USA > Indiana > Decatur County > History of Decatur County, Indiana: its people, industries and institutions > Part 54
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To Alfred and Isabella ( Quigley) Lowe were born eight children. namely : Mrs. Ardery; Seth, who lives at Greensburg; Charles, who lives at Kingman. Kansas: William, deceased; Edward, the Rex salt dealer, at. Greensburg; Catherine, who married Thomas Hamilton, a well-known farmer who lives on the old Hopkins place east of Kingston, this county ; Marsh, a well-known traveling salesman, who travels out of Cincinnati, and Arthur, who was assistant cashier of the Greensburg National Bank.
To David A. and Theresa J. (Lowe) Ardery five children have been born, as follow: Mary, who is at home with her parents; Mrs. Martha Batchelor, of Indianapolis, who has five children, David Ardery, Thomas Churchill, Robert Lowe, Martha Theresa and Helen Emily ; Clara, who also
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is at home; Samuel David, a well-known farmer of Washington township, this county, who married Florine Bowman and has one child, a son, David Henry : Helen Lowe, a student in Indiana University at Bloomington, and May, a graduate of Bloomington, Indiana.
Mr. and Mrs. Ardery are members of the Presbyterian church at Greens- bury and their children were reared in that faith. They, for many years, have been active in good works and no couple in the county is held in higher esteem. Mr. Ardery is a Republican and always has been interested in local politics, being one of the most earnest supporters of all measures designed to elevate the standards of government, not only being an active worker in the ranks of his party, but a liberal supporter of the finances of the party; stich work as he has done, however, having been done only as a means of supporting the cause of good government as he recognized it, he never having been included in the office-holding class. Mr. Ardery is a large man and in the days of his vigor was a veritable giant for strength. He finds himself now somewhat enfeebled, with the near approach of his eightieth year, but, for all that, retains all his former wit and jocular manner. In his heyday, he was a man among men and still enjoys life as well as anyone, proving himself a most entertaining companion. He is hospitable and cheer- ful, an ardent lover of his home and is proud of Decatur. county and his native state.
HENRY M. AULTMAN.
To be a successful photographer, a man must study both cause and effect. Anyone may take a picture, but unless one has that artistic instinct, without which no art is perfect, the result is apt to be unsatisfactory. It is like mak- ing a suit of clothes. Anyone may build cloth into a covering for the human form, but the result is frequently very discouraging to all concerned. It is true, that a garment may frequently be tinkered with until it is wearable, but it is not a work of art, and comes under the head of a built-over article. A satisfactory photograph is one that is a perfect article at the start. It will admit of no building over. The gentleman whose name is mentioned in the following pages has so thoroughly satisfied his patrons as to his artistic ability and good work, that he has no need for worry in regard to his future sticcess.
Henry MI. Aultman, photographier and engraver, of Greensburg, Indi- ana, was born on December 5, 1868. in Jennings county, and is a son of
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Martin and Nancy ( Porter) Aultman. He worked on a farm for a time, and after his marriage, took up the study of photography at home, and later established his present gallery at Greensburg, where he has been most suc- cessful and where he has about paid for a fine new home. He is a Repub- lican, a member of the Baptist church, and a member of the Modern Wood- men of America.
Martin Aultman, father of our subject, was a native of Louisiana, and served three years in the Confederate army in a Louisiana regiment. He was captured at Pittsburg Landing, and taken to Louisville, where he took the oath of allegiance. He came directly to Indiana after the war. settling on a farm in Jennings county, and with the exception of about five years in Illinois. he lived in Jennings county until his death.
Henry M. Aultman, our subject, was united in marriage, in 1895, to Miss Luella Geiling, daughter of George Geiling, of Jennings county. They were the parents of the following children: Ivan O., Leroy Chester, Omer Franklin, Edna May and William Raymond. Ivan O. is in the coast artillery, United States army, at Fort Stevens, Oregon : Leroy is at home. Mr. Ault- man's present gallery was established in 1903. on the north side of the square at Greensburg, where he carries on all branches of photography and engraving.
ROBERT S. MEEK.
