USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II > Part 78
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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
Isadore V. Roy was educated in the parochial schools and the Little seminary of Quebec, Canada, and at the sixteen years was apprenticed to cabinetmaking. In February, 1882, he came to Mishawaka, and has ever since been a valued employee of the Dodge Pulley works-the largest in the world-having risen, step by step, to his present responsible position of assistant superin- tendent. He was first married, in St. Joseph's church, South Bend, April 17, 1871, to Miss Julia Coquillard, by Father Demers, the union resulting in the birth of two children-Regis and Grace. Mrs. Roy passed away December 12, 1885, her remains being interred in Cedar Grove cemetery, in South Bend. October 13, 1886, Mr. Roy formed his second matrimonial alliance, the bride being Miss Sarah M. McCabe, and the ceremony taking place in St. Joseph's church, Mishawaka, Rev. A. B. Oechtering officiating. This union has been blessed with three children-Katie, Charlie and Agnes. Mr. Roy is highly respected as a business man, and socially enjoys, with his wife, an exalted position, and both are prominent in church circles, being members of St. Joseph's church, Mishawaka, to the ornamentation of which they have donated a handsome memorial window, and to the support of which they liberally contribute of their means.
JOHN F. RUSSELL, business manager of the New Era, a daily and weekly newspaper of Greensburg, Ind., is a native of Indiana and was born in Lawrenceburg, Dearborn county, Feb- ruary 14, 1870.
The grandfather of subject, also named John F., was born in county Kings, Ireland, where he married Catherine Malloy, but this lady died in her native country, and in 1847 the grandfather brought his children to America, settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and there, about twelve years afterward, died in the faith of the Cath- olic church, and the father of the following children: John, who died in Ireland; Bridget, who was married to a Mr. Whelan and died in 1890; Mary, first Mrs. McGreevy and later Mrs. McCarthy, resides in Hamilton county, Ohio, and Richard C., father of subject.
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
Richard C. Russell, the youngest of the above-named family, was born in Kings county, Ireland, June 15, 1845, and was but two years of age when brought to America by his father, and twelve years later was left an orphan, in consequence of which he was sent to the Catholic orphans' home in Cincinnati, where he remained ten years; he was next placed on a farm owned by a Mr. Fagin, and adjoining that owned by Gen. Phil. Sheridan, where he remained three years, under treatment for an accident, which necessitated trepanning. On recovering, he returned to Cincin- nati, where he was appointed lineman for the Western Union Tel- egraph company on the I. & C. railroad, and was soon afterward promoted to be superintendent of construction and repairs on this line between Cincinnati and Kankakee, and often had as many as twenty men under his charge at one time.
Richard C. Russell married Susan Mccullough, who was born in Galveston, Texas, July 16, 1850, a daughter of John and Margaret (King) Mccullough, both natives of Edinburgh, Scotland, who, soon after marriage, in 1835 came to America. Mr. Mccullough died in Galveston in the latter part of 1850, and in 1851 his widow removed to Cincinnati with her children. To the marriage of Mr. Russell with Miss Mccullough were born the following children: John F., the subject of this memoir; Catherine, deceased; Ella M., wife of Daniel S. Perry; Clara R. (deceased); Richard E .; Ambrose, deceased; Clement, Margaret M. and Lillian L. In 1870, the family moved to Lawrenceburg, Ind., where they resided one year; then lived in Cleves, Ohio, five years, then again in Law- renceburg for five years, and then came to Greensburg, where the father died June 15, 1894, a member of St. Mary's church. The mother, who had been reared a Presbyterian, has also been con- verted to Catholicism.
John F. Russell, the subject of this biographical sketch, graduated from the Greensburg high school, and for two years was president of its alumni association. During his vacations, while a student, he worked for his father as line repairer, and, after graduating, clerked in a grocery store for three years; he then bought a third interest in the establishment, and the firm was known as Doles Bros. & Co., and two years later he bought a (1206)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
half interest, and the firm name was changed to Doles & Russell. In 1895, he disposed of his interest and for twelve months was employed in collecting and settling up his business affairs. In June, 1896, the New Era was established, and under the business manage- ment of Mr. Russell has proven to be an nnequivocal success.
