USA > Indiana > Knox County > History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present; with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. ; together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government > Part 28
USA > Indiana > Daviess County > History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present; with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. ; together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government > Part 28
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HON. ORLAN FRANKLIN BAKER, attorney at law of Vincennes, Ind., was born in Paoli, Orange Co., Ind., August 4, 1843, son of John and Sarah (Delard) Baker. The father was born in Woodford County, Ky., in 1812, and the mother in Orange County, Ind., in 1819. Subject's paternal grand- father was James Baker, a native of Orange Co., Va., born in 1785. He moved to Kentucky in 1805, where he remained until 1814, when he moved to what is now Orange County, Ind., and died in 1816. The maternal grandfather, John Delard, was born in what is now Mercer County, Ky., in 1798, son of Et- tienne Delard, native of South Carolina, born in 1767. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and can trace his ancestry back to Montpelier, France. They left their native country in 1685, upon the expulsion of the Huguenots. Our subject was ed- ucated by a private tutor, and attended the State University at Bloomington, Ind., and graduated from that institution in 1864. He began the study of law in 1860, in connection with his other studies, and was admitted to the bar at Jasper, Dubois Co., Ind., in January, 1863, before he was twenty years of age. In 1859 he came to Vincennes, and has here made his home ever since. In May, 1863, he was elected city attorney of Vincennes, and held the office two years. In 1866 he was chosen to represent Knox County in the General Assemby, but declined re-election in 1868. He has since practiced his profession in Knox County, with the exception of two years, 1869 and 1871, when he resided in In- dianapolis, and practiced his profession there in partnership with
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Judge Samuel E. Perkins. September 4, 1867, he took for his wife Miss Mary J. Faskington, daughter of Hon. William C. Fask- ington, of Indianapolis, Ind. Mrs. Baker died June 5, 1885, leav- ing a son named Frank T. In politics Mr. Baker is a Democrat, and is one of the best posted and most successful lawyers of In- diana. For a number of years he has been engaged in a literary · work upon the races of men who have inhabited the West.
A. H. BARRETT & SON, the leading saw-mill and lumber firm of Vincennes, is composed of Allen H. Barrett and Robert H. V. Barrett, his son. The firm built their mill and established their present lumber yards on the Wabash River, in North Vin- cennes, in September, 1883. They employ seventy-five men and ten teams at their mill, at their yards and up the river, cutting, hauling and rafting logs. They saw on an average 20,000 feet of lumber per day of ten hours, making a spec- ialty of sycamore, which finds a ready market in St. Louis, with Leggett, Myers & Co., for tobacco boxes. They built and used the towboat "Experiment " for towing barges and rafts of logs to the mill, but have recently sold the boat. Allen H. Barrett, senior member of the above firm, was born in Vermont August 28, 1825, and is a son of Reuben and Zilpha (Simons) Barrett, natives, respectively, of Massachusetts and New York. Reuben Barrett came West with his family in 1839, locating in Winnebago County, Ill., where he engaged in farming until his death. The subject of this sketch was reared with his father un- til he was fifteen years old, when he became a clerk in a mercan- tile house. Later he began business for himself in Freeport, Ill. In 1855 he went to California as a gold seeker, remaining there two and a-half years with poor success. He then returned to Illinois, and after working for two years, began the farming and timber business, at which he continued until 1864, when he dropped farming and continued in the timber business exclu- sively until 1878. He then removed to Lawrenceville, Ill., and there was engaged in the same business until 1881, and from this time until 1883 he was in Tennessee. He then removed to Vincennes where he has since been successfully engaged in his present business. In 1849 he was married to Frances Ann Davis, a native of Illinois, who died in 1884 leaving
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six children: Allen H .; Mary E., now the wife of the Rev. John English of Baltimore, Md .; Virginia, now the wife of W. C. Hea- don of Shelbyville, Ill .; Zilpha, the widow of William Gerrard; Robert H. V., and Martha M. Mr. Barrett is a Democrat, is an ancient Mason, and is recognized as being one of the most enter- prising and successful business men of the city. Robert H. V. Barrett, junior member of the above firm, was born in Shelby County, Ill., October 31, 1851. He was brought up with his par- ents and given a fair education. He began life as a clerk and in 1877 he became engaged in the lumber business with his father, and was made partner in 1880. He was married September 27, 1881, to Anna T. Gerrard, a native of Kentucky. They have one child, Montjoy G. Mr. Barrett is a Democrat and a member of the K. of H.
