USA > Indiana > Allen County > History of the Maumee River basin, Allen County, Indiana > Part 22
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293
ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
GEORGE JORDAN.
The subject of this memoir was one of the honored pioneers of Allen county, having settled in Wayne township in an early day and having become one of the prosperous farmers of this section of the county, here continuing to reside until he was summoned to his re- ward, closing a long, noble and useful life. Mr. Jordan was born in the province of Alsace, France, on the 21st of November, 1821, the place of his birth being now a German province. As a young man he served seven years in the French army, having been reared and educated in Alsace, where the family had been established for many generations. In 1851 Mr. Jordan immigrated to America and not long after landing in the new world he came to Allen county, Indiana, where he took up his permanent location. On the 3Ist of May, 1851, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Jordan to Miss Mary A. Burgel, who was likewise born and reared in the beautiful province of Alsace, being a daughter of Benedict and Catherine (Seiler) Burgel, who came to Allen county, from their native land, in the same year, 1851, settling in Wayne township, where the father secured a tract of wild and heavily timbered land, upon which he erected a log cabin, which was the original family home. In clear- ing his land he utilized ox teams and in course of time he developed a good farm, while he also operated a distillery for the manufacture of whiskey, an industry which was common throughout the state in those days. He was industrious, provident and honest, and not only attained prosperity but also gained the unqualified confidence and esteem of the people of the community, being well known in the county, while both he and his wife continued to reside on the farm until their death. Of their five children two are living.
After his marriage, which was solemnized soon after his arrival in Allen county, Mr. Jordan located on a portion of the homestead
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THE MAUMEE RIVER BASIN.
farm of his father-in-law, in Wayne township, and eventually he and his wife became the owner of eighty acres of the tract. Here he reclaimed and developed one of the best farms in the township, erecting good buildings and making improvements as demanded, while he continued to reside on this homestead, which is located in section 5, until he was summoned from the scene of life's endeavors, his death occurring on the 30th of March, 1894. . Mr. Jordan was a man of inflexible integrity and made his life count for good in all its relations, while to him was accorded the unreserved esteem of the people of the community in which he lived for so many years. He was a stanch supporter of the Democratic party and was called upon to serve in various township offices, while his religious faith was that of the Catholic church, in which he was reared and of which he, as well as the members of his family, was a communicant. His widow still resides on the old homestead, which is endeared to her through the hallowed memories and associations of the past, while in the community her circle of friends is limited only by that of her acquaintances. In conclusion of this brief tribute to the memory of one of the honored pioneers of the county we enter a brief record concerning his children: George is a resident of Bloomingdale, In- diana; Edward is a successful farmer of Washington township, Allen county ; Joseph is a resident of the city of Fort Wayne, as is also Alois; Mary is the wife of John Nieble, of Fort Wayne; John and Frank remain on the old homestead and are associated in its work and management; Anthony, Henry, William and Elizabeth all re- side in Fort Wayne.
295
ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
FREDERICK W. FAHLSING.
We now have the privilege of entering a brief record concerning the life history of one of the honored pioneers and representatve citi- zens of Wayne township, where he is a prominent and influential farmer and dairyman, being the owner of the Homestead Dairy, one of the most popular in this section and one of the oldest estab- lished, the same having afforded service in the city of Fort Wayne for nearly thirty-five years.
Mr. Fahlsing was born in Minden, Prussia, on the 4th of Au- gust, 1830, and is a son of Frederick and Louisa (Remke) Fahl- sing, his father having been a successful farmer in Prussia, where he remained until 1844, when he immigrated with his family to America and soon came to Indiana, locating as a pioneer in Preble township, Adams county, where he took up a tract of wild land, which he reclaimed from the native timber, developing a good farm. The original family domicile was a log cabin of the primitive type and the conditions were such as marked the pioneer era in that now populous and favored section of the state. On the old homestead farm the father of our subject died in the year 1863, while the loved and devoted wife and mother passed the closing years of her life in the home of the subject, in Allen county, whence she was sum- moned to the "land of the leal" in 1870, at a venerable age. She was a lifelong member of the German Lutheran church, as was also her husband, and in politics he espoused the cause of the Democratic party after coming to the United States. Concerning the ten chil- dren in the family we enter the following brief record: Frederick W. is the immediate subject of this sketch; Minnie, Conrad, Louisa and William are deceased; Sophia maintains her home in Allen county ; Augustus is a resident of the city of Fort Wayne; Amelia is a resident of Indianapolis, Indiana; Mary makes her home in Fort Wayne, and Charles is deceased.
