USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume I > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
103
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
JOHN W. GRIMES, a farmer near Dillsboro, Ind., is a native of the Hoosier state, having been born in Ripley county, Oct. 18, 1832. His parents were John and Mary (McDaniel) Grimes, both na- tives of Nicholas county, Ky. They came to Indiana during the territorial days, traveling on horseback, and settled in what is now Ripley county. Of their nine children Thomas was the only one born in Kentucky and was a mere babe at the time the family crossed the Ohio. He was a farmer and Free-will Baptist min- ister and lived to be more than seventy years of age. Rachel married Jacob Green, a carpenter of Ripley county. Henry passed his whole life as a Ripley county farmer. James was also a farmer in the same county. His death occurred in 1903. Elizabeth married Thornton Rogers, a farmer and bricklayer. Both she and her husband are de- ceased. Joseph Grimes was a farmer in Ripley county, and died in 1880. John W. is the seventh and only surviving member of the fam- ily. Samuel followed the occupation of farming and teaching during the winter months. A few years ago he went to Kansas, where his death occurred in 1902. Mary A. died at the age of sixteen years. Mr. Grimes' paternal grandparents were natives of Ireland. His grandfather came to this country in childhood, fought in the Revolu- tionary war, and afterward immigrated to Kentucky. He died in Ripley county, Ind. But little can be learned of his relatives in Ireland. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Grimes, Joseph and Rachel Mc- Daniel, were of Scotch descent: Their early lives were passed in Maryland, but after their marriage they came by boat down the Kan- awha and Ohio rivers and settled at Maysville, Ky. Joseph McDaniel was a soldier in the Revolution and was engaged in numerous skir- mishes with the Indians. He came to Indiana and died at the age of ninety-seven years. Mr. Grimes' great-grandfather McDaniel was captured by a band of Indians and was killed while running the gauntlet. Mr. Grimes' father fought with Gen. W. H. Harrison in the war of 1812, and when nearly seventy-five years old received a land warrant for his services. He and his wife each lived to be eighty years of age. The opportunities to secure an education were very meager in the days of Mr. Grimes' boyhood. He had to assist in the support of the family, but by self-study and reading he has managed to acquire
104
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
a practical education. He has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for over fifty years, joining the order while living at Elrod in Ripley county, though he now belongs to Chapman Lodge, No. 78, of Dillsboro. He has passed through the chairs and has represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge. Mr. Grimes has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Jeannette Hartley, whose par- ents were natives of Kentucky. One child, Francisco, was born to this marriage, but it died at a tender age. His first wife died in 1852, and two years later he was married to Miss Nancy J. Hartley, a cousin to his first wife. To them five children have been born. Clark died at the age of six years. Jeannette and Eva were twins. The former died at the age of three years, and the latter is living at home with her parents. Walter attended Moore's Hill college, where he studied for the ministry. He is at this time about forty years of age, is a member of the Indiana Methodist Episcopal conference, and is located at Utica, in Clark county. He married Miss Ada Lenover of Dillsboro. Ella, the youngest of the family, is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Grimes and all their children are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
HENRY BULTHAUP, president of the State bank, Dillsboro, Ind., was born in the city of Cincinnati, Feb. 22, 1845. His parents were Rudolph and Louisa (Westmire) Bulthaup, both natives of Germany. While still a young man Ru- dolph Bulthaup, with three of his wife's brothers, came to Dearborn county, bought a tract of land in Cesar Creek township, and there lived for a number of years. Subsequently he bought another farm, which is now the property of the subject of this sketch, who has been a farmer even since he was old enough to work for himself. Henry Bulthaup has been interested in a number of business enterprises, however, besides his farming interests. When the Dillsboro State bank was organized in 1901 he was elected president, which office he has since held, and under his management the bank has attained a marked degree of success and usefulness. In politics he is a Demo- crat and has several times been elected to office, his personal popu- larity bringing him numerous votes from the opposing party. He has filled the offices of township trustee, township asesssor, and
105
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
county commissioner with signal ability and fidelity. In 1892 he was elected sheriff of the county and two years later was re-elected, each time leading the ticket. Mr. Bulthaup is a member and past master of Hopeville Lodge No. 80, Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Bear Creek Baptist church, located at Friendship in Ripley county. In 1870 Miss Margaret Connell, daughter of Joseph Connell, one of the oldest settlers in the county, became Mrs. Henry Bulthaup. They have one daughter, Luella.
