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 32
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 32
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LENSON JOHNSON, a representative of one of the first ten American families who settled at Vincennes, Ind., and proprietor of the telephone exchanges at Vincennes, Columbus, Shelbyville, Seymour, Worthington and Greensburg, Ind., and Olney, Ill., is a native of Daviess County, Ind., born August 29, 1841, and is the youngest of eight children born to Elijah Johnson, and of
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Scotch-Irish descent. He was educated in the Worthington schools, and worked on a farm till seventeen years of age. In 1861 he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infant- ry, and served four and a half years in the war of the Rebellion. He was wounded at the battle of Shiloh, and participated in the battles of Fort Donelson, Vicksburg, Champion Hill, Port Hud- son and in the Red River expedition and at Blakely. He was honorably discharged in 1865. Three years later he began gen- eral merchandising in Washington, and continued there until 1871, when he came to Vincennes and engaged in the agricultural implement business. In 1880 he began the telephone business, and continued building lines until 1882. He was the founder of the Telephone Exchange, and one of the founders of the Vincennes Electric Light and Power Company. He was married in 1867 to Mary Warren, by whom he is the father of their two children: Mattie and Cora. Mrs. Johnson died in 1869, and in 1873 Mr. Johnson took for his second wife Miss Alice Bishop, a native of Vincennes. They have five children: Charles, Lee, Roscoe, Blaine and Ethel. Mr. Johnson is quite an inventor, and has secured about twenty patents, the principal one of which is the self-oiler for wagons. He is a Republican and a Mason, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
EUGENE A. JOHNSON, clerk of the Union Depot Hotel at Vincennes, Ind., was born in Tiffin, Ohio, December 18, 1854, son of William M. and Ellen (Nolen) Johnson, 'and is of English- Irish extraction. The father was born in Maryland December 3, 1824, and the mother in Pennsylvania in 1831. William John- son, the grandfather of our subject, was of English and Welsh parentage, born in the latter part of the last century. He came to America in early life, and settled in Maryland, and subsequent- ly moved to Tiffin, Ohio, where he died in 1869. The father died two years later, and the mother in 1876. The father was a lead- ing attorney of Tiffin, and for four terms (sixteen years) was pro- bate judge of Seneca County, Ohio. Our subject received his education in the Tiffin public schools, and remained in his native city until seventeen years of age, when he came to Vincennes, and for six years was in the employ of the Ohio & Mississippi Rail- way Company. In 1878 he accepted the position of clerk of the
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Union Depot Hotel, and this position he has since retained. He was married, December 21, 1876, to Miss Mary E. Mass, daughter of Capt. Mass, of this city. They have two children: C. Edwin and Mary E. Mr. Johnson is a Republican in politics, and cast his first presidential vote for R. B. Hayes.
JAMES E. KACKLEY, postmaster of Vincennes, was born in Scott County, Ky., September 30, 1849, son of Elias and Lucy (Burke) Kackley, of German and Irish descent respect- ively. The father, a native of Virginia, married in Kentucky, where he followed the occupation of farming. He died in Knox County, Ind., while on a visit to relatives. The mother died a year or so later in Kentucky, leaving our subject an orphan at the age of nine years. He came to this county with an uncle, residing with him about three years, when the latter died, and James was then compelled to do for himself. He worked as a farm hand in this county until he was eighteen years old, and then followed the mercantile business as clerk at Oaktown until 1876, when he ran for sheriff of the county, but was defeated. He then continued farming until 1880, when he was elected sheriff of Knox County on the Democratic ticket, serving, by re- election, until 1884. He then acted as deputy under the present sheriff until June, 1885, when he was appointed to the postmas- tership under President Cleveland, and he is now filling the du- ties of that office very efficiently. October 25, 1878, he married Hattie E. Decker, a native of Knox County. To them were born four children, Bessie, Clotilda, and Ellen now living. Mr. Kackley has been an active Democrat in politics for a number of years. He started in life a poor boy, but by energy, integrity and sterling business qualities he has made life a success. He is a member of the Masonic, I. O. O. F. and K. of P. fraterni- ties. Although not a member of any religious organization, he was raised in the Catholic faith, to which his wife and family belong.
