USA > Indiana > Indiana and Indianans : a history of aboriginal and territorial Indiana and the century of statehood, Volume V > Part 48
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These pastimes were interspersed with help to his grandchildren in their studies of algebra, geometry, Latin, and French. Accustomed to close application to work during nearly two generations, he had to keep himself always busy.
Clemens Vonnegut was liberal in reli- gion, but essentially religious in tempera- ment and venerated all sacred things. He was humane, prudent, scrupulously honest, always willing to advise and to help any who had gained his confidence, and these qualities secured for him a host of friends who truly loved him. When he died in 1918 Indianapolis lost a worthy citizen, whose life the people should long cherish in memory.
Mr. Vonnegut came to Indianapolis in, the year of his landing, 1851, on invitation of a schoolmate, Charles Volmer, who had preceded him a few years. He formed a partnership with his friend, a relationship, that continued until 1858, when Mr. Von- negut bought the interests of Mr. Volmer, who went to California, and from that time Mr. Vonnegut conducted the business alone until he associated his sons with him.
Successively, as they left school, the Ger- man-English School and the Indianapolis High School, they entered the store, be- ginning with broom and duster, and when they arrived at majority, respectively, they were admitted as partners.
The original venture was a general mer- chandise store. When Mr. Vonnegut took over the business alone he closed out the sundries and carried only hardware, tools, leather, and findings. In those days in or- der to get leather from the tanner the dealer had to furnish a reasonable quantity of hides, and these hides, bought from butcher friends (who made one understand that they were bestowing a favor) were trimmed, sorted, and bundled by candle light after the store closed. In 1867 he closed out the leather business and devoted himself to hardware and tools, factory,
foundry, mill, and machine shop supplies and kindred goods.
In 1898 the business was moved to its present location, 120 to 124 East Washing- ton Street, and it was incorporated in 1908 as the Vonnegut Hardware Company. The officers are : Franklin Vonnegut, president ; Clemens Vonnegut, vice president ; George Vonnegut, secretary and treasurer.
Clemens Vonnegut on January 24, 1853, married Miss Catharine Blank, who died April 13, 1904. They were the parents of four sons, three of whom are still living.
The eldest, Clemens, Jr., born November 19, 1853, entered his father's establishment in 1869. After an intermission of twenty years, 1890 to 1910, during which he was manager of the Indianapolis Coffin Com- pany and the National Casket Company, he returned to the hardware business. As a republican he represented Marion County in the State Legislature in 1895. He mar- ried Emma Schnull of Indianapolis. They have three children: Ella is the wife of W. K. Stewart, and they have one child, Susan. Anton married Ina Hollweg, and their three children are Louise, Richard, and Antonette. Walter married Margaret Potts. They have one daughter, Irma Ruth.
The second son was Bernard Vonnegut, who was born August 8, 1855, and died in August, 1908. After a short trial of the mercantile business he entered an archi- tects office, but after a year sought to re- store his failing health by working as a carver with mallet and chisel in the Itten- bach Contracting Company's stone yard. Then after an apprenticeship with a man- ufacturer of mathematical instruments he entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Boston, of which he was a graduate, and took advanced work in the School of Technology in Hanover, Ger- many, and later in a similar institute in Berlin. On returning to Indianapolis he entered upon a long continued and suc- cessful career as an architect, establishing the firm of Vonnegut & Bohn. He married, Nannie Schnull. They had three children : Kurt married Edith Lieber. They have two children, Bernard and Alice. Irma is unmarried. Alex married Ray Dryer.
Franklin Vonnegut, the third son of Clemens Vonnegut, was born October 20, 1856. He has been uninterruptably iden- tified with the hardware business for for-
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ty-six years. Mr. Franklin Vonnegut is a director and was president of the Citizens Gas Company during the first eight years of its existence. He is also president of; the trustees of the Normal College of the North American Gymnastic Union and president of the Patriotic Gardeners' Asso- ciation during the recent campaign to urge all city people to produce sufficient war needs, having been chairman of the Vacant Lots Cultivation Committee. He succeeded his father as a member of the Board of School Commissioners, but after five years of service was obliged to resign in order to look after hs private business affairs. He has served as president of the Commercial Club and as director of the Chamber of Commerce. In politics he is a republican.
Mr. Franklin Vonnegut married Pauline Von Hake, who died May 12, 1890. She was the mother of three children: Theo- dore F. married Lucy Lewis. They have one child, Pauline. Felix married Edna Goth. Arthur married Lillian Fauvre, they have two children, Franklin Fauvre and Virginia.
