USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume II > Part 3
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
32
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
dent Lincoln's attorney-general. James E. Rankin was married on Dec. 5, 1871, to Miss Sue Rankin Barret, daughter of John H. Barret, of Henderson. They have two children living: Miss Susan Daniel, and James Ewing, Jr., the latter now being the junior partner of John H. Barret & Co.
JAMES R. BARRET, president of the Ohio Valley Bank and Trust Company, of Henderson, Ky., is a native of that city, where he was born Dec. 16, 1841. He is the second son of the late John Henry Barret, who was for many years at the head of the well known, tobacco firm of John H. Barret & Co. James R. was educated at Sayre's academy, of Frankfort, Ky., from which institution he graduated at the age of nineteen and soon afterward entered upon his business career in his native city, where he has ever since continued to reside. The bank and trust company, of which he is the official head, erected in 1904 a fine five- story office and store building, on the corner of Main and Second streets, of fire proof construction, at a cost of $60,000. It is regarded as the finest building of its kind in the city. In addition to his interests in this concern Mr. Barret is the largest stockholder in and was one of the organizers of the Henderson cotton mills; is in- terested in the Henderson, National bank; the Coquillard Wagon Works; is the heaviest taxpayer in the county, and has the reputa- tion of being the wealthiest man in Henderson. Yet not a dollar of his wealth has been acquired except by the application of correct business methods, coupled with his rare tact and persistent indus- try. He also has extensive farming interests in Henderson and adjacent counties. Mr. Barret is a man with broad ideas regarding charity and religion. He is a deacon in the First Presbyterian church of Henderson, and is a liberal contributor to its good works. On May 15, 1862, he was married to Miss Lucy F. Stites, who died June 6, 1902, leaving two children: Henry P., a tobacco merchant of Henderson, and Susan R., wife of Dr. S. G. Gant, professor of surgery in the post-graduate institute of New York City.
JOHN H. BARRET (deceased), late a prominent citizen of Hen- derson, Ky., and head of the well known tobacco firm of John H. Barret & Co., was born in Louisa county, Va., Feb. 4, 1818, and died at Henderson, Feb. 4, 1890, on his seventy-second birthday. His parents, Peter Straghan and Matilda (Winston) Barret, were both natives of Louisa county, and both his grandfathers were born,
33
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
lived their entire lives, and were buried in Virginia. John H. Barret received his education in the common schools. He was reared on the farm, where his father required him to plow furrow by furrow with others more physically able than himself, but even in boyhood he dis- played that tenacity of purpose, which in later years contributed in so large a measure to his success, and kept up with the best of his father's plowmen. Another line of employment was driving oxen- a pastime well calculated to make a boy forget his Sunday school vocabulary. In 1833 his brother, Alexander B., came to Henderson and engaged in the general merchandise and tobacco stemming business. Two years later John H., then seventeen years of age, left the parental roof and in December, 1835, joined his brother in Ken- tucky. He accepted a position in his brother's stemmery and in a little while his diligence and quick perception enabled him to master many of the details of the trade, with the result that he became a valuable assistant to his brother. In December, 1839, he was married to Miss Susan D. Rankin, a lady noted for her even temper, affec- tionate disposition, good sense, active benevolence and earnest piety. Soon after his marriage he formed a partnership with his brother- in-law, James E. Rankin, under the firm name of Rankin & Barret, in the dry goods business, and this association continued until 1851, when the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent. About this time Mrs. Barret died, leaving three children: John H., Jr., James R., and Susan. (Sketches of the two sons appear elsewhere. The daughter married James E. Rankin, whose sketch is also included in this work.) In 1861 Mr. Barret returned to the tobacco stemming business, this time as a partner with his brother, the partnership being dissolved by the death of the latter in 1861. Alexander B. Barret left an estate valued at from three to four millions of dollars, con- sisting of all sorts of property and investments. By the terms of his will