History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 55

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123

USA > Indiana > Dearborn County > History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 55

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Philip C. Braun was reared in Lawrenceburg, and has lived there all his life. He attended the public schools and then went to Cincinnati, where he was a clerk for the Pullman Car Company until 1890, leaving that position to become assistant cashier of the People's National Bank at Lawrenceburg, and when the Citizen's National Bank was consolidated with the People's National Bank he became cashier of the consolidated institutions, a position which he now occupies.

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On October 16, 1895, Philip C. Braun was married to Grace A. Wymond, the youngest daughter of William W. and Laura F. (Harding) Wymond, deceased, and to this union four children have been born, Philip W., Robert M., John F. and Sarah F.

Mr. and Mrs. Braun are members of the Presbyterian church, he being a trustee of the church, having succeeded his father in this position. Mr. Braun is a member of Lawrenceburg Lodge No. 4, Free and Accepted Masons, and is treasurer of the lodge. He also is a member of Dearborn Lodge No. 49, Knights of Pythias. Politically, he is a Republican. He is a member of the board of school trustees of the city of Lawrenceburg, having served in that position since 1905.

Mrs. Braun was born in Lawrenceburg on April 1, 1877. Her father was a wholesale grocer in Cincinnati, associated with her grandfather. Mrs. Braun was one of three children born to her parents, she having a sister, Laura F., and a brother, Edwin P. Mrs. Braun's paternal grandfather was John Wymond, the seventh son of his parents, who were natives of England. Mrs. Braun's maternal grandfather was Myron H. Harding, among whose children were Dora, Hector, Hollie and Laura F.

Bankers who are broad-minded and public-spirited are able to do very much for the city and county where they live. The Braun family have been well known, not only for their generosity, but for their public spirit and keen interest in public enterprises and worthy movements. Philip C. Braun in every way is carrying on the worthy public duties so well discharged for many years by his father, and enjoys the confidence and respect of the entire community.

CHARLES A. DOWNEY.

Charles A. Downey, now a well-known railway postal clerk, living at Au- rora, this county, was born on July 26, 1868, in Ohio county, this state, a son of Erastus S. and Elizabeth (Cloud) Downey. When his parents came to Aurora he was a small lad of eight years. There he attended the public schools, and when through school kept books for his father for several years, after which he followed various pursuits, until he was employed in the rail- way mail service, where he has remained for the past twenty-four years or more. Politically, Mr. Downey has always been an ardent Republican, and he and his wife are earnest members of the Baptist church.

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Erastus S. Downey was born in Ohio county, where he was reared on a farm. He later learned the cabinet-maker's trade, and was at one time super- intendent of the Ohio county poor farm. In 1876, Mr. Downey moved to Au- rora, where he was engaged in the hardware business and in the sale of farm implements until his death, which occurred in July; 1910, caused by a stroke of paralysis, he then being seventy-one years of age. His widow, who also is a native of Ohio county, survives him, at the age of seventy-four years. They were the parents of two children, Cora, who became the wife of Thomas Haines, and is now a widow, and Charles A. Downey. Mrs. Elizabeth (Cloud) Downey is an ardent member of the Baptist church. Erastus S. Downey was a son of George and Betsey (Van Dusen) Downey, the former born in Cincinnati, early pioneers in Ohio county, where George Downey fol- lowed farming, and where he died well advanced in years. They were the parents of the following children: Erastus S., King, Susanna, Belle, Adel- more B., Emma and Eliza. George Downey was the son of James Downey, a native of Ireland. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Downey, Daniel and Elizabeth (Drake) Cloud, were natives of Indiana, and followed farming in Ohio county, where they died well advanced in years. Their children were Daniel, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Henry, Lida, Edward and William.

On July 11, 1895, Charles A. Downey was united in marriage to Ella Sny- der, who was born at Columbus, Indiana, on April 18, 1873, daughter of Rob- ert and Caroline (Shenk) Snyder, to which union have been born six children, Elizabeth, Lucille, Frank, Alvira, Carlotta and William, all of whom are living save Elizabeth, the eldest, who died when ten years old.

