USA > Indiana > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 69
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JOHN W. REICHLE.
John W. Reichle, the genial manager of the Palace Hotel, of Conners- ville, was born in North Vernon, Indiana, January 4, 1887. He is the son of John and Anna (Wrape) Reichle, both of whom were born in Jennings county, Indiana, where they have always made their home. Mr. and Mrs. Reichle are the parents of seven children : four sons-Henry, Walter, Frank and John W., and three daughters-Minnie, Mary and Florence (deceased). John Reichle has been identified with the business interests of North Vernon for the past twenty-five years.
John W. Reichle was educated in the common and high school of his home town. After graduating from the high school he went west and for seven years ( 1907-14) was in charge of a stave mill in Arkansas. Although he was only twenty years of age when he began his connection with the firm owning the stave mill. yet he displayed such ability to manage men that he was successful from the start. His seven years of service with the firm employing him is ample evidence of his ability to perform satisfactory service.
While in Arkansas he met the girl who later became his wife. Rose Hodge, a native of Greenup, Illinois. She is a daughter of C. C. and Martha (McNeese) Hodges and was born in 1891. She was educated at Sedalia,
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Missouri, and Ravenden, Arkansas. In addition to her regular common and high-school education she received a thorough course in music and is an accomplished pianist.
After their marriage on May 12, 1914, Mr. Reichle and his bride at once left for Indiana. They returned to Mr. Reichle's former home in North Vernon and he at once became connceted with the Metropole Hotel in that place. He continued there until June 24, 1916, when he became manager of the Palace Hotel at Connersville, where he is now located. Under his efficient direction the business of the hotel has been greatly improved and it now enjoys a liberal share of the patronage of the local and transient business of the city.
Mr. and Mrs. Reichle have a charming little daughter, LaVerne, who was born on March 19, 1915. This little maid has the unique distinction of having two great-grandmothers, Mrs. Mary Wrape, of North Vernon, and Mrs. Anna Weyl, of Bridgeport, Illinois.'
E. RALPH HIMELICK.
E. Ralph Himelick, one of Connersville's well-known young attorneys- at-law, prosecuting attorney-elect for the thirty-seventh judicial circuit, and senior member of the law firm of Himelick, Frost & Goble, is a native son of Indiana, born in the neighboring county of Union, and has been a resi- dent of Connersville since the year of his admission to the bar in 1914. He was born on a farm in the neighborhood of College Corner on May 5, 1887, son of John W. and Rachel (DuBois) Himelick, both natives of Indiana, who are now living in Franklin county, where they are very comfortably situated.
John W. Himelick was born on a pioneer farm in Bath township, Franklin county, son of John and Mary (Davis) Himelick, the former of whom was born in Ohio, and who were the parents of six children, Mary, Marian, Laura, Flora, John W. and Grant. The elder John Himelick was a well-to-do farmer and breeder of thoroughbred horses and both he and his wife lived to ripe old age. John W. Himelick has always been a farmer. For eighteen years he lived in Union county and during his residence there served for six years as a member of the board of county commissioners. He married Rachel DuBois, who was born in Union county, a daughter of John K. and Elizabeth (Wilson) DuBois, also natives of Indiana, who spent most of their lives in Union county, although John K. DuBois was born
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E. RALPH HIMELICK.
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in the neighboring county of Franklin. He died at the age of sixty-six years and his widow survived him some years, she being seventy-eight years of age at the time of her death. They were the parents of six children, Ange- line, Sarah, Harriet, Rachel, Edgar and Arthur. John W. Himelick was reared in the faith of the Methodist church and his wife is a member of the Colters Corner Methodist Episcopal church. They have two sons, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Dwight Himelick, of Franklin county.
E. Ralph Himelick was reared on the paternal farm and during his boyhood and young manhood was a valuable aid to his father in the labors of developing and improving the same. Following his graduation from the township high school he entered Indiana University and in 1911 was gradu- ated from the College of Liberal Arts of that institution, immediately there- after entering the Indiana University Law School, from which he was gradu- ated in 1914 and at once was admitted to the bar. Thus admirably qualified for the practice of his profession Mr. Himelick engaged in practice at Con- nersville and for the first year was associated in practice with the late Reuben Conner. After the death of that gentleman he practiced alone until in August, 1915, when he formed a partnership with G. W. Goble. In February, 1916, H. L. Frost became a member of the firm, which has since been engaged in general practice of the law at Connersville, under the firm style of Hime- lick, Frost & Goble. Mr. Himelick is a Republican and gives his thoughtful attention to local civic affairs. In the election of 1916 he was elected prose- cuting attorney for the thirty-seventh judicial circuit and will enter upon the duties of that office on January 1, 1918.
