USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II > Part 73
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P ETER M. TOOLE, an employee of the Pennsylvania Rail- road company's division at Indianapolis, was born in Troy, N. Y., October 20, 1849, a son of Mark and Rosanna Toole, natives of county Kildare, Ireland, who came to America when young and were married in the city of Troy.
Mark Toole was a farmer by vocation, and after marriage removed with his family to a farm at Three Rivers, Mich., where both he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, Mr. Toole surviving the death of his wife several years. They were the parents of five sons and two daughters, of whom the eldest, James, died at the age of three years in Troy, N. Y .; John C., a machin- ist, resided in Jamestown, N. Dak., where he died in November, (1144)
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1897; James is a shoe merchant, of Jackson, Mich. ; Peter is the sub- ject of this memoir; Mark met his death by an accident in Chicago, Ill., August 4, 1892; Mary resides with her brother, and another daughter died in Indianapolis, Ind., several years ago.
Peter M. Toole was about ten years of age when the family removed to Michigan, where he grew to manhood and learned the machinist's trade. In 1871 he came to Indianapolis and has here been employed by the Pennsylvania company for more than twenty years. He was united in marriage in September, 1874, with Miss Ellen Ryan, a native of county Waterford, Ireland, but brought when an infant to the United States by her parents. Mrs. Toole was called from earth June 2, 1895, leaving her husband three children-Margaret Mary, Edward John and Frances Effie. She was a true Catholic, a loving wife and mother, and was possessed of many feminine graces and virtues, and her loss was a sad blow to her husband and children, who still live at the old home, No. 702 Lord street, in St. Patrick's parish, of which Mr. Toole has been a resident many years, and where he enjoys the friendship and respect of all his neighbors.
P ATRICK O'TOOLE, flagman for the Union railroad company of Indianapolis, at the corner of Pennsylvania and McNabb streets, was born in Clonmel, county Tipperary, Ireland, January 23, 1847, a son of Thomas and Mary (Moore) O'Toole, natives of the same county. The O'Toole family trace their origin to Cork, and the Moore family to county Waterford, and both are of ancient Catholic descent and are well represented in the Catholic ministry of Europe and America.
Mr. O'Toole received a good national-school education in his native land, but at the age of sixteen years lost his father, and, as he was the oldest of the children, devoted his days to labor in the gardens of his neighborhood and his evenings to study in the Mechanics' institute, in order to better prepare himself for the bat- tle of life and aid his mother meanwhile. When about twenty-two years old, he came alone to America, and landed at Castle Garden,
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New York city, May 12, 1869, worked for a farmer in Connecticut a month or more, and then came to Indianapolis, where he had relatives, and was here married July 3, 1870, by the Rev. Father Pette, to Miss Bridget Cronan, a native of county Tipperary, Ire- land. Seven weeks after this happy event, he had the misfortune of losing the lower portion of his right leg, while employed in a rolling-mill, in which he had worked since his arrival in the city, but through the tender nursing of his faithful helpmate he recov- ered in time to accept his present situation August 25, 1871. Of the eleven children born to this marriage, Thomas is an operator in the employ of the Western Union Telegraph company; Mary is a seamstress at the Insane hospital; Annie is employed in the Chain works; Kate is at home; Agnes is with the Block's dry-goods firm; Theressa is a student in St. Mary's academy; Richard is a student in the Brothers' school, and William is a telegraph oper- ator in the employ of the board of trade. The three other chil- dren died in infancy.
Mr. O'Toole has one brother, Richard, living in Indianapolis, and he is night watchman at the Insane hospital; two, Thomas and Perez, the former a steamboatman and the latter a pastry cook, live in Chicago; the youngest brother, John, is a farmer in Ireland; and the only sister, Mrs. Johanna Atkins, died in England. Mr. O'Toole and family are members of St. John's church, and are strict in their observance of its teachings. Mr. O'Toole was a member of St. Patrick's Total Abstinence society until it was dis- continued, and still is a strong advocate of temperance. He is a Catholic Knight of America, and a member of St. John's sodality. In politics he is a democrat, and is a constant and diligent reader of current literature. He has been industrious and provident, and, assisted by his faithful wife, has accumulated considerable property.