In politics Mr. Russell is an ardent democrat and is very popular with his party as well as with the general public, as is evidenced by the fact that, in 1891, when making the race for the city clerkship, on the democratic ticket, he was defeated by only nineteen votes, the republican majority, at the previous election, having been 281. Since then, Mr. Russell has been secretary of the democratic central committee for both town and county; he has also been honored by being elected a director in the Workingman's Building & Loan association. In religion he is a true Catholic and a member of St. Mary's church. He is president of Americus council, No. 271, Young Men's institute, and at the meeting of the grand council in Indianapolis, in 1896, was elected grand treasurer for the jurisdiction, which includes Indiana and Michigan.
Mr. Russell was united in matrimony, November 22, 1891, with Miss Ella Doles, who was born in Greensburg, Ind., in August, 1870, a daughter of Henry and Ruth (Ford) Doles, and this union has been blessed with one child, John F., Jr., born November 13. I895. Mr. Russell is a wide-awake, self-made business man, and the New Era could hardly have been placed in better hands than his.
G EORGE RUST is one of the young business men and also a leading member of St. Joseph's parish of Princeton, Ind. He was born in Hamilton, Hamilton county, Ohio, March 18, 1864, and the youngest of two children born to Michael and Mar- garet (Heamery) Rust. The eldest child was a daughter, but she died at the age of thirty-three. The parents were natives of Ger- many. Mr. Rust came to America when a young man and was a carpenter by trade. He was thirty-three years of age when he died. Mrs. Rust, the mother, is still living and resides in Hunting- burg, Ind.
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
The subject of this sketch was educated in the public schools, and apprenticed himself to the trade of boot and shoemaker, which business he,still pursnes. He became a member of St. Joseph's church at the age of thirty-two years and has ardently supported the church of his choice. He was married, May 26, 1896, to Miss Mary Baxter by Father Ledvina, and to this marriage has been born one little daughter, by name-Isabella Koleta.
Mrs. Rust is a devout Catholic, having been reared in the nurture of Catholicism. She was confirmed at the age of fourteen. Politically, Mr. Rust is a republican and is an ardent supporter of the Mckinley policy. Socially he is president of the well-known Catholics Knights of Princeton, an organization which is in a flour- ishing condition.
It was in 1893 when he commenced to operate his boot and shoe store and the manufactory on Seminary street, in Princeton, and by his gentlemanly and courteous treatment of his patrons has won for him a custom which is highly satisfactory to him. His stock of ladies' and gents' footwear is complete, and his cus- tom work is of the best grade. He owns valuable real estate in Princeton, and his future success is assured. Mr. and Mrs. Rust are classed among the leading laity of St. Joseph's parish, and he stands high in the estimation of the business element of the pretty little city of Princeton.
F RANK M. RYAN is a representative business man of Indian- apolis, the Capital city-not only this, but is also one of the many gallant Irish-Americans who so nobly responded to the call of the country when its permanency was threatened with disrup- tion during the dark period of the Rebellion.
Mr. Ryan was born of Irish parentage November 23, 1847, and first saw the light of day in the city of New York. He received his education there, and his first experience in life upon his own responsibility was his enlistment in company B, Twenty- second New York cavalry, with which he served for a period of eighteen months in the army of the Potomac. With this com- mand he participated in the West Virginia campaign and took part (1208)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
in a number of skirmishes and pitched battles. Subsequently he was on detached service at Harper's Ferry, as orderly to Maj. Reiley, and as such served until the close of the war.
After his discharge, Mr. Ryan returned to his native city and learned the hatter's trade, which he followed there for a limited period, and then came to Indianapolis, Ind., where he found employment with Isaac Davis, Conner & Co., in March, 1873. Previous to that date, however, he participated in a Fenian raid to Canada, but was recalled at Malone, N. Y., before crossing over into that country.
The year 1874 witnessed the failure in business of Mr. Ryan's employers, after which he embarked in merchandizing upon his own responsibility, and has since continued the same with very gratifying success. He carries a full line of gents' furnishing goods, hats, caps, etc., and his trade is large and constantly increasing.
Mr. Ryan and Mrs. Catherine Kenney (a native of Ireland) were united in the holy bond of wedlock, at New York, on Decem- ber 29, 1872, and the marriage has been blessed with the birth of two daughters: Catherine, born in New York city, and Emma, whose birth occurred in Indianapolis; the former married James H. McKernan and resides in the Capital city.
