Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 32

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 932

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MEMORIAL RECORD OF

Abigail, Delilah, who died in early child- hood, and John Nelson. Only James and John are now living. The maternal great- grandfather of Mrs. Elder was born in Ger- many, and on emigrating to America located in Pennsylvania. He was one of the heroes of the Revolution. The paternal grand- father of Mrs. Elder, Jacob Harpster, mar- ried Charity Hartsock, and their family comprised the following: Margaret, Henry, Daniel, David, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary Ann, Jacob, Isaac, Samuel, Jonas and one who died in infancy. The surviving members of the family are Samuel, Daniel, Isaac and Mary Ann, and the last named is now living with our subject, at the age of eighty years. The Harpster family is also of German origin, and the great-grandfather of Mrs. Elder crossed the Atlantic from Germany to Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, and aided the Colonies in the war for inde- pendence.

Upon their marriage our subject and his wife located upon her father's farm, where they lived until 1875, when he erected his present residence and removed to the farm which he had purchased in Troy township. He now owns 175 acres of valuable land, and his wife has 173 acres, making in all 348 acres, all in one body. One-half of this is under a high state of cultivation and is a rich and fertile tract, yielding a golden tribute to the care and labor which the owner bestows upon it. He is recognized as a representative farmer and one well desery- ing of representation in this volume.

Three children were born in the family of Mr. and Mrs. Elder, namely: Henry, born July 24, 1857, died April 2, 1869; a son, born February 9, 1863, died on the 21st of the same month; and Delbert Sherman, born May 11, 1869, married Winona Noble,

daughter of John and Maxie (Barnes) Noble, and they have two children,-Ralph and Esther.

Mr. Elder is identified with the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the lodge in Larwill. His political support is given to the Demo- cracy, and for four years he served as Justice of the Peace, while for a similar period he acted as Town Trustee, and in these offices he discharged his duties in a most creditable and acceptable manner.

A IME RACINE, one of the enter- prising business men of the city of Fort Wayne, and well known over this and adjoining States as the manufacturer of the "Racine " horse collar, is a native of far-away Switzerland. Al- though of foreign birth, Mr. Racine is thor- oughly identified with America and her interests, and especially with Fort Wayne. We take pleasure in here referring biograph- ically to him.

Aime Racine was born in Switzerland, March 16, 1834, son of John Jacob Racine and wife, both natives of that country, the father a farmer. In 1849 the Racine family emigrated to the United States and settled on a farm in Washington township, Allen county, Indiana. Here the father passed the rest of his life and died. Young Aime remained on the farm and assisted his father in its operations until the Buchanan and Fremont campaign, when they had a dis- agreement about political matters, and this disagreement resulted in the son's leaving home and coming to Fort Wayne. Here he entered the employ of Mr. James McCon- nell and under his instructions began to learn the trade of harness and collar maker. Soon afterward, however, Mr. McConnell sold out

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to a Mr. Shoaff, and Mr. Racine continued with the latter for a period of three years, in that time thoroughly mastering the busi- ness. In 1852 he went to Chicago, where he worked at the collar trade a short time, and subsequently was employed at various places. In 1863 he accepted the position of foreman in the wholesale collar depart- ment for the large wholesale concern of Homestead, Jones & Lavell, dealers in har- ness and saddlery hardware. About the close of the war he accompanied James Mc- Connell, his first employer, to Quincy, Illi- nois. They took with them a large stock of leather and hardware, and intended to embark in the harness and collar business at that place, but they found no suitable loca- tion and soon disposed of their stock, after which they returned to Fort Wayne. Here Mr. Racine and Mr. Louis Traub formed a co-partnership, Mr. Racine adding the manu- facture of horse collars to the already es- tablished harness business of Mr. Traub. Their association, however, lasted only six months, when the firm dissolved, and since that time the subject of our sketch has car- ried on business under his own name, and has been greatly prospered in his under- takings. He has gained an enviable and well-deserved reputation as the manufac- turer of the Racine horse collar, his orders for this article coming not only from Indiana but also from neighboring States.

Mr. Racine has a wife and two daughters. Mrs. Racine is a native of Ohio, and was formerly Miss Louise Sawdy. Of their daughters we record that Olive, their first born, is the wife of Homer T. Smith, of Fort Wayne; and Nettie is the wife of Harry Boseker, also of this city.

