USA > Indiana > Allen County > History of the Maumee River basin, Allen County, Indiana > Part 9
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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
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and so continuing until his death. The business is still continued under the title designated.
Mr. Hoffman identified himself most closely with the business and civic affairs of Fort Wayne, and his standing was unimpeachable during the long years of his residence here. He was a member of the directorate of the First National Bank at the time of his demise, and was otherwise concerned in local financial and industrial enter- prises, while he was the owner of some valuable realty.
Concerning the death of Mr. Hoffman we quote from the col- umns of a local newspaper of Tuesday, December 6, 1904: "William H. Hoffman, one of the old and prominent business men of the city, is dead, due to a stroke of apoplexy. He had been in poor health for a year past. Last April he suffered a stroke of apoplexy, and since that time he has not been about on the streets, except to ride out oc- casionally. He has not attended to business for a year. Yesterday he was about the house, seemingly no worse than he had been for a few weeks, although he was feeble. He was downstairs with his family last evening, and about II o'clock retired to his room. Mr. Hoffman has for many years been a member of the First Presbyterian church of this city, and was for a long time an elder in the same. He was a man of pure and lofty character and unimpeachable business integrity ; a devoted husband, a kind father, and a citizen who held the esteem of his wide circle of acquaintances." It may further be said that Mr. Hoffman was sincerely public-spirited in his attitude and ever ready to do his part in the upholding of undertakings advanced for the general good of his city and its people. Though never active in political matters and never seeking official preferment, he was a stanch supporter of the principles and policies of the Democratic party. Mr. Hoffman was married on February 5, 1874, to Miss Mazie Evans, of Fort Wayne, who died on the 21st of April, 1904, at Jacksonville, Florida, whither she had gone for the benefit of her husband's health.
Mrs. Hoffman was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Evans, who were well known in the early days of Fort Wayne, as Mr. Evans had been interested in considerable railroad and iron operations in Paulding county, Ohio, as well as in Pennsylvania. The three children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman survive them-Frederick E. and Misses Katharine and Emily R.,
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all of whom remain residents of Fort Wayne, where they were born and reared. Of the brothers and sisters of the subject of this memoir the following named survive him: Anne E., who is the wife of John W. Sale, of Fort Wayne; Andrew E., who is presi- dent of the Hoffman Brothers Company, in this city, of which our subject's only son is the treasurer ; Jacob R. Hoffman, of Charles- ton, West Virginia, and Joseph C. Hoffman, a representative farmer of Wayne township, Allen county.
To those who knew William H. Hoffman no word of eulogy is needed, for his life was an open scroll, inviting the closest scrutiny and giving no sign of blot on any portion of its surface, which was thus unblemished by suspicion of wrong in any of its relations. He was a man of honest worth and unostentatious depth of character, and his name merits an enduring place on the roll of the leading business men and representative citizens of Fort Wayne, where he so long lived and labored to goodly ends.
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ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
J. C. PELTIER.
Among the native sons of Allen county, Indiana, who have gained for themselves honorable recognition in business circles is he whose name appears above. J. C. Peltier, who carries on a successful under- taking and embalming business at No. 117 West Wayne street, was born in this city on the 21st of September, 1843, and is the son of Louis and Laura (Cushing) Peltier, a sketch of whom appears else- where in this volume. The subject received his early education in the public and parochial schools of this city, and later pursued the higher branches at Notre Dame. While he was yet in his teens, the great southern rebellion became a fact, and he evinced his patriotism by promptly offering his services in his country's behalf, enlisting in Company K, Twelfth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was sent at once to the front, and at the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, he was severely wounded. Receiving his discharge at the close of three months' service, Mr. Peltier returned to Fort Wayne, and during the following three years was engaged with his father in the undertaking business. During the following twelve years he worked at pattern- making, in the employ of Storey & Bowser, and still later took up photography with J. A. Shoaff, following that line for six years as an assistant, and for a further period alone. He then took up the practice of telegraphy, and upon attaining proficiency was made operator for the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad Company at Kendallville, In- diana, filling this position in a satisfactory manner for several years. In 1873 the subject, in association with George S. Carr, purchased an undertaking business in Fort Wayne, conducting the same under the name of Louis Peltier, and in 1876 he purchased his partner's interest and again became associated with his father. They carried on this business together until 1882, when the subject purchased his father's
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interest and has since carried on the business alone, under the name of J. C. Peltier. In 1874 Mr. Peltier invented an embalming fluid, having the necessary instruments made in Fort Wayne, and enjoys the distinction of having been the pioneer in this line, as up to that time no embalming fluid had been manufactured. He has been always up-to-date and progressive in his methods, and has enjoyed at all times the fullest confidence of all with whom he has had dealings.
