USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II > Part 69
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
anapolis, with whom she lived until her death, in the Catholic faith, February 18, 1892, at the age of thirty-five years.
John Murray did not come to the United States with the fam- ily, but lived with his maternal grandfather, a grocer in the village of Dunfanaghy, county Donegal, and acquired some knowledge of business, and also acquired an education in the National school. He came to America in 1874, settled in Indianapolis, and found employment as bookkeeper for an old family friend, Dominick Coll, of whom more information may be found in the biography of Dennis Coll. At the death of Mr. Coll Mr. Murray purchased the business from the widow, and has been in business on his own account since 1877, for a few years keeping the St. Charles hotel on North Illinois street.
The marriage of Mr. Murray took place at St. John's cathe- dral, March 4, 1889, to Miss Kate Curran, Rev. Father Gavisk officiating. Miss Curran was born May 15, 1870, in county Kerry, Ireland, a daughter of Timothy and Nellie (White) Curran, who still reside in their country, the father being a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Curran were the parents of eight children, viz: Mary, who died at the age of twelve years; Patrick, checkman at the Big Four depot, Indianapolis; John, a tailor in Ireland; Dennis is a resident of New Haven, Conn .; Mrs. Murray is next in order of birth; Michael died in Ireland at the age of twenty-two years; Nora and Timothy are still at home with their parents. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Murray have been born three children, in the following order: Charles James, May 15, 1890; Grace Mary, April 14, 1892, and John Joseph, April 22, 1894. The family are members of St. Patrick's church, and Mr. Murray is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. In politics he is a democrat and an active worker in the interests of his party, and is a genial, warm-hearted gentleman, and one of the most popular in his line of business in the city of Indianapolis.
THOMAS NEES, of Lawrenceburg. Ind., is a son of John and Amelia (Koch) Nees, the former a native of Germany, who came to the United States in 1847, and the latter a native of Amer- (1090)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
ica, and both now reside in Aurora, Ind., where the father conducts a hotel. He was a school-teacher in Ohio for several years.
Thomas Nees was born in New Richmond, Ohio, September 8, 1858; he attended the common schools, and also the Cincinnati Business college, and at the age of twenty-five years engaged in business in Pittsburg, Pa., where he lived for several years. In 1889 he opened business in Lawrenceburg for himself-hotel, res- taurant, bar and coal yard-the last under the name of the Law- renceburg Coal company, which is doing the largest business in its line in the city.
Mr. Nees was married to Susan A. Pelgen, a daughter of Fred and Clara Pelgen, of Indiana, and this union has been blessed with three children: Amelia C., Fred J. and Aloysius T. All are mem- bers of St. Lawrence's Catholic church, and in politics Mr. Nees is a democrat, and, as such, has filled several county offices as assist- ant, being very popular with his party as well as with the general public.
T THOMAS HENRY NEILAN, superintendent of the Indian- apolis Sanitary company, is a native of Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio, and was born October 26, 1857, a son of Henry and Rose (McGlenn) Neilan, both natives of county Roscommon, Ireland, but married in New York city about 1849.
Henry Neilan, during most of his early life in America was a railroad employee, but for the last thirty-five years prior to his death lived in retirement in Hamilton, Ohio, in which city he and wife passed in peace away in the faith of the Catholic church. They reared a family of nine children that had blessed their marriage, and beside these also reared three orphans. Their own offspring were named, in order of birth, Margaret, Sarah, Katie, Alice, Myrtie, Charles, William, Edward and Thomas H., and the wards were Edward, John and Helen. Two sisters and one brother of Thomas Henry are still living, of whom Margaret (now Mrs. Ryan), lives in Las Vegas, N. M .; the others reside in Hamilton. With one exception, all the above-named family reached the years of maturity.
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
Thomas H. Neilan was educated in the public and parochial schools of his native city, and then served an apprenticeship at the machinist's trade, which he followed for fourteen years. He came to Indianapolis in 1876, and in 1892 was appointed dupty sheriff of Marion county by the then democratic sheriff, and later for two years was an employee in the office of the board of health. Novem- ber 1, 1897, he was appointed to his present position, which, up to the present time, he has filled with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the publie.
