History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 92

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 92

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In 1893 Joseph A. Schuman bought his father's farm of one hundred

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and twenty-four acres, and in addition to his mercantile business, has done general farming. He has since still furthered his interest by the purchase of a blacksmith shop and house and one acre of ground in the village of St. Leon, the property on which his store is located. In politics, he is a Demo- crat, and is a member of the Catholic church at St. Leon.

Adam Schuman was a native of Germany, his birth having occurred at Steinfeld, Germany, April 18, 1822, and here he was reared and educated, and here he lived until about twenty-eight years of age, when he left the land of his birth and came to America. He landed at New York, coming immediately afterwards to Kelso township, Dearborn county, Indiana. He was married in his native land, a short time before coming to the United tates, to Margaretha Herman. After settling in Kelso township, Adam Schu- man purchased fourteen acres of land, to which he soon added forty-four acres, and continued to increase his land holdings until he became the owner of one hundred and twenty-four acres. His death occurred on February 9, 1906, at the age of eighty-three years. Adam Schuman was a Democrat, and was a devout Catholic. His wife was also a native of Germany, her birth having occurred at Beirau, Germany, August 11. 1824. Adam Schuman and wife were the parents of eight children. Mary, John, Katherine and Michael (twins, the latter of whom died in infancy), Margretta, Elizabeth. Peter and Joseph. The mother of these children died on the home farm near St. Leon, July 24, 1900, and after his wife's death, Adam Schuman made his home with his son, Joseph.

Of the children born to Adam Schuman and wife, Mary, the eldest. became the wife of John Boley, and now lives near Topeka, Kansas, on a farm. They have a family of ten children, all living. Katherine is the wife .of George Hammerley, a farmer in Kelso township, and has a family of nine children. John married Laura Clutter, and is living at Danville, Illinois. where he is conducting a successful mercantile business. He has several children. Margretta is the wife of John Gies, of Liberty. Indiana. Eliza- beth became the wife of John Bishoff, a farmer living near New Alsace, and has a family of seven children. Peter married Anna Weldshoefer, and lived at St. Leon, where he died, leaving his widow and four children.

Joseph A. Schuman was married on September 18, 1888, to Alice Metz- ler, the daughter of Albert and Louisa ( Heinzman) Metzler. She was born in Cincinnati, April 8, 1870, and is the only child of her parents. To Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Schuman have been born thirteen children, as follow : Jose- phine, Joseph, John, Martine, Edward, Irene, Clara, Robert, Marie, Florence and Clarence, and two children who died in infancy. Josephine, the eldest of

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these children, born July 18, 1890, is the wife of Philip A. Alig, and to this union have been born two children, Joseph and Marcella. The other children are living at home with their parents.

Mr. Schuman is one of the representative citizens of his section, and well deserves to be mentioned in the annals of Dearborn county.

WILLIAM H. WESCOTT.

The duty of a biographer is not to give expression to a man's modest opinion of himself, but rather to put on record that which seems to be the con- sensus of opinion of the subject's friends and neighbors, for only in this way can justice be done. The biographer in this instance takes pleasure in call- ing attention to a few salient points in the career of the life of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, William H. Wescott, the efficient county assessor of Dearborn county. Indiana.

Mr. Wescott resides at Harrison, this county, the town on the Indiana- Ohio state line, his postoffice address being in the latter state. He is a descend- ant of some of the oldest families in this section, being a son of Thomas and Anna (Cameron) Wescott, the former of whom was a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. Thomas Wescott was born and raised in Cincin- nati, being educated in the schools of that city and in young manhood mas- tered the carpenter's trade under the guidance of his father. In later life he came to this county and was a farmer in Harrison township for a num- ber of years, where he is now living in retirement from the more active duties of life. His wife died in 1892, at the age of forty-four years. She was a member of the Christian church. Thomas Wescott was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Anna Cameron was the daughter of Mr. Cameron and his wife, Polly (Turner) Cameron, both natives of Indiana and among the early settlers of this county. They had a family of four children, Matilda, Caroline, Oli- ver and Anna. Mr. Cameron died in 1888. and his widow married William Stone, and they reared a family of four children, John, James, Thomas and Mary.

