USA > Indiana > Wabash County > History of Wabash County, Indiana, Volume 2 > Part 9
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WILLIAM KIRBY DAVIS. One of the pioneer tinners and residents of Wabash was William Kirby Davis, who had more than thirty years of identity with the county in his capacity of tinner. He was a native of New York state, born in Buffalo on January 31, 1829, and a son of William and Deborah White (Dutcher) Davis, who spent their lives in New York state.
When William Kirby Davis finished his very meager common school training in the schools of his native community, he apprenticed himself to learn the trade of a tinner. He was without means, and he realized that he would do better to learn a trade of some sort than to depend upon doing common labor all his days, for his education did not prepare him for higher positions in the world's work. When he had finished his trade he came west and settled at Fort Wayne, Indiana, in about 1850 moving to Wabash county. For a few months Mr. Davis conducted a business of his own in partnership with his brother, Lewis B. Davis, but neither of the young men had any capital, and they were unable to make a success of the enterprise at that time. It was perhaps five years thereafter that Mr. Davis hired his services, but as soon as he had saved enough to make a fair start in business with his own capital, he did so. He was successful, for he was ambitious and energetic and his business methods, while nothing in advance of the times, were yet good, and he was able in a reasonable time to add a hardware department to
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the shop, where he carried a fairly comprehensive line of small hard- ware. He continued with the business, enlarging it perceptibly from time to time, until death claimed him on February 25, 1887, after thirty-seven years of continued identity with the city and county.
Mr. Davis was always known for a conservative and careful busi- ness man. He was a good friend and the sort of neighbor that one feels fortunate in claiming, and through all the years of his residence here he enjoyed the respect and esteem of all who knew him, his loss being keenly felt throughout the community. He was a republican in politics, and though reasonably active, was never an office seeker, pre- ferring to give his time to other interests. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, for years serving as a trustee of the church to which he belonged, and his social activities were confined to the Ma- sonic fraternity, of which he was long a member.
One son, Charles Davis, was born of his marriage with Barbara Ann Notestine, solemnized on August 12, 1855. His widow yet survives him, and maintains her residence in Wabash where she and her husband lived so long and happily together.
CHARLES WHITE DAVIS, son of William Kirby Davis, whose sketch immediately precedes this brief personal review, was born in the city of Wabash, Indiana, on October 9, 1859. He had the upbringing of the average youth, attending the grade and high schools of Wabash, and when about seventeen gave up his attendance at the high school to join his father in the business. Young Davis gave close attention to his work, and under the careful guidance of his father, he learned well the details connected with the successful operation of a hardware and tinning business. In due time he was admitted to partnership with the elder Davis.
When William Kirby Davis died in 1887 his son, Charles White Davis, succeeded to the business, and he continued therein until his death, which came in 1900 as the result of injuries sustained in a rail- way accident, while on a trip to the south. He died on January 30, 1900, and like his father before him, he was widely mourned in the city, for he had led an upright and blameless life, proving himself a friend to those who looked to him for friendship, as well as to others who had no claims to press. It has been such men as Charles White Davis and his worthy father that Wabash is indebted for the high standard of her business enterprises as a whole, and the excellent standing of the county among the counties of the commonwealth.
On December 18, 1883, Mr. Davis was married to Miss Ida Alice Smith, a daughter of Thomas G. Smith, of Huntington, Indiana, and to them were born two children,-Marie and Thomas Kirby. The daughter married Charles Huff of Wabash, and is the mother of two daughters,-Alice Elizabeth and Rosanna. The son is a graduate of Wabash College and of Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore, is now interne at the New York Hospital, New York City.
The late Mr. Davis was a Mason, with Knight Templar affiliations,
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and he was long a member of the Presbyterian church and an usher there for years. Like his father, he was active in church duties in his de- nomination. He was a republican, reasonably active and having a healthy interest in local politics, though never a politician.