Mr. Racine has been an ardent Repub- lican ever since his early manhood, when he

left home on account of his political views; and he has on two different occasions been honored by election to the city council of Fort Wayne, representing the Ninth ward.

0 AVID S. REDELSHEIMER, a resident of Monroeville, Indiana, - and a gentleman whose name is well known in the mercantile cir- cles of this town and also in those of the city of Fort Wayne, is well worthy of specific mention in connection with the biographies of other representative men of Allen county.

Mr. Redelsheimer is of German birth and ancestry. Sigmund Redelsheimer, his father, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, February 15, 1810, son of Solomon Redels- heimer, a native of Saxony. The mother of our subject, nce Esther Dessauer, also a native of Wurtemberg, born in June, 1817, was a daughter of Gottleib Dessauer, Magis- trate and a prominent citizen of the village in which he lived. He died in the old country. Sigmund Redelsheimer was by trade a shoemaker. From his nineteenth to his twenty-second year he served in the volunteer service of his country, at Ham- burg, and soon after his return home was conscripted into the army at Wurtemberg, and for six years thereafter was on active duty. In 1839, after the death of his wife, which occurred that year, he emigrated to America and located at Fort Wayne, where he became associated in mercantile business with Mr. Abraham Oppenheimer, and was ranked with the pioneer merchants of the city, his location being on Columbia street. His career as a merchant here extended over the period between the years 1839 and 1876, and from 1876 until the time of his death, April 19, 1895, he lived retired. He

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was a member of the Jewish Synagogue, in politics was a Republican, and as one of the early residents of Fort Wayne was promi- ent and much respected. Some years after his arrival in America he was married to Miss Lena Salinger, their marriage occurring at La Fayette, Indiana, in 1846. She is a native of Posen, and is still living. Seven children were the result of their union, their names being as follows: Mrs. Leopold, Huntington, Indiana; Levi; Mrs. Benjamin Rothschild, Fort Wayne, Indiana; Mrs. Ben- jamin Levy, Moberly, Missouri; Julius, Seat- tle, Washington; Mrs. A. Seinsheimer, Cin- cinnati, Ohio; Mrs. Benjamin Lehman, Cin- cinnati; and Charles, Detroit, Michigan.

David S. Redelsheimer, the only child by his father's first marriage, was born in Wurtemberg, May 22, 1836, and as his mother died when he was three years old he was then taken by his grandmother, with whom he remained until his fourteenth year. Then he came to America. He embarked for this country July 6, 1850, and on the 4th of August landed in Fort Wayne. Here he attended school one year-the seminary in which the late Prof. A. C. Huestis was principal. The next four years he spent in the printing-office of G. W. Wood, where he proved himself a faithful employe and be- came familiar with every detail of the work. In 1856 he enlisted in the First Heavy Artil- lery, U. S. A., under Captain Brennan, later Major General, and was for three years on active duty, fighting the Seminole Indians, in the South. After having received an honorable discharge, he returned to Fort Wayne, and in the year 1860 went over into Ohio and at Van Wert established himself in business, opening up a stock of general merchandise. January 5, 1861, he issued handbills advertising to sell out his stock in

order that he might enter the Union army. The handbills were distributed, did their work and were wellnigh forgotten, and, what is strange to say, ten years afterward one of them was found on a wall, and has since been kept by Mr. Redelsheimer. It reads as follows:

" Down with Sectionalism! Civil war is declared! Southern forts taken by the Se- cessionists.

" From and after this date I will sell any and all of my stock of goods at Cincinnati wholesale prices; as I wish to sell out and prepare to volunteer at the first call to regain and protect the Government property taken possession of by Southern Secessionists.

" I have now on hand a good and well selected stock of toys, groceries, glassware, notions, etc. Store one door south of post- office.

"D. S. REDELSHEIMER.

" Van Wert, January 5, 1861. "(Watchman Print.)"

When the first call of President Lincoln was made, our subject's goods, not all being disposed of, were sold off at auction and he responded to the call, enlisting as a private April 18, 1861, and as a member of Com- pany E, Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. When the regiment assembled at Columbus, Ohio, it was formed into a three-months regiment and was sent to the western part of Virginia, where it participated in the battles of Philippi, Waverly and Garrick's Ford. At the end of the three months it was returned to Columbus, and there Mr. Redelsheimer endeavored to re-enlist, but was rejected on acount of physical disability. His discharge is dated August 28, 1861.