The fourth son, George Vonnegut, born October 22, 1860, has been connected with his father's business since 1876 except for a period of two years when he was a stu- dent in the Seminary of the North Ameri- can Gymnastic Union, at that time located at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For several years he taught gymnastics in the Athen- aeum. He married Lillie Goeller, and their three children are Erwin, Ralph, and Carl. George Vonnegut is an active mem- ber and was for several years a director in the Commercial Club, president and di- rector in the Merchants' Association, is ac- tive in other civic organizations and is a member of the Board of Directors of the North American Gymnastic Union.
PORTER HODGE LINTHICUM, M. D., is con- tinuing the professional work which his honored father, the late Dr. Edward Lin- thicum, carried on for so many years at Evansville.
While he did not win the fame that has been bestowed upon many American physi- cians and surgeons, the late Dr. Edward Linthicum was in every sense of the term a great physician, great in point of abili- ties, in zeal, in power as a diagnostician and in that all-around service which the competent doctor can give a community.
He was born in the village of Rumsey, then in Muhlenburg, now McLean, County, Kentucky, May 3, 1844. His great-grand- father, Hezekiah Linthicum, was a native of Wales, where the family lived in a lo- cality known as Linthicum. With two brothers, named John and Zachariah, he came to America in 1740 and located in Maryland. The place of settlement by these brothers subsequently became known as Linthicum Landing. John Linthicum, grandfather of Dr. Edward Linthicum, was born in Maryland and had three sons, named Edward, Otho and Rufus. The two former became wealthy and were the founders of the Linthicum Institute at Georgetown, District of Columbia.
Rufus Linthicum, father of Doctor Ed- ward, was also a physician, so that for three consecutive generations the family has fur- nished able men to this profession. He was a native of Maryland, acquired a good edu- cation, and in the early days moved to Kentucky,. When in Lexington he studied under Doctor Dudley and then settled in the village of Rumsey, then in Muhlenburg County. He practiced there several years, then bought a farm near Sacramento in the same county, but after a few years sold that property and removed to Henderson County, purchasing a farm near Robards Station, on the Knoblick road, twelve or fourteen miles from the Town of Hender- son. In that community his service as a physician continued practically until his death.
Dr. Rufus Linthicum married Sarah Hicks. They reared ten children, named Sally, Betsey, Nora, Sue, Rufus, Daniel, William, Saunders, Otho and Edward. The sons all became physicians and all were very successful in their chosen profession. Daniel served as a surgeon in General Johnston's army in the Confederate cause. Otho was valedictorian of his graduating class. William and Saunders both died after a short but brilliant career as doctors. Rufus passed away in middle life.
Dr. Edward Linthicum attended school at Rumsey and Sacramento, Kentucky, and was about nineteen years old when his father died. He then engaged in tobacco culture on the home farm, and from work continued several years he made the money which paid for his medical education. He had commenced the study of medicine in the office of his father, and in 1865 went
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to Cincinnati, attending the Cincinnati Medical College, and from there entered the Long Island College Hospital, from which he was graduated in 1868. Return- ing to Kentucky and practicing three years, he moved to Roseville, Arkansas, and in 1873 began his long and eventful service in Evansville. His attainments and abili- ties were soon recognized and he was bur- dened with an extensive practice. His work was almost continuous for forty-five years at Evansville until his death on December 23, 1918. He married Atta Porter, and Porter Hodge Linthicum was their only child.
Dr. Edward Linthicum was a man of versatile gifts and these talents were im- proved by a life of study. He was a nat- ural linguist and read French and German and spoke both languages fluently. He was always eager to keep abreast of the times, and he also acquired a wide range of knowledge on other subjects. While he was skillful in surgery and general medicine, he was especially esteemed in his private practice and by his fellow members of the profession for his searching powers of diag- nosis. He also measured up to the highest standards imposed by the Hippocratic oath, and never at any time was known to devi- ate from the best ethics of the profession. He was a friend of the younger doctors struggling for a foothold, and did much to encourage younger men. His avocation, if he had one, was music. He encouraged every musical activity attempted in Evans- ville during his life, and was organizer and first president of the Evansville Lyric So- ciety. He served as a member of the City Council of Evansville, and when elected led the entire ticket. He was a conserva- tive democrat in politics. He was also a member and served as president of the Ev- ansville Business Men's Association. With four other physicians he organized the City Hospital at Evansville, and was a third owner in that institution. In 1875 he was demonstrator of anatomy in the Evansville Medical College and in 1876 was made professor of urinary diseases and clinical surgery. In 1885 he made an ex- tensive tour of the continent of Europe, studying in the hospitals of London, Ber- lin and Vienna. While abroad one of the Balkan wars broke out between Bulgaria and Serbia, and he offered his services to the Serbian government as a surgeon, and
as such served during that war. He was one of the organizers of the Deaconess Hospital at Evansville, a member of and at one time president of the surgical staff of that institution, a member of the medi- cal staff of St. Mary's Hospital, a member of the Vanderburg County Medical So- ciety, Indiana State and Mississippi Valley medical societies and the American Medi- cal Association, and a Fellow of the Ameri- can College of Surgeons.
