History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 63

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 63

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Martin S. Harder was born in Indiana, but when he was five years of age he went with his parents to New York state, where he was reared to manhood, married and resided until 1869. While living in New York, Martin S. Harder had a farm near Antwerp, on which he engaged in suc- cessful farming. The paternal grandparents of Francis R. Harder lived and died in New York. His maternal grandparents also spent all of their days in that state.

Francis R. Harder was reared on his father's farm in this county, being five years of age when the family located in Laurel township. He received his education in the schools of this county and worked on the home place until he was grown. After his marriage, in 1886, he went to Metamora, Indiana, where he worked in a handle factory for three years. He then went to work on the railroad and worked on the section of the Big Four for four years, after which he took up the carpenter's trade and worked on the bridge gang for the Big Four for four years. He was then made section foreman at Metamora, Indiana, and held that position for six years, following it with two years as supervisor of railroad tracks for the same company. During this time he was taking a three-years' course in civil engineering in the Scranton Correspondence School, and eventually com- pleted the course. In the fall of 1908 Mr. Harder was elected surveyor of Franklin county on the Democratic ticket, and was re-elected twice, serv- ing until 1914. In 1913 he was appointed by the county commissioners as county superintendent of highways, a position which was createed by the state Legislature of 1913. In May of that year, he moved to Brookville, where he has since made his home. His many years of experience in sur- veying, as well as his long service with the railroads running through this county, make him an efficient man for highway superintendent.

Mr. Harder has been twice married, his first marriage occurring Janu- ary 14, 1886, when he married Matilda Sherwood. She was born in Frank- lin county, and is the daughter of Daniel and Louisa Sherwood of Bloom- ing Grove township. Mr. Harder was married a second time January 21, 1913, to Mrs. Kate (Kilborn) Allison, who was born in Covington, Ken- tucky. Mrs. Harder had one son, Charles, by her first marriage. He was born in August, 1894.

Mr. Harder has always been a staunch Democrat in politics, and has been an influential leader in local affairs for many years. Fraternally he is

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a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. In all respects Mr. Harder merits the high esteem in which he is held by all who know him. In the office of highway superintendent he is performing his duties in such a way as to elicit universal praise through- out the county.

THEODORE H. BROWN.

Franklin boasts of no better citizens than those of German descent, and much of the material prosperity of the county is due to the thrift and energy of these worthy citizens. Theodore H. Brown, the present trustee of Brookville township, was born in Prussia, Germany, and came to this country when a small boy with his parents, and has been a resident of Frank- lin county, Indiana since 1865. For many years he was a brickmason and contractor, and has the honor of having erected nearly all of the brick resi- dences in Brookville. For the past three years he has been engaged in farming in Brookville township, and has been as successful in his agricul- tural operations as he was in the contracting business.

Theodore H. Brown, the son of Christian and Maria (Stoll) Brown, was born in Prussia, Germany, October 6, 1845. His parents were both born in Prussia in 1824 and 1813, respectively, and died in Franklin county, Indiana, in 1893 and 1904, respectively. The paternal and maternal grand- parents of Theodore H. Brown spent all of their days in Germany.

Christian Brown, the father of Theodore H. was reared and married in Germany, and when a young man learned the trade of a mason. In 1850 he came with his family to America and the long voyage, made in a sail- ing vessel, consumed thirty-six days. They landed at New Orleans and came up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Cincinnati and located in that city. Christian Brown followed his trade as a mason in that city for a few years and then moved to Dearborn county, Indiana, where he lived for eight years, still plying his trade. In 1865 he moved to Whitewater township, Franklin county, Indiana, where he bought a farm, and here he and his wife spent the remainder of their days.

Theodore H. Brown was only five years of age when his parents came to the United States. He received his education in the public schools of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Dearborn county, Indiana. When he was a mere youth he began to work with his father, who was an expert mason, and in this way was well grounded in the rudiments of the profession. In 1868 he located in Brookville and immediately found all he could do as a mason.

