USA > Indiana > German settlers and German settlements in Indiana : a memorial for the state centennial 1916 > Part 3
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Ex-Governor Conrad Baker and his brother, Wil- liam Baker, a former mayor of Evansville, Indiana, were Pennsylvania Germans, who had come to Indi- ana from Bethlehem, Pa., long before the war. At the beginning of the war, Conrad Baker, who was then practicing law at Evansville, was appointed colonel of the First Indiana cavalry. He was subsequently elected lieutenant governor and governor of Indiana.
Indiana has had five state treasurers of German de- scent. The first of these, August Lemcke, became well known as a writer and financier. Lemcke was
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born in Hamburg, Germany, and as a young man came to this country to make his home with an uncle, who had a general merchandise store in Posey Coun- ty. Young Lemcke later moved to Evansville, where he held several positions in the city administration and was elected sheriff of Vanderburgh County for two consecutive terms. As state treasurer he was very popular and at the conclusion of his term of office made his home in Indianapolis. In 1905 he wrote a book entitled, "Reminiscences of an Indianian, from the sassafras log behind the barn in Posey County to broader fields." Several large office buildings in Indianapolis bear his name.
Indiana has also had several good judges, who came
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from the fatherland. George Ludwig Reinhard was born on July 5, 1843, in Unterfranken, Bavaria, and came to America with his mother in 1857. At the be- ginning of the civil war he enlisted in the 15th Indi- ana regiment and fought in the battles of Green Briar, W. Va., Perryville, Ky., Shiloh, Stone River, Lookout Mountain, and other engagements. After the war Reinhard took up the study of law at Owens- boro, Ky. A few years later he removed to Rockport, Ind., where he was elected prosecuting attorney for Spencer and Warrick Counties, and in 1882 judge for these two counties, to which position he was re-elect- ed in 1882. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy in the Appellate Court in 1891, Governor Hovey appointed Judge Reinhard to the position, the people of the state sanctioning the appointment in the election the year following. Upon his retirement from the bench, Judge Reinhard was called to a chair in the law school of the State University at Bloomington and died as dean of this school some years later. Judge Reinhard was the author of several law books.
Judge Peter Maier emigrated to Ohio when quite young and after receiving his education there, began the practice of law in Evansville, Ind., was elected judge of the Circuit Court in Vanderburgh County and many years later justice of the peace in Evans- ville, but died before finishing his term of office.
Judge Johannes Kopelke, of Crown Point, Ind., was born on June 14, 1854, in Buchwald, near Neustettin,
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Pommern, Germany. After studying law at Ann Ar- bor, Michigan, he started the practice of his profes- sion at Crown Point, Ind. The high esteem in which Kopelke is held by the people of his section of the state is shown by his election to various positions of trust. He has served in the State Senate and on Feb. 23, 1911, he was appointed Judge of the Lake County Superior Court by Governor Marshall. He is a ver- satile writer, and upon his return from a visit to Europe he published a fascinating book on his trip entitled "Sommerausflug nach Europa, hauptsaechlich Deutschland," (Summer Outing to Europe, especially Germany.)
Indiana has had quite a number of German-Ameri- can representatives in the lower House of Congress.
John Kleiner, a German school master, was elected mayor of Evansville and then elected to represent the First district of Indiana in Congress.
William Heilman, a manufacturer of portable saw- mills and other machinery, and who in his time was one of the leading manufacturers in the state, was elected to the State Senate and later represented the First district in Congress.
John W. Boehne, who was born in a German settle- ment in Vanderburgh County, came to Evansville when a young man and by dint of industry and thrift amassed a fortune in the foundry business. After twice serving the city of Evansville as mayor, he was
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elected to represent its large commercial interests as Congressman in Washington.
Charles Lieb, of Rockport, the present Congress- man of the First district, was born in Flehingen, Ger- many, May 20, 1852. Coming to Rockport when young he has since resided there, and as one of its leading bankers, has contributed his share in build- ing up this prosperous little town. Before his election to Congress, Lieb served three terms in the State Legislature.
The 13th Congressional District of Indiana is rep- resented in Washington by Henry A. Barnhart, son of a German Baptist minister.
It has frequently been said that Germans do not take enough interest in politics. The names of the above, together with the large number who have been elected to the legislature and filled county and city offices, prove the contrary. However, it should be of greater interest to know how this large immigration has aided in the development of the state.
The Germans are frugal and industrious, persever- ing and thrifty. They do not speculate nor gamble and by their economical mode of living they have set a good example to others.
