Greater Indianapolis : the history, the industries, the institutions, and the people of a city of homes, Part 98

Author: Dunn, Jacob Piatt, 1855-1924. cn
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 972

USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Greater Indianapolis : the history, the industries, the institutions, and the people of a city of homes > Part 98

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In politics Mr. Bradford is arrayed as a stanch supporter of the generic principles of the Republican party, though his. partisanship has a considerable element of well ordered lib- erality. Though he has never aspired to the honors or emoluments of political office, he has taken an active interest in the party cause, and

during the decade from 1880 to 1890 he gave effective service in the promotion of the in- terests of the "grand old party". He was a delegate to the Indiana state conventions of the Republican party in 1884, 1886, 1888 and 1890. He has been a valned member of the Columbia Club from the time of its organiza- tion during the campaign which resulted in the election of Indiana's famous son, General Benjamin Harrison, to the presidency, and he was secretary of this representative civic or- ganization in 1891. He is identified with the work of the Indianapolis Young Men's Chris- tian Association, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Second Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis.

On the 29th of December, 1891, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. Bradford to Miss Ruby S. Claypool, daughter of the late Judge Solomon Claypool, of Indianapolis, one of the leading members of the Indiana bar, to whom a special memoir is dedicated on other pages of this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Bradford have three children, whose names, with respective dates of birth, are as follows: Hannah Mary, November 19, 1893; Ruby Claypool, October 11, 1895; and Ernestine Elizabeth, February 22, 1901.

One distinctively familiar with the career of Mr. Bradford has consistently said of him that he has ever shown an impregnable ad- herence to the highest principles of integrity and honor, has been signally faithful and effi- cient in the furthering and safeguarding of the interests of his professional clients, and has ever stood as a type of the loyal and pub- lic-spirited citizen, while his home life, the center of his interests, is of ideal character.

JOHN W. HOLTZMAN. One of the repre- sentative members of the bar of the Indiana capital, John W. Holtzman has gained marked prestige and success in the work 'of his ex- acting profession, and he has also been an exponent of the most loyal and liberal citizen- ship. He has contributed in a material way to the upbuilding of Greater Indianapolis, of which city he gave an able administration when incumbent of the office of mayor, and he has held other positions of distinctive public, trust, -preferments clearly indicative of the confi- dence and regard in which he is held in the community.

John W. Holtzman was born in Freystown, Berks County, Pennsylvania, on the 23rd of April, 1858, and is a scion of one of the oldest and most honored pioneer families of that sec- tion of the old Keystone commonwealth. He is a son of Jonathan and Katharine (Mover) Holtzman, both of whom were likewise natives of Berks County, where they were reared and

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educated and where their marriage was sol- emnized. The father as a son of John Holtz- man, who was born in Berks County, Pennsyl- vania, in 1788, a son of John Peter Holtzman, who was born in the same county, in 1759, and who was in turn a son of the original American progenitor, Henry Holtzman, who emigrated from Germany and took up his abode in Penn- sylvania about the middle of the eighteenth century. Numerous representatives of this staneh old family are still to be found in Berks County, that state, as well as in divers other states of the Union. Members of the family were found enrolled as valiant soldiers in the Continental line during the War of the Revo- lution, and this also is true concerning the Moyer family, representing the genealogy of the subject of this review in the maternal line. Mrs. Katharine (Moyer) Holtzman was a daughter of Michael Moyer, who was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 1798, a son of Philip Moyer, who was a native of the same county, where he was born in 1757. The father of the latter was the founder of the fam- ily in America, and the name as originally spelled in Germany was Mayer. Both forms of orthography have been utilized in America.

Jonathan Holtzman, father of him whose name initiates this article, continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits in his na- tive county until 1864, when he removed with his family to Indiana and located in White County, where he purchased a farm and later removed to a farm purchased in Tippecanoe County, where the devoted wife and mother died in 1872. when about fifty years of age. The father died in White County in 1883, at the age of of sixty-nine years. He was a man of much pragmatic ability and of sterling in- tegrity, and he ever commanded the unquali- fied esteem of those with whom he came in eon- tact in the various relations of life. He was a stalwart and intelligent advocate of the prin- eiples and policies for which the Democratie party has stood sponsor in a generic sense, and was an ardent supporter of the party's candi- date for the presideney in opposition to Lin- eoln,-that is. Hon. Stephen A. Douglas, the "little giant." He and his wife were devout members of the German Lutheran Church and were active in the various departments of its work. They became the parents of four chil- dren, of whom Jonathan and Lueetta are de- ceased : Lee is engaged in business in the City of Indianapolis, and .John W. is the youngest of the number.

