USA > Indiana > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 102
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Thomas Hynes, a son of Michael and Mary (Kerns) Hynes, was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, May 24, 1864. His parents were both born in Ireland, but came to America before their marriage. Michael Hynes was about twenty years old when he located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and after his marriage he continued to reside in that city until 1864, when he located in Franklin county, Indiana. He became a successful farmer and at the time of his death owned two hundred and forty-five acres of land in the county. The family always have been loyal adherents of the Catholic church. Michael Hynes and his wife were the parents of six children : John, of Dayton, Ohio, who married Rose Stenger ; Mary, Anna and Catherine, single; Thomas, with whom this narrative deals ; James, a farmer of Butler county, Ohio, who mar- ried Mary Bertenshow. The father of these children died January 22, 1902, the mother having passed away July 7, 1893.
Thomas Hynes was educated in the common schools of Franklin county. He has lived on his present farm since he was four years of age. He passed his boyhood days in a manner similar to that of all other boys reared on the farm, going to school in the winter seasons and assisting his father with the work on the farm during the summers, in this way gaining such a knowledge of agriculture as to be able to manage a farm of his own when he started for himself. He is now farming one hundred and forty acres of the old home farm, where he raises all of the crops adapted to the soil of this section of the state, and gives particular attention to the breeding of Durham cattle, having found this to be a very profitable adjunct to his regular farming.
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Mr. Hynes was married April 29, 1903, to Catherine Hynes, a daughter of Michael and Mary ( Powers) Hynes, of Butler county, Ohio, and to this union have been born three children, Mary Alice, born January 1, 1906; Catherine, born January 23, 1907 ; Thomas J., born May 29, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Hynes are not related, despite the similarity of their family names.
The parents of Mrs. Hynes reared a family of eight children, James, Michael, John, Thomas, Anna, Ellen, Johanna and Catherine. Her parents were members of the Catholic church, and highly respected people of the com- munity in which they resided.
Mr. Hynes is independent in politics, but has never aspired to political- preferment. He and his family are devout members of the Catholic church, and generous contributors to its support. They are held in the highest regard in the community in which they reside and are accounted among the fore- most residents of that part of the county, ever being found at the forefront among those who are seeking to secure the advancement of the best interests of the neighborhood.
EDWARD C. RUDICIL.
For more than half a century Edward C. Rudicil has been a resident of Franklin county, Indiana. Farming has occupied his attention since he started in to make his own way after his marriage. From his ancestors he inherited a sound constitution, an active mind, and an intelligent comprehension of the way in which to put these qualities to the best use. As new inventions have been brought in the market, Mr. Rudicil has added them to his equipment, and has surrounded himself with all of the latest improvements which will facilitate his work on the farm. It has been demonstrated over and over again that energy and industry are essential to success and that when em- bodied in enterprise will eventually lead in that direction.
Edward C. Rudicil, the son of Christopher and Jane (Garner) Rudicil, was born in Whitewater township February 4, 1865. His father was born April 7, 1838, at Longnecker Station, while his mother was born February 26, 1845. His parents had two children, Edward C., a review of whose life is here presented, and Samuel B., who married Anna De La Croix, and has two children, Leroy and Elsie.
Christopher Rudicil, the father of Edward C., received a meager educa- tion in the subscription schools of his boyhood days and after reaching his majority devoted himself to agriculture, continuing in this occupation down
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to the present time. He was twice married, his first wife being Jane Garner. who died December II, 1893. His second wife was Emma Carter, to whom he was married November 25, 1895.
The paternal grandfather of Edward C. Rudicil was John Rudicil, who was born January 16, 1812, in Whitewater township. John Rudicil was mar- ried November 9, 1837, to Mary A. Byrum, who was born March 25, 1817, in Dearborn county, Indiana, and died October 16, 1908. Grandfather Rudi- cil became one of the most substantial men of Whitewater township, and at his death was the owner of four hundred and eighty-seven acres of land. Two sons were born to John Rudicil and wife, Christopher, the father of Edward C., and Luther, who married Rebecca Harney, the daughter of Har- vey Harney.
