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 8
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Samuel B. Sweet, a prominent railroad man of Indiana, would be recorded well toward the top of the list, if such a one were made, of .those popular men of the state whose place in the general esteem is based upon worthy lives and solid traits of character. Perhaps the key to his popularity and success is to be found in that generous devotion to principle and stalwart resolution which led him, when a boy of sixteen, to enlist in an Allen county company, organized for the defense of the Union, and serve with it, Company C, of the Forty-fourth Indiana regiment, through the active and dangerous duties of that command, until the close of the war. The years of youth usually devoted to higher
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education or business training he gave with hearty enthusiasm to the nation; and his cherished diploma is an honorable discharge, and his degree that of a private in a gallant regiment, to the hearts of the survivors of which no one of the comrades stands closer. Mr. Sweet's ancestors came to America in 1636, and were leading people in the Massachusetts. Bay colony. In 1671, some of the family removed to Guilford county, N. C., and subsequently to Tennessee, where, near Jonesboro, Francis Sweet was born, July 28, 1806. In early youth he settled in western Ohio, and was married December 13, 1827, to Abigail Hammond, who was born in Abbeyville district, S. C., May 27, 1810. She was the: daughter of Louis Hammond, born in South Carolina, May 20, 1785, who served in the second South Carolina regiment in the war of 1812, and was killed in a battle near Washington, D. C., in 1813 Her mother was Nancy Buffington, born in South Carolina, September 14, 1791, died about 1856. Francis Sweet came to Allen county in 1835, and in 1836 brought his family by ox-team from Troy, Ohio, and settled in the west- ern part of the county. He was a prominent pioneer, was one of the first Masons in this part of the country, was a leading old line whig, served twenty-five years as justice of the peace, and was postmaster at the old Indian office of Taw-taw, two and a half miles north of the pres- ent hamlet, Arcola. His first wife died August 13, 1865, and in 1867, he was married to Hannah, widow of John Peabody of Arcola, Ind. Francis Sweet died at Columbia city, March 25, 1884. In this worthy pioneer family, Samuel B. Sweet was born, near Fort Wayne, March 25, 1845. He is the eighth of ten children born, four others of whom are living: Nancy, born March 8, 1830; Stephen, April 24, 1834; Joshua, February 7, 1836 and Rhoda, May 10, 1841. Mr. Sweet attended the common schools, his first teacher being Edward Litchfield. August 23, 1861, he enlisted in the union army, and was mustered out September 14, 1865. At the battle of Shiloh, he was wounded while serving as a color bearer, the flag of the regiment being repeatedly shot down in the engagement. He also received wounds in the engagements of Stone river and Chickamauga. His brothers, Lewis and Joshua, were members of Company C, Eighty-eighth Indiana, and the former lost a limb at the battle of Bentonville, N. C., and the latter was wounded at Stone river. The former died at Edgerton, Ohio, in 1883; Joshua now resides at Albion, Ind. In 1866, Mr. Sweet entered the employ- ment of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific railroad company, and served in various capacities, gradually advancing until in 1874, he was appointed agent at Fort Wayne. In 1884, he was advanced to the position of division freight agent, with headquarters at Peru. Three years later, after a service of twenty-one years with the Wabash company, he resigned the last named position to become assistant general freight agent of the Lake Erie & Western railroad company, with his office at Indianapolis. Mr. Sweet is in politics, a steadfast republican. As a Knight Templar, he is prominent, having been grand commander in 1882. He became a Master Mason in 1868, Knight Templar in 1870,
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Scottish Rite, 1882, and thirty-third degree, 1885. He was married Sep- tember 19, 1867, to Amanda, daughter of Allen Pratt, a pioneer of Allen county, and they have two children, Frank E., born August 30, 1868; and Jessie M., born May 3, 1872.
Enoch Cox, one of the popular men of the city, and a prominent member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was born at Delphi, Ind., December 4, 1842. His boyhood was spent upon a farm, with his parents, and in 1859 he entered Asbury (now Depauw) university, where he took the classical course and graduated in 1864. After his graduation he became connected with the ordnance corps of the United States army, and served eight months, after which he was transferred to the engineer corps, served with Col. W. E. Merrill, chief engineer of the army of the Cumberland, and was engaged with Maj. Burroughs in closing up the engineer depot of that army. Mr. Cox left the service in May, 1867, and engaged in business in Lafayette, Ind., at which he was occupied about two years. A subsequent period he spent at farm- ing and with the Indianapolis, Delphi & Chicago railroad company. In 1876 he went into the newspaper business at Delphi, and conducted the fournal at that place until January 29, 1882, when he was ap- pointed by superintendent C. D. Law as store-keeper of the western division of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad company, at Fort Wayne. This department has been reorganized and very effi- ciently conducted by him. Mr. Cox is a member of the Delphi lodge, No. 28, I. O. O. F., and in 1879 was elected grand master of the grand lodge of Indiana. In 1881 he received the additional honor of election as representative of Indiana grand lodge at the sovereign grand lodge, at its session at Cincinnati. Mr. Cox was married June, 1870, to Martha M. Jones, of Delphi, and they have three children.
