USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Some Fort Wayne phizes > Part 17
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231
EXHIBIT "A"
SAMUEL L. MORRIS
N () wonder Fort Wayne is such a peaceable, tranquil community. In this pretty little city of sixty thousand people we have, according to the most recent directory, one hundred and two full-fledged. active. learned followers of Blackstone, which gives us one lawyer to each six hundred population. Of course. it is the chief effort of these splendid citizens to preach con-
tinuously the doctrine of brotherly love wherein we all should dwell together without getting huffy at every little thing that happens. Occasionally, our natural mean- ness breaks out, and then the ever faithful expounder of the law rushes in to hx up the breach. But he always does tus best to avoid this latter calamity by the applica- tion of preventive remedies. His life is one continuous round of personal sacrifice in the interest of peace. Mr. Morris is one of our busiest peace commissioners and has for years been a leading light of the bar of Allen county and of Indiana. We see him in the sketch mak- mg a hearty appeal in the interest of quietude and tranquillity.
Mr. Morris was eight years old when he came to Fort Wayne. He got this start-off at Auburn, but his father, the venerable Judge John Morris, brought the family to thuis city in 1857. and here they have remained and become valuable citizens. Mr. Morris received his pre- paratory education in the public schools. graduating from the high school in 1868. He then entered Princeton Col- lege, New Jersey, and in 1873 went forth as a graduate of that institution. He then began reading law in the office of Withers & Morris, and in 1875 was admitted to practice. For six years he was a partner of Judge R. S. Taylor, and since then has been associated with W. H. Coombs and R. C. Bell. and now with James M. Barrett. This law hrm is one of the most prominent in the state of Indiana.
232
JOHN W. SALE
T 'WO years ago, after a long period of activity, Mr. Sale decided to retire from business and pass the rest of his days in a restful, quiet way He drew out his coziest Morris chair, selected a comfortable pair of house slippers and settled down to enjoy in tranquillity and ease the fifty or sixty remaining years of his life. He was surely entitled to this rest and he meant to avail himself ot the privilege.
But he no sooner got settled down than he happened to think of something. That .something" was simply this: That a man of Mr. Sale's push and energy can never keep out of active life as long as health and strength are his. And directly he was enwrapped body and mind in the affairs of the Fort Wayne Iron and Steel Company. The sketch depicts him shouldering his portion of the responsibility of the management of that large concern. On the organization of the enterprise he was made a director and treasurer, and as such is an executive officer who is aiding in the successful development of this vast enterprise.
Mr. Sale was born in Warren county, but for twenty- eight years has been a resident of Fort Wayne. He was for twenty-five years the jumor member of the firm of Hoffman Brothers and the Hoffman Lumber Company, which had large interests in a dozen states.
Besides his rolling mill connections Mr. Sale is also largely interested in the independent telephone systems of the central part of the state. He is one of the pioneers in this business, the development of which has become such a great benefit to the people at large.
Mr. Sale enlisted early in the civil war and served three years in the Twenty-fourth and Sixty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, during which time he rose from the ranks to a line officer, having served with credit. He was in some of the hardest fought battles of the war.
Mr. Sale is a staunch Republican and was the nominee of his party for state senator in 1902.
STEEL ×
JESSE H. YOUNG
T WICE in his life Mr. Young shed hitter tears. Per- haps he did so more times than these, but twice we Know about. Once was when he fell off a radroad turn- table and broke his leg and the other time was on the morning after burglars had raided the jewelry store con- ducted by his father and himself and carried away every- thing excepting the show cases and the proprietors. We mention these two incidents, as they have a considerable influence upon the history of Mr. Young. He dried his tears quickly after each experience and buckled into the fight again as soon as the first shock was over. He is now one ot Fort Wayne's successful business men, hav- ing a finely stocked jewelry and optical goods store in one of the best of locations.