The paternal great-grandfather of Edward C. Rudicil was George Rudi- cil, a native of Pennsylvania, and after his marriage, in his native state, he came to Indiana and entered government land in Whitewater township, and this same land is still in possession of the family. George Rudicil was a major-general in the War of 1812.
Edward C. Rudicil attended the district schools of his native township, and passed his boyhood days in a manner similar to that of all lads reared in the country. His winters were spent in the school room, while his father made use of his services in the summer time on the farm. After his marriage Mr. Rudicil began to farm part of the old Rudicil homestead, and is still living on the paternal estate. At the death of his father he will receive a half of the two hundred and twelve acres which has father still owns in this township.
Mr. Rudicil was married December 29. 1887. to Florence Chappelow, and to this union have been born nine children : Byron, born January 8, 1889; Ethel, born April 25, 1890: Arthur, born May 27, 1892; Edith, born August 3. 1894; Everett, born April 12, 1896; Alpha, born March 9, 1898: Clayton, born May 3, 1901 ; Clara, born August 2, 1903, died May 23, 1908; Merritt, born November 21, 1906.
Mrs. Rudicil is a daughter of James and Mary (Cook) Chappelow. Her father was born February 4, 1835, and her mother February 9, 1839. James Chappelow is a farmer of Dearborn county, Indiana, and he and his wife have reared a family of eight children, all of whom are still living: Charles, born December II, 1859; Florence, born November 15, 1864; Minnie, born February 12, 1866; Walter, born March 22, 1868; Edwin, born December 23, 1870: Effie, born in 1872; Frank, born October 30, 1874; Pearl, born in September, 1876. James Chappelow, the father of Mrs. Rudicil, and all of his family are members of the Latter-day Saints. His father, John Chappe-
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low, was born in Yorkshire, England, and came to the United States with his family many years ago and located in Dearborn county, Indiana.
Mr. Rudicil is a Prohibitionist in politics, but his extensive farming in- terests have been such that he has never been inclined to take an active part in political affairs. He and his family are members of the Latter-day Saints church, and are interested in the work of that denomination. Personally, Mr. Rudicil is a man of pleasing manner and genial personality, and has a host of friends throughout the community where he has spent his whole career of half a century.
LOUIS SCHIESZ.
When one reads the life of a man who has led a very active career, it is sometimes hard to comprehend how he has crowded so many experiences in so many different avenues in the narrow span of one lifetime. This feeling might well be experienced in reading the life history of Louis Schiesz, who needs no introduction to the inhabitants of Franklin county.
Louis Schiesz was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 17, 1840. His par- ents were Charles and Salome (Ludewig) Schiesz. His father was a native of Strassburg, Germany, born in 1806, and dying February 26, 1873. His mother was born in the province of Alsace, now a province of Germany, on February 22, 1818, dying October 13, 1882.
The maternal grandparents of Louis Schiesz were Carl and Magdelina (Hoscksmith) Ludewig. Mr. Ludewig was born in Austria and his wife was a native of Alsace-Lorraine. He was a soldier in the Austrian army and a veteran of the war against France. He later served in the French army against Austria. He came to America, with his family, in 1814 and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. Early in life he had learned the carpenter trade, which he followed in this country with the exception of a short time devoted to farming. He and his wife lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the remainder of their lives.
Charles Schiesz, father of Louis Schiesz, received his education in Ger- many, and after leaving school served as apprentice to a cabinet-maker. As the opportunities in his native land did not admit of much personal progress, he came to America when a young man, eventually locating at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He remained in Philadelphia for some time and received his primary lessons in American life in that city. After leaving Philadelphia, he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he engaged as a carpenter, at which he
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worked during the balance of his active life. He was married to Miss Ludewig in Cincinnati in 1837 and to their union were born five children, as follow: Louis, Charles Frederick and Katherine Magdelina, two other chil- dren dying in infancy.
Louis Schiesz spent his early life in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was edu- cated in that city, attending the common schools, after which he attended the Woodward high school. On graduating from high school he embarked in the grocery business, after which he became a clerk in the Cincinnati, Ohio, postoffice. He remained in the service of the government for eight years. When the call for volunteers was issued by President Lincoln, he enlisted, in May, 1864, in the One Hundred and Sixty-fifth Ohio, Company B, and served until the close of the war. He then came to Blooming Grove, Franklin county, Indiana, to visit an uncle, where he remained.
