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 27
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JOHN L. HASELBERGER, a retired farmer of Otter Creek township, was born in Bavaria, Germany, October 4, 1836, and in that province his parents, Andrew and Barbara (Wagner) Haselberger, also had their nativity, the father born in 1800 and the mother in 1803. They were married in Bavaria, and with their family of six children they set sail for the United States in the early forties, landing at Baltimore, Maryland. After stopping there for a short time they continued their westward journey to Cincinnati, Ohio. In Germany, Andrew Haselberger had been a hop buyer, and after removing to Cincinnati worked in the vineyards until his removal to St. Clair county, Illinois, and from there, in 1854, he came to Vigo county, first locating in Fort Harrison and later in Otter Creek township. Here he bought forty-five acres of land and spent the remainder of his life on this little homestead, dying in 1873. He was a member of the Lutheran church and a stanch supporter of the Democratic party. Mrs. Haselberger preceded her husband in death, passing away, in 1865.
John L. Haselberger, the youngest of his parents' six children, was reared and educated in Ohio, and the first land which he ever owned was a little tract of forty-five acres in Otter Creek township. His career is a worthy example of perseverance and industry in business, for he has made of life a financial success and from his little farm of forty-five acres has grown his present valuable estate of two hundred and eighty acres, well improved. For a number of years he bought and sold stock in addition to his general farming, but in 1903 he laid aside the cares of a business life and has since rented his land. The only public office which he has ever held was that of supervisor. He is a stanch supporter of Democratic principles.
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Mr. Haselberger married, February 17, 1870, Miss Eleanor A. Ack- ers, who was born in Iowa and is of Irish and German descent.
JAMES L. DEVONALD is one of the most prominent mining engineers of this section of the state and is now in charge of the Grant Coal Mining Company's business, as well as serving as the general manager of the Binghampton Trust Company, of Binghampton, New York, the suc- cessor of the Patoki River Coal and Coke Company, Winslow, Indiana. He was born of Welsh parents at Boston Bay, April 2, 1862, the only child of James L. and Sarah (Devonald) Lewis, both of whom were born in South Wales, the father in 1829 and the mother in 1839. James L. Lewis served over twenty years as a captain in the English navy and was seriously injured by the accidental explosion of an oil shell, and from that time until his death, two years later, in 1869, he was unable to walk. He was a member of the Baptist church. After her husband's death Mrs. Lewis returned to South Wales and subsequently became the wife of Thomas Robert, a native also of that country. Four children were born of her second marriage: Mary J., William J., foreman of mine No. 3 of the Grant Coal Company; David T. is still in South Wales, and Martha A., deceased. Mrs. Robert is yet living at her old home in South Wales.
The first five years of the life of James L. Devonald were spent with his parents on the ocean. His father died when he was but a boy of seven, and he then returned with his mother to South Wales and made his home with his maternal grandfather, David D. Devonald, until twelve. His grandfather, at his own expense of three hundred dollars, had the lad's name changed from Lewis to Devonald. This family is an old and prominent one in the old country and has the distinction of never having been conquered, but instead gained a treaty from the English government, upon which the present generation look with a just and fond pride. As a boy of twelve James L. Devonald became associated with the South Wales and English Surveying Troop and remained with the company for twelve years, the last four years being a member of the geology staff. He remained in the government service in all twelve years, six years as a civil engineer, and then became assistant manager of a coal mining company in South Wales. On account of poor health he left his native land in 1888 and sailed for the United States, locating first in Knightsville, In- diana, and during his first year in this country his salary was regularly paid him. He then sent for his family, but two months after their arrival their son died. The family were then living at Rosedale, in Parke county, and in 1889 Mr. Devonald took charge of the mines of the Parke
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County Mining Company as mining foreman, holding that position for four years and for two years was their superintendent. It was at the close of that period, in 1895, that he came to Vigo county, where for five years he had charge as superintendent of the Grant Coal Mining Company at Burnett, and he then took charge of the Coal Bluff Mining Company at Fontanet, but after two years of superintendency he returned and took charge of the Grant Coal Mining Company at Burnett, as their general manager, and remained with them since as their general inanager. At the present time he is also in charge of the Binghamton Trust Company at Winslow, Indiana.