WILLIAM C. WULBER, cashier of the First National bank, Dillsboro, Ind., is a native of Dearborn county, having been born in Cesar Creek township, Jan. 6, 1847. His parents, John Frederick and Louise (Ellerman) Wulber, were natives of Germany but were married at Cincin- nati. In 1845 they removed to Dearborn county, where the father engaged in farming until his death, March 16, 1880. His wife survived until Dec. 1, 1894, when she, too, passed away. William C. Wul- ber received his education in the public schools and at Moore's Hill college. Since leaving college he has been prominently identified with the affairs of his county. From 1884 to 1888 he was trustee of Clay township. In 1894 he was elected treasurer of Dearborn county and was re-elected in 1896. A remark- able thing connected with his election to the treasurer's office was that he had no opposition at either time he was a candidate, some- thing that never happened in the county before nor since. About 1894 the First National bank, which had previously been operating as a private bank, was organized and Mr. Wulber was elected presi- dent. He has maintained his connection with the institution ever since, now holding the position of cashier. In addition to his bank- ing interests he owns a fine farm near Dillsboro, upon which he resides. He was married on Nov. 23, 1868, to Miss Sophia Pruss, daughter of Frederick Pruss, of Dearborn county, and five children have been born to the union. Emma L. and Amelia D. are deceased. Those living are Theodore J., Laura L., and Louisa D. Theodore is an attorney at law. In 1902 he was elected prosecuting attorney for the circuit composed of Dearborn and Ohio counties. During his term several important cases came into his hands, the most notable
106
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
being the famous Gillespie murder case, at Rising Sun, which at- tracted wide attention. He makes his headquarters at Dillsboro, is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is looked upon as one of the most promising young lawyers in Southeastern Indiana.
PROF. TECUMSEH H. MEEK, superintendent of the public schools, Lawrenceburg, Ind., was born in that city, March 22, 1866. He is descended from an old English family, and is the sixth generation from Adam Meek, of Lincoln- shire, the oldest known member of the family. . The succeeding generations are traced in an unbroken line to Professor Meek, through Jacob, Nathan, Samuel, and Willis Meek, the last named being Professor Meek's father. During his boyhood Tecumseh attended the common schools of his native town, graduating from the high school at the age of fifteen. Before he reached his sixteenth birthday he had received a license to teach, and he has been engaged in school work ever since, either as a teacher, superintendent, or student at the State university at Bloomington. In 1884 he took charge of the public schools of Aurora, in the south district, holding the position for three years. In the fall of 1887 he was made principal of the Lawrenceburg high school, remaining there until 1891. He then retired from school work for a year, but in the fall of 1892 he was made principal at Ludlow,
Ky. During the years 1893-94-95 he was a student at the State uni- versity, taking his old place as principal of the Lawrenceburg high school in the fall of 1895. In 1898 he was appointed superintendent of the city schools and held the position till the end of the school year in 1904, when he resigned his position to continue his work in the University of Indiana, from which institution he received his degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1904, and will receive the degree of Master of Arts in 1905. Professor Meek is a Republican in politics but he is not active in political work. His highest aim is to be a school man, and under his management the schools of Lawrenceburg have kept pace with any city of like size in the country. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having received the Royal Arch degree; the Modern Woodmen of America; the Junior Order of United American
107
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
Mechanics; and the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is superintendent of the Sunday school. He was married Dec. 26, 1895, to Miss Nannie B., daughter of Ransom P. Meek, of Morton, Ill., and one son has come to bless the union: Harold T., born June 30, 1897.
FRANK B. SHUTTS, a popular attor- ney of Aurora, Ind., was born at Moore's Hill, Dearborn county, Ind., Sept. II, 1870. He was reared and received his primary education at Cochran, Ind., and in 1887 graduated from the Aurora high school, winning the Wabash college scholarship as a prize. At the age of eighteen years he was appointed deputy prosecuting attorney of Dearborn county and served eighteen months. In 1890 he entered the law department of De Pauw university, Greencastle, Ind., and on Sept. II, 1891, was formally admitted to the bar of his native county. In June of that year he formed a partnership, before he had attained his major- ity, with George E. Downey, now judge of the Seventh judicial cir- cuit. In June, 1892, Mr. Shutts was graduated from the law depart- ment of De Pauw university by special dispensation owing to his failure to attend the sessions of that year. Two years later he was admitted to practice in the State supreme court and in the United States district and circuit courts. In 1894 he was the candidate for prosecuting attorney in the circuit composed of Dearborn, Ohio, and Switzerland counties, and although the normal Democratic majority was about twelve hundred, he was defeated by only fifty-three votes. In 1900 he was a candidate before the Republican State convention for the office of lieutenant-governor, and, as he says, "narrowly escaped nomination." Mr. Shutts is a prominent figure in the Knights of Pythias, and is also a member of the Royal Arcanum and of the Meth- odist Episcopal church.
