USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II > Part 7
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REV. JOHN B. BLUM, assistant pastor of St. Mary's church, Decatur, was born in Germany, November 8, 1866, his native town being Rubensheim in Rheinpfalz, kingdom of Bavaria. He was brought to the United States the year following his birth and grew to manhood at Fort Wayne, Ind., in the parochial schools of which city he received his early education, completing the pre- scribed course of the same when but thirteen years of age. In September, 1882, he entered St. Lawrence college, Mount Calvary, Wis., from which he was graduated in June, 1887, and in Septem- ber following, began his theological studies in Mount St. Mary's seminary, Cincinnati, where he was ordained priest June 22, 1892, by Archbishop Elder. July 20, 1892, Father Blum was appointed, by Very Rev. J. H. Brammer, pastor of St. Mary's church, Frank- fort, Ind., the duties of which position he discharged until 1895, from December 22d of which year, until 1896, he served as tem- porary pastor of St. Joseph's parish, Reynolds. In the latter year he was made assistant pastor of St. Mary's church, Decatur, in which capacity he is serving at the present time.
Father Blum is an earnest son of the church and a preacher of recognized ability. His work in Decatur has been satisfactory
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to his superior and to the membership at large, and he has won many friends in Decatur, irrespective of church relations.
Father Blum's parents were Nicholas and Margaret Blum, born in Bavaria in the years 1832 and 1831, respectively, and mar- ried in their native country in 1860. By occupation Nicholas Blum is a stonemason, which trade he followed in Germany and also has followed in Fort Wayne, Ind., his present home.
H JON. LOUIS J. BOBILYA stands distinctively as one of the most alert and progressive business men of the city of Fort Wayne. His parents, August and Snsan (Buva) Bobilya, were natives of France and were there reared to maturity, their marriage, however, being consummated in this country. In the early 'forties they emi- grated to America, resided in Ohio until 1851, when they removed to Allen county, Ind., where the father devoted his attention to farming until the time of his death, which occurred when our sub- ject was yet a mere boy. August and Susan Bobilya became the parents of five children, all of whom are living except one, Louis J. being the third child in order of birth, which took place August 9, 1857.
After the death of his father he was sent to the home of an uncle, in Defiance, Ohio, and he there remained until he had attained the age of twelve years. He was a boy of vigor and energy and was nothing loth to apply himself to active labor when the need came. Thus at the early age of twelve years he entered the employ of Frank Alderman, a dealer in agricultural implements, and remained with him five years, acquiring an excellent knowl- edge of the details of that line of enterprise. He next accepted a position as general agent, for the state of Indiana, of J. F. Seib- erling & Company, manufacturers of the Empire mowers, reapers and binders, of Akron, Ohio. That he proved his value to this concern is manifest in the fact that he was retained in the employ of the company for fifteen years. In 1893 he formed a partner- ship association with R. L. Romy, and engaged in a line of enter- prise which has important bearing upon the material prosperity and progress of any community-that of a successful real-estate busi- (104)
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ness-under the firm name of Romy & Bobilya, in the Bank block, in Fort Wayne. The correct methods and well directed enterprise of the firm gained to them a strong hold upon the public favor. and their annual transactions reached a very notable aggregate. They dealt in both city and suburban reality, and upon their books were at all times represented most advantageous bargains and investments in farming property in Indiana and other states; they also made a specialty of extending financial loans upon real-estate security, offering to patrons such inducements as insured them a continuous support in this line. That they enjoy the confidence and respect of the public is evidenced in the extensive and repre- sentative character of their business.
For a number of years past Mr. Bobilya has taken a very act- ive interest in political affairs and has rendered most effective serv- ice to his party, being in line as a stalwart supporter of the demo- cratic party and its principles. His distinctive ability and his zeal in the party cause have naturally brought him recognition, and secured to him high official preferment through the suffrage of the people. In 1894 he became the candidate on the democratic ticket as representative of his district in the Indiana legislature, and as significant of his popularity stands the fact that at the ensuing election he was victorious, receiving the largest majority of any can- didate on the ticket. Upon the organization of the legislative body he became the candidate of the democratic members of the house for the position of speaker and received the full vote of such members. The house, however, had a large republican majority, and, as a matter of course, he was unable to secure the honor which the democratic contingent wished to confer upon him. Mr. Bobilya served on several important committees, among which were the ways and means committee, committee on cities and towns, committee on affairs of Indianapolis, military committee, and also a special committee appointed to make an investigation concerning the schools of the capital city of the state. As a legislator our sub- ject brought to bear that distinctive and practical ability which has conserved his success in business affairs-a mature judgment and an intuitive wisdom which could not but further the interests of his constituents and those of the state at large.