On September 5, 1912, E. Ralph Himelick was united in marriage to Faye Hamilton, who was born at Mt. Carmel, in the neighboring county of Franklin, July 24, 1891, daughter of Harvey and Caroline (Sleet ) Hamil- ton, the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Ohio, who were the parents of five children, of whom Mrs. Himelick was the last born, the others being Harry, Clarence, Mabel and Guy. Harvey Hamilton is one of the ten children born to his parents, who came over from Ohio during the early days of the settlement of this part of Indiana and became well known among the pioneers of Franklin county. The Sleets also are a pioneer family in Franklin county. Mr. and Mrs. Himelick have one child, a son, Jolin Harvey. Mrs. Himelick is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Himelick is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of Warren Lodge No. 15, Free and Accepted Masons, at Connersville, and of the chapter at that place, and takes a warm interest in Masonic affairs.
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JOHN STOLL.
John Stoll, one of Connersville's well-known merchants and the pro- prietor of a well-stocked grocery store at 216 West Sixth street in that city, is a native of Germany, but has been a resident of Connersville since the days of his boyhood. He was born in Wurtemburg on September 29, 1863, son of Jacob F. and Katerina (Schweickle) Stoll, natives of Germany, the former of whom died in his native land when his son, John, was about fourteen years of age.
In 1880 the Widow Stoll and her two children, John and Frederica, the latter of whom is now Mrs. Fred Neal, came to the United States, their destination being Connersville, where Mrs. Stoll had a brother and a sister living. They arrived at that place on September 29, 1880, the seventeenth birthday of John Stoll, and within two weeks the boy had a job as a baker, a trade he had learned in his native country. He worked at that trade until the first of the succeeding year, when he took employment in the factory of the McFarlan Buggy Company and there worked three years, learning the wood-working trade. He then went over to the Monk & Roberts furniture factory and after working there six months took employment with the Con- nersville Furniture Company and was engaged in the factory of that company for eleven years, learning all departments of the cabinet-making trade. From that place he returned to the McFarlan factory, but four months later, in April, 1896, he started a little grocery store on the top of West hill. In the meantime he had married and his wife was from the very beginning of his mercantile venture a great aid in pushing the business. Much of the time during the early years of his mercantile career Mr. Stoll was com- pelled to be out with the wagon and Mrs. Stoll became an excellent man- ager and buyer. Mrs. Stoll continues to do the buying for the store and has done much to contribute to the success of the enterprise. Mr. Stoll and his wife had no experience before starting in business, but by careful thought, diligence and constant attention to details have gained experience and have done very well. About four years after John Stoll started in business on West hill his brother, Jacob F. Stoll, bought into the concern and the broth- ers started another store at 216 West Sixth street, the latter being conducted by Jacob F. Stoll, John Stoll continuing in business .on the hill. Five years later John Stoll bought his brother's interest in the business, sold his store on the hill and has since operated the store on Sixth street, where he and his wife have built up an excellent business.
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It was in 1886 that John Stoll was united in marriage to Anna M. Disque, who was born in Rheinpfalz, Germany, daughter of John and Katherine (Green) Disque, natives of that same country. At the age of nineteen years Anna Disque came to this country in company with a number of other girls from the vicinity of her home, with a view to finding better conditions here than they could hope to find at home, and upon her arrival in this country went to Cincinnati, where she lived until her marriage to Mr. Stoll. To that union have been born three children, one son, Carl, and two daughters, Emma and Elsie. The entire family are members of the German Presbyterian church and take an earnest interest in church work. Mr. Stoll is a member of the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Loyal Order of Moose, while Mrs. Stoll is a member of the Daughters of Rebekah and of the German Aid Society.
