USA > Indiana > Memorial record of northeastern Indiana > Part 84
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D. HECKMAN, farmer on section 36, Jackson township, an and ef- ficient incumbent of the office of County Commissioner, is a native Jay county, Indiana, born April 9, 1846,
and the son of Samuel Heckman, a native of Ohio, who married Mary Ann Morris, a Kentuckian by birth. Their marriage was celebrated in Ohio, and about 1840 they re- moved to Jay county, Indiana, where they resided two years, clearing a farm. In 1852 they removed to this county, settling on section 27, Jackson township. This place became their permanent home. Mr. Heck- man was a man of considerable local prom- inence and was actively interested in what- ever tended to ameliorate the conditions of men. His life was an industrious one, and he was successful in the accumulation of a comfortable competence. As a member of the Republican party he adhered to its prin- ciples and gave it loyal support.
He and his wife were religious in their lives, being prominent members of the Ger- man Baptist Church. His death occurred June 2, 1873, and Mrs. Heckman survived her husband until February 19, 1894, when she too passed away. To them were born thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to maturity, and at present eight are living: Mary Jane Suell, Rachel Miller, A. D., John, Sarah Huffinan, Lucetta Mowan, William and Catherine Leslie. The deceased are, Reason, Melissa, Idle, Louisa Studebaker and Phœbe Ann.
Mr. Heckman came to this county with his parents in 1852, when he was six years old; consequently he has a recollection covering almost entirely the growth and de- velopment of this county. His education was obtained in the common schools, the standard of which at that day was not very high. He remained with his parents until of age, assisting on the farm and also learned the carpenter's trade. November 26, 1868, occurred his marriage, Miss Rachel Michael becoming his wife, She is a native of Car-
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roll county, Ohio, born July 10, 1850, and a daughter of John and Annie (Schroyer) Michael, natives of Pennsylvania, the for- mer born in 1804 and the latter in 1816.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Michael took place in Ohio, where they resided until 1861, when they settled in Jackson town- ship, on section 27. His death occurred in 1879, and his now aged wife still survives. To them were born thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to manhood and womanhood, and nine of whom are living at the present time: George, Adam, Julia Ann Buchtel, Peter, Mary Jane Stahl, Rachel, wife of A. D. Heckman, Noah Allen, Cornelia Nor- ris and Sarah E. Norris. The deceased are John, Lydia Ann Carl, Lizzie Droud and Amanda, who died in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Michael were consistent Christian peo- ple and members of the Lutheran Church. He was a Republican in politics and a good citizen.
After his marriage Mr. Heckman worked at the carpenter's trade until 1871, at which time he located upon his present farm, then only partly improved. The homestead now comprises seventy acres and is well im- proved, his comfortable residence having been erected in 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Heck- man became the parents of six children: Sylvia Elvira is the wife of Aaron E. Ram- say and has one child: Albert Aaron; Charley E .; Isidore A., deceased; Lizzie Ann, deceased in infancy; and Jasper M.
Mr. Heckman is a Republican in politics and has held numerons offices, among which we mention that of Constable two terms, Assessor one term, -to which office he was appointed,-two terms as Trustee of the township, and in 1894 he was elected a Commissioner of the county. For five years he was the agent of the Nickel Plate Railroad
at Kinzie Station. He has administered three different estates, and has been the guardian of two wards. His business and executive ability is well recognized, and he enjoys the implicit confidence of all.
F. SCHNELKER, manufacturer of staves and a progressive business man of New Haven, Indiana, is. a native of the city which is still his home and with which his entire life has been identified. An outline of his career is of in- terest in this connection, for his friends and acquaintances throughout the community are many and will gladly receive the record.
