USA > Indiana > Madison County > History of Madison County, Indiana ; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 87
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On August 27, 1863, Mr. Bireley was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Roll, who was born May 9, 1841, in Darke county, Ohio, daughter of Lorenzo Dow and Elizabeth (Curtis) Roll. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Bireley were Benjamin and Sarah (Martin) Roll, who had six children: John, Lorenzo Dow, Harvey, Orin, Margaret and Sarah. George and Susanna Curtis, Mrs. Bireley's maternal grandparents, were the parents of twelve children, namely: Henry, Margaret, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah, Jesse, Nathan, Melinda, Anna, Leonard and two who died in infancy. Lorenzo Dow Roll was born in Pennsylvania, and died in 1841, when thirty-five years of age, Mrs. Bireley being then but four months old. His wife, who was born in Virginia, survived him for a long period, passing away in 1872, when sixty-two years of age. They were members of the Christian church, and the parents of five children : John, Sarah, Benjamin, Margaret and Mary. Mr. Roll was a farmer and teacher.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bireley : Charles K., a pharmacist in his father's store, who married Clara Stine and has a son,-Maurice O .; and James Fred, who died at the age of twenty-four years. Mr. Bireley belongs to Carlos City Lodge of Odd Fellows and to the local lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men. He is a Progressive in politics, and has for many years interested himself in public matters. While a resident of New Paris, Preble county, Ohio, he served efficiently in the capacity of township trustee, and in Alexandria has been a member of the city council. He has at all times manifested a commendable inter- est in movements tending to advance Alexandria's welfare, and bears the reputation of a progressive, energetic and public-spirited citizen.
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WILLIAM A. CODDINGTON. An agriculturist all his life and the owner of property which he operates himself, William A. Coddington has his chief property interests in his farm. It lies on the borders of Linwood, and its thirty-six acres is immensely valuable as a result. He has given much of his attention to the business of farming and is known for one of the enterprising and progressive men of his community, not alone in his agricultural capacity, but in every enterprise to which he lends a hand.
Born in Rush county in 1849, Mr. Coddington is the son of Enoch and Mary Jane (Gates) Coddington. The father was a native of Ohio, and from that state he moved into Rush county, Indiana, later settling in Madison county, in about 1865. They settled near the town of Florida on the old Scott farm, so called, and there they passed some years dili- gently occupied with the business of farming. They had three children, -William A., of this review, Amanda, now Mrs. Wilson, and James.
William A. Coddington was a mere boy when the Civil war was in progress,-so young, indeed, that to his great chagrin, when he offered his services to his country they were flatly declined. The boy did the next best thing under the circumstances,-that is, he stopped at home and took the place of man on the home farm, and it is possible that he did his country as great a service there as he could possibly have done in the ranks. The common schools of Rush county supplied his educa- tion, and when he completed his educational training, he applied him- self to the business of teaching, continuing so for 19 years. He then moved to Jackson township where he bought a small piece of land, and there he began his independent farming. Since that time he has been a farmer and stock man, as well as a dealer in farm lands. Mr. Cod- dington's home, a six room dwelling of the ever popular bungalow type, is said to be the finest in Linwood. It has just been completed, and is a model of convenience and comfort.
On September 12, 1873, Mr. Coddington married Mary C. Parsons, the daughter of Samuel and Anna (Little) Parsons. The father was a native of Ohio who came to Rush county, Indiana and later located in Madison county in 1859. He was the father of five children: Sarah, now Mrs. Simmons; William F .: Mrs. Lydia Sigler; George and Mrs. Coddington. To Mr. and Mrs. Coddington three children have been born : Rosa, who is the wife of Irwin Hoffman, and the mother of Donald, now in the Anderson high school; Pearl, the wife of Harry Downey ; and Mabel, still at home.
Mr. Coddington is a Progressive Republican and a supporter of the new party, while his religious inclinations are with the Christian church, of which he and his family are members.
SAMUEL G. PHILLIPS. Among the leading financial institutions of Madison county, is found the Alexandria Bank, at Alexandria, much of the prestige of which has been gained through the efforts of its president, Samuel G. Phillips. Mr. Phillips entered this institution some twenty years ago, in a minor capacity, content to learn the busi- ness from the bottom. Since attaining to the chief executive position he has controlled its policy, augmented its usefulness, popularized its coffers and directed the investment of its revenues, and his man- agement of its affairs has proved to be full of wisdom and of great advantage to the institution. Samuel G. Phillips was born September
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9, 1857, in Randolph county, Indiana, and is a son of Ancil B. and Elizabeth Ann (Adamson) Phillips.
