USA > Indiana > Indiana and Indianans : a history of aboriginal and territorial Indiana and the century of statehood, Volume V > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68
1954
INDIANA AND INDIANANS
wood and rail splitting, and finally reached the position of a renter and later acquired the means to buy his first farm. Afterward he bought and sold a number of farms. He improved each one and sold at an advantage. One farm he owned comprised 300 acres. He was successful in raising crops and live stock, and fre- quently fed bunches of cattle for the mar- ket. His favorite breed of cattle was the Durham. Though he lacked many early advantages in the way of schooling he kept up with the times by constant reading, and was progressive in every sense of the term. He always had the latest improved farm implements. He was the first in his vicin- ity to buy a mowing machine and grain drill, and the first to unload hay with power apparatus. He began harvesting with a grain sickle and finished with a self- binder. He was a thoroughly business farmer and always watched the markets and sold his crops and livestock in the right time. The last farm he owned ad- joined the town of Indiana, and when he sold that he moved into the town and bought property where he lived retired until his death, at the age of eighty-six. He married Jane Dixon. She was born in Blairsville, Indiana County, daughter of Thomas and Jane (Barclay) Dixon, also natives of Pennsylvania and of Scotch- Irish ancestry. Levi Young and wife had nine children: Albert, who served in a Pennsylvania regiment in the Civil war and died while in the army in Virginia, Margaret Ellen, John Franklin, Nancy Jane, Clara, George M., Anna Mary, Elma Lizzie and Foster B.
Dr. George M. Young grew up in a good country home in Pennsylvania, attended the district schools and also the State Nor- mal at the Town of Indiana, and for two terms was a teacher. He studied medicine with Dr. A. F. Parrington at Indiana, and in 1880 entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. He re- ceived his diploma from that institution in 1883 and in June of the same year moved to Evansville and began his work as a phy- sician. Soon afterward he was appointed surgeon for the Evansville & Terre Haute Railroad Company and later became chief surgeon for the Mackey System, including all the railroads entering Evansville ex- cepting the Louisville & Nashville. He made a great reputation as a railway sur-
geon and for years gave practically all his time to that work. In 1902 he disposed of his property interests, resigned his po- sition, and removed to Toledo, Ohio. He was engaged in practice there until July, 1904, when, finding the climate not agree- able, he returned to Evansville and has since been known as one of the successful general physicians and surgeons of the city. He is a member of the County and State Medical Societies and the American Med- ical Association.
In 1887 Doctor Young married Emma Belle Blake. She was born in Greencastle, Indiana, daughter of William and Mary Blake. They have one daughter, Mar- garet, who is the wife of Robert T. Bon- ham. Mr. Bonham was formerly secretary of the Evansville Chamber of Commerce and during the war was a member of the United States Signal Service. Mr. and Mrs. Bonham have one daughter named Betty. Doctor Young was formerly active in Masonry, having affiliated with Reed Lodge No. 364, Free and Accepted Ma- sons, Simpson Council No. 29, Royal and Select Masters, Evansville Chapter No. 12, Royal Arch Masons, and LaVallette Com- mandery No. 15, Knights Templar.
JAMES W. HARRIS is junior partner in the firm Greathouse & Harris, one of the largest and one of the oldest mercantile firms of Elwood. Mr. Harris is a man of wide and diversified mercantile experience and has been trained under all sorts of circumstances and in different positions, so that he is eminently capable of carrying his share of responsibilities of this old established clothing house.
He has spent most of his life in Indiana, but was born at London, Ontario, Canada, April 28, 1881, son of Charles and Helen (Jones) Harris. The Harrises are of Eng- lish ancestry, but came to America in early colonial times, along with the Puritans of New England. The family settled later in New York State, and one of them, Gen- eral Harris, was the founder of Harris- burg, Pennsylvania. One branch of the family remained loyal to the king of Great Britain and during the Revolution moved to London, Canada. The grandmother of James W. Harris was Margaret (Davis) Harris, and they were the first couple mar- ried by a minister in Ontario. She died in December, 1914, when ninety-four years
.
1955
INDIANA AND INDIANANS
of age. She survived by twenty-five years her husband, Gilbert Harris.