Richard G. Thompson, passenger and ticket agent of the Wabash railroad, at Fort Wayne, is a native of Iowa, born at Lyons, August 3, 1860. His father, Richard G. Thompson, sr., now residing in Michi- gan, and following the business of contractor and builder, was born near Harrisburg, Pa., May 4, 1825, and married Sarah Harris, who was born in New York, April 29, 1830, the daughter of Judge Davis Har- ris. Richard G. Thompson was educated at the Reading, Michigan, high school, and began his railroad life in 1880, in the employment of the Fort Wayne & Jackson railroad. He was first stationed at Water- loo six months, and then removed to Fort Wayne. Until 1888 he was in the service of that company, which in 1883, was merged into the great L. S. & M. S. system and the Fort Wayne, Cincinnati & Louisville. During this period he gained an enviable reputation for efficiency and thorough knowledge of the multifarious duties of a railroad agent, and in ISSS, he was tendered the passenger and ticket agency of the Wabash road, which he accepted May I, and now holds. Though a a young man, his thorough grasp of the work in which he is engaged, and his business-like methods and affable manners, have put him rapidly to the front in railroad circles. He is devoted to business, but never-
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theless is well known throughout the community and highly esteemed. Mr. Thompson is a member of the Scottish Rite in Masonry, and a mem- ber of the Fort Wayne lodge of Perfection. His political alliance is with the republican party.
R. B. Rossington, a native of Allen county, has attained a prominent place in railroad affairs, and is a deservedly popular and highly esteemed gentleman. He was born eight miles north of the city, in 1853. His parents, William and Julia Rossington, the former a native of Cork, Ire- land, and the latter of Manchester, England, were married in England, and emigrated in 1844. After spending two years at Tarrytown, N. Y., they came in 1846 to Allen county, where the father died in 1879 and the mother in 1888. Mr. Rossington lived upon a farm until nine years of age, when the family removed to Fort Wayne, and here he attended school until thirteen years of age. Then seeking an occupation he learned the trade of a hatter, but in 1872 took the first step in a career in which he has been notably successful, by entering the railroad office at Auburn, Ind., as a student of telegraphy. Two weeks later he returned to Fort Wayne, and was employed by the American telegraph company until March, 1873, when he became a member of the engineer corps under John Ryall, assistant civil engineer of the Pennsylvania Railroad company. Three weeks later he was taken from outside duty by C. D. Law, and given a position in the Fort Wayne offices. In the fall of 1873 he entered the freight office under J. C. Davis as bill clerk, and in 1875 was promoted assistant cashier, and January 1, 1877, cashier. He was appointed freight agent July 1, 1886, succeeding J. K. McCracken, and in that capacity represents the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago, and Grand Rapids & Indiana railroads. Mr. Rossington is a member of the Masonic order and the I. O. O. F.