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THE MAUMEE RIVER BASIN.
In the excellent national schools of his native land the subject of this review received his early educational training, and he was about fourteen years of age at the time of the family immigration to America. As his services were demanded in connection with the work of the pioneer farm and there were practically no advan- tages to be had in an educational way in the new country in which the family located, he received no further discipline in a technical sense, but during the years of an active and successful career he has effectually overcome the handicap of his youth and is known as a man of broad information and marked ability in a practical way.
Mr. Fahlsing continued to be associated in the work of the home- stead farm, in Adams county, until 1855, on February 8th of which year was solemnized his marriage to Miss Mary Hetzman, who likewise was born in Minden, Prussia, Germany, on the 23d of Sep- tember, 1833, being a daughter of Christian and Sophia Hetzman, who immigrated to America in 1837, Mr. Hetzman having been for a time employed on the old Erie canal, in the state of New York, while in 1842 he located in Washington township, Allen county, In- diana, where he improved a good farm, upon which he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1874, while his cher- ished wife was summoned into eternal rest about a decade later, her demise occurring in 1885. Mr. Hetzman's wife and children did not join him in America until 1845, by which time he had prepared a good home for them. Mr. and Mrs. Hetzman became the parents of six children, namely: Sophia, who is the widow of Frederick Myers, resides in the city of Fort Wayne; Mary is the wife of our subject ; Frederick resides on the old homestead, in Washington town- ship; Christ resides in the city of Fort Wayne; William is deceased; and Henry is associated in the work and management of the old home farm, in Washington township. Mr. and Mrs. Fahlsing have had seven children, of whom two, each of whom was named William, died in infancy. Of the others we make brief mention as follows : Sophia is the wife of Henry Barham, a prosperous farmer of Wash- ington township; Maria is the wife of Conrad Brauar, of Fort Wayne; Christopher, who married Miss Mary Hormann, is asso- ciated with his father in the management of the home place and the dairy business; Minnie is the wife of William Lankemann, of Fort
297
ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
Wayne, and Frederick C. is a successful farmer near Woodburn, Maumee township.
One year after his marriage Mr. Fahlsing removed from Adams county, this state, to Allen county, locating in Wayne township, where he has ever since maintained his home and where he has ever been held in the most unequivocal confidence and esteem. He took up his abode on the farm which still remains his home, the same being located in section 4, about three miles distant from the city of Fort Wayne. At the time when he came into possession of the property the land was covered with the native timber and was prac- tically without improvements of any description, while no roads had been cut through in this section, so that he found himself surrounded with the environments of the typical pioneer days. Wild game was most plentiful, and Mr. Fahlsing stated to the writer that in one winter alone he supplied the family larder with fourteen wild tur- keys. On his land he erected a frame dwelling of primitive type, the same being only sixteen by eighteen feet in dimensions, while later he made additions to the same, the building continuing to be the family home until 1873, when he erected his present commodious and substantial brick residence, which is one of the attractive farm homes of the county. In 1864 Mr. Fahlsing erected the original portion of his present large farm, which, with the additions made at later dates, is now in the form of an L, and is one hundred and twenty-four by thirty feet in dimensions. It is a bank barn and is thoroughly modern in its equipment and facilities. In the building is a machine which is utilized for the grinding of all feed for stock, while stable room is afforded for thirty-six head of cattle and about eight horses, and accommodation is afforded for one hundred tons of hay. The fine farm comprises about two hundred acres, and the major portion of the place is maintained under a high state of culti- vation and devoted to diversified agriculture. In 1869 Mr. Fahl- sing established his dairy business, which has since been conducted under the name of the Homestead Dairy, while he has the best of facilities for the supplying of milk of the best quality and free from all impurities, the greatest care being given to every detail of the work, so that effective sanitation is insured. He controls a large business in supplying the city of Fort Wayne in this department of
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THE MAUMEE RIVER BASIN.
