USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II > Part 37
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97
(622)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
Catholic alike shared their devotion to humanity for humanity's sake. With their own ambulance they gathered food and delicacies for the sick of all nations, and distributed them where needed, sacrificing their own interest and living on the plainest fare, because the sick needed the delicacies. And it is true that these self-sacrificing angels of mercy could secure contributions even where the strong arm of the law failed to reach them. God bless the Sisters of Charity.
After recovering, Capt. Moloney was taken to Macon, but he was never reconciled, and determined to make his escape at whatever cost. Finally, an exchange of 160 out of 200 officers in the prison was arranged, but Capt. Moloney was one of the forty who were not exchanged. When they were calling out the names of the exchanged officers, at the risk of life he stepped across the dead line and took a place in the ranks. Fortunately the movement was unobserved. Subsequently, during roll calls, he had some other comrade to answer "in unison ", and he thus escaped detection until they were well away from the prison. He then gave them leg bail again, this time successfully. Old Glory never looked so beautiful, the stars were never so bright nor the stripes so broad, as when he first beheld it on this occasion. The union pickets, seeing his gray uniform, supposed him to be a rebel deserter, and hailed him with " Hello, Johny, are you coming in to give yourself up?" He replied, " Yes; I am sick and tired of these fellows and don't want to stay with them any longer, " which wasno doubt as true a saying as he ever uttered. He was about to be taken to headquarters as a rebel deserter, when he explained his position and miraculous escapes. He was taken to Atlanta, where he rejoined his regiment, and was not recognized, owing to his rebel garb and emaciated condition. He had been reported killed in the action when captured, and great was the rejoicing of his comrades and fellow-officers when he appeared among them in the flesh. He assumed command of his company, still wearing the rebel uniform, as he had no other, and could not then obtain one. He remained with the army until after the defeat of Hood at Nashville, when he was granted a thirty days' leave of absence. On this visit he returned to Indianapolis, still wearing the garb of
(623)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
a rebel soldier, and excited some comment here, as old settlers can testify. Rejoining his regiment in the fall of 1864, heremained at the front until the last armed foe of the Union had laid down his arms, when he returned to the peaceful pursuits of life. This is another evidence of the truthfulness of the statement that the imper- ishable American Union has been cemented-not by the blood in this case, but by the devotion of many a true Roman Catholic.
JOHN W. GERDINK, dealer in real-estate, and an insurance agent, and one of the enterprising young men of Terre Haute, of which city he is a native, was born June 11, 1867, son of John Gerdink, who became a citizen of Terre Haute as early as the year 1848. The father was born in Holland and came to the United States in the above year, and later was united in marriage with Miss Mary Burke, a native of county Tipperary, Ireland, whose family became residents of Indiana about the year 1862. For many years the elder Gerdink was identified with the commercial interests of Terre Haute, where he resided until 1879, at which time the family removed to Gerdink Station, Sullivan county, returning thence after a temporary residence, to 1 ;rre Haute, where John Gerdink departed this life in the yea 1892. He was a devoted Catholic, and ever proved loyal to the mother church, being a member of St. Patrick's parish at the time of his death.
John W. Gerdink spent the first twelve years of his life in Terre Haute and received his early educational training in the parochial schools of the city, subsequently attending three terms at Union Christian college, at Merom, Sullivan county, where he obtained a knowledge of the higher branches of learning. In. 1888 he completed the prescribed course in the Terre Haute Commercial college, and immediately thereafter engaged in the insurance busi- ness as manager of a local agency, in which capacity he continued until 1894, when he purchased the agency which he has since suc- cessfully conducted. Mr. Gerdink represents many of the leading insurance companies of the United States and Europe, among which are the Phoenix, of London, Caledonia, Concordia, Detroit Fire & (624)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
Marine, Grand Rapids, and the Fidelity and Casualty; he is also secretary of the Phoenix Building & Loan association, and local secretary of the World Building & Loan, of Indianapolis, beside doing an extensive and lucrative business in real estate.
In 1893 occurred the marriage of Mr. Gerdink and Miss Mamie O'Donell, of Terre Haute, the ceremony being solemnized in St. Joseph Catholic church; to this union one child has been born, a son, Herbert Gerdink. Mr. Gerdink is a member of division No. 1, A. O. H., and at this time he is president of Good Will council, Young Men's institute; he is also an active member of branch No. 630, Catholic Knights of America, and politically wields an influence for the democratic party, with which he has been identified ever since attaining his majority. In the business circles of Terre Haute Mr. Gerdink is well and favorably known, and in all matters per- taining to the best interests of his church he is prominent, as is also his estimable wife, whose good works have endeared her to a large number of friends, irrespective of religious affiliation.