THOMAS P. BECKES, a very prominent citizen of Knox County, was born November 15, 1819, in Harrison Township, being the youngest of a family of four children born to Benjamin and Elizabeth (Frederick) Beckes. The father was born in Vincennes in 1786 and the mother was born in about 1783. Benjamin Beckes was reared in Vincennes and spoke French very readily, but was probably of Welsh descent. He was a farmer and stock dealer and also one of the most successful men of the county. He was sheriff of Knox County, having been appointed to fill a vacancy and afterward elected. He was in the battle of Tippe- canoe and all through the Indian wars preceding the war of 1812. In the Black Hawk war he was captain of a company. He was familiarly known as Maj. Beckes, from the part he took in mi- litia drills for defense against the Indians. He was a man of very decided character and wonderful energy. He served in the State Legislature several years during the early days. The mother was of a family of very early settlers and of Dutch de- scent. When she was but eleven years old she was taken pris- oner by the Indians, but in a few days made her escape. She was brought up, lived and died in this county, her death occur- ring April 9, 1856, and the father's occurring December 3, 1859. When she was married to Mr. Beckes she was the widow of Mr. Rea, a very early settler. Such is the parentage of our subject, who is one of two surviving children. He was reared on a farm
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in this county, and received such education as was afforded by the primitive schools of the time. He remained with his parents until arriving at the age of twenty-three, when he married and moved upon the farm where he now resides, and where he has been one of the most successful farmers of the county. He was married November 15, 1842, to Margaret Emison, a daughter of Samuel Emison, who came from Kentucky at an early day. She was born August 15, 1824. To them were born twelve children, eleven of whom are now living: John H., Mary, Benjamin R., Samuel E., Elizabeth, Alice, Margaret, Anne, Martha, Eunice and Sarah. Five of them are married and live near home. The family are all members of the Catholic Church. Mr. Beckes has always been a Democrat, and is said to have been the first En- glish child born in Vincennes. He has just retired from a three years' term as county commissioner.' He is one of the prominent men of his county and is noted for his love of home and home surroundings, and is universally respected as a moral and up- right man.
WILLIAM B. BEDELL, M. D., was born in Knox County, Ind., March 30, 1856, son of Clayborn and Mary (Smith) Bedell, and is of French and German descent. His father was born in Ken- tucky in 1825, and his mother in Knox County, Ind., in 1829. His boyhood days were spent in Johnson Township where his parents lived, working on the farm and attending district schools. In 1875 he began teaching school, and continued that vocation a few years. That same year he attended the Vincennes High School, and two years later attended school at what is now De Pauw University, in Indiana. He began the study of medicine in the summer of 1877, under the direction of Dr. A. J. Patton of Vincennes, and attended lectures at the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, and from that school graduated March 4, 1880, and the same year located at Sumner, Ill., and after remaining there four years came to Vincennes and has here continued to reside since that time engaged in active practice. In 1884 he was appointed physician of the Knox County Asylum, and still retains that position. In June, 1885, he was appointed pension examiner, and in May of the same year was chosen secretary of the City Board of Health. He was married June 9, 1880, to Fannie M. Setzer, a native of Knox
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County, born in 1856. They have two children, named Otto S. and Pansy E. Dr. Bedell is a Democrat, member of the Presby- terian Church, and one of the leading physicians of the county.
WILLIAM W. BERRY, a retired farmer, and president of the Knox County Agricultural Society, is a native of said county, born near Wheatland June 15, 1823, son of Andrew and Mary (McDonald) Berry. He is the youngest of their four children, and is of Scotch-Irish descent. His parents were born in North Carolina and South Carolina in 1792 and 1796 respectively. The father came to Indiana in 1816, locating in Knox County, where he followed merchandising, and died in 1857. The mother died ten years later. William's paternal grandfather, John Berry, was a slaveholder in his native State of North Carolina. Subject's boy- hood days were spent on the farm and in attending the subscrip- tion schools, where he received a good common school education. Since reaching man's estate his life has been devoted to farming. In this he has been very prosperous and now owns 450 acres of good land. The old homestead purchased by his father in 1821 is his. In 1870 he moved to Palmyra Township, three miles from Vincennes, and in September, 1885, moved to the city. In 1847 he was married to Miss Mary Lillie, who died in 1851, leaving one child, Nancy A. In 1865 Mr. Berry married Arabella Lillie, who was born in Knox County in 1844. To them were born eight children, five now living: Lillie M., Jessie R., Andrew, Anna and Ida M. Mr. Berry is a Democrat, and in 1862 was elected treas- urer of Knox County, and re-elected in 1864. In March, 1884, he was chosen president of the Knox County Agricultural Society, and has since filled that position with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the people.
