USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II > Part 29
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to her children and seeing to it that they received a thorough Chris- tian education and training. Mr. and Mrs. Keenan were the par- ents of five children, three sons and two daughters; but of these three died in childhood: Mary at the age of three years, Law- rence, aged six, and Anna at the age of five. James H. and John C. are the only surviving members of the family, the latter being now a resident of Joplin, Mo., and cashier of the Joplin National bank.
The subject of this sketch, James H. Keenan, was born in Providence, R. I., September 22, 1853, and was four years old when the family moved to Indiana. He attended the parochial schools for a period of six years and then entered the public schools of the city, from which in due time he was graduated with the honors of his class. He finished his education at St. Meinrad's college, Ind. Both at school and college he was well liked by teachers and students, being considered a perfect student, espe- cially in application to studies and gentlemanly deportment. While very earnest, thoughtful and reserved, he was uniformly kind and courteous to all. When barely twenty-one years of age, he was elected, having been nominated against his wishes, city clerk of Cannelton by a large majority over one of the most popular citi- zens of the town. He discharged the duties of the clerkship with commendable ability and general satisfaction.
At the expiration of his official term, he was urgently pressed by his friends to become a candidate for county auditor, the most important and remunerative office in the county, the nomination for which he could have easily secured, and his election would have been almost certain, owing to his political party having a decided majority in the county. While appreciating the fact that the nomination alone, even though an election might not be pos- sible, would be a great honor to so young a man, and feeling gratified at such marked kindness and confidence on the part of his friends, he nevertheless positively declined to permit his name to be presented to the convention. He, like his father, had, and still has, a dislike for political office-holding, or rather the meth- ods almost universally practiced by candidates in their contests for office. He then engaged in educational work, for which he was (484)
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peculiarly fitted by reason of his superior scholastic attainments, exemplary habits and reputation as a practical and consistent Christian. He taught in the public schools of Cannelton for two years, after which he was chosen principal of the Jasper (Ind. ). high school. So successful was he in the latter position, and so popular did he become with the school trustees and citizens of Jasper generally, that a private purse was raised and a handsome sum subscribed and guaranteed by the most prominent men of the town to add to his salary as an inducement for him to continue in charge of the schools the second year. As he had determined to discontinue teaching, however, never having intended to follow it as a life-work, he declined the flattering offer.
Having decided to enter the drug and apothecary business, Mr. Keenan went to Louisville, Ky., and accepted a position in one of the leading prescription drug stores of that city. With the practical experience here obtained in the laboratory and pre- scription case, supplemented by the instruction received in a full course at the college of Pharmacy, he mastered the pharmaceu- tical profession. He then removed to Indianapolis and for some time thereafter held the position of a dispensing pharmacist, after which he embarked in business for himself. He disposed of his store after a three years' proprietorship and accepted a lucrative and responsible position in the prescription department of the drug house of Browning & Sloan, Indianapolis, continuing with the firm until 1891, when he resigned to become deputy clerk of the Indi- ana supreme court.
Upon retiring from that office, Mr. Keenan resumed the drug business, purchasing the Masonic Temple pharmacy, on the corner of Washington street and Capitol avenue, Indianapolis, where he conducts an establishment which is a pharmacy in fact as well as in name. He permits no liquors of any kind to be sold, except what is dispensed upon the prescriptions of reputable physicians. Having received an unusually thorough pharmaceutical education and training in the beginning, and having devoted much time since to the study of all branches pertaining to the profession, he is a very able and expert chemist and pharmacist, and, as such, has the confidence of physicians and the public. He devotes espe-
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cial attention to the compounding of prescriptions, having a large trade in that line as well, as the other legitimate apothecary busi- ness. In addition to pharmacy he has given much study to medi- cine. In fact his knowledge of pharmacy, chemistry and medicine is so extensive that the members of those professions always speak to him and of him as Doctor Keenan.
