USA > Indiana > Memorial and genealogical record of Representative Citizens of Indiana > Part 40
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
George W. Pixley, of this review, was the third of a family of five children, three of whom are living at this writing, the sub- jeet, Henry David Pixley, of Utica, New York, and Eliza Jane Pixley, who has remained single and who resides on the old home farm, six miles from Utica. This farm belonged to Grandfather Pixley and has been in possession of the family since 1798.
George W. Pixley spent his boyhood years in New York state, and he received his early schooling in the district schools, later attending school at Clinton Liberal Institute, Clinton, New York, which school is now located at Fort Plain, that state. He left school when about eighteen years of age and became associated with his father, who was a merchant, manufacturer and farmer, and he remained at home until 1876, when he came west, seeking a site for a branch store. Having the sagacity to foresee for Fort Wayne a great future growth, he decided to locate here, and he established his business here under the firm name of Owen, Pixley & Company, which store was successfully conducted under the supervision of Mr. Pixley until 1885, when his interests absorbed the Owen interests, and since then the firm name has been Pixley & Company, and it has long been one of the leading mercantile establishments in this thriving city, drawing its customers from all over northern Indiana. The concern manufactures its own clothing at Utica, New York, and owing to the superior quality of its products its trade has always been extensive at all seasons. A large and carefully selected stock of goods has always been carried and sold at reasonable prices, everything having been managed under a superb system.
Mr. Pixley remained active in the business world of Fort Wayne until 1902, when he gave his nephew, George Whiting Pixley, controlling interest in the store, and he retired from active life as a merchant, but he has continued to be a very prominent factor in the financial affairs of Fort Wayne. He was president of the Tri-State Building & Loan Association from 1889 to Janu- ary 1, 1911, when it was merged into the Tri-State Loan & Trust Company, the largest and most influential financial institution in Fort Wayne. Of this concern he is one of the large stockholders, is a director and the secretary, and its pronounced success has been
447
due in no small measure to his wise counsel and judicious labors. lle is a director of the old National Bank and has been for a num- ber of years. He has been very successful in all lines of endeavor, being a man of keen business diseernment, sound judgment and straightforward in his dealings with his fellow men, and he is one of the substantially and financially solid men of Fort Wayne and northeastern Indiana.
Mr. Pixley has always been a loyal Republican and has been active and influential in party affairs for many years. He was a candidate for state treasurer in 1890 and, although defeated, the state being strongly Democratic, he had the satisfaction of run- ning four thousand votes ahead of his ticket, thus proving his widespread popularity. The Pixley family belong to the Ply- mouth Congregational church and are very faithful supporters of the same. The subject is very active in Masonic circles; in fact, he has made Masonry a very prominent part of his life's work. He is a member of Clinton Lodge No. 169, at Clinton, New York, hav- ing joined the same in 1855, and in 1857 he went into the York Rite chapter; in 1867 he identified himself with the Utica Com- mandery No. 3, at Utica, New York. In 1883 he took the Royal and Select Master's degree in Fort Wayne, and in 1887 the Scottish Rite degrees at Indianapolis, and in 1889 he had the honor of re- ceiving the thirty-third degree in New York City. He has been very active in Scottish Rite work. He has been treasurer of the organization in Fort Wayne ever since it was formed, twenty-six years ago. He was chairman of the finance committee which raised funds to build the magnificent temple at Fort Wayne, at a cost of two hundred and ten thousand dollars, and was then chair- man of the building committee. He has also been one of the trus- tees of the Scottish Rite here since its organization. He was also a member of Murat Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Indianapolis, having been one of the first class there, and is now a member and treasurer of Mizpah Tem- ple, Fort Wayne. To establish an appropriate and attractive home for the Masons in the city of his residence has long been one of his chief ambitions, his efforts in this direction having been a labor of love.
George W. Pixley, of this sketch, was married on December 28, 1870, in Kirkland, New York, to Sarah Alcione Lewis, who was born December 28, 1851, and is the daughter of Chancey E.