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He continued contracting in Brookville until 1899, and during this time erected not only a large number of brick residences in Brookville, but also many frame dwellings. In 1899 he bought the Bonwell farm in Brook- ville township and has since made his home on that farm. In 1908 he was elected trustee of Brookville township, and will serve in this capacity until 1915. While living in Brookville he was a member of the city council for fifteen years and during that time always took an active interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of his city. He has been active in Democratic politics, and has been a leader in local affairs for many years.

Mr. Brown has been twice married. He was first married in 1868 to Elizabeth Schaeffer. She was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, and is the daughter of Nicholas and Margaret Schaeffer. The first wife of Mr. Brown died in 1891, and he was married the second time, in May, 1899, to Harriet Bonwell. She was born on the farm where Mr. Brown is now living, and is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William H. Bonwell. Mr. Brown had four children by his first marriage: George, of Titusville, Pennsylvania; Anna, the wife of Harry Brown, of Connersville, Indiana ; Callie, the wife of Mr. McCann, of Connersville, Indiana, and Edith, the wife of Tennis Hart, of Conziersville, Indiana.

GEORGE F. RITZE.

A successful business man of Brookville for many years was George F. Ritze, who has now practically retired from active business life. He has been a resident of Brookville since 1856, when his parents moved here from Connersville, Indiana. With the exception of eight years, which he spent in the Brookville postoffice, he has been engaged in business in Brookville from the time when he was eighteen years of age until the summer of 1912. He has been a successful man of affairs, industrious, and has by good management accumulated a very comfortable competence for his declining years.

George F. Ritze, the son of John and Sophia (Stiller) Ritze, was born in Connersville, Indiana, December 31, 1851. His father was born in Hesse, Germany, July 6, 1817, and died in Brookville, April 28, 1880. His mother was also born in Germany, August 21, 1827, and died in California in 1901. His parents had ten children, three of whom are living, and who are, George F., of Brookville; Caroline, the wife of Emil Krause, of San Diego, Cali- fornia, and Sophia, unmarried, who lives in San Diego, California. The

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deceased children were as follows: Louisa, who died at the age of twenty- five; Fred, who was drowned at the age of sixteen; Edward, who died at the age of fifteen ; Henry, who died at the age of six weeks, and three children, Frank, Charles and William, who died of tuberculosis after they were grown.

John Ritze were reared on the paternal farm in Germany, and about 1840, he and several of his brothers and sisters came to the United States and located in Baltimore, Maryland, where John Ritze worked in a woolen mill for a time, and in which city the brothers made their permanent home. John Ritze, however, came west to Cincinnati, Ohio, and there learned the cooper's trade. Still later he settled in Connersville, Indiana, where he mar- ried. A few years after his marriage he moved to Brookville, Indiana, and for many years worked in the Hutchinson cooper shop. He also wove car- pets. He and his wife were both loyal members of the German Lutheran church.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Ritze spent all of their days in Hesse, Germany. The maternal grandparents came to America, about 1845, and located in Connersville, Indiana with their family. They were German Lutherans.

George F. Ritze was about four years of age when his parents located in Brookville. He attended the public schools and the Brookville Seminary, and, while still a youth, started to learn the trade of a stone cutter, but never followed it. When he was eighteen years of age he began working in the grocery store of A. J. Heason, and worked in this store for six years. He then worked in Z. T. Hutchinson's grocery store for seven years to a day, after which he managed his brother's hat and shoe store for two years. When that store was sold he became deputy postmaster under R. D. Templeton, and served in this capacity from 1885 until 1889, under Cleveland's first administration. For the next four years he worked in H. B. Sowers' grocery, and, in 1893, was appointed postmaster of Brookville by President Cleveland. After serving four years as postmaster he engaged in the grocery business for himself on Main street in Brookville, starting in a very humble manner, and gradually building up his business until he had the finest grocery in the city. He prospered exceedingly and con- tinued in active charge of this store until June 1, 1912, when he sold his store to his son, Harry A. Ritze. Since that time Mr. Ritze has lived a retired life in Brookville. He built a fine bungalow at the corner of Twelfth and John streets in 1909, and now has one of the most attractive homes in the city.

