USA > Indiana > Vigo County > Terre Haute > Greater Terre Haute and Vigo County : closing the first century's history of city and county, showing the growth of their people, industries and wealth > Part 18
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Kidder purchased his brother's interest and has since owned and operated the mill alone. The "Wabash Mills" are at the present time the largest and best plants of their kind in Vigo county. The old stone method of grinding has long since given way to the improved roller system, and the daily capacity has from time to time been increased until it is now over nine hundred barrels.
It is not alone, however, in this one line of industry that Mr. Kidder has won prominence in the industrial life of Terre Haute and Vigo county, for he is one of the three men who purchased the old Terre Haute street car line, improved it and changed the horse and mule power to electricity. He was also one of the organizers and a director of the Terre Haute Tool Works, one of the city's early industries, and was active in the organization and at one time a director in the Citizens Gas Company, which was instrumental in lowering the price of gas from two dollars to thirty-five cents a thousand feet.
In Illinois, on the 9th of December, 1860, Mr. Kidder married Lonise Kendall, who was born in Vermont, February 13, 1836, a daughter of Capt. Isaac Kendall, who served as captain of a company of Vermont militia in the early days. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kidder. The eldest, Cora Louise, born February 27, 1862, married, on the 21st of November, 1888, O. R. Wood, a railroad passenger agent at Wheeling, West Virginia. Marcus Willard, born May 4, 1866, received his education in the city schools and the Rose Polytechnic Institute, and is now in the office of the Wabash mills. He married October 30, 1895, Lila Goodman. Clinton Baxter, born November 28, 1867, also received his education in the city schools and the Rose Poly- technic Institute, and he then took charge of the Overman Wheel Company, manufacturers of bicycles, at Springfield, Massachusetts, where he had over one thousand men under his supervision. Following this he was electrician for a Cincinnati street railway company. He was serving as manager of the Terre Haute Street Railway Company at the time the motive power was changed from mule to electricity, for several years was in charge of the street railway and lighting plant at Savannah, Georgia, and is now managing a large farm of twenty-five hundred acres for his father. The property is located near Wahpeton, North Dakota, and is principally under cultivation. He married, June 24, 1896, Helen Randell. Idelle, born September 5. 1871, married June 2, 1904, Dr. Fred J. Walter, managing physician of a noted health resort at Mudlavia, Indiana. Ned Solon, born April 10, 1874, attended the public schools and after grad- nating from Rose Polytechnic Institute served as city engineer of Terre Haute, and now has charge of the American Asphalt and Rubber Com- pany, at Chicago, Illinois. On December 20, 1900, lie married Elizabeth
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Parker. Arthur Dale, born March 26, 1876, graduated from the Rose Polytechnic. Institute and took a post-graduate course at the Colum- bian University, of Washington, D. C., after which he accepted a posi- tion with the United States government in that city, while at the present time he is holding the important office of examiner of geodetic surveys at the capital. He married Fidelia Royce March 31, 1904. Sidney Jesse, born June 3. 1878. attended the public schools, and after graduating from the Rose Polytechnic Institute took a post-graduate course in mining engineering at the Columbia University, of New York city, and he now has charge of a large stamp mill at Millers, Nevada, for the Tonopah Mining Company. In politics Mr. Kidder is a life-long Re- publican.
CHARLES N. MURPHY, the treasurer of the People's Brewing Com- pany and one of the well known citizens and business men of Terre Haute, is a native of Crawford county, Illinois, born on the 14th of October, 1861, to Morris H. and Elizabeth (Jones) Murphy, both now deceased. Al- though born on a farm Charles N. Murphy was reared in Russellville and Palestine. Illinois, and in Sullivan, Indiana, securing his education principally in the public schools of the latter city, where his parents had moved in 1870. It was there also that he began his business life, entering upon an apprenticeship at the baker's trade, but in April, 1876, left there for Crawfordsville, Indiana, where he completed his trade and then came on to Terre Haute in 1878 and took charge of the "Oyster Room" for Leo Werner. In the following summer he opened a peanut stand on the corner of Wabash avenue and Sixth street, but in the fall sold the stand and returned to the employ of Mr. Werner.
