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 75
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A. M. Fisher, m.D.
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Asa, Strader, Thomas, William and Susan. The eldest child, Hannah, married Hon. Henry Brady, by whom she had six children, Emily, Oliver, Lititia, Margaret, Mahala and George; Mary, married James Caldwell, and became the mother of five children, Caleb, James, Will- iam, Hervey and Susan; Asa, the fourth child born to Caleb Dunn, married Miss Caroline Sedwick and had these children, Wilson, Hannah, Susan, William, Lucy, Mary, George and Emma; Strader, the fifth child, married Miss Hettie Joseph, who bore him six children, William, Jane, Martha, Mary, Cornelius and Cornelia (twins); Thomas Dunn married Miss Hannah Ailes, and four children are living, James, Elijah, Marion and George; William Dunn married Miss Dorothy Crane and has two children, Howard and Cora; Susan Dunn, the youngest child born to Caleb Dunn, married James M. Mercer, and became the mother of one child, Jacob D. On September 10, 1873, the original of this notice was married to Miss Belle Zimmerman, daughter of Christopher and Kate Zimmerman, of 566 East Wash- ington Street, Indianapolis. Mrs. Shimer is a lady of culture who in addition to a high school education, attended St. Mary's of the Woods, at Terre Haute. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Shimer, as follows: Bessie, who died in infancy; J. Tilden, born February 3, 1877, is now attending Butler University; Donald B. and Harold N. (twins), born January 9, 1884. The latter died when but four days old. Donald is kind, obliging, industrious and a GOOD boy. Fidelity Farm, the home of our subject, adjoins Irvington on the south and is located two and a half miles east of the city limits of Indianapolis. It con- sists of 192 acres and is admirably adapted to the uses to which it is put, general farming. Some of Mr. Shimer's horses are standard bred and he has a fine half-mile track where he oversees the training of his animals. At the head of his herd is the Hambletonian stallion Billy Breckenridge; his younger animals bid fair to make reputations on the race-course. Until a few years ago Mr. Shimer's attention was given to the raising of Jersey cattle, and he still has a fine herd of this breed. He was nearly killed in 1884 by an infuriated Jersey bull, and all his life will carry the scars of this encounter on his head and face. Mr. Shimer has a substantially built, modern two-story brick house of thirteen rooms, the building being trimmed with stone and galvanized iron, a large bay-window fronts the north, and on the east and west of the double-parlors extending the entire height of the house, all furnished with the best quality of French plate-glass. The house is located on one of the highest points of land in the vicinity and presents a fine appearance from the surrounding country. It is situated within one-half mile of Butler University and of the Irvington public school. Mr. Shimer also has a slate-covered brick smoke and wood-house, also a brick car- riage-house and granary, and his large farm barn is capable of comfortably stabling thirty head of stock.
ALFRED PAHUD. The activity which characterizes every branch and department of trade and commerce is due to the initiative energy and enterprise of the leading representative merchants in each line, and the floral industry of the city is as well represented by thor- oughly energetic and competent business men as any other branch of human endeavor. Alfred Pahud, a well known florist of the city, has a perfect understanding of his business and realizes the importance of promptness and of delivering according to promise, and has made it a rule never to disappoint his customers under any circumstances. He is the oldest and one of the most practical florists in Indianapolis and has had a lifelong experience in the work. He has been the florist of Crown Hill Cemetery for the past six years, and none has ever had occasion to regret his appointment to that position, for he is careful, painstaking and conscientious in his work, and nothing is left undone that should be attended to. Mr. Pahud was born in Switzerland in 1852, where he also received a practical education, and prior to coming to the United States he thoroughly learned the trade of a florist, so that although he was a stranger in a strange land and unfamiliar with the American customs upon reaching this country, he knew that he could make a good living by following his chosen calling. Prior to coming here. however, he followed the calling of a florist for five years in Paris, three years in Lyons, three years in Switzerland, and learned to speak the German, French and English languages quite fluently. After coming to Indianapolis, Ind., he established himself in his present business and has 20, 000 feet under glass, in which are rare, beautiful and costly flowers as well as the most inexpensive, in fact, everything to suit the taste of the public, and which are sold at reasonable figures. He makes a specialty of
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cut flowers, decorating, etc., and furnishes rare and beautiful designs for banquets, balls and public demonstrations of all kinds. He commands a liberal patronage, for the wise Ameri- cau knows where his interests lie and always patronizes those who endeavor to please him, in which respect he shows liis good judgment. Mr. Pahud was married in his native land and brought his wife with him to this country, but she died about one year after their arrival. In 1883 Mr. Pahud married a second time, his present wife having been born in France. By this union they have four children. He is a man much esteemed by all who know him and is a useful addition to the business circles of the city of Indianapolis.
