History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II, Part 31

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Logansport, Ind., A. W. Bowen & co.
Number of Pages: 1476

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Mr. and Mrs. Finn are the parents of four children, three sons and a daughter, as follows: Martin, John Richard, Loretta and Walter James, all living, and all bright, intelligent children. Mr. Finn and his family are all members of St. John's church, ardent in its support and faithful in the performance of their religious duties. Mr. Finn is a member of the Ancient Order of Druids, and of the Stationary Engineers' association. Politically he is a democrat, but is not in any sense of the term an office seeker, pre- ferring to perform the duties of the private citizen and to fill such stations in life as certainly yield a reward. Mr. Finn owns his home at No. 830 Chadwick street, where he and family enjoy a life of domestic happiness.

A NDREW J. FISHER, ex-postmaster of Ferdinand, is a son of John and Barbara (Gutting) Fisher, and was born in Connect- icut, in October, 1853; he attended the common schools, was reared on his father's farm, and at the age of twenty-five years engaged in his present business. He was married, October 9, 1877,

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

to Mary Catherine Rickelmann, a daughter of Joseph Rickelmann, of Dubois county, Ind., to which union has been born one son, Edwin J., now nineteen years of age and attending St. Meinrad's college. Mr. Fisher and his wife are members of St. Ferdinand Catholic church and are sincere in the profession of their faith.

V VINCENT FISCHER, one of the most influential citizens of Madison, Jefferson county, Ind., and senior member of the firm of Fischer & Reichert, manufacturers of buggies, wagons, etc., and general blacksmiths, was born in Baden, Germany, Jan- uary 24, 1838, and is a son of Xavier and Barbara (Whithen) Fischer, who were the parents of six children, of whom five reached the years of maturity, viz: Leopold, who died in Germany and left a family; ÆEsop, who was also married and died in Ger- many, leaving one child; George, who came to the United States in 1854, and died unmarried in Madison, Ind .; August, who still resides in Germany and is unmarried, and Vincent, the subject of this memoir, who is the youngest.

Vincent Fischer sailed from Havre, France, in 1854, and after a voyage of forty-six days landed in New Orleans, in company with a brother, and immediately came to Madison, Ind., where they had a cousin living-their only relative in America. He learned the blacksmith's trade, and in 1862 joined Mr. Reichert in his present business, and this is now the oldest firm in its line in this city, Mr. Reichert being a thorough wood-worker, and until the present hour Mr. Fischer has not yet lost one week's time since the firm was founded. The fırın has built a good, solid plant, near which Mr. Fischer has his residence, and does the leading trade in the city, the output being disposed of in Madison and vicinity.

The marriage of Mr. Fischer took place, in 1863, to Miss Mary Rister, a native of Ohio, and this union has been blessed with three children, viz: Charles, who is a blacksmith; Fannie, who is married to Harry King, a resident of Madison, and William, who died at the age of six years. The family are members of St. Mary's

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

church, of which Mr. Fischer is one of the oldest communicants and of which he has been a trustee. He also assisted in organiz- ing the German Building association, of which he is the president, and in politics is a democrat. Although Mr. Fischer had but nine silver dollars in his possession when he arrived in Madison, he has, by his close attention to business, thrift and skill, placed himself at the head of the business men of the city and won the esteem of all who know him.

C ORNELIUS FITZGERALD and his wife, who reside at No. 1 306 Bellefontaine street, Indianapolis, are among the promi- nent and highly esteemed members of St. Joseph's parish. The former was born October 3, 1858, at Mattoon, Ill., and is a son of Patrick and Bridget Fitzgerald, who were among the early Catholic families of that place. Patrick Fitzgerald was a native of county Tipperary, Ireland, and his wife was born in the city of Cork. Both came to the United States in early life, were married in this country, and spent most of their married life in Mattoon, Ill. There Mr. Fitzgerald died several years ago and there the mother of the family still lives.