Two German schools of Indiana have exerted a great influence for good in this state, Concordia Col- lege of Ft. Wayne, which is still in existence, and the "German-English Independent School" at Indianapo- lis, which existed for many years and in which many
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cof:the best citizens of Indianapolis received their edu -- cation. Teachers of the public schools frequently visited these schools to study the methods of the Ger- man teachers.
Theodore Stein of Indianapolis, who was once a sstudent of the German-English Independent school, :has written an interesting history of his alma mater, "which is well worth reading. When the school ceased :to: exist, its teachers readily found positions in the public schools of the state. One of these, Professor Theodore Dingeldey, taught school for many years in a small country school in Posey County, and upon his :death his former pupils erected a fine monument over his last resting place in the Zion's Church Cemetery, Posey County. The writer once stood at the grave of this good and learned pedagogue and saw the follow- ing epitaph on his tombstone:
Here lies the body of Prof. Theodore Dingeldey,
born in Germany, 1845. Died Feb., 1903. Sleep on dear friend and take your rest.
We know that you
Have done your best. This stone was erected here
By those to whom he was dear.
Wherever Germans lived in any number a meeting ' house was built and a singing society organized. The Harmonists of New Harmony were the first to organ-
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ize a singing society. They had a good band and on the Fourth of July invited the farmers of the neigh- borhood and entertained them with patriotic songs and music. From New Harmony singing societies spread over the whole state, the larger societies in the cities employing music directors to teach them. Thus the Germans have undoubtedly done much to bring music to the homes and firesides of the people of in- diana and popularized Mozart and Beethoven.
They also introduced gymnastics here. German turning societies existed in the state long before the civil war. Today calisthenic exercises form part of the curriculum of our public schools.
Though only a modest beginning has been made in art, the future promises much. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument at Indianapolis, perhaps the most pretentious architectural and sculptural achievement in the state, was planned by a German, Bruno Schmitz, and the artist, who made the fine sculptural work at the foot and around the monument, was Rud. Schwartz, another German.
In many other things, making for progress, the Germans have taken the initiative. From them we have learned a great deal in scientific and intensive farming and the care and breeding of our domestic animals. The German word for domestic animals is "Hausthiere," which would signify that they belong to the house and should receive humane treatment. With this impulse Adolph Melzer, a citizen of Ger-
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man birth and a friend of animals, has built a "Friendly Inn" for horses in Evansville, the second largest city of the state, where he boards hungry and neglected horses, giving them shelter and food at the lowest possible cost to their owners. He has also caused to be placed in one of the streets of the city a fine fountain for horses and dogs.
It is a little early to speculate on the influence of the Germans on the English, or rather American lan- guage, yet we find many German words used in Eng- lish books. Thus we find the words "plunder" and "plunder box" in the works of Eggleston and other writers in expressing things of little value and boxes for storing them.
Not long ago while walking through the public market the writer saw a small boy walk up to a stand with a bowl in his hand and call for a dimes' worth of Schmier-Kas (cottage cheese). Sauer-kraut has also become almost as popular here as in the old country, while Froebel's kindergarten has now a strong hold in our public communities and with it, the word kindergarten has been incorporated in our language. We could extend this list of household words of German origin, but these few may suffice.
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GERMAN INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC INSTITU- TIONS.
One of the largest factories in Indiana is the South Bend establishment of the Pennsylvania-German, Studebaker Brothers, the greatest wagon builders in the state. These Americans were proud of their Pennsylvania-German origin. They moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio, later to South Bend, Indiana, where they started with moderate means their large wagon factory, which has grown from year to year, notwithstanding many discouragements and a severe loss by fire, which consumed the entire plant. Un- dismayed, the brothers set to work and rebuilt it, with added improvements, making now also automobiles and kindred articles. Their products go to every part of the civilized world. The Studebakers were patriotic people. In a park near Lincoln City, which now is state property, Peter E. Studebaker had a slab raised to the memory of Nancy Hanks Lincoln, the Presi- dent's mother, whose grave had been neglected for more than 60 years. The erected slab bears this in- scription : To the mother of our martyred President.
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Erected by a friend. No one knew who gave it, with it were directions that it should be placed above the grave of Nancy Hanks Lincoln, with an iron fence around it. The request of the unknown donor was carried out, but the men who did the work at the time did not know who paid them. The money came through a bank in Rockport and that was all that was known.
Col. Geo. M. Studebaker, eldest son of Clem Stude- , baker, was the commanding officer of the 157th Regi- ment Ind. Vol. in the Spanish war.
John Moler Studebaker, the sole survivor of the five brothers, celebrated his golden wedding in 1910 and is still hale and hearty. He has been a munifi- cent patron of South Bend, one of his recent gifts being a $25,000 electric fountain, erected in one of the parks-and furthermore has done much to aid in the promotion of the South Bend park system.