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In 1896 Mr. Bobilya received the nomination for joint state senator, representing Allen and Whitley counties, and was elected by a majority of 2,200 votes, and served one term on the commit- tees of finances, banks, congressional apportionments, and cities and towns. He resigned this position May 27, 1897, to accept the position tendered him by the county commissioners of Allen county to fill the unexpired term of the late C. W. Edsall, county auditor, and this office he has most acceptably filled since.
In his fraternal relations our subject is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Travelers' Protective association of America, in which latter organization he was advanced to the position as president of the state branch of the association, which position he held two years. He is a man of broad intellectuality, refined sentiments and innate courtesy, and is highly esteemed in both business and social circles.
Mr. Bobilya was married in Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1893, Oc- tober 2, to Mrs. Lizzie Porter, daughter of Martin Blum, formerly of St. Joe township, Allen county, and the widow of John Porter. Mrs. Bobilya was born in this county and bore one child, Harvey Porter, by her first marriage, and by her present union two chil- dren-Louis Jerome, aged three years, and Claude Matthews, aged two years. Mr. Bobilya and children reside on Lakeside, Fort Wayne, and their beautiful home is the abode of unreserved hos- pitality. Mrs. Bobilya died, after a lingering illness of eight months, April 27, 1898, and her mortal remains were buried in Lindenwood cemetery.
W TILLIAM JOSEPH CUNNINGHAM, deceased, and formerly a very prominent citizen of LaFayette, Tippecanoe county, Ind., was born in county Limerick, Ireland, September 8, 1847, and was a son of Terrence and Mary ( Hastings) Cunningham, who brought their family to America in 1857 and resided in LaFayette until 1882, when they moved to Logansport, Ind., where the father passed away in 1896, and where the mother still lives, respected and venerated by all who know her.
William J. Cunningham, the third of eleven children born to (106)
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the above-named parents, was but ten years of age when brought by them to America, and received his education in St. Mary's parochial school at LaFayette, which he attended until fourteen years of age, and was then employed in a hardware store for a few months; he next entered the employ of the Underwood insurance agency, where he gained a knowledge of the business, and in a short time was enabled to open a similar agency on his on account, which he conducted for three years in LaFayette, and then removed to St. Louis, Mo., where he passed eighteen months in the same vocation. Thence he went to Indianapolis, Ind., and after spending a few months there as insurance agent, was appointed deputy under Attorney-General Hord, who had just assumed his office, and retained the position until the close of Mr. Hord's incumbency, being employed as collector of delinquent taxes in Ohio and Indiana, and was thus engaged when he met his death, in July, 1887, the particulars of which will be detailed further on.
The marriage of Mr. Cunningham was solemnized in LaFay- ette, September 19, 1871, with Miss Mary C. Connolly, who was born in this city January 13, 1849. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham, however, there were no children born, but otherwise the marriage was most felicitous, congenial and happy, until ter- minated by the tragic death of Mr. Cunningham. On Friday, July 13, 1887, Mrs. Cunningham, with two friends, Mr. and Mrs. James Duffy, went to Mount Clemens for a short visit and recreation. On Wednesday morning Mr. Cunningham, who had been attending to some business at Cleveland, joined them. In the afternoon all went out on the Clinton river, a narrow but very deep stream, about half a mile from Mount Clemens, to fish. About 5 o'clock, while they were resting at ease in the middle of the river, a steamer approached and Mr. Cunningham suggested that Mr. Duffy pull to the shore. Mr. Duffy did as directed, Mr. Cunningham acting as steersman. Just before the bank was reached the steamer passed, followed closely by a boat in tow, which was connected with the steamer by a hawser. When the small boat, containing Messrs. Duffy and Cunninghan and wives, was almost upon the shore, the boat in tow, which was without a steersman, swung unexpectedly toward them. Mr. Duffy realized the danger of the party and
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sprang from the boat. He did not quite reach the land, but suc- ceeded in grasping a strong willow, to which he clung with a des- peration born of the terrible danger. With his other hand he clutched and held firmly to the edge of the boat. The boat in tow came in its threatening swing, and Mr. Cunningham, seeing that it would certainly strike the small boat, sprang into water of unknown depth. The suction of the boat in tow, which passed over him just as he sank the first time, drew him far down in the water. He rose to the surface only once, and then it was impos- sible to reach him before he went down for the last time, never to rise until he was taken out a lifeless body.