DAVID JOHNSON. The gentleman whose name is at the head of this sketch has been quite successful from a pecuniary standpoint in the conduct of his affairs, and is a liberal, generous and high-minded gentleman, whose correct mode of living has gathered about him a large circle of friends and well-wishers. He has resided in Marion County all his life, for here he was born August 3, 1832, a son of William M. and Eliza (Appleton) Johnson, the former of whom was a native of New Jersey, and when a young man removed therefrom to Ohio, and one year later came to Indiana, taking up his residence in Marion County, three miles northeast of the Circle in 1821, near where the United States Arsenal now is, which was then heavily covered with timber, and Indianapolis consisted of but two houses. The paternal grandfather, David Jolinson, was a farmer and cooper and died when the subject of this sketch was a child. He entered a woodland farm on coming to this country, which is now owned by Samuel Johnson, whose son resides on the farm. William M. Johnson helped clear up this land, but afterward moved to or near West Indianapolis, and his farm is now in possession of the subject of this sketch, and is situated on Eel Creek. It comprises 160 acres, and from the door of his present residence Mr. Johnson can see one-half mile distant to the place where he was born. His father, William M. Johnson, also bought land here and fol- lowed farming up to the day of his death, which occurred in 1877 at about the age of seventy-seven years. When Mr. Johnson came to this section of the country the only inhabitants were mostly Indians, and the land now occupied by the populous city of Indian- apolis was a continuous patch of hickory ash bushes, also thickly timbered. He lived to see Indianapolis become one of the greatest railroad centers in the United States, and Marion County to become one of the most prosperous in the State. He was a member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church for over fifty years, and at various times trustee and steward of the same. In politics he was first a Whig and later became a Republican. His wife was a member of the same church as himself and died in 1850, when about forty years of age. To this union a good old-fashioned family of twelve children were given, of whom Henry, the eldest, is a prosperous farmer of Wayne Township this county; David; Mary, wife of Henry Pence; Anna, wife of a Mr. John J. Johnson, a farmer and brick manufacturer of Castleton, this county; Sarah A., wife of John VanSickle of Boone County; George is a farmer near Castleton, and the rest of the children died in infancy, with the exception of Emeline, who lived to be seventeen years of age. David Johnson received his education in Indianapolis in the first log school-house that was built there, and after attending school for two months in the year, when he was nineteen years of age he decided that his education was completed, and it was more than ordinarily thorough for that period. At the age of twenty- one he began working out for $13 per month as driver of an ox team, and was afterward on the Cincinnati Railroad hauling timbers for bridges, and in the spring he assisted in laying the foundations for these bridges. Shortly after he began farming and after his crop was garnered he returned to railroad work, or anything that he could find to do and continued this way for some time, and thus got his start in life. Thirty- three years ago he rented land of Mr. McCorby and has had business connections with him ever since. He made his first purchase of land in 1857, at which time he purchased ten acres where his home now stands, but where he now owns twenty acres. In 1870 he bought three acres, for which he paid $1,100 an acre. This is a part of West Indianapolis, and besides this he owns a one- third interest in the old home place, which is now very valuable. He has been quite a suc- cessful contractor as well as a farmer, and built the Michigan Street bridge, the Morris Street bridge foundation and put in the foundations of the Kentucky Avenue bridge, and worked on the Kentucky levees in different parts of the city and has otherwise been con- nected with the development of the city. He was the first town trustee, a position he held
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for many years, was then elected city treasurer and is now serving his second term in this position. Although formerly a Whig in politics, he has long been a Republican and cast his first Republican vote in 1856. In 1857 he was married to Miss Mary Johnson, daughter of William M. Johnson (not related) and to them three children were given: William O., a farmer, and Elida, wife of Fred Crow. Another son, Charles, lived to be eighteen years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he is a member of Samaritan Lodge, of the I. O. O. F., of which he has been a member since 1856, and he also belongs to the I. O. R. M, and the R. A., in which he is trustee, and the A. F. & A. M. He is a man whose usefulness to Indianapolis cannot be doubted, and he has the satisfaction of knowing that his life has been well spent and an honorable one.