John W. Holtzman was a lad of six years at the time of the family removal from the old Keystone commonwealth to White County, In- diana, and he, was reared to maturity under the

beneficent discipline of the home farm. After duly availing himself of the advantages afford- ed in the district school. of the locality he eon- tinued his studies in Brookston Academy, then a well ordered institution of White County. Here also he received valuable assistance in his ambitious private study, having had as in- structor the late John Lawrie, who was a man of fine intellectual attainments and who had rendered gallant service as a soldier in the Civil War. At the age of twenty-one years Mr. Holtzman began teaching in the district schools, and he devoted his attention to the pedagogic profession, at intervals, for two years, in the meanwhile having supplemented his own academie training by attending normal schools. Though he was successful as a teacher he had no desire to adopt. the pedagogie profession as a permanent vocation, and he early formulated definite plans for his future career. Even while attending school he initiated his reading of law, and he made rapid progress in the absorption and assimilation of the science of jurispru- dence. In May, 1883, soon after the death of his honored father, Mr. Holtzman took up his residence in Indianapolis, where he has since maintained his home and where he has won for himself a position of marked precedence as a member of his profession and as a citizen of progressive ideas., Soon after his arrival in the capital city he entered the law office of Vinson Carter, now a judge of the Superior Court of Marion County, under whose effective precep- torship he continued his technical studies. He was also a member of a law class taught by the late Thaddeus Rollins and later of a elass that received instructions from the late John R. Wilson, another able and honored member of the Indiana bar. He was admitted to the bar of the state in 1885, and he forthwith entered upon the aetive work of his profession, forming a partnership with James M. Leathers, with whom he continued to be associated about thirteen years, at the expiration of which, in 1898, Judge Leathers withdrew from the firm to assume his present position on the beneh of the Superior Court of Marion County. The firm had in the meanwhile gained a high repu- tation and built up a large and representative practice of important order. After the retire- ment of Judge Leathers from the firm Mr. Holtzman continued in practice in an indi- vidual way until 1906. when he entered into partnership relations with Lewis A. Coleman. who has since continued his able and valued professional coadjutor, under the firm name of Holtzman & Coleman.

In polities Mr. Holtzman gives an uncom- promising allegiance to the Democratie party. of whose principles he has been an able and

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effective exponent. In 1885, about two years after taking up his residence in Indianapolis, Mr. lloltzman received the nomination of his party for representative of the old Twelfth ward in the city council,-a ward which was then the home of two of the state's most dis- tinguished citizens,-the late Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks and the late Hon. David Turpie, whose names are prominent in the annals of the state and the nation. On the 1st of Jan- uary, 1886, Mr. Holtzman was appointed county attorney for the poor, and he soon afterward resigned this office to accept that of chief deputy under the late Major James L. Mitchell, who had been elected prosecuting at- torney of Marion County in 1886. Of this position Mr. Holtzman continued incumbent for a period of four years, at the expiration of which, in November, 1890, he was himself elected prosecuting attorney. He led his ticket by several thousand votes and was elected as his own successor in 1892. Through his able and successful services as public prosecutor he added materially to his professional prestige and within his regime he handled many cases of importance. He has been a zealous worker in behalf of the cause of the Democratic party, and was chairman of its central committee for Marion County in 1894.

In 1903 Mr. Holtzman was made the candi- date of his party for the office of mayor of In- dianapolis, and in the autumn of that year he was elected chief executive of the municipal government, by a gratifying majority. In 1905 he was nominated as his own successor, but was defeated, owing to normal political ex- igencies. His administration as mayor was signally clean, progressive and businesslike, and the record of the same redounds alike to his credit and to that of Indiana's beautiful capital city. During his regime was accom- plished the valuable work of providing that railroad tracks should be elevated at street crossings, and.other important improvements were made, in the securing of pure water and cheap fuel gas.