In the spring of 1880, in company with Oscar Rankin, Mr. Murphy journeyed as far west as Colorado and prospected for silver until in the fall, when he returned to Terre Haute and to his old employer. In the spring of 1881 he again made the trip to Colorado, and this time engaged in the bakery, restaurant and confectionery business at Pueblo until his return to his former location at Gunnison City, from whence, in 1883. he came again to his old home in Terre Haute. On the 17th of December, 1884. he married Miss Tillie Werner, a daughter of his former employer, and upon the death of Mr. Werner in July, 1890, he took charge of his business and continued it at the old stand until he leased his present quarters at 412 Wabash avenue in March, 1892, and fitted up the finest retail liquor store in Indiana. In 1899 he purchased the property, one of the valuable sites on Wabash avenue. Mr. Murphy was one of the organ- izers of the People's Brewing Company, of Terre Haute, and was made the first treasurer of the company, and he has ever since held this office.
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He was also one of the promoters of the Lake View Park Company, Terre Haute's leading amusement park, and is a director of the company at the present time. He is also interested in the Merchants' Ice and Cold Storage Company, of Terre Haute, and yet retains an interest in gold and silver properties in the west.
Mr. and Mrs. Murphy have two daughters, Zelda and Mildred. Mr. Murphy is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Red men and the Eagles fraternities.
THOMAS JEFFERSON SCOTT is the proprietor of the leading, if not the only, department store in Terre Haute, located at 1125 Wabash avenue, and he is one of the foremost business men of the city. He is also numbered among Vigo county's native sons, for he was born on a farm in Prairie Creek township March 4, 1864, a son of Alexander and Julia (Walker) Scott, who were born in the states of New York and Indiana respectively. During the early fifties Alexander Scott also became a resident of this commonwealth, and in Vigo county was married and followed farming. He died in 1870, in his sixty-first year, and the death of his wife occurred about two years later, in her fifty-fifth year.
Thomas J. Scott was but six years of age at the time of his father's death, and at the death of his mother so soon afterward was left practically homeless, his father's small estate proving of little or no benefit to him at all, and his boyhood days were filled with hardships. He made his home wherever he could find any one who would take him in for the work he could perform, and the longest period spent with any one person during this part of his life was with a widow near Prairieton. After attaining the age of fourteen he began for the first time to "work for wages," and from that time on until he was twenty-five he worked on farms. During that period he saved a few hundred dollars and finding that farm work was not to his liking he sold his team and farming outfit and with A. B. Ferguson, an old friend with whose family he had spent considerable time at different periods, he opened a small grocery store on the Prairie- ton road, on the south edge of Terre Haute, but after a year and a half the young grocery merchant found the business too slow and turning over his interests to Mr. Ferguson, to be paid for at his convenience, if ever, went to work in the brick yard of C. W. Hoff, spending two seasons there. Following this he opened a general mercantile store in Ellsworth, Otter Creek township, in partnership with Adolph Beggins, and after two years bought his partner's interest and conducted the business alone for a number of years. While in business in Ellsworth Mr. Scott was elected the trustee to Otter Creek township and served in that office for five years and three months, his term having been extended over the
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four years' time by reason of the change of law in holding township elections.
Desiring a wider field for his activities Mr. Scott sold his business in Ellsworth and opened a large general store at Burnett, in Fayette town- ship, where he has ever since conducted a large and growing business, but still on the watch for greater possibilities, in November, 1907, he pur- chased the large and modern brick business block at 1125 Wabash avenue, Terre Haute, and opened what is perhaps the only department store in the city, still continuing, however, his business at Burnett. His Terre Haute store occupies two floors and a basement, and he carries a large and complete stock, new and up-to-date, and although but a short time has elapsed since he enrolled his name among Terre Haute's merchants and business men, and in that time too he passed through a long and serious illness, the Terre Haute venture has proved a success and promises well for the future. Mr. Scott is prominent in Odd Fellowship and is a charter member of the Otter Creek lodge, and also of the Burnett lodge of Knights of Pythias.
He has been twice married, wedding first Kate Beard, who was born in Terre Haute and died in 1896, after becoming the mother of a son and daughter, Edith and Thomas B., but the son died in infancy. Mr. Scott's second marriage was to Miss Anna Mason, a teacher of Otter Creek township. To this union have been born two daughters who died in infancy.
