History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 59

Author: Reifel, August J
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1648

USA > Indiana > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 59

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John Jacob Reiboldt was born three miles south of Brookville, in Brook- ville township, Franklin county, March 4, 1856. He is a son of John Jacob and Catherine (Mettel) Reiboldt, both of whom were natives of Germany. John Jacob Reiboldt was one of three children by this marriage, the others being J. Peter (deceased), who was a farmer in Laurel township; and Margaret (deceased), who was the wife of Ludwig Ensminger.

John Jacob Reiboldt, Sr., followed the butcher's trade in Germany, be- fore coming to this country. After coming to this county, he engaged in farming, and at the same time followed his former occupation of cattle butcher. He prospered and soon acquired a farm of his own, located in the district known as "The Flats." He died in 1857, survived by his widow and three children. His widow later married her husband's brother, Peter.

John Jacob Reiboldt, Sr., was one of four children of Peter and Cath- erine Reiboldt, the others being Peter, Mary and Margaret. Mary married Doctor Blecken and lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Margaret married a Mr. Baas and lived near Pennsylvaniaburg, Indiana. Peter later married his brother's widow, Mrs. John Jacob Reiboldt, Sr.

By her second marriage Mrs. Reiboldt had four children: Catherine married Ralph Weber and lives at Laurel, Indiana; Edward, now dead, was a merchant at Laurel, Indiana; George, a professor at Moores Hill College, and a minister, lives at Hope, Indiana; Charles H. is justice of the peace and a poultry merchant of Laurel, Indiana. Mrs. Peter Reiboldt still lives at Laurel, where she is prominently identified with the Lutheran church.

The paternal grandparents of John Jacob Reiboldt, Jr., were Peter and Catherine Reiboldt, who were natives of Germany and who came to this ' country about 1840. They first located in Pennsylvania, later moving to Franklin county, Indiana, where they located on what is now the Kunkle farm, on the "Flats," a few miles south of Brookville. There they lived

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until their death. Peter Reiboldt had been in the German army, and was a splendid type of German soldier, tall and erect, with handsome physique. The following story, relating an incident of his military service in Germany, is of great interest. One day when a general was reviewing the troops, he stopped in front of where Peter Reidbolt was standing and said: "You are the prettiest soldier in the ranks."

The maternal grandparents of John Jacob Reiboldt, Jr., were Jacob and Mary Mettel, both born in Medard, Germany. In 1847, they came to this country, landing at New Orleans. They came up the Mississippi river and thence up the Ohio to Indiana, where they landed and later came to Franklin county, settling in Highland township. There they lived until Mr. Mettel's death, after which his widow lived at the home of Jacob Reiboldt, Sr., where she died. Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Mettel were devout members of the Lutheran church.

Jacob Reiboldt, Jr., first attended school on the "Flats" in the south part of Franklin county. He later attended school at Brookville seminary, after which he spent a short time in the school at Laurel, having moved with his parents to that place in 1866. At the age of thirteen he was confirmed in the Lutheran church in Ripley county, where he also attended school for a short time. He worked on his father's farm as a boy and acquired the rudi- ments of business training under his father's direction. In 1878 he formed a partnership with Capt. W. L. Day in the hardware business, in Laurel, in which business he continued for twenty-seven years. In July, 1893, Mr. Reiboldt and Captain Day, with other gentlemen from Muncie, organized a bank for Laurel, which proved a successful venture. Later, Mr. Reiboldt and Captain Day purchased the interests of their partners, following which Mr. Reiboldt operated the bank and Captain Day confined his attention to the hardware business. In 1903 Mr. Reiboldt sold his interest in the hardware business to Captain Day and, since that time, has confined his interests to the bank, of which he is now the sole owner, and which has been doing business for twenty-one consecutive years.

On October 30, 1893, he was married to May Queen Ferguson of Clarks- burg, West Virginia, a daughter of Lemuel and Myrtle Ferguson, both of whom were natives of Clarksburg, West Virginia, where they died. Mr. Ferguson was a prominent druggist of Clarksburg. To Mr. and Mrs. Rei- boldt was born one child, Karl, December 20, 1904. Mrs. Reiboldt died January 26, 1914. Mrs. Reiboldt was well liked during her residence here, and left a host of friends.