Mr. Young is a native of Tiffin, Ohio, Perhaps that's the reason he chuse a "Tiffany " line of business. He attended the high school and then Heidelberg College at Tiffin, taking a commercial course at the latter institu- tion. It was while in school that he and some other lads were "monkeying" around the aforementioned turn-table. The accident, which resulted in a broken leg, shortened his school days, and he started in to learn the jewelry business with his father at Tiffin. They locked the store up as usual one night. The next morn- ing when they opened for business they found that every piece of their stock had been carried away by burglars. This broke up the business, and Mr. Young came to Fort Wayne in 1883. He was first employed as a stamp clerk in the postoffice under Postmaster Keil. Then. until 18go. he was engaged in the jewelry business, having purchased the Caps store. He sold the stock to Dallas F. Green and became connected with J. L. Sievert's establishment, remaining seven years. Several months ago he opened his present hine place on Calhoun street.
234
OTIS B. FITCH
I F you take the map of Ohi and put your finger on Cleveland and then let it glide southward for twen- tv-tive miles and stop, it will cover the place where (. B. Fitch made tracks in the sand with his ** 'ittle tootsies. " and manufactured mud pies when he was in Kilts, and earlier. It was in those dayson the tarm that he didn't take nearly the interest in footwear that he does now. Even when he got to be quite a lad. he tol- lowed the example of the poor benighted Hindoo, who continued to let his skin do, in place of boots or shoes.
But there came a time when things took upon them- selves a change, and the boy began to take on ais by pulling on a pour of cowhides and later some dainty specimens of congress shoes. From that time since. he has kept up with the styles.
It was in 1873 that the family came tu Fort Wayne. Mr. Fitch began activity here as an employe at the Olds Wheel Works, and did so well at the business that he stayed three years. Then he took a position with the Wabash Railroad Company as a fireman and continued for three years helping to drive the iron horses over that system.
By this time, Mr. Fitch had a pretty good idea of humanity and he decided to test the strength of that Idea by engaging in business. He opened a store for the sale of hats, caps and general furnishings and did a good deal toward increasing the attractiveness of the attire of the men of Fort Wayne. After nine years in this line. he launched out, fourteen years ago. in the retail shoe business. His store is known as the Hoosier. a name which sounds warm and pleasant and homelike to every true son and daughter of Indiana. real or adopted.
JOHN H. AIKEN
H AVE you ever noticed that many of our best lawyers passed through the Hoosier schoolmaster period before they finally chose their profession? It seems that when a young man succeeds in convincing a roomful of odds and ends of households that the world isn't flat and that the cube root hasn't any connection with bot- any. he rightly thinks he is pretty well equipped to con- vince a jury on almost any proposition which could pos- sibly bob up for solution. That was the way with Judge Aiken. He taught the youngsters in various Allen county schools before entering a law school to finish his legal education, and had certainly gotten a good start on his successful way before taking the latter step.
Judge Aiken was born in Lafayette township. He came to Fort Wayne when a lad and attended the Methodist College. In 1889 he entered the University of Michigan and was graduated from its law department with the class of 1891. He came to Fort Wayne in the same year and began practice in partnership with M. V. B. Spencer. These gentlemen continued together until Mr. Spencer's appointment as state pension agent, which took him to Indianapolis.
Judge Aiken has thrown his able influence upon the side of the Democratic party and has been honored in turn by being elected to the superior judgeship of Allen county.
During the first term of N. D. Doughman, Judge Aiken acted as deputy prosecutor. In 1800 he was elected judge of the superior court to succeed the late C. M. Dawson. He was renominated for the same office in 1002.
Judge Aiken was a delegate from Allen county to the recent state convention of his party, and led the fight against instructing for any candidate for president. At present many of his friends are urging his candida v for one of the county judgeships.
236
EMIL M. HOEFEL
THIS handsome young man is Mr. Hoefel, the staff artist of the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, with whose features you may not be familiar. but whose faces you have frequently seen.
The first thing Mr. Hoefel ever drew for a living was a long breath of air. This was in Mainz. Germany. While yet a baby he drew himself together and went with his folks into the domain of pretty Queen Wilhelmina, although it wasn't hers then. Here he was reared and educated. He managed to thrive well in the land of wind- mills and dikes and wouden shoes, and when he was old enough to hold onto a piece of charcoal and a handful of brushes and a palette he was sent to the Academy of Arts at Rotterdam. After spending some time there he was drawn to the sea and for two and a half years was a jolly tar before the mast. his principal object being to study the ocean in all her moods in order to reproduce her on his canvasses. His cruises carried him to France and Portugal and around Africa to the Dutch East Indies and the West Indies. His marines were exhibited in Holland and at the New Orleans and Saint Louis Expositions. At the end of his sea experience he landed at New Orleans and first began work with a decorator. At that time. too. he made his hrst acquaintance with newspaper illustrat- ing. He suon had a position on the Times-Democrat as general illustrator: but the swamp fever caught him and he had to dig out of New Orleans. He went to Saint Louis, where he was employed by the leading German paper, Westliche Post, as a cartoonist and general artist. When the crookedness of Saint Louis began to crop out Hoefel got disgusted and came away to a decent town-to Fort Wayne.