In . Evansville we have the largest cigar factory un- der one roof ; the ground on which the factory stands measures 241 by 469 feet, the buildings of brick, are modern and sanitary, a model of its kind. 2,000 per- sons, mostly girls, work in this factory and when they go to or return from work swarms of neatly clad women throng the sidewalks of the streets. The daily output of hand made cigars is 400,000. Diamond Joe and Charles Denby are the main brands of the factory. The founder, Hermann Fendrich, was born on the 14th of April, 1813, in Baden-Baden, Germany ;
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when 8 years old he came with his parents to Balti -- more, where he worked with four brothers in the to- bacco business. In 1850 he came West and established his own tobacco store on Main street, between First and Second streets. After many years of hard labor and industry, he became wealthy and after death left the management of his large business in the hands of his son, H. Fendrich, who erected the present build- ings and enlarged the business.
Another example of foresight and perseverance is Herman Hullman, Sr., of Terre Haute. Born in Ger- many he came to this country without means and laid a foundation for his wholesale business so strong and good that he could branch out and extend his busi- ness in Terre Haute to other cities, where he estab- lished new stores; by and by he established new stores in Mattoon, Ill., and Evansville, which flourished as the mother house. At the same time he was a benevo- lent citizen in his home town and wherever he went. He donated large sums to a hospital, and other insti- tutions received aid from him; when he died two years ago he left a large fortune to his two sons. On Pigeon Creek, near its confluence with the Ohio river, is sit- uated the oldest and well arranged saw mill in Evans- ville. It was erected by John A. Reitz, an emigrant from Dorlar in Westphalia, Germany, who came to Evansville, December, 1836, and was followed by many relatives; he started the mill in 1845, which has been in continuous operation since. After the death
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of John A. Reitz, his eldest son, Francis Joseph Reitz, born in Evansville in 1841, became manager of the saw mill; he is interested in the furniture business and other industries and had been for some time a trustee in the City National Bank of Evansville, when he was elected its president. The new bank recently occupied, was erected under his supervision and is as substantial as it is beautiful. Francis Joseph Reitz is a kind hearted man, righteous in his dealings with others and well liked. The Old State National Bank in Evansville, the oldest in the city, has also a Ger- man president, Henry Reis, born on February 15, 1847, near Mainz, Germany; came with his parents from the fatherland in 1849 to Indiana; they settled in the country, but soon moved to Evansville, where young Reis had better opportunities to receive an education. When he left school, he worked for some time in a drug store, then in a bank and worked him- self up from a bank clerk to his present position. He celebrated not long ago his 50th anniversary as a banker and received on this occasion many acknowl- edgments of good friendship and fellowship. The bank is building a splendid new business house, in which the Old State National Bank will occupy the lower floor, in the spring of our centennial year.
The People's Savings Bank is too presided over by a German pioneer, Henry V. Bennighof, born in 1833 in Wonheim, Rhein-Hessen, came to Evansville in 1852, engaged in business and took part in the Sav-
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ings Bank, where in 1875 he was elected a trustee and is now the bank's president. Mr. Bennighof at the age of 82 is still active and goes to the bank every day to greet his many friends. The reader will not go amiss if he concludes that the other officers and the stockholders of these banks are mostly Germans or of German descent. Many German business men and artisans have helped to build up these banks and they have done their part faithfully, as no bank has ever failed in Evansville.
Such a good, honest citizen, for instance, was Gott- lieb Bippus; he was born in Holtzhausen, Wurtem- berg, October 13th, 1813, and arrived in Evansville ' in 1836. He married the following year and estab- lished himself as a house carpenter and contractor in Lamasco, an adjoining town; many houses were built by him there and in the surrounding country. He was one of the founders of the "Dreieinigkeits Gemeinde" (the first Lutheran church) and built their first frame church. He and his wife raised a large family and one son, Jacob Bippus, the well known contractor, and nine grandsons followed in his footsteps and became carpenters in Evansville and Illinois, as he had been.
Indianapolis has many German business houses and financiers. Men like Hermann Lieber, who was not only a manufacturer but also an art connoisseur and progressive citizen; Clemens Vonnegut, O. N. Fren- zel, president of the Merchants' National Bank, and his brother, J. P. Frenzel, president of the Indiana
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Trust Co., Theodore Stempfel, Armin Bohn, are well known throughout the state. Over the state, in many other places, we find manufacturers and financial in- stitutions, which are controlled by officers and stock- holders of German descent, who have proved them- selves capable men.