Born on the 7th of July, 1854, he is a son of Bernard Schnelker, whose birth oc- curred in Hanover, Germany, April 8, 1828. There the father grew to manhood and learned the trade of blacksmithing. About 1847 he emigrated to America and took up his abode at Fort Wayne, Indiana, where, on the 20th of September, 1853, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Lupken, also a native of Germany, the date of her birth being November 1, 1833. She is a daughter of Frank H. Lupkin, who sailed with his family to the New World about 1847 and took up his residence on land two and a half miles south of New Haven, Allen county, Indiana. There he improved a farm and made a comfortable home, which was his place of abode throughout his re- maining days. His death occurred in 1882. Bernard Schnelker, with his wife, settled in New Haven immediately after marriage, and worked his way steadily upward from a common day laborer until he became one of the most prominent and enterprising men of the town. He launched out in business for himself as a general merchant, becoming
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a member of the firm of Schuckman & Schnelker, being thus engaged until about the close of the war. He was one of the originators of the stave business, which is now conducted by his son, and carried on that pursuit under his own name from 1861 until 1866, when he formed a company known as Schnelker, Beugnot & Company. Under this style operations were conducted until 1874, when the company was dis- banded and the new firm of H. Schnelker & Company assumed charge of the business, which was thus conducted until 1879, at which time it passed into the hands of the present management. Here, after an active and useful life, the father of our subject passed away, January 29, 1871. Both he and his wife were prominent members of the Catholic Church. She is still living and maintains her residence in New Haven. Mr. Schnelker was in politics a Democrat. He took quite an active interest in local affairs, was one of the original trustees of the village of New Haven, and at the time of his death was serving his second term as Trustee of Adams township. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, namely: H. F., of this review; Mary Cather- ine, who was born April 25, 1857, and died February 20, 1858; Francis L., who was born April 18, 1859, and died December 13, 1863; Mary Ellen, born October 9, 1862, now the wife of John G. Ashley, of Auburn, Indiana, by whom she has one child, Marie Hilda; Annie A., born August 18, 1865, at home with her mother; John Bernard, who was born November 29, 1867, and died February 5, 1872; and Catherine H., twin sister of John Bernard, and the wife of James W. Laughlin, of New Haven.
As before stated, our subject has passed his entire life in New Haven. His education
was acquired in the public and private schools of New Haven, the Brothers' School of Fort Wayne, and at Notre Dame. At the last named institution his studies were com- pleted in June, 1872, and on the ist of July following he became connected with the stave business, to which his attention has since been devoted. When the plant was burned he immediately rebuilt, and has since carried on business with increased facilities. A force of seventy-six men is now employed, the output per day is 40,000 staves with headings to match, and the product finds a ready sale over a wide extent of territory, extending from New York to Denver and from Minneapolis to New Orleans. He also has an interest in a similar factory at Payne, Ohio, where twenty-eight men find constant employment. Another industry in which Mr. Schnelker has for years taken a deep interest is that of the breeding of fine Here- ford cattle. He has a farm of 240 acres in Maumee township, Allen county, where he has a herd of sixty-five cattle of this breed, among the finest in the country. He ob- tained the originals of this herd from Here- fordshire, England, through Adams Earl, of La Fayette, Indiana.
Mr. Schnelker was married June 25, 1878, to Miss Alvira J. Allen, a native of New Haven, and a daughter of Henry and Mary (Nelson) Allen, both natives of Ohio, born near Columbus. Her parents settled in Allen county, Indiana, about 1858. While in Ohio her father engaged in coal-mining. During the Civil war he entered the Union ranks as a member of an Ohio regiment and died while in the army. His widow subse- quently became the wife of Joseph Astry and now lives in Chicago. By her first marriage she had three children, -John Thomas, Al- vira J. and William Lewis. Mrs. Schnelker
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was born February 2, 1860, was educated in New Haven, and previous to her marriage engaged in teaching. She is now the mother of two daughters and a son, namely: Mary Bernadette, born August 19, 1880; Anna Irene, born August 15, 1886; and Norbert Bernard, born November 3, 1888.
Mr. Schnelker and his wife are members of St. John's Catholic Church. He also belongs to the Catholic Knights of America, and the Royal Catholic Knights of St. John, aiding in the local organization of both, and the American Sons of Columbus, of Fort Wayne Colony, No. 1. His political affilia- tions are with the Democratic party, and he has frequently served as delegate to its con- ventions. He was largely instrumental in securing the New Haven water-works, has served for sixteen years as a member of the New Haven School Board, and in various other ways has aided in advancing the inter- ests of the town. As one of the leading and worthy citizens he has always occupied a high place in the estimation of his fellow townsmen.
HE RIGHT REV. BISHOP JO- SEPH RADEMACHER, of the Fort Wayne Diocese, was born in Clinton county, Michigan, on the 3d of December, 1840, and early in life be- gan preparation for the priesthood, entering St. Vincent College, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. After a seven-years course in that institution he became a student in St. Michael's Seminary, near Pittsburg, where he completed his preparation for his holy calling.
