USA > Indiana > Knox County > Vincennes > History of Old Vincennes and Knox County, Indiana, Volume II > Part 8
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THE O'DONNELL FAMILY GROUP .
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Osterage, of this city, and is the father of four children-Norbert, Arthur, Charles and Esther. James married Sadie Donnelly and became the father of four children: Cleo, who became the wife of Aaron Harlow and has one child, James F .; James; Lawrence; and Maurice. Thomas, who married Carrie Dillon, has four children-Blanch, Joseph, Philip and Mary. Alice became the wife of Lawrence Mooney and has one child, Mary Elizabeth. Kate became the wife of Harry Milburn. Margaret, now Mrs. Eugene Quinn, is the mother of three children-Pauline, Harry and James A. Mary became the wife of Dr. Downey, of Vincennes. Hugh is a contractor of gravel roads. Bernadette became the wife of William Bets, of Indianapolis. The other members of the family, Patrick, William, Mollie, John P. and Ellen are all deceased.
Mr. O'Donnell was a consistent member of the Catholic church and died in the faith of his fathers. He was never affiliated with secret societies and never aspired to public office, as his attention was devoted to his family and his private business affairs. He was esteemed not only by his associates but by many acquaintances, attracted by his excellent qualities, and of him it may truly be said he was a man of few enemies and many friends.
THOMAS HENRY ADAMS.
Thomas Henry Adams, holding a position of marked precedence among the business men and leading citizens of Vincennes, has left and is leaving his impress upon the journalistic, commercial, political, social and moral in- terests of the city. A native of Ohio, Mr. Adams was born on the 19th of July, 1860, in the little town of Grand Rapids in Paulding county, a son of Josiah and Elizabeth (Wykes) Adams. His paternal grandfather was an English farmer who, however, had been taught the saddler's trade. Josiah Adams early became a member of the Methodist church and entered its ministry. In 1844 he left his native land and sailed from Northamptonshire, England, to the United States to preach the doctrines of Methodism in this country and later joined the central Ohio Methodist conference. Before sailing for the new world he married Elizabeth, a daughter of James Wykes, a squire of Northamptonshire. The death of the Rev. Adams occurred in 1865 at Edgerton, Ohio.
The salary of the Methodist minister at that day was not adequate to pro- vide a competence for the widow, but ambitious for the future of her son she denied herself many comforts that he might have the benefit of instruction in the schools of Elmore, Ohio, and in Wesleyan University. At length, how- ever, the funds provided for his education became exhausted and he was obliged to put aside his text-books and provide for his own support. He se- cured a position in a factory and afterward learned the printer's trade. He was but sixteen years of age when he began the publication of a small weekly
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at Edwardsport, Indiana, known as the Edwardsport Journal. Later he pub- lished the Edwardsport Record and then, removing to Lancaster, Ohio, be- came the editor and publisher of the Lancaster Free Press and Republican Although very young when he entered upon his journalistic career he met with success from the beginning and, seeking a still broader field, in 1881 he purchased the Vincennes Commercial and has since been closely identified with the newspaper interests of this city. He soon changed the Commercial from a weekly to a daily paper with weekly and Sunday editions. A con- temporary biographer has said of him : "His energy, aggressiveness and able management in a short time made the Commercial a strong and influential paper, and for years it has stood as one of the model newspaper properties of the state. With good judgment and rare discernment he has invested ad- vantageously in several mercantile, manufacturing and mining enterprises, and today may count success as fairly won." He is the owner of the busi- ness conducted under the name of the Cushman Drug Company of Vin- cennes ; is president of the City Electric Light Company of Vincennes; is president of the Loogootee Light & Fuel Company, of Loogootee, Indiana; is president of the Afterthought Copper Company of St. Louis, Missouri, and Reading, California ; and president of the American Maize Oil Refin- ing Company of Indiana.