his farming enterprise. He keeps an average herd of about forty head of milch cows, while he also raises high-grade swine and a sufficient number of horses to meet the demands of his farming and dairying business. Our subject is known as a progressive and public spirited citizen, while to him is accorded the high regard of the people of the county in which he has maintained his home for so many years. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Democracy, and both he and his wife are valued members of Emanuel church (German Lutheran) on West Jefferson street, in the city of Fort Wayne. Mr. Fahlsing started out in life with no resources save his strong heart, willing hands and determination to make the best of opportunities afforded, and the position he today holds indicates how admirably he has succeeded in connection with temporal affairs, while to him has come the greater benefice of the objective confi- dence and regard which only sterling worth can beget.
299
ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
HENRY BEERMAN.
The great empire of Germany has contributed a most valuable element to our national social fabric, and among the worthy sons of the Teutonic fatherland who stand as reputable and honored citi- zens of Allen county is the subject of this sketch, who is one of the successful farmers of Wayne township, his well improved home- stead being situated in section 6, three and a half miles distant from the city of Fort Wayne.
Mr. Beerman was born in the city of Glesse, in Darmstadt, Ger- many, on the 28th of February, 1853, and is a son of Frederick and Christina (Folke) Beerman, both of whom were born in that same section of the German empire, where the father devoted his atten- tion to agricultural pursuits until 1855, when he immigrated with his family to America, coming forthwith to Indiana, where a few years afterward his cherished wife died. He later came to Fort Wayne, and here passed the closing years of his life retired from active business, his death occurring in 1875. He was a Democrat in politics and both he and his wife were devoted members of the Lutheran church. Concerning their children, we incorporate a brief record, as follows: Wilhelmina became the wife of Charles Pape and her death occurred in Fort Wayne; Justina, who likewise is de- ceased, was the wife of Gottlieb Cramer; Caroline is a widow and resides in Fort Wayne; Johanna, who was the wife of William Heine, of the same city, is deceased; Frederika is the wife of Henry Shafer, of Fort Wayne; Frederick is identified with the lumber busi- ness in this city, and Henry is the immediate subject of this sketch.
Henry Beerman was a child of about one year at the time of the family immigration to the United States, and as he was deprived of a mother's care while a child he was reared principally in the home of his eldest sister, Mrs. Pape, while he attended both German
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THE MAUMEE RIVER BASIN.
and English schools in a somewhat limited way during his boy- hood years, while he early began to work out at such employment as he could secure, thus providing for his own maintenance, while he kept a definite aim in view,-that of gaining a position of inde- pendence and one in which he might personally secure the maximum returns from his efforts. In 1874, shortly after attaining to his legal majority, Mr. Beerman took unto himself a wife and established a home of his own, while from the beginning of his married career to the present time he has had the loving aid and co-operation of his devoted wife, to whose influence he ascribes no small part of the marked success which has crowned his efforts. For eleven years after his marriage Mr. Beerman was an employe of the Globe res- taurant, one of the leading places of the sort in Fort Wayne, and within this period he carefully conserved his resources and thus be- came justified in purchasing a farm property for a home, buying forty acres of his present place, and later purchasing an adjoining forty acres. The land was only partially reclaimed and was rough and stony, but its appearance today indicates the model farm and gives assurance of the expenditure of well directed labor. Mr. Beer- man has erected excellent buildings, including a commodious and attractive residence, and has put all parts of the farm into good order and thus maintained them, while he has consequently become known as a progressive and energetic business man and one of ex- cellent judgment. He has made the various departments of his farm enterprise profitable and is well satisfied to number himself among the sturdy husbandmen of the nation. He devotes no little atten- tion to the raising of small fruits and also to market gardening, while he also has built up a successful dairy business, selling milk in Fort Wayne, while he raises sufficient live stock to properly com- plement the other phases of his farming industry. In the past years he has done a very considerable amount of teaming, and for three years gave most effective service as superintendent of county roads in his section, while for several years he was a valued member of the board of school directors of his township, taking a lively inter- est in all that makes for the material, moral and civic well-being of the community. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Repub- lican party, and on March 1, 1905, he was appointed deputy assessor
301
ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
of Wayne township. Both he and his wife are zealous members of the Lutheran church, while to them is accorded the unqualified es- teem of the community in which they have so long made their home.