JAMES WALKER ISHERWOOD, superintendent of the gas company, Lawrenceburg, Ind., was born in that city in the year 1855. His father, John Isherwood, was born at Bolton, Lancashire, England, in 1820, and there grew to manhood. Soon after attain- ing his majority he married and in 1847 came with his wife to America.
108
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
After two years in Lawrence, Mass., and two in Cincinnati, they lo- cated at Lawrenceburg. While in Cincinnati the father worked at his trade of machinist, but after coming to Lawrenceburg he estab- lished himself in the grocery business and followed that vocation until his death in April, 1897. He also acted as agent for the Cincinnati newspapers for many years. His widow is still living. James W. is the only surviving child of this couple. After the customary train- ing in the schools of his native city he attended the National Normal school at Lebanon, Ohio. Shortly after leaving school he became associated with the Lawrenceburg Gas Company and in a little while was made superintendent, a position he has held ever since. In addi- tion to his duties with the gas company Mr. Isherwood does con- siderable business as an underwriter. He is an enthusiastic Republi- can in political matters, is a Knight of Pythias, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1880 Miss Sadie P., daughter of Benjamin Eversole, of Lawrenceburg, became Mrs. J. W. Isherwood, and they have one daughter, Lucy K.
EDWARD J. EMMERT, M.D., a pop- ular surgeon of Lawrenceburg, Ind., is a native of that city, having been born there in 1871. After a primary training in the public and high schools he attended DePauw university at Greencastle, Ind., and later Johns Hopkins university at Baltimore, Md. Having finished his col- legiate education he took up the study of medicine and in 1895 was graduated from the Miami Medical college, at Cincinnati. During the two years following his grad- uation he served as interne and house surgeon in the Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburg hospital, after which he spent another year in post-graduate study in hospitals of Phila- delphia and New York. In the month of February, 1898, he re- turned to Lawrenceburg and began the practice of his profession in his native city. Since that time he has practiced continuously in Lawrenceburg and Cincinnati. But little more than six years have elapsed since Dr. Emmert began to establish himself in his chosen calling, yet in that time he has demonstrated his professional skill in a way that has won the admiration of his brother physicians and the confidence of the public. Dr. Emmert belongs to the Dear-
109
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
born County Medical society; American Medical association; Phi Kappa Psi literary fraternity ; Sigma Nu medical fraternity ; is surgeon to the Big Four Railroad Company; medical examiner for the New York Mutual, Philadelphia Fidelity, Illinois, and New York security trust and life insurance companies.
SAMUEL H. COLLINS, MD., of Lawrenceburg, Ind., was born at Plymouth, Mass., in 1851. During his childhood and youth he lived in Taunton and Fitchburg, Mass., and Somersworth, N. H., there attending the public schools. In 1873 he graduated from Den- nison college, Granville, O., with the degree of A.B. He next entered Miami medical college, Cincinnati, and graduated in 1876. For the next year he was an interne in the Cincinnati hospital and then prac- ticed in Cincinnati until 1878, when he took charge of a corps of six physicians and two druggists to go to Memphis to assist in fighting the yellow fever epidemic there. In three weeks after their arrival in Memphis Dr. Collins was the only survivor of the expedition. He had the fever but recovered, and received a testimonial from the Howard Society for his services-the only one in the State of Indiana. In 1879 he was made secretary of the Memphis board of health, and in August of that year the national board of health appointed him as surgeon and inspector-general. For a time he was stationed in Memphis and Shelby county, being there when the second scourge of yellow fever came. In April, 1880, he was transferred to New Orleans as port officer. In September he was sent to Vicksburg to take charge of the quarantine there, and in November he was trans- ferred to Ship Island, in the Gulf of Mexico, to look after the quaran- tine stations along the Gulf Coast. He remained at Ship Island until June, 1881, when he went back to Memphis to superintend the erection of a hospital boat, and in November following located at Lawrenceburg. Few physicians have had a wider or more varied experience than Dr. Collins, yet in all the trying situations to which . he has been subjected he has proven equal to the demands. He is a member of the Indiana and Tennessee State Medical associations and the Dearborn County Medical society, and served on the board of pension examiners during the administration of President Harri- son. Politically he is a Republican and has served three terms in the Lawrenceburg city council, twice carrying a Democratic ward. He is a Knight Templar Mason, a member of the Knights of Pythias, and in 1895 was elected surgeon of the Third regiment, Indiana Uni- form Rank, with the rank of major.