E DWARD GILMARTIN, of Fort Wayne, an extensive dealer in lumber, is a native of Queens county, Ireland, was born January 13, 1840, and is one of the three children born to Michael and Catherine (Whalen) Gilmartin. He came to America in 1860, landing in New York city on July 4, of that year, and thence directly to Columbus, Ohio, and engaged with the Western Union Telegraph company at that place. In the winter of 1861 and 1862 he was sent south to build military telegraph lines after the army of the Potomac, and was engaged in that work for about two years. Returning to Columbus, Ohio, the Western Union Telegraph company assigned him to work for the Pennsylvania Railway company on the east end. In 1864 the company sent him to Fort Wayne, and he was given charge of the western divi- sion of the Pennsylvania line until 1870, and then transferred to the G. R. & I. He built all the telegraph lines of that railroad, in all six or seven hundred miles. He was engaged with the G. R. & I. until November, 1889, when he resigned to attend to private
(625)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
business. He had previous to that time been dealing in telegraph poles and lumber, and his business having greatly increased, his resignation was necessary. In 1869 he engaged in the retail lum- ber business, and this has been very prosperous.
In 1862, while laying a cable from Cape Charles to Fortress Monroe, he was shipwrecked, losing all his personal effects. He was married in May. 1867, to Katherine Lynch, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, and came to America with her parents when a child. To their union eleven children have been born, nine of whom are living: Kate, now the wife of W. B. McDonald, super- intendent of the electric light works at Chicago; Michael J., Will- iam H., Mary A., Edward T., Nellie, John F., Loretta and Alice. The family in Fort Wayne are members of St. Patrick's congregation, and Mr. Gilmartin is a member of the Catholic Knights of America, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the St. Vin- cent de Paul society, and of the Blessed Virgin of St. Patrick's. Mr. Gilmartin is one of the most enterprising business men of Fort Wayne, and has gained his present prominent position entirely through his personal exertions and excellent management.
W TILLIAM F. MOORE, of the real estate and insurance firm of Moore & Horan, Indianapolis, is a native of the state of Ohio, born in the city of Columbus, on March 24, 1863. His par- ents, Patrick and Hannah (Mahoney) Moore, both natives of county Kerry, Ireland, were married in Lowell, Mass., and had born to them a family of ten children, nine sons and one daughter, viz: John died in his boyhood; Jeremiah also died in early youth; Michael, foreign agent of the Indianapolis Sentinel, resides in the Capital city; Thomas, engaged in the wire business in Cleveland, Ohio; William F., whose name introduces this sketch; James died in Anderson, Ind., in 1894, was also engaged in the wire trade; Stephen died when young; Patrick, dealer in wire at Cleveland; Lawrence is similarly engaged in the same city; and Mary is the name of the daughter. Of the sons, Michael and William F. are the only members of the family living who are married. For a (626)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
number of years the father was superintendent of the wire mill department in the Ohio penitentiary at Columbus, and later occu- pied a similar position in the city of Cleveland, where his death occurred in 1886, at the age of fifty-six; the mother is still living in that city.
When William F. Moore was a babe, his parents moved to Indianapolis, Ind., where the family remained about five years and then went to Cleveland, Ohio, in the parochial schools of which city the subject received his elementary education. Subsequently, he became a student of St. Bonaventure college, Allegheny, Pa., where he pursued his studies for some time and then entered the Jesuit college at Hyde Park. Returning from college in 1886, he accepted a position with the Indianapolis Sentinel, representing the interests of that paper on the road for a period of about seven years.
Severing his connection with the Sentinel, Mr. Moore next engaged in the cigar and tobacco business in Indianapolis, which continued eighteen months, and then effected a copartnership with J. C. Dalton in the hat trade, conducting a store on Washington street about one year. In February, 1896, Mr. Moore abandoned mercantile pursuits and engaged in the real estate and insurance business in partnership with Mr. Horan, which firm still continues.