On the 25th of December, 1865, Mr. Peltier was united in mar- riage to Miss Selena F. Wadge, a native of Ashburton, England, who came to Fort Wayne with her parents in 1862. This union was blessed with the birth of two children, namely: William H. W. is a successful dealer in automobiles in the city of Fort Wayne, and Laura A., who still remains under the parental roof. Mrs. Selena Peltier died on the 30th of September, 1893, and in November, 1894, he married Miss Fannie J. Jones, who was born in Lockport, New York, but who accompanied her parents to Fort Wayne in 1860.
In politics Mr. Peltier is a Democrat and takes a keep interest in the success of his party and in the general trend of national political events, though he takes no very active part in public affairs, beyond the exercise of his right of franchise. Mr. Peltier is affiliated with General Lawton Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and takes a deep interest in the welfare of his old comrades in arms. In all the rela- tions of life he has well sustained his part, and few men are the re- cipients of so large a degree of general esteem among those who know him best.
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ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
HARRY H. HILGEMANN.
This able and popular young member of the bar of Fort Wayne is a representative of the third generation of the Hilgemann family in Allen county, which stands in evidence of his being a scion of pioneer stock, while the prestige which he is securing in his exacting profession is the more pleasing to contemplate in view of the circum- stance that he is thus winning for himself success and honor on his "native heath." On another page of this work appears a memorial tribute to the honored father of our subject, so that it will not be nec- essary to re-enter the genealogical data in the present connection.
Harry H. Hilgemann was born in the family homestead, in the city of Fort Wayne, on the 19th of August, 1881, and is a son of Henry F. and Lisette (Bueker) Hilgemann, both representing stanch German lineage. Our subject had due recourse to the advantages of- fered by the excellent public schools of his native city, as well as the West German school, while he was graduated in the city high school as a member of the class of 1900. Shortly afterward he was matricu- lated in the law department of the famous University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, where he completed the very thorough course provided, and was graduated as a member of the class of 1903, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He had previously carried on his technical studies in the office of Judge Allen Zollars, of Fort Wayne, while he also had as preceptor for a time Judge Robert Lowry, so that he was signally favored in the tutelage which he secured. He was asso- ciated with Judge Lowry in practice at the time of his admission to the bar of his native county and state, in the summer of 1903. In the following year he engaged in practice on his own responsibility, con- tinuing his work individually until January, 1905, when he entered into partnership with Clyde M. Gandy, under the firm name of Gandy
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& Hilgemann, and this progressive firm of young attorneys and coun- selors is meeting with merited success, the members proving able and discriminating coadjutors. In his political allegiance Mr. Hilgemann is stanchly arrayed as a supporter of the principles and policies of the Democratic party. In addition to his professional duties, he is also incumbent of the office of notary public. The firm has well equipped offices at 134 East Berry street.
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ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
NEWTON W. GILBERT.
