History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions, Part 112

Author: Richman, George J
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Federal publishing co., inc.
Number of Pages: 1272

USA > Indiana > Hancock County > History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions > Part 112

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Doctor Lowe was well equipped by study for the practice of the pro- fession to which he has brought honor during the years of his active practice at Greenfield. Upon completing the course in the schools of his native county. he taught school for six years and then entered the Homeopathic Medical College at St. Louis, and was graduated with honors from that excellent insti- tution in 1908, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Immediately follow- ing his graduation Doctor Lowe opened an office for the practice of his pro- fession at Greenfield, and has ever since been located there, long having been recognized as one of the leading physicians of that part of the state. Not only has Doctor Lowe given the most studions consideration to the exacting duties of his profession, but he has given thoughtful attention to the social and civic affairs of his home community and has done his part as a good citi- zen in the promotion of all movements having to do with the advancement of the best interests of the people of Greenfield and of Hancock county, his ser- vices as president of the school board of Greenfield having proved of particular

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value to the community at large. Doctor Lowe is a Democrat and ever since locating at Greenfield has given close attention to local political affairs. He is a member of the Indiana Institute of Homeopathy and of the American Institute of Homeopathy and has for years taken an active interest in the de- liberations of these bodies. He also is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and of the Modern Woodmen of America, and in the affairs of these latter organizations takes a warm interest.

On June 17. 1909. the year following the beginning of his practice in Greenfield, Doctor Lowe was united in marriage to Maybelle Smith, who was born in Jackson township, this county, daughter of Dr. H. B. Smith, and to this union has been born one son, Benton Smith Lowe, born on July 15. 1913. Mrs. Lowe is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and the doctor is a member of the Primitive Baptist church, both taking a warm interest not only in local church affairs, but in all proper social and cultural activities in their home community, useful laborers in behalf of all measures designed to advance the common welfare hereabout.

ERNEST R. SISSON. M. D.

Doctor Sisson's paternal ancestry is French. His mother's people, who came to Indiana from Virginia, were of English descent. His father's mother was of Scotch-Irish extraction. No record has been found showing when the Sissons came to America, but the family is known to have located in the state of New York at a very early day. With the exception of the doctor's grand- father. Nelson Sisson, who emigrated to Rush county, Indiana, about eighty years ago, and his descendants, the family still remains in the Empire state. Marquis LaFayette Sisson, the doctor's father, was born in Rush county, and there he reared his family. He was a veteran of the Civil War and was twice elected county commissioner of Rush county, being nominated on both occa- sions by acclamation.

Ernest R. Sisson, the son of Marquis LaFayette Sisson and Nancy ( Harold ) Sisson, was born in Rush county on December 7. 1869. He is the eldest of a family of four boys. He was educated in the common schools of his native county. Later he attended Spiceland Academy, graduating in 1891. He also attended several terms at Graham's College at Rushville, a school or- ganized and equipped by Mr. Graham, who has since served several years as superintendent of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Ilome at Knightstown.

ER Sim MD.

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Ind. From 1891 to 1894 Mr. Sisson taught in the common schools of Rush county, In 1895 he entered the medical department of the University of Indi- ana, graduating in 1898. During his senior year he also served as an interne at Bobb's Dispensary at Indianapolis. In the fall of 1898, after grad- uating from the medical college, he opened his office at Maxwell, Ind. In 1907 he came to Greenfield and has since that time been engaged in the prac- tice here. Doctor Sisson has been very successful in his profession. His suc- cess has given him a practice that is all but too large for one man to care for. His professional ability is generally recognized in the county, and as a prac- titioner he is easily the peer of any of his brethren.

While a student at Spiceland Academy Doctor Sisson became acquainted with Mattie M. Wilson, to whom he was married on March 1, 1894. Two children were born to them: A son, who died in infancy, and a daughter. Marion, who was married on May 6, 1916, to R. Max Peyton, of Danville. Ind. Mrs. Mattie Sisson died on January 21, 1900. The daughter, Marion. who was then of high school age, entered the girls' school at St. Mary's of the Woods, from which she was graduated. Doctor Sisson was married. secondly, to Enna F. Mead. November 23, 1909. One child has been born to them, who died in infancy.

Fraternally, the doctor is a member of the Masonic order, inchudling the chapter and council. He is also affiliated with the Redmen. Royal Arcanum and Moose, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Before his practice became so extensive. he took an interest in Sunday schools, and for several years, while a student, he taught a young men's Bible class at Roberts Park church, at Indianapolis. The doctor appreciates a joke or a clean story, and his fund of them seems to be inexhaustible.

