A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 14

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 860

USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III > Part 14

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Charles Wheeler Bell was reared in Wash- ington and Anderson counties and had the good fortune to receive an excellent education. After a preliminary introduction to the pri- mary branches in the country schools he en- tered the Central Kentucky Normal College, and afterward matriculated at the Anderson Seminary and the Lawrenceburg Normal Col- lege, graduating from the latter in the year 1889. Naturally inclined toward a career as an educator, he had already taken up teaching in 1884, and while he was perfecting his edu- cation he taught and attended school alter- nately. Ilis pedagogical career, interrupted though it was, included the years between 1884 and 1908, and in the latter year he was appointed insurance commissioner of Ken- tucky, of which office he is the present incum- bent. From the year 1890 for the ensuing

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eighteen years Professor Bell was principal of the city schools of Harrodsburg, Kentucky. He gives his faith and his suffrage to the Re- publican party and has no small influence in party ranks. In his religious convictions he is a member of the Christian church, in which he is an elder.

Professor Bell has been twice married, his first wife being Miss Maude Myles, a daughter of the Rev. James Myles, and the date of their union being in 1892. His second union was with Miss Myrtle Britton, and their marriage was solemnized in 1904.

In no field has Professor Bell achieved a greater degree of success than as a lecturer. His attainments as a speaker are splendid and wherever his eloquence is heard he wins hosts of admirers. He has high standing as a Chautauqua speaker and his gifted services have been retained by a number of these in- stitutions. He is by no means a "prophet without honor," for Kentucky takes a proper pride in him, and his fame has spread far be- yond the borders of the state. He has called forth many plaudits and from some of these appreciations it is a temptation to quote. The celebrated author and lecturer, Elbert Hub- bard, of East Aurora, New York, has written him the following characteristic letter :

"Dear Friend :

"I have read your splendid speech with smiles and things. It is extra choice, and I congratulate you on it. Any man who can write as well as you should keep right at it. It is certainly worthy of being reprinted and widely distributed. Come and see us when you are along this way. With love and bless- ings ever, I am

"Your sincere "Elbert Hubbard."

The famous Louisville Courier-Journal had said: "Mr. Bell is possessed of a quaint, bu- colic humor, as pure and fresh as a fresh plowed furrow. He told of the 'Good Old Days' in such a manner that he was continu- ously interrupted by the hearty laughs of the '500.' "

The comment of the Louisville Post is quoted for the reason that it gives a nearer glance at the personality of the man: "All the speeches were good, but Mr. Bell of Frankfort fairly carried away the honors. His address upon 'The Good Old Times,' was an admirable mixture of pathos and humor and his unique delivery added to its effect. He won the audience after speaking less than three minutes. In appearance Mr. Bell is the typical American humorist, and his quaint manner of being funny, his satirical way of speaking and the purity of his vocabulary re-

call the traditions of Artemus Ward," In short the "good and the great" have com- mended him highly and repeatedly. Governor Augustus E. Willson has called the celebrated "Good Old Days," "Food for hungry hearts, rest for weary cares and raiment for pleasant thoughts." A prominent clergyman has called the same, "The greatest speech of the kind he has ever listened to," and a Louisville citizen of high standing accuses Mr. Bell of having made the best after dinner speech he ever heard.

The career of the subject of this biography in the lecture field dates from 1910, and it is not hazarding much to predict that even greater victories lie before him.

WILLIAM BARNETT OWEN, M. D., is one of the younger representatives of the medical profession, but his ability does not seem to be limited by the years of his connection with the profession. He established his home and practice in Louisville in 1906, and already has secured a good patronage here. He is a na- tive of Kentucky, born in Hart county, March 12, 1880, the son of Jordan and Kate E. (Green) Owen. Jordan Owen was born in Green county, Kentucky, the son of Jordan and - (Tinsley) Owen, natives of Bedford county, Virginia, and came to Kentucky in the early forties, locating in Green county, the Owens being of Welsh, Scotch and Irish de- scent. The mother was born in Hart county, Kentucky, the daughter of William Green, a native of Kentucky, of English descent and a large slave owner, owning an extensive plan- tation in Louisiana. The father of the Doctor has been engaged in the tobacco warehouse business in Louisville since 1895, owning and operating the Main Street Tobacco Ware- house under the firm name of the Owen-Dan- nenhold Company.