JOHN C. BEVER, M. D., of Vincennes, Ind., was born in Steubenville, Jefferson Co., Ohio, January 26, 1819, and is a son of David and Sarah (Clowes) Bever, who were natives respect- ively of the Emerald Isle and the State of Delaware. The father came to the United States in 1810, and engaged in the manufact- ure of woolen goods in Delaware and Ohio, but finally settled on a farm in Coshocton County, Ohio, where he died in 1849. Here our subject grew to manhood and secured a good literary educa- tion for that day. Early in life he manifested a desire to learn
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the medical profession, his mother being a skillful nurse and his maternal grandfather a successful practitioner. John C. began early in life to study medical works, and in 1848 entered the Physio-Medical College at Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated from that institution in 1850. Later he entered the Cincinnati Medical College, but received no diploma from the latter institution. He first began the regular practice of his profession in Coshocton County, Ohio, in 1850, and four years later he removed to Martin County, Ind., where he practiced twelve years. In 1866 he re- moved to Vincenues, where he has since resided, engaged exclu- sively in attending to his medical duties, which occupy his entire time. He controls a large and remunerative practice, and merits the confidence reposed in him by the people. In 1845 he was married to Nancy A. Payne, of Lafayette, Ind., who died in 1878, having borne three sons, two of whom, James R. and, Albert Curtis, lived to be men grown and engaged in the Rebellion. All are now deceased. In 1881 the Doctor married Almira C. Wood, a native of the State, who is an accomplished lady and a regular graduate in medicine. She was for many years a teacher, and is also a graduate of a literary college. She entered the Eclectic Medical College at Cincinnati, Ohio, September 1, 1877, and graduated in January, 1881, receiving her diploma. She is the only female medical graduate in Knox County. The Doctor is a member of the Mississippi Valley, Indiana, State, and Knox County Medical Societies, and also holds a certificate licensing him to practice in Illinois. He is a Democrat, and was a member of the City Coun- cil one year. He is a Mason of the Scottish Rite degree, and a member of the I. O. O. F.
EDWARD BIERHAUS was born in Rhein, Prussia, city of Elberfield, August 4, 1832, and is a son of Frederick and Fred- ericka (Schulte) Bierhaus, who were born in the same country. They came to the United States in 1849, and located in Vin- cennes, Ind., where the father died the following year, and the mother in 1869. In 1853 Edward engaged in the mercantile business in Freelandsville, continuing twelve years with good suc- cess, when he returned to this city and engaged in the grain, pro- vision and pork-packing business on rather a limited scale, and also conducted a retail grocery store in connection until 1879,
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when he purchased Gimbel Bros.' wholesale grocery, which he has conducted very successfully, and controls the leading trade in the city. He has continued in the pork-packing busi- ness, and now has a slaughter and packing house in the city with a capacity of 500 hogs per day. In 1853 he was married to Louise Schukman, a native of Lippe, Germany. They have these eight children: Charles, Henry, Frederick, Edward, William, John, Emma and Anna. Charles and Frederick are partners with their father in the business. Mr. Bierhaus is a Democrat in pol- itics, and he and family are members of the German Evangelical Church. Charles Bierhaus is a native of Knox County, born February 13, 1855. He was raised in his father's store, and in boyhood attended the Vincennes public schools. In 1877 he be- came a partner in the business with his father, and has continued with him to the present time. In 1877 he married Helen Busse, a native of Knox County. They have two children: Ida and Helen. Charles is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Evangelical Church.
