History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II, Part 113

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1196

USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II > Part 113

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Doctor Obetz is a great lover of sport and frequently goes on hunting and fishing excursions. He is also an ardent devotee of the game of whist.

OLIVER PERRY HENDRIXSON

[Portrait opposite page 532.]

Was born in Rural, Clermont County, Ohio, April 6, 1850. His great grandfather, George Hendrixson, who was of Hollandish descent, was born in Pennsylvania in 1750. His wife was Katharine Freeman, who bore him six children, of whom Enoch, the second son and grandfather of Oliver Perry Hendrixson, was born in Fleming County, Kentucky, in 1778. At the age of twentyeight he married Nancy Roe, who was possessed of great natural talent and ability. From this union sprang nine children, of whom James Gordon, the third son and father of Oliver Perry Hendrixson, was born in Fleming County, Kentucky, on February 6, 1810. When James G. was but a small boy, his father removed to Brown County, Ohio, and purchased a farm in the woods, which James helped to clear and cultivate. At the age of twentyone he was married to Eleanor Nevin, from which union have been born seven sons and two daughters, of whom Oliver Perry, the subject of this sketch, was the seventh son and youngest child. His birth occurred exactly onehundred years after the birth of his great grandfather.

When Oliver P. was five years of age, his father moved upon a farm, and there young Oliver was employed winter and summer, without having the privi- lege of attending school. At the age of eighteen, after obtaining his father's con- sent, he started to earn his own livelihood. His first employment was on the farm of Doctor Kennedy, near Laurel, Ohio. He had not been there long, when Doctor Kennedy questioned him concerning his education. Reluctantly young Hendrixson confessed that he had none. The doctor pointed out the benefits of an education, and kindly offered to act as teacher for him. By studying and reciting during evenings and rainy days, he learned to read and write fairly well. After the summer's work was over, young Hendrixson, having a great desire for more education, attended a district school, and in this way acquired a fair com- mon school training. Resuming his work on a farm in the summer, he continued at that occupation until September of that year, when he and another young man entered Clermont Academy. By renting a small room and boarding themselves, they managed to remain there nine months. Through hard study and close application to his work, he was able to obtain a teacher's certificate. Thinking

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the chances more favorable in the West, he resolved to try his fortune there, and on July 30, 1871, he started for Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. There he taught and went to school until August 23, 1874, when he was married to Alena E. Whitney, of Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa. He then removed to Steele County, Minnesota, where he taught school until 1880. In that year he returned to Ohio for the purpose of reading medicine. After he had been in Ohio but a few weeks he was taken down with a severe attack of pneumonia, which nearly proved fatal. He was a year and a half convalescing. During his illness, he buried his only child, Horatio Perry, aged five years. But finally his health permitted him to resume his studies, and on the advice of his brother, Doctor Hugh Hendrixson, he took a special course in chemistry at the Ohio State University, preparatory to his entering upon the study of medicine. He then entered the office of his brother in Columbus, and graduated from the Columbus Medical College in March, 1885. Immediately after graduating he opened an office on North High Street, where he still remains, enjoying a large and lucrative practice.

DENNIS AUGUSTINE CLARKE

[Portrait opposite page 640.]

Was born at Columbus, Ohio, December 15, 1850. His father's family was among the early settlers of Columbus, having come to Franklinton, now the West Side, from Virginia, in 1832. His mother's family came from Ireland, where his mother was born. He attended the parish school of St. Patrick's Church, Columbus, and afterwards entered the University of Notre Dame, from which institution he graduated with honors in 1870, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science. For four years thereafter he was engaged in teaching at his Alma Mater, where at the same time he pursued other studies in the literary and scientific courses, and obtained the degrees of Master of Science and Master of Arts. On his return to Columbus in 1874, the late Bishop Rosecrans prevailed upon him to establish a Catholic paper in the eity and, in consequence, the Catholic Columbian, under his management and the editorial control of Bishop Rosecrans, made its first appear- ance in January, 1875. After struggling against many obstacles, he finally snc- ceeded in establishing the journal upon a firm basis. On the death of Bishop Rose- crans in October, 1878, the whole business and editorial responsibility devolved upon Mr. Clarke. He continued in this position until 1880, when he transferred an interest in the paper and the business management to Mr. John A. Koster. He retained, however, editorial control of the paper with the exception of one year, when he was obliged to go to Colorado and Utah to renew his health, which had been undermined by his severe labors. In 1879, he was ordained a priest, having continued his theological studies after his return from college and during bis journalistic work.