About ten years ago Mr. and Mrs. Stoll bought their present home, a substantial brick residence that was erected in Connersville before the days of the Civil War by Mr. Stoll's great-uncle, John Farner. After Mr. Far- ner's death the administrator of his estate sold the house to Mr. Schoenholtz, the baker for whom John Stoll worked upon arriving in Connersville, and Mr. Stoll bought the place from Mr. Schoenholtz's daughter. Before Mr. Stoll remodeled the old house it was of a rather odd design, one of the "land- marks" in Connersville, but since it has been remodeled in somewhat more up-to-date fashion it is a good-looking and substantial residence and there Mr. Stoll and his family are very pleasantly situated.
JAMES HUSTON.
The late James Huston, for years a resident of Connersville and one of Fayette county's best-known retired farmers and landowners, was a native son of this county and lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm near Bentonville in 1836, a son of John and Mary Miller Huston, the former a native of Pennsylvania, who was among the earliest settlers in Posey town- ship, this county, settling on a tract of "Congress land" in the vicinity of Bentonville in the early thirties of the last century. They resided there during the remainder of their lives.
On that pioneer farm in Posey township James Huston grew to man- hood. He received his education in the primitive schools of that neighbor-
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hood. From the days of his boyhood he was a valued aid to his father in the labor of developing and improving the farms. Upon reaching man's estate he became a farmer on his own account and prospered in his operations, eventually accumulating some six hundred acres of valuable land. During the last thirty years of his life he made his home in Connersville, the county seat of Fayette county, directing the management of his farms from there. Mr. Huston was an ardent Republican and always gave attention to local civic affairs. He was active in local politics, although never a seeker after or holder of public office. He was an active worker in church matters, being a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and endeavored to encourage all movements designed to advance the common welfare. James Huston died at his home in Connersville on December 15, 1914, in the seventy-ninth year of his age, an honored and respected pioneer citizen of the community and country, in which his whole life had been spent.
James Huston had been twice married. In 1863 he married Ruth Amelia Murray, who was born at Genesee, New York, a daughter of James and Anna (Miller) Murray. Mrs. Huston died at Bentonville in 1875, at the age of thirty-eight years, leaving two children, a son and daughter, Francis Murray and Mary Helen, the former now a resident of Chicago and the latter a resident of Connersville.
Francis Murray Huston upon completing his education at Earlham Col- lege and at DePauw University, was admitted to the bar of the Fayette circuit court, at the age of twenty-one years. Later he turned his attention to newspaper work and presently came to be recognized as an authority as a financial writer. His early newspaper work was with the Cincinnati Enquirer and later with the Rocky Mountain News at Denver. He then was connected with the Chicago Inter Ocean for a time and later joined the Chicago Evening Post staff as a political writer and later became financial editor. He spent twenty years with the Post and then joined the staff of the Chicago Herald. For ten years he has been also editor of the Rand- McNally Bankers Monthly Magasinc. Mr. Huston also has been a con- tributor to the London Times and numerous other papers and for years has been the Chicago correspondent of the Journal of Commerce of New York City. He was married to Linnabelle Janes, of Wheeling, West Vir- ginia, in 1900.
Mary Helen Huston, who has a very pleasant home at Connersville, received her elementary education in the schools of her home town and sup- plemented the same by a course in Western College at Oxford, Ohio. In the social and cultural activities of her home town she has ever taken a warm
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interest and is an active supporter of movements having as their aim the advancement of the common good.
James Huston married, secondly, Marian Koogler, daughter of Dr. Adamı Koogler, of Connersville, and a niece of Gen. George Crook, of the United States army. Mrs. Huston died at Connersville on October 2, 1907.
Among James Huston's ancestors ranked William Huston, a native of Ireland, who was his grandfather, and who assisted in establishing American independence, while acting in the capacity of captain.
Mr. Huston was one of a family of seven children, of whom two sur- vive, Thomas Huston, of Kokomo, Indiana, and Mrs. S. S. Merrifield, of Connersville; William Nelson Huston, Mrs. Elihu Schrader, Mary Ann Huston, John Miller Huston, Mrs. Charles Mount and Robert Marshall Huston having preceded their brother to the great beyond. Charles A. Murray, a prominent attorney of Denver, is a brother-in-law.
LINCOLN KERR TINGLEY.