Mr. Holtzman was made a Master Mason in 1887. when he was duly raised in Marion Lodge, No. 35, Free and Accepted Masons, of Indian- apolis. Since that time he has risen through the various grades in both the York Rite and the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, in which latter he has attained the thirty-second degree, being identified with the Consistory of the Valley of Indianapolis, and also holding mem- bership in Murat Temple, Ancient Arabic Or- der of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and is identified with the Commercial Club, the T'niversity Club, the German House, and the

Indiana Democratic Club,-all representative organizations of the capital city. He enjoys unequivocal popularity in the community and he and his wife are prominent in its social activities. Both are communicants of St. Paul's Church, Protestant Episcopal, of whose vestry he is a member.

In 1895 Mr. Holtzman was united in mar- riage to Miss Viola West, of Reading, Penn- sylvania. They have no children.

JAMES F. BAILEY is an undertaker in In- dianapolis, a member of the firm of Kregelo & Bailey, and he has become exceptionally profi- cient in his profession. He was born at South- port, Indiana, on the 29th of July, 1876, to the marriage union of William P. and Mary E. (Whaley) Bailey. William P. Bailey entered the medical profession and practiced at Bain- bridge, Greencastle and Southport, all in In- diana, and his death occurred in .1888 at the latter place after fourteen years of a successful medical practice there. He became a promi- nent member of the Indiana medical profes sion, and was an intimate personal friend of the great Allen Maxfield. He was a member of Southport Lodge No. 270, F. and A. M., and was identified with the Republican party. Mrs. Bailey died in 1888, and of the seven children which were born of their marriage six are now living.

James F. Bailey, the youngest member of that family, received his educational training in the schools of Southport, and then clerked for his brother, P. B. Bailey, in that city for four years. In 1897 he came to Indianapolis and engaged in the undertaking business with Charles E. Kregelo, while in 1905 he bought an interest in the business, and it has since been carried on under the name of Kregelo & Bailey. Mr. Bailey is a member of the Marion Club, of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, Southport Lodge, of the Knights of Pythias fraternity, Lodge No. 470, and of the Masonic order, Southport Lodge No. 270, F. and A. M., Keystone Chapter No. 6, R. A. M., Raper Commandery No. 1, and Indiana Con- sistory and Murat Temple. He is in politics a Republican.

He married Rosie Vinnedge June 21. 1905. She was born in Indianapolis, and is a daugh- ter of Charles A. and Jenny (Vinson) Vin- nedge, both of whom were also born in In- diana. A son, James F. Bailey, Jr., has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bailey.

FRANK E. GAVIN, ex-judge of the Appellate Court of Indiana, a leading Democrat of the state and nominee for Congress and the In- diana Supreme bench, is now an active practi- tioner of Indianapolis, still in the mature prime of his professional life, and is the head of the

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firm of Gavin, Gavin & Davis. He is also one of the most prominent Masons in the state, being past grand master of the Grand Lodge of Indiana, formerly president of its board of trustees and now treasurer of the Grand Lodge. In his professional and civic relations, he is treasurer of the State Bar Association and has served as president of the Indianapolis Com- mercial Club for two terms.

Judge Gavin was born at Greensburg, In- diana, February 20, 1854, and is a son of James and Martha E. (Tucker) Gavin. His father was born near Hamilton, Ohio, of Scotch-Irish lineage, and his mother in the State of In- diana of English-Irish ancestry. James Gavin was a leading citizen of Greensburg for many years, an active and able lawyer and promi- nent in the Civil War both at home and at the front. While in the field he served chiefly as colonel of the Seventh and One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiments, Indiana Infantry, showing the soldierly qualities of bravery and fortitude whether as a campaigner on the march or a leader in the field of battle. He died in 1873, at the age of forty-three.

Frank E., of this sketch, was reared in his native town of Greensburg, and at the age of nineteen graduated from Harvard University. Two years afterward, in 1875, he was admitted to the bar at Greensburg, and practiced there until January, 1893. He left a good private practice to ascend the bench of the Appellate Court, to which he was elected in the previous autumn. After serving his term of four years he associated himself with the late Judge Theo- dore P. Davis, and only the death of his part- ner terminated their congenial professional re- lations and dissolved one of the strongest firms in Indianapolis. Judge Gavin was elected to the bench as a Democrat and since the com- mencement of his voting years he has been identified with that party. In 1904 his politi- cal friends and supporters signified their high appreciation of his judicial and public services by nominating him for judge of the State Su- preme Court, and gave an additional evidence of their esteem and good wishes, in 1906, by selecting him for their congressional nominee. Besides ranking high in Masonry, as already observed, the judge has been an active Metho- dist for many years, and is now a trustee of the Meridian Street Church. He has also served as president of the Associated Harvard Clubs. Married in 1875 to Miss Ella B. La- throp, of Greensburg, Indiana, he is the father of two sons and a daughter,-James L. (asso- ciated with his father in practice), William E. and Mary.