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Mr. Ritze was married November 14, 1886 to Mrs. Bena (Frank) Davis. She is a daughter of William and Catherine Frank. Mr. Frank was a cabinet maker, furniture dealer and undertaker in Brookville, and for many years employed from eight to ten men making furniture. The wife of Mr. Ritze had two children by her first marriage: Aubrey, the wife of Arthur Ferris, who is engaged in the saw and planing mill business in Brookville, and Harry, who died in 1914. Harry married Mary Nichol, and was a merchant in Brookville.

Mr. Ritze was reared in the Lutheran church, while his wife is a mem- ber of the Christian denomination. He is a charter member of Brookville Lodge, No. 76, Knights of Pythias, which was founded here in 1877. A study of the career of Mr. Ritze shows what patient purpose and steadfast integrity will accomplish, and there is a full measure of satisfaction in re- cording the life history of such a man. Such men give strength and solid- ity to all of our institutions and movements, and Mr. Ritze fully merits the hearty approbation which is his at the hands of his friends and ac- quaintances.

ALBERT J. PEINE.

One of the youngest attorneys of Brookville, Indiana, is Albert J. Peine, who located in the county seat for the practice of his profession in the fall of 1914. Born and reared in Franklin county, he has spent his whole career, thus far, within its limits, and is, consequently, well known throughout the length and breadth of the county. He received his legal education at the Young Men's Christian Association Law School at Cin- cinnati, and located in Brookville for the practice of law immediately after his graduation.

Albert J. Peine, the son of Frank W. and Catherine (Eetter) Peine, was born in Oldenburg, Franklin county, Indiana, July 27, 1891. His father was born in the same place in October, 1851, and his mother was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 1, 1858. His parents reared a family of six children, Edward A., a fresco artist, of Cincinnati; Florence, the wife of Dr. Robert Ertel, of Covington, Kentucky; Edna, who is in the convent of the Sisters of St. Francis, at Oldenburg, Indiana; Linda, who is still at home; Albert J., of Brookville; and Marina, who has entered the con- vent at Oldenburg, with her sister, Edna.

Frank W. Peine, the father of Albert J., was reared in Oldenburg and learned the painter's trade, an occupation which he has followed all

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his life. He has made a specialty of interior decorating. He still makes his home in Oldenburg, in this county.

The paternal grandparents of Albert J. Peine were born in Alsace- Lorraine and married there. They came to the United States about 1840 and located at Oldenburg, Indiana, where they lived the remainder of their lives. Grandfather Peine was a wagon maker by trade, and conducted a shop in Oldenburg after having located there. The maternal grandparents of Albert J. Peine were born in France, and were married in their native land. They immigrated to this country in 1850, and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. Grandfather Eetter engaged in the hay and grain business in that city. The family on both sides have always been loyal members of the Catholic church.

Albert J. Peine was reared in Oldenburg, Indiana, and received his education in the parochial schools of that place, and at St. Mary's In- stitute at Dayton, Ohio. Before reaching his majority he clerked in a bank at Batesville, Indiana, for two years. While attending the law school at Cincinnati, he worked in the First National Bank of that city. He re- ceived his.legal education in the Cincinnati-Young Men's Christian Associ- ation and, immediately after his graduaton, was admitted to the bar in Franklin county. He is a promising young man, alert, aggressive and bidding fair to make a name for himself.

AUGUST J. REIFEL.

Not too often can be repeated the life history of one who has lived so honorable and useful a life and attained to such distinction in his profession as has August J. Reifel, the present superintendent of the Brookville schools. Well disciplined in mind, maintaining a vantage point from which life has presented itself in correct proportions, guided and guarded by the most in- violable principles of integrity and honor, such a man could not prove other than a force for good in whatever relation of life he may have been placed. Mr. Reifel started in as a teacher in the public schools of Franklin county when only sixteen years of age, and his whole career since that time has been devoted to this noble profession. As a teacher in the district schools, as county superintendent and as city superintendent he has acquitted himself in such a way as to reflect credit upon himself and give satisfaction to the people of this county. .

August J. Reifel, the son of Conrad and Louisa (Koerner) Reifel, was

AUGUST J. REIFEL.