HIPSKIND FAMILY. Since the early days of Wabash, no one family has exerted more steadily an influence for the substantial development and sound citizenship and morality than the Hipskinds. Peter and Adam Hipskind, brothers, natives of the Rhine Province of Bavaria, emigrated to the United States in 1852. They were both young men when they came to America, were unmarried, and in the old country Peter had learned the trade of shoemaker, and Adam the trade of weaver, but on coming to Wabash they found employment in various channels and chiefly as laborers. Their first work was in helping to build a grade of the Wab- ash Railroad, then in course of construction. In 1854, another brother, John Hipskind, with his wife and four children, came to America and also located in Wabash. He was a stone mason by trade, and followed that occupation all his life. Philip Hipskind with his wife and eight children, next added his presence to the group of Hipskind brothers in Wabash, arriving from his native land on December 24, 1864. All the Hipskinds in and around Wabash-and they are numerous and respec- tively influential and prominent,-are descended from these four broth- ers. Peter and Adam each subsequently married and reared a family, the former having six and the latter seven children. Philip Hipskind died but a comparatively short time after his arrival in the county, in February, 1865. The other three brothers lived here for many years, until death took them away one by one. All belonged to the German Reformed Evangelical Church. They were sober, industrious people, possessed the fine trait of common honesty, characteristic of the best German element, and in every way were a credit to the land of their adoption.
John Hipskind, the third of the brothers to come to the United States was born July 18, 1821. In his native land he received a common school education, and while there learned the trade of stone mason. To his marriage with Elizabeth Miedreich was born, while still in the old coun- try five children, namely : Elizabeth ; Philip; John ; and Frederika; the first born died as an infant. The family came to America, where several other/children were born, namely: Margaret, Adam, Mary, Frances, Henry, Joseph and Theodore. Of these children, all are living, except Elizabeth.
Mr. John Hipskind never accumulated any large means. He reared a large family, had to work industriously to support them, was strictly honest in all his transactions, and the best memorials to him are the many buildings which remain as evidences of his substantial craftsmanship in their stone work. He was a thorough workman, and took a personal pride and satisfaction in every piece of work that was entrusted to him.
His death occurred in August, 1888, while his wife passed away in 1895.
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PHILIP HIPSKIND. Sharing in the family prosperity, with a repu- tation for solid character and substantial citizenship, and materially contributing to his own career and character to the prestige of the family name, Philip Hipskind is the oldest of the living children of John Hipskind, one of the four brothers of that name who came from Ger- many, some sixty years ago, and whose establishment and subsequent career in Wabash have been briefly referred to in preceding paragraphs.
Philip Hipskind was born in Bavaria, Germany, October 8, 1848, and was six years old when brought to America. His education was necessarily limited, due to the fact that the family required some years before getting firmly established in economic prosperity in this county. His schooling was confined to about nine months in the English schools and some three months in the German school conducted by the Reformed Evangelican preacher. When still a boy he went to Evansville, Indiana, and under the supervision of two maternal uncles learned the brick- layers' trade, and also the stone mason's trade under his father. As the oldest in the family of children he had to go to work when ten years of age, and for eight successive summers was steadily employed in brick yards. Then for one year he worked in the flouring mill of King and McCrea. Having become an expert in the bricklayer's trade, he worked at that and stonemasonry for a time, and then joined his brother John in the contracting and building business. Their successful associa- tion resulted in the construction of many of the most important public and private buildings in Wabash. In later years the enterprise of Philip Hipskind diverted into more special channels, and he has made a name all over the state in contracting for and the building of street work, sewers, and highway construction. Most of the macadam street work in Wabash was done by him, and he built many miles of the fine pike road in Sullivan county of this state. He has constructed brick pavements at Portland, Geneva, Marion, Wabash, and Huntington, and a large amount of sewer construction in Richmond. Associated with him for a number of years have been his sons.
On September 10, 1871, Philip Hipskind married Miss Anna Mary Fleck. To their marriage were born the following children: George C., Mary A., John E., Margaret, Alois F., William C., Thomas A., Her- man N., James F., Samuel S., Ruth A., and Bernard P.
