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 8
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
Clarence F. Bicknell .- When Clarence Ford Bicknell came to Fort Wayne, in 1902, to assume the management of the Fort Wayne Daily News, every newspaper in the city entered upon a period of develop- ment until, today, no city of its size in America can boast of superior purveyors of the news of the world or more effective wielders of public opinion. Mr. Bicknell was born on a farm near Freelandville, Knox county, Indiana, December 26, 1864. In his native town he attended the public schools and the German Evangelical schools. The death of
64
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
his father, when Clarence had reached the age of twelve, brought to him early in life the necessity of making his own way in the world, and he commenced by engaging in farm work during his summer vaca- tions while continuing his studies in the winter. At the age of sixteen he began the teaching of a rural school and was engaged for two winters at the same school. The next few years of his experience form an interesting study, but the true philosophy of his activities is shown by the use to which he put his experience. The fact that he was a student in the University of Indiana at Bloomington, from 1883 to 1885, that he left the university at the end of his sophomore year, and, within a short time, was "wiping" engines at night in the roundhouse of the Burlington railroad at Lincoln Nebraska, brings to the mind an inquiry which is readily answered by Mr. Bicknell himself who says that his earnest desire, on leaving school was to "go west and grow up with the country." The Lincoln railroad shops offered the opportunity and Mr. Bicknell grasped it. For seven months, during his work in the roundhouse, he gathered much experience which has been of inesti- mable value to him in later years. From this work he was advanced to a clerkship in the office of the general superintendent of the road. During his three years in this capacity he perfected himself in stenog- raphy and his wider knowledge of the business of the department gave him an advancement to a position in the general passenger department of the Burlington road to Omaha. He remained here for four years, being promoted successively to the positions of head of the advertising depart- ment and cashier. In 1893, having for some time wished to enter busi- ness for himself, he purchased a weekly newspaper circulated in the towns of Gas City and Jonesboro, Indiana. In 1896, after a successful management of the property, he sold it, and, in connection with his brother, Ernest P. Bicknell, now Director General of Civilian Relief of the American Red Cross Society, purchased a controlling interest in the Terre Haute (Indiana) Tribune, of which publication he served as the business manager. In 1899 he sold the Tribune, but remained under contract as its manager until the spring of 1902, when he came to Fort Wayne and purchased the Fort Wayne Daily News for himself and his brother from William D. Page, its founder. Mr. Bicknell has man- aged the property with splendid success from the beginning of his con- nection with it. From a paper of small size and circulation, he has given it a high position of sustained popularity and influence. While a resi- dent of Omaha, Mr. Bicknell, at the age of twenty-three, was united in marriage with Miss Clara A. Sluss, of Bloomington, Indiana. To Mr. and Mrs. Bicknell have been born three daughters, Ruth, Marguerite and Winifred. Mr. Bicknell is a member of the South Wayne Baptist church. He is a Mason, a member of the Scottish Rite body and the Shrine, the Knights of Pythias, the Maccabees, the Commercial Club and the Quest Club. In politics he has always been a staunch exponent of the principles of the Republican party. For two years he occupied the position of chairman of the Republican party of the Twelfth Congres- sional District. Through the medium of his newspaper, his activity in many organizations, and his wide acquaintanceship, Mr. Bicknell has taken advantage of his exceptional opportunities to support every great public movement which has for its object the good of the many.