Robert and Caroline (Shenk) Snyder were natives of Indiana. Mr. Sny- der was a photographer, and when the Civil War broke out he enlisted as a private in the Union army, serving three years. They are both now dead. They were the parents of four children, Robert, Ella, Frank, and one who died early in life. Robert Snyder was the son of the Rev. William W. Snyder, a Methodist minister. Both he and his wife, Catharine Elizabeth, were natives of Indiana, and both lived to advanced ages. They were the parents of six children, Robert, Hettie, Jennie, William, Edmund and Frank. Mrs. Downey's Grandfather Shenk and his wife, Elizabeth, were both natives of Indiana, and lived at Wilmington.

Charles A. Downey has always discharged his duties with satisfaction to the postal authorities, and is an active and energetic citizen, standing high in the esteem of all who know him.

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GEORGE W. JOHNSTON.

Descending from one of the oldest and best families of Dearborn county, the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch has always been one of the most successful and public-spirited citizens of the rural district, never allow- ing politics to interfere with good administration, and has done his share, as a county commissioner, in serving the public in an official capacity. Mr. Johnston is wonderfully well informed on the history of the county, and one could be entertained indefinitely with the incidents with which he personally has been associated.

George W. Johnston was born at what is known as Johnston's Mill, about five miles from Aurora, this county, on February 25, 1839, a son of George and Catherine (Kearney) Johnston. He grew to manhood on his father's farm, helping at the mill in his younger days. His education was obtained at the common and graded schools at Wright's Corners. During the Civil War, Mr. Johnston went to Indianapolis and drilled a company, of which he was first lieutenant, but was never called out to service. In 1863, he started to farm for himself, but after the first year, went back to the old home farm, taking entire charge for a time, and moving, in 1866, to where he now resides, in Center township, at the line of Hogan township, and has for a number of years been cultivating a fine tract of one hundred acres. In earlier life, Mr. Johnston took an active interest in politics, and in. 1888 was elected on the Democratic ticket to the office of county commissioner, to which office he was re-elected, serving in all six years, and held various local offices for a period of twenty-five years, among these being that of township assessor, to which he was elected over his protest.

Mr. Johnston's father, George Johnston, was born on May 23, 1790, in Frederick county, Virginia. He was a well-educated man, having a scholarly knowledge of the subjects of geometry and trigonometry, as well as having a good general knowledge. He married Catherine Kearney, who was born near Lexington, Kentucky, and to this union were born ten children, William, Henry, Nancy, Joseph, Robert, James, Elizabeth, Nora, Lucy and George W. The senior George Johnston was the son of David and Elizabeth (Kyle) Johnston, the former of whom died in Virginia in 1796, leaving a wife and the following children: John, David, George, Joseph, Nancy, who married a Mr. Griffin in Virginia; Rosanna, who became the wife of John Griffin, and Margaret, who married a Mr. Mills. In 1810 Elizabeth Johnston, with her four sons and daughter, Margaret, came west across the mountains, and after

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crossing the Ohio river at Wheeling, proceeded overland to Hamilton, where George, father of the subject of this sketch, taught school for several months. Later the family went to Vincennes, where George became private secretary to Gov. William Henry Harrison. Shortly before the battle of Tippecanoe the family moved to Kentucky, having been warned to get out because of the danger from Indians. In 1813 they again crossed the Ohio river and lived for a time at a town called Salem, later moving to Middletown, Kentucky. In 1815 they returned to Indiana and made a permanent settlement in Dearborn county. John, the eldest son, had previously entered government land north- west of Aurora, along the line of Hogan and Center townships. He had a large tract of land, and set out a fine apple orchard, and also had a large sugar camp, his farming being on a much larger scale than was usual in those days. The other brothers, David, George and Joseph, settled in Manchester township, on north Hogan creek, at a time when the country was almost un- inhabitable, on account of swamps, brush and a generally rough country, but they chopped and dug out a home and later established the noted Johnston's Mill, making a success of a business that later became widely known. George and Joseph married sisters, and David remained single, making his home with his married brothers. George afterward sold out his share, and he and Joseph built a mill in the southwestern part of Manchester township, which is still standing.

