Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 82

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

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while at present he is a member of the school board.

On the 9th of June, 1875, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Slack and Miss Flora M. McCaughey, the eldest daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth H. McCaughey, of Huntington. Mrs. Slack is a native of Stark county, Ohio, born in 1849, and by her marriage has become the mother of three children: Lizzie Hunt and Mary Thompson, twins, and Sarah Belle,-all still living.

Socially, Mr. Slack affiliates with the Masonic fraternity, being a Master Mason, and in political sentiment is a stalwart Dem- ocrat. Mrs. Slack holds a membership in the Presbyterian Church, and is a lady of many excellent traits of character. They hold an enviable position in social circles, and by all who know them are held in the highest respect.

J AMES W. BURWELL, dealer in hardware and farm implements, Sidney, Indiana, is a native of Fair- field county, Ohio, son of Joseph Burwell, a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, born in 1815. He (Joseph) is a son of Joseph (Sr. ) and Sarah (McLain) Burwell, of English and Irish descent, re- spectively, who were among the pioneer settlers of Pickaway county, Ohio. Joseph Burwell was united in marriage, in Fairfield county, with Deborah Watson, a native of the same county, born in 1816. She is a daughter of James and Rebecca (Cunning- ham) Watson, both of Irish descent. Mr. Watson was a pioneer settler of Fairfield county, and was a soldier in the war of 1812.

The father of our subject participated in the Mexican war, serving under General

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Taylor. He departed this life in Madison county, Ohio, March 7, 1863; and in 1865 the mother removed with the family to Whitley county, Indiana, settling in Thorn Creek township, where she died in 1889. Five children were born to .Mr. and Mrs. Burwell, of whom only two /survive: James W., and Sarah F., wife of John AJ. Swigart, a well known farmer of Thorn Creek town- ship, to whom have been born six chil- dren. The deceased children of Joseph Burwell were named as follows: Margaret E., who was the wife of John Archer; Ellen M., who was the wife of the late Samuel L. Phiester; and Rebecca J., who was the wife of the late Albert Lovett.

James W., the only son of the family, was born December 13, 1847. He grew to man's estate on farms in the counties of Fairfield, Perry and Licking, and in the com- mon schools he obtained a practical education, remaining at home until twenty-four years of age. In 1871 he was united in marriage with Miss Carolina C. Craft, a native of Whitley county, Indiana, born March 13, 1852. She is a daughter of William P. and Rachel (Beeson) Craft.

After his marriage he settled upon a farm in Thorn Creek township, where he lived until 1882, when he moved to Jefferson township in the same county, where he em- barked in the hardware business. In 1888 he went to Mentone, Indiana, and the fol- lowing year came to Sidney, where he has built up a large and lucrative business. To Mr. and Mrs. Burwell have been born eight children, five of whom are living: Edna B., wife of Calvin C. Miller; Walter K., Cecil Blanche, Geneva, James Benton, Lester Eugene, who died December 21, 1894; and two others who died in childhood.

He is a member of the Masonic order,

of long standing, and of his lodge he is the present Junior Warden. Politically he is a Republican, and has been active in local affairs both in Whitley county and here, be- ing the present incumbent of the office of Township Trustee, to which he was elected in the fall of 1894.

UCIUS B. MCKINLEY, Prosecu- ting Attorney of Kosciusko county. is a son of John McKinley, a na- tive of Columbiana county, Ohio, and an own cousin of William McKinley, of tariff-reform fame. His father is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and for more than forty years was actively engaged in labor for the Master. He descended from old Scotch stock and inherited the best traits which characterize that race. He was born in 1818, and was united in mar- riage to Elizabeth J. Boyle, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Alexander and Susan Boyle, natives of Pennsylvania. They reared a family of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, seven of whom survive, namely: Benjamin H. ; Mary, widow of Thomas Anderson; John W .; William W .; Sarah E., wife of William E. Flanigan; Henry M., a student of Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana; and Lucius B., the subject of this biography.