His activities have never been confined entirely to newspaper publica- tion, for in other fields he has labored in support of principles and measures in which he believes, and personally and also through the columns of his paper he has done much to support progressive public measures and to pro- mote republican interests in Knox county. He is an inflexible champion of the principles of the republican party and for a considerable period has served on the Knox county committees. He was also a member of the state central committee from 1888 until 1890 and in 1896 entered upon a two years' serv- ice as a member of the state advisory committee. He has usually led the Knox county delegations in the state conventions of the second district. While he is not without that ambition which is an incentive for faithful service in public office, he has regarded the pursuits of private life as in themselves abundantly worthy of his best efforts and never once has he swerved from his resolution not to accept political preferment. In 1897 he was appointed postmaster of Vincennes by President Mckinley and continued to fill the office through reappointment by President Roosevelt for eight years, or until 1905. In 1900 he was alternate delegate at large from the state of Indiana to the Philadelphia national convention. He is a man of marked influence in republican circles in Indiana, his opinions ever carrying weight in its local councils.
On the 23d of October, 1879, Mr. Adams was married in Bruceville, Indiana, to Miss Irene Willis, a daughter of John T. and Mary Willis, the former a merchant and at one time postmaster of Bruceville. Mr. and Mrs. Adams have a son and daughter: Chester W., who married Helen Hill,
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of Vincennes; and Eidola Irene, the wife of E. M. Cassell, also of this city.
Mr. Adams holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a trustee, and he also belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Masonic lodge and other fraternities, and to the Pas- time Club. In matters of state and national as well as local importance, he keeps abreast with the thinking men of the age and the desire for con- tinuous advancement and improvement causes him to be found with the progressive element in any movement with which he is allied or which he deems of vital significance to the community or the country at large.
HERMAN F. PIEL.
Herman F. Piel has long been connected with the police service of Vin- cennes, and at the present time is serving as police commissioner and as president of the police board. He is also conducting profitable business interests, being half owner of the Union elevator and also a dealer in coal, feed and kindling at the corner of Eleventh and DuBois streets. Vincennes numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred on the 6th of January, 1874. His parents were John H. and Anna (Fraumann) Piel. The father was long a carpenter and contractor of this city. He was a native of Osnabruck, Germany, and was only seven years of age when he accompanied his parents to the United States. The family home was estab- lished in Wayne county, Indiana, where he acquired his education in the public schools. He later learned the carpenter's trade in Richmond, and in 1865 removed to Vincennes. Here he took up the work of contracting and for a long period ranked with the prominent representatives of that business in this city, erecting a large number of the important buildings here. He was the master builder of the Vincennes University, and also erected the opera house, the county building on the poorfarm and school- house No. 2. He was also a sub-contractor on the courthouse. He ranked with the most capable, progressive and prominent builders of Vincennes and in business circles bore an unassailable reputation for reliability and trustworthiness. He passed away on the 9th of August, 1887, but is still survived by his widow, who yet lives at the old home at No. 119 North Tenth street, and is yet enjoying good health.
Herman F. Piel, who was one of a family of eleven children, pursued his education in the public schools of Vincennes, and in Evansville took a business course. He was fifteen years of age when he entered the whole- sale grocery house of E. Bierhaus & Sons, and that he was faithful and diligent is indicated in the fact that he remained there for seven years. At the end of that time he was appointed deputy sheriff. After the inaugu- ration of the Spanish-American war he put aside all business and personal
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considerations and offered his aid to the government, becoming a member of Company L, One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, of which he was a non-commissioned officer. After the war he returned to Vincennes and was made a member of the police force, on which he served for two years. He was then appointed deputy sheriff again and af- terward became a bookkeeper for J. & S. Emison. About five years ago he joined with Mr. Summers in purchasing the Union elevator and the coal and feed business in which he is now engaged. In the conduct of this en- terprise he has been very successful, and large sales have rewarded his close application, industry and careful management.
On the 7th of July, 1904, Mr. Piel was married to Miss Mary Louise Hinds and their children are Mary Louise and Martha Piel. In his fra- ternal relations Mr. Piel is a Mason, is also connected with the Royal Ar- canum, and is a member of the Spanish War Veterans. His appreciation of the social amenities of life makes him a popular member of these organ- izations, while his alert, enterprising spirit has constituted him a forceful factor in the business circles of Knox county.
JOHN HOFFMAN.
