USA > Indiana > Memorial and genealogical record of Representative Citizens of Indiana > Part 15
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On November 11, 1886, David H. Taylor was united in mar- riage with Frances M. Horrall, and to this union four children were born: Nola Eleanore, who married Joseph W. Peggs, of Indi- anapolis; Harry, who died at the age of seven months; Noble HI. Taylor, who was graduated with the class from Shortridge high school in 1911; Sarah M. died at the age of seven months.
Mrs. Frances Taylor was born in Daviess county, Indiana, and there grew to womanhood and received her education in the common schools. She is the daughter of a highly esteemed pio- neer family of that county, where her father, John A. Horrall, was born and reared, and she is the granddaughter of John Hor- rall, who was also born in Daviess county, this family having settled there when the state was a wilderness and the name has thus been well known in that section for several generations. William Horrall, the paternal great-grandfather, came to that locality from Carolina, before Indiana was admitted to the Union, and he entered large tracts of wild land in what is now Daviess county. This he cleared and improved, erected a log cabin and established the family home in this state, and the various mem- bers of the family became extensive and substantial farmers and stock raisers. The mother of Mrs. Taylor, who was known in her maidenhood as Eleanore Davis, was born in Kentucky, from which state she came to Daviess county, Indiana, when young, with her parents, Levi and Nellie Davis.
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Both of Mrs. Taylor's parents died in Daviess county, the father passing away first. They were the parents of eight chil- dren, named as follows: Maria J. married Lancaster Williams, and they are both now deceased; one of their children, Ella D., makes her home with Mrs. Taylor, widow of our subject; Jonathan died at the age of five years; Milton died at age of three years; Seth O. Horrall is deceased; Perry S. lives in Dawson Springs, Kentucky; Martha lives in New Albany, Indiana; Frances M., who married the subject of this memoir, was the seventh child in order of birth; Sarah A. is the wife of William Beaver, and they live in Indianapolis.
Personally, David H. Taylor was popular with those with whom he came into contact in the various walks of life, having possessed to a marked degree the characteristics that won and retained warm friendships. By his kindness and courtesy he won an abiding place in the esteem of his fellow citizens and by his in- telligence, energy and enterprising spirit, made his influence felt among his friends and associates.
ALFRED D. BRANDRIFF.
One of the best remembered business men of a past genera- tion in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was the late Alfred D. Brandriff, one of the prominent pioneer merchants of this city, and a man who did much in promoting the general upbuilding of the same. Of Mr. Brandriff personally it may be said he was a man of strong and active sympathies; his temperament was warm and ardent, his feelings deep and intense, and these and other attrac- tive characteristics unconsciously drew him an unusual number of devoted friends, upon whom, under all circumstances, he could rely, and who, now that he has "passed over the river," revere his memory. He was a close student of human nature and com- prehended with little effort the motives and purposes of men, and he was a lover of truth and sincerity. In brief, he is remembered as a manly man, of pleasing but dignified presence, a profound student of many subjects and a leader of the kind of endeavor to which his energies were devoted through a long lapse of years. Of spotless character and unflagging industry and energy, he rose to a position of great usefulness and no little distinction and stood as a conspicuous example of symmetrically developed American manhood, and his position as one of the state's representative citi- zens was cheerfully conceded by all who knew him.
The birth of Alfred D. Brandriff occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 2, 1817. He was the great-grandson of Timothy Brandrith, who married Elizabeth Hughes. The name was later changed to Brandriff. He came from England and settled in Cape May, New Jersey. He was the first sheriff of Cape May county, New Jersey, in 1693, and for twenty years held the various offices of collector, county clerk and recorder, commissioner of the pleas and assessor until his death, in 1713. He was a member of the House of Representatives at Burlington, New Jersey, in 1697. His son, Timothy Brandriff, served in the Revolutionary war. Jesse, son of Timothy Brandriff, Jr., married Rhoda Garrison and in 1805 moved to Cineinnati, Ohio, which was then a small settle- ment. They assisted in building the old first stone meeting house, the Wesley Methodist church, on Sixth street, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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There Alfred D. Brandriff grew to manhood and received his early education and business training, entering the active field of con- merce when young in years and gradually advanced himself, step by step, through his individual efforts, until he had scaled the lad- der of industrial success.