While Mr. Cunningham was going down to death Mrs. Duffy and Mrs. Cunningham were in the deadliest peril, as well as Mr. Duffy. The boat in tow struck the small boat and swamped it, crushing the boat and its lady occupants far down in the deep water. Mr. Duffy still clung to the side of the boat near the bow, and was nearly crushed to death by the boat in tow, feeling, as he said, every muscle in his body straining. He clung to the willow and kept himself from being dragged under the boat, although he was drawn into water that reached to his neck. By a strenuous effort the ladies were rescued, more dead than alive, and resuscitated. Efforts were then made to recover the body of the unfortunate victim, and were finally successful. As soon as the hody was taken from the water it was prepared for shipment to Lafayette and placed in an elegant metallic casket. When the remains arrived in Logansport, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Duffy and his sor- rowed widow, his aged father, Terry Cunningham, was there to join the heartbroken party. His grief was touching. He accom- panied the remains to Lafayette and his deep grief made many hearts ache in sympathy. At the depot Mr. Folckemer took charge of the remains and sympathetic friends acted as pallbearers. From the depot the casket was taken to the splendid home of the deceased on South Street heights. Here it was placed in the parlor and candles, mounted in silver candlelabra, lighted. Here the widow, the sisters and the father gathered about the remains of one whom they had loved so well, and spent the pent-up grief that was weighing down their hearts. It was a touching sight-a
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sight once seen, never forgotten. The body was removed from the casket and embalmed to preserve it for the obsequies, which took place Saturday, July 16. The deceased was a faithful Catholic and an active and honored member of St. Mary's church. The funeral was held at the church, Very Rev. Father Campion, of Logansport, officiating. The body was laid to rest in St. Mary's cemetery. Mr. Cunningham was an honorable business man, and through his energy and industry had secured a competency that placed his sorrowing widow far beyond the reach of want. He was a devout Catholic and a model husband, whose sad fate has left a void never to be filled.
H J ENRY H. BOCKTING, brick manufacturer at Huntingburg, Dubois county, Ind., is a son of Bernard and Elizabeth (Elfers) Bockting, natives of Germany, and was born in Dubois county, Ind., March 28, 1857; he was reared on a farm, attended the common schools, learned the brickmaking trade in his native county, and has found it to be to his best interests to continue in the business. He was married April 27, 1887, to Miss Josephine Oser, a daughter of M. Oser, and they have had three children come to bless their home, viz: Clara J., Matilda M. and Henry E. The parents are faithful members of St. Mary's church and are rearing their children in the holy Catholic faith, which has been endeared to them by the adherence to the same faith of their ancestors for generations. Mr. Bockting is a democrat in politics, and cast his first vote for Grover Cleveland.
S EBASTIAN BOCKTING, brick manufacturer of Huntingburg, Ind., is a son of Bernard and Elizabeth (Elfers) Bockting, natives of Germany. Sebastian was born March 12, 1863, and was reared in Dubois county, Ind., on a farm. He learned the brick- maker's trade, and at the age of twenty-four years began business for himself, and has carried on a brickyard up to this time, and also
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a clay mine, the brick production being 350, 000 annually. He was married to Elizabeth Hoge, a daughter of Hammond Hoge, on November 22, 1889, and they have been blessed with five children, viz: Farona E., Joseph H., Pollie L., Robert and Garhardt S. The family are all true Catholics, and Mr. and Mrs. Bockting are very liberal in their aid to the church, living well up to its teach- ings and enjoying the respect of all who know them. Mr. Bock- ting is democratic in politics and cast his first vote for Grover Cleveland.
