USA > Indiana > Marion County > Indianapolis > Pictorial and biographical memoirs of Indianapolis and Marion County, Indiana, together with biographies of many prominent men of other portions of the state, both living and dead > Part 29
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LOUIS M. ROWE, M. D. The profession of the physician and surgeon is one that has drawn to it, at all periods of its history, the brightest and most honorable of men; for none but an intelligent, well-informed man could be a physician . at all, and no physician not a man of honor could long retain a profitable practice. Indianapolis has always been fortu- nate in its physicians, and it is especially so, during recent years, in its younger generation of practitioners, who have contributed much to the enhancement of the city's reputation as a center of medical knowledge. Conspicuous among these is Dr. Louis M. Rowe who was born in Columbus, Ohio, August 20, 1858, a son of W. E. and Emma S. (Large) Rowe, the former a native of Massachusetts, the latter a native of Ohio. W. E. Rowe has been a rail- road man for many years, formerly lived in Indianapolis, and is at this time a resident of Fountain County, Ind. Dr. Rowe came to Indianapolis with his parents when a mere child, and was educated in the public schools of the city and at the Illinois Industrial University. In the fall of 1878 he began the study of medicine under the preceptorship of the late Dr. T. B. Harvey. In 1879 he entered the Medical College of Indiana and was graduated there- from with the degree of M. D. in 1882. Dr. Harvey had trained him and supervised his education with the sole idea of making him his assistant in his large practice, and he was that successful and skillful practitioner's sole recognized assistant until Dr. Harvey's death. Since that event, Dr. Rowe has been engaged, with ever increasing success in a constantly broadening field, in a general practice, including among his regular patrons some of the leading families of the city and its suburbs. From 1884 to 1889, he was assistant to Dr. Harvey, who held the chair of Gynecology in the Medical College of Indiana, and with such splendid opportunities and under such distinguished preceptorship, started in a department of investigation in which, in his subsequent practice, he has developed into a most distin- guished practitioner, having, from first to last, performed about every operation known to gynecology. At different times, as the demands of his large practice have permitted, he has visited the leading hospitals of the country, at New York and elsewhere, and has there further studied this important specialty and perfected himself generally in his profession. Dr. Rowe is a member of the Marion County Medical Society, of the Indiana State Medical Society, of the Mississippi Valley Medical Association, and of the American Medical Asso- ciation, and has often attended the conventions of the State and National organizations as a delegate from the county association. He has prepared and read before these various socie- ties papers on medical and surgical subjects which have attracted wide attention and have been published in some of the leading medical and surgical journals of the country. In 1892, Dr. Rowe married May E. Wollen, daughter of Thomas and Keziah Wollen, her father a native of Marion County, her mother a native of Kentucky, her ancestors having been among the early settlers of this part of the country. In politics Dr. Rowe is a Democrat, and though not a politician in the ordinary sense and having no object of personal gain to
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serve, is intelligently and most earnestly interested in the public welfare as concerns the city, the county, the State and the country at large.