When yet a young man Mr. Brandriff went to Troy, Ohio, and there established a stove foundry, which, under his close attention and masterful management, grew to large proportions in due course of time, and the products of the same, owing to their super- ior quality, found a ready and wide market. This he conducted until the year 1851, when he came to Fort Wayne, Indiana, making the trip on horseback, and here he established a wholesale and re- tail stove and hardware business, and he met with his usual suc- cess, and soon saw his wares selling over an extensive territory. The house of A. D. Brandriff was for many years one of the prin- cipal business houses of that eity and was one of the best known in northeastern Indiana. He gave to it his undivided attention, kept everything under a superb system and always kept fully abreast of the times in handling up-to-date materials and advo- cated modern business methods, dealing honestly and courteously with the publie, so that he enjoyed the good will and confidence of all who had dealings with him. Mr. Brandriff conducted the busi- ness almost entirely alone, having had a partner only a short time late in life.
Mr. Brandriff continued actively in the line of business in- dicated in the preceding paragraph until 1885, when he retired from the active affairs of commercial life and took up his residence on his fine farm near Marion, Illinois, which he kept under a high state of improvement and cultivation, and there, on one of the most desirable estates in that section of Illinois, he spent the last fifteen years of his life, having accumulated a handsome com- peteney. However, when his health began to fail he came back to his chosen city to spend the last days with his children, and here in Fort Wayne he received the summons to "join the innumerable caravan that moves to pale realns of shade," on June 17, 1900, after a life of uprightness and highest worth, passing away with no compunction for the past and with no fear for the future, hav- ing attained the advanced age of eighty-three years.
During his business life in Fort Wayne, Mr. Brandriff was in the foremost rank of progressive citizens. He was a director and stockholder of the First National Bank and one of the directors
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and founders of the Lindenwood Cemetery Association. He could always be depended upon to support any movement having for its object the general uplift of his city and county, and was chari- table to a fault and gave assistance to many, both by sound advice and material aid, and if he had any enemies they were not known. He was one of the oldest members of the First Presbyterian church of Fort Wayne, having been identified as treasurer of the same at one time, discharging his duties most faithfully. He and his wife were always very active in the same, he a member for a period of nearly a half century, in fact, he was long regarded as a pillar of this church.
Mr. Brandriff was married to Mary A. Roberts, of Dayton, Ohio, near which city her early life had been spent, the date of their marriage being in 1842, and two daughters were born to this union, Mrs. Samuel T. Hanna and Mrs. Alfred T. Lukens, both of Fort Wayne. Mary A. Roberts was descended from a long line of patriots and founders of America, many of whom served in the colonial and Revolutionary wars. John Roberts was an officer in the Huguenot wars. His son and grandson, Jolin Roberts, ,Sr. and Jr., were in the Revolution, also Isaac Hooper and John Som- ers, of Somers Point, New Jersey, where descendants are still liv- ing on the old plantation. Richard Somers, master commandant in the United States navy, who perished in the ketch "Intrepid" in the attempt to destroy the Turkish flotilla in the harbor of Tripoli. She is also a descendant of William Vassall, of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, one of the council of war in 1642 against the Indians. He was a son of John Vassall, alderman of London who, in 1588, fitted out at his own expense and commanded two ships, "Samuel" and "Little Toby," with which he joined the royal navy to oppose the Spanish armada. The Vassall family have a memorial in King's Chapel, Boston. John Vassall, Jr., built and occupied what is known as the "Longfellow-Craigie house" in Cambridge, also several other residences, which were known as "Tory Row." Other ancestors who were patriots were John Adams, who came to Plymouth, Massachusetts, in the ship "Fortune" in 1621, who married Eleanor Newton, who came in the ship "An" in 1623 (and who married the second time Kenelm Winslow). They were granted land by Governor Bradford and both celebrated the first Thanksgiving day in America in 1623. James Adams, in Marshfield Military Company, in 1643. John Pease, Sr., captain Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company,
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Boston, 1661. John Peace, Jr., captain of Militia, Enfield, Con- necticut. Thomas Abbe, Enfield, Connecticut, in Great Swamp fight. Ensign Walter Fairfield, representative Nenham, Massa- chusetts, 1689. Robert Goodale, founder, 1634, New England. Richard Risley, who came in, ship "Griffin" with Thomas Hooker party to Cambridge in 1633 and in 1636 was one of the founders of the commonwealth of Connecticut. His name is inseribed on First Settlers monument, Hartford, Connectient. Thomas. French, who died in 1699, Racocas, New Jersey. Robert Stuart, steward of Scotland. John Tice, of Holland and Long Island. John Tice, Jr., served in the Revolutionary war.