Charles L. Biederwolf, the efficient and popular secretary of the Fort Wayne Commercial Club, naturally is unequivocally loyal to
65
FORT WAYNE AND ALLEN COUNTY
Indiana, as this is his native commonwealth, and he is not only a member of the bar of the state but has also gained broad experience through service as private secretary to two representatives of Indiana in the United States congress, so that, all in all, his activities have been of that broadening type that makes him specially eligible for the furtherance of the high civic ideals and progressive policies of the vigorous organiza- tion of which he is now serving as secretary. Mr. Biederwolf was born at Monticello, the judicial center of White county, Indiana, September 27, 1876, and is a son of Michael and Abbie (Snetzer) Biederwolf, both of whom were born in the historic old city of Strassburg, Germany, and were married in Reading, Pennsylvania. Michael Biederwolf was a car- penter by trade but he eventually engaged in the lumber and coal busi- ness, in which he developed a prosperous enterprise, both he and his wife having been residents of Monticello at the time of their death and both having been earnest members of the Presbyterian church, the while the father was found arrayed as a staunch supporter of the cause of the Democratic party. Charles L. Biederwolf continued his studies in the public schools of his native place until he had availed himself of the advantages of the high school, and thereafter he attended the Gem City Business College, at Quincy, Illinois, and Wabash College, at Crawfords- ville, Indiana, in which latter he was a student for one year. In the prose- cution of his law studies he attended the law department of the University of Ohio for two years, as a member of the class of 1898, and he finished his technical course in the law department of the University of Indianapolis in which he was graduated in 1901, and from which he received his degree of Bachelor of Laws, with virtually concomitant admission to the bar of his native state. In 1904 he established his home in Fort Wayne, and thereafter he served in turn as secretary to Hon. Newton W. Gilbert, representative of the Twelfth Indiana district in the United States con- gress, and the latter's successor, Hon. Clarence C. Gilhams. His secre- tarial duties involved his residence in the city of Washington during the sessions of congress, and his effective services as secretary gave him a specially close and comprehensive knowledge of public affairs. His incumbency as secretary to Hon. Clarence C. Gilhams terminated in 1909, and on the 26th of March, 1910, he became secretary of the Fort Wayne Commercial Club. In this executive office he has done splendid service in systematizing and vitalizing the work of the club and has aided greatly in making it an influential exponent and promoter of the civic, industrial and commercial interests of Fort Wayne and Allen county. His popularity and the estimate placed on his administrative ability are further shown in his having been chosen secretary also of the Rotary Club of Fort Wayne, which position he held for one year. As implied by his service as secretary to the congressmen previously mentioned, Mr. Biederwolf is staunchly aligned as an advocate and supporter of the cause of the Republican party, and he takes lively interest in the party cause. In addition to his membership in the two representative clubs of which he is secretary, he is a member of the Fort Wayne Country Club, and he is affiliated with the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks and the Friars. January 28, 1904, gave record of the marriage of Mr. Bieder- wolf to Miss Katherine Shanahan, daughter of Michael and Mary Shana- han, of Wabash, this state, and both are popular in the social life of their home city. They have no children.
66
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
William Bittler has given nearly half a century of effective service in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and is one of the veteran men of this corporation in the city of Fort Wayne. Tech- nical and executive ability on his part have not failed of official recog- nition in the passing years, and, since 1875, he has had full charge of the maintenance and repair work on the water stations of what is known as the western division of the Pennsylvania Lines-between Crestline and Chicago being the line over which he has jurisdiction in his assigned position. He has the status of an expert stone mason, and it was his ability along this line that led to his advancement in the service of the great corporation with which he has been long identified, the while his sterling characteristics and worthy achievement have brought and re- tained to him the fullest measure of official and popular confidence and good will. Mr. Bittler was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 19, 1850, and in the same historic old commonwealth were born his parents, Reuben and Elizabeth (Smith) Bittler, the father having been a shoemaker by trade and vocation and both he and his wife having been residents of Reading, Pennsylvania, at the time of their death. Of the children Mary, Rebecca and Leah are deceased ; Emma still resides at Reading, Pennsylvania; Hannah is the wife of Jacob Wannemaker, of New York city; William, of this review, is the elder of the two sons; and Samuel is a resident of Pennsylvania. As a boy and youth William Bittler gained practical experience and discipline in connection with farm industry in the old Keystone State and in the meanwhile attended the public schools when opportunity offered. At the age of sixteen years he made his way to Tiffin, Ohio, where he worked about eight months as a stone mason, a trade in which his natural predilections and careful application eventually gained to him full qualification as a jour- neyman. In 1868 he came to Fort Wayne and here was employed at his trade by the late Henry Paul, father of William Paul, who is still a resident of this city. On August 6th of the following year Mr. Bittler took a position as stonemason and pipe man in the employ of the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company and then initiated his service in looking after the water stations of the company on the western division. In 1875 his ability and effective service brought to him advancement and from that year to the present he has been in full charge of the work of keeping in proper condition the water stations of the company on the line between Crestline, Ohio, and the city of Chicago. Mr. Bittler is one of the oldest employes of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company attached to the Fort Wayne headquarters, is well known and held in high esteem among the railroad men and the same estimate is placed upon him by all others who know him. He has never swerved in his fealty to and appreciation of Fort Wayne, takes loyal interest in the city's prosperity and progress, has served as a trustee of the municipal water system, is a Democrat in politics, and he and his wife are earnest communicants of the Lutheran church, in the faith of which he was reared. On October 3, 1873, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Bittler to Miss Mary Jacobs, who was born in Germany and came to America when young. Of the four children of Mr. and Mrs. Bittler the eldest is Edward, who is now assistant cashier of the People's Trust Company of Fort Wayne; George is the recent state treasurer of Indiana; Hannah remains at the parental home; and Herman is identified with business
67
FORT WAYNE AND ALLEN COUNTY
interests in his native city, all of the children having honored the family name and the city of their nativity.
