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 4
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JAMES S. MILLER, deceased, was for many years an active factor in the substantial improvement of Terre Haute through the conduct of his business interests as a contractor and builder, and such was the regard en- tertained for him personally that his death caused uniform sorrow throughout the community. He was born in Lchigh county, Pennsyl- vania, near the city of AAllentown. February 17, 1839, and passed away in Terre Haute on the 3d of April. 1903, at the age of sixty-four years. He continued a resident of the Keystone state to the age of sixteen years. when he removed westward to Clinton county, Indiana, with his parents.
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John and Hannah ( Stahler) Miller, who had a large family, numbering five sons and two daughters. The father devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and also to carpentering, and thus provided for his family.
Upon the home farm James S. Miller spent his youth and the common schools afforded him his early educational privileges, which were supple- mented by many lessons learned in the school of experience. After put- ting aside his text-books he took up the carpenter's trade. and about 1858 or 1859 located in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he resided until his death, covering a period of about forty-five years. He was identified throughout the entire time with building operations, and became a leading contractor of Terre Haute, where many evidences of his handiwork and skill are still seen in substantial modern buildings here. A liberal patronage was accorded him and he therefore met with a goodly measure of success.
While living in this city Mr. Miller was married on the 28th of No- vember, 1865. to Miss Mary Sydney Douglas, a daughter of John W. and Isabella (Johnston ) Douglas, who, coming to the middle west from Penn- sylvania in the spring of 1850, settled in Terre Haute, where they spent their remaining days. The father was a carriage builder by trade and fol- lowed that pursuit in early life, while in later years he engaged in mer- chandising. His death occurred when he had reached the venerable age of eighty-four years. His daughter, Mrs. Miller, was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, January 25, 1847, and was therefore a little maiden of only three summers when brought to Terre Haute, where she has since lived. By her marriage she became the mother of four children, but the eldest and the youngest are now deceased. Her son, Willis Douglas Miller, is now engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Terre Haute, while the daughter, Charlotte Miller, is the wife of Clayborne (). Self. of this city.
Mr. Miller gave his political allegiance to the Republican party. of which he was an inflexible supporter. He always kept well informed on the questions of the day and studied the probable outcome of political problems. Fraternally he was connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was prominent in the local lodge. He was also an exeni- plary member of the Masonic fraternity. A man of fine personal appear- ance, he possessed, too, those sterling traits of character which in every land and clime win honor and respect. He was thoroughly reliable in all business transactions, being never known to take advantage of the neces- sities of another. and his commercial integrity combined with his excellent workmanship to make his labors as a contractor and builder constantly sought. He was a Universalist in religious faith and his daily life was the exemplification of many high ideals. Mrs. Miller still resides in Terre Haute, is prominent in social circles and is most active and helpful in
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the work of associated charities, with which she has been identified for more than twenty-five years.
CHARLES PEMBERTON WALKER, widely known as one of the lead- ing insurance men of the middle west is located at Terre Haute as associate general agent of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany of Milwaukee. He has a wide and favorable acquaintance in this part of the state and many readers of this volume will receive with interest the record of his life, the salient features of which are as follows : He was born on a farm in Monroe county, Indiana, February 12, 1867, and in the paternal line is descended from an old southern family represented in the Revolutionary war by Elmore Walker, who joined the Continental army and fought for the independence of the nation, participating the in the battle of Guilford Court House. his home being so near that the wife and son heard the roar of the cannon. His son. Richard Walker, was born in Buckingham county, Virginia. March 30. 1770, and on leaving his native state removed to Stokes county, North Carolina, where he met and married Martha Smith, who was born in the county October 19. 1766. They lived for some years in North Carolina and thence removed to Bledsoe county, Tennessee, about the year 1803. They resided in that county and in Rhea county and were identified with the pioneer develop- ment of the localities in which they made their home. Mrs. Martha (Smith ) Walker departed this life August 13. 1823. after which Mr. Walker married a second time. The descendants by his first wife located in Monroe county. Indiana, and those by the second located near South English, Iowa. He lived in Tennessee until 1857. but in the meantime his children had removed to Indiana and Iowa, and in the fall of that year he started west to Iowa. On account of the severe weather, however, he re- mained with the family then living in Monroe county, Indiana, and during that winter met with an accident which on account of his advanced age occasioned his death, so that he passed away in Monroe county. August 16, 1859, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years.