Knowing that he had given several years to educational work, and still took great interest in the schools and every movement in the cause of education, also that he was a man of sound judgment, strong convictions and conscientious devotion to duty, many lead- ing citizens of his school district, irrespective of politics or religious creed, in 1884 strongly urged him to become a candidate for school commissioner of that district, the Seventh, they deem- ing him especially fitted for that position of honor and responsi- bility. There is no salary attached to the office. As up to this time the question of politics had never been considered in connec- tion with that office and no electioneering being done, citizens voting unsolicited for the man whom they considered best qualified for the place, he consented to be a candidate. His competitor, E. P. Thompson, then assistant postmaster of Indianapolis, and his friends made a very bitter fight against Mr. Keenan, making a thorough canvass of the district and appealing strongly to political and religious prejudice, especially the latter. They resorted to methods that had never before been practiced in the school elec- tions of the city. Prior to that time there had never been a Cath- olic on the Indianapolis school board. Many non-Catholics, who had voted against Mr. Keenan, said they recognized his fitness for the office, owing to his high personal character and education, and all other qualifications, and would be only too glad to vote for him for any other office than one which gave him a voice in the control of the public schools; but that, as he was a zealous Roman Catholic, they could not conscientiously vote for him for that position. Mr. Keenan did no electioneering, and was defeated by a small majority.
In 1890 Mr. Keenan was united in marriage to Miss Bridget Mungovan, daughter of the late Michael J. Mungovan, a promi- nent contractor of Louisville, Ky. Mrs. Keenan, is, however, a
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native of Richmond, Va., her maternal grandparents being the late Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Markham, of that city. Mrs. Keenan is a sweet, winsome lady, of refined tastes, gentle manners and amiable disposition, who endears herself to everybody with whom she comes in contact. Her mind and time are almost entirely absorbed in her pleasant and happy home. She is idolized by her husband and children, and ought to be, for a more devoted and loving wife and mother cannot be found. Her husband says their marriage was a genuine love match, and their domestic experience the fullest realization of the lover's dream. Mr. and Mrs. Keenan have two children, George, Mungovan and James Hanlon.
Personally, Mr. Keenan is an affable and courteous gentleman of much culture, though very modest and unassuming in manner and appearance. As a citizen he is esteemed and respected. He is active in the work of the church and finds time from his many business affairs to attend to the higher claims of religion. His happiest hours, however, are those spent at his home, surrounded by his family and books. He still takes a deep interest in public and parochial schools and educational matters generally. He is a member of the Indiana Pharmaceutical society, the American Pharmaceutical association, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Catholic Knights of America and the Young Men's institute.
DEV. DAVID KERSTING, O. F. M., is one of a family of four brothers and one sister, and a son of Anthony and Cath- erine (Doeren) Kersting, natives of Germany, who are both now deceased, the father dying May 10, 1877, and the mother in February, 1882.
Rev. David Kersting was born in Germany September 5, 1847, and came to the United States in February, 1873. He studied for the priesthood in the college at Paderborn, Germany, for three years, and afterward attended St. Francis college, of Cincinnati, Ohio, for one-half year, was invested August 19, 1873, and ordained September 21, 1877. He said his first mass at St. Francis church, at Cincinnati, the 30th of September, and was
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located from 1877 to 1880 in St. John's church; from 1880 to- 1890 he was pastor of the church of the Sacred Heart, of Detroit, Mich. ; from 1891 he was stationed at Batesville, then took charge of the Holy Family church of Oldenburg, succeeding Rev. Lucas Gottbehoede, O. F. M., in LaFayette, Ind. His congregation numbers about 212 families, and the Reverend Father has done noble and faithful work since he has had charge of this flock, as he had previously done elsewhere.
R OBERT WILLIAM FARRELL, of Vincennes, Ind., and a trusted employee of the B. & O. railroad company, was born in county Wexford, Ireland, June 14, 1851, and was brought to. America by his parents, Patrick and Margaret (Lanen) Farrell, in the year 1852.
The family located at St. Peters, Daviess county, Ind., where the father found employment with the O. & M. railroad, but, sad to relate, was killed in that employ, November 29, 1862. The mother now resides in Washington, Ind., and is a devout Catholic, and ever attentive to her religious duties, as was her deceased hus- band. The children that blessed Patrick and Margaret Farrell were eight in number, and were born in the following order: Mary, still with her mother; Josephine, the wife of James McTaggart, a farmer, of Washington, Ind .; Robert W., the subject of this sketch; Catherine, wife of Richard Baker, formerly of Vincennes, but now employed in the B. & O. shops at Washington; James, employed in the boiler department of the same company at the place last named and married to Lizzie Paul; Bridget, who was married to Edward Wicks and died at the age of thirty-two years, in Wash- ington; Margaret is the wife of John Hand, an employee in the B. & O. railroad shops at Washington; and Ellen Theressa, who is. married to William Sock, of Medora, Ind.
