USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume I > Part 26
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JOSEPH T. KREMENTZ, grocer and butcher, of New Albany, Ind., was born in that city, Aug. 3, 1862. His father, Joseph Krementz, was a native of Ger- many and a butcher by trade. He died when Joseph was about two years old. The subject of this sketch has lived in New Albany all his life; attended the public schools there; learned the butchers' trade while still in his boyhood; and about fifteen years ago embarked in the business for himself. Since then he has made it a point to carry nothing but the best goods to be found, either in meats or groceries, and his large and constantly growing patronage demonstrates the wisdom of his course. In 1900 he bought a fine piece of business property, with residence attached, at No. 615 Vincennes street, where he has one of the best appointed grocery stores and meat markets in the city. Mr. Krementz takes great pride in his business, prompt attention to his customers, quick delivery of goods ordered, and a nice, clean store being some of the points upon which he always excels. He is a Knight Templar
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Mason and a member of the Improved Order of Red Men. On Oct. 14, 1884, Mr. Krementz was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Sohn, a daughter of Anton Sohn, a former resident and prominent brewer of New Albany. Mrs. Krementz was born in New Albany, Jan. 26, 1864. During the twenty years of their married life Mr. and Mrs. Krementz have worked together in the upbuilding of the husband's business and the establishment of their home. Two daughters have been born to them, Louise C. and Tillie W. The former died at the age of seven years and the latter is now a young lady of seventeen.
JAMES T. RUBY, bicycle dealer and proprietor of the Crystal Laundry, New Albany, Ind., was born in Wayne county, Ind., June 3, 1851, his parents being William T. and Rose Ann (Fender) Ruby, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Wayne county. The mother died in 1887, aged fifty-seven years, and the father on Oct. 20, 1903, aged about seventy-eight. He was the son of John Ruby, who was a son of Joseph Ruby of Pennsylvania, and the father of Joseph came from England. On the maternal side Mr. Ruby's grandfather was Gabriel Fender, a native of North Carolina, and his father was Henry Fender, of German descent. James T. Ruby lived on the farm in Wayne county until he was seventeen years of age, when he went to Richmond and worked at the printers' trade for two years, after which he went into the depot restaurant there as a clerk, and two years later went to Cambridge City, Ind., where he held a similar position for six months, after which he had charge for ten years. In 1882 he went to Dayton, O., and became a collector for the Howe Sewing Machine Company, where he remained one year, was then manager for two years, when he accepted a position as traveling salesman for H. A. Lozier & Co., wholesale agents for the New Home sewing machine, of Cleveland, and for thirteen years covered the territory composed of Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky. He was next two years "on the road" for the Springfield (Ohio) Fertilizer Company, and a similar length of time for the Iver Johnson Arms and Cycle Works, of Fitch- burg, Mass., covering the entire Southern states. In 1890 he came to New Albany and opened a bicycle store at No. 139 Market street, and in 1903 he became the proprietor of the Crystal Laundry, at No. 139 Main street. In addition to his business enterprises in New Albany, Mr. Ruby owns a fine farm of 320 acres in Guthrie county, Ia., one of the best agricultural regions of that state. Beginning life without a dollar, he has made his way in the world to his present position by indomitable industry, sheer force of will, and unflinching honesty. Mr.
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Ruby is a member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has a high standing. He has been married three times, his first and second wives having died." He has two sons by his first wife: Edward E., now a professor of Latin and French in Whitman college, Walla Walla, Wash., and Oliver A., who is associated with his father in business. Oliver A. is married and has two daughters, Irma Helen and Lucile Ethel. Mr. Ruby's present wife, to whom he was married on Oct. 16, 1899, was Lunettie Jackson.
