History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 58

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

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Doctor Sturdevant was married February 28, 1906, to Lulu Ingerman, the daughter of George W. and Amanda (Dale) Ingerman, of Noblesville, and to this union have been born two children, Josephine, born August 5, 1908, and Amanda, born March 12, 1911. The Doctor is a member of the Friends church, while his wife holds her membership in the Methodist Episco- pal denomination.

Doctor Sturdevant has been an active Republican since reaching his majority, and has taken a deep interest in political matters since becoming a resident of Noblesville. He has been a member of the county health board, of which he is secretary since January, 1910, and is also a member of the Noblesville city council from the first ward. He is rapidly forging to the front as a successful practitioner and in January. 1913, was elected president of the Hamilton County Medical Society. Fraternally, he is a member of

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the Free and Accepted Masons, having attained to the thirty-second degree in that ancient order, as well as having been made a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Doctor Sturdevant is a close student of the best professional literature and among his fellow practitioners is held in the highest regard because of his ability and attainments.

EDWARD FORSYTHE.

The history of the commercial life of Noblesville, Indiana, would be in- complete without mention of the life and works of Edward Forsythe, who, for a number of years, has been one of the most prominent representatives of the city's commercial life. For many years a teacher in the public schools, he gained a knowledge of human nature which has proved of great benefit to him in his business career. As an instructor of the youth he was one of the most successful teachers of the county, and the same success which was his as a result of his work in the school room has attended him in his business career. A man who is enterprising, progressive and persevering, as is Mr. Forsythe, will reap a satisfactory reward for his well directed efforts. Not only has Mr. Forsythe been an influential factor in the material progress of his city, but he also has been fully alive to the moral, social and educational life of his community as well. A man of high character and noble aims he is a fine type of the American citizen and a power for good in the commun- ity which is honored by his residence.

Edward Forsythe, the son of Robert T. and Alice (Shake) Forsythe, was born February 20, 1874, on a farm in Johnson county, Indiana. His father was a native of the same county, and his mother was born in Ken- tucky. Robert Forsythe was a farmer and in 1881, feeling that he could better his condition, he moved to Elk county, Kansas, where he remained for four years. Whatever may be the virtues of Kansas land, it is certain that living there at that time had many drawbacks, and in 1885 Mr. Forsythe left Kansas and started back home, stopping for one year in Missouri. He reached Indiana in 1886 and before coming to Hamilton county lived one year in Johnson county and three years in Morgan county. In 1891 he arrived in Hamilton county with his family. and here he followed the vocation of a farmer until his death. in 1905. His widow is still living in Noblesville. Robert Forsythe and wife were the parents of six children, one of whom

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died in infancy: Ora, of Noblesville: Edward, whose history is here delin- eated; Norma D., the wife of Samuel B. Berg, of Noblesville township; Jessie K., the wife of Eugene McPherson, of Noblesville, and Harley W., also of Noblesville.

Edward Forsythe received his education in the schools of Indiana. Kan- sas and Missouri, and because of the numerous places in which his parents lived, his education was more or less haphazard. He started to school in Johnson county, Indiana, and since he was only seven years of age when he left that county for Kansas, had only started in his educational career. The next four years were spent in the schools of Kansas, followed by one year in the schools of Missouri. His parents then returned to this state, where he attended school in Johnson and, Morgan counties before finally finishing his education in Hamilton county. However, he was a youth of marked ability and before he was graduated from the high school he had taught three years. He graduated from the Noblesville high school in 1900, and then taught two years after his graduation, one year being in the schools of Noblesville.