On May 14, 1863, George W. Johnston, was united in marriage with Mary Jane Bainum, who was born in Hogan township, this county, daughter of Conway and Sarah (Deshiell) Bainum, and to this union six children have been born, Frank, Ella, Robert, Oda, Maurice and Jessie. Frank John- ston is parole officer for the Indiana Reform School for Boys, at Plainfield. He married Mattie Grubbs, by whom he has had three children, Lorene, Loren and Donald. Robert Johnston, a biographical sketch of whom will be found in another part of this volume, is in the hardware and implement business at Aurora. Maurice Johnston, a well-known farmer of this county, married Nellie Weislogel, of Indianapolis, and has one daughter, Catherine. Ada Johnston became the wife of William Mendell, a grocer, and resides at Indianapolis. She has two sons, Joseph and William. Jessie Johnston became the wife of C. A. White, and moved to Indianapolis, but later settled at Aurora, where she died in 1899, leaving two daughters, Florence and Lillian. Miss Ella Johnston taught school for a number of years, but since her sister's death has remained at home, caring for her sister Jessie's two daughters, who are now attending high school. She has in her possession

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several books of problems, written by her grandfather, George Johnston, in a very fine hand, under date of 1813, and also has a letter written in No- vember, 1812, to her aunt in Vincennes, from a young man in Danville, Ken- tucky, who had previously ridden on horseback all the way to Vincennes to see the, then, young lady. In addition to the above prized ancient articles, she has in her collection a letter written by John Washington, a cousin of George Washington, to one of the Johnston family, after he became the husband of Nancy Johnston, a sister of David Johnston, of Virginia, her great-grand- father.

The esteem in which Mr. Johnston is held by the citizens of Center town- ship is fully attested by the great number of loyal friends, who never fail to give him a cordial social call, when in his locality.

GEORGE FOSTER SMITH, M. D.

Fortunately there is no caste system in this country, which requires the boy to take the same place in society occupied by his father and his grand- father. This is a democracy, and here the individual is the arbiter of his own fortunes. Among those who by their own efforts have attained a posi- tion of responsibility and rendered praiseworthy service in this community is George Foster Smith, the subject of this biography.

Dr. George Foster Smith, a well-known physician and surgeon of Law- renceburg, Indiana, is not descended directly from a line of physicians, but on the maternal side of his family he had an uncle who was a physician. On his paternal side he is descended from substantial stock that came from old Virginia, and on his mother's side he is descended from equally substantial stock, which came from the state of Massachusetts. Since coming to Law- renceburg, some ten years ago, Doctor Smith has attained an enviable position, not only as a practicing physician and surgeon, but as a man and as a citizen. As coroner of Dearborn county, as township physician, and president of the Lawrenceburg city board of health, Dr. Smith has filled positions in line with his professional activities. He is well known in this section and enjoys a large and lucrative practice.

Dr. George Foster Smith is a native of Kentucky, having been born in Boone county on February 2, 1875. His father, Robert Smith, was six years old when his parents, Henry and Nancy (Batten) Smith, came from Madison

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county, Virginia, to Boone county, Kentucky. Coming from Virginia to Kentucky in a covered wagon, Robert Smith grew to manhood in that state and was a well-known farmer, a prominent member of the Baptist church, and a substantial citizen. He died early in life in 1884. His wife, Amanda Foster, a native of Kentucky, who survived him more than twenty years, was a devout Baptist. Robert and Amanda Smith were the parents of two children: George F., and Julia, wife of Otto Rector, of Boone county, Kentucky. Amanda (Foster) Smith married, secondly, Benjamin Hensley, who now lives on the old homestead in Boone county, which has been in the family for more than one hundred years. Doctor Smith's mother is deceased, having passed away at the age of forty-nine years.

Henry Smith, a blacksmith by trade, and his wife, who before her marriage was Nancy Batten, both of Madison county, Virginia, and early settlers in Boone county, Kentucky, lived to advanced ages, and reared a family of nine children, as follow : John, William, Lystra, Whitfield, Fayette, Sarah Ann, Mary Eliza, Laura and Elivira. Others died early in life. Mrs. Nancy (Batten) Smith was ninety years old at the time of her death. The Foster family, the maternal ancestors of Doctor Smith, came west from Massa- chusetts. Charles and America (Payne) Foster, the maternal grandparents of Doctor Smith, and farmers by occupation, were early settlers in Boone county, Kentucky, where they died in middle life, after having two children, Amanda, who is Doctor Smith's mother, and Alfred, who was educated in medicine and who became a physician.