On the Ioth of December, 1883, he married a daughter of his own native land, Margaret Lewes. She was born on the 8th of October, 1864, to William and Mary (Griffith) Lewes, both also natives of South Wales and the parents of eight children : Thomas, Susannah, James, Margaret, Elizabeth, Mary J., Edward G. and Maria. Mr. Lewes spent his entire life as a coal miner and was a member of Wesley church. Of the five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Devonald three are now living: Margaret, Edgar J. and Gladys E. Mr. Devonald is a member of Rosedale lodge and the Burnett encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, also of Rosedale Lodge, No. 259, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is a Republican politically.
JOHN F. TROUT .- For many years the Trout family have been prominently identified with the agricultural interests of Indiana, but they trace their ancestry to the Blue Grass state of Kentucky, from whence came John Trout, the grandfather of John F., with his parents, to found a home in the then frontier country of Indiana. He was a Democrat and a Baptist. William G. Trout, his son, was born in Greene county, Indiana, and died on the old family homestead in Putnam county, of this state. in 1901, when he had reached the age of sixty-four years. He was a life-long farmer of Putnam county, was a member of the Christian church, and gave his political support to the Democratic party. His widow now resides on the old home farm there and has reached the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten. Their marriage was celebrated in Greene county and they became the parents of six chil- dren, but only three, John F., L. R. and Ellen, are living.
John F. Trout, the eldest of the three, was born in Putnam county, Indiana, December 5, 1856, and after farming there for several years he came to Otter Creek township, in Vigo county, in 1887, and has ever since been identified with its agricultural interests. He, too, votes with the Democratic party. On the 23d of September, 1875, he married
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Laura A. Sims, who was born in Owen county, Indiana, on April 14, 1857, the daughter of Eli and Sally (Waldridge) Sims, natives re- spectively of Owen and Greene counties. Eli Sims became a prominent farmer and stock raiser and spent his entire life in Owen county. He supported the principles of the Democratic party and was a member of the Christian church. Five are now living of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Sims, namely: Wiley W., Joseph, Mrs. Trout, Alice and Amanda. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Trout, and the four now living are Virgil, William P., Everett and Ethel. The Democracy receives the political support of Mr. Trout.
FRANK L. HESS is one of Otter Creek township's substantial farmers and business men, and his valuable and well cultivated estate is located in section 27. He is a native son of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, born April 12, 1863, to Levi and Elizabeth (Christ) Hess, the former of whom was also born in Pennsylvania. in Perry county, but the mother is a native of Bavaria, Germany. Levi Hess, the son of a farmer, en- listed in one of the Pennsylvania volunteer regiments for service in the Civil war, and during the conflict was captured and thrown into Jack- sonville prison, where he suffered all the horrors of a southern war prison and at last was starved to death. He left two children, a daughter Annie, the first born, and Frank L. Mrs. Hess moved to Clark county, Illinois, in 1865, and subsequently became the wife of Peter Cole, a farmer there, and they had four sons, Edward, Jacob, Fred and Harry. Mr. Cole died in September, 1906, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and his widow is yet living and is a resident of Marshall, Illinois.
Frank L. Hess was left fatherless when but a babe of one year, and taken by his mother to Clark county, Illinois, he grew to manhood there and farmed until in March, 1903, when he left Clark county for Otter Creek township, Vigo county, Indiana. After his arrival he bought one hundred and thirty-nine acres of land, and in 1904 erected thereon a pleasant and commodious home. He is now farming one hundred and eighty-five acres of land and is quite extensively engaged in the breeding of Percheron horses, Berkshire hogs and other stock. He votes with the Republican party.
On the 14th of April. 1896, Mr. Hess married Emma Shoemaker, who was born in Clark county, Illinois, May 12, 1876, a daughter of Abraham and Helen (Freedenburger) Shoemaker. The father, born in Germany, is now living in Clark county, but his wife is deceased, dying in 1878, after having become the mother of five children-Christ, Lizzie, Fred. George and Emma. He came to this country when a lad of
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fifteen, making the voyage on a sailing ship, and during the period of the Civil war he served the government as a horseshoer. After the close of the conflict he became a farmer of Clark county and is now one of the county's most prominent agriculturists and business men. He has allied his interests with the Democracy and has served his township as a supervisor. For his second wife, Mr. Shoemaker married Lua Wesser, and their four children are John. Kate, Clara and Edgar. The three children of Mr. and Mrs. Hess are Elizabeth, Annie and Harry. Both Mr. Hess and his wife are members of the Court of Honor, in Illinois.