GEORGE H. MERLAU.

George H. Merlau, a farmer of Buck Creek township. Hancock county, Indiana, also having a reputation as one of the best contracting bricklayers throughout this and adjoining states, was born in Sugar Creek township. this county, on June 17, 1871, being a son of Conrad and Elizabeth tMeier) Merlatı.

Conrad Merlau was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, on January 6. 1836, and came to this country with his parents when a youth. The family set- tled in this county a short distance west of New Palestine, and there Conrad

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Merlau lived until the time of his marriage, when twenty-one years old, to Elizabeth Meier, born in Sugar Creek township, on the old Meier homestead, in 1848, a daughter of Anton and Elizabeth Meier. After marriage, Conrad Merlau went to the northeast part of Sugar creek township, where he farmed for a few years. He later sold that farm and bought one hundred and sixty acres in the northeast quarter of section 32. of Buck Creek township. There were about sixty acres of this farm under the plow and an old frame house and barn by way of improvements, and so energetically has Conrad Merlan worked and so well has he managed, that his entire farm is today under cultivation and there is a fine nine-room residence of brick and other excellent buildings in keeping with the surroundings. Conrad Merlau had the misfortune to lose his wife, who passed away in the spring of 1902. She was the mother of eleven children, eight of whom survive, namely: Anna, William. George. Rosie, Fred, Julia, Emma and Edna. Conrad Merlau is a Democrat in politics, and both he and his wife were from their childhood members of the German Lutheran church.

George H. Merlan was an infant of six months when his parents moved to Buck Creek township, and on the farm there his childhood and youth were spent. He attended the old Brown school and after finishing the course there studied for a time at an Indianapolis business college. At the age of fifteen he went into the store of his brother-in-law, John Woty, at Arcadia, where he remained for two years, and later took up the trade of bricklaying, to which he has ever since given his best efforts. On April 29, 1902, at the age of thirty- one, George Merlau was united in marriage with Mary Buchfink, born in Buck Creek township, this county, on April 9, 1881. She is a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Kissel) Buchfink, the former of whom is one of the oldest pio- neers of Buck Creek township.

After marriage. George H. Merlau located in Indianapolis, where he lived for several years, gradually advancing in his trade until his reputation became far more than local. He has handled contracts in thirteen different states, and before receiving an injury a few years ago did a large contracting business all over the state of Indiana. He is a member of the International Bricklayers' Union No. 3, of Indianapolis, which body he has served as financial secretary, recording secretary and various other offices and committees. In February. 1910. George Merlau returned to Hancock county, taking up his residence on the old home place, where he has since resided, and has had the entire manage- ment of the same for the past five years. However, the greater part of his time is still devoted to his chosen vocation of contracting and bricklaying.

Mr. and Mrs. George Merlau have a family of four children, namely:

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Florence, Ruby, Helen and Charles, and both are members of the German Lutheran church, while in politics he gives his support to the Democratic party. George Merlau is one of the best known sons of Hancock county, a man who stands high in the estimation of friends and acquaintances.

JOHN P. BARDONNER

John P. Bardonner was born one mile south of Cicero, Hamilton county, Indiana, June 24, 1858. He is a son of Henry and Mary ( Merlau ) Bardonner. Henry Bardonner was born in Wayne county, Indiana. in 1838 and died in Hamilton county, one mile south of Cicero, in 1908. at the age of seventy years. He was a son of Henry and Emma (Gates) Bardonner, both of whom were born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, where Henry Bardonner spent his carly life and where he learned the cooper's trade. There he was married and three years after his marriage his first child was born. He then came to America with his family and settled first in Wayne county, Indiana, where for a few years he worked at the cooper's trade and then in 1842 he moved to Indiana- polis, where he learned of the fine land in Hamilton county. He went to Hamilton county, and entered two 80-acre tracts of timber land one-half mile northeast of Cicero. There he built a small house and a log barn and cleared up about forty acres of land. He then continued to improve this place. building a good frame house of four rooms and a good frame barn. Frame buildings were a luxury in those days, and the fact of his having frame buildings is accounted for by his being a good mechanic. Seven or eight years later a man by the name of Sims offered to trade his seven eighty-acre tracts of timber for his place and this trade was finely consummated. Mr. Bardonner made his place so attractive that Mr. Sims thought he would rather have it than the seven eighty-acre tracts of raw timber land. Years after Henry Bardonner's death the heirs of Mr. Sims, realizing what a bad trade their father had made. tried by various means to recover what the elder Sims had lost.