The mother of James W. Harris, Helen Jones, came from New York State and set- tled at Morris, Illinois. She met and mar- ried Charles Harris while on a visit to Lon- don, Ontario. When James W. Harris was five years old his parents moved to Remington, Indiana, and for a number of years lived on a farm of 160 acres nearby. While there he received his schooling by attending winter terms of district school. When he was fourteen years of age the family came to Elwood, and here Charles Harris became interested in the buying of stock. In the meantime James W. Harris continued his education and in 1901 grad- uated from the Elwood High School. At the age of nineteen he began work as a clerk for A. J. Hileman, a shoe dealer, and put in all his spare time of nights and mornings and Saturdays during the rest of his high school course. After leaving high school he continued in that store a year, then for two years was in the auditing de- partment of the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company at Elwood, and for six months was in the shoe department of the George J. Marott's great department store on Washington Street in Indianapolis.
His father's death called him home from Indianapolis. His father for eight or nine years had been manager of the Anderson branch of the Sinclair Packing Company. James W. Harris took up this position as successor to his father, and filled it com- petently until July, 1907. He then re- signed, and bought a partnership in the Greathouse & Company store with Frank M. Greathouse, thus establishing the pres- ent firm of Greathouse & Harris at 120 South Anderson Street. These are the merchants so widely known over this sec- tion of Indiana by their slogan "right goods at right prices." For twenty-five years the house has been selling clothing, hats and men's furnishings, and its repu- tation is built up on the basis of quality of goods and exceptional mercantile service.
Mr. Harris, who is unmarried and lives with his mother, has various other business interests at Elwood. He is an active re- publican. Recently he was one of ten men selected from Madison County, represent- ing both the progressive and regular wings of the republican party, as leaders in the "Get Together" movement, as a result of Vol. V-4
which here and elsewhere the republican party was once more solidified and was made effective, as the results of the 1916 election proved. Mr. Harris served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Elwood Chamber of Commerce in 1916 and 1917. He is a York and Scottish Rite Ma- son, being affiliated with Lodge No. 320, Free and Accepted Masons, Chapter and Council, Knight Templar Commandery, the various Scottish Rite bodies, including the thirty-second degree, and the Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is a member of the First Methodist Church.
BENJAMIN F. LONG, of the law firm of Long, Yarlott & Souder of Logansport, is a hard working and successful lawyer, and has richly earned the reputation he now enjoys at the bar of Northern Indiana.
He was born in Cass County, on a farm in Washington Township, January 31, 1872. He is an American by four or five generations of residence. His grandfather, Major William Long, a title he acquired from his prominence in the Pennsylvania State Militia, was a native of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He brought his family to Indiana in 1843, and established his home on a farm in Washington Town- ship of Cass County. Thus the Longs have been a family in that county for three quarters of a century. Benjamin F. Long is a son of William and Joanna (Penny) Long. His father also spent his life as a farmer, and died October 5, 1893. His mother passed away December 12, 1902. William Long and his wife were members of the English Lutheran Church.
Benjamin F. Long grew up on a farm, had the advantages of the district schools, but beyond that he had to get his educa- tion by his own efforts. After graduating from the Logansport High School in 1891 he put in two winters teaching in the same school in the country which he had at- tended as a boy. In 1893 he used the small amount of savings he had accumu- lated to start him in Indiana University at Bloomington. After two years he had to give up his course and seek means of re- plenishing his purse. From 1895 to 1899 Mr. Long taught history in the Logansport High School. He then re-entered the State University and took both the literary and law courses, graduating A. B. and LL. B. in 1901. He began private prac-
1956
INDIANA AND INDIANANS
tice at Logansport, but such had been his record as a student in Bloomington that he was soon called to the chair of asso- ciate professor in the Law Department. He resigned that position after a year, and has since devoted his time and efforts steadily to his law practice. From 1903 to 1906 he was deputy county prosecutor, his law partner at the time being George W. Walters, the county prosecuting at- torney. The firm of Walters and Long continued from January, 1903, to January, 1909, when Mr. Long formed the still exist- ing partnership.
Mr. Long is a republican, but has not allowed politics to interfere with the essen- tial work of his profession. He attends the English Lutheran Church. In 1915 he was appointed a trustee of Indiana Uni- versity, and was reappointed in 1918. September 10, 1902, he married Miss Lucy Nichols, of Marshalltown, Iowa. They have one son, Benjamin Long.
