History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 96

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 96

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).

The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Matilda V. Fagaly became a farmer in Hamilton county. Ohio, and died on the home farm in 1863, at the age of fifty-six. His wife died in 1890, at the age of eighty years. They were the parents of eleven children: George W., James H., Rosalie E., Francis M .. John L., Elizabeth, William S., and four who died young. The Fagaly family. whose name originally was spelled Voegele, is of German origin and was established in this country by George Fagaly, the paternal great-grand- father of Mrs. Hayes, who settled in Maryland after arriving in America and

Digitized by Google

961

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.

there died. Subsequently his wife came west and located in Cincinnati, on ten acres of land comprising the corner of Fifth and Mound streets, and lived there for some time, and then moved farther out to the country. Mrs. Hayes' maternal grandfather, William Stuart, who married Mary Tate, was a pioneer in Dearborn county and a soldier in the War of 1812. Mary Tate's father was Doctor Tate, a famous surgeon in the American Revolution.

Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Philip Hayes are members of the Episcopal church, in which Mr. Hayes is a vestryman. He is a charter member of Lawrence- burg Lodge No. 4, Free and Accepted Masons; is a member of Lawrenceburg Chapter No. 56, Royal Arch Masons, and a Knights Templar. Mr. Hayes is also a member of Dearborn Lodge No. 49, Knights of Pythias. He is a Republican in politics, and after serving a part of one term as a member of the city council by appointment, was afterwards elected and served one complete term. At the expiration of his term as councilman, Mr. Hayes was appointed postmaster.

Ezra Philip Hayes, although he has served a comparatively long period in public life, is nevertheless a man of modest manners and retiring disposi- tion. He lays no claim to greatness and would be the last man in the world to emphasize or to suggest as a claim for preferment his own personal services. Since retiring from the postmastership he has been engaged in the fire insurance business and is also interested in the automobile industry, being a heavy stockholder in the Dearborn Motor Company. Mr. Hayes is closely attached by many ties to the progress of this community. He has always given to it and will always continue to give to it his very best energies and his very best inspiration.

REV. FRANK HENRY SONDERMANN.

It is interesting and instructive to follow the life of the man whose name stands at the head of this sketch. In fact, it is always a pleasure to write the biography of men who have accomplished things; men who have not allowed themselves to get into a common rut and stay there. Before com- mencing his studies for the priesthood the subject of this sketch fitted himself with a thorough education, including several languages, among which were Latin, Greek, German and English, thus lessening the difficulties of his work later in life.

Frank Henry Sondermann, son of Albert and Frances (Rademaker) Sondermann, was born on February 21, 1873, at Ferdinand, Indiana, where

(61)

Digitized by Google

962

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.

he received a good, common-school education, going later to St. Meinrads College, where he attended three years, after which he was employed in his mother's store for a short time. Becoming dissatisfied with this work, because of evident shortcomings in himself for a successful business career. he decided to take a course at the Bryant & Stratton Business College. After graduating there he returned to Ferdinand, where he and his brother, Joseph, took charge of their mother's store, but after a year or more, he sold his interest to Joseph and began his education for the priesthood. He finished the high school course at Creighton University, Omaha. Nebraska. conducted by the Jesuit Fathers, and received his classical education at St. Xavier College. Cincinnati, Ohio, also a Jesuit school. After one year spent at St. Mary's Seminary at Cincinnati, his bishop, the Rt. Rev. F. S. Chatard, sent him to Innsbruck, in the Tyrol, Austria, to take a course in theology and acquire the necessary languages. He spent two years at the Imperial University of Innsbruck, and one year at the Catholic University at Fribourg. Switzerland. after which he was ordained a priest at Sion (Sitten) Switzerland, by Bishop Julius Maurice Albert, June 29, 1902. His first parish was at St. Magdalene. Ripley county, Indiana, where he spent two years. From there he went to St. Nicholas, near Sunman, Indiana, in which parish he spent ten years, during which time he took great interest in the welfare of his church and its members. Improvements aggregating ten thousand dollars, remodeling the church, parish house and school were made by the help of his willing people. On May 14, 1914, Father Sondermann took up his work at York- ville, where he found the church also in bad condition, and not deeming it worthy of repairs, he had it torn down and is now superintending the erection of a fine modern church that would do justice to any of our largest cities. He, personally, secured the subscriptions for the work he has undertaken and, with a sixty-seven hundred dollar building fund gathered by former pastors, he hopes to finish building and paying for the new church.