Charles H. Newton, freight agent of the Wabash railway at Fort Wayne, is one of the valuable citizens of Fort Wayne, and has while a resident of the city, worked out an honorable career that is deserving of extended mention. His childhood was mostly spent at Clayton, Ill., and he there attended the public schools until sixteen years old, when he be- gan an apprenticeship of three years in a printing office, the last year of which he was employed at Clinton, Mo. In June, 1874, then being in his nineteenth year, he came to Fort Wayne, and took a position as messenger boy for the Wabash company. A few months later he was promoted to a clerkship in the yardmaster's office, where he remained until December 1, 1879, during which he improved leisure moments by completing a course in the commercial college. Leaving the service of the Wabash company, he removed to Clinton, Mo., and engaged in newspaper work, but in September, ISSo, he returned to his former place, the freight office at Fort Wayne, and took the position of car clerk, subsequently being promoted chief clerk and cashier. The division terminus of the road being changed from Fort Wayne to Andrews in May, 1882, the yard force at Fort Wayne was placed in the hands of the agent, who appointed Mr. Newton yardmaster, a place he filled until
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August 1, 1884, when the freight agent at Fort Wayne was made divis- ion freight agent, and Mr. Newton was appointed to his place as local freight agent. Upon the organization of the local freight agents' asso- ciation Mr. Newton was elected secretary, a position he still holds. He is a thorough railroad man, and his executive ability and rare tact en- ables him to win the approbation of the company and the esteem of his fellow citizens in the discharge of his duties. He is a member of the Wayne street Methodist church, and has since January 1, 1866, held the position of superintendent of the Sunday-school. He was one of the organizers of the Railroad Young Men's Christian Association, was chosen recording secretary and is now president. He was also one of the organizers and a charter member of the local Young Mens' Christ- ian Association, was recording secretary and is now first vice president. Mr. Newton's parents, John Clark and Mary Jane (Chapman) Newton, were born the father in Connecticut, the mother in New York, and both descended from revolutionary soldiers. In 1851 they went to the Pacific coast, overland, and the father followed his trade of blacksmith in California until his death in 1857. In that state Charles H. was born December 31, 1855. In 1865 the widow and five children removed to Clayton, Ill., where she remained until 1887, when she returned to Cali- fornia where she is now living. Mr. Newton was married June 19, 1878, to Mary J. Wilding, and they have four children, of whom three are living.
Thomas Jackson, engineer maintenance of way, western division, P., Ft. W. & C. railroad, with headquarters at Ft. Wayne, was born at Hockessin, New Castle county, Delaware, March 21, 1845. There he attended the common schools, and later entered the academy of T. Clarkson Taylor, at Wilmington, Del., and finished his education at Westtown Friends' boarding school, in Chester county, Penn. At about the age of nineteen, he became engineer for the Diamond State Oil- Company, at Beaver county, Penn., and two years later joined the engineer corps of the Wilmington & Brandywine Railroad, now known as the Wilmington & Northern. Later he was made assistant engineer of the Delaware Western, now a branch of the Baltimore & Ohio rail- road, serving until its completion, in 1872. In March, 1873, he was ap- pointed roadman on the eastern division of the P., Ft. W. & C. railroad, and received various promotions on that division. In January, 1880, he was appointed division engineer of the western division, succeeding C. D. Law, now superintendent. In December, 1884, he was appointed roadmaster of the western division, a title which has since been changed to engineer maintenance of way, the duties being those of division engineer and road master combined. During Gen. Trimble's raid on the Phila- delphia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad, in 1864, he enlisted in the Seventh regiment Delaware volunteer infantry, and served sixty days, doing guard duty on the steamer Maryland, at Havre de Grace. Mr. Jackson was married to Anna R., daughter of Spencer Chandler, Esq., of Mill Creek hundred, Delaware, and they have three daughters and
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one son, the latter is named for Ralph Jackson, an ancestor, who was burned at the stake, June 27, 1556, in Queen Mary's reign.
Nelson W. Thompson, superintendent of bridges and buildings of the western division of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad, from Crestline to Englewood, was born in Clarendon, Orleans county, New York. His father, Warren Thompson, removed his fam- ily to Hillsdale county, Mich., in 1838, and resided there until his death in 1882. When about seveeteen years of age, Nelson W. went to Logansport, Ind., and was there engaged for two years boating on the Wabash & Erie canal. Then going to New York he was for two years employed on the Erie canal. During the next two years he was engaged in erecting railroad fencing on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad, in Michigan, and in 1854 he and his father graded one mile of the air line branch of that road at Waterloo, Ind., by contract. For some years subsequently he was farming in Michigan, then in Nebraska, working a section on the Lake Shore road, and in 1861, he began work ou that road as a carpenter, a trade he subsequently followed on the state line branch of the Panhandle west from Logansport, then on the Peru & Indianapolis road. From 1867 to 1869 he was contracting in Michigan, then worked on the construction of the Muncie railroad, and in 1871-2 had charge of the construction of bridges on the Cincinnati, Richmond & Fort Wayne railroad. He had charge of pile-driving on the Chicago & Kansas Southern road in 1873, and in 1874-5 was foreman of carpen- ters on the Valparaiso division of the Pittsburgh road, and in the follow- ing year was appointed to his present position. Mr. Thompson is a member of Star lodge, No. 93, F. & A. M., at Osseo, Mich., and Hills- dale chapter, No. 18. He was married in 1853, at Osseo, Mich., to Nancy Orcutt, a daughter of Amba Orcutt, a pioneer of that region, one of whose daughters was the first white child born in Florida town- ship, Hillsdale county. Mr. Thompson began his railroad career as a section foreman on the Lake Shore road in Hillsdale county, when he was sixteen years old, and his record since then has been a creditable one.