JACKSON Cox is one of the oldest if not the oldest living resident of Vigo county, and he was born in its township of Prairie Creek, April 10, 1820. His father, John Cox, was born in North Carolina, and was married in Ohio to one of the state's native daughters, Ruth Allen, and together they came to Indiana in 1819, first locating in Knox county, and from there, in the spring of 1820, they came to Vigo county, where the wife afterward died. In 1852 Mr. Cox went to the home of his daughter Mary, in Illinois, but he died two years afterward. They became the parents of six children, but only the whereabouts of two are known to Jackson Cox. One, Harmony, will be ninety years of age at her next birthday in the fall of 1908, and she resides in Parke county, Indiana. Her sister Mary lives in Illinois.
Jackson Cox was reared and educated near Prairieton, in Vigo county, and has never been out of the county longer than a year at any time in his life. He has farmed during the most of his business career, and he remained at home with his parents until about twenty-two years of age. He then started out in life for himself as a farmer, buying fifty-five acres in Prairie Creek township, but in 1856 he traded that for one hundred and seventy-five acres in Sugar Creek township on the Wabash river, and conducted a ferry there for about twelve years. From that time on he con- fined his activities to agricultural pursuits, and has added to his original purchase until he now owns two hundred and eighty-five acres, now under the supervision of his son. In the early days Mr. Cox gave his political support to the Whigs, but since the formation of the Republican party he has been a member of its ranks, and for one term he served as a squire.
On the 22d of August, 1842, he married Martha Jane Mobley, who was born in Kentucky, September 4, 1820, and died December 6, 1848, and their three children are also deceased. On the 8th of January, 1850, Mr. Cox wedded Elizabeth Reynolds. She was born in Crawford county, Illinois, January 8, 1831, and they became the parents of fifteen
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children, but only eight, four sons and four daughters, are now living, namely: Martha Jane, the wife of Andrew Austin, and they live on her father's farm; Mary, the wife of Robert Ridge, of Danville, Illinois ; Lydia, the wife of Charles Haslet, of West Terre Haute; Cyrus, farming on the old homestead : Ruth Anna, the wife of Finley Elliott, of Sugar Creek township : Silas Elmore, of Illinois : Charles Allen, of Terre Haute, and George Emory, who operates the home farm for his father, and he also has a farm of his own. Mr. Cox also has twenty-six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Although he has reached the eighty-eighth milestone on the journey of life he is yet strong and enjoys excellent health, his failing eyesight being the principal mark of the hand of time. His mind is stored with many pleasant memories of his early life in Vigo county, when as a boy he drove the wild turkeys out of the wheat, and after he became old enough to use a gun he drove them out by shooting, often killing as high as eight in a single shot. On one occasion he remembers starting out to hunt with his rifle and three balls, and when he returned home he brought with him a fox. squirrel, an owl and two wild ducks, and still had one ball left. He has also killed many deer in this locality and in Illinois. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cox are members of the old Quaker church.
GEORGE LEE BERRY, a druggist in West Terre Haute, was born in the city of Terre Haute, November 30, 1877, a son of William H. and Tillie (Definbaugh) Berry, both of whom were born in West Virginia, the father in Braxton county, and the mother in Wheeling. They were married in Bellaire, Ohio, and came to Terre Haute in 1874, which has ever since been their home. George Lee was one of their four children, of whom Charles and Alvin reside in Terre Haute, and one, Olive is deceased.