The last named was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, January 2, 1848, and was an infant when his parents removed to Dela- ware county, Indiana. At the age of nine years he began his independent career in life, hiring out to do chores for a farmer. Ten years later he went to Allen county, Indiana, and there he was enabled to secure for himself some educational advantages. By remarkable perseverance and industry he

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fitted himself for teaching and for five years was numbered among the educators of that section. For the purpose of pursuing his own studies, he entered Fort Wayne Meth- odist Episcopal College and in less than a year was admitted to the conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the spring of 1871. Several important appointments followed in order, but in 1889, from consci- entious scruples, he joined the Baptist de- nomination. Having a decided taste for the legal profession he gave some time to the study of law, and in 1885, at Warsaw, Indiana, he engaged in practice. In 1890 he passed the examinations required for admission to the bar, and his success as a practitioner was confirmed by his election to the office of Prosecuting Attorney in 1894. In politics our subject gives an un- wavering support to the Republican party. He is a man of much more than ordinary ability, of the strictest integrity and worthy in every way of the confidence reposed in him.

Mr. Mckinley was married in Allen county, Indiana, to Miss Mary A. Brubaker, and of this union five children have been born, two of whom are deceased.

0 R. L. H. CONLEY, of Gas City, In- diana, is a native of Knox coun- ty, Ohio, son of Hugh Conley, a native of Ireland, who emigrated to America about 1854 and settled in the county and State of our subject's nativ- ity. He married in 1854, Matilda Colopy, a native of Knox county, and daughter of Timothy Colopy, a native of Ireland. Sub- sequent to their marriage they removed from Knox county, where Mr. Conley had been engaged in the marble business, and located

in Columbus, Ohio. Here they resided two years, and in 1859 they removed to Daven- port, Iowa, where he died in 1863. Mrs. Conley still survives, and resides with her son, the Doctor. They were parents of three children, two living: Elizabeth, wife of Dr. A. E. Welker, a prominent physician of Walhonding, Ohio: they have two chil- dren; and Dr. L. H. of this sketch, who is the eldest. Mr. Conley was a Catholic in religious belief and practice, zealously de- voted to the church. Mrs. Conley is of the same faith, her life having been devoted to performing the Christian duties required by her church.

Dr. Conley's birth occurred April 27. 1857. His early life, after the manner of boys of his class, was spent in attending the public schools. His preliminary education was quite thorough, sufficiently so for all social and practical purposes; but, as he had the profession of medicine and surgery in view, it was deemed best that his literary education should still further be extended and developed. For the accomplishment of this he attended schools in Mt. Vernon and Danville, Ohio. He martriculated in the Western Reserve Medical College, at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1881, and in 1882 in the medical department of Wooster Uni- versity, at which he graduated 1883. After his graduation he immediately entered upon the practice of his profession at Middlebury, Indiana, continuing until the close of the year 1884; and during 1885 and 1886 he practiced at Mount Vernon, Ohio; and at Democracy, Ohio, from 1887 until the close of 1892. At the latter date he came to Gas City, Indiana, where he has since remained, and is established in a successful and lucra- tive practice.

His marriage to Miss Elizabeth Hixon

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took place in 1885. She is a native of Middlebury, Indiana, and a daughter of Henry W. Hixon, a prominent and influen- tial banker of that place. Mr. Hixon was a gallant soldier in the late war, serving in the artillery branch of the service, and losing an arm while fighting the battles of his country. To Dr. and Mrs. Conley have been born three children, -Edna, La Mar and Jean- nette.

Dr. Conley follows in the religion of his honored parents. He is a member of the orders of K. of G. E. and K. O. T. M. He is also a member of the Grant County Med- ical Society, and of the State Medical Asso- ciation; and at present he is the efficient Health Officer of Gas City. Dr. Conley is devoted to his calling, and keeps well in- formed on all the latest discoveries in medi- cine. He is a close student in professional literature, keeping himself well abreast of the foremost in all that pertains to the science and art of his calling.