Cornelius Fitzgerald, the subject of this sketch, is one of a family of five children, three sons and two daughters. He was educated in the schools of his native city, and since then he has been engaged in railroading, beginning this line of work in 1873. He is now serving in the capacity of a conductor. Mrs. Fitzgerald was born at Litchfield, Ill., and is a daughter of James and Ellen Welch, who are natives of county Clare, Ireland. They came to the United States in early life, were married in this country, and passed their early married life in Litchfield, Ill., later removing to Mattoon, where they still live. Mrs. Fitzgerald is one of a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters, of whom two sons and two daughters are still living and are resi- dents of Mattoon, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald are the only repre- sentatives of their respective families residing in Indiana, and are the parents of three children, two of whom are living. The eldest is James Francis; the second in order of birth, Roy Edward, died

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

when one and a half years of age, and the youngest is Joseph Leonard. The parents of these children are bringing up a niece of Mrs. Fitzgerald, a daughter of her eldest sister, now deceased. The niece is being educated in the Catholic faith, and attends the Catholic school of the parish of St. Joseph, of which Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald are numbered among the most liberal-minded and highly- esteemed members. They are both descended from well-known Catholic families, and possess and enjoy the highest respect of all who know them.

R EV. EMANUEL LEDVINA, pastor of St. Joseph's church at Princeton, Gibson county, Ind., is a native of Evansville, was born October 28, 1868, and is a son of George and Mary (Kiefer) Ledvina, the former of whom is a native of Austria, is a mechanical and constructing engineer by profession, and came to the United States in about 1843, and first located in Evansville. To his marriage with Miss Mary Kiefer, were born four children, but this lady departed this life at St. Louis, Mo., in 1890, while Mr. Ledvina still survives and is in the active practice of his calling.

Rev. Emanuel Ledvina was primarily educated in the public schools of St. Louis, Mo., and in the parochial scools of Evansville, then entered St. Meinrad's college, Spencer county, Ind., from which he was graduated, and was ordained priest by Bishop Francis Silas Chatard on March 18, 1893. He said his first mass in Holy Trinity church, Evansville, March 20, of the same year, and immediately thereafter assumed his duties as assistant at the same church, where he remained one year and five months, when he was appointed assistant at St. John's church, Indianapolis, where he did good and faithful work for one year. August 1, 1895, he was placed in his present charge, his congregation then consisting of about seventy-five families, and here he has found an opportunity of exerting his administrative talents and of showing his piety as well as his devotion to the good work of the church.

At Princeton, Father Ledvina found a very small church building that had been erected when the parish was in an embryo state, and entirely inadequate for the uses of the congregation at (520)

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

the time he assumed the duties of his pastorate. He at once turned his attention to the remedying of this ill-conditioned state of affairs, and by his shrewd financial management soon succeeded in providing for his flock more roomy quarters. The membership of St. Joseph's was increased through the energy of Father Led- vina and through natural causes, and he was just the man to take advantage of this favorable circumstance. He aroused the enthu- siasm of his parishioners, who consented to the disposal of he first edifice and its grounds, and contributed the funds for the pur- chase of new grounds and the erection of the present picturesque church-building, which was completed in October, 1897. Before this, there was built a parsonage, in modern style, at a cost of nearly $3,000, and a school-house, which is encompassed with a beautiful lawn occupying a half block. Since the completion of these buildings the locality has been greatly improved, developing from a waste common to an important dwelling district of the town, through which the streets have been graded and the sidewalks paved with brick. Thus has Father Ledvina not only aided in elevating the dignity of his church, but has assisted in making the district in which the church is located one of the most important in the city, outside of the business region.

E DWARD FITZGIBBON, a car builder in the I., D. & W. railroad shops, at Indianapolis, was born at St. Ann's, Jennings county, Ind., on the sixteenth of August, 1858. His parents, David and Honora (McCarty) Fitzgibbon, were natives of Ireland, the former coming to the United States in 1837 and the mother in early childhood. The mother died when Edward was a child; the father, a stone contractor, resides with a daughter in Indianapolis. David and Honora Fitzgibbon were the parents of eight children, the subject of this sketch being the sixth in order of birth.

Edward Fitzgibbon attended public schools in his youth, also the parochial school of his native village, and in early manhood became an apprentice to the carpenter's trade, at which in due

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

time he acquired great efficiency. Previous to his marriage, he visited Scott and Clinton counties, Iowa, where, for two years, he was employed by a dealer in live stock. Returning home, he engaged in bridge carpentry for a year on the O. & M. railway, and later went to Minneapolis, Minn., thence to Wahpeton, N. Dak., where for a limited period he followed bridge work and then became storekeeper for a firm on the Fargo & Southern railway at Fargo. From Wahpeton, Mr. Fitzgibbon went to Portland, N. Dak., building elevators on the Union Pacific railway, and after a short time there returned to Fargo, and thence to Spokane Falls, Wash., where he remained for less than one year. His next move was again to St. Paul, Minn., and later went to Cincinnati, Ohio, in the employ of the Western Union Telegraph company, repairing and building lines between that city and St. Louis, Mo.

