Biographical cyclopedia of the commonwealth of Kentucky, Part 26

Author: Gresham, John M., Co., Pub
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago, Philadelphia, J. M. Gresham company
Number of Pages: 726

USA > Kentucky > Biographical cyclopedia of the commonwealth of Kentucky > Part 26

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C HARLES LOUIS LOOS, President of the Kentucky University, Lexington, was born in Woerth, Department of the Lower Rhine (Alsace), France, December 22, 1823. His father, Jacques G. Loos, was born in the same place in 1795, and came to America in 1832 and located in Stark County, Ohio. In 1834 he sent for his family, who arrived in time to be with him only a few weeks before his death. His wife, Catherine Kull, was born in Bavaria in 1800. She survived him until 1868 and died in Allegheny, Pennsyl- vania.

Charles L. Loos remained in Stark County, Ohio, for seven years after his father's death, at- tending the public school, himself teaching at sixteen. He was reared in the Lutheran Church, but united with the Christian Church in 1838, and began to preach when only seventeen years of

age. In 1842 he entered Bethany College in Vir- ginia, an institution that was founded by Alexan- der Campbell, and graduated in the class of 1846. After finishing his studies he taught in the pri- mary department of his alma mater for three years. He then went to Wellsburg, in the same county, and was preacher of the Christian Church at that place for one year.

His next charge was at Somerset, Pennsyl- vania, where he preached for five years, and dur- ing the last two years of his ministry there con- ducted a collegiate academy on his own respon- sibility, a school that was flourishing un- der his able management. He also edited for two years a religious monthly called The Disciple. In January, 1856, he was called to the First Christian, now the Cen- tral, Church on Ninth street, Cincinnati, Ohio. During his stay of one year in that city he was co- editor of the Christian Age, a weekly newspaper published by his denomination.

In January, 1857, he accepted the presidency of the college at Eureka, Illinois, where he remained nearly two years, serving as president of the col- lege and as preacher of the Eureka congregation at the same time.

In the latter part of 1858 he returned to Bethany College as professor of ancient languages. For twelve years of this time he was preacher of the church at Bethany; for seven years co-editor of The Millennial Harbinger. He continued his labors there until June, 1880, when he accepted the presidency of the Kentucky University. This responsible position has enabled him to exercise his remarkable ability as an executive and to carry into practical utility his excellent theories in edu- cational matters, and he has abundant compensa- tion for his arduous labors in watching the steady growth of the university, not only in the increased attendance, but also in the high educational stand- ard which it has gained and is maintaining under his able management.

Mr. Loos has been president of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society for a number of years, and has been a lifetime contributor to the leading journals of his denomination: is always ready, willing and able to preach the gospel; is a true and loyal citizen and independent voter;

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and is above all devoted to the education of the youth and the elevation of society.

He was married in July, 1848, to Rosetta E. Kerr, daughter of Rev. John Kerr of Newry, Ire .. land. They were the parents of eleven children. Mrs. Loos died January 30, 1893, seven of her children surviving her: Charles, a teacher in the High School at Dayton, Ohio; William J., editor of the Christian Guide, published in Louisville, and a minister of the gospel; Oberline T., a farmer in the northwestern part of the State of Washington; Louisa L., wife of John M. L. Campbell of Detroit, Michigan; Emily K., wife of Dr. A. S. Dabney of Lexington, Kentucky; Frederic V., minister of the Christian Church at Liberty, Missouri, and Wilhelmina, who is at home with her father. Four children died before the mother, three in childhood, and Carrie D., wife of E. T. Williams, missionary in Nankin, China.

JOHN W. SCHNEIDER, a well known and successful promoter and business man of Newport, Kentucky, was born in that city De- cember 31, 1851 ; and is a son of Adam and Cath- erine (Goller) Schneider.

Adam Schneider was a native of Gahans, Sax- ony, Germany, and emigrated from his native land to the United States in 1847, locating in Newport the same year. He followed the occupation of a stonemason in early life, but later was engaged in distilling and milling, and was a prominent and useful citizen, being for a time a member of the City Council. He was a member of the German Lutheran Church, and a faithful attendant until his death in 1885.

Catherine Goller Schneider was born in Bay- reuth, Bavaria, in 1826, and is living in Newport at the present time.