In addition to his dauly work, which is certainly of umform cleverness, Mr. Hoetel is the instructor of a class in the manly-and womanly-art of fencing.
A
LOPPER
MINE
-
Đối
237
C
WILLIAM E. MOSSMAN
M R. MOSSMAN is one of those unusual individuals who have contracted an incurable case of youth- fulness. We are willing to wager that if he gets to be a hundred and thirteen years old. he will be just as young in spirit as he was a score of years ago or is now. We wish that more of us could catch the infection We notice that we say he has contracted a case of this kind: this is an error. He was born that way and never got over it. What a splendid thing it is to be able to stay in one's youthood !
Mr. Mussman cut and sawed his way to success. He was one of the pioneer lumbermen of this portion of the country, and. although he has added some other lines of business to take a portion of his attention, he is still wrapped up in the manufacture of lumber. He was born on a farm near Coesse. in Whitley county. Indiana, sixty-one years ago, and stayed there until he reached his majority. It was then that he tried the experiment of manufacturing hardwood lumber, opening a mill at Coesse. The venture was a complete success and opened the way to the establishment of a number of other mills in southern Indiana and Kentucky. These are still among the most important in this portion of the country. Mr. Mossman came to Fort Wayne from Coesse, after the mill there had proved to be a success,
In many ways, Mr. Mossman has assisted in the upbuilding of the city of his adoption. In addition to his connection with the wholesale hardware firm of Mussman. Yarnelle & Company, he is vice-president of the Tri-State Loan and Trust Company. vice-president of the Wayne Knitting Mills, and a director in the Fort Wayne Loan and Trust Company and the Fort Wayne Windmill Company.
275
RUSELLES S. VIBERG
YOU wouldn't think, to survey his good-natured phiz. that this young man leads a hand-to-month exist- ence; would you? Well, he does. He's a dentist.
Politics make strange bed-fellows, they say. It also does many other queer things. Notwithstanding the fact that Doctor Viberg is not a politician-although a man with such a "pull" as his ought to be an expert at that profession-it was politics that brought him to Fort Wayne. It happened in this way: He was born in Cedar Creek township, and there did all the remarkable things which characterize the rural bfe of a boy. His father became the nominee of the Democrats as sheriff ot Allen county. He was elected, and, of course, the family was brought to Fort Wayne: that was in 1888. Thus it was that politics brought Doctor Viberg to Fort Wayne. Of course, at that youthful age he had no idea ot hecom- ing a fixer of human chewing apparatus, but began at once a course in the city high school. Finishing his work there, he spent three years in Purdue University at Lafayette. Then he took up his dental studies in the Indiana Dental College at Indianapolis, graduating therefrom in March, 1896. Doctor Viberg, because of his special fitness, was placed in charge of the clinic of the college during its first summer session, and then. during the following winter, acted as assistant demon- strator in the operating department. At the completion of his work at Indianapolis he came to Fort Wayne. where he has been decidedly successful. He will occupy a suite in " The Rurode," being the first man to sign a lease for office quarters there.
Doctor Viberg is an enthusiastic Elk and held the chair of exalted ruler in roor and 1902. He is a member of the Kappa Sigma tratermity and of the Masons.
Putcan
NEWEST PATTERN IN OVERALLS. TO BE WORN WITH SHIRT WAIST
GEORGE P. EVANS
T "HEY tell the story of a deaf old lady, who, with her daughter. happened to be aboard a railroad train which jumped the track and jumbled the passengers together in heaps. The two ladies were rescued unin- jured and assisted to a grassy knoll, where they were left to recover from their shock, while the rescuers turned their attention to more serious cases. Among the passengers was a kindly-disposed elderly gentleman who passed from one group to another seeking tu com- fort and reassure the distressed. On reaching the two referred to he said gently, as he placed his hand sooth- ingly upon the mother's arm:
"Have courage, ladies, and remember that a kind heaven bends over all."