Among the citizens of this community who have won honor and public recognition for themselves, and at the same time have honored the locality to which they belong, mention should be made of him whose name forms the caption to this brief article. For a number of years he sustained a very enviable repu- tation in legal circles, and is now the popular represent- ative of the twelfth district in the national house of repre- sentatives. Newton W. Gilbert is a native son of the old Buckeye state, having been born at Worthington, Ohio, on the 24th day of May, 1862, and is the son of Theodore R. and Ellen L. Gilbert, also natives of Ohio. When the subject of this sketch was but a youth he was brought by his parents to Indiana, and in the schools of this state he received his education, supplementing this by attendance in the Ohio State University, not attending this institution the full course. He then took up the study of the law, and upon his admission to the bar at once entered upon the active practice of his profession. Prior to this he had had good experience as a school teacher and in surveying, at which he was engaged about four years. In his pro- fessional career he early established a reputation as a safe and sound counselor, a successful pleader and an indefatigable worker, standing high in the esteem of his professional confreres and the general pub- lic, commanding a large clientage almost from the beginning.
In politics Mr. Gilbert has always rendered an ardent and con- sistent support to the Republican party, and from 1896 to 1900 he represented the district composed of Steuben and Lagrange counties in the state senate. From 1901 to 1905 he served his state as lieuten- ant-governor, and in the fall of 1905 he was elected to represent the twelfth district in the national congress, defeating Hon. James M.
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Robinson, who had represented the district for several terms. Frater- nally, Mr. Gilbert is affiliated with the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, the Elks and various other orders, while he is also a mem- ber of the Anthony Wayne Club, of Fort Wayne, and the Columbia Club, of Indianapolis. His religious connection is with the Protestant Episcopal church.
On February 12, 1888, Mr. Gilbert was united in marriage with Miss Della R. Gale, who was born at Angola, Indiana, December I, 1862, the daughter of Jesse M. and Elizabeth Gale. To them were born two children, Whiting and Lois, both of whom are now deceased, and on January 2, 1901, Mrs. Gilbert also passed away.
Upon the outbreak of the war with Spain, Mr. Gilbert enlisted at the first call for troops, being commissioned as captain of Company H, One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. The regiment spent the summer at Tampa and Fernandina, Florida, and were mustered out of the service in November, 1898. Possessing many fine qualities of character and strong social propensi- ties, Mr. Gilbert always makes friends easily and is most highly re- garded by all who know him.
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ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
ELMOR E. MORRIS.
It is with marked satisfaction that the biographer adverts to the life of one who has attained success in any vocation requiring definite- ness of purpose and determined action. Such a life, whether it be one of calm, consecutive endeavor or of sudden meteoric accomplishments, must abound in both lesson and incentive and prove a guide to young men whose fortunes and destinies are still matters for the future to determine. The subject of this sketch is distinctively one of the repre- sentative professional men of Hoagland, Allen county, Indiana, a position he has attained by dint of patient and persistent effort alone. it being a well established fact that in what are termed the learned pro- fessions success can be attained only by merit. Dr. Morris is a native son of the Buckeye state, having been born at Alliance, Stark county, Ohio, on the 23d day of March, 1868. He is the son of J. L. and Hannah A. Morris, the father a native of Pennsylvania and the mother of Ohio, though of English and Welsh descent, respectively. On the paternal side the subject is directly descended from Robert Mor- ris, the noted financier and statesman of the early days of our nation's history. Elmor Morris secured his elementary education in the pub- lic schools, after which he attended the Tri-State Normal College, at Angola, Indiana, and Mt. Union College, at Alliance, Ohio, receiving from the last named institution the degree of Bachelor of Science. He then entered the dental department of the University of Cincinnati, in which he graduated in 1898 with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. He then entered the Eclectic Medical Institute, at Cincin- nati, and in 1902 graduated, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medi- cine. Immediately after graduation he entered upon the practice of dentistry in Cincinnati, and was so engaged until removing to his present location at Hoagland. Here he entered upon the general prac-
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tice of medicine and dentistry combined, and has attained a distinctive success. A thorough preliminary preparation and natural talent have enabled him to handle successfully cases coming under his care, and he was not long in securing the confidence of the people among whom he was located. Of sterling personal qualities and possessing a strong social nature, he has not been slow in making friends, which he easily retains.
