USA > Ohio > History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 102
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
rine Hikes in 1809. In 18ro he moved to Utica township, Clark county, Indiana, and settled on the farm that Fletcher Robison now occupies. Here he made his home fifteen years. He was a soldier and lieutenant in the battle of Tippe- canoe under General Baggs. His wife run the bullets while he was preparing to start to the affray. In 1816 he moved to Silver Creek town- ship and resided there till his death, which was in 1859. In the year 1830 Mr. Lewis Bottorff and Miss Sarah Harrod were united in marriage. She died in 184r leaving three children, all of whom are living and married and all doing for themselves. James resides in Charlestown township, this county. George W. resides in Silver Creek township. Sarah Catharine is now the wife of Dr. J. C. McCormack and resides at Bunker Hill, Illinois. Mr. Bottorff married for his second wife, Mary C. Congelton, who is still living. They have a family of five living children : Peter H., married, and a farmer in Charlestown township, this county; Nancy A., the wife of William Smith, also a resident of Charlestown township; Sarena R. is the wife of Mr. James Wier, and resides in this county; Lewis F., mar- ried and resides in Charlestown, also a farmer; Moses E., married and resides in Utica township. Politically Mr. Bottorff is a sound Republican, and also his sons. Besides the fine residence Mr. Bottorff owns in Pittsburg, he owns in Clark county nearly one thousand acres of land. Each one of his sons is on his land.
Mr. Leander C. McCormick was born in Clark county, Indiana, in 1835. He is a son of Thomas McCormick, a native of Virginia, where he was born in 1804. He became a citizen of Clark county in 1824, where he resided till his death in 1878. His family consisted of four children, all still living-Mahala, the oldest, resides with her brother L. C .; John C. is mar- ried and resides in Clark county on a farm ; L. C., the subject of this sketch, is a resident of Petersburg, and farms; Joseph C. resides in Bunker Hill, and practices medicine. In the year 1859 Mr. L. C. McCormick and Miss Catherine Guinn were united in marriage. They have a family of six children-Stella, wife of John Bartlow, a printer, resides in Frank- lin, Johnston county; Cara, Robert, Anna, Mattie, and Thomas. Mr. McCormick's avoca- tion was farming up to 1875, when he moved
to Indianapolis, where he engaged in the milk business two years. He afterwards returned to his former home, and has since been engaged in the saw-mill business. Both he and his wife are members of the Baptist church. He is a member of the order of Masons. In Septem- ber, 1861, Mr. L. C. McCormick enlisted in company H, Thirty-eighth Indiana infantry. He served his country twenty-two months, resigning at last on account of sickness. He entered as a private, was promoted to second lieutenant, then first lieutenant, and afterwards captain of the company. He was engaged at Perrysville, Stone River, and several severe skirmishes.
Rev. Seth M. Stone was born in Floyd county, Indiana, in 1833. He is the youngest of the three children of John and Sarah Stone, who came to this county from Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1831. Mrs. Stone was a Miss McCallin, whose forefathers, the Duskeys, gave the name to Sandusky, Ohio. One of the sons is a citi- zen of this State, and one of Missouri. Mr. Stone has been twice married. The first time in 1857 to Miss Elizabeth S. Van Cleave, who died in 1866, leaving a family of four children ; he married again in 1868 Mrs. Samantha Ger- man, who by her first husband had two children. Rev. Stone is a local minister in the Methodist Episcopal church.
REV. GEORGE SCHWARTZ
was born on the 13th day of January, 1803, in Utica township, Clark county, Indiana. His fa- ther, John Schwartz, was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to Indiana and settled in Utica town- ship in 1802. He had come a few months pre- vious to spy out a suitable location in the wil- derness, and finally selected two hundred and seventy acres in this locality, which proved to be very valuable land.
His wife, Elizabeth Oldweller, was a sister of George Hikes' wife. They reared a family of ten children: Elizabeth, Ann, John, Jacob, George, Sallie, Nancy, Mary Ann, Leonard, and Sophia. His two sisters, Mary Ann and Sophia, and George, are the only members of this family now living.
Mr. John Schwartz was an earnest pioneer, la-
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
boring with a zeal worthy of his mission to build up the country. He was also an earnest worker in the church, taking an active part in the organiza- tion of the first Methodist Episcopal society in the State of Indiana. He was killed in 1824 by a runaway team while returning from Jefferson- ville to his home.