Dr. Owen was reared in Hart county until he reached his thirteenth year, when he came to Louisville and passed through the public schools and Manual Training School. He at- tended the Allman University School, taking a course in languages, and finally graduated from the medical department of the Kentucky University on July 3. 1903. The Doctor then held an interneship in St. Joseph's Hospital, Lexington, going thence to New York city, where he served as interne in Mt. Sinai Hos- pital, the Ruptured and Cripple Hospital and the New York Post Graduate Hospital. He then engaged in the practice at Louisville in 1906, in which he is still and with every pros- pect of so continuing. He is attending sur- geon to the Louisville City Hospital and as- sistant to the chair of gynecology in the medi- cal department of the University of Louisville,

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and a member of the Jefferson County Med- ical Society, the Kentucky State Medical So- ciety and the American Medical Association, also the Louisville Society of Physicians and Surgeons. He is also medical examiner for the North Western Mutual Life Insurance Company and the Union Central Life Insur- ance Company.

In social and fraternal societies the Doctor is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to Excelsior Lodge, No. 258, F. & A. M., and he is also a member of the Tavern Club. The Doctor is a member of the Broadway Chris- tian church.

GEORGE F. ROTH is particularly well equipped for his position as manager and pro- prietor of the Covington Architectural Iron Works by reason of the fact that he has practically grown up with that line of indus- try. He was born on Pike street, in the city of Covington, Kentucky, on the IIth of July, 1870, and is a son of Godfred and Mary (Herman) Roth, the former of whom was a native of Germany, whence he emigrated to America when a lad of seventeen years. He was accompanied by his brothers, but becom- ing separated from them he located at Cov- ington, where he followed his trade of black- smith. He was summoned to the life eternal in 1882, at which time George F. was but twelve years old. Mary (Herman) Roth was of French parentage, her parents emigrating at an early day to Covington, where they both succumbed to the cholera epidemic. Mary was then adopted by a family named Her- man and she was reared and educated in Cov- ington, where she passed away when the sub- ject of this review was a child of eight years.

Thus thrown upon his own resources at an early age, it is most gratifying to view the success which it has been his to achieve. His preliminary educational advantages were those afforded in the common schools, after leaving which he began work in a safe fac- tory in his native town to learn the business. Later he worked for several years in the structural iron plant owned by Fred J. Mey- ers, and here familiarized himself with the intricacies of the trade, at which he was em- ployed in various factories for a number of years. In 1898 he became personally inter- ested in this line of enterprise, having at that time purchased a third interest in the concern conducted by John H. Luter & Company. The present company, known as the Coving- ton Architectural Iron Works, was established by Keiser & Lueke in 1890. This firm passed through several different ownerships and in 1899 Mr. Roth bought an interest in the same, under the firm name of John H. Luter &

Company. For a number of years the busi- ness had been on the decline and in July, 1900, the entire business passed into the hands of Mr. Roth, who reorganized and rechristened the same as the Covington Architectural Iron Works. He installed the latest accessories in the way of modern machinery and through his able management the business has been largely increased and put upon a successful basis. The plant now employs about twenty men and manufactures structural and orna- mental iron and steel, besides which it con- ducts a general repair business. In addition to the factory building is a suite of splendidly equipped offices and pattern rooms adjoining it.

In politics Mr. Roth accords a staunch alle- giance to the Republican party and he has served most efficiently on the school board of Covington for three years, first by appoint- ment and later by election. In the year, 1909, he served as president of the same. His Ma- sonic affiliations are as follows: Blue Lodge, Covington, No. 109, Free & Accepted Ma- sons; Covington Chapter, No. 35, Royal Arch Masons; Kenton Council, No. 13; and Covington Commandery, No. 7, Knights Templars. He has been an active member of the Turner Society for nearly twenty-five years and is identified with the Ancient Or- der of United Workmen and various local clubs of a representative order. Both he and his wife hold membership in St. Paul's Lu- theran church.

On the 17th of August, 1892, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. Roth to Miss Ma- tilda Tierke, who was born and reared in Covington. Mr. and Mrs. Roth are the par- ents of four children, whose names are here entered in order of birth-Leslie, Edna, El- vira and George Jr., all of whom remain at the parental home.