The Meek family is not only among the best known families of Decatur county, but it is likewise one of the most numerous in this county. The earlier generations of the family all had large families of children, and since the family was established in this county in pioneer times, it naturally has become numerous. Thomas and Martha Meek, who came from Kentucky to Decatur county, Indiana, had fifteen children, most all of whom lived to maturity. Samuel Meek, a son of Thomas and Martha (Davis) Meek. accompanied by two brothers-in-law, James and William McCracken, was the first of the Meek family to settle in Decatur county. Samuel Meek, and the McCrackens came here in 1821. Robert S. Meek, the son of John Meek. who was the son of Samuel Meek, who in turn was the son Thomas and Martha (Davis) Meek, is also a native of Decatur county, and has spent all his life here. His wonderful business success in life is not a matter of acci- dent, since it is founded upon habits of industry and methodical ways of doing work formed early in life. In fact, most successful careers are founded
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upon habits formed during youth and young manhood. Robert S. Meek is hale and hearty at the age of seventy-five years, and this is a condition which is due to his open and active life, and to the painstaking care he has always taken of his health.
Robert S. Meek, well-known capitalist of Greensburg, and one of the heavy stockholders in Meek Ice Company, was born, March 27, 1840, on a farm in Clinton township, in a log cabin built by his grandfather, John Montgomery, who, by the way, was the father of his mother, Mrs. Jane (Montgomery) Meek.
Robert S. Meek's father, John Meek, was born in Kentucky in October, 1814, and passed his youth in the wilds of Fugit and Clinton townships, Decatur county. He married Jane Montgomery, and after enjoying a suc- cessful career as a farmer, retired to Greensburg, where he died on April 20, 1896. He and his wife, who, during their lives, were devout members of the United Presbyterian church, had a family of four sons and six daughters, four of whom, the eldest. are deceased. Mrs. Turgot Ennis, Mrs. Lola Smith, Josiah and Etta are deceased. The last two died early in life. Robert S. is the subject of this sketch. The other children, in the order of their birth, are. Mrs. Margaret E. Robinson. John T., Louisa. the wife of John A. Meek, Adam, Jethro C., Mrs. Mary Brown, of Rushville, and Mrs. Anna Pleak, of Greensburg.
It was Thomas Meek, the grandfather of John, who was the first of the Meek family to settle in Decatur county, as heretofore related. Samuel was one of fifteen children born to his parents, Thomas and Martha (Davis) Meek. The children were as follow : James, born January 8. 1781, died in Kentucky; Samuel, born, May 15, 1782, and died, August 18, 1837; Sarey was born. August 17, 1784; Priscilla was born, September, 1786; Adam R. was born, December 15, 1789: Martha was born, April 30. 1792; David was born on January 21, 1794 : Jemima was born, May 9, 1796: Luziah was born, April 28, 1797: Mary was born. June 15, 1800; Davis was born, September 18, 1802: Sophia was born. August 31. 1805, and Anna K. was born, Janu- ary 18, 1808.
With little or no opportunity to secure education, because pioneer edu- cational advantages were extremely limited, Robert S. Meek remained at home until of age, helping to clear the land his father settled and working hard from early boyhood, usually from sunrise until dark. His earliest recollections are of driving cow's and milking them at the age of six years. He actually began when five years old, and, by the time he was grown, had
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built up a strong and rugged constitution. At the age of twelve years, he was accustomed to do a man's work.
In April, 1861, Robert S. Meek enlisted in Company F, Seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Beamenstaffer, and served four months. On the second call, he responded with an enlistment for thirty days to help ward off a guerrilla attack at Henderson, Kentucky, in 1861. He also re-enlisted to repel the Morgan invaders.
After the war, Mr. Meek settled on a farin at Springhill in Fugit town- ship, his father having given him a hundred and sixty acres of land, for which he paid one thousand dollars. as he earned it. Mr. Meek was very successful with hogs and cattle. For a long time he was in the employ of a Mr. Allerton, of Illinois, as a stock buyer, and bought thousands of cattle for export purposes to Europe. Investing his savings from time to time, he accumulated about nine hundred acres of land in Rush and Decatur counties, and this land is today well improved and very valuable. Mr. Meek has refused a hundred and fifty dollars an acre for his home farm.
In 1911, Mr. Meek became interested in the Greensburg Ice Company, or rather in what came to be called the Meek Ice Company. Previously, he was associated with his son, Clyde L. Meek, in the grain business. The Meek Ice Company was organized by Robert S., Jethro C., his brother, and the son of R. L., Clyde L. Meek, with a capital of fifty-five thousand dollars. The Meek Ice Company does a most substantial and profitable business, and now includes, not only ice, but the retail coal business, and furnishes employ- ment to ten men. In 1909, Mr. Meek removed to Greensburg, and enjoys the occupation of a splendid brick residence on North Franklin street.
