USA > Indiana > Madison County > History of Madison County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 44
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Mr. Bronnenberg is a Democrat in his political belief, but has never aspired to public office, being content to devote his energies to the work of tilling his fertile fields. With his family, he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, to the movements of which he donates liberally.
JESSE E. HALL. In no field of endeavor is there demanded a more careful preparation, a more thorough appreciation of the absolute ethics of life, or of the underlying principles which form the basis of human rights and privileges than in that of the law, and in no profession is there -a career more open to talent. Intuitive wisdom, unflagging application, and a determination to fully utilize the means at hand are the accom- paniments which insure personal prosperity and influence in this great profession, which stands as the stern conservator of justice, and it is oue into which none should enter without a realization of the struggles which will have to be won, for success comes only as a result of ability and unusual capacity. Among those who have won merited recognition at the Madison county bar, none stand higher in public esteem than does Jesse E. Hall, of Alexandria, a wide-awake, energetic citizen and mem- ber of the village advisory board, who for nineteen years has occupied offices at No. 113 1-2 North Harrison street. Mr. Hall was born two and one-half miles east and one-half mile north of Alexandria, Indiana, and is a son of Jesse H. and Elizabeth S. (Ellis) Hall.
The paternal grandparents of Mr. Hall, Joseph Hall and his wife, were natives of Virginia and early settlers of Ohio, and came to Madison county, Indiana, as pioneers about the year 1832. He bought and improved a farm in Monroe township, and there continued to carry ou operations throughout the balance of his career, making a success of his transactions and gaining the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens. His death occurred in advanced age, while his wife was eighty-three years old at the time of her demise. They had a family of six children, namely :
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Jesse H., John, James, George, Louisa and Jane. Evan Ellis, the maternal grandfather of Jesse E. Hall, came from North Carolina with his wife, and became an early settler in Madison county. He was also a farmer, carried on large operations, and was well known and highly regarded in his community. He and his wife were the parents of three children : Sarah, Emily and Elizabeth S.
Jesse HI. Hall was born in Ohio, and was eight years of age when be accompanied his parents to Indiana. Reared to the life.of an agricul- turist, he early gave up tilling the soil to engage in educational work, and for twenty-seven terms was one of the most popular teachers Madi- son county had known. He died on the farm east of Alexandria, in March 24, 1901, at the age of seventy-seven years, while his wife passed away in November 17, 1904, when seventy-four or seventy-five years of age. Both were faithful members of the Methodist church. They had a family of thirteen children, of whom eleven grew to maturity : Louisa, deceased, who never married; Nathan A., who resides in Monroc town- ship; Sarah A'., who became the wife of Alexander Peck, of Monroe town- ship; Joseph E., who is a practicing physician of Alexandria; William I., also living here; Mary E., who became the wife of William H. May, of Alexandria; Charles M., an agriculturist of Monroe township; Jesse E .; Maggie, who died unmarried; Henry H., of Alexandria; and John Wesley, Catherine and Amanda, all of whom died in early childhood.
Jesse E. Hall was reared on his father's farm in Madison county, and his early education was secured in the district schools. Subse- quently he attended Fairmount Academy and the Northern Indiana Normal school, at Valparaiso, and the next three years were passed in teaching school in Nebraska. At the end of that period he went back to Valparaiso and entered the law school, and later went to Columbia Law school, Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he was graduated in June, 1892, being admitted to the bar during the same year, as well as to the Supreme Court. After settling up the business of one of his brothers in the West, Mr. Hall came to Alexandria in July, 1893, and here has continued in the enjoyment of a large practice to the present time. Since his advent here, Mr. Hall's comprehensive understanding of the principles of the law, his careful preparation of cases and his fidelity to his clients' inter- ests have gained him an enviable position among the legists of his native county, while his devotion to the best interests of the city have made him no less well known as a public-spirited citizen. He served faithfully in the capacity of city attorney for two years, and is one of the valued mem- bers of the Alexandria Business Men's Association and the Men's Broth- erhood.
On September 13, 1895, Mr. Hall was married to Miss Myrtle Bell, who was born in Alexandria, Indiana, daughter of William and Nettie (Chaplin) Bell, both deceased, the former a native of Anderson and the latter of Alexandria, Indiana. They had three children: Myrtle, Edward and Richard. Mr. and Mrs. Hall have had three children : Cora B., Nettie M. and Perry E. . They are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church. In political matters Mr. Hall has given his support to the principles of the new Progressive party. His fraternal connections are with Alexandria Lodge, No. 335, Knights of Pythias; Haymakers' Asso- ciation ; Royal Arcanum; Mashingonisha Tribe, No. 110, Improved Order of Red Men; and the local tent of the Knights of the Maccabees.
