USA > Indiana > Dearborn County > History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 76
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Mr. and Mrs. Dober are devoted adherents of the Catholic church, and their children have been brought up in the faith of the mother church. Mrs. Dober is a member of the Ladies' Catholic Order of Foresters, and Mr. Dober is a member of the Knights of St. John. He is a Democrat and takes a good citizen's part in local politics, being earnestly interested in all movements looking to the advancement of the community's welfare in a civic as well as in a social and moral way. Being one of the oldest business men in the city, in point of continuous service, he naturally has a dignified and honorable place in the estimation of his business associates in Lawrenceburg, and none there is held in higher repute than he. Public spirited in matters of the common weal, enterprising and energetic in the prosecution of his private business, affable and genial in his intercourse with his fellow-men, Mr. Dober is a friend of all and, in consequence, all are friendly to him, it being safe to say that there is no more popular citizen in Lawrenceburg than he. It is but proper, therefore, in the making of a work of this character, dealing with the historical and biographical things of this county, that his name should be included in the list of the men who have made history hereabout.
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LEWIS H. HELMUTH.
The following is a sketch of a plain, honest man of affairs, who by correct methods and a strict regard for the interests of his patrons, has made his influence felt in the business circles of Lawrenceburg, and during the thirty years he has served his fellow-townsmen, has won for himself a most enviable reputation.
Lewis H. Helmuth is a native of Lawrenceburg, this county, born there on January 29, 1848, son of Henry and Mary (Sartwell) Helmuth, the former of whom was a native of Germany, born in Bremen, province of Han- over, where he remained until sixteen years of age, at which time he im- grated to America and located in the city of Philadelphia. Not being satis. fied, however, with the opportunities which presented themselves there, he decided to start out for Cincinnati, and walked the entire distance between the two cities. He remained in Cincinnati but a short time, presently moving to. Lawrenceburg, where he lived for over sixty-six years. He died in 1896, past eighty years of age. In 1852 Henry Helmuth opened up the grocery business, which is continued at the present time by his son, Lewis H. The parents of Henry Helmuth never came to this country, but passed their entire lives in their native land. They were the parents of Frederick, Margaret, Paul, Harmon, Jane, William, Caroline and Henry.
Mary Sartwell's grandparents, Justus and Dorothy (DeMoss) Sart- well, were of French birth and came to this country at the time the great General LaFayette brought his soldiers over from France. They settled first in Virginia and then when Indiana Territory was first being opened up. they came as pioneers and located in Dearborn county, where their descendants have since lived and where Mr. Helmuth's mother was born. Justus Sartweli was a brickmaker and burned the brick used in the construction of the first brick house in Lawrenceburg. He and his wife were people of strong men- tality and left a fine family of children, namely : John, Justus, Norman, Dan- iel, Olive, Lucy, Ann, James and Mary. Mr. Helmuth's mother died in 1893 at the age of seventy-one years. Both she and her husband were charter mem- bers of the Baptist church of Lawrenceburg, and active and consistent work- ers in the same. They had a family of nine children, five of whom lived to maturity, namely : Margaret (deceased), who was the wife of Hugh Thomp- son : Henry Oren (deceased) ; Ellen (deceased), who was the wife of D. G. Justice, and Lewis H. and William C., both of Lawrenceburg.
Lewis H. Helmuth has passed his entire life in Lawrenceburg. He received his education in the public schools, and when quite young began
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assisting his father in the grocery and continued thus engaged until the father sold the business. After remaining out of the store for a year, he bought back the old business, and for the past thirty years has continued to run it himself.
On May 22, 1877, Lewis H. Helmuth was united in marriage to Celes- tine Haffner, daughter of Jacob and Magdaline (Traub) Haffner, both nat- ives of Germany. The Haffners lived for a time in Cincinnati, in which city Mrs. Helmuth first saw the light of day, and later came to Lawrenceburg. where both passed the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Helmuth's paternal grandparents, Valentine and Elizabeth Traub, had also immigrated to this country and lived for many years in Lawrenceburg. being among the early pio- neers of this section.