Thomas and Rebecca Phillips, the subject's grandparents were born in Pennsylvania, and both were bound out as children and reared in the family of a Quaker named Haynes, in Philadelphia. They were mar- ried in the East, and moved to Randolph county, Indiana, during pioneer days, there entering land from the government and clearing and develop- ing a farm. Mr. Phillips died there at the age of eighty-four years, while his wife attained the remarkable age of ninety-two. They had the following children : William; Wesley ; Rev. Ner II .; Miles; Ancil B., the father of Samuel G .; Lydia; Rebecca and Hettie. Simon Adam- son and his wife, the maternal grandparents of Mr. Phillips, were natives of North Carolina, and became early settlers of Economy, Wayne county, Indiana. Mr. Adamson in early life was engaged in mercan- tile pursuits, but in his latter years became a tiller of the soil, and was so engaged at the time of his death, at the age of 84 years. Ilis wife passed away when 53 years old, having been the mother of four chil- dren : Elizabeth Ann, Spencer, Minerva and Jobn N.
Ancil B. Phillips was born and reared in Randolph county, In- diana, and for many years was engaged in general merchandising at Bloomingsport, but for the past thirty years has been the proprietor of a grocery business in Muncie. His wife died in October, 1912, aged seventy-seven years, in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Mr. Phillips, who reached his eighty-first year in 1913, is also a member. He is fraternally connected with the Odd Fellows. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips had a family of five children, of whom two survive: Luella Clark, who is now the wife of J. J. Johnson, of Muncie and Samuel G.
Samuel G. Phillips was reared in Bloomingsport, Indiana, and there attended the public schools. He received his introduction to business life as a clerk in his father's store, as a small boy, and thoroughly familiarized himself with every detail of the business, thus acquiring invaluable experience and eventually becoming his father's partner, under the firm style of A. B. Phillips & Son. Several years later, Mr. Phillips went to Indianapolis, where he became a traveling salesman for the old wholesale grocery concern of Syfers, McBride & Company, with which he was identified for six years, and then became a merchan- dise broker in Indianapolis. Selling out after three years to Frank Fishback, he spent two years in traveling for a Cincinnati clothing firm, and in 1891 came to Alexandria and entered the Alexandria National Bank, in order to learn the banking business. He subsequently became assistant cashier of this institution and later cashier, and in 1898, when the Alexandria National was taken over by the Alexandria Bank, he became president of this concern, of which he has been the directing head to the present time. This institution, the oldest in Alex- andria, and one of the most substantial in Madison county, has enjoyed a steady and continuous growth, and its capitalization has been in- creased a number of times. Mr. Phillips possesses a comprehensive knowledge of the principles of finance, a thorough understanding of political economy as it affects the great operations of production and distribution, skill in determining the dominant influences that control human action, and a quick and accurate perception of character. These qualities have been developed within him by experience and trial in the
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school of practical business, and have served to make him well known in the financial field in Indiana.
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On November 15, 1888, Mr. Phillips was married to Miss Etta Han- nah, who was born at Alexandria, Indiana, daughter of Robert H. and Caroline (Scott) Hannah, natives of Indiana and for many years resi- dents of Alexandria. Mrs. Hannah died in 1896, aged sixty-six years, while her husband is still living, at the age of eighty-three years. He was for a long period a merchant, later managed a farm before retir- ing from active labor, and is still vice-president of the Alexandria Bank, which he helped to organize, and takes a decided interest in all that affects the welfare of the community. He served one term as clerk of Madison county some years ago. There were four children in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Hannah : Mrs. Minnie S. Malone, residing in Alex- andria ; William S., who is a business inan of Kansas City, Missouri ; Mrs. Viva J. Clark, of Indianapolis; and Mrs. Etta Phillips. Mrs. Phillips is a grandaughter of Abraham Hannah and William Scott, both early settlers of the Hoosier State.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Phillips: Robert Beach and William Thomas. Mrs. Phillips is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church. Her husband belongs to Alexandria Lodge No. 235, F. & A. M., Alexandria Chapter No. 99, R. A. M., and Alexandria Council No. 85, R. & S. M .; to Alexandria Lodge No. 335, Knights of Pythias; and to Necessity Lodge No. 222, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. A Republican in his political views, he has served capably as a member of the council and of the school board. His interests are wide and varied, and of an extensive nature, and he is one of the direct- ing heads of the Imbler Fence and . Manufacturing Company, and a member of the firm of Hughes & Phillips, manufacturers of the Hughes Patent Road Scraper and Grader. Since 1887 he has been a member of the Indianapolis Board of Trade, and he still holds membership in the Commercial Travelers' Association, which he joined as a young busi- ness man.