On June 20, 1901, Dr. Morris was united in marriage with Miss Addie E. Smith, who was born at Hoagland, Indiana, on August 29, 1876, the daughter of Dr. J. L. and Allie Smith, and their union has been blessed in the birth of one child, Joseph E. Politically, the sub- ject is a stanch Republican, and it would be strange were he not, for, born and reared as he was in the old Mckinley district, he early im- bibed those principles for which the grand old party has always stood and of which the late lamented President was so able an exponent. In religion Dr. Morris belongs to the Christian church at Fort Wayne, while his fraternal relations are with that noble beneficent order, the Knights of Pythias. He takes a deep interest in the general welfare of the community, giving his aid and support to every movement for the material, moral or educational advancement of his fellow citizens.
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ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
FRED RUSH, D. O.
The system of osteopathy may be said to represent both modifica- tion and amplification in the treatment of disease, and of how great value has been this system, how far reaching and insistent its benefi- cence, the laity have not even measurably appreciated. Osteopathy is proving a leaven which is gradually but surely affecting the whole lump and permeating the dispensations of the various established schools of medicine. It stands as the ally of nature in her operations, and not as a disrupter, and though at times the object of suspicion, prejudice and enmity, the devotees of the new system have had the fortitude to hold their position and defend their faith by demonstrat- ing the efficiency of the so-called innovation.
Notwithstanding our vaunted progress in all lines of thought, action and material accomplishment, human nature remains the same, and men are reluctant to accept new ideas which seem to clash with those long maintained. As a sponsor of osteopathy in Indiana, Dr. Rush occupies a high position, and it can not but be a matter of satis- faction to him to realize how high has become the status of his chosen school and how great its influence in bringing about more humane and scientific methods of practice. He stands at the head and front of the Dr. Rush Infirmary of Osteopathy, in the city of Fort Wayne, and may properly be said to be the leading representative of his school of practice in the northern part of the state. He is clearly entitled to definite recognition in a publication of the province assigned to the one at hand.
Dr. Rush claims Illinois as the state of his nativity, having been born in Rushaway, Menard county, and being a son of John T. and Julia E. (Simpson) Rush, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter in Illinois, soon after her parents emigrated there from Ken-
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tucky. The father, who was a merchant by vocation during the major portion of his independent career, died in 1879, in the prime of life. His wife is still living, and now maintains her home in California. Dr. Rush secured his preliminary educational training in the public schools of his native county, having been graduated in the high school at Tallula, when sixteen years of age. For two years thereafter he traveled in a commercial way, selling a line of notions to the retail trade, and he then taught in the schools of his home county for two years, proving successful in his pedagogic efforts. Upon attaining his legal majority he opened a general store in Tallula, instituting opera- tions on a modest scale and basing the same on borrowed capital, in the sum of five hundred dollars. No better voucher as to his ability, integrity, industry and good business management can be offered than that afforded by the statement that within five and one-half years he cleared ten thousand dollars, having built up a large and representative trade. At the expiration of the period noted the Doctor disposed of his interest in Tallula and removed to Wichita, Kansas, in which city he opened a retail grocery, which he conducted for five years, then disposing of the enterprise, in 1893. For the ensuing three years he was a traveling salesman for a wholesale grocery house, and in the meanwhile he had determined to prepare himself for the practice of osteopathy, whose system he had been carefully investigating in a pre- liminary way. He accordingly entered the Osteopathic Institute at Quincy, Illinois, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1897, while later he took special post-graduate courses in 1898 and 1899. He received his degree of Doctor of Osteopathy and came forth admirably equipped for the work of his chosen profession, while his success in the same has been pronounced and gratifying, both in a subjective and objective sense. On the 15th of September, 1898, Dr. Rush located in the city of Fort Wayne, where he established the Fort Wayne Institute of Osteopathy, under which title the enterprise was conducted until 1901, when the present form was adopted-the Dr. Rush Infirmary of Osteopathy. His headquarters are in suites 49, 50 and 51, Pixley-Long building, where he has the best of acces- sories and equipments for the work of his profession, his offices being specially attractive in their appointments. As a licensed practitioner of osteopathy he makes a specialty of all spinal, nervous and chronic
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diseases, in the treatment of which his success has been so marked that his reputation has grown apace. He has been at all times tolerant, but has not sacrified his beliefs nor lacked the courage to defend his position. He stands as an exemplar of true professional courtesy, while as a citizen he commands unqualified esteem. He is a member of the Indiana Osteopathic Association and takes a deep interest in the forwarding of the work and prestige of his system of practice. In politics the Doctor accords an unswerving allegiance to the Repub- lican party, and fraternally he is identified with the Pathfinders. It may be said without fear of contradiction that Dr. Rush was the pio- neer osteopathic practitioner in northern Indiana, while he was the first of his school in the city of Fort Wayne.
