USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River, Vol. II > Part 46
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 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89
330
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
speaks well of their native hardihood that they were willing to undertake it in the face of the difficulties they knew they must encounter. Arriving in Wells county, they entered government land and in course of time were the possessors of one of the fine homes of their district. Ten children were born to them, one of them being the mother of the subject. Mr. Ogden was always a prominent man in his community, a leader in its political activities, and an ardent Democrat. He died in 1891, on the 19th day of January, when he was eighty-four years of age. Robert Kimmel was married on January 7, 1891, to Miss Susan Fieghman, daughter of Solomon and Mary (Silvius) Fieghman, who were of German ancestry. They lived for many years in Lafayette township and there carried on farming operations. Mr. Fieghman died July 18, 1903, and is survived by his widow and children. To Mr. and Mrs. Kimmel have come six children. Elvin Ray married Miss Florence Rutter and they have one child-Mildred May. Clifford, Forest, Verdona May, Charles R. and Kenneth F. are all at home, and are young people of much promise.
Elmer King is to be consistently designated as one of the represent- ative and progressive young business men of Allen county and is here successfully established in the produce business, with residence and head- quarters at Woodburn, Maumee township. In the handling of general lines of farm produce and dairy products he is a representative of the well-known firm of Miller Brothers, of Cleveland, Ohio, and to the head- quarters of this concern in the Ohio metropolis he consigns the major part of the produce which he buys in his assigned territory. Mr. King was born in Livingston county, Illinois, October 20, 1890, and is a son of Samuel and Lena (Rediger) King, who were likewise natives of that county, where the respective families were founded many years ago. Samuel King has made farming his vocation throughout his entire active career and continued his residence in his native county until 1906, when he removed with his family to Allen county, Indiana, and settled on a farm in Maumee township. Two years later he removed to Fulton county, Ohio, where he has since been a successful exponent of agri- cultural enterprise, his home being in the vicinity of the village of Fayette, and his loved and devoted wife having there died on July 29, 1916. They became the parents of twelve children, namely: Mattie, Elmer. Clara, Aaron, Joseph, Samuel, Jr., Ella, Anna, Phoebe, Irving, Harvey, and Martha. All of the children, except the last named, survive the mother. Elmer King gained his early education in the public schools of his native county and was about sixteen years of age at the time of the family removal to Allen county, Indiana. Here he gave his attention to farm activities for a period of three years, and since that time has been successfully established in the produce business at Woodburn, where his energy, progressiveness and sterling characteristics have gained to him unqualified popular confidence and esteem. His political support is given to the Republican party, but he has had no ambition for political activity or public office. In 1912 was recorded the marriage of Mr. King to Miss Lucy Stucky, who was born and reared in Allen county, a daughter of Moses and Mary (Gerig) Stucky, well-known citizens of Maumee township. Mr. and Mrs. King have no children.
Josiah King, who for many years was identified with the milling business at Roanoke, Indiana, and since his retirement, in 1888, has been numbered with the prominent citizens of Fort Wayne, takes pleasure in looking back upon a busy and eventful career that has stood for progress
331
FORT WAYNE AND ALLEN COUNTY
all along the line and marks him as a man of ambition and industry. He was born in Quebec, Canada, October 29, 1834, a son of Diamond and Frances (Allen) King, who were born respectively in Buxton, Maine, April 25, 1813, and near Kinsale, Ireland, May 20, 1815. The latter im- migrated to America, in 1833, and soon afterward became the wife of Diamond King, whose parents had settled in Canada when he was eight years of age. He grew to manhood in Quebec, there met and married his wife, and in 1836 came to Allen county and purchased land in the wilderness of Pleasant township. He was accompanied to Fort Wayne by Thomas Ferguson, an uncle of the late John Ferguson, the well known lumber man, and the journey was made on foot from Toledo, Ohio, to this city. In 1841, after Mr. King had erected a cabin on his land and made little improvements, he returned to Canada, and in 1843 sold his interests in that country and returned to Allen county with his family and settled upon his land in Pleasant township. Here he continued to make his home until 1851, when he went to Oregon and Washington, and remained in that western country for about fourteen years, his eldest daughter accompanying him on his journey. In 1864 he returned, via the Isthmus of Panama, to Allen county and once more settled on his home place in Pleasant township, and there passed the remainder of his life, dying January 6, 1908, having removed to the city of Fort Wayne some years previous. He was an old-time Whig and later a Republican, and