USA > Indiana > Posey County > History of Posey County, Indiana > Part 34
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George Franklin Trainor, station agent of the Chicago & Eastern Illi- nois railroad at Wadesville, Ind., was born March 7, 1868. on a farm in Robb township, Posey county, son of George King and Susan (Schrader) Trainor. George K. Trainor was born about 1813 at Williamsport, Pa., and came to Posey county at the age of twenty years, where he was a farmer until his death, in 1897. He married Miss Susan Schrader, daughter of John and Pamelia (Jaques) Schrader, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Posey county, where she was born in 1826. She died at Poseyville in 1901. They both belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. George K. Trainor had eight children : John Schrader Trainor, now a merchant at Hayti, Mo .; Charles Edward Trainor, grain merchant, Griffin, Ind .; Clara, wife of Joseph W. Stevens, wagon maker and justice of the peace, Poseyville, Ind .; Algernon (de- ceased), William A., formerly agent of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois
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at Poseyville, who was killed by hold-up men in 1892, and leaving a wife and three children; Carrie, wife of James Kilroy, a lawyer at Po- seyville; George F., of this record; Chauncy, graduate of the medical department of Louisville University, now an employe of the patent office at Washington, D. C., and also a magazine writer. George F. Trainor was educated in the public schools of Poseyville, graduating from the high school in the class of 1889. He then took a business course in Lexington, Ky., after which he taught school one year in Bethel town- ship, Posey county. He then began the study of telegraphy in the depot of Illinois Central at Poseyville, and after eight months became operator at Stewartsville, where he remained five years, when he was appointed cashier at Mattoon, Ill., for the same road. After one year at Mattoon he became station agent at Stewartsville, and has since filled that posi- tion successively at Hartsburg, Latham, Mt. Zion, Sullivan, Newton, West Liberty, Parkersburg, Grayville, Griffin and New Harmony, all on the Illinois Central. In 1910 he became station agent at Wadesville, his present location. For a town of its size Wadesville is an unusually good shipping point, the freight business averaging about 400 cars per annum, while it does a good local passenger business. Mr. Trainor is a member of the Order of Ben Hur at Parkersburg, Ill., of the Mystic Workers at West Liberty, Ill., and also of the Order of Railway Teleg- raphers. On March 10, 1897, Mr. Trainor married Miss Lottie Bare, daughter of Alexander and Margaret (Dawson) Bare, of West Salem, Ill., the former a hardware merchant. She was born June 7, 1879, at Belmont, Ill. Her father is a native of Germany and her mother of Illinois. They have four children: Murtel Kenneth, born May 23, 1899; Margaret, born September 8, 1903; Fred, born March 8, 1905, and Katherine, born December 6, 1911. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church.
William H. Webb, a farmer of Smith township, Posey county, was born in Franklin county, Illinois, September 30, 1869, son of S. M. and Louisa (Britton) Webb. S. M. Webb was a son of Louis and Harriet Webb, and Louisa Britton Webb was the daughter of William Britton. The whole family are natives of Illinois, where S. M. Webb was a farmer and stock raiser, and where the subject of this sketch was raised and attended the country schools. He was a student one term at Ewing College, Ewing, Ill., after which he farmed at home with his parents until the age of twenty-three years, at which time the family removed to Posey county, Indiana. This was in 1892, and Mr. Webb lived and farmed in Robb township until 1905, when he bought a farm in Smith township, where he now lives. His entire farm of eighty-six acres is under cultivation and he has some very fine stock, although he has never made a specialty of any breed. In politics Mr. Webb is a Democrat. He has served the township as election judge and road supervisor, and
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is now employed by the township trustee to haul the children in a bus to and from school. On March 5, 1893, occurred the marriage of Wil- liam H. Webb to Miss Alice Dunn, daughter of William and Susan (Gill) Dunn, natives of Tennessee, where they were engaged in farming and stock raising. They later lived in Duquoin, Ill., where their daughter, Alice, was born and where she was educated, first attending common school, and later a private high school, in which she completed the course. Mr. and Mrs. Webb have three children: Estella, born Feb- ruary 27, 1895, is a graduate of the common school and has attended the Cynthiana High School; Normalee, born in September, 1897, is now attending high school in Cynthiana, and Donald, born September 13, 1900, is attending the common schools of Cynthiana. Mrs. Webb is a member of the Baptist church.