JOHN L. GRIDER. In the industrial and mercantile enterprise of the city of Alexandria, John L. Grider has had a very important share for twenty years, and is now not only one of the merchants in the retail trade, but is head of one of the manufacturing establishments which give prestige to Alexandria as an industrial center, being president and man- ager of the Imbler Fence & Manufacturing Company.
John L. Grider is a native Indianian, having been born at Fincastle, in Putnam county, September 30, 1860. His parents were Jordan and Mary (Leaton) Grider. The paternal grandfather was Thomas Grider, who married Elizabeth Burton. They were both natives of Kentucky, and were pioneer settlers in Putnam county, Indiana, where they passed away when in old age. There were four sons and three daughters in the family whose names were Henton, Jordan, Zacharias, Barton, Rebecca, Emma and Elizabeth.
Jordan Grider, the father, was born in Putnam county, was reared there and followed farming all his life. He bought a place of one hun- dred and sixty acres in Putnam county, cleared off the timber and under- brush, brought it into a high state of cultivation and upon the crops and fruitage of its acres provided well for his family. His death occurred at Roachdale on March 17, 1913, when eighty-one years and six months old. He was three times married, and altogether was the
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father of eight children. The only child of his first marriage was Thomas L. Grider. By his marriage to Mary Leaton there were two children, John L. of Alexandria, and Emma, wife of Dudley Burk, of Morton, Indiana. Mary Leaton, the mother of these two children died in 1863 at the age of twenty-seven years. She was born in Putnam county and reared there, a daughter of John and Cassandra Leaton, both of whom were from Kentucky. The six children in the Leaton family were Brinton, Catherine, Eliza, Emma, Mary, and Maria, the last named dying in infancy. Mr. Jordan Grider married for his third wife Mrs. Catherine (Ratcliffe) Allison, and their five children were as follows: Effie, wife of George Swisher of Crawfordsville, Indiana ; Nanny, wife of William Whithead, of Morton, Indiana; James of Roaelidale; Frank, of Morehouse, Missouri; and Lon of Roachdale. Mr. John L. Grider was reared on his father's farm in Putnam county. As a boy he attended the district school, and finished his education in the Ladoga Normal School. Up to the time he was grown he continued to live on his father's estate and then began life as a renter, farming on his own account in Putnam county, until he was twenty-eight years of age. Ilis next venture was working at railroad bridge carpentering, an occupation which he followed for two years. He then spent two years with an Indianapolis Wholesale Grocery House, and there acquired a thorough knowledge of the grocery trade. With that experience he came to Alexandria in 1892, and opened a stock of groceries. He has made a thorough study of retail trade, has used excellent methods of presenting his goods to the public, and has always enjoyed a large patronage. He now has a first-class store at 102 South Harrison street. During the past five years Mr. Grider has interested himself in manu- facturing with the Imbler Fence & Manufacturing Company, and as president and general manager has had most to do with making this company a success. The company manufacture woven wire fencing, and its goods are shipped to all parts of the country. In the factory are employed eight workmen, the plant is well equipped with the necessary machinery, and the business is expanding rapidly. Mr. Grider resides at 204 E. Garfield street.
On the 12th of August, 1893, he married Miss Lizzie Greiner, a daughter of Pembroke and Alvira (Cleveland) Greiner. Mrs. Grider was born in New York State, where she lived until eighteen years of age, then coming to Indiana with her parents who settled in Alexandria, where she remained until her marriage. Her parents are still living in this city, and of their two children, the other is a son named Charles Greiner.
Mr. and Mrs. Grider have two children, Genevieve and Gertrude. Mr. and Mrs. Grider are members of the Methodist church in which he is one of the trustees. Fraternally he is affiliated with Alexandria Lodge No. 235 A. F. & A. M., Alexandria Chapter No. 99 R. A. M. and Ander- son Commandery No. 32, Knights Templar. He also belongs to the Improved Order of Red Men, the Knights of the Maccabees, and in poli- ties is a loyal Republican.