On the 2d of August, 1863, he was or- dained priest by Bishop Luers, of Fort Wayne, and was first assigned to duty as
pastor of St. Francis parish at Attica, Indi- ana. There he labored successfully, build- ing up the church, until 1870, when he was transferred to Columbia City, this State. One year and seven months later he was as- signed to St. Mary's parish, of Fort Wayne, where he continued until 1880, when he entered upon the pastoral duties in connec- tion with St. Mary's Church, of La Fayette, Indiana. Father Rademacher remained in the last named place until June, 1883, when he was consecrated Bishop at Nashville, Tennessee, and for ten years continued at the head of the Nashville diocese. When that decade had passed he was assigned to the position of Bishop of Fort Wayne, this being shortly after the death of the late lamented Bishop Dwenger. Here he has 'since labored efficiently, accomplishing un- told good. The churches of which he has had charge since entering the priesthood have flourished and grown, and the power of the church has been extended. Bishop Rademacher is a man of superior education, not only well versed in Biblical but also in secular history. His charity and benevo- lence have frequently brought needed help to the poor and distressed, and among all classes of people and all denominations he is highly regarded.
ROF. LUTHER E. KELLEY, superintendent of the city schools of Montpelier, Indiana, is a young man fully abreast with the times in the line of work he has taken up. Although a young man, he has had several years' ex- perience in teaching and is a graduate of the State Normal School. In this connection we are pleased to present a review of his life.
Luther Elwood Kelley was born on a
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farm in Blackford county, Indiana, July 31, 1870, descending from English and Irish an- cestors who emigrated to this country several generations ago. His father, William Henry Kelley, was born in Clinton county, Ohio, May 1, 1847, but has been a resident of Blackford county, Indiana, since his sixth year, where he has been engaged in agri- cultural pursuits since his marriage to Re- becca Ellen Haines. The children compos- ing his family are Luther E. and James Franklin. The latter was born February 15, 1873, and is engaged in farming. Our subject's grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Kelley, was born in Pittsylvania county, Virginia, and about 1845 or '6 left the Old Dominion and sought a home in Ohio, his location being in Clinton county, and later, as already stated, came over into Indiana. He and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Hall, were the parents of the fol- lowing named children: Joshua Thomas, a resident of Blackford county; William Hen- ry, Professor Kelley's father; Martha, wife of Aaron Smith Whetsel, a farmer residing near Dunkirk. Grandfather Kelley has reached the octogenarian ranks, and is still a resident of Blackford county. Great - great-grandfather Kelley emigrated to this country from Ireland and made settlement in Virginia. James Haines, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Kelley, was a native of the Buckeye State, as also was his wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Smith. The names of their children are John, Mil- ton, George, Susanna, Rebecca Ellen, Sam- uel, Alfred and Constantine. The Haines family is of English descent.
Like many of the leading men through- out this country, Prof. Kelley received his early training in the district school. Later he attended the township high school and
soon afterward entered the State Normal School at Terre Haute. It was in the spring of 1889 that he went to Terre Haute, and the same year he taught his first term of country school. After this he taught and attended school alternately until his graduation. In the spring of 1890 he was a student at the Marion Normal; taught in the winter of 1890-1; was in the State Normal the spring term of 1891; taught in the township high school in the winter of 1893-4, at Dundee; spent the year 1894-5 at Terre Haute, graduating in June; and immediately after his graduation he was elected to his present position, that of superintendent of the city schools of Montpelier, and entered upon his duties here in September, the schools opening on Monday, September 23. Six teachers are now employed in the old building, and five in the new building.
Mr. Kelley is a Knight of Pythias, hav- ing his membership in Roll Lodge, No. 347, and he is a member of the United Brethren Church.
ON. SAMUEL M. HENCH, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, presents in his career of citizen, soldier, lawyer, jurist and legislator an interesting study of the manner in which sturdy en- deavor and steadfast adherence to principle may win honorable distinction in pursuits that are diverse and ennobling. For either as a mechanic in his father's shop, or as a follower of his country's flag, or, in mature life, an advocate at the bar, a judge on the bench, or a lawmaker in the assembly of his State, it was duty that was the mainspring of his action, and usefulness to his fellow- man his chief reward.
