History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 73

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 73

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Mrs. Conaway is regarded as one of the excellent women of the com- munity, and quietly discharges her duties and responsibilities in a most efficient manner. For forty years she lived on the family homestead and since the death of her husband has taken up her residence in Dillsboro, where she found a warm welcome from a large circle of friends.

Woman's life is lived within the home circle, where there is rarely any- thing of a spectacular nature to record, but there are constantly being made

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upon her fortitude and strength of character such demands as fall to man's lot in the outer world, so when it can be said of a woman that she has ably dis- charged her duties as wife and mother, much has been said and much credit and praise are hers.

CHARLES R. LIEBERMAN.

The biographer with pleasure calls attention to a few of the salient points in the career of Charles R. Lieberman, well-known retail meat mer- chant of Dillsboro, Clay township, Dearborn county, Indiana. Mr. Lieber- man is a Swiss by birth, having first seen the light of day in the republic of Switzerland on April 7, 1866. He is one of two sons of Joseph F. and Odela (Geiser) Lieberman, the other being Francis Joseph. Both parents were Swiss natives and passed their entire lives in their own country. Joseph F. operated a large flour-mill beside a turbulent little mountain stream which had been handed down to him by his parents, Ferdinand and Julia (von Hess) Lieberman.

Charles R. Lieberman came to this country when still a young man and pursued his education in the city of Cincinnati. After a short time in the United States, he returned to his native land and there finished his education, whereupon he again came to Cincinnati and secured employment in one of her leading packing houses. He followed this line of work in many of the larger cities of the country and later purchased an interest in a packing estab- lishment located at Springfield, Ohio. After a time he again went to Cin- cinnati and engaged in the retail butcher supply business and in 1905 came to Dillsboro and opened up a retail meat market shop in the Masonic building. He is now located at the "flatiron" corner, where he has been for some years.

Charles H. Lieberman was married in 1900, to Sophia Niester, a daugh- ter of A. F. and Maria (Ehlers) Niester, of Dillsboro, the former the well- known harness and shoe dealer. To Mr. and Mrs. Lieberman have been born two children, Otto C. and Olga, both of whom are attending school in Dillsboro.

Mr. Lieberman holds his fraternal affiliations with the ancient order of Free and Accepted Masons, and also with the Knights of Pythias, through the local lodges in Dillsboro. His political support he gives to the Republican party and while not a seeker after office for himself, he is known as one of the influential men of the party in this section and his approval is earnestly sought by those who care for the honor of public office. Mr. Lieberman is

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a man of agreeable personality and a most interesting conversationalist. He has crossed the ocean seven times and has traveled all over Europe from the Mediterranean to the north of Sweden, and being a close observer of affairs and an excellent student of human nature, his society is found most delight- ful by those interested in places and men outside of their own country. Since coming to this community, Mr. Lieberman has won the friendship of the best people throughout this section and their high regard he retains by vir- tue of his sterling qualities of heart and mind. He is wide awake to the best interests of his adopted home and any plan for the advancement of com- munity interests finds in him a warm supporter.

ROBERT H. CHANCE.

It is especially fitting that the following biographical sketch should appear in a volume of the character of the one in hand for two reasons; first, be- cause the Chance family is one of the very oldest in this section and has been identified with local affairs since its earliest history; and, second, because the immediate subject of this sketch was one of the faithful sons of the Union who donned the blue in the dark days of the sixties and helped preserve the integ- rity of the nation.

Robert H. Chance was born in Sparta township, Dearborn county, In- diana, on February 26, 1844, being a son of Robert and Anna M. (Champion) Chance. Robert in his turn was a son of John and Polly Chance, who were born in Pennsylvania, where they grew up and married, and later brought their family into the wilderness which is now the great and beautiful state of In- diana. They secured from the government a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land, which they in time cleared, and on which their family was reared. In spite of the many years of hardship as pioneers in a new land, both lived to a good old age. John Chance was a Whig, and he took an active part in the early affairs of this section. There were twelve children in their family, one dying in infancy. The others were: Tom, Jesse, Robert, Parry, Jackson, John, Hiram, Mary, Hettie, Lucinda and Lizzie.