Robert W. Farrell was educated in the public schools of St. Peter's, and first found work as a farm lad, but in 1864 began his railroad life as water-boy, and from that date until the present has steadily advanced, until reaching his present position, which he has
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filled for the past twenty-seven years-a just reward for faithful and continuous services, and affording a record but seldom equaled.
Mr. Farrell was most happily married, May 5, 1874, at St. Joseph's church, Washington, Ind., to Miss Ellen T. McGuire, who was born in Pendleton county, Ky., March 29, 1853, a daughter of James and Bridget (Moran) McGuire, a native of county Mayo, Ireland-the former born in 1812 and the latter in 1814. Mrs. McGuire is still living and resides in Washington, Ind., and of her six children, besides Mrs. Farrell, Timothy lives in Wash- ington, James and Mrs. Mary Mccarthy reside in Denver, Colo., Mrs. Kate McFeely lives in Cincinnati, Thomas is a resident of Painesville, Mo., and Hugh is in Bedford, Ind. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Farrell has been blessed with ten children-Annie, Edwin, Ethel, Gertrude, James, Katie, Hugh, Grace, Marie and Joseph, all still under the parental roof, forming a large, but very happy family, and all within the fold of St. Francis Xavier's con- gregation.
Mr. Farrell is a member of St. Francis branch, No. 256, Catholic Knights of America, of which he is recording secretary, and also a member of the Section Foremen brotherhood, a bene- ficiary society. In politics he is quite independent, voting for men best capable of filling office, belonging to what party they may. He is honest to the core, and as an honest man and sincere Catholic has won the respect of all who know him.
D ANIEL FEATHERSTONE, a long-time resident of Indian- apolis, has his home at No. 802 South Delaware street. Since 1895 he has lived within the limits of St. Patrick's parish, but previously thereto he was a resident of St. John's parish for several years. He was born in Jennings county, Ind., in 1848, and is a son of Jeremiah and Anna Featherstone, early settlers of that county, who located there at least as early as 1836.
Jeremiah Featherstone was a native of county Roscommon, Ireland, in which county he served an apprenticeship to the stone- mason's trade, and in the early railroad days of Indiana he was
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employed on the construction of the J., M. & I. railroad, building the culverts. Several years after his marriage to Miss Anna Cor- coran, which took place in Ireland, he emigrated to the United States, and lived in the state of Indiana until his death, which occurred October 12, 1883. His widow died at her home in Indianapolis, March 15, 1897. She was born November 12, 1796, and she therefore had passed the century mark some time before her death, her exact age at the time of her demise being one hun- dred years, four months and three days. At that time she was the oldest person in Indianapolis, and was in many ways a most remarkable woman, retaining her physical powers and mental faculties to a singular degree. She was the mother of nine chil- dren, five of whom survive her, viz: Mrs. Catherine McGowen; Mrs. Mary Ann Thornton; James, of Springfield, Ohio, a veteran of the war of the Rebellion; Ellen and Daniel. The deceased were named John, the eldest son of the family, who died at Dayton, ·Ohio, several years ago; Jeremiah, who served in the war of the Rebellion, and died in Indianapolis, September 24, 1864, as the result of army service; Mrs. Sarah Combs, who died August 15, 1882, and Margaret, who died at the age of eighteen years. The 'children, like their parents, are all worthy members of the Catholic church and highly-esteemed citizens.
Daniel Featherstone and his sister Ellen reside at the loca- tion above given. Daniel follows the occupation of a watchman. He has three children, two sons and a daughter, Lucy, Jeremiah and William. The former two are in Jennings county, Ind., and the last is with his father. He has been a student at St. Mary's academy for seven years, and is now fifteen years of age, having been born in August, 1882. Mr. Featherstone is a most worthy citizen, and is a highly-esteemed member of the Young Men's institute.
R' EV. FRANCIS PETER FAUST, of Ege, Ind., was born at Fort Wayne, Ind., February 19, 1868, and is a son of Francis and Catherine (Shulz) Faust, who were respectively born in Germany in 1833 and 1843.