CHARLES F. MEYER. Senior member of the firm of C. F. Meyer & Brother, editors and publishers of the weekly and semi-weekly Press at Alexandria, Mr. Meyer has been identified with newspaper management in Madison county for more than twenty years and his experience in practical printing and newspaper work goes baek for nearly forty
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years. It has been his vocation since boyhood in fact, and he has always done well in his chosen vocation.
Charles F. Meyer was born in Rockford, Ohio, on March 5, 1859, a son of Frederick and Maria (Kellar) Meyer. The paternal grandfather was Jacob Meyer, who died when past ninety-two years of age, the father of four children. On the mother's side the grandfather was Joseph Kellar, who was killed in middle life by a falling tree. He was the father of thirteen children, and Mr. Meyer's mother was the youngest in that large family.
Frederick Meyer, the father, was born in Switzerland, while his wife was a native of Baden, Germany. They were the parents of nine children, seven of whom reached maturity, namely: John W., of Find- lay, Ohio; Mary, deceased, the wife of Eli Stoffer; Charles F., of Alex- andria ; Ida, widow of Rolla Merrill, of Celina, Ohio; George, deceased; Joseph, of Celina; Christian, the junior member of the firm of C. F. Meyer & Brother; and two who died in infancy. The father of this family was reared in his native land of Switzerland, and came to America in 1854. His first settlement was in Cleveland where he was married. Subsequently he moved to Van Wert, Ohio, thence to Mercer, Mercer county, where he followed his trade and worked at farming, sub- sequently going to Shanesville, now Rockford, Ohio, and in 1868 trans- ferred his business to Celina, Ohio, bringing his family to that place a year later. He remained at Celina until his death on May 20, 1874, when he was forty-seven, three months and seventeen days of age. His wife survived him many years and passed away in January, 1904, when nearly seventy-six years old. Both were members of the Catholic faith. The father was a veteran of the Union army during the Civil war, having enlisted and served in Company F of the Ninety-ninth Ohio Infantry. He was discharged on account of disability and sent home. He was a man who thoroughly enjoyed and deserved the confidence of his com- munity, and in the early years of his residence in Ohio, he often kept in his shop sums of money entrusted to him for safe keeping by his neighbors.
Mr. Charles F. Meyer spent the first ten years of his life in Rock- ford, Ohio, began his schooling and continued his education at Celina from 1869. In 1876, when about sixteen years of age, he began learning the printer's trade, and in a short time had acquired the rudiments of the art preservative, and has never known nor had ambition for any other line of business since then. In 1892 Mr. Meyer came to Alexan- dria, and in the fall of that year established the Alexandria Sun. Soon afterwards he began the publication of a daily which he called The What Is It. This paper under its novel title subsequently developed into the Record, which he sold in 1893. In August, 1893, Mr. Meyer issued the first number of the Alexandria Press, which will soon complete the 22nd year of its existence as one of the influential and prosperous newspapers of Madison county. Christian H. Meyer, his brother, has been a part- ner in the firm from its beginning. The Press is issued both weekly and semi-weekly, is a Democratic paper, and a first-class general job-print- ing business is also conducted. The office of the paper is in the rear of 111 East Washington street.
In 1881 Mr. Meyer married Miss Temperance Snider, a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Easter) Snider. Their seven children are men- tioned as follows: Pearl, wife of John Rosenberger, and the mother of one child Lyla; Gertrude, who married Charles Oshorn. and they are
Plico 9, Dicken.
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residents of Toledo, Ohio; Carl, who is a linotype operator at Menasha, Wisconsin, and married Etta Mckay, and has one daughter Crystal Christine; Anna, married Herschel Watson, and they reside in Granite City, Illinois; Florence, the wife of Clinton Hupp, of Toledo, Ohio, is the mother of one child now living, Dorothy; Ernest, is a printer in his father's employ; and Mabel is a school girl. Mr. Charles F. Meyer is affiliated with the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks; the Modern Woodmen of America, the Royal Neighbors of America, the German Inde- pendent Aid Society of Celina, Ohio, and in politics is a Democrat. He has given four years service as a member of the Alexandria City Coun- cil. Christian H. Meyer, younger brother of Mr. Charles F. was born at Celina, Ohio, December 22, 1869, and married on November 21, 1894, Miss Catherine Walter, daughter of Henry and Barbara (Pfoff) Wal- ter. They are the parents of five children whose names are: Walter, Helen, Edwin, Richard and Robert.