JEREMIAH EGAN, EsQ. The duty of caring for the graves of those who have "crossed to that bourne from whence no traveler returns" is a sacred one and one that should be placed in the hands of those who are painstaking, trustworthy and reliable. In Mr. Egan these qualities are to be found in an eminent degree, and besides these he possesses good taste and a knowledge of landscape gardening which has been of essential benefit to him in perform- ing the duties of superintendent of the Holy Cross Cemetery, a position he has discharged with marked ability for some time past. The Sons of Ireland are well represented in Marion County, and they hold conspicuous places in many pursuits which make that county, a substantial star in the galaxy of Indiana's many interesting counties. Jeremiah Egan was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1836, and was named for his father, who was an honest and industrious tiller of the soil in the Isle of Erin, and no doubt he inherited from this worthy gentleman many of his most worthy business qualities, as well as the quick wit and light heartedness so characteristic of the Irish people. The father died in his native land in 1846, but prior to this he had given his son Jeremiah every educational advantage within his power, and for some time was himself his teacher, for he was finely educated, and one of his greatest desires was that his son should be also. In 1868 Jeremiah Egan decided to seek his fortune in America, and on April 28 of that year landed in Indianapolis, Ind. Having learned the trade of a gardener near the city of Cork, Ireland, he became a florist upon his arrival in Indianapolis, in connection with which he followed the occupation of gardening for nearly five years. At the end of that time he had accumulated sufficient means to enable him to purchase an establishment of his own at 805 East Market Street, of which he is still the owner. He soon after secured employment in the city gas works, with which he was connected until about 1892, when he was appointed to the position of superin- tendent of the Holy Cross Cemetery, and under his wise and comprehensive management the place has been greatly improved and made a "thing of beauty." Old and sunken graves have been built up, the new ones are always carefully looked after, and the grass, shrubs and trees are kept neatly trimmed. Mr. Egan has proved to be the right man in the right place and all who have friends buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery are thoroughly satisfied with his management of the place. He belongs to the St. Michael's Benevolent Society and politically is a Democrat. He was married in County Cork, Ireland, to Miss Nora Irvin and to their union five sons and two daughters have been given, one of the latter being dead.
JOHN SANDERS. Of the many prominent farmers of Decatur Township, Marion County, Ind., Mr. Sanders is well worthy of mention for he has been a resident of this county all his life and has ever had its interests at heart. He was born on the farm belonging to his father October 26, 1837, and as he was left motherless when only three weeks old, he was taken by his maternal grandmother, Phoebe Mills, wife of John Mills, who lived in Decatur Township. He made his home with his grandmother until about twenty-seven years of age, or until her death which occurred in 1865. Young Sanders attended the subscription schools in Decatur Township from the age of nine up to twenty, but rarely attended the full session of three months during the winter season. The grandmother had made her home with her son, Amos Mills, and after her death our subject continued to make his home with Amos Mills until the latter's death in 1874. He then bought 106 acres of the Mills farm and as fifty-five acres of that farm had been deeded to him as the heir of Amos Mills' widow he now has a fine farm of 156 acres. He has erected a handsome frame house and resided on this farm since. On December 8, 1870, he was married to Miss Ellen Newlin and to them were born two children: Charles N., who married Rebecca Forsha, daughter of A. A. Forsha; and Jehu, who is
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now attending Earlham College. Mrs. Sanders died August 20, 1873, and on August 21, 1889, Mr. Sanders was married to Mrs. Louisa Newlin, daughter of Joseph Benford and widow of David Newlin. No children have resulted from this union. Mr. Sanders is a member of the Friends Church, and in politics is a Republican, casting his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. His father, Daniel Sanders, was born in Ohio in 1809, and came to Indiana with his parents in early manhood, probably about 1828 or 1829. They located in Decatur Township, Marion County, and there Daniel's father entered land and gave Daniel eighty acres to which the latter added before his death until be owned 160 acres. In Deca- tur Township Daniel followed farming until his death in March, 1863. He had married, in 1833, Miss Rachel Mills, daughter of John Mills, and two children were the fruits of this union: Lydia, who married A. Barnett, and John, our subject. Mr. Sander's second wife was Mary Horton, by whom he had six children, as follows: Rachel (deceased); James (deceased); William, Amos, Ann (deceased), and Seth W. Rachel, the eldest of these chil- dren, married George W. Goodwin and