Thomas Wescott was a son of Charles Wescott and his wife, Susan Borgeldt, who was a native of Baltimore, Maryland. Charles was born in New Jersey and both he and his wife were among the early citizens of the now great city of Cincinnati. He worked at his trade of carpenter there for

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several years, and in 1856 came to this county and engaged in farming in Harrison township. They lived here for a number of years and both reached a ripe old age. He died at the age of eighty-four and she was in her sixty- sixth year. They had three children, Thomas, Charles and Sarah. The father of Charles Wescott, great-grandfather of W. H. T. Wescott, immi- grated to this country from England when a young man and was a soldier of the Revolutionary War. He died in one of the eastern states, after hav- ing lived in this country for many years.

William H. Wescott was born in Harrison township, this county, May 7, 1879, and is one of a family of eight children as follow : Louisa, deceased, was the eldest sister and the wife of Elmer Gates; Cornelia died unmarried, as did also Lilly; Caroline, who was the wife of William Burns, is also dead, and the sole surviving members of the family are the immediate subject of this sketch and his sister Elizabeth, who remains unmarried. Two children died in early infancy. William H. was raised on the family homestead in Harrison township, attending, when a boy, the schools of his home vicinity and later studying for two terms in the normal department of Moores Hill College. For fourteen years he taught school in the rural districts, putting in five years at Tractville, Jackson township; three years in Bright, Harrison township; his home school two years; Lawrenceville school one year; the Hoffbauer school one term and the Logan Creek school one term. Through his services as an instructor of youth he became well known all over the county and wherever he went he made friends and commanded the respect of those with whom he came in contact. He had been a worker in the ranks of the Democratic party ever since he attained his majority and served on the Democratic county central committee for six years; consequently when he came out for the nomination for county assessor on his ticket in 1914 he made a most excellent race. In the primaries he had three worthy opponents, but received the nomination by a plurality of three hundred and eighty-two votes and was elected to the office by a plurality of seven hundred and four- teen votes. Mr. Wescott made a personal canvass of the county, covering the entire way on foot. In this way he came into personal contact with every voter, and being of winning personality, his election was an assured thing from the start.

Mr. Wescott is a man of more than ordinary intellectual attainments, has excellent ability, and one need but refer to the record of his election to determine the high esteem in which he is held by those who know him best. As a school teacher, he aimedl to instill in the minds of the young under his

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care a proper ambition for the worthy things of life and a high regard for all that constitutes true manhood and womanhood. He is still a young man and as he gradually attains the dignity of years, he bids fair to become of still greater service to his community and the commonwealth.

CHARLES B. DARRAGH.

In the passing of the pioneer settlers, Indiana is losing a wealth of val- uable information concerning early times and conditions, which will ever remain a sealed book. No information is so authentic as that which comes direct from the lips of those who have been living witnesses to the changes which have taken place in this fair state. They have seen the forests dis- appear, in order that cities might be built up to accommodate the growing demand for commercial interests, and could relate volumes of interesting incidents that have taken place during their lifetime.

Charles B. Darragh, the subject of this sketch, was born at Lawrence- burg, Indiana, February 11, 1837. He was a son of Charles and Sarah (Bouie) Darragh, the father being a native of Pennsylvania, and the mother of North Carolina. They were early settlers in Lawrenceburg, where they remained until the time of their death, he at the age of fifty-one, and she at the age of sixty-two years. He ran several drays, and was also wharf-master at one time. They were the parents of five children : Catharine, who was the wife of John Edwards; Margaret, who was the wife of Gilbert Fisher; Charles B., Gillett, and Ann, who died single.

Charles B. Darragh lived in his home town all his life, except the time he spent in the army. His education was obtained at the select and public schools. In young manhood he was a teamster, and on August 2. 1862, he enlisted in Company E. sixty-eighth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the Civil War. His brother, Gillett, was also a soldier all through the war, and was in Andersonville and Libby prisons for eighteen months. After the war, Charles B. Darragh returned home, where he learned the trade of wool-dyer, and worked in the woolen-mill at Lawrenceburg until it went out of business. He then entered the employ of G. Y. Root's flour milling company. where he remained until they went into bankruptcy, after which he worked for the Lawrenceburg Roller Mills Company as grain inspector, until the time of his death-altogether in both companies thirty-two years.