Albert J. Black has been a resident of Allen county from the time of his infancy, has been for many years a successful representative of agricultural industry in Milan township and is a progressive and influ- ential citizen whose secure vantage-place in popular esteem is vouchsafed by his incumbency of the office of county commisioner, to which position he was elected in 1912 and in which he has been the earnest advocate and supporter of measures and enterprises that have conserved the best interests of the county and its people. Mr. Black was born in Erie county, Ohio, on the 18th of June, 1862, and is the only surviving child of Joseph and Matilda (Chester) Black, the former a native of Maryland and the latter of Ohio, their marriage having been solemnized in the Buckeye state and the father having been a sailor on the Great Lakes in his young manhood. The subject of this review was an infant at the time of the family removal from Ohio to Allen county, Indiana, in 1863, and here his father became a substantial farmer and representative citizen of Milan township, where he and his wife passed the residue of their lives. Albert J. Black acquired his early education in the public schools of Allen county, was reared to the invigorating discipline of the farm and during the long intervening years he has not been deflected from the line of close allegiance to the basic industries of agriculture and stock-growing, of which he is now a prominent and enterprising exponent in this county, his well improved farm of one hundred acres being one of the model places of Milan township and being still under his active supervision, though his official duties as county commissioner demanded his presence in Fort Wayne during an appreciable portion of each year during his incum- bency of that position. Mr. Black is an active and influential Allen county representative of the Democratic party and prior to his election to the office of county commisioner had served four years as township trustee in Milan township. The marriage of Mr. Black was to Miss Alice M. Swan, who was born and reared in Allen county, and they have two daughters, both of whom have received excellent educational advantages and both of whom have been popular and efficient teachers in the schools of their native county. Senora, the elder daughter, is the wife of Samuel Spindler, of Milan township; and Josephine is the wife of Ray Irving, of the same township.
Louis C. Blase is a popular and successful business man in the metrop- olis of his native county, where he was local representative of the Cad- illac Sales Company for six years, which controlled a substantial business from its headquarters at Fort Wayne. Mr. Blase was born in this county on September 5, 1881, and is a scion of a family whose name has been worthily identified with the history of the county for fully three-quarters of a century. His father, the late Louis Blase, passed virtually his entire life in Allen county, and the widowed mother now resides in the city of Chicago. Louis C. Blase is indebted to the public schools of Fort Wayne for his early educational discipline and is one of the loyal and progressive young business men of this city. He is independent in pol- ities, is an active member of the Fort Wayne Commercial Club, is affili- ated with the local lodge of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, holds membership in the Country Club and both he and his wife are communicants of St. Paul's Lutheran church. On January 5, 1916, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Blase to Miss Ella Beverforden, and
68
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
they have one child, Barbara. They are popular factors in the social life of their home city.