Joseph Walker, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Stokes county, North Carolina. April 14. 1795, and early in manhood he wedded Miss Mary Atkins, whose birth occurred in that county April 18. 1794. The 22d of February, 1821, was their marriage day. Joseph Walker was a blacksmith by trade and at the time of the war of 1812 served his country as a soldier of the American army. He died May 21. 1881, when he had reached the advanced age of eighty-six years, while his wife passed away May 14. 1857.
Their son, Richard G. Walker, was born in Bledsoe county. Ten- nessee, March 5. 1825, and was a young boy when he accompanied his
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parents on their removal to Monroe county, Indiana, where he was reared amid the wild scenes and environments of pioneer life, spending his remaining days in that county, save for a brief period passed at Urbana, Illinois, where he removed about 1862. The latter part of his life he made his home in Bloomfield. Greene county, Indiana. He was a blacksmith by trade, having learned the business with his father, and during his active life he followed that pursuit in connection with farming. He served as a soldier in the Mexican war under Colonel Bowles and like others of the family was noted for his loyal and zealous patriotism. He was married March 25, 1849. to Miss Martha S. Adams, and passed away May 10, 1886, while his wife died in March, 1877. She was a descendant of Robert Freeland, who emigrated from England in 1690, and married a Miss Day, near Baltimore, Maryland. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Rich- ard G. Walker were as follows: Milton A., who was born May 16, 1850, and now follows farming in Nebraska ; Mary A., who was born November 12, 1852, and died August 9, 1875 : Joseph B., who was born March 4. 1854, and died April 14, 1904 : George A., who was born September 11, 1857, and is engaged in the grocery business in Bloomington, Indiana ; William L., who was born September 17, 1860, and died in infancy ; Ira I., who was born June 5. 1862, and is also engaged in the grocery business in Bloom- ington, Indiana; Robert E., who was born January 17, 1864, and is en- gaged in the live stock business in Indianapolis, and Charles P., whose name introduces this sketch.
The last named was largely reared upon the home farm and early became familiar with the duties as well as the privileges of rural life. Hle pursued his education in the district and high schools, the latter at Bloomfield. Indiana. His first business experience was that of a clerk in a grocery store, where he remained for about two years, and on the 27th of June, 1887, he accepted the position of chief clerk with the general manager of the Indiana & Illinois Southern Railroad, now a part of the Illinois Central System, at Sullivan, Indiana. In September, 1890, he resigned and became chief clerk to the superintendent of the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad, with headquarters at Evans- ville, this state, filling that position until September, 1892, when he resigned and once more entered the services of the Indiana & Illinois Southern road, at Sullivan. From that date until December 31, 1899, he filled the position at different times of train master, car accountant, purchasing agent and general freight agent, at Sullivan, Indiana. On account of the purchase of this railroad by the Illinois Central, Mr. Walker, on the Ist of January, 1900, took the position of chief clerk to the general manager of the Southern Indiana Railway, with headquarters at Bedford, Indiana, where he remained for two years and was then
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transferred to Terre Haute. He had advanced by reason of his merit and efficiency, to various positions in the railroad service, but on the 23d of August. 1905, he left the service of the Southern Indiana Rail- road to accept the position of associate general agent of the Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company of Milwaukee, and since that time has given his undivided attention to the life insurance business, with offices in the McKeen Bank Building, at Terre Haute.