AUGUSTUS LYNCH MASON, one of the younger citizens of Indianapolis, was born February 10, 1859, in Bloomington, Monroe County, Ind. His grandfather, Thomas H. Lynch, was a Methodist preacher, well known in Indianapolis for the last half century. At the time of his birth his father, William F. Mason, was a Methodist minister, and the birthplace of the young man was the Methodist parsonage at Bloomington. His boyhood was passed in Cin- cinnati where he attended the public schools. Iu 1872 his parents removed to Indianapolis where he entered what was then known as the Northwestern Christian University, now known as Butler University, attending there for two years. In 1876 he entered Indiana Asbury University, now known as DePauw, at Greencastle, Ind., where he graduated in 1879. On leaving college he entered the law office of McDonald & Butler in this city for the purpose of studying law. At the time the firm had the largest practice in the State, and Mr. Mason was the youngest of a series of six clerks and students. By good fortune, in the course of two years, he became chief clerk for the firm and began to take part in important litigation. In 1882 Judge Robert N. Lamb, of the Indianapolis bar, took Mr. Mason into partnership with him, a business relation which continued for a year. During this year Mr. George C. Butler, a brilliant young lawyer, well known at the time to Indianapolis lawyers, junior member of the old firm of McDonald & Butler, died, and Mr. Mason was invited to become his successor in the firm. The arragnement was consummated May 1, 1883, and the firm con- tinned to be known as McDonald, Butler & Mason until the latter part of 1887. At the time of entering the McDonald firm Mr. Mason gave considerable attention to writing, being spurred thereto by the necessity for money. He wrote a large part of the " Life of Gar- field " within thirty days after the statesman's death; the book was published under the name of John Clark Ridpath, by whom Mr. Mason was employed to assist in the prepara- tion of the book. So successful were the chapters in the " Life of Garfield" prepared by Mr. Mason, that at the close of this work he was invited to prepare a popular history of the famons Indian warriors and frontiersmen of North America, which offer was accepted. In eight months he produced a work of a thousand pages known as "The Pioneer History of America" and published in Cincinnati. The book met with a very large sale at the hands of subscription book agents. In the preparation of the work Mr. Mason read and annotated some 500 volumes from which he drew his information. His only regret concerning the book developed a year or two since when a prominent politician of this State met him in a train and declared that the book had caused his youngest son to run away for the purpose of fighting Indians and it cost him $500 to recover the yonth. In the latter part of 1887 Mr. Mason had the misfortune to feel the effects of overwork and found that his health was seriously impaired. By the advice of physicians he was compelled to retire from business and spent a year in travel, visiting practically every part of the United States. In January, 1889, he returned to Indianapolis much improved in health, and reopened his law office. While engaged in general practice he was chosen by the commercial club and board of trade for the purpose of investigating the condition of the laws governing the city of Indian- apolis at that time. After careful study of the subject he made a report pointing out the unsatisfactory conditions of the laws governing the city as the source of many of the evils then existing in the government of the city, and recommended that an entirely new charter be prepared for the city and presented to the new Legislature covering the whole field of the government of the city. After a month or two of hesitation this report was adopted and in connection with a committee of eight other members, well known business men, the work of reconstructing the charter was commenced. It occupied nearly a year, and was based on the latest approved notions of municipal government as tested by other cities, as well as introduc- ing many ideas heretofore untried in this country. It was remarked to Mr. Mason when the the bill passed the Legislature that it would have been better for his reputation had it failed, for the reason that much of it would undoubtedly be held unconstitutional. A large number of suits have gone to the Supreme Court involving the validity of various provisions of the charter, but up to this time not one line of the charter has been held invalid. It is under this law that the entire executive and administrative authority of the city is lodged in the mayor. Under its provisions also the improvement of streets and the construction of sewers,
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levees and viaducts, the sprinkling and sweeping of improved streets are paid for by abutting property holders whose property is benefited. The city is also authorized to build and own its own water, gas and electric light works, as well as its street railways. None of these last named powers have yet been exercised. Mr. Mason regards the preparation of the " Reform Charter" as by far the most important work of his life. Pending the preparation of the charter he was elected dean of the law school of DePauw University at Greencastle, Ind. The work brought him in contact with young men and proved to be of the greatest interest to him. Although carrying on the burden of his law office, he found time to prepare and deliver many lectures before the law school during a period of three years, taking a particu- lar interest in corporation and patent law, in which he had done his best work. His connec- tion with corporation matters led him to various employments looking to the construction of new street railroad lines in Indianapolis as well as to the purchase of the old ones. In the spring of 1893 Mr. Mason accepted, for the time being, the presidency of all the street rail- road lines of the city, in which position he still continues, although spending part of every day in his law office. His tastes are literary and he believes in the gospel of hard work. In politics he is a pronounced Republican, and in religion a member of the Methodist church, although inclining strongly to the most liberal religious opinions. On January 25, 1893, Mr. Mason married Miss Annie D. Porter, the only daughter of Hon. Albert G. Porter, ex. governor of Indiana, and ex-United States minister at Rome, Italy.