Robert Chance was born in Pennsylvania and upon the family coming westward, he stopped in Cincinnati at a time when there were but four or five log houses in the little river settlement. He then came to Sparta township, where his education was obtained in the early subscription schools of the neighborhood, and in that township he spent the remainder of his life, passing

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away when eighty-five years of age. Robert Chance was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. After the formation of the Republican party he became one of its stanch supporters. His wife, Anna M. Champion, was born in the state of New Jersey and was brought to Dearborn county in early child- hood by her parents.

Robert H. Chance, immediate subject of this sketch, was one of a family of nine children, namely : Mary Jane, Wesley, Phoebe, Catherine, Robert H., Joseph, Isabelle, Leven P. and Frank. Robert remained at home with his par- ents, receiving his education in the early schools of Sparta township and when but seventeen years of age, fired with patriotism over the causes which threat- ened to disrupt the Nation, he enlisted for service with Company A, Seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and for the next three years was in many of the hardest fought battles of the war. He was at Winchester, Antie- tam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Petersburg, Gettysburg, Slaughter Mountain, besides many lesser engagements and skirmishes. He served as a non-commissioned officer through the greater part of his enlist- ment.

After the expiration of his term of service, Robert H. Chance returned to his home and purchased a tract of forty acres of land in Sparta township for which he paid nine hundred dollars. There he resided for three years, when he traded it for a seventy-acre tract nearby, which he farmed two years and then sold, buying one hundred and twenty-four acres in Sparta township, which he farmed for twelve years, at that time retiring from the active affairs of life.

Robert H. Chance's marriage occurred on September 23, 1866, when he was united in matrimony with Sadie M. Baker, daughter of E. W. and Mar- garet A. (Hennigan) Baker of Washington township, this county. Mr. Baker was born and passed his entire life in Dearborn county, being engaged in agri- culture during all his active years. He passed away in 1903, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. Mrs. Baker also lived to a ripe old age, her death occurring on December 13, 1907, when in her eighty-third year .. They were the parents of ten children, namely : Angeline, Harlow, Sadie, Louis, Ella, Mary, Dolly, Hattie, Ulla and Carrie. Sadie (Mrs. Chance) received her edu- cation in the schools of Washington township, Dearborn county, and has passed her entire life here. To Mr. and Mrs. Chance have been born three children, Cora, Ida and Alta. Cora is the wife of George W. Turner, of Sparta town- ship, and is the mother of two children, Robert and Grace. Ida is Mrs. W. Eckstein and has one child, Frieda. Alta, the youngest of the family, re- mains with the parents.

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Mr. Chance holds his religious membership with the Presbyterian church of Dillsboro and his fraternal affiliation with the ancient order of Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias, and William Spear Post, No. 89, Grand Army of the Republic, at Dillsboro. In politics, he is a firm supporter of the Republican party, keenly interested in all affairs pertaining thereto. Mr. Chance is a man of progressive tendencies and enterprising spirit, who has a host of friends in the community where he has passed almost his entire life.

GEORGE H. LEWIS.

The Lewis family came to this country from Wales. The father of George H. Lewis died soon after reaching this country. He had two brothers, Richard and Charles, who served in the Civil War. Richard was killed in the service and Charles died in Andersonville prison. Although born in Wales, George H. Lewis learned the miller's trade at London, Canada, having migrated to that country with his mother after the death of his father. Mr. Lewis has been engaged in the milling business all his life, and has never lost a day's time, except on account of sickness. Mr. Lewis was engaged in the milling business at several places in Canada, in Ohio and in Pennsylvania before finally locating at Lawrenceburg, this county. He is now the vice- president and general manager of the Lawrenceburg Roller Mills Company.

George H. Lewis was born in Oswestry, Wales, on March 23, 1866, the son of George and Rebecca (Thomas) Lewis, both natives of Wales. They had two sons and two daughters. One son, George, died in infancy and one daughter, Sarah, died at the age of five years. Elizabeth, the other daughter, married William Watson, of Oil Springs, Ontario, Canada, and George H. is the subject of this sketch.