Turning quickly upon the daughter, the mother asked in jerky syllables:
"What's that old fool saying about men's overalls?" Of course, it would have been foolish to discuss such a subject at such a time; however, if George P. Evans had been there it wouldn't have been astonishing to hear lum broach the subject, even under such unfavorable conditions. This is because overalls are his hobby. He doesn't think a person can get too old to wear "bihs " He is the treasurer of the Hoosier Manufacturing Com- pany, which makes many carloads of these necessary outer garments each year. We don't know much about Mr. Evans' political views, but he seems to be strongly in favor of protection for the workingman.
Hillsboro, Ofno, is Mr. Evans' native town, but he has been here since 1800. In 1878, after deciding that overalls and hlouses were a staple necessity, the busi- ness of making these garments was begun in the building on Clinton street now occupied by the Fort Wayne Newspaper Umion, In 1882 the Hoosier Manufacturing Company, which now has large quarters on East Berry street, was incorporated.
240
CHARLES H. WINDT
T "HIS young man is one of the most matter-of-fact individuals that ever occurred. When he was a small boy in school at Jackson. Michigan, the teacher asked the youngsters to learn a "memory gem" to be repeated at roll-call each Friday morning. Charley selected this old favorite and sprung it one day: "Always take things by the smooth handle."
And then he began to worry. How, he asked him- self, can all the folks take things by the smooth handle when there aren't enough handles to go around? He resolved to remedy the difficulty, and as soon as he graduated from the Jackson High School he entered the employ of the Withington & Cooley Manufacturing Company, makers of forks. hoes and rakes at that place. He developed a great deal of executive ability and in the spring of 1900 was assigned to the care of the Fort Wayne branch of the business, known as the Withington Handle Company, exclusive manufacturers of handles. He was treasurer of the concern. The sale of the Withington Handle Company to the National Handle Company took place in June, 1903, and Mr. Windt was retained as manager. While still holding this important position, he was chosen assistant secre- tary of the National Handle Company-which is the largest manufacturer of handles in the world-and he is also auditor and traffic manager of the division of the various plants north of the Ohio river.
The output of the combined factories is fifty thousand handles per day. The shipments in and out of the Fort Wayne factory amounted to Seven hundred cars last year; and a $150,000 business was done here alone. Fifty men are given employment. The plant is now being greatly enlarged and will eventually be the largest of its kind in the country.
So, you see. Mr. Windt is doing all he can to assist in the observance of his .memory gem."
He is a prominent Mason and club man.
NATIONAL HANDLE CO.
241
EC
VAN B. PERRINE
D ON'T think Van has a lombering gait just because you see him with a jag on-that is, of course, a jag of lumber. He is always in condition to walk a plank and likewise knows a plank when he sees one. He sees a great many.
Van was born in Kingston. New York, and went to Brooklyn to get an education and planked shad. This is where he got famihar with plank. He found himself in the lumber business in Brooklyn when he was twenty- three years old, and he has not been lost in the lomber business in Fort Wayne for eighteen years. He repre- sented a California firm upon his arrival from Brooklyn. In a very short time he started a large hardwood lumber factory at Huntington. the Lime City ot Indiana. He thought that it would be kilning to live in the Lime City. so he continued to reside here and work at his mill between times. The Perrine-Armstrong Company moved its saw-mill to Fort Wayne later and now the factory on Winter street is the largest hardwood saw-mall in the state. Wagon and hardwood lumber of all kinds is made there. Nearly one hundred men hnd employment at this factory the year round. Mr. Perrine is also the owner of large factories at Lafayette and Indianapolis: but resides here. Van makes dust even it wet weather. You never saw such dust: but he surely saws such dust. Then the portions of timber not used for lomber are sawed into stove wood. This wood is sold in the city. He never hears the cry over the telephone that the gas is low but in the winter people want to know why the wood is not delivered. He doesn't mind what people Siv over the telephone. as he was born near Hellgate. Van is a Shriner and an Elk. and, of course, besides being a good fellow , knows a thing or two.