William Blessing is known as one of the most progressive and suc- cessful exponents of agricultural and live-stock industry in his native county, is a scion of a sterling pioneer family, and owns and resides upon the fine old homestead farm, in Section 24, Lake township, which was the place of his birth, the date of his nativity having been December 14, 1861. He is a son of Peter and Catherine (Dush) Blessing, both of whom were born in Germany and were young at the time of the emi- gration of the respective families to America, the mother's parents having settled near Kendallville, Indiana. Peter Blessing was a sturdy and ambitious youth at the time when he came to the United States and passed the first year in the state of New York. He then came to Allen county, Indiana, and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. It is a matter of record that this honored pioneer cradled wheat on the ground now comprised in the beautiful suburban residence district known as Bloomingdale-virtually an integral part of the city of Fort Wayne. He eventually became the owner of a farm three miles north of Fort Wayne, but his old homestead is the place now owned and occupied by his son William, the immediate subject of this review. Here he estab- lished his residence in 1885, and by the later purchase of additional tracts of land became the owner of one of the large and valuable landed estates of the county, the home farm of William Blessing now com- prising one hundred and sixty acres of as finely improved and fertile land as is to be found in this favored section of the Hoosier common- wealth. Peter Blessing contributed, through his energy, ability and civic loyalty, much too the development and progress of Allen county, his was inviolable place in popular confidence and good will, and he con- tinued to reside on his farm until his death, which occurred August 27, 1897, his widow surviving him by a decade and a half and having been venerable in years when she passed to the life eternal, on December 10, 1912. Both were devoted communicants of the Lutheran church and in politics the father was a staunch Democrat. Concerning the children the following brief record is entered: George is a prosperous farmer of Lake township; Henry is deceased; Charles is a representative farmer in Washington township; Mrs. Mary Fick is deceased; William, of this review, was the next in order of birth; John likewise is a successful farmer of Lake township; Elizabeth, Frederick and Otto are deceased. While early accorded his full ineed of responsibility in connection with the work of the home farm, William Blessing by no means failed to improve the educational opportunities that were afforded in the school of district No. 5, Lake township. He continued to be actively associated with farm enterprise until he was twenty-five years of age and thereafter devoted eight years to work at the carpenter's trade. He then returned to the old homestead farm and to the same has since continued to give his active and effective supervision, besides which he has added mate- rially to the excellent improvements that had been made by his honored father. He erected the attractive and commodious modern house that is now the family home, has provided a number of minor farm buildings and also erected a silo of large capacity. While utilizing his land for well-ordered agriculture of diversified order Mr. Blessing gives special attention to the raising of the better types of live stock, including short-horn Durham cattle and Chester White swine. He is liberal and
69
FORT WAYNE AND ALLEN COUNTY
loyal in his civic attitude, takes lively interest in local affairs, but has never consented to become a candidate for public office of any kind. His political support is given to the Democratic party and both he and his wife are zealous communicants of St. John's Lutheran church in their home township. April 25, 1907, recorded the marriage of Mr. Blessing to Miss Mary Anderson, who was born in Sweden, a daughter of the late Anders Pearson and Mary (Johnson) Anderson. Of the other chil- dren it may be recorded that Christena (Mrs. Johnson) is now a resident of Michigan; Peter resides in the city of Fort Wayne, as does also Mrs. Hannah Rudolphson; and Niels, John, Caroline and Carrie still remain in Sweden. Mr. and Mrs. Blessing have three children-Hilding D., Douglas A. and Astrid M., and the family is one of prominence and popularity in the social activities of the home community.
