide acquaintance within its borders, the vice-presi- dent of the First National Bank of Crown Point, is a veteran of the Civil war and a citizen whose active co-operation in public affairs has led to substantial improvement in northwestern Indiana. He is a native son of this state, his birth having occurred in Porter county three miles from Valparaiso on the 22d of November, 1840. His paternal grandfather was James Luther.
His father. James H. Luther, was born in Chazy, New York, in 1814. and when eighteen years of age went to the west. A year later he became a resident of Porter county, Indiana, where he followed farming until 1849. In that year he arrived in Lake county, locating at Crown Point, and he carried on agricultural pursuits on a tract of land that embraces the site of the two railroad depots and the public-school building of this city. He was honored with public office, being chosen county auditor for two terms or eight years. He carried on merchandising from 1855 until 1859 as a mem- ber of the firm of Luther, Holton & Company, and the firm then became Luther & Farley, while subsequently John G. Hoffman succeeded the firm of Luther & Farley. Prominent and influential, his efforts in behalf of his com- munity were effective, and he was recognized as one of the leading men of Lake county. His aid in behalf of general progress was never sought in vain. but was given with a cheerfulness that made his work of much value in public affairs. He was a Whig until the dissolution of the party, when he became a stanch Republican and continued to march under the banners of that party until his demise. During the period of the Civil war all of the money that came to the county from the government was given to him for distribution among the families of the soldiers. He was reared in the Presbyterian doc- trine, but for many years was a spiritualist. He died at the advanced age of seventy-nine years and five days. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Phoebe Ann Flint, was a native of Vermont and lived to be about twenty- seven years of age. They were the parents of four sons, all of whom reached manhood, namely : John E., Amos O .. Albert W. and Henry E.
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