Albert Sondermann, father of Frank H. Sondermann, was a native of Westphalia, Prussia, Germany. He was born on September 3. 1839, attended school in the land of his birth and came to the United States at the age of six- teen years in order to escape military service, paying for his passage by serv- ing as cabin boy, as he understood it, but, upon landing at New York, the cap- tain insisted upon his paying his fare. He had no money of his own, but soon found employment and earned enough to pay the amount required by the captain of the vessel, and after freeing himself from debt. he immediately started west, settling in Dubois county, Indiana, where he was employed on a farm until he secured a position in a general merchandise store, owned

Digitized by Google

963

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.

by a man named Poschen, and a few years later, when Mr. Poschen wished to retire from business, he made Mr. Sondermann such an attractive propo- sition that he took the business over and assumed the management himself, and, making a success of his new venture, he began to have thoughts toward a housekeeping establishment of his own. He was soon afterward united in marriage with Frances Rademaker, who was born on November 4. 1848. Mr. Sondermann was a devout member of the Catholic church and a faithful voter of the Democratic ticket. After the death of her husband, on September 10, 1884, Mrs. Sondermann assumed the management of the store, which she conducted in a very successful manner, until she turned it over to her sons, Joseph and Frank H., in the fall of 1891. Mrs. Sondermann was a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and moved to Hall township, Dubois county. Indiana, with her parents, while still quite young. She died on September 21. 1895. Mr. and Mrs. Sondermann were the parents of nine children, Joseph, Mary, Frank Henry, Bertha, Matilda, Albertine, and three who died in infancy. August, Rose and Louise.

Joseph Sondermann, the eldest son of Albert and Frances, was married to Cathryne Luken, and is now a banker and a very prominent and influential man in Ferdinand, Indiana. They have two children, Albert and Verene. Mary is a Sister of Providence at St. Mary of the Woods, near Terre Haute, Indiana. Bertha is deceased. Matilda and Albertine are keeping house for their brother, the subject of this sketch, at Yorkville, Indiana.

Father Sondermann takes such a personal interest in the work in connec- tion with the building of his new church, that he does not hesitate to don overalls and lend a helping hand whenever necessary. Anything from explain- ing blue prints to unloading bricks with the boys is all right to him. He is an extremely intelligent and interesting conversationalist and, in every way,. is a pleasant man to meet.

PROF. NATHAN L. RICHMOND.

Though having been established but a few years, the fame of Rich- mond's Aurora Business College has spread far beyond the confines of Dear- born county and graduates of this excellent business college daily are crying its praises. Prof. Nathan L. Richmond, proprietor of the business college which bears his name, at Aurora, this county, is a native of this section of the state and the best interests of this part of Indiana ever have been dear to his heart. He therefore has been putting the very best there is in him into

Digitized by Google

964

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.

that city in 1914, and the course there given is second to none in point of effectiveness in the Middle West. This school is growing in favor more and more every day and now has an enrollment of about fifty enthusiastic pupils, who are being given the very best training in shorthand and a general busi- ness course, mathematics and commercial law, with emphasis on penmanship and business forms, it being Professor Richmond's earnest desire to equip his pupils thoroughly for practical business life in the shortest possible time consistent with effective instruction. The saving of time and expense to young people from this section of the country who are seeking a business course with a view to entering quickly upon responsible positions in the busi- ness life of this region have been noted from the very start of the Richmond school and many are availing themselves of this opportunity. Many of Pro- fessor Richmond's former graduates are earning annual salaries of from fif- teen hundred to eight thousand dollars, and it is agreed on all sides hereabout that the people of this vicinity should give their hearty support to this institu- tion, as it is bringing right to their doors the opportunity for their young people to acquire efficient business training at a minimum cost.

Nathan L. Richmond was born near the village of Hartford, Ohio county, Indiana, son of Peter and Melissa (VanOsdol) Richmond), the former of whom was born in Switzerland county, Indiana, and the latter was born in Ohio county, Indiana.