John C. Smith, a prosperous farmer of Cynthiana, Ind., was born in Patoka township, Gibson county, that State, June 18, 1831, son of Daniel and Nancy (Spain) Smith, natives of North Carolina, where the former was born in 1788, and the latter about 1800, and they came to Indiana in 1818, locating in Gibson county. In coming to this State he crossed the river at West Franklin and moved northward, stopping at old Fort Branch, which had been built shortly before for the protec- tion of the settlers. He camped at the fort for the night and the next day moved north into what is now called Pike county, where they en- tered land. On the way they often had to cut their own road through the forest. After coming to the State they moved around from place to place trying to find a suitable location and finally settled in Johnson township, Gibson county. John C. Smith was born before his parents moved to Johnson township. He began attending school at the age of four. His first teacher was Joshua Kitchen and school was held in a log building with split log seats and it was heated by a big fire-place. The window was made by leaving out a log. The school was moved to the public road later and, as there were no bridges, they put logs across the streams so the children could cross. The teacher was Dr. Ralston, now of Evansville, who is ninety-six years old. The school was maintained by subscription, as there were no public schools. After leaving school he continued to work on the farm with his parents. They removed to Posey county about 1848, but as John C. was working as a hired hand he did not come till 1852, when he was twenty-one years of age. In that year he married Lavina Robb, daughter of Peyton and Susan (Finch) Robb, in whose honor Robb township was named. The Robb family were among the earliest settlers of the county and Lavina Robb was born in Robb township, where she lived until her marriage. After his marriage Mr. Smith bought a farm in Smith township, just east of Poseyville, where he lived for some time, when he sold out and bought the property he now owns, two and one-half miles southeast of
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Cynthiana. He has been assessor for his township for six years and later was elected county commissioner, serving three terms. He was State representative twice, 1889 and 1891. He has been a lifelong Dem- ocrat and is prominent in the councils of the party. In 1860 he was a delegate to the Democratic State convention. The feeling was so strong that it was said that the convention could not be held, but with the aid of guards the meetings went on. While in the legislature he helped elect two United States senators-Dan Voorhees and Senator Turpie. He was also a member of the county and township committees in the house. Since serving in the legislature he has not sought any further political honors and has limited his political activities to looking after his party in Posey county. His first vote for the President was in 1852, for James K. Polk. Mr. and Mrs. John Smith became the parents of ten children: Peyton, Mary, Annie (deceased), Walter, Nora, Flora, Alice, and two who died in infancy. Mary married Walter Endicott, of Poseyville. Nora is the widow of Osbourne Endicott, of Cynthiana. Flora married Newton Martin and after his death married Treat Saul- mon and lives on a farm. Alice married Hugh McNair, a druggist, and they live in Sullivan, Ind. Mrs. Smith died August 13, 1888. Mr. Smith remarried in February, 1891, Catherine Robb, daughter of Wil- liam Robb, and a cousin of his first wife. She died June 13, 1902.
Henry Brinkman .- A man's real worth to his community is best de- termined by inquiring into the sentiment of his neighbors and fellow citizens. Their estimate of him is found to be of more value in uncov- ering the truth than all other sources of information. However, if there is found in this sentiment a diversity of opinion, it is difficult to arrive at accurate conclusions. On the other hand, if absolute harmony pre- vails in it, if it is found to be a single unit, if a man's neighbors and daily associates, without a single dissenter, proclaim him to be a worthy citizen and a power for good in the community, then accuracy of con- clusion is made easy ; for no precedent exists in which perfect harmony of public opinion has proved to be wrong. The conclusions formed and herein set forth with reference to the man under consideration have been moulded entirely from the sentiment of his friends and fellow citizens and, since this sentiment had in it not a single discordant note, its accuracy can be fully vouchsafed and relied upon. Henry Brinkman is the nestor of Posey county's men of affairs. He became a resident of the county in 1850, a principal in a commercial enterprise in 1851, a manufacturer in 1853, and is still the active head, at the age of eighty- eight, of a drain-tile plant and a retail hardware, implement and furni- ture business. Sixty-two years of continuous commercial activity, dur- ing which time his name has become familiar in practically every home within the county, a reputation for honesty, fairness and high business ideals, seldom attained in the field of commerce, entitle him to distinctive