ILLIAM D. ALLEMAN, the ef- ficient Postmaster of Warsaw, In- diana, is one of the young and enterprising business men of the city. He is a native of Marshall county, Indiana, born near the line of Marshall and Fulton counties, April 3, 1862, and is a son of John B. and Caroline M. (Hall) Alleman, both of whom were natives of Ohio, and who came with their respective families to Indiana in 1840, and both locating in Mar- shall county. The father is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now re- siding in Pierceton, Indiana. Having served for twenty-five years in the ministry, he has filled many of the pulpits in the State and

been instrumental in bringing many souls " into the kingdom." The mother of Will- iam D. is a daughter of George Hall, also a native of Ohio. One of the pioneers of Marshall county, he did mnuch toward its de- velopment. To John B. and Caroline M. Alleman were born five sons and three daughters, six of the number now living.

William D. Alleman, our subject, re- moved with his parents to Silver Lake, In- diana, about the close of the late war, and there attended the district school, laying the foundation for the practical education in later life received. His father was there engaged in general merchandising, and while thus engaged felt that he was called upon to engage in the ministry. First licensed as a local preacher, he was subsequently taken into the conference and thus began his life work.

Our subject in 1877, when but fifteen years old, engaged as a farm hand, for three years; the following of the plow and wrest- ling with the sheaves were in season the vocation of this youth, while in winter he re- turned to school, the last term which he was permitted to attend being the Warsaw high school in 1879 and 1880.

Uniting himself in marriage to Miss Min- nie E. Knowles in the spring of 1880, the twain spent their first summer upon the farm of Braddock Popham, near the old Mount Pleasant church six miles south of Warsaw. One beautiful November day of 1880 found them removing their household effects to Warsaw, there to become permanent resi- dents of the beautiful little city in which many Hoosiers take great pride.

About the first employment secured after arriving at Warsaw was in the jewelry store of E. E. Spangle, where he received for his services $5 per week. After working for

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Mr. Spangle some six months he entered the employ of S. S. Baker, who was en- gaged in general merchandising in Warsaw, and remained there also six months. He next secured employment from Comstock Brothers, grocers, at an advanced salary, and remained in their employ for two or more years.

In 1885, through the influence of Judge E. V. Long, Colonel J. B. Dodge, Hon. William Conrad and others, Hon. George Ford, then representing the Thirteenth Con- gressional District of Indiana in Congress, was induced to recommend young Alleman for the position of railway mail clerk, and he was assigned to a route on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, running from Crestline, Ohio, to Chicago, Illinois. After serving two years as mail clerk, with entire satisfaction to the Government and patrons along the line of his run, on Novem- ber 1, 1887, he resigned and went into the grocery business in Warsaw, in partnership with his brother, Charles E. Alleman. This partnership continued several years, the bus- iness being quite successful. He then sold out to his brother, and in October, 1893, was appointed Postmaster at Warsaw, en- tering on his duties November I. In the discharge of the duties of the latter office he brings to bear good executive ability and a practical knowledge acquired in the railway mail service. In addition to the labors de- volving upon him as Postmaster, he gives a portion of his time to outside work, having at the present time a half interest with his younger brother, Eugene, in one of the largest grocery stores in Warsaw. This store is finely equipped and run under the firm name of Alleman Brothers.

In politics, Mr. Alleman is a strong Demo- crat and has ever advocated the principles

of that party. Although having no special desire for political preferment, he was in- duced by his many friends once to accept the nomination of Sheriff of the county. The conceded Republican majority in Kosci- usko county is between 800 and 1, 300, and our subject succeeded in reducing this major- ity to 285. Notwithstanding his outspoken views on all political questions, he yet num- bers among his personal friends many in opposing political parties, and in the race received the votes of many such men. For two years he served as Councilman from the Second ward of the city.

Mr. Alleman married Miss Minnie E. Knowles, a daughter of Stephen Knowles, who is one of the oldest settlers in eastern Indiana. His father, the grandfather of Mrs. Alleman, was John Knowles, who was one of three to first settle in Kosciusko county on the Tippecanoe river. To Mr. and Mrs. Alleman five children have been born, four of whom are now living. One child, a daughter, who was the second born, died in infancy.

Fraternally Mr. Alleman is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and was twice sent as a delegate by his lodge to the Grand Lodge at Indianapolis. He is past Regent of the order. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Improved Order of Red Men, also an acceptable member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, an organization in which both father and grandfather Alle- man have labored for the salvation of souls for years, grandfather (Christian) Alleman representing the church in the pioneer days of northern Indiana and for more than fifty years a local preacher, being ordained local Deacon by Bishop Bowman in 1875. W. D. was but recently made superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday-school, of War- saw, succeeding Joseph A. Funk, who for

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fifty-one consecutive years superintended this school. Young, enterprising and popular, he has a bright future before him.