W. PRINCE WELLS .- The present is emi- nently a practical age. We live in a busy work-a-day world and the masses of the peo- ple are chiefly concerned in the affairs of ev- ery-day life. Great intellects bind themselves to consideration of industrial matters rather than to questions of state-craft. We are in- terested to a greater extent in inventions than in art, and the sciences which can be utilized in the creation of wealth and the building up of industries receive the greater share of our attention. The factories and workshops, the multiplied and equipped lines of transporta- tion, the great warehouses, stores and public buildings are the evidences of physical prog- ress and prosperity, and the man who stands at the head and as the representative of a great concern is the man who is a leader in the

Gro. F. Port

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events and great interests of the day. Such a man is the subject of our sketch.

W. Prince Wells, the state representative of Kentucky for the Rambler automobiles and bicycles, with headquarters at 718-724 Fourth avenue, Louisville, was born in Bloomfield, Spencer county, Kentucky, on January 18, 1866. He is the son of Jesse Stone Wells, who was born in Spencer county, Kentucky, in 1837, and was the son of William Wells, who with his brother Samuel were pioneers of Fort Wayne, Allan county, Indiana, they having settled there during the days when the early comers were in constant danger from the savage Indians, when incessant vigilance was the watchword, and the depredations of this stealthy foe more to be dreaded than any other form of danger, but despite their care Samuel, the brother of William, was captured by the Indians and put to death by having his heart cut out. William, the grandfather of W. Prince, came into Kentucky about the year 1815. William Wells' mother was a Scotch woman of the Prince family. William settled in Spencer county, Kentucky, and there spent the remainder of his life. He married a Miss Alexander, who was a native of Kentucky, and to them were born three daughters and one son, as follows : Elizabeth married Dr. George W. Foreman, of near Bardstown, Kentucky. She died in her seventeenth year. Rebecca Prince married Dr. Bemis Wooden, of Fairfield, Spencer county, and died in July, 1909, aged eighty-two years. Sallie married Pitts Stallard, Spencer county, Kentucky, and is seventy years of age.

Jesse Stone Wells was a merchant at Bloom- field previous to the war between the states. In. early days he was in the steamboat trade between Louisville and New Orleans. He was a strong sympathizer with the Southern cause during the Civil war, and gave freely of his means to the support of the Confederacy. After the war he engaged in merchandising at Eminence, Kentucky, where he continued until 1879, when he came to Louisville and died in 1880, at 538 South Fourth street, which old residence now is owned by his son Prince. He married Mary Casey, who was born in Nelson county, Kentucky, and be- longed to the Casey family of that county. Her parents died soon after coming into Ken- tucky and she is now residing in Denver, Col- orado, being in her sixty-eighth year, and en- joying good health. The children of Jesse Stone Wells and Mary Casey, his wife, were: Katie, who married Dr. H. C. Stinson, of Ar- kansas, now superintendent of the Arkansas State Asylum for the Insane; Ida Stone, who married A. P. Niles, of Denver, Colorado, and

who died in 1910; W. Prince Wells; and Samuel L., who resides in Denver, Colorado, with his mother.

W. Prince Wells, the immediate subject of our sketch, spent his boyhood days in Louis- ville, and went to work when he was about fourteen years old. The first five years were spent between the New York and White's dry goods stores in this city. He then found it expedient to direct his energies along another channel of enterprise, so went on the road ex- hibiting and selling bicycles, and is a pioneer in that line. When he began his work in the bicycle line the old high-wheel machine was in vogue, but he soon saw the impracticability of the old style and advocated the building of a wheel more practicable and safe. Just as soon as the manufacture of the "safety" wheel was begun, Mr. Wells returned to Louisville and established himself in the bicycle busi- ness. That was in 1890, so for a period of twenty years he has been in the bicycle busi- ness and is now the pioneer in that line. When the automobile business was in its in- fancy Mr. Wells had the distinction of being the first representative identified with that im- portant line of enterprise in this state, and in 1901 he became the Kentucky representative of the Rambler Corporation. For twenty- eight years he has been connected with the Rambler Company in handling bicycles and automobiles.

In 1900 Mr. Wells erected a store for the handling of bicycles at 538 Fourth street, and in 1905 he built his garage at 718-720 Fourth street, which is a three and two story brick, 50 x 200 feet, with a floor space of about 26,- 000 feet, which is the largest garage in the state of Kentucky.