J ALVIN PADGETT, deputy prosecuting attorney of Daviess county, Ind., is a native of this county, was born December 25, 1869, and is a son of William B. and Minerva J. (Seal) Pad- gett, of well known and highly respectable old families of the (1146)
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county and state. Until the age of thirteen he was instructed in the parochial school and then entered the high school, from which he was graduated in 1889. His first business step was to engage in the hotel business at Sullivan, where he remained one year, and then entered the university of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from the law department of which he graduated in 1892. After passing the following year at home, he went to Vinton, Iowa, where he re-engaged in the hotel business for two years, and then returned to Daviess county, Ind., and November 1, 1895, engaged in the active practice of law in Washington, in partnership with his brother, Arnold J. Padgett, of whom mention has already been made in full. His success in the legal profession was assured from the beginning, and his reputation as a lawyer of more than ordi- nary merit was so early established that on November 17, 1896, he was appointed deputy prosecuting attorney of the county, and has since handled several very important criminal cases in his official capacity. His knowledge of criminal and civil jurisprudence is very comprehensive, and higher honors necessarily await him.
S AMUEL S. PERLEY, a representative business man and a leading citizen of South Bend, St. Joseph county, Ind., is a native of Portland, Me., was born October 8, 1861, and is a son of Jonas and Fannie (Smith) Perley.
Samuel S. Perley was primarily educated in one of the paro- chial schools of his native city, whence he went to Detroit, where he was prepared for entering Notre Dame college, which famous insti- tution he attended from 1876 until 1881, when he came to South Bend and made his home with the Coquillard family, who were among the most influential of the pioneers of the city, and the head of which was the patentee of the celebrated wagon bearing his name. With the extensive manufactory of this and other vehicles, Mr. Perley formed an intimate and responsible connec- tion, and on the death of Mr. Coquillard, in 1890, was appointed one of the trustees of the estate, and since then been the de facto manager of the plant.
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Mr. Perley was united in marriage, October 23, 1892, with Miss Lillian Cassady, and this happy union has been blessed with three children-Margaret, Samuel T. and William C. Mr. Per- ley has manifested, in a marked degree, combined force of charac- ter and administrative ability, and now stands at the head of one most extensive establishments of its kind in the United States, and is fully deserving of the confidence and esteem of which he is so largely the recipient.
L' EON J. WILLIEN, M. D., one of the distinguished medical men of Indiana and a representative man of Terre Haute, is a native of Alsace, Germany, born October 9, 1840, at Hague- nau. His parents, J. Leon and Phillipene (Hartrich) Willien, were both natives of Germany, the former born in the upper Rhine department of Alsace, and the mother at Weyersheim, mid- way between the cities of Strasbourg and Haguenau. J. Leon Willien was a graduate physician of the university of Strasbourg, having been laureate of the class of 1836; he practiced his pro- fession at Haguenau for four years with great success, and had presented himself and was accepted by the faculty of the univer- sity from which he graduated as adjunct professor of anatomy, but he died June 30, 1840, a short time previous to the date fixed for entering upon the duties of his professorship.
The subject of this sketch was born a little over four months after the death of his father. When Leon J. was four years of age his mother brought him to the United States and located at St. Marie's, Jasper county, Ills., where she lived the remainder of her life, dying in the year 1893. The doctor remained at St. Marie's until his eleventh year, when he entered the St. Louis university (Jesuit Brothers), and in that institution pursued his studies assiduously until 1859, at which time he returned to St. Marie's, where, for some time thereafter, he found employment as a drug clerk, reading medicine in the meantime, as he could find leisure.
After accumulating sufficient means to defray his expenses the doctor returned to his native country, where he pursued his pro-
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fessional studies in the university of Strasbourg until his gradua- tion, December 20, 1863. While attending the university he was assisted financially by an uncle, and also by the Baron de Shauen- bourg, who greatly interested himself in the success of the ambi- tious young student. After obtaining his degree, the doctor returned to the United States and began the practice of his pro- fession at St. Marie's, Ills., where he remained from February, 1864, to April, 1866, removing the latter year to Effingham, Ills., where he practiced with most gratifying success until his removal to Terre Haute, Ind., in July, 1872. On locating at the latter place the doctor at once took high rank as a skillful physician and surgeon, and his reputation from that time to the present has increased with each succeeding year. He is a member of the Esculapian society of the Wabash valley, of which he served as president one term, and for a number of years has been an active participant in the deliberations of the Vigo county Medical society, of which he has also served as chief executive officer. He was a member of the board of pension examiners during President Cleveland's first administration, for the past twenty years has been physician to St. Mary's of the Woods (Sisters of Providence), and for a period of fifteen years has been a member of the staff of St. Anthony's hospital, Terre Haute, both as surgeon and gynæcolo- gist, and of which well-known institution he was really the founder, having originated the first movement toward its establishment.