Rev. George Schwartz remained at his father's home until he was united in matrimony, which event occurred when he was twenty years of age. His wife was Miss Nancy Fry, a daughter of Abram Fry and half-sister of Dr. Fry, of Middle- town, and has borne to him ten children, five of whom are dead and five are living. They all grew to manhood and womanhood, and all were married but Peter Henry. The names of these children are Mary Elizabeth, Susan Ann, George Wiley, Abram Fry, James Benton, Peter Henry, Sarah Sophia, Eliza Ellen, Hester Rosella, Laura Virginia. The last mentioned is not married. Susan Ann, Abram Fry, James Benton, Peter Henry, and Sarah Sophia are dead. George Wiley was for a number of years a successful merchant of Jeffersonville, but declining health necessitated his selling his store and purchasing a farm, upon which he now lives.
Mr. Schwartz began active life in buying seventy acres of land (a part of the farm he now lives upon), then all in woods. His muscle and axe were the capital brought into active operation until a clearing was made and a log house for a habitation was erected. He has since added to his effects in the way of more land and a good brick house, and is now retired from the active pursuits of life. When Mr. Schwartz was seven- teen years of age he joined the Methodist Epis- copal church, of which society he has been a member ever since. He was afterwards licensed a local preacher, and has filled the pulpit many times during the last half of a century, and has been the principal man in building up his church society and in erecting their building. He has been a Democrat all his life, and was elected to the lower House of the State Legisla- ture in the fall of 1850. Jesse D. Bright was at the same time Congressman for his district. Mr. Schwartz has also taken an active part in the cause of education. Before the days of the free public school system he and a few others built a school- house of themselves, he donating the land for that purpose. He possesses a good mind, and 70*
physically is remarkably well preserved for one of his age.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
FLOYD COUNTY SETTLEMENT NOTES.
Benjamin Y. Hines was born in Philadelphia, April 7, 1815. His father, Martin Hines, was a boat-builder, and came to New Albany when Benjamin was yet a boy. He and his sister Re- becca, wife of Captain C. H. Meekin, of New Albany, were the only children. Martin, in about 1844, married Mary Young, of Philadel- phia. Benjamin Hines was educated in the public schools of New Albany, and was a boat- moulder and builder by trade. On September 28, 1837, he married Elizabeth Bell, who was born in Harrison county, Delaware, March 3, 1816. This marriage was blessed with seven children-Mary, Susan, Martin, James, Theodore, Alonzo, and Leonidas. He moved upon the farm where his wife now lives in 1838. He died August 19, 1854. She belongs to the Metho- dist church, of which she has been a member some thirty years.
Ira W. Gunn was born in Pittsylvania, Virginia, January 18, 1806. He is the oldest of five chil- dren of David N. Gunn, who was born in Virginia in 1782, and who married Eleanor Sparks in about 1802. David came to Floyd county in 1815, coming across the country and stopping two years in Mercer county. He was a farmer and a minister of the Methodist Episcopal denomina- tion. He died in 1860, and his wife the ensuing year. Ira was educated in the common schools, and is a farmer. . On March 9, 1826, he married Elsie Beech, a native of Belmont county, Ohio. She was born February 29, 1808. By her he had three children. She died November 5, 1840. On March 4, 1841, he married Mary Ann McCarthy. Her father was born in Ireland. By this wife he has had seven children, four of whom are living. Both he and his wife are old-time members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Louis Schmidt, born in Prussia December 10, 1853, located in New Albany in 1878. When
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
Mr. Schmidt came to this city he was employed by Paul Reising, as foreman of his brewery, for one year, when he embarked in business for him- self, as importer of wine and fine liquors. He then sold out his business to Mr. Paul Fein. Mr. Schmidt then erected a large brewery on the corner of Main and West streets. He is one of the leading brewers around the Ohio Falls. He learned his trade in the old country. Mr. Schmidt married Mrs. Margaretta Meuter Sep- tember 2, 1879. Mrs. Schmidt died July 15, 1880; he then married his first wife's sister, Miss Tillie Fein, October 18, 1881.