Mr. Walker was married December 18. 1890, to Miss Hannah Moore, of Sullivan, Indiana, who was born at Belleville, Illinois, March 11, 1866, a daughter of Hugh and Margaret Moore, both of whom were natives of England. Her father was the pioneer coal operator in the coal fields of Sullivan and Vigo counties and thus contributed much to general prosperity through his development of the natural resources of this region. Mr. and Mrs. Walker have become the parents of a daughter and son : Lela Margaret, born March 31, 1893. and George Harold, born January 9, 1896.
Mr. Walker is a welcome member of the gatherings of Sullivan Lodge, No. 263. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he served as master in 1899. He belongs to the Terre Haute Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons and to the council. He is likewise connected with the Young Business Men's Club, and he and his family are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church. He is an example of that class of men to which the ever vigorous and advancing community chiefly owes its prosperity. His parents did not have sufficient means to reduce his early life to a condition of ease and in fact it was necessary in his youth that he come to a realization of the value of industry and enterprise in the acquirement of a living. He has steadily worked his way upward to positions of responsibility and trust and deserves much credit for what he has accomplished.
ROBERT R. HARROLD, attorney at law, of Terre Haute, and United States commissioner, was born in Bloomington, Indiana, December 19, 1878. He is a son of Alonzo M. and Elizabeth (Moore) Harrold, the former a native of Mooresville, Indiana, born July 9, 1844, while the latter was born in Bloomington on the 10th of April, 1845. The paternal grandfather, Thomas Harrold, was a native of Blount county, Tennessee, and became a pioneer of Owen county, Indiana. Reared and educated in this state, Alonzo M. Harrold was only about seventeen years of age when in response to his country's call for troops he enlisted at Terre Haute, in June, 1861, and became a member of Company H, Fourteenth Regiment of Indiana Infantry. He was mustered out June 6. 1864, after serving for three years in the eastern army under General MeClellan. He had six
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brothers who were defenders of the Stars and Strips, three of them being members of the Fourteenth Indiana Regiment. With his command Alonzo M. Harrold participated in many hotly contested battles but was always faithful to his duty whether on the firing line or the lonely picket line. After the war he carried on contracting and was deputy sheriff at Bloom- ington, Indiana, until 1880. In that year he removed to Terre Haute, where he continued in the contracting business for some time. For three years. from 1880 until 1883. he was a member of the Terre Haute fire department and in matters relative to the city's welfare and growth he was always deeply and helpfully interested. In 1906 he and his wife re- moved to Los Angeles, California, where they are now residing.
Robert R. Harrold was reared in Terre Haute and pursued his education in the public schools, passing through consecutive grades until he became a high school student. At the age of fourteen years, however. he started out in life on his own account, securing employment in a hardware store and while thus engaged, realizing the necessity and value of further education, he took up the work in the Garvin Business College .. from which he was graduated in due course of time, after paying his own way through the school. He next became bookkeeper for a cigar firm and in the spring of 1897 he began reading law in the office of Doyle & Crangle, of Watseka, Illinois, with whom he continued for fifteen months. On the expiration of that period he matriculated in the Northwestern University, at Chicago, where he pursued a two year's course, meeting the expense of his college course by work on newspapers. For want of funds he did not graduate, leaving college two months before the com- pletion of the term. He then successfully passed the required examination for admission to the bar and was licensed to practice in the Illinois courts in the spring of 1899. Soon after he returned to Terre Haute and con- tinued his reading in the office of Wilson H. Soule. He began the prac- tice of law here on the 4th of January, 1900, and in November, 1901, be- came associated with D. V. Miller. the partnership continuing until Sep- tember, 1904, at which time Mr. Harrold was appointed clerk of the board of public safety. under Mayor Bidaman, which position he held until September 1, 1906. He continued his practice during this time and in May. 1907, became associated with A. M. Higgins in practice, and in March, 1908, was appointed United States commissioner, succeeding Mr. Higgins, who resigned to remove to New York city. Mr. Harrold has be- come recognized as one of the able young lawyers of the Terre Haute bar. His business methods are frank and honest, characterized by that high sense of honor which comes to him as a second nature from a long line of high bred ancestry. In the trial of a case he sees quickly every advan- tage and disadvantage, notes the affect of an argument with remarkable
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precision and is recognized as possessing to a large extent the qualities which go to make up the successful advocate. He has gained place among the prominent members of the Terre Haute bar as the result of his knowledge of the law, his eloquent and forceful manner and his strong personality and strength of character.