DAVID N. FOSTER
IT is difficult to put the story of the bite of David N. Foster within the limit of the four straight lines which surround this type. As a lad tourteen years old he was a bundle boy in a store in New York City. going there from his native town in Orange county of that state. At eighteen he was a partner in the dry goods business with his brother. A little later he was a student in an acad- emy at Montgomery, New York, equipping himself for the profession of the law. At twenty he was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion A few years atterward he was back into business again, hrst at New York City and later at Terre Haute. At thirty-two he was editor of a newspaper at Grand Rapids, Michigan, and at thirty- seven. in 1878. was in Fort Wayne conducting one of the branch stores in several oties of the Foster Brothers He is now the president of the D. N. Foster Furniture Company in this city, one of the largest establishments of its kind in Indiana.
When the war broke out he was attending college. In April of 1861. the morning after Lincoln's first call for -5,000 volunteers, the citizens of the town were raising a flag. Mr. Foster was the orator and he closed his speech by announcing that he had already enlisted in the Ninth New York regiment and would leave at noon on that day to jom the regiment as a private He was pro- moted to second lieutenant in December ut 1802, his commission reaching him while he was lying dangerously wounded in the hospital on the battle ground at Fred- ericksburg. Soon after the battle of Gettysburg he was promoted to a captaincy. His wounds. however, com- pelled him to leave the service and he returned home. re-entering commercial pursuits.
Mr. Foster has always been prominent in G. A. R. circles. In 188; he was commander of the department of Indiana and was one of the original movers in the es- tabhshment of the soldiers' home at Lafayette.
243
G.O.P.
THOMAS F. BRESNAHAN
I IT would seem. on careful consideration of the facts, that this harmless-looking young man ought to be arrested and pumshed for committing the unpardonable act of cruelty to animals. For ten long years, ever since he came to Fort Wayne, he has busied himself hurling the harpoon into the thick hide of the G. O. P. elephant. During the early part of that period. this harpoon was shaped very much like a lead pencil, and his onslaughts wore away the point many times a day : later, with the improvements in methods, he has used the typewriter. and thus are his attacks machine-made. The fact is, to speak plainly that Tom Bresnahan is the city editor and political writer of the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, and he is one of the tireless workers for the Democratic party in the Twelfth district By being tireless, he is neces- sarily puncture-proof, a very necessary qualification for a newspaper man who gives his attention to politics.
In addition to his newspaper work in the interest of the party. Tom has for two years been the secretary of the Democratic county central committee. This year. some of the candidates teased him to become chairman of the committee, but he shook his head : he's too busy.
Tom originated at Columbia City thirty-three years ago. The family came to Fort Wayne in 1880. He en- tered the Cathedral school and came forth a graduate from its classical course. Going then to Mount Calvary, Wisconsin, he put the finishing touches to his education at Saint Lawrence seminarv. He speaks German and French equally as well as Enghsh, and he certainly slings English to the queen's taste. Coming to Fort Wayne to stay, he tied himself to the Journal and hasn't vet become untied.
JOHN MORRIS, JR.
M R. MORRIS is one of our hivehest members of the bar. On page 270, Section 13. of the heavy mo- rocco hound volume which he holds in his hand. is just the point he has been looking for. He has found exactly the right authority that's needed to win his case, and we behold him here telling the jury all about it. He has a faculty of being pretty sure of his grounds before going ahead.
Mr. Morris is a native-born Fort Wayneite. He came in March. 1860. He is the son of Judge John Morris, one of the most eminent jurists Indiana has ever known. His good traits have been taken up by his son, of whom we write. When Mr. Morris was a youngster he wasn't very strong physically, so that much of his education was received at home, a circumstance which was not as unfortunate as it would have been for many another boy deprived of a complete course in the public schools. How- ever, he passed the final examinations of the high school and entered the University of Michigan in 1879. He was graduated therefrom in 1883. He immediately entered the law office of Coombs. Morris & Bell, remaining three years. In 1884 he was appointed by Noble C. Butler as deputy clerk of the United States Court in Fort Wayne, serving until 1893. In 1886 he was admitted to practice in the supreme court of Indiana and in the United States Courts. He formed a partnership with Charles H. Worden and continued until 1893. when the present alliance with William P. Breen was formed.
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