George Lee Berry attended the public and high schools of his native city, and with the class of 1898, graduated in the pharmacy department of Purdue University. Previous to this time, in 1894, he became a druggist's apprentice to W. D. Waggoner, in Terre Haute, and after his graduation he entered upon a clerkship in Indianapolis for Charles C. Hahn, with whom he remained for six years, and coming thence to West Terre Haute he began the drug business for himself and has the distinction of being the second oldest druggist in years of service in the city. His store is well stocked with a full line of drugs and sundries, paints, oils, glass, etc., and it also contains an excellent and well patronized soda fountain. Both the political and social interests of this city receive Mr. Berry's active support. He affiliates with the Republican party and is a member
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of the Red Cloud Tribe, No. IS, of Red Men, in Indianapolis, the Knights of Pythias, Castle Hall, No. 521, New Hope Lodge of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 824, in West Terre Haute, Sugar Creek Encamp- ment of Odd Fellows, No. 346, and the Court Oak Foresters, No. 1440, in Indianapolis.
Mr. Berry married, September 1, 1903, Ethel Gallmore, who was born in Louisville, Kentucky, January 15, 1884, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Yerkes) Gallmore, both of whom are living in New Albany, Indiana. Mrs. Berry received her education in that city, and she remained at home until her marriage, which has been blessed by the birth of two children-William H., born July 22, 1904, and George L., Jr., born February 19, 1906. Mrs. Berry is a member of the Christian church.
GEORGE W. SPLATY occupies a representative position among the leading merchants of West Terre Haute and is at the head of the hard- ware house of George W. Splaty & Company. He began the battle of life for himself at the unusually early age of fourteen years, his first employment being as a cash boy in the store of A. Z. Foster, of Terre Haute, with whom he remained for about two years, while during the succeeding three years he served as bill clerk in the wholesale dry goods house of Havens & Geddes. He then became connected with their retail store as a cashier, two years later became a bookkeeper with the W. D. Morris & Company's wholesale and retail store, where he remained for four years, for seven years occupied the same position with C. C. Smith's Sons & Company retail hardware store, and in 1906 came to Terre Haute and entered upon his successful mercantile career here. He has steadily and persistently climbed the ladder of success, mounting step by step from the humble position of cash boy to the proprietorship of one of the leading mercantile houses of the city, his versatility of business talent and capable management gaining him distinction in commercial circles. His associate in business is E. E. McGrath, and the firm of George W. Splaty & Company handle a large line of hardware, stoves, ranges, enameled ware, tinware, sewing machines and miners' supplies.
Mr. Splaty is not only classed among Terre Haute's foremost citi- zens but is also numbered among its native sons, his birth occurring on the 26th of August, 1870, and his parents were Aaron and Christena ( Neshmeyer) Splaty. Aaron Splaty was born May 26. 1837, and when young came to Terre Haute, Indiana, and remained here until his death, July 22, 1877. In 1861 he enlisted in the Civil war, be- coming a private in the Thirty-first Infantry, and was discharged in Texas, in May, 1865. During that time he participated in the battles of
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Fort Donelson, Stone River, Murfreesboro and Lookout Mountain. Before leaving for the war he had been a farmer, but after his return he learned and followed the carpenter's trade until in 1867, when he engaged in the lumber business on the National Road near the state line in Sugar Creek township, continuing as the proprietor of a saw mill and lum- ber yard until 1871. He then returned to his former occupation of carpentering in Terre Haute and thus continued until his life's labors were ended in death. Mrs. Splaty was born in Clay county, Indiana, May 4, 1844, and she is now residing on North Fifth street, Terre Haute, with her son George. Of her four children, the first born, John, is deceased, as is also the third child, Anna. The only living daughter is Fannie, a graduate of both the Terre Haute high school and the Indiana State Normal, and she is now teaching in California.
Mr. Splaty of this review is a Republican and a member of the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Red Men and the Sons of Veterans. He affiliates with the Odd Fellows and the Red Men fraternities in West Terre Haute, and is also a member of the Wabash Cycling Club of this city. He is a member of the German Methodist Episcopal church. With his mother he maintains his residence in the city of Terre Haute.
MARION JOSEPH THRALLS, an agriculturist of Sugar Creek town- ship, Vigo county, was born in Fayette township, of this county, March 17, 1852, a son of Isaac and Anna (Cameron) Thralls, natives respectively of Indiana and Kentucky, and both are yet living. They reared their son Marion to mature years on their home farm in Fayette township, and he supplemented his common school training by a course of two terms in the University of St. Louis, in which he matriculated in 1872. Return- ing then to the homestead he farmed with his father until 1882, when he started in business for himself, and now he conducts one of his father's farms in Sugar Creek township, just across the road from the old home- stead. The senior Mr. Thralls owns a valuable estate of five hundred acres, and both the father and son are numbered among the successful agriculturists of the community. Marion Thralls also operates a thresh- ing machine, a corn shredder and a saw mill.