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Francis Faust was educated in the parochial schools of his native archduchy Hessia, which he attended until thirteen years old, and then learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked, in his. native land, until 1862, when he came to America, landing in New York, from which city he came direct to Fort Wayne, Ind., where he died in 1878. In 1867 he married, in Fort Wayne, Miss Shulz, the result of the union being four children, of whom two only are still living-John and Francis Peter.
Rev. F. P. Faust attended the parochial schools of Fort Wayne until thirteen years of age, and after further preparation entered Mount Calvary college, Fond du Lac county, Wis., at the age of fif- teen, and there followed a classical course of four years; in 1887 he entered Mount St. Mary's college, at Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1892, and on June 22, of the same year, was ordained in the priesthood by Bishop Elder, of that city, receiving an appointment, immediately afterward, as pastor of Auburn par- ish, Ind., attending Albion and Butler as missions. In December, 1895, he was appointed by Bishop Rademacher as assistant pastor at Huntington, and there he became a great favorite with his parishioners and rendered most efficient aid to his superior. In November, 1897, he was given temporary charge of the church of the Immaculate Conception, B. V. M., situated at Ege, Noble county, Ind., and here he still officiates.
R EV. HENRY FEIN, pastor of St. Patrick's church, North Madison, Jefferson county, Ind., was born in New Albany, Ind., on the 15th day of November, 1865. His parents were Peter and Veronica (Reich) Fein, natives of Germany, born in Nassua and Baden respectively. They were married in New Albany shortly after coming to the United States, and the father died in 1893, aged sixty-three years. The mother is still living, making her home with the subject.
Father Fein received his early education at St. Mary's parish school, New Albany, and later attended St. Meinrad's, where he was a classmate of Fathers Dowd, Byrne, Boersig, Moss and Roell,
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all of whom have since become widely known in Indiana. He received minor orders January 15, 1888, was made deacon Febru- ary following, and was ordained priest September 22, of the same year, by Bishop Chatard, of Vincennes. Father Fein celebrated his first mass at St. Mary's church, New Albany, the day following his ordination, and on the 4th of October, 1888, was given charge of the congregation at Rockport, where for some time he exercised the functions of his holy office by reason of the indisposition of the resident pastor. In 1889 he was sent to St. Mark's parish, Perry county, in addition to which he also ministered to the missions of St. John's, St. Peter's, Derby and St. Joseph's, erecting temples of worship for the last-named places in the meantime. From St. Mark's, Father Fein was transferred to North Madison as pastor of St. Patrick's parish, his present charge, a congregation small in number, consisting of about forty families, but which, under his fostering care, has made substantial progress in spiritual things. He also ministers to St. Anthony's church, China, and St. Mary's, Vevay, and devotes all his energies for the good of his people.
Father Fein is an earnest and deeply pious pastor and impress- ive speaker, and has accomplished great good in the different par- ishes where he has labored. He is in the prime of life, and, judg- ing by the past, he has before him a future of much usefulness to the church.
OHN FEITEN, for many years a leading business man of J Mishawaka, St. Joseph county, Ind., is a native of the village of Demerath, Germany, was born February 3, 1840, and is a son of John F. and Anna Marie (Stultz) Feiten. The father was born in 1810, was educated in a parochial school and reared to farming. He was married in the church of SS. Peter and Paul, Demerath, in 1839, and there died in 1841, leaving his widow with one child, John, the subject of this memoir. Mrs. Anna M. Feiten's second marriage took place in Demerath, in 1849, when she became the wife of John Hauprichs, to whom she has borne one child, Joseph, now a resident of Mishawaka, Ind.
John Feiten attended the parochial school of his native village (494)
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until thirteen years old, when he was brought to America by his mother and step-father, landing in New York, and coming direct to Mishawaka, reaching this city June 29, 1853. Young Feiten was here apprenticed to cabinetmaking and chairmaking, at which he was employed for several years, and in 1865 engaged in the under- taking and furniture business, in which he has made a decided suc- cess, although his stock was destroyed by fire in 1872-a inisfor- tune which, however, he speedily overcame and recommenced his trade with augmented vigor.