John W. Schneider after leaving the public schools entered Nelson's Commercial College at Cincinnati at the age of thirteen years. He kept his father's books in the whiskey and flour busi- ness until he was seventeen years of age, and was next employed in the carpenter trade, at which he worked for one year; but he did not like that trade and gave it up to become a laborer for the Little Miami Railroad. This was a little too dif- ficult for him and he went to St. Louis in the early

part of 1870, where he was employed as book- keeper in a hotel and grocery establishment. He remained there for four years, returning to New- port in 1875, where he accepted a position as car sealer for the Little Miami Railroad Company at Cincinnati. He was next employed as a solici- tor for the Clay Fire & Marine Company. He was subsequently elected secretary of the New- port Stock Provision Mart; and July 1, 1875, accepted the position of bookkeeper in the First National Bank at Newport, which was opened for business on that day. While Mr. Schneider was still engaged in the bank he was elected treasurer of the Campbell County Building & Loan Asso- ciation of Newport, and secretary of the Licking Valley Building Association; and February I, 1878, was elected secretary of the German Mu- tual Fire Insurance Company of Covington ; January 1, 1879, was elected member of the School Board; September 1, 1879, he was elected secretary of the Newport & Lick Turnpike Com- pany; June 10, 1880, was elected secretary of the Newport Mutual Fire Insurance Company; Jan. I, 1881, was elected treasurer of the Board of Educa- tion, and served until January, 1885; August I, 1881, was elected treasurer of the Citizens' Build- ing Association, and served until 1886, when the National was organized with Mr. Schneider as treasurer; August 10. 1882, was elected secre- tary of the Red Men's Hall Association; September 1, 1882, was elected secretary of the old State Road Company; in 1883, he received the charter for the Protestant Children's Home, and acted as secretary pro tem. in its organization, having been the organizer, but re- fused to act as permanent secretary or accept any position in the home.

He also organized the syndicate known as the Bellevue Improvement Company, with G. R. Harms as president and himself as secretary; the Orlando Land Company, with T. A. Widrig presi- dent; the Clifton Suburban Home & Building Company, with J. E. McCracken president; the South Covington Land Company, with M. T. Shine as president; organized the East Bellevue Lot Association in 1886, with B. H. Kroger presi- dent and C. W. Nagel secretary; organized the Glen Park Land Company in 1888, of which he

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was a director, and resigned January 1, 1891 ; organized the South Bellevue Land & Develop- ment Company in 1892; organized the Fort Thomas Land Company in 1893, with eight hun- dred and twenty-seven acres in the Highlands. In this latter enterprise George B. Kerper of Cin- cinnati acted as president.

It is needless to add that as a promoter and organizer Mr. Schneider stands without a rival, and no man could have accomplished what he has done if he had not enjoyed the confidence of the business community in the highest degree.

John W. Schneider and Bertha Hanke Utz were married August 26, 1875.

JOHN TRIMBLE, one of the most eminent and distinguished lawyers and jurists of his day, was born in Paris, Kentucky, December 4, 1783. He was liberally educated by an uncle who resided in the family, and at the age of nineteen he became private secretary to Robert Evans, then territorial governor of Indiana. Young Trimble remained in this capacity at Vincennes, at that time capital of the Territory of Indiana, when he returned to Kentucky and became a stu- dent at law in the office of Colonel George Nicholas, who at that time was one of the greatest jurists in the country. Judge Trimble practiced law from 1807 to 1862; was then appointed cir- cuit judge and removed to Cynthiana; resigned that office and was immediately appointed by Governor Desha, on January 15, 1825, third judge of the New Court of Appeals, which he held for a short time and resigned. In May, 1826, he was tendered the United States judgeship for the Dis- trict of Kentucky by President J. Q. Adams, but ill-health prevented his acceptance. He was a rep- resentative in the Kentucky Legislature in 1826- 33-35; was a strong advocate of the proposed railroad from Charleston to Cincinnati, which excited the opposition of his party, and was never a candidate again. His death occurred July 9, 1852, at Cynthiana. He was an able lawyer and few could cope with him in arguing an abstract question of law depending on principle. He was as noble as a citizen and as true as a friend as he was able as a lawyer. Few knew the general

variety of his knowledge and the scope of his critical judgment.

His father was William Trimble, who emigrated to Kentucky and settled in Clark County in 1780, not far from Boonsboro.