THOMAS BORROWMAN, grain dealer, and treasurer of the Vincennes School Board, is a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, born January 19, 1824, and a son of John and Jean (Ormiston) Borrowman. His parents were born in Scotland in 1798 and 1800, respectively. The family came to America about 1838, and settled in St. Louis, Mo., where the father died in 1849. The mother's death occurred in 1840. Instead of going to St. Louis with his parents our subject stopped in Cincinnati, and served an appren- ticeship at the plumber's trade with Peter Gibson. After work- ing for Mr. Gibson twelve years he engaged in the business for himself, which he continued ten years. In 1860 he left Cincin- nati and engaged in farming in Richland County, Ill., where he remained eight years. He then came to Vincennes and engaged in the grain business, and has since continued, meeting with con- siderable prosperity. In 1879 he became a member of the school board, acting in the capacity of treasurer. He was married in 1847 to Miss Isabella Wilson, a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, born in 1824. To them were born these children: Agnes, Jean, Archibald, John, Isabella, George, Catherine and Olla. Mr. Bor- rowman has been a Whig, but is now a Republican in politics.
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He and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, and he is a leading citizen.
EDWARD BREIVOGEL, hatter, of Vincennes, Ind., was born at Mount Carmel, Ill., September 29, 1847. His parents, John and Catherine (Bischoff) Breivogel, were born in Germany. The father came to this city in March, 1864, and followed his trade of brick-masonry and building until his death, in 1872. Edward was reared in his native city, where he acquired a very good business education, and in early life began clerking in mer- cantile establishments, and in 1863 came to this city and en- gaged as clerk for Charles Graeter two and a half years, and then with J. B. La Plante & Bro., continuing with them seven years, when he was admitted as a partner, and remained such one year. He then went to Shawneetown, Ill., and took charge of a branch store for B. Kuhn & Co., of this city. He conducted the business for them about six months, when he returned to this city, and in 1874 engaged in his present business with his brother, Julius A. They remained together until 1880, when our subject purchased his brother's interest, and has since conducted the bus- iness alone. He has an excellent stock of goods, and also has the up-town agency for the Adams Express Company. In 1873 he wedded Catherine Holland, a native of Toronto, Canada. To them have been born seven children-three sons and four daugh- ters. He is a Democrat in politics, and he and family are mem- bers of the Catholic Church. He is a member of the C. K. of A. JULIUS A. BREIVOGEL, dealer in gents' furnishing goods at Vincennes, was born in Mount Carmel, Ill, April 11, 1852. He is a brother of Edward Breivogel, whose sketch is given above. Julius came to this city with his parents when twelve years old, and attended the high schools of this place, se- curing a very good education. At the age of sixteen he engaged as clerk for Charles Graeter, remaining with him four years. He then worked for J. B. La Plante & Bro. two years, and in 1874, in company with his brother Edward, engaged in the hat, cap and fur business in this city. In 1880 he sold out his inter- est and attended the Evansville Commercial College, from which he graduated in September of the same year. He then returned to Vincennes, and February of the next year engaged in his pres-
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ent work. He is unmarried, a Democrat in politics, and a mem- ber of the Catholic Church and C. K. of A.
PIERRE BROUILLETTE, a prominent farmer of Knox County, born March 15, 1820, near Vincennes, is the third of a family of five children born to Pierre and Julia (Boucher) Brouil- lette. The father was born in this county in 1782, and was the son of Michael Brouillette, who came from France to Canada during the French and Indian war. He was in the battle at Braddock's defeat, soon after which he came to Vincennes, and married into the family of Bono, an early French settler. He raised a family of five children, of whom the subject was one. He was reared in this family, and served as a captain in the war of 1812. He was a very intimate and trusted friend of Gen. Harrison, for whom he carried mail to the frontier settlements, and especially to the governor of Missouri. He was also a successful farmer, and ran transfer lines to the cities of his day from Vincennes. He owned over 1,000 acres of the best land of the county, and was a stock- holder of the Wabash Navigation Company and the Ohio & Miss- issippi Railroad Company. The subject of this sketch was born in this county, and remained with his parents until he was twenty- six years old, when he began farming where he now lives. His father gave him 170 acres of land, and he has been one of the most successful farmers of the times. He now owns 214 acres of very fine land, under good cultivation, upon which he has a fine two-story brick house in a splendid location. He was married, Jan- uary 13, 1846, to Louise F. Bernard, who was born in France in 1826. They have had eight children: Julia M., Andrew H., Louis P. (deceased), J. Bernard, Maurice A., Louis F., Alphonse M. and Laurie M. The family are, as all their ancestors were, mem- bers of the Catholic Church. Before the time of the Know- nothing party Mr. Brouillette was a Whig, but since then he has been a Democrat. The children are all unmarried. Julia M. is keeping house for her brother Alphonse M. and a cousin, who are in business. Andrew H. is manager of the West Baden Springs, Orange County. J. Bernard is at home, and managing the farm. Maurice A. is traveling for agricultural implement companies, and the other two children are both at home. The children were educated mostly in Vincennes. The mother of
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Pierre Brouillette, Sr., was the first white child born in Vin- cennes, and the grandfather of Pierre Brouillette, Jr., along with another man, was taken prisoner by the Indians, taken by them to Mobile, Ala., and detained there eight years.