On December 24, 1866, he was married to Abigail Glenn, who was born on the farm which is now in the possession of Louis Schiesz. She was the daughter of Thomas and Jane (Smith) Glenn, both of whom were natives of South Carolina.
The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Louis Schiesz were Joseph and Han- nah (Garvin) Glenn, who also were natives of South Carolina. Her paternal great-grandparents, who were natives of South Carolina, moved from that state to Indiana, where they located at some point on the Wabash river, where they lived the rest of their lives. Her paternal grandparents located in Fayette county, Indiana, in 1814, where they lived for a brief time. They then came to Franklin county and located on the farm which is now occupied by Louis Schiesz. At the time of their settlement this tract of land consisted of one-quarter section heavily timbered. They soon cleared the land and constructed a home, in which they lived until their death.
The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Louis Schiesz were Ebenezer and Margaret (Chambers) Smith, who were natives of South Carolina. They left that state and settled in Jackson township, in Fayette county, where they engaged in farming and lived at this place to the end of their lives.
Thomas Glenn, father of Mrs. Louis Schiesz, was born in 1800, came to Franklin county with his parents in 1814. He received part of his school- ing in Franklin county and on reaching manhood he engaged in farming. He lived practically his entire life on the farm which is now in the possession of Mr. Schiesz. Mr. Glenn died March 23, 1883, having survived his wife, who died September 7, 1865. Their children were Joseph, Ebenezer and Abigail, now Mrs. Louis Schiesz.
After his marriage, Louis Schiesz engaged in farming, his efforts in this
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line having been almost wholly confined to the farm he now occupies. He was appointed United States rural delivery carrier in August, 1904, and was assigned to the district known as the Star route and was later assigned to rural route number 1, out of Brookville, which he has continued for nine years. During his activities as rural delivery carrier, he continued to direct the work on his farm, which is a tribute to his industry. He has developed a very modern farm and has added to and rebuilt many of the buildings which had been on his place for a number of years.
A family of four children was born to Mr. and Mrs. Schiesz, Salome, Catherine, Mary and Charles. Salome married George Levertz, and has one child, Roy; Catherine married David Templeton: Mary is deceased, and Charles is still at home. Mary married J. S. Hogland, and had four children, Earl, Charles, Beatrice and Bernice.
Louis Schiesz has served as township supervisor and is held in the high- est regard by all the citizens of this community, whom he has known inti- mately for many years. He is now commander of the Hackelman Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Brookville, and rarely misses a reunion of the war veterans. Mr. Schiesz has indeed spent a useful life, one of great service, to his country, to his fellow men and to himself. He occupies a position in the hearts of his fellow men that has been earned by his upright and conscientious life.
FRANK A. WRIGHT.
For more than eighty years the Wright family have been connected with the history of Franklin county, Indiana. Frank A. Wright has spent his whole life in this county and since 1903 has been engaged in the flour, feed and elevator business in the county seat. He has suffered at least two disasters that would have disheartened most people, but he has not allowed either water or fire to discourage his ambition or to check his enthusiasm. He has taken an active part in the civic life of his community and is now serving on the council of his county.
Frank A. Wright, the son of John and Cecelia (Glidewell) Wright, was born in Brookville township, Franklin county, Indiana, November 30, 1870. His father was born in Ashton, Lancashire, England, in 1817, and died in Franklin county, in January, 1873. His mother was born in Fair- field township, in this county, in 1833 and died in 1912. His parents reared a family of four children, Elizabeth, who died at the age of one year ; Rachel,
FRANK A. WRIGHT.
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who was first married to a Mr. Lewis and later to a Mr. Smith; William, who lives on a farm in Grant county, which he inherited from his father ; and Frank A., of Brookville. .
John Wright, the father of Frank A., received his education in England and was about fourteen years when his parents came to America and located in Ohio. A few years later the family came to Franklin county and settled in Brookville township. John Wright inherited a good farm from his father and being a man of frugal habits and good management, added considerably to his holdings, at the time of his death owning several farms in Franklin county and also some excellent land in Grant county, Indiana. He was slightly crippled in one foot and this deformity hindered his walking.