From 1879 to 1883, Father Clarke was Catholic Chaplain in the Ohio Peni- tentiary. On his return from the West in 1884, he disposed of all his interests in the Columbian and was placed in charge of the Holy Family Congregation, West Side. Here his predecessor, Father Hayes, had laid the foundation of a new church building and it devolved npon Father Clarke to continue and complete the work. He has been Rector of the church ever since, and under his wise manage- ment and executive control the church las experienced an era of substantial growth and prosperity. Although his time is well taken up in caring for the large and rapidly growing congregation and school, he frequently contributes literary artieles to the press and periodicals. He is an ardent advocate in the canse of temperance, and in Angust, 1890, he was elected President of the Catholic Total Abstinence Union of Ohio.

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.

JOSEPH JESSING

[Portrait opposite page 648.]

Was born at Munster, the capital of the German province of Westphalia, Novem- ber 17. 1836. When Joseph was four years of age his father died, and his mother was compelled to support herself and her two young sons, Joseph and Bernhard, by her own exertions. From his sixth to his fourteenth year Joseph attended the parochial school of St. Lambert's parish, and although he would have been pleased to have continued his studies in the highschool, he was obliged to go to work to assist in the support of his mother and his younger brother. He obtained employ- ment as a printer and remained at this occupation for five years, working twelve hours a day and devoting his leisure moments to study and reading. At the age of nineteen he enlisted in the Seventh Brigade of Artillery in the Prussian army. In 1860, at the end of five years' service in the different branches of the army, he asked for bis discharge for the purpose of joining the Papal army aud assisting in the defense of the temporal sovereignty of the Pope. In company with several comrades he started for Rome in September, 1860, having in the meantime been appointed to a place in the Roman army. At Prague he heard of the defeat of Castelfidardo and that no more volunteers were needed, and he returned to his home.

He now resolved to carry out his determination to become a priest. For three years he pursued his religious studies and was then called to serve as a ser- geant of artillery at the breaking out of the Danish war in the beginning of 1864. He was assigned a place in a battery of howitzers and took part in the siege of the Düppel fortifications. As all the commissioned and most of the non- commissioned officers had been disabled by the hardships of a winter campaign, it happened that Sergeant Jessing was the only commander of the battery, nearest the breastworks and that his was appointed the leading battery of the remaining 150 guns. Thus he was, in part, the leader of the terrible bombardment that immediately preceded the successful storming of Duppel on April 18, 1864 - the first great victory of the German army. As a reward for his bravery on that occasion, he was decorated with three fine medals by his Majesty, King William of Prussia. After a campaign of four months, he left the army in May, 1864, to continue his studies. In May. 1866, his mother died, and hardly had he returned from her burial when he was again summoned to enter the army, for the war of Prussia against Austria and her allies had broken out. In this war, he held the position of captain d'armes - quartermaster-sergeant in his battery. He was pres- ent at the oceupation of Hanover, the Hessian Electorate and Frankfort on the Main, marched with the German army against the Bavarians and assisted in the taking of Würzburg.

At the close of the war, he asked for and received his discharge and returned to his native city of Münster. He again took up his studies for the sacred minis- try, and in order the more surely to aceomplish his purpose he emigrated to the United States, where he landed at Baltimore on July 27, 1867. From there he went to Cincinnati and the following year he entered Mt. St. Mary's Seminary of that city to complete his studies. He was ordained a priest on July 16, 1870, by the late Right Rev. Sylvester H. Rosecrans, Bishop of Columbus, and was appointed rector of the Sacred Heart Parish at Pomeroy, Ohio. He was also given charge of several missions and the sphere of his work embraced Meigs. Athens and Gallia counties. In those days railway facilities were meager and Father Jessing trav- ersed the hills of Southern Ohio mostly on horseback to visit his stations.

