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 65
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85
THOMAS TALLENTIRE. Ability, when backed by enterprising business measures and pro- gressive ideas, will accomplish more than any other professional or commercial requirement. Prominent among those of foreign extraction who have allied their commercial and financial interests to those of the American people, and whom the adopted country has reason to feel proud of, for their ability and many estimable qualities, is Thomas Tallentire, the well- known contractor of Indianapolis. He was born in New Castle, on Tyne, England, Novem- ber 17, 1848, and is the son of Thomas Tallentire, Sr., also a native of New Castle. The
356
MEMOIRS OF INDIANAPOLIS
elder Tallentire learned the blacksmith's trade in his native country and came to this country in 1850 or 1851. He first located in New York city, but subsequently moved to New Albany, Ind., later Lafayette and finally to Indianapolis where he has since made his home. He has been connected with the Big Four Railroad for thirty years and during a good portion of that time he was foreman of the blacksmith shops at Brightwood. Politically he is a Republican and socially he is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the Encampment, having been a delegate several times to the Grand Lodge. Thomas Tallentire, Jr., was only about two or three years of age when his parents came to America, and as a result all his recollec- tions are of this country. He attended the high schools at Lafayette, Ind., and finished in the academy at that place, under Prof. Jennings. When seventeen years of age he left school and began learning the blacksmith's trade under his father, serving a four years' apprenticeship. Later he turned his attention to making car and engine springs for the Big Four Road and still later he entered the city engineer's office under S. H. Shearer. He filled various positions in that office and was first assistant engineer for about two years. After that, until recently, he was street contractor in partnership with Joseph L. Fisher. In 1872 Mr. Tallentire decided that it was not good for man to live alone and married Miss Maggie Lowry, of Logansport, this State, a very pleasant and amiable lady. Like his father our subject advocates the principles of the Republican party and wields considerable influence in the community. He is a member of Lafayette Lodge, No. 55, I. O. O. F.
JAMES SWAIN, retired. In recounting the forces that have combined to make Marion County, Ind., what it is, more than a passing reference must be paid to the life and labors of James Swain, of whom it may be truthfully said that no one has done more to lay the foun- dation of the country's prosperity deep, and to build upon them surely and well. He is a native of England, born in Leicester, Leicester County, March 2, 1820, but nearly all his life has been passed on this side of the ocean. His father died when he was an infant, and young Swain remained with his mother until sixteen years of age, receiving a fair education in the common schools. The mother then went to live with a daughter, and our subject concluded that he would cross to America, and make fame and fortune in the "land of the free and the home of the brave." He had a married sister, Sarah, wife of George Balaam, living in Daviess County, Ky., and in October, 1836, he sailed from Liverpool. After a stormy pas- sage of sixty-three days he landed in New York, where he remained about a month, but went from there to Philadelphia, where he found employment for about six months. In May be left for Pittsburg, and thence soon after for Evansville, and walked across the country to Daviess County, Ky., where his sister resided. For about a year be remained with his sis ter, and then went to Evansville, where he remained for a year learning the cooper's trade. After that he entered the office of Jacob Page Chapman, who was then publishing the South- western Sentinel, and remained with him a year. At that time Chapman and his brother, George A., who had been publishing a paper at Terre Haute, came to Indianapolis, and our subject accompanied them. They started the Indianapolis Sentinel, and carried this on for some time, or until they sold out. At that time they presented our subject with a fine gold watch, suitably inscribed, as a testimonial of their appreciation of his fidelity and ability. They sold out to Austin H. Brown, with whom our subject continued until Mr. Brown, who was appointed county auditor and State printer, sold out. Then Mr. Swain and John G. Doughty took the contract for the State printing under Brown, paying him a commission, the firm name being Doughty & Swain. This continued for four or five years, and was the best opportunity our subject had yet had to make money. In 1857 Mr. Swain was appointed first deputy post-master under John M. Talbot, who was appointed by President Buchanan, and our subject served until May, 1861, when he took a trip with his family to England. Coming back in August, 1861, he engaged in the hat business in Indianapolis for a short time, and afterward clerked for a fast freight line for a year or two. He then retired from active business, and made his home in Indianapolis until 1881, when, on account of his wife's health, he moved to Southport, in Marion County, and there he now resides. He has ever advocated the principles of the Democratic party, and his first vote was cast for Polk and Dallas. Socially Mr. Swain is an Odd Fellow. He is now one of the trustees of Southport, which position he has held for six years, and he is a public-spirited and influential citizen. He attends the Presbyterian Church, in which his wife holds membership, and contributes
357
AND MARION COUNTY, INDIANA.