One of the veteran railroad men of the city, Charles W. Buck, who now holds the position of section foreman, Fort Wayne yards, of the Wabash railroad, began work at Zanesville, Ohio, on what was then known as the Ohio Central road, in 1851. Six months later he entered the employment of the Mad River railroad, so known at that time, where he remained six months, then going to Toledo and taking a position on the Lake Shore road. He then spent four years in Iowa, and on his return to this state was employed seven years with the I., P. & C. rail- road. In 1871 he came to Fort Wayne and accepted a position on the Wabash road in 1874, and has since remained in that service. Mr. Buck was born in Saratoga county, N. Y., November 18, 1830. His father, William Buck, was born in .England in 1800, came to the United States about 1816, and married Mary Beach, who was born in New York about 1802. Both died in Washington county, N. Y., the mother
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in 1852, the father in 1853. Of their five children living, Charles W. is the oldest. He was married in 1854 to Louisa J. Durfee, of Sylvania, Ohio, who was born in IS32, and died in this city, in 1880, leaving six children: Lucy, George, Mary, Edward Ada and Charles. In IS83 Mr. Buck married Calista A. Waite, a native of Ohio. Mr. Buck is a member of Bluffton lodge, No. 145, F. & A. M., and I. O. O. F. lodge No. 44, at Indianapolis.
Solon K. Blair, trainmaster on the "Nickel Plate " railroad, is a na- tive of Union county, Ohio, born January 21, 1852. He is the son of Jabez S. and Elizabeth A. Blair, both natives of Logan county, Ohio. While he was a mere child his parents removed to Hardin county, Ohio, and he was reared to manhood at the village of Mount Victory. His father is a physician by profession and is also a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1868 the family removed to Bellefontaine, and thence to Sidney, Ohio, in 1870. There Mr. Blair began the study of telegraphy, January 2, 1871. He was engaged as an operator until December, IS74, when he was made train dispatcher, and continued in that capacity until June, 1888, a period of fourteen years. He accepted the position of train dispatcher on the New York, Chicago & St. Louis railroad in 1882. In 1883 he was promoted to chief dispatcher, and June 1, IS88, he was promoted trainmaster. Mr. Blair was married December 16, 1879, to Dora F. Mitchell, by whom he is the father of two children: Kenton L. and Mamie E. Mr. Blair is a Royal Arch Mason, and is a member of the Association of Superintendents of Tele- graph, and of the National Union. In politics he is an ardent repub- lican.
The position of car inspector on the New York, Chicago & St. Louis railroad has been held during the past seven years by Frederick R. Bierbaum. He is a native of Germany, born April 19, 1847, son of Henry and Elizabeth Bierbaum. He was reared to manhood on a farm and then served in the Franco-Prusian war three years. In 1872 he came to America and located at Fort Wayne. Here he learned the carpenter's trade, and followed it about five years. Since 1877 he has followed the occupation of car repairer and car inspector. He was married in 1873, to Louisa Niemeyer, a native of Germany, who came to America in 1873. They have had seven children: Louisa, Katie, Emma, Clara, Nettie, Albert and Edwig; of whom only Katie, Emma and Edwig are living. Mr. and Mrs. Bierbaum are members of the German Reformed church, and politically he is a republican.