Mr. Helmuth is well known and universally respected throughout Law- renceburg and vicinity, which is a high tribute; for it is said that one of the highest honors which can come to a man is a long continued and honorable residence in any section. In politics, he is a Republican, and Mrs. Helmuth is a member of the Presbyterian church, which Mr. Helmuth also attends. Mr. Helmuth has always been considered one of the substantial citizens of Lawrenceburg, glad to do whatever lay within his power to promote the wel- fare of the community.
EDWARD KUHN.
The attention of the reader is now called to a short sketch of the career of Edward Kuhn, one of the leading business men of Dillsboro, Dearborn county, and one of the prominent workers of the Democratic party in this section. Edward Kuhn, who was born in Petersburg. Kentucky. on October I, 1871, has been a resident of Dillsboro practically all his life, having been brought here by his parents at the tender age of four months. He received his education in the schools of this city and on his fifteenth birthday began his business career by accepting a clerkship in the general store owned and operated by John N. Calvert. There he remained for nine years, giving faithful service to his employer and laying up valuable business experience for his own future use. When twenty-four years of age, he embarked in his first independent business venture by opening a little grocery store in the Kamping building, on North street. This business was launched in a small room, eighteen by thirty feet, but there Mr. Kuhn remained for fifteen years, prospering more and more each year. In 1910 he erected the Kuhn building
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on the opposite street from his old site and in the new building opened up the only exclusive grocery store in the city. This business is conducted in a manner highly pleasing to its many patrons and equally gratifying to its worthy proprietor. Mr. Kuhn long since gave evidence of such attributes as place him in the fore rank of the business men of this section and, in addi- tion to those characteristics which have won and retained for him the business confidence and esteem of his associates and patrons, he has a pleasing person- ality and genial manner which have won for him the sincere liking of a large circle of friends.
Mr. Kuhn is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Spencer) Kuhn, the former a native of the German empire, born on July 2, 1830, who was brought to this country by his uncle when a child of eight years. The family settled in Baltimore, Maryland, and there young Jacob received his education. When a young man he decided to come further west where there were people of his nationality in the farming sections, and so located for a time in Ripley county, where he was employed in farm work. While living in that country he was united in marriage with Elizabteh Spencer, a native of that county, born on March 16, 1838. She was a posthumous child, her father having been drowned some time before her birth. She received her education in the common schools of her native county and was throughout her life regarded as a most excellent woman. She was a most consistent Christian, a faithful member of the Lutheran church and a most active member in all that pertained to the well-being of the local society. She was one of those women whose comforting and helpful presence was always to be found in the sick room of any about her, and who never failed to give encouragement and help to those needing some wise counsel. After being widowed she passed most of her time with her son, Edward, the immediate subject of this sketch, and lived to be sixty-seven years of age, passing away on February 6, 1905.
After marriage, Jacob and Elizabeth (Spencer)' Kuhn removed to Pe- tersburg, Kentucky, where he was employed on the farm of Joseph Jenkins, remaining there until 1872, when they returned to this section, locating in Clay township, Dearborn county, where they took possession of the farm of J. W. Gaff. After operating that homestead for about ten years Jacob's health failed and he was obliged to give up such heavy work, and removed to Dillsboro, where he lived for a number of years.
Jacob Kuhn still holds a warm place in the memory of, many of the older citizens of Dillsboro, for he was one of the representative men of this section. He was a faithful member of the German Lutheran church and a charter member of the local society known as Saint Peters. He was largely
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active in the building of the church edifice in 1876, besides making liberal donations of money, he hauled much of the construction material. His po- litical interests were with the Democratic party, and he was known as one of its most stanch supporters. He will be remembered by many as pro- prietor of the "Chestnut Grove" dairy, and made considerable of a reputation for himself in the manufacture of cheese. Jacob Kuhn was interested in all matters pertaining to public welfare and had left the impress of his life on many of the affairs throughout this section. He alone of his immediate family was in this country, for his sister Mary, who together with himself had been brought over by an uncle, did not survive many years after making her home in the new world.
Edward Kuhn is the youngest of a family of five children, the others being Louis, Anna, Jacob and John W. Louis Kuhn died in 1892, leaving a widow, who was Tillie Steurer, and four children. Of these Albert died in infancy; William (who died in 1907) married Mary Griere, of Rising Sun, and had one child, Leona; Alma became the wife of Adolph Schrorer. of Aurora, this state, and has one daughter, Norma; Edna remains at home with the mother.