EDWARD P. VERNIA, freight agent and general yard master of the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville railway, better known as the Monon, at New Albany, Ind., was born in that city, July 23, 1875. His father, the late Lewis Vernia, a wholesale grocer of New Albany, died on Aug. 22, 1902. Edward was reared and educated in the city where he was born, graduating from the Holy Trinity paro- chial school when he was sixteen years old. About a year after he left school he entered the employment of the Monon Railroad Com- pany as a clerk. In 1899 he was made freight agent at New Albany, and in August, 1903, was made general yard master. Mr. Vernia has been all his active life in the employ of the same company, and when it is remembered that railway corporations are on the lookout for in- telligent and trustworthy young men to fill places of responsibility, it speaks well for the character of Mr. Vernia that in the first eleven years of his railway service he worked himself up from a minor clerk- ship to the position he now occupies. To have done so it was neces- sary that he should apply himself diligently and willingly to whatever duty might be assigned him, and to always keep his mind upon his business. This he has certainly done, and his promotions have been the just reward of industry and fidelity to his employers' interests. As Mr. Vernia is yet a young man, there is little doubt that still higher positions await him in railroad circles. Mr. Vernia is a mem- ber of the Louisville local freight agents' association, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Holy Trinity Catholic church. Politically he is a Democrat, but he is first of all a railroad man, and never neglects his business to participate in politics. He was married on June 15, 1904, to Miss Catharine E. Jackson, an accomplished young lady of Cincinnati.
S. J. GARDNER, a well known foundryman of New Albany, Ind., was born in, Paducah, Ky., in the year 1863. He acquired his education in the schools of his native city, and at the age of eighteen started in
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to learn the trade of machinist. After serving an apprenticeship of four years he worked as a journeyman in railroad shops and manufac- tories in different parts of the country until 1897, when he came to New Albany and bought the plant of the old Webster & Pitt foundry, on First street, between Main street and the Ohio river. This concern had been standing idle for about three years, and Mr. Gardner spent a considerable sum of money in putting it in good condition, adding new machinery, etc. He has now been operating the plant for seven years, under the name of the S. J. Gardner Foundry and Machine Works, and has built up a good business, particularly on the Lithgow furnace, of which he is the builder, and which has become popular in the Ohio valley, the demand for it rapidly increasing as its introduc- tion is extended into new territory. Mr. Gardner has made his way to the front rank as a manufacturer by his careful and conscientious methods in the construction of his work and his close application to his business. In 1892 he was united in marriage to Miss Maggie Car- ney of Paducah, and they have two children, Ella Laurence and Ed- ward. Merwin.
TOBIAS HOFFER, a prominent wholesale liquor merchant of New Al- bany, Ind., is a native of that city, hav- ing been born there, May 30, 1862. He is a son of the late Frank Hoffer, a native of Germany, who settled in New Albany some time in the fifties, and who was for many years engaged in the wholesale liquor business there. He died on Feb. 24, 1889. Tobias was educated in the public and parochial schools of his native city and the New Albany Business col- lege. In 1882 he went into his father's store as a clerk and was afterward engaged for some time as a travel- ing salesman for the house. From 1886 to 1890 he was in partner- ship with his brother in the wholesale liquor trade, under the firm name of Hoffer Bros. Since 1890 he has been in the same line by himself, having been located the whole time at No. 106 East Market street. Mr. Hoffer is a member of St. Mary's Catholic church and is regarded as one of the stanch business men of New Albany. His trade extends over a large section of the surrounding country, and he has one of the leading establishments of the kind about the Falls of
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the Ohio. He was married on Oct. 12, 1886, to Miss Mary Frances Broecker of New Albany, and they have two daughters, Mary Eliza- beth and Estella Johanna.
