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 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
Many important public services have interrupted the career of Mr. Kittinger in his regular profession. He was elected in October, 1880, prosecuting attorney for the twenty-fourth judicial circuit including Hamilton and Madison counties. He was reelected to the position in 1882, and gave a very satisfactory account of his administration during four years. After leaving the office he formed a partnership with Judge R. Lake, which lasted six months. He then fitted up an office of his own on the southside of the public square, but the building in which he was located was burned to the ground in less than a month after he
404
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
·
had occupied the office, and he suffered a heavy loss for him at that stage of his career. February 1, 1886, he became a partner of L. M. Schwinn, and the firm of Kittinger & Schwinn became recognized as one of the strongest aggregations of legal talent in this section of the state. Through all these years his reputation was growing as a criminal lawyer, and at the present time there is no abler practitioner in this special department in central Indiana than William A. Kittinger.
Mr. Kittinger was in politics a Democrat until 1878, and from that time forward allied himself with the Republicans. In 1888-90 he served as secretary of the Republican county Central Committee and is regarded as one of the strongest and most influential workers for his party in Madison county. In 1888 he was nominated on the Republican tieket representative to the legislature and led his party ticket by about one hundred and twenty-five ballots, though he was unable to overcome the Democratic majority in the county. In 1900 he was elected to the state senate from Madison county and in 1904 he was renominated for this office, and thus served for eight years his term as state senator end- ing January, 1908. In 1908 Mr. Kittinger was nominated and elected state senator on the senatorial district, and as a legislator has an excel- lent record.
At Columbus Grove, Ohio, September 9, 1874, Mr. Kittinger married Miss Martha E. Kunneke, who was born in Dayton, Ohio, and reared in Columbus Grove. The three children of Mr. Kittinger now living are : Theodore. a graduate of the Annapolis Naval Academy of Annapolis, Maryland; Leslie F., Tschentscher of Chicago, Ill., and Helen M. the wife of Blanchard J. Horne. Mr. Kittinger is a Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. IIe is affiliated with Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 77 A. F. & A. M., in which he served as master of the lodge; with Anderson Chapter of which he is a past-high priest; and Anderson Commandery No. 32 K. T. of which he has been eminent commander. He also is a member of the Order of The Eastern Star and has a membership in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and with the Rebekahs. He is one of the well known members of the County Bar Association.
GEORGE GRANT MANNING. In the death of George Grant Manning, which occurred at his home in the city of Anderson, Angust 8. 190S, there came to a close in its sixty-sixth year a life which contained a great aggregate of usefulness, of kindly relationship with family and community, and one that was successful from the usual material estimate. Mr. Manning gave many years of his life to educational work, and came to Anderson in 1895 as one of the proprietors of the Crystal Iee Company, with which his name continued to be identified until his death.
George Grant Manning was born in Shelby county, New York, December 23, 1842. He was the fourth son in a family of seven children, whose parents were William and Elizabeth Manning. His boyhood was spent on a. farm, and he pursued the usual rontine of farmer boys of half a century ago, attending the district school during the winter sea- son, and working at home the other months of the year, and also doing much both morning and night in the way of chores and other assistance to the home. At the age of seventeen he entered Medina Academy. The following year in 1860, he accompanied his parents on their removal to DeKalb county, Illinois, and continued his education by attendance in the schools at Sycamore for one term, and was engaged to teach his first
4
.
405
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
term in 1861. In 1862 he moved to Lyndon, in Whiteside county, where he was elected principal of the village schools at the age of twenty years. In 1866 Mr. Manning advanced his educational equipment by attendance at the Illinois State Normal School in Bloomington, from which institu- tion he was graduated in 1869. He taught for some time in Fulton and in Jacksonville, Illinois.