The death of Mary Roberts Brandriff occurred in Fort Wayne on February 12, 1863, and in October, 1866, Mr. Brandriff was united in marriage with Maria Cranc-Taylor, of Collinsville, Connecticut. There are nine grandchildren surviving, namely: Mary Hanna; John L .. Hanna, of the Pennsylvania railroad offices in Philadelphia; Mrs. Frederick J. Reusch, of Petoskey, Michi- gan; Alfred B. Lukens, of New York; Edward F. Lukens, of Leed, North Dakota; Clara, Grace, Lydia and Martha Lukens, of Brew- ster, New York; also two great-grandchildren, Elizabeth L. Reusch and Frederick Hanna Reusch.
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KILLIAN BAKER
KILLIAN BAKER.
To attain a worthy citizenship by a life that is always hon- ored and respected even from childhood deserves more than mere mention. It is no-casy task to resist the many temptations of youth and early manhood and plant a character in the minds and hearts of associates that will remain an unstained figure for all time. One may take his place in public life through some vigor- ous stroke of public policy, and even remain in the hearts of friends and neighbors, but to take the same position by dint of the practice of an upright life and without a craving for exaltation and popularity, is worthy the highest praise and commendation. The late Killian Baker, one of the sturdy pioneers and substantial business men of Fort Wayne, who was well known throughout northern Indiana for more than half a century, was a man re- spected and honored, not because of the vigorous training of his special talents, but because of his daily life, each day having been one that was above criticism and passed upon in the light of real, true manhood. Strong and forceful in his relations with his fellow men, he not only made his presence felt, but also gained the good will and commendation of both his associates and the general public, ever retaining his reputation among men for in- tegrity and high character, no matter how trying the circum- stances, and never losing that dignity which is the birthright of the model gentleman. Consequently his influence for good in the general upbuilding of Fort Wayne was most potent and still con- tinues, although the material man has been engulfed in "the in- evitable hour" which awaits all that is mortal, and he will long be sadly missed from the various circles in which he moved, and over which his influence was like sunshine on a field of ripened wheat.
Killian Baker came of a sterling, upright family which has always been a prominent factor wherever it has located. Ile was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, December 15, 1830. He was the son of George and Catharine (Bacschenger) Baker, natives of the fatherland, where they grew to maturity, were educated and married, and when a young man the father became one of the
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provision suppliers in the Napoleonic wars. In 1835 George Ba- ker emigrated with his family, which consisted of eight children, to the United States and first settled at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he had a half-brother. They remained there about a year, when the family started down the Ohio river in a flat-bottomed boat, and on May 26, 1836, after a voyage of six weeks, by way of the St. Mary's river, landed in Fort Wayne, on the bank at a point opposite to what was later the site of the father's saw- mill. However, George Baker's first venture here was as a black- smith, located on Calhoun street, between Washington and Jeffer- son streets, Calhoun street then being nothing more than a tan- bark path. He subsequently built a saw-mill at the east end of Superior street on the St. Mary's river, and this became one of the best known mills in this part of the country at that time. The elder Baker also entered a piece of land in Cedar Creek township, Allen county. When his family took up their permanent abode in Fort Wayne in the spring of 1836 it was then but a village of four hundred inhabitants. George Baker also worked at the wagon-maker's trade for a number of years and in 1848 he asso- ciated with his four sons, John, Jacob, Henry and Killian, in es- tablishing a lumber yard at the corner of what is now Superior and Lafayette streets, which business soon assumed large pro- portions and the family became prosperous.