On the 19th of October, 1875, he married Anna Kintz, who was born in Ohio, July 12, 1849, but when five years of age she came with her parents to Parke county, Indiana. Her father, George Kintz, was a miller and followed that occupation until his death. Mrs. Thralls was educated at Mackey, Parke county, and by her marriage she has become the mother of three children. The first born, Charlotte, attended the Com-
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Mrs Marion Thrall
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mercial College of Terre Haute, and is now at home. She was born in Fayette township, August 1, 1882. Blanche, born February 9. 1885, is a graduate of the Indiana State Normal College, and taught in the district schools of Sugar Creek township for five years. She is the wife of Joseph T. Haller, a machinist of Detroit. Grace, born August 28, 1885, attended the State Normal and is now the wife of George Cole- man, engaged in railroad work in Terre Haute. They have two children, Dorothy and Frank. Mr. Thralls and his family are members of the Immaculate Conception Catholic church at St. Mary's.
WILLIAM A. MICHAEL, the only merchant of St. Mary's, has been identified with the business world since thirteen years of age, first work- ing at various employments, but in 1889 opened a general mercantile store at St. Mary's and now carries a large and well selected stock of groceries, fresh meats, dry goods, hardware and other commodities. During twelve years he was also postmaster of this city.
Mr. Michael was born in Assumption, Illinois, August 13, 1862, a son of Samuel A. and Sarah (Jenkins) Michael, both of whom were born in Maryland, the father on the 7th of August, 1820, and the mother on the 6th of July, 1819. They were married in their native common- wealth, but in 1851 they left there and established their home near Springfield, Illinois, where they remained until their removal to St. Mary's, Vigo county, Indiana. This city continued as their home during the remainder of their lives. After coming west Mr. Michael served as a railroad agent, being most of the time with the Illinois Central and the Big Four. He was a Democrat in his political affiliations. Thir- teen children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Michael and nine, including William A., are still living, namely : Andrew, a resident of Pana, Illinois ; Allan, a large land owner near Assumption, Illinois; Mary, now Sister Eleanor, at St. Mary's ; Anna, the priest's housekeeper ; Regina, Sister Mary Edward, of St. Mary's; Daniel T., of Taylorville, Illinois; Cecelia, the wife of Charles Hagan, of Indianapolis, and Margaret, now Sister Constantina, at St. Mary's.
William A Michael married, in 1885, Elizabeth Dermody, born in this city November 24, 1863, and their only child is a daughter, Stella, who was born Octobere 3, 1886, and has attended St. Mary-of-the-Woods. The family are members of the Catholic church. Mr. Michael is a Democrat politically.
ARTHUR O. GILLIS, prominently engaged in the undertaking and livery business in Terre Haute, was born in Oakland, Illinois, November
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27, 1875, a son of Pearl and Mary (Taber ) Gillis, both of whom were born in Edgar county, that state, and the mother died when her son Arthur was but five years old. The father, born May 5, 1851, was reared as a farmer lad and the tilling of the soil continued as his voca- tion until about twenty-three years ago when he came to Terre Haute and is now working with his son.
The public schools of this city furnished Arthur O. Gillis with his educational training, and at the early age of seventeen years he started out in life for himself, his first work having been in the capacity of a grocery clerk. He was thus employed for four years, and at the close of the period became an assistant to H. L. Stees, one of the leading undertakers of the city. Mr. Gillis has learned the business in its every department, and he also owns and conducts the livery stable which is operated in connection with the undertaking business. The parlors and stables are located at 112 and 113 North Fifth street.
On the 15th of December, 1899, Mr. Gillis married Nellie Barr, a native daughter of Terre Haute, and their two children are Chase and Kenneth. Mr. Gillis is a member of the Red Men, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, the Daughters of America and the Mac- cabees, also the Knights of Pythias and the Ladies and Knights of Columbia, in Terre Haute, and his religious connection is with the Methodist church. He is a Republican politically and has served his city as committeeman.
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