From the last-named place, Mr. Fitzgibbon returned to Indianapolis, but after a short time went to Chicago and worked for a car and bridge company in that city for a period of eighteen months. Returning to Indianapolis, he engaged with the Indi- ana Car & Foundry company, with which he was connected five years-two of which were as foreman-discharging the duties of the position with great acceptability, and in 1897 entered the employ of the I., D. & W. railroad company.

On October 19, 1892, Mr. Fitzgibbon entered into the mar- riage relation with Miss Emma Bauerlie, who was born at North Vernon, Ind., July 29, 1861. Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgibbon have two children-Victor Hugo born September 1, 1893, and Mary Louise, born July 30, 1896.

Mr. Fitzgibbon was reared a Catholic and has ever been a true and tried member of the church. In the establishment of Assump- tion parish he was very active, giving liberally of his time and means towards the building of the present house of worship and promoting the various institutions connected therewith. He has been a member of the board of trustees ever since the organization of the parish, in addition to which he is an active worker in the Young Men's institute. In politics he is an ardent advocate of democracy, but has never held nor sought official position at the hands of his fellow citizens. He is a creditable representative of (526)

CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

one of the well-known and prominent Catholic families of Indi- anapolis, and a gentleman against whose character no breath of suspicion has ever been uttered.

OHN SILAS FITZGIBBONS, foreman of the Palladium Pub- J lishing company's office, of Richmond, Ind., is a native of this city, was born January 13, 1866, and is a son of Michael and Mar- garet (Allen) Fitzgibbons.

Michael Fitzgibbons, father of John Silas, was born in county Clare, Ireland, in October, 1834, was educated in the parochial school of his native parish of Tomgraney, and in 1852 came to the United States, landing in the city of New York, whence he imme- diately came to Indiana, located in New Castle, and was there engaged in milling for thirteen years, and then, in 1865, came to Richmond, where he followed milling for about eight years, and then engaged in the grocery business, on Fort Wayne avenue, four years, but now confines his attention to fruit growing. He was one of the early trustees of St. Mary's Catholic church, and urged the building of St. Mary's academy, which is to-day a credit to the Catholics of this city.

The marriage of Michael Fitzgibbons took place at New Castle, Ind., in October, 1857, to Miss Margaret Allen, a native of county Kerry, Ireland, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. Father Merritts. This union was blessed with fourteen chil- dren, born in the following order: Thomas, Patrick, Henry, Michael, Mary Ellen, John Silas, Francis, Hanora, Edward, Will- iam, Margaret, Joseph, Katherine and Charles, who were all edu- cated in St. Mary's parochial school. The devoted mother of this family, who was a member of the Ladies' Altar and Rosary society of St. Mary's church in Richmond, was called from earth March 29, 1892, and her remains were interred in the cemetery of the church of which she was a member.

John Silas Fitzgibbons, the subject of this memoir, after graduating from the St. Mary's parochial school, was apprenticed, September 27, 1880, to the Palladium company, of Richmond, to

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learn the printing business, and in 1892 was appointed foreman of the establishment, which position he has since filled with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the Palladium company.

Mr. Fitzgibbons was happily united in marriage, November 23, 1892, with Mary E. Shofer, of Richmond, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. Father D. J. McMullen. This marriage has been blessed with three children, named Gerald, Roland and Rhea. The family are members of St. Mary's Catholic congrega- tion, and Mr. Fitzgibbons is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and also of the Julian club, of which latter he was elected president in October, 1896. He has led a moral and tem- perate life, and is well deserving of the high esteem in which he is held by the community of Richmond. Being of a modest dispo- sition, he has on two different occasions refused to accept appoint- ments to offices of trust.