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CHARLES STINSON. The flourishing township of Anderson its high position among the leading townships of Madison col reason of its publie-spirited, progressive agriculturists, who hav times manifested a commendable willingness to do all in their p further its advancement and promote its prosperity. One of t. most of these patriotic citizens is found in the person of Charles who for a number of years has been especially concerned in the ment of the agricultural interests of his section, and has contrib slight amount of material assistance and influence in this directic Stinson is a native of Madison county, and was born in Adams to April 11, 1874, a son of Isum and Elizabeth (VanDever) Stinson
The Stinson family was founded in the Hoosier State by Geor son, the grandfather of Charles, who was a native of North Carol an early settler of Madison county, where he entered land dur administration of President Andrew Jackson. Isum Stinson born in the Old North State and was an infant when brought to by his parents .. He spent his entire career in agricultural pursu became one of his section's substantial men, although never public life. He and his wife were the parents of six children, William, George, Sadie, who married a Mr. Cullepher; Samuel, and Maggie, who became the wife of a Mr. Williams.
Charles Stinson spent his youth upon the home farm in Adan ship, working in the fields and meadows through the summer and when the snow fell entered the district schools of the neight where he pursned his lessons until the return of spring necessit return to farm duties. For a time he was a student in the Fessler but completed his education in the schools of Adams township. f which he gave over his whole time and attention to the tilling soil. His advance in his chosen vocation has been continuous a balanced, and at this time he is the owner of a handsome property on the Main street road, in Anderson township, about one .and miles from Anderson. Mr. Stinson has given the greater par labor to general farming, but he has also met with a gratifying in stock raising, and his sleek, well-fed eattle testify to his abilit line. He is praetical and progressive in his methods, and in the ment of his business affairs displays a sound judgment that has to him a merited success.
On August 29, 1895, Mr. Stinson was united in marriage 5 Iona B. Harmeson, daughter of John and Nancy J. (Reetor) H who make their home on the Main Street road, between Mr. S farm and the city of Anderson. Mr. and Mrs. Stinson have had th dren : Val, Alvey and Zelma. They are members of the C church and active in its work, giving freely of their time and r the support of its movements. In politics Mr. Stinson is a Demo he is too great a lover of his home to enter actively into the stru the political arena, although no enterprise of public importance his intelligent consideration. That he is generally popular with low citizens is testified to by his wide eirele of friends.
JOSEPH HIMELICK. A highly esteemed and thriving farmer Buren township, Joseph Himelick, now serving as a member of the Council of Madison county, is intimately associated with the tural interests of Van Buren township, owning and occupyin estate, to the value and improvement of which he is constantly
"CATALPA GROVE STOCK FARM," RESIDENCE OF JOSEPII IIIMELICK
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A native of Indiana, he was born in Union county, September 14, 1865, a son of John Himeliek. His paternal grandparents, James and Mary (Curry) Himeliek, who were pioneer settlers of Frankin county, Indiana, reared four children, as follows: John, who was the only son; Anna, who married Wm. Carpenter; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Galloway ; and Mary, who married John Styres.
Born and brought up in Franklin county, John Himelick selected farming as his occupation, and as a young man began life for himself in Madison county. About 1875 he moved from Van Buren township to Grant county, and there lived and labored until his death, his body being laid to rest in Fairmount Cemetery. He married Mary C. Morris, who survived him, and is now living in Summitville, Indiana. Nine children were born of their union, namely : George, Joseph, the special subject of this brief sketch; Elizabeth, deceased; Robert, John, Olive, Maud, Orville, and Earl.
Gleaning his elementary knowledge of books in the schools of Sum- mitville, Joseph Himelick completed his studies in Grant county, attend- ing the district schools of Fairmount township, where his father located. In the meantime he acquired a practical knowledge of agriculture while assisting in the care of the parental farm. Beginning the battle of life on his own account at the age of twenty-one years, he worked for a while by the month, after which he had the care of his grandmother's farm for three years. Anxious then to enlarge his operations, Mr. Himelick rented another near-by farm, and supervised both estates for a time. Having by dint of hard labor and thrift accumulated some money, he then pur- chased the eighty-acre farm that he last rented, and in its management, met with unquestioned success. He has since acquired other valuable. tracts of land, and is now the owner of three hundred acres of choice land, one hundred and twenty aeres being advantageously located in Grant county, while his home place in Van Buren township, Madison county, contains one hundred and eighty acres, which he devotes to gen- eral farming.
Mr. Himeliek married, October 5, 1888, Amanda E. Webster, a daugh- ter of William and Samantha (Englis) Webster, and to them three chil- dren have been born, namely: Robert E., who married Edna Scott; Virgil, and Willias. Religiously Mr. Himelick is a member of the Christian church.
The pretty homestead of Mr. and Mrs. Himelick is known as the "Catalpa Grove Stock Farm" and is one of the fine estates of North Madison county. The original spelling of the name of Himelick in the German language was "Hymelich."
WILLIAM S. POLING. One of the industries which have done much to extend the fame of Anderson as a manufacturing center is the Spring Steel Fence and Wire Company, of which William S. Poling is president. Mr. Poling is also at the head of the Simplex Manufacturing Company, a concern that makes automobile parts. The Spring Steel Fence and Wire Company succeeds to the business of the Shimer Woven Wire Fence Company and was founded in 1907, and incorporated under the present title in 1909. From the original capital stock of fifty thousand dollars the business now employs a capital of three hundred thousand dollars, and the increase of capital is an excellent index of the growth and prosperity of the concern. The grounds occupied by the plant comprise four acres, and the main building is of brick and concrete construction.