Born and reared on his father's farm in Kentucky and educated in the district schools of Boone county, and in the Lawrenceburg high school, George Foster Smith has been a resident of Dearborn county for eighteen years, eight years of which were spent at Weisburg, and ten years at Lawrenceburg. After completing the course in the Lawrenceburg high school, Doctor Smith entered the Miami Medical College at Cincinnati, in 1894, and was graduated on April 1, 1897, after which he began practicing at Weisburg, removing to Lawrenceburg, Indiana, in 1905. His prominence as a physician and surgeon in Dearborn is attested by the fact that although a resident of Dearborn a comparatively short time, and a resident of Lawrenceburg for only ten years, he has served as county coroner for two terms, as president of the Dearborn County Medical Society for one term, and is at present the township physician and president of the Lawrenceburg city board of health. He was the surgeon for the Shutt Improvement Company when they reconstructed the Big Four railroad from Sunman to Lawrenceburg Junction. He is an active member

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of the Indiana State and the American Medical associations, aside from his membership in the Dearborn County Medical Society.

George Foster Smith was married on June 30, 1897, to Etta Moody, daughter of John and Mary (Botts) Moody, who were natives of Kentucky and who are now deceased. Mrs. Smith and her eight brothers and sisters, Laura, Alice, Emma, Hattie, Anna, William, John and Eugenia, were born in Boone county, Kentucky. Dr. and Mrs. Smith have had two children, Amy and Ruth.

Mrs. Smith's paternal grandparents, also natives of Kentucky, died in the southern part of that state. Her maternal grandfather, Richard Botts, who married a Miss Ryle, was the father of three children, Newton, Jasper and Mary. They were also natives of Kentucky.

Dr. George Foster Smith and wife are members of the Baptist church at Lawrenceburg. They are regular attendants at the services of this church, and are liberal contributors to its support. They likewise take an active inter- est in the affairs of the congregation. Doctor Smith is a member of Sunman Lodge No. 590, Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the Mod- ern Woodmen of America, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He is a Democrat.

A man of scholarly attainments, of democratic tastes. and manners, of earnest and sincere purpose in life, Doctor Smith has won for himself a place in the hearts of his fellow townsmen and the people of Dearborn county. His election to two terms as coroner of Dearborn county, his presidency of the city board of health and to other positions of professional responsibility are evidence, not only of the confidence placed in his professional attainments by the people of his adopted city, but also the warm feeling of friendship be- stowed upon him by the leading men of Lawrenceburg and Dearborn county. Doctor Smith is a capable physician, a warm friend and a good citizen.

ROBERT L. JOHNSTON.

From his first initiation into the business world of Dearborn county, Robert L. Johnston has displayed a marked degree of executive ability, which has continued to increase with his wide scope of experience, until now, he is one of the most progressive and successful merchants in Aurora, where he conducts, in partnership with Paul A. Smith, a remunerative and up-to-

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date hardware establishment. With a good education and careful training in his youthful days, he started out in life well prepared to "conquer any foe," and has met with the success in his business career that his energetic and enterprising course so well merits.

Robert L. Johnston was born on January 13, 1872, about two miles northwest of Aurora, on North Hogan creek, Center township, this county; a son of George W. and Mary J. (Bainum) Johnston, prominent residents of that vicinity. His education was secured at the district schools and the Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, and at the age of twenty-two, he went to Weisburg, where he taught one term of winter school, after which he took over the management of a retail lumber yard at Newtown (Lawrenceburg), and was thus engaged for a period of four years, at the end of which time he formed a partnership with T. J. Cobb and Henry A. Bobrink, under the firm name of the John Cobb Chair Company, which arrangement was continued from 1900 to 1909, when the firm was dissolved, Mr. Johnston selling his inter- est. He then formed a partnership with Paul A. Smith, under the firm name of Johnston & Smith, dealers in hardware and farm implements, of which they carry a large stock. Politically, Mr. Johnston is a Democrat, and his religious views are those of the Baptist church, he being clerk of the congregation with which he is associated. He has also done considerable singing in the church choir, and is very fond of music. Fraternally, Mr. Johnston belongs to the Improved Order of Red Men, and is a member of the Commercial Club. In 1905 Mr. Johnston was elected clerk of the city of Aurora, taking his office in September, 1906, and served until May 20, 1907. On the resignation of Mayor Louis E. Beinkamp, Mr. Johnston filled out the unexpired term, as mayor of Aurora, vacating this office on January 1, 1910.