Peter Richmond was born near the village of Allenville, in Switzerland county, son of Orrin and Margaret (Baer) Richmond, natives of New York state, who left their home near Chautauqua and came to this section of the state at an early day, spending the rest of their lives here. Orrin Richmond, whose father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, was a miller and also engaged in farming in Switzerland county, for many years being one of the best-known men thereabout. Both he and his wife lived to ripe old ages, the latter being nearly one hundred years of age at the time of her death. They were the parents of fourteen children, of whom David, Reuben, Josiah, John, William, Peter, Margaret, Elizabeth and Charles grew to maturity and left issue.

Peter Richmond was reared to both the life of a miller and farmer. both of which vocations he followed. He also was an expert carpenter and cabi- netmaker and as a building contractor built many of the houses and barns in the vicinity of his home in Switzerland and Ohio counties. During the Civil War Peter Richmond aided in mustering several companies of soldiers under Capt. Moses Cole. He was an expert fifer and served under two enlist- ments, being mustered with Company I, One Hundred and Seventeenth Regi-

Digitized by Google

- -- -

965

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.

ment, and also Company H, One Hundred and Forty-Sixth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. After the war he continued to follow his trade as a car- penter and later became a farmer, though still engaged in building contracting, which he continued to the time of his death in 1895, at the age of sixty-seven years. His widow survives him and is now seventy-eight years of age. She is the daughter of Nathan A. and Elizabeth (Crowley) VanOsdol, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Indiana at an early day in the settlement of this section of the state and located in what is now Ohio county, it then being a part of Dearborn county, and lived to good old ages, rearing a large family in ways of usefulness, their children being Melissa, Boston W., John W., Margaret A., Nancy Jane, William W., Charles L., Elizabeth and Franklin.

To Peter and Melissa (VanOsdol) Richmond were born seven children, namely: Nathan L., the immediate subject of this sketch; Milton O., of Rising Sun, Indiana; Cearella, of Ohio county, this state; Annie, of the same county ; Charles C., who is engaged in the United States mail service. in Cin- cinnati; Reuben M., who is assistant cashier of the Aurora State Bank, of Aurora, this county: and Estella, wife of Walter Hanson, of Indianapolis.

Nathan L. Richmond was reared on his father's farm in Ohio county and learned the carpenter's trade. He received his elementary education in the com- mon schools of Ohio county and later attended the Indiana State Normal at Terre Haute, supplementing this course by a thorough commercial and scien- tific course in the Central Normal College, at Danville, Indiana. In the mean- time he had taught several terms of school in the common schools of his home county and upon the completion of his commercial course was called on to organize and conduct the commercial department of the Eureka College, at Eureka, Illinois, in which capacity he was employed for a period of four years, at the end of which time he resigned to accept a similar position in Grand Prairie Seminary, at Onarga. Illinois, where he remaned for fve years. He then bought a half interest in the Ottawa Business University at Ottawa. Illi- nois, and while connected with that institution organized a commercial college at Kankakee, Illinois, and was there for twenty years. He sold his interest in that school in 1913 to the Brown Business College Company and. on account of ill health, retired for a time from teaching. After taking a rest of a few months, he was induced by the business men of Aurora. this county. to open a business college in that city. Upon proper investigation. he was convinced of the desirability of such a location, in consideration of the large population to be drawn on from this part of the state and from Kentucky, and on October 5. 1914. opened his business college. the same having received much encourage- ment since that time.

Digitized by Google

966

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.

On June 18, 1889, Nathan L. Richmond was united in marriage to Theona M. Ward, of Kentland, Indiana, daughter of Judge Peter H. and Mary (Windell) Ward, the former of whom for fifteen years was judge of the thirteenth judicial district of Indiana, and who died at Pennfield, Indiana, in 1912, at the age of seventy-six years. Mrs. Richmond is the only child of her parents' union, her mother having died when she was a small child. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and was given an excellent education. She is an expert stenographer and has given her husband much able assistance in the management of his various schools.