AQUILLA JONES was prominent among the men who made political history and gave substance and character to the busi- ness life of Indiana during the middle years of the last century. He was treasurer of the State of Indiana before the war, and subsequently during his residence at In- dianapolis did much to build up the indus- tries of that city and was the recipient of several important public honors.
He was. born in Stokes, now Forsyth County, North Carolina, in the foothills of the famous Blue Ridge Mountains, July 8, 1811, a son of Benjamin and Mary Jones. His father was a farmer of limited means. Educational opportunities were supplied therefore in a meager degree to Aquilla Jones, and while in his native state he had not more than three months schooling all told, even that being secured under adverse conditions. His training, intellect and business capacity were largely an out- growth of his own tenacious memory and struggling ambition. In after life he re- alized that his sphere of usefulness would have been far greater had he received an education. He grew up in an environment that led him to respect the working man and to sympathize with him in his strug- gles. Thus while in after years he at- tained a position among the eminent men of Indiana, he was one of the few of his class whose minds were not closed to an
appreciation of the poor and the humble. One product of this early experience was a thorough belief in cooperation as a means of solving many of the social and economic problems of the world. He was in fact a pioneer in bringing those principles to bear in his later life in Indianapolis. Many working men were aided by him through material means and with advice, and his memory perhaps deserves to live longest among that class.
The Jones family moved to Indiana in 1831, locating at Columbus, where Elish' P. Jones, a brother of Aquilla, had already built up a business as a merchant. In his brother's store Aquilla worked as a clerk until 1836. Then after a year spent in Missouri he returned to Columbus and became proprietor of a hotel and subse- quently after the brother's death, bought the business which the latter had de- veloped. He also succeeded his brother as postmaster of the town. Aquilla Jones con- tinued active in business and local affairs at Columbus until 1856. Among other interests he became identified with the Co- lumbus Bridge Company.
In 1840 and again in 1850, under the respective administrations of Presidents Van Buren and Fillmore, he was appointed and served as census enumerator of Bar- tholomew County. He refused to accept the office of clerk of the county. He was elected and served in the State Legislature during the session of 1842-43. President Pierce offered him the appointment as Indian agent for Washington Territory, but his interests compelled him to decline and he refused a similar position for the Territory of New Mexico.
Aquilla Jones removed his residence to Indianapolis during his first term as state treasurer. He was elected to that office in 1856. His party affiliations then and al- wavs were democratic, but partisanship with him was never sufficiently strong to overcome his devotion to a principle. It was said and is probably true that he de- clined the nomination for governor because he thought he lacked sufficient education to properly fill the position. It was a mat- ter of principle that caused him to decline to become a candidate for reelection as state treasurer in 1858. The principle in- volved there was his divergent views on the Kansas-Nebraska Bill from those held by the majority of his party. This was the
1957
INDIANA AND INDIANANS
rare case of a man declining a high state office because of principle.
With all his lack of early education he became one of the foremost men of his day because of a superior natural mental- ity. He knew intimately and was asso- ciated on terms of equality with all the great political figures of Indiana in his time. A particularly warm friendship ex- isted between him and Thomas A. Hen- dricks, and he was also associated in busi- ness and politics with such Indiana giants as Daniel W. Voorhees, J. E. McDonald, David Turpie and others. When Mr. Hen- dricks was elected vice president of the United States in 1884, with Grover Cleve- land as president, that noted Indianan se- lected Mr. Jones for the appointment as postmaster of Indianapolis. This appoint- ment was not confirmed without strong op- position. For the first time since the Civil war the democratic party had come into power, and there was a general scramble for the political offices and patronage so long withheld from the party. But in the end Mr. Jones was appointed and was post- master of Indianapolis throughout the first administration of President Cleveland.
One of his strongest characteristics was a tactfulness which enabled him to har- monize many misunderstandings among his party associates and also in business affairs. He was a thorough business man and accu- mulated considerable wealth because of his keen judgment and untiring energy.
A story has been told illustrating his business integrity. One time during an absence from Indianapolis he was elected president of one of the local banks. Upon his return, with characteristic energy he began a careful investigation of the bank's condition. He advised immediate liquida- tion before the bank was closed by court mandate, and this promptness enabled him to pay ninety-five cents on the dollar to the creditors.