Mr. Ryan was the organizer of the Knights of Father Ma- thew in Indianapolis, and he is also a prominent member of the Hibernians and Fenians, beside being actively identified with all other Irish patriotic societies in existence in the United States. He and family have been members of Sts. Peter and Paul's church ever since its organization, but previously had belonged to the parish of St. John. Politically he is a democrat of the old school, and, in addition to the societies already enumerated, belongs to George H. Thomas post, G. A. R., of Indianapolis.
Patrick and Catherine (McLaughlin) Ryan, the subject's par- ents, were natives of Ireland, and for many years the father was a merchant in New York city, where his death occurred at the age of fifty-five; Mrs. Ryan survived her husband, and died in San Francisco, Cal., when seventy-two years of age. They had a family of nine sons and five daughters, four of the latter and Frank M. being the only survivors. Of the sons, John enlisted in the
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
Union army at St. Louis, and there his brother, Peter, entered the Confederate service the same day; the former was killed at the second battle of Corinth, and the latter served as captain in the C. S. A. until the close of the war, dying later in San Francisco. The remaining members of the family live in Indiana, New York and California, and are ali devout Catholics.
J JAMES RYAN, who is now living in retirement in Richmond, Wayne county, Ind., was born in the parish of Castletiney, county Tipperary, Ireland, July 17, 1827, a son of John and Bridget (Dunn) Ryan, who reared a family of seven children, of whom four came to America, and of whom one, beside the subject, is still living. The parents died in their country, strong in the faith of the Catholic church.
James Ryan sailed for America in 1848, on the good ship Gipsey Queen, and after a voyage lasting seven weeks and four days, landed in New Orleans, where he was seized with cholera. After recovery, he worked on the levee for some months, and then, in the spring of 1849, went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and there worked for some time as a common laborer for a Mr. Curry, after which he went to Dayton, and found employment on the old Dayton & Toledo canal. In the spring of 1854, he came to Richmond, Ind , where for a year he was engaged in general labor, and December 2, 1854, married Miss Johannah Kain, also a native of county Tipperary, Ireland. He still continued in general labor until 1858, when he entered the employ of Gaar, Scott & Co., as engineer, and remained with that firm eight years; for the next three years he served as engineer in the oil refinery of Evans, Burson & Co., and then for two years ran a steam saw-mill for Perry & Johnson. He then returned to Gaar, Scott & Co., with whom he continued eighteen years, and for the next three years worked for a milling firm, after which he served as watchman for a Mr. Henley eleven years, when sickness caused him to retire, in 1894, from further active labor.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ryan were born five children, (1210)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
but one of whom lives to bless his declining years-Anna J. These children were born and named in the following order: John F., Charles, Alice, Anna J., at home, and James F. The mother of this family was called away in the Catholic faith, October 31, 1894, and her remains were reverently laid to rest beside those of her deceased children in St. Mary's cemetery at Richmond.
The family all belonged to St. Mary's parish and Mr. Ryan was one of the first to aid in organizing the English-speaking con- gregation, and was one of the first to contribute money for the purchase of the present magnificent home. He has led a temper- ate, moral and most industrious life, and is well deserving of the high esteem in which he is held by the citizens of Richmond.
N TICHOLAS RYAN, one of the most prominent members of St. Michael's congregation, near Trainor, is a native of Daviess county, Ind., was born July 10, 1840, and is a son of Michael and Mary Ryan, of Bogard township. He was educated in the com- mon schools, but his knowledge has been chiefly self-acquired. He was married, May 7, 1867, by Rev. Father Piers, to Miss Mary A. Doyle, a descendant of one of the oldest Catholic families of this part of Daviess county, and to them fourteen children have been born, viz: Mary J., wife of Wm. Smith; Anna, deceased; Michael; Patrick; Anna (and), deceased; James; Katie; Martin, deceased; John; Maggie; Ella; Lizzie; Christopher and Nicholas D. They were all confirmed by Bishop Chatard.
The Ryan family has ever been one of the most energetic of the early Catholic residents of St. Michael's parish, and has prob- ably done more than any other in promoting the progress of the church in this locality. The first mass in the parish was read by Father Piers in the dwelling of Michael Ryan, about the year 1851, and the homes of other prominent Catholics were later utilized for the same purpose, for instance: That of Patrick Fitzpatrick, in 1855; of John Garland, in 1856, and that of Peter Daily in' 1855 and 1856, and in the latter the marriages of two of his children were celebrated, and in the home of Michael Ryan the rite of bap-
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
tism was administered to two others. In the brief biography of Father Matthews mention is made of the active part taken by the Ryan family in erecting the present church building and parsonage, and ever since those early days Nicholas Ryan has been a factor, and a powerful one, in the promotion of the progress of the parish.