The doctor devotes a great part of his time and attention to surgery and has achieved much more than a local reputation by reason of his skill in that department of the profession. He has performed at different times over 200 abdominal operations, nearly all of which were successful, and his skill in the treatment of the diseases of women, which he also makes a specialty, has caused his services to be sought for at points remote from the city where he resides.
Dr. Willien has presented a number of papers to different medical societies, all of which have evidence of deep research and ripe scholarship; one of these, read before the American Medical association at its meeting in Louisville, Ky., elicited the highest commendation from the many distinguished professional gentlemen present.
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The doctor was married at Flora, Ill., May, 1865, to Miss Sarah Rider, who was born in Illinois, in the year 1841, and whose lamented death occurred in September, 1870. Mrs. Willien was a grand niece of Dr. Shorb, the eminent Baltimore physician, who was the family physician of Cardinal Gibbons; she was also related to the Carrolls of Maryland, one of whom was a signer of the Dec- laration of Independence, and another the first bishop of Balti- more. Mrs. Willien left one daughter, who is now Sister Mary Louise of Notre Dame, Milwaukee, Wis. The doctor's second marriage was solemnized in February, 1874, with Mary E., daugh- ter of the late Hon. William Flemming, of Fort Wayne, one of the state's most distinguished men. To the latter union the following children have been born: William F., Gertrude, Helen and Her- mine, twins, and Leon.
The doctor and family are members of St. Joseph's parish; he belongs to branch No. 631, C. K. A., for which and other branches of the order in Terre Haute, he is examining surgeon. He has had the pleasure of meeting on terms of personal intimacy many dis- tinguished prelates and church officials of Indiana and other states, and has remembrance of Bishop Quarles, first bishop of Chicago, Ill., Bishops Vandevelde and O'Regan, also of that state. It was his sad duty to attend the death beds of the late Bishop de St. Palais, Father O'Conner, and the old pioneer missionaries, Fathers Chasse and Gueguen, of St. Mary's of the Woods.
The doctor is well versed in the early church history of Indi- ana and Illinois, and has in his possession a number of historic mementoes, among which is an old church bell cast in 1708, and used for many years at St. Marie's, Ill.
M RS. JANE PAGE, of No. 1823 Senate avenue, Indianapolis, is numbered among the earliest settlers in St. Patrick's, hav- ing been a resident here since about 1865. She was born in the city of Wexford, county Wexford, Ireland, April 2, 1835, and bore the maiden name of Kelley. On attaining womanhood she was united in matrimony with Joseph Page, now deceased, and soon
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after marriage the young couple came to America, and for a few years made their home in New York city, where two of their chil- dren were born and baptized. From New York the family came westward and located in Norwalk, Ohio, where they were blessed with three more children, and from Norwalk they removed to Cleveland, where other children came to them to bless their mar- ried life. From Cleveland they came to Indianapolis, and here was born to them their youngest child, Mabel Marie. Here, also, the honored husband and father was called away in the faith of the Catholic church.
The family of Mrs. Page now comprises seven surviving mem- bers of a total of nine children, all residents of Indianapolis, with the exception noted below, viz: George R .; Eliza J., wife of George Bowlus; Mary E., wife of Lawrence Sullivan, of Richmond, Va. ; Susie B., wife of Charles O'Connor; William Henry; Samuel J. and Mabel Marie, the last named of whom was baptized in St. John's church. The two deceased were named Joseph W. and Josephine. The immediate members of her household are her eldest child, George R., and her youngest, Mabel Marie. They have a most pleasant home at the number and street mentioned at the opening of this article, and the whole family are true and faith- ful Catholics. Mrs. Page is passing away her days in quiet ease, and no person in the parish is more respected than she.