Anna Kuhn became the wife of William Bushhorn, of Dillsboro, a farmer, and is the mother of six sons, as follow: John W. is a dentist, lo- cated at Piqua, Ohio, where he married Gertrude Seits; Edward H. married Clara Reinhart and they lived on a farm in Ripley county; they have one son, Harold; Louis A. has been twice married, his second wife was Martha Lowe, of Moores Hill, this county, and his first wife was Lillian Fox, who bore him two children, Alvin and Bertha; Albert H. married Agnes Lowe, of Moores Hill, and is the father of one son, Willis; Charles W. and Walter K. remain unmarried. Anna (Kuhn) Bushhorn, mother of this interesting family of sons. died at the age of fifty-five years on February 7, 1915.
Jacob Kuhn, Jr., was united in marriage with Mary Steurer and to their union was born one child, Amelia. who died when twenty years of age. Jacob, Jr., also died when young, his death occurring from typhoid fever on November 28. 1885. John W. Kuhn, who was a traveling salesman and a most promising young man, died unmarried on April 6, 1886.
Edward Kuhn is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, being a faithful adherent of that society. His fraternal affiliation is held with the ancient order of Freemasonry, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Red Men, all through the local lodges at Dills- boro. In politics he gives his most efficient support to the Democratic party and is considered one of its leaders in this section. He has had the honor
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of being sent as delegate to five of the Democratic state conventions and has three times been sent as delegate to congressional conventions. In view of his activities in the political field, he has made himself one of the best-known and most highly-respected men of this section. While not seeking public office for himself, he has been of greatest assistance in administering the party's affairs in this section.
On October 20, 1895, Edward Kuhn was married to Agnes Pearson, of Dillsboro, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Abbott) Pearson, the former known as one of the leading carpenters of this community. Mrs. Kuhn has passed her entire life in the town of Dillsboro, having attended its schools and was one of the efficient members of the Methodist Episcopal church and a worthy wife of the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Kuhn died on March 12, 1915.
CHARLES EBERHART.
In the front rank of Lawrenceburg's most highly respected citizens is Charles Eberhart, assistant postmaster, who comes from one of the old fam- ilies of the community and has passed his entire life within the borders of that city.
Charles Eberhart was born on August 22, 1869, a son of Henry and Catherine (Petri) Eberhart, both natives of the city of Pirmasens, in the palatinate of Bavaria. Henry Eberhart was well educated when a young man and for some time was a traveling salesman for a shoe firm in his native land. He came to America in 1854, landing at New Orleans, whence he made his way to Lawrenceburg by boat on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The first employment he secured in this section was in the stone quarry of Kosmos Frederick, where he remained but a short time. Then for several years he was with the old Gaff distillery and later served several years as engineer for the distillery of W. P. Squibb. From 1876 until the time of his death he was employed at the James Walsh Company distillery. His death occurred on April 6, 1904, in his seventy-first year and his wife died in 1895, at the age of sixty-five years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Henry Eberhart were devout members of the Lutheran church. Henry Eberhart's parents, Henry and Margaret Eberhart, never came to this country, but passed their entire lives in their native land. There were in their family but three children, Gottfried, Henry and a daughter, Elizabeth. Mr. Eberhart's maternal grand- parents were George and Elizabeth Petri, and they also remained their entire
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lives in the Fatherland. There were three daughters in their family: Cath- erine (Mr. Eberhart's mother), Selma and Elizabeth.
Charles Eberhart is one of a family of ten children, eight sons and. two daughters, namely: Henry, of Greensburg, this state; George, deceased, Louis, of Lawrenceburg; Ernest, of Cincinnati; Elizabeth, of Lawrenceburg; Fred, who married; John and Carrie, who died unmarried, and William and Charles, also of Lawrenceburg.
Charles Eberhart received his education in Lawrenceburg, partly at the public schools and partly at the parochial school. At the early age of four- teen he secured employment at the James Walsh Company cooperage plant, and worked there for ten consecutive years, leaving there to enter the Ohio Valley coffin factory as a machine hand, where he remained until 1896, when he was appointed assistant postmaster of Lawrenceburg, in which position he has since remained.
