USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II > Part 91
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97
The marriage of Mr. Walter took place September 29, 1884,
(1371)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
to Miss Cecilia Moffitt, Rev. Father Guetheit performing the cere- mony, and this union has been blessed with five children, viz: Clara (deceased), Helen, Frank (deceased), Gertrude and Anna. In politics Mr. Walter is a democrat, and in 1886 served one term in the town council. The family are devout Catholics and are highly respected by the entire community.
F REDERICK WALTERMANN, a retired business man of Rich- mond, Ind., was born in Glane, Germany, April 21; 1827, a son of Henry and Catherine Waltermann, natives of the same province.
Henry Waltermann was born in 1791, and, after being duly educated, engaged in the grocery business, which he followed until his death, in his native land, in 1866. To his marriage with Cath- erine Alberts, in 1820, were born five children, viz: Casper, who died in St. Louis, Mo. ; Matthew, who died in in Chicago, Ill .; Eliza- beth, wife of Henry Miller, of Richmond, Ind. ; Catherine, mar- ried to George Kullenbach, also of Richmond, and Frederick, the subject of this memoir. Several of the family came to America at various times after the death of the father, and the death of the mother took place in Richmond, Ind., in 1885.
Frederick Waltermann, the subject of this sketch, however, came to the United States in 1852, landed in New Orleans, La., and thence went to Cincinnati, Ohio, by way of the rivers, and in the latter city worked for two months in a cabinetmaking estab- lishment. In 1853 he came to Richmond, Ind., and was here employed for a year as a laborer on the C., H. & D. railway, and also for a short time in the Richmond paper mill. In 1855 he engaged in the grocery business, from which he retired in 1869 with a competency.
The marriage of Mr. Waltermann took place in Richmond, July 3, 1855, to Miss Hannah Brokamp, who came to the United States in 1841, in company with her parents, who located in Rich- mond. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Father Merl. This union has been blessed with seven children; viz: Joseph, of (1372)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
Helena, Mont. ; Henry, Matthias, Herman, Albert and William, of Richmond, Ind., and Charles, deceased. For forty-three years Mr. Waltermann has been a consistent member of St. Andrew's church, of which his wife is also a communicant, and to which he contributes freely of his means. The children have all been reared faithful Catholics, and trained to follow the footsteps of their father, who has led a life of industry, and whose business integrity was never impugned, and whose social standing is with the better class of the residents of Richmond.
R EV. E. P. WALTERS (deceased). - In 1883, after the appoint- ment of the then pastor, Rev. Joseph Rademacher, to the see of Nashville, Tenn., Rev. E. P. Walters succeeded to the pastor- ate of Lafayette, Ind.
Father Walters was born in Jersey City, N. J., March 10, 1839. After his academical course he pursued his theological studies at St. Mary's college, Perry county, Mo., and afterward at St. Vincent's, Cape Girardeau, Mo. Adopted by Bishop Grace for the diocese of St. Paul, Minn., the time of his ordination was set for the month of January, 1863. At that early date there existed no railroads on the route from Missouri to Minnesota. The river in part, and in part the stage coach, furnished the means of trans- portation, but the state of the river prevented further journeying by boat than as far as La Crosse, Wis. At La Crosse the travelers took the stage coach for St. Paul. For two consecutive days, to his own great discomfort, but in his own amiable yielding to the comfort of some more fortunate passengers, he rode on the outside of the coach. The inclemency of the season and the long expo- sure brought on an attack of fever and ague, and he remained at St. Paul suffering from this enfeebling disease for four months. His ill health compelled the indefinite postponement of his ordination.
Advised by Bishop Grace to seek relief by journeying to one of the older states not subject to visitations of a disease which seems peculiar to pioneer settlements, and provided with a letter of recommendation from him to Bishop Carroll, of Covington,
(1373)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
Ky., the young man set out, in June, 1863, for his new destination. His journey brought him to Logansport, on his way, where he stopped for needed recuperation at the house of a friend. There he met Father Hamilton, who represented to him the needs of the diocese of Fort Wayne, and urged him to go no further. Bishop Luers, on a visit to Logansport, seconded the views of Father Hamilton, and, Mr. Walters' health now being re-established, he went to the seminary of St. Michael, Pittsburg, Pa., for a few months, to prepare for ordination. Ordered to Fort Wayne early in the year 1864, he was there ordained by Bishop Luers on the 15th of May in that year.