A RNOLD JAMES PADGETT, one of the more prominent law- yers of Washington, Ind., was born in Van Buren township, Daviess county, October 28, 1855, a son of William B. and Minerva J. (Seal) Padgett, who both belong to pioneer families of the state of Indiana.
Arnold J. Padgett attended the country schools until seven- teen years old and then studied two years in the city schools. In the spring of 1875, he began reading law with W. R. Gardiner, of Washington, and in September, 1876, entered the law department of the university of Indiana, from which he was graduated June 12, 1877. For about a year he practiced alone in Washington,
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then, from 1878 until 1881, in partnership with Hon. W. D. Bynum, when Mr. Bynum removed to Indianapolis. Mr. Padgett then formed a partnership with John Downey, which continued until 1885, after which Mr. Padgett practiced alone until 1890 in the same city, when he went to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was in practice about a year. From August, 1891, until the fall of 1895, he had his office alone in Washington, Ind., and in November of the latter year united with his brother, J. Alvin Pad- gett, under the firm name of Padgett & Padgett, since when this firm has done the leading legal business of Daviess county.
As a democrat, A. J. Padgett was elected prosecuting attorney for the circuit court of Daviess and Knox counties in 1882, and was re-elected in 1884-serving in all four years. He gave his adherency to the democratic party until 1893, when, on account of its action in relation to the silver question, he affiliated with the people's party, and was a delegate of the latter to the national convention, held in St. Louis, Mo., in 1896, was chairman of the delegation from Indiana, and has also been elected a member of the people's party state central committee.
Mr. Padgett was united in marriage, in Washington, October 28, 1878, with Miss Glen O. Cosby, who was born in Daviess county, January 10, 1855, a daughter of James and Mary (Hixon) Cosby, and this union has been blessed with two children, David H. and Arna Vida. The family are members of St. Simon's church, and Mr. Padgett owns a very pleasant home at East Sev- enth and Vantrees streets, where a generous hospitality is extended to a large circle of warm friends. As a lawyer, Mr. Padgett has gained a widespread and enviable reputation, and the present firm of Padgett & Padgett is favored with a large share of the legal business transacted in the city and county.
H ENRY PARADISE, a highly respected young carpenter of Val- paraiso, Porter county, Ind., is a native of this city, born August 5, 1867, a son of Thomas and Emma (Dye) Paradise, pio- neer citizens.
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Thomas Paradise was born in San Paschal, Canada, October 19, 1827, a son of Stephen and Julia (Dunn) Paradise, the former of whom was born in San Paschal in 1798 and died there in 1879, and the latter born in 1799, died in 1828, in the same village. Thomas Paradise attended a parochial school in St. John, Canada, until fourteen years of age, and was then apprenticed to the car- penter's trade, which he has ever since followed. In 1850 he came to the United States, and for five years lived at Rouse's Point, Clinton county, N. Y., and in November, 1855, came to Valparaiso, Ind., and here followed his trade until 1861, when he became a bridge builder for the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad company, in the employ of which company he continued thirty- three years, when he retired from active labor.
Mr. Paradise was united in marriage, at Valparaiso, June 26, 1861, in the old frame Catholic church, by Father Bartie, to Miss Emma Dye, the union being blessed with five children, viz: Delia, wife of Prosper Picard, of Valparaiso; Ella, married to Levi Lagess, of Michigan City, Ind .; Henry, whose name opens this biography; Anna and Samuel-all well known for their devotion to the Cath- olic church.
Henry Paradise, after securing a very good education in the parochial schools of Valparaiso, served a full apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, which is still his occupation, having for the past seven years been employed by Henderling Bros. & O'Neill, con- tractors. He is still a single man, but is well known and highly esteemed throughout the city as an honorable and industrious cit- izen, and as a free contributor to the support of the Catholic church, of which he has been a devoted member since childhood.
OHN J. PETERS, a well-known citizen of Connersville, Ind., J was born in Bavaria, Germany, May II, 1849, a son of Frank J. and Elizabeth (Friday) Peters, who passed all their lives in Bavaria, the father, who was a stonecutter, dying in June, 1860, and the mother in 1863. Of their seven children, five reached mature age, viz: Frank J., now deceased; Killian; John J.,
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whose name opens this paragraph; Valentine and Elizabeth, the wife of Henry Runt, all reared in the faith of the Catholic church.