ABNER L. NEWLAND. We do not measure a man's life by years but by intensity. If we measure the life of Mr. Newland by the work he has accomplished then he is the most venerable of men, although he is now but sixty-three years of age, his birth having occurred in Union County, Ind., September 30, 1830, near Dunlapville. As an influential citizen of the flourishing city of Indianapolis and one who has done much for its growth and advance- ment, it gives us pleasure to present the main facts of his life to our readers. Both his paternal and maternal ancestors were early settlers of Indiana, some of them settling in Franklin County as early as 1804. In 1847 our subject moved with his parents to Indian- apolis and worked on a farm the first year, a part of the city now standing on that farm. Later he taught school in Morgan County, near the town of Waverly, Cyrus Wetzel, a descendent of the celebrated Indian fighter, being school trustee. After teaching two terms he returned to Indianapolis and began clerking for William John Wallace, continuing with him for several months. He left there to accept a position as clerk in the post-office under W. W. Wick and was a member of the City Grays, a military company that afterward furnished so many officers for the war. He was also a member of the City Grays' Band and was with them during the gold fever excitement in New Mexico, when they made the trip to that country. Gold was not so plenty as represented, and Mr. Newland and his com- panions decided to take a look at the western country. He went south through New Mexico to Arizona, Old Mexico, 'and through Texas to the Gulf of Mexico and thence back to Indianapalis by way of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, covering a distance of about 8,000 miles in about two years. After reaching Indianapolis he entered the store of A. Wallace and remained with him until the breaking out of the Civil War. He entered Camp Morton the day after the firing on Fort Sumter, and was organized with Company A, Thirteenth Indiana, and was made first sergeant. Later he was promoted to sergeant-major at Beverly, Va., and at the end of six months was promoted to lieutenant and captain, both commis- sions coming by the same mail. After two years' service he was obliged to resign on account of disability and he then returned to Indianapolis, where he has since made his home. He served as deputy sheriff under Albert Russner and filled the same position in a creditable and efficient manner under Sheriff Isaac King. Later he was bailiff in the Circuit Court under Judge Jacob Julian, Alex. C. Ayres, Thomas L. Sullivan and Edgar A. Brown. In 1885 he was elected to the council from the twenty-first ward over Pres- ton C. Trusgler by a majority of twenty-six. He is one of the city's most esteemed and worthy citizens and in every walk of life has acquitted himself with credit. In domestic pleasure Mr. Newland has found agreeable diversion from the many duties that have accumulated around him as an official servant. He has an efficient and cheerful help- mate in his wife, who was formerly Miss Sarah E. Bidgood, and whom he married
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April 3, 1879, at Cumberland, Marion County, Ind. They have two children, grown, a son and daughter.
O. G. PFAFF, M. D. Among all the able physicians of Indianapolis there is probably not a more popular general practitioner or a more learned or skillful gynecologist (in which department of practice he has performed with gratifying success about every known opera. tion) than Dr. O. G. Pfaff. Dr. Pfaff belongs to an ancient German family, who bore arms as early as the fourteenth century. His father, Dr. Jacob L. Pfaff, was the son of parents who came from the " Fatherland " and located in North Carolina just previous to the Revo- lutionary War, in which his father (Dr. Pfaff's grandfather) served gallantly in defense of American independence. In the State mentioned Dr. Jacob L. Pfaff was born. He gradu- ated in medicine in North Carolina medical institutions and was for some time thereafter associated in practice with an eminent German physician. On account of his pronounced anti-slavery views he left North Carolina and took up his residence in Indiana about 1840, aud, locating at Westfield, lived there until his death, which occurred in 1859. As a physi- cian he was quite successful, but he made himself unpopular with some of his neighbors by his unequivocal denunciation of slavery in private and in public, for he made many speeches in favor of abolition, which were characterized by all the bitterness engendered in the hearts of haters of human bondage at that time, when the misnamed " divine institution " was a black blot on our American escutcheon. He was reviled, insulted and at times mobbed. When invective was found to have no effect upon him missiles, sometimes eggs, were brought into requisition, but he did not fear death and they did not deter him from going right ahead in the plain path of his duty. He gave to the anti-slavery cause much time and a good deal of money; be sacrificed to it a part of the success that might have been his had he refrained from taking the bold stand he took. He was for years manager of a portion of that historic yet unsurveyed " underground railroad," and as such was instrumental in sending a good many of his black-skinned fellow men to a freedom beyond our borders that they could not find within them. For years he fought a brave and determined fight, in which he found no mercy and never demanded a truce, and he died just before emancipation