Benjamin P. Jolissaint, born in Switzerland July 21, 1840; located in Floyd county in 1848. Mr. Jolissaint is by profession a dairyman and farmer. He has been in that business twelve years and eight months. He has one of the largest and most convenient barns in Floyd county. As a farmer he has met with great success. Mr. Jolissaint married Josephine Hular January 10, 1865. They have had born unto them six children, four living. He bought this farm from his father in 1863. His father, Peter J. Jolissaint, settled on this farm when he came to this country. He lived and died on the farm. When he came to this country he brought with him seven children; the youngest, Benjamin P. Jolissaint, is now the proprietor of the old home- stead. His father was seventy-three years of age when he died. His mother was sixty-six when she died.
John G. Shellers, born in Germany, Septem- ber 1, 1811, located in Floyd county in 1833. Mr. Shellers has been a farmer from his boyhood days. He is one of the most successful and prominent farmers in Floyd county. Mr. Shellers married Miss Nancy McCurdy July 10, 1845. They have four children, one dead. His son, William Shellers, died in 1875; he was a noble son, and his death was a great loss to his father.
Paul Reising, so well known in this city, emi- grated with his wife to this country in 1854, and like many of his countrymen had but a small amount of this world's goods. He came direct to Louisville, where he remained for two years, and then came to New Albany twenty-one years ago, when his first venture was to rent the old brewery on Main street, which was known as Metcalf's. When, after four years of industry at this brewery, one day he heard the call
of the Floyd county sheriff, selling away the last vestige of an unfortunate brewer (for it must be remembered that New Albany, twenty years ago, had twice the numbers of breweries that it has at present), Mr. Reising offered the highest bid for the brewery he now occupies. When he took posseesion, he found that the brewery was only 20 x 60 feet, with a capacity of making but fifteen hundred barrels per year. Here Mr. Reising rolled up his sleeves, and re- solved to make a bold fight for success. Year by year he struggled, and by strict attention to his business, and with a thorough knowledge of the brewing interests, he has finally succeeded in establishing for himself the name of one of the leading brewers of his adopted State.
Robert Kay, M. D., was born in Harrison county, Indiana, October 10, 1833, and located in Floyd county in 1861. He practiced medi- cine in Georgetown, Floyd county, one year. He was then appointed assistant surgeon of the Twenty-third Indiana volunteers by Governor O. P. Morton, and then he was appointed assist- ant general surgeon of the post hospital at Paducah, Kentucky; from there he was ordered to Savannah, Tennessee; from there he came to Louisville, Kentucky, in charge of a boat-load of sick and wounded soldiers. He was then ordered to Nashville, Tennessee. He remained in Nashville but a short time, and then resigned his position in the army as surgeon, and returned home. He at once took up his practice of medi- cine in Lanesville, Harrison county, Indiana. After practicing in Lanesville for one year, he was appointed by Governor Oliver P. Mor- ton surgeon in the One Hundred and Forty- fourth Indiana volunteers. He remained with his regiment until the close of the war. He then began practicing medicine at Galena in this county. He remained there six years, and from there located at Greenville, where he now resides. The doctor has a large and lucra- tive practice. He graduated at the Louisville Medical college. He married Miss Mary Jane Johnson, June 20, 1856. Ten children were born unto them, three of whom are dead.
Edward F. Smith was born in Strasburg, France, January 25, 1849; located in New Al- bany, Floyd county, Indiana, with his parents in 1851. At the age of seventeen Mr. Smith was apprenticed to Mr. Hurshbeal, marble and stone
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
cutter; served three years, and then commenced business for himself. His marble works are situ- ated on the corner of Seventh and Graveyard. Mr. Smith is a very talented sculptor and marble cutter, and has few equals about the Falls in his business. Some of the finest monuments in the Northern burying grounds are of his workman- ship, and testify as excellence as an artist.
Jacobed S. Hand was born in New Jersey July 2, 1806; located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, in 1818 with his parents. Mr. Hand was raised upon his father's farm. His. father lived to the age of sixty-three. Mr. Hand is one of the oldest farmers in Floyd county. He was married to Miss Sallie H. Graves, of New Albany, Indiana, April 27, 1828. Out of a family of eight children five are living.
Daniel Cline was born in Berks county, Penn- sylvania, September 23, 1824; located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, in 1848. Mr. Cline was an honored and successful business man. He first was a contractor and builder, but engaged in the lumber business, and in connec- tion operated a large hardware, door, sash and blind business. He was a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows No. 10 and En- campment. Mr. Cline married Miss Mary J. Nunemacher August 23, 1853, in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Five children were born unto them, one of whom is dead. Mr. Cline died July 2, 1877.