Mr. Forsythe was teaching when he was married and taught for one year after his marriage, after which he became engaged in the sale of fencing, drain tile, gates and general farm supplies in Noblesville, where he has built up a large business. In 1914 he started a mail order department, under the name of the Standard Fence and Supply House. While this line of his busi- ness is just in its infancy, it promises to develop into an enormous business in the future. The company handles farm, poultry and lawn fences of all kinds, as well as a general line of farm supplies. This new department of Mr. Forsythe's enables the farmers of Hamilton county to buy in a mail order way if they desire from one they know. Mr. Forsythe is vice-president ot the Indiana Loan Association, and is a man of excellent business ability and good judgment in handling the goods which he sells.

Mr. Forsythe was married March 22, 1901, to Eleanor Hare, the daugh- ter of John H. and Elizabeth ( Allen) Hare, of Noblesville. John H. Hare was for some years the manager of the Noblesville Machine Works, but retired from active work in 1913. Both of Mrs. Forsythe's parents are still living in Noblesville, and they were the parents of four children, one son, who died in infancy : Grace G., the wife of John Riley Pentacost, of Nobles- vile; Bernice G., the wife of Fred V. Edwards, of Noblesville, and Eleanor, the wife of Mr. Forsythe. Mr. and Mrs. Forsythe have one daughter. Eliza- beth Alice, who was born January 6, 1912.

Mr. Forsythe is a Republican, and has always been interested in public

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matters, particularly those which relate to his home county. He is an ardent advocate of good government, and for this reason takes an intelligent part in all local, state and national elections. However, he has never been an aspir- ant for any public office, his business affairs demanding all of his time and attention. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while he and his wife are both loyal members of the Christian church, in the con- gregation of which he is an elder and for several years past also had served as a deacon. He has always been greatly interested in Sunday school work and for several years was Sunday school superintendent and is at present the teacher of the adult class of ladies in the Sunday school. Mr. Forsythe is a man of irreproachable character, who has made the Golden Rule the motto of his life. All he has today has been earned by his own efforts and he justly merits the title of self-made man. He and his wife move in the best social circles of Noblesville and are highly esteemed by everyone with whom they come in contact.

JOHN T. KESTER.

Great achievements always excite admiration. Men of deeds are the men whom the world delights to honor. Ours is an age representing the most electrical progress in all lines of material activity, and the man of initia- tive is one who forges to the front in the industrial world. Among the dis- tinctive captains of industry in central Indiana a place of priority must be accorded to John Kester, of Noblesville, Hamilton county, Indiana, for to him is due the upbuilding of the public service utilities of his city, while the com- paratively short time within which these great results have been obtained further testify to his exceptional administrative power and executive ability. He is, in the fullest sense of the term, a progressive, virile, self-made Amer- ican, thoroughly in harmony with the spirit of the advanced age in which he lives, conducting all his own business affairs, as well as those of the city that come under his direction, carefully and systematically, in all his acts display- ing an aptitude. for successful management. He has not permitted the ac- quisition of fortune to affect in any way his actions towards those less fortu- nate than himself, being a most sympathetic and broad-minded man, who possesses a host of warm and admiring friends.

John Kester. the manager of the Noblesville Light & Power Company, was born January 17. 1872, on a farm in Christian county. Illinois, near

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Taylorville, the son of I. K. and Sarah Ann (Smith) Kester, who were both natives of Washington county, Indiana, in which county they were reared and married. I. K. Kester served in the One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regi- ment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, being mustered in as first sergeant, and acted as captain of his company for a time. His first enlistment was for three months, and upon the expiration of this term of service he re-enlisted and served until the close of the war. Soon after the war was over he married in Washington county, this state, and subsequently moved with his family to Christian county, Illinois. His wife died April 19, 1914, but he is still liv- ing in Taylorville, Christian county, Illinois, surrounded by all the comforts and conveniences of life.