P ATRICK LYNCH, who resides at 940 East Georgia street, is one of the early Catholics of Indianapolis, and was born in county Clare, Ireland, about 1835. He is a son of John Lynch, who died when Patrick was yet a child, and the widow, when the subject was fourteen years of age, came to the United States with her family of four children, and settled in Boston, Mass., where she died some years later, and where she lies buried. The family consisted of one son, Patrick, and three daughters, one of whom went to California, one remained in Boston, and the third lived for many years in Indianapolis, in which city she died, leaving a family of five children, three sons and two daughters.

Patrick Lynch lived in Boston about ten years. He there married Miss Honora Shay, and in 1860 brought his family to Indianapolis, where he has since lived, and where his wife died many years ago.' Patrick and Honora Lynch were the parents of six children, four sons and two daughters. On August 23, 1881, Mr. Lynch married, for his second wife, Mrs. Margaret O'Brien, widow of Michael O'Brien, and daughter of Daniel Mulchay; she was born in county Tipperary, Ireland, and came to the United

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PATRICK LYNCH.

CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

States with her mother, her father having died in his native coun- try. The mother brought with her to this country seven children, four sons and three daughters, only two of whom are now living, all the others, with the exception of one son, being buried in the Catholic cemetery in Indianapolis. The son referred to above was a soldier in the Union army during the war of the Rebellion, a member of the Thirty-fifth Indiana volunteer infantry, was taken prisoner, and died in a Confederate prison. Mrs. Lynch is a sister of Michael Mulchay, of Indianapolis.

Of the six children of Mr. Lynch by his first marriage two sons and two daughters are living, these four being Bridget, Will- iam, Michael and Mary. The eldest of the family was Dennis, who died in July, 1896. John H., another son, died August 5, of the same year, and Mary, wife of George W. Elbreg, died November 9, 1897. Mr. Elbreg is a citizen of Indianapolis. It will thus be seen that Mr. and Mrs. Lynch have had their share of affliction, having buried three of their children within little more than a year.

Mr. Lynch has always been an industrious man and has accu- mulated a handsome property. For the unusually long time of thirty-one years he was engineer for Sinker & Davis, a prominent business firm of Indianapolis, but he has now retired from active business life. Both he and his wife are worthy members of Holy Cross church, of which Rev. Father McCabe is pastor. They are both esteemed citizens of Indianapolis, respected by all their neigh- bors and friends.

THOMAS FITZ GIBBON .- The history of the early Catholic citizens of Indiana would be far from complete without men- tion of Thomas Fitz Gibbon and his family, who suffered persecu- . tion in their native land for their efforts in behalf of the liberties of the Irish people. Thomas Fitz Gibbon was born in county Cork, Ireland, in 1801, and sprang from an ancient and honorable family, noted for their strong devotion to the church and to the political freedom of their native land. Two elder brothers of the subject of this sketch, Maurice and David Fitz Gibbon, were promi- nently identified with the movement for Irish liberty in 1798, and

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were sentenced to be hanged with that noble and world-renowned patriot, Robert Emmett; but certain influences were so brought to bear as to result in a change in the sentence of death to banish- ment for life to the island of Martinique. David suffered the pun- ishment imposed upon him, and died in banishment quite early in life; but Maurice escaped, and fled to the United States, settling in Baltimore, Md.

Thomas Fitz Gibbon grew to manhood in his native land with his love of freedom and hatred of oppression strong in his heart, intensified by the knowledge of what his family had suffered and endured in the cause of Irish liberty. On attaining to manhood's estate he was married to Miss Ellen O'Mahoney, a native of the city of Cork, and belonging to a prominent family. The young couple had already decided to come to the United States, and chose this time for their wedding trip. Embarking in a sailing vessel, steam vessels not having then come into use, they spent many weary weeks on the Atlantic ocean; but at length reached Baltimore, Md., their destination, and there they lived for many years after land- ing. In that city Mr. Fitz Gibbon became the proprieter of a book store, making a specialty of Catholic publications. This was more than three-fourths of a century ago, and Baltimore might then have been appropriately termed the headquarters of Catholicism in the United States. By virtue of his business as well as of his devotion to the interests of the church, Mr. Fitz Gibbon formed an exten- sive acquaintance and occupied a prominent position among the Catholics of Maryland, by whom, including also the Catholic clergy of that and other states, he was most highly esteemed.