JOHN M. POLLITT has been a gardener throughout his entire busi- ness career, and now owns and operates sixty-one acres of garden land in Honey Creek township, Vigo county. He was born in Hanover town- ship, Shelby county, Indiana, March 4, 1857, a son of John M., Sr., and Susan (Merdith) Pollitt, both of whom were born in the Blue Grass state of Kentucky. Their marriage was celebrated in the year of 1844. Their son John remained at home with them until he had reached his twenty- fourth year, working with his father on the farm, and after his mar- riage he began gardening for himself on rented land. After the first year he rented twenty acres of David Pugh, later becoming the owner of the property, but he sold it in 1904 and bought his present homestead of sixty- one acres. He ships about half of his produce to Chicago, and the re- mainder is consumed by the Terre Haute market.
On the 31st of August, 1881, Mr. Pollitt married Mahala Evans, a daughter of Silas and Eliza (Willfon) Evans, both natives of Illinois. They became residents of Prairie Creek township, Vigo county, Indiana, where they owned and operated ninety acres of land, but both are now deceased, the mother dying on the 14th of February, 1868, and the father
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. 1909
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December 25, 1877. In their family were seven children-Harvey, John, Ellen, William, Jane, Mary and Mahala, but only four of the number are now living. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Pollitt, but the first born, Edith, died at the age of nine years; the second, a little son, John Roy, died aged seven, and the only one living is Doris, five years of age. Mr. Pollitt is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and his political views are in harmony with the principles of the Democratic party.
KARL L. FREEMAN, D. D. S., of West Terre Haute, was born at Liberty, Indiana. October 28, 1886, and is perhaps the youngest dental practitioner in Vigo county. His father is James Monroe Freeman, also bori at Liberty, and his mother was Eunice Stanton. of a substantial English family. Its members emigrated from the mother country, and after stopping for a time at Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, migrated to the middle west and located at Liberty. Besides the Doctor, the mem- bers of the Freeman family are as follows: Dr. F. E. Freeman, residing in Laporte, Indiana ; Nellie E., wife of Professor J. E. Stevens, of Lib- erty; Carrie V. and Martha I.
Dr. Karl L. Freeman was reared in Liberty, Indiana, until he was eleven years of age, when the family removed to Cleveland, Tennessee, where he received a high school education. In 1904 he entered the Indiana Dental College, and after taking a three years' course received his degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. In June, 1907, he located in West Terre Haute and has since established a substantial practice. He is a member of the Indiana Dental Association, and is a thoroughly progressive mem- ber of his profession.
JUDGE CHARLES MONROE FORTUNE .- The man who wins prominence at the bar of America's thriving cities must have a thorough understand- ing of the law, and all must begin on a common plane and rise to eminence by perseverance, industry and ability, or fall back into the ranks of medi- ocrity. In like manner with all others, Charles Monroe Fortune started out to win a name and place for himself, and his success has made him one of the leaders of the Terre Haute bar and the present city judge.
He was born on a farm in Prairie Creek township, Vigo county, No- vember 25, 1870, a son of Henry Cole and Frances C. (Howell) Fortune, the former a native of Meigs county, Ohio, born in 1831, and the latter was born in Mason county, West Virginia, in 1838. The paternal grand- father, Zachariah Fortune, was one of the pioneers of Meigs county, and Nelson Howell, the maternal grandfather, served as a soldier in the Civil
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war and was killed in battle. Henry C. Fortune and Frances Howell were married in Mason county, West Virginia, and immediately after- ward came west to Clark county, Illinois. During the period of the Civil war Mr. Fortune contracted and operated the ferry on the Wabash river at Darwin, Illinois, his business proving very successful. In 1869 he pur- chased one of the best farms, comprising one hundred and seventy acres, in Prairie Creek township, Vigo county, where he lived and farmed for many years, and later in life bought a valuable farm of one hundred and eighty acres in Clark county, Illinois, operating the two places jointly. He died at his Clark county home in July, 1883, but his widow survived him for many years and died on the farm in Prairie Creek township, Vigo county, February 28, 1907. In their family were the following children : John W., deceased : DeKalb, a well known farmer of Prairie Creek town- ship ; George W., deceased ; Paul, deceased ; William J., a railroad man in Seattle, Washington : Hattie, deceased ; Charles M., the subject of this review : Effie M., the wife of Henry Busch, a farmer of Prairie Creek township ; and Frances, deceased. Mr. Fortune, the father, was a member of the Masonic fraternity. He was a prominent man and a leader in the communities in which he lived, and was often solicited to make the race for public office, but as often steadfastly refused. Mrs. Fortune was a member of the United Brethren church.