On the twenty-first of June, 1887, Mr. Moore entered into the marriage relation with Miss Catherine Dalton, the ceremony being solemnized in St. Patrick's church by the pastor, Very Rev. D. O'Donaghue. Two sons and three daughters gladden the home of Mr. and Mrs. Moore, viz: Vitalis, Ignatius, Helen, Joseph and Marie. The family belong to St. Patrick's parish and Mr. Moore at this time is president of the Young Men's institute, also lecturer and organizer for Indiana and Michigan. Politically he is a dem- ocrat, and as such is active in the councils of his party in Indian- apolis. He is a gentleman of culture and refinement, an earnest churchman, and belongs to the progressive young element of the Capital city.
At the democratic county convention held at Indianapolis, after a twenty-four hours' session, ending April 1, 1898, as a nom- inee for commissioner of the Second district, W. F. Moore " ran
28
(629)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
like a Derby winner." His strongest opponent was Thomas: Bemis, who received 84 votes. Moore received 384. B. Frank Schmid, 58; B. F. Jones, 35; John R. Cox, 45; Julius F. Reinecke, 63; F. P. Johnson, 24, and E. A. Bernauer, 5. The enthusiasm for Moore was great, and when the band played " There'll be a hot time to-night," the delegates cheered lustily. Mr. Moore re- sponded in an eloquent and acceptable speech.
R )EV. G. M. GINNSZ, pastor of the Sacred Heart church, at Schnellville, Dubois county, Ind., was born in the diocese of Strasburg, Germany, city of Molsheim, province of Alsace-Lor- rain, February 26, 1840. His primary education was acquired in the parochial school, and at the age of thirteen years he entered the seminary of Strasburg, where he finished his philosophical studies.
In 1859 he came to America by the advice of Rt. Rev. Msgr. de St. Palais, Bishop of Vincennes, and entered the seminary at Vincennes as a student of theology. December 20, 1862, he was ordained priest by the same venerable bishop, at Vincennes, and was at once appointed assistant to Father Chassé of St. Simon's church, at Washington, Daviess county, where he remained from January, 1863, until August of the same year. He was then appointed pastor of the Church of the Assumption at Floyd Knobs, Floyd county, where he performed a great deal of good and fruit- ful work for ten years, both for his parish .and in the mission field, and after his arduous labors, in June, 1873, secured a vacation and visited his aged mother at Molsheim, returning in October of
the same year. He was then appointed to St. Mary's, in Daviess county, remained until August, 1875, and was then called to Vin- cennes to assume the chaplaincy of St. Vincent's Orphan asylum, at Highland, near by, and was also assigned to a mission at St. Thomas, in Knox county, where he erected a church, in 1879, at a cost of $2, 500. This mission is now a duly constituted parish, with its resident pastor.
From the asylum at Highland, Father Ginnsz was called to. (630)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
the pastorate of St. Patrick's parish, in Daviess county, where he remained from January, 1881, until September, 1885, and whilst there laid the foundation of the Glencoe Mortuary chapel. From St. Patrick's he was transferred to the pastorate of St. John's, at Loogootee, where he erected the parochial school-building and remained until January, 1890, when he was placed in charge of the Church of the Nativity B. V. M., at North Vernon, Jennings county, also attending Scipio, and officiated until January, 1892, then became pastor of St. Vincent's church, Prescott, Shelby county, where he resided until July, 1896, when he was placed in his present charge at Schnellville. It will thus be seen that Father Ginnsz has been in the constant service of the church for thirty- six years, and no priest has been more ardent, active and devoted than he during this long period; no one has more deservedly earned the high esteem in which he is held both by Catholics and Protestants throughout the southern diocese of Indiana.
R EV. ROBERT GLASSMEIER, O. S. B., assistant pastor of St. Joseph church, at Jasper, Dubois county, Ind., is a son of Frederick Henry and Catherine (Kleyer) Glassmeier, both natives of Hanover, Germany, and now deceased. Our subject was born at Clifton, near Cincinnati, Ohio, October 8, 1860. He completed his studies at St. Meinrad college, and was ordained at the same place, the 31st of May, 1890, by Bishop Chatard, and celebrated his first mass on the 9th of June, 1890.
P ATRICK GOLDEN, a respected resident of Richmond, Ind., was born in county Mayo, Ireland, in 1824, a son of Stephen and Mary (Highland) Golden, was educated in his native parish, and until 1852 worked on a farm for his father. He then came to the United States, landing in the city of New York in the year mentioned, whence he came direct to Wayne county, Ind., where for ten years he worked on a farm near Richmond; he then moved
(631)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
to the city and for fifteen years worked for the gas company, and for the following fourteen years in the paper-mill, performing his duties faithfully in each position, as his long tenure of employment fully shows. He has now retired and is one of St. Mary's most highly respected and wealthy members.