Mr. Harrold is a member of the Uniform Rank of the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights and Ladies of Honor, the Fraternal Aid Association and the Sons of Veterans. He married Alta Mae Watkins, daughter of M. S. Watkins, of Terre Haute, and to them has been born a daughter, Gwendolyn. Both Mr. and Mrs. Harrold are favorably received in the leading social circles of the city and as an energetic, upright and conscientious lawyer and gentleman of attractive social qualities he stands high in the estimation of the entire community.
GEORGE G. MORRIS, general agent of the Penn Mutual In- surance Company, with headquarters at Terre Haute, began the journey of life on the 5th of June, 1873, in Waveland, Montgomery county, Indiana. He was the son of the Rev. Aaron H. and Anna A. ( Harlan) Morris. The father, a native of Butler county, Ohio, was born on a farm near the college town of Oxford, in 1847, and the mother's birth occurred on a farm near Liberty, in Union county, Indiana. The paternal grand- parents both died when their son Aaron was a child and little is known concerning the ancestral history of the family. The maternal grandfather was George Harlan, an early settler of Union county, Indiana, who re- moved from the east and cast in his lot with the pioneers of this state at a very early period in its development.
The Rev. Aaron H. Morris was educated at Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio, and left college to enter the army as a Union soldier, enlist- ing as a member of the Eighty-sixth Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served throughout the war with that command and when hostilities had ceased joined the ministry of the Christian church, to which he devoted his life. He occupied the pulpits of various churches of that denomination in Indiana, being located at different times in Noblesville, Tipton, Knightstown and Greencastle. He was an earnest, able and forceful speaker and his influence in the church was of no restricted order but was the means of leading many to adopt higher ideals of daily con- duct. From 1884 until 1890, a period of six years, he was the efficient superintendent of the Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home, at Knightstown, thus devoting his life to a most beneficent work and purpose. On leaving that position he resumed active work in the ministry. being called to the Christian church at Greencastle, Indiana, where he
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remained in untiring devotion to the upbuilding of the cause until his deatlı in 1897. His widow, a lady of many friends, still resides in Greencastle, and is now in her sixtieth year.
George G. Morris spent his boyhood days at Noblesville and Knights- town and acquired his education in the public schools of those cities. He entered DePauw University in 1890 and left the college in 1897 on account of the death of his father. In 1899 he became general agent for the Penn Mutual Insurance Company, at Vincennes, where he con-
tinued until April, 1900, when he was put in charge of the dis- trict embracing both Vincennes and Terre Haute, with headquarters in the Erwin block, in the latter city. He has built up a fine business for the company and has established a reputation as one of the leading insurance men in this part of the state. He is thoroughly versed concerning the insurance business in all of its departments and has gained a most creditable position in insurance circles.
On the 26th of September, 1901, Mr. Morris was married to Miss Jesse Neff, who was born in Greencastle, Indiana. a daughter of the late Willis G. Neff, who was a leading member of the Putnam county ( Indiana) bar and prominent in Democratic circles in this state. Mr. and Mrs. Morris have a daughter, Margaret. They are well known in social circles in Terre Haute, having gained many warm friends here, while the hospitality of the majority of the best homes is freely accorded them.