ILLIAM HENRY TIGAR is chief dispatcher and superintendent of the telegraphic system of the western division of the Pittsburg Railroad Company. The responsible posi- tion held by our subject is perfectly in line with his fitness for the place. It is unques- tionably true that nature has endowed some men with a capacity to blunder, while to others have been given so fine a mental equi- poise and all-around balance that they em- body the nicety of always being absolutely exact. In this age danger to life and prop- erty increases in proportion to the ever widening environment of human advance- ment, and with the conditions so introduced it becomes essential that there shall rise up a class of calculating and deliberative men in whom the liability to mistake is reduced to the minimum. It is of such men that railroad companies make train dispatchers and operators.

Mr. Tigar is a native of Fort Wayne, born June 26, 1856. His father, Thomas Tigar, is one of the honored pioneers and prominent citizens of this section of Indiana. His birth occurred in the town of Beverly, Yorkshire, England, in 1809, and the days of his childhood and youth were passed in his native land. In 1830, having attained his majority, he crossed the Atlantic to America, first locating in the city of New York. He was a printer by trade, and in the Eastern metropolis and other cities of the Empire State he plied his vocation for two years. In 1832 he followed the west- ward star of emigration until he had

reached Indianapolis, Indiana, and in June of the following year he located in Fort Wayne. This region then seemed to be almost on the borders of civilization, but the work of progress and development was being carried steadily forward, and in this Mr. Tigar became an important factor. Here he entered the editorial field and established the Sentinel, which soon became the leading and official newspaper of the county and enjoyed a large patronage. With two exceptions this is the oldest newspaper in the State. Its first issue bears the date of July 6, 1833. In its publication, Mr. Tigar was associated with S. V. B. Noel, "two citizens who were among the most prominent in all public affairs for many years." Strangely enough, these gentlemen differed radically in politics. Mr. Tigar was an uncompromising Democrat, and Mr. Noel was a stalwart Whig. Accordingly the paper was not at first noted for strong allegiance to either party but generally observed a neu- tral course. The population of Fort Wayne was then about 300, and the publication of the little weekly was an ambitious undertak- ing of very doubtful financial success. It was a hard struggle. There were few mer- chants to advertise and the resources for news were slight; moreover the purses of the proprietors were slender; but the paper managed to survive and has long since rounded its half century of usefulness and is one of the most valuable newspaper properties in the State. Mr. Noel retired within a few months with more experience than wealth, and the publication of the paper was continued by Mr. Tigar, who at once announced its policy as Democratic and held it firmly to that creed.

Mr. Tigar continued to conduct this pa- per until 1865, when he sold out and returned

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to England to visit his old home and friends. Subsequently he returned to Fort Wayne, where he died in February, 1875, at the age of sixty-seven years. He was a gentle- man of marked probity of character; in all the relations of life sustaining the princi- ples of respectable manhood.

The boyhood days of William Henry Tigar were spent in his native city, and in the public schools he acquired a fair English education, pursuing his studies until he had attained his sixteenth year. At that age he secured a position in a mercantile establish- ment in Fort Wayne, where for three years he was absorbed in learning the practical side of a tradesman's life. In 1873 he en- tered the office of Mr. Bonnell, superintend- ent of the telegraph of the Muncie Railroad, where he mastered the art of telegraphy. In February, 1877, he secured a position with the Pennsylvania Company as night operator at Delphos, Ohio. In May of the same year he was given the position of night operator at Fort Wayne, and after filling the positions of night and day operator and night and day train dispatcher, he was, on March 20, 1892, promoted to the position of division operator and chief dispatcher for the Western division of the Pittsburg Com- pany's lines. For eighteen years he has most efficiently discharged the exacting duties connected with the telegraph service, sustaining well those essential qualities of attention to duty and carefulness of detail which dominate the lives of men in trying positions of trust and grave responsibilities.