JOHN BRYAN was born about 1763 in northeastern Mary- land. He began business as a manufacturer of woolen goods in Beaver County, Penn. His son, John Bryan, Jr., was born in that county in 1811. He obtained his education in the old Jefferson College, and became a graduate of that institution. He studied theology, and was licensed to preach in the Associate, afterward the United Presbyterian Church. He removed to Bloomington, Ind., in 1855, and became pastor of a church at that place. In that same year Enoch Albert Bryan was born. The latter en- tered the State University of Indiana in 1871, and subsequently taught three years during his college course. He graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1878, and in 1885 the degree of A. M. was conferred on him by his alma mater. In 1878 he became super- intendent of the graded schools of Grayville, Ill., which position he held four years. He was married, May 12, 1881, to Miss Hattie E. Williams, of Grayville, Ill. He was elected to the professorship of Latin, Greek and literature in the Vincennes University, in August, 1882. In August of the next year he was chosen president in place of President P. L. McCrary, resigned.
STEPHEN BURNET '(deceased) was the only son of Sere- nus and Jane (Burnside) Burnet. His ancestral history may be traced back as far as 1660, when three Burnet brothers came from Wales to the United States, one locating in New Jersey. Our subject is a descendant of this one, his grandfather, Edmund Burnet, having been born in New Jersey on January 1, 1755. Edmund married Sarah Smith in 1780, and the third child born to this union was Serenus Burnet, who was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, November, 13, 1787, and married our subject's mother, who was of Scotch and Irish parentage, November 10, 1794. In May, 1815, Serenus Burnet moved to Cuyahoga County, Ohio, where he and his wife lived and died. The immediate subject of this sketch was reared principally in Knox County, and received such education as the schools of that day afforded. January 5, 1882, he was married to Lamira Gardner, a native of
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New York. To them were born eight children, these six now living: Stephen, in business in Vincennes; Lydia J., wife of Thomas Eastham; Rosina E., wife of C. M. Griffith; Charles C., in business in Cleveland, Ohio; Emily L., wife of S. B. Judah, and Mary L. Mrs. Burnet died March 12, 1856, and February 16, 1857, he was married to Laura Bently, daughter of Elder Adamson Bently, of Ohio, who bore him four children, three liv- ing: Harry B., Percy B. and Grace. This wife died October 29, 1873, and his last marriage was solemnized November 12, 1874, uniting him to Mrs. Mary (Bently) Collins, sister of Mr. Burnet's first wife. She was the mother of two children by a former marriage, viz: Eugenie M., widow of A. G. Hinman, and Julia A., wife of D. C. Fellows, Lincoln, Neb. Mr. Burnet was a farmer and fruit-grower, and was very successful in those callings. He owned a large tract of fine land, under good culti- vation, adjacent to Vincennes. The farm residence is well lo- cated, and is one of the most beautiful houses in the county. Mr. Burnet was a Whig and Republican in politics, but did not take an active part in political affairs. In religion he was con- servative, but was an elder in the Christian Church, and during the most of his religious life was urged to occupy the pulpit. His death, which occurred February 14, 1885, took from the community one of its most valued citizens.
STEPHEN S. BURNET of Vincennes, Ind., was born near Cleveland, Ohio, April 8, 1834, and is a son of Stephen and Lamira Gardner Burnet. He came to this city with his parents in 1852 and remained here until 1858, when he went to Missouri, and was superintendent of lead mines in the southern part of the State two years. In 1862 he removed to Nashville, Tenn., and was engaged in furnishing sutlers' supplies to the army until 1865, when he engaged in the wholesale liquor business in Paducah, Ky., and finally returned to this city in 1868 and engaged in the tobacco box factory and planing-mill business, continuing ever since with good success. In 1856 he led to Hymen's altar Kate Nauce, a native of Putnam County, Ind, Mr. Burnet is a Repub- lican in politics, although formerly a Democrat. He was a warm admirer of Gen. Garfield, and after his nomination to the presi- dency he became a Republican, and has remained such to the
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