Robert Trimble, a brother of John-and for whom Trimble County was named-was born in Berkeley County, Virginia, in 1777; read law under George Nicholas until the death of Nicholas, when he finished his studies in the office of James Brown; was licensed to practice before the Court of Appeals in 1803, and in the same year was elected to the Legislature from Bourbon County. He cared little for politics and later in life refused to become a candidate for the United States Senate, preferring to devote his time to his profession. In 1808 he was commissioned second judge of the Court of Appeals; in 1810 was ap- pointed chief justice of Kentucky, but on account of limited means he declined to accept the first judicial position of the Commonwealth. After retiring from the bench he again took up the prac- tice of law, and in 1813 was appointed United States district attorney for the state. In 1816 he was appointed by President Madison United States judge for the District of Kentucky and filled this office until 1826, when he was promoted by President J. Q. Adams to the Supreme bench of the United States. He died August 25, 1828. Judge Trimble studied law as a principle and com- prehended it as a science. In 1818 the sole pro- fessorship of law in Transylvania University, which was tendered him by the board and his ac- ceptance urged by Mr. Clay, but he declined. Chief Justice Marshall and Judge Storey pro- nounced him to be not only of the first lawyers, but one of the most profound men they had ever known. His private virtues and his simple, noble nature were above all that which were derived from great intellect and lofty station.

William W. Trimble was a son of John and Eliza (Porter) Trimble and was born in Cynthi- ana, Kentucky, December 31, 1821, and was edu- cated at Danville and under the private instruc- tion of his father, who took a great interest in his education. His uncle, Robert Macmillan, was a professor in a college in Edinburgh, Scotland, who came to America, and studied with him,

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along with his brothers Robert, John and James, who became probably the best educated men in the state. William W. Trimble commenced the practice of law at Cynthiana, where he remained for about twenty years, when in 1873 he removed to Covington. He attended solely to the practice of his profession and was one of the best informed men in law and the general literature of his day. He was an ardent Republican, a Mason and an Episcopalian. He married Mary Barlow, daugh- ter of Martin Barlow and Frances (Cantrell) Barlow. Her parents died when she was young, and was reared in the family of Colonel Joseph Cantrell of Bourbon. Six children were born to Martin Barlow and Frances Cantrell: Fannie, wife of George Fackler, of New York City; Kate, wife of Edward J. Woolsey of the same city; Helen, wife of Arthur Highton of London, Eng- land; William Pitt, who was educated at Frank- fort-on-the-Main, where he graduated, and at the Cincinnati Law School, and is now practicing law at Seattle, Washington; Robert, who was educated at Harvard and Kenyon College, Ohio, and Lawrence, who died in early youth.

James Barlow, a cousin of Mrs. W. W. Trim- ble's father, was one of the greatest inventors in the state. He invented the planitarium, the most useful and complete astronomical apparatus in the world.

Judge William W. Trimble was the author of Trimble's Kentucky Digest, which is now used in the Cincinnati Law School as a text book. The judge died August 31, 1886, and is buried at Cyn- thiana.

H ENRY CLAY M'DOWELL, son of Wil- liam Adair McDowell and Maria Hawkins Harvey, born in Fincastle, Virginia, in 1832, coming to Kentucky in 1839, when his father re- turned to his native state. He graduated at the Louisville Law School and won his way to a successful practice in the profession, being for some years a partner of his brother-in-law, Judge Bland Ballard. He was among the earliest in Kentucky to take up arms for the Union on the breaking out of the Civil war, and was commis- sioned by Mr. Lincoln as assistant adjutant gen- eral and served on the staff of General Rosecrans

and General Boyle. He was afterwards commis- sioned by Mr. Lincoln as United States marshal for Kentucky, being the same office, for the same state, held by his grandfather, Colonel Sam- tel McDowell, under commission of General Washington. He married Anne Clay, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Clay, who was killed at the battle of Buena Vista, and having pur- chased the farm of "Ashland," the home of her grandfather, Henry Clay, he there resides, devot- ing himself to agricultural pursuits, and giving some attention to the Lexington & Eastern Rail- way Co., of which he is president, In politics he was first a Whig and then a Republican.

S AMUEL B. CALDWELL, one of the most prominent, enterprising and really public- spirited citizens of Paducah, was born in Henry County, Tennessee, November 2, 1824. He was only three months old when his parents removed to Galloway County, Kentucky. His father was an industrious farmer, and the doctor shared the labors of the farm, when he would have preferred the privileges of the schoolroom. He was virtu- ally educated between the plow handles; but he was not inclined to follow agricultural pursuits, and prepared himself for professional life by read- ing and studying on Sundays and rainy days. He found this a difficult and narrow way; but by per- sistent effort and close application to his studies, he acquired a good primary education. He was blind for three years on account of ophthalmia and went to St. Louis, Missouri, to have his eyes treated by Dr. Van Sant, and while under his care began the study of medicine with a view of be- coming an oculist; but with the restoration of his sight he went to the University of Missouri and took one course in the medical department of that institution in 1854-5. From that time until 1870 he was a very successful practitioner, after which, becoming interested in numerous enterprises, he gradually gave up his profession, giving more at- tention to real estate and its improvement.