Philip Hipskind and sons, in connection with their contracting business some years ago, to be exact, in the spring of 1907, engaged in the retail handling of coal, lime, cement, sewer pipe and other mate- rials of that kind, and have since conducted a large establishment at Wabash, supplying material not only in the immediate locality, but over a large territory surrounding this county. Mr. Hipskind is a republi- can in politics, and worships in the German Reformed Evangelical church, though his wife and children are members of the Roman Catholic Church.
JOHN HIPSKIND. In the second generation of the Hipskind family, the best known and prominent representative is John Hipskind, who was
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named for his father, one of the four Hipskind brothers who located in Wabash in the early days, and whose careers are briefly sketched in preceding paragraphs. John Hipskind, Jr., has been for many years one of the ablest business men of Wabash, has been prominent in affairs of citizenship, and his name is related with many of the public and semi- public movements and organizations which have given vitality to local business and community affairs.
John Hipskind was born in Germany, November 17, 1850, and was four years of age when brought to this country. As a boy he attended a private school for a time, and later was a student in the public schools. His education was abridged on account of the economic necessity of the household, and when less than ten years of age, he left school and began earning his living by work in the old woolen mill at Wabash. That was his regular line of employment until he was twenty years of age, and he then began an apprenticeship of three years in the carpenter's trade. After the death of the man from whom he had learned his trade, he con- tinued until he had completed the unfinished contract, and by the suc- cessful manner in which he prosecuted the tasks left to his care, he estab- lished a reputation for reliable performance and careful workmanship which for many years has never suffered any diminishment.
Having completed the contract of his former employer, Mr. Hipskind began contracting and building on his own responsibility. That was his almost sole line of business in Wabash and vicinity for a period of thirty- two years. In 1899, associated with a son, he engaged in the plumbing and heating business, although for a time thereafter he continued working at his trade. Since 1907, his entire attention has been devoted to the plumbing and heating line. His record as a builder has been a very suc- cessful one, and among the larger contracts undertaken and carried out by him might be mentioned the present high school building, at Wabash, the Carnegie Library Building, two of the Ward schools, and many of the best residence and business blocks in the city.
The above by no means includes all of the commercial enterprise and relations of Mr. Hipskind with his community. He assisted in organizing the Wabash Building and Loan Association, the first association of that kind ever organized in Wabash, and of which he was a director for eight . years. The Enterprise Building & Loan Association, and the Rock City Building & Loan Association, also received assistance from him at their beginning, and all those associations were operated practically.about the same time. He also gave a hand to the organization of the Wabash Loan Fund and Building Association, of which he was treasurer during its entire existence. The Home Telephone Company, likewise had his sup- port and assistance at its beginning and he has been a director and also treasurer of the company since its organization.
A democrat in politics, Mr. Hipskind has served as a member of the city counsel from 1887 to 1889, and from 1910 to the present time. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and he and his family worship in the Roman Catholic faith. On May 28, 1873, he married Barbara S. Fleck, of Wabash county, Indiana, a daughter of
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Christian and Margaret Fleck, deceased. Eight children have been born to this union, namely : Charles C., Sarah E., Thomas A., who died in infancy; Thomas F., Mary M., J. Lawrence, Josephine B., and James Henry. Thomas F., J. Lawrence and James Henry are partners with their father in the plumbing and heating business.
JAMES H. STIGGLEMAN. The late James H. Stiggleman, whose death took place at Wabash on July 21, 1911, occupied a more than usually important place in the growth and development of the community. Born in Henry county, Indiana, on April 16, 1858, he was one of three children born to Williamson and Sarah (Dean) Stiggleman, both of whom were also natives of Indiana. Of their children but one daughter is now living.
The Stiggleman family originally came from Germany, and later members of the family came to Indiana during its early history and settled in or about Richmond, in Wayne county. James H. Stiggleman was brought by his parents to Wabash county when he was a small boy, and he was reared on a farm in Liberty township. As a boy he helped in the work of the home farm, and the death of his father in his early boyhood left the burden of the responsibility of the place upon him while he was still very young in years. His education was a fairly good one, and his district schooling was followed by a period of attendance in the graded schools of Wabash, and that with a normal school course in Richmond. Following this he successfully passed the examinations for a teacher, was granted a certificate, and for six years taught in the schools of Wabash county, during one year being super- intendent of the graded schools at Lincolnsville.