liberally of his means to its support. He was married in 1846 to Miss Mary Isabelle Parr, daughter of James Parr, a native of Maryland, and the fruits of this union was one son, George, whose birth occurred in 1847. The latter is now in the office of the Indianapolis News. William Swain, the father of our subject, was a native of Lancaster, England, and there passed his entire life. He married Miss Ann Shenton, who bore him eight children, our subject being the only one now living. Mr. Swain is social and genial, and is well liked by all acquainted with him.
ORVAL D. COSLER. There is probably no one who deserves more credit for the upbuild- ing of North Indianapolis, one of the most beautiful suburbs of the city of Indianapolis, than does Orval D. Cosler, who was born nine miles west of Shelbyville, Shelby County, Ind., January 16, 1853, a son of William H. and Elizabeth A. (Ender) Cosler. The former was a native of Ohio and the latter of Kentucky, and both were taken to Shelby County, Ind., by their parents when William H. was a young man, and when Elizabeth T. was at the age of six years. There they grew up, were educated and eventually married. After their union they settled on a woodland farm in Shelby County, which by hard work the father succeeded in clearing and on which he lived until February 14, 1870, when he became a resident of Indian- apolis and here died on September 9, 1884, at the age of sixty-five years, his birth having occurred September 26, 1819. His widow still survives him, at the age of seventy years, and is a resident of North Indianapolis, her birth having occurred on March 10, 1823. Mr. Cos- ler was as successful as the average farmer, but having a large family never became very wealthy, and after taking up his residence in Indianapolis invested some of his money in a grocery establishment, but after being in that business for a few months sold the store. After this he began to manufacture boots and shoes and had a general repair store, and was engaged in this business at the time of his death. While a resident of Shelby County he held some few minor positions. He and his wife were for some time members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but shortly before his death Mr. Cosler united with the Christian Church, in which faith he died. Mr. Cosler and his wife were of German descent, her father, Emanuel Ender, having been born on the River Rhine, in Germany, He was a highly educated man and
could converse in seven different languages. He was schooled for a Catholic priest by his parents, but not desiring to be a priest he left Germany and came to America. Orval D. Cosler was one of eleven children, seven of whom are now living, and he was the sixth member of the family in order of birth. He received his education in the schools of Shelby County and when a young man of seventeen years came to Indianapolis in June, 1870, having remained in Shelby County until that time in order to finish the term of school to which he was going when his parents moved to Indianapolis in February of that same year. Orval D. Cosler's first employment was at Walter's Stave Factory, at which place he only worked two days, refusing to work so hard for the small wages received. He then worked for a time at the carpenter's trade, and in the broom-corn culture for Mr. Bradshaw. After his father, William H. Cosler, bought the grocery store, Orval D. Cosler clerked for his father in the store until it was sold by his father. At that time he began again learning the trade of a carpenter and after becoming proficient worked at this trade in Indianapolis for ten or eleven years. At the end of this time he com- menced contracting and continued the business for seven years, during which time he built many handsome buildings throughout the county, including one church, also superintending the building of the North Indianapolis Methodist Episcopal Church. About this time Orval D. Cosler was employed in the county treasurer's office for two years. Although he was a Republican and H. W. Miller, the treasurer, was a Democrat, Mr. Cosler was preferred to a Democrat. Such was the high esteem by which Mr. Miller held Mr. Cosler. He remained at the office during Mr. Miller's term of office, at the end of which time Mr. Miller proposed to and did go on Mr. Cosler's bond for $2,000, and signed a petition, as did many other Democrats and also Republicans, asking that Mr. Cosler be retained by his successor, who was also a Democrat, but such pledges had been made that it made it impossible to grant their desire. At the end of which time, being a good financier, he began buying lots and building houses in North Indianapolis and placing them on the market for sale; and being unusually successful, in three years he has become the owner of a farm worth $5,000, six miles from the city of Indianapolis, and built a handsome two-story eleven-room dwelling on the cor-
358
MEMOIRS OF INDIANAPOLIS