Mr. Feiten was united in marriage, in 1866, at Decatur. Ill., by Rev. Father Vogt, to Miss Isabella Black, the union being now blessed with four children, viz: Nellie, Mary and Eugene, at home, and Gertrude, wife of W. P. O'Neill, editor of the Mishawaka Democrat. Mr. Feiten was born a Catholic, and as early as 1853 served as altar boy in an old frame house in the northeast end of Mishawaka for Father Sorin, the founder of Notre Dame college; November 10, 1867, he assisted in organizing St. Joseph's Mutual Benefit society, of which he is one of the charter members, of whom there were twenty-eight, but of these there are now only eight living, viz: August Herzog, John Giller, George Kuhn, George Christopher, John and Peter Webber, F. X. Krantz and John Feiten, our subject. Mr. Feiten and family are members of St. Joseph's congregation, are generous in their contributions to church purposes, and hold a high place in the esteem of their neighbors and the citizens of Mishawaka in general.
OHN FERNKAS was born April 3, 1863, in Bendersbach, can- J ton Willer, on the Rhine, Bavaria, Germany, son of Jacob and Albona (Siefried) Fernkas, natives of the same country. Jacob Fernkas is a retired miller in Bavaria; the wife died there some years ago. The family of Jacob and Albona Fernkas con- sisted of five sons and two daughters, viz: Henry, Katie, John, Jacob, Adam (deceased), Philip and Maggie, only two of whom, Henry and the subject, are residents of the United States.
John was educated in the country of his nativity and then
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served an apprenticeship at the printer's trade, which he followed in Bavaria for a period of six years. In 1882, when twenty years of age, he came to the United States, locating at Indianapolis, where he learned barbering, at which he has since worked, having had charge of his present shop,, 195 Howard street, since 1889. He was united in marriage in Indianapolis October 25, 1887, with Miss Caroline Measel, of Cincinnati, born February 7, 1868, who has borne him two children --- Maggie, born April 28, 1888, and Andrew, born September 17, 1890. Mrs. Fernkas' parents are natives of Bavaria, Germany, and she is the eldest of ten chil- dren, of whom seven are living, viz: Caroline, Andrew, Elizabeth, Margaret, Albert, Louise and John Measel; those deceased are Henry, William and Jacob Measel. All except Mrs. Fernkas were born in Indianapolis, in which city those surviving at present reside. With the exception of Mrs. Fernkas, their mother, they are members of St. Mary's church; Mr. Fernkas and family belong to the Church of the Assumption, of which they are active workers. Mr. Fernkas is a member of the Y. M. I., and also belongs to a German order called the Feltzesverein. Politically he is an ardent supporter of the democratic party.
A LBERT KNABE .- Prominent among the older members of St. Andrew's church, Richmond, is Albert Knabe, a native of Germany, whose birth occurred in Twistering on the 6th day of November, 1810, a son of Casper and Mary (Idels) Knabe.
After obtaining a good education in the schools of his native town, Albert Knabe was variously employed until his twenty-first year, at which time, thinking that America offered superior induce- ments to young men, he sailed for the United States, landing in Baltimore, Md., in 1831. From that city he proceeded to Wheel- ing, W. Va., where he secured a position as gardener, but left in a few months, going to Maysville, Ky., near which place he worked a little less than a year on the Lexington turnpike. Subsequently he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was variously employed until 1833, when he moved to Franklin county, Ind., where, for a (496)
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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
period of nine years, he was engaged in merchandizing as a grocer. Disposing of his stock at the end of that time, Mr. Knabe returned to Cincinnati, where he remained until his removal, in 1861, to Wayne county, Ind., where for three years he followed agricultural pursuits. He afterward went back to Cincinnati and purchased a home, but did not long remain in that city, moving thence to Brookville, Ind., and, a few months later, to Richmond, where for several years he was engaged in the grocery business on South Fifth street. After a long and active career, meeting with many successes and some few reverses, Mr. Knabe, several years ago, retired from the busy cares of life and is now spending his declin- ing years in the enjoyment of that quiet which only those who. have battled so long with the world know how to appreciate. His first marriage was solemnized in the Fifth Street church, Cincin- nati, in 1836, with Mary Lammers, who bore him three children: Joseph, deceased; Frank, and Dena, wife of J. H. T. Brockamp. The mother of these children died September 10, 1881, and in 1882, in Covington, Ky., Mr. Knabe entered into the marriage relation with his present wife, whose maiden name was Mary Drepleman. Mr. and Mrs. Knabe are devout parishioners of St. Andrew's congregation at Richmond, ever dutiful to the claims of the Holy church and active in all of its charities and labors of love.
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