In 1871 Mr. Manning married. Miss Lucia Kingsley, who was a grad- uate of the Illinois State Normal School, and previous to her marriage had been a teacher in the model department of the State Normal Schools. After her marriage they moved to Peru, Indiana, Mr. Man- ning having been chosen superintendent of the city schools. For twenty- one years he had charge of the city schools of Peru, and his work as an educator and organizer was of the quality which lasts both in the minds and characters of the many generations of children who attended dur- ing that time, and also left a permanent impress on the school organiza- tion of that city. On leaving the work of education at Peru, Mr. Man- ning moved to Anderson, where he became president. and manager of the Crystal Ice Company. In 1903 he erected the Manning Block on Meridian Street. He was also one of the stockholders in the Union building, and in the course of a lifetime of effort accumulated a good estate for the benefit of his family. Mr. Manning served as one of the trustees of the First Baptist church in Anderson. He was always much interested in the welfare of his home city, and whenever possible gener- ously supported the movement for the community good. His genial, friendly disposition, brought him many friends wherever he lived, but though he was fond of social life, he found his greatest pleasure in his home.
Mr. Manning is survived by Mrs. Manning and their four children, namely: Miss Lucia May Manning; Mrs. Grace E. M. Downing; Mrs. Edith M. Stein, and George K. Manning. There are also five grand- children to be mentioned in the family record, their names being George Elliott Downing, Mary Elizabeth Downing, Lucia Grace Downing, Margaret Manning Stein and George King Manning.
JOHN B. PRITCHARD. The present superintendent of police at Ander- son has recently completed a record of twenty years with the police force, in which he began as a patrolman, and by efficiency and faithful service has been promoted and under several different city administrations has held his present place. He belongs to one of the old families of Madison county, the Pritchards having been identified with this county for up- wards of seventy years.
John B. Pritchard was born in Madison, Kansas, December 17, 1863, a son of Nelson T. and Magdalene (Nelson) Pritchard. His father belonged to an old North Carolina family, in which state he was born. In 1846 the family came to Madison county, Indiana, and were among the early farmers of this section. The father took up farming and was engaged in agriculture and stock raising for many years. He afterwards moved out to Kansas where he remained a few years, and finally located permanently in Madison county, Indiana, where he still resides.
John B. Pritchard was reared in his home county, and as a boy had the advantages of the district schools. While he was in Kansas he attended a select school. In 1888 at the age of twenty-five he returned to Anderson, and after following different occupations became con- nected with the police force in 1893. He was afterwards promoted to
406
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
captain, and from captain was finally made superintendent of the city police. His service has been unusually satisfactory, and the best evi- dence of this is the fact that he has served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, and has maintained the force at a high state of discipline, and has always cooperated with the agencies of law and order, so that Anderson is regarded as one of the best policed cities in the state.
Mr. Pritchard married Miss Armintha Smith, of Kansas, daughter of William Smith, a prominent citizen of that state. Their union has been blessed by the birth of five children, namely: Hilton M., Essie May, Gladys, John N., and George W. Essie May is the wife of A. Clemmons of Anderson. Mr. Pritchard is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and the Loyal Order of Moose. His home in Anderson is at 1214 West Fifth Street. By his long residence in Madison county, and his position on the police force he has secured an extensive acquaint- ance not only in this county but in many of the adjoining counties of the state.
DAVID ESHELMAN. The business of contractor and builder has been the vocation of Mr. Eshelman, since his early manhood. The degree of accomplishment in such a carcer is open to inspection, for there are hundreds of homes, business and public structures through this section of Indiana that are the practical testimony of his skill and ability.
Representing one of the pioneer families of Madison county and one of the leading men in his line of business, Mr. Eshelman was born in Madison county, on a farm four miles north of the city of Anderson in Lafayette township on January 16, 1850. His father was John Eshel- man, a native of Pennsylvania, where he spent his youth and required a common school education. He married Mrs. Nancy (Mustard) Elliott, an aunt of Daniel Mustard, so well known at Anderson. Grandfather George Mustard was a pioneer settler of Madison county, and the maiden name of his wife was Miss Delay. After his marriage, John Eshelman, the father, settled on a farm in Lafayette township, and condneted a farm of three hundred acres. a place which he did much to develop from its original wild state. He continued to live on the farm until his death in 1870. His wife, who survived him, died in 1892.
David Eshelman was reared on the farm just described, and during the winter terms for a number of years attended the district school in the neighborhood. When he was seventeen years old he was qualified and obtained a certificate to teach, and spent about three years in that voca- tion in the country districts. Abandoning the profession of teacher, he took up the trade of carpenter, and in a few years became identified with building and contracting.