A. S. Rager, Sr., was born in Frederick county, Virginia, February 6, 1805; located in New Albany, Indiana, May 5, 1828. He is a builder by trade, and followed this profession for some time, but afterwards worked as a steam- boat cabin joiner. His work embraced labor on some of the largest steamboats. He has served in the city council, and was superintendent of the Northern burying grounds. When Mr. Rager first located here, New Albany was but a village. He is an honored and esteemed citizen.
George F. Penn was born in Louisville, Ken- tucky, May 21, 1847; located in New Albany, Floyd county, in 1866. Mr. Penn was a soldier in the Confederate army under General Early. He was connected with the first glass works that were ever started around the Ohio Falls. He is now connected with the largest glass works in the United States, known as DePauw Glass works, as superintendent of the window department.
Mr. Penn has served as councilman from the first ward for a period of six years.
Benjamin F. Tuley was born in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, December 14, 1833. Mr. Tuley is by trade a steamboat cabin joiner. He served as deputy in the various offices of city and county, having been in the offices of city treasurer, city clerk, county clerk, and county sheriff; has been a river clerk, and served as United States mail agent for some time. He is at present in the saw-mill and lumber business, being associated with Mr. Kistler, as Kistler & Tuley. Mr. Tuley is a member of one of the oldest families around the Falls, and is classed among the first citizens.
George Hood was born in Germany March 22, 1822, and located in Baltimore, Maryland, July 27, 1840. Upon his arrival in Baltimore he fol- lowed his trade of shoemaker; remained in Balti- more but a short time, removing from there to Quincy, Pennsylvania, and opened a boot and shoe store. He lived in Quincy six years, when he came west and settled in New Albany in the year 1852, and here also established a boot and shoe store. He has followed this business in New Albany ever since (thirty-one years), and has worked in the business since he was fourteen years old. He is an old citizen and a highly honored one. He was married to Miss Margaret Wool July 27, 1847, and out of a family of twelve children two are dead.
Louis L. Pullen was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, September 6, 1803. He located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, February 20, 1832, and upon his locating here he em- barked in the confectionery business. New Albany was then but a very small village. He pursued this business ten years, then retired and commenced river trading. Mr. Pullen, with Mr. Elliot and Mr. Childs, bought the small steamer Sandusky to go into the Green river trade. He was at various times interested in quite a number of steamboats, and followed the river as a busi- ness for a number of years, but is now retired from active business. He is a much esteemed and honored citizen; and he has seen New Albany increase and prosper. He was married to Miss Ruthy L. Elliott, of Georgetown, Ken- tucky, April 29, 1829. Of a family of five chil- dren but two are living.
William A. Burney, M. D., was born in Wayne
5.56
HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
county, Indiana, May 11, 1846, and located in New Albany September 21, 1877. Dr. Burney is one of the leading colored citizens and the only physician of color in the city. He is a graduate of the Medical College of Brooklyn, New York, where he received complimentary honors. His practice is very large and lucrative. He is also one of the founders and proprietors of the New Albany Weekly Review-a sprightly and spirited paper which has a very extensive circulation among the colored people. During the war of the Rebellion he enlisted in company F, Twenty-eighth United States Colored regi- ment. He was but seventeen years of age at the time of his enlistment; served in the army two years and took part in numerous battles. He was present at the surrender of Lee's army to the Union forces.
Joseph Renn was born in Prussia July 19, 1829; located in New Albany, Floyd county, In- diana, in 1836. He has witnessed the growth of the city from a village. At the age of sixteen he commenced a river life, but in 1853 he quit the river and engaged in the grocery and produce business. He remained in the business until 1870. He then commenced the manufact- ure of mineral water and ale, in which business he remained until 1878, when he retired from active business.
R. Wunderlick was born in Germany January 11, 1845; located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, in 1872. Mr. Wunderlick learned his trade as a tanner under A. Barth & Co. In 1875 he embarked in business for himself on Eighth street, where he erected a tannery. He has a large trade in Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri. He is a young man full of enterprise and very energetic, and his manufacture of leather is equal to any made around the Falls.
Henry Batt was born in Bavaria May 26, 1817; located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, in 1846. Mr. Batt is one of New Albany's old German citizens. He has been employed in dif- ferent branches of business during his residence in this city, and is at present proprietor of the New Albany stock-yard.