In business affairs the name of Aquilla Jones was for many years officially iden- tified with the Indianapolis Rolling Mills. He became treasurer of the corporation in 1861 and in 1873 was made president. In the latter year he was also chosen president of the city waterworks of In- dianapolis, but resigned soon afterward be- canse of the urgency of his private busi- ness. affairs. For years he was an active member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
The characteristics that showed them- selves most forcibly in his career were those of strong mentality, a sympathetic nature and understanding, utter fearlessness and absolute honesty.
In 1836 he married Miss Sarah Ann Arnold, who died soon afterward. In 1840 he married Miss Harriet Cox. Their chil- dren were Elisha P., John W., Emma, Ben- jamin F., Charles, Aquilla Q., Edwin S., William M., Frederick, Harriet and Mary.
REV. JAMES HENRY DURHAM, chaplain of the Marion Branch of the National Sol- diers Home, Grant County, and pastor of Holy Family Church, Gas City, has been a man of increasing service to his church and the people of Indiana for more than ten years.
Father Durham was born at Middletown, New York, November 26, 1874. Having finished his primary education in the pub- lic school he was employed by the National Saw Company, seven years, the last four of which were spent as assistant superin- tendent. His service with this company gave him that knowledge of men which has proven so useful in his life calling. Feel- ing the call to a higher vocation he left secular employment to take up the classic course in St. Benedict's College at Atchi- son, Kansas. Here he was appointed busi- ness manager, and during his finishing year, editor of the "Abbey Student." He graduated as "Gold-Medal Man" in Chris- tian Doctrine, History and English in 1902. During the following five years he pursued the philosophical and theological course in Mt. St. Mary's Seminary at Cincinnati, Ohio. There he received all the minor orders of the church, and was finally or- dained deacon by Archbishop Mueller on March 16, 1907.
Father Durham was ordained priest in the Cathedral at Fort Wayne May 22, 1907, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Alerding. His first assignment was as assistant pastor of St. Patrick's Church in Fort Wayne, June 8, 1907. From there he went to Dunkirk, Indiana, as pastor, where he remained eigh- teen months.
His appointment as chaplain of the National Military Home took effect July 16, 1913. In addition to the responsibilities of his government position Father Durham has the spiritual care of some fifty-six fam-
1958
INDIANA AND INDIANANS
ilies, members of Holy Family Church, Gas City.
CHARLES W. GALLIHER. A merchant of long and prosperous standing at Muncie, Charles W. Galliher is one of the promi- nent democrats of the state, a member of the Democratic Committee of Indiana at the present time, is also president of the Muncie Commercial Club, and has a num- ber of other avenues of active influence in that city and county.
He was born at Muncie October 26, 1864, and his people have been in Dela- ware County from very early pioneer times. His parents were Martin J. and Rhoda (Ogden) Galliher, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of New Jersey. They married in the east and in 1837 set- tled at Cincinnati, Ohio, but soon after- ward moved to the pioneer community of Muncie, which was then known as Muncie- town, and was an isolated country village. For several years Martin Galliher fol- lowed the packing business, but later moved to a farm near Muncie and acquired and developed 320 acres of rich farming land in that vicinity. He lived as a farmer until his death in 1887. He was one of the noted stock raisers of the county, a man of honor and integrity in all his business and civic relations, voted as a democrat and was an earnest and hard working member of the Baptist Church.
Charles W. Galliher, the youngest of four children, was educated in the public schools of Muncie and at the age of seven- teen began an apprenticeship at the car- riage painting trade. Though he served the full apprenticeship he never took up the trade as a business, being diverted into other lines. In 1888 he entered the employ of the S. C. Cowan Company and for five years was manager of that well known Muncie enterprise. He then entered busi- ness for himself as a draper and upholsterer at 118 South Mulberry Street. This is the business he has followed ever since, and in that and his other affairs has been highly prospered. In 1904 he formed a copartner- ship with C. E. Whitehill under the firm name of Whitehill & Galliher, which was dissolved in 1909, and since then Mr. Gal- liher has been sole proprietor of the busi- ness.