448
and Electa Lucinda (Brown) Lewis. Mr. Lewis was born in Connecticut, June 30, 1822, died January 24, 1897; his wife was born December 10, 1829, in Rome, New York. Mrs. Pixley was the second of a family of four children, all of whom are living at this writing, named as follows: Mrs. Lucy White, of Kirkland, New York; Mrs. Emma Minchel, also of Kirkland; and Chancey F. Lewis, of Danville, Illinois.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Pixley has been blessed by the birth of one child, Louise Pixley, who is still a member of the home circle, and is a young lady of estimable attributes, good education and a favorite in the best society of Fort Wayne.
Mr. Pixley has a stately and modernly appointed residence at No. 330 West Wayne street, which has been the family home for twenty years, and which was formerly the Jesse L. Williams resi- dence. It is one of the largest brick houses in Fort Wayne, and has been the center of many notable gatherings. Mr. Pixley and family make their home at Lakeland, Florida, during the winter seasons.
.
OTTO SCHISSEL
OTTO SCHISSEL.
No people that go to make up our cosmopolitan civilization how hotter habits of life than those who came originally from the great German empire. The descendants of those people are dis- tinguished for their thrift and honesty, and these two qualities in the inhabitants of any country will in the end alone make that country great. When with these two qualities is coupled the other quality of sound sense, which all the German descendants possess, there are afforded such qualities as will enrich any land and place it at the top of the countries of the world in the scale of elevated humanity. Of this excellent people came the late Otto Schissel, for many years one of the well known business men of Indianapo- lis. He came of a race that produced the famous "Iron Chancel- ยท lor," the greatest statesman, all things considered, that ever walked this terrestrial sphere. He comes of a race that is famous for its original investigations in the problems of civilized life, such men as Goethe and Heckel, to say nothing of a coterie of the greatest musicians of all lands and climes. The Germanic blood is found in the veins of the greatest men and women of this and former generations and the Schissel family may well be proud of their descent from such a race. The subject of this brief memoir was easily the peer of any of his fellow citizens in all that con- stitutes right living and correct citizenship. He was a close and intelligent observer, read much, and took pains to keep himself well informed upon current events. He was quiet in demeanor, a thinker, and a man of deeds rather than words. He was essen- tially a man of the people because he had large faith in humanity and was optimistic in his views.
Otto Schissel was born in Saxony, Germany, in 1840, and he was the son of Franz Sehissel and wife. He spent his boyhood in his native land and learned the printer's trade, later teaching physical culture. He came to America as a young man, first lo- cating at Hoboken, New Jersey, later came on west and estab- lished his home in Indianapolis, where he continued to reside the rest of his life. On June 15, 1882, he was united in marriage with Minnie Pfisterer, who was born on the Rhine river in Germany,
(29)
450
of an excellent old family, the daughter of Christopher and Anna Marie (Stark) Pfisterer, both of whom lived and died in the fath- erland, he dying first, having reached the age of seventy-nine years, his widow surviving until her eighty-fifth year. They spent their lives engaged in agricultural pursuits and were very well established. Later in life they came to America, but after a resi- denen have of three years returned to their native land.
To Otto Schissel and wife four children were born, namely: Otto, a teacher of physical culture in the Turners Society at High- land, Illinois; Hugo, of Indianapolis, is a draftsman by profession; Freda and Norma are the daughters and younger children. They are all living at home with their mother, except the eldest child.
Mr. Schissel will long be remembered from his connection with the swimming pool which he opened and operated in Indian- apolis for many years, and which was sold to the city after his death. He was a member of the "German House" and the "So- cial Turners," in fact, took a great interest in all German societies.
The death of Otto Schissel occurred on June 21, 1897, after a useful and highly commendable career. The following extract from the local German newspaper under date of June 23, 1897, will give the reader additional facts regarding his life and of his high standing in the community:
"With deep sorrow the news of the death of Otto Schissel was received. He was one of the best known Germans of the city, and a broad-minded, free-thinking character. His loss will not only be felt in his family, but by all with whom he came into con- tact.
"Mr. Schissel came to Indianapolis about twenty-five years ago as physical culture instructor of the Turnverein, also held a position in the German Telegraph.