Killian Baker grew to manhood in Fort Wayne amid pioneer conditions, and he received his early education under Professor MeJunken and later he attended the Catholic school under Will- iam Walters, in the first school house on Cathedral square. He re- mained in school until he was eighteen years of age, then engaged in the saw-mill and lumber business with his father, making that his life work, which he followed with ever-increasing success, until his operations covered a wide territory and he accumulated a handsome competency. He was known for many years as one of the leading lumbermen of northern Indiana, being a very ex- tensive dealer, shipping large consignments of lumber to all sec- tions of the middle West and even to many foreign countries. He became sole proprietor of the business in 1878, his father and brothers having sold out their interests. The death of the father had occurred on February 29, 1870, at the advanced age of eighty vears, the mother departing this life some time in the fifties.
Politically, Mr. Baker was a Democrat, and while he was in- terested in politics was not active in the ranks. He was a member
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of the National Lumbermen's Association, and the Lumbermen's Journal often carried a sketch of his life and a half-tone cut of him, for he was widely known as one of the pioneer lumber deal- ers of the country. He was a devout member of the Catholic church, holding membership in the Cathedral and was a great worker in that congregation. Ile was a man of charitable im- pulses and did an incalculable amount of good in that way, but his benefactions were the result of his magnanimous nature and not from any desire to win the praise of his fellow men. His support could always be depended upon in furthering any worthy move- ment looking to the good of humanity and the upbuilding of his home city. He was a member of the Catholic Knights of America. The family always celebrated as a holiday the 26th of May, the date of their arrival here.
The marriage of Killian Baker was solemnized on October 20, 1859, with Anna Dougherty, whose birth occurred in Allen county, Indiana, in 1840. She grew to womanhood not far from Fort Wayne. They were married in the little church that stood on the present site of the Cathedral. Mrs. Baker is the daughter of John and Marcella (Lyons) Dougherty, who were among the pio- neers of Fort Wayne, having settled in this vicinity as early as the year 1838. Mr. and Mrs. Dougherty were natives of county West Meath, Ireland, and there grew up and were married, but came to the United States in 1835 and spent the remainder of their days in Allen county, having long been residents of Arcola, where they are still gratefully remembered for their many acts of kindness, as well as for those qualities of mind and heart that win and retain confidence. Mrs. Baker was reared in the Catho- lic faith and has ever been a loyal member of the holy mother church, belonging to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Concep- tion, in Fort Wayne. Believing every other consideration subor- dinate to the claims of religion, she and her worthy husband were ever untiring in their devotion to its duties and, like all true Cath- olics, spared no pains in rearing their children according to the principles and precepts of the church, which they always con- sidered life's greatest and best safeguard.
The union of Killian Baker and wife was blessed by the birth of the following children: John G., who lives at Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Frank J. is a resident of Little Rock, Arkansas; Mary married Latham F. Blee, and they made their home in Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania, where her death occurred on March 18, 1912;
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Agnes married Henry J. Taylor and they live in Fort Wayne, In- diana; Margaret A. married William D. Gordon, their home being in Peoria, Illinois; Charles Il. died in early childhood; Catherine A., now known as Sister St. Euphrasie, of the Sisters of Provi- dence; Rosella M., Alfred K., and Grace A., all live at the old homestead, No. 326 East Main street, Fort Wayne; Herbert W. died when quite young.