Mr. Tigar's marriage to Miss Gertrude, daughter of A. C. Probasco, an early settler and respected citizen of Fort Wayne, oc- curred in 1880. Their union has been blessed with five children, four sons and one daughter. Our subject and his family are

members of the First Presbyterian Church. Socially, he is connected with the Royal Arcanum, and is Past Grand Regent of the State of Indiana. From early youth he has been an ardent Democrat, and in the first election after the adoption of the new char- ter for the city he was elected Councilman from the First Ward, the ward in which he was born and has spent his entire life. Since his election he has taken front rank among the members of the Council, and is recog- nized as one of the leaders of the same.

IHRAN K. SERAILION .- This gentleman, although but recently identified with Fort Wayne and our country, has attained prom- inence here in his wonderful ability as an artist. He was by nature endowed with considerable talent in this direction and ex- cellent training has added largely to his efficiency. When only fifteen years of age and before he had ever taken a lesson in painting he made a picture for which he re- ceived the sum of five Turkish pounds. That was in his native land.

Mr. Serailion is an Armenian. He was born on the 13th of November, 1867, in Caesarea, Asia Minor, where he spent his youth and early manhood. He attended school until the age of twenty, after which he was engaged in teaching three years. He then went to Egypt, where he pursued the study of art under an Egyptian painter of considerable repute, and made a specialty of oil painting. For two years he remained in the Land of the Pyramids, and during his sojourn in that country painted a portrait of II Abbas Helmy Pashaw, the new Khedive of Egypt, and also one of Mahomet Mukhtar

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Pashaw, the old general of the Turko-Rus- sian war.

In 1892 Mr. Serailion crossed the At- lantic and became a resident of the United States. After a short stay in Boston, Mas- sachusetts, he came west to Indiana, locat- ing in Fort Wayne. He is a man of broad education and ripe scholarship, and a fine linguist, speaking fluently several different languages. He had studied the English tongue before coming to this country, but after locating in Fort Wayne he entered Taylor University, where he spent six months in order to perfect his English. On leaving the University he opened his present studio in Fort Wayne, where he has since devoted his time and talents to his art, having already established an enviable repu- tation as a teacher in that line as well as a painter. Among the portraits painted by him which have received favorable com- ment, we note those of the late F. P. Ran- dall, President Reed, of Taylor University, and Dr. Wright, of Washington, District of Columbia.

F. LONG, County Clerk of De Kalb county, Indiana, is a native of Auburn, this State, born June 4, 1849. His father Michael Long, was a native of Lancaster, Pennsyl- vania, and was a butcher by trade. From Pennsylvania he emigrated to Wayne county, Ohio, and some years later crossed the line into Indiana, locating in Auburn, De Kalb county, where he spent his remaining days, his death occurring in 1879, at the age of sixty- three years. He established at Auburn the first meat market in the county and conducted the same for a number of years. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Cath-

erine Baird, was also a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She survived her husband only two weeks, and her great grief at his loss undoubtedly caused her death. She left two children, -Henry J., a resident of Kendallville, Indiana; and M. F., whose name heads this article.

Our subject received his education in the public schools of his native town and assisted his father in the meat market until he was seventeen years of age. He then engaged in teaching for several terms in a district school, and the next three years were em- ployed in the public schools of Auburn. From the school-room he turned his atten- tion to dealing in musical instruments and for three years represented an organ and piano firm, after which he accepted a clerk- ship in the general store of McQuiston & Ralston, of Auburn, serving in that capacity for two years. He was next appointed United States mail agent on the Air Line of the Lake Shore Railroad, a year later was transferred to the Baltimore & Ohio Rail- road, and on resigning this position pur- chased an interest in the business of McQuis- ton & Ralston, his former employers, with whom he was associated as partner during the next three years. After disposing of his interest in this establishment he removed to Butler, in 1885, and for three years carried on a meat market, at the end of which time he sold out to Capp Brothers and began dealing in ice, making an artificial pond for the purpose of furnishing an ice supply. In the meantime he associated himself with Messrs. Brown, Culbertson & Boland in the agricultural implement and hardware busi- ness at Butler, under the firm name of M. F. Long & Company, in which line he is still doing a successful business, carrying a well selected stock of implements and hardware.

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Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 82

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