was an accon- plished fact; but his movement is absolute freedom to all men under the stars and stripes, which will never again be curtailed or circumscribed. In 1858 (April 28), only a year, more or less, before the death of this grand man of the people, occurred the birth of his son, Dr. O. G. Pfaff. When the latter was six years old, doubly orphaned, his mother having died too, he came to Indianapolis and was given a home with his elder brothers, who afforded him every advantage within their means, not the least of which was opportunity to attend the public schools. At the age of twenty he entered the office of the late Dr. T. B. Harvey, and under the direction of that able preceptor began the study of medicine. In 1878 he became a student in the medical college of Indiana, and was graduated from that institution in 1882. During the six months succeeding his graduation he practiced his profession with Dr. Har- vey, and was then, by the county commissioners of Marion County, appointed resident phy- sician at the Marion County Asylum, a position which he retained a year and a half. For a short time after severing his connection with that institution he practiced bis profession in Wisconsin, but he soon located permanently in Indianapolis and has grown into a large gen- eral practice and a reputation as a gynecologist that has given him high standing in his pro- fession. He has been connected with the Medical College of Indiana in various capacities and has been of almost invaluable aid to that institution. At this time he is its lecturer on liseases of women. He is also consulting gynecologist to the city dispensary and to St. Vincent's Hospital. In 1890 Dr. Pfaff took a post-graduate course at the New York post- graduate school and another in 1891 in the New York Polyclinic. Iu 1892 he took a special course in gynecology, under Dr. August Martin, at Berlin, Germany, and attended clinics at the University at Berlin. He is a member of the Indianapolis Surgical Society, of the Marion County Medical Society, of the Indianapolis State Medical Society, of the Mississippi Valley Medical Association and of the American Medical Association. Politically, Dr. Pfaff is a most enthusiastic Republican. He is a K. of H., and is medical examiner for that order in his district. He was married November 24, 1885, to Mary Alvy, daughter of James H. Alvy and a native of Indianapolis.
Very Truly yours. John to, Cochrum.
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SAMUEL SMALL. Within years of recent date the remarkable growth of the real estate business has given it a prominence and placed it in a position attained by very few other elements in this country. This increase and promotion can be nothing less than a reflex of the progress and prosperity of every general interest in the community and constitutes a strong reason for gratification among all appreciative and observant business men. In In- dianapolis this phase of affairs is noticeable and argues brightly for the future. In this connection the name of Samuel Small is conspicuous and enterprising and occupies a recog- nized position among both real estate agents and the owners of property. He was born at Greensboro, in Henry County, Ind., July 24, 1843, his parents being Joseph and Jane (Phelps) Small, the former of whom was born in Wayne County, Ind., and the latter in Gil- bert County, N. C. Joseph Small became a thrifty farmer of Henry County, where he made his home until 1850, at which time he removed to Hendricks County, Ind., where he con- tinued the same occupation until his death, which occurred in February, 1887, his wife's death having occurred two years earlier. Samuel Small was about eight years old at the time of his parents' settlement in Hendricks County, and there he was brought up to the healthy, active and useful life of the farmer, the rudiments of his literary education being obtained in the common schools and at Mooresville High School. After leaving school he purchased a saw-mill at Plainfield; which he operated successfully for about three years, then sold the same and erected a grist-mill at a cost of about $9,000, but a short time after its completion he exchanged it for a farm of 120 acres in Hamilton County and for eleven years was occupied in tilling this land with satisfactory financial results. Always of a generous disposition and warmly attached to his friends, he became security for a number of them to considerable amounts and upon their inability to pay was compelled to liquidate the amounts, thus losing heavily. He then gave up his farm and removed to Plainfield, in 1881, where he engaged in the real estate and insurance business, but on January 1, 1889, he became a member of the present firm of Mills & Small and moved to the city March 14, 1890. These gentlemen have had sufficient experience in the handling of real estate to make them- selves and their advice valuable in the extreme to operators who intrust their interests in their hands. November 7, 1866, Mr. Small was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Coggeshall, a native of Wayne County, Ind., and to them a family of five children have been given: Leora B., Millicent J., Bethana Estella, Joseph O. and Robert P. The wife and mother was called from life in February, 1890, and on June 29, 1892, Mr. Small was united in marriage to Miss Anna M. Keebn, a native of Reading, Berks County, Penn. Mr. Small has always been a Republican in politics, is a member of the Friends' Church, and socially is a member of the A. O. U. W., in which he has held various positions of honor.