his two brothers, John H. and William T., were made his executors and the entire estate left to their hands without asking them to give security for the performance of the trust. Seven years were allowed by the will for the settlement of the estate, yet, at the end of five years the entire business of the estate was settled, the books balanced, the legacies all paid, and all this without any semb- lance of ill feeling or dissatisfaction. The settling of this vast estate in so short a time, and in such a manner as to cause no dis- content among the heirs, stands as an imperishable monument to the fidelity, the rare judgment, the sound business ability, and the high integrity of the executors. After the death of Alexander Bar-
II-3
34
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
ret the stemming business was continued by the subject of this sketch. As his sons arrived at the age of manhood each was given an interest in the concern, and upon the marriage of his daughter to James E. Rankin, he, too, became one of the firm. Aside from his large and constantly growing tobacco interests Mr. Barret was associated with other great enterprises. During the building of the Evansville, Henderson & Nashville railroad he was one of the board of directors, and was one of the moving spirits of the undertaking. When the city of Henderson voted three hundred thousand dollars of her bonds to assist in building the road the city council unani- mously directed those bonds to be placed in the custody of Mr. Bar- ret, without the formality of asking him for security. The first locomotive-known as the "Pony"-was purchased of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, by Mr. Barret, and paid for out of his own private means. He continued to act as one of the directors of the company until the road passed into the hands of the Louisville & Nashville system. Other institutions in Henderson owe their exist- ence in a great measure to his enterprising spirit. He was one of the chief promoters of the First National bank, which was organized in November, 1865, and began business on the following New Year ; was one of the originators and largest stockholders of the second telegraph line between Henderson and Evansville, Ind .; was active in promoting the establishment of the Henderson woolen mills, one of the largest and best equipped concerns of its kind in the West; and gave to Henderson the largest cotton mill in the state and one of the largest in the country outside of New England. Although he has passed over to the silent majority these great industrial establishments stand as mute witnesses to his progressive spirit. In addition to all these investments, which required a certain amount of time and attention, he was the owner of nearly two thousand acres of land in Henderson county, most of which was cultivated under his direction and personal supervision. He was also the owner of lands in other parts of Kentucky, and in Delta county, Texas, aggregating nearly five thousand acres. Truly he was "a man of affairs." But the great business of Mr. Barret was pri- marily that of stemming and exporting tobacco. As his trade in this line expanded he established stemmeries at Uniontown and Owensboro, and became a large holder of tobacco in European ware- houses. Since his death this gigantic business has been conducted by his sons, and the character and credit he established have been fully maintained by his successors. Politically Mr. Barret was a
35
1307903
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
Whig in his earlier manhood, but after the dissolution of that party he became a Democrat. Although not a professed Christian he was a man of the highest moral character, with broad ideas as to charity, and was a liberal supporter of all religious denominations. He was an honored member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he was known and respected for his generous deeds. In 1852 he married a second wife in the person of Miss Mary Augusta Haddock, of Smithland, Ky. She was a woman of many Christian virtues who was for many years a fitting helpmate for her worthy husband. To this marriage there were born, four children, all of whom died in infancy or early childhood. The only public office Mr. Barret ever held was that of city councilman from his ward. He was elected to this over his protest, but having once put his hand to the plow he did not look back, and the city of Henderson will remember his official acts as those of a man actuated by the highest impulses, with an eye single for the public weal. Here, as in his private affairs, his course was marked by a strict devotion to duty, his only guides being his conscience and his unswerving honesty.