Maximillian J. Blitz was assigned in 1890 to the position of city ticket agent at Fort Wayne for the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, which is more commonly known as the Nickel Plate Railroad, and also manager of Kinner's ticket office in Fort Wayne, which office he bought in 1891, though he had in the meanwhile identified himself with other lines of enterprise, through association with which he gradually matured his executive powers, and in 1895 was led to establish and develop his present representative general insurance agency, in connection with which he conducts a substantial real-estate business. Mr. Blitz was born at Cleveland, Ohio, on the 16th of October, 1871, and is a son of Leopold and Sarah (Spear) Blitz, both of whom were born and reared near the city of Berlin, Germany. Leopold Blitz came to America about the year 1842 and both he and his wife passed the closing years of their lives at Cleveland, Ohio, where he had long been a representative merchant and honored and influential citizen. In the public schools of his native town Maximillian J. Blitz acquired his early education, which was supple- mented by an effective course in the Spencerian Business College at Cleve- land, Ohio. In 1885 he became assistant city ticket agent in Cleveland, Ohio, for the Nickel Plate Railroad, and after serving in this capacity two years he was advanced to the position of assistant ticket agent for the Detroit & Cleveland Steam Navigation Company. This incumbency he retained two years, at the expiration of which, in 1890, he came to Fort Wayne to assume the position of city ticket agent for the same company, with ineidental management of Kinner's ticket office. In 1895 he was appointed local agent for the Preferred Accident Insurance Company, of New York, and in the following year he was made district manager for this company for the northern half of Indiana. This expe- rience led to his assuming the agency for other leading insurance com- panies and eventuated in his developing one of the leading general insur- ance agencies in the city of Fort Wayne, as previously intimated. He is now general agent for northeastern Indiana for the Hartford Accident & Indemnity Company; general agent for the Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, and local agent for the following named and impor- tant companies : The Commercial Union, of New York; the Firemen's Fund, of California ; the Niagara Underwriters; the North River Standard Insurance Company, of Hartford, Connecticut; the Sterling Fire Insur- ance Company, of Indianapolis, and the Standard Live Stock Insurance Company, which likewise has its general offices in the capital city of Indiana. Mr. Blitz maintains spacious and well-appointed offices in the Shoaff Building and in the same gives employment to a corps of six
70
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
efficient assistants. His business is now of broad scope and has been built up through careful and progressive policies and straightforward dealings, the same forces having been brought to bear also in connection with his substantial real-estate enterprise, which likewise is of a general order. The political proclivities of Mr. Blitz are indicated by the staunch allegiance which he gives to the Republican party, and both he and his wife hold membership in the First Presbyterian Church, of Fort Wayne. In the time-honored Masonic fraternity his ancient craft affiliation is with Wayne Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and he is further actively identified with the local chapter of Royal Arch Masons, the Fort Wayne Commandery of Knights Templars, Fort Wayne Consistory and also the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles. of the Mystic Shrine, Mizpah Temple. He is likewise an appreciative affiliant of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and holds membership in the Fort Wayne Commercial Club, the Country Club, and the local Press Club. He takes much interest in military affairs and was an active member of the Fort Wayne Rifles. April 28, 1897, was the date on which was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Blitz to Miss Edith May Barcus, daughter of Hezekiah and Emerilis (Bennett) Barcus, of Fort Wayne. Mr. and Mrs. Blitz have three children, whose names and respective dates of birth are here noted: John Kinner, July 4, 1899; Richard Thompson, January 16, 1902, and Edith Maxine, May 25, 1914.
The Blue Cast Magnetic Springs .- Allen county is to be considered greatly favored in the prestige given by the Blue Cast Magnetic Springs and Sanitarium, which give to the county a reputation for the best of natural and properly amplified facilities for the successful treatment of many of the ills to which human flesh is heir. As the wonderful remedial powers of the waters of the Blue Cast Springs become better and more widely known, in the same ratio is the popularity of the fine sanitarium that has been provided in connection with the same to become more and more one of the leading health meccas of the middle west. No other springs in Indiana can claim waters of greater and more assured medicinal value than those of the Blue Cast Magnetic Springs, and to the splendidly equipped sanitarium are drawn each year greater numbers of health-seekers whose faith in the institution is virtually to be assured through beneficial results. In a publication of this order it is impossible to enter into details concerning the analysis of the Blue Cast waters or the manifold attractions of the sanitarium and its beautiful park, for all these matters are adequately described in the literature sent forth by the institution itself and available to all who make application for the same, but as the developing company has made the institution one of the really great health resorts of Indiana and one that contributes in many ways to the precedence of Allen county, it is but due that a brief review be incorporated in this history of the county. To accomplish this end most consistently the following quotations are taken from an attract- ive brochure issued by the Blue Cast Magnetic Springs Company : "Blue Cast Magnetic Springs and Sanitarium are located in beautiful Blue Cast Park, two miles north of Woodburn, Indiana. Woodburn is on the main line of the Wabash Railroad, seventy-five miles from Toledo, Ohio, and fifteen miles from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Direct connections are, therefore, possible with all railroad and interurban lines running into these two traffic centers. Blue Cast Park is on the Maumee river, con- sists of eighty-five acres, half of which is a fine grove, fronting for over
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.