A natural inclination for mathematics prompted him to pursue a private course of study along those lines during the years when he was engaged in teaching. In 1891 he moved to Wabash, and there became superintendent of the Wabash Church and School Furniture Company, where he was thus employed until the corporation met with financial reverses and finally went into the hands of a receiver. During his serv- ice there Mr. Stiggleman invented a device for cutting circular pews, but he never patented it, and in similar manner he invented many improvements now in general use, which he contributed gratis to the factory of which he was the superintendent. Among his other inven- tions was a school desk hinge for the iron standard desk. This he pat- ented, and he later produced another hinge, an improvement on the first, which is now being used at North Manchester and probably in other places. Mr. Stiggleman was a heavy stockholder and the vice president and manager of the Peabody-Stiggleman Company, manufac- turers of school desks at North Manchester for several years, he having organized the company. He also invented a folding chair, which was in vogue for some years, and is still being produced in certain quarters. A sectional bookcase, bearing his name, was also added to the list of his inventions, and the same is now owned by a large manufacturing con- cern at Peru. He also invented two kitchen cabinets with sliding table
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tops, which are being widely manufactured. He organized the Cardinal Kitchen Cabinet Company of Wabash about a year before his death, becoming a director of the company, as well as the secretary and general manager. Prior to this time he had sold his interest in the North Man- chester factory. While these are some of the principal inventions of Mr. Stiggleman, there were others of equal or greater importance which he was never able to produce owing to his untimely death.
Mr. Stiggleman was a republican in politics, and while keenly alive to the public issues of the day, he was always too deeply interested in his business affairs to enter into politics as an office-seeker or in any capacity. However, he served as a member of the Wabash school board for twelve years or thereabouts, and later served as a member of the first Carnegie library board. He was a Methodist in his relig- ious tendencies, and in this as in other activities of life he was zealous and earnest. He was a man of social and genial habits, approachable in his manner, and he loved to mingle and exchange views with his fellow men. His fraternal association was with the Masonic order, in which he reached the Knight Templar degree.
On the 14th of April, 1885, Mr. Stiggleman married Miss Elsie M. White, the only daughter of Steele A. and Eliza J. (Waggoner) White, who were among the early settlers of Wabash county. The four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Stiggleman are Pearl L., Georgia G., James Walker and John Roger. Pearl Lenore Stiggleman, the eldest, was married on the 4th of October, 1911, to Leo Louis Baushke, of Benton Harbor, Michigan, and they now reside on a farm in Liberty township, Wabash county, Indiana, on the old White homestead of two hundred acres which is the property of Mrs. Stiggleman and her mother, Mrs. Steele White.
Mr. Stiggleman was such a man as may be regarded as a credit to his community. He was a representative of the highest type of Amer- ican citizenship, and as one who was honest, earnest and thoroughly consistent in all his acts, he commanded the universal and unfailing re- spect of his fellows. He loved his home, and found his greatest pleasure in the family circle to the end of his days.
EDWARD KINERK. The Kinerk family have been identified with Wabash county since the early days when the Wabash and Erie canal was put through Indiana, at which time the brothers, Edward, Timothy and Patrick Kinerk came from the east and assisted in the construction work on the canal. Since that time they have been established here- about, and they have added their full quota to the labors of development in the county, as none will gainsay.
Edward Kinerk, the immediate subject of this review, is a native of Lagro township, Wabash county, born here on August 11, 1843. His father, Timothy Kinerk, was born in county Limerick, Ireland, and when a boy of about sixteen years came with his widowed mother to America. Two brothers and a sister also accompanied them, and they first located in New York State, where Timothy and his brothers found work in the construction of the Erie canal. Later, when the Wabash and
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Erie canal was proposed and plans laid for its building, the brothers came here and were employed throughout the time of its construction. Edward Kinerk, the older brother of Timothy, performed a part of the work as a contractor on the waterway. He married and settled in Allen county, where some of his descendants are now living, and Timothy and Patrick Kinerk married and settled in Wabash county.