The marriage of Mr. Neilan was solemnized September 19, 1894, at St. John's cathedral, Indianapolis, by Rev. Father Weber, to Miss Bridget McManaman, a native of North Vernon, Ind., and this union has been blessed with one son-Robert Lee, born July 5, 1895. The family are members of St. John's congregation, under the ministration of Rev. Father Gavisk, and although Mr. Neilan is not a member of the church sodalities or any close societies, he is a true Catholic, contributes freely to the support of the church, and is highly respected by his fellow-citizens-church members or not church members.
R OBERT R. WALDEN, a well-known traveling salesman and also proprietor of a hardware store in Indianapolis, was born in Putnam county, Ind., in 1843, a son of William and Rachel Theressa (Ingram) Walden, natives, respectively, of Ohio and Ten- nessee, and in religion Protestants.
Mr. Walden was reared to manhood in his native county, and at the age of twenty years enlisted in company I, Fifty-fifth Indi- ana volunteer infantry. After filling out his term of enlistment he located in Terre Haute, Ind., where he was employed by an express company until 1867, when he went to Evansville, where he was engaged in the same capacity for two years, and then entered upon his career as traveling salesman for George S. Sonn- tag & Co. - In June, 1869, he came to Indianapolis, having made arrangements with Layman, Carey & Co., wholesale hardware merchants, to take the road in their interest, and up to the pres-
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Rooth Walden
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
ent time has given the utmost satisfaction as salesman. Mr. Wal- den has also established a hardware store on East Washington street, over which his son, Robert W., has the supervision.
The sacrament of matrimony was administered to Mr. Wal -. den October 15, 1868, at Evansville, Ind., when he was united with Miss Margaret Brennan, by the Rev. Patrick McDermott, but the crowning sacrament of his life did not occur until 1883, when he was baptized October 14, by Rev. Father Lambert, and admitted to communion in the holy Catholic church. Mrs. Walden was born in county Carlow, Ireland, a daughter of Patrick and Mary Bren- nan, and was a child of four years when brought to America by her parents, who settled in Watertown, N. Y., where they passed the remainder of their lives. They had a large family of children, of whom two sons and three daughters are still living. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Walden has been blessed with two children, viz: Mary, who is the wife of Thomas Flaherty and has one child, Mar- garet, and Robert W., who has charge of his father's hardware store on East Washington street.
Robert R. Walden is the financial secretary of St. Patrick's branch, No. 563, Catholic Knights of America; is president of the Commercial Travelers' Mutual Accident Insurance association, and a member of the Commercial Travelers' association of Indi- ana. Mr. and Mrs. Walden have a pleasant home at No. 1150 Olive street, are blessed with the material comforts of life, and are numbered among the most esteemed Catholic citizens of the parish of St. Patrick.
JOHN M. NEUMAN, member of the gents' furnishing goods J firm at Shelbyville, Ind., was born in Franklin county, this state, March 22, 1858, a son of John and Elizabeth | Biltz Neu- man, natives of Germany, who came to the United States in 1848, and settled in Franklin county, where the father was engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1858, and where the widow died in 1892, both in the faith of the Catholic church, and the parents of three children, viz: Mary, wife of
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
George Dudley, of Indianapolis; Joseph, deceased, and John M .. whose name opens this paragraph.
John M. Neuman attended public school until thirteen years old and then worked on a farm until eighteen; he chose clerking as his vocation for gaining a livelihood, and continued to follow the calling in various kinds of business until 1895, when he engaged in his present business in Shelbyville, and at the same year admitted as partners George Hock and his father, Joseph Hock, the firm style being Neuman, Hock & Co.
Mr. Neuman was united in marriage in Shelbyville, Septem- ber 10, 1884, to Miss Frances A. Hirshauer, who was born in Shelby county, October 4, 1863, and this congenial union has been blessed with four children, viz: Rosa F., George J., Marguerite E. and William J. The family are members of St. Joseph's con- gregation, of which Mr. Neuman is a trustee, and he is also a member of the Knights of St. John. In politics he is a democrat. He has been very successful as a business man, and through his urbanity and upright dealing has made many warm friends in Shelbyville, who hold him in high esteem.
