USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume II > Part 11
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
Made up as Fort Wayne's population is, largely of Germans, and people of German extraction, it is not strange that the business of brew-
93
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
ing beer has grown to mammoth proportious. There are two great breweries here. The oldest is that of C. L. Centlivre, an enterprising Alsacian, and it is, perhaps, best known as the French brewery. The situation is a charming one on the bank of the St. Joseph river, a mile north of the city. The brewery bottling works and boat house were entirely destroyed by fire on the night of July 16, 1889, and are to be rebuilt upon a magnificent scale. What, with the brewery, the hand- some residences of C. L. Centlivre and his sons, the bottling works, and the fleet of pleasure boats on the river, over $300,000 will be represented.
The Herman Berghoff Brewing company began business in 1888 and erected a magnificent brewery, equipped with the very latest appliances for the manufacture of pure and wholesome beer. The brewery was burned down on August 22, 1888, before it had well begun operation. It was immediately restored and does a business so large that a new malt house is to be erected within a few months. The brew- ery proper is 120 by 160 feet in dimensions and is six stories high. It has a capacity of 100,000 barrels a year and represents an investment of $175,000. The Berghoffs belong to a noted family of brewers at Dortmunder, Germany, and Dortmunder beer is the name of a principal product of the establishment.
It was not the purpose of this article to describe all of the manu- facturing interests of Fort Wayne. Accordingly only a few of the larger ones have been mentioned and these at no great length. There might be added extended notices of an hundred other hives of industry, woolen mills, soap factories, vast pork-packing establishments, tress hoop factories, mattress factories, cigar manufactories, boiler shops, planing-mills, sash, door and blind factories, stave and heading works, harness factories, marble and stone works and so on. But this general description, with such further particulars as are embodied in the follow- ing pages devoted to the gentlemen connected with these industries, is all the scope of this work will permit.
John H. Bass, the most distinguished of the men who have built up great manufacturing interests in northern Indiana, is of Kentucky nativ- ity, born at Salem, Livingston county, November 9th, 1835. His father, Sion Bass, was born in North Carolina, November 7th, 1802, and at three years of age removed with his parents to Kentucky. He was a man of great worth, and by occupation a merchant and farmer. After residing in Kentucky until 1866, he came to Fort Wayne, where he died August 7th, 1888. He married Jane Dodd, daughter of John. She was born in Charleston, S. C., June 19th, 1802, and died in Fort Wayne, August 26, 1874. Sion Bass was a son of Jordan Bass, who was born in Virginia in 1764, and died in Christian county, Ky., at eighty-nine years of age. After receiving a thorough academic and business education in Kentucky, John H. Bass removed to Fort Wayne, in 1852, and entered the employment of the firm of Jones, Bass & Co., in 1854, with which he remained until it discontinued business in 1858.
ยท
94
VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE.
His brother, Sion S. Bass, who came to Fort Wayne in 1848, was a member of this firm and one of the leading business men of this city. At the outbreak of the rebellion, he left his business and assisted in the organization of the famous Thirteenth regiment, which was mustered in September 24th, 1861. Of this regiment, Sion S. Bass was commis- sioned colonel, and he led the regiment through preliminary movements up to the battle of Shiloh. Arriving on that bloody field the second day of the fight he led his men forward in the face of a terribly destructive fire. In this movement he fell mortally wounded. A more gallant soldier or devoted pariot never lived. John H. Bass, having mastered the manufacturing business at which he had been engaged, became, in 1859, interested in the Fort Wayne machine works, which succeeded the firm with which he had been employed. The stock of this company coming into the hands of Samuel Hanna and Mr. Bass, the partnership of Bass & Hanna became controllers of the business in 1863, the in- terest of Judge Hanna being transferred to H. H. Hanna. In 1869, through the death of the junior partner, Mr. Bass purchased the entire business, which, under his management has had a wonderful develop- ment, and furnishes employment to thousands of men, as well as aiding greatly in the upbuilding of the city. In the same year in which he be- came sole owner of the plant here, he founded the St. Louis car wheel company, at St. Louis, Mo., of which he has been president and owned a controlling interest since its organization. With confidence that is perhaps unparalleled, he established an extensive foundry in Chicago in addition to his other large investments, in the midst of the panic of 1873, when many were deterred from any new ventures. These latter works are also. for the manufacture of car wheels and general rail- road work, and have prospered equally with all his other enterprises. The works at Fort Wayne, which are prominent among the manufac- turing institutions of this city, are described elsewhere in this work. In 1880 Mr. Bass established