In 1875, Mr. Eshelman married Miss Charity Scott. The two sons born to their marriage are Ross W., a carpenter and contractor, and Albert A., who is at home with his father. After the marriage, David Eshelman located on a farm for some time, and later moved into Ander- son. Since establishing himself in business in the county seat, he has erected a large number of the better residences in the city, many store buildings, and had a contract for much of the work on the Union Build- ing, the six-story structure which is one of the best office buildings in this section of the state. On the basis of his performance, the name of David Eshelman stands for quality and efficiency. He does much work in the country districts in Madison county, and in neighboring towns.
.
٠٠٠٠
... 1
407
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
He is noted for his honorable and thorough work, and is himself a skilled workman, a fact which has stood him to good advantage in his business. Mr. Eshelman has a comfortable home at 124 Fifth Street in Anderson. In politics he takes much interest on the Democratic side, and has served as a member of the city council, and was trustee of the township, before he came to Anderson. Fraternally he is well known in Masonic circles, being affiliated with Mount Moriah Lodge No. 77, A. F. & A. M., Anderson Chapter No. 52 R. A. M. and Anderson Commandery No. 2, K. T.
CHESTER F. SCOTT. The firm of Scott & Mead, plumbers and dealers in heating and plumbing supplies, is one of the well known business con- cerns of Anderson, established here in recent years, with Chester F. Scott as junior member of the firm. Mr. Scott was born in Windfall, Tipton county, Indiana, on January 25, 1883, and is the son of Dr. W. F. and Ada V. (Conkling) Scott. The father is a West Virginian by birth and there he spent his early days, coming to Indiana while yet in his young manhood. He is still living, and is in his sixty-first year, making his home at Linwood, Indiana, where he is actively engaged in the practice of medicine, and in the enjoyment of a widespread clientele.
Chester F. Scott is the only son of his parents. IIe was educated in the township schools of the community where he was born and reared, and he finished his public school training in the Anderson high school, where he continued for three years. Upon leaving school he entered the Voorhees Commercial College in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he secured an excellent business training, that has stood him in excellent stead since he came to be a business man on his own responsibility. During his school years, Mr. Scott had at intervals applied himself to the plumbing trade as a helper, and it was in odd hours of practice thus gained that he came to qualify as a practical plumber. When he had completed his college course, he cast about for a suitable opening for a well trained young business man, and the result of his investigation was that he asso- ciated himself in a business partnership with G. C. Mead, under the firm name of the Scott & Mead. The new firm met with a pleasing success from its inception, and they are known today as two of the most suc- cessful and enterprising young men in the city. They are qualified to do all kinds of plumbing, both in the city and country finding an ample field for their activities, and they carry a full line of plumbing supplies such as might be found in any well conducted establishment of its kind, and both members of the firm being practical and successful plumbers, they are able to carry on the entire work of the establishment with but little outside help. The splendid business training that Mr. Scott received in Indianapolis has been of inestimable value to him in this venture, and their affairs are conducted on a strictly business basis, prominence and success coming to them in generous measure.
Mr. Scott was married on May 22, 1911, to Miss Vera Esther F'in- frock, of Covington, Ohio, a daughter of Frank P. and Emma (Phipps) Finfrock. One son, Benjamin Ferris, has been born to them.
The fraternal relations of Mr. Scott are maintained in Linwood Lodge No. 793, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, with membership in Linwood Lodge No. 639, Rebekahs, and the encampment at Anderson.
AUGUSTUS T. DYE. A former county recorder and one of the most popular men in public affairs of Madison county, Mr. Dye has a promi- Vol. 11-4
408
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
nent place in financial circles of Anderson, being assistant secretary and treasurer of the Farmer's Trust Company, of which he was the original organizer. The Farmer's Trust Company is one of the most substantial organizations of its kind in this section of the state, and among its directors are many of the reliable business men and well known citizens of both Anderson and the surrounding country.