Henry Bardonner, Sr., was a remarkable man, a good mechanic, and very industrious. In addition to his 560 acres in Hamilton county he bought in later years, 200 acres in Missouri. He established all his children on good farms. In 1865 he retired and moved to Cicero, where his death occurred the following winter. His wife survived him a good many years, dying in 1880. They were the parents of the following children, one daughter and three sons. namely : Becky, Henry, Jr., Peter and John, all deceased but the last named.

Henry Bardonner. Jr., the father of the subject of this sketch, spent his

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childhood and youth on the old homestead of his father in Hamilton county. There he received his early education, worked as a boy in the saw-mill and helped his father on the home farm until he was married at about the age of nineteen years. He then settled on an eighty-acre tract of land which he received from his father, erecting thereon a log house, which served him for about eight years, and a log barn which served until 1874. He then built a good frame house of five rooms which still stands. It was there he spent the re- mainder of his life. his death occuring on December 23. 1908. His wife died on January 31, 1916, at Arcadia, Indiana. Like his father, Henry Bardonner was a splendid mechanic and his son. John. has still several treasured mementoes of his skill. He finally accumulated a tract of three hundred and sixty-nine acres of Hamilton county land and in addition to this several thousand dollars. On his farm he had built a large barn forty by sixty feet in 1874.

Mary Merlau, who was the mother of John P. Bardonner, was born in Germany and when seven years of age came with her parents, Henry A. Merlan and wife, to New Palestine. Ind., where they settled and where she spent her early childhood and remaining days until her marriage to the father of Mr. Bardonner. Henry and Mary ( Merlau) Bardonner were the parents of the following children: John P., who is the immediate subject of this review: Anna, Henry, deceased : Herman, deceased : Edward, George, Lizzie, Charles, Emma and Louis, the last named being deceased.

John P. Bardonner was born on the old homestead of his parents in Hamilton county. There he received his early education attending the old Brown school house. He remained at home helping his father on the old home farm until he was nearly twenty-two years old. For two years. 1881 and 1883. he worked in Hancock county and from 1884 to 1886 he worked at the carpenter's trade. In 1887 he was married to Emma Lantz, who was born in Sugar Creek town- ship. Hancock county. in April. 1863, the daughter of George and Elizabeth ( Manche) Lantz. The former was a native of Germany, and the latter a native of Hancock county. They were the parents of the following children : Mollie. Emma. William. Nettie and Henry, all of whom are living. and two children who died in infancy.

After his marriage John P. Bardonner lived on his father's farm for five years. He then moved to Sugar Creek township. Hancock county and settled on a farm belonging to his wife's father. This was a tract of one hundred and twenty acres, forty acres of which belonged to Mrs. Bardonner, and the re- mainder she ultimately inherited. She also received a part of another hundred- acre tract and purchased the remainder of it. Since that time Mr. Bardonner

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has purchased about seventy-five acres, making a total of about two hundred and ninety-three acres of fine farming land owned by himself and wife.

Mr. Bardonner is farming about one hundred an ninety-three acres of this land now and he usually cultivates about fifty to sixty acres of corn and the same amount of small grain. He usually keeps about sixty head of hogs and from twenty to thirty head of cattle, some of which are full-blooded Shorthorns. He keeps about ten head of horses and attributes most of his profits to hogs and corn.

Mr. and Mrs. Bardonner are the parents of the following children : Nettie. Lawrence, Marie and William. Nettie married Fred Rushhaupt and they have three children, Dorothy and Emily, twins, and Charles Frederick. Mr. Bardon- ner is a Democrat in politics, and has served his township as supervisor for several terms. He was also road superintendent. He has been president and vice-president, as well as director of the New Palestine Telephone Company for fifteen years, and is one of Sugar Creek township's most substantial and pro- gressive farmers.

WILLIAM J. GEISEL.

William J. Geisel, to a short sketch of whose life the attention of the reader is now directed, is well known as one of Hancock county's most success- ful farmers and the owner of one of its most beautiful and complete farm homes. William J. Geisel has a wide acquaintance throughout this section and is known as a man of high ideals and liberal views, who stands for the highest and best in all that relates to private and public life.