The elder Lewis was reared in a railroad office at Oswestry, Wales, and followed railroading for some years. He came to America in 1868, and lo- cated near Rockford, Illinois, dying soon after locating there of typhoid fever. His widow survived him for many years and died in 1897, at the age of sixty-three. They were members of the Methodist church, and he was a Methodist lay preacher and rode a circuit.

George H. Lewis's paternal grandfather and his wife died in Wales. They had three sons and one daughter who came to America, two of these sons, Richard and Charles, having served in the Civil War, as noted above. Mr. Lewis's maternal grandparents spent all their lives in Wales, the grand-

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GEORGE H. LEWIS

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father having been a contractor. He died at the age of about sixty and his wife at the age of sixty-three. They were the parents of the following chil- dren: Mary, Sarah, John, Andrew, George, Stephen and Rebecca.

George H. Lewis was `reared until he was, five years old in Cleveland, Ohio. He then went to Canada with his mother and sister and there grew to manhood in London. He attended the public schools in London, Canada, and lived on a farm near that city until sixteen years of age, when he began to learn the miller's trade. From London he removed to Park Hill, Canada, and after being there a short time removed to Stratteroy, thence returned to Cleveland, Ohio. After being there some years, engaged with the National Milling Company, Mr. Lewis removed to Pittsburgh, where he was engaged in the milling business for seven years. From Pittsburgh he went to Akron, Ohio, and then returned to Pittsburgh for a year. On September 20, 1900, Mr. Lewis moved to Lawrenceburg, this county, and became superintendent of the manufacturing department of the Lawrenceburg Roller Mills Company. Later he was made secretary and manager of this company and was then elected vice-president and general manager of the concern, which responsible position he now holds. In the meantime he had bought out the interest of Mr. Blaney, of Boston.

The Lawrenceburg Roller Mills Company was organized in 1896 and was incorporated the following year with a capital of seventy-five thousand dollars, this capital later being increased to one hundred thousand dollars. The present officers of the company are B. J. Rothwell, of Boston, president : G. H. Lewis, vice-president; L. S. Brown, of Boston, treasurer. The capacity of the mill is eighteen hundred barrels a day, and the storage capacity for grain is five hundred and fifty thousand bushels. The company ships its goods to all parts of the world, except the Orient, and does business in all European ports and in South America, also carrying on a large domestic trade in the East and Southeast. The company employs sixty-five people, the earnings of these people feeding about two, hundred and fifty mouths, in the city of Lawrenceburg. The annual pay roll is about fifty thousand dollars a year.

On December 17, 1888, George H. Lewis was married to Nettie Schone- myer, who was born on October 28, 1866, daughter of Frederick Ernest and Elizabeth Schonemyer. One son, born to this union, died in 1911, at the age of twenty-one. He attended Purdue University for three years, and then associated himself with the Bullock Electric Company, of Cincinnati, later becoming associated with the Western Electric Company, near Chicago. Mrs. Nettie Lewis died in 1895, at the age of twenty-nine, and on June 7,

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1905, Mr. Lewis married, secondly, Edna J. Givan, who was born in Peters- burg, Kentucky, daughter of Sanford and Elizabeth (Riddell) Givan, natives of that state. Sanford Givan was postmaster of Aurora, this county, and later became connected with the Ohio Loan Association, as appraiser. He is de- ceased, but his widow is still living. They were the parents of three children, Florence, Paul and Edna J.

Mrs. Lewis is a member of the Christian church, and Mr. Lewis is a member of the Methodist church. He belongs to Mckinley Lodge No. 318, Free and Accepted Masons, and is a Republican in politics. He was vice- president of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce for two years. During the flood of 1913 he was treasurer of the flood committee for relief at Lawrence- burg. He was also appointed special representative of the Red Cross with power to act.

Mr. Lewis is an expert miller, understanding thoroughly not only the manufacturing end of the business, but the business end as well, having fol- lowed the business since he was a boy sixteen years old. It may properly be said that the remarkable success of the Lawrenceburg Roller Mills Com- pany during the past fifteen years is due largely to Mr. Lewis's efforts. He not only believes in his business, but is a born optimist, enthusiastically devoted to every phase and every detail of the enterprise with which he is so prom- inently connected.

Mr. Lewis's only living sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Watson, has a pleasant family of children, May, Nettie, Frank, Elsie and George.