DEV. HENRY A. BOECKELMANN, pastor of St. Vincent church at Elkhart, Ind., was born in Oster Cappeln, Hanover, Germany, March 31, 1851, and is a son of Francis and Anna (Schroeder) Boeckelmann, who had born to them a family of five children, of whom four grew to maturity, viz: Frederick, a stone- cutter, of Logansport, Ind .; Henry Aloysius, whose name opens this paragraph; Mary, wife of William T. Twomey, a shoe mer- chant of Goshen, Ind., and Frank, an inspector for one of the Chicago transportation boat lines on lake Michigan. The family came to the United States in 1853, and located in Logansport, where the father followed his trade of stonecutting until his death, September 20, 1882; the mother, now in her eighty-third year, is being filially cared for by her son, the Rev. Henry A., our subject.
Rev. Henry Aloysius Boeckelmann attended the parochial school in Logansport until sixteen years of age and then entered the Christian Brothers' college at St. Louis, Mo., which he attended until 1872, when he went to St. Viateur college at Bourbon- nais Grove, Ill., where his theological studies were pursued until ordained, August 30, 1877, by Bishop Foley, of the diocese of Fort Wayne. He then taught the sciences in the college one year, when, July 27, 1878, he was appointed to the charge of St. John's parish, at Goshen, Ind., where he did good and faithful work until Novem- ber 26, 1880, when he was transferred to the cathedral at Fort Wayne, as assistant to the bishop, and there remained until Feb- ruary 15, 1885, when he was appointed pastor at Delphi, Ind., the . arduous duties of which office he efficiently executed until Decem-
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ber 30, 1891, when he was transferred to his present responsible pastorate at Elkhart. His congregation comprises 142 families to, whose spiritual care he devotes his constant and untiring oversight. He is unusually ardent in his endeavors to advance the progress of his flock and the glory of the church.
The cemetery of St. Vincent is located a mile and a half west of the church-building, and the church property within the city lim- its comprises five and seven-eighths acres; the church itself is in a most prosperous condition, having grown day by day ever since the advent of Father Boeckelmann.
D R. JOSEPH A. BOERSIG, of Lawrenceburg, is a son of Michael and Elizabeth (Frick) Boersig. The father was from Germany, and was a cabinetmaker until his death, which occurred February 14, 1871.
Dr. Joseph A. Boersig was born June 7, 1871, was reared in New Albany, attended the common schools, and attended St. Meinrad college in 1887-8. Immediately after leaving this college, he attended the university of Louisville for three years, graduating in March, 1892. He practiced in New Albany for eighteen months, and then located in Lawrenceburg, beginning practice on his arrival. The doctor is a brother of Rev. J. Henry Boersig, of Yorkville, Ind., where his mother resides at sixty-one years of age. The doctor has nearly all of the Catholic practice of Lawrenceburg, being well read in his profession, and having had an extraordinary experience for so young a physician.
F REDERICK LOUIS BOGEMAN, of Shelbyville, and a son of Henry J. Bogeman, was born in Enochsburg, Franklin county, Ind., December 19, 1861, and there attended a parochial school until thirteen years old, after which he was engaged in labor work and in clerking until 1892, when he came to Shelbyville and for a year was engaged in the butcher, bakery and grocery business with
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Frederick J. Broxterman, and then, in 1893, bought out the estab- lishment, which was destroyed by fire in December, 1894. He then located at No. 64 West South street, where he has since conducted a prosperous meat market.
Mr. Bogeman was united in marriage, in Shelbyville, May 26, 1892, with Miss Carrie Schaefer, the union being now blessed with two children-Frederick Lawrence and Francis. Mr. and Mrs. Bogeman are members of St. John's church, Mrs. Bogeman being also a member of the league of the Sacred Heart. In politics Mr. Bogeman is a democrat, and while he always does his duty to his party at the polls, he does not neglect his private business for the purpose of advancing his personal interests as a politician or for self-aggrandizement. He is steady-going, honest and accommo- dating, and has made many friends since coming to Shelbyville.
R EV. MATHIAS H. BOGEMANN, the revered pastor of St. Charles Borromeo church at Bloomington, Ind., was born at Enochsburg, Franklin county, Ind., in 1860. His parents, Henry and Elizabeth (Broxtermann) Bogeman, were natives of Hanover, Germany, and early in life came to this country, locating in Cin- cinnati, Ohio, where they were married, and where the father long conducted a successful merchant-tailoring business, afterward mov- ing to Enochsburg, this state. (John Broxtermann, our subject's maternal grandfather, was the founder of the Cincinnati Ice com- pany.) Mr. and Mrs. Bogemann reared five sons and four daugh- ters. One of the latter is a prominent teacher in St. Francis school, at Cincinnati.
