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 above biographies are from the
book
LaPorte Today (La Porte Print. Co., 1904)
Submitted by Amy Robbins Tjaden
MARTIN R. WALBRIDGE,
deceased.
This gentleman was for twenty years one of the esteemed citizens of
Wyoming Precinct, and one of the progressive and prosperous farmers who
had grown up with the country. He was born in Vermont, on the 27th of
April, 1826, and was the son of John and Polly (Reynolds) Walbridge;
while yet a child our subject was left motherless. Shortly after this
event the father left Vermont and emigrated to LaPorte County, Ind,
where he resided for the remainder of his life, which, however, was not
of long duration. Thus in early youth our subject had to face the world
an orphan.
Remembering the innumerable difficulties consequent upon the
above-mentioned condition, the success that afterward became his
reflects to greatest credit upon our subject. He began the struggle for
existence not only orphaned but poor, and was compelled to work hard
for his living. He did not, however, neglect schooling, which happily
it was within his power, as it is within the power of every American
child, to obtain in the usual institution. When about eighteen years of
age he sold all his earthly possessions in order that he might start
West. He first purchased a good cow, and then started for Wisconsin,
where he located in Iowa County, not far from Madison, at which place
he had a brother, who had gone there some time previously, and was
engaged in farming and was doing well.
After a few months our subject returned to LaPorte County, Ind., and
there entered into his first matrimonial alliance. This deeply
interesting event occurred upon the 17th of February, 1853, the lady
being Sarah A. Thurber. She was born in LaPorte County, and there also
brought up and educated. The day of her nativity was the 31st of
August, 1834. She came of good family, and her home training was such
as to make her a true help to her husband. She was a lady of great
personal worth, prepossessing and of splendid disposition. Of this
union five children were born; of these two are now deceased, viz: Ida
M. and Ross W. Those still living bear the following names: Jessie, who
is married to Montgomery Robb, of Wyoming Precinct; Charles P., who is
living in New Mexico, was married, in September, 1883, to Miss Louisa
Yard, of Princeton, Ill.; Carrie A., who is living in South Bend, Ind.,
where she is a prominent and well-established teacher of music, and is
a graduate from Central Music Hall Conservatory, Chicago, Ill. On the
20th of June, 1874, Mrs. Walbridge died at the old homestead in Wyoming
Precinct.
The second marriage of our subject was celebrated in Wyoming Precinct,
April 27, 1876, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Ellen Cherry, nee
Jones, who was born in Seneca County, Ohio, Aug. 21, 1837. She is the
daughter of Filander H. and Lydia A. (Jewett) Jones, who were natives
of Vermont, where they were brought up and educated.
They were married at Detroit, Mich., and Mr. Jones here entered the
profession of teaching, having been thus engaged in early manhood. He
continued thus employed in Michigan for many years, and later went to
Indiana. He is now seventy-five years of age, is retired from active
work, and makes his home in Weir City, Kan. His wife is seventy-one
years of age, and is still the light and brightness of their home. Mr.
and Mrs. Jones are members of the Methodist Church, and he has been a
stanch Republican in political affairs for more than a quarter of a
century.
The wife of our subject was the first of the children born to her
parents. She was educated in Indiana, and until her marriage with Mr.
Cherry made her home with her parents. This important event occurred
Sept. 11, 1858, the name of her husband being R. W. Cherry. This
gentleman was born in Marion County, Ohio, April 19, 1835. He had been
carefully trained by his parents and well educated, and was engaged
subsequently in mercantile pursuits. For two years he served gallantly
as a soldier in the late Rebellion, and was finally honorably
discharged, owing to disability. He served in Company I, 29th Indiana
Infantry. His death occurred in Rochester, Fulton Co., Ind., Nov. 20,
1872. He was a good, honorable and intelligent man and an esteemed
citizen.
To Mr. and Mrs. Cherry were born four children, two of whom, Adelbert
and Minnie, are now deceased. The living children are: May L., who is a
successful teacher in the public schools of Cass County, and a member
of the Otoe County Teachers' Association; Nellie D. is happily married
to C. M. Fenno, a successful farmer in Thomas County, Kan.; they have
two little ones, named Ellen M. and John R.
The subject of this sketch attained to the advanced age of sixty-two
years before he passed to his place with the silent majority. He died
deeply regretted by all who knew him, at his home in Wyoming Precinct,
on the 10th of May, 1888, where he had lived since the year 1867. In
his politics he was a sound Republican, and was at all times a truly
loyal and upright citizen. Mrs. Walbridge is a devout member of the
Baptist Church, and attends with the congregation meeting at Nebraska
City. With her two sons. Frank B. and Eugene M. Walbridge, she resides
upon the farm which has so long been her home; it comprises 160 acres
of fine agricultural land, and is situated on section 15 of the above
mentioned precinct.
Submitted by Bonnie Magnetti