110
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
CAPT. ALEXANDER B. PATTERSON, cashier of the Aurora National bank, Aurora, Ind., was born in the city of Cincinnati, May 20, 1835. When he was about two years of age the family removed to Aurora, where he was reared and educated. Qualifying himself for the work of a civil engineer he went west in 1857 and remained there for three years in that line of employment. In the fall of 1860 he returned home and in the following April he enlisted in Company E, Seventh Indiana infantry, being the first man in Aurora to offer his services to his country. He went out as second lieutenant of the company and when the regiment was reorganized in September, 1861, he was made first lieutenant. Six months later he was promoted to the captaincy and served in that capacity until the close of the war. He was in all the engagements in which the army of the Potomac participated, except in the Peninsular campaign under Mcclellan, and was twice wounded. After the war he returned to Aurora, where for some time he was engaged in the drug business. From 1869 to 1878 he was in the internal revenue service. He then served as county auditor for four years and upon leaving the auditor's office he was elected cashier of the bank, which position he has held since. Besides his banking interests Captain Patterson is president of the Cemetery and Public Library associations of Aurora, as well as of the Aurora Chair Company, and is secretary of the Aurora Tool Works. The only civic organization of which he is a member is the Grand Army of the Republic. In 1864 he was married to Miss Eliza- beth C., daughter of Dr. W. T. S. Cornett. They have two daugh- ters, both of whom are married. Anna G. is the wife of F. D. Cobb, and Alexina is the wife of Dr. E. L. Haring, of Aurora.
RANDALL J. WYMOND, manager of the Samuel Wymond Cooperage Company, of Aurora, Ind., was born at Dillsboro, Dear- born county, Ind., Jan. 8, 1857. His father, Samuel Wymond, was born in Cornwall, England, but came to America in early life and located at Dillsboro, Ind., where he lived until 1865, when he removed to Aurora. There he founded the cooperage business that still bears his name and was also engaged in merchandizing. He died in 1884, leaving four children. His father, William Wymond, lived and died in Cornwall. Randall was educated in the town schools, graduating from the high school in 1873. Two years later he gradu- ated from the Chickering institute (now extinct), of Cincinnati, and entered the law department of the Michigan university at Ann Arbor. After studying law for two years he left school and went into his
111
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
father's office as a clerk, remaining there for nine years. In 1887, three years after the death of his father, he was one of the incorpora- tors of the company and was elected secretary, treasurer and general manager. Mr. Wymond is a director in the First National bank and is spoken of as one of the most reliable business men of Aurora. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and a Knight Templar, and belongs to the Episcopal church. He was married June II, 1884, to Miss Mabel Criswell, daughter of Robert Criswell, and they- have one daughter, named Jean C.
HENRY P. SPAETH, the head of the hardware firm of H. P. Spaeth & Co., Aurora, Ind., was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Dec. 25, 1838. When he was about seven years old his father, Chris- topher Spaeth, came with his family to America, settling in Cincinnati, where he was in the grocery business until 1849, when he died of cholera during the epi- demic of that year, leaving five children. The death of his father made it necessary for the subject of this sketch to quit school and begin life for himself. He went to work in a little paper box factory at the munificent wage of one dollar a week. After two years in this factory he went into a chair factory, where he learned the trade of wood turner and worked there until the beginning of the Civil war. He cast his first vote for president in 1860 and was an ardent Lincoln man in that cam- paign. In April, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company D, Ninth Ohio infantry, and served until June, 1864, when he was discharged as first lieutenant of Company C, of the same regi- ment. During his service he was in the West Virginia campaign and with the army of the Cumberland. He was in the battles of Chick- amauga, Mission Ridge, and was on the campaign from Dalton to Kingston, Ga., receiving some slight wounds. When he received his discharge he returned to Cincinnati and began clerking in a store, remaining there until December, 1867, when he came to Aurora and bought a tin shop. Four years later he added a stock of hardware, which was the beginning of the present firm. Besides his hardware business Mr. Spaeth is president of the Aurora Furniture Company; vice-president of the Aurora National bank; a director in .