Mr. Wells is prominent in business clubs, being a member of the Louisville Automobile Club, is president of the Automobile Dealers Association, and a member of the Commercial Club. He married Rosina L. Heuse, who was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the daughter of Samuel Heuse, retired, of Louisville. To Mr. and Mrs. Wells one daughter has been born, Princess Ethel Wells, who graduated from Semple College in the class of 1910. Mrs. Wells is a member of the Lutheran church, but the Wells family are all Baptists.

Just as the value of a farm is estimated by its products, or a system by its results, so is a man fairly measured by his achievements and Mr. Wells has every reason to be satis- fied with his own.

CHARLES HARWOOD MORRIS, attorney-at- law, is the gifted son of a gifted father, both of them holding high place among the mem- bers of Kentucky's legal profession. Al-

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though it is probable that Mr. Morris' career has not yet reached its summit, he has already had the incumbency of several important of- fices, and his efficiency has displayed itself as being of a distinctively high order. He be- longs to the South by ties of birth and senti- ment his ancestors for a number of genera- tions having lived in Kentucky and Virginia, his mother's family, in fact, having been founded in the "Old Dominion" as early as I690.

Charles Harwood Morris was born in Shel- byville, Shelby county, Kentucky, March 20, 1871. He is the son of James S. and L. Mag- gie (Scearce) Morris, the former born in Mercer county, Kentucky, August 10, 1844, and the son of Joseph Morris, a Virginian. The mother is also of Shelby county, where her birth occurred September 4, 1845, her parents being Shelby R. and Martha (New- ton) Scearce, the former dying in the home county in 1891. Her mother, Mr. Morris' grandmother, was Martha Newton, a Ken- tuckian and a daughter of Samuel Newton of Buckingham county, Virginia, a lineal de- scendant of Matthew Agee, a French Protest- ant driven from his native country in 1690 by religious persecution and finding a haven in Virginia.

Mr. Morris' father, James S. Morris, now a resident of LaGrange, is a lawyer by profes- sion and for seventeen years was common- wealth's attorney for the old seventeenth judi- cial district, his incumbency including the years between 1876 and 1893. During that time he resided in Shelbyville, but in the year following removed to Oldham county and lo- cated at LaGrange, where he has even since resided and engaged in the practice of the law. He gave splendid service by his repre- sentation of the district composed of Oldham and Trimble counties in the legislature of 1906, and he has served as special judge in a number of counties in Eastern Kentucky. His is the enviable distinction of having been paid a personal compliment for his services as commonwealth's attorney in the Constitutional Convention of 1891. His loyalty to the Demo- cratic party is well known and it takes the form of activity in its behalf. He was one of the presidential electors in 1904 for the Seventh district.

Charles H. Morris spent his early years at Shelbyville and there received his common school education. When he was twelve years old he entered the Scearce Select Academy for Boys with the view of preparing for a collegi- ate course, but after four years of study within its portals he drifted into the mercantile business and was engaged in this field from

his sixteenth to his twenty-fourth year. He then reverted to his first idea of taking up a profession, and began to study law in his fa- ther's office. He was subsequently admitted to the bar and practiced at LaGrange for four years, when his health failed and not until 1904 was he able to resume his active prac- tice. Upon January 1, 1905, Mr. Morris was appointed to the position of law clerk with General N. B. Hays, attorney general, with whom he served for four years and was then retained by General James Breathitt in the same office, a compliment of unusual force since Mr. Morris was opposite in politics to General Breathitt.

By all the arguments of heritage and per- sonal conviction Mr. Morris is a Democrat, and for twelve years was a member of the Oldham County Democratic Committee and ten years chairman of the same. He is an enthusiastic lodge man, finding great pleasure in his fraternal relations. He is high priest of the Frankfort Royal Arch Chapter of Ma- sons and present exalted ruler of the Frank- fort Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Mr. Morris was married, May 10, 1910, to Miss Agnes White Crutcher, daughter of R. L. and Emma Crutcher, of Frankfort.