ANTON KAPPS, manufacturer and dealer in boots and shoes, is a native of Alsace, France (now Germany), where he was born April 12, 1834. He is a son of John and Kathrina (Hartnagel) Kapps, who were born in the same country as our subject, where they lived and died. Anton learned the shoe-maker's trade in
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boyhood, and, at the age of twenty immigrated to the United States, landing at New Orleans in 1854. He worked at his trade in that city about three months, when he came up the river as far as Evansville, Ind., where he worked about eighteen months. In 1856 he came to Vincennes, where he worked at his trade until 1860, when he opened a store and shop of his own, and has fol- lowed that vocation ever since, having by his industry and good habits established one of the best stores of the kind in the city, carrying a full and select stock of goods, controlling a fair share of the trade. In 1859 he wedded Juliana Heisner, a native of Germany. To them were born seven children, five of whom are living: Frank Joseph, Edward George, Louis Anton, Emma Kathrina and Franciska. Mr. Kapp's political proclivities are Democratic. He is a member of the present city council, having served six terms. He and family are members of the Catholic Church.
JONATHAN KEITH, attorney at law, Vincennes, is a native of Knox County. He was born June 10, 1856, being a son of Warren C. and Elizabeth (Chambers) Keith, natives respectively of Kentucky and Indiana. The father came to Indiana at the age of sixteen, about the year 1835, where he lived the remainder of his life, following farming and preaching, being a member of the Baptist Church. His death occurred in 1872. The mother died in 1873. The subject of this sketch was brought up on the farm, and secured a good common school education. At the age of nineteen he commenced teaching school, to obtain means to enable him to secure a collegiate education. He attended the Terre Haute Normal School, and afterward the Ann Arbor Uni- versity one year, where he studied medicine. Giving up medi- cine he returned home and resumed teaching, and began the study of law with a view to making that his profession, reading with De Wolf & Chambers, and being admitted to the Knox County bar in 1883. Although a young man, and having to con- tend with able contemporaries, he has met with well-deserved and encouraging success. He opened his office in November, 1884. In politics he is a Republican, and has been engaged to some extent in local politics. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the Baptist Church. He is a regular contributor to the Vin- cennes News under the nom de plume of "Glendale."
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JOSEPH B. KELSO, a prominent farmer of this county, was born September 2, 1830, in Knox County, Ind., on the farm where he now lives, being the second of a family of six children of William and Julia Ann (Hogue) Kelso. The father was born in 1800, in Monongahela County, Va., and was reared there until nineteen years of age, and then came to Cincinnati, Ohio, with a boat-load of chestnuts, and theu came to Knox County, Ind., with Jerry Coleman, employed in transporting a mill. He then en- gaged in the brick business, and made the first brick that was used in the buildings of the town of Princeton, Gibson Co., Ind. He continued in this business till his death, also carrying on farming to some extent. He was successful, but met with some reverses. He died in 1869. The mother was a native of this county, and lived and died here. She was born May 5, 1809, and died August 22, 1872. Our subject was reared on a farm, receiv- ing a common school education. He remained with his parents to the age of twenty-six, when he engaged in farming and the brick business successfully, and now continues farming. He is recognized as one of the most successful farmers of the county, and owns 220 acres of land, all adjacent to the city of Vincennes and very valuable from the location and the very modern improve- ments. His residence is a two-story brick, one mile from Vin- cennes, and presents an elegant appearance, and certainly makes Mr. Kelso a happy home. March 18, 1862, he was married to Martha J. Hollingsworth, a native of this county, born Decem- ber 15, 1836. They have five children: Charles S., born Novem- ber 18, 1863; Emma H., born February 10, 1866; William H., born October 8, 1868, and died July 18, 1870; Ellis T., born October 12, 1871, and John L., born April 24, 1877, and died June 12, 1877. Politically Mr. Kelso is a very zealous Repub- lican, and always has been. He was honored with the office of township trustee two years. He is recognized as one of the prominent and highly-respected men of the county, and is a moral, upright citizen. He was in Camp Knox in the time of the war, and did a great deal for the relief and entertainment of the soldiers in the camp, and furnished fuel, etc., for the soldiers.