February 3, 1863, he was united in marriage, at Richmond, by Rev. Father A. J. Menz, with Miss Bridget Flynn, and this union has been blessed with five children, who were born in the following order: Mary, Katherine and Anna, all still at home, and the latter acting as clerk in the Richmond post-office; John, a machinist, working at his trade in St. Charles, Mo., and James, deceased. The family are members of St. Mary's congregation, are devout and faithful to their religious duties, contribute freely of their means to the support of the church, and enjoy the respect of their many acquaintances in Richmond, the father and mother being especially held in high regard as heads of so worthy a family.
P ROF. JOHN E. GOELZ, superintendent of the boys' depart- ment at St. Mary's school, and organist for the church, Madi- son, Ind., was born in Columbia, Monroe county, Ill., December 4, 1869, a son of John Adam and Anna (Goeller) Goelz, natives, respectively, of Hesse Darmstadt and Bavaria, Germany. He is a member of a family of educators, as his grandfather, father, uncles and brother were all teachers.
John Adam Goelz came to the United States on the 10th of November, 1853, and there also came two brothers, John and Peter, and two sisters, Barbara and Catherine. John now resides in East St. Louis, Ill .; Peter died in that city, and left a son- Christopher-who is a priest at Cobden, Ill., and Barbara died in Waterloo, Ill. ; Catherine died in East St. Louis; John Adam and his brother, John, are therefore the only survivors of this family. John Adam's first school was in Monroe county, Ill .; he next taught at Columbia, Ill., Waterloo, Ill., and in 1868 in New Alsace, Ind., and is now sexton of the church at Waterloo. He was married, by Rev. Ferdinand Hundt, in 1868, to Miss Anna (632)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
Goeller, who came from Germany, in 1852, with her parents, Sebastian and Catherine Goeller. who had five children-John, Anna, Andrew, Mary and Dorotha. The father was a cooper by trade and located with his family at Cincinnati, Ohio, and after- wards at Waterloo, Ill. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Goelz was blessed with two children-John E. and Peter Paul- the latter being a teacher in a parochial school at Bartelso, Ill.
Prof. John E. Goelz was educated in the Catholic Normal school at St. Francis, Wis., which he attended three years, grad- uating in 1889, in which year he was appointed to his present position in Madison, Ind. He was first married, in 1892, to Miss Mary M. Mayer, who was called away September 6, 1894. His second marriage was to Miss Rose M. Auger, a native of Madison and a daughter of Charles Auger, Sr., the ceremony being solem- nized February 9, 1897, by Rev. J. B. H. Seepe. Mr. Goelz has been very successful as an instructor, not only of the boys in St. Mary's parochial school, but as a teacher of vocal music to the members of the choir of which he is the organist. He is genial, gentlemanly, and accomplished, and has made many friends within and without the pale of his church, and he and his wife are highly esteemed on account of their many personal merits.
P ATRICK GOLDEN, a representative business man of Prince- ton, Ind., was born in county Armagh, Ireland, in March, 1846, the youngest of seven children-five sons and two daughters -constituting the family of William and Sarah (Hughes) Golden, and of this family three, beside Patrick, are still living, viz: Thomas, the eldest, who is a merchant of Belfast, Ireland; James, a man of wealth and influence, who made his fortune in the gold mines of the island of New Zealand, where he still resides, and William, an employee of the British government on the same island.
Patrick Golden was confirmed in the Catholic faith by Bishop Dixon, of the see of Armagh, was educated in the National school of his parish, and was reared to manhood on his father's farm. In
(633)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
1872 he came to the United States, landed in New York, and thence at once came to Princeton, to join an uncle, being then a poor young man, and here, through his inherent ability and tact, has lifted himself to the front rank in business circles. He was first married in May, 1880, by Father Merckle, to Miss Barbara Schmitt, the result of the union being two children, viz: Mary M., who was confirmed at the age of eleven years, by Bishop Chatard, was educated in the public schools, and also received an excellent musical training; Charles W., the second child, is being educated in the public schools and is in the fifth grade. Mrs. Golden departed this life April 15, 1890, at the age of thirty-three years and seven months, a true Catholic. The second marriage of Mr. Golden was solemnized March 1, 1892, by Father Torbeck, with Miss Anna M. Schmitt.