The churches of the different religious denomina- tions and their schools are substantial and fine struc- tures, which do honor to the religious sentiment of their people. Indiana can also be proud of her many benevolent institutions, to whose support the Ger- mans have freely contributed.
There are hospitals in the larger cities, a home for old people in Indianapolis and an orphan asylum. The singing societies and turners have fine buildings with large, splendid halls and in Indianapolis they are rightly proud of the "German House."
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PIONEERS IN THE PROFESSIONS.
As rich as commercial activities of the Germans in Indiana were, we must not forget what was accom- plished in the professions by them. In the course of our narrative, we called the attention of our readers to officers, lawyers and judges, who were known and respected by the people; so we had physicians and doctors who held an honored place in their communi- ties. The pioneer physician was not an expert in ab- dominal surgery or modern bacteriology, but never- theless he was an adept in the healing art and prac- ticed it conscientiously in his neighborhood. Such an old pioneer physician was Doctor Konradin Homburg in Indianapolis; he was born in Rhein-Pfalz, Ger- many, in 1797, and came to the United States in 1826. Cincinnati was his first stopping place, but he soon came to Indianapolis. A busy practitioner, he was also a progressive citizen and at one time a trustee of the German-English Independent school; he died in Indianapolis March 1, 1881.
In Evansville, Doctor Francis Muehlhausen was the pioneer German physician. He emigrated with his
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wife and son Mathias, from Hesse Darmstadt, Ger- many, in the fall of 1838. They landed at Baltimore and moved to Taylorsville, Ohio, where Dr. Muehl- hausen practiced medicine for about one year, and then came to Lamasco, an adjoining German town of Evansville, which was incorporated later into the greater Evansville, where he opened an office on Ful- ton avenue. In this new country and among his coun- trymen from abroad he gathered a large practice and soon built a commodious house in Lamasco, where he died in the year 1862.
Doctor Ludwig Fritsch, born February 3, 1824, in Paderborn, Germany, came to Evansville from Cin- cinnati in 1849; he was a well educated physician, a very busy practitioner; being also a horticulturist, he loved to cultivate flowers on his farm just outside the city. Dr. Fritsch has done much to popularize natural sciences; he died June 26, 1900.
Doctor Adolphus F. Wulkop was another pioneer physician in Evansville. He was born in 1809 in the province of Hanover, Germany, and came to the United States in 1838. For some years he practiced in Louisville, Ky., where he was also interested in a drug store. In 1855 Doctor Wulkop came to Evans- ville and for 30 years until the time of his death, on November 24th, 1884, was a successful practicing physician of this city.
In Ferdinand, Dubois Co., there lived about this time Doctor Matthew Kempf, who was known as a
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surgeon and whose services were in great demand in the country and in the surrounding territory. No doubt there were other physicians throughout the state who made friends in the families in which they served.
The clergy of the Catholic and Protestant churches were generally scholars and school masters, teaching the children in the German language. When the con -- gregation became larger and could afford it, a teacher was employed. A number of the pastors and teachers wrote books and through them became more widely known. Pastor Henry Meissner, of St. Charles church, in Peru, Ind., came from Muenster, Germany, where he was born in 1842. He watched over his peo- ple, who honored him as a father, about 30 years, and when he died, he left some literary productions, which are worth reading. One, "Knabbeln," is written in "Low German," the language of his native country, and is, as the title indicates, of a humorous nature. His poems, "Orgeltoene," printed in 1887 in Bocholt, Germany, contain beautiful specimens, the inspira -- tions of a talented man. Dr. W. Sihler, pastor and teacher in Concordia College, Fort Wayne, Indiana, published in 1872 "Epistel Predigten," which were much read by members of his church. In the State University at Bloomington first class German in- structors were employed. Carl Osthaus, who gradu- ated from the Gymnasium in Hildesheim, Germany, and later from the State University, has for many
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years been an efficient teacher in our University. He is the author of several German text-books for schools and has contributed articles in German and English for magazines and newspapers.
Dr. Carl H. Eigenmann was born in Flehingen, Germany, March 9, 1863. He came to America as a boy and received his early schooling in Rockport, Spencer Co., Ind. He studied at Indiana University and at Harvard and has been Professor of Zoology at Indiana since 1891. He has won especial eminence in the field of ichthyology and has written several books and numerous papers on his favored study.
We have quite a number of German authors in In- diana, who deserve mention in this chapter.