CHARLES E. BARRETT. In the face of many disadvantages in the days of his boyhood and

youth it has been given Charles E. Barrett to advance through his own efforts until he has standing as one of the representative members of the bar of his native city, where he now con- trols a professional business of wide scope and importance.

Charles E. Barrett was born in Indianapolis, on the 28th of November, 1858, and is a son of James W. and Pleasant M. J. (Dennis) Bar- lett, both of stanch Irish lineage. The Bar- rett family was founded in Indiana in the early pioneer days, its original representatives having come hither from Virginia. When the sub- ject of this review was but three years of age his parents removed to the western part of Illinois, locating at a point between Rock lsland, that state, and Burlington, Iowa. There Charles E. attended the common schools until he was eleven years of age, when he was thrown upon his own resources and left to work out his own destiny. He found employment in a general store in a small town in Illinois, on the Mississippi River, and his early ambition and prescience may be measurably understood when it is stated that, in furtherance of his meager education, he applied himself diligently to study during the evenings and other leisure hours. He soon formulated definite plans for a future career and, notwithstanding the evi- dent handicap at the time, he decided, when he was but sixteen years old, to prepare himself for the profession of law. He forthwith began reading such law books as he could secure, and at the age of eighteen years he returned to In- diana and took up his residence at Greenfield, the judicial center and metropolis of Hancock County. There he entered the law office of New & Poulson, under whose able and kindly preceptorship he made rapid progress in his law studies. Even before he had attained to his legal majority he had engaged in practice in partnership with James A. New, of Green- field. This alliance was formed in 1878, and on the last day of December of the following vear he was admitted to the bar of the circuit court of Hancock County-the month following the attaining of his majority. On the 26th of May, 1880, at, the age of twenty-two years, Mr. Barrett was admitted to the bar of the Su- preme Court of Indiana; on the 3d of June, 1889, at the age of thirty-one years. he se- cured admission to practice before the United States circuit and district courts; and when he was thirty-five years old he was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the highest judicial tribunal of the nation. It is easy to note these stages of prog- ress. but not so readily can we understand the assiduous devotion and application, the deter- mination and zeal, the rallying of mental re-

Bertmetride

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sources demanded to seeure such advancement on the part of one who initiated his independ- ent efforts when a mere boy, asking naught save opportunity at the hands of fate.

Mr. Barrett continued to be associated with James A. New in the practice of his profes- sion at Greenfield until 1881, when the alliance was dissolved and Mr. Barrett removed to Sul- livan. Sullivan County, Indiana, having al- ready won distinctive prestige as an able and versatile trial lawyer and well fortified 'eoun- sellor. At Sullivan he continued in the prae- tice of law until 1886, when. he removed to Indianapolis, where he has since been engaged in active general praetiee and where his snecess has shown a constantly enmulative tendeney, placing him among the strong and valued mem- bers of the bar of the capital eity. Here he conducted an individual practice until 1891, after which he was associated with Charles L. Holstein, under the firm name of Holstein & Barrett, until 1895. In 1896 Mr. Barrett withdrew from this firm, after which he again continued in individual praetiee until 1903, since which time he has had as his valued eo- adjutor his only son, Frederick E., one of the able younger members of the Indianapolis bar, with whom he is associated under the title of Barrett & Barrett, with well appointed offices in the State Life building, in Washington street. Mr. Barrett is general counsel for the Vandalia Coal Company, is retained by other representative corporations and has a large and Inerative general practice, in connection with which he has been identified with many im- portant litigations in the state and federal courts.

Mr. Barrett is a staneh advocate of the basie principles and policies of the Demoeratie party and has given effective service in its eause. On only one occasion has he actively appeared for consideration in connection with public office. that being when he was a candidate for nomi- nation for reporter of the supreme court of the state. in 1882, in the early years of his profes- sional work. He is affiliated with various bodies of the Masonie fraternity.