Lincoln Kerr Tingley, cashier of the First National Bank of Conners- ville and formerly and for years train dispatcher in the office of the old Cin- cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Company at Connersville, former councilman from his ward in the Connersville city council and for years an active factor in the development of his home city, is a native son of Fayette county and has lived here all his life. He was born in the village of Harrisburg, this county, September 15, 1866, a son of Dr. Uriah B. and Elizabeth (Kerr) Tingley, for years recognized as among the leading resi- dents of that village.
Dr. Uriah B. Tingley was one of the pioneer physicians of Fayette county and his memory, particularly in the northern part of the county, is held dear to many in that section. He was born in Clermont county, Ohio, Sep- tember 30, 1816, and early turned his attention to the study of medicine. He was graduated from the old Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati and in 1838 came to Indiana, proceeding by way of the canal to Hamilton and thence by stage coach to Oxford and then on by foot up the valley of the White- water to Connersville, where he opened an office for the practice of his pro- fession. A year later he moved on up to Harrisburg and there remained in practice the rest of his life, a faithful physician and a friend to all.
Reared at Harrisburg, Lincoln K. Tingley received his first schooling
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there in what then was known as the "Frog Pond" school house. Upon leaving school he worked for a time on farms and then turned his attention to telegraphing and presently was appointed an operator in the Connersville office of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Company, now known as the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western, performing his duties in that connection so well that he presently was advanced to the position of train dispatcher and was thus engaged until his election to the position of cashier of the First National Bank of Connersville on January I, 1905, since which time he has given his undivided attention to the affairs of the bank, long having been recognized as one of the leading bankers in this part of the state. Mr. Tingley is a Republican and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs. For ten years he represented his ward as a member of the city council and in many ways did well his part in promoting the gen- eral advancement of the affairs of his home city.
Mr. Tingley has been twice married. It was on September 24, 1889, that he was united in marriage to Cora C. Caldwell, who died leaving one child, a daughter, Mildred, who married Leslie Richman and has one child, a son, Robert. After the death of his first wife Mr. Tingley married Ella M. Crago and to this union one child has been born, a son, Malcolm. Mr. and Mrs. Tingley are members of the Christian church and Mr. Tingley for some years served the local congregation of that church as a deacon.
JESSE S. CHRISMAN.
The late Jesse S. Chrisman, for many years a well-known and sub- stantial farmer of Harrison township, this county, who died at his home in Connersville in the fall of 1916, was a native son of Fayette county and lived here all his life. He was born on the old Chrisman farm in Harrison town- ship, August 29, 1839, a son of Jacob and Nancy (Swisher) Chrisman, the former a native of Gifford county, North Carolina, born on November 27, 1795, and the latter of Mason county, Kentucky, born on July 27, 1803, who were early settlers in the northern part of this county. Upon coming here they made their home in the woods of Harrison township and there developed a good farm, on which they spent their last days. They were the parents of ten children, of whom the subject of this memorial sketch was the last survivor.
Reared on a pioneer farm, Jesse S. Chrisman grew up familiar with the
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trials and hardships of pioneer living. He received his schooling in the little old log school house in the neighborhood of his home and from boyhood was a valued aid to his father in the labors of developing and improving the home place. After his marriage he bought a tract of land near his old home and there established his residence, gradually adding to his holdings until he became owner of two hundred and thirty-two acres, on which he quite successfully carried on general farming and stock raising, and where he made his home until his retirement from the farm and removal in 1915 to Con- nersville, where he spent his last days, his death occurring on November 29, 1916, he having been in ill health for some time before his retirement from the farm. Mr. Chrisman was a Republican and had for years taken an active part in political affairs. He served as trustee of Harrison township for seven years and in other ways contributed of his time and his energies to the public service. He was a member of the Grand Avenue Methodist Episcopal church at Connersville, as is his widow, and ever took a proper interest in church work.
It was on November 1, 1865, that Jesse S. Chrisman was united in mar- riage to Catherine V. Price, who was born in the neighboring county of Franklin, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Clements) Price, the former of whom also was born in that county, son of Irons and Eleanor Price, who came to this state from Maryland and became early settlers in Franklin county. Irons Price was a substantial farmer and he and his wife spent their lives in the Blooming Grove neighborhood. They were the parents of twelve children, William, Mary, Rebecca, Susan, Unity, Harriet, Margaret, Edward, Jackson, James, David and Lydia. Elizabeth Clements was a daughter of Richard Clements, of Maryland, who also settled on a farm in Franklin county in pioneer days and there spent his last days. He and his wife had five children, Sarah, Nancy, Elizabeth, James and Caleb.