ner of Rader and Francis Streets, North Indianapolis, for his home, which he now occupies. In all in North Indianapolis he has built about forty-three dwellings; also four double dwellings which would equal eight, making a total of fifty-one dwellings, almost all of which have been sold at a satisfactory profit. He also holds some property as trustee. He has been a professed Christian since 1871, at which time he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, under the pastorate of the Rev. Frost Craft, then pastor of Third Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Indianapolis, and has been one of its most liberal supporters and active workers ever since. He was one of the prime movers in the building of the Methodist Episcopal Church in North Indianapolis, has been a teacher in the Sabbath- school all the time, and also served in the capacity of superintendent a number of years, and also was present and helped organize the Methodist Episcopal Church and Sabbath-school at North Indianapolis, and has for some years and does at present hold a local preacher's license. March 9, 1881, he was married to Miss Alice Shook, of Indianapolis, by whom he lias four children: Edna Alice, Russell Orval, Myron Curtis and Ruth. Mr. Cosler is a Republican, and although a stanch supporter of his party has never been an aspirant for office. Mr. Cosler began life a poor boy, at the age of seventeen coming to Indianapolis with $20. giving half of that amount to his father; he was very industrious and economical. During the first few years after his marriage, he not being able to hire help for his faithful wife, and her health not being good, he would work all day at his trade and his wife would attend to her household duties and at night he and his wife would do the washing, and often other work which his wife could not do would be done at night, and in the evening and before breakfast he would hoe in the garden and then do a day's work. So determined were they to get a start in life, and not having any conveyancy, they would walk for miles to visit, go to work or do trading, but now have their horse and carriage and a handsome barn at their present home in which to keep them. He has never belonged to any secret order or union and is opposed to strikes. Mr. Cosler built his first house about one year before his marriage, doing almost all the work alone, not being able to hire belp, doing some of the painting by moonlight. He lived in this house about one year after his marriage and then sold the property for $600 cash and moved to Indianapolis; but he and his wife not being satisfied returned to North Indianapolis and built a five-room cottage on Francis Street, afterward adding a sixth room, at which place he lived until November, 1892, when he moved to his handsome two-story residence, corner Rader and Francis Streets, North Indian- apolis. Mr. Cosler is a thorough business man, pushing his business for all there is in it, honest in all his dealings. Men with whom he transacts business have perfect confidence in him. This is one of the main pillars on which his success rests; he always feels that he should be as firmly bound by his word as by his note. At the time of Mr. Cosler's mar- riage to Miss Alice Shook, he was worth about $600, and while he has, through his industry and excellent financiering, grown to be worth about $10,000, yet he does not desire to take any honor or glory to himself. He feels as though he has just put forth the effort and the Lord has given the increase, and to Him he desires to give all the honor and glory, for to Him it belongs.
WILLIAM N. ROBERSON. It is a pleasure to chronicle the history of a man whose life has been one of honor and usefulness, and although he is considerably past the zenith of his career, Mr. Roberson has accumulated a fortune that enables him to enjoy most thor- oughly the comforts and conveniences of life. In spite of his advanced years, Mr. Rober- son still keeps up the active and industrious life that brought him in such substantial rewards, and many men much younger than he display less activity, mentally and phys ically, than does our worthy subject. Mr. Roberson owes his nativity to Tennessee, born in Washington County, near Jonestown, October 23, 1816, and made his home there until he was in his sixteenth year. He then came with his parents, David and Mary (Roberts) Roberson, to Indiana. Previous to this, while residing in his native State, he learned to read and write, but after coming to Marion County, Ind., there were few schools outside of Indianapolis. For the first year after settling in this new State our subject did not go to school, but the next year he went quite steadily, boarding with his brother and paying $1 per week. In two weeks after starting to school Mr. Roberson had made such rapid progress in his studies, especially arithmetic, for which he seemed to have a natural taste, that
359
AND MARION COUNTY, INDIANA.