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While in Europe he had made frequent literary contributions to various newspapers and was regular correspondent for several Austrian papers from the seat of war in Schleswig. In addition to this he had been for years editor of a stenographic monthly magazine. This literary activity he kept up in this country, by frequent contributions to many German Catholic papers.

Father Jessing's predilection for literary work led him to undertake the edi- tion and publication of a religious paper of his own. Up to this time the Diocese of Columbus had had no orphan asylum of any kind and priests had often beeu sorely troubled where to find shelter for the orphans of their congregations. This drawback Father Jessing resolved to partially remove by starting a religious paper, without, however, abandoning his missionary labors, and to devote the pro- ceeds to the keeping and training of orphan boys. He bought the necessary out- fit for a printing office, including a hand press, and on May 1, 1873, appeared at Pomeroy the first number of a paper called Ohio, which title was soon changed into that of Ohio Waisenfreund. After many difficulties and discouragements the newspaper finally became a paying venture and Father Jessing had the satisfac- tion of seeing his enterprise become so profitable that he was enabled to buy a house and lot in Pomeroy which was opened on May 1, 1875, under the name of St. Joseph Orphans' Home, with fifteen orphan boys finding shelter under its roof. At the request of Bishop Rosecrans, Father Jessing, in August, 1877, removed the Orphans' Home to the place on East Main Street, Columbus, where it is still located. From an humble beginning the Home has steadily increased in propor- tions and accommodations until it now consists of several large brick buildings thoroughly equipped for the care and training of orphans. Besides a regular school education, the children are given the benefit of a manual training in the department of ecclesiastical art, in which altars, pulpits, statues and other objects of that kind are manufactured. The Home is now known under the name of Josephinum. In 1888, a college for the education of German American students aspiring to the priesthood but without means to pursue their studies was added. In this depart- ment the students not only receive a moral and religious e lucation, but are thor- oughly drilled in the ancient classics and are given an excellent training in English and German literature. A portion of the provisions for the Josephinum are obtained from a farm, located two miles southeast of the city, in Marion Township, purchased by Father Jessing in 1882."

These gratifying results are due to the indefatigable efforts of Father Jessing, who has been assisted in his enterprises partly by spontaneous charity but princi- pally by the proceeds from the J'aisenfreund, which has a large circulation not only in the United States but also in Europe.

JOHN CASPER GOLDSCHMIDT

[Portrait opposite page 656.]

Was born September 17, 1840, at Kaltensundheim, near Eisenach, Sachsen Wei- mar, Germany. His parents were greatly respected and of a very religious dis- position, being members of the Lutheran Church. His father, Johannes Gold- schmidt, held for twentyfive years, until his resignation shortly before his death, the office of tax receiver, in which capacity he did much for the poor by way of obtaining from the government remissions and mitigations of their taxes. After his father's death, John Casper, who was then fifteen years old, came to the United States on a visit to an older brother living at Linnville, Ohio. Here he sojourned for nearly two years, attending the district school during the winter

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.

terms. In the spring of 1858, he left for Lancaster, Ohio, to learn a trade and for more than four years he worked with the Steck Brothers at the shoemaking business.

Having embraced Catholicism during his stay at Lancaster, he two years later entered Mt. St. Mary's Seminary of the West to study for the Catholic priesthood, and after having gone through the necessary preparations was or- dained a priest by Right Rev. Bishop Rosecrans on June 10, 1871. His first charge was two country missions in Fairfield and Hocking counties, Ohio. After two years of hard and successful work he was transferred, in 1873, to the Holy Redeemer Church at Portsmouth, Ohio. In 1875 Bishop Rosecrans opened the St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum and appointed Father Goldschmidt the Director and Chaplain of that institution, which position he holds still. The asylum is a charitable institution belonging to the diocese, and is maintained by the public offerings and the private donations of the people of the city and diocese of Co- lumbus. Although of modest proportions in the beginning, the asylum has under the zealous and careful administrations of Father Goldschmidt prospered and grown until now it is one of the most flourishing institutions of its kind in the city.