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The fencing, gates and other wire products of this company have an exten- sive sale not only locally and in the United States, but are exported tu such distant countries as England, India, Japan and South America.
William Sherman Poling was born in Logan, Perry county, Ohio, on October 25, 1867, a son of Nathan and Elizabeth ( Welter) Poling. The mother died in 1892, and the father, who was for many years a merchant of Ada, Ohio, died in 1912. Nathan Poling was born and educated iu Germany, came to America when a young man, and while living in Ohio served as a soldier of the Union in the One Hundred and Four- teenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. William S. Poling was educated in the public schools of Ada and graduated from the Normal University of that city in 1898. Soon afterwards he came to Anderson, was in business with others for eight years, and then formulated and organized the com- pany of which he is now president, the Spring Steel F'ence and Wire Company. Other members of this firm are: Frederick E. Holloway, vice president; and Guy J. Derthick, secretary and treasurer. Mr. Poling is an active Republican and a strong worker for all local improvements and measures tending to advance the civic welfare.
On December 15, 1891, Mr. Poling married Miss Lula A. Bosworth, daughter of Isaac W. Bosworth, an old resident of Anderson. They have one daughter, Aubrey A., who graduated from Oberlin College in 1913. The family reside at 1917 Meridian street in Anderson.
. WILLIAM H. BIRELEY. More than twenty years have passed since Wil- liam H. Bireley first settled in Alexandria, and during this time he has been continuously engaged in the drug business. Although now past his seventieth year, he continues to take a keen interest in all that pertains to the welfare of his adopted city, and is known as a member of that class of business men who have, by their activities, made this one of the lead- ing commercial eenters of this part of the state. Mr. Bireley was born at Liberty, Montgomery county, Ohio, June 7, 1842, and is a son of Henry and Martha (Lorimer) Bireley.
Frederick Bireley, the paternal grandfather of William H. Bireley, was a native of Maryland, of German descent, and followed the occupa- tion of distiller, also being the owner of a paper mill near Fredericksburg. He married Barbara Bireley, also of Maryland, and they became the parents of the following children: John, William J., Joseph, George, Philip, Mary, who became the wife of Edward Murphy; Elizabeth, who married William Emery; Catherine, who married a Mr. Thompson; and Margaret, the wife of Levi Ammon. Hugh and Nancy (Martin) Lori- mer, the maternal grandparents of Mr. Bireley, were born in Pennsyl- vania, but in young married life moved to Ohio and settled in Darke , county, where Mr. Lorimer followed farming during the greater part of his life. He was the father of five children: Elizabeth, who became the wife of Isaac Pierce; Martha, who married Henry Bireley; Sarah, the wife of Furman Sebring; Mary, the wife of Christopher Folkert; and Gibson.
Henry Bireley was born and reared in Maryland, and there learned the potter's trade, which he followed at Liberty, Ohio, whence he had come as a young man. There he died in 1846, aged thirty-five years, having been the father of two children : William H. : and Sarah E., who is the widow of James Oliver, and resides at Garrett. Indiana. After his death, his widow married (second) Noah Arnold, who is also now deceased, and they had one daughter: Ella, who married Harry MeCool,
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and now lives at Jaysville, Ohio. Mrs. Arnold passed away in Darke county, Ohio, February 2, 1897, at the age of eighty-three years, in the faith of the Methodist church, of which Mr. Bireley had also been a member,
William H. Bireley was four years of age when taken by his parents from Montgomery county to Darke county, Ohio, and there he grew to manhood on a farm, securing his education in the district and select schools. Adopting the profession of educator, he taught six terms of school, of six months each, and was so engaged when he enlisted in Com- pany F, Ninety-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for service with. the 100-day troops. He was corporal of his company and left home on the 9th day of August, 1862, being wounded on the 31st of the same month at the battle of Kat's Creek Ferry. For more than a year he remained at home recuperating, and then re-enlisted as lieutenant of Company I, One Hundred Fifty-second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infan- try, with which he served four months, his term of service then expiring. On receiving his honorable discharge, he returned to the pursuits of peace as the proprietor of a flour mill at Greenville, Ohio, where he . remained several years, and was then employed at various mills all over Ohio and Indiana, continuing in the business for something more than eighteen years. Mr. Bireley entered the drug business at Carlos City, Randolph county, Indiana, where he conducted an establishment for three years, and in 1892 came to Alexandria, where he now has the dis- tinction of being the second oldest merchant in continuous business activity. He has a finely stocked and handsomely equipped place of business at No. 111 West Washington street, where he enjoys a steady and representative trade, and his honorable methods and strict reliability have won him the confidence of his community.
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 eitizen.
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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 it 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 fiatly 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 elearing 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 H .; 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. His wife passed away when 53 years old, having been the mother of four chil- dren : Elizabeth Ann, Spencer, Minerva and John N.
Aneil 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 direeting 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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