The business career of Mr. Golden, which commenced twelve years ago, has been very prosperous, and he now stands among the foremost of the mercantile men of Princeton. In politics he is a stanch democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Samuel J. Tilden. He is one of the leading members of St. Joseph's congre- gation, and contributes very freely of his means to the support of his church. He is respected for his personal integrity and with his wife mingles with the best social circles of Princeton. He is the owner of considerable real estate and his residence is one of the most modern in the city, where his genial and cordial disposition brings to him many visits from admiring friends.
B ARTLEY A. GORDON, inspector and foreman for the Rich- mond Natural Gas company, at Richmond, Ind., was born in West Liberty, Logan county, Ohio, August 23, 1866, and is a son of Bartley and Bridget (Roberts) Gordon. The father was born in Ballinamore, Leitrim county, Ireland, December 24, 1828, and was there reared to manhood. He went to England and sailed for the United States July 28, 1851, and landed in New York city September 15, 1851. He then went to West Bloomfield, Essex county, and for ten months worked as a general laborer, and (634)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
then came west, in 1852, as far as Ohio, and was employed as section foreman for about twenty-five years at West Liberty, Logan county.
At Urbana, Ohio, January 11, 1862, he married Miss Bridget Roberts, and to this union were born eleven children, of whom six are living and are named Mary, Peter, Anna, Rose, Ellen and Bartley A. Mr. Gordon has now been engaged in farming on his own account for about twenty-one years, and is a devout member of St. Patrick's church at Bellefontaine, near which place his farm is situated.
Bartley A. Gordon, our subject, has filled his present position for nine years, and has given unusual satisfaction not only to the company but to the public. He was married November 9, 1892, by Rev. Father McMullen, of St. Mary's church, to Margaret Brannan, and this union has been blessed with two children- Ellen and Mary. For the past three years Mr. Gordon has been president of branch No. 634, Catholic Knights of America, and is also president of division No. 1, of the Ancient Order of Hiber- nians, at Richmond.
R EV. JOHN B. GORMAN, the assistant priest of St. Francis Xavier Catholic cathedral at Vincennes, is a native of county Fermanagh, Ireland, was born December 3, 1863, and is the eldest of the five children born to Terence and Mary Gorman, who came to America in June, 1864, and settled on Long Island, N. Y. Mary, the eldest daughter of the family, is in the Dominican convent in New York, and of the other three children, Francis is a plumber in New York city, Eliza died at the age of fifteen years, and Joseph died in early childhood.
Father Gorman was educated primarily in the public schools of Long Island and the parochial schools of his church, and his classical and theological education was acquired at St. Meinrad's college and seminary. He was ordained at Indianapolis, Ind., March 26, 1894, by Bishop Chatard, and returned to his parental home to say his first mass in the church of the parish in which he had passed his childhood. After a visit of a few weeks with his par-
(635)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
ents he was assigned to his present office in St. Francis Xavier's cathedral, where his piety and zeal have been the subject of much commendation. He is a gentleman of high literary attainments, is genial, companionable and benign, and is a clergyman whose use- fulness in future years will be felt in any field to which the mother church may see fit to assign him.
D ANIEL MATTHEW MORONEY, proprietor of the Moroney Medicine company, No. 2484 West Michigan street, Indian- apolis, was born in Henry county, Ind., February 4, 1861, son of Matthew and Mary (Mack) Moroney, both parents natives of county Clare, Ireland. Matthew and Mary Moroney were married in Hagerstown, Ind., and the former died in 1871; the mother, who afterward became the wife of Anthony Scott, resides on the home farm in Hancock county, to which the family removed about the year 1865.
Matthew and Mary Moroney reared a family of four children -the eldest being Martin, a traveling salesman for the wholesale house of D. M. Osborne & Co., with headquarters in Indianapolis; the second in order of birth is the subject of this sketch; Margaret married Michael Mannix, a farmer of Darke county, Ohio, and the youngest, James J., tills the home place, and resides with his mother, who became a widow the second time in 1895.
The first four years of Daniel M. Moroney's life were spent in his native county, and for the succeeding twenty-four years he lived in the county of Hancock. He attended the public schools during his minority, and, owing to the death of his father, was early obliged to contribute his share toward the support of his mother and the younger members of the family. While attending to the many duties of the farm, he learned those lessons of industry and economy which have marked his subsequent years, and it is to his credit that he never set his mind to any task without, in the end, realizing its accomplishment.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.