On his return from the army, Mr. Redelsheimer engaged in the wholesale grocery and liquor business with his father

B. F. Shull.

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at No. 15 East Columbia street, Fort Wayne, where he continued until 1872. That year he severed his connection with this establishment and turned his attention to the millinery and fancy goods business, in partnership with Mr. Joseph Black, with whom he associated until 1876, having large establishments in both Fort Wayne and Cleveland. In 1878 he came to Mon- roeville and engaged in stave manufacture. That was in April. July 5 of the same year he purchased a drug store, and in 1886 bought a flouring mill, all of which he oper- ated for some time. But the mill burned in 1888 and for lack of timber the stave factory was closed up. He has enlarged his drug store, adding an immense stock of general merchandise, and now deals in almost every line of goods. In 1881 he erected the large brick building he has since occupied. It is 22 X 132 feet in dimensions, has three stories and a basement, and an L, one story, 20 x 20 feet, which is used for office purposes. The old building, 22 x 71 feet, is connected with the new, and all are filled with goods. And besides these buildings he has a two-story warehouse, 20 x 90 feet, where he stores wool, salt, glassware, seeds, etc.

Mr. Redelsheimer, as stated at the be- ginning of this article, also has business in- terests in the city of Fort Wayne. He there has an interest in an establishment in which are manufactured jeans and worsted pants and overalls, jackets and sack coats, this factory being located on the corner of Har- rison and Main streets, and run under the firm name of D. S. Redelsheimer & Company. Also he has a general store at Baldwin, In- diana, a town located on the Fort Wayne, Findlay & Western Railroad.

Mr. Redelsheimer was married Decem- ber 22, 1862, to Charlotte Strass, a native

of Bohemia and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Strass. Her parents located in Fort Wayne in 1872, where they spent the closing years of their lives and died, his death occurring in March, 1894, and hers in March of the following year. Her father was for years the Rabbi at Ligonier, Indi- ana. Mr. and Mrs. Redelsheimer have three children, namely: Rose, wife of Emanuel H. Strass, of Cleveland, Ohio, has one child, Clarissa Rena; Maley and Adolph.

The subject of our sketch has received the degrees in a number of the most popular secret organizations and has on various oc- casions been honored by official preferment in the same. He is a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council, F. & A. M., all of Fort Wayne; I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 14, Fort Wayne; K. of P., No. 360, Mon- roeville; William H. Link Post, No. 301, G. A. R., Monroeville, of which he is now Senior Post Commander. He was Aid-de- Camp to State Commander I. N. Walker. In politics Mr. Redelsheimer has always taken an active part, affiliating with the Republican party, and giving his support to the advancement of all movements which in his opinion were intended to promote the general welfare. He has served as a mem- ber of the School Board of Monroeville, was one year its president, and filled the office to the general satisfaction of all concerned.

B F. SHULL is the owner of a valu- able farm of 160 acres situated on section 28, Washington township, Whitley county, Indiana. The greater part of the land is now under cultiva- tion and the waving fields of grain attest the care and attention of the owner. There are well kept fences, the latest improved ma-

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chinery, a good grade of stock, and barns and outbuildings which provide ample shelter for stock and grain. In all its appointments this place is neat and thrifty, and the owner ranks among the most progressive agricul- turists of the community.

From the Keystone State comes the Shull family. The father of our subject was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, on the 19th of March, 1805, and his death oc- curred April 5, 1872, He married Elizabeth Harmon, also born in Franklin county, the date being March, 1806. The wedding was celebrated in the same county, and after a short residence there they removed to Mas- sillon, Ohio, where the father was engaged in cabinet-making for a number of years, running a factory there in connection with his brother. When that work was abandoned he removed to a farm in Lawrence township, Stark county, Ohio, -a partially improved place on which he made a permanent loca- tion. He turned his attention to the further development of the land, and carefully look- ing after his interests he made this undertak- ing a profitable one. He took quite an act- ive part in local affairs and usually served in some public office. His political support was given to the Republican party, and both he and his wife held membership in the United Brethren Church. Four sons and two daughters comprised the family of this worthy couple, of whom five grew to years of maturity, while two are now living. Amanda M. became the wife of John Jordan and died leaving four children and one de- ceased; Rebecca died at the age of thirty-one years, eight months and one day; B. F. is the next younger; Hiram married Martha Dodd and has two children; and William died at the age of twelve days. Hiram was a sol- dier in the Civil war, serving as a member of

Company A, One Hundred and Fourth Ohio Infantry.