On January 26, 1861, Robert S. Meek was married to Espy Patton, a daughter of Nathaniel Patton, an early settler of Decatur county, and a native of Ohio. Mrs. Espy ( Patton) Meek died on February 16, 1879, after hav- ing had four children, two of whom are deceased. Of these children, Leda, the eldest, died at the age of eighteen years; Mabel is the wife of George Davis, of Greensburg: Delta died in childhood, and Clyde L. is the manager of the Meek Ice Company. On June 18, 1895, Mr. Meek was married again to Melissa Patton, a sister of his first wife. Her father, Nathaniel Patton, was born in 1809 and died in 1889. He married Elizabeth M. Duncan, of Kentucky, who was born in 1812 and died in 1894. Nathaniel was a native of Adams county, Ohio, and the son of Nathaniel Patton, Sr., who moved to Rush county, about 1823.
Although a Republican in politics, Mr. Meeks has never found time for any considerable political activity. The Meeks are stanchi members of the
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United Presbyterian church at Springhill, four Meek brothers having con- tributed five thousand dollars for the building of this church. In fact, the ancestors of Robert S. Meek were some of the founders of the church at Springhill.
Robert S. Meek has not only lived a life of usefulness in Greensburg and Decatur county, but he has set a worthy example to young men of the present generation. Few men have more effectively demonstrated what economical and frugal living, industry and good management will accomplish. At the age of seventy-five, Robert S. Meeks, not only is able to enjoy the fruits of his early labors, but, because he has cared wisely for his health, lie is enabled to enjoy the competence he has accumulated in the fullest measure. He is a most worthy citizen of this great city and county.
ALBERT C. RUSSELL.
One of the best-known and most popular men in Decatur county, is Albert C. Russell, of Greensburg, a retired merchant and farmer who was born in this county and has lived here all his life. being known to nearly every man, woman and child in that part of the county in which the greater part of his active life was spent, the eastern part of the county, in the Clifty (or Milford) neighborhood in Adams and Clay townships, where for years he was engaged in the merchandise business and where for years he also was equally well known as a farmer. He and his wife, who are among the large landowners of the county, are now living a life of quiet retirement in the county seat, where they enjoy the esteem and regard of all their large circle of acquaintances.
Albert C. Russell was born in Clifty, this county, on July 2, 1841, the son of Robert C. and Sarah C. (Craig) Russell, natives, respectively, of Ripley county, Indiana, and Kentucky. Robert C. Russell came to Decatur county in 1845, when fifteen years of age, and engaged in the manufacture of wheat fans at Clifty. He also farmed and engaged in the merchandise business at that place, moving from thence to St. Paul, this county, where he died in 1901 at the age of eighty years. He married Sarah P. Craig, who was a daughter of William Craig, an early pioneer of this section, who entered about sixteen hundred acres of land near Burney and then went to Shelby county. To this union there were born ten children, two sons and eight daughters, Alice, Dorcas, Henrietta, Albert C., Mary, Lena, George H.,
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Adelia, Ida and Ann K. Of these six are living, namely : Mrs. Dorcas Rid- len, of Rosedale, Indiana; Mrs. Henrettia Stevens, of Rushville, Indiana ; Albert C., the immediate subject of this sketch; Mrs. Lena Iupenlautz, of Gilman, Indiana ; Mrs. Adelia Tomkins, of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Mrs. Ida Cory, who lives near Burney, in this county.
Albert C. Russell was reared at Milford and grew up to a full acquaint- ance with the merchandise business in his father's store at that place. After his marriage, he became a partner with his father in the store at St. Paul, this county, where he remained four years, being engaged in the buying of grain in connection with the general merchandise business. At the end of this time he bought a small farm in Adams township, on which he lived for three years, at the end of which time he sold the farm and bought one hun- dred and sixty acres at Turners cross roads, which he presently traded to Edward Marshall for a stock of goods and the store building at Clifty, taking in, at the same time, a partner in the person of Jaines D. Braden, whose interest in the store he later bought. He then traded a half interest in his store for the Walter Braden farm and he and Mr. Braden bought the adjoining tract of one hundred and sixty acres. About two years after buy- ing the Braden interest, Mr. Russell's store was destroyed by fire and Mr. Russell moved onto the Braden farm, where he lived for twenty years and where his wife, who was a daughter of Walter Braden, died. In the old brick house which was known as the Braden homestead, Mrs. Russell was born, married and died and there she also spent the most of her life.