PHILIP F. KADEL, who is engaged in the coal trade in Terre Haute, is one of the native sons of the city, with a wide acquaintance and warm friendship resulting from the possession of sterling traits of character. His birth occurred January 30, 1874, at No. 621 Tippecanoe street, and the house in which he first opened his eyes to the light of day is still standing. His parents were George John and Marie ( Yanda ) Kadel. The father was a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, born November 23, 1840, and the mother was born at Prague, Bohemia, on the 2d of February, 1848. The former was a son of Adam and Anna (Ohlenschlager) Kadel, both natives of Hesse-Darmstadt. In 1852, when a boy of twelve years, George John Kadel came to the United States with his sister, who is now Mrs. Sophia Hoffman, a resident of Lafayette, Indiana, and they landed at Baltimore, Maryland, and came direct to Terre Haute, being influenced in their choice of location by the fact that they had distant relatives in this city. Necessity rendered it important that Mr. Kadel secure immediate employment and he entered the service of T. C. Buntin, who was then proprietor of the old Buntin Hotel. Mr. Kadel, then a lad, became very much attached to his employer, a most kindly old gentleman, and his son, who entertained for him an equally favorable regard. He was taken
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into the home circle more as a companion and member of the household than as an employe and lived with the family for a number of years, being thus very fortunate in his early surroundings. During that time he taught the sons of the family the German language.
At a later date MIr. Kadel entered the employ of the old Indiana & St. Louis Railroad Company, now a part of the Big Four system, and continued in that service for a number of years. On his retirement from that line of work he engaged in the retail grocery business at the corner of Sixth and Elm streets, but there suffered a heavy loss by fire. Not discouraged, however, he soon resumed business at the corner of Second and Ohio streets and after many years in the grocery trade, during which time he met with gratifying success, he turned his attention to the hotel business at the corner of Eighth and Main streets. In this he was associated with his brother-in-law, Nicholas Kadel, in the conduct of the old Washington House, of which he subsequently became sole proprietor, conducting that hostelry with profit for several years. When his health became impaired he withdrew from hotel life and again entered the railroad service in the employ of the Indiana & St. Louis Railroad Company. In 1880 he embarked in the retail coal business, open- ing his yards at No. 921 Main street, in the building which is still standing. He then continued in that field of activity up to the time of his death, which occurred November 23, 1891. He established a large business and became a prosperous man, winning both success and an honorable name by reason of the straightforward business policy which he followed. He was a leading and devoted member of the German Lutheran church and served for many years as secretary of the congregation. He was also an elder of the church and was one of the leading promoters of the project for building the new house of worship. His aid and influence were an element in the growth of the church and the extension of its influence in many ways, and his entire life was in harmony with his professions, making him a man whom to know was to esteem and honor. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Kadel were born fourteen children: Edward, who died at the age of six years: William C., who is a traveling salesman for H. Hulman & Company: George J., who is engaged in tinsmithing and guttering at the corner of Fourth and Ohio streets: Catherine, the wife of Warner F. Coordes, who is with John A. Jergins in a hardware store: Marie, who died at the age of eight months: Philip F .. of this review ; Michael, who died at the age of one year and three months ; Anna Rose; Herman J., who died at the age of nineteen years ; Sophia M. : Margaret A. ; Robert N. T., a member of the firm of Kadel & Rich- ardson, 125 South Seventh street : Elizabeth ; Anton J. : and Lydia M.
Philip F. Kadel was reared in Terre Haute and secured his edu- cation in the German Lutheran parochial schools. At the age of twelve
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years he joined his father in business and acted as his assistant until admitted to the partnership in the coal trade, under the firm name of George J. Kadel & Son, in 1890. This relation was maintained until the death of the father, when the firm name of George J. Kadel's Son was assumed. He had not yet attained his majority, but on the first of April, 1894, when he reached the adult age, the business was turned over to him entirely and he has since conducted it under his own name. At that time he removed the place of business one door east of the old office and there continued a little more than two years, when, on account of ill health, he closed his office, abandoned business and for four years traveled for the benefit of his health. On the 15th of March, 1902, he became a manager for the Lancaster Block Coal Company, with which he continued until 1904, when he again embarked upon an independent venture as a coal merchant, establishing his office and yards at No. 1201 Crawford street. He has a good business, which is steadily growing, and is regarded as one of the leading retail coal dealers of the city, being popular with the trade and with his many patrons. His business methods are such as will bear the closest investigation and scrutiny, for commercial probity stands as an unquestioned factor in his career.
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