John J. Peters attended a parochial school in his native coun- try until fourteen years of age, and then served an apprenticeship with a butcher. November 2, 1866, he started from home for America and landed in New York, whence he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, then came to Madison, Ind., and worked at his trade until 1868; he then went to Indianapolis, worked there until 1869; next he came to Connersville and worked four years, when he returned to Indianapolis, worked about four years longer, and then started in business on his own account, which he conducted until 1880, when he finally settled in Connersville, where he has since been doing a flourishing trade at butchering and in shipping live stock, and now owns two storerooms and his residence property.
Mr. Peters was united in marriage in Indianapolis, at St. Mary's church, October 26, 1876, with Miss Kate R. Hill, who was born in Jennings county, Ind., February 24, 1860, a daughter of George and Mary (Stuckert) Hill, and this union has been blessed with eight children, viz: George J., John M., Mary, Catherine, Frank J., Joseph A., Henry and William. The entire family are members of St. Gabriel's congrgeation, Mr. Peters being a church trustee. He is also president of his lodge of Catholic Knights of America, is president and treasurer of the German St. Joseph society, and treasurer of the St. Vincent de Paul society. In politics, Mr. Peters is a democrat. He has been very industri- ous, is courteous and obliging, has many warm friends, and beside his dwelling and business property, owns 110 acres of farming land outside the town, and another residence within the corporation limits.
JOSEPH P. PEURRUNG, stockholder, secretary, treasurer and manager of the American Match company, is a son of Theo and Elizabeth (Miller) Peurrung. The father was a native of France, was born in 1824, came to America in the 'forties, and died in 1883. Our subject was born April 26, 1865; was educated (1156)
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in the common schools, attended St. Francis, and later finished his course at St. Joseph's college of Cincinnati. At the age of eighteen, he and his brother conducted a general store for one year. They then sold their business, and started in the wood and willow-ware trade as jobbers and manufacturers at Cincinnati, our subject acting as bookkeeper. Later on he did road work for five years. In 1895, he and his brother, C. J., formed a stock com- pany of his present business, which has a capacity of making a car- load of matches per day. The building cost $30,000, and the out- put of matches is valued at $300,000 per annum. C. J. Peurrung is the president of the company.
Mr. Peurring married Miss Bernadina Klimper, daughter of Bernard Klimper, one of the proprietors of the old Park brewery, of Cincinnati, and they have two children viz: Joseph C. and Camille. Both our subject and wife are strict members of St. Mary's church.
P ROF. JOSEPH P. PFEIFFER, principal of St. Mary's school for boys, at Indianapolis, and organist for the church with which the school is connected, was born in Spencer county, Ind., September 29, 1862, of German parentage.
Prof. Pfeiffer was educated at St. Meinrad's college, from which he graduated in the commercial department in 1878. This. department gives tuition in the regular teacher's course as well as thorough instruction in music, and after graduating, Mr. Pfeiffer at once began what he had determined should be his life-work- that of teacher and organist. His first charge was the school of St. James' congregation, in Jennings county, which he held four years and a half; thence went to St. Joseph's congregation, in Dearborn county; thence went to Oldenburg, Franklin county, where he had charge of the boys' school and was organist at the Holy Family church, and April 15, 1896, came to Indianapolis to assume his present charge, in which he has given the utmost satis- faction to all concerned.
The marriage of Prof. Pfeiffer was solemnized May 29, 1883, at the home of his bride, Brookville, Franklin county, the lady of
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
his choice bearing the maiden name of Josephine Schoenbechler, and this union has been blessed with six children, of whom four are still living, viz: Josephine, Leo, Bruno and Clara. The family are devoted to the Catholic church, and the parents freely aid in its work for good. Prof. Pfeiffer is a thoroughly educated gentle- man, an excellent teacher, and the school under his administration has greatly prospered since he has had it in charge.
JOHN PHELAN, a most worthy Catholic citizen of Indianap- olis, residing at No. 1009 Dawson street, has been a resident of this city since 1875, living all this time within the limits of St. Patrick's parish.
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