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Mr. Darragh belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic and to the Knights of Pythias. Politically, he was originally a Whig, and after that a Republican. He died on August 15, 1907, aged seventy years, and was a member of the Methodist church. His wife survives him and is a member of the same church.

On the 23rd day of October, 1859, Charles B. Darragh was united in marriage with Sarah Jane Liddle, who was born in Miller township, Dearborn county, Indiana, about three miles above Guilford, October 21, 1841, a daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth (Smith) Liddle. Her father was born in Miller township in 1819, and died at the age of sixty-eight. Her mother came from Yorkshire, England, when eight years old, and died at the age of fifty-seven years. Stephen and Elizabeth (Smith) Liddle were the parents of ten children, who grew to maturity: Sarah Jane, Mary Ann, James Thompson, Isaac Henry, Ellen Elizabeth, Caroline, Josephine, Edward, Charles B. and Thomas.

Mrs. Sarah Jane Darragh has lived all her life in Dearborn county, the most of which has been spent in Lawrenceburg, and has seen the most of the development of the county. She is a woman of refinement and great personal worth, and is greatly beloved for her fine womanly graces. She possesses the faculty of associating incidents and dates with an aptness and accuracy that are indeed marvelous. She used to know all the old settlers in Lawrenceburg and vicinity, and still has a large acquaintance in that com- munity. She belongs to that class of "old school" ladies who have made the world better by their having lived in it.

To Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Darragh were born five children, Katie Belle, Jeannette Mae, and three who died in infancy. Katie Belle became the wife of Marion R. Cole, and died on January 19, 1911, leaving one son, Charles F. Jeanette Mae was united in marriage to Edwin J. Evans. They reside at Lawrenceburg, and have had four children, Edwin Paul, who died aged one year ; those now living are Ruth Mae, Esther Lee and Donald Darragh.

The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Sarah Jane Darragh was Stephen Liddle, one of the first local preachers in the Methodist church in Miller township. His wife was Sarah ( Thompson) Liddle. They came from York- shire, England, and died in Dearborn county. They now lie buried in Green- dale cemetery. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Darragh was James Smith, who was married to Jane Langdale. They were both born in Yorkshire, England. and were also pioneers in Dearborn county. They came to America in a sailing vessel, and for six weeks did not see land. They moved to Can-

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ada and remained there a number of years, after which they removed to Winnebago, Illinois, where they both died and were buried.

Charles F. Cole, grandson of Charles B. Darragh, was born on April 16, 1891, at Lawrenceburg, where he attended the public schools, and now has a position as clerk in the Lawrenceburg postoffice. He lived with his grandmother, to whom he is devoted, and with whom he has spent the most of his life. He is a member of the Methodist church.

ADAM VESENMEIR.

As is a well-known fact, every man and woman exerts an unconscious influence upon the people with whom they come in contact, and that influence is most beneficent when the heart and mind of the person in question are fired with noble ambition and an earnest desire to fulfill a useful part in the world. Believing firmly in this opinion, the writer of this review takes pleas- ure in presenting a few facts in the career of a gentleman, who, by industry. perseverance, temperance and integrity, has worked himself from an humble station to a successful place in life and won an honorable position among the well-known and highly esteemed men of the locality in which he lives.

Adam Vesenmeir, dealer in fancy groceries, residing in Lawrenceburg. Dearborn county, Indiana, was born in the state of Kentucky, in Petersburg, Boone county, April 8, 1875. He is a son of George and Mary (Horn) Ves- enmeir, both natives of Germany, he of Hessen Darmstadt, near Koenigs- burg, and she of Schwobeland. George Vesenmeir remained in his native land until after he was grown, receiving a good education and mastering the trade of linen spinner. In 1852, while still a young unmarried man, he immigrated to America, and went directly to Petersburg, Kentucky, where he found employment in a stillhouse, and where he remained until the outbreak of the Civil War. At that time he proved himself a most faithful adopted son of our country, and enlisted as a private in Company D, Thirty-second Regi- ment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was in service for three years and four months. He was in many of the hardest-fought battles of the Civil War and was wounded at the battle of Pittsburg Landing. By the time the war was over he had risen to the rank of corporal, and when discharged from the service he returned to Petersburg, and again secured employment in the dis- tillery, where he remained until he was sixty-five years old, when he retired, and spent his remaining days in quiet ease. His death occurred in 1910, at

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the age of eighty-two years. His wife's death occurred in 1912, when she was in her seventy-seventh year. George Vesenmeir was reared a Roman Catholic and his wife a Lutheran. Mary Horn was a daughter of John Horn, a native of Germany who never left the Fatherland. Her parents had the following children: Mary was the eldest, Anna, John, Leonard, and other children. George Vesenmeir's parents also passed their entire lives in their native land.