To Jesse S. and Catherine V. ( Price) Chrisman six children were born, namely : Edward Robert, Laura A., Albert L., Minnie M., Oliver Perry Morton and Nona Grace. Lieut .- Col. Edward R. Chrisman, United States Army, is now stationed at Panama. Colonel Chrisman was graduated in 1888 from the United States Military Academy at West Point, which institution he entered at the age of eighteen, and participated in the battle of Vera Cruz, with the rank of second lieutenant. He later was promoted to a lieutenant- colonelcy. Colonel Chrisman married Florence Ryan and has two children, Catherine and Albert O. Laura A. Chrisman married Robert Henry, of Har- rison township, this county, and has one child, a daughter, Ouidabon. Albert L. Chrisman, a well-known attorney at Connersville, married Rebecca L. Lock-
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hart and has two children, John and Dorotha. Minnie M. Chrisman married J. L. Bush, of Ft. Wayne, this state, and has two children, Mary, Grace and Edward Robert. Oliver P. M. Chrisman is unmarried and continues to make his home with his widowed mother at Connersville. Nona Grace Chrisman married Harry Stephens, of Ft. Wayne, and has one child, a son, Maynard Moody. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Chrisman has continued to make her home at Connersville. She has a pleasant home at 1947 Ohio street and takes a warm interest in the general affairs of the community.
L. T. BOWER.
In the memorial annals of the city of Connersville and of Fayette county there are few names held in better remembrance than that of the late I .. T. Bower, organizer and president of the Connersville Buggy Com- pany, one of the organizers of the Farmers and Merchants Trust Company, for years a member of the Connersville city council and in many ways one of the city's most active and industrious factors in his day and generation. Mr. Bower was for years actively identified with the industrial and com- mercial interests of his home city and did much to start Connersville on the path of its present remarkable industrial development.
L. T. Bower was born in the old village of Centerville, in the neigh- boring county of Wayne, July 2, 1844, a son of Jacob Bower and wife, early residents of that county. Jacob Bower was born in Pennsylvania, in which state he grew to manhood, later going to Cleveland, Ohio, coming thence to Indiana and locating at Centerville, where he married and for some years made his home. He then moved over into Preble county, Ohio, where he remained until after the Civil War period, when he returned to Wayne county, locating on a farm there, and there spent the rest of his life.
Having been but a child when his parents moved from Centerville to Preble county, Ohio, L. T. Bower grew up on the paternal farm in the latter county and when the family returned to Indiana he started a saw- mill at Harrisburg, continuing thus engaged for a number of years, at the end of which time, in 1875, he moved to Beeson and engaged in the saw- mill business there. A year later he moved his plant to Connersville and there engaged in the manufacture of sash and door material, building up quite a plant in that line. About five years later Mr. Bower recognized the
I. T. BOWER.
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opportunities of the buggy business and he organized the Connersville Buggy Company, converting his sash-and-door plant into a plant for the manufac- ture of buggies. Upon the organization of the company Mr. Bower was elected president of the same and continued serving in that capacity, acting as general manager of the company, until his death. Starting the factory in a modest way he gradually built it up, as the business of the company was extended, until he had one of the most important industries of that kind in the state. Mr. Bower was an active and energetic business man and as his interests developed found himself engaging in more than one line designed to promote the industrial and commercial development of his home town. He was one of the organizers of the Farmers and Merchants Trust Company of Connersville and was elected to the first board of direc- tors of that sound old financial institution. He also was a member of the board of directors of the Glenwood State Bank of Glenwood and of the board of directors of the Monarch Stone Company of Bloomington, this state. In his political views Mr. Bower was a stanch Republican and for some time served as a member of the Connersville city council, represent- ing his ward in that body for years. Fraternally, he was a Mason. Mr. Bower was ever a liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a member, and for years was a member of the board of trus- tees of the local congregation, as well as one of the stewards, ever doing all in his power to promote the church's interests in this community. His widow, who still survives him, still living at her pleasant home in Conners- ville, also is a member of the Methodist church, in the various beneficences of which she ever has taken a warm interest, as well as in all local good works.
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