USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II > Part 94
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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
a new church edifice at a cost of $15,000, which was consecrated in 1891. and other improvements have been made commensurate with the beauty of the church structure proper. See church his- tory, in Vol. I.
H UGH McCAFFREY, of Peru, Ind., is a self-made man-one who has risen steadily and surely over all difficulties to a place of prominence - always gains the greatest admiration of everybody. He is a man who has worked for all that he pos- sesses, who holds his position by reason of his ability, diligence and intelligence, and is of the kind that makes the strong founda- tion of the country.
Such a man is Hugh McCaffrey, the wholesale and retail grocer, miller and grain dealer of Peru. . He was born in county Armagh, Ireland, March 12, 1852. At the age of eighteen, or in 1870, he came to this country, to Logansport, Ind., where his uncle, Michael McCaffrey, was conducting a grocery. In the short space of a year he took charge of the entire business and at once built it up to important proportions. In 1876 he secured an inter- est in the ownership of the business. In 1879 they, together with James McGourty, established a new grocery in Peru. Mr. McGourty was placed in charge of the new store, but Mr. McCaf- frey had it under his supervision and made frequent visits to it, and his energy and ability have caused its remarkable growth and success from the very first. The new store, with its unusual enter- prise and exceptionally low prices, made immediate and lasting friends all over the city and county.
In 1884 Mr. McCaffrey dissolved partnership with his uncle, left Logansport and came to Peru to reside and continue in the active management of the new business. In 1885 he and Mr. McGourty purchased a block in Huntington and opened the same kind of a grocery, which is now under the supervision of Mr. McGourty. Two years later they purchased another block and started a third store in Kokomo, which is in the care of a compe- tent superintendent. Mr. McCaffrey remains in Peru and directs all three stores, and it is due to his knowledge of the business and
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
his control of all the buying from his office that the trio of estab- lishments have grown to such great proportions as to do $500,000 or more business, retail and wholesale, annually.
The control of such interests would ordinarily be considered sufficient for one man to take as his task, but Mr. McCaffrey saw he was able to make an addition to his cares, and in 1893 he pur- chased by himself the Peru flour mill, the largest concern in the county. The business of the mill had fallen considerably when the purchase was made, but Mr. McCaffrey built it it up so rapidly that in 1894 he found it necessary to enlarge and improve the quarters. He accordingly erected a large three-story brick mill adjoining, and fitted it with the latest and most improved machin- ery of a capacity of 300 barrels daily. The superior quality of the various brands of flour manufactured, headed by the celebrated Magnolia patent, won instant recognition in all parts of the coun- try and has brought the business to the point where it has long been necessary to run full capacity night and day. The grain busi- ness was also built up to extraordinary proportions and it is now second to none in the entire state. In a recent month the ship- ments of grain amounted to 121 cars.
In January, 1885, Mr. McCaffrey married Miss Carrie Sulli- van, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Florence Sullivan, then of Mich- igan City, now of Peru, Mr. Sullivan being general roadmaster of the Indianapolis & Michigan City division of the Lake Erie & Western railroad. They have a fine family of five boys and four girls. Mr. McCaffrey's parents, Mr. and Mrs. James McCaffrey. came to this country from Ireland two years after he did, and lived with him in Logansport, moving to Peru when he came to take charge of the Peru store, which was in 1884. Mr. McCaffrey. senior, died in March, 1897, but his widow, enfeebled with age and rheumatism, still lives with her son.
As a man of such important interests Mr. McCaffrey is given a leading position in the business world, and is always found an influential supporter of all public enterprises of whatever character that could be suggested. The people in general, at home and abroad, admire his exceptional ability of making successes out :: whatever he undertakes.
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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
He is an honored member and regular communicant of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic church, and is always active and gen- erons in promoting the welfare of church enterprises.
AMES MCNULTY, a coal-mining foreman of Brazil, Ind., and J
joint proprietor, with his wife, of the Clay hotel, is a native of Ireland, was born in 1851, a son of Patrick and Mary McNulty. and is the only member of the family to come to America.
On reaching this country, at the age of nineteen years, young McNulty at once went to Pittsburg, Pa., but soon afterward came to Indiana and was engaged in coal mining in the northern part of the state for several years. He then came to Clay county, Ind .. and, May 16, 1883, married Miss Mary Burke, daughter of Patrick and Bridget Burke, the former of whom was a native of the Emer- ald isle and came to the United States at the age of eighteen years, and the latter a native of Pennsylvania.