he led the rest of the scholars. . Unfortunately, after twenty-four days in the school-room, he was obliged to quit and carry out his contract of clearing one-half mile of the old Central Canal. His teacher, Mr. Cook, told him when parting, that in many years' experience he had never seen his (our subject's) equal in figures. In 1831 the mother of Mr. Roberson died, and about a year later the father, too, passed away. For two years after coming to the State our subject worked out on farms by the month, receiving $8 per month, and then got a sub-contract from the State to dig a ditch. This took one summer, and he then got a contract to dig one-half mile of the old Central Canal, as spoken of above. This canal was in Madison County, and on finishing the same young Roberson and Andrew Wilson repaired damages done by a storm on an arm of the old Central Canal in Indianapolis. This took one summer, and after that Mr. Roberson bought 100 acres where he now lives, paying $15.50 per acre. This was covered with green timber, and no improvements had been made. Prior to this he had bought eighty acres in Belmont, now West Indianapolis, and resided on the same four years. After buying the 100 acres he erected a log cabin on the same, and resided in this about a year. Later he embarked in the saw-mill business with Andrew Wilson, and they had three saw-mills in different parts of the county. This business Mr. Roberson carried on for five years, and then sold out and returned to his farm, which he began immediately to clear. Of the 100 acres he has cleared sixty- five acres, and has it under a good state of cultivation. In 1852 he bought 80 acres in Wayne Township, and in 1860 he purchased 82 acres adjoining his present farm: Still later, in 1872, he bought 120 acres in Wayne Township, and in 1878 he bought 80 acres adjoining his present farm. He also bought 146 acres in Morgan County. Mr. Roberson was first married, in 1841, to Miss Sarah Johnson, daughter of David Johnson, and four children were born to them, all of whom died young. On November 11, 1852, our sub- ject married Miss Nancy Flanagan, daughter of James Flanagan, and became the father of seven children, six of whom are living at the present time: Ella married Charles Kreit- line, and is the mother of two children, Charles and Louella; James married Miss Ida . Kempton, and has three children, Bessie, Elsie . and William; Joseph married Eva Foltz,
and they have three children, Grace, Harry and Hazel; Anna married Clarence DuBose, and has two children, Gertrude and Edith; Nicholas married Nancy Pearson; and Harry married Maud Mann, and is the father of one child, Mabel. In his political views our subject is a Democrat and his first vote was cast for Martin Van Buren. He has been a member of the church since 1848, and is still an active worker in the same. He is kind-hearted, genial and courteous, and is always cheerful and contented. No man is better liked in the community. His father is also a native of Washington County, Tenn., born in 1785, and in that State he was married to Miss Mary Roberts. Nine children were the fruits of this union, eight of whom grew to mature years, as follows: Charles, Maria, Rose A., Sarah, Nicholas, Keziah, Sophia and Charles, the eldest child,
was born September 15, 1808, and married Miss Mary Jolinson. Eight children were born to this union: Maria (deceased) married Gabriel Sylvester, and they had one son; Rose A. (deceased) married a Mr. Hatton, by whom she had two children; Sarah married William Renison, and they have one son; Nicholas (our subject); Keziah (deceased) married a Mr. Catterson, and they had a good-sized family; and Sophia (deceased) married David Der- ringer and became the mother of three living children. The father of the above mentioned children was captain of the Light Horse Company in the War of 1812. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Charles Roberson, grandfather of our subject, was born in Tennessee in 1765, and owned and operated a grist-mill in Washington County for many years. He married Miss Polly - and they became the parents of three daughters and one son. His death occurred at the advanced age of ninety-three years. Our subject's great-grandfather on the father's side was born in the Highlands of Scotland.