On November 15, 1895, Charles Eberhart was united in marriage to Katherine Kunz, who was born in Lawrenceburg, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Kitzmann) Kunz, the latter of whom died in 1906, at the age of fifty-nine years, and the former of whom still lives in Lawrenceburg, one of its prominent citizens. Mrs. Eberhart is one of a family of seven children, namely : Katherine; Malinda, Agnes, Edward (deceased), Mayme, Alma and Georgie. George Kunz is the son of Michael and Katherine ( Bartholomew) Kunz, both natives of Mutterstadt, Germany, where they passed their entire lives. Mrs. Eberhart's mother was Elizabeth Ritzmann, daughter of Adam and Christine (Rupp) Ritzmann, who were among the earliest settlers of Lawrenceburg. They were farmers and both lived to a ripe old age. There were eight children in their family, namely: Elizabeth, Mary, Kate, Anna. Carrie. Christina, Melinda and William F.
To Charles and Katherine (Kunz) Eberhart have been born three children. Elizabeth, Edward and Paul. Both Mr. and Mrs. Eberhart arc members of Zion Evangelical church and Mr. Eberhart holds fraternal affil- iation with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, through the local lodge No. 8. In politics he is a Republican, one of the stanch supporters of the party. Mr. Eberhart is one of those sterling characters who fully appreciates his duty as a citizen and while through life he has given the best of his his en- deavors to provide for those entrusted to his care. he has at the same time ever been mindful of any service he could render to promote the good of the community. He is a genial and agreeable man, and is held in high esteem by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
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HARLEY H. SUTTON, M. D.
Descending from a family of distinguished physicians, Harley H. Sutton, of Aurora, this county, whose name introduces this sketch, comes honestly by his love of the study and practice of medicine along scientific lines, in which his success has equalled that of his ancestors, as will be seen by a perusal of this biographical sketch, which shows his untiring interest, from the time of his early student days to his present enviable position as a diagnostician.
Harley H. Sutton was born on December 24, 1852, in the city of his present success, the son of George and Sarah (Folbre) Sutton. His rudi- mentary education was received in his home town, where he was graduated from the high school in 1870, under Professor Clark, after which he entered the Indiana State University at Bloomington, taking a special course, cov- ering a period of two years. In 1873 he began the study of medicine under his father, rendering the latter valuable service during the first year, in the microscopical examinations of pork. He entered the Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati, in 1874, from which institution he was graduated in the spring of 1876, at the end of which year he attended the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated the follow- ing spring, his thesis being "The reduction of the dislocation of the hip joint by means of a fulcrum placed in the groin," setting forth a new method for the reduction of the dislocation of the hip joint, as discovered by his father, citing a case of three-months standing, under the observation of Prof. William Pancoast, which reduction was made under the care of Dr. George Sutton at Blockley hospital, in Philadelphia. Before deciding upon a location for permanent practice, Doctor Sutton was called upon to take the place of his brother, Dr. W. E. Sutton, then associated with his father, who was taken seriously ill. and never regained his health, dying in 1878. Dr. Harley H. Sutton continued in practice with his father until the father's death, which occurred in 1886, leaving him in sole charge of their large and profitable practice. He has selected the branches of his profession in which he is most interested, and is noted for the careful and painstaking interest he takes in his cases.