Patrick Burke and wife were married in Pennsylvania, which was for some years afterward their home, and where all the male members of his own and his wife's family were engaged in business. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Burke were ten in number, of whom five are still living, viz: Mrs. McNulty, William, Martin, John and Mrs. Anna Murphy. Mr. Burke brought his family to Indiana in 1866, and settled near Terre Haute, all becoming mem- bers of St. Joseph's congregation, of that city. In 1877 the Burke family came to Clay county and settled in Knightsville, where Mr. Burke continued his calling as coal miner, also purchased a farın, and likewise became proprietor of a hotel. His death took place in December, 1883, and his widow now resides alternately with her daughters, Mrs. McNulty and Mrs. Murphy, in Brazil. The surviv- ing sons are all engaged in railroading, in various capacities, and are respected citizens of Brazil.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. McNulty has been blessed with four children, viz: Mary, Anthony, John and William, the last named dying at the age of ten months. Mr. and Mrs. McNulty are among the most respected of the members of the church of the
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
Annunciation congregation, and their name is held in high repute by the citizens of Brazil generally.
DEV. G. H. MOSS, pastor of St. John the Evangelist church, in Warrick county (P. O. Weltes), Ind .. is a native of Cincin- mati, Ohio, was born February 10, 1861, and is the fifth in order of birth in a family of six sons born to Beruard and Mary A. Moss.
The rudimentary education of Father Moss was begun and finished in the city parochial schools of Cincinnati. Afterward he entered the Jesuit Fathers' college in 1875 and took the classical course, and then passed two years as student and teacher with the Jesuit Fathers in Florisant, Mo. He then entered St. Meinrad college, Spencer county, Ind., and finished his theological and philosophical studies, graduated, and was ordained priest by Bishop Chatard, in 1884. His first charge was at Frenchtown, Harrison county, Ind., and whilst there exhibited great energy and ambition. He introduced the Sisters of Providence, three in number, in this parish, and in 1894 he erected a neat frame church, 36 x 75 feet, with a spire eighty-three feet high. On October 21, 1894, the church was dedicated by Bishop Chatard before a large con- course of the priesthood and eminent laymen. Father Moss remained in the parish until 1896 and beside St. Bernard's parish he had charge of the Bradford mission, comprising seventy-five families; St. Joseph's, of Crawford county, was also under his min- istration for the full time of his pastorate at Frenchtown. In 1892 and 1893 he had charge of French Lick, a summer resort, and was then placed in charge of his present pastorate -- St. John's, in Warrick county-which parish comprises sixty-five families with a total attendance of 325 souls. Beside St. John's parish he admin- isters to the mission at Petersburg, which has a church-building 60 x 30 feet, erected by Father Cyrin Thomas, O. S. B. Peters- burg mission numbers some twenty-five families and there is a good prospect of its soon becoming a distinct parish by itself. The priesthood is a body of gentlemen, and Father Moss is no excep- tion, as he is wellknown for these attributes and is a priest dearly loved and highly respected by his parishioners.
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ST. JOHN'S EVANGELIST'S CHURCH, WELTES, IND.
ST. BERNARD CHURCH, SCHOOL AND SISTERS' HOME, FRENCHTOWN, IND,
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
H JUGH D. WICKENS, of Greensburg, Ind., the only attorney- at-law in Decatur county who is a member of the Catholic church, was born near North Vernon, Jennings county, Ind., August 30, 1870, and is of English-Irish descent.
Patrick Wickens, grandfather of Hugh D., was a native of county Wexford, Ireland, was there married to Mary Conner, and had born to him a family of six children, viz: Patrick, Mary, Ellen (Mrs. Sweeney), Margaret (Mrs. Reese), Thomas and John. The mother of this family died in Ireland, and in 1853 the father, Patrick, came to the United States and settled in Taylorsville, Bartholomew county, where he died in 1871, a member of St. Bar- tholomew's church at Columbus.
Patrick Wickens, son of Patrick named above and father of Hugh D., was also born in county Wexford, Ireland, the date of his birth being April 15, 1834. At the age of nineteen years he came with his father to the United States, and for a while worked on a steamboat on lake Erie, after which he joined his father's family in Bartholomew county, Ind., and secured a position as a section hand on the Jeffersonville, Madison & Indianapolis railroad, was promoted to be brakeman, and was next appointed superin- tendent of track laying on the Louisville branch of the Ohio & Mis- sissippi road, after which he became roadmaster, which position he held until about 1872, when he bought a farm a mile and a half east of North Vernon, where he has since successfully followed the pursuit of agriculture, and has also taken an active part in the management of local politics as a democrat.