John T. Kester received his education in the schools of his native county in Illinois, where his father was a farmer and a merchant, and was one of the most prosperous men of his county. Mr. Kester remained on the farm and attended the country schools until he was eighteen years of age, completing the course in the high school at Taylorville in 1890. He was ambitious for higher education, and with the intention of taking a course in electrical engineering, he matriculated at the University of Illinois at Champaign, Illi- nois, in the fall of 1890. The next two years were spent in teaching and out- side working in electricity. In this way he gained a practical knowledge of the subject which has been of incalculable value to him in his later career. His first position was as chief engineer of the electrical power station at Hills- boro, Illinois. Later he was made superintendent of construction and still later general superintendent of the entire system at Hillsboro. The city of Noblesville, Indiana, was looking for a man to take charge of its heat, light and power plant, and in December, 1908, engaged Mr. Kester to take full charge of the plant. The Noblesville plant includes electric lighting and power, steam heating from a central plant, as well as the manufacture of arti- ficial ice. Since taking hold of the business Mr. Kester has increased it re- markably, having increased the gross returns three fold within the past six years. This has been accomplished not by retrenching, but extending the service to various points in the county, thereby increasing the usefulness of the plant as well as extending its benefits to other parts of the county. Mr. Kester is a man of practical ability, and a worker who never feels satisfied until he thoroughly understands every detail of his business. The result has been that the Noblesville Public Utilities plant is ranked among the most suc- cessful in the state.

Mr. Kester was married March 16, 1892, to Jennie M. App. the daughter of Oliver F. and Katherine (Seiberling) App, of Decatur, Illinois, and to

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this union have been born two daughters and one son: Lenore, married June 10, 1914, to Albert Craycraft at Noblesville, Indiana; Blanche and Paul. The latter are still residing with their parents and are being given the best of edu- cational advantages.

Politically. Mr. Kester has always taken an active interest in the affairs of the Democratic party, although he is not in any sense a rabid partisan. He has been one of the leaders of his party since coming to this city and is a member of the Democratic executive committee. The nature of his business is such that he has never aspired to office, being content to serve as a private in the ranks. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, holding membership in the Chapter and Council. He is a member also of the Knights of Pythias. He and the members of his family are earnest at- tendants of the Christian church and are active workers in church and Sunday school work. Mr. Kester is a man of keen business ability, and while gaining material success has not neglected those higher duties which he owes to his community. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank of Noblesville. Mrs. Kester is a woman of many gracious qualities of head and heart and a prominent member of the society of her city. Mr. Kester has always been true to the trusts reposed in him, whether of a public or private nature, and his reputation in a business way is unassailable. His actions have always been based on careful and conscientious thought, and when once convinced that he is right, no suggestion of policy or personal profit can swerve him from the course of duty. His career has been signally free from criticism for the reason that he has set his ideals high and has never allowed anything to turn him from the path of duty as he saw it.

ALONZO J. BROWN.

The two most strongly marked characteristics of both the East and the West are combined in the residents of Indiana. The enthusiastic enterprise which overleaps all obstacles and makes possible almost any undertaking in the comparatively new and vigorous Western states is here tempered by the stable and more careful policy which we have borrowed from our Eastern neighbors. and the combination has proved to be one of unusual force and power. . It has been the means of placing this section of the country on a par with the older East. at the same time producing a reliability and certainty in business affairs which is frequently lacking in the West. This happy com-

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bination of characteristics is possessed to a notable degree by the subject of this biographical history, Alonzo J. Brown, of Noblesville. He is too well known to the readers of this work to need any formal introduction here. for his name is deeply engraved in the financial, commercial, professional and industrial history of this section of the state, and he himself is filling a large place in the public affairs of this community. Recognized as a man of strong and alert mentality, deeply interested in everything pertaining to the welfare of the community along material and civic lines, he is regarded as one of the progressive and enterprising men of his city and county.

Alonzo J. Brown, the president of the Wainwright Trust Company, was born January 2, 1858, in Vermilion county, Indiana, and is the son of Mercer and Elizabeth ( Mills) Brown, his father being a native of Illinois, and his mother of this .county.