The early years of the life of Judge Fortune were spent on his fa- ther's farm, receiving his primary education in school No. 3, or what was commonly known as the Fortune school, as it was located on a portion of the Fortune farm in Prairie Creek township. His higher educational training was received in the schools of Darwin, Illinois. When he had attained the age of nineteen he left the farm and came to Terre Haute, where for a year and a half he worked in the shops of the Sanford Fork and Tool Company, after which he accepted a clerkship and learned the watch maker's trade, at the same time reading law at night from books which he had purchased. In 1898 he continued his reading in the office of Cox & Davis, and while there was also permitted to practice, so when he finally took the examination before the Vigo county bar he made a very creditable showing and was admitted. He at once engaged in prac- tice in Terre Haute, soon winning a clientage that connected him with much of the important litigation heard in the courts of the district, and at the primary election in June, 1905, he received the Democratic nomina- tion for the office of city judge without opposition .. The Republican ma- jority in the city at that time was over two thousand, and the Democratic nomination was considered a forlorn hope, but after a vigorous campaign against a popular opponent Mr. Fortune was elected by a majority of seventy votes. He assumed the duties of the judgeship on the 6th of
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January, 1906, and his administration thus far has proved a great success and his popularity has increased threefold, not only among the best ele- ment, but among those to whom he has also been obliged to administer justice. His popularity, both personally and politically, has led to his candidacy for the office of circuit judge at the hands of the Democratic party. In his race for the judgeship of Vigo circuit court. he had very strong opposition, but received a Democratic majority of 1,150. The judge is thoroughly acquainted over Vigo county, having warm friends and supporters even in its remotest parts. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Elks and the Red Men fraternities, and of the Commer- cial and the Young Business Men's Clubs. His offices are in the Erwin Building, corner of Fifth and Wabash streets.
Judge Fortune married, March 18. 1897, Myrtle L. Sparks, but she died in July of the same year. Mrs. Fortune was well known as an author in Terre Haute. When a mere child she wrote for the old Terre Haute Erpress, verses that had a distinct charm, and her poems, since published in book form, have delighted many readers. One phase of Judge Fortune's career should not be overlooked, and that is his prac- tical philanthropy. He gives freely and yet without display to many charitable causes, and this trait has characterized him particularly dur- ing his practice at the Vigo county bar.
NOAH D. BRILL. president of the Modern Construction Company of Terre Haute and well known for many years here as a building contractor. was born on a farm in Muskingum county, Ohio, June 20, 1853, a son of John and Sarah ( Vnisel ) Brill, both of whom were natives of Loudoun county. Virginia, and were pioneer settlers of Ohio. The father became a prominent farmer of the Buckeye state, where both he and his wife remained until called to the home beyond.
Noah D. Brill, the youngest in a family of thirteen children, was reared on the home farm and assisted in its development and improve- ment until after he had attained his majority. He was indebted to the public school system for the educational privileges he enjoyed and he afterward learned the carpenter's trade and became identified with gen- eral building interests. For the prosecution of his business affairs he located at Riley in 1879 and has since been a resident of Vigo county. He there engaged as a building contractor and contributed in large measure to the substantial improvement of the vicinity until 1890, when, seeking a broader field of labor, he came to Terre Haute, where he has now made his home for eighteen years. For eleven years he occupied the position of general superintendent with A. Fromme, a general contractor. after which he resigned, and in March, 1904, aided in organizing the
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Modern Construction Company, of which he was chosen president and manager the following year. This is an incorporated company for gen- eral construction and has erected the People's brewery plant, the Walden flats, the Fairbanks library, the Cook building, Home Packing Company's plant. Simons Packing Company's plant, of Youngstown, Ohio, and is now building the new Elk lodge building, the county jail and the Union Hospital. As the years have passed Mr. Brill has met success in his undertakings and his labors, too, have been of a character that have contributed to public progress as well as to individual prosperity.