In 1865, on the return of Bishop Luers from Rome, Father Walters was made his secretary, and, to allow the vicar-general, Father Benoit, to make a visit to his native France, Father Walters succeeded him in the administration of the affairs of the cathedral. During the year 1865, Father Walters put in the high altar of the cathedral, and the side altars, and in 1866 made a tour through the state to raise money for the establishment of the orphan asylum at Rensselaer.
In January, 1868, he was sent to take temporary charge of St. Bernard's church, Crawfordsville, for three months; but such- was the kindness and consideration toward him of all classes of citizens, that he willingly cast his lot with them, and remained the pastor of St. Bernard's ten years. In that time he freed the church debt to the amount of nearly $4,000, built the new St. Bernard's church, added twenty acres to the cemetery, and pro- vided a comfortable home and school for the Sisters of the Holy Cross, partly out of his own means.
Urged now to fill the vacant pastorate of St. Vincent's, Logansport, he was not unwilling to renew his relations with a people who had so befriended and appreciated him in the past, and he took charge of the congregation on the 16th of May, 1878. He- soon brought the church out of a burdensome debt, and made the long delayed erection of a pastoral residence a reality.
On the death of Father Noll at LaFayette, Father Walters was offered the pastorate of St. Mary's in that city, but declined it. Offered it again, on the consecration of Father Rademacher as. (1374)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
bishop of Nashville, Father Walters, under the strong urgency of Bishop Dwenger, took charge of St. Mary's on the 16th of June, 1883. His successful labors there are described at length in the chapter on the history of that church.
In the year 1886, Father Walters accompanied Bishop Dwen- ger, at his request, to the third plenary council of Baltimore, as the bishop's theologian.
It is pleasant to be able to say truthfully that Father Walters was appreciated by his parishioners; that, with them, his good qualities, social and ministerial, found ready recognition, and that by all, old and young, he was sincerely beloved. His general popu- larity found pleasing demonstration on the occasion of his silver jubilee, May 15, 1889, which was celebrated in a manner which reflected the wide esteem in which the rector of St. Mary's was held. The societies gave a grand parade, solemn high mass was celebrated with grand sacred music and profuse sanctuary decora- tions. The occasion was honored by friends who came from all over this and adjoining dioceses, among them the Rev. D. S. Phelan of St. Louis, his classmate, who delivered a masterly sermon. Striking features of this memorable celebration were the dedication of a magnificent window, memorial of the day, and another to the deceased pastors, a banquet for the visiting clergy, the presentation of numerous gifts, and the commemorative exercises, combining literary and musical features, under the direction of the Sisters of Providence, by the young ladies of St. Ignatius academy.
Extensive theological and general reading and repeated visits to Europe had given to the mind of Father Walters that wide and comprehensive scope which can be acquired in no other way, so that not only in religion but in reference to social and international interests he was an able counselor. He possessed literary ability of a very high order, and it was appreciated by the leading lights in Catholic literature.
After an illness of several months, Father Walters was called to his eternal reward on June 12, 1894, conscious to the end, and responding to the prayers for the dying read over him by Bishop Rademacher.
The funeral services were conducted over the remains of the
(1375)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
deceased pastor on Friday, June 15th, the bishops celebrating pontifical mass of requiem. Vicar-General Brammer, of Fort Wayne, and Very Rev. M. E. Campion, of Logansport, acted as deacons of honor; Father Broeckelman, of Elkhart, deacon of the mass; Father Charles B. Guendling, of Fort Wayne, subdeacon, and Father Dinnen, of Crawfordsville, master of ceremonies. Rev. P. O'Donaghue, of Indianapolis, delivered a masterly eulogy, paying a splendid and deserved tribute to the deceased pastor. The address was an embodiment of rare taste, and told of the deceased as he was. All the Catholic societies of LaFayette par- ticipated in the funeral procession to St. Mary's cemetery, where the body was laid to rest amid the prayers and tears of an immense concourse of people.
V ITAL WALZ, a well-known manufacturer residing at Hunting-
burg, Ind., is a son of Valentine and Agnes (Fritch) Walz, both of Germany, in which country Vital was born April 29, 1829, and came to the United States in 1854. He located in Evans- ville, and engaged in the pottery business, which he has continued ever since. In 1880, he was first united in marriage to a Miss Fredericka Yeager, who died in 1887, and in the latter part of the same year he married Miss Mary Troxler. He has one son, Joe Walz, at Evansville. He and his wife are members of St. Mary's church, and freely contribute to the promotion of its good work, and are highly respected members of society.