Alonzo J. Brown was educated in the country schools of Hamilton county and worked upon the farm until he was eighteen years of age, when he came to Noblesville, where he worked for the next three years and upon attaining his majority, was appointed deputy county treasurer, serving in that capacity from 1879 to 1887. It was in the office of county treasurer that he learned the many different phases of financial procedure and acquired a knowledge of all of those details which lead to a successful business career. Upon leav- ing the office of county treasurer in 1887 he at once became a partner of the late Major W. A. Wainwright, the firm being known as Wainwright & Com- pany and engaged in the mortgage loan, insurance and abstract business, this company being the forerunner of the present Wainwright Trust Company, one of the most substantial financial institutions of Noblesville. In 1901, in connection with J. C. Jones, who purchased the interest of Major Wainwright, Mr. Brown organized the Wainwright Trust Company, becoming its first president. This company has been remarkably successful from the beginning and under the charge of Mr. Brown, who has been its president since its organization, it has taken its place among the leading institutions of this county. His capable management of the interests of the company and his sound judgment have won him the confidence and respect of all with whom he has been associated in any way.

Mr. Brown was married August 17, 1881, to Jennie Stafford, the daugh- ter of Joel and Hannah (Davis) Stafford, of Noblesville, and to this union have been born two sons, James A., now living in San Francisco, California, and Dr. Harry S., of Wisconsin. Mr. Brown and his wife are members of the Friends church and have always been interested in the various activities

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of that denomination, to which they have contributed liberally of their means. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias.

In politics, Mr. Brown has been a stanch Republican, but the nature of his business has prevented him from taking an active part in political affairs, although he takes an abiding and intelligent interest in the current affairs of the day. He is a man of strong and vigorous personality, with a keen grasp of business affairs, and is eminently well fitted to manage important financial enterprises. He is progressive in his ideas and well deserves the success which he has attained by reason of his well directed efforts since be- coming actively identified with the business life of Noblesville.

ERWIN COX.

A farmer and manufacturer of Hamilton county, Indiana, is Erwin Cox, who is now living on the farm where he was born. The Cox family have been residents of this county for many years, and have always been public- spirited citizens, deeply interested in everything pertaining to the welfare of the county. Mr. Cox is a man of industry and business ability, and since beginning the manufacture of concrete silos in 1912, has built up a large busi- ness along this line.

Erwin Cox, the son of Stephen and Julia (Rich) Cox, was born three and one-half miles northwest of Westfield, February 19, 1868. The history of his father, Stephen Cox, is given elsewhere in this volume.

Erwin Cox received a good, common-school education in the district schools of his township and then attended the Union high school at Westfield. He remained at home until his marriage in 1889, and then began keeping house where he is now residing. The farm on which he now lives belonged to his father, but he has bought it and placed many extensive improvements upon it since it has come into his sole possession. As a farmer he ranks among the most progressive of his township, but for the last two years he has given the major portion of his attention to the manufacture of various kinds of concrete products. He has built a plant for this purpose and has installed modern machinery with a view of increasing his output. He manufactures drain tile and fence posts, but gives most of his attention to the manufacture of concrete silos. The silos which he constructs are made of slabs one foot wide and three feet long with grooved edges, so that they fit closely together. He has patented this kind of a silo, and the success with which it has been

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received by the farmers indicates that he has a silo which will meet with an ever increasing demand. His business has already extended beyond Hamil- ton county into the adjoining counties and is only in its infancy. He has a plentiful supply of sand and gravel on his farm and with shipping facilities only one mile away is in a position to build up a big business.

Mr. Cox was married August 15, 1889, to Theodate Johnson, who was born near New London, Howard county, Indiana, December 1, 1870, daugh- ter of Demsey and Mary (Johnson) Johnson, natives of Ohio. Demsey Johnson was a son of Robert and Milly Johnson, and when a child, moved with his parents from Ohio to Howard county, Indiana. They made the over- land trip in wagons and Demsey walked most of the way. He grew to man- hood in Howard county and married Lucy Newland, and after her death he returned to Ohio and married Mary B. Johnson, the mother of Mrs. Cox.