Dr. Porter Hodge Linthicum, who was born at Evansville, attended the public schools of Louisville, Kentucky, graduat- ing from high school there in 1895. His preparation for his chosen career was un- usually long and thorough. After one year in the Indiana State University he entered Yale College, graduating A. B. in 1901. Preparatory to the study of medicine he took his scientific work in the University of Chicago, graduating with the degree Bachelor of Science in 1904 and then en- tered Rush Medical College, from which he received his M. D. degree in 1908. After a competitive examination he was awarded first honors in a large class competing for the coveted interneships in St. Luke's Hos- pital at Chicago. After one year as in- terne he returned to Evansville and became actively associated with his father. Dr. Edward Linthicum is said to have fairly idolized his only son, and probably nothing afforded him greater satisfaction than to see him return thoroughly qualified and ready to take up the work which the senior Linthicum had carried on so long in Ev- ansville. Doctor Linthicum, like his father, is fond of music and at the age of ten began the study of the violin and continued it until he began his professional career. While in Yale College he played the violin in the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of the Phi Delta Theta fra- ternity and of the Nu Sigma Nu medical fraternity. He is also a member of the various medical societies, including the American Medical Association, belongs to the Evansville Chamber of Commerce, the Crescent and Country clubs, is a member of the medical staff of the Deaconess Hos- pital, the Vanderburg County Tuberculosis Hospital, the Baby Milk Fund Clinic and Hospital, and has served as secretary of the Board of Health since 1914. He is also affiliated with Reed Lodge No. 316, Free and Accepted Masons.
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WILLIAM S. BLISS is one of the group of men of great enterprise who undertook the drainage and development of the rich swamp and overflowed lands in the valley of the Kankakee River in Northwestern Indiana. Mr. Bliss still has large inter- ests in that section, and for a number of years has been a well known resident of LaPorte.
He was born on a farm near Yates City in Knox County, Illinois. His father was Cyrus Bliss, who was born in Chantauqua County, New York, in 1834. The ances- tors of the Bliss family settled around Ply- mouth, Massachusetts, as early as 1634. The grandfather, Zenas Bliss, also a native of New York State, brought his family west to Illinois in 1836. He started from Chautauqua County, New York, and on reaching the headquarters of the Ohio built a raft, loaded it with lumber, con- structed a cabin to accommodate the fam- ily, and floated the rude vessel down the Ohio to the junction of the Mississippi. There he sold the timber and lumber, and took a steamboat up the Illinois River to Peoria. He bought land in Peoria County and there improved a farm, and was a highly respected resident of the commun- ity until his death. Zenas Bliss married Mabel Gillett, who spent her last years in Peoria County.
Cyrus Bliss was only two years old when his parents moved to Illinois. He grew up in a pioneer community, made use of every opportunity to acquire an education, and when a young man removed to Knox County and bought a tract of land in Salem Township, part prairie and part timber. He became one of the prosperous farmers of that region and was also an extensive stock raiser. He married Angeline Smith, a native of Indiana, daughter of Elias and Susan (Brown) Smith, her father of Penn- sylvania and her mother of Kentucky. Angeline Smith is now deceased.
William S. Bliss was one of six children. He first attended district schools, graduat- ing from the Yates City High School and for several years was a teacher in Quincy schools and in Yates City. When not teaching he employed his time at farming, and at the time of his marriage bought 266 acres, a large farm lying in four different townships and three different counties, Knox, Fulton and Peoria counties. He used this land for general farming, and
also branched out extensively into the rais- ing and fattening of livestock. In 1896 he sold this farm and used his capital to invest in Kankakee Valley lands in In- diana, and since that time in company with others drained many thousands of acres in that section, and made it one of the most productive regions of the entire state. Mr. Bliss lived near Hamlet in' Starke County until 1908, and since then has been a resident of LaPorte, from which city he looks after his large land and busi- ness affairs.