W ILLIAM HENRY NIBLICK, president of the Old Adams County bank, of Decatur, is a native of this city and dates his birth from the 19th of March, 1855. His father, Jesse Niblick, was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, August 12, 1826, and in early life was apprenticed to learn the shoemaker's trade. Subse- quently he was engaged for some time in the manufacture of boots and shoes at Decatur, Ind., where healso carried on the mercantile and grain business for a number of years. He was a man of local prominence, served as treasurer of Adams county two terms, in addition to which he filled the office of township trustee, and repre- sented his ward in the common council of Decatur. In 1871 he founded the Adams County bank, which was reorganized four years later as a state bank, serving as its first president, afterward filling the offices of vice-president and director. He was married in Decatur, in 1851, to Miss Catherine Closs, Father Edward M. (1096)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
Faller officiating, and became the father of eight children, viz: John, William Henry, Jesse, James K., Mary, Amelia, Charles S. and Daniel M., all living with the exception of Jesse. Mr. Niblick's death occurred on the 6th day of October, 1895.
William Henry Niblick, the immediate subject of this sketch, was reared in Decatur and attended the parochial and public schools of the city until his sixteenth year, at which early age he entered the Adams County bank as assistant cashier. He dis- charged the duties of the position in a very efficient manner until 1883, from which time until 1894 he was cashier, and upon the reorganization of the bank, August 1, of the latter year, became its president, in which capacity he still serves. Mr. Niblick is justly considered one of the foremost business men of Decatur; his well-known integrity and the interest he takes in all matters hav- ing for their object the material advancement of his city have won for him an enviable place in the estimation of his fellow-citizens.
On the 7th of November, 1883, in St. Mary's church, Decatur, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Niblick and Miss Christina R. Miller, the ceremony being performed by Father Wilken. Mr. and Mrs. Niblick have one son, Jesse G. Mr. Niblick was for many years a trustee of the parish of St. Mary's, and for a period of six- teen years held the office of secretary of the church. He was elected a member of the common council of Decatur in 1887, and has filled the position by successive re-elections to the present time.
JOHN NICKOLS, cashier and partner of the Batesville Coffin Manufactory company, is one of eight children born to Frank F. and Mary (Bittner) Nickols, natives of Germany, who came to the United States in 1847, located in Cincinnati for a few years, and then moved to Dearborn county, Ind., in 1850, where the father was a brewer and farmer. The father was born in October, 1816, and died September 10, 1896; the mother was born Septem- ber 18, 1818, and died in 1893, August 10. Our subject was born December 1, 1850, attended common schools, and at the age of twenty-one engaged in the blacksmith business, and worked at that
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
eighteen years. He entered his present business in 1884, and has been cashier ever since, except one year, when Joseph Spiegel was cashier, but is now president of the manufactory. John Nickols was married to Miss Eva Disser, a daughter of Peter and Marguerite Disser. They have four children: William P., Bertha L., Alva M. and Lawrence. The family are all members of the Catholic church, and Mr. Nickols is a democrat in politics. Mr. Nickols has always been an excellent business man, as well as an industrious one, and has risen to his present responsible position of trust through his personal merits. His name is respected wherever it is known, and he and family are recognized in the best social circles of Bates- ville and the surrounding country.
L' EOPOLD NIERMANN, the fashionable merchant tailor of LaFayette, Ind., was born in Baden, Germany, February 28, 1850, a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Gehring) Niermann, who came to the United States in 1853, and settled in LaFayette. Here the father pursued his trade of tailoring until his death, which occurred in 1874, at the age of seventy years, his wife dying March 3. 1897, when seventy-six years old, both being sincere Catholics. Their three children were born and named in the following order: Leopold; Mary Louisa (now Sister Dominica), a teacher in Frost- burg, Md., and Mary Elizabeth, who died unmarried in 1882. The father was the only member of his family who came to America, but the mother had four brothers and two married sisters who came to this country and found their homes in the western states.
Leopold Niermann received a good education in St. Boniface parochial school, LaFayette, and in 1864 entered a store as errand boy, but subsequently became clerk and bookkeeper. In 1880 he learned cutting, and the same year engaged in the merchant tailor- ing business on his personal account. In 1885 he married Miss Josephine Kinsman, who was born in San Francisco, Cal., a daughter of Lewis B. Kinsman, a grocer, and this marriage has been blessed with one child -Mary Elizabeth -- who was born Octo- ber 23, 1890.
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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
In politics Mr. Niermann is a democrat, but contents himself with the simple exercise of his franchise at the polls, in favor of the nominees of his party, without any ambition for office-holding on his own part. In religion he is a devoted Catholic and with his wife and child belongs to St. Boniface congregation. He has been trustee of his church four years, is a member of St. Joseph Benev- olent society and St. Boniface church society, and for four years has been secretary and treasurer of the St. Joseph Cemetery asso- ciation, and is an energetic worker in all the corporations with which he has a connection. He has made his fortune through his good management and thrift, and is now the owner of his place of business, as well as his home at No. 137 Ferry street and a farm near the city.