Crawford Griswold, foreman of the bridge gang on the western division of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad, is a native of New York, born at Chatham, Columbus county, July 27, 1842. His parents took him to Michigan in 1844, but in 1857 they returned to New York, where they remained. The father died in IS72. Mr. Griswold was engaged in mechanical ·pursuits until the outbreak of the war, and in 1862 he enlisted in the First New York Mounted Rifles, with headquarters at 600 Broadway, New York. He joined the regi-
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ment at Suffolk, Va., was promoted to sergeant from time of enlistment and served in that position until the close of the war. He was contin- ually engaged in active service. He was the first to discover the advance of Longstreet upon Suffolk, which place he besieged for two weeks. After the withdrawal of Longstreet's army his regiment joined in the pursuit to the line of the Blackwater river, and Mr. Griswold par- ticipated in all the engagements of the army of the James river, and numerous raids as an independent organization. He, with two cor- porals and ten men, occupied an advanced picket position on the 10th of December, 1864, when Lee made a reconnoissance in force on the right of the army of the James, and held his post until the entire left had fallen back, from early dawn to 3 o'clock P. M., when he was rein- forced. At the capture of Richmond his regiment occupied the city as provost guard, for two weeks, and thence went to Petersburg and held that place as provost guard while Sherman's army was marching to the grand review. He was mustered out in front of Libby prison, at Rich- mond, June 13, 1865. Going to Ohio in the same year, he entered the employment of the Pennsylvania company at Lima, Ohio, March 8, 1868, and came to Fort Wayne in 1880 in the employment of the same company. He was first appointed foreman of the bridge gang in 1875. He is a member of Hope lodge, 114, F. & A. M., at Delphos, Ohio, and of George Humphrey post, 530, G. A. R., at Fort Wayne, of which he was a charter member, and is now junior vice commander. He is a member of Wayne street Methodist Episcopal church. He was married in 1871 to Louisa Kessler, of Middlepoint, Ohio, and they have had five children, three of whom survive: William H., Lena B. and Ethel L.
George P. Gordon, baggage agent of the P., Ft. W. & C., G. R. & I., and C. R. & Ft. W. R. R. companies, and member of the common council of Fort Wayne, was born in Greene county, Penn., June 24, 1833. His father, William D. Gordon, was born in Greene county, Penn., in 1812, and was the son of George Gordon, who was born and reared in Pennsylvania- and died in 1832. William D. Gordon removed to Ohio in 1835, where he followed farming until his death, December 28, 1878. His wife was Catherine Keenan, who was born in Ireland in about 1812, and came to America when thirteen years of age. Her death occurred in Ohio in 1879. To them three sons and nine daughters were born, who are living with the exception of four daughters. George P. was reared in Ohio until the spring of 1856, when he went to Madison, Wis., where he remained until 1869, being engaged in traveling for a whole- sale establishment. In the latter year he came to Fort Wayne, but remained here only a short time, going next to Lancaster, Ohio. In 1862 he returned to Fort Wayne and engaged in farming in Pleasant township, until the fall of IS65. He next went to Woodburn, Ind., with J. K. Edgerton, and remained one year. Returning to Fort Wayne he took a position on the city police force, and held the same for one year. August 1, 1869, he entered the railroad business as night baggage agent,
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and six years later was promoted to his present position. Mr. Gordon was married in 1857 at Madison, Wis., to Catherine Ring, who was born in Perry county, Ohio, September 28, 1834. To their union ten children have been born, six sons and two daughters of whom survive. Mr. Gordon was elected to the common council of Fort Wayne in the spring of ISS9.
Charles P. Fletcher, a prominent citizen of Fort Wayne, is a native of Nashua, N. H., born June 13, IS27. He is the son of Paschal and Rebecca (Boutwell) Fletcher, the former a native of Lowell, Mass., and the latter of Amherst, N. H. The branch of the Fletcher family to which Charles P. belongs sprang from Robert Fletcher who immigrated in 1630, and settled at Concord, Mass. It is believed he came from Yorkshire, England. The family is of the old English Puritan stock. During his early life Mr. Fletcher was employed in cotton factories at Nashua and Manchester, New Hampshire, and Lowell, Mass. In early manhood he sought the life of a railroad builder, and was occupied for several years, first as common laborer, then roadmaster, and finally as contractor. In 1854 he laid the track of the Pittsburgh railway from Crestline, Ohio, to the Fort Wayne depot, it being the first in the city. In the following year he laid the track of the Wabash railway from be- yond Defiance, Ohio, to the Fort Wayne depot. In 1858 he estab- lished the first restaurant in the city. In IS59 he erected the Summit City hotel, now the Harmon house. From 1864 to 1878 he was oc- cupied as proprietor of an omnibus line. For several years past he has been the owner of the Academy of Music, having purchased it November 2, 1878. Mr. Fletcher was married to Hannah C. Cline, September 16, 1854. She died November 26, 1856, leaving one child, Luella, who died in 1872, aged sixteen. October 9, 1858, he was married to Jennie Heath. She is a native of Connecticut, but was reared at Rochester, N. Y. Her parents were Schuyler and Sarah (Minton) Heath. By the latter marriage two children were born, Willie Minnie, and a daugh- ter unnamed, both deceased. Mr. Fletcher and wife have also had the misfortune to lose three adopted children. In politics he is a staunch republican. During the war he served between one and two years as deputy provost marshal.
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