In 1837 Mr. Fitz Gibbon removed to Madison, Ind., where he engaged in merchandizing; but, in common with the great majority of business men, he was a victim of the financial distress of that period, and consequently moved to St. Ann's. Financial reverses did not lessen his ardor for the church, and as, at St. Ann's, he found the few Catholics residing there, in a frontier community, without a church or pastor, he at once caused a log church to be erected and secured a pastor from Madison, who came to minister to the spiritual necessities of the people. When on their errands of Christian duty to these people, his house was the abiding place

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

of the priests, and, to use a common expression, common to the west as well as to the south, the latch-string of his domicile was always out to the stranger in need of rest or refreshment. He later returned to Madison, and next removed to Edinburg, where the spirit of hospitality and interest in the growth of the church attended him, as it did in every place in which he lived. At the latter place he died in 1872, his wife having preceded him to the better land by about sixteen months.

Thomas Fitz Gibbon and wife were the parents of fourteen children, seven of whom died in infancy. Those who attained to. mature years were as follows: Capt. Michael Fitz Gibbon, who- was a soldier in the Mexican war, and afterward for many years a wholesale grocer of Indianapolis, but removed to Denver, Colo., for the benefit of his health, and there died in April, 1894; Maurice de St. Palais Fitz Gibbon, who was a graduate of Notre Dame uni- versity, and who died at the home of his sister in Edinburg in 1885; Gerald, who lives at Dayton, Ohio; Mrs. Marie Amsden, widow of Col. Amsden, resides with her family in Indianapolis; Miss Ellen M. is the next in age; David is a resident of Indianapolis; and Mrs. Margaret F. Peelle, the seventh member of the family who grew to mature years, is the widow of William A. Peelle, of Wayne county, Ind., who was for twelve years state statistician, and was a well- known citizen. He died at St. Mary's, December 17, 1894.

Mrs. Peelle, who now resides in Indianapolis, is a member of the state board of charities, and was state librarian from 1879 to. 1881, having held the position of assistant librarian previously to 1879. She is a woman of much ability and culture, and is most highly esteemed by all that know her. She has four children, viz: Marie, Robert F., Maurice and Agnes.

Thomas Fitz Gibbon and his wife were both much above the average in culture and general intelligence. One of the peculiar characteristics of Mrs. Fitz Gibbon was her intense love for the church. She was especially well informed on theological subjects, and her knowledge of this kind, combined with a clear and logical mind, rendered her instrumental in bringing many into the fold. One of the finest elements of her character was her great charity for the failings of others, and during her long and useful life she

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was never known to speak ill of any one. It would be difficult to pay a greater tribute to the character and disposition of any one than this, and it is as freely given as it was richly deserved.

R EV. T. X. LOGAN, of the church of the Immaculate Concep-

tion, Rushville, Ind., was born in county Galway, Ireland, May 19, 1837. When he was in his thirteenth year his parents came to America, and young Logan began at once to secure the scholastic advantages offered in their new home. He attended St. Meinrad's college in Spencer county, Ind., for a year, and then took the classical course at St. Joseph's seminary, Bardstown, Ky., graduating from that institution. His theological education was completed by a course at the Grand seminary at Montreal, Canada, under the Sulpitians, from which he graduated in 1874, and was admitted to holy orders September 6, 1874.

Father Logan's first charge was at Brownsburg, Hendricks county, Ind., where he continued for two years and a half. Dur- ing his pastorate at Brownsburg he materially advanced the condi- tion of the parish, and under his direction the church at that place was remodeled and considerably enlarged. Father Logan was then given charge of the more important parish at Greencastle. He remained at that place for seven years and did much in both a spiritual and material way for the good of the parish. He enlarged and remodeled the church in a handsome manner and bought the property and erected the present parochial school-building at that point. He also built a church at Bainbridge, an auxiliary parish in the same county. In 1880 Father Logan was located in Terre Haute. Here his fine executive qualities again asserted themselves and to his efforts were largely due the erection of the new St. Patrick's church at that place. He also bought the ground and erected the new St. Patrick academy at Terre Haute. He was then transferred to Bloomington and had direction of the joint parishes at Bloomington and Bedford for two years, and in Febru- ary, 1888, was placed in charge of the church at Rushville. The same business and executive qualities and aggressiveness of manner

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History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II, Part 31

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Logansport, Ind., A. W. Bowen & co. Number of Pages: 1476

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Logansport, Ind., A. W. Bowen & co.
Number of Pages: 1476