He has interests in various other busi- ness affairs at Muncie, and is a director of the Delaware County Agricultural Society,
a director of the State Chamber of Com- merce, is former president of the Country Club of Muncie, and has attained the thir- ty-second degree of Scottish Rite Masonry. In 1913 he was appointed a member of the Muncie Board of Safety. His work has always identified him with the democratic party. He has an extensive acquaintance with the influential men of his party throughout the entire state.
CHARLES J. ROBB is editor and associate owner of the Michigan City Evening News, the oldest paper in LaPorte County and one of the oldest in the state, having been established in 1835.
Mr. Robb has had a long and active career in practically every phase of jour- nalism and newspaper ownership and man- agement. He was born at Montezuma, Iowa, January 21, 1856, son of Joseph and Elizabeth Jane (McAllister) Robb. His father was an Iowa merchant. Charles J. Robb was about eight years old when his mother died, and after that he lived and acquired his education in the public schools of Indianapolis, Oskaloosa, and Albia, Iowa.
He went with his father to Albia, Iowa, where his father again became engaged in the mercantile business, and where the subject of this sketch made his home for many years. He finished his apprentice- ship at the printer's trade at Mishawaka, Indiana. but developed his talent as a re- porter chiefly with The Gate City at Keo- kuk, Iowa. Then for a time he was re- porter and office man on the Michigan City Enterprise, of which the Evening News is a successor. He resigned the position of city editor of the Every-Day Enterprise to accept a similar one on the Sandusky Local at Sandusky, Ohio. After several years there he became reporter and adver- tising manager of the Flint Journal at Flint, Michigan, and in the fall of 1887 became manager of the Grocers' Regulator, a trade journal, and Price Current for the wholesale grocery house of Reid, Murdoch & Fischer at Chicago.
It was at the earnest request of a num- ber of citizens of Michigan City that he re- turned in 1888 and assumed the ownership and editorial direction of The Evening News, then owned by the Republican Printing Company. It has been under his jurisdiction and energies, coupled with those of his partners, that The News has
Chas& Roof
1959
INDIANA AND INDIANANS
risen to be one of the prominent and is one among the best daily papers in Indiana. The publishing firm at present is Robb & Misener.
Mr. Robb holds membership in and is a charter member of the Inland Daily Press Association, composed of daily papers in seven surrounding states, with headquar- ters in Chicago. For several years he rep- resented Indiana on the vice presidency and on the board of directors of the asso- ciation ; he is a non-resident member of the Chicago Press Club and a member of the Indiana State Republican Editorial Asso- ciation and of the Northern Indiana Edi- torial Association.
Mr. Robb is a republican and served as chairman of the Republican City Organi- zation for several years. He was appointed collector of customs of Michigan City un- der the Harrison administration, and served a period of twenty-five years in that office. Mr. Robb is a member of the Ma- sonic Order, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and the National Union. In 1890 he married Miss Josephine R. Webber of Williamston, Mich- igan. They have one daughter, Ruth M.
TILGHMAN A. HOWARD was born in South Carolina November 14, 1797. After his admission to the bar in Tennessee he prac- ticed in that state for some time, and was also a member of the State Legislature. About the year 1830 he came to Indiana, and was subsequently appointed a United States district attorney. Tilghman A. Howard became known as a lawyer of splen- did ability, and as a jurist or political speaker he ranked with the best of his day.
The death of Mr. Howard occurred Au- gust 16, 1844, in Texas, whither he had been sent as charge d'affaires.
DAVID C. SPRAKER. During the last forty years David C. Spraker has probably appeared as an active participant in as many business and civic interests at Ko- komo as any other man. He has been a merchant, public official, manufacturer, banker, and altogether has lived his three score and ten years with complete fidelity to the best ideals of manhood.
Mr. Spraker was born February 15, 1847, in Decatur County, Indiana, son of Daniel and Martha (Miller) Spraker. He
is of old American ancestry. His grand- father, George Spraker, was born in Vir- ginia, was a farmer by occupation, and died at the advanced age of ninety years in his native state. Daniel Spraker was born in Virginia, and was one of the early settlers of Decatur County, Indiana, com- ing west in 1835 and buying land near Greensburg. He was a farmer in that locality until his death in 1855, at the age forty-four. He was a devout and sincere Methodist, and in politics voted as a whig and later as a republican. At the time of his death he had a farm of 230 acres. His widow died in 1859. They had nine children, three of whom are still living.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.