In a biographical sketch of George W. and Mary J. (Bainum) Johnston, presented elsewhere in this volume, is set out in detail the genealogy of the Johnston family. Robert L. Johnston's paternal grandparents, George and Catherine (Kearney) Johnston, natives of Virginia, were among the early settlers in Dearborn county, coming here in 1815. George Johnston, with two other brothers, cleared a farm and started the first mill on Hogan creek. Mr. Johnston's maternal grandfather was Conway Bainum, a farmer of Ho- gan township, this county, who was born on August 9, 1809, in Virginia. He followed farming, and made frequent flatboat trips to New Orleans with produce, and at odd times cut cordwood and sold it to boats along the river. In addition to his other sources of income, Mr. Bainum built a lime kiln. He developed a fine farm in Hogan township, where he reared his family, and

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where he died at the age of eighty-nine years. His parents were William and Elizabeth (Bryan) Bainum, natives of Wilmington, Delaware, the former having been born on February 29, 1765, and the latter in October, 1790. Conway Bainum was married on April 11, 1832, to Sarah Deshiell, who was born on February 10, 1812, in Maryland, and to this union there were born four children, Mrs. Elizabeth Canfield, Alfred H., Mary J. (mother of the subject of this sketch) and Charles W. Mrs. Bainum died on October 15, 1868, and Mr. Bainum married, secondly, on October 21, 1869, Mrs. Harriet (Hayes) Swing, who was born on February 27, 1834, near Delhi, Kentucky.

As a leading citizen of Aurora, Robert L. Johnston is eminently entitled to representation in a work of such value as the history of Dearborn county. He has not only given the most thoughtful attention to his business, but has invariably shown his active interest in all good works in the city of Aurora and is held in high esteem by all who know him.

JOHN H. STIER.

John H. Stier, undertaker and liveryman, Aurora, Indiana, was born in that city, September 13, 1866, and is a son of John P. and Frances (Sted- man) Stier. He was reared and educated in his home town, where he graduated from high school in the class of 1884. After leaving school he engaged his services as a furniture carver, and later as a designer, and for twelve years traveled for the firm by whom he was employed, H. H. Wiggers & Sons Company, manufacturers of mantels and hardwood furniture, of Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1894, Mr. Stier organized the firm of Sanks & Stier, furniture merchants and undertakers, of Aurora, of which he was a member, and in 1897 he resigned his position and became sole owner of the new com- pany, until 1912, when he disposed of his interest in the furniture business, and has since devoted his entire time and attention to the undertaking and livery business.

John P. Stier was born and reared at Natchez, Mississippi, where he fol- lowed various pursuits for a time, and then came to Aurora, where he engaged in general merchandise, and for the last twenty years of his life was a book- keeper. He was a lieutenant in the Confederate army during the Civil War, serving in a Mississippi regiment. He was a member of the Baptist church. His death occurred in 1887, at the age of forty-five years. His wife, Frances

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(Stedman) Stier, was born in May, 1844, and is a native of Indiana. She survives her husband at the age of seventy-one years. . This union was blest with four children, as follow: John H., of Aurora; Willard P., of Omaha, Nebraska; Ethel, who is the wife of Frank Clark, of Aurora; and one who died in infancy.

The paternal grandparents were John H. Stier, a native of Germany, and his wife, Mary (Schwarts) Stier, a native of Iowa. They were early settlers at Natchez, Mississippi, where they died well along in years. Mr. Stier fol- lowed the vocation of a hotel keeper. There were two children to this union, John and Julius. Mr. Stier was married a second time, to Caroline Schwartz, a sister of his first wife, by whom he had the following children : Julia, Nora and Virgie.

John H. Stier was married in September, 1894, to Mary Kassebaum, daughter of Fred W. and Merther (Vandever) Kassebaum, and four chil- dren have been born to this union, namely: Donald, Rachel, Marjorie and Eleanor. Donald Stier is attending Purdue University. Rachel is a graduate of the Aurora high school and is now attending Butler College, at Indianapo- lis.

Mrs. Stier was born at Indianapolis, in 1871. Her father was born in Germany, and her mother was a native of Indiana. They were both residents of Aurora for twenty-seven years, and their children were: Louis, Nannie, Callie, Mary, Bert, Ernest, Jesse, Frederick and Drewery.

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History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 55

Author: Archibald Shaw Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1123

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123