WILLIAM WIRT ROWLETT (de- ceased), familiarly known as "Buck" Rowlett, an old time newspaper man of Kentucky, was born in Owen county, of that state, May 24, 1845, and died at La Grange in Oldham county, Feb. 5, 1904. His life was an eventful one. While still in his boyhood his parents removed to Lockport, Ky., where he was educated in the public schools and in 1860 began life for himself as a clerk in a general store. He continued in that capacity until Aug. 7, 1861, when he enlisted in the Union army at Camp Joe Holt and was assigned to duty as corporal of Com- pany C, Second Kentucky Federal cavalry. He was soon promoted to first corporal, and from that position arose to orderly sergeant and later to regimental quartermaster. In 1864, although still in his minority, he was placed in charge of a fund of $30,000 appropriated by the Kentucky legislature to aid the work of the Sanitary Commis- sion. The following year he was recommended by Gen. John Palmer for a captaincy, received a commission from Governor Bramlett, and was given command of Company E, Barracks battalion, at Louisville. In September of that year he became a member of the stock company of the Louisville theater, playing utility parts, subsequently taking the part of a low comedian, and remained with the company until the theater was destroyed by fire. For a time he engaged in school teach- ing; was then a pilot on the Ohio and Kentucky rivers; in connection with his father, contracted with the state to repair the locks on the Kentucky river, and put in the lock gates; was next in the business of building wooden truss bridges, and in 1871 located in Henry county, where he engaged in the mercantile line. Here he was elected justice of the peace, holding the office for nearly five years. On May 26, 1875, he established the Henry County Tribune, at New Castle, which marked his entrance into the field of journalism. The following Janu- ary he removed to La Grange, and on February 4th the first number of the Oldham County Era appeared. From that time until his death he continued to conduct the paper as "The only second class news-
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paper in the United States," and since his death the publication of it has been continued by his sons, Bushrod and Felix. In 1885 Mr. Rowlett edited and published a book entitled "A Job Lot," being a collection of quaint sayings, witticisms, etc. In the preface he ex- pressed the hope that the book would be read by many who had not purchased it, "for if there is an enemy of mankind it is the book bor- rower." Mr. Rowlett was a man of brilliant wit and endowed with a generous supply of what is known as common sense. As a conversa- tionalist he was both entertaining and instructive. His original way of expressing ideas frequently aroused the mirthfulness of his listen- ers and fixed the fact firmly in their memory. During his life he was noted for his public spirit, always being identified with every move- ment to promote the interests of La Grange and Oldham county. Politically he was a Democrat of the kind that never apologizes for his political views, though he had many warm personal friends in the opposite party. As a Mason and an Odd Fellow he was always a wel- come attendant at the lodge meetings because of his genial and sunny disposition, and his sound judgment when business of importance was to be transacted. At the battle of Perryville he sustained two painful wounds, and a short time before his death the government granted him a pension of thirty dollars a month-a somewhat tardy recogni- tion of his valiant services when the nation was in peril. Mr. Rowlett was married in 1870 to Sallie R., daughter of William L. White of Lockport, and to this union there were born the following children: Bushrod; Ella, now Mrs. Clarence Kerr; Alma, Felix, Mamie, Annie, Charles and Robert. The mother of these children died in 1900. The eldest son, Bushrod, was born in Lockport, June 3, 1871; learned the printers' trade with his father; received his education at the Funk seminary at La Grange; from 1893 to 1898 was employed in the gov- ernment printing office at Washington, and on April 29, 1898, enlisted as a private in Battery A, First District light artillery, for the Spanish- American war. From private he rose to corporal, sergant, sergeant- major, and at the time of his discharge, on Dec. 7, 1898, he was acting commissary. After the war he was at the Garfield Memorial Hospi- tal, in Washington, for three months, ill with typhoid-malaria. On his recovery he returned to his old position in the government printing office, but a few weeks later was discharged to reduce the force. For some time he worked at his trade in different Eastern cities, and in 1900 he returned to La Grange and took charge of the Oldham County Era, which he now ably conducts in connection with his brother, as already stated.
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JOHN F. GEBHART, general man- ager of the New Albany Woolen Mill Company, New Albany, Ind., was born at Maytown, Pa., in December, 1831. With a moderate education in the public schools he started early in life to learn the business of making woolen goods with his father, who was the proprietor of a little woolen mill at Maytown. In 1860 Mr. Gebhart came to New Albany, and on the Ist of January, 1861, in com- pany with John T. Creed, started a little woolen mill on State street, in the build- ing afterward used as the Air Line railway station. In 1861 the New Albany Woolen Mill Company was organized, put up a mill on Vin- cennes street, ran it for about two years at a loss of several thousand dollars, when, to secure the services of Mr. Gebhart, the company bought his concern and consolidated the two mills. Since then the success of the company has been steady and certain. In 1871 the first cotton mill was erected, three others having been built since. By his cool demeanor and sound judgment he kept the mills running through the depression that followed the panic of 1873, although the works had been placed in the hands of an assignee. In 1879 the hosiery de- partment was started, which has since become a separate institution. In order to