Following the death of his wife, Mr. Russell rented his farm and for about thirteen years boarded with his tenant farmer, at the end of which time lie married the widow of James D. Braden and, in February, 1906, moved to the city of Greensburg, where he and Mrs. Russell are living in pleasant retirement. Together they own a farm of five hundred and ninety acres about two and one-half miles southwest of Clifty, in Clay township, and are very well circumstanced.
In the year 1860, Albert C. Russell was united in marriage to Lucinda Jane Braden, who was born on March 10, 1843, and died on September 13, 1894, the daughter of Walter and Elizabeth (Mowery) Braden, pioneers of the Clifty neighborhood, to which union there were born four children, namely : Nina A., on August 27, 1862, married J. W. Young and lives on a farin south of Clifty; Walter Braden, September 3, 1864, died on November 5, 1891 : Robert J., April 7, 1867. was graduated from the Indiana Dental College at Indianapolis in 1894 and has practiced dentistry in Greensburg for twenty-one years ; married on March 3, 1902, Glenn Montgomery, daugh-
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ter of John G. and Lida Montgomery, of Greensburg, and has one child, a son, Albert M., and John N., born on March 16, 1869, died on November 30, 1869. The mother of these children died in 1894, as set out above.
On March 7, 1906, Albert C. Russell married, secondly, Mrs. Etta G. (Anderson) Braden, widow of James D. Braden, who was born on Novem- ber 19, 1851, the daughter of William and Mary E. ( Stanley) Anderson, natives of New Jersey, the former of whom was born on February 15, 1814, died on May 26, 1894, and the latter of whom was born on January 5, 1825, and died on February II, 1905, who were the parents of six children, John F., William B., Mrs. Sallie R. Whisman, Mrs. Russell, Hamlin and Mollie. James D. Braden, who died in 1886, was the son of Walter Braden. By his marriage with Etta G. Anderson he had one son, Emmet, who married Clara Jenkins and died, leaving one daughter, Mary Louise.
Mr. and Mrs. Russell are members of the Methodist church and take a warm interest in the various beneficences of that church. Mr. Russell is a Republican and a member of the Odd Fellows and the Masons. He also is a member of the Horse Thief Detective Association at Clifty. Though practically retired from the active labors of life, he continues to take a keen interest in public and general affairs and he and his good wife are held in universal esteem among all who know them.
MRS. DORCAS E. (McLAIN) HOLMES.
Among the well-known women of Greensburg, Indiana, is Dorcas E. (McLain) Holmes, who was born on October 31, 1842, in Butler county, Ohio, the daughter of David and Lucinda (Brown) McLain, natives of Ohio, who came to Indiana in January, 1842, first locating in Bartholomew county. The father engaged in the mercantile business near the Decatur county line, buying land in Decatur county and becoming a very wealthy man. He and his wife had five children, two of whom died in childhood. The three chil- dren who lived to maturity are Mrs. Holmes ; Elizabeth, who married Lafay- ette Elliott, of Bartholomew county ; and Oliver Perry, who died in 1905.
Mrs. Holmes grew up in Bartholomew county, Indiana, and lived at home with her parents until her first marriage to John Kelley. on November 7. 1858. He was the son of Matthew and Charity Kelley, the former of whom was a large landowner in Jackson township, Decatur county. John Kelley, the first husband of Mrs. Holmes, who was a well-known school teacher and farmer, died in 1864, leaving a son, James P., who died at the
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age of thirty-three years in Kansas City, Missouri. Mrs. Holmes and her first husband lived in Decatur county.
The second husband of Mrs. Dorcas E. (McLain) Holmes was George W. Holmes, who was born in 1828 and died in 1912. He was born in Sand Creek township, Decatur county, and was the son of Robert Holmes, a native of Ohio and one of the pioneers of Decatur county. Mr. and Mrs. Holmes were married on July 3, 1865. He had been twice married before, first to Jane McCannon, who bore him one daughter, Ann Eliza, who is now deceased, and second to Martha Stafford, who bore him one son, George, who now lives at Redlands, California. Four children were born to him and Mrs. Dorcas E. Holmes, David T., of Greensburg; Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Anner- man, of Sardinia, who has six children, Frederick, Magnolia, Ruth, Calvin, Helen and Edna ; Mrs. Lucinda Williams, of Austin. Texas, and Henry Clay, of Wyoming, who has two children, Mary and Ruth.