Rev. Francis A. Friedley was born in Harrison county, Indiana, December 15, 1847; located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, in 1880. Mr. Friedley is president of DePauw college ; graduated at Asbury university, Greencastle, In-
diana, with high honors ; is a self-made man, and a fine instructor.
Robert Brockman was born in London, Eng- land, July 2, 1832; located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, in 1873. Mr. Brockman is superintendent of the DePauw Plate-glass works. Before assuming charge of the DePauw Plate-glass works he was superintendent of the Thames Plate-glass company in England. He is a thorough and competent glass man.
Henry Clay was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, June 4, 1806; located in New Albany, Floyd county, in 1827. Mr. Clay is an old, honored, colored citizen. He is by trade a black- smith. He learned his trade under Mr. Charles Pearce, of Rockport, Indiana. Upon his loca- tion in New Albany he was employed by Mr. Garriot McCann in his foundry. He then was employed as blacksmith on the steamer New York. He followed the river for a number of years, and was also employed in the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago railroad shops.
Albert Butler was born in New Albany, In- diana, February 27, 1840. Mr. Butler is a lead- ing colored citizen. He has served on the New Albany police force and made an excellent of- ficer, and has been employed in various capacities around the Falls. He is a member of the Masons and Odd Fellows.
Charles C. Jones was born in Hendricks coun- ty, Indiana, November 25, 1835; located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, with his parents in 1844. He learned his trade, that of ship car- penter, with the Howards, of Jeffersonville; has served in the city council, and is an esteemed and honored citizen.
James A. Wilson was born in the State of Pennsylvania May 20, 1828, and located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, in 1862. In the same year Mr. Wilson established a pho- tograph gallery, and is recognized as one of the leading photographers around the Ohio Falls and in New Albany. He is much esteemed, and is a very enterprising citizen.
Samuel S. Marsh was born in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, January 17, 1819. Mr. Marsh is a very prominent blacksmith, a much respected citizen, and has done much to add to New Albany's prosperity. Mr. Marsh has carried on the business of blacksmithing for twenty-eight years at the same stand. In con-
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
nection with his blacksmithing he manufactures bolts and machinery, and is very enterprising.
John W. Saunders was born in New Albany, Indiana, September 18, 1822. Mr. Saunders is one of New Albany's oldest citizens, and has witnessed its growth from a village into a pros- perous city. By profession he is an engineer, and his been employed on some of the largest steamboats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
Nicholas Ruppert was born in France August 20, 1826, and located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, in the year 1853. Mr. Ruppert is an honored citizen, enterprising, and wide- awake. He is a member of a number of benev- olent institutions. He represents quite a num- ber of insurance companies, and devotes most of his time to the insurance business. He is a member of Saint Mary's German Catholic church, and was the first president of the Saint Joseph's Benevolent society.
William H. Keach was born in Kentucky Sep- tember 7, 1823, and located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana. Mr. Keach is an old and honored citizen. He is a trader and farmer by occupation. He started in life for himself at the age of nineteen, and has had many vicissi- tudes, but has pulled through all right, and stands high in the community.
Simon Stroebel was born in Germany October 27, 1835, and located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, in 1854. He is the leading merchant in this city in leather, hides, shoe find- ings, etc .; has occupied the same business house for twenty-four years; carries a very extensive stock, and does a very large business.
William H. Stephens was born in Ireland Jan- uary 11, 1829, and located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, January 2, 1865. He is an enterprising citizen and a member of the city council, and looks well to the interests of his ward and city. He is general superintendent of the New Albany Rail-mill. He was raised to the iron business and has been employed in some of the largest rolling-mills in this coun try.
George Reisinger was born in Pennsylvania, February 2, 1814; located in New Albany, Floyd county, Indiana, in 1844. He is an old citizen and was at one time connected with the old express company of this city. He was also connected with the Louisville, New Albany
& Chicago railroad for a period of twenty-three years and has always filled his positions with honor and fidelity.
William H. Lansford was born in Floyd county, Indiana, December 16, 1813, and was raised upon a farm, but left at the age of eighteen to learn his trade as mill-wright at Greenville, Indiana, and then located in New Albany, Indiana, and was employed in different departments of the ship-yard. He finally went into business for himself as steamboat cabin joiner. He is an old and honored citizen and came here when this city was quite a village.
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