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born in Peppertown, Franklin county, Indiana, February 22, 1875. His parents, who were natives of Germany, reared a family of ten children: Charles G., of Brookville; Emma, the wife of John Becky, of Cincinnati, Ohio; Caroline, who is living at the old home place in Peppertown; William J., of Cleveland, Ohio; August J., of Brookville; Louis H., of Fowler, In- diana; Herman T., living in Minnesota; Louise, wife of G. W. Hyde, of Brookville, and two who died in infancy.

Conrad Reifel, the father of Superintendent Reifel, received his school- ing in Germany, and came to America with his parents, George Reifel and wife, when he was about fifteen years of age. The family located in Frank- lin county immediately after coming to this country and have made this their home since 1859. The paternal grandparents of August J. Reifel spent the remainder of their days in this county, where they reared their family of five children : Philip, Conrad, David, Jacob and Christina.

His mother was reared in the home of John Koerner. She always in- spired her children to loftier and higher ideals. The success of the children depended much upon the mother as well as the father.

August J. Reifel was reared on his father's farm in Salt Creek township, and received his elementary education in the district schools of his home neighborhood. His first professional school training was received in the Franklin County Normal at Brookville, and when only sixteen years of age he started out as a teacher in the district schools. By the time he was twenty-four years of age he had taught several terms and completed the course in the State Normal School at Terre Haute, Indiana. For the past sixteen years he has been engaged either as a teacher or as superintendent of the Franklin county schools, serving in the latter position for seven years and six months. He has spent some time as a student in the University of Michi- gan at Ann Arbor in order to qualify himself better for his chosen life work. He resigned the superintendency of Franklin county in order to become su- perintendent of the Brookville schools, and has now held this position for the past five years. As an educator he ranks high among those of the state and has all of the necessary qualifications which go to make the success- ful man.

Mr .. Reifel was married on Christmas Day, 1902, to Lenore Jaques, a daughter of Harvey S. and Martha (Stout) Jaques, and to this union have been born two daughters, Ruth J. and Mary Helen.

Mr. Reifel and his family are earnest members of the Methodist Episco- pal church at Brookville and take a warm interest in its various activities.

(42)

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Mrs. Reifel was born in this county, as was her mother, while her father was a native of Ohio. Mrs. Reifel is one of the six living children born to her parents, the others being Albert, Lyde, Rose, Edna and Fred.

Mr. Reifel is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias at Brookville, and also of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, holding membership in the latter lodge at Mixersville. Since assuming the responsible position he now holds, Mr. Reifel has increased the efficiency of the schools of Brookville and placed them on a plane where they will rank with the best of the state. Although now only in the early prime of life he already has achieved success in his chosen profession, but not satisfied with past results, is pressing forward to higher ideals.

who later was considered by all FRANK SMITH MASTERS.

members of the family

The Masters family have been residents of Franklin county since 1835, and during the eighty years that the family have been connected with the history of the county, they have been prominently identified with every phase of its development. The whole career of Frank Smith Masters has been spent in the county seat, and for the past fifteen years he has been engaged in the hardware and implement business in Brookville. He has shown himself to be a man of unusual ability along mercantile lines, and has built up a business which is the equal of any in its line in the county. He built a large business block, and now has the best hardware and imple- ment store in the county.

Frank Smith Masters, the son of Jacob H. and Maria Louisa (Smith) Masters, was born in Brookville, Indiana, May 5, 1872. His father was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, March 31, 1830, and was a son of John and Susan (Harris) Masters, both of whom were born in the same county.

Jacob H. Masters and Maria Louisa Smith were married March 19, 1856, and have reared a family of five children, who are, Mary A., the wife of George Cain, a farmer, of Connersville, Indiana; Dr. John L., an eye, ear and nose specialist of Indianapolis, Indiana; Charles L., who is in part- nership with his father in Brookville; Rose, the wife of A. N. Logan, the present assessor of Franklin county; and Frank Smith, with whom this narrative deals. The interesting career of Jacob H. Masters is presented elsewhere in this volume.