The marriage of Mr. Wickens took place at North Vernon, Jennings county, Ind., in November, 1863, to Miss Hannah Devine, daughter of Hugh and Mary (Maloney) Devine, and one of the early teachers of her native county of Jennings. Mr. Devine died when his daughter was but a mere child. Mrs. Devine is still liv- ing and is married to Edward Gallagher, she and her husband being members of St. Mary's church, at North Vernon. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Wickens have been born the following children, in the order here named: Ella, John, Thomas (who died from an accident at the age of seventeen years), Hugh D., Patrick, Jr., Mary,. Norah, Katherine, Pearl M. and Julia E.
70
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
Hugh D. Wickens was educated in the common schools, and after graduating from the high school of North Vernon he entered upon the vocation of teaching and for two years taught in his home county, one year at Chattanooga, Tenn., and was then for three years principal of the Cathedral high school of Vincennes, estab- lishing for himself a fine reputation as an educator. This talent seems to be inherent in the family, as Miss Mary, sister of subject, has been a teacher for several years in the North Vernon high school; another sister, Nora, is now a teacher in the city schools of Terre Haute, Ind., and his brother, Patrick, has taught for six years in Jennings county. During his career as an instructor, Mr. Wickens devoted much of his time to a systematic study of the law, preparatory to entering the Indiana Law school, in which he graduated May 30, 1895, since when he has been actively engaged in the active practice of his profession in Greensburg, where he has firmly established himself in the confidence of the public and has been engaged in some very important lawsuits. In politics he is a stanch democrat.
In 1891 Mr. Wickens became a member of branch No. 609, Catholic Knights of America, and afterward was president of branch No. 256, at Vincennes; he was also the first president of Americus council, No. 271, Young Men's institute, of Greensburg. Mr. Wickens is a true Catholic, and socially and professionally enjoys a full share of the public esteem.
R EV. GEORGE L. T. WIDERIN, pastor of the church of the Nativity, at North Vernon, Jennings county, Ind., is a native of Louisville, Ky., and is a son of Christian and Mary A. (Meder) Widerin, natives of Bavaria.
Rev. G. L. T. Widerin was born June 20, 1847, was primarily educated in the parochial schools, and began the study for the priesthood in 1872, at St. Meinrad's college. He was ordained May 28, 1877, under Bishop de St. Palais, and said his first mass at St. Mary's church, at New Albany, June 3, 1877. He was then assigned to the church of Sts. Peter and Paul's, at Haubstadt, Gib- (1416)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
son county, Ind., where he remained five years; he then was trans- ferred to North Madison, and remained in charge there until April 3, 1893; he was assigned to his present position, and under him the spiritual welfare of the parishioners has been cared for in a manner that has redounded to his credit and secured for him the high esteem and affection of his flock. During his early years our subject was engaged in secular occupations, and during the war served for a time as a private in the One Hundred and Forty- fourth regiment of Indiana volunteer infantry. His father, Chris- tian, served for two years in the Twenty-third regiment, when he was obliged to withdraw owing to disabilities received in action. Our subject has 135 families, together with ninety pupils who attend the school adjoining the church. His labors, although arduous, have been rewarded with abundant success, and he well deserves the high esteem in which he is held.
W ILLIAM WIEGAND, of Indianapolis, was born in Prussia, Germany, in the village of Neustadt, on the twenty-fourth day of October, 1849. He is a son of John and Annie (Wulff) Wiegand, both natives of Prussia, the father born in the year 1801, and the mother in 1821; they both departed this life in 1872, and lie buried in the old cemetery at Neustadt. These parents had a family of eight children, three sons and five daughters, but two of the former are now living-the subject of this sketch and Felix, a farmer, who still lives in the old country. All the deceased members of the family attained the years of maturity and all mar- ried; their names were: Lena, Leo, Regina, Matilda, Sophia and Caroline.
William Wiegand remained in his native country until eighteen years of age and received his education in the church schools of Neustadt. He then came to the United States, stopping for two years in Washington, D. C., where he was engaged in the meat business. In 1869 he became a resident of Indianapolis, since which time he has been with his present employer, Charles Stucke- meyer, as manager of that gentleman's meat market. Mr. Wie-
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
gand is a practical butcher and meat-market man, in which busi- ness he has spent the greater part of his life, and in which his efficiency is much more than ordinary. He was reared a Catholic and has never swerved in his allegiance to the church of his father, being a consistent member and an active worker at the present time.