Adam Vesenmeir is one of a family of seven children: Barbara, wife of George Kauffenburg, of Lawrenceburg; Margaret, wife of Ralph Fisher, of the same place; Anna, wife of Adam Hoffman, of Petersburg, Kentucky ; George, of Louisville, Kentucky; Amelia, single, and Leonard, both of Peters- burg; and the immediate subject of this sketch, who is next to the youngest in point of birth. Adam Vesenmeir attended the public schools of Petersburg when a small boy, and at the extremely tender age of ten years he went into the general store of J. Frank Grant as an assistant, where he remained for ten years. For six years after leaving school, he pursued his studies in night schools, and in that way acquired an excellent education. After leaving the store of Mr. Grant he became a stockholder in the Boone Mercantile Com- pany, of that city, of which he was also head buyer, and that concern was prospering nicely when a severe loss was suffered by fire. After that Mr. Vesenmeir operated a grocery for practically three years, and in the spring of 1901 came to Lawrenceburg and secured employment with the Great China Tea Company, where he remained but a short time, and on August 7, of that year, he went to work with the James & Meyer Carriage Company. He prospered in this connection, and in due time worked himself up to the fore- manship of the blacksmithing department, remaining therein until the fall of 1914, when he resigned from his position and established a fruit and candy store, which has developed into a fancy grocery business. Mr. Vesenmeir is also one of the managers of the Odd Fellows opera house, in which he and Doctor Tirrell have been interested for the past four and one-half years.

Adam Vesenmeir's marriage occurred on the Fourth of July, 1900, when he was united in matrimony with Grace McCool, daughter of Fred and Mary (Pickerell) McCool. To this union one son has been born, Leo, who is now attending high school. Mrs. Grace Vesenmeir was born at Lynchburg, High- land county, Ohio. April 15. 1879, both parents being natives of that state. Her mother died in 1899, at the early age of thirty-six years, 'and her father is still living. She is one of a family of six children, namely: Frank, Arman- las. Grace, George, Julius and Madge. Mrs. Vesenmeir's paternal grand- father was George McCool, his wife's maiden name being Thompson. He

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has passed from this life, but she is still living in Greendale, this county, at nearly one hundred years of age. This excellent old lady is the mother of seven children : Manlus, George, John, Charles, Sylvia, Fred and Alice.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Adam Vesenmeir are faithful members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, giving liberally of both time and means to the cause of that organization. Mr. Vesenmeir is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Woodmen of America and the Red Men. In politics he is a Republican, although never having much time to devote to the subject. Mr. Vesenmeir is one of those sterling men of unimpeachable character who add dignity and worth to any community and are the backbone of our nation's well-being. He has been faithful to every trust imposed in him and has made the most of every opportunity offered him, and in consequence he stands high in the respect and esteem, not only of his friends and neighbors, but also of the business men of his city.

WILLIAM ANDREW EMERSON.

To write the personal record of men who have raised themselves from humble circumstances to a position of responsibility and trust in a community is no ordinary pleasure. Self-made men who have achieved success by reason of their personal qualities stand as a living example of what any young man can accomplish who will bring to his task a worthy ambition to succeed and unfailing energy and persistence.

William Andrew Emerson, engaged in roofing, plumbing and sheet metal-work business, having his office at 231 North Walnut street, Law- renceburg, Dearborn county, Indiana, has a wide acquaintance throughout that district by reason of the service he renders. Mr. Emerson is a Hoosier by birth, born at Patriot, Switzerland county, this state, on February 12, 1869, being a son of William Howe and Elizabeth (Halley) Emerson, the former a native of Switzerland county and the latter born at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. William Howe Emerson was reared in his native county and when a young man was apprenticed to the miller's trade, which he followed for about forty years. At that time milling was almost entirely done with the old buhrstones and Mr. Emerson operated one of the first mills in his township. In 1882 he came to Lawrenceburg and secured employment with the old Greendale distillery as miller, remaining in that capacity until the time of his retirement. He still resides in Lawrenceburg, having given up

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the more active affairs of life and is hale and hearty at seventy-eight years of age. His wife passed away in 1883, at the age of forty-three, having for many years been a faithful member of the Universalist church, as is also Mr. Emerson.