EMILY ELIZABETH (HUBBARTT) WALKER.

It is with pleasure the biographer calls attention to a short sketch of the life of Mrs. Emily Elizabeth Walker, one of the worthy and respected matrons of Clay township, Dearborn county, Indiana, combining a brief history of her own and her husband's people.

Mrs. Walker is a native of Dearborn county, born on December 8, 1841, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Jones) Hubbartt, the former also a native of this county and the latter born at Milford, Ohio, in August of 1821. Thomas Hubbartt first saw the light of day in 1822 and received his educaton in the early schools of his native county. After his school days were over, he turned his attention to farming and gave his active years to that occupation in addition to following the carpenter trade. His entire life was

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passed in Dearborn county. To Thomas Hubbartt and wife was born a family of nine children, namely : Emily, George, John, Nancy, Louisa, Francis, James, Morton, and one child who died in infancy.

Mrs. Walker's paternal grandparents were James and Nancy Hubbartt both of whom were natives of North Carolina and early in their married life they came into Dearborn county, locating near Mount Tabor. They later moved to the little settlement on White river in the central portion of the state, where the city of Indianapolis now stands, but called at that time New Purchase. There they lived the remainder of their lives. James attaining the unusual age of one hundred and seven years. They were the parents of seven children : Charles, Solomon, James, George, Betsey, Jane and Thomas.

. Emily Elizabeth Walker received her education in the common schools of Sparta township, near her childhood home and remained with her parents until the time of her marriage on January 23, 1862, to Thomas James Walker, son of Robert and Theodosia (Cook) Walker. Robert Walker was a native of Ireland and immigrated to this country when a young man and finally drifted to Dearborn county, locating on a farm near Mount Tabor. He later removed to Wilmington and still later took up his residence on a farm on Hogan creek, where he passed his remaining days. His death occurred in Au- gust of 1865, at the age of eighty-four years. Theodosia, his wife, was born at Lawrenceburg, receiving her education in the schools of that town. To them were born nine children : Sylvester, John, William, Thomas, Jane, Eliza, Ma- tilda, Catherine and Sarah.

Thomas James Walker was born on December 4, 1831, while his parents were living in Mount Tabor and he received his education in the schools near his home. Immediately after completing his education he went to the Ohio river and for the following ten years worked on boats plying its waters. He then returned home and farmed the family homestead until the time of his marriage, when he purchased fifty-two acres in Clay township and settled down there. He later purchased one hundred and fifty-five acres adjoining "which he farmed for some time, later on disposing of forty acres, but retain- ing and managing the balance. In addition to his farm home, he owns a house and three lots in Dillsboro and has in the course of his labors acquired a pleasing competency.

Mr. and Mrs. Walker are the parents of thirteen children, namely : Alice, Anna, Olive, George, John, Gilbert, Carrie, May, Everitt, Lee, Walter, Kate, and Nora, who died when young. Alice, the eldest, became the wife of John Jewett and the mother of six children, Thomas, Cecil, Emma, Charles, John and Walker. Anna married Columbus Rowland and had five children, Ethel,

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Harry Bessie and two dead. Olive became the wife of Thomas Radley. George married Nellie Sincoe. John chose Daisy Gray as his wife. Carrie married Harry McKnight and has one child, Esther. Everitt married Nellie Everitt. Walter married Bessie Siemental and has three children, Carroll, Adeline and Tilford.

Mrs. Walker is a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church and in that faith has reared her excellent family. This family is regarded as one of the best families of the community, the various members being held in high . esteem throughout this section. Mr. Walker gives his support to the Demo- cratic party and is interested in all questions of public welfare. He is ac- counted as most properly as among the substantial citizens of this community.

HENRY PIEPER.

In the respect that is accorded to men who have fought their own way to success through unfavorable environment, we find an unconscious recog- nition of the intrinsic worth of the character which cannot only endure so rough a test, but gain new strength through the discipline. The gentleman whose name appears above was not favored in his early life with inherited wealth or the influence of successful friends, but in spite of this, he has attained a comfortable station in life, making his influence felt for the good of the community life of Dillsboro, where he has long resided. Because of his honorable career and because also he is numbered among those patriotic sons of the North, who assisted in saving the Union's integrity in the dark days of the sixties, he is eminently worthy of a place in this book.