John Jacob Reiboldt is a public spirited citizen and is prominent in

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fraternal and social circles. He is a Republican in politics, and has served on the county council of Franklin county for a number of years. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, holding his membership in the blue lodge at Laurel, in the council, chapter and commandery at Conners- ville, and the consistory and Mystic Shrine at Indianapolis. He has passed all the chairs in his local lodge. Mr. Reiboldt has earned a splendid reputa- tion in the community as a progressive citizen, merchant and banker. He has always been active in every movement for the public good and has been of distinct service to this community.

HENRY R. LENNARD.

For a quarter of a century one of the most substantial business men of Metamora, Franklin county, Indiana, was Henry R. Lennard, who for that length of time operated a handle factory in this place. Since 1910 Mr. Lennard has been cashier of the Farmers' Bank of Metamora, and is now filling this responsible position with general satisfaction to the directors of the bank and the constantly increasing circle of patrons.

Henry R. Lennard, the son of George W. and Clarinda (Woodward) Lennard, was born at Newcastle, Henry county, Indiana, August 14, 1853. His father was born near Newark, Ohio, in 1825, and died while at the front in the Civil War, May 14, 1864. His mother was born in Henry county, Indiana, in 1831, and died June 1, 1879. His parents reared a family of three children, Henry R., of Metamora; Gertrude, deceased, who was the wife of Leonidas P. Mitchell, former deputy comptroller of the United States treasury ; and Ashel W., an attorney of Pueblo, Colorado, who is now living on a ranch in Idaho for his health.

George W. Lennard, the father of Henry R., was reared in Ohio, and in his young manhood read medicine and was graduated later from the Farmers' College of Medicine. About 1851 he removed to Newcastle, Indi- ana, and practiced medicine in that city. Later he engaged in the newspaper business, buying the Newcastle Courier, which he edited for two years. In 1855 he was graduated from the law school of Cincinnati and entered into partnership with Judge M. L. Bundy, with whom he practiced until August, 1861, when the office was closed, both partners going to the war.

George W. Lennard enlisted as a lieutenant in a company of the Thirty- sixth Regiment of the Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and after the battle of

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Stone River, when many of the officers were killed, he was made lieutenant- colonel and, later, colonel of his regiment. He was killed May 14, 1864, while leading his regiment in a charge at the Battle of Resaca, Georgia. While at the front he was elected senator to the General Assembly on the Republican ticket in the fall of 1863.

The paternal grandparents of Henry R. Lennard were of German descent and lived most of their days at Reading, Ohio. The maternal grand- parents of Henry R. Lennard were Ashel and Catherine (Hollet) Wood- ward. Ashel Lennard was a lieutenant in a Kentucky regiment in the War of 1812. Both were born in Virginia, married in that state and, immediately after their marriage, went to Harrodsburg, Kentucky. A few years later grandfather Woodward moved with his family to Preble county, Ohio. He left his wife in that county and went to Henry county, Indiana, and entered about one thousand acres of government land, where the city of Newcastle now stands. He built a cabin, harvested a crop and went back in the fall of 1823 to Ohio, when he got his wife and returned to Henry county. Both were members of the Christian church. He lived to be seventy-five years of age, while his wife passed away at the age of seventy.

Henry R. Lennard was educated in the public schools of Newcastle and in Kentucky University. Besides spending two years in the latter university, he was graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan in the class of 1879. Immediately after graduation, he located for the prac- tice of his profession in Newcastle, Indiana, and remained there for three years. He then served in the post office department at Washington, D. C. for nearly a year, resigning his position in the government service in 1884 to buy a general store with his brother-in-law, W. N. Gordon, at Metamora, Indiana. They remained in business together for two years or until, in 1886, Mr. Lennard bought the handle factory at Metamora, which he managed until I9II, a period of twenty-five years. The factory was compelled to close on account of the scarcity of timber in the vicinity of the mill. When the Farmers' Bank of Metamora was organized in 1910, William N. Gordon, the brother-in-law of Mr. Lennard, became president, and Mr. Lennard was installed as cashier. The bank has had a very successful career during the five years which it has been in existence and is now rendering a very com- mendable service to its community.

Mr. Lennard was married January 7, 1880, to Lettie B. Gordon. She was born at Metamora, Indiana, and is the daughter of Milton B. Gordon. Mrs. Lennard's history is given elsewhere, in the sketch of William Noble Gordon. Mr. and Mrs. Lennard are the parents of two children, Edith,

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born November 22, 1880, the wife of F. H. Wiley, of Indianapolis; and George M., born November 20, 1890, a clerk in the Metamora bank.

