LaPorte County Indiana
Biographies
Albert C. Freese,
The city treasurer of LaPorte since
Feb. 5, 1903, is one of the esteemed men of the city. Mr Freese
was born on a farm three miles west of the city Feb. 29, 1860, and has
therefore celebrated ten anniversaries of that event. His parents
were Fred and Minnie Freese and he was educated in the parochial and
public schools of the city. He and Miss Louisa Dust were married
in 1883 and they live nicely at 1212 Jackson street. They have no
children. Mr Freese came to LaPorte from the farm when he was of
age, in the year of his marriage, and entered the employ of Rogers
& Hall as a salesman. this engagement lasted several years,
after which he became a salesman for D.C. McCollum in the clothing
business and served in that capacity with great satisfaction to his
employer and customers for ten years. Then the partnership of
Freese & Heusi was formed, F.B. Heusi being his associate, and they
conducted an ever-increasing grocery business for seven years,
continuing until Mr Freese was honored by the election of his present
office by the common council to fill the vacancy caused by the death of
his predecessor. In his incumbency of this fiduciary office Mr
Freese has shown marked ability and a strict observance of his
important duties to the public, without partisan bias. He is an
active and consistent Democrat in politics. In May, 1904, he was
elected by a large majority city treasurer of LaPorte, succeeding
himself to the office.
Dr Augustus Alfred
Fahnestock,
One of the best known physicians and
surgeons in Northern Indiana, was born Aug. 25, 1833, at Fredrick,
Maryland, his parents being Alfred Fahnestock and Eleanor Strider
Fahnestock. He received his education at Lancaster, Ohio, after
which he practiced medicine in Ohio and Indiana, having for 40 years
devoted himself to the duties of his profession. For many years
he served as a member of the city board of health. Until the
death of his brother, Dr C.S. Fahnestock, he was associated with him in
practice, but since then he has conducted an office at 808 Indiana
avenue, his residence being at the same place. Dr Fahnestock
located in LaPorte in 1880. In December, 1854, he married Susan
Amanda Wood, at Syracuse, N. Y., and they have three children, Grace,
Charles and Catherine Fahnestock. He is affiliated with the
Episcopal church, having for several years been a member of the board
of vestrymen.
Louis Decker,
Senior member of the firm of Decker
Bros., hardware dealers, was born in Cincinnati, O., June 14, 1861,
being a son of Fred and Dora Decker. He received the rudiments of
an education in the public schools of Cincinnati and then upon the
removal of the family to LaPorte he entered St John's Lutheran school
and was graduated and then took a course in the LaPorte public
schools. He learned the tinner's trade, being very apt and
industrious, and on July 1st, 1889, he became associated with is
brother in the hardware business. The establishment is one of the
leading ones in the county. Mr Decker is a progressive citizen
and is much thought of. He served one term as a member of the
county council, his work in that body meeting with the approval of the
community. He was married in 1884 to Miss Mary Ulrich of this city and
they have five children. The family resides at 1325 Second
street. In 1893 Decker Bros. commenced the manufacture of metal
cornices and sheet metal work, being the first to engage in this line
in LaPorte and today is the only one. Mr Decker is a member of St
John's Lutheran church.
John H. Decker,
Who is associated with his brother,
Louis Decker, in the hardware business, their place of business being
at 908 Main street, was born in Cincinnati, O., June 19, 1865, and came
to LaPorte with his parents in 1870. His education was received
in St John's Lutheran school, after which he learned the tinner's
trade. In 1899 the firm of Decker Bros., hardware dealers, was
formed and since has steadily increased in volume of business until
today it is considered one of the leading ones in the county. Mr
Decker was married at St Paul, Minn., to Miss Lena Joesting, and they
have three children. They have a very pleasant home at 315 E
street. Mr Decker is a communicant at St John's Lutheran church.
J.T. Bauer
The subject of this sketch was born
in LaPorte February 7, 1861, his residence here having been continuous
from that period. He was married in 1884 to Miss Clara L. Miller,
and they are the parents of four children, three daughters and one
son. The family occupy a pleasant home at 310 East Jefferson
avenue. Mr Bauer, while not seeking political preferment, was
made the candidate of the Democratic party for alderman of the Fourth
ward in 1902, and was elected by one of the largest majorities ever
given a candidate in the ward. His stewardship was such that he
was renominated and elected in 1904, with a majority in excess of that
given him at the previous election. He is chairman of several
important committees, and gives painstaking and zealous effort to the
promotion of city business. Fraternally Mr Bauer is associated
with the Knights of the Maccabees, which he has served as commander,
and with the Ben Hur. His early life was passed on a farm,
continuing in that avocation until 1886, when he came to LaPorte.
He was engaged with the milling firm of Lorig & Weber for fourteen
years, and is now connected in a responsible capacity with the Columbia
bakery. He is a substantial citizen because he is distinctively
self-made, and in the varied walks of life he has always enjoyed the
respect and confidence of the community to which he has given the
impress of good citizenship.
All the biographies are from the book
LaPorte Today (La Porte Print. Co., 1904)
Submitted by Amy Robbins Tjaden