secure sufficient water supply for the manufacture of fancy plaid flannels, Mr. Gebhart secured the construction of the city water- works in 1876, although few people believed that the movement was a successful one. Mr. Gebhart has been actively associated with several other enterprises. He was one of the organizers of the New Albany & Eastern railroad, which connects with the Baltimore & Ohio South- western at Watson; one of the promoters of the Belt railroad; has served as president of the street railway company; built the Highland railroad to the top of Silver Hills, thus making the hill-top a place of residence and resort; was active in organizing the New Albany Orna- mental Brick Company, of which he is now president; and every one of these important industries owes much of its vitality to his sound judgment and superb ability. In church matters Mr. Gebhart has been a prominent figure in the city ever since he came there. For over thirty years he directed the choir of the First Presbyterian church; raised the money and supervised the construction of the pipe organ in the building; served as president of the Y. M. C. A. building
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committee, which erected the association's handsome building on the corner of Bank and Main streets, and has ever been identified with worthy projects for the improvement of public health and morals. Mr. Gebhart has been married four times. His first wife, to whom he was united on Sept. 4, 1851, was Susan Latchem. She died in 1854, and in 1857 he was married to Rachel Santee, who died in 1861. In 1865 he was married to Amanda Rodgers, and she passed to her rest in 1871. On Nov. 27, 1873, he was united to Miss Rosalinda Ridgway, a native of Delaware, who is his present wife. By his first marriage he has one daughter living, who is the wife of W. A. Hedden of New Albany; by his second wife he has two children living, James, who is superintendent of a woolen mill at Omaha, Neb., and Letitia, now the wife of Edgar S. Crane, a prominent business man of Yazoo City, Miss .; to the third wife was born one son, Frederick, who died in his twenty-third year. By his present wife he has two sons: John Reu- ben, a traveling salesman for the woolen mill company, and David Ridgway, who is supervisor of music in the New Albany public schools. Both are married and both served in the Spanish-American war as commissioned officers, John R. being in the ordnance de- partment and David adjutant of the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Indiana infantry. Mr. Gebhart is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity and is an elder in the Presbyterian church.
J. L. BERRY, proprietor and manager of a large sawmill at Louis- ville, Ky., was born in Jefferson county of that state, about twenty miles from the city of Louisville, Oct. 23, 1853. He is a son of Lean- der S. and James Anise (Curry) Berry, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Jefferson county, Ky. The father was a carpenter and builder who followed that vocation for many years in Louisville and died there about 1890. His wife survived him for about five years and passed her last days in the same city. She was a daughter of Philip S. and Elizabeth (Bean) Curry, both natives of Jefferson county, where the family were among the pioneers. Of their seven children one son, Thornton B. Curry, is now living. In 1861 Leander S. Berry removed with his family to Champaign county, Ill., and there the sub- ject of this sketch grew to manhood, receiving his education in the common schools. In 1879 he went to Indianapolis, Ind., and after a short stay in that city returned to Louisville, where he has been prac- tically all of the time since identified with the lumber and sawmill in- terests of the cities about the Falls. In 1886 he established his present mill on the block bounded by Third and Fourth avenues and J and K
I-18
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streets. At that time the surrounding lots were nothing but commons. Now the city has extended in that direction until it built up almost solidly all around the mill. Mr. Berry's mill has a capacity of about 20,000 feet of lumber daily, or approximately 4,000,000 feet a year. In the eighteen years that he has been established here it is estimated that he has produced 60,000,000 feet of hardwood lumber alone. Logs are shipped from all parts of Kentucky and neighboring states to sup- ply the demand. Mr. Berry is a member of the Louisville Lumber- men's club, and there are not many points about the lumber trade upon which he is not thoroughly informed. He has been twice married. On Dec. 31, 1879, to Miss Christina Thorn, who died on December 3Ist, a few years later. A striking coincidence is that she died on the anniversary of her marriage, and almost at the same hour of the day. She left two sons: Morphy Edison, a graduate of the Louisville man- ual training high school, graduated from the mechanical department of Cornell university in 1904, completing a four years' course in three years and winning a fellowship besides, and in 1905 will enter the de- partment of electrical engineering in Cornell. He was born Nov. 15, 1881, and his brother, George H., was born November 14, 1891, the latter lacking just one day of being ten years younger than his brother. George is now attending the public schools in Louisville.