Mr. Lennard is a Republican in politics, but has never cared to take an active part in the political life of his community. However, he gives his enthusiastic support to every measure which promises to benefit the general welfare of his fellowmen. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Ac- cepted Masons, holding his membership in the Blue lodge at Metamora, the Chapter at Brookville and the Commandery at Connersville.

HARRY C. JONES.

The present postmaster of Laurel, Indiana, is Harry C. Jones, who has been a resident of Laurel since 1893. Mr. Jones has been engaged in various enterprises, having started out to work for himself, when he was sixteen years of age, by clerking in a drug store in Indianapolis. Later he worked in a law office in Indianapolis for a time, after which he worked for R. G. Dun & Company in Chicago and clerked in a hotel in Colorado. He oper- ated a jewelry store in Iowa for a while, and moved his store from that state to Laurel in 1893, continuing in the jewelry business in Laurel for the next twelve years. He was the organizer of the Laurel Telephone Company, of which he was, for several years, sole owner. He has served in various civic capacities and, since February 19, 1914, has been serving as postmaster of Laurel.

Harry C. Jones, the son of Elisha P. and Mary Alice (Webb) Jones, was born in Columbus, Indiana, August 10, 1870. His father was born at Columbus, Indiana, January 18, 1841, and is still living. His mother was born at Franklin, Indiana, March 28, 1851, and is also still living. Mr. and Mrs. Elisha P. Jones have two sons, Harry C. and Warren S., the latter re- siding on the old home farm in Hendricks county, Indiana.

Elisha Jones was reared in Columbus until he was about fourteen years old, when his parents moved to Indianapolis. Early in life he engaged in the mercantile business in Vincennes, Indiana, and later at Columbus, Indi- ana. Still later he conducted a wholesale grocery business at Indianapolis, where he remained for a few years. Later he moved to Lizton, Hendricks county, Indiana, and bought a farm, where he still makes his home.

The paternal grandparents of Harry C. Jones were Aquilla and Harriet (Cox) Jones. Aquilla Jones was one of the first settlers in Columbus, Indi-

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ana, and was the first postmaster of that town. Later he moved to Indian- apolis and became president of Indianapolis Rolling Mill Company, and was at one time interested in the Colts Firearm Company, and in the Gatling Gun Manufacturing Company of Indianapolis. It will be recalled that Doctor Gatling, inventor of the gun which bears his name, worked out his patent and established in Indianapolis the first factory for the manufacture of those guns. At one time Aquilla Jones was worth half a million dollars, but lost much of his fortune as the result of indorsing a note for a friend. He was an active worker in the Democratic party and served as postmaster of Indi- anapolis under Cleveland's first administration. He died at the age of eighty- one. The maternal grandparents of Harry C. Jones were W. S. Webb and wife. Mr. Webb lived in Indianapolis and was a prominent banker until the panic of 1874, when he lost much of his wealth.

Harry C. Jones received most of his education in the public schools of Indianapolis. When his parents moved to Lizton, Indiana, he went there with them, but soon returned to Indianapolis and made his home with his grandmother Webb in order to complete his education in the city schools. When he was sixteen years of age he began to work in the drug store of Harry Pomeroy in Indianapolis, and later became an amanuensis in the law office of his uncle, Aquilla Q. Jones, of Indianapolis. After working for his uncle two years he entered the employ of R. G. Dun & Company, with headquarters in Chicago. He then went to Colorado, where he remained for a time. He later took charge of a jewelry store in Farmington, Iowa, for an Indianapolis jewelry firm. When business became bad in Iowa, the store was removed on June 10, 1893, to Laurel, Indiana, and Mr. Jones con- tinued in charge of the store until 1905. He then sold the store and devoted all of his time and attention to the Laurel Telephone Company. Previous to disposing of his jewelry store he organized and built this telephone com- pany. After retiring from the jewelry store he continued as manager and owner of the company until October, 1911, when he sold it to Mary E. Goudie, of Brookville.

Mr. Jones was married September 19, 1894, to Anna C. Herrmann, who was born in Laurel and is a daughter of Fred and Margaret Herrmann. Her father is deceased, but her mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are the parents of three children : Raymond Webb, born February 14, 1896, and now assistant postmaster under his father; Helen Louise, born July 5, 1899; and Mary Alice, born April 12, 1908.