a plant for the manufacture of iron in north- eastern Alabama, whence iron is shipped to his establishments at Fort Wayne, St. Louis and Chicago. In addition to his manufactories, Mr. Bass has invested heavily in enterprises for the advancement of Fort Wayne. He and Stephen Bond were mainly instrumental in the build- ing of the street railway, and own a controlling interest. He has been for many years a stockholder and director in the First National and Old National banks, and for the past three years has been president of the first named. The famous Brookside farm, adjoining the city limits, is. also an outgrowth of his wide-spread enterprise. It is devoted to the importing and breeding of Clydesdale horses and Galloway cattle, and has attained a national reputation. Of the company which manages this. farm he is president. The farm embraces more than 300 acres, the property of Mr. Bass, who cultivates about 1,500 acres in Allen county,. and owning other large tracts in this county, and many thousand acres in this and other states; notably about 18,000 acres of valuable mineral land in Alabama. Mr. Bass was married in 1865, to Laura, daughter of
95
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
Judge Lightfoot, of Falmouth, Ky. They have two children, viz .: Laura Grace and John H., jr. Mr. Bass is, in politics, in favor of tariff reform and has affiliated with the democratic party, to the national con- vention of which, in 1888, he was a delegate at large. He was nominated as one of the presidential electors in that year. But politics is necessar- ily subordinated with him, to the tremendous demands of his business. In the splendid development of this he has displayed the rarest executive ability and a brilllant genius for affairs. The fame he has attained how- ever, rests upon him lightly, and he is still a courteous, companionable gentleman to all, and thoroughly occupied with the immediate super- vision of his business. The work he has done for his city in promoting its growth will long be remembered. His life work ranks him among those who are the creators of cities.
R. J. Fisher, treasurer of the Bass foundry and machine works, came to Fort Wayne in the spring 'of 1861, and for about one year was engaged with William H. Brooks, book dealer, and then for two years with Reed & Wall, druggists. He entered the employment of J. H. Bass in 1864, and has ever since remained with him. He was assigned the responsible position of treasurer in 1873, and his fidelity and ability are unquestioned. In politics he is a democrat; is a member of the Masonic order; socially, is highly esteemed, and as a business man occupies a leading position. His father, James R. Fisher, was born in New Jersey in 1802, and was by occupation a furniture dealer. He was married to Henrietta Burnett, and in 1852 removed to Chicago, where his wife died the same year, and he passed away three years later. They had six children, of whom R. J. is the fifth, born at Little Falls, N. Y., September 24, 1845. Mr. Fisher was married October 30, 1866, to Julia M. Holton, a native of Covington, Ky., and they have one child, Laura M. B., now the wife of L. E. Walker, of Los Angeles, Cal.
One of Fort Wayne's enterprising and progressive citizens, Henry William Meyer, has since August, 1886, occupied the responsible posi- tion of general foreman of the machine department of the Bass foundry and machine works. He first became engaged in these works in 1866, has become a thoroughly posted, practical and ingenious machinist. After serv- ing as assistant foreman he was promoted to his present place. Mr. Meyer was born in Sylvania, Ohio, October 6, 1850, the son of John M. and Anna M. (Loeffler) Meyer, natives of Bavaria. The father was born July 3, 1823, and died February 11, 1871, in this city, whither he re- moved with his family in 1858. The mother is living here in her seven- tieth year. For fourteen years the senior Meyer held the position of section foreman. October 17, 1875, Henry William Meyer married Amelia Buhr. She was born in Fort Wayne, May 5, 1852, and they have three children living: Mamie, Henry and William. A fourth child, Frederick, died November 29, 1886. The family are members of the St. Paul's German Lutheran church, of which Mr. Meyer is one of the trustees. Politically, Mr. Meyer is a pronounced republican.
The foremanship of the core room at the Bass foundry and machine
96
VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE.
works is intrusted to Diedrich Brandt, a skillful artisan, who though not a native of this country, and having his own way to make in life, has acquired a comfortable home, and become a deservedly popular citizen. He was born in Prussia, September 6, 1850, son of Conrad and Chris- tina (Humke) Brandt. His father, born in the old country, died in 1862, aged sixty-one, and the mother, who was born in ISI0, died in her native land in 1855. They had six children, of whom Mr. Brandt was the youngest. He came to Fort Wayne in June, 1867, and having been employed on the farm at home, followed the same occupation in this country for ten months. He then worked two years for Freeman & Rudisill, and entered the employment of J. H. Bass in 1870, where he has since remained, having held the foremanship of the core room for twelve years. He was married in 1879 to Bertha Lohrmann, born in Germany in 1860, and they have four children: Henry, Theodore, Diedrich and Edward. Mr. Brandt and wife are members of the Lutheran church, and he is in politics an active republican.