Nicholas Ryan is to-day one of the most prosperous farmers of Daviess county, owning, in conjunction with his sons, 540 acres of farming land, while his residence is the most elegant in the par- ish. His social standing, it is needless to remark, is that of a leader, and his personal merits have won for him the sincere respect of all who know him.
P ATRICK RYAN, janitor of the United States government building at Fort Wayne, one of the nine children of James and Johanna (Bohan) Ryan, was born March 15, 1832, in Ireland, and came to the United States with his mother. He was edu- cated in the common schools and at the age of twenty-seven learned the shoemaker's trade in Massachusetts, at which he worked for twenty-seven years. In 1864 he enlisted at Fort Wayne, Ind., in the Ninety-first Indiana volunteer infantry, under Capt. Keefer, and served all through the war. He returned to Fort Wayne and was employed by the city weighmaster for eight- een years, from June, 1875, until June, 1893. He was then appointed janitor of the government building, where he is employed at this time, having always been faithful to his duties.
Mr. Ryan was married to Miss Margaret Sheeay, June 23, 1853, in Boston, by Rev. Father Cruce. To them have been born twelve children, of whom seven are living, viz: James E., Mary E., Anna H., Margaret A., Agnes B., John B. and Patrick H. The family are all members of the Cathedral congregation, and Mr. Ryan is a member of the Catholic Knights of America, branch No. 103, and also of St. Joseph's Catholic Benevolent society, St. Bernard Benevolent society, division No. 1, Ancient Order of Hibernians, No. 211, and of the G. A. R., of which he was one of the first members in Fort Wayne. He is the corresponding secre-
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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
tary of the Catholic Knights of America, St. Joseph society, and of St. Bernard Benevolent society, and is financial secretary of division No .. I, A. O. H.
R ICHARD RYAN, deceased, was born in county Tipperary, Ire- land, about the year 1828, and, coming to the United States when a young man, located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he married Miss Nora Glascow, also a native of county Tipperary. From Cincinnati, Mr. Ryan and family removed to Madison, Ind., whence they came to Indianapolis in 1882, was for several years engaged in the produce trade, but was called to rest February 14. 1892. He was one of the early members of St. Anthony's con- gregation and lent his willing aid to the development of the church society and the erection of the church-edifice, which was begun but a year or two before his decease. He was a most faithful Catholic and a worthy citizen, and his death was the cause of deep mourning to a wide acquaintance, beside his immediate family, the survivors of which are six in number, viz: Mrs. Nora Ryan and five children-Maggie, wife of James Scanlon, of Louisville, Ky. ; Mary, wife of William Hopkins; Joseph R., the elder son; Nellie and John. The unmarried children reside with their mother at their pleasant home, No. 122 Belmont avenue, and all are faithful members of St. Anthony's church, to which, as did the father before them, the children freely contribute of their means, and the mother, now in her declining years, finds in this church the con- solation which all enjoy who have spent their lives under the min- istrations of the clergymen of the blessed faith.
W ILLIAM RYNN, a well-to-do business man of Bedford, Lawrence county, Ind., was born in county Clare, Ireland, seventy years ago, a son of Thomas and Bridget (Rynn) Rynn, who reared three children, viz: John, who passed his life in Ire- land and died a married man; Patrick, who came to the United States in 1851, owned a small farm in Massachusetts, and died the
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
father of three children, and William, the subject of this biography.
William Rynn bade farewell to his native land in 1848 and landed in New York city June 29. Two uncles and two aunts had preceded him to this county, and with one of these uncles, John, who had settled in Concord, Mass., our subject made his home for eighteen months, and worked at track-laying on the Hoosac Tun- nel railroad his uncle being the proprietor of the boarding-house established for the accommodation of the railroad workmen. Mr. Rynn also worked at the same class of labor in Maine, Pennsyl- vania, and Kentucky, and at Jefferson City, Mo., until the spring of 1854, when he came to Indiana and for a few months stopped at New Albany, and then, in the latter part of the year, came to Bedford -- still a poor man -- and entered the employ of the railroad company as trackman. For this company he worked twenty-eight years, being employed in different capacities, in all of which he served well and faithfully, and gained for himself the respect of his superiors and earned money for future use. After leaving the rail- road company, he was for about two years interested in quarrying, after which, in 1885, he entered the liquor business, which has . since occupied his entire attention.