In 18So occurred the marriage of Mr. Brill and Miss Lizzie Achauer, by whom he has three children. Mr. Brill is a member of the first Meth- odist Episcopal church, affiliates with the Knights of Pythias and is a Republican in politics-associations which indicate much concerning the character of his interests. In business circles he is regarded as one whose trustworthiness is above question, while in his activity and unwearied industry are found the secret of his success.
LOUIS DUENWEG .- Highly influential and honored for his broad participation in the financial, industrial and commercial progress of Terre Haute, Louis Duenweg has for almost half a century been a notable figure in the substantial development of his city and state. He is a strong and able representative of Germany, his fatherland, and America, his adopted country, and the land to which he has donated his best energies of body and mind since the earlier years of his mature life. He is a native of that country, born near the city of Cologne, on the 9th of October, 1837, his education in the fatherland including not only a scholastic but a commercial training. In 1856 he became a bookkeeper in the great iron works of Ruhrort, known as Phoenix II, but three years later came to the United States with the determination to become an independent factor in Terre Haute, the city of his location.
Mr. Duenweg is, therefore, within a year of having attained the golden anniversary of his settlement in this city. The first few months therein were spent in search of employment, and in 1860 he commenced to learn the printer's trade with the German newspaper then in existence. Finally, he reached the position of foreman, but six months in this capac- ity determined him to enter the field of business. He was a fine account- ant, and within the succeeding three years was bookkeeper for the pack- ing company of Farrington & Williams, H. D .. Williams (wholesale grocer ) and the distillery of Alexander McGregor & Company. He served the last named from 1864 to 1869, when H. Hulman purchased the distillery, and Mr. Duenweg not only continued in his old position but later on bought a small interest in the business. He thus continued
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with Hulman & Fairbanks and Cox & Fairbanks, successive proprietors of the business, and when Mr. Cox retired from the firm he became joint owner of the same, his partner being Crawford Fairbanks. These two gentlemen finally organized the Terre Haute Distillery Company, and in 1887 Mr. Duenweg retired from the business, leaving Mr. Fairbanks as sole proprietor.
Since the time of his retirement from the Terre Haute Distilling Company, twenty years ago, Mr. Duenweg has been identified with many important enterprises, all highly successful. For a number of years he was extensively interested in lead and zinc mines of the Joplin district, Missouri, and has developed several very productive properties. During this period he was president of the Center Valley Lead and Zinc Con- pany, and secretary of the Duenweg Mining Company. The little city of Duenweg, Missouri, a place of 2,500 population, founded largely upon the industries of this and other mines, was named in honor of this sturdy Terre Haute citizen. For a number of years Mr. Duenweg was also president of the Vigo Clay Company, and has long been connected with the Central Manufacturing Company of this city, successively as secre- tary, president and director. At the present time he is president of the Union Savings Association, president of the Star Exploring and Mining Company, vice president of the Terre Haute Abattoir and Stock Yards Company and vice president of the People's Brewing Company.
On May 7, 1864, Mr. Duenweg was married to Miss Catherine van Schellenbeck, who was born in Cologne, Germany, and they have the following children: Mathilde, Otto E., interested in mining properties at Webb City, Missouri ; Louis, secretary and treasurer of the Central Manufacturing Company of Terre Haute ; Annie R., who married Frank Temple, manager of the Central Manufacturing Company, and Bertha, who became the wife of L. W. Ott, of Indianapolis, now a resident of California.
EUGENE V. DEBS .- At the national convention of the Socialists party in Chicago, in May, 1908, Eugene Victor Debs was nominated for President. Mr. Debs has been the leader of the Socialists in national elections since 1900, and it is significant of the increasing strength of the party as also of his personal influence that the presidential vote in 1904 was nearly three times as large as that cast in 1900. For the past fifteen years E. V. Debs has been a national figure, and probably only a small proportion of those who know him by reputation associate his name with Terre Haute, where he began his career and attained the influential position in labor circles that, during a crisis, brought him into national prominence.
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