Mr. Wiegand is unmarried, preferring the freedom of single blessedness to the more responsible position of a Benedict.
M RS. MARY WILCOX, wife of H. P. Wilcox, of No. 834 English avenue, Indianapolis, is a member of a prominent German Catholic family. She is a daughter of Michael and Frances Kirn, natives of Baden, Germany, who came to the United States in their early life and were married in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they lived for a number of years, removing thence to Minnesota, and later to West Point, Lee county, Iowa. Still later they removed to Kansas, where the mother died March 26, 1885. Michael Kirn died at Topeka, Kans., February 13, 1897, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. Mr. and Mrs. Kirn were devoted mnem- bers of the Catholic church, were sincere in their belief, and car- ried out in their lives the principles they professed. They were the parents of eight children, six of whom, three sons and three daughters, arrived at mature age and are still living. They have all been reared in the Catholic faith, and two of the daughters have consecrated themselves to a purely religious life. They are Julia, who, as M. Lena, is a Sister of Notre Dame, her home being in Rochester, N. Y., and Catherine, as Sister Colmana, is at Long- wood, Chicago. Mrs. Wilcox is the second of the sisters in the order of birth. The three brothers are Charles, John and William, all residing in Kansas. The eldest two of the family died in infancy.
Mrs. Wilcox was born in Lee county, Iowa, and there grew to womanhood, and was married at Urbana, Ill., to Henry P. Wilcox, a native of Massachusetts, and a brave soldier during the war of the Rebellion. Mrs. Wilcox is a member of a most excellent family,
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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
who are all respected citizens, and devout and earnest Catholics. She is a member of St. Patrick's parish of Indianapolis, and a wor- thy woman and wife. The Rev. Father O'Donaghue is the esteemed pastor of the church to which she belongs.
R OBERT CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS, of Loogootee, Ind., was born in Washington county, Ky., January 1, 1845, a son of Thomas Francis and Mary Elizabeth (Nally) Williams, also natives of Kentucky.
The father was a carpenter by trade, and also owned a farm in Washington county, but when the county was divided, he found himself to be a resident of Marion county, and there he passed the remainder of his life, dying on his farm in October, 1894, at the age of eighty years. His widow still resides on the old homestead, and of the seven children born to herself and husband, Robert C., the subject, is the eldest. Of the remaining six, Sarah Jane was married to James Bulloch, and died in Daviess county, Ind., leaving seven children, viz: Thomas, Charles, Leona, Albert, Samuel, Ella and Regina; Rebecca married Edward Blanford, of Loogootee, and died in 1884, leaving four children-John, Jennie, Agnes and Mattie; Medora is married to Alonzo Farrell, and resides in Marion county, Ky .; John is a resident of Washington county, Ky., and has been twice married; Thomas, also married, lives in Washington, Ind., and Alice, who was married to Poley Cusicks, died in Marion county, Ky., leaving a family.
Robert C. Williams was reared a farmer and also possessed excellent school advantages. He came to Indiana in 1867, and followed farming in Daviess and Martin counties until 1884, when he settled in Loogootee, and has here been engaged ever since in the liquor business. Mr. Williams has a neat and orderly estab- lishment and enjoys an excellent patronage, composed of the most respectable residents of the town. His marriage took place in February, 1874, to Miss Catherine Arvin, a native of Washington county, Ky., and a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Field) Arvin, and this marriage has been blessed by the birth of five children,
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
named as follows: John Francis, Mary E., Charles C., Dallas B. and Clarence Leo:
Mr. Williams is a genial, affable and accommodating gentle- man and has many warm friends. He has made a success of his business, owns the two-story brick building in which he carries it on, and also owns his residence property. He and family are members of St. John's church, to the support of which he freely contributes.
E MANUEL R. WILLS, a well-known salesman and merchant of South Bend, Ind., was born in York county, Pa., October 1, 1840, a son of Lewis and Magdaline (Fleshman) Wills, both natives of Adams county, in the same state, the former born in 1810 and the latter in 1809.
Lewis Wills, who was a farmer by vocation, died in his native county in 1879, and was followed to the grave by his widow in 1891. They were the parents of six children, of whom Jacob Lewis was killed in the Civil war; Joseph resides in Springfield, Mo .; John lives in Lebanon, Pa .; Mary is the widow of Matthew Timmens; Caroline is now Mrs. Bievenour, of Adams county, Pa., and Emanuel R. is the subject of this memoir.