Doctor Sutton is a strong believer in home institutions, feeling that larger organizations do not render the same benefit, and in this connection he has been largely instrumental in promoting the success of the Dearborn County Medical Society. He has received many honors as representative of the society in both the state and national associations, having filled all offices of the society. Doctor Sutton is a member of the American Medical Asso-
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ciation, the Indiana State Medical Society, the Indiana Fourth District Med- ical Society, and is president of the Dearborn County Society for the Preven- tion of Tuberculosis. He was for an extended period, health officer of Aurora. In 1896 he took a post-graduate course in the New York Polyclinic Hospital, and for fifteen years has been surgeon for the Big Four Railway Company. He is a director and vice-president of the Aurora Coffin Company, a director of the River View Cemetery Association, and a member of the board of directors of the Aurora Public Library, as well as being allied with various other organizations. He has contributed generously to various publications, on different subjects, but principally on that of his profession. Doctor Sut- ton resides at the old homestead in the southern portion of Aurora, on which he has spent a great deal of money in improvements, thus making it, in con- nection with its own natural surroundings, one of the most attractive homes on the Ohio river. In addition to his other alliances, Doctor Sutton was president of the Indiana Fourth District Medical Society in the year 1908, and is at present a member of the Indiana state board of health, which posi- tion is highly prized by him. He occupied the chair of the committee repre- senting the state of Indiana at the international congress of hygiene and demography, at Washington, D. C., in 1912.
The reader is referred to a biographical sketch of the late Dr. George Sut- ton, presented elsewhere in this volume, for additional details regarding the Sut- ton genealogy. Dr. Harley H. Sutton's paternal grandparents were George and Elizabeth (Ives) Sutton. George Sutton was born in London, England, and Elizabeth Ives was born in Camberwell, England. They came to America in 1819, and spent one year at Cincinnati, after which they moved to a farm in the Whitewater valley, near New Trenton, in Franklin county, Indiana. Mr. Sutton died in Canada, and his wife died on the home place, aged thirty- nine years. Their children were as follow: George, Mrs. Ann Gibbons, Mrs. Elizabeth Beresford, Mrs. Charlotte Murdock, and Mrs. Caroline Back- man.
The maternal grandparents were Charles and Phoebe (Monroe) Folbre, who settled at an early day in Dearborn county, Indiana, where she died at an advanced old age. Charles Følbre died in 1858 at Lindon, St. Francis county, Arkansas. To this union were born the following children: Barna- bas, Thomas, Charles, Samuel, Mrs. Sarah Sutton, Durbin, Mrs. Clarissa Lathrop and two others who died very young.
On October 5, 1887, Dr. Harley H. Sutton was united in marriage to Mary Duchemin, who was born at Cincinnati on April 10, 1859, daughter of William R. and Emma (Lambe) Duchemin, to which union have been
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born two daughters and one son. George. the latter of whom is the only one now living. He is a graduate of the Indiana State University. William Duchemin was a native of France, and his wife, Emma Lambe, was born in England. They lived for a time at Cincinnati, moving from that city to Aurora. Mr. Duchemin died in 1884, but his widow still survives him at the age of seven-seven years. Their children were Mrs. Mary Sutton. Mrs. J. J. Backman, Elizabeth Duchemin, and some who died young.
The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Sutton was Peter Duchemin, a French- man, who married Lucy Davis. They settled at Cincinnati, where the wife died, and Mr. Duchemin afterward moved to Aurora, this county, where he died at the house of his son, William. They were the parents of two children, -John and William Duchemin. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Sutton were Jeremiah and Hannah (Turner) Lambe. both natives of England, who came to America and settled at Newport. Kentucky. where they both died. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Ellen Hyatt, Mrs. Emma Duchemin, Mrs. Jessie Evans, Hannah, Mrs. Alice Terry and two sons, William and Henry.
Doctor Sutton takes great interest in the growing of fine fruit, and is justly proud of his prize-winning apples and peaches.
CHARLES O. KEMP.
The business interests of Lawrenceburg, the county seat of Dearborn county, are well represented by a careful, prudent and conservative class of merchants, who give to the commercial life of the city a character for sub- stantial worth that adds no little to the fine credit which the historic old town enjoys in commercial and financial circles throughout the central states. Among these business men few are better or more favorably known than Charles O. Kemp, of the firm of C. O. Kemp & Son, dealers in hardware and implements, and it is a pleasure for the biographer here to set out briefly in this connection a few of the salient points in the life of this representative business man and enterprising citizen.
Charles O. Kemp was born in Switzerland county, Indiana, April 22, 1857, the son of William C. and Content L. (Hasting) Kemp, both natives of Ohio county, Indiana. William C. Kemp was a son of John Kemp, a native of Pennsylvania, of English descent, and an early settler in Ohio county, Indiana. He was the father of the following children: George, Ezra, William C.,
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