H I ENRY A. WALTERMANN was born in Richmond, Ind., August 18, 1857. His father, Frederick Waltermann, was. born April 21, 1827, in the town of Glane, Hanover, Germany, and his mother, whose maiden name was Hannah Brokamp, also a native of Hanover, was born December 10, 1832, in the town of Vorden. These parents came to the United States in 1855 and located at Richmond, Ind., where they still reside.
The immediate subject of this sketch received his educational (1376)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
training in the St. Andrew's schools, in which he completed the prescribed course and then began work as coffin-finisher for J. M. Hutton & Co., by which firm he has ever since been employed. Mr. Waltermann is a skiliful mechanic, a reputable citizen and a faithful member of the church, exemplifying by his daily life the true religion in which he was reared by God-fearing parents. He belongs to St. Andrew's parish, as do also the different members of his family, and for the past five years he has acted as janitor of the church; he is also a member of the St. Joseph society, in the deliberations of which he takes an active part.
Mr. Waltermann was married August 18, 1881, to Gertha Theobald, formerly of Mount Morris, N. Y., the ceremony being solemnized in St. Andrew's church by Father Seibertz. Mr. and Mrs. Waltermann are the parents of four children-Charles F. (deceased), Clara (deceased), Joseph A. and Helen.
OHN GORDON WARD, retired merchant of Indianapolis, is a J native of Ireland, born in county Mayo, in the year 1826. He is the son of Anthony and Honora (Gordon) Ward, both natives of the above county. These parents lived and died in Ireland, the father reaching the ripe old age of ninety years, and the mother departing this life when eighty-five. Of their family of seven chil- dren, but two are living at the present time. Bridget died in the United States; Luke, Patrick, Anne and another died in the old country; Anthony resides in California, and the subject of this sketch is passing his declining years in the city of Indianapolis.
John G. Ward received his education in the Emerald isle, and, at the age of twenty, left his native heath for the new world. He came to the United States without means, further than a vig- orous constitution and a well-formed purpose to succeed, and located first at Baltimore, Md., where, for a part of one year, he found employment as a laborer on a railroad. The year following, he worked for the government, getting out stone for the patent office at Washington, D. C., and after finishing his contract went to Columbus, Ohio, and engaged in the bakery business.
(1377)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
After a few years in that city, Mr. Ward went to Conners- ville, Ind., where he was similarly engaged for a short time, thence moved to Centerville, at which place he conducted a bakery for a period of ten years, meeting with good success the meanwhile. In 1872 he became a resident of Indianapolis, where he continued the bakery trade until 1884, at which time he opened a meat market, continuing the same until his retirement from active life, thirteen years later.
Mr. Ward was united in marriage in Columbus, Ohio, December 25, 1854, to Miss Catherine Gibney, a native of county Kildare, Ireland, a union blessed with the birth of four children- two living; these are Mary Theresa, wife of John H. Collins, and Nora Agnes, wife of W. Prescott. Agnes and Gordon both died in early childhood. The church relations of the family are with St. Patrick's parish. From his youth up Mr. Ward has been a devoted Catholic, a true son of the church, always attending faith- fully and promptly to his religious duties, in which noble work he is heartily aided and encouraged by his wife and daughters, all of whom are most consistent Christians. He is a member of the C. K. A. society of the Sacred Heart and sodality of the Blessed Virgin, in all of which he takes an active interest.
In 1861 Mr. Ward entered the army, enlisting in company K, Thirty-fifth Indiana infantry, with which he shared the fortunes and vicissitudes of war for a period of three years in the army of the Cumberland. His military record is replete with duty well done; he participated in all the bloody battles in which his com- mand was engaged and was absont from his company but six weeks during his three years of active service.
M RS. MARY WATSON, wife of James Watson, a well-known locomotive engineer of Indianapois, is a native of the city of New York and a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Madden) Wall, both natives of county Cork, Ireland, but married in Boston, Mass., July 11, 1837. From Boston Mr. and Mrs. Wall removed to New York, and from New York to Cleveland, Ohio, and shortly (1378)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
afterward came to Indianapolis, which was their home for about forty years. They had a family of nine children, viz: Edward, an engi- neer; John, a paper-hanger; Michael and Richard, engineers; Thomas, who lives with his aged mother; William, who lives in the south; Annie, wife of Thomas Riley; Mary, now Mrs. Watson, and Ellen, who was married to a Mr. Feary and died at the age of about thirty years. The father of this family, who was a railroad employee for many years, died in Indianapolis in 1881, in the faith of the Catholic church, and the mother, now aged eighty-four years, makes her home in this city with her son, Thomas.