112
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
the Aurora Coffin Company and the Aurora Chair Company ; and has been president of the Aurora Tool Works. Ever since 1860 he has been a Republican, but the only office he ever held was that of mem- ber of the Aurora school board, which came to him unsolicited and which he held for six years. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Masonic fraternity, and the Presbyterian church. Mr. Spaeth has been twice married. In 1871 he was married to Miss Sophie Kastner. She died in 1874, leaving two children, Julia A. and Fred K. On Feb. 8, 1880, he was married to Mary E. Smith, of Aurora.
E. H. NIEBAUM, postmaster, Aurora, Ind., was born in Hanover, Germany, Dec. 27, 1839. In 1845 he came with his parents to America, settling in Dearborn county, Ind. From that time until he was twelve years of age he worked on the farm, attending the common schools a few months each winter. When he was twelve years old he went to Cincinnati, where for over two years he worked in a job printing office. In the meantime his parents had removed to Ohio county, Ind. He left the printing office, went back home and remained on the farm for two years, when he came to Aurora as a clerk in a dry goods store. He continued in this line of work until 1878, when he went into business for himself, operating a dry goods store in company with Joseph McCreay. The partner- ship was dissolved by the death of Mr. McCreay, but Mr. Niebaum continued the business for several years afterward. In 1898 he was appointed postmaster by the late President Mckinley and was reap- pointed by President Roosevelt. During the Civil war Mr. Niebaum served about four months as a private in Company E, Seventh Indi- ana volunteer infantry. He was in the battles of Philippi and Car- rick's Ford, but when the regiment was reorganized he did not enter the new organization. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the German Lutheran church. In 1862 Mr. Niebaum was married to Miss Clara E. Rieman. They have three children, viz .: Frank W., Charles H., and William E.
113
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
E. J. LIBBERT, M.D., a prominent physician and surgeon of Aurora, Ind., was born in Dearborn county, Ind., Sept. 8, 1868. His father, Charles Libbert, was born in the same county in 1844. Dur- ing the Civil war he served in Company A, Seventh Indiana volun- teer infantry. He lost his left arm and was severely wounded in the chest, dying in 1882 from the effects of these injuries. Seven of his children-four sons and three daughters-are still living. Dr. Libbert received his general education in the schools of his native county. In 1889 he graduated from the Cincinnati College of Medi- cine and Surgery, receiving the degree of M. D. He began practice in the little village of Farmers Retreat, Dearborn county, and re- mained there until September, 1898, when he located in Aurora. Here he has built up a lucrative practice and stands well both with the profession and the public. He is a member of the American Medi- cal association, the Indiana Medical association, and the Dearborn County Medical society. In fraternal circles Dr. Libbert is well and favorably known. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Improved Order of Red Men, the Modern Woodmen of America, and is a Royal Arch Mason. He is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In April, 1891, Dr. Libbert was mar- ried to Miss Clara M., daughter of Cornelius Buchanan, of Dear- born county, and they have three children: Marshall S., Cornelius H., and Edwin L.
JOSEPH H. WILDER, superintendent of the Royer Wheel Works, of Aurora, Ind., was born at Holliston, Mass., in the year 1844. His father, Joseph M. Wilder, was born at Lancaster, Mass., in 18II, and when he grew to manhood became a manufacturer of horn combs. In 1862 both father and son came West, locating at Fort Wayne, Ind. There the father conducted a shoe factory for a num- ber of years, but finally returned East and died at Holliston in 1896. The son found employment at Fort Wayne as a clerk in a carriage manufactory and wood working establishment, and remained with the concern for thirty years. In 1892 he came to the Royer Wheel Company, then located in Cincinnati, as superintendent. In 1901 the manufacturing department of the company was removed to Aurora, Mr. Wilder coming with it as superintendent and also a director. Mr. Wilder is a fine example of what can be accomplished by energy and perseverance. While other young men have been lamenting their lack of opportunities he has gone steadily upward, filling positions of trust with satisfaction to his employers and with profit to himself.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.