He was born June 22, 1846, near Port
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Royal, Juniata county, Pennsylvania, and in that picturesque region passed his boy- hood years. His father was an architect and contractor, the possessor of a well selected library and a splendid guide to his mental improvement. He early displayed a fondness for learning and after a course of preliminary tuition in the public schools entered Airy View Academy, Pennsylvania. It was then that the secession ideas of the Southern leaders were boldly fomented in the councils of the nation, and Davis, Ste- phens, Toombs, Breckinridge and others gave violent utterance to the doctrines of State sovereignty. Civil war inevitably fol- lowed, and with it President Lincoln's call for volunteers. Young Hench had set his mind upon the successful completion of his academic course, but the ardor of his patriot- ism rapidly burned up his zeal for books, and when within seven brief months of grad- uation he bade farewell to school, and, in the early part of 1862, enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was assigned to Humphrey's division of the Fifth Army Corps, which was given a place of the utmost importance on the carnage field of Fredericksburg; and it was in this bloodiest of all the battles of the civil war, while executing a charge in the face of a hailstorm of bullets, that he fell wounded by a piece of shell that has left its mark to this day. After being nursed into compara- tive health at the army hospital, the soldier boy rejoined his company and was mustered out with his regiment at Harrisburg.
In August, 1863, he removed to Fort Wayne, Indiana, and found employment in the great car shops of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway Company. The war had long outlasted the period of his
earlier enlistment, had grown in intensity, and Southern hopes were nourished with prospects of ultimate success. Governor Morton issued a call for more troops and the young Pennsylvanian straightway enlisted in Company F, Eighty-third Indiana In- fantry, in which he served until the close of the war. There was no more fighting to be done. The conflict was over, the shackles of the slaves had been forever broken and under a common flag of freedom the warring States had gathered as a united, prosperous, glorious nation.
Here then was a chance to repair the neglected education that had been begun among the Pennsylvania hills. The musket was put aside and the school-book took its place, and he who had followed the drum attuned his ear to the peaceful call of the college bell. His purse, being not a long one, barely provided for two years' tuition, principally at Fort Wayne College, with some special instruction under Prof. J. H. Smart, now president of Purdue University. He then taught school for one brief term at Bullard schoolhouse, Aboite township, Allen county, Indiana.
In the spring of 1867 Mr. Hench again set his face toward the West and located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and across the Mis- souri river in Omaha, Nebraska, dividing his time for four years between the two cities as his duties called him. In the winter of 1867-8 he again had recourse to teach- ing, at the Garner schoolhouse, near Coun- cil Bluffs.
It was amid these surroundings that the young man first took up the study of the law, interesting himself meanwhile in poli- tics, in both of which callings he has since achieved unusual distinction. He began to read law under the preceptorship of Judge
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Samuel Clinton and Colonel W. F. Sapp, distinguished members of the Iowa bar. In December, 1869, he was admitted to prac- tice law and previously acted as Deputy Sheriff, of Pottawattamie county, Iowa, as far as his time would permit. For two years he served his party as chairman of the Demo- cratic Central Committee of Pottawattamie county. Under the strain of these various duties his health began to fail and he resolved to return to Fort Wayne, where, in January, 1872, he entered upon the practice of the law and has resided there ever since.
The year 1872 will be memorable in the history of Indiana politics because of the campaign of Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks, Democratic candidate for governor, than whom no citizen of Indiana has won a brighter name. Mr. Hench had been a Democratic soldier and gave earnest support to Mr. Hendricks in a series of effective speeches delivered throughout northeastern Indiana. Mr. Hendricks was elected, and recognized the loyalty of Mr. Hench by ap- pointing him (July 16, 1874,) Prosecuting Attorney of the Criminal Court of Allen county to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Joseph S. France, Esq: So ac- ceptable were his services that he was regu- larly nominated on the first ballot by the Democrats for the office, receiving 130 out of 153 votes in the county convention, the remaining twenty-three votes being divided among three other candidates. At the con- clusion of his term of office he was twice- in 1876 and 1878-renominated and elected by the Democrats, and discharged the duties of the office until January 10, 1881.