William J. Geisel was born on Davidson street, in Indianapolis, Indiana, November 8, 1869, a son of Christian and Matilda ( Ruschaupt ) Geisel. Chris- tian Geisel was born in Hesse-Dermstadt, Germany, February 5, 1838, in the village of Wollenroth, a son of Conrad Geisel. Conrad Geisel was born in that same place about 1800, and there he grew to manhood and was married. When a young man he was a shepherd and took care of his father's large and valuable flock. While still a young man he and his wife, with their family of four children, set sail for America. They crossed on one of the old slow-going sailing vessels, the voyage requiring three months, and they finally landed at the port of Baltimore. That was in 1840 and they immediately engaged a team and wagon to transport them to their destination in Hancock county. After several weeks of ardous traveling, they reached their journey's end, and here Conrad Geisel bought forty acres about one and one-half miles west of New Palestine. The farm at that time was practically virgin forest, there being but three to five acres cleared and the only buildings a log cabin and a

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stable. Conrad Geisel bravely set about making a comfortable home in the wilderness and later erected a hewed-log house of four or five rooms, which is standing today in an excellent state of preservation, owing to his skill as a builder. Here Conrad Geisel lived the balance of his life, with the exception of a short time spent at the home of his son, John, on an adjoining farm. Con- rad Geisel died in 1884 at the age of about eighty-four years, having survived his wife some ten or twelve years. Conrad Geisel and wife were the parents of nine children, namely: Henry. Catherine, John, Christian, Elizabeth, Con- rad, Mary, George and Henry.

Christian Geisel, father of William J., grew up on the family homestead in Sugar Creek township. receiving such education as the schools of this sec- tion at that time afforded, and at the age of eighteen started out in life for himself. For a time he was employed at the Central Hospital for the Insane, located at Indianapolis, and later learned the carpenter's trade, being employed for many years in that capacity by Mr. Helwig, a contractor. He later was employed by the old "Bee Line" Railroad. now a part of the New York Central system, and in time became foreman of the car-building department. It was while he was living in Indianapolis that William J. was born. In 1881 Chris- tian Geisel moved to Sugar Creek township and took possession of the farm of eighty acres which he owned there. This was situated about three miles north- west of New Palestine, and some eighteen months later he moved to "Poplar Grove Farm", containing one hundred and fifty-four acres and located in Franklin township, Marion county. On that farm he made his home from 1883 to the spring of 1908, when he retired from active labor and moved to New Palestine, where he has since resided. Christian Geisel won a gratifying degree of success in life, at one time owning one hundred acres of land in Hamilton county, eighty in Hancock county and one hundred and fifty-four in Marion county, besides city property in Indianapolis. Christian Geisel has . been a widower since the death of his wife, July 8, 1913. He is still a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran church, in Indianapolis, where both he and his wife attended for many years. In politics, Christian Geisel is a Democrat, although devoting no especial attention to that question.

William J. Geisel is one of a family of three children and the youngest. Edward resides in New Palestine and Amelia, deceased, was the wife of Ben Scheldmier and the mother of four children. Matilda, Edward. Frederick Will- iam and Benjamin. William J. Geisel received his earliest education in the public schools of Indianapolis, his first teacher being a Miss Lloyd. When he was eleven years of age his parents came to Sugar Creek township, and he then attended the schools of New Palestine and Poplar Grove. After his school

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days were over he became the assistant of his father in the farm work. remain- ing under the parental roof until twenty-six years of age. He started out in life for himself without any capital, but with a large amount of ambition and energy. He bought his first farm of sixty-nine acres without having a cent of money for it and by dint of hard work and excellent management he succeeded in paying for this place. He farmed that for a number of years and also his father's farm of one hundred and fifty-four acres. With the help of his father he erected a beautiful home of thirteen rooms on his farm, the heavy timbers for which he procured from his own land. He also built two fine barns, one eighty by fifty-four feet and the other forty-eight by forty-two feet, at the same time putting up other buildings in keeping with the style of residence and barns. William J. continued to make his home on his farm until 1908, having two years previous to that time sold his land to the Big Four Railroad Company and continued thereon as a renter. Ilis father, also, at the same time, sold his farm of one hundred and fifty-four acres, and William J. Geisel, in September. 1906, purchased a farm of two hundred and twenty-nine acres in Sugar Creek township, Hancock county, where he has since made his home. Since taking possession of his new farm, Mr. Geisel has greatly improved the place. The residence he has made into a beautiful and modern home of ten rooms, has improved and enlarged the barn until it now has a floor space of eighty by thirty-three feet with an "L" fifty-six by thirty-eight feet. He has a combination corn crib and carriage house, a workshop sixty-five by twenty- five feet and a splendid hog house with cement floor and a large corn crib above. This hog barn is twenty-eight by forty-eight feet and is one of the most complete and perfectly designed in the county. There are also other buildingings in perfect keeping with the surroundings. William J. Geisel is a strong advocate of diversified farming and usually puts fifty acres to corn, averaging about fifty bushels to the acre, and puts in from sixty to seventy- five acres to small grains. He has ready for the market on an average of sev- enty-five hogs each year, favoring a pure strain of Poland Chinas, and feeds out eight to ten head of cattle, keeping from twenty-five to thirty head on hand. These are purebred Shorthorns and Durhams, while his horses, of which he has ten to twelve head, are excellent Percheron draft horses. Mr. Geisel is highly successful in his chosen line and attributes his success to careful man- agement and untiring energy.