The Baker home here is one of the delightful landmarks of Fort Wayne. For fifty-two years the family have lived there, and there the golden wedding anniversary of the subject and wife was celebrated on October 20, 1909. Only relatives were present at the sumptuous jubilee dinner, and children and grandchildren from far and near gathered to do honor to the heads of the family. The dinner was an elaborate one, with decorations in gold and white, and handsome cakes, properly inscribed, called to mind the wed- ding cake of a half century before. There were many handsome gifts, and a number of speeches and toasts, but best of all were the unspoken thoughts of love and admiration that brought the devoted children back to the homestead to prove their affection for the honored father and mother. On that occasion, as at other times, the reminiscences of the parents of early conditions in this locality were fascinating, as they had a distinet remembrance of many important events in life of the city. At that time they were described as usual people for their years and had a re- markable interest in the affairs of the present. There were pres- ent not only a number of children, but grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Mrs. Anna Baker was one of a family of six children. Her father left Ireland on account of the war, he being a rebel asso- ciated with Daniel O'Connell. He crossed the channel to England and sailed from there in 1835, landing in New York city after a long voyage in a sailing vessel, soon sending for his family, who later followed him to the land of the free. They came on to the middle West, locating at Arcola, Lake township, Allen county, Indiana, on a farm. The father, JJohn Dougherty, was a man of sterling qualities and although he found here a wild country, he went to work with a will, never permitting hardships or obstacles to thwart him in his honest purposes, and in due course of time he had developed from the virgin soil a fine farm and established thereon a comfortable home, becoming one of the leading farmers and stoek raisers of the county, and an influential and highly es-
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teemed citizen, loyal to our institutions and always ready to assist in the furthering of any laudable movement for the general good of the community. He was known for his industrious habits, his hospitality, broad-mindedness and esteemed by all for his exem- plary character.
The death of Killian Baker occurred July 8, 1910, lacking a few months of his eightieth birthday. He had been in failing health for ten years.
In its account of his life and death, one of the leading Fort Wayne daily papers said, in part:
"Aside from figuring for so many years as a prominent busi- ness character in the city's affairs, Mr. Baker was always one of its most esteemed citizens. He grew up with the city. When he first began working with his father he was eighteen years old, but he soon became recognized as a leader. He took great interest in many of the movements inaugurated during the early years of the history of Fort Wayne to permit it to grow. As year by year more people began settling in the district about here, Killian Baker foresaw what he believed to be a great city, and he induced a great many to come to Fort Wayne and live. And during the latter years of his life the deceased was fond of relating stories and incidents of the early history-how the village advanced from its population of less than a thousand to a town of several thou- sand and then of the city's rapid growth within the past thirty years. During all these years he devoted his life to his business and to the welfare of the community in which he achieved a high standing."
The funeral of Killian Baker, on July 11, 1910, was very largely attended, and we reprint in full the fine oration delivered by Rev. Quinlan, from the text, "Well done, thou good and faith- ful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
"Every human being loves and desires to hear those words of praise at the end of their labors, whatever they may be. There is an inspiration, there is an encouragement, there is force, there is power in these very words of Holy Writ, which I have quoted for you, and every human being, whatever may be his work and labors in life, whatever may be his objeet, how he loves, how he desires, what a thrill of enthusiasm and joy is sent through his weak and faltering heart as he stands at the end of life, or at the end of his labors and words like these are uttered, indicating that he has been faithful, that he has fulfilled to the best of his ability aceord-
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ing to the talents that God has given him, the work, the duty, the labors of life.
"O, my friends, looking into the world, take the business man, take the professional man who is filled with a desire of ful- filling his position and duty in life and if he has fulfilled his duty well, if he has exercised the talents that God gave him to their full capacity, if he has made life and has left some work behind, that indicates noble manhood and true and sincere Christian, then when the world says to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast worked well, thou hast performed thy duties according to the highest standard and at the end of your labors the world crowns you with the palm of victory, the world crowns you with the laurel of praise at the end of your work.' And as these words send the thrill of joy and sweetness and hope through the heart of man even in a material sense, given by a material world, what must be the happiness, what must be the joy of a man, a Christ- ian man, when the end of his life is nigh, when there is said to him, as far as human wisdom and foresight can judge, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord?'
"O, my friends, there is no one with whom I am acquainted. over whom I could say with greater truth these very words of Holy Writ than over the remains of this good and kind and hum- ble man, who at all times endeavored to fulfill his duties not only to God but to man.
"O, my friends, if his old friend, that venerable man, the Rev. Brammer, could stand here today in my place what could he not say over the remains of his true departed friend? And I can go back myself twenty years ago, and one of the first men I met in this parish and one of the first men who was high minded and an enthusiastic soul was Mr. Killian Baker.
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