became the mother of four living children: Elma, James, William and John. James, the second child, married Miss Jennie Roberts and they have four living children :. Walter, Elizabeth, Mary and Earl. William, the third child, married Serilda Tillman, and six children were born to them: Alda, Della, Alice, Grace, Frank and Luther. Amos, the fourth child, married Anna Armstrong, and to them was born one child, Harold. Seth W. first married a Miss Tillman but no children were born to this union. Later he married Miss Jennie Francescus and three children were born to them, as follows: Gertrude, Hubert and John C. The father of our subject was the third time married, that choice being Miss Cynthia Mendenhall, daughter of Aaron Mendenhall. Mr. Sanders, was a Quaker in his religious views. His father, William Sanders, was also a Quaker, and was born in Georgia June 1, 1778. He was reared in that State and married there. After the birth of two children he moved to Ohio and made his home in Warren County until 1832, when he came to Indiana, locating in Marion County where he died December 24, 1841. He married Amy Williams who bore him thirteen children, eleven of whom grew to mature years: Sarah. Mary, Charity, Daniel (father of subject), Rebecca, Joel, Eli, Sibby, Elihu, Rhoda and William. Eight of these children are deceased. Their mother passed away September 15, 1865. Our subject's great-grandfather, Joel Sanders, was probably born in North Carolina but moved from there to Ohio where his death occurred about 1819.
JOHN G. PENDERGAST was born in Bedford County, Penn., March 19, 1834. He is one of a family of nine children whose parents, John and Barbara Pendergast, were both natives of Pennsylvania. His parents were married in Bedford County, Penn., and there resided until 1842, when they came to Marion County, Ind., and settled at Indianapolis. The father was an unusually successful farmer and a man of more than ordinary attainments. He took an active part in politics, both as a Whig and a Republican, and wielded no small influence, being always found in his place at conventions, etc. Both parents were honored members of the Baptist Church for many years. John G. Pendergast, the subject of our sketch, passed his youthful days in Indianapolis and attended what was known as "The Little Old Brick School-House," located near the present site of the Second Presbyterian Church. When nineteen years of age he began to serve an apprenticeship of thirty months under Enos Pendergast, an older brother, who was an old-time builder in Indianapolis. Soon after reaching his majority, he became a member of the I. O. O. F. Later in life he united with the Masonic fraternity; he is a Mason of the thirty-second degree, a Knight Templar, and has the honor of being a past commander of the Raper Commandery No. 1, famous in Masonic societies for its drill corps. He is also a member of the Methodist Church. In 1863 he married Miss Margretta Donnan, a daughter of David Donnan, one of the pioneer builders of Indianapolis. As a journeyman he began to work for Byrket & Beam, being employed by that firm for six years and holding the position of foreman during the latter part of the time that he was with them. He then commenced contracting with George Wells as partner, and two years later he was appointed to superintend the building of the north wing of the old insane hospital. This was in 1868, and he was thus engaged for three years. Later he built the veneer works for Osgood & Adams. He was then appointed by the county commissioners to superintend the building of the Marion County Court house, seven
John & Tenergast
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years being required to complete this building. Mr. Pendergast was made chief of the Indianapolis Fire Department in 1878, and he held that position for three years and seven months. He had been offered the position the year previous, but had declined it. Up to the time of his appointment the fire department had been run much in the go-as-you-please manner. Mr. Pendergast soon brought the department up to a standard of discipline and efficiency equal to that in any of the larger fire departments of the country. He also intro- duced a system of book-keeping, records and specifications that are still followed in the department. Soon after his retirement from the fire department, he was appointed to super- intend the building of the State House. After this building was finished, he planned and superintended the construction of the large manufacturing plant of Messrs. Tucker & Dor. sey. He was afterward employed by the Broad Ripple Natural Gas Company as superin- tendent; put in all the plant in the city and extended the line up into the gas fields of Ham- ilton County; he acted in that capacity until that plant was sold to the Trust Company. In conjunction with others he organized the Indianapolis Paving Brick Company, built the fac- tories at Brazil, Ind., and managed the work there for three years. Selling his interest in this establishment, he took charge of a brick company's interest at Hillsdale, twenty-five miles from Terre Haute, Ind., but remained there for only a short time. He returned to Indianapolis, and recently has been appointed building inspector of that city. Mr. Pender- gast cast his first vote for Fremont and has always been a stanch Republican.