DICK WENNING. Nothing is more true than that good management, fair dealing and application to business will result in profit to the parties at interest. Failure rarely if ever comes, unless as the sequent of negligence, rash speculation or dishonesty. The field of business is large and unusually ripe unto the harvest; active workers are, as a rule. rewarded with the highest success. Mr. Wenniug is engaged in a most important calling, that of the vegetable grower, and makes a specialty of raising all kinds of early varieties for
360
MEMOIRS OF INDIANAPOLIS
the market. He has eight acres of land at 950 Madison Avenue, all of which is devoted to this line of work, and that this has been a profitable business is fully attested when it is known that he has erected one of the handsomest brick residences in the outskirts of the city of Indianapolis, surrounding which are neatly and tastefully laid out grounds. Mr. Wen- ning was born in Germany, April 2, 1833, a son of Barney Wenning, who died in his native laud in 1886 at about the age of seventy years. The mother also died there at about the same age. In the public schools of the land of his birth Dick Wenning obtained a practical and useful education, and when old enough began learning the weaver's trade in a factory near his home, where he continned until he had attained the age of twenty-six years. The United States had for some time offered great attractions for him and here he determined to seek his fortune, and accordingly in 1859 he bade adieu to home and friends and crossed the ocean to this country, coming very soon after to Indianapolis. Shortly after this he went to Cincinnati, where he remained about one year, then returned to Indianapolis with but little cash capital, but with a strong determination to make his way in the world and to earn a living if hard work, push and determination could accomplish it, little dreaming of the success that was to be his. He soon secured employment at farming and gardening in the employ of Nicholas McCarty, by which means he secured sufficient money to purchase his present property in 1869. This land he at once began to till, and knowing that in every large city vegetables are always in demand, he wisely decided to devote his land to this branch of agriculture, and time has shown the wisdom of his judgment. His vegetables are always fresh and sound, and at his stall in the market house he always keeps on hand a large supply which he sells reasonably, and his customers can always rely upon fair deal- ing and prompt attention. He was married in the city of Cincinnati, two years after com- ing to the United States, to Miss Minnie Cook, also a native of Germany, and to their union a family of eleven children were given, five of whom are living. Mr. Wenning and his wife are members of the German Reformed Church, in which Mr. Wenning was for many years an elder, and in which he has always taken a deep interest. Politically his sympathies have always been with the Democratic party, and he supports it on all occasions. He is in every respect a self-made man, for he has had nothing but his own energy, persistence and grit to rely on, and these formed the basis of his capital upon which to begin business.
EDWARD M. PUMPHREY. There are few cities in the central part of the United States which offer so inviting a field of activity to the contractor and builder as does Indianapolis. The rapid growth of the business interests of the city, with its accompanying growth of population and increase of wealth, has created a demand for finer and more elegant resi- dences, a larger number of substantial business blocks, while the extension of the city on all sides necessitates the erection of suburban residences. In this connection there is no man better qualified to meet the demands of the hour than Edward M. Pumphrey, contractor and builder, who has been familiar with the calling to which his attention is now devoted from early manhood. He is a native Hoosier, born in Putnam County, August 16, 1860, a son of L. M. R. and Virginia (Winter) Pumphrey, the former of whom was born in Wheeling, West Va. In 1803 he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and in 1835 moved to Glen's Valley. Mor- gan County, Ind., where he located on a farm and established one of the first mills ever erected on White River. He named the town of Glen Valley and became post-master of the place, getting his commission from Gov. Noble, making a very efficient and trustworthy official. In addition to the occupations above mentioned he was quite extensively engaged in dealing in stock, in fact, was a man of great push and enterprise, keenly alive to his own interests, but strictly honorable and charitable withal, and in every sense of the word a model American citizen. He built one of the first Madison, Ind., distilleries in the State and has been an active business man all his life and although now over ninety years of age, he is yet quite active. In 1856 or 1857 he moved to Putnam County, Ind., and there still makes his home. His wife was of French descent and died in 1876, while in his veins flows sturdy German blood. Edward M. Pumphrey was the fourth of five children born to the marriage of his parents, and in the schools of Putnam County his initiatory education was secured, but he afterward finished his education in Asbury University. When a mere lad he learned the carpenter's trade, for his tastes seemed to point in that direction, but also from child- hood he has had a passion for flowers, and at the age of fifteen or sixteen took up flori-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.