Otto Stechhan of Indianapolis came to this coun- try with his parents from Berlin, his birthplace, at the age of three. He attended the German-American Independent school in Indianapolis and remembers with pleasure his school days and his teachers. He was in the furniture business and became independ- ent. Elected to the Indiana legislature as a represen- tative from Indianapolis, he went there with good in- tentions for reform, but was not so successful and was glad to return to private life. He has written novels and poems in English and German. A volume of poems, "Lieben und Leben," (Love and Life) ap -- peared in 1894.
Lorenz Rohr, born in 1847, in Vinningen, a village two miles from Landau, Rhein-Pfalz, studied in
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Munich and Tuebingen, and was for many years and at the time of his death in 1902, editor of the German Demokrat, in Evansville. In 1869 he published a small volume of poems under the title, "Zwewle, Knowloch un Marau," in the dialect as spoken in his native vil- lage. These humorous poems inspired by his love for his old home, were received with great pleasure by his countrymen.
Joseph Keller, of Indianapolis, has given us a good book in a volume "Zwischen Donau und Rhein." He gives therein an account of his younger years and de- scribes the beautiful country of his native land, the Black Forest, Hohenzollern, Hohentwiel and other ro -- mantic places. The beautiful views and pictures of villages and cities in the book make it still more agreeable to its readers.
The singing societies over the state, especially in Indianapolis and Evansville, had the best of teachers. The Maennerchor in Indianapolis had, as its director for many years, Professor Carl Baruch, and the Ev- ansville Liederkranz, the oldest singing society in the metropolis on the Ohio, had Professor Johannes Wer- schinger and other talented directors.
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.
GERMAN-AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF INDIANA.
Like the great banyan tree, whose branches and foliage cover more than an acre of land, the German- American Alliance spreads its network of societies over the whole country. The German-American Al- liance of Indiana is a branch of the National Organi- zation and is governed by the same principles. They are in brief :
1. The Alliance refrains from all interference in party politics. Whenever its principles are attacked or endangered by political measures, the society re- gards it as its right and duty to defend these in the political field.
2. Questions of religion are strictly excluded.
3. It recommends the introduction of the study of German in the public schools on the following broad basis: Along with English, German is a world lan- guage. Wherever the pioneers of civilization, trade and commerce have penetrated we find both English and Germans represented, and wherever the knowl- edge of two languages prevails an independent, clear
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and unprejudiced understanding is more readily formed and friendly relations promoted.
4. We live in an age of progress and invention. With the rapid pace of our time the demands on the individual arc inexorable, requiring a healthy mind in a healthy body. The Alliance therefore favors sys- tematic instruction of physical culture in our public schools.
5. It favors taking the school out of politics, for only a system of education that is free from political influence can attain the best results.
6. It urges all Germans to acquire the right of citi -- zenship as soon as possible, to take an active part in public life and to exercise their right at the polls.
7. It favors either the liberal interpretation or the abolition of laws that put unnecessary difficulties in the way of acquiring the right to citizenship and fre- quently prevent it. Good character and not the abil- ity to answer a set of arbitrary questions on history and politics ought to determine the fitness of the ap- plicant.
8. It opposes every restriction of immigration of healthy persons of Europe, exclusive of anarchists and convicted criminals.
9. It favors the abolition of laws which check free intercourse and restrict the personal freedom of the citizen.
10. It favors the founding of societies which fos- ter the German language and literature; teach those
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anxious to learn; and arrange courses of lectures on art and science, and topics of general interest.
11. It favors a systematic investigation of the share Germans have had in the development of their adopted country, in war and in peace as the basis of a history of German-American activity.
The German-American Alliance of Indiana this year held its 12th annual session at Ft. Wayne. The Alli- ance now embraces 123 different societies, including singing and gymnastic societies, Catholic and Protestant benevolent societies, etc. Since its organ- ization it has been ably presided over by Joseph Kel- ler, of Indianapolis, who with the other officers, have spared no effort to make the Alliance a success. The various societies and city organizations constituting the State Alliance give all kinds of German entertain- ments, engage good lecturers, promote the German theater, singing, etc.
The State Alliance now has a membership of over 10,000 members of both sexes, there being a number of women's clubs. Every year the Alliance meets in one of the cities of the state, the various organiza- tions being represented by delegates. The session of the convention generally closes with a German day celebration of speech-making, song and frolic. The proceedings of the convention and the reports of the various societies and the committees of the state or- ganization are published in pamphlet form and are eagerly read by Germans in this and other states.
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CONTENTS
PACE
The Early Settlers of Indiana
5
New Harmony a German Settlement 10
Other Immigrants
19
Germans in the Civil War
29
After the Civil War
40
German Industry and Public Institutions
48
Pioneers in the Learned Profession.
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German-American Alliance of Indiana
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1
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