JOHN B. COCKRUM. Among the prominent men of Indianapolis, Ind., stands the name of John B. Cockrum, who is at present assistant general attorney of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad at that place. He is a product of Indiana, born in Gibson County, Sep- tember 12, 1857, and his parents, Col. W. M. and Lucretia (Harper) Cockrun, were natives of that county also. The paternal grandfather, Col. James W. Cockrum, came from North Carolina at an early day, and settled in Gibson County, Ind., where he was one of the pioneers. He laid out Oakland City and followed the occupation of a farmer, but in connection was also engaged in merchandising. He was Colonel of the State Militia during the Mexican war, and was a prominent man. At an early date he was a member of the Legislature and associated with the Hon. William H. English, now of this city. The closing scenes of his life were passed in Gibson County. Our subject's maternal grandfather, John Harper, was an early settler of Gibson County, Ind., and of an old and highly respected family. The father of our subject, Col. William M. Cockrum, is still a resident of O. kland City, Ind., and one of its most esteemed and popular citizens. He has been identified with all public interests, and is in every way a most worthy citizen. Although active in political matters he has never aspired to nor filled any political office, preferring instead to give his entire attention to his extensive farm. During the Civil war he was lieutenant-colonel of the Forty-second Indiana Regiment, and was severely wounded at the battle of Chicka- mauga. For some time he laid on the battle-field and was then captured and taken to Libby Prison where he remained seven months. He was an inmate of the prison at the time Col. Streight and others made their escape through the famous tunnel. He was
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paroled at Columbus, Ohio, took charge of his regiment as lieutenant-colonel, and remained with the same until the close of the war. By his union with Miss Harper he became the father of nine children, as follows: John B., Ella, Clara, Willie, Morton, Zoe, May, James W. and Marion O., all of whom are living except Willie who died in infancy. John B. Cockrum, the eldest of these children, grew to mature years in his native town, secured a fair education in the same, and then taught school for three years. Later he graduated in the Cincinnati Law School. This was in the spring of 1879, when twenty-one years of age, and he subsequently formed a partnership with C. W. Armstrong, of Boonville, Warrick County, Ind. This continned until 1883, when they together formed a partnership with Judge John B. Handy, under the firm name of Handy, Armstrong & Cockrum, the same con- tinuing until 1889. They had the most extensive law practice of any firm in that county. Mr. Cockrum is a man of very superior natural endowments, strengthened and enriched by the highest culture. His mind is clear, concise, analytical and well poised. Of quick per- ception, he reaches at a bound what might cause others hours of study and research. He impresses you at once as a man of great strength, depth and grasp of mind. In 1888 he was selected as the Harrison delegate to the Chicago convention, in as hard a fought dis- trict convention as was ever held in the State. He was active in this campaign and on March 12, 1889, he was appointed assistant United States district attorney for the district of Indiana, by President Harrison. This position he held until April 20, 1893. On March 1, of that year he was appointed assistant general attorney for the Lake Erie & Western Railroad, Mr. W. E. Hackedorn being general attorney. This position he holds at the present time and has recently taken up his residence in Indianapolis, where he purchased property on College Avenue. His fine home is presided over by his worthy companion, formerly Miss Fannie C. Bittrolff, of Evansville, Ind., whom he married on January 22, 1880. Two interesting children are the fruits of this union, Freeda and Oatley, aged twelve and ten respectively. Mr. Cockrum takes a deep interest in political affairs and wields his influence for his party. He is identified with nearly all the secret, societies and several prominent clubs of the city. He is an Odd Fellow, has held the office of grand patriarch of the grand encampment of Indiana, is a Mason, and a K. of P., being chairman of the grievances and appeals committee of the grand lodge, and is a member of the Com- mercial and Columbia Clubs.
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