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recognition in this publication. Henry Brinkman was born in the Duchy of Lippe-Detmold, Germany, May 16, 1825. He obtained a fair educa- tion in the schools of his native country, which he attended until the age of fourteen, learned the brickmaker's trade in the succeeding six years and, during the next five, that of wagon-making. In 1850 inclina- tion led him to seek the opportunities then offering in the United States and he came to Indiana, remaining for about two months in Evansville, and then locating in Mt. Vernon, where he secured employment in the wagon factory of Gottlieb Koerner, and in the following year, 1852, secured in interest in the business. During the years 1854 to 1861 he was engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements and wag- ons, the last two years having as an associate in business, John H. Bar- ter. In the last-named year he began the manufacture of the "Brink- man Wagon," having but one apprentice to assist him at the start. His products were well received, proved to be of high quality, and the fac- tory force soon numbered twenty hands. He was the inventor of the "Posey Clipper" plow and manufactured them in profitable quantities. In 1869 he established a brick manufacturing plant which he operated successfully until 1875, when he changed it into a drain-tile factory. This enterprise he has conducted with success, it has given employment to as many as thirty-five hands, and is still operated with profit. In 1875 he formed, with William Burtis, the firm of Brinkman & Burtis and engaged in the implement business. Mr. Burtis retired from the firm in 1881 and the firm name was changed to Brinkman & Sons, two of his sons, Henry A. and Charles, being admitted to partnership. Another son, Otto, was given an interest later and he, with his father and brother, Charles, constitute the present firm, Henry A. Brinkman having died in 1900. Hardware and furniture have since been added to the line of implements and the business is not only the oldest in years of establishment in Posey county, but enjoys a satisfied clientage, while its sales exceed $40,000 per annum. Mr. Brinkman has also been inter- ested directly and indirectly with many other business enterprises of his home city and perhaps no one of its citizens has had more to do with the development and building up of Mt. Vernon than he during the years 1860 to 1895. In truth he has been one of the foremost in every move- ment which had for its object the city's progress, thrift and substantial growth. He was for several years president of the Manufacturers' Aid Society of Mt. Vernon and brought to this office the same business ability which he had displayed in his private affairs, with the result that the society's affairs were conducted in a wise, conservative and business- like way. He has been a Republican since the formation of that party. He served as a member of the city council for several terms, having been first elected in 1869. Mr. Brinkman is a member of the directorate of the Mt. Vernon National Bank, is seldom absent from a meeting of the
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board, and it is probable that there is not another man of his age in the State of Indiana that is a member of the board of directors of a financial institution, much less one who is actively concerned with the conduct of his bank and who is conceded to be a valued member of its governing body. He is a member of the Masonic order and of the Evangelical church. Mr. Brinkman married in October, 1852, Miss Margaret Hahn, a native of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, and the daughter of Henry Hahn. Mrs. Brinkman died in 1893. Ten children were born of this union, who are as follows: Minnie, who married John C. Leffel, of Mt. Vernon, publisher of "The Western Star" and editor of this work; Mrs. Leffel died on February 28, 1907. Henry A., until his death in 1900 a member of the firm of Brinkman & Sons; Mollie, who has never married and resides with her father; Charles, of the H. Brinkman Company; Caroline, who became the wife of Fred Walter, a merchant of Mt. Vernon, both of whom are deceased; Louis, formerly interested with his father and now a manufacturer of tile in Georgia; Anna, who married Meade Williams, of Mt. Vernon, both of whom are deceased; Otto, a member of the H. Brinkman Company ; Matilda, the wife of William A. Holton, cashier of the Mt. Vernon Na- tional Bank, personal mention of whom appears in this work, and Hat- tie, the wife of William O. Wilson, superintendent of the schools of Posey county, who is also mentioned in the biographical section of this volume. To do justice to the many phases of the career of Mr. Brink- man within the limits of an article of this order would be impossible, but in even touching upon the more salient points there may come objective lesson and incentive and thus a tribute of appreciation. As a man among men, bearing his due share in connection with the practical activities and responsibilities of a work-a-day world, he has been suc- cessful, but over all and above all, he has gained a deep knowledge of the well springs from which emerge the stream of human motive and action. He has gained a clear apprehension of what life means, what its dominating influences, what its possibilities, and is ever ready to impart to his fellow men the fruits of his investigation, contemplation and ma- ture wisdom.