JEROME T. KELSO is a son of Joseph and Margaret (Stone) Kelso, natives respectively of Virginia and New York. Jerome
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T. was born and raised in Decatur County, Ind., his birth-day oc- curring November 4, 1849. He secured a good business educa- tion in early life, and in later years engaged as clerk in the mer- cantile business. In 1873 he came to Vincennes and engaged in the grain and produce business four years. He then built the Riverside stave factory and lumber mills of this city, which he operated successfully four years. Later the building was con- sumed, but he rebuilt, and in 1881 sold out and dealt in lumber. In 1883 he established the Kelso Oil Company, with George Heitz as a partner for six months. In November, 1885, he sold the business to the Consolidated Oil and Tank Company, and has conducted the business for them up to this period. Their present plant was established by Mr. Kelso when he started the business. It is a corrugated iron structure, 40x80 feet in dimensions, situated near the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad bridge. It will soon be replaced by two large brick buildings, and a two-story brick store-house, a brick cooper shop, and five oil-tanks of 1,000 barrels capacity each. Vincennes will then be the general supply station for a large portion of southern Indiana and Illinois. May 14, 1876, Mr. Kelso was united in marriage to Julia E. Brouillette, a native of Vincennes. They have two children, Frank B. and George L. Mr. Kelso is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the K. of P. and Royal Arcanum, and he and wife are members of the Presby- terian Church.
CLARENCE B. KESSINGER, attorney at law and deputy prosecuting attorney for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, is a native of Bruceville, Knox Co., Ind., born April 28, 1859, son of William M. and Margaret J. Kessinger, whose maiden name was Bruce. The Kessinger family are of German descent. The father of our subject was born in Pennsylvania, and his mother in this county, being a representative of one of the pioneer families of Knox County. The father came to Indiana about 1849, and set- tled in Washington Township, Knox County, where he still resides. Subject was raised on a farm, and his early years were spent at farm labor. He attended the schools of his native townshipand the Vin- cennes High School, which he entered in 1877, and from which he graduated two years later. He began the study of law in the office of Cobb & Cobb in 1880. In 1882-83 he was an officer in the
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Plainfield Reform School. In 1884 he was admitted to the Knox County bar, and at once formed a partnership in the law practice with William A. Cullop and George W. Shaw, continuing to the present. In the spring of 1885 he was appointed to his present office, which he is filling very creditably to himself. Politically he is a Democrat. He is one of the leading young lawyers of the Knox County bar, and his future promises to be all that his friends could desire.
EDWARD M. LAAKMAN, deputy recorder of Knox County, Ind .; is a native of the city of Vincennes; was born July 8, 1863; son of Michael and Magdalena (Biever) Laakman. The father was born in Germany in 1809, and the mother in Strasburg, France, (now a German province), February 29, 1836. The family came to America about 1845, together with the mother's parents. The mother died October 28, 1885. Edward M. is the fourth of nine children. He was educated at a private school, and is the pos- sessor of a good common school education. In 1882 he was ap- pointed deputy recorder of Knox County, and has filled that posi- tion with much credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the people. He is a stanch Democrat in politics, and his first presidential vote was cast for Grover Cleveland. He is secretary of the Gramercy Club, and a member of the German Lutheran Church. He is well known and respected, and is one of the prominent young men of the city.
JOHN D. LA CROIX, of Vincennes, Ind., and native of the city, was born April 7, 1856, and is the only son of four children born to the marriage of Marcell D. La Croix and Adel Bayard. Our subject was reared in this city with his parents, and secured an ordinary school education. He assisted his father in his dry goods store in this city until the latter's death. In 1879 he en- gaged in the grocery and provision business, where he still holds forth, meeting with well-earned success. He carries a full and select line of goods, and controls a fair share of the trade in city and county. He is unmarried; a Democrat in politics. He is a member of the Catholic Church, and is justly recognized as a young man of business and energy.
THOMAS V. LAMPORT was born in Woodstock, Canada, February, 14, 1844, son of Benjamin and Mary (Force) Lam-
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port, born in England and Canada respectively. Thomas V. was raised on a farm in Kankakee County, Ill., where the father moved in 1847. He first engaged in the livery business in Momence, Ill., and in 1872 came to Knox County, Ind. and farmed one year. He then became manager of John Loten's lumber yard and re- mained such two years. In the spring of 1876 he established a similar business under the firm name of T. V. Lamport & Co .; a year later merged into Dalton & Lamport. In 1882 he engaged in his present business and has met with well-deserved success. January, 1869, he married Mary C. Crews, a native of Missouri. They have five children: Myrta M., Liston W., Mary A., Lora M. and Lester. Mr. Lamport is a Republican and a member of the Royal Arcanum society and he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church.