The grounds of the Asylum, consisting of lawns, flowerbeds, vegetable and fruit gardens and a fine large orchard, and embracing nearly seven acres, are lo- cated on the corner of Rose Avenue and East Main Street, and originally be- longed to Mr. Louis Zettler, of whom they were bought for $25,000. Of this sum Mr. Zettler immediately donated 810,000 in favor of the Orphanage. Eight little orphan girls and three sisters of St. Francis in charge, one of whom, Mother Euphrasia, was superior, were the first inmates of St. Vincent's. The original house was but a family mansion arranged, at first, to receive only girls. Their number soon increased to fifty and it also became necessary to make provision for boys. During the summer of 1875, $1,000 was raised with which money the east wing of the present building was erected. Nearly every year some additional building was put up or other improvements made, all through the means and power of charity. In 1880 Bishop Watterson dedicated the main building; in 1885, the new chapel, and in 1890, the east wing of an entirely new proposed building. This new building, very much needed, is to be finished as soon as funds can be raised, and when completed the Asylum will be able to take care of about four hundred orphans. At present the enrollment at the Orphanage is 117 boys and 112 girls. During the sixteen years of its existence nearly one thousand poor orphan children have been cared for by Father Goldschmidt and the good Sisters, whose number has also been increased to twentyone, with Mother Euphrasia as still their first superior.

CHRISTIAN HEDDAEUS

[Portrait opposite page 704.]

Was born February 19, 1829, in Hochheim, near Worms, Grand Duchy of Hesse, and is the son of George Frederick and Anna Magdalena (Creutzer) Heddaens. His father was the oldest son of a clergyman of the same name. He and two of his three brothers studied theology and all three were very highly respected by their congregations as pulpit orators and pastors. His father died on August 20, 1848, and his mother about six years later. Christian was thirteen years old when he left the rudimentary school and entered the gymnasium at Worms. In 1850 he entered the University of Tübingen, where he studied philosophy and theology. In the fall of 1851 he went to Giessen to continue his studies at the

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University there, and in 1854 he completed his academical course. Soon after he became private tutor to the sons and daughters of the civil officers of the count of Erbach-Schonberg at König, a small town in the Odenwald, Grand Duchy of Hesse. There he remained until he came to this country.

He left his native land on September 12, 1857, with the intention of making America his future home, and arrived at New York on October 3. After sojourn- ing in that city until January 31, 1858, he left for Mckeesport, Allegheny Coun- ty, Pennsylvania. Four weeks after his arrival there he was elected pastor of the Evangelical Protestant Church of that place. About eighteen months afterward he officiated also in Dravosburg, a small place about two miles from Mckeesport, on the opposite side of the Monongahela River, which church became then an under-parochial church of that in Mckeesport. Besides performing the duties connected with his pastorship he taught in a private school on the first five days of every week and for three years he was a teacher in the public school at Mc- Keesport.

In January, 1866, he was called to the pastorship of the Independent Prot- estant Church of Columbus. He delivered his inaugural sermon before that con- gregation on April 14, 1866, and since that time has acted as its pastor.

Mr. Heddaeus was married on October 3, 1861, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Pauline Kuder, by Rev. Phillip Zimmermann of that place. His wife was born in Frankenbach, near Heilbronn, Kingdom of Würtemberg, Germany, on April 17, 1841, and came to this country when she was ten years of age.

GEORGE W. BRIGHT

[Portrait opposite page 720.]

Was born at Tiffin, Ohio, on April 25, 1846, and is the son of John C. and Ann Sophia Bright. His paternal grandparents, Major and Deborah Bright, came from Maryland to Fairfield County, Ohio, about the year 1815 and settled near Canal Winchester. They remained there until 1835, when they removed to Hancock County near what is now Van Lue, where they entered and purchased abont 3,000 acres of land. Major Bright lived there until the time of his death at the age of sixtyfour, and also his wife, who reached the ripe old age of ninety- four. George W. Bright's grandparents on his mother's side were George and Elizabeth Stoner, who came from Maryland and settled in Seneca County, near Tiffin, about 1825, and remained there until 1852, when they came to Westerville, Franklin County, and they resided there until their death, the grandmother dying at the age of seventysix and the grandfather at eightynine. Rev. John C. Bright, father of George W. Bright, was born in Fairfield County, October 13, 1818. He removed with his parents to Hancock County in 1835, and at the age of nineteen began preaching in the Church of the United Brethren. He was married to Sophia Stoner on July 15, 1844. She having died, he married Ann M. Stoner on July 15, 1851, and with his two children, M. E. and George W. Bright, came at once to Westerville, Franklin County, and remained there until 1860. He became promi- nent in bis church, and wielded great influence in its educational and missionary fields. He became the first secretary of the Missionary Society and held this position up to within a short time of his death, which occurred at Galion, Ohio, on Angust 6, 1866.