Capt. Alferd Ribeyre, of New Harmony, known far and wide as "The Corn King," is one of the most extensive land owners and developers in the State. He has inaugurated a plan of farming so extensive that it is difficult to contemplate the man and his great institution, and give him due credit. Captain Ribeyre's vast farming interests aggregate over 7,000 acres, about one-half of which is composed of Cut-off Island. These ex- tensive farms are occupied by about 150 tenants, who work the land on a crop sharing plan, Mr. Ribeyre furnishing everything necessary to go on and do the work. The principal crops are corn and wheat ; however, other crops are raised, but not extensively. But, on account of the great
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corn production, Captain Ribeyre has earned the title of "The Corn King." He is a native of Posey county, born February 17, 1851, one mile southeast of New Harmony, on the "Deep Creek Stock Farm." He is a son of John and Emily Ribeyre, both natives of France. John Ribeyre settled in Posey county, near New Harmony, in the '40s. He was one of the most extensive business men in Southern Indiana. He bought land, developed it, and also dealt extensively in cattle. He owned several boats, with which he marketed his own products in St. Louis and New Orleans. He owned the "Buckeye," the "Hoosier," and other boats. He was also a banker, owning and operating the Cut-off Island Bank, at New Harmony, in 1866. He loaned money extensively, and was always lenient to the unfortunate. At the time of his death, he owned about 8,000 acres. John Ribeyre was a man thoroughly abreast of his time. He was a member of the Workingmen's Institute, and public-spirited. His first wife died, leaving two children, Alferd, the subject of this sketch, and Emily, who married Frank Fitton, of Indianapolis. After the death of his first wife, he married Harriet Stanhope, and to this union was born one daughter, Erma, who married Charles A. Greathouse, the present Superintendent of Public Instruction of Indiana. Captain Ribeyre spent his boyhood days in New Harmony, and vicinity, and was associated with his father. While he inherited considerable property from his father, he has made good on his own account, and added vast holdings to his original property. Captain Ribeyre possesses many traits of his father. He is a progressive, liberal, and charitable man. He is always ready to contribute to worthy public enterprises, and render assistance to the needy. He contributes to churches of all denominations, and when the question of raising funds for the New Harmony Centennial of 1914 was being discussed, Captain Ribeyre came forward with a donation of $1,000. Such men are worth while to a town or community. He was united in marriage December 14, 1879, to an estimable lady, Miss Pauline Arnold, of New Harmony. She was born at sea. To Mr. and Mrs. Ribeyre were born three children, only one of whom, Robert R., survives. He resides in New Harmony, and is one of its progressive young business men. He married Jessie, daughter of A. C. Thomas, and to this union have been born one child, Susanna, who, by the way, oc- cupies a prominent place in the affection of her grandfather. Captain Ribeyre is interested, as a stockholder, in the New Harmony Banking Company, and the Mt. Vernon National Bank. His splendid residence, located on Main street, in New Harmony, is one of the finest to be seen anywhere. While Captain Ribeyre has not been active in politics, he has always been a Republican, and served on the town council. Besides his vast farm holdings, and interests above described, Captain Ribeyre owns seven of the best business properties in New Harmony. He also owns and operates a private ferry for his own business.