JOHN GREIFE .- Standing at the head of that substantial and prosperous concern, the John Greife Coal Company of Newport, is one of the city's sound and public-spirited citizens, the gentleman whose name appears in this title. He is a native son of the city which is the present scene of his activities, his birth having occurred on April 12, 1858. His par- ents were natives of that country which has given to America one of her most superior sources of immigration, they,-Frederick W. and Clara (Pieper) Greife,-having been born in Germany, in which land they were reared and married, coming soon after the latter event, in 1845, to America. They sailed via New Orleans and landed at Cincinnati, after having been nearly three months on the way. They did not remain in the Queen City, but crossed the Ohio to Newport, Kentucky, and they continued to live here for the re- mainder of their lives. They were intelligent and excellent citizens and naturally soon be- came favorably known in the community. The father helped to organize and was a char- ter member of the First German Baptist church of Newport, the edifice in which the congregation worshipped being a small and humble one erected on the southeast corner of Sixth and Columbia streets. He likewise helped to organize the German Baptist church of Cincinnati, the fiftieth anniversary of which was celebrated in 1908. He was the

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first pastor of the Newport congregation and was active in church work for many years, his influence as a man of strict integrity and lofty principle being wide and beneficent. He and his wife were the parents of seven chil- dren, six of whom are living and he whose name initiates this sketch being the sixth in order of birth.

John Greife was reared in Newport and re- ceived his education in the excellent public schools of the city. After his graduation from the high school he took a commercial course in the old Queen City Commercial Col- lege, situated on Fifth and Walnut streets, Cincinnati, his natural tastes and inclinations fitting him for a career in business. After finishing at this institution he filled several clerical positions in Cincinnati, bringing an unusual amount of faithfulness and efficiency to all of them. In 1881 he entered the field in which his greatest success has lain, forming a partnership with George E. Crowhurst in the coal business in Newport, the firm being known under the name of John Greife and Company. This satisfactory arrangement continued for a number of years and with the greatest success and was only terminated by the retirement of Mr. Crowhurst. In 1905 the John Greife Coal Company was incorpo- rated, with a capital stock of $10,000, and has ever since continued in this manner. Mr. Greife has since the beginning held the office of president and has been very active in its management, being a man of splendid execu- tive ability and initiative. In politics he casts his support with the Republican party and he and his family are members of the First Bap- tist church of Dayton, to whose support they contribute not only in a material manner but with the sympathy they bestow upon all the good measures promulgated by it.

Mr. Greife was married in 1882, the lady to become his wife being Mary Elizabeth Wil- son, a daughter of John Wilson, who was engaged with the firm of P. Smith & Com- pany, dealers in photographic supplies in Cincinnati for many years. Mrs. Greife, however, was reared in Dayton. To this union have been born two children, Harry W. and John Raymond. The residence of the subject of the biography in Dayton dates from the year 1877.

LANHAM ROBERTSON .- The interesting sci- ence of. architecture finds one of its most talented * representatives in the person of Lanham Robertson, a member of the eminent firm of Fahnestock, Ferber & Robertson of Cincinnati. Mr. Robertson comes of a family of scholars, his grandfather, Joseph Robert- son, LL. D., having been a man of much abil-

ity and prominence in his native Scotland. He was curator of the historical department of the Register House at Edinburgh, and the greatest record scholar in the country. He died while engaged upon some of his best and most important work.

Lanham Robertson is a native of Kentucky, his birth having occurred in Louisville, July 19, 1880, his father's name being C. J. Stuart- Robertson, and his mother's, previous to her marriage, Lizzie Tompkins, the former a native of historic old Edinburgh and the lat- ter the daughter of a well known Louisville family. The father came to the United States when a young man, found his way to Louis- ville, engaged in business and married there, but was cut short in his career by death some four years after the latter event. The mother still resides in Covington, Kentucky.

The late C. J. Stuart-Robertson and his wife were the parents of three children, he whose name initiates this biography being the eldest born and the only one surviving. He passed his boyhood in Louisville, attended the public schools and was graduated from the high school at the age of nineteen. His first expe- rience in the business world was gained as an employe of the Louisville & Nashville Rail- way and Standard Oil Company in an engineer- ing and architectural capacity. He had early evinced a remarkable ability and originality in his chosen profession and in 1908 he en- gaged in architecture, in Covington, whence he had moved, upon his own account. This venture proved successful and in 1910 a part- nership was formed under the firm name of Fahnestock, Ferber & Robertson, with offices in Cincinnati. This constitutes a strong com- bination and the firm has filled a number of important contracts, although such a short time in the field. One of Mr. Robertson's chef d'oeuvres was his much admired design for the home of the widows of the Knights of Pythias situated near Lexington.

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A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume III, Part 14

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 860

Author: Johnson, E. Polk, 1844-; Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 860