H ENRY NIESSE, who is living in retirement on a snug, neat little homestead of twenty-two and three-quarters acres just north of the city of Madison, Ind., on the Michigan road, is a son of Anthony and Mary ( Niehaus) Niesse, and was born in Westphalia, Germany, about the year 1834.
Anthony Niesse, who owned a small farm in Westphalia, sailed from Bremen with his family for America in 1849, and after a passage of fifty-four days landed in New Orleans, whence they came, via river, to Madison, arriving here about June 1. Here Mr. Niesse worked in a tan yard for some time, and later on a rail- road, and in 1856, while repairing a bridge a bank caved in, and so injured his leg that he died from the effects about six weeks later. He was a strong, healthy, hard-working man, and was about fifty- nine years of age at the time of his untimely death. His wife, soon after the arrival of the family in Madison, was seized with cholera, and after an illness of ten hours only, expired August 1, 1849. Their five children were Mary, the deceased wife of Joseph Loeh- man, of Madison; Henry, the subject of this memoir; John D .; William, deceased, and Theressa, wife of George Wenzler.
Henry Niesse, on first arriving in Madison, worked for a few months in a tanyard and was next employed as a gardener. In 1852 he became a clerk on a wharfboat, a position he held until
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
the fall of 1861. May 14, of the same year, he married Miss Mary Livedag, a native of Virginia, and a daughter of William H. Live- dag, who was born in Germany, but no children have come to add happiness to this union.
After marriage Mr. Niesse embarked in the hotel business in Madison, and this he continued until 1884, when he purchased and retired to his present place, where he is leading a quiet life, but being strong and active, labors almost daily. Mr. Niesse has made a success of his various enterprises, and, beside his homestead, owns considerable improved real estate in Madison. He is a devout Catholic in religion, and for ten years has been a trustee of St. Mary's church. In politics he is independent and votes for the man he thinks to be best qualified for the office to be filled. As a citizen Mr. Niesse has acted well his part, and as an individual has reached his present respected position entirely through his own exertions.
W ILLIAN HENRY NOLAN, a popular business man at No. 325 South Capitol avenue, Indianapolis, Ind., was born in Detroit, Mich., July 19, 1864. He is a son of Michael and Cath- erine (Carey) Nolan, both natives of Ireland, the former of Dublin and the latter of Cork. They were married in their native coun- try and their two eldest children were born there. On coming to the United States they located, first, in Detroit, Mich. Michael Nolan was a soldier in the English army, was afterward located in. Toronto, Canada, where he died when the subject of this sketch was yet a child, and was worth considerable property, which his- children have inherited.
Michael and Catherine Nolan were the parents of the follow- ing children: Mary, who died in Washington, D. C., the wife of James Malone, an old soldier; Sarah, still single and living with the subject of this sketch: Kate, who died in Marblehead, Mass., the wife of Patrick Egan; Maggie, wife of Timothy O'Keefe, a inolder by trade, and living in Detroit, Mich .; Jennie, wife of John Collins, who also lives in Detroit. James and Michael are both deceased, leaving William Henry the only living son. The par- (1100)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
ents of these children are both deceased, the mother dying at Detroit, Mich., and the father, as stated above, at Toronto, Canada.
William Henry Nolan spent his early life up to the age of six- teen at Detroit, Mich., and at Toronto, and was educated in the public schools and at a Brothers' school. For two or three years afterward he worked at the organmaker's trade, removing to Indian- apolis about 1880, but for some years after this removal was not engaged in any business. In 1893 he established himself in his present business, in which he has ever since been engaged. Mr. Nolan is still unmarried and is living with his sister, the two bringing up a foundling boy. In political views Mr. Nolan is a dem- ocrat, ardently devoted to his party, though he is not in any way desirous of official station. He is a faithful member of St. John's Catholic church, as are the rest of the family living in Indianapolis. He is also a member of the Ancient Order of Druids, and in all relations in life is a true, honorable and respected citizen.