The foremanship of the cleaning room of the Bass foundry and machine works is held by J. Christopher Matsch, who was born at Kusey, Province Saxony, May 27, 1844. His parents, John Christopher and Dora (Lenz) Matsch, came to the United States in 1854, and settled at Cicero, Ind., afterward coming to Fort Wayne, where the father died in 1874, at the age of sixty-two, and the mother died in 1885. They had three children, now living, of whom the second is Christopher. In the spring of 1858, he entered Concordia college, but after a year and a half study was compelled, by failing sight, to leave school. He then remained upon the farm until 1861, when he entered the employment of A. D. Brandriff, of this city, and afterward that of T. K. Breckenridge in the grocery business, and subsequently was engaged with Conner & Co., merchants. He took a trip during three and a half years, through the west, and upon his return in 1870, served two years as fireman on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad. Afterward he was with Gillett & Co., and in 1878 became engaged with J. H. Bass, and has since been connected with the works. He was married in 1873, to Sophia Woebbeking, born in Adams county in 1849, and they have three children: Dora, Anna and Emma. They are members of the Zion's Lutheran church.
For ten years the important foremanship of the car wheel depart- ment of the Bass foundry and machine works has been in the competent hands of Robert Cran, who is distinguished as an artisan and esteemed as a citizen. He was born in the old city of Quebec, February 14, 1840, the son of Charles and Anna (Madison) Cran. His father was born in England in 1811, the mother in Scotland in 1813. They came to Quebec about 1830. The father now resides at Sandusky, Ohio. Robert Cran was educated in Canada, and at seventeen years of age began at the moulder's trade in Bissel's iron foundry at Quebec. He remained in Canada until 1860, when he came to Fort Wayne. In 1861 he entered the employment of Murry & Benningin, and in 1862, began
.
jagm . Brry.
Your Mily
97
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
work for J. H. Bass, with whom he has since remained. Mr. Cran was for twenty-two years a member of the Fort Wayne volunteer fire depart- ment, and for six years was first assistant chief under Frank Vogel. In May, 1889, the regard and confidence of the community in his worth as a citizen was manifested by his election to the city council from the sixth ward. He is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Cran, who is a member of the Catholic church, bore the maiden name of Mary Ward. They were married in 1882, and have three children, Anna B., Charles, and Charlotte.
Driving a canal boat on the Wabash & Erie seems to be an occupa- tion belonging to a generation past and gone, but such was the first employment of Jacob J. Stier, who was a boy of twelve years when he began that work, and is now one of the foremen of the Bass foundry and machine works. At fourteen years of age he began learning the moulder's trade with Murray & Bennigan, and in 1866 entered the employment of J. H. Bass, and in the same works has since remained, having been for ten years foreman of the moulding department, and having supervision of eighty men. He was born in this country April 27, 1847, son of Henry and Charlotte (Meyers) Stier, who came to the county at a very early day. He was married in 1876, to Carrie Weaver, who was born in Knox county, Penn., May 16, 1849, and they have six children: Frederick G., Edward, Frank, Joseph, Mary and Anna. Mr. Stier and family are members of St. Mary's Catholic church, and he is a Catholic Knight, of branch No. 103. In politics he is a democrat. Mr. Stier is of thorough attainments in his trade, and is esteemed as a citizen.
In 1862 Frank H. Fink entered the employment of J. H. Bass, and has ever since been engaged in the works, ample evidence of his effi- ciency and value as a skilled mechanic. He has had through life to depend upon his own acquirements, but he has advanced steadily, and is now completing his eighth year as foreman of the moulding department of the Bass foundry and machine works. He was born at Fort Wayne, July 27, 1847, the son of Anthony and Mary (Dahmann) Fink, natives of Germany, who came to this city about 1837. His father died about 1856, and the mother August 4, 1889. This was the second marriage of the mother, and by it she had two children, of whom Frank H. is the youngest. He attended St. Mary's school and commer- cial college, and obtained a good education. He was married in 1870, to Elizabeth Kartholl, a native of Germany, born in 1848, who was brought to this country in an early day by her father, Joseph Kartholl, who died on the canal boat on the Wabash & Erie canal, this side of Defiance, Ohio, while coming to this city. His body was brought here for burial. Mr. and Mrs. Fink have six children: Caroline, Nora, Mary, Frank, Anthony and Joseph. The family are members of the Catholic church, and Mr. Fink is a Catholic Knight. In politics he is a democrat.