"In the early seventies the Indiana Deutsche Zeitung (In- diana German newspaper) was founded by the late Charles Liz- ius. It was published weekly and was originally a temperance advocate. It was later sold and an attempt was made to issue it daily, but this proved unsuccessful. It changed hands repeatedly and was changed from a daily to a weekly and back again. Mr. Schissel finally bought it and made it a paying proposition, later selling it to the present owner. It is issued daily and is a very successful paper. The title was changed to the Indiana Tribune. It was Mr. Schissel's tact, ability and characteristic ingenuity which made this paper a financial success and made it a potent in-
451
fluence for good in the city and community. It was he who changed the name of the paper.
"Otto Schissel was born in Leipzig, Germany, and came to the United States about twenty-five years ago. He was physical cul- turc teacher first, in Hoboken Academy, and in 1874 came to In- dianapolis, where he had charge of the classes of the Indianapolis Social Turnverein. About twenty years before his death he opened a swimming pool at West and Wabash streets, which he en- larged from time to time. After he bought the German paper he opened a hotel immediately opposite the swimming pool. He ran this hotel about fifteen years or until shortly before his death. He was a member of the Social Turnverein since its organization, also a member of the German Club. He organized the ladies' class in the Turners.
"On every side one heard naught but praise and admiration of his character. One friend said, 'I have known Otto Schissel for twelve years and cannot recall an instance in which he would compromise an inch from that which he knew to be the right. He was a German from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, and through and through a Turner in the true sense of the word. He was a free-thinker and broad-minded, not a diplomat, always upright and true as gold. He was not a friend of long speeches and fine phrases, but expressed himself short and to the point. Those who knew him best could not otherwise than admire his character.'
"He had a warm heart for the working class. The officers of the Turnverein passed resolutions of appreciation and respect to his memory. The funeral was held from the hall, and addresses were made by prominent Germans of the city. Mr. Schissel was treasurer of the Turners for a number of years."
The high esteem in which Otto Schissel was held by the people of all classes in Indianapolis is a worthy tribute to a most ex- cellent man and his name will always occupy a conspicuous place on the roster of Marion county's progressive and representative German citizens of a past generation.
GEORGE J. BIPPUS.
The conditions under which industrial and commercial enter- prises of magnitude are prosecuted in this age of phenomenal ad- vancement in all lines of human activity, demand men who are forceful and of strong potentiality, courage and judgment. Num- bered among such representatives in the personnel of the success- ful business men identified with the material and eivie progress of the commonwealth of Indiana during generations that are past was the late George J. Bippus, of the city of Huntington. Invul- nerable integrity and high purpose characterized his life, and he left an indelible impress upon the annals of the country honored by his residence and upon his record there rests no shadow or blemish. His strength was as the number of his days, and not only did he accomplish mueh in connection with the practical affairs of life, but his nature, strong and vigorous, found denote- ment in kindly tolerance and human sympathy, generous deeds and worthy service. His long and active career was one of elose and fruitful identification with business interests of great magni- tude, in which he gained marked prestige, becoming a national figure. Measured by its accomplishment, its beneficence and its helpful optimism, the life of Mr. Bippus had wide and emphatic significance.
The birthplace of Mr. Bippus was at Canal Dover, Tuscara- was county, Ohio, the date having been April 1, 1835. He was a son of George J. Bippus, Sr., and wife. The parents preceded the son to near Huntington, Indiana, by about two months, leaving their old home in Ohio, where the son had grown to manhood and been educated. The family settled in Warren township, Hunting- ton county, and there became well known and influential.