BENJAMIN LAMPORT was born in Woodstock, Canada, August 30, 1846. He is a brother and partner of T. V. Lamport, and secured a common school education in Kankakee County, Ill. In 1872 he took for his companion through life Angeline Crews, of Missouri, and engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1878, when he accepted the position as manager of the branch lumber yards of Dalton & Lamport at Lawrenceville, Ill., remaining there two years. In 1883 he came to Vincennes and engaged in his pres- ent business, sharing the success of the business with his brother. Mr. Lamport's married life has been blessed with one son named Elmer C. Mr. Lamport is a Republican and a member of the Royal Arcanum society, and he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. The firm deal in lumber, shingles, doors, blinds and all goods pertaining to their line of business. Thomas began dealing in lumber in 1882, and the spring following Benjamin engaged in the business, and they have since conducted affairs very successfully; $50,000 per annum is a fair estimate on their sales. They have five men employed besides themselves, and also have a coal agency for John D. La Croix of this city. T. V. Lamport is the founder of all the present lumber interests of the city of Vincennes.
ADOLPH S. LANE, of the firm of M. Tyler, Son & Co., hardware merchants and dealers in agricultural implements and seeds, in Vincennes, Ind., was born in Lippe Detmold, Prussia,
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November 5, 1842, son of George and Caroline (Ernsting) Lane. Our subject came with his parents to the United States when about twelve years of age. The mother died while en route, and the father located on a farm in the northern part of Knox County, Ind., in 1854. Here Adolph S. lived until he was twenty years of age, but secured little or no education. In later years, however, he secured a good business education by his own efforts and by actual contact with business life. In November, 1862, he came to this city and entered the employ of M. Tyler & Son, and contin- ued with them as clerk until January, 1876, when he became a partner in the business and has remained such ever since, having actual management of the same and showing his business capa- bilities by the successful manner in which he has conducted the business. December 3, 1863, Mr. Lane married Miss Hannah Brocksmith, who died March 17, 1877, leaving five children: Ed- ward, Louis, Alfred, Charles and Minnie. September 22, 1877, Mr. Lane married his present wife, who was a Mrs. Caroline (Brocksmith) Helle, a sister of his former wife. Mr. Lane is a Republican and a member of the city council. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., K. of H., K. L. of H. and K. of P. fraternities. He and his wife are members of the St. John's Evangelical Church, and he is recognized as being one of the prosperous bus- iness men of Vincennes.
THE LA PLANTE FAMILY, of Vincennes, Ind., are among the most distinguished and oldest families in the county or State. John Baptiste La Plante, native of Canada, came from Detroit to Vincennes in 1798 with his wife and family, and established a dis- tillery on the Illinois side of the Wabash River. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 and was guide and scout for Gen. Harrison in the battle of Tippecanoe. He raised four sons: Pierre, John B., Hyacinthe and Joseph, and three daughters, all of whom spent their lives in Knox County, with the exception of one daugh- ter. Pierre La Plante, the eldest, a native of Detroit, Mich., participated with his father in the war of 1812. At an early age he learned the carpenter's trade which he followed irregularly the greater part of his life. After becoming of age he conducted a trading store or agency at Fort Harrison, above Terre Haute. He was only moderately successful in the accumulation of prop-
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erty and died a comparatively poor man. He was guide for Gen. Tipton in the removal of the Pottawattomie Indians from about Logansport to Missouri in 1837. He was a Whig in pol- itics and was commissioner of Knox County at one time. He married Elizabeth Gamelin, a native of this city, who bore him five children; three sons now living: John B., Peter E. and Charles. The father died in Vincennes in 1859 and the mother a year later. John B. La Plante of this city is the eldest son of Pierre La Plante, born February 3, 1823. Early in life he be- gan learning the saddler's trade, at which he worked until attain- ing his majority. He then engaged in the grocery business on a small scale, and by years of industry, economy and strict business integrity he and his brother Peter succeeded in increasing their business from time to time until they estab- lished one of the largest general merchandise establishments in the city, and succeeded in accumulating handsome competencies. John B. retired from active business life in 1878 and has since given his attention to the management of his property. Decem- ber 7, 1845, he was married to Malinda Scott, who died, and May 28, 1874, he married Catherine E. Aull, who bore him one child now deceased. He is a Democrat in politics and has been county commissioner two terms and a member of the city council numer- ous terms. He and his wife are Catholics. Peter E. La Plante, was born June 19, 1831, and was reared in the city where he se- cured an ordinary education. At the age of twenty-one he en- gaged in the mercantile business with his brother, and shared with him the success of their united efforts. He is a Democrat . and has been a member of the city council from time to time. He is a member of the Catholic Church, and was one of the organizers of the Vincennes Deposit Bank in 1867 and was president of the same until its dissolution ten years later. Charles La Plante, the youngest of the three sons of Pierre La Plante, was born in this city September 28, 1833. He was clerk in his brother's store until 1878, when he assumed control of the grocery business, which he now conducts. In 1861 he married Sarah Hiles, who died in 1868, leaving one child, now deceased. In 1872 he married his present wife, Elizabeth Page, a native of this city. He is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Catholic Church.