Timothy married Ellen Maher at Anderson, and after the canal was finished he bought a quarter section of land in Lagro township. This he cleared and improved, and here he spent practically all the remainder of his life. He died on August 31, 1884, his wife having preceded him on May 3, 1863. They were the parents of two children who grew to maturity, one of them being Edward Kinerk of this review. They were stanch members of the Roman Catholic church and reared their children in the same faith.
Edward Kinerk the only son of his parents, grew up on the home farm in Lagro township, and his boyhood was passed in helping to clear, grub, plant and harvest, after the manner of the boys of that period. His opportunities for educational advancement were exceedingly lim- ited, the school term of the year in those days being limited to three months in the winter season. However, he managed to secure a suffi- cient training to enable him to pass a teacher's examination success- fully, his careful and well directed home study having added much to his primitive schooling. He taught school two terms and then retired to his farm in Lagro, where he carried on farming activities in Lagro and Noble townships until April, 1901. In that year he moved to Wabash, where he has since resided.
Mr. Kinerk is a democrat, and in 1910 he was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, a post he has since filled most acceptably and creditably.
On June 11, 1868, Mr. Kinerk was married to Catherine Sheahan, of Redford, near Detroit, Michigan. Twelve children have been born to them, nine of whom reached years of maturity, and are here named as follows: Jeremiah F .; Timothy L .; Thomas A., who dropped dead July 13, 1913; Eugene E .; Thaddeus E .; Anna E .; Mary E. and Bernard S., twins, and Lucy, the youngest of the family.
All are well known and highly esteemed in Wabash, where the family home has been maintained in recent years.
CHARLES H. LAWTON. The residence of the late Charles H. Lawton in Wabash county covered a period of more than thirty years, during which time he rose from obscurity and humble circumstances to a posi- tion of independence and prominence in the business world. He main- tained throughout his whole career a character that was above reproach, and as a practical and public-spirited citizen had the esteem of all with whom he was brought into contact. Mr. Lawton was a native of Massa- chusetts, his birth occurring September 12, 1848, at Lancaster, and was a son of Thomas and Nancy (Dorrison) Lawton.
Mr. Lawton's boyhood was passed much the same as that of other
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New England farmers' sons, his education being secured in the public schools when his services were not needed in the work of the homestead place. On completing his studies, he for a time worked for others, but in 1873 decided to try his fortunes in the West and accordingly came to Wabash county. Here he first secured employment in a local planing mill, but by the end of eight years felt fully equipped to enter the busi- ness field on his own account, and in 1881 the firm of Green & Lawton was established. This association continued for three years, when Mr. Lawton bought the interest of his partner, and from that time until his death conducted the foundry business alone. This enterprise steadily grew in size and importance until it became one of the leading business concerns of its kind in Wabash county, but in spite of the large demand it made upon his attention Mr. Lawton found leisure to devote to other concerns, among them being the Wabash Valley Building and Loan Asso- ciation, of which he was one of the organizers and a member of the first board of directors. His name was a synonym for upright manhood and good citizenship. He gave his influence and of his means to the better- ment of society, to schools and church, to the support of government and order and to industries which he believed were calculated to promote the interests of this section of the state. A stalwart republican in politics, he supported the Grand Old Party from the time of his first vote, was ever interested in public matters, and served for two terms as a member of the city council of Wabash, where he rendered his fellow-citizens con- scientious, efficient and helpful service. For a number of years he was identified with the Masonic fraternity, and was one of the popular mem- bers of the Commandery at Wabash. When he died, December 12, 1904, the business world of Wabash county lost a man who had been true to every obligation, the city and county a citizen who ever had the com- munity's welfare at heart, and his hosts of acquaintances a friend who had proved his loyalty on numerous occasions.
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