In the year 1874 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Beerman to Miss. Johanna Ruehl, who was born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, being a daughter of Christian P. and Rosanna Helena (Gallar) Ruehl, the former of whom died in the fatherland, while the latter now resides in Frankfort, being well preserved in mind and body, though of venerable age. In conclusion of this brief sketch we enter a record concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Beerman: John Edward, who married Miss Ellen Connor, resides in Fort Wayne, from which city he is carrier on one of the principal rural mail delivery routes; Rosina Helen is the wife of Robert C. Work, of Wayne township, where he is a successful farmer; William F. H. is unmarried and is associated with his father in the manage- ment of the home farm, while his twin sister, Caroline L., is em- ployed as stenographer in the office of the Western Hay and Grain Company, in Fort Wayne; Charles G. is a prosperous blacksmith in Fort Wayne; Harry A., who remains at home, is a member of the class of 1905 in the Fort Wayne high school, and Walter is a member of the class of 1909 in the same school.
302
THE MAUMEE RIVER BASIN.
ERNEST W. KRUSE.
The subject of this memoir was one of the substantial and highly honored farmers of Washington township and stood representative of the best type of citizenship, while during the long years of his residence in Allen county he proved himself well worthy of the unqualified esteem in which he was so uniformly held.
Mr. Kruse was a native of Germany, where he was born in the year 1850, being the only child of Ernest H. and Sophia (Henschen) Kruse, who came to America when he was a child and located in Allen county as pioneers, here passing the remainder of their lives. The subject of this memoir was reared to the sturdy discipline of the farm and his entire life was filled with ceaseless toil and endeavor. The farm which he owned at the time of his death and which is now the residence of his widow, was largely reclaimed from the native forest by him, and he developed the place into one of the model farms of the county, the homestead being most eligibly located in Wash- ington township and being readily accessible to the city of Fort Wayne. He enlisted in the United States regular army and served five years. Upon his return he was for seven years successfully en- gaged in contracting and building. He then returned to his farm, where he passed the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits, his death occurring on the 24th of May, 1902. His homestead farm comprises eighty acres and all is under effective cultivation. The improvements are of the best order and all were made by him, in- cluding the erection of the attractive residence. He was a stanch Republican in his political proclivities and took much interest in public affairs of a local nature, though he never sought or desired official preferment. He was a zealous and valued member of the Reformed church, as is also his widow. He was a man who stood "four square to every wind that blows," and his name merits a place on the roll of the sterling citizens of Allen county.
303
ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
In the year 1875 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Kruse to Miss Elizabeth Huebner, daughter of John and Minnie (Otto) Huebner, who came to Allen county when Mrs. Kruse was a child. Mr. and Mrs. Kruse became the parents of twelve children, seven of whom are living, namely: William, who is a clergyman of the Reformed church, residing in Ada, Ohio; Emma, who resides in the city of Flint, Michigan; Anna, who resides in Fort Wayne, and Walter, Martha, Clara and Harold, who remain with their mother on the old homestead.
304
THE MAUMEE RIVER BASIN.
SYLVANUS F. BOWSER.