at all times was loyal to his party. He was a life-long member of the Baptist church, and was a man of the highest type of character who was ever ready to do his part in the world's work for civilization and progress. Josiah King was reared a farmer and had but little educational advantages, there being no schools of any consequence in Pleasant town- ship until he had nearly reached his majority. He worked on the home place until he was twenty years of age, when he decided to seek his for- tune in Chicago. He first found employment at a salary of ten dollars per month, but after a short time engaged in sailing on the lakes, his salary then being twenty dollars a month. On September 16, 1854, he was shipwrecked, five vessels and their crews going down near the Calu- met in an equinoxial gale. He with some others made their way to shore and walked to Chicago. He gave his shoes to his captain, who was an old man, and himself walked to the city barefooted. Mr. King recalls that his only earthly possessions were vested in a dollar he had in his pocket. He found employment in Chicago again and for some years was engaged in carpenter work. Returning to Allen county he was employed as a millwright in his home community. Imbued with the patriotism characteristic of the true American, he offered his services in defense of the Union soon after the breaking out of the Civil war. On August 5, 1862, he enlisted in Company F, Eighty-eighth Indiana In- fantry (Captain, I. H. LeFevre, who was killed at the battle of Chica- mauga). He was mustered in as corporal and later promoted to sergeant, and on May 15, 1864, was advanced to the rank of first lieutenant, being honorably discharged for disability, January 11, 1865. He saw much activity during the two and a half years of his service, participating in many hard fought battles, among which were Perryville, Kentucky, Stone River, Tennessee, Chicamauga, Georgia, Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, Resaca, Georgia, Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia, and many other minor engagements. He suffered an attack of erysipelas during the last few months of his service, which terminated in rheumatism and heart trouble,
.
332
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCIIES
that disabled him from further service. After the close of his military career he engaged in the mercantile business at Chillecotha, Missouri, for about a year and a half, then returned to Allen county and became identified with the industrial life of the country; and from then until his retirement, in 1888, was one of the active business men of the country. He was employed in various capacities for some years, including the oper- ation of a sawmill. In 1873 he sold his mill and, in 1875, went to Roanoke, where in partnership with James O. Ward he erected a flour mill and continued its successful operation until 1888. In 1887 Mr. Ward sold his interest to William Stults, of Huntington, Indiana, and he was Mr. King's partner for a short time. In 1892 Mr. King disposed of his interest in the mill to L. M. Dague, and retired from the business. During the years of his connection with this enterprise he witnessed the mill's evo- lution from an old-fashioned burr mill to the modern rolling mill, and the success of the establishment was due largely to his progressive in- dustry and untiring efforts. Though now in the declining years of his life, he still enjoys complete mental activity, and is identified in many ways with matters which have to do with the progress and betterment of the country. Since 1888 he has been a resident of the city of Fort Wayne, living at 818 Wilt street, where he owns a pleasant little home, surrounded by a host of warm friends and sufficient means to keep the wolf from his door.
Thomas A. King .- Among the prominent agriculurists of Allen county, Indiana, none are more worthy of mention in a work of this character than the late Thomas A. King, of Fort Wayne. He was born in Pleasant township, this county, February 17, 1848. His parents, Dia- mond and Frances (Allen) King, were natives of Maine and Ireland, respectively, though they were pioneers of Allen county and were num- bered among the enterprising and substantial citizens of the county. He acquired his education in the public schools of Pleasant township and was still a school boy when the Civil war broke out. He enlisted in Com- pany E, One Hundred and Forty-second Indiana Infantry, and served as a brave and fearless soldier until honorably discharged, acquitting him- self in a manner highly creditable to himself and his country. On re- turning to civil life he again turned his attention to farming in Pleasant township, and for many years was one of the progressive and enter- prising men of that section of the county. In 1915 he retired from active business and removed to Fort Wayne, where he afterward resided until his death, February 11, 1917. Besides his various property interests in this city he also had an interest in the grain elevators at Sheldon, and was one of the active grain men of the county. Mr. King was married, in 1872, to Miss Merica E. Dalman, and they became the parents of six children, as follows: Frederick D., of Fort Wayne; Frances, wife of Simon P. Genth, of Lafayette township; Thomas E., of Fort Wayne; Jessie, wife of Gideon Ringenberg; Fern E., wife of Sherman Crowell, and Alma G., wife of Charles Lopshire. The mother of this family died in 1912.
Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkhoff .- One of the honored and estimable residents of Sheldon is Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkhoff, widow of Louis Kirkhoff and the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Houser) Minck. The father was a native German, born in Hessen, Darmstadt, and the mother was of American birth and parentage. They came to Allen county as young people and played an important part in the development of the agri-
4
AVL A LIBRARY ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATION
I Robert Klachen
333
FORT WAYNE AND ALLEN COUNTY
cultural resources of their community. Louis Kirkhoff, who became the husband of Elizabeth Minck, was a native son of Pleasant township, born there on July 18, 1871, and was a son of Christian Kirkhoff. He was reared and schooled in Pleasant township, and when he married settled on the home place of his father and continued to develop the farm that had occupied his father's attention for the greater part of his life. To Mr. and Mrs. Kirkhoff were born eight children. They are. Raymond, Linus, Frances, Henry, Laura, Victor, Clara and Mary. Linus is located at Grayling, Michigan, in the United States army ; Frances is in Fort Wayne ; Henry is in Virginia, and the others are still on the home place with the widowed mother. The husband died November 11, 1915. The family have membership in the Roman Catholic church and have an excellent standing in their community and the county.
Chester S. Kitch is one of the progressive young business men who has gained place among the prominent and successful representatives of real estate enterprise in Allen county and he is achieving a splendid work in the development of residence properties in Fort Wayne, where he gives special attention to the building of attractive and well-constructed houses which he sells to home-seekers upon most advantageous terms, including a minimum cash payment and regular monthly installments thereafter until the property passes into the full ownership of the appreciative home- maker who, in many instances, would have otherwise been unable to compass this altogether desirable and legitimate end. The C. S. Kitch Company also handles with discrimination approved second-mortgage loans on real estate security, as well as bonds, stocks, equities and life- insurance policies, and in connection with the real estate enterprise is conducted a well-ordered fire-insurance business, the agency acting spe- cially as underwriters for the Providence Insurance Company of Wash- ington, D. C. Mr. Kitch initiated his present business activities in 1909, when he purchased the established real estate business of Stultz and Company and adopted the present title of the C. S. Kitch Company. He is one of the aggressive, liberal and essentially representative young business men of Fort Wayne and is contributing much to the physical development and upbuilding of the city and its environs. Mr. Kitch was born at Huntington, Indiana, February 27, 1883, and is a son of John Kitch, a well-known citizen and business man of Huntington county. After having properly availed himself of the public school advantages in his native city he took a higher course of study in Northwestern Uni- versity, at Evanston, Illinois, and he thereafter went to the city of Indianapolis, where he entered the service of the company operating the interurban electric railway line between the capital city and Terre Haute. For five years he held the office of district freight and passenger agent for the Indianapolis and Eastern interurban system, and of this responsible position he continued the incumbent until he came to Fort Wayne and engaged in his present line of business enterprise, in 1908. Mr. Kitch is a Republican in politics, is one of the alert and progressive members of the Fort Wayne Commercial Club, and is a popular member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. On April 15, 1909, he married Miss Agnes Naughton, of Lafayette, Indiana, and they have one child, Jack D.