Twenty-nine years ago John Hoffman, whose name appears at the head of this review, began in the grocery business in Vincennes. He started on a small scale but he attended diligently to his business, making friends and building up a reputation for integrity and square dealing, and today he owns one of the finest grocery establishments in the city and is recog- nized as one of its responsible and progressive business men. This he has accomplished mainly through a laudable ambition, backed by good judg- ment and a fair share of persistence, which yielded not to temporary discouragements.
Mr. Hoffman was born in Lake county, Indiana, September 25, 1859, and is a son of Jacob and Magdalena (Osweiler) Hoffman, both natives of Germany, the former born October 25, 1816, and the latter August 18, 1818. Mr. Hoffman, Sr., desirous of improving his condition, emigrated to this country and settled in Lake county, this state, in 1844. He departed this life April 19, 1893, and his beloved companion was called away August 20, 1905. They were the parents of thirteen children, ten sons and three daugh- ters, seven of whom are now living.
John Hoffman was educated in the common schools of Lake county and was reared upon a farm, continuing there and assisting in the support of the family until 1881. Coming to Vincennes, he became identified with the grocery business and in 1882 began on his own account in his present loca- tion at Second and Perry streets. He started on a small scale, but he is now known as one of the most successful men in his line of business in the city.
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On August 22, 1882, Mr. Hoffman was united in marriage to Miss Magdalena Marchino, who was born in Knox county, April 30, 1862. 'She is a daughter of Peter and Mary (Meyer) Marchino. The father, a na- tive of Algiers, was born February 28, 1833, and the mother was born December 26, 1833. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman are the parents of seven chil- dren, of whom William P., who was born June 16, 1883. is the eldest. In 1906 he was married to Mae Dorn, of Knox county, and they had two children : Georgia Mae, born December 19, 1906; and Helen Frances, June 9, 1909. The other children of the family are: Frank M., born April 4, 1886; Maurice A., January 14, 1889; Elmer J., July 24, 1891 ; Herman Louis, January 28, 1896; Clarence V., September 28, 1909; and John H., October 3, 1903.
Mr. Hoffman accepts the principles of the democratic party as those best adapted for a free government. He is a zealous member of the Cath- olic church and its affiliated organizations and is president of the local lodge of the Catholic Knights of America. Socially he holds membership in the Knights of Columbus, the Royal Arcanum, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Pastime Club. As the head of a large family he has set an example creditable to himself and those with whom he is associated and its need hardly be added that he enjoys in a very high degree the confidence and esteem of all who know him.
HERMAN BROKHAGE.
In a history of business progress in Vincennes mention must necessarily be made of Herman Brokhage else the record would be incomplete, for through forty-four years he has been connected with mercantile and other business interests here. What he has accomplished represents the fitting utilization of his innate powers and talents, yet many a man with equal opportunities at the outset of his career has failed. Mr. Brokhage is pos- sessed of that determination whereby he has kept resolutely at the task to which he has assigned himself. Never employing methods that would not bear the closest investigation and scrutiny, he has, nevertheless, worked his way upward, his name long since becoming an honored one in commercial and financial circles.
A native of the grand duchy of Oldenburg, Germany, Mr. Brokhage was born August 2d, 1845, a son of Henry and Bernardina (Huslage) Brok- hage, both of whom spent their entire lives in the fatherland. Herman Brokhage pursued his education in the schools of his native country and there learned the baker's trade. He had just attained his majority when he came to Vincennes, arriving in this city on the Ist of September, 1866. He made his way to the home of his uncle, Theodore Huslage, who was then conducting a dry-goods business in one room upon the present site of
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the extensive mercantile enterprise now owned and conducted by Mr. Brok- hage. The latter remained in his uncle's employ for nine months, after which he secured employment at the baker's trade, spending nine months in the service of the firm of Bobbinette & Chappard. He next entered the employ of J. B. La Plante & Brother, who were the proprietors of the largest general mercantile store in Vincennes. After some time spent in that establishment as a clerk Mr. Brokhage again began working at the baker's trade and purchased the interest of his former employer, Mr. Bob- binette, becoming the partner of Mr. Chappard under the firm style of Brokhage & Chappard. During his entire residence in Vincennes, covering a period of forty-four years, he has been in only three places as an em- ploye or as a member of the firm. After a short partnership connection with Mr. Chappard he sold out and returned to La Plante & Brother, re- maining with that firm for thirteen years. He again entered the employ of his uncle, Mr. Huslage, for whom he clerked until his uncle's death in 1889, after which Mr. Brokhage bought the stock and continued the business.