The career of Augustus T. Dye began in Clermont county, Ohio, where he was born July 27, 1864, belonging to an old family of that state. His grandfather was James Dye, a pioneer of Ohio. The father was Francis M. Dye, who was born in Ohio, and for many years an attorney. His death occurred during the year 1866, after four years service in U. S. Army. He married Miss Amanda Manchester, who was born in Kentucky, a daughter of Hiram Manchester and grand- daughter of Chas. C. Manchester, who began his career as a minister in his eighteenth year and was widely known among the early settlers of Ohio as a preacher, living to the advanced age of eighty years. On the mother's side another ancestor, through a collateral branch, was Roger Williams, the noted character of early New England history, who in order to attain freedom of worship, according to his own ideas, left the old Massachusetts colony, and settled in Rhode Island where he gathered about him a small congregation and founded what was known as Providence and Rhode Island plantations. Mrs. Amanda Dye is still living at Hamerville, Ohio, and was the mother of two children.
Augustus T. Dye spent his early boyhood on a farm in Ohio, and attended both the common and high schools at Felicity, Ohio, until com- pleting his education in the high school. He then returned to the farm and engaged in its various duties until he was twenty-one years of age. His experience since that time has connected him with the larger phases of business life. He spent two and a half years as traveling salesman in Ohio, and then came to Anderson, where he followed various lines of employment. His popularity as a citizen in 1898 resulted in his election to the office of county recorder, and he gave four years of faithful and intelligent service in that capacity. He was a Republican and had the distinction of being the only candidate on the Republican ticket who was successful in that election. On the expiration of his term of office as recorder he spent three years in the mercantile business, and then with others as his associates, organized the Farmer's Trust Bank. On the organization of this well known financial enterprise he was made assistant secretary and treasurer and has held those offices ever since.
Mr. Dye was first married to Miss Anna Ayres, daughter of William and Nancy Ayres. The three children born to this union were: Harvey, now an employe of the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company, with headquarters in Indianapolis; Lula, graduate of the high school, and a teacher of music; and Stella, now a student in the high school of Anderson. The mother of these children died on April 22, 1899. Mr. Dye subsequently married Miss Lida Brooks, of Anderson, a daughter of E. A. and Catherine Brooks. Mrs. Dye before her marriage was for seven years a teacher in the schools of Anderson, and is remembered as one of the most efficient and popular in the pro- fession at the time. Mr. Dye has membership in Fellowship Lodge No. 681, A. F. & A. M., Anderson Chapter No. 52 R. A. M., Anderson Com- mandery No. 32, K. T., Indianapolis Consistory, has attained thirty-two degrees of the Scottish Rite Masonry, and is a member of Murat Temple of the Mystic Shrine in Indianapolis. His other fraternal affiliations are
!
409
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
with the Elks Lodge No. 209 at Anderson. His residence in Anderson is at 920 West Fifth Street. -
EMERETH E. LUSE. A prominent and old-established real estate man . of Anderson, Mr. Luse has been identified with this city in a successful and public spirited manner for many years, and is numbered among the citizens who have been instrumental in helping promote many projects for the upbuilding and progress of this community. The firm of Luse & Hardie is the largest office for real estate and insurance in Anderson, and both members of the firm are well known and able business men.
Emereth E. Luse was born upon a farm near Elwood in Tipton county, January 5, 1872. William H. Luse, his father, was born in Franklin county, Indiana, February 17, 1846, and married Lucinda (Beeler) Luse, who was born in Wayne county this state, August 20, 1845. After their marriage the parents settled in Tipton county, where they remained until 1871, at which time they moved to a farm near the line of Madison county, but still later bought a farm of forty-five acres just outside the corporate limits of the city of Elwood, which has been their home ever since. This is an extremely valuable farm, is excellently well improved and has furnished a delightful and profitable homestead to the family. The older Mr. Imse is a Republican, and was a Union soldier in the Civil war, has always taken a lively interest in local and state politics, though he has never sought or held office.
Mr. E. E. Luse spent his early boyhood on the Tipton county farm, and was a student in the district schools there until moving to the vicin- ity of Elwood, when he entered the high school of that city and grad- uated with the class of 1893. After that he taught school in Benton county, this state and was clerk in a clothing store and dry goods store, an occupation which he followed until 1902.