Demsey Johnson moved to Westfield, Indiana, about 1881, and bought a farm one-half mile south of Westfield and lived there until his death. Mr. Johnson helped to organize the State Bank of Westfield and was a director in the bank until about four years before his death. He was a public-spirited citizen and always took a great deal of interest in the Union high school at Westfield. He and his wife were loyal members of the Friends church. He left two children, Mrs. Cox and Lucy, the wife of John Whicker.

Mr. and Mrs. Cox have four children living : Alvin E., Myron R., Mildred and Carl J.

WILLIAM O. HORTON.

Whenever a man shows a special aptitude for any particular work the community of which he is a member usually recognizes the fact. However past experience has shown that the community has not always been infallible in its choice of public officials. The tendency now is to select such men for public offices as have the necessary qualifications to fill them, in such a way as best to conserve the best interests of the public. It is univesally admitted today that many of our public officials are inefficient and that the duties of many officers are not satisfactorily performed. As far as the law is con- cerned there is only one public official, other than the public school teacher, who is required to have any special qualification for the position which he seeks. This is the county superintendent and in Indiana he is not elected by direct vote of the people but by the trustees of the various counties. The

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time will undoubtedly come when all of the public officials of the county will be compelled to take an examination in order to demonstrate their fitness for the position which they seek to hold. Nevertheless there are hundreds of our officials today who are fully competent to fill the duties of their respective offices. Among these, William O. Horton, the present auditor of Hamilton county, is a conspicuous example.

William O. Horton, the son of George W. and Mary R. ( Paine) Horton, was born June 4, 1860, on a farm in Adams township in this county. His father was born in Boone county, Kentucky, and his mother in Virginia, both coming to Hamilton county when young people. George W. Horton was a prosperous farmer of this county for many years, a Democrat in politics, and a man who was highly respected by every one who knew him. He died March 18, 1891, at the age of seventy-five, his wife dying November 15, 1890. They were the parents of six children, two of whom are living: Hubert W., de- ceased ; Laura A., deceased : James T., deceased; John B., deceased; William O., whose history is here recorded, and Clova, the wife of Henry D. Cutts, of Adams township, in this county.

William O. Horton was reared upon his father's farm and educated in the schools of his home neighborhood. He remained at home until he was married at the age of twenty-one and then began to farm in Adams township. A few years later he moved to Washington township where he lived until March, 1912, when he moved back to Adams township where he is now living. In addition to his general system of farming he has been extensively engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock, shipping most of his stock to Indi- anapolis markets. He is one of the best judges of live stock in the county and has been very successful in this line of business. His farm is well im- proved in every way and he keeps it at the highest state of productivity by a system of scientific crop rotation. He is progressive in all of his methods and never hesitates to adopt the latest machinery nor the latest improved methods of agriculture.

Mr. Horton was married September 14, 1881, to Elizabeth Sumner, daughter of Greenbury C. and Amanda (Moore) Sumner, of Adams town- ship. Mr. Sumner is deceaesd and his widow is still living on the old home- stead in Adams township.

Mr. Horton always has been a Democrat in politics and always has taken an active interest in the deliberations of his party. He has been a member of many different political party committees in his county and a frequent dele- gate to his party's conventions. A proof of his popularity and recognized ability is shown by the fact that he was nominated to the office of county

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auditor by his party in 1912 and in the fall of that year was elected to that important office. He assumed that office January 1, 1914, for the regular term of four years and is now administering its duties in a satisfactory man- ner. Unlike most officials he remained upon his farm seven and one-half miles west of Noblesville, and drives back and forth from his farm each day. He is a man of recognized business ability and integrity and fine personal qualities. He enjoys a splendid reputation throughout the county and is honored by the citizenship because of his genuine worth and high character.

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History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 58

Author: John F. Haines Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051