David McLain, the father of Mrs. Dorcas E. Holmes, was a prominent citizen of two counties, having served as county commissioner in Bartholo- mew while living there, and having been elected to the same office after his removal to Decatur county. He was a well-known leader in the councils of the Democratic party. Although he himself was a stanch Democrat, he was perfectly willing that others should think and vote as they pleased. He owned nearly four hundred acres of land in Jackson township and, before his death, presented this land to his children. The farm of one hundred and sixty-two acres in Jackson township, which Mrs. Holmes now owns, she received from her father. Her only brother who grew to maturity, Oliver Perry McLain, died in 1905, leaving a wife and three daughters, who now live in Indianapolis. The daughters are Clara, Blanche and Edith.
After Mr. and Mrs. Holmes were married, they settled on a farm near Westport, in Sand Creek township, Decatur county, and within one and one-half years they moved on Sand creek, two miles south of Westport. Two years later they moved to near Sardinia in Jackson township and, in October, 1907, moved to Greensburg, Mr. Holmes dying five years later.
Mrs. Dorcas E. Holmes is an intelligent, cultured and refined woman and is highly respected by the people of Greensburg and is well known, especially in the several communities in which she has lived in Bartholomew and Decatur counties. She has experienced. no doubt, her share of both joys and sorrows, but she has borne the one without great exultation and the other with- out complaint. In her declining years she is able to enjoy the comforts of life and to live in ease. These are her compensations for the toil and worry of latter days.
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CHARLES ZOLLER.
Carles Zoller is one of the best-known business men in the city of Greens- burg and in Deeatur county, Indiana, a man who for sixteen years has been engaged in the insurance business in this city, and who during this period has built up a large clientele and patronage. Aside from his insurance busi- ness, which he personally conditets, he is also heavily interested in two of Greensburg's most flourishing enterprises, the Greensburg Building and Loan Association and the Greensburg Natural Gas, Oil and Water Company, to the latter of which he is secretary-treasurer and general manager.
During Mr. Zoller's sixteen years in the insurance business at Greens- burg, Indiana, he has represented most of the time fourteen of the largest and best companies of this country, among which are the Aetna, the Hart- ford, Springfield. Queen, National, Fire Association, New York Under- writers, Niagara, Fireman's Fund and the Sterling. He also is the Decatur county representative of the Fidelity and Casualty Company, the Southern Surety Company and the Travelers Insurance Company of Hartford. These companies comprise not only the largest and the best in the insurance field, but the ones which are the surest and safest guarantee of the promises and pledges contained in their policies. Mr. Zoller now has, as a result of his sixteen years continuous business, an extensive renewal department, which has become very profitable.
In the Greensburg Building and Loan Association, a corporation estab- lished in 1896, and capitalized at a half million dollars, Mr. Zoller is associ- ated with some of the best-known business men of Decatur county. The original capital of this company was one hundred thousand dollars, but from year to year it has grown to its present large proportions. The president of the company is W. C. Woodfill: the secretary, Mr. Zoller, and the treasurer, Walter W. Bonner. The directors include, besides the officers, Robert Nagle. George P. Shoemaker, P. T. Lambert and Louis Zoller. No institu- tion in Decatur county has had more to do with the construction of new homes and the repair of old homes than the Greensburg Building and Loan Association, since it has furnished to home owners an easy means by which their property might be improved.
Another flourishing enterprise, of which Mr. Zoller is an important factor, is the Greensburg Natural Gas, Oil and Water Company, an incor- porated concern which was established on July 17. 1886, and of which he is now secretary-treasurer and general manager. Capitalized at twenty-five thousand dollars, it supplies natural gas for domestic purposes. Its presi-
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dent is W. B. Ansted and its directors, besides the officers, are Margaret Porter, Mary Lewis and Louise German.
Two other enterprises, with which Charles Zoller is connected, are the Decatur County Independent Telephone Company, and the Third National Bank. He is secretary of the telephone company and a director in the Third National Bank.
Mr. Zoller's important connections with leading business enterprises in Decatur county is. therefore, apparent. He is a widely known citizen and popular, not only in commercial and industrial circles, but in the larger life of the community. He is a man of broad and liberal views, interested keenly in all worthy public enterprises and a man who in support of their behalf can always be depended upon.
ARTHUR J. LOWE.
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