JOHN HENRY BARRET, eldest son and namesake of the late John H. Barret (see sketch), and now the head of the great tobacco stemming interests of John H. Barret & Co., was born in the city of Henderson, Ky., Oct. 3, 1840, and has resided there all his life. When he was twenty years of age he became associated with his father in the tobacco stemming business, which had been founded by Alexander B. Barret in the early thirties. Alexander B. Barret died in 1861, and from that time until 1890 the business was con- ducted by his brother, the elder John H. Barret, and his two sons and his son-in-law, James E. Rankin. The firm during that time became widely known as John H. Barret and Co., and since the death of Mr. Barret, in 1890, the name of the firm has remained unchanged, the subject of this sketch becoming the senior member, and the "Co." being formed by his brother, James R., and his brother-in-law, Mr. Rankin, already mentioned. Mr. Barret was married on Sept. 15, 1863, to Miss Henrietta S. Offutt, of Shelby county, Ky. She died June 27, 1895, leaving two daughters. Mary is the wife of Dr. James W. Heddens, an eminent physician of St. Joseph, Mo., and Augusta is at home with her father. For nearly three quarters of a century the Barret family have been closely iden- tified with the growth and development of the city of Henderson, and to their enterprise is due some of the most important industrial
36
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
establishments of that thriving city. Its banks, factories, railroads, mercantile concerns, and its great tobacco mart have all felt the touch of the Barret hand, while its educational, charitable and religi- ous institutions have received their generous support. John H. Bar- ret is connected with several of the leading concerns of the city and is one of the charitable men of the place, giving liberally of his means to worthy causes. He has for years been one of the deacons of the First Presbyterian church.
RICHARD HENDERSON SOAPER, one of the leading business men of Hen- derson, Ky., was born in that county, Feb. 7, 1836, and is the eldest son of William and Susan Fannie (Henderson) Soaper, who were married Nov. 2, 1830. The father was born in Loudoun county, Va., April 28, 1795. In 1820 he came to Hen- derson, where for a number of years he followed the saddlery business in a modest way, frequently traveling through the country. Subsequently he formed a part- nership with Judge Thomas Towles for the purchase and stemming of tobacco. After a successful business for several years this partnership was dissolved by mutual consent. William Soaper died Jan. 3, 1881. During his life he was noted for his strict business integrity and his unostentatious charity. For many years he was a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, and was honored by being elected Worshipful Master of his Lodge; High Priest of his Chapter; and Eminent Commander of his Knights Templars Commandery. Had he shown a disposition to push him- self forward he might have been Grand Master of Kentucky Masonry. Susan Fannie Henderson was born, May 9, 1813, upon what is known as "The Bluff" a few miles below the city of Hen- derson, her parents being Richard and Annie (Alves) Henderson, both natives of North Carolina, where they were married in 1807. Her father was the nephew of that Richard Henderson who was president of the Henderson Grant Company, and for whom the county and city of Henderson were named. When twenty-two years of age Mrs. Soaper became a member of the Episcopal church, and during all her subsequent years was a consistent practitioner of the tenets of her religious faith. Richard H. Soaper was named for
37
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
his maternal grandfather. He was educated in the best private schools in Henderson, at Shelby college, Shelbyville, Ky., and during the years 1854-55 was a student at Kenyon college, Gambier, O. Upon leaving college he was given a position in his father's business- establishment and a few years later was admitted to a partnership. This partnership continued until his father's death in 1881. Besides the parent house at Henderson a branch was established at Union- town in 1868, having a capacity of five hundred hogsheads annually. In addition to this large tobacco interest Mr. Soaper is the owner of nearly 2,000 acres of the best river bottom land in the county, well adapted to raising both corn and tobacco. He is also one of the organizers of the Henderson National bank, which was founded in 1865 and opened its doors for business on the first of January, 1866. Ever since the bank was instituted he has been one of the board of directors, and since Dec. 14, 1897, has held the office of president. The bank has a capital stock of $200,000 and from the start he has been the largest stockholder. When his father died Richard H. was made executor of the will, which included a large and varied estate, to be divided among ten legatees. The difficulty of such an undertaking can be readily seen, yet Mr. Soaper settled this estate without litigation or without a murmur from any one of the devisees. This attests his ability and integrity as a business man and bears witness to the thorough methods that have characterized his whole business career. He has traveled extensively in his own country and Canada and in 1865 spent the summer in Europe, partly on business and partly for sight-seeing. He was reared a Whig, but since the dissolution of that party he has never been closely allied with any political organization.