In taking up the personal history of our subject we present to our readers the life record of one who is widely and favorably known in Whitley county. He was born in Stark county, Ohio, May 31, 1841, and was reared on the old home farm, where he early became familiar with the labors of the fields. He attended the district schools and has been a student since. He is a man of deep research, taking much interest in everything that tends to promote intelligence and edu- cation, and is a man of broad general in- formation. On the 16th of September, 1861, he came to Indiana, locating in Hunt- ington county, where he was employed in his brother's sawmill for five years.

In the meantime Mr. Shull was married. On the 20th of September, 1864, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Lucy E. House- holder, a native of Perry county, Ohio, and a daughter of John and Rachel (Goble) Householder, the former a native of Penn- sylvania, born April 22, 1808, and died in December, 1878; and the latter of New Jersey, born April 23, 1812, and died in 1888. They were married about 1830, and were early settlers of Huntington county. Mrs. Shull was born September 21, 1845, and was reared amid the wild scenes of frontier life. Her mother is still living, and yet resides on the old homestead in Hunting- ton county. The Householder family num- bered nine children, five of whom are still living, -Aaron, Mrs. Nancy Ann Hiner, Mrs. Shull, Mrs. Hannah M. Shavy and Christina E. Droz.

A year after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Shull took up their residence upon the farm which is now the home of the family. It was then a wild tract of land and they lived in a log

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cabin for some time, but many happy hours were passed in that frontier home ere it was replaced with the modern residence which stands to-day, and which was erected in September, 1874. They have reared two adopted children, Rozena Alice English and Samuel Edgar English, but they have no children of their own. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shull are members of the United Brethren Church and are active workers in its inter- est. In his political views Mr. Shull is a Republican and warmly advocates that party, which he has supported since attaining his majority. He has served as Ditch Com- missioner and has done good service in this capacity, and takes a commendable interest in all that pertains to the welfare of the community.

EORGE W. LACKEY, one of the leading and influential citizens of Garrett, Indiana, is at the head of a large general merchandise store, the finest in the place. He belongs to that class of American citizens, progressive and enterprising. who promote the public welfare while advancing individual prosperity, and in this volume, devoted to the best residents of northeastern Indiana, he well deserves representation.

Mr. Lackey was born in Independence, Preston county, West Virginia, November 29, 1851, and is a son of Joseph W. and Amanda (Royce) Lackey. The paternal grandfather was a New York farmer of Scotch-Irish descent. His wife lived to the advanced age of ninety-six years, and they had ten children, but none came to the West except the father of our subject and Charles. Joseph W. Lackey was born in Broome county, New York, in September, 1818, and

for twenty-five years engaged in railroading, acting in the capacity of engineer for twenty years. Previous to taking up that work he had engaged in merchandising for about six years in Tunnelton, West Virginia. In 1849 he married Amanda Royce, daughter of Moses and Sarah (Maple) Royce. Her father was born in Virginia, and removed to Putnam, Ohio, where he made his home until hisdeath in 1879, at the age of seventy- five years. His wife was a native of Greene county, Pennsylvania, and their children were: Benjamin, Amanda, Clara, a twin sister of Amanda, Charles, William and Maria.

· The parents of our subject had four chil- dren: Sarah Ann, born February 22, 1850, who is the wife of H. F. Sembower, an engineer residing in Garrett. George W. is the second of the family. Mary E., born November 2, 1855, is the wife of John Rob- bins, a resident of Auburn, Indiana, who is employed as a traveling salesman by a Chi- cago firm. Calvin A., born in July, 1858, was married in Dalton, Georgia, and is now living in Fort Valley, Georgia, where he is conducting a grocery store. The father of this family was killed by the explosion of his engine on the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- road at Franklin, Maryland, October 15, 1872. His wife died in March, 1864, when about forty-five years of age.