W. Robert Klaehn is a representative of one of the old and honored German-French families of Allen county, has been a resident of Fort Wayne from the time of his birth and has for a long period of years
334
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
been engaged in the undertaking business. Close application during exceptionally long business hours eventually brought such impairment to the health of Mr. Klaehn that he was admonished by his family physician to abate his business activities to a certain extent, and under these con- ditions he admitted to partnership, in March, 1911, his present valued coadjutor, Albert E. Melching, who has relieved him of the more arduous and exacting duties involved in the conducting of the business. In a house that stood at the northeast corner of Washington and VanBuren streets, Fort Wayne, W. Robert Klaehn was born on February 28, 1858. His earlier education was acquired in the Lutheran parochial schools of St. Paul's and the Emanuel churches, and was supplemented by high academic study in Concordia College, as well as a course in the Fort Wayne Business College. In 1876 he became associated with the under- taking business of Hall and Klaehn, his father, Julius J. Klaehn, having been the junior member of this firm. Upon the death of the honored father, in 1880, the widowed mother believed that the subject of this sketch was yet too young to assume full control of the business, and the same was sold to the firm of Scheumann and Schoppman. In 1888 Mr. Klaehn purchased the interest of Schoppman, but the original firm title was continued until 1898, when Mr. Klaehn purchased the interest of Mr. Scheumann and assumed full control of the business. He there- after conducted the enterprise in an individual way until his health made it expedient to admit his present partner to an alliance which has proved most harmonious and successful to both, the firm name being now Klaehn and Melching. Julius J. Klaehn, father of him to whom this review is dedicated, was born in the Kingdom of Saxony, Germany, and came to America in 1852, in which year he established his residence in Fort Wayne. Here he was associated for a time with the business of John A. Miller, and, in 1862, engaged in the furniture business in an independent way, on Harrison street. He later became a member of the firm of Hall and Klaehn, and the business gradually was concentrated and confined to undertaking and funeral directing. Mr. Klaehn died, January 1, 1880, and his devoted wife did not long survive him, as she was summoned to the life eternal on the 24th of October, 1882, both having been devout communicants of the Lutheran church. The maiden name of Mrs. Klaehn was Wilhelmina Schmidt and she was born in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, which was then a part of French ter- ritory. Of the six children in the family three are now living, the subject of this sketch being the only surviving son ; Frances is the wife of William Griebel, of Fort Wayne; and Flora is the wife of Rev. John Griebel, who is a clergyman of the Lutheran church, their home being at Perry- ville, Missouri. W. Robert Klaehn gives his political support to the Republican party and both he and his wife are earnest communicants of Emanuel Lutheran church, of which he is a trustee. On May 15, 1885, Mr. Klaehn wedded Miss Julia Breimeyer, who was born and reared in Fort Wayne, a daughter of Henry and Sophia (Busse) Breimeyer, well-known citizens who settled in Fort Wayne many years ago and who here passed the residue of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Klaehn became the parents of eleven children, all of whom are living except two, who died in infancy. Julius is associated with his father in business; Arthur is in the employ of the Fort Wayne Plumbing and Heating Company, is married and has three children; Robert holds a position in the offices of the German-American National Bank of Fort Wayne, of which bank
ASTON, LENUĊ½ TILDEN FOUNDATION
335
FORT WAYNE AND ALLEN COUNTY
his father is a director; Edna is the wife of Henry J. Herbst, assistant superintendent at Thieme Brothers' silk mill, Fort Wayne, and they have one daughter; Walter is in the employ of the Fort Wayne Oil and Supply Company; Loretta, Beatrice, Mildred and Ruth remain at the parental home.