The paternal grandparents of Frank A. Wright were William Wright and wife, both of whom were born in England. They came to America in 1830 and settled in Ohio, later coming to Franklin county, where they died. The maternal grandparents of Frank A. Wright were Hans Glidewell and wife, natives of Virginia and early settlers in Fairfield township, Franklin county.
Frank A. Wright attended the public schools of Brookville for eleven years, and then worked on his father's farm for several years. His father had died when he was three years of age and his mother never remarried but remained on the farm in active charge of it. Frank A. did the farming for his mother until he was thirty-two years of age. In 1903 Mr. Wright bought the Daisy Roller Mill in Brookville and has been in the mill, grain and elevator business in the county seat since that time. He improved the mill and put in modern machinery in order to do high-class milling. The flood of 1913 raised the water in the mill six feet in the second story and not only damaged the building but destroyed four hundred barrels of flour and a large amount of grain which he had stored in the mill. However, he was not dis- couraged and soon had the mill in operation again. In June, 1914, the mill was completely destroyed by fire, but this second disaster in nowise daunted him. He immediately rebuilt and by August 5, of the same year, he was ready for business the third time. He has built a new elevator on the site of the old mill and now confines all of his grinding to coarse feed, not turn- ing out any flour. He also buys and sells grains of all kinds. In 1911 he established a mill at Laurel, Indiana, which he still owns and operates, as well as owning a flour mill at Metamora, which he operates night and day.
Mr. Wright was married in 1901 to Frances Dayton. She was born in New York state and died in Brookville, April 10, 1914.
(66)
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Mr. Wright is a stanch Democrat and has been one of the local leaders of his party for many years. In 1914 he was nominated by his party and subsequently elected as a member of the Franklin county council and is now filling the duties of this office. He is a director in the Brookville Build- ing and Loan Association. Fraternally, he gives his hearty support to the Free and Accepted Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Wright is a man of persistence and determination as is shown by his conduct after the two disasters which completely swept him out of business. These qualities naturally have made him one of the aggressive forces in the industrial and commercial life of Brookville and his influence ever has been exerted in behalf of all movements having to do with the uplift of the com- munity and the extension of her interests in every good way.
JOHN R. GURR.
One of the sterling old citizens of Whitewater township, Franklin county, Indiana, is John R. Gurr, who has been one of the most successful farmers and stock raisers of his township. While he has given close attention to his private affairs, he has not neglected his duties as a good citizen, and has taken an active part in the civic life of the locality in which he has resided. In his record there is much that is commendable and his career is that of a sturdy pioneer who lays his plans wisely and then carries them forward to a successful completion.
John R. Gurr, the son of John and Harriet (Samson) Gurr, was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, October 18, 1843. His parents were born in County Kent. England, and did not come to America until several years after their marriage. Upon coming to this country they first settled in Hamilton county, Ohio, where they bought ninety acres of land and where they passed the remainder of their days. John Gurr, Sr., had been a shoemaker in his native country, but after settling in Ohio he gave most of his attention to farming. John Gurr, Sr., and wife were the parents of seven children : Harriet, the wife of James Craig, of Mt. Carmel, Indiana ; Susan, deceased ; John R., with whom this narrative deals; William, who has been married three times, his last wife being Jeannette Updike; Mary, the wife of Samuel Harrison, a farmer of Brookville township: Emily, deceased, who was the wife of Oran Stansberry, and George, a farmer of Butler county, Ohio, who married Magdalena Morris.
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John R. Gurr received only a limited education in the common schools of his time, due to the poor facilities for education in his boyhood days. He was reared in Hamilton county, Ohio, and after his marriage, at the age of twenty-two, began farming in Franklin county. He rented land for the first two years and then bought one hundred and fifty acres in Franklin county, which he sold in 1910. He still retains about two hundred and twenty-five acres in Whitewater township, Franklin county. The ownership of such a considerable tract of land indicates that Mr. Gurr has been successful in his chosen life work, his success having been due to his ceaseless industry, thrifty habits and good management.