In 1889 he married Miss Mary E. Shedd. She was born at Farmington, Peoria County, Illinois, daughter of Ezra and Lydia (Reed) Shedd. Both the Shedd and Reed families come of old New Eng- land stock. Mr. and Mrs. Bliss have two children, Rolland R. and Gertrude. Rol- land is a graduate of the LaPorte High School and of Purdue University with the degree Mechanical Engineer. During the great war he was a lieutenant in the chem- ical section of the United States Army. The daughter, Gertrude, graduated from the LaPorte High School, from Northwest- ern University at Evanston, Illinois, and did post-graduate work at the Chicago Uni- versity. She is now secretary to Dr. Mor- ton A. Price at the National Dental Re- search Institute at Cleveland. Gertrude Bliss married George G. Geisler, who is a physician and held the rank of lieutenant in the medical corps of the United States Army, and when the armistice was signed was in charge of a convalescent hospital in Denver.
The parents of Mr. Bliss were Presby- terians and he and his wife are of the same faith. He has been a member of the official board of the church. He is a re- publican in politics and for the past five years has been a member of the City Coun- cil and during 1917 was president of the Local Exemption Board.
JOHN HENRY ZUVER. A lawyer by profession and a journalist by evolution, John Henry Zuver, editor of the Soutli Bend News Times, has gained distinction as a newspaper man of ability and as a writer of note. He began his career with the practice of the law, but he was later attracted to journalistic work, by associa- tion and liking, a field in which he has ob- tained eminence and reputation. Mr. Zu-
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ver was born at Amboy, Hillsdale County, Michigan, July 29, 1873, and is a son of Henry and Julia A. (Kuhns) Zuver.
The Zuver family originated in Holland, from which country came Henry Zuver, the great-great-grandfather of John H., who located in Pennsylvania and fought as a soldier during the Revolutionary war.
His grandson, also named Henry, was born in Pennsylvania, was an agricultur- ist and country storekeeper, and died at Burbank, Wayne County, Ohio. Henry Zuver, the third of the name, and the father of John H., was born July 24, 1826, in, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, and was still a lad when taken by his pioneer par- ents to Wayne County, Ohio. There he, was reared to manhood and married, and shortly thereafter moved to Amboy, Mich- igan, where for forty years he followed agricultural pursuits. About the year 1894 he retired from active labor and went to Pioneer, Williams County, Ohio, where his death occurred July 14, 1896. He was originally a republican, but some time af- ter the close of the Civil war transferred his political allegiance to the democratic party. He belonged to the United Breth- ren Church. Mr. Zuver married Julia A. Kuhns, who was born March 10, 1830, in Germany, and died March 14, 1891, at Am- boy, Michigan, and they became the par- ents of the following children : Liberty F. who is a retired farmer at Frontier, Mich- igan; Sophronia S., who is the wife of David D. Terrell, a retired farmer of Cam- den, Michigan ; Elmer E., who is a farmer of Camden, Michigan; Mary C., the wife of Carl A. Southwell, a farmer of Mont- pelier, Ohio; Alta E., the wife of Frank Haskins, of Jackson, Michigan; Harriet S., the wife of Hiram H. Burdict, a farmer of Quincy, Michigan; Luella J., the wife of Henry Sprow, a retired farmer of Read- ing, Michigan; Lylla B. Tuttle, an artist, residing at Chicago, Illinois; and Johnl. Henry.