Jacob Klett was a sterling citizen who, in 1877, founded the large and important lumber business now condueted under the title of Jacob Klett and Sons, and this is now the oldest concern doing business on Pearl street in the city of Fort Wayne, the sons having control of the enterprise and having shown their filial loyalty and appreciation by retaining, since the death of their honored father, the original firm name. The late Jacob Klett, who made a definite impress as one of the staunch business men and loyal citizens of Fort Wayne, was born in Germany on September 13, 1831, and he was reared and edueated in his Fatherland, whence, in 1852, about the time of attaining to his legal majority, he eame to the United States, a strong and ambitious young man who was animated by a determination to make for himself a place of independence and prosperity in the land of his adoption. About one year after his arrival in America he came to Indiana and estab- lished his residence in Fort Wayne. For the first few years he was employed in driving an old-time stage on a line operated by a man named Angel, and thereafter he gained valuable experience while in the employ of the firm of Clark & Rhinesmith, engaged in the lumber business. He did not follow a mere routine, but was alert in absorbing and assimilating knowledge of the various details of the business, so that he was properly fortified when he decided to engage in the same line of business enterprise in an independent way. In 1877, as pre- viously noted, he became the founder of the business that still perpet- uates his name and that is conducted by his three sons under the title of Jacob Klett and Sons, the enterprise having its headquarters in the same location that Mr. Klett established the business virtually forty years ago. He applied himself with characteristic energy and progress- iveness until he had developed a prosperous lumber business of a general order, and, in 1883, he admitted to partnership his eldest son, John A. William B., another son, was made a member of the firm in 1889, and, in 1898, after the death of the father, a third son, John G., likewise was admitted to partnership, these three constituting the interested prin- cipals in the present firm. In addition to maintaining at the yard a large stoek of lumber of all kinds and also general lines of building material, the firm also operates a planing mill which was established by the concern about the year 1889 and which is situated at the corner of Wells and Superior streets. In the handling of its business the firm gives employment to an average of twenty persons, and the sons are fully upholding the honors of the family name. The maiden name of Mrs. Klett was Louise P. Sautter, and she survived her husband by about twelve years, he having passed away on July 3, 1896, and her death having occurred January 23, 1908. Of their children three sons and two daughters are now living.
William C. Klitzke was in the very prime of his strong and useful manhood when he was summoned from the stage of his mortal endeavors, but he had already accomplished a man's work in the world and had left a definite impress on the business activities of the city of Fort Wayne, though he had here maintained his home for less than a decade.
336
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
His ability and his sterling attributes of character gave him inviolable place in the confidence and good will of those with whom he came in contact in the various relations of life, and many were the staunch friends who felt a sense of personal loss and bereavement when he passed to the life eternal. Mr. Klitzke was born in the city of Chicago, Illinois, on February 3, 1874, and thus was but little more than forty-three years of age when he passed away, his death having occurred at his home in Fort Wayne on February 17, 1916. He was a son of Ferdinand and Augusta Klitzke, both of whom were born in Germany and both of whom survive him, their home being now in the city of Hammond, Indiana, and the father being a representative lumber buyer of that place. Of the other children it may be recorded that John is a resident of Fort Wayne; Herman lives in the city of Chicago; Emil is identified with business affairs in Fort Wayne; and Louis and Paul reside at Hammond, Indiana. The subject of this brief memoir gained his early education in the public schools and in his youth identified himself with practical business affairs. He remained at the parental home until April 14, 1900, when was solemnized his marriage to Miss Ida Mundt, who was born in Germany but was a child at the time of the family emigration to America. She is a daughter of Herman and Freda Mundt, both of whom are now deceased, the father having been a carpenter by trade and having been a resident of Hammond at the time of his death. His devoted wife survived him and was called to the life eternal in October, 1914. They became the parents of five children: Minnie is the wife of Earl Maske, of Fort Wayne; Alice is the wife of Frederick Smith, of this city; Millie is the wife of Patrick Butler, of St. Louis, Missouri; Herman resides at Hammond, Indiana; and Mrs. Klitzke is the eldest of the number. After his marriage Mr. Klitzke was identified with busi- ness interests in Hammond until 1907, when he came to Fort Wayne and assumed the active management of the affairs of the Fort Wayne Dairy Company, of which he was vice-president and treasurer at the time of his death, a substantial and prosperous enterprise having been developed under his progressive and well-ordered management and the company still represents one of the important industrial enterprises of the Allen county metropolis. Mr. Klitzke was a Democrat in politics, but never manifested aught of ambition for public office. He was reared in the faith of the Lutheran church, and was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, including the Shrine, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is survived by no children, but his widow still maintains her home in Fort Wayne and continues actively in the management of the business of her late husband, besides which she is a stockholder in the Fort Wayne Transfer Company.
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.