The marriage of Miss Mary Wall to James Watson took place in Indianapolis January 6, 1863, in St. John's church, Very Rev. Bessonies officiating. This union has been blessed with four chil- dren, viz: Laura Ellen, who died at the age of five and a half years, James E., Mary and Daisy Anna. Of these, James E. is an engineer, resides in Indianapolis, and is married to Miss Ellen Riley, who has borne him two children, Marie and Willie. Mr. and Mrs. Watson have lived on Bates street ever since their marriage, and now own a comfortable and convenient home at No. 951, which they have occupied for the past sixteen years. Mrs. Watson and the children are all members of the church of the Holy Cross, and Mr. Watson, although not a member of the congregation, is a regular attendant at service and contributes freely to the support of the church, toward which he is favorably inclined, but abstains from communion with any religious body.
James Watson was born in England, June 19, 1839, a son of James and Mary (Higgins) Watson, who came to America when James was a lad of six or eight years of age. The father was a carpenter, and on coming to America first located in Elizabeth, N. J., coming thence to Shelbyville, Ind., where the father died at the early age of thirty years; the widowed mother resides in Greensburg, Ind., with her youngest child, Robert. Of her family of three children, Charlotte, the eldest born, is the wife of Robert Elliott, of Indianapolis; James is the second in order of birth, and Robert, of Greensburg, owns and operates a foundry and machine shop.
In 1856 Mr. Watson became apprenticed to the machinist's
68
(1379)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
trade, and after finishing his term of engagement went on the road as a fireman in the employ of the Big Four company, with which he had learned his trade. In 1861, he was placed in charge of an engine, and for thirty-six years has been employed by this com- pany in this capacity-all this long period on passenger engines on the Chicago division of the road, being now the oldest engi- neer, in point of continuous service, in the employ of the com- pany. This long period, also, has passed without the happening of any serious accident, which speaks well for the prudence, care and skill of Mr. Watson-qualities essential to the success of a locomotive engineer. Mr. Watson is an honored member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and no man in the service, employed in like capacity, stands higher in the esteem of his superiors and fellow-employees than he.
P ATRICK J. WARD, a well-known citizen of St. Patrick's parish, Terre Haute, is a native of Vigo county, Ind., and was born July 11, 1843. He is a son of Michael and Ann (Curley) Ward, both natives of Ireland, who came to the United States in 1833, and were married in the city of Baltimore, Md. These parents resided in Maryland until about 1837, when they came to Indiana, locating in the county of Vigo, not far from Terre Haute. Here the father died September 30, 1892, and was laid to rest by the side of his faithful wife, who preceded him to the abode of saints October 10, 1879. Michael and Ann Ward had nine chil- dren, one of whom died in infancy, another at the age of thirteen, while the remainder of the family, consisting of five sons and two daughters, are still living in Vigo county.
Patrick J. Ward was reared on the home farm in Fayette township. attended the schools of his neighborhood at intervals during his minority, and remained under the parental roof until 1885, when he purchased a tract of land a short distance from Terre Haute, and engaged in the growing of small fruits. In 1895 he purchased land on East Poplar street, upon which he erected a comfortable home, where he still resides.
(1880)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
Mr. Ward is a self-made man in all the term implies. While receiving, in his youth, only a common-school education, he has- always been a great student, and by close application has obtained a knowledge of the sciences, and is well versed in classic liter- ature. In 1865 he obtained a license to teach in the common schools, and for the succeeding ten years was engaged in educa- tional work in Vigo county, his reputation as a successful instructor being attested by the fact of his being frequently retained in the same locality. . He also taught two terms after 1875, the last one being in 1877-78.
Mr. Ward and Jane McBarron entered into the holy bonds of wedlock November 17, 1873, the ceremony being solemnized in St. Mary's church, Vigo county, by Bishop de St. Palais. Mrs. Ward was born in Floyd county, Ind., July 14, 1846, and is the daughter of John and Mary (O'Daly) McBarron, and sister of Very Rev. Father E. F. McBarron, of Evansville. Mr. and Mrs. Ward have had one child, which died in infancy. For a number of years they were members of St. Mary's parish, but since 1885 have belonged to the parish of St. Patrick, Terre Haute.