When twenty-seven years of age, William J. Geisel was married, in Indian- aoplis, to Anna L. Neuerburg, born in that city, October 1. 1876, a daughter of Leonard and Christina (Deitz) Neuerburg, the former a native of Alsace- Lorraine, and the latter born in Marion county, this state, of German parent-

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age. To William J. Geisel and wife have been born four children, namely : Robert William, born on April 21. 1898; Gertrude, July 11, 1903 : Leonard Christian, February 5, 1908, and Ruth, March 3, 1910. Mr. Geisel votes inde- pendently, voting always for the worthy candidate rather than supporting any one party's ticket.

WILLIAM A. HUGHES.

William A. Hughes, well-known attorney and financier, of Greenfield. this county, was born in Greenfield on April 19. 1869, son of John A. and Mar- garet A. (Wray) Hughes, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Pennsylvania, who came to Indiana in the days of their youth, settling at Greenfield, where they married.

Mr. Hughes was reared in Greenfield, the city of his birth, and upon com- pleting the course in the city schools entered the Hughes Bank, then being con- ducted in Greenfield by his father, and thoroughly familiarized himself with that business. Though little more than a boy when his father died, in 1885, William A. Hughes continued to conduct the business, and was thus success- fully engaged for a period of twenty-three years, at the end of which time, in January, 1908, he liquidated the business and discontinued the bank. On March 1, following, Mr. Hughes took offices in the Masonic Temple, and has since then been engaged in the general practice of law, with particular reference to probate business, and in the general loan and insurance business, and has been very successful. Mr. Hughes is an active, progressive and enterprising citizen and has done much to advance the general interests of his home city and county at large. He is a Republican, though not much given to active participation in political affairs, and his action while serving as acting mayor of Greenfield some years ago, during which time, as judge of the mayor's court, he effected some very much-needed "house-cleaning" in the city, is not likely soon to be forgotten. For three years he was a member of the city school board, and while thus connected introduced the study of chemistry, physics and German into the high school and completed the organization of the city library, buying the first books for the library, an initial equipment of two thousand and five hundred volumes, Mr. Hughes is a charter member of the influential Temple Club, of Greenfield, and of the state-wide Columbia Club, at Indianapolis. He lives in his own home at No. 610 West Main street, in Greenfield.

On October 15, 1891. William A. Hughes was united in marriage to Nellie H. Millikan, of Greenfield, who was born at Raleigh, Rush county, this state,

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November 17, 1808, daughter of Dr. Samuel R. and Isabelle ( Hall ) Millikan, both natives of Rush county, but for many years residents of Greenfield.

To William A. and Nellie H. ( Millikan ) Hughes three daughters have been born, Lucy M., who married James L. Murray, a lawyer, of Indianapolis ; Mary Isabel, a student at Butler College, and Marjorie H., a graduate of the Greenfield high school. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes are members of the Presbyterian church, the congregation of which Mr. Hughes has served in every caapcity from that of janitor to moderator of the session, being at present treasurer of the board of trustees, and both have ever taken a warm interest in the general welfare of the city, being held in high esteem by their friends hereabout. Mr. Hughes is a member of Hancock Lodge No. 101. Free and Accepted Masons, at Greenfield; Greenfield Chapter No. 96. Royal Arch Masons: MeCordsville Council No. 52, Royal and Select Masters; Greenfield Commandery No. 39. Knights Templar; Indianapolis Consistory ( thirty-second degree), Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Masons: Murat Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Indianapolis, and of the Order of the Eastern Star at Greenfield: with the latter Mrs. Hughes also is affiliated. Mr. Hughes is also a member of Eureka Lodge No. 20, Knights of Pythias, at Greenfield. of which order he is a past representative, and is a member of Greenfield Lodge No. 135. Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in the affairs of all of which organizations he takes a warm interest.