VII
.
98
VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE.
For over thirty years Rudolph Bensman, foreman of the boiler department of the Bass works, has followed the trade of boiler-maker, and in his branch of mechanics and construction, he has few equals in thorough knowledge and practical ability. Mr. Bensman began his trade in 1857, with one McLauchlin, of this city. In 1865 he removed to Norwalk, Ohio, and was there employed ten years in the Lake Shore railroad shops. Upon his return to Fort Wayne in 1875 he entered the employment of the Wabash railroad company, and there remained until 1886, when, in October, he accepted his present position. He was born in Hanover, Germany, November 16, 1843, son of Rudolph Bensman, born in Hanover, in 1804, who married Elizabeth Quint, born in Prussia, in 1807, and removed to Fort Wayne with his family in 1844. He died here in 1867, but his widow survives. They had five children, of whom Rudolph is the youngest but one. He was married in 1865 to Cather- ine Loran, who was born in France in 1848, and they have five children : William, born in August, 1870; Alice, November, 1880; Mamie May, 1883; Florence, December, 1885, and Gertrude, October, 188S. Mr. Bensman and family are members of the Catholic church, and politically he is a democrat.
In the year 1875 Frederick C. Meyers first became employed at the J. H. Bass works, and has since been one of the trusted men in that great establishment. During the past two years he has been one of the foremen of the moulding department. Mr. Meyers was born in Prussia, May 22, 1857, the son of Frederick and Louis (Dammier) Meyers, both natives of Germany, who now reside in Fort Wayne. They came here with their family in 1872. Frederick was the second born of their five living children, and received his education in the old country. In 1877 he was married to Mary Kirkel, who was born in this city in 1853, and died in 1883, leaving three children: Katie, Charles and Minnie. In 1884 Mr. Meyers was married to Cassie Beierline, who was born in Germany and came to this country when five years old. They have one child, Frederick. Mr. Meyers and wife are members of the Luth- eran church, and he is politically, of the democratic faith. He is a worthy and highly esteemed young man, and in his line of activity has a bright future.
N. G. Olds & Sons .- This famous manufacturing establishment was founded in 1861 by Noble G. Olds, who began that year his residence in Fort Wayne, which continued until his death in April, 1876. He was born at Bedford Springs, Penn., in January, ISI8, son of Daniel Olds, a native of Pennsylvania, who died in New York at about the eightieth year of his age. The boy, Noble, having removed to the latter state with his parents, began work in a saw-mill, and then turned his atten- tion successively to carpentry and cabinet-making and machine pattern making. In 1848 he removed to Sandusky, Ohio, and the next year became master mechanic of an agricultural establishment. Afterward he established machine works, but sold out, and in 1853 went to Buffalo, N. Y., where he was for one year master mechanic of the Eagle Iron
99
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
works. His next enterprise was at Sandusky, Ohio, where in 1854 he established the.N. G. Old's machine works. In 1859 and 1860 the firm of Olds & Occobach & Co. was formed, to conduct the Sandusky wheel works, but he remained in that city only until 1861. Mr. Olds was in politics a whig and subsequently a republican; was a member of the Baptist church. As an artisan and designer he had remarkable talent, to which were added an executive and business ability of a rare order. In 1838 Mr. Olds was married to Elizabeth Woolsey, who was born in New York in 1815, and died in 1872. They had five children: Henry G., born in 1839; Charles V., 1841, who was drowned accidentally in the winter of 1849-50; John D., born September 5, 1843; Jay V., 1849, and Charles L., 1855. After the death of Mr. Olds, sr., the business was conducted as a partnership until 1882, when the firm was incorpo- rated as N. G. Olds & Sons, with a capital stock of $400,000, the officers being Henry G. Olds, president; John D. Olds, vice president; Joseph Henry Wilder, secretary; Thomas C. Rogers, treasurer, and so con- tinues. The establishment covers an area of ten acres, is composed of a series of brick and wooden buildings and sheds of large capacity, is supplied with steam power aggregating 600 horse-power, and gives employment to a large force of skillful workmen. It is probably the most complete establishment of the kind in the world, and its output is unrivaled in quantity, and of such excellence that it is in great demand not only throughout this continent, but is also exported to South Amer- ica, Europe and Australia. John D. Olds, vice president, was born at Syracuse, N. Y., and has been a member of the manufacturing organ- ization since the formation of the old firm in 1873. In 1863 he enlisted in Company C, Seventy-fourth Indiana volunteers, and served three months. He was married in 1866 to Allie C. McLaine, who was born in Knox county, Ohio, in 1843, and they have three children: Egbert C., born 1868; Charles M., August, 1870, and Hugh B., 1878. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. In politics he is a repub- lican. In 1868 he became a Mason, of Home lodge, No. 342, and in 1888 became a member of the Scottish Rite, Mystic Shrine and a Knight Templar. He has added to the value of the product of the com- pany by the invention of the Olds compound band hub.