During the greater part of his active business life, Mr. Lackey has followed mer- chandising. He began business for himself in March, 1874, at Newburg, West Virginia, forming a partnership with James R. Smoot, under the firm name of Smoot & Lackey, dealers in general merchandise. He had been engaged in clerking from his fourteenth year, and was quite familiar with business plans and methods, so that he had a good

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fund of experience to aid him when he started out for himself. Newburg was then a mining and railroad town of about 800 inhabitants. He continued there until 1878, when he sold out to his partner with the in- tention of embarking in the wholesale grocery business in Wheeling, but failing to make the deal he anticipated he bought out the store of D. J. Gibson, a general merchant of Newburg, and continued business there until March, 1880.

It was at that date that Mr. Lackey ar- rived in Garrett, Indiana. Here he pur- chased the store of H. H. G. Upmeyer, a general merchant, who carried a stock valued at $11,000, which he has since increased to $15,000. In 1880 he built his present fine stone-front building, the best store in the place, and he now carries a large stock of goods, having increased his facilities to meet the growing demand until his business has assumed extensive proportions for a place of this size.

Mr. Lackey was married in West Vir- ginia, January 13, 1880, to Miss Mary Jack- son Hurley, who was born in that State in March, 1860, and is a daughter of Cornelius and Eliza (Jackson) Hurley. Their eldest child, Carl H., was born November 9, 1880, and died on the 4th of July, 1881. Madge Bennett, born April 23, 1882, and Floride Amanda, born November 9, 1884, are at home. The mother of this family died Feb- ruary 25, 1890, and on the 12th of Septem- ber, 1894, Mr. Lackey was united in mar- riage with Miss Mary A. Anderson, who was born in November, 1856, and is a daughter of George R. and Maria Anderson, of New- burg, West Virginia.

Mr. Lackey takes a prominent part in Masonic affairs, belonging to William Hack- er Chapter, R. A. M .; Apollo Commandery,

K. T., of Kendallville; Garrett City Lodge, No. 537, F. & A. M .; and DeKalb Council, of Auburn. He is also connected with Gar- ret City Lodge, No. 537, F. & A. M .; and DeKalb Council, of Auburn. He is also connected with Garrett City Lodge, No. 130, K. of P., and Cowan Tent, No. 61, K. O. T. M., of Garrett. He is a man of broad capabilities, and besides his store in Garrett is interested in various other enterprises. In June, 1893, he bought a half interest in a large dry-goods and millinery establishment of Auburn, Indi- ana, which is now conducted under the firm name of Bishop & Lackey, the stock being valued at $33,000. He was the organizer and is now secretary and treasurer of the Garrett Electric Light Company, which was established on the 24th of March, 1890. He was one of the original stockholders, and is still a director, of the Garrett Engine and Boiler Works.

In politics he is a stalwart Republican, and in 1890w as a candidate for the position of County Clerk and succeeded in reducing the regular Democratic majority three- fourths, -a fact which indicates his personal popularity and the high regard in which he is held. For eighteen years he has been a member of the Methodist Church, and is one of its liberal supporters and active workers. Through the legitimate channels of business he has achieved a handsome success and is to-day a prominent factor in commercial circles.

ILLIAM WILSON WILT, M. D., deceased, Montpelier, Indiana, will long be remembered for his many virtues, great kindness of heart and sterling integrity. He was also

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endowed by nature with the qualities essen- tial to success as a medical man, a good citi- zen, a true friend and an affectionate hus- band and father.

He was a native of Ohio, born in Darke county, June 30, 1848. John B. and Mar- tha (Dowler) Wilt were his parents, the former a native of Darke county, the latter of Preble county, the same State. The settlement of the family in Blackford coun- ty dates from the spring of 1857. He bought eight acres of land near the village of Dun- dee, which became the permanent home of the family, where the father died May 13, 1882. The mother still resides on the old homestead.

The early life of Dr. Wilt was spent in assisting his father in performing the arduous labors of the farm, the common schools af- fording him the means of obtaining a knowl- edge of the rudimentary branches. He was of a studious disposition, had a retentive memory, and meager as were his early school advantages he qualified himself to teach, which he did very successfully several terms. His predilection was for the study of medicine, and at the age of nineteen years he began reading under Dr. J. A. Ran- som, a skillful physician of Dundee, by whom for two years he was carefully pre- pared for medical college. In 1869 he was matriculated at the Indiana Medical College at Indianapolis, where he attended lectures. Subsequently for a year and a half he prac- ticed at Dundee, and in the fall of 1871 he returned to the same institution, where he resumed his studies and was graduated the following March.

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Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 32

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 932

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 932