On the 28th of April, 1881, Mr. Barrett was united in marriage to Miss Cornelia Glidden, at Greenfield. Indiana. She was born in Rush Countv. this state, and is a daughter of the late Frederick E. Glidden. of Lewisville. Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Barrett have but one ehild, Fred- erick Elbert, who is associated with his father in practice, as already noted in this context.

WILLIAM A. GREYER. Numbered among the representative business men of Indianapolis, Mr. Grever has built up a flourishing enter- prise in the handling of real estate, in connec- tion with which he also does a general insur-

ance, loan and rental business, maintaining his offiee at 208 Ameriean Central Life Building. Mr. Greyer is a native of Hanover, Germany, where he was born on the Sth of July, 1853, being the son of Louis and Louise ( Holtzman) Greyer, who passed their entire lives in Ger- inany. He whose name initiates this sketch gained his early educational discipline in the excellent schools of his native land and at the age of seventeen years he immigrated to Amer- ica. For two years after his arrival in the new world he maintained his residenee in New York City and finally he became a traveling sales- man for a concern dealing in high grade oil paintings. He became a connoisseur in this field of work and continued to be employed in the capacity noted for more than a quarter of a century. In the meanwhile he had estab- lished his home in Philadelphia and he con- tinued a resident of that city until 1900, in which year he came to Indianapolis and en- gaged in his present line of business in which he has built up a substantial and successful enterprise. His manipulations in the real es- tate line cover a wide scope of territory and in addition to offices in Indianapolis, he main- tains a branch office at the corner of Argyle and Robey streets, Chicago.

Mr. Grever is essentially progressive and pub- lie-spirited as a citizen and is held in high esteem in the city in which he has elected to make his home. He holds membership in the Indianapolis Commercial Club, the Columbia Club, the German House and the Maennerchor. He is affiliated with the Benevolent & Protec- tive Order of Elks and in politics he accords stanch allegiance to the Republican party. On the 1st of June, 1899, Mr. Greyer was united in marriage to Miss Nellie H. Roll, daughter of William H. Roll, a prominent and well known citizen of Indianapolis.

BERT MCBRIDE. The Security Trust Com- pany, which has gained distinction in its field of operations, was organized in 1901 and has a capital stock of $325,000 all paid in; and surplus and undivided profits of over $75,000. Of this corporation, Bert McBride is president, and he is known as one of the able financiers of the capital city. He is a young man of marked energy and has achieved a large meas- ure of success through the wise application of his abilities and power along normal lines of business enterprise. As an executive and ad- ministrative officer. he has well justified the wisdom of those through whose influence he was placed in his present office, in which he has accomplished a valuable work in the pro- motion of the interests of the corporation, of which he is the head.

Bert MeBride is a native son of the

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work, and thus a further review of his career and of the bank which perpetuates his name is not demanded in the present connection.

Stoughton A. Fletcher II was born in the City of Indianapolis November 24, 1879, and is a son of Stoughton J. and Laura (Locke) Fletcher, both of whom are still living. After duly availing himself of the advantages of the public schools of his native city, Mr. Fletcher was matriculated in Princeton University, in which he was graduated and from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. From the virtual initiation of his business career he has been identified with the Fletcher National Bank, and he has proved an able and conserva- tive executive officer, as his advancement and present important official incumbency well in- dicate. He became assistant cashier of this bank, later assuming the position of vice-presi- dent, and in January, 1908, he was elected to the presidency of this old and substantial bank- ing house, of which he has since continued the chief executive. As representative of one of the largest estates in Indianapolis he has much influence in financial and business circles, and as a citizen he is animated by civic loyalty and much public spirit. He has had no desire for public office, but in politics gives an un- qualified allegiance to the Republican party. He is a member of the Commercial and Co- lumbia clubs and various representative frater- nal organizations, and is recognized as one of the popular and influential citizens of the fair capital city that has represented his home from the time of his nativity.

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Greater Indianapolis : the history, the industries, the institutions, and the people of a city of homes, Part 98

Author: Dunn, Jacob Piatt, 1855-1924. cn Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 972

Author: Dunn, Jacob Piatt, 1855-1924. cn
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 972