Although Mr. Hench has since been called to positions of greater dignity and trust, there is probably no part of his public ca- reer that has made so lasting and favorable
impression upon the people as the years of labor in prosecuting the pleas of the State of Indiana. At that time the county was infested by many criminals of the worst type, crime ran rampant and unrebuked of jus- tice, murders were frequent, and rape, arson, burglary and larceny were uncommonly prev- alent. Charles A. Munson was sheriff of the county,-a cool, intrepid officer of much detective ability. The two laid their plans together and executed them so well that the penitentiary was numerously recruited, and the low stage of morals was greatly elevated. The trials of Wall, Krout, Tracy, Dunham, the Snurrs, Crance and Baker-all mur- derers -- were only a few of the famous causes of action that were brought within a brief period before the criminal court.
Such signal service for the people brought to the Prosecuting Attorney fresh honors. In 1882 he was elected Judge of the Crimi- nal Court of Allen county, and in 1884 he was elected Judge of the Superior Court of Allen county, this being a court of common law and chancery jurisdiction only, and his excellence as a nisi prius jurist stands attested for all time on a record of the affirming by the Supreme Court of more than four-fifths of the appealed cases. Judge Hench is an able trial lawyer, a good civil lawyer, and as a criminal lawyer has few if any superiors in the State.
During the first administration of Presi- dent Cleveland, Judge Hench had charge of the law and miscellaneous division of the second comptroller's office, discharging the duties of that important position from Au- gust 9, 1888, until November 1, 1889.
Upon his return home from Washington he was nominated (in 1890) for the Legisla- ture, and his popularity is well attested by his majority of nearly 5,000. Upon the
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advice of friends he became a candidate for Speaker of the House, but was defeated. Upon the legislative floor his long public experience and distinguished service upon the bench made Judge Hench a prominent figure. His sympathies have always been warmly enlisted in the cause of the laboring man, and it was mainly through his ardent support that the "Co-employees' Liability Bill " and other measures of like character were enacted, He served two terms in the Legislature (1891, 1893), and thus closes for the time a public career that has crowd- ed the years with honors such as come to few men. Judge Hench is now in the enjoy- ment of a large practice of the law, but finds time as each campaign comes round to do yeoman's service for the Democratie party, and has been regularly listed as a speaker for over a score of years.
The personal traits of this distinguished gentleman are such as to greatly endear him to an unusually large number of friends. In stature he is above the common, and of athletic build, with ereet carriage and quiet, manly bearing. His face is strongly molded in features that indicate dignity and self- reliance, his eye an intense blue, that blazes into passion in the heat of debate. His manners are always quiet and never assert- ive, the whole appearance of the man com- porting well with his high character.
Judge Hench, though unmarried, is em- inently of a social disposition, and while strictly temperate in his habits is a good story-teller, and the soul of many a merry gathering. He is a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 19, I. O. O. F., and keeps up an active interest in the affairs of the war as a member of Sion S. Bass Post, G. A. R., of Fort Wayne. He attends the Presbyterian Church.
The Judge comes of good, patriotic stock. The Henches were found wearing the Conti- nental uniform in the war of the Revolution; and a maternal grandfather, James Mc- Laughlin, was a Captain in the war of 1812. An uncle, Samuel E. Hench, of Mifflin, Penn- sylvania, was a distinguished lawyer. Two younger brothers of Judge Hench studied law in his office, namely: The late Franklin P. Hench, Esq., who settled in Delphi, Indiana, and was Prosecuting Attorney of Carroll and White counties; and John M. Hench, Esq., a popular and successful attor- ney in Nebraska.
'ILLIAM M. HUGHES is a worthy representative of one of the promi- nent families of Whitley county, Indiana. His father, Charles W. Hughes, was a native of Fluvanna county, Virginia, his birthplace being in sight of the Culpeper Court-House. The grandfather, William Hughes, was of Welsh descent. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Mary Davis, and was a native of Fayette county, Ohio, and a daughter of Benjamin Davis. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes were married in Fayette county, and on em- igrating westward took up their residence in Thorn Creek township, Whitley county, In- diana. Their first home was a log cabin, which was later destroyed by fire, and they afterward removed into a new cabin, which with characteristic energy Mr. Hughes erected, near the site of his present residence. He had to cut away the timber in order to build the first cabinand from that on continued the work of improvement and development until he had a fine farm. His death occurred here in 1864, and his wife, who still survives him, now makes her home with our subject.
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