JOHN W. SEARS. The writer knows of no calling that has been dignified and graced in modern poetry more than that which in practical life is generally most prosaic. Long- fellow and Schiller especially have thrown a veil of romance and heroism about the towering form of the blacksmith, that while it stands out in all its muscular strength, lends an awe- inspiring majesty. John W. Sears has been a resident of Brightwood since the close of the war, and during that time has followed his trade, blacksmithing and wagon-making, and is the typical village blacksmith. He was born in Henry County, Ind., March 22, 1844, and is a son of John and Esther (King) Sears, who celebrated their nuptials in Henry County, Ind., in 1830. The father was a native of Canada, and the mother of Kentucky, and both came to Indiana when children. They were the parents of six children, as follows: David, who died in infancy; William, is now living in Kansas, and is married to Mattie Colwell; Martha, is deceased; John W., subject; George, deceased, and Mariah, now residing in Kansas. John W. Sears was reared in the Hoosier State, and at the breaking out of the Civil War he was anxious to fight for the old flag. In March, 1862, when eighteen years of age, he enlisted in the Seventeenth Indiana Battery, and served his country faithfully until July 5, 1865, when he was mustered out. He was with the Army of the Potomac, and was in all the prominent engagements fought by that army. He was in the battles of Get- tysburg and Antietam, and had the index finger of his left hand shot off at the second joint in one of the many engagements in which he participated. His brother, George, was in the One Hundred and Fourteenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Sears has been a resident of Brightwood since the close of the war, and is held in high esteem by all who know him, and the number is by no means small. He has been honored by his townsmen with the office of trustee of Brightwood, in which capacity he served two terms of two years each. He is an active member of the K. of H., and has been a member of the order seventeen years, holding all the offices within the gift of that order during that time. He is also a member of the G. A. R. and the I. O. O. F. Mr. Sears was married in Marion County to Miss Anna Glissner, by whom he had three children: Walter, born in 1870; Ross, born in 1873, and George, born in 1877. All are at home and single.
WILLIAM FETROW. Few families in this Township have a higher standing for char- acter, ability and enterprise than the one represented by the name at the head of this sketch, and in its various members it is eminently worthy of the respect which is universally con- ceded to it. He of whom we write is a native of the "Keystone State," born December 3, 1848, son of Joseph and Caroline (Fetty) Fetrow, who were married in Pennsylvania about 1833. To this union were born eleven children-five sons and six daughters-as follows: Alexander, Elizabeth, Mary, John, Joseph, Catherine, William, Maggie, Daniel and Mahala. One died in infancy. Alexander, the eldest child, is now living in Dalesville, Ind., and is married to Nancy Pottinger. They have four children. The second child born to Mr. and
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Mrs. Fetrow, Elizabethi, married Robert Corbett and resides in Pennsylvania. Mary lives in the "Keystone State " and is the wife of John Been. Jobn makes his home in Indian- apolis. He married Mary Marshall, who is now deceased. Joseph resides in this county and is the husband of Caroline Smith. Maggie is the wife of Samuel Smith and resides in Virginia. Catherine died unmarried. Daniel, now deceased, married Clara Higgins, who resides at Juliette, Ind. William, the subject of this sketch, remained in his native State until 1855, when he came with his parents to Marion County, Ind. In this county he received the principal part of his education and here he grew to sturdy manhood on bis father's farm, where he became thoroughly familiar with all the duties of the same. On July 1, 1883, he was married in Marion County, Ind., to Miss Effie D. Newton and this union was blessed by the birth of three children: Raymond, who was born July 13, 1884; Robert, born December 3, 1886, and Guntie, born October 19, 1889. All are living and are bright and intelligent children. Mrs. Fetrow, the wife of our subject, is the daughter of O. L. Newton and Jeanette (Walker) Newton, who were married in Coatesville, Ind., and who were the parents of four children: Charles, Henry, Obera and Effie. Charles is also married, but has no children. Mr. Newton served four years in the Civil War and was in an Indiana regiment. He participated in several of the prominent engagements, but escaped without injury. Mr. Fetrow, the subject of this sketch, is one of the prominent farmers of his section and delights in his calling. His, as well as his wife's family, were among the early settlers of Indiana and contributed their full share toward its improvement and development. He is highly respected in the community.
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