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Joseph R. Welborn, successful farmer, influential citizen, and member of the council of Posey county, was born on his father's farm in Mont- gomery township, Gibson county, Indiana, December II, 1849, a son of Samuel P. and Mary (Waters) Welborn. The family was founded in Indiana by Moses Welborn, a native of North Carolina, who was born in Guilford county, near Guilford court house, July 4, 1783. He came to Posey county in 1833 and located at Mt. Vernon, subsequently entering land at the forks of Big creek, which he cleared and developed into pro- ductive farm land. He died in 1851, a victim of the cholera scourge of that year. He married, about 1808, Deborah Chipman, born on No- vember 3, 1787. They reared a family of eight children, of whom Samuel P. Welborn was the third in order of birth. The latter was born in North Carolina in 1814, and came to Posey county with his parents. Shortly after arriving in Mt. Vernon, he engaged in flat boating, the one means of transportation at that time, his cargoes consisting of grain and provisions, which he carried to the New Orleans market. While visiting in Gibson county he became acquainted with Mary Waters, a daughter of James Rice Waters, a native of North Carolina, and pioneer settler of Gibson county, where she was born in 1816. They were married shortly afterwards and located on land in that county, at the time densely wooded, which he cleared; and for a time continued, during the winter months, the transportation of produce to the New Orleans market by flat boat. He became not only a successful farmer and man of means, but was a citizen of influence in his county. He served as treasurer of Gibson county from 1857 to 1861. His death occurred in 1875, and that of his wife in 1887. They were the parents of eleven children, ten of whom reached their majority, and six of whom are living at this writing, 1913. They are as follows: William P., James F., Francis M. Oscar M., Ellen, Sarah, Mary, Joseph R., Eliza, Alice and John. Joseph R. Welborn acquired his education in the schools of his native township, held in the primitive school buildings of that period, later attended the graded school in Owensville, and during the winter of 1868-69 was a student in the Indiana State University at Bloomington. With the ex- ception of two years, in which he was engaged in the general merchan- dise business in Poseyville, his occupation has been that of a farmer and stock raiser. The Welborn farm, situated one mile west of Cynthiana, consists of 150 acres, and is known as "Homeland." Mr. Welborn has retired from active business cares and the farm is conducted by his son, Ernest P. Welborn, a graduate of the Wisconsin State Agricultural College, who as a breeder of registered Poland China hogs has attained wide prominence. Animals from his breeding farm, known to breeders as "Homeland's" stock, have a ready sale over a wide area and bring at- tractive prices. As regards improvements and farming methods, the property represents all essentials known to the scientific agriculturist,
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and is one of the model enterprises in this line of Southern Indiana. As a citizen, Mr. Welborn has always taken an active interest in the political life of his county and State. He is a Democrat, and has been honored by his party with public office, in which he served with credit to himself and his constituents. He was elected trustee of Smith township in 1882, a member of the council of Smith township in 1900, and to the Posey county council in 1910, in which capacity he is still serving. Mr. Wel- born married on June 3, 1874, Miss Rebecca Calvert, a daughter of Wil- liam and Martha (Endicott) Calvert. Mr. Calvert was born in Vander- burg county, Indiana, of which his father, a native of Ireland, was a pio- neer. Martha Endicott was born in Posey county, and is descended from Colonial stock, and members of the family have held positions of promi- nence in the town, State and Nation. Rebecca Calvert was born in Posey county, Indiana, June 14, 1847, and died September 15, 1907. They were the parents of four children, who are as follows, viz .: Edgar C. Welborn, a graduate of the literary department of the Indiana State University of the engineering department of Cornell, Ithaca, New York, and who is now a mechanical engineer, residing in Milwaukee, Wis .; William C. Welborn, a graduate of both the literary and law departments of Indiana State University, and junior member of the firm of Veneman & Welborn, attorneys, Evansville. He married Miss Edith Gauntt, a daughter of Jasper Gauntt, of Marion, Ind. They are the parents of four children, Marion, Ruth, Dorothy and Francis. Alice Welborn, the third child, is deceased. Ernest P. Welborn, the youngest of the family, born December 12, 1881, received his early educational discipline in the schools of Cynthiana, later attended Indiana State University, and subsequently was graduated from the Wisconsin State Agricultural College at Madi- son. He married on April 12, 1903, Miss Ethel Emerson, a daughter of Benjamin F. Emerson, president of the Cynthiana Banking Company. They are the parents of two children: Joseph E. Welborn, born October 4, 1905, and Virginia C. Welborn, born July 4, 1908. Mr. Welborn 1S manager of the "Homeland" property. The family are popular in the social circles of their county and are members of the Baptist church.
Timothy Scott Downen, a farmer in Robinson township, Posey county, Indiana, is a native of the same township, having been born on the place where he now lives, on December 1, 1880, son of George T. and Classie (Allyn) Downen, natives of Posey county, the father reared on the place in possession of our subject, and the mother in Black township, near Bufkin. George Downen was born in June, 1854, son of Tillman Downen and Classie Allyn was the daughter of Bijah Allyn, of Black township. The father died April 1, 1910, and the mother in June, 1897. Timothy attended the schools of Robinson township, and after finishing his educa- tion remained at home with his parents. After they passed away the farm came into his possession. This farm was entered by a Downen III
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