The boyhood of the subject of this notice was largely and properly given over to study and preparation for the useful life before him. He was a close student, and early displayed the pow- ers which have made him so eminently successful in his ministerial office. He attended the parochial school in his native town until he was thirteen years of age. At this period of his life his studies were checked by ill-health, which for two years kept him out of school. At the age of fifteen he entered St. Meinrad college in (114)
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Spencer county, and began the active preparation for the ministry. For ten years he applied himself closely to the acquirement of the wide knowledge necessary for his holy caliing, and his studious course received its reward. His line of preparation ceased in 1885, but his studies have never ceased, he still being a constant and attentive student of human nature and of human affairs. In the above year he was placed in orders, being ordained to the office of the priesthood, and given charge of St. Charles church at Bloom- ington. In his thirteen years' occupancy here Father Bogemann has displayed an unusual degree of fitness for his holy office, not only in his close relation to his flock as spiritual director of the parish, but in his none the less close relation to society as an attentive and useful man of affairs in the community; and in that time he has become widely known and universally revered as a worker of good works in the community for whose good his life has been dedicated. In addition to his arduous parochial duties, Father Bogemann finds much time for active and useful social and educational employment. For the past ten years Father Boge- mann's lectures at the State university at this place have been regarded as most useful and beneficent features of the special work of that institution. His lectures display an exhaustive research into the profundities of sociology and human economics.
In addition to his lectures on moral, esthetical, religious and kindred subjects, Father Bogemann displays the versatility of his attainments by lectures on art and architecture, in both of which subjects he is deeply versed. In the latter, particularly, has he exerted himself. Taking up the study of architecture for the pure love of the subject, he pursued it privately, and succeeded so largely that he has made for himself quite a name as an architect. Many residences and business blocks in Bloomington and Bedford give veracious and present evidence of his singular ability in this line of activity. His greatest architectural work was in connection with Kirkwood hall, the stately and noble chief building of the univer- sity at this place. To him was entrusted the important labor of revising the plans and superintending the construction of this beau- tiful structure, and his name is perpetually identified with it. This was to him purely a labor of love, as is all his architectural work,
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and he charged the state nothing for his valuable services in this connection. So excellent did his labor appear, however, upon completion, that the state would not permit his services to go wholly unrequited, and a handsome donation was presented him by the officers of the institution. His service as superintendent of construction of Kirkwood hall was by state appointment, a unique distinction to Father Bogemann, it being the first time in the his- tory of the state for a Catholic priest to be thus favored. His relations with the State university and the faculty are of the closest and most cordial character. In addition to the lectures and serv- ices above referred to, Father Bogemann is not infrequently called upon to deliver the Baccalaureate address and sermon at that institution.
Mention must here be made of Father Bogemann's architect- ural skill by a reference to the beautiful church, over whose spirit- ual needs he presides, at Bedford. This church-edifice was built by Father Bogemann, from his own plans, in 1893. It is of rock- faced oolitic limestone, in dimensions 127×54 feet, with a tower elevation 150 feet above the sidewalk. The cost of this building was $22,000, the total valuation of the Bedford church property being $30,000. The beauty of this structure is so distinctive that in a public address the bishop characterized it as the second in point of architectural grace in the diocese. Father Bogemann was given pastoral charge of the church at Bedford in 1885, and is as highly regarded and as deservedly popular there as in the resident parish of Bloomington. Personally, Father Bogemann is a large- hearted, wholesome, typical man. Not only does he hold the love and veneration of his parish, but his relations with the community at large, regardless of distinctions of religious creed, are of the very pleasantest nature. He is in very intimate touch with the best interests of the community, and may be very properly termed a chief factor in its citizenship. He is intensely patriotic, broad minded and public spirited, an alert spiritual guardian of his con- gregation, and an active, energetic man of affairs in his secular relations with the people. Constantly going about seeking to do good, he has made the sister communities of Bloomington and Bedford his very great debtors.
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