Emanuel R. Wills attended the schools of the county of York, Pa., until sixteen years of age and then learned blacksmithing, but did not long work at his trade, as he secured a clerkship in a dry-goods store, in which he remained three years, and merchan- dizing he has since followed as his vocation in life. In 1865 he came to South Bend, Ind., and engaged in the dry-goods trade as salesman, and for many years was also engaged in the grocery business, meeting with financial success through good manage- ment and judicious business methods. In politics he is a sound democrat, and in May, 1882, was elected treasurer of the city of South Bend, serving so satisfactorily that, at the end of his term, he was triumphantly elected treasurer of St. Joseph county, and re-elected, thus serving two terms, from 1884 until 1888, inclusive. He has also served as county assessor for two years, and as com- (1420)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
missioner of the school fund, filling each office with credit to him- self and to the satisfaction of all concerned.
Mr. Wills was most happily married in 1874, at St. Patrick's church, South Bend, to Miss Margaret Coquillard, whose uncle was the founder of South Bend and was the first to entertain the lamented Father Sorin, the founder of Notre Dame college, and also Father Baden, the pioneer Catholic missionary of St. Joseph county. To the congenial marriage of Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Wills have been born four children, in the following order: Leo J., June 28, 1879; Edmund A., August 11, 1882; Florentine M., May 2, 1884, and Adele M., February 9, 1886.
Mr. and Mrs. Wills are devoted Catholics, and freely contrib- ute to the support of St. Patrick's church, of South Bend, of which they are consistent members. In social circles they are greatly esteemed, not because they are in good circumstances, but because of their personal merits.
G ERHARD WITTE, who does the veneering and gluing for the Aurora (Dearborn county) Furniture company, was born April 22, 1846, in Germany. He came to the United States in 1881, and engaged in his present business. He was married to Miss Anna Gaddemeir, and they have seven children, viz: Willie, Anna, Henry, Frank, Clara, Ida and Amelia. All are strict mem- bers of St. Mary's church. Mr. Witte is a member of St. Joseph society, and he and family are highly respected in Aurora, and as much respected by the Protestant inhabitants as they are by their Catholic friends. He owns a pleasant home on Decatur street, the result of his industry and frugality, and well deserves the high esteem in which he is held.
R EV. EMANUEL WROBEL, the highly-esteemed young pastor of St. Stanislaus church at Michigan City, Laporte county, Ind., is a native of Silesia, a province of Prussia, was born Decem-
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
ber 25, 1866, and was educated primarily in his native country. In 1881 he came to America and entered St. Francis seminary at Milwaukee, Wis., was ordained priest in 1890, and from July of that year until January 1, 1891, officiated as assistant to Rev. Father Bleckmann, of St. Mary's church, Michigan City, when the Polish congregation of St. Stanislaus was organized, and of this he has ever since been the beloved pastor. From January to September, 1891, the congregation worshiped in St. Mary's hall, and in the latter month the present church-edifice was completed under the supervision of Father Wrobel, at a cost of $8,000. The membership of St. Stanislaus comprises 165 Polish families and is in a very flourishing condition, thanks to the zeal and labors of Father Wrobel. In 1891, also, Father Wrobel established the parochial school attached to the church, and this has been con- ducted by the Sisters of the Holy Cross (now by Notre Dame Sis- ters), being well attended, considering the limited number of Polish families residing in Michigan City.
C HARLES J. WOLF, manager at Goshen, Elkhart county, for the Cosmo Buttermilk Soap company, paper box department, was born in Saxony, Germany, November 4, 1846, a son of August and Catherine Romhildt) Wolf, who came to the United States in 1854, and located in Dayton, Ohio, where the father is still engaged in the manufacture of paper boxes.
Charles J. Wolf, the second born of a family of six children, was between seven and eight years of age when brought to the United States by his parents. He attended public schools in Day- ton until eighteen years old, and then entered his father's paper- box factory, remaining until 1872, in which year he went to St. Louis, Mo., and took charge of the C. H. Newbolt paper box fac- tory for four years. The following three years he was in partner- ship with his brother, Otto, in the manufacture of the same com- modity, and then went back to Dayton, Ohio, and re-engaged with his father, with whom he remained two years. About this time Otto Wolf died in St. Louis, Mo., and Charles J. went thither and
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