PHILIP G. DECKER. For many years Philip G. Decker was a well known promoter of oil ventures and a driller of oil wells in Ohio and Indiana, in both of which states he operated extensively and gained a wide reputation in the oil circles in the two states. His later years, how- ever, have been devoted to the business of farming, and he is the owner of one of the finest farms in the county, a tract of two hundred and seventy acres lying five miles northeast of Anderson.
A native of the state of Ohio, Philip G. Decker was born in Washing- ton county on November 7, 1858, a son of William E. and Martha Brooks (Green) Decker. The father, a son of Abraham and Betsey (Way) Decker, was a pioneer of Washington county, Ohio, and was well known all bis life in that section of the state. He was born in Ohio in 1828, and was a farmer and a driller of oil wells. He drilled one of the first wells in Washington county, Ohio, and later drilled a number of others there, many of which were self flowing and one of them produced five hundred barrels a day, while another regularly flowed one hundred and forty barrels a day and many of his wells continued to produce abundantl ;. for years. In 1890 he came to Indiana, where he engaged in drilling wells in Madison county, oil having been discovered in quantities, and he continued actively in the business as a promoter and a driller until his death, which occurred in Anderson in 1903. His wife, nee Martha Brooks Green, as noted above, was a daughter of Philip Green. Her death occurred in 1898. She became the mother of five sons and two daughters, and two of the sons are residents of Indiana,-George N., a prominent farmer, and Philip G.
Philip Green Decker passed his early boyhood on the farm in Ohio, where he attended the country schools in the winter and occupied him- self in various other ways in the summer seasons. He assisted his father in his work in the oil fields until 1888, when he left home and came to Anderson, for a time thereafter being associated with the Indianapolis Gas Business, and was one of the first to drill a gas well in Indiana. While thus engaged oil was discovered, and during the ensuing oil excitement he drilled a number of productive wells and became one of the principal gas and oil promoters in Anderson. He continued actively in the gas and oil business until the wells began to diminish in their flow, when he disposed of his interests and purchased a good farm in Madison county, being now engaged in farming and stock raising. His estate, which is one of the finest ones of this section, is improved with Vol. 11-21
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splendid buildings and is one of the productive places of the county. It is located five miles northeast of Anderson and comprises two hundred and seventy acres of choice land, well stocked with hogs, cattle and horses.
In 1880 Mr. Decker was married to Miss Phoebe C. Rapp, of Wash- ington county, Ohio, a daughter of John and Dorothy (Schoff) Rapp. The five children born of this union are as follows: Martha, the first born, is the wife of John P. Holton and resides at Hartford City, Indiana. Howard and Fred are members of the Decker Brothers Book Store, and Elnora and Ruth are both at home. Howard graduated from the Anderson high school, and afterward completed a course in the University of Valparaiso, Indiana, while Fred graduated from the Ken- tucky University. The daughter Elnora is a graduate of the Indian- apolis Conservatory of Music. Mr. Decker is a member of the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks, and with his family holds member- ship in the Methodist Episcopal church. The Decker residence is main- tained at 329 West Sixtli street, one of the fine and substantial dwellings of the city.
EDGAR C. SMITH. Now head of the grocery house of E. C. Smith & Son at 212 North Harrison street in Alexandria, Mr. Smith has been a resident of this city for more than twenty years, and is a man whose work has proved itself, so that he is now one of the prosperous mer- chants and a citizen whose name and influence are regarded with esteem in his community.
Edgar C. Smith was born in Spiceland, Indiana, August 14, 1870. His paternal grandfather was Adam Smith, whose wife was Sarah (Hut- ton) Smith, natives of Pennsylvania. Adam Smith was an early settler in Wayne county, Indiana, and died at South Wabash, this state when well advanced in years. He and his wife were the parents of three children, Nora, Henry and Thomas. The maternal grandfather of the Alexandria merchant was Benjamin Cosand, whose wife was Jane (Nich- olson) Cosand. They were born in North Carolina, became early set- tlers in Henry county, Indiana, where they died at a good old age. Their four children were Elizabeth F .; Eliza Jane; Laban E., and Elnora.
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