The enterprising methods which he employed soon wrought a change in the appearance of the place and in the volume of trade. The one room became too small and in 1899 he purchased the adjoining property. He has enlarged and modernized his store until he now has a splendid up-to- date mercantile establishment, handling dry goods, clothing, etc. His patronage is constantly increasing in extent and importance and in 1900 he admitted his two sons, John T. and Louis A., to a partnership under the firm style of H. Brokhage & Sons; John T. taking charge of the clothing department and Louis A. of the dry-goods department, while the father gives active supervision to the whole. The methods which he instituted were resultant and productive. He studied the demands of the public in the line of his trade and sought by honorable dealing and reasonable prices to secure a good patronage. In this he was successful and is today at the head of one of the largest establishments of this character in Vincennes. He has always been an active man of resourceful business ability nor has he confined his efforts to one line alone; on the contrary he has become connected with many enterprises which have constituted factors in the ma- terial development and substantial progress of the city. He is president of the Peoples Building & Loan Association, is president of the Merchants and Manufacturers Association, vice president of the Board of Trade, a director and vice president of the National Rolling Mills Company, a direc- tor of the Citizens Trust Company and a director of the Murphy Distilling Company. He is also largely interested in real estate and owns considerable property. He has built a number of houses in the city and has done much to improve and develop the southern portion of Vincennes. He also owns some farm property and is one of the largest tax payers in this city.
In 1875 Mr. Brokhage was united in marriage to Miss Clara Delfman. a native of Germany, their marriage, however, being celebrated in Vin-
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cennes. Their two sons, John T. and Louis A., are their father's partners in business. The former was married October 29, 1902, to Lillian May O'Connor and has one son, Paul H., born on the 3d of March, 1907. Louis A. was married to Jessie Sertel, November 24, 1910, which was Thanksgiv- ing day, and his parents were also married on Thanksgiving day thirty-five years before.
Mr. Brokhage is an influential member of St. John's Roman Catholic church and his fraternal relations are with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a self-made man, honest, reliable, industrious and far-sighted. While he has achieved success, at the same time he has con- tributed to the city's development and progress and no man is more loyal to the interests of Vincennes. His efforts in its behalf have been far-reach- ing and effective and, moreover, his record proves that prosperity and an honored name may be won simultaneously.
GEORGE BORROWMAN.
Of the many nationalities that have contributed to the permanency and prosperity of American life, none has been more marked than the Scottish. The honesty, sturdiness and tenacity of the Scotch character are prover- bial, and the examples which have been presented in this country in nu- merous instances by Scottish emigrants or their descendants have had an important effect in shaping the American character. This good work is still in progress and it is to be observed in every community where the sons of Scotland or their worthy children are to be found.
George Borrowman, a well known business man of Vincennes and also prominently identified with the city administration, was born in Richland county, Illinois, November 29, 1860. His parents, Thomas and Isabel (Wilson) Borrowman, were both natives of Scotland, the former having been born at Edinburgh in 1824 and the latter at Muttonhole in 1827. The father came to America in 1833, at nine years of age. He located in Knox county, Indiana, April 24, 1867, and was for many years engaged in the grain business. He served for twelve years as trustee of the public schools of Vincennes. He was a republican but was elected to this position by a democratic city council. He departed this life at the age of four score and four years, in November, 1908. In his family were ten children, eight of whom are still living: Agnes, now Mrs. R. A. Hunt, of Richland county, Illinois ; Jean, the wife of George W. Fyfield, of Seattle, Washington ; John, a resident of Nome, Alaska; Archibald, of San Francisco; Belle, living at the old home place in Vincennes; George, the subject of this review; Katherine, now Mrs. Arthur Battson, of Mobile, Alabama; and Laura Viola, now Mrs. Joseph Grandjean, of Vincennes.