Mr. Gurr was married fifty years ago to Ellen Kirk, the daughter of Thomas Kirk, and to this union were born seven children: Leslie, the wife of Abner Whipple, of Connersville, Indiana; Clara, who is still at home; Allie, the wife of Edward Hancock, of Indianapolis: Thomas, who married Pearl Hutcheson and now lives at Oxford, Ohio: Frank, a farmer of White- water township, who married Alta Sater, and has four children, Marjorie, Glen, Carl and Sherman ; Eva, who is living at home, and Calvin, a farmer of Whitewater township, who married Ethel Stokes, and has three children, Wayne, Willard J. and Naomi. The wife of Mr. Gurr and the mother of these seven children died December 3. 1903.
Mr. Gurr always has been an active worker in the Republican party and has been a leader of his party in local affairs. He has served as road super- visor in his township and in many other ways took a part in promoting the general welfare of the community in which he resided. The family are all members of the Presbyterian church and are interested in everything which concerns its welfare, their name being counted among those of the most sub- stantial and influential citizens of the county.
ALBERT C. LUDWIG.
Of all the people of foreign nationalities that have come to America, none have been more welcome nor made better citizens than those who came from Germany. One of the finest types of German families is the Ludwig family, who have been identified with the progress of this country since 1828. A worthy representative of this family is Albert Cameron Ludwig, who, although born in this country, possesses all of the true German char- acteristics.
Albert Cameron Ludwig was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, September 26,
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1858, the son of Charles Frederick and Katherine Margaret (Klipple) Ludwig. His father was born in Alsace, Germany, and his mother in Baden, Germany. Albert C. is one of a family of twelve children: Charles P., born July 23, 1840, and died in December, 1913; William F., born May 21, 1842, and died September 14, 1914; Caroline M., born June 25, 1844, and died December 12, 1869; George H., born June 26, 1846, and still living; Hen- rietta, born August 23, 1848, and died August 25, 1887; Emilie M., born November 17, 1850, and died July 29, 1858; Marie W., born February 3, 1853, and died November 17, of the same year; Mary J., born September 10, 1854, and is still living; Benjamin, born October 2, 1856, and is still living ; Albert C., whose history is here presented ; Edwin E., born September 3, 1860, and is still living, and Ida E., born December 14, 1862, and died February 24, 1886.
The names and history of the paternal grandparents of Albert C. Ludwig will be found in the article devoted to Lewis G. Schiesz, as they were also his paternal grandparents. The maternal grandparents of Albert C. Ludwig were George and Katherine (Metzer) Klipple, both of whom were born in Germany and came to America in the early days, the date of their arrival being March, 1829. Their voyage was a long, hard one, con- suming twenty-two weeks. They landed at Baltimore, Maryland, and soon after located in Cincinnati, Ohio, from where they moved to Fairfield town- ship, Franklin county, Indiana.
Charles Frederick Ludwig, father of Albert C., came to America with his parents, landing at New York, May 12, 1828, on which day he was twelve years old. His future wife, Katherine M. Klipple, also came to this country with her parents when she was seven years of age. Charles F. Ludwig began to learn the cooper's trade in Cincinnati, but quit and took up an apprenticeship in cabinet making, later becoming a carpenter. He lived in Cincinnati for twelve years, where he followed his trade and built a fine home on Elm street, also building a house on Hopkins street. In August, 1863, he moved to the farm on which his son now lives. This place, which he purchased in February, 1863, contained one hundred two and one-half acres, forty acres being later added to the original tract. Until the year 1866 he lived in a log house, at which time he built a frame house. At one time there were three houses standing on the place, two log houses and one frame. He lived on this farm until his death, which occurred May 10, 1893. If he had lived two more days he would have been exactly seventy-seven years of age. He and his family were loyal members of the German Lutheran church.
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Albert C. Ludwig was educated in Jackson township, Fayette county, Indiana, although he resided in Franklin county. He taught school for one term and for the next four years engaged with his brother in the wholesale millinery business in Cleveland, Ohio. He then returned to the home farm and, with the exception of six years spent in Tipton county, has been on this farm ever since. General farming and stock raising are the mainstays of Mr. Ludwig's prosperity. There are a large number of fine maple trees on his place, from which he makes about seventy-five gallons of maple syrup each year.
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