HENRY DIXON, sheriff of Henderson county, Ky., with offices in the city of Henderson, was born at Corydon, in that county, March 30, 1860. He is a son of the late John E. and Mary C. (Sugg) Dixon, the former for many years a well known farmer near Corydon, and the latter now living in Henderson. Henry Dixon was reared at Corydon and at the age of eighteen graduated from the Corydon high school. He then attended the Vanderbilt university, Nashville, Tenn., for two years-1878-79-after which he engaged in farming, operating a saw mill, and running a threshing machine, during the threshing season. Part of the time he held the office of constable. In 1896 he was elected tax collector of the Cory- don district and served until 1902. In the meantime he was elected
38
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
sheriff of the county, taking charge of the office on the first day of January, 1902, for the term which expires Jan. 1, 1906. In addition to his official duties he owns and operates a saw mill and a shingle mill in the south part of the county. In politics Mr. Dixon is a Democrat of the Andrew Jackson school-one of the kind that can always be relied on to stand up for his political opinions and the interests of his party. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of the World, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Baptist church. On March 30, 1886, Mr. Dixon was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Green, and they have three daughters: India M., Nannie L., and Augusta Irene.
HON. J. H. POWELL, mayor of Henderson, Ky., is a native of that city and a descendant of one of the most illustrious families of the Blue Grass State. He is a son of Lazarus Powell, who occu- pied with distinction the gubernatorial chair of Kentucky, and also represented the state in the United States senate with signal ability. After receiving a liberal education J. H. Powell took up the study of law and, in a short time after his admission, won a distinguished place among the leading lawyers of his section of the state by his earnest efforts in behalf of his clients, his careful preparation of the cases entrusted to him, and his eloquence as an advocate. For eighteen years he occupied the office of district attorney, and during that time established a reputation as an able, fearless, and con- scientious public official. Mr. Powell is a man of varied attainments. As a public speaker he is justly entitled to a place among the leading orators of the day. The demand for his services in this line led him, some years ago, to enter the lecture field, where he met with popular favor, and only discontinued the vocation on account of failing health. His well known progressiveness and public spirit marked him out as a suitable candidate for the mayoralty and he was elected to the office by his fellow townsmen. As the chief municipal execu- tive his course has been at once conservative and positive. His highest aim has been to subserve the city's interests, and to this end he has carefully avoided everything that would involve the city in needless indebtedness or expensive litigation, yet he has always stood up for those measures that he felt confident would redound to the interests of Henderson and her people. Were he eligible for re-elec- tion it is safe to say that he would succeed himself by an overwhelm- ing majority. Mr. Powell has five sons and a daughter. Each of
39
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
the sons has made a name for himself in his chosen calling. Robert A. is the representative at Henderson, of the St. Bernard Coal and Coke Company, the largest concern of its kind in the state; Laz. W. is the county clerk of Henderson county; Henry J. is the state agent for the Equitable Life Insurance Company of New York; J. Stephen is associated with his father in the practice of law, and is regarded as one of the most promising young attorneys at the Hen- derson bar, and William is associated with his brother in writing insurance for the Equitable.