Professor and Mrs. Richmond are members of the Methodist church and during their short residence in Aurora have entered actively into the good works of the community, being much interested in all movements designed to promote the common welfare. Professor Richmond is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to political affairs, being a pronounced advo- cate of good government in all departments of the administration of the pub- lic's affairs. He is a member of the Masonic lodge at Onarga, Illinois; of the Modern Woodmen of America, and of the Court of Honor. Professor Richmond is doing well the part he has undertaken to perform in the edu- cational life of this county and it is not too much to say that he has amply earned the confidence and respect of the entire community.

ANDERSON M. T. JAMES.

The distilling business is one of the largest single enterprises located in the city of Lawrenceburg. and in Dearborn county. This business directly and indirectly gives employment to thousands of people. At the same time the regulations of the distillery business which the federal government has imposed have also made it necessary for the government to maintain in Dear- born county many storekeeper-gaugers, among whom is Andrew M. T. James, who came from the school room into the government service.

Anderson M. T. James is a native of Jennings county, Indiana, having been born near Lovett. March 12, 1863. His parents were Joseph W. and Damsel (McGannon) James, the former of whom was a native of Kentucky and the latter a native of Indiana. Anderson James was one of eleven chil- dren. Of these children : Sarah married Allen Shepherd, who lived near Co- miske, Indiana ; John died in 1914; Enoch D. lives in Indianapolis; Joseph W. lives near Comiske; Laura Belle married Lewis Orbison, of Minneapolis,

Digitized by Google

967

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.

Minnesota; Mary E. married W. P. Malick, of Indianapolis; Anderson M. T. is the subject of this sketch; Maggie C. married T. L. Thomas, of Vernon. Indiana; Martha A. married M. J. Ewing, of Sheldon, Illinois; and two died in early childhood.

Anderson M. T. James was reared on his father's farm in Jennings county, and attended the district schools of that county. He lived at home until he had reached maturity and then began working out by the month on neighboring farms. In the meantime he had begun to teach school, and after working out one summer taught the following year. He taught eighteen terms of school in Jennings county, having begun when he was eighteen years old. Mr. James came to Lawrenceburg, March 1, 1898, to become United States storekeeper-gauger, and still holds this position.

Anderson M. T. James was married on December 22, 1887, to Ariadne Adams, daughter of Thomas H. and Catherine (Patrick) Adams. Four children have been born to this marriage, Grace, Clyde, Charles and Mary. Grace is a graduate of the Lawrenceburg high school and of Indiana Univer- sity at Bloomington. She is now a teacher in the Lawrenceburg public schools. Clyde is employed by the Procter & Gamble Company, at Cincinnati. He is a graduate of the Lawrenceburg high school and was a student at Purdue University for two years. He married Caroline Zech. Charles is a high school graduate and also a graduate of Purdue University, where he is now an instructor. Mary is attending the Lawrenceburg high school.

Mr. James' father was reared in Jennings county, Indiana, and lived there from the time he was three months old, having come to the county with his parents from near Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1816. Joseph W. James had a twin brother, Enoch. Joseph W. grew up on the farm and lived all his life on the farm. He also at one time ran a grist-mill. He died on the. farm in September, 1887, at the age of seventy-one years. His wife died on July 5. 1898, at the age of seventy-four. Both were members of the Meth- odist church, and he was a trustee of the church for forty-five years.

The paternal grandfather of Anderson James, and the father of Joseph W., was Thomas Jefferson James, who married Sarah Herman, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter a native of Germany. They were married in Kentucky, and were farmers. He came to Indiana, first in 1812, and purchased government land. He cleared a farm and improved it, and owned a half section where he died. He was born in 1789. His wife, who was born in 1787, died in 1872, when she was nearly eighty-five years old. Their five children were as follow: Joseph W. and Enoch W. (twins), Ann, Thomas and Nancy.

Digitized by Google

968

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.

Mr. James' maternal grandfather was Thomas McGannon, who married Nellie Tanner. They were both natives of Indiana, and lived near Vernon, where they kept a tavern and operated a farm. They died there at advanced ages, and at the time of their death had thirteen children, all of whom lived to rear families. The children in the order of their birth were as follow : John, Nancy, Samuel, Penelope, Anderson, Martha, Nellie, Damsel, Jane, Thomas, Susan, Alice and another.