Moving to Anderson in the latter year, Mr. Luse was appointed Dep- uty County Treasurer under T. L. Dehority and continued in that relation during the two terms, or four years, during which Mr. Dehority was treasurer, and then succeeded and held the same office under Mr. George F. Quick, the succeeding treasurer of the county. In 1910, Mr. Luse formed a partnership with Henry P. Hardie, under the firm name of Luse & Hardie, and opened offices for real estate and insurance business, handling both city and farm property. By their large acquaintance throughout the county, and by enterprising business meth- ods, they have advanced their firm to the leading one of its kind in the city of Anderson. Mr. Hardie, the other partner, is postmaster at Anderson at this writing.
On March 20, 1900, Mr. Luse married Miss Edith M. Jones of Elwood, who was originally from Pennsylvania and subsequently became a resident of Madison county. Mrs. Luse was born in Mckeesport, Pennsylvania. Fraternally Mr. Luse is affiliated with the Elks Lodge at Anderson, and with the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge No. 1. In polities he is a Republican, and he and his wife are active members of the Central Christian Church, Mrs. Luse being prominent in church circles, and especially the Ladies Aid Society. Mr. Luse is treasurer and prominent in the work of the associated charities of Anderson. The firm of Luse & Hardie have well equipped offices in the Neely Block, and Mr. Luse and family reside at 102 West Fourth Street.
1
410
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
·
.
EDWARD C. HANDY. As treasurer and general manager of the Indi- ana Ice & Dairy Company at Anderson, Mr. Handy has the practical control of one of this city's most servicable industries. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that milk and cream to- gether furnish fifteen percent of the total food of the average American family, and with this fact before us it is possible to estimate the impor- tance of the milk business in every community. The Indiana Ice and Dairy Company, with which Mr. Handy has been connected as man- ager for the past fifteen years, manufactures and bottles pasteurized milk and cream, and at the same time manufactures butter. The com- pany has built up a very large local business and from a small begin- ning has been obliged to. enlarge the capacity of the plant from time to time in order to handle the largely increased trade. The milk is gathered in from the dairy farmers of the surrounding country, and through the medium of this model plant is distributed to a large patronage in the city. The capacity for butter-making is five ton per day, and the plant has a capacity of bottling milk at fifteen hundred gallons per day. The plant is a brick building, and is equipped with the latest and most improved machinery, and the entire service is conducted on the most approved sanitary principles. The Indiana Ice & Dairy Company was incorporated in 1907, and the chief officers at the present time are: Otis P. Crim, president ; William C. Collier, vice-president and secretary ; and Edward C. Handy, treasurer and general manager.
Edward C. Handy was born in Hancock county, Indiana, July 7, 1865, and has had a varied career since he began life on his own account. His parents were Minos F. and Elizabeth (Chandler) Handy. His father was born in Indiana in 1837, was a farmer for a number of years, and was for a long time court bailiff of Hancock county. In politics he was a staunch Democrat. The grandfather on the father's side was William Handy, who was born in Virginia and became one of the pio- neer settlers in Hancock county, Indiana. The maiden name of his wife was Smith Eldrige, who was also born in Virginia.
Mr. Handy, one of nine children, five of whom are still living. attended school in a school house of Hancock county which was known far and wide as the old Handy schoolhouse, and was a landmark in that section of the country. He attended school during the winters and assisted his father on the farm during the summers. After leav- ing the farm he went to Tipton, Indiana, where he became clerk in a general store that being the beginning of his general business experi- ence. He subsequently lived with his Uncle John Handy until his seventeenth year. Three years after that he was clerk in a general store at Morristown in Shelby county, and at the expiration of that time entered a drug store and thus equipped himself for another line of enterprise.
Mr. Handy has been identified with his present line of industry for more than thirty years. In 1891 he became connected with a creamery at Morristown, Indiana, and while there laid a solid foundation of experience in that business. Then in 1897 he came to Anderson to take charge of the Indiana Ice & Dairy Company, and his management has been largely responsible for the success and large growth of this business.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.