Mr. Jones has always been an active worker in the Democratic party. In 1907 he was elected trustee of Laurel township and, with the extension

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of the tenure of office by the State Legislature, continued to hold it until 1914. Since February 19, 1914, he has been serving as postmaster of Laurel. He has also been on the town council of Laurel and has served as town clerk. In every position Mr. Jones has administered the duties connected with his office in an efficient and painstaking manner and, consequently, fully merits the high esteem in which he is universally held.

CAPTAIN WILLIAM LOCKWOOD DAY.

A successful business man and public spirited citizen of Laurel, Indiana, who has passed to his reward, is Capt. William L. Day. He was connected with the town of Laurel and everything pertaining to its development for more than half a century. Mr. Day served in the Civil War as a captain and, after the close of the war, located in Laurel and made that town his home during the remainder of his life. He was engaged in business in the town nearly half a century, although he was one of the largest farmers of the county, owning over one thousand acres of land in Laurel township, to the operation of which he gave his own personal supervision.

The late Capt. William Lockwood Day was born at Smyrna, Delaware, October 13, 1829, and died at his home in Laurel, Indiana, October 27, 1913. He was the son of John and Mary (Sharp) Day, both of whom were born in Smyrna, Delaware, his father dying in 1832, and his mother in 1870. His mother remarried in 1835, her second husband being John Temple, and to her second union, one son, Joshua, was born. About 1837 Mr. Day, with his mother and stepfather, came to Indiana and located in Franklin county. His stepfather bought a farm in Blooming Grove township and the family lived there until 1860, when John Temple and his wife immigrated to Fair- field, Iowa, bought land, and lived there the remainder of their lives. Cap- tain Day had only one full brother, Richard Day, who lived all of his days in Laurel, Indiana, where he was in the drug business. The paternal grand- parents of Captain Day were Mathias Day and wife, wealthy people of Delaware.

Captain Day was eight years of age when he came with his mother and stepfather to Indiana. He attended the public schools of Blooming Grove and later took a course in a commercial college in Cincinnati, Ohio. He re- mained at home until he was eighteen years of age and then began clerking in a store at Metamora, Indiana, for Jonathan Barnes. He clerked later for

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another firm in Metamora. After his marriage in 1853, Captain Day located in Metamora for a short time and then moved to Clarksburg, Indiana, where he clerked in a store. His next home was in Greensburg, Indiana, where he worked in the store of Wheeler & Cobb for three years. On May 20, 1858, he located with his family in Laurel, Indiana, and in the following year bought a drug store, enlarged the stock and started his long and successful career as a business man. He continued in the store until February, 1864, when he opened a recruiting office for the government at Laurel. On February 22, 1864, he went into camp at Greensburg, Indiana, with thirty- three men, added more, and the men were finally mustered in as Company K, One Hundred Twenty-third Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Day was elected captain of the company. It was immediately sent south and joined Sherman's army in Georgia, fighting its first battle at Dalton in that state. The regiment to which Captain Day's company was attached, followed General Hood over the northern part of Alabama and Tennessee and finally brought him to bay at Nashville. In the beginning of 1865 Captain Day's company was sent to Carolina, where they remained until the close of the war. After the war Captain Day, with his company, was put in charge of the commissary department and were not mustered out until August 25, 1865.

In 1866 Captain Day returned to Laurel and resumed the management of his drug store, but he sold it shortly afterwards and entered the livery business with "Towhead" Williams. In 1870 Captain Day started a hard- ware store and maintained an interest in it until near the time of his death. J. J. Reiboldt was his partner in the store for twenty-seven years. He also started a packing house in Laurel and operated it very successfully, in part- nership with Churchill and Wellends, for many years. As he prospered from year to year, Captain Day invested in land until he owned over one thousand acres of excellent land in Laurel township. In 1877 he bought the James and Winifred Conwell homestead in Laurel and lived there until his death. He started the Laurel Bank, but later sold out his interest in the bank to J. J. Reiboldt.