L OUIS LATOUR WATSON, distinguished as the oldest living native citizen of Vincennes, if not of Knox county, Ind., was born April 13, 1809, and is the youngest of a family of three sons and three daughters, being now its only surviving representative.
Robert G. Watson, father of Louis Latour Watson, was a native of Scotland, and was the only member of his family to come to America. He married, in Vincennes, Genevieve Latour, a widow, who had borne the maiden name of Corneyer, and was the mother by her first husband of six sons and one daughter. This lady died when Louis L., the subject, was about fifteen years of age, after which the latter made his home with relatives in Vincennes and the remainder of the children sought homes elsewhere.
Louis Latour Watson had but a meager opportunity for secur- ing an education, but he succeeded in acquiring a fair knowledge of the rudiments of English, and in mathematics as far as the rule
(13×1)
THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
of three, in the Sunday-school and the subscription schools of his youthful days, and on the death of his mother went to St. Louis, Mo., where he apprenticed himself to a tailor for six years, the expiration of his term bringing him to his majority. But helearned his trade thoroughly, and in 1832 returned to Vincennes, Ind., where he cast his first presidential vote for Andrew Jackson the same year. In 1833 he married Miss Lydia Fellows, a native of New York state, who bore her husband twelve children, and after a happy wedded life of over forty years died April 18, 1875. Six of these twelve children are still living, of whom Edward is the associate of his father in the management of the Depot hotel, Vin- cennes, which was erected by the father in 1869, and which is, beyond question, the best hostelry in the city; Willis H. is a resi- dent of Aurora, Ill. ; Robert G. is in Terre Haute, Ind. ; Jane E. is now Mrs. Reynolds; Ruth F. is Mrs. Dr. Davenport, and Ida A. is the wife of Mr. McDonald, of Albany, N. Y.
After learning his trade and returning to Vincennes from St. Louis, Mr. Watson worked at tailoring four years, and then for three years held a partnership in the grocery trade, but this enter- prise proved disastrous and he returned to the bench, industriously following his calling until appointed postmaster of Vincennes under the administration of Gen. Zachary Taylor, and this office he held over four years, performing the duties thereof in a most satisfactory manner. He was next appointed lock-master on the Wabash river, under the administration of the Wabash Navigation company, and this position he also held four years. He then became a stock- holder in the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad company, and assisted in the construction of the road, and after its completion was appointed a conductor, but, owing to the unsavory record of that class of officials in those early years, he asked to be relieved, and was finally appointed agent for the road at Vincennes. While filling this position he was approached. by officials of the Ohio & Mississippi company, who offered him a position as agent for their company in adjusting floating claims against it, and had the satis- faction of settling within a few months every outstanding claim, except a few that were in litigation with heirs. He was then made paymaster and general purchasing agent for the same company
(1382)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
nine years, and as assistant supply agent four years longer. As an evidence of the company's appreciation of his success in settling up the claims mentioned, it presented him with $1,000 in excess of his salary, and at the close of his twenty years' service the com- pany gave him $3,000, in addition to his liberal salary, in recog- nition of his faithful and conscientious discharge of duty. For the past twenty-seven years Mr. Watson has been engaged in the hotel business, and is one of the most popular landlords in the state. Although for the past few years he has intrusted the greater part of the activities to his son, he still keeps a supervising eye over the business, being exceptionally clear-headed for a gentleman of his advanced years.
Since childhood Mr. Watson has been a member of St. Fran- cis Xavier congregation of Vincennes, having been baptized in this church more than eighty years ago. At that time, and for some years afterward, the church was supplied by a priest from Ken- tucky, there being no regular incumbent at Vincennes. Mr. Wat- son has been closely identified with the interests of this city ever since it was a village of 1,600 inhabitants, and when he first went to St. Louis there were but 6,000 souls in the now metropolis of the Mississippi valley. The life of this venerable gentleman has been a very active and exceedingly busy one, but he has always been very successful, with the exception of his grocery venture, in all his enterprises, and has accumulated a fine property. He is a gentleman of genial manners, counts his friends by thousands, and is passing the declining years of his well-spent life in the home of his daughter, Mrs. Reynolds, on Seventh street.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.