CHRIS A. KLIEM.A.N.

Holding eminent prestige among the successful farmers of Hancock county is Chris A. Klieman, who has played a prominent part in the advance- ment of agriculture in the community in which he lives. A man of splendid personal character and high business principles, he has won the confidence and esteem of those with whom he has come in contact and has made himself a power for public good. Chris A. Klieman was born on June 8, 1878, in the log cabin built by his father on the Hancock county farm. His parents, Herman H. and Louise ( Wischler ) Klieman, were both natives of Germany, who came to this country in the early days of its history. The father, who was born in 1838, followed the occupation of a tailor in his native land and upon arriving in this country, where he settled first in Cincinnati, Ohio, continued to work at this chosen line of business. After working in Cincinnati for a short time he was attracted to the agricultural opportunities offered in the farming dis- tricts of Indiana and moved to Cumberland, in this state, where he rented a

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farm one mile east of the town just mentioned. Later he bought forty-four acres in the same locality, which he sold for the purpose of settling on a larger farm, consisting of seventy two acres, on Big Sugar creek, Hancock county. On this farm Herman Klieman experienced all the hardships of pioneer life. He began the task of clearing the land of the underbrush and timber, and after a short time had forty-four acres in cultivation. He built a log cabin and a larger barn, and followed the occupation of a farmer until his death, which occurred in 1904. Mr. Klieman, aside from his immediate family, was survived by a brother, Henry, who died in 1914, in Buck Creek township, near Alt. Comfort : a sister, Mary, who is living in Cincinnati, and another sister, Kate, who resides in Kansas. Mr. Klieman, during his residence in Hancock county, took an active part in the affairs of the Democratic party. In his religious views he gave support to the German Lutheran church and for many years acted as deacon of the church in Sugar Creek township, of which his wife was also a devout member. Mrs. Klieman came to this country from Ger- many in May, 1842, and lived in Kentucky before the Civil War. After the . outbreak of the war she moved to the North and settled near Rising Sun, Indiana, where her marriage later took place. The couple came to Hancock county forty-eight years ago. Mrs. Klieman has one living brother, Philip. and a half-brother. Frank, is deceased. Two sisters are also deceased, Mary and Eigh. Mr. and Mrs. Klieman reared a family of the following children : Henry, John, George, deceased : Mrs. Mary Cromie, who resides in Indianapo- lis: Mrs. Anna Knoop; Mrs. Donia Manche: Minnie, deceased : Mrs. Louise Robie : Chris A .. Charles, Ben, Fred and Tillie.

Chris A. Klieman received a common-school education in the schools of Sugar Creek township, and after completing the course assisted his father with the work on the farm. After his marriage he worked for nine years by the month, and later rented the place he now occupies for a period of six years. At the end of that time he bought the place, which consists of forty-five acres of land. In 1914 Mr. Klieman bought fifty-two acres, which he has under an excellent state of cultivation. The subject of this sketch devotes the greater part of his time to stock raising and ships from forty to fifty hogs annually. He takes pride in raising high-grade cattle and keeps for the heaviest work on the farm six head of fine horses. The life of the subject of this sketch affords a striking example of what a man with determination. energy and courage may accomplish in his chosen field of endeavor when controlled by the high- est principles of conduct.

In 1904. Chris A. Klieman was united in marriage to Anna Rohe. To this union two sons have been born, Edward, who was born on September 27,

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1904, and Harmon, who was born on June 28, 1914. Aside from his interests as a farmer. Mr. Klieman has always played a prominent part in those move- ments which have for their object the betterment of the community in which he lives. In political affairs he gives firm support to the cause of the Demo- cratic party and in local elections works unceasingly for its cause. Mr. Klie- man acts as director for the telephone company, a position he has held for two years. He is progressive in his business activities and maintains a position founded on honesty in business dealings and trust as a loyal citizen.

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History of Hancock county, Indiana; its people, industries and institutions, Part 112

Author: Richman, George J Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Indianapolis, Federal publishing co., inc. Number of Pages: 1272

Author: Richman, George J
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Indianapolis, Federal publishing co., inc.
Number of Pages: 1272