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JOHN LOTEN (deceased) was a native of England, born March 16, 1830, son of Robert Loten. The family came to America in 1852 and settled in Edwards County, Ill. The father died in Vincennes in 1865. . Our subject came from England to America in 1853 and settled in the same place as his parents, and in the fall of the same year to Vincennes, and made his home in this place until his death. By occupation he was a painter and house decorator, having learned his trade in his native country; he followed it in this country and also dealt extensively in build- ing materials. As a painter and decorator he had few equals. His marriage took place in 1851 to Miss Eleanor J. Roberts, born in England in 1832, daughter of William and Mary Roberts, who lived and died in England. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Loten, four of whom are living: John O., Mary A., Ellen E. and Emma J. Mr. Loten was a Democrat, and for eight years was a member of the city council and held the position at the time of his death. He was a member of the I. O. O. F. and was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was noted for his many charitable deeds and had many warm personal friends. His death took place December 9, 1876. After his death his eldest son assumed control of the business. Robert W. was born in Yorkshire, England, October 13, 1852, and came to America with his parents. His death occurred March. 7, 1884, and since that time Mrs. Loten has carried on the business alone and has been very successful. She carries an extensive line of wall paper, ceiling decorations, window shades, curtains, etc., etc., and does the most extensive business of the kind in Vincennes. She was for a number of years engaged in the photographic bus- iness in the city and was quite successful. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and is a prominent lady.
JOHN R. MANTLE, M. D., is a native of Watertown, N. Y., born April 6, 1815, son of Edmund and Dorothy (Richardson) Mantle. He is the eldest of eight children-five daughters and three sons-and is of Scotch-German extraction. The parents were born in Connecticut and Massachuetts in 1788 and 1792, respectively. The paternal grandfather, Consider Mantle, was born on the Atlantic Ocean about 1750. His parents died when he was very young and he was raised by a friend of the family.
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He served in the Revolutionary war and died in the "Empire State" in 1835. Subject's father was an 1812 soldier. His death took place in New York in 1875. The mother of our sub- ject died at seventy-five years of age. Our subject grew to man- hood in his native town, attending the common schools and afterward a select school. In 1836 he went to Ohio, and the winter of 1836-37 taught a country school near Cleveland. At the latter date he went to Kenton County, Ky., and taught school in this State for over three years. In 1841 he began the study of medicine in Cincinnati, under Dr. B. S. Lawson. He attended lectures at the Medical College of Ohio, and graduated in 1844. In April of that year he came to Vincennes and began the practice of his profession, and has continued to live in this place for forty years. He has a large and remunerative practice, and in consequence has done well financially. In March, 1847, he was married to Caroline Judah, a daughter of Hon. Samuel Judah. Mrs. Mantle was born in 1829 and died in 1849, having borne her husband one child, Harriet, who died in 1873. Dr. Mantle took for his second wife Mrs. Eliza Sears, a native of Michigan, born in 1825. They were married in 1854. The Doctor is a Republican and a member of the Vincennes Brick and Tile Company, he acting as secretary for them. The Doctor and Mrs. Mantle are leading members of the Christian Church, and he has long been a representative man of the city. For thirty-five years he has been a member of the board of trustees of the Vincennes University, and for six years was president of the board.
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