William Howe Emerson was a son of Andrew Emerson and his wife, Amy Howe, both being natives of the state of Vermont. Andrew Emerson was a veteran of the War of 1812 and also served in the Mexican War. He died in Switzerland county at a ripe old age. being eighty-one and his wife lived to be eighty-four. They were the parents of nine children, as follow : Samuel, Rhoda, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Cynthia, William H., Emma, Hattie and Rebecca.

Elizabeth Halley, mother of William Andrew Emerson, was the daugh- ter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Gray) Halley, who were among the earliest settlers at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and there both of them died. she when but a young woman and he when well along in years. There were three children in their family, Elizabeth being the eldest, and the others being Martha and a brother.

William Andrew Emerson was reared to manhood in Switzerland county and when a youth attended the schools at Patriot. After his school days were ended he started on an apprenticeship in a plumbing and tinning business in Patriot and by 1887 he had finished his trade, and he came to Lawrenceburg, where he took charge of the business of E. Barrott & Son, remaining there until 1902, when he started in business for himself. He is an expert in his line and has a constantly growing patronage, of which he is eminently deserving.

On January 16, 1914, William Andrew Emerson was married to Mrs. Matilda Myal, widow of Aquilla Myal and a daughter of Peter and Margaret Pfalzgraf, who was born in Lawrenceburg, February 14, 1872. The Pfalz- grafs were among the early German residents of Lawrenceburg where the mother still lives. The father died in 1890, at the age of forty-two years. There were but two children in the family, Mrs. Emerson and a son, Fred.

The subject of this sketch is one of a family of ten children, of whom Frank A. is the eldest and still resides at Patriot; Mary is the wife of Frank Plummer, of Springfield, Illinois; Grace is the widow of George Cadwell and lives in Lawrenceburg; Emma is Mrs. Harry W. 'Miller. of Cincinnati, Ohio; Belle is the wife of James W. Abbott and resides in Warsaw, Ken- tucky ; Clara is Mrs. G. B. Wade, of Valparaiso, this state; William A., Hal- ley H., and Jeanette, wife of Albert Spanagel, are all of Lawrenceburg, while

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Thomas WV. was killed in an accident at Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1913, at the age of thirty-four years.

In politics Mr. Emerson is a Republican. He holds his fraternal affilia- tion with the Knights of Pythias, through Dearborn Lodge No. 49. Mr. Emerson is well respected and has a host of friends in his home city and vicinity.

CARL W. DECKER.

In touching upon the life history of the subject of this sketch the writer aims only to hold up for consideration those facts which have shown the dis- tinction of a true, useful and honorable life: a life characterized by perse- verance, energy and well-defined purpose. To do this will be but to reit- erate the dictum pronounced upon the man by people who have known him long and well.

Carl W. Decker, of Lawrenceburg, Dearborn county, Indiana, dealer in books, stationery, wall paper, etc., was born in that town on September 27. 1876, a son of Charles and Mary (Brauer) Decker. both natives of Ger- many. Charles Decker remained in his native land until he was sixteen years of age, receiving his education there, and then made the journey to this country alone. He settled first in Canada, where he remained for sev- eral years, and in the meantime an older brother had come to Lawrenceburg and induced him to come here, which he did during the Civil War. He assisted his brother in his store for some time, and then mastered the cabi- net-maker's trade, which he followed for some years, working first in the Dobell furniture factory. He then went to the Ohio Valley Coffin Company as cabinet-maker, and finally became their superintendent, remaining in that position for thirty-nine years. By that time he felt that he had discharged his duty as an active worker in the world, and retired from his labors to pass his remaining years in quiet ease. His wife died in 1894, at the age of fifty-two years, having all her life been a faithful member of the Lutheran church, of which Charles Decker was also a member.

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History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 92

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

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