John H. Zuver attended the public schools of Amboy, Michigan, and passed from the high school at Pioneer, Ohio, in 1889 to Hillsdale (Michigan) College, then taking up the study of law at Detroit, Michigan, an institution from which he graduated in October, 1893. Being admit- ted to the bar at that time, he commenced' the practice of his profession at Jackson,
Michigan, where he remained until 1901 as a practitioner. In the meantime he had had his attention drawn to the law publish- ing business, and from 1897 until 1905. was identified with a law publishing house. at Jackson and Battle Creek. He was drawn from that into newspaper work, which naturally attracted him, and from 1905 until 1908 he was identified with the Battle Creek (Michigan) Moon. In the latter year he became editor of the Battle Creek Journal, and continued in that ca- pacity until 1911, when he became special writer for the Grand Rapids Herald. In February, 1912, he transferred his services to the South Bend News-Times, in the same capacity, and in 1914 became editor of this publication, a position which he has since retained. Mr. Zuver is widely known among newspaper men. He is particularly well known as a writer upon political and legal subjects, and is the author of the John Jay tome of "The Earthly Pilgrim- ages of the Chief Justices of the United States," (1902), a work in which is re- viewed the lives of Chief Justices Jay, Rutledge, Ellsworth, Marshall, Taney, Chase, Waite, and Fuller. The series was well received by the press and public gen- erally, but made a particular appeal to the legal fraternity. Mr. Zuver is also the author of several booklets, particularly one entitled, "Get Ready to Lead," and all- other, "The Spirit of Helpfulness," both dealing with the World War, which have had a large circulation. He has been a democrat since 1912, when he left the re- publican party with the progressive move- ment, and never went back. He is no poli- tican, however, playing the role of teacher and educator, after an independent order, rather than a manipulator, and has no as- pirations for public office. He belongs, with his family, to the Presbyterian Church.
On June 19, 1895, at Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Zuver was united in marriage with Miss Mary C. Campbell, daughter of James and Barbara (McNeill) Campbell, both of whom are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Zuver have two children: Leah Barbara, born February 7, 1898, who is attending De Pauw University as a member of the jun -: ior class; and John Henry, Jr., born May 22, 1903, a junior in the South Bend High' School.
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JOSEPH M. STEPHENSON. One of the re- cent additions to northern Indiana journal- ism is Joseph M. Stephenson, who in 1917 became publisher and manager of the South Bend News-Times, the official newspaper of Saint Joseph County and one of the leading publications of the northern part of the state. While Mr. Stephenson is still a young man, he has had much experience in other fields, and the manner in which he has conducted the News-Times since assum- ing its management presages well for its future development and success.
Mr. Stephenson was born June 22, 1892, at Rochester, Indiana, and is a son of R. C. and Ella J. (Maxwell) Stephenson. On the paternal side he is of Scotch descent, his ancestors having come at an early day to the colony of Virginia, while on his mother's side he is of English stock, the Maxwell's having been colonial settlers of the Old Dominion. R. C. Stephenson was born February 19, 1864, at Wabash, In- diana, and was there reared and educated, moving to Rochester in 1881. He followed the profession of law for a number of years and eventually turned his attention to banking, coming to South Bend in 1907, and being at this time president of the Saint Joseph County Loan and Trust Com- pany. A republican in politics, he bas been a leader of his party here, and in 1905 was state senator representing Wabash and Fulton counties. He belongs to the Pres- byterian Church. In fraternal circles he is prominent, being a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Masons, and belonging to South Bend Blue Lodge; South Bend Chapter No. 29, Royal Arch Masons ; South Bend Commandery No. 13, Knights Tem- plar, and Indianapolis Consistory, thirty- second degree. Mr. Stephenson was mar- ried at Upper Sandusky, Ohio, to Miss Ella J. Maxwell, who was born at that place, and they are the parents of two sons: Jo- seph M .; and Hugh R., who is a freshman at Purdue University.
After attending the public schools of Rochester, Indiana, Joseph M. Stephenson took a course at Staunton Military Acade- my, Staunton, Virginia, following which he entered the University of Indiana. While attending the university he belonged to the Delta Tau Delta Greek letter fraternity. He only finished his junior year at college, leaving in 1912 to accept a position as as- Vol. V-18
sistant state bank examiner. After a short time spent in this work he became assistant cashier of the International Trust and Sav- ings Bank of Gary, Indiana, and in 1914 was promoted to the cashiership, which he retained until 1917. In that year he came to South Bend to become publisher and manager of the News-Times. This paper was founded in 1883 as a democratic organ by J. B. Stoll, as the Times, and in 1904 was consolidated with the News, an evening paper. It is published daily and Sunday, and has a large circulation throughout northern Indiana and southern Michigan. It is considered an excellent advertising medium and a clean, reliable and thor- oughly up-to-the-minute publication, pre- senting its readers with authentic and in- teresting general news matters, with spe- cal feature departments and timely edi- torials. Mr. Stephenson is a democrat, and a member of the Roman Catholic Church. He is a director and treasurer of the Con- servative Life Insurance Company of America. He belongs also to the Country Club, the University Club, the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce all of South Bend.
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