R DEV. M. F. NOLL (deceased) was born in Germany, July 19, 1849, and came to this country when a child. He studied his classics in St. Francis seminary, Wilwaukee. Having completed these, and rather young to enter philosophy, his bishop, the Right Rev. J. H. Luers, sent him to Father O'Reilly, at Valparaiso, Ind., who placed him at the head of his school and made him organist of his church. Having labored faithfully in these posi- tions four years, Mr. Noll was sent to Mount St. Mary's seminary, at Cincinnati, where he pursued and completed his studies in phil- osophy and theology. He was ordained priest in 1872, in the twenty-fourth year of his age, being the first priest ordained by Bishop Dwenger.
Father Noll's first congregation was that of Union City, Ind., where he remained four years, and successfully administered the spiritual and temporal affairs pertaining to his charge. After obtaining such blessed results in Union City, he was transferred to the parishes of Elkhart and Goshen, where he again labored with great zeal.
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
In 1880 Bishop Dwenger promoted Father Noll to the parish of St. Mary's, LaFayette, considered one of the largest in the diocese. He grew rapidly in the good will of his people because of his zeal, his frankness and his kind disposition. He had just witnessed the close of a two weeks' mission, and had addressed his people at the eight o'clock mass on Sunday morning, but at Mon- day noon, June 23, 1880, he died, stricken with apoplexy. Rugged in health, in good cheer during the forenoon, chatting pleasantly with the missionaries, these latter started to visit a few sick per- sons, and returning at noon had scarcely time to give him extreme unction, and the good Father went to meet the Master he had so faithfully served on earth.
The remains were conveyed to Fort Wayne, where pontifical mass of requiem was celebrated in the cathedral by Bishop. Dwenger. A large number of priests attended the obsequies.
JOHN WENDELL NORDHAUS, of Vincennes, Ind., is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, was born April 4, 1865, and is a son of John W. and Elizabeth (Brinkmann) Nordhaus, both natives of Prussia, who respectively came to America in 1850 and 1860, and were married in Cincinnati in 1863. The father was a shoe manufacturer, removed from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Evansville, Ind., in 1875, and there died June 22, 1876, at the age of sixty-two years; the mother died at the home of subject, February 27, 1896. They were the parents of two children John W. and William- the latter being now engaged in the furniture business in Evansville.
John Wendell Nordhaus was educated in St. Michael's paro- chial school, Cincinnati, and in St. Mary's school in Evansville, and received his first communion June 2, 1878. On leaving school he engaged for three years in the butcher business in Evansville, but as this trade interfered with his regular attendance at church, he accepted a clerkship in a merchant tailoring establishment, but three years later returned to Cincinnati and for four years filled a similar position. September 1, 1886, he married, at Evansville, Miss Mary Kleinhans, a native of Ironton, Ohio, and a daughter of August and Mary Kleinhans, at that time prominent members of (1102)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
the Catholic church in Evansville. To this marriage there was born September 22, 1887, a son, named John Ferdinand.
In 1887 Mr. Nordhaus came to Vincennes to take charge of a tailoring establishment for his Cincinnati employer, and three years later purchased the business, which he conducted until 1895, when he was obliged to discontinue on account of failing eyesight. In September, of the same year, he was appointed supreme organ- izer of the Catholic Knights of America for the territory embracing the states of Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky, and earned the dis- tinction of having secured more members than any other organizer (there being six in the United States) during the period in which he held the position. January 1, 1897, Mr. Nordhaus resigned his position to accept a more lucrative one in the office of the supreme treasurer, Catholic Knights of America.
Mr. Nordhaus has a fine reputation as a drillmaster, having received his first training as a member of the Ohio national guards, in which he served while a resident of Cincinnati, taking part with it in quelling the great riots in that city some years ago. In 1889 he organized the first militia company in Vincennes, of which he was commissioned first lieutenant by Gov. Hovey, and in which he served three years. In 1891 he assisted in organizing the U. R., C. K. of A., and was elected captain of the local branch of Vin- cennes-a position which he recently resigned, having been elected supreme commander of the uniform rank, C. K. of A. In 1895 he was elected colonel of the Indiana regiment. In all competitive drills and exhibitions his command has carried off first honors, and at the state encampment in Logansport, in 1892, he was awarded a gold medal, merited from being the ablest commander in line- and in this triumph he naturally feels a pardonable pride. He and family worship at St. John's German Catholic church, in the choir of which Mr. Nordhaus is first tenor.
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