He has been the land purchasing agent and in- vestor for the Norton Brothers for a number of years, making for them many valuable invest- ments in the "Purchase" and in other parts of the state and in other states, and is now interested in

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large tracts of farm, timber, iron, lead and coal lands in Hopkins County. Besides numerous other enterprises, Dr. Caldwell is largely inter- ested in and prominently connected with several leading local ventures and investments, among which is the West End Improvement Company, of which he is president. This company was or- ganized in 1891 and owns one hundred and sixteen acres, adjacent to the City of Paducah and lying on both sides of the Broadway extension, con- taining some attractive residences, his own among the rest. This tract of ground is platted into about four hundred lots, and is valued at $50,000.

He is a large stockholder in and president of the General Electric Light & Power Company and a director in the Paducah Electric Street Railway Company, whose lines run through the property of the West End Improvement Company to La Belle Park; was the promoter of and is a stock- holder in the Paducah Fair and Exposition Asso- ciation; is director and stockholder in the Padu- cah and Lovelaceville Gravel Road Company; a large stockholder in the Palmer House, in the Paducah Furnace Company, in the Paducah Wheel Stock Company, in the Paducah Peanut Company, the Paducah Building & Loan Associa- tion, the Kentucky Building & Loan Associa- tion, together with other enterprises and indus- tries, all of which are for the promotion of the general good of the city. Although past three score and ten, Dr. Caldwell is one of the most active, energetic and enterprising men in the community in which he lives.

A man of high moral and religious character, beloved and highly respected by all who know him, and stands pre-eminently one of the first citi- zens of Paducah. He has been liberal in his sup- port of the cause of religion, and there is not an evangelical denomination in Paducah that has not been benefited by his subscriptions. By these and kindred actions he has endeared himself to the people of Paducah and made for himself a name which will survive him many years, and his work and exemplary life will be held up as an ex- ample to future generations.

Dr. Caldwell was married in 1856 to Elizabeth Napier of Boyle County, Kentucky. They had four children, two of whom are living: Mary E.

Caldwell and S. B. Caldwell, Jr., born June I, 1860; educated in Paducah and at Hustonville College; admitted to the bar in 1883, and is a practicing attorney at the Paducah bar.

Dr. Caldwell's father, John L. Caldwell, was born in South Carolina in 1800. He came to Kentucky with his parents in 1806, and lived in Warren County until 1820, when he married Myra Morgan, a native of North Carolina, and in 1823, removed to Henry County, Tennessee. He remained there two years, and in 1825 re- moved to Callaway County and to McCracken County in 1834, subsequently going to Illinois in 1843, where he died in 1863. His father, Mat- thew Caldwell, was related to John C. Calhoun.

Myra Morgan Caldwell's father was a native of North Carolina, who removed to Kentucky in 1806. He was of Scotch-Irish extraction. Her maternal grandfather, Charles Richardson, a na- tive of North Ireland, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

C HARLES JACOB BRONSTON, at pres- ent State Senator from the county of Fay- ette, was born in Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky, July 29, 1848. He is the only child of Thomas S. and Sallie A. (Bronston) Bronston. His father was a native of Fayette County, but spent most of his life in Madison County, where, equipped with a common school education, tireless energy and sterling honesty, he became a leader both in public as a politician, and in private as a citizen; also becoming one of the three founders of the Christian Church in that county. Thomas S. Bronston was a son and name- sake of Thomas S. Bronston, a native of Cham- bersburg, Pennsylvania, who was a brother of Jacob Bronston (maternal grandfather), who was a Madison County farmer and trader and one of the pioneer preachers in the Christian Church in that county. Sallie A. Bronston (mother), was also a native of Madison County. Thomas S. Brons- ton (father) was assistant secretary of state during the term, 1875-9, that Governor James B. McCreary was the chief executive of Kentucky, and was collector of internal revenue for the Eighth district during Grover Cleveland's first

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administration. He died December 17, 1890, at the age of seventy-four years.