The first business relations of George J. Bippus, Jr., in Hunt- ington were with George Corlew, in about the year 1860. He had learned the tinner's trade in his native town in Ohio, and here he continued his trade with Mr. Corlew, who was then running a small tin shop where the Jacob Weber block now stands. For several years young Bippus worked at his trade, saving part of his wages and pursuing his way with few intimates and a limited
453
acquaintance. He was capable and a much better salesman than his employer. Finally he was given a half interest in the shop, which was worth about six hundred dollars at that time. This was done to cover the amount due him as wages. In 1861 he went to Pittsburgh with a little money to purchase a stock of hardware for the store. To the consternation of his partner, he invested every cent of the money on hand and bought several thousand dol- lars' worth of goods on credit for thirty, sixty and ninety days. Corlew thought the business ruined. He considered bankruptcy inevitable, but the clear forethought and iron nerve of his younger partner proved to be the stepping-stone to success. Prices soared rapidly skyward, obligations were met and a neat profit made by the firm of Corlew & Bippus. At that time land about Ihunting- ton was not the precious article that it is now, and Mr. Bippus was able to buy considerable tracts of outlying land, which he sold, then bought town lots and sold them, and kept on speculating in real estate until he had some money in hand. In the year 1862 the corner now occupied by the splendid Bippus block was pur- chased at the demand of the subject for three thousand and five hundred dollars. Here again the younger partner's will was yielded to by his more conservative business associate, and once more did the junior partner lay in a stock of commodities that appalled Mr. Corlew. The tremendous rise in values of everything during the Civil war was foreseen by Bippus, made the firm com- paratively wealthy and, when a few years later it was decided to dissolve partnership, an inventory of stock showed a valuation of about sixteen thousand dollars. In addition to this the firm owned the corner lot and building thereon. Later, at a partition sale, Mr. Bippus obtained the real estate. He be- came associated with Samuel Morgan in the hardware business, Morgan either buying a half interest of Bippus or securing the interests of George Corlew. Later the whole hardware stock was disposed of and Mr. Bippus interested himself in other affairs, some of which proved successful, others a loss.
In the years 1875 and 1876, in company with several other Huntington capitalists, Mr. Bippus maintained the Wabash & Erie canal between Roanoke and Wabash. He entered into the scheme more as a land investment than a business enterprise and was associated with it for several years. He was one of the prin- cipal promoters and builders of the Chicago & Atlantic railroad.
454
In the days when the enterprise seemed dead, George J. Bippus was the stamina of the undertaking. While others laughed at his efforts and were loud in declaring the road a failure, he worked energetically, and eventually saw the culmination of the achieve- ment. The question of building a road from Chicago east had long been agitated. The Chicago & Atlantie was incorporated and places along the proposed line from Chicago to Marion, Ohio, were asked to vote large subsidies. Mr. Bippus took charge of the road as far as Huntington was concerned and was able to carry the subsidy in Huntington county. He built ten miles of the road, a little narrow gauge affair, and operated it for some time between Huntington and Markle. His rolling stock was two flat cars and a little sheet iron engine, and on his pay roll were three men.
Mr. Bippus went to New York and met Condit Smith, a rail- road builder and capitalist. Bippus, Smith and others took charge of the building of the Chicago & Atlantic. They issued a large amount of stock and bonds and financed the road from Chicago to Marion, Ohio. Mr. Bippus had placed a large amount of the bonds in the Grant bank in New York, which institution was later wrecked, the bonds owned by Mr. Bippus being among the collat- eral "kited" by the wrecker. The Erie saw that the Chicago & Atlantic was good property and took it in after various legal com- plications. The Erie company bought of Mr. Bippus five hundred thousand dollars' worth of the Chicago & Atlantic stock, giving one share of Erie preferred for two shares of Chicago & Atlantic, and the Chicago & Erie came into existence. He served as presi- dent, vice-president and superintendent of the Chicago & Atlantic, and was a director at the time of its absorption by the Erie system. He remained a stockholder in the Erie the balance of his life.
The last great enterprise in which Mr. Bippus embarked was the one which brought him before the state more prominently than any other. In 1882, when the gas boom started, he interested the late Senator Calvin S. Brice in the development of the natural gas field which was then opening to the people of northeastern In- diana. He bought the artificial gas plant of Dick & Company, which then controlled the lighting of the city of Huntington, and the electric light service now in operation was of his origin. They piped gas from the Grant county field to Huntington. As time rolled on his business affiliations with Senator Brice were severed and Mr. Bippus became the factor of the company.