Joseph H. Wilder, above named as secretary of N. G. Olds & Sons, is a native of Holliston, Mass., born in the year 1844, son of Joseph and Sarah (Bruce) Wilder, both natives of that state. Ebenezer Wilder, father of Joseph, lived at Lancaster, Mass., to a great age, and the latter is still living at Holliston, having been a citizen of that place for seventy- five years. His wife died at their home about 1852, when their son Joseph was eight years old. The family is of English descent, the American ancestor having immigrated in the last century. Joseph H. Wilder is the only living descendant of his parents. He received a good common school education and was for three years a student at the Phillips academy at Exeter, N. H. In 1860 he came to Fort Wayne, and in 1863, entered the employment of N. G. Olds & Sons. Upon
100
VALLEY OF THE UPPER MAUMEE.
the incorporation he became a member of the company, and his career in this connection has made him conspicuous as a business man. In politics he is an ardent republican. Mr. Wilder was married in 1867 to Jennie Leland, a native of Massachusetts, born at Holliston, daughter of Alden Leland, and they have one child, Constance.
Ferdinand F. Boltz was born at Saarbruck, Rhenish Prussia, Octo- ber 26, 1839. His father was a prosperous hotel keeper, of a family which had been in Saarbruck for four generations, though of Bohemian origin. His father's mother was Savnia Lucas, of St. Avold, Lorraine. His mother was Louise Best, daughter of Henry Best, a native of the Palatinate, and a baker, whose failure in business involved the father of Mr. Boltz. Her mother's maiden name was Neizer, and she was a native of Saarbruck. Immediately after this misfortune the father, in the spring of 1848, emigrated, and reaching Fort Wayne in the fall of that year, found employment at his trade of cabinet-maker, and sent for his family: In October, 1849, Ferdinand F. Boltz, and his mother, sisters, Louise, Caroline and Amelia, and brothers, Gus. J., and Fred. C., reached Fort Wayne. Here the family became prosperous and highly esteemed. The father was born November 9, 1809, and is still living, but the mother died in 1874. Ferdinand F. attended school, to learn the lan- guage, and then for several years found employment at the home of Thomas Hamilton. At the age of fourteen he became clerk at the store of William Jacobs, and until 1857, was in his employ or in that of John Hamil- ton, and in the latter year became engaged with James H. Robinson, then manufacturing boots and shoes. At the first call for volunteers for the defense of the Union, Mr. Boltz was ready to serve his country, and his name was the first on the roll of a company raised for three months' service, but which was accepted by Gov. Morton as Company G, Twelfth regiment, and mustered into service, May 11, 1861, with Will- iam H. Link as captain. Mr. Boltz was mustered in as first sergeant. The regiment served first in southern Indiana, and after the first battle of Bull Run, in July, 1861, the command joined the division of Banks at Harper's Ferry. Mr. Boltz soon proved himself a soldier of rare merit, and when the time of enlistment of the regiment expired, he was mus- tered out in May 1862, as sergeant-major of the regiment, a rank to which he had been promoted in the previous August. In August, 1862, under President Lincoln's call for " 300,000 more," the Eighty-eighth regiment Indiana volunteers was organized, and Mr. Boltz, who had been out of the service but a short time, enlisted in this regiment as second lieutenant of Company F, under Capt. Lefevre. As a part of Gen. Lytle's brigade, the regiment had its first battle at Perryville, Ky., Octo- ber S, 1862, and lost heavily, though somewhat sheltered by its position. The soldierly conduct of Lieut. Boltz led to his promotion in January, 1862, to first lieutenant, and in December, 1862, he became acting adju- tant of the regiment, a position he filled during the battle of Stone River. His regiment was engaged here on December 31, 1862, and January 1, 2 and 3, 1863, and made the last charge, and fired the first
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.