In the city of Fort Wayne are found many industrial concerns of wide scope and importance, representing enterprises which have brought to the city high repute in the commercial world, and which have been the conservators of municipal progress and prosperity. Among the far-sighted, reliable and progressive men whose initiative power and definite courage in carrying forward to successful issue new ideas in practical industry stands forth in no inconspicuous way Sylvanus F. Bowser, who figures as the subject of this brief sketch, and who stands at the head of the well-known and important manu- facturing firm of S. F. Bowser & Company, patentees and manufact- urers of various devices utilized in storing and handling oils of all kinds and classes, both for the retail trade and for use in manufactur- ing plants. Mr. Bowser is insistently utilitarian in his business pol- icy, and has ever retained the virile idea that faith without works is dead. It is through his efforts that the great business of his concern has been built up from a modest nucleus, and his career has been marked by aggressiveness and that determinate effort whose natural sequel is success. He has the courage of his convictions, and the pat- ent evidence of this fact is given in the enterprise at whose head he stands, while he is honored as one of Fort Wayne's representative business men.
Mr. Bowser is a scion of one of the honored pioneer families of Allen county, and here he has ever made his home, though for a period of fourteen years he was employed as a traveling salesman. He was the first man who had the courage to engage exclusively in the selling of oil tanks "on the road," instead of making this a "side line," as the commercial phraseology has it. He made a success in placing the Bowser products on the market, and established a factory in Fort Wayne for the manufacture of oil tanks of his patent, which tanks
A.J. Bowser
305
ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
have become famous throughout the Union. As to the inception of the business we can not do better than to quote from a descriptive article recently published in a local paper: "S. F. Bowser, the inventor, was for a time the only salesman, bookkeeper, helper in the shop and erector of the goods sold, while the present vice-president, Allen A. Bowser, did all the machine work with a foot lathe. Under these conditions the Bowser self-measuring oil tank was launched." Operations were thus inaugurated in the year 1885, and from this nucleus has been evolved the present magnificent industry. The firm is incorporated under the laws of the state, and bases its operations upon ample capital and experience, while the average annual business now shows an aggregate of fully five hundred thousand dollars, and the plant of the concern covers a block in the northeast section of the city. Employment is afforded to a corps of two hundred operatives, while the contingent of agents and traveling salesmen is a very large one. Branch houses are maintained in Toronto, Canada, and Boston, Massachusetts, for the purpose of facilitating the business in the ter- ritory tributary to those cities. In addition to the large domestic busi- ness controlled the firm also has a large export trade, while the rami- fications of the business are constantly extending in scope and impor- tance. Mr. Bowser is the inventor of a most effective self-measuring oil pump and of other improved devices for the handling of oils, and all of these were manufactured by his firm in advance of all others. The personnel of the executive corps of the concern is as follows : S. F. Bowser, president; A. A. Bowser, vice-president; A. Z. Pol- hamus, general manager; C. A. Dunkelberg, secretary and treasurer.
Sylvanus F. Bowser was born in Perry township, Allen county, Indiana, on the 8th of August, 1854, and is a son of John H. and Eliza (Krieger) Bowser, both of whom were born and reared in Penn- sylvania, where their marriage was solemnized. The father was born on the 15th of April, 1812, and his death occurred on the 10th of March. 1879, while his wife, who was born on the 18th of Sep- tember, 1818, was summoned to the life eternal on the 9th of Sep- tember, 1875. Of their thirteen children eight are living. The par- ents came to Allen county in 1833 and became numbered among the early settlers of Perry township, where the father developed a good farm in the midst of the virgin forest, becoming one of the sub-
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THE MAUMEE RIVER BASIN.
stantial and influential citizens of his section and commanding the high regard of all who knew him.
The subject of this review was reared to the sturdy discipline of the farm and his educational advantages were those afforded in the common schools of Allen county, while he early manifested that ambitious spirit and self-reliance which have so clearly denoted the man in his business career and which have been the conservators of his success, in conjunction with his unbending integrity in all things. In 1882 Mr. Bowser became a traveling salesman for the wholesale paper house of W. H. Wells & Brother, of Chicago, remaining with this concern until 1885, in which year he patented the Perfect self- measuring oil tank and siphon, which represent the products of the great concern at whose head he now stands and in whose upbuilding he has been the prime factor. His business career since the year noted has been adequately outlined or intimated in preceding paragraphs. In politics Mr. Bowser gives his allegiance to the Republican party, and both he and his wife are valued members of the First Baptist church.
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