REUBEN T. DURRETT, lawyer, and author, was born in Henry county, Ky., Jan. 22, 1824. He is the son of William and Elizabeth (Rowlings) Durrett, both of old Virginia families who came to Kentucky about the beginning of the nineteenth century. His early education was acquired in a little country school- house built by his father for the benefit of his own and his neighbors' children. To prepare himself for college he entered Henry academy at New Castle. In 1844 he entered Georgetown college, complet- ing the freshman year. In 1846 he entered the sophomore class at Brown university, Providence, R. I., graduating from the same with the degree of A.B. three years later. Completing the law course of the University of Louisville in one year, he received the degree of LL.B. from that institution. Brown university conferred upon him the regular degree of A.M., and Georgetown college, university of Louis-
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ville and Brown university the honorary degree of LL.D. He at once began the practice of law in Louisville and continued it uninterruptedly for thirty years. Retiring on the competency he had by this time acquired, he devoted his time to literary pursuits, for which he had always had a strong desire. Gifted as a writer, orator and poet, he indulged his tastes in each of these lines. He was at one time editor- in-chief of the Louisville Daily Courier and wrote much for other newspapers and magazines of his time. His writings were usually dis- tinguished for original research, and his article upon the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798-99, which appeared in the Southern Bivouac, may be taken as a specimen. Clearing up the historic errors about these celebrated resolutions, he has placed them where they and their authors should remain in history. Not a few of his court and public addresses were deemed worthy of publication and appeared in news- papers or in pamphlet form. In 1884 he and a few of his associates founded in Louisville the Filson club, a historic and literary associa- tion, for the purpose of collecting and preserving the history and biography of Kentucky. For each year of its existence it has pub- lished a volume of history and biography, the twentieth volume having now been issued. Of these volumes, Mr. Durrett is the author of the first, fifth, seventh, eighth and twelfth, having written the introduction to all of the others. His literary taste led him to the investigation of various subjects, and, as he bought the books he needed, he soon accu- mulated one of the largest private libraries in the county, embracing almost every branch of human knowledge. Mr. Durrett has also been active in the establishing of a number of successful business corpora- tions. His benevolence has led him into connection with charitable institutions, causing him to take a prominent part in some of the most worthy institutions of that kind in the state. He has served as a member of the city council and of the board of park commissioners, neither of which were offices of profit, but were deemed by him posi- tions in the interest of the city. When Beriah Magoffin was a candi- date for governor of Kentucky, Mr. Durrett took an active part in his behalf and helped to secure his election. After his election the gov- ernor sent for Mr. Durrett and asked him what he could do for him. Mr. Durrett replied that he wanted no reward other than the continu- ance of his good will. Governor Magoffin then said, "Well, I will com- mission you as a colonel on my staff," and he did so. This title of colonel will, no doubt, stick to Mr. Durrett the remainder of his life. Although advanced in years, the Colonel is still possessed of health and vigor. He stands six feet two inches high, as straight as an Indian
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chief, and bids fair to outlive many of those around him who are of fewer years. His writings have caused him to be known at home and abroad, entitling him to be made a member of many historic and learned societies.
COL. BENNETT H. YOUNG, lawyer, Louisville, Ky., who has been prominently identified with the development of Southern railway enterprises, and who, in many ways, has contributed vastly to the material prosperity of Kentucky, is of Scotch-Irish descent. He is the son of Robert and Josephine (Henderson) Young and was born in Jessamine county, Ky., May 25, 1843. He was fitted for college at Bethel academy and was preparing to enter Centre college, Danville, when the Civil war began. With other students, Colonel Young en- listed in the Eighth Kentucky cavalry, which became a part of Gen. John H. Morgan's command. He was captured in Morgan's raid across the Ohio, and for a short time confined in the military prison at Camp Douglas. Escaping from prison, he made his way to Can- ada, and there collected and conducted to the Confederacy, by way of the West Indies, a number of escaped Confederates. Later on he returned to Canada bearing a commission as a Confederate officer, and from that vantage ground organized a series of expeditions into the United States, which at the time attracted much attention and occasioned considerable alarm on the part of the Federal authorities. At the close of the war Colonel Young went to Europe to pursue his studies for three years in the Scotch and Irish universities, supple- menting his literary education by a thorough law course. In Queen's college, Belfast, he took the first honors of his class in the law depart- ment and the third honors in the literary department. In 1868 he re- turned to Kentucky, well equipped by education, travel and experi- ence to enter upon his professional career. He located in Louisville, where he soon impressed himself upon the bar and public as an accom- plished and resourceful lawyer, and built up a lucrative practice. In 1872 he formed a partnership with St. John Boyle, and with him be- came interested in railway construction. They operated together in the construction of the Louisville, Evansville & St. Louis railway, now known as the St. Louis Air Line, and now a part of the South- ern railroad system. For this important railway connection Louisville is indebted to this firm. Later Colonel Young was called upon to undertake the purchase and reorganization of the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago railway, a project that he con- ducted to a successful issue. He was general counsel for this railway
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