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George Borrowman attended the common schools of Knox county and later entered the Vincennes high school, graduating with the class of 1880. Having decided to adopt a business and not a professional career, he be- came associated with his father in the grain trade and so continued for a period of twelve years, until 1892. He then entered the employ of the McCormick Harvester Company, with which he was identified for several years, showing an energy and ability that led to his being asked to assume a position of larger responsibility as manager of the Champion Machine Company in a territory embracing southern Indiana. After several years he reentered the grain business and was associated with his father until the retirement of the latter in 1906 on account of advancing years. Since 1906 Mr. Borrowman has filled the position of manager of the Citizens Ice & Cold Storage Company. In his various business connections he has shown an aptitude and a zeal which have been attended by a goodly meas- ure of success and has made many friends who recognize in him the char- acteristics that go to make up the wide-awake and successful business man. An inborn spirit of fairness is one of the qualities which he received from his ancestors-a spirit that is closely allied to honesty and all the practical virtues of public or private life.
For many years Mr. Borrowman has been an adherent of the republican party and four years ago he was elected as a member of the board of pub- lic works of Vincennes. In this position he has had an opportunity of ap- plying many of the principles which he found to be most effective in busi- ness affairs, and results of permanent benefit to the city have been obtained. Among the reforms which he has been largely instrumental in accomplish- ing may be named the natural gas franchise, an entire change in the meth- ods of handling and disposing of garbage, the reduction of electric light bills to the city government by ten dollars per light yearly, and other changes, all of which aim to reduce the tax-payers' burdens and add effi- ciency to the city service. As a public officer Mr. Borrowman has scored a distinct success, his actions in all cases being influenced in no degree by political considerations, as he places honesty and efficiency in municipal affairs much higher than party obligations. This sentiment has during recent years been made a prominent issue by Theodore Roosevelt and it receives the hearty approval of all right-minded citizens.
On September 10, 1884. Mr. Borrowman was united in marriage to Miss May McGinnis, of Washington, Indiana. She is the daughter of Peter and Helen (Hagerty) McGinnis and was born in 1864. They have become the parents of four children: Frank, who is engaged in shell and pearl buying and is living at home ; George, Jr., a clerk in the Vincennes postoffice ; Rob- ert, who was married to Blanche Galway; and Helen, now a student in the Vincennes high school.
Mr. Borrowman takes an active interest in social and fraternal organiza- tions as is evidenced by his membership in the Knights of Pythias, the Benev- olent and Protective Order of Elks, the Royal Arcanum and the Travelers
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Protective Association. As indicated above, he is a man of unusual enter- prise and energy, undaunted in the discharge of any duty which he has vol- untarily assumed and in all the relations of life attempts to discharge his obligations to the best of his ability according to principles of justice and truth.
WILLIAM J. NICHOLSON.
Among the public-spirited and successful business men of Vincennes, who by energy, integrity and good judgment have gained the confidence of the community, may be named William J. Nicholson, junior member of the firm of Emison & Nicholson, dealers in hardware and implements. Mr. Nicholson is a native of Indiana and was born in Knox county on the 14th of October, 1851. He is a son of Simon A. and Jane (Buck) Nich- olson, the former born in Knox county in 1826 and the letter in Wythe county, Virginia, in 1832. The father followed farming during his entire life and was a man of high character and good business ability. At the time of the Civil war he was a member of the National Home Guards, but the company was never called into active service, although subject to call of the governor at any time. Mr. Nicholson departed this life in 1892, he and his estimable wife being the parents of a family of six children : Wil- liam J., the subject of this review ; Melinda, who became the wife of Lewis Overbey and the mother of five children; Hamilton T., of Wheatland, Knox county, Indiana, who married Ellen Renner and is the father of two children; A. C., a merchant of Wheatland, who married Jessie Lytton and is the father of six children; Oliver, a commercial traveler, who mar- ried Alice Woods and is the father of five children; and Edwin S., who married Effie Hedrick and is the father of three children.
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