Charles J. Bronston obtained his early educa- tion at a public school in his native county, and completed it at Kentucky University, Lexington, Kentucky, graduating in 1869 with the highest honors of his class, of which he was valedictorian. One year later he took a special course in the study of law at the University of Virginia, having as preceptor that prince of law teachers, John B. Minor, who died within the last two years. Soon after obtaining a license to practice, he be- came a law partner of Hon. James B. McCreary, afterwards governor of Kentucky, and who for ten years has been and is now congressman from the Eighth district. At the age of twenty-six Mr. Bronston married Susie Wallace Hughes, daughter of William T. Hughes, of Fayette Coun- ty. His wife died May 14, 1891, leaving six chil- dren, three girls and three boys. In 1879 he was elected commonwealth's attorney for the district composed of Madison, Fayette, Clark, Bourbon, Scott, Woodford and Jessamine, soon after his election removing to Lexington, where he has since resided. He held this position until Fay- ette County became a separate district, the Twen- ty-second Judicial, when he was again elected without opposition to the same office, holding it altogether for fifteen years, when he resigned to accept a seat in the state senate as the representa- tive from the county of Fayette.

As a prosecutor, he was extremely vigorous, regardless of the social standing, race or color of the defendant. He has been employed to assist in prosecuting in criminal cases of great aggrava- tion in various parts of the state.

When the constitutional convention met in September, 1890, Mr. Bronston sat in the con- vention as the representative from the city of Lexington. Though one of the youngest mem- bers of that body, he at once took rank with the leaders, men skilled in common, parliamentary and constitutional law, and possibly had more to do with the present condition of the organic law of the state than any other member of the con- vention. He is now a member of the state sen- ate and his achievements as a leader of the Dem- ocratic party in that most memorable senatorial

contest are too well known to require any fur- ther mention. He has always been an ardent supporter of the principles of Democracy, firmly believing that the future welfare and happiness of the great mass of the common people depends on the ultimate triumph of the tenets promulgated by the great leaders of Democracy. All of the political offices that have fallen to Mr. Bronston's lot, virtually won without opposition, have been filled with honor to his state and with credit to himself. One of his enthusiastic friends says of him: "As a lawyer, statesman and orator, he has won a national reputation, and as a man of gen- eral ability stands second to none of Kentucky's great sons. In his opposition to an avowed ene- my he is relentless, for a tried and true friend he knows no sacrifice too great."

B' ENJAMIN F. PROCTER, Attorney-at-Law of Bowling Green, son of Thomas L. S and Agnes H. (Carson) Procter, was born in Logan County, Kentucky, near South Union, November 26, 1849. His father was born near Winchester, Kentucky, and when nine years of age removed with his father's family to Logan County, where he subsequently became a farmer and mill-owner and a highly-respected citizen and a prominent member of the Baptist Church. He died at the age of seventy-three years in 1881.

Benjamin Procter (grandfather) was a Vir- ginian, who came to Kentucky when he was a young man, settled near Winchester, and thence moved to Logan County, where he became a farmer. He was a captain of militia, a prominent citizen of the county, and died in Logan County in 1853, aged seventy years. His ancestors were of English descent, and were a race of lawyers.

Agnes H. Carson Procter (mother) was a native of Butler County, Kentucky; died in Logan County in 1870 at the age of fifty-six years.

Thomas Carson (grandfather) was a native of Virginia, who came to Kentucky in the early part of the century and settled near Morgantown, where he led the life of a farmer. He married a Miss Dinwiddie of Virginia.

Benjamin F. Procter was educated in the com- mon schools of Logan County and at Bethel Col- lege, and after leaving school read law and was

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admitted to the bar in 1873. In the same year he located in Bowling Green, and in 1874 was elected corporation counsel for the city; was re-elected for two consecutive terms, and from 1884 to 1887 served as Warren Circuit Court Commissioner. He has never held any other public office, and has not asked any other favor of the public or of his party, preferring to give his undivided attention to his profession, which requires all of his time, and in which he has been highly successful. During the past several years he has given espe- cial attention to corporation law, in which branch he has as large a practice as any lawyer in South- ern Kentucky. He has accumulated considerable property, including valuable real estate in Bowl- ing Green. His father was at one time quite wealthy, but lost his fortune during the Civil War, so that Mr. Procter had to look out for himself at an early age. He is one of the most courteous men, and a typical Kentucky gentleman.

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Biographical cyclopedia of the commonwealth of Kentucky, Part 26

Author: Gresham, John M., Co., Pub Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago, Philadelphia, J. M. Gresham company Number of Pages: 726

Author: Gresham, John M., Co., Pub
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago, Philadelphia, J. M. Gresham company
Number of Pages: 726