On the 7th of May, 1890, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Rush to Miss Mary D. Judy, of Quincy, Illinois, and they have two children-Ida May and Ralph Judy.
It can not prove malapropos in this connection to offer the fol- lowing extract from the Chicago Journal of Health, since the article has specially to do with the subject of this brief review : "If the older schools of medicine were inclined to oppose osteopathy at its inception, certainly the record it has made, the great number of remarkable cures it has achieved, would forever silence unfavorable criticism and force from its most bigoted opponents a tribute of praise as heartfelt and emphatic as is deserved. When Dr. Still first promulgated his theo- ries, only to have them combated by ultra-conservative members of the medical profession, this publication preferred to await results before judging hastily as to the merits of this new school, and results have shown the wisdom of withholding judgment, for osteopathy has proved to be all and more than was fondly hoped for it by its most enthusiastic supporters. Today it has a place of its own in the fore- front, a position honestly won and honorably held by right of almost marvelous cures accomplished in some of the most obstinate cases, where every other source of healing and curative aid had been ap- pealed to in vain.
"In following the wonderful progress of osteopathy the Chicago Journal of Health has instituted a method of treating the subject which by individualizing it confers a distinct benefit upon its readers. We have reference to the custom of selecting the leading exponent of
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osteopathy in each of the larger cities throughout the United States and giving a brief sketch of this representative of the science of oste- opathy in his own community. In reviewing the remarkably success- ful record of osteopathy in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, no diffi- culty presents itself when we would make a selection of the repre- sentative practitioner of this section, as by common consent and in- trinsic merit Dr. Fred Rush assumes the position of leadership. That this physician is justly entitled to consideration as the representative of osteopathy in Fort Wayne will scarcely be disputed by any one- certainly not by one who takes the pains to follow the course of the editorial correspondent of the Journal of Health and makes a thor- ough inquiry among the highest authorities in Fort Wayne-those who lead commercially, financially and socially-also makes a search- ing examination of the record of cures effected by Dr. Rush, espe- cially some most obstinate cases that had stubbornly refused to yield to the skill of the foremost physicians of other schools. And this in- vestigation was conducted without the knowledge of any physician in Fort Wayne, osteopathic or otherwise, and no one was consulted that was directly or indirectly interested in promoting the interests of any physician or school of medicine, while no opinions were sought ex- cept from those who were not only competent to express an intelli- gent opinion, but were also in a position to give an opinion utterly free from prejudice. As a result of this unbiased examination, we speak with authority in saying that in no community of the United States has the science of osteopathy made more headway among the intelligent classes, and that no practitioner in Fort Wayne can boast a clientele as great in numbers and influence, or can point to a more significant record of cures in cases of long standing that have baffled the efforts of other physicians, than can Dr. Rush, who is justly re- garded as the foremost representative and exponent of osteopathy in the city of Fort Wayne. In Fort Wayne this school of medicine is firmly entrenched in the confidence and esteem of the elements repre- senting the social, financial and commercial interests, and in the very forefront of examples and exponents ranks Dr. Rush, who is a dis- tinguished member of the school of practice in which he has met with so eminent success."
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