In 1861, Mr. Rynn returned from Bedford to New Albany, and was there married, by Father Naron, to Miss Bridget Kelley, who was also born in county Clare, Ireland, a daughter of Patrick and Bridget Kelley, whose children, with one exception, all came to the United States, and these were John, who died in Litchfield, Ill., leaving a family; Patrick is a laboring man at Mount Auburn, Mass. ; Thomas resides in Chatham, N. Y., and is a tailor; Mary was married to Denis O'Connell, of Bedford, Ind., but is now deceased; Ann died in Bedford, the wife of John McMann; Mar -. garet is the one who still lives in Ireland and is now Mrs. Finn; Bridget has already been spoken of as the wife of Mr. Rynn. This last-named lady died March 6, 1897, in the faith of the holy church of Roman, leaving two children -- Bridget, widow of Richard Beem and the mother of one child, Rynn, and Mary, who resides with her father.
Mr. Rynn, since he began to save his earnings, has never (1214)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
rented a dwelling, with the exception of one year, when he was first married. Associated with James O'Connell, he now owns his business place, and also another business block, and individually owns residence property, beside his own home on J street, and all he owns has been gained through his own enterprise, economy and excellent business management. In politics Mr. Rynn is a sound democrat, and in religion he is a devout Catholic.
V TERY REV. FRANCIS NEUBAUER, O. M. C., who has. recently erected a convent at Floyd's Knobs, Floyd county, Ind., and named it Mount St. Francis, is a native of Bavaria, Germany, and was born January II, 1837, a son of Adam and Odilia (Scheidel) Neubauer. He received his primary education in the parochial schools of his native land, and from his twelfth to his twentieth year attended the gymnasium at Bamberg, Bavaria, where he finished his higher education.
In the year 1860 he came to America, to enter a religious order and to dedicate his services to the missions among the Ger- mans; he was received into that branch of the Franciscan order, called the Minor Conventuals, at Syracuse, N. Y., and ordained to the priesthood in November, 1863. Up to now, the principal places of his labor have been the dioceses of Albany and Syracuse, N. Y., of Trenton, N. J., and lately of Vincennes, Ind. Since his ordination he has been repeatedly entrusted with the responsi- ble offices of master of novices, of provincial secretary and of the provincialate itself.
For nearly twenty years the order of St. Francis of the Minor Conventuals was in possession of a tract of land in Floyd county, Ind., comprising 400 acres, bought by Rev. Anthony Miller, O. M. C., one of the pioneer missionaries of the order, eventually to be used for religious and educational purposes. It so happened, that at the provincial chapter in 1895, the kind con- sent and approval of the Rt. Rev. Bishop Chatard were given to- open a religious house. The choice, to begin work, devolved on the then retiring provincial from office, who, consequently, to.
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
facilitate operations, effected his transfer to St. Anthony's, of Jeffer- sonville, Ind.
The place was given the name, Mount St. Francis, and work was begun early in the spring of 1896; trees were felled, roads built, other necessary materials hauled, and a structure com- menced, to accommodate a humble family of the Sons of St. Francis, i. e .: The Very Rev. M. Neubauer, O. M. C., and two lay brothers, who, thankful to God, held their first entrance on the 2d of August, 1896, since which time no labor nor expense has been spared to improve, and, God helping, to see it finally estab- lished, not only a house of piety and discipline, but also of educa- tion. A simple frame house, containing a nice chapel, seventeen rooms, and other necessary commodities, is finished and represent a value of $20,000. The access to it is convenient, being six miles from New Albany, Ind., situated on the Paoli pike, on the so-called Knobs, one of the healthiest and most beautiful places in the southern part of Indiana.
G I EORGE SADLIER, successor to Bissell & Sadlier, of No. 38 South Pennsylvania street, Indianapolis, was born in the parish of Abbington, county Limerick, Ireland, and is the youngest of eight children born to Michael and Anna (Boyle) Sadlier, the former of whom was born in 1811, was a surveyor and engineer by profession, and died in 1881; the latter was born in 1822, and passed away in 1876-both in the faith of the Catholic church, and the remains of both being interred in the cemetery of Abbing- ton parish.
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