Frank Smith Masters received his education in the public schools of

the " Black Sheep

your grandfather

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Brookville. When he was nineteen years of age, he left school and began to work in the local furniture factory. Two years later he began selling farming implements in the county, for C. Samoniel, of Brookville, and worked for him during the year of 1894. He then became an agent for the McCormick Harvester Company, and sold implements for them in Franklin county for the next two years. He gradually became interested in the implement business, and soon opened a store in Brookville for the sale of all kinds of farming implements. In 1900 he went into partnership in the implement business with R. D. Templeton, and two years later bought out his partner's interest, after which he added a stock of hardware. His store stood on the corner of Main and Eighth streets until November, 1914. The previous year he had bought the property on Main street where the old land office, which was one of the oldest buildings in the county for- merly stood. Mr. Masters tore the building down and erected a fine, modern, brick, two-story business block, thirty-seven by one hundred and twenty feet.

This building is fitted up in modern style for business purposes, and in November, 1914, Mr. Masters moved his hardware and implement stock into his new building. He uses all of both floors, as well as the basement. He carries a large stock of all kinds of shelf and heavy hardware, and a complete line of all kinds of farming implements, including the McCormick harvesting machinery; Haydock and Rex buggies, Troy wagons, John Deere machinery, etc. He has built up an immense business, which extends throughout the county and even into the surrounding counties, and bids fair to become one of the substantial business men of his town.

Mr. Masters was married December 31, 1897 to Ola A. Hubbard. She was born in Fayette county, Indiana, and was the daughter of William T. and Nancy (Moore) Hubbard, both of whom are now living at Roann, Indiana. Mrs. Masters is a woman of refinement and culture, and was teaching in the Brookville high school when she became acquainted with Mr. Masters. She was a teacher in the public school in 1896 and 1897. Mr. and Mrs. Masters have one son, Howard Hubbard, born October I, 1899. The son is now in the high school at Brookville.

Mr. Masters has always been a stanch Republican in politics and, as an indication of his popularity throughout the county, he received the larg- est vote of any Republican in the election of 1912, when he made the race for sheriff. The county has always been Democratic, but he made a very strong race for the office and polled a very heavy vote on account of his popularity. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in 1914 was representative to the grand lodge of the state.

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He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias. The family are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church of Brookville, and contribute gener- ously to its support.

ALBERT J. COOKSEY.

A self-made business man of Brookville, Indiana, is Albert J. Cooksey, who is now the manager of the Brookville Novelty Works. He started, as a young man in the Brookville Furniture Company, and worked in all the different departments of the factory. He also worked for a time in a furniture factory at Pickway, Ohio, but left there on account of his health and returned to his home in Brookville. Mr. Cooksey is a mechanical genius and is an architect of ability.

Albert J. Cooksey, the son of John W. and Jane (Ellis) Cooksey, was born in Brookville, Indiana, September 15, 1872. His parents reared a family of five children : Albert J., of Brookville; Hattie, the wife of Herman Coil, a farmer at Elwood, Indiana; Charles C., of Brookville; Mabel, the wife of Ernest Rhodes, of Elwood, Indiana; and Park, of Brookville.

John W. Cooksey, the father of Albert J., was born in Brookville in 1849, and died here May 4, 1884. His widow Jane (Ellis) Cooksey was born in Brookville, February 14, 1854, and is now making her home with one of her daughters in Elwood, Indiana. The parents of John W. Cook- sey were Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Cooksey, early settlers in Franklin county. Isaac Cooksey was twice married, his second wife was a Miss Milburn, who is still residing in Brookville. The maternal grandparents of Albert J. Cooksey were John C. and Harriet (Quick) Ellis. John C. Ellis was a native of Tennessee and an early settler in Franklin county, where he located in Brookville township. He was an influential Democrat, and served as assessor and trustee of Brookville township for several years.

Albert J. Cooksey was only twelve years of age when his father was accidently killed while out hunting. He remained on the farm, after his father's death, until he had completed his course in the common schools, and later spent one year in the high school at Brookville. While still in his youth he began to work in the furniture factory at Brookville, and re- mained there for nine years, during which time he became acquainted with all of the different departments in the factory. He then went to Pickway, Ohio, where he was made superintendent of a furniture factory. He re- mained there until 1902, when he was compelled to retire on account of his health. Upon returning to Brookville in that year, he started the F.

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History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 63

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