Henry, Pieper, the subject of this sketch, was born in Hanover, Germany, on January 20, 1839, son of Francis H. and Anna Mary (Schnitker) Pieper. Francis H. was also a native of Hanover, born there in 1797. He was for many years a farmer and carpenter in his native land and then immigrated to America when the subject of this sketch was a small child. He located first in Cincinnati, where he worked at his trade and then, in 1845, he came to Dearborn county and secured work on a farin. He managed in this way for a few years and then, in 1851, he moved to Switzerland county and bought a farm of forty acres, costing him two hundred dollars. This was practically unimproved, the only effort in that line being the little log house on the tract. In 1866 he moved to Farmers Retreat, Caesar Creek township. purchasing at that place a farm of one hundred and four acres, which cost

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him twenty-seven hundred dollars. He carried on general farming and lived there a number of years. He passed away in the spring of 1879, at the age of eighty-two years. He was a devout member of the Lutheran church, and after the birth of the Republican party in 1856 he endorsed its principles for the balance of his life. There were four children in his family, Henry, the immediate subject of this sketch, being the third child in order of birth. The eldest was Caroline (Mrs. Opp), now deceased. She was the mother of twelve children, William, Mary (deceased), Amelia (deceased), Lizzie, George, Frank, Fred, Anna, Carrie (deceased) ; all these grew to maturity. There were three who died in infancy, Charley, Henry and Eliza. Minnie, now deceased, the second daughter of the family, is the wife of Henry Wort- man and the mother of nine children, Elizabeth, William, John, George, Catherine, Louisa, Carrie, Mary and Henry. Fred, the youngest of the family, died at Dillsboro on April 8, 1914, leaving his widow and ten children, Frank, Minnie, Anna, William (deceased), Carrie, John, Dora, Agnes, Jes- sie and Alfred.

The mother of Henry Pieper, Anna Mary Schnitker, was born in Han- over, Germany, in the year 1800, and died in the spring of 1882. Both of her parents remained in their native land and died there when about sixty- five years of age. There were but two children in their family, Anna M. and a brother, Casper Henry Schnitker, who also remained in Germany all his life, where he was a farmer.

Henry Pieper was but a small child when he was brought to this country by his parents and after they located in this country, he attended the early schools near his home. In 1861, when just of age, he made his first business venture. This was the purchase of a farm of forty acres located in Switzer- land county, for which he paid the sum of six hundred dollars. It was partly cleared and he set about clearing the balance and putting the entire tract into an excellent state of cultivation. When he had succeeded in doing this, he purchased a tract of forty acres adjoining, for which he paid eleven hun- dred dollars. That was almost entirely cleared and he farined this land until 1876; when he disposed of it and moved to Ripley county. There he pur- chased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, for which he paid twenty- four hundred dollars, and this he retained until 1909. In 1882 he added forty additional acres to his original holdings in Ripley county, the latter tract costing him one thousand dollars and at that time he began to be inter- ested in the raising of fancy live stock.

He retired from the exacting duties of a farmer in 1895 and moved to Dillsboro and there the following year, in company with his son, Henry

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Smith, he opened up the hardware business, which they still run. He has from the first succeeded well in this undertaking and all who ever knew him have the utmost confidence in him.

Henry Pieper was united in marriage with Louisa Brocksieker, born in Ripley county, a daughter of Henry and Anna Mary (Burman) Brocksieker, both of whom were born in Germany. They came to this country in 1843 and located in this county, where for a number of years they farmed and where both died.

To Mr. and Mrs. Pieper were born two children, Anna Mary and Fred- erick, who died in infancy. Anna Mary was born on April 29, 1867, and received her education in the public schools of Ripley county. She was united in marriage with Henry Smith on March 10, 1887.

J. Henry Smith was born in Ripley county on April 18, 1861, a son of John F. and Louisa (Lousa) Smith, both of whom were natives of the Ger- man empire. To Henry and Anna Mary (Pieper ) Smith was born one son, Harry Frederick, who first saw the light of day on March 21, 1888, and received his education in the schools of Ripley and Dearborn counties.

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History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 73

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

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