George W. Bright attended the district school near Westerville until he was eleven years of age, and then entered the preparatory course of Otterbein Uni- versity at that place. When George was fourteen years old, owing to the meager

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.

salary received by his father, he was compelled to seek employment away from home. He worked on different farms until August, 1863, when he came to Columbus and entered the Highschool, which he attended from September, 1863, until May, 1864. In 1863 he made an effort to get into the army but was not old and strong enough to pass muster until May 1, 1864, when he entered the One Hundred and Thirtythird Ohio Infantry, Company H. He served three months with his regiment, being over half the time with General Butler in the siege of Petersburg, Virginia. About the time of the expiration of his term of service he was taken violently ill with typhoid malaria while in the riflepits before Petersburg. He was brought home and laid sick for four months. On recovering bis health he again enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Eightyseventh Ohio Infantry, in January, 1865, and remained with his regiment until it was mustered out on January 26, 1866, having served as an orderly at the head- quarters of Brigadier-Generals Judah and General Dawson, at Macon, Georgia.

After returning from the army in 1866 he resumed his studies at Oberlin, Ohio, but owing to the failure of his father's health he was only able to remain in school about two months. On leaving Oberlin in April, 1866, he came to Colum- bus and took a position in the wholesale and retail millinery store of Ann E. Souder and remained in her employ for six years. In 1872 her son, J. W. Sonder, and Mr. Bright purchased her interest and with this business he has been con- nected ever since. About 1880, a younger brother, J. L. Bright, was admitted, the firm now being Souder, Bright & Brother. Soon after the formation of this firm, Mr. Bright, in connection with Mr. Souder and Mr. S. S. Rickly, started the Capital City Bank. In addition to these enterprises, Mr. Bright is also interested in The Kaufman-Lattimer Company and the Sunday Creek Coal Company, being President of The Kaufman-Lattimer Company and Vice-President of the Sunday Creek Coal Company. Mr. Bright is a member of the Republican party but has never taken an active part in political affairs. He is also a member of the Wells Post, G. A. R., the Lincoln League and the Columbus Club. He was married on February 23, 1869, to Martha Worrel. They have one child - Mary Louise Bright.

CONRAD BORN, JUNIOR,

[Portrait opposite page 752.]

Was born in Columbus on September 21, 1844, and is the son of Conrad and Mary A. Born, nee Rickly. His father was a native of Bavaria and his mother was born in Switzerland. They came to this country in 1839. His father lived for a short time in New York and in 1841 came to Columbus. At the time of his death he was the oldest butcher in Columbus. He also dealt largely in real estate. In 1859 he built his brewery, known as the firm of Born & Company. Conrad Born, Junior, was educated in the public schools, and has been connected with the brewery from its establishment to the present time. In 1860 be left Columbus and worked for four years in the large breweries of Cincinnati, St. Louis and Chicago in order to gain a thorough practical knowledge of the business. He re- turned to Columbus in 1864; in October of the same year he became a partner with his father, and at present he owns a threefourths interest in the business, His nephew, Edward Born, will on arriving at his majority, be also a partner.

Mr. Born was married in June, 1869, to Lena Moerlein, a daughter of Chris- tian Moerlein, a prominent brewer of Cincinnati. They have one son, Conrad Christian, who is now associated with his father in business. Mr. Born belongs

PHOTOGRAPHED BY BAKER.

Residence of F. L. Hughes, 53 Second Avenue, West, built in 1890.

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to the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Druids, the Elks, the Mannerchor and many other organizations of a benevolent and fraternal character. He is a stockholder and director in the Ohio Savings Bank and also in the C. Moerlein Brewing Company of Cincinnati. In politics Mr. Born is a Democrat.

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History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II, Part 113

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1196

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1196