Captain Day was married September 10, 1853, to Anna Maria Conwell. She was born in Laurel township, Franklin county, Indiana, October 13, 1832, and was the daughter of Jeremiah and Catherine (Kendrick) Conwell, both of whom were born in Sussex county, Delaware. Her father was born May 27, 1786, and died April 10, 1867. Her mother was born May 7, 1789, and died February 14, 1866. Captain Day and wife were the parents of seven children: Lafayette, a druggist of Laurel, who died December 14,

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1903; Ida, who died in infancy; Edgar, who is still with his mother ; Katie, who is also with her mother; Horace G., a real estate man of Denver, Colo- rado; Harriet, a professional artist, who is now in charge of the art depart- ment of the State University at Marysville, Missouri; and Charles, a hard- ware merchant of Philippi, West Virginia.

The American progenitors of the Conwell. family were Yeates and Rebecca Conwell, who arrived in America from England, April 15, 1699. They located first at Reedy Island, and later in Broadkiln Hundred, Sussex county, Delaware. In 1705 William Fisher of Lewes, Mrs. Conwell's father, deeded to them one thousand acres of land, and this tract was held by the family for several generations. Yeates Conwell and wife were the parents of four children; William, John, Elias and Hannah. John Conwell was born April 14, 1699, and was twice married. His first wife's name was Comfort and his second was Susannah. He had three sons by his first wife, William, Joseph and Elias; and three children by his second, John, Jr., David and Lydia. John Conwell, Jr., was Mrs. Day's paternal grandfather. His wife's name was Betsy and they reared a family of nine children, Jeremiah, the youngest of the nine, being Mrs. Day's father. The father of Jeremiah Conwell was a sailor and ship owner, and Jeremiah was reared on the coast of Delaware and spent much of his boyhood days on the sea with his father. Later he owned a vessel and carried merchandise between Philadelphia and Baltimore. Jeremiah Conwell was married in Delaware to Catherine Ken- drick, a daughter of William and Lydia Kendrick. Her father was a wealthy merchant and lived in one of the sea-coast towns of Delaware. During the Revolutionary War, the British ships anchored in Delaware Bay, opposite his house. John Conwell, Jr.'s, two brothers, David and William, fought in the American Revolution. Jeremiah Conwell, the father of Captain Day's wife, fought in the War of 1812.

In 1832 Jeremiah Conwell, the father of Mrs. Day, located in Franklin county, Indiana. He had a family of eleven children and all but the young- est, Mrs. Day, were born in Delaware. Jeremiah Conwell lived a few months in Laurel township and then bought the "Old Paper Mill" farm of two hun- dred acres in Fayette county. He lived on the farm until old age, and then moved to Laurel and made his home with his son-in-law, Captain Day. James Conwell, a cousin of Jeremiah, was the founder of the town of Laurel. He platted the town and it was through him that Jeremiah Conwell was in- duced to locate in Indiana. Jeremiah took a great interest in the building of the Whitewater canal and was a heavy stockholder in the enterprise. Many descendants of the Conwell family are still living in Franklin county.

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Captain Day was a stanch Republican and always took a great interest in political matters. He was justice of the peace for many years, but never held any other office. He was a firm believer in temperance and advocated total abstinence. He was an enthusiastic member of the John Secrist Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Laurel, and never failed to take an active interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the old soldiers. His widow is now eighty-two years of age and is living at the old homestead at Laurel. She is the last of the Conwell family to survive, although they were once one of the largest families in the county.

G. WALLACE HYDE.

A successful business man of Brookville, Indiana, is G. Wallace Hyde, who has been engaged in the life insurance business in the county seat since 1908. For ten years previous to this he taught in the schools of this county, and made an excellent record as an instructor. As a young man he attended Valparaiso University and the State Normal school at Terre Haute, and was well qualified to engage in the teaching profession. His family is one of the old families of the county, his grandfather coming here from England, when a young man, while his grandmother was one of the first children born in Whitewater township.

G. Wallace Hyde was born in Springfield township, Franklin county, Indiana, October 17, 1878, and has spent his life thus far within the limits of the county. He is a son of Thomas F. and Eliza ( Hampson) Hyde. His father and mother were both born in this county, his father in 1844, and his mother ten years later. His father died in 1884, and his mother later married her first husband's brother, Eli E. Hyde. Thomas F. Hyde and wife were the parents of two sons, G. Wallace and Thomas F., Jr. Eli E. Hyde and wife were the parents of six children, all of whom are still living with their parents : Roscoe, Samuel, Emma, Matha, Mary and Clara.

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History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 59

Author: Reifel, August J Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1648

Author: Reifel, August J
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1648