455
The oil business developed later and the man whose ability had made him a fortune was not slow in seeing the possibilities of this field, and Mr. Bippus rapidly became one of the largest in- dividual operators in oil in the west, controlling the output of over two hundred wells alone, without reference to wells yielding gas, the total number of wells drilled and owned by his company being over five hundred, and hundreds of employes were kept in the field. The company supplied natural gas to many cities and towns in this section of the state. Mr. Bippus leased three thous- and acres of lands in Huntington and Grant counties, paying fifty cents a year an acre for the leases. He brought the Standard Oil Company out this way, and proposed that the Standard develop the field, the company putting its money against the leases. This plan was carried out and Mr. Bippus in a short time sold his in- terest to the Standard Oil Company for one hundred and seventy- five thousand dollars cash. Later he held leases on thirty thou- sand acres of gas and oil lands for which he paid twenty thousand dollars a year. He rapidly developed the field, and in a short time his income was eleven thousand dollars a month, and his income from the oil business at that time was five thousand dollars a month. His income from his oil field subsequently became over twenty thousand dollars a month, and the Huntington Light & Fuel Company, which is synonymous with the name of George J. Bippus, became a local power. It was the magnitude and intricacies of this business that required its founder's exclusive attention for many years. The worry of these details gradually broke down his health. He had become at the time of his death the largest indi- vidual oil operator west of the Alleghany mountains, probably keeping twelve hundred men employed in those fields. He was always in Wall street, but was not a plunger. Everything he went into made him money, but he was not reckless. He could float more bonds in New York than any other man in Indiana. He was one of the heaviest stockholders in Schaff Bros'. Piano Company at Huntington. Besides his large block of Erie stock, the electric lighting plant, the artificial gas plant, the finest business block, all of Huntington, he owned various other interests of no small magnitude. He left a fortune of considerably more than a million dollars.
A young man named Bash, of Huntington, Indiana, who held a government position, went to China and got on good terms with
456
the Chinese officials. Returning home, he pictured to Mr. Bippus the fortune to be made by building a railroad in China. Mr. Bip- pus took Bash to New York and talked the matter over with Mr. Brice and a syndicate, with the result that they organized, and got a large number of concessions from the Chinese government. These concessions, after Mr. Brice's death, were sold to Belgian and Russian capitalists.
Mr. Bippus was a man averse to notoriety. IIe would never permit laudatory articles of his life to be printed, and there were numerous business propositions in which he was a factor that have never come before the public. ITis enterprises were of direct benefit to Huntington, to which he was always loyal, and his abil- ity was possibly of more benefit to that city than any ten men in the city's history. Quietly he gave away hundreds of dollars that no one knew of. He often furnished free fuel to destitute families, pensioned the widows and employes who died in his service and in innumerable ways demonstrated his greatness of heart and his altruistic nature. Personally, he was reserved, and he formed only few warm personal friendships, but they were the loyal and admiring kind. He was a man who believed in carrying his relig- ion into his every-day life, and was a worthy member; in fact, was long a pillar of the First Presbyterian church of Huntington, dis- tinctively the foremost member of that congregation, and did more for it than any other member could do. Once the church had a debt of several thousand dollars; Mr. Bippus proposed to the congre- gation to give half if the congregation would give the other half. An effort was made, but only a third of the sum was promised. Mr. Bippus saw that the effort would entail a sacrifice on the part of some of the poorer members and he paid two-thirds of the debt himself. This is only one of scores of instances where he went down in his pocket and proved his faith and sincere devotion to the cause of religion by substantial donation. He was a generous contributor to other organizations. He was an ardent Republi- can and a heavy contributor to the campaign expenses of the party whose principles he advocated.
Mr. Bippus was the heaviest taxpayer in Huntington county, and his fortune ranked him with the wealthiest men of northern Indiana. Those who knew him best will readily acquiesce in the - statement that every dollar accumulated was fairly and honestly won, due to his own efforts, his keen financial foresight and never-
457
flagging attention to business. His home, the pride of the city of Huntington, and a mansion that would be a credit to any of the large cities of the country, was where he liked best to be, for he was much attached to his family, and in order to spend most of his time with them he was seldom seen at public gatherings except church, or at social functions. He provided liberally for those around him and keenly enjoyed their happiness. The prosperity of the community gave him pleasure, and his fealty to the city and its interests did much to make it prosperous during his fifty years of residence in Huntington.
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.