Mrs. Anderson M. T. James was born near Paris Crossing, Indiana, April 25, 1868. Her parents were natives of Indiana. Her father died in 1907, at the age of sixty-seven, and her mother, who was born in 1856, is still living at the age of sixty-nine. Mrs. James' father was a farmer. He and his wife had five children, Edward, Ivan (deceased), Ariadne, Blanche and Josephine. Mrs. James' paternal grandfather, James Adams, married a Miss Scott. They were early settlers in Jennings county, Indiana, having come from Kentucky. They had two children, Thomas and Sallie Ann. Mrs. James' maternal grandfather, Isaac Patrick, married a Miss Campbell. They were natives of Indiana, and lived in Jennings county. where he was a car- penter. Among the children of Isaac Patrick and wife were George, Henry, Granville, Addie, Ida, Belle, Alice.

Mr. and Mrs. James are members of the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. James is an elder. He belongs to Paris Lodge No. 505, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a Republican in politics, but during late years has not been active in the councils of his party. The federal government imposes certain restrictions upon the political activity of its agents and Mr. James has not been active for that reason. He lives at No. 108 Ridge avenue, (Greendale) in the city of Lawrenceburg.

LOUIS H. CONES.

As the descendant of his paternal grandfather who was a pioneer. and prominent in his day, as well as for his own personality and prominence. the subject of this short biography is deserving of mention among those who have helped to make this county what it is. Both father and grandfather were benefactors to the communities in which they made their homes, and their example is followed in the present case. Louis H. Cones was born in the Burnett House. Cincinnati, Ohio, and is the son of William M. and Rebecca (Orange)' Cones, the former a native of the same city. and the latter of Vir-

Digitized by Google

969

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.

ginia. Mr. Cones is manager of the Theodore Heck Furniture Company, of Aurora.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Cones were John Cones and his wife, Nancy (McCollough) Cones, natives of Virginia. They were both quite aged at the time of their deaths, both passing away in Greensburg, Decatur county, Indiana. The children of this household were William M., father of Louis H., and Washington Cones, formerly a Cincinnati banker. Grandfather Cones built the first brick house erected in Cincinnati. His daughter, Elizabeth Jane (Cones) Banks, was the mother of Mary Victoria (Banks) Halstead, who was the wife of the noted editor, Murat Halstead.

Taking up the maternal relationships, it is found that the grandfather on the mother's side was a man of more than the ordinary force of charac- ter. He was William Orange, and both he and his wife, Barbara (Tate) Orange, were natives of England. Coming to Cincinnati at a very early day, they grew up with the community, then only a village. He was president of the Horticultural Society, at one time director of Spring Grove Cemetery, and in other enterprises became one of the well-known men of Cincinnati. A large farm still in possession of the family is one purchased by him.

A large family of children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John Cones, one of them being William M., father of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Cones, Sr. was for years a wholesale dry goods merchant in Cincinnati, and was sixty-four years at the time of his death. His wife was but thirty years of age when she passed away. Both were members of the English Episcopal church. Their children were two in number, Clara M., widow of W. Scott Baker, at present a resident of Newport, Kentucky, and Louis H.

After graduating from the Cincinnati high school, Louis H. Cones attended the Farmers College, and then traveled all over the United States, returning to Cincinnati where he engaged for a time in mercantile business. In 1913 he was attracted by the business opportunities of Aurora, and at that time assumed the management of the Heck Furniture Company, a position which he still holds.

Louis H. Cones married Lizzie (Peel) Clark, who died in 1895. He afterward married Catherine Clark, sister of the first wife. No children have been born of either union.

The firm with which the subject is connected is one of the largest in Aurora, carrying an immense stock of high-grade furniture, household goods, rugs, carpets and stoves, and doing a large volume of business.

Mr. Cones has repeatedly given evidence of his qualifications as a busi-

Digitized by Google

970

DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA.

ness man. He is genial, enterprising and public-spirited, and readily wins the respect and esteem of the people with whom he comes in contact. He is a member of Highland Lodge, Knights of Pythias, of Cincinnati. Mr. Cones is a strong Republican. He has very many friends in and around Aurora.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 96

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

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