SINGLETON H. KIMMEL, city engi- neer of Henderson, Ky., was born in that city, Sept. 19, 1869, his parents being Maj. Manning M. and Sibella (Lambert) Kim- mel, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Henderson. The paternal grandfather, whose name was Singleton H., was a native of Pennsylvania, but went to Missouri in an early day, where he practiced law, engaged in mercantile pur- suits, and conducted a newspaper. Maj. M. M. Kimmel was graduated from West Point, served four years in the regular army with the rank of lieutenant, went South at the beginning of the war, joined the Confederate service, rose to the rank of major and was chief of staff of General Van Dorn. After the war he went to Mexico, where he was for some time interested in railroad construc- tion, and after that came to Kentucky. For a number of years he was superintendent of the St. Bernard Coal Company and opened up many of the coal mines of the state. He relinquished this position in 1884, came to Henderson at that time and engaged in the coal business. He took an active interest in public affairs and served on the Henderson school board and as a member of the city council, and has held the office of county magistrate. He now lives retired, is the owner of considerable real estate in the city, much of which is pro- ductive and yields him a comfortable income. He is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, is a Democrat in politics, and with his family belongs to the Presbyterian church. His wife is the daughter of Joel Lambert, who was one of the pioneers of Hender- son county, a farmer and minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and for several terms sheriff of the county. Major Kimmel
40
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
and his wife are the parents of the following children: Singleton H., the subject of this sketch; J. Lambert, teller in the Ohio Valley bank, a prominent Mason, member of the Grand Lodge of the state; Fannie, a graduate of the Louisville kindergarten college, now a teacher in Henderson; Polly, a teacher in Miss Bunch's private school for girls, at Henderson; H. Edward, a graduate of the United States naval academy, in the class of February, 1904, and now an officer on the battleship, Kentucky; Sibella, a graduate of Miss Bunch's school, and with the youngest son, Manning M., Jr., lives at home. Singleton H. Kimmel was educated at the private school of Prof. J. Tevis Cobb, and afterward took a course in civil engineering, graduating in 1888. For two years he was engaged on various pieces of engineering and in February, 1890, was elected city engineer, being at that time but little over twenty years of age. This office he has held ever since, the longest time it was ever held continuously by one man. This tells the story of his efficiency better than words. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Presbyterian church, in both of which he stands well because of his genial disposition and his intrin- sic merits. In his professional line he is one of the best qualified civil engineers in Western Kentucky and the work entrusted to his care is always promptly and faithfully executed.
RICHARD P. FARNSWORTH, the leading contractor and builder of Henderson, Ky., and also a manufacturer of brick, was born at Hopkinsville, Ky., March 21, 1863. His father, O. J. Farns- worth, was a native of Bakersfield, Vt., but both his parents dying while he was still in his boyhood, he left his native state, went to New York City, where he learned the trade of bricklayer, after which he went to Tennessee. He worked in that state until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he entered the Union army and served through the war, after which he went to Hopkins county and engaged in contracting. There he formed the acquaintance of and afterward married Annie E. Watwood, a native of Clarksville, Tenn., and a daughter of George W. Watwood. He continued in the con- tracting business at Madisonville with unvarying success, until his death in 1901. During his life he was recognized as one of the foremost contractors of his section of the state, and Richard has inherited many of his leading characteristics, which have contributed in no small degree to his own successful career. Richard P. Farns- worth is the third of six children born to his parents, all of whom are living and doing well. The mother is now living at Earlington,
41
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
in Hopkins county. After receiving a good common school educa- tion Richard went to work with his father and learned the brick- layer's trade. He laid the first brick that was ever laid in a brick house at Earlington, although but a boy at the time. At the age of twenty-three years he commenced contracting for himself at Green- ville, Ky., and remained there until 1889, when he came to Hen- derson, where he engaged in the drug business. After two years in this line he sold out his drug store and again became a contractor. Since then he has steadily worked his way upward in his business until he occupies a position in the front rank of the builders of the Lower Ohio Valley. In 1903 he did the brick and stone work on the new $25,000 library building at Henderson; in 1904 he did similar work on the Ohio Valley bank, the first fire-proof building in Henderson, the opera house, and numerous other structures of less importance. His business extends to all the surrounding counties, and nineteen of the twenty-five houses in the village of Sebree were built by him. His brick manufactory has a capacity of over 4,000,000 a year, most of which are used in carrying out his own contracts. He employs about sixty men in his various lines of business and is one of the active, progressive men of Henderson. On Feb. 9, 1886, Mr. Farns- worth was united in marriage to Miss Ada, daughter of Armstrong and Julia Sisk, of Hopkins county, where her father is one of the well-to-do farmers. To this marriage there have been born the fol- lowing children: Olin John, Harold Pratt, Ada Louise, Richard Armstrong, and George Shepard. All are living and are students in school. Mr. Farnsworth and his wife are members of the Cumber- land Presbyterian church. In politics he is a Republican and takes an interest in all questions touching public policy, particularly those of a local nature. For eight years he served as a member of the city council, and in 1903 was elected mayor pro tem. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